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No. 26 – Lounge: Shane unwinds with a well earned beer and a chat to Paul about what a nightmare it is working with Max. Paul comments he knew it would be difficult. Shane continues to rant but then realises he is just using Paul to sound off to and calms down. Shane explains it feels good to be able to offload to a mate as he cannot do so at home as he’s worried about his mother. Shane decides he needs to get home and thanks Paul for the beer. Alone, Paul decides to turn the volume up on the stereo and enjoy his time alone.

No. 24 - Lounge: Shane arrives home to find Maria all dressed up. She tells him he looks like he’s had a bad day but she is off dancing with Nick. She has left him some leftover casserole from the previous evening as she needs him to stay in just in case of news about Danny. Shane makes it clear he isn’t happy at her going out and tells her it is too soon to be seeing other men. Maria tells him he is being ridiculous and Nick is just a friend and at least he knows how to treat her well.

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No. 26 – Lounge: Nick explains to Paul and Julie how he decided aged twenty, that he didn’t need to take advice about settling down, or worry about the next thirty years. Julie remarks that many end up with nothing doing just that but Paul has a more romantic view. He asks Nick where he thinks he would be now if he hadn’t taken a chance. Nick is sure he’d be living in boring suburbia. Nick explains he needs to pick up Maria and after he leaves Julie spots her brother still mulling over what Nick has said. Julie tells Paul not to take Nick’s views too seriously. Paul has other ideas.

No. 24 - Lounge: Maria answers the door and Nick wolf whistles at her, telling her she looks great. Maria calls out to Shane she is leaving but hearing no answer assumes he is asleep after his busy day. After they leave Shane re-enters the lounge, sighs and sips his beer.

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Restaurant: Nick and Maria finish ordering their meals and Nick recounts how they took a trip with five friends on the train to the country. They reminisce about an old friend Eddie, who almost was arrested and Maria mentions she has lost touch with many of the people they knew. She remarks Nick is the only one though who never settled down. Nick calls it good sense and raises a glass of champagne for them to toast to.

Bedsit - Room 19: Max is struggling to keep the bedsit tidy with his injury and with nowhere to sit he eats his take away in silence sitting on a chair by the window.

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Restaurant: Maria explains she wishes Max would express his feelings more to her but Nick calls it a symptom of their generation. Maria remarks that he isn’t like that as he recognised the need to change with the times. Nick comments that she should have married him when he asked her but Maria reminds him he was drunk and joking. Nick tells her he wasn’t joking. Maria is stunned and tells him this isn’t the right time to tell her. She asks for them to forget about dancing as would prefer to go home.

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Waldara Hotel - Jim's room: Jim and Helen take a moment to talk through the events of the day and Helen admits it is difficult on what to do about the Forbes farm. Jim suggests he looks at the accounts again tomorrow but he’ll certainly push for a better price on the farm equipment than Mr. Fletcher offered. Helen questions if there is a way to get Danny to return with them but Jim tells her no if he continues to believe Max is still waiting at home for him.

No. 24 - Lounge/Kitchen: Maria and Nick arrive home from the restaurant and Maria tries to suggest they forget what happened with a coffee. Maria notices Shane reading the paper and asks of any news of Danny. He tells her sternly that there isn’t and asks after her evening, spitefully asking if Nick allowed her to drive his car. Maria tells him he is not funny and Shane walks out to the Kitchen telling her and Nick the situation Max is in is definitely not that. Nick decides to go and Maria apologises for Shane’s bad manners. Nick tells her he kind of understands and kisses her goodnight on the cheek. Maria finds Shane now reading the newspaper at the dining table and tells him he was out of order in treating Nick in such a way. She reminds her son she has never been rude to any of his friends and never challenged who he can, and cannot see. Maria demands he do the same for her before storming to her bedroom.

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No. 26 - Kitchen: Next morning Paul is trying to fix himself a sandwich as a snack after deciding to take the day off from Uni. Julie is appalled and comments, that at least her day off is an official days holiday. Julie reminds him that he has already told her he cannot afford to miss any more lectures and asks what is wrong with him. Paul jokes that taking a ‘sickie’ is his right, as it is an Australian institution but Julie threatens to tell Jim upon his return. Annoyed Paul tells her it is none of her business and storms off to his room. Julie upset by his comment calls after him telling him, he is her business.

Mrs. Forbes farm – Kitchen: Mrs. Forbes is busy packing but takes a moment to remember as she picks up a couple of silver statues of dogs. Jim arrives back to carry out more packed possessions and Mrs. Forbes explains how Helen is outside sketching the farm for her to hang on the wall of her new home. Jim mentions he reckons Mr. Fletcher should be offering around $A2000 for the farm equipment and not the $A400 he offered. Mrs. Forbes is thrilled and Jim insists he’ll talk to the man and Mrs. Forbes tells him where Mr. Fletcher’s business is in town. Danny wanders in clearly unhappy as Jim leaves and admits he is sad that Scott has now decided to return home. Danny bad mouths Max but Mrs. Forbes won’t hear of it and reminds him he has a family and a loving mother and brother, something she would long for. Danny suggests they could stay together if they move into a flat together but she tells him she truly believes he needs to go home.

. . .

Customer's bathroom: Shane finishes soldering under the sink basin but Max is furious at his poor end result. Shane reminds him he is doing the best he can but Max ushers him onto trying to fit the shower fittings and let him redo the pipe work. Shane is unimpressed.

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No. 28 - Lounge/Kitchen: Daphne empathises with Paul as he explains how he feels about just doing something different than Uni but she urges him to complete his degree before going off around the world. Paul tells her maybe her values aren’t the same as his and Daphne cautions him from taking on Nick’s. Paul tells her he needs to get out from what he is doing as he feels trapped like a hamster on a wheel.

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. . .

Customer's bathroom: Max is sealing underneath the sink when Shane drops one of the shower taps causing him to bump his head on the sink. Max loses his temper and Shane having lost all his patience tells his father he quits and that as far as he is concerned he and the business can go down the drain. Shane storms out with Max calling after him about who’ll give him a lift home. Shane tells his father to walk.

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Mrs. Forbes Farm - Kitchen: Mrs. Forbes is thrilled by Helen’s drawing of the farm and gives her a vase as a present. Helen is not so thrilled but lies she likes it. Danny enters with his belongings in a bag but doesn’t want to discuss his decision to return home other than commenting it is what Mrs. Forbes wanted. Jim thanks the old woman for her taking care of the boys and she thanks him for all his help. Helen and Jim leave the boys to say goodbye. Danny suggests they could visit her and tearfully she tells them she would be happy to see them anytime. Becoming emotional she ushers them out to get their ride home, not really saying goodbye. She stands alone in the empty kitchen and notices the picture of Ned still out on her kitchen table. She realises things remain unfinished and rushes to the door.

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Mrs. Forbes Farm - Farmyard: Outside Jim’s car pulls away down the drive as Mrs. Forbes rushes out in time to wave goodbye. The boys wave back at her furiously and as the car pulls out onto the main road she becomes tearful again. Then alone she pulls herself together and walks towards the farmhouse.

Regular Cast Credits