This week on the Australian television show Home and Away, Xander’s first date with nurse Stacey goes horribly wrong. Can he still save the situation?
Xander Delaney (Luke Van Os), the half-brother Jasmine (Sam Frost) was unaware she had, first arrived in Summer Bay back in March of this year.
He arrived with Jasmine’s step-sister Rose (Kirsty Marillier), his half-sister, and despite initial difficulties, they gradually developed a bond with her. Once Jasmine has departed Summer Bay, the two siblings are left to fend for themselves in the new community. Rewind a few months. Fortunately, because of their strong friendship, they are now content to remain.
Xander and Rose shared a rare day off last week, and Rose couldn’t help but notice that the attractive brunette working the juice bar was giving her brother some attention.
Even though Xander saw her, he was far too nervous to approach her without his sister’s urging. If she won at pool, she made him promise that he would have to go get her number.
“Okay,” replied Xander. You must ask out the following guy who messages you on that [dating] app if I win, though.
Unsurprisingly, Rose triumphed, forcing a bashful Xander to proceed to the juice bar.
When Xander came back with Stacey’s phone number, Rose’s pushiness was exposed (Maleeka Gasbarri).
Even though he was delighted to have Stacey’s phone number, he didn’t call her the next day and had no plans to.
“The arrangement was that I would ask for her number if you defeated me at pool. We made no mention of going out on a date.
Even Rose’s teasing that if he ghosted her, it might cause her to lose faith in all men wasn’t enough to get him to pick up the phone.
He eventually called Stacey to arrange a date, but he kept the conversation between himself and the diner women since he knew that if the date went poorly, his sister wouldn’t let him hear the end of it.
He had to act quickly when Rose spotted him getting ready to leave their apartment and asked what he was doing. He said that he was going to a friend’s 30th birthday party.
However, Rose was delighted to hear about the party. “Is there going to be someone hot? Could I come? – and before she could collect her shoes and leave with him, Xander had to make a quick getaway.
It was unfortunate for Xander that Rose quickly learned the truth.
Despite Irene (Lynne McGranger) desperately shaking her head in an attempt to encourage Leah (Ada Nicodemou) to keep her mouth quiet, Leah (Ada Nicodemou) let slip about where Xander actually was when she went downstairs to the diner to buy some takeaway lasagne.
It turns out that Xander had good reason to conceal his date because Rose went directly to Salt to humiliate him.
Rose remarked, “Pretty low key 30th,” as she discovered Xander by himself.
She went to the bar to get a drink because she was laughing at his shame and it appeared she had no plans to leave anytime soon.
In the upcoming week’s promos, we see exactly what happens when Stacey does arrive, and Xander is going to have a tough time.
Even if Xander asks her to leave, Rose is still there.
He asks, “You’ve had your pleasure, now can you just leave before she gets here,” but Rose only replies that she won’t get in the way of his good time.
Stacey enters at that very moment, and Xander feels compelled to explain his sister’s presence after getting up to welcome her.
When Rose eventually decides to leave them alone, Xander shows how unprepared he is for dating in no time at all. Stacey retorts, “having your sister around might have given that one away,” as he is forced to apologise for his nerves and how rusty he is.
He is reassured by Stacey that he has nothing to worry about. Before they can unwind into it, though, a bar patron accidentally drops a glass to the floor before dropping to the ground.
The paramedic and nurse are the ideal team to help, so Xander and Stacey dash over.
A visit to their place of employment, however, wasn’t on the agenda, which slightly dampens the mood.
Stacey departs after delivering the patient to Northern Districts. She thanks Xander for dinner, saying, “It was definitely one to remember,” as she enters the elevator.
She closes the door on Xander as he moves forward, either to kiss her good-bye or to join her in the elevator. She smiles and says, “Bye Xander.”
Xander feels compelled to go back to his and Rose’s apartment alone and dejected. He tells his sister that after their incident, he asked Stacey if she’d want to get another drink, but that she’s now at home and he’s here.
Very bad.
Will he be successful in getting Stacey to agree to another date? Will Rose be able to avoid meddling in her brother’s romantic life, which is possibly even more significant?
