Scripts - Episode 3803

THE BEACH HOUSE

JOSIE, TASHA and IRENE are there.

TASHA

This is amazing. I can’t believe you’ve found us.

IRENE

I’m finding it a bit hard to believe myself.

JOSIE

I’m sorry to turn up unannounced, but once you told me about Tasha I couldn’t wait to see her.

TASHA

Have you already met? Renei, you said no more secrets.

JOSIE

Don’t be mad at Irene. I asked her not to say anything. I wanted to surprise you.

IRENE

Yeah, it’s all a big surprise.

JOSIE

The main thing is I’ve found you again and what a beautiful young woman you’ve turned out to be. Angie would be really proud.

TASHA

I just can’t believe this is happening. Like, so you’re her cousin.

JOSIE

I’ve brought along some old photos. Maybe they’ll help you understand how I fit in.

JOSIE shows TASHA photos of herself and ANGIE.

TASHA

Woah, you both look like me.

JOSIE

Yeah, like each other. This is your mother and that’s me. It was my sixteenth birthday party.

TASHA

You both look beautiful.

JOSIE

It was a great day. Though, as I remember it Angie managed to get me grounded for a month?

TASHA

How?

JOSIE

She convinced me to steal a bottle of Vodka from my parents drink cabinet. My mum found me being sick in the garden. Needless to say she wasn’t too happy.

IRENE

Tasha, I think you’ll find it’s time to get to school.

TASHA

Aw, Renei, I can’t go.

IRENE

Come on missy. No mucking about. On your bike.

TASHA

I really don’t want to go.

JOSIE

Irene’s right. You can’t miss school. I’m going to be here all day. There’s plenty of time to catch up.

TASHA

Ah.

JOSIE

Well I could always walk you.

TASHA

OK.

JOSIE

And we could talk on the way.

IRENE

Ah, Josie. I think you and me need to have a little talk too.

JOSIE

And we can talk later.

TASHA

See you Renei.

TASHA and JOSIE walk out the house.

TASHA

I just can’t believe this is happened.

IRENE picks up the phone. She gets DYLAN’S answering machine.

DYLAN

Hi, you’ve called Dylan. You know the drill. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you.

IRENE

Dylan, we need to speak.

THE BEACH

TASHA and JOSIE walk along the beach.

TASHA

You’re very beautiful. Like my mum. I’ve heard a lot of stuff about her. Can you tell me about what she was really like?

JOSIE

I can tell you about her when I knew her, but it’s been fifteen years since I last saw her.

TASHA

What happened?

JOSIE

We had a disagreement, but it’s in the past now, where it belongs. I’d much rather hear all about your life.

TASHA

It must have been a pretty bad fight if you haven’t talked to each other since? Please, I really want to know about her. Anything. Even if it’s old stuff.

JOSIE

Well, the truth is, we fought about your dad.

TASHA

So you knew my dad?

JOSIE

Yeah, we spent some time again.

TASHA

You didn’t tell Irene who he is, did you? I don’t want anyone to know.

JOSIE

She didn’t ask and I didn’t tell her. If that’s the way you want it, the truth about you dad will be our secret, I promise.

THE CITY

DYLAN is on his phone.

THE BEACH HOUSE

IRENE runs to answer her phone. She picks it up.

IRENE

Hello.

THE CITY

DYLAN is on his phone.

DYLAN

Hey, are you all right? You sounded kind of stressed.

THE BEACH HOUSE

IRENE is on the phone.

IRENE

Yeah. Well I had an unexpected guest, didn’t I? Josie.

THE CITY

DYLAN is on the phone.

DYLAN

You’re kidding.

IRENE

What the blazers are you playing at Dylan?

THE BEACH HOUSE

IRENE is on the phone.

IRENE

How did she manage to track us down then?

THE CITY

DYLAN is on the phone.

DYLAN

Well I don’t know. I mean, we’ve organised to have dinner next week, but we didn’t even talk about you guys.

THE BEACH HOUSE

IRENE is on the phone.

IRENE

Aw, god love. None of this makes sense.

DYLAN

Well, what do you reckons going on then?

IRENE

I don’t know, but I think we’ve got an answer to the question to how much Josie is like your mother.

THE CITY

DYLAN is on the phone.

IRENE

Pulling a stunt like this is Angie to a T.

THE BEACH

JOSIE and TASHA walk along the beach.

TASHA

Do you want to go check out the rock pools? You might need some other shoes though because they might cut your feet.

JOSIE

I don’t think I dressed appropriately for a day at the beach.

TASHA

That’s OK. We can still do heaps of other stuff.

JOSIE

Well, what about school? Come on, I don’t want Irene thinking that I’m a bad influence on you.

TASHA

It’s just, you might get bored and go back to the city.

JOSIE

Finding you is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Believe me, I will be here when the last bell goes. Off you go.

TASHA

Walk me there.

JOSIE

Go on.

TASHA

Please. Come on. You’ve got to meet my boyfriend. He’s so gorgeous. Please it will be so cool.

SUMMER BAY HIGH

EMMA runs into a classroom. SALLY is there.

EMMA

Miss, miss. You have to come and see this. It’s totally weird.

SALLY

Slow down.

EMMA

She’s come back. She’s here.

SALLY

I’m not following. Who has come back?

EMMA

Mrs Russell.

SALLY

What?

EMMA

I’m not making it up miss. I swear.

ROBBIE, TASHA, JOSIE and KIM walk in. SALLY walks out the classroom.

ROBBIE

So, how come we haven’t heard about you before?

JOSIE

When Tasha was given up for adoption. So, this is where Angie worked?

ROBBIE

I wasn’t here then so I never met her.

TASHA

It’s not her. It’s her cousin.

JOSIE

I seem to be causing a bit of a stir.

KIM

So, how long are you staying?

JOSIE

I have to go back to the city later on unfortunately, but maybe you can come and see me soon.

TASHA

Yeah, I will, every weekend. Miss Fletcher, have you met Josie?

JOSIE

I guess another old friend of Angie’s.

TASHA

She’s my mums cousin.

JOSIE

A pleasure to meet you. Sorry for all the commotion.

SALLY

Aw, that’s OK. Everyone should be in class now anyway.

JOSIE

Off you go. I’ll catch you later.

TASHA

I’ll see you later.

ROBBIE

See you later.

TASHA, ROBBIE and KIM walk away.

JOSIE

See you again guys. She’s amazing. Is she a good student?

SALLY

Oh, when she puts her mind to it.

JOSIE

Education is so important.

SALLY

Yeah.

JOSIE

Can’t get a good job without it.

SALLY

No. What do you do?

JOSIE

Aw, I work in hospitality. I’ll let you get to class.

SALLY

Yeah.

JOSIE walks out the school.

THE BEACH HOUSE

IRENE is sitting at the table. JOSIE walks in.

JOSIE

I hope this is a good time for you, but if I’m interrupting.

IRENE

Anything, but. As a matter of fact I’m looking forward to finding out what the hell it is you’re playing at.

IRENE is sitting at the table. JOSIE is sitting on the couch.

IRENE

I want to know how you managed to find us. I don’t remember giving out any addresses.

JOSIE

Does it really matter?

IRENE

Yeah, it does.

JOSIE

I called on a favour. I gave a friend your license plate number. He gave me your address.

IRENE

Sounds real legal and above board. I thought we had an agreement.

JOSIE

I know I said I would wait, but then got thinking. What if you decided not to let me see Tasha?

IRENE

That’s no reason to come barging into the kids life like this.

JOSIE

I apologise. You’re right.

IRENE

You know something. This is moving way to fast for me which is why I’m going to have to ask you to leave.

JOSIE

I’m sorry.

IRENE

I need time to talk to Tasha about it and then decide what’s best for her.

JOSIE

Is this about what I do for a living?

IRENE

This is about positive role models.

JOSIE

Like a reformed alcoholic, for example. Tasha told me a lot of things this morning

IRENE

Now you hang on a minute.

JOSIE

I imagine that there is so much more to you than the label of alcoholic, but that’s the problem with labels, isn’t it? They make it so easy for people to judge each other. The point is, regardless of my job, I have every right to spend time with Tasha. In fact, as a relative, I have far more right than you.

IRENE

You know, the more I listen to what you’ve got to say, the more you sound like your cousin.

JOSIE

Trust me, we’re nothing alike.

IRENE

The fact remains, I don’t want you to see Tasha for the time being.

JOSIE

So what? She gets no say in this at all. I let Angie’s daughter disappear out of my life once before. I’m not going to let that happen again. I’m going to go to that little diner that Tasha pointed out to me for coffee. Maybe you’d like to join me, once you’ve ha a chance to think things through.

JOSIE walks out.

SUMMER BAY HIGH

SALLY is teaching a class which includes TASHA, ROBBIE and KIM.

SALLY

One if the central themes of Deadly Honour is the relationship between the whites and Aboriginals in the town. Blackie and Dummy Red are two mates that play on the same football team and they do have a very similar sense of humour.

TASHA speaks to ROBBIE.

SALLY

Tasha.

TASHA

Sorry miss.

ROBBIE

Yeah, sorry.

SALLY

OK. Well, anyway, I want all of you to read chapters one or two and then we can discuss their friendship.

TASHA starts talking to ROBBIE again.

SALLY

Is there something I need to know about?

TASHA

Sorry. No.

SALLY

OK. Well start reading please.

TASHA

Hey, Kim.

SALLY

Tasha. Can I talk to you outside?

TASHA and SALLY walk out the classroom.

TASHA

Sorry miss. I’m trying to concentrate. I really am. I just, can’t.

SALLY

Well go on then.

TASHA

What?

SALLY

Have the rest of the day off. You’re no good to any of us here, are you?

TASHA

Really. Thank you so much.

TASHA walks in.

KIM

Where are you going?

TASHA

I’ve got the day off. See you.

TASHA walks out.

KIM

Oh, really. Miss, can I have the day off to? I hurt my ankle before and it’s swelling up and stuff. No, OK.

THE BEACHSIDE DINER

JESSE and ALF stand watching JOSIE sitting at a table.

ALF

Irene mentioned there was a look alike, but suffer and catch .You could have knocked me down with a feather.

JESSE

I swear it’s like looking at Angie’s ghost.

ALF

Yeah, she’s really enjoying all the fuss she’s creating too.

LEAH walks out the diner.

LEAH

Aw, you two are like a couple of kids in the school yard.

JESSE

Are you not the least bit curious?

LEAH

You can pay him for the coffee when you two have finished your little gossip. Take your coffee.

LEAH walks away.

ALF

Mate, I’d stick my beak in if I was you.

JESSE

Sorry mate.

ALF

Look, if you’re that interested in her why don’t you go down and have a bit of a yarn?

JESSE

Aw, trust me. If she’s anything like Angie I don’t want to get involved. I’ll leave you to it.

ALF

Yeah, righto.

JESSE walks away. IRENE walks up to ALF.

ALF

Look, I know you’re here to see her, but can we sort out some of the details of this contract. You know, you are buying my share of the diner.

IRENE

Ah, yeah, look love. I’m sorry. Can we talk about this later? Thanks.

IRENE walks over to JOSIE’S table.

IRENE

OK, here’s the deal. You can see Tasha, but you talk to me first and there is no way known to man she goes anywhere near your world.

JOSIE

If you don’t tell Tasha what I do for a living then I certainly won’t.

IRENE

Good, and there’s something else you need to know. Tasha’s got a legal guardian. His name is Dr. Flynn Saunders so don’t go getting any ideas on that front.

JOSIE

What makes you think I want to take on that role?

IRENE

Well, I believe that Tasha’s dad is involved with a fair bit of dough?

JOSIE

Aw, you’re right. He’s a wealthy man. I can’t tell you his name. Tasha told me not to. You can rest assured Irene, this is not an exercise in gold digging

IRENE

As long as you understand, because I’m telling you now, you muck around with that kid, I’m going to come down on you like a ton of bricks.

JOSIE

Just very lucky to have someone in her life that cares so much about her.

IRENE

Well I’m glad you think so.

JOSIE

Believe it or not, I do. I tell you what. I can’t give you his name, but I can tell you the story about him and Angie and me. Complex little tale.

IRENE

Shouldn’t you be telling Tash this.

JOSIE

One of the first things I intend doing, but that’s why I need to tell you if you’re over the facts, you can help her process it.

IRENE sits down at the table.

IRENE

Fire away.

SUMMER BAY HIGH

KIM and ROBBIE walk up a flight of stairs.

ROBBIE

They’ll be at the diner.

KIM

Well, even if they are they’re not going to want us there.

ROBBIE

Speak for yourself.

KIM

They’re going to have heaps to talk about.

ROBBIE

So do we.

KIM

You see her every day. How often does some mystery relative rock up out of nowhere?

ROBBIE

Exactly. I mean, she seems nice enough, but how did she find Tash in the first place and where has she been all this time?

KIM

In the city, like she said.

ROBBIE

So why is she here now.

KIM

I don’t know, but I know where this heading. Your twisted little minds going in some conspiracy theory.

ROBBIE

No, no, no. It’s called concern for Tash.

KIM

Concern, not jealousy.

ROBBIE

No.

KIM

It’s OK if it is, you know.  So, you know, new relative turns up. Starts spending a lot of time with Tash. You don’t see her as much. It happens.

ROBBIE

You’re totally off the mark.

KIM

Am I. Well leave them alone to have lunch then. Rob, seriously.

ROBBIE

OK, OK, you win.

KIM

Win what? Lunch along with you. Fantastic.

ROBBIE

I still reckon it’s strange though. Maybe it’s not a conspiracy, but it’s something. I’ll get back to you on the theory.

KIM

Can’t wait.

KIM walks away.

THE BEACH

JOSIE stands on the beach. TASHA runs up to her.

TASHA

Josie. I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I got out of school. Miss Fletcher gave me permission.

JOSIE

Are you sure?

TASHA

Yeah.

JOSIE

I don’t want you skipping class.

TASHA

We can go check out the rock pools now if you like. You can wear my shoes.

JOSIE

There’s something else that I think we need to do first.

TASHA

What’s that?

JOSIE

I think it’s time you heard the full truth about your parents.

THE BEACH HOUSE

DYLAN and IRENE walk in.

IRENE

Thanks for getting up here so quick darl.

DYLAN

Yeah, that’s OK. Is Tasha all right?

IRENE

Ah, happy as a lark. It’s Josie I’m worried about.

DYLAN

Aw, right. How did she get your address?

IRENE

Well love, that’s one story and here’s another. It turns out Josie was real close with Tasha’s dad, way back, even before Tash was born.

DYLAN

But I thought he and Angie were together.

IRENE

Mmm, yeah, I’m afraid it’s not that simple. Josie gave us the tidied up version, but it’s easy to read between the lines.

THE BEACH

TASHA and JOSIE walk along the beach.

JOSIE

I idolised your mother, but she certainly had a knack for getting me into trouble, anything Angie did, I had to do it to.

TASHA

Anything bad?

JOSIE

The usual thing teenagers get up to. Boys, parties, sometimes we used to swap places and trick people.

TASHA

What? You’d pretend to be her.

JOSIE

And vice-versa.

TASHA

And how did you meet my dad?

JOSIE

I was working in a bar and he ordered a drink and we got to know each other.

TASHA

And you became friends?

JOSIE

He was my boyfriend.

THE BEACH HOUSE

IRENE and DYLAN are there.

IRENE

As soon as she realised the bloke was loaded she latched on to him.

DYLAN

Is that what she said?

IRENE

Well, like I said. You can read between the lines. She became his mistress.

DYLAN

What? She was already married?

THE BEACH

TASHA and JOSIE walk along the beach.

JOSIE

Ian was nothing like the men I was used. He was powerful. He was brilliant.

TASHA

So did Angie have a boyfriend?

JOSIE

Angie was pregnant with Dylan when I first met Ian.

TASHA

So, how did Ian, I mean, my dad and Angie get together.

JOSIE

I’d been seeing Ian regularly for about three years and one night I was sick with the flu. Angie offered to ring him. Let him know that I wouldn’t be able to meet him. I found out later that she never made that call.

THE BEACH HOUSE

DYLAN and IRENE are there.

DYLAN

Angie went along herself, pretended to be Josie and slept with him.

IRENE

You got it.

THE BEACH

TASHA and JOSIE are walking up from the beach.

TASHA

If someone did that to me and Rob. Why did she do it?

JOSIE

It’s taken me a lot of years to understand. In her mind she was just having fun. She didn’t mean to hurt me.

TASHA

She still should have realised.

JOSIE

I don’t think she could help herself. Angie was always someone who always wanted more, more attention, more love and sometimes that made her blind to how much she could hurt to people around her.

THE BEACH HOUSE

IRENE and DYLAN are there.

IRENE

So then Angie realises she’s gone and got herself pregnant or maybe that’s what she wanted all along. Who knows, so she puts the hard word on the bloke with the cash.

DYLAN

Ah, yeah, but maybe she generally wanted the money to raise Tasha.

IRENE

That’s not the way he saw it. He reckoned she’d planned it all along so she could get the bucks.

DYLAN

OK, so what about Josie?

IRENE

She got tarred with the same brush. Got the flick too.

THE SURF CLUB

JOSIE and TASHA are there.

JOSIE

Of course I was upset about losing Ian. We were going to make a life together, but once I finished crying, picked myself up. Got myself on with it.

TASHA

And that’s why you and mum fell out?

JOSIE

Not exactly. Initially I stood by her. It’s the next thing she did that really upset me.

THE BEACH HOUSE

IRENE and DYLAN are there.

IRENE

According to Josie, they feel out over Angie’s decision to put Tasha up for adoption.

DYLAN

So Josie wanted to keep Tash.

IRENE

Well that’s her version of events. Of course, it’s real easy to paint yourself as the good guy when the other persons dead.

THE SURF CLUB

TASHA and JOSIE are there.

TASHA

But my mum loved me, didn’t she?

JOSIE

Of course she did.

TASHA

Not like my dad. I mean, he never wanted to have anything to do with me.

JOSIE

Not back then, no.

TASHA

I mean, I can understand why. Because he was tricked.

JOSIE

Yeah, he was.

TASHA

Mum said in the letter that I shouldn’t ever trust him.

JOSIE

Don’t make any snap judgements. Ian is a rich and powerful man. He lives by his own rules. That doesn’t mean that he’s a bad person.

TASHA

Because I want to meet him one day, but I have to be really ready.

JOSIE

Well, whatever happens from now on, you’re not going to be alone because I will be with you, every step of the way.

THE BEACH HOUSE

DYLAN and IRENE are there.

DYLAN

So, how much of that are we supposed to believe?

IRENE

Aw, who know love, but I’ve learnt one thing today. Josie’s got a real knack for twisting the truth.

DYLAN

You reckon she’s up to something?

IRENE

Either way, she better not try and knock that girl around or she’s got another thing coming. Nobody hurts my little girl, nobody.

SUMMER BAY HIGH

ROBBIE and KIM are standing at their lockers.

ROBBIE

It’s chaos theory.

KIM

What?

ROBBIE

Like that movie, The Butterfly Effect. A insect flaps his wings on one side of the world causing an earthquake on the other.

KIM

Wasn’t that the dogs barking. It’s one of the first signs.

ROBBIE

No, I mean it. One small incident can change everything.

KIM

Rob, what are you talking about?

ROBBIE

Josie. Maybe her turning up is going to do just that. Change everything.

KIM

She just got here. Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun a bit?

ROBBIE

I’m just thinking out aloud, that’s all. I mean, you know what Tasha’s like. She jumps into things without thinking sometimes.

KIM

Sometimes.

ROBBIE

This is exactly my point. She doesn’t know anything about Josie and I just don’t want her getting too carried away with the idea of having like a brand new family for life. If this Josie woman going to mess around and if she’s anything like Angie.

KIM

Yeah, if, if.

ROBBIE

Woah, she could be.

KIM walks away.

THE BEACH HOUSE

DYLAN and JOSIE sit at the table. They laugh. TASHA and JOSIE walk in.

DYLAN

Hey.

TASHA

Hello. What are you doing here?

DYLAN

Ah, you know.

TASHA

Aw, Renei. Before you say anything, Miss Fletcher gave me the day off and I tried calling your mobile, but it was switched off.

IRENE

Fair enough.

JOSIE

I didn’t realise you were coming here today. I could have given you a lift.

DYLAN

Kind of a last minute thing.

JOSIE

I’ve had the most wonderful day. Thank you.

TASHA

Me too. When am I going to see you again?

JOSIE

I could come up next weekend if you’re free, if that’s OK with you.

TASHA

Yeah, that would be great. If you like I could come to the city so you don’t always have to come out here. Is that OK Renei? I’ll do homework.

JOSIE

Actually I’d prefer to come here if that’s OK with you because it gives me a chance to escape the hustle and the bustle.

TASHA

OK, but you’ll stay here.

JOSIE

We’ll see. And I look forward to our dinner next week.

TASHA

Ah, yeah. Me too.

JOSIE

Thank you for bringing Tasha and I together. I’ll see you again.

IRENE

Frankly.

IRENE’S mobile phone rings.

IRENE

Excuse me.

DYLAN

I’ll walk you to your car.

JOSIE

You look after yourself. You’ve got my number. You give me a call.

TASHA

Yeah, I will.

IRENE

Aw, I’m sorry darl. I was switched off.

JOSIE and DYLAN walk out.

IRENE

Are you serious?

Aw my god.

Yeah, yeah, love. Of course I will, of course.

Yeah, thanks for letting me know.

Bye.

IRENE hangs up.

TASHA

How was that?

IRENE

It was Detective Baker. Sarah Lewis has done a runner from the institution.

TASHA

Crazy Sarah?

IRENE

Yeah, and there’s no need to guess where she’s heading.