Previously
- Elly tells Yashvi that Eden Hills Football Club wants to see her training
- Sonya tells a thrilled Toadie that she'd like to try for another baby
- Sonya and Nell head off on their USA trip to see Zoe and Walter
- Sindi turns up at Toadie's party, telling him Andrea is back, and gives him a phone number for her
- But when Toadie calls Willow to ask for her views, she tells him to throw the number away
- Toadie rips up Andrea's phone number
- Karl tells Susan one of the medical trial participants has a blood clot which is a 'ticking time bomb'
- Karl tells David he's fairly sure that Shane is the mystery patient - but David reveals that it's Karl!
Erinsborough Hospital
Karl is in David's office, discussing the revelation that there is a high chance Karl has a blood clot somewhere in his body. Karl says he has no symptoms; if it hadn't been for the research, he wouldn't know. David says it could be only partially obstructed, but that they need to find out for sure. Karl thinks it happened on the plane to or from London; David agrees this is most likely.
David says they'll need to do an ultrasound and an MRI - they'll try to do this before the end of the day. Karl says he might wait until they have all the facts to tell Susan about his condition.
No 32
Dipi and Shane are in the pool. Dipi is explaining about Jane Harris's offer to tutor Kirsha for free. Shane wonders what the catch is; Dipi replies that Jane is just a really nice person. They start pashing, but are interrupted by Elly - she's had a call from a football recruiter about Yashvi, who will be at her game tomorrow to see how she performs. Shane is excited; Dipi looks more concerned.
Shane asks Elly if Yashvi knows. She explains they wanted to leave it up to Shane and Dipi as to whether or not to tell her she'll be being observed during the game, as some kids respond well to the pressure while others don't. Shane thanks Elly, and she leaves them to it. An excited Shane asks Dipi if they should tell Yashvi; she hesitates, then says maybe not.
Shane rushes off to tell Toadie; Dipi looks worried.
No 28
Susan gets a message from Dipi; she wants her to go over to the house to discuss Yashvi's schooling. Elly is surprised, as Dipi didn't mention that to her just before. Susan surmises that Dipi is worried about how Yashvi's football will impact on Year 12.
ELLY: Sports is important, and it's a great balance to study. Besides, we have enough boy footy legends. It's time we have a girl one.
Karl comes in, and Susan asks if he's talked to Shane - Karl replies that the results weren't Shane's, but neglects to tell Susan they were his.
SUSAN: Have they been told?
KARL: Yeah, they're having tests - we've got it under control.
Karl then says he's left something at the hospital, and rushes back out of the door.
The Flametree Retreat
Toadie is on the phone to Shane while Steph listens; Toadie is excited that Yashvi has attracted attention from a football recruiter, and says he'll be over right away. After the call, Steph gives Toadie some melatonin in case Sonya needs some after her flight. Toadie can't wait for Sonya and Nell to arrive home. Steph remarks that it will be good not having him pine over them anymore!
TOADIE: There's a lot we need to talk about.
STEPH: What, like the 100 grand you've been working back?
TOADIE: Yes. Well, I haven't even got back a quarter of it yet.
STEPH: Toad, come on! Son's not expecting the whole thing - she's going to be blown away that you've even made that much back.
Steph offers to take Nell out once they get back, so Toadie and Sonya can have some alone time, to work on 'making some more little Nellies'. Toadie says they need to start strategising in that regard.
STEPH: Strategising - right! Is that what the kids call it?
TOADIE: You've got a one-track mind, Scully!
No 32
Toadie and Shane are talking excitedly about Yashvi's football opportunity. Susan, who has come to see Dipi, listens amused to them getting carried away. Shane says it's a perfect way for Yashvi to channel all the energy that they were worried would get her into trouble.
DIPI: Her job in the yard does that.
SHANE: But she doesn't see that as a career, does she?
DIPI: Look, even if she succeeds - and that's a big if - women in football can't make a living. The season only goes for two months, and the best players only earn about 30 grand.
TOADIE: Someone's been Googling.
SHANE: I thought you'd be more excited about this?
DIPI: I am. But I just want us to think it through. She's got her VCE this year.
SUSAN: Oh, I know - and that's important. However, discipline in sports training can translate to discipline in the classroom. I think we just all need to keep an eye on her - make sure she finds the right balance.
Dipi's face says that wasn't the perspective she was hoping for. Shane and Toadie rush off to speak to Gary about Yashvi's diet. Dipi continues to look worried.
Erinsborough Hospital
David joins Karl in the consulting room and delivers the test results - there's a large thrombosis in Karl's femoral vein in the left thigh. David wants to try him on an anticoagulant like warfarin, to thin his blood - they'll start him on injections, then move him onto tablets. They'll do regular blood tests to monitor the clotting.
KARL: I could live without this, you know.
DAVID: I know (...) Have you mentioned any of this to Susan yet?
KARL: No.
DAVID: I can be there when you tell her, if you like.
KARL: No. I'll tell her alone. I just wish I could spare her this worry. We're just getting back to normal after the last couple of months. I might just leave it until tomorrow.
DAVID: Karl - even on the meds, you could have an embolism or a stroke. You should tell her as soon as possible.
KARL: Yeah.
But Karl looks uncertain.
No 30
Steph enthusiastically welcomes Sonya and Nell home, as Toadie brings in the cases. Toadie is evidently thrilled to have Sonya and Nell back.
Sonya gives Steph the 'chapter headings' on her write-out storyline - her sister Zoe's improving following her cancer treatment, and her dad Walter is 'getting there' with his alcoholism. In addition, Callum has been moved onto the 'Moonshot Programme' at his Silicon Valley tech firm, meaning he's working on projects that 'shoot for the moon', without having to worry about short-term profit.
Sonya asks how Steph is, after all that's happened with Jack etc. She insists she's fine, and offers to take Nell for a bath so Sonya and Toadie can catch up. Once they've gone, Sonya says they need to talk - Toadie assumes it's about baby-making strategies, but on the contrary...
SONYA: Actually, I want to talk about Andrea.
No 28
Susan tells Elly that Karl isn't up yet - he got in late, and was tossing and turning all night. Susan thinks he's just missing Ben and Holly, adding that he hasn't been the same since they left. Susan says she and Karl have agreed they need to focus on each other. Elly says they should enjoy their 'empty-ish nest' together today, and Susan thinks this is a good idea.
No 30
Toadie and Sonya are talking about the idea of finding Andrea.
SONYA: When Sindi gave you the number and you called to tell me, I was just - I was too preoccupied to make a sound decision.
TOADIE: Willow wasn't too keen on the idea either.
SONYA: Well, yeah, and I get why. She's probably terrified that Andrea will let her down again.
TOADIE: Well, there's every chance that she's going to let us down, too.
SONYA: Yeah. But I mean, it's the principle of the thing. She is out there with $100,000 of our money, and you are working yourself into the ground to try and get us back on track.
TOADIE: What if she's already blown it? Cos there's every chance that she has.
SONYA: Well, then, we'll work out a payment plan. The police should be able to help us out with something like that.
TOADIE: Sweetheart, you know that means inviting her back into our lives?
SONYA: Yes, I know that - and I'm - well, I'm prepared for it.
TOADIE: Okay, alright. Well, Willow - we have to let her know too.
Sonya explains that Willow was part of the reason she wants to start searching for Andrea.
SONYA: Being with Walter and Zoe, we had a lot of time to talk about the past - about this crazy family tree of ours. And I thought a lot about my mum and my dad, and not having them around. And Callum could relate to that too.
TOADIE: So you think this is important for Willow.
SONYA: Well, I mean, Andrea is still her mother. So somehow, some way, in the future, maybe she might want to have a relationship with her again.
TOADIE: Alright. As long as you're absolutely sure.
SONYA: Mm. Just call Sindi, and call Willow. We just need to get our hands on that number again.
Lassiter's Complex
Dipi pesters David about footballing injuries; she appears to be attempting to extract advice from him to the effect that it's too dangerous for Yashvi to play. Unfortunately for Dipi, David is of the view that the health benefits of contact sports outweigh the risks.
DIPI: She's my baby. I was nervous enough when it was just a hobby, but now it seems like it's getting more serious.
DAVID: I understand, completely, and your concerns are entirely legitimate. I just think it's a question of trying to keep things in perspective.
Harold's Café
Gary is giving Shane advice on Yashvi's sporting diet - which should include proteins, complex carbs and veggies, and no lollies, soft drinks or fried foods. Gary's drawn up a plan, which he offers to give Shane in exchange for selling him the food cart Shane acquired recently. Shane agrees.
Gary goes off to answer a phone call from Susan, while Dipi tells Shane that the toilets are in order again. He's surprised Lassiter's signed off on the work so easily; Dipi remarks that it was mutually beneficial! Conversation moves onto Yashvi - Dipi isn't sure she should take her footie career 'to the next level' as it's too risky.
SHANE: It's professional sport, babe - it's not backstreet drag racing!
DIPI: I'm scared for her, Shane. People get injured badly, and that can affect them for the rest of their lives (...) I don't want Yashvi taking chances. Not after what happened with Kirshy. I just can't go through that again.
SHANE: Okay. I understand it. We'll sit down with Yashvi and we'll talk about it.
DIPI: Will you back me up, and tell her it should just stay a hobby?
SHANE: ...Of course.
But he looks reluctant.
No 30
Mark, Sheila, Amy and Piper are all randomly visiting Sonya at the same time, to ensure she's apprised of all the gossip she's missed since being away. Amy reveals that Jimmy has started dating, while Sheila wants to tell Sonya all about her health scare.
SHEILA: It was really weird. And Ross Wilson was there as well!
Sonya gets rid of all the visitors just as Toadie comes off the phone from talking to Willow; apparently, she has warned Toadie against looking for Andrea and has no interest in making contact with her mother.
TOADIE: She was pretty emphatic (...) She said that Andrea is toxic and everyone is better off staying away from her.
SONYA: Okay, well what do you think?
TOADIE: I think if you're dead keen on getting this money back, we can go after Andrea ourselves. We don't have to involve Willow.
SONYA: Well, I just don't want to upset her. And, look, she might change her mind - so let's just keep it between ourselves.
TOADIE: So call Sindi?
SONYA: Yeah. Do it.
No 28
Susan has invited Gary over to give the Kennedys a healthy cookery lesson, in the hopes of cheering Karl up. Gary goes to raid the herb garden, while Karl apologises to Susan for being miserable - he's just had a lot on his mind. Susan again assumes that it's because of Ben and Holly leaving, and says this will help them focus on each other. Karl says it's a lovely gesture - but still looks worried.
Harold's Café
Steph is waiting for Nell to come out of the toilet, and showing Shane pictures Nell's drawn of things she wants to be when she grows up.
SHANE: Really - a unicorn? (!) Do you reckon we should break it to her?
STEPH: Aww! Who knows what's possible in the future, really?
Steph mentions Cal's new job in the 'Moonshot Department'.
STEPH: So many things seem magical or science fiction until we actually do them. You'd know all about that, being an inventor.
Steph witters on about dreams, and how we've all got one, deep down. Her and the retreat, Dipi's theatre... It gets Shane thinking twice about Yashvi and her AFL dream.
No 30
Toadie finishes up a phone call to Sindi, who has apparently deleted Andrea's phone number - so since he's thrown his copy away too, it's gone. Sonya asks if there's any other way Sindi could help track her down.
TOADIE: She was dead against it. It was quite strange, actually - she said exactly the same thing as Willow. That Andrea is toxic, and to stay away. So maybe we should see this as a sign - that we should focus on more important things, like expanding our family?
SONYA: I just think that we should put that on hold for now. It's really important to find Andrea.
TOADIE: More important than having another child?
SONYA: It's closure. It's not emotional closure; we dealt with that in counselling. But I think it's good to just close the door on one thing, before we commit ourselves to something new.
TOADIE: Well, getting the money back would definitely help us in the long run...
SONYA: Yes. And I know Willow doesn't want a relationship with Andrea now, but she might change her mind when she's older. And that way, we'll be able to tell her where she is.
Toadie says that without Andrea's phone number, the only way to track her down is to hire a private investigator, which is expensive. The money he's earned back has already gone into the mortgage, so it will take them a while to raise it. Sonya says they should use what they've got to raise it themselves, whatever that means...
No 32
Dipi is preparing for the family chat with Yashvi about football - but Shane tells her his talk with Steph has made him realise that they could be making a mistake, by depriving Yashvi of her dream.
DIPI: This is real life, Shane - not a musical, sad to say.
SHANE: Yeah, well, if it was a musical, I reckon Yashvi would be singing her 'I want' song about footie.
DIPI: People like musicals because they're fantasies.
SHANE: Yeah, but - when you were growing up, you wanted to be like Elaine Paige or Bernadette Peters, right? Imagine if you'd had that shot, and your parents stood in your way?
DIPI: But that wasn't dangerous!
SHANE: Sure, she might get hurt or fail. But if you don't take risks, if you don't strive for your dreams, you'll never do anything magical. And I just don't think I could be a part of holding her back. I know it's scary for you. But I also know that you want her to have her chance to shine. And we'll take lots of precautions.
DIPI: She has to do all of her training, and get the best protective gear.
SHANE: Absolutely.
DIPI: And all of her stretches. And we have to monitor her -
SHANE: Twenty-four seven.
DIPI: If there's a sniff of an injury, we will reassess.
SHANE: I promise.
DIPI: Do you love me?
SHANE: I do.
They kiss, and hug.
No 28
Gary gives the Kennedys some final garnishing advice, and leaves - but as Karl is chopping the parsley, he cuts himself. He announces to Susan that he has to go to hospital.
SUSAN: Why - do you need stitches?
KARL: I've been on blood thinners since last night - my blood won't clot.
SUSAN: What? Why are you on blood thinners?
KARL: Cos I'm Patient 18D. I have DVT.
Coming up on Neighbours
- Seeing Paul and Terese on the mezzanine, Gary tells Steph they won't make him look an idiot again
- Jane uses her tutoring session with Kirsha to snoop around No 32
- Dipi can't shake the feeling that Yashvi will get injured; Shane says she'll be fine
- During a footie match, Yashvi falls to the floor, and Shane and Dipi gasp