Episode 8127

Extended Summary

Dana rejoins Harper on the beach after a swim and says she should have joined her. Harper replies that she doesn’t have any swimming clothes. She notes they both have to work out what they’re going to do next. Dana still doesn’t want to go back to her old job and quite fancies staying in Summer Bay, while Harper is keen to go back. Dana gives her a hug despite being wet.

At Salt, Rose is telling Xander about Mali’s rather defensive reaction to her questioning, noting she didn’t have these worries last night and wondering if she should talk to Mali. Xander wonders if he needs to be here for the conversation and Rose says she needs him for insights into the male mind. Xander points out Mali has just walked in and Mali and Rose awkwardly get a table.

At the coffee cart, Harper chats to Irene about Dana wanting to stay in Summer Bay, while she’s waiting for a call from  her boss. Irene sees Marilyn returning from her break and Marilyn tells her about her run-in with Roo and how she needs a private nurse quickly. Irene looks at Harper as though having an idea. Shortly after, at the Diner, Dana is working on her phone and tells Harper that she’s updating her CV. Irene and Harper both reassure her when she worries about never having worked as a private nurse before. Marilyn advises Dana not to mention her. After Dana’s gone, Marilyn admits to Irene that she feels like she’s let Alf down.

Roo is doing exercises on her own at home, with her leg tied to a chair, when Dana arrives, with Roo instantly telling her to use her first name rather than calling her “Ms Stewart”. Dana realises Roo’s in pain and helps her sit down. Roo admits she wasn’t getting a lot of interest in the job. She asks how Dana heard about it and Dana explains about staying with Irene. Roo worries this will be different from working in a hospital but Dana says she likes the idea of focusing on rehab. She volunteers to put the kettle on.

Rose and Mali are sitting in awkward silence with Xander watching them from the bar. Rose asks Mali if he stayed up late last night with Zara. Mali said he did but gives evasive answers about what they talked about. Zara appears and Rose agrees to her joining them. Zara says she and Mali often stayed up talking and “not talking”, recalling his brother walking in on them once. Rose gets awkward and leaves with Mali going after her. Zara looks like she’s going to follow too but Xander calls out to her, asking how she’s liking Summer Bay.

Mali follows Rose, who takes the exchange as confirmation that something happened between him and Zara. Mali admits Zara wants to get back with him. Upstairs in Salt, Zara asks Xander about Mali and Rose. Xander admits they had a break at one point but says they’re stronger than ever now. Zara mentions she’s just passed a law degree and Xander mentions Rose is a cop. Zara wonders if Mali’s family know and Xander confirms they do and love her. Zara leaves with a knowing smile. At a table outside, Mali tries to assure Rose that she has nothing to worry about. He insists he doesn’t have feelings for Zara anymore and thinks she’ll soon leave when he sets her straight. Zara comes out and sees them together, looking annoyed.

Roo is filling Dana in on how she’ll need help with the day-to-day stuff and with rehab. She asks why Dana left her last job. Dana gives rather evasive answers, saying her then-boyfriend made it difficult for her. As she’s about to leave, with Roo ready to give her the job once she’s spoken to Irene, she turns back and tells her about being accused of stealing drugs and how her ex-boyfriend did it and the charges were dropped. Roo thanks her for being honest and says she’ll have to have a think.

Zara is on the phone to Mali’s mum as he arrives home, and hands the receiver over to him. Mali confirms he’s looking after Zara but says she won’t be staying long. He apparently gets an angry response and says he gets it, before handing the phone back to Zara, who says she told his mum things were weird between them because of Rose and guesses she can now stay. Mali gets a text from Rose asking how it went.

Later, Mali goes to make himself a drink but Zara says she’s already made one the way he likes it. She says that now she’s qualified she wants to go back and help their community, and reminds him they always said it was a good place to raise children, suggesting they do that now.

At Salt, Xander is telling Rose that he tried to subtly warn Zara off but isn’t sure who was playing who. Rose thinks Mali will sort things out. Mali arrives and Xander leaves him and Rose to talk. Mali says he put Zara straight but she isn’t leaving, since his mum made it clear he had family obligations to make Zara welcome. Nearby, Dana is telling Harper about her interviews and how she’s worried about how Roo reacted to the drug charges. Harper gets a phone call from her boss, David.

Roo is on the phone to Irene and realises Irene doesn’t know Dana that well. Marilyn comes back and asks how her search is going. Picking up Dana’s CV, Roo says she’s found someone so this is the last time Marilyn needs to come over. She tells her to clear out the rest of her things and leave her house key.

Irene arrives home to find Harper looking morose in the kitchen and Dana looking morose on the settee. Dana gets a call from Roo and is delighted to hear she’s got the job, saying she’s heading round there. After she’s gone, Harper admits to Irene that she hasn’t told Dana that she no longer has a job in the city. She thinks it’s a sign that she needs to stay with Dana.

Marilyn is bringing her cases downstairs and tells Roo she’ll have to come back for some of them. Dana arrives and offers to come back later but Roo says it’s fine and reminds Marilyn to leave her keys. Dana follows Marilyn to give her back a scarf she dropped and Marilyn asks her to let her know how Roo’s doing. Dana says there are confidentiality issues and she’s not comfortable with spying on a client. Marilyn says she needs to know Roo’s OK.