Is Tane about to sabotage Bella and Nikau’s chance at a happily ever after on Home and Away in the UK the next week as she gets ready to say goodbye?
Nikau (Kawakawa Fox-Reo) has accepted that he and his ex-girlfriend Bella (Courtney Miller) will never be more than friends following their unexpected reunion last week.
To meet Isabella, Dean (Patrick O’Connor) and Ziggy’s (Sophie Dillman) 4-week-old daughter, Bella is now travelling from New York.
Nikau was originally reassured by Bella that her being dumped by him was the best thing that could have happened to her, but Bella ultimately dropped the act and acknowledged that she was looking for explanations.
The Paratas and their loved ones were in danger from the bikies, so Nik was glad to finally get the chance to tell Bella that he had ended their relationship for her own safety.
Nik responded that he didn’t want to take anything away from her when asked why he didn’t get in touch with her after it was all over.
Bella acknowledged that she had moved on with her life while the two wondered if there was any hope for the future.
Irene (Lynne McGranger), who was out of town when Bella left last time, hopes to plan a huge send-off as Bella’s trip to the US approaches next week.
When she runs across John (Shane Withington) and Nik, she extends an invitation, and they both accept it with enthusiasm.
When Nikau runs into Bella again, his emotions quickly shift. She gives him some prints of pictures she had previously taken of him and his family, reasoning that he would be a better fit for them.
Nik appreciates the gesture and is especially touched by the inclusion of pictures of his late uncle Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams), but he can’t help but feel that Bella is trying to put an end to their relationship for good with this.
Bella reveals she’s not sure she can even stand going to the farewell dinner Irene has scheduled as they discuss it, then quickly leaves to continue packing.
Later, Bella informs Irene that she isn’t feeling up to a big party and that she will find it difficult to say farewell to everyone once more.
John and Nik discuss the situation in the interim. He decides not to go to the goodbye dinner after all since he thinks Bella wouldn’t want him there as he tells John about the images.
John makes a joke about how Nik heard Bella’s message loud and clear—that she didn’t want to spend time with him on her last day and has placed him firmly in her past—when he later sees her enjoying a low-key goodbye drink with Irene and Marilyn (Emily Symons) at the diner.
Bella cries out, “That’s not true,” and then quickly leaves, leaving Irene and Marilyn to scoff at John’s lack of tact. But John’s wry smile lets us know that he was fully aware of what he was doing.
When Bella gets to the Parata home, she hears Nik’s theory and informs him his theory is completely incorrect—she avoided him because she couldn’t bear to say goodbye to him one more!
After spending the night together and falling into each other’s arms, Nik suggests that they return to New York together the next morning because he doesn’t want to lose her again.
Only one issue exists: Nik will only travel with his uncle Tane’s (Ethan Browne) approval.
Tane isn’t in the mood to learn of his nephew’s intended happily ever after, though. He bluntly informs Nikau that it would be a bad idea to follow a girl to the other side of the world after just having his fiance Felicity (Jacqui Purvis) break up with him.
John overhears Nik telling Bella that he won’t be travelling with her to New York and makes the decision to intervene once more as a result.
John goes to meet Tane and begs him not to let his personal sorrow stand in the way of Nik’s joy. Tane will he listen?
Irene, Dean, Ziggy, and Izzy assemble outside the surf club to say a tearful goodbye to Bella.
While Dean reminds Bella that she will always be part of their family, Ziggy encourages her to keep trying to reach Nik.
Bella yells, “Love you guys,” as John pulls the car back onto the road.
Dean murmurs, “Love you too,” but he is obviously more moved by Bella leaving than he is letting on.
Nik returns home to discover all of his belongings packed up at the Parata residence. He must travel with Bella because he cannot waste this second chance, Tane reminds him as he delivers him his passport.
John pulls over as Tane’s car can be seen in his rearview mirror honking and flashing its lights on the road leading out of Summer Bay.
Nik goes up to Bella as she exits and gleefully announces that he will be joining her!
John observes silently, ecstatic, and why not? He deserves all the credit for this, so praise him!
Nik says a tearful goodbye to Tane and reiterates his advice that it’s never too late before getting in Bella’s car and driving off to start their exciting new life together.
Dean and Ziggy are pleased for Nik and Bella as they go home, but there’s more to come.
For their 8-year-old son Jai (River Jarvis), Dean has been attempting to contact his ex-girlfriend Amber (Maddy Javic), so that Jai can meet his baby sister.
However, when Dean finally gets a response from Amber, he finds out that she’s accepted a position in far northern Queensland. Next week, she and Jai will be relocating there!
Amber would be stupid to turn down the opportunity, it pays twice as much to manage a team of carers, but Dean will have to drive for 21 hours to visit his son.
Izzy has just entered the world, but is Dean about to lose Jai?
