Episode 7285

Extended Summary

Ari gets up off the floor with a groan and starts packing up the sleeping bag. Gemma wonders if he wants the bed tonight but Ari says she needs her rest. Nikau appears from the bathroom and Ari tries to get him to tidy up his stuff. Gemma steps in to prevent an argument. Nikau says he’s going fishing, since someone has to bring in food. There’s a knock at the door and a note is pushed under. Gemma reads it: It’s their bill and they’re three days behind.

At the garage, Ziggy gives Dean instructions on tightening up an engine and Justin notes she’s a better teacher than him. John and Marilyn say they have to go; Marilyn wants to be at the Diner in case Gemma needs help. Justin chats to Ben, who has been doing handyman work in the office, and notes it’s overwhelming to have everyone helping out.

As John and Marilyn approach the Diner, John wonders if Marilyn was serious about helping out Tori, noting Tori might not pay her and they need to make ends meet if Marilyn’s cutting back at the Diner. The discussion is cut short by the appearance of Gemma, Ari and Nikau, who explain Nikau’s fishing and Ari’s job hunting. Nikau and Gemma go on ahead as Ari explains to John and Marilyn that he’s looking for any odd jobs. Neither know of anything but Marilyn suggests John ask around and meet Ari at the surf club in an hour. After Ari has gone, John comments on how friendly Ari and Marilyn are and argues that they don’t know much about him. Inside, Gemma is surreptitiously making a takeaway meal for Nikau. Marilyn comes in and Gemma says she can’t find the coffee beans. While Marilyn is getting them, Gemma slips the bag to Nikau. All of them look awkward.

Dean and Ziggy get a bit frisky at the garage and comment that they make a good team. Dean has to leave for surf lessons and Justin thanks him for his help. He then apologises to Ziggy for giving her short shrift before and offers her her job back. Ben asks about Ryder’s car which is nearly ready. Justin decides to call Alf, and Ziggy suggests they surprise Ryder with the car if Alf’s okay with it.

Ari meets John and says he’s left his number around town. John says he’s asked around but there’s nothing, suggesting Ari tries Yabbie Creek and Reefton Lakes. Ari starts to get aggressive, suspecting John wants rid of him. Dean comes in and calls out, getting Ari to back off. John says he needs to learn how to handle rejection.

Up in Salt, Mackenzie is looking up Smouldr on her phone. Ryder arrives and asks if Colby’s told her the DPP have dropped the charges, suggesting she call him to check. Mackenzie hasn’t spoken to Colby but takes his word. Ryder asks if he can have his job back, adding that Colby told him Jade’s in trouble for lying to the police and he could sue for defamation. Mackenzie is getting a bit fed up with Colby’s name coming up but happily agrees to fit Ryder’s shifts in around his TAFE work.

Ben shows off the door that he’s fixed for Justin and asks how he is. Justin says he’ll survive but Ben says that’s what he thought but Justin’s supporting Tori and Grace, mourning Mason and dealing with Leah being missing and suggests he needs to let people support him. Ziggy starts up the engine on the car and they celebrate.

Ryder finishes his meal at Salt and Mackenzie asks him to start work straightaway. Dean and Ari come up but Ari refuses an offer of food. Dean quietly asks Ryder for two steak sangers and chips. Ryder recognises Ari as Nik’s uncle and Dean says he doesn’t know him. He asks Mackenzie if there’s any work for a friend but Mackenzie says there isn’t now Ryder’s back. Dean rather mutely says that that’s good for him.

At the Diner, Nikau turns up but Gemma still has an hour to go. He admits he didn’t catch anything. Marilyn announces she’s made too many burgers and gives one to Nikau. After he’s gone, Marilyn notes Gemma hasn’t had a break. Gemma says she took a sandwich without paying for it, which she suspects Marilyn already knows. Marilyn understands, giving her the other burger and telling her to take a break.

Ryder brings Dean and Ari their food, to Ari’s confusion. Dean makes out that Ryder made a mistake and Ryder plays along with it. Dean makes an attempt to suggest Ari could take surf lessons but Ari doesn’t surf. He takes his food and leaves. Outside the Diner, Ryder tells Nikau about getting his job back. Justin and Ben arrive with the car, to Ryder’s delight, although he admits he can’t drive it. Nikau offers to take him for a spin. Ben insists on checking Nikau’s license before the two of them drive off.

Inside, John tries to tell Marilyn that Dean witnessed Ari losing it at him but Marilyn thinks John provoked him. Ryder and Nikau come in with Ryder trying to come up with a name for the car. John tells them not to call it Knight Rider, a reference they don’t get. Nikau suggests Waka Hou…which turns out to just mean “new car”. Ari comes in as Ryder is talking about fitting in driving lessons around work and TAFE, and makes a pointed comment to Nikau about Ryder, who says he’s nineteen, doing both. Ryder leaves and Gemma appears. Ari admits he didn’t find a job and Nikau comments on not being the only failure in the family. Marilyn hands Gemma a takeaway bag, calling it her order.

At the farm house, Ben asks Ziggy if she’s joining them for dinner, since Maggie will be home soon, then notices Ziggy is dressed up. Ziggy explains she’s going to see Dean to celebrate getting her job back. Justin asks how she’d feel about qualifying from her apprenticeship early: He’s spoken to TAFE and they’ve agreed to fast track it if she can complete her competencies in four weeks. Ziggy is delighted and Justin notes it’ll help them both since he needs help at the garage.

Mackenzie serves Ziggy at Salt, hearing about the offer. Ziggy mentions kissing another man, which Dean hadn’t told Mackenzie about. Mackenzie wonders if Ziggy regrets going on the race circuit. Ziggy says she made a lot of mistakes but sometimes you have to put yourself out there. At the caravan park, Dean is on the phone to someone, seemingly trying to get a job for Ari. Ziggy turns up and tells him about getting the job back and soon being fully qualified. They grab the beers and head for their van.

Ari, Nikau and Gemma arrive back at the motel with Nikau singing Marilyn’s praises, but they’re pulled up short by the sight of their bags outside their room, with Gemma realising they’ve been evicted: Their key card doesn’t work. Ari protests that he spoke to the manager and she agreed to give them more time. Gemma says she obviously changed her mind. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is in Salt alone after hours. She opens up a laptop and starts filling in a Smouldr profile, typing that she’s looking for love.

Nikau and Gemma finish off their takeaways while sitting on the bonnet of the car, noting Marilyn shows there’s good people in the town. Gemma says they’d better pack up and move on, telling Ari, who is sat above them, that they’ll’sort it out in the morning.