Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) and Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) were concerned when they found Tracy Shankley (Amy Walsh) looking upset at the Emmerdale shop in Monday (September 16)’s episode.
She’d just heard from her estranged husband Nate (Jurell Carter), who confirmed that he’s made it to Shetland where he has a new job on a wind farm.
Tracy had been set to go with him, along with their daughter Frankie, after they reconciled recently and realised they wanted a future together. Tracy’s previous affair with Caleb (William Ash) was put firmly in the past as they decided they wanted to be a proper family and make a new start.
This was quickly derailed when news got out that Caleb had seen Nate kissing Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb).
Of course Moira and Nate have history together, as they previously had an affair when he first came to the village. But it wasn’t true that they were back together again. What happened was a misunderstanding from Caleb, and Moira’s flirtatious behaviour to Nate had been due to the brain tumour that’s been affecting her personality recently – and was in no way encouraged by Nate.
Stunned that Tracy was so willing to think badly of him rather than believe him when he said he was innocent, Nate decided to go to Shetland without her. His exit from the village was so low key that there was even a suspicion that he may not have gone at all but could actually have been caught up in the barn fire at Butlers last week.
This text message to Tracy confirmed that he was safe and well, at least, but that wasn’t so much of a consolation for her as he told her, ‘Don’t call me, I’ll call you.’ She said she had tried to call him but it went straight to voice mail.
Victoria locked up the shop and the women grabbed a bottle of wine, determined to console Tracy. She talked about Frankie and how she was shocked that Nate didn’t want to talk to his daughter and lamented that she should have trusted him.
Vanessa pointed out that Tracy had two choices. She could follow Nate to Scotland and beg him for another chance, or she could stay in Emmerdale and realise that Nate didn’t care enough to stay and fight for the relationship.
‘And you start over,’ she said, raising her glass to that idea.
Tracy still looked sad. ‘I hate starting over,’ she said.
Does this mean she’s thinking of going with Vanessa’s plan A – by heading for Scotland with Frankie?
