Number 24
Carmella has calmed down now she's aware that Franco had a heart attack and can't continue on with the family business himself. Marco apologises for not being there for the family photos and says he's going to have to ask Elle if she'll buy the other half of the GS. Carmella still thinks it's a shame for Marco to let go of his dream, but Marco says he has a responsibility to uphold to his family.

General Store - Next Morning
Elle finds Paul eating brekkie by himself, but has no time for idle chit chat. She wants to know exactly what he's going to do with his life now. Paul sullenly says he'll never have something as fantastic as he did with Rebecca, but Elle just tells him to quit the sob story.

ELLE: Dad, this is what you do. I mean, you have something great like with mum, like with Lyn, like with Rebecca, and then you ruin it and then you feel sorry for yourself, and then the cycle starts again.
PAUL: Yeah well I don't exactly want it to be like this.
ELLE: How much? How much do you not want your life to be like this? Dad, you've got to really want it and it doesn't just mean changing directions. It's about sticking to it and making sure that you change yourself.
PAUL: (nodding) Alright, alright, I get the message.
ELLE: Good, because I don't think you're going to get anymore chances.

Number 24
First stop on Paul's 'change of life' (perhaps it is like a male menopause - it's the next stage of his life journey just with less hot flushes), is to offer Rebecca some good luck flowers before her big law exam that morning. Startled to see them there, Rebecca takes the bouquet with a disdainful glare.

PAUL: Look, I know my recent behaviour hasn't exactly helped your study.
REBECCA: (sarcastic) Oh yeah, disrupting my study was definitely the worst part of it. I'm sure there's a nursing home somewhere that will appreciate these.

She hands them to Elle as she walks off. Elle takes one look at them and shoves them into Paul's hands like 'yeah, great plan dad'.

Number 28
Callum whines that he wanted to spend the day with Toadie - he even wore a tie and everything - but Toadie has court and has asked Karl and Susan to baby-sit instead. Karl brightly suggests they can play some board games, but Callum delegates them as "bored games" and asks for the Playstation instead. As Karl and Susan go into the hall to fetch the games, Callum notices Susan's limp and snidely informs Toadie that he doesn't want to be left with the "spacco". Outraged, Toadie growls at Callum and tells him to never call her that again.

CALLUM: Fine, but she is.
TOADIE: (angry) I am serious, Callum. Don't make me choose between you and her because I am telling you, bucko, you don't stand a chance in hell.

Karl and Susan return none the wiser, but can see Callum is sullen about something. Worried that Callum's insensitive streak might rear its ugly head again, Toadie says that he'll ask Rebecca to mind him at the office but Susan cheerfully says they'll be fine. Callum makes a face at Toadie.

General Store
Didge and Declan are trying their hand at forging notes from their parents so they can skip school to go to court when they notice Steve approaching. Hiding the slips, Declan wishes Steve luck and says it's not fair that he could be facing prison. Steve thanks him and Didge hugs her dad, telling him she loves him. They compare their note forging abilities when Steve exits, but I am too distracted by the old man random extra in the background. He is wearing the most hilarious oversized toupee on earth. Nicola walks in and immediately knows something is suss with the teens. Dec goes to get a drink and Nicola tells Didge that she needs to respect her dad's decision, but Didge doesn't see why she cares so much since she's been trying to break up her family anyway. Nicola asks Didge to hand over the notes, but Didge threatens to tell her mum the truth about Riley if her aunty dobs, so Nicola ends up forging a note for Didge much to her surprise.

NICOLA: It's on your head and don't say I didn't warn you, OK?

Charlie's Bar
Carmella has met with Franco to try and get him to see how much the General Store means to Marco. Franco plays the caring dad card and says he'll have a chat to his son, which makes Carmella happy.

Number 28
Susan is playing Monopoly with a very disinterested Callum. She scores the '2nd prize in a beauty contest' card, which I thought was always an odd one. Why not first prize? Why are you so intent on crushing everyone's self-esteem, Monopoly, huh? Anyway, Callum rolls, has a bit of trouble adding up the dice, and lands on the dreaded Mayfair, which Susan has put two houses on. Up for the gazillion dollar rental fee, Callum throws a strop and sweeps all the pieces on to the ground. Susan sternly tells him to pick them up, which he eventually does with much grumbling.

Karl checks in on them and apologises to Susan for having to go to hospital and then court. He tells his wife he has every faith she'll have a breakthrough with Callum, but Susan's not too sure. Karl leaves and Susan puts her walking stick down, suggesting to Callum that they go for a walk to get some fresh air.

Charlie's Bar
Declan congratulates his mum on finishing her exam but Rebecca's not sure how well she went. Libby and Steph join them with some congratulatory champers (as opposed to 'happy birthday champers' and 'every day of the week for Paul champers'). Speaking of Paul, he walks in with Elle, determined to see how Rebecca's exam went. Wary, Elle thinks he'd be better off talking to her in private but Paul reasons that if he spoke to her privately it would be benefiting *him* and he wants to try and put others first as part of his 'change of life'.

He walks up to cheerfully congratulate Rebecca, and if you imagined him being met with stony faces and crickets chirping, then you would be correct. Face falling, he slinks away and the group get back to their fun. Didge arrives and tells Dec that they have to get back to "school". Taking Didge aside, Dec asks if she's sure this is the right thing to do. Didge says no, but that she can't let her dad go to prison either.

Number 26
Steve is trying to pen a letter to Miranda in case he doesn't come home that night, but all he's managed so far is 'To my darling Miranda...' (and I hope he's not copying out the words to 'My darling Clementine' 'cause they're not happy either). Nicola finds him stewing, and Steve tells her he can't find the right way to say that he loves Miranda, that she means everything to him and that he can't imagine life without her and the kids. Admittedly, email has dulled the part of my brain that used to write letters, but can't you just write that, Steve-o? Touched by his words (and wishing they were directed at her), Nicola gently puts her hand on Steve's and says "it won't be the same without you". But when Miranda walks in, Nicola jumps back as Steve gets up to hug his wife.

General Store
Franco has come to chat with Marco, but instead of having a nice conversation he's outraged "that woman" had the nerve to tell him what's best for his own son! Carmella arrives just in time to hear them arguing and gets annoyed when Franco claims that Marco is more concerned about his new family than his old one. Franco eventually works himself into such a state that he almost collapses and has to quickly take his heart medication.

(Later)

Franco stubbornly says he's fine when Marco makes a fuss, and he tells his son that he's going outside alone for some fresh air. Carmella tells Marco she's sorry if she's made things worse; she just wants to see him happy.

Park
Susan and Callum have walked a fair way, which is starting to take its toll on Susan. She guides them to a park bench to sit down. Callum looks worried when Susan's breathing gets a bit shallow (maybe he thinks she's going to collapse like his Gran did). Closing her eyes, Susan tilts her head up towards the sun to regain her composure, but when she opens her eyes Callum has disappeared into thin air. I don't know, you spend one morning with Susan and her ninja powers already rub off on you. She calls out for him and tries to walk around, but the effort is too much and she has to drop to the ground. Frustrated, she searches for her mobile in her handbag but can't find it, so poor Susan has to sit alone in the middle of the park with no one to help her.

Number 26
Trying to lighten the mood, Ned comments to Steve on how their suits make them look like they're in the mafia - or in real estate. Kirsten arrives, with Toadie not long after. Miranda takes Toadie into the kitchen for a quiet word, but Toadie says he's not a miracle worker and that he can't force Steve to change his mind. Miranda tearfully says that Toadie has to do something because she's counting on him. Steve swaps places with Toadie and he and Miranda share a moment together. Steve hands his wedding ring over to Miranda for safe keeping and they sadly embrace before heading off to court with the family.

Courtroom
The prosecutor tells the judge that she wants her to consider giving Steve the maximum sentence for his actions. In not so hushed tones, Toadie tells Steve that this is his last chance to admit the truth, but Steve is adamant that he's not going to put Didge through this hoopla. Toadie swaps a grave look with Miranda. The judge asks Toadie to stand and say his piece. Toadie admits that what happened to Chris Knight was a tragedy, but that his client had no intention to cause serious injury. He adds that his client is not a violent man and was just doing his best to protect his loved ones. Didge and Declan walk into the courtroom and Didge shares a determined look with her dad.

(Later)

While the judge drones on, Miranda asks Didge what on earth she's playing at. Didge replies that she wants to put things right. But as she's about to stand up, Declan drags her back down and says that he doesn't want her to go to jail. The judge is about to deliver her verdict when Nicola suddenly stands up.

NICOLA: Stop! This can't happen. He didn't do it.