A new day set upon Pine Valley. Raquel awoke to find Mateo and Max asleep in the next bed. Her pain slightly subsided, Raquel began to fantasize about how things between her and Mateo could be. In her dream, Mateo woke and slowly walked towards her. After telling her how beautiful she looked, the pair shared a kiss. As the kiss ended, Mateo told Raquel that he "could wake up like this every morning." Unfortunately, Raquel was forced back into the bitter reality of the real world. The sentiment of her dream existed, but it lacked the passion. Mateo was happy to hear that Raquel's pain had lessened. Later when Max awoke, Isabella dropped by the hospital to take him to the zoo. During this time, the doctors determined that Raquel's condition had, in fact, improved. She was removed from traction, but was required to wear a protective neck collar. Mateo returned to the room only and informed Raquel that he was happy that her injuries were only temporary. Oddly, Raquel remarked that she was glad that she'd been injured. She determined that the accident was the work of divine intervention. In essence, she believed that she'd been punished in order to atone for the trouble she'd caused. Mateo assured her that that was not the case. He said that he was sure that things would only get better---especially since they were finally going to be divorced.
Ryan and Hayley spent the night on the floor of the new club. When they woke, Hayley tried to convince Ryan to go out to breakfast. Ryan declined, saying that he should be moving along. Hayley desperately wanted Ryan to stick around because she hoped that he'd be less likely to think about skipping town if he had something to do. Ryan again made it known that he was not sure what he'd be doing from day to. Satisfied with the work that they'd done the night before, Hayley came up with any idea to give Ryan a new outlook on life. After hearing refer to him as "arm candy," Ryan flatly rejected Hayley's attempt to find him a new job. He incorrectly assumed that she wanted him to become a male escort! Hayley chuckled slightly and mused that he'd be good as an escort. She became serious and explained that she wanted Ryan to work at the club. Ryan accused Hayley of treating him like a "charity case" and refused her offer. Hayley insisted that she was not being charitable; She was just being Hayley. She told Ryan that she wanted him to stay in Pine Valley, but at the same time realized that he needed time to find his way. Working at the club, she announced, would give them all what they wanted. Ryan smiled bashfully and accepted the job offer. A few minutes later, Mateo made an appearance and learned that Hayley had hired Ryan. He smiled slightly and agreed that having Ryan around was a good idea.
Erica and Vanessa traveled to Pine Valley Hospital so that Erica could meet with Joe and Dr. Weiss. Erica bumped into David in the hallway and demanded that the doctor page Joe so that she could get her examination underway. David chuckled to himself and explained to Erica that the hospital staff wasn't there to take orders from her. Joe was tied up and David offered to step in. Erica reluctantly agreed. David had been taken off of Erica's case because Erica had been unhappy with the way the cardiologist had hid the truth about her facial injuries. Now, though, Erica either had to accept David's offer to exam her or wait in the waiting room until Joe was able to see her. Waiting, Erica commented, was not an option. Erica took a deep sigh and filed into a nearby examining room. Vanessa, meanwhile, told David that Erica was lashing out because she was frightened. She asked her son to be extra patient when working with Erica. David viewed Vanessa's advice as a lecture. He angrily told his mother to butt out of his business. While Vanessa paced up and down the corridor, David used a stethoscope to listen to Erica's heartbeat. Erica was asked to cough and take several deep breaths. When the examination was complete, David wrapped his stethoscope around his neck and smiled proudly. "I didn't know I was this good," he boasted. The examination revealed that Erica's heart had made a full recovery. David had never expected Erica to survive the trip to the hospital let alone mend so speedily. "It's almost as if the accident never took place," David grinned. Erica was pleased with the diagnosis, but to Erica, the injuries to her heart paled in comparison to the scars on her face. Dr. Weiss arrived in the examination room and Erica hoped that the good news would continue to flow. David remained in the room until Erica shooed him away. In the hallway, Vanessa asked David for a progress report on Erica's condition. Upset that he'd been dismissed, David snapped that Erica's condition was privileged information. The plastic surgeon removed Erica's bandages and took a long look Erica's face. After completing the exam, Dr. Weiss placed fresh bandages over Erica's injured face. Curious and hopeful, Erica asked the doctor if he'd be able to restore her face to its pre-accident beauty. "I had hoped that the healing had gone a little better," Dr. Weiss said coldly. In its current state, Dr. Weiss said that he was unable to do any surgery to correct Erica's injuries. He urged her to look on the bright side: her heart had made a full recovery. He said that he was confident that circulation to the wound would return to normal, thereby helping the healing process. Dr. Weiss left the room. Erica leaned forward and placed her head in her hands. She sobbed quietly unaware that someone had entered the room behind her. David placed his hand on Erica's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Initially Erica had no idea who was behind her, but she jumped to her feet when she realized that it was David. David told Erica that he was sorry that Dr. Weiss couldn't give her better news. Surprisingly, though, David claimed to be a bearer of good news. He informed Erica that one of his buddies from Stanford was a pioneer in new plastic surgery techniques. While talking to his friend, David had mentioned some of the details of Erica's case. This other doctor was confident that he could work miracles on Erica's face. There was only one minor catch; the doctor's office was located in Brazil. Vanessa strolled into the office just as Erica was agreeing to consult with David's old buddy. "I'm flying to Rio!" Erica chirped when Vanessa asked her what was going on.
Liza was still fast asleep when Adam awoke. He watched over her, his mind unable to shake the images and sounds of the encounter he'd in David's hotel room. Liza must have felt Adam's eyes on her because she woke up only minutes after Adam. Upon waking, Liza was hit with a big announcement from Adam. "There's something I need to tell you," he said melodramatically. Liza rolled her eyes and teased Adam about his flair for drama. Adam announced that he'd made arrangements for them to get married---today. Liza was furious with Adam for going behind her back and making wedding plans. She reminded Adam that it was her wedding because she's the bride. Adam didn't understand why Liza was so opposed to his idea. Liza explained that since their first wedding was a farce, she wanted their second wedding to be a "real, intimate" affair with their loved ones in attendance. Adam muttered that he wanted to get married before Liza gave birth. This was a moot issue since they'd already agreed that Jake's name would appear on Colby's birth certificate. Suddenly, Adam had nothing to use as leverage to win Liza's approval. A knock at the door sounded even more trouble for Adam. Adam had called Barry and asked him to round up a minister to perform the spur-of-the-moment nuptials. Now, the attorney and the minister were arriving at Liza's condo unaware that Liza didn't want or need their services. Adam somehow managed to convince Liza to phone Marian and Stuart to get their input on the quickie wedding. While Liza was out of the room placing a call to her mother, Adam pulled Barry aside and told him that he needs a little more time to break the news about his role in Colby's creation. Barry saw it another way: Adam needed a little more time to convince Liza that she shouldn't send him up the river for fraud! Marian and Stuart made their way to the condo a little while later and voiced the disapproval with Adam's wedding plans. They reminded Adam that they were planning the wedding and asked him to remain patient.
With Vanessa just a few steps behind her, Erica returned to her Enchantment office to make plans for the trip to South America. Val, Erica's administrative assistant, was perplexed by Erica's sudden desire to travel aboard. As he headed off to finalize the travel arrangements, he asked Erica if her "uh, friend" would be going. Erica shook her head and, with a broad smile, told Vanessa that she would have free run of the house while she was gone. Erica and Val left the office. Vanessa slowly walked towards Erica's desk. She sat down in Erica's chair, put her head back, and smiled devilishly.
Ryan once again thanked Mateo and Hayley for giving him a job at the new club. As he was putting on his coat to leave, he jokingly urged the couple to come up with a name for the club before it opens. Alone with Mateo, Hayley told her lover that she missed not having him by her side the night before. Hayley asked Mateo if he'd contacted Raquel's family to alert them to her condition. Mateo shook his head and explained that Raquel had asked him not to have any contact with her family. Instead, Mateo said that they should focus on taking care of Max and figuring out how to pay for Raquel's medical bills as they'd promised. Hayley smiled warmly and told Mateo that his compassion and concern is just one of the reasons she loves him. Mateo looked into Hayley's eyes and detected that something was bothering her. Hayley responded that there were dozens of things that were on her mind, but one was getting more attention than the others. Hayley was scheduled for another liver function test at the hospital. Mateo felt badly for not knowing about the test and offered to scrap his plans to go to the zoo with Max. Hayley ordered Mateo to go to the zoo, saying that one can never break a promise to a child. A deliveryman arrived with a shipment of alcohol for the new club. Hayley looked at the case of vodka for several seconds before going about the rest of her work. When it was time to leave for the hospital, Hayley forced a smile and assured Mateo that she was going to be fine.
Wearing only a towel, Adrian stumbled out of bed and headed to the kitchen to whip up some breakfast for Belinda. Belinda, wearing substantially more clothing than Adrian, followed Adrian to the kitchen and offered to help him cook. Adrian chuckled and commented that he works by himself. He teased Belinda about taking time out to read the paper or talk to the squirrels. Belinda grabbed the morning edition from the hallway and sat down to scan the latest headlines. Aloud, she announced that Cortlandt Electronics' stock had dropped yet again. Belinda tried to urge her boyfriend into reconsidering Opal's offer to take over her half-ownership of the company. Adrian remarked that a desk job just wasn't his thing. Belinda smiled wryly and informed Adrian that he was the only man she knew that could pass up ownership of a billion dollar company.
As if things weren't tenuous enough, David dropped by Liza's condo to give her very important news. This wasn't the first time David had made the claim, so Liza wasn't all that interested in what the doctor had to say. Adam, however, was a nervous wreck. David looked around and sarcastically asked if he was interrupting anything. David was ordered to leave, but before he could leave he just had to reveal his urgent news. He told Liza that he'd finished taping a segment on nutritional supplements at WRCW. Adam followed David into the hallway and blasted him for playing mind games. If Adam was furious, David was absolutely giddy. He told Adam that he was going to "enjoy every minute" until he finally decided to drop his bombshell. Again Adam mentioned that he wanted to kill David---but David reminded him that he'd taken measures to cause Adam a headache even from the great beyond. Stuart poked his head into the hall and asked if everything was okay. Adam told Stuart to go back into the condo, but Stuart knew that something was amiss. David smiled broadly and noted that Stuart must love Adam as much as Liza does. The obvious implication was that Adam would lose Stuart too when the news of his fertility clinic swap was revealed. David was paged to the hospital before he could spray any more venom. Stuart asked Adam about his encounter with David and followed it up with questions about why Adam wanted to get married in such a hurry. Adam quickly replied that he wanted to get married before Liza had the baby. Stuart smiled and reminded Adam that marrying Liza would not change the fact that Jake's name was going to appear on Colby's birth certificate. Stuart knows his brother better than anyone else---so he knew that something wasn't quite right. In Stuart's mind, Adam was acting like something bad was going to happen. Adam closed his eyes and shook his head vigorously back and forth as he tried to convince Stuart that everything was okay.
Back inside, Marian sat down on the sofa with Liza and told her that she would understand if she wanted to forgo the wedding ceremony she and Stuart had been planning. Liza's heart melted as Marian described the ceremony they'd planned---from the location, the chapel at Wildwind, to the hundreds of butterflies she planned to release. Adam suddenly burst into the room and asked Liza to marry him. Liza told Adam that she would marry, but not now. She wanted the perfect wedding ceremony. Adam tried to plead his case, but Liza had already made up her mind. Liza, Stuart, and Marian went into another room to go over plans for the wedding. The minister, meanwhile, headed on his way. Adam pulled Barry aside and asked him find a way to buy him time so that he could marry Liza before David opened his mouth. The attorney nodded calmly and said that "wheels are [already] in motion."
Gillian reported to Pine Valley Hospital for her first day as a volunteer. Jake met with her briefly to give her a map of the hospital as well as a pep talk. For her first official duty, Gillian decided to check in on a familiar face---Raquel. Raquel was resting comfortably in her room. Gillian immediately apologized for the recent friction between her and Raquel. Raquel smiled slightly and told Gillian that all was forgiven. She understood that Gillian and Hayley had bonded during Ryan's ordeal, so she was able to see why Gillian might have been upset with some of her shenanigans. "I can't walk out no matter what you say," she grinned. The two women had a lot in common. Both were dealing with the loss of the men in the lives. Raquel told Gillian that she'd been denying the truth for too long: Mateo did not love her any more. Likewise, Gillian was coming to terms with the chasm that had developed between her and her husband, Ryan. Tears streamed down Raquel's cheek as she thought of her life without Mateo and seeing the man she loved every time she looked into her son's eyes. The door to the room opened slowly and Ryan appeared in the doorway. As he asked to speak to Gillian, the princess' mouth dropped. Raquel spoke up and urged Gillian to talk to her husband. Outside, Ryan and Gillian exchanged details about their new jobs. Ryan also told Gillian that he wanted to continue to fulfill his obligation to "pay for our... your room at Myrtle's." Gillian suggested that they pool their money and share the room. She quickly realized that her idea to live together would never work and withdrew the offer. A woman appearing to be Gillian's supervisor called out to her and told her that a patient needed to be transported to physical therapy. Gillian nodded and gently pushed the man's wheelchair. The man grumbled that she was going in the wrong direction. Since it was her first day on the job, Gillian was overly nervous. She hurriedly turned the wheelchair around nearly tipping the vehicle over and raced down the hall---this time in the proper direction. Ryan shook his head and laughed to himself.
An out of breath Mateo raced into Raquel's room and quickly closed the door behind him. As he panted, he held tightly to a plain white paper bag. Mateo scurried over to Raquel's bed and announced that he had sneaked "contraband" into the hospital. He could chosen things that were a lot worse. As it turns out, he'd opted for a root beer float. Mateo leaned forward and helped guide the straw into Raquel's mouth. As he did, he noticed a picture Raquel had placed on her bedside stand of him and Max.
At the bar at The Valley Inn, Barry sat alone at the bar sipping a drink. Adrian entered and sat in the next stool. "I hear you're extremely skilled," said Barry without introducing himself. Adrian shrugged slightly. "I have a problem that needs delicate handling," Barry said coldly.
While Jake drew a blood sample, Hayley asked questions about Raquel's prognosis. Jake said that he was pleased that Raquel had no been more seriously injured, but the young woman would need to undergo extensive physical therapy. With no relatives nearby and cousin Angela missing in action, Hayley feared that Mateo would be called to care for Raquel. Hayley read a magazine while tests were done on her blood. She didn't bother to look up when Jake returned to the examining room. She'd become all too familiar with the bad news. "I have good news," Jake smiled. Hayley nearly burst into tears and asked Jake repeat himself---just so she could be sure that she'd heard him correctly.
In an effort to tie up some loose ends before his resignation was official, Jack returned to his downtown office. As he packed up some of his belongings, Brooke dropped by to try to talk him out giving up his job. "I want this thing to be over," Jack said to his long-time friend. Jack wasn't exactly sure what his next move would be. All he knew is that he wanted "something new." Brooke was surprised by Jack's mention of a possible career change. Jack mulled the idea of becoming an illustrator of stand-up comic. The latter idea elicited a chuckle from Brooke. Brooke wished Jack well and told him that she'd allow him to do his work. Jack returned to his desk and scribbled a few notes. A loud rumbled sounded in the hallway. Jack got put of his chair and went to investigate. As soon as he opened his office door, he turned and ran in the opposite direction. The loud growl belonged to a revving motorcycle that had somewhat found its way into the office building. "Are you crazy?" Jack screamed at the biker. "This is a government building." The motorcycle's engine revved yet again, but there was still no movement from the biker. Suddenly the mysterious figured lifted the visor on her helmet. "Wanna hitch a ride, big boy?" Brooke grinned devilishly.
The news that Hayley's liver function had returned to normal couldn't have come at a better time. Hayley was in a state of disbelief; she hadn't once considered the possibility that Jake would give her good news. She made Jake repeat the test's findings. Jake showed her a piece of paper with the test results. Hayley grabbed the paper and commented that she wanted to frame it. She wrapped her arms around the doctor and thanked him for giving her a new lease on life. While not wanting to put a damper on Hayley's spirits, Jake did feel the need to explain that it could still be several months before Hayley could actually conceive a child. Hayley smiled broadly and said that she was feeling very lucky.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Mateo was prepared to leave so that Raquel could get some rest. Raquel, however, was tired of resting. She begged Mateo to stick around a little longer. Raquel asked Mateo to hand her a hairbrush, but Raquel soon realized that she was physically unable to brush her own hair. Mateo stepped in and helped the injured woman. As this was going on, Hayley appeared in the doorway. Raquel asked Hayley why she looked so happy. Hayley simply remarked that she was glad to see that Raquel was feeling better. Raquel mentioned that compared to child birth, her current pain was nothing that she couldn't handle. It was unclear if the mentioning if childbirth was meant to aggravate Hayley. Hayley called parenting "an awesome responsibility" and praised Raquel for rescuing Max from the tumbling scaffolding. Raquel nonchalantly replied that any parent would have done the same thing. She put emphasis on the fact that Hayley would never really understand how she felt until she had a child of her own. Hayley asked if she could speak to Mateo in private. In the hallway, Mateo nervously asked Hayley about her test results. Hayley asked Mateo if he remembered the card she'd given to him last Valentine's Day. Mateo nodded his head. Hayley handed Mateo another card whose sentiment she said was nearly the same. Mateo read the card which congratulated him on being a "daddy-to-be." Mateo's eyes lit up. He looked at Hayley. Without saying a word, Hayley knew what she was being asked. Her eyes welled with tears as she nodded her head. "You're really okay?" he asked softly. "I'm so high cloud nine looks like a cotton ball," Hayley replied. Mateo lifted Hayley into the air and spun her around several times. "We're gonna have a baby!" he shouted several times. Hayley made plans to run home and make sure that their condo was ready for to "make a baby." Before leaving, however, Hayley made Mateo promise that he would not tell anyone about their good news. Hayley figured that they might be tempting the fates if they got too happy. Shortly after Hayley left, Mateo returned to Raquel's room still clutching the card Hayley had given him. Raquel asked Mateo why he was in such a good mood. Disregarding the vow he's taken, Mateo told Raquel that Hayley was now able to have a baby. Raquel was crushed, but she managed to force a smile and to tell Mateo how happy she was that things were finally working out for him and Hayley.
Experts in their respective fields, both Barry and Adrian knew each other's reputations. Barry informed the former spy that one of his clients needed something recovered. Adrian pressed for specifics---like the client's name and needed to be recovered---but Barry wouldn't part with the details until he was sure that Adrian was going to work for him. Barry did, however, state that there were several items to recover from places like a lawyer's office, a bank safe deposit box, and a medical office. Adrian was intrigued by the sketchy details, but he was also wary of apprehension. Since he was no longer an active member of the government's clandestine operations, if he was caught, Adrian knew that he could spend many years in jail. That was something that he didn't want to worry about. Tad entered the bar and looked at the two gentlemen curiously. He walked to a secluded corner of the room and placed an urgent call to Barry's office. A waiter approached Barry and told him that there was an urgent call waiting for him. Barry was surprised that someone had called for him because no one knew where to find him----not even his office. While Barry was out of the room, Tad scampered over to Adrian and blasted his half-brother for cavorting with "Adam Chandler's mouthpiece." Adrian knew that Barry worked for some powerful people, but he was unaware that Adam Chandler was one of those bigwigs. Tad pressed Adrian for details about the meeting, but Adrian wasn't sure that he should be divulging privileged information. As Tad pressed on, Adrian became furious with what he saw as Tad's intrusion into his personal affairs. Adrian only made things worse for himself by informing Tad that Barry wanted him to retrieve some confidential information from several high-profile locations. Surprisingly, Tad urged Adrian to accept the job. His motives, however, were anything but sincere. Tad felt that by working for Adam, Adrian could get dirt on the multi-millionaire and pass it along to him. Tad felt an obligation to Liza, Jake, and Colby, his would-be niece and stated that he needed to warn them if Adam was up to his old tricks. Tad returned to his hiding spot only seconds before Barry returned to the room. Barry coldly informed Adrian that the call was bogus and implied that Adrian might know something about it. Adrian shrugged and the two men continued their business deal. Adrian agreed to sign on with Barry. Barry was very pleased and assured Adrian that he would contact him later with additional information.
Adam locked Liza's door and unplugged her telephone. He planned to keep Liza under his careful watch until after she'd had her baby---and quite possibly even beyond that time. Liza wanted to return to work. After all, Dr. Clader had given her the okay to work right up until her due date. Adam, however, was opposed to the idea. He sat Liza down on the sofa, fluffed her pillows, and covered her with a comforter. Adam's ears perked when a phone started ringing. Adam reached under the covers and produced her cellular phone. She smiled happily as she realized that she'd gotten one over on Adam. Adam quickly snatched the phone away from his fiancée while she was still gloating. Adam handled the call, which was from Rudy, so that Liza could continue her bed rest. Adam stepped in to handle business again when a knock sounded on the door. Jake dropped by to check on Liza and he would not bow to Adam's attempt to get him to leave. Liza invited Jake into the Adam-made fortress and told him that she felt fine. Adam, on the other hand, wasn't so sure. Liza asked Jake to check her vital signs. He agreed and determined that she was in tip-top condition. Despite Adam's protests, Liza left the condo and headed for WRCW. Adam tried to chase after her, but Jake stepped in his way and told him that he was causing Liza more harm than good. Jake used his self-proclaimed "BS detector" to detect that Adam was acting oddly. Adam chalked up his behavior to his concern for Liza and baby Colby. Jake didn't buy it and warned Adam that he would find out what he was up to. After Jake left, Adam placed an urgent call to David's office. He seemed unusually pleased when he learned the David as in the middle of surgery---a heart and lung transplant that would take upwards up eight hours. "Time," he mumbled to himself. "It's not just money... it's everything."
Having the doctor's permission to move forward with their plan to have a baby was foremost in Mateo in Hayley's minds. Mateo returned to the condominium and he and Hayley planned on spending a romantic night in each other's arms. Flickering candles glimmered in the couple's already sparkling eyes. While their intentions may have been to spend the night trying to make a baby, the fates had other plans for them. A knock sounded on the door and try as they might to ignore the knocks, neither Hayley nor Mateo could tune out the little voice that was about to call out. "Daddy, open up!" chirped Max. Hayley and Mateo quickly dressed and Mateo opened the front door. Isabella looked at the burning candles and realized that she and Max had interrupted something special. Max, however, had been having horrible nightmares about not being able to find his mother. Max begged to go to the hospital to see his mom, but Mateo wasn't sure that it was the best idea. Hayley urged Mateo to take care of his son, saying that a few hours wouldn't spoil their plans. After everyone had left, Hayley blew out a candle and mumbled to herself that it was a good thing she'd purchased dripless candles. Ryan arrived on her door a little while later with some marketing idea for the new club. If the club was to have a Latin feel to it, what better way to celebrate a grand opening than on Cinco de Mayo. Hayley loved the idea, but quickly realized that the fifth of May was just a few weeks away. Ryan had buried himself in marketing ideas for the club, but one thing was halting his progress: The club remained nameless. Ryan and Hayley put their heads together, but could come up with nothing. Ryan decided that the should send an SOS message to an advertising agency for some ideas. Those three letters ignited a flurry of ideas and eventually the name of the club---Sounds of Salsa. Hayley worried that Ryan was using his new gig as a way to take his mind off of his troubles. Hayley admitted that she'd done that in the past, but with alcohol instead of work. Hayley broke the good news about her latest test results. Ryan smiled happily and told Hayley that he knew true love would win out in the end. Hayley told Ryan that everyone can experience a true love of their own---you just need to listen to your heart.
Adrian and Tad continued their bickering all the way back to Tad's house. Tad asked Adrian to stop his "bellyaching," a condition that Adrian argued was brought on by Tad's "grousing." The two men stood in the living room area of Tad's house unaware that they were being watched. Opal strolled into the room with a big smile. "Pinch me," she said gleefully upon seeing her two boys in the same room. Tad and Adrian exchanged confused glances; they wondered why Opal would be so happy to see them squabbling. Adrian's cellular phone rang. He and Tad both knew that the call was probably from Barry. Tad tried to get Opal out of the room by telling her that the chicken she was frying smelled like it was burning. Opal got the hint and headed back to the kitchen. By the time Tad returned to Adrian's side, Adrian's phone call had ended. Tad doubted his half-brother's claims that the call was from Belinda. Convinced that Adrian was holding something back from him, the two men once again engaged in a war of words. Finally, the real phone call from Barry rang through. Adrian took the call, which was unusually short. Opal returned to the room with a platter of fried chicken. Adrian gave his brother the slip. Opal looked at Tad sternly and asked him if he was going to let Adrian "run off without back up." Tad was surprised by his mother prowess. He grabbed a piece of chicken and raced out the door after Adrian.
"What the hell is this?" Jack yelled above the growling motorcycle engine. Hell, Brooke mused, was "getting [the motorcycle] up the steps." Silence embraced the room as Brooke turned off the motorcycle. Jack didn't comprehend what he saw as irrational behavior on Brooke's part. "You're not the only one with dibs on a life change," Brooke explained. Jack understood why he was in search of a new path. He noted that Brooke was "an editor, a publisher, a mother, and an activist." Brooke changed the subject slightly by asked Jack if he'd heard about the time she rode into town on the back of then-boyfriend Benny Sago's motorcycle. Jack shook his head. Brooke said that she, Phoebe, and Jamie had been leafing through an old photo album when she'd come across a picture of her early days in Pine Valley. While Jamie was revved up about his "biker mom," Phoebe remained embarrassed by her niece's past antics. The photograph brought back many memories for Brooke. She wondered what had happened to that carefree young woman. "Life," Jack offered. "You've been through a lot." Brooke rolled her eyes and accused Jack of "thinking too much." She asked him if it was possible for him to "get stupid for a day." She realized that she and Jack were alike in many ways---and she wanted them both to set out on a "twenty-four hour adventure." Unable to completely dismiss his heavy thinking, Jack mulled over the idea for a few moments before asking Brooke to hand him an extra helmet.
In one of the examining rooms, Gillian carefully put away some medical supplies. She found a stray stethoscope in the cabinet and could help but play around with it. Her mind drifted off and conjured up images of "playing doctor" with Ryan. She diagnosed Ryan as needed a dose of a special medication---her. In the daydream, Gillian reached for a bottle of alcohol and prepared to pour some on her hands. Back in the real world, Gillian readied to do something quite similar. Jake entered the room and yelled out for her to stop what she was doing. Caught up in her fantasy, Gillian nearly poured a bottle of hydrochloric acid on her hands. Gillian blinked her eyes several times and returned to the present. Jake snatched the bottle out of the volunteer's hands and urged her to pay attention before she seriously hurt herself. Jake wasn't upset with Gillian, but he was concerned that her daydreams might compromise her or her patients' safety. Gillian couldn't help but wonder why Jake was being so nice to her. "Because I'm a nice guy?" Jake smirked. He later admitted that he was nice because he likes Gillian. The words stunned Gillian. "People usually don't like me," Gillian said softly. Jake admitted that in the beginning Gillian did act pompously, but he quickly noted that she'd really changed in the pat few months. Gillian chalked up her change to Ryan, the man who'd helped her find her heart and then later broke it. Jake asked Gillian to head upstairs and ready a patient for transport. As she was leaving, she quickly remarked, "By the way, I like you too."
Gillian's patient, Mr. Pilcher, was a pleasant but troublesome older man. He continually praised Gillian's physical beauty and offered her compliment after compliment. He asked to took at her hand and Gillian, sucked in by his flattery, agreed. The man grasped her hand and began fondling her hand and arm. The man muttered filth about the softness of her skin and memories of an illicit affair with a young girl in Asia. Gillian demanded that the patient unhand her, saying that if he refused she'd break every bone in his body. The man let go, but threatened to have her kicked out of the hospital. Jake appeared in the doorway and told Mr. Filcher to be quiet because he'd already overheard his lewd remarks to Gillian. Jake told Gillian that she'd put in a long day and urged her to call it a day.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Max burst into Raquel's room. The young boy was overjoyed to see his mother and immediately asked if he and father could spend another night at the hospital. Rather than give her son the harsh reality of what was really going on between her and Mateo, Raquel came up with an idea to appease her son. She told Max that she'd be going home in a few days. To make her homecoming more enjoyable, she asked Max if he would draw her some picture to hang in her new bedroom. Max happily agreed and said that he'd sleep at home tonight. While Mac was in the bathroom, Mateo told Raquel that he thought was time for them to tell their son about their impending divorce. Raquel didn't argue that Max deserved to know the truth, but she questioned the timing. She thought it might be better to wait until after she was out of the hospital so that the young boy would not be inundated with bad news. "[Let's] deal with one sadness at a time," Raquel whispered.
Gillian returned the boarding house and slowly made her way to her room. As she opened the door to her room, she found Ryan waiting inside.
En route to a secret meeting with Adrian, Barry met up with Adam at The Valley Inn. The attorney told his millionaire client that he'd found someone with the skills to handle their project. As Barry rattled on about his find's credentials, Adam feared that the man was overqualified for the job. Barry finally mentioned Adrian's name, a name that struck a familiar chord with Adam. As hard as he tried, Adam was unable to link Adrian's name to a face. The pair agreed to meet up later at Chandler Mansion after the dealing was complete. Adam lingered in the bar area so that he could meet with a second acquaintance. Slightly late, Vanessa strolled into the bar and embraced her gentleman friend. Adam and Vanessa briefly recalled their first meeting, but neither went into any details of the encounter. The two sat down at a table and Adam got right to the reason for asking Vanessa to meet him. "I'm worried about you," he said softly. "David treats you very badly." Vanessa looked down at the tabletop and tried to brush off Adam's concern. She did, however, concede that it was difficult to love her son knowing that he despises her. Vanessa knew that there was more to the meeting than just a discussion about the way David treats her. She told Adam that he could get right to the point if he wants to get the "down and dirty" on her son. Adam explained that he wanted to know as much as he could about David because he'd tried to kill him. Adam only skimmed the surface of what David had done to him, all the while implying that he was concerned that David's rage could compromise his stellar medical career. Vanessa was relieved that Adam was okay, but was convinced that David hadn't intentionally tried to harm him. Adam asked Vanessa if she knew the names of any of David's former colleagues, professors, or anyone else who might have known him on a professional or personal level. Vanessa gave Adam the name of the schools that David had attended. She asked Adam to let her know if he learned anything. "I seriously hope I find nothing," Adam lied. Adam was momentarily distracted by two familiar voices in the distance. Just a few yards away, Opal and Marian prepared for a "girls' night out." Opal mentioned that she'd had to stop Tad and Adrian from fighting. Adam's ears perked. He told Vanessa that he should probably cross the room and say hello to his sister-in-law. Vanessa nodded her approval. As Adam offered idle chit-chat to the two women, he gently asked Opal if he'd heard her mention Adrian's name. The proud mother, Opal boasted that Adrian was her son. Marian chimed in that Adrian was the results of a torrid love affair. Adam swallowed hard, his eyes bulging from their sockets. He bid the ladies farewell and scampered across the room to his table. Adam rummaged in his pocket for cash and tossed a wad of bills on the table. He apologized to Vanessa for having to cut out on her, but he said that something urgent had come up.
Across town, Adam's daughter had a mission of her own---but hers was much more honorable. Hayley and Mateo slow-danced to the cool melodies of crooner Maxwell. As they danced, Hayley mentioned that she and Ryan had come up with a name for the new club. Mateo puckered his lips, thought for a few seconds, and gave his approval to the name Sounds of Salsa. Hayley sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and motioned for Mateo to join her. Mateo unbuttoned his shirt and joined Hayley on the floor.
Unaware that he was being tailed, Adrian arrived at the boathouse for his scheduled meeting with Barry Shire. Adrian no sooner had sat down on a bench when an out-of-breath Tad straggled towards him. Adrian was furious with Tad for following him. Adrian already felt somewhat used because he'd let Tad talk him into taking the job. "This is my turf," Adrian growled. "You're trespassing." The former spy also warned Tad that things could get dangerous and that he was the only one qualified to deal with the matter at hand. Tad refused to budge. He knew, however, that it was time to find a hiding spot when a car pulled into the parking lot. Adrian sat unassumingly on the bench waiting for Barry to approach. The attorney first asked Adrian if they were alone---before immediately announcing what his client wanted. "You are going to torch the law office of Miss Leslie Coulson." This was not what Adrian had expected. He rose from his seated position and announced that he was not going to spend time in jail for playing with matches. Barry tried to convince Adrian to make the fire look like an accident, but Adrian argued that any competent fire investigator could tell the difference between and accident and arson. Adrian threatened to walk unless Barry revealed the name of his client. Barry dodged the question by agreeing to let Adrian undertake a "search and seizure" approach to the operation. "Look for the name Hayward," Barry instructed eerily. "Dr. David Hayward." With that, the attorney turned and walked away content in the fact that Adrian would take care of business. When the coast was clear, Tad came out of hiding. Adrian immediately asked Tad for a briefing on David. To paraphrase Tad's account, he said that David saved Dixie's life, tried to kill Adam but claims that it was only an accident, and has been buzzing around Liza ever since he was hired to medical spots at WRCW. Adrian realized that there was a connection tying David to Adam and Liza---and that was enough to make them both suspicious.
Adam literally burst into his office at Chandler Mansion. He begged Barry to tell him that he hadn't gone through with his plan to have Adrian retrieve David's letters. Barry nonchalantly shrugged and replied that everything was a done deal. "So much for your background check," Adam hollered. Barry looked as mortified as Adam when he learned that that Adrian was Tad's half-brother. Adam was certain that Tad would somehow get his hands on the letter---and run directly to Liza!
Confidence and arrogance. David possessed both. He was also a pretty good bluffer as was revealed when he visited Leslie Coulson's office. The doctor and attorney were not strangers. David entered the office with two letters in hand one. In the event of his untimely demise, one letter was to be forwarded to Derek Frye and the second to Liza Colby. Reminding him that they were linked by a confidentiality agreement, Leslie asked David if he was in some sort of danger. David shook his head, stating that the letters were an "insurance policy from a megalomaniac." Leslie took the two letters and placed them in a folder. As she leaned over to place the folder in a locking filing cabinet, David stepped back and chauvinistically admired the view. Leslie asked David if he could join her for a drink, but David explained that he had other plans. He then leaned over and gave the woman a very passionate kiss, calling the kiss "payment." Adrian and Tad had been hiding in the corridor anxiously waiting for the pair to leave. When they did, they skillfully broke into the office and started searching for David's file. Eventually, they did find the folder and Tad could hardly wait to see what Adam wanted to have destroyed.
A feeling of elation swept over Gillian. "You've come back to me!" she squeaked as she raced towards her husband. She wrapped her arms around Ryan, but the embrace was not returned. She quickly pulled away and realized that Ryan hadn't come back to her; he'd dropped by to retrieve his belongings. Ryan felt badly that he'd given Gillian false hope and tried his best to assure her that she'd made an "honest mistake." Gillian decided that it would be best if she left the room while Ryan packed. Ryan, on the other hand, reminded Gillian that it was her room and asked her to stay. Gillian loomed over Ryan as he plucked clothing from the dresser. He looked terrible, the bags under his eyes signaling that he hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. Ryan told Gillian that he'd been living out of his car since his release from prison. Gillian was horrified and asked Ryan to stay at Myrtle's in the spare room down the hall. Ryan thought it would be awkward for them to be living so close to each other. Gillian remarked that Ryan would hardly know she was there because she was working at the hospital with the hopes of one day becoming a nurse. Ryan was shocked by Gillian's sudden ambition. He was even more surprised by Gillian's sudden interest in basketball. "I'm no Magic Jordan," she remarked. Ryan smiled broadly at his wife's latest Gillianism. Myrtle knocked on the door and announced that she had some fresh towels. Upon seeing Ryan, Myrtle realized that it might be best if she made herself scarce. Before Myrtle left, Gillian begged her to tell Ryan that he should stay at the boarding house. Myrtle smiled warmly and told Ryan that he is always welcome in her home. Ryan chuckled slightly and realized that he was outnumbered. It wasn't as though the two women were twisting his arm, but Ryan reluctantly agreed to sleep in the spare room. After Myrtle left, Ryan figured that he should be going on his way. Gillian agreed. But neither Gillian nor Ryan could take their eyes off one another; a longing, aching stare connected them.
Later, Gillian's peaceful sleep was riddled with nightmares. She tossed and turned in her bed, screaming out to Ryan. Ryan heard her shouts and raced to her room to make sure that she was okay. Gillian awoke from her dream and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Ryan was okay. Gillian had had a nightmare of Ryan's plunge into the icy waters of the lake. This time, though, he never made it back to the surface. Now fully awake, Gillian worried that Ryan would think that she was "hysterical" for having the dream. Again, Ryan determined that it was time to go back to his room. This time, though, the couple's stares would not allow them to part. Ryan slowly leaned towards Gillian and the two kissed.
