Recap
Pepper telling Rosetta that her dad does police checks on all her boyfriends.
Steiger showing Steph the photo that Max dropped as he was getting on the bus.
No. 30 backyard
The newbies are having fun by the pool well the blokes are as they jump in the water but Karl puts a stop to their fun when he switches off the music that has been blaring out because he's babysitting Charlie and its too noisy. The newbies apologies and Pepper puts on a different CD but it is still baring out so Karl stops it and tells them he'd rather not have to call the police.
PEPPER: Did you want my dad's home number?
Rosetta tells Karl whose daughter she is and Frazer takes great delight in telling the doc he's got to live with the sound level as they go back to their fun round the pool leaving Karl fuming.
Bus stop
Boyd hassles a bus driver to see if he recognises Max's photo but the driver can't help. Boyd is getting pretty agitated and Steph tells him to calm down but he can't see why the police aren't doing more to help. Steph points out that Max is still facing criminal charges so it is in their best interests to find Max asap too.
BOYD: I have to look for him. He has to know that I tried. Finding him is all that matters.
Hugging him, Steph tells Boyd that his dad knows how much he cares about him and asks him to let the police do their job.
No. 32
Boyd has done a missing poster for Max on his lappy but quickly changes it to something else when Steph enters the livingroom but she's curious about what he's up to but Boyd covers himself. Karl arrives bringing Charlie home and lets her know that he hasn't got much sleep due to the newbies loud music. He enquires if there is any news yet about Max and Steph replies that it is early days but he'll be back in no time. Karl tells them that Dr Young thinks Max must be of sound mind otherwise he'd never have managed to plan his escape.
STEPH: So you're saying that he knew what he was doing when he left?
BOYD: Like it was deliberate or something?
Karl tries to quickly backtrack on what he's just said but adds that Max can look after himself although Boyd now looks extremely suspicious and when Karl goes to help Steph settle Charlie, Boyd returns to the missing poster he was doing on his lappy and adds in a reward of $1000.
Lassiter's
Boyd has been quick in getting the posters up as Ned and Katya depart from the hotel. Katya wants Ned to help her fulfil her latest sexual fantasy - him being a bellhop...so he can turn her pillows down. They spot the poster of Max as they start to walk away.
No. 28
Katya is feeling guilty at Max being missing as she feels partially responsible. Ned tries to reassure her that things aren't as bad and as he tries to comfort her, she rejects him saying it's not their thing but he replies that she is his girlfriend and therefore it is his duty to protect her. Katya is very uncomfortable about him using the term 'girlfriend' as she just wants fun out of their relationship especially as she thinks he still has feelings for Carmella. "Not since I found you," replies Ned, which is somewhat news to Katya. He though is over the moon when she calls him "her boyfriend" after a little chat and they have a bit of a smooch to celebrate while I resist the urge to throw up.
Outside
Someone enters a phone box holding one of the posters that Boyd has made up.
No. 32/Phone box outside
Steph is trying to get in contact with Boyd but he's not answering his phone so she leaves a message on his voicemail. Karl suggests that perhaps he's just gone for a walk to clear his head but Steph tells him that she fears he isn't coping and tells Karl that she though Boyd was going to punch the bus driver earlier.
Suddenly the phone rings and Steph thinks it is Boyd but it is the person (a down and out) who had the poster Boyd made in the phone box seconds earlier. He tells Steph that he's seen Max and Steph want to know who is calling before getting very excited that the guy has seen her husband and wants details from him. The guy replies that Max is as good as gold but Steph is now becoming suspicious over the caller and who he is (she wanted to know if he was with the police). The caller mentions money and of course this is news to Steph and the guy gets ratty with her, thinking she is playing games with him. Steph asks if she is threatening her and Karl rushes over and takes the phone from her but the guy hangs up when he hears Karl's voice.
Karl wants to know what that was all about and Steph says it was some guy who said he'd seen Max and started asking for money. He tells her it must be a prank caller and Steph wants to know what kind of sick freak would do something like that. Karl says that if the phone rings again he'll answer it and then spots a poster that Boyd has done hidden under a pile of magazines on the coffee table. Now it is all starting to make sense.
No. 30
The newbies are still playing games - this time it is called 'lets pretend we've got a film crew and they are watching us make supper while we are dressed only in swimming gear'. Ned and Katya arrive home and the 'filming' ends and we get a surprise guest - Mrs Cammeniti and she promptly orders everyone bar a surprised Rosetta out of the kitchen despite Ned protesting that they live there.
Scarlet Bar
The No. 30 residents plus Katya have now decamped to the bar, wondering what is going on at home. Katya tells Pepper what she knows about the Cammeniti's - they are trouble! She is finding that hard to believe because Rosie is so sweet. Katya then gets her claws into shredding Carmella's reputation too by saying everyone thinks she is an angel but she suddenly notices Ned watching her so has to backtrack and publicly say that the Cammeniti's are the next best thing since sliced bread. Will hopes that Rosetta is okay and Pepper makes a snarky comment about how to raise kids which leads to Frazer saying they should give Rosetta some slack commenting that he could feel the vibe between mother and daughter and reckons that there is a lot of issues there.
No. 30
We head back to No. 30 and Mrs C isn't in a good mood! She accuses her daughter of defying her by simply disappearing and moving in with people she doesn't even know. Rosetta pleads that she is happy here but it isn't washing with Mrs C because she has responsibilities that she can't run away from. Being blunt, Rosetta tells her mum that she doesn't want the life that has been mapped out for her.
MRS C: I find you a beautiful man, a man who adores you. Is he attractive? Yes. Does he have money? Yes.
ROSETTA: Do I love him? No!
MRS C: Do you love me?
Talk about having you over a barrel as Rosetta can't but fail to answer that she does, so Mrs C follows it up with how could Rosetta break her heart and is firmly told by Rosetta that it isn't what she wants. Mrs C accuses her of becoming her sister and wants to know when she became selfish? Rosetta doesn't like that one little bit and firmly tells her mum that she is selfish forcing her to marry a man she doesn't love just because it is what she wants. Mrs C replies she is guilty as charged if being selfish is wanting the best for her daughter and then adds that she will marry Johnny Brown because he is a good boy and she won't do better.
ROSETTA: No I'm not marrying him.
MRS C: Yes you will or you'll be unhappy forever because you will never find a man who wants you...not without my help.
Lassiter's Complex
Steph catches up with Boyd as he is putting more posters up, asking him what he is doing. Boyd tells her he is looking for Max and is sure that putting up posters will help especially with the incentive. She tells him about the prank calls and that they are all freaks but he couldn't care if they have to talk to a million freaks. Steph tells him that she'd mortgage the house if one of the callers was legitimate but he doesn't seem to listen as he puts up more posters, so she tries a different tactic - telling him that he may be compromising the police investigation. Boyd isn't exactly complimentary about Erinsborough's finest and in frustration, Steph rips down the poster he's just put up and is told that for every one she rips down he'll put two up instead.
STEPH: Oh mate listen, please. Listen, you could be jeopardising Max's safety here. Please
BOYD: Do you know what it tells me Steph? That you don't give a stuff about dad. I'll make sure I tell him that when I find him.
No. 30
Mrs C is trying the softer approach with her daughter by telling her that she lost Carmella a long time ago and doesn't want to lose her too. She describes Rosetta as her favourite daughter but Rosetta is staying tight lipped as her mum keeps on at the heart strings and wonders if Rosetta loves her any more?
ROSETTA: I don't love you. You don't love me.
Heading into the kitchen, Rosetta wants to know why her mum said she'd never find a man. Rosetta apologises, saying that she is her pride and joy and that she is her greatest achievement. Mrs C then says that she made a mistake marrying Rocco and wants to spare her daughter having the same pain hence finding Johnny for her, who she believes is the right man for her. Not surprisingly, Rosetta finally gives in and agrees to move home and marry Johnny but doesn't exactly seem as jubilant as her mum when the two of them hug.
Later, Rosetta is telling her fellow housemates that she is moving out. Pepper wonders if it is her but Rosetta assures her it is personal and stuns her housemates by telling them where she is moving to - back home. They aren't exactly rushing to congratulate her on that move, so much so she snaps at them to say it's not negotiable and that she is leaving in the morning. Rosetta moves to go and pack but Pepper orders the boys out despite them moaning that they've already been kicked out already, saying it is time for a girls talk.
In a man free kitchen, Pepper gives it to Rosetta bluntly - she's a grown woman but still a mummy's girl. Rosetta tries to say she knows it was a mistake moving in and Pepper remarks that she sounds just like her mum and reminds her how happy she was until Mrs C turned up. "You think I've never had fun before," Rosetta says, which Pepper confirms before reminding her that she'll be suffocated if she moves home. Rosetta explains that she doesn't have much choice and Pepper says that she's had the guilt trip put on her too from her dad until she said enough was enough. Rosetta points out that isn't so easy with Italian families where you have to respect your elders but Pepper simply repeats that she has to draw a line sometime or she'll be obeying her mum for the rest of her life.
As if to prove a point, Pepper's phone goes off - it is her dad wanting to see her and while telling her dad she is busy and can't see him, she draws an imaginary line with her finger. Ah but things aren't so straight-forward when Steiger, who is obviously turning the thumbscrews on his daughter, finally gets his daughter to agree to meet him.
ROSETTA: So that's how you do it? Drawing the line? (Rosetta draws an imaginary line)
Both ladies start laughing.
We're still at No. 30 but it's the next day now and Mrs C is back and she isn't a happy lady as she demands that Rosetta goes and packs her bags. With the other housemates listening out side the kitchen door, Rosetta stands her ground and tells her mum she isn't marrying Johnny. Pulling another trick out of her sleeve, Mrs C tries another tactic - saying that they are doomed unless she does marry Johnny! To further back up her story, Mrs C said that a clairvoyant predicted that correctly what happened to the family - that her father would go to prison and her sister would join a convent and to break the spell Rosetta would have to marry a Prince Charming Johnny Brown. Naturally, Rosetta doesn't believe a word of it an orders her mum out of the house.
MRS C: But our family will be ruined.
ROSETTA: Them's the breaks.
MRS C: This is not the Rosetta I know.
ROSETTA: I know. Isn't it fabulous!
Rosetta then kisses her mum on the cheeks before chucking her out of the house! Way to go girl! Frazer and Pepper congratulate a stunned Rosetta but Pepper brings Frazer back down to earth by reminding him that they are having dinner with daddy tonight! He looks like he isn't looking forward to that!
No. 32
Rosetta pops round to introduce herself to Steph and to say she'll be representing Max in the Cameron charges from now on but Steph is a bit spaced out given all that is happening atm. Realising that Steph isn't exactly ready to talk about the case, she hands her a business card before leaving.
The phone starts to ring and Steph tries to tell Boyd to let the answering machine kick in but he answers the phone and the guy who phoned yesterday is calling again. He asks Boyd if he wants to see Max again then they'd better start taking him seriously. Boyd wants to know who he is talking to and the guy identifies himself as Bob and also says he didn't like the attitude he got yesterday and should count his lucky stars he is getting a second chance. Trying to keep Steph away from the phone, Boyd apologises and wants to know what Bob knows but Bob wants to know if he has the money in cash with him. Boyd confirms he has the money and asks if Max is with Bob now. Bob replies that he is looking right at him now but refuses to let Boyd talk to him because he wants his money and tells Boyd where to meet him.
BOB: You bring the money, you have your father.
They both hang up and Boyd is all excited but Steph wants to know what is going on but all Boyd is interested in is running out the house to meet Bob and Steph says she wants to go too, so they can do it together, once she checks with Janae that she is okay to mind Charlie.
The General Store
Mrs C is having a coffee when Frazer comes in and introduces himself but she isn't taking him on until he mentions Rosetta's name and thinks that her daughter has sent him to apologise. He tells her that Rosetta doesn't know he is here and adds that she is going about things the wrong way! She wonders what he suggests and Frazer replies that she does nothing because it is only a matter of time before Rosetta comes round to her way of thinking and in the meantime he volunteers to keep an eye on her to indicate when she can try again. Charming! Mrs C wonders why he'd do that for her and is told that he too only wants what is best for Rosetta.
MRS C: So you'll let me know exactly what she's up to?
FRAZER: Ah-ha.
MRS C: You do this for me and I'll make it very much worth your while.
No. 30
Frazer returns home commenting on the burnt state of Will's brekkie before handing him a couriered package before announcing that he is off to work. Will is a bit stunned by that statement given Frazer's truth about himself last week. Frazer tells Will to drop by his office at 11.30...in the Scarlet Bar!
Will then opens his package and pulls out a note written by Alan Napier telling him he needs to wake up to himself and that enclosed is something to help him get by. He then goes inside the package and pulls out a wad of $100 notes! Grundy must have had Securicor on set that day! Will doesn't exactly seem to be jumping for joy at the fortune he's just been delivered and mutters to himself "thank you Alan". He stuffs a $100 note in his pocket and puts the rest back in the envelope before setting fire to it!
Outside
Boyd and Steph wait for Bob to appear and when he does, Bob comes straight to the point - have they got the money? Boyd asks where Max is and Bob replies that he's gone but he did keep him for as long as he could. Boyd wants to know where Max has gone to while Steph accuses Bob of lying just to get the money but Bob is insistent that it was Max. "Have you any idea what we are going through here," Steph tells him and Bob says he is legit and can prove it and he pulls a ring from the jacket he is wearing...Max's wedding ring.
Boyd tells him that Max would never part with it and takes exception to Bob wanting the money in exchange for the ring and so pins him against the wall, accusing Bob of stealing Max's ring. Bob tells Boyd that he didn't steal it and Boyd demands to know what he has done to his dad.