Episode 445

Extended Summary

Ailsa comes to see Pippa who complains about Tom spending all his time with Zac. She feels useless. Tom is in Zac’s caravan listening to his shark stories and asks him if the danger doesn’t bother him. Zac says it makes you feel alive; life isn’t a dress rehearsal. Tom says that’s for sure.

At the surf club, Andrew and the kids are planning their search areas for the suspected garbage that is keeping the shark hanging around. Steven laments that Rory died because somebody couldn’t be bothered to go to the tip. They have 40km to cover between them. Emma complains about the walking but Steven tells her she’s welcome to rack off. Viv begs Emma to come so Steven she doesn’t get paired off with Andrew.

At the Diner, Ailsa tells Bobby she thinks Tom is still trying to accept that he had a stroke at 42. Bobby digs for information about what else Pippa said, and suggests this could stuff up their marriage. Ailsa is amused and says their marriage is rock solid, but Bobby doesn’t look so sure.

At the store, Donald shows Alf an advert for the Sands Resort he saw in a newspaper in the city that is encouraging people to visit the scene of the shark attack. Alf says Macklin has gone too far.

Steven is boring Viv with shark facts as they walk along the beach. Viv says she’d like someone to go to the cinema with and Steven suggests Emma. Steven is distracted and wanders off but Viv carries talking, assuming he’s still walking next to her. She tells Steven she really likes him and would like to try again with him, but realises she’s been talking to herself.

Zac thanks Pippa for dinner in the evening and says a meal like that makes him think about settling down; he’s sure the right woman is out there somewhere. Steven arrives home late and explains about Andrew’s theory and the search for garbage. Zac looks worried and says the theory is garbage. Steven asks why he should believe him; he hasn’t caught the shark yet.

At the Diner, Viv tells Emma that Steven didn’t hear a word she said. Emma tells Viv she needs to be direct with Steven otherwise some other chick will snap him up.

Alf shows Tom and Pippa the newspaper advert the next morning and they are disgusted. Alf has called a meeting to try and organise a pressure group. Tom hopes Zac catches the shark soon and Alf says the sooner they see the back of Zac the better but Tom defends him. Alf goes to the Diner and complains about Tom treating Zac like a hero. Bobby asks what Pippa said about Zac but Alf says he didn’t hear her arguing so assumes she feels the same as Tom.

Zac comes into the house and says he saw Tom on his way to the meeting at the surf club; it looked like he would be gone for some time. Pippa tries to tell Zac he’s not interested but Steven appears and Zac apologises to him for last night. Steven leaves with Viv and Zac tells Pippa it’s just the two of them.

At the surf club meeting, someone says Macklin is just making the best of a bad situation and perhaps they should do the same. Tom says if he continues Summer Bay will be associated with the shark attack for ever. Somebody points out that Macklin hasn’t done anything illegal. At that point Gordon arrives and wants to have his say.

Zac helps himself to a beer from the fridge. Pippa is desperately trying to get him to leave her alone but he says women never say what they mean. Pippa tells him Tom is recovering from a stroke and the last thing he needs is to be upset by something like this. Ailsa walks in, unnoticed, just in time to hear Zac telling Pippa not to tell Tom; she’s wasted on one man.

Gordon tells the meeting he’s as saddened by Rory’s death as everyone else but his campaign is just good business sense. Alf threatens to go to the media but Gordon warns him if he sees anything even remotely slanderous he will sue.

Viv is sitting at the Diner counter and Bobby says it’s so obvious she likes Steven that she may as well be wearing a sign. Viv says maybe she should as nothing else has worked. Bobby tells her that she should take the direct approach but Viv is afraid of being knocked back. Ailsa returns in a bad mood and claims Pippa wasn’t home.

In Zac’s caravan, Gordon gives him more money to keep the shark alive. Zac doesn’t understand why he wants to damage the reputation of the town but Gordon says he’s only interested in the short term… he’s selling the resort.

At the Diner, Donald and Alf fill Bobby in on the meeting. Ailsa snaps at Bobby and Bobby demands to know what’s up with her. Ailsa reveals she thinks Pippa and Zac are having an affair but Bobby isn’t surprised because Carly said the same thing.

Steven and Viv are tired on their walk and Viv wonders if Andrew was wrong. Steven says it’s worth doing for Rory. He leans back on the grass with his eyes closed and says it makes you realise what a gamble life is and that you should always go for it. Viv leans over to kiss him but they are interrupted by the noise of a truck. They follow it and see garbage being dumped. Steven rummages through the bags and finds a Sands Resort napkin.