If you thought a body washing up in the bay was bad enough, the scriptwriters go one step further by evicting Justin from his home.
Justin’s normal repertory of monosyllabic grunting is long gone, and he believes he can speak his way out of his drug addiction by being pushy (that he still denies).
Surprisingly, the muttering didn’t bother me as much.
Apart from a small circle of Justin’s loved ones who are aware of his addiction, it’s been kept relatively secret, claiming “pressure” as the cause for Justin’s change of character.
Despite everyone’s best efforts, no one has intervened to send him to rehab, where he belongs.
But there’s good news: Tori has returned from her brief hiatus, dressed in white to emphasise the fact that she was practically jilted at the altar because Christian, aka Budget McDreamy (MD) is too fascinated with Rachel, the skydiving accident victim who is making a remarkable recovery despite the fact that her neck is only just linked to the rest of her spine.
I’m not trying to be negative about Tori. But, for a doctor of her calibre, she’s taking her time getting Justin in shape, especially because she’s juggling running the ED and being a single mother.
Leah is on pins and needles, fearful that Justin would lash out at any moment. And who could blame her after Justin takes another go at Stephen Something because he believes he’s attempting to get Leah’s attention.
Is Stephen’s mouth smeared with tomato sauce?
“Irene, I can’t keep going like this.” “I can’t do it,” Leah cries.
Tori, Leah, Justin, and baby Gracie, who was played by two different actors, and while I understand why they have to employ various actors, tonight stood out to me since it was a rare sighting of her not wrapped up in the pram, sitting down for one of those terrible family dinners.
Tori and Leah pour themselves a drink of wine as they debate what to do with Justin because “there’s no assurance he’ll get clean.”
It’s not rehab, but it’s a close substitute.
Tori comes up with a better strategy than Leah’s offer to move out.
“You’re the one who needs to get out,” Tori says Justin.
“You can’t evict me from my own home,” Justin murmurs.
Tori responds, “Watch me.”
And with that, he packs his belongings and heads to the motel, which is seeing a surge in activity due to Mac, Sienna, and Emmett’s reservations.
Mac, on the other hand, looks to be back to her old self, despite the fact that she was only moments ago attempting to have her brother imprisoned.
The siblings are on good terms again after a lot of discussion between Zig and Dean and Zig and Mac.
“All I need is some alone time, which staying at the hotel will provide,” Mac says Dean.
Which is precisely what Mac has been saying for days, but Dean’s perspective may be swayed by a near-arrest and a sharp lecture from his ex.
In other news, Bella’s photography show at Salt is still on the go.
It’s all hands on deck. Well, primarily Ryder’s because Chloe is preoccupied with worst-case ideas for why Mia and Air are acting strangely, but “everything is OK.” Nikau is being held back by Sienna at a posh photoshoot in Sydney, and the infant is powerful.
Then Kieran appears out of nowhere (not at the exhibition but the Stewart house).
It’s fine if you’ve forgotten who he is. He’s Martha’s long-lost son, a recovering alcoholic who had a role in Martha’s insanity.
He professes to be dedicated to improving himself.
Kieran continues, “I’ve been clean for 12 weeks, Roo.”
Roo is hesitant to trust him, but the good news is that he’s no longer wearing that old jacket.
He has a letter for Martha, and it’s up to Roo to determine whether or not she should view it.
Finally, some body news.
Cash verifies, “It’s the woman you knew as Susie McAlister.”
When John learns it was a case of blunt force trauma to the head, he supports himself against a table.
Irene did not maintain the same demeanour during the interrogation and is now considered “officially a suspect.”
Cash says that she has a purpose, that she was chloroformed by Susie, and that she has had previous run-ins with the authorities, including protecting Bella.
Irene declares, “I’m the flippin’ victim here.”