UK Air Date: 11th November 2016
Writer: Alessandra Brook
Director: Geoffrey Nottage
Cat No: HAAW09-063
All Caroline’s secrets are exposed. Leah catches Zac in a lie. Duncan reaches a difficult decision.
Extended Summary
A frantic Roo alerts Duncan and Alf that she found Caroline passed out in the van and Bryce is nowhere to be seen. They all head out to look for him. Caroline is wasted after smoking a joint, Roo wants to call an ambulance, but Alf convinces her to simply ring Tori.
Leah and Roo watch as Tori examines Caroline. She’s clearly off her face but there are no drugs in sight. Roo is convinced that Caroline was smoking pot. Tori makes sure that someone is there to watch over her while she sleeps.
Olivia, the proud girlfriend, is quick to inform everyone that Hunter is thinking about becoming a Sports Physio. Irene is thrilled, but Hunter remains awkward, not wanting to make it so public already. Zac is worried upon learning that Hunter has already made a decision. Eager to head off, Zac tells Olivia and Hunter that he is on his way to Yabbie Creek, but realising he’s said too much, asks the kids not to mention it to Leah – it’s a surprise for her.
Duncan, Roo and Alf search the Bay, furiously trying to find Bryce. Tori stumbles across him playing near the beach. Bryce is worried his parents will be angry, but Tori assures him that they just want him safe. At home, tensions flare as Caroline maintains that she had a weird reaction to her allergy medication. Tori’s clearly dubious while Duncan is frustrated and confused. Alf keeps everyone calm, at least Bryce is safe. Duncan is grateful to Tori for all of her help. Alf senses there’s still a spark between those too.
Roo has had enough, and searches Caroline’s caravan, finding a bag of marijuana, she brings it straight to Duncan and Alf. Caroline has finally been exposed….
Duncan is furious that Caroline abandoned Bryce to get high, anything could’ve happened to him. Alf tries to keep things calm. Roo worries that Duncan needs to be careful about how he handles this.
Zac shows up at the Diner, and Leah is shocked that he disappeared all day during this search for Bryce. He explains that it was a work thing. Leah is disappointed. She had hoped Zac finally learnt to stop putting work before her.
The next morning, Duncan is quietly resolved to make some changes. He confronts Caroline, Roo found her stash. He has no sympathy for Caroline. She doesn’t think it’s any of Duncan’s business but tries to explain that she has never had a bad reaction to drugs before. Duncan can’t believe she’s having any at all around his son. Feeling attacked and overwhelmed, Caroline is done, she decides she’s leaving the country with Bryce today.
Duncan won’t let her leave with Bryce, he’s calling their lawyer, he wants full custody…
Olivia is brimming with excitement for Hunter, who’s clearly not as enthusiastic about the situation. She doesn’t understand why he’s not pumped. He maintains that he just wants to get through the HSC first. Hunter finally escapes to his van and looks over some Sports Physio pamphlets. Hunter looks overwhelmed by what he reads – has he really considered his choices?
When Leah shows up, Olivia asks about Zac’s surprise for her from yesterday. This is the first Leah’s heard of it. Turns out that Zac wasn’t at work, at all, yesterday. Leah’s suspicions rise, what is Zac lying to her about? When Leah confronts Zac, he reveals he didn’t mean to lie, he was actually looking for a surprise for VJ’s 18th. He didn’t want anyone to spoil it. Leah apologises for jumping down his throat. Looks like these two are okay, for now.
Alf and Roo try to talk Duncan out of going for custody. Taking a kid away from his mother is a pretty big deal. Is that really what’s in Bryce’s best interests? Duncan snaps and Roo worries she’s going to do something that he regrets.
Tori meets Duncan at Salt, he’s still in shock that Caroline was smoking pot. Everyone suspected it but nobody told him. He can’t stop worrying that this could happen again. Tori suggests that maybe Caroline was using it for medicinal reasons – it is legal in the US after all. Tori tries to convince Duncan to at least have a conversation with Caroline about the situation. Duncan is grateful for her advice, but remains resolved to go for full custody.
Roo finds Caroline alone on the beach and tries to reassure her that everything will work out. But Caroline knows it won’t – she’s really sick… She has Huntington’s disease and there’s no cure.