Recap
The teens planting a tree in Didge's memory.
Rebecca asking Paul if he's found a best man yet.
Elle listening in on Lucas' GA meeting where he is explaining how he started gambling.
Steph fending Lucas off after he tried to kiss her.
Elle arguing with Lucas in the pub then telling him that she now owns the garage and he isn't sleeping there any more.
Garage
Elle arrives to visit her latest 'Monopoly board' acquisition and isn't impressed at Lucas' choice of words as he struggles with a car because she wants the garage to adopt a more professional attitude. She instigates some new rules - #1 No more shouting at the cars. #2 a work uniform (a poloshirt with 'Hi I'm LUCAS' on it). Lucas laughs when she shows him the polo shirt and informs her that as the manager he isn't wearing it. She then announces change #3 - she's appointing a new manager...Steph! Lucas isn't impressed and throws his poloshirt over Elle's shoulder before heading inside the garage.
STEPH: Are you happy now?
ELLE: Yes actually.
Harold's Store
Toadie tries to lighten the mood by saying he should get a t-shirt with 'Trust me, I'm a lawyer' on it but it goes down like a lead balloon with Lucas! Lucas thanks his brother for letting him kip down at #30 then adds that he can't blame really Elle and wishes he'd told her what was going on.
DAN: Yes well maybe if you cop it sweet she'll get bored and leave you alone.
LUCAS: Mmm no. When it comes to punishment, Elle has plenty of stamina.
Charlie's
Steph is pleading Lucas' case to Elle but she's having none of it.
Number 26
Paul enters the kitchen to spot that Rebecca has a new hair style (her hair is shorter now) and goes overboard with the flattery. This doesn't win him brownie points for long though when she sends him off to get a best man since he still hasn't got one.
Declan swaps places with Paul and she wishes her son a happy birthday. He'd rather cancel it this year but Rebecca tells him that isn't on and gives him his birthday breakfast.
Number 22
Toadie has been summoned to see Paul and he is extremely suspicious as to the reason why. Paul eventually asks Toadie to be his best man and Toadie literally laughs in his face. When Paul doesn't laugh back, Toadie now realises that Paul was being serious and asks if that role isn't usually reserved for a brother or a best friend. Its Paul's turn to laugh now and act as if it was a joke and both agree to forget they just had that conversation!
Toadie departs as Elle arrives home and tells him of her busy day - buying the garage, sacking Lucas and offering the job to Steph. Paul points out that revenge doesn't always make you happy and she reminds him that she was just following his advice of 'embracing the old me' before adding that it isn't about revenge, just making sound business decisions. "Whatever you have to do sweetheart" he tells her before heading through to the kitchen.
Harold's Store
The teens are trying to decide how to celebrate Declan's first birthday post Didge not being there for fear of upsetting him but he leads the way when he arrives and asks where his pressies are. They congratulate Declan and Zeke explains the dilemma they had as Kate brings over a mini-cake for him complete with candle which Zeke blows out! Declan suggests a party at his tonight and the rest are all for it with Donna chief party organiser. Ringo asks him if he really wants a party and he confirms this - he wants to be spoilt.
Number 22
Donna arrives home to grab her things to start organising Declan's party and when she explains to Paul what she is doing, he hands her some $100 bills to get something nice for Declan.
DONNA: (hugging Paul) You know, you can be really sweet sometimes.
Donna departs as Elle comes downstairs and Paul quizzes her as to whether she'll regret demoting Lucas.
ELLE: I'm a Robinson, we don't regret.
Its then her turn to quiz him when she sees him looking through his address book and he wonders if it would be bad form to ask his hairdresser to be best man.
ELLE: Well it could be good in the case of emergencies such as strong winds, that kind of thing.
PAUL: Mmm true.
ELLE: Or I've got a better idea. I'll do it.
Paul is surprised at her offer and Elle replies that they don't do things like normal people "so why should your wedding be any different" she adds.
ELLE: Come on, I'd be proud to be your best man.
PAUL: Sweetheart I would be honoured. (Hugging Elle) You're so special.
Charlie's
Steph finds Lucas sitting at the bar and goes up to explain that she had no idea Elle was going to do what she did. He asks if she is going to take the job and she replies that she's thinking about it especially since they know Elle isn't going to give him back the job. "It's either me or some stranger" she tells him, which Lucas takes the hump at, replying "I guess you never know who your friends are." Steph is quick to correct him and say it's not about friends.
LUCAS: Yeah that's pretty clear.
STEPH: Don't blame me for this!
LUCAS: Don't get sucked in by her. She's just using you to get back at me.
STEPH: Oh really. What, so you think I couldn't manage the place, huh? I'd do a better job than you.
LUCAS: (scoffs) You two must have had a great time swapping stories about how useless I am.
STEPH: That's not what happened.
LUCAS: Like hell it's not.
STEPH: Lucas it's not always about you!
LUCAS: You're on her side.
STEPH: I'm not on anyone's side. Hey, I'm a single mother here with a mortgage just trying to make the best of a bad situation.
He doesn't think so and thinks its payback for the kiss thing.
STEPH: Oh please grow up Lucas. Stop trying to blame everyone else for the fact that you've run your own life into the ground. You know what; I wasn't even going to take the job. I had some stupid idea about being loyal to you. But you can forget it. You've made it crystal clear what I need to do.
Garage
Lucas complete with the 'Hi I'm Lucas' poloshirt is working on a car when Elle comes by to hear that Steph has accepted the managers position and hope that it won't be awkward for him. "No not at all" he politely replies before adding that it's actually a great thing - he'll now have more time without having to be responsible for management things.
Elle then tells him that he's got another two cars to attend to before and if he's a problem, he can take it up with his manager. When she leaves, Steph goes over and kicks his backside before telling him not to use her to score points in his lovers tiff with Elle.
Number 28
Donna is showing off to the teens what she bought with Paul's cash for Declan - fancy shades. They debate again whether Declan really wants a party or not and Ringo suddenly remembers that Didge left a pressie for Declan at #28 (because she thought he'd find it at home) and they wonder whether to give it to him or not.
Harold's Store
Steph tries to avoid having a scene with Lucas when she comes in to get a peppermint tea over her being his boss.
Elle comes out of the kitchen and after spotting Lucas, hopes that he slept okay last night. "Yes fine" he replies before going onto say that he went clubbing and stayed the night with 'an old friend'. "She was a lot of fun" he adds before leaving.
Paul and Rebecca come in to collect Declan's cake and they invite Elle to attend although Rebecca has ulterior motives - she wants Elle to keep her away from the cake because she has a wedding dress to fit into. Elle turns down the invite because she's got a Bucks night to organise.
REBECCA: You're not going to that?
PAUL: Ah, she's my best man.
Rebecca is pleased with his choice and Elle tells her the theme of the best Bucks night ever - temptation.
REBECCA: Oh okay, that's good but no strippers!
"Where is the fun in that" Paul questions but Elle promises her that there will be no strippers - she's got something much better planned she replies with an evil look in her eyes.
Number 26
Declan thanks everyone after he opens the last of his pressies. He is a bit suspicious of Rebecca's pressie (money) as she normally puts thought into it. Paul comes clean that there was another pressie but wondered now whether it was appropriate or not (they bought it a while ago) - a voucher for a night away for two. Declan asks to excuse him and he heads out the front door.
Ramsay Street
Ringo follows Declan outside and Declan apologises for wrecking the party but wants Ringo to head back inside to tell them to eat the cake. Declan opens up to his friend and admits that he can't go 10 minutes without thinking about Didge and adds that he might not celebrate another birthday again.
RINGO: Can't all be bad; I guess you won't get old.
DECLAN: Yes, I'll still be a teenager at India's 21st birthday. That would weird people right out.
Dec apologises for being on a downer and Ringo replies that isn't a problem.
Number 26
Rebecca finishes lighting the candles on Declan's cake but he vetoes them singing 'happy birthday'. Donna does the 3 cheers routine with everyone joining in before Declan blows out the candles. She then volunteers to cut the cake up (Declan said he didn't want to) and while she does that, he follows Rebecca through to the kitchen to thank her and to ask if the night away is still available because he'd like to take it. She replies that it is, so Declan tells her that he's going to take Ringo with him since he's been a really good mate to him.
Back in the living room, Donna asks Ringo if he's given Declan the pressie from Didge yet, he hasn't because Ringo doesn't thing he is ready. "You're a good man Ringo" replies Donna giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Elle arrives having organised the Bucks night to show off the invitations she's made for it.
Charlie's
Elle is handing out the said invites but is having a hard time getting people to accept. She manages to convince Karl by luring him there so he can ask Paul to increase the size of his column in the paper. Toadie and Dan are even harder despite the lure of free food, drink and entertainment! Lucas enters the bar and is handed his invite too - she hopes there isn't any hard feelings between them that would prevent him from attending. Elle departs after telling him that they are meeting at #22 in an hour before heading to a surprise location.
DAN: Could be an olive branch.
LUCAS: (sceptical) Yes, could be.
Number 22
Karl is using said invite (and Elle's lure) to get his column size increased but it looks like its falling on deaf ears when Paul bluntly tells him that he isn't as popular as he thinks he is.
KARL: Neither are you Paul.
Dan, Lucas and Toadie arrive and Lucas thanks Elle for inviting him along and he also comes clean about lying to her over staying over with a girl. After Lucas' apology, Elle is about to tell him that he shouldn't come but Karl interrupts their chat to ask for some more Somosa's and the moment is lost.
Elle is about to deliver some more Somosa's when she overhears Toadie winding Lucas up about the couch incident. When Paul thanks her for organising the night, she asks him to make sure that Lucas attends because "he's going to a kick out of it" she adds with the evil look in her eye back again.
Bucks night venue, Melbourne
Nikki the hostess comes to meet the gents (Elle isn't there) and invites them to follow her to this wonderful surprise she has. The guys follow on rather excited by this promise and she leads them into a room before announcing that tonight they are all members of the High Rollers Club with the first bet on the house! The camera pans round to let us see that there are lots of gambling opportunities available and in the background we see that Elle is there too.
DAN: I can't believe this.
Even Paul apologises to Lucas and understands if he wants to leave. Dan suggests that they all leave but Nikki the host tells them not to, they'll miss all the fun, then starts handing out chips to the guys and Lucas plays with them in his hand as Elle watches on from afar.