Waiting for God

- Season 5

(1994)

Diana visits Tom in hospital. His operation to clear his prostate cancer has been a success and he returns to Bayview with her. Unfortunately Geoffrey, who has had yet another falling-out with Marion, decides he wants to move in with them again. Baines is rejected by an exclusive golf club because he is unmarried.

Baines is hiring Mr. Nakamura, a Japanese hotel consultant, to advise on the building of a new,space-saving wing to be built at Bayview - thereby enabling him to pack in more residents. Tom starts the Bayview Conservation Society,eventually enlisting Diana, to demonstrate that any such building would damage the wildlife and the natural environment,thus stopping the plan from going ahead. Jane and Geoffrey get close, Marion and Baines get intimate,more down to her desperation than his enthusiasm as she initially mistook him for Geoffrey.

A letter from the mayor's office suggests that a royal personage will be gracing Bayview with a visit. Diana, already even more crotchety than ever, due to a painfully swollen foot, does not share Tom's monarchist views and holds forth on the pointlessness of the royals. Just as predictably the royal visit turns out to be very much less 'royal' than expected.

Diana's foot shows no sign of healing and Tom is anxious for her to see a doctor. For all of her brash facade she is reluctant to seek medical advice in case she is given the worst possible scenario. However,she complies and is told that she has diabetes and must alter her diet. A relieved Tom proposes. Baines also proposes to Jane,in order to get his golf club membership, but she turns him down.

Diana and Jane are both taken aback by the bizarre ways of men,following their respective marriage proposals. Tom's proposal to Diana has brought on a shock and she collapses and is taken to hospital. Jane's decision that she will become a nun after all has tempted Harvey to consider joining the priesthood.

A combination of genuine feelings for Jane,whom he is used to having around,plus the desire to still join the golf club,causes Baines to become a priest of the Order of the Flaming Sword of Las Vegas - by post. He proposes and Jane accepts this time. Jane thinks Diana should accept Tom,who is now taking driving lessons to impress her. However,he has an accident and Diana has to go and bail him out,causing confusion when she meets arresting officer Sergeant Watt.Witrh Diana still refusing to marry him Tom considers very drastic action.

Whilst planning his pre-nuptial agreement with an eager Jane, Baines is told that he is not a proper priest and that any attempts he makes to get money from his ordination will lead to fraud charges. Diana is of course delighted but she has more pressing matters - Tom's threatened bungee jump. She agrees to marry him if only to stop the jump from going ahead but insists on her own pre-nuptial conditions.

After confiding her doubts about marriage to Sarah, Diana has a raucous hen night with male strippers whilst Tom's stag night is a very staid affair. The befuddled Dennis Sparrow is to conduct the two wedding ceremonies separately but due to a double booking involving a funeral, a double wedding is on the cards after all - despite Marion's efforts to sabotage Tom's marrying Diana. She need not have worried because, whilst Jane becomes Mrs. Harvey Baines, Tom and Diana happily agree not to marry after all but to live in sin.