While out shopping, Tracey runs into Trish Taylor, her best friend from school and invites her to stay, as Trish has recently left her husband. Sharon feels left out and also worried that when Darryl gets out of prison, Tracey will make her move out. After taking Dorien's advice, Sharon goes out with Trish and they get on well. Meanwhile, Tracey is annoyed with both Sharon and Trish - Trish for constantly talking about the old days and Sharon for not cleaning a saucepan that has been in the sink for several days. Trish soon leaves and goes back to her husband.

In order to make money for Christmas, Sharon becomes a dog-walker and cat-sitter and soon comes up against stiff competition from Dorien's 13-year-old friend Adrian Gold. Meanwhile, Tracey becomes a typist and, after having problems with the typewriter, uses a word processor. She agrees to type up a manuscript for a novel that Dorien has written. Sharon later notices that Dorien's manuscript is largely copied from The French Lieutenant's Woman and Dorien admits she just wanted Sharon and Tracey to think she had a talent.