“Outrageous Fortune chronicles the lives of the West family, who have always done things the less-than-legal way. However, when Dad Wolfgang West gets sent to jail for four years, his family receives a very sharp wake-up call.
Mum Cheryl decides that it is time for her family to get out of the crime game once and for all. No more robbing, ripping people off or lying. However, for this family, breaking the habits of a lifetime is much easier said than done.
There is a whole bag of trouble when Cheryl doubts Pascalle, and Judd finds that old is the new young.
Munter is a man spent, milked of sperm. The reason is Kasey’s obsession with having a baby, which is draining his vital fluids and ruining his sex life.
Cheryl has decided on a new approach to drive Pascalle from Nicky, one of kindness and conciliation. But her offers of help with Best Bag Ever only offend Pascalle. Upset and undermined, Pascalle is determined to prove to Cheryl that she can sell bags. She demands bags from Kasey, and wants Loretta’s assistance with a retail event that will go down in history. Sheree is worried that all Pascalle’s cash is being wasted on the venture, but hopes Pascalle will finally crash and burn. Cheryl is similarly sceptical, but has other worries . . .
Ngaire is moving in downstairs with Grandpa! Cheryl goes into battle with Grandpa over this, only to find that Ngaire has no intention of moving in. Grandpa just wants a space of his own for some quiet entertainment. Cheryl is semi-assuaged until the house is rocked by loud music. Cheryl and Judd now discover that Ngaire and Grandpa are running a gambling den, with the assistance of Falani. Cheryl is not impressed, but Judd insists on dealing with it. He brokers a deal with Grandpa – there can be parties, but no stolen booze and no trouble.
Sceptics and supporters now converge on Westfield Mall for Pascalle’s historic retail event, a full-on demonstration of the Best Bag Ever. Disaster turns to success, and Pascalle sells big time. But she’s chagrined not to get an apology from Cheryl. Undeterred, Pascalle now shows Kasey the dingy space she’s taken so Kasey can fill the many bag orders. At which point, Kasey baulks. She’s a designer not a machinist, and also under pressure from Cheryl. She then has a similar spit with Cheryl, and walks out. Kasey shares her woes with Munter as they try again for a baby, but now he reveals that all this trying for a baby is just not sexy. Kasey takes this ill. Sheree counsels Pascalle to give up on the bag, but Nicky is supportive. He then claims this is only to keep in with Pascalle. He is sure the bag idea will fail of its own accord.
Cheryl decides to use her new conciliatory approach with Kasey: she must do what is right for her. Judd is left to deal with the oldie front, where all is quiet. But now Hayden arrives to complain about the abduction of various inmates from the Janet Frame. And Judd finds that this evening’s quiet entertainment is a porno cinema. At this, he sees red and turns off the power. This leads to a showdown with Grandpa and Ngaire, but Judd has had enough. He lives here now and has a say, so get used to it. Pascalle arrives, upset to find that Cheryl has gone to pressure Kasey. In despair over having orders but no way of sewing bags, she finds a sympathetic ear in Ngaire. Pascalle should have come to her sooner. . .
Cheryl and Judd both feel they’ve triumphed, but now Kasey reveals she’s taken Cheryl at her word. She’s doing what is right for her by resigning, and going to work for Pascalle, who has found a wonderful machinist in Grandpa’s former associate, Bilkey. Ngaire is happy to have sweet revenge on Cheryl, and Pascalle pleased she no longer needs her mother’s approval. As Cheryl finds it keener than a serpent’s tooth to have an ungrateful child . . .
But more important than all of this – Kasey decides she’s no longer trying for a baby, and sperm can be wasted. Munter’s sex life improves dramatically.” www.outrageousfortune.co.nz/; 17/11/2009