Riverblossom Hills: O'Mackey (R4)
Jules O'Mackey is worried.
She's worried about her dad... Her sweet, dorky dad, who hasn't been himself at all lately, since his ugly breakup with Patricia Wan.
He tries to be a good father still. He tried to fix her computer when it broke down...
... and when he couldn't, he bought her a brand new one, so she can chat with her boyfriend who's away at college. That's another thing Jules is worried about. What will David get up to while he's going through his freshman year at college, all alone, while she's still stuck finishing high school?
Jules has good reason to worry about Gabe. In his desperation, he tries his luck with his good colleague and friend, Samantha Ottomas.
She is having none of it, however, and sharply reminds him that she is happily married and entirely faithful to her husband, and besides that she's the mother of six! Does Gabe want her to be guilty of the same betrayal as Patricia and Sanjay?
And Gabe knows she's right, of course. He's just so lonely...
At least his tomato plants are there for him.
Meanwhile, Jules' longing for David is a bit too much to bear, and she invites him over for the evening. Good thing Académie Le Tour is just a couple of hours' drive away.
He seems happy to see her, too.
Gabe has found himself someone else to talk to besides his plants. This is Hamlet, his cockatoo.
David isn't sure what to make of it all...
However, he patiently listens as Jules talks about the awesome shoes she saw at the shops the other day, and Gabe discusses his garden with Hamlet, whose responses are just about as inspired as David's are.
After David has left it's time for dinner... and coffee. Gabe has been drinking a lot of coffee.
He has also been growing a beard. Jules thought he just couldn't be bothered to shave at first, but one morning it becomes clear to her he's not planning on shaving much at all anytime soon.
"What, don't you like it?"
"Oh, no, it's awesome, dad... Very... distinguished."
Although slowly but surely... Gabe is feeling a bit better about life again.
And that's good, because Jules only has a short time left at home before she goes to college.
Then it will really only be Gabe, his bird and his tomato plants, all alone in that big house that Gabe once had hoped to raise another child or two in, alongside his lovely Alexandra... Once, long, long ago.