Episode 7123

Extended Summary

Bella runs from the surf club, with Dean running after her, calling her name. Outside the Diner, Irene and Roo are welcoming Marilyn back, with Marilyn saying that Jett’s settling in well but John’s stayed on an extra night. Both Bella and Dean run through them. Bella crawls under the pier, upset. Dean stays crouched outside the pier for a moment, then slowly approaches her. He asks if her outburst was about him and Ziggy. Bella says it’s about everything; she feels horrified at what she did to Colby and says she’s a screw-up who makes a mess of everything. Dean tries to reassure her.

Alf brings Colby some ice and suggests he has a doctor take a look at him. Willow and Ziggy wonder what happened. Colby says Bella hitting him was an accident but Alf isn’t convinced. Colby gets a text from Dean saying he’s found Bella and decides to go. Alf insists on going with him to make sure he doesn’t keel over. Willow brushes off Ziggy’s attempt to talk to her and goes outside but Ziggy follows and sits with her, saying they need to clear the air over Dean. She says she’s not using him. Willow says she knows that and has already told Bella. Ziggy understands how important they all are to each other but says she wouldn’t have got through everything without Dean and he’s the best thing that’s happened to her in a while.

Colby arrives back at the Diner flat. Dean tells him Bella’s in her room. Bella emerges and asks Colby if he’s okay. Colby says he is but stresses that the way she behaved wasn’t on. Bella understands and retreats. Colby remarks to Dean that Bella hit him with the pool ball on instinct because it was the first thing to hand and next time it could be a knife. Dean thinks that’s going a bit far. That evening, Colby checks on Bella, asking if she’s awake: She doesn’t respond so he puts a blanket over her. Willow turns up with a pizza. Colby isn’t sure whether Bella’s asleep or just not talking. He says she keeps being sorry but things keep happening and wonders if she spent too long with Ross: She pointed a crossbow at him when they first met and things have got worse since then. He suggests she can’t be saved.

Downstairs in the Diner, Alf fills Irene, Roo and Marilyn in on the incident earlier. He says Colby needs to talk to Bella; Willow enters and says he’s working on it. Roo notes Bella’s behaviour has escalated at school, especially without Simone. Willow thinks they should give them some space but Irene says to let Colby know she’s willing to help. At the farm house, Ziggy is sat on her bed, clad in only a towel, looking at her phone. Dean climbs in the window and takes in being in her room for the first time. He says he didn’t want her parents to see him and she reminds him they’re in the city. Dean says he just wanted to check on her and Ziggy calls him a nice surprise. They kiss and she lets the towel drop.

Alf and Roo chat to Marilyn, suggesting she and John could do with a break. Marilyn replies that they’ve not had much chance to do normal things lately, like spend time on their own or with Raffy. She thinks that when John comes back they’ll do that. Next morning, Colby is going for a walk on the beach and runs into Irene. She asks about Bella and suggests that it might help if she moves in with her for a while. Colby doesn’t think Bella would agree to that but Irene doesn’t think it should be her decision. She says the offer’s there if he wants it.

Ziggy watches Dean sleep, then wakes him by pinching his nose. Dean says there’s better ways to wake a guy, kissing her. Ziggy jokingly asks if he often wakes guys like that. Dean wants to stay where they are but Ziggy says there are waves waiting and the bed will be there when they get back. Meanwhile, Colby goes into Bella’s room and asks to talk. Bella says she can do better. Colby says he knows she means that but she’s meant it before. Bella begs him not to give up on her but Colby says they need help so she’ll be staying with Irene for a while. Bella thinks he’s getting rid of her and Colby stresses Jasmine and Willow will be there for her. Bella shuts down, asking in a detached manner when they’re going and, when Colby tries to discuss it further, simply saying she’ll pack. Once she’s alone, she silently sobs.

Downstairs, Marilyn tells Roo that John’s on his way back. Irene comes in and tells Marilyn she needs to go home early because Bella’s staying with her and Colby’s bringing her round. She also asks Marilyn to cover her night shifts. Roo checks she knows what she’s doing. Soon after, Willow and Irene welcome Bella and Colby to the beach house. Willow apologises that she needs to go to Russell’s appointment. Bella is unresponsive when Willow hugs her. Irene suggests they sit down and have a chat but Bella says she just wants to go to her room and get settled, refusing Colby’s offer to stay.

Colby and Willow walk on the beach. Willow tries to reassure him that Irene will look after Bella and Colby says he just wants her to be happy. Willow notices Dean and Ziggy messing about in the water and says that’s what people who are happy look like, adding that they deserve it. Back at the beach house, Bella comes down. Irene says they need to talk about house rules: Showing each other respect, cleaning up after themselves and doing chores. Bella says no. Irene tells her to sit down but Bella refuses, saying she didn’t want to be there and Irene is nothing to her, not her mother or her grandmother or anything else, so she won’t do her chores. She storms back upstairs, leaving Irene looking befuddled.