As Justin pushes for an early album release on Home and Away in the UK next week, Lyrik is under pressure, and Irene is feeling quite alone after John’s departure.
Next week, the constant fighting between Theo (Matt Evans) and Kirby (Angelina Thomson) will still strain ties between the Lyrik members, but Justin’s shocking announcement regarding the album’s release forces the group to come together.
After returning to his role as the band’s manager, Justin (James Stewart) has been working hard to find a location for the impending launch while Remi (Adam Rowland) finishes the songs. This is the result of the last recording sessions.
After Justin chatted with Mackenzie (Emily Weir), she recommended the El Ray club, which is owned by an old acquaintance in the city and seemed to be the ideal blend of “cool” and “professional” that Justin was searching for.
Theo, meantime, is still in shock over the information that his ex-girlfriend Kirby used to be a surfer, something she concealed from him the whole time they were together. Kirby had confided in Mac that she had stopped going to the surf after an unfortunate wipeout a few years prior.
To Theo’s astonishment, Kirby overcame her concerns to catch some Summer Bay waves with Mac’s help and a board that Mali (Kyle Shilling) lent her.
Next week, Kirby tells Theo that they are now solely professional and declines to discuss the situation further. They have nothing to talk about if it isn’t about the band.
Later, when Justin gets Lyrik back together, he tells them that he’s got a date at the El Ray club. The band is overjoyed since they had always wanted to perform there! The event is scheduled for two weeks from now, which is the only problem.
Remi points out that they’re not even close to being ready, and there’s instant panic because it appears they have no choice because Justin has already shared the date on social media!
Theo chooses not to accompany Remi, Kirby, and Eden as they immediately go to the home for an all-night session to finish working on the mix since he is still upset by Kirby’s treachery.
The following morning, when Theo and Kirby go for the same wave and accidentally wind up in the surf together, another quarrel breaks out between them. Kirby responds that he simply needs to go past the fact that she withheld her surfing history from him.
Mac gives Theo some food for thought when she tells him that Kirby getting back on a surfboard was actually a very huge deal, even though she doesn’t go into detail. Meanwhile, Remi, tired of Kirby’s whining, tells her that it’s time she took charge and worked things out with Theo—for the good of the band!
Kirby approaches Theo with an olive branch at last, and Theo tells her that he’s willing to listen as she shares her worries about surfing. Theo is empathetic, but he is still wounded that she couldn’t confide in him when they were dating, especially after he was so honest with her about his own traumatic upbringing.
But after Justin continues to drop bombshell after bombshell, the two are soon compelled to work together. Justin first informs Remi and Kirby that the venue has cancelled the launch owing to electrical issues, but he then goes on to tell them that he has secured an even more magnificent location: The Palais Metro.
Again, Remi and Kirby are amazed by their manager’s abilities (which, to be honest, we’re finding hard to believe too), but as is customary, Justin explains that there’s a catch—and a huge one at that. Tonight is the only date available for a few months!
Kirby and Remi exclaim, “Impossible,” but Justin is adamant that it will happen because the record is being released live this evening. If the launch were to take place at the venue—which is where all the music journalists congregate—who knows where it would go.
It’s anarchy when the band gets back together. They haven’t even decided on an album title yet, and Remi still needs to do one last run through the mix. Frontman Theo is equally uneasy about having to do a press Q&A, while Eden threatens to strike someone in the face if she has to mingle with the journalists.
Kirby notices that Theo is acting irrationally, but he rejects her attempts to communicate.
In spite of all the difficulties, the band shows up at the location that evening for what looks to be the biggest performance of their career to date.
Will Justin and Lyrik succeed, though, given the amount of stress and worry that permeates the band?
In other parts of Summer Bay, after John (Shane Withington) leaves the Beach House, loneliness strikes Irene (Lynne McGranger) like a brick wall.
After living alone for the previous year, Irene was happy to have company around the house, so John found it hard to tell her that, now that he was recovering from his recent hospital stay, he was moving back home.
Upon elucidating her circumstances to Marilyn (Emily Symons), Irene had comfort in knowing that friends were always there to support her.
The following week, Irene informs Marilyn that she was correct and that she doesn’t have to live a hermit because she lives alone. She’s actually going to give John a call and extend an invitation to supper.
Irene leaves to get ready after receiving confirmation from John, leading Alf (Ray Meagher) to wonder about Irene’s intentions with Marilyn because, after all, didn’t John move out today?
Marilyn says Alf is right, and she’s obviously trying to cover her distaste by pointing out that Irene seems to love having John around (we assume John likes to spend time with someone who doesn’t snipe at him all the time, so maybe they should mind their own business!).
That evening, Irene is full of energy as she sets the table, makes a mean-looking lasagne, and pulls out the Scrabble game from the cupboard. She is ready for the ideal evening of entertaining.
However, Irene gets a text from John cancelling their plans so that he can have a video conference with his son Jett, who has just returned from his honeymoon, as she dashes back to the diner to grab a dessert.
Irene, who has decided to stay and assist Marilyn with closing up, is obviously distressed by this decision. She remarks that she has nothing else to do at this point, and Marilyn feels horrible for her.
After their hoax romance a few weeks prior, Marilyn presents her notion to Alf the following day, suggesting that Irene might have actually started to fall for John (here we go again!).
Marilyn finally says that she would now be cool with Irene getting back together with her ex-husband, and she gives Irene “her blessing.”
“Marilyn, I do not have feelings for John!” an irate Irene snaps, clarifying that all she wanted last night was a little companionship for an hour or two.
Later, Marilyn invites Irene over for dinner at her house, hoping they could have a pleasant evening as a way to make up for the misunderstanding. Irene declines the invitation but objects to the concept of tarot.
When Marilyn goes on to advise that she also invite Leah (Ada Nicodemou), Irene is able to see right through Marilyn’s actions.
“You mean to ask her to your old friend’s charity night, the poor, sad, lonely one?” Irene loses it. Maz, thanks, but no thanks.
Has Marilyn just succeeded in making Irene’s situation worse?
