Sons and Daughters logo
    Written by: Ian Coughlan   Produced by: Posie Jacobs   Directed by: Julian McSwiney

Ginny heads back to her bus - to find Andy standing outside. She marches over to him and demands, "What are you doing here?" Andy - who's had his hair cut - tells her that he's got to head up-north for a bit. Ginny snaps, "What about this producer friend of Wayne's I'm supposed to be seeing?" Andy assures her, "As soon as the tape's ready. I should be back in a day or two - hopefully it'll be mixed by then." He then hands her some money to cover voice lessons and adds, "I'll be in contact as soon as I get back." He walks off. Ginny heads into her bus and puts down her handbag and some bags of shopping. She then hesitates and goes to a cupboard. She takes out her diary, sits down and starts to write:

"Just met the most incredible spunk - and he's coming here for lunch today! I think he likes me - well, he must, or why else would he be coming? His name's Glen. No time to write anymore - got to get the place ready. This is going to be like no lunch date he's ever had..."

Alison is pacing the floor in Fiona's room at the mansion, telling Glen that Ginny can't stand being a nonentity, so he should flatter her: convince her that he thinks she's something special and she'll be eating out of his hand. Glen sighs that he'll do his best, but he's not going to pretend that he's happy about it. Fiona suggests that there must be some other way. Alison, however, snaps, "Why is everyone feeling so sorry for her? She's a thief and a blackmailer, for heaven's sake." Glen mutters reluctantly, "I'll be as friendly to her as I can, but that's all. If you're expecting more than that you'd better find someone else."

In her bus, Ginny places a bottle of wine in a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket filled with ice! The place has been tidied up. There's suddenly a knock on the door and Ginny walks over to find Glen standing there. She invites him in. He steps inside and hands Ginny a bottle of wine. He then looks around and comments that it's an unusual place she has. Ginny gives him a twirl of her outfit and asks him if he likes her gear. Glen smiles that it's great. Ginny tells him that she bought it specially, this morning. Glen starts to open the wine and Ginny invites him to set down. She then indicates the food they have to eat: chicken and chips, sausage-in-a-bun and vanilla tart! Glen smiles that it's just what he likes! Ginny sits down with him and adds, "That's why I bought the clothes: so you wouldn't think I was being cheap." Glen asks her why he'd think that. Ginny explains that it's because of the way she lives - but that's because she likes it. She goes on that she's got a lot of friends in the music business: she's a rock singer and money's nothing to them; they'll give her all she wants.

In Noosa, Debbie, Wayne, Craig and Tina are lazing in one of the pools. Craig asks Tina if she ever gets guests who like it so much that they refuse to go home. Tina laughs, "All the time!" Wayne comments that, from what he hears, David's business would just about fall apart without Debbie and Craig back there to run it. Craig, though, asks, "What business?!" Sue orders lightheartedly, "No more shop talk: you're here to get away from it all - and that is an official hostess order!" Andy suddenly appears at the side of the pool. Wayne turns at looks at him in annoyance and demands, "Where did you come from?" Craig and Debbie spot him as well and Craig exclaims, "Hey, it's Andy!" Wayne mutters at him, "What's up?" Andy tells him, "Just a couple of papers that need to be signed." He then comments to Craig and Debbie that he wasn't expecting to see them there. Craig explains that they got lucky in a radio promo. Andy asks how they got the time off. Craig tells him, "First we didn't think we could, but then some drunk wrote off the company car." Debbie adds, "David said we may as well get away until he could line up a replacement." Andy smiles, "Fancy that!" He then says more curtly to Wayne, "Can we talk somewhere?" Wayne retorts, "If it's business, I'm on my honeymoon." Andy warns, "We can talk here, if you like..." Wayne glares at him and then climbs reluctantly out of the pool.

A short time later, Wayne and Andy head into Wayne and Susan's room and Wayne offers Andy a drink. He declines, though. He then tells Wayne, "I need your signature." Wayne asks, "What for?" Andy tells him, "A contract about our agreement. A verbal assurance didn't seem very watertight to me." Wayne demands, "When do I get the tape?" Andy replies, "As soon as the contract's signed." He holds out a sheet of paper and Wayne takes it. He looks at it and comments, "It's obvious this is important to both of us. It's not something we should be rushing into." Andy asks what that's supposed to mean. Wayne tells him, "It's not smart to sign a contract without having it vetted first. We can hire one of the local solicitors if you like." Andy demands, "How long will that take?" Wayne replies, "I'll ring this afternoon and make an appointment for tomorrow." Andy nods, "Alright." Wayne then goes on, "Seeing as you're here, you might as well take a bit of time and enjoy yourself; go out and rage with the kids." Andy muses, "Oh yeah, the kids. Funny about them winning this trip out of the blue, isn't it...? And their car getting pranged just at the right time..." Wayne mutters, "Stranger things have happened." Andy asks, "Why do you want them here? That's what I want to know." Wayne suggests, "Maybe I just enjoy their company?" Andy comments, "Or you want some information about David, maybe." Wayne warns, "Stay out of it, Andy." Andy just shrugs, "No skin off my nose." He then announces that he'd better get back to his room and unpack. Wayne tells him, "Seeing as you're here, you might as well do it in style. I'll fix up a suite for you." Andy comments disinterestedly, "Whatever you like." There's suddenly a knock on the door and Wayne calls, "Who is it?" Craig calls back, "It's only us." Wayne calls, "Come in." The door opens to reveal Craig and Debbie standing there. Debbie tells Wayne, "Tina's got seats for us on the riverboat cruise, but it leaves in about ten minutes. We thought it would be a good chance to show Andy some of the sights." Andy smiles, "Great!" He then turns to Wayne and adds, "Thankyou for fixing the room up." He heads out, leaving Wayne with a dour expression on his face.

Sometime later, Debbie, Andy, Tina and Craig are walking back to the hotel; Debbie is enthusing that it was a great trip. She and Andy step ahead. Craig lingers behind with Tina and says quietly, "Listen, it's Deb's birthday on the 30th. I've got to do something for her." Up ahead, Debbie suddenly looks round at Craig and Tina and stares at them suspiciously. She starts to walking back towards them. Out of her earshot, Craig is suggesting to Tina that they hold a surprise party. Tina smiles, "Yeah! Great!" She agrees to help him organise it. Debbie walks towards them and mutters, "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything." Tina assures her warmly, "Of course not!" She and Craig walk off, leaving Debbie standing there looking annoyed.

In her bus in Sydney, Ginny offers Glen more coffee. He accepts. As she pours it, Glen suggests to her that she tell him more about the singing job she's got lined up. Ginny explains that she's being launched as a top rock star. She adds, "You want me to autograph your cup?!" Glen comments that she seems very confident. Ginny shrugs, "Why not?" Glen warns her, "A lot of kids want to be rock stars but only a few of them ever make it." Ginny nods, "That's right: the ones with talent - like me." Glen comments that it takes luck. Ginny, however, tells him that she's already made a demo tape and she's got top producers lining up to hear it; once that's done it's just a matter of who makes the best offer. Glen smiles, "If you're as good at singing as you are interior decorating, I'd say you've got no worries." He looks around as Ginny tells him, "I've got a friend who wants to get me into designing, but I'm not going to get sidetracked; I know what I want." Glen asks her, "Why singing?" Ginny retorts, "Tell me how else I can make that sort of money." Glen comments, "I don't think too many of them get rich overnight." Ginny insists, "It doesn't take long. I'm the star; I make most of the bread." She goes on wistfully, "Imagine being rich enough to do anything you like. That's what real freedom is: not having to crash down in a rusty old bus." Glen comments, "I thought you liked it here." Ginny tells him quickly, "I do - and I could leave any time I want - but when I do, it's going to be in real style." She continues, "I never had anything when I was a kid - my mum wasn't even as old as me when she got married; only thing she and dad had in common was they both came from Irish families. And all they ever did the whole time was owe people money and have kids and fight. That's not going to happen to me." Glen points out that things are a lot different nowadays: there's not the same pressure on kids to get married and start families. Ginny tells him, "They still do, but: my sister left school at 16, got married a year later, two kids already and she thinks she's happy." Glen asks, "What makes you think she isn't?" Ginny tells him, "The only good times I ever had was with my great aunt. The bloke she married had money and we got on good. Used to stay at her place a lot. Then she got married again and we had a fight just before Christmas two years ago. I was supposed to go on a cruise with them for the holidays, but instead I had to go back to work. How would you like to spend Christmas Eve on the factory production line?" Glen shrugs, "I don't know; I've never tried it." Ginny asserts, "I'm telling you: it stinks. That's the day I made up my mind, chucked in the job, told my whole family and my so-called friends to stick it - and I'm going to amount to something if it's the last thing I do. I'm going to show the lot of them." Glen warns, "Remember, it's lonely at the top." Ginny shrugs, "Better being lonely at the top than lonely at the bottom. Anyway, who cares? I don't need anybody. I've done alright so far." Glen smiles, "You sure have." He then looks at his watch announces, "Look, I really must be going - but if you do feel that you ever need someone - I mean... just to talk to - you know, friends can be important, Ginny. You know where to find me. And, thanks for the meal - it was terrific. I'll see you around." With that, he heads off, leaving Ginny with a longing smile on her face...

Back in Fiona's room at the mansion, Glen is telling Fiona that Ginny seemed quite happy to talk about herself. Fiona comments that there must be a family somewhere. Glen explains, "She doesn't get on with them. There was a great aunt she was close to but they had some sort of falling-out; obviously a lot of bad feeling there." He goes on, "The family background's the reason she puts up that tough front; underneath, she's a decent kid." Fiona mutters, "I'll take your word for that." Glen comments, "I really think I've started to get through to her." Fiona smiles, "Good! Sounds like we might be in with a chance." Glen looks at her in surprise and asks, "A chance of what?" Fiona reminds him, "Of getting the tape. Why else were you there?" Glen murmurs, "Oh right..." Fiona looks at him in concern.

Wayne is sitting on the bed in his and Susan's hotel room in Noosa, talking on the 'phone, saying tersely, "I want every inch of his flat searched to find that tape. Understood?" There's suddenly a knock on the door and he snaps down the 'phone, "Just find it." He then hangs up. He goes and opens the door to find Debbie standing there. She steps inside and says to him that she wondered if he felt like doing something; maybe have a look round the shops. Wayne, though, tells her, "You and Craig go; there's a couple of things I have to do." Debbie sighs, "Craig doesn't want to. He doesn't want to do anything much except sit in his room and read." Wayne smiles at her sympathetically and says, "I suppose a break would do me good: there are a few things I have to do in town anyway." Debbie suggests, "We might run into Susan - then we can all hit the shops together." Wayne, though, laughs, "I wouldn't go on any shopping sprees with Susan, if I were you: you'd end up bankrupt before you knew it. You'd have to ask David for a loan when you got back!" Debbie murmurs, "Fat chance!" Wayne comments, "If the business is going well, he should be able to afford it." Debbie muses, "I suppose." As they head out, Wayne adds, "Business is going well, isn't it...?"

A while later, Debbie and Wayne are walking along a street. They pass a shop and Debbie spots an outfit in the window. She gasps, "Isn't it gorgeous? Wouldn't that make a good present for Caroline?" Wayne nods, "I guess it would help cheer her up a bit - I mean, she'll be pretty upset when she hears about this Banning woman." Debbie then notices a market stall nearby and she goes and looks at some tops, commenting, "They're beautiful. They're not even expensive." Wayne persists, "I mean, two high-powered ladies in the one business... asking for a bit of trouble, wouldn't you say?" Debbie just shrugs, "I don't know. I keep out of all the politics." Wayne asks, "Do you think it'll get political?" Debbie laughs, "I don't think so. Anyway, that's all 2000km away." As she looks at the tops, she suddenly spots Craig and Tina sitting down outside a coffee shop across the road. She stares at them. Wayne looks at the expression on her face and asks what's wrong. Debbie murmurs, "Nothing. Let's go back to the hotel." With that, she walks off, Wayne still looking at her in surprise.

Glen is coming downstairs in the hallway at the mansion as Ginny walks in through the front door. He comments that he didn't know she had a voice lesson now. Ginny tells him, "I don't. I just wanted... well, I really liked today with you just sitting around talking... and I thought about what you said about friends being important... and I bought you something." She then reaches into her bag and takes out a small box. Glen opens it to find a ring inside. He stares at it and Ginny asks, "Aren't you going to try it on?" Glen puts it on and then smiles, "It's terrific. Thanks." He gives her a kiss on the cheek. Ginny goes on, "I've got tonight free if you want to come over and rap some more." Glen, however, tells her, "I've got a better idea: how would you like to go to dinner?" Ginny enthuses, "Oh yeah! I'd love to!" Glen tells her, "I'll pick you up around seven-ish, OK?" Ginny smiles, "Alright! See you then!" With that, she heads off. Glen then goes and knocks on the door to Fiona's room. Alison and Fiona are sitting in there, and as Glen steps inside, Alison says to him, "Fiona's just been telling me you didn't achieve very much at all with Ginny." Glen retorts, "I think I did. She was just here: she gave me this." He shows Alison and Fiona the ring." Alison chuckles, "That'd be right. Thankfully you only have to wear it when she's around." Glen, however, tells her curtly, "Frankly, this whole sham makes me feel a bit of a louse, so I'm going to wear the thing everywhere." Alison ignores this and asks instead, "Did you get a chance to search that rustbucket she lives in?" Glen retorts sarcastically, "Yeah, sure, I ripped the place apart while I was there. She didn't notice a thing." Alison sighs, "I'm sure it's within your immense resources to get rid of her for a few minutes." Glen, however, snaps, "I am not enjoying this. I'm doing it because I owe you and I've agreed to do it - and I'll see it through. But I've already told you I'll do it my own way in my own good time." Alison asks glibly, "Do you think we might get the tape by the end of the decade?" Glen stares at her and growls, "That's it: just keep pushing me. But remember: I'm just looking for an excuse to drop the whole thing." With that, he storms out. When he's gone, Alison comments to Fiona, "A good push is obviously what he needs - except we have to do it without him knowing..."

In Noosa, the door to Wayne and Susan's hotel room opens and Wayne steps inside. Debbie is with him and he asks her if she's coming in for a drink. Debbie, though, says she thinks she might take her bags of shopping back to her room and go for a walk. Wayne starts to say, "If anything's bothering you..." Debbie, however, insists, "No, no, everything's fine." With that, she walks off. Andy walks along the corridor as she goes and he heads into Wayne's room. Wayne tells him to shut the door. Andy asks him, "Did you find a solicitor?" Wayne retorts, "It's all in hand: he's got the contract and he'll probably ring me tomorrow." Andy murmurs, "Great." Wayne then asks, "How good friends are you and Debbie?" Andy replies, "We get on. What's it to you?" Wayne asks, "How'd you like to earn some money while you're waiting for the contract?" Andy asks, "Doing what?" Wayne replies, "Just getting Debbie to talk a bit." Andy snaps, " No way. I'm not ratting on my friends." Wayne takes out some notes from his wallet and says, "All I want to know is what sort of shape David's business is in. That shouldn't be too hard to find out." Andy takes the money and asks, "What will you do with the information - if I get it?" Wayne shrugs, "Don't know yet. Anyway, what's it to you? Do you want to earn some easy money or don't you?" Andy hesitates and then sighs, "What exactly do you want to find out?"

A short time later, Andy knocks on the door of another room and Debbie opens it. Andy smiles at her, "Just the girl I wanted to see! You and Craig feel like a game of tennis?" Debbie, though, looking upset, murmurs, "I don't think so, Andy." Andy cajoles, "Come on, we can grab Tina and make up four for doubles." Tears suddenly well-up in Debbie's eyes and she sobs, "I just wish I'd never come here, Andy." Andy asks gently, "Why? What's the matter?" Debbie sobs, "It's Craig and Tina: they've been whispering in each other's ear all afternoon and then sneaking away when they thought I wouldn't see them. I'm going to lose him, Andy. It's supposed to be our holiday but she's going to take him away from me..." Leaning on Andy's shoulder, she breaks down.

 

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