Episode 8401

Extended Summary

Down on the beach, Mali has finished a class. John appears and warns Mali there’s a rip forming. Mali is surprised John didn’t notice it before now and asks where he’s been. John says he’s been on a secret assignment for the president, but if he sees Alf to say John has been there all day. Mackenzie arrives, surprising Mali since Levi told him to stay away from the house. Mackenzie explains about Levi being called into work.

At the hospital, Levi and Shaw give the details to Tane and Harper. The cyst is formed from abnormal lung tissue. If it grows, it can put pressure on other organs and cause heart failure. It might fix itself or they might be able to remove it when the baby’s born but there’s no intervention that will stop it growing if it’s going to. Levi recommends an ultrasound to examine the cyst better and a foetal echocardiogram to find out if the baby’s heart has been affected.

At the Diner, Roo is on the phone to the council saying that she’s overseeing the build so all contact should come through her. Marilyn arrives with Alf and sits him down. Roo quietly asks Marilyn why Alf’s there rather than at home and Marilyn says they need a new plan. Roo goes to Alf and suggests he goes and visits Martha. When John comes in, he confirms he can keep an eye on the surf club. Alf says he can’t go this week because he has to clear out the shed for the bait shop.

Near the beach, Mali is pleased when Kirby turns up to take a lesson. She says she’s trying to move on. Mali says he’s cancelled the campaign: The ad agency were trying to charge him to reinstate the original photos so he just wants to cut his losses and not have anything more to do with them.

Tane presses Levi for more information on how this happened, not being satisfied that it was just random, before calming down. Shaw arrives to collect Harper for radiology. Harper is thrown when offered a wheelchair and Shaw explains her blood pressure’s high so they don’t want to take any chances. Harper asks Tane to tell Dana what’s going on. Tane tells Levi his nephew died at a couple of months old. Levi assures him it’s not hereditary. Once he’s alone, Levi calls Mackenzie (who is at Salt) and says Tane and Harper are there. He confirms it’s their baby and says Tane could use a friend.

On the beach, Kirby is giving her class while Mali looks on. Kirby explains how to use a leg rope then notices one of the students is filming her. The student says she just wanted to record it so she could remember but Kirby says she hasn’t given permission so put it away. Kirby starts to explain about positioning then wonders why the same student is staring at her. The student says she’s just paying attention. Mali steps in and Kirby says she has to cancel the lesson, hurrying away.

At the hospital, Tane and Dana are waiting in a corridor. Dana says she’s learning how long the wait is for families and tells Tane that Harper told her about the baby being a boy. Tane says he just wanted the baby to be healthy. Mackenzie turns up, explaining that Levi called her, and gives Tane a hug.

At the surf club, John is expressing his reservations to Roo. Mali comes in, trying to call Kirby. Roo says she has a job for him: making a new sign for Alf’s shop. John makes it clear Roo will pay. Alf comes up behind them as Roo is saying not to tell him. Mali excuses himself and Roo turns to John to “explain”. John tells Alf that he stuffed up again and will buy him dinner while he explains. At the Lyrik house, Kirby is deleting photos of herself on her phone. Mali turns up, saying he was worried about her.

Tane and Dana check on Harper after her return from her scan. Levi arrives and Dana goes to wait with Mackenzie. Levi says the baby’s heart is fine but the cyst is larger than they’d hoped. They could wait, monitor the situation and hope the cyst doesn’t grow but if it does it could cause heart failure and risk to both the baby and Harper. The alternative is to operate to remove the cyst before the baby’s born, which would have a risk of starting premature labour and would have to be done before 28 weeks, with her being 26 now. Harper refuses the surgery option.

Mali tells Kirby this isn’t like her and she’s bold and unapologetic. Kirby says she wishes she could be that person but has no idea how. She says she’ll work at the board shop but can’t be on the beach. Mali says he hired her to take classes. Kirby says in that case she quits and she’ll go away for a few days to take some time to herself.

Mackenzie and Dana are in with Harper and Tane. Dana is concerned, feeling the doctors wouldn’t have suggested surgery if they didn’t think it was a good idea, but Harper is adamant. Levi comes in and says they’d like to keep Harper in overnight to monitor her, and if nothing happens then they’ll discharge her in the morning with a BP machine so she can still be monitored. Harper is still dead against the surgery. Mackenzie privately realises that Levi think it’s the best option.

At the surf club, Roo is on the phone to Justin, checking that he and Leah have finished for the day and they won’t run into them. Alf and John come downstairs. John has told Alf that he had an accident with the buggy and Justin is fixing it. Alf takes the news in his stride, only saying that John can pay for the damage.

Dana is fretting over how long it’s taking to get Harper admitted and decides to go and light a fire under someone. Harper comments that Tane’s quiet and suspects he wants her to have the surgery. Tane says it’s her decision. Next morning, Alf and Roo are at the Diner. Alf wants to go home and clear out the shed. Roo encourages him to go fishing instead, saying she’ll clear out the shed and paint it with help from Justin. Marilyn looks on.

At the farm house, Mackenzie notes Levi didn’t sleep much. He says he didn’t think what opening up a clinic at Northern Districts would mean: Instead of patients coming and going like in the city, he knows everyone here. Tane turns up and asks Levi what he would do in their position.