Ashley Thomas (John Middleton), finds out what Gabby has done, he is furious with Bernice and Lawrence and insists Gabby lives with him full-time. Later, Lawrence talks to Ashley, agreeing with what he said and the reason he is soft with Gabby is because he doesn't feel like it's his place to discipline Gabby, but Ashley reminds him he has to be a dad through the bad as well as the good. They later inform Bernice of the plan for Lawrence to adopt Gabby when Ashley's dementia worsens. Lawrence arranges for Lachlan and Gabby to apologise to Eric in front of their parents. When Gabby complains about being embarrassed and that Lawrence isn't her father, Ashley tells her that Lawrence is as much of a parent to her as him and Bernice. Later, Lawrence finds Lachlan's laptop open and finds footage of Bernice. He suspects Lachlan is responsible, when in fact it is Chrissie and he tells Bernice what Lachlan may be doing. Chrissie later confesses it was her and that she didn't want Bernice betraying him, but Chrissie learns her dad offered Bernice an open marriage and did the same with her mother. Chrissie later fears that she and Rebecca may not be Lawrence's children. A few weeks later Chrissie's new boyfriend Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) convinces her to ask for a DNA test but after an argument over it Lawrence finally tells Chrissie the truth, that he is not her real father. Ronnie Hale (John McArdle), who Bernice believes to be Chrissie's biological father, turns up at Home Farm looking for Lawrence. He reveals that Chrissie asked him to fix a leak weeks before. They have an argument until Bernice interrupts. Ronnie says goodbye to Lawrence and leaves. He tells Bernice who he really is. It is later confirmed that Lawrence and Ronnie were lovers while he was married to Ellen. When he sees Ronnie talking to Lachlan he orders him to leave but Ronnie refuses. He then asks Sam Dingle (James Hooton) to kill Ronnie. He reluctantly agrees. When he goes to shoot him Ronnie talks him down. He then gives Lawrence back the gun and confronts him. Lawrence accidentally hits Ronnie and Ronnie leaves telling Lawrence that he won't be seeing him again. Lawrence later tells Bernice she made the biggest mistake of her life marrying him. Carl Holliday Carl Holliday made his first on screen