Episode 7562

Extended Summary

Nikau tells Sienna his conditions: No more ambushes and no more threatening to get rid of Bella. Sienna replies that it’s cute that he thinks he can give ultimatums but the only rule is that she does what’s best for his career and he goes along with it. Meanwhile, Dean and Bella are entering the surf club downstairs. Dean notes her chat with Emmett seemed intense and Bella explains he told her to get out while she could. Both of them thinks that’s an odd response from someone who’s meant to be mentoring her.

Ari and Mia arrive at the Diner, with Mia noting that it’s Ari’s last day before going back to work and Ari discussing walking in on Ryder in the shower. Alf comes through, first getting a phone call from Gerald about a surf club inventory and then one from Roo about the toilet block flooding. Mia tells Ari that’ll be him tomorrow. Meanwhile, in the car park, Bella is telling Nikau what Emmett said. They see Sienna approach Emmett, telling him they have to leave immediately for another shoot. Emmett isn’t happy about the way she’s treating Nikau and Bella but Sienna tells him to leave the clients to her. They head off in different directions and Bella decides to go after Emmett.

Bella joins Emmett on the beach and asks him what’s going on. Emmett tells her that Sienna doesn’t care about her career: She just wants her as leverage with Nik. He points out that Sienna sprang the shoot on them yet Bella ended up begging for her job back. Bella realises she was manipulated and Emmett notes Sienna gets results by picking out someone’s weak spot: In Nikau’s case, that’s Bella. Bella and Nikau head back to the flat and Bella asks why Nikau didn’t tell her about Sienna using her to keep him. Nikau says he only found out last night when he tried to quit. Bella is upset the internship was nothing to do with her work, although Nikau tries to say Emmett thinks she’s talented. Bella says he should quit if he wants to and there’ll be other opportunities for her.

Marilyn notes Alf looks flat out and he agrees. Before he can sit down, he gets a text from Ryder asking him to pick up a second hand fryer so resorts to a takeaway, saying he hasn’t even had time to read the paper. Ari and Mia come to the counter and, after a brief debate, Mia pays for lunch, saying Ari can walk her to work. He kisses her goodbye at the door of the gym before Dean calls out to him. Ari thinks Dean was worried about Mack seeing but Dean says he wants to talk about Bella. They go for a walk near the beach, with Dean explaining he has no idea how to advise Bella and she and Nikau seem miserable. Ari says he’s always known Nikau’s heart isn’t in it and he just wanted to help Bella. Dean is surprised that Ari is advising him to stay out of it and let the youngsters handle it.

At Salt, Bella assures Nikau she doesn’t want him to have to do something he hates. Sienna appears, having been summoned by them, and tells Nikau he has a shoot lined up in the city next week. She also tells him that his payment for the first job has come through and to check it’s gone in. Nikau looks at his phone, checks that it’s right, then asks her about the new job. Bella looks stunned. Down in the gym, Ari is telling Mia that, despite what he said to Dean, he isn’t keen on the idea of letting Nikau deal with things. Mia says he gave the right advice to Dean and notes one day they could have a child of their own to mess up with.

Up in Salt, Sienna and Nikau finalise their arrangements and she says she won’t spring anything on him if she can help it but he might have to do things out of his comfort zone. Emmett approaches and checks everything’s all right, asking Bella, who has been mostly silent during the conversation, if she’ll be at the studio next week, which Nikau confirms she will be. Sienna and Emmett leave and Nikau shows Bella just how much he’s been paid: The money will make a lot of difference to his family. Later, Alf is hosing down outside the bait shop when Bella and Nikau appear. Alf hopes Nikau’s there to work but he admits he’s there to hand in his notice. Alf says he was expecting it and there’s a job for him there if things don’t work out. After the pair have turned away however, he looks worried.

Shortly after, Alf is walking through the caravan park with Marilyn and notes Nikau has been doing most of the work and Ryder’s too focused on his business to help. Marilyn offers to put up a Help Wanted sign in the Diner as Alf is now dealing with the bait shop, surf club and caravan park, plus going to see Martha. Outside the surf club, Bella tells Dean that the agency never wanted her, adding that it’s Sienna that’s the problem since Emmett tried to warn her. Dean wonders what Colby would say and Bella says he’d be just as lost as Dean. She gets a text from Emmett with the details. Dean notes that, however she ended up there, she should take advantage of the opportunity. Bella hugs him.

Nikau arrives home and gives Ari an envelope containing a large amount of money, saying it’s his first pay cheque. Ari says he doesn’t need to hand over the whole lot and Nikau says he didn’t. Ari is still reluctant to take it, saying to keep it for a rainy day. Nikau says that’s now and he wants to pay his way. Ari takes the envelope and thanks and hugs him. At the surf club, Mia and Dean are both finishing work at the same time. Mia invites Dean round for dinner, noting there’s fewer leftovers now Tane’s moved in with Ziggy. She realises from his reaction that he didn’t know and Dean says he can’t make dinner.

Mia returns home and finds Ari has set up for a romantic dinner since the kids are out. Meanwhile, Dean returns home and finds he is also alone, taking a beer from the fridge. Mia tells Ari that she let slip about Tane and Ziggy living together to Dean, not realising he still had feelings for her. As they talk, Dean drinks from the bottle, then goes to his room and packs a bag. Ari notes he didn’t know either and hugs her.