EastEnders' Lauren Branning has made her work relationship with Mark Fowler permanent, while her brother Oscar has followed their father's footsteps by having an affair.
Lauren and Mark's Partnership
In tonight's episode, airing 21 May, Lauren and Mark made enough money through their dodgy cars deal for her to win the bet she made with her dad Max. Lauren was therefore able to claim half the car dealership business and no longer needed Mark to supply her with stolen motors. But after watching Mark explode at his dad Grant in the Queen Vic, Lauren decided her relationship with him was too lucrative to lose and suggested they go into business permanently.
Finding Mark boxing in the gym, Lauren started by opening up to her friend about her own father issues. She told Mark how she once tried to run over her dad when she was 14. The two then discussed Mark's altercation with Grant and Lauren asked if they fought because Mark owed his dad money. She then said: 'With the extra money that we made and me now getting the car lot, it's a game changer.'
Lauren asked Mark if he wanted to keep their relationship going a little longer. With a slight smile, Mark said it sounded 'like a partnership'. He coyly added: 'There's always a bit of danger... that's what makes it fun though.'
Fan Reactions
Fans are pretty certain this will lead to an affair between the two, especially as Mark has already expressed an attraction to Lauren to his aunt Sam. One fan said: 'You know they'll have an affair. There's no way they don't.' Another said: 'Mark and Lauren have too much chemistry.' A third added: 'I imagine Mark & Lauren will start their affair during the night that changes everything', referring to a recent promo for a week of special episodes in June, where the same night will be explored across the week.
Oscar's Affair
In recent episodes, Oscar started an affair with his girlfriend's twin brother. The teen had previously slept with Josh Goodwin whilst he and Jasmine Fisher were on a break but didn't know he was sleeping with his ex girlfriend's twin. Now, Oscar and Jasmine are back together and he is helping her work through her abandonment issues to build a relationship with Josh. But earlier this week, Josh admitted that he had feelings for Oscar. After seeing Josh with another man, Oscar became jealous and kissed Josh. The two then left the Prince Albert together.
Because of the New Year's flashforward, fans already know that Oscar will end up with one of the twins. During the episode, their grandfather Patrick Trueman told Oscar that he was 'a Trueman now', hinting that he was in a relationship with someone from the family. But there were no hints about which Slater-Trueman it would be.
Oscar's affair with Josh has been likened to the behaviour of his father. Max has had several affairs, and often with people connected to someone he is related to or dating. His most iconic affair involved sleeping with Stacey Slater whilst she was engaged to his son Bradley.
Upcoming Storylines
The trailer for the week of special episodes showed four characters whose lives are set to change drastically after that night. Those characters include Lauren's dad Max. He is seen looking at the camera, alongside George Knight, Ian Beale and Denise Fox, as everything twists around them. So far, fans have guessed that Max's storyline that week will involve his relationship with Lauren's mother-in-law Cindy Beale. The two have recently moved in together and in the promo photos, Cindy can be seen behind Max's shoulder. Two of his children, Lauren and Oscar, are behind his other shoulder, suggesting they will be affected by whatever happens to Max.
