Mia and Ari begin their adoption adventure in next week’s episode of Home and Away in the UK. Will it be ended before it starts, when Nikau tells them that a criminal record and adoption don’t mix?
Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams) believes that now is the moment to sort out his and Mia’s (Anna Samson) family life, with Tane (Ethan Browne) and Nikau (Kawakawa Fox-Reo) both self-destructing around them.
Mia just made the decision that she would never try for another child. In their years together, the couple has had several miscarriages, and their only child, Kauri, died shortly after birth. Mia decided that she couldn’t bear the anguish of trying for a baby again after her recent miscarriage, which occurred as a result of the catastrophic automobile accident that left Dean and Nikau hospitalized.
Mia was originally concerned that Ari would desert her since he desired a kid of his own. He told her, though, that she was his future, whether or not she had children. Then Mia mentioned that adoption may be a nice option, which gave Ari plenty of food for thinking.
Ari decides he’s ready to talk about it early the following week. He shifts the discussion to more pleasant themes as the pair walks down the shore, mentioning Ari’s problematic brother and nephew.
“After all, don’t we have our own problems to solve?” He begins, smiling, before adding: “I mean, adoption isn’t exactly a simple procedure, is it?”
“Are you serious?” a giddy Mia says as she leans in for a kiss. Finally, they’re on the same page and ready to go on a journey that might result in the addition of a new family member.
There are a lot of phone calls to make and a lot of details to work out. Fortunately, as Ari kindly reminds out, “you’re the most organized person I know.”
They take a glance around the beach, first longingly at the other families playing together, and savor the thought of having their own small kid to care for.
However, organization and administration aren’t the only roadblocks they face. They have no idea how to go about adopting a child and are aware that they require assistance.
“Perhaps we need someone with first-hand experience,” Ari speculates as he notices John Palmer (Shane Withington) come up in his surf club buggy. Perfect.
They apprehend him at the Surf Club and ask him to supper, hoping to pick his brain about his and Marilyn’s (Emily Symons) experiences with Jett adoption.
But picking John’s brain isn’t the only thing he excels at. “Character references, babysitting when the time comes” – Mia has already come up with a million ways they can put their new acquaintance to good use, including wooing him with a nice feast at their place that evening.
They’ll be surprised to learn that Maz and John adopted Jett when he was already a teenager, so their desire to adopt a newborn will be totally different, but he’ll still be a big help. They’re having so much fun that John and Mia even get Ari to taste rosé wine for the first time – and he doesn’t dislike it.
They can’t contain their joy when John promises them that every up and down will be worth it when they hear the youngster call you “dad” for the first time.
Their good spirits and optimism, however, are about to be dashed, thanks to a little aid from their nephew.
Nikau is initially upbeat when Mia and Ari reveal the adoption news to him after a disastrous road trip with Tane. Despite his ongoing remorse over the automobile accident, he couldn’t be happy for them.
Yet, only minutes later, he learns that his uncle assisted Dean in moving into Ziggy’s apartment. Nikau can’t believe it — Ziggy and Tane had just recently broken up, and now Ari is assisting Ziggy in moving in with her ex-boyfriend!
“Are you picking sides now?” he enquires, enraged. “[Tane] is still upset over Ziggy, and you’re assisting Dean with his move in.” Where is your commitment?!”
When Ari goes to give him a serve, his nephew gets go and tells him the truth: “Are ex-cons allowed to adopt these days?”
Owch.
Despite the fact that Nikau’s angry remark was made on the spur of the moment, he has a point. Ari’s criminal past will surely hinder their prospects of adopting, which the hopeful parents hadn’t even considered.
Is there any way they can get past this stumbling block?