Episode 6959

Extended Summary

Ben is standing alone in the front room. He goes to the bedroom and knocks on the door. Maggie is sat inside, now wearing a robe. Despite being in tears, she manages to call out that she’s fine and is going to bed, saying she’ll see him in the morning. Next day, Alf and Leah are walking through the caravan park. Leah has heard from Hunter and says he’s settling in well in Vietnam. They see Dean kissing a girl goodbye outside his van and Alf notes he’s had someone in there every night. He asks Dean about the court case. Dean says there’s nothing he can do about it and he can’t think of a better way to spend his last days of freedom.

At Salt, Brody is serving Ziggy breakfast. She feels bad that she’s just watching him work and heads off to the garage, after Brody has said he’s looking to get tickets to the band in Yabbie Creek. Justin tells Brody that Willow was meant to be meeting him for breakfast but isn’t responding to any of his texts. Brody suggests he look downstairs at the gym where she works. Justin does so and finds Mason, who says Willow isn’t in for a couple of hours. Justin asks about Dempsey and Mason tells him she’s having a termination and is cutting him out of her life. He refuses to discuss it any further.

Ben is making breakfast when Maggie emerges and asks if they’re going to talk about what happened. Ben says that he didn’t want her to do it for him. Maggie says it wasn’t about that, it was about them being close, but he obviously didn’t want that. Ben tries to deny it but Maggie asks if he’d react the same way if she suggested it again. Ben takes a step back and Maggie says that’s what she thought. Meanwhile, Dean arrives at the garage and tells Ziggy and Justin that he can’t start work at Tafe this term. He mentions his court date is next week. Justin asks if Willow knows and Dean says he hasn’t spoken to her. Ziggy tries to ask Dean how he is and he ends up snapping at her.

At the Diner, John complains to Marilyn and Leah about the fact Ben’s nowhere to be seen. He considers giving him a call but Marilyn tells him not to disturb them. Justin comes in looking for Willow and asks Alf and Leah if they know anything. Back at the garage, Ziggy and Dean are shooting looks at each other. Ziggy suggests that Dean wouldn’t have bit her head off if he was really fine. Dean says he’s not happy about going to jail but he’s accepted it. He suggests maybe he can do a course inside.

Ben is stacking boards outside the shop, obviously in a bad mood. Marilyn sees him and twigs that something has happened. She goes to see Maggie, who explains, noting Ben offered excuses but they were clearly lies. She adds that she’ll have to hope Ben finds her attractive again when she’s fully recovered. Marilyn says Ben loves her. Maggie agrees, but that’s not the same as wanting to be intimate with her. Marilyn says they’ve both been through something terrible and it’ll take Ben time to stop seeing her as a patient.

Justin runs into Mason near the beach and asks after Willow. Mason says she hasn’t turned up, meaning he’s had to work twice as long as he was supposed to. He wants to call Robbo and ask for a replacement but Justin asks him to hold off, saying Willow’s got a lot to deal with. Mason bitterly replies that he’s got nothing better to do and goes into the surf club. Brody comes along and Justin tells him about what happened with Dempsey. He is worried about Willow; Brody suggests she’s gone to a meeting and Justin worries she’s fallen off the waggon. He sends Brody to talk to Mason. Brody heads to the gym, talking on the phone to Ziggy about the fact he couldn’t get tickets to the gig. He comes across Mason and tries to talk to him but Mason angrily tells him to leave it.

At the Diner, Leah is on the phone to Irene, wondering if she or Jasmine has heard from Willow. Alf and Marilyn come in, with Marilyn working a split shift which Leah had forgotten. Leah explains she’s worried about Willow. Alf comments on Dean’s court case. Marilyn expresses surprise that Alf isn’t testifying. Alf sharply points out that Dean’s confessed and doesn’t need him putting the boot in. At the farm house, Ben tells Maggie that it’s not that he doesn’t want to be close to her, he just can’t forget the doctors saying that they have to be careful during her treatment, Maggie gently points out her treatment has finished. Ben is overwhelmed that she might be getting better.

Brody finds Mason sitting by the beach. Mason notes that having a baby wasn’t planned but he was getting into the idea. Brody says he’s one of the good guys and things will get better soon. Mason says that every time something good happens to him – Beth, Dempsey, the baby – it just ends up as another kick in the guts. Later, Brody joins him at the gym. Mason says he has been one of the good guys but it’s got him nowhere, so he’s done: Everyone else can sort out their own problems. Brody thinks he doesn’t mean it and Mason angrily says not to tell him how he feels.

Justin comes into the Diner. Leah tells him that neither Irene nor Jasmine has heard from Willow, then takes him out onto the veranda for a private talk, explaining she and Irene know about Willow’s gambling and about the credit card skimming and Dean taking the blame for her. Both of them feel bad about keeping it from Alf and Leah tells Justin about Willow having to give evidence at the trial. Back at the garage, Dean expresses bemusement that Ziggy stood Brody up to get drunk and he’s the one trying to make it up to her. Justin arrives and tells Ziggy she can take an early dart. He explains to Dean that Willow found out about his court date and blabbed the truth to her housemates: They need to find her.