Shabnam and Kush's Heartbreak
It's a difficult day in Albert Square as the Masoods and Kazemis come to terms with the death of their baby.
Shabnam sits alone in the playground, holding her stomach. In No.29B, Carmel looks round the finished nursery, fighting back tears. At the Masoods鈥�, Kush, Tamwar and Masood are worried by Shabnam鈥檚 absence; she returns and calmly sets about booking a taxi to the hospital. Masood offers to drive but Shabnam doesn鈥檛 want anyone to come. Tamwar claims Zainab鈥檚 had 鈥榩roblems鈥� in Pakistan and isn鈥檛 coming.
Kush insists Shabnam shouldn鈥檛 go through labour alone - it鈥檚 his baby too. Masood gently tells her she doesn鈥檛 need to be strong for everyone. Shabnam eyes Kush 鈥� is he sure? Kush claims he is but Shabnam asks Masood to come too. She struggles as she packs a hospital bag with a single Babygro. Tamwar gives her a hot water bottle and a teddy from Kamil. Carmel arrives with flowers. Kush鈥檚 grateful she told Umar the news. Carmel offers to go to the hospital but Kush tells her to stay to help Tamwar cancel the wedding arrangements. As they leave for hospital, Masood gives Shabnam a baby blanket used for all of her siblings.
Tamwar phones Syed to deliver the sad news. In hospital, having had the pessary, Shabnam waits to go into labour. The midwife wonders if she鈥檇 like to hold the baby once it鈥檚 born. Shabnam looks to Kush but he鈥檚 unresponsive. Masood thinks Shabnam should say goodbye. Struggling, Kush bolts on the pretext of fetching water. At the Masoods鈥�, Nancy was looking forward to meeting Zainab but Tamwar鈥檚 disgusted she鈥檚 not going to be there for own child. Carmel assumes they鈥檙e talking about her. Meanwhile, Masood finds distraught Kush outside the hospital. Ashamed, Kush admits when Shabnam wanted to come alone he was momentarily relieved - and he can see that she knows it. Masood thinks marriage is about the bad times as well as the good and tries to convince Kush he鈥檒l get through this.
At the Masoods鈥�, Nancy and Tamwar assure Carmel they weren鈥檛 talking about her. Carmel knows she should be at the hospital and feels guilty that she was relieved when Kush told her to stay. In hospital, Masood returns to find Shabnam鈥檚 gone into labour. Panicking, Shabnam fears she鈥檚 being punished for abandoning Jade and thinks Kush isn鈥檛 coming back. Masood does his best to reassure her and grips her hand tight. Meanwhile, Carmel distracts herself cleaning the Masoods鈥� kitchen. Tamwar remarks it鈥檚 what Zainab would do and knows Carmel鈥檚 better than that.
Carmel thinks Tamwar鈥檚 lucky Masood is being so strong. Tamwar knows Masood鈥檚 falling apart inside and suggests Carmel go to the hospital. In hospital, Masood breathes with Shabnam and guides her through labour. Shabnam鈥檚 despairing she can鈥檛 do it when Kush appears by her side. With a final push, she gives birth to a baby boy. Shabnam agrees to hold him; she whispers the Shahada in his ear and names him Zaair 鈥� 鈥榯he visitor鈥�. Kush can鈥檛 bring himself to hold the baby. Sobbing, Shabnam kisses Zaair and hands him to the midwife with the teddy so he鈥檚 not alone. Masood finds Carmel waiting outside. Carmel thanks Masood for all he鈥檚 done; her well-meant sympathy鈥檚 too much for Shabnam and she finally breaks down.
Carmel flees. Masood holds sobbing Shabnam while Kush pursues his mum. In the corridor, Carmel cries she wants to take Kush鈥檚 pain away. Kush鈥檚 devastated he couldn鈥檛 hold his son. Carmel knows not saying goodbye to Safira ripped Kush apart and doesn鈥檛 want him to go through it again. Later back home, washing up after dinner, Masood鈥檚 strong front crumbles and he begins to sob for his little girl. Carmel holds him close; there鈥檚 a moment between the two but Masood pulls away and Carmel leaves, embarrassed.
In hospital, while Shabnam sleeps, Kush asks to see his son; he holds Zaair and tells him all the things they would鈥檝e done together. In tears, Kush kisses his son goodbye and hands him back to the nurse, who gives him a card containing Zaair鈥檚 feet and handprints. Kush returns to Shabnam and lies down next to her. They stare at their son鈥檚 handprints, grieving but together.
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Shabnam Masood | Rakhee Thakrar |
Kush Kazemi | Davood Ghadami |
Masood Ahmed | Nitin Ganatra |
Tamwar Masood | Himesh Patel |
Nancy Carter | Maddy Hill |
Carmel Kazemi | Bonnie Langford |
Comfort Shodipe | Nicola Alexis |
Writer | Pete Lawson |
Director | Richard Lynn |
Executive Producer | Dominic Treadwell-Collins |
Broadcasts
- Mon 31 Aug 2015 20:00
- Mon 31 Aug 2015 22:00
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Hard-Hitting Storylines
Walford's finest tackle tough issues on the square.