Number 28
Melissa is trying to tell Toadie that the guy she was kissing in the car was an ex-boyfriend who jumped on her and can't get it into his head that they're finished! Thankfully Toadie doesn't see through this excuse but Melissa all but dares him to tell Billy about it. Just then Billy walks in having just battled Toadie's cat. Melissa tells him netball practice finished early and he buys it. Until he notices she and Toadie are exchanging lots of 'looks' so he wants to know if there's anything going on. Toadie keeps quiet and leaves so Melissa quickly changes the subject back to Billy and gives him a kiss and a cuddle. Poor boy now looks as though he suspects something or someone.

Chez Chez Office
Lou thanks Jo for coming down to the pub - he has a proposal for her. He wants to buy the pub having inherited it from Cheryl. Her kids aren't interested and multiple ownership would just make things complicated. Jo thought she had a job to come back to in the pub so she needs time to think about it. As they go back into the main bar, she starts talking about holding functions there and art exhibitions but Jo tells her he wants to take the place in a different direction. Mal comes in and joins Darren at a table to talk about the business.

The Garage of Number 26
Toadie is busy doing his bit to clean the car after the cat sprayed all over it, when Melissa approaches to talk to him. She wants to thank him for keeping quiet earlier but he says he didn't do it for her. It's clear Billy loves Melissa and Melissa understands that, but insists Toadie has it all wrong. He doesn't want to have to regret keeping quiet because Billy's his best mate so he's going to be watching Melissa.

Chez Chez
Mal's trying to persuade Darren to come back on board for the fencing contract given that they're partners but Darren doesn't seem interested. Apart from Libby, he doesn't want anything to do with the Kennedy's. Mal points out that's dumb but Darren's adamant that's the way things are going to be. They agree to divide up the business assets and Darren wants Mal to keep the customers given that he was the one who started Handy Sam's in the first place. He suggests that bank finances are split 50-50 and that Mal keeps the phone too. Darren will just keep the ute and tools - $12,000 of hardware. Mal's not so sure about that but eventually agrees and the men shake hands. Darren even admits he probably shouldn't be taking his anger over Karl's actions out on Mal. Mal leaves under what he thinks are relatively amicable circumstances but Darren just sits there with one of those 'look what I've just conned you into doing' smiles on his face.

Number 28
Susan shows Toadie that he actually needs to break up the mass of cat food that he's put in the bowl otherwise the poor thing will choke. He's determined to do everything right though so that business will boom. That gives Karl a nice lead in to talk to Mal about how he got on with Darren earlier while they're busy washing up the dishes. Mal explains that they've split the business up and who has taken what, and Karl seems to accept that. He does ask about what will happen about money received after that day though. Mal decides to ring Darren and ask. Susan isn't sure about letting Mal go through with this split but Karl reminds her that they have to let their kids make mistakes sometimes, even if they are big ones.

Chez Chez
Darren is happily telling Brett that Mal thought he was getting a good deal on the split and that he's also going to put in a new quote for the fencing contract at the school. He doesn't think Mal will have a chance now he has no tools and no ute. Marlene appears and asks the boys what's going on but Darren tells her it's just business. Darren then proceeds to offer Brett a job if he does get the fencing contract but Brett doesn't want to do the dirty on Mal. Darren says if he and Brett don't get it it'll go to someone else.

Number 28
Karl is massaging Susan's foot as they're sitting on the couch together when Mal comes in saying that the next business phone bill will be arriving on Monday for $360.20 and he'll have to pay it all himself now he's the only one in Handy Sam's. Karl offers him a loan which takes Mal by surprise given Karl's reluctance about the venture in the first place. Karl says that Mal's made a real go of the business though so he's happy to help out. Mal does point out though that things are a bit tough for Karl and Susan anyway at the moment with Karl not practicing, so now he's got this far on his own he's not about to give up. Once he's gone, Karl tells Susan that six months ago he would have been all too willing to take a loan. He might be determined but this time it may not be enough.

Number 30
Luke is playing a beautiful soothing piece on the guitar to Danni that was inspired by her, when there's a knock at the door. It's Jo who spots the champagne and wants to know what the celebration is. She does notice that she might have turned up at an awkward moment though and offers to leave again but Luke and Danni are too nice and let her stay. She wants to talk to Danni about the fact that Rob's house is big and lonely on her own so if they still want a house mate she'd love to stay. Danni wonders if Rob would be weird with that but Jo says it would be fine and he won't be back for months anyway. Luke outlines the basic house rules and tells her she can move in whenever she wants. Danni looks less than impressed.

A Dark Street
Darren and Brett are presumably walking back from the pub and Darren is still quite happy that he's just made things very difficult for Mal. Brett thinks this is just Darren trying to get back at Karl through Mal and although Darren admits that the Kennedys aren't his favourite family right now, there's still nothing wrong with putting in a lower quote than Mal for the fencing contract. Brett says he only wants to be involved in this if it's for the right reasons but Darren just tells him they have to be competitive in this business and it's not his fault that Mal is the competition.

Number 30
Jo thanks Luke for letting her move before leaving and Danni jokingly accuses Luke of having a little harem of women. Luke just says that her husband's away and she's lonely (like that doesn't sound at all dodgy!) and that Danni's the only one he's interested in. She does think it's weird though that every time they mentioned Rob to Jo she kept changing subject. For the time being though they're not going to think about it and go back to where they were before Jo turned up - about to pash.

Number 28
Billy and Melissa are getting back home after watching a film but they decide that they should have been paid to see it it was that bad. Melissa says she enjoyed spending time with him though so the film doesn't matter. Billy's glad because it doesn't seem like she's been wanting to spend any time with him lately, but she assures him that she still loves him.

Chez Chez
Lou is sitting alone at the bar with a glass of brandy in his hand. Marlene comes out from the back and joins him for a drink. Lou says that Cheryl loved that pub and they agree that she loved being in charge. He was going to talk her into selling it and retiring so they could go travelling. He wonders how he's going to get through another day and Marlene just puts a hand on his shoulder.

Number 28
It's the middle of the night and Melissa is dressed up to the nines and is sneaking out of the front door. Dahl gives a small squawk in protest but nothing loud enough to draw any attention to what's going on.

Chez Chez
The next morning Marlene is getting the pub ready when Jo comes in very early for her shift. She tells Lou and Marlene that she's moving in with Luke and the girls and that Rob's fine with it. Lou asks what he thought of his offer regarding selling her share of the pub, but Jo tells him she forgot to talk about it. Lou's not best pleased - he's trying to get his life in order. Jo apologises and leaves.

Number 28
Everyone's doing breakfast type things like setting the table and Susan jokes that she's going to have to get used to Karl making breakfast from now on. He reminds her that he is still working today - Mildred's fish pond - and Susan wonders if the two men can get through it without an argument. Mal says it all depends on Karl, but Karl reckons he'll be able to bite his tongue so they'll be fine. There's a knock at the door, which Mal answers, and it's Darren who's found some tools in the back of the ute that aren't his so he's come to return them. Rather than just leave quietly he starts trying to get a rise out of Mal by saying that he's put a quote in for the school fencing job and he doesn't like Mal's chances of beating it - but may the best man win. He leaves and Mal turns to the rest of the family who heard the conversation.

KARL: You just make sure you're the best man.

Chez Chez Office
Jo is crying after her mini spat with Lou and Marlene is trying to comfort her. She tells Jo not to take too much of Lou at the moment but Jo reckons she's made a mess of everything. She admits that she left Rob - she felt so lost in Europe, all they did was fight so she packed her bags and came home. Rob didn't understand that she was homesick and that it's over. Marlene says that Jo has a lot of friends here and that they'll all help her through.

Number 28
Mal, Susan, Toadie and Karl are now sitting down eating breakfast and Mal's determined not to let Darren beat him to the fencing contract. Karl doesn't want Mal cutting too many corners just to try and get the quote down but Mal doesn't think he has much choice - Darren will have offered a very competitive quote especially when he doesn't need to hire any tools. Karl just says that Darren's going to end up under quoting at this rate and potentially work at a loss and also that the school would recognise when a quote is too low. A good honest quote backed up with quality work is the way for Mal to earn people's respect. Mal agrees and they head off for work. Susan asks Toadie to clear up the breakfast things while she checks something on the car before Karl and Mal leave for work and also to make sure Billy and Melissa aren't late. Speaking of, Billy comes out of the bedroom asking where Melissa is. She's nowhere in the house and her bed hasn't been slept in. Toadie now has more evidence for his case and tells

Billy he thinks he knows what's going on, only he's not going to like it.