Episode 7454

Extended Summary

Alf and Martha have gone to Salt for dinner to talk things through. Martha notes safety net wasn’t the right phrase to use. John suddenly sits down with them, chatting about Colby being arrested and the fight outside his place. Alf tells him to call Colleen if he wants a gossip. John realises they’ve had an argument and offers his services to sort it out. Alf gives him the table instead and takes Martha out onto the balcony. There, Martha explains Merimbula was the place where she landed when she left Summer Bay and learned to trust herself again, and she sees it as a retreat. Alf begins to realise she feels she might need to go back there if she feels unwell and is pleased that they both want to be together.

Justin emerges from the bedroom and complains to Tori about her leaving him and Leah with Grace but no nappies. He wonders why she’s out in the corridor and she explains Christian fell asleep when he wasn’t supposed to. Even though he makes it clear he’d rather not be having the conversation, Justin tells her that Christian’s a bloke and would want to be woken up. Tori goes back in and tries but Christian fails to be roused. Tori lies down next to him instead and, despite being mostly asleep, he cuddles up to her. Next morning, Leah convinces a weary Justin that they should take Grace out to give the couple some space. Tori and Christian wake up together. Christian realises what happened and apologises but Tori says she liked waking up with him anyway. She offers to get breakfast but he pulls her back down onto the bed, saying he’s not hungry, and they kiss.

Alf, Marilyn and Martha are setting up for breakfast outside the caravan park house when Owen appears, looking for Roo. Alf is suspicious of him and asks if he’s tried phoning her. Owen says he has. Marilyn offers to give her a call, while Owen introduces himself to Martha. Roo is at the surf club when she gets the call. When Marilyn explains, Roo says to tell him she’s not there. Marilyn tells Owen that Roo’s at the beauticians’ and they don’t know when she’ll be back. Owen says he’ll hang around. Roo literally bumps into Ryder and insists to him that he hasn’t seen her.

Leah and Justin are walking by the beach with Grace. Leah notices Justin looks tired and gets him to sit down. He blames it on being kept awake by Grace but acknowledges that Tori seems happy. Back at the house, Tori and Christian are curled up in bed together. Tori says it was perfect and Christian says she’s perfect. They elect to stay there for a while.

Ryder is trying to get an explanation from Roo. John is surprised to see Roo still there. She says she wants another juice and asks to see a menu. When John hangs around listening to the chat about Owen being back, Roo gives him the menu and tells him to surprise her. She tells Ryder she can’t tell him what happened but needs a favour. Back at the house, Alf is similarly trying to demand explanations from Owen but Owen says Roo would have told him if she wanted him to know and refuses to discuss it. Martha says he’s respecting Roo’s privacy and ushers Alf away. Ryder returns and acts surprised to see Owen. He tells Marilyn she has a “thing” at the surf club. Marilyn eventually gets the hint (and possibly Owen does too, judging by his expression) and leaves. Ryder tries to get Owen to come to Yabbie Creek with him but Owen refuses to go anywhere without seeing Roo.

Leah, Justin and Grace are back at the house when Tori and Christian finally emerge from the bedroom. Leah explains they’ve been down the beach. Christian crouches down near Grace and chats to her about it, which prompts smiles from everyone. Meanwhile, Marilyn tracks Roo down at Salt and tells her that Owen doesn’t seem like he’s going to move. Roo is still reluctant to talk about what happened but Marilyn points out she’s got her and Ryder covering for her now. She says Owen can’t have done anything that bad. Roo replies that it’s her that’s done something terrible.

Alf and Martha are walking along the beach. Alf says that if Merimbula’s where she feels most comfortable they could move there. Martha says she appreciates the gesture and Alf wonders if he said the wrong thing. Martha says he said the right thing but she’s happy to keep both places. Alf is somewhat confused but works out that they’re not going anywhere. Meanwhile, Ryder and Owen are walking through the caravan park. Ryder suggests going to the Diner or the lighthouse but Owen knows he’s distracting him. Ryder admits it but refuses to tell him where Roo is. He wonders what Owen did. Owen sadly notes that everyone has him pegged as the bad guy.

Roo explains to Marilyn that she called Owen Evan. Marilyn says she’s done that but Roo says it wasn’t in everyday conversation but when they were “together” in bed: Owen didn’t say anything and she left in the middle of the night. She wonders if it means she was thinking about Evan but Marilyn says she must have genuine feelings for Owen to care how he feels and he can’t hate her if he’s come all this way. She heads back to the house where Ryder tells her he had to put Owen in a van. Roo apologises for putting him in that position. They hear music and see Alf and Martha dancing, quietly noting they’ve sorted things out.

Christian is going to give Justin a lift to the hospital for his appointment. The two men leave and Leah tries to quiz Tori but they’re interrupted by Christian, who kisses Tori goodbye. Later, Leah is chatting to John outside the Diner when Justin pulls up in a taxi. He says Tori wasn’t at home so he came here. Nearly collapsing, he notes he said he’d ask when he needed help and the time has come.

Roo approaches Owen’s caravan. He emerges and invites her in, saying she’s a hard woman to track down and he deserves better. Roo agrees, saying she’s ready to have that talk now.