Recap
- Libby tells Dan to leave.
- Ben excited about giving Dan his Christmas present.
- Ben discovering the bike left by Dan.
- Ben wondering what's wrong with him for all his dads to leave him.
- Kate and Declan getting ready for their date.
- Declan getting mad with Kate for holding India.
- Kate ditching their date.
Ramsay Street
Declan finds Kate sitting out in the street crying. He apologises and explains that he'd not as ready as he thought he was. He asks her to have lunch at Charlie's tomorrow with him. Kate reluctantly agrees and gets up to go back inside.
Next morning Callum tries to get Ben to help him train Rocky but Ben isn't in the mood and goes inside. Toadie suggests that Libby back off for a bit. Libby doesn't think she can just "leave him to it" and refuses Toadie's offer to keep an eye on Ben so she can have a break.
TOADIE: It mightn't hurt for you to cut loose a little, Libby.
LIBBY: There's no quick fix, Toad. I just have to be here for him and help him get through it.
Number 28
Susan is sure Libby understands Ben more than the rest of them do, but Toadie is still concerned that Libby is crowding him. He explains that Ben is missing Dan, but is worrying more about his mum. Susan thinks a mother/daughter long lunch is in order. Zeke offers to take Ben down to the radio station with him. Toadie blithely suggests that he and Callum should join them ...so it doesn't look like a set up. After all, he was the golden voice of UniFM. Zeke looks pained and even more so at the idea of Toadie dedicating a whole hour to Sonya.
Ramsay Street
Ben is riding around the street, watched like a hawk by his mother. She tries to get him to do the trick he did earlier for Susan, Toadie and Zeke, but Ben wanders away. Zeke suggests that Ben go to PirateNet with him and Toadie but Libby isn't keen on the idea. Susan tempts her with lunch at Lanzini's using Karl's credit card.
LIBBY: Thanks guys, but I think he really needs me to spend time with him right now.
TOADIE: That's what you have been doing, Libby.
Libby eventually has her arm twisted around and Ben takes far less convincing.
Number 24
Donna pesters Kate about having another date with Dec, but Kate is still irritable and intent on getting the shopping list sorted. Lou dishes up banana and caramel pancakes for Sophie instead of oatbran (seriously, a childhood obesity storyline in Ramsay St is long overdue. With the number of milkshakes and sundaes and pancakes the kids consume they should be the size of Lassiters!). Kate is annoyed because Oatbran is good for you. Harry comes in and puts an order for 5 pancakes in in preparation for their big day of a trip to the wave pool and a guitar hero tournament. Kate isn't going though because it's cleanup day and they all have chores to do! Lou says the shopping and chores can wait until tomorrow.
SOPHIE: Can I eat my pancakes in the lounge?
KATE: NO! LOU: Course you can.
Kate agrees to a school holidays only rule. Lou tells her it's ok to go easy now and then. Kate has done really well with them, but she can let him take charge now and then.
Pirate Net
Toadie is taunting Zeke with early nineties tracks. He makes a hugely sleazy intro over the airwaves to a "morning after" track growling that he wished he knew Sonya back then. Oh Toad!
CALLUM: Sonya....AGAIN?! Man, this is Pirate Net, not Woosy Net.
Zeke calls Ben over to give him a hand in reclaiming the airwaves from The Lawman and Baby Face Jones. (Toadie assures them that this track ruled in '93 - presumably back in Colac where he lived at the time...) Ben agrees to be musical director and the good tracks start rolling again.
Number 28
Libby and Susan arrive back home after a shopping spree with Karl's credit card. They tune in to hear the end of LostBoy and Libby admits that she probably did need some time out.
Pirate Net
Zeke wraps up the show and gives special thanks to Music Director BennyBoy and hands over the mike.
BEN: Thanks everybody. I was just wondering...Dan, if you're out there and you like the music. Could you maybe come home? Mum's really sad without you. So just come back, ok?
After the break Libby has joined the gang at Pirate Net and sits Ben down again to tell him that Dan isn't coming back and that it isn't his fault. Some things just can't be changed.
BEN: I just want you to stop being so sad all the time.
LIBBY: I'm fine, you don't have to worry.
BEN: But I do.
LIBBY: Listen to me, Dan decided to leave and that makes me sad, but you make me so happy. We've got each other and that's all I need.
Number 22
Dec is clearing some things up when his eyes drift over to the photo of him and Bridget on their wedding day then to him and Kate at the Deb. He twists his ring off and places it beside the photo of him and Didge. He picks up his keys and is on his way out when he stops and realises he can't go out without his ring.
Charlie's
Kate is waiting for Dec who apologises as soon as he sits down with her. He admits that she was right, he's not ready. It's like he's trying to prove something to himself. Kate gets up to leave and Dec stops her and tells her that everything he said last night is true.
DECLAN: I want to be here. I just can't.
KATE: Don't do this to me again, ok?
DECLAN: Yeah. I'm sorry I got you involved in all of this. We were friends before all of this craziness happened. Does it have to change?
Defeated, Kate agrees on friends.
Number 22
The guitar hero contest is well under way when Kate arrives back. Lou tries to get her to come and play, but it's the last thing she feels like doing. She gets mad when she can't find an empty washing basket so Lou tries to fight back and defend her score.
KATE: You want me to fight back? Right. Well I don't think your stupid ideas on parenting are helping us at all. The washing, cleaning, housework, it's what I need to do ok? Because somebody has to pick up the slack around here!
Number 22
Harry wants to know where Declan gets off messing Kate around. Declan explains that he didn't mean to hurt her. Harry doesn't want to know Declan if this is going to continue.
Number 24
Kate apologises to Lou for her earlier outburst and explains that she has her own way of dealing with things. Lou wonders if Declan even showed up but Kate doesn't want to go there. She and Lou make a deal that they still do things her way, but she kicks back once in a while because Sophie and Harry worry about her.
Number 22
Declan hands Harry a glass of water so he is less likely to punch him. Harry reckons Dec is giving himself a harder time than he was going to give him.
DECLAN: I really like your sister it's just....
HARRY: Bridget. I went pretty weird after Mum, but then I woke up one day and it was just....different.
Harold's
Donna predicts that Kate and Declan will end up being better friends...or totally hating each other. Declan comes in and gives them an awkward wave. Donna sees him avoiding them as a good sign and Kate suggests maybe she is avoiding him. Donna pushes Kate over to Dec with the instructions to "talk" and "be yourself". Kate takes his order.
Ramsay Street
Libby and Susan come out of number 28 discussing Ben. Susan doesn't think he's doing too badly, but Libby sees the radio station incident as a bad sign. Susan suggests Libby take him over to Lou's to play video games, but Libby thinks after the morning they've had they need to go home and bake chocolate slice.
SUSAN: Riiiight. Is that what Ben wants to do?
They hear a sharp clanging noise and turn to see Ben on the front lawn smashing his bike up with a baseball bat and kicking it.
LIBBY: Will you stop! You're going to hurt yourself.
BEN: WHO CARES?!
LIBBY: I care!
BEN: DAN DOESN'T!
Number 30
Ben has calmed down and is reading in his room. Libby tells Susan she can go, she's going to sit with Ben. Susan tells her to give him some space.
LIBBY: He just smashed his bike up with a baseball bat. I'm not going to leave him alone.
SUSAN: He needs some space.
LIBBY: You saw him out there.
SUSAN: He's not the first kid to act out.
LIBBY: I need to help him.
SUSAN: No, Lib, you need to stop trying to fix everything. I know it's awful, it's awful to see your son hurt like that, but imagine how it feels for him to see his mum so unhappy.
LIBBY: I have to do something, he's so angry. Maybe I should take him to see someone.
Susan assures her that Ben is perfectly healthy, he just needs to let his anger at Dan out the only way he knows how.
SUSAN: Darling, Ben isn't the problem here. He's sad and he's let it out. Now it's your turn.
Preview
- Libby throws Ben's bike in a skip.
- Callum orchestrates a sleep over for Toadie and Sonya.
- Susan tries to get Lyn to go to a singles mixology class.
- Steph has a rehab schedule planned for Lucas but he doesn't want to be looked after.
- Lucas wonders why Steph is sticking by him.