Episode 8500

Extended Summary

At the coffee cart, Marilyn comments to Leah that she heard she spent some time with Theo and asks if he’s going to move back in. Leah says he isn’t but is okay with it, noting that he’s an adult living his own life. Seeing Justin approach, Marilyn suggests he could take her mind off things. Leah admits it’s the first time she’s seen him since yesterday, since he’s busy with the garage and Kirby. Marilyn comments to Justin that he should whisk Leah away somewhere. Justin thinks he’s free…until Kirby appears, saying she spoke to Remi and wishes she hadn’t.

Outside the surf club, Remi says he handled it badly and should have apologised since he was the one that lied. Avalon insists he wasn’t being a jerk, just standing up for himself. Mackenzie approaches and asks Avalon if she’s Avalon Bracken, saying she’s a big fan. She asks Avalon (who she calls by her full name throughout) if she’s helping Kirby with her album. Avalon says Remi’s helping with hers and Mackenzie makes a babbling attempt to verbally backtrack before inviting them upstairs for a free drink. Avalon agrees, despite Remi pointing out they’ve just come from there.

Levi returns home from work and learns from Mali that Mackenzie left twenty minutes ago. He compliments the sketch he’s drawing. Mali says there was a delivery for Mackenzie which he left in their bedroom. Levi goes to look at it and sees the fertility clinic logo. He cuts it open and finds an ovulation kit inside it.

Justin and Kirby arrive at the Lyrik house. Justin thinks Remi should have made things up to her but says he’s tired. Kirby says that’s because he’s working on two albums at once. Justin says he’s not walking away from hers. Kirby says she and Avalon are rivals who are recording albums at the same time and they’ll probably drop at the same time. She says she can’t have her solo career fail a second time.

Leah serves Alf and John at the coffee cart, seeming a bit distracted (and getting their order the wrong way round). John says Mali has signed a lease. Alf is going to visit Martha and Roo and hopes Mali will have changed his mind by the time he’s come back. John suggests going to talk to him alone, saying they have a rapport.

Soon after, Mali is telling John he has no plans to close the shop, saying he delivers boards to customers there and still runs surf lessons. John says it’s closed the rest of the time and it’s not fair to have it shut while he works from home. He suggests hiring someone else to run it and Mali says he tried. John thinks he should either use the space or give it to someone who will.

Levi turns up at Salt to see Mackenzie. She tells him Avalon Bracken’s in the house but he doesn’t know what that means. He mentions the delivery and she says it’s probably the clothes she ordered on sale, before saying she doesn’t have time to talk. She takes some free nibbles to Avalon and Remi’s table, before askng a favour: The two of them performing tonight. Avalon says yes but Remi says no, so Mackenzie leaves them to talk it over. Remi explains it used to be Lyrik’s regular gig and it would light a fire under Kirby if they performed there. As they walk away from the place, Avalon accepts his loyalty but says she has a solution.

Justin tells Kirby she shouldn’t compare herself to others and should focus on herself, her work and her music. Remi and Avalon turn up and tell Kirby about the gig. Avalon suggests Kirby perform with them. Kirby isn’t interested but says Remi should do it if he wants to. Avalon accepts that and goes to get changed. Justin compliments Kirby.

Justin heads to the Diner and Marilyn shows him through to the kitchen. He tells Leah about Remi’s gig. Leah says she’ll stay there and do prep but is pleased when Justin instead asks her to come with him as a date. Marilyn gives Alf a takeaway for his trip. John comes in and Alf asks how it went with Mali. John isn’t sure but says he gave him a chop to chew on.

Remi and Avalon are setting up at Salt. Levi is about to walk out when Justin and Leah come in and convince him to stay. Mackenzie asks Remi about Bree and he says she’s working. After giving Remi a few words of encouragement, Avalon introduces them to the audience and announces their first song, For Real This Time. Kirby comes and stands in the doorway during it, waving to Mackenzie.

Later, the pair are performing another song as Leah and Justin go out onto the balcony. Leah notes she hasn’t danced that much since their wedding and understands Justin not having a lot of spare time at the moment. They dance again. Later still, as Remi and Avalon are packing up, Remi declines a drink, still tired and having a lot on tomorrow. He notes he thought he saw Kirby. Mackenzie confirms she was really there.

Levi and Mackenzie arrive home. Mali is looking over his rent agreement and notes there’s no mention of minimum hours. Mackenzie agrees that, once he’s paid for it, he can do whatever he likes. Levi asks Mackenzie into the bedroom. He shows her the contents of the box laid out on the bed, including a number of kits and supplements. She comments on him opening it but Levi isn’t happy she went behind his back. Mackenzie says she’ll put them away as a last resort. Later, however, she goes out into the corridor and checks one of the ovulation strips, smiling. She goes back and wake Levi, telling him she wants him now to his confusion and straddling and kissing him.

Kirby hears Avalon and Remi arrive back and congratulates Remi on the gig. She says she doesn’t want to hold him back. Remi says he’s committed to finishing the album. Avalon comes back after Kirby’s gone to bed, insisting on a drink to celebrate. Later, Remi tries to get to bed, saying he hasn’t had any sleep for three days. Avalon says neither has she but she has some help to keep awake. She hands him a bag of drugs and leaves. Remi looks uncomfortable.