Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley) is painfully aware of Evan’s chances of a normal childhood in Emmerdale.
Her nerves are already fried, and her exhaustion has caused her to emotionally distance from husband Billy (Jay Kontzle). The last thing she needs is some terrible news to add to her plate.
Unfortunately, there’s plenty of that to come when she learns what birth mum Rose’s (Christine Tremarco) is up to. But before that, there’s seriously bad news about Evan as his condition dramatically worsens.
Dawn learns that baby Evan’s temperature is up following his chemo, signifying an infection that could prove deadly. Dawn is on a knife edge and pounces on Billy the moment he arrives at hospital, desperate to know if the germs could have come from the kids.
Dawn is in a terrible state, and so is Billy following her accusations.
This sets wheels in motion that will see their other two children, Clemmie and Lucas, left devastated as well.
They learn that they are no longer allowed to go to school for fear of putting Evan at further risk and must effectively live in a bubble. Billy is just as fragile as Dawn and breaks down on Will (Dean Andrews) at the enormity of trying to keep Evan safe while trying to be a good dad to all of his kids.
Rose, who’s outed herself to the viewer as being in cahoots with Ruby (Beth Cordingly), spots a golden opportunity when frazzled Dawn needs someone to talk to. She gets Dawn on her own and offers her the two things she needs; a brandy, and a listening ear.
But just as smug Rose gets cosy, Will catches her moments before disaster – offering recovering addict Dawn strong sleeping pills. This disrupts Rose’s plans entirely.
Kim (Claire King) and Will give Rose both barrels for taking advantage of vulnerable Dawn, causing her to skulk back to Ruby and warn that their plan is derailing.
But she is told in no uncertain terms to get back there and get working to get things back on track.
How will delicate Dawn cope when she learns the truth about her mum’s appearance in the village?
