Recap
- Scott getting punched in the face by a mystery intruder
- Madge discovering the intruder is her daughter Charlene
Number 24
Madge scolds Charlene for being violent, but she thinks Scott should have learnt to fight properly. Embarrassed, Scott leaves, but not before Charlene gives him a handshake and an appreciative once-over. Madge frog-marches Charlene inside to get cleaned up.
Number 22
Shane and Clive face the wrath of Daphne, who is annoyed that she can't do anything to save her coffee shop from being sold. Clive encourages Daphne to prove to the owners that she's indispensable by bringing in more customers - that way she may be able to keep her business. Daphne loves the idea.
Coffee Shop
Scott shamefully walks in and admits to Mike that "Lenny Mitchell" punched him in the face. Mike's amused; he's never met a girl who could fight before. Mike then confesses to Scott that he's got problems of his own now that his parents aren't supporting him financially anymore. Suddenly, he gets an idea and asks Scott to cover his shift for an hour.
MIKE: I'm going to go and see my parents.
SCOTT: Do you think that's a good idea?
MIKE: I don't know, but I'm going to sort this out once and for all.
Number 24
Max and Danny discover their visitor and Charlene cheekily jokes that if they call her by her real name (and not Lenny) she'll flatten them.
MADGE: Charlene, one brawl is enough for one day.
MAX: Who'd ya do, ay?
CHARLENE: (proud) Scott Robinson.
MAX: (cracks up laughing)
MADGE: Oh Max, don't encourage her, please!
Shane arrives back home and hugs his cousin. The boys wonder how long she's staying for and Charlene shrugs that it could be forever.
CHARLENE: I can't stay with dad any longer, that's for sure.
MADGE: Why not? You were perfectly happy to in the first place.
CHARLENE: Because he's moved Susan into the house. She's expecting a baby you know.
Madge is definitely not excited to hear this.
Coffee Shop
Scott reluctantly tells Daphne and Clive that Mike's gone to see his parents. Clive starts to head for the exit.
CLIVE: Not a good idea. If I'm not back in ten minutes, drag the river.
But Scott adds that Mike wanted to do this on his own and that he seemed to think he could handle it himself. Although worried, Daphne and Clive realise they've got to trust Mike. Talk then turns to the business. Clive suggests that Daphne start up a big publicity campaign.
CLIVE: How about we get someone in to eat something really weird.
DAPHNE: Like what?
CLIVE: Like a bike.
DAPHNE & SCOTT: A bike?!
CLIVE: There's a guy in France who ate a pushbike, it took him two weeks!
DAPHNE: To live or die!
SCOTT: Did that include tyres?
CLIVE: And the tubes. Just think, for two weeks you could have this whole place stacked out with people watching someone devour a BMX.
Daphne reckons Clive needs to go back to the drawing board.
Number 24
Upset, Madge has taken Charlene into the kitchen and warns her not to embarrass her like that again. Charlene protests that it's the truth, but Madge thinks she was completely tactless in her approach. Talk then turns to Henry and Madge reveals that she went to see her son but he wanted nothing to do with her. Charlene thinks it's because she doesn't listen to her children, and preaches to them instead. Getting upset again, Madge tells Charlene that if she's going to stay in Erinsborough then she's going to have to reign in her attitude.
CHARLENE: And if I don't?
MADGE: Then I'm going to have to speak with your father.
CHARLENE: Do you want me here or not?
MADGE: Of course I do, you're my daughter.
CHARLENE: Yeah but you don't like me very much do you?
MADGE: (teary) That's not true!
CHARLENE: Don't lie, mum, it just makes things worse.
Mike's Parents' House
Mike sees his mum walking back from the shops and they share a very formal greeting. Mike's mum knows he's there about the money but she's afraid that she can't send anymore. Mike reminds her that he wanted to go to teacher's college, but his mum says he'll just have to quit school and get a full-time job instead because his dad isn't going to let her help him out again.
MIKE: I was saving up to get you away from him remember? You always said that you hated him.
But Mike's mum just says she's sorry and heads towards the house. Mike does the sad Charlie Brown walk down the driveway, not noticing that his mum has stopped to miserably see him off.
Number 24
Charlene's bored and is trying to get Danny to go out with her, but he's not interested. Shane encourages Danny to take her to Daphne's, but Madge thinks Charlene's being very rude by annoying her cousin. Danny eventually relents and Charlene happily skips out the door. Madge is worried about them getting into trouble, but Shane and Max reckon they'll be fine... Well, in theory anyway.
Coffee Shop
Clive, Daphne and Scott are still trying to think up ideas to get in more customers.
CLIVE: Let's see, no bicycles, no baked beans, no bananas.
SCOTT: No chickens or no clams.
DAPHNE: And definitely no doughnuts, eels, eggs or frankfurters.
CLIVE: What about 'The Great Gherkin Eating Contest'?
SCOTT: Everybody would be green after the first half dozen.
CLIVE: I knew a bloke who could eat nearly a kilo in a minute.
DAPHNE: Clive, must we?
CLIVE: OK, no gherkins... What about haggis? Get all the Scots in?
(Scott and Daphne shake their heads)
CLIVE: No? No? (resigned) No.
Charlene and Danny arrive and Charlene introduces herself to Clive and Daphne. They help the trio out with their alphabetised food list and quickly decide upon pancakes as the winner. Mike gets back and Daphne tries to have a quiet word with him, but he's not in a good mood and snits that there's nothing to talk about. Charlene, meanwhile, is making moon-eyes at Mike.
Number 24
Picking up bits of strewn newspaper, Madge complains about being a slave to her family and that they resent her. Max reckons it's because she whinges too much. He suggests that she might like to move back to Coffs Harbour with Charlene and Henry, but Madge angrily replies that she can't.
Coffee Shop
Charlene tries to have a chat with Mike but he's not interested. She re-joins the food table where Clive is explaining the rules of the contest. They'll draw two tickets out of a barrel, then the two lucky couples chosen will have to make their own pancakes, squeeze their own OJ and then eat/drink everything. The fastest couple will then be the winners. Daphne wonders where the partner element comes in, but Clive has it all worked out. He puts an orange under his chin and encourages Daphne to grab it using her chin. Laughing, she goes over to neck him and he jokingly dips her to the ground... Just as Shane walks in. Of course, Shane is a jealous ball of rage and isn't amused. They try to explain the contest, but Shane would prefer a quite chat with his fiancée.
In the kitchen, Shane wonders why he's feeling so left out lately. Clive ducks his head in to let Daphne know they're leaving and Daphne thanks him for all his help.
CLIVE: My pleasure.
SHANE: Yeah, I'll bet it is.
Daphne's over his stupid jealousy rampage and reminds him that he said he trusted her. Shane then admits that his main concern is that she's having to bring in all the dough because his own financial prospects are dire.
SHANE: Sometimes I wonder if this place is more important to you than I am.
DAPHNE: I love you, Shane.
SHANE: Then when are you going to marry me?
DAPHNE: ... How about two months from now?
SHANE: (grinning) Fantastic!
They hug but Daphne doesn't look too thrilled.
Number 24
Max bids Madge goodnight, but Madge wonders how Max can sleep when the kids are still out. Max isn't worried at all, but Madge can't help herself and grabs her bag to go and look for them. Max stops her and says that she's being too uptight, but Madge is worried about Charlene gaining a reputation.
MAX: Listen, you're going to turn her against you.
MADGE: Max I have always been strict with my children but I have never been unfair.
Number 22
Shane kisses Daphne goodnight and says she's made him very happy. He leaves and she glumly heads inside (Clive's gorilla suit is hanging by the doorway, heh). Daphne sits in darkness and mopes for a while till Clive comes downstairs to check on her. She states that everything's fine, and that her and Shane are getting married in two months.
DAPHNE: I just hope I've got everything under control by then.
CLIVE: Well you should know one way or another in the next month or so, shouldn't you?
DAPHNE: It's not the coffee shop it's Shane.
She admits to Clive that Shane's too worried about work and gets jealous of every guy she speaks to. Clive wonders if getting married is the right thing to do, but Daphne says that it is, and besides, she's committed now.
DAPHNE: It's been a long day, I'm off to bed.
CLIVE: Best of luck...
(She walks out of earshot)
CLIVE: ... With your wedding.
Number 24
Shane floats in and tells Madge the good news about the wedding, just as Charlene and a very drunk looking Danny arrive home after dancing up a storm at Lassiter's. Madge sees red and Max angrily storms out after hearing raised voices, annoyed that his sleep was disturbed. Charlene protests that she didn't do anything wrong and that her dad always lets her go out, but that makes Madge even madder.
MADGE: Your father's hardly the ideal example is he, going out and getting his secretary pregnant.
CHARLENE: Well what's that got to do with me?
MADGE: I just don't want the same thing to happen to you that's all.
CHARLENE: Be real, mum.
MADGE: Real? Don't you adopt that tone with me, young lady.
CHARLENE: Who are you to talk anyway?
MADGE: I'm your mother for one thing.
CHARLENE: Oh yeah some mother you turned out to be. (to her family) You all think she's terrific don't you? Always on the side of what's right. Well you're not so hot, are you?
MADGE: Charlene, go into my room and we'll talk in there.
CHARLENE: You just don't want anyone to find out what a rotten mother you really are.
MADGE: That's ENOUGH, Charlene!
CHARLENE: No it's NOT! We've had to put up with your moralising for years. You don't have any morals, let alone a conscience.
MADGE: I told you to be quiet!
CHARLENE: You know what she did to Henry? She put him in a jail, that's what she did. He's there now rotting in prison and it's all her fault. Isn't it!
The family are stunned.