Episode 7212

Extended Summary

Dean is sat near the beach. Bella comes over and asks to borrow five bucks. Dean hands her ten without thinking and also without asking why she wants it or when she’ll pay it back. Ryder arrives and makes an unsuccessful attempt to elicit a high five from Dean. He explains about making the offer but still wants advice. Dean says he can’t deal with this and walks off. Ryder takes Bella’s $10 and says she can shout him a juice. At the farm house, Maggie arrives home and asks Ziggy if she’s in for dinner. Ziggy says she’s nowhere else to be and explains about Karen’s grandchildren comment and how Dean is worried about passing her disorder on. She notes that, despite it crossing her mind with Brody, she’s never been sold on having children. Maggie asks how likely it is Dean would pass it on, getting Ziggy to do research.

Irene and Leah arrive back at the Diner. Leah thanks Irene for letting her talk at the support group and is impressed by the people there. Teresa suddenly arrives, saying she’s there to help them. They ask her if she has experience of lawsuits and she replies that she has experience of scumbags. She says they need to bring in public pressure and also suggests a brick through the magistrate’s window. Irene and Leah look worried and she says she’s kidding. Later, the three of them have decamped to the caravan park house. Teresa says that making Irene the poster girl isn’t enough this time: They need to go after Tommy and shame him. Irene and Leah worry that accusing him might see his criminal case thrown out of court. Teresa asks why Tommy hasn’t gone to trial. Irene says Colby said it’s not unusual but Teresa thinks they’re stalling, insisting that trials aren’t fair, rules favour the guilty and rapists walk. She asks how they’ll feel if he attacks another girl.

Ryder and Bella are playing pool at the surf club. Bella wonders what’s up with Dean. Ryder retorts that he has a car and can surf. He gets a text response from the car owner and frets over what it might say. Bella takes the phone from him and opens the message, saying the seller wants another $500. Alf and Roo come in. After promising Roo he’s been studying, Ryder asks Alf to lend him the money. Alf says if he spends everything on the car, he’ll have nothing for rego, insurance and petrol. He says some things are beyond your reach. Upstairs, Ziggy finds Dean and tells him statistically the chances of passing on the disorder are low. Dean doesn’t care, saying growing up with Karen she could be manic or depressed and he didn’t know what he was coming home to. He isn’t just scared of his kids having it: He thinks he might, pointing to the state he was in after Willow was shot. He doesn’t want to put a child through that.

Teresa is coming up with plans to brand Tommy a rapist, wanting Leah to dig up dirt on her blog and posters with his face on. Irene and Leah worry that it’s too inflammatory. Teresa is upset that they aren’t on board. Irene suggests calling it a day; Teresa wonders if she should come back tomorrow and they suggest they call her. Teresa tells Irene she admires her and Irene awkwardly shakes her hand. After Teresa has gone, Irene says Leah opened up a can of worms at the support group and Leah decides to stop Teresa commenting on her blog. At the Diner, Alf and Justin discuss Ryder’s request of a loan and Justin reminisces about his first car, Faith, so named because that’s what he needed when she kept breaking down. Maggie arrives and sees Ben getting a takeaway. She notes she doesn’t know where Ziggy is, explaining about what Karen said and Dean’s reaction. Ben’s takeaway is ready so he leaves, after confirming Maggie’s suspicion that it’s veggie lasagne.

Dean is sitting outside the surf club. Ben sees him and comes over. He comments on Karen leaving; Dean notes she liked Ben and says he’s used to it. He says he’s just waiting for the police to turn up or her to ask him for money or her to go missing completely. Ben thinks it’s different this time: Karen left because she didn’t want to be a burden to Dean. He also recalls what she said about not screwing up with his family. At the caravan park house, Roo tells Leah she’s agreed to lend the money and Leah tells her about Teresa. Alf and Justin arrive, moments before Ryder comes in saying the car’s been sold. He blames Alf for not lending him the money and storms out. Alf tells Justin they’ll let him think about that for a while, then takes Roo outside for a chat. Leah tells Justin about Teresa.

Irene is clearing up outside the Diner when Teresa appears behind her, startling her. Teresa says she could have been Tommy; Irene doesn’t see why he’d come after her but Teresa calls him a psychopath. She insists Tommy will walk free and they have to deal with him themselves. She also doesn’t trust Leah since she blocked her. Irene says she has to follow the law and her hands are tied. Seemingly reading more into this than intended, Teresa says she understands. Ziggy and Bella appear, after a hot chocolate. Bella thanks Teresa for her support, saying there should be more people like her. Teresa gives Irene a nod of silent understanding that seems to leave Irene confused. Next morning, Dean is on the phone to Karen at the surf club. He tells Ziggy that Karen didn’t go to Reefton Lakes; she checked herself back into the hospital to learn coping techniques. Ziggy thinks this is a good sign and tells Dean he’s not alone.

Alf and Roo take Ryder for a walk near the Diner, where they run into Bella. Ryder sees the car he was after and gushes over it, saying it’s beautiful and that a local must have bought it so he’ll see it all the time… Alf and Roo help the penny drop: They brought him there because Alf bought the car for him. Justin’s going to fix it up and it’ll be ready when the HSC finishes in three weeks. Ryder apologises for being mean to Alf and sits in the car, saying it’s the best day of his life. Back at the house, Leah and Justin watch a video Leah made in which she criticises the idea of offenders profiting from their crimes and insists the law must be changed. Leah thinks it’s too emotional but Justin says it’s passionate. Later, Ryder gives Alf tea just the way he likes it; Alf reminds him the car will be gone if he doesn’t study and Justin assures Ryder he’ll take care of it like it was Faith. Roo compliments Leah on the video.

On the wharf, Irene and Bella watch the video on a phone; both are impressed. Teresa suddenly approaches them: There is blood on her top and on her face. Irene asks what happened; Teresa says Irene’s hands are tied but hers aren’t. Horrified, Irene asks what she’s done. Teresa says she’s fixed it.