Number 22
Lou is showing Lolly photographs of her as a baby - and photographs of Cheryl. Carol pops around and thinks that showing Cheryl's photographs to Lolly is a lovely idea.

CAROL: I do believe, Lou Carpenter, there is a sensitive soul lurking beneath that um...
LOU: ...beastly exterior?
CAROL: Rugged is the word I was looking for!

Carol invites herself around for a quiet night in - and offers to cook too.

Number 32 - Living Room
Ruth has a go at Geoff, and they both accuse each other of not being psychologists and both of them being unaware at how challenged Ben should be.

Number 32 - Hall
Ben is using his walking frame and hangs outside the living room, listening in as Ruth and Geoff argue.

Number 32 - Living Room
Geoff tells Ruth that she's not made things easy for him and Ben. They start to argue and Geoff suggests that they give each other a break. Geoff promises not to pressure Ruth about their relationship if she can give him a real chance with Ben. (Isn't that what Ruth was trying to do all along?!) Ruth is worried about Ben getting hurt again.

Number 32 - Hall
Ben overhears Geoff say that he's done well enough growing up without either Ruth or Geoff around. Geoff tells Ruth that Ben needs to face up to his fears.

Number 32 - Living Room
Geoff says that he took Ben to the pub, and Ruth is appalled. She reminds Geoff that Ben hates being seen on his walking frame. Geoff tells Ruth that Ben had a great time at the pub.

Number 32 - Hall
Ben overhears Geoff's explanation - when they returned from the pub, Ben was so full of confidence and so strong, Geoff thought he could cope with the videotape of the accident.

Number 32 - Living Room
Ruth rages about the videotape incident again - she thinks the pub and the accident are two entirely different matters. She tells Geoff that he was irresponsible and arrogant.

Anne comes in from school, clearly walking into a very chilly atmosphere! Geoff decides to leave.

Number 32 - Hall
Ben hears Geoff and Ruth agreeing to discuss the incident further in the future.

Number 32 - Living Room
As Geoff goes to leave, Ben walks in. Geoff asks how he is and starts to apologise. Ben cuts him off, curtly telling him that 'it's ok, don't worry about it' and he sits down. Geoff doesn't seem to know how to take his reaction!

Number 22
Carol is cooking. Lou wants to help, but Carol has done everything.

LOU: No pots and pans to wash?
CAROL: Washed, dried and put away.
LOU: You are too good to be true. You know, you didn't have to do this.
CAROL: Mind you, some of them might be in the wrong cupboards.
LOU: Oh, that's ok. It's better than Toadie. His idea of washing up is to put all the dishes out on the lawn and pray for rain!

Lou is desperate to help, but Carol tells him to relax.

LOU: I can't. Whenever the boys are cooking, I hover in the background, waiting for an explosion or for the first whiff of toxic fumes!

Carol ushers him off to sit for the meal. She brings out lasagne, and Lou is stoked - it's his all time favourite. Carol is pleased.

LOU: Look at this, Lolly, just like your Mummy used to make.

Carol's smile wavers a little!

Number 26
Ruth and Phil are about to have a glass of wine, when Hannah starts hounding Phil to find some odd-jobs for Paul. Phil thinks there isn't much that needs doing, but eventually suggests that he sweep and hose the back porch. Paul is stoked and agrees.

HANNAH: How much are you paying?
PHIL: Err...5 bucks. Seems like a 5 dollar job to me.

Paul nods in agreement.

HANNAH: $20?
PHIL: I'm asking him to sweep it, not build it!
HANNAH: Ok! Well, there's nothing wrong with negotiating.
PHIL: Quite right. Nothing wrong with negotiating. 5 bucks, take it or leave it.

Paul agrees to take it! Hannah goes to get him the broom and hose. Phil rapidly interjects - it's night time! Hannah says that Paul needs to start making money as soon as possible, and they can work by the porch light. The pair run off.

PHIL: It'll probably cost me 5 bucks in electricity!

He frets that he hasn't got 5 bucks worth of change, but then notices that Ruth's really quiet. She tells him that it's Geoff - again. Ruth tells him about the videotape incident, but Phil thinks that Geoff was trying to help - although it sounds like a radical measure to take.

Phil points out that Geoff wants the same thing that Ruth does - to see Ben back on his feet. Ruth isn't too sure, and reckons that she's not going to forgive him easily!

Number 32
Lance is pacing up and down outside the bathroom, muttering to himself about wanting Anne to hurry up. Ruth appears and wonders what he's doing - and he confesses that he needs the toilet quite urgently and Anne's hogging the bathroom. Apparently she's been in there ages, but Ruth reminds him that Anne has as much right to use the bathroom as anyone else and he needs to be patient. Lance insists he has been patient - he hasn't shouted once yet!

Anne appears from the other side of the house - and they realise that Ben's the one in the bathroom. Anne wonders if Ben may have fallen again and Ruth sends the twins off so she can investigate. She knocks on the door.

Number 32 - Bathroom
Ben is preparing for a shave when the knock comes. He turns the radio down and makes his way to the door - by this time, Ruth has knocked several times! He's surprised that she's concerned and points out that he's not a complete cripple, and he can shave without slashing his jugular!

Ruth apologises and he invites her in for a chat. Ben says it's nice that people care so much, but he is finding it a bit claustrophobic. Ruth agrees to back off a bit - but they're both shepherded out of the bathroom by poor old Lance, who really was desperate to use the toilet!

Number 24
Paul is cleaning Harold's tuba, and Hannah is clearly bored. She wants to hang out at the Coffee Shop but Paul is keen to find more jobs. Madge suggests that Hannah join in with Paul's work. Hannah reckons she's got enough money from the jukebox. Harold pushes the issue, suggesting that Paul would be grateful for the help and Paul agrees. Hannah looks thoughtful.

Number 32
Ruth is doing sit-ups. Lance and Anne head off in a rush, but Ruth calls them back, suggesting that they might have homework to do instead. She gets an earful in return.

RUTH: All right, all right, it was a routine parental enquiry. I'm obliged by law to ask!

The twins disappear. Geoff enters. Things are a bit frosty between him and Ruth, but she says she's about to wash the dog so she's finished up in the living room. Geoff says that he wondered if he'd be welcome at all after what happened yesterday. He says that he was even angrier than she was - at himself.

Ruth concedes that he was just trying to help and admits that she didn't handle it too well herself. Geoff wants to square things with Ben, so Ruth calls him from his room.

The door goes and it's Hannah and Paul, looking for work. Ruth tells them that they can wash Bonnie and they go to the back yard.

Ben comes out of his room and meets Geoff in the living room. Geoff goes to apologise but Ben tells him that he already knows - and it's ok, he's over it.

Lou's Place
Lou is working and Phil comes in, who wants a word. Phil tells him that he can't expect to claim on the receipts that he handed to him. Lou is surprised - he definitely intends to claim on them. Phil tells him that his dentist work is not a legitimate business expense! Lou reckons that his smile is an essential tool of the trade - just like the bar taps and the pool table! Phil could not look less convinced if he tried.

Lou brushes Phil off, and Phil wonders why - apparently Carol is coming in, and they both comment on how nice she is. Right on cue, Carol appears. Phil makes himself scarce. Lou takes Carol on a tour around the pub. He starts talking about he and Cheryl ran it together, and how it was called Chez Chez. As he talks about Cheryl, Carol seems to get uncomfortable.

Number 32
Lance is playing on the Playstation. Ruth comes in from shopping and is surprised to see him home. He tells her that Amy had a big assignment due.

RUTH: Very conscientious of her. Any chance some of that attitude might have rubbed off on you?
LANCE: HA HA!

Ruth suddenly wonders what the splashing noise is that she can hear - and fears it might be Ben. Lance says that Geoff and Ben have gone to the pub.

Number 32 - Bathroom
Aha, we find the culprits of the splashing - Hannah and Paul have got Bonnie in the bath! Ruth is astounded - she meant they should wash Bonnie outside with the garden hose!

Number 32 - Various Rooms
Bonnie makes a break for it and runs through the house, knocking things over. She reaches Lance and flicks water all over him! Bonnie runs off again, Ruth, Hannah and Paul in hot pursuit. Lance is miserable!

Ramsay Street
Carol drives Lou home. Lou asks Carol for dinner but she gives him the brush-off. Carol drives off. Paul and Hannah come out of Number 32 and explain to Lou that they've been doing chores to make money.

Lou offers them a job sorting boxes of junk for $5. He changes his mind and offers them $10 because he likes to see kids with a good attitude. Paul and Lou shake on it, but Hannah doesn't seem too convinced and asks what the junk is. Lou tells them it's bits of cars from the Car Yard - he opens his garage and there's a whole heap of boxes to be done.

Paul and Hannah aren't best pleased, but Lou just laughs and tells them to get cracking.

Number 22
Phil is sitting with Lou going through his receipts.

PHIL: Like this one. What new television?
LOU: The one in the bedroom.
PHIL: Has it ever been set up in the pub?
LOU: No.

Phil looks like he wants to kill himself! Lou says he can take the tv into the pub if necessary. Phil tells him that Lou knows the rules for claims - he's already been through one audit, and he needs to clean up his act. Lou agrees that it needs to be torn up - and Phil is suddenly worried whether he's ok!

LOU: Phil. You get on well with women, don't you?
PHIL: ...what's that got to do with your receipts?
LOU: Oh come on, come on, you do, don't you?
PHIL: Well, er, yeah, sort of. Sometimes. I've learnt a thing or two over the years. Maybe.
LOU: Well, I can't work them out anymore.

Lou tells him that everything was going swimmingly with Carol, and now she's giving him the cold shoulder. He reckons he hasn't done anything different - and he hasn't got drunk, stood her up or been indelicate! Phil and Lou look thoughtful.

PHIL: Well, maybe it's something you didn't do.
LOU: No, no. I've been very attentive. I've found out her likes, her dislikes. The whole thing's a mystery to me.
PHIL: It'll work itself out. It's probably just a mood swing or a headache or...or...
LOU: Ah. Ah!
PHIL: Yeah.

Lou nods. (Boys, so funny!) Phil tells him that if it's going to happen, it will. Phil wants to get back to the receipts and tears one up for a full body massage!

Number 32
Ben's in the living room. Ruth comes in and comments that Geoff left in a hurry. Ben says that he was probably worried that Ruth was going to yell at him again! Ben points out that she was a bit cranky, but Ruth said it was Bonnie that had upset her, not Geoff.

Ben says he's completely changed his mind about Geoff - first he was some weirdo hanging around him at the hospital, then he found out he was his father. Ruth understands.

BEN: I hated his guts for what he did to us. And now... I like him. I could never have imagined that. He's a pretty nice guy.
RUTH: I know.
BEN: He still feels sick about what he did to you. He's for real, you know, he's not just saying that.

Ruth sits down and tells Ben that she's glad he likes Geoff - and it's not surprising, as there's a lot of Geoff in Ben. Ben asks how Ruth feels about Geoff.

BEN: I know you have a lot of fights but if that's just because of Phil then-
RUTH: No, no. It's not just because of Phil. Like you, I wanted to hate him at first but he's very charming and, as you say, he's a nice guy.
BEN: So?
RUTH: ...so what? There's no future between us if that's what you're asking.
BEN: What if you and Phil weren't engaged?
RUTH: ...I still don't think it'd be any different. Geoff's a very attractive man. He's got a lot of nice qualities. Which Philip was the first to point out, I might add!
BEN: Yep, it's ok. I'm just asking. ...he still likes you.
RUTH: I know. And I like him. And it's not like I haven't given the matter some thought. But Geoff and I went out for a couple of months. We were young and immature. It was a lifetime ago. It's stupid. Anyway, when all this is over, he's going to go back to his old life. He's got his business and his kids.

(You've given the matter some thought?! Poor Phil!) Anyway, Ben says that's all fair enough, as long as she doesn't mind he and Geoff spending time together. Ruth says that she's fine with that - and delighted for both of them.

Number 24
Paul and Hannah have littered up the front room with Lou's oily car parts. Paul is worried but Hannah tells him not to be so uptight.

PAUL: I'm not uptight. The Bishops are uptight!

Hannah reckons Madge won't mind because they've put newspaper everywhere - and she doesn't want to spend hours kneeling on the cold concrete in Lou's garage. Paul is still worried because he knows Madge is still recovering from her operation, but Hannah talks him round. They start sorting and Harold and Madge arrive home.

MADGE: Oh no! You've turned the place into a rubbish dump!

Harold and Madge are aghast. Madge asks if one of them is going to start explaining!

Number 22
Phil and Lou have finished with the receipts. Lou says he'll get some figures to Phil by the end of the week - and Phil's eager to hear Lou's reasoning for some of his deduction claims! Lou thanks him for listening to him go on about Carol.

There's a knock at the door - it's Madge and Harold, and Madge is on the warpath! Lou protests that he thought the kids were sorting his boxes in the garage, not the house. Madge says the kids reckon it'll take them all day and half of the night to complete the task.

PHIL: Hannah and Paul put the bite on you too, eh? How much are you paying 'em?
MADGE: 10 dollars.
PHIL: 10 dollars an hour? That's pretty reasonable.
LOU: You're joking. 10 bucks the lot.
PHIL: For all that junk in the workshop?! There must be 50 boxes of the stuff!
MADGE: WHAT?!
HAROLD: That's a bit steep.
PHIL: It's daylight robbery! 10 dollars the lot?!
LOU: Oi, oi, what is this? Get Lou Carpenter day?

Number 24
Madge, Harold, Lou, Lolly and Phil all go over to Number 24 to look at the state of the living room. Lou reckons it's not that bad. Madge and Harold aren't impressed, and Harold points out some broken glass and rusty wire - he reckons it's dangerous and irresponsible.

Lou is not convinced - he thinks Hannah and Paul are old enough to manage a bit of broken glass and some wire. Madge points out that Lou's not checked through the boxes, so he doesn't know what's there and what's not safe. As he's protesting, Lolly is messing in a box and picks up an artillery shell! Phil's the only one who spots this, and his eyes widen. Lolly starts to roll it around in her arms.

PHIL: Lolly, Lolly, don't touch that sweetheart. There's a good girl.
HANNAH: What is it?
PHIL: It's an artillery shell.
LOU: (laughs) Don't be daft; it's a paperweight, for crying out loud. Show me, sweetheart.

Lou takes it off her - and not too carefully!

PHIL: (urgently) Lou! Lou, couldn't it be live?!
LOU: Don't be crazy, if it were live, there'd be a firing pin in the botto-

He turns it over - and guess what! They all look a bit pale.