Emmerdale’s Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) is barely holding it together, both because of the loss of girlfriend Suzy Merton (Martelle Edinborough) and the unimaginable pain at discovering Suzy was planning to end their relationship.
She’s not been the most switched on or supportive to those around her, having become consumed with learning Mary (Louise Jameson) was the one who’d caught Suzy’s eye. Being so self-absorbed, she has been missing just how bad things have become for sister Tracy (Amy Walsh).
Tracy is on the breadline, having not received a penny from Nate (Jurell Carter) – probably because it’s difficult to pay child maintenance from the bottom of a lake (if indeed that is where Nate is!).
Without child maintenance, Tracy has barely been able to keep her head above water, and Vanessa – swallowed by her world of grief – has only added to Tracy’s financial worries by constantly demanding money and being completely unsympathetic.
To keep herself afloat, Tracy has turned to a life of crime – stealing money out of the shop’s till. No one was aware of her criminal activity except Leyla (Roxy Shahidi) who died before she could tell anyone.
But Eric wants to rake over the accounts to prepare the business for sale and will thus reveal Tracy’s secret. As expected, he discovers the missing money, and Tracy is feeling guilty watching him berate himself for his carelessness while he praises her for her support.
In the throes of a wave of guilt, Tracy confesses to Vanessa. Initially, Vanessa is apologetic – she had been oblivious to her sister’s struggles and feels bad about that.
She hands Tracy the cash to make things right, who then pops it back in the till and tries to convince Eric that he merely misplaced it.
A grateful Eric takes Tracy out for a thank you lunch, but Tracy is caught off guard by a drunk Vanessa who is also in the pub. Vanessa loses her drunken cool and rips into Tracy for stealing the money. Just like that, the secret is out, and Pollard is devastated.
Hard up Tracy finds herself sacked, all thanks to Vanessa’s outburst. With nothing keeping her in the village and in need of a new job, will Tracy quit the village?
