I think that all the years when Brian and Jennifer Aldridge were acting like they were Lords of the Manor must have gone to their heads. Cast your mind back a few years; they certainly appeared to have it all – swimming pool, a luxury kitchen that would make your average Michelin-starred chef turn green with envy, a wine cellar to die for, and more than sufficient money. Then you poison one little stream and you find yourself in court, having to pay thousands in fines and clear-up fees, your house is sold and you are forced to downsize to a house which isn’t big enough to accommodate your all-singing, all-dancing combine. Life can be cruel.
How are the mighty fallen! But old habits die hard and they have both retained a surprisingly-high degree of arrogance. This was demonstrated firstly by Jennifer, who sought out Ed and asks if she could talk to him about Alice. Ed is mystified – what can he do? Jen’s reply is along the lines of ‘I don’t understand what Alice is thinking about – I know you were a drug addict once, so can we talk?’ Ed is mightily taken aback by this direct approach, but he eventually invites her in to discuss things.
First of all, Ed says that, if it hadn’t been for Oliver, he would probably be dead now; there was one day when Ed nearly died from an overdose, but Oliver believed in him, laid down some ground rules and made sure he kept to them. At the time, Ed was homeless and he went to pieces (this was at the time when Emma and George left their caravan and went home to live with Neil and Susan). Ed’s own family disowned him, because of him bedding Emma on the eve of her wedding to Will, and Neil wouldn’t let him in the house.
Despite this sad story, Jenny points out that Ed came through it, which proves that it is possible to beat an addiction, so there may be hope yet. Ed points out that it is easier for some than others – while he was at rock bottom, Alice, by contrast, has everything on a plate; a nice house, a loving husband and a good job, not to mention a baby daughter.
Jennifer takes her leave and her next port of call is on Fallon, at the tea shop. Jenny has not yet settled up the bill for the spread that Fallon provided on the day of Martha’s christening. Fallon says that the current situation must be worrying for Jennifer and, upon this, Jenny loses control and bursts into tears, saying how heartbreaking it is to see someone you love slowly destroying herself and shutting friends and family out of their life. Fallon replies that she is sure that Alice never meant to hurt Fallon, but Alice is ill “and ill people need help, don’t they?”
Next day, Brian is working from home and tells Alice that Jennifer has asked if Alice could prepare the meal, as Jen might be late home. Afraid not, says Alice, as she has a table booked at The Fox – she’s going with someone else. Brian almost explodes with anger; he assumes it’s a man. Alice says ‘no’. “So it’s a woman?” Brian says, still shouting. “Well worked out, Dad” replies Alice, and she tells him that the woman is, in fact, Fallon, much to Brian’s amazement.
On his way to Berrow Farm, Brian calls in on Fallon and asks her what does she think she’s playing at? He calls her ‘deceitful’ and says how could she do this when they are all trying to stop Alice drinking? “And we can do without her so-called friends encouraging her.” With commendable – almost superhuman – restraint, Fallon stops herself giving him a gobfull of fingers (as my partner Louise so delicately phrases it) and tells him to stop right there. This pub visit was not her idea, and was booked in advance by Alice – and surely it’s better for Alice to have someone with her, rather than drink alone?
Brian moves on to Berrow, in a less-than-happy frame of mind, only to find Neil accompanied by Jazzer – what’s he doing there; he doesn’t start work for a week or two? Neil explains that Jazzer is giving up some free time to see how the farm works, plus he has spent an hour or so helping Neil to re-site the arks, and doesn’t Brian think that that’s very generous of him, seeing as he didn’t have to come in? Brian is in no mood to be generous and confronts Neil with the farm’s performance figures, which he says are simply not good enough. Neil disagrees, but politely so, which contrasts sharply with Brian’s totally grumpy and offensive attitude. Brian stalks off. As he does so, Ed arrives to pick Jazzer up and Neil apologises for Brian’s remarks, “but I suppose we have to make allowances” (personally, I prefer the ‘Louise solution’ mentioned in the previous paragraph). As Neil goes, Jazzer wonders whether, having escaped Home Farm’s Aquaponics operation to work at Berrow, he has jumped from the frying pan into the fire.
However, has Brian had a Christmas-Carol-Scrooge-Like-Epiphany? Or maybe someone has modified the Louise solution, substituting ‘humble pie’ for ‘a gobfull of fingers’? Whatever, on his way home, Brian drops in on Fallon and offers her an apology “for shooting my mouth off before I knew all the facts” and he now understands why she and Harrison turned down being Martha’s godparents, and he apologises again. Instead of saying ‘OK, who are you and what have you done with the real Brian Aldridge?’, Fallon says that Alice needs professional help, and, when Brian replies that she had that when she was away at the clinic earlier, Fallon says“ she needs REHAB “and she is going to have to want to undergo it.”
Just to show that it’s not just strangers to whom the Aldridges are rude, Jenny goes to see Peggy and tells her that Peggy’s example – staying with her alcoholic husband for years – has inspired Brian and Jenny not to give up. Peggy astounds her daughter by saying that she wishes she had given up and walked away and that she knew Alice was an alcoholic as far back as New Year’s Eve. Not only that, but Peggy told Chris that Martha’s safety is of paramount importance and he must do what he can to protect her. Jennifer interprets this as Peggy telling Chris to leave Alice, and Peggy says “if it became necessary, yes.” This is all too much for Jenny, who says that Peggy has made things ten times worse. “I’m sorry, mum,” Jennifer says, “but I don’t see how I’ll ever be able to forgive you.”
Later on, Brian and Jennifer hold a council of war about Rehab – Brian says he’s found a suitable-looking place, and it is eye-wateringly expensive. He also produces a form, which gives them authority to act on Alice’s behalf – all it needs is her signature. Neither parent has mentioned the word ‘Rehab’ to their daughter, and Jenny says they must be tactful with Alice.
Ha! In your dreams! This discussion is being held over supper and Alice has just nipped off to the loo. She returns and Brian says they have been talking and he uses the ‘R’ word. Not bad Brian – you held out for all of five seconds there. Alice pours scorn on the very idea, saying that Rehab is for people who want to give up drinking and she doesn’t want to give up. Apparently, the treatment lasts between four to six weeks, and Alice says she couldn’t bear to be away from Martha for that long, to which Mr. Tact Brian says that she doesn’t spend much time with Martha at the moment, anyway.
Alice then blames Susan for poisoning Chris’s mind against her and turns on her parents – they’ve done precious little to stand up for her. An incensed Brian says “How dare you blame us for this?” and it is all too much for Jennifer, who says she cannot bear it any longer – they are only acting in Alice’s interests and Jen is very afraid that they are going to lose her. “I’m not going anywhere” Alice says, but Jenny explains that she meant that she is afraid that Alice is going to die if she carries on like she is at the moment.
Alice announces that she is going to her room, and Brian once again demonstrates his caring side and his super-abundance of tact when he calls after her “Another drink? Is that your answer?” Well done Brian - you really know how to handle a difficult situation; I’m surprised you didn’t just nail her to the wall and give her a damn good thrashing.
It’s just another typical evening in the Aldridge household, but there is a surprise in store, as Alice reappears and says “Where is this paper you want me to sign?” “Are you serious?” asks Brian, to which Alice replies that she has brought her own pen, and promptly signs the document of authority. Jennifer is deliriously happy and tells her that she and Brian will be with her every step of the way. “We’ll beat this thing – together” she tells her daughter.
Meanwhile, I expect you are wondering where is Chris while all this is going on? Emma asks Harrison and Fallon if they would be prepared to go out for an evening with her and Chris, as he could do with a change of scene and some company. Fallon isn’t keen, as she fears the evening could end up as a ‘let’s all slag off Alice’ exercise and she points out to Chris that Alice is her friend, as well as Chris. He asks what if he promised it would be an Alice-free event? Not only that, but he would tell Emma to rein in the vitriol about Alice. Rather reluctantly, Fallon agrees.
Things do not bode well, when Emma is detained at an over-running Parish Council meeting. Chris is unusually quiet, and the reason is that this was the place where he took Alice to celebrate her 30th, and it is bringing back unwanted memories (it was Emma who unwittingly booked the restaurant, by the way). He feels he should phone Susan to check on Martha and that he’d like to go home if they don’t mind.
As they are on their way, Fallon asks Harrison to pull over and she tells Chris not to be so hard on himself. Harrison agrees, telling Chris that both he and Fallon are there for him. Chris realises that he has gone a bit over the top and says that he doesn’t really need to go home yet. Harrison suggests that the three of them go back to Woodbine, get a chip supper “and watch some rubbish TV.” How could anyone turn down an invitation like that? Not Chris, obviously, as he says “I’d really like that.” I ask you; is it really so surprising that Alice turned to drink?
Thank you again so much for you stellar summaries, I always enjoy reading them.
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