Episode 8441

Extended Summary

Cash and Eden meet up outside the surf club. Mali passes them as they are kissing and tells them to get a room. Cash and Eden arrange to go back to her place. Mali is packing up when Abigail appears, saying half an hour with Levi convinced her he was more fun. Mali tells her he needs to stay back to do the accounts but Abigail decides to stick around anyway.

At the Diner, Marilyn is cleaning around Alf as she mops up. Leah comes back and says Irene insisted she didn’t want a babysitter, but wonders if she should have stayed. Alf says Leah can’t hold her hand day and night. Marilyn suggests she and Leah go round tomorrow with breakfast and coffee.

Irene is sitting alone in the dark. Dana comes home and turns the light on, being startled by Irene. Irene says she couldn’t sleep: She didn’t have to set an alarm because she had nowhere to be, and at rehab she was kept busy which kept her mind wandering. Dana suggests they get up early tomorrow and do something. Meanwhile, Mackenzie arrives home and heads into the bedroom where Levi is sleeping. She strips down to her underwear and gets into bed with him, kissing the back of his neck. Levi says he hopes it’s her and notes she’s back early. Mackenzie says she couldn’t wait to see him as they kiss.

Next morning, Mali runs into Alf outside the bait shop, wondering if he has any milk. Alf says it’s a bait shop, not a general store, and he takes his tea black. Mali was hoping to get some coffees for Abigail, who then appears looking anxious, saying she woke up and he was gone. After Alf says he has nothing but pilchards, Abigail suggests they get a coffee on the way to the surf club, even though she’s not rostered on.

Mackenzie asks Levi where Abby is and learns she spent the night with Mali. Mackenzie wonders if he did any shopping while she was away. Levi tries to claim he did until she opens the fridge, then points out he thought he had today to do it. Mackenzie tells him not to tell anyone at Salt she’s back. Levi realises she wants him to go there for takeaway. She adds that he shouldn’t get her usual.

Mali is teaching a class on the beach. Abigail approaches and waves to him but he doesn’t respond until after he has sent the class into the water. Abigail says she likes watching him work but Mali wonders if she’s keeping an eye on him and says it doesn’t feel like she trusts him. Elsewhere on the beach, Irene is doing an enthusiastic power walk while Dana struggles along a few paces behind her, commenting on the night shift and lack of sleep. Leah and Marilyn appear with the breakfast. Leah gets a call from John wondering where Irene is. Leah tries to pass him over but Irene just calls out that she’s fine and doesn’t need to speak to him.

Cash is waiting for an order at Salt. Eden remarks that he used to have staff to do this but Cash says that his boss is buried under paperwork while he’s there with her. Levi appears to collect his order. Eden is surprised at how big it is and he covers by predicting that Abigail will want some. Eden wonders when Mackenzie’s getting back and he says soon.

Downstairs, Abigail asks Mali if the rule is that she can work with him but not watch him work. Mali says there are no rules but wonders why she turned up last night and freaked out this morning. Before Abby can answer, Levi comes down and calls her over. He asks her to stay away from the house a bit, explaining about Mackenzie being back. Abigail agrees, then notices Mali is already doing something else.

Abigail heads upstairs and asks Eden if she’s got a minute. Eden agrees to listen while she works. Abigail says Mali thinks she doesn’t trust him, explaining there was a half-truth that she’s trying to get past. Eden runs if their father has left her with trust issues. Abigail says it’s everyone she cares about. Eden suggests Abigail quit the board shop and work there in order to get some space from Mali. She mentions Mackenzie being away and Abigail says Levi just told her she’s back. They comment on more lies before Eden tells Abigail to do a trial shift while she holds an impromptu staff meeting.

Levi and Mackenzie are in bed when Eden starts banging on the door, saying they have five seconds before she comes in. They struggle to get some clothes on and don’t really succeed. Eden says Levi lied to her and Mackenzie says it’s not his fault. Eden tells her to sort out the staffing crisis. Mali arrives and wonders if he’s interrupting something. Levi says Eden’s already done that. Mali welcomes Mackenzie back before telling Levi he needs a chat. Eden tells him to get in line.

Dana is telling Leah and Marilyn about sitting up all night with Irene talking and how she’s missing her routine. They hastily stop talking when Irene comes in and she realises they’re not talking about the weather. Leah and Marilyn suggest coming up with a plan including daily walks which Irene excitedly agrees to. Dana wishes she could help but has to get ready for a shift.

Eden tells Mackenzie to hire Abby to deal with the staffing problem. Mackenzie readily agrees and says Eden has been reliable managing Salt since Xander left. Eden notes that being called reliable is new. She exits, stopping to tell Levi she’ll deal with him later. Mali has told Levi his problem but Levi doesn’t have an answer. Mali leaves and Mackenzie agrees that Levi shouldn’t call him back.

Mali meets with Abigail at Salt. She tells him that she’s quitting, clarifying that she’s quitting the board shop to work there and thinks maybe not being around him all the time will help her trust him. Mali agrees. Later, Abigail and Eden are working as Cash talks about booking somewhere for dinner. He finds he has an a-mail from Sarge asking him to apply for the senior constable position, which he doesn’t seem keen on.

Leah runs over their itinerary which includes daily walks, meditation sessions, yoga, movie nights on Sunday, and tea and talk. Irene adds to say that Leah and Marilyn are both good friends. Dana comes down in life guard uniform and agrees to help out with yoga. Marilyn suggests putting John down for the walks and Irene confuses everyone by not wanting him involved.

Later, Irene and Leah discuss Marilyn typing up the plan. Leah heads to the Diner saying she’ll come back for their workout. Dana offers to ask John to cover so she can stick around but Irene says she doesn’t want John knowing about her.