Episode 149

Extended Summary

Floss has made breakfast for Steven and Bobby.Steven isn’t wearing his school uniform and says he’s old enough to make his own decisions, making a joke about Bobby still being a kid.Nev comes down and says Carly and Sally are on their way.Floss reminds him Pippa’s resting upstairs.She asks Steven how his research on kissing is going and he thanks her for her tips on butterfly kissing.Nev protests he’s never given her a butterfly kiss.Floss says it wasn’t him.

Narelle is pouring spoonful after spoonful of sugar into her coffee in a daze before Frank points it out to her.Narelle says she couldn’t sleep because she was thinking about Steven and how he seems to be the “perfect ten” kisser she’s been waiting for all her life.Martin comes in and says he couldn’t sleep either because he’s still thinking about how he’s going to pay Lance back his hundred grand.Narelle says she has to see Steven again and hurries out.Martin starts drinking her sugar-filled coffee and doesn’t seem to find anything wrong with it.

Narelle drags Steven into one of the classrooms at school, wanting to discuss the kiss.Steven thought it went okay and Narelle agrees but says it might have been a fluke so she needs to try again to make sure.She kisses him, just as Alison walks in.Steven tries to stop her running and telling but Narelle doesn’t seem to mind.A crowd of girls including Alison and Alyce wait outside the classroom as Steven and Narelle come out, with Narelle promising to call him.Don comes past and wonders why Narelle’s there.She says she was just looking around and, looking at Steven, says it’s a lot better than Yabbee Creek High.Don asks why Steven isn’t in uniform and he points out it’s optional.Don gives up and tells everyone to go to class.

Alf and Ailsa are having an awkward breakfast together.Alf answers the phone and it’s Rod for Ailsa.She clearly isn’t happy about what he says and tells Alf that Rod is no longer interested in saving the wetlands. Alf thinks she’s going to give up her campaign now but Ailsa says she isn’t.Alf observes that she considered Rod’s word gospel when he agreed with her but now he thinks otherwise she’s going against him.Ailsa is convinced that someone else changed Rod’s mind.

Frank is trying to convince Martin he has no chance of making any money, since he hasn’t done as long as Frank’s known him.Narelle announces that she’s going to have to date Steven.Frank protests she’s four years older than him but Narelle says it’s not so different from him and Roo.The conversation seems to give Martin an idea and he rushes out.At school, Alison and Alyce try to work out what Narelle sees in Steven.Alyce seems to be regretting not going to the cocktail party with him, if only because she could have met some rich guys.Having overheard the conversation, Bobby tells Steven he’s the talk of the school. Steven pretends not to know what she’s talking about.

Floss is doing some vacuuming when Pippa comes downstairs.Don comes to the door and Floss tries to get rid of him but Pippa tells her it’s all right.Don explains about Steven coming to school in street clothes and says it indicates a less focused attitude.He also mentions the rumours that Steven is dating Narelle, worried she’ll be a bad influence.Pippa thinks it must be wrong since Narelle wouldn’t date a schoolboy.Don suggests she might have an ulterior motive.

Martin takes Steven to the store for a coffee but, seeing how much money he has, ends up asking Bobby, who’s serving, for one coffee with two straws.He tells Steven his idea:If Steven’s such an expert kisser, they could sell instruction manuals and demonstration videos.He’s confident they’ll make a hundred grand each.Steven says you’ve either got it or you haven’t and Steven does…and he’s not going to give away any trade secrets.

Ailsa goes to the Macklin office.Frank tells her that Brett’s out but Ailsa waited until he was gone.She tells Frank that she thinks the Macklins paid Rod off and wants to look in Brett’s personal files.Frank says he can’t let her do that because of vague suspicions, it’s the best job he’s ever had and he doesn’t want to lose it.Ailsa accepts his point of view and says she’s glad things are working out for him.Brett turns up at the store in his sports car as Bobby is helping out at the petrol pump.He invites her to go to a club in the city with him on Saturday but Bobby turns him down again.Brett says it’s her loss and drives off.

Bobby goes into the store flat where Narelle is reading romantic magazines.Bobby says she can’t understand why Narelle thinks Steven has so much going for him, saying she’s just turned down Brett. Narelle says that means Bobby’s the one who needs her head read.At the caravan park house, Steven tells Pippa he’s old enough to decide to wear uniform or not.Pippa says they’ll talk more when Tom comes home.She seems on the verge of asking him about Narelle but decides it’s too ridiculous.Steven takes a phone call and arranges to meet the caller on Saturday.Pippa asks him who it was and he says it was Narelle.Pippa looks bewildered.

Ailsa and Bobby are preparing leaflets about a meeting against the development for delivery.Bobby thinks Steven will help them but Carly’s in favour of the development.Don comes in and Bobby suggests he delivers some for them.To her surprise, Don agrees and explains that, while he isn’t against developments in principle, he thinks if they have one in Summer Bay it will become a city suburb with the same crime problems as in the city.Bobby tells Ailsa that just when she thinks she understands Don he does something unexpected.Ailsa suspects Don thinks the same about her.Don goes to the bottle shop and reads a notice on the wall promoting the development while Alf serves a customer.He tells Alf he was going to suggest he put up one of Ailsa’s leaflets to provide balance but it seems they’ve double booked St.Peter’s Hall for their meetings.

Bobby is asking Narelle where she could take Steven.Narelle suggests the RAC Club but Bobby points out he’s three years underage and they can’t go somewhere where no-one knows them because everyone in Summer Bay knows Steven and everyone in Yabbee Creek knows her.Narelle suggests the drive-in.Martin, sat nearby, asks them to stop talking about it but Bobby tells him he’s flogging a dead horse with his moneymaking ideas.This seems to give Martin another idea.

Ailsa goes to confront Brett and accuses him of paying Rod off.Brett tells her she’s just being paranoid. Ailsa is still determined to stop the development and Brett tells her Gordon is planning to build a supermarket, which would ruin small businesses like hers, so her objections sound like self-interest.Ailsa accuses him of threatening her.Brett says he’s just telling her what might happen.