No. 26
Jim sits down with Beverly on the couch in the lounge room and suggests that they could go out and have something to eat and then take in a movie. Beverly, however, murmurs that she's not in the mood. Jim tells her gently that she's got to stop worrying. Beverly, however, asks how can she *not* worry?; she hasn't been threatened with a malpractice suit before. Katie emerges from her bedroom suddenly and tells Beverly that she doesn't feel very well: her throat's sore and it hurts to swallow. Beverly checks Katie's forehead and throat and tells her that she's got a temperature and her throat's a bit red, and she suggests that she go back to bed. As Katie turns to return to her room, she says:

KATIE: Aunty Beverly, how come you'll look after me but you won't look after your *other* patients?
BEVERLY (awkwardly): Because... well, it's not exactly the same thing.
KATIE: Why not?
BEVERLY (tersely): Because it only took common sense to see that you are coming down with the 'flu. Now, off you go.

Katie marches off to her room. Jim tells Beverly that her patients *need* her; if she shows them that she's not going to be dragged down by the malpractice nonsense and just keeps on working, they'll take all of about five minutes to trust her again. Beverly, however, mutters:

BEVERLY: Come off it, Jim. How can people trust me when I don't even trust myself?

With that, she walks off to see to Katie, leaving Jim looking worried.

No. 30
Madge and Harold are in the kitchen at No. 30. Mrs. Mangel comes in, holding a pile of bedding, and says to Harold tersely:

MRS. MANGEL: Mr. Bishop, I'm here to tell you I simply cannot spend the night in that front bedroom. I would greatly appreciate it if you and your wife would agree to a swap.
MADGE (coolly): With all due respect, Mrs. Mangel, a deal's a deal and we all know you're a woman of your word.
MRS. MANGEL (retorts): And with mutual respect, Mrs. Bishop, you *did* commandeer that room without giving others a chance. I'm not saying it was pushy of you, but perhaps it would've been fairer if-
MADGE: And I'm not saying you're a liar, either, Mrs. Mangel, but you *did* have the opportunity to speak up at the time.

Harold interjects quickly and suggests that what's needed here is an impartial referee. He asks Mrs. Mangel what precisely is wrong with her room. Mrs. Mangel retorts that there's a draught coming in from somewhere and she can hear the music from the girls' room. Madge tells her curtly that the obvious thing would be to ask Sharon to turn her music down and move her bed out of the draught. Harold tells Mrs. Mangel that Madge *does* have a point. Mrs. Mangel, looking annoyed, storms off as Sharon comes in. Madge asks her how her room is. Sharon smiles:

SHARON: Excellent! Um, has Bronny rocked up yet?
MADGE (shrugs): I haven't seen her.

Sharon sighs that that would be right.

No. 32
Joe and Henry emerge from the kitchen, Henry suggesting that they do the bedrooms now. All of a sudden, he spots Bronwyn lying on the floor. He crouches down to her. Joe runs over and orders him to get her outside quick. Henry picks her up and takes her out.

No. 26
Paul is at No. 26 with Helen, Nick and Jim. Beverly emerges from the bedroom area and says she's given Katie some antibiotics and something for her throat; she'll be fine in a couple of days. Jim asks Beverly if she's sure she doesn't want to go out in that case. The front door bursts open suddenly and Scott dashes in, saying to Beverly urgently:

SCOTT: Quick, we need your help.
BEVERLY: What is it?
SCOTT: Bronwyn's collapsed. She's unconscious. She's been inhaling some insecticide that Henry and Joe have been spraying.
BEVERLY: Is she still breathing?
SCOTT: Yeah, I think so, but only just. Come on - quick. We need your help.

Beverly tells Scott to ring an ambulance and give them all the details he can. She dashes out of the house.

Ramsay Street
Bronwyn is lying on the side of the road outside No. 30 with Sharon and Henry kneeling next to her. Sharon is saying in concern:

SHARON: Bronny? Bronny, can you hear me?

Beverly dashes over, followed by Jim, Paul and Nick, and tells everyone to get back. She then crouches down and starts examining Bronwyn's pulse and chest. She asks how long Bronwyn was in the house. Henry looks at Joe and then says he doesn't know: fifteen minutes maybe. Beverly tells everyone that when the ambulance gets there, she wants them to have all the information ready: the hospital have got to know exactly what they're dealing with. Nick puts his arm round an upset Sharon as Beverly uses equipment from her medical kit to start pumping oxygen into Bronwyn's lungs. Henry says in concern:

HENRY: She *is* going to be OK, isn't she, doc?

Beverly just carries on with the treatment, looking worried.

Ramsay Street
A short time later, two ambulancemen lift Bronwyn onto a stretcher. Beverly tells one of them that she's called the hospital: Dr. Layman's expecting Bronwyn and has all the details. Sharon asks Beverly if she can go in the ambulance too. Beverly warns her just not to talk to her sister too much, as she's very tired. The ambulancemen lift Bronwyn into the ambulance and Mrs. Mangel says in concern:

MRS. MANGEL: Perhaps I should go with them? After all, I do have a responsibility to Mrs. Chubb to see that the girls are safe and sound.
BEVERLY: It isn't necessary, Mrs. Mangel. Bronwyn just needs to be kept under observation for a few hours.
MRS. MANGEL (warily): I'm not sure if I trust your judgement...
BEVERLY (firmly): Bronwyn will be under Dr. Layman's care. She's very competent.

Mrs. Mangel walks off. Joe joins Henry, who's standing by the ambulance and tells Bronwyn to keep her chin up. The rear doors of the ambulance are closed and the vehicle drives off. Des is standing with Paul and he muses:

DES: She'll be OK. It's probably just a ploy to get out of looking after the little bloke!
PAUL: You're a hard man, Des!

Henry joins Beverly, who's standing holding Jim. He asks her if she's sure Bronwyn's going to be OK. Jim retorts that if Beverly says she will, she will. Henry declares:

HENRY: Great. Good women are hard enough to find without me and Joe killing them off...!

He walks off, leaving Jim to kiss Beverly on the forehead. He tells her that he's proud of her.

No. 26
Helen and Scott are standing in the front doorway of No. 26 as Paul and Nick go to head back inside. Helen asks Paul how Bronwyn is and he replies that they've taken her to the hospital for observation. He adds that she'd have been a hell of a lot worse if Bev hadn't done her stuff. Nick tells Helen that Sharon has gone with her; he didn't realise how close those two really are. Paul muses:

PAUL: A lot closer than Scotty and Bev are at the moment, that's for sure.

He then smiles at Scott that he should make tracks: Beverly's going to be there in a minute. Helen, however, tells Paul that Scott has come up with a way to fix things with Beverly; now all they have to do is hope that it works. She and Scott head over to the desk and Scott picks up the 'phone and dials a number. When the call is answered, he asks the person on the other end if Charlie is the Duty Editor today. He asks to have a word with him. When he gets through to Charlie, he says:

SCOTT: Listen, mate, I think I've got a follow- up on that malpractice article we ran... No, no, no, it's exactly the opposite, actually.

The front door opens and Beverly and Jim come in as Scott explains about how Beverly was called to an emergency in their street just a little while ago and it looks as though she could have saved a life. He suggests that he could get an article in tomorrow and run it in the next edition. He listens and smiles that that would be fantastic. He hangs up. Beverly smiles at him:

BEVERLY: You didn't have to do that, you know.
SCOTT: Yes I did - it was *news* - and that's what I've been trying to explain to you: I never thought you weren't a good doctor.
BEVERLY (realises): I've been very unfair to you, haven't I? I don't know what to say except I'm sorry; very sorry.

She suggests a truce, and Scott gives her a warm hug!

No. 30
Madge and Harold are in the kitchen at No. 30 and Madge suggests that she'd better get dinner going. Harold, however, says food is the least of his problems at the moment; the best decisions are always made on an empty stomach. Looking bemused, Madge asks him what he's talking about! Harold tells her:

HAROLD: My future; well, *our* future. I know what I'm going to do!
MADGE: Well, tell me!
HAROLD: No, I can't! But you will be the first to know when I have something definite to impart.
MADGE: Sounds intriguing!
HAROLD: Don't get your hopes up - I've still got to talk to, er, someone!
MADGE: Who?
HAROLD: I'm not saying another word. I won't be long.

With that, Harold heads out. Madge walks through to the lounge room, where Henry has just come in with Bronwyn. She sits down in the lounge room and Mrs. Mangel exclaims that the girl looks so pale. Bronwyn, however, insists that she's fine - honestly! She then thanks Joe for the lift home. Joe tells her that it was the least he could do: he feels pretty rotten. Bronwyn says:

BRONWYN: Don't. *I* was the dummy who went back in there.

She then asks in concern if anyone found the kitten. Henry smiles that if she'd care to venture into her room, she might find a nice little surprise! He adds that the silly cat was outside the whole time; Joe found her. He escorts Bronwyn to her room as Joe reminds everyone that no one's to go within cooee of the houses until tomorrow night. He heads off. Mrs. Mangel joins Madge back in the kitchen, holding a sheet of paper. Madge comments tersely that she takes it that's the roster Mrs. Mangel has got there. She grabs it and reads:

MADGE: 'Mrs. Bishop - kitchen duties, washing up, drying up, garbage out tomorrow'. [Angrily] What the hell is everyone *else* going to be doing? Twiddling their proverbials?
MRS. MANGEL (retorts): It's a small price to pay for your selfishness.
MADGE: I beg your pardon?
MRS. MANGEL: I don't want to sleep in that front bedroom.
MADGE: Too bad!
MRS. MANGEL: It's utterly intolerable. I demand that we change.
MADGE: What are you going on about? We've been through all of this before. What's your problem *now*?
MRS. MANGEL: It's the light from the street- lamp - it will keep me awake all night.

Loud music starts playing suddenly and Madge muses:

MADGE: I have a feeling you might be kept awake all night *anyway*!
MRS. MANGEL (hisses): You despicable woman. In *my* day, people were-
MADGE (snaps): Just spare me the lecture, would you? All right - you can *have* the room. You can have the *bed* if you like. Anything to stop your whinging. Satisfied?

With that, she storms out. Mrs. Mangel grins:

MRS. MANGEL: Thank you!

No. 26
Nick and Scott are sitting at the kitchen table and Beverly asks Scott if he's sure he won't stay for dinner. Scott, however, says he'd better get back over the road pretty soon and join the other evacuees! Nick tells him that he'll come with him, as Shaz and Bron should be back soon. Helen comments that Bronwyn's a very lucky girl. Scott adds:

SCOTT: Yeah, I reckon. *Anything* could've happened if Bev hadn't been there.
BEVERLY (smiles): All right, all right, you can hold your breath. I know what you're all trying to do - but you don't have to bother. I've made up my mind: I'm going back to work.

Jim puts his arms round her in delight as she goes on that she's not too proud to admit that she's learned a few very valuable lessons from this drama; she's still got her fair share of troubles, but at least she feels she can face up to them now.

No. 28
Paul and Harold are sitting at the kitchen counter. Des takes a beer out of the 'fridge and hands it to Paul. As he does so, he comments to Harold that he had a good time in Brisbane then? Harold nods that they did - and he's fighting fit; never felt better. Des then asks if there's something more important he'd like to talk about. Harold nods that, actually, there is: it's about the Coffee Shop. Des asks him if he'd like to come back to work. Harold just says:

HAROLD: Business been good, has it?
DES: Better! We had this competition - to see who could stuff their face with the most ice cream. The kids loved it!
HAROLD (warily): Er, Des-
DES: Yes, Harold, I knew you wouldn't approve, but we did miss you. Not that everybody else didn't work their butts off, but it's good to have you back, mate.
HAROLD: Oh good - because that makes what I'm about to say just a little easier.
PAUL (grins at Des): I'd watch yourself, mate - this could cost you! Well, they never come right out and say it, do they?!
HAROLD: No, no, no, no! Now, financial gain *is* involved here, but I'm not going to ask for a pay rise or anything like that. Now, er, I'm not one to blow my own trumpet, you understand, but I think I've done the right thing by you, Des, in managing the Coffee Shop. Well, you yourself have acknowledged that, eh?
DES: Sure. Sure. Go for it.
HAROLD: Yes. Um. Well, the thing is, I've gone *beyond* management, Des, and, er, I'd like to make you an offer. I want to buy you out.

Des stares at Harold in astonishment.

No. 28
A short time later, Des is sitting at the dinner table as Harold tells him:

HAROLD: You see, the fact is you've got too much on your plate, Des, whereas *I* can give the business all the attention and time it needs to thrive.
DES (frowns): So you think you can run the place better than *I* can. Is that what you're trying to say?

Paul chips in to point out to Harold that the Coffee Shop might not make as much money as the Daniels Corporation, but it's not exactly a white elephant, either. Harold, however, tells him that he's misunderstood completely. He goes on:

HAROLD: I think it's steady, secure... a gradual climber. A bit like myself really, eh?! I'd only be too happy to offer you a fair price for the business, Des.
DES (nods): Yeah, I know, mate.

Paul asks Harold how the hell he plans to pay for it. Harold says to Des that he thought the *bank* might help. Paul muses:

PAUL: You mean you want to borrow money from Des to *pay* Des, is that it?

Des, however, comments that finance isn't the problem. He explains:

DES: The Coffee Shop. It's still Daph's, mate. She loved that place; spent so much time there. And although I've got Jamie, it's just nice to wander past there sometimes, you know, and remember. Sorry.

Harold murmurs that he understands completely. Paul, however, asks Des if he's ever thought of taking on a partner: that way he wouldn't have to relinquish any interest in the business and Harold would have all the incentive he needs. Harold smiles that he'd be only too happy to compromise. Des beams that so would he! He then shakes Harold's hand and declares that this calls for a celebration!

No. 30
Nick is sitting in the candlelit lounge room with Bronwyn, Sharon, Henry and Scott. Henry is coughing and Sharon warns him that he'll wake the oldies. Henry says he just had a bug in his drink! Nick stands up and says he'd better make tracks. Sharon goes to the door to see him out. Bronwyn tells Henry that she's had a hard day too, and she'd better hit the hay. Henry watches her as she walks off to her room. Scott starts trying to get his and Henry's beds organised, but he realises that Henry's still looking in Bronwyn's direction. He grins:

SCOTT: You could always dream about her instead!
HENRY: With *my* imagination, that's almost as good, Scotty! Not quite, but almost!

Scott then reminds Henry to tell Harold that he and Madge have changed rooms with Mrs. Mangel. Henry nods that he'll stay up until Harold gets home and then it'll be sweet dreams...!

No. 26
Jim is pouring himself a glass of water in the kitchen as Beverly says to Helen, who's sitting at the kitchen table, that she thinks she'll sleep well tonight: making decisions wears her out! Jim tells her that Todd will be pleased that things have settled down. The front door bangs suddenly and Nick comes in. Helen asks how things are at No. 30. Nick smiles that he's glad Mrs. Mangel went to bed early: she'd have freaked if she'd known he'd stayed this late! With that, he heads off to bed. Jim goes over to the 'phone on the desk in the lounge room and Beverly asks him who on earth he's ringing. He tells her:

JIM: I want to find out what time Todd's coming home. He'll probably get annoyed with me for ringing him at Gary's, but he'll stay out 'til all hours if I don't.

He gets through to Mrs. Ling and asks for a word with Todd. He listens and then thanks Mrs. Ling and hangs up, looking concerned. He tells Beverly and Helen that Mrs. Ling hasn't seen Todd all day and neither has Gary. Beverly says she felt *sure* Todd said he was going to Gary's - although she *has* had a lot on her mind. She then adds that she might stay up - she feels better when she knows everyone's home. Jim, however, tells her and Helen that *he'll* stay up.

No. 30
Harold comes in through the front door at No. 30 and heads into the lounge room, where he finds Scott and Henry lying fast asleep on the floor. He turns and heads into his darkened bedroom, where he hisses:

HAROLD: Madge.

He heads a murmuring sound and he smiles at Madge that he's glad she's awake. He starts taking off his clothes, going on as he does so:

HAROLD: I am very pleased to say that I can finally let you in on my little secret. I've done it, Madge! No more moping around with a long face.

As he strips down to just a vest and boxers, he grins:

HAROLD: I am on the golden road to financial success. Des has made me a partner in the Coffee Shop! What do you think of *that*?!

He leans down to the bed, where only a small amount of hair can be seen peeking out from under the blankets. There's no movement in the bed, and so Harold sighs in disappointment:

HAROLD: Never mind. It can wait until tomorrow.

He then climbs into the bed - not realising that the woman lying next to him is Mrs. Mangel! Her eyes open suddenly, filled with horror. She sits up and starts screaming at Harold to get out!