Channel Ten: 15/08/07 BBC One: 07/11/07
Cast: Stefan Dennis as Paul Robinson, Pippa Black as Elle Robinson, Tom Oliver as Lou Carpenter, Alan Fletcher as Karl Kennedy, Jackie Woodburne as Susan Kinski, Eliza Taylor-Cotter as Janae Timmins, Steve Bastoni as Steve Parker, Nikki Coghill as Miranda Parker, Natalie Blair as Carmella Cammeniti, Natalie Saleeba as Rosetta Cammeniti, David Hoflin as Oliver Barnes, Jane Hall as Rebecca Napier, James Sorenson as Declan Napier
Guest Cast: Maria Mercedes as Lucia Cammeniti, Blair Venn as Richard Aaronow, Neil Pigot as Christian Johnson, Raelene Isbester as Julia Sanders
Recap
• Miranda pulls Susan away as she is moments away from being hit by a motorbike
• Carmella refuses to tell Oliver he is the father until she knows the baby is healthy
• Karl confesses he is planning to investigate Vivex and find out what is going on
• Richard suggests Rebecca has not gone to the police, as her claims aren’t true
Alkrington Grammar School – sports field:
Richard sympathises how hard it must be for Oliver but Oliver remarks not as hard as it was for Rebecca. Richard tells him it is up to him to believe whom he wants but he wants Oliver to know if he had known about him he would have come for him. Not to upset things but to just be there for his family.
Oliver decides he has to go. Richard walks away leaving Oliver deeply confused.
No.30 – Lounge:
Carmella tells Rosie the call from Dr. Newton’s office shows the baby is absolutely fine. Rosie wants to know about Oliver and Carmella promises she will tell him that day. Carmella brings out a pair of booties she bought as a good luck present and Rosie remarks how they’ll need to go shopping now for her. Rosie answers a knock on the door to find her mother who bursts into the house armed with wedding photos. Carmella goes to make her mother a coffee.
Lucia sees Rosie holding the pair of booties and begins to shout in delight assuming Rosie is pregnant.
No.30 – hallway:
Carmella cringes as she hears Rosie tell her mother she isn’t pregnant and adds, ‘well not exactly’.
No.30 – Lounge:
Lucia is confused by Rosie’s cryptic response. Carmella comes back in the room and explains to her mother she has something to tell her.
The General Store:
Susan, Miranda and Janae are having a coffee together. Janae explains quietly how the Pups club is looking at bankruptcy so Mickey doesn’t overhear but he hears the bankrupt word and asks what it means. Janae makes an excuse to him and their attention is drawn to Lou freshly arrived back from Russia. Susan greets him warmly as several boxes are loaded into the kitchen for him. Susan introduces Miranda to Lou and Janae asks after the boxes. Lou tells them it is Russian handy crafts he has brought back and excuses himself to get unpacking. Susan gives Janae a knowing smile that Lou is up to another scam.
The General Store – Kitchen:
Lou opens one of the boxes and Mickey comes to say hello. Lou is slightly shocked at Mickey’s news he is staying on with Ned and he is his son but Mickey wants to know what is in the boxes. Lou explains he has brought back fake fur Russian hats to sell and make lots of money. Mickey mentions about his footy team needing money and Lou realises he could make money out of people needing to wrap up on a cold while they watch footy.
Lou tells Mickey he’ll give his footy club a ‘cut’ in the profits for every hat sold by the club and scams Mickey into agreeing to help package the hats up for sale after school.
The General Store:
Mickey reveals Lou is selling fake fur Russian footy hat to the three women and Susan jokes it sounds right for Lou. Both Susan and Miranda comment on how great Janae is with him. Janae confesses she loves him as if he was her own. Susan asks after Riley but Miranda tells her they haven’t heard from him. Janae quickly changes the subject to Karl’s state of mind as he left for work. Susan explains she was as nervous as Karl when he left. Miranda agrees what he is doing is a risk.
Vivex Pharma:
Karl arrives for work to find Christian in his office but all his belongings in a box. Karl fears he has been sacked and Christian tells him to pick up his box and follow him.
No.30 – Lounge:
Lucia tells Carmella the only mistake she made was falling for Oliver, getting her pregnant and then abandoning her. Carmella admits he doesn’t know yet but promises she is going to tell him. Carmella is sure Oliver will support her as far as he can and explains he is now in a relationship with Elle. Lucia questions if Carmella still loves him and Rosie voices her opinion that even if Carmella still has residual feelings for him, Oliver still broke her trust. Lucia sees it vital that Oliver step up and take responsibility and will make him if necessary – a child should have both parents. Angered Carmella explains it is up to her and Oliver to what sort of relationship they build for their baby.
Charlie’s Bar:
Elle & Oliver stop off for lunch & for Oliver to explain about meeting Richard. He explains how he found his father to be completely different to how Rebecca portrayed him to be. Elle thinks one meeting tells you nothing. Oliver feels he cannot really trust either of his parents fully. Oliver questions Rebecca’s story but Elle warns him it could cost him his relationship with his mother.
Vivex Pharma:
Karl is confused when he arrives on another floor of the building. Christian coolly explains he is on the executive level of the building. Karl is then introduced as the new regional director and a group of work colleagues who clap to congratulate him. Christian apologises for the deception but calls it a tradition. Everyone goes back to his or her jobs except Julia Sanders who is introduced to Karl as his new personal secretary. Karl is stunned but Christian tells him he is being rewarded and given a chance to really use his potential.
The General Store:
Lou is using his sales patter to try a sell some of the Russian hats as Susan and Miranda arrive. Mickey has a hat on with the Pups team colours on it and he looks so cute that Susan agrees to buy one each for Rachel & Zeke, despite Lou trying to sell her one for all of her children.
Janae arrives to take Mickey home but he wants to stay to help sell the hats on a stall Lou is setting up. Janae agrees to one more hour if Lou drops him off. Lou comments about how good it is to have a young kid around again and Susan asks after Lolly. He tells her he & Lolly are in regular touch again.
Susan and Miranda sit down and Susan mentions Riley again. Miranda admits she last spoke to him over six weeks ago and knows he deliberately avoided speaking to her when he rang Bridget at Sky’s leaving do. Susan jokes it is because kids just think their home and parents are always going to be there for them and mentions how she always has to call Malcolm & Bill. Miranda points out she doesn’t even know where Riley is.
Charlie’s Bar:
Rebecca meets Oliver and is stunned to learn he visited Richard. Oliver explains Richard seems so different to what she told him and Rebecca responds that it is just one side he’s seen. The side that is charming, the reason she fell in love with him. Oliver tells her he has seen another side to her that makes him confused. Rebecca explains she has no way of proving anything to him but asks for him to trust her and stay away from Richard. Oliver explains he is meeting Richard later for a drink.
Rebecca wants him to swear he not get Declan involved but Oliver warns her. Declan is old enough to get involved with his father by himself, if his desire to know where he has come from is as strong as his own.
No.26 – Lounge / Kitchen:
Miranda catches Janae looking up recipes for her and Ned’s first romantic meal at No.26. Miranda offers her, her gnocchi recipe and Janae thinks it sounds perfect. Steve comes back from the garage having found a box of pans Miranda wants. Steve & Miranda joke about Mickey being likely to interrupt the evening at some point and Janae throws the Russian hat she bought off of Lou at Steve to stop him teasing her. He tells her the hat is made of real fur. They wonder if they should tell Lou.
The General Store:
Mickey & Lou come in from the stall with Lou covered in red paint across his shirt. He explains about someone attacking him for selling real fur but Oliver spots he doesn’t seem unhappy about these things. Lou thinks he can now sell them for three times as much! Lou takes Mickey to the kitchen so they can clean up.
Rosie & Carmella arrive to buy groceries but seeing Oliver, Rosie suggests they go. Carmella assures her sister she is fine to be around Oliver and walks over to him. Carmella asks if she can catch up with him to talk about something important and Oliver agrees to catch up early evening, before he meets Richard. Elle is not happy at the arrangement.
No.28 – Lounge:
Susan assures Steve that Audrey is a lot happier since he last looked at her and Miranda encourages him to relax with her and Susan and have some coffee rather than talk shop. Karl arrives home and announces his promotion and more importantly he’ll be able to delve into a lot more confidential files in his new position. Susan asks why he is so late and he mentions that had his PA not stuck around, he would have been later.
Steve jokes about the boss working late with the secretary and Susan decides to make more coffee. Karl follows her wanting to tell her he really only stayed late to work and Susan assures him she knows that. She tells him she is proud of him but wants him to be careful.
The General Store:
Oliver apologises he couldn’t have been around to help her through her difficult times and she does likewise, making small talk about Elle. Oliver wants to get to the reason she asked to see him. She makes it clear what she is about to tell him is not about hurting him & Elle but it affects all of them. She is pregnant. Oliver is stunned.
Charlie’s Bar:
Rebecca faces up to Richard knowing he is going to meet Oliver later and keeping her distance demands he stay away from her sons. Richard refuses and tells her he intends to see Declan too. She tells him he forfeited any rights to see them but Richard tells her she just denied them their father. Rebecca becomes emotional and tells Richard he knows he is the reason she kept her Declan away from him. Richard is aware other customers are watching them and asks her to calm down. Rebecca vows she is going to tell their sons the truth about him. Richard welcomes it so they can decide for themselves whom to believe.
The General Store:
Oliver tells Carmella he is happy with the news and Carmella is concerned about how Elle will take it. Oliver agrees she is unlikely to throw any baby shower but tries to reassure Carmella that her and Elle were friends.
No.22 – Lounge:
Elle is leaving a message on Oliver’s voicemail joking about partly calling to speak to him and also to know what Carmella wanted. She tells him dinner and her are simmering nicely for him for when he returns.
The General Store:
Oliver is excited by the scan picture of his child and mentions how ironic it is that he has just met his father and now he is going to be one. Oliver vows he wants to be around for her and the baby and Carmella is relieved at the news. Oliver tells her nothing will stop him
No.22 – Lounge:
Elle sits waiting for Oliver having put a lot of effort into a romantic evening for them both. Surely it’ll make him forget all about Carmella too.
Regular Cast Credits
Trivia Notes
• Oliver meets his father for the first time
• Karl is promoted to Regional Director at Vivex Pharmaceuticals
• Off screen Lou is attacked by anti fur protestors
• Miranda’s recipe for gnocchi is considered by her to be the ideal romantic meal
• Karl takes his coffee ‘white with one sugar’
Summary by Paul
