Caught in the Middle of Love and Loyalty

Next week on Home and Away, young Cohen Stewart becomes the emotional center of Summer Bay’s most gut-wrenching storyline yet. After his father Adrian shocks Roo with the sudden demand that Cohen move in with him full-time, the boy’s world spins out of control.

Unable to process the confrontation, Cohen reacts with anger and confusion, rejecting his father’s proposal on the spot. In a heated moment, Adrian accuses Roo of poisoning their son against him, reigniting long-buried resentment.

As tempers flare, Roo’s father Alf Stewart steps between them, his protective instincts taking over. With sharp honesty, he reminds Adrian that his own past actions fractured this family in the first place. The exchange leaves the entire household raw and shaken.

 

A Quiet Conversation, A Devastating Truth

Later that evening, Roo finds Cohen alone, his bravado gone and his face clouded with guilt. Sitting beside him, she asks softly what he truly wants — no pressure, no anger, just love. In one of the episode’s most tender moments, Cohen finally admits the truth:

“I want to live with Dad.”

The words cut through Roo like a blade. Her expression says what she cannot—she’s proud of his honesty, but shattered by the choice. She nods gently, hiding her tears, letting her son feel safe in his decision even as her heart quietly breaks.

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Summer Bay’s Emotional Storm

This storyline captures the painful realism Home and Away has mastered for decades: no villains, just people trying—and failing—to do what feels right.

For Roo, it’s a lesson in unconditional love. For Adrian, it’s a test of redemption. And for Cohen, it’s the impossible burden of choosing between two people who both love him deeply.

As the waves crash outside their home, Roo faces the hardest truth of all — sometimes loving someone means letting them go.