Farm
Jeffrey Murphy emerges from the farmhouse. Karl is sitting outside in a chair, lapping up the sun with his eyes closed, and is startled when Jeffrey starts chopping wood with the axe. He gets up and offers Jeffrey a hand, but Jeffrey mutters that he can manage: people from the city wouldn't know the first thing about chopping wood. Karl holds out his hand and asks for the axe. Jeffrey hands it over and Karl uses it to split a large log in half. Jeffrey looks impressed and he comments that Karl's done that before. Karl explains that he lived in the country for years. Jeffrey remarks:

JEFFREY: Yeah? Never would've picked it - not from what you're like *now*.
KARL (sighs longingly): No, you wouldn't, would you...?

No. 28
It's evening- time and Libby is telling Mal that Rupert seemed to think her grandpa would go for it as long as they're honest. Mal tells her that she'd better ask him when he gets home, then. Libby tells him that *he* should do it: he's the oldest! At that moment, Tom comes in and sits down on the couch with a newspaper. He looks at Libby and Mal muttering at each other behind the kitchen counter and suggests to them curtly that *one* of them had better ask him before the wind changes and they both end up looking like a pair of goldfish for the rest of their lives! Libby pushes Mal towards their grandfather and he tells Tom that he and Libby - and Billy and Toadie - were wondering if it would be all right if they have some friends over tomorrow night. Tom comments that it sounds like they're planning a party. Mal nods:

MAL: Just a small one, yeah.

Tom goes on that it also sounds like they're finally being honest with him - and he likes a good party as much as the next bloke. He adds, though, that he doesn't want them inviting a bunch of dingbats: there's nothing worse than talking to some long- haired git who thinks that Karl Marx was a long- lost brother of Groucho!

No. 22
Danni comes downstairs. Ben is in the kitchen and offers her a coffee. She declines, though - and then adds:

DANNI: But I *would* like some common courtesy. How *dare* you humiliate me like that in front of Lou and mum? Telling me I'm lazy... threatening to sack me... I don't understand: what kind of relationship do you think we have?

Ben, however, tells her that they have *two* relationships: a professional relationship and a personal relationship. He adds that he's sorry if he embarrassed her, but while he may be her friend and lover and fiancé, he's also her boss and expects her to apply herself just as any *other* employee would. He tells her that he doesn't want to lose her, but doesn't want to lose the business either, and if working together and being together are going to cause problems then maybe they'll have to forget about the whole thing. Danni looks shocked.

Farm
Susan emerges from the farmhouse and a smile crosses her face as she sees Karl and Jeffrey walking towards her, holding rifles in one hand a rabbit each in the other hand. Karl tells Jeffrey that he hasn't held a rifle since he moved back to town. Susan joins them and smiles that it's a beautiful morning. Jeffrey tells them that he'll leave them to it: he has some work to do in the top paddock. He walks off and Susan stands there smiling at Karl. He asks:

KARL: What?!
SUSAN: You - going shooting with a man who was supposedly going to murder us in our beds a couple of nights ago!

Karl admits that he misjudged the boy - he's a simple soul but his heart's in the right place.

No. 26
Debbie and George are in the kitchen and George asks Debbie if she's going to the Kennedys' party tonight. Debbie mutters that she doesn't know anyone. George then says she knows it must be a bit of a bummer to come home and not have your room, but she gets the feeling Debbie has more on her mind. Debbie retorts:

DEBBIE: Really?
GEORGE: Yeah - so if you want to talk...
DEBBIE (coldly): George, let me get a couple of things straight, OK? Apart from the fact that I've only known you for two days, you've walked in here, stolen my room, fought with my sister and basically walked around here like you *own* the place. What on earth makes you think I'd want to talk to you about *anything*?

George looks taken aback.

No. 28
Billy and Melissa are lying on Billy's bed, kissing. When they pull apart, Mel asks Billy if he's sure his grandfather isn't going to come barging in. Billy insists that he's positive. At that moment, though, the door opens - but it's Libby! Billy asks her irritatedly if she can't knock. Libby ignores this and hands him and Mel a copy of a newspaper article. They read a story about Andrew Watson and his friend Peter Richardson having to rescue students from an overturned dingy. Billy comments that he'd never have picked Watson as the superhero type. Libby says:

LIBBY: So what do you think about this 'friend', Peter Richardson?
BILLY: What?
LIBBY: Well, I overheard mum say something the other day about Mr. Watson having a new love interest. Maybe 'friends' is a polite way of putting it?
MEL: Don't be silly.
BILLY: Yeah, they're just friends, that's all.
LIBBY: Really? So this trashy newspaper's got it all wrong, then, has it?

She shows Billy the headline: 'Gay Teacher's Kiss of Life'. Billy shows it to Mel, who exclaims that that's disgusting. Billy comments in surprise:

BILLY: Why?
MEL: What? You think it's *fine* for Mr. Watson to be... you know...
BILLY: What - gay?
LIBBY (to Mel): What's wrong with being gay?
MEL: Well... I don't know... It's unnatural. It's just not normal. And if you really want to know the truth, I think it's a bit sick.

Holy Roll
Toadie sits down at a table with Jo and tells her that being friends with a girl before working his way up to that romantic stuff was a huge disaster. Jo says she's really sorry. Toadie sighs that he's tried really hard. Jo, however, tells him that you can't force someone to love you: if you push too hard, you can do more harm than good; if he pulls back a bit, he could restore the friendship. Mal comes over at that moment and tells Toadie that he doesn't get paid for sitting around gabbing all day. Toadie gives him a Nazi salute and marches back to the kitchen!

No. 28
Billy and Mel are in the lounge room with Libby and Tom, Billy telling Mel that it's Mr. Watson's business and no one else's. Mel, however, insists curtly that she doesn't want to discuss this any further - and she doesn't have to get permission from him or anyone else to feel the way she does. With that, she snaps that she'll see him tonight at the party, and she storms out. When she's gone, Libby says:

LIBBY: So, Billy, how does it feel to be dating a bigot?

Tom warns her not to jump to conclusions: children don't just get their attitudes and opinions out of thin air. Billy asks him what he means. Tom suggests that before he accuses Melissa of being narrow- minded, maybe he should find out exactly where she gets her information from; *his* guess is that he won't have to look further than the girl's parents.

No. 22
Danni is sketching at the kitchen table when Ben arrives home and says he thought she was going to meet him for a coffee. Danni apologises and explains that she had some sketches she wanted to get down. She then tells him that she's been thinking about what he said and he was right: she *has* been taking advantage of their relationship; he gave her a great opportunity and she got carried away with the glamorous side of things and forgot about making an effort. Ben smiles at her as she then asks if he's got time for a break. He grins:

BEN: That would depend.
DANNI: On what?
BEN: On whether we're talking about business or pleasure...
DANNI (seductively): Who said anything about talking...?!

No. 26
George opens the front door and finds Toadie standing on the step. He asks if he can come in. George lets him through, reluctantly. Toadie tells her that he's really sorry about the way he's been acting lately: it's just that he felt really bad when she ignored him at the dance. George retorts that *she* felt really bad when he threw her apology back in her face. Toadie suggests that they go back to being friends. George, however, says it's obvious he wants *more* than that. Toadie insists that it won't happen again - and it's better to have a friend than nothing at all. George nods that she needs all the friends she can get right now.

Farm
Jeffrey is sitting outside when Susan and Karl approach, Susan holding some apples she and Karl found in the orchard. She smiles that they can have apple crumble for dinner. Jeffrey doesn't respond and Karl asks him if he's all right. Jeffrey murmurs that Stretch - the mechanic from town - called: the water pump arrived earlier than expected. Karl comments:

KARL: And that's upsetting you?
JEFFREY: Yeah. Stretch said that he'd drop it by tonight, and I can fix it in the morning - then I guess you'll be wantin' to go, won't you?

Susan asks him if that's why he's upset: because they'll be leaving. Jeffrey replies that they don't get many visitors round there: she and Karl are really interesting. Susan and Karl look at each other and agree to stick around!

No. 26
Debbie is lying on the couch, watching TV, when the 'phone rings. She gets up and answers it. She listens and then growls:

DEBBIE: What are you doing calling me here? ... I thought I made it clear when I left we weren't going to have anything more to do with each other? ... I know... I know it wasn't your idea. I thought you agreed. ... Oh - OK. I thought you accepted my decision. ... No, no, I don't want you doing that. ... Because we'd just be back where we started. ... No. Please. ... Look, it's impossible, OK? Just leave me alone, all right? I've got to go.

She hangs up, looking upset.

No. 28
The party is in full swing and after handing round a plate of food, Libby joins Billy and comments that everyone seems to be enjoying themselves - she hopes Rupert gets there soon. Billy says he wonders if Mel will show up after this afternoon - although the Drenths have always been pretty strict, so it's no surprise they tell her what to think. Libby suggests to him that he try and convince her that her parents aren't always right.

Across the room, Tom asks Mal to get him a drink: a glass of his dad's most expensive wine! The front door opens and Mel comes in. She joins Billy and tells him that she's really sorry about the way she behaved this afternoon. Billy says he'll talk to her later, as he has to hand some food around. He walks off, leaving Mel looking annoyed.

No. 26
George is in the lounge room, getting ready to go to the party, when Debbie emerges from her room with a pile of clothes and tells George that there's been a change in sleeping arrangements: she's taking her room back and George is going in with Hannah. George retorts that she and Hannah can't *stand* each other. Debbie just shrugs that that's tough, and she throws the clothes on the floor. She goes to walk back to her room. George calls after her:

GEORGE: Just answer me one question: what happened to make you act like such a bitch?
DEBBIE (shrugs): I'm just lucky, I guess. What's *your* excuse?

No. 28
Tom is having the time of his life as he dances with the girls at the party! Libby asks Mal how much red wine he's had! Danni arrives and comments to Mal and Libby that it looks like a great party. Mal asks her where Ben is and she replies that he's off wining and dining a bunch of retailers; if the deal goes through, it could make them mega- rich. Libby comments:

LIBBY: When you say 'us', I take it you and Ben are equal partners in this business?
DANNI (coolly): If you're asking if I actually earn my share of the profits, then the answer's yes, Libby. Ben and I may have a personal relationship, but that doesn't mean I don't pull my weight.

She storms off, leaving Libby to laugh:

LIBBY: Something I said?!

Across the room, Jo joins Billy, Mel and Toadie and tells Billy that he's been a great host. Mel mutters that he's hardly said boo to a goose all night. Someone puts conga music on and everyone starts joining in the line and conga- ing around the room! As they do so, they knock Billy, who's holding a drink in his hand, and it spills over him. Billy sighs and says he's going to go and get changed.

Billy's bedroom
Having taken off his top, Billy heads into his room and, switching on the light, finds George sitting on his bed, sobbing. Looking surprised, he asks her gently what's wrong. She cries:

GEORGE: *Everything's* wrong. I *hate* living with the Martins, I *hate* Debbie and I *hate* my *life*
BILLY (softly): Hey, hey, shhh, it's OK, calm down.
GEORGE (sobs): Why can't anything go right for me? You know, everything is always such a struggle.
BILLY: Hey, it's OK. Really.

The two of them find themselves staring into each other's eyes. They move slowly towards each other and their lips eventually meet. They start kissing. At that moment, though, Mel comes in, saying to Billy:

MEL: Billy, I got you some soda water for the s—

She breaks off in shock as she catches Billy and George mid- embrace.