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When Patrick wants to use his gambling winnings to buy something for the baby, Denise waves away his offer. At the Minute Mart, Denise moans that she’s spent the last few days looking after injured Kim; she’s chuffed when Stacey enthuses about her script for ‘A Christmas Carol’ and tells Shirley and Honey she’s wasted in the shop. In the café, Carmel gives her a Babygro – she’s glad Denise changed her mind about the adoption. Denise forces a smile. Kim assures Denise she’ll be there to help and babysit when the baby’s born but Denise interrupts - she doesn’t want Kim to be her birthing partner. At the play rehearsal, Derek’s delighted to see Martin again, and leads the Walford Players in a round of applause for Denise’s new script. At Denise’s evening class, Jorgen invites Denise for Christmas drinks and hopes she doesn’t let her studies slip as she’s top of the class.

A buoyed Denise arrives home to find Patrick waiting with a rocking horse for the baby. Denise can’t accept it – she’s putting the baby up for adoption and has been meeting with social services for a few months. Stunned, Patrick doesn’t understand why. Guilty, Denise admits she wants to fulfil her potential, change her life and have a successful career - she can’t do that with a baby. Tearful, Denise begs for Patrick’s forgiveness – she can’t do this on her own anymore. Patrick wordlessly hugs Denise as she cries.

At No.55, Roxy’s mortified when Amy catches her in the arms of a one night stand. Over at No.27, Ronnie’s irked that Roxy’s ignoring her calls and reminds Jack their life in Ongar won’t work without Roxy. She’s surprised when Amy returns alone as Roxy was supposed to take her to school. Amy says Roxy had a friend over. On the market, Ronnie hunts down Roxy and wants to make things right; Ronnie enquires about her friend and Roxy snaps that her love life is none of Ronnie’s business. Later, Ronnie tries again and suggests a compromise – they all move to Ongar but don’t live so close to each other. Jack softens, but warns that he wants to meet Roxy’s boyfriends before Amy does. Kush jokes it’s a bit soon for Roxy to be calling his friend she had a fling with a boyfriend; Donna’s confused – she thought Roxy picked him up last night. Jack scoffs – Roxy hasn’t changed and is setting a bad example for Amy. Roxy turns on Kush for interfering; she’s shocked when Martin reveals that their friend split up with his wife because of his fling with Roxy. Later, Amy tells horrified Roxy she can’t wait to have a boyfriend. Back at No.55, Roxy watches Ben and Louise cook a healthy tofu stir fry for Phil; she remarks Phil’s kids have turned out alright in spite of everything. Roxy complains she’s entitled to have a life of her own, like Phil has; he remarks maybe if he’d put his kids first he’d be better off now. Later, Roxy tells Ronnie and Jack to move to Ongar without her - Amy deserves more stability than she can give.

Lee’s determined to celebrate Whitney’s birthday even though Johnny points out she doesn’t want to do anything. Lee entrusts Mick to look after Whitney’s birthday present – an expensive bracelet - and gets a text from his bank – ‘you have gone over your agreed overdraft limit’. Later, unimpressed Whitney brands Lee insensitive for forcing a celebration on the family so soon after the robbery, and hands out panic alarms she bought on the market.

Carmel’s livid another cat has been stealing Craig’s food, and downcast that Darius has cancelled their plans. Shakil informs Bex that they won’t have the house to themselves after all. When Bex suggests cancelling if they can’t find somewhere to go, Shakil promises to sort it. Later, Carmel’s delighted when Kush reports things are back on with Darius after Shakil told him how upset she was.

Ian’s been moaning for three days about his back, to Jane’s frustration. Later, Stacey and Jane hear a pathetic cry from the bathroom – Ian’s stuck in the bath! A mortified Stacey is forced to help Ian as Jane supresses her giggles. Ian complains that all he wanted to do was win Jane a bear on the coconut shy and they might as well have stayed home. Jane points out they wouldn’t have enjoyed the day together if they had; a content Ian agrees.