Recap
- Rachel and Ty kissing
- Matt deserting Donna
- Donna lying to Rebecca and Elle about her dad's whereabouts
- Steve setting Nicola up for a fall
- Miranda and Steve fighting about Nicola
- Nicola going hysterical in hospital
Hospital
Miranda scolds Steve for upsetting Nicola, but Steve says that he pretended he had feelings for her and she fell for it. Not wanting to believe him, Miranda goes in to check on her sister (who is sleeping), but can't help asking Karl if Nicola could be faking her illness. Karl replies that there could be a slight possibility, but it would be better to refer Nicola to a psychologist.
STEVE: I'm telling you Miranda it was there in her eyes.
But Miranda tells Steve to leave; she doesn't want him to frighten Nicola again.
Number 32
Ty and Rachel are pashing each other's faces off when Toadie barges in unannounced to borrow a DVD. Everyone is suitably embarrassed and Toadie hastily picks up a DVD case.
TY: 'My Best Friend's Wedding', you're kidding.
TOADIE: (defensive) Yeah it's directed by an Australian.
Feeling uncomfortable, Rachel ups and leaves. Ty quickly follows her.
TOADIE: I'm sorry, man, just hit me.
TY: You can let yourself out.
TOADIE: (spies another DVD) Ooh, Beaches!
Ramsay Street
Ty urges Rachel to come back to #32 just to chat, but Rachel is freaking out because everything has become too full on too soon.
RACHEL: I'm sorry I need to be alone. It's not you it's me. (muttering to herself) It's always me.
General Store - Next Morning
Bizarrely there's a stock shot of the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). Erinsborough's in the City now? In the store, Elle explains to her dad that Carmella's home with spewey Chloe and the casuals are also ill, so she's manning the fort alone today. She's going quite well until she drops a toastie on the floor. Three second rule, it'll be fine!
At a table, Donna is on her lap top having a good old virtual chat with Rachel (in her bedroom) and Didge (at #26). The girls want the goss on what happened with Ty, and cheer when Rachel coyly divulges about their kiss. Donna wants more details but the girls soon realise that Rachel is keeping something from them.
Elle brings Donna's food over (I think it's the floor-wich), and asks how everything's going at home. Donna evasively replies that things are fine.
Back in cyber land, Didge asks Rachel what went wrong.
RACHEL: Toadie walking in didn't help.
DONNA: Oh my God, did you have your top off?!
RACHEL: No!
Rachel's worried that since Ty's another older guy, he'll probably want their relationship to move quickly. Didge asks if she told Ty how she felt, but Rachel admits that she just ran off. Didge encourages her to have a chat with him as he's probably freaking out too. They all log off and Elle casts a worried glance Donna's way.
Hospital
Miranda watches Nicola sleep and flashes back to when they were kids playing on the beach (the flashback kids look similar in age, though, which can't be accurate). Nicola wakes up and freaks out about Steve, but Miranda reassures her that Steve is just being stubborn.
NICOLA: I love you. You believe me don't you?
MIRANDA: Of course I do.
They hug and everything's peachy until Nicola sees Steve in the doorway and cowers in "fear". Miranda is annoyed that Steve has frightened her so much.
MIRANDA: I'm alive because of her and I'll never forget it.
STEVE: What do you want to do?
MIRANDA: Bring her home.
Ramsay Street
Rachel (dressed like a reject from the Partridge Family) waits for Ty to come back from his jog and apologises for running out on him last night. She tells him she wants to be his girlfriend, but that she doesn't want to mess him around because she doesn't know how quickly she can commit. Ty says he's happy to take things slow - including TITTNL™.
RACHEL: You know you almost sound too good to be true.
TY: Well I guess I'm just a sensitive, really cool guy with great hair.
RACHEL: Get over yourself!
TY: I'm just the total package.
RACHEL: Yeah well it's a pity you're a terrible kisser.
TY: What?
RACHEL: So it looks like we're just going to have to keep practicing until you get better.
She lays a smooch on him.
Lassiter's Lake
Rachel takes a stroll and buries the ring Angus gave her in one of the garden beds, finally putting that chapter of her life to rest.
General Store
Elle leaves a not-so-nice message on the phone for one of her casuals to get over her illness and get into work or else she's fired. Toadie asks Elle for a latte - even the one he ordered 10 minutes ago would be ace. Lucas saunters up with his untouched drink and also complains about the service, but Elle could care less.
LUCAS: (to Toadie) You know I come here for the terrible coffee, but I stay for the surly service.
TOADIE: At least you get coffee.
LUCAS: Do you want it?
TOADIE: Nuh-uh.
LUCAS: (to Elle) You know the Italians talk about the best coffee being made with love.
ELLE: Well that's a pity. I was going to make yours with nail polish remover.
LUCAS: Of course if it doesn't come naturally I'm always happy to show you how. But not today, I'll have to take a raincheck!
Flustered, Elle walks over to Donna, who is leaving a voicemail for Ringo (one of many by the sounds of things). Donna admits to Elle that she doesn't blame Ringo for blanking her. Elle takes off her work apron and settles down for a chat.
ELLE: Honey. Men are like those Rubik's Cubes that were really big in the eighties. Confusing and ultimately pointless.
DONNA: (smiling) But kind of hard to stop playing with?
TOADIE: Uh, Elle, about the latte...
ELLE: I'm on a break!
Elle encourages Donna to stop the messages and just front up to Ringo; at least she'll know where she stands after that.
DONNA: That's what you'd do, yeah?
ELLE: ... Yeah. Yeah, that's what I would do.
TOADIE: (pretend coughing) Coffee.
Elle glares at him.
Garage
Acting on her own advice to Donna, Elle brings Lucas a takeaway coffee to make up for the dregs she served him earlier. They do the flirty banter thing until Lucas brings up the prospect of a date. Elle wonders what happened to his all-consuming love for Libby, but Lucas shrugs and says that Libby's made her decision. Show's over.
LUCAS: (smirking) So stop wasting time. Ask me out on that date.
ELLE: I'll get back to you.
She walks off, smiling to herself, and Lucas watches her with a grin.
Number 26
The Parkers bring Nicola home, much to Didge's displeasure. Nicola admires the house in all her wide-eyed fake innocence before giving Jake a pat.
NICOLA: Hello fella, what's your name?
MIRANDA: This is Jake, Mickey's dog.
NICOLA: Oh Ricky, that's your um, your nephew isn't it?
Ricky the idiot. Yeah, that's about right. Nicola claims she's tired and heads off to the hallway for her bedroom, before remembering she's supposed to be forgetting things (confusing!).
NICOLA: It's this way isn't it?
STEVE: Yeah that's right.
NICOLA: It's just the instinct.
STEVE: Yeah I suppose so.
MIRANDA: I'll get your bag. It's the second door on the left.
(The sisters head off into the hallway)
DIDGE: Are you kidding? Why doesn't she just make her a cocktail and give her a foot massage?
STEVE: Did you see the way she just headed for the bedroom like that?
DIDGE: Yeah but she passed that off and mum bought it.
STEVE: Yeah but she's going to slip up sooner or later and your mum's going to be there to see it.
Ext - General Store
Two police officers wrap up a chat with Donna, just as Elle returns from her garage jaunt. Concerned, Elle sits with Donna who confesses that her dad has done a runner.
ELLE: You've been dealing with this all on your own? You don't have to go through this all by yourself.
DONNA: I've got no one.
ELLE: (sympathetic) Tell me.
Number 22 - Evening
Paul sees Elle feeding the stray cat and teases her about becoming the next Dr Doolittle. He suggests they have takeaway sushi and Sav Blanc for dinner, which is music to Elle's ears. Answering the knock at the door, Paul's surprised to find Donna standing there and calls Elle over. Elle does a double take when she sees Donna lumbered with bags of her personal belongings (and oddly enough, lots of sport equipment).
DONNA: (beaming) You said that I didn't have to do this all by myself. Here I am!
Elle's lost for words.
Park
Ty and Rachel are going for a nice stroll and talking about Donna's cheerleading idea for the Dingoes. Rachel thinks it's stupid and degrading to women, not to mention it's an American pastime. Ty can understand that it's not something Rach would be into since she's more the serious, studious type. Rachel interprets that as Ty thinking she's boring.
TY: I'm not calling you boring... But big fat scaredy-cat chicken, now that's another story.
She laughs and whacks him in the stomach.
Number 26
Karl brings over Nicola's medication and lets her know there's also a referral for a psych interview because of her head injury. Steve and Miranda invite Karl to stay for a drink (along with Toadie, who was already inside). Steve & Miranda go into the kitchen while Toadie and Karl chat. Distracted, Nicola can't tear her eyes away from Steve and Miranda's kissy behaviour. Getting aggravated she stalks into the kitchen and smashes a vase into the ground then screams and wails for "Panda". Everyone rushes over to her while Miranda wraps her up in a hug. How on earth did Karl and Toadie not see what she really did?!
Number 26
Steve cleans up the mess while Miranda sees Karl and Toadie out. Miranda heads next door for a quick moment (after checking with Nicola), leaving Steve and Nicola alone. Nicola takes over clean up duty and Steve taunts her for knowing exactly what cupboard the cleaning products belonged in.
NICOLA: I must have just seen you get them out.
STEVE: Nah you couldn't have because you were in the other room throwing your little hissy fit remember?
NICOLA: I was scared.
STEVE: You were scared? Scared that Miranda was paying attention to anyone but you? I know exactly what you're doing, just like you know your way around this house. But you're going to slip up and when you do I'm going to make sure Miranda's right there to see you.
Nicola glowers at him and says she's going to take the trash outside. She walks to the back door before pausing.
NICOLA: It's out the back isn't it?
Steve just smirks at her and doesn't answer.
Number 26 Backyard
Nicola slowly starts to fall apart with every step she takes towards the bin. Shaking and breathing erratically she remembers all the bad things that have happened over the past few months, ending with Steve's VO telling her to leave town. Seeing Steve's shirts on the washing line, Nicola completely loses it and runs over to tear them all to shreds, screaming in frustration.