For those who don't know me, I'm Tom.
Joy was my great-aunt.
When I got pregnant, Joy was the only person
who didn't think I was crazy for keeping Walt.
Are you aware of the allegations against Phil McKenzie?
I know who you are, Ms Wilding. This is completely inappropriate.
How dare you go talking to my principal.
Five years you've peddled this shit,
and the only person it hurts is Grace.
- Hi, Zach. - What do you want?
Can you tell me where I might find your brother?
Ollie, listen. You need to say something. There could be other kids.
_
Ollie, come on. Show us your moves. Come on, boy.
Bring it down.
There we go. Oh.
- Ollie, come here. - Grace.
Put this under your... Put this under your shirt. Up the stairs. Just go!
Take this back. You're cheating. Here you go.
Oh! Go!
You touched the ground. You drink again, Ollie.
Ollie!
You just spat in my face.
Hold still, please. I'm trying to get this off.
I'm trying to help you.
Can you just hold still for one second?
Here we are. You'll feel better in your own bed, Ollie.
Oh, stop crying now.
You don't want your dad seeing you like this, do you?
Oh...
I'm sorry.
Nothing happened.
- Let's go in and see Mum. - No. No.
- Ollie. - No, I can't.
- I'm gonna need some help here, Grace. - I can't.
- Grace! - Don't make me go.
Ollie, come on, sweetheart.
*CREDITS*
OK, make sure you are settled into a comfortable position.
I would like to begin with the feeling of gratitude
for just being here today.
Quickly! Go faster.
- Get in the car. - Boop, boop!
- I want to go. I wanna go. - Sit down, please.
Boop, boop, boop, boop.
Give us the keys. I'll drive.
What happened to getting your own car?
Cos I like going to work with you guys.
Did you still wanna check out that station wagon?
Marcus said it's, like, new. Like, brandnew.
Yeah, maybe.
OK, Captain Walt.
- Where are we going today? - We're going to the jungle!
All righty, then. Just remember...
legs, feet and hands inside the vehicle at all times.
Oh my goodness. What's happening to the car?
- Dad! - Oh...
- Aah! Aah! - Aah!
Awesome. In you go.
Round this way.
Right, bye.
Excuse me.
Hug.
Ok. Bye.
- Morena, Walt. - Hi.
Nau mai.
Cool, and I'll give you these.
- Bye, Walt. - Bye.
- What time do you finish tonight? - 6, I think.
- Right, I'll do dinner. - Amy, come look at this. Oi!
What's going on?
Right, get to your class.
Now!
- Phil, I was just about to give you a call. - You've gotta get rid of this.
We will once the police have done their part.
- Can we have a chat in my office? - He didn't do anything wrong.
Leave it. Leave it. Go to your work. You'll be late.
Go on. Go on. I'll see you at home.
Waiting on your bloodwork.
But if all goes well,
we should be able to have you out of here by this afternoon, OK?
Grace. You OK?
All righty, just look at me.
All right, I'm just gonna. Oh wow.
Let's just say...
- That we'll keep some pressure on there for a little bit longer, yeah? - OK.
I can't believe I just bled on a patient.
Oh, we've all been there.
Not all of us. None of us has. Probably just you, really.
It's all right, though. All our bodies process grief differently.
How was the funeral?
Honestly, I have no idea.
- Do you wanna go for a walk to get some fresh air? - Yeah.
I'll cover for you.
- Have I missed Walt? - Yeah, he's been asleep for about an hour.
Have you had food?
OK.
So, what happened?
I agreed to take some time off.
How long?
The board are gonna meet later in the week to decide.
Well, they can't stop you from teaching. You haven't done anything.
Nobody's saying I have.
- Are the cops gonna talk to Mum? - We still don't know it was her.
Dad. Seriously, you can't let Mum do this again.
Look, just... you can stand up to her. I'll come with you to the meeting.
I'm not going to themeeting.
And I spoke to the principal and said
she has to do whatever is right for the school.
This is what happened last time.
OK? Hiding away doesn't... doesn't work.
It just makes people think you're guilty.
People are going to think what people are going to think!
There's nothing I can do aboutit!
And I was stupid to ever believe that I could come back here and change it.
I'm going to bed.
Grace?
Grace.
All right, you... go to Gran's, and we'll talk about it later.
I just need to ask you a question, Grace.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop.
I need to ask you a question, and you gotta answer me truthfully, all right?
Did your dad ever touch you?
Wh-What the...? What is wrong with you?
- Did he ever touch you? - No!
Mum, you're disgusting!
- Grace, come on. - No, just get out!
Mum, just get out!
She's fuckin' batshit, Tom.
I mean, she won't stop till she gets Dad fired... or worse.
Where's the bloody lid?
Do you think the school has cameras?
I don't know. Probably. I'll have a look into it.
How long have you let him cry for?
- I was just trying to have a conversation with Grace, OK? - No, it's not OK.
I can't be late again. I have to go.
We had a bit of a rough night.
- Do you want me to take him so you can finish up? - Yes, please.
Yep.
Oof. Hello.
Thank you.
A little, please, Mrs George.
I just need to listen to your back, thank you.
- Uh, she presented yesterday with chest pain and... - Sorry. Sorry.
Good morning, Grace. Thank you for joining us.
You should be able to hear a wheeze.
Your turn. Scrub, scrub, scrub.
OK, you keep going, and get the back ones, please.
Ollie. Hi.
Hi.
- Bad time? - Uh...
No, no. Um... It's all good.
- You look great. How are you doing? - Oh... I'm good.
Yeah. I'm good. You?
Yeah. So good.
It's been so long.
- You got something to drink? - Um, I was actually just about to put Walt to bed.
Joy! We're raiding your booze!
She's not here, actually. She's...
Um...
Oh fuck.
- What happened? - Stroke.
Huh.
Grace, are you OK?
Yeah.
I'm OK. I mean...
it's a bit shitty.
Come here.
She was a good human...
racist tendencies aside.
Full-time Christian, part-time racist, eh?
Grace, is this your menstrual cup?
- Oh my God. - No.
No.
You must be William.
Wallace? No.
- Wilbur? - No.
- What is it? - Walt.
Oh! That's right!
Walt, do you know what this is?
- No. - Teacup.
It's a teacup.
For wibbily-wobbily tea.
- I can drink. - No, Ollie. - Yum, yum, yum.
Ooh, it's quite full.
Oh, thank you so much.
- Oh, there's no more. - Aw!
_
Can you put some over to mine?
Um, I think that's enough tea before bed.
Shall we go read your books?
Um, Uncle Ollie's gotta get going.
- He's getting tired. - I can wait.
No, no, um, honestly, it can take a while.
I'm cooking.
- No, it's no rush, honestly. - I'm cooking.
- Um, say goodnight. - Goodnight.
- Night-night.
- I'm cook... I'm cooking. - OK. - Night-night, Walter.
'Tucked in a hidey hole under the stair
lay a rickety in need of repair.
'A chewed-up old cushion, a blanket all worn,
'everything broken and smelly and torn.'
- Smelly and torn. - Yeah, smelly and torn.
Fuck me, this is intense.
I, actually... I've got an essay due in the morning that I haven't started.
Come on. Just one.
To Joy.
And your dad's long-awaited return.
Your mum paid me a visit.
- Did she not tell you? - Um...
We're not really speaking.
Right.
So, what's it like having your dad back?
Oh, it's really good.
Um, Walt loves him.
- Is he still teaching? - Yep.
Which school?
- Wakefield. - Nice.
- Whereabouts is he living? - Um...
He's... staying with friends mostly.
Um... What about you? Where are you at the moment?
- I've actually just moved in to the Manor. - The Manor? Wow.
- You should come by one night. - Yeah. That'd be cool.
Is it all right if I, um, use the loo?
Yeah, sure.
_
Ollie?
You taught me those chords.
Did I?
Yeah.
- You hungry? Want to join us for some dinner? Pizza? - Yeah.
- Uh, I mean, if it's no trouble. - No, it's no trouble.
Pizza?
All right, now we put the lemon, and then now we shake.
Go for it.
Now we pour into the glass. Careful.
And voila.
- Great. Can we try it now? - Yeah.
It's, um...
impactful.
- Scottie, stop it. - I think I will have one.
Yeah.
OK.
A toast.
To you, Ollie.
Good to see you looking so well.
You gave us all a real scare, you know that?
I'm sorry I wasn't here for you.
I should go, actually.
- Do you need a lift? - No, no, no, it's all good. It's all good.
- Thank you for the pizza, though. - Pleasure.
- Come visit, OK? - Yeah.
He's a good kid.
Hope he's got someone looking out for him.
Here's your coffee.
Get in there, dog.
You're my friend.
_
The Metta Bhavana practice is about cultivating loving kindness.
First to ourselves, then extending to others.
To start...
You're gonna get arrested, you know.
You're gonna have to be a bit more specific than that, Grace.
The graffiti. The school has cameras, Mum. You're gonna get caught.
- What graffiti? - Don't play dumb. I know about all of it.
I know about harassing the principal, harassing Ollie, and now this.
What did the graffiti say? Was it about Phil?
Are you seriously gonna act like this wasn't you?
Where did they find it?
You know what... don't pick up Walt this afternoon. OK?
- Don't be stupid. It's my day, and you have to work. - Dad's gonna do it.
If you honestly think your father is gonna take time
to do the kindy run, you're dreaming.
- Well, he's got the week off, actually. - Cos of the graffiti?
Look do not pick up Walt. OK? I'm serious.
Are you looking into the allegations against Phil McKenzie?
That is a matter for the police, not the school.
So the staff are OK with a rapist at school?
I'll meet you in there.
- Right. They know you're coming. - Thank you.
As far as I'm aware, the only crime that's been committed here
is some rather unoriginal vandalism.
But he's been stood down.
He wasn't stood down. He agreed it was best if he took some time off.
It's not good enough.
That graffiti out there proves that there are more victims.
This could be happening right now under your watch.
If I were you, I'd be shitting myself.
_
- Do you still talk to Liam? - Not really. Um...
I mean, he sometimes sends Walt weird chocolates from Japan.
- Oh, yeah. - Yep.
I always knew you'd be a good mum.
I wanted to tell you about the pregnancy.
- Um... You know, we weren't really talking then, though. - Honestly, it's fine.
It's not fine, though.
The way everyone was treating you.
I... should've done something.
They were right, though, weren't they? I'm a fag through and through.
No, I should've tried. Everything was just so messed up.
I'm really sorry.
Don't beat yourself up.
- Hey, what's your dad's number? - Why?
I was just gonna send him this.
Oh. Um...
Just send it to me. His phone has been playing up since he got back.
OK.
- Coming to the staffroom? - Oh, I thought it was your Nana day.
- Nah, not today. - Hey, have you seen this?
It's all over the socials.
Yeah.
Do you reckon a student did it?
- Grace thinks I did it. - What? I thought things were getting better there.
You know what...
it is my Nana day.
- See ya. - Later.
Hey, Esther, I just need to take Walt early today. Is that OK?
Yeah, sure. He's just in the sandpit. I'll go get him cleaned up for you.
- Just got one box of saline left. - Just one box.
- You doing anything this weekend? - Um...
If Walt has his way, it'll be playground,
trip to the bus depot and ice cream probably.
All right. That sounds like fun.
You could come, if you wanted.
- Um... - Or not.
- No, sorry, it's not that I don't want to. I just... - No, it's OK.
You don't have to explain.
I'll see you out there.
Shit.
Hi, Dad.
Hi, honey. I'm at Walt's daycare. He's not here.
- What do you mean? - She's taken him.
Mum!
Walt!
You've reached Penny Wilding. Leave a message.
Where the hell are you?
Whatcha doing?
- Are you putting them all in a boat? - Yep.
Do you know those guys... those guys there...
they've got stomachs that come right out of their mouths,
and they go scuttling across the ocean floor to grab what they want to eat.
- Aah! - Yeah. And that guy too.
- Look! Look how much there is. - How many?
- Grace, I'm just at work. - Mum's taken Walt.
- What do you mean? - She's taken him from daycare. I don't know where they are.
- Isn't it her day? - I told her not to, though.
She's kidnapped him.
Grace, come on. I know Penny can be a bit of a dick,
but she's not gonna do anything to hurt him.
She's gone too far this time. Can you just help me look for them?
Look, just go home, have a cup of tea. They'll be back before you know it.
Yeah, whatever.
Up the ladder, Mr Pirate.
Through the tunnel. Where's he gone? Where's Walt gone?
There he is. Do you want a chip?
Don't worry. He'll be fine.
- Give him to me. - Oh, come on. What's the big deal? It's my day.
Hi.
See you, sweetie.
Bye-bye, Waltie.
Half past 10 at night. What were you thinking?
Yeah, well, you're hardly grandparent of the year, are you?
Take him. Take him!
Come on. Bedtime for you.
- Grace, we went to the park. He had a great time. - I told you not to take him.
Well, I wanted to spend some time with my grandson.
Oh, so now you can't go one week without seeing him.
What's that supposed to mean?
- You didn't want me to have him. - For God's sake.
If he weren't for Gran, he wouldn't exist.
Oh, Jesus, Grace. Stop being so dramatic.
- Why can't you just admit you're wrong? - What, about Walt?
About everything, Mum. Everything about Walt and about Dad.
- Do you honestly think I chose this? - Yes! Yes, Mum! None of this had to happen!
Oh, grow the fuck up!
Stop it! I am sick to fucking death of this.
You are 20. You are not 10, so stop falling for your father's bullshit
like some stupid little fucking kid.
Just stop it!
I don't want you in my life any more.
Stay the hell away from me. And stay the hell away from Walt.
OK, Walt, we just have to look out for dolphins. Tell me if you see one.
If you see one, you have to scream, 'Dolphin!' Can you see one?
- Do you want a hand there, hon? - No, it's OK.
Can you see one? Oh, look who it is.
Ooh, hot sand. Hot sand.
- I just talked to my friend this morning. - Is that right?
Really?
Yeah, he lives on Breaker Bay. It's so cool.
- Have a good day. - Have a good surf.
- See you after. - See ya.
Grace.
Come have some kai.
- Should I wake him for a feed? - Nah, he'll wake when he's hungry.
- I just can't get him into a routine. - You're doing great.
How'd you manage it on your own?
I mean, I had Gran and, obviously, Tom helped heaps...
more than Walt's actual dad.
So, yeah, it was hard, though.
All right, lads.
Good boards, man.
We're both really struggling with the lack of sleep.
- OK, let me see you on your board. - We're up all night. He never seems to settle.
- Tom's job is stressful and... - OK, good.
there's a lot of pressure on him, but, yeah...
That's OK. That's OK.
I just wish he took more time off after the birth, you know?
So so? So so?
He could enjoy it more. I think Tom's finding it hard to connect with him.
OK, OK. Keep it low. Keep it low.
- At least a month, they say... - Head down, eyes up.
Dad, stop. Stop! Just stop touching him!
What's going on?
Is everything OK?
Grab your stuff. We're going home.
Grace!
You want to tell me what the hell was going on?
- Why would you put yourself in that situation? - What situation?
With boys. You know what people are saying about you. Why would you...?
Why would you risk that?
All right, what's really going on?
You let people get too close to you.
You let Ollie get too close to you, and look what happened.
I would have gone surfing with you. I would have learnt the guitar.
Why didn't you pickme?
- Is that what you think of me? - It just feels like you wanted a son.
Oh my God. Sweetheart, no.
No, you mean the world to me. You're everything to me. You are my world.
- I came back here for you. I put up with all this shit for you. - I know.
- And you're all I ever wanted. - I know that. I do.
- Did I coming back make things impossible for you? - Don't say that.
I couldn't bear that. Have I made...?
Tell me, have I made things really hard for you?
It's not you.
Then what is it?
It's losing Gran. And it's all this shit with Mum.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
I didn't... I mean, I'm sorry.
It's OK. It's OK. It's OK.
I've decided I'm going to go to that meeting tonight.
OK.
I'll ask Reggie to babysit.
Now to the graffiti on the school lawn.
Phil, very sensibly, has agreed to spend some time away from the classroom,
- let everything settle down... - Could I speak to that?
Uh...
Yes, yes, by all means.
Years ago, I was, uh...
wrongly accused by someone who...
has all but admitted had a vendetta against me,
and I wasn't charged
because they found no evidence of any crime having been committed.
Nevertheless, it almost destroyed me,
almost destroyed my family,
and I'm not prepared to let that happen again.
Now, before I thought...
if I kept my head down, it would all just blow over, and it doesn't.
Things just get worse.
I have 35 years, unblemished record.
And... And as a good teacher, all I want to do is teach.
Yes. Um...
We understand that.
Marion, do you have any thoughts there?
I appreciate the impact that this must be having on you, Phil.
But there is a lot to consider here.
You said it would be my decision.
- That's what you said. - Absolutely.
Absolutely, and it is.
But we've got to consider how this looks from the outside
to people who might not have all thefacts.
Another couple of weeks would simply give us
time to come up with a strategy to manage that.
I don't care about the optics.
The optics are no good to me.
I'm an innocent man,
and I'm not gonna behave like a guilty one.
I am going to be in my classroom first thing Monday morning.
OK.
- Is it OK if you drop me in town? - Mm-hm.
Just gonna meet someone from work for a drink.
Someone from work for a drink. Ooh.
- Thanks. - See you, sweetheart.
See you later.
That's Alexa's room in there.
Hi, everyone. Um, this is my friend Grace.
- Hey. - Hi.
These are my flatmates.
- Did you want something to drink? - No, I can't stay.
OK. Yeah, yeah. It's all good. My room's just through here.
This is it.
Sorry about them. We were just about to have a flat meeting,
and it was gonna get very passive-aggressive.
Evie's on a power trip at the moment, so...
You need to stay away from my dad.
Wait, are you serious?
I don't understand.
I know you think that you have this special kinda relationship with him, but you don't.
All right? He just feels sorry for you.
Phil is not your dad.
You need to leave us alone.
Zach.
Did it work? Is he gonna get arrested now?
Did you paint that field?
People need to know what he fucking did.
Is this about your brother? Is this about Ollie?
He needs to be locked up.
Listen, if you know something, you gotta go to the cops.
In fact, stay there, OK? I'll just get rid of my bike. I'll come with you. Please?
No. Zach, no.
No. Zach!
Zach!
Fuck!
*CREDITS*