Episode 7738

Extended Summary

Ryder is working in Salt where Dean and Ziggy are kissing at a table. They note that having Karen at home is a mood-killer, with Ziggy recalling her demanding more grandchildren. Roo comes in and comments on the pair needing a bucket of water. She tells Ryder he needs to talk to someone and he tells her he’s been speaking to Lifeline. Roo is pleased but still concerned about him living on his own. Ryder asks if she’s actually going to order something so she leaves. At the Diner, Irene checks Alf just needs two servings of lasagne. Alf notes Ryder isn’t living there at the moment. John comes in and say Theo did well at community service. Alf says to tell someone who gives a rat’s.

Next morning, Ziggy finds Dean on the beach and accuses him of leaving her alone with Karen. Dean tries to claim he had a surf class but drops it when she points out he has no students. Ziggy wonders why Karen’s rejecting Brett. Dean encourages her to leave it alone. Up at the surf club, Justin asks John if anything happened at community service with Theo. John suggests it might just be him coming to term with it. Justin accepts the explanation and says he’ll back off. John tells him not to back off too much.

Nikau and Tane are working on the beach. Nikau is worried about Ari, saying he was quiet. Tane understands what he means. Mia joins them, saying she missed a phone call with Ari, and worries that he’s withdrawing again. Tane says he’ll go see him tomorrow. Outside the surf club, Dean thanks John for his help letting Karen see Jai. John says he’s pondering when to talk and when not to. Dean agrees John’s always had problems with that and John drives off. Ziggy appears and tells Dean she’s going to stalk Brett online.

Alf and Roo are having breakfast at the Diner. Irene notes she doesn’t often see them in there and she and Roo chat about Ryder. Roo thinks him moving out’s only temporary but Alf thinks it might not be. Roo tells him about Ryder seeing a counsellor but thinks he still needs someone to talk to. Alf goes to Ryder’s caravan and offers him takeaway food but Ryder replies that he can feed himself. Alf says he’ll accept Ryder’s money and is sorry for holding a grudge. He suggests Ryder move back in and Ryder accuses him of trying to control him, saying Alf treated Theo like a dog and him like a child.

At the Morgan house, Theo is making himself a large breakfast. Justin reminds him he didn’t have dinner and asks how he slept and if he wants to talk about yesterday, saying he seemed shaken. Theo gets a call from John and uses it as an excuse to leave. He meets up with John outside the surf club and hopes it’s not about what he thinks it is. John says he’ll keep his promise to not tell anyone wants him what happened with his dad but wants Theo to do it. Theo refuses and John says Theo’s been abused. Theo isn’t keen on the term, saying his dad’s just got a temper, but John says it needs to be resolved somehow.

Nikau and Tane exit the surf club with Mia, having finished for the day. Nikau goes to meet Bella while Tane says he’s going for a swim first. He and Mia chat briefly about the situation with Ari and the possibility of him having lost his phone privileges before she tells him to enjoy his “swim” with Felicity. Tane goes to meet Felicity outside her caravan and kisses her, with them getting more passionate.

Alf is on the phone to Martha outside the bait shop, saying everything’s all right. Ryder appears and says he’s transferred the money. Alf tries to talk to him about what he’s going to spend it on, suggesting a reclined chair for Martha, but Ryder isn’t interested. Later, at Salt, Ryder chats to Theo about his community service. He comments on Alf paying him back the money and calls him a hypocrite. Theo says Alf apologised to him. Ryder asks what exactly happened and Theo says Alf offered him his hand and he shook it. Ryder wonders why he would. Theo asks what sort of person he’d be if he didn’t, before concluding he’d be the sort of person Ryder apparently is. He says Alf loves Ryder and he doesn’t know how lucky he is. Ryder walks away.

Ziggy has been looking up Brett on her laptop and tells Dean that he’s a saint: He volunteers for the rural fire service and coaches a junior footy team. Dean says that explains it: Karen always goes for losers. At the Morgan house, Justin tries to talk to Theo again. Theo just say that a girl gave him a hard time but it’s sorted.

Outside the bait shop, Alf tells Roo about his unproductive chat with Ryder. Roo points out he’s made amends with Theo and Justin but it doesn’t improve Alf’s spirits and he walks away. Meanwhile, Dean and Ziggy arrive home. Ziggy is anticipating talking to Karen but a quick search of the house shows she isn’t there. Dean calls her and learns she’s at the shops, asking her to come home. Some time later, Karen arrives with Bella, who had a surprisingly good time. Karen has brought dinner and Dean jokingly wonders where the chicken nuggets are, since that’s all she cooks. Karen tries to get Bella to give her a hand but Ziggy encourages Bella to go see Nikau, saying she’ll drive her. Bella goes to put her TAFE stuff away. Dean tries to suggest that Brett is the reason Karen’s cooking now but doesn’t get anywhere.

Mia arrives back at the Parata house, on the phone to someone trying to find out whether Ari chose not to phone her or if something happened, but doesn’t get anywhere. She opens up a box containing a dress and looks teary.