Episode 7256

Extended Summary

Colby and Alex come down the steps from the Diner flat. Alex doesn’t think there’s anything to be worried about: Bella’s temperature, pulse and blood pressure are all normal and she suspects it’s just after effects from the tetanus and inoculations, but she tells Colby to bring Bella in if she gets worse. She asks him to let Willow know she’ll see her later. Colby says he will in a rather over-enthusiastic manner, before saying he’s happy for them. He goes up to the flat and tells Bella what Alex said. Bella argues that Alex didn’t even take her blood and Colby offers to bring her back and get her to do it. Bella says she doesn’t want to spiral like before. Colby says he’ll call work and say he can’t do his shift. He finds Willow making orange juice; she says the vitamin C will be good for Bella. Colby jokes about her girlfriend being a doctor and, after Colby dodges a question about Mac, they discuss telling Dean again. Colby makes it clear Dean needs to hear it from her, not someone else.

At the farm house, Dean loudly asks why no-one tells him anything; Ziggy freaks slightly before discovering he’s just talking about the amount of beer in the fridge. He tells her he’s glad she didn’t get the job. Ziggy goes to get something for a headache. While she’s gone, Dean sees a message from Kurt come through on her phone, saying he’s e-mailing her contract through. When Ziggy comes back, Dean asks the reason for the headache and she suggests it’s just stress before sending him off to the board shop. Outside the surf club, Willow chats to Alex about getting caught out twice. Alex says it’s Willow’s fault for kissing her in public. Willow goes to do so again, then hastily pulls back when Dean greets her. Willow starts to babble to him about how she’s been hanging out with Alex a lot, but denies it when Dean calls it a lunch date and is left dangling when he walks off. Alex calls it a slow motion car crash but understands. Willow however says Dean can’t find out from someone else.

Maggie approaches Ben at the board shop and he makes a quip about her working up a sweat. Dean comes in and is somewhat snappy when Ben comments on him getting there early. He asks if they’ve heard anything about Ziggy. Maggie points out she’s only just got back. She heads off for a meeting with Bella while Ben leaves Dean to run things. Back at the farm, Ziggy is on the phone to Justin talking about giving up her job at the garage. Ben arrives back in time to overhear her saying she got the job and notes Dean said she was acting strange, although he doesn’t think he knows. Ziggy explains the other mechanic had to drop out. Ben says he’s happy for her but not about her keeping Dean dangling.

Willow is giving Alex boxing training near the beach. She asks if there was anyone Alex was nervous about coming out to and Alex admits she was like that with everyone, hence getting drunk and blurting it out. Ziggy appears and Alex gives them some space as Ziggy asks Willow about telling Dean something. Willow asks what she’s heard and Ziggy is intrigued there’s something to hear. Neither give any details but Willow concludes Dean will either be brutally honest or lie to protect her feelings and have it all come out later. She suggests Ziggy’s best option is to tell it to him straight and then take him to bed. Ziggy heads to the farm house and tells Ben that she needs the house to be a parent free zone. Ben is bewildered that she hasn’t told Dean when she leaves in less than twenty-four hours, but agrees to eat at the Diner and keep Maggie away as long as possible.

Colby confirms to Bella that he has time off to spend with her and that they have the place to themselves while Robbo and Jasmine are in the city. Maggie arrives to talk to them and Coby says Bella isn’t well, but Maggie says it can’t wait. Bella wants to take part in the discussion but Colby says she’s not well enough and sends her to her room. Bella listens in as Maggie points out Bella should be finishing the first term of Year 12 now. She and Roo have worked out a schedule which will allow them to catch Bella up on the missed work over the summer break. Colby says Bella’s not well enough at the moment and asks her to wait a week or two but Maggie says they don’t have that long: The course is intensive and needs to be started immediately. If not, Bella will have to repeat Year 11.

Willow and Alex are on the balcony at Salt. Willow notes that Ziggy’s going to tell Dean something and it might be the wrong day to hit him with something else. Alex points out that their relationship is supposed to be good news. Willow sees Dean washing boards down below and wonders if she should go and tell him now. Alex thinks that she’s not ready and says there’s no rush. Later, Dean comes into the gym and jokes about Willow being the boss. Seeing him checking his phone, Willow asks if he’s waiting to hear from Ziggy. She admits she knows Ziggy has something to tell him. Dean says he already knows what it is and is frustrated that she won’t tell him. Seemingly coming to a decision, Willow asks if they can have a drink and talk.

Bella joins Colby, who guesses that she overheard everything. He wonders if repeating might be best after all but Bella insists she wants to carry on with Year 12. Colby doesn’t think she’s well enough for the catch-up course. Bella says she might have another suggestion. Downstairs, Colby fills Ben and Maggie in on Bella’s idea: Home schooling. Ben says they considered it for Ziggy and Coco but Maggie says she didn’t have a job at the time: It’s full-time, so Colby will either have to commit to it himself or pay someone else to. She also doesn’t think it’s right for Bella, saying her progress is down to having the resources of the school behind her. Colby thinks it’s the only option if the school won’t let Bella continue in Year 12, so Maggie agrees to get him the numbers for some tutors.

Ziggy puts a roast in the oven, carefully sets the table, gets dressed up and send Dean a text message saying “Ready when you are…” Dean’s phone is on the table at Salt as he and Willow get drinks and goes unnoticed. He wonders what Willow wants to tell him and guesses she’s met someone. She confirms it and Dean asks who he is and whether it’s connected to her turning up at his van in a mess. Willow eventually tells him it’s not a him but a her: Alex. She also admits that Colby, Bella and Irene already know and it’s been going on about a month. Dean is annoyed that she didn’t say anything when they were having drinks together and asks why people keep things from him, storming off.