Number 22
Before tensions escalate further between Toadie and Nell, Terese interjects. She reasons that Nell obviously has real concerns and that they should hear her out. Toadie wonders if Terese already knew about the letter, but Terese says no. However, she was aware of Nell's "misgivings" shortly after the wedding.

NELL: I was the one who planted the reminders on your wedding day of Paul and Melanie. I also made sure Terese found Melanie's letter.
TERESE: Nell hasn't read it, I checked.
NELL: I thought it would fix everything.
TOADIE: I need to get my head around this.
NELL: Dad.
TOADIE: Go back to school.

Erinsborough High
JJ and Dex can see that Nell's upset about something but she doesn't stop to talk with them. A few boys circle around JJ and Dex asking about where they're from, when Remi arrives to deliver Dex's forgotten asthma inhaler. "Thanks, ma, you can go now," Dex cringes, while the boys' ringleader, Noah, grins.

NOAH: Does your mum always refer to herself in the third person? She said that thing was in your mum's car, then you called her ma.
JJ: Mum and ma, they're two different people.
NOAH: So what, you've got two mothers? (Dex nods and Noah's smirk widens) Cool.

Number 22
Toadie asks why Terese didn't tell him the truth, but Terese thought she and Nell could sort everything out themselves. She also didn't want Toadie to be angry with his daughter. "How could I not be?" he replies. "She lied to us and she tried to hurt you." But Terese reiterates that he shouldn't be mad at Nell - she's hurting at losing Sonya and Melanie.

TOADIE: I should have been upfront with the kids when Mel left. I should have let them read the letter.
TERESE: You did what you thought was best.
TOADIE: Yeah but sweeping it under the rug, that's just let Nell build up this fantasy that Melanie's going to come back. Maybe I have to tell them.
TERESE: Are you sure?
TOADIE: Well I've got to do something. But the problem is, if I burst that bubble then I'm going to break Nell's heart all over again.

Beach
Byron tells Reece that "lunch and bevvies are served", aka beer and meat pies with sauce. Reece admits she never really understood the appeal of the beach, but that's because she's not a relaxed person in general. They start to eat their pies but Reece accidentally squirts tomato sauce all over her T- shirt. "You're a true blue Aussie now," Byron laughs.

Number 22
Nell arrives home and slinks inside when she sees Toadie waiting for her. Toadie doesn't understand why Nell let him think she was onboard with him and Terese. But Nell says she got tired of saying the same thing over and over.

NELL: You weren't listening so what was the point? I thought I'd let it play out. Eventually you'd wake up to yourself. I still think you will.
TOADIE: Melanie is gone. I love Terese. What did you think was going to happen if Melanie got the pig and she found your note?
NELL: She'd come back.
TOADIE: I can guarantee you that she's not.
NELL: You don't know that. She left so quickly, you had like three conversations and then we were packing her stuff up and sending them to her.
TOADIE: She also wrote the note. There's a reason why I didn't let you read it. (Getting upset) She didn't just have a change of heart about being married to me, she decided that she wasn't cut out being a step- mum to you and Hugo.
NELL: (in disbelief) We loved her. She loved us.
TOADIE: I'm sure that's still true, but she's been a step- mum before so it's not like she didn't have anything to base it on.
NELL: Is that what she said?
TOADIE: Yep. Amongst other things. And I never wanted you to know because I knew how much it would hurt you. Melanie is gone and I'm glad, because I hate how much she had hurt all of us.
NELL: (upset) We were so happy.
TOADIE: I thought so too. Sometimes things aren't as they seem, and now you know. I'm sorry, sweetheart.

Nell cries and Toadie hugs her.

Beach
Byron and Reece sit on the sand by the water while Byron tells her about Nicolette. He says Nic always called him the golden child, which is why when Jane found about the escorting their minds were blown. Byron asks if Reece has any questions about his past work, but Reece imagines it was just like any other business. Find out what the consumer wants and then give it to them. Byron admits the money was good, and in a weird way he felt like he was making a difference. "The women that I worked for, they weren't used to feeling desired," he adds. Reece asks if that's what it's like with her, but Byron says it's completely different.

BYRON: Do you not remember when we first met?
REECE: Rooftop pool. I was having trouble unfolding the deck chair.
BYRON: And I was having trouble keeping my eyes off you. Look, I started this because you are hot. And I'm continuing it because you're smart, you are funny, you are sweet and you are hot.
REECE: (smiling and kissing him) Correct answer.

The Waterhole
Wendy tells Cara to keep her tools in her toolbox as the punters don't want to eat in a construction site. "Who doesn't want a little sawdust in their salad," Cara jokes, before reminding Wendy that Paul wants the fan installed outside asap. Wendy isn't impressed.

Erinsborough High
Noah tells a gaggle of teens in the classroom all about Remi dropping off Dex's puffer. When Dex enters the room, Noah snidely asks him if mummy's not joining him for the lesson. "And get this, he's got two mums," Noah announces. "That makes him twice the mummy's boy." Dex looks uncomfortable when Noah then asks if he calls one of his mothers "daddy". Jane and Curtis arrive in time to overhear Noah's bullying and Jane sternly directs him to her office.

Beach
Byron says it's Reece's turn to share some of her family history, but Reece replies that her life has been very different to his. Her father divorced her mother when she was three. They stayed in New Hampshire while her father opened offices all over the world, including Sydney. "He has wives in every port, and children," Reece adds.

BYRON: So you have an Australian step- mum somewhere?
REECE: Yeah, well, she lives in Zurich now. There's seven of us kids. Please don't ask me to draw a family tree.
BYRON: So you're the oldest, right?
REECE: The oldest, the wisest. Heir apparent - allegedly.
BYRON: But you don't want any of that?
REECE: Honestly I've never been able to stop and think about it till I was over here.
BYRON: And the deck chair was the breaking point?
REECE: Kind of. I mean I sat there in that chair with the sun on my face and I thought, there's no one looking over my shoulder. Maybe I could just be someone else for a while. Or maybe I was just having a breakdown.
BYRON: You hid it well.
REECE: Hiding things is the number one Sinclair family rule.

Byron hugs her and says he's glad they're not hiding, which makes Reece look guilty.

Lassiters Complex
Byron and Reece get back from the beach but Reece wants to keep hanging out with him. Paul sees them and says he's glad to see Reece is still enjoying the local delicacies. Changing the subject, Reece asks what's going on at the real estate office. Paul says the tenant is just moving out but he's already got a new one lined up.

Erinsborough High
Jane has Remi and Cara in her office. She says she wasn't opposed to Dex going home after what he's been through, but he was determined to see the day out. Cara admits it's not Dex's first rodeo with this, and Remi says they appreciate the way Jane has dealt with it all. The ladies leave the office, passing Noah and his dad, Pete, on their way. Pete immediately tells Jane how disappointed he is in Noah and that he'll be having a discussion with him at home. His tune changes, though, when Jane announces she'll be giving Noah a three- day suspension as punishment.

PETE: Don't you think that's a bit severe?
JANE: No, I'm following set protocol. Personally I think your son is being let off lightly. There is no place for bigotry in my school.

Number 22 Backyard
Toadie sits with his kids after breaking the Mel news to Hugo as well. Hugo looks sad and asks if he did something wrong to upset Mel, but Toadie vehemently says it's not his fault. "Sometimes adults are not ready for responsibility," Toadie explains. He wraps his arms around the kids and tells them that they don't have to talk about Melanie's letter ever again. Terese watches the conversation from the window.

Paul stops by a short while later and remarks to Terese that he's not used to seeing the place so messy. He then tells her that the real estate building is free so she can move in straight away. Terese is ruffled, letting him know she's not ready to have a showroom in there, but Paul shrugs and tells her to use it as an office in the meantime. Terese wonders if Reece is okay with the plan but Paul says she doesn't care. "I promised you that office space for as long as you need it," he adds, handing her the key. "So will you please move in?"

Number 30
Remi asks Dex if he wants to talk about what happened at school, but Dex says Noah was just trying to show off. JJ says if Noah was his age he would have taken him away for a quiet chat with his fists. "No one wants to hear a word out of your fists, JJ," Cara interrupts, "regardless of age."

REMI: Are you sure you're okay?
DEX: Sucks way harder for Noah than for me. All the kids at school think he was being a tool.

JJ and Dex go into the lounge room to play video games. Cara says that sucked, which Remi agrees with, but it sucked less than the last time it happened. "Which was better than the time before with JJ," she adds.

CARA: (impressed) Jane went in hard.
REMI: And fast. And the other kids siding with Dex, that's new. I like that. It is getting better isn't it?
CARA: Maybe this is the last time we'll have to have this conversation.

Lassiters Complex
Reece sits with Byron out the front of Harold's and says she can't wait to see Ramsay Street. Byron wants her to meet Jane as well. Reece asks how Jane's feeling about the school and Byron replies that she's ready for battle. He goes inside the cafe to get them another drink, passing Haz on the way. Reece suddenly zones in on a woman with blonde hair across the complex, only half listening to Haz when he calls out to her. When Haz asks if she's okay, Reece distractedly replies that she "wasn't going to think about it, and I'm not".

Number 22
Toadie brings the kids inside to Terese and says they talked everything through. Terese asks how the kids are feeling and Hugo immediately apologises for not saying anything sooner. But Nell says he shouldn't have to apologise when she's been the one messing everybody about.

TERESE: We just want to make sure you're okay.
NELL: (crying) You've been so good to me, and I said I'd give you a chance and I didn't. And I should have.
TERESE: And now?
NELL: I've been the worst. I swear I'll make it up to you. I'll try to be better - I'll show you the real me.
TERESE: Nell I know the real you. I've watched you grow from a sweet little girl to a kind and caring beautiful young woman - who I happen to admire very, very much. Can I give you a hug?

Nell nods and Terese wraps her in a cuddle, sharing a look with Toadie over her shoulder.

The Waterhole interior/exterior
Wendy is venting to Jane about Cara being rude to her earlier. She doesn't even think that Paul bothered to look at Cara's references before he hired her. Curtis joins them and informs Jane that they need thirty more students enrolled to pull ahead of West Waratah and Anson's Corner. Wendy is about to leave them be when she hears a crashing sound out in the beer garden. Jane races outside with Wendy to see the fan that Cara installed has fallen onto a table. Wendy's angry, and says it's more proof they have a "shoddy building manager" in their midst.

Number 22
Terese tells Toadie they should all see a counsellor together as a family. Toadie can see the merit in the idea, and is also pleased to hear Terese use the word ‘family'. Terese grins and says they're going to be a good one.

TOADIE: I know your heart was in the right place, but from now on can we just tell each other everything?
TERESE: Absolutely. No more secrets.
TOADIE: Unless it's got to do with chocolate.
TERESE: Well it's too late, I've already found your stash!

She then tells Toadie that Paul called around before and gave her the key to the real estate office. They had both forgotten Paul had offered it to her in the first place. Terese is elated when Toadie reminds her they'll be work neighbours now.

The Waterhole
Jane and Curtis overhear Wendy give Cara a serve about the fan. But Cara says she checked her work thoroughly and it was perfect. "Well you also went AWOL," Wendy retorts, letting her know Paul will be hearing about the incident.

Jane then gets a very concerning email from Pete and tells Curtis that the parent is unhappy how things went with Noah. Pete has told her that if she doesn't rescind the punishment then he's going to send Noah to another school.

CURTIS: He's trying to blackmail you.
JANE: He's spoken to six other parents and they are willing to transfer their kids as well! If I don't do as he asks we will definitely lose the school.