Next week on Home and Away in the UK, Eliza’s unsettling behaviour takes a dramatic turn, as her anger turns physical.
Eliza (Martha Kate Morgan) came to Summer Bay as an emergency foster placement, being put in the care of Roo (Georgie Parker).
It was explained that Eliza’s previous foster home had burnt down, leaving us to wonder whether Eliza was a firebug when she was later seen to have a lighter amongst her few possessions.
As Roo began homeschooling Eliza, a talk with surgeon Levi (Tristan Gorey) saw Eliza become very interested in medicine.
Whilst Roo was pleased to encourage Eliza’s curiosity about the science behind the career, it soon became clear that Eliza’s fascination wasn’t that broad—she was focused solely on surgery.
Eliza spent her time engrossed in videos of operations and delving into detailed research on surgical instruments, hinting at a far more intense obsession than Roo had bargained for.
One of the conditions of Roo homeschooling Eliza, as opposed to her enrolling her at Summer Bay High, was that Eliza would also join Tane’s youth programme, ensuring she still had the chance to socialise with people her own age.
Next week, Roo and Eliza see Tane at the surf club, who has just returned from visiting pregnant fiancée Harper (Jessica Redmayne) in the city as she trains up her maternity leave replacement.
Tane proudly shows off Harper’s latest ultrasound photo. But as Roo shares Tane’s excitement, Eliza is left mesmerised by the image of the unborn child.
It’s not the first time Eliza’s shown an odd curiosity toward Harper’s pregnancy. A few weeks ago, she touched Harper’s baby bump completely uninvited, and seemed strangely taken by the idea of a life growing inside another person.
Roo hands over the filled-in paperwork to enrol Eliza in Tane’s programme, and they look forward to beginning the sessions the following day.
Meanwhile, Marilyn discovers that more money is missing from her handbag—the second time since Eliza moved into the house.
When Marilyn relays her suspicions to Alf (Ray Meagher) and Justin (James Stewart), they are quick to remind her that she’ll need more than suspicion before jumping to conclusions, particularly when a vulnerable child is concerned.
Later, Eliza asks Roo if they can go shopping for some activewear ahead of her starting the programme. Roo hesitates, especially considering how pricey a pair of leggings is these days, but Eliza insists she has her own money. Marilyn, who overhears this, raises an eyebrow.
Marilyn quietly voices her concern to Roo, but is instantly shut down as Roo accuses her of being judgemental.
The next day, Roo and Eliza rock up to the surf club to meet Tane, who’s eager to welcome his new recruits. Roo asks if she can hang around, eager to watch Eliza in action, but Tane reminds her that the program is for the kids, not the parents. Roo reluctantly agrees to leave Eliza to it.
Surrounded by similarly troubled teens, Eliza tries to keep herself to herself as one of the other participants, Scott (Finnian James), tries to make small talk with her.
Eliza offers to help Tane take some of the equipment outside, but behind his back, Eliza quietly goes into his gym bag and retrieves the photo of Harper’s scan, slipping it into her pocket.
The theft doesn’t go unnoticed by Scott, however. Outside, Scott approaches Eliza and quietly tells her she should do the right thing and put the photo back. Eliza’s response is chilling, as she bluntly warns him to shut his mouth.
Later paired up as they practice some self-defence moves, Scott again implores Eliza to do the right thing and return Tane’s property.
He reminds Eliza that if she doesn’t come clean, the whole group will be dragged under suspicion. Scott makes it crystal clear—he only joined the program to stay out of juvie, and he’s not about to let Eliza’s reckless choices land him right back in trouble. If she doesn’t tell Tane, then he will.
When Scott refuses to back down, she lashes out, clocking him square in the face.
As blood pours from a floored Scott’s nose, Eliza seems hypnotised by the sight of it.
Tane rushes over and helps Scott into the club room. When Tane heads to the juice bar for some ice, Eliza approaches Scott and threatens to give him more than a bloodied nose if he says anything about the photo.
As Tane sees Eliza standing over Scott, he instantly knows something isn’t right. Has his gut feeling about Eliza been right all along?
Meanwhile, Marilyn apologises to Roo for having accused Eliza of theft, just as Roo’s phone buzzes with alarming news from Tane, telling her about the Scott incident. When Roo later questions Eliza, she lies by claiming that Scott had told her that Roo doesn’t actually care about her.
Roo’s later shocked when she catches Eliza looking at Harper’s ultrasound photo in the diner. Roo confronts her, and whilst Eliza openly admits she took it, she doesn’t seem remotely apologetic. In fact, she justifies it by claiming she was fascinated by the baby.
Roo is mortified and drags her to the gym to apologise to Tane. While Eliza does reluctantly return the photo, Tane is understandably confused—and more than a little creeped out—asking why she would take something so personal.
Later talking to Roo privately, he tells her bluntly that Eliza might not be the right fit for the programme. But Roo rushes to defend her foster daughter, telling Tane that she just needs guidance.
Reluctantly, Tane calls in Eliza and agrees to let her continue in the programme, but under some strict new ground rules.
Eliza doesn’t take the news well, and complains to Roo as they walk home that Tane is trying to control her, and that Roo is no better.
As Roo assures Eliza that it’s for her own good, and she cares for her, Eliza bluntly tells her that the feelings aren’t reciprocated.
“You’re nobody to me,” she tells a devastated Roo.
With Roo’s care thrown back in her face, will she be able to get through to Eliza?
