Weekend Away

"Weekend Away" is the second episode in the second season of the show *As Time Goes By*. It originally aired on 17 January 1993.

## Plot

Lionel and Jean arrives at Jean’s house and fight over which one pays. They come in talk about their relationship 38 years ago and agree that if they hadn’t lost touch, they would have gotten married and not divorced. Judy comes in and feels bad that Lionel is leaving, believing that she is responsible for Lionel leaving. Lionel says he’s leaving because he has a working breakfast the next day with Alistair. Lionel leaves and Judy asks Jean about the potential romantic nature of Jean and Lionel’s relationship. Judy also tells Jean that she will be leaving for the weekend to Jean’s confusion.

Lionel and Alistair are eating breakfast at a greasy spoon, Lionel eating a piece of toast and Alistair eating a full fry up. Alistair announces that they will publish in three weeks and he needs Lionel to fully participate in the promotion of the book and shows Lionel a dummy copy of the book. Lionel is uncomfortable with the sexual nature of the cover and Alistair demonstrates its ability to grab attention from the public by showing the cover to other customers. Alistair leaves and tells Lionel to call him with any problems except for this weekend which he will be in Paris on vacation.

Lionel shows the dummy copy of the book to Jean at her office and Jean lightly laughs and jokes about it. Sandy comes in with sandwiches for Jean and Lionel and Jean asks for Sandy’s opinion on the book title. Sandy is impressed with the book cover thinks it would make people pick it up and have a look thorough it to Lionel’s bemusement. Lionel and Jean sit down to eat the sandwiches with a bottle of white wine and their dream to vacation in Paris 38 years ago and Lionel mentions to Jean that Alistair is going to Paris on a personal trip and Jean believes that Judy is going with Alistair.

Jean is in the living room when Judy comes in and talks to Judy about her going away for the weekend with Alistair which Judy refuses to confirm or deny. Judy does make a point that her leaving for the weekend gives Jean and Lionel space for a romantic entanglement.

Jean is at the office working and Sandy asks her about what Jean will do with Judy out of the house for the weekend to Jean’s annoyance. Sandy goes back to work and Lionel walks in to ask Jean help in picking out a suit. Sandy tells Lionel that Jean is at a business lunch at her request, but Lionel sees Jean sneaking off and quickly intercepts her outside. Jean goes back to the office saying that she is very busy and Sandy says that they received a large number of calls and that she will be busy all weekend to Lionel’s confusion and he leaves. Sandy goes to Jean and tell her that Jean was transparent in her lies and Lionel left with a ‘face like thunder.’ Judy comes in and says she saw Lionel terse and Sandy tell her that Jean unconvincingly told Lionel that she couldn’t see him this weekend. Judy leaves for the weekend.

Lionel is at home when the doorbell rings as he wakes up. Lionel answers the door and Alistair comes in with a guide of what to do during the launch of the book. Lionel thanks him and asks why Alistair wasn’t in Paris and if Judy was disappointed. Alistair says he had a quarter of million pound of business that came up and that Judy was never on the agenda. Alistair tries to encourage him to go over to Jean during the weekend and tries to put Jean’s behavior on cold feet. Alistair leaves and Lionel looks up in realization.

Jean answers the door and Lionel comes in annoyed pointing out the obvious lies that Jean told and the reasons behind them. Lionel also tells Jean that Alistair ended up not going to Paris and that Judy was never on the agenda. Jean comes to the realization that Judy left to them space and every was very much set up. Lionel and Jean both have a drink and talk about how the weekend ended up and they decide to have sardines on toast and ignore the empty house. Judy comes home early and is annoyed to see that she returned when Lionel and Jean were together in the house. Judy says that she was in Pangbourne, not in Paris and not with Alistair, in order to give Jean some space. Judy stayed in a hotel in Pangbourne that was filled with salesmen for a sales conference and Lionel and Jean tell Judy that she should let them to continue their relationship at their own space.