Patricia sits in the lounge at Dural, drinking coffee. She suddenly
gets up and walks over to the 'phone.
In Melbourne, Beryl tells David that Kevin has done a lot of
growing up over the last few days. The 'phone rings - Beryl answers
it and, when the person at the other end asks for David, Beryl
tells him it's STD. Patricia tells David that she's been thinking
about what he said, and has decided she'd like to see John. She
says she'll fly down on the first available flight. David offers
to go and pick her up from the airport, but Patricia makes it
clear she would prefer to meet David and Kevin at her hotel. David
goes and tells Beryl that Patricia wants to see John. Beryl comments
that Patricia is pushing her luck but David says it's worth a
try. Beryl suggests David invite Patricia to eat with the Palmers
- they can make it a family affair and Patricia can see Angela
again.
David goes to see John at work. John isn't thrilled when he
hears that Patricia is coming. David tells John about his trip
to Sydney. John asks how it was and wonders if his mother had
changed much. David says, "Twenty years is a long time."
He adds that he thinks Patricia is lonely. John says he reckons
Patricia is just trying to get David on-side. David yells, "Just
give her a chance, please." John asks why it's so
important to David. He replies, "It just is." John agrees
to do what his father wants and David says, "I want it for
you." David tells John not to tell Beryl about him
seeing Patricia in Sydney.
Gordon arrives back at Dural from Woombai. Patricia tells him
she's going to Melbourne to see John and to set the record straight.
Gordon offers to drive her, but Patricia sarcastically retorts,
"I'm sure you've got unpacking to do." Gordon stares
at his wife as she walks out the door.
Wayne is at Jill's, looking chirpy and feeling happy that he
won - he has Gordon's respect again, and Fiona is selling her
property. Wayne suggests he and Jill go to a party, but Jill has
to work. Wayne tells her to give up her crummy job and he says
he'll support her. However, Jill is offended by this, and tells
Wayne the only way he can make it up to her is to help her wash
the dishes! Later, Jill tells Fiona that Wayne made her feel like
a high-class hooker. Fiona remarks that, "Wayne is more than
just a roll in the hay, isn't he?" Jill says she knows what
Wayne's like, but she can't help herself. Fiona says she's going
out - Jill stays in Fiona's room to watch television.
At Dural, Wayne has Jackie Ingleton with him. She tells him
that her father brought her a present of black silk sheets when
he came back from Hong Kong and asks, "Do you like black
satin sheets?" Wayne says, "Depends." Jackie complains
to Wayne that she had to call him, and says
she wants compensation - a diamond bracelet to match the diamond
earrings he got her.
When Fiona gets back to the boarding house, Jill tells her that
a man telephoned for her while she was out, but didn't leave a
name. He said he'd call back, though. Jill says the man asked
for Fiona Reid first, before changing it to Fiona Thompson. Fiona
wonders who it could have been.
Kevin tells Beryl that he and Lynn want to do up the shed and
live in it - they just need to persuade David. Angela comes in
and tells Beryl that she's going to a lot of trouble for Patricia,
organising to eat in the main room. Angela says they should eat
in the kitchen as normal, and says it wouldn't hurt her mother!
Beryl tells Angela that she's worried about meeting Patricia,
but she has to do it some day, so she might as well get it over
with.
David goes to Patricia's hotel, but she initially declines his
offer of tea with the Palmers. She looks concerned, and asks if
it's alright with him - David says it is. Patricia suggests
it might make John feel more comfortable, so she eventually agrees
to go, saying, "It'll be nice to meet your family."
Patricia tells David that Beryl must be a very understanding woman.
Kevin watches through the window as Patricia and David pull
up outside. Angela goes off to get changed. Kevin comments that
David never opened the car door for Beryl like he has for Patricia.
They get inside, and David introduces Patricia to Beryl and Kevin.
Patricia asks if John and Angela are home. Beryl explains that
Angela is changing and John is not home yet. David and Beryl go
to the kitchen to organise wine for everyone, leaving Kevin alone
with Patricia. He tells her that David has told him all about
her. In the kitchen, David asks where John is, and says he'll
wring his neck if he's not there soon. He goes back to join Kevin
and Patricia. Beryl looks slightly upset. When Angela enters the
room, Patricia comments on how casually her daughter is dressed,
but says she doesn't mind. John enters the house through the kitchen
and Beryl tells him that David is ready to string him up. He goes
off to get changed. Beryl has prepared beef for dinner. Patricia
snidely remarks, "It's nice to have something simple for
a change." She asks Angela how Melbourne is. Angela says,
"It's terrific." She says she has her boss eating out
of her hand and she's having a great time - she adds that she
should have got out ages ago. Kevin takes the opportunity to ask
David about living in the shed. David tells his son to shut up
and eat. John gives Patricia an unfriendly look. After dinner,
the family leave John and Patricia alone. Patricia says she had
what she was going to say all worked out. She says she came to
apologise and explain. John asks her how she thinks it feels when
your mother says she doesn't care about you. Patricia says she's
admitted she was wrong, but adds that John was probably better
off with Beryl than he would have been had he lived with Patricia.
Patricia says that, when she told her family the truth, she lost
everything - Gordon's respect and Angela's love - and she may
never get them back. She tells John that David's visit made her
think she may be able to patch things up with her son. She says
it may take time, and she didn't expect a groundbreaking reconciliation,
but she hopes they can see each other again and get to know each
other. Patricia says she knows it's a bit of a pipe dream. John
says, "Maybe. What's to lose?" Patricia gives him a
weak smile. At the end of the evening, Patricia thanks Beryl for
looking after Angela so well. She then tells Angela that jeans
and t-shirts never were her style! She tells John that
she looks forward to seeing him again, and goes. As soon as the
front door closes, Kevin remarks to Angela, "What a spunky
mum you have!" Angela looks at John and says, "So?"
He replies, "OK - I'd like to see a bit more of her."
In the kitchen, Beryl asks Angela how she thought it went. Angela
replies, "John seems happy."
When David gets Patricia back to her hotel, she tells him he
has a nice family. He says, "I'm lucky." Patricia tells
David that she's glad they're friends again. David says, "Me
too." Patricia tells David to come and see her in Sydney.
They shake hands and David gives Patricia a kiss on the cheek.
As David walks off, Patricia watches him, fondly.
|