Episode 5197

Episode Title: Assault And Pepper
Episode Number: 5197
Australian air date: Tuesday 24th April 2007
UK air date:
Writer: Drew Proffitt
Director: Tony Osicka
Quotes: Frazer Yeats.
Guests: David Hoflin (Oliver Barnes), Mary Casey (Rowena Wallace), Carla Marshall (Bree Cahill).

  

Paul is left stunned as the enormity of the situation hits him. He sits quietly in the corner after Elle’s announcement that she and Oliver have taken Lassiters from him. Paul attempts to come out fighting, demanding that the Lassiter staff at the engagement party rally to him. They brush Paul off despite his aggressive stance and one employee points out that they work for Elle and Oliver now. Elle’s resolve wavers slightly as Paul tries desperately to rationalise the situation as he is dragged from Lassiters by security. Elle returns home and faces Paul down for a second time. He returns home to finds the lock on the front door of number 22 has been change. Elle stands inside and is unmoved by Paul’s demands to let him into his house. Paul’s words grow more desperate and Elle’s will drops again. She refuses to let him in though and stands at the living room window to ensure that Paul leaves her in peace. Paul outsmarts Elle and lets himself into number 22 through the back door of the house. Once inside he confronts his daughter who defends her actions and encourages Paul to accept that his involvement with Lassiters is over. As Elle appears to get the upper hand in the confrontation, Paul collapses to a sofa clutching his head as if in pain. Elle waves this away, though Paul does experience another one of his hearing loss episodes which have been plaguing him over the past weeks, and calls the police. Paul is dragged from number 22 as he no longer owns it due to signing it over to Oliver with his Lassiter shares. Elle watches quietly as Paul is driven away by the police. Paul appears deeply hurt by Elle and points out that if he dies it will be on Elle’s conscience. The scene is witness by Rosetta, Frazer, Oliver and Carmella. Elle looks lost as the police move away and Carmella joins Elle to talk things over. Carmella’s support surprises Elle and Carmella admits that she is also there to talk about Elle’s feelings for Oliver. Elle continues to deny that there is anything there, but Carmella points out that Elle’s love for Oliver is clear for all to see.

Pepper puts the recent events together and realises that it was Mary who sent her the strange gifts not her son Kevin. Pepper comes to this conclusion as she stops by the Casey home to visit Mary. Mary is surprised as Pepper is earlier than expected but she lets her into the house. They move into the kitchen and Pepper notices an arrangement of flowers identical to ones sent to her by the mysterious admirer who she had thought was Kevin. As Pepper concludes that Mary was behind recent events she tries to leave the house without alerting Mary to her new knowledge. Mary pushes aside Pepper’s polite requests to leave and Pepper finds herself telling Mary she is uncomfortable with Mary’s attitude and wants to return home. Pepper flees from the kitchen only to find the front door of the house locked. She turns to find Mary bearing down upon her. Pepper awakens to find herself in the nursery in the Kasey house. She gets up slowly and takes in her rather surreal surrounding. The room is decorate for a child and includes a bed and cot along with various toys and mobiles scattered around the room. The door is locked from the outside and the windows don’t open. Pepper is forced to wait until Mary returns to peer through a small eye hole in the door. Mary rambles as Pepper demands to be let free. Pepper attempts to remind Mary that the miscarriage which appears to be the root of the problem was not her fault and that it happened a long time ago. Mary appears to have other ideas though. Speaking as though Pepper was a petulant child whom she is disciplining, Mary informs Pepper that her life stopped the day that Pepper took her grandchild away from her.

Rosetta and Frazer spend time around Ramsay Street as Frazer stops at number 30 having secured day release from the hospital. Frazer approaches the awkwardness of their last meeting calmly and encourages Rosie to talk to him about the loss of his legs. Frazer’s positive attitude sees the pair quickly returning to their close friendship and the pair stop at the Scarlet Bar for drinks and a meal. Rosetta picks up on Frazer’s reluctance to return to a race track but their discussion is interrupted by Paul who seeks legal advice from Rosetta about the loss of Lassiters. Rosetta returns to the conversation when they are alone again but Frazer insists that he is not afraid of horses as Rosetta suggests. The pair relax in the pool in the back garden of number 30 as Frazer suggest Rosetta help him with his physiotherapy exercises. They end up chatting in the shallow end of the pool and draw closer and closer as the feelings they have for each other take over. Despite an agreement that they will remain friends for the moment, they come close to kissing whilst in the pool. Rosetta pulls out of the kiss at the last moment but her action doesn’t appear to offend Frazer nor alter the chemistry between them.