Kim and Robbie launch an offensive against the adults. Could Scott lose Dani to another man? Josie’s decision leaves Jesse devastated.
BARRY HYDE (IVAR KANTS)
Return appearance, last seen in Episode #3854. Was horrified to learn of Robbie’s plans to move in with him after his and Beth’s plan backfired.
Extended Summary
The perennial battle for supremacy between kids and adults has reared it’s comical head in Summer Bay. The contenders – Hyde and Beth versus the Hunter kids and Kim. The prize – the front room (formerly Flynn’s surgery) at the new house. Robbie has already made his big opening sortie; he’s asked to move in with Hyde as a way of pressuring Beth to lure him back by offering him the big room. The adults send a salvo back; Hyde agrees to let Robbie stay with him! Kim convinces Robbie it’s a conspiracy to force Robbie to run back to the nest. Kim and Robbie decide to test the adults’ resolve by agreeing to move in with Hyde – as soon as possible.
Josie blows up at Jesse after his declaration of love to her. Inside she’s a woman who’s been hurt too many times before. Jesse’s feelings are too much for her – she closes up. Jesse is confused by her reaction after what she said on the boat the other day. But Josie has decided the safest route for them to follow is one of business partners. Jesse is devastated.
Henry and Matilda take a low-key approach in their attempts at persuasion. They’re going to work their way into their mum’s good books. Beth’s on to their game though, and she’s happy to trade them off against each other if it means the packing gets done quicker.
Hyde is aghast at the boys’ suggestion. He high-tails it over to Beth with a white flag in his hand, pleading with her to help him engineer a plan of retreat – without compromising his position or station as headmaster of course. Robbie is ecstatic – he can smell victory. But his celebrations are premature. Beth overhears him on the phone to Kim and puts two and two together. She gathers the kids together and gives them her decision on who gets the big room: Barry Hyde. It makes perfect sense; Mr Hyde is lonely on his own, and his rent will help her money problems. As the kids are picking their jaws up off the floor, Beth decides to let them off the hook. Hyde isn’t moving in. It was all designed to teach them a lesson that adults cannot be manipulated. And so the adults snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Robbie wins the big room anyway when his name is drawn out of a hat. Hyde and Beth share a special moment later that night as they bask in victorious relief. It looks for the first time like they could be friends.
Josie tells Scott she thinks Stafford is going to try to seduce Dani while she’s in the city. He’s had good form in the past and the only thing that will stop him is Scott. Scott is distraught. He wants to head straight to the city, but Hayley urges him not to; Dani would sense something was up. Better to trust her. He’s undecided – will he go or not?