Sons and Daughters logo
    Written by: Maureen Ann Moran   Produced by: John Holmes   Directed by: Mark Piper

Jill tells Fiona that if she'd just think about it, she'd see she's doing the right thing. Fiona snaps, "By abusing Sean's trust?" Jill retorts that he's perfectly happy thinking Fee is Brian's child. Fiona tells her that that's not the point: she's playing on his feelings to get his money. Jill snaps that it's for Robin - he's as good as dead the way he is now, but she has a chance to change that - as long as she doesn't tell Sean. Fiona tells her that she can't let her use Sean. She adds that she knows she's messed things up-- Jill snaps, "For who? Sean or yourself?" She immediately apologises. Fiona replies that she wouldn't be honest if she didn't admit self-interest doesn't come into it, but-- Jill tells her that Sean said she can visit any time at his expense. Fiona, looking annoyed, retorts that she wants her to use him, too. Jill cries that she'd be helping to make him happy. Fiona replies that she's sorry, but nothing Jill can say will convince her that what she's doing is right. She gets up and walks to the 'phone on the desk. Jill asks her if she's ringing Sean. Fiona tells her that it's high time he knew the truth. Jill angrily asks her if she knows what she's doing: she's taking away the only chance Robin has; what gives her the right to do that? She asks Fiona to think about it - overnight, at least. Fiona reluctantly hangs up. She then turns to Jill and tells her that Robin has become an obsession with her. Jill retorts that that's because she's the only person who cares if he lives or dies. Fiona says she'll tell Jill what she'll do: first thing in the morning, she'll see Dr. Jackson and find out how much Robin's treatment will cost, and if she can afford it, she'll foot the bill. Jill, looking guilty, says she wasn't angling for that. Fiona says, "No?" She then adds that, anyway, that's how they're going to handle it - otherwise, she's going to call Sean... Jill gives in and says, "Alright." Fiona snaps that that's good. She then announces that she's going upstairs to have an early night, as she has a splitting headache. As she goes to walk out, Jill says, "Fiona..." Fiona just curtly replies, "Goodnight, Jill."

At the O'Briens', Mike is putting away the gym equipment, while Heather looks at the TV guide. He asks if there's anything on, and she tells him that there's a documentary on the evils of over-doing exercise! Jim suddenly comes into the house and slams the front door shut behind him. Mike, looking surprised, asks what's up. Jim tells him not to ask. He then hands Heather his car keys and tells her to hide them, explaining that it's because if he's mobile, he might go after David Palmer and end up thumping him. Heather asks what he's done. Jim growls that he just told Beryl that she's making a fool of herself; he reckons that he's just after her for her money - not that he cares two hoots what David thinks of him, but he doesn't want him upsetting Beryl. He adds that they're supposed to be getting divorced, but you wouldn't think it from the turn he stacked on. He continues that it doesn't matter that David left her for another woman - she's still his property. Mike comments that he always thought David was a good bloke. Heather remarks that Beryl must be terribly upset. Jim explains that Lynn is with her now, so he made himself scarce - but he told Beryl to call him if David comes back and starts hassling her. He heads off to get a beer from the kitchen. Mike asks Heather if she still thinks he won't get serious with Beryl. Heather grimly replies that she wouldn't put money on it now.

At the Palmers', Beryl dabs her eyes as Lynn asks her if she's sure there's nothing she can get her. Beryl assures her that she'll be alright in a minute. Lynn cries that it's all her fault, but Beryl tells her not to be silly. Lynn, though, insists that she was sure that if she and David had dinner together, they'd realise how much they're missing each other; she can't believe she was so naive. Beryl points out that she wasn't to know things were so bad. Lynn cries that, when they told Kevin and her about the divroce, they were hoping that they never really intended to go through with it. Beryl admits that she same thought was at the back of her mind - but there's no way she's turning back now. Lynn says she doesn't know how she'll tell Kevin. Beryl tells her that she'll phone him, and Lynn thanks her. She adds that she was dreading having to do it. She tells Beryl that she's so sorry it all ended so badly. Beryl assures her that it's not her fault. She adds that it means a lot to her that they care enough about David and her to try and get them back together. They hug tightly.

The next morning, Fiona and Jill walk down some steps in the hospital grounds, walk along a path past a couple of nurses and join a man standing waiting for them. It's Dr. Jackson, and Fiona shakes his hand. He tells her that the figures are in his office. As they start walking towards the building, he asks how come Mr. O'Donnel bowed out - he seemed quite definite about taking care of the expenses when they talked yesterday. Fiona tells him that sometimes people have second thoughts when a lot of money is involved. Dr. Jackon says he hopes she'll be able to make it possible for them to go ahead with treatment.

Sean knocks on the front door at Toorak. Terry opens it, and when he sees who's standing there, he snaps that Jill is out. Sean asks if he can see Fiona. Terry snaps that she's out, too. Sean says, "To me?" Terry snaps at him that she really is out - with Jill. He reluctantly adds that Sean can come in and wait if he wants. Sean curtly tells him that that's very civil of him. He walks into the house and Terry closes the door. Sean then explains that he has a passport application for for Jill to fill in - but he'd like a word with Fiona too, to make sure there are no hard feelings. Terry looks shocked, and he asks Sean if Jill is going back with him. Sean replies that he thought Terry knew, as he was so abrupt with him. Terry snaps that no one has said a word to him. He then angrily asks Sean how it feels being rich enough to buy himself a family. Sean retorts that he doesn't think that was called for; the main reason Jill wouldn't accept his offer straight away is because of Robin Elliott. Terry asks him who he's trying to kid. Sean replies that he isn't trying to kid anyone - he's paying for treatment that could bring Robin out of his coma, so, naturally, Jill doesn't feel an obligation to stay there anymore. Terry snaps at him that that's how he got to her: he made her feel guilty. Sean retorts that it's nothing of the sort. He then adds that he can understand Fiona getting upset about Jill leaving, but not him - it's really none of his business. Terry snaps at him that that's what he thinks. Sean says he doesn't see how. Terry snaps at him that he'll tell him how: "Fee is my kid - and there's no way in the world you're taking her out of the country. Right?" Sean looks shocked.

Jill and Fiona leave Dr. Jackson's room. Fiona sadly tells Jill that, if there was any way she could have, she wouldn't have hesitated, but the most she could afford is six months' therapy. Jill tells her that they could still go ahead with the therapy if she would cooperate. Fiona snaps at her that she's not letting her cheat Sean. Calming down, she suggests they go and see him; the sooner they get it over and done with, the better. She adds that they had better call the hotel and make sure he's there, first. She makes to leave, but Jill grabs her arm and tells her that there's something wants her to do before they go.

Robin is still lying in the bed, bandages round his head and tubes everywhere. Fiona and Jill enter the room, Fiona telling Jill that it's a complete waste of time - her seeing Robin isn't going to make a scrap of difference. She looks down at him and suddenly pauses in shock. Jill tells her that he hasn't changed since he was admitted - he just lies there. She grimly adds that it's some reward for saving her and Fee's lives. Fiona comments that they could at least close his eyes. Jill explains that they put in eye drops every few hours; she was spooked too, at first - she thought he was going to talk to her at any minute - but after a while, she realised that he doesn't even know she's there: he can't feel her when she touches him; he can't see the flowers she brings... he's better off dead than the way he is now. Fiona admits that she can understand why Jill feels the way she does, now. Jill cries to her to help her, then; just think about what she'd be doing: Robin would get the treatment he needs, Sean would have some of Brian's family around him... Fiona agrees, "Yeah," but she then points out that Fee isn't Brian's child. Jill cries that Brian loved her as if he was her own - he gave her his name; he knows he'd want her to tell Sean that she was his. Fiona, looking increasingly upset, tells Jill that she's confusing her. Jill cries at her that she's just trying to make her see that it's not cut and dried. Fiona announces that she wants to leave now, and she turns away. Jill tells her to have one more look before she goes, but Fiona refuses to turn back. Jill angrily asks why: has it upset her? Fiona cries that she just wants to go. Jill passionately asks her if she can honestly blame her for doing everything she can to give him back his life. Fiona ignores this and walks out.

As she leaves the room, Fiona almost bumps into another patient walking past. She tells Jill to get her out of there. Jill asks where they're going. Fiona replies that they're going home - she's got to think. She adds that she's far from convinced, so Jill shouldn't think she's won yet. Jill replies that she won't. She then adds that, no matter what happens - if she had any choice, she'd stay there. She asks Fiona if she thinks she wants to leave her and tie herself down to somebody she hardly knows. She adds that she can't afford to be selfish: there's too much at stake - so can Fiona please make the right decision... Fiona looks anguished.

Terry is with Sean in the lounge room at Toorak, and he explains to him that, when Brian came back and found out that Jill was having his kid, he said he'd pass it off as his own. Sean snaps at Terry that he doesn't know why he's telling him all these lies. Terry retorts that it's the truth. Sean tells him that he's has positive proof that Brian is the father. Terry asks him if he means the name on the birth certificate, adding that that doesn't prove anything. Sean tells him that in his last letter to Jill, Brian wrote about how he looked forward to seeing 'our child'; Jill showed him the letter- he wouldn't have written like that if he wasn't Fee's own flesh and blood. Terry snaps that he doesn't care what Brian said - Fee is his kid. Sean asks him where his proof is. Terry angrily asks him why the hell he would be carrying on like this if she wasn't his. Sean suggests that maybe he wants to keep Jill there. Terry yells at him that he's off his tree. Sean asks Terry if he's in love with her. Terry angrily retorts that the only reason he wants to be around Jill is because of Fee. He adds that, if Sean doesn't believe him, he should ask Jill who Fee's father is. Sean snaps that she's already told him. Terry snaps back that Jill won't lie in front of him. Sean retorts that, alright, he'll ask her.

Mike and Heather set down a picnic in the park. Jim and Beryl watch as Heather takes out some drinks and containers of food. Mike tells Heather that he'd like some tea and cake, thankyou! Heather laughs that husbands are more trouble than they're worth! She immediately regrets her words as she looks at Beryl. Beryl and Jim head off for walk, and Heather asks Mike if he wants to give her her 'Foot in Mouth' award now or later! Mike, looking worried, says he's not sure if it was such a good idea inviting Beryl along; having to watch everything they say isn't going to make it very easy.

As they walk along by the water, Beryl looks concerned and says to Jim that she shouldn't have come. Jim, though, tells her not to be silly, and he asks her what she's going to do about it. Ignoring him, Beryl bends down and picks up a stone. She then tells him that, when she was a kid, she used to be able to make the stones skip right across the water - and she bets she can still do it. Jim tells her to show him.

Jill and Fiona arrive back at Toorak, but as soon as they open the door, Terry and Sean come out into the hall and Terry snaps at them that they've got a visitor. He angrily adds that Sean dropped in with an application form for a passport. He asks Jill when she was going to tell him: after they'd left? Sean snaps at him to keep a civil tongue in his head. Terry ignores this, though, and angrily tells Jill to explain to Sean why she didn't want him to find out: it's because Fee's his kid, right? Sean looks at her. Jill tells Terry that she doesn't know why he's trying to make trouble - Fee is Brian's child. Fiona looks upset as Jill says this. Terry snaps at Jill to tell Sean the truth, but Sean tells him to stop his bullying. Terry retorts that Fiona will back him up. He looks at her, but she doesn't respond. Looking incredulous, Terry asks what's going on there. Sean tells him that his own mother won't lie for him. Terry looks at Fiona furiously and tells her that he never thought she'd sell him out for a free trip to Ireland. He storms out of the house.

Fiona follows him and asks if they can talk. Terry angrily asks what about: the 'Bon Voyage' party? Fiona tells him that she doesn't blame him for thinking she's let him down. Terry snaps that she's put number one first. Fiona cries that he doesn't understand. Terry, though, retorts that he understands alright: she wants visiting rights, so she's not about to make enemies of Jill and Sean by saying he's the father. Fiona cries that she was going to tell Sean last night that he was the father, but Jill was so upset, and she let her talk her out of it. Terry snaps that she's not interested. Fiona snaps back that she tried to stop it - she told Jill that she would pay for Robin Elliott's treatment, and then tell Sean the truth - but she couldn't afford the money the hospital was talking about. Terry snaps that she let Jill con her into keeping her mouth shut. Fiona cries, "No--" Terry interrupts, though, and asks her why she didn't back him up in there. Fiona retorts that she wasn't prepared to be put on the spot; she had just come from seeing Robin at the hospital and was really very upset; she kept asking herself what she'd do for him if it was him lying there in the bed - and she knew she couldn't throw away his chance of getting better. Terry yells that Robin isn't going to get better. Fiona snaps at him that he doesn't know what he's talking about: in about five years' time, they'll be doing the first neural tissue transplants-- Terry interrupts and snaps, "So what? He's a hopeless case." Fiona suggests that they talk later, when they've calmed down. Terry, though, snaps, "Forget Robin - I just want you to back me up." Fiona cries that she can't - it's too late now: Sean would never believe her now. She asks Terry to let her talk to Jill. Terry, though, snaps that it's too late - the damage is done; there's no way she'll tell the truth now - she's too interested in spending the old boy's money on that no-hope in hospital; because of him, he's going to lose his kid. He storms over to his car, gets in and drives off, leaving Fiona looking upset.

Terry is sitting on the chair next to Robin's bed at the hospital. He shakes Robin and asks him if he can hear him. There's no response. Terry angrily snaps that this is hopeless. A nurse suddenly comes into the room and, looking surprised to see Terry, comments that she hasn't seen him there before. Terry tells her that he just caught up with the bad news; he thought he'd come and see if it's as bad as Jill was saying. The nurse replies that she's afraid it is. She walks over to Robin and puts some eye drops in his open eyes. As she does so, Terry says he guesses Robin takes a lot of looking after. The nurse tells him that he doesn't, actually, as the machines do most of the work. Terry says he supposes they'd be up the creek if they had a power failure, huh? The nurse, though, explains that the hospital has got its own generator for emergencies, so there's no risk. She leaves the room again. Terry stands there, looking annoyed. He glances down at Robin again.

A while later, Terry is sitting in the lounge room at Toorak, feeding Fee and telling Fiona that he was tempted to rip the equipment out and let Robin die; he still reckons he'd be doing him a favour, the poor sod. Fiona asks him to promise her that he'll never go back there again. Terry tells her that she needn't worry - if it came to the crunch, he couldn't do it. He then goes on that it's funny how things work: Jill couldn't have found a better way of getting back at him for what he did to her. Fiona assures him that that was the last thing on Jill's mind. Terry curtly retorts, "Oh yeah..." Fiona asks him whether, if she still hated him, he'd have let her anywhere near Fee. Terry retorts that it would probably have been better for him if she had kept Fee away; the trouble is that he's got used to being around her - feeding her and changing her nappies; his mates back home wouldn't know him. He tells Fiona that he reckons he would have done a good job with her, too, given half a chance. Fiona says there must be something they can do. Terry asks what: he can't fight her in court without his name on the birth certificate. He then suggests that it's time Fee had a sleep. Fiona says that, if they...; she could persuade Sean to let him visit. Terry snaps that one lousy visit a year isn't enough. He adds that he doesn't know how he's going stop him, but he will.

Beryl, Jim, Heather and Mike are all back at the picnic spot, and Heather laughs that she can't believe Beryl was such a tomboy when she was young. Beryl tells her that it's true! Jim chips in that Beryl can still skip a stone across the water - sometimes! He and Beryl get up and go to dump the rubbish. Alone with Heather, Mike comments to her that maybe it was a good idea to bring Beryl along. Heather agrees that she's really coming along.

As they walk to the rubbish bin, Jim says to Beryl that he still can't believe that she got up to all kinds of mischief when she was a kid. Beryl points out that people grow up as they get older. Jim replies, "Not me!" He adds that Mike reckons he's never grown up and never will! Beryl comments that maybe his way is the best: change can hurt: feelings change... you grow away from people... Jim asks her if she regrets any of it. Beryl tells him that she regrets it a lot. She goes on that David and she used to be happy as Mike and Heather, but he wouldn't know if after seeing them last night. Jim tells her that she'll be happy again - he promises.

Jill and Fiona are having lunch in the living room at Toorak; the doors are closed. Jill asks Fiona how Terry was when she talked to him. Fiona replies that he was upset. Jill comments that he'll get over it. Fiona, though, sadly says Terry is like her: he'll never get over the loss of his child. Jill tells her to stop trying to make her feel guilty - it won't work. She points out that Terry said from the very beginning that he'd never make any claims on Fee. Fiona replies that that was before he became to attached to her. Jill tells Fiona that that's her fault - she was the one always chipping away at her to let him see her. Fiona sadly suggests they change the subject.

Out in the hallway, Terry comes downstairs, carrying Fee in her bassinet. He tells her, "Not a peep, OK?" He walks past the closed doors to the living room, opens the front door and goes out, pulling the door shut behind him. In the living room, Jill comments that that must be Terry. Fiona remarks that he's going down to the corner pub to get blind drunk, she'd say. Jill snaps that that's his problem - he can do whatever he likes.

Terry carries Fee's bassinet in one hand and a packed bag in the other. He walks down to the main road, and as he does so, a cab comes round the corner, turning out from another road. Terry spots it and hails it. The cab stops and Terry crosses the road, opens the back door and places Fee on the seat. He then climbs in himself and asks for the airport. The driver asks him if the child is OK in the back. Terry replies that she is, adding that he's only going to Sydney. The driver says, "You like Sydney?" Terry tells him that he does - it's great; just the place to bring up a kid...

 

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