No 26
We pick up where we left off. Byron storms away from Sadie having seen her looking at his escort profile, despite her assurances that it isn't what it looks like.

BYRON: Save it!

As Byron leaves around one side of the house, Wendy and Andrew emerge at the other, inviting Sadie to join them for a bite to eat. Andrew is worriedly waiting for his phone to ring; Wendy explains to Sadie that he's awaiting news on whether Felix has got parole.

ANDREW: Usually, no news is bad news.
WENDY: There's still time. They'll call.

Wendy notices how glum Sadie looks and asks if it's down to a hangover. Sadie covers, replying that it's 'something like that'. Wendy promises to mix her up a 'secret concoction' to deal with it.

ANDREW: Say no. It's worse than the hangover.

Andrew's phone rings. He promises whoever it is that he'll be there soon. After the call...

ANDREW: He got parole. Are we ready for a new housemate?

Wendy squeals with excitement and goes to make up the spare bed. But Sadie's mind is clearly still on Byron.

No 22
Toadie comes downstairs to find Terese on the phone, presumably to one of the hotel tradies, desperately seeking leads on Josh's missing plaque. Once she's done, she tells Toadie there's been no success.

TOADIE: I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. And I'm sorry for suggesting that Josh's plaque should move somewhere. Of course it should be at the hotel.

But Terese is unresponsive. Toadie offers to call some of the contractors for her, but she tells him she's now called everyone on the list that Paul gave her. She tells him she needs some air, and walks out.

Ramsay Street
Sadie meets Holly between their houses. Holly apologetically explains that she'd mentioned to Byron Sadie's plan to ask him to sleep with her, assuming Sadie had gone through with that. But Sadie explains that isn't what happened last night, and now Byron thinks she used him.

HOLLY: How can I fix this?
SADIE: I don't think there is anything we can do. I already went and made it worse.

No 32
On the patio, Byron tells Haz that he caught Sadie scrolling through the Harvey J website.

BYRON: I'm such an idiot.
HAZ: You couldn't have known.
BYRON: Just because I used to be an escort, doesn't give people the green light to use me for sex. Now I know why she shut me down about breakfast. She'd already got what she wanted.

Ramsay Street
Sadie has explained to Holly about Byron catching her on the website.

SADIE: Haven't you ever internet- stalked someone you like?
HOLLY: Sadie, you like him?

Sadie sighs.

No 32
On the patio...

BYRON: Why did I even start to like her?
HAZ: Well, because she's usually a really nice person. She didn't give you any explanation when you went over there?
BYRON: I didn't really give her a chance to.

Ramsay Street
Sadie tells Holly...

SADIE: Last night was special. And it took me by surprise. I never actually thought I had a chance, but now I'm imagining that door could open.

No 32
Haz tells Byron that he has a right to be hurt, but advises against taking what Holly said as gospel.

Ramsay Street
Holly thinks she's cursed for putting her foot in it with Byron. Sadie says that Byron's the one they should both be feeling sorry for.

No 32
Haz tells Byron he'd 'put money on it' that Sadie cares about him; he should at least give her a proper chance to explain.

Harold's Café
Melanie has brought Nell and Hugo out for drinks (maybe to celebrate Hugo's first appearance of the year?), but Hugo has tired of his apple juice already, and wants to swap it for Nell's orange. Nell isn't giving up her OJ though, even for two dollars.

MELANIE: Hugo, order envy is a part of life. Sometimes we just make the wrong decisions.

As if on cue, Terese comes in! Hugo calls her over, making things awkward with Melanie, and asks her to help him convince Nell to swap their juice flavours. But Mel interjects, saying she was sorry to hear from Holly about Josh's plaque.

Nell invites Terese to join them, but she declines, saying she has to keep moving. There's more tension as Mel notices Terese seemingly looking at her hand, and checks her finger as if to make sure she's not still wearing her wedding ring. Terese clocks this, and gives her an icy look.

NELL: This OJ is so good.
HUGO: You are the worst sister ever invented.

Ramsay Street
JJ is playing basketball in the street - perhaps a reference to his American sperm donor, who we know is also a keen player - when Andrew arrives back from Warrinor with Felix. Felix declares Ramsay Street 'very you' to Andrew, a 'neat little perfect suburban cul- de- sac'. Wendy and Sadie come out to greet Felix enthusiastically.

FELIX (to Sadie): Woah, look at you! You're a proper, fully fledged adult.
SADIE: Yeah, and I can order my own beers at the pub now.

Felix jokes that he'll have to find another way to nudge her off the straight and narrow, but Andrew isn't too amused. Wendy ushers Felix inside for a caramel slice - but Felix has noticed JJ and gazes at him curiously. Andrew confirms Felix's suspicion that it's the JJ he's told him about, who thought Andrew was his dad. Felix gazes for a little longer, before being ushered indoors for a grand tour.

Lassiter's Lake
Melanie, Nell and Hugo are playing boules by the lake. Toadie appears and watches from a distance, half- smiling, before Nell calls him over to join them. He promises he'll join in a minute, but has a word with Melanie first.

TOADIE: The kids really love hanging out with you.
MELANIE: Yeah, well... the feeling is mutual. How are you going?
TOADIE: Uh... well, to be honest, everything feels a little bit out of control.
MELANIE: Yeah, well. Hope whatever's going on between us isn't making things worse.
TOADIE: ... There isn't anything going on between us.

Melanie gives him a sceptical look, and Toadie goes over to join the kids.

No 26
Sadie is looking glum on the couch. Wendy again offers her hangover concoction.

WENDY: It's got galangal, slippery elm, there's some turmeric...
SADIE: No, Mum, that sounds disgusting. But I'll be fine.

Andrew comes out from the bedrooms and reports that Felix approves of his new room, and is now unpacking.

SADIE: Well, I mean, anything has to be better than his last room, right?
ANDREW (whispering): Let's steer clear of the prison talk.

Wendy tells Andrew to relax and have a caramel slice, at which point Felix emerges to grab one too. He explains to Sadie that Wendy brought caramel slices around the first time he met her; he ate the whole plate and made Andrew promise he'd keep her around because he'd die if he never ate them again.

ANDREW: And he says he's not the drama queen.
FELIX: Hey, I want you all to know, I really appreciate you letting me stay here. And you have my word - there's gonna be no dramas.
ANDREW: On that note, we need to talk about your parole conditions. You need to check in at the station every day. How does 8am sound?
SADIE: Dad! Eight in the morning?
FELIX: I see nothing's changed with Mr Structure here.
WENDY: No, surely as long as Felix checks in at some point during the day, it's gonna be fine, right?

Sadie gets a text which we don't see, and announces she has to go and meet someone. She wishes Felix luck with 'Ruley McRulerson' and leaves.

ANDREW: I'm just trying to be a good parole sponsor.
FELIX: I know. Thank you. But you have nothing to worry about. I have no intention of going back to jail, so... if you want me there at 8am every morning, that's how it'll be.

Andrew concedes that maybe they can loosen up a little on the timing, as Felix keeps teasing him and Wendy joins in.

No 32
Byron is sitting by the pool when Sadie arrives to join him; it was he who sent her the message, and she thanks him for hearing her out.

SADIE: After what Holly told you, it must seem like I used you. But the truth is, she initially suggested the whole idea. And, yes, I did contemplate it briefly. But then I realised how weird and wrong it was, and I decided not to do it. I value our friendship way too much to do anything to ruin that. And last night was completely spontaneous, and genuine... and I promise there was no hidden agenda.
BYRON: If that's true, why were you going through my old escorting profile this morning? I thought they'd taken that down.
SADIE: It was dumb. I was just snooping.
BYRON: Because, you know, I don't do that anymore.
SADIE: I know. And I'm so sorry I made you feel objectified. Please believe it was completely innocent.
BYRON: And why'd you shut me down for breakfast this morning? What was that?
SADIE: I didn't want you to feel like you had to spend more time with me.
BYRON: ... Well, I wanted to. I really did have fun last night.

Byron looks like he's keen on something more serious from Sadie, but possibly too nervous to reciprocate, she backs out.

SADIE: ... So, if we both agree we had fun, we should just go back to being friends.
BYRON (disappointed): Sure. Back to friends.

No 26
Andrew is keen to talk careers with Felix, and asks if he learned any special skills in prison.

FELIX: Oh, yeah. I'm now an expert in onion- chopping, uniform- ironing, library book- sorting...

There's a knock at the door. It's JJ; he's recalled that Andrew used to do some boxing, and wondered if he could show him some moves. Felix watches curiously from the kitchen.

ANDREW: This is about Slade, is it?
JJ: Yeah. If he's not getting locked up any time soon, I want to be ready if anything, you know, happens again.
ANDREW: For self- defence, you mean?
JJ: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew introduces JJ to Felix, and they exchange a friendly 'hey', though Felix looks a bit shifty. Andrew says Felix will help him get the old boxing bag out so they can have a session later this afternoon. JJ is pleased, and thanks Andrew, promising to see him later. Once JJ leaves...

ANDREW: That could've been a little bit messy. Look, hey, all cards on the table - Wendy is aware of all the Philippa stuff, and my concern about you being JJ's father.
FELIX: Okay...
ANDREW: We are both really relieved that you're not. I don't think our two families could've gone through that again.

Felix still looks shifty, as Andrew starts talking about potential jobs in the area.

Lassiter's Lake
Despite his earlier exchange with Melanie, Toadie is happily playing boules with her, Nell and Hugo. Though he looks uncomfortable at times to be re- enacting this family scene, he can't help watching wistfully as the children have fun with their former stepmum. A song about an escaped balloon plays, which can't help but remind us of the 2022 finale and Toadie's wedding day to Melanie.

Eventually, the discomfort gets the better of Toadie and he wanders off, so that Nell and Hugo wonder where he's gone. Melanie tells the kids that he probably got a work call.

Harold's Café
Sadie and Byron come in for a coffee and a toastie, hoping that last week's tuna and peanut butter variant is off the menu. Byron chats to Haz at the counter, while Sadie goes over to join Mackenzie and Holly at a table. Byron tells Haz that Sadie has explained everything, and that things weren't as bad as he assumed, so they're back to being friends.

Meanwhile at the table, Holly presents Sadie with an 'apology muffin' for being a blabbermouth. Sadie is over it already, and tells the girls that her chat with Byron went well, despite initially being awkward, and that they've decided to go back to being friends. Mackenzie tells Holly not to give up her day job to become a matchmaker - and Byron, sitting down to join them, seconds that.

Holly gives Byron a muffin too, then heads back to work, having neglected to pay for the muffins!

MACKENZIE: Well, I guess it's on me.

As Mack gets up to pay the bill, Sadie and Byron are left alone again.

BYRON: Hey, there is one thing that I do regret about last night. I wish I'd known it was your first time.
SADIE: Oh, it's no big deal.
BYRON: Even so, I wish I'd made it more special. Rom- commy.
SADIE: I mean, I love a rom- com as much as the next girl. But how it happened was perfect. I wouldn't change a thing.

They smile at one another tentatively.

Lassiter's Hotel
Terese chats to Holly in the manager's office, to check whether there's been news on the plaque. Holly says not, but promises to get the staff to check again, and says Chelsea may be around if Terese wants to speak to her about it. Terese is not keen on that idea, admitting that she thinks Chelsea may be behind the plaque going missing in the first place - but concedes it's 'just a hunch'.

No 26
Andrew and Felix are carting the punchbag through the house for JJ's boxing lesson later.

FELIX: To be honest, I'm surprised you're still chummy with JJ. The whole DNA saga sounded pretty rough.
ANDREW: Yeah. Yeah, it was. But we bonded a bit through it all. He's really a good kid.
FELIX: Are you and Wendy still okay?
ANDREW: Yeah. Took a while, though. Just brought up some old stuff that we'd never dealt with.
FELIX: Oh, like what? ... Sorry if it's too nosy.
ANDREW: No, it's not. I admitted that I wanted another kid, and I think that was the hardest part of it all, for her. Anyway, what's your stance now on having kids?
FELIX: The same, mate. No way, not for me (...) Hey, it's really good what you're doing for him. I reckon every kid should get the chance to learn some self- defence.

No 22
Toadie is having a cuppa when Terese comes in, looking sad.

TERESE: I give up. Plaque's gone.
TOADIE: Can you sit with me for a minute, please?

She obliges. Toadie says he wants to help her keep looking for Josh's plaque in any way he can - it has to be out there somewhere.

TOADIE: But I'm really worried about us. Because we aren't talking anymore. We're not sharing things with each other, and we always said that we would. And I'm really scared that if we don't address this distance between us, it's just gonna keep growing. We have got to make time for each other. I don't want to lose you, Terese.
TERESE (emotional): You're right. We've let this go on for too long. And I don't want to lose you either.

She holds his hand.

TERESE: I'm sorry we let it get this bad. Let's make each other a priority from now on, okay?

Toadie nods, also emotional.

No 26
Andrew and Felix are having a practice boxing session in the garden. Andrew remarks that Felix has improved; he replies that he's been practising a lot in jail, as it was among the few things that kept him sane.

FELIX: Plus, how do you think I got this ripped, hey? (...) No, it's helped a lot with my mental state. You can get to a pretty grim place in there.

Andrew goes inside to get them some water, as Sadie turns up with the important news that Wendy has stocked up on some Cheddar Shapes for Felix.

SADIE: Although, I don't know what psychopath you are for choosing cheddar over barbecue.
ANDREW: Agreed. I mean, how am I related to this guy?
FELIX: Technically we're not, mate, remember? You're adopted.
ANDREW: Thankfully. Because imagine sharing genes with a Cheddar Shapes guy.

Felix begins to explain to Sadie that Andrew is going to teach JJ to box.

No 30
The scene in the 26 garden is now intercut with scenes of JJ at No 30, who is doing a bit of shadowboxing in preparation for his lesson with Andrew.

No 26
Felix asks Sadie if she has much to do with JJ. She admits not really, after the awkwardness of him asking her on a date.

FELIX: Ah! Chasing the older ladies. Been there a few times.
SADIE: I mean, it was very cute. But also very weird, after everything that happened with Dad.
FELIX: Oh, yeah. Andrew seems to have taken him under his wing.
SADIE: That's Dad's MO. Always helping people. Although I feel kind of sorry for JJ. I hope he finds out who his dad is one day.

No 30
Dramatic music descends as JJ's shadowboxing continues.

No 26
Felix takes his shirt off and begins practising himself with the punchbag, and we alternate between the two scenes. Eventually the camera pans around so that we can see Felix's back, and we home in on a distinctive birthmark just above his waistband.

No 30
As JJ continues to practice his moves, he takes off his hoodie and his shirt rides up with it - revealing a very similar birthmark in the same spot on his own back...

Coming up on Neighbours
- Andrew introduces Felix to Remi and Cara, explaining he's also a friend of Philippa's
- Melanie tells Toadie he's the one who keeps coming to see her, and asks if he's wondered why
- Terese tells Paul that it's funny how you can keep losing someone, even after you've already lost them
- Chelsea tells Toadie that she saw Terese rushing after Paul in a hurry; he asks what they were doing