Episode 7021

Extended Summary

Chelsea and Willow are chatting near the beach. Chelsea says Homicide now have Ross’ address. She notes that it sounded like Bella was a handful and explains about the boys avoiding Ross. Willow looks increasingly concerned as Chelsea says they’re going to be away a couple of days and that she’s hoping things can now go back to normal and they can be a family. Meanwhile, Dean is driving Bella and Colby in tense silence. He eventually pulls over and tells Colby to get out, telling him he can’t just drive around and they need a plan. Colby is at a loss so Dean says he has an idea.

Colby, Dean and Bella crawl into the basement of the old River Boy hideout. Bella seems very nervous about being there and retreats into a corner. Dean tells Colby to give her some space. At the surf club, John is offering Ben unsolicited advice and messes around with the drill trying to put a screw in. Ben announces he’s packing up for the day to go surfing, and the arrival of Maggie prompts John to give them space. Ben tells Maggie that John is driving him mad.

Chelsea and Willow arrive at the Diner; Chelsea wonders why Colby isn’t answering her calls. They start to talk about maid of honour duties but Willow then gets a call from Dean, who tells her to move out of earshot of Chelsea. He says they’re at Simpson Lane and to bring supplies and not let Chelsea know. Willow claims to Chelsea that they were asking her for advice because she knows Bella. She then pretends to notice a text from Robbo wanting her to do an extra shift.

Back at the hideout, Bella asks Colby where their mum is. Colby says he hasn’t seen her since they left Mangrove River. Bella says she last saw her five years ago and Ross told her she took off because she didn’t love them enough to stay. Colby says she did love her but Bella just repeats it. Later, Colby gets a text from Chelsea saying “Hope it’s going well. Call me if you can.” Willow turns up but Bella backs away from her attempt at an enthusiastic greeting. Willow tries to connect with her, recalling how she used to be into skateboarding. Bella says she’s been abducted and if Willow really wants to help she’ll get her out of there. Willow falls silent and Bella walks away from her.

Ben and Maggie are eating at the Diner. Ben explains that now he’s got the keys he can go back to the surf club and finish off when John’s gone home. John comes in and makes fun of Ben’s eating before confirming he’s heading home. Ben takes that as a cue to leave. When Maggie turns up at the surf club later, Ben notes that he’s made a lot of progress without distractions. Maggie admits she was hoping to do work there for company with Coco away. Ben is happy to have her, saying she can test the counter by resting on it. Chelsea turns up but Leah tells her the gym’s just closed and Willow wasn’t there.

Willow and Dean both think that Colby needs to have a clearer plan and think Chelsea might help them. Colby, however, is worried that she might report it. He drapes a blanket over a sleeping Bella. Meanwhile, Maggie leads Ben up to Salt, where the table is laid out for a private meal for them. They reflect on what a year it’s been and now Maggie’s training for a marathon, Ziggy’s married and Coco’s in Queensland. They wonder what will happen in the next tweve months.

Next morning, Chelsea turns up at the Diner and asks Irene if she’s seen Willow. Irene says she didn’t come home and Chelsea claims it was just wedding business. Maggie turns up and chats to Leah and John. John is derogative of the amount of work Ben’s done, prompting an annoyed reaction from Alf when he comes in. Maggie takes Alf and John to the surf club where John gapes at the completed work area, especially when Ben says he did it all himself with a bit of help from Maggie (mostly cleaning) and that it was easy with no distractions. Alf is amused.

Willow gets a text from Chelsea asking if she’s with Dean and Colby. Both she and Dean tell Colby he needs to tell her. Colby continues to be reluctant but they tell her they can keep an eye on Bella. Colby, still limping from his earlier injury, runs into Chelsea outside the Diner flat. She is shocked by his appearance and he says they’ll talk upstairs. There, he admits that he and Dean took Bella, although he seems it not as an abduction but a rescue. Chelsea says Homicide haven’t been able to find Ross and Colby tipped him off that someone was looking for him but Colby doesn’t care as long as Bella’s safe. Chelse says she should report it and asks him if he thought about the effects on his friends or her. Despite Colby’s pleas, she says it’s over between them and walks away.