Episode 7820

Extended Summary

Dean, Mackenzie and Ziggy head down the beach with surf boards. Dean notes he’s happy to go surfing but wonders if this is really what Mackenzie wants to be doing. Mackenzie says she has to master the cross-cut step before going to prison. Dean doubts she can manage it, saying he proved he’s a good teacher just by getting her to stand up. Ziggy decides on a surf comp with herself as the judge, and Dean and Mackenzie head out into the water. Later, they’re sat on their boards and Dean says she has one more chance to get a cross-set and the loser buys lunch. He joins Ziggy on the beach. Mackenzie surfs the next wave to their cheers and applause.

At the surf club, John tells Nikau he should go home to get changed for lunch. Nikau reminds him it’s not a date and he’s representing the surf club. John convinces him to go anyway. Justin comes in and congratulates Nikau on his work, calling him a hero. Later, Nikau comes back having smartened up and Naomi arrives. John sends them upstairs. Justin wonders if he’s matchmaking, reminding him Nikau’s with Bella. John explains Nikau’s thinking of leaving so he’s teaching him how to accept thanks. He gets a call from the police sergeant.

Mackenzie joins Dean and Ziggy on the beach and they celebrate her cross-step with her. Mackenzie says Dean owes her lunch and she intends to order one of everything. Dean says they’ll make use of his tab at Salt. After cleaning up, the three of them head into the surf club. Their cheery chat is brought to a halt when John comes over. He says Mackenzie could have got the surf club into trouble with the poker nights. Dean and Ziggy ty to defend her but Mackenzie apologises. John snaps that he should have known the private functions were dodgy.

Nikau thanks Naomi for the lunch. Naomi says Goldie thanks him too. Nikau asks if they’re local and Naomi says they moved to Reefton Lakes a couple of months ago. She gets a bit reflective about the surf dragging Goldie under. Nikau says a lot of people waste time trying to find the person themselves. She asks how he got into lifesaving and he says he just fell until it. He decides to just order some chips but Naomi tells him to order the most expensive thing on the menu: the Surf and Turf. Later, Nikau has filled her in on Bella. He mentions he’s thinking of going to New York and Naomi notes John would miss him. Nikau admits he doesn’t think he’d like New York, apart from Bella being there. Naomi understands his dilemma and goes to pay.

Outside, Dean and Ziggy tell Mackenzie not to let John’s words affect her but Mackenzie thinks he has the right to be angry with her. They tell her not to let it spoil the day. Inside, Nikau and Naomi say their goodbyes, with him thanking her for the lunch and asking after Goldie. He joins John in the office, pleased with how things went, and John says it’s an important part of the job. John hands him the details on New York which he’s printed off but Nikau has decided he’s not going.

Ziggy, Dean and Mackenzie finish off their meal. Mackenzie reflects on the work she’s done to improve Salt and thanks them for convincing her to come in one last time. Ziggy is glad to have had an evening with her friend. Mackenzie offers a beer; Ziggy has to get home because she has an early start but Dean agrees. They head out to the balcony where Mackenzie asks him what prison’s like. Dean says there’s no secret to make it better: The strong get through it. They head downstairs where Mackenzie approaches John and apologises again, saying she couldn’t think of another way to pay her rent and her staff. John says she should have come to him and they’d have sorted something out. He wishes her luck for tomorrow.

Ziggy is surprised when Dean and Mackenzie arrive back. Mackenzie says they’ll have an early night and pulls them in for a group hug. She sends Ziggy off to bed then tells Dean she loves him; he reciprocates. Outside the Parata house, Nikau is on the phone to Bella. He apologises that they didn’t get to speak and tells her about the rescue. He isn’t sure if he’d call himself a hero but notes Justin and John did.

Mackenzie is wandering around the house at night. She sits in front of the television and skips through the channels before turning it off. She grabs some keys and heads out, going to Salt where she pours herself a drink. Next morning, Ziggy and Dean get up and Dean goes to rouse Mackenzie but finds no sign of her and realises her car’s gone. He then gets a call from John.

Dean and Ziggy join John up in Salt. Mackenzie is passed out on one of the couches. Dean wakes her up. Frightened, Mackenzie says she can’t do it and begs him not to make her go, crying on his shoulder.