Beryl is vacuuming the lounge room at her house when Craig walks in, looking glum. Beryl looks at him, turns off the vacuum cleaner and comments, "Gordon and I were wondering where you got to; you disappeared before breakfast." Craig just murmurs, "Yeah." He pauses before then adding, "I went to see him." Beryl murmurs, "Your father? What did he say?" Craig replies, "Nothing. Then nor did I. I just let him walk past without saying a word. I was so close I could've touched him... but I didn't." Beryl asks gently, "Why not?" Craig sighs, "I don't know..." He then admits, "Oh yes I do: if I'd've gone in there and said what I was going to say, I would've made a total mess of his life - and his family's: wife... kids... What's the point? Neither of us need to know each other to be happy. It would've been nice, but it's not necessary, is it?" Beryl looks at him compassionately and says gently, "I know how hard it was for you to make that decision. I know how hard it's going to be for you to stick to it." Craig murmurs, "I only hope I can." Beryl assures him, "You will - and I think I've got an idea that might help you. How about you go up to Sydney and stay with Fiona for a while?"

Fiona is standing in the grounds of a building in Sydney. Janice joins her, accompanied by a red-haired woman. Janice says, "Aunt Fiona... Matron O'Brien." Fiona murmurs at the matron, "Hello." The matron says back in a loud, slow, patronising voice, "How are you, dear? Feeling alright, then?" Fiona retorts loudly, "Thankyou, I'm fine - and there's no need to shout: I still have my hearing!" The matron smiles and says loudly, "Good! Good! We've got your room all ready." Fiona murmurs, "Oh..." The matron goes on, "You do understand you'll be sharing?" Fiona, looking surprised, says, "You don't have any private facilities?" The matron shakes her head and replies, "No." Janice says to her aunt pointedly, "You don't mind sharing, do you?" Fiona looks at her. She then murmurs, "No. No, I suppose not." Janice adds, "I'm sure everything's clean." The matron tells Fiona, "It is - I assure you." She then goes on patronisingly, "You'll like Hilda Beard." Fiona says blankly, "Hilda...?" Matron O'Brien explains, "Your room-mate. Ex-schoolteacher. Lovely woman." Fiona stares at her. She then murmurs, "That'll be nice..." Janice adds quickly, "Someone to talk to; stop you feeling lonely." Fiona just smiles at her, weakly...

Andy is crouching down in the main room at the gym, fixing one of the exercise bikes. Craig is crouched down next to him, saying, "I just thought I'd have a bit of a break. It won't be a holiday - I've still got my studies, although I'll be doing things by correspondence." Andy remarks, "Then off overseas, eh?" Craig nods, "Yeah!" There's silence for a few seconds. Craig then asks Andy, "What do you think of Fiona going to an old-people's home?" Andy, looking surprised, replies, "I didn't know she was." Craig explains, "That's where she was headed when I found her at the boarding house." Andy retorts, "Fiona in a home? Hard to believe." Craig murmurs, "I guess that's what happens to you when you don't have a family to take care of you..." Andy nods, "I suppose so." Craig continues, "I was going to stay with her - cheap accommodation - but as I won't be able to, I need to pay for somewhere." Andy, standing up, muses, "You, um, getting around to the money I owe you on the pizza van?" Craig reminds him, "You were going to pay for the repairs..." Andy mutters, "I know - but I was out of work for quite while." Craig just says coolly, "I'm kind of stretched myself, Andy. I need the money." Andy shrugs, "Sorry, mate, I haven't got it." Craig insists, "You must have some." Andy nods, "A couple of hundred bucks." Craig retorts, "That's a couple of hundred bucks more than I've got." Andy glares at him and hisses, "Craig, at least you've got someone look after you; I've got to look after myself." Craig snaps angrily, "And stuff anyone else. You can pay me something." Andy snaps back, "No, I can't." At that moment, Todd and Sarah walk in. Sarah asks, "What's all the shouting about?" Andy looks at her and says quickly, "Oh, g'day! Sarah, Todd, this is a mate of mine from Melbourne. Craig Maxwell - Sarah Hudson... Todd Buckley." Craig shakes hands with Todd, who then says, "Excuse me," and walks off again. Craig looks back at Andy and demands, "Well?" With Sarah standing next to him, Andy smiles quickly, "Well, seeing as you're a mate of mine, and I hate to see a mate stuck, you can stay at my place until I get kicked out... and, um, I'll lend you some money too." Craig mutters, "That's very big of you, Andy." Andy shrugs, "I like to do the right thing." Craig then looks at Sarah and asks, "Known this bloke long?" He indicates Andy. Sarah smiles, "A while." Craig muses, "That's good." Andy looks at him suspiciously and asks, "Why's that good?" Craig tells him, "Means you haven't got much of a head-start on me with Sarah." Sarah rolls her eyes! Andy stands there, looking worried!

Wayne is pouring himself a glass of scotch at the bar at Dural. He takes a sip and then reaches into his jacket pocket, takes out an airline ticket, looks at it and puts it down on his briefcase, which is resting on the bar in front of him. There's suddenly a rapid knocking on the front door. Wayne quickly loosens his tie, takes off his jacket, undoes his shirt sleeve buttons and hides the airline tickets and briefcase behind the bar. There's another knock on the door. Wayne picks up his glass of scotch and, heading out to the hallway, calls wearily, "Can't a man get some sleep when he wants it?" He opens the door to find Alison standing there. Putting on a haggard expression, he snaps, "What do you want?" Alison smiles, "Just dropped by to see what you were up to. My God, you look terrible." Wayne mutters, "Thanks." The two of them head into the lounge room and Alison goes on, "Seems like I've been wasting my time." Wayne mutters, "What?" Alison replies, "Shaking in my boots the last couple of days... all those threats, wondering what you had in store for me." Wayne retorts, "I'll get round to it." Alison grins, "Yes? When?" Wayne says coolly, "One day." His eyes fall on the coffee table - on which his hitlist is sitting, visible to Alison. He quickly makes a show of going to tidy up the papers on there, adding as he does so, "Why don't you make yourself a drink?" Alison muses, "I'm surprised there's any left." Wayne tells her wearily, "I think there's half a bottle of scotch there somewhere." Alison, however, tells him, "No thanks - it would be like taking food from a starving child." She then indicates the papers that Wayne is tidying and asks, "You, er, doing some paperwork?" Wayne replies quickly, "No." Alison asks, "What's with all the papers?" Wayne shrugs, "They've been lying around for days. It's about time I cleaned the place up." Alison muses, "You're not working on any secret deals you want to tell me about? No bridging loans...?" Wayne looks up at her and mutters, "I don't know what you're talking about." Alison murmurs, "I wonder..." Wayne just retorts in a tired voice, "Look, Alison, the last thing I'm interested in right now is business. Why the hell should I bother making any money? It doesn't mean anything." Alison smiles, "Careful! Let's not get too carried away!" Wayne just insists, "It's true. Thanks to you making sure I don't see Tick again, nothing seems important anymore. Even revenge seems like a waste of time." Alison just muses, "We'll see... Yes, we'll see." She then adds, "Enjoy your depression - pretend or otherwise." With that, she turns and walks out. When she's gone, Wayne's face perks up and he stands there looking thoughtful.

A while later, Charlie is sitting with Alison at the table by her pool, asking, "Is it genuine or make-believe?" Alison sighs, "I don't know. I'd like to think it was genuine, but Wayne's so practical at deceit it's probably the exact opposite." Charlie remarks, "So you still don't know if he was behind Doug's financing or not." Alison replies, "No - but I'm not going to be lulled into a false sense of security; I'm going to find out one way or another." Greg wanders over to them suddenly and says, "Hi. Guess what." Alison suggests, "You've been sacked from your job delivering strippergrams." Looking surprised, Greg asks, "How do you know?" Alison replies blankly, "I didn't! It was a case of wishful thinking! What happened?" Greg, sitting down, explains, "I went to the party... did the job... some bird tried to get hold of my body... I tried to get away and, in the process, knocked over a china cabinet." Charlie grimaces, "I can't imagine the host being too impressed!" Greg replies, "Hostess - and no, she wasn't. I copped a bill for $250." Alison asks, "How are you going to pay for it? You don't have any money." Greg just looks at her. She sighs, "You want me to pay it for you." Greg says quickly, "Just a loan, mind - until I get myself another job, and then I'll pay you back." Alison picks up a newspaper from the table and thrusts it at Greg, saying, "There you are. Start looking." She then adds, "I don't know: keeping you in work might cost me more than keeping you in idle luxury!"

There's a knock on the front door at Caroline's. Caroline emerges from the kitchen and opens it to find Beryl standing there. Caroline murmurs weakly, "Oh. Hello." Looking concerned, Beryl says, "Caroline? What's wrong?" Caroline heads into the lounge room. Beryl follows her and presses, "Caroline..." Caroline, looking upset, murmurs, "He's gone." Beryl asks, "Who's gone? Doug?" Caroline nods sadly, "It's all my fault." Beryl asks, "How do you know that?" Caroline cries, "Because it is." She sits down on the couch. Beryl sits down next to her and asks gently, "How did it start?" Caroline tells her, "Another argument - as usual - only this time I really went off the deep-end; the original fishwife. I should've been supporting him, Beryl; putting my arms around him and telling him everything was going to be alright. He had all these money problems and all I could do was run off at the mouth." Beryl comments, "You said he's gone. Where?" Caroline murmurs, "America." Beryl gasps, "America?" Caroline nods at her. She goes on, "After we argued, he slammed out of the house. I thought he'd just gone out to cool off. He came back an hour later to collect his passport... pack a suitcase... Then he called a taxi for the airport. He mumbled a few words about going off on company business, but we both knew it was just an excuse to get away. I've lost him, Beryl. I've lost him for good. There's no way he's going to come back this time..."

Alison is standing on the patio at Charlie's, staring out at the pool. Charlie is standing by the table. Alison sighs, "How am I going to find out, Charlie? How am I going to find out if Wayne's the mystery banker?" Charlie just muses, "Honestly, darling, you're like a dog who won't let go of a bone!" Alison suggests suddenly, "Caroline might know!" Charlie, however, says dubiously, "I doubt it. As far as I know, Doug isn't in the habit of discussing business with his wife." Alison replies, "I know - but he might've let something slip in conversation; you never know." She walks over to the table, picks up the 'phone and starts dialling.

Beryl is standing at the front door at Caroline's, telling Caroline, "If it gets too much for you, call. And don't forget the offer to come and stay with Gordon and me." Caroline smiles, "I won't. Thanks." The 'phone starts ringing suddenly and Beryl adds, "You take care, alright?" Caroline nods, "Sure." With that, Beryl heads off. Caroline closes the door and walks into the lounge room. She picks up the 'phone and says, "Yes?... What do you want?" From the patio at Charlie's, Alison says, "Look, you probably won't be able to help me here - it's about the air charter company - but there are some papers Doug might've left lying around the house." Caroline demands, "What do you mean 'might have left'?" Alison replies, "He's not there, is he? He's gone to America. He 'phoned me this morning from the airport to say he'd finalised some bridging finance." Caroline retorts, "Is that so?." She then growls, "You're not calling about some papers belonging to the company; you're ringing to gloat over the fact that Doug and I have split up." Looking shocked, Alison insists, "I didn't know that at all. I'm sorry." Caroline just spits, "Save it, Alison. As far as I'm concerned, it's good riddance. Doug won't be getting any more of my money because enough is enough." With that, she slams down the 'phone. In Sydney, a broad grin crosses Alison's face. She turns to Charlie and beams, "Well! Big news! Cinderella and Prince Charming have finally split-up. From what Caroline said, Doug must've squeezed her for the loan - which puts Wayne in the clear..."

Janice, Fiona and Matron O'Brien are walking in the grounds of the old people's home. Janice asks Fiona, "Did you enjoy your lunch?" Fiona smiles, "I loved it!" Janice pushes, "Baked beans on toast...?" Fiona tells her, "Baked beans are very good for you - they're full of protein." Janice murmurs, "Yes, I know, but--" Matron O'Brien interrupts and asks Fiona, "Did you like your room?" Fiona smiles, "Yes! It's a little small, perhaps, but--" The matron interrupts and suggests, "Cosy?" Fiona nods, "Exactly." The matron then says, "So you'll be staying?" Fiona declares, "Yes. I'll be staying. Here is where I will spend the rest of my mortal days." Janice stands there, looking disappointed. Fiona then adds, "On one condition." Matron O'Brien asks, "What's that?" Fiona tells her, "That I can have a bar 'fridge in my room." The matron says curtly, "I'm afraid that's totally out of the question. We do not permit alcohol on the premises." Fiona looks at her and exclaims, "You've got to be kidding!" The matron retorts, "Indeed not." Fiona looks at Janice and snaps, "Janice, what have you done? You have booked me into a dry retirement home, and you know perfectly well that I cannot start the day without a bottle of champagne! Now, will you get my luggage and call a taxi?" Janice just nods at her, looking slightly nonplussed!

Sometime later, there's laughter from the hallway at the mansion. The door to Fiona's room opens and Fiona and Janice burst in, Fiona laughing, "You should've seen the look on your face!" Janice giggles, "Aunt Fiona, if you don't stop laughing you'll end up doing yourself an injury!" Fiona just chuckles, "It was priceless!" Janice asks, "When did you realise it was a set-up to turn you off going into the home?" Fiona explains, "About one minute after I met the matron!" Janice gasps, "Did you lead me on all that time?!" Fiona laughs, "I wanted to have a bit of fun!" Janice retorts, "Well I didn't think it was very funny. I honestly thought you were going to stay." Fiona exclaims, "Are you kidding? Apart from anything else, they didn't have any men there! Can you imagine how boring that would've been?!" Janice chides lightheartedly, "Aunt Fiona...!" Fiona just beams, "Oh Janice, oh Janice, my darling... thankyou! Thankyou for caring to much... thankyou for not giving in on me when I was being so silly." Throwing her arms around Janice, she goes on, "I'm so lucky to have a niece like you... I'm such a lucky woman." They pull apart and Janice says, "At least you're thinking right again - that's what matters." Fiona declares, "Yes - and tonight we are going to celebrate! Music... champagne... the born-again Fiona! She lives another day!"

It's evening-time. There's music playing in Fiona's room at the mansion. Assorted guests are standing around, including Craig, Janice, Andy Charlie and Alison. Janice is pouring some drinks. Craig is standing with her and he asks, "How did you finally make Fiona wake up to herself?" Janice replies, "It wasn't easy, believe me. You might say I gave her a horrifying glimpse into her future; well, what could've been her future." She then adds, "I'd better take her this drink." She heads across the room. Elsewhere, Charlie is saying to Andy in concern, "You didn't leave Todd at the gym by himself." Andy assures her, "No - we both locked up together, then we went across to Wayne's; thought he might like to come." Alison, who's standing nearby, turns to them and muses, "I doubt it - I don't think Wayne's in a party mood these days." Andy shrugs, "Todd thought he'd ask anyway - Fiona invited him. I called Sarah, too - at work. She was too tired to come out." Craig is standing nearby, listening as Charlie remarks, "I'm not surprised - being on her feet all day... that's the worst thing about being a hairdresser: all the problems it must cause." Alison asks in surprise, "What problems?" Charlie tells her, "Varicose veins, darling, varicose veins." Craig bursts out laughing. Across by the window, Fiona is talking on the 'phoning, chuckling, "Yes, I promise I'm fully recovered! Totally back to my senses!... You're relieved? You should be in my shoes!" She listens before saying, "Yes, I will - and you give my love to Gordon. Bye bye, Beryl. Bye, dear." She hangs up. Janice joins her and hands her a drink, saying, "Here you go. I put some lemonade in it." Fiona exclaims, "In the champagne. Why?!" Janice tells her, "The way you knock it back, someone's got to take care of your alcoholic intake!" Todd and Wayne walk in suddenly through the open door. Todd says, "Evening, Fiona." Fiona smiles at him, "What took you so long?" Todd explains, "Trying to convince Wayne he should come." Wayne adds, "Just didn't feel like partying, that's all." Fiona smiles, "Now you're here, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself." Across the room, Alison whispers to Charlie, "Look what the cat dragged in." Charlie looks over at Todd and Wayne and snaps, "You said you wouldn't call Todd that." Alison sighs, "I'm talking about Wayne. I wonder why he bothered to come." Charlie shrugs, "Search me." Alison walks over to Wayne, Todd, Janice and Fiona and says coolly, "Did you have people checking invitations at the front door, Fiona?... Letting in the likes of Wayne... don't tell me you're going to let him stay?" Fiona just shrugs, "It is a party. What the hell? I mean, I don't bear you any malice for turfing me out of my home; why should I pick on Wayne?" Wayne says pointedly, "Thankyou, Fiona." Craig joins them and hands Todd and Wayne glasses of champagne. Todd takes his and smiles, "Who are we going to toast?" Wayne starts to say, "Should be you and Charlie now that you've set the--" then He breaks off quickly, looking sheepish. Alison demands, "What? Set the date?" Wayne tells Todd quickly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say anything." Janice, looking puzzled, asks, "Is someone getting married?" Alison snaps, "Not if I can help it." She turns to Charlie - who's talking to Andy - and demands, "Have you and Todd set the date?" Charlie looks round at her and says, "What?" Alison retorts, "Bigmouth Wayne just dropped the news about you and gold-digger of '87 setting the date." Charlie glares at her and snaps, "You said you weren't going to call him that again." Alison presses, "So it's true: you're getting married." Charlie mutters, "Well... yes... but it's supposed to be a secret." Alison growls, "And whose idea was that? Todd's, I suppose - because he knows your friends would do anything to stop you making an absolute fool of yourself." Charlie, however, snaps, "It was my idea, if you must know, and I had hoped my 'friends' would wish me all the best for the future." Alison cries, "For heaven's sake, Charlie, can't you see what he's doing?" Todd walks over to them as Alison adds, "He's out to take you for every cent you've got." Todd insists, "That's not true." Alison, however, snaps at him, "Stay out of it, lame-brain." Turning back to Charlie, she goes on, "Once he's got what he wants, you won't see him for dust. He's probably pulled this trick on dozens of women." Looking upset, Charlie cries, "Stop it, Alison, just stop it." Alison retorts, "I'll stop it when--" Todd grabs her arms, suddenly, and says coolly, "You heard the lady. Now shut up, Alison, or I'll damn well shut you up." Alison stares at him as he goes on, "The fact of the matter is I love this woman so much that I'm scared that I'm going to lose her. Charlie and I are in love and we're going to get married and that's all there is to it." Alison stands there, looking annoyed. Wayne is standing behind her with an expression of glee on his face...

Sarah is sitting on the couch in the lounge room at Charlie's. Greg is sitting on the other couch and he says in surprise, "There's a party on. Why aren't you going?" Sarah retorts, "Because I don't feel like it. I'm too tired." Greg exclaims, "You're crazy!" Sarah shrugs, "You go if you want to." Greg asserts, "I will. It'll give me a chance to practice my selling skills." Sarah asks in surprise, "Why do you want to practice your selling skills?" Greg explains, "For my new job." Looking puzzled, Sarah asks, "Doing what?" Greg, however, just says enigmatically, "All will be revealed at midnight..." There's suddenly a knock on the front door. Greg looks at Sarah in surprise and asks, "You expecting someone?" Sarah replies, "No." The two of them stand up - Greg holding a small holdall - and head out to the hallway. Greg opens the door. Craig is standing on the step and he says to Sarah, "Hi. Feel like some company?" Sarah nods, "Sure. Come in." Greg tells them, "I'm just on my way out. My customers await..." With that, he goes. Sarah closes the door and then tells Craig, "It's good to see you." Craig smiles, "You too."

Wayne is pouring himself another glass of champagne in Fiona's room at the mansion. Fiona and Alison are standing with him and Fiona says in concern, "That is going to be your last one, isn't it?" Wayne, however, slurs happily, "Why?! I don't have to drive. I'll get a cab home." Fiona tells him, "I still don't think you should drink so much. I mean, far be it for me--" Alison interrupts and sighs, "Save your breath, Fiona - it's like talking to a brick wall. He's a broken man, remember?" Wayne glares at her and growls, "I'm glad you think it's funny." Alison, however, retorts, "I don't. I think it's pathetic." Fiona says to Wayne quietly, "Just slow down, will you?" Wayne slurs, "Sure." Greg walks in suddenly and says to everyone, "Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention, please?" He then holds up a small crate containing some bottles of liquid and continues, "Announcing new Extra Clean, the miracle new cleaning product as advertised on TV." He continues his spiel as everyone stares at him. When he's finished, there's silence. Wayne eventually bursts out laughing and giggles, "I'll have one!" He staggers over to Greg and reaches for his wallet. Alison murmurs to Fiona, "He's getting drunker by the minute." Fiona nods, "Yes... I think someone should take him home." Alison replies, "Yes - I think that's a good idea." Wayne hands a note to Greg and says, "Here you go - five bucks." Greg, however, tells him, "That's fifty. I don't have any change." Wayne just laughs, "In that case, you'd better give me ten bottles!"

Sometime later, the front door opens at Dural and Andy and Alison help the drunken Wayne inside. He's holding his bottles of Extra Clean, but drops some of them in the hallway as Alison and Andy try to manoeuvre him into the lounge room. Andy comments as they do so, "I never thought he was drinking so much." Alison tells him, "He was half-tanked when he arrived; he just needed topping-up." The two of them place Wayne on the couch, where he lies back. Andy and Alison look at him and Andy says, "Poor bloke - everything seems to go wrong for him, lately. No wonder he's taken to the booze." Alison just retorts, "He's only got himself to blame." Wayne begins to sit up. He slurs, "Where am I?" Andy tells him, "You're at home." Wayne slurs, "I just want to sleep..." He lies back on the couch again and closes his eyes. Alison muses to Andy, "This is the man who was going to destroy me, would you believe?! Huh! Couldn't even kill a cockroach, now! How the mighty have fallen." With that, she and Andy head out to the hallway and out through the front door. A few seconds after it's banged shut, Wayne sits up and murmurs to himself in a perfectly sober voice, "'Couldn't even kill a cockroach...' Have I got a surprise for you, mummy dearest..."