To this point in time, Gillian had implied that she and David had only shared one intimate encounter. Of course, Ryan now knew that to be untrue---and he let Gillian know that he knew the truth. Gillian seemed caught off guard at first, but she quickly regrouped. She reminded Ryan that he'd had a quick fling with the woman from the bar. She asked her husband to look past their problems and start their relationship anew. No couple is without their problems, she said, citing the Hayley and Mateo's recent woes. "Mateo's other wife is shacked up at the Pine Cone Motel!" Gillian chirped. She was unaware that Adam was hovering in the doorway. The news came as a total to surprise to the multi-millionaire and, as expected, Adam was going to want some answers. Ryan stood behind Adam's back and motioned for Gillian not to say a word, but once Gillian opened her mouth she couldn't stop talking! While Gillian didn't spill the entire story, she came pretty close. She told Adam that Raquel, Mateo's first wife, had come to town and was unwilling to end her marriage to Mateo. That was all Adam needed to hear. Determined, Adam turned and walked out of the office. Ryan blasted his wife for telling Adam about Raquel. He reckoned that had Hayley wanted her father to know about her problems, she would have told him herself. Ryan was set to leave the office, but Gillian stepped in front of him and told him that she wanted to ask him something. Ryan sat down on the edge of Liza's desk and listened as Gillian asked him what one thing about her he most cherishes. Momentarily, Ryan's hardened exterior crumbled. He placed his hand on Gillian's cheek and gently brushed an area just below her cheekbone. That, he said, was the thing he most cherished about Gillian. "Are you satisfied?" Ryan snapped, his gruff attitude making a return appearance. "Now get lost!" Gillian turned and sadly walked away. Outside, Gillian leaned against the door and closed her eyes and she gently felt her cheek. Inside, Ryan found himself unable to do his work: He kept thinking about Gillian. In the studio, David's practice run for his latest medical segment was cut short when Gillian burst onto the scene seeking a favor. David licked his lips and told Gillian to "cool [her] libido" until after he was done working. Gillian explained that she no longer wanted to have a sexual relationship with David. "I know that you're in love with me," Gillian said as she tried to let David down easy. "I want you to pretend that I am a passing nancy." David grinned slightly and muttered "fancy" to correct Gillian. David played the part well. He told Gillian that while it would be hard for him to lie about his true feelings, he would do whatever she asked of him. Ryan arrived a few seconds later hoping to find Liza. David stepped towards Ryan and claimed that he was the one to blame for the affair he'd been having with Gillian. Ryan didn't buy it and walked away. Shunned again, Gillian sought comfort in the arms of the only person around---David.
Edmund once again tried to get Kit to answer questions about her attacker, but Kit said that she couldn't talk about it yet. "Jack is my brother," she said eerily. Edmund told Kit that she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to and hoped that she'd be able to discuss the assault in the not-so-distant future. Outside, Erica had strutted into the waiting room to have a talk with Jack. Erica wanted to help Jack through the ordeal of dealing with a woman who was not only claiming to be his sister, but also a rape victim. Jack looked sternly at Erica and told her that she did not know what she was talking about. Erica shook her head and remarked that she could not believe that Jack was falling for Kit's lies. Jack then let Erica know that he'd taken a DNA test and learned that Kit was his really Christine. By this time, Edmund had exited Kit's room and had begun listening to the conversation. Erica smiled slightly and implied that anyone could be Jack's sister if they bribed the right lab technician. Edmund informed Erica that Jake had overseen the test results. Even if the test results had been forged, it would have been nearly impossible for Kit to have found someone whose DNA matched Jack's so closely. Erica conceded that Kit might be Christine and did a pretty good job of eating crow. Still, she noted, Kit was "a common tramp" and a con artist to boot. Erica offered her take on what had happened to Kit. Apparently, Erica suggested, Kit had gotten drunk, found some guy who was willing to give her "a quickie," and then cried rape afterwards when she realized what she'd done. Both Jack and Edmund looked ready to strangle Erica. Edmund asked Jack to help him escort Erica out of the hospital. Fearing that the men might literally toss her out of the hospital, Erica scurried on her way. Just to make sure that she left, Jack and Edmund followed her. No one realized that Kit had overheard much of the conversation they'd just had. She began having flashbacks of her dance with Ryan. Kit crawled out of bed and took her clothing out of the dresser. She quickly got dressed and by the time Erica showed up a little while later, she was nowhere to be found. As Erica left the room, Jack returned and caught her in the act.
When Adam showed up at the Pine Cone Motel, Raquel had absolutely no idea who he was. It must have been her upbringing, because even after Adam introduced himself as Hayley's father, Raquel still invited him into her room. Raquel first wondered if Hayley had asked Adam to drop by. Adam grinned and commented that he hadn't waited for someone to ask him to talk to her. Raquel gave Adam a brief summary of why she was back in town. Adam wanted his daughter to be happy and he knew that in order to keep Hayley happy Raquel had to be removed from the picture. Adam told Raquel that he wanted to offer her "a consolation prize" for signing off on her marriage to Mateo. Raquel was offended by the offer and said that she was Mateo's wife and could not be paid off. Adam apologized for offending the young woman. He called his offer to help Raquel an "alternate scenario" that could make Raquel equally happy. He was sure that Mateo would never leave Hayley to be with Raquel. He was likewise certain that Raquel would not set up shop in Pine Valley, the town where her soon-to-be ex-husband and wife lived. "Look towards the horizon and name your prize," Adam said, trying his best to sell Raquel on the idea of accepting his "consolation prize." Adam was an incredible salesman and anyone would have jumped at his offer to name a price. Not Raquel. Adam admired her determination, but he warned her that she shouldn't waste [her] life chasing after something [she] can't have." He paused dramatically and told Raquel that "some dreams never come true." With that, Adam left Raquel alone to ponder his offer.
Things at Wildwind grew very emotional. Hayley rose from the sofa and walked across the room. Mateo said that he'd never even conceived the idea that he and Raquel could have a child together. He then said that he understood why Raquel had been so insistent about staying married to him---she did not want Max to be illegitimate. Hayley's arms began shaking and the tears once again welled in her eyes. Using some of the strongest language she's ever uttered, Hayley referred to Raquel as a "deceitful bitch" who was trying to use her misfortune to steal Mateo. Hayley was convinced that Raquel had somehow managed to get her hands on her medical transcripts. That, she said, made Raquel aware of her inability to have a child. Following the logic, Hayley accused Raquel of pretending that Max was Mateo's son. Mateo shook his head and said that he knew Raquel was not lying. He told her that he could look into Max's eyes and see his childhood and his future. Hayley was stunned. She hadn't realized that Mateo had actually met Max. Once Mateo said that Max wasn't really Max's real name, it took Hayley only a split-second to figure out that Max was named after Mateo. Not only had Hayley been denied that opportunity to give Mateo a son, but she'd also had the right to name her child after Mateo stolen from her. Mateo tried to convince Hayley that he loved her even if they were unable to have a child together. Mateo admitted that he wanted to be a father to his son, but expressed a strong desire for Hayley to be a part of his son's life as well. Hayley's face turned bright red as she asked Mateo how she fit into the scheme of things. Somewhere she doubted that she, Mateo, and Raquel could all sit around the table and discuss the future. "When you figure it out," Hayley said angrily, "Email me." Hayley turned and stormed out of the room. She passed right by Adam and told him that she didn't want to talk to him. Mateo tried to give chase, but Adam blocked his way and demanded that he be given some answers. "What the hell are you doing to my little girl?" Adam growled.
Back at the Pine Cone Motel, a fuming Hayley showed up at Raquel's door. Hayley flashed a cold frown and was greeted by a slight smirk from Raquel.
"How many Mrs. Mateo Santoses are there?" Adam squawked. Mateo claimed he didn't have time to answer questions because he needed to go after Hayley. Adam, however, insisted that Mateo "make time" to talk to him. As Mateo tried to barge past him, Adam grabbed hold of Mateo's arm and forcibly escorted him back into the bedroom. Adam told Mateo that he knew all about the women he had "shacked up" at the Pine Cone. Mateo turned towards Adam angrily and told him that his problem was with Hayley and therefore none of his business. Adam argued that since Hayley was his daughter, this was his business. Mateo's anger subsided slightly and he casually noted that Raquel was "still legally [his] wife." Adam demanded an explanation, but citing the "complicated" nature of the situation, Mateo refused. Adam growled that he had been right when he initially opposed to allowing Hayley to marry Mateo. Mateo's blood started to boil yet again. He blasted Adam as the wrong person to give relationship advice. He rattled off a seemingly never-ending list of women who had had their lives torn apart after getting involved with Adam. It might have been an instinctual defense mechanism, but Adam immediately snapped back that at least he had never committed bigamy. Mateo held up his hands and asked Adam to arrest him. When Adam did nothing, Mateo turned and walked out of the room.
Since they had both asked Erica to leave the hospital---and even escorted her to the elevator---Edmund and Jack were stunned to see Erica poking her head out of Kit's room. The two men stormed the room and demanded to know what Erica was doing there. When they looked around and noticed that Kit was nowhere to be found, they instantly assumed that Erica had said something to make Kit run away. Erica professed her innocence, saying that Kit was already gone when she entered the room. Unfortunately, no one believed her. Edmund headed off to scour the hospital for signs of the missing woman. Meanwhile, Jack tore into Erica for her continued interference in his life. Jack reached for her cellphone and phoned Derek to alert him to Kit's disappearance. Erica couldn't understand why Jack and Edmund were dancing "to some really weird, off-key tune" Kit was playing. Erica went on a fervent tirade about how "women like Kit" do a disservice to the many women who have been victimized by rape. Again, the assertion was there that Kit was only pretending to have been raped. "I remember when you had a life," Jack said biting his lip. Erica was furious with Jack's indifference and turned and walked away. As she was leaving, Brooke appeared in the doorway. That was just one more irritant for Erica. Brooke was surprised that Kit had run away, but at the same time she said it was a common occurrence. Brooke explained that many rape victims feel that they were responsible for their assault---perhaps they'd worn the wrong outfit, said or did the wrong thing, or been in the wrong place. Jack nodded his head and said that many attorneys try to put the blame on the victim. Jack blamed himself for Kit's attack, saying that she never would have been assaulted if he'd taken the DNA test when she first made her claim to be Christine. Brooke assured Jack that he was not to blame---the only one to blame, she said, was the rapist. Derek arrived at the hospital and told Jack that he had just finished investigating the bartender's tale of Kit's actions the night of the assault. He said that everyone he'd questioned bolstered the bartender's story and hinted that no one seemed to be sympathetic to Kit's plight. There was, he interjected, enough evidence to prove that Kit tried to pick up a stranger---but quickly added that there was no proof that the unknown man was the attacker. After Derek left, Jack again blamed himself for pushing Kit over the edge. His face dropped when he recalled that he had had Kit thrown in jail the first time he "met" her. Brooke gave Jack a warm embrace to help ease his feelings of guilt. The door opened slightly as Erica prepared to enter the room. Her eyes bulged when she saw Brooke and Jack hugging.
With nowhere else to go, Adam dropped by Liza's condominium for a late night chat. He was relieved that Liza hadn't gone to bed and overjoyed when she invited him into her home. Adam told Liza the little he knew about Hayley and Mateo's predicament. Adam was furious with "that little twerp" (Mateo) for telling him not to worry about Hayley. Adam explained that his instincts tell him to fight for his loved ones, not walk away from them in times of need. Adam sneered as he informed Liza that he wanted to strangle Mateo when he found out about the other Mrs. Santos. Then, after he'd calmed down slightly, Adam said that he had contemplated locking Hayley in her old room at Chandler Mansion. Liza grinned and told Adam that dropping by her house unexpectedly was much better than committing a murder or abducting his daughter. Liza told Adam that she understood his concern for his children. She told Adam that after hearing a news story about Internet stalkers, she'd decided that her child would not be allowed to go online. She chuckled slightly as she realized that she was jumping the gun a little bit. "You're a good father," said Liza reassuringly. Adam smiled warmly and told Liza that he knew she would be a good mother, too. The warm exchange between the two was awkward yet heartwarming all at the same time. Adam told Liza that children were wonderful because they "make everything brand new." By that, he meant that children do not "see past failures" or mistakes. Adam bowed his head for a few seconds before returning to the conversation. He told Liza that he understands and supports her decision to raise Baby Colby by herself. He told her that he would be there for her should her child ever need a "strong male influence." That could come in the form of an escort to a football game or as someone to scare the daylights out of a first date. Liza smiled and told Adam that she'd keep him in mind. She jokingly asked Adam if he'd been watching Oprah because he'd become a kinder and gentler Adam. "Don't worry," mused Adam. "I'm harmless." Adam told Liza that he'd better get going and headed for the door. Liza asked him to stay a little whole longer, but Adam did not want to wear out his welcome. In the hallway, Adam sighed slightly. In her condo, Liza reacted similarly. Both were acting very much like a couple in love.
"We need to talk," Hayley said curtly. Raquel stepped aside and asked Hayley into her room. Raquel looked relieved when Hayley informed her that Mateo had told her about Max. In fact, she told Hayley that she had hoped that Mateo would tell her. "I can only imagine how you feel," Raquel said softly, trying equate herself with what Hayley must have been feeling. Hayley told Raquel that she would let her know exactly how she felt---"You are the sorriest excuse for a human I've ever met." Raquel blinked several times and remarked that it might have been a mistake for her to invited Hayley inside. Hayley remained certain that Raquel had concocted her baby story after learning that she (Hayley) was unable to have a child. Raquel, of course, had absolutely no idea what Hayley was talking about. Hayley raved that she knew all along that Raquel had lied about being faithful to Mateo. She implied that Raquel had found another lover and had child with that other lover. Now, according to Hayley, Raquel was trying to "pass [her] bastard son off as [Mateo's] son." Raquel's hand flew through the air, headed for Hayley's cheek. Hayley caught Raquel's arm in mid-air and saved herself from a vicious slap. "You're transparent," Hayley snarled, adding that Raquel is a "lying, deceitful slut." Raquel's eyes, which had been focused on Hayley, suddenly focused at a point directly behind Hayley. Hayley turned around and saw Mateo standing in the doorway. Mateo grabbed his wife by the hips and tried to escort her outside. Hayley held her ground and announced that she wasn't going anywhere. The ruckus stirred Max from his room and he unwittingly walked in on a conversation of which he was the focus. "Baseball man!" Max chirped upon seeing Mateo. Hayley's mouth dropped at the sight of the young boy. Max waddled over to Hayley and introduced himself. Hayley crouched down on the ground and softly told Max that her name was Hayley. She stared at the boy for an eternity, prompting Max to ask her if she was okay. Hayley smiled slightly and said that nothing was wrong because she was looking at "the most fabulous, handsomest baseball player" around. Angela took Max back into his room. Hayley bolted out of the room, but Mateo managed to catch her before she could give him the slip. Hayley knew that Max was Mateo's son just by looking at the boy's big, brown eyes. Hayley said that she had been a trooper when she learned that Mateo had been married before. and when Mateo gave Raquel the chance to fight the annulment. This situation, however, was different and Hayley said that she could not just "swallow it." Hayley told Matt that she had to get away to think about everything that's happened. She made him swear that he would not try to find her. Mateo reluctantly agreed.
At The Pit, the bartender told Ryan about the police investigation into the attack on Kit. Ryan looked honestly surprised to learn about the rape. Perversely, the bartender seemed amused by the ordeal. The bartender was surprised that Ryan had not been questioned and urged him to contact the police and tell him what he knew about Kit. Ryan put his hands in the air and said that he did not want to get involved in the investigation.
Outside, Kit returned to the parking lot and crouched on the ground near the spot where she'd been assaulted. Slowly but surely, Kit began to recall the events leading up to the rape. A shadow loomed over her and Kit went into a frenzy. The shadow turned out to be a friend---Edmund---but it took Kit several minutes to realize that she was in no danger. Edmund told Kit that she should have stayed in the hospital. Kit explained that she could not stay in the hospital because she'd overheard what Erica had said about her. Edmund asked Kit to forget what Erica had said an focus on helping herself. He asked her if she was ready to talk about the attack. Kit shook her head and said that she wasn't ready to talk yet. Edmund begged Kit to talk to him, but Kit said nothing. Suddenly, she began trembling again and her eyes drifted off. A few yards away, Ryan had just come outside of the bar.
The sight of Ryan not only caused Kit to panic, but it also sent a wave of flashbacks through her mind. Ryan noticed Edmund standing but a few yards away and walked over to greet him. Edmund extended his hand and asked Ryan how he was doing. The conversation was cut short when Ryan received an urgent phone call from Mateo. Mateo told Ryan that Hayley was "missing" and asked him if he could help him search for her. Through the conversation, Edmund was able to pick up only pieces of what was going on. When Ryan ended the conversation, Edmund asked Ryan what had happened to Hayley. Ryan told Edmund that he didn't have time to explain. Ryan dashed off and Edmund turned around to once again pick up his conversation with Kit. Kit, however, wasn't in sight. Edmund slowly walked around the parking lot and eventually found Kit crouched on the ground behind a Jeep. Edmund tried to get Kit to open up to him and tell him why she'd suddenly gotten so afraid, but Kit said nothing. It appeared that Edmund's friendship with Ryan was preventing Kit from offering a full disclosure about the night of her attack. Kit's face remained somber and she told Edmund that she had to get out of there immediately. She finally conceded that returning to the parking lot was not such a good idea. Edmund nodded and said that he would take her back to the hospital.
Stuart left a message on Hayley and Mateo's answering machine asking them to call him as soon as they could. He wanted to invite the couple over for dinner and tell them about his engagement to Marian. Marian showed up a few minutes later and Stuart immediately escorted her to the far side of the gallery. There, he sat her down on a bench and began fiddling with the light fixtures. Marian looked on curiously and asked Stuart what he was doing. Stuart smiled and told his fiancée that he wanted to paint her portrait. Marian was awed; no on had ever offered to do that for her before. Stuart finished his initial sketch work and that opened the door for a little naughty fun. Marian grinned devilishly and told Stuart that he should do a portrait of "all" of her. With that, she unbuttoned her blouse and let the garment fall to the ground. Stuart could no longer concentrate on his work and submitted to Marian's allure. The pair shared a kiss before Stuart hoisted Marian into the air and carried her off to his bedroom.
Mateo headed straight to the Dillon house to ask Trevor and Janet for advice. Mateo wasted no time in admitting that he'd completely disregarded Trevor's advice to end all contact with Raquel. He asked the couple if they'd seen or heard from Hayley. Mateo explained that Hayley was mad at him, but danced around the issue of what he'd done do draw her ire. The first problem, Mateo said, was that Hayley was on edge after learning that she might never be able to have a child. The second, which he tried to minimize, was that he might already have a child in his life. Janet and Trevor exchanged glances as Mateo explained to him that he and Raquel had a son together. Trevor rolled his eyes and told Mateo that he was doing a bang up job of ruining his case against Raquel. Trevor paused momentarily and realized that Mateo's son would be "a bastard" if his marriage to Raquel was annulled. Mateo nodded and informed his lawyer that he'd like to find another way to get Raquel out of his life---preferably divorce. That way he could still be with Hayley and his son would not be illegitimate. Trevor assured Mateo that he'd get to work on the case in the morning. He then urged Matt to head home and get some rest. Mateo reluctantly agreed, but begged the Dillons to phone him if they heard from Hayley. Trevor was convinced that Hayley would come around and forgive Mateo. Janet, however, wasn't so sure. She remembered that not so long ago she and Trevor were at each other's throats. They had grew closer as the result of one thing---their child.
"Well isn't this cozy," Erica snapped as she waltzed into the examining room. Brooke and Jack quickly broke their embrace. Erica claimed that she did not want to interrupt a tender moment. Jack sighed and asked Erica why she'd returned. Erica told Jack that she'd been in touch with a contact and learned that Kit had "flunked her rape kit." According to Erica, the kit showed that Kit had no bruises, scrapes, or other signs of being sexually assaulted. She used that evidence---or lack thereof---to bolster he claim that Kit was only pretending to have been raped. "She was a willing participant in a parking lot romp," chirped Erica. Brooke looked towards Jack and told him that she could use a cup of coffee. Jack knew that Brooke was asking him to leave, but before leaving he warned Erica that she'd better be gone by the time he returns. Brooke lectured Erica on her unwillingness to believe Kit's story. She expected that Erica, a rape survivor herself, would exhibit more compassion towards another victim. Erica no longer disputed the DNA evidence linking Jack and Kit. Now, she'd moved on to other points. She said that Kit's past proved that she was a liar and a criminal. Brooke stated that she, Jack, and Edmund all believe that Kit was assaulted. "She's a good liar," countered Erica. Erica momentarily forgot about Kit and turned her sights on Brooke. She accused Brooke of believing Kit's story as an attempt to endear herself to Jack. That led to a full assault on Brooke for "continually [having] to go after" the men in Erica's life. Brooke denied that she wanted to put the moves on Jack, although she accurately noted that from what she'd heard Jack was no longer a part of Erica's life. Erica warned Brooke not to believe everything she hears---and issued an even stronger warning for Brooke to keep her hands off of Jack. Brooke and Erica filed out of the examining room and bumped into Edmund and Kit. Erica took barely a minute to approach Kit and blast Kit for "crying rape." Erica then urged Jack and Edmund to ask Tad about what Kit had done to him in California. Apparently during their post-Cutting Edge chat, Tad told Erica exactly why he dislikes Kit. Erica stomped away leaving Jack and Edmund to ponder what she'd just said. Jack urged Kit not to pay any mind to Erica, but Kit announced that Erica was right. She had remembered that she'd been drinking heavily before she'd been raped and wondered if she'd brought on the assault herself. Jack and Edmund quickly assured Kit that she did not "ask" to be raped. Jack tucked "Chrissy" into bed the way he'd done so many years earlier and then adjourned for the night. Edmund, however, said that he was not going anywhere. He sat by Kit's bedside and said that he would remain there all night. Kit took his hand and cuddled up to it, much like a child would do to a teddy bear.
Hayley headed to the beach, the place where she and Mateo had first met. She kneeled on the sandy beach and reflected on the events of the past few days---her test results, learning that Mateo had a son, and the fact that Mateo and Raquel were still married. She took off her shoes and coat and headed into the icy water. Acting on a tip Mateo had given him, Ryan showed up at the beach looking for Hayley. He saw no sign of her and was about to leave---until he noticed Hayley's coat lying in the sand. He cast his eyes out into the water. His face drew cold as he suddenly raced out into the water. Several minutes later, Ryan returned to the beach carrying Hayley. He had mistakenly assumed that Hayley was trying to commit suicide when, according to Hayley, she'd actually been going for a midnight swim. Ryan rustled up a few pieces of wood and started a fire. He and Hayley huddled around the flames to keep warm. Hayley was rather quiet and it seemed odd when she blurted out that Mateo and Raquel had a son together. Ryan was stunned and didn't know how to react. He wondered if Mateo really hadn't known about his son or if it was another of the secrets he'd been trying to hide. Hayley told Ryan that it appeared that Mateo really hadn't known about his son. "I feel like I'm cursed," Hayley sobbed. Ryan looked on, desperately wanting to console Hayley. But he knew it wasn't appropriate and sat by and watched as Hayley burst into tears.
One of The Cutting Edge's planned show topics drew objection from Tad and Adam. The topic, babies switched at birth, was the brainchild of Liza and the station's new medical correspondent, David Hayward. Adam said that if he still owned WRCW, he would never have hired a "disreputable physician" to dispense medical advice. Liza stepped in and noted that Adam didn't own the station any more and that she liked having David work for her. Adam pulled Liza aside and explained that the topic of babyswitching was not the type of thing she should be thinking about in her condition. Adam feared that Liza would get upset and her baby might suffer. Adam did stop by for a reason: He wanted to know if Liza would give Junior a tour of the station. Liza nodded and Adam headed off to give Junior the good news. Tad caught up to Adam and asked him if he would allow Junior to sleep over at his house with Jamie. Adam nodded and said that he was in charge of taking care of Junior while Dixie was "in Paris visiting her sister, Lanie." Tad was surprised that Dixie had gone off to Europe. Tad returned to the office, slightly miffed, and told David that he did not approve of the way he'd endeared himself to Liza. Tad still harbored feelings of resentment for the way that David had tried to pin an attempted murder charge on his brother, Jake. David noted that Liza was a "consenting adult" who was able to take care of herself. Tad left the office, allowing David and Liza a few minutes to discuss business. David wasn't good company as he drifted off into thought. He recalled a conversation he had with Allie in which his former lover made cryptic comments about Adam, Liza, and Liza's baby. David's face suddenly lit up and he headed out of the office. Later, Adam returned to Liza's office and daydreamed about a future with Liza. In the dream, he and Liza had once again gotten close. Liza welcomed Adam back into her life and told him that she wanted him to be a father to her child. Liza noticed that Adam had a "goofy grin" on his face and asked him what he was thinking about. Adam replied, "the future," and then asked Liza to join him for a bite to eat. Liza smiled and said that while she wasn't hungry, Baby Colby had a hankering for chocolate pudding.
Edmund spent the night by Kit's bedside, but when daylight came Kit had other visitors as well. Travis flew all the way from Seattle to be reunited with his sister. Edmund knew that the Montgomery family should have some time alone and left the room. Outside, he ran into Dimitri and informed his brother that he was going to return to The Pit and look for more clues. Travis looked at Kit and commented that she looked very much like their mother. Jack nodded and said that Kit's eyes mirrored their mother's perfectly. Travis told Kit that she had two nieces and a nephew. Kit was unable to comprehend how both Jack and Travis had been in love with Erica. Travis chuckled and told Kit that they would have plenty of time to get caught up once she got settle in his house in Seattle. Jack gave his brother a quick glance and stated that Kit was going to be staying in Pine Valley. The two brothers bickered back and forth, but the bickering was more of a friendly jesting. Kit said that she wasn't sure where she'd end up, but she knew that she never wanted to be alone again. Kit had hoped that everyone would forget about trying to find her rapist, but Jack and Travis both remained vigilant and refused to stop the hunt. Travis and Jack told Kit that they were going to step out for a few minutes to get lunch and urged their "kid sister" to get some sleep. Outside, Travis apologized for having blamed Jack for Christine's death. The accusation led to a long-standing feud between the two brothers. The two brothers embraced and finally put an end to an ugly chapter of their lives.
At The Pit, Dimitri and Edmund were surprised when they found that someone else had already begun an investigation into Kit's claims. At the bar, Erica made small talk with the bartender, occasionally asking questions about Kit's behavior on Halloween night and the man with who she'd been seeing dancing. The bartender summed up the man in three words, "tall, toned, and tanned." Edmund stepped up behind Erica and sassily remarked, "fancy meeting you here." Slightly stunned, Erica turned around and informed Edmund that she was doing some "sleuthing." The reason she felt the need to investigation, she said, was because she knew the difference between "consensual sex and rape." Edmund snapped that Erica hated Kit because Jack had welcomed him presumed-dead sister back into his life. And anyone that Jack cared about was a mark for Erica. Erica looked at Dimitri and ordered him to "control [his] brother" before she strangled him. Dimitri knew that Edmund hadn't slept all night and suggested that he go home and rest up. Once Edmund was gone, Dimitri warned Erica that involved herself in Kit's rape would only bring up painful memories. Erica cocked her head to one side and asked Dimitri to "spare the lecture and get right to the stoning." Erica argued that she could not let Kit "trivialize" rape. Dimitri wondered how Erica could be so certain that Kit was not telling the truth. Suddenly, Erica's mind flashed back several years. She remembered that she had stabbed Dimitri after her daughter, Kendall, claimed that he had raped her. Kendall, conceived when Erica was raped by a friend of her fathers and then put up for adoption immediately after birth, had taken a liking to Dimitri and concocted the rape tale after Dimitri turned her down. Erica confronted Dimitri and hallucinated that Dimitri was, in fact, Richard Fields, the man who'd raped her. She picked up a letter opener and plunged it into Dimitri's chest. Erica bowed her head and asked Dimitri if he still had a scar. "We both do," Dimitri said softly. Erica defended her belief that Kit was lying. Dimitri looked deep into Erica's eyes and told her that she needed to "walk away" from Kit and Jack. Erica closed her eyes and nodded slightly. She and Dimitri then left together.
David went to the fertility clinic that had helped Liza get pregnant claiming to be interested in artificial insemination. The nurse thought that David wanted to be a donor and sadly informed him that they had to end their donor program because the clinic's future was up in the air. The owner, she said, was looking to sell and possibly close the clinic. David then claimed that he and several other doctors had formed a consortium to discuss plans to be the clinic. The nurse, who had previously refused to reveal the owner's name because of confidentiality reasons, decided that the clinic could be saved if David and his partners could convince the "capricious millionaire" owner to sell. "The present owner is Adam Chandler," she blurted out. David nodded his head.
Because of his concern for his niece, Palmer had put his corporate business on the backburner. Braden, however, told Palmer that something urgent had happened in the Asian market and Palmer had to leave his bedside post. A nurse entered the now empty room and gave Dixie a quick once-over. Dixie asked the nurse about the equipment she'd been hooked up to and then asked if any of the machines could place phone calls. The nurse smiled and asked Dixie why she wanted to make a call. Dixie didn't give her reasons, but said that the call was "really, really important." The nurse seemed intrigued and looked ready to broach hospital protocol, but she was abruptly called away before she could make a decision. Dixie decided that the only way she was going to make a call was if she made it herself. She foolishly decided to unhook herself from the machines and then struggled to get out of bed. She made it about as far as the doorway before she collapsed to the ground. Luckily, she didn't lay there long. Braden picked her up and placed her back into bed. The nurse later admonished Dixie and asked Braden to talk some sense into his friend. Dixie told Braden that she was trying to get to the phone so that she could Tad. Braden threw his hands into the air and remarked that he didn't understand what was so special about "this Martin guy." Dixie flashed signs of her new wittiness, saying that Tad was "not a blue chip stock." She told Braden about the plan she and Tad had to meet atop the Statler Building. Braden asked Dixie how she could be so sure that Tad had been waiting for her. Braden saw something in Dixie's eyes that melted his icy heart. When Dixie renewed her threat to make the phone call herself, Braden remarked that it was too hot for Dixie to be struggling around the hospital. He then told her that he was so hot that he needed to remove his coat. He gently placed the coat on the bed, making special note to tell Dixie to be careful of the cell phone he kept in his pocket. Dixie smiled warmly and thanked Braden for coming through for her. Braden stepped out to get a soda and Dixie immediately placed a call to Tad using Braden's phone. At WRCW, Tad picked up his phone. On the other end, Dixie nearly began to cry as she called out to Tad.
Still on the beach, Hayley discovered an abandoned seagull egg laying helplessly in the sand. As she looked on at the egg, Hayley couldn't help but wonder how the egg had strayed from its nest. Ryan suggested that Hayley take the egg home and attempt to hatch it herself, but Hayley shook her head. "It wouldn't work," she said as tears welled in her eyes. "I can't raise what's not mine." The reply went beyond the scope of the tiny egg. Hayley mentioned that she Mateo were supposed to have had a happy marriage. Since Ryan didn't know much about her past, Hayley reflected on her debut in Pine Valley. In Hayley's words, she was "a freaky freak" with jet-black hair and a bad attitude. Hayley admitted that she'd never had a normal family life. When she came in contact with the Santoses, Hayley said that she wanted to one day have a family like Mateo's family. Ryan conceded that he hadn't had a wonderful child either. The only difference was that he, unlike Hayley, grew up with both of his parents living under the same roof. That blew apart her theory that everyone with a two-parent household lived the perfect life. Hayley hoped that she could open her "heart a little wider" to embrace Mateo's child. She again sobbed as she asked if it was too selfish for her to want a child of her own, a child with Mateo. She waved her arms up and down and stomped her feet to emphasize her frustration. Unknowingly, she let her foot come down on the egg. Hayley felt the egg crumbled under her feet. Her face froze in horror. She fell into the soft sand and reached out the egg. Even her father's infinite wealth couldn't help Hayley put the egg back together. The yolk ran through her fingers and gently fell down on the beach. The egg, a simple singular egg, served as an emotional marker for Hayley. She asked herself how she could possibly welcome Max into her life if she couldn't even take care of a bird's egg. Hayley scrambled off, leaving Ryan to shrug his shoulders and follow in pursuit.
Hoping to help Mateo and Hayley through their latest crisis. Trevor did her best to assure Mateo that he and Hayley were a permanent fixture and that nothing would tear them apart. Mateo wasn't so sure. He noted that the timing for learning that Max was his son couldn't have come at a worse time. Not that any time would have been easy. Trevor wondered why Mateo was beating himself up over something he had not known about. He suggested that Mateo move forward with his divorce plans. Then, Hayley would see that she's the only woman in his life and he could make a move to formalize a relationship with Max. Mateo vowed that his son would not go through life not knowing a father figure. Trevor reminded Mateo that he was not Tim's biological father, but quickly noted that he couldn't love Tim more even if he was his natural son. Trevor hinted that allowing Raquel to move on with her life might eventually lead to Raquel falling in love with another man. That man, he said, could become Max's father. Mateo didn't want another man in Max's life---he wanted to be the father figure. To Trevor, it seemed like Mateo had already made up his mind. Mateo rose to his feet and complained that he did not have the answers to his problems. He walked out of the room. Under his breath, Trevor said that sometimes there are no right answers to one's problems.
The nurse was very forthcoming with details about Adam's stint as owner of the clinic. She gave David the exact date that Adam took over. David managed to convince the nurse to leave the office to retrieve some paperwork. That allowed him just enough time to poke through Liza's medical records. He learned that Liza's baby had been conceived the day after Adam had taken over ownership of the clinic.
As Braden exited Dixie's room, Palmer had finished his business call. Palmer was about to return to Dixie's room, but Braden thought quickly and came up with another business-related distraction to keep Palmer at bay. In Pine Valley, Tad was stunned to hear Dixie's voice on the other end of the line. He spoke as if he were in a daze, telling Dixie that she sounded like she was right next door. Dixie was somewhat perplexed and then downright confused when Tad told her that Adam had said she was visiting Lanie in Paris. Dixie didn't bother to waste time or energy figuring out how Adam had come up with that tale. Instead, she told Tad that she needed to tell him something about the night they were to have met atop the Statler Building. Tad asked Dixie to stop in mid-sentence. He reminded her that as part of their agreement, they had promised not to discuss their arrangement if one of them had decided not the be on the rooftop. "I wasn't there," Tad said curtly. In her hospital bed, Dixie's heart shattered into a million pieces. "You weren't?" she asked barely able to hold back the tears. Tad was also crushed. He wanted so badly to help assuage Dixie's feelings of guilt for not having shown up. He had no way of knowing that Dixie wanted to meet Tad that night. "Nobody got hurt," Tad stated, referring to the fact that since both of them were no-shows there was no reason for either of them to feel badly. "I hope you have a really happy life," Dixie said, her voice cracking. Tad thanked Dixie for the wonderful time they shared in New York and hung up the phone. Tad slammed his hand down on the desk and threw his cellular phone across the room. Braden returned to Dixie's room and found the woman bawling her eyes out. "He wasn't there!" she sobbed uncontrollably. "He didn't miss me!" Braden instantly knew that Dixie's phone call had failed to yield the results she'd anticipated. "If I didn't get sick," she sniffled, "I'd have been all alone [on the rooftop]." Palmer entered the room and immediately jumped into the conversation. He asked Dixie why she had gotten herself worked up. Dixie made no attempt to hide the fact that she had spoken to Tad. She said that she'd stolen a phone, called Tad, and learned that their relationship was over---forever. Palmer was pleased and congratulated Dixie on finally seeing the light. Braden looked towards Palmer and order Palmer to leave Dixie alone. Palmer was aghast by Braden's display of insubordination. The wannabe millionaire might have lost his job again had Dixie not come to his aid. Palmer agreed that he might have gone overboard in celebrating what he saw as good news. He became philosophical as he told Dixie that sometimes "things happen for a reason." Palmer left to head back to his hotel. Once he did, Dixie again broke into tears. Braden asked Dixie how he could help, but Dixie sadly told him that there was nothing he could do to help her. Palmer returned to his hotel room and put down his keys. When he looked across the room, he found two pairs of eyes staring back at him. Adrian, a slight smile on his face, and Opal looked very intense. "Gotcha!" Opal exclaimed.
At WRCW, Tad buried his head in his arms. He looked up only when he heard someone standing in the doorway. As if by some form of radar, Joe had shown up at exactly the moment when his son needed him most. It turned out to be a coincidence as Joe had actually dropped by to ask Tad to Thanksgiving dinner. Tad told his father about his phone conversation with Dixie. Tad still believed that Dixie wanted nothing to do with him. He begged Joe for a way to help lessen the pain he was feeling. Joe, however skilled a physician he might be, told Tad that he'' have to "take the pain inside and live with it." He might even have to live with it for the rest of his life.
Jack and Travis were just about done with their meal when Dimitri and Erica entered The Valley Inn. Travis immediately left his seat and stormed towards the entranceway. Both Erica and Dimitri were surprised to see Travis back in Pine Valley. Travis shook his head as he looked at Erica. He remarked that he'd thought they'd all turned their lives around when they took part in Bianca's intervention session. Erica, he said, "talks the talk," but doesn't actually carry through with the changes. Erica crinkled her forehead and asked her former husband to explain what he was talking about. Travis motioned towards Dimitri and implied that Erica was flaunting her relationship with Dimitri in front of Jack. It appeared that Travis was under the impression that Erica had dumped Jack to get back together with Dimitri. Erica insisted that she and Dimitri were just friends, but Travis didn't believe her. Travis returned to his table, but not before snapping that there are things about love that Erica will never be able to understand. Travis told Jack that he had to return to Seattle for business, but hinted that he might return to town from time to time to see Christine. Dimitri and Erica walked to their table just as Liza and Adam entered. The pair was laughing giddily about Baby Colby. Liza no longer craved pudding---she'd moved on the a need for a "rare, bloody steak." She chalked up the craving to Jake's "Ironman genes." As the pair chatted, David burst into the restaurant claiming to have important business. Adam looked crossly at the doctor and urged him to talk to Liza some other time. David brushed off Adam and said that he had come across some interesting news about specimen switching at fertility clinics. Liza nodded her head and said that the idea fascinated her. She chuckled slightly as she recalled that she'd nearly be the recipient of a donation left by Ryan Lavery. Both David and Adam shuddered at the thought. Adam excused himself and darted to the lobby where he called his attorney and ordered him to sell the fertility clinic immediately. In a conversation that sounded eerily like the one he'd had about TransGlobal Airlines, Adam said that in addition to wanting the clinic sold, he wanted all records of his ownership destroyed. At their table, Erica and Dimitri briefly discussed Kit, Jack, and Travis. Erica continued on her tirade over Kit's supposedly bogus claim. Dimitri stepped in and suggested that they take a ride through the countryside.
Mateo paced nervously around Wildwind waiting for Hayley to return. After what must have seemed like an eternity, Hayley did return. Mateo looked at Hayley and told her that he'd made up his mind about what he should do. Quietly, Hayley said, "So have I."
