Previously
- Terese tells Piper that Tim will pull the story on Tyler if she gives him an exclusive interview
- Piper tells Terese she doesn't know if she'll ever be able to be around her again
- Piper apologises and Terese asks how she can make it up to her, but Piper isn't ready for that yet
- Sheila tells Shane to work hard at the Waterhole and not break anything
- Toadie tells Shane that Sheila owns him now and is a cruel mistress!
- Ben is thinking of transferring his apprenticeship to another garage
- Steph tells Ben to fly up to Oakey for the weekend
- Dougal asks Ben if he fancies working with him in Oakey
Number 28
Ben and Steph return from Oakey. Elly tells Ben that Karl and Susan are communicating now and asks how Oakey was. Ben tells her his uncle has offered for him to finish his apprenticeship there. Elly says Karl, Susan and Xanthe would miss him so much. Ben says he needs to think about it.
Waterhole
Piper is delivering plant supplements to Sheila and has an awkward run-in with Terese who tells her she has a work trip to London in a couple of weeks. Sheila lectures Shane about not chewing customers' ears off. Shane thinks they serve more drinks with banter.
SHANE: You spend your fair share of time gasbagging with the customers! I reckon you're just afraid of the competition!
Shane challenges Sheila to a tip-off; whoever takes the most tips gets the whole lot!
Harold's Café
Piper delivers flowers to Dipi who asks her advice about Yashvi's work experience with the AFL. Tim Collins appears and wants to schedule an interview with Piper but she's not interested.
TIM COLLINS: In an adult world, Ms. Willis, handshake deals are expected to be honoured. I'd hate to see the Star tarnish your mother's much valued reputation because you chose to breach an agreement.
PIPER: You can't blackmail me.
Number 26 back yard
Gary is sharpening his knives and talking to Xanthe who is delighted when Ben appears. Xanthe has made a roster for supporting Piper. She asks how things went in Oakey but Ben changes the subject, saying he heard Holly got into some trouble.
Fitzgerald Motors
Elly drops by to see how Mark is doing and tells him that Ben is back. She warns him that Ben is feeling neglected and Mark admits his apprenticeship hasn't been his priority. He thanks Elly for the heads up.
Number 24
Xanthe arrives to spend her free periods with Piper. Piper has had more letters to Tyler returned unopened; it would be so much easier if she hated him.
XANTHE: We could chuck them in a car and run over them with a tank; worked pretty well for us last time!
Piper tells her that Tim Collins is breathing down her neck for the interview Terese agreed to. Xanthe warns her that Tim wouldn't have made an empty threat; Terese is probably going to cop it.
Waterhole
Shane is labelling the tip jars. Dipi is at the bar and tells Shane that Sheila has much more experience than him but Shane thinks she's rude and complacent. Dipi tells him the customers at Harold's didn't always appreciate him talking too much. Shane says it's about quality, and he can always fall back on his bush ballads. He thinks it's in the bag.
Fitzgerald Motors
Ben arrives and finds Mark has tidied up the garage. He's planned out their jobs for the week and colour coded every task! Ben was hoping they could work on Drew's car but Mark says that car won't teach him anything. Ben doesn't look too happy.
Waterhole
It's a montage scene with Shane boring a customer (TJ) with a story while Sheila is rude to a couple trying to sit at a table she's still clearing. Steph laughs about Shane's storytelling with Dipi. Sheila tells a customer what to order. Shane gets lemon in his eye and collapses on the floor. Sheila's tip jar is filling up faster. Shane tries a bush ballad on a couple of customers but they get up and leave.
The Flametree Retreat
Terese tells Gary about her encounter with Piper; she didn't run back out or bite her head off. This London trip has come at the worst time with Piper on the verge of letting her back in.
Number 24
Tim arrives, wanting a preliminary chat to lay the groundwork for his journalist but Piper says she didn't agree to that. He asks if she feels guilty because the credit card she used to check into the hotel was how the police tracked them down. He asks about Terese and suggests getting her over here but Piper refuses. Tim asks if they've had a falling out. Piper reveals she blames Terese for Tyler going to jail.
Waterhole
Sheila's tip jar is full and Shane has to admit she's wiped the floor with him but it'll be a different story in six months' time! However, Sheila tells him she can't take tips as manager so they're all his.
Number 24
Ben and Xanthe arrive to hang out with Piper. Piper tells them she ended up telling Tim about Terese calling the police. Ben is shocked and tells her Tim is going to rip Terese to shreds. Piper doesn't know what to do.
Number 28
Ben laments messing up trying to be supportive.
XANTHE: The best kind of friends are the most honest ones. Piper is very lucky to have you. We all are.
Xanthe leaves and Ben takes a look around the empty house. He picks up a photo of him with Karl and Susan. Steph arrives and asks him if he told Xanthe about the offer but Ben says there's no point when he's not going to take it; this is the family he wants to be with. He can't leave.
STEPH: Fair enough. So long as you're sure.
BEN. I'm not. But that's the decision I've made.
Number 26 back yard
Piper arrives and tells Xanthe she's been trying to call Tim to pull the story but he's not answering. They fill Gary in and he lectures Piper over what it's going to do to Terese. Does she want her to start drinking again? Piper wishes there were something she could do to fix it but the paper will be out in the morning.
Harold's Café
Dipi is closing up after dark when Shane comes in tells her he lost but Sheila gave him all the tips. Dipi thinks it was a plan to make him work harder; Sheila has played him like a fiddle. However, Shane isn't convinced. Sheila loves a good sledge and should be ribbing him for losing. It's like she forgot.
Waterhole
Tim is typing when Gary comes in and shuts his laptop on him.
GARY: You can go one way - the right way - and delete anything to do with that interview.
TIM: Is this supposed to be...?
GARY: Or you can go the other way and run that story, but then... who knows what might happen?
TIM: Well, I have heard worse threats on the Weather Channel!
GARY: Yeah well that's no problem to me. Fair warning though... I went to jail for something I did to protect Terese. Do you think there's anything I wouldn't do?
Tim deletes his recordings of the interview and Gary tells him they're all good.
TIM: You'll regret this.
Must See Neighbours
- Terese tells Gary that Tim doesn't respond kindly to threats
- Steph tells Gary their food service has been shut down
- Piper finds something at the nursery
- Piper asks Terese if this is her way of getting them to talk again; Terese says she really thought they were making progress
- Paige and Jack kiss
- Paige tells Jack they need to take things slowly and be respectful the people they're hurting; Mark smiles at Paige and Jack
- Mark looks shocked as Jack and Paige dive for something
