Episode 3781

Extended Summary

RECAP
Scott voices his annoyance to Dani about her constant attention-seeking on Kirsty and Hayley’s big day.
Things are tense when Scott and Dani meet Noah and Hayley in the city, with Dani constantly moping around.
Rhys is heading off to the city, where he is to have dinner at a posh restaurant with Shelley and the kids. He offers to stay if Beth wants him to, but she trusts him.

***

Music plays in the background over the opening scenes (a sad piece… also accompanied one of Kane’s phone calls to try and speak to Kirsty when the AVO was issued… not sure if anyone knows what it’s called…?)

Rhys drives up to Shelley’s place

At the caravan park, Beth is determinetly cleaning.

Rhys walks up to the house

Beth grabs a duster and starts roughly cleaning some shelves and the ornaments on them. She managed to knock a paperweight-ball thing onto the floor and it smashes

Shelley answers the door to Rhys

Beth sweeps up the broken pieces, looking sombre

SHELLEY’S PLACE
Shelley shows Rhys to his room – he got a sofa in David’s office, as “the kids” got the double beds. David’s away on a complicated case, and the girls are out shopping – “Kirsty’s on some honeymoon splurge”. However, Scott has already departed back to Summer Bay – it seems he and Dani need some space. She leaves him to get himself settled.

CARAVAN PARK
Beth is disposing of the pieces of broken-ball as Scott arrives home – she’s surprised to see him, and wonders why he’s back. He spins her a tale about not wanting to go to some restaurant when his “poor old Mum” is home alone, but she doesn’t buy it, and wants to know the whereabouts of Dani. Scott explains that she’s still in the city, and will be coming home with Rhys the following day – besides, the dinner is for family and he obviously doesn’t consider himself to be family. Beth has exciting plans for the evening – she has a casserole to make and some clothes to bring in, but Scott decides to take her out for dinner instead. The kids will be able to look after themselves, and he’s paying – this seems to sway her and she accepts his offer.

SHELLEY’S PLACE
Rhys and Shelley have a glass of champagne for a “speacial occasion” – this being Laura getting to know her family. Any excuse. Rhys also mentions Kirsty getting better, and comments on Shelley’s ‘generosity’ – she put her whole life on the line. They raise a toast… just as Kane, Kirsty and Dani arrive home from the shops, Kane carrying the bags and cautioning them “never let these two out with a credit card”. Kirsty is shattered, but has managed to get a new top for the evening. They all recommend that she go and get some rest, otherwise she won’t get a chance to show it off. Rhys goes to pour Dani some champagne to put her in the “party spirit”, but she whines that it’s gonna take more than a glass of champagne to do that. Shelley, is confident that they’re all going to have a great night despite Scott not being there, but Dani decides to drop out, due to her feeling “a bit down”. Rhys isn’t best pleased, as Laura was looking forward to seeing the whole family, but Shelley accepts Dani’s lousy excuse and lets her off the hook.

Kane fusses over Kirsty, with she reminding him that she’s not sick – she’s just tired. Nonetheless, he doesn’t think she looks too good. “Thanks” she retorts sarcastically, but he’s serious – he doesn’t think she should go to the dinner. She insists that she can’t just not go – especially as Laura is looking forward to seeing them, and Kane bitterly reminises about how Laura was never there when she needed her. He doesn’t want Kirsty to make herself ill trying to make Laura happy, and after insisting that Kirsty comes first, he goes to have a word with Shelley and Rhys.

Kane has broken the news, and needless to say Shelley and Rhys aren’t impressed. Shelley is blaming herself for allowing Kirsty to go shopping, and Rhys dwells upon how embarrassing it is – Laura’s going to get to the restaurant to find he and Shelley sat there “grinning at her”. Kane is adamant that Kirsty shouldn’t push it, and Shelley backs him up. And then there were three.

DINER
Scott has taken Beth out to the oh-so-flashy diner for her dinner, and they greet Jesse, who is also there. However, Beth deliberately directs Scott to an empty table, leaving Jesse to comment to Alf that they looked like they were “drawing lines in the sand” with regard to the kiosk/bar war. Alf thinks he’s blowing things way out of proportion – they’ve both got equal rights to the lease, and there’s no need for any lines to be drawn. Jesse mentions Rhys’ campaign to recruit people like Barry Hyde to his side, and that if Rhys fires a shot then he’ll fire one right back. Alf insists that it’s not war, and reminds Jesse that it was that hot-headed thinking that started the First World War – it took a single shot.

Alf takes Beth and Scott’s orders, and leaves them alone. Beth tells Scott that he has done her such a favour that night.

RESTAURANT
Rhys and Shelley arrive in search of a table for seven in the name of “DeGroot”, informing the woman that there will only be the three of them after all – them and their daughter
“This way please, Mr and Mrs DeGroot”
“Actually… it’s Sutherland”
“Sorry, Mr and Mrs Sutherland”
“Actually, he’s a Sutherland and I’m… never mind, I’m with him”
Things have got complicated.

DINER
Beth is aware that Scott is avoiding something – she loves the fact that they’ve come out to dinner, but she knows there’s something up. He admits that it’s hard talking about the problem, and Noah and Hayley’s arrival swiftly interrupts the moment. Scott invites them to sit down with he and Beth, but Beth intervenes, politely informing Noah and Hayley that there’s actually something that she and Scott need to discuss themselves. They leave, but Scott is back to insisting that things are fine, and shoving the dessert menu in her face.

BREAK

RESTAURANT
Shelley and Rhys sit awkwardly at the table-for-seven, Shelley playing with her drink. She wishes that Laura would hurry up and get the embarrassment of the four vacant seats over with, and moments later she makes an appearance. She’s full of apologies as she isn’t stopping – her Mum has been taken ill, and she’s been admitted to hospital as she blacked out. She wanted to apologise face-to-face as she’s really embarrassed – until Shelley draws her attention to the lack of Sutherland-presence. Shelley suggests that she come over for lunch the following day instead, so that she can see Kirsty and Kane at least. And then there were two. The woman who is serving them suggests that she gets them a table for two somewhere quiet, and Shelley agrees.

Shelley and Rhys sit at their new table, and joke about being dumped by their kids. Shelley had a feeling something like this would happen – ever since they found out about Laura, something has always got in the way of them all catching up. Shelley makes eyes at Rhys, commenting on how lovely it is being there, and all Rhys can respond with is that it makes a change from the Diner – he can’t see Alf cooking up some of the stuff on that menu. And there was me thinking that Leah did some fancy Greek dishes for them.

CARAVAN PARK
Scott and Beth arrive home, and Beth refuses to let Scott leave until he has opened up. She comes out with it – “are you and Dani splitting up?” and Scott is unable to answer, although it is very much something that is on his mind. He is afraid of causing trouble for she and Rhys as well – especially as they’re going through a rough patch as it is. Beth’s confident that she and Rhys are fine – Rhys just has some stuff to work out, but nevertheless it shouldn’t affect Scott and Dani’s relationship. Scott can’t see how it wouldn’t, and concedes that they’d make more trouble by splitting up. Beth insists that they would deal with the fallout “if and when it happens”, and wonders if Scott still loves her. He admits that he does, but that it’s so hard loving her – he’s tired of being her “knight in shining armour”, always expected to pick up the pieces whenever she is in trouble. She’s a princess that always has to be rescued, and even when there isn’t a drama she just has to adopt someone elses. He relates it back to the drama wiuth Ross – he felt so betrayed, but she twisted it so that it became her drama. They went to the city to get away from all the drama, yet all Dani could do was mope around and wave her “white mitts in everyone’s faces”. He even realised that Hayley and Noah were desperate to get away from her. Beth feels kinda sorry for Dani, pointing out that it must go back a long way – Shelley and Rhys have always treated her like she’s special, due to her being their eldest. Scott bitterly remarks that she needed someone like Jack around to “slap her down to size”, and he hasn’t got a clue what to do. He’s tired of caring about it, and Beth thinks it’s a positive that they’re getting some space.

SHELLEY’S PLACE
Dani is sat in the dark watching TV when Kane saunters in, switching the light on and sitting down, wondering what she’s watching. “Just this stupid movie” she responds, wiping away tears. He wonders if she’s ok, and she insists she’s fine, before asking after Kirsty – she’s in bed. Snoring. He offers to get her something – he’s getting more water for Kirsty, as she’s been really thirsty since the op – but Dani turns him down, asking him to put the light off on his way out. She continues to cry alone.

Kirsty is now awake and drinking, wondering why she’s so thirsty. Kane points out that she was shopping all day and didn’t drink anything, and remarks that he doesn’t “get” girls and shopping. Kirsty tells him that he’s not meant to, and they agree that he was just there to carry the bags. He muses that the shopping trip didn’t exactly cheer Dani up much, telling Kirsty that she’s downstairs crying. Kirsty,. concerned, wants to go downstairs, but Kane advises against it – “I think she kinda likes being miserable”. She doesn’t think that he’s being fair, and although Scott and Dani are having problems she unconvincingly tells him that they’ll work it out. “Say it like you mean it, Babe” he responds. She frowns.

RESTAURANT
Shelley and Rhys are talking fondly of times gone by, and she breaks the mood when she admits to Rhys that David has actually gone for good, due to the operation – he didn’t think he’d be able to touch her again.Rhys brands him an “idiot” for not trying to make it work, and Shelley is just glad that HE is there. She moves her hand across the table to his, and after a moment he retracts it. “Please” is all she needs to say to make his hand return to hers, and she tells him that it means so much to her. They smile at one another.

CARAVAN PARK
Beth stares out of the window, distracted, until the kettle boiling brings her back to earth. She makes herself a cup of tea, and stares blankly at the broken-ball in the bin as she goes to throw away her teabag.

SHELLEY’S PLACE
Kane and Kirsty lie in bed, and Kirsty wakes, needing a drink. He tells her that he’ll go and get some water for her. However, he isn’t prepared for what he sees as he reaches the top of the stairs. Shelley and Rhys are in front of the front door, sharing a bit more than a goodnight kiss. He is stunned.

***
Quote of the episode
Kane re. Dani : “I think she kinda likes being miserable”