Previously on Neighbours
- Rani posts something mean about Priya on Facebook, much to the disgust of Kate, Ajay and Callum
- Sarah and Karl meet, and we learn that - shock, horror - they TITTNL fourteen years ago! But Sarah's not telling a soul
- Susan is distraught when she spots Karl and Sarah coming out of Lassiter's together
Lassiter's Complex
Karl desperately tries to explain to Susan that Sarah is just in town on business and wanted to catch up. Susan is incredulous, but Sarah insists that she only wanted to apologise to him for what happened in the past - and that now she can apologise to Susan too.
SUSAN: Sarah, whatever happened, it was a lifetime ago.
KARL: And we're fine now.
SARAH: Even so. I wanted you both to know that I've always really regretted the way I acted.
SUSAN: Well, I can understand that. But I haven't thought about it for years. So excuse me.
Detecting an amount of bitterness in the air, Sarah incredibly suggests that the three of them go for a drink together to talk things through! Susan scowls at this brazenness, but doesn't say no.
Harold's
Toadie asks for Callum's advice on what to cook for Karl and Susan next week, as part of another attempt to get them to rekindle their romance, which Toadie has made his personal challenge. Callum confesses that concocting a menu could be the least of Toadie's worries: Sarah Beaumont is indeed staying at Lassiter's, and paid Callum $50 not to tell Toadie!
Right on cue, Paul comes in, and Toadie begins to question him about Sarah. He admits a Sarah Hannay is staying at the hotel, and Toadie immediately makes the connection that this is Sarah's married name. Cal then compounds the situation by letting slip to Paul that Sarah and Karl had a 'thing', and the beginnings of a very wide smile begin to creep over Paul's face.
Charlie's
Paul comes in and demands to know whether Susan is meeting with Sarah, but is bluntly told it's none of his business. Karl and Sarah come over. Paul says if it's about the merger, he wants in on the conversation (in fact, he wants in on it regardless). At this point Susan realises that, to add insult to injury, Sarah is the representative from Globewise Communications who is overseeing the paper merger. Paul is practically salivating over Susan's annoyance, as Sarah explains that she tried to turn down the posting in Erinsborough, but was overruled by her bosses - so decided to use her married name and "slip in and out" before anyone realised she was back.
SARAH: But when I arrived, I realised I couldn't leave without trying to make amends.
KARL: That must have been quite a dilemma for you.
SUSAN: ...
SARAH: It was.
Karl archly notes Paul's attempt to turn the discussion back to business, at which Paul suggests Karl might not want to take the moral high- ground on this occasion. Susan icily tells Sarah that if she wants to talk to her about the paper, she can get in touch, but that otherwise, she's heard enough - and promptly leaves.
Lassiter's Complex
Relishing the prospect of reducing his popularity with his neighbours still further, Paul tries to bribe Sarah into remaining in Erinsborough for another night by offering her free hotel accommodation, claiming he doesn't want her past with the Kennedys to affect the merger. Sarah assures him she's a professional and that that won't happen, but he insists it would be a good idea for her to stick around, so she can at least see the newspaper offices.
Lassiter's
Later, Sarah relaxes in her room, having accepted Paul's argument for her to stay. There's a knock on the door; it's Toadie and Callum. Toadie and Sarah hug, and Callum is forced by Toadie to return Sarah's $50. She apologises for bribing him into keeping quiet, but explains she wanted to keep a low profile because of Karl and Susan. Sarah explains that she's apologised to the Kennedys though, and that she's planning on leaving tomorrow. In the meantime, Toadie sits down so they can catch up on the last fourteen years.
Harold's
Sophie has some bad news for Rani; she shows her a Facebook page on her phone that someone's created, which is all about what a skank Priya is. Rani says Priya deserves it, but then Sophie shows her photos of Priya and Rani, captioned "like mother, like daughter", and of Ajay, captioned "Loser". Rani realises that someone has taken photos from her profile, and doctored them to attack the Kapoors.
Erinsborough News
Paul and Sarah turn up for ostensibly merger- related purposes, and Susan isn't best pleased to see either of them. Sarah insists she's only here for a quick look around, and Susan tells her to take as long as she needs. Paul then drops another bombshell; according to an email from Sarah's superiors, they want her to stay in Erinsborough for three weeks to oversee the transition! Sarah goes to make a phone call, to confirm what Paul's saying, while Paul gloats silently for Susan's benefit.
Erinsborough High (outside)
Rani and Sophie approach the school, but Rani doesn't want to go in; she's worried that everyone will know about the Facebook page. Sophie encourages her not to worry, but Rani is promptly called a skank herself by classmate and latter- day Griffo wannabe Alistair, whose taunts lead Sophie to leap angrily to her friend's defence. Rani feels bad for having started the Facebook slurs in the first place, but Sophie reminds her she wasn't responsible for this particular page. Rani tries to call Ajay but his phone's off, so she decides to wag class in order to run off and warn him about the Facebook page.
Erinsborough News
Paul continues to pester Susan - he says he wants to know if she can deal with the Sarah situation professionally, but really he's just enjoying watching her squirm. Sarah comes back in and confirms that she'll be sticking around, so Paul puts the icing on the cake by asking Susan to move out of her office, so Sarah can have somewhere quiet to work! Sarah feels bad about this, but Susan tells her it's fine, albeit through gritted teeth, before dashing off to an 'important business meeting' - or as it's otherwise known, coffee with Toadie at Charlie's.
Charlie's
Susan comes in to meet Toadie.
TOADIE: Of all the newspapers in all the world...
SUSAN: She had to walk into mine!
Toadie tells Susan she's allowed to be upset, given what happened all those years ago.
TOADIE: I remember how horrible it was for you at the time.
SUSAN: It was the end of a fairytale. A perfect marriage, our perfect life - just over. Do you know, in some ways it was an even bigger blow than Izzy.
TOADIE: ...
SUSAN: Well, I came to understand that Karl felt genuine love for Izzy, but Sarah? That was just so meaningless.
Susan also explains how Karl lied to Susan about where he was going, shortly before meeting Sarah in her hotel room yesterday - and that he claimed they just talked. Toadie says he probably just didn't want to hurt Susan by telling her Sarah was back, but Susan gets tearful over the idea that Karl could nonetheless lie to her again about Sarah. Toadie comforts Susan and tells her not to judge Karl too harshly; he's probably just as uncomfortable as she is that Sarah's back.
Erinsborough High (outside)
Rent- a- moron Alistair is busy spreading the gossip about the Priya/skank Facebook page to Non- Speaking Sidekicks #1 and #2. Priya herself walks out of the school building, talking to Kate. Priya asks Kate if she would mind keeping an eye out for Rani for her while she goes off for a meeting. Kate says that of course she will. Sophie then comes out of school, looking anxiously at her phone - she explains about the Facebook page, and says Rani's left the premises to find Ajay. Kate, whose own apparent escape from social networking infamy is surely nothing short of miraculous, is duly shocked by all this and says they'll have to tell Priya. Sophie begs her not to, and asks Kate to let her go and find Rani and bring her back.
Harold's
Rani goes in to look for Ajay, but he's not there, so she heads outside to look elsewhere.
Community Centre
Ajay is taking out his frustrations on a punchbag when Rani shows up. Tearfully she explains about the Facebook page, and says how sorry she is for having kickstarted the whole rumour mill. Ajay reassures her that it's not her fault, and tells her not to worry; they can get the photos removed. They hug, and he offers to give her a lift back to school, but Rani says she'll be fine. He says he'll see her at home, as she walks away.
Erinsborough News
Karl turns up to see Susan. He asks if she's seen Sarah today; Susan explains that Sarah is staying for longer than expected, and that Paul's offered up Susan's office for her to work from! Karl apologises for being dishonest yesterday about seeing Sarah; he promises he was as surprised as Susan was to see her, and that he only lied because he didn't want Susan to get the wrong impression. Susan tersely tells Karl that what's done is done, and that they'll all just have to deal with it. Sensing her annoyance, Karl leaves.
Lassiter's
Karl knocks on the door to Sarah's room, and she lets him in. He reiterates that Susan must never find out about the extent of their affair or his lies - but Sarah's offended he's even saying it, given that she's already assured him she won't breathe a word. Karl apologises for having upset Sarah, but she tells him she has work to do, and he leaves.
No 24
Ajay shows Priya the offending Facebook page on her laptop. (It has already garnered 58 'likes'). Priya is horrified and concludes that some of the schoolkids must be responsible. Ajay explains Rani came to him in tears to tell him about it; Priya's sorry it's so harsh, but says it started out due to Rani's initial post about Priya. Ajay won't hear a word of it, however, angrily telling Priya that Rani is not the cause of all this.
Lassiter's Complex
Rani runs away from the complex, a triumphant look on her face, closely followed by Sophie.
SOPHIE: I do not believe you just did that! I'm serious, Rani!
RANI: Stop freaking out. I didn't get caught and no- one saw us.
Kate turns up and demands to know what they're running from, but Rani says they were just mucking around. Kate tells them to get back to school; she asked Sophie to bring Rani straight back. Kate says she should report Rani to Priya for leaving school, but Sophie pleads with her not to, saying they had a deal. Kate denies this, but Rani apologises and says it won't happen again - so Kate tells them to forget it ever happened and get back now. Once she's out of earshot, Sophie tells Rani she'll be in big trouble if what she did gets found out. Rani smiles and says she won't get caught.
Tomorrow on Neighbours
- Lassiter's has fallen victim to a graffiti attack, impugning Paul's good character
- Priya and Ajay discuss the possibility of sending Rani for counselling
- A policeman tells Priya that he'll have to charge Rani if she won't let him talk to her...
- ...and the policeman appears to be staying in Ramsay Street, along with Lou's daughter
- Lou's keeping secrets from his family, but will Sheila blow his cover?