This week on Home and Away in Australia, Leah is trying to hide her tragedy from Justin, which is making her nightmares worse.
Leah has been experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the past week, along with nightmares and frequent flashbacks to the warehouse ordeal and Justin’s potentially fatal condition in the hospital.
One night, Leah heard something outside and became alarmed. She dialled 911. When Rose (Kirsty Marillier) and Constable Watson (Gary Bell) arrived, they saw nothing alarming.
Rose reassured Leah that she was safe, saying that Vita Nova had vanished and that many of them were imprisoned without the possibility of being released on bail. Despite our suspicions about Rose’s claims, we shared Leah’s scepticism regarding criminal narratives.
Rose learned from the episode that although cases can be closed, victims of the cases may not always receive the same level of closure.
The next day, Rose went over to Leah to see how she was doing and let her know that she could talk to someone if she needed support.
Leah, however, declined to participate in the discussion, informing Rose that Justin’s return home that evening would not cause any problems.
But even though Justin tried his best to make the day especially special for Leah, things weren’t going well.
Leah and Justin spent the day organising the initial details of their wedding before Justin took her out for a special dinner at Salt. Theo (Matt Evans) had been given the responsibility of selecting an engagement ring for him and sending pictures so he could choose which one.
The two went back home after he officially proposed to Leah and showed her the ring, and that’s when Leah had her second nightmare.
Justin woke up when she got up to get some water and saw that her engagement ring was on the bedside table.
When Rose asked after her again the next morning, Leah remained unfriendly and ordered her to leave her alone when she noticed Leah’s engagement ring and attempted to have a closer look.
After seeing the interaction, a worried Justin told Alf that he thought he might have gone too far with the engagement ring.
In the most recent episode shown in Australia, Leah virtually barged into Bree’s apartment above the diner to seek for sleeping medication.
Leah said, “I go to sleep and I have nightmares, even though Rose has informed me a thousand times that Vita Nova aren’t a threat. “And I jump at shadows when I wake up.
“The nightmares seem authentic.” Like you’re telling me Justin won’t make it when I’m back at the factory or at the hospital.
Leah retorted that she can’t do that if she can’t sleep, which is “why I need some sleeping tablets.” Bree clarified that she just needed time to digest the experience.
Although Bree was open to hearing about Leah’s worries, she advised her to consult a counsellor or, at the absolute least, talk to Justin, as medication would not address the fundamental problem.
Leah stormed away before they could discuss the matter further. Bree refused to write a prescription, so Leah refused to entertain her idea and repeated her requests for sleeping drugs so she could have some instant relief.
In the next episodes, Leah will still be struggling and eventually giving in to exhaustion.
Exhausted from her long shift at the diner, she makes her way to her car. She is immediately transported back to the moment when a passing car saved her during her horror of being abducted into a warehouse as another car slows down in her path.
She falls to her knees, remembering the horrific flashback as she panics.
The driver, who just so happens to be Justin, leaps out of the car and rushes to her side back in the real world.
Will Leah disclose her trauma to Justin at last?
