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    Written by: Bruce Hancock   Produced by: Posie Jacobs   Directed by: Russell Webb

Janice is walking slowly down the front path of the mansion. She sits down next to Fiona, who's trimming some plants. Fiona tells her quietly, "You should be inside, lying down." Janice retorts, "I have been." Fiona sighs, "You're really going to get me into trouble: I promised I'd keep you off your feet." Janice insists, "I'm fine - really. Anyway, after three days in hospital, I need the exercise." She then asks gently, "How are you coping?" Fiona murmurs, "I'm not sure. I still don't believe it. I thought maybe the gardening would distract me, but it didn't. It's so hard to accept - I mean, just a few days ago and Glen was sitting right here where I am now; 28-years-old and not a care in the world. And in three days' time, we'll be going to his funeral; watching while they bury him." She goes on sadly, "In a way, it's probably better that he did die; it would have been a lot worse if he'd lived through the accident; the specialist said there'd be massive brain damage." Janice asks, "How are his parents taking it?" Fiona tells her, "As well as can be expected - which isn't the best. It must be devastating." Janice puts her hand on Fiona's shoulder and says, "I know how close you were to Glen. If there's anything I can do, tell me. Anything at all." Fiona murmurs distantly, "Yeah. Thanks." She then adds more brightly, "There is something you could do for me - right now: go on back inside and lie down." Janice gives her a kiss and smiles, "OK. You win." She heads off back inside, leaving Fiona sitting looking upset.

There's a loud hammering on the front door at Dural. Wayne emerges from the lounge room to answer it. He finds a middle-aged bearded man standing on the step. He asks the man, "Can I help you?" The man, in reply, says, "Wayne Hamilton?" Wayne nods, "Yeah." The man then lunges out with his fist and punches Wayne on the jaw. He reels backwards and falls to the floor. The man then snarls, "That was for my son. My dead son." Still lying on the floor, Wayne realises, "You're Glen's father." Mr. Young goes on viciously, "You don't know how much I'd like to tear you apart." Climbing to his feet, Wayne insists, "It was an accident. I'm just as cut-up as you. You don't know how mad I feel--" Mr. Young interrupts and snarls, "I know as much as I want to know about you, Hamilton, and everything I've heard makes me sick." Wayne growls, "I wouldn't believe everything people tell you." Mr. Young yells, "I believe my son - and what he told his mother: how you wrecked what he had going with Susan; how you fed the girl a mountain of lies then drove her to suicide when she found out. None of it was true." Wayne protests, "That's not right." Mr. Young snarls, "Don't tell me what's right. Is it right my son died trying to stop you driving because he was afraid you might kill somebody? Is it right that after all the things you did to him he was the one who died and not you?" Wayne cries, "Mr. Young, I don't expect you to ever accept it, but believe me, I am sorry." Mr. Young growls coldly, "You're dead right: I'll never accept it." With that, he goes to walk off. Wayne, however, calls after him quickly, "Please - you can't imagine how I feel. The funeral's going to be just as big a nightmare for me as for anyone else." Mr. Young turns and glares at him. He then snarls, "You're not going anywhere near the funeral." Wayne insists, "I want to pay my respects." Mr. Young grabs the lapels of his shirt and growls, "A funeral is a gathering for relatives and friends, Hamilton. You don't exactly fit the definition." He gives Wayne a shove before then threatening, "Set foot in that cemetery and I'm warning you: you might end up staying there." With that, he storms off, slamming the front door behind him.

Craig picks up the 'phone in his and Debbie's flat and says, "Hello?... Hello?" He hangs up. Debbie, standing next to him, asks, "There's no one there?" Craig replies, "He hung up as soon as I spoke." Debbie sighs, "It's him again." Craig asks, "The same guy who called last week?" Debbie nods wearily, "And every day since." Craig, looking surprised, demands, "Why didn't you tell me?" Debbie explains, "I was hoping that he'd stop. I didn't want to worry you." Craig asks, "Has he hassled you?" Debbie replies, "Sort of. He keeps singing the same weird song and then saying that he wants to be my friend. It's scary." Craig growls, "I'm calling the cops. This is past a joke." Debbie says quickly, "I don't want to cause any trouble." Craig, however, retorts, "He's the one causing the trouble. Besides, I'm not going to let this go on any longer. This guy sounds like a total fruitcake." He starts dialling a number on the 'phone as Debbie nods in weary acceptance.

Susan is sitting in a Sydney coffee shop with Caroline, murmuring, "I spent the whole night seeing the look on his face when he died. It just wouldn't go away. He was so happy to see me." Caroline puts her hand on Susan's arm and says gently, "Try not to think about it." Susan, however, insists, "It's OK. In a funny way it's made me see things clearer. It's helped me make up my mind." Caroline asks, "About what?" Susan tells her, "Owning up to the suicide business. There's no point to it anymore. I may as well stay dead." Caroline gasps, "You're not serious." Susan retorts, "The only reason I was going to face up to it was Glen: the prospect of being with him... living with him... Now all that's gone. All my hopes... I'm leaving to live somewhere else; somewhere completely new where no one else knows me." Caroline says quickly, "Don't be silly, Susan. Why don't you leave it for a while before you make any plans? In a couple of months you're going to feel much better." Susan, however, retorts, "No. I've made up my mind. I'm leaving straight after the funeral. And as soon as I get a job, I'll pay back the money I owe you and Doug." Caroline asks, "Don't you think you're being a bit rash?" Susan replies, "No. It's the right thing to do." Caroline points out, "You still need all your friends. Cutting yourself off isn't going to solve anything." Susan just tells her, "Staying around would be a lot worse. I need a fresh start." Caroline cries, "Why?" Susan replies, "I just do. Believe me: I know what I'm doing." Caroline looks at her in concern.

 

THREE DAYS LATER

Charlie is spreading a cloth over the table in her lounge room. She's dressed in black. Alison, also dressed in black, walks in from the hallway and asks Charlie, "How are you feeling?" She just shrugs. She then asks, "Do you think there'll be many people at the wake?" Alison tells her, "About seven or eight, I imagine." Charlie looks away and cries, "It's all so horrible. Ginny's funeral yesterday, Glen's today... I just can't bear it." Alison puts a comforting arm around her and says gently, "It'll all be over soon." Charlie tells her, "I can't imagine what it'll be like without them." Alison, however, points out, "We could look at it another way: Glen's finally going to be with Susan." Charlie smiles weakly.

Susan - who's dressed in black - is standing on a footpath. She holds out her arm as a taxi approaches. It pulls up next to her and she peers in through the window and says to the driver, "North Cemetery, please." She then climbs into the taxi and it drives off.

Fiona is standing with Mr. Young by the front door of the mansion. She comments to him, "Marge is holding up well." Mr. Young, however, tells her, "It's all a front. Just keeping it in for the sake of appearance." He then growls, "I tell you: Wayne Hamilton's caused my family so much pain, I'd like to break every bone in his body." Fiona smiles weakly and says, "Bernie, I understand how you feel, and you've got every good reason to, but forget about Wayne. It'll only eat into you and spoil any chance you and Marge might have of ever getting over it." Mr. Young says coldly, "We lost that chance the minute Glen died." Fiona tells him quickly, "I don't mean the anger will disappear completely, but try and shut it out - at least until after the service." Mr. Young retorts, "As long as Wayne doesn't turn up, I'll be fine." He goes to walk off down the path. Fiona calls after him quickly, "Bernie... he probably will. He'll have to find some way to deal with his own guilt. We can't stop him, Bernie." Mr. Young just growls, "Like hell. If he shows his face, I'll knock him senseless." Fiona points out, "It's a religious service. It's open to everybody. If he does show up, just ignore him - for your own sake." Mr. Young stares at her and says curtly, "I'll try." He walks off, leaving Fiona looking worried.

Wayne is sitting on the couch in the lounge room at Dural. He finishes a glass of scotch and then staggers over to the bar and pours himself another one. He puts it down before he can drink it, though. He looks across at his car keys on the coffee table and goes and picks them up. He then returns to the bar and downs his glass of scotch, before heading out...

The funeral service is taking place at North Cemetery. A minister is saying to the small congregation gathered around Glen's coffin, "We come together to mourn a dead relative; to honour a departed friend; to dispose reverently of the mortal body; and to show sympathy to the bereaved." None of the congregation notices the car parked in the road nearby, in which Wayne is sitting, watching. The minister continues, "We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of the world. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Caroline is standing next to Alison. Janice, Charlie - holding Isabella - Mr. Young, Mrs. Young and Fiona are also standing there, along with some of Glen's friends. In his car, Wayne takes a swig from a bottle of scotch. The minister continues reading, "You know the secrets of our hearts. Mercifully hear us, most worthy judge eternal. Keep us at our last hour in the consolation of your love. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: slow to anger and of great goodness. As a father is tender towards his children, so is the Lord tender to those who fear him." Janice murmurs to Charlie suddenly, "The dog isn't exactly appropriate, Charlie." Charlie just retorts sadly, "Isabella adored Glen. I'm sure he'd be delighted she's here." Another mourner approaches a tree several yards away and stands behind it. It's Susan, her face covered by a black veil. She looks across and spots Wayne's car suddenly. She lifts her veil to look at it more closely. Meanwhile, Mrs. Young places a single flower on Glen's coffin as the minister says, "We here commit the coffin of our dear brother, Glen, to the ground. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Mrs. Young collapses into his husband's arms as the minister continues, "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died and was buried and rose again for us..." Susan stands and watches. Wayne sits in his car, swigging scotch...

Frank Porter is with Debbie in her and Craig's flat. He's helping her make a cake and commenting, "You need cheering up: things have been pretty rough lately, what with this friend of yours dying. But we'll soon have you smiling!" The 'phone rings suddenly and Debbie's face drops. Frank asks, "What's the matter?" Debbie tells him, "It's that loony that's been calling: this will be him now." She picks up and says warily, "Hello?" She then smiles, "Thank goodness! Yes, this is the pizza service!" She takes down the order and adds, "Thankyou for calling!" She hangs up and then picks up the CB radio and gives Craig the order. As Craig says, "Out," Debbie turns to Frank and comments, "Pretty smooth operation, eh?" Frank nods, "I'm impressed!" He then changes the subject and says, "This loony who's been calling: any idea who he is?" Debbie shakes her head and sighs, "I wish I knew, though. It's really scaring me." Frank asks, "You called the police?" Debbie nods but tells him, "They said they can't do anything unless the caller actually threatens me." Frank assures her, "You've got nothing to worry about: me next door and Craig on the radio... what more could you ask?!" Debbie smiles, "You're right!" She then adds with a grin, "Hold on... how do I know it's not you that's been calling me?!" Frank chides, "Debbie!" Debbie laughs, "Only joking!" Frank then takes off his apron. Debbie asks, "Where are you going?" Frank smiles, "I'm going to get green food colouring. You asked for it!"

A few moments later, Frank heads next door, into his flat. He runs his hands through his hair. He then goes and sits down by the coffee table. There's an answerphone on it. He puts a cassette into it and picks up a microphone attached to the machine...

At Glen's funeral service, the minister is saying, "St. John the Divine tells us: I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, hence forth. Blessed indeed, says the spirit, that they may rest from their labours.'" Susan continues to watch - and also to look across at Wayne. The minister then says to the congregation, "Let us say the Lord's Prayer together." He begins to recite it. The congregation joins in. All-of-a-sudden, Susan appears to make a decision. Wayne is sitting in his car, swigging from his bottle of scotch. He suddenly feels his head yanked back through the open window behind him. He looks up to find Susan standing there. She spits, "I will make you rot for what you've done." With that, she dashes off again. Wayne sits there, looking astonished. He opens the door to his car and climbs out, still holding the bottle of scotch. He then starts staggering around, looking for Susan. He can't see her. He says out loud, though, "Susan's alive!" He then looks over to the funeral congregation and calls, "Hey! Susan's alive! I saw her." Everyone turns to look at him. Wayne starts running towards them, going on drunkenly, "It's true. I just saw her." Mr. Young starts approaching him, looking furious. He snarls, "How dare you show your face here." He grabs the lapels of Wayne's shirt. Wayne slurs, "I'm telling you: she didn't die." Mr. Young orders, "Leave this minute." Wayne insists, "She's hiding in the bush." Mr. Young gives him a shove and snarls, "It shouldn't be my son buried down there; it ought to be you." Wayne protests, "But I just saw her." Mr. Young shouts at him venomously, "I said: get out." Wayne starts to back off as Fiona and Mrs. Young take Mr. Young's arm and lead him back to the service. Still standing by the coffin, Alison murmurs to Caroline, "That was rather embarrassing, wasn't it?" Looking worried, Caroline replies quietly, "Yes..."

Debbie is still making the cake in her flat. Frank comes back in and Debbie asks, "What took you so long?" Frank explains, "I couldn't find my magic ingredient: vanilla essence!" As Debbie laughs at him, she coughs as well, and she comments, "I think I'm getting a cold!" Frank tells her, "I'm not surprised: what you're wearing, anyone would think you live in the Bahamas. Go and put a jumper on." Debbie smiles, "It's OK!" Frank, however, tells her, "It's not. I insist!" Debbie gives in and heads off to her room to cover up her short-sleeved top. When she's gone, Frank picks up the telephone and starts dialling a number. He puts the handset to his ear. He then looks round as Debbie comes back in and he starts yelling down the 'phone, "Who the hell are you? Listen, my friend, I think this joke has gone on long enough." Debbie grabs the 'phone from him and snaps down it, "Look, who are you?" She starts listening to a menacing voice saying, "I'm here today, I'm here to stay." She doesn't realise that the voice is coming from Frank's answerphone, next door... She yells down the 'phone, "For God's sake, will you just leave me alone? Do you understand? Just go away." With that, she slams down the handset. Frank takes her hand, quickly, and says, "I see what you mean." Debbie sobs, "It's driving me crazy." Frank rubs her arms and says, "Don't worry: I'm going to keep an eye on you." Debbie murmurs in relief, "Thanks - and I'm sorry about that joke about you being the caller. That wasn't funny." Frank tells her, "Just forget it."

The funeral congregation is beginning to walk away from the cemetery. As they do so, Fiona stands with the minister and says, "Sorry about all that trouble before." The minister assures her, "Not at all. Losing a young son must be very painful for Mr. Young." Fiona nods, "Yeah." She adds, "Thankyou for the service: it was really lovely." She and the minister head off after the others. Caroline walks along slowly behind them - and hears a sudden, "Psst," from a tree nearby. She looks around to see Susan hidden behind it. Caroline gasps quietly, "What are you doing here?" Susan cries, "I had to come." Caroline asks, "Did you mean to scare the wits out of Wayne? He was carrying on like a madman." Susan retorts, "I couldn't help it. He deserved a lot worse." Caroline pauses and then asks, "You still planning to leave?" Susan replies, "I'm going to catch a train as soon as I can." Caroline asks, "Where to?" Susan tells her, "I don't know where. Wherever my fancy takes me." Caroline sighs, "What's the point? Running away is not going to make you happier." Susan, however, insists, "I'm not running; I'm just starting over - from scratch." A weak smile crossing Caroline's face, she says, "I'm going to miss you. So's Doug." Susan points out, "It's going to be a lot less expensive for both of you without me!" Caroline chuckles but adds, "And a lot less fun." She gives Susan a warm hug. As she does so, Susan says, "Good luck for the wedding. I hope everything turns out well." Caroline nods, "It will." She adds, "You take care, OK?" Susan tells her, "I will." She then murmurs, "Bye," and she walks off. Caroline stands there, looking worried.

The funeral wake is taking place in the lounge room at Charlie's. Fiona offers Marge Young a sandwich, but she says, "Maybe later." Mr. Young joins Charlie. She says to him, "Bernie, I haven't had a chance to thank you." Mr. Young asks in surprise, "What for?" Charlie explains, "For the money - for the gym's publicity campaign. We'd never have got back on our feet without it. It was very sweet of you." Mr. Young, however, tells her, "That wasn't my money; it was Glen's. The first I knew about it was when he withdrew it from his trust account. His bank manager told me." Looking astonished, Charlie says, "I don't need to be rude, but I didn't think Glen had any money." Mr. Young explains, "He made a point of not using it. He wanted to tackle the world by himself. I reckon he would've, too. The truth is he had a family inheritance. Glen was a very wealthy young man." Charlie murmurs, "I didn't realise." Mr. Young goes on, "Not much good to him now - or Susan." Caroline starts approaching, listening intently as Charlie comments in surprise, "Susan?" Mr. Young tells her, "My solicitor rang me yesterday: Glen's will was made out entirely to her. Susan would have got the lot - lock, stock and barrel." Caroline stands there, looking shocked.

Debbie is alone in her and Craig's flat, clearing away the baking things. She suddenly spots a watch on the table and she picks it up and looks at it. Realising it's probably Frank's, she heads towards the front door.

Frank is sitting in his flat next door, holding a CB radio, when Debbie knocks on the door and comes in. He quickly hides the radio under some sheets of paper. Debbie heads inside and, showing him the watch, says, "Did you leave this at our place?" Frank takes it and smiles, "Yes. I must've got carried away with the cooking! Thankyou." Debbie nods, "That's OK." She then asks, "How did your cake turn out, anyway?" Frank replies, "Fine!" Debbie then notices the CB radio and smiles, "Hey! I didn't know that you were a CB buff!" Frank tells her quickly, "I've had that for years. Do you know anything about them?" Debbie replies, "No. Only enough to work the pizza run." She then adds, "I'd better be going." She turns to head out. Frank says quickly, "Would you like to stay and have a coffee?" Debbie smiles, "I've love to, but I've got to get back in case someone calls." As she walks towards the door, Frank's telephone starts ringing. Debbie laughs, "I doubt that's somebody after a pizza!" The 'phone rings once, but the answerphone then clicks on. Frank dashes over to it quickly, a look of horror on his face, but it's too late: a menacing voice starts saying, "Hello, Debbie. It's your friend again." Frank turns the machine off, but Debbie is already backing away towards the front door, looking terrified. She goes to turn the handle, but Frank runs over to her, grabs her arm and pulls her away. He then leans against the door and locks it. Looking at Debbie, he says reluctantly, "Now you know." Debbie starts to back away from him, crying, "No... please..." Frank insists, "I just want to be your friend. That is all I ever wanted." Debbie stares at him in terror.

 

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