Episode 7274

Extended Summary

Maggie meets Ben with a coffee after a surf and shows him the paper, the front page of which shows Robbo and Mason’s photos with a report on their deaths. Maggie feels they should do something for the town. Ben isn’t sure what they can do other than the vigil but suspects Maggie has a plan. Outside the caravan park house, Roo offers Ryder breakfast but he is going for a surf. She asks what he wants to tell Alf about what’s going on. Ryder doesn’t want to tell Alf anything and is willing to risk him hearing it from someone else. Roo agrees not to say anything. Martha arrives as Ryder is leaving and says Alf left first thing and is probably fishing. She claims nothing’s wrong but declines an offer of breakfast.

Ryder heads down the beach. Jade is sunbathing nearby, while eyeing up a young man, Nikau. She asks Ryder if he’s following her and suggests she might take out an AVO. Ryder says the beach isn’t hers. Jade takes out her phone and starts videoing him, asking him to leave her alone in a tearful voice. Ryder protests that she started talking to him before eventually retreating, letting her turn her attention back to Nikau. Outside the Diner, Maggie runs into Irene and asks if she’s all right and if there’s any news of Leah. Irene is upset and says Willow and Colby are helping Jasmine with the funeral arrangements. She asks for a walk to take her mind off things.

Roo is trying to talk to Martha when Alf comes home. Roo asks what’s going on between the two of them, saying she feels like she’s woken up in a different house. Martha eventually admits Alf asked her to marry him. Roo initially thinks that’s good, then wonders if Martha said no. Alf says she didn’t answer at all. When she remains silent, he says that sounds like a no.

Ryder approaches Jade after the surf asking her to leave him alone. Jade starts filming him again as he says she’s got everyone thinking he’s a creep. Nikau steps in and Jade asks him to walk her back to her car, saying Ryder keeps following her. Ryder tries to protest but Nikau tells him to go and he complies. Meanwhile, Roo tries to work out how a proposal led to this. Martha argues that it wasn’t a proposal, he just put it to her like asking her for a cup of tea. Alf says it wasn’t planned and Martha says that’s the point. Despite Roo’s protests, they walk off in opposite directions.

Ryder is showering near the surf club and sees Nikau and Jade laughing and joking on the Salt balcony. Nikau wonders how Jade got involved with Ryder. She says they went on a couple of dates and he did some dodgy stuff and the police are involved. She offers to talk over dinner, saying it’ll drive Ryder crazy to see them together. Nikau agrees.

Irene and Maggie arrive at the Diner, talking about how everyone’s feeling. Alf is reading the paper and complains about having to see people they’ve lost on the front page. He brushes aside Irene’s queries about Martha. Back at the house, Roo asks Martha what’s going on with her. Martha says she’s worried Alf only asked her because he was upset about Robbo and Mason. Roo concludes Martha wants to know if Alf’s sincere. Martha says she needs to know that before taking that leap.

Irene approaches Alf at the Diner and says he can tell her to pull her head in but looks like he needs to talk. Alf tells her to pull her head in but also thanks her. Roo arrives and joins Alf, telling him Martha’s worried it was a kneejerk reaction. Alf thinks she should know he loves her enough by now. Roo tells him to talk to her.

They head home and Alf complains that Martha isn’t even there, before Martha enters. Roo leaves them to it. Alf tells her she’s right that he only proposed in response to everything’s happened but says he’s been thinking about it for months and has learned life is short and he wants to spend the rest of his with her. He gets down on one knee and proposes again. Martha accepts and they hug and kiss. Alf calls out to Roo, listening in the hall, to come out now.

Ryder loiters outside the surf club, with Ben working nearby, and sees Nikau kissing Jade goodbye. He asks to talk to Nikau, saying he wants to stop him getting sucked in like him. They walk a little way away where Ryder tries to explain, admitting the video does exist but saying it’s not what Nikau thinks. Nikau doesn’t believe him. Ryder stops him walking away and says he’s an idiot who deserves it. Nikau punches him and Ryder lunges at him. Ben appears and breaks the fight up, telling Nikau to take a walk. He asks Ryder if he really thinks people need this today.

Nikau meets Jade by the beach and tells her that she was right about them driving Ryder crazy. They go for a walk together. Meanwhile, Alf, Roo and Martha are having champagne. Alf invites Roo to give the toast but before she can do so, Ryder and Ben arrive. Ben explains what he saw and leaves them to it. Roo tries to let Ryder get away but Alf demands an explanation. Ryder says he got sucked in by a girl and has been fired and arrested and had a sex tape of him made.