19th October, forthwith

A couple of short Ben scenes last night! Nothing too major, though he now knows about Jay and Lola being back together and Lexi’s reaction was a great source of amusement for him.

According to Lily earlier on, it’s inset day which means no school for the kids. Ben turns up in the market with Lexi just as Jay and Lola are making Martin promise not to say a word about them being back together in case Lexi hears, and thinks there’s been enough changes for her lately, what with Isaac, and Ben and Callum. Lexi is a known Jola shipper though so this would be a good change for her!
Ben asks Jay how his date went, the double date with Martin. Jay tells him it was good, looking to Martin for back up which he provides. At Lexi’s question if he’s going to see her again, Martin tries to deflect from the attention on Jay by saying that he’s seeing his date, Jenny, again. To which Ben replies ‘ten points to Hufflepuff’ and a rather sarcastic sounding ‘well done’. It confuses Martin, who’s not sure whether to take it as an insult or not, but it amuses me greatly considering we know Ben considers Hufflepuff a derogatory term, having used it on Callum once before. Ben must be a huge Harry Potter fan. And it makes sense he’d look down on (or at least pretend to look down on) Hufflepuffs because they’re considered fair and good. But we know he loves that kind of thing really.
Anyway, it doesn’t work to take the attention off Jay because Ben turns to him again and prompts him for an answer. And obviously he’s not going to see his date again, but doesn’t want to pretend he will, so makes out like he can’t be bothered to; and Lola shuts down the further questioning from Lexi. Ben finds it odd and lets them know it, calling them weirdos, and he ushers Lexi away to the park. Martin wonders why he’s a Hufflepuff after he’s gone, still confused by the insult. Wouldn’t let it worry you Martin, at least he’s not dangling you off bridges anymore.

It seems everyone’s hanging around the market today, as Jay and Lola pass Martin’s stall later on, and he calls Jay over to inform him that actually, Jenny doesn’t want to see him again so Jay’s off the hook. Ben and Lexi approach not long after this and when Lexi hears the news about Martin’s second date (or lack of), she can’t believe he’s been dumped already. Lola tells her off while Ben just grins and pats her head, probably because it’s exactly what he was going to say. Lola’s taken aback though when Lexi asks for her phone, as if it’s a repayment for not earwigging. She gives it over though, and the adults continue talking while Lexi glimpses at Lola’s texts, the top one being to (or from, who knows) Jay, saying ‘can’t wait to see you’ – and a text to Ben I assume below that which I also assume is the arrangements for the park visit earlier on.
Ben gets a dig in at Martin about wife number four being around the corner – I forgot all about Martin being married to Ruby but Ben obviously hasn’t! – and in retaliation Martin asks how Callum is. Not much shuts Ben up but that certainly does. And Ben is forced to concede with a nod that says ‘touche’. Though I’m sure Martin will be eating those words soon enough!
Lola takes that as her cue to leave, and takes her phone off Lexi as she moves swiftly onwards.

I’m not exactly sure where she was going, but later still we see that Ben, Lola, Jay and Lexi are still all together, approaching Martin and Lily en masse. Lola invites them to McKlunky’s (because suddenly Martin is their BFF now) but Lily decides to congratulate Jay and Lola because she always knew they’d get back together. Oops. Lexi doesn’t take the fact they tried to hide it well, and runs off before anyone can stop her. Ben calls after her and then starts to follow – pausing to sarcastically thank Jay and Lola for telling him as well. Lola’s furious at Martin, who tries to smooth things over by offering Lola a crisp and suggesting that they seem really happy for her. Needless to say Lola doesn’t take the peace offering and she and Jay march on, and Lily just beams at Martin when he turns to her (and looks so much like Stacey as she does, got to say.)

Jay and Lola end up sheepishly entering McKlunky’s, with Lexi and Ben already at a table with some chips. Lexi ignores them, instead reading the back of her book on the Suffragettes. Ben takes his cues from her so he doesn’t react either. Jay apologises to her, and when Lola says she doesn’t want Lexi to think she’s not Lola’s number one, Ben chips in to add that Lexi does know that, but he doesn’t get anything from Lexi either.
Eventually Lexi drops the book and clarifies that she likes that they’re together; it’s the fact they lied to her face. I don’t know if they did, technically – but maybe Lexi asked at some point after seeing the text and they lied then. She then turns to Ben and whispers in Ben’s hear – an ear that doesn’t work, oops. At least it’s the side with the processor. We’ll put it down to a force of habit from Lexi.
Ben becomes the spokesperson for Lexi, and he passes on the news that Lexi has accepted their apology, but has something she’d like to say. Then it’s over to Lexi, who thanks them for their apology but that she believes in deeds, not words (explained by Ben that she’s been studying the suffragettes, and ‘deeds not words’ was the motto of the WSPU.) Ben looks on in great amusement as Lexi goes on to say that her forgiveness will have to be earned, and she’ll let them know how forthwith. However, in the meantime she’s staying with her dad tonight. Lola’s still trying to process the fact that Lexi just used the term ‘b-t-dubs’ when Lexi turns back to them on her way out the door to inform the two liars that they’re going to pay for this, giving them evils before she goes (where to, I’m not sure.)
Ben congratulates them and hopes that it’s worth whatever punishment Lexi decides to dole out to them. Then he’s off to follow Lexi while Jay and Lola give each other a look. I think they’re amused more than anything, because surely Lexi’s ideas won’t be that bad. Right?