Episode 3812

Extended Summary

RECAP
Jesse reveals the new name of the bar to Hayley – “Noah’s”
Tasha talks to Robbie about the tension whenever she mentions Josie to Irene, and Robbie suggests that Irene’s jealous.
Sally tells Josie that she and Flynn won’t be supporting any changes to Tasha’s guardianship, but Josie is confident that if there is a war, Sally and Flynn have already lost it.

***

DINER
Sally and Flynn talk to Josie, wondering why she got into contact without consulting Irene, and Josie explains to Sally and Flynn that she was taken aback when Irene tracked her down, and it had taken a while for the new about Tasha to fully sink in. By then she had no means of getting into contact to ask Irene – Dylan was being “evasive” – and she was forced to use her contacts to track down where Irene and Tasha were living. Once she had met Tasha and had got to know her,she became attached. Sally thinks she’s being too presumptuous to assume that she has an automatic claim on Tasha, but as far as Josie sees it she’s no presuming anything – she just knows what it’s like not to have any family around. She has come to a “crunch point” in her life, where she wants to take time out and get to know Tasha properly. Flynn wonders why she is so eager to push for guardianship, and she explains that she might not have felt the same at another stage of her life, but since she has got to know Tasha and she is a relative, then surely it’s logical.

Colleen interrupts to take their order, and swiftly becomes putty in Josie’s hands as Josie tells Colleen that she recognises her – she was Miss Groper! Sally and Flynn look predictably put out.

SURF CLUB
Tasha sings Josie’s praises once more after hearing about Josie’s new idea for naming the bar. She and Robbie think that she could help come up with some ideas for acts at the concert, and they explain to Jesse and Kim that the school will be holding a concert in memory of Noah. However, the bar-tribute to Noah won’t be in action until the new year, which is when Rhys’ lease on the kiosk expires. Kim decides that he would like to perform in the concert, and thinks that he will write a song.

DINER
Colleen is still talking to Josie about her days as Miss Groper as Josie politely listens and comments on the story. Colleen insists that Josie calls her Colleen, as opposed to “Mrs Smart”, and Josie tells her that she looks forward to talking about the ‘Miss Groper’ pageant some more another time. In the meantime, Alf insists that Colleen get back to work.

As Colleen departs, Sally wonders if Josie is humouring them like she was with Colleen, and Josie tells them to ask her some questions, promising them some straight answers. Flynn enquires about her career, to which Josie retorts “FORMER career”, before diplomatically stating “let he who is without sin, cast the first stone”. She has no problem telling people about what she has done if she believes that they will behave appropriately, and in turn she doesn’t judge people. Flynn then broaches the subject of Tasha’s father – whoever he is, he is obviously a wealthy man, and Josie is quick to realise that they suspect her of being after the money. Josie is indignant – the only person benefitting from the money right now is Irene, and she no one is suspicious of her. Josie asserts that she is financially secure, and she is confident that any approach from Tasha towards her father would be met with rejection – Sally is sceptical, as they only have her word for it. They then move to the topic of Josie being a bad role model for the impressionable Tasha,and she can only laugh amusedly before admitting that she has made mistakes – just as Irene has as an alcoholic. Just as Irene would be the last person to put a drink in Tasha’s hands, she would be the last person to allow Tasha to follow her mistakes.

As Alf wanders over, Josie decides to butter him up with some fishing-talk, enquiring as to how his fishing went the previous day. Sally watches on in amazement.

BEACH HOUSE
Sally tells Irene that Josie is extraordinary – she has no problem in wrapping people around her little finger. When Flynn suggests that Josie DID have some good points, he comes under fire for being sucked in. However, he insists that as a relative, Josie will naturally have more claim to Tasha’s guardianship. He doesn’t think they should resist Josie’s attempts for guardianship – they should make it clear that they would be happy to continue the role, but they shouldn’t fight as Tasha would be the one getting hurt. Irene muses that if it comes down to Tasha, then it’s clear what decision she’ll make, given how things have been heading recently. Irene compares Josie to a spider, spinning her web and getting them all stuck in… “and then she’ll come along and she’ll rip off our wings and she’ll tear our bodies to pieces”… Flynn wonders if she’s not exaggerating a bit, and Irene admits that since the ‘Madame’ came into the picture she has gone all “bitter and twisted”.

Hayley interrupts, cheered up with the news that Jesse is renaming the bar. They’re touched by the idea, but faces drop as Hayley announces that it was actually Josie’s idea. “She’s full of surprises, isn’t she” mutters Irene, through gritted teeth.

BEACH
Flynn isn’t as gung-ho as Sally and Irene towards fighting Josie, although Sally insists that they’re only trying to look out for Tasha. She wonders when they became the “bad guys”, but Flynn insists that there are NO bad guys – just different slants, and he thinks that it would be beneficial to look at both sides of the arguement. Sally doesn’t think Tasha should be associating with “a woman like that” and reacts badly to Flynn’s suggestion that Josie is honest. She points out Josie’s “uncanny ability” to be one step ahead of everyone all the time, and is furious about Josie’s way with men – “it must be all those years of listening to you complaining about the fact that your wife doesn’t understand you!”. Flynn is confused by Sally’s change of character towards Josie, but Sally is with Irene all the way – she has a feeling that there’s something going on “behind the scenes” with Josie…she’s up to something.

BREAK

DINER
Robbie and Tasha discuss concert ideas, with Tasha not wanting to embarrass herself on stage. So… the girl who has no probs with running au naturale through the bush draws the line at performing, fully clothed, on stage. She wants to ask Josie for advice, but Robbie suggests he go to Irene – just to show that she still appreciates her. Kim enters, and Tasha explains the story – how they reckon that Irene is jealous of Josie. Robbie is embarrassed as Tasha compares it to Robbie being jealous of Kim – a fact that greatly amuses Kim. Tasha leaves to talk to Irene, leaving Robbie to put up with Kim’s teasing about jealousy.

BEACH HOUSE
Irene has finally learnt that Hayley has been ‘seeing’ Noah, and wonders why Hayley didn’t come to her sooner. Hayley was scared that people wouldn’t believe her, but muses that Alf did. She also tells Irene how she spoke to Flynn – he was sympathetic, but he couldn’t accept that she was actually seeing Noah. Hayley still believes that she was seeing Noah and admits how much she still misses him. Irene assures her that she believes that Noah will always be with her, but they need to look to the future. Hayley hasn’t decided what she’s going to do – she’s even finding it hard to paint at the moment. She is determined to paint in the end, but is scared of what might come out.

Tasha swings through the door to throw her arms around Irene, buttering her up with a “you are the *only* person in the world who can help me with this!”. With a grin, Irene asks her to fire away.

OUTSIDE SURF CLUB
Kim is still goading Robbie about his jealousy, having realised why Robbie was so upset with Tasha telling him what happened – or what DIDN’T happen – on that fateful night.

BEACH
“A vow of celibacy?!”. Kim is highly amused by Robbie and Tasha’s latest decision, but Robbie doesn’t care what people think – he wants Tasha to know that he respects her. The pair play-fight, until Robbie spots Hayley walking solemnly along. He suggests that they go for a swim, rushing away as Kim spots Hayley.

BEACH HOUSE
Irene is struggling for ideas, and her mood isn’t improved as Tasha starts to rant on about Josie, Jesse and the bar, and how great it is that everyone likes Josie so much. Irene’s face is like thunder as she beats some white mixture in a bowl, teeth gritted. Finally an idea hits her – Tasha could do a self-defence demo – but Tasha isn’t keen. She doesn’t want to look into the past – that was the old Tasha Andrews. She doesn’t fancy doing a song in front of all those people either. Josie’s arrival interrupts them, and Irene is less than impressed when Tasha voices enthusiasm about Josie’s concert idea – a poem.

BEACH
Kim and Robbie run out of the water, and Robbie admits that it was weird seeing Hayley – they were laughing and behaving like nothing had happened, when Noah has been dead for less than a week(?!). Robbie doesn’t want to forget him, but Kim knows that everyone has to move on.

Kate Alexa’s “Always there” starts up in the background

THE PALACE
Hayley sits, staring at a blank canvas, paints in hand. Giving up, she puts the paint down.

BEACH HOUSE
Josie has helped Tasha to write a poem for the concert. Josie wants to take her out for dinner, but Irene has made “Tasha’s favourite” and she decides to stay. However, her suggestion that Josie stay for dinner doesn’t go well with Irene and Josie, upon seeing Irene’s reaction, decides to leave it. Josie asks Tasha to go upstairs and bring down a blue skirt down – Josie wants to buy her a top and needs to know whether they will go together. With Tasha out of the way, Josie approaches Irene,apologising for ‘stepping on her toes’ regarding the concert issue – “well, you’re obviously waaaay more creative than I am” Irene bluntly replies. Josie attempts to soften her up, complimenting her creativity in the kitchen, before guessing that Sally and Flynn have been around. Josie doesn’t want there to be tension between them – “you and Tasha are wonderful together, even if you think that she and I are not”. Irene glances up thoughtfully from her cooking as Josie goes to ‘help Tasha find her skirt’.

BEACH
Irene and Sally power-walk along the beach, with Irene reciting her conversation with Josie, and how Josie turned her “cobra eyes” on her. Sally reckons Irene is more than a match for her, and Irene admits that she can now see why she has sucked everyone else in – she even felt herself softening – “by the time she’d finished with me I felt like I was the wicked stepmother and she was the flippin’ fairy godmother!” (a direct reference to Lynne McG’s upcoming role as the FG in cinderella, perhaps?). Sally tells Irene that Flynn thinks they should leave it, and they wonder whether they’re being awful small-town judgemental people and whether they should drop it. They wish that they knew more about Josie, and Irene has a brainwave – there’s a still a rock they could turn over, and it might be just what they need…

CITY
Irene meets up with Rhys – they are going to have lunch. Irene wants to know all the dirt on Josie, and Rhys assures her that she has come to the right man..

Claire