Next week on Emmerdale, the aftermath of Rishi Sharma’s passing continues to weigh heavily on the hearts of Jai and Laurel. The emotional duo must confront their grief while helping their children cope with Rishi’s passing.
As Jai and Laurel sit down with Archie, they find themselves struggling to find the right words to explain Rishi’s absence. As they share the heartbreaking news, and Jai, in particular, is having a difficult time processing the reality of his father’s death.
Amidst his grief, Jai finds himself snapping at Archie unintentionally. The burden of sorrow is causing him to act out in frustration, something he deeply regrets later. Laurel, on the other hand, empathizes with a broken-hearted Suni, feeling guilty for not being there with Rishi during his final moments.
In a vulnerable moment with Suni, Jai opens up about his feelings, revealing that he doesn’t care about the adoption process because, to him, Rishi was his real father. This emotional admission begins to help Jai come to terms with the loss of the man who raised him and whom he loved deeply.
Jai and Archie decide to light candles around a cherished picture of Rishi as they attempt to find solace in remembering the good times they had with him. The act of remembrance allows Jai to take the first steps towards processing his father’s death, even though it’s a painful journey.
Despite the emotional connection between Jai and Laurel, he decides to keep the truth about the identity of his biological father a secret. He believes that sharing this information would only complicate matters further and wants to preserve the memory of Rishi as the only father he’s ever known.
However, Jai’s grief doesn’t make him exempt from daily responsibilities, and stress begins to take its toll. Suni, seeking support during this difficult time, pleads with Jai to reach out to Amit about the funeral arrangements. Unfortunately, Jai’s overwhelmed state leads him to snap at Suni unintentionally.
As the funeral preparations are underway, Tom arrives and hands the family a USB filled with digitized photos of Rishi. The family gathers around, cherishing the memories captured in the pictures. Together, they remember Rishi, a man who touched the lives of so many in the village.
Emmerdale continues tonight on ITV1 at 7.30pm
