Episode 8530

Extended Summary

David and Lacey walk near the surf club with him commenting on it being the perfect place for a family. Lacey says she’s been thinking about what he said but things aren’t okay between them. She says she’s not going to take the money despite what Theo said but she’s thought of something else that could make her closer to her mum: Her eternity ring. David looks hesitant and Lacey says she understands him not wanting to part with it but David says to leave it with him. Theo approaches and Lacey says it’s sorted.

Roo takes Cohen down the beach, noting Samantha will always be his mum and she’s not trying to replace her. Cohen ponders if he’d have to change his name. Roo says he doesn’t have to and he considers being called Cohen Stewart. Alf says he thinks best while fishing and sends Cohen to fill a bucket of water, saying he seems to have a lot of weight on his shoulders.

Roo goes to the Diner and gives Marilyn an update, saying Cohen is still deciding and seemed overwhelmed. Marilyn thinks he’ll be a great addition to their family. Roo thinks they belong together but isn’t sure he feels the same way. She recalls what Cash said about Gary taking him in and hoped Cohen would feel the same way. Marilyn thinks Alf will talk him round.

Levi and Mackenzie arrive at Salt. Levi is surprised Mackenzie wanted to check on it first, given they were lucky to get an appointment. Mackenzie points out she’s going to be injecting herself with hormones. Jo comes in and tells Mackenzie about joining the gym. It takes Levi a while to realise they’re actually talking about Tane. Jo says she’s glad to have made a new friend.

Theo comments to Lacey that he was expecting to find her and David arguing. Lacey says they had a mature conversation but she’s not taking the money. She tells him about asking for the eternity ring. Theo wonders if it’s a family heirloom. Lacey says her parents had renewed their vows and David let her and Jo pick out a ring that day, then just like that their mum was gone. She thinks having it might stop her feeling angry.

At the Diner, Marilyn serves David a drink, saying he’s been there long enough for her to know what he wants without him ordering. Jo comes in, complaining she was about to do a boot camp when David texted her. David tells her about talking to Lacey. Jo thinks Lacey was only nice because he offered her $100,000. David says she didn’t accept it and explains about her wanting the eternity ring, adding that he didn’t tell her Jo has it. He starts to ask her to part with it but Jo immediately refuses, saying she lost her mum as well. David agrees to find another way to make things right with Lacey as Jo insists she’ll never give it up.

Alf and Cohen fish on the beach with Alf commenting on the lack of conversation and saying they can just talk about fishing if he wants. Cohen asks if a fish’s mother misses it when they catch it. Alf says that might be the first fishing question he doesn’t know the answer to. Meanwhile, Jo is walking through a park area, hyperventilating and having flashbacks to coming round after the crash and seeing the ring on her mother’s hand. She touches the ring and controls her breathing.

Back at the caravan park house, Alf teaches Cohen to tie a duncan knot, saying a lot of people call it the uni knot now, but he prefers the original name because it reminds him of his son Duncan. He asks if Cohen’s had any thoughts about the adoption. Cohen says saying yes feels like betraying his mum and saying no would be letting Roo down. He also worries he’ll forget his mum. Alf thinks his heart is big enough for more than one person and says there’s no wrong answer.

Roo is walking by the beach when David pulls up next to her and asks about Cohen. Roo says he’s out of hospital and tells David about planning to adopt him. David seems distracted and notes he’s thinking about how hard parenting is and how he can’t make his daughters happy. Later, at the house, Alf tells Roo that Cohen was quiet earlier. Cohen then appears and announces he wants Roo to adopt him. He’s been working on a letter to his mum: He knows she doesn’t want to hear from him, but he wants to tell her where he’s going to live, and wants Roo to read it and give her opinion.

At the farm house, Levi checks Mackenzie is okay with giving herself the injection, reminding her that she was told it could make her emotional, distracted and bloated. Mackenzie thinks that’s no different from normal. Levi says he will understand if she doesn’t want to do it but Mackenzie says it’s what they both want.

Roo reads out the letter to Alf and Cohen. In it, Cohen says that he has a new mum that Samantha would really like, talking about Roo in complimentary terms. He says that he thinks Samantha gave him up because she can’t look after them both, so now Roo will look after him and Samantha can look after herself, and even if he never sees her again, she’ll always be his first mum. Roo says it’s perfect.

Jo approaches Lacey near the surf club. Lacey initially ignores her. Jo says she’s glad Lacey talked to David and wishes they could be sisers again. She then reveals she has the ring, saying she asked David about it after Lacey moved out and he would have checked with her if she’d been there. She adds that it means too much to her to give up. Lacey tries to grab it off her and Theo steps in.

Levi watches on slightly anxiously as Mackenzie tries to give herself the injection. She eventually agrees to him doing it, noting this isn’t how she pictured them having a baby. At the caravan park house, Roo is writing the address on the envelope for Cohen’s letter. Marilyn comes home and Roo tells her that Cohen said yes and she’s already started the process.

Jo walks into the surf club, with Lacey following and Theo following her. Lacey asks how Jo deserves the ring. Jo says she held their mother’s hand as she died and Lacey replies that she killed her. Jo hits her and they start scuffling until Alf and Theo step in. Later, the four of them are up in Salt. Lacey and Jo are seated with Theo cautiously giving them drinks. David arrives and thanks Alf for calling him. Alf says someone else would have if he hadn’t and to sort it out. David asks Theo for some privacy. Lacey tells Jo to give her the ring. Jo refuses and they both make to leave. David tells them to sit down and that no-one’s leaving until they’ve sorted it.