Episode 7365

Extended Summary

Alf and Marilyn walk across the pier. Marilyn feels like an awful person for walking out on John. Alf asks what they were arguing about and Marilyn says that any little thing just gets blown up into a big argument these days. Alf offers to go and check on John while Marilyn goes and has some alone time. Meanwhile, at the Parata house, Gemma is on the phone, talking to someone in New Zealand about the arrangements and saying how much Nikau has grown. She asks if Nikau and Tane have packed and they protest that they’ve got a whole day to do it. Ari comes home from work in time to note that Gemma’s anxious because it’s a big deal.

Maggie arrives back at the farm house and Ben notes he was about to send out a search party. Maggie says she had to clear her head and Ben asks if she has found a decision she can live with. He points out there was always a chance the girls wouldn’t come and they will be 24 hours away on a plane. He also thinks that rebuilding their marriage is good for Coco and Ziggy. Maggie isn’t ready yet.

Gemma asks if everyone got time off work okay. Tane jokingly says his boss can do without him for a few days and Ari says one day he’ll have a job to take a holiday from. Nikau says Alf was okay with it. There’s a knock on the door which turns out to be Marilyn. Ari tells her about going away. Marilyn notes she hasn’t been there since John collapsed. They invite her to stay but Marilyn says she’d better get back to John, hugging Gemma and saying she’ll see them when they get back. Ari comments that that was weird.

Next morning, Ari and Tane go down the beach for a swim and aren’t pleased to run into Colby. After making superficially polite chit-chat, Colby comments that Ari is usually at work at this time. Ari says it’s nice of him to notice and Colby says he notices a lot. Ari says he doesn’t want to waste his day off. Later, back at the house, they fill in Gemma and Nikau. Ari says Colby couldn’t know they were leaving unless someone told him, then wonders if Marilyn did. Tane asks about Bella. Nikau says she doesn’t know anything. Ari admits Mackenzie knows and Gemma says she had to ask her about time off. Nikau realises he did the same with Alf. Ari says to just get ready.

Colby approaches Alf when he comes into the Diner and Alf notes you don’t know how much you rely on someone until they’re not there. Colby asks if Nikau’s working today. Alf says the family’s going to New Zealand for a few days and are probably on their way to the airport now. At the Parata house, Ari, Nikau and Tane file out with their bags. Gemma collects Mikaere’s ashes before following.

Alf and Ben are sorting out a delivery at the surf club. Ben talks about the plan to leave the Bay but says Maggie doesn’t want to leave the girls so they’re stuck. Alf says he knows someone who might know where he’s coming from, who he’s run out of excuses to drop in on. Shortly after, Ben is at the Palmer house filling in John. John asks if Ben and Maggie love each other, saying it’s not something you can fake. Ben says you can’t stay with a partner out of duty. John wonders what brought them back together. Ben says they have the same values but it ultimately comes down to who you want by your side when the chips are down. John tells him to go to Maggie and tell her that nothing matters apart from that.

Alf and Marilyn are sharing a drink at the Diner. He wonders about yesterday. Marilyn says she didn’t want to upset John by bringing it up. Alf asks about home help and Marilyn says she’d like some but John isn’t keen on the idea. Alf wonders what it will take to get them back to a good place. Marilyn says she just wants to do the right thing.

Ari, Nikau, Tane and Gemma arrive at the airport. Gemma goes through passport control first with Mikaere’s ashes but when Ari follows her up to the desk, the staffmember, Anna, gets an Access Denied message on her computer and tells him to step to the side. Tane and Nikau are given similar instructions by other staff. Nikau calls after Gemma. Ari tells her to keep going but Gemma tries to come back, only to be stopped by security, which causes an anguished reaction from Nikau, trying to get to her and being restrained by both his uncles and airport staff. Ari repeats that Gemma should keep going and she tearfully complies.

Later, Tane talks to Gemma (who is elsewhere in the airport) on the phone while Ari talks to Anna. Gemma wants to try and come back but Tane tells her to keep going and they’ll try and join her tomorrow. Anna tells him to get off the phone before saying there’s an alert saying all three of their passports have been blocked. Ari asks if they stay there and Anna says there’s no point and they should go home and get legal advice. Nikau says he doesn’t understand. Ari says he’s starting to.

Ben arrives home and finds Maggie cleaning out the fridge. She admits she was hoping it would help her make a decision. Ben suggests they’re making it too complicated and wonders if Maggie is sure about them. He says he’s got her. Maggie kisses him passionately and says it’s a yes to Italy.

Ari, Tane and Nikau have arrived home. Tane gets off the phone and says the airport are going to drop their luggage back. Ari hopes they can get on a plane in a couple of days. Nikau says the ceremony’s tomorrow. There’s a knock at the door. Despite Ari trying to tell him not to, Nikau answers it to find Colby. He notes he’s glad they’re back and Ari concludes it was him. Colby says they weren’t going to be allowed to leave town in the middle of an investigation. Ari lunges at him in anger and Tane restrains him until he calms down. Ari tells Colby to get out and Colby says with pleasure.

Nikau sits in his room, looking at photos of himself with his parents on his phone. In his own room, Tane straps on some gloves and punches and kicks a bag. Ari sits in Salt drinking shots. He gets a text from Gemma saying she has landed safely and will call shortly. Nikau curls up on his bed.