Episode 3814

Extended Summary

Dani and Scott’s engagement party is the centre of attention. Beth meets Dan Baker at the Gym for the first time and thanks him for focussing the kids’ minds on the concert. She invites him to the engagement party (with the blessing of Dani).

Dani is struck by the surreal nature of a stranger like Dan coming to her engagement party, when her own father won’t be there. She rings Rhys and assures him she will be coming to see him – hopefully with Kirsty – for Father’s Day.

Kirsty is not fond of the idea. She and Kane are very happy in the place they’re at. They’ve gone through major traumas and come out the other side. They’re hoping for a bit of happiness, relaxation and simplification.

Dan Baker asks Leah if he can go to the party with her. Leah is fine with that, as long as he realises they will be the centre of gossip. That doesn’t seem to faze Dan; clearly there’s a romantic interest. As they walk along the beach to the party he asks her how she feels about the Vinnie situation. She says it’s so distressing to contemplate Vinnie being alive that she’s blocking it out completely. The really horrible thing is that she’s starting to think that even if he’s alive, she’s better off without him.

‘Life’ is being celebrated at the engagement party. Colleen lets the whole world know that she and Alf have beaten their depression. The incident with Sarah gave them a whole new outlook on life. The room goes silent as Hayley comes down the stairs. She tells them lovingly that she agrees with Colleen; life is to be celebrated.

Hayley is still healing. She tells Flynn that the arrival of Dan with his questions makes it hard to quell the sadness; Noah is no longer visiting her. Dan tells Beth he’s in Summer Bay because no-one else in his family will visit Peter. He’s happy to see how the community is healing together. Beth says she’s part of that healing process.

The next day, Dan tells Flynn he knows more about Peter’s professional life than he let on. He reckons there is a great chance that Vinnie is alive. It’s up to them to dissuade Leah from trying to find him; she would only be heartbroken if she did. But does Dan have some ulterior motive? Later that morning he heads to the Diner and asks Leah out on a date! Leah won’t give him a straight-up answer. Finally a little gruff persuasion from Alf prompts her to tell him “yes!”.

Scott is cleaning up after the party when he finds a beautiful sketch drawing of Noah. He guesses Hayley did it. But Hayley says she doesn’t know anything about it! The only rational explanation – strange though it may seem – is that she slept-walked during the night and included a spot of sleep-drawing at the same time!