Let’s face it, it was never going to last. Sharing a flat can be challenging at the best of times, but throw together such an unlikely pairing as Martha and Matilda, and there are bound to be fireworks. From Mattie using up all the water, to Martha’s general lack of consideration, it’s hardly been a stress-free ride. It comes as little surprise, then, that a few quiet study sessions back at the Holden house are enough for Mattie to realise that you can’t beat the comforts of home – especially now that Sam, Jack and Rory have packed and left to live with Rachel. And there we were wondering what Martha was going to do next in her evident quest to make Mattie feel unwelcome. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. Room with a viewAfter Bruce’s shock decision, Geoff has turned to the only person he knows cares about him enough to want to help out – but, as with all good things, staying at the Holden house comes with a price. It’s a steep one at that: having to endure Luc’s sniping. “It’s a good thing there’s no sheep around,” he quips, on seeing his new houseguest. A less-than-impressed Tony soon sees that, for Geoff’s sake, he’s going to have to find somewhere else for him to go. And in times of trouble, where better to turn than Irene, the giver of sanctuary to every waif and stray ever to have found themselves in Summer Bay? “Alright, well, I’ve never turned a kid away yet, and I’m not about to start,” she says, giving in to Tony’s incessant asking. Of course, Belle seems to rather cherish her ability to rule the roost, so Geoff doesn’t exactly find himself a welcome guest there, either – especially seeing as Belle knows just how to torture him when it comes to his slightly old-fashioned values. Tensions reach breaking point when Geoff accidentally – not that attention-loving Belle sees it that way – walks in on her in the shower, and it’s soon the case that he’s home-seeking once more. Just to kick Geoff when he’s down, Lucas can’t resist seizing the opportunity to catch his rival off guard and make a threat or two when he sees him alone in the Surf Club. “Trust me, I’m not gonna stop until everyone sees you for what you really are,” he warns, clearly having had enough of Tony spending so much time of fussing over someone else. Of course, Luc’s not all bad – and when he sees how upset Geoff has become, he starts to regret his bull-in-a-china-shop approach. So, before the day is out, the Holden house finds itself pretty much back to capacity. “We’ve got a new member of the household,” Tony says, welcoming Matilda back into the fold. “Um, we’ve got two actually,” comes the reply, as Luc invites Geoff into the house to take refuge – at least for a few days, anyway.Worst manRachel remains unsettled as she waits to see whether or not Henk will get in touch with Brad about being best man (and we use the term loosely) at his wedding. “So when will you know if he can come or not?” she asks Brad, who clearly mistakes her interest for something else, recalling Rachel’s one-time crush on his old friend. Things soon go from bad to worse when Henk calls Rachel to try to convince her that he’s a changed man.

Refusing to listen to what he has to say, she tells him in no uncertain terms that he’s not welcome at the wedding – but it’s clear that he’s not about to take no for an answer. It’s only when Brad gets word from Henk that he’s accepted the invitation that Rachel realises she needs to confide in someone; and, as always, Leah’s on hand to lend a shoulder for her to cry on. Going back some years, it turns out that, after Henk’s marriage broke up, he and Rachel went on an overnight trip to Fiji. It soon became clear to her that things weren’t quite right with him, prompting her to stay in the resort rather than join him at that night’s function. “I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I remember he was climbing into bed with me,” she continues, before making the painful admission that he forced himself on her. As far as a shocked Leah is concerned, the answer’s simple; it may be too late to report him to the police now, but there’s no reason why Rachel shouldn’t be honest with Brad. Leah finally wins her friend over, but just as Rachel gathers enough strength to pay Brad a visit, he shows up on her doorstep with – yes, you’ve guessed it – Henk. Will she still be able to go through with her plan?

Tagged in