EastEnders’ Cindy Beale makes a shock return to Walford next week, and she doesn’t exactly receive a warm welcome.

While the Beales reel from the homecoming, Lauren Branning then goes into labour – with only arch-enemy Cindy on hand to help.

“It’s safe to say Cindy hasn’t been missed,” begins our Albert Square insider. “She scurried off after Kathy admitted she was behind the Christmas Day shovel attack, and only conflicted Peter has reached out since she left.

“No one hates Cindy more than Lauren, so she doesn’t relish the idea of her future mother-in-law helping her through childbirth – but she might not have a choice in the matter.”

Hours before her and Peter’s engagement party, Lauren has her final check-up with the midwife. She’s still concerned her painkiller addiction may have harmed her unborn baby, and she’s nervous when the midwife discusses possible complications with the upcoming birth.

Peter does little to put his fiancée’s mind at rest when he ducks out of the appointment to take a phone call, leaving Lauren livid.

There’s more stress in store when the venue for the party falls through, thanks to a fault at the Albert, so Kathy quickly arranges to hold it at Harry’s Barn instead. But anxious Lauren struggles to get into the upbeat vibe, especially when Ian makes an insensitive comment.

After taking herself to the office for five minutes alone, Lauren is then found by concerned Kathy who gives her a pep talk and encourages her to rejoin the party – just in time for the arrival of surprise guest Cindy.

“Peter attempts to keep the atmosphere calm,” explains our source, “but Lauren’s having none of it. She storms out after giving her boyfriend an ultimatum: it’s her or Cindy.”

This leaves Peter in a predicament: should he go after his lady or give his mother the chance to redeem herself, after having torn two families apart by cheating on his dad with Junior Knight?

When the rest of the Beale and Knight clans turn their back on her, spiteful Cindy goes on the defensive and publicly announces that Kathy attacked her back in December.

With the party ruined thanks to her truth bomb, and Kathy forced to face up to her actions, Cindy decides to have it out with Lauren. But when she gets to Lauren’s flat, she gets more than she bargained for, as she has gone into labour.

“Putting their animosity aside, Cindy calls an ambulance but is told it could take ages,” says our insider. “She has to take matters into her own hands to get Lauren to hospital as soon as possible.”

Will Lauren and the baby be okay, and could this be Cindy’s chance to make amends?