Scripts - Episode 3117

THE PATTERSON HOUSE

VINNIE, LEAH, THEO and ALEX are there.

THEO

A hundred and twenty thousand dollars.

VINNIE

Yeah, that’s about the extent of it.

THEO

I don’t believe I’m hearing this. When you asked for my daughters hand in marriage, I said yes because I trusted you to look after her.

LEAH

He does look after me, papa. He’s a really good husband.

THEO

Good. You’re about to have a baby and he’s got you in so much debt you might never get out of it. If this is good will someone please show me bad.

ALEX

Oh, papa, calm down. Come on, let’s talk about this rationally.

THEO

Don’t tell me to calm down when my daughters security is at stake. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to ask you Vinnie, what kind of husband do you call yourself?

SUMMER BAY HOUSE

DANI and BRODIE walk n. JADE is in the kitchen.

BRODIE

Make them up today and well, I reckon we’ll raise heaps/

DANI

Well I hope so. The drop-in centre is going to need every cent we scrounge off for. Want a juice?

BRODIE

Em, no. Actually, I think I might go for a walk.

DANI

But we just walked all the way home from school.

BRODIE

Yes, I guess like I feel like another one. Em, thanks for your help this afternoon with the forum Dan.

DANI

No, problem.

DANI walks out.

JADE

Do you think she’s all right with, you know, the Alex thing?

DANI

Yeah, well, I guess.

SEB and KIRSTY are on the couch.

KIRSTY

I know you don’t want to OK, but I want you to come back.

SEB

Why?

KIRSTY

Well, duh. Maybe I miss having you around.

SEB

Really.

KIRSTY

Yes, really. Besides, what other excuse are you going to use to come around and see me if we’re not studying together?

SEB

Who needs an excuse?

KIRSTY

So, are you coming back or what?

SEB

I can’t. Not while Flathead’s still there.

KIRSTY

Seb, don’t you remember, you once told me that you’d never let Mr. Fisher run your life for you.

SEB

Yeah.

KIRSTY

Yeah, well, sounds to me that’s exactly what you are doing.

THE BEACHSIDE DINER

ALF and DON are outside talking.

ALF

Well you’re going to have to have a yarn to him about it sometime, Don.

DON

Well, I have talked to him and he made it perfectly clear how he feels about the DNA test being positive, perfectly clear.

ALF

Yeah, but he’s a teenager. They’re all like that. I mean, he wouldn’t have meant it.

DON

Anyway, I’m going to phone Rebecca and now that we know for sure, I can’t put it off any longer.

COLLEEN walks out.

COLLEEN

Good afternoon Donald.

DON

Oh, hello Colleen.

COLLEEN

Isn’t it shocking what’s happened to poor Leah and Vinnie? I suppose you’ve heard.

DON

Ah, yes. I have heard actually.

COLLEEN

Naturally, I’m doing everything I can to support them in their hour of need. I’ve told them that they can move in with me at the caravan park if they find themselves on skiv row.

DON

Ah, that is generous.

COLLEEN

Aw, plus they’d have a twenty-four hour babysitter thrown in. Oh, that’s when I’m not working here for his lordship of course.

COLLEEN walks back inside.

DON

They wouldn’t move in with Colleen, would they?

ALF

Stranger things have happened Don.

THE PATTERSON HOUSE

THEO, VINNIE, LEAH and ALEX are all in the living room.

THEO

I don’t understand. You had the diner. Most people would have been happy with that.

LEAH

Seemed like a great opportunity for to Vinnie.

THEO

And then you go out on the is crazy thing with stereos and washing machines. What’s the matter with you Vinnie? Where’s your brains?

VINNIE

I already told you. I wanted to do something for myself, for me and for Leah.

LEAH

Yeah, and the way Ralph presented the business deal, well it seemed like a really good opportunity and it was also a great chance for Vinnie to go into business with his father. Now papa, you know what that’s like, don’t you? You’re always going on about what a good thing family business is.

THEO

So, what have you got you now? No business and no future. Now, I’m sorry, but you people have to understand I can’t come running every time you make a mistake.

VINNIE

Yeah, I’ve got that loud and clear. Excuse me princess, I need some air.

VINNIE walks out.

LEAH

Hey, Vinnie. Now look what you’ve done.

THEO

What I’ve done?

LEAH

Yes. That was so unfair. Now you know how hard it was for him to ask you down here.

THEO

Look I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be shouting and don’t worry, of course I’m going to help you out.

LEAH

Vinnie’s a good man.

THEO

I know he is. I’m just upset for you, that is all. For both of you. What I don’t understand is, if he knew his father was a crook, why he trusted him in the first place?

ALEX

Dad, Ralph is a con man, OK. He used emotional blackmail.

LEAH

Yeah, he told us he was dying.

THEO

What kind of a father would do a thing like that to his son?

LEAH

Vinnie’s kinds of father, papa and that’s the only one he’s got. You know how the saying goes, you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.

LEAH begins to leave.

THEO

Where are you going?

LEAH

I’m going to find Vinnie, all right. He needs me.

THEO

Leah.

ALEX

Papa, just leave it.

THE BEACH

VINNIE is sitting down and LEAH walks over to him.

VINNIE

Your dad is right. I am a loser.

LEAH

Hey, never think that.

VINNIE

I might as well get a big L-tattooed on my forehead.

LEAH

Stop it, OK. Now dad says he’s going to give us the money and he will. We just need to give him time to get a handle on things. I mean it did comes as a big shock to him.

VINNIE

Yeah, no kidding. I guess it would comes as a shock to know that your daughter’s married to a fully fledged idiot.

LEAH

Aw, Vinnie. Where are you going?

VINNIE

I’m going for a walk, babe. Who know, I might get lost and that will solve everyone’s problem.

LEAH

Oh, Vinnie. Please, just come home with me, all right and talk to dad.

VINNIE

I just need to be by myself, really. I’ve got to say some things to myself that even you don’t want to hear.

VINNIE walks away.

THE PATTERSON HOUSE

ALEX and THEO are in the kitchen.

ALEX

Aw, come on dad. Lot’s of families have crooks. What about that scam Uncle Con was working? That’s your own brother we are talking about.

THEO

Con would never steal from his own family. This father of Vinnie is scum. Worse than scum.

LEAH walks in.

LEAH

All right, could we please drop it. What has happened has happened. Going over and over what a horrible person Ralph is, isn’t going to help anybody, especially not Vinnie.

THEO

You’re right. What’s said is said. Now we move on, eh. I don’t want any more worrying from you, sit down.

LEAH

No.

THEO

Papa’s here now. I will fix everything. First I will make a good hot meal, then you will take a long relaxing bath.

LEAH

Not now papa, I couldn’t eat a thing. I just want Vinnie to come home and I just want to go to bed, OK. Now can you please make dad’s bed up.

ALEX

Yeah, no worries.

THEO

Of course, you rest and we will talk in the morning. I’ll bring you in a hot chocolate, yes.

LEAH

Yep.

THEO

And don’t worry about your husband. He will be home when he is ready.

LEAH

Yeah, I suppose you are right. There is more that I can do.

THEO

When is papa ever wrong?

LEAH

Do really want to know?

ALEX

Hey Leah, anything you need, just let me know.

LEAH

Oh, by the way. I bumped into Brodie earlier. I hope you know what you are doing, letting her get away like that.

LEAH walks out.

THEO

You and Brodie, eh.

ALEX

Yes dad, yes we have.

THEO

Too bad. I liked her. So does your mother?

ALEX

Look dad, are you going to be OK here? I’m just going to pop out for a few seconds.

THEO

Of course. Hey, tell Brodie, hello from me, eh.

ALEX walks out.

THE LAWSON HOUSE

SEB is there. DON walks in.

DON

I’ve just been on the phone to my daughter Rebecca. She’s in Canada at the moment with her husband Travis.

SEB

You told me.

DON

Yeah, well, she seems very interested in you. What you look like, etc and well she was wondering if you have a photo of yourself, if I could send it to her.

SEB

Not at the moment.

DON

All right. Well maybe later then.

They both walk into the kitchen.

DON

Seb, I understand that you might feel a little uncomfortable staying on at Summer Bay High, but I do think it’s vitally important that you continue with your schooling.

SEB

You keep telling me that.

DON

And I’ve made some enquiries for you at Yabbie Creek High.

SEB

Why? I didn’t ask you to do that.

DON

Well I realise that, but under the circumstances.

SEB

Well, it’s none of your business.

DON

Education is my business.

They both walk out the kitchen.

DON

The point being that I hate to see you go through life with being properly educated.

SEB

I’ll survive.

DON

There’s a big difference between surviving and living, and believe me, a good education will help you every step of the way. I’ll leave this. You may want to look at it later.

SEB

I’ll come back to school if you let Sally have the classes.

DON

Well I’m sorry Sebastian, but as far as I know, blackmail isn’t on the curriculum, not as yet anyway. But as a matter of fact, there was a meeting of the board, earlier, and I’ve already recommended that one of the school rooms be set aside for after hours remedial reading classes.

SUMMER BAY HOUSE

ALEX knocks on the door. BRODIE answers it.

BRODIE

It’s you.

ALEX

Yeah.

DANI and JADE are inside.

ALEX

Can I come in?

BRODIE

What for?

ALEX

I was kind of hoping we could have a chat. Private, perhaps.

DANI leaves.

BRODIE

Here’s fine.

ALEX

Fair enough. Look, Brodie, I just wanted to say that I’m just really sorry things have turned out the way they have. I miss talking to you though, like we used to.

BRODIE

Yeah, me too.

ALEX

I’ve got to be honest with you, things are really, really stressed out at home with Vinnie and Leah. I could really do with some of you calmness around. So what do you say, can we still be buddies?

BRODIE

What?

ALEX

That’s what we’ve always been right. There’s no reason why we can’t still be.

BRODIE

I think you should go now.

ALEX

What? Why? What did I say?

BRODIE

Alex, I was your girlfriend, girlfriend.

ALEX

Yes.

BRODIE

Yeah.  So don’t come around acting as if like there was never any more between us.

ALEX

See you missing the point. Did I say that?

BRODIE

No, you said we were buddies. OK, and that’s the same thing.

ALEX

No, Brodie. I am saying I would like to be buddies with you.

BRODIE

Yeah, I think you should just gets lost now, OK. In fact, I don’t want to see your face again as long s I live, OK. Have you got that, Buddy?

BRODIE slams the door in ALEX’S face.

ALEX

Got it.

The next morning, SHELLEY, DANI and JADE are in the kitchen.

SHELLEY

Are you coming over to the drop-in centre today?

JADE

I haven’t thought about it. Why?

SHELLEY

Oh, I was just wondering. Nick’s been helping out around the place while he is off school.

JADE

I heard.

SHELLEY

Yeah, he’s not a bad worker either. I might ask Don Fisher to suspend him more often.

BRODIE walks up to DANI.

BRODIE

I just wish I hadn’t lost it with him.

DANI

A little bit of drama once in a while is a good thing, you know, keeps life interesting.

BRODIE

One way to look at it.

DANI

Anyway Alex deserved it. Everyone knows you can’t be friends after you’ve just gone out. It just doesn’t work.

BRODIE

I wish I hadn’t slammed the door in his face. I wanted him to think I was in control, you know, like I wanted to break up with him.

DANI

You were in control. You were so in control.

BRODIE

I hope Alex sees that. It’s just I can’t stand the thought of him walking around like he’s still got some sort of hold over me.

DANI

Well as long as you show he doesn’t.

THE PATTERSON HOUSE

THEO sits at the table looking at some bills. VINNIE walks in.

THEO

Morning. Coffee is on the stove.

VINNIE

What are you doing?

THEO

Well, checking to see exactly where we stand.

VINNIE

I thought I told you last night.

THEO

I’m looking again. Sometimes mistakes happen, especially when there’s panic involved.

VINNIE

So now I can’t add up either.

THEO

Hey, you want me to help or not?

VINNIE

Do I have a choice?

VINNIE leaves. ALEX walks in.

THEO

He calls me all the way down here and now he’s running away from me.

ALEX

Aw, go easy on him dad. He’s going through a rough time.

THEO

I’m trying Alexi. I’m trying. So tell me, how did the meeting go last night?

ALEX

If I had been standing two centimetres closer to that front door my face would have been totally rearranged.

THEO

A wild one, eh.

ALEX

Yeah.

THEO

What did you say?

ALEX

Nothing. What did I say, dad. I said do you want to be my friend. That’s what I said.

THEO

Alex. No woman wants a man for a friend, not unless he’s ugly or rich or both. You’re not either.

ALEX

You should have seen her temper dad.

THEO

Yeah, like you’re mama used to.

ALEX

Mum, she doesn’t have a temper. What are you talking about?

THEO

Well, not now since she realised she could get what she wanted from me just with the sweet talk. It was one of the things I used to love about her. When we argued she was so beautiful.

ALEX

Not so beautiful when you’re standing right in front of her though.

THEO

I think maybe Brodie must still like you.

ALEX

Yeah, funny way of showing it.

THEO

Trust me. I know about these things.

SARAH MCKAY DROP-IN CENTRE

SHELLEY is there. NICK walks in.

NICK

Morning Mrs Sutherland.

SHELLEY

Oh, hello Nick. You are here bright and early.

NICK

What do you want me to do today?

SHELLEY

I haven’t even worked out what I’m doing. Eh, oh, I know. You can put these up.

NICK

Cool.

SHELLEY

Jade might pop in later.

NICK

Yeah.

SHELLEY

Yeah. I, em, I get the feeling you still might be interested.

NICK

Eh, yeah, I am,

SHELLEY

Can I offer some advice?

NICK

Sure.

SHELLEY

Maybe it’s not such a good idea to be going out with one girl if you like another.

NICK

But I’m much more keen on Jade than I ever was about Simone.

SHELLEY

Well Jade is a very loyal sort of a girl Nick, but she’s not competitive so if you are keen on her then maybe you should let her see that.

THE BEACH

RHYS walks up to VINNIE and hands him so food.

RHYS

Thought you might be a bit peckish.

VINNIE

Ah, thanks.

RHYS

Sorry there isn’t a bag of hundred dollar bills to go with it.

VINNIE

Yep, I guess it’s the hot topic of conversation at the surf club.

RHYS

Ah, well, I think they’d be more impressed if you’d won a million bucks. Then they’d be some interest.

VINNIE

I just feel like I’m the bad girl in this film, you know. I can’t even be in my own home without everyone pointing the finger at me.

RHYS

Well, has anyone actually thought of looking for Ralph. I mean, he’s the bad guy, not you.

VINNIE

There’s no point. He’s done this a million times before. He’ll disappear for years and no one will ever find a trace of him.

RHYS

You know, what you’re going through now, it’s not that different to what I went through when I first got here.

VINNIE

How’s that? It’s not like you lost everything you own.

RHYS

No, but I came that close. All because I didn’t check the state of those vans before buying them which is pretty stupid looking back. The thing is there’s a whole heap of stuff I wouldn’t have learned if I hadn’t gone through that. Baptism of fire, call it what you will, I have never been burnt like it since and I never will be again Vinnie.

VINNIE

I just can’t believe I was so stupid.

RHYS

Yeah, well the human hasn’t been designed that doesn’t mistakes Vinnie. It’s what you do next that important. See you later Vinnie.

SARAH MCKAY DROP-IN CENTRE

SHELLEY is there. SIMONE walks in.

SIMONE

Hi Mrs Sutherland. Is Nick here?

SHELLEY

Oh, hi Simone. Yeah, he’s out the back.

NICK walks out the office.

SHELLEY

Aw, Nick. Simone’s here to see you.

NICK

Aw. Hi.

SIMONE

How’s it going?

NICK

Yeah, good. Did you bring the notes?

SIMONE

Ah, sorry. I forgot.

NICK

Well I needed them for this afternoon.

SIMONE

It was really boring anyway. I didn’t take many.

NICK

That’s sort of not the point.

JADE walks in.

JADE

Aw, hi guys.

NICK

Hi Jade.

SHELLEY

Hi darling. I couldn’t help hearing you and Simone, Nick. Jade might have those notes you want.

JADE

What notes?

NICK

The note I’m missing out on while I’m suspended. I thought I could catch up on them here.

JADE

Well I don’t have them here with me.

NICK

Perhaps you could drop them around this afternoon.

JADE

Sure.

NICK

Thanks Jade.

JADE walks out.

THE PATTERSON HOUSE

LEAH and THEO are there.

THEO

I spend all morning going through his paperwork and where is he? Hiding his head in the sand.

LEAH

He is not hiding papa, he’s working, and anyway, to be honest, I don’t blame him for not sticking around. I mean, you’ve taken over everything. You haven’t even given him a look in.

THEO

Well somebody had to take charge. I mean, what a mess. I tell you Leah, he must be crazy for letting his father do this to him.

LEAH

Yeah, I think he knows that papa. That’s why he’s feeling so bad.

THEO

Feeling bad doesn’t fix things. No use crying about it now.

LEAH

Yeah, I think we know that, OK. Vinnie’s still my husband and I still love him and he still loves me so as far as I’m concerned that’s all that matters.

THEO

Leah, honey, love is a wonderful thing, don’t get me wrong, but it isn’t going to put food on the table or a roof over my grandchild’s head.

LEAH

Yeah, all right. Then what do you suggest, huh.

THEO

Well, it’s about time Vinnie grows up. He must accept the responsibilities of being a husband and a father.

LEAH

That’s what he was doing by going into business with his father. Now it’s not his fault that his father conned him.

THEO

Well then it’s obvious he has no head for business. I trusted Vinnie to look after you. It’s obvious I’m going to have to keep an eye on him after this. Make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

THE BEACH

SEB is out on his surfboard. VINNIE blows a whistle at him. SEB runs towards him.

SEB

What’s the problem?

VINNIE

You see these flags. They’re designed for the swimmers to swim between, right.

SEB

Yeah, I know. It’s just that the current.

VINNIE

You know why we do that. To protect them from getting hit on the head by someone with a surfboard.

SEB

Yeah, OK. The current was going that way. It was like I was just going to paddle back in.

VINNIE

What if some little kid had popped up from under a wave just as you were catching it?

SEB

Hey, forget it.

VINNIE

Don’t give me no lip kid. Do you have any sense of responsibility at all?

SEB

Just lay off, OK. I’m going up the northern end of the beach if that’s OK with you.

VINNIE

As a matter of fact it isn’t. There’s no one on patrol up there. You tell your story. Just remember to stay in your designated area.

SEB walks away. ALF walks up to VINNIE.

ALF

It must be just about knock off time, eh. Why don’t you come up the diner? I’ll shout you a drink.

SARAH MCKAY DROP-IN CENTRE

JADE and NICK are studying together. SHELLEY and DANI are in the office.

DANI

Never thought I’d see Nick and Jade talking to each other again. How did that happen?

SHELLEY

Aw, he needed some notes for the school work he’s missing out on. Jade’s helping out.

DANI

Aw, who’s idea was that?

SHELLEY

Hers. She came in at lunchtime and heard he needed them.

DANI

Aw, I see. You mentioned to her this morning that he was going to be here. I heard you this morning mum. You’re so transparent.

SHELLEY

I have no idea what you’re talking about. Could you pass me that blue folder over there?

DANI

This one.

SHELLEY

Yes, thanks.

JADE

Right, geography.

NICK

Skip that.

JADE

Yeah, right.

NICK

It’s boring.

JADE

Look, I got, went to all the trouble to get you these notes. There’s no way we’re not going to get through them.

NICK

Talk about control freak.

SIMONE walks in.

JADE

If I knew you were going to be like this I wouldn’t have bothered.

SIMONE

Hi Nick. You nearly finished.

NICK

No, I’ve actually got heaps to do.

SIMONE

OK, do you want to meet up later?

NICK

Sure.

SIMONE

Outside the surf club in about an hour.

THE BEACH

ALF and VINNIE walk along the beach.

ALF

I tell you one thing mate. I wouldn’t swim out of bounds on your beach. I thought you were going to bite that blokes flamin’ head off.

VINNIE

Yeah, I’ll catch up with him later. Fix it up.

ALF

I wouldn’t worry to much about young Seb. He’s big enough and ugly enough to look after himself. It’s you we’re worried about.

VINNIE

You don’t think I’m big enough or ugly enough.

ALF

Aw, no mate. I reckon you qualify on both counts in spade. Ah, you’ll pay through mate. You never know what’s coming up around the next corner, that’s my philosophy.

VINNIE

Just as long as it’s not Theo Poulos I don’t care.

DON walks up to them.

DON

Vinnie, I’m glad I caught you. I’ve got some news you might like to here.

VINNIE

Aw, that would be a good change.

DON

Yes, I’ve been on the phone to Rebecca and Travis and they’ve decided since the exchange rate on the Australian dollar is so poor at the moment not to see all after.

ALF

There you go. What did I tell you?

VINNIE

So the house isn’t on the market. We don’t have to move out.

DON

Not unless the dollar improves anyway.

ALF

Mate, at this rate you could be there for another century.

VINNIE

Well, there’s still a few things to clear up like dad and the debt.

ALF

Woah, mate. One step at a time, eh. I tell you what. Now, at least you’re heading in the right direction. I’ll get you that drink.

DON

I might join you Alf.

THE SURF CLUB

SIMONE is there. NICK walks up to her.

NICK

Sorry.

SIMONE

That’s OK. I could see you were going to have trouble getting rid of Miss Goody-two-shoes.

NICK

Jade.

SIMONE

She’s such a pain, isn’t she, and talk about boring. I mean, I think you’re amazing the way you dealt with her.

NICK

She’s a mate. She’s the one that brought me notes from school, don’t forget.

SIMONE

Only because she’s so quenchy.

NICK

And at least she’s got her act together.

SIMONE

I’ll remember next time, promise. And what is it with the way she dresses. Daggy or what?

NICK

OK, that’s it.

SIMONE

What?

NICK

You’re being a total cow.

SIMONE

Nick.

NICK

Maybe Jade doesn’t dress so cool and I know she’s a bit of a bookworm, but there’s heaps about her that’s great.

SIMONE

Such as?

NICK

She’s good hearted, she’s got a sense of humour and she’s loyal to her friends.

SIMONE

Aw, I’m thrilled for her.

NICK

And she definitely doesn’t go around badmouthing people behind their back.

SIMONE

Is that it?

NICK

One more thing. We’re finished.

NICK walks away.

OUT AT SEA

SEB is on his surfboard. He falls off. He is hit on the head by the board.

SEB

Ah.