Sons and Daughters logo
    Written by: Bruce Hancock   Produced by: Posie Jacobs   Directed by: Russell Webb

Debbie looks at the man nervously and tells him, "I'm sorry. I can't talk - I've got work to do." The man suddenly grabs her and and leers, "Come on... the boss isn't here. What's ten minutes?" Debbie snaps, "Look, I think you'd better go." The man pushes her over towards the kitchen door. Debbie cries fearfully, "Please... please go." The man snarls, "I will... soon." Debbie pulls away from him and cries, "Don't touch me." The man insists, "You'll enjoy it." Debbie growls, "I'm warning you." She then throws a nearby box of tomatoes at him, but he ducks and smiles gleefully, "You're a fighter, aren't you?" Debbie runs for the door, but the man grabs her again. She lunges out with her foot and kicks his shin. While he's recoiling in pain, Debbie runs inside, slams the door and turns the lock. She then yells, "Now get out or I'll call the police." Outside, the man is sprawled on the floor, rubbing his shin, and he spits, "I can't damn well move." Debbie yells, "You expect me to believe that?" The man retorts, "I can't, dammit. It's killing me. I think I've twisted me ankle." Debbie moves slowly to look through the kitchen window as the man calls, "Deb... please. If you don't want to come out and help, at least call a doctor." Debbie stands there, looking anguished. After several seconds, she unlocks the door, opens it and stands in the doorway nervously, staring down at the man.

Craig pulls up by the side of the road in David's ute. There's a 'Home in Style' banner stuck to the side of the vehicle. As Craig climbs out, another young man who's walking along the footpath calls, "Hey! Stranger!" Craig looks over at him and smiles, "Hello, Mark!" Mark joins him and asks, "Why haven't you been at the mall? Just 'cos you've quit doesn't mean you can't come and see us!" He then asks Craig what he's been doing. Craig explains, "I'm flat-out trying to start a business." Mark asks, "Doing what?" Craig replies, "Driving people home who've had a few too many - but in a classy way!" He then muses, "Actually, you might be able to help." Mark smiles, "As a driver or as a drunk?!" Craig explains, "As a publicity agent at the mall - sticking pamphlets in grocery bags." He suggests they grab a coffee.

Susan is standing in the hallway at Dural, talking to Beryl on the 'phone. She's saying, "I'm glad you went to get him: poor little Robert must have been missing you." She listens and then says, "If you hear from dad, will you ask him to call me?" Wayne joins her as she adds, "Thanks, mum. See you soon." She hangs up and Wayne asks, "No word from David?" Susan sighs, "Mum said she rang, but he's out on a trip; doesn't know where. He got my letter, though - just before he left." Wayne soothes, "Come on... don't worry." Susan, however, cries, "I can't help it, Wayne. The wedding's in two weeks and I don't even know if my father approves." Wayne insists, "He won't mind." Susan retorts, "He might." The 'phone suddenly rings and Susan grabs it eagerly. To her obvious disappointment, the caller is Fiona.

Wayne heads into the lounge room, where Andy is circling some adverts in the newspaper. He looks at Wayne and snaps, "You wouldn't believe the rents they're asking these days: a hundred bucks a week for a half-decent pad. I tell you: it's criminal." Wayne just retorts, "Welcome to the real world. It won't hurt you to pay rent for a change." Andy stares at him as he goes on tersely, "Speaking of money: how about getting off your backside? I'm paying you to track down Glen and chase up debts, not look for accommodation." Susan walks into the room and announces, "Alison and Caroline have been convicted." Wayne asks her, "What did they get?" Susan replies, "Alison has a hundred hours' work probation... Caroline got three months in jail." Looking shocked, Andy mouths, "Geez..." Susan murmurs, "Poor woman... how would you feel?" Wayne tells her, "Don't worry. We'll help her. She's got friends..."

A short time later, Wayne is standing in the hallway at Charlie's. He drops a set of overalls on the floor and tells Alison gloatingly, "I heard about your sentence. I thought these overalls might come in handy!" Alison just glares at him and snaps, "Get out." Wayne, though, goes on with a smile on his face, "And I expect you'll be resigning from the Board - we can't have you at the meeting tables in overalls. Wouldn't go with the mahogany!" Alison just snarls, "I wouldn't be too smug. You'll have a few problems of your own, soon, and they'll be a lot worse than mine." Wayne, however, replies lightly, "I'm sorry to disappoint you but I have never been happier in my entire life." Alison warns, "Wait 'til Susan leaves you." Wayne, however, retorts, "The only time Susan will be leaving me is when she gets dressed for the wedding. You stick to scrubbing floors, Sadie - you're better at it." He goes to leave, but Alison calls after him quickly, "When Glen's through, Susan won't even want to look at you." Wayne just smiles, "We're honeymooning in Noosa. We'll send you a postcard." Alison goes on, "He's got contacts in Bali - they're working right now to prove what you did." Wayne laughs incredulously, "Bali?!" Alison retorts gleefully, "Didn't you know? Young Maria's moved to Bali." Looking suddenly worried, Wayne mutters, "No she hasn't." Alison, though, smiles, "Yes she has. We've even got her address. If you don't believe me, try calling Manila. If I were you, I'd start panicking." With that, she heads off inside, leaving Wayne on the step looking nervous.

In the kitchen at the country house, Debbie is tending to the foot of the man who tried to attack her. He tells her, "I don't know why you're being so kind. I don't normally give women a hard time." Debbie looks at him warily, but he assures her, "Honest. See, I had a fight with my girlfriend, so I stormed out thinking, 'Right. That's it. If she wants to act jealous, I'll give her something to be jealous about.' The first decent-looking girl I saw I was going to chase. Pretty weak excuse, isn't it?" Debbie mutters, "You're telling me." She then asks more calmly, "What's her name?" The man replies, "Margaret." Debbie suggests, "Why don't you just go back to her? Buy her a bunch of flowers and say you're sorry. It's simple, but it's usually effective." The man murmurs, "Thanks. I might." The back door suddenly opens and Craig walks in. Debbie says to him quickly, "Hi. You remember Steve." She indicates the man whose ankle she's treating. Steve nods, "G'day." Craig acknowledges him and then indicates the area just outside the back door and asks, "What happened in the courtyard?" Debbie says quickly, "I tripped over the bucket. Fell over everything." Craig murmurs, "You did?" Debbie nods, "Yeah." Craig indicates Steve and asks, "Then why's he hurt?" Steve grins in 'embarrassment', "I was hoping you wouldn't ask: I slipped on the tomatoes." With that, he stands up and suggests, "I'd better hobble off." He thanks Debbie for strapping him up and goes. Alone with Debbie, Craig comments sourly, "You two seemed to get on pretty well." Debbie points out, "He is a customer, isn't he? I don't want you to think a girl can't handle the job." Before Craig can protest again, Debbie changes the subject, saying, "Listen - I've got some bad news. Charlie called earlier: Caroline's going to prison for three months." Looking shocked, Craig murmurs, "Fair dinkum?" Debbie tells him, "I couldn't believe it, either."

In Sydney, Alison walks into a rundown-looking building. The rooms inside are covered in graffiti and a couple of other women are leaning against the walls. An older woman walks in, holding a clipboard, and says to the others, "Morning, ladies. Last day, huh? Lucky girls." She then looks at Alison and asks, "Are you Alison Carr?" Alison nods at her and the woman adds, "Hundred hours, right?" Alison just asks, "What are we expected to do here?" The woman tells her, "Clean it." Alison looks at the mess and asks incredulously, "All of it?" The woman retorts, "The lot. It's been bought by an orphanage and they want it a.s.a.p." Alison suggests, "We may as well get started." She goes to put her handbag down, but the woman tells her sharply, "No, not yet - there's one more to come." Alison asks impatiently, "Do we have to wait?" The woman glares at her and retorts, "We'll give her a bit of time." She then turns and walks out, leaving Alison looking annoyed. She looks at the other women, who are smiling at her, nastily, and then goes and hangs her handbag up on a hook on the wall. She sighs heavily.

Susan is sorting through envelopes in the lounge room at Dural. One is addressed to Andy; another to Craig and Debbie. Wayne walks into the room as she looks sadly at another envelope, addressed to David. He comments that it looks like she's making progress. Susan just murmurs, "Sort of." Andy walks into the room from the kitchen. Susan announces that she'd better get some ironing done, and she heads out. When she's gone, Andy tells Wayne, "I've got a nice, fat cheque for you - from one of those debtors. Two thousand bucks." He hands it over and Wayne puts it in his briefcase. Andy then goes on, "I've been thinking: since nobody's living in the flat, how would you feel about me renting it out? It's just sitting there. You might as well earn yourself some cash." Wayne mutters sarcastically, "It's very big of you to offer." Andy points out, "It makes sense, doesn't it? After all, I'd be able to get a lot more work done if I wasn't worried about accommodation all the time." Wayne glares at him and snaps, "You've hardly done any as it is. I asked you to track down Glen and you haven't even come up with a clue - so before you ask any favours, I suggest you come up with the goods." Andy insists quickly, "I will. Give me time." Wayne snarls, "There isn't any. While you're moping around here, Glen has people in Bali collecting evidence against me." Andy queries in surprise, "Bali?" Wayne retorts, "Maria's moved there. Alison told me and she's not lying: I had her traced through Directory Assistance." Andy shrugs, "So? I don't know what they could get you on." Wayne snaps furiously, "Oh no - apart from proving I saw Maria; and her child isn't Glen's; and that I paid her money and she's saying it's his. They haven't really got a case, have they? Nothing to worry about." He adds angrily, "Find Glen. I want him out of the way, Andy, until the wedding. And remember: it's only two weeks away - and every minute he's out there gives him a chance to blow it for me. So, you'd better get your act together." Andy stands there, looking sheepish.

At the soon-to-be orphanage, the woman in charge carries a box of materials into the main room, saying, "Right-o. Can't wait all day. Let's get going." Alison mutters, "It's about time. Anyone would think we were waiting for the Queen of Sheba." She goes to put on some rubber gloves, but the woman in charge tells her, "Don't wear them." Alison asks, "Why not?" The woman tells her, "They'll make your hands sweat; they're hopeless." Alison retorts, "I have used them before." The woman, however, sighs, "Look, we're not doing the washing-up or dusting the chandeliers here, love. Take my word for it: don't wear them." Alison takes them off. The woman then starts giving out instructions to the women on what they should do. Alison takes a mop and bucket. The sound of loud pop music suddenly appears in the distance and grows nearer. A punkily-dressed teenager eventually walks in and puts down a ghettoblaster. The woman in charge looks at her and comments sarcastically, "What do you know? She decided to turn up." The girl just stands there, looking around, attitude etched all over her face.

Craig is sitting at the kitchen table at the country house as Debbie takes a jug of cordial out of the 'fridge. He murmurs, "I knew she'd get something, but three months..." Debbie points out, "Alison was the one driving. If anybody has to go to prison... It's just not fair." Craig tells her, "It puts us on the spot, too: now we don't have a driver." Debbie, however, reminds him, "Yes we do." Craig shakes his head, but Debbie tells him, "I mean it, Craig." Craig sighs, "Look, Debbie, let's face it: most of the passengers are going to be drunk." Debbie cries, "Nobody is going to attack me. It just isn't as risky as you think. Anyway, I've gone and bought the uniform, so you have to let me." Craig asks in surprise, "Uniform?" Debbie replies, "Remember David left the money for Caroline to buy one? Well, as soon as I found out that she'd um... you know... I went and bought one to fit me." Craig starts to protest, "Debbie, you had no right--" Debbie interrupts him, though, saying enthusiastically, "It looks great! I'll show you." She runs out of the room to get it, calling back as she does so, "And I've booked an appointment for my driving test, so by the time David gets back I'll have my Class 3 licence. It's perfect. You can't say 'no'." She comes back with her uniform and asks, "What do you think?" Craig looks at the outfit and suddenly perks up! He tells Debbie, though, "I'm not convinced." Debbie suggests, "Think about it." She then puts down the uniform and heads outside. The 'phone starts ringing and Craig goes to answer it.

A few minutes later, Debbie is working in the courtyard when Steve hobbles round the corner, holding a bunch of flowers. Debbie looks at him warily, but he tells her, "I came to say I took your advice: I bought Margaret some flowers. It's all patched up." Debbie smiles, "I'm glad." Steve replies, "Me too. So... I figured since flowers are a good way to say 'sorry', maybe they also say 'thanks'." He hands over the bunch he's holding and Debbie grins, "You didn't have to." Steve leans in and kisses her - just as Craig opens the back door, beaming, "You beauty!" He stops in his tracks, looking horrified. He then walks slowly towards Steve and snarls, "How's our first customer?" Steve tells him, "Dropped back to say 'thanks'. Quite a girl you've got." He then makes a quick exit. When he's gone, Debbie tells Craig, "That wasn't what--" Craig interrupts and demands, "'Thanks' for what? Look, Deb, I want to know." Debbie says quickly, "For fixing his ankle, that's all. No big deal." With that, she heads inside, saying, "I've got to get some detergent." Craig stands there, looking annoyed.

The loud music is still playing at the soon-to-be-orphanage. Alison is on her knees, trying to tidy and sweep up. The teenager is dancing to her music as she puts minimal effort into cleaning a wall. The tune on the tape comes to an end and Alison sighs in relief, "Thank God." The teenager, though, puts the same song on again. Alison stands and glares at her. She then storms over to her and yells, "Look, if you have to play it so loud could you at least play a different song?" The girl, though, turns to her and retorts, "No, I couldn't. Alright?" Alison stares at her and then walks back over to her side of the room and starts sweeping-up again. The girl looks over at the other two women in the room. She then walks over to them and orders, "Give me a cigarette." One of the women reaches into her pocket and hands over a pack. The girl takes out a cigarette and lights it." She looks over at Alison, who's still trying to ignore her.

Susan is holding some papers in the lounge room at Dural. Wayne walks in and asks, "Found something?" Susan replies hesitantly, "Only Glen's plans for Charlie's shack. They may as well go out." She then adds, "I've finished the invitations." Wayne smiles, "Great. We'll post them this afternoon." Susan says nervously, "I'd rather wait." Wayne, however, tells her, "We can't, Suse. It's two weeks away. People have to make arrangements." Susan just cries, "I've got to know how dad feels first. Please. He means a lot to me. I want him to be part of it; to give him the chance to say he approves." Wayne asks sharply, "Are you afraid he won't?" Susan cries, "Of course not." Wayne demands, "Then what is it? Are you having second thoughts? Do you need more time?" Susan, looking surprised, cries, "Wayne..." Wayne just goes on angrily, "Maybe it would solve everyone's problems if I acted a bit more like Glen." Susan stares at him and then goes and sits down without saying anything. Wayne snaps at her, "Is that it? Is that what you want? You want me to lie through my teeth; leave a mother and kid to fend for themselves?" Susan cries, "Stop it - please." She then goes on, "It's not what I want at all. I just want you." Suddenly perking up, she continues, "Look, I know what we'll do: send all the invitations except dad's and keep his until we get a chance to talk to him." Wayne, calming down, nods, "Whatever you think's best." Susan tells him, "I'll post them after lunch." Wayne then sighs, "God, I'm an idiot. I came in here to cheer you up. Anyway, I'll try again." He then takes a small jewellery box out of his pocket. Susan opens it, takes out the item inside and smiles, "A lucky charm!" Wayne tells her earnestly, "It's already worked for me: made me the happiest man alive." Susan goes and gives him a warm hug.

At the soon-to-be-orphanage, the teenage girl is snapping at the woman in charge, "Someone complained, have they?" The woman retorts, "It would be nice if you considered other people once in a while. Now, you can either turn it off or I throw it out the window." The girl stares at her for several seconds and then reluctantly turns her cassette off. The woman says sharply, "Thankyou." She walks off. The teenage girl calls across sourly, "Hey, Alison. What did you do to end up here?" The woman in charge, however, warns her, "Get back to work, Ginny." She leaves the room. Ginny just stares at Alison and taunts, "What do you reckon? I bet it was shoplifting. Silk undies, probably. Caught with her pants down, she was!" Alison tries to get on with scrubbing a wall as Ginny continues, "At least I don't run to someone else when I want something done. My boyfriend walked out on me; that's why I'm here. Couldn't let him just drop me like a piece of rubbish. He wasn't that great anyway - so I nicked his car. Pranged it. Bang! Just like that. Write-off. Fifteen grand's worth of hot V8 down the tube. I got five cracked ribs, but it was still worth it. Fight my own fights, that's what I do." Alison just scrubs her section of wall even more furiously.

Debbie is talking on the 'phone in the kitchen at the country house, saying, "Look, Craig and I have to go out for a couple of hours to hand out pamphlets, but I'll leave a message for David to ring you as soon as he gets in." She hangs up and tells Craig - who's working at the table - "That was Susan. She sounds really upset." Craig doesn't respond. Debbie asks hesitantly, "Right... set to go?" Craig, though, retorts, "If you don't mind, I think I'll go by myself." He heads over to the back door. Debbie, however, calls pleadingly, "Craig..." Craig turns to look at her, a frown on his face, and Debbie sighs, "Oh, alright, I'll tell you the truth - although I know exactly what you're going to say." Craig takes a step back inside and Debbie goes on, "The courtyard was messed-up yesterday because Steve tried... well, he tried to... well, you know... grab me." She adds quickly, "He didn't mean anything, Craig." A furious-looking Craig snarls, "I'll break his neck." Debbie, though, tells him, "Don't worry - I've already kicked him in the ankle. He's not a bad person, honest - he'd just had a bit of a lovers' quarrel, that's all. He was on the prowl and he was trying it on, but he wasn't going to rape me or anything." Craig stares at her incredulously and asks, "Why are you being so nice about it? I mean, why the flowers, for Pete's sake?" Debbie cries, "Because I told him that if he wanted to get back with his girlfriend he should buy her flowers. It worked. He gave me the flowers to say 'thankyou'. It was nothing else." Craig stares at her for several seconds and then murmurs quietly, "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say, Deb. I'm sorry - I didn't realise." Debbie asks gratefully, "You're not going to say I can't drive?" Craig shakes his head. Debbie goes and gives him a hug in relief.

Ginny is sitting on the floor in the main room at the soon-to-be-orphanage. She reaches into her bag and takes out a packet of cigarettes, but finds it empty. She tosses it away, cursing, "Damn." She then spots Alison's bag hanging on the wall, and she stands up and marches over to it. She opens the zip and starts going through it. After a few seconds, she finds a cigarette case and she removes it and takes out a cigarette. She goes and sits down again and lights it. She then takes out a diary from her won bag and starts writing:

"Tuesday 23rd. Yuck day 3. 3 yuck days in a row. This has got to stop. I'm trying hard to pretend I don't still love you, Calvin - I do, but... If you walked in now I'd still go anywhere with you--"

She's interrupted by the woman in charge, who walks in and tells her, "If you want your coffee, you'd better come now." Ginny tells her, "I'm coming." The woman in charge walks off again. Ginny, looking suddenly fragile, sits on the floor, looking upset.

Susan is standing in the lounge room at Dural with Wayne. Andy is also there. She tells Wayne sadly, "There's nothing else I can do." Wayne holds her and replies, "Exactly. So stop worrying - he'll call. Try and have a lie-down - you're working too hard." Susan, however, reminds him, "I've got to post the invitations first!" With that, she gives him a kiss and he leaves the room. When he's gone, Susan turns to Andy and asks, "What's up with you? I thought I was the one meant to be depressed!" Andy says in reply, "If you had to find somebody fast and you had no idea where they were, how would you go about it?" He sits down on the couch, not noticing a pile of papers on the seat beneath him. Susan replies, "I suppose I'd take a full-page ad out in the paper. Why? Are you trying to catch some debtors?" Andy, standing up and picking up the papers he just sat on, nods, "Yeah." Susan grabs the papers from him quickly and tells him, "I'll take those - they're going in the bin." Andy asks, "Are you sure Wayne doesn't want them?" Susan replies sadly, "Positive. They're designs Glen and I made of Charlie's shack - when we were going to get married. Thank God it never went any further." She goes to walk out, but Andy, looking suddenly thoughtful, says, "Hang on - I'll throw them out for you." Susan hands over the papers and mutters, "Fine. Glad to see the end of them." As Andy takes the papers, he stands there looking pleased with himself.

 

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