Episode 6713

Extended Summary

Brody and Lena sneak down some stairs at the rehab clinic. Brody checks that they’ll only be gone a few hours and Lena takes his hand, sarcastically suggesting he stay and talk about his feelings. After a security guard has passed by, they dash across the lawn. Meanwhile, Scarlett runs into Justin outside the surf club and says she’s heard about Mason regainining consciousness. Justin admits Brody doesn’t know yet and says he’s going to tell him in person. Scarlett asks to come along; she’d like to see him and she has errands to run in Yabbie Creek. Justin arranges to pick her up in twenty minutes. After she’s gone, Alf asks Justin if he’s seen the paper: The headline refers to a shooting in the US.

Ben and Maggie suggest that Ziggy and Coco, who are both lounging around the house, could do with going out, especially Ziggy who still hasn’t found a job. Coco says that Raffy’s busy visiting Mason. Ziggy heads out in fairly casual attire, saying she’s going to try for a job as a beach bum. Meanwhile, at the caravan park, Justin is phoning Phoebe. Alf loiters nearby but gives them some privacy when Phoebe answers and is okay. Justin agrees with her that he hasn’t kept in touch: Her next comment seems to kill his good mood somewhat but he says he’s pleased for her. Scarlett comes out of her van as he hangs up and he pretends nothing’s happened.

Olivia is finishing off a shift at the Diner and is due to have lunch with Hunter. Ziggy comes in and asks Leah for a coffee and a job. Leah says there’s no jobs available but Olivia likes the idea of working with her. Leah asks for a CV and Ziggy says it’s at home. She decides that her job hunting is done for the day and asks Olivia to hang out. Olivia tells her about the lunch but invites her to meet them at Salt. Ziggy checks her purse; she has next to no money. Olivia heads home where Hunter is e-mailing Wally and says he’ll visit later in the week. Hunter is looking forward to the date and Olivia admits she invited Ziggy. Hunter is fine with it but after Olivia has gone to get changed he rings VJ and asks for help.

Lena has parked the car and lies down in the back and unbuttons her shirt, to Brody’s discomfort…which increases when she takes out a sachet of drugs. Justin and Scarlett are driving and Scarlett comments on Justin being quiet. Justin says it’s just because he’s worried about Mason and Brody. Scarlett notes her mother always used to say “Someone cares.” They see Brody walking by the road. Justin is furious that he’s skipped out of rehab. Brody says the questions they ask him don’t help and he just took the drugs because he was stressed. Justin is unimpressed by the explanation and Brody reveals the real reason: he saw their parents die from his window.

Ziggy arrives home and asks Ben for $30 to go to Salt. Maggie stops him giving it to her and asks her about the job hunting. She says Leah wants to see her resume so Maggie tells her to write it now, with Ben agreeing she can have lunch with her friends another day. Ziggy tries to butter up Coco when she comes in but Coco says she doesn’t have any money. After setting Ziggy down at the table with her laptop, Maggie announces she and Ben are going shopping for groceries, adding that Ben finished off the biscuits. Coco sneaks out awkwardly. Ziggy takes Ben’s credit card from his wallet moments before he comes back for it. Later, Olivia and Ziggy turn up at Salt to find both Hunter and VJ waiting for them. Olivia stresses that she knew nothing about it and asks Hunter for an explanation.

While Scarlett waits in the car, Brody tells Justin that he’s always tried to bury what he saw: It was okay when he had the adrenaline from being in witness protection but since that ended he’s been focusing on Salt to distract himself, which is why he got so upset about it having difficulties. He adds that the drugs made him feel normal. Justin hugs him. Much later, Justin and Scarlett walk Brody back to the clinic. They fill him in on the fact Zannis seems to have gone. Scarlett hugs Brody and tells him she’s proud of him, telling Justin she’ll wait in the car. Brody notes the clinic might not have missed him and Justin tells him to let it out. Brody wonders if there’s something Justin’s not saying about Mason, adding that he’s been his brother for twenty-five years and know when he’s hiding something. Justin tells him Phoebe’s met someone else.

Coco is studying and has finished off a pack of doughnuts. She sees on her phone that Jennifer has re-posted one of her smiling photos with the caption “Coco Pops #suckingatlife” and starts eating a chocolate mousse from the fridge but puts it back when Ben and Maggie come home. She tells them Ziggy went to drop off the resume. Maggie thinks Coco should stop studying and go into town, giving her money to get lunch. Ben shoots Maggie a pointed look and she claims that’s different. At Salt, VJ clears up Ziggy’s leftovers. Ziggy offers to buy dessert, saying Ben gave her his credit card. VJ orders chocolate sundae and Ziggy asks for lemon meringue pie. Olivia takes Hunter to order and chides him for setting VJ up with Coco’s sister; Hunter insists he was just evening things up. VJ and Ziggy joke that this is the bit where they fall in love. Coco comes in and sees them laughing together, walking straight out again.

Ben and Maggie are on the veranda when Coco comes home and tells them she saw Ziggy flirting with VJ at Salt. She is frustrated when Ziggy being at Salt is the part they focus on. Back at the meal, Hunter and Olivia stress that it wasn’t a set-up. VJ and Ziggy creep them out somewhat by behaving in a coupley fashion, exchanging compliments and stroking each other, before cracking up laughing. Ziggy adds that she likes tortured and grungey, not buff train.

Ben and Maggie talk to Coco through her bedroom door, with Ben’s comments that she might have been mistaken and Ziggy is closer to VJ’s age not doing much to help her mood. Maggie wonders how Ziggy could afford to go to Salt and Ben suggests her friends paid. Maggie recalls it was her that paid for the groceries and asks Ben to check his wallet. Ben doesn’t think Ziggy would be that stupid…until he checks. Later, Ziggy arrives home. Coco tells her she saw her with VJ and hates her. Ben and Maggie angrily confront her, reclaiming the credit card. Ziggy tries to debate whether it’s stealing when it’s family but they tell her they’re sick of her expecting a free ride, showing them no respect and making no attempt to get a job: She’s grounded.

That evening, Justin and Scarlett are having a drink at Salt. She senses something is up and he jokes that it’s her taste in beer, before admitting he’ll drink anything except tequila. (He confirms there’s a story there but won’t tell it.) Drunkenly, he says that Scarlett gets him and wonders why they’re ignoring what’s between them. He suggests they go back to her place.