EastEnders' Lola Pearce-Brown enjoys final day out with Jay in moving scenes

The terminally ill young woman has just found out that she has only weeks to live after bravely battling a brain tumour. In scenes airing last night, Lola's fears about how she might die led her to beg grandfather Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) to help her end her life.

Billy reluctantly agreed, but urged Lola to tell Jay. However, as a new day dawned, Lola was distracted as she dreamed of the beach, where she called out for Jay. Asleep by her hospital bed, Jay woke when he heard his wife asking for him, and she asked to take one last trip.

Jay managed to break Lola out of the hospital, pushing her in a wheelchair and taking her to watch the sea. Lola tried to broach the subject of the end of her life, but Jay wanted them to be happy for as long as they could. The couple were seen playing arcade games, and Lola was fixated on a necklace in a shop that she wanted to buy for Lexi.

Chatting about the past, Lola recalled the first time they met, and how Jay was already taken as he was dating their late pal Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald). Jay admitted that he wished they had got together sooner as teens, but Lola pointed out that perhaps they wouldn't have stayed together if they had. She added that really knowing someone, and being known and loved by Jay, meant everything to her.

When Jay ignored a call from someone, he ended up admitting that it was his guitar teacher, as he'd been taking lessons so he could surprise her. Lola couldn't help but laugh, but later, Jay borrowed a guitar from a busker and played their wedding song Wonderful Tonight, singing it to her in a beautiful rendition.

Back on the beach, Lola told Jay that Billy was going to help her die, and Jay was furious, venting his pain and heartbreak over losing her. But after taking a breather, Jay conceded that if Lola was set on taking this action, then it should be him and no one else to help her at the end.

They were interrupted by the shopkeeper from earlier and a police officer, and, realising that Lola had stolen the necklace, Jay grabbed it and took the blame. Waiting at the police station, Lola was worried about Jay's fate, but after telling an officer that she was dying, Jay was released and had even been given the necklace by the shopkeeper.

At the hospital, Jay was reprimanded for taking Lola out and warned about the risks to her ailing health. Meanwhile, Lola spoke to daughter Lexi (Isabella Brown) over the phone and, when Lexi asked to talk to Jay and relayed how he was great at advice, Lola came to a realisation and later informed Jay that she wouldn't be asking anyone to help her die after all, as Lexi would need him and everyone else around her rather than facing the consequences of Lola's decisions.

In her beach fantasy, we saw Jay return to Lola's side as he vowed to be with her for "every step". It was a heartbreaking but moving way to pay tribute to the couple, with co-stars Harold and Borthwick reducing us to tears once more.

For information, help and support on matters associated with Lola's storyline, head to Macmillan Cancer Support or Brain Tumour Research.

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