Home and Away: Rachel rendezvous right into Budget McDreamy’s more than midlife crisis

Tonight’s episode plods along as the producers create a distraction, rubbing salt in our collective wounds from our inability to travel overseas.

When suddenly Tori throws her engagement ring in Christian’s face, calls of the wedding and to top it off, Justin punches Stephen in the head not once, but twice.

There’s a lot to get through so without further to do, here we go.

Rachel, the girl from the sky diving accident, invites Christian aka Budget McDreamy (BM) out for a coffee followed by as Tori puts it, a “rendezvous at the vending machine”

Jas just shakes her head, bewildered by BD and his naivety.

This is the man who indefinitely postponed his wedding to Tori to find a higher purpose in life and he thinks that purpose is seeing Rachel though her recovery at the detriment of losing the love of his life.

Anyway Rachel seems to be wise to the drama she’s causing so she plays coy and says hopes she “didn’t cause too much trouble”.

BM then assures Jas, who is keeping an eye on him and reporting back to Tori, there’s “nothing to worry about”.

“It’s not your job to keep her company,” Jasmine says.

“There really is nothing untoward,” BM responds.

At that exact moment Rachel appears to suffer from a panic attack and comes screaming into the ward and can only been soothed by BM.

Seeing her state of distress from being cooped up inside the hospital for weeks on end, BM fast tracks a day pass from the hospital and accompanies Rachel to the beach.

Rachel says the fresh air and company “are pretty incredible” as she reaches for BM’s hand.

We get eyes on Tori for the first time in a while. Sadly she’s on duty babysitting her brother when she gets a call from Jas with news Rachel is on a day pass from the hospital with her fiancé.

Now because this is summer bay, it plays out in front of Tori.

Only then does it dawn on BM that his relationship is in serious jeopardy and they need to “talk”.

But not before escorting Rachel back to the hospital where he comments that she “looks exhausted”. Maybe you shouldn’t have taken her out for a play date at the beach so soon after falling from the sky and breaking her neck?

“I don’t even know why you put up with the jerk,” Justin says referring to BM.

It’s no surprise that BM turns up to the meeting with Tori very late.

They talk and it’s clear BM has no idea when he’s going to be over his more than midlife crisis.

“How long do you expect me to wait?” Tori says.

Well, Tori makes the decision for him. She takes off her engagement ring, says the “wedding is off” and storms off.

Naturally BM seeks comfort at Rachel’s bedside.

While this is going on Zig is given explicit instruction from Justin to only do car stuff and go nowhere near the inventory or accounts at the garage. But the delivery from the internet pharmacy catches her attention.

She opens it and is shocked to see a lot of pain killers.

Zig hides them in her car and immediately tells Leah who arrives at the garage just moments before Justin.

Justin realises what’s going on, yells a lot when his demands to see what’s in the boot is refused, then drives off in a hurry.

“You ordered drugs off the internet,” Leah says demanding answers.

Stephen from the internet hears the commotion and intervenes, telling Justin to “back off”.

The men get up in each other’s personal space and really stare at each other like people on the TV tend to do before Stephen tells Justin “to walk away”.

Stephen has managed to weasel his way into a very convenient position where he’s become indispensable to Leah.

Stephen offers to search for Justin, who has gone missing, and heads into the bushes looking for Justin when he suddenly jumps out from behind.

“I saw you with her,” Justin accuses Stephen before slinging a right hook into his face.

Comparatively everything else that happens isn’t anywhere near as juicy.

Nikau’s hard work taking selfies of the freebies from his clients has paid off and he’s been offered “opportunity of a lifetime” three month contract in Japan.

“A major Japanese client saw your socials and wants you and Allegra over there for a three month contract,” Sienna says.

“That is awesome,” Nik says

Indeed just the mere thought of travel is “awesome”, there’s a big “but” though.

Sienna has an ulterior motive simultaneously ruining everyone’s life and is only doing it to drive Nik away from his girlfriend Bella.

Accepting the offer would only play to Sienna’s advantage especially since she has just played the big boss card and won’t release Nik from his modelling contract which means Bella can’t use any photos of him which is only her entire body of work.

“Shame you won’t be able to use any of these,” Sienna says in her only tone, sarcasm.

It sounds like Bella’s show will go on though.

Emmet comes up with a genius idea that they “pivot” (not with anywhere near the level of enthusiasm as Ross from friends moving the couch) the exhibition.

Then Nik uses his natural charm as a bargaining chip with Sienna.

“Release the photos of me for Bella show or I don’t go,” he says.

Whichever way it goes plays out well for the producers. Either Sienna accepts the new terms and they skive off to Japan aka are not in the show for a few weeks or it could be goodbye to modelling and this storyline.

Dean has also reported Mac’s disappearing to the police because he has a “really bad feeling” and Alf proves that Old dogs really can learn new tricks.

In a rare moment, Alf is actually nice and fully supports Martha’s decisions to take control of her life

“I did listen and I will try to do better,” Alf says.

“If you want to show me how much you care live life with me, not for me.

So they’re going to go to Merimbula together.

And I can confirm the infallible Roo does say appreciate with an emphasis on the “c”.