It’s the eve of Sally and Brad’s wedding and omens are suggesting that there’s trouble ahead. Brad’s best man is left fighting for his life in hospital. Meanwhile, Rachel reveals a shocking dark secret.
Extended Summary
It’s the eve of Sally and Brad’s wedding and the omens are suggesting trouble ahead.
Rachel and Martha have discovered Cassie and Henk in bed together, and it’s the last straw for Rachel. She decides she has to tell Brad and Sally everything. Cassie, not knowing about Henk having assaulted Rachel, misinterprets. She thinks Rachel is simply going to reveal her and Henk’s affair. Brad is livid when Rachel tells him the whole story. He can’t believe his best mate could do that to his sister, and then bed his step-daughter. His temper barely under control, Brad charges around to the Diner Apartment, where Martha is giving Henk his marching orders.
Brad confronts Henk with his fists, smashing him in the face and the abdomen. Henk, woozy from the blows, then falls down some stairs and begins to experience difficulty breathing. He’s rushed to hospital where he’s found to have a fractured rib which has in turn punctured and collapsed one of his lungs. Worse follows for Henk. He initially suffers a respiratory arrest, and then a cardiac arrest. Ironically it’s Rachel, who he wronged so badly all those years ago, who now has to help resuscitate him and save his life. She has strong motivation, knowing as she does, that if Henk dies Brad may well be facing a manslaughter charge. Henk is eventually saved, but the full extent of his injuries is yet to be determined.
Cassie believes her relationship with Henk is her own business, but Sally is less than impressed by the liaison – she finds it inappropriate on a number of levels, especially their age difference. Sally is then horrified when she learns that Henk once assaulted Rachel. Cassie is upset when she hears that Henk is in hospital, but seems to accept it when Sally refuses to let her go to and see him. But Cassie is only foxing and sneaks out and goes to the hospital anyway. She is hurt when Henk isn’t pleased to see her. Before his condition deteriorates, and on learning that Cassie doesn’t know about the assault, Henk comes clean about his past history with Rachel. Cassie is very confused and upset by the revelations, and has a long heart-to-heart with Rachel. Rick also turns up and, after comforting her, Rick eventually takes Cassie home.
Irene, Colleen, Fisher, Dan and Leah have all gathered in the diner after Henk was taken to the hospital as they were still helping with the final wedding preparations. While they are all in the dark about what’s been going on between Brad and Henk, they know about the punch-up and realize whatever it is, it’s something serious. They can see how much it’s upset Brad and Sally. This a very poor situation to occur on the eve of a wedding – leading some of the helpers to think that perhaps the wedding will be postponed, but Brad won’t have a bar of the postponement notion. He’s adamant the wedding will go ahead, come what may.