Episode 3822

Extended Summary

RECAP
Josie goes to the palace to see Hayley about the concert – she wants to contribute, but needs Hayley’s help.
The students are impressed that Kirsty managed to get Eskimo Joe to play at the concert
Josie assures Ian that his plan won’t be a problam – his men will have access to the place for two hours.
Dalby and his mates/henchmen see Henry’s name on the concert programme and tease him about his dancing
Dani is surprised when Scott announces that he and Beth will be dancing at the concert
Rhys confims with Sally that the caravan park is on the market, and he and Beth have decided to give her first offer – Sally is delighted

***

CARAVAN PARK
Kit walks in as Beth tries to practice her dancing, and Beth reckons that she’s “as rusty as an old gate”. She’s delighted to have Kit back – she’s staying for the whole break. Beth hopes that she can get throiugh her whole routine with Scott without falling over, and Kit reassures her, before affirming that in the end it’s just something to remember Noah by. “No more happenings on that front?” Beth enquires – Kit tells her no, before asking after Hayley’s welfare. Beth reckons she’s coping well, although it’s still early days. Kit then ernquires after Beth herself – and Beth mumbles that it’s getting better, but sometimes she still wakes up expecting Rhys to be there. She then cheerfully announces that they’ve found a buyer for the caravan park – Kit will never believe who it is…

SCHOOL
Barry wants a word with Sally about school-related matters and she gives him the brush off – she and Flynn have an appointment with the bank manager in one of her free periods. Barry isn’t impressed – it’s exactly the behaviour that they’ve been trying tio discourage amongst the students. “It won’t happen again” she insists – and Barry reminds her that it won’t, seeing as she’s on maternity leave a day after tomorrow. “The mark of a true professional is not how you do your job, it’s how you leave it” he advises.

FLYNN’S PLACE
Sally recites Barry’s words of advice to Flynn, remarking that she’s certainly not going to miss Barry’s lectures. Sally is optimistic about getting the money, but Flynn recommends that she doesn’t get her hopes up too high – he’s not being negative, he’s just being realistic as the bank would be taking a risk lending them money. Sally won’t be put down – “great achievements involve great risks” – and she is confident that she can convince the “conservative” bank manager to take a chance on them. She wants the house, and she’s not going to let anyone stand in the way…

CARAVAN PARK
Beth practices the dance with Kit, and winds up treading on Kit’s toes – “You ARE out of practice” she proclaims. Kit then helpfully reminds her of “the shearer’s ball” where Jack managed to trip her up and Beth thanks her for “reminding me what public humiliation feels like”. Kit asserts that what she meant was that she lived through that, and thus she’ll live through the concert.

Kit wonders how Beth will feel about leaving the caravan park, and she muses that everything in the house reminds her of Rhys – “That’s where he used swear at the bills , that’s where he sat to make plans , that’s where we…”. She falters as she points at the table, and Kit takes the point – “so the sooner you leave the better”. Beth agrees, but the question is where they will go, as there’s not a lot that they can afford. The caravan park may sell for a lot, but there won’t be much left when they allow for the mortgage and Rhys’ share. Kit tries to help her mother look on the good side – she’ll be free of the stress of running the caravan park. Not that it means she’ll have spare time, though – Beth reminds her daughter that she’s got so much on with the kids and the P&C – and she also has to go out and find a job. Beth then asserts that they have to get on with rehearsals – she’s on stage in nine hours.

SCHOOL
Kirsty catches up with Kane in the corridor, mentioning that she had trouble getting out of class. “It’s cool” he responds “so long as we don’t run into – ah” they walk into Barry as soon as they round the corner, and Hyde wants to know why Kane is “gracing them with” his presence. They explain that he is in helping set up for the concert, and Hyde turns on Kirsty for her absense from class, asserting that in future she stay in class until the bell rings. The bell rings on cue and Hyde walks off down the corridor to prey on more unsuspecting students. Robbie and Kim appear, Robbie trying to get everyone organised – it seems that Barry isn’t the only control freak.

SCHOOL HALL
Henry practices his dancing on the stage, and Kane calls up to him – “way to go, twinkletoes!”. Henry scowls and walks off as Kane tries to explain that it was meant to be a compliment. Kirsty explains how Dalby & mates have been bullying Henry about it, and recommends that Kane go and talk to him.

As Robbie rallies the troops again, Kirsty’s mobile rings – it’s bad news. Eskimo Joe are stuck interstate and won’t be able to make it. “Tell me this isn’t happening…” Robbie exclaims. They can’t work out what to do – no other closing act will be able to make up for it, but Kim assures them that they won’t be giving refunds – the concert is for Noah, and they’ll just have to think up some ideas.

FLYNN’S PLACE
Sally curses smarmy bank managers as she and Flynn arrive back, having not got the money to buy the caravan park (although it strikes me that if two emplyed professionals can’t borrow the money then we’re all buggered). Flynn is less critical – they knew that the figures may not add up, and reminds Sally that the repayments would have been crippling anyway. Sally is devastated that Pippa won’t be able to grow up there, as she had such a happy childhood at that house, and Flynn can only continue with his list as to why it was a bad idea – they’d have had to build a new surgery onto the house. Perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be. Sally decides to let Beth know the bad news – as she wanted out just as badly as they wanted in – but she gets distracted by a message from Kirsty on the answering machine informing her of major problems with the concert. Sally decides to head down to the school whilst Flynn goes to see Beth.

CARAVAN PARK
Beth is upset for Sally, knowing how much she wanted the house. It looks like the house will now be put on the open market, where Flynn thinks she’ll get a better price. Kit, however, has a suggestion for them – the house and caravan park are separate properties, so why not sell the house to Flynn and Sally and leave the park out of the deal? It would certainly swing the bank in Flynn’s favour, and Beth is thrilled by the suggestion – at least they’ll get a quick sale on the house without having to tiody it up for inspection. She wonders how Kit got so clever, but she hasn’t finished – the Hunter’s need somewhere to live, so why not do a swap with Sally and Flynn and they can make up the price difference?

SCHOOL
Sally has arrived to find a crowd of stressed kids begging her to do something. Her suggestion that she do a song is met by impolite and raucous laughter from Robbie, until Kirsty intervenes to protest that Sally has a “really good voice”. Nonetheless, the consensus is that they’re going to need something a bit more dramatic to replace Eskimo Joe. Sally understands, and tells them to carry on with how things are – she’ll “dream up something for the final?”

“It’s just one quick call Mum!” Kirsty talks angrily to Shelley over the phone before hanging up, exasperated. She explains to Sally that she was trying to get Shelley to contact David to try and get a replacement act – however, Shelley and David aren’t talking so she has refused. Kirsty is blaming herself for the mess, due to her being the one who had the ideo of booking a band in the first place. Sally is confident that all they need to do is replace the star attraction with something totally unexpected – something that no one would think of… “replace star power with shock value”. A smile crosses her face and she scuttles away, asserting that if she can pull it off, then it’ll bring the house down.

BREAK

FLYNN’S SURGERY
Beth and Kit look around the surgery with Flynn, discussing possible plans for when they move in – the waiting room would be a great place for the kids, and it’d keep them out of her way. Beth is enthusiastic about the idea – it would be a GREAT place for the “Hunter brood” – and Flynn advises that they all sleep on the idea. Besides, he has to tell Sally and Beth to Rhys – despite Kit’s insistence that they’ll be as thrilled as their counterparts.

SCHOOL
“You must be out of your mind!”. Barry is somewhat unimpressed with Sally’s new plans for the closing act, and Sally tries to persuade him that they HAVE to make it a night that no one will forget. He is adamant that he will not agree to her outrageous idea, accusing her of emotional blackmail when she explains to him just how much time and effort the students themselves have put into the concert, so he can’t let them down. Sally reminds him of his earlier reprimand for not leading by example – surely he should be following his own advice, as all the kids are willing to put themselves on the line. Perhaps he needs to ask himself what’s stopping him…

SCHOOL
Robbie reprimands a random student for not working as part of the team, but is distracted by Kane as he carries a stack of chairs past – Robbie thought that all the seating was complete. Kane explains that three rows have been overbooked, trying to calm Robbie down as he starts to stress out about it. Both Robbie and Kim are searching for Barry, who appears to have disappeared off the face of the earth. It seems that Kim has ‘borrowed’ some of barry’s speakers for the concert – Robbie is stunned. Beth and Flynn put in an appearance searching for Sally – who has also done a disappearing act. Beth panics as Robbie warns her about a cable that she will have to avoid whilst she is on stage – she feels sick enough about the performance already. Beth separates herself from Flynn, asking that Flynn call her before he tells Sally the news, as Beth wants to see her face.

FLYNN’S PLACE
Flynn is leaving a message on Sally’s phone when she walks through the door. She had to go and buy some things for their new act, but she refuses to reveal all to Flynn. Flynn wants to drag Sally away for a surprise, but she has to go and find Kit – Flynn brands it “a coincidence” and whisks her away to the caravan park”

CARAVAN PARK
Sally is both stunned and delighted by the new plans – Flynn has spoken to the bank manager and they can set the wheels in motion at once. The Hunter kids seem pretty indifferent to the idea of moving. Sally is interrogated about her new closing act, and she agrees to reveal all – but only to the person that will help the dream become a reality, Kit. She pulls Kit aside, and after a quick whisper, Kit refuses point blank. However, after a bit of persuasion by Sally, Kit reluctantly agrees to the plan.

BEACH HOUSE
Kane calls up the stairs to Irene and Tasha, urging them to get a move on or they’ll be late for the concert. He insists that they’re “beautiful enough!”, before turning back to his wife and quickly adding “you’re beautiful too, Babe”. Clearly less interested in hearing someone singing her praises than her elder sister, Kirsty is distracted by bigger issues, namely the fact that they may not have a closing act due to her supposedly selfish mother. She always makes promises and never delivers. Kane points out that it’s not exactly Shelley’s fault that the band didn’t get on the plane, and that Shelley has done SOME things for Kirsty – the small matter of donating a kidney, for example. Kirsty is stunned that Kane is sticking up for Shelley – it’s not something that she hears very often.

They are interrupted by a phone call – which Kirsty answers. However, no one appears to be on the other end. They assume that it was a wrong number, and Kane goes back to shouting up the stairs – “the concert starts in twenty!”. Tasha tells him that she’ll be down in a minute.

SCHOOL HALL
Matilda and Henry peer out from behind the curtains – there’s so many people out there already and it’s clear that it’ll be packed out. Henry is evidently nervous, and Matilda assures him that he has nothing to worry about – her mates think he’s a star… “of course, they’re totally insane” she adds helpfully. Beth is also panicking as she goes through the moves of she and Scott’s dance in her head. Sally reassures her that she’ll be fine.

As Robbie drags everyone out for a fifteen-minute call, Barry approaches Sally. He is afraid that Kit may have been talking to someone – he has just seen some students smirking at him – and Sally can only assure him that no one knows. He asks that Hayley make her “special announcement” before his “piece”, and Sally agrees to talk to Robbie – it shouldn’t be a problem. Barry can’t believe that he has been roped into this, and doesn’t look convinced when Sally suggests that he might actually have some fun out on stage.

The performing students are disheartened to learn that they must stay backstage until they have been on – there’s not enough space in the wings for everyone to stay out and watch the performance. Barry tells them that they all should be proud of what they have put into the evening – and that he is proud to be their headmaster. Barry looks nervous and shifty as Tasha questions Sally about what their closing act is going to be – Sally can only assure the students that it’s better than any guests could have offered them as Beth monitors Barry’s behaviour. Dan takes his chance at saying a few words, declaring that Robbie is stage manager, and Kirsty his assistant so “their word is LAW”. Robbie starts to rally the troops for the opening act, calling Kim through. Beth wanders over to Barry, wondering why she gets the impression that he isn’t happy with the closing number. “Because you are a very perceptive woman” Barry responds. Beth nods understandingly, reminding him that it’s all for a good cause – he asserts that if it wasn’t then he’d never have agreed to it.

BEACH HOUSE
The house is dark and empty as a group of men in black arrive, using a key to gain access. Their leader tells them that they have two hours – they should keep it quiet and neat… no one is to know that they were ever there. The men set about wiring the house up…

Claire