Pippa’s finally ready to come home and, unbeknownst to Sally, Colleen and Leah are both busy preparing a surprise welcome party to mark the occasion – but, for a while at least, it threatens that there’ll be little to celebrate. Having intentionally avoided taking Alf to the hospital for his eye appointment only to have a run-in with Ric, everything proves too much for Sally, who reacts less than favourably on returning home to find her friends setting everything up. It’s only after a heart to heart with Leah, as well as overhearing Alf talking to Pippa in the hospital, that Sally realises it’s time to move on – and to decide that the party should welcome not one but two faces back home.Secret admirerIn the wake of Matilda’s revelation, Ric is recovering from the disappointment of knowing that their great plans for the following year are going to have to be put on hold. But this soon turns to anger when Mattie confronts him about a string of text messages she’s seen on his phone, all from a woman named Viv. Although a fuming Ric identifies her as the nuisance wife of one of the garage’s biggest clients, it’s clear that there’s more to this than meets the eye. As a shamefaced Matilda makes her way home, Ric is left to mull over yet another message from his mystery woman: ‘Call me, honey.’In the frameElsewhere, crooked cop George has arranged a barbecue to celebrate his daughter’s birthday; with Jack, Sam and Rory coming along, all the pieces of the puzzle are finally falling into place. You see, Jack having warned him about one of the Bay’s cops being the subject of an internal investigation, a surprisingly relaxed George sees the opportunity for a setup, inviting Fitzy along to the party and arranging for Jack to pick up Colin, a dodgy friend of his, en route.

As the do gets underway, George elects Rory photographer and ensures that a few photos of Jack and Colin make the cut – pictures which will take on a whole new meaning in light of the news Fitz later has to offer Jack himself. ‘I know whom Internal Affairs are investigating,’ she says gravely, having turned up on his doorstep. ‘It’s you, Jack.’


Tagged in