Monday
It's the day of Ben and Jay's sentencing. Ian decides not to attend court as he doesn't want to face Ben, but Sharon agrees to go in support of Phil, much to Jack's displeasure. News soon travels back to the Square that Ben has been sentenced to four years in prison, while Jay has been given community service. Later, when Phil finds Jay at The Arches, he finally makes amends with the teenager by conceding that what happened to Ben wasn't his fault. Phil assures Jay that he'll always be a part of the Mitchell family, and confesses his own guilt as he feels that he should have got Ben help a long time ago.
Having overheard this conversation, Sharon later advises Phil that while he may have made mistakes with Ben, this should make him even more determined to get things right with Lexi. However, as the pair hug in the hallway of the Mitchell house, they suddenly spot that they're not alone - Shirley is back…
Meanwhile, Alfie and Fatboy arrive back from Germany in good spirits. However, Alfie isn't best pleased when an oblivious Jean jokes that Kat has gone out after receiving a call from her mystery lover. When Kat finally returns, she shows Alfie that she has been out organising a welcome home present - a framed photograph of them with Tommy. Alfie is slightly suspicious over her excuse but presents her with a gift of his own - a necklace with similar stones to her mother's engagement ring, which she was forced to pawn. Kat is touched.
Elsewhere, Cora confides in Lauren about her reasons for giving up Ava as they share a few drinks together. Later, Lauren heads to the R&R and gets annoyed when Joey refuses to serve her. She questions why he's suddenly behaving so coldly towards her, but Joey advises Lauren to just forget about him.
Also today, Bianca is annoyed to see that Lola has also been given a trial at Booty's, Patrick leaves Walford to spend Christmas with his son Anthony, while Derek decides to have a festive wager with Alfie and Fatboy - whoever takes the least on their market stalls by Christmas Eve has to hand over that day's takings.
Tuesday
Shirley is furious that Ben was given such a lenient sentence and warns Jay that she is going to make Phil pay. However, Jay defends Phil by insisting that he has changed, before sharing the news of Phil and Sharon getting engaged for baby Lexi's sake. When Shirley confronts Sharon about this, Sharon assures her that she and Phil are just friends. However, Shirley drops the bombshell that Phil was a crack addict and warns Sharon that a man like that shouldn't be allowed to bring up a baby.
Later, Phil tries to put a stop to Shirley's interference by explaining that he has lost everything, but wants to bring Lexi back to Walford to keep the family he has left together. Shirley is finally satisfied that Phil is a broken and lonely man, so she prepares to leave the Square again. However, she soon changes her mind when Denise lets slip that Ben is Lexi's father.
Tracking down Phil, Shirley brands him a liar and warns Lola, Sharon and Jack that they're fools to trust him as he just wants control of Lexi's future. Shirley warns Lola that Phil will never let her have any input into Lexi's life, and she vows to stick around in Walford to make sure that he doesn't get his way…
Meanwhile, Abi is shocked when Lauren tells her about Cora's secret daughter. Cora informs Abi that she won't be making any further contact with Ava, but Abi thinks that she should at least tell Ava about her father and how special he was. Cora decides this is wise advise and pays Ava a visit, handing over a bracelet that Ava's father gave her years ago.
Later, Abi is shocked and concerned to find a heartbroken Lauren drinking a bottle of wine on her own in the middle of the day. When Abi promises that she's there for Lauren if she needs her, Lauren breaks down in tears.
Elsewhere, Tanya is nervous about her upcoming cancer scan, while Bianca is upset as Lola is doing better than her at the salon - and she feels even more inadequate when she arrives home to find that Carol has already prepared dinner.
Thursday
In turmoil following Shirley's threats, Phil tells Sharon not to believe anything that his bitter ex says. However, Jack warns Phil that the truth about his fake engagement is bound to get back to social services sooner or later, whether Shirley spills the beans or not. Phil's panic increases when Shirley tells him that she can't wait to see everything come crashing down around him.
Soon afterwards, Phil receives a phone call to inform him that the foster worker Dave will be making a spot visit today. Phil is convinced that Shirley is behind it and struggles to keep his cool when Dave arrives. Becoming increasingly agitated, Phil ends up blurting out to Dave that he and Sharon have called off their engagement. As a result, Dave announces that the entire application will now have to be reassessed.
Alone with Sharon, Phil tells her that he made the right decision as someone would have grassed them up eventually. Feeling that Jack was threatening him earlier, Phil later tracks him down and warns that if Lexi ends up in permanent care, he's holding him responsible.
Meanwhile, Jean tells Alfie that scented candles helped to get Tommy off to sleep while he was away. When Alfie questions where the candles came from, Kat claims that she bought them from the Minute Mart, unable to reveal that they were a gift from her lover. Alfie later asks Denise about buying some more, but she assures him that the shop has never sold scented candles. Alfie wonders why Kat is lying and his doubts intensify when Roxy reveals that Kat closed the pub early one night while he was away.
Elsewhere, Cora decides to apply for Dot's old position at the launderette.
Friday
Alfie is confused to find the remnants of the pawn slip stub for Kat's ring. Thinking on her feet, Kat claims that she threw the slip away as she knew she couldn't afford to buy the ring back. However, Alfie is convinced that she must still be having her affair, and his suspicions intensify when he hears Kat telling someone on the phone that she loves and misses them.
Kat tells Alfie that she was speaking on the phone to Charlie, who is unwell and needs her to visit. Alfie decides to check this story by redialling the last number, only to be left embarrassed when Charlie answers. Later, as Kat gets ready to leave for her trip, Alfie worries further as Michael collects her and Tommy, insisting that he is going that way on business. That night, things get even worse for Alfie when he discovers the pawned ring in Kat's drawer - proof that she has been lying to him…
Meanwhile, Joey receives a court summons which asks him to decide his plea with regard to the car crash. Joey's day gets worse when Max refuses to let him be part of the family's Christmas celebrations, even after he apologises for the crash. Later, Joey flirts with Lucy after she heads to the R&R with Lauren, hoping that his cousin will finally move on if she sees him with someone else. Joey tells Lucy that he made a mistake by dumping her, so Lucy agrees for him to come back to hers. However, as things begin to heat up between them, Joey tells Lucy to stop - he can't do this as he's in love with someone else.
Elsewhere, Lola is horrified when she discovers that the plan to get Lexi back is now at risk. Shirley soon gets involved again by taking Lola to see Sharon and imploring her to tell Lola the truth - they have no hope of getting Lexi back. Sharon insists that Phil has a good chance, but Lola rushes off in tears when Shirley suggests otherwise. Sharon then rebukes Shirley for taking her bitterness and resentment out on Lola and Lexi.
Also today, a cash-strapped Bianca is touched to find that her family have made a cardboard Christmas tree for the living room - with Pat's earrings among the decorations.
Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe
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Originally Posted by Glen1
