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When John (Shane Withington) does some digging on the Paratas he’s shocked by what he finds, but on delivering an ultimatum to wife Marilyn (Emily Symons), it backfires spectacularly….
Although Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams) helped Marilyn greatly throughout the trauma of the siege at Northern Districts Hospital, John has taken umbrage at the bond Marilyn has formed with Ari. Marilyn has done everything in her power to help the Paratas settle in Summer Bay, but John would much rather they leave town altogether.
Things came to a head when Marilyn invited the family—who were sleeping in their car when finances caused them to be booted out of their motel—to move into her and John’s house. Though John eventually let Gemma (Bree Peters) and Nikau (Kawakawa Fox-Reo) stay on for a few weeks, Ari felt it best if he moved into a caravan, having already butted heads with John on numerous occasions.
After Ari tells John to back off once again, explaining that John knows nothing about his family, John is determined to find out more. Searching the Parata name online, it only takes a few seconds for him to find out why the Paratas have been so secretive about their past.
A victorious John rushes home to Marilyn with printouts of his findings, feeling his suspicions are finally justified.
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Marilyn is stunned as John shows her articles about Gemma’s late husband Mikaere, who was shot dead by police during a botched armed robbery in which an innocent bystander also lost their life in the crossfire.
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<p>That isn’t all however, as he reveals more articles detailing how Ari himself had previously served time in jail for robbery and car theft.</p>
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As a triumphant John tells Marilyn that Ari clearly isn’t the perfect man she makes him out to be, he is bewildered when Marilyn tells him that everyone makes mistakes.
Seemingly unfazed by the details of the Paratas past, Marilyn can’t believe what John has done, how could he stoop so low?
As far as Marilyn is concerned, their past is ancient history and Ari is a changed man.
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She points out that there’s nothing about Gemma and Nikau, but John feels they are guilty by association, and they are no longer welcome in their house.
Marilyn will not hear of it, and she tells John to get rid of all the printouts—she doesn’t want Gemma and Nik to know he’s been snooping—before storming off back to work.
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Seeking advice from Roo (Georgie Parker), Marilyn does wonder whether she was too hasty in asking the Paratas to stay without knowing anything about them—but Roo tells Marilyn that she’s always had good instincts and that she should trust herself.
With this in mind, Marilyn returns home and tells John and Gemma and Nik are still welcome to stay.
When John again tells her that they cannot trust the Paratas based on their past, she’s quick to point out that John’s own past isn’t exactly squeaky clean. John got a second chance from the community when he was charged with arson, so it’s hypocritical to not give Ari and his family a second chance.
Refusing to entertain the idea of sitting down with Gemma and Nik to discuss things further, John lays down a final ultimatum to Marilyn—”Either they leave, or I do!“.
Later that evening, Ari is surprised to see John checking into the caravan next to his…
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