Episode 6619

Extended Summary

Tori’s surprised Nate doesn’t want children. Nate likes having no responsibilities, his life is his own. Tori wants to talk about it but Nate sees John’s in trouble and uses the excuse to escape. Later, Tori visits Nate on the pretence of finding out how John is. She asks about the kids issue, is it about not getting hurt again like when Ricky and Casey left. She asks him to think about it, the great things that come with having kids. Nate agrees to, if Tori thinks about the bad things – how tired you become, the sacrifices they would have to make, Tori’s job as Head of the Emergency Department for one. Tori argues she’s not the only woman to be in this position, she would make it work. Tori wants a family. Nate is adamant he doesn’t. That’s a deal breaker for Tori. They can’t start a relationship if they want different things. Later, Nate enters Luc’s nursery at the Beach House and looks at Baby Casey on his phone. Has he changed his mind? He heads to Tori’s house, where he admits he lied earlier. Losing Casey almost killed him, he can’t go through that again. He wouldn’t have to though, they’d be starting a family together, Tori points out. Nate may be open to having kids, but he can’t tell her when and he doesn’t want to make any promises he can’t keep. Tori can live with that. Nate’s relieved, the thought of losing Tori was killing him too. They reconcile, but Tori doesn’t seem completely sold.

After being punched by Ash, John’s recovering outside the Surf Club. Marilyn’s beside herself, she doesn’t know what Ash was thinking, punching a man who has just had brain surgery! John insists he’s fine but Tori and Nate want John to get checked out at the hospital. Back home after getting the all-clear, Marilyn fusses over John. Marilyn wants to approach Kat about Ash, but not as a cop, as his girlfriend. John doesn’t want anything to be done about Ash, he completely understands where he’s coming from. Marilyn argues that people need to realise that John is suffering too! John is stubborn. He’s healing, whereas all the time in the world won’t bring Ash his sister back. After Ash visits to clear the air and forgive John, night falls and Marilyn finds John outside watching the stars. Marilyn thinks today was a good day in the end, things are all sorted with Ash and VJ. But John still can’t forgive himself. He can’t remember what happened but he can see the pain and doubt people’s faces wherever he goes. He can’t go on living like this, he needs a fresh start. Marilyn’s shocked when John tells her he wants them to leave the Bay.

Patrick tries to calm down a worked-up Ash after his confrontation with John. Ash doesn’t want his advice now, where was he when he needed him?! Patrick admits he screwed up. Ash orders him to get lost. Patrick runs into Alf at the Diner. Alf informs him John had a brain tumour and had no idea he was lighting fires. This is obviously news to Patrick. Patrick finds Ash on the beach and lets Ash know he understands why he can’t let go of his anger, because John has an excuse for his actions. Patrick tries to make Ash see that Billie had cancer and was going to die anyway, but Ash feels robbed of the extra days they still could have had together. Patrick knows he waited too long, he missed his chance with Billie, but that’s on him, not John. Holding onto the anger won’t change things but it will change Ash. They have to let the anger go. A protective Marilyn opens the front door to Ash who has come to apologise to John, for everything. John explains he doesn’t feel any less ashamed of what happened, just because he had a tumour and thanks Ash for coming over. Emotional, Ash admits he misses Billie but he can’t keep living like this, his anger won’t bring her back. John consoles him, anything Ash needs, John will be there for him.

Brody’s in a bad mood, business at Salt is down and there’s a review coming out in the Business Traveler, a national publication, in two weeks. worried about what could happen if the review is bad. Brody’s stressing, he’s got to create a new menu and one of his waitstaff has just quit. At Salt, Brody’s still stressing when Lena arrives looking for a job. Brody rejects her out of hand, he doesn’t want ‘party’ people working for him, but Lena walks all over him and starts helping out straight away. Brody could use the help… As the day wears on, it’s clear Lena is good with the customers, but Brody’s still not sure. She fills him in – her family owned a restaurant so she’s worked in hospitality forever, plus she has management qualifications. Brody tries a Lena cocktail and he’s sold, Lena can have a three-week trial, but if anything dodgy happens, she’s fired. Lena promises Brody won’t regret it. Mason arrives and Brody introduces his newest employee. Mason’s furious, Brody said Lena was bad news! Mason thinks Brody’s trying to make a move on Lena, but Brody insists he just gave her a job and not to worry. Brody tells Mason not to worry. If Lena doesn’t cut it during her trial, she’s gone. Later, Brody and Mason observe Lena at Salt, she’s raking in some impressive tips. Mason jibes Brody about checking her out again. Brody sends a suspicious Mason home so he can work on the new menu and then Lena offers to share the remnants of a bottle of champagne with her new boss. They get flirty, but when Brody follows Lena to the supply cupboard and finds her with drugs, he fires her on the spot. Lena wonders what his problem is and Brody informs her of his family’s history with drugs. Lena apologises and begs for another chance. Brody agrees to one last shot and Lena shoves the bag in his hand and exits the cupboard. Later still, grumpy Brody’s working on his new menu and Lena tries to lighten his mood. Is she always this happy? Lena admits she had a little help, but it’s mostly her. She flirts again, she knows how she could lighten his mood. Brody refuses straight up, no drugs for him. Under pressure about the review and his business’ health, Brody watches how easy it is for Lena to be carefree, making customers happy and laughing. He goes to the supply cupboard and pulls out the bag Lena gave him earlier. What will Brody do?