Previously
- Mishti joining an arranged marriage website
- Sonya embracing Hugo in her life at his naming day ceremony
- Mark giving Sonya & Toadie a photography session voucher
- David discovering that Aaron hurt his back
- Aaron angrily telling David that Paul's to blame for his injury
Number 24
David doesn't understand why Aaron kept his injury, and the fact that he hasn't been getting along with Paul, a secret. Aaron says that David's been too busy lately to talk. David wants to look at Aaron's back, but Aaron says David really needs to speak to Paul while he gets some rest.
The Penthouse
Paul's ranting to Leo about how ungrateful his future son-in-law is behaving. Leo says that Aaron did look like he was in pain but Paul snarls that it's no excuse to storm out of your own party. David arrives home to find all the guests have left and asks Paul whether or not he's been on Aaron's case. Paul denies any fault and says that if Aaron had a problem he should have spoken up.
DAVID: Is there a chance you haven't been making it easy for him?
PAUL: I have done nothing but support him. The only reason I got involved in The Shed in the first place is because you both asked me to.
LEO: You have to admit you do get a bit full on when it comes to business.
PAUL: Well you know what, thanks to me Aaron can now pay his bills. He should be thanking me not yelling at me in front of family.
DAVID: Did you know he'd hurt his back?
PAUL: (snide) I'm not a mind reader, David.
Paul walks off and David contemplates his next move to remedy the situation.
Harold's Café
Shane returns some platters and finds Mishti waiting for a coffee. They chat about the naming day, which Mishti was sad to miss because of work, then talk turns to Mishti's blind date tomorrow with Pavan. He's flying in for the day from Sydney and they're meeting up in the city.
SHANE: Wouldn't it be safer to meet him here?
MISHTI: And run the risk of Dipi grilling him?
SHANE: She's only looking out for you. So you know what he looks like now then?
MISHTI: No, we haven't exchanged photos.
SHANE: Then how are you supposed to recognise him?
MISHTI: He said I'll know when I see him. Look would you stop being such a dad! He'll probably have flowers or something.
Mishti understands that Shane and Dipi have their concerns but she knows this is the best way for her to find the relationship she wants. She just needs to get past the "scary meeting part" first.
Number 30
Nell's taking selfies with Toadie (mainly of his nostril), practicing for their photo shoot, which Toadie discovers is at 10am tomorrow. After consulting with Lyra, Toadie finds out Sonya's schedule is free and he has a meeting. So he shoots off an email to Piper to rearrange things so his morning is clear.
The City
The next morning, Mishti walks through Federation Square until she finds a guy down on one knee holding out a ring box. She freaks out at first but Pavan explains he was only joking to try and break the tension.
PAVAN: Something to tell the grandkids! ...That was a joke too. Are you sure you're OK?
MISHTI: I'm fine.
PAVAN: That's what my sister says when she's about to rip me a new one. God, I'm such an idiot.
MISHTI: It wasn't such a terrible idea. I'll probably laugh about it in a few hours! I'm just a bit nervous.
Pavan asks if they can start again and Mishti says yes, suggesting they take a walk along the river.
The Waterhole
Aaron meets up with David and says he wants to apologise for his outburst and for ruining the party. David says he doesn't care about the party; he's more concerned that Aaron's back to keeping secrets from him.
DAVID: I don't like the idea of us lying to each other.
AARON: David it was nothing like that. I was trying to do the right thing. You've been working and studying so hard I wasn't going to go and put more on your plate.
DAVID: You're more important to me than any of that.
AARON: I didn't want you to have to worry. That's why I took on the wedding planning. That's why I didn't tell you about my back or the deal with Paul.
DAVID: Right, about that... I thought he was helping at The Shed?
AARON: Yeah he was at first. He probably still thinks he is.
DAVID: What did he say?
AARON: It was more his attitude, like I was never going to be good enough.
DAVID: And again you didn't say anything.
AARON: I'm sorry.
DAVID: You keep saying that. But I want you to share your whole life not just the edited version. You did this once before with Rory and it almost broke us.
AARON: What can I do? I'll do anything you want.
DAVID: I need you to be honest! It shouldn't feel like this in the run up to our wedding!
AARON: David I know you're upset but it's not like I was trying to keep some terrible secret from you.
DAVID: I thought our relationship had grown past this. Getting married isn't going to fix that.
Aaron says he wants to try but David's too worked up and tells Aaron he needs to go away and think for a while.
The City
As they walk along the river, Mishti discovers that Pavan moonlights as a stand-up comedian as well as being a dentist. His parents and grandparents wanted him to have a 'proper profession' and he concedes that it'll help him provide for a family one day.
PAVAN: What about you? Did you always want to be a policewoman or was that your grandmother complaining about chest pains until you signed up?
MISHTI: I always wanted to join. I don't feel like me when I'm outside the force.
Mishti says that lately, though, she's realised there's more to life than work. Pavan brings up the topic of kids and Mishti says she thought she always wanted to wait but after her miscarriage it made her see that she was more open to starting a family sooner rather than later. Mishti worries that she's unloaded too much on Pavan too soon but he says they're on the same page.
Lassiter's Lake
The Rebecchis are late for the photo shoot and Annabel Rutherford isn't impressed. She tries to set them up on the bridge but everything becomes chaotic with Nell running off to play fairies and Hugo just doing his own baby thing. Annabel says she's not usually keen on working with families and it shows by the cat's bum pout on her face whenever the Rebecchi clan so much as breathe the wrong way.
The City
Pavan tells Mishti he could see himself living in Melbourne one day. He also says how novel it is to be with out someone without a chaperone tagging along. Mishti comments on how traditional that is and wonders if that's the type of woman Pavan's parents want him to marry. Pavan says his parents aren't completely traditional but think he's over the hill at twenty-five and have been asking him to get married for years. He wants to get married too, but on his own terms, which makes Mishti smile.
PAVAN: What about your family? Where are they on the chaperone spectrum?
MISHTI: It helps I have a sister who forged the way. We say she wore my parents out so I had it easy.
PAVAN: You live with her?
MISHTI: And her family. She married an Australian so my parents definitely aren't super traditional. It took them some time to get used to the idea of me being on the marriage website. My sister still hates it.
PAVAN: I'm sure they're just looking out for you and trying to protect you from making a mistake.
Mishti understands that but says it's still hard sometimes. Pavan promises her it'll get better - and in the meantime she can tell them all about their great date!
Number 24
Mark does his best to calm Aaron down but he's stressing out big time about David.
AARON: Why do I keep messing this up? I love him so much but he's right, I just keep doing dumb stuff.
MARK: Would you stop being so hard on yourself? You've been under a lot of pressure from Paul lately.
AARON: That's exactly what I signed up for though. Now Paul thinks I'm a failure he probably hates the idea that I'm going to marry his son.
MARK: Mate, come on.
AARON: I can't stop thinking about the look on David's face. Why didn't I just tell him what was going on?
MARK: You were trying to be supportive, he will realise that.
AARON: (on the verge of tears) What if he doesn't?
Mark wraps Aaron in a hug and tells him to stop thinking about worst-case scenarios. He then promises that they'll work everything out, but Aaron says with the way David was earlier he wouldn't be surprised if he called the whole wedding off.
Lassiter's Lake
Having had enough of the Rebecchis, Annabel has packed up her equipment and walked off. Shane strolls over and asks how things went. Toadie and Sonya explain that there were some issues and then Hugo threw up on both of them for good measure.
SHANE: Did she at least get a few good shots?
TOADIE: Apparently not. We are the most impossible clients that she's ever had.
SHANE: She said that?
TOADIE: Yes!
Toadie and Sonya figure the overly posed photos wouldn't have represented them well anyway. They're more of a chaotic bunch and that works for them quite nicely. Nell calls them over to play fairies and while Sonya and Toadie are preoccupied, Shane takes out his phone and captures a few happily chaotic snaps.
Number 24/The Penthouse
Aaron looks at the cake topper for the wedding with a pensive look on his face.
Mark stops by to see David - not because Aaron sent him but because David's going to be his brother-in-law and he wants everyone to be happy. Mark says Aaron messed up, a fact Aaron has admitted to, but he only kept quiet to protect David.
DAVID: From what? Genuinely sharing his life with me?
MARK: He didn't want you to be stuck in the middle between him and Paul.
DAVID: He still should have said something!
MARK: And he's been kicking himself about it. But you know that Paul pressures people until they break. Paul's life is littered with people he's hurt and broken. Everybody knows that. Why do you think Elle and Andrew live on the other side of the world?
DAVID: That's a bit harsh.
MARK: I didn't come here to slag off Paul. I just want you to have both sides of the story because Aaron is at home worried sick. He doesn't think he's still got a fiancé.
David's face falls at this. Meanwhile, Aaron puts his wedding suit back into the garment bag while he wonders if he'll even have the chance to wear it.
Number 32 Backyard
Toadie and Sonya are trying to make the best of their bad morning by joking about their photos.
TOADIE: Nell licking Hugo would look really good on the fridge.
SONYA: Yes, in black and white so the spew would really pop.
Mark calls in to see how the shoot went but can tell by Sonya and Toadie's weird vibes that something went wrong. Shane saves the day, though, by bringing out a photo he snapped earlier of the family monkeying around that he had printed and framed. Toadie and Sonya are stoked - and also a happy family unit once more.
The City
The date's over and Mishti thanks Pavan for flying in for the day. Pavan smiles and thanks her for joining the website in the first place.
PAVAN: I've got to admit when you first arrived I thought there'd been a mistake.
MISHTI: Why?
PAVAN: Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? A girl as beautiful and successful as you doesn't need help finding a match.
MISHTI: You would be surprised.
PAVAN: Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, just pinching myself.
MISHTI: I could say the same. You're a catch, Pavan.
PAVAN: Right...
MISHTI: You are! You're fun and you're kind and you've got a good heart.
Mishti says she'd like to go on another date sometime soon. Pavan says as a token of his esteem he'd like her to have the ring box from earlier. Mishti laughs when she realises there's a red ring pop lolly inside.
PAVAN: If you take it, it's a promise that you'll think about us. I know it's early days but do you think you might...
MISHTI: Wanna marry you someday?
PAVAN: Yeah. We could have a good life together. So if you believe there's a chance?
MISHTI: Well we both joined the site because we want a family and to get married.
PAVAN: Exactly.
MISHTI: I'll think about it. You should too this is a big decision.
PAVAN: I know. But for the record I think we'd make a really good team.
They smile at one another.
The Waterhole
Shane asks Mishti how her date was and Mishti says it went really well. Pavan's "kind, sweet and incredibly geeky" and just an all-round interesting guy.
MISHTI: I really like him.
SHANE: Does he have a face like a smashed crab?
MISHTI: Definitely not. He's nothing like the guys I usually go for but I'm starting to think that's a good thing.
She notes that her and Pavan both have the same values and want the same things in life. Shane asks if hypothetically she can see herself married to Pavan and Mishti says yes. She looks at the ring pop in the jewellery box and smiles.
The Penthouse
Aaron sits on the couch while Paul rants and raves at him.
PAUL: I try my best to help you and David and this is the way you repay me by trying to turn him against me?
AARON: Paul that is not what I was trying to do.
PAUL: Oh Aaron, it is called business. Now if you can't handle that challenge then maybe you're not good enough for David either.
David emerges from his room and hears Paul's words, appalled by his father's behaviour. Paul tries to backtrack and pretend he and Aaron were just having a casual chat, but David strides over to Aaron and starts to guide him away.
PAUL: We were just discussing The Shed.
DAVID: No I heard, and if you truly believe that then we can't be around you.
PAUL: Oh come on, he's been lying...
DAVID: The pressure you pile on people is unrelenting!
PAUL: Well now you're both being oversensitive aren't you?
DAVID: Aaron and I need people in our lives that support us, especially on our wedding day. So I don't want you to walk me down the aisle. In fact don't bother coming to the wedding at all.
David drags Aaron away leaving Paul reeling from shock and hurt.