Next week on Home and Away in the UK, Summer Bay House returns to its roots as Roo welcomes her first foster child, while Xander says goodbye for good.
It’s approaching a year since Roo (Georgie Parker) first decided to apply to be a foster carer, which came in the wake of Tane (Ethan Browne) discovering a baby on the beach.
Tane grew attached to the child, and unable to become a foster carer himself without first going through the process of applying for permanent residency, he asked Roo if she would be willing to step up to the plate in the interim.
Although the baby’s real mother, Sonia (Olivia Beardsley), eventually showed up and, with support, was able to take her daughter back into her care, Roo was inspired to push forward with her application regardless.
Next week, Roo rounds up Alf and Marilyn at the front of the house for a briefing, explaining that they’ll be taking in a 14-year-old girl named Eliza Sherwood (Martha Kate Morgan).
Eliza has been in care for the past four years, and needs a new placement urgently after her last foster home was destroyed in a fire.
As they prepare for the new arrival that very evening, Roo admits to Marilyn that despite having completed the relevant courses, she’s already having some self-doubt.
Marilyn reminds her of the success she had in nurturing Maddy (Kassandra Clementi) and nephew Ryder (Lukas Radovich) over the years, and reaffirms that she and Alf will be there to support her along the way.
A short time later, Roo returns to the house with Eliza and introduces her to Alf and Marilyn.
Alf tells a seemingly timid Eliza to make herself at home, but she doesn’t seem optimistic that she will be staying there very long.
Alf offers Eliza a seat and goes to take a small box she’s holding, but a protective Eliza quickly pulls away.
Roo explains that the musical box was the only possession that Eliza was able to save from the fire, which left her with a burn on her arm.
After Eliza settles into her room, Roo helps her change the dressing on her arm. Noting how quiet she is, Roo assures Eliza that she can talk to her about anything that’s troubling her.
Eliza opens up about the fire, telling Roo it was intense, and confirms that her foster siblings had still been in the house when Eliza had to make a run for it.
Roo’s relieved that they all made it out alive in the end, but Eliza soon changes the subject.
As Roo leaves Eliza to get some rest, we get the distinct impression that Roo is feeling uneasy about something.
Back downstairs, Roo tells Alf and Marilyn that she can’t get her head around how frightened Eliza must be right now.
“That’s why I mustn’t give up on her,” Roo states, clearly holding her reservations back. “No matter what.”
Meanwhile, Eliza opens her music box and carefully inspects the items inside.
A white feather… a lock of blonde hair… a family photo with the parents’ faces scratched out… a ring… and a lighter.
As Eliza strikes the lighter she sits staring at the flame, completely transfixed.
Was Eliza the one who started the fire at her former home?
Elsewhere, Dana (Ally Harris) and Rose (Kirsty Marillier) are in for a shock when they receive some unexpected news from Xander (Luke Van Os).
Xander is currently on a six-week work placement in Melbourne, a requirement for a module on the business course he is currently undertaking.
Having been working as Salt’s events manager for the past year, Xander had briefly hoped to buy into the business when Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) was left a 50% share following Felicity’s (Jacqui Purvis) death.
Cash had initially planned to stay on as a partner and so turned Xander’s offer down, but eventually opted to sell to Mackenzie (Emily Weir), giving her sole ownership.
Whilst Xander was put out at first, he came to realise that it wasn’t what he truly wanted, and began looking at courses in the view of one day opening his own business.
Xander attended his course twice a week, but was left in a pickle when he realised he’d left it to the last minute to organise a suitable internship.
After seeking her assistance, Xander was pleased when Mac conveniently came up with the goods—a hotel-owner friend had an intern who had pulled out of their placement. The only issue was that it was in Melbourne, and he would have to start in two days’ time.
Xander was initially reluctant to leave girlfriend Dana for so long, but she encouraged him to follow his dream—after all, it was only for six weeks and only an hour’s flight away.
Dana and Rose were both there to wave him off, as Rose told her little bro how proud she was of him.
“Summer Bay’s really been the making of us, hasn’t it?” she told him. “We live in paradise, we’re both kicking work goals, and you finally have a non-imaginary girlfriend! Seriously, I’m happy for you.”
Xander said a heartfelt goodbye to Dana, telling her that he loved her for the first time, before driving off.
Next week, both Dana and Rose are looking forward to Xander’s return, but as Dana busies herself with organising Harper (Jessica Redmayne) and Tane’s (Ethan Browne) wedding, she misses a number of calls from Xander.
When Rose eventually catches up with Dana, she’s forced to tell her what Xander had been trying to contact her about… he’s staying in Melbourne, and isn’t coming back!
A quick call to Xander and Dana learns that he’s been offered his dream job as events manager for a major hospitality group (Lassiters perhaps?).
Rose can see it from Xander’s point of view; it’s a massive opportunity, but at the same time, he’s leaving behind his girlfriend.
Dana explains that’s where it gets complicated—he’s asked her to move to Melbourne so they can be together!
Rose agrees that it’s a massive ask, particularly as Dana points out, it would mean abandoning pregnant sister Harper before her wedding, as well as her job as a volunteer lifesaving at the surf club.
But Rose is also finding it difficult to accept Xander’s decision, given that he was the reason she moved to Summer Bay in the first place. She can’t imagine her life here without him.
Dana begins to wonder whether Xander meant what he said when he told her that he loved her, and resolves to tell him that she’s not moving, hoping that the ultimatum will help him realise that he’s walking out on both his girlfriend and sister.
Dana later gets a further text from Xander reiterating that he’s not coming back, begging her to come to Melbourne and that she’ll love it there.
But Dana isn’t ready to give up, and realises there’s only one thing for it. She’ll have to go to Melbourne and attempt to change his mind in person.
