Episode 7540

Extended Summary

Roo is trying to talk to Dean about the judging criteria and the schedule but he is distracted and checking his phone. Roo asks him what’s wrong and he eventually claims that Jai’s having a hard time at school. At the Morgan house, Justin finds Leah researching Susie online and compiling a list of her aliases. He has spoken to Tori and she said Christian is going to be fine. He tries to get Leah to come out for a walk on her day off but Leah, who hasn’t turned away from the screen, says maybe later.

Roo and Dean exit the Diner flat. Roo is telling Dean about keeping lines of communication open with Jai, before telling him he can also talk to her about what’s actually going on. Alf comes along and checks they’re on top of the surf competition, before telling Roo that there’s a problem with Mackenzie. Meanwhile, Amber turns up at the farm house and tells Mackenzie she’s got no-one to talk to with Willow gone and has done something stupid. She gets a text from Dean asking where she is and explains she told him she loved him and he didn’t say anything. After being told it’s too early for wine, she goes to put the kettle on.

Chloe is taking a phone call at Salt arranging a large booking. Alf comes in and comments to Ryder that he obviously hasn’t sacked Chloe and Mackenzie might notice she’s still there. Ryder says Mackenzie’s not coming in today, so he’s got a day to change her mind. Meanwhile, Justin returns home and finds he’s out of pain medication so needs to go into Yabbie Creek to get some more. He tries to get Leah to come with him but she reminds him he wanted her to face up to things and is keen to keep going.

Amber asks Mackenzie how long it took Dean to tell Ziggy he loved her. Mackenzie isn’t sure but wonders if Amber is happy to be second best like she was with Ari, suggesting Amber and Dean might not have a big life-changing love. Amber notes it’s not long since he wanted another kid. Dean turns up, having come to see Mac but seen Amber’s car outside. Amber quickly leaves and Mackenzie tells Dean to sort it. Meanwhile, on the balcony at Salt, Chloe tells Ryder she’s thinking of asking Mackenzie to make her function manager. Ryder looks awkward but says she’d be great at it.

Leah meets up with Roo and Marilyn outside the Diner and tells them everything she’s found out about Susie. Marilyn and Roo mention that John’s still planning to sell the house because he doesn’t think he can stay there. Meanwhile, Justin is on the phone to a Doctor Crawford, saying the chemist hasn’t got a repeat prescription. However, the doctor needs to see him first and it will take nearly a week. Justin is horrified but pretends to agree. He does an online search for medical centres and finds ones in Summer Bay and Reefton Lakes. He rings a number and asks if he can get a repeat prescription without seeing a doctor, saying his usual doctor is overseas.

Dean catches up with Amber outside the flat. She notes he said he was living the dream yesterday but doesn’t love her. Dean tells her he didn’t want to say it unless he meant it. Amber isn’t exactly mollified by the comment. Dean reminds her what she said about hurting each other enough and that he thinks they’re building something great. He says that he’ll pick Jai up from school. Meanwhile, Leah arrives back and tells Justin about John selling the house. Justin locates his keys and says he has to go organise something, while Leah checks on the forum.

Dean is back at Mackenzie’s, pacing back and forth. Mackenzie encourages him to go home, noting Amber said they were both idiots. Dean says he doesn’t know what he’d do without Amber and Jai and notes he has to go and pick him up. Mackenzie is amused at the idea of him at the playground gate with the mums and wishes him luck. Amber is cleaning up as Dean and Jai arrive back. Jai says he didn’t get a merit and Amber says he can’t get them all the time or they wouldn’t be special, before sending him to get changed. (He says he knows the drill.) She tells Dean she appreciates his honesty and is happy with how things are. They kiss, getting a disgusted reaction from Jai.

Justin arrives home and finds Leah sitting in the dark working on the computer. She says she lost track of time and Justin is bewildered that she’s been on the forum all this time. Leah is putting together a timeline of where Susie’s been and contacting other victims. Going to make a start on dinner, Justin confirms that he got the pills he was after, putting a box on top of the fridge. At Salt, Ryder gets a call from Mackenzie and tells her he’s sacked Chloe as instructed. Mackenzie says she’s coming in to sort the rosters. Ryder offers to do it but Mackenzie wants to talk him through it so he says he’ll come round hers after work. Mackenzie agrees but doesn’t take long to get bored and go out anyway.

Ryder is shocked when Mackenzie turns up at the surf club, wanting to get started. He tries to stop her going upstairs, suggesting they go to the Diner, before admitting he hasn’t sacked Chloe. Mackenzie says she’ll do it herself. She goes up to Salt, with Ryder trailing, and tells Chloe they’re overstaffed so she has to let her go and will sort out her final pay. She tells Ryder that’s how you do it. Chloe is annoyed that Ryder knew it was happening.