30th December 2021

Laura takes Alicia out for coffee, and she complains about the space at home. Alicia tells Laura of her stories back at home with her mum. Laura learns that Rick fell out with Alicia's mum Lucy, and suggests she goes back to give her mum company over the festive period. Imelda lets Rick in, who claims that Sam was expecting him . Rick steals Alicia's laptop. Imelda notices that Rick sneaked back out, concerning her. Tracey bumps into Laura and Alicia outside the cafe and Tracey tells her that she's going to Wales for a couple of days. Laura wished that Sam could surprise her like that. Rick shows up at the bar, with a few hundred to help pay the money back. Sam thinks Rick is pathetic and tells him to leave the area, and that Alicia can stay. Rick feels like Sam might be right and sits on a bench outside. Laura gets home and learns that Rick popped over. Alicia can't find her laptop, and alerts Imelda and Laura. Rick starts packing his things at his flat. He tries calling his sister Lucy, to no avail. Laura heads to the bar to ask Sam if he has Alicia's new laptop. Sam knows that Rick probably sold it, and doesn't tell Laura as she would know about the robbery. Laura leaves while Sam tries calling Rick. Sam heads to his place and finds him packing. Sam thinks Rick is problematic for stealing Alicia's laptop and demands it back. Rick pleads to Sam that we wants to prove himself, and wants a job at the bar for the laptop. Sam questions why he would rather stay here with a bad job, than with Lucy. Rick explains that it's complicated. Sam tells him he will offer him a part time job and demands the money back by Feb. Imelda and Des chat at the RR. Sam and Rick find Alicia and Laura at the RR and explains to her that Rick needed the laptop for urgent business. . On that note, a tired Rick heads home. Laura and Sam have a drink and Laura tells him how Alicia mentioned that Rick and Lucy fell out big time back home. Sam is more intrigued by Rick. David catches Tracey coming home and asks to talk. Tracey remains ignorant over their closeness on the bench yesterday, and tells him that she has no time as she needs to pack for her holiday to Wales. Tracey gets inside and feels relief.

Elsie lies in bed in pain in the early hours of the day, and she gets emotional and breaks down in the bathroom. Hours later, Terry worries about Elsie in the bathroom and Elsie wakes up having slept on the bathroom floor. Elsie lies and claims she just felt sick at night and took medicine. Claudia tells Terry the holidays as he makes his way out the house presumably for work, but Terry insists that he needs some air and he heads to the beach where he feels comfort. Claudia gets a cold feeling from Terry and asks John about last night, learning that John told him that they were talking about him the other night. Claudia is left reeling. Elsie calls up work and tells them she will be working from home, stating she's just unwell. John and Claudia argue on the way to the charity shop, where Paula is clearly stressed that they didn't have enough toys to distribute for Christmas. Paula tells Claudia that she and Derek will be around later to check out the car. Elsie runs out of pain killers and struggles to walk downstairs. Ricky bumps into Lydia at the cafe and she asks what Elsie wanted. Ricky tells her that she is sick. Elsie calls Terry from the window, who arrives from the beach and tells him to get her some pain killers. Terry does so, and bumps into Tommy. They both wish each other a Merry Christmas. Tommy hopes that they can talk one day. Tommy pays for the pain killers and vows to drop them to Elsie, and Terry thanks him. Jonny asks Terry what his plans for New Years is. Terry fails to answer and walks back to the beach. Claudia is annoyed that Terry isn't picking up his phone as Paul and Derek will be there soon. Claudia palms the blame on John, who heads to the RR. Tommy greets Claudia and goes upstairs to see Elsie. Elsie thanks him and can see that Elsie isn't okay at all. Elsie starts to open up, but as Ricky arrives, she urges Tommy to leave abruptly. Tommy tells her that if she needs to talk, he will be there for her. John chats to Eve, who complains about how late Tommy is. John mentions that he was at theirs. Tommy gets to the RR, and Eve asks what Elsie wanted. Tommy shares his worries about Elsie. Ricky comforts Elsie and mentions that as long as the baby is okay, he will be okay. Elsie cries, and Elsie shares that she *thought* that she miscarried. How long will Elsie lie to Ricky for? Paula annoyed Claudia with her lousy offer. Derek's stinginess stops the sale from going through, and Claudia is silently glad given that Terry isn't even here. Claudia asks them if they have seen Terry. Samantha asks Tommy how Elsie is, having heard him talking to Eve about Elsie. Samantha shares how sad the situation is. Tommy remains even more concerned, fearing Elsie is hiding something big. Ricky tells John and Claudia that Elsie is really sick and worries about the baby's health. Elsie overhears from upstairs while Claudia tries calling Terry again.

Alvin has breakfast at Amanda's. Audrey rattles on about the shop sale and how Paul isn't the best business man. Audrey and Amanda are annoyed as Alvin keeps getting annoying messages and Alvin claims that it's a client. Alvin head outside and leaves Aaron a voicemail that the game is over and there is no money, and deletes his number, just as Amanda comes by and considers how bad the client must be to have deleted their number. Natasha offers to get Marc a coffee at the cafe, but Marc isn't happy that Natasha is on Elle's side. Natasha asks for a takeaway cup as Marya arrives. As she prepares to sit with him, Elle and Amanda arrive. Marya asks who is looking after the salon, and Amanda claims they are closed until after New Years. As Marc attempts to make a joke, Elle shuts him down. Marya thinks it's harsh and Amanda mentions how Marya has a soft spot for Marc. Marya isn't having any of Amanda's nonsense and leaves. Marc hurls abuse at Amanda as he heads out. Derek and Paula enter, and Amanda rolls her eyes. Derek jokingly wishes her a Merry Christmas too, while Amanda wants to know what she did to deserve bad company that morning. Alvin hunts through the salon to see if there's any money lying about. He catches himself in the mirror and stops. He starts tidying everything up. Marc chases after Marya outside Laura's bar, and Marya says that they are not going to work, and ends their fling. Marc hopes that they can stay as friends. Natasha complains how two-faced Marya is, and David listens to her at bar. Marya arrives and tells the couple that they have ended their fling. Natasha is pleased. Elle thinks they should open tomorrow to get a head of the New Year sales, as they'll be the only salon open. They both agree that they need to hire more hair-dressers. Marya chats to Natasha about her New Year plans and gets a message from Elle to work tomorrow. Marya is happy to. David and Sam chat at the bar, while Aaron returns to the valley and has his eye on the salon. Alvin stresses out in the salon, hating himself and looks for alcohol, and swigs down Amanda's scotch. David chats to Natasha on their way home outside the spa, and David can't believe Marc had an affair with Marya Connor.

Marc finishes his community service quota, and bumps into Alvin outside the salon, and Alvin vows to not fight. Marc thinks it's odd that he bought into the salon. Marc wants to know why exactly he won't take him on as a client, and Alvin claims he would be too much work. Marc questions why he took Harry on, and Alvin tells him to shut it, and how he's fed up of clowning around with criminals. Marc accuses him of being insecure, and that triggers Alvin, who takes a deep breathe and walks away. Marc feels inspired to get to the bottom of Alvin's motives of involving himself with the salon.