Recap
Steph pledges to support Toadie
The residents of number 30 decide to have a vote to decide who goes
Sleazy Rex locks himself and Janae in his office
Rex's Office
Janae demands that Rex open the door - or she'll scream her lungs out. Smug Rex tells her to go ahead - there's no one around to hear her.
Outside Rex's Garage
Or so he thought...Pepper and Steiger are out for a stroll when they pass by the garage. Pepper stops to moan about the macho crass advertising Rex has emblazoned on the shop front. Chris Steiger has already lost customers to Rex - and it's not down to his good service.
Pepper and Steiger walk towards the entrance as Pepper imagines her dad busting the place on a police operation. She thinks he might be able to have a wee snoop around now but Steiger reminds her he'd need a warrant.
PEPPER (hopeful): Mum would love you for it.
Rex's Office/ Outside Rex's Garage
Janae shouts at Rex to let her out and Rex tells her to stop playing the wildcat. Janae pushes his table onto the floor in response.
JANAE: You scum!
Steiger and Pepper hear her shouting from outside and Steiger breaks into a run. He tells Pepper to stay outside but she follows him inside.
Inside Rex tells Janae that she's asking for it. Janae calls him a rotten pig and tries to run away but he follows her.
Steiger bursts into the main garage and runs up the stairs to the office. He bangs on the door.
Rex shouts that they're closed and Janae tells them that Rex has locked the door. As Steiger keeps pounding away Janae grabs a spanner and tells Rex she'll hurt him (and she means it). Rex only has a few seconds to smile to himself before Janae launches the spanner at him, hitting him on the head. He runs to bury his head against the wall in pain while Janae manages to get to the door and open it for Steiger and Pepper.
Steiger asks Rex what's going on and Rex accuses Janae of attacking him - she went nuts when he sacked her. Janae argues that he locked her in. Steiger thinks they need to sort it out down at the station.
Tim Collins and Associates
Rosie is still wearing the dress she wore yesterday (which doesn't look like good office wear but what do I know about fashion?) Toadie wants to know if she's finished something for him but she's been too busy with Paul's pre-nup. Toadie isn't happy, reminding her that she's not here to get work off her own back. Rosie argues that clients like Paul will bring prestige to the firm.
TOADIE: Clients like Paul Robinson bring disease to this firm.
He reminds her that he's the boss and she's the lowly article clerk. Rosie thinks he's taking his lack of sleep out on her (he slept under his desk last night).
While Rosie goes out to lunch Steph comes in to accompany him to the biopsy results, which Toad is reluctant to attend to. Steph tells him that she has her mum minding Charlie so she will be going with him to the hospital and why would that be?
TOADIE: (has a Chandler moment) Because you're an alien robot and I'm scared of you.
Just like Monica does Steph gets Toadie to drop the humour and confront the real serious issue at heart; she's coming with him because he doesn't have to go through this alone.
Police Station
Janae is being interviewed. She tells Steiger she set the sandwich board up because Rex set her up to be perved on by the other guys. She tells him what happened in the office but Steiger says Rex stated that she was the one who locked the door - before trying to seduce him (Rex also says she tried to seduce him the night before at the Scarlet Bar). Janae protests against this - Steiger was there, so he heard what happened. Steiger only heard her cry out but it wasn't for help - she was threatening Rex. Janae argues that he was threatening her - doesn't he believe her?
Steiger says that doesn't matter; Rex is pressing charges for assault. At the end of the day it's her word against his. Janae looks worried.
Hospital
Carmella has been discharged and Rosie thinks it's too soon after surgery. Frazer and Will race in wheelchairs down the corridor, and Rosie tuts disapprovingly, thinking that Frazer is such a bad influence on Will (and everyone else in the world). Carmella doesn't know why she's so hard on him - is it because he said he was in love with her? Rosie thinks it was more a lust thing than love. If that were the case Carmella thinks he would've given up by now. What's she scared of? Rosie deflects her question - little sisters shouldn't get to lecture big sisters as it's against the natural order of things. Carmella argues that the perfect man could be right in front of her but Rosie's already heard that from Pepper.
Frazer pulls up in front of Carmella's room and Rosie snubs him while Carmella says she doesn't like fun or risk. Doesn't Frazer know it. He wheels off.
Will tells Carmella to hop on but two medical staff almost deafen them with disapproving 'ahem's.
Steph catches Will, telling him that a posh guy turned up at the bar with a message for him; he has ten weeks left. Will thinks it's very weird.
Once Will and Carmella have gone Toadie emerges from his appointment, looking subdued, and Steph fears the worst.
TOADIE: It's benign!
Steph hugs him - he scared her there. Toadie brings back bad memories of wrestling by announcing that the Lawman lives another day. Steph hugs him again and when she pulls back there's a moment that usually preludes kissage. Toadie recognises this and shrugs her off, saying his back is still a bit sore. He leaves and Steph's smile fades into faint worry.
Number 26
Janelle wants to kill Rex - he was the one who tried to touch Janae and yet he's the one pressing charges against her! She sends Janae off to get a shower. As Steiger moves to leave Janelle angrily asks him if he's going to let LizardRex get away with this! Steiger tells her that Rex has the injury and evidence to back his claim. Janelle thinks he's biased against all Timmins. Steiger replies that he believes Janae's story but Rex is squeaky clean and none of his workers will speak out against him. There's the law and justice and, unfortunately, they're sometimes not the same thing.
Number 30
Now the moment you've been waiting for - Eviction time. Ned counts the votes:
NED (voted for by...Ned, who was too sweet to vote for anyone else)
FRAZER (voted for by Rosie)
NED (voted for by Will, who didn't want to upset Pepper by voting for her and thought no one else would vote for Ned)
WILL (voted for by a guilty looking Frazer - it's a tactical vote [but he hasn't a clue in what way]. Pepper thinks he wants to be Alpha Male.)
And the next vote is for -
Tim Collins and Associates
Toadie is a young and successful lawyer and yet decides to bunk in his office by matter of choice. Interesting.
As he's drinking beer in his jammies and sleeping bag there's a knock at the door. It's Ned and Bob, who've been evicted (well, Ned has - Bob comes part of the package). Toadie can't believe it and vows to use his landlord powers to get him back in. Ned wouldn't want to live with them anyway and asks to stay with Toad tonight. Toadie offers to share his sleeping bag but Ned, put off by the smell, decides to find his own.
Number 26
Boyd bursts in and Janelle is not impressed he hasn't appeared until now. Boyd informs her that he was at work and asks Janae why she didn't call him earlier. Janelle gives them space to chat (Boyd's request) - she's got things to do.
Boyd wants to 'smash' this guy and Janae argues that it wasn't his fault - she led him on.
JANAE: I kissed him, Boyd.
Boyd can't believe it - how could she? Janae waits a few seconds before telling him she didn't - she just wanted him to know what it feels like.
JANAE: Hurts, doesn't it?
Police Station
Steiger talks to our good friend The Telephone Chipmunk Chris, asking her to consider taking Janae back on at the garage.
Janelle storms in and Steiger hangs up. She demands to know why they aren't out there, bringing Rex in before he does the same to another girl. Steiger says he has no witness and no evidence.
JANELLE: Then get off your backside and plant some - I mean, find some!
Steiger brings up Janae's false accusations against Karl and Janelle thinks it shouldn't come into it. Steiger agrees but it makes it harder for them to give her the benefit of the doubt. Since they were alone in the office he and Janelle might never know what really went on - but, just like Janae's complaint, Rex's might not stick.
Janelle thinks that's no consolation. If he won't bring him to justice then she will!
Scarlet Bar
The number 30 tenants and Carmella are having a drink - Will had been hoping to get some alone time with Carmella but the other newbies tagged along. Carmella shouts them some drinks and goes to the bar.
Pepper can't believe they were strangers only a few weeks ago and now she can tell them anything! Rosie feels the same (oddly). Pepper decides they'll each tell the others about their first real kiss; starting with Rosie (who dares to compare it to school camp).
Ned comes in to distract them from this and they childishly scramble out the door to avoid him.
Ned slopes Eeyore-like towards the bar and tells Steph about being chucked out. All that on top of his girlfriend assaulting him and turning out to be a car thief. He has the worst luck and now has trust issues. Steph can't help him with that but she can give him a roof to live under.
Rex's Garage
Call the cops, it's a hoodie - one of those troublemakers you hear so much about. And what's more it's not a troublesome youth but mother of six, Janelle! She holds a can of petrol, unscrewing the cap as she stands over a red sports car.
Steiger, in his cop car, pulls up and tells her that Janae's in enough strife without her mum getting done for arson! Janelle wants him to stay away but Steiger points out she'll only be doing Rex a favour- making him look more like a victim. Janelle wants to know what she's meant to do; with Kim God-knows-where it's up to her to look out for them! Steiger asks her if she thinks he'd be here if he didn't want to look after her and her kids. He swears to her that he'll take care of Rex and takes the petrol from her. He asks her to let him do it his way.
Scarlet Bar
Ned would like to stay with Steph but points out that Toadie has been homeless longer than he has. Steph says she and Toadie can't live together - even though they're great mates it doesn't work. She's flat out with work and knows he's great with Oscar so he could help out with Charlie. Ned would be happy to. He and Steph have a deal.
Number 30
The newbies return to find Steiger in the kitchen (Pepper cut him a key). Frazer looks afraid and decides to go to bed. The others make their excuses too and Pepper asks him what's up. He tells her about promising Janelle that he'd work things out for Janae. Pepper thinks he always gets the bad guys but Steiger tells her to snap out of that fantasy - bad guys slip through the net all the time. Pepper is very annoyed that these sleazebuckets get away with it. Steiger recounts a woman being scared of him when he was in his civvies - what's the world coming to? He wonders if there was anything he missed at the garage.
Will overhears and asks them if Rex tried something on with Janae. He tells them about Rex trying to order a vodka and orange for Janae the night before.
Rex's Garage
Rex pulls back a giant door to see Steiger standing relaxed and waiting for him (Steiger exudes a vague aura of cool). Rex hopes he's here to tell him that Janae's been charged but Steiger says he's here to put him in the hotseat. He tells him about the vodka and Rex brushes it off as only an initiation.
Steiger tells him he questioned his employees again the night before and, threatened with the trouble they'd get in for lying, they squealed; said he was perving and bragged about having a piece of her. Rex argues that doesn't change the fact that Janae attacked him. Steiger says it's self-defence and tells him to rethink his story. He tells him he'll be back once he's spoken to Janae and Janelle and starts to walk away.
Then Steiger turns around and throws Rex against a grating, warning him that if he ever hears of something similar happening again he's history.
REX: She was asking for it!
STEIGER: NO woman asks for it!
Steiger punches the grille, so close to Rex's face that he turns away. Rex cries that it's harassment and Steiger retorts that now he knows how it feels - not much fun, is it?
Number 26
Steiger tells Janae that the ball's now in her court - one word and they'll start proceedings. Janae doesn't say anything so Janelle tells him to throw the book at him. Janae would rather let it go - maybe she did something. He made her feel attractive. Steiger reminds her that it makes no difference if she enjoyed the attention; she didn't ask to be assaulted.
Boyd asks for a minute with Janae and Janelle and Steiger go to the kitchen. Boyd tells Janae that he loves her so much and is sorry for making her doubt that and doubt herself. She smiles and they hug.
In the kitchen Janelle spots Steiger's bruised hand and gets some frozen peas out to calm to swelling. Steiger hopes his actions don't return to haunt him. He tells her about talking to Chris and encourages her to give her a ring - he put in a good word for Janae. Janelle wonders why he's being so good to them - maybe because she pashed him at the hospital? She wants him to admit he's buttering her up for another go.
JANELLE: My door is always open!
Number 30
Pepper and Carmella read magazines. Frazer comes in, looking as orange as David Dickinson. He informs them that he's used 'Sunset Sienna' and he needs someone to do his back. Carmella volunteers Rosie, who tells him to pop into the bathroom and strip right down - she'll be there in a minute. Pepper and Carmella can't believe she's serious.
Will comes in, showing off his bod and soliloquising about how a swim is a great start to the day. Rosie sends him off to the shower - the bathroom is free. Carmella asks about Frazer and Rosie says he'll just have to stay two-toned. They wonder why she's so horrible to him and she says it's only because they keep trying to set her up with him. She's come to a decision - she won't see another year out as a stuck-up sad old spinster. By Christmas night she will become experienced but with any half-decent bloke not including Frazer Yeats.
Ramsay Street
Steph spots Toadie, who tries to brush her off but to no avail. She asks if this is the way he's going to deal with this.
TOADIE: What?
STEPH: Our relationship.
TOADIE: Steph, we didn't have a relationship -
Steph wants him to be honest for a moment. Waiting for him at the hospital yesterday was really horrible.
TOADIE: I told you you didn't have to come -
STEPH: I know - it's just...it made me think about how I'd cope if you weren't around and...I'd be lost without you. It's as simple as that.
TOADIE: It's Max you're lost without, Steph.
STEPH: Max is gone, Toadie, and he doesn't want to be found.
Toadie nods.
STEPH: So what's wrong with saving us both a bit of heartache by just admitting that this caring, loving friendship we have could be so much more.