Episode 8482

Extended Summary

At the coffee cart, Marilyn and Alf chat about Roo being due back. She is going to text Alf when she arrives and Alf is intending to talk to her about fostering. He gets a text saying she’s there and turns down Marilyn’s offer to come with him. Meanwhile, Roo arrives home and retrieves a thank you card from the sideboard with a handwritten message saying “Thanks for giving me a home”.

Cash tries to convince Eden that he simply thought it was time to visit Gary. Moments later, a woman appears who turns out to be Eden’s mum Deb. She says she got a call from Cash inviting her. Levi, Mackenzie and Abigail then pull up, triggering a round of hugs. Later, Deb tries to quiz a reluctant Abigail about her life. Levi tells Mackenzie that Deb doesn’t know about Abby’s addiction. Mackenzie goes over to meet her. Cash and Eden are joined by Remi and Kirby, before Gary calls everyone together. Cash gets down on one knee, saying he and Eden have been to hell and back, mostly his fault, and he doesn’t want to live his life without her. He proposes and Eden accepts, to cheers.

Alf arrives back and greets Roo. She shows him the card which Alf admits Marilyn was considering throwing out. Alf wonders what happened with Eliza. Roo says she’s being assessed and has a long road ahead of her. Alf says Roo did right by her but Roo feels she let her down. Alf says it’s good to have her back and Roo gives a rather flat thanks.

Later, Alf asks what the doctors said. Roo says they don’t give a clinical diagnosis but are throwing around terms like conduct disorder, callous and unemotional tendencies, and psychopathic traits. She worries how Eliza will ever be able to function around people if she can experience anger and sadness but not guilt, remorse or empathy. Alf tries to convince her to let it go.

Gary hands out champagne as Mackenzie chats to Debbie. Remi is talking to Abigail when Eden approaches him asking if he’s got his guitar. Debbie approaches Abigail, wondering how she went from being at uni in a share house to living with Levi and working in a board shop, and now working with Eden. She asks if she got fired and Abigail says she didn’t want to work with her boyfriend anymore, which Debbie didn’t know she had. Levi and Mackenzie come to her rescue before everyone’s attention is taken up with Eden singing All of You.

Alf rejoins Marilyn at the coffee cart and tells her that he didn’t get a chance to talk to Roo about fostering because she was too upset. Marilyn offers to talk to her, despite Alf’s reluctance. Meanwhile, Roo is putting Eliza’s clothes and textbooks into a box. She stops at the music box, opening it and letting the music play. Marilyn arrives and asks if she’s all right. Roo doesn’t answer but does close the box.

Kirby is now singing her new songs for everyone with Remi accompanying her. Cash and Eden are dancing. Debbie grabs Mackenzie to thank her for giving her girls a job and making Levi happy. Mackenzie notes she’s surprised Debbie isn’t more bothered about how she and Levi got together. Debbie says her husband leaving her was the best thing that could have happened to her, even if she didn’t know it at the time, and she always found Imogen a bit dull. She tries to ask about Mali, prompting Abigail to say that he’s cute, runs a board shop and treats her right. Eden intercedes this time, dragging Debbie away to ask about her reiki course. Gary tells Cash that Felicity would be pleased before asking Debbie to dance.

Roo has filled Marilyn in on what she was told about Eliza. She refuses to believe any child is beyond help, suggesting Eliza might have turned out differently if she’d been raised in a loving and stable environment. Marilyn says it’s out of Roo’s hands now but Roo suggests Eliza can come back there after treatment, convinced she can help her. Marilyn goes to find Alf and tells him that she’s not sure their chat helped. She explains about Roo wanting to bring Eliza back. Alf knows it’s out of Roo’s hands. Marilyn doesn’t think Roo’s accepted that.

Gary tops up Debbie’s glass while Cash and Eden head off to christen his old room. Mackenzie goes to join Abigail, who is struggling with Debra’s attention. Debra announces that, since she’s met her other children’s partners, she’s going to come to Summer Bay and meet Mali. Meanwhile, Roo is on the phone, unsuccessfully attempting to talk to Eliza. Alf comes in as Roo says the doctors think they should have a clean break. Alf says she needs to accept that she isn’t Eliza’s carer anymore and he’s not going to have her back in the house. He says Roo shouldn’t be fostering at all and it’s his house. Roo ends up walking out.

Debbie asks Gary for a beer, which he appreciates. Remi checks with Kirby, who is feeling less nervous now. Cash and Eden return with him saying he was just showing her his bedroom. Mackenzie says Deb’s coming back with them which Eden is pleased about. Nearby, Abigail leaves a desperate phone message for Mali, saying Deb is on her way back with an interrogation and to get out of town.