Previously
- David reassuring Aaron they'll be okay taking care of Abigail
- Leo not wanting to hear from David about his daughter
- Dr Russell 'explaining' Paul's diagnosis to Karl and David
- Karl telling David that Dr Russell has a history with the medical board
- Nicolette encouraging Glen to look out for Terese
- Glen wishing Paul and Terese a 'happy reunion' at brunch
- Paul asking Terese to renew their vows and Terese agreeing
Lassiters Hotel Penthouse
Leo asks if anyone is up for more champagne after the surprise announcement, while Chloe lets Paul and Terese know the hotel ballroom is free in two weeks' time if they want it. The couple thank Chloe for looking into it but the time frame is too short. Leo asks David if he's told Aaron the news yet, which he hasn't, but David says Leo could tell Aaron himself if he went to Abi's vaccination appointment. However, Leo claims he's got too much work on and doesn't want to confuse Abi with his presence. "She needs to know who her new parents are," he says, disappointing David. Paul tells Terese they should be extravagant with their vow renewal, which Terese doesn't think is necessary. Having had enough of watching the happy couple together, Glen decides to make a quiet exit, but Terese notices him leave.
Ramsay Street
Nicolette can't believe Terese didn't hesitate when Paul asked her to renew their vows, but Aaron says Nic's asking the wrong person to explain Terese's motivations. Nic has to rush off to work but tells Aaron to call if he needs help with the girls. Toadie walks over just as Abi starts to cry and Aaron explains she's tired because the babies have been keeping each other awake. Toadie's confused - he thought Leo and Abi had moved back to the penthouse.
AARON: Uh, yeah, Leo did. David and I just agreed to take Abi for a few weeks just until he gets on top of things.
TOADIE: That's fair enough, he needs to look after himself. But looking after two babies, that is a lot. Are you guys okay, you need a hand?
AARON: No we're all right, thanks Toad. I think I'd do anything for these girls.
Harold's Café
Nicolette chats with a glum-looking Glen and says it's a pity Terese didn't change her mind about Paul. Nic knows Paul will just end up letting Terese down again - he won't be able to help himself. But this concerns Glen more as it means Terese will get burned again.
GLEN: She should have someone who treats her the way she deserves.
NICOLETTE: (realising) I'm sorry, are we talking about you?
GLEN: (with a shrug and a wry smile) What can you do?
NICOLETTE: Glen I'm so sorry. That must have been really hard today being there. Can I offer some advice? Not too long ago I stayed close to someone I shouldn't have and it was the most self-destructive thing I've ever done.
GLEN: Are you saying I should leave town?
NICOLETTE: I'm just saying it's okay to protect yourself.
GLEN: No, I can't leave Leo at the moment.
Erinsborough Hospital - Karl's Office
Aaron's relieved Abi's vaccination appointment went well, as is Karl, but Karl still would like to talk to Leo about Abi's blood levels. Aaron wonders if it's something he could help with as Leo's flat out with work at the moment, but Karl insists it's a decision for the parent to make. "Why, is she anaemic again?" Aaron asks. Karl says no, but he'd like Abi's iron levels to be higher, which means he needs to talk through a treatment plan with Leo. Aaron looks frustrated he can't help Abigail himself and says he'll have a word with Leo.
Lassiters Hotel Penthouse/Paul's Bedroom
Terese catches Paul about to nod off on the couch and tells him to have a rest in the bedroom. Paul says the second chance she's given him means everything, and Terese says it means the world to her too. When Paul heads into the room, Susan stops by to see Terese and give her a congratulatory hug on her vow renewal news. Susan asks if she's set a date but Terese says they're soaking it all in for now.
TERESE: You probably think I'm crazy.
SUSAN: Oh come on, I'd be the last person to criticise someone else's marriage. It's just so nice to see you looking happy again.
David asks them where Paul went, wanting a word with his dad. He looks uneasy about speaking to him. When David walks into the bedroom, Paul startles, thinking he'd been caught out doing work on his phone when Terese told him to rest. David says he had his catch up with Dr Russell earlier and wasn't happy with how the meeting went.
DAVID: Do you know he's been in trouble with the medical board?
PAUL: No, what for?
DAVID: Well the findings are confidential but they don't hold those hearings for nothing, dad.
PAUL: And yet he's still practicing, so what does that tell you?
DAVID: Well it takes a lot to suspend or cancel a licence.
PAUL: David, I have every confidence in Dr Russell.
DAVID: (baffled) Even after what I just told you?
PAUL: I have done my due diligence and he comes highly recommended.
DAVID: I'm sorry, dad, but that's not enough for me. I'm worried about this guy, there's some serious red flags.
Paul says he appreciates his son's concern but he's fine. Besides, he thought David would be more excited about him renewing his vows with Terese. He asks if David (and Leo) would stand beside him at the altar on the big day. David hesitantly says that sounds great, but still looks mightily concerned about Paul brushing his queries aside.
Erinsborough Hospital - Karl's Office
David exasperatedly tells Karl that as far as Paul's concerned, Dr Russell can do no wrong. Karl thought Paul would have been more cautious given his history with Terese's brother. They both don't understand Paul's frame of mind and Karl wonders if there's something else afoot.
DAVID: What do you mean?
KARL: Well, when I gave Paul nothing but good news he seemed very flat. Like he was afraid to believe what I was telling him.
DAVID: So you think this is a confidence issue?
KARL: You know as well as I do that sometimes when a patient has a major health scare they don't trust that their body won't let them down again.
DAVID: Which only makes it worse that Russell has his hooks in. I'm sure he's charging through the roof too.
Karl gets a text from Susan, who wants him to pick her up from the penthouse on his way home. Karl knows he's not Paul's favourite person right now, but he tells David he can try talk some sense into Paul while he's there. "Can't hurt," David replies.
Number 22
Leo has dropped by to thank Glen for all the hard work he's been doing at the winery lately. Glen says it's no worries; he's actually keen to do more work. So it startles him when Leo says he should take some time off. Leo says now David and Aaron are looking after Abigail he's got more time to focus on the business. Then when Glen gets back from his break they can talk about future plans for the distillery.
Lassiters Hotel Penthouse
Terese and Susan have coffees on the balcony while Karl speaks with Paul inside. Paul wonders if Karl came over solely to pick up his wife or badmouth his medical replacement too. Sighing, Karl reiterates David's point that the medical board wouldn't have had a meeting with Dr Russell unless there was a serious issue to attend to.
PAUL: (bluntly) Karl your track record wouldn't look too good on paper would it? How would you like it if people judged you for what they found on the internet?
KARL: I never claimed to be infallible, but this isn't about me.
PAUL: Oh, isn't it?
KARL: No. David and I think he might be taking advantage of you when you're in a vulnerable condition.
PAUL: How? By diagnosing me correctly? Or by making sure I get the appropriate care for a condition that you overlooked!
KARL: I'm simply saying-
PAUL: (growling) Enough, Karl! (He looks to make sure Terese didn't hear him) You made a mistake, just accept it and move on. I want you to stop putting ideas into my son's head as well. Otherwise I might have to have a little talk with the medical board myself. Now if you'll excuse me I need to rest - as per my specialist's advice.
Lassiters Complex
David sits with Aaron, and Nic listens in, as he explains there's a couple of ways to up Abi's iron intake like supplements or dietary needs. Aaron asks what David would do, and he says some parents prefer the diet option before the supplement route, but ultimately it's up to Leo. "If he'd just show up for an appointment," Aaron scoffs. "Yeah, he really should have," Nicolette adds. David gets out his phone and says he'll let Leo know they need to talk.
AARON: How are we supposed to be good dads to her if we can't even make these decisions for her?
DAVID: It won't be forever.
Nic has to get back to work, but before she goes she asks the boys if they knew anything about Paul springing the vow renewal on Terese. David says he had no clue, and if Paul had've asked him he would have said he was pushing his luck. Aaron says Terese is a stronger person than him, there's no way he could forgive and forget like that. But David doesn't think Terese has forgotten, rather she's just choosing to believe Paul can change. "Trust Paul to turn the Flamingo tragedy into a win for himself," Nicolette scoffs.
Lassiters Hotel Penthouse
Paul doesn't want Terese to clean up the brunch mess herself so he makes a call to housekeeping. Terese has a little cuddle and smooch with him just as David stops by for a chat. Terese pops out to run errands so they're alone, which is good timing as Paul probably doesn't want her to hear what David's about to say.
DAVID: I was worried that you were being sucked in by a dodgy doctor, but maybe the fact that he's dodgy is the exact reason you hired him in the first place.
PAUL: Why would I do that?
DAVID: So you can play sick long enough to win over Terese.
PAUL: I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.
DAVID: I know how much you love her. I know how much you want her back.
PAUL: Yes I do, but that doesn't mean this crazy idea of yours is true.
So David calls Paul's bluff and says if it's not true then Paul will come to the hospital with him right now to confirm Dr Russell's diagnosis.
Number 32 Backyard
Chloe is hanging out with Aaron when Leo finally drops in to talk about Abi. Aaron says it's about her iron levels and Leo wonders if she's anaemic again. Aaron assures him it's just low but that he needs to speak to Karl about how to proceed. But Leo figures David is a million times more qualified than him to make a decision. Exasperated, Aaron again states that as Abigail's parent it's up to Leo to make the call. "You and David are her parents," Leo replies. "I'm happy with whatever decision you make." He leaves while Aaron and Chloe look on in disbelief.
Lassiters Hotel Penthouse
Paul is backed into a corner so he goes into survival mode and lashes out at David, claiming his accusations are false. He asks why he'd bother to put himself through more medical tests just to satisfy David's guilty conscience for not finding the haematoma himself. But David stands his ground and tells Paul not to come at him just because he's caught out.
PAUL: But it's true though isn't it? You and Karl are bent out of shape because Dr Russell made you look bad.
DAVID: If you're so confident in his brilliance I would have thought you'd be keen to prove his diagnosis and answer the question once and for all.
PAUL: I don't have any questions, David, I trust my doctor.
DAVID: Okay well how about I go tell Terese - she's the only person you seem to listen to these days.
PAUL: (panicked) No, don't!
DAVID: Give me one good reason why I shouldn't.
Knowing he's caught, Paul admits he had to do something to win Terese back. David wearily says that Paul didn't "need" to do anything because Terese loves him and was already on her way to reconciling with him.
PAUL: Yes but I couldn't take that risk.
DAVID: So you manipulated her instead?
PAUL: (incredulous) There's no victim here! Terese is over the moon, nobody got hurt.
DAVID: So the ends just justify the means?
PAUL: In this case yes. Terese means everything to me and I cannot risk losing that.
DAVID: (grave) Don't ask me to lie for you again.
PAUL: I'm not asking you to lie, David, just look the other way.
DAVID: Have you forgotten what happened the last time you asked me to do that? Aaron and I ended up with a baby who wasn't ours who we loved, and who was then ripped away from us!
PAUL: This is hardly a similar situation!
But he realises he's gone too far and reins himself in, instead begging David to keep quiet. Not for his sake, but for Terese's. "She is so happy now, don't take that away from her," Paul pleads. David looks extremely conflicted.
Number 32 Backyard
Aaron tells Chloe that David keeps saying Leo will soon change his mind about handing over Abi, but it's looking less and less likely as the days go on. Aaron wonders if he's the only one who can actually see it, but Chloe says she's aware of it too. Aaron feels as though he's walking on a tightrope because he loves Abi so much and wants to provide for her in the ways Leo isn't. But on the other hand, the more time he spends with her the more attached he becomes.
AARON: I never should have said yes to this.
CHLOE: As if that was ever a choice. You've got the biggest heart of anyone I know.
AARON: What do I do?
Chloe doesn't have any immediate answers for him.
Number 22
Glen has a suitcase packed by the door. He thinks about his chat with Nicolette earlier about taking time for himself, and Leo also encouraging him to have time off. He finishes writing a letter to Leo and then starts one to Terese.
Harold's Café
Nicolette tells Aaron and David that since Jane has Isla, she could take Abi off their hands for a while so they can enjoy dinner together. Abi starts to cry and Aaron fusses over her before Nicolette says she can take over. David has been sitting there looking guilty about Paul's secret but suddenly decides he can't stand it any longer. He tells Aaron he's forgotten to take care of something and rushes out.
The Waterhole
Chloe finds Leo and sits down to talk with him about Abigail. She says she's been biting her tongue about the situation because it's none of her business, but she can't believe he really wants Aaron and David to take his place in Abigail's life. Chloe knows Leo's grieving and he's afraid of making mistakes, but the longer this goes on the harder it will be for the boys to give Abi back.
LEO: I'm never going to ask them to, Chlo.
CHLOE: Leo come on, be honest with yourself. As painful as it is, you need to be a father to Abigail now.
LEO: What would you know? You've never had kids. All you've ever had to look out for is yourself.
CHLOE: (hurt) That's not true.
LEO: David and Aaron might think I'll change my mind but that's not going to happen. I've made the best decision for Abi, end of story.
Lassiters Hotel Penthouse
Paul finds Terese wearing her wedding dress. She says she got Chloe to bring it over. Paul jokingly asks if it's bad luck to see Terese wearing it before their vow renewal, but Terese hopes they've already used up all their bad luck. Paul brings up the idea of a big wedding again since they didn't have the big, full on deal last time. Terese says she doesn't regret how it turned out, but admits she would like to have her family and friends around this time. Smiling, Paul puts some music on and they have a dance together. The moment turns on its head when David arrives and Paul immediately knows what's going to happen next.
PAUL: (fearful) David, don't! Please, David!
DAVID: I'm sorry, dad, no. I won't keep your secrets, too many people get hurt. I'm sorry Terese, but he's been lying to you.
TERESE: (overwhelmed) What?