Episode 137

Extended Summary

Brett is in his office, on the phone to someone called Harry, when Frank turns up and asks if the job’s still available.After a quick chat where he stresses that he needs commitment, Brett tells him the job’s his.Frank asks for an advance on his wages to get some proper clothes and some new furniture.Brett agrees and tells him to go home and get changed, then he can start.

Ailsa serves Matt at the store before Celia approaches her, having heard the rumours about Lance winning the lottery.She seems keen to convince Lance to use the money for charitable purposes and is worried about his family and Martin misleading him.Narelle comes in as Celia is expressing her low opinion of her again and tells Celia that the family are having a conference to discuss how Lance should use the money, before quipping he should keep it in Celia’s mouth because it’s bigger than the bank.

At the caravan park house, Bobby laughs about Carly losing out on a fortune by giving the ticket to Lance. Carly heads down the beach and bumps into Matt.She tells him about the ticket and jokingly suggests he could say that Lance promised her a percentage.Matt is unhappy about the comment, reminding her of her recent behaviour when she thought she was going to be a TV star.Carly apologises and thanks him for putting up with her.

Martin is telling Lance and Bobby about his proposal to use the money to set up a bar, with him managing it.Celia turns up and begins making pointed hints about the leaking vestry roof at the church and the elderly people’s home needing money.Martin shoos her out.

Lance’s parents, Stan and Colleen, are at the store, chatting about the money.Stan wants to do up his workshop but Colleen tells him it’s up to Lance.Celia appears and begins making approaches about charitable donations to them too.Stan tells her it’s up to Lance and quietly he and Colleen agree Celia isn’t getting any money.They head to the caravan park to talk to Lance, where Stan makes it clear he doesn’t want either Martin or Bobby taking part in the discussion and sends them outside.

Ailsa heads to the store flat, where Frank has just changed into his smart clothes.He says Brett wants him to start straightaway.Ailsa is bemused that he’s starting at four o’clock in the afternoon and wonders if it’s just Brett playing power games.She’s certain he’s up to something.In the office, Brett is on the phone to Gordon and tells him with Frank no longer causing trouble the kid’s going to be theirs.

Bobby and Martin are waiting by the car for Lance, since the boys promised to take Bobby for a drive.The Smarts come out of the house and Stan quietly makes it clear he doesn’t want Martin at the family dinner that evening..After Stan and Colleen have gone, Lance admits he gave them $50,000.

Frank is lugging boxes around in the office.Brett gives him some papers to file but says he doesn’t need to know what they are, just to look at the numbers.While Brett is on the phone, Frank finds some brochures in the boxes.He takes one to Ailsa, saying it’s for a big launch the following week, and she reflects how everyone will be won over by the Macklins if they only hear positive things about the development.Frank tells her Brett’s going to be ringing round potential investors.Ailsa decides to go to Merv Johnsen, the editor of the Summer Bay Courier and one of Brett’s targets.Frank asks her to make sure Brett doesn’t know she’s got the brochure and she asks him to get Brett’s “hit list”.

Martin is doing some sums for his bar proposal while Narelle is getting dressed up for another date with Bruce, although she insists it’s his last chance.She wonders why Martin isn’t at the family meal and chides him for thinking being a friend means acting like Lance’s agent.Martin tries to prove otherwise by inviting Frank for a drink but he’s too preoccupied.

Carly has given Matt a board cover as a thank you present for supporting her recently.Matt says he has something important to tell her.Bobby is hanging around since she and Tom are going to see Pippa in the hospital but gets tired of listening to them and says she’ll wait for Tom in the car.Once she’s gone, Matt tells Carly his dad’s been offered a job in the city and they leave in two days.Carly is upset and accuses him of not caring about her until she realises she’s being selfish again and apologises.She invites him round for a farewell dinner the following night and he accepts.

The following morning, Bobby has little sympathy for Carly, saying she should just find another surfer, but Carly complains Matt was the only person who was there for her.They bump into Lance, who is putting a new cover on his car aerial that he was told is real Siberian blue fur.The girls think he’s been ripped off so Bobby tells him that real fur won’t burn, then takes a lighter from his car and sets fire to it.Bobby and Carly laugh and tell him it’s polyester.

At the Macklin office, Brett is continuing to order Frank around in an arrogant manner.Frank snaps and says he’ll do whatever jobs Brett wants as long as he treats him with respect, otherwise he’ll walk.Brett persuades him to stay and asks him to get him some coffee and a sandwich in an almost-polite manner.

Colleen is walking along the road, crying.Celia is cycling in the other direction and asks how her talk with Lance went.Colleen just carries on walking and sobbing and Celia cycles after her.Martin and Lance are appreciating Lance’s latest purchase, a mobile home, when Celia arrives and tells them Colleen’s on her way.She also tells them Colleen’s news:Stan has run off with Doris from the pub and the $50,000.

Lance and Celia help Colleen into the mobile home, as she moans she told Stan he could buy all the power tools he wanted.Lance promises to look after her and, looking around the home, Colleen says she’s going to like living there.Lance tries to explain that wasn’t what he meant but Celia agrees Colleen can’t go on living in the house on her own.Colleen goes to check out her new bedroom.Lance doesn’t look pleased.