No. 28
Bronwyn is still sympathising with poor depressed Mike.

She tells him not to wallow in self- pity, and instead he should apologise, see other girls, or concentrate on work - that's if he hasn't lost his job for having gone AWOL.

No. 26
Des, Jane, and the Robinsons are cleaning up after the party, while the youngsters have gone over to no.30 where they're quizzing Matthew about the surprise news that he's Hilary's long- lost son.

Gail is now eating for four(!), as Hilary tells the adults about herself and Matthew.

No. 24
Henry wisely pretends to be asleep, as he waits up for Bronwyn.

Once she comes home, he makes out that he's concerned for her but in a trusting way, while in fact he'd been pacing up and down.

Henry then tells Bronwyn about Young Hilary - when the girl discovered she was pregnant, she was sent to live with her Grandma Hayes in the country.

He explains how Matthew's father never answered Hilary's letters, and after her baby son was born Hilary's mother made her foster him out.

No. 26
Paul, Gail, Jim, Beverly, and Helen are very supportive of Hilary.

No. 26 (next morning)
Hilary is at the Robinsons', having breakfast with Jim and Helen and complaining that Harold and Madge practically cut her dead; they were as cold as ice. Jim remarks that that's not exactly odd behaviour from the Bishops - especially since Harold became Lord Muck, or whatever his title is. Beverly comes in, having just woken up, and tells Jim that he should have given her a shout. As she sits down, Jim remarks:

JIM: Jonathan Whiting seems to have survived the night without you at his bedside, holding his hand, so maybe that's the end of it?
BEVERLY: Mmm... wouldn't *that* be bliss?

Beverly then asks Hilary how *she* slept last night. Hilary retorts:

HILARY: Badly - but that's hardly surprising, I suppose.

Beverly tells her to stop worrying: she's sure people will be far more understanding than Hilary gives them credit for. Hilary, however, says tersely:

HILARY: Well, *I've* certainly seen no evidence of it - and the worst is yet to come: Matthew has decided he wants his name changed to 'Robinson' on the school register - which means I will have to go through the entire story with Mr. Muir.
HELEN: I'm sure it's one he's heard many times before.
HILARY (curtly): Quite possibly, Helen - but certainly not from *me*. Anyway, Mr. Muir and I have been getting along... quite well, recently; I'd hate to think *that* might change.

No. 28
Des emerges from his bedroom to find Mike sitting at the table having breakfast with Jamie. He tells Des that Jamie was grizzling, so he got him up. Des goes and makes a fuss of Jamie before offering Mike a plate of bacon and eggs. Mike accepts. There's suddenly a knock on the front door and Mike goes to open it. He finds Jane standing on the step. He stares at her and then goes and sits back down without saying a word. Des walks over to the door, gives Jane a kiss and murmurs to her to act naturally with Mike. He offers her bacon and eggs. As he begins to prepare it, Jane tells him:

JANE: I've made a tentative list for Jamie's party.

Des asks Mike if he can order a cake for Jamie if he goes anywhere near the Coffee Shop today. Mike nods that he will. Jane shows Mike the list she's made, but Mike snaps at her:

MIKE: Listen, if you want to play Happy Families, that's OK by me, but don't expect me to be involved. All right?

With that, Mike tells Des to forget about the bacon and eggs and he gets up to head out. Des, however, marches over to him and says curtly:

DES: Mike... Mike, just hang on. Now, this is crazy. Just give us a break, will you?
MIKE: Listen, I'm not going to apologise for what I said last night.
DES: And *I'm* not going to apologise about *Jane*. I mean, all I want you to do is try and understand. Just *try*.
MIKE: Des, I will *never* understand - not in a million years.

With that, Mike storms out, leaving Des looking worried.

No. 24
Bronwyn is working in the kitchen as Henry sits at the table, looking at the newspaper, trying to find accommodation for the two of them. Bronwyn, however, sighs that they'll be lucky to find *anything* in their price range. Henry asks her if there's any chance of her getting off work early today. Bronwyn nods that she can - but she then says she thinks she should be around for Mike when he gets home from school, in case things haven't gone too well for him. Henry says:

HENRY: Right. Scrap house-hunting.
BRONWYN (groans): Henry, don't start all *that* again...
HENRY (quickly): No, no, no, no, I *mean* it. I mean... Mike's... a mate... who needs you. Let's get our priorities right.
BRONWYN: Yeah, but *we're* important too. It's just that he's been so upset lately; I don't like to let him down.

Henry suggests that they compromise: he'll pick Bronwyn up at 2:30pm, and that way she can be home and on standby with the band-aids if Mike comes looking for her. Bronwyn buries her head on Henry's chest gratefully, commenting that he really is trying. She doesn't see Henry rolling his eyes in annoyance.

Erinsborough High School
Mike is sitting in Mr. Muir's office as Mr. Muir rants that two days' leave of absence without so much as a 'phone call just isn't good enough. Mike insists that it won't happen again. Mr. Muir asks him if he knows how much chaos he's caused - and he hasn't even given him a satisfactory explanation for his absence. Mike just shrugs:

MIKE: Look, if you want to fire me, then go ahead, OK? Everything *else* has gone wrong for me; if I lost my job, it really wouldn't make much difference.

There's suddenly a knock on the office door and Hilary comes in. She stops in her tracks as she finds Mike there, and she apologises for the interruption. Mr. Muir tells her that it's about time Mr. Young got back to his class. As Mike heads out, Mr. Muir adds coolly:

MR. MUIR: The little matter we've been discussing? I'll let it pass - *this* time.
MIKE (murmurs): Thanks.

With that, Mike heads out of the office. Mr. Muir rubs his temples and sighs at Hilary:

MR. MUIR: He's a great teacher, but do you know anything about his personal affairs?
HILARY: Well, he *has* been having some problems lately.
MR. MUIR (tersely): Miss. Robinson, we *all* have problems, but at least most of us have the good sense not to bring them to work with us. All I've done today is deal with staff and their personal problems. I can't tell you how relieved I was to see *your* face at the door. Now - what was it you wanted to talk about?

Hilary stares at Mr. Muir warily.

Erinsborough High School
A short time later, Hilary is sitting down opposite Mr. Muir at his desk, saying:

HILARY: As Matthew felt so strongly about it, I had no choice but to 'come clean' as the American movies so often put it.
MR. MUIR (awkwardly): I'll, er, have the boy's surname altered on the school record, if he insists, but you do realise you'll be leaving yourself wide open to a certain amount of idle speculation by the other members of staff?

Hilary insists that she *is* prepared for the worst; she's ready to weather the storm - and she *was* rather hoping for *his* support. Mr. Muir comments that he can't stop tongues wagging. Hilary, however, tells him:

HILARY: Yes, but you *can* let it be known that you still value me as a staff member - and friend.

Mr. Muir looks down at his desk. Hilary exclaims in disappointment:

HILARY: One mistake can't change your opinion, surely?
MR. MUIR: We're all human, Miss. Robinson, but I have to admit to a certain... disappointment. I could never have *guessed* - and it does concern me that the repercussions of this situation could affect the standard of your work here.
HILARY (curtly): Oh. I see. [Standing up] As my remaining on the staff of your school would obviously be an embarrassment to you, I'll save you the trouble of having to fire me. You'll have my resignation on your desk first thing in the morning.

With that, Hilary marches out. She leans against the wall outside the office and sighs heavily.

No. 26
Beverly is in the kitchen with Helen, sighing that it was Jim's idea for them to have lunch together, so he could at least be home in time. Jim comes in through the front door at that moment, carrying silver balloons with the words 'MISS YOU' and 'Remember Me' on them, with a cuddly toy cat attached beneath them! Jim explains that he found the present on top of the letterbox - and there are no surprises for guessing who it's from. Helen muses:

HELEN: Late-night 'phone calls, flowers, and now balloons... You'll have to watch your step, Jim: it looks as if our Mr. Whiting has designs on your wife.
JIM (grimly): Yes, I'm beginning to think you might be right...

Beverly, however, insists that Whiting is lonely, and this is just his way of reaching out. Jim muses:

JIM: It'd *better* be - otherwise the *next* time he calls for a doctor, his injuries might be *real*...

Driveway of No. 24
Henry pulls up in Bertha and goes to climb out. Bronwyn is sitting in the passenger seat, but she doesn't move. Henry cajoles:

HENRY: Come on, Bron - home sweet home!
BRONWYN: Hmm... but for how much longer?

As they climb out of the car, Bronwyn remarks that the way things are looking, their next address might be in one of those charity bins! Henry points out that the last joint they looked at wasn't too bad. Bronwyn, however, exclaims:

BRONWYN: Oh, it was *great*! Now all we need's the $165 to *pay* for it.

Henry suggests that he could take on some extra work. Bronwyn, however, tells him that it wouldn't bring in enough. She sighs:

BRONWYN: No, it looks like I'm going to have to forget my Tech course; get another full-time job instead.

Henry insists that they'll work something out. They suddenly hear a motorbike riding up the street and Bronwyn says she'd better go and see how Mike is. Henry's face drops, but Bronwyn gives him a kiss and thanks him for being so understanding.

No. 28
Des and Jane are sitting on the couch, kissing passionately. When they pull apart, Jane comments that Paul will be wondering where she got to, as she said she'd only be half an hour. Des, however, muses that if Paul needs Gail's signature so badly, he would've taken those papers home himself! They start kissing again - but are interrupted by the front door opening and Mike walking in. They pull apart, looking embarrassed, and Des says to Mike:

DES: Mike! Um... what time is it?
MIKE (sarcastically): Oh, I'm a few minutes early. I'm really sorry. Next time I'll give you a call - let you know I'm coming.

Jamie starts crying in his room and Des goes off to see to him, leaving Jane to ask Mike:

JANE: How was your day?
MIKE: Lousy, if you really want to know - and finding *you* here hasn't helped any.
JANE (sighs): Mike, when are you going to grow up? *I* love Des and *he* loves *me*; now, I'm sorry if that doesn't suit any plans you may've had for either of us, but that's the way it is; and I can't stand the way you've been carrying on and *hurting* Des.
MIKE (exclaims): Hurting *Des*? What about *me*, huh?
JANE: Yeah, well, if you just stopped feeling sorry for yourself for just a minute-
MIKE (coldly): Oh - haven't I got a good enough reason, Jane? You and Des have wrecked *everything*. It's not going to be the same anymore. This place was the first real home I ever had, you know that? Des... Daphne... Jamie... *me*: we were happy living here and then *you* come along and bat your eyelashes at Des and just ruin *everything*.

Des emerges from the bedroom at that moment, holding Jamie. He puts him down and then warns Mike angrily that that's enough. He goes on:

DES: That's all I'm going to take from you. I'll be damned if I'm going to stand here and let you upset Jane. She's the best thing that's happened to me since Daph died - and *you* are not going to spoil it for me, OK? So don't put me in a position where I have to choose between the two of you.
MIKE (retorts): Des, don't worry, you won't *have* to choose, all right? Why don't I just make it easy for all of us, OK? I'll pack my things and get out of your lives once and for all.

With that, Mike storms off to his room, leaving Jane and Des standing looking worried.