Previously
- Steph admits to Mark that she kissed Victoria - and Mark tells Ellen
- Josie has a go at Steph for ruining her mums' relationship
- There's sausage talk aplenty at the Canning/Kennedy dinner, and a barbecue is arranged
- 'Dee' is worried when Toadie tells her another DNA test will be required for the birth certificate
- Toadie tells Sonya that he had a weird moment with Dee, so just left it
- 'Dee' plans to repeat the game she played with Nell in order to get a cheek swab
No 30
Andrea has managed to get the cheek swab from Nell, and gives it to Willow, saying she'll have to distract Karl when she's at the hospital in order to swap the samples. Willow says she doesn't want to do it, but Andrea reminds her how far they've come. Nell listens quietly to the conversation.
ANDREA: Toadie loved Dee so much. We're making him really happy by being here.
WILLOW: Please! Stop making out like we're doing him a favour.
ANDREA: Then do it for us. We need it.
Toadie and Sonya come in, and 'Dee' composes herself - explaining that Steph had to go out, so asked them to mind Nell. Toadie is grateful, but Sonya doesn't look so happy. 'Dee' adds that she's talked to Willow and that they've decided they're happy to undergo another DNA test.
'DEE': Sorry if I was a bit weird about it earlier. It's just the idea of you being on the birth certificate. It's just been me and Willow for such a long time. But you have every right to be on it, so let's do it.
Toadie's pleased, and says he'll make an appointment with Karl for this afternoon. 'Dee' and Willow leave, and Sonya still looks uncomfortable.
Harold's Café
Steph and Victoria are having a coffee. Victoria confirms that Ellen has moved home and kicked her out. Ellen's also frozen Victoria out of their joint bank account and credit cards. Steph is appalled when Victoria says she's sleeping on the couch in her office, and offers her a free room at the motel.
VICTORIA: It's very generous of you. But I'd be worried that I'm -
STEPH: What? That people are gonna find out? I can keep a secret.
VICTORIA: No. About what would happen if you and I were to see each other every day.
STEPH: I think we can stay away from each other. It's fine.
Steph adds that she'll hardly be there, as she has to focus on Sonya and the baby as much as she can.
VICTORIA: So Mark's letting you be involved?
STEPH: It's a work in progress. I just wish I'd done better by us, though. You were right - I did use you as an escape from my relationship. You deserve better.
VICTORIA: I understand.
Victoria agrees to stay at the motel, and thanks Steph.
No 28
Karl is talking to Susan and Ben about Gary's sausages again, and your summariser can already feel the energy draining from his fingertips.
SUSAN: Home-made, I believe!
KARL: Yeah, but are they traditional Italian, or a local variation?
SUSAN: Dunno.
KARL: Are they Frankstonian in their approach to spicing?
SUSAN: Frankstonian!
KARL: What about the girth? Are they solid?
SUSAN: I don't know, Karl - I'm not on intimate terms with Gary's smallgoods.
Karl instructs Ben to fetch some of his own sausages from the fridge, in case barbecue attendees want something 'a little more thrilling'. But Susan forbids this outright.
SUSAN: We have been invited over by Gary to sample his hand-crafted sausage. And for you to get there and just whip out yours, that's just rude!
Willow arrives, to talk to Karl about the DNA test for her birth certificate. She asks if they can do it now, but Karl says it has to be done at the hospital. Willow looks worried, but confirms she'll come down to the hospital later. Karl, Susan and Ben look a little concerned as Willow leaves, but Susan thinks she's probably just nervous about starting a new school.
Susan suggests Ben check on Willow later, and he agrees. Once Susan's out of earshot, Karl repeats his request to Ben to fetch his sausages from the fridge.
Lassiter's Complex
Terese is outside the hotel, when Gary appears and invites her over for the barbecue later. Predictably, sausage chat ensues.
GARY: I'm gonna show off my boys, if you're keen!
TERESE: Oh! I do love your cooking!
Paul appears, with a flat white coffee for Terese.
PAUL: Oh, I'm sorry, Gary - they didn't have any instant.
GARY: That's really funny, Paul (!)
Terese boasts that Gary has just invited her to his barbecue...
TERESE: ... to sample his sausages.
PAUL: Doubt they're anything special.
GARY: People rave about my bangers! If you don't believe me, you should come.
PAUL: To a Canning barbecue? Yeah, right - I haven't had my shots!
GARY: Your call, buddy. Terese is in, though. She loves my snags.
Trying not to appear rattled, Paul says he might put in an appearance after all, much to Gary and Terese's amusement.
PAUL: I'll bring the sauces.
Meanwhile, Steph is showing Amy some swaddles she's bought for the baby. Amy remarks that Steph seems more relaxed; she agrees that she is.
STEPH: Life is so much simpler now. And now, for bubs, I can be there. Not as a parent, but as support.
Steph looks happy.
No 30
Steph comes in, and finds Sonya sitting at the table.
SONYA: Why did you leave Nell with Dee?
Steph says that Josie had an emergency, and she had to go and meet her. Steph apologises, and offers to babysit Nell tonight, but Sonya says that Xanthe's coming over to do it, so she can go to her ultrasound scan.
SONYA: It's not that I don't appreciate everything that you're doing. But it was a shock to see Nell... If this is too much for you, Steph -
STEPH: No, it's fine!
SONYA: You don't have to be so hands-on.
STEPH: Son, I want to. I've got a responsibility for this baby too.
SONYA: Well, if I'm gonna be honest, Mark's struggling. And I think that maybe your involvement with the baby - it's not good for him right now.
STEPH: ... Right.
SONYA: I definitely want you to be part of all this. But it might be good if you just take a step back, for a bit.
Steph seems disappointed, but says she'll do whatever Sonya thinks is best. Steph leaves, taking the swaddles with her that she was going to give to Sonya.
The Flame Tree
Steph finds Victoria at a table with some boxes of possessions, that Ellen let her into their house to collect. Steph's about to leave her to it, but seeing she's struggling with the boxes, offers to help carry them to Victoria's room. As they walk, Steph teases Victoria about some ornamental flowers she has in one of the boxes.
But CreepyCamtm is watching them from behind the bushes, suggesting that they have an unwelcome visitor...
Erinsborough Hospital
Karl takes a swab from Willow's cheek, and is about to label it up. But while he's looking for his pen, Willow quickly swaps the sample with the one Andrea took from Nell earlier. Afterwards, Karl notices her looking worried.
KARL: Are you alright?
WILLOW: I hate doing this.
KARL: Yeah. It's okay.
WILLOW: It's not. I feel like I'm this annoyance, breaking up the family. Nell's gonna grow up hating me; Sonya probably already does.
KARL: That's just not true.
WILLOW: How could you know that?
KARL: Because they're good people. This is a big transition - for everyone, including you. But in time, you'll just be another member of the family.
WILLOW: I don't think I really belong.
KARL: Yeah, I understand. Try and think of it like this - you are giving Nell a big sister. Now I know my daughter Libby would have loved one of those when she was growing up. I realise you feel like you're breaking up a family, but actually, you're making it more wonderful.
Karl goes back to searching for his pen, and while he's not looking, Willow produces it from behind her - implying she took it in the first place in a bid to distract him.
No 26
In the garden, Gary is showing off his tray of sausages to Susan, Paul and Terese, explaining his cooking methodology. Sheila and Xanthe emerge from the house.
SHEILA: You're not still going on about your sausages, are you?
My thoughts too, Sheila. Xanthe leaves to babysit Nell, asking Gary to save her a sausage. Gary goes on to explain that he cooks his sausages in wine, or even cognac. Paul expresses surprise that Gary knows what cognac is. Terese is intrigued to learn that Gary poaches his sausages prior to grilling, and asks why.
GARY: Keeps them nice and moist. Locks the fat in there, and that's what makes them so juicy. Poaching also means you don't have to grill them so long, so they don't dry out. So when you pop them in your mouth, the flavour just explodes.
TERESE: Ooh! Well, that's something to look forward to!
Paul looks displeased.
Lassiter's Complex
Steph parks her motorbike in the car park, and Mark walks past, grumpily reminding her that there's a one-hour limit for parking there now, rather than two. Mark is fiddling with some documents, and when Steph asks, he explains they're forms for his paternity leave, which has now been approved.
STEPH: All systems go, then.
MARK: ... So Victoria's moved into the motel?
STEPH: How did you hear that?
MARK: It's not a secret, is it?
STEPH: She needed somewhere to stay.
MARK: Of course she did (!)
STEPH: Nothing's going on, Mark.
MARK: None of my business any more.
STEPH: No, look - I'm so sorry for how much I've hurt you.
MARK: ...
STEPH: I'm really glad you're gonna be a dad. You're gonna be amazing.
MARK: Please, just stop!
STEPH: Look, I know that you're still angry at me -
MARK: If you want to be with women more than men, or her more than me, then -
STEPH: No, it's not like that!
MARK: Whatever, alright? Cheating's still cheating.
STEPH: ...
MARK: Now, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. You just didn't feel the same. You were already halfway out of the door.
STEPH: Mark, I -
MARK: Don't forget - it's one hour.
Mark struggles to retain his composure as he drives away.
No 26
Terese, Paul, Gary, Sheila and Susan are all eating sausages. Terese opines that they are superb. Karl arrives with a cool box.
KARL: What did I miss?
SUSAN: Possibly the most magnificent wiener I have ever tasted.
SHEILA: I've had some good sausages in my time. But love, these are the absolute finest.
TERESE: You really should try one, Karl. They're so juicy.
Susan feeds Karl a bit of sausage.
KARL: Not bad. Not bad at all. A little bit bland for my liking. Not sure they'd pass muster at the Puglia food festival.
SUSAN: It's perfectly balanced - not too showy.
KARL: What's your fat mix? Forty per cent?
GARY: Thirty-five.
KARL: Hmm. A little high for my liking. I prefer thirty - thirty-two per cent. I think you've been a little bit stingy with the seasoning as well.
SUSAN: No-one cares.
KARL: I'm just saying - if you prefer your sausages a little bit more continental, and less suburban, then I might have something to offer.
SUSAN: Karl!
But Paul is keen to try Karl's sausage, saying he's not a fan of Gary's. So Karl dons an apron and retrieves his own sausages from the cool box.
SUSAN: Really?
No 30
Sonya is with Nell, and asks if she'd like to play a game before Toadie comes home. Nell would.
SONYA: What do you want to play, sweetie?
NELL: The scrape scrape game!
SONYA: The scrape scrape game? What's the scrape scrape game?
NELL: Dee's game!
SONYA: Dee's game? How do you play the scrape scrape game?
NELL: You scrape it in your mouth.
Nell demonstrates how the game is played by putting a finger in her mouth.
Sonya is concerned, and tells Toadie about this when he gets home. He thinks Dee and Nell were probably just pretending to brush their teeth, but Sonya points out that Nell does that every night - this is specifically Dee's game.
SONYA: Doesn't it seem a bit like the way you do a DNA swab test?
TOADIE: What are you suggesting?!
SONYA: Okay. I know this is gonna sound crazy, alright -
TOADIE: Yeah. Yeah, it is. Willow's DNA test was done in a hospital. How would Nell know anything about it?
SONYA: What if Dee took another swab of Nell and switched them? I just want you to think about it.
TOADIE: No! No, you've got to listen to yourself. I know that you are struggling to accept Willow -
SONYA: No, it's got nothing to do with that, Jarrod.
TOADIE: Yes, it is. Nell does weird stuff all the time, and you are using it to leap to ridiculous conclusions.
SONYA: Okay. We just need to consider the possibility, alright? Just consider the possibility that Dee is trying something here. And that maybe Willow is not your daughter.
Robinson's Motel
Toadie has arrived to talk to 'Dee' about Sonya's allegations.
'DEE': That's absurd!
TOADIE: So what were you doing?
'DEE': Willow was showing Nell what happens in the test. Weren't you, sweetie? ... Nell heard the word hospital, and wanted to know what it was all about. So we just showed her what happens.
TOADIE: Really?
'DEE': Yeah. It was just so that Nell wouldn't worry. She seemed a bit anxious, and I thought it would put her mind at rest if we just made it into a little game. Sorry if that was the wrong thing to do.
TOADIE: No. Sounds like you handled it perfectly, actually.
Willow looks guilty in the background. Toadie says it's all just been a misunderstanding.
'DEE': I just get the feeling that maybe Willow and I have outstayed our welcome. Maybe we just need to give you all some space.
TOADIE: No, I don't want any space.
'DEE': I think you do. I think you need some space. Maybe we should not see each other for a while.
TOADIE: Oh, come on!
'DEE': No. I think - just go home, Toadie. Please?
Toadie looks at Willow, who remains silent - then leaves. After he's gone, 'Dee' drops her act again and laughs.
ANDREA: Did you see his face?
WILLOW: You think you're such a genius, don't you - playing hard-to-get? But now Toadie will have a lot more time to spend with Sonya. And Nell. Who knows what she'll say?
Andrea puts her head in her hands and looks worried.
ANDREA: Did we say anything in front of Nell that'll get us in trouble?
WILLOW: Will you just stop it, Mum? This is so twisted!
ANDREA: Oh, excuse me, Willow - but I'm trying to think about our future here!
WILLOW: Everything is fake - this whole life we've made. I don't want to do it anymore. I'm done!
Willow storms out.
No 26
Karl serves up his sausages to Terese, Gary, Paul, Sheila and Susan. Paul seems impressed, but Sheila isn't convinced that they're cooked yet.
KARL: People are a little bit scared of pink pork meat, but with my sausages, the juicier the better.
GARY: Smells a bit weird, mate.
KARL: That's finocchio - fennel. It wouldn't smell weird to a Sicilian.
But Terese starts spitting out bits of sausage, and Sheila says it tastes wrong.
KARL: Perhaps it's the European flavour you're not accustomed to. This is the finest pork meat money can buy, according to Antonio.
GARY: It's not the meat, it's the whole package. Some blokes have it, and some blokes don't.
SUSAN: Sorry, Karl - it's obvious who the sausage king of Erinsborough is.
Terese and Sheila clap.
PAUL: Wait, wait. You haven't tried mine yet.
TERESE: What, you?
PAUL: Yes! I don't want to brag, but I do make a pretty mean bratwurst.
He invites them all to the Flame Tree for breakfast tomorrow, to sample it.
PAUL: Then we'll see who the real sausage king of Erinsborough is.
Terese looks intrigued.
Harold's Café
Ben comes in and finds Willow sitting alone. He says he wanted to see if she was okay, as she seemed a bit down when she came to No 28 earlier. Willow says she'd just had a bit of a fight with her mum, but that it was nothing major - her mum just drives her nuts sometimes as it's just the two of them. Ben empathises, saying it was just him and Libby for a long time too.
WILLOW: Can I tell you something?
BEN: Of course.
WILLOW: You can't tell anyone.
BEN: No, I won't.
WILLOW: I think Mum had a pretty rough time of it when she was a kid. Her mum messed her up.
BEN: Really?
WILLOW: That's why she's sort of... unpredictable. I mean, her mum put her down all the time and criticised her. I know it sounds small, but it can add up, you know.
BEN: No, I get it. I just never heard that about Dee before.
WILLOW: She doesn't like anyone to know. That's why you can't tell anyone.
BEN: I won't. I promise. But you know you can talk to me about all this stuff, yeah?
WILLOW: Thanks.
BEN: Mums can be pretty stressful. But in the long run, they're worth it.
Willow looks less sure!
No 30
'Dee' turns up and Xanthe, who is babysitting Nell, lets her in; 'Dee' pretends that she'd forgotten Sonya was at an ultrasound.
'DEE': Hi, Nelly!
NELL: Hi!
'DEE': When I was minding Nell earlier, I think I left my bracelet in their bedroom.
She asks Xanthe to go and have a look for her. But once Xanthe's gone, 'Dee' goes over to Nell and picks up one of her soft toys.
'DEE': Who is this special friend?
NELL: Wombat.
'DEE': Oh, Mr Wombat? Hello, Mr Wombat. You know, Nell - good little girls would never talk about what we did today, okay? So not a word about the scrape scrape scrape game, alright? Because good little girls who say things that they shouldn't say... might never see Mr Wombat again.
Nell looks upset, and 'Dee' smiles at her.
Lassiter's Complex
Steph is walking through and finds a flower in her pocket. It appears to be one of Victoria's ornamental ones that Steph was teasing her about earlier, and she laughs. Then she notices her motorbike, which has been knocked to the floor and damaged. Steph looks around, but no-one is in sight...
Unmissable Neighbours
- Victoria apologises for dragging Steph into all of this
- Leo tells Aaron and Amy that he's trying to track down his suspected father, Bradley
- Leo flirts with Amy as they discuss Bradley further
- David tells Aaron that his hair looks great