Episode 112

Extended Summary

Bobby and Lynn go running up to Carly in the corridor and tell her that Barbara has just dropped a bombshell on Donald.

In the office, Donald is astonished that Barbara has managed to get a scholarship and a Bachelor of Science and Diploma of Education without him knowing, since he thought she was still working as a secretary.She bitterly tells him that he just wanted her to stay at home with the children and eroded her confidence while they were together.She applied for a job as a relief teacher in Summer Bay because it’s her home, although Donald tartly tells her it didn’t stop her leaving.Since Donald doesn’t want to deny her appointment on personal grounds, he’s stuck with her for the rest of the year.

In the classroom, Bobby and Carly are telling Matt and Alison that Barbara is there as a replacement for Foley.Roo overhears and thinks they’re mistaken since Barbara isn’t a teacher but the others ignore her.

Celia is at Alf’s store, trying to get him to see Roo and telling him about the effort she’s made with everyone else.Alf isn’t interested and tells her not to get Barbara to talk to him about it either;Celia is hurt when he says that given the example of the rest of the Stewart women it’s no surprise Roo’s ended up the way she has.Celia goes to see Ailsa and asks her to speak to Alf.Ailsa thinks Alf will forget about what Roo did pretty quickly as usual but Celia isn’t so sure, he’s holding onto his anger and it’s souring him. Ailsa goes to see Alf but he doesn’t want to talk about it, he’s tired of his family coming between them.

Barbara goes to a classroom to prepare for her lesson and finds Roo eating in there alone.Roo says that she’s regretting coming back to Summer Bay and to school but Barbara tells her she did the right thing, she regrets leaving town when she broke up with Donald because it just made the town think even less of her. Roo is surprised that Alf seems angrier about her lying to Frank than about her being pregnant.Barbara tells her she was pregnant when she married Donald but Alf accepted it because she told the truth about who the father was:Men have to believe women when they tell them they’re going to be fathers and Roo broke that trust.

Narelle goes to see Frank at the hospital and finds he is out of bed and walking in the corridor.She takes his arm and helps him walk and they jokingly flirt with each other.

Bobby is telling Carly and Matt about a plan to play a joke on Barbara and runs off to get it ready.Lance approaches and takes Carly down the beach for a chat.He explains his plan for her to pose as Samantha and open his uncle’s supermarket in Yabbee Creek.Carly isn’t happy with the idea, especially since Lance said she was fatter than Samantha, but when Lance mentions his uncle is giving him $50 she says she’ll do it if he gets her $50 as well, since she still needs to pay back the money she took.She rejoins Matt and tells him Lance was just moaning about her getting his shorts wet.

Barbara is taking a class including Carly, Bobby, Roo, Matt and Alison.Bobby has prepared a liquid in the chemistry lab and pours it over the floor under her desk, causing a bad smell.The class surge for the door but Barbara tells them to sit down and open the windows.Hearing the commotion, Donald comes in and tells them to go outside.Barbara tells them to sit down again but Donald overrides her, sending them outside and saying if the person responsible doesn’t own up they’ll all be on weekend detention.Barbara storms into the office, furious with Donald for undermining her and making it harder for her to get the class’ respect.Donald says he felt he had to get things under control but apologises if she felt otherwise. Barbara expresses her surprise that Donald encouraged Roo to return to school, saying she thought he’d want her shut away out of sight.Donald replies that as a single mother Roo will need an education to provide for the baby and no-one would expect the father to hide away.Barbara is impressed but tells him it’s a shame he doesn’t show the same consideration to his own son.

Roo walks home from school.The other girls ignore her, even when she tries to speak to some of them, and even Alf just drives past her.That evening, Barbara, Roo and Celia share an uncomfortable dinner at home. They make a few attempts at small talk, with Celia talking about her lack of skill with computers and Roo suggesting she goes to adult education and starts a new career like Barbara has, before Barbara drops the pretense and states that they’ve all had a bad day and she’d like to tear Alf and Donald to bits.Celia tells them what Alf said about Stewart women and seems affronted about being lumped in with the rest of them. Barbara and Roo laugh.

Lance speaks to his uncle on the phone at the store and tells Carly that he’s arranged her $50.Carly tells him she needs the money upfront so she can pay back Bobby and persuades him to give her the $50 that Roy has already given him.Lance takes her back to his caravan and reluctantly hands the money over after she promises not to pull out or injure herself before the opening.Carly is walking back to the house when she hears someone behind her and then someone taps her on the shoulder.It’s Samantha, looking slightly scared and dishevelled and telling Carly she needs her help.