Recap
Harold finds a card to Sky from Terrence Chesterton, a spiritualist who can put people in touch with their deceased love ones.
Pepper tells Rosie about her ex Kevin, who she suspects is her stalker
Sky tells Harold and Lou that she 'spoke' to Stingray
Ramsay Street
Steiger finds Carmella asleep at the wheel of her ute and she blames it on the early starts. He returns some dishes from meals the number 30 crew had sent over and Carmy asks how the Timmins are doing.
STEIGER: Coping, I guess.
Carmella gets out and Steiger walks her to her house. Carmella's next task is the accounts and she hopes Rosie will help. Steiger encourages her to get some rest, just as the 'Celestial Fruits' ute begins to roll forward. It rolls into the back of a car, smashing a taillight. Carmella can't believe she left the handbrake off but at least the car was there to stop it going further.
Too bad it just happens to be Steiger's car.
Number 30
Carmella apologises to Steiger and promises to pay for a taillight as soon as she has the money. Steiger is more concerned about Carmy getting some shut-eye. Once he's gone Rosie discovers Pepper hasn't told her dad about Kevin and is not one bit pleased about it. Pepper tries to play it down by saying Kevin was harmless at school and she was freaked out but she isn't now. Carmy joins in the call for Pepper to sort Kevin out and Rosie is adamant she has to tell Steiger. Pepper says she can't and Carmella realises that Steiger never knew Pepper was pregnant.
Number 26
Boyd faces an icy reception when he asks Steiger, Bree and Janelle if he can have some time alone with Janae. Janelle is hostile and Boyd says he'd do anything.
BREE: Crawl over broken glass and hot coals??
BOYD:
BREE: It's a fair question.
Steiger and Janelle look wary as Boyd says he plans to take Janae to dinner. Bree won't agree to it and Steiger wouldn't trust him "as far as he could spit a dead rat".
Just then Janae arrives home and demands to know what's going on. She orders her family out and listens to Boyd's invitation. She agrees to it, despite her family's less than pleased reaction. Steiger warns Boyd that further mistakes are not an option.
Once Boyd has gone Janelle tells Janae that whatever happens it's got to be total honesty or nothing.
Number 24
Sky tells Harold and Lou about Terrence channelling Stingray. Stinger apologised for dying but all that matters to Sky is he's okay and looking out for them. Harold asks if he can go with Sky to the spiritualist tomorrow but Sky doesn't see the point if he doesn't believe in it. Harold does believe in an afterlife but is wary of those out to exploit the grieving. Sky argues that Terry isn't one of them, although she does pay him (he has to make a living). Harold is concerned she's not coping but Sky says that after all she's lost the thought of Stingray still being around somehow is the only thing keeping her going. She only wants Harold there if he's positive about it and he pledges to be on his best behaviour.
Number 26
Janelle asks Steiger if Boyd is for real and is worried that Janae is too soft, underneath it all.
Pepper arrives and Bree warns she might need a cup of tea.
PEPPER: Well, I'd rather an anaesthetic but then I'd be unconscious and I wouldn't be able to tell you what I'm trying to...
Steiger asks what's going on.
Later on and Pepper finishes telling Steiger and Janelle the truth. Steiger takes it all in and Pepper says she couldn't tell anyone as she felt ashamed. She tells her dad that she's been getting the gifts for about a month but admits she thought they were from Paul at first.
Steiger decides he has to take a walk and Pepper thinks he hates her. Janelle says he's ashamed.
PEPPER: Why? He didn't get pregnant or have the hots for Paul Robinson.
Janelle says he's ashamed because he wasn't someone Pepper felt she could go to. She gives Pepper a reassuring hug.
Later on Steiger returns but Pepper has already gone, in tears. Janelle thinks he's a boofhead and blames him for making his daughter feel like dirt. Bree goes to make tea so they can argue.
Steiger asks Janelle why Pepper couldn't just go to him and Janelle tells him it was because she didn't want to lose his love. He argues she wouldn't have so Janelle tells him to tell Pep that. She inspects Steiger's hand.
JANELLE: What'd ya punch?
STEIGER: Tree.
JANELLE: Hurt?
STEIGER: Bit.
JANELLE: Good. Now have a cuppa and go and find your daughter.
STEIGER: Okay.
Scarlet Bar
In an empty candlelit bar Janae and Boyd are dancing when Janae starts to cry. Boyd asks if she was okay and Janae says she was thinking about Scotty. Boyd offers to take her home but Janae declines. Carmella, Pepper and Rosie run in, asking where the private function is. Janae says she's just going to go and Carmella makes a catty remark about how she should if she has a shred of pride left. Janae thanks Boyd for dinner and Boyd wants to know if he can see her again but Janae is unsure, saying she can't just have dinner with him and forget what happened. Boyd says he loves her but Janae says it isn't enough. Boyd sighs and the three interlopers stare back at him from the bar.
Number 28
Abby tells Toadie that her boss wasn't too pleased with her but wanted her to stay when he heard about the job offer. Toadie seems to have forgotten he offered her the job of his receptionist and tells her about Stingray's death. Abby is surprised he didn't say anything and Toad says he didn't want to bother anyone but she hopes she isn't just anyone. He's grateful she stuck by him and gives him a comforting hug. He asks her to stay the night and she agrees.
Scarlet Bar
Rosie and Carmella tell Pepper she's lucky her dad is more forgiving that theirs is. Carmy decides to dance, surprising people with her energy, and shows Pepper the Cammeniti Twelve-Step. Rosie joins in and makes Pepper laugh but then Steiger appears.
He tells Pepper he wishes she told him when this all happened. He made some inquiries about Kevin but he doesn't manage to say more as Pepper gets a call. Steiger takes the phone and tells Kevin to stop his games. He encourages him to call the station whenever he needs to talk. Kevin hangs up. Steiger says Kevin said nothing but Pepper will be fine now he knows Steiger is on the case.
Lassiter's Lake
Harold and Sky hold onto one of Stingray's skateboards. Harold sees some hippyish middle aged men approaching and thinks one of them is Terrence but he's mistaken. Instead a younger well dressed man approaches them and Sky introduces him to Harold. Harold tells him he has concerns and Terrence understands; he did a tute on commercial law a few weeks back. Sky is interested to discover he studies law and Terrence fancies himself as an underpaid peoples' defender.
Terrence tells her he was drawn to something after their session the day before; a book about the 'Evil Dead' films. Sky tells him Stingray was a big Sam Raimi fan and finds Terrence's fave Raimi film 'Evil Dead 2' is her favourite too.
Harold finds out more about Terrence's background; he says he comes from a conservative family and has always had his gift. He doesn't make much out of it. Just like Harold he was Christian man until not long ago and was wary of it.
Harold thinks Sky told Terrence about him but both Sky and Terrence deny this. Terry just wants to help people, as Harold does. Sky needs to hear from Stingray that his passing isn't final. How could he *not* help?
Scarlet Bar
Abby wants to know if Toadie has got people off even when he knows they're guilty. Toad jokes he charges extra for that. Abby wonders why he doesn't drive a fancy car and bunks with his neighbours when he's so minted. Toad just wants to keep in touch with the common people. Abby feels lucky he has time for her. Toadie pushes the joking aside and tells her he feels lucky. Abby was worried he didn't like family life. Toadie says he was messed up but isn't now.
An irritated Rosie, helping Carmella with the veggie order, tells Toad she thought he was opening up today. Toad says he was just orientating the new receptionist. Rosie reminds him they haven't interviewed anyone yet and Toadie tells her not to worry her pretty little head about it. Rosie is not pleased.
Number 26 Backyard
Steiger is instructing Bree on how to prune trees but Bree is finding the specifics confusing. Janae joins her mother at the table and Janelle remarks she was quiet after last night. Janae says Boyd was being too nice and she ended up bailing.
JANELLE: So you still love the lying little rat?
JANAE: I married him, didn't I?
Janelle says smooth talking is one thing but being real is another. She looks to Steiger and says *that* one is real; can Janae say the same thing about Boyd?
Tim Collins & Associates
Carmella is having ute-related legal troubles. Abby is taking notes. Rosie gives Abby some instructions and realises Abby isn't using shorthand. Abby admits she never learned.
Rosie goes to see Toadie, telling him that instead of hiring a qualified legal secretary he's hired his incredibly unqualified girlfriend. Toad says she will learn but Rosie won't put up with his charity case. Carmella and Abby hurry out to get coffee to escape the argument. Toadie brings up the legal action Rosie has launched for Frazer without his permission (highly unethical). He could be struck off and she'd lose her career. He tells her to get Frazer's signature before the week is out. Rosie says she'll only do that if Abby passes a basic legal course in the same timeframe. Toadie is momentarily takenaback but refutes Rosie's insinuation that Abby won't be up to it and the deal is done.
Number 30
Steiger tells Pepper that Kevin joined the army after they split but he was discharged six months ago. Being discharged is usually down to a crisis and, what's worse, he's been missing for months. Steiger thinks he might have assumed another identity...for reasons unknown.
Pepper knows of one reason: Revenge.
Later on and Pepper is pacing the living room while Carmella assures her the place is secure. Pepper thinks Kevin is insane and out for revenge. Carmella empathises with her and says all she has to do is take Steiger's advice. There's a knock at the door and the girls find a large clown balloon with an attached invitation for a party at the Anson's Corner playground. Pepper realises it's today; whatever is going to happen will happen today.
Lassiter's Lake
Terrence, clutching Stingray's board, says Stingray is concerned for his brother and wants Dylan and Sky to stay in contact. Harold lets out a laugh at what he sees as a performance and Sky and Terrence ignore it. Terrence gets the impression Stingray's making rude jokes, which Sky thinks is spot-on.
Terrence says Stinger has made a new friend, an older woman. Sky is confused.
TERRENCE: Madge.
Harold looks up.
Sky says Stingray doesn't know a Madge. Terry says he does now. They're like oil and water but they're getting on. Terrence looks to Harold and says this is for him. Harold again thinks Sky told him something but Sky denies she ever did.
TERRENCE: Madge is your wife.
Harold wants to finish it right now and Terrence agrees, hoping he hasn't offended Harold. Sky pays him and he leaves. Lou appears and asks how it went. Sky says it went well.
SKY: Stingray's made a new friend. Guess who.
LOU: Who?
SKY: Madge.