Previously
- Sheila looking for something to remember Gary by... then a pigeon flies to where she is sitting.
- Sky telling Mark she's been cleared to remain in Erinsborough longer.
- Mark finding out the real reason Sky is staying longer.
- Sky commenting to Mark that it's "the best case scenario."
- Chloe and Elly making up with one another.
- Susan hoping that in time people can forgive her.
- Susan overhearing Sheila try to get Karl to confirm that he blames Susan for what happened as much as she does.
- Susan confronting Karl over what she overheard and demanding to know if he thinks it is all her fault?
Number 28
Karl's initial reply is that it simply isn't "a yes or no answer" but Susan thinks it is and demands again that he replies. He pauses for a considerable length of time before eventually replying that he knew in his "heart of hearts it would end badly" after she invited Finn into their home after he'd been in his coma.
KARL: And it did.
SUSAN: There it is.
KARL: Oh but it's so much more complicated than just apportioning blame.
SUSAN: It's not.
"Thank you for being honest," she replies to end their conversation before walking away.
Number 26
Sheila and Kyle are in the backyard to do some gardening, but on smelling the BBQ going next door, Sheila can't help herself but shout over that Karl obviously hasn't told Susan his true feelings yet! The poor lad pleads with his Gran to stop, which eventually she does, and asks instead if she's seen the pigeon who visited her today.
Pigeon chat is curtailed when Dipi drops by to get Kyle's permission to help Sheila clear Gary's stuff as she is ready. Sheila starts to fret after opening the mail Dipi handed her when she first arrived. Most of it is actually bills for Gary, and she is alarmed on opening his credit card statement to see how much he owned on it, let alone what he still owes Amy! Kyle suggests using Gary's super but that apparently won't come through for 3 months and she's concerned how much interest will be added on in the meantime.
SHEILA: This is the last thing I need!
Number 28
Karl pleads with his wife for a chance to explain what he said earlier. Despite him trying to say to her that she isn't responsible, she feels the opposite.
SUSAN: I feel responsible for everything that man did.
She now wishes that she'd not gone against Karl's "better judgement" and argued strongly for Finn to come and live with them. Karl is quick to remind her that it was Elly's idea for him to live in #28, Bea fell in love with him and that his "amnesia was real."
KARL: You take out any one of those things, we wouldn't be in this situation.
SUSAN: It still comes down to me... in your eyes too!
Despite what has happened, Karl does his best to reassure his wife that he's got her back, which she is in thrones of arguing the opposite of, when Bea and Elly enter the house (they were the ones outside cooking some sausages on the BBQ.)
The argument is further curtailed when Toadie enters the house wanting to talk to Elly. He has heard from the prosecutor - the police are recommending a change to what she has been charged with.
TOADIE: They want to downgrade the charge from murder to voluntary manslaughter.
Elly wants to know what this means for her and he explains that they are basically offering her a deal, where if she accepts it, "they will recommend a non-custodial sentence." "So definitely no jail?" Bea seeks clarification of and Toadie confirms that is the intention, however Elly wants to know what they want from her in return.
TOADIE: If you accept the deal, you will have to plead guilty to the new downgraded charge.
Elly can't believe they want her to admit she killed Finn and silently Toadie nods his head.
The Waterhole
We find out that it was Sky's idea to change the charge Elly is facing, as she thinks it's better so Toadie can argue for a non-custodial sentence. "It's a massive roll of the dice," Mark remarks but Sky thinks that is what happens if Elly goes in front of a jury, "downgrading that charge takes that away." Mark fears that a judge could still send her to prison, but Sky's comeback is that a judge "won't be swayed by emotion."
SKY: And we both know the precedence are in Elly's favour. I just hope she makes the right choice.
Number 28
And when we head back to #28, Elly is adamant she won't plead guilty "to something I didn't do." Bea and the K's are firmly with Elly. Toadie thinks that Sky is behind the change in charge as it gives Elly the best option to avoid going to jail.
BEA: Elly is not guilty, so how is this the best option?
TOADIE: It keeps the odds in Elly's favour, and it avoids a long, drawn out trial.
ELLY: So, if I plead guilty, even if it's a lesser charge, it means admitting I killed Finn.
TOADIE: Yes.
ELLY: And I will have a permanent, criminal record saying I did it?
TOADIE: Yes, but it gives you a real genuine chance of avoiding prison.
Elly (and everyone else) still don't look convinced that this is a good move.
TOADIE: Elly, I know you're not guilty.
KARL: We all do.
TOADIE: But the evidence suggests otherwise, and we have to be realistic and accept the possibility that a jury may not believe you.
ELLY: You think I should accept the deal don't you?
TOADIE: I think you should consider it, yes.
Number 26
As they get all of Gary's stuff ready to pack up, Dipi asks Kyle how he is holding up. He admits to taking it "one day at a time," before turning the question back to her. "I miss him," is her reply to having lost "a dear friend," before she spots Sheila come in from feeding the pigeon. However, as soon as Sheila spots what is happening, she goes to head back outside but Dipi stops her and offers to delay the packing up if Sheila would rather delay it for a few weeks (having learned that lesson from packing up Sonya's stuff!).
SHEILA: No time will ever be the right time.
Tentatively they begin and after seeing what Kyle is holding (a recently updated iPad) Dipi suggests that once the personal stuff is removed from the device, they could sell it to help pay Gary's debt.
Number 28
Toadie explains to everyone what his rational is behind wanting Elly to accept the offer - thinking back to Finn's sentencing, he saw how Imogen presented Finn to Judge Barton (as a sympathetic person) which was enough to sway her and thus if the case goes to trial, "it could colour the jury's opinion" of Elly. "Finn committed murder, how could anyone sympathise with that," Susan points out and Toadie replies Finn could be painted "as a victim of his own issues." "That's ridiculous," Karl proclaims but Toadie is still fearful of a jury going against Elly. Susan points out that there still isn't a guarantee she might still not end up in jail, but Toadie thinks that's "highly unlikely" and reveals that they will drop the charge of Elly trying to bury Finn too.
ELLY: I don't know how I'm meant to make sense of this.
Toadie admits it is "a lot to take in" and heads off to allow her to think about it and will speak to her tomorrow.
Number 30
Sky delivers her Easter pressies to the kids - some new PJs and Nell takes her brother off to try them on. She is making small talk with Shane about Easter and her own kids when Toadie arrives home and warmly greets her.
After Shane instinctively asked his brother how things went with Elly, Toadie has to remind him that he can't talk about the case. "Sorry," he replies but Sky is cool as they agreed to not talk about that case and instead after Shane asks how work is going, she mentions about there being a spike in break-ins thus reminds them to keep the doors locked.
Lassiters Complex
As they walk through the complex, Bea is warning her sister of the permanent record she will have if she pleads guilty. Elly knows that but then even if she is cleared of the murder charge, the burying of Finn's body will be on her record forever.
"Have you heard about the deal?" Elly asks Mark when they run into him, Chloe and Pierce just as they're exiting Harold's. Silently Mark nods his head and Bea fills Chloe in when she asked what this deal was. Elly almost begs him for help over what she should do.
MARK: Make the choice that's right for you. What's important to you? What can you live with?
"How is this even a question?!" an irate Chloe remarks but Elly doesn't reply, instead leans down to check on Aster.
Ramsay Street
There is still tension between K's over their unfinished conversation as they put the wheelie bins out to the street. Susan would rather ignore the talk as she wants to prepare for going back to work tomorrow, and thinks they need to put their issues aside to help the girls. Karl agrees with that but doesn't something festering but is again told "there are more important things to worry about" and before walking off, Susan adds "Elly doesn't need to know about any of this."
"That looked a bit intense," Sheila yells over to him as she too pulls her wheelie bin out to the street. "Please don't do this," Karl almost begs her with as he runs towards the #26 driveway. "You two having words?" she then asks as he arrives and ignores his request to "just go inside" to instead ask if "Susan has suddenly realised that everything that's happened is all on her!"
Susan stands at the doorway of #28 and can see the pair talk (however can't hear what is being said) and when we cut back to them, Karl is literally pleading for Sheila to concentrate "on your own situation, not on Susan."
SHEILA: I think your non-answers are telling me everything I need to know.
KARL: Okay, okay. I know you're hurting but so is Susan. So please, just take care of yourself.
Number 30
The jovial mood of the quartet over dinner is interrupted when Elly arrives to talk to Toadie. "This is a family dinner," Toadie is quick to say when Elly realises who is round for dinner! Just as he finishes saying "there's no conflict of interest," Sky picks up her bag and goes to leave (the meal was just about finishing anyway) but Elly prevents her from leaving to plead her innocence.
ELLY: I am innocent. How am I meant to plead guilty to manslaughter?
SKY: Because it's the only thing that will keep you out of prison Elly. That is why I fought so hard for the deal.
"But I didn't do it," Elly repeats again and given how worked up she is, Toadie tries to get her to calm down. Sky continues by telling Elly she will "have a hard time proving that."
SKY: The fact is, women in your situation who go to trial go to jail.
Toad tries to curtail the chat and that they will talk tomorrow but Sky isn't finished getting her point over.
SKY: Elly, the evidence is damning. The prosecution will hit it hard and it will resonate. The jury will hear motive, pre-mediation, rage... they will get a picture of you in that moment, and all your pain and horror that led up to it, it will be overlooked. I don't want to see Aster grow up without her mother, I am trying to help you both.
Number 24
Chloe is asking Pierce if he'd take the deal Elly has been offered and just as he replies, "I don't know," Mark appears from the bedroom to get the wrath of his sister; however his silence has her worried that something is wrong with Fay. Turns out he's just taken a call from Paige.
MARK: She's pregnant.
Cue total change in atmosphere to one of celebration at the good news he had received. "Still early days," Mark warns as he tries to come to terms with the news of "everything you ever wanted."
Number 28
"Couldn't you sleep either?" Susan asks on exiting her bedroom to see the girls still up. Elly admits she is still processing what to do in her head and is content to be zoned out watching infomercials with her sister! Just as Elly is contemplating going to bed, Karl comes though and comments about it being late. Susan sends him back to bed and watches as the girls' head to their respective rooms too, before getting comfy on the sofa and flicking through the channels to find something to watch.
Number 26 (next day)
Over a cuppa, Sheila is telling Kyle and Dipi about selling Gary's iPad and how she then bought herself a bracelet... although she seems more overjoyed to see her favourite pigeon return and goes over to feed it.
SHEILA: Morning Gary!
At the table, the pair can't quite believe what they just hear. "I know it sounds whacky," Sheila admits and thinks this particular one returning, is a sign that Gary has been reincarnated as a pigeon!
Number 24
When he comes home from a run, Mark warns his sister (and Pierce) about not spreading the happy news until after the 12-week mark. "It's in the vault," Chloe promises and before the pair head to work, Mark stops them to give them first refusal of buying #24 - he wants the money raised from the sale of the house to buy one (with Paige) in Adelaide. Pierce wants to check with Hendrix first, and discuss it as a family before talking to Mark again, something he is happy to agree to.
Number 28
Susan knocks back the offer of Karl's 'power breakfast' before she heads off to work. He mentions the fact she didn't come to bed either and her explanation is she fell asleep on the couch. "Don't push yourself too hard today," he says, but her reply is for them to "focus on Elly."
They then receive a visitor - Toadie just as Elly and Bea make their way into the livingroom. Elly tells Toadie that she's made a decision.
ELLY: I've decided to take the deal. I'm going to plead guilty.
Coming up on Neighbours
- Toadie double checking Elly's decision.
- Claudia declaring that Elly is an unfit mother.
- Mannix checking with Mackenzie that they are good.
- Sky asking Yashvi what she knows?
- A hooded person being rugby tackled on the street!