Recap
- Brad telling Taylah that he's sending her to boarding school
- Zeke and Taylah spending their last night together at the formal
- Nicola saying Steve's name whilst kissing Riley
- Chris cornering Didge in the hotel room
Formal
The end of Rachel's song is repeated but this time we see Dan arrive to stand with Libby (and do a quick 'hand around the waist' move as a greeting - sneaky). Lib rushes up to Rachel when she walks offstage, proud as punch, and hugs her. Ringo gets in on the hugging action too. Libby tells Ty that he was really sweet giving Rachel a confidence boost like that. Ty coyly replies that one good turn deserves another, and asks her out on a proper date. Libby ums and ahs before finally agreeing.
Steve and Miranda worriedly ask them if they've seen Bridget. Dan and the teens join them and the Parkers look ill when Zeke reveals that she was with Chris and he's a huge sleaze. Ringo guiltily says that they might have gone to Lassiter's - he had a room booked for the after party. Rachel looks quite stunned that Didge may have snuck off to be alone with a guy she just met.
Lassiter's - Room
Steve barges up to the hotel room door and yells out for Didge, barely letting Ringo and Declan close enough to swipe him in. They find the room empty but the bed is all crumpled. Zeke and Taylah arrive after speaking with the receptionist, who saw a young guy and girl check in 20 minutes ago. Steve gets them to go and check the public areas of the hotel for any sign of Didge. He tries to ring her mobile, but the ringing is coming from inside the room and Declan finds Didge's phone under the bed.
Lassiter's - Stairwell
Didge rushes down the stairs away from Chris, who is chasing her. He grabs her arm and asks what she thinks they were going to do. Pushing him away, Didge cries out that she changed her mind.
Lassiter's - Room
Miranda, Libby and Dan have arrived after doing a quick search. Dan asks Steve if he spoke to Chris at the formal and Steve admits they argued a little. Ringo and Declan get back from the car park and report that Chris's car is still there. Steve starts to take out his anger on the boys for hiring out the room, but he realises he's being stupid. Dan suggests they broaden the search and Steve tells Miranda to wait for news back home - he wants to know that at least one of his girls are safe. Everyone heads out while Steve stays behind in the room.
Lassiter's - Bathroom
Didge runs in looking extremely frightened, but no one follows her. She shakily turns on the tap and scrubs at her hands and face.
Number 26
Nicola jumps on Riley and Ned when they return but they've got no news. Nicola can't believe this has happened - she thought Chris seemed like a nice guy. Riley's outraged that Nicola knew about Chris seeing Didge and yells that Didge could be lying in a gutter somewhere. But at that moment, Didge walks in the front door and claims she's fine. Miranda runs out from the hall and asks where she's been, and Didge calmly says that they were just out driving but she got bored and Chris dropped her off. Concerned, Miranda tells her that they know she was at the hotel room and carefully asks if anything happened. Didge cuts her off with a firm "no" and states that Chris knew she was just a dumb kid. Feeling crowded, Didge says she just wants a shower and her bed.
Number 28
Lib gets off the phone from Riley and tells the teens and Dan that Bridget's now safe at home. Taylah hesitantly begins to ask whether or not Chris did anything, but Libby replies that she doesn't know.
DECLAN: (dark) Yeah, well he'll get what's coming to him.
DAN: What do you mean, Dec?
DECLAN: Nothing.
Dan offers Taylah a lift home but the girls want to go and check on Didge. Zeke and Taylah are left alone in the lounge room and Taylah can't help worrying about her dad finding out they're together, but Zeke doesn't see what else he could possibly do to torment them.
TAYLAH: I haven't told you about his hobby have I?
ZEKE: Uh, extreme parenting?
TAYLAH: Yeah, he likes to combine that with his other hobby - taxidermy.
Zeke apologises that their last night together didn't go according to plan, but Taylah points out that the night is still young.
Didge's Bedroom
Didge watches her mum put fresh sheets on the bed and asks if they've heard from her dad yet, but Miranda says they can't reach him. Didge climbs under the covers and Miranda asks why she left the formal like she did. Didge replies that she was sick of people telling her how to live her life, and that she didn't want to get left behind. Miranda reminds her that it's not a race and Didge says she knows - it's not going to happen again.
Nicola brings Rachel and Taylah in and the adults give them room to chat. Apologetic, Taylah says she wishes she had have warned Didge about Chris and reveals that he forced himself on her when they went out. Didge's eyes well up, but she keeps her voice calm and says she's sorry that happened to Taylah - but it didn't happen to her. Wiping away her tears, Didge says that she's really tired and she'll see them in the morning. The girls reluctantly leave and Miranda brings in a cup of tea.
DIDGE: Mum, can you do something for me?
MIRANDA: Anything.
DIDGE: Tuck me in.
Obliging, Miranda carefully arranges the blankets around her daughter and tucks a well-worn teddy bear in next to her. She tenderly stokes Didge's hair but Didge looks quite numb to it all and just stares at the ceiling.
Number 26
Miranda leaves another anxious voicemail message on Steve's phone. She fretfully tells Nicola that she's worried Steve has found Chris and lost his temper, but Steve suddenly appears through the front door and makes his way in to see Didge.
Didge's Bedroom
The relief is evident on Steve's face when he sees that his little girl is safe and sound in bed. Didge pretends to be asleep and Steve walks out.
Ext: Taylah's House - Next Morning
Zeke has walked Taylah back home - but considering it's the crack of dawn, I'm surprised that Brad didn't chuck a mental and barge around to #28 last night. Taylah sadly tells Zeke she won't be away forever, but they both glumly concede that it will feel like forever. Zeke suggests they make a pact.
ZEKE: We'll look at the stars every night.
TAYLAH: (smiling) Like we did on our first night.
ZEKE: That way we'll never forget and we'll always know the other's out there looking at the same sky.
They share one last kiss before Taylah departs, telling Zeke she loves him. Zeke stares after her retreating figure and says he loves her too, before making the lonely trek back home.
Didge's Bedroom
Steve tries to coerce Didge out with the promise of pancakes, but Didge remains silent. Sitting on the end of the bed, Steve says that he knows she hasn't told them the full story. Didge wonders how he can be certain, and Steve replies that he's met blokes like Chris before and knows exactly what they're like. Looking over the doona, Didge asks if anyone's seen Chris this morning. Steve says they haven't, then wonders if Chris threatened her. Didge emphatically says no and adds that her dad can't protect her from everything. She sends him away so she can get some more sleep.
Number 26
Miranda asks if Didge opened up a bit more but Steve admits he couldn't get a word of sense out of her. Riley dobs Nicola in for having prior knowledge about Chris. On the spot, Nicola admits that she knew Chris was Didge's formal date but that Didge swore her to secrecy. Steve berates Nicola for keeping secrets and states that she knows nothing about parenting.
NICOLA: (stung) Obviously I've done the wrong thing, but maybe if Bridget had a father that she could talk to, instead of a caveman, then maybe she would have told you what was going on instead of me.
Number 32
Steph catches Libby walking out of her room all dolled up and smirks when Lib admits she's going out with Ty. Steph asks if Lib managed to talk some sense into Toadie yesterday about the whole adoption idea, but Libby admits that Toadie's adopting for a good reason, and not out of spite for Steph. Unconvinced, Steph changes the topic back to Libby's date, but Lib claims it's not a date it's just "going out". Tomato/tomatoe, Lib. She's worried that she's too overdressed and that Ty will try to turn the day into something romantic, but Steph literally kicks her friend out the door and demands that she have fun.
Ramsay Street
Libby sees Ty in shorts and a singlet and knows she overdid it with the floaty dress (seriously though, Lib, you fail to remember that the man is allergic to sleeves so anyone is overdressed next to him). Ty says there's no time to change - he made reservations for them and they can't be late.
Ringo and Declan return from a jog and ask them if they've heard from Didge, adding that Chris Knight still hasn't shown up. Lib's not surprised to hear that - he'd face a lynch mob if he showed his face here - and says she hasn't heard anything more.
Ty leads Libby to his car (read: old bomb) and opens the door via the window because it doesn't open from the outside anymore. There is rubbish everywhere - it's what Oscar the Grouch's car would look like.
LIBBY: (wary) Steph said that you were fumigating?
TY: (holding up a can of bug spray) Yeah, there was a pretty big spider in here but it's probably gone by now.
Libby looks decidedly unimpressed.
Lassiter's Park
She looks even more unenthused when Ty shows her where he made their "reservations" - on a nice patch of grass in the middle of the park so they can have a picnic. He lays out the blanket and even brings out a wilted flower in a vase. How romantic. Libby is very uncomfortable because her heels are sticking into the ground and the mossies are eating her alive, but she's also a little relieved that his plans didn't end up being too full on.
TY: (rummaging in the picnic basket) OK, we've got salad and cheese or sardines and lettuce.
LIBBY: (pretending to think it over) Mmm... Cheese and salad.
TY: Good choice, I think the sardines have seeped through the bread.
Libby can't help laughing at the entire situation.
Number 26
Ned brings a sandwich to Riley (another delicious sardines & lettuce combo? Or perhaps something equally as appetising like gherkin and vegemite), and Riley enthusiastically tells him about all the war stories he's researching on the net before realising he's lost Ned's attention. But Ned just claims he's late for work and heads out.
Nicola slinks in to chat with Riley once she realises they're the only ones home. Riley takes great pleasure in the fact that she got told off by Steve last night considering the way she feels about him. Nicola pretends she doesn't know what Riley's on about, but Riley states that he's been watching how she behaves around Steve ever since she said his name. He tells Nicola he wants her to ping off back to Sydney, but Nicola looks distressed and says she needs her family. She then manages to seduce Riley into kissing her because Riley's willpower has obviously gone on a holiday along with his dignity and self-respect. They quickly break apart, though, when Steve, Miranda and Didge walk inside. Their secret remains safe - for now.
Lassiter's Park
Libby admits that she's having a pretty good time despite her earlier reservations. Ty does the 'you've got a bit of food on your face, here let me brush it away for you' move, which I think was genuine, but they end up almost kissing. Backing away, Libby takes a frisbee out of the picnic basket and says they should have a game (and all the Stax fans have major "Fancy a bit of frisbee?" flashbacks from Max and Steph's first date). Ty manages to throw it into some shrubs, but when Lib goes to retrieve it she sees a pair of legs sticking out from under a tree and realises that it's Chris Knight.
Number 26
Didge has changed back into her pj's and hopped back into bed - or else we're in one of those glorious Neighbours time warps and they forgot Didge walked in the door a second ago fully dressed.
Miranda and Steve chat in the kitchen about Chris. Steve's worried about Didge but he's certain that Chris won't go near her again. Miranda looks worried about how steely he sounds, but is distracted by the phone. It's Libby, who has rang to say that she found Chris unconscious and that he may have been beaten. Steve doesn't look too shocked.
MIRANDA: (concerned) Did you run into him last night?
Steve won't answer.