SeaChange

CHILDREN CHATTER EXCITEDLY

Nearly got an outside edge there.

Oh! Good! And another...

He might hit the next one.

Yes! There's an outside edge!

It's to the backward square leg! And, yes - he's out!

Daddy's asleep.

MONDO ROCK'S 'COME SAID THE BOY' PLAYS

OK. Go on, kids.

Go on!

Oh!

You little rascals!

UPBEAT BLUES GUITAR MUSIC

The first parcel today and the rest next week.

I was going to put into futures.

Gentlemen, after eight months of stimulating negotiation

you are now telling me

you want to change the financing model we agreed to in March

because it no longer suits your client's corporate structure.

And, coincidentally, what she proposed

just happens to create a huge stamp duty liability for my client.

Correct? Unfortunate, but yes.

Gavin, there are 29 hours before

the financing structure collapses.

If we don't close the deal by then,

the tax incentive disappears.

My client's left without a deal

and your client is left with a 20 million tax problem.

Sorry, Laura. That's how it has to be.

I've got a 48 million cheque in the school satchel here.

We're one clause away.

Surely it's in your client's best interests to accept the deal.

I think I'm in a better position to advise my client, thanks, Gavin.

And my advice to him at present would be not to accept.

Let's reconvene here at 5:30 tonight.

We will have made a final decision.

We don't need six hours.

It's pretty simple - yes or no.

You may well be right.

We'll all know for certain at 5:31 tonight.

What a creep! Is he bluffing? No.

Bad timing - you facing Tony at the partners meeting tomorrow.

Call for you! Take a message.

Tell Mary to call the Deputy Chief Magistrate's office and cancel lunch.

Get Greg and Peter to meet with me.

We'll somehow reconfigure the stamp duty.

Laura, you got a mo'? Always, Tony. Give me five.

Jack called. Give him a ring, will you?

Every time he goes interstate he calls me constantly!

That's so sweet! It is when you're not busy.

Perhaps, given the time constraints, we should accept the offer

and cop the stamp duty.

Yeah. That's an option.

Move that point there. Do you mind?

It's not an option I'd be recommending -

not without really exploring the alternatives.

Laura, your husband called. Said it was urgent.

I got that message already.

Michael's anxious to tie this up. I understand.

But our client realises the stamp duty's almost 2 million,

half what he was getting after the legal fees.

I need you two to look into some issues.

I'll draw the corporate structure on the whiteboard.

Laura, Rupert Gibson's here to see you.

Who? Your son.

Laura! Just give me a few hours, Tony.

I will sort it out.

Rupert, what are you doing here?

Did school get out early?

Yeah. Sort of.

It's always great to see you,

but you couldn't have picked a worse time.

The deal I've been setting up for months is about to fall over.

Yep. Which is very bad.

It's really important. Right.

I don't think I'll be getting home till very late, and Dad's interstate.

I'll get Colleen to organise food for you guys.

Yep. Um... there's this thing at school.

You know Brendan and Byron?

They got into an argument...

Can it wait, darling? Yeah. It can wait.

I want to hear. OK.

Would you like an ice-cream? OK.

Simon, didn't you get my message? Lunch is cancelled.

I received your message at the cafe.

G'day, Rupe. Hi, Simon.

I'll get someone to drive you home.

I'm sick of being cancelled by my ex-friend,

so I got Pastelli's to make a picnic lunch

so I could eat while watching my ex-friend work.

Seared tuna on basil mash with a side salad.

Have you nearly finished Gwenda? Just a touch too much basil.

It's 15 pages! I need to proof it.

How's yours? I realise that!

Jack's company won the Helman Towers construction.

Oh! So he's solvent for a change?

And - don't tell a soul - Tony's offering me a partnership tomorrow.

He does realise you're a woman?

It's not guaranteed, especially if this deal fails.

Having a family young means you're 10 years behind everyone else!

You've made up for lost time. So it appears.

If it falls over, I could still make you a magistrate.

There's a thought! It'd be half the hours I'm doing.

And a third the money.

I can just see you now

sitting in judgment over druggies and peeping Toms,

mixing it with humanity.

I deal with people every day.

No, you deal with lawyers. It's quite different.

Name one thing you do that puts you in touch with the general public.

Amnesty International.

Doesn't count. What else?

Well, lots of things!

Rupert's tuckshop. I help out on that with the other parents.

Nonsense! Last time it was your turn, you sent Gwenda!

Did she tell you that? Don't worry.

I'm the same. Ordinary people scare me.

I like ordinary people...

..I think.

In that case, just say the word

and you can be magistrate for Pearl Bay.

There's a vacancy there at the moment.

Pearl Bay.

I think the previous incumbent died of boredom.

Jack and I had a fabulous holiday once in Pearl Bay

when the kids were young.

God, yes. I remember that story.

Sell everything! The house! The Cortina!

Jack and I have found paradise!

I had sunstroke. It was a passing fancy.

Like me.

No. You left me.

You turned gay, remember?

Only way I could become deputy chief magistrate.

Here it is, Laura.

Time for me to vanish.

At last! Thanks for lunch.

This is such a worthwhile relationship!

Perhaps we could go over some...

Where's Dad? Don't know.

Has Mum rung?

No, but Colleen brought around some crab meat

and an oily thing that looked like vegemite.

I chucked that in the bin.

I'll cook you something. It's alright.

I had some potato chips.

Mum's not coming home until late.

Oh, yeah? Well, what's new?

Laura, darling, it's Jack.

I desperately need you to call me.

Not on my mobile. It's not with me.

Call, um... What is it?

..96463388.

And a man called Norton Chilvers will answer

and he knows where I am.

Laura, please! This is so urgent.

I'm not going to be home tonight.

Have you told Mum about school yet?

No.

I will.

You better. She's going to kill you.

Is it yes or no?

No.

But I have come up with a restructure

that eliminates the stamp duty liability

and protects both parties.

Hmm? I presume it's legal.

It does require you give us an indemnity should there be problems,

but I've discussed it with two of the partners and the risk is minimal.

I think that's for my client and I to decide, thanks.

Of course.

Take your time.

I'll leave you with it.

Hello. I'd like to leave a message for Mr Jack Gibson.

Sorry I couldn't get back to you.

I've had the day from hell but I think I've won.

I'll shout you a meal. KNOCK AT DOOR

Joining us?

EMOTIONAL PIANO MUSIC ON TV

MAN TALKS SOFTLY ON TV

Rupert, what are you still doing up?

Have you eaten?

Yeah.

Where's your sister?

Oh, she's sulking in her room.

She said she didn't want to talk to anyone

and she'd rather be an orphan.

Oh, alright. Did Dad phone?

He left some message about not coming home tonight.

That's why he was calling me. I'm going to bed.

Come on!

Mum, there's this thing school wanted me to tell you.

Can it wait? No worries.

Good. I'm bushed.

I'm sorry I was so late.

Big day. I'll make it up to you this weekend.

Guess what. They're making me a partner tomorrow.

Mum, wake up!

You're late!

Oh! The alarm didn't go off!