abstract
| - Frank is awake and out of intensive care. Chris and Kim seem to be vying for who is the most devoted visitor. Chris is concerned because Frank just keeps rambling; Kim suggests they moved him from the other unit too quickly. Linda is feeling suffocated at Betty's. Tina, Butch and Sam come to grips with Nellie's sudden departure for Ireland to visit her sick father. They hadn't bothered to wake Sam up as he'd had a sleepless night due to Butch telling him stories about an axeman. Dave tells Biff he knows he was right about what would happen with Kathy, and he doesn't want to hear about it. The Glovers speculate over why Kathy and Dave have split up; Jan suggests she just isn't good at commitment. Vic is annoyed when he realises that Kelly has thrown out the shop's pudding due to animal products. As the Dingles plan for Christmas dinner, they're startled by a man with an axe - Albert Dingle. As he attempts to butter them up, Tina asks why he hasn't been around in 15 years - he says he'd been inside most of that time. He assumes Zak will give him a warm welcome, but instead Zak knocks him out. Sarah Sugden encourages the village children before the nativity play begins. An angry Kathy blames Nick for driving Dave back to Kim's arms. A heartbroken Frank opens up to Des about how betrayed he feels by both Kim and Dave; Des leaves him a bottle of booze for his nerves. Albert tries to mend fences with Zak and suggests a job he's found, but Zak makes it clear he wants nothing to do with him. The nativity play goes on - most of the villagers are entertained, and Kelly is impressed by Roy as the back end of a horse. Betty is offended by the modern updates to the story of Christ's birth, and feels like Sarah conned her into helping out. At the Woolpack, Betty tries to convince Linda to talk to Jan, but she doesn't. Kathy goes to visit Frank, and trades a few barbs with Kim. Frank is about to drink when he sees Kim and Kathy coming to his room. Kim taunts Kathy over Frank's bedside, saying she knows Kathy won't forget this Christmas in a hurry.
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