Scripts - Episode 3371

SUMMER BAY HOUSE

KIRSTY, MAX, SHELLEY, DANI and JADE are all in the living room.

DANI

I can’t believe he’s nearly forty.

JADE

It’s not that old.

SHELLEY

Well can you tell that to your father? He’s starting to get very stressed.

DANI

How do you feel mum? One year until you’re forty.

SHELLEY

Oh, well, we’re not talking about me. Now has anyone got any suggestions?

DANI

We could do fancy dress.

JADE

I think we should have an eighties party and raid mums wardrobe.

SHELLEY

I thought you said my eighties stuff was totally daggy.

JADE

The eighties are coming back don’t you know.

SHELLEY

Oh, heaven forbid. It was bad enough the first time around.

DANI

Max, what do you think?

MAX

I don’t do fancy dress.

DANI

Kirst, what about you?

KIRSTY

I don’t know. Either one.

DANI

Oh, come on, you must have a preference. Go-go boots or ra-ra skirts. Come on.

KIRSTY

I really don’t care, OK.

KIRSTY leaves.

DANI

What is her problem?

THE PALACE

JOSH walks in. JACKIE’S computer is on the table.

JOSH

Anyone home?

JOSH begins to look at JACKIE’S computer. JACKIE walks down the stairs.

JACKIE

It’s not polite to read other people’s material.

JOSH

I just knew you were lying.

JACKIE

Journalists don’t lie darling. They are economical with the truth. I take it you are not impressed.

JOSH

You’re not seriously going to publish this are you?

JACKIE

Well I don’t right these stories for my own amusement Josh.

JOSH

But mum, this is tabloid stuff.

JACKIE

No, it is a legitimate story about abuse of position.

JOSH

Come on. I’ve heard you talk about the tabloid before. You’d rather swim in a sewer than right for one.

JACKIE

You report the story in whatever medium you can Josh and I don’t think my paper would appreciate that description.

JOSH

You don’t do this crud.  Neither does the paper.

JACKIE

Then I won’t print it and your friend will have nothing to worry about.

JOSH

Flynn’s a councillor mum. You know very well this could affect his job.

JACKIE

These are nude shots Josh and they are already on the net. Do you honestly believe that’s appropriate behaviour for a man who’s telling kids to get their lives together?

JOSH

You know why he took the photos. The computers at the drop-in centre’s were stolen and there insurance had elapsed.

JACKIE

And the reason for that was?

JOSH

OK, Flynn forgot to renew the insurance, but that just proves how committed he is to his job. He’s taken personal responsibility for fixing the problem.

JACKIE

Then he should take personal responsibility for the consequences. Don’t shoot the messenger Josh.

JOSH

Mum, please don’t publish this.

JACKIE

I’m sorry. I understand you’re trying to protect a friend, but there’s a public out there that has a right to know. I’m not spiking the story.

JOSH

He could lose his job.

JACKIE

If he does, it won’t be my doing.

SUMMER BAY HOUSE

DANI and SHELLEY are in the living room. SHELLEY carries a basket of washing.

DANI

Mum, can I have a word?

SHELLEY

Sure. Problem.

DANI

Maybe, em, it’s about Kirst.

SHELLEY

What about her?

DANI

You saw what she was like earlier.

SHELLEY

She was a bit withdrawn maybe.

DANI

Mum, she hasn’t been herself for weeks, months.

SHELLEY

Do you think so?

DANI

Ever since she came back she just, I don’t know, she’s just lost something.

SHELLEY

Well, she’s going through a bit of rough patch love. Just give her some time, she’ll get over it.

DANI

Well unless.

SHELLEY

What?

DANI

She’s taking drugs. I know she said she wouldn’t after what happened last time mum, but you know, she’s been so withdrawn and so secretive lately and she never told us why she ran away.

SHELLEY

Well I’m pretty sure she’s not taking drugs.

DANI

OK, well maybe she’s got a problem with me so if I talked to her.

SHELLEY

I don’t think that would be a good idea.

DANI

Why not?

SHELLEY

Whatever she’s going through I think it would be best if she dealt with it on her own.

DANI

Do you know something that I don’t know?

SHELLEY

No, no, of course not. Can you hang this lot out for me please?

DANI

Yep.

THE SURF CLUB

FLYNN and JOSH are outside the surf club.

FLYNN

I thought she was righting an article on the drop-in centre.

JOSH

She was, well she still is.

FLYNN

Well what? Councillors’ nude romp has bent the story.

JOSH

It’s not exactly that.

FLYNN

Doesn’t matter what it is mate. This is going to go down like a lead balloon with community services.

JOSH

I know that’s what I tried to tell her.

FLYNN

I thought those questions, you know, were a little bit full-on. Sal just convinced me that she was just after some political statements. This man.

JOSH

She only in some keeper of the public morality thing mate and you’re in the firing line.

FLYNN

Why me? What, do I try and talk to her?

JOSH

You can if you want. There is no point. Mate, once she makes her mind up she’s like a runaway train.

FLYNN

Em thanks for the tip mate.

JOSH

Yeah, fine.

JOSH walks away.

THE BEACH

KIRSTY sits on the beach. JOSH comes down and sits beside her.

JOSH

Hey Kirst.

KIRSTY

Hi Josh.

JOSH

What’s up?

KIRSTY

Nothing, everything.

JOSH

Has anything happened?

KIRSTY

Same old, same old.

JOSH

What?

KIRSTY

I keep waiting for things to get better, but they never do.

JOSH

Kirsty, you’ve got to give things time.

KIRSTY

I’ve given myself heaps of time Josh. When’s it all going to go away?

JOSH

I don’t know.

JOSH and KIRSTY cuddle.

THE SURF CLUB

JADE and DANI are walking along outside the surf club.

DANI

Serious, Jade, I’m not lying for you again OK. It’s very embarrassing saying I gave the condom to Max.

JADE

Don’t worry. It’s not going to happen again. Trust me.

DANI

Is that Kirst and Josh?

DANI sees KIRSTY and JOSH cuddling down on the beach.

JADE

No, no, it’s not what you think.

DANI

What do you think I think?

JADE

I mean, there’s nothing going on between them.

DANI

I didn’t think there was. What made you say that?

JADE

Oh, no reason. Oh, well you know with Kirsty being so funny lately and all that stuff.

DANI

No, she wouldn’t do that. Not after last time.

JADE

No, you’re right.

DANI

Why are you being so weird?

JADE

I’m not being weird.

DANI

Do you think?

JADE

Look, I just don’t want you to think that she’s with, you know, with you and Josh or with you and Kirsty, even. Can we just forget about this?

DANI

Whatever. I don’t even know what we’re talking. Let’s go and see Brodie. She probably waiting for us.

JADE

Actually I’ve got something that I have to do so I’ll see you later, OK.

DANI

Whatever.

SUMMER BAY HOUSE

SHELLEY and RHYS are in the kitchen.

RHYS

And I definitely don’t want a surprise party. I can’t stand them. Everyone pretending they’ve forgotten. Everyone saying happy birthday to you all day and then you come home, the lights are out and I don’t know, Colleen’s hiding behind the couch.

SHELLEY

Darling, we’re not giving you a surprise party.

RHYS

You’re not.

SHELLEY

No, no, no. I thought I’d just cook you a nice lamb roast, bake a cake, nothing too fancy. What do you think?

RHYS

Right, when I said I didn’t want a party I didn’t mean I want to do nothing. I mean, I would be nice to have just a little gathering or something like that.

JADE walks in.

JADE

I think I just put my foot in it with Dani.

SHELLEY

What do you mean?

JADE

Well, we were walking to the surf club and we saw Josh on the beach with Kirsty and he had his arm around her and now Dani thinks there’s something going on between them,

SHELLEY

Well, why would she think that? There could be dozens of reasons he’d have his arm around her.

JADE

I might have given her that impression.

SHELLEY

Aw, Jade.

JADE

Well I couldn’t exactly tell her the truth, could I? You know, this would have been a lot easier if you just told Dani when you had the chance.

SHELLEY

You know we couldn’t have done that.

JADE

I don’t see why not. When Kane brought Kirsty home you should have sat Dani down and said, look, this is the situation, but it’s over and we’re really sorry, but that’s just the way it is.

RHYS

Look, I know it sounds easy, but it’s not the simple.

JADE

It seems pretty simple to me. It would have all been out in the open. No one would have had to lie and we wouldn’t still be covering for Kirsty. If Dani finds out about this now.

SHELLEY

Maybe we should have done it differently, but we’re past that now.

RHYS

And she’s not going to find out.

SHELLEY

I hope you’re right, I really do.

THE SURF CLUB

JOSH walks behind DANI and picks her up.

JOSH

Hey, gorgeous girl.

DANI

You’re friendly.

JOSH

Yeah, I’m a friendly kind of guy. Hey, tell me, do you want to go the movies tonight? Things are a bit tense between mum and I just, you know, would like to avoid her as much as I can.

DANI

What’s going on with you and Kirst?

JOSH

What? Me?

DANI

I saw you guys on the beach. Is there something I should know?

JOSH

About what?

DANI

You tell me babe.

JOSH

You think there’s something going on behind your back.

DANI

Kirsty’s got form, you know that.

JOSH

Yeah, well I don’t. I can’t believe you can even think like that. You know how I feel about you.

DANI

Do I?

JOSH

Hey, I have been completely faithful to you. Even when we weren’t going out I was only faithful to you. I thought you trusted me.

DANI

I do, but something is going on with Kirsty, and Jade and mum know and I don’t so, do you know what’s going on?

JOSH

Me, no.

DANI

I hate being kept out of the loop.

JOSH

Yeah, well, whatever it is I’m sure it’s nothing.

DANI

OK, so why did you have your arms around her on the beach then?

JOSH

She seemed upset so I gave her a hug, and you know, she didn’t tell me what the problem was, but I’m sure it’s nothing.

DANI

If you say so.

THE PALACE

FLYNN and JACKIE are there.

FLYNN

Why are you doing this?

JACKIE

I’m a journalist Flynn. It’s what I do.

FLYNN

And counselling is what I do.

JACKIE

Along with the beefcake shots.

FLYNN

Yeah, there was a reason.

JACKIE

So I’ve heard, but not an acceptable one.

FLYNN

I don’t understand this. You were sounding very positive about this article.

JACKIE

I still am. It’s not the story I came to write, but still.

FLYNN

You know I can lose my job.

JACKIE

Perhaps, but I also know it will start discussion on the responsibility of centres like yours. Do you want to explain to me how that’s a bad thing?

FLYNN

My work is very sensitive. People are going to quiz things. There’s going to be all sort of innuendo around.

JACKIE

Yeah, it’s an old cliché Flynn, but see I don’t write the news, I report it. It was you who posed for the pictures.

FLYNN

Yes, I don’t need reminding. I was assured they would not be seen outside of Italy.

JACKIE

Poor judgement and naïve as well. If you’ve got anymore skeletons in the closet now would be a really good time to dust them off.

FLYNN

What are you talking about?

JACKIE

Just speculating, but I’m curious as to why a doctor gives up medicine to counsel trouble kids. Patients, clients, they’re both vulnerable.

FLYNN

Well you think this is a power trip for me.

JACKIE

Yeah, maybe. Posing in the nude is another form of power, is it?

FLYNN

You know that’s not what this is about.

JACKIE

We’ll leave it up to others to decide what it was about, shall we.

SUMMER BAY HOUSE

JADE and KIRSTY are on the veranda.

JADE

You know; you could make more of an effort with Dani.

KIRSTY

What do you mean?

JADE

You start acting weird every time she walks into a room. She’s not stupid. She knows something is wrong.

KIRSTY

Well every time I see her I think about Kane and then I get angry and then I get confused and then I just feel guilty. It’s like I’m stuck in this loop, but I can’t get out of it and I know it’s not Dani’s fault, but it doesn’t make it easier for me.

JADE

Well it doesn’t make it easier for me either or mum or dad. It’s not fun having to cover for you.

KIRSTY

Maybe I should just tell her.

JADE

You’re not going to though.

KIRSTY

I don’t know. Mum always says confront out problems. I think it would be better if I just told her and cleared the air.

JADE

You had your chance to tell her, but the moments past. If you do it now, you’ll just stuff things up for the rest of us.

KIRSTY

Well thanks for making me feel better about it Jade.

JADE

You can’t tell her Kirst. You’ll only make things worse.

KIRSTY

How worse could they be?

THE BEACHSIDE DINER

SHELLEY and FLYNN are there.

SHELLEY

Oh, you are really very naked, aren’t you?

FLYNN

Yep. You can’t actually see anything.

SHELLEY

It’s amazing how that seagull got in the way isn’t it and we’re likely to see these in the papers over the next few days are we.

FLYNN

I’m so sorry. I know I’ve put you in a very awkward position.

SHELLEY

Well, the departments not going to like it that’s for sure, but I’ll deal with them. You know you’ve got my total support.

FLYNN

Thank you, it’s very good of you, but if Jackie does go ahead with this article I am going to have tender my resignation and you’re going to have to accept it.

SUMMER BAY HOUSE

MAX sits at the computer. JADE walks in.

JADE

Hey. What are you doing?

MAX

Oh, nothing.

JADE

Max.

MAX

What? Everybody does it.

JADE

No they don’t. Get off. I’m shutting this down.

RHYS walks in. JADE shuts the window.

RHYS

Hello. What are you kids up to?

JADE

Em, nothing.

RHYS

So how about you two set the table for dinner.

JADE

Ah yeah.

RHYS

This week would be nice.

MAX

OK.

THE PALACE

SHELLEY and JACKIE are there.

JACKIE

Are you sure won’t join me?

SHELLEY

No.

JACKIE

So do we keep pretending this is social or do we get to the point?

SHELLEY

I presume Josh and Flynn have tried to appeal to your better nature.

JACKIE

Sorry, I must have left it at home this trip.

SHELLEY

Well tell me, what would you have done if it had been me? What would you have done if you had found out that I had some risqué photographs taken?

JACKIE

No offence Shelley, but I just don’t see you cavorting naked on beach somehow.

SHELLEY

OK, it’s hypothetical.

JACKIE

I don’t know.

SHELLEY

You would have thought it was a bit of fun, no harm done.

JACKIE

Do you think you know me that well?

SHELLEY

Why are you doing this to Flynn?

JACKIE

You’re assuming this is personal. It isn’t.

SHELLEY

Well fine. Persuade me otherwise.

JACKIE

How well do you know Flynn?

SHELLEY

Well enough to know that it will be a tragedy if he’s forced out of his job.

JACKIE

Really. What if I told you that forcing him out of his job might avert a tragedy?

SHELLEY

What do you mean?

JACKIE

That young girl he been counselling, Lucinda. Have you seen them together?

SHELLEY

If you’re implying something improper.

JACKIE

From the moment he put his arm around her I knew.

SHELLEY

Knew what? From what I could gather he was comforting her.

JACKIE

Yes, well, it’s the way it starts, isn’t it. You know those comforting words, holding hands, giving you presents. You’re fifteen, sixteen years old and you don’t know any better. You still trust grown-ups even though your own parents have treated you like dirt you still trust adults. It’s amazing isn’t it?

SHELLEY

Is that what happened to you? You trusted someone and they let you down.

JACKIE

He even promised me. Oh, it doesn’t matter.

SHELLEY

Yeah, it does. Who was he?

JACKIE

He was a caseworker for social services. You see, I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth.

SHELLEY

And you trusted him?

JACKIE

Yeah, because he was my lifeline.

SHELLEY

This has got nothing to do with Flynn.

JACKIE

No. You didn’t see them together.

SUMMER BAY HOUSE

JADE and DANI walk up the stairs.

JADE

So, have you thought about a present yet?

DANI

Not really.

JADE

I thought we could all go in for something together.

DANI

Like what?

JADE

Some golf clubs.

DANI

Dad doesn’t play golf.

JADE

Well if he had clubs he might start.

KIRSTY walks up the stairs.

DANI

Kirst, what do you think?

KIRSTY

I don’t know.

DANI

Well do you have any ideas?

KIRSTY

I hadn’t really thought about it

DANI

Don’t worry about it Kirst. It’s only dad’s fortieth birthday, but don’t stress yourself out.

KIRSTY

Why are you asking me anyway? Whatever I say I’ll make a mess of. Dad’s party will just be one more thing that I’ve stuffed up.

DANI

What is with you?

KIRSTY

Do you really want to know? Do you really want?

JADE

Kirsty. She hasn’t been sleeping very well. You know how cranky she gets.

KIRSTY

Yeah, I’m just tired.

DANI

Well do something about it. Go see a doctor.

JADE and DANI go into their respective rooms. RHYS and SHELLEY are downstairs.

RHYS

So, do you think she’ll change her mind?

SHELLEY

I don’t know. I didn’t want to push her.

RHYS

I guess not.

SHELLEY

Well that’s the worst part about any sort of abuse or betrayal of trust. It just leads to more abuse or more betrayal. I mean something that happened twenty five years ago could lead to a good man losing his job.

RHYS

I guess we’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed for Flynn then.

SHELLEY

Yeah absolutely.

RHYS

So, what are these photos like? I mean, you know, were they really that bad?

SHELLEY

Well, let’s just say they were artistic. They were no worse than anything you see on one of those men of AFL covers you see around.

RHYS

I’m so glad I got out of the game before that. You wouldn’t catch me doing that for quids.

SHELLEY

Well, I wouldn’t have let you unless it was just you and me a Polaroid camera.

RHYS

Hey, now your not going to let the girls do anything to extreme for my birthday, are you?

SHELLEY

What do you mean extreme?

RHYS

Well, you know, they were talking about a strip-o-gram and Jade was looking up something on the net that I most definitely was not meant to see.

RHYS clicks on a website called Hot and Steamy.

RHYS

No way.

SHELLEY

Oh, my.

RHYS

Jade.

RHYS, JADE and SHELLEY are in the living room. MAX listens in the hall.

SHELLEY

I know this is a time in your life when you’re naturally curious, but there are better sources of information.

RHYS

Information. It was hardly the Encyclopaedia Britannica Shell.

SHELLEY

Information, titillation, just plain curiosity. There are some things you don’t need to be exposed to.

JADE

Oh, mum, please.

RHYS

Yeah, and I know Dani said that was her condom, but I’m seriously starting to think.

JADE

Dad, for the last time, it wasn’t my condom.

RHYS

Well perhaps, but that doesn’t change this.

JADE

But I wasn’t.

RHYS

What? Wasn’t what?

SHELLEY

What? It wasn’t you. Is that what you were saying?

RHYS

Look I saw her at the computer next to Max.

MAX runs up the stairs. Later RHYS and SHELLEY walk down the stairs. They sit down at the bottom.

SHELLEY

I didn’t think we’d be dealing with this for a little while.

RHYS

You don’t know much about boys, do you?

SHELLEY

Do you think it’s funny?

RHYS

Well not exactly funny, but I mean, boys will be boys.

SHELLEY

So, if it’s your twelve year old nephew looking at nudey pictures it’s OK, but if it’s your fifteen year old daughter you read the riot act.

RHYS

Well I think most people if they found their teenage daughter looking at girlie pictures they’d be questions to ask.

SHELLEY

Well maybe you’ve got double standards.

RHYS

Well, you weren’t too happy about it either.

SHELLEY

Well, what are we going to do about Max?

RHYS

No internet for two weeks.

SHELLEY

I don’t think that is a solution Rhys. I think we need to get a net nanny.

RHYS

A what?

SHELLEY

Well it’s a program you buy which screens out inappropriate material. We’ve got them on the computers at work. I didn’t think we’d need them at home.

RHYS

We can’t be too careful I guess.

SHELLEY

Yeah, and I think we need to sit down and give Max that talk.

RHYS

Yeah, well better to be safe than sorry. So, when are you going to do it?

SHELLEY

Well, I’m not going to do it, you are.

RHYS

Me.

SHELLEY

Well I had to tell the girls.

RHYS

Exactly, you’ve had so much more practise.

SHELLEY

I think it’s important that he gets a male perspective.

RHYS

Look I’m sure that Pete’s already filled him in on all of that.

SHELLEY

Better to be safe than sorry.

RHYS

All right, I’ll do it.

DANI sits at her mirror. KIRSTY walks in.

KIRSTY

Can I come in?

DANI

Sure.

KIRSTY

Dani, I’m so sorry about before. I know I’ve been hard to live with lately.

DANI

What’s the matter Kirst? Is it something I’ve done because if it I wish you’d tell me.

KIRSTY

You haven’t done anything.

DANI

Well, I know there must be something wrong because I’ve tried to be a better sister to you, but it’s like we’re not getting anywhere.

KIRSTY

You’re a great sister. You are. It’s got nothing to do with you, don’t worry about it.

DANI

How can I not worry about when you keep cutting me down.

KIRSTY

Sometimes it’s easier to walk away than.

DANI

What?

KIRSTY

I just find it hard even being in the same room as you.

DANI

Why? What have I done?

KIRSTY

It’s not what you’ve done, it’s what I’ve done. Look Dani, I tried to fight against it and I know I shouldn’t have let it happen and everybody I told to tell me not to do it, but, I just, it was like I was somebody else.

DANI

What are you talking about?

KIRSTY

I’ve got all kinds of excuses taking that E and losing all my friends and Jade was with Nick and they were doing their own thing and sometimes I just felt so alone and I know I shouldn’t have let it happen.

DANI

Let what happen?

KIRSTY

Dani, if you talk to him now. If you sat down and really talked to him.

DANI

Who? Talk to who?

KIRSTY

I know you can’t forgive him for what he did to you, but I know that he hates himself for it.

DANI

What?

KIRSTY

He did the right thing in the end. He brought me back. He gave me a good home.

DANI

No, please.

KIRSTY

Dani, he didn’t even try.

DANI

Stop it, don’t say anything else. Stop it, I don’t want to hear it.

DANI and KIRSTY run out the room.

KIRSTY

Dani please.

DANI

I don’t want to see you, OK.

DANI runs downstairs. JADE comes out her room.

JADE

Tell me you didn’t.

KIRSTY

But she wanted to know.

RHYS and SHELLEY sit on the couch. DANI walks in.

DANI

You knew all about it, didn’t you. You knew all about it. Kirsty has told me everything.

JADE and KIRSTY are at the top of the stairs.

JADE

You told me you wouldn’t tell.

KIRSTY

I couldn’t help it.

JADE

I can’t believe you would be so selfish.

KIRSTY

I didn’t even want to, but once I started I just couldn’t stop.

DANI, RHYS and SHELLEY are in the living room.

DANI

How could you keep this from me? I had a right to know the truth.

SHELLEY

We didn’t want you to get hurt.

DANI

How can I live with her mum? How could I live with any of you?

RHYS

Dani, please try to understand.

DANI

How could you keep this from me? Did you just think that I wouldn’t find out?

SHELLEY

Well, could we just talk about this please.

DANI

No mum. We can’t be a big happy family now. It’s not going to happen because you lied to me.