This week in Erinsborough…
In the wake of David’s death, Ramsay Street residents react and rally to help. While Nicolette busies herself to avoid falling apart, Aaron simmers quietly. When Wendy says that David died a hero, Aaron replies that there was nothing heroic about David choosing to leave their family.
He later opens up to Mackenzie, who is also grappling with her resurfacing grief over Hendrix. Aaron is furious that David chose to save Eden’s life over staying with him and Isla; he would rather David grapple with guilt and be alive than have absolution and be dead. Aaron is grateful when Mackenzie reveals that she felt a similar anger when grieving Hendrix. As Aaron expresses the impossibility of life ahead without his husband, Mackenzie can only cry with him.
Terese goes on the care offensive with Paul. Battling his private guilt, Paul leaves Terese worried by his fierce silence. Toadie, thrown when Terese messages that she plans to stay with Paul longer, extends his caring arms to Melanie. Knowing that Eden’s involvement in David’s death has added an extra layer of complexity for her, Toadie offers that he’s just across the road if Melanie needs to talk.
After Leo openly reflects on the loss of his twin to Krista, fuelled by anger, Krista visits Eden under police guard. Realising he is ignorant of David’s death, she reveals the news, adding that Eden will never be part of her baby’s life; he’ll be too busy rotting in jail.
Holding Melanie hostage, Eden fruitlessly tries to ransack the Kennedy house for money. When Holly unexpectedly arrives home, Melanie shrieks a warning allowing her to get away and alert Andrew. A furious Eden swipes at Melanie’s arm with the scalpel. Noticing Eden is struggling with increasing levels of pain, Melanie offers Eden her pain medication. Eden rejects the pills and tapes Melanie’s arms and legs to a chair.
Behind the cordon line on Ramsay Street, Karl suggests police attempt entry through the unlocked spare bedroom window. Toadie and Aaron are on board with the idea, but Andrew has orders to wait for the critical response team. He allows the group to return to their houses, unaware that Toadie and Aaron plan to take matters into their own hands.
Cottoning on, Terese implores Leo to talk them out of their heroics. When Leo reminds Aaron that his daughter has already lost one dad, Toadie offers to go alone, despite Terese’s pleas to keep out of the dangerous situation.
As the siege is underway, Paul is at the hotel penthouse, pondering Eden and the recent events with David. Angry, Paul directs his vitriol at Krista, reminding her she dragged Eden into their lives; David would be alive if not for that. Full of self-loathing, Krista doesn’t contradict him. When Holly later checks in on her, Krista confesses that she’s having a tough time, but David’s teachings are helping to keep her strong.
Even though Chelsea is genuinely rocked by the news of David’s death, she can’t resist using it to her advantage: she plays up her grief to convince Remi and Cara that she should extend her stay. But Chelsea is rocked when Remi informs her that Paul’s financial situation is not as secure at it appears.
Desperate to check if this true, Chelsea weasels her way into Terese’s sympathies, and then learns that the holder of Paul’s financial info is Terese and Paul’s divorce lawyer, Toadie. She has to think of a cunning way to get the finer dosh details.
Haz struggles to keep Mackenzie’s mind off Hendrix/David, finding himself making mistakes at every turn. He accidentally makes Mackenzie hash browns (Hendrix’s trademark), proposes a zombie movie marathon (Hendrix and Mackenzie’s shared interest) and then takes her to Lassiters Lake (where Hendrix’s ashes were scattered). But when Haz finally comes clean about his missteps – and his concern that he’s intruding on something private – Mackenzie assures him that she hasn’t been reading Haz’s actions in that light at all.
In fact, she’s very happy to finally share her Hendrix memories with someone. Haz assures her he’s happy to do that too, and the couple reconnects.
As Chelsea continues to place herself in Paul’s orbit, all Paul sees is her care and he appreciates it. Later, Chelsea is delighted when Paul defends her involvement in David’s funeral planning to a seething Leo.
Dealing with his own conflict, Leo later unleashes on Chelsea to take her gold-digging elsewhere.
Leo clocks Aaron’s frostiness to Krista and prods Aaron into revealing that he feels the same way as Paul: Krista is as responsible for David’s death as Eden. When Leo confronts his father, Paul projects his self-loathing onto Krista, challenging Leo to question whether David would be dead if Krista hadn’t come into their lives.
Toadie voices to Terese that he feels she is too involved in Paul’s grief and should step back; she’s not part of the family anymore. But Terese counters that Toadie has been overly keen to help Melaine of late. Finding perspective, Toadie and Terese agree that both Melanie and Paul have other people who can support them and resolve to choose each other.
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