31/10/2022

David and Ruth are struggling in different ways, knowing what Chelsea is going through today. It’s shaken David’s faith in their parenting. While Ruth wants to nurture Ben, David is glad Ben is finding it difficult. He thinks he should be. He tries to talk to Ben but can’t find the words. Ben says he’s let David and Ruth down as well as Chelsea. When David says his mum thinks Beth would have stuck by him, Ben insists Beth’s better off without him. He tells David he knows how David really feels, but he couldn’t hate Ben more than Ben hates himself.
Ben goes round to see Chelsea before she goes into hospital. He tells her he’s not going to university today, and she rounds on him. They’ve both been idiots already; Ben and Beth have split up over this. Why be more stupid still? In hospital, Chelsea is frightened. Tracy is there for her. So is the nurse, who is practical and kind. She tells Chelsea to look to the future.
When Ben finds out that it’s all over, he goes for a walk with Bess.
Tracy settles Chelsea at home, and Chelsea asks her to wait with her until she sleeps. There’s a tender moment between them, as they remember a favourite children’s book, and how Chelsea loved it. Tracy thinks that the nurse was right. There’s a promising future out there, waiting for Chelsea.