Next week on Home and Away in the UK, the consequences of Levi and Mackenzie’s relationship continue to be felt far and wide, as two residents quit their jobs.
Levi (Tristan Gorey) always knew that the reveal of his affair with Mackenzie (Emily Weir) would make for a pretty awkward working environment, with both he and heartbroken wife Imogen (Georgia Blizzard) based at St Christopher’s Hospital in the city.
Whilst Levi heads up the cardiothoracic unit, Imogen works as an occupational therapist, and on his return to work he finds that word has got around fast.
When Levi returns to the farmhouse next week, he tells Mac that he’s surprised at the amount of snide comments he received from colleagues he’d worked with for years.
After a sleepless night, Levi comes to realise that the patients are ultimately going to suffer if the team are sniping at each other. With Imogen also the subject of gossip, Levi figures that it’s time for him to resign.
Meanwhile, Mac isn’t having a much better time at Salt, working with Felicity (Jacqui Purvis) who is giving her attitude on behalf of best mate and Levi’s sister Eden (Stephanie Panozzo).
Eden was devastated to discover the affair, having bonded with Imogen, and decided that her brother was no better than their father who had left the family home when she was 15 following his own affair.
After a decade or more estranged from her brother, after he chose to go and live with their dad, Eden has made it very clear that she intends to cut him out of her life again.
That has placed Flick in an awkward position, working in partnership at Salt with the woman who has caused her bestie so much pain, and she was sure to make her disapproval known in front of a full restaurant of customers.
Bartender and events coordinator Xander (Luke Van Os), as well as the rest of the Salt staff, have all been caught up in the middle of Mac and Flick’s feud, yet have no idea of the reasons behind it.
It’s Kirby (Angelina Thomson) who eventually spills the beans to Xander on Mac’s affair, much to the chagrin of her new employer (and Mac’s housemate) Mali (Kyle Shilling).
Xander’s annoyed at apparently being the last to know, and decides to call a meeting with Mac and Flick. He informs them both that their bickering and avoiding work is causing dissent in the ranks. Three casuals have called in sick today, and Xander knows full well that they’re not ill, it’s just that they’ve seen the bosses don’t care.
Mac and Flick agree to both pick up the slack that day, but as Mac attempts to find common ground with Flick by sympathising with Tane’s current (Ethan Browne) situation, Flick takes further offence.
When Flick later spots Mac offloading to Xander, she accuses Xander of taking sides.
“It hurts Xander and makes him more frustrated because he’s not choosing sides – he’s trying to be a friend and support both of them,” Luke Van Os told Aussie magazine TV Week recently.
Xander yells at them both to shut up and storms out. Flick and Mac follow him downstairs where he tells them that it’s become impossible to work with them—he quits!
Back at Mantaray Boards, Mali isn’t happy about Kirby’s gossiping, but she points out that Xander being caught up in the middle of it all means he had a right to know.
Kirby and Mali had been thrown together by Roo (Georgie Parker) after realising that with unemployed Kirby at a loose end, and Mali overworked at the board shop, the two could help each other.
Kirby’s work ethic in general isn’t impressing Mali so far however. Her first surfing lesson ends with her gaining one of the male student’s number, and she takes it upon herself to reorganise his filing system.
Her lax attitude as to when she should take her breaks amuses Alf (Ray Meagher), who watches from the office nearby as Mali tries to get Kirby off her phone.
Alf reminds Mali, who has worked solo since taking over the board shop last year, that he needs to make known his position as captain of the ship and lay down some boundaries. If he lets the crew make the rules, then he has a mutiny on his hands.
Mali attempts to broach the subject with Kirby, and asks whether she’d speak to another boss the way she does to him. Kirby doesn’t seem keen on taking on the feedback however, pointing out that she’s talking to him as a mate, and reminding him that she’s doing him a favour by being there.
Will the two be able to work together in harmony, or are they already on a sinking ship?
Meanwhile, when Eden hears from Imogen that Levi has quit his job at St Christopher’s, she’s quick to accuse him of running away from his problems.
Levi has had enough at this point. If Eden wants to continue making the end of his marriage all about her then that’s her prerogative, but Levi’s done with apologising.
Levi reminds his sister that he’s lived the last decade without her in his life, and he’s prepared to do that again if need be. The decision is hers.
Will Eden come around?
