Recap
- Libby firing Toadie as her lawyer
- Lucas getting trapped in a dodgy poker game
- Elle getting annoyed at Lucas over the phone
- Lucas admitting to Steph that he owes Johnno $4000
- Lucas and Steph making a run for it
- The 'almost kiss' between Steph and Lucas
- Elle not letting Lucas inside the house
- Steph asking Lucas what's going on between them
- Lucas not being truthful with Steph (or himself)
Garage
Lucas almost knocks himself out on a car bonnet because his concentration is lagging. Steph arrives and wants to clear the air about what happened last night, but Lucas just clams up and says he's going out for breakfast with Elle - leaving Steph with all the work.
Harold's Store
Lucas is trying to enjoy brekkie with Elle but he can't help flashing back to his secret (almost) smooch with Steph. Kate, dressed in her school uniform, clears their plates and Elle compliments her on her hair (she ran a brush through it or something). Elle and Lucas leave, passing Toadie on the way. Toadie thanks Lucas again for the pep talk re: Libby and Dan. Speaking of, the married duo are sitting at another table. Toadie's all nervous and babbles for about a million years about really wanting to be their lawyer again before Libby says he's back on board.
Number 26
Steve and Miranda are amused by Didge and Declan's military-style baby bag packing regime - the new parents don't want India's routine to be upset while they're at school. The teens arrive to escort Didge and Declan out of the house, but Didge is having a hard time leaving her daughter. She gives her a cuddle with Declan and says not to forget her. Miranda and Steve promise they'll take good care of their granddaughter. India kind of looks like she's waving, aww.
Garage
Steph is clanking about like an angry little ogre, tossing things in the bin while ranting and raving. Libby arrives with food and sympathy. Steph reveals that she tried to ask Lucas about his feelings after he almost kissed her yesterday, but he's pretending like nothing happened.
LIBBY: Steph he's with Elle.
STEPH: I know!
Well?! You think you might want to back off a bit or this will be Greg all over again, sister. Libby hugs her and tells Steph that Lucas is probably just in shock, "boys take a while to process things".
Erinsborough High - Corridor
All the teens are gathered around the lockers. Didge sees Kate looking a bit lost so she gives her the down low on all of the teachers at school, and then the students. When Didge points out Justin "the tool" Hunter, Kate gets this little flicker of, 'Ooh, I like the look of him'. Didge also introduces her to another student, Amanda, who is Erinsborough High's very own Mean Girl.
AMANDA: (fake smile) Bridget, you're so slim! I thought you'd still be huge.
DIDGE: Thanks!
AMANDA: (to Kate) And you're the orphan aren't you? So sad.
DIDGE: Amanda this is Kate: leave her alone.
AMANDA: I'll make that call, Bridget. Catch you later!
KATE: ... Wow!
DIDGE: Capital B.
Donna and Ringo tease Declan about checking up on India already. Ringo takes Declan's phone and throws it to Zeke to keep. Justin walks by and smirks that "mum and dad are back at school". All of the teens groan at him to shut up (with Ringo throwing in an added, "Ranga!"). Kate wonders if they're going to have much homework on the first day and looks depressed when the teens are all, "Yep".
Erinsborough High - Classroom
Sunny is up the front with Dan, regaling the class with her tale about falling down the ravine and Zeke coming to her rescue. Didge volunteers to go next (to chat about her labour ordeal) but doesn't get very far when Dan spies Declan on the phone again checking up on India. Didge tries again but then Amanda interrupts and smirkingly says that Didge is leaking. She covers her chest and runs out of the classroom to the sound of Justin snickering. Declan chases after her.
Charlie's Bar
Steve (carrying an incredibly fake looking doll on his chest - like seriously, it's not even hidden that it's a doll, he may as well be holding it by it's foot), asks Lucas if he can fit his car in for a service this week. They're taking fake India up to Oakey to show her off. Lucas is all, 'no probs', then Toadie walks in and Lucas is all, 'Yay for you getting your lawyer thang on again with my bro!' Toadie wants to have a po-po-po-po-poker night with the boys, but Lucas gets all schmoopy with Elle and says he's spending it with her. Steph walks in and Toadie asks her if she's in, but Steph puts on her po-po-po-po-poker face and says she's too busy. Elle goes to pay the bill.
LUCAS: (to Steph) So... How did you go with the ute?
(Steph glares at him before walking over)
STEPH: Listen, I've been honest with you. If you can't be honest with me that's your bad luck. But to pretend nothing happened? I really though you were better than that.
She walks off. Elle gets her suspicious face on after overhearing. Ahh, Soap Rule #665 - Thou shalt only overhear things if it is convenient.
Charlie's Bar
Elle's all up in Lucas's grill, demanding to know why Steph was asking him to be honest. Lucas lies and says it's because he left Steph with all the work while he had breakfast with Elle. Silly Elle falls for it.
ELLE: Being in Steph's bad books is not a good thing, but I guess it's better than being in mine.
LUCAS: Exactly!
They're all love and smooches before Elle leaves and Lucas is left with Steph glaring at him again. Lucas apologises for bailing on her this morning, but Steph just wants to finish the conversation they started. Lucas doesn't think there's anything more that needs to be said. Steph replies that she doesn't expect anything, she just wants to clear the air.
LUCAS: (twitchy) You and me are mates, that's all. Nothing else going on.
Annoyed with his obvious denial, Steph says she's taking the afternoon off work.
Erinsborough High - Libby's Office
Didge screws a lid on the bottle after expressing some milk.
DIDGE: (sighing) Now I know what cows feel like.
Libby knocks before coming in to check on her. She tells Didge that she can keep the milk in the staff fridge if she likes. Libby adds that Didge can always ask for extensions on assignments and things if she needs to, but Didge determinedly says that everything will be fine. Libby then dashes off to pick Ben up from footy training (in the middle of the day?).
Gym
Libby sees Steve at the boxing bag and asks where Ben is, but Steve says he's still training. Well I hope Steve isn't the coach! First he carries around a dummy instead of India and now this. Geez, mate. Steph bursts in, ready for an angry workout. Libby asks how things went with Lucas, scoffing when Steph says he denied everything.
LIBBY: Oh come on, that man runs on flirt power.
STEPH: I just want him to own up to what's going on.
LIBBY: Yes, well, good luck getting Lucas to own up to anything about his emotions.
Steph admits that the worst part is that she feels like she's lost a good mate.
Erinsborough High - Classroom
Dan is conducting a lesson about The Kite Runner with all the teens, but Didge can't concentrate on anything. She goes into a baby-trance and can only hear India crying. Didge even looks around to check if the baby is in the room. When Dan calls on her for an answer, Didge excuses herself and goes out into the hallway.
Erinsborough High - Corridor
Declan smiles when he finds Didge trying to call home to check on India. Didge admits she hasn't been able to concentrate on school all day. Declan wonders if they came back too soon and says they could delay their lessons for a few weeks, but Didge doesn't want to admit defeat and says they'll be OK.
DECLAN: It's OK to admit that we made a mistake.
DIDGE: We didn't make a mistake!
DECLAN: (smiling) Alright Miss Bridget 'Stubborn' Parker. All I'm saying is that admitting that we're wrong is gutsier than sticking to a bad decision just for the sake of it.
DIDGE: No, I'm going to do this.
DECLAN: Supermum and Superstudent.
DIDGE: That's me.
Number 26
Miranda and Steve are cooing over the baby when Declan and Didge arrive home. Didge immediately goes in for the cuddle with her daughter.
Harold's Store
The rest of the teens are chilling out at the store. Cinderella Kate serves them some drinks and Donna takes pity on her, inviting her to a games night at Zeke's that night.
ZEKE: Ahh, I'm pretty sure that Zeke was planning on having a quiet night alone with his girlfriend.
SUNNY: That's me!
Kate-erella can't come anyway, she's too busy working and making dinner and sweeping and dusting and talking to cartoon mice, oh and putting Sophie to bed (who need I remind you is 10 freaking years old, Katie-kins!).
ZEKE: Hi, Zeke here. I was planning on having a quiet night alone with my girlfriend.
DONNA: You've been outvoted! Sorry, dude, the tribe has spoken.
Number 22
Elle has fallen asleep on the couch - and Lucas's leg - rendering him immobile. He tries to stretch across to reach the remote but has no luck. Donna bounds out the front door for Zeke's place before he can ask her to help him. His mobile rings, so Lucas decides to swap his leg for a pillow - but he flicks Elle's head around so much in the process that I have no idea how she doesn't just wake up. Anyway, it's Toadie on the phone making a last ditch attempt to invite him to poker night. Lucas beams - he's in.
Number 30
Toadie should have just shut his big gob because Lucas has cleaned up everyone's money. Toadie, Dan and Steve are all sad faced. Libby and Steph arrive after an ice-cream run to play cards, but no one is in the mood now. But Steve's in the mood for some ice-cream! Everyone goes into the kitchen bar Lucas and Steph. Steph muses over the fact that this is Lucas's second poker night in a row - if she didn't know any better she'd say he was developing a habit.
LUCAS: Just a bit of fun with mates.
STEPH: Ahh, right, mates. Like us.
LUCAS: (annoyed) All this stuff is just in your head, therefore your problem.
Burn! That was a bit nasty, Lucarse.
Number 22
Lucas creeps in and exchanges himself for the pillow (knocking Elle's head around roughly some more) just before Elle wakes up. She can't believe she slept that long! Elle heads up to bed and Lucas says he'll join her soon. But when she's gone he takes all of his winnings out of his pocket, pauses for thought, and then charges up the laptop to look for online poker games.