Episode 7257

Extended Summary

Colby checks that Bella is sure about the home schooling. He asks if she’ll miss hanging out with her friends and Bella says she’s not exactly a social butterfly. Colby says he’ll do his best to make it happen. Dean comes in without knocking and says he needs beer, taking a bottle from the fridge. Outside the surf club, Alex asks an upset Willow if Dean disapproved. Willow says they didn’t get as far as that: He just walked off. She notes he said it wasn’t about her dating a woman but about not telling him, but she wonders if he was just covering. Alex suggests giving him time.

Colby and Bella both berate Dean for reacting badly to Willow’s revelation. Dean says Willow told them before him. Colby replies that they found out. He sends Bella to her room, suspecting there’s something Dean isn’t telling him and his mood isn’t just about Willow. Dean says all the women in his life are keeping things from him. Colby asks what Ziggy’s done but Dean walks away without answering. At the farm house, Ziggy is picking at the food. She answers a call from Dean, who is on the balcony at the flat and asks why she’s so desperate for him to come round. Ziggy says it’s up to him what he does and Dean replies that it’s up to her what she does. They end the call and Ziggy clears up. Ben and Maggie arrive and offer to go to the bedroom but Ziggy tells them Dean never turned up. They try to sympathise but she goes to bed.

Colby joins Dean, having overheard enough to confirm that it isn’t just Willow that’s bothering him. Dean says that Ziggy got the job after all and hasn’t told him. Colby advises him to talk to her but Dean says he’s not there for advice. Next morning, Willow and Alex are on the beach. Alex tries to convince Willow that Dean’s reaction was just a hiccup. Dean approaches them and asks to talk to Willow. Alex leaves them alone.

Ben and Maggie try to get Ziggy to go and see Dean but she wants to go for a surf first. They remind her she leaves today and she curses not telling Dean when she first got the job, since she’s now made things harder. However, she insists she’s going to do the surf so Ben agrees to go with her. At the Diner flat, Colby is on the phone and tells the person on the other end that he needs someone who can start straightaway. He ends the call and crosses out a name from a list, telling Bella that the person was interested but he couldn’t start for a month. Colby is running out of names. Maggie arrives and Colby explains the problem of getting someone at short notice. Maggie says she and Roo have an idea: Between them, they will tutor Bella over the summer break and get her ready. Bella gladly agrees.

Willow and Dean have gone to Salt. Dean apologises for his reaction and Willow apologises for not telling him earlier. She explains that she was trying to figure out exactly what the situation was between her and Alex. Dean says he doesn’t blame her since Alex is hot. He says that he’s happy if she’s happy and Willow notes it’s the happiest she’s ever been. Dean gives her a hug. Willow goes and finds Alex on the wharf and tells her Dean’s fine with it. Alex babbles about how great that is and Willow is amused to realise how nervous she was behind the cool façade. Alex congratulates her on coming out for the first time and they kiss.

Ben and Ziggy are on the beach but Ben tells her to forget about the surf and go and see Dean. He says Dean’s like him: Ben’s always felt he’s not good enough for Maggie, which is how Dean feels about Ziggy. Ziggy thinks Dean will see it as her choosing her career over him but Ben says she’ll lose him if she doesn’t talk to him. Ziggy agrees to leave her things there and go see him. She drives to the caravan park where Dean is waxing his board. He apologises for standing her up, then reveals he knows about the pit crew job and wanted to see when she’d tell him. However, he is shocked when she reveals she’s leaving today. He asks if she hesitated before taking the job and works out from her expression that she didn’t. Ziggy tells him not to walk away as if it’s over but Dean goes into his van.

Ziggy has her bags packed at home. Ben and Maggie arrive and she tells them Dean broke up with her. Both of them are surprised but Ziggy says it means she can focus on the job, adding that she has to get going. They give her a final hug goodbye before she leaves. Ziggy drives out of town, looking teary, and reaches the You Are Leaving Summer Bay sign. She pulls over and looks at her phone. In his caravan, Dean has Ziggy’s contact up and is deliberating over calling. In the end, he turns his phone off, while Ziggy puts hers down and drives on.

Ben and Maggie discuss how strange it’s going to be not having Ziggy around and also suspect that she’s not as okay as she claimed. Maggie recalls that it was Dean who pulled her out of the hole after Brody left her and worries that she’s gong to self-destruct without anyone there to help her. Meanwhile, Colby pulls up near Dean’s van in his police car. Dean tells him about the break-up. Colby tries to get him to stop drinking and insists on taking his car keys. Dean agrees not to write himself off but isn’t very convincing.