. . .

Kerry is hanging the washing out, when Bouncer pulls one of the towels from the washing line, and it gets ripped as Kerry tries to pull it away from him. Kerry then starts shouting at the dog, telling him how bad he’s been, and he disappears out the garden gate.

At number 26, Helen is on the phone to Todd. She hangs up and Jim comes in, wondering if Todd might be homesick since he’s calling so much. Helen says that Todd is concerned about his father and them almost losing all of their bail money. Helen asks Jim if he felt as foolish as she did at Hilary’s, but he says that he never thought it would be Hilary’s new boyfriend anyway. Helen reminds me that he joined in with all of Sharon’s speculation, and asks him what he makes of Matt. Jim says that he’s never heard of the Williams family, and he can’t imagine anyone entrusting Hilary as babysitter to a teenager. Helen wonders if it’s a situation like Todd and Katie’s, where their parents are having serious problems and need some time alone. She thinks that it’s still a nice thing for Hilary to do, but Jim says that Hilary can still be tactless and remembers another cousin’s wedding, when she stood up in the middle of the speeches and told him he was making a big mistake. He goes on to explain that the marriage only lasted three weeks and everyone blamed Hilary. Helen says that she feels sorry for her, as she never seems to have had anyone close to her.

. . .

At number 30, Matt is showing his tape collection to Nick and Sharon, but Sharon advises him against playing any, as Hilary wouldn’t be too impressed. Hilary appears and says she’s going to speak to Des about the Coffee Shop, but Sharon quickly tries to stop her, suggesting that they stay there and have a cup of tea. Sharon offers to go and get some milk, asking Hilary for money, but she says that there should still be some left over in the housekeeping. Hilary then asks Matt if he’s finished unpacking and he says that he has, all of his stuff is on his bed. Hilary looks appalled and walks out, while Nick asks Matt about his motorbike and school. When Matt mentions repeating year 11 at Erinsborough High, Sharon asks him why he’s doing that if he’s only staying for a few weeks. Matt quickly clams up and goes to finish unpacking, while Nick and Sharon go to get some groceries from the Robinson house.

At number 28, Mike is marking papers, but half-listening to Hilary and Des’ conversation as she offers to start back at the Coffee Shop straight away. Des asks her about her job at the library and she explains that she’ll be staying on in Erinsborough indefinitely, and besides, the library already gave her job to someone else. Des hopes that Hilary will find Coffee Shop work as enjoyable, but she says it’s highly unlikely she will. She then leaves, just as Kerry and Sky arrive. Hilary comments that Sky looks pretty today, unlike her usual op shop outfits, but Kerry doesn’t have time to reply. She asks Des and Mike if they’ve seen Bouncer, as he seems to have gone missing.

. . .

At number 26, Jim has his head under the sink, fixing a blocked drain, when Sharon and Nick come in. While Nick distracts Jim, telling him that they’re just having a quick snack, Sharon takes two litres of milk from the fridge and a bag of sugar from the cupboard. As they’re about to leave, Helen appears standing in the doorway, asking what they’re going to do with all that milk and sugar. Sharon comes clean and admits that she blew all of the housekeeping money on her Chez Shaz café while Hilary was away, and they were intending to replace the milk and sugar when they had the money. Jim says that it’s fine, but it would have been nice to have been asked.

At number 28, Des, Mike and Kerry are all back from checking the street and all of Bouncer’s usual haunts, but there’s no sign of him. Kerry blames herself, but Des assures her that dogs don’t feel the same emotions as people and he’ll come back soon. Kerry then begins to worry that he’s been stolen, but Des says that people only take good-looking dogs for breeding. Mike then remembers the mother of Bouncer’s puppies, who lives in Penfold Street and the three of them decide to go and look there.

. . .

At number 30, Hilary is warning Matt to stay well clear of Sharon, calling her a ‘chocolate-covered bomb’ when Sharon and Nick return from the Robinson house. Hilary starts questioning Sharon about what she’s been up to over the last few days, and Sharon claims that she was writing assignments about ‘Shakespeare and stuff’. Hilary then mentions the barbeque, at which Sharon tries to defend herself, while Hilary brings up the subject of Madge and Harold and how they sacked Sharon and she then opened her own café. Sharon then blurts out that she spent all of the housekeeping money and had to borrow milk from Helen and Hilary tells her that she’s going to have to go to her room and do some study now, dragging her in there by the arm. She then tells Sharon she’s grounded, before throwing Nick out of the house and asking a stunned Matt if he’d like a cup of tea.

Kerry, Des and Mike arrive back at number 28, still with no sign of Bouncer. She then starts to worry that he might have been run over, so Des goes to phone all of the local vets. Mike tells Kerry to calm down, as Bouncer hasn’t been missing for long, but she says that Joe is so attached to that dog and she doesn’t know what she’s going to tell him.

. . .

. . .

At number 30, Sharon emerges from her room to tell Hilary that she’s treating her like a child. Hilary points out that Sharon is behaving like one, as throwing a flour bomb at Madge wasn’t a very mature thing to do. Hilary refuses to back down, so Sharon stomps off and Matt asks Hilary if she always treats Sharon like that. Hilary explains that she deserves it and asks Matt if he intends to devote plenty of his time to study, rather than listening to his walkman. He reminds her that he hasn’t started school yet and she tells him that he will on Monday and he’ll need to make up for the mess he previously made of year 11. He then calls her Aunt Hilary and she tells him that there’s no need for that, so he asks her if she would prefer ‘Mum’. She looks stunned and tells him that she would not.

Back at number 28, Des gets off the phone and says that the last vet suggested that they try the pound. Mike says that they’d have phoned if they’d picked up Bouncer, as he has a tag on his collar. Kerry suddenly realises that she didn’t put Bouncer’s collar back on after she washed him, and he’s probably been picked up as a stray. Mike is worried that Bouncer will be put down if they don’t get him out, so they all rush off to find him.

. . .

At number 26, Helen comes in to find a solemn Jim sitting at the kitchen table. Helen is chatting about the garden, but realises that he isn’t listening and asks him what’s wrong. He says that Beverly phoned and was upset after delivering a baby at work. He admits that he didn’t realise how difficult she was going to find things and he’s underestimated the pain she’s going through. He says that he feels like a fool expecting her to get over the problem by simply buying her a bracelet.

Outside number 30, Nick checks that the coast is clear, then gets Sharon out of the back yard. They’re making their escape when Matt comes outside and asks what they’re up to. They explain that they’re escaping from Hilary and compare her to Hitler. Matt tries to defend Hilary, telling them that he’ll make up his own mind, then refusing an offer to spend the afternoon with them.

. . .

. . .

At the pound, Kerry is worried that they’re already too late. One of the assistants approaches them and they describe Bouncer. He takes them to his cage and they’re all reunited, but Kerry is worried about leaving all of the other dogs there to die. She pleads with Des, who agrees to pay the fines for the other six dogs too. Mike asks him what they’re going to do with six dogs, but Des says that they won’t be any trouble…