No 'previously on' recaps were shown this episode
Ramsay Street
Toadie packs the rest of the car for the beach trip, telling Sonya they should have holiday getaways more often. They start to kiss before Toadie remembers he needs to grab Callum's iPad from inside. While she's alone, Sonya takes a wistful look around all the houses on the street, smiling at first but then looking quite forlorn. When Toadie bounds out of Number 30 with a grin and asks if Sonya's ready to go, Sonya puts on a smile and says yes.
As they drive off down the street, 'All My Love' (the George Ezra track) plays over a special opening title sequence that flashes up Eve Morey's and Ryan Moloney's names, then the Neighbours logo.
Lassiters Complex
Sonya is gazing at the lake when Toadie returns from the shop, a huge bagful of junk food in his hand. He tries to make up excuses as to why he bought so much, but Sonya breaks into a grin when she realises he's already started eating it. She teases that she already knows about his junk food stash - or should that be stashes - the one at home and the one in his office filing cabinet. Toadie jokingly says he hates Piper for blabbing.
SONYA: You know what? Eat what you want and just don't feel bad about it.
TOADIE: Yeah right! Should I be recording this or something?
SONYA: I think maybe you should. Just make sure you walk, y'know, maybe do some cycling with Karl and you can get Shane in on that.
TOADIE: Because the world needs another middle-aged man in Lycra.
SONYA: I think so. It'll get him out of Dipi's hair.
Toadie says that if it means he can eat whatever he wants, he's in. They share another kiss before Toadie says they should go. Sonya takes a moment before following him.
Toadie and Sonya's Car
Toadie and Sonya do their best Robbie Williams impersonations as they belt out 'Let Me Entertain You' while Toadie drives them down the city freeway. The light mood doesn't last long, however, when Sonya stares out the car window before taking a chance to 'casually' talk about the future.
SONYA: I don't want a funeral. (Toadie's smile drops and he looks confused) I know we're going to have to do something, but I just don't want a big morbid affair where everyone feels like they have to act a certain way. I just kind of want a memorial by the lake like what we did for Caitlin, but joyous and no one in black. I think all of that will be good for Nell and Hugo.
TOADIE: We don't have to talk about this now.
SONYA: Well we're going to have to talk about it sometime.
TOADIE: We are getting you the best possible treatment.
SONYA: ... Yeah. I just think we need to be prepared for anything.
Sonya promises Toadie that's all she's doing, just letting him know what she wants just in case. Toadie gives her a small, unsure nod.
Time passes and they're now driving on a highway through a lot of trees. Toadie notices Sonya looking quite nauseous and asks if she's okay, but Sonya says she's fine. To take her mind off things, Sonya smirks and brings up her favourite subject.
SONYA: It's not that I hate your mother...
Toadie bursts into shocked laughter, making Sonya crack up along with him.
TOADIE: Wow! Okay, um, are you saying that because we're bound to see them in Colac and you're going to do something terrible? Don't!
SONYA: Well it's true! I can't be responsible for my behaviour around that woman. She's just so...
TOADIE: Loud?
SONYA: Yes!
TOADIE: Judgemental?
SONYA: Yes.
TOADIE: Domineering?
SONYA: Yesssss!
TOADIE: I know!
SONYA: But she loves you. And she's got a big heart.
TOADIE: Yeah. You know that it's not an accident that we live a long, long way away, right?
Sonya laughs but soon becomes nauseated again, closing her eyes to take the edge off. Toadie again asks if she's all right and if they should stop, but Sonya doesn't want to stop yet. She urges Toadie to wait for the next rest area, but has trouble remembering what a rest area's actually called until Toadie prompts her.
Rest Area
Toadie pulls up by the roadside next to a big field and leaps out of the car to help Sonya on her side. He hands her a water bottle but Sonya tries to make out that she's just feeling off from a mixture of chemo and carsickness. Toadie offers to take her to the hospital, but Sonya thinks she only needs some fresh air. Placated for now, Toadie makes a quick pit stop to "water the bushes". Sonya appears to be overcome with a small dizzy spell and is also finding it hard to focus on anything around her or hold onto the drink bottle properly.
When Toadie's done he turns back for the car but is alarmed to find Sonya gone. He calls out for her but is relieved to see her picking wildflowers in the field. Sonya smiles when he joins her, saying it's a miracle to find something so lovely growing in amongst the weeds. She then contemplates the bouquet in her hands.
SONYA: Why is it that women carry flowers down the aisle but not men?
TOADIE: Because you look better with them.
Sonya passes him the bouquet and Toadie poses with it, cheesing out a grin.
SONYA: It's like Nell not thinking she can be an astronaut, all these kind of weird gender roles. Maybe you could give one to Mark for the wedding?
TOADIE: That's a lovely idea.
SONYA: Make sure it goes ahead, yeah?
TOADIE: What, the wedding? You don't think it will?
SONYA: He's just not in a good place and he's shutting Elly out.
TOADIE: They'll work it out.
SONYA: I tried to talk to him the other day but he just needed space.
TOADIE: Well you can tell him all of this when we get home.
They smile at one another and while Toadie gazes out at the field, Sonya gazes at her husband. She nuzzles into his shoulder and rubs his back while they both stand there and take a quiet moment to appreciate the sunny, wide-open space.
A little while later they're standing against a fence railing, still admiring the view, when Toadie gets a text from Callum with another picture of Nell at the beach. He chuckles and shows it to Sonya.
SONYA: That's so cute that she's jumping in the, um...
TOADIE: Waves.
SONYA: Yes.
They both know that something isn't quite right but don't say anything.
SONYA: It's a shame that Cal's so far away.
TOADIE: He's following his dreams.
SONYA: I know. I'm proud of him.
Toadie can hear the sadness in his wife's voice and gently strokes her hair, asking if she's good to go. They head back to the car and Toadie says it's time to pop on a 90s classic for the next leg of their trip, blasting out an East 17 banger 'It's Alright'.
Toadie and Sonya's Car
Sonya soon turns down the music and asks Toadie what he thinks about Nell playing football one day.
SONYA: Dipi plays and Nellyfish has mentioned...
TOADIE: Yashvi plays.
SONYA: Yashvi plays and Nellyfish has mentioned that, um, she's interested.
TOADIE: Okay, well let's sign her up.
SONYA: At least we can say that we gave her a chance.
Toadie's getting worried with all these conversations Sonya's having about the future that don't appear to feature her in them.
TOADIE: Babe, what's with the wish list?
SONYA: It's not a wish list.
TOADIE: Sonya, please.
SONYA: We just don't ever get to talk, you and me alone.
TOADIE: Yeah I guess.
SONYA: I've written a letter for Hugo too, for him to open when he's older. I just want him to know that he was always welcome in our... that he was always welcome in the place...
TOADIE: There is every chance that you can tell him this yourself.
SONYA: I know.
TOADIE: Do you? 'Cause I don't know, babe, the way you're talking. You're starting to freak me out.
SONYA: Don't freak out. (She shrugs, frustrated) Don't freak out.
She turns the music back up to end the conversation, leaving Toadie quite bewildered. Sonya winds down the window to get fresh air and tries not to cry, all the while the song obnoxiously blares out the line, "it's really all right".
Further down the road Toadie wonders where the turn off is they're supposed to take. He can see that Sonya is getting upset for some reason and gently asks what's wrong. Sonya apologises, wiping away tears, and says she shouldn't be thinking the thoughts she's having right now.
TOADIE: Sonya talk to me, come on. What's going on?
SONYA: (voice wobbling) What do you think happens when you die?
TOADIE: (stunned) You are not going to die!
SONYA: Everybody's going to die, have you never thought about it?
TOADIE: Well yeah I have, but...
SONYA: (almost angrily) I mean they talk about heaven, and they talk about this place where you reunite with people that you've lost like it's magic or something. But no one knows if it exists. No one knows because no one's ever gone there and come back. (She starts to cry) And I'm just so scared that I'm never going to see you and the kids again. And we can do everything we can to try and reassure each other that it's going to be okay, but we don't know. We don't know anything! We don't know what happens.
Toadie blinks back his tears and takes hold of Sonya's hand, kissing it. He says he isn't sure what Sonya wants him to say in return, but Sonya only replies that he missed the turn off.
Roadside
Sonya takes in the greenery around her where they've stopped the car. Toadie comes over to tell her the Sat Nav isn't working so they'll have to use the phone, but the biggest concern in his mind at the moment is why Sonya's suddenly worrying about life's big questions now.
TOADIE: We've just got the money from the fundraiser and you are only a few weeks into your treatment. We were gonna beat this. People beat the odds all the time, and that is going to be us. Right?
Toadie takes Sonya's hands in his, but poor Sonya barely musters a nod in return.
TOADIE: It's okay to be scared. I'm scared. (His eyes start to water) It's not okay to give up. We have got a long life ahead of us.
SONYA: My scan this morning wasn't very good.
Toadie's breath catches in his throat.
SONYA: The chemo's had no effect on the tumour in my brain.
TOADIE: (trying to remain stoic) Okay, like we said, it's still early days, it's...
SONYA: No, no. The growth's accelerated, Jarrod. I've had trouble with my vision; I've had numbness in my hands.
TOADIE: Why didn't you say anything?
SONYA: Because I didn't want to believe the worst... But it is. There's nothing... there's nothing they can do to help me now.
Toadie lets go of Sonya's hands, taking a few steps back.
TOADIE: What else did they say?
SONYA: That I've got days, maybe a week.
This hits Toadie like a punch to the gut and he doubles over, the instant shot of grief practically suffocating him. Sonya's devastated for both of them, but needs Toadie to hear the truth.
SONYA: We don't have long. If there were some other option I would take it. (She starts to cry) I would.
Toadie suddenly goes into problem solver mode, taking Sonya by the hand and defiantly leading her to the car saying they have to get to a hospital. Sonya tries to stop him but Toadie yells at her to get in the car. Once inside, Toadie attempts to calm himself but then the rage and upset spikes again and he slams the steering wheel in anger, screaming. Sonya sits beside him and waits it out, knowing he needs to release his emotions. Toadie sobs and apologises for yelling, but Sonya says through a watery smile that it's okay. She strokes his head and keeps soothing him.
SONYA: Take me to the kids, sweetie. Just take me to the kids.
Toadie and Sonya's Car
They drive past the beach, but Sonya's confused when Toadie has to pull the car over again. He grips onto her and says that he gets she needs to see the kids, but once they've done that he's taking her straight to the hospital. Toadie believes that there are other specialists out there who'll have different opinions - they could even look into the clinic Georgia told them about in Germany. He doesn't care how much the tumour has grown; they're going to try every option. Sonya knows that Toadie needs that hope to hold on to so she smiles and promises she won't give up. They say, "I love you" to each other and kiss through their tears.
Beach House
There's no one in sight when Sonya and Toadie arrive at the beach house but Sonya spies a note on the table. He asks her what it says; troubled when Sonya confesses she can't read it. Toadie discovers that Jade's at the shops and Callum's taken the kids back down to the beach. Sonya's desperate to go to the beach to see them. Toadie's concerned that Sonya needs her rest, but Sonya replies they can't have come this far and not go to the beach. She sees a discarded bucket and shovel set down on the grass and reiterates that she has to go.
Beach
Sonya staggers her way down all the steps leading to the beach, reassuring a worried Toadie that they'll be there soon. But Toadie manages to make her stop for a moment and have a rest to catch her breath. Sonya looks at him, really looks at him, and manages to break his heart again with one word.
SONYA: Jarrod...
TOADIE: Don't.
SONYA: I have to.
TOADIE: No don't, you... You promised me that you wouldn't give up. You promised me.
SONYA: I know but I have to say it and you have to let me, all right? I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not going to be here for you. But you need to lean on Karl and Susan, and Shane and Dipi because they love you and they want to be there for you, all right. And Callum...
They both get overwhelmed, resting their foreheads against one another as they cry.
SONYA: I've missed so much of his life but you'll be there, okay? You're going to be there. And my Nellyfish. (Her voice cracks) Don't let this define her, Jarrod. Don't let it define her.
She takes Toadie's face in her hands and he nods at her through his tears.
TOADIE: I promise I won't let that happen.
SONYA: I was so broken and you made me realise I'm worthy of happiness.
TOADIE: This isn't the end.
Toadie mimics her loving gesture, cradling Sonya's face in his hands.
SONYA: You have to love again. (Toadie doesn't want to hear it but Sonya presses on) When all of this is passed, when all of it's passed you have to love again. Okay?
She kisses him then glances back towards the beach. She needs to get to her babies. Toadie says he'll go ahead and get them, but Sonya keeps walking, on a mission.
SONYA: I'm all right; I can make it. I can make it.
Not much further down the track Sonya catches sight of the water and sees Callum, Nell and Hugo in the distance playing. She smiles, having finally reached her destination.
TOADIE: We shouldn't be out here.
SONYA: Where else should we be? We're together.
Toadie offers again to get the kids, but Sonya is much weaker now and is sitting on the sand. She decides in that moment that she doesn't want the kids to see her in her current state. Sonya holds Toadie's hand and asks him to please sit with her. Toadie sits down behind her, enveloping her in his arms.
TOADIE: God, you're shivering.
SONYA: I'm all right. I'm all right.
TOADIE: This is all wrong. I should be taking care of you.
SONYA: You are, you always have.
TOADIE: (crying) Doesn't feel that way.
He makes one last effort to get her up and take her home, but Sonya is comfortable where she is in her husband's arms.
SONYA: You've saved me so many times, Jarrod, you have. It's okay you can't save me now... Let's watch our babies.
They look out at Callum, Nell and Hugo having fun together in the sunshine. Toadie kisses Sonya's forehead while Sonya breathes in and out in shallow breaths.
SONYA: I'm sorry I scared you before in the car.
TOADIE: It's okay.
SONYA: Talking about death, I'm okay. I'm okay with it, I really am. What I said about heaven, I know it exists... (She looks up at him) It's with you. It's with all of you.
Sonya's vision blurs even more rapidly, but she can still make out where her kids are. Happy, safe and together.
She smiles.
SONYA: I love you.
TOADIE: I love you too.
The light fades from Sonya's eyes. Toadie notices that she's become quiet and is distraught when she falls limp in his arms. He tries to shake her awake...
TOADIE: Sonya? Sonya no! SONYA! SONYA NO! NO!
But she's gone.