Butterflies

- Season 3

(1980)

Adam has a job as a long-distance lorry driver. He has to take a load of timber to London, deliver it and pick up another load to drive to Scotland. Russell goes with him for the ride. Ben comments on how peaceful the house is without the boys but Ria finds the silence unnerving - like an empty cage. Leonard rings - his wife has gone again and he'll meet Ria in the park next day but in the meantime Ben takes her to London. A radio newsflash announces long delays on the road to London after a lorry carrying timber shed its load.

Ruby the housekeeper starts shoplifting. Ria helps her cure the habit.

As Leonard celebrates getting his licence back Ria struggles to emulate a television cook's recipe. The boys come in and Russell announces that his girl-friend Jeanie is pregnant so they are getting married. Ben takes the news well and a meeting is organized with Jeanie and her parents though only she turns up,gives Ben a note for Russell and leaves. The family assume she is not pregnant after all. In fact she wants the baby but not marriage.

Adam gets the sack. Ria accidentally plays a taped conversation between Russell and Jeannie which confirms Jeannie's pregnancy. Ria becomes preoccupied with her sons' troubles and makes mistakes whilst out shopping. Leonard crashes his car and re-hires Thomas - he smiles to himself as he takes a photo of Ria out of his desk. Ria tries to get the boys to confide in her but with little success. She then tells her troubles to Ben but he's taken sleeping pills and is sound asleep.

It's Ria's birthday and Ben takes her to London,dropping her off and arranging to meet her later. Leonard follows all the way to London and books a room next to Ria's in the hotel,which flusters her. She agrees to an afternoon of sight-seeing with him but will go no further. He looks wistfully on as she eventually greets Ben.

Whilst the boys build a fall-out shelter - which annoys Ben when he falls in the hole - Ria meets up with an old friend,Kathleen,an American on her third marriage and she is no more faithful to this husband than the others. She is amazed that Ria and Leonard have not had sex and asks Ria to pretend to her husband Tony that they have been together whilst she is with her lover. Tony turns up and catches Ria on the hop - she is hesitant and when Kathleen returns she rows with her,unaware that Adam is listening. He finds out about Leonard but is happy to keep his mother's...

Ben is off to a conference in the South of France and Leonard is off to New York. They both want Ria to see them off at six in the morning. Fortunately an airport strike comes to her aid. Ben sets out by car and Ria goes to Leonard's flat after his flight is postponed. After several interruptions she finally stays the night. Next day the boys tell her she looks good and happy but she wells up as she sees Leonard's plane fly overhead.