21/07/2023

It’s Seren and Nova’s birthday party at Bridge Farm and Fallon delivers their two cakes. Tony’s complimentary but wonders if one would’ve been enough. Fallon grits her teeth and Harrison diverts the conversation, just as Tony trips and drops one of the cakes. Distracted Tony heads off to change. Later Tom invites Fallon to join him on the bouncy castle. He realises that however much they’ve got going on, they need to squeeze every drop of happiness from life.
Harrison discovers Tony in a quiet corner of the garden, where Tony tells him that Rob’s dying. Everyone seems to think it’s good news, but Tony can’t get his head around Rob escaping all responsibility. Helen was his victim and Rob gets to drift off without any acknowledgement of a single crime. He hates Rob so much it frightens him. Harrison points out Tony’s family are all waiting for him. Tony’s choice is to sit there and hate a man who isn’t even thinking about him – or join the people he loves, to celebrate the next generation of Archers.
Later Tony apologises to Tom for dropping the cake, telling Tom he’s a great Dad and always will be. They’re interrupted by news from Helen’s solicitor that Rob’s diagnosis won’t impact on the court’s decision about Jack. Helen confides in Pat that she’s not going to tell her boys about Rob’s illness. Pat’s glad Helen’s trusting her own judgement again. Helen describes a dream she had where she’s at the seaside with the boys and nothing bad happens. Pat says that’s lovely. Helen agrees.