More recently, Rana's father suffered a serious stroke. Her mother refused to allow Rana anywhere near her father because of her Sapphic tendencies. Kate eventually floated the idea that Rana tell her mother Saira that she'd repented and ended their relationship. And it worked. Rana was able to say goodbye to her father before his death.
The problem is that Rana and Kate are still pretending that they are broken up while secretly maintaining their romance. Over the past two weeks, "Corrie" introduced the concept that Rana's parents had purchased tickets for a six-week-long cruise (!!) and her mother cannot get a refund for those tickets. So Rana has decided to take her father's spot on the cruise along with her mother.
Okay, first: Who has enough money to buy tickets for a six-week-long cruise?? That must be very nice...
Secondly (and most importantly): Why is Rana doing this? I understand that she's struggling with grief. And I understand that she's struggling to being shunned and losing her mother's affection. But her mother literally kidnapped her and tried to forcibly relocate her to the Middle East. Four months ago.
The truth is that Rana's real life counterpart -- actress Bhavna Limbacia -- just got married and has some honeymooning to do. So a six-week cruise is a good excuse for Rana's absence from the program.
But it completely makes no sense to me that Rana would want to hang out with a crazy kidnapper on an international cruise for well over a month. There's nothing to stop Sarai from plotting another kidnapping and nobody to protect Rana from harm.
Why not come up with a more realistic explanation for her absence? Like going to London for a medical course? Or visiting friends in the countryside? Or just telling Kate that she's struggling with everything and needing time away on her own to clear the cobwebs?
But putting her on an international cruise along with Sarai? Absolute rubbish!