Finding that she was getting nowhere with the company, she decided to head over to the Vic for something to eat. Katy decided that the walk would give her a chance to clear her head a little and, hopefully, there would be someone there who would either distract her or give her the opportunity to vent about her latest stress.

"Katy, hi!" Ruby approached as Katy walked along Bridge Street, looking excited about something. Pausing, the blonde waited for her catch her up. "I've had an idea for the opening night."

"Yeah?"

"I've got a mate who's an up-and-coming DJ in Brixton." She continued. "I know you said you weren't keen on the idea, but maybe for the first night, to create a buzz, we could get him to play?"

"Sure, sounds good."

"Really?"

Katy laughed. "You sound surprised that I'm being reasonable."

"Jay told me it was almost impossible to change your mind when you'd decided something." She admitted with a wry smile.

Laughing again, the blonde nodded. "I'm not going to lie, usually he's right. But if you think this will bring in the punters then I'm willing to give it a go."

"We're still definitely looking at the 27th for the opening?"

"Definitely." Katy nodded firmly.

"Cool, I'll ring him in a bit then."

"Fab, thanks, Ruby."

Watching her walk away, Katy decided to head into the Vic for a drink before tackling the sign situation again. She was still battling the company about the situation, growing more and more frustrated by the day.

She dropped onto a stool at the bar, smiling briefly at Shirley and opening her emails while she waited for the older woman to finish serving her customer. The Vic seemed quieter than normal for late afternoon, with only a couple of punters in. Briefly wondering whether there was a reason for it, Katy was quick to smile brightly as Shirley appeared in front of her.

"Alright?"

"Yeah, you? Usual?"

"Thanks." Katy nodded her agreement. "You know, it's getting confusing having two Rubys around. I'm gonna have to give one of them a nickname."

Shirley chuckled. "That reminds me, I need to have a word with you about poaching my staff."

"Hey, Whit's gonna be working for me around her shifts here." The younger blonde said, holding up her hands in surrender. "We've already decided that."

"So how's it all coming on?"

Katy sighed and told her about the sign nightmare she was currently embroiled in. Shirley laughed, telling her to count herself lucky that was the worst problem she had. Nodding in agreement, she asked Shirley how Mick and Linda were enjoying Australia.

Shirley rolled her eyes. "Don't ask."

"Grandma's still in Ireland with Charlie." Katy sighed, doing as she was asked and changing the subject. She rolled her eyes at the mention of Matthew's father. "So she's not going to be able to make it to the opening of the R&R. You'll be there, though, won't ya? I'm throwing a pre-opening party for the family in the afternoon so the kids can come. If you can't make the evening, you'll at least come to that, right?"

"I thought you said it was for family?"

"Yeah… you are family, Shirl." Katy told her firmly.

The delighted expression on Shirley's face was quickly covered up. "When is it?"

"Wednesday 27th."

"Roxy's birthday?"

"You remembered?" Katy smiled in surprise.

"Of course… like you said, we're family, ain't we?"

"Yeah, well… I ain't expecting most people to remember."

Shirley smiled at her. "They'd be really proud, you know?"

Returning the smile, Katy blinked away the tears that had suddenly gathered in her eyes. "Don't get all soppy on me now, Shirl."

Rolling her eyes, Shirley reached out and pushed the younger woman's shoulder gently, before moving away to serve Kush. Katy watched her for a moment, before downing her drink and pulling herself together.

Leaving the pub, she strode back to the bar with newly acquired determination surging through her. Shirley was right; Ronnie and Roxy would be proud of her for what she was doing. A stupid sign company wasn't going to take her down.

With renewed enthusiasm she composed an email to the company who had messed up her order, before starting to search for alternative options.

"Have you got any idea when your father's going to be back?" Glenda asked later that evening.

With the children in bed, the two women were watching a film and drinking wine. Katy had attempted to convince her grandmother to go to the Vic, but Glenda had been determined to spend the evening with the younger woman.

"None at all." Katy sighed, leaning forward to refill their glasses. "Every time I try and ask he either finds an excuse to end the call or says Penny wants to talk to me. Penny never wants to talk to me."

"What happened between you two?"

Looking at the curious expression on her grandmother's face, Katy sighed. "Nothing. I think it was just too late for us to be sisters. But she's really good with the kids. She never forgets their birthdays or Christmas."

"Sounds like me and my girls… it was just too late for me to be their mother."

"Gran…" Katy reached over and squeezed her hand tightly. "It's OK. There might be–"

"Katherine!" Glenda pushed her hand away. "Why can't you just accept that they're gone! They're not coming back. You saying otherwise is just… it hurts, Katherine. Why don't you understand that?"

"Because I don't want them to be gone, that's why." Her granddaughter snapped. "Because admitting that they're gone feels like giving up and if I give up… I'm not quite sure what would happen."

"But one day you're going to realise they really are gone and everything is going to hit you all at once, darling." The older woman said in a softer voice, her eyes filling with tears. "I don't want that to happen. You need to accept it."

"But what if–"

"Katy, please…"

"I don't want to." Katy mumbled, shaking her head and twisting her hands in her lap. "I don't want them to be gone. I miss them so much. I can't…"

"Darling…" Glenda dragged her into her arms and held her tightly. She felt the younger woman break, shaking and sobbing as her emotions exploded out of her. Glenda squeezed her eyes closed, feeling her own tears streaming down her cheeks as they clung to each other. "I miss them too, every single minute of every single day. You and the children… you're all that's keeping me going."

"Why did they have to die? It's so unfair!"

"I know, my darling, I know." Glenda pulled back and pushed Katy's hair out of her face, cupping her cheeks gently and fixing her with a determined look. "But from now on it's you and me. You, me and those kids; they're the future. The kids and making a success of the R&R."

"What if I can't?"

"I have absolutely no doubt about it."

"Everyone thinks I've lost it, don't they?" Katy asked softly. "Thinking there's any chance Mum and Aunty Rox are still alive." When Glenda just sighed in response, she shook her head sadly. "I just can't give up on them. I can't do it."

"Jack wants you to see a shrink."

"I know he does. And you?"

"I just want you to be OK."

"I don't know if I'll ever be OK." Katy told her bluntly. "But I'm a Mitchell and we survive." She stood abruptly, shooting Glenda a weak smile. "I'm gonna head to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."

As the younger woman closed her bedroom door with a soft click, Glenda leant back against the sofa cushions and closed her eyes. She felt as though Katy was shutting her out, hiding the full extent of what was going on in her head, because she wasn't enough. She wasn't Ronnie or Roxy. She wasn't the one her granddaughter wanted. She never really would be.

"Heard you had a run in with a delivery driver."

Glancing up, Katy rolled her eyes at her father and flopped against the back of her chair with a sigh. "Back then, are you?"

"Looks like it." He agreed with a shrug. "So? The driver?"

"He was an idiot. The company sent the wrong sign and he was refusing to take it back. He did in the end, though. Now I've got to fix the issue and get the sign sent out before we open."

"You'll sort it." Jack assured her confidently, dropping onto the sofa opposite her desk.

"Mmm… hopefully." She tilted her head. "What can I do for you?"

"Can't I just pop by and see how my successful business woman of a daughter is doing?"

"Nope." Katy laughed. "What's up?"

"Amy needs a new phone, but I was hoping you'd choose a case for it. I'll never get the right one."

Frowning at him, the blonde shook her head. "Why does she need a phone, let alone a new phone?"

"Apparently she dropped hers down the stairs and smashed it. It's cheaper to get a whole new phone than replace the screen."

"Yeah, but Dad, she's ten. Why does she even need one?"

"So that I know where she is. Ricky has one, too."

"They're kids. They're always with an adult." Katy pointed out, looking amused. "If they need to get hold of you, they just need to ask whoever's looking after them."

"It makes me feel better, alright." He shrugged. "Maybe I should get Ruby one, too."

"Dad, she's seven." Katy reminded him, arching an eyebrow. "Ruby doesn't need a phone. She's a kid."

"Yeah, but she could have one for emergencies." Jack reasoned. "I'll get it for her."

"She doesn't need one!" His daughter repeated firmly. "Do not get her a phone!"

"Yeah, but listen, K," Jack urged, glancing curiously at a pile of invoices on her desk, "you'd never forgive yourself if–"

"Dad, seriously, no." She shook her head. "No phone."

"Fine, fine!"

"D'you know of any more reliable companies for signs?" Katy asked after a moment, sighing.

Jack looked up from the sofa he had settled himself on. "I've got some numbers."

She snorted in amusement. "You've got some numbers? I need a sign for my bar, not a hitman."

"Here… these guys did the sign for the gym."

"Thanks; I'll give them a ring." Katy sighed, leaning back in the chair again. "You know, the sign is not the thing I thought would be most difficult to sort out."

"You got staff yet? I can help out with interviews and stuff if you want."

"Thanks. I've hired Stacey and offered Whit a job and got a couple of interviews lined up for next week. Getting kitchen staff is proving the hardest; anyone would think I'm asking for Michelin star standard rather than someone who can knock up a few paninis and burgers and stuff. Oh and… my mate Nina's gonna be working here too." She told him quickly, before moving on. "I told Stace to get Kat to give me some numbers for the cleaning contract. I'd like to give it to them, but it'll depend on whether they're competitive."

"They do a pretty good job." He acknowledged with a sharp nod. "You're gonna need door staff."

"I know." She chuckled. "I've worked in plenty of clubs and bars, Dad, you know that. I know how it works."

He grinned at her, holding up his hands. "Alright, alright! Just let me know if you need anything, sweetheart, alright?"

"So… what did you really come here for?"

"What d'you mean?"

"Dad, come on. I'm not buying that you came here just to ask me to get Amy a new phone cover."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Alright, fine. Can you babysit tonight?"

"Are you serious? You've literally just got back and I've been looking after your kids the whole time you were away."

"I know, I know!" He held up his hands in surrender. "Just one more night, please?"

"Fine! We're going round to Phil's for dinner, but I can take the kids with us. They're family, after all."

"Yeah? Great. Thanks, Katy."

"You got plans, then?" She asked curiously.

"Nothing special." He replied evasively.

"Oh, come on." She pushed. "What're you doing?"

"Just got some things to sort out, alright?"

"Anything to do with Mel?" His daughter asked, arching an eyebrow and sending him a smirk.

"No." Jack retorted, too quickly to be convincing.

"Look, Dad, I get it, OK?" She shrugged. "You like Mel. It's nothing to do with me, alright? Just because she looks like a rip-off version of Mum and she's running Mum's old club and she–"

"Enough!" Jack snapped, standing up hastily. "I just need you to watch your brother and sister tonight because I've got things to do. Alright?"

"Yeah, sure… Gran was planning to pick them up from school anyway." Katy frowned at him. "Sorry…"

Not acknowledging her apology, Jack turned and stomped out of the office. Katy stared at the door, which was slightly swinging on its hinges, for a moment. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She knew, though, that it was about more than her low opinion of Mel.

"You could have told me you were bringing Amy and Ricky." Sharon hissed as she leant past Katy to place a dish of potatoes on the table.

The younger woman shrugged innocently. "I've been looking after them while Dad was away. You knew that. I didn't think it would be a problem."

"It's not, is it, Sharon." Phil cut in, nodding at her.

"Course not." Sharon agreed, although she still didn't look happy.

"So, tell us all about the last two years." Louise pressed, leaning forward and fixing her cousin with an interested expression. "We haven't had time to talk properly and I wanna hear all about it."

Ruby, it seemed, was only too happy to fill her older cousin in about everything that had happened to her since they'd left Walford. Katy smiled, taking a sip of her wine and leaning back in her seat as she listened to her daughter chattering happily about her school trip to the science museum and her sleepover at Carys Edwards' house. Louise shot her a look, clearly trying to indicate that she'd been hoping to hear more about Katy and Tyler's split, but simply received a broad grin in return.

"… sad because I had to leave my boyfriend behind."

Katy sat up, her eyebrows furrowing as she caught the tail end of her daughter's sentence. "Excuse me?"

"You know about my boyfriend."

"Uhhh… no?"

"Jamie Lewis, Katy." Amy informed her, rolling her eyes. "He's in year four. Duh!"

Phil chuckled at the two little girls, who seemed deeply offended that Katy had no idea who they were talking about. "I think your Mum probably had more important things on her mind than Jamie Lewis, eh, Katy?"

"Exactly." She agreed, still frowning at her daughter. "I thought it was Ashley Davies?"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "That was in year 2, Mum."

"My bad." Katy held her hands up in surrender. "How're things with you, anyway, Lou."

Thankfully, the teenager launched into a story about something or other that had happened to her a few days before and let Katy off the hook. She caught Phil's eye and smiled when he shook his head in fond amusement.

"So, when are you opening the R&R?" Phil asked suddenly, cutting across his daughter's story.

"The 27th. You're all invited to the opening, obviously." She told them quickly. "I'm throwing a pre-opening party for family so that the kids can be there in the afternoon, too."

Sharon screwed up her face. "The 27th? Isn't that a Wednesday? Why would you open on a Wednesday?"

"Yeah, it's a Wednesday." Katy agreed, nodding. "It's also– "

"Roxy's birthday." Phil said, pleasantly surprising the blonde. "Nice touch. We'll be there."

"Thanks."