Episode 7504

Extended Summary

Ryder and Bella are walking along the beach comparing notes; Ryder has invented a new cocktail, while Bella has been advised by her lecturer to submit some photos to a competition. They run into Nikau and he and Bella light-heartedly clear the air over her interference with Chloe. Ryder announces he’s going to the Diner for a milkshake, but rapidly changes his mind when Nikau mentions Chloe’s in there. Inside, Chloe is telling Mia about a horror movie she and Nikau watched together, with Ari and Tane trying to scare them. She wonders why Mia hasn’t been to the house lately, guessing she finds it difficult being around Ari. Mia says Ari has a girlfriend but Chloe retorts that he might not always.

At the Diner flat, Nikau watches on as Bella has a heated argument with Dean on the phone about him inviting Amber and Jai to stay. Bella is unhappy about losing Colby’s room but eventually concedes the point. Nikau cheers her up by pointing out they have the place to themselves tonight, suggesting they get some food in, play music and dance on the balcony. Meanwhile, Ari finds a note from Tane saying he and Ziggy are out for the night. Chloe comes home and tries to get Ari to meet up with Mia but he says maybe later. Chloe sees the note and suggests she and Ari have dinner together, telling him to make something special. After sending him to get changed, she calls Mia and asks what she’s doing tonight.

At Salt, Ryder is ordering a large amount of pizzas from Mackenzie, saying he’s surprising Bella and Nikau. Mackenzie wonders how things are at the Paratas’ and about Mia being there. Ryder thinks she’s just visiting Chloe but Mackenzie waffles about the amount of history Mia has with Ari and how they were a family. Alf, Marilyn, Martha and Roo come in and invite Ryder to eat with them but he decides to see his friends instead. He texts Bella asking if she’s at home. At the same time, Chloe makes a similar text to Nikau, learning he’s with Bella. Ari is serving up as Mia arrives. Both she and Ari are surprised to see the other, at which point Chloe leaves them to it. Ari seems happy to go along with the set-up but Mia wants to leave, and isn’t reassured by Ari saying Mackenzie’s working, since she’d be unhappy with Ari having a home-cooked meal with another woman. Ari makes out it’s innocent, since Chloe lives there, it’s just dinner and they can’t keep avoiding each other, and Mia gives in.

Mackenzie drops by the Stewarts’ table to discuss their order. Roo notes Marilyn isn’t having wine and Marilyn notes she’s giving it a wide berth after Ryder and Chloe’s cocktails. Alf says that’s why he always drinks beer. Martha says she’s having some art supplies delivered, since they didn’t have everything in Yabbie Creek. Back at the Diner flat, Nikau is impressed with Bella being recommended for the competition. Bella thinks she doesn’t have a chance of winning but Nikau praises her. Ryder appears with a stack of pizza and they accept they can’t turn him away, especially since he’s got Bella’s favourite. His mood dampens however when Chloe joins them.

Mia compliments Ari on the food. He notes that it was Chloe’s favourie when she was little and Mia used to like it too. Mia tries to say that she doesn’t want to get in the middle of Ari and Mackenzie but Ari says she’s already there: She walked back into his life and admitted to thinking about what could have been. Mia tries to argue he’s taken it out of context. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is on the balcony of Salt, fiddling with her phone.

Chloe complains about Ryder’s choice of pizza and he retorts she didn’t bring anything, with it descending into an argument about who has the most right to be there. Bella and Nikau retreat onto the balcony and lament about the end of their quiet night in alone. Later, Ryder heads to Salt and comments to Mackenzie on his disastrous night. Mackenzie debates calling Ari but doesn’t want him to stay with her out of obligation: She wants to be his first choice, but will be all right on her own. Catching herself, she announces she’s going home.

Ari tells Mia that he wanted to look after his family when he got out of jail. Mia asks if that’s how he ended up in Summer Bay. Ari recalls how they were run out of town after what happened with Mikaere and ended up there. Mia asks about Mackenzie, and Ari tells her about living in a caravan and going to Salt for drinks. He says he didn’t expect to see Mia again and starts to imply that he wouldn’t have started something with Mackenzie if he’d known. Mia stops him, saying it’s not going to happen. Chloe comes home and offers to leave but Mia tells her to stay and that she’s done enough. Mia leaves and Ari goes to bed.

Next morning, Nikau and Bella are outside the bait shop discussing the failure of their date night and Ryder ad Chloe’s inability to get on. Nikau says Ryder needs to stop being a goof and Bella says Chloe needs to stop being in your face. Nikau argues he’s been friends with Chloe for a long time and Bella points out Ryder was his first friend there. They decide not to let it affect them but also feel they need to do something. Meanwhile, Martha is holed up in the caravan again and leaves another message for Kieran to meet her there. The drawings of Kieran are now pinned up on the wall.

Ari turns up at Mackenzie’s place and asks to talk. Mackenzie lets him in and they stand in increasingly awkward silence. Some time later, Ari arrives home. Chloe tries to ask him what happened last night and insists that Mia’s never loved anyone but him. Ari isn’t in the mood to talk but says he isn’t giving up on Mia. Back at the farm house, Mackenzie sits crying.