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At
the apartment, Lynn is clearing the table when Amanda comes from the bathroom.
She tells Lynn how
wonderful Todd is, and Lynn tells her that's the tenth time she's said it.
Lynn hears the radio newscaster say
that fighting has broken out in the Middle East town of Al Abib. She asks
Amanda to turn the radio up.
Amanda asks what the matter is, and Lynn tells her that's where Kevin is working.
As they listen, the man
says that reports from the town have been sporadic, due to breaks in communication
with the capital, but it
appears that a number of English and Australian workers for various industrial
firms are trapped in the
middle of the fighting. The newscaster adds that Foreign Office officials
are monitoring the situation
closely, trying to assess the identities of Australian nationals caught in
the crossfire. When the man moves
on to local news, Amanda switches the radio off and Lynn looks shocked. Amanda
tells her that Kevin
will be all right. Lynn nervously says that he has to be.
Later, Lynn is on the phone to a woman who tells her she can't even get through
to the exchange. Lynn asks
if it would make any difference if she kept trying ISD, but the woman tells
her if they can't get her
through, there's not much point. Lynn thanks the woman and hangs up. Amanda
asks her if she's going to
call Kevin's parents and Lynn replies that she doesn't want to worry them
until she knows something more.
She asks the time and Amanda says it's five to eleven. Lynn tells her there's
news on the telly at eleven -
there might be something on that. There is a knock on the door. Amanda opens
it and Todd is there. He asks
her if she wants to go for a drive. Amanda says she can't - Lynn's got a few
problems. Todd tells Lynn that
life's too short for problems. Lynn says that sometimes you can't avoid them.
Amanda tells Todd that Lynn's
husband is caught up in fighting in the Middle East, and invites him in to
watch the news. Todd
says he'll
give it a rain check - he's in the mood for a bit of fun. Lynn stares at Todd
and Amanda warns him. Todd
apologises and tells Lynn her husband will be all right. He tells Amanda to
call him if she's looking for
company that night. Amanda asks him if he saw his mother. Todd says yes, and
she's the
local lending library. Amanda asks him what he means and he tells her not
to worry about it.
Todd
says he's taking the sailboard out later - the same place as yesterday, and
invites her to go down
there. Todd leaves. Lynn turns on the telly and tells Amanda that Todd isn't
exactly what you'd call the
deep type. Amanda says she's not so sure.
A short time later, Todd parks his car. He picks up an envelope on the front
passenger seat and takes out
a file headed "Fisher V Fisher - Hearing for custody of Todd Fisher."
He puts the envelope down again,
gets out of the car and starts to untie his sailboard from the top of the
car.
In the apartment, Lynn and Amanda are watching the news bulletin. The presenter
says "The town has
been encircled by guerilla forces and fierce street fighting is taking place,
especially in the wharf area.
Civilian and military casualties are high, although no official estimates
are available. Sources in Canberra
reveal that a number of Australians are believed to be sheltering in the British
Embassy, which has come
under heavy artillery fire from hills on the outskirts of the town. Negotiations
for a ceasefire are underway
but neither side....." Lynn switches the television off, and tells Amanda
it was upsetting her. She nervously
says that Kevin probably got out before the fighting even started, and probably
isn't even in the Embassy.
She adds that you see that sort of thing on the television all the time, and
never think about the people mixed
up in it. She says that maybe she should ring Mrs. Palmer, and asks Amanda
if she doesn't mind if she heads
back, as she seems to be getting it together now. Amanda says of course not.
Lynn tries phoning Beryl, but
the line is busy. Amanda tells Lynn she'll help her to pack - she needs to
be around her family.
Later, Todd is standing wet by his car, and Amanda walks up and tells him
he must be freezing. He wants to
hug her, but she tells him to dry off first. She asks him if she can wait
in the car. Todd tells Amanda to
watch the package on the front seat and just throw it in the back. Amanda
asks what package and peers into
the car. She shouts out to Todd that he's been ripped off, and they've taken
the whole sound system. Todd
is annoyed and tells Amanda that he had a legal package that he was supposed
to read. Amanda asks if the
document was important. Todd, looking miserable, tells her it wasn't important
at all.
ALYCE
PLATT (as Amanda Morrell), ANTONIA MURPHY (Lynn Palmer),
MICHAEL WINCHESTER (Todd Fisher)
Written
by BEVAN LEE
Directed by MARK PIPER
Channel
Five broadcast: Saturday 22nd March 2003