Previously
- Max twigging that Taye is escorting.
- Taye admitting that as quick as he's getting the money he's spending it.
- Cara accidentally spilling her coffee over Taye's new jacket.
- Paul confirming to Chelsea that there will be no more contact from Jeffrey.
- Paul thrilled at seeing Terese bond with Thomas.
- Terese warning Chelsea she won't win any game she comes up with to split her/Paul up.
- Terese telling Remi about putting Chelsea in her place!
- Chelsea happy at her sisters love.
- Terese reading a letter from Jeffrey citing that he's the daddy, not Paul!
Penthouse suite
Terese fully reads in the letter how Jeffrey tampered with the DNA results and is irate that Chelsea knew too because he's dobbed on her! Paul plays dumb that already knew this and tries to suggest that Jeffrey is simply messing with them. Terese isn't buying it as the letter was sent to her and wants to go with Paul to talk to Chelsea but he vetoes that, he wants to talk to her alone.
TERESE: She manipulated you once. I'm not going to have her do it again.
Harolds café
Taye meets up with his latest escort date (Sylvie) and hears why she is using his 'services' and wants them to meet up tonight. He had plans and tries to cancel but its tonight or in a couple of months, so Taye agrees to tonight and will re- arrange his other thing.
Number 30
Paul and Terese arrive moments after Chelsea and Cara arrive home and confront her (politely) with the information Jeffrey sent claiming he's the daddy, not Paul. They are after an answer, but Chelsea is like a stunned mullet and silently takes the letter and heads to the sunroom.
Piano Bar
Taye catches Krista as she finishes dealing with Holly and Max to see if he can swap shifts, however the only other person who could swap is unavailable, so his request is turned down.
Max has hung around and gets from Taye why he wanted to swap shifts but given Sylvie is staying at Lassiters, Taye wonders if he can entertain her while working?! "You can't service a client while on duty," Max points out to him and even the risk of being sacked isn't putting Taye off trying to figure out how his plan will work.
Number 30
While the others wait inside, Cara is the one to head to the sunroom to ask if the letter is correct? Terese is confident the fact Chelsea is hiding outside is a sign that the letter is correct - "Jeffrey saw his payday and Chelsea went along with it."
Paul spots Chelsea coming back inside and asks for her version of events so they can all believe her. Before she has a chance to say anything, Remi suggests doing another DNA test to confirm things once and for all but Terese doesn't think that is necessary given Chelsea has "guilt written all over her face."
CHELSEA: The letter is true. Any new test will show that Jeffrey is Thomas' father. He faked the results to get money out of Paul through me.
TERESE: And you let him?!
CHELSEA: I've only known for a couple of weeks. I was in a difficult position. I knew how attached Paul had become to Thomas.
Terese is angry that Chelsea didn't say something the minute she found out. Paul is really struggling to say anything that won't result in him dobbing himself in to the fact that he already knows he isn't the daddy.
CHELSEA: I'm sorry Paul, I'm telling you now.
Chelsea wonders what Paul is up to when he moves away and heads towards where Thomas is sleeping in his pram. He looks at Thomas for a moment before hurriedly exiting the house.
Ramsay Street
After giving Chelsea the 'evil eye', Terese rushes after Paul. She can see he is in shock and is sad at this outcome, firmly blaming all that has happened on Chelsea!
TERESE: I know you love Thomas and I know how heartbroken you are.
Paul breaks down at this point and Terese pulls him into a hug to console him.
Number 30
Inside the house, Chelsea spots Paul in tears before she too then (fully) starts to cry but unlike Terese [with Paul], she isn't getting any sympathetic hugs from her sister/sister- in- law.
(Later)
After setting Thomas down, Chelsea is very much getting the cold treatment from Cara/Remi when she comes back into the living room. Chelsea tries to defend keeping quiet because of Thomas and the fact not just that Paul loves him but that he'd make a "better father figure than Jeffrey" too. "Way richer," Cara sarcastically replies and now gets why Chelsea wanted to do a runner the other day, she knew the truth would come out. Chelsea pleads that she did want to come clean with her sister, but it was "such a mess."
Things are now starting to add up for Cara and she doesn't like what she's seeing and when she mentions the kiss, Remi is aghast especially given how much the pair of them have done for her.
CARA: You know, I thought we'd finally done it. Thought all the bad stuff was behind us, but you told the worst lies just to get to somebody else. I guess our family's not good enough for you.
Lassiters hotel (room 309)
Sylvie is surprised at Taye being early when she answers the door as she's just out the shower. Given he is working, Taye tries to move things along hurriedly, but its too fast for Sylvie, she suggests ordering bubbles from room service so they can get to know each other.
The Waterhole
Aaron, Krista and Leo are chatting away when Terese enters the bar. They can see something is up and Terese breaks the news to them about Paul not being Thomas' father and who is. All three are shocked and Leo asks how Paul is taking the news and Terese replies that he's not in a place where he's ready to talk, hence why she is giving him space.
Lassiters hotel (room 309)
Sylvie is chatting to Taye about her use of escorts when the bubbles arrive. While the order is wheeled into the room by the silent Lassiters employee, Taye hides himself in the bathroom, and with the employee safely out of the room, he comes back out and pours a miniscule amount of bubbles into two glasses. However, Taye gets the jitters again when he hears footsteps outside the door and Sylvie picks up on it but he manages to dig himself out of his predicament by turning on the escorting charm to show Sylvie just how good he can make her feel!
Penthouse suite
Leo is aghast at Chelsea being "so manipulative" in what she's done to his dad and offers him a hug, which Paul readily takes. In turn, Paul is feeling bad for Terese and is hopeful, after Leo asks, that Jeffrey isn't going to cause any more trouble because he's done is worst. Leo can't figure out what Jeffrey hoped to gain by sending the letter to Terese but when Paul doesn't reply, Leo apologises for bringing it up as it's something he doesn't need to think about.
Paul is really struggling to deal with things emotionally and bails on Leo to go for a walk, and once in the lift, be begins to cry.
Lassiters hotel (room 309)
Taye is caught between a rock (work texting him) and a hard place… well not so hard, as Sylvie complains that he isn't paying her due attention. Sylvie wonders if he isn't into her or if he's stressed and eventually, Taye pulls himself away from Sylvie and apologises whilst getting dressed [as he pulls on his top on, Sylvie leans over to take the money back!]
As Taye exits Sylvie's room, unknowingly he's spotted by Krista who is dealing with some other guests.
The Waterhole
Given what she witnessed, Krista makes a beeline for Holly and Max when she enters the bar to ask what is going on with Taye - explaining about seeing him leaving a room (not in uniform) and he's now gone home sick. "Oh, dodgy," Holly remarks which Krista totally agrees with and she isn't amused either with him.
Krista is about to go check the room she spotted Taye exiting from but before she can leave the bar, Max covers for his mate - explaining that Taye went home due to a stomach bug and used the room to take a shower after having an accident. Max adds that Taye didn't want anyone to know he was ill, hence asking for the night off earlier. Krista isn't too sure whether to believe what she's been told or not!
Number 30
Chelsea is home alone when Paul drops by to apologise for seriously underestimating Jeffrey. "He was never gonna let us be happy," she laments and Paul thinks it will be the last they'll hear from him. He is curious to know why she covered for him and her reply is that he loves Terese and doesn't want to ruin that for him. Paul is almost taken aback by this admission.
CHELSEA: You've shown me nothing but kindness. The least I can do is show you a little in return. I know this was another chance for you… after losing David.
PAUL: I know, and the thought of losing Thomas too…
Paul can't finish the sentence and instead asks to hold Thomas. When Chelsea hands him over, he positions Thomas so he's looking right into his eyes.
PAUL: I'm so sorry little man.
(Paul kisses Thomas gently on his head)
PAUL: I don't know how to say goodbye to you.
Chelsea watches on silently as Paul has a final hug of 'his son'.
The Waterhole
Remi , Cara, Terese, Leo and Krista nurse their drinks trying to process today's bombshell news. Cara had hoped having Thomas would have changed things and Terese adds in "obviously not nearly enough."
The quintet then spot Chelsea wheeling Thomas into the bar and Remi volunteers to be the one to tell her to leave but Krista wants to say something first and leaves the group to head towards Chelsea.
Chelsea offers to get food elsewhere, but Krista tells her to wait and hear her out first!
KRISTA: I made an effort for you because Thomas was Leo's brother… or so we thought. After what you did to Hope, and to me, I just wanted to hate you forever. But I put aside my grief for the sake of the family. I prayed that this beautiful little baby would make you a better person, but you have been just as manipulative and self- serving as you were with all your other children! You're not a mother, you are a toxic human and I honestly fear for Thomas growing up with a monster like you.
Penthouse suite
Nervously, a crying Chelsea enters the penthouse suite an after placing the baby carrier on the floor, takes Thomas out to cuddle him.
CHELSEA: It's okay. Don't worry, my boy, you'll have a better life.
Chelsea then kisses Thomas gently on the head before lying him down in the travel cot. She puts a letter underneath him as she hears Paul yell out asking if its Terese who is in the apartment. With Thomas beginning to cry, Chelsea calls for the lift and gets into it… alone.
Coming up on Neighbours
- Jane declaring she isn't going to Amanda's memorial!
- Darcy asking Karl to look after himself.
- Paul/Cara debating where Thomas should live despite what Chelsea wrote.
