When Ben comes home at 4am in the middle of a storm, Louise is curious about where he’s been.
Louise and Courtney meet up with Shakil and Mark; they’re planning to go to Carnival but head home after Louise spots Jay leaving the tube station – Ben told her he was up north visiting his granddad. Ben argues with Jay, who’s been sleeping rough for the last three nights, staking out an address linked to Paul’s killers.
The girls learn Ben and Jay have tracked down the one who started it, Simon, online. Louise’s worried and tells Courtney to go to Carnival without her. She visits Les, initially asking if Ben can help with the plans for Paul’s funeral then admitting she’s scared Ben’s going to kill the boys that murdered Paul.
Les calls Ben to the funeral parlour and tells him this isn’t what Paul would want. He thinks Ben will either end up dead like Paul or in jail and shouldn’t put his family through what he and Pam are going through. A crying Louise makes Ben promise he won’t do anything. Ben tells Les he’d like to help with the funeral and is touched when Les asks if he’d like to do a reading. But when Ben and Louise get home, Jay’s waiting with an address - 76b, Building C, Cromwell Estate. Simon’s there - alone. Jay tells Ben that yesterday was eight years to the day his father was murdered. He thinks Ben will always regret letting Simon go. Ignoring a horrified Louise’s entreaties, Ben touches his ‘Paul’ tattoo and says ‘let’s go’…
Denise finds Patrick enthusiastically practicing salsa with a mop. She’s feeling shattered and heads to the chemist. Patrick apologises to Claudette for suspecting her of locking Babe in the freezer and invites her to the end of term salsa show. When Dot asks Patrick how things are progressing, he says Claudette’s a tough nut to crack. Dot sees a stranger trying to get into the locked Launderette.
At the salsa rehearsal, Denise is still feeling unwell. Kim’s disappointed with the lack of sparkle on the costumes she’s ordered. As they prepare to decamp to Dot’s to use her sewing machine, Denise faints, which Kim attributes to the menopause. Carmel walks Denise home. Denise offers Carmel the use of her house for Shakil’s birthday party. Carmel looks up Denise’s symptoms online. When Carmel’s distracted, Denise adds ‘irregular bleeding’ to the search and looks worried by the results.
Shakil’s late to meet Mark; he was trying to buy condoms at the Minute Mart but his mum walked in. Mark thinks Bex deserves better than an alleyway in Notting Hill but Shakil’s determined to lose his virginity before his birthday. Bex texts Shakil claiming she’s ill and isn’t coming to Carnival. She’s turned her hair green whilst attempting to dye it blonde and asks Stacey for help. Bex admits to Stacey that Louise said Shakil doesn’t like the goth look and that she only went along with it in the first place because of Star. Bex asks Stacey when she lost her virginity. After checking Shakil’s not pressuring Bex, Stacey admits she was fifteen and wishes she’d done it with someone she cared about. Stacey takes Bex shopping, promising they’ll sort out her hair afterwards.
Steven and Ian go through the restaurant accounts; even after a bumper weekend they’re just breaking even. Steven offers not to take a wage but Ian won’t hear of it. Lauren’s excited when her new laptop arrives but offers to send it back when Steven tells her they need to tighten their belts. Lauren pitches a website with online booking system for Elysium to Belinda and gets the job albeit at the reduced price of £275. Getting started, Lauren takes photos of Belinda and the salon.
Lauren’s surprised when Stacey mentions the expensive cooking course that Ian’s sent Kyle on. Lauren brings it up in front of Ian, who clearly knows nothing about it. Steven claims Lauren’s got her wires crossed, later admitting to her that he staged the break in and sent Kyle on the course when he found out. Show less