Episode 8551

Extended Summary

Harper and Dana are walking with Archie in his pram, discussing the most recent house they viewed. Harper says it had a nice view but Dana thinks it was stuck in the 70s, plus they’d have to carry a pram up three flights of stairs. Tane comes along and asks about the house hunting. Harper insists it’s in hand and they’ve got time.

At the police station, Cash tells Remi that he’ll now provide a second breathalyser test to confirm it. Remi asks what happened to his bike, since he left it by the road and it’ll probably be stolen. Cash says he should have thought of that before he decided to drink and drive. Remi accuses him of loving this and Cash says he’s really not.

Justin comments that Irene’s already booked her flight. Leah thinks the travel agent can sort it. Marilyn asks if they can still have the farewell party. Alf and Leah both think so. Alf asks John, who has been sitting in silence. John says he’s not excited about Irene leaving earlier. Leah says they always knew this was going to happen and checks he can still write his farewell speech. John agrees. Leah goes to call the travel agents. John admits to Justin he thought he’d have longer. Outside the surf club, Eden asks Abigail if she’s seen Remi, explaining about him taking off on his bike. She is relieved to get a text saying he’s with Cash.

Cash tells Remi that the second test shows blood alcohol of 0.07 so he’ll be charged with low range drink driving. Remi offers to pay a fine and asks what happened to police discretion. Cash says he showed that when he didn’t charge him with assaulting a police officer or break and enter, and this was why he took his keys. He’ll be fined and disqualified from driving for three months. He can lodge an appeal within 28 days, which will mean he’ll have to pay the court costs and won’t be able to drive until he’s seen the magistrate. Later, Cash is signing Remi out and warns him against driving on a suspended license. He says Remi will have to arrange for somebody to pick the bike up. Eden arrives; Cash phoned her to drive Remi home. Eden tells him to wait in the car and comments to Cash that Remi isn’t even sorry.

At the beach house, Irene has filled Harper and Dana in on her new plan. She says she’ll be with friends and family or on a guided tour with a health worker the whole time. She also reveals she’s told the solicitor that David can’t move in until they’ve found somewhere else. Harper says she has to check on Archie and Dana follows her into the room. Harper doesn’t want to delay moving out, since Irene needs the settlement and David needs somewhere to live.

Later, at Salt, Mali comments to Tane on how much Archie has grown; Harper and Dana are sitting at a nearby table with him. Tane goes over as Dana is saying they’ll need the 70s apartment after all. Harper says it’s already been leased. Tane repeats Mali’s comment and notes Archie should be starting on solids soon, saying kumera soup helps babies sleep. Dana looks at Tane and Harper thoughtfully. Meanwhile, Eden and Remi arrive home with Remi complaining that she didn’t even try to talk Cash round. Eden says he could have killed himself but Remi doesn’t seem bothered. She says there’s no alcohol in the house and to stop making things worse.

At the beach house, Alf, Marilyn and Justin are helping clear things away. Irene says some of it’s going to the charity shop and the rest into storage. John arrives and Alf complains about him turning up when the work’s done. Leah comes downstairs and says the travel agent has two flights available for the trips Irene booked: In three weeks or three days. Irene notes she needs one day to sort things here and one to see Fin and the grandkids, so to book it in three days. Marilyn takes Irene upstairs to pack and Leah tells John she’s sorry.

Tane looks around the mess Remi made of their house. Cash insists he’s dealing with it. Tane notes it’s good Harper didn’t move in but is still worried about her and Archie being homeless. Eden calls Cash, saying she’s tried tough love and being nice but Remi won’t listen and she thinks Cash coming over would make things worse. She sees Remi going to the door and accepting a box of alcohol from a delivery man. He tells her that nothing makes it better so he just wants to be comfortably numb.

Next morning, Harper and Dana discuss their latest viewing, where the mould had just been painted over. Dana thinks they should split up until they find somewhere they like. Harper protests that just means finding two places. Tane comes along and Dana says she thinks he should ask Harper to move in again, leaving them to discuss it. Later, Harper tells Tane to forget it and about the settlement. Tane says them living together isn’t ideal but it’s better than the alternative. Harper says it would only be temporary and, looking at Archie, agrees.

John and Justin are clearing boxes out of the beach house. John comments on his best friend going away with a degenerative illness. Outside, Irene is on the phone to VJ. She says she can get a taxi from the airport and Leah calls over that she won’t. Irene says she’ll see VJ and Luc at the airport in Cyprus in a few days. She comments on Luc being eight and making memories. John says some of them there would like to make memories too. He walks away, saying there’s nothing to celebrate. Dana arrives, claiming there’s a couple of bites with the house hunting.

Eden unsuccessfully attempts to convince Remi to have coffee instead of tequila. Cash turns up and Remi goes into his room without talking to him. Cash suggests to Eden that they go away for a bit to look at wedding venues, since Harper’s moving in after all and he thinks he should give her and Tane space. Eden doesn’t want to leave Remi but Cash suggests leaving him alone like he wants. Eden agrees.

Across the road, Tane carries a box in while Harper follows with Archie. Tane finds a post-it note from Dana saying she’s glad Harper came to her senses. Tane says he’ll look after Archie while she unpacks, pointing her towards the spare room. Harper stops to watch him playing with Archie for a moment.

Dana arrives at the surf club and goes to the office to ask John about next week’s patrol roster. He says it’s not done. He’s struggling with the farewell speech, only having a blank page in front of him, when Irene’s leaving tomorrow. Dana suggests everyone could say something but John thinks there aren’t enough words for how much Irene means to the town or him.

At the beach house, Irene is looking over the place, now empty of personal belongings. Dana comes back and Irene calls it the end of an era. Dana thanks Irene for believing them and letting them stay and giving her the best home she’s ever known. Irene says it’s the same for her, reflecting on all the memories after 33 years and saying she’s going to miss it.