Episode 7708

Extended Summary

In Salt, Bella and Nikau are struggling to scrape together $2.20 for their pizza. Bella suggests Mackenzie might let her put it on the tab. Dean and Ziggy come up and both ignore their greeting. Bella finally finds enough to make $2.25. Ziggy tells Dean she thought she was doing a nice thing and he’s had good times with the board. Dean says the board needs to get on with its life and she needs to respect his choice. Bella and Nikau head downstairs and John tells Bella that her quote has been accepted…minus 15%. Bella says that’s not really accepted, but agrees to his budget and offers to start tomorrow. John says Nikau will be patrolling alone the next day since the other lifeguard called in sick.

Roo rejoins Alf and points out that they’ve been waiting to hear the good news that she’s a match, and now that they have it, no-one’s treating it like good news. Alf says there’s a risk. Roo says it’s happening either way. Meanwhile, Ziggy turns up at the garage with the board. She tells Justin that Dean didn’t want it so asks to store it there for a while. Justin suggests letting Dean have his own way but Ziggy says she doesn’t back down from a challenge. She joins Justin working on a car.

Marilyn is working in the Diner, on the phone to Irene thanking her for giving her the job back. Alf and Roo come in. Marilyn asks about the results and Roo tells her she’s a match, Alf wants Roo to promise to talk to the psychologist. Roo points out it’s compulsory anyway. Alf says to go in with an open mind. Next morning, Bella and Nikau are heading off to work. Nikau is worried but says the surf’s good. Nearby, Roo chats to Marilyn about the meeting with the psychologist. Roo thinks it’s just a case of ticking a box. Marilyn suggests she listen to Alf and wonders if the psychologist can stop her donating. Roo doesn’t think it will happen.

Soon after, Roo is meeting with the psychologist, who explains they need to make sure she’s psychologically ready. Roo insists she is and says the rest of the family would do it if they could. The psychologist asks if she feels pressured. Roo says Alf tried to talk her out of it but is just worrying. The psychologist asks if she’s considered complications. Roo complains that the psychologist’s being unsupportive but the psychologist says she’s not there to give an opinion, just to make sure Roo’s considered all the options. Later, she asks about Roo’s relationship with Martha. Roo says it’s good now, slowly admitting she thought Martha was dead once before, that Martha faked her death because of mental health issues, and that it defined Roo’s life and led to her giving away her baby. She tearfully says she can’t lose her mother again. Alf is waiting outside as Roo runs out, saying she can’t talk now.

Down on the beach, Bella is taking photos of Nik. John comes by and confirms Nikau’s got the flags in the right position. Bella refuses to let him see the photos yet. John runs into Dean and chats about Ziggy buying back the board. He says that’s the problem with dating strong-willed women and you have to let them think they’re in control. Heading up to the surf club, he runs into Ziggy, who admits Dean left early before they could talk and is now ignoring her calls. John says that’s the problem with dating strong-willed fellas: It’s a dance and sometimes you have to let the other person lead.

Bella is continuing to observe Nikau on the beach. A jogger comes up, looking worse for wear, and says he can’t breathe. He suddenly collapses. Nikau radios John, saying to call an ambulance and bring the defib. He realises the man isn’t breathing and starts doing CPR. John pulls up in the buggy and hangs back as Nikau successfully revives the man. Soon after, the man is being loaded into an ambulance and the crowd give Nikau a round of applause. Nikau admits to Bella that he was on auto-pilot but is now scared about what could have gone wrong. Bella shows him the photos of the resuscitation and he is shocked to realise John was there. John comes up to congratulate him, saying he could tell he had it under control. Nikau tells him they’re supposed to be a team. John says he’s proud of him.

Ziggy approaches Dean at the board shop and says John gave her good advice. Dean admits to ignoring John’s advice. Ziggy explains she was told to trust him and needs to let him do what he thinks is right. She moves some boxes so they can kiss over the counter. Later, Justin meets her in Salt. Ziggy says he, Dean and John were all right: She shouldn’t have got the board back. She apologises for ruining his gift to Theo and says it’s theirs.

Marilyn approaches Roo at the Diner and she says she was too upset to talk to Alf earlier. She admits she needs time to process what was said. Marilyn says not to take too much time because Martha’s dying. Roo leaves, upset, and Marilyn looks mortified. Soon after, Alf finds Marilyn on the pier. She thinks Roo sent him but Alf says Martha’s sleeping so he came to check on the bait shop. Marilyn suggests he check on Roo and is upset that she might be like this for good.

Nikau, with an awkward Bella by his side, approaches John at the surf club. John says the guy he rescued has been discharged from hospital. Nikau says something could have gone wrong and he’d have to live with it. John insists he wouldn’t have let that happen but Nikau says John wasn’t there when he needed him and quits.