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    Written by: Roberta Lowing    Produced by: Posie Jacobs   Directed by: Russell Webb

At the soon-to-be-orphanage, Alison is packing away for the day. She takes her handbag off the hook on the wall as Ginny continues scrubbing a wall nearby, ranting as she does so, "All I can say is I pity the poor orphans who have to live in this dump. I think we ought to be demolishing it. God knows what's here: cholera... typhoid... TB..." Alison suddenly realises her bag is open and she quickly goes through it to work out if anything's missing. After a few seconds, she stares at the still-ranting Ginny and then marches over to where her bag is lying on the floor. She picks it up and starts going through it. Ginny doesn't notice because she's looking at the wall she's scrubbing. She's still ranting, "Personally, I could think of four thousand better ways to spend my money." Alison finds what she's looking for and retorts, "I hope buying your own cigarettes is one of them." She takes out her cigarette case, along with Ginny's diary. Ginny finally turns to look at her and, seeing what's going on, she snaps, "What are you doing?" Alison tells her curtly, "I'm recovering my property." Ginny snaps, "Put it back." Alison, though, opens the diary and smiles, "Oo, listen to this, girls. 'I'm trying hard to pretend I don't--" She breaks off as Ginny grabs the diary from her, yelling, "Shut up. Just shut up, OK? It's private." Alison replies lightly, "Private? Oh, I am sorry. I thought anyone could help themselves to anything round here." Ginny warns, "If you're looking to start something, you've got it." Alison, however, tells her curtly, "If you look through my bag, I'll look through yours." Ginny threatens, "No one make a fool out of me." Alison, though, just smiles, "They wouldn't have to - you're doing far too good a job on your own." With that, she walks off, leaving Ginny looking furious.

Charlie is in her lounge room when the front door slams and Alison walks in, looking glum. Charlie laughs, "You look terrible!" Alison just asks, "What's for lunch?" Charlie tells her, "Nothing. I'm having lunch in town. A new restaurant opened last week to glowing reviews, so I thought I'd try it out. Why don't you join me?" Alison, though, sighs, "No, no, it's alright. I think I'll lie down for a bit, then look for something in the 'fridge." Charlie tells her, "Nothing in the 'fridge, either." Alison mutters in resignation, "I'll eat in town." Charlie, picking up on her tone, comments, "Oh dear... we are grumpy, aren't we? You'll feel better after a lovely meal; my treat. Anyway, just think: it's much better than being in prison." Alison muses, "That's debatable." Charlie asks, "Meet any nice friends today?" Alison, though, retorts, "Hardly. I didn't even speak to two of them." Charlie asks, "What about the others?" Alison replies, "There was only one other: a mod-punk thing called Ginny Doyle. Needless to say, we weren't compatible."

Andy is sitting in his car - which is parked at the side of a road - looking thoughtful. After a few seconds, a young man approaches him and tells him, "OK, the job's done. You got the twenty bucks?" Andy checks, "You gave the tube to Fiona Thompson?" The man replies, "Not in person, no - she won't be back 'til morning. It's OK, though: I left it with her neighbour." Andy gasps in horror, "May?" He then looks up to the sky and cries rhetorically, "Why doesn't anything ever go right?" The man assures him, "Don't worry - she'll pass it on." Andy hands him over his $20 and the man walks off. Andy starts his car and drives away.

Glen is standing at the side of a road, wearing dark glasses and a broad-brimmed hat as a disguise. Charlie and Alison pull up nearby in Charlie's car. Charlie is telling Alison about Maggie Hunt, and Alison comments that she doesn't sound like the sort of woman that Gordon would be knocking round with. Charlie suggests that they drop in there after lunch and Alison can see if she can talk some sense into him. They start approaching the restaurant, but a young man coming towards them suddenly bumps into Alison. Charlie exclaims, "Oh!" Glen quickly explains that it's him. He hands Alison a piece of paper, adding that Charlie's housekeeper said he'd find them there. He then walks off, explaining that they might have been followed. Alison and Charlie look at the piece of paper in Alison's hand. It's actually a photo of a building, and Alison exclaims in surprise, "It's a house!" Charlie muses, "And a very expensive-looking house, too." Alison turns over the photo and reads on the back, "Maria's house in Bali." She then smiles, "The photo isn't proof in itself, but when Glen goes over there to get the truth... well, it's hardly the abode of a destitute, unmarried mother, is it?" Charlie grins, "I doubt even Wayne could argue with that!" Alison tells her, "The tide is starting to turn, Charlie. It's only a matter of time now..."

Gordon is sitting on the couch at Dural, packing away his camera equipment. There's suddenly a knock at the door and he moves to answer it. Andy is already in the hallway, though, and he calls out, "It's alright." He opens the door and Alison and Charlie walk in. Alison asks if Gordon's home. Andy indicates the lounge room and Alison and Charlie walk in there. Alison comments to Gordon, "You're looking well." Gordon smiles, "I'm feeling a little bit more like the 21-year-old that I really am!" Alison indicates the camera and asks, "Is that a hobby or a new profession?" Gordon tells her, "It's a hobby, at the moment. I promised myself an afternoon of sunshine and photography." With that, he stands up and goes to head out, saying as he does so, "I'd better be going before I lose the light. Make yourselves at home." He leaves. When he's gone, Charlie sighs to Alison, "Darling, you could have tried a wee bit harder - he's just slipped through our fingers." Alison, though, tells her, "He's off to see his lady-friend." Charlie looks at her in surprise and asks, "What did he want the camera for?" Alison suggests, "Maybe he wants to take pictures of her?" Charlie, looking shocked, murmurs, "Oh dear..." Alison asks, "Why? You don't think she's photogenic?" Charlie explains, "To be perfectly frank, darling, I can't understand what he sees in her."

Maggie is standing with her daughter, Cassie, in the corridor outside Gordon's room at Seabreeze Towers. She knocks on the door, but Gordon suddenly walks up behind her and smiles, "You won't get an answer!" Maggie and her daughter turn to face him and Maggie, staring at his suit, comments, "You're looking very professional." Gordon laughs, "It's all show, I must confess. At the moment I'm only at the snapshot level!" He then bends down to Maggie's daughter, who says, "Hello." Gordon smiles, "Hello, Cassie." As he stands up again, Maggie asks him if he's taken any good photos yet. Gordon admits, "No - at the moment, I'm just trying to improve blurry ones into merely fuzzy ones!" Cassie suddenly tugs on Maggie's sleeve. Maggie asks her daughter, "What is it?" Cassie replies, "Rags." Gordon asks what the little devil's been up to. Maggie, looking guilty, tells him, "I especially took the day off from work so that we could go to the movies. I don't know what happened; we must have left the gate open, or something." Cassie adds, "He ran away." Maggie explains, "We thought he might have come back here." Gordon tells her, "No, I'm sorry to say." He then bends down to Cassie and suggests, "What say we both go outside and have another look?" Cassie smiles, "Great! Thankyou!"

A short time later, Gordon, Maggie and Cassie are walking along the beach. Cassie is yelling, "Rags! Rags!" Gordon suggests to Maggie, "If he's not here, I think it's a lost cause; we've looked everywhere else." They suddenly hear the sound of a dog barking and Cassie cries, "Mum! Mum! I think that's him - up there!" She runs off. Gordon and Maggie start following her. Maggie suddenly stops in her tracks, though, and bends over, apparently in pain. Gordon asks in concern, "Maggie?" Maggie murmurs, "I'm fine... it's alright. I'm fine." Gordon asks her if she wants to sit down for a while. Maggie tells him quickly, "I felt dizzy for a second, that's all. It's over now." Cassie runs back, pulling Rags behind her, and she cries happily, "I've found him! I've found him!" Gordon smiles, "I think we all deserve a reward. Why don't we get some ice cream and all go back to my place, eh?" The three of them walk off.

Later, that evening, Maggie is teaching Gordon how to place a layer of pastry on top of a pie-filling in his kitchen at Seabreeze Towers. Gordon stands back and sighs, "Look at it, for God's sake!" Cassie, sitting in an armchair, bursts into giggles. Gordon suggests, "Let's say we forget all about the pastry, eh, and just have a chicken... vegetable... stew thing!" Maggie assures him, "A couple more goes and you'll get the knack." Gordon, though, sighs, "Why in God's sake hasn't somebody invented a ready-made pastry?" Maggie tells him, "They have - it's just that it's nicer if you do it yourself." Gordon muses, "I don't care how nice it is - as long as it's easy." Maggie sighs half-teasingly, "Really, Gordon. I'm teaching you to cook. I never said it was going to be easy!"

Alison and Wayne walk into the lounge room at Charlie's, Wayne taunting, "How did your first day on the chain gang go?" Alison retorts sarcastically, "Terrific. Everyone had a ball." Wayne laughs, "You must stick out like a sort thumb in that crowd." He then sits down and announces that he has some business he wants her to cast an eye over. Alison comments, "I thought you wanted me to resign." Wayne tells her, "I do - but considering you haven't, you may as well do a bit of work." Alison looks at him and then says, "I hope your wedding's not too far advanced - just in case you have to put it off..." Wayne asks, "Now why would I have to do that?" Alison takes out the photo that Glen gave her and, showing it to Wayne, tells him, "I got this today. Nice shot, isn't it? Maria's new house in Bali." Wayne grabs the photo from her as she goes on, "Strange how someone supposedly as broke as Maria could afford a house like that, don't you think?" Wayne mutters, "Susan knows I sent Maria money." Alison retorts, "She knows you sent her enough to put food in her stomach, I'm sure, but buying her a mansion's rather too generous to be mere charity, wouldn't you say? I know I'd be asking questions." Wayne just mutters, "Asking's one thing. You might find getting an answer a bit more difficult." Alison just muses, "Perhaps. We'll see.." Wayne glares at her and storms off.

Andy is sitting in the lounge room at Dural, his feet up, a can of beer in his hand and the TV on, when Wayne comes in. He immediately snaps at Andy, "It's nice to see you earning your money. While you're lying around drinking, Alison's probably knocking on Glen's door." Andy asks, "What's happened?" Wayne just growls, "I don't know why I hired you." He sits down. Andy tells him curtly, "Listen: I am not just sitting on my butt. Fiona's going to take a parcel to Glen tomorrow, and when she does, I will follow her." Wayne laughs bitterly, "Great plan. I remember the last time you tried to follow her." Andy suddenly stands up and snaps, "Alright. I am doing my best. If you don't like it, sack me. I mean, being broke can not be worse than working for you." Wayne, looking taken aback, sighs, "Yeah, alright. Sorry." He then explains, "Alison just showed me a photograph of Maria's house in Bali; well, she said it was Maria's house." Andy tells him, "She wouldn't know." Wayne just mutters, "Maybe. Maybe not. I can't take that risk. Find Glen and the flat's yours rent-free - plus a bonus." Andy assures him quickly, "I'll find him."

Rags is lapping up water from a bowl on the floor in Gordon's room at Seabreeze Towers. Maggie takes the pie out of the oven and carries it across to the living room table. She suddenly spots Cassie playing with Gordon's camera on the couch, and she snaps at her, "Cassie, put that down. I've told you a hundred times not to touch other people's things." She and Gordon go and sit down with Cassie and Gordon takes the camera. He shows Cassie how to fit the lens, explaining that you can put on as many lenses as you like. Maggie suggests to Cassie that she go and wash her hands. Cassie walks off, leaving Gordon to comment, "Bright kid." Maggie just sighs, "She's so inquisitive." Gordon asks where she gets that from. Maggie replies, "Not me, that's for sure. That's her dad, that is. She spends hours taking things apart: clocks... radios... anything she can get her hand on. Just like he used to. That's all she can remember about him: the way he used to tinker with things - trying to find out how they worked. She likes tinkering with the same sort of things, unfortunately." Gordon asks, "Why unfortunately?" Maggie explains, "His great hobby was those big kites - you know: the good ones - $100 a pop. Cassie's been hinting she'd like to make one... I don't know what to do - way beyond my price range." Looking suddenly embarrassed, she changes the subject quickly, saying, "That pie will be cold unless we get a move on. I'll get some plates."

The next morning, Charlie is lying back on the couch in her lounge room, reading the newspaper. Alison - wearing casual clothes - joins her and asks her if she has anything planned for the day. Charlie replies, "Not really. A shopping expedition with May and Janice later on, but that's about all." She suddenly spots something in the newspaper and exclaims, "Oh! Good lord!" Alison asks, "What?" Charlie tells her, "A diary was auctioned at Sotheby's yesterday." Alison mutters disinterestedly, "How staggering." Charlie explains, "It went for $150,000." Looking thoughtful, she muses, "I wonder what mine would fetch?" Alison retorts sourly, "I wonder who'd buy it." Charlie insists, "I'm sure someone would find it interesting. In future centuries, when controversies rage about how we lived in the 1980s, my diary could be a standard reference work!" Alison smiles at her and wanders over to look out through the window. As she does so, she comments, "I've never kept a diary." Charlie tells her, "You've never been lonely enough - or busy enough. They're the only people who bother with diaries - lonely people... busy people. One lot writes about the things they've done while the other lot writes about the things they're going to do." Alison, looking thoughtful, comments, "I suppose Ginny must be lonely." Charlie asks, "She keeps a diary?" Alison nods, "Yes. I found it yesterday while I was looking through her handbag." Charlie gasps, "Really, darling." Alison just retorts, "She looked through mine." Charlie smiles humorously, "Someone call Terry Willessee! Han Murabi is alive and well and living in Dural!" Alison, though, tells her, "It wasn't just tit-for-tat. She was walking all over the other girls. I wanted to prove to her I wasn't quite so malleable." Charlie muses, "So, you stole her diary. I'm sure that put her in her place." Alison retorts, "It did - especially when I read out selected passages. The tough girl's sporting quite a broken heart." Charlie cries, "Darling, that's cruel." Alison mutters, "It did the trick." Charlie insists, "It's still cruel. You know what it's like to have a broken heart. Poor girl - I feel sorry for her." Alison mutters, "It's all very well for you to feel sorry for her; I have to put up with her." With that, she adds, "I'd better go. See you this afternoon." She goes to head out, but pauses by the lounge room door and does up the zip on her bag tightly.

Sometime later, Ginny is scrubbing another wall at the soon-to-be-orphanage. Alison is mopping the floor nearby. She looks over at Ginny and comments, "I wonder what happens if it rains. This place would leak like a sieve." Ginny just ignores her. Alison goes on, "If it does, I'll shout you lunch somewhere. Might help if we talked for a bit; got to know each other better." Ginny continues to ignore her. Alison says eventually, "Ginny..." There's still no response. Alison walks over to her and goes on curtly, "Alright, I've tried. No one can say I haven't tried. I came here willing to admit I went too far yesterday - but it wasn't unnecessary; you brought it on yourself. You can't stand there like an innocent martyr and pretend you've been victimised. You deserved it. The sooner you wake up to yourself, the sooner you'll grow up." Ginny just turns away to work on another area. Alison snaps, "Ginny!" Ginny finally turns to look at her and she says 'innocently', "Sorry. Did you say something?" Alison turns away, looking annoyed.

Gordon opens the front door of his room at Seabreeze Towers. Maggie is standing outside and she apologises for being late. She steps inside and Gordon invites her to sit down. He adds that her he'll get her a coffee. As he goes and potters around in the kitchen, he goes on, "I think it's time we had a serious chat about you seeing a doctor." Maggie sighs, "I know - but I just can't bring myself to. What happens if there is something wrong? Who's going to look after Cassie?" Gordon points out, "If there is something wrong, it won't go away by not seeing a doctor." He adds, "It's probably something minor - and even if it isn't, the longer you leave it, the harder it's going to be on Cassie when you're finally forced to do something about it." He goes on, "There are other things you can do to help: have you thought about insurance? At least it'll make sure that she's financially provided for - not only if you're sick, but in case of accident... anything." Maggie just mutters, "Insurance companies... they're like all the rest. Like my husband's company: when it comes time to pay out, they're not interested." Gordon insists, "They're not all like that. You have to look around for a reliable company and find a policy that suits you. I'm sure you'll feel better about it." Maggie admits, "You're probably right."

A young woman walks into the soon-to-be-orphanage and looks around slyly. She then wanders over to where Alison's handbag is hung on the wall. Alison has her back turned - she's busy scrubbing a table. After a few seconds, she stops what she's doing and, turning and seeing the woman standing there, asks her, "How long are you here for?" The woman replies, "Just this morning - they move me round a bit." The supervisor suddenly walks in and says to Alison and Ginny, "Ladies, meet Valda - she'll be here to give you a hand for a few hours." She then suggests to Valda that she can start off by helping Ginny with the walls. She adds, "Do you need any help, Ginny?" Ginny, looking at Alison, shrugs, "Sure. I'm not proud." Alison, who's taken her bag off the wall, cries suddenly, "My money's gone. Someone's stolen my purse. It was here half an hour ago. Where is it?" She glares at Ginny, who cries, "Don't look at me." The supervisor warns, "Alison..." Alison, still looking at Ginny, growls, "She must have taken it; money just doesn't walk off." Ginny retorts, "It wasn't me, fishmouth." Alison snarls, "Like hell." The supervisor, though, snaps, "That is enough." She then holds out her hand to Valda and says, "Come on. Hand it over." Valda reaches into her pocket, takes out Alison's purse and gives it to the supervisor. As she then hands it to Alison, she explains, "Valda has something of a reputation - and next time, don't be so quick to condemn." Turning to Valda, she adds, "You try that once more and you're on a report, understand?" She then wanders off, sighing, "Happy cleaning." Alison looks at Ginny and mutters, "Sorry." Ginny retorts, "Pinching fags is one thing. I'm not a thief, but; you won't catch me heading for jail." Alison muses, "Crash a few more cars and you might surprise yourself." She turns away. Ginny, though, snaps, "You like talking down to me, don't you - as if I'm a little puppy or something. Well, who's heard of you? That's what I'd like to know. Walk around with your schnoz in the air all day and, really, you're no one. Some day, Alison, I'm going to make it; make it big. You're going to be telling everyone about the time you worked with Ginny Doyle - and you're going to brag about what friends we were, and they're going to get you to call me up and ask me over to meet them all - and I'm going to hang up in your ear." Alison listens, but then just walks away with a broad grin on her face. Ginny stands there looking infuriated.

Andy is sitting in his car at the side of a road, trying to hide behind a newspaper. A taxi pulls up a few yards down the road and Fiona climbs in. Andy starts the engine of his car, looking pleased with himself.

Glen is out running along the beach when Fiona catches up with him. Looking surprised, he asks, "How are you? What's news?" Fiona holds out a cardboard tube and tells him, "I have something for you. It arrived yesterday but I was away last night." Andy watches from a distance as Glen opens the tube. Fiona asks Glen, "Is it anything important?" Glen takes out the contents and his face drops. Fiona asks, "What is it?" Glen explains, "It's the plans for renovating Charlie's beach house. Susan was... we were going to live there after we got married. I guess Susan sent it to me to prove that we were really through." Fiona, looking sympathetic, smiles, "Look, I'll tell you what we'll do: let's go back to my place; have a stiff drink or something; cheer you up a bit." Glen nods, "Alright." Fiona puts her arm round him and they walk off. Andy watches from a distance.

Wayne is working on some papers in the lounge room at Dural when the front door bangs and Andy walks in. He immediately announces, "Found him." Wayne, looking surprised, asks, "You sure?" Andy smiles, "Yep!" Wayne tells him, "Nice work." He then throws him over a set of keys, telling him, "There's your keys to the flat." He reaches into his wallet, takes out some cash and adds, "And your bonus, as promised." Andy takes it and asks, "What do you want me to do now?" Wayne, however, replies, "Apart from making a few 'phone calls, nothing." Andy queries in surprise, "Nothing?" Wayne tells him, "You're going to move into the flat and go to work as normal - and make sure you're accounted for for every minute of the day. I don't want anyone to be able to point a finger at us when what's about to happen to Glen finally happens..."

 

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