Episode 7458

Extended Summary

Tori is fussing around trying to get the birthday sorted. She asks Justin to put a chair under the tree outside, then tells him to put the table there instead, then changes her mind again. Leah recalls staying up all night icing cupcakes before VJ’s first birthday. Tori says she’s making a cake, which concerns everyone. She goes to check on a crying Grace. Leah offers to do the work for Justin but Justin says the new dose Christian gave him is working and wants her to keep an eye on the baking. Some time later, Jasmine arrives to join Tori. She notes she thought Brody would bring a cake. Tori says Raffy is studying for VCE so Brody has to stay with her and Ava has a football tournament. Jasmine says Ian and Wendy are coming tomorrow. Tori takes the cake out but finds it has sunk in the middle.

Mackenzie and Nikau are walking near the beach. Mackenzie says that Ari and Tane are getting the money together to pay off the debt. After a bit of pushing, she admits that they’re doing another job. Nikau says he saw Ari when he got out of prison and doesn’t think he’d survive it again. He notes the last time his family did a job his dad died. Meanwhile, Ari and Tane arrive back at the house. Tane has a wad of cash with him and Ari tells him to get rid of it as soon as possible. On cue, Tane gets a text about handing over the money. Ari wants to go with him but Tane tells him to concentrate on getting the window fixed.

Tori and Jasmine are icing the cake together and reminisce about Robbo making the crib for Grace. Justin and Leah come in. Tori says the cake’s a butterfly although Justin thinks it’s hit a windscreen. Leah suggests it’s how it tastes that counts. Justin tastes some of the icing and gags. Tori gives up and puts it in the bin but insists on trying again. Leah suggests following the recipe and letting the cake cool before icing it. Meanwhile, Ari and Tane arrive at Salt. Nikau is at the bar and Tane jokingly accuses him of slacking off work. Nikau says it’s his day off, which they’d know if they didn’t keep things from him. The argument escalates until Nikau storms out while Mackenzie apologises to the customers. She tells Ari and Tane that Nikau won’t let them protect him.

At the Diner, Martha and Roo suggest Alf come with them dress shopping but Alf says he’d rather see the dentist plus he’s meeting John. Roo tells Irene she’s getting a new dress for a date with Owen. After Roo and Martha have left, John arrives and asks Marilyn if she’s seen Ari today, explaining about the boarded up window. Alf tells John they need to go back to his to do the inventory. John gets some alerts on his phone but says nothing despite Marilyn looking at him expectantly. Later, Irene tells Marilyn that she gave a customer a tofu burger by mistake. Marilyn asks Irene if she thought there was something strange about John but says she respects his privacy. Jasmine comes in and shows Irene the bracelet she got for Grace inscribed “Love Dad”.

Mackenzie arrives at the Parata house where Ari says he got a friend from the building site to fix the window. Tane insists the danger’s past but agrees to go and find Nikau. Ari notes Mackenzie is upset. She says to give her a moment. At the caravan park house, John keeps getting more alerts, annoying Alf. John explains about the dating profile that Ryder helped him set up. He says he’s just window shopping but is pleased at the response he’s getting, including what sounds like a rather explicit response from someone called Dolly.

Tane and Nikau walk on the beach. Tane apologises for getting mixed up in things and says he and Ari wanted to leave Nikau out of it. Nikau says he’s not a kid anymore and could have lost them both. Tane says he wouldn’t let that happen and Nikau says his dad probably thought the same thing. He advised Tane to either go fishing or find a woman that’s single. Back at the house, Mackenzie tells Ari she’s worried about Colby going to jail. Ari says he wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Mackenzie notes neither he nor Dean talk about it and Ari says prison changes you. Although she doesn’t give details, Mackenzie admits Dean could be in trouble too and hopes Colby goes free.

Jasmine gets off a phone call before telling Irene that Ian had an accident on the farm and broke his leg, so he and Wendy aren’t coming. Irene says Jasmine will be flying the flag for the Shaws and she’ll be there with her. Back at the Morgan house, Justin wants to put up his and Leah’s present for Grace but needs to take some painkillers first. Leah convinces him to take a nap as well. She notices something burning and Tori retrieves the charcoaled remains of the second cake from the oven. Tori remains determined to get it right.

Ari gives Mackenzie a cup of tea as she rejoins him and says he’s there for her if she needs to talk about Colby and Dean. Tane comes in and says they’ve got a problem: A note from Paul., with some money in it that he calls a bonus and the declaration that one more job will clear the debt. Elsewhere, Leah finds Justin putting up a swing for Grace in the garden. He notes he wonders where he’ll be at Grace’s next birthday or Ava’s, saying he never got to do this for her. He drops his spanner as a result of his weak grip and Leah picks it up for him. Justin is determined to make the day a celebration.

Roo shows off her new dress and Alf, Martha and Marilyn all wish her luck as she heads off on her date. Marilyn asks Alf how John was and Alf mentions the dating app. There is an awkward silence as everyone realises he’s dropped a clanger. Marilyn rather stiffly says that John’s obviously moving onto a new phase in his life. Next morning, John is at the Diner, still getting alerts. Marilyn tells him she knows about the app and looks at it, seeing the message from Dolly. John notes he sent her a wink but she was already snapped up. After he’s gone, Marilyn goes to Alf and Martha’s table and observes she thought John would mourn their marriage for longer.

Irene and Jasmine join Leah and Tori at the Morgan house. They reflect on Ian and Wendy not coming; Tori says they rang earlier to sing Grace happy birthday, although Wendy had a worse singing voice than Robbo. She admits her last cake came out looking like a caterpillar and was thrown out. Jasmine offers to get one from the Diner but Tori says Christian’s bringing one. Jasmine didn’t know he was coming and doesn’t look happy at Tori calling him her hero.