Sons and Daughters logo
    Written by: Valda Marshall   Produced by: Posie Jacobs   Directed by: Russell Webb

Looking shocked, Alison sighs, "I don't believe it." Charlie stands up from the couch and asks curtly, "How much more proof do you need? Pamela's been doing very well out of 'sisterly love', hasn't she?" At that moment, Pamela walks into the room and says flatly, "Hello, Charlie. Didn't hear you come in." Charlie muses, "Really?" She then takes the bracelet from Alison's hand and gloats, "Look what turned up." Pamela stares at it. She then smiles quickly and exclaims, "Great! Now I don't feel so bad about losing it. Where did you find it?" Charlie retorts nastily, "This clever little bracelet found its way into a second-hand shop - and surprise, surprise, sitting right alongside it was a transistor radio, exactly like the one Alison gave you. Now wasn't that a coincidence?" Pamela stands there, stony-faced. After a few seconds, she sighs, "OK. I sold it." Alison, looking shocked, cries, "Why? If you wanted the money, I'd--" Pamela interrupts and retorts, "Oh, sure. Wailing around like a poor relation, waiting for handouts." Alison asks, "Why did you lie to me?" Pamela tells her, "I had to. If you'd known why I wanted the money, you'd have hit the roof." Charlie hisses quickly, "She's making it up." Alison, however, ignores her and asks Pamela, "If I'd known what?" Pamela explains, "I needed the money to buy Beryl some peace and quiet. She was being heavied. I had to pay the warder to keep the girls off her." Alison gasps in astonishment, "With my money?" Pamela says, "I know it was stupid. I knew how you felt about Beryl, but... I guess I should have trusted you enough to explain what I was doing. I just didn't want to hurt my own sister like that. You understand what I'm saying, don't you?" Alison hesitates before nodding warmly, "Yes, of course." Looking aghast, Charlie cries, "You're being a fool, Alison. She's tricked you once and now you're letting her trick you again." Alison, however, snaps, "I'll be the judge of that, thankyou." Looking furious, Charlie throws the bracelet down on the couch and storms out of the room. When she's gone, Pamela says gently to Alison, "Sorry if I'm causing trouble between you--" Alison, however, interrupts and assures her, "She'll get over it." Pamela suggests quietly, "Maybe I should look for my own place?" Alison, though, retorts, "Don't even think about it. We're family and we stay together." Pamela looks at her.

Susan is sitting at the desk in Fiona's room at the mansion, staring into space, as Gordon says, "I've been over it and over it and I can't come up with an answer that makes any sense. Why would she confess to something that she didn't do?" Fiona shrugs, "It beats me. What do you think, Susie?" Susan comes back to earth and looks across at Fiona and Gordon sitting on the couch. She murmurs, "Sorry?" Fiona points out, "You know your mother better than anyone else. Have you got any idea why she said she shot Wayne?" Susan murmurs, "No." Gordon cries, "It's so out of character. Beryl is so honest. I've never known her to lie." Fiona comments, "The reasons must be pretty strong, otherwise why would she want to give up her whole life? - not to mention her husband and child." Gordon looks at Susan suddenly and asks, "You free this afternoon?" Susan replies sharply, "Why?" Gordon explains, "To see your mother. I've arranged a visit." Looking uncomfortable, Susan murmurs, "I don't feel up to it." Gordon, however, presses, "Susan, Beryl is in jail for something that she didn't do; she needs all the support her family can give her. You two have always been so close; maybe she'll tell you something that she won't tell me." Susan sits there, looking worried.

Later that day, Beryl emerges from the main building onto the outside verandah at the Bendala Detention Centre. Susan is standing waiting for her. They hug and Susan then says urgently, "Mum, we've got to talk." They start walking along, Beryl replying as they do so, "Yes. I was thinking of all of you last night, at dinner. We had cottage pie. Remember I used to make that?" Ignoring this, Susan cries suddenly, "Why did you change the plan?" Beryl stares at her and retorts, "Because I'm guilty. You know what Nick says: your mind can play tricks on you. I must have shot Wayne and then blocked it out of my memory." Susan cries, "That's nonsense and you know it is." Beryl snaps, "I don't want to discuss it any more." Susan, however, retorts, "Mum, let's stop playing games. You know and I know... I'm the one that shot Wayne." Beryl looks round quickly at a warder standing nearby. Susan then asks her, "How long have you known?" Beryl replies, "For certain? Ever since I saw Glen's ring on that chain around your neck." Susan puts her hand to her neck in shock. She then tells her mother, "There's no way I'm going to let you stay in here and take the blame for something I did." Beryl looks at the warder again and warns Susan, "Shhh, she might hear you." Susan retorts, "I don't care if she does. I'm going to give myself up." Beryl hisses, "You mustn't." Susan, however, snaps, "What kind of daughter do you think I am? What about Gordon and Robert?" Beryl tells her, "Gordon's strong. He can cope." Susan says curtly, "Then think about Robert." Beryl retorts, "I am thinking about Robert. It was because of his safekeeping that I pushed you into a marriage that was wrong from the start. I had to choose between my children. I allowed myself to be blackmailed. Now I'm paying for it." Looking shocked, Susan cries, "That's crazy talk." Beryl just tells her, "If you give yourself up, Susan, I couldn't live with it on my conscience." Susan cries, "What about my conscience?" Beryl looks at her and says quietly and earnestly, "Susie, you know I love you, don't you? You've had enough unhappiness: first Bill... and then Wayne... and losing your baby. You don't deserve any more. You have your whole life ahead of you. I want you to have a chance to be happy." Susan stands there, looking upset.

Craig is sitting on the couch in the lounge room at Beryl's, writing on a sheet of paper. Debbie is sitting on the chair opposite him, laughing, "You should have seen his face! I'm cleaning out the back car seat and suddenly I find this bikini bottom--" Craig interrupts and snaps, "Debbie, I've got to study. I'd like to forget about work, if you don't mind." There's silence. Debbie asks eventually, "What's the matter?" Craig retorts, "Nothing. I'm just working my guts out all day and I'm studying all night, that's all." Debbie suggests, "Maybe you should take a break?" Craig, however, mutters, "Don't make a big deal of it. I'm just tired, OK?" There's suddenly a knock at the front door. Debbie leaps up and says, "I'll get it." She heads out to the door. A few seconds later, Craig grimaces as he hears Debbie say warmly, "Michelle! Hi! Come in!" Debbie and Michelle walk into the room and Michelle smiles, "Hello, Craig." Craig doesn't look at her as he mutters, "Hi." Michelle says to him, "Maths coaching, remember?" Craig murmurs, "I do now." Michelle starts to say, "If it's any bother, I can--" Craig, however, interrupts and sighs, "It's OK. Let's get on with it." Debbie tells Michelle, "I'll make you some coffee." She heads off to the kitchen. Michelle sits down opposite Craig and he asks, "What don't you understand?" Michelle tells him, "Everything." Craig comments, "We could be here all night!" Michelle murmurs glumly, "I know. I guess I'm just stupid." Craig hesitates before sitting up and saying, "There's no use telling me that you don't understand everything. You've got to give me some idea of the kinds of things you don't understand. If you can't do that then you're wasting my time." Michelle cries, "I'm trying; it's just that, when I look at a problem, my brain turns to cotton wool." Craig turns his head away and mutters something inaudible under his breath. Michelle, however, catches it and, looking horrified, stands up. Debbie emerges from the kitchen and asks brightly, "Black or white, Michelle?" Michelle, however, retorts, "Don't bother. I'm leaving. See you, Deb." She storms out. When she's gone, Debbie glares at Craig and demands, "What did you say?" Craig retorts, "Nothing... Alright, I was rude to her." Debbie sighs, "Why?" Craig snaps, "Because I'm sick of her always hanging around." Debbie points out curtly, "Craig, you offered to help her if she'd lend you her books." Craig, however, retorts, "I didn't offer. You talked me into it." Debbie mutters, "So now it's my fault?" Craig stands up and snaps, "I'm not saying that. All I'm saying is--" He breaks off before completing, "I'm beginning to think this idea of going back to school sucks." Debbie growls, "If that's the way you feel, do what you want, because I don't care." With that, she storms back to the kitchen."

The next morning, Pamela is sitting on the couch in the lounge room at Charlie's, looking through a photo album. Charlie is fussing over Isabella on the other couch, sighing, "Poor little darling. She's quivering. She's all upset." Alison, sitting next to her, mutters, "What are you rattling on about, Charlie?" Charlie pouts, "Isabella. She's a sensitive little baby. She knows when the vibes aren't right." Alison asks, "What vibes?" Charlie retorts pointedly, "When someone doesn't like her." Pamela looks across and growls, "Is that a crack at me?" Charlie shrugs, "If the cap fits..." Alison sighs, "Will you two stop fighting and try and get on with each other?" Pamela retorts, "I'm trying, but Charlie seems determined to score points." Charlie glares at her and snaps, "And you're determined to break up my friendship with Alison." Alison says quickly, "Pamela, do you mind?" Taking the hint, Pamela stands up and leaves the room. When she's gone, Alison says, "Charlie, you're being childish." Charlie retorts, "You just can't see any fault with Miss. Goody Two Shoes." Alison smiles, "I think I know why you're behaving like this: it's because you're jealous." Charlie, however, retorts, "You said that this morning. You were wrong then and you're wrong now." Alison insists, "I don't think so. I understand: we've been friends a long time; you wouldn't be human if you didn't feel threatened." Charlie retorts, "I do not feel threatened. I just don't like her." Alison asks suddenly, "Do you remember when your children came back?" Looking surprised, Charlie asks, "What's that got to do with it?" Alison points out, "That didn't affect our friendship in any way. It's the same thing: I love Pamela as a sister, but it doesn't affect our friendship; it doesn't affect my loyalty to you." Charlie hesitates before sighing, "Oh, alright. I can't promise anything, but if she isn't nasty to me, then I won't be nasty to her." Alison declares, "Good. That makes me feel a lot better." Charlie stands up and says, "Now that that's settled, I'll take Isabella out to the garden. She needs some time by herself." She heads out through the french windows, leaving Alison rolling her eyes!

In her room at the mansion, Fiona has just put Robert down in his bedroom and she's saying to Gordon, "I finally got him to sleep." Gordon replies, "When he wakes up, I'll take him for a walk." Fiona, looking concerned, remarks, "You look tired. Why don't you let me take him for a walk?" Gordon muses, "One thing about all this: he certainly won't suffer from neglect!" Fiona smiles, "I enjoy having him around - it takes me back to when Johnny was a baby..." The door to the room opens suddenly and Susan walks in." Fiona smiles, "Hi there. How's your mother?" Susan, looking uncomfortable, replies, "Good." She then adds bluntly, "I've got to talk to you both." Gordon asks, "What is it?" Susan pauses before announcing, "I'm the one who shot Wayne." Gordon, looking shocked, demands, "Is that the truth?" Susan nods, "Yes." Gordon snaps, "And you let your mother go to jail?" Susan cries, "I'm not proud of it, Gordon." Fiona realises, "Beryl knew that; that's why she confessed: to keep you out of jail." Susan tells them, "I'm going to give myself up." Gordon retorts, "Has it occurred to you that the police might not believe you? They might think you're saying it just to clear your mother; it has been done before." Susan insists, "They've got to believe me." Gordon points out curtly, "It is only your word. It won't stand up in court; there's no evidence." Susan, however, tells him, "Yes there is. I've still got the gun; my fingerprints are all over it." Gordon asks, "Where is it?" Susan replies, "I'll show you - after I've called the police." With that, she goes to the 'phone and starts dialling.

A while later, Susan, Gordon and Fiona are standing at Glen's grave, with two detectives, one of whom asks Susan, "How far down is it? We might need a court order." Susan, however, tells him, "It's not deep. I dug a hole and put the turf over the gun." With that, she bends down and lifts up the plant pot next to the grave. She starts brushing away the earth underneath - but finds nothing. She starts scrabbling around more earnestly, a look of shock crossing her face as she does so. After a few seconds, she looks up at the others and cries in horror, "It's gone."

Back in Fiona's room at the mansion, Susan cries, "I don't understand. The gun was there; I know it was. Why doesn't anyone believe me?" Fiona and Gordon stand there, staring at her. Susan cries, "You think I'm mad, don't you?" Gordon points out, "We all make mistakes." Susan, however, retorts, "It wasn't a mistake. I hid the gun." She then goes on, "Remember when Wayne was shot at outside the courthouse?" Gordon nods, "What about it?" Susan tells him, "That was Clive Greer. I hired him." She goes to the 'phone and starts dialling as she continues agitatedly, "If I can get him to meet me... tape record what he says..." She finishes dialling. The call is answered and she says, "Hello. Clive? It's Susan Hamilton. I've got another job for you." At the other end of the 'phone, a young, dark-haired man, asks, "What kind of job?" He listens before saying curtly, "I don't know what you're talking about." Looking shocked, Susan cries, "Please. I'll pay well... I have to see you... When are you leaving town? Hello? Clive?" He's hung up, though. Susan starts panting heavily as she hangs up at her end. Fiona says calmly, "Susan, dear, why don't you come and lie down?" Susan just stares at her and Gordon and cries, "You both think I'm crazy, don't you, just like those detectives." Gordon insists, "No we don't - but I think it might be a good idea if you saw a doctor." Susan just stands there and cries, "I did shoot him. I did. Why don't you believe me?" She collapses onto the couch, in tears, repeating over and over again, "Why don't you believe me?" Fiona walks over to her and helps her up. She then leads her off to the bedroom, still sobbing.

Alison is standing in the lounge room at Charlie's when Charlie appears at the french windows and asks in concern, "Have you seen Isabella? Did she come in here?" Alison just shrugs, "No, I don't think so." Charlie goes on, "I've looked everywhere and I can't find her." Alison assures her, "She'll be back." Charlie, however, cries, "Yes, but when? She could be out all night." Alison insists, "It's not going to kill her." Charlie jumps back in shock and gasps, "Don't mention that word!" Alison remarks, "You are in a state, aren't you!" Charlie says, "I think someone might have run off with her." Alison chuckles, "For heaven's sake, Charlie, who's going to run off with a dog?!" Charlie cries, "She's so adorable; anyone would love to have her." Alison asks, "Was she wearing a collar?" Charlie nods, "Yes." Alison points out, "Then if she wandered off, someone's going to find her and call you, so stop worrying." Charlie stands there and sighs heavily.

Pamela is walking along a footpath, holding Isabella. She stops by some bushes and puts Isabella on the ground, growling as she does so, "There, you rotten little floor mop. Try getting home from there." With that, she walks off again. A few seconds later, she pauses and looks back at the little dog, who's whining pitifully. Renewing her resolve again, though, Pamela marches off.

It's evening-time. Debbie and Craig are sitting in silence in the lounge room at Beryl's. After a few seconds, Craig sighs, "I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have been rude to Michelle." Debbie just ignores him. Craig pleads, "Don't just sit there; say something - even if it's just to tell me that I'm a dope." Debbie looks at him and snaps, "You're a dope." Craig insists quickly, "It's not all my fault: the girl's as thick as two bricks." There's silence again. Craig says eventually, "Alright, I'll apologise." Debbie asks, "When?" Craig replies, "Tomorrow." Debbie murmurs, "Thankyou." Craig muses, "The things I do!" Debbie glares at him again and snaps, "Look, you might think she's dumb, but she's a nice girl." Craig insists, "I know. I'll see her after Tech." Debbie, however, tells him, "You don't have to wait that long: she always takes a shortcut in the mornings through the park." Craig smiles, "You've got it all worked out, haven't you?!" Debbie picks up a cushion and throws it at him, laughing, "Just be there!"

The next morning, Craig is standing in a covered walkway in the park. Michelle comes up behind him and goes to walk straight past. Craig tries to grab her arm, but she carries on walking. Craig follows her and says quickly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I had a dog day: first I had a hassle with the boss, and there's exams coming up. It's nothing personal; it's just everything started getting on top of me." Michelle growls at him, "Rack off. I know you don't want to help me." Craig insists, "You're wrong. I'd like to - honest. How about this afternoon?" Michelle mutters, "No." Craig pleads, "You've got to give me another chance." He tries to grab her arm again, but the jolt causes her to drop the books she's carrying. She bends down to pick them up. Craig does likewise - and they bump heads. Craig helps Michelle pick up the books - but as he does so, he comes across a sheet of paper on which someone has drawn Michelle's face with the ears, nose and whiskers of a mouse. He stares at it. Michelle snatches it quickly and snaps, "Give me that." Craig asks, "Where did you get that?" Michelle just retorts, "None of your business." She starts walking again. Craig follows her, going on, "What kind of a lame-brain would do something like that?" Michelle shrugs, "I don't know." Craig insists, "You must have some idea." Michelle, however, just retorts, "Obviously there's a lot of other people who think I'm as stupid as you do." Craig sighs, "That's not fair. I said I was sorry." Michelle mutters, "Alright, you said it. Now, goodbye." Craig, however, tells her, "Not until we sort this out. Give me a look at the picture again." Michelle pulls the picture out from her bag and hands it to Craig. He looks at it and then smiles, "Portrait of the artist. Obviously the work of someone who fancies himself. A budding Picasso." A smile crosses Michelle's face. Craig goes on, "These scrawly lines? No confidence. Huge inferiority complex. That's why he has to boost his ego picking on other people. He probably goes around kicking dogs." Michelle smiles, "You're crazy!" Craig grins, "That's an improvement! For a while there, I was just a bad smell!" Michelle tells him sincerely, "I'm sorry - it's just that, at the moment, I don't feel very good about myself." Craig indicates the drawing and asks, "Because of this?" Michelle nods her head. Craig then tells her, "There's only one answer to bullies: laugh at them." Michelle murmurs, "I suppose you're right." Craig nods, "Course I am." He then adds, "Walk you to class?" Michelle smiles gratefully, "Thankyou." Craig takes her bag and they walk off.

Charlie, Alison and Pamela are sitting in the lounge room at Charlie's, having lunch. Charlie, however, puts down her plate and sighs, "It's no good: I can't eat anything. I just know something terrible's happened to Isabella." Pamela mutters, "She probably just got tired of you fussing over her and shot through." Charlie stands up and growls, "That's the kind of remark I'd expect from you. She could be lying in a gutter somewhere... hurt... no one to look after her... Or she could be in one of those places where they do horrible experiments. She could be poisoned... dying in agony..." She cries, "Oh, I know people think that animals don't have feelings, but they do; they suffer, just like us." Pamela sits there, looking guilty. After a few seconds, she stands up and says, "Would you excuse me for a minute?" She leaves the room. Alison glares at Charlie and mutters, "Now look what you've done." Charlie sighs, "You always take her side." Alison stands up and snaps, "Your constant sniping at Pamela is beginning to get to me. If you don't make an effort to get on with her, there's only one solution." Charlie murmurs, "What's that?" Alison retorts, "We both leave and get a place of our own." With that, she marches out of the room.

Pamela is out looking for Isabella. She checks in a rubbish bin, but it's empty. She calls, "Isabella... come to mummy." She looks in an old cardboard box and under a car, but still nothing. She peers over a fence, but Isabella is nowhere to be found.

Fiona is laying the dinner table in her room at the mansion when Gordon walks in from the corridor and asks in concern, "How is she?" Fiona murmurs, "Alright - I think." Gordon then asks, "Do you believe what she said?" Fiona, however, sighs, "I don't know what to think. I would believe it if it wasn't for that business at the cemetery." Gordon suggests, "Maybe some kids found the gun?" Fiona replies, "Or it wasn't there in the first place." Neither of them notices Susan emerge from her room. She stops in her tracks and listens as Gordon asks Fiona, "Do you think she's making it all up?" Fiona shrugs, "I don't know. She's been under a lot of strain lately, losing the baby and now all this. It wouldn't be surprising if she's cracking." Susan walks over to them suddenly and snaps, "So you do think I'm going mad?" Both Fiona and Gordon turn to look at her in surprise. Susan goes on angrily, "I'll prove it to you. I'll prove I did it." With that, she storms out of the room and out to the mansion's front door - but just as she goes to open it, it's pushed open from the outside and Wayne steps in. Susan, taking a few steps back, warns, "Don't come near me." Wayne snarls at her, "I want to talk to you." Susan snaps, "I've got nothing to say." Wayne just shrugs nastily, "Well I've got plenty." Susan lunges at him suddenly and clomps him round the head with her handbag. Wayne reels back in surprise. As he recovers his balance, Susan yells, "You stay away from me or I'll get the gun and I'll finish what I should've the first time." With that, she runs out.

A short time later, Susan is back at Glen's grave, scrabbling around, looking for the gun. She becomes aware suddenly of someone walking up behind her. It's Wayne. He's holding a clear plastic bag, in which he has a gun. Susan turns to look at him and he taunts, "Looking for this?" Susan stands up and cries, "You took it." Wayne nods, "Complete with a nice set of fingerprints. Yours, I'll bet." Susan goes to grab the bag, snapping, "Give it to me." Wayne pulls it away, though, and smiles nastily, "The only evidence that'll clear your mum and get her out of jail. Now, shall we have that little talk...?"

 

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