Episode 8483

Extended Summary

Mali arrives back at the surf club and retrieves his phone. He finds a missed call and voicemail from Abigail and listens to her panicky message telling him to get out of town so he doesn’t see her mother. John approaches him and Mali tells him about the visit and how Abby’s asked him to stay away, for reasons he doesn’t know.

At the Diner, Leah tells Irene that not only will Theo not come home but he won’t even tell her himself. Irene suggests he might have come to his senses by the time he’s discharged. Roo comes in and says Alf won’t listen to her. Marilyn feels bad, having encouraged Alf to talk to Roo, and gets permission from Irene to head off to see him. Roo tells Irene that Alf wants her to give up fostering. Marilyn finds Alf at home and explains about seeing Roo. Alf says he said what had to be said and Roo needed to hear it even if he did come on strong. He tells her he said that Eliza can’t come back and Roo needs to take a break from fostering.

Mali leaves a message with Abigail asking her to call him back. He expresses confusion to John about her not wanting him to see her mum. John suggests she mght have never introduced her mum to a partner before. Mali says she met Cash and Mackenzie at Cash and Eden’s engagement party, which is news to John. Mali decides to introduce himself to Abby’s mum and show there’s nothing to worry about.

At the coffee cart, Marilyn tells Leah that Roo came in late and left early, so seems to be avoiding Alf. Leah asks Levi for an update on Theo. Levi says he should be discharged in a few days. Leah says she thought he couldn’t be discharged without anywhere to go. Levi assumed he’d be staying with her and Justin. Leah admits he’s told her to stay away and Levi says in that case he can’t tell her any more.

At the Diner, John talks to Irene about Cash and Eden’s engagement and wonders about being celebrant. Irene says they might decide to avoid the fuss and elope. John says it’s a good idea and he’ll go with them. Roo comes in, looking around, and Irene says Alf hasn’t been in. Roo doesn’t want to see him at the moment. Irene thinks they need to sort things out. Roo sends a text saying “We need to talk.”

Mackenzie, Abigail and Debra arrive outside the surf club, explaining that they work upstairs. Levi joins them. Abigail sees Mali approaching and suggests they go upstairs to eat or on a hike. Mali introduces himself to Debra, who invites him to join them to eat. Mali assures Abigail that he’s got this. At the coffee cart, Leah talks to Roo about how frustrating it is not being able to see Theo. Alf turns up, having got Roo’s message. He agrees that they need to sort it out.

Mali shows Debra the boards that he’s designed and shaped. Levi and Mackenzie go to sort out a table upstairs. Mali says he didn’t make it to the party because he was working and Abigail wasn’t trying to keep them apart. He introduces Deb to John, who says Abigail and Mali were wholly professional when they worked together and Mali is a model tenant.

Upstairs, Mackenzie has set up a lavish table and says she needs to be Deb’s favourite. Levi says she’ll be that when she gives her a grandchild. Abigail, Mali and Debra come up. Abigail and Mali go to the bar. Abigail is upset about Debra wanting to know everything about her life. Mali thinks it’s unavoidable but Abigail thinks it’s because she considers her a screw-up.

Leah leaves a phone message for Theo, wanting to know when he’ll be discharged. Nearby, Irene serves Alf and Roo. Roo says Alf telling her she should never foster again hurt her. Alf says he didn’t mean to do that but what happened with Eliza can never happen again, and she cares so much she doesn’t know what’s going on.

Up in Salt, both Mali and Mackenzie assure Deb that Abby is a good worker. Abigail tries to shut the questions down. Mali says that Abigail is doing well now and putting her recovery first. Debra picks up on the comments. Levi tries to put the conversation off but Debra takes him and Abigail out onto the balcony, leaving Mali and Mackenzie alone. Mali realises she didn’t know. Out on the balcony, Debra has been filled in and is aghast that this was kept from her. Levi says Abigail had a right to privacy. Debra realises this was why Levi dropped Abigail off at her place and then got anxious when she disappeared. Abigail says not to blame Levi and Eden, who got her clean.

Roo joins Alf downstairs at home. She says she’s thought about what he said and isn’t going to get Eliza back but hasn’t changed her mind about fostering. Alf says he hasn’t either. Roo suggests they agree to disagree and she’s going to go and stay at Martha’s for a bit. At the surf club, Mackenzie steers Mali downstairs. John tries to find out what’s happened and gets given short shrift. Mali is frustrated that no-one told him Debra didn’t know. Levi comes downstairs and says Deb and Abby have a lot to talk through.

At the Diner, Irene, Leah and Marilyn are seeing Roo off. Roo says Alf thinks he’s doing the right thing but this is too important for her to give up. Leah asks Irene to keep an eye on things, saying Roo’s right. Ignoring Irene’s advice, Leah says she’s going to go and talk to Theo and no-one is going to stop her. At the surf club, Mali greets Abigail, who says it wasn’t fun having to go through that with Deb. Abigail says she asked him to keep his distance and he did the exact opposite, throwing her under the bus. Mali asks how he was supposed to know Deb didn’t know. Abigail says she has to go away with Debra for a bit to prove she’s okay.

Leah arrives at Theo’s room, finds he isn’t there and starts tidying his things. Levi appears and asks what she’s doing. Leah asks where Theo is. Levi says she has to leave if Theo doesn’t want her there. Leah sits on the bed and tells him to make her, challenging him when he threatens to call security. Levi walks away.