Previously
- Toadie assures Terese that nothing will change the fact Melanie left him
- Melanie tells Nell how much she loves her, and vice versa, in an emotional counselling session
- After the session, Nell tells Toadie that Rhonda wants to talk to him, too
- In the room with Mel, an emotional Toadie tells her he loved her more than he thought he ever could again
- Karl tells Holly he feels her relationship with Haz is rather one- sided
- Holly pretends to be fine about it when Haz tells her Mackenzie's on her way home from the airport
- Haz and Mackenzie share a long hug after agreeing to 'reboot' their friendship
- Holly breaks up with Haz, telling him in front of Mackenzie that she's not the one in the room he wants
Counsellor's Office
Terese and Nell are waiting outside in the car. Melanie and Toadie emerge onto the street, both looking worse for wear after their emotional chat.
TOADIE: Well...
MELANIE: That was...
TOADIE: Yep.
Nell offers Melanie a lift home, but reading the room, Mel decides it's best to walk. Toadie does his best impression of normal, getting into the car and suggesting they stop at the supermarket to pick up some stuff for the Rodwells' barbecue later. Terese agrees.
No 28
In the garden, Karl is faffing about in the greenhouse when Holly comes home. He's surprised to see her back so soon.
HOLLY: I just broke up with Haz.
KARL: I'm sorry.
HOLLY: You were right about me, censoring myself for him.
KARL: It doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.
He puts an arm around her and asks exactly what happened. Holly says she's pretty sure Haz is in love with Mackenzie. They take a seat at the garden table to chat it out.
HOLLY: If I'm honest, I've known for a while. I just didn't want to admit it.
No 32
Mackenzie is on the sofa reading a book called 'Love Regardless', while Haz fawns over Trevor. Byron comes in, and notes the silence.
BYRON: Is it just me, or is there a bit of a vibe in here?
HAZ: Umm... Holly and I broke up. And before you ask, I'd rather not talk about it.
Haz asks if Byron would mind taking Trevor out for a walk, so he does. Haz and Mack then both start talking at the same time, and it's awkward as they argue over who should speak first. Eventually, Mack begins.
MACKENZIE: Are you ready to talk about what Holly said?
HAZ: ... No, not yet.
MACKENZIE: Yeah, okay.
Embarrassed, Haz claims there's something he needs to do, and rushes out of the room.
No 28
Melanie's home after walking back from the counsellor's office - she tells Karl she needed the walk so she could churn things over in her mind. She admits the session with Nell was a bit rough, but that it was the chat with Toadie that really threw her.
MELANIE: It morphed into something really, really personal and intense.
But she doesn't want to talk about it further, so Karl suggests they go out into the garden to take her mind off it.
KARL: Seriously, it's highly therapeutic. There have been studies. And even with one arm, there's plenty you can do out there. In fact... Yes, I have the perfect project especially for you.
Melanie forces a strained smile! Holly comes in, and Karl invites her to join them in the garden, but she's headed to the day spa instead, as 'that's my kind of therapy'. Melanie leaps up, hoping to escape to the spa with Holly, but Karl isn't having it. As Holly leaves, he tells Melanie to go and change into some old clothes while he prepares his 'surprise' for her...
Ramsay Street
Haz is putting out the recycling when Holly approaches. They greet one another awkwardly.
HAZ: I'm sorry.
HOLLY: For what?
HAZ: For being a terrible boyfriend.
HOLLY: Yeah, you were kind of a terrible boyfriend. I just hope that next time, you do things differently.
HAZ: You and I just broke up. I am not going there with anyone.
HOLLY: Okay, well, I just hope that when you do, you don't stuff anyone around. Have you ever thought that maybe you have commitment issues?
HAZ: What?
HOLLY: Billie... me...
HAZ: Billie locked Trevor outside and then lied about it.
HOLLY: There's always something. But that's on you. You have to work it out yourself.
Holly walks away, and Haz goes back to his bin duties.
No 22
Terese, Toadie and Nell arrive home. Toadie is hoping Andrew and Wendy won't turn their noses up at his store- bought potato salad - he'd meant to make one but there hasn't been time.
TERESE: Yeah, well, you weren't expecting to go into the counselling session with Melanie, were you?
NELL: My counselling session was intense. Like, it brought up feelings I didn't know I had. So, if it's okay with you, I was thinking that we could do another session again. Because obviously there's more stuff we need to talk about.
Toadie says that's fine, but without the slightest hint of enthusiasm, and continues to look rather haunted by the whole experience. Nell goes upstairs, and Toadie tries to keep busy - but Terese tells him to stop.
TERESE: We don't have to get to the Rodwells' on time, so please, just breathe. And please, just tell me about your session with Melanie. And yes, I get that counselling sessions are private. And I don't want to know all the details, but I just -
However, they're interrupted by a knock at the door. It's Aaron, wanting to know if the Sonya Foundation jumble sale is accepting electrical items for donation. Toadie says they are, and leaves with Aaron to check out what he has, glad of the excuse to escape the conversation with Terese. Terese looks frustrated.
Lassiter's Park
Byron is walking Trevor, when a woman unknown to us, Alyssa, sees the dog and appears to recognise him.
ALYSSA: Oh, my goodness. Bodie?!
She strokes him delightedly, repeating the name 'Bodie'.
ALYSSA: Oh, it is you! Where have you been? I can't believe...
BYRON: Um, sorry - but this is Trevor.
ALYSSA: But this was... this was our dog. Our family pet. My son was distraught when he went missing - cried for weeks and weeks. We all did... How did you get him?
BYRON: I'm pretty sure he's from the dog rescue.
ALYSSA: You're pretty sure?
BYRON: Well, he's not actually mine. He's my housemate's.
ALYSSA: Would it be okay if I talked to them?
BYRON: I don't know.
ALYSSA: I get that I could be anyone. But I can prove I'm not. Look under his left ear - go on.
She describes a medium- sized mole, which Byron immediately sees when he looks at Trevor's ear.
ALYSSA: We thought about calling him Spot because of it. Didn't we, Bodie? So, could I please have your housemate's number? It would really mean the world to me to finally get some answers?
Byron looks unsure...
No 26
Wendy and Andrew are setting up the table in the back yard, as Toadie and Terese arrive for the barbecue. Toadie apologetically explains that the potato salad is from the deli, albeit 'zhuzhed up' with dill and parsley so that it 'doesn't taste too bad'. Wendy and Andrew look underwhelmed! But Wendy offers to put it in the fridge, and Terese goes towards the house with her.
Detecting an atmosphere, Wendy asks Terese if everything is okay with her and Toadie. Terese replies that it is, but doesn't look convinced. Meanwhile, Toadie downs a beer in one.
ANDREW: Woah. Looks like you needed that.
TOADIE: ... Need a hand with the barbie, mate?
ANDREW: Sure. Yeah.
No 32
Mackenzie is making tea when Haz comes in.
HAZ: I'm sorry about before. I didn't actually have anything to do.
MACKENZIE: I know... I would really like to know what you're thinking.
Haz gulps nervously, but before he can say anything, Byron comes in and begins to regale them - rather too enthusiastically - with the story of Trevor's encounter with Alyssa.
BYRON: And get this - Trev ain't Trev, his real name is Bodie! He was their family pet, until he went missing, and... she's just got a couple of questions, Haz.
HAZ: No. No way. She's obviously some kind of scammer who wants to steal him.
BYRON: Trev really seemed like he recognised her.
HAZ: He's friendly to everyone.
BYRON: She even knew about the mole on the left ear.
HAZ: So? She could've met him a few weeks ago, petted him, casually checked under his ear, so that her future scam story seemed real.
Mackenzie and Byron look at Haz incredulously, but Haz isn't budging, and decides to fall back into his old habit of taking Trevor to work with him.
HAZ: And I know it's a health hazard. But at least with me, I know he'll be safe.
Once he's gone, Byron tells Mackenzie he's sure that Alyssa was legit.
MACKENZIE: If she did, poor Haz...
No 28
Melanie has her eyes shut in anticipation of Karl's 'surprise', as he leads her into the garden.
KARL: Okay - you can open your eyes! Ta- da! It's Elvis, my all- time favourite ceramic pig.
Melanie, who likes pigs, is possibly more excited about the return of Karl's porcine planter than any other Ramsay Street resident would be.
KARL: I'm sure I've mentioned him before.
MELANIE: Yeah. Didn't Susan...?
KARL: Yeah, put him out for hard rubbish. But without her knowledge, I rescued him and put him under the house. And he's been hiding there, waiting for the right time, and the right person, to re- emerge. Yeah, I just thought, you know, maybe as a project, you could wash him up, and plant him up with some petunias.
MELANIE: I would love that!
KARL: Yes. Now, the good thing is, with you as part of this 'therapeutic' project, Susan can't possibly object and get rid of him. Although to keep her happy, I think maybe we should put him... maybe over there, just so he's a little less in her face.
MELANIE: Oh, no! Elvis is just like Baby - he can't be put in the corner.
KARL: Uhh...
MELANIE: He needs to be the focal point of this whole entire yard! Yeah. It's a great idea, Karl.
Karl begins to look worried about exactly what can of worms he may have opened...!
No 26
Andrew serves up some food from the barbie while Terese goes weak at the knees over Wendy's quinoa salad. Wendy says it's from a recipe book Andrew gave her years ago, which she's recently scribbled down before donating the book to the jumble sale. As they laugh about Wendy giving away Andrew's gifts, a very different kind of laugh emanates from the garden next door - Melanie's unmistakeable seal- honk...
No 28
Melanie deconstructs a joke she's just made for Karl's benefit.
MELANIE: Do you get it? 'It's Sow or Never'! Because there's that Elvis song which is 'It's Now or Never'. But because Elvis is a pig, 'It's Sow or Never'!
KARL: Yeah. Technically a sow is a female pig...
No 26
But Melanie's distinctive laughter continues unabated, and Toadie looks nothing short of traumatised. He changes the subject, asking Wendy and Andrew if they might volunteer for the jumble sale. They seem happy to, but once again the air is riven by Melanie's laughter, cutting the conversation dead. Unable to take any more, Toadie drops his cutlery mid- meal, and goes home on the pretext of picking up the volunteer roster.
Terese, Andrew and Wendy awkwardly continue the meal, as Melanie's dulcet tones ring on.
The Waterhole
Byron and Mackenzie are having a drink, while Mackenzie randomly tells Byron about the latest exploits of Vera Punt, who has been making online complaints about kids at the skate park throwing water balloons. They make fun of Mrs Punt for a while, and Mackenzie wants to keep making fun of her - but Byron wants them to focus on looking for online posts about missing dogs, to find proof of Alyssa's claim about Trevor.
Sure enough, Byron soon finds a picture of Alyssa and Trevor on the Erinsborough Community page, with the caption, 'missing dog, Bodie, reward offered'. It's from seven months ago, which Mack says is around about the time Haz got Trevor from the rescue shelter.
Harold's Café
Haz is making toasties in the kitchen when Byron and Mackenzie turn up to show him Alyssa's lost dog post.
HAZ: Fake news.
MACKENZIE: (...) The timing matches. They lost Trevor the same time that you adopted him.
HAZ: So? People lose dogs all the time.
Byron's phone is ringing - it's Alyssa. He explains he gave her his number as he wasn't comfortable giving her Haz's.
HAZ: You shouldn't be giving out any numbers.
BYRON: She was overwhelmed. She just wants answers, Haz.
HAZ: Do not answer that call.
He snatches Byron's phone.
BYRON: Now you're just acting like a tool.
HAZ: Mate, Trevor is my dog. You do not make any decisions on his behalf without me saying so.
MACKENZIE: Well, what if *you* were the one who lost Trevor and found him months later?
HAZ: ...
BYRON: Can I have my phone back?
HAZ: Only if you promise not to answer it, or text her, or call back if she rings again.
BYRON: Fine!
HAZ: Do you *promise*?
Byron does, and gets his phone back - but he exchanges are worried glance with Mackenzie.
No 22
Toadie is having an emotional moment on the couch when Terese comes in, at which point he does his best to compose himself. She sits down next to him.
TERESE: Are you okay?
TOADIE: Not really.
TERESE: I mean, it's obviously about Melanie.
TOADIE: Yeah.
TERESE: Come on, Toadie, you've got to give me something more. Since the counselling session you haven't even looked me in the eye.
Nell comes downstairs with a coat on, as if she's planning to head out - but, seeing Toadie and Terese are home, she goes straight back up again.
TOADIE (emotional): I'm sorry that I haven't said anything. And the counselling session did... bring up a lot of feelings. And I'm struggling with it, because I don't even know what it means myself. And as soon as I get a minute just to think about it, and... or I get what it means... I'll talk to you. I promise.
Terese agrees to this, and asks him if he wants to stay here with the kids, or go back to the Rodwells' with her. He opts for the latter.
No 28
Darkness has fallen, and Karl and Melanie are still in the back yard, the pizza oven roaring in the background. Melanie tells him his 'therapeutic' idea was 'really lovely', and Karl admits that Mel does seem more settled than she did before.
MELANIE: You know, I think after the counselling session, everything feels... crystal clear.
KARL: Would you say you've managed to find some closure.
MELANIE: I've still got the local charges to face...
KARL: Hmm. You and Paul.
MELANIE: Even so, I do feel like I'm starting to feel more hopeful about the future.
They clink their wine glasses to celebrate this.
No 26
In the garden next door, Toadie and Terese arrive back in time for Wendy's famous pavlova. Terese goes inside with Wendy to help serve up, giving Toadie and Andrew a chance to chat. Toadie apologises for disappearing, and Andrew says Terese did mention the impromptu counselling session with Melanie while he was gone.
ANDREW: So I completely understand why you're stirred up.
TOADIE: Yeah. Yeah, I am. And, you know, now I'm struggling to talk to Terese about it. So she's all stirred up too, which is great. Well done, me.
ANDREW: Why are you struggling?
TOADIE: Well, I don't know. We've, umm, talked about Melanie a lot, but this time it's different, and, uh... I just cried.
Toadie starts crying again.
ANDREW: Oh, mate. Mate, it's okay. Seriously, it's okay. You're allowed to cry. It's probably a good thing.
TOADIE: This is embarrassing.
ANDREW: It's not embarrassing.
TOADIE: I can't control it. And now I'm petrified about what else is gonna bubble up.
ANDREW: Well, I'm here, mate. I'm here if you need, okay? It's okay.
TOADIE: No. It's a long way from okay.
No 32
Haz is playing with Trevor when Mackenzie comes in. He tells her he can't talk about what they touched on earlier, as he's not in the right headspace. Mackenzie says she understands.
MACKENZIE: I do think you need to talk to this Alyssa woman.
HAZ: Why? Even if she was Trevor's first owner...
MACKENZIE: And I'm pretty sure she was.
HAZ: Why didn't she care enough to get him microchipped? That way she could've found him when he went missing (...) And she didn't care enough to check all the shelters, or else she would have found him. And let's not forget about his separation anxiety issues. She probably left him outside a bunch, and that's why he ran away in the first place.
MACKENZIE: Well, if you call her, you'll be able to ask her those questions, just like she probably has questions for you. And from what Byron said, that's all it is. She hasn't said anything about wanting him back.
HAZ: She's gonna want him back. How could she not?
Byron comes in; Alyssa is still trying to ring his mobile, for the tenth time.
BYRON: Please, can you just talk to her?
MACKENZIE: Please, Haz. It's the right thing to do.
Haz agrees, and they sigh with relief as he takes the ringing phone. But...
HAZ: Hello... No, I don't know who you're talking about... You must have the wrong number. Bye.
He hangs up.
HAZ: There you go. She won't call again. And from now on, Trevor stays inside the house.
BYRON: Are you serious?!
HAZ: Yes, I'm deadly serious. No one is gonna take my dog away from me. Not now. Not ever.
Coming up on Neighbours
- Krista assures David she's heard him; she and Leo are just friends
- Paul tells Krista he doesn't believe her drink was spiked
- Toadie advises Haz to talk to Mackenzie about 'worst- case scenarios', but Haz doesn't want her involved
- We see Melanie hugging Toadie
- Melanie tells David that some of the good things she lost are slowly coming back
- Terese demands to know why Toadie isn't talking to her about 'what the hell happened in there'