A devastating new storyline is about to place Mackenzie Booth at the centre of emotional turmoil once again, as an unexpected phone call leaves her shaken and struggling to stay standing — triggering immediate concern among those closest to her in Summer Bay.

According to early spoilers surrounding the upcoming episodes, Mackenzie has been attempting to rebuild a sense of normality after weeks of emotional strain, throwing herself into work and trying to avoid confronting deeper anxieties that have continued to linger beneath the surface. Friends have noticed that although she has tried to appear strong, there has been a quiet exhaustion growing around her — the kind that suggests she has been carrying more than she admits.

That hidden pressure reaches breaking point when Mackenzie receives a sudden phone call during what initially appears to be an ordinary day at Salt.

Sources say the call comes completely out of nowhere and immediately changes her expression. Witnesses nearby reportedly see her freeze mid-conversation before struggling to process what she is hearing. Within moments, she is unable to hold herself together, dropping her phone and collapsing as panic spreads around her.

While producers are keeping the exact content of the call secret, insiders suggest the news is connected to someone from Mackenzie’s past — a figure whose return or crisis could reopen painful emotional wounds she believed had finally settled.

The shock reportedly leaves everyone around her scrambling for answers. Levi is said to be among the first to react, rushing to her side as staff and friends attempt to understand what has happened. At first, many fear the collapse may be physical exhaustion, but it soon becomes clear that the emotional impact of the call is what has truly overwhelmed her.

What follows is expected to push Mackenzie into one of her most vulnerable storylines in recent months. Sources indicate that once she regains composure, she faces an impossible decision: whether to reveal the full truth about what she has just learned, or keep the burden to herself while trying to protect others from the fallout.

That decision may not remain private for long. Someone close to her reportedly overhears enough of the conversation to realise that whatever Mackenzie has been told could affect more than just her own future.

The emotional weight of the storyline is said to deepen when old fears begin resurfacing — particularly her tendency to internalise pain until it becomes impossible to hide. Those around her may once again find themselves locked out just when she needs support most.

Insiders describe the upcoming scenes as some of the most emotionally raw Mackenzie has filmed in recent months, with the performance expected to remind viewers why the character remains one of the most layered emotional anchors in Home and Away.

There is already growing speculation among fans that the phone call could mark the beginning of a much larger arc involving family secrets, unfinished relationships or even a sudden return no one saw coming.

What is certain is that by the end of the week, Mackenzie’s world may look very different — and the consequences of that single phone call could spread far beyond Salt, touching several lives across Summer Bay in ways no one is prepared for.