Episode 8235

Extended Summary

Outside the surf club, Rose thanks Alf for letting her use the club for a media conference. Alf says the whole community is interested. Rose wonders how Roo will take it and Alf thinks she wants what’s best for Maia. Roo and Tane appear, having been summoned by Rose. She explains what she’s about to tell the press: The paperwork has been completed and the emergency foster carers will be picking the baby up first thing in the morning. Roo, although clearly upset, agrees that everything’s worked out while Tane walks away without saying anything. Roo says she’ll check on him.

Down on the beach, Kirby tells Justin that she isn’t saying this out of jealousy before telling him that Theo and Valerie are doing drugs and that’s what Theo needed the money for. Justin initially tries to deny it but Kirby says Theo’s admitted it to her and she’s seen him high. Justin is annoyed to find she’s known for a while. Kirby says Theo told her he’d stopped and she believed him. Justin ends up walking away. He goes home and calls out for Theo, then calls his voicemail saying he needs to speak to him. He searches Valerie’s bag, Theo’s guitar case and a jacket. He gets a text from Leah saying she can’t wait to be his wife.

At the coffee cart, John has joined Irene in carrying supplies over and says he needs to get home and finish his work. He thinks Irene thinks he can’t do it. Leah appears and Irene ushers John away. John thinks Justin thinks he’ll make a mess of it, since he hasn’t told Leah. Irene explains he hasn’t told Leah anything. Marilyn appears and checks in on Leah after the tarot card reading. Irene tells John that she and Justin both have faith in him. John admits he needed to hear that.

At the surf club, Rose remarks to Alf that last time she stepped in because Sarge wasn’t available but this time she’s been asked to take charge. She worries that nothing she says will make a difference to the mother. Kirby turns up and briefly chats to Rose, saying she’s looking for Theo but claiming it’s about band stuff. Alf checks in on Roo who says at least she can say goodbye to Maia and Tane should be able to do so as well. Rose tries to clear the air with Tane but he rather bluntly says that it’s done and she should let it go. He also ignores Dana trying to speak to him. Roo tells Dana it’s not about her.

Roo follows Tane down the beach and tells him that he’s protected Maia. Tane says at least Roo gets to say goodbye to her. Roo offers to talk to Rose about lifting the AVO but Tane says Harper already tried and it’s no use; Roo can’t fix it. He says Maia’s going to be gone and he’s never going to know what happened to her.

Justin shows up at the Lyrik house. Neither he nor Kirby have been able to get hold of Theo. Justin says he never should have let Valerie move in and there was always something off with her. Kirby agrees she’s troubled. Justin wonders if they’re not answering because they’re high. Kirby suggests they might just know people are on to them and tells Justin he and Leah can talk to Theo. However, Justin doesn’t want Leah to find out and have the wedding spoiled.

Rose starts the press conference with a crowd including Alf and Dana present, with Roo and Tane joining them. Rose says that the baby is safe and healthy and will soon be with foster parents, but this is only a temporary solution and the investigation is still ongoing. She thanks the Northern District Hospital staff and the community for looking after the baby. She then addresses the mother, saying she knows what it’s like to not know where you come from and the little girl will want to know who her parents are, imploring her to still be a part of her baby’s life. Roo mutters her approval. The group break up and Dana makes an attempt to talk to Tane again.

Kirby is against the idea of keeping the truth from Leah, saying she’s only just told Justin. Justin asks for a bit of time so he can deal with it and Kirby agrees to keep quiet but still thinks he’s wrong. Justin doesn’t have any plan other than continuing to try and find Theo. He heads out into a park area where Leah calls out to him. Justin claims Kirby’s helping him with the wedding and asks if she’s heard from Theo or Valerie, saying he wanted to know if they’ll be home for dinner. Leah gets a text from Irene and dashes off, saying she has secrets too.

Dana tells Tane she’s there if he needs anything. She and Roo talk about him being locked out. Alf congratulates Rose, who worries she went too far off-script and made it about her. Roo and Dana ask Rose if she can lift the AVO to let Tane say goodbye to Maia but she says it’s out of her hands. At the Diner, John tells Irene that he’s determined to make the deadline. She gives him his coffee and a free cake. He nearly bumps into Leah as he leaves, having an awkward moment. Marilyn brings the bag with Leah’s dress through. Leah wants to keep it from Justin and Irene suggests Leah keep it at hers and gets ready there. Marilyn offers to do her hair and make-up.

Dana is watching at the hospital as Roo spends a last moment with Maia, noting that Maia won’t remember this but she won’t forget it. Roo eventually hands her back to Dana. Meanwhile, Justin is on the phone to Kirby, saying he’ll talk to Theo at home. He joins Leah and Rose at the coffee cart. Rose wonders if Kirby ever tracked down Theo. Leah says Theo rang her and said he and Valerie were going to the city. She assumes it’s wedding business and Justin pretends it is.

Dana joins Tane outside the surf club and gives him a photo of Maia, saying she took it on her iPhone and then used the work printer. She checks she hasn’t made things worse and Tane thanks her. He guesses she broke a lot of rules and Dana says some rules are made to be broken. He goes to leave but Dana calls him back. Not long after, she arrives at the hospital and tells the nurse looking after Maia she can take her break. She then beckons in Tane and says she’ll make sure no-one else comes in, leaving them alone. Tane cradles Maia, saying it’s good to see her, and suddenly gets a determined look in his eyes.

Alf, Irene and Marilyn greet Rose as she comes in to collect the station’s order from the Diner. She goes to take a call as Marilyn gives Alf his order and says she’ll check on Roo soon. Rose comes back and tells them a woman’s come forward claiming to be the baby’s mother: They’ll check her out and assess her, and if all’s well she’ll be reunited with her daughter.

At the hospital, Dana comes back to find both Tane and Maia gone. She looks terrified.