Lassiter's complex
Jane is sitting at a table outside the Coffee Shop when Mike emerges with a bottle of orange juice for her. He sits down and remarks that that aerobics class was a good way to start the day. Jane, however, muses that it's a good job Sally had to get back to work or they'd still be there, hard at it! Gail wanders over and says hi. Mike tells her that if she's looking for Paul, the last time he saw him he was inside the Coffee Shop, haggling with Harold about the price of a bag of doughnuts! Gail sits down at the table and asks Mike if he's working there today. Mike, however, explains:

MIKE: No, I'm off to uni. It's my last day for a while.
GAIL: How come?
MIKE: I'm going off on a prac teaching job in a little country town called Martinvale.
GAIL: Is that far away?
JANE: Too far for me to visit!

Paul emerges from the Coffee Shop and Mike asks him cheekily if he got the discount. Paul smiles that of course he did: he left Harold crying over his cash register! Jane asks Paul if she's got time for a quick shower over at the staff quarters. Paul tells her to hurry! Jane dashes off and Paul starts heading for the office. Gail muses to Mike that that's her cue to leave. She adds:

GAIL: Paul wants Jane and I to slave away while *he* stuffs his face with doughnuts!
PAUL: Gail, I can *afford* a little snack. You can't!
GAIL: Why not?
PAUL: You women are always complaining about cellulite and those love handle things!
GAIL (exclaims): Love handles?! I haven't got love handles!
PAUL: Well... only little ones!
GAIL (indignantly): I have not!

The two of them head into the office, still mock- arguing!

No. 32
The doorbell rings at No. 32 and Mrs. Mangel answers it, wearing her old clothes for cleaning. She finds Eileen standing on the step. Eileen pushes Jamie into the house in his pushchair and she asks Mrs. Mangel tersely if she could look after him for a few hours. Mrs. Mangel smiles that that shouldn't be a problem. She adds that it's good to see Eileen out and about again - but she needs to be back by 12, as she's working this afternoon. Eileen accepts this and goes to head off again. As she does so, Mrs. Mangel says:

MRS. MANGEL: Oh - Eileen - you didn't say where you were going...
EILEEN (nervously): Oh, didn't I? Er... the Elliott Park Medical Centre.
MRS. MANGEL (frowns): The Medical Centre? Why?
EILEEN: I just, er, thought I needed a check- up, that's all.
MRS. MANGEL: I must say I'm surprised you're not going to Dr. Marshall's surgery: there's a very nice locum there in charge while she's away and he'd have your records.
EILEEN: Exactly - that's why I'm not going: I thought I needed a second opinion.

Mrs. Mangel tells Eileen to have a thorough examination: she wants to make sure she's in good shape for the bowls tournament tomorrow. Eileen, having clearly forgotten the tournament, just retorts that she's not a half- wit; she *can* remember a simple bowls tournament. With that, she dashes out.

Office of the Daniels Corporation
Gail walks into the office from the reception area and hands Paul a mug of coffee. He looks around and asks where the bag of doughnuts went that he had. Gail tells him:

GAIL: I filed them under 'F' - for 'fat'!

Paul goes and looks in the filing cabinet and indeed finds the doughnuts under 'F'! The 'phone starts ringing suddenly and Paul picks it up on his desk. STD pips sound and then Jim comes in and says it's him! Paul asks how things are in Adelaide. Jim, however, replies that they're not too well: Beverly's sister and her husband aren't even talking to each other at the moment. Paul asks when he can expect them back. Jim replies that it'll hopefully be tomorrow, but it's pretty hard to tell. Paul tells Jim that he'll see him them. The two of them hang up. In the office, Paul sighs at Gail:

PAUL: Poor old dad... he seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders at the moment. I mean, he's on his honeymoon; he should be having a *whale* of a time.

Gail walks over to him just as he's about to put a doughnut in his mouth. She takes it from his hand and stuffs it into his mug of coffee!

Park
Eileen is walking through a park, following her doctor's appointment. She has a bottle of pills in her hand and she puts one of the tablets in her mouth. She approaches a nearby water fountain to wash it down, but a tramp sitting on a bench nearby calls over suddenly and drunkenly:

TRAMP: G'day, darlin'. Whatta ya got there? Uppers, downers or sidewaysers? What?
EILEEN (bluntly): Vitamins.
TRAMP (slurs): Is that right? Well, in that case I must be a millionaire! Hey - if you're so keen on taking your vitamins, why don't you wash them down with a drop of me French champagne?!
EILEEN (snaps): Why don't you mind your own business, you silly old fool?
TRAMP: Oh, I get it - you're one of them stuck- up sheilas. You reckon you're better than me, don't ya.
EILEEN: I certainly *am*.
TRAMP: Well, you're not. You're livin' in a dream world, darlin', just like me. I wanna be one of them multi- millionaire blokes. Who do *you* wanna be?
EILEEN: Myself.
TRAMP: Then you'd better watch out: you'll *kill* yourself taking *that* stuff.

Eileen stands there looking suddenly worried. She says:

EILEEN: You think these tablets are harmful?
TRAMP (laughs): I dunno. I was talking about the water!

Eileen just stands there, a serious expression on her face. The tramp chuckles:

TRAMP: Looks like you're caught between the devil and the deep- blue sea, don't it!

No. 22
Lucy is sitting on the couch at No. 22 when Paul and Gail arrive home, Paul asking Gail how many times he has to tell her that she's not fat! Gail retorts:

GAIL: Then why did you keep pointing out that airship on the way home, going, "And look at the blimp. Look at the blimp."?!

Paul asks Lucy to tell Gail that she's not fat! Gail retorts that Lucy is Paul's sister: what does he *expect* her to say? She heads through to the kitchen and asks Lucy what's cooking. Lucy explains that she's made dinner: there was some spaghetti sauce left. Gail says slightly awkwardly that, actually, she already got something organised for her and Paul. Paul thanks his sister for thinking of them. He then asks her how come she's doing homework on a Friday night. Lucy tells him:

LUCY: I'm studying for the Arlenwood College exam I've got on Monday.
PAUL: Yeah? Feeling confident?
LUCY: I guess so. I might get Mike to give me some extra coaching over the weekend, just in case.

Gail remarks that that's a good idea, but adds that she's not sure he'll have the time before he goes away. Lucy asks where he's going.

No. 28
The TV is on in the lounge room. Eileen is fussing over Jamie on the couch as Mike tries to do some sewing in one of the armchairs. He pricks his finger on the needle, though, and Eileen tells him to give it to her! As Mike hands over a pair of jeans, Eileen asks him if he's sure he wants a patch on the knee, as she's seen ripped ones in the shops brand new; it's very fashionable. Mike shrugs:

MIKE: I guess I'm just not that funky!

Des arrives home from work at that moment and asks where the nipper is. Eileen smiles that he's in the nursery, asleep like a little lamb. Des then asks what they're having for dinner, as he could eat a live hand grenade! Eileen smiles at him not to ruin his appetite: she's got a roast in the oven. Des says happily:

DES: Yeah? Crikey - I'm glad things are getting back to normal round here. Why don't we open a bottle of plonk to celebrate?
EILEEN (quickly): No - no wine tonight.

Mike tells Des that his mum's probably trying to stay healthy: she's just been telling him how good she's been feeling. Des smiles at his mum:

DES: Well, I'm glad you're getting back to your old self. See, I *told* you you'd get by without those stupid pills.

Eileen sits there looking slightly guilty.

No. 32
Mrs. Mangel is sitting in the lounge room, looking at the Erinsborough News, but she tuts:

MRS. MANGEL: Honestly, Jane, I don't know what's become of this local paper: page after page of advertisements for massage parlours... lonely people with social defects... and if you've read one of them, you've read them all.

Jane is miles away, though, pouring a cup of tea. Mrs. Mangel prompts:

MRS. MANGEL: Jane?

Jane looks at her and says she's sorry: she was just thinking about Mike going away. She adds that she knows he's only going away for two weeks, but it would've been nice to have organised a party or something for him. Mrs. Mangel points out that they'd have to have it tomorrow, as he's leaving on Sunday, isn't he? Jane shrugs that there's nowhere to have it, either, as they can't have it at *his* house, with Mrs. Clarke not feeling well. Mrs. Mangel suggests:

MRS. MANGEL: Why don't you have it *here*?
JANE (looking astonished): *Here*?!
MRS. MANGEL: Contrary to popular opinion, I'm not *averse* to young people having a good time, you know.

Jane thanks her nan and comments that she really surprises her sometimes! Mrs. Mangel says she'll even help with the organising. Jane tries to protest, but Mrs. Mangel goes on that it shouldn't be *too* difficult, although they mustn't have alcohol in the house... and they don't want any dancing or the carpet will be ruined. Jane looks suddenly a lot less convinced about the idea! Mrs. Mangel then declares that she'll make some lamingtons for the party - and she'll start baking right now!

No. 28
Mike and Des are playing with a remote- controlled toy car in the lounge room as Jamie watches from his high chair. The two men make loud car noises as the vehicle whizzes across the floor, but Jamie starts grizzling suddenly, and Eileen, who's in the kitchen area looking fractious, snaps:

EILEEN: Stop the noise. See, you're upsetting the baby? Take him out of the high chair and put him to bed right now.

Des does as he's told. In the kitchen, Eileen turns her back on both men and quickly pops a pill into her mouth. Mike walks over and asks if there's anything he can do to help. Eileen, however, insists that she can manage. She then says hesitantly:

EILEEN: Michael, I- I was wondering, um...
MIKE: What about?
EILEEN: What happens to people who get addicted to those tranquiliser things I was taking?
MIKE: Er... well, I don't know. I mean, I've only ever known one addict, and he wasn't on tranquilisers.
EILEEN: But you have to go through cold chicken, whatever it is, don't you?
MIKE (smiles): It's called 'cold turkey', Mrs. Clarke.
EILEEN: Oh.
MIKE: I mean, that's only one way, and it doesn't really sound much fun being stuck in a room for two to three days, sort of waiting 'til the craving goes away.
EILEEN: No, it doesn't...
MIKE: And the other way that I know of is to get the doctor to give you a substitute - you know: to try and wean you off whatever it is you're on; but that doesn't sound real great either, because I've heard of heroin addicts who are stuck on methadone for *years*.
EILEEN (murmurs): That's horrible.
MIKE: Mmm. So if you ask *me*, my advice is never to get started on them in the first place.

Eileen nods bleakly.

No. 22
Paul and Lucy sit down at the dinner table. Gail serves Paul with a plate of salad, but he just stares at it and asks who the hell could survive on a plate of lettuce! He adds:

PAUL: Do I look like a guinea pig to you?
GAIL: Maybe just a little - especially round the eyes!
LUCY: I saw his nose twitch a minute ago!
PAUL: That was because I could smell your spaghetti!

Paul then asks Gail how he can survive on an empty stomach when he's got to work all weekend. Gail points out that at least they've got *next* weekend to themselves. Paul nods that he thought they might go sailing. Gail stares at him and points out that he *knows* sailing makes her seasick. Paul retorts that there's no way in the world that he's going to go horse- riding with her, if *that's* what she had in mind. He then puts down his knife and sighs:

PAUL: I'm sorry, Gail, but I cannot eat this sort of stuff, either.
GAIL: OK. I'm not going to get into an argument about it. Your waistline is your problem.
PAUL: And there is nothing wrong with *yours*. You never stick to a diet anyway.
GAIL (challenges): Watch me!
PAUL: All right, I'll tell you what - I'll make a deal with you: you last one week and I'll go horse- riding with you. That's how confident I am!
GAIL: Yeah, well, I'm pretty confident too; *so* confident, in fact, that if I lose, I'll agree to go sailing with you.

Lucy tells them that they have to shake hands to make it an official bet. They do so, and Paul muses:

PAUL: Looks like we're *both* going to be guinea pigs, doesn't it!

No. 22
Sometime later, Des has turned up and, sitting at the dinner table, tells Paul, Gail and Lucy that Daph tried to get him to go on a diet last year when he was trying to get fit and it almost killed him! Paul places a plate of chocolate biscuits on the table and asks Gail if she wants one! He then adds mischievously that she's on a diet, isn't she - what a shame! He puts a biscuit in his mouth and exclaims that it's delicious! There's suddenly a knock on the front door and Paul goes to open it. He finds Jim, Beverly, Todd and Katie standing on the step and he exclaims that he didn't expect them back tonight. As the visitors head inside, Jim tells Paul just that they had a bit of a problem. Lucy goes to get her stuff as Beverly asks Des how his mum is. He tells her:

DES: Oh, good, good. She still gets a bit tense, but she's feeling much brighter.
BEVERLY: And Daphne's father?
DES: Failing fast, I'm afraid...
BEVERLY: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
DES: Yeah. Daph's pretty upset, of course. It'll just be a relief when the whole thing's over; then Daphne can come home again; we'll all be a family together again.

Todd and Katie look at each other. Beverly asks Lucy to take them home and settle them in. When the kids have gone, Gail comments to Beverly:

GAIL: Obviously the peace talks between your sister and her husband didn't go too well, huh?
BEVERLY: They fought like cat and dog the whole time we were there. That's why we brought the children home with *us*.
DES: So what are you going to do about it now?
JIM (shrugs): All *I* know is that we've got two very unhappy kids on our hands...

No. 26
Katie is sitting on the couch, hugging a cuddly toy, as Lucy helps Todd carry in a suitcase. She remarks that they sure have a lot of stuff! Todd retorts:

TODD: Yeah, well, it looks like we'll be staying here for a while, doesn't it.

He then walks over to Katie and puts his arm around her, telling her gently that everything will be all right. Katie, however, sobs:

KATIE: No it won't. Mum and dad don't *want* us anymore.
TODD: Yes they do. Of *course* they do.

Lucy tells Katie that her parents just don't want her and Todd there while they're fighting. Todd tells his sister that the two of them just have to stick together; he'll look after her. Lucy takes Katie's hand and tells her that it's not so bad there; she'll see.

No. 28
Des is putting the kettle on as he tells his mother that the Landers kids have been shuffled off onto Jim and Bev. Eileen - who's sitting on the couch -appears to be miles away, though, and Des comments that something's wrong: he's giving her all the inside info on the local gossip and she's not even batting an eyelid. Eileen mutters:

EILEEN: Stop picking on me, Desmond.
DES (looking surprised): I'm *not* picking on you, mum.

He then asks if Mike has gone out. Eileen replies that he's gone over to Nell's to spend time with Jane before he goes away. Des says:

DES: That reminds me: Daph was wondering if you could fill in at the Coffee Shop until she or Mike get back.
EILEEN (exclaims): I can't possibly do that. Who'd look after Jamie?
DES: They're setting up a child- minding place at Lassiter's. I wouldn't mind him going over there for a few hours every day, now that he's older. Is there any problem?
EILEEN: Well... it's just that... I... I'm not back into the swing of things, that's all. [More tersely] It is perfectly obvious to everyone that I was virtually left at the altar. They'll all be sniggering at me; laughing at me behind my back - I *know* they will.
DES: No they won't - and if they do, they'll have *me* to deal with. [Gently] Don't you think it's time that you shook all this stuff off?

Jamie starts crying suddenly, in his room, and Des says he'll go. He stands up but then turns and says to his mum:

DES: I don't know what's happened to you lately. You used to be such a... such a tower of strength.

He heads off to see to Jamie, leaving Eileen sitting on the couch, looking upset. She reaches into her bag and takes out the bottle of pills. She stares at it as Des's words repeat in her head...

No. 32
Mrs. Mangel is sitting in an armchair, snoring! Jane touches her arm and wakes her. She suggests that she go to bed. Mrs. Mangel looks at Mike in concern, but Mike assures her that they won't play up! Mrs. Mangel nods that she's got a big day tomorrow. She tells Mike and Jane not to stay up too late, either. With that, she heads off to her room, leaving Mike to smile at Jane:

MIKE: That's better: the dragon's safely back in its lair!
JANE (mockingly): Don't be so horrible. I hate you!
MIKE: And I hate you too!

With that, they two of them start kissing!

No. 26
Todd is sitting on the couch, playing a hand- held computer game. He has Katie's cuddly toy with him, but Lucy emerges from the bedroom area with Katie at that moment and tells Todd that his sister said she can't sleep without Snuggles. Todd hands over the toy. Jim and Beverly come in from the kitchen and Jim tells everyone that before they go to bed, he'd like to have a little talk. Lucy and Katie sit down next to Todd. Jim and Beverly sit down on the opposite couch and Jim says:

JIM: Beverly and I would like you to know, Todd and Katie, that you're very, very welcome in our house. Now, I don't believe in favouritism, so you'll be treated exactly the same way as I treat Lucy.
BEVERLY: And *I* haven't had much practice, but I'll do the best I can to make life comfortable.

Todd thanks Beverly. He adds that they haven't seen much of her over the past couple of years, but they've always liked her. He then turns to Jim and says that he supposes that if Beverly's married to him, he must be all right too! Jim thanks him! Todd goes on:

TODD: So... we've decided not to grump around the place anymore and run away and stuff. We're lucky we've got a roof over our heads and people who care about us.
KATIE: And I agree with everything Todd says.

Jim smiles that that's the end of his talk, then! With that, everyone says goodnight to each other. Lucy and Katie head off to bed. Todd lingers in the lounge room and smiles at Jim that he supposes he'd better start calling him *Uncle* Jim. Jim says he'd like that. Todd heads off to bed, leaving Beverly to say in relief to Jim:

BEVERLY: Dare I say it? I think they like us!
JIM (giving Beverly a kiss): Mmm - I think they *do*!