He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy

God’s gift to Erinsborough, the dastardly Dr Lawson, broke his poor wheelchair-bound mother’s heart after she discovered he was too embarrassed to introduce her to his house mates, had got onto the trainee surgeon programme through foul means and was no better than his shallow, self-serving father who’d abandoned them years ago. The spermalogically challenged Toadie vowed to spend more time with his beloved baby-obsessed green-fingered recovering something-or-other Sonya and adopted son Callum. A broke Lou embarked on a short-lived get-rich-quick-health-tonic scam (don’t ask). Kate, the former dancer/disgraced trainee teacher/part-time assistant in Harold’s, gave her less-sullen-of-late sister Sophie and her friend Rani a makeover (I know, thrilling). Limpalot invited half of Erinsborough to Tash’s late night “I’m-so-happy-my-father-abandoned-me” party using a fictitious Facebook account as part of a cunning anti-Councillor-Kapoor-type plan (long story). And Summer Annoyland, having told Andrew she wanted a break, changed her mind only to discover her oddly accented beloved in Tash’s bed pashing some student journalist.

And finally…

These Ramsay Street recaps are going to be a bit less frequent for a while. One thing has led, as it so often does, to another which oddly hasn’t led to exploding veggy vans, evil twins, unhinged mothers and fake spiritualists, but has ultimately led to less time in which to compile these pointless plot summaries. If you’re looking for another Neighbours recap site (Aussie pace) you might want to check out the following: http://recaparama.wordpress.com

Favourite part of blogging so far? Checking out the search terms used to find this site. Given the number of searches for “shrugalero” I’m thinking there’s a market out there for Donna’s famous/infamous (delete as appropriate) fashion garment. To the Google users who found this site by searching for “girl vs horny pig”, “naked Serbian girls”, “naked married men” and “gay naked mechanics”, sorry to disappoint.

Previously on Neighbours…

Missed Neighbours over the past few weeks? Then you missed dodgy kitchen tile dealing, recycled emotional motor bike riding angst, stand-in lawyering of the Councillor Kapoor variety, toe-curlingly embarrassing oh-for-the-love-of-God-stop “Free As A River” funeral duetting, spaghetti bolognese farce, fake fun run injuries, and a singing Sophie and her damned guitar strumming. You also missed…

Sperm promoting relaxation techniques, the besting of a dastardly doctor and aimless frolicking

The spermalogically challenged Toadie sneakily took on extra work at the firm of big shot city lawyers after finding it more relaxing than spending time with Sonya and Callum in their newly renovated home, much to the secret dismay of his green-fingered beloved. Dr Smarmy’s attempts to use his evil superpowers of psychology and good looks to lure Jade into his bed backfired when the personal trainer twigged his cunning plan and belted him in the stomach. And Kate continued to do pretty much bugger all other than gaze at Kyle in secret adoration whilst frolicking about in her new outfits. What was that? Does she still intend to steal him away from Jade? Who knows.

Musical mutiny, earache and jealous dumping

Andrew Robinson reluctantly agreed to Red Cotton’s demand for more money after they threatened to pull out of the gig their skint oddly Aussie/Scottish accented manager had arranged for them at Charlie’s. Summer Annoyland demanded to know why Andrew hadn’t shared his latest business woes with her and upon discovering he wanted to keep their working and private lives separate demanded to know what they’d talk about in the evenings. And head surgeon Alice the Goon dumped Karl after learning (a) his estranged wife had spent the day helping the distraught doctor deal with the death of a close friend he hadn’t seen or spoken to in years and (b) Susan would always play a significant role in Dr K’s life especially now they’d spilt and the scriptwriters were creating endless opportunities for the pair to have will-they-won’t-they-get-it-on-again-moments.

And finally…

Tash finally discovered the shockingly sordid truth about the day her Serbian beauty queen mother Helena drowned all those years ago. Hmm? No really, she did! Keen to rid herself of feelings of guilt the rather attractive Serbian beautician/hairdresser/model for arty naked photos/white witch Emilia decided to engage in wickeny rituals of the burning-confessional-“It’s my fault Helena died”-notes-on-the-barbecue kind. But alas, cruel fate intervened when, unbeknown to Emilia, a sneaky breeze whisked one such note away only to be discovered by Tash (what were the odds?). Demanding to know what the note meant Michael finally confessed all.

Well shocking revelations naturally led to tearful “you both make me sick” shoutings, some distraught driving, daughterly revenge of the setting-light-to-the-Sandman kind (briefly mistaken for wronged mechanicerly revenge of the setting-light-to-the-Sandman kind but ultimately explained away to the police as stupidity of the accidental-setting-light-to-the-Sandman-after-teacher/beautician-romantic-candle-lit-wooing kind), movings out, fatherly pleadings for forgiveness and icy “I have no father” rejections. “Gosh.” Quite. Anyway, Emilia decided to flee to Serbia convinced her presence was making things worse and Michael, having packed all his worldly belongings into just the one bag, decided to join her in order to give his daughter the time and space she needs to forgive him / enjoy guilt free naked adult relations with his beloved and spare himself any future Tashtrums (delete as appropriate).

In no more than 100 words recap last week’s goings-on in Neighbours…

There was sperm-sample-race-against-the-clock farce and failed evil one-legged attempts to “buy” a campaigning councillor Ajay Kapoor. Summer was hired as Erinsborough News online editor-something-or-other after boosting paper sales with thrilling stories of the proposed-new-community-centre-will-result-in-the-scrapping-of-the-local-Police-Station kind. A guilt-ridden Kate temporarily scuppered the dastardly doctor’s plan to break up Jyle and pondered which new top to wear. Oddly Aussie/Scottish accented manager-type attempts to promote Red Cotton concerts at Charlie’s led to recycled way-dornt-yooze-or-may-daaah-ever-sepport-may mornings/moaning. And Lucas, having accidentally discovered Emilia and Michael together, shouted a bit, drank a lot and one-night-standed a rather attractive woman who served up a mean omelette.

Previously on Neighbours…

Missed Neighbours last week? Then you certainly didn’t miss any friendly waving, perfect blending or being-there-for-one-anotherliness. You did miss…

Dodgy scams

Lou’s fake shuffle-board-neck-injury-insurance-claim-scam backfired and having blown all his money on his cruise he now looks set to fiddle the accounts of the Dial-a-Kyle business in order to cream off the profits.

School woes

Summer decided to pack in school following spotty youth you’re-a-cheat-type taunting. And The Brat (aka Sophie) was told she could go back to Erinsborough High if she apologised for vandalising the girls’ toilets. But the sullen, purple highlighted, nose ringed, bass playing teenager was all “I’m like so not sorry for that” and ended up being packed off to Eden Hills Grammar School by her despairing one legged legal guardian Paul Robinson where she had a miserable time but is like so not going to admit that to her uncle.

Manly DIY

In a desperate attempt to prove he was a man the spermalogically challenged Toadie decided to undertake a bit of DIY of the bashing-a-large-hole-in-a-wall-to-make-a-fire-place kind and did his back in. Despite failing to impress his green fingered beloved Jarrad did manage to impress his boss Charlotte with some improvised standing up big shot lawyer type business negotiations (long story).

The surfer dude, the Serbian and the mechanic

Michael struggled to suppress a gleeful grin when a depressed Lucas informed him that Emilia had dumped him. But gleeful grinnings were soon replaced by forlorn frownings when the rather attractive hairdresser/beautician/occasional naked model for arty type photos told the surfer-dude English teacher she wasn’t yet ready to resume their relationship of yesteryear. And what of the heartbroken mechanic? Well according to Kyle he’s entered the denial stage of the break up having taken Emilia’s “it’s not you it’s me” explanation for dumping him as a hopeful sign that she’ll take him back. What was that? Didn’t he use the same line when breaking up with the flaky florist? I think he did.

And finally…

It was a rare angst free week for the personal trainer and the handy man. And get this, Jade even engaged in unashamed public signs of affection with her beloved and reminisced in front of her boot camp for fake singles (don’t ask) about the day she and Kyle first met and how, just several short, hassle free months later, they were united in mutual besottedness. Bloody hell? Quite. Naturally such public declarations of besottedness caused the former dancer/disgraced trainee teacher/part-time assistant in Harold’s/permed party girl Kate to suddenly realise that she loved the handyman with all her heart. Sorry? You didn’t know Kate had ever harboured such feelings for Kyle in the past and didn’t she once reject his advances? Err… she hasn’t and you’re right, she did (helpfully recapped by a pre-permed spurning flashback). What’s your point?

Anyway, having learned from the smarmy Dr “you’ve got to fight for what you want regardless of who you screw over in the process” Lawson that Kyle had planned to fly to Port Douglas to search for her, Kate has decided she’s going to attempt to steal him away from her friend for how could she live the rest of her life knowing she’d let the only man she’d ever truly loved since the handsome-in-an-obvious-sort-of-way-detective with OCD Mark Brennan slip through her fingers? Hmm? No the cocky chap at Port Douglas the other week was a holiday fling. Doesn’t count apparently.

A Quick Neighbours Recap

There were high perm counts, low sperm counts, cutting apron put downs and some oddly Aussie/Scottish accented “given epp ezz nort yer stale” motivational type dialogue that should have come with subtitles.

Having given up hope that her older sister would return to save her from a life in foster care, Sophie fled Ramsay Street to live under the bed of Rani Kapoor (presumably a short term plan) unaware that her aforesaid sister had scrapped her travel plans and ended her holiday romance after receiving an email from Callum, pretending to be Sophie, with pleadings of the I’m-sorry-for-being-such-a-brat-please-come-home-and-or-I’ll-be-thrown-into-an-orphanage kind. Alas, the runaway sullen purple highlighted nose-ringed bass playing teenager was soon found and dragged back home by her one-legged and less evil-of-late uncle Limpalot.

Kate returned to the street where a friendly wave each morning helps to make a better day and was immediately greeted with tantrums of the like-I-care-that-you-came-back-or-I-go-into-foster-care kind (yes who else) and angry how-could-you-take-off-without-a-word-to-your-mates kind (Kyle, much to the delight of a jealous Jade who feared he still held a torch for the former dancer/disgraced trainee teacher) but after a bit of picture gazing a tearful sisterly reconciliation ensued. Sophie has now been permanently palmed off onto Paul, who despite his criminal record, is set to become her legal guardian, allowing Kate to live a life free of substitute-motherly type responsibilities and party all the live long day in her new short dresses/long tops.

Toadie learned he was spermalogically challenged prompting the brief return of the house of trouser and a shortage of tinned tuna (long story). Summer Hoyland decided to resit Year 12 in order to keep her journalistic dreams alive. Unable to tell Kyle that she loved him (personal trainer hangup of the week) Jade demonstrated her love for the handyman with house plants (don’t ask). Lou Carpenter returned from his cruise with a fake insurance-claim-scam-shuffle-board-type neck injury. And Emilia, unable to forget the classroom kiss with her former beloved Michael, dumped a broken hearted and increasingly curly headed Lucas Fitzgerald.

Neighbours: Now and Then

Now

Paul learned of Kyle and Callum’s Dial-a-Kyle flyer scam and demanded reimbursement from the handyman and the immediate resignation of the secretly chuffed paperboy (short-lived chuffedness as he’s now been employed by his mum on the nursery).

Emilia the beautician/hairdresser/part time naked model for arty-type photos twigged that the surfer-dude English teacher Michael was still hopelessly besotted with her and after a brief heart-to-heart shared a passionate classroom kiss with her former beloved.

There was yet more handyman/personal trainer angst when Jade informed Kyle that he was a pushover especially where Kate and dying plants were concerned (don’t ask).

Thelma and Louise began their carefree holiday in Port Douglas. Erin enjoyed sun, sand and naked adult shenanigans with a barman, while a frizzy haired Kate (what’s going on there?) embarked on a Mills and Boon type you’re-a-cocky-prat-of-a-tour-guide-who-dropped-my-phone-in-a-swimming-pool-conveniently-leaving-me-completely-cut-off-from-any-younger-sister-strife-at-home-but-despite-all-this-I-desire-you-anyway romance.

Sophie conned her way into helping her oddly Scottish/Aussie accented cousin film a video for Red Cotton in Erinsborough High and ended up trashing the girls’ loos (a minor how-could-my-sister-leave-without-saying-goodbye-even-though-I-hate-her-but-really-still-love-her-abandonment-issue-type-meltdown). Impressed with the final angry teen video footage Red Cotton hired Andrew as their manager (cue how-could-you-exploit-your-cousin-yet-again-don’t-you-want-to-go-to-uni-outrage from Summer and way-doornt-yooze-ever-sapport-me-woman exasperation from Andrew) while Sophie, after some rather expensive laws-of-physics-defying bass playing (long story) was expelled from school and, thanks to Dr Smug, is to be packed off to an orphanage by Roz the social worker unless Uncle Peg Leg can track Kate down. Thankfully Paul found Kate’s Apple laptop (other brands are available, thought not in Erinsborough) which rather conveniently brought up her travel arrangements when he logged on.

And Sonya and Toadie engaged in a bit of baby-making secretary/lawyer role play at the firm of big shot lawyers and were naturally caught in the act by Toadie’s new boss Charlotte. Keen to make it back into Charlotte’s good books Toadie worked late and joined in with the firm’s policy of fun Friday partying, much to the dismay and annoyance of his ovulating and keen to re-decorate green fingered beloved who, in a fit of frenzied decorating rage, accidentally bashed a hole in the wall.

Then (16 January 2007)

Mad Max has escaped the mental hospital, hopped on a bus and vanished into the night leaving behind his bereft family. Four new people moved into Number 30: the former nightclubbing nun’s sister Rosie (a lawyer who works with Toadie), a backpacker named Will (who has more money than he’s letting on), and a couple who are pretending to be engaged – Pepper (PE teacher and daughter of the only policeman in Erinsborough) and Frazer (a professional gambler). All highly intriguing. The odd cousin of Carmella who befriended the pregnant Sky in hospital is still acting a bit deranged. Stingray has turned back to the bottle. Carmella made a desperate play for the plank of wood known as Ned much to the annoyance of Katya, the former glamour model of Tibetan roots, who has claimed Ned as her own. And Harold, having taken an interest in Janelle’s mother, is back on the dating scene (shudder).

Despicable? Moi?

Missed Neighbours last week? Then you missed conception calendars, burst beanbags, disturbing put-you-off-your-tea teenage snogging and strewth-it’s-hot-type acting. You also missed…

The continuing saga of the dastardly doctor

An angry Dr K confronted the dastardly Dr Lawson and told him he hadn’t appreciated being used as part of the smarmy doctor’s plan to get shot of Erin and was going to inform Jessica, the head of the surgeon training programme, of his despicable deviousness. “So justice was done, Erin was reinstated and the smug doctor’s evil Robinsonesque plan ultimately thwarted?” Err… no. Lawson responded to Karl’s accusation with a wounded “how could you think me capable of such dastardly doings?” and immediately cast doubt in the gullible doctor’s mind. “No!” Afraid so.

Well one thing led to another which led to mopey coffee drinking, an enlightening chat with the former dancer/former disgraced trainee teacher/part time assistant in Harold’s/part time party girl, another threat to reveal all and pleadings of the this-is-my-sick-wheelchair-bound-mother-who-I’ve-had-to-look-after-since-I-was-a-lad-pleeease-don’t-dob-me-in-as-I’ve-got-to-become-a-surgeon-as-soon-as-possible-so-that-I-can-create-a-world-where-there-are-no-more-sick-wheelchair-bound-mothers kind. Alas, the soft-hearted Dr K didn’t dob him in but suggested to Jessica that it would do the young doctor good to wait a year before being admitted on to the surgeon training programme. “And?” Oh she set Rhys some test, he aced it and she let him on the programme immediately.

Tearful farewells

The fluffy Kennedy pooch Audrey passed away (very sad) and was laid to rest with great solemnity at Sonya’s Nursery after a brief bit of farce involving a cool box, canine body snatching, refuse collectors and bribery (don’t ask).

Bag packing

Kate and Erin became friends and rather than plot how to exact their revenge on the smarmy Doctor Lawson (vaguely disappointing) discussed heading off to live on a beach somewhere and leaving their everyday worries and responsibilities behind. And after yet more sullen sisterly snubbing Kate has done just that and without so much as a farewell text.

Inconvenient dumping

Sophie decided Corey wasn’t the boy for her after all (turned out he wasn’t into her kind of music, liked geeky online dragon quest computer games and was basically Callum) but after a bit of oddly Scottish/Aussie accented bribery continued to date him so as not to scupper Andrew’s dream of managing Corey’s big bro’s band Red Cotton. Alas, the guilt became too much for the bass playing Sophie and she confessed all to a crushed Corey who immediately told his older brother thus ending her cousin’s latest get-rich-quick scheme (hmm, I haven’t used ‘thus’ since 1997).

A new regime

Priya Kapoor was appointed as the new head teacher of Erinsborough High and immediately set about reversing the former Surfer-dude head’s laid back “call me Mike” type policies, cancelled Mr Fitzgerald’s leave to visit his brother and enrolled her young Bollywood loving daughter Rani at the school.

And finally…

Lucas decided to tell Emilia that he loved her unaware that his best mate Michael had earlier confessed feelings of besottedness to his beloved under a school desk (long story). Struggling to suppress her own feelings of besottedness for the former head teacher, the beautician/hairdresser/naked model for arty-type photos flashed a ‘that’s nice’ smile at the disappointed mechanic and the following day, after a bit of outdoor pondering of the musical-interlude-with-a-bit-of-interspersed-spurned-jogging kind, met Michael at Lassiters Lake and told him that she reciprocated his goofy smile inducing feelings.

But having since learned of the true depth of Lucas’s besottedness for his sister-in-law, Michael decided he couldn’t break the heart of his best and non-imaginary mate (anyone else miss Ritchie?) and told Emilia that she had totally misinterpreted his earlier declarations of besottedness and was sorry if he’d misled her. So Emila has decided to stick with Lucas and though unable to tell him that she loves him has done the next best thing – given him the keys to her place. What was that? Yes it probably would mean more if he knew where she lived.

Previously on Neighbours…

Stupid Cupid

The evil one-legged Paul Robinson discovered that his sullen bass playing niece Sophie was seeing a boy named Corey (long story which resulted in yet more I-hate-you-type-sisterly-shouting) and forbade any such future seeings. But his oddly Scottish/Aussie accented son Andrew Robinson, having learnt that Corey’s older brother is a member of Red Cotton, is encouraging the young couple to continue their romance in secret in the hope that this will create an opportunity for him to manage the band and make his fortune.

Missed opportunities, sneaky business arrangements, fallings out and resignations

Afraid of jeopardising newly harmonious Greek father/son relations and terrified of entering into his first romantic relationship with a bloke, Chris Pappas turned down a date with Aiden the gay nurse. Alas, just when he’d finally resolved to ask the floppy haired, black eyed nurse out (don’t ask) he discovered Aiden had started dating a barman. Kyle Canning started paying the enterprising Callum to deliver The Erinsborough News with sneakily secreted flyers for his business in an attempt to boost demand for his handyman skills. There was yet more Jade and Kyle relationship angst, this time of the you-blabbed-to-my-sister-about-my-ex-how-could-you? kind (everything’s fine again… for now). And fed up with all the meetings and paperwork Michael Williams resigned as head teacher of Erinsborough High to concentrate on doing what he loves best; actual teaching/surfing all the live long day (delete as appropriate).

Skip if of a nervous disposition

Sonya, the giant smock wearing, green fingered recovering something-or-other, confessed to an uninterested Jade, a startled Susan, and later her very own beloved Toadie (after some mid afternoon lawyer/plantswoman-naked-adult-shennanigans-of-the-birds-and-the-bees-jumbo-jet-speeding-train-fountains-and-fireworks-montage-kind), that she had thrown away her contraceptive-type-pills away months ago and that despite all the “practising” that had gone on since had failed to become pregnant.

And finally…

The dastardly Doctor Rhys Lawson plummeted new depths of diabolically despicable deviousness in his quest to claim his rightful place on the surgeon training programme. Having ensnared the unsuspecting Erin with his devilishly dazzling good looks he proceeded with the next stage of his cunning plan – to make the poor girl continuously late for lectures by plying her with drink late into the night and altering the alarm clock settings on her phone. “Didn’t Kate, the former dancer/disgraced former trainee teacher/part time assistant in Harold’s/part time party girl, inform Erin of the smarmy doctor’s plan?” you cry. She did. “And?” She slapped him, hard. “So the smug and smarmy doctor was thwarted in his Robinsonesque plan of pure evilness?” Err…not exactly. He told Erin that Kate was a madly jealous ex who couldn’t bare to see the drop dead gorgeous doctor with another woman and would do or say anything to scupper his chances of finding true love again. “And she believed him?” Naturally.

Still, it looked like his efforts had all been in vain as Erin, having been issued with warnings of the turn-up-late-for-a-lecture-again-and-you’re-off-the-programme kind, reluctantly decided to end things with Rhys to focus on her studies. Well, half-hearted dumping led, as it usually does, to late-night-champagne-soaked-sleeve-type-kissing, sleepovers, hasty I’ve-got-to-get-to-a-lecture-and-have-no-time-to-change-and-by-the-way-you’re-dumped-again-farewells, sulking, somebody-reeks-of-champagne-at-work-observations, devious grins and not-so-innocent suggestions to a gullible Dr Kennedy that a certain trainee surgeon may have a drinking problem. “He didn’t?” He did. Jessica, the head of the training programme, later suggested Erin take some time off to sort herself out, the sensitive young doctor had an I-can’t-take-this-anymore-I-quit-trainee-surgeon melt down and Rhys immediately asked whether he could take her place on the programme. “So the smarmy Lawson succeeded in his diabolically despicable and devious plan then?” Looks like it. However, Dr K has now twigged that he was but a pawn in the loathsome Lawson’s scheming and he doesn’t look very happy about it. Not very happy at all.

Smarmy doctors, framed lawyers and naked mechanics… yes it’s another Neighbours recap

Missed Neighbours last week? Then you missed Red Cotton concerts to raise money to re-pay one-legged fathers for funding the removal of embarressing tattoos, guilt-ridden uni celebrations, surprisingly supportive Greek fathers, former stand-in headteacher/intrepid reporter bonding and sullen bass playing teenagers. You also missed…

Cunning career furthering wooing

Determined to claim his rightful place on the surgeon training programme and make his sick, wheelchair-bound mother truly proud, the smarmy Dr Darcy… sorry Dr Lawson… moved on to his next victim, the pretty but supposedly plain Erin. Using only his stunning good looks, winning personality and Facebook, the dastardly Doctor began to woo the shy trainee surgeon over coffees at Charlie’s. Naturally the unsuspecting Erin began to fall for the smarmy Rhys (the poor girl never stood a chance) but a suspicious Kate (the former dancer/former trainee teacher/part time assistant in Harold’s/part time party animal (long story)/former Lawson conquest) has sussed his cunning plan and judging from her look of disgust will attempt to scupper the devious doctor’s despicable scheme.

Starsky and Crutch

Lucas Fitzgerald decided to turn detective and attempted to track down the fiend that had bashed his apprentice Chris Pappas (who’s much better now apart from suffering panic attacks of the afraid-to-set-foot-in-Fitzgerald-Motors-zoomy-camera-effect kind). Well one thing led, with a little help from his trusty sidekick Kyle “Crutches” Canning, to another which led to greyhound racing stakeouts, confrontations, police cars, interrogations, shocking claims, a cunning plan, the clearing of a disgraced lawyer’s name, the arrest of the nasty Peter Noonan, and joyful all’s-well-that-ends-well-hugging.

Alas, despite having been proved innocent of all evil wrongdoings, the new partners at the firm of city lawyers decided they didn’t want poor Toadie back and offered him a generous sum of money to stay away and never speak of the murky goings-on which everyone already knew had gone on. But a determined Toadie would have none of this. Why? Because he’d grown to love the big shot city lawyer life, love it, and though he hated to sound immodest, he was damned good at what he did.

So the ever-so-talented/ever-so-deluded Toadie (delete as appropriate) offered the red headed spokeswoman of the firm Charlotte an ultimatum; they either gave him back his job or he’d sue them. What was that? Did she laugh hysterically and engage in “ooh-we’re-really-scared”-type mockings? Err… no. They gave him back his job… no, they really did.

And finally…

Things aren’t looking too promising for Lucas and the rather attractive hairdresser/beautician/part time model for naked arty-type photos, Emilia Jovanovic. What was that? You didn’t know she modelled naked for arty-type photos? Oh she’s been doing it for years apparently. Hmm? No, we didn’t get to see any, though Lucas, Limpalot and Michael did. Lucky sods? Quite. Anyway, unimpressed by Fitzgerald’s rather Victorian reaction to her part time modelling career, Emilia decided to end things but was soon won over by an apologetic and briefly naked mechanic and his large toolbox (don’t ask). However, Emilia’s flashbacks of the surfing-in-the-garden-and-hugging-on-the-beach-with-her-surfer-dude-brother-in-law kind and her decision not to accompany the dismayed Lucas to Sydney to visit Dan (his brother, former rival in love and motorbike racing, and father of the baby of his banged up last true love Steph Scully), don’t suggest happily-ever-after besottedness.