Episode 7211

Extended Summary

Dean and Ziggy walk along the beach. Ziggy comments on Karen’s rapid departure. Dean notes it’s usual for her, even though he thought it’d be different this time. Ziggy thinks she’ll be back, jokingly mentioning her reference to grandchildren. Dean tells her not to take it seriously. Ziggy thinks mums don’t joke about that but Dean snaps that his mum’s not like hers. Seeing Ryder ahead with his surf board, Dean claims he has a surfing lesson with him. He goes over and convinces Ryder to play along. At the Diner, Alf and Irene listen in as Ben finishes a phone call. Justin also arrives and Ben tells him about the arrest in Indonesia, before explaining he has to meet his lawyer. It’s not as simple as being off the hook, since the police still have to interview the other guy, so he asks them not to tell his family yet.

At the farm house, Maggie is on the phone to Coco and tells her to concentrate on her exams while they worry about Ben. Ziggy comes home and tells Maggie about Karen leaving and Dean being weird. Meanwhile, Roo sees Ryder putting his board back and comments on him not doing much studying. Ryder sits and reads a Maths question, but then spends his time looking at his phone. Roo realises he’s looking at the car and threatens to change the WiFi password (but goes quiet when Ryder asks if she knows how). Leah comes through in a good mood, saying with Irene’s trial over she can concentrate on Justin. Alf arrives as Leah and Roo are leaving and Roo tells him to make sure Ryder studies. Alf notes you can lead a horse to water but not make him drink, but does tell Ryder to get down to it.

Leah joins Justin at the Diner and asks about Raffy; he says she made it there safely and Brody’s taking her to her appointment. Irene is surprised to see Leah there, since she’s not on shift, and declines an offer of help, saying she’s never been more glad to be serving coffees. A short time after, Irene has a phone conversation with Collins as Leah enters to talk about booking a B&B for herself and Justin. Irene tells her Tommy’s going ahead with the civil case, suing her for a million dollars for medical expenses and compensation. She reminds Leah that it puts the Diner at risk. She has another phone chat with Collins and tells Leah she’s been advised to settle out of court. Leah wants her to keep fighting but Irene reminds her this is her fault for not letting her sign over the Diner and tells her to let her handle it this time.

Dean joins Mackenzie at Salt. Mackenzie has got a call from Karen turning down the job and Dean doesn’t blame her for Karen leaving. Mackenzie asks him to cover Karen’s shifts. Dean asks her if she’s thought about having children. Mackenzie is bemused, wondering if Colby’s said something or Ziggy’s pregnant, before concluding that she’s never really thought about it except in the sense of maybe one day. Back at the caravan park house, Ryder reads out a list of numbers to Alf, saying they’re what similar cars have gone for while this one is $4000. However, he only has $3000 at the moment and is hoping to pay the rest in instalments. He says you only get one first car, wondering if Alf ever had a dream car. Alf recalls wanting an FE Holden Special Sedan and admits he never got one.

Alf joins Justin at the Diner and asks his opinion on the car Ryder’s after. Justin says it’s a good model but you get what you pay for. He offers to go and look the car over. Roo and Maggie come in and Roo wonders why Alf isn’t keeping an eye on Ryder. Maggie gets a call from Ben and says she’ll have to skip lunch since he wants to talk. Leah emerges from the kitchen and asks to talk to Justin outside. On the wharf, Justin fails to calm her down as she rants about how Irene’s given up and is going to let Tommy win. Justin eventually tells her that, since he’s going to Yabbie Creek to check the car over, she could come with him and ask the Legal Aid office for advice.

Maggie joins Ben and Ziggy at Salt. Ben tells them about the arrest but warns them not to get their hopes up. Dean serves them but declines an offer to join them. Ziggy goes over to him and tells him she’s there when he’s ready to talk. Dean asks Mackenzie to send a round of free drinks over. Mackenzie follows him out onto the balcony and wonders what’s going on between him and Ziggy. Dean tells her to mind her own business. Mackenzie tells him his shift’s over: She’s not going to let him hide there. Dean walks out past the Astonis’. He runs into Ryder downstairs and, despite not really being in the mood, listens to his dilemma over the car. He tells him he doesn’t need Alf and Roo’s permission and to offer what he can afford.

Leah and Justin arrive back at the Diner. Justin tells Alf the car has good bones but needs a lot of work and it’d be a labour of love. Leah joins Irene in the kitchen, saying she got legal advice and Irene’s right. Irene apologises for losing her temper, saying she appreciates Leah’s backing and that she’s going to the support group meeting. Leah agrees to follow Irene’s lead but is somewhat worried to hear that, in order to safeguard the Diner, she’s going to sell her house. Outside the caravan park house, Ryder texts the car owner offering $3000. Roo appears and they banter a bit about him needing to study.

Ben, Ziggy and Maggie are near the beach when Dean approaches. Maggie says she and Ben will leave them to it; they say awkward farewells before departing in opposite directions. Dean apologises for being rude and Ziggy wonders why a throwaway remark had such an effect. Dean says he needs to be straight with her: Him and kids is never going to happen. At the Diner, Irene asks Leah to keep an eye on things while she sees a real estate agent about selling the house. Leah asks her to hold on, suggesting they both go to the support group and see if anyone there has any advice.

At the farm house, Dean shows Ziggy an article about schizoaffective disorder, which Karen has, on his phone, explaining that it’s genetic so he could pass it on to his kids: He knows what it’s like to grow up around someone who has it. Ziggy suggests there are other ways to have children but Dean says if she wants kids she needs to walk away from him.