Episode 7711

Extended Summary

Bella is keeping Nikau company during a shift on the beach and accuses him of avoiding John. Tane comes up and comments on seeing Nikau in uniform. Bella tells him about Nikau saving someone’s life. John pulls up and asks Nikau to check out the bluebottle at the north end. He offers Nikau use of the Polaris but Nikau says he’ll walk. Outside the surf club, Felicity hands Tane a drink, then admits she drank half of it. She tells him she’s not going away; she’s going to stay and talk to Cash, since he’s the only family she has left. Tane tells her they can go away afterwards. He wonders when Cash is due back and Felicity says her phone should ring any minute.

Irene and Jasmine greet Cash at the beach house. Irene excuses herself, claiming she forgot about next week’s rosters. Jasmine asks how the memorial went. Cash thanks her for looking after Felicity, who he is surprised didn’t take off. At the surf club, Bella is showing John her photos. John wonders where Nikau’s got to and, when he comes in, suggests they talk over dinner, saying it’s his shout. Nikau replies that John’s his boss, not his mate, and leaves with Bella, who calls his attitude a bit harsh. Felicity turns up as Tane is finishing work and asks him to buy her a drink. Tane thinks she’s avoiding Cash but Felicity says he’s avoiding her, since he hasn’t called. Tane agrees to the drink so long as she keeps her phone on.

Mia laments to Ari that it’s unfair that she has to tell Chloe this. Chloe arrives, on the phone to Matthew, and asks if Mia and Ari are going to congratulate her, since Irene gave her cheesecake. Ari gives the pair space as Mia says she has to tell her something. Chloe says going to the city isn’t a big deal since she’s been backpacking. Mia says she needs to tell her the reason she hate Matthew: The night that Chloe was conceived, he took advantage of her and she didn’t really know what was going on. Chloe asks if she’s saying he raped her. Mia nods, saying she’s sorry she had to tell her. Chloe says she’s going to be sick and disappears to her room. At the beach house, Jasmine wonders why Cash hasn’t called Felicity. He says he’s found a way to prove how their father died but Felicity’s going to hate him.

Ari rejoins Mia and tries to reassure her. Chloe reappears. She is angry that they kept this from her and let her live a lie. She says she can’t stay here. Bella and Nikau arrive back as she is leaving and Ari sends them after her. The three youngsters walk on the pier with Chloe filling them in: She feels stupid for accepting everything Matthew gave her and forcing the dinner on them. Bella asks how Mia is and Chloe says she didn’t even ask. Chloe walks on ahead and Bella follows, saying she believed her dad. Chloe asks if he sexually assaulted her mum and Bella says he killed her. Chloe asks if that means she wins. Bella says her dad was an awful person but was still her dad. Chloe asks if he’s in jail and Bella says he died. She tells Chloe she needs to find a way to move on.

Next morning, John runs into Tane and asks if he’s seen Nikau. He says Nikau’s avoiding his calls and suggests Tane call him and pass the phone over. He notes Nikau’s the best lifesaver he’s known but feels he’s let him down. Felicity appears from sunbathing and says Cash hasn’t tried to contact her, but when she checks her phone, she sees a text from him asking to contact him. She goes to the beach house and meets with Cash and Jasmine. She says the place has a cool vibe and Jasmine says she’s got a cool vibe, gets a sceptical look and leaves for a run. Felicity invites Cash to tell her about the memorial. Cash instead takes out a folder, saying it’s the police file and autopsy report on their dad’s death and she needs to read it.

Bella, Nikau and Chloe are waiting together outside the Diner. Mia and Ari appear and Chloe apologises for what she said last night. Mia suggests they go home. Ari notes Mia’s better since Chloe called them and thanks Nikau for whatever he said to her. Nikau says it wasn’t him. Ari thanks Bella. At the Parata house, Chloe tells Mia she gets it and apologises for making her play happy families. She asks if Mia hated her when she saw her. Mia says Chloe was something wonderful that came from something horrible: Her name means Little Bloom and she’s never made her see Matthew, just her beautiful daughter. Ari comes in as the pair hug.

Irene approaches Jasmine at the Diner and comments on her pensive expression. Jasmine wonders if she should have left Cash and Felicity alone. Irene doesn’t think it’s a problem until Jasmine explains he’s showing her their dad’s autopsy report. Meanwhile, Felicity looks at the file (which gives their father’s name as Anthony Newman). It contains a photo of him and report on how he was a widower with debts and failing crops. She nearly gags at photos of the body and the shotgun, then reads the report stating he was found by his 12-year-old son, and the injuries were consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She rushes through the last few pages before slamming it shut in tears. Cash approaches her but she tells him not to.

Ari, Bella and Nikau arrive at the surf club. Ari thinks Chloe needs time and thanks Bella again, before heading into the gym. Nikau doesn’t feel like patrolling and Bella thinks John won’t mind since he’s trying to get back into his good books. John appears and Nikau tells him he can’t make his patrol. John tells him they need to work together and asks what he wants him to do. Nikau retorts that there are more important things than John’s feelings. At the beach house, Cash worries he did the wrong thing. Jasmine says at least Felicity knows the truth now but Cash fears he’s made things worse. Felicity sits on a bench near the beach crying…