No 30
Charlie is packing his suitcase, preparing to leave - and Nell is helping, by taking things out again!

CHARLIE: That goes in the bag!
NELL: I want you to stay!
CHARLIE: I'll be back for a visit... in a few years' time, maybe.

In the kitchen, Sonya explains to Toadie that Steph went straight to bed when she came in last night, and hasn't left her room since. Toadie is heading to work, and says he'll have to clear the air with her later, but Sonya reminds him that Steph is leaving tomorrow. Toadie knows this, but says it's hard to apologise to someone who won't talk to you.

Steph comes in, and tells Charlie that Philippa's plane has landed - she's on her way to collect him.

TOADIE: I really am sorry, Steph.

But Steph just walks past Toadie in silence. Toadie goes to chat to Charlie, saying he's gutted that he's having to leave because of Toadie's mistake. But Charlie makes it clear he doesn't blame Toadie - Philippa should have been honest with Max in the first place. Toadie heads off to work.

STEPH (to Sonya): I don't want to talk about it.
SONYA: I didn't say anything.
STEPH: Well, I've lived with you long enough to read your mind. I just want the last two days to be peaceful, okay?

Lassiter's Complex
Mishti is walking Clancy, and runs into Gary and Xanthe. Mishti explains that the dog is sulking because the rest of the family is away, and he's stuck with her! Apparently the family are staying at Lassiter's for a couple of nights (as part of their Face of Lassiter's competition win). Xanthe says that if Mishti ever wants Clancy off her hands, to call her, as she loves dogs.

Gary spots Toadie, and rushes over to talk to him. He apologises, explaining that he had a role in Sheila sending the letter to Philippa. Toadie assures him that he only blames himself - and he's worried that Steph will leave town hating his guts, as he ruined the chances of Charlie going to see Adam with her. But Gary says there is something Toadie could do...

Fitzgerald Motors
Mark is on the phone to Lucas, the garage owner - and when Bea arrives, Mark explains that the unpaid accounts total from the spreadsheet Bea has been working on is way under what it's meant to be. Bea gets a bit defensive, insisting she double-checked the figures and even corrected some mistakes Mark had made; she says it must have been wrong to start off with.

Mark says he's just trying to get to the bottom of it, adding that a big client has been really upset by the mix-up.

BEA: Next time you should double-check them too.
MARK: I don't make mistakes like this! And you did say that maths isn't your strong point.
BEA: How dare you have a go at me for something that's obviously your fault?!

Mark tells Bea to go and cool off, and she walks out.

Lassiter's Complex
Mishti is walking Clancy past Harold's, when she comes across Amy and Chloe at a table. Amy invites Mishti on the girls' night out she is planning - Mishti was going to be dog-sitting, but is keen to make other arrangements when she hears about the night out.

MISHTI: Who else is coming?
CHLOE: (puts her hand up)
MISHTI: ...
AMY: And heaps of other people! TBC, but it's going to be great!

On the other side of the courtyard, Elly is surprised to see that Bea is not at work. Bea thinks she's been fired.

ELLY: Why - what did you do?
BEA: Why does everyone think that I'm the one who's done something wrong?

Bea explains what happened with the invoices, and that Mark 'pretty much called me stupid'.

ELLY: Mark wouldn't have said that.
BEA: So, what - I'm lying?
ELLY: No, I think it was a miscommunication problem.

Elly asks if Bea's sure she didn't make any mistakes with the numbers, admitting she's made mistakes on computers herself a million times. Bea is ultra-defensive again, assuming that Elly thinks it's all her fault.

BEA: But why would you believe me? You don't even know me.

Bea storms off.

No 30
Charlie is all ready to leave for Fiji, but admits to Steph that he doesn't want to go; he's worried Max and Philippa will be fighting the whole time.

STEPH: Look, it's not gonna be easy. But they both love you, and they're gonna do their best.

There's a knock at the door, and Sonya lets Philippa in. Philippa's keen to go immediately, but Sonya takes Charlie to check his room one last time, to give Steph a chance to talk to Philippa.

STEPH: Philippa, I'm really sorry about what happened.
PHILIPPA: We had a deal. You broke it.
STEPH: No, it was an accident (...)
PHILIPPA: Toadie still wrote the letter.
STEPH: Without my permission.
PHILIPPA: It was written, sent, and the damage has been done.
STEPH: Right, I will accept that. But don't go acting like you're the innocent party here.
PHILIPPA: I beg your pardon?!
STEPH: You had an affair. And then you tried to force Charlie to keep it to himself. You were meant to tell Max what happened and you didn't -
PHILIPPA: I was going to!
STEPH: But you didn't! And now you're going to drag Charlie right back into the middle of your mess.
PHILIPPA: I may not be perfect. But I haven't made anywhere near the mistakes you have.
STEPH: ... Charlie wants to come to Sydney with me. And I think he should.
PHILIPPA: You don't have custody - you don't get a say.

Charlie and Sonya return from the bedroom, and Charlie gives Steph an emotional goodbye hug.

CHARLIE: I'm gonna miss you heaps, Mum.
STEPH: Oh, My Boy™ - not as much as I'm going to miss you. I love you.

Sonya looks saddened by the situation.

Apartment of Evil™
Bea is moaning to 'Patrick' about how Mark has treated her over the invoice mix-up. 'Patrick' suggests that Bea could reach out to Lucas and complain about Mark.

FINN: Mark should pay for this, not you.
BEA: The worst thing is that Elly made me doubt myself, too.

Harold's Café
Elly tells Amy that she shouldn't have doubted Bea - she should have listened, nodded and reassured, like a good sister.

Apartment of Evil™
'Patrick' tells Bea that she is bright, capable and beautiful person.

BEA: You're the only one who thinks that.
FINN: Well, fortunately, I'm the only one who matters. Mark is a toxic male - like your dad, like those men I caught harassing you when we first met. Men who have no regard for anyone but themselves.
BEA: And Elly?
FINN: You can't let any of them beat you.

Harold's Café
Amy suggests that Elly go and see Mark, to find out what happened and argue Bea's case. Elly decides it's a brilliant idea. Amy invites Elly to join her and Mishti on the night out; Elly's keen, but less so when she learns Chloe will be coming!

AMY: I know she's a bit out there, but she's nice once you get to know her.
ELLY: Yeah, I do know her - and I highly doubt that! But for you, anything.

Meanwhile, Steph, Sonya and Nell are having lunch, as Steph relays what Philippa said to her earlier. Sonya wonders if it's maybe now time to fight for custody - but Steph says she can't do that to Charlie, as there's enough tension in his life as it is.

STEPH: But then, after all this happening, who knows when I'm gonna see him again?

Fitzgerald Motors
Mark and Bea continue to bicker about who's in the wrong over the invoice figures. Elly storms in to weigh in on Bea's behalf.

ELLY: If Bea says she didn't do it, she didn't do it!
MARK: Hey, hang on! How did you get involved in this?
ELLY: When you decided to pick on my little sister by firing her without cause!
MARK: I didn't fire her! I just asked her to go and cool down!
ELLY: Humiliated her, then.

Bea interrupts, saying she can stand up for herself. But Elly says she's here to help, and tells Mark there are lots of explanations for what happened - he shouldn't just blame Bea without any proof. Mark goes to call Lucas, and Bea asks if she can get back to work. Mark says yes, as long as she can keep the place neat and tidy while he's in Adelaide (presumably visiting Tyler).

Once he's gone, Bea has a go at Elly for getting too involved. Elly says they're sisters and she was just trying to protect her. Bea softens, and agrees to go with Elly and her friends on the girls' night out later, before returning to work.

The Waterhole
Piper tells Amy and Mishti about how successful her vlog with Yashvi about racism has been. Mishti confirms that it's made a big difference to Yashvi at home, too. Chloe arrives, having bumped into Cassius the gardener on the way and brought him along! While Cassius goes to get a round of drinks in, Amy moans that Chloe has brought Cassius along on a girls' night.

CHLOE: You can practice flirting before we hit the clubs!
AMY: Nah, younger guys aren't right for me.
CHLOE: Don't be ageist! He's hot - you're hot. He works outdoors - you work outdoors. That's like a 91 percent affinity rating!

Grudgingly, Amy obeys Chloe's order to go and chat to Cassius.

CHLOE: Or do you want to do something more exciting? Like bungee-jumping - or a jewellery heist?
AMY: Alright! Alright, I will give it a go.

Chloe takes a selfie of all the girls.

Harold's Café
Sonya has asked Philippa to come to meet her - and she's obliged, having left Charlie waiting in the car. Sonya tells Philippa that she and Toadie separated for a while last year.

SONYA: He'd been unfaithful.
PHILIPPA: So you asked me back to judge me?
SONYA: No - no, no, no. Look, I understand how complex these situations are. And I know how much pain you'd be going through. Especially when you've got kids, and you're trying to keep them out of it. Now, we did our best to protect Nell - but it was hard, yeah? It was really hard. And I think she's still affected by it. But Jarrod and I would not have been able to work through things if we didn't had Steph.

Philippa sighs impatiently.

SONYA: No, please - she was like a third parent to Nell. And that helped us just focus on our problems, and on our marriage.
PHILIPPA: So I should leave Charlie with her while I sort out the mess I made?
SONYA: Well, just consider how good it could be for you and Max. If you could just work on your relationship, without having to worry about if Charlie was affected by it. You guys are committed to having a future together, yeah?
PHILIPPA: Yes.
SONYA: Well, to have that future, you are gonna have to work on your relationship constantly. And you need the time and the space to do that. And Steph is in a position to help you. Just let her look after Charlie, so you and Max can just work on your marriage, and be the parents that you actually want to be.

Philippa nods thoughtfully.

The Waterhole
Elly and Bea arrive, still discussing the debacle at the garage - but decide to stop and have some fun for the evening. Elly introduces Bea to Mishti, Chloe and Piper. Meanwhile, Amy is over on a table with Cassius, and they seem to be enjoying one another's company. However, when we tune into their conversation, they're only talking about compost bins!

Amy seems to be having neck pains, although Mishti and Chloe interpret this as her 'showing some neck' to Cassius! Amy tells him she needs to go and put a heat pack on it, and on her way explains to the girls that she thinks she strained it earlier. She heads home, telling them to have a good night without her. Piper teases Mishti and Chloe for misinterpreting the Amy/Cassius vibes.

On her way out of The Waterhole, Amy notices an empty Martini glass on a nearby table - and decides to swipe it!

No 30
Gary, Sonya and Nell are helping Steph with her packing in preparation for the move to Sydney. They invite Gary to stay for dinner. At that moment, Philippa and Charlie turn up on the doorstep.

PHILIPPA: We decided not to go.
STEPH: What?!
PHILIPPA: Well, after Sonya talked to me, I did a lot of thinking.

Steph is apologetic when she learns Sonya has interfered, but Philippa says she's glad she did - and wishes she had friends like Sonya.

PHILIPPA: I called Max, and we've decided to start counselling when I get home. And while we work on things, we wondered if Charlie could stay with you? For at least a few weeks - maybe even the next school term.
CHARLIE: I said it was okay, if it is with you?

Steph is quietly thrilled.

PHILIPPA: And if it works out, we'll look at a new co-parenting arrangement. I'm sorry about what I said this morning. You're a good mum. And Max and I need your help... So that's a yes?
STEPH (delighted): What do you think, huh?

Everyone smiles.

The Waterhole
Cassius is telling Elly and Bea about how he pretended to like Karl's music to score the gardening gig at No 28. He admits Piper gave him the idea.

PIPER: Yeah, well, flattery does get you everywhere with Karl!

Bea seems like she's cold, and itching to leave - so Elly gives her her jacket, saying she wants her to stay longer. Meanwhile at the bar, Chloe and Mishti are chatting. Mishti says the night turned out better than she thought it would.

CHLOE: When you heard I was coming, you mean?
MISHTI: You get straight to the point, don't you?
CHLOE: Mm. Saves time. I am sorry for how you found out about me and Leo, though.
MISHTI: None of my business.
CHLOE: Well, he's your ex.
MISHTI: Which means he's in the past, and he's free to do what he wants. But I appreciate the apology.

A man, Dilhan, has been giving Mishti the eye from across the bar. Chloe says he's been scoping out Mishti all night, and suggests she go and talk to him. Mishti says she's not looking for anything serious right now.

CHLOE: It doesn't have to be serious!
MISHTI: I have a habit of random hook-ups when I'm stressed out.
CHLOE: And are you stressed now?
MISHTI: I'm not sure I want to go back to that, so...

Chloe says there's nothing wrong with random hook-ups and that Mishti might have fun.

CHLOE: And it'll make me feel less guilty about Leo! If you're not into Mr Mystery, why don't you go for Cassius? Amy wasn't into him, and I don't think anyone else is. Choose, and make your move!

Mishti eyes Cassius with interest, but...

No 32
... it's Dilhan who she falls through her front door with, amidst a frantic pash. Dilhan looks around the place with interest.

DILHAN: You are sure no-one's home?
MISHTI: Yeah, everyone's away, so we have the place to ourselves.

They continue to kiss, and head to the bedroom.

Apartment of Evil™
Finn is walking around the kitchen when he hears Bea outside, and he rushes back to the wheelchair to reassume the role of 'Patrick' just before she walks through the door. She reports that she had a fun time with Elly and the girls, after spending all afternoon dealing with Mark's grumpiness.

Bea admits it was good to have Elly on her side over the invoices, but that it caused tension between Elly and Mark. 'Patrick' smiles schemingly, and notes that Bea has a new jacket.

BEA: Elly's - I was cold, so she let me borrow it.

As Bea heads to the bathroom, Finn wheels towards the jacket on the back of her chair, picks it up, and starts stroking and sniffing it, in a creepy, obsessive kind of way...

No 30
Sonya and Gary are amidst a hushed conversation.

GARY: You're kidding me. Toadie's actually doing it!
SONYA: I don't know why you look so surprised. You're the one that suggested it!
GARY: Yeah, but it's such a big gesture. I wasn't sure that he'd be able to pull it off.

Steph enters the room, having put Nell to bed for the last time before she moves.

SONYA: She's going to miss you so much.
STEPH: Don't! I'll start crying again.

Steph says Charlie is talking to Max in his room, and decides to go to bed. She asks if Sonya's heard from Toadie; Sonya replies that he's working late at the office. Steph admits that Toadie texted her, but says she really wants to talk to him properly, to let him know everything's worked out okay. Sonya says she'll get a chance to do that tomorrow.

STEPH: Oh, and thanks for interfering with Philippa!
SONYA: Any time!

Steph goes to bed.

GARY: I just hope he gets here in time.
SONYA: Me too.

No 26
Piper is visiting Xanthe, who has been busy studying, hence not attending the night out. Piper reports that Bea seems nice, and that Chloe and Mishti were 'all, like, BFFing' which was 'just weird'! Gary comes in, and reminds Xanthe that she said she'd go and feed Clancy - she'd totally forgotten. She rushes over to No 32 to sort it out, not realising Mishti is already home and with company.

No 32
Dilhan comes out of the bedroom, buttoning up his shirt. He coolly opens Mishti's handbag, pulls out her purse, and empties it of cash - just as Xanthe walks in.

XANTHE: Sorry! Umm... sorry, who are you?

Dilhan moves towards her slowly, holding the cash...

Coming up next on Neighbours
- Gary appears to be feeding Fay a dessert! Leo reports that they were 'really, really into it'
- Terese remarks that that's ridiculous, since Fay's a sophisticate from the Barossa!
- Toadie tells Sheila to keep her trap shut and do what she's paid for
- Amy tells Chloe she has a strict code of ethics. Chloe retorts, 'oh, like the mafia?'
- Aaron offers to do something for Mishti, but Dipi says it's too risky and dangerous