Episode 7194

Extended Summary

Willow is composing a text on the beach, with Bella standing at the edge of the water some distance away. Colby approaches and Willow tells him she’s got a new client, Alex, and admits she bribed her. She asks about Bella and Colby says she’s up and down. Bella joins them and asks what they were talking about; Willow says they were just chatting about her work. At the caravan park house, Ryder gets a text from Mackenzie asking him to work tonight. Roo reminds him not to neglect schoolwork but he reminds her he’s saving for a car. Leah and Justin come downstairs, being rather frisky, and Roo gives Ryder a mock birds and bees speech. Roo has to bring work to Bella before school so Ryder leaves on his own, telling Roo to say hi from him…unless Colby’s there. Leah and Justin discuss the videos Leah uploaded. Alf comes through and they all comment on Tommy’s lawsuit.

Leah joins Irene at the Diner and tells her there’s been a lot of traffic and positive comments on the other abuse survivors’ stories. Irene isn’t interested however, saying she has a real world problem to deal with. Leah doesn’t think there’s a problem but Irene wants to sign her half of the Diner over to her, saying her assets will be frozen like Ben’s when the lawsuit starts. She already has her lawyer drawing up the contract. Meanwhile, Colby and Bella arrive back at the flat. Bella wonders what Colby and Willow were really talking about and if it was about Irene. They’re interrupted by Roo, who gives Bella her work and collects what she’s done, although Bella hasn’t done a photography assignment. Roo passes on Ryder’s greeting and Bella reciprocates. After Bella’s gone, Roo asks Colby about her returning to school. Colby doesn’t want to push it but Roo says they’re starting revision and Year 12 soon and Tommy shouldn’t be allowed to take it away from her.

Justin arrives at the Diner and asks Leah if she’s free for lunch but she has a lot on her mind. Irene serves Willow and then intercepts a courier and collects the contract. She tries to get Leah to sign it straightaway but Leah doesn’t want to rush and ends up getting Irene to agree to her reading it first. Leah and Justin head out onto the wharf. Leah says both signing it and not signing it feel like betraying Irene and she doesn’t want it to look like she thinks Irene’s guilty or that she’s disregarded the women she’s spoken to. Justin points out that if Irene’s cleared she can just sign it back but Leah still isn’t sure.

Colby checks out Bella’s old camera. He points out there’s still film in it and she could take the shots for her photography assignment. Bella says she has to do reading for an English assignment. Colby points out the photography one is overdue but Bella says she’s thinking of dropping it. At the caravan park, Alf finds Ryder eating. Seeing Colby approach, Ryder asks Alf to stay but Alf says if he’s old enough to buy grog he can deal with the consequences. Panicking, Ryder tells Colby he hasn’t been near Bella but Colby apologies for last week and actually wants Ryder to see Bella; he may be the only one who can convince her to stay in school.

Bella lets Ryder into the flat when he knocks on the door. She warns him Colby will be back but he says they’ve smoothed things over. He asks about her coming back to school. Bella says she isn’t going to. Ryder says he misses seeing her every day, even if they’re in different classes, and Bella seems to feel the same but says she can’t face everyone after what happened. Ryder says no-one cares about what happened at the party. Bella thinks he knows she doesn’t mean that but Ryder is confused. When he tries to touch Bella’s shoulder, she pulls away and tells him to go. Ryder runs down the stairs and bumps into Alf, telling him he’s managed to upset Bella.

Colby and Willow are walking nearby. Colby is frustrated at Bella distancing herself from photography because of the reminders of Tommy, saying it was the only connection she had with their mother and he’s taken it away from her. Willow thinks she might just need time. At the Diner, Ryder tells Roo about Bella freaking out when he touched her. Roo and Irene exchange a look and Ryder realises they know something but both say it’s not their place to tell him.

Roo joins Bella in the Diner flat, as do Colby and Willow. Bella asks if Ryder really doesn’t know what happened. Roo says he’s starting to piece it together but no-one’s broken her trust. Bella says to say sorry to him but Roo suggests she says it herself. After she’s gone, Colby and Willow encourage Bella to tell Ryder the full story. Bella is worried about his reaction but Willow points out that if it was her then Colby and Dean wouldn’t blame her. Down in the Diner, Irene is on the phone to her lawyer saying Leah hasn’t signed the contract yet. She leaves a server in charge while she goes to find her. Bella arrives and approaches Ryder. She apologises for before and asks what he knows. Ryder has realised something happened to her. Bella suggests they go for a walk.

Irene finds Leah and Justin at the caravan park house but Leah hasn’t signed the contract and won’t. Irene tries to convince her they could lose the business but Leah is convinced it won’t come to that and refuses to give in to Tommy. Irene tries to convince her it’ll hurt her family but Leah won’t budge. Meanwhile, Ryder and Bella walk near the Diner towards the wharf. Bella worries that Ryder will treat her differently or think she’s an idiot. She tells him she met a guy on the internet and told him her address and he came to the house and assaulted her; Irene saved her but is now in trouble. Ryder asks if he can hug her and Bella agrees. Colby and Willow watch from the balcony. Colby claims he always knew Ryder was a good guy and they agree mates come in handy.

That evening, Ryder is serving in Salt. Irene comes in having heard Bella was having dinner there; Ryder points her out on the balcony with Colby and Willow. Willow goes for another session with Alex while Colby goes to get drinks. Irene approaches Bella and says she didn’t want to do this but has to: She needs Bella to testify for her.