Maybe I'm just a big sap, but the wedding speeches by Steve and Karen last really moved me. Well written, acted, and brought a lump to the throat and a little tear to the eye.

Rudi

You're a sap empty head !

I can't help being a big emotional putz. Sob...

Rudi

I thought the speeches were good too - and the acting was brill. As for tracyluv she must have went to the same acting school as our favourite apeman Gabriel Kent

Yes, the speeches were very good. Suranne Jones (Karen) showed more emotion in her speech than Kate Ford did when she wittered on about how she wanted her baby back. Sorry, but dry eyed crying really fails to convince me. The only scene in which she might have been acting was when she banged on the cafe door & screamed that she wanted her baby back. I'd need to see that again though to decide whether it was acting or her just screaming.

Simon & Suranne are well able to handle emotional storylines. Kate Ford isn't.

When Ken and Deirdre both went into the kitchen, I shouted at the telly, "don't leave her alone, she'll run out the door!".

I'm surprised the money hasn't been discussed.
Ken "25 thousand pounds? Well you'll have to give it back then."
Tracyluv "I've spent most of it, and anyway I deserve it after what those freaks have put me through. I've earned that money!"

She'll get the baby, the £25k, Steve's child support, and the house off Blanche. Not bad work eh?

Rudi

I hope Roy and Hayley get their own back on the scheming MINX

I don't think Ken and Deidre know about it. As far as they are concerned, Tracyluv gave her baby to the Croppers out of the goodness of her heart. They'e going to be totally disgusted when they find out.

Wasn't the issue of the money shouted in the church? She did tell Steve, and he told his brother. Who else has he now told? Either way it's got to come out now.

Rudi

No the issue of the money hasn't come out. Tracey, the Cropper, Steve & Andy didn't mention it at the church. Tracey & the Barlows go round to the cafe tomorrow night which is when they find out about the money.
Last edited by Rita's Kabin : 19-02-2004 at 12:48

I reckon that ultimately Tracyluv will reckon that she must doing anything to provide for the baby, and will realise that with Roy as her legally married husband, she has rights to half of what's his, including the cafe.

Things will get worse and worse for the Croppers.

Rudi

According to the spoilers Tracyluv pays the Croppers back the bankers draft & vows to pay back the money she's already spent.

On the question of rights to the cafe, I think I'm right in thinking that no marriage is valid until it's been consummated. Mind you, Tracyluv would probably lie about that too if it suited her purposes.

Surely Raymundo Cropper didn't marry Traceyluv before he had had a prenup drawn up by his solicitors and got Traceyluv to sign it. If he didnt he deserves everything he gets ! (Not that I think she will take anything off him)

Also I was wondering where all the real life Traceyluv/Janines/Kathy Bradfords live. These people who are lovely to your face but the minute they hug you turn into loons behind your back......actually I think I may have just answered my own question - no one knows who they are as they are nasty behind everyones backs.

The consummated thing is just an urban myth. Legally married means precisely that. It's a binding contract. Marraiges are sometimes annuled, but even then not on these grounds alone.

Also the money paid to Tracy was not attached to any legal transaction, so she cannot be compelled to pay it back due to not keeping her part of the bargain. She doesn't even need to confirm why she recieved the money from them. Because the deal was illegal, it is debateable whether she even "fraudulently obtained a pecuniary advantage". She did marry Roy and he did freely give her the money. I can see the cops referring to it as "a domestic".

Rudi

Roy and Hayley discussed the likelihood of Tracy having a claim on his belongings so he transferred everything into Hayley's name. He, effectively, has nothing but his job in the cafe and Tracy, having never lived with him, let alone slept with him, wouldn't really be entitled to anything.

Roy (or Tracy) could have the marriage annulled on the basis that it was never consummated, which would mean the marriage had never existed, or they could wait a year and file for divorce in the normal way.

I've heard (as someone else has written already) that Tracy gives the Croppers their money back after getting the baby back...which she also renames (the baby that is!).

With their newly returned £25K Roy and Hayley could pay a surrogate to have a baby for them!

Fizz could do it. Come to think of it, she doesn't seem very close to them these days, having previously been fostered by Roy and Hayley.

Rudi

I agree that the fact that the marriage was not consummated is no legal reason why the marriage could be annulled. But I think Royston will find some way to have it annulled thereby doing Tracyluv out of any more money. Im sure when he and Hayley were at the solicitors they prepared for eventualities like this. After all didnt they discuss the possibility that once they got custody of the baby they would go for an immediate divorce.

I dont know but I have a feeling this could become a great storyline, its just a pity they havent got an actress to play tracyluv. Unless of course Kate Ford goes upstairs to listen to some cds and comes down as a real actress.

As for a surrogate mother what about Maria

(speaking as a surrogate mother not as a moderator)

They wouldn't actually be able to go through a surrogacy arrangement in the UK as the British courts will only allow married couples to obtain a parental order at this time. This may well change in the near future as their situation will be covered by the drafted paper on new rights for same-sex couples.

For what it is worth, the vast majority of surrogates in this country get only the out of pocket expenses they incur due to the pregnancy and these are checked by the courts before a parental order is granted, nothing like £25k changes hands. Anyone getting more than expenses is doing it in some sneeky way as it is not legal.

Not only that surely the cash is better off paying back the loan they took out before the interest starts mounting !

I believe non consumation is a reason for annulment, along with marrying your family, marrying someone under 16, having a veneral disease and your partner not knowing and also being pregnant with another persons child and your partner not knowing.

Is consummation nesecary every week or would this be grounds for a divorce

I was thinking more along the lines of them going out of the country, to the States perhaps, as they would be less likely to face the bureaucracy that is apparant in this country around same sex relationships, surrogacy and subsequent parental rights/responsibilties.

The situation for surrogacy is different in the USA in relation to the financial side...I don't know much about surrogacy in the UK, but know that in the US (in certain states) it is a relatively easy thing to do provided one has sufficient funds.

My wife gives me French onion soup (consomme) regularly and says that this counts. Is that true?

Rudi