In her room at the Pine Cone Motel, Raquel beamed optimistically as she told her son, Max, that she might have some good news for her later in the day. Angela cocked her head to the side and asked Raquel if she was finally going to do "it." Raquel looked up from her son and nodded; She was going to tell Mateo that Max was his son.
By his niece's side in a room at the West Side Hospital, Palmer assured Dixie that no expense would be spared in his attempt to have her nursed back to health. When Palmer left the room, he was met by one of the attending physicians. The doctor had a mixed bag of news for the millionaire. Dixie's kidney was responding favorably to dialysis, but during her kidney's "shut down" Dixie's heart had been injured. The diagnosis was very serious. The doctor explained that Dixie's had developed a condition known as pericarditis, an inflammation of the sack around the heart. If the condition was not carefully monitored, Dixie could die of cardiac arrest.
The sun had long been above the horizon, but Ryan remained asleep in his bed. Quietly, Gillian slipped into Ryan's bedroom and subsequently in his bed. She kissed him passionately and a still-groggy Ryan kissed her back. After several minutes, Ryan opened his eyes and pulled away from his wife. He claimed that their kiss meant nothing because he did now know he was kissing Gillian. The assertion was that he was having some type of erotic dream and that he never would have kissed Gillian so passionately. Gillian called Ryan a liar and tried to kiss him again. Ryan jumped out of bed and grabbed his suitcase. He took a few pieces of clothing from his closet and tossed them into the suitcase. He turned towards Gillian and told her that she'd better be gone by the time he got done taking a shower. Ryan had no sooner left the room when Gillian dumped the contents out of Ryan's suitcase. Raquel burst into the room without warning and begged her gal pal for help in getting Mateo alone. Gillian sighed deeply and told Raquel that she needed to stop playing games with Mateo. Trickery, Gillian said remorsefully, would only succeed in pushing Mateo further away---Gillian knew that firsthand. Raquel denied playing any games and said that she would tell Mateo the truth if only she could get him alone. Gillian refused to help pull Hayley away from Mateo's side, saying that the couple has been "joined at the hip" for as long as she's known them. Ryan returned from taking his shower and was doubly disappointed. Not only was Gillian still there, but Raquel was there as well. Raquel quickly scurried away and Gillian was forced to leave when Ryan asked for some privacy to get dressed. Before leaving, Gillian told Ryan that she admired Raquel's willingness to fight for the man she loves. Later, Gillian returned to Ryan's bedroom. She inhaled his aroma from a piece of clothing he'd left on his bed. Then, in an attempt to be close to the man she loves, Gillian crawled into Ryan's empty bed and rested her head on his pillow.
At WRCW, Tad flirted shamelessly with the station's new weathergirl. Liza pulled Tad aside and asked him why he was making goo-goo eyes at Wendy when he should be out chasing after Dixie. Tad didn't go into details, but said that he and Dixie were never going to be a couple again. Wendy, he said, was just the kind of "high pressure area" he needed to "warm up [his] cold front." Liza let Tad know that she was there for him---at least six times during the conversation---in case he needed someone to talk to. Tad was annoyed by Liza's pressuring to get him to talk, but he did manage to smirk at her persistence. David strolled into the studio and told Liza that he and "the make-up guy" were having a dispute. Tad looked at Liza and asked him why David was trespassing. Liza explained that she had hired David to do the medical segments and was met with immediate resistance. Tad reminded Liza that David had tried to sabotage Jake's medical career when he nearly killed Liza's then-husband Adam. Liza nodded her head. She said that she already knows that David's going "straight to hell," but conceded that he's been pulling in huge ratings with the female audience. The phone rang and Tad angrily picked up the receiver. He was stunned to hear Palmer's voice on the other end. Palmer, likewise surprised to be talking to Tad, asked if he could speak to David. Tad blinked his eyes several times and sassily asked Palmer if he wanted to pass along his hot stock tip to the cardiologist. Palmer informed Tad that the stress of the stock market had been giving him heart palpitations. Reluctantly, Tad passed the phone to David. Once David was on the line, Palmer made him swear not to breath a word of what he was about to say. David agreed and listened carefully as Palmer brought him up to date on Dixie's condition. Palmer had arranged for a helicopter to meet David at the airport and hoped that David would fly to New York to help Dixie. David told Palmer that he'd be glad to help, but said nothing more that would drop any hints as to what he was going to be doing. Still, Tad was suspicious, telling Liza that something was definitely not right. Derek arrived a little while later and asked Tad questions about the time he'd spent with Kit at The Pit. Derek asked Tad if he'd seen Kit talking to anyone or if he noticed anyone lurking around the parking lot. Tad rolled his eyes and asked if Kit was trying to run another scam, perhaps claiming that she'd been mugged. Tad offered to broadcast the crime on the air. Tad's offer lacked sincerity and was obviously not meant to be serious. When Derek told Tad that the crime that had been committed was one that the media usually agreed not to report, Liza knew that Kit had been raped. After Derek left, Tad told Liza that he believed that Kit was lying about being raped.
Braden kept vigil by Dixie's bedside. He cringed slightly when Dixie began mumbling Tad's name. Only pieces of what Dixie was saying was actually decipherable. ""Tad... sorry... I wanted to... wait for me," she mumbled. One thing was clear in Dixie's rants, "I want Tad." When David got to New York, Palmer told him that he would give him anything he wanted just as long as he saved Dixie's life. David went to Dixie's side and checked her pulse. Dixie opened her eyes slightly and looked at the doctor. She managed a slight smile. "Tad... I knew you'd come," she whispered. Braden wanted to phone Tad and tell him to race to New York to be with Dixie, but Palmer nixed that idea. He said that Tad would only agitate Dixie's condition and that it would be better if Tad was out of Dixie's life forever.
The results of Hayley's liver function were delayed when Jake asked the lab to run the test twice. He had hoped that the second time around the results would be more favorable. They weren't. Jake sadly informed Hayley that while her condition had not deteriorated, it had not improved any either. This meant that any plans she and Mateo had of starting a family would have to be put on hold. The toxicity levels (from the lead paint Lee Hawkins had used to place a rose tattoo on her shoulder) in Hayley's system had not declined. Jake struggled to informed the couple that Hayley might never be able to have a baby. Hayley was devastated by the news, but she did her best to remain optimistic. She was already looking forward to having another liver function test performed, but Jake told her that she could not have another one for six months. The time gap would prevent any more dashed hopes. Mateo escorted Hayley to the hospital chapel. There assured Hayley that he was not mad at her for not being able to have a baby. Hayley had---and still felt---that she was letting Mateo down by not being able to start a family of their own. She sobbed openly as Mateo took her in his arms and told her that he is thankful to have her in his life---baby or no baby. Mateo looked at the front of the chapel and a smile suddenly emerged on his face. He told Hayley that he wanted to renew their vows right then and there. Hayley agreed. Their exchange was short and sweet. Mateo told Hayley that he is reminded of her every time he see something beautiful. Hayley called Mateo a "beautiful gift from God." She also admitted that she'd begun to have renewed faith in God since meeting Mateo. Hayley was upset that she could not promise to bear Mateo any children. Mateo again hugged her and told her that he would always love her even if it meant that they could never have children together. The door to the chapel swung open suddenly and Raquel strolled down the aisle.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Derek told Jack that there had been some unusual findings in Kit's case. Later, Jack told Edmund exactly what was so strange. No semen had been found when examining Kit. There was, however, a small amount of semen on her dress. This meant one of two things: Either Kit knew her victim or the attack had been premeditated. Edmund noted that the lack of semen could have meant that Kit's attacker had worn a condom. A staff psychiatrist examined Kit, but Kit didn't so much as acknowledge his presence in the room. Later, the psychiatrist told Jack that it was rare for a rape victim to remain in shock so long after the attack. It was possible, he said hypothetically, that Kit had also been dealing with another emotional trauma. That, couple with the sexual assault, could have sent her system to overload. Jack bowed his head and played with his ear. Inside Kit's room, an abrasive female detective arrived with a series of questions for Kit. Edmund tried to tell the detective that Kit wasn't up for questioning, but she proceeded anyway. Kit said nothing and, like she'd done to the psychiatrist, didn't appear to know that someone was in the room with her. The detective asked Edmund to step outside, stating that sometimes rape victims are unwilling to talk as long as a man is in the room. "Edmund stay," Kit said very softly. Both Edmund and the detective saw this as a sign of progress, but Kit said nothing else during the entire interrogation. The detective reached for an oversize manila folder. She said that an officer had recovered something from the crime scene and wondered if it meant anything to Kit. The detective pulled a clear plastic bag from the folder and placed it in front of Kit. In the bag was a latex werewolf mask. The sight of the mask sent Kit into a frenzy.
It struck Liza as somewhat odd that Tad immediately thought Kit was lying about having been raped. Tad explained that the police do not know Kit as well as he does. Liza wondered what Kit could gain by pretending to have been sexually assaulted. Tad had a one word answer, "Jackson." Without further explanation, Tad announced that he was headed off to Pine Valley Hospital to make sure that no one else was "sucked in" to Kit's scam. As Tad was leaving the studio, Adam arrived. Liza smiled slightly and told Adam that his unannounced appearance was pushing the limits of their new friendship. Adam quickly explained that he'd be asked to meet Stuart at the studio. Liza looked around and saw no sign of Adam's twin brother. Adam was not lying and eventually Stuart -- with Marian by his side -- arrived at the station. Using his best television lingo, Stuart announced that he a "news bulletin." There was no segué or teaser for the big story; Stuart blurted out that he and Marian were engaged to be married. Liza smiled and gave her mother a hug. Adam was less obvious with his reaction. While Liza praised her mother's transformation over the past few month, Stuart was busy trying to measure his brother's reaction to the news. Adam said that he was happy for Stuart, but Stuart would have been a fool to take his brother at his word. Adam insisted that he would support Stuart's decision to get married because he wanted to see his brother happy. If that meant marrying Marian, then so be it. Adam and Liza were asked to be the best man and matron of honor and both accepted. Marian and Stuart scurried off to phone Scott and tell him the good news. Scott, it was mentioned, was in California -- but no one ever said why he was there. Liza looked at Adam and flashed a wry smile. She told Adam that he should win an award for "best actor in a continuing role in a dysfunctional family" for the way he convinced Stuart and Marian that he approved of their planned union. Adam's eyebrows raised and his eyes widened slightly. "Are you implying I'm lying?" he asked whimsically. Liza dared Adam to tell her that he was, in fact, telling the truth. Adam claimed that he was not opposed to the marriage and chided Liza for doubting him. He did, however, admit that he had not always been Marian's biggest fan and stopped short of saying that he fully trusted her now. In what seemed like a very atypical moment for the billionaire, Adam quoted the late Jeremy Hunter, saying that wanted "be the rock, not the water." Liza finally accepted the fact that Adam was okay with Stuart and Marian's plan to get married, but warned him that she'd fillet him alive if he reverted to his old ways and even thought of sabotaging the wedding. Liza headed back to work and Adam hung around the station. Marian showed up a few seconds later and told Adam that Scott had given his approval for her to marry Stuart. Adam told Marian that he wanted to put their past friction behind them and start over. Marian seemed shocked at first, but she since had changed her ways she hoped that Adam could do the same.
Hayley accused Raquel of having a "habit of haunting chapels." This was the second time that Raquel had popped up in a chapel and caused a stir. Raquel asked Hayley if she could speak to Mateo in private. Mateo informed Raquel that anything she had to say could be said in front of Hayley. Raquel, however, said that what she had to say was for Matt's ears only. Hayley was infuriated by Raquel's continued interruptions and her refusal to admit that her "quickie marriage" to Mateo was over. Mateo chimed in that if Raquel could not spill her supposedly big news in front of Hayley, she should keep it to herself. Mateo and Hayley stormed out of the chapel. Raquel stood around for a few moments trying to figure out what she should do. When she finally decided to chase after the couple, she hadn't anticipated running into a roadblock. The six-foot-something roadblock was known in most circles as Ryan Lavery. Raquel hoped that Ryan would let her pass if she assured him that she had did not plan on hurting Mateo and Hayley. Ryan felt that Raquel had already done enough to hurt the lovebirds and told her that he was not going to let her chase after them. Raquel snapped that it Ryan "knew the truth" he would let her go after the couple. The comment naturally piqued Ryan's curiosity and he asked Raquel to have a seat and explain her side of the story. Raquel reflected nostalgically on the first time she'd ever set eyes upon "'Teo." Her heart skipped a beat when she was near him and she said that she'd never forget the love she and Mateo shared. Ryan's face grew serious. He has listened to everything that Raquel had said and he did not disagree with any of it. What he wanted Raquel to know, though, was that Hayley and Mateo felt the same way now that she and Mateo had felt way back when they were teenagers. Raquel pouted and blasted Ryan for having fooled her into believing that he was really interested in what she had to say. She rose from her spot on the pew and again made her way towards the door. Ryan grabbed her arm and told her that she wasn't going anywhere. Raquel looked angrily at the man and told him that if he didn't ket go of her, she'd scream.
The sound of Kit's scream sent Jack racing into the examining room. He ordered the detective out of the room. Once outside, Jack blasted the detective for thoughtlessly showing Kit the werewolf mask. "You might as well have marched the rapist" into the room, Jack snarled. Despite the woman's protest, Jack informed her that she was off investigation. Brooke observed the conversation from across the waiting room area and waited until the detective left before approaching. Brooke asked Jack if he might be too personally involved in the case in order to be level-headed. Jack told Brooke that he feared that Kit's rapist might never be caught because of the lack of physical evidence and the fact that the attacker probably wore a mask. Edmund exited the emergency room with a dejected look on his face. He asked Brooke if she would mind trying to get through to Kit. While Brooke was gone, Edmund accused Jack of having asked the detective to badger Kit. Jack vehemently denied putting the detective one the case and announced that he'd been the one to remove her from the case. Tad strolled into the waiting area with a smile on his face. He remained convinced that Kit was lying about the attack. Unaware of the details of the supposed crime, Tad said that he would not be surprised if there was no physical evidence to prove that a crime had occurred. That, he said, would mean that no one would ever be arrested for the crime. "How convenient," he smirked. Edmund and Jack were outraged by Tad's insensitivity. While Jack could not elaborate on the details on the investigation, he assured Tad that there was evidence to support Kit's claim that she'd been raped. Tad then implied that Kit might have had consensual sex with someone and then used that encounter to bolster her claim that she'd been sexually assaulted. That proved to be the final straw. Jack said that he could not consider Tad an unbiased opinion. He was unsure what had happened between Kit and Tad while they were both working at the Orsini Vineyard, but he was sure that that had something to do with the way Tad was acting. Tad told Jack that he was going to do a little investigation of his own in order to prove that Kit was lying. Before leaving, he once again warned Jack not to be taken in by Kit and "the perfect crime." Later, Tad's comments popped up in a discussion between Jack and Brooke. Jack told Brooke that he was beginning to worry about whether or not Kit had really been raped. Edmund headed off to find Tad, saying that he wanted to keep a close eye on him. Jack told Edmund that he'd keep an eye on Kit. As Jack was headed back into Kit's room, Jake arrived and handed him the results of his DNA test.
At Wildwind, Hayley said that she felt "detached and distracted" from the real world after hearing the results of her liver function test. She tried to be strong, but she broke down in tears as she told Mateo that she "wanted to give [him] a child so bad." Mateo took her in his arms and told her that they "get through this." He told Hayley to get some rest. He laid on the bed next to Hayley and told her about his visions for the future---these visions were not coma induced. Hayley drifted off into a deep sleep. Mateo quietly got out of bed and left the bedroom. He walked down the path to the Marick mausoleum for some time "alone" with his sister, Maria. He gently caressed the marker on Maria's crypt and asked Maria for guidance to help Hayley get through her latest setback. He found it somewhat ironic that he and Hayley were going through the same type of situation that Maria and Edmund had gone through---Maria had been unable to conceive a child due to a build up of scar tissue in her Fallopian tubes. Subsequent surgeries did correct that condition. Mateo told his big sister that he'd keep his ears open for a sign on how he could help Mateo. Mateo sighed and turned towards the door. Suddenly, Raquel appeared in the doorway, urgently announcing that she had something to tell Mateo---and that she had to tell him now.
"You have a son," Raquel blurted out. She'd wasted little time in getting to the point. "We have a son together. His name is Max." Mateo shook his head slightly. He was furious for the way that Raquel was continually pushing him to his limits. Now, Mateo felt badly for having defended Raquel to Hayley and his friends only to have her pull what he thought was another of her shenanigans. He warned her that she'd be sorry of she ever repeated "that lie" to anyone else. Raquel was insistent that she was not lying. In fact, she swore on "the Blessed Mother" to prove that she was telling the truth. Mateo again found himself trying to convince Raquel that their relationship was over. Raquel told Mateo their relationship would "never be over." She admitted that she'd considered leaving Pine Valley when Mateo first shunned her, but she implied that she did not leave because she wanted her son to meet his father. Mateo apologized for having hurt Raquel, saying that that was never his intention. Finally, Raquel seemed to come to the conclusion that she was not going to be a part of Mateo's life. She told Mateo that she now understood that he'd chosen Hayley over her. Max, however, was "blood of [his] blood" that could not be annulled away. Mateo scrunched up his face and argued that he and Raquel could not have conceived a child because they'd only been together a few days. Raquel reminded Mateo that it only takes "one time" to make a baby. With that basic anatomic revelation came something a bit more impressive: the truth about why Raquel and Mateo's marriage had never been annulled. The Dions pushed for an immediate divorce once they learned of Mateo and Raquel's divorce or annulment. Raquel, knowing that she was pregnant, refused to have sign the annulment papers because she did not want her baby to be "a bastard." Mateo looked around and realized that the mausoleum was not the best place to discuss this matter. Raquel suggested that they go back to her motel room, but Mateo wasn't sure that that was the best place to talk either. He asked Raquel why she'd waited so long to tell him her big news. He silently hoped that his question would trip up Raquel. Raquel told Mateo that she wanted to make sure that he was still the same "'teo" she'd fallen in love with... for Max's sake.
In the castle at Wildwind, Hayley dreamt that she and Mateo had a child of her own. Hayley held the baby closely, but when Mateo entered the room he demanded to know where their child was. Hayley looked down and suddenly realized that there was no baby in her arms. She looked up to find her husband, but he mysteriously disappeared as well. Using rather crude dream analysis, it seemed like Hayley's subconscious mind believed that she would lose Mateo if she could not give him a child. Hayley woke up from her nightmare screaming. Ryan must have been passing by in the hallway because he knocked on the door and asked Hayley if she was okay. Hayley told him that he could enter her bedroom, but she refused to answer any question about why she was so upset. Ryan offered to find Mateo. Hayley, however, said that Mateo needed time alone. Hayley struggled to fight back tears and she softly told Ryan that she was unable to have a baby. Ryan was stunned by the news. He was under the impression that Hayley only needed to wait a little while before trying to get pregnant. Hayley brought Ryan up to date on her test results and Jake's warning that she might never be able to have a baby. Ryan urged Hayley to let her anger, hurt, and frustration out. He'd already seen her toss pillows and magazines across the room and suggested that she try something more breakable---like a chair or mirror. Hayley smirked slightly and then vented her feelings on an unsuspecting feather pillow. Little white feathers drifted across the room. Exhausted from the ordeal, Hayley fell to her knees at the end of the bed. "Is this the religious part of the program?" Ryan mused. Hayley admitted that she'd always had problems when it came to prayer and religion. Ryan had also never had a strong religious influence in his life. Ryan started off saying a prayer for Hayley---he claimed that prayers only worked if you were praying for someone else. "God, this is your basic message in a bottle," Ryan said meekly. He asked for some help for Hayley. Hayley's prayer was slightly less diplomatic. She asked God to swoop down and carry Raquel off to somewhere other than Pine Valley so that she could fall in love---with someone other than Mateo.
Hoping that he could dig up more information about what happened to Kit, Tad showed up at The Pit and began asking the bartender questions about what he'd seen. "Between you and me," the bartender remarked candidly, "I don't believe [her.]" Edmund arrived and sat in next to Tad at the bar. Tad claimed that he was trying to "be a good reporter," an insinuation that Edmund had been blinded by Kit's chicanery. The bartender told Edmund that after he'd left the bar, Kit became a wild woman. He said that Kit had given "the room a massage" when she began dancing with a man she'd spotted at the end of the bar. The bartender gave only a passing description of the man, saying he was young, had brown hair, and looked like he spent most of his life in the gym. He added that he was convinced that Kit and the man were going to have sex in the middle of the bar until Kit pushed the man away and he stormed off. Edmund became enraged when Tad suggested that Kit was concocted a tale about being raped to rope Jack and Edmund further into her web of deceit. He then went on to say that perhaps Kit pretended to have been raped because she'd been caught in the act of having sex with a man who was not Edmund. It was an outlandish claim and Edmund didn't stick around to hear the end of Tad's remarks. Left alone, Tad's mind drifted back to his days with at the Orsini Vineyard. As he worked the books, Kit snuck up behind him and gave him a back rub. Kit managed to convince Tad to put off work and the two shared a kiss.
The results of Jack's DNA test were conclusive and, as Jake pointed out, admissible in court. Jack stepped aside and read the results in private. "The findings are consistent with the genetic map [of] siblings." Jack's mouth gaped. He tossed the papers on a nearby chair and walked into Kit's room. Brooke had been standing nearby and scurried over to look at the papers Jack had effortlessly tossed aside. Her eyes widened as she read the results. Inside, Jack pulled up a chair and sat by Kit's bed. "Chrissy," he said fending off tears, "it's me... your brother." He knew that his sister must be in terrible pain and did his best to assure her that she was safe. He reflected back to a time when he and Christine had gone to a lake and spent the day together. Kit blinked her eyes and turned her head slightly in Jack's direction. The attorney apologized profusely for having doubted Kit's claim that she was his sister. He told her that he fought her because he "couldn't allow [himself] to have hope." Kit's turned a little more to the side until she was looking into her brother's face. "Dak?" she asked softly. Jack nodded his head and smiled slightly. He took Kit in his arms and the two burst into tears. Outside, Brooke looked on through a window in the door. Edmund returned to the hospital and feared that something bad had happened. "No," Brooke said, looking like she was about to cry too, "it's something wonderful."
Mateo agreed to go to Raquel's motel room. Raquel filled in the final pieces of the puzzle known as Max. Raquel's parents had placed her in a "home," of sorts, so that no one would know that she was pregnant. After giving birth, her baby was supposed to have been put up for adoption. The night after she delivered Max, Raquel slipped out of her room and headed to the nursery. She snuck past a nun that had been placed on sentry duty and wandered over to Max's crib. She could not fight to urge to hold her son---and once she felt her baby in her arms, Raquel knew that she could never let him be taken away from her. According to Raquel, she took Max and ran away from the home. As a result, she had not spoken to her parents since. Raquel held up the costume Max had worn to trick-or-treat and told Mateo that he had met his son on Halloween. The door to the room suddenly flew open and Max scampered inside. He told his mother that he'd "hit the ball" just like the man had told him to do. The man, of course, was Mateo. A smile emerged on Mateo's face as he looked at the little boy.
The serious nature of Dixie's illness had both Braden and Palmer on edge. David exited Dixie's room and announced that with some rest, she should make a full recovery. Palmer was granted five minutes alone with his niece. Dixie's eyelids fluttered as she asked Palmer if she was "too late" to make it to the top of the Statler Building. Palmer tried to calm Dixie down, but the she was definitely haunted by the possibility that she'd left Tad waiting atop the building. Contrary to her weakened state, Dixie wanted to phone Tad and explain what happened, but Palmer refused to let her do such a thing. Dixie clutched her test and panted erratically. Tears streamed down her face and she gasped that she could not breath. Palmer scurried to find David. David examined Dixie and learned that her condition was even more serious than first thought. Dixie's heart was "leaking blood" into the sack that surrounded it. This was limiting placing pressure on the heart and not allowing it to expand and contract as normal. David inserted a syringe into the sack to drain some of the blood, but surgery was required for a more permanent fix. While Dixie was in surgery, Braden and Palmer went toe-to-toe again. Braden wanted to phone Tad and tell him what happened to Dixie. He felt that Dixie really must want to see Tad---after all, she'd been calling him name ever since he'd found her on the floor of his apartment. Palmer chalked up Dixie's cries to her "delirious" state and insisted that bringing Tad into the picture would only make things worse. The surgery was complete success. So grateful was Palmer that he offered to use his spot on the Pine Valley Hospital board to land David a spot as the new Chief of Staff. David claimed that saving Dixie was all the thanks that he needed. When Palmer insisted that David be rewarded, the cardiologist realized that there was something that Palmer could do for him. He asked to be reinstated as the head of the cardiology department at Pine Valley Hospital and receive pay for the time that he'd been suspended. Palmer nodded his head and said that it was "as good as done."
Still sitting in the middle of her bed, Hayley was annoyed when Gillian arrived and asked her for helping in getting Ryan back into her life. "He respects you," Gillian said desperately. Gillian said that she was "so close to [her] dream" of being happy that she could not lose Ryan. She implied that Hayley had no idea of what it was like to see dreams crumble. Hayley lowered her head and softly said that she knew exactly what Gillian was referring to. Gillian could see that she was getting nowhere and told Hayley that she was sorry for bothering her. Gillian turned and started to walk away. She was surprised when Hayley called her back and agreed to help her. Gillian smiled broadly and told Hayley that she would be "infernally grateful" for anything that she could do to keep Ryan from moving out of Wildwind. Hayley let out a snicker at Gillian's botched statement. She noted that Gillian really must love Ryan in order to ask her, the woman that Gillian had been so convinced that Ryan wanted to be with, for help. In return, Gillian offered to use her friendship with Raquel to help get Raquel out of Hayley's hair for good.
At Cortlandt Manor, Opal watched proudly as Adrian tapped away on a laptop computer. Adrian was trying to track Palmer down by seeing where he'd used his credit cards. Opal said that she could never get the hang of high technology items and told Adrian that he must have gotten his skills from his father's side of the family. Adrian looked up and gave Opal a funny look. Opal quickly explained that she was assuming that Adrian's mother was like her. Fortunately the doorbell rang, giving Opal an excuse to leave the room before she made any more awkward remarks. Opal smiled broadly when she saw Belinda standing outside. Belinda and Adrian were scheduled for a dinner date, but Adrian had gotten so wrapped up in his search for Palmer that he had called and cancelled. Belinda urged Adrian to take some time out to have dinner. Quick on her feet, Opal said that she could get the cook to whip up something and they could all eat together. Adrian hit paydirt and found put that Palmer had last used his credit card at the airport. Adrian left the room for a few minutes to check some files on a computer in his bedroom. While he was gone, Belinda asked Opal why she was going out of her way to be so nice to Adrian. Belinda grinned and commented that if she did not know any better, she would think that Opal was smitten with the young spy. Opal seemed appalled by the idea and ordered Belinda to "take that back." Belinda apologized for being out of line, but again asked what the connection was between Opal and Adrian.
At WRCW, Tad objected the topic of the day's The Cutting Edge episode: Is Love Better the Second Time Around? His objection lessened when he found out that his special celebrity co-host would be Star Jones. Erica strolled into the office and announced that she, too, would be a guest on the show. In true to form style, Erica announced that she "required" certain things in order to be at home on the set. She handed Liza a packet of papers with her needs. After Erica headed off to make-up, Liza tossed the demands in the trashcan. Tad decided that he should file off to the studio. On his way out, he literally bumped into Ryan. Ryan rushed to Liza's desk and begged her for help in getting out of his marriage to Gillian. Tad halted in his tracks and asked Ryan about his reasons for wanting out. Ryan said little more than "this marriage is trashed." Tad continued on his way and Ryan offered Liza a little more in the way of details. Ryan said that since Liza had tricked him into marrying Gillian, she was partly responsible for getting him out of the bogus marriage. Amazingly, Liza did object to Ryan's assertion. She scribbled something out on a piece of paper---than turned out o be a check. She told Ryan that she admired him for sticking to his guns. She also hinted that he'd be getting a raise. Liza explained that she learned from her experience with Adam that nothing was worse than falling in love with someone who you shouldn't be in love with in the first place.
In the studio, Tad and Star Jones, old pals in the television circuit, got reacquainted. Erica strolled in and had only a few seconds to talk to Star off camera. When the cameras started rolling, Star introduced the topic of the show. Tad quickly exclaimed that anyone who fell in love with the same person more than once was "a fool." Erica looked towards Tad and told him that she could not have said that better herself. Tad was surprised by Erica's reaction. Star felt that Tad was being cynical, but Tad said that he was speaking from true life experience. Erica added that no man was worth the unhappiness. "I am swearing off men all together," Erica announced. Star cocked her head to the side and asked if she should call her The View co-host Barbara Walters and tell her that Erica was thinking of "changing teams." Erica's mouth gaped slightly and she quickly explained that she was not thinking of going that far. Star then added that she can see where Erica might be frustrated with relationships, especially considering the number of times Erica had been married. Erica firmly insisted that'd loved every man she's ever married---"at the time [she] married them." The men in her life, Erica continued, "made [life] impossible." Tad chimed in that he agreed with Erica. He asked the two women if they'd ever seen the film An Affair to Remember. Star mentioned that she could no longer watch the film because she would get furious with Cary Grant for giving up so easily on the woman he loved. Erica said that she agreed. Tad defended the male lead, asking how he could have had any idea that his lover had been involved in an accident. Erica and Star both said that when two people are in love they "just know" these things.
Mateo asked Raquel if she was going to introduce the young boy to him. Raquel told Matt that Max was her "little boy." Angela decided that things would go more smoothly if she made herself invisible. After she returned to her motel room, Max stepped forward and told Mateo that everyone called him Max, but that his real name is "Mateo." Mateo smiled slightly and looked up at Raquel. He then told the little boy that his name was Mateo too. The topic soon changed to Max's hobby of collecting maps. Raquel explained that her sons interest in maps began early in his life when the boy asked if a map could help him find his father. Max went into his room to play. Mateo admitted to Raquel that he no longer doubted that Max was his son. He said that he could look in the boy's eyes and see his father, his sister, Maria, and even himself. The next question that Raquel asked caught Matt off guard. She asked her husband if he would be a father to their son. She said that while she loved Mateo, she loved Max even more. If Mateo could not commit to being a father to Max, Raquel said that it would be better for Max to never know who his father is. Mateo was slow to respond. The news was too much for him to absorb and he told Raquel that he needed time to figure out what he should do. He said that if he decides to be Max's father, it will be "for life." Raquel looked serious. She asked Mateo what would happen if he decided not to be a father to Max.
Back at Wildwind, Mateo sat in his bedroom and was possessed by the voices of the two women in his life. He would hear Raquel's comments about him having a son, and then hear Hayley's news that she was unable to have a child and her subsequent apologies for "failing" him. As Mateo wondered what he was going to say to Hayley, Hayley entered the room and asked Mateo what was wrong.
The show concluded, Tad and Erica lingered around the studio heavily contemplating the relationship advice they'd dished out to a national audience. The pair briefly discussed their mutual post-relationship lives and their plans to move on. "We sound very convincing," Erica remarked softly. Tad nodded, noting that they were both "so full of it." Erica asked Tad if he was in as much pain as she was, referring to her broken heart. Tad shrugged slightly and told Erica that he no longer felt pain because he'd gone completely numb. Erica informed Tad that she'd purchased a house and was going to focus her full attention on restoring and redecorating the home. Tad grinned and told Erica that dabbling in real estate was not going to work for him. "Wendy the Weathergirl" dashed into the station and told Tad that she was ready to take him up on his offer to grab lunch. Tad told the woman that he was busy and suggested that they wait until tomorrow to go out to eat. The woman titled her head to the side, her blonde locks covering her face slightly. "But I'm hungry now," she groused. Tad blinked his eyes in amazement and explained that he wasn't asking the woman not to eat until tomorrow; he was telling her that she could eat by herself and that their dinner date would have to be pushed off. Once Wendy left, Erica had to bite her tongue to keep from making any sassy remarks about Tad's new interest. Erica rejoined the conversation, telling Tad that he should throw himself into Jamie's life---possibly becoming a "soccer dad" or a scout leader. Tad assured Erica that he loved his son dearly, but he explained that his son was not the cure for a broken heart. Erica confessed that while she was hurt by Jack's decision to end their relationship, she was totally crushed by the way he had shut her out of his life completely. Erica told Tad that she wanted to help Jack deal with Kit. Tad rolled his eyes and said that Jack had his hands full with Kit especially now that she was in the hospital. Erica's eyes widened. She jokingly asked Tad if Kit had fallen from a chandelier while partying one night. "No," Tad replied. "She's crying rape." Erica looked at Tad and asked him how he could be sure that Kit was lying.
In an attempt to live up to her promise to Hayley, Gillian went to the Pine Cone Motel to ask Raquel to back off of Mateo. Raquel informed Gillian that she'd already met privately with Mateo and that she'd accomplished her mission. "You really don't have a chance," said Gillian of Raquel's desire to reunite with Mateo. She added that Raquel would need a lot more than a high school romance to snatch Mateo's heart. Suddenly, Max darted out of his bedroom. Raquel picked her son up and gave him a hug, all the while staring nervously in Gillian's direction. Gillian bent down slightly so that she could see Max. When she asked the boy what his name was, Gillian's eyes lit up. Angela escorted Max back into the other room. Raquel begged Gillian not to mention what she'd just seen to anyone. Gillian smiled broadly and told Raquel that she had underestimated her. Pretending to have a child, Gillian beamed, was an incredibly clever idea. She reminded Raquel that sooner of later the truth would have to come out. This was an implication that she was "borrowing" someone else's child. Raquel's face turned red and she pointed towards the door. "Get out!" she screamed. Gillian realized that Max was really Raquel's son. Raquel cooled off and explained that Max had been conceived on her (and Mateo's) wedding night. Gillian immediately apologized for her faux pas. "I always assume the worst," she said with her head lowered. "I'm stupid and wicked." Gillian said that Raquel was her only friend in town, but a snicker from Raquel hinted that that assumption was off the mark. Raquel thought about the situation and realized that she was in no position to push people out of her life. Raquel asked Gillian to promise that she would never say or do anything to hurt Max. Gillian agreed and headed on her way. Angela returned to the room and told Raquel that Max wanted to see "the baseball man" again. Raquel got down on the floor next to the young boy and told him that she hopes he'll be able to see the man very soon.
In New York, Palmer stood coldly by as Dixie pleaded with him to let her talk to Tad. Palmer claimed that he had already contacted Tad about Dixie's condition and that Tad had requested that Dixie focus on resting and nursing herself back to health. "You are such a liar," Dixie growled, gasping for air after each syllable. Palmer tried to tell Dixie that she didn't mean to call him a liar and that it was just "the medicine talking." Braden appeared in the doorway. He'd been listening to the conversation for several minutes before Palmer detected him. Braden told his boss that there were new problems in the Asian division of Cortlandt Electronics. Palmer took the nurse button from the side of Dixie's bed and placed it in a spot where Dixie could not reach it. That way, he presumed, Dixie could not ask the nurses to call Tad for her. Palmer scurried off to make a few business calls. Meanwhile, Braden sat down and tried to comfort Dixie. Dixie picked up with Braden where she'd left off with her uncle. She begged Braden to phone Tad and asked him to travel to New York to be with her. "You're weak," Braden responded softly as he gently stroked her hair. He said that he would consider calling Tad in a few days, but only after Dixie was strong enough. Dixie wondered what would happen if she died before getting better. "Then it doesn't matter if I call or not," Braden remarked coldly. Dixie remembered that Braden admired poetry; she had seen volumes and volumes of poetry lining the wall of Braden's apartment. She recited a few lines of verse about a lover's need to be near her (or his) lover. She was too weak to finish the stanza, so Braden picked up where she'd left off. Dixie hoped that the warm sentiment of the poem would convince Braden to make the call. She was wrong. Palmer returned to the room and motioned for Braden to meet him in the hallway. There, Palmer praised Braden for not giving in to Dixie's request. Braden snapped that he was only doing as he was told and that it did not mean that he enjoyed breaking Dixie's heart.
David sat alone in Liza's office, passing a few minutes before heading to the studio to tape another medical segment. Ryan burst into the office and demanded that he and David had a "heart to heart" conversation. The pun was apparently intentional. Ryan implied that David had knowingly duped the "not worldly" Gillian into sleeping with him. That assertion caused David to break out in laughter. He took Ryan on a little trip down memory lane, also known as the path of truth. The doctor explained that he and Gillian had had more than one sexual encounter. They all started the night of the party to celebrate Brooke English's not guilty verdict. David took particular pleasure in recalling that he and Gillian had just finished making love with Ryan appeared at the door to ask David to check Myrtle's erratic heartbeat. Gillian hid in the bathroom while Ryan and David chatted. David still thought that his frequent affairs with Gillian were no big deal. In fact, he smirked as he announced that Gillian now realized that she loved Ryan and called off their adulterous relationship. Ryan was itching for a physical confrontation---anything to unleash some of his anger. David, on the other hand, realized that his surgical career demanded that nothing happen to his hands. Ryan could of cared less about David's career. He grabbed David by the collar and tossed him across the room. Ryan got in a few good punches, but David managed to suckerpunch him and gain the upperhand. David slammed Ryan's head into Liza's desk, causing Ryan's lip to split open. Gillian dashed into the room and stood between the two men. Ryan toppled over and Gillian fell atop her husband. David left to go to his scheduled taping. Gillian hugged Ryan and told him that she knew he had been fighting over her. That, she said, proved that Ryan loved him. Ryan jumped to his feet and told Gillian that she was dead wrong for believing that. Gillian scurried over to Liza's desk and rummaged around for a bottle of antiseptic mouthwash. She dabbed some on her finger and applied it to Ryan's bleeding lip. Ryan sighed and told her that mouthwash only prevented bad breath. Gillian remembered that Ryan had once told her of the American custom of kissing wounds to make them better. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Ryan's injured lower lip. Ryan pushed Gillian away and told her that if she wanted to "play nurse," she should go find Doctor Hayward.
Hayley told Mateo that she'd been reading to Maddie. From there, Hayley said that she had talked to Gillian earlier in the day and learned that she was still on the outs with Ryan. "I believe everything happens for a reason," Hayley commented, adding that as long as she and Mateo have each other nothing else matters. Mateo told Hayley that he'd been to the mausoleum to "talk" to Maria. Hayley's eyes welled with tears and her eyes lit up with hope. She remembered that Maria had once been diagnosed as being unable to have children. Maddie, she said, was a "miracle child." She told Mateo that they might be able to have a miracle child of their own. Mateo lowered his head and carefully thought out his next move. He told Hayley that Raquel had been by earlier in the day. Hayley threw her arms in the air and blasted Raquel's continued harassment. Sam suddenly scurried into the room with a broken fire truck and asked Mateo if he could help him fix it. Hayley sobbed opened as Mateo interacted with the young boy. Sam waddled back on his way and Hayley apologized for her crying. "Seeing you with [Sam] kills me," Hayley sniffled. She said that she hated herself for not being able to have a child for Mateo. Several times she told Mateo that he would be the "most incredible father in the world," but followed it up with a disclaimer about her inability to give Mateo that honor. Mateo took a deep breath and told Hayley that he had something very important to tell her. Matt's hesitancy worried Hayley---especially when Mateo said that he had accompanied Raquel back to her motel room. More than likely, Hayley feared that Mateo and Raquel had slept together, although she never expressed this fear aloud. Scenario after scenario flashed through Hayley's mind like a strobe light. Had Mateo hurt Raquel in some way? He Raquel hurt him? Seemingly out of nowhere, Hayley concluded that Raquel had contracted some type of incurable disease and "given it" to Mateo. Mateo squinted slightly and looked at Hayley curiously. He told Hayley that all of her fears were unfounded. He did, however, say that he finally found out why Raquel had been so hell-bent on finding him. "She's been carrying around a secret," Mateo said. "There is a Max and I know who he is." Hayley clasped her hands together and looked up towards the ceiling. A smile emerged on her face as she began to rattle on and on about knowing all along that Raquel had a lover. Mateo shook his head and told Hayley that Max was not Raquel's lover. "Then who the hell is he?" Hayley snapped. Mateo grew silent. He told Hayley that he was supposed to protect her from things like this. Hayley became irritated by Mateo's delay and told him to stop protecting her and "spit it out." Mateo closed his eyes momentarily. "Raquel and I have a child together: Max. He's my son." Mateo bowed his head and said nothing more. Tears flowed gently down Hayley's cheeks as he mouth fell open.
