Mackenzie Booth (Emily Weir) and Felicity Newman (Jacqui Purvis) are ready to embark on a huge new storyline on Home and Away, as a new trailer depicts them bringing a poker tournament to Summer Bay. Is Mac on the verge of striking a deal with the devil?
Mackenzie will receive some bad news later this week that could cost her her entire business.
When her attitude shifts overnight, her friends and family get suspicious – she stops providing Dean (Patrick O’Connor) free food and drink, telling him she’s cutting him off and claiming she’s “sick of all the freeloading,” but it’s evident that something is amiss.
She also starts acting cold towards Ryder (Lukas Radovich), who comments, “one minute I was golden… the next, dirt!”
The true reason for her change of heart is that she received word from her insurance carrier that they will not cover the damage caused by the October gas attack (December in the UK).
Mac was counting on the money to keep the firm running, and it appears that she will run out of cash if she doesn’t get it. She eventually tells her brother, “I’m in serious danger,” and breaks down in tears as she informs him. Dean, you’re in enormous, major trouble.”
Then, in early next week’s episodes showing in Australia, Mackenzie is forced to make a difficult decision. She’s just just given Ryder a raise as a result of his TAFE graduation, and she realizes she can’t afford to keep her second-in-command employed.
It’s not an easy decision for her to make. She’s heartbroken that her company, which has been her life for the past few tumultuous years, is on the verge of failing, but she doesn’t have a choice.
Or does she?
Felicity, who worked in a city club before moving to the beachfront hamlet and taking a job at Salt, has a few ideas up her sleeve from her time in the hospitality industry.
She approaches Mac with a plan to generate some money and turn the firm around – but will it only cause her more problems?
The new poker promotion on Home and Away
Felicity proposes a poker event at Salt in a new promo now airing on Channel 7 in Australia.
“Winners tip big,” Felicity says, explaining to Mac why the event would be the perfect way to bring in some fast cash. “But losers drink even bigger!”
Could the big spenders be just what Mac needs to save her business?
“When do you need an answer?” Mackenzie asks.
“When do you need the money?” Felicity responds.
Mackenzie realizes she doesn’t have a choice but to agree, and the promo depicts the lavish gala engulfing Salt.
Several poker tables are set up, a croupier is setting up the chips, and a large number of visitors are socializing as they wait for the event to begin.
As the participants swallow shots and costly cocktails, Felicity’s prediction about the big spenders appears to be correct. Is this going to be the event that keeps Mac afloat?
Keeping your cards close to your chest is a good idea.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!” Felicity exclaims as she walks to the front of the room.
Ryder appears to have kept his job after all, as he stands behind the bar, serving drinks to the delighted gamblers.
“Here comes trouble,” he says, as she sees Tane and Felicity, now having changed outfits, appear from behind the curtain. “It’s so wrong how hot those two look.”
Tane and Felicity change their outfits several times throughout the promo, implying that the high-stakes event may take place over several days, allowing Mac the opportunity to make even more money.
And it appears to be doing exactly that as the tavern owner tallies the money behind the bar.
But is it really that easy?
“Eat, drink, play,” we hear Tane say.
“Oh, I knew you couldn’t resist,” says Felicity.
“Admit it, this was a good idea,” Felicity says to Mackenzie as they watch the action from beside the bar.
“Bit of a card shark, are we?” Felicity says seductively to her boyfriend, and it appears that the new Parata patriarch is doing pretty well.
“Just lucky,” Tane responds with a smile.
Could their arrogance, on the other hand, be ready to earn them enemies? Another player isn’t pleased with the duo, telling Tane angrily, “we’re waiting on you.”
Tane then makes a significant move.
He says, “All in,” as he places all of his chips in the middle of the table.
After Ari’s recent death, the Paratas face a challenging financial future, and while they still have the gym business to rely on, losing Ari means they’ll need all the support they can get.
Is Tane going to win big, or lose it all?
We hear Felicity say, “It’s just a matter of knowing when to talk, when to listen.”
Is there anything she has up her sleeve to assist Tane out? Will those shenanigans enrage the wrong people?
As the on-screen text reads “A deal with the devil,” we hear a voice say “this isn’t exactly legit!”
Then, a mysterious figure gets close to Mackenzie and whispers in her ear, “I guarantee you a five thousand dollar buy in.”
Mackenzie, who is in even more dire need of money than Tane, appears to be poised to make the biggest mistake of her life.
Will she lose everything?
Dean understands how dangerous it would be for Mackenzie to join the game.
“Do you know how dodgy this is?” he asks her, as he takes her outside for some fresh air and some stern words.
“Good luck, because you’re gonna need it.”
