Episode 7096

Extended Summary

Ben is putting his shop board up outside the surf club. Maggie joins him with a coffee and they establish that neither of them saw Ziggy before they had to leave for work or heard her come in last night. Just as Maggie is about to call her, Ziggy appears, saying she lost track of time so just went for a swim before work. They are worried about her going into work without any sleep. Ziggy asks if Ben remembers what it’s like to be single in your 20s, then remembers he never was. Meanwhile, Justin enters Salt and asks Brody why it’s closed. Brody explains it’s set up for a private breakfast, noting things have been awkward with Simone since she found out about his drug addiction and they need to get to know each other. Simone arrives and Justin leaves them to it. Brody shows her the set-up, noting they haven’t had a first date yet. Simone says it sounds perfect, although her expression shows mixed feelings.

At the Diner, Marilyn tells Irene she’s worried about Jett going to the funeral but Irene points out he’s got John with him and it might be good for him to see his army friends. Bella comes in for her lunch, since Colby’s already gone to work. Raffy and Ryder are sat at a nearby table. Raffy quietly refers to Bella as a teacher’s pet, unhappy she lied, but Ryder defends her, saying she needed Simone’s help with schoolwork and only lied once. Bella goes over to their table but Raffy abruptly says they need to go to school. Irene asks if things are still tense. Raffy says they’ll be better soon. At the school, Maggie and Roo are walking, with Roo noting she misses the place and knows now how lucky they are. They see the graffiti and are both shocked.

Ziggy is dancing to music on the radio at the garage when Justin arrives. He comments on her being early and she says she had a good night at a place in Reefton Lakes with friends from Tafe. Justin looks over the job list, saying they have two services and some brake pads need changing. Ziggy happily volunteers to do the latter, but while she is jacking the car up, she pauses for a moment, looking as though she’s having to stop herself throwing up. Back at Salt, Brody has mentioned he was in Fremantle in 2012 during witness protection. Simone was there a year later, just after graduating from uni, and they reminisce about a live music place. Simone realises she has to get to work but thanks Brody for arranging the breakfast, kissing him. Brody comments on getting a kiss on the first date and Simone says he might get luckier later.

Maggie is on her mobile, leaving Simone a message to try and warn her. Roo rejoins her and says someone broke in through a side door. She wonders if they should cover up the graffiti before more people see it. Raffy and Ryder arrive and join the crowd of students looking at the graffiti; Raffy expresses delight, as does Bella when she joins them, to Ryder’s surprise. Simone walks through the crowd and sees the message. Raffy says that now everyone knows what she’s like and Bella agrees. Roo sends the students along and Maggie takes Simone to the office. Raffy invites Bella to walk with her and Ryder. Maggie tells Simone it’s up to her how she wants to proceed. Simone doesn’t want the police involved, noting the graffiti was true. Maggie ponders whether it was a student and asks Simone if she’s up to work; Simone says she is. After she’s gone, Maggie looks at a family photo, seeming to pay special attention to Ziggy.

Ziggy injures her hand unscrewing a wheel. Justin notes that it’s the second time and wonders when she was drinking to. Ziggy says about five. Justin wonders if she’s hungover and, on smelling her breath, as they argue, concludes she’s still drunk and says she can’t work like this. At the school, Bella meets up with Raffy and Ryder and they discuss the last lesson. Simone approaches and asks Bella about her photos, suggesting they meet up at lunch to discuss the written part. Bella says Ryder’s helping her (which seems to be news to Ryder) and she’s spending lunch with her friends. Simone awkwardly says to let her know if she changes her mind. Ryder continues to be surprised and suspicious at Bella’s change in attitude but Raffy, pleased, arranges to meet Bella at lunch. Nearby, Roo tells Maggie that Maintenance can’t deal with the door until tomorrow afternoon. Maggie says she has to see Ben and to let her know if anything else happens.

At the surf club, Maggie has told Ben that she thinks Ziggy might be behind it. Ben isn’t as convinced but does acknowledge her recent behaviour. Justin and Ziggy turn up. Ziggy asks to borrow a house key since she can’t find hers, while Justin diplomatically states that she was under the weather so he’s given her the day off. Maggie suggests they go for a walk first and Ben can drive her home later. Brody has been watching from a distance and Justin fills him in. Nearby, Maggie tells Ziggy about the graffiti. Ziggy is amused, until she realises Maggie thinks it’s her. Maggie points to her grudge against Simone, also saying it wasn’t Simone that accused Ziggy, but Ziggy storms off angrily and Ben follows her.

Ziggy storms into Salt with Ben just behind her and tells Brody to tell his “slag” to back off. Brody is bewildered as to what has prompted it and Ben ushers Ziggy away as she asks Brody why he’s doing it when she only ever loved him. At the Diner, Raffy, Ryder and Bella arrive together and chat to Irene. Marilyn ends an apologetic phone call, explaining she booked John and Jett into a hotel that didn’t have wheelchair access. Raffy offers to help but Marilyn says it’s okay. Bella says she’ll buy them all milkshakes. Irene comments on them hanging out again and Bella says everything’s sorted now.

Maggie, Roo and Simone are in the office. Maggie has temporarily covered the graffiti with spray paint and organised an assembly to make it clear the behaviour isn’t acceptable. She also says it wasn’t Ziggy, which hadn’t occurred to Simone who assumed it was a student. Maggie and Roo ask if she’s had any run-ins with students who know about her personal life. Simone admits she’s had trouble with Raffy but doesn’t think she’d do this. Maggie says she has broken into the school before. Down the beach, Ziggy tells Ben she’s tired of dealing with Brody and Simone all the time and it seems like no-one’s on her side. Ben says he and Maggie are but Ziggy says it doesn’t feel like it. Ben expresses worry about her partying but Ziggy says she needs distractions. She goes for a walk.

Brody and Simone walk through the caravan park. Simone fills Brody in on the graffiti and he realises that’s what Ziggy was talking about. Simone tearfully notes she didn’t know it would be like this and isn’t sure if she can do it anymore. At the farm house, Ziggy looks at a sandwich she’s made then puts it aside. Ben returns home and asks if she’s spoken to Maggie. He tries to get her to drop her attitude but Ziggy refuses to talk about it and walks out.

Bella, Raffy and Ryder arrive back at school. Bella says she has a session with “the homewrecker”. Maggie overhears and tells her not to make remarks like that, saying Simone’s gone home and sending her to her normal class. She then asks Raffy to come to the office. Ryder protests that she didn’t do the graffiti but Maggie sends him to class. Instead, he finds Bella and tells her Maggie thinks Raffy did it, pointedly suggesting the person who did should own up. Roo comes in and sends him on his way. In the office, Raffy denies it but Maggie isn’t convinced. Bella comes in and says she did it.