Episode 454

Extended Summary

Fisher is looking over essays at home and commenting on students’ attitude to Shakespeare, wondering if he could update the language to sound more like Police Academy. He notices Bobby looking distracted and asks her what’s wrong. She says Tom and Pippa might be splitting up. Later, after she’s told him the story, Bobby admits she feels bad for thinking Pippa was having an affair but doesn’t understand why Tom won’t believe Pippa. Fisher suggests the trust between them has been broken and it will take more than her word; he needs proof that Zac harassed her. Bobby says Steven tried to get Zac to admit it but he said Tom wouldn’t believe him. Fisher agrees that’s true and says they’ll just have to hope Tom comes to his senses.

At the Diner, Emma and Viv are discussing their party idea. Emma says Viv can tell Steven they’re having one but not give him any details. Viv suggests one of them should invite Adam, implying Emma likes him, but Emma points out he’s dating Carly. Martin sits with them at the mention of a party and asks where it is. They tell him it’s at his place at half eight and he should start without them if they’re late. They leave and Martin bumps into a young woman, Suzie, who spills her coffee over him. She insists on taking his shirt home to clean it and Martin goes into the back to take it off. The pair flirt with each other, with Martin claiming he owns his own business. Suzie offers to drop his shirt off that evening at his place. Martin admits it’s a mobile home (but doesn’t mention he doesn’t live alone) but Suzie doesn’t mind. Martin heads home and tells Lance he and Marilyn need to be in bed early so Martin and Suzie can have the lounge room to themselves. Lance agrees.

Emma is reading a horror novel at home when Celia arrives looking for Ailsa. She criticises Emma’s choice of reading but seems scared when Emma reads a passage about a ghost and makes a hasty retreat. Emma rings up Viv and says she’s got the perfect way to keep Celia away. The two girls head to the store and ask Celia about selling Morag’s house. Viv mentions it’s supposed to be haunted by the ghost of a man who was murdered there by his wife with an axe in 1892.Celia protests the house wasn’t built until the turn of the century but they explain his wife knocked the house down and built a new one but the ghost stayed. They turn to go but Celia presses them for details. Later, at the Diner, Emma and Viv explain to Adam they told Celia the ghost only appears on the night of a full moon when there’s a woman the same age as his wife in the house (Celia’s age, not so coincidentally). Adam doesn’t seem keen when he thinks they’re asking him to pretend to be a ghost but they tell him they’ll sort that, he just has to get Celia there.

Lance and Marilyn are cuddling up on the sofa when Martin comes in, dressed in a suit, and reminds them he needed the lounge. There is a knock at the door and Martin quickly shoos them to their rooms before answering it. Suzie appears, wearing a fancy dress, with his shirt and a bottle of champagne. They start kissing. Later, the pair have got comfortable on the couch, sharing the champagne and kissing. Lance sneaks in without Suzie noticing and retrieves his towel from underneath the sofa, tipping it up slightly in the process. Martin asks Suzie if the earth moved for her.

Steven arrives at the Diner and tells Bobby that he needed to get out of the house: Pippa’s putting on a brave face, Tom’s avoiding her, Sally’s dropping hints about them making up and Carly didn’t even go home. Bobby tells him what Fisher said about Tom needing to hear it from Zac and suggests they arrange for him to overhear Zac talking about it. They go to see Fisher and ask him to help but he thinks they should stay out of it and let Tom and Pippa sort it out for themselves. Bobby accuses him of being too scared to make a stand and storms out.

Celia is stacking shelves at the store when Adam surprises her. He tells her he saw a window open at Morag’s place. Celia says she’ll sort it out in the morning, admitting she’s scared to go up there in the dark. Adam offers to go with her. They head to the house but when Celia tries the light it won’t turn on. Adam comments it’s a good thing there’s a full moon so they can see and Celia gets some candles from the kitchen. They head upstairs to close the window but when they come back down again they hear chains rattling and a groaning sound, before a distorted voice makes them run for it. After they’ve gone, the cupboard door opens to reveal a giggling Emma and Viv.

At the mobile home, Martin is still enjoying getting close to Suzie, saying he knew his day couldn’t go on as badly as it started. Marilyn comes in and asks Martin if he can turn the music down. She and Suzie recognise each other; they went to primary school together and haven’t seen each other in ten years. They’re soon catching up on the gossip about old friends and Marilyn also mentions that Lance owns the mobile home. Later, when Lance has joined them, Martin is feeling even more left out. He announces he’s going to bed but Marilyn points out he’s heading for her bedroom. Remembering that they’re sitting on his bedroom, Martin has no choice but to stick around.

At the store, Adam gets Celia a cup of tea. They both make light of their apparent encounter with a ghost, saying it couldn’t possibly have been a real ghost, but Celia seems far from convinced. At the mansion, Emma and Viv are still celebrating their success when they hear a moaning sound and a hooded figure approaches them. It’s Adam, who tells them Celia won’t be going near the place. The three of them start celebrating again.

Steven is helping Bobby clear up the Diner when Fisher arrives and tells them that he thinks they should help Tom and Pippa and give Zac enough rope to hang himself. He asks them if they’ve got any suggestions. Steven and Bobby look thoughtful.