Recap
Garret and Rachel on a date.
Mishka about to walk out on Lou.
Paul telling Harold that his son put the bomb on the plane cuasing both the crash and his family's deaths.
No. 24
Harold just about has a heart attack at the noise Sky is making but when he goes to investigate, he discovers that Stinger and herself were just making background noises for his zombie film. Harold has a go at them for it being close to the truth coming out about CamRob and they both apologise. Stinger then takes that as his cue to leave and the two of them start talking about the CamRob stuff coming out and how it has affected the Robinsons.
The General Store
Mishka distils off their first batch of vodka and tells Lou that she is going to call it Mykovski 997, her old address in Moscow. Apologies if that isn't how spell the first part (my brother's Russian is better than mine) but the most important part is the 997 because that represents this weeks block of Neighbours in the countdown to the 1000th block. Anyway, back to the action, and she hands Lou a sample of what has been distilled and after his throat has recovered from the shock of drinking neat vodka, tells her it is fine and that he loves her. She in turn says he'll love her even more when she starts selling it off to members of the Russian club! Lou puts a spanner in the works by saying that Harold will object.
School
Been a while since we've seen the set for the school and while Susan wipes the board Zeke tells Bree that Kim will be back. She remarks that she though he'd have called at least and Zeke suggests he hasn't in case the phones are tapped, which Bree instantly dismisses. Garrett passes the classroom and throws a note in for Rachel and the class all go "woo". Susan tells them to be quiet before dismissing them as the bell rings for the end of the lesson. As the kids leave, Susan asks Bree to stay back whilst out in the corridor Zeke tries to persuade Rachel not to go out with Garrett in case Bree needs them.
Back in the classroom Susan tells Bree off for talking in class earlier and she is very rude back. Susan threatens her with detention if she doesn't apologise and Bree opts for the detention instead of apologising!
Scarlet Bar
Steph looks at the prototype of the baby belt as Max comes into the office and Steph wonders if she'll be able to come up with another idea, just like the belt. Max jokes to her that she'll just have to get used to being a one hit wonder but he'll still love her. They start to kiss and notice stains on each other's clothes - Max's from the burger he had for lunch and Steph's courtesy of Charlie who incidentally still dressed in his compulsory baby grow but least this one is blue! Steph stops the kissing because he's just given her another brilliant idea.
Outside Scarlet Bar
Stinger and Sky talk about how they can finish off his zombie film and he remarks about Sky mentioning Dylan and that it has been a while since he's heard her talk about him. Sky is oblivious to the fact then admits that it is hard watching what he's been going through and not being able to help even as a friend. Stinger finishes off Sky's sentence by saying that she still loves Dylan and she wonders how pathetic that is.
The General Store
Lou and Mishka start bottling the vodka and he suggests that they should re-name it to something people can pronounce (and spell!) but she initially rejects it until he shows her a bottle with OLD 997 written on it and then agrees to change the name.
Out in the store, Zeke is begging Rachel not to go out with Garrett but when he joins them, she suggests that the four of them go out instead. He agrees as long as he can spend some of the time alone with Rachel.
Harold enters the store just as Mishka and Lou come out of the kitchen and he quickly sends her back in to hide the booze while dragging Zeke (with the bribe of giving him $10) over to Harold on the pretence that Zeke wants to know all about the Salvation Army! Rachel and Garrett take it as their cue to leave too as Harold starts.
School
Bree starts to cry during her detention and Susan goes over to her with a box of tissues and Bree apologises for blowing up earlier at her. Susan talks to her about her dad (why she got upset) and Bree tells her that she is now going to start the search for her real parents.
Scarlet Bar
Max enquires from Susan how Katya is going following on from what happened this week with CamRob when Steph appears. She is wearing what looks like her top covered in a clear plastic bin liner poncho thing to protect clothes from stains, which translated is her new idea. Susan and Max are both struggling with what they'd really like to say about it but end up playing along with her as Steph explains to them about the idea (you'd keep the poncho in the car glove box and bring it out when you wanted to eat/protect your clothes). "Good luck Steph and *good luck* Max," replies Susan before she leaves, which Steph interprets as Susan acting as a snob (because she wouldn't be doing activities to get her clothes dirty in the first place).
The General Store
Stinger admits to Sky that the noises for the zombie film aren't realistic when Garrett enters the store and Sky tells Stinger to forget about him adding it worked for her when she didn't think about Dylan but Stinger begs to differ.
Over at another table and I wish my sister in law was still here so she could translate what Mishka and her Russian friend are saying but given a bottle of OLD 997 is on the table I take it they are talking about the vodka she's made.
Harold notices the bottles on the table and interrupts her chat but the Russian guy leaves with a bottle saying thank you (I know that translation!). Mishka plays dumb and says that it is OLD 997 and Lou quickly jumps in and says it is cleaning fluid (which most Russian vodka is best used for as drinking it is lethal!) Harold doesn't believe them and tells them that he thinks it is moonshine or the Russian equivalent and Mishka replies that she is offended by that insinuation! Lou tries to be more specific and says that it is an old fashioned recipe for stain remover and Harold just about loses his nasal hairs when he takes a sniff of it and isn't fooled because he tells them that the bottle contains pure alcohol. Lou is insulted that a teetotaller has suggested that. Harold tries to prove it isn't a stain remover by smudging something (cake?) onto Lou's shirt and asking him to use the OLD 997 to remove it...and is astonished when it does remove the stain.
LOU: After all these years of friendship you still doubt my word. That's what really hurts.
HAROLD: I'm so sorry Lou, what can I say?
Mishka tells Harold that he's said enough and that he should make it up to him instead.
Back with Stinger and Sky, and he's had enough of seeing Garrett and gets up out of his seat and goes to the table he is sitting at and warns the poor boy that if he puts one hand on Rachel his life won't be worth living.
No. 28
Rachel is refusing to go out on her double date until Zeke gets changed...out of the suit he is dressed in! He doesn't think there is anything wrong with how he is dressed.
RACHEL: We're not going to nerd world Zeke.
Susan suggests getting rid of the tie and he begrudgingly goes to remove it and so that Susan can have a word with Bree, she suggests Rachel shows off her outfit to Katya.
With the two of them alone, Susan tells Bree about Tom not being Karl's biological father and that when he met his real father it was a major let down because he'd built him up so much. She also says that he then realised that Tom was the person who raised him, loved him, looked after him and so therefore was his real dad. After listening, Bree replies that she is different - she doesn't have big expectations about her real dad. Susan says that she shouldn't talk like that and Bree has a go at her for the wanton looks she has been giving Karl of late and the fact she can't stop mentioning Karl's name. Susan is aghast at this and tries to say that she was just making a point and thankfully to her relief Zeke and Rachel reappear and she quickly sends them on their way.
ZEKE: (to Bree) Hey, it's the first time I've seen you smile in ages.
BREE: First time I've had something to smile about. See you Susan!
SUSAN (as the kids leave):
Scarlet Bar
The Russian guy who Mishka was talking to earlier asks Max for a glass, which he hands over as Steph comes back into the bar thankfully this time without her plastic poncho. However Max isn't so lucky as she hands one over to him to put on and he looks for 101 reasons not to put it while Steph comes up with 101 reasons why he should wear one. Luck is on his side though as the Russian guy opens the bottle of OLD 997 and starts to pour it into the glass Max gave him, which catches Max's eye and he heads over to tell the guy he can't bring his own booze into the bar. Again, like Max, I wish my sister in law was here so we can understand what the guy is trying to say to Max but he leaves when Max takes the glass back from him. On the way back behind the bar he too just about loses his nasal hairs by having a sniff of the stuff.
MAX: That could strip the paint off the walls.
See - another good reason not to drink Russian vodka! Max, like Harold, thinks it could be great to remove stains with...and another excuse not to wear the plastic poncho thing Steph has just made him take.
The General Store
Stinger decides to leave when he spots Rachel and the others entering as Harold boasts the cleaning power of OLD 997 to a random person while behind the counter Mishka moans about how much vodka Harold is wasting! Mishka starts to yawn and Lou points out the obvious that she is exhausted! Sky however likes how she yawned and wants to borrow her and Lou strongly suggests it when she mutters again about Harold and the vodka. Back with Rachel and Garrett and she apologises for Zeke being on their date with them.
Scarlet Bar (with grateful thanks to Kylie as I nabbed it from her MSS)
Steph is being all cute with Charlie (who is wearing a blue jumpsuit for once!) when Max comes out and says that was pretty good tasting paint stripper! He is wearing the poncho, but while they are on the topic, he needs to talk with Steph.
MAX: You know I love you very, very much...
Steph doesn't like the sound of this. Max tells her the baby belt was a wonderful idea, but this new invention is pretty much just an apron - and not a very good one. It's hot and sticky and uncomfortable etc. He says she is a wonderful mum, a brilliant mechanic, and a beautiful person - why does she have to be an inventor too? Steph says that moonshine must have been pretty potent for him to be so blunt. Way to let her down gently! She asks if there are any other home truths he wants to get off his chest while he is under the influence?
No. 28
The kids come back from their date to the movies and Susan offers to make them all hot chocolate but Garrett decides it is time for him to leave. At the front door, Rachel thanks him for a great evening and he leans into kiss her but she breaks off the kiss and when he tries to kiss her again, she sends him on his way.
No. 24
Stinger is one happy dude as he records Mishka yawning and he eventually leaves when she tells him that she wants her bed. With him away, she tells Sky that Stinger is a good boy ie she approves of him and Sky denies there is anything other than friendship between them. Harold and Lou arrive home with Harold still going on about how great the cleaning fluid was and tells her she'll have to make a new batch because he's finished the original bottle. She looks like one very unhappy person when Harold announces that he's off to bed and tells Lou she isn't going to bed yet because she needs to talk to Sky.
Mishka comes straight to the point and asks Sky if she loves Dylan and Sky nods her head, so she follows that up by asking if Dylan knows this. Sky shrugs her shoulders to that question, so Mishka tells Sky that she should tell Dylan. "That would be the last thing he'd want to hear," replies Sky before she adds that Dylan doesn't want to see her anymore. Mishka tells her that she should make him because she'll never forgive herself if she doesn't. Sky ponders what Mishka's just told her.
No. 26
Stinger answers the door to Rachel who wants confirmation from him that he didn't threaten her date but Stinger doesn't answer, so she angrily tells him to stay out of her life because she needs to move on. Finally speaking, he tells her that he doesn't want her to move on because in a different world there would be a different set of rules. Stinger lets Rachel enter as he admits that he's tried doing what everyone has said is the right thing but he can't stop thinking about her. Rachel tells him that she doesn't want to hear this so he tells her to leave because it will get worse!
STINGER: Look, being apart from you I (pause) I don't care what we have to do. I love you Rach. I love you.