Episode 7317

Extended Summary

Mackenzie parks her car near the surf club and encounters Ari, who has just finished work. Mackenzie suggests he come to Salt later, saying she’s working and suggesting she could use a distraction. After she walks away, Gemma approaches Ari who says they were just talking. Gemma asks if he’s seen Nikau. The two of them arrive at the Palmer house and ask Nikau what happened with Bella. Nikau is unhappy that Ari knows and says he needed his help yesterday. Ari says he was working but Nikau thinks he was busy with Mackenzie. As things become increasingly heated between the pair, Gemma asks Nikau if he called Tane. Ari is furious but Nikau says Tane cares what happens to him. He storms out. Gemma sarcastically thanks Ari.

Back at the equine centre, Bella is now leading Bullet around without the lead. Colby is reluctant to leave still but compliments Bella. She asks if she can have a pony and Colby jokes that they’ll keep it in Dean’s room. Steve tells Bella it’s time to muck out the stables but first asks for her phone: They need her to keep focused so there’s no contact with the outside world. Colby, Bella and Willow are all shocked but Colby says they’ll let her friends know. Bella sees Nikau’s text on the phone before handing it over. Meanwhile, Ari and Gemma arrive back at the Diner. Ari isn’t happy that Tane’s involved. Gemma says he called her a few weeks back and doesn’t agree that she should have told Ari. She knows Nikau’s grieving but is sick of him using Mikaera as an excuse. John and Marilyn listen to the conversation from the counter.

John heads to the Palmer house to find Nikau. He acknowledges he’s sticking his nose in but says Nikau’s a decent young man underneath the attitude. Nikau says John’s worse than Ari pretending to be his friend and John jokingly replies to never compare him to him. He says Nikau’s blaming himself for what happened to Bella but Bella and Colby don’t. He asks what he’s done that’s so bad. Soon after, John drags Ryder out of the surf club, telling Mackenzie he’s borrowing him for a bit. He sticks him in front of Nikau and tells them to talk. Nikau says he was wrong to bail on Bella but he’s never seen anyone freak out like that. He also reveals he went to the hospital to try and see her. Ryder is impressed that he fronted up to Colby and agrees that they’re cool.

Tane finds Ari outside his house and wonders what he’s doing there. Ari says it isn’t because he misses him. Tane gets some beers from the house and asks Ari the reason for his visit. Ari says he doesn’t want Tane contacting Nikau. Tane says Nikau’s the one calling him so Ari tells him to block his number. Tane isn’t happy about Ari telling him what to do. They look set to have a fight but stop when a police car comes past.

John goes back to the house; Gemma is bemused that he knocks. He tells her that he spoke to Nikau and he’s made up with Ryder, although he’s not sure his attitude has changed completely. He notes that life keeps coming at you even when you’re grieving and asks if she’s all right. Gemma says she was surprised he and Marilyn were married at first but can now see that they’re both lovely people. Back in the city, Tane is annoyed that Ari came out of jail, started acting like the head of the family and turned his back on him. Ari says Tane could have come with them but Tane didn’t want to live by his rules and says Nikau came to him because he was sick of Ari. Ari thinks it was contact with Tane that made Nikau start avoiding his responsibilities. He tells him not to answer Nikau’s calls or texts and doesn’t want to have to go there again.

Bella and Steve come back from mucking out the stables. Colby says he and Willow have to go now. Although she hugs him goodbye, Bella ends up running to the car and begging him not to go, saying he said he wouldn’t abandon her. Willow tells him to drive. Bella chases after the car; Colby sees her but Willow tells him to keep going. They turn out of the gate and Bella sinks to the ground in the drive. Not too far away, Colby prepares to turn around but Willow stops him, saying it’s the worst thing he could do and Bella’s safe. Colby thinks he’s handed Bella over to strangers because he can’t cope. Willow says it’s the best thing for her. Colby eventually keeps driving.

John arrives at the Diner. Marilyn asks him where he’s been and he says he was helping out Nikau. Marilyn notes the turnaround and John says he will admit when he’s wrong and recalls Marilyn helping him with Jett after Gina died. Marilyn says she’ll keep an eye on Gemma if he looks after Nikau. John looks disappointed that she leaves his table quickly. Back at Salt, Ryder is trying to make up for the missed work and comments to Mackenzie that John has been Good John, the guy with the heart of gold, lately rather than Grumpy John, blaming young people for everything. Mackenzie knows something happened with Bella. Ryder says she was in hospital last night; she was released and is fine physically but had to go away for a while. He asks Mackenzie not to ask him any more. She says he’s a good friend.

Colby is doing the washing up at the flat when Nikau arrives. He asks Colby to give Bella a message for him: Nothing has changed between them, unless she wants it to. Colby says he’s sure Bella would like to hear that but explains no-one can contact her, not even him. Later, Ari and Gemma are waiting at the Palmer house, with Ari keen to head off to Salt. Marilyn comes through as Nikau turns up. He apologises to Gemma, saying he was out of line before. Ari asks if he’s going to open up the bait shop and Nikau says he will (although he continues looking at Gemma instead of Ari). Gemma thanks him but says he won’t get an easy ride anymore; they hug. After Ari and Nikau have gone, Marilyn tells Gemma she can talk to her.

Colby is looking at Bella’s camera and puts it back in the box when he hears a knock on the door. It’s Mackenzie with a pizza: She says she’s heard he had a rough day and asks if he wants company. Colby nods.