Next week on Home and Away in the UK, Mac is in difficulty as her business teeters on the brink, and Marilyn returns to Martha’s dreadful news…
Mackenzie Booth (Emily Weir) gets some bad news regarding Salt this week, when her insurer reveals that the restaurant will not be compensated for the damages incurred as a result of the organophosphate attack last year.
The news arrives as Salt’s bartender Ryder (Lukas Radovich) is putting the finishing touches on a new drink. Ryder (Lukas Radovich) recently secured a pay raise after graduating from his TAFE course in hospitality management. Mac gives Ryder permission to put it on the cocktail menu, but her mood quickly shifts when she receives the message.
When Ryder gives Mac another creation to try, she dismisses it and tells him to call the printers and cancel the new food menu they were planning. She’s suddenly decided that switching the dishes in the middle of the season will be too confusing.
When Mac’s brother Dean (Patrick O’Connor) buys a drink, Mac insists that he pay for it—tired she’s of being taken advantage of, and she’s cutting him off right now!
Dean inquires about Mac’s unusual behaviour with Mac’s lover Logan (Harley Bonner), but he has no idea.
Later, Mac calls the insurance company, who just confirms what they wrote in the letter. Despite the fact that Mac has lost thousands of dollars in tainted food stock as a result of the illegal damage, not to mention the cleaning costs, they refuse to pay.
Dean discovers Mac in tears in the storeroom, admitting that she is broke. Mac can no longer maintain her charade.
After her breakup with Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams) and subsequent miscarriage, Mac took time off from the restaurant, which was already losing money.
The gas attack at Martha’s (Belinda Giblin) black-tie event was the cherry on top, and Mac was counting on the insurance money to get back on his feet.
Despite the idea that Logan might be able to help, Mac maintains to Dean that she doesn’t want Logan to know she’s in danger.
The next day, Ryder is perplexed to discover that his hours have been reduced in the most recent roster, and upon interrogating Mac, he discovers that this is not a mistake!
Ryder claims that he is now making less than he was before his recent wage increase, which he believes is unjust. Mac can just provide her support in allowing him to find casual job elsewhere, as she does not want to expose the reason why.
Ryder is handed yet another major setback when Mac subsequently declares that the whole cocktail menu—his specialty—will be cancelled. Mac will not bend, despite Ryder’s protests, because his cocktails are simply too pricey.
Ryder is putting some goods away before leaving after being told he should take the rest of the day off, when he comes finds the discarded insurance letter in the storage. Suddenly, Mac’s demeanour starts to make sense.
Rather than confronting Mac about it, Ryder turns to Dean, who confirms that Mac told him about it.
Dean persuades Ryder to open up Salt’s accounts on the internet, against his better judgement, to see how terrible things really are.
The situation is dire; suppliers have not been paid in weeks, and the only expenses are employee wages, which are met by the overdraft. Ryder is terrified as he realises that Salt is about to close!
As Ryder walks away, Dean defies Mac’s wishes and calls their estranged but stinking-rich father, Rick (Mark Lee)…. but will he be willing to help, or will he just laugh at Mac’s failure?
