While their love blossomed unexpectedly, Justin and Leah could be the perfect match. And this week, Justin has a proposal.
But what will Leah say?
In Home And Away this week, Justin (James Stewart) has a spring in his step.
His family are finally moving on from their grief – and his girlfriend Leah (Ada Nicodemou) is ready to leave her own trauma behind.
Since being held captive by a deranged stalker, Leah has struggled to be around people – in particular, men.
Her feisty and bubbly personality was replaced by fear as she struggled to move on. The distance almost caused their relationship to end.
“Leah is on the road to recovery and it’s taken her some time to find her feet,” Ada, 42, tells TV WEEK.
“She’s so happy with Justin. He wants to support her.”
Will Leah say yes?
(Image: Supplied)After finally making a statement to police, the weight on Leah’s shoulders lifted and her true self resurfaced. For Justin, their reconciliation marked the beginning of a new chapter.
While at the Diner, Irene (Lynne McGranger) notices Justin’s good mood. He then reveals he has a big proposal planned and invites Leah to a special dinner. As he walks away, Irene wonders if he’s going to propose.
Leah is stunned. She loves Justin, but is she ready for such a major step?
“The thought of Justin proposing is daunting. While they’ve been in a happy place and are finding their way as a couple, marriage is a huge leap,” Ada says.
Later, Justin arrives to take Leah to dinner. Nervous about what’s in their future, Leah shies away from conversation.
After a brief moment of silence, Justin takes a deep breath and makes his announcement. Will they get engaged?
WATCH: Behind the scenes of Home And Away’s Christmas shoot. Story continues below.
Ben’s life hangs in the balance
Will Ben be okay?
(Image: Supplied)Can something please go right for poor Ben? We certainly hope so – and soon!
Amid the anguish of his wife’s betrayal, Ben (Rohan Nichol, above) turns to anti-depressants to cope this week. He recently discovered Maggie (Kestie Morassi, above) slept with his brother Marco (Tim Walter) before they were married.
He also almost lost Ziggy (Sophie Dillman) as a daughter when his paternity was questioned.
Ben has a long history with depression and anxiety, but won’t listen to Maggie’s fears as he hides himself from his family. While angry with her mother, Ziggy worries her father won’t recover.
After persistent phone calls, Ben finally agrees to have dinner with his wife. But, at the table, they struggle to make small talk and it doesn’t go well.
Eventually, Ben claims he isn’t feeling well and storms off. He returns to work, knocking back more pills.
The next day, when Maggie arrives to apologise but finds Ben unconscious, she calls for an ambulance. Will Ben be OK?
Ari and Tane come to blows
Uh-oh! family troubles for the Paratas.
(Image: Supplied)Nikau’s spontaneous roadtrip to visit his uncle is set to backfire this week when Ari finds out where he’s been – and more troubling, why.
In recent episodes, Nikau (Kawakawa Fox-Reo), sick of fighting with Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams), took off to find his uncle.
Upon his arrival, he asked Tane (Ethan Browne) if he could move in. After letting him stay overnight, Tane scolded him for running away. They need to stay together as a family.
“Ari thinks Tane is a bad influence and has warned him to stay away,” Ethan tells TV WEEK.
This week, Tane brings Nikau home. He’s met with aggression from Ari, who demands to know where they’ve been. The confrontation gets heated, with Ari throwing the first punch. Gemma (Bree Peters) races down to the beach to pull them apart.
The next day, Tane heads for a surf and runs into Mackenzie (Emily Weir, left). Unaware she has history with Ari, he strikes up a conversation.
It looks like Tane isn’t finished causing trouble just yet…
