Episode 6684

Extended Summary

Scarlett is going for a run on the beach and encounters Justin, who has just been surfing. They comment on the fact she usually goes fishing; Scarlett says she is running off a pancake breakfast and Justin indicates she doesn’t need to. To try and make things a bit less awkward, Scarlett asks about Brody and Justin tells her about him attending NA meetings. Scarlett runs on. Near the surf club, Hunter leaves a phone message for Zac asking his opinion on looking for his real father. Alf is working nearby with Mason and calls over asking if Hunter wants to help them but Hunter ignores them. Justin is taking a shower nearby and gets a phone call. He tells Mason that Nina and Brian are going to look after her mother in Darwin so Ava is coming to stay with him. Mason points out the problem with Brody. Justin decides to stay at the caravan park and sell it to Ava as an adventure. He asks Mason not to tell Brody she’s around.

Marilyn returns home and John hides the letter under some papers on the table. She notices the case and John tells her about Bede’s visit. They both decide to go through it together. However, once she is out of the room, John puts the letter away in his pocket. Later, looking through the case, Marilyn finds a photo of John and George taken on John’s 10th birthday: The day before George killed himself. John still doesn’t remember the day and says he doesn’t want to. When Marilyn presses the issue, John excuses himself, saying he has to help Alf sort out the surf club ocean swim event.

On the beach, Mason, as lifeguard, tells Hunter, who has been surfing, that he nearly hit a swimmer. Hunter is aware of the incident but excuses it by saying he’s new to surfing. Mason tells him he should stay away from the area between the flags but Hunter is dismissive and somewhat mocking of Mason’s authority, walking away. A short time later, at the Diner, Irene has to prompt Hunter, who is looking at his phone, to help her with a box. She asks about his demeanour and Hunter says he got an e-mail from Zac giving him the name of a company that looks for long lost relatives and suggesting he get hold of his birth certificate. Irene suggests Zac is trying to support him but Hunter thinks he’s distancing himself.

At the Diner, Alf agrees that Justin can have a spare caravan, quipping that he thought at first his family had kicked him out. Justin approaches Scarlett at a nearby table and tells her he’s going to be her neighbour for the night. Scarlett also wonders if he’s been kicked out and he explains about Ava coming to visit. Scarlett is surprised to learn he has a daughter and Justin points out neither of them are exactly sharing information. Later, Justin shows Ava to the caravan: She also wonders if he’s been kicked out, and after wondering why everyone thinks that, Justin says it’s an adventure. When she presses, he tells her that Brody’s sick and he doesn’t want her to catch it. Scarlett turns up and backs up Justin’s story, with them assuring Ava that Brody’s getting better. Justin suggests he and Ava go out to eat and Ava invites Scarlett along. Although there is a bit of awkwardness, she agrees.

At the surf club, Mason calls out to John about registration for the event but John ignores him, going into the office and shutting the door. Mason follows him in and tells him Alf told him to get the forms. John retrieves them but in the process spills coffee over the letter. After Mason has gone, Marilyn turns up, having heard John’s shout. John shows her the letter and says he’s scared of what it says. They head home where John opens the letter but can’t get past “My dearest wife and son”, instead asking Marilyn to read it. In the letter, George explains that he has motor neuron disease and the doctors say he doesn’t have much time left. He wants to spare them having to look after him. He says to Enid that he loves her and to John that he’s proud of him and hopes he has a happy life where he loves and is loved.

At the Diner, Irene tells Alf she’s worried that Hunter is stewing on things and thinks he needs to be kept busy. She asks if Alf can give him some shifts at the bait shop but Alf says Scarlett has everything covered. Instead, he orders Hunter to help out with preparations for the ocean swim. Mason is far from keen when they show up at the surf club, saying they don’t need any more help, and Hunter seems happy to leave. However, Alf says someone has called in sick and insists that Mason use Hunter.

Marilyn comforts John, saying men didn’t talk about their feelings then. John says they’d have supported his father and Marilyn says he knew that. John reflects on how Enid was too scared to open the letter and died not knowing the truth. He says that he did end up having the life George wanted for him. That evening, Marilyn finds John outside the house, looking at the photo of himself and his father. He notes that before he was too scared to remember him. As Marilyn walks away, John has flashbacks of Enid sending him to look for his father, hearing the gunshot outside the barn and starting the fire. He calls Marilyn back and tells her he remembers the day.

At Salt, Ava is debating which topping to have on her pizza. Justin and Scarlett suggests she go and talk to the chef and he’ll give her whatever combination she wants. After Ava has gone, Justin notes Scarlett’s good with her; she says she’s had practise with nieces and nephews. He notes that he doesn’t see Ava that much and she’ll soon be a teenager. He also reveals she wasn’t in his life for a long time and that it’s a long story, joking that there are probably things Scarlett will tell him. Scarlett looks uncomfortable and goes to help Ava. Downstairs in the surf club, Mason and Hunter disagree about where to put the tents: Mason’s preferred site means a long walk but he says there’s going to be a strong wind at the other end. He tells Hunter to be there at eight in the morning. Hunter is unhappy and deliberately bumps into Mason as he leaves. When Mason challenges him, Hunter grabs hold of his shirt threateningly then walks away.

Ava is trying to decide on a dessert and Scarlett tells her she should have a bit of everything. Mason briefly joins them and jokes about Scarlett being Justin’s girlfriend. A comment about maths causes Ava to note that she’s better than her friend Max at the subject. The name seems to have an effect on Scarlett and she quickly makes her excuses, saying she has a headache. Meanwhile, Irene sees Hunter arrives home in a bad mood, slamming the fridge door. Hunter complains about Mason but Irene suggests his mood has more to do with Zac. Hunter says he hasn’t heard anything from him since the e-mail and adds that he doesn’t have a dad anymore.

Justin puts Ava to bed in the caravan. Ava suggests they go to the beach in the morning and invite the others, including Scarlett, although she is puzzled about Scarlett’s earlier behaviour. She adds that she’s glad Justin didn’t go to the US. In her own caravan, Scarlett lies down on the bed with her phone and repeatedly listens to a message from a child saying “Mummy, when are you coming home? I miss you.”