04/01/2023

Pip tells her parents to stop squabbling as they all try to plan their days around the meeting with Ben’s support worker. Ruth isn’t pleased to hear how much Ben helped out yesterday so that Pip could go out with Lottie. Riled Pip makes a sarcastic reply. Elizabeth and Vince meet and Vince wonders if this is when Elizabeth ends their relationship. But Elizabeth tells him that she’s missed him. Vince is desperate for Elizabeth to forgive him, and she wants to get back to how they were but first he needs to make peace with David and Ruth. The Brookfield Archers gather to talk to Elena about what Ben’s been going through and his recovery. Ruth and David quickly clash over Ben’s decision to delay returning to his nursing course. Elena steps in and asks Ruth how she feels. Ruth admits she’s worried all the time. Elena helps her feel more positive by explaining how complicated it can be to manage Ben’s mental illness and her own experience of it. They move on to the fear of Ben returning to a dark place. Elena reassures them that they’ll now be able to spot early warning signs. Ben’s medication is also helping him and Elena thinks he can manage that himself. Later, Ruth apologises to Pip for snapping at her and Pip’s impressed that Ruth and David are now being nice to each other. Ruth announces that Vince has invited her and David out for a meal. Pip wishes Ruth luck breaking that to David.