The sun filtered through the blinds of the sunroom at Pine Valley Hospital. In the corner of the room, Dixie peered out the window with a long face. Opal wandered into the room between volunteering duties and immediately became concerned by Dixie's sad expression. Dixie assured Opal that she was doing fine. In fact, she said that her appointment with David showed that she was in tip-top shape. That still didn't explain why Dixie was so down in the mouth. "I wish Tad could feel the same way I do [about the baby]," Dixie said softly. Opal explained that Tad was concerned about Dixie's health. Dixie didn't dispute that fact, but she did, however, feel that Tad didn't have any emotional attachment to their child. According to Opal, Tad did care about the baby---but he was more afraid of losing the woman he loved. "He's thinking with his heart," Opal explained delicately. Unlike Dixie, Tad was unable to look at the bright side of things. Opal reminded Dixie that Tad had had a very difficult childhood; He was physically abused and them dumped in a park to fend for himself. That was a fact that was not lost on Dixie. She noted that Tad had found a loving family---or rather a loving family had found him. Again Opal nodded in agreement, but stated that a "terrified little boy" is still locked up inside of him. Opal's advice to her daughter-in-law was to give Tad some time to "come around." Dixie nodded confidently and announced that she would do just that. After an embrace, Dixie decided that she could head home and talk to Tad. On her way out, a chirpy Dixie bumped into Myrtle and complimented her on her earrings. Myrtle was surprised by the remark and smiled as she told Opal that Dixie was in a very good mood. "Let's just hope it lasts, Myrt," Opal said with a sigh.
At Tempo, Liza dropped by to work with Brooke on Dimitri's memorial. In doing so, she asked Brooke about the funeral and how Edmund was holding up. Brooke found a light moment, telling Liza that "Alexandra had to contend with Erica." The pair decided to pool their resources, but there was still some missing information in the biography. One item in particular that needed to be addressed was Alexandra's maiden name. Liza noted that she already had some of her staff workers tracking down the couple's bridal registry.Jack popped in through the back door and asked Brooke if she was ready for their lunch date. Brooke's eyes bulged slightly. She said that she had "spaced out" and forgotten all about their date. Realizing that Jack has seen Dimitri and Alex's marriage certificate, Brooke asked Jack if he recalled Alex's maiden name. Jack thought hard for several minutes before coming up with the answer: Devane. Since the marriage license was granted in England, Liza had a few leads for gathering information. Liza skipped out for a lunch date of her own with Colby. Meanwhile, Jack asked Brooke how she was holding up. Brooke ran her fingers through her head and said that she'd mistakenly assumed that working would take her mind off of her grief. Jack said that he could understand why Brooke was having such a hard time. Not only had Dimitri passed away, but it was also the second anniversary of the plane crash that claimed Maria's life. Brooke pressed her hands over her mouth. "Oh my God," she gasped. "How could I forget?" Brooke felt badly for not having said anything to Edmund about the anniversary. Jack told Brooke that she should not feel guilty, but Brooke still harbored a great feeling of responsibility for "allowing" Maria to die. "If it weren't for me, Maria would still be alive," Brooke yelled through her tears. Jack forced Brooke to face her feelings by asking her if she'd prefer to be in Maria's position and have her son grow up without her. It seemed cold and insensitive, but Jack wanted Brooke to let go of her feelings of culpability. He reminded Brooke that the last image Maria saw before she tumbled off of the cliff was of her daughter being carried to safety. If it were not for Brooke, Jack noted, Edmund would not have his daughter.
Back at home, Tad placed an urgent call to David's office. He was not pleased to learn that David was not in the office. To vent his frustration, Tad picked up a copy of a baby magazine and hurled it across the room. In doing so, he nearly threw it into his father. "What are you trying to do? Decapitate the old man?" Joe grumbled. Tad apologized for his outburst and was immediately forced to explain why he was so upset. The problem, explained Tad, was that Dixie had told the boys that she's pregnant. "And?" Joe asked curiously. Tad didn't see the need for explanation. In his mind, it was wrong for Dixie to have blabbed the news to the kids without him. Anything something else pops up, like a broken computer, Dixie tells the boys to wait until he gets home. Now the biggest announcement in recent memory was revealed without his presence. Joe explained that Tad had no way of knowing the circumstances behind Dixie's revelation. More than just the announcement, Tad was bothered that Dixie has been carrying on as if everything was perfectly normal. In actuality, things were about as far from normal as possible. Joe warned Tad that he would have to assume Dixie's positive outlook because the stress of arguing back and forth with Dixie was not going to help Dixie's tenuous physical condition. Tad bowed his head and told his father that David had accused him of trying to influence him into telling Dixie to terminate her pregnancy. Joe was stunned, but more notably he asked Tad if David was right. Tad seemed offended by the question. He described his desire to have a child with Dixie, but only under different circumstances. If that was the case, Joe urged his son to tell Dixie how he's really feeling. After Joe left, Tad once again phoned David's office. Shortly after he hung up the phone, Dixie returned home.
With a lunchtime feast prepared by The Serving Spoon in their picnic basket, David and Erica headed for the boathouse. Everything was going smoothly until David showed Erica one of the items he'd purchased for their meal---expensive imported caviar. It was the same brand that Dimitri had enjoyed prompting a flood of emotions for his former wife. "What can I do to help you erase the memories of this man?" David asked with a twinge of annoyance. Erica shook her head and told David that she did not want to ever forget the memories of her time with Dimitri. She followed that up by announcing that she'd had somewhat of an epiphany at Dimitri's memorial service. "My circle with Dimitri is complete," she said softly. David then realized that after deciding that she could move on, Erica had appeared on his doorstep. The doctor asked Erica how Bianca was dealing with Dimitri's death. Erica said that her daughter was doing remarkably well. As a gesture, Erica said that she wanted to ask Edmund if she could buy Maximillian for Bianca. David gently took Erica's hand and kissed it. In a matter of seconds, the pair was engaged in a passionate kiss. "Whoa! Oops!" Becca cried as she and Scott unwittingly encroached upon the pair. Erica and David quickly pulled away and rose to their feet. Becca apologized to Erica for interrupting. Scott, on the other hand, offered Erica his condolences on her loss. Erica was surprised and genuinely touched by Scott's remark. Erica introduced David and Scott, but David coldly remarked that they were already acquainted. After Scott and Becca filed off, Erica wondered if Becca would take the news of their kiss back to the Glamorama and Opal. David noticed that Erica was "rattled" and asked her if she wanted to go home. Erica shook her head and said that she wanted to stay with David. Once again the couple's lips found one another. David managed to pull away for a moment and asked Erica to allow him to take her somewhere a little more private.
Not knowing that she was being observed, Alexandra continued to sob as she poured herself a glass of water. Edmund slowly approached with a handkerchief outstretched. "You caught me," Alex said almost bashfully. Edmund apologized for intruding and offered to give Alex some space. The woman shook her head and reminded Edmund that Wildwind was his home, not hers. Edmund said that since Wildwind was Dimitri's house it was also Alexandra's home. Alex thanked Edmund for his kind offer, but said that it might be better for her to retire to the hunting lodge. Edmund offered to fly Alex's family to Pine Valley, but Alex said that that would not be possible; her father had passed away several years ago and her mother was unable to get away. Next Edmund offered to fly Alex back to London to be with her mother, but that elicited an even stranger response. "No, that's definitely out of the question," Alex replied curtly. For a moment Alex's face signaled that she might have said something that she shouldn't have. Perpetually upbeat, Alex said that she's looking forward to exploring Wildwind and getting a chance to meet Dimitri's horse, Maximillian. Edmund muttered that he was thinking of selling the house, but Alex said that Edmund could not do that. Edmund realized that technically the horse belonged to Alex now. But that wasn't the reason for Alex's opposition. She said that she wanted to get a chance to know the horse. Edmund felt a bit uneasy because Alex knew so much about his life and he knew so little about hers. He asked her how she and Dimitri had met, a question that Alex desperately tried to dodge. She said that a mutual friend had introduced them. Edmund commented that his brother was not the blind date type of guy and asked which of Dimitri's friends had paired them together. "Sean," Alex replied huffily. She followed that up by saying that Edmund most likely did not know him. Alex flashed back to her first date with Dimitri. She was definitely not big on the idea of a blind date, but the occasion seemed more awkward than a typical date. Dimitri had remarked that he knew that Alex would never have agreed to the date if she knew the real reason she had been asked out. Back in the present, Alex laughed as she said that she'd expected "a loud, obnoxious, hard drinking, American cowboy" and was pleasantly surprised to see a "dashing Hungarian count." Edmund's questions continued leading Alex to remark that Edmund had found the right career in journalism. Suddenly, Alexandra recalled the parcel that she'd brought to the house. She carefully picked it off of the table and handed it to Edmund. The package, she said, was from Dimitri. He had given her explicit instructions to give it to Edmund today. Edmund somehow failed to examine what she'd said. Indirectly, Alex had hinted that Dimitri knew that he would not be alive to see the day. "It's been two years since the plane crash, hasn't it?" Alex asked. Inside the plainly wrapped parcel was a beautifully carved hanging of was appeared to be the Pieta. Edmund was awed by the beauty of the piece, saying that it looked just like Maria and Maddie. As Edmund tried to figure out where he'd hang the artwork, Alex looked over some of the pictures assembled in the corner of the room. She picked up one of the pictures and carried it over to Edmund. Alex asked Edmund to identify the person in the picture. Almost on cue, the photo's subject, Maddie, wandered into the room. Edmund gave Alex the answer to her question and then turned his attention to his daughter. As Edmund played joyfully with his little girl, Alex carefully and secretively tucked the picture into her purse.
Peeking through the shrubs surrounding the boathouse, Becca determined that the coast was clear. There was no sign of David or Erica. As the pair emerged from the brush, Becca gushed over her close encounter with the "international mega-star." Scott coolly cocked his head to one side and bragged that this was not the first time he'd caught Erica in the act romance. Becca listened in awe as Scott described how he and Stuart had walked in on Erica and Mike Roy at their cabin. Again Becca was overwhelmed; Erica had been involved with a "real spy." Becca marveled at Erica's string of marriages in romances. In jest, she mused that she'd have to get started soon if she wanted to keep pace. "You'd better get started right away," Scott commented awkwardly. It wasn't exactly clear what he meant. Nevertheless, Becca became very uneasy and tried to change the subject back to their film work. She contended that her idea to have Erica appear in the documentary was a stroke of genius. Scott brushed off the idea claiming that he didn't want to "impose" on Erica. "Who's had more breakups than Erica Kane?" asked Becca. Even the mention of Erica as a "guest star" in the film was sure to push interest through the roof. Without warning, Scott lunged forward and planted a kiss on his partner. After several minutes he pulled away and apologized for his actions. After all, they were talking about work---and anything else was inappropriate. Scott tried to focus on the documentary, but this time Becca got sidetracked. She slowly leaned forward and kissed Scott. This time Becca broke the kiss. As she turned away, a look of total enamorment flashed on her face. Next came a surprising move on her part. She turned her back to Scott and slowly began removing her clothing. Scott looked on in surprise and asked Becca what she was doing. Nonchalantly, Becca announced that she was going to take a dip in the lake. Last one to the lake, she said, had to buy ice cream.
Pacing back and forth in her room at Wildwind, Gillian feared that her grandmother had lost her mind. "She's raving," Gillian squawked to Ryan. In her grief, Eugenia had become confused about who had died; She believed that Alexi, her deceased husband, had just passed on. Ryan tried to convince Gillian that her grandmother would be fine as soon as her nerves had settled. "If anything happens to Grandmama," Gillian said softly. "I'll be all alone in the world." Ryan kneeled before the princes and gently took her hand. The sentiment of the moment was lost as Gillian pulled away and walked across the room. The talked about the many memories their room held---both good and bad. She used the term "pillow fight" to describe the battles she and Ryan had had over how many pillows to use at night. Of course to Ryan the term had conjured up an entirely different image. Apparently, Gillian loves to have oodles of pillows in bed with her while Ryan prefers to sleep without any pillows. Edmund entered the room and informed Gillian that he'd just spoken to her grandmother's doctor. The doctor had assured him that it was quite common for patients of the duchess' age to suffer "mental confusion" in times of great stress. Edmund asked Gillian if she would stay at the house for a few days until Eugenia returned to normal. Gillian nodded her head and said that she couldn't imagine being anywhere else. After Edmund left, Ryan mentioned that Gillian would probably enjoy having more space while she stayed at Wildwind. He then commented that he might wish for more room himself now that he was getting a roommate. Gillian cast her eyes downward and said that it was really none of her business. Ryan must have realized that Gillian had inferred that he and Hayley were going to be roomies and quickly clarified that Scott was the one moving in.
Downstairs, Edmund looked over the photo gallery assembled in the parlor. As he did, Peggy wandered into the room and complained that the house seemed "so quiet... so empty." Peggy was about to adjourn to the chapel to say a rosary for their "new guardian angel." Before leaving, Edmund asked Peggy if she'd seen Maddie's baby picture. Peggy shook her head and offered to search for it, but Edmund was sure that it would turn up sooner or later.
Back upstairs, Edmund informed Gillian that Eugenia had once again become lucid, asking for her granddaughter to help her say a prayer for Dimitri. Gillian left the room and Ryan was about to head home. Edmund pulled him aside and asked to have a few words with him. He said that Gillian was in a very delicate state now that Dimitri had died. In fact, he was quite sure that the full impact of Dimitri's death had yet to hit her. During this time, Edmund requested that Ryan put aside his differences with Gillian. Ryan nodded understandingly and said that he would do whatever he could to help Gillian through her tough times. Gillian returned to the room and informed the men that Eugenia had fallen asleep. After Edmund left, Ryan asked Gillian if there was anything else he could do for her. Softly, Gillian asked Ryan if he could stay with her for a little while longer.
Almost as soon as Dixie walked through the door, she and Tad were both chattering about their need to say something important. They carried on for several seconds unaware that they were both talking at once. When they finally did quiet, they could not decide who would speak first. Dixie won the proverbial coin toss and admitted to Tad that she'd told the boys about her pregnancy. Tad nodded his head and said that he already knew. Dixie explained that Junior and Jamie had "tricked" her into telling them. Tad claimed that he was not upset about Dixie's decision to deliver the news. Dixie said that she and Tad were no match for the boys when they teamed up. She said that they'd be in even bigger trouble when it they had three kids roaming the house. Tad shrugged and said that it might not be so bad because little girls are different. Dixie was shocked to hear her husband speak openly about their unborn child. Tad said that their daughter would not look at him as "some sort of aging fossil" like the boys. Instead, she would think that he's the "most fascinating man to ever walk the earth." Dixie again was overcome by emotion. She asked Tad if he wanted to have the child no matter what the risks. Tad didn't answer immediately. "I don't want to lose you," he replied evasively. Dixie forced him into an answer and finally Tad sided with Dixie. "Yes, I want to have our baby," he said softly. He said that if the baby will be "happy, healthy, and strong" he can't see a reason why anyone would not want to welcome her into the world. His attitude changed abruptly as he suddenly asked Dixie about her appointment with David and whether he'd given her "any warnings." For a moment it appeared that his changed outlook was merely a guise for Dixie's benefit. Dixie shook her head and said that the doctor had given her heart a clean bill of health and, aside from the regular warnings, hadn't said anything out of the ordinary. She pulled a piece of paper from her purse and read off some of the items on her daily regimen. They included taking vitamins, drink lots of water, getting plenty of rest and exercise, and daily massages. Of course that last item wasn't really on the list, but Tad didn't seem at all opposed to the idea.
A man showed David to his room at The Sleepy Hollow Inn. After the man left, David called out to Erica and told her that she could come out of her hiding place. A little while later, Erica, her head wrapped in a scarf and her face covered with oversized sunglasses, crossed the threshold. David was mildly irritated by Erica's need to disguise herself. In his mind, Erica's was subconsciously (or perhaps consciously) saying that she was embarrassed to be seen with him. Erica swore that that was not the case. She said that she wanted to protect their privacy. What would the media do with reports and pictures of an afternoon rendezvous? David pointed to a tray that had been set up in the middle of the room and insisted that they had only dropped by the inn for some tea. "For tea," Erica repeated. Just inches away, though, neither could take their eyes off of a giant pink elephant---the bed. Erica wandered over to the window and peeked outside. She muttered that David's promise of a "spectacular view" had not been delivered. David then replied that the view he'd promised could not be seen outside of a window. Erica's head snapped back sharply as she remarked that David had and awfully "high opinion" of himself. David smiled slightly and explained that the view he was referring to was from a path just beyond the inn. Erica decided that it was time to partake in some tea, but peculiarly there were no chairs in the room. Erica cast her eyes back to the bed and said that she could possibly sit on the bed. David offered to phone the front desk and ask for some chairs, but Erica told him not to bother. David joined her on the edge of the bed. Before long, Erica admitted that she wasn't sure if she was more attracted to David's "colossal ego" or his "devastating eyelashes." David, in turn, couldn't identify just one or two things that attracted him to Erica. He said that Erica possessed "something so innately feminine," something that could "conquer any man sooner or later." Even the mighty Dr. Hayward had succumb to the allure. Erica confessed that she'd stopped fighting her attraction to David while she was in Brazil. "I realized I didn't need a mask anymore," she said. Erica accidentally spilled tea on David's upper thigh. She quickly reached for a towel and began blotting the mess. The stain remained and Erica determined that her effort was not working. "I wouldn't say that," said David sexily. He suggested that she use a little water. Suddenly, David spilled water on Erica's blouse. Erica shrieked in surprise and accused David of spilling the water on purpose. Accordingly, Erica tossed a glass of water back at him. Not that they were both partially soaked, David proclaimed that "everything wet has to come off." They fell into each other's arms and kissed. David delicately slid one of the straps of Erica's dress off of her shoulder. Erica pulled back slightly. "I've never done this before," she said candidly. "I'm a very moral person [who has] never made love with a man unless I loved him or convinced myself that I loved him." David cocked his head to one side and asked Erica why she could not convince herself that she loved him. "I have a hard time convincing myself that I like you," she replied with a laugh. Still, something in David brought out a side in her that she'd never before known. David also admitted that he was not in love with Erica either---but said that he's never felt so strongly about any woman before.
The show concluded with a musical montage set to the tune of Maxwell's Whenever Wherever Whatever.
Tad returned from the kitchen with a tray of four glasses of water. He placed them down in front of Dixie. With a stopwatch and whistle in hand, he set out to see how long it would take Dixie to down all of the water. She started chugging away, but when Tad blew the whistle she spit out water and she burst into laughter.
Ryan helped tuck Gillian into bed. With a smile on his face he piled up the pillows to make Gillian feel at home.
In their room at the inn, David and Erica cuddled under the sheets.
Click here for more information on the song heard at the end of today's episode.
Becca met Scott at the TV studio to do some editing on their video and was very excited about her idea to interview Erica Kane for the video. Scott wasn't so sure about the idea, after all, the video was supposed to about the break-ups of regular people, not celebrities. Becca's sure they can make the idea work. Suddenly, a young woman appears in the doorway and recognizes Scott. They greet each other and then Scott introduces his friend, who's name is Greenlee, to Becca. They knew each other at UCLA film school and she is apparently the person he dated while he was out there. They begin talking about their work and that Scott is applying to NYU. Greenlee's thinking of applying there, too. Becca obviously begins to feel like the odd person out and Greenlee, who appears to be somewhat of a snob, does nothing to make her feel more comfortable. Scott on the other hand, praises Becca's help with his film and mentions the idea of interviewing Erica Kane. Greenlee says she can get Erica to do it, no problem, her grandfather's on the board of directors of Enchantment. Becca leaves to go to work at the Glamorama and Greenlee and Scott continue to talk. Later, Greenlee asks Scott to go out to get something to eat, but he turns her down, he's going to go meet Becca after work.
At the Glamorama, Myrtle arrives to get a massage from Sven. Opal is just opening a package that arrived for Petey from Palmer. The box contains a Greek sailor's hat for Petey, but the real point of his sending the box was the letter with it, which says that he and Vanessa are cruising around Crete and having a marvelous time. Palmer doesn't care about Petey, Opal says, he just sent this to take a jab at me. She and Myrtle sit down and talk, Opal says the Glamorama is busy, but not as busy as she'd like it to be. She decides on the spur of the moment to go to Europe with Petey and check out the latest things in the spas over there. Palmer had always promised her they'd go to Europe together, but they never went, and now's her chance to go. She talks Myrtle into taking care of the Glamorama while she's gone with just three words, "Sven, every day." Tempted by the idea of daily massages, Myrtle agrees. Becca comes to work just in time to learn of the decision and she helps Myrtle get the hang of how things work. She seems a bit distracted, though, and Myrtle asks her what's wrong. She's just distracted a bit about the video, she really would like to interview Erica Kane about her love life. Myrtle says she doesn't think Erica has much of one at the moment and is shocked when Becca tells her how she saw Erica and David Hayward kissing.
After making her decision to tour Europe, Opal went over to the Valley Inn to leave Palmer a note that she was taking Petey away for a few weeks. While there, she ran into David Hayward, who was shocked to learn that Vanessa wasn't somewhere in Argentina like he thought, but was instead cruising around Greece with Palmer.
Earlier, at SeaView Hospital, David waits impatiently while a nurse tries to get some lab results for a patient he's consulting on. Alexandra arrives to see Dr. Silver, but quickly hides when she hears David's voice. She continues to hide until David finally goes to the lab to get the results himself and she then questions the nurse about him. The nurse tells her Dr. Hayward has privileges at Seaview, but he's not an attending physician there.
At Wildwind, a maid comes in to tell Edmund that she went down to the hunting lodge and when she got there, Alex's bed hadn't been slept in and she was nowhere to be found. She did find one thing there, though, the picture of Maddie that was missing. Edmund gets a look of panic on his face and asks the maid if she's seen Maddie that morning. When she says she hasn't, Edmund rushes up the stairs to check on Maddie. Fortunately, this time Maddie hasn't been kidnapped and we see her sitting on Edmund's lap while he holds her close. Jack arrives and Edmund sends her upstairs with the maid for a nap. Jack stopped by to drop off some tax forms that Edmund needs to sign and asks how he's doing. Edmund shares his suspicions about Alex with Jack, he can't put his finger on it, but something's just not right. Jack suggests that maybe Edmund shouldn't be so hard on Alex. Jack didn't believe his own sister when she came to town and still has to live with the guilt over the things that happened because of his behavior. But Edmund just can't let it rest, Alex is up to something and he means to find out what that it.
Alex arrives home after being at the hospital and Jack leaves soon afterwards. When Edmund questions her about not being home all night and about Maddie's picture, she explains that she went for a drive and that because Dimitri loved Maddie so much, looking at her picture made her feel better somehow. She was planning to return the picture this morning. Still digging for information, Edmund mentions that he talked to Joe Martin about Dimitri's death and he would like to get a copy of the medical report from Alex to show Joe. Alex is startled, but agrees to get him the information he's requesting.
Walking through the corridors of the hospital, Ryan and Hayley's paths crossed. Ryan tried to pull Hayley aside for a talk, but Hayley became very defensive and refused to stop. As she breezed past her friend, she muttered that she was late for an AA meeting. Ryan grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him, but that only served to make Hayley even angrier. Ryan assured Hayley that he had not dropped by the hospital to see if Hayley was attending her meetings. Actually, he'd just dropped Gillian off for her volunteering rounds. Hayley snapped that she was glad that Dimitri's death had brought Ryan and Gillian closer together. She rolled her eyes as she blasted Ryan for having two women vying for his attention, one "crying on each shoulder." She then crudely remarked that they were all engaging in "some kind of ménage à trois." Ryan begged for a chance to explain, but Hayley didn't want to hear an explanation. She stormed past him and entered her meeting. She plopped down next to Axel with an angry look on her face. When it was announced that the guest speaker had cancelled, Hayley scurried to the front of the room to talk to the other members. She told them the latest in her ongoing saga---how Mateo had gone to Texas with his ex-wife and she was treating her supposed friend so cruelly. She blasted him for acting like a "vodka cop" when he sipped her drink at Dimitri's memorial service. "He's always there," she groused, "with his puppy dog eyes. I don't know whether to slap him or kiss him." In his seat, Axel swallowed hard. After a few seconds of inner searching, Hayley realized that Ryan was the best friend she's ever had and that it was unfair of her to be punishing him for being a friend. Hayley returned to her seat and said nothing more. Axel leaned over and asked Hayley what she was going to do.
Scott arrived at Tad and Dixie's to continue working on the documentary. From the moment he walked into the house, Becca began asking him questions about his time at college. The intent, of course, was to figure out exactly how well Scott and Greenlee knew each other. Dixie strolled into the room as the pair finished setting up the video equipment. Food soon hit the pair's mind and Becca and Scott strolled off to the kitchen to make some tuna fish sandwiches. Dixie started to tidy up the den, but when she bent over to pick up some baseball cards she strained her back. As she struggled to the sofa, she recalled David's admonition that back pain could be a sign of serious health problems. Dixie had little time to think about her pain. Tad entered the room with a glass of water and Dixie was forced to hide her pain---and it wasn't easy. Things got even hairier when Tad offered to give Dixie a back massage. As Tad's fingers kneaded her flesh, Dixie's back pain intensified. She quickly came up with the idea to postpone the massage until later in the evening when they'd be alone and could enjoy each other's company better. Tad had to head off to the station and Dixie had an appointment scheduled with David. After Tad left, Dixie was once again free to run her hand over her sore back. She was nearly caught in the act when Tad poked his head back in to ask Dixie about her appointment. Luckily, she was able to hide her grimace in time. However, once Tad left she couldn't hide her pain from Becca. Becca sat down next to Dixie and chattered that her grandmother had told her that women always suffer lower back pain when they're pregnant. She offered to whip up an herbal remedy for Dixie, but Dixie passed. Dixie labored her way to her bedroom. She rested for only a short time before she had to get ready for her appointment. On her way out, she told Scott and Becca to try not to miss her while she was gone. The pair was so wrapped up in one another that they barely even noticed that Dixie was leaving. "We'll think of something to do," Scott replied. His face suddenly turned pale and he explained that he meant nothing lewd by his remark. Dixie was gone only a few minutes when Tad called and asked to see if she'd left for her appointment. He then asked Becca if he'd left a stack of videotapes at the house. She looked around and spotted the tapes across the room. Tad thanked her for her help and said that he'd send an intern over to fetch the tapes. Becca hung up the phone and told Scott that she believed that Tad had called solely to check up on Dixie. Scott told Becca that "when two people are in live there's nothing they won't do." Becca smiled slightly and told Scott that he was beginning to sound like his Uncle Adam. Becca worried that their minds were going to overload with all of the work they were doing so she suggested a time-out to do some relaxation exercises. She taught Scott three yoga postures, but the lessons were interrupted by a knock on the door. Becca opened to door and found Greenlee standing on the patio. She was not at all pleased to see Greenlee, but nevertheless she hospitably invited her into the house. Greenlee chuckled slightly when she saw Scott stretching, but she said that all of the "hip" Hollywood stars were doing yoga---mainly because it was "great for [increasing] sexual energy." She placed her hands on Scott's hips and helped ease him into proper positioning. Becca squirmed nervously and Scott quickly pulled away from his friend, saying that he'd had enough exercise for one day. Perhaps wanting to show Greenlee that she and Scott were close, Becca told Scott that she'd give him some more lessons soon. The two young women smiled at each other competitively.
At WRCW, Tad sat in a chair trying to focus his mind on his work. He swung around when the door to his office opened. He smiled warmly as Ruth walked slowly towards him. When she heard that Colby might be at the station, Ruth said that she had to drop by to see her granddaughter. Of course there was another reason for her visit, but she wasn't about to admit that right off the bat. After some gentle prodding, Ruth confessed that she'd spoken to Opal and learned how upset Dixie's pregnancy was making him. Tad momentarily detoured from talking to his mother about his problems. Instead, he talked about the documentary Scott was making. Tad said that he wishes he could somehow fast-forward into the future and see that everything turned out okay. Amazingly, Tad softly stated that he was worried that there might be a little of his father, Ray Gardner, in him. Ruth's eyes widened and she told Tad never to think that again. She assured him that there was no way on Earth that he could be like Ray. She asked her son if he'd feel differently if Dixie's health were not a factor in the pregnancy. For Tad there was only one answer. He smiled proudly and said that he'd love to have a child with Dixie. He envisioned having someone to rock to sleep every night. He bowed his head for just a second and thought about his role as a father to a little girl. "[I would] slay all of her dragons," he said softly. Ruth looked on and told Tad that it sounded like he's already fallen in love with the child.
Dixie arrived at David's office spouting nothing but happy thoughts. She chirped merrily about Tad's sudden "one eighty." She confessed that it meant everything to her to have Tad on her side. She wasn't sure why he'd changed his mind, but she was sure that David had something to do with it. David didn't want Dixie to be swept away in her daydreams. He reminded her that any fever, back pain, or dizziness could be a sign that something was seriously wrong with her health. Dixie became concerned when David informed her that he wanted to take a blood sample, which he assured her was a routine procedure. While David went to check a few things with the lab, Dixie began to panic. She was again hit by a wave of back pain and haunted by David's warning that back pain might force them to re-evaluate the pregnancy. When David returned to his office, he found a note taped to his chair. In the note, Dixie said that she'd forgotten that she had to pick the boys up from camp.
Ryan returned to the loft and found Hayley waiting aside his front door. Hayley promised that she would not bite off Ryan's head. Inside the loft, Hayley apologized for acting so irrationally of late. She said that she had been afraid that their kiss would ruin their friendship. In reality, she, not the kiss, was doing a pretty good job of spoiling things. As Hayley babbled on, Ryan told her that she talks too much. "I think there's something else going on here," he noted. "As we should talk about it."
Alexandra arrived at Wildwind with the medical report from Dr. Silbert. She entered the parlor and ran into Stella, one of the housekeepers. Stella was naturally curious and asked Alex if the report gave any explanation on Dimitri's death. Stella knew that it might be inappropriate for her to be asking so many questions, but she explained that she really cared about Dimitri. Alex said that Dimitri's death had been attributed to an aneurysm. Surgery might have been able to save his life, she said briefly, but the risks of the surgery were too great. Stella chuckled as Alex began using "medical mumbo jumbo" and said that it sounded like some of the terminology "Mrs. Grey" had used. Edmund had been observing the exchange between the two women for several moments. When he entered the room, Alex was caught completely of guard and moved to distance herself from the medical report's findings. Stella left the room just as Brooke was dropping by. She announced that she had more work to do on Dimitri's biography---and her deadline was fast approaching. Alexandra excused herself so that Brooke and Edmund could get to work. As Alex started to leave, Brooke explained that she'd actually dropped by to talk to her, not Edmund. Edmund took the medical report from Alex and headed to his office to fax a copy to Joe. The two women sat down to talk and almost immediately Alexandra closed herself off to questioning. "What can you tell me about Alexandra Devane?" Brooke asked. Alex's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "How did you know my maiden name?" she asked in shock. Brooke explained that Jack had seen the name on the marriage license. Brooke asked a series of questions ranging from careers to family members. Alex told Brooke that her mother was a computer expert who'd been designing software for "internet appliances." As for herself, Alex said that she was much more of a businesswoman rather than a computer whiz. Brooke's pen ran out of ink and she was forced to excuse herself while she rounded up a new one. During the pause in the conversation, Alex reflected to a time she and Dimitri spent together. Dimitri expressed a desire to meet Alex's mother. Alex, however, didn't really share his exuberance. It's difficult to describe exactly how she felt about her mother from the conversation. Nevertheless, it seemed as though Alex loved her mother very much---but it also seemed that she could get along fine without her. In the final moments of her daydream, Alex again recalled how much she wanted to have a child with Dimitri. Alexandra started to sob and Brooke backed off from further questioning. Alex apologized for her uncharacteristic emotional meltdown and asked Brooke if they could continue their interview later. Alex dashed out of the room just as Edmund was returning. When asked how the interview had gone, Brooke said that while Alex had answered every one of her questions she really hadn't learned much. "She's very good at that," Edmund replied. Brooke now feared that her article would lack substance and with the deadline looming things look grim. Edmund told Brooke that there was a way to get the information and it did not require Alex's cooperation. Edmund tapped into his computer and searched for news articles on Alex. Brooke said that their searched seemed "underhanded," but Edmund assured her that they were doing nothing wrong. Several articles matched the search, but all were marked inaccessible. Brooke didn't have time to waste and announced that she would be headed back to her office. Edmund, however, said that he wanted to continue digging. Brooke looked at him crossly and accused him of taking the search too far. Edmund snarled back and said that he had every right to check up on the woman that had so suddenly thrust herself into his life.
As another wave of pain shot through her back, Dixie propped herself against a water fountain in the hospital corridor. She took a deep breath to lessen the pain and struggled to get to a chair in the sunroom. A nurse happened to be passing by and asked Dixie if she needed a doctor. Dixie blinked once or twice and looked at the nurse in confusion. The pain was affecting Dixie's thought process---and instead of hearing the nurse's offer to get help, Dixie heard something much different. "Can I take your baby?" said the nurse in Dixie's fog. Dixie pulled away and angrily snapped for the nurse to stay away from her. Ruth entered the room and observed the incident. She smiled slightly at the nurse and said that she'd take care of Dixie. The nurse shook her head and walked away. Dixie pushed her hair back and told Ruth that she was getting tired of people trying to help her all the time. Ruth laughed and said that no one meant her any harm. They all loved her dearly and wanted to make sure that she was okay. Ruth's attention was diverted for a moment as her pager went off. With a moment out of the spotlight, Dixie was able to flash a grimace without being detected. Ruth was going to have to leave, but before she left she asked Dixie why she'd dropped by the hospital. Again Dixie's pain interfered with reality. "Are you here to terminate?" Dixie heard. Dixie's face turned pale and she quickly moved away from, Ruth. She screamed in fright as she staggered out of the room. On her way out, she passed by Joe but she didn't even acknowledge his presence. Joe and Ruth understandably were both concerned about Dixie. Joe confessed that he'd love to have another grandchild---especially one by Tad and Dixie---but he was fearful that the risk was just too high. Ruth tried to remain optimistic. After all, their daughter-in-law was being cared for by Dr. Clader and David. She also understood why Dixie did not want to be surrounded by "doom and gloom." Joe nodded and softly noted that this was in Tad and Dixie's hands now. "No," Ruth said shaking her head. "It's in the hands of someone even more powerful."
It must have been Scott's back exercise gear that drew Greenlee to Scott. Whatever it was, Greenlee was unable to keep her hands to herself. As she fixed her eyes on the video equipment, she asked Scott and Becca if they were willing to take part in "turnabout." Scott was unusually subdued, but Becca was quite open to the idea. Unfortunately, she wasn't on the same page as Scott and Greenlee. Becca mistakenly assumed that "turnabout" referred to a girl asking a guy out on a date---as opposed to the "conventional" other way around. Greenlee laughed condescendingly and said that where she comes from the women don't need a special occasion to ask out the men. Turnabout was actually a term used when the person doing a film is forced to sit in front of the camera. The exercise is supposed to allow the filmmaker a chance to empathize with his subjects and feel what it's like to be under a magnifying glass. Scott didn't see the need, but Becca thought it was a good idea. Without any kind of warning, Greenlee fired up the video camera and prepared to do her dirty work. She turned her sights on Becca and asked the young woman to tell her all about her love life. Becca'' face turned bright red and she froze in place. Another arrogant snort escaped Greenlee's mouth as she told Becca that she didn't have to answer the question. This was, after all, Scott's film. "Have you ever slept with a woman on the first date?" Greenlee asked pointedly. Scott softly replied affirmatively. Becca's head snapped back as she looked on in shock. "More than once?" Greenlee continued, asking if he'd ever seen the woman after the romantic encounter. "A couple of times," Scott responded, claiming to not understand the reason behind the line of questioning. The young woman was nowhere near done. "Are you and this woman still friends? Lovers? Or did you break her heart?" she inquired. Scott smiled wryly and told his friend that she'd have to ask the woman that question. "I'm sure that can be arranged," replied Greenlee devilishly. In the course of the exchange, it was unclear if Scott and Greenlee were more than just friends. Presumably, Scott was referring to his one-night stand with Gillian. Tad phoned and asked Greenlee if she'd been able to find the videotapes. Since this was only her first day on the job, Greenlee picked up the tapes and headed back to the station. After Greenlee left, Becca asked Scott if he was going to watch the tape of himself. Scott shook his head and said that there was no need to do that.
"We've talked circles around this," Ryan said directly. Hayley rolled her eyes and assumed a defensive posture. Without listening to what Ryan had to say, she quickly rattled off her formula response for the kiss on the beach. "We were bandages for each other," she explained. That wasn't what had happened---at least not according to Ryan. "It's time we admit what's really going on," he said with a sigh. Hayley, however, was still trying to dodge the discussion. She walked towards the door and announced that it was a bad idea for her to drop by the loft. Ryan called out to her and told her not to leave. Just a few short days before, they had nearly surrendered to their passions. This was not an issue that could be avoided or hidden away in a closet. "You are a beautiful, fantastic woman," said Ryan softly. "And I am... I'm very attracted to you." This was not the first time that Ryan had told Hayley that she was beautiful, but again the compliment seemed to surprise Hayley. "I don't know what to say," she replied. "You are a dream from your head to your toes." Now that the task of praising each other's physical beauty was out of the way, Ryan stated that there was "more to this than physical attraction." Ryan was unable to get his mind off of Hayley's appearance. He looked deeply into her blue eyes and got caught up in the moment. Slowly their lips moved closer together. Just before the inevitable collision, Ryan managed to pull his head away. He took a deep breath and blinked his eyes several times in astonishment. "This is why we can't see each other any more." Hayley was caught off guard. "You're cutting me off?" she gasped. That wasn't exactly what Ryan was trying to say. He said that there were too many peripheral factors that were dependent upon their relationship. Gillian, for example, needed a stable environment now that Dimitri was dead. Hayley nodded in agreement, but she didn't see a need for her and Ryan to avoid each other. They both vowed to keep their impulses in check---but they'd have to do their best to avoid encounters when they might be alone and vulnerable. Hayley received a call on her cell phone from the new bartender at Sounds of Salsa. The new air conditioning unit was on the fritz and the temperature was slowly rising inside the club. Ryan was present when the unit was installed and knew of a checklist to run through to get the machine back up and running. He tried to explain what to do, but he knew that this was one of those things were it would be better for him to just do it himself. Hayley worried that it wasn't such a good idea for them to be seen together, but Ryan said that since Mateo was still in Texas there wasn't anything to worry about.
Meanwhile at Wildwind, Mateo and Raquel offered their condolences to Edmund. They'd cut their trip to Texas short so that they could return to town. Max, though, had stuck around with his grandparents and his new friends---a stable full of animals. Gillian entered the room and gave Raquel a big hug to welcome her back. Raquel smiled proudly and said that she feels healthier than ever. Edmund pulled Mateo aside and asked him to explain the troubles that he and Hayley were having. Mateo asked Edmund if he'd spoken to Hayley while he was out of town, but Edmund shook his head. The only thing that Hayley had talked about was Dimitri. Mateo didn't have much of a chance to explain things. As the men chatted, Raquel popped her head in and said that Gillian had invited her out for a "girls' night out." Mateo smiled and urged his former wife to go out and have a good time. As Gillian pulled Raquel out of the room by her arm, Raquel chirped merrily about this being the first time since Max was born that she'd had a chance to go out and enjoy herself. Now that there were no distractions left to sidetrack him, Mateo told Edmund about his trip to Texas. He said that Raquel's parents had done a sudden turnaround and were now acting like he and Raquel were a happily married couple. In fact, Raquel's parents had done everything short of having them sleep in the same bedroom! In a surprising turn of events, Mateo said that as hard as he tried he was unable to get his mind off of Hayley. He'd even thought about calling her several times, but for some reason he was unable to pick up the phone. Edmund reminded his brother-in-law that he and Maria had been in a similar situation themselves. Maria had slept with Dimitri---and the fallout from the one-night encounter had nearly torn them apart. But they worked together to iron everything out and eventually found their way back to each other. Mateo said that he was ready to talk to Hayley, but a phone call would not do; he wanted to talk to her face to face. "What about Raquel?" Edmund asked. Mateo shrugged and said that he assumed that she was headed back to Texas with Max. Max thanked Edmund for his help and headed off to SOS.
At a table at the salsa club, Gillian and Raquel briefly discussed the men in their lives. Gillian said that she and Ryan had spoken to each other a few times and that they seemed to be working through their differences. Raquel told her friend that her trip to Texas had gone beautifully. Her parents, she said, really wanted Raquel and Mateo to get back together for Max's sake. The idea was most appealing to Raquel. She chattered endlessly about she believed that the trip had nourished her relationship with Mateo. They were together---just like old times. Gillian, though, was not as enthusiastic about the renewed friendship. In her mind, if Raquel and Mateo got back together, that would leave the door open for Hayley and Ryan to start a new life together. One night at a local carnival, Mateo won Max a "giant armadillo." Gillian's mouth gaped. "Where do you keep it?" she asked in awe. Raquel's eyes squinted as she tried to figure out what Gillian was talking about. "It's stuffed, silly," she chuckled. Raquel admitted that nothing had happened between her and Mateo, but she said that that was due in part to Max always "being underfoot." Now that they were back in Pine Valley and with Hayley out of the picture, Raquel was certain that it was just a matter of time before she and Mateo were back in each other's arms. The thumping beats of the music summoned Raquel to the dance floor. She and Gillian headed out into the crowd and began dancing. Before long, the pair had two gentlemen suitors who invited themselves to join their dance. Across the club, Ryan managed to get the air conditioner working. He told Hayley that he would speak to the new bartender and get him up to speed on how to fix the temperamental machine. Raquel and Gillian headed to a nearby sofa to cool down. As a slow tempo song hit the airwaves, Raquel told Gillian that she wanted to save a slow dance for Mateo. Her back to the front door, Hayley tapped some information into one of the computer consoles at the club. She must have felt a pair of eyes on her because she slowly turned around. Just a few yards away, Mateo was looking at her with a slight smile.
"Oh, you're still here," grumbled Dixie as she returned home and found Scott and Becca sitting on in her living room. From the troubled and pained look on Dixie's face, Becca knew that something wasn't quite right. When she asked Dixie if she was okay, Dixie suffered yet another delusion. "Something's wrong. Give me the baby," said Becca in Dixie's hallucination. Like before, Dixie began to panic. Becca saw that she'd upset Dixie and immediately apologized. Dixie felt badly for snapping at Becca and apologized for her outburst. She chalked up her irrational behavior to her lack of sleep. She sat down on the sofa and Becca joined her. Dixie said that she was also upset by the presence of the video equipment. She said that she's suddenly been confronted by memories of another time when she sat in front of the camera. Scott asked her if it had been something unpleasant. Dixie shook her head. "No, I was just saying goodbye," she said softly. Dixie agreed to film another segment for the film. She flipped through a photo album and talked about her memories of each photo. The first page had a picture of Junior as a newborn. Dixie marveled at how tiny her son was, saying that she couldn't believe that anyone could be so tiny. She closed her eyes and gently stroked her hair as she tried to hide the pain she was feeling. "Never underestimate the power of love," said Dixie prophetically. She said that she and Tad were a perfect example that love can conquer all, and "this new life (the baby) is living proof." That would be the final words uttered for the camera. Scott stopped rolling and announced that this segment would be the perfect ending for the film. Dixie smiled through her pain and told Scott that she was happy to be a part of the project. Now that filming was complete, Dixie decided to head upstairs for a nap. She rose slowly from the couch and started to walk away. "Dixie," Becca gasped. "Dixie, you're leg. You're bleeding." Dixie covered her mouth and gasped. "My baby," she said tearfully.
