Episode 1257

Extended Summary

It starts off in Fin’s bedroom, where she is trying her hand at teaching Bill to improve his reading skills by using comics and it appears to be working. Downstairs, Luke is talking to Michael and Sally about making the wrong decision, in bringing Bill to Summer Bay when the best option may have for an aunt to have taken him. It would have meant he could have stayed with his old school. Sally then asks him what happened to Bill and Luke gets emotional, as he relates the tragedy. Bill was three and half years old and nearly drowned in a creek but their dad manage to resuscitate him but not before his brain was damaged. Luke excuses himself and leaves but it brings back the memory of little Dale and Michael’s reminded it doesn’t matter how long ago a tragedy happens, you never forget it. Michael takes a tray of refreshments up to Fin and Bill and when Bill spots a photo of Fin, he asks if he can have it, so when he returns to the city, he won’t forget what she looks like. When the lesson finishes, Bill asks Fin to remove her hat and then tells her she shouldn’t cover it up and she feels a bit awkward by that remark. Downstairs, Sally’s still trying to find ways to get work even though Michael assures her it’s not that bad but she wants to help. Michael’s a bit concerned, when Bill remarks on Fin’s hair, just before he leaves, clutching the comic he’d been reading, so he can show Luke how well he did.
Outside the Surf Club, Shane tries to talk Adam into staying and clearing his name but Adam thinks it’s highly unlikely. As Shane goes inside, Kevin McGahey, a mate of Adam’s arrives and when he learns he’s lost his job, Adam’s shocked to find out it was him that thrashed the place. Inside, Adam applies the pressure on his so called mate, to pay for the damages or he’ll have no choice but to report him to the police. Shane sees him go and Adam tells him what’s happened and just hopes he comes up with the money. When Shane goes home, he gets into an argument with Angel over Adam being wrongly accused but she’s still furious with him about ruining the musical and doesn’t believe a word he says. She storms off, leaving Nick to carry on from where she left off and Nick’s words make him feel bad.

Luke goes over to the Diner and talks to Ailsa about Fin helping Bill and he feels he’s let his brother down but she disagrees. Shane and Adam come in and when Shane tries to apologise to Luke for his behaviour at the musical, Luke shuns him and walks out. Adam’s paranoid about everyone shunning him and still thinks leaving would be the best thing and Shane says it might be the best for him as well but Adam reminds him, why he did it. But he now realises how selfish he was and using the musical to get back at Tug, was wrong. Kevin comes in and hands Adam an envelope with the money in it but he whinges about now being broke but Adam’s not interested.

As Nick and Angel prepare the evening meal, Nick talks about his and Shane’s upbringing and how their parents were too successful in business to look after them, so they were brought up by strangers. So when Shane got into bad company, he had no choice but to live with him. Shane then comes in to apologies to both of them before going off to try and talk to Luke again, the first of many.

When Michael catches Adam putting the money in the letter box, he drags him back to the house while he gets Nick. As Nick questions him, Sally and Fin disagree over his guilt but the more Adam refuses to tell Nick the whole story, the worst it gets for him. Down at the Surf Club, Luke and Bill are playing ping pong and Fin is working at the kiosk. Shane comes in to talk to Luke but he still refuses to accept his apology. When Shane learns from Fin what’s going on back home with Adam, he dashes over there and tells Nick and Michael the truth, much to Adam’s horror. Michael thinks it’s a scam they cooked up, so Shane reminds Nick he knows what it’s like to be wrongly accused. Nick investigates and Adam is cleared and Nick treats Adam and Shane to a meal, down at the Diner. Nick thinks Adam was mad not to tell him about Kevin but understands why he did it – honour among thieves. Adam comments he may be many things but he’s not a thief. Before Nick leaves, Shane tells him about his encounter with Luke but Nick thinks it’s Tug he should make his priority. Needless to say, Shane doesn’t think so but Nick points out, that he might as well forget it then because all his apologises would be empty gestures.

Back at the Ross house, Sally’s been proved right, sticking up for Adam and Fin thinks the money will help to get things back on track but Michael points out it’s evidence against Kevin.

During the night, Bill decides to go walkabouts and ends up in Fin’s bedroom.

It ends when Michael finds him there and shouts at him, waking a startled Fin in the process…

Avril M Harrison