Episode 7383

Extended Summary

Willow and Amber turn up at the club. Amber quickly zeroes in on a couple of men at the bar, despite Willow’s protests, and tries to get them to buy drinks, but is quickly rebuffed. Meanwhile, back at the Diner flat, Ziggy is on the phone to someone (probably Dean) discussing the fact she has the flat to herself. She goes to the fridge but doesn’t seem impressed by its contents.

Roo joins Alf at Salt. He notes he’s spent ages pretending to study the menu while Ryder has been working. Justin collects some pizzas from Ryder and says he’s sorry about Evan and Ryder can always talk to him since he went through the same thing. Ryder snaps that Justin has no idea what he’s going through and storms off to the balcony. Alf tells Justin it might be the circuit breaker they needed. He joins Ryder and asks why he changed his mind about going to the funeral. Ryder says he won’t know anyone there and they might not even know Evan had a son, so he thinks it’s best he doesn’t go. At the club, Amber again tries to interest Willow in a guy without success. Tane appears and buys them both a drink. Amber notes the night just got more interesting.

Mackenzie is surprised to find Ryder still at Salt, telling him he can go home. Alf and Roo try to get Ryder to sit with them or walk home with them but he hurries off. Ziggy turns up and invites Mackenzie to join her for dinner, saying Dean’s with Karen, Colby and Bella have disappeared and she can’t drop in on Ben and Maggie anymore. She decides to invite Willow to join them but when she calls her she is blasted with club noise. Willow says they’re in Reefton Lakes and invites Ziggy to join them. Ziggy invites Mackenzie to come too.

Alf and Roo return home having a conversation about travelling up to the funeral. Alf asks Ryder what his plans are but Ryder repeats that Alf and Roo should go without him, then heads up to bed. Alf notes they can’t force him to go but Roo thinks he’ll regret not going. Later, Alf finds Ryder sat round the back. Ryder shows him a photo of him and Evan and asks if he thinks they look alike. He notes that he doesn’t know anything about Evan’s friends or where he lived or even how he died. Alf thinks Evan’s friends will only care that Ryder’s his son and tells him to be himself.

Tane gives Willow and Amber the drinks but immediately goes to another girl. Amber is happy with the drinks. Ziggy and Mackenzie turn up and Mackenzie is unhappy to see Amber, who quickly volunteers her to get the next round in. She is even less happy to see Tane and rebuffs his attempts to talk to her. Later, Amber again tries without success to get Willow interested in a guy, with Mackenzie not commenting when Amber wonders what Willow’s type is these days, before going to dance. Mackenzie asks Willow about Amber, saying she hooked up with one of her staff. Willow doesn’t see why it’s a big deal, noting Amber doesn’t do relationships.

Later, Amber finally accepts Willow isn’t interested in a hook-up but convinces her to at least come and dance with her, describing herself as the “fun friend”. Ziggy protests that she’s fun too and follows them, leaving Mackenzie behind. Meanwhile, Roo comes downstairs to find Alf and Ryder still up and notes she was checking for burglars. Alf and Ryder tell her about Ryder’s fears that he doesn’t know much about Evan. They encourage him to go to the funeral to learn more with Roo noting it’s his only chance to say goodbye.

Ziggy, Mackenzie and Willow watch as Amber dances with a guy. Amber objects to him touching her and Tane steps in. The guy takes several swings at him which Tane dodges before knocking him down. Shortly after, Tane is escorted away and Amber quips to Willow that they can still shut a club down. Mackenzie isn’t impressed that Amber is enjoying it. They square up and Mackenzie pushes Amber away. Ziggy steps between them and Amber accidentally punches her. Willow decides to take Amber home. Mackenzie gets a text that her car’s arrived and offers to let Ziggy crash at hers.

Early next morning, Willow and Amber are walking home along the beach. Willow finally explains she was in a relationship with a woman and Amber replies that if she’d known she’d have set her up with the waitress she was talking to. Willow asks her to try and get on with Mackenzie. Meanwhile, Roo is getting ready to go to the funeral with Alf having decided to stay and keep an eye on Ryder. However, Ryder then appears with a bag and says he’s going. Alf hurries to pack as well and Ryder tells Roo she was right that he would have regretted not going.

Ziggy and Mackenzie run into Amber and Willow near the surf club. Amber is not-that-apologetic about Ziggy’s shiner, mostly just wishing she’d hit Mackenzie instead. Willow tries to calm things and Amber calls out in a flirtatious manner to a passing Tane. When Mackenzie objects, Amber deduces it’s because she’s interested in him herself. Mackenzie denies it so Amber goes to chat him up. Mackenzie and Ziggy head back to the Diner flat. Ziggy knows Amber was right but Mackenzie says nothing’s happened and it won’t, since Tane isn’t rostered on for days. However, when she turns up at Salt, Tane is working and explains he agreed to cover Ryder’s shifts. Mackenzie says she’ll get someone else to cover the others but Tane is happy to keep doing it. Mackenzie cringes.