Episode 7327

Extended Summary

Tori runs into Leah and Justin outside the Diner and wonders why they aren’t with Grace. After Justin jokes about leaving her with a pizza, they explain that Jasmine turned up and was spending so much time with Grace that they let her take over. Tori goes home where Jasmine is cuddling Grace. Tori tries to hint that she should hand her over but Jasmine says they were about to have a bath and Tori should put her feet up. Tori looks disappointed.

At the Diner, Irene approaches Leah and Justin’s table and notes it’s good to see things getting back to normal. Leah agrees that she feels more like her old self. Marilyn passes by and notes she’s going to get ready to have Grace tomorrow. Justin looks distracted for a moment and says he’s thinking about the future. Meanwhile, Tori has resorted to reading when Jasmine emerges with Grace and claims she just said Mama for the first time. Tori again tries to suggest she have a cuddle with Grace but Jasmine just says she wouldn’t have managed without them. Tori says she felt the same after her miscarriage but Jasmine says Tori still had options and with Robbo gone she doesn’t.

Ari offers to get another round in but Gemma says it can wait until the food comes because he takes too long at the bar. Tane suggests it’s because of the bartender and Gemma says that’s her new boss. Mackenzie brings the food over herself and Tane flirts with her. Nikau announces that she and Ari have been hooking up and Ari takes Tane out onto the balcony. Gemma apologises but Mackenzie is mostly worried about Ari and Tane. Ari accuses Tane of abandoning Gemma and Nikau but Tane thinks Ari hasn’t looked out for them, leaving them living with a stranger while he sleeps in a van. Mackenzie steps in, saying not to do it here. Soon after, Tane, Nikau and Gemma go downstairs. Tane and Nikau both think Ari’s at fault but Gemma isn’t happy about being caught in the middle. Tane says he’s going home but Gemma says he’s drunk too much to drive. However, she isn’t too keen when Nikau decides he can crash with them and Marilyn will be all right with it.

Marilyn is extremely uncomfortable when the idea is put to her. Gemma says there’s no pressure but Nikau begs her to say yes and Tane smoothly says it would be a bad example for him to drink and drive and he’s fine with the couch. Gemma continues to say Marilyn doesn’t have to, suggesting Tane stay at the caravan park, but with Nikau pressing her to say yes, Marilyn gives in. Nikau suggests he and Tane sit up and watch movies. Back at Salt, Mackenzie asks Ari if he has any other siblings he hasn’t mentioned. She says Dean’s a hot head as well but he has her back. Ari says Tane is more likely to stick a knife in his. He doesn’t want Nikau spending time with him, saying Tane’s part of the life that left him in jail and Mikaere dead.

Leah and Justin arrive home to find Jasmine still monopolising Grace, trying to get her to say Mama again. Justin points out Tori has an early start, while Leah goes off to bed. Jasmine offers to put Grace to bed but Tori says she’ll do it and Jasmine leaves. Tori cuddles Grace, saying it’s past her bedtime but she needs some time with her. She tells Justin she hasn’t spent time with Grace in days. Next morning, Marilyn finds Tane asleep on the couch (shirtless, naturally) and sneaks out. Tane sits up after she’s gone and Nikau appears, glad to see he’s still there. He suggests they get out quickly because it’s Gemma’s first day in a new job and she’s likely to be stressed.

At the Diner, Jasmine is ordering a pre-work coffee and checks with Leah about how Grace slept, apologising for disrupting her routine. Marilyn arrives and tells Irene she wants to hang out there before meeting Tori, explaining about Tane being at her house and how he’s a troublemaker and Ari doesn’t like him. Jasmine looks concerned. Back at the Morgan house, Justin tries to tell Tori that dinner with Leah left him thinking about the future but Tori is in a fluster getting Grace ready when she had an unsettled night so Justin leaves, passing Jasmine. Jasmine tells Tori about Tane and wonders if it’s safe for Grace to be there. Tori says she doesn’t have any other options and Marilyn wouldn’t have her if it wasn’t safe.

Mackenzie has just finished a swim on the beach and runs into Tane and Nikau. Tane greets her, apologising for the previous night and trying to get her to join them for a swim. Mackenzie says she has to get to work. Tane asks her what she sees in Ari. Mackenzie retorts that she’s not seeing him at the moment and it’s none of Tane’s business. Meanwhile, Tori drops Grace off with Marilyn at the Palmer house, apologising for being late. She asks about Tane. Marilyn says he was just there for one night and it’s girls only.

Mackenzie has given Gemma her introduction at Salt. Gemma thanks her for the job and apologises for the previous night, saying she’ll stop Ari and Tane causing trouble. Ari turns up and Gemma warns him not to risk her job. Ari isn’t happy to hear Tane stopped at Marilyn’s. Gemma says it was only one night and he’s probably on his way home. Mackenzie says she saw him on the beach with Nikau. Tane and Nikau are playing ball in the water when Ari calls out to them. He tells Nikau to get dressed because he’s taking him to the construction site to ask about work. Neither Nikau or Tane react well to Ari ordering him about. Ari says Nikau needs a proper job to keep him out of trouble and Tane says Ari should talk to him. Ari doesn’t want Tane taking advantage of Marilyn and tells him not to stay there again. Tane accepts it but says Nikau came to him for help so he’s sticking around. They go back into the water.

Leah runs into Irene outside the Diner and says Justin’s called her to meet him at the garage and talk about something important. Irene semi-seriously suggests he’s going to pop the question. Leah sees Jasmine nearby and wonders why she’s not at work. Jasmine says she had errands to run, but then calls someone called Francis saying she’s too ill to come in. At the garage, Justin is pacing nervously as Leah arrives with takeaway. Justin sits her down and fumbles over a speech about their future. Leah blurts out that she doesn’t want to get married.

Marilyn is looking after Grace when Jasmine turns up and asks if Tane’s there. Marilyn says he isn’t but Jasmine still says it’s not a good environment so Tori wants her to take Grace. Marilyn wants to call her but Jasmine says she’s in surgery. Marilyn goes to get Grace’s things. Jasmine crouches by Grace and says she’s safe with her.