Tom takes his last look around Joanna’s house as the ‘sold’ sign is put up. Tom has been filling in as a locum at The Beeches and arrives there for the practice meeting. Bridget comments to Carol that Tom looks brighter then he has done recently, but Carol says it’s hard to tell.
In the meeting, Andrew thanks everyone for pulling together during, what has been, a really tough time. He says now that Sam has been made a full partner and a new doctor has been found things can only get better for The Beeches. Andrew explains that the new doctor: army medical officer Alex Redman, will be late in arriving at The Beeches as her own replacement hasn’t yet arrived. Andrew asks Tom if he can continue to locum. Tom says he’ll stay for the rest of the week but then he has to go as he has things to sort out with his move to Scotland.
At Derby County, Tom introduces Alice to baby Joe; his and Joanna’s baby. Alice comments on how Joe looks more like Joanna every day. Tom is called away and Alice says she’ll give Joe his bottle.
Kerri’s Aunt Jenny arrives to stay with Kerri’s parents; John and Jenny’s sister Sylvia. Jenny has returned from her luxurious life in Spain to spend some time with the family. During a family dinner, Sam notices that Jenny is in pain and asks her to come and visit him at The Beeches. Jenny makes an appointment and Sam examines her. He is concerned by a scar on her abdomen, Jenny says it was caused by an operation to remove her appendix. When Sam asks further questions, Jenny is reluctant to let him examine her anymore and she leaves the surgery.
Andrew asks Tom how Joe is. Tom says he’s doing well and has had no more breathing difficulties. Tom says he doesn’t know how he and Joe are going to cope. Andrew tells him they’ll be fine.
Sam is not convinced by Jenny’s reason behind her scar and asks Andrew if an appendix scar could be horizontal. Andrew says he’s never seen one like that before – Sam says neither has he.
Jenny starts work at John and Sylvia’s bakery. She is determined to prove herself in the job and whilst lifting some cooking from the oven she collapses. Jenny doesn’t want an ambulance and tells John and Sylvia to call Sam. Sam arrives and is adamant that Jenny needs to be taken to hospital. Jenny tells Sam that the scar was caused by a caesarean. The tests results show there is an obstruction in Jenny’s bowel. Sam says it could have been caused by the caesarean scar tissue as sometimes these things take a long time to flare up. Jenny tells Sam she doesn’t want Kerri to know about her caesarean operation.
The doctors tell Tom that Joe is ready to go home. His chest x-ray is clear. The consultant asks Tom if he’s ready – Tom says he is.
Kerri walks into Jenny’s room whilst she and Sam are discussing the caesarean. Kerri asks what the consultant said, Sam tells her he has to go and tells Kerri to ask Jenny what’s wrong with her. Kerri is confused by Sam not wanting to be involved in Jenny’s case, especially when he refuses to accompany Kerri on a visit to see Jenny at the hospital.
Tom gets involved in the plight of a young girl, Sarah, who is covered in bruises. Her parents Ian and Pam, have recently split up and Tom takes it upon himself to ask them both if Sarah has come to any harm under their care. Andrew is not happy with the way Tom has handled the case as Ian is his patient. Tom tells him that Sarah is very lucky to have two parents and says he wanted to keep it that way as some children are not as lucky as Sarah. Andrew sees the case has double meaning to Tom and tells him he knows he misses Joanna, they all do, but he stresses that he mustn’t let his situation affect his judgement. Tom is offended and tells Andrew he can find himself another locum.
Sam has made the connection and realises that Jenny is Kerri’s mum. Jenny tells him she had Kerri when she was just 16 years old. As John and Sylvia had a stable life and had been trying for a child of their own she gave Kerri to them. She tells Sam they always agreed that Kerri would never find out. Sam explains to Jenny and John how difficult it is for him to face Kerri now that he knows this huge secret about her that she doesn’t even know herself.
JENNY: I make a great auntie but I’d have made a terrible mother
SAM: Isn’t that for Kerri to judge?
Tom begins to clear out his office at The Beeches. He finds an old newspaper that has reported on Joanna’s death. From the headline we learn that the farmer who shot her committed suicide.
On top of the abuse claims, Ian also discovers he has Lenieres disease and Andrew tells him he mustn’t drive until further tests are done. However when Sarah turns up at his workplace unannounced, Ian is concerned by her high temperature and rash on her face. He has no option but to drive her to a doctors surgery. Andrew and Tom soon catch on to the fact that Sarah is missing and go in pursuit of Ian.
As Ian is driving he has a dizzy spell and loses control of his car. He crashes the vehicle inches away from Dr Alex Redman who is on the side of the road reading her road map. As the car begins to smoke Alex drags Sarah from the wreckage. Andrew and Tom arrive in time to watch the car explode, with Alex and Ian inside. Alex appears with Ian and introduces herself to Andrew and Tom. They are surprised to have met their new partner is such bizarre circumstances.
Kerri asks Sam what she has done wrong, she says she thought they were doing really well. Kerri asks if it is something to do with her family, she says she knows they can be a bit much at times but says they mean well. Sam says it’s not her or her family, he just had a problem with a patient which he now knows how to sort out.
SAM: Kerri is the most important thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t build our relationship on a lie
Ian and Sarah are taken to hospital where tests reveal that Sarah’s bruises have been caused by a blood disorder.
Tom takes Joe to The Beeches and introduces him to the staff. Andrew tells Tom that Treeclow surgery wants someone to take over their patients. Andrew says he thinks The Beeches should do it. He says that in order to handle the new number of patients The Beeches would need a fourth partner and asks Tom to join he, Sam and Alex at The Beeches. Andrew tells Tom he and Joe could have a great future in Cardale. Tom looks around at Joe neatly settled in Carol’s arms and agrees to stay in Cardale and at The Beeches.
