River City - 06/10/2009

Nicki is getting fed up with Bob’s lack of romance. Her fear that he treats her more like a mate than a girlfriend increases when she finds a box full of romantic cards and letters from his ex, Charlie. Poor Bob doesn’t see what the problem is and all attempts to reassure Nicki just end up making the situation worse. When the city suffers a power cut, seemingly at the hands of Deek’s odd-job man, the boys try to contain the situation, leaving Nicki to stew. Scarlett offers some friendly advice – that she and Jimmy are best mates and it works a treat for them – but Nicki takes things a little too literally. Bob is perplexed by her interpretation of ‘matey’ behaviour and finally finds the time to set the record straight - he doesn’t want to be her mate and all thoughts of Charlie are long forgotten. Alas, their reconciliation is short-lived as when they return to the flat they discover an old mural written by Bob declaring is love for Charlie. Nicki lets rip at Bob, inadvertently revealing that she went through the box under his bed. An angry Bob then can’t believe Nicki invaded his privacy. The odd-job man tries to calm the situation with some wise words but the couple are too furious at each other to listen. Just when it seems things can’t get any worse and the odd-job man is about to be sent packing, he surprises them all by announcing that he’s finished. The three friends are delighted to see he has transformed the kitchen with his own special touch scrawled on the wall - a declaration of Bob's love for Nicki. Bob and Nicki set aside their differences and admit their mistakes – he’s no longer scared of letting go of her past and she won’t let his past upset her. Bob tells Nicki that he loves her and a happy Nicki replies that she loves him too. When Joanne returns from the hospital, she and Ruth are quick to suss each other out – Ruth notices that Joanne is avoiding Romeo and Joanne picks up on Ruth’s feelings of guilt surrounding the accident. Ruth tries to express her concerns to the family but everyone else just believes she’s in shock; surely it’s only a matter of time before this uneasy relationship fractures? Lenny thinks his fortunes are about to change when Lydia returns but he couldn’t be more wrong. Lydia makes it clear that she and Amber aren’t coming home. Next, Ewan turns on his father - fed up of his bullying, Ewan finally stands up to Lenny. For once Lenny is proud of his son. And Ewan believes Lenny, unaware that he has been reeled in yet again. In an attempt to make amends, Lenny offers to leave the family home so that Lydia, Amber and Ewan move back in. But Lydia doesn’t relent – she wants Lenny out of her life for good. Lenny returns to his new pokey flat, unhappy and alone. His day gets worse still when a surprise visitor stops by – McCabe. McCabe informs Lenny that he’s taken over all his old businesses, leaving Lenny reeling – who has betrayed him to McCabe? Meanwhile at the Mullen’s, Scarlett and Jimmy discover Scarlett has been sleepwalking. Jimmy explains it’s a symptom of stress and worries the Learmonth situation is getting to her, but Scarlett reassures him, it must be because she is upset about Franco’s death, but a worried Jimmy is not convinced.