Jean walks into the living room early in the morning. Lionel has been up for some time already, working on the miniseries. She asks how it's going and he holds up a string of paper clips he has made. Very nice, but not exactly a miniseries, she observes. She wonders how everything got into such a mess, when it was pretty straightened the the night before. Lionel tells her that is thanks to Daisy. He says that she's very efficient, always knows the right questions to ask. What kind of questions, Jean wants to know. The kind, he says, that can get him into that black hole of a memory of his. He says it is quite difficult for him to remember things that happened 38 years ago. He tells her it has nothing to do with Daisy's looks. Jean tells him she never mentioned Daisy's looks. The doorbell rings. That'll be Daisy. Jean nearly knocks him over to beat him to the door.
It's Gwen Flack, a replacement for Daisy. She's pleased to meet Jean -- someone she only knows by reputation. She was sent by the other branch -- apparently Daisy didn't work out. Jean shows her into the living room and introduces her to Lionel. He's surprised when Mrs. Flack tells her that she's there because Daisy was found to be unsatisfactory. He's about to say something when Jean ushers Gwen out and tells her to get some fresh coffee from the kitchen. When she comes back into the room it is apparent that Lionel has figured it out. He tells her not to wrinkle her nose at him. What does she mean that Daisy wasn't satisfactory? Jean tells him that the word "unsuitable" was the one she used. Lionel complains that Jean knew nothing about her -- she only saw her for five minutes. Still, Jean found Daisy to be a facetious sort of girl. Lionel tells her that just moments ago he was telling her that Daisy was a bright, helpful girl. She argues that he didn't mention that the day before. He reminds her again that they only just met at that point. And what does she mean by facetious? Feather-brained, then, she says. She tries to tell him that she only wants to get him a good temp. He knows better -- knows that she only wants to stop him from keeping a temp that looks like Daisy. Then she blames Sally Curtis, who only sent a girl who looks like Daisy to get under Jean's skin. She obviously was successful, he points out. Just then Mrs. Flack apologizes to Lionel for being presumptuous, but tells him she saw some custard tarts out in the kitchen and wants to know if she could have one. He asks her how many there are? Three. Well, okay, then he says. Jean says that she bets he would have given Daisy his last custard tart. Lionel wants to know what she thought would happen that afternoon -- does she believe that Lionel would have jumped on her as soon as Jean left the house. Jean wants to know what would have happened if she had jumped on Lionel. Now you're in fantasyland, he tells her. Who's fantasy? she wants to know. Okay, she'll call Sally Curtis and get Daisy back, but she will look like a fool. Lionel tells her fine and Jean is stunned that he didn't tell her to forget about it. Eventually he does and says he's sure Mrs. Flack will work out just fine.
Jean comes into the office and says good morning to Judith and Sandy. They reply, but appear to be giving her the cold shoulder. She asks why they're sulking. They aren't, they say -- they're angry with her. Sally Curtis just called and it appears that she fired Daisy because Jean said that she was useless and had to be replaced. Jean says she didn't say she was useless -- she said she was "unsuitable." Sandy says that from now on she will be wearing trousers to work. Jean doesn't understand what she's talking about until Sandy reminds her about what Lionel said about Sandy's knees popping into his head from time to time. This is related to her job security, she says. Jean is adamant -- this has nothing to do with Daisy's looks. 
Sandy and Judith look at her in disbelief. Daisy just wasn't right for Lionel, she says. Judith points out that the night before he was saying how good Daisy was. When all arguments fail, she tells them it is none of their business. Sandy walks out and Judith gets back to work. Jean picks up the telephone and calls Sally Curtis to tell her she has no grounds for sacking Daisy -- she didn't mean she was unsuitable in an unsuitable sense. Jealous? Of course she's jealous, Jean tells her in a double-take, but they're not talking about her. She wants Sally to reinstate Daisy. Sally doesn't seem to want her decision countermanded since she runs the branch. Jean reminds her that she runs the company and wants Daisy back on the payroll. Judith and Sandy approve and stare at Jean while she's on the phone. Jean hangs up and sees the girls smiling at her. She tells them they look like two Cheshire cats. But you feel better don't you, they ask. Jean says that actually she feels like a fool. They want to know if Lionel gets Daisy back. She doesn't feel like that much of a fool, she says. She wants everyone to go back to work.
Mrs. Flack is a sweet person, but she won't shut up and she always veers off on a tangent. I'm no expert on accents, but I'm guessing that whatever her drawl represents it's pretty much lower class. You suspect if you asked her to just keep to the subject at hand that her feelings would be hurt. Most polite people when faced with someone like that have no desire to be hurtful so they simply listen, try to get a word in edgewise and gently nudge the person back on track. It's an effort and Lionel is doing his very best not to appear to be rude. He asks her to repeat what he said last. Something about asking his company commander to leave. No, he asked for leave, he tells her. She thought it sounded funny, she says. Suicidal, he says. This reminds her that she used to date a Seaman, she tells him. He had little feet. She's trying to remember his name -- Cyril something. Lionel is trying to tell her how the line should read. Proudfoot. That's it -- Cyril Proudfoot. This lady is really like something out of a Peter Cook comedy bit. The doorbell rings.
It's Alistair, who is surprised to hear Lionel tell him that he's happy to see him. Lionel tells Alistair that compared to the new secretary that Jean sent him, he is a beacon of sanity. They go into the living room and Lionel introduces Mrs. Flack to Alistair who momentarily appears at a loss for words. He wants to know, though, if the words are flowing. Lionel says that it can be put that way. Mrs. Flack tells him they are talking about a Seaman named Cyril Proudfoot. Alistair never heard of that character. Lionel asks if Mrs. Flack would mind going into the kitchen and making them some of tea. She's a modern woman, she says, but not a feminist. Of course she'll get the tea. She leaves the room.
Jean picked her? Alistair says. Lionel tells him yes, the other one was facetious. A dish, he sums it up. Lionel tells him he's not sure that he can get through the afternoon without throttling Mrs. Flack. Alistair tells him to think of him as his good fairy -- Lionel's Dutch publisher is in town and they are going to have lunch with him today. The publisher wants Lionel to promote the book in Holland. He says he's not wearing clogs. The phone rings. It's Mrs. Bale -- Rocky and Madge are both in the hospital with neck injuries. Alistair will drive him to the hospital and the publisher will just have to wait. They leave. Shortly after, Mrs. Flack walks through the hallway with a tray, asking if someone went out. There is no-one there to answer her.
A nurse shows Jean into the waiting room at the hospital. Mrs. Bale is reading the newspaper and provides a current weather report. She can barely keep from crying. Jean tells her it was very nice of her to phone. Weren't they in the United States? They flew in this morning, says Mrs. Bale. Mrs. Bale has been there since they were admitted. Jean observes that Mrs. Bale is very fond of Rocky. "I can't imagine a life without him in it," she says, voice cracking. Lionel and Alistair come in and Mrs. Bale wants to give him the visibility reports. She can barely control herself. Alistair tells her that he thinks they both need a cup of tea. She gets up to go with him, but says she'd rather have a tequila sunrise. The nurse comes into the waiting room and tells Lionel he can see his parents now.
Rocky and Madge are listening to something through their ear phones -- she's listening to someone ramble on about the Nuclear Family and he's listening to the Pet Shop Boys. They despair that there isn't a good country and western station in England. He wishes she had brought her guitar. Jean and Lionel come in tentatively at first. "It's the kids!" they shout out. Lionel wants to know what these two idiots have been up to. Jean thinks he's out of line. Madge wants to know if this boy has made an honest woman of Jean yet. No, but this "boy" wants to know what happened to them. Seems they were on a raft, shooting the rapids and shot a bit too violently. There was a warning notice, but they don't read warning notices because if they did they would miss many of the things they've done. It's nothing anyway, they say -- only whiplash. They are having a wonderful honeymoon, they say, and want it to go on forever. Jean tells them "Rock on." Lionel, who his father says, has always been old for his years, complains that all you have to do is spend 5 minutes with them and phrases like "Rock on," come out of your mouth. Lionel claims that someone in this family has to be the adult. Why? both Jean and Madge ask. Rocky's pleased to notice that that question appears to have stumped Lionel. No, he's not stumped, he says -- and he is only trying to inject some measure of sanity into the conversation.
Both of them seem to be perfectly fine. It was much too expensive to be hospitalized in America so they came back here. They are having tests done to check for possible internal injuries, but tell Jean and Lionel not to worry -- in fact, they say, it might have done them some good to have their organs bumped around like they were -- they just hoped they settled back in the correct places is all. The nurse brings in the wheelchair and tells Rocky to get into it. Jean helps him get his robe on and tells the nurse that she was a nurse once -- when she was very young. Rocky asks if he has to go in a wheelchair. The nurse says yes. Lionel suggests she put an engine on the back of it -- then he'll never want to get out of it. 
Jean tells him to think of it as a Ferrari. Rocky asks Lionel to come with him -- he has a couple of things he wants to Lionel to bring to the hospital. Meanwhile, Madge asks Jean to sit down on her bed. She tells her she saw the look on Jean's face when tests were mentioned. Jean explains she has all sorts of funny looks, but Madge tells her that she is aware that Rocky is not supposed to have much time left. Jean tells her she's sorry. Madge reassures her: "This won't be the longest marriage on record, but 'by golly' it's tremendous fun." Jean says she'll be back later and tells Madge that Judith, Sandy and Alistair will be back as well.
Jean leaves and runs into Mrs. Bale and Alistair. Mrs. Bale is totally smashed and Alistair is walking her down the corridors to lessen the effects of the several tequila sunrises she's had. Alistair, in response to Jean's question, says that no, they haven't started serving them in the cafeteria -- he popped outside and got a thermosful. Mrs. Bales compliments Alistair on his initiative. Jean hopes there are enough corridors. Alistair asks about Madge and Rocky. They're "lively," she says. Lionel joins Jean in the hallway and wonders what Alistair has done to Mrs. Bale. Cheered her up, she says. Jean tells Lionel that Madge knows about Rocky's condition. Lionel observes that the only one who doesn't know is Rocky himself -- "silly old fool."
Lionel is sitting in Jean's office. He asks if she minds his sitting there with her. He wanted to be with her. She's glad, she says. Sandy and Judith walk in with large bags. They went to get the things that Rocky asked Lionel to bring. He's happy they got them -- he wouldn't have any idea where to begin to look for those things and it would have taken him days. 
They managed to get everything on the list. Judith tells him the plastic doctor's set was easy, but the whoopie cushions were hard to find -- they seem to have gone out of fashion. They say they got a little something extra to go with everything else. Something sensible Lionel hopes. They have their back to him. Both of them put on cowboy hats, turn around and open their coats to reveal cowgirl outfits. Lionel says that Rocky and Madge are making everyone as mad as they are. Jean laughs. Alistair walks in wearing his own cowboy outfit and carrying a guitar. Jean thinks they'll love it. He's had a great idea, he says, as he walks in. He sees Judith and Sandy and realizes they've had the same idea. Lionel says he has no intention of dressing up, but Jean tells them all to go on ahead and make them laugh. She says they'll be along later. Judith tells Alistair she didn't know he could play guitar. He says he can't, gives her the car keys and tells her if she can drive, he'll learn on the way.
They leave Jean and Lionel alone. Jean tells him not to worry -- she won't make him dress up and he shouldn't worry about his father either -- she's not sure that Rocky would even want to know about his condition. Lionel says they'll soon see: this is not his friendly doctor that Rocky is dealing with -- it's a hospital and they won't hold back on the test information.
Jean and Lionel are in the hospital room. Rocky says he's sorry that the children were asked to leave. Personally he thought the nurse overstated it when she referred to them as "rowdy." They were only having a little sing-song. 
Rocky protests that he's not a power station. Lionel comes out with it: he wants to know if there was a time span mentioned. Time doesn't matter, according to Madge -- it's what's in in the time that matters. What the heck, says Lionel - "Rock on." They say goodbye and tell them they'll see them tomorrow. As they leave, Rocky thanks them for the CD Player, turns it on and he and Madge hold hands and listen to a country song.
Jean and Lionel walk down the hallway. Jean asks him if he got much work done that day. He prefers not to answer that, he says, for fear of incriminating Mrs. Flack. She asks if he's just miffed because it wasn't Daisy. She talks, he says. She talks and talks and talks. Jean feels guilty, says she'll bite the bullet and ask for Daisy back, if he wants her. He does, but he doesn't want to have Mrs. Flack described as "unsuitable." Suddenly it occurs to him that he just walked out on Mrs. Flack and never mentioned where he was going or when he'd be back.
Back at the house there are two empty custard tart tins. Mrs. Flack is sound asleep on the couch. Lionel is upset because she's eaten his tarts and he only had three. Jean can't believe that's all he can think to say. The poor woman stays all day and all he can think of are his tarts. Lionel says he didn't ask her to stay. Jean reminds him that he didn't ask her anything -- he just walked. He realizes that Mrs. Flack is pretty dedicated. He thinks Jean should wake her up -- if he did it might scare her -- strange man and everything. Jean calls him a dying breed. 
She wakes Mrs. Flack, who apologizes for dozing off. Lionel says it's he who should be sorry. She assures him everything is all right. Her only concern was her dog Herriot, but she phoned him to say she'd be late. Jean questions that, but Mrs. Flack explains that she has an answering machine and Herriot understands every word. She wants to know if they're going to pick up where they left off, but Jean tells her that she's going home to Herriot. She says she has a confession to make -- she ate Lionel's custard tarts. Jean tells her it was a small price for Lionel to pay. Lionel bravely agrees. Mrs. Flack starts going on about how Cyril Proudfoot also liked custard tarts, but Mr. Flack liked apple turnovers. She starts to go on and really frustrates both Lionel and Jean who finally manage to get her out the door. She tells Lionel she'll see him tomorrow. He doesn't say otherwise and she leaves.
Jean tells him that he just talked his way out of Daisy. It's just the fact, he says, that she stayed at her post all day. If this had been a shipwreck, she says, they'd have come home and find her clinging to the last bit of wreckage left above water. Smiling cheerfully, he adds. She's too tired to cook dinner. He'll get takeout. Jean tells him that Daisy wouldn't have waited for him all day. He wants to know if Jean would have waited. She tells him it would depend on how he behaved that morning. Probably badly, he says. Then she would have waited, she says. I love you, Nurse Pargetter, he says. I love you Lieutenant Hardcastle, she replies. He tells her he'd better go get the takeout. She'll go with him, she says. They get up -- was that you clicking or me, he wants to know. Probably both of them.
Lionel thinks about it: he's not going to listen to anything they say, is he -- my father? No, she says, of course not. He'll probably be burning the candle at both ends and then start burning it in the middle. Lionel wonders if she thinks they'll end up like them. She hopes so, she tells him. There's one difference between them. We're not as crackers as they are? he suggests. No, we're not married, she says.