While the search party works on finding Annie and Rory, the pair of them are still busy trying to make their way home. Having failed tostop a passing car, it looks like their luck’s in when – who else – Cassie and Henk, returning from a “just good friends” swimming expedition, happen to be driving along the same middle-of-nowhere road and come to their aid. Of course, playing good Samaritan comes at a price in this instance, casting into the spotlight the fact of Henk and Cassie’s spending so much time together. “We were taking the road to Yabbie Creek to pick up the suits for your wedding,” Cassie later tells Sally, who’s by now gathered everyone back at the school to reunite the missing with their loved ones and to start the investigations into how the incident happened in the first place. But even if the cover-up escapes the notice of the preoccupied bride-to-be, not everyone’s willing to let things go in such a hurry, the man-eating Martha being one. As soon as she’s found out that Henk wasn’t alone in saving the kids from their disastrous excursion, she’s certain that something’s not quite right – even if Cassie tries to convince her otherwise. Why would Henk lie about being with her? Before long Rachel joins Martha in her concern; having witnessed Henk and Cassie bickering on the beach (“We could admit that the whole friends thing is just a joke and stop spending time alone together, stop flirting which other,” Henk snaps, keeping up the pretence of tiring of her advances), she decides it’s high time that she confronted him. “So, tell me, what’s going on with you and Cassie?” she asks, only to be spun an elaborate web of lies – made all the more convincing by his producing the wedding suits he’s since managed to pick up in a bid to support Cassie’s claims. Rachel may have had to back down this time, but one thing’s certain: she’s not about to give up.Saving face“How can I end the career of the man who started mine?” Sally wonders aloud, certain that Don’s resignation is, after his less-than-smooth transition back into teaching, the only solution to the problem. Trying to protect Don's dignity, she broaches the subject of the (numerous) “challenges” with which he’s been faced – from clashes with Aden and Cassie to this latest, and most serious, mistake – but he’s less than willing to go along with what she says. It's only when talking to his oldest and closest mate Alf that Don finally admits a lack of enthusiasm for his vocation. “It’s me. My motivation has changed,” he confesses. “I only came back to Summer Bay for the money.” They say honesty’s the best policy, and these words are enough for Alf to see that it’s time for his friend to move on. “It’s not making the mistakes that’s the problem; it’s how you face up to them that counts,” he offers, inspiring Don to do the right thing by Sally and offer her his letter of resignation. To her great relief, it seems that their relationship will survive the tension unscathed, but it does little to ease the heartbreak of knowing that Don’s soon to leave the Bay once more.

Question time

Rory’s ordeal touches off painful memories for Sam of her life on the run from Shane, and she’s not finding Jack’s attempts at support particularly helpful. Even when Rory’s home, the day’s events have far from washed off, and tensions soon escalate as Jack realises that Sam’s not ready to include him in any of the decisions regarding her son’s welfare.

“Either I'm part of Rory's life and part of these decisions, or I'm not. And if I'm not, then I'm not sure this relationship is going to work out," Jack warns, having found himself brushed off by Sam just one too many times for his liking. It's serious food for thought for Sam, who’s shaken into action; breaking from convention, she pops the question to Jack, who happily accepts. And where better to celebrate the big news than at the ever-glamorous diner? “Guess what? Mum and Jack are getting married,” Rory blurts out excitedly, no sooner have they set foot inside.

Suffice to say that, while the gathered crowd rally around to offer their congratulations, there’s one face that has failed to light up. Sitting there looking thoroughly miserable, having been batted away by Henk and now about to see her ex remarry, is Martha. Oh, if looks could kill…

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