Episode 8087

Extended Summary

Justin and Theo have just finished a surf. Justin talks about how many e-mails he’s getting about Lyrik but Theo still feels bad about messing up his question at the launch. Justin tries to convince him not to dwell on it. They head home, where Leah notes Justin’s phone has kept going off with e-mail alerts. She goes to have a lie down while Justin decides to have a shower and then check the e-mails. Theo looks at them and is dispirited to see video of his freezing at the question.

Elandra tries to tell Mali that Victoria didn’t mean what she said. Victoria, sat in the car, honks the horn and calls Elandra over. Elandra tells Rose not to let Mali leave. Rose is apologetic but Mali says it’s his fault for not being honest. At the coffee cart, Marilyn tells Alf that he owes $10.50 but he only gives her $10 and she has to prompt him for the rest. Alf, rather flustered, manages to retrieve the coin and then walks away, apparently not hearing Marilyn trying to continue the conversation.

Justin emerges from the shower to find Theo delivering a more dignified answer to the question to an imaginary interviewer, saying he isn’t new to music and it’s a way of expressing himself. He finally notices Jusin is watching and is mortified. Justin says they’ll talk after he’s got dressed. Later, Justin tries to convince Theo that plenty of the band are not great at publicity, pointing out Remi reacted badly to the journalist’s questions and Eden felt out of place. He suggests they present Theo as the strong silent type or he takes advice from Kirby. However, he is too distracted answering e-mails and phone calls to pay him much attention, leaving Theo disappointed.

Rose tries to convince Mali to stay. Elandra returns and says Victoria won’t budge but asks Mali to go and talk to her. She asks Rose what Mali’s told her about their family and the police. Rose says she knows they don’t trust them. Elandra says their brother, Iluka, has been in trouble with the police for drinking and fighting, but even though he’s trying to turn himself around, he still gets picked up by the police all the time along with anyone with him, including her and Mali. Elandra agrees it’s not right. In the car, Victoria says Mali she wishes Rose did something else but the main issue is him lying and keeping secrets. She is pleased Mali takes responsibility for it. Mali says he loves Rose and asks his mother to give her a chance.

Later, they rejoin Rose and Elandra. Victoria tells Rose that it wasn’t about her. They explain Elandra told Rose about Iluka, and Rose says it sounds like a complicated situation. Victoria says Mali loves her and Rose says she feels the same. Victoria says Rose should come and meet the family some time and doesn’t have to bring Mali. She gives Mali a hug.

Marilyn is serving Alf again and suggests it must be tiring driving back and forth to the city all the time. Alf is suspicious of the line of questioning and walks off, apparently not hearing Justin greet him. Marilyn explains to him that they suspect Alf has hearing problems and she and John have both tried to speak to him. Justin says Leah sent him to help pack up because she’s feeling ill.

At the Diner flat, Rose and Mali discuss her meeting the rest of the family. Rose asks about Iluka. Mali says he’s a year older than me and was his hero and a great footballer player, but got injured and missed out on a contract, which is when the drinking and trouble with the police started. Later, the two of them finish playing a movie, which Mali fell asleep before the end of. Rose asks if he wants to stay but he says he has to help Mackenzie set up for a lesson in the morning so they say their goodbyes. Rose calls her mother and asks where she got her name from.

Leah is concerned to get up and find Justin at the laptop but he assures her he’s been to the coffee cart and back. He says he has the album playing on the local and city stations and even has a record producer interested in a second album. Theo emerges and Justin tells him but Theo says he’s not interested in the band and goes back to his room. Justin is surprised Leah doesn’t want to check on him. He tells her what Marilyn said about Alf’s hearing and they note it’s not a good idea to back Alf into a corner.

At the surf club, Marilyn approaches Alf in his office, struggling to get his attention. Alf turns down her offer of dinner and says he might go back to the city, simply because he’d rather be there than here. Marilyn tries to convince him to get a hearing test, for his safety if not for them, but Alf dismisses the point and Marilyn leaves. Next morning, Marilyn finds Justin at the coffee cart and asks if he’s seen Alf. She suspects he’s gone off to see Roo without telling her and admits she had a word with him about the hearing test.

Back at the house, Theo finds a note from Leah saying she’s gone to Yabbie Creek, and starts looking up interview tips on his laptop. He’s sent a link pointing him towards an image of him freezing up at the interview with the caption “When you can sing, but you can’t talk”, and looks upset.