Outside The Coffee Shop
Anne is refusing to believe that Ben is telling the truth about being her brother. But Ben assures her that he is not lying, he has a birth certificate to prove it. Anne says that he might have got the wrong person and it's not actually Ruth who is his mother, but Ben assures her that there is no doubt in his mind. Anne again in tears tells him, that she doesn't care who he thinks that he is, but leave them alone. Anne storms off, and Ben is upset, because he upset Anne, he says that was not his intention.

The Lake
Toadie and Rebecca are still enjoying their picnic, Toadie has chips all over his shirt, and Rebecca has the pleasure of wiping them off, what a turn on huh?

Toadie goes in for a kiss, but Becky tells him he has chips around their mouth.

TOADIE: It's alright they're salt and vinegar.

Becky isn't laughing, she quite rightedly doesn't want them second hand. So Toadie wipes them off and moves in for a kiss, but the big moment is interrupted with a shout of 'Gross' it's Hannah and she doesn't want to witness Toadie and Becky pashing.

Toadie is mad, he asks Hannah why she is there, she got bored waiting for Anne at the coffee shop, and thought spying on Toadie would be more interesting. Rebecca recognises Hannah as the girl from the movies who was throwing popcorn at her.

Rebecca has to get back to work so leaves, and Toadie is annoyed with Hannah for interrupting.

TOADIE: You just ruined the best moment of my life.
HANNAH: For you maybe, not for her the poor girl. Kiss you? Gross.

Toadie is not impressed and pushes Hannah to the ground, the kind of mature act from a pretend 19 year old.

The Coffee Shop
When Sarah comes in a finds a table, sneaky Marlene joins her to 'thoughtfully' ask if she is looking forward to the job interview. Sarah says that she is a bit anxious, and Marlene says that it is understandable. Marlene tries to put her off.

MARLENE: Have you had much office experience at all?
SARAH: No unfortunately.
MARLENE: None at all?
SARAH: No, but I'm going to do a course, it can't be that complicated, just answering phones and filing cards and stuff?
MARLENE: Oh.... would it help if I told you a little bit of what's required.
(Sarah nods)
MARLENE: Do you have any medical knowledge?
(Sarah shakes her head)
MARLENE: That's a shame, as you'll have to help doctor with his instruments.
SARAH: You mean do nursing?
MARLENE: No just hold the kidney bowl for doctor while he cuts out the problem bits, and then you will have to file all of that according to their pathologies.
SARAH: Sounds awful.
MARLENE: Well it is a doctor's surgery...

Marlene wonders if Sarah is any good at the computer, but she was hoping to do a course on that and learn as she went along, but Marlene tells her that is not really an option, she also gives the impression that Karl is a nightmare to work with. Conveniently Marlene has to rush off, and leaves a bemused and worried looking Sarah, seemingly having second thoughts.

Erinsborough High.
Hannah finds a downbeat looking Anne sitting alone in a classroom. She thinks that Ben has said something Bad, and Anne tells her that Ben has told her that he is Anne's adopted son, so thus her half brother. Hannah tries to reassure Anne, and suggests that Ben has the wrong information.

Hannah thinks that the best thing to do would be to speak to Ruth about it as soon as she can, maybe Ben was just making it up. Hannah thinks that Ruth will fix everything and it will be OK. Anne doesn't look so sure.

Outside Number 32
Ben nervously knocks on the door, but there is no answer. Ruth's car is in the drive though, so surely she should be in. Ben still gets no answer.

Erinsborough High
Anne eventually finds Lance, and tells her that Ben reckons that he is their brother.

Lance can't believe it, he thinks that it was a ploy by Ben to put her off, but Anne is sure that it's not. Anne asks Lance if their mum has ever said anything to him, and told him not to tell her (Anne), but with a shake of his head Lance says that she hasn't. This leads Anne to conclude that it can't be true, but Lance is not so quickly convinced, and the wheels start to turn in his head.

Number 26
Ruth and Phil have been out for a fancy tea, and Swiss strudel, that tasted all the better for being $10 a slice!!! That is why Ruth's car was in the driveway of Number 32 obviously they took Phil's car. They are in good spirits.

That is until Hannah gets home, and asks Ruth if she has spoken to Anne yet. Ruth worries that there is something wrong with Anne, Hannah tells her that she isn't hurt or anything, but it is not something that she should be talking about, and Ruth should have a word with Anne. A worried Ruth rushes home.

A stern looking Phil is about to give Hannah a telling off, but Hannah is adamant that she is not lying.

PHIL: I hope you haven't got Ruth worried over nothing. What's going on?
HANNAH: It's just really really personal, and I don't think I should say anything until Anne's spoken to her mum.

The Surgery/Number 30
Sarah has decided to call Marlene to tell her that she has given her interview a lot of thought, and has decided that she shouldn't come in, she doesn't think that the job is for her.

In the background behind Sarah, a worried Ben is pacing about and keeps twitching at the curtains, obviously watching the goings on in the street outside.

Back at the surgery, Marlene is pleased to hear that Sarah has backed out.

MARLENE: That's a pity, but I do understand how embarrassing it can be to go to an interview when you know you are wrong for the job. I think that doing your courses is a good idea, I'll tell Karl, thank you. Bye Bye.

A gleeful Marlene rushes into Karl's office to pass on the news, Sarah isn't coming to the interview. Karl finds that odd, as Sarah had earlier seemed very keen for the job. Again Marlene blames the unreliability of the young. Marlene knew all along that she wasn't right for the job. Very odd muses Karl.

Number 32
A worried Ruth gets home to find that Anne has gone off somewhere by herself, she scolds Lance for letting her do so, but she wanted to.

LANCE: SO is it true what Ben said?
RUTH: What?
LANCE: About him being our brother?

A shocked and distressed Ruth is speechless, the truth is dawning on her, and it seems that her world is crashing down around her. Before she can answer Lance's question, they are interrupted by a knock on the door, which Lance answers and it is Ben.

BEN: Can I come in?

Lance says nothing, but lets Ben go into the lounge, and Ruth for the first time realises that she is standing face to face with her long lost son.

BEN: I think it might be a good idea if we talked in private.
RUTH: Lance would you mind?
LANCE: Yes I would mind. This is to do with all of us...
RUTH: Yes I am well aware of that, just let me deal with it first, then we can talk.

Lance is not keen to leave, and remains glued to the spot, as the shock is sinking in.

RUTH: PLEASE!!!

Lance reluctantly leaves, and Ruth and Ben face each other in an uncomfortable silence.

Outside
A shocked Lance is wandering around in a daze, he eventually sits down beside a bush, in a world of his own, he is not really listening when Toadie comes over to fill him in on his romance with Rebecca, Toadie seems a bit peeved that Lance isn't listening when he is trying to tell him something important. Lance however has more to worry about than Toadie's love life, so he excuses himself and wanders off.

Number 32
Ruth is standing with her back to Ben, it doesn't seem as though she can look him in the eye.

BEN (Stuttering through nerves): My parents know I'm here, actually mum said you may not want to talk to me. Do you.... want to talk to me?
RUTH: How did you find us?
BEN: The agency, they gave me as much stuff as they could. Mum had my birth certificate of course. I couldn't find out much stuff about my father, still took a while. even with what I had. I've been planning this for ages. You wouldn't believe all the stuff I'd been imagining, like where you live, and what you look like....
RUTH: Do you have it with you?
BEN: What?
RUTH: Your birth certificate?
BEN: Yeah sure.

Ben who conveniently obviously carries around his almost immaculate birth certificate in his back pocket, hands the document, to an obviously distressed Ruth.

Ruth unfolds the piece of paper, and sees her name on the birth certificate for 'Christopher Wilkinson' born on the 18th September 1975 in Malvern. It clearly states that Ruth was not married at the time of the birth. Ruth nods in realisation of the truth.

RUTH: Christopher...
BEN: Yeah. I'm not disappointed you know. In any of it.

Ruth folds the birth certificate, and is on the verge of tears.

RUTH: We should have a cup of tea or something.
BEN: I'm OK thanks I would rather talk.
RUTH: Right. What is it you want to know, why have you come here?
BEN: To see you.
RUTH (accusingly): But you've got a family haven't you? A mother and a father?
BEN: Yeah
RUTH: And they love you?
BEN: Yeah
RUTH: So where are they?
BEN: They're in Adelaide, they're fantastic. But I had to know. I had to find out, wouldn't you want to if the same thing happened to you?
RUTH: Not the way you've gone about it, playing games with us. Pretending you're one person when you're really someone else. And what about Anne, leading her on, getting her all worked up, and then out of the blue you tell her you're her brother, what on earth did you think you were doing?
BEN: I never meant for that, it just came out.
RUTH (who by this time is hysterical): What did you expect from us. What do you expect me to do? apologise, explain? WHAT ABOUT MY FAMILY????
BEN: I don't know. I didn't expect anything....
RUTH: You didn't even come to me first, you could have given me a chance to explain.
BEN: Look, I know I went about it the wrong way, but that's my mistake. I'm your son and I'm here now, all I've got is a few questions, you owe me at least that.

A mournful Ruth gives a faint nod, as the summariser wipes a tear from her eye, one of the most powerful and emotional scenes in the history of the show.

The Coffee Shop
ANNE: I still can't believe, did mum actually admit that it was true?
LANCE: Well not to my face, but the way that she reacted when Ben came in, and then asking me to leave was as good as admitting it.

The siblings stare at the table for a moment, they are still in almost as much shock as their mother. When Hannah comes in, she asks if there is anything that she can do, but Lance sends her away telling her that it is between the two of them.

Hannah bumps into Becky at the counter, she asks where Toadie lives as she wants to pop by later and surprise him, Hannah is reluctant, but she is on the spot and can't think of an excuse so is forced to give out the address.

Number 32
Ruth has made Ben a cup of tea, probably a distraction from having to say any more to him.

BEN: I've never been so nervous in my life.
RUTH: That makes two of us. So you've got a few questions.
BEN: Yeah, but I want you to know, I don't mean any harm, I'm not here to cause you any trouble.
RUTH: I think it might be a bit late for that. Come on fire away.
BEN: There's so much. My father, is he still around.
RUTH: No, I haven't heard from him in a very long time.
BEN: So you didn't get married or anything?
RUTH: Not to your father.
BEN: Do you know where he is?

Ruth seems to be a little calmer, there is a hint of a smile on her face, and it looks like she is grateful for the cup of tea.

RUTH: He has a family in Sydney.
BEN: What's he like?
RUTH: A bit like you actually.

Ben grins a little as he is finding out a bit more about who he really is.

BEN: Really? How?
RUTH: Around the eyes, you definitely have his nose.
BEN: Do you have a photo?
RUTH: Yeah, I'll dig it out for you. Look Ben this isn't really what you want to know is it?
BEN: Yeah sure, well part of it anyway.
RUTH: Well I know what I'd ask if I were you.
BEN: I guess I wondered if you ever thought about me, if you ever wondered how I was?
RUTH: Of course I did, how could I not?
BEN: What did you think?
RUTH: I worried that you'd gone to a good home, that you were happy. Ben don't you want to know why I gave you up?
BEN: Yeah.

This time it is Ben who has tears in his eyes as he listens to Ruth, his mother has to say.

BEN: I guess you didn't love me.
RUTH: Oh Ben, it wasn't that at all.

Ruth has her head in her hands, as she realises where she is, and what she is saying, to the son she never thought she would see again.

RUTH: I can't explain to you. I was very young. I wished that I could have kept you, I, the number of times I thought, I decided to keep you... and my mum just.... please I'm sorry Ben I can't.
BEN: That's OK.... I've got to go.

Both Ruth and Ben are in tears, and to be perfectly honest so am I by the end of this scene it is heartbreaking to watch, and acted perfectly.

The Surgery
Karl has cottoned onto Marlene's scam and has summons her to the office, he has had a chat with Sarah, and he tells Marlene to stop interfering with him hiring another receptionist.

Marlene tries to back track and make excuses for her actions, reminding Karl that Sarah has no experience, but Karl won't listen. He is committed to job sharing, and if Marlene interferes with the process again he will sack her. He asks Marlene if that is clear, she says it is, so he sends her out to do the filing, his way. He has a grin on his face when he realises that he has won this battle with Marlene.

Number 28
Hannah has run all the way from the coffee shop to warn Toadie that Becky is going to be coming over, and everyone will be there when she comes over, and then Toadie's lies will be exposed, a panicked Toadie doesn't know what to do.

Number 32
Phil is there to see if Ruth is OK.

PHIL: Hannah has given me a rough idea of what's happened, it sounds so crazy, Ben. I told her it was a lot of nonsense?

From the look on Ruth's face Phil realises that it is definitely not a lot of nonsense, and when Ruth then breaks down in tears Phil too realises the enormity of what has just been revealed on Ramsay Street.

It has to be said that this has to be one of the greatest episodes in Neighbours history, with absolutely remarkable acting from all involved with the adoption storyline, If you can watch this episode then do. Viewers will not be disappointed.