Episode 5218

Australian Air Date: 26th January 2011
UK Air Date: 9th February 2011

Leah is surprised by VJ’s maturity. Marilyn tells Sid she is adopting Nicole’s baby. Morag starts preparing Alf’s defence.

JOHN PALMER (SHANE WITHINGTON)
ROBERT ROBERTSON (SOCRATIS OTTO)
VJ PATTERSON (FELIX DEAN)
MORAG BELLINGHAM (CORNELIA FRANCES)

Written by Margaret Wilson
Directed by Bill Hughes

Extended Summary

Morag informs Alf that she’s got Colleen to help keep an eye on him in light of his attack on Will. She then remarks that, on going over the case notes, it seems that a lot of people in town had reason to want Penn dead. As the strongest part of the case against Alf is the motive, she thinks they should try and shine the spotlight onto someone else. Colleen escorts Alf down to the Surf Club, where they encounter John who has temporarily taken charge of running things in Alf’s absence. Alf is unhappy that John has made changes and though Colleen tries to mediate things, Alf loses his temper and causes a scene. He retreats to Angelo’s and Colleen makes him realise that people are only trying to help him out. Alf decides to throw a party to celebrate being back home to try and make amends for his moods. When Nicole arrives, Morag tries to press her about the pregnancy but she shuts the conversation down and refuses to talk about it. Marilyn and Sid arrive for the party and Morag and Marilyn re-acquaint with one another, to the dismay of Colleen. Morag tries to ask Sid for information on Nicole’s pregnancy but he maintains it’s confidential information. John drops in on the party at Alf’s request – he tells John he’s grateful for the way he’s run the club and asks him to take over running the club permanently if he goes to jail. John tells him he can rely on him, but hopes it doesn’t come to that. Marilyn tries to clear the air with Colleen and she relents, and the pair reach an amicable compromise. When the party is over, Morag questions Nicole about her pregnancy, taking a very harsh line – Penn treated her badly, so maybe she wanted him dead. Romeo and Alf both jump in to defend Nicole but Morag keeps pressing. Nicole angrily tells her once and for all that she didn’t do it and Morag’s attitude changes – she believes Nicole, but a jury might not and in order to get alf off the charge, she needs to convince a jury other people have motive. She intends to call Nicole as a witness, but Alf refuses to let Morag use Nicole.

Sid apologises to Marilyn again for his reactions to Nicole keeping the baby, and tells Marilyn that if it’s what Nicole wants then he’ll support her decisions, which pleases Marilyn.When the topic turns to parenthood, Sid once again regales the hardships of it and Marilyn makes a hasty exit. Sid is left wondering if he’s said the wrong thing. Marilyn meets Nicole at the Diner and it transpires that there’s something she hasn’t managed to tell Sid, given his initial shock to the news. Sid shares his concerns that he’s done something wrong with John, who points that with all the baby talk flying around, Marilyn is probably broody. At Alf’s party, Sid interrupts an intense conversation between Marilyn and Nicole and is still at a loss as to what’s going on. Sid asks Marilyn what the conversation was about and she responds by saying she wants to go home. Back at the farmhouse, Sid tries to make small talk but Marilyn tries to head to bed. He tells her he knows what it’s about – that she wants to have a baby. Marilyn tells him that she does, and a produces a picture of Nicole’s ultrasound – once the baby is born, Marilyn is going to adopt it.

VJ is trying on his high school uniform, which Leah excitedly takes photographs of. VJ asks her why she doesn’t want to go out with Robertson – he feels sorry him, everyone hates him and he’s just doing his job. Leah thinks Robertson has been putting ideas in VJ’s head, but VJ denies it. Leah confronts Robertson but he denies saying anything to VJ, and makes Leah realise that VJ is maturing. Leah is concerned VJ is growing apart from him and Robertson suggests she talk to him. Leah sits down with VJ and finds out he discusses these issues with his church friends on Facebook. She warns him of the dangers of online chatting, but is content with his level of maturity. She also makes sure he knows he can still talk to her.

Leah relays the information to Robertson and he’s pleased she can use him as a sounding board. He leans in to kiss her but she pulls back – with the situation becoming awkward she leaves to go to work.