Previously
- Dipi tells Shane that the only way to move forward is for him to go to rehab
- Shane prepares to leave for rehab, promising to call and keep Dipi updated
- Nicolette tells Jane she has fallen for someone who is unavailable; Jane guesses it's Chloe
- Chloe and Nicolette have a secret we're not privy to; 'what Pierce doesn't know won't hurt him'
- Toadie hires a new PA, Rose Walker, but discovers she's not very technologically savvy
- Rose sneaks into the office after hours and attempts to log in to Toadie's computer
Rebecchi Law
Rose is trying to guess Toadie's computer password; she tries 'jellyfish' based on a note Toadie's written himself to remind him to get Nell new shoes, but it doesn't work. Someone tries to open the door, but Rose has locked it, so she goes to open it - it's Mackenzie, who's come to do a shift to help out Toadie.
MACKENZIE: By the way, we don't normally lock the door during business hours.
ROSE: Oh. Great. Okay, yes, I'll know that for next time!
Rose is on edge, not having expected Mackenzie to turn up, but does her best to cover her nerves.
No 30
Jane is visiting Dipi, and chats to her about Shane's rehab. We learn that Shane has asked Toadie to attend his therapy sessions with him, which Jane thinks is a good thing.
DIPI: Yeah. I'm glad he can let Toadie in.
But she doesn't look pleased that Shane isn't letting *her* in. She's also frustrated that Shane hasn't contacted her directly since he's been at rehab.
DIPI: I have no idea how he's coping, or what he might want to talk about. He's certainly not talking to me. I'm fine - really. It's par for the course, anyway. Apparently I'm always the last one to know.
Toadie comes in, and Dipi is anxious to hear news of Shane. Toadie says he's struggling, but 'definitely in the right place'.
TOADIE: The first thing that he asked was how you were.
JANE: Of course he did.
DIPI: Could've asked me that himself.
Toadie says the therapy sessions are 'pretty confronting', so Shane will need to work at his own pace - meaning they have to be patient. Dipi irritably says that she gets that.
No 22
Harlow is testing out her council advisor campaign slogans on Kyle and Roxy in the garden, but Roxy's mind is clearly elsewhere. She admits she's worried about Shane, and that she has no idea what's going on with him now he's at rehab.
Kyle offers to text Toadie as he's seen Shane today; Roxy would rather go and see Toadie in person, but Harlow has heard from Mackenzie that Toadie is a bit stressed, so suggests Roxy give him 'time to decompress'. Kyle agrees, saying Roxy going over there might make things worse.
No 24
Chloe and Nicolette return from No 32, still talking about whatever secret activity they've been up to.
CHLOE: How could something really be so wrong when it feels so right?
NICOLETTE: I honestly thought someone was gonna walk in and catch us in the act.
CHLOE: Me too! It was hard to relax, but it'll get easier.
NICOLETTE: Can't say I didn't get off on the adrenaline, though. If we're not careful, people will know what we've been up to.
They have something on their hands, and start wiping them with tissues. Hendrix appears from his bedroom and starts listening in.
CHLOE: Is it too soon to go back for seconds?
NICOLETTE: You are insatiable!
CHLOE: Well, I have stamina for the important things - access to David and Aaron's until they get back.
Hendrix makes his presence known, and asks where Chloe and Nicolette have been. They claim they've just been for a walk. Chloe gets a call from Pierce; we gather he's telling her he'll be late back from work. Chloe remarks that she'll have to find a way to keep herself occupied. Hendrix looks suspicious, and Nicolette forces a smile for his benefit.
Rebecchi Law
Mackenzie is telling Rose about the youth advisor position she's running for at the council, but says it's complicated by the fact Harlow is also running, and the fact that she isn't talking to Richie right now.
ROSE: Ouch, I feel you. If you want a guy that won't let you down, get a dog!
Rose uses this to segue into asking whether Toadie has any pets! She's obviously looking for other possibilities to try as his password. Mackenzie explains they have a dog, Clancy, who is really Kirsha's, and then explains to Rose how she came to live with Toadie, Shane and Dipi. Rose is trying to keep all the names in her head so she can try them all as passwords!
At this point, Toadie arrives, and is surprised to find he's locked out of his computer system. Rose looks shifty, and suggests Mackenzie might've bumped Toadie's laptop when she put some files down. Mackenzie is annoyed and denies this, saying it could just as easily have been Rose.
Toadie says it's happened before when Nell tried to guess his password - he knows how to fix it, but it just takes time. Rose looks shifty again, and goes to do a coffee run. Mackenzie looks suspicious of Rose.
No 32
Hendrix is snooping around David and Aaron's house, when he hears a noise.
HENDRIX: This is the neighbourhood watch. Spot-check - show yourself!
Jane shows herself, and asks what Hendrix is doing here. He claims he has permission to come to use the PlayStation that David and Aaron bought for Emmett, but Jane is sceptical that he doesn't have his own! Jane's own excuse for being here is that David asked her to check on a dripping tap, but Hendrix isn't buying this either!
HENDRIX: My lie was better.
JANE: Well, at least mine's realistic.
Hendrix accuses Jane of 'digging around' just like him. She asks what he's digging for; he says, 'dirt on Chloe and Nicolette'.
JANE: Well, I may have noticed them sneaking out of here earlier.
HENDRIX: Which means you're as suss as I am. So come on, spill it - what exactly is going on between them two?
Harold's Café
Pierce stops in to check on Dipi, and asks how she's feeling. Bitterly, she replies that it doesn't really matter at this point. Seeing she needs a friend, Pierce takes her into the kitchen to talk. An emotional Dipi says Shane is fine, but is again resentful that she only knows this via Toadie.
DIPI: The only constant I have in my marriage is my husband lying to me (...) He buried us in debt in Bourke trying to pursue his inventions. He borrowed money from my sister. He bought Harold's; he moved us all to Erinsborough, then he lent money to Grant. All behind my back.
PIERCE: Trusting your partner's not a crime.
DIPI: Yeah, but it's not really much of a partnership, though, is it?
Pierce tells Dipi he's worried about her. She says she's not the one in rehab, but he replies that holding all this in can't be healthy.
DIPI: What else am I meant to do?
Pierce gets a phone call, but cancels it.
PIERCE: Just stay here with me for a bit, and we can talk.
No 32
Jane insists to Hendrix that she has no idea what Nicolette and Jane might be up to. He is sceptical of this.
HENDRIX: Whatever it is, it's Nicolette that's doing it.
At this point, Nicolette herself comes in.
NICOLETTE: What am I doing? Or more to the point, what are you two doing?
HENDRIX: Good question. You go first, Jane.
Jane says she saw Nicolette and Chloe coming in earlier, and wanted to see why.
NICOLETTE: And you couldn't just ask me?
HENDRIX: As if you'd tell her, Nicolette.
NICOLETTE: What is it that you think we're doing?!
HENDRIX: Not we, you. You've got the hots for Chloe, and you're lying to Dad so you can bring her over here, and try and -
NICOLETTE: Try to what? Go on - say it out loud, so I can make you look like an even bigger loser.
HENDRIX: I don't need to say it. I know what you're doing.
JANE: You have to admit, it does look a little suspicious.
NICOLETTE: Well, have either of you looked in the spare room? Hmm?
Hendrix goes to look.
NICOLETTE: Him, I understand, because he is a total pest. But you, really?
JANE: Well, after what you told me about Chloe, I was concerned.
NICOLETTE: What, that I'd drag her here to have my evil gay way with her?!
Hendrix re-emerges, with some of the non-eco-friendly stock from Lassiter's that Chloe had been tasked with getting rid of - chocolates and beauty products. Nicolette explains that she and Chloe have been coming to No 32 and secretly enjoying their own 'private day spa' with the products while Chloe finds a way to dispose of them properly.
JANE: Why didn't you just tell us that?
NICOLETTE: I dunno. Call me... selfish.
HENDRIX: I could call you a couple of things.
Nicolette banishes Jane, saying they'll talk later.
NICOLETTE (to Hendrix): You, sit. We're having this out now.
Rebecchi Law
While Toadie is on a call, Mackenzie quietly asks Rose why she accused her of bumping the computer before.
ROSE: Oh, don't worry - Toadie knows you didn't mean to lock him out.
MACKENZIE: Well, I didn't do it. You just threw the blame my way.
Rose tries to change the subject, and asks Mackenzie for help with drafting a legal summons letter. Mackenzie has already done it, and asks Rose why she'd need help. At this point, Toadie comes off the call. Rose grabs the summons letter and presents it to him, as if it's her own work!
TOADIE: Oh, look at that - it's in my preferred format, too! Someone is a quick learner.
Mackenzie looks despondent as Rose eagerly laps up the credit.
No 32
Nicolette tells Hendrix she's over his attitude towards her.
HENDRIX: Nicolette, where there is smoke, there's fire. And it obvious that you're blazing for Chloe.
NICOLETTE: Okay, let's logic this out, shall we? Do we agree that Chloe is pregnant?
HENDRIX: Yes.
NICOLETTE: And do we agree that she's married to your father?
HENDRIX: Duh.
NICOLETTE: And we can all accept that they are a couple madly in love.
HENDRIX: ...
NICOLETTE: See, there's your problem. Even if I did have a thing for Chloe, nothing could ever happen between us.
Something in this seems to resonate with Hendrix.
Rebecchi Law
Determined to catch Rose out, Mackenzie asks her to 'input Toadie's billable hours on the spreadsheet and generate invoices', so she can send them out. Rose prevaricates, saying she's in the middle of something with Toadie - but he tells her to go ahead. Mackenzie then observes surreptitiously as Rose heads straight to Google for advice on how to do it!
MACKENZIE: Why do you need to look that up, Rose?
Toadie looks concerned.
Harold's Café
Hendrix is admitting to Harlow that he may have got carried away with his suspicions about Nicolette and Chloe, explaining about their secret pampering sessions.
HARLOW: Are you serious?
HENDRIX: Yeah, please - I've already been read the riot act by Nurse Sledgehammer.
But Harlow's more annoyed about Chloe using the unsustainable products for herself as a member of the Lassiter's management team, which she says is outrageous!
HENDRIX: Wow, I thought this was gonna be about me stalking our live-in nurse.
HARLOW: I was getting to that - I can multitask.
Harlow tells Hendrix he should stop the spy games with Nicolette; she's done nothing wrong. Hendrix assures her he's learned his lesson.
No 32
Chloe and Nicolette are in facemasks, discussing how much stock they have left to use, and whether they can get through it all before David and Aaron come home. Chloe calculates that...
CHLOE: We need to get through five facials a day to get through it all.
NICOLETTE: Sounds like we have no choice.
They tuck into the Lassiter's chocolates; we learn that their cheap wrappers were the cause of them having to wipe their hands earlier. But Chloe panics when Nicolette tells her about Jane and Hendrix being aware of what they're doing.
CHLOE: If Hendrix tells Pierce, I'm dead! He's so conscientious about his business, and he will think I've completely dropped the ball!
Nicolette tells Chloe she's 'dealt' with Hendrix, and that Jane won't say anything.
CHLOE: Hanging here with you... it's just the perfect remedy for all of my worries. This is my new happy place.
NICOLETTE (worried): Mine too.
Rebecchi Law
Mackenzie is really sticking the boot in with a worried Rose, telling Toadie that spreadsheet work is such a basic skill, she figured anyone could do it. Toadie points out that Rose had listed it on her CV.
ROSE: Yes, it was, wasn't it? Okay, I guess it's time I fessed up.
MACKENZIE: Probably.
ROSE: So, the truth is, I kind of fudged the dates on my application (...) I had a few years off to raise my kids, and technology just... whoosh! And all of a sudden, I have these gaps in my knowledge.
MACKENZIE: But why try and cover it up, then?
ROSE: Because it's so embarrassing! I'm a single mum, and I'm trying to do the best that I can, but... I don't want to blow it. Sometimes I just have to figure things out on the fly.
TOADIE: Well, I think we're gonna have a better chance of making this work out if we get you up to speed. Mackenzie, can you handle the training?
MACKENZIE: Sure.
But Mackenzie looks a little disappointed that Toadie hasn't fired Rose outright!
ROSE: Thank you so much, boss. I won't let you down.
Lassiter's Complex
Kyle and Roxy have summoned Toadie to give them an update on Shane's condition. Roxy says she knows she's not family, but is desperate to know how things are.
TOADIE: For what it's worth, I understand that you care about my brother.
ROXY: It's not just him, it's everyone. How's Dipi?
TOADIE: She's not in a good place right now.
At this point, Dipi herself appears outside Harold's, and a worried Roxy decides to go over and speak to her, despite Kyle and Toadie's pleas not to.
ROXY: Dipi...
DIPI: Oh, you've got to be kidding me.
ROXY: I just want to tell you how sorry I am.
DIPI: You're sorry? You knew everything. You were Shane's little secret-keeper.
ROXY: It is fair for you to hold that against me.
DIPI: You're damn right it is.
ROXY: I was just trying to help. He told me not to tell you, and I was in this no-win situation.
DIPI: Am I meant to feel sorry for you right now?
ROXY: No, this is on me!
DIPI: You don't deserve my pity or my time.
ROXY: I've gotten in your relationship before. I just didn't want to risk it again.
DIPI: This is nothing like what you did before, Roxy. This is so much worse. You let Shane spiral out of control, and you kept me in the dark. My marriage, my family, all of it is in shreds, because you did *nothing*.
No 28
Nicolette turns up to see a nervous Jane.
JANE: Are you here to berate me for earlier? Because you were right - I should've trusted you.
NICOLETTE: I don't care about that, Mum.
JANE: Oh?
NICOLETTE: Although, it's nice to know you care enough about me to break into someone else's house.
JANE: Oh. Yes, of course! Although, technically, the door was open - but the sentiment, it was the same.
Jane soon guesses Nicolette is upset about Chloe.
NICOLETTE: I want so badly to be okay with friendship (...) but why isn't that enough? This little day spa thing we've got going on is the perfect storm. It's just the two of us, and she's funny, and amazing, and... she looks at me like I mean something.
JANE: Well, of course you mean something.
NICOLETTE: Not what I want to mean! To her, it's not real... Is this the part where you re-pitch the idea of us moving out together?
JANE: No, no. This is the part where we sit, and I wait until you're ready, and then I ask you what you want to do about it.
Nicolette smiles.
NICOLETTE: Don't ask me that for a while, Mum, because honestly, I have no idea.
Harold's Café
Dipi drops a plate in the kitchen, which triggers an emotional outburst; she picks up another, and flings it to the floor, before bursting into tears. A concerned Pierce comes in.
DIPI (crying): I'm just so angry, I... I want to break everything.
PIERCE: You have a lot of good reasons to be mad right now. But I just saw Roxy outside, and I'm not sure she was a deserving target. She's made a lot of mistakes but she seems genuine.
DIPI: You're right. I was too harsh. I'm just so angry, and I...
She sits on the floor, and Pierce kneels down beside her.
DIPI (crying): I know she's not to blame. Shane is. He did this. He broke everything. And I just... I'm so furious. But he's not even here to be furious at. He's left me on pause while he's off fixing things, and I just... I want to hate him, but I love him so much. I don't know what to do with any of it.
Coming up on Neighbours
- Dax spying on Levi and Yashvi; Yashvi tells Levi that Dax is dangerous
- Yashvi and Levi run through a warehouse
- Yashvi tells Levi this is their only chance to nail Dax and help Shane; she's going back, alone
- River Hanlon on the phone, saying, 'What the hell is going on, man? You said you would protect me'
- Anguished Ned; we hear Kyle say, 'you don't know what he'll do. You're gonna have to tell Yashvi'
- Pierce finds Nicolette and Chloe at No 32 and demands to know what's going on