Episode 4563

Australian Air Date: 30th January 2008
UK Air Date: 5th March 2008
Writer: Jason Herbison
Director: Sam Atwell

Belle deals with the fallout from her decision. Geoff and Annie cope with yet another test of their faith. Dom wakes up.

MORAG BELLINGHAM (CORNELIA FRANCES)
DOM MORAN (SAM NORTH)
MR STANDISH (BILL CONN)

Extended Summary

When Morag is done berating Belle over the photo, Drew can’t even speak to her. Belle tries to explain that she was only visiting Dom to cover their backs, this is a guy who could get them both in serious trouble, they ran him over. But Drew doesn’t care. After cooling down, however, he asks Lucas to check their legal footing with Morag, by disguising the situation as a story idea, and is relieved to find that under the circumstances it’s unlikely, whatever Dom’s decision, that they’d face any legal problems.

When Belle learns that Dom has woken up, she bites the bullet and visits him. He tells her he doesn’t blame her, and he knows why she said she loved him. He’s done stalking her now; he’s going to prove to her what kind of man he can be. Drew finds Belle to tell her the good news about their legal situation and she admits she visited Dom after he woke up, but assures him Dom is finally out of their lives. Not quite ready to believe her, Drew confronts Dom in his hospital room, and much to his consternation Dom remains cool and confident. Whatever Drew thinks, Dom plans to give him a run for his money.

Geoff and Annie are struggling to deal with the revelation of Reverend Hall’s actions and the response from the town generated by the newspaper article. Deciding the only thing they can do is pray, they find the church covered in anti-Hall graffiti. Together they set about scrubbing away the vicious attacks, ignoring Aden’s abuse as he passes by. Aden stops by to lay the verbal boot in, his opinion of their religion vindicated by their minister’s actions, and the pair ignores him. When Belle hears what has happened she feels even worse for publishing the photo.

Things just keep getting worse when a member of the church arrives to take down Reverend Hall’s name from the signboard, he can no longer be minister of the church. The kids don’t understand, it wasn’t the Reverend’s fault, and Annie can’t help but wonder how her God could let this happen. Still with more to say, Aden confronts Geoff once more, and again Geoff refuses to take the bait, infuriating Aden until he lashes out, slapping Geoff hard across the face. Despite his goading Geoff continues to turn the other cheek, literally as well as figuratively, Aden finally gives up and walks away, leaving Geoff shaken but proud of himself.