Season 4, Episode 32: "Reality bites" (original air date: February 21, 2003)

Louise is very worried - an epidemic of pregnancies in Bassett is bringing an Auckland bigwig to town to conduct a funding enquiry.

Ken is dragged reluctantly to his own engagement party, organised by Cara-Lee, one of Dana's netball mates. Ken feels compromised to receive a large and expensive toaster from Cara-Lee's boyfriend, Quentin - a local drug dealer. When Ken flees the party early, Dana is annoyed. Ken is forced to reveal the source of his embarrassment - cops are watching Quentin because he's the centre of a planned drug bust.

But Ken isn't the only party pooper. Nicky flees when she spots a man from her past, only to find him at work the next morning, as the funding investigator. It is Tom Strachey, Nicky's former lover - who she glued to his underpants.

Midwife Rhonda prescribes immediate bed-rest for Louise, whose blood pressure has sky-rocketed. A worried William foists responsibility for Tom onto Nicky. Tom is sceptical when everyone in Bassett seems to have an outlandish theory for the current crop of pregnancies. His cynicism turns to outright rudeness when Nicky takes him to lunch at the vineyard. When she suspects his behaviour is revenge for the glue incident, Tom reveals that he had the chance for revenge when she applied for the job in Bassett, but he chose not to take it. And he is really here to see her.

Meanwhile, Dana can't breach Ken's confidence, but doesn't want Cara-Lee to be at home when her place gets raided. She drops heavy hints, but with no luck. Later, she is shocked when Ken reveals that Cara-Lee has been arrested with a large quantity of dope. He also realises that Dana has tipped off her friend and feels betrayed. He plans to report the breach to his superiors and suffer the consequences. When Cara-Lee is decidedly cool with her, Dana realises that she has to choose between her friend and Ken. She chooses Ken.

Nicky makes her peace with Tom and he reports that the babies of Bassett will be welcomed with open funding arms. But when Nicky turns him down, Tom finds solace in an unlikely form.

And when Louise finally faces her feelings about her baby, William makes a proposal, but Louise can't make a commitment.