No 28
Karl arrives back from the airport, having picked up Liz (who it must be mentioned looks suspiciously like Pippa from Home & Away, but let's not dwell on it). Susan stifles a grimace as Liz makes her presence felt, loudly greeting 'Susie' and Elly, and declaring Karl a 'grandpa' in driving terms.

SUSAN: How was your flight?
LIZ: Oh, dreadful! You know what you went through in that container? I have just lived it. It's a really poor excuse for an airline.

Susan and Elly look unimpressed with this comparison, as Bea walks in. Liz goes over to give Bea a hug, all exaggerated empathy - but Bea does not hug back.

LIZ: Oh, that Finn - what you went through, it's dreadful! And then when Susie told me that you didn't actually make it to live with your dad, it's heartbreaking! I mean, the fact that you've been sleeping on other people's couches, with nowhere to call home. It's terrible! You know, you always were a little headstrong thing, though, weren't you? Didn't I say, Susie, when she was little - when she was a baby? I said, 'she's so independent - she wants to do things for herself'.
BEA: I didn't just sleep on people's couches. You've got no idea!

A furious Bea storms out of the front door.

LIZ: Have I done something wrong?
SUSAN: ...

The Waterhole
Cassius and Piper are having a drink. Piper notices that Chloe is being loud and friendly with hotel maid Marisa, Yashvi's racist bully, across by the bar, as they decorate the pub for Christmas in July. While Marisa hangs up some mistletoe by the couch, Piper marches over to give Chloe a piece of her mind about Marisa.

PIPER: Couldn't you have used anyone else?
CHLOE: Well, I know she's had a couple of warnings for 'bringing the hotel into disrepute', but who hasn't around here?!
PIPER: She was blatantly racist towards Yashvi when they played football together. Like, it was bad enough to warrant her getting kicked off the team.

Chloe seems surprised, but suggests Marisa might have learned her lesson.

PIPER: She never apologised.
CHLOE: What do you want me to do? It's got nothing to do with her job.
PIPER: Whatever. I just think there are better people that you could be giving special treatment to.

Chloe looks conflicted.

No 24
Mishti has been summoned by her dating gurus, David and Aaron, who declare that they've found her a prospective beau. Mishti protests that she's not ready to date again yet after what happened with Dilhan - but they are convinced that 'Doctor Rob' will change her mind. Mishti asks for the lowdown on Doctor Rob in five words or less.

AARON: Err, obstetrician. Like, what more do you need to know?
MISHTI: More than that.
DAVID: Mishti, the guy delivers babies!
AARON: And he makes them too!
DAVID: In a test tube, not the old-fashioned way.
AARON: I'm sure he can do that as well!

David informs her that they've already booked her in for a coffee date with Doctor Rob tomorrow morning.

No 28
Susan is challenging Liz on never having worked out that Bea was homeless. Liz claims that on the rare occasions they spoke, Bea led her to believe she was living with her dad, Lars, in Broome; and that Lars himself had cut off contact by then. Elly brings up Bea's belief that Elly asked Liz to kick her out of the house, and asks where she got that idea.

LIZ: Do we have to go into all that?
ELLY: Yes. That's why you're here.

Susan gets a text from Karl, who has been out looking for Bea, and says he's found her.

Harold's Café
Karl is chatting to Bea, who's reluctant to go home and see Liz.

BEA: I've survived this long without her (...) If Mum really wanted me, she wouldn't have told me to go.

No 28
Elly says she doesn't remember saying anything to Liz along the lines that she wanted Bea to leave.

LIZ: Bea was fifteen. She was a terror - just all those teenage hormones -
ELLY: Mum, just answer the question. Did I ever say or do anything that implied I didn't want Bea around?
LIZ: I think that Bea has got her memories mixed up.
ELLY: So this had nothing to do with me?
LIZ: Of course not! I wanted her to go and spend time with her dad. Now, I'm not saying she's lying. But maybe she felt that the world was against her, and she's just made it into something it wasn't.

Harold's Café
Karl tells Bea that the truth isn't always black and white - especially when the memory gets a hold of it.

BEA: I remember the conversation very clearly.
KARL: You agreed to stay with us because you wanted to move on, yes? So work with your mum, and with Elly, and with all of us. It's the only way you're gonna move forward.
BEA: I suppose.
KARL: So you'll come home?
No 28
Liz claims she's getting tired and wants to go to Bed. Susan and Elly seem disapproving that she's not going to wait for Bea to get back, but Liz says she'll talk to her in the morning - emphasising that she should be the one to talk to Bea first. Once Liz has gone to bed, Susan concedes it might be best to wait till the morning to resolve things.

ELLY: She has spent the last five years thinking I'm the one who wanted her out on the street - holding onto all that anger. I don't know how she's going to accept it was all for nothing.

Harold's Café
Cut to Bea looking glum as Karl buys some drinks.

The Waterhole
Marisa offers to buy Chloe an after-work drink, as a thank-you for all the extra shifts she's been getting. Chloe agrees, and offers Marisa some more work tomorrow morning; the Christmas in July posters are ready, and need to be stuck up around the complex. Marisa doesn't look so thrilled when she sees the Rebecchis as the Face of Lassiter's on the posters.

MARISA: I got kicked off my footie team because of that family.
CHLOE: ... Why?
MARISA: Because Yashvi's the favourite and can do no wrong. Go figure.
CHLOE: So, putting up the posters isn't going to be a problem, then, is it?
MARISA: Of course not! I'll go get us those drinks.

Chloe looks at Marisa suspiciously as she goes.

Lassiter's Complex
The following morning, the hotel staff are busy decking out the courtyard in Christmas in July paraphernalia, while festive music plays.

Lassiter's Terrace / Harold's Café
Mishti is on the phone to Dipi, discussing her imminent breakfast date with Doctor Rob. Dipi is already stalking him on the hospital website and thinks he's 'pretty cute'. Mishti retorts that Dilhan was too, and look what happened there. Dipi advises her that Doctor Rob has been well-vetted, so just to have some fun.

MISHTI: I don't need fun. I need to know what I'm dealing with.

At that moment, her date arrives - it's Dr Rob Carson, of Sonya's amniocentesis and Xanthe's work experience fame! Mishti ends the call.

ROB: I wanted to bring you something. Some men do flowers, but since it's practically still the wee hours of the morning...

He hands her a toothbrush! Mishti looks bemused.

ROB: For the next time you have to pull an all-nighter at work!
MISHTI: Thanks... For a second, I was worried there that Aaron and David warned you I had bad breath or something!
ROB: Only that you're a cop, and I should be on my best behaviour. PS - I did steal those from the maternity ward - don't arrest me?

They grab a table.

No 28
Bea is brooding as she drinks a cup of tea. Liz comes out of the bedroom, but gets a frosty reception from Bea. Liz chastises Bea for running off the night before, what with 'that madman Finn' still on the loose.

BEA: How about you explain why I've been lied to? You told me Elly wanted me gone. Elly says that didn't happen.
LIZ: I'm sure your sister wants to believe that.
BEA: So, did she say it?
LIZ: Elly was a different person back then. She probably doesn't even remember saying it.
BEA: But you're certain she did?
LIZ: Sending you to live with your father was the toughest choice I ever made. I was in a really difficult position.
BEA: And you chose Elly over me.
LIZ: I thought living with your dad would be good for you. And it's not like I had somewhere to send Elly.
BEA: Elly could've moved out!
LIZ: Oh, Bea, I'm sorry. I know grown-ups are supposed to have the right answer to everything. But I was doing what I thought was best for you. Please don't discuss this with your sister. She wants to have a really good relationship with you, and there's no point in rehashing this stuff over and over.
BEA: So you want me to forget anything ever happened?
LIZ: This is our chance to be a family - like, just put all of that stuff behind us. Now, that's more important than anything else, isn't it?

Bea looks unconvinced.

Lassiter's Terrace
Mishti and Rob are making small-talk; she explains her investor role in The Shed. Mishti asks about Rob's job, and whether being surrounded by babies has made him clucky!

ROB: You don't muck around, do you?!
MISHTI: I'm just interested.
Rob admits his mother is always hassling him about settling down. He'd like to, when he finds the right person, he says. But at the moment, he's too busy with work.

MISHTI: So it's not really a priority, then?
ROB: No, I didn't say that.
MISHTI: Sorry, I don't mean to put you on the spot. I just don't want to waste each other's time.
ROB: Getting married and having a family is definitely important to me. But you've got to leave some things in life up to fate.

Mishti thinks they're on the same page in that regard. So Rob offers to buy her another coffee. She nods, smiling.

Harold's Café
Chloe comes in and finds Marisa having a coffee. Marisa says she's already put up all the Christmas in July posters. However, Dipi emerges from the toilets in a rage, with one of the posters, and starts ranting at Marisa.

DIPI: How dare you just sit there after what you've done?!

She holds up the poster - the faces of her, Shane, Yashvi and Kirsha have all been defaced with a black marker. Marisa claims it wasn't her.

DIPI: Oh, come off it! We all know what you think of us, and you've never been afraid to say it! How many more have you done this to?
MARISA: If I'd wanted to trash your posters, I'd have put them all in the bin.
DIPI: No - you're just upping your game. First it was Yashvi, and now it's the rest of my family!
MARISA: And you have it in for me! You just want to blame me for everything. I had nothing to do with this, Chloe - I swear.

Lassiter's Terrace
Rob is regaling Mishti with tales of his mouse-trapping skills, and how he took pity on a rodent and tried to set it free - which somehow ended in him torching his car.

ROB: And this proves to me a long-held theory. Do a good thing, and very bad things will happen.
MISHTI: Do you really think that?
ROB: When it comes to rodents, yes.
MISHTI: No - I mean, more generally. If that's your life view, then, it's kind of at odds with the job you do.

Rob is bemused; he was simply trying to tell a funny story. But Mishti keeps on browbeating him with her interrogatory dating style, next demanding to know his long-term career plans, and whether he would consider moving elsewhere for work.

ROB: Mishti, it's been great meeting you. I'm feeling like our expectations are different.
MISHTI: I thought we were on the same page about a lot of things.
ROB: We are. But I'm more about letting things flow organically. Not ticking items off a checklist. But you know what? There's a guy out there who loves that sort of thing. I just don't think that guy's me.

He gets up and walks away. Mishti looks perplexed.

No 24
Mishti returns to David and Aaron for a debrief. Nobody can understand what went wrong with Doctor Rob - until Mishti begins to explain how she was acting. Namely, like a joyless automaton.

MISHTI: If anything, this morning proved that an hour's enough time to ask all the questions you need.
AARON: What sort of questions?
MISHTI: Marriage, kids - all that sort of stuff.
DAVID: Whoa! You didn't want to save them for later?
AARON: Yeah - like, date six, at least?
MISHTI: Why? I don't want to spend six dates on someone if I can find out they're not for me in the first place.

David points out that feelings about marriage and kids can change - chemistry's the most important thing initially.

MISHTI: Sure. But chemistry has led me astray for far too long now.

She cites Dilhan, Leo and Zander as examples - all of whom proved incompatible (albeit posthumously in Zander's case). Aaron points out that not everyone's going to like putting all their cards on the table on the first date. But Mishti is convinced that this means they're not for her.

MISHTI: This is a good thing, okay? I know what I want, and I have no doubt that Rob will find what he's looking for, too.

No 28
Liz is in the garden with the Kennedys, Bea and Elly, turning her nose up at Karl's greenhouse. We learn she's in the real estate business, and in a relationship with a guy called Bruce; he owns the agency and deals with sales, and she's the property manager. Susan queries whether she should be mixing business with pleasure.

LIZ: Oh, Susie! Trust you to be a spoilsport!

Elly quietly asks Bea if she's had a chance to talk to Liz. Bea moodily explains what Liz said - namely, that Elly did ask her to throw Bea out after all. Elly strenuously denies this, but Bea doesn't believe her...

Lassiter's Complex
Amy and Doctor Rob are both putting (presumably) charity Christmas presents under the Christmas in July tree.

AMY: Oh, that's embarrassing. Mine's so much bigger.
ROB: I think this is where I have to say size doesn't always matter.
AMY: But we all know that's a lie, now, don't we?

Rob laughs as Amy walks away. It feels as if there may have been a spark in the air...

Amy joins Chloe and praises her on her decoration efforts. Chloe's about to offload her worries about Marisa, when Piper and Cassius show up; Cassius has seen Marisa tearing down a Christmas in July poster down by the book exchange.

PIPER: Still think that her racist behaviour has nothing to do with her job?

No 28
Liz makes tea for everybody, while Elly tries to talk to her quietly about Bea. But things go from bad to worse, when Karl finds a picture of Elly and Liz in Liz's wallet when he goes to retrieve one of her real estate business cards. Bea recognises the photo instantly, remembering that she was on it too - and realises Liz has folded it over so she's invisible!

BEA: You cut me out! It's like you don't even want to look at me! You said it was a hard decision when Elly wanted me gone. It looks like it was pretty easy.
ELLY: No, I never told Mum to kick you out! She told us this last night. (to Liz) Why are you telling us different stories?

Liz is lost for words...

The Waterhole
Shane serves Chloe a Christmas cranberry mimosa, as Marisa comes in. In the interim, Chloe has had her fired for defacing the posters; and Marisa declares it's unfair, as she's innocent. Chloe says that, considering the warnings she's already had, these latest allegations meant the hotel didn't have a choice but to let her go - and witnesses saw her rip down the poster at the book exchange.

MARISA: I took it down because it had been defaced. Probably by the same person who trashed the one at Harold's, which wasn't me.

Shane stares at her contemptuously.

CHLOE: Marisa, I'm sorry, but it's not like you don't have a motive.
MARISA: I didn't do this.
CHLOE: And I don't believe you.

Marisa storms out. Shane thanks Chloe for sticking up for his family.

CHLOE: I hope she doesn't come back at you over this.
SHANE: Nah, we can handle it. Bottom line, she's gone - and that's nothing less than what she deserves.

No 28
Bea, Elly, Susan and Karl look awkward as Liz emerges from the bedroom, dabbing tears from her eyes.

LIZ: I just really needed a moment (...) Susie, you understand what it's like to be a mum.
SUSAN: Liz - your daughters deserve to know the truth. Just tell them!
LIZ: ... When Lars walked out, I was crushed. And I know that I didn't make very good decisions at the time. Or for years afterwards. (tearful) I loved your dad, Bea - he was all I could think about. And you... You're such a painful reminder of him.

Everyone looks appalled.

BEA: You're the one who wanted me gone! It wasn't Elly - it was you!

Coming up on Neighbours
- Aaron asks Chloe if she's thinking what he's thinking. 'Boo- yah' is the response
- Gary struggles to keep calm with Finn on the loose and potentially a danger to Xanthe
- Gary tells Sheila that Xanthe needs him to stay vigilant for her
- Willow is back, and Toadie asks her if she's sure she wants to go through with this
- Willow says she doesn't know if this is better or worse
- Toadie has something he needs to tell Sonya