They’ve long been one of our favourite Summer Bay couples. However, the once happy marriage of Marilyn (Emily Symons) and John (Shane Withington) is about to hit crisis point!
“Marilyn and John have been a very successful couple,” agrees Shane. “But that looks set to change.”
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What’s more, Marilyn will find herself making a shock admission to hunky newcomer and fellow siege survivor Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams), with whom she has fast developed a close bond.
Early in the week, we see that Ari, his sister Gemma (Bree Peters) and nephew Nikau (Kawakawa Fox-Reo) are struggling to find their feet in the small coastal town.
Unable to pay their motel bills or even put food on the table, the Paratas are forced to sleep in their car for the night. But their dire financial situation doesn’t go unnoticed by a kindly Marilyn, who is keen to do all she can to help the struggling family.
The same, however, cannot be said for John, who finds himself clashing with Ari and Nikau when he spots the newcomers making use of the showers at the Surf Club.
Before long, however, Marilyn has impulsively invited Ari, Gemma and Nikau to stay at her place for as long as they need. Safe to say, John is gobsmacked when he returns home later that day to discover the Paratas have moved in without his knowledge!
“Post-siege, there is now incredible trauma and shock for Marilyn,” says Emily. “Ari was so kind to her when they were being held hostage, and now she feels that no-one else can understand what she went through. She thinks that he was her saviour – that he showed her empathy and kindness when she needed it most – and that she is now indebted to him and his family.”
But as a heated argument breaks out between Marilyn and John, it’s plain to see that a gulf has formed between the couple. And Marilyn is in no mood to hear anything her husband has to say.
“This causes huge issues between Marilyn and John,” says Emily.
Marilyn refuses, in fact, to retract her offer to the Paratas, informing John that the family is here to stay.
“This takes John completely by surprise,” says Shane.
The next day, Marilyn admits to Irene that her marriage is on shaky ground. Soon after, she also finds herself having a heart-to-heart with Ari. It’s then that she drops a bombshell on the newcomer – she sometimes finds herself wondering why she married John!
“There are definitely big thunderclouds approaching in the John and Marilyn nest,” reveals Shane. “It’s a huge storyline.”
What will Marilyn do now?
For more, see this week’s New Idea – out now!
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