"I'll be honest," Dixie said no longer evasively. She told Tad that she was ready to tell him why all of his dates were mysteriously disappearing. She claimed that she was worried that Tad was dating "inappropriate" women and that she felt somewhat responsible for leaving Tad in a lurch. So, rather than feeling guilty about the post-Dixie women, Dixie decided to step in as needed to look out for Tad's best interests. Tad squinted and looked closely at Dixie's face. "That was good," he grinned. Tad knew that Dixie was lying, saying that her "home spun homily" blew her cover. Dixie turned and raced towards the door. She began pounding and calling out for help. Tad was surprised and somewhat intrigued by Dixie's reaction. He walked up behind her and grabbed her. He then lifted her off the ground and turned Dixie towards him. Face to face, both Tad and Dixie seemingly melted together. Dixie looked longingly into Tad's eyes and told him that she'd never noticed the gold and silver flecks in his eyes. While Tad knew what Dixie was up to, it still bought Dixie enough time to escape Tad's grasp. She headed towards the other door and resumed her frantic banging. Tad was confident that no one would hear her cries and let her wear herself out. Perhaps he was a bit too confident. A voice called out from the other side---it was Braden. Tad rolled his eyes and let his shoulders drop in frustration.
Raquel continued apologizing profusely for her drink mix-up with Hayley. She'd hoped that she would be able to convince Mateo that she was disappointed in herself and thereby earn some of his comfort. Mateo was sympathetic at first, but Raquel went overboard and eventually drew Mateo's ire. Raquel said that she'd never forgive herself if the liquor blunder was what led Hayley to help Ryan escape. "If it is true, I'll never forgive you either!" Mateo snapped. Raquel's eyes widened as her head dropped. She realized that she wasn't going to get the results she wanted. After a few moments of silence, Raquel asked Mateo why he loved Hayley so much. Matt gave her an awkward glance and asked her why she wanted to know. Raquel said that knowing why Matt and Hayley share such a close bond might help her understand "'teo" a little bit better. Mateo told Raquel that he and Hayley are like "soulmates," and that they are no complete without one another. Raquel, in turn, referred to Mateo as Hayley's "white knight," who had come along to save Hayley from an alcoholic mother and a tyrannical millionaire father. "We're very different people," said Raquel comparing herself to the other woman in Mateo's life. The sincerity in Raquel's voice hinted that an accord might finally be reached between the two women. The sentiment, however, was merely part of another of Raquel's plots. She told Mateo that she now knew why he'd never told Hayley about their marriage---he was afraid that Hayley would fall off the wagon. Mateo vehemently denied hiding the truth from Hayley for fear that she'd resort to drinking. With each additional comment, Raquel asserted more comments about Hayley's battle with liquor. She wondered aloud how hard it must have been for Hayley not to have taken a drink when she found out that Mateo was not only married but a father as well! Again, Mateo was pushed over the edge. He blasted Raquel's coldness, telling her that he loved Hayley. He told his current wife that he wanted nothing more than to be married to Hayley---and to have her out of his life for good. When his anger subsided, Mateo hinted that he'd like to remain friends with Raquel---but only for Max's sake. A phone call came through which deeply concerned Mateo. He hung up the phone and raced out of the house. Raquel waited until she was alone before placing a call to Lynette Neal, her attorney. She told her attorney that some disturbing news had been unearthed since the custody hearing. The news, of course, was of Hayley's alcoholism. But not only was Hayley's drinking a problem---now she was also a suspect in helping a criminal escape from the police.
Down at the hunting lodge, Kit raced inside and locked the door. She jumped when a knocked sounded on the door. Edmund's voice called out from the other side. Kit allowed her friend into the lodge and listened to his concern about her being all alone. Kit assured Edmund that she'd be fine, but that didn't stop him from asking her to move to the main house for added security. Surprisingly, Kit was not receptive to the idea. In fact, she stunned Edmund by announcing that she planned to move back to The Valley Inn. She explained that her decision to move was an attempt "protect" protect herself from Edmund. Edmund took Kit's hand and told her that he understood why she might fear being around men, especially after being raped. But he swore to Kit that she did not have to fear him. Kit told Edmund that she wasn't afraid of him, but she was afraid of what her feelings for him might do. She again repeated that she had developed feelings for Edmund outside of their friendship. Edmund claimed that it was only natural for Kit to have feelings for him considering that he'd always been there for her in times of crisis. Kit shook her head and said that her feelings went beyond mere friendship. She said that she understood that Edmund was not at a point where he wanted anything more than friendship and claimed to admire Edmund for that. "It's not about gratitude and friendship," Edmund responded. He went on to say that he'd been acting "blind and self serving" ever since he and Kit kissed a few days prior. He told Kit that he'd been denying that the kiss was more than "just a kiss." He also admitted that he'd actually enjoyed knowing that the kiss meant a great deal to Kit. For that, he apologized. He told Kit that he'd really asked her to move in to the main house because he enjoys seeing Kit on a daily basis. He called her a "beautiful, funny, complex" personality, who he wanted to get to know better. Edmund confessed that he was still unsure if he'd ever emerge from his shell and be ready for another relationship. Kit was willing to take that chance. She told Edmund that she'd reconsidered her decision to move back to The Valley Inn. She headed off to pack up her few belongings. "It's a lot easier when you don't have a lot of baggage," Edmund commented. Perhaps, just perhaps, he wasn't referring to the kind of baggage that holds one's clothing.
Hayley zipped along the highway and top speed. She was enjoying her stint as a wannabe racecar driver. The only thing that would have made the experience more enjoyable, she said to herself, was if Mateo was riding shotgun and Raquel was hanging on to the tail pipe by her lips. Several glances into the rearview mirror told Hayley that she was all alone on the dark road---the police were not following. She was about to throw a fit when the sirens finally sounded. Hayley kept on driving, ignoring the sirens and flashing lights behind her. She eventually pulled over and almost immediately held her driver's license out the window. A loud voice sounded over a bullhorn telling her to get out of her car. Hayley rolled her eyes, but submitted to the demands. Once outside, Derek was furious with Hayley for getting involved in Ryan's great escape. Derek popped the trunk and looked inside. There was no sign of Ryan or Gillian. A further search of the car also turned up nothing. Trevor scurried over to his niece's side and told her that she had a lot of explaining to do. Derek allowed Hayley and Trevor to have a few minutes alone, but he warned Hayley that she would not get special treatment just because she was Trevor's niece. Trevor tried to convince Hayley that it would be best if she told the police everything she knew. Hayley turned her nose up on the law, saying that she did not regret what she'd done. She let it be know that she was "not exactly sure exactly where Ryan is at this exact moment." It sounded a little fishy to Trevor, but there was nothing that he could do to convince his niece to come clean. Derek returned and listened to Hayley's claim that she did not know where Ryan had gone. Hayley went as far as to state that she'd take a polygraph test. "You wanna know what my lie detector says?" Derek asked. He said nothing more. The next thing Hayley knew, she was locked up in a jail cell down at the police station.
Adrian entered the room and demanded to know what was going on. "Ask your mother," Palmer grinned. He told Adrian that Opal had fended off allegations that she and he were lovers by instead claiming that they were mother and son. Opal was unusually quiet and Palmer called her on her silence. Opal explained that she hadn't said that Adrian was her son---she said that he was like her son. Palmer shook his head and told Opal that she was changing her story. Opal looked at Adrian and told him that she did care for him, but that it was the type of "motherly instincts" that any woman would feel. Adrian accepted the explanation, but Palmer remained insistent that Opal had said that Adrian was her son. Adrian turned angrily towards Palmer and told him that he'd overstayed his welcome. He told the grumpy millionaire that he had a mother living down South and that she was not ready to give up her title of mother just yet. Palmer turned and was about to leave the room until, that is, he remembered that a photograph of Adrian's father was lying on the floor. He bent over and picked up the photo. With photo in hand, Palmer asked Adrian why Opal might have a picture of his father. Adrian remembered seeing the picture before. Still, there was something not quite right about the way Opal had kept the photo hidden. Opal told Palmer that she'd met Adrian's father during a tough time with her first husband, Ray Gardner. "Like father, like son," Palmer chuckled. Palmer wanted to know how old Adrian was during the time Frank was helping Opal. Adrian chimed in that he hadn't been born yet. Palmer nodded his head cockily. Every gesture, Palmer noted, indicated that Opal was hiding something. Adrian became furious with Palmer's insinuation that Opal was his mother. Adrian believed that Palmer was drumming up stories to hurt Opal and was not happy that Palmer was doing so at his expense. Palmer refused to leave, saying that he wanted to see the melodrama unfold. Dixie, Tad, and Braden wandered by the room and asked what was going on. "You're just in time for a family reunion," Palmer smiled. Tad looked around and asked Palmer what he was talking about. Palmer told Tad to say hello to his brother. When Tad said that he didn't see Jake, Palmer told Tad that he was referring to his "blood brother... Adrian." Tad chuckled slightly and jokingly said that the resemblance between him and Adrian was overwhelming. Tad looked to Opal for an explanation, but Opal wasn't saying much. "Who was it that said 'All men are created equal?'" Palmer sassed. His comment, citing one of Thomas Jefferson's more famous quotes, was a reference to the former president's reported adulterous affairs with slaves. The remark didn't sit well with Adrian. Adrian was about to pummel Palmer, but Braden stepped in between the two men and prevented an altercation. Palmer showed Adrian's father's picture to Tad. The picture sent Tad hurtling through time some twenty years. He recognized the man in the photograph as "Uncle Frank." He recalled the when on the run from his father, Ray Gardner, he and Opal had spent time in a cabin with the man known to Tad as Uncle Frank. Tad also recalled the Frank had whittled him a toy soldier out of wood. Adrian was shocked; he remembered that his father had created similar toys for him. Tad continued to reflect on the time he spent at the cabin. For some reason, Opal had tossed away the wooden soldier and asked Tad to never ever mention Uncle Frank to anyone. Tad began to chuckle as he recalled that Frank jokingly called Opal "Fat Mama." Suddenly, Tad's face froze. He realized that Opal had been pregnant at the time. A few moments of careful thought revealed that it was not possible for Opal to have been pregnant with Jenny, his sister. Palmer smiled arrogantly as he announced that he'd been right. "Nothing you said has ever been right," Opal sassed. "But what I said was," Tad interjected softly. Adrian pulled the Bible his mother had given him from his pocket. He asked Opal if she believed in what the Bible said. "AS sure as I hope to see Jesus," she replied. Adrian asked Opal to place her hand on the Bible and swear that what Tad was saying wasn't true. A teary-eyed Opal placed her hand on the Bible. "The truth is," she began, "you are my son."
Her belongings packed, Kit moved in to the main house at Wildwind. She sat down on the sofa and informed Raquel that she was moving in. Raquel smiled warmly and welcomed Kit. "If there's anything I can do," Raquel offered politely. Kit held up her hands and assured Raquel that she'd already done enough for her just be believing in and supporting her. Edmund entered the room after he failed to locate Hayley. Raquel mentioned that Mateo had gotten a call concerning Hayley and subsequently dashed out of the house. Eugenia> wandered into the room and took the news of Kit's relocation with a smile. "The more the merrier," Eugenia remarked. "But we're not very merry, are we?" Derek appeared in the doorway and told Eugenia that he wanted to know Ryan and Gillian's whereabouts. Eugenia scratched her head and thought hard for a few minutes. She said that she'd last heard that the couple had won a vacation at the Crystal Ball. Derek pursed his lips together and couldn't help but smile. He told the duchess that he liked her style and that he would be forced to haul her off to jail if she failed to cooperate. Kit, Edmund, and Raquel all voiced their disapproval with the detective's remark. Eugenia smiled gleefully, saying that she was somewhat intrigued with the concept of being thrown in "the pookie." Raquel bit her lip and told Eugenia that the correct term was "the hokey." Eugenia strongly denied knowing where her granddaughter and grandson-in-law had gone off to. Kit offered to call Jack to help get Derek off of the older woman's case. She was surprised to learn that Derek had already spoken to Jack and gotten his permission to interrogate Eugenia.
Mateo asked Hayley why she'd been arrested. Hayley muttered that she'd been speeding---oh, about one hundred miles-an-hour. Mateo told Hayley that it was time to go home. Unfortunately, there was the minor detail of Hayley not having been arraigned yet. Hayley explained that night court had adjourned and her Uncle Trevor was not willing to wake up a judge to process her. In short, she was going to be locked up for as long as she wanted to be locked up. That puzzled Mateo and he asked her what she was talking about. Hayley's mouth gaped slightly as she cocked her head to one side. She told Matt to stop pretending that he had no idea. It took Mateo a few minutes, but he eventually figured out that Hayley's incarceration must have had something to do with Ryan's big escape. Mateo claimed that he'd been worried about Hayley because she suddenly disappeared. Hayley sassed that she had not been off dancing with her other husband, a subtle hint that Hayley had observed Mateo dancing with Raquel. Mateo didn't acknowledge the remark, instead dropping hints of his own about Hayley's accidental encounter with alcohol. Hayley was furious with Mateo for not having faith in her ability to stay sober. She knew that someone must have tipped Raquel off to her drinking problem and seemed to get close to an implication that the accident might not have been accidental. Mateo pledged that he believed in Hayley, but questioned her decision to go to the mat for Ryan. He asked Hayley why she hadn't turned to him before helping Ryan and Gillian escape. Hayley said that she would have gone to Mateo, except that she didn't want to "cut in," another reference to Mateo and Raquel's private waltz. Mateo took Hayley's remark the wrong way, mistakenly assuming that her decision to help Ryan was a result of Hayley being angry at him. Hayley denied the accusation, saying that she had helped Ryan because she knew that he had not raped Kit. Mateo remained convinced that Ryan was guilty as charged. He demanded, or rather pressured, Hayley to tell him where Ryan and Gillian were hiding. Hayley first claimed not to know, but later said that she wouldn't divulge their location. Mateo was worried that Hayley's time in jail might adversely effect his custody of Max. Hayley rolled her eyes and reminded Mateo that she'd been the one to get arrested---not him. Mateo explained that he and Hayley were a package deal and that a judge would look at both of their actions. Hayley promised that she would not let his relationship with or custody of Max be adversely affected by her decision to help Ryan. Mateo wasn't convinced. With a sigh, he left the cell area.
Hayley wouldn't be alone for long. A while later, Derek escorted Hayley's soon-to-be cellmate into the cell block. Eugenia was surprisingly composed as she was placed in the cell. Hayley was concerned for Eugenia, but the duchess assured Hayley that she'd be fine. Both women quietly agreed to keep mum on the topic of Ryan and Gillian. Their silence, however, may or may not have been needed. Derek received a phone call from an informant telling him that a couple matching Ryan and Gillian's description had been spotted.
On the lamb, or as Gillian said, "on the goat," Ryan and Gillian found refuge in a rather unlikely place: Linden House. Gillian had overheard someone at the Crystal Ball mention that Erica had moved out of Linden. After her stay short stay at Linden House last year, Gillian had forgotten to return her key and alarm code to Erica. That oversight conveniently resurfaced and proved to be most valuable to the couple. Ryan was impressed with the way his wife had thought out their careful escape. Gillian confessed that Hayley had planned most of the escape. It came as a surprise to Ryan that his wife and Hayley were no longer at odds. Gillian explained that they'd been brought together because they both believed in Ryan's innocence. Gillian foraged around the kitchen for food items that Erica might have left behind. She didn't find anything spectacular, but there were some crackers and a bottle of champagne. The couple say down on the floor of the cold house and prepared for their dinner. As they did, the power flickered on and off. Gillian began to panic, fearing that the law had caught up with them. Ryan was composed and figured that the lights must be on timers. Neither was aware that someone lurked just outside the front door.
"Check and mate," Palmer cracked upon hearing Opal's confession. Dixie promptly ordered up to "put a lid on it." Palmer was pleased to know that he was not the only one that had been hiding a secret. Adrian was getting angrier at Palmer's jabbings and warned him to keep his mouth shut. "He has your nose, Opal," Palmer sneered. As promised, Adrian lunged across the room and Palmer. Braden leaped in between the two men and Tad helped pull Adrian away from Palmer---otherwise there might have been some real trouble. Adrian, Braden, and Dixie filed out of the room to allow Tad, Opal, and Adrian some "family time," as Palmer put it. Downstairs, Braden scolded Dixie for getting involved in more tension. He thought he could soothe Dixie's jangled nerves by putting the moves on Dixie. He told Dixie that she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He gently stroked Dixie's hair, but Dixie was unreceptive to the younger man's advances. She smiled slightly and asked Braden if he could give her some time alone. Braden nodded and left the room. Elsewhere in the mansion, Palmer headed to the phone and placed a call to the National Intruder.
"I never meant for this to come out like this," Opal sobbed. She begged her two sons to find it in their hearts to forgive her. Tad sat down on the bed next to his mother and asked her how everything had unfolded. Opal called Frank Dawson, Adrian's dad, the love of her life. The tale started many years ago when Tad was about two-years old. Opal's husband, Ray Gardner, had been drinking. It wasn't odd for Ray to have been drunk, but this night things were different. Tad had accidentally spilled juice on his father---and Ray went ballistic. Opal hid Tad under the bed so that he'd be safe from Ray's wrath. With no one else around, Ray beat Opal savagely. Opal suffered a broken rib and her face was "not fit to be seen." Fortunately, Ray passed out and Opal was given a chance to make her getaway. She grabbed Tad, a few belongings, and as much money as she could find and headed for the bus station. She hopped a bus and headed as far away as she could. She found herself in a small unknown town with no place to stay and no one to turn to. She walked aimlessly down the streets, not sure where she was going. Her injuries slowly began to take their toll. Opal tripped and fell to the ground, the contents of her suitcase spilling all over the sidewalk. Suddenly, a hand reached out to her. The man helped Opal gather her belongings and offered to take her back to his house to rest. The man turned out to be Frank Dawson. In the timeframe being mentioned, interracial romances were not tolerated and Frank risked being lynched for living with a white woman. Frank's status in the community, however, shielded him from the backlash. Opal found herself falling in love with the man who had helped her. "I don't buy it," Adrian grumbled. Opal explained that Adrian's Aunt Geneva had helped her deliver Adrian. Opal said that Adrian was a "handsome and strong" baby and assured Adrian that she'd loved him very much. That, however, did not explain how Opal and Adrian had been separated. One day, Opal's cousin received an anonymous postcard letting her know that Opal and Tad were safe. Ray somehow got his hands on the postcard and managed to track the postmark. One day while Opal was alone, Ray showed up. He was furious with Opal for having run out on him. A year's worth of anger had built inside the man and he was quick to vent his anger on Opal. Across the room, Tad sat by little Adrian's cradle gently rocking the baby to sleep. Ray softly asked Tad to go out to the car and wait for him. When he did, Ray ordered Opal to gather her belongings and return home with him. Opal asked for a few minutes to get her things together. She tried to find time to write Frank a note, but Ray beckoned her. Opal hovered over the cradle and promised her son that she'd return for him one day. Ray returned and grabbed Opal by the arm. He might never have noticed Adrian---except that Adrian cooed slightly. Ray stomped over to the cradle and demanded to know what Opal was doing with a "colored baby." Opal was forced to lie. She said that she was babysitting for a neighbor. Ray told Opal that babysitting for a Black child was beneath her and ordered her to leave immediately. With tears in her eyes, Opal was forcibly escorted out of the house---and Adrian was left all alone. Opal began to cry again. Adrian's face was wet with the tracks of tears. Opal begged for the two men to forgive her. Adrian said nothing. He walked past Opal and left the room. Tad asked his mother if she'd be okay. Opal, now crying openly, nodded her head slightly. She asked Tad if he could forgive her. Tad's face tightened. "Goodnight, Mama," he said coldly. Tad left the room. Opal fell on the bed and sobbed hysterically.
The slight creak of the front door sent Ryan and Gillian into hiding. Two voices spoke softly to one another. There was a slight chuckle as they entered the house. The two intruders turned out to be familiar faces at Linden: Erica and Dimitri. Dimitri asked Erica why she wanted to drop by a house where she no longer lived. Erica explained that she was feeling sentimental and wanted to take in a last eyeful of her former home. So many memories were contained within the house. Erica realized that they had entered the house without having to disarm the alarm. Dimitri figured that the movers had forgotten to set the alarm after they'd left. If that was the case, why were the movers eating crackers and sipping champagne on the living room floor? Dimitri noticed that Erica wasn't the least bit worried that someone might have broken into the house. Dimitri was about to search the house, but Erica told him that she was sure that the movers were responsible for everything. She mused that it was a good thing that she'd only left behind domestic champagne. Erica began to reminisce about the good times and the bad times she had at Linden House. She fondly recalled where she'd hung Bianca's stocking at Christmastime and when she'd returned home from a business trip and found that her mother has passed away in her sleep. Erica's recollection of her memories halted abruptly. She took a deep breath before continuing, saying that she'd outgrown Linden and that it was time for her to move on. Dimitri admitted that he'd had many good times at Linden as well. One of his more fonder memories was of a time when Erica had cooked for him. "You must be confusing me with one of your other wives," Erica laughed. Dimitri grinned and was certain that Erica had once cooked him a friend egg sandwich. Sure, it may have taken over a dozen eggs to finally get the sandwich cooked properly, but Erica had cooked for him. Erica started to laugh. She nudged Dimitri with her elbow and scolded him for having spied on her. Dimitri claimed that he was just trying to make sure that Erica didn't call out for delivery. Dimitri wondered if Erica was having second thoughts about moving. Erica shook her head and again stated that she wanted to move on with her life. That didn't stop Erica from wanting to reflect on the time she'd spent in the house. The couple was about to leave when Erica decided that she wanted a memento of the house. She walked towards the back of the house and looked for something that she could take as a souvenir. As she did this, she sensed that someone was in the house. Only a few years away, Ryan and Gillian sat motionless, their hearts pounding in their throats. Erica forgot all about her need for a souvenir and headed back to Dimitri's side. She wasn't frightened. In fact, she seemed almost pleased. Before leaving, Erica called out, "Goodbye, Linden!" Perhaps, this was her way of telling Ryan and Gillian that she knew they were there---and that she was going to keep their secret.
Mateo returned to Wildwind and was immediately confronted by Raquel. The other woman in Matt's life wanted to know if he'd been able to locate Hayley. Mateo promptly, albeit grumpily, told Raquel that Hayley was in jail. Raquel was outraged. She was stunned to learn that Hayley's loyalty to Ryan was what had landed her in the slammer. Raquel went on a tirade about the importance of family. She said that she would never think of putting a mere friend before family. "A woman's children and husband comes first," she protested. Mateo defended Hayley, reminding Raquel that Hayley had not been raised in a conventional family. Raquel ceded that Hayley's upbringing had not been perfect, but she argued that she should still know that family comes before friends. Raquel worried that Hayley's instability might resurface in her relationship with Max. Raquel stormed out of the room after announcing that she wants a "stable family for [her] son." In her mind, that was composed of Mateo, Max, and her---together.
In their shared prison cell, Eugenia> and Hayley discussed everything that had gone down in the previous few hours. Hayley wished that Mateo could have seen why she was taking a stand for her friend. "Sometimes the ones who love us best understand us least," said the duchess philosophically. Hayley studied Eugenia for a few minutes and began chuckling to herself. She never could have imagined the duchess "cooling [her] eyes" in jail let alone sharing a cell with her. Eugenia began to think about the Crystal Ball. "It was a swell party, friend," Eugenia smiled. Hayley's head snapped back. She told Eugenia they had not suddenly become friends just because they were suddenly bunkmates. Eugenia had, after all, given loaned one of her gowns to the enemy (Raquel). Eugenia claimed that she'd forgotten that Mateo and Hayley were having problems of their own. It was unclear if Eugenia was being honest or deceptive. Eugenia asked Hayley if she should have given Raquel a "dustpan and broom" instead of the dress. Hayley pursed her lips and sassed that it would have been better if Eugenia could have turned Raquel into a pumpkin and then rolled her all the way back to San Antonio. Eugenia squelched a smile that was trying to appear on her face. Eugenia told Hayley that she admired the way she was handling herself in light of her problems. Hayley told Eugenia that she had helped concoct Ryan's escape plan, but said that she would not tell her the details so as not to get her more deeply immersed in trouble. Derek walked into the cell block. From the look on his face, he was not happy. He told the two women that the lead he'd gotten had failed to pan out. He again asked Eugenia and Hayley to tell him where Ryan and Gillian had gone. Eugenia and Hayley looked at each other and smiled. They both claimed that since Ryan had not left them a note, they had no idea where he'd gone. Derek was furious and vowed to keep them in jail until they told him everything they knew. Later, as they laid on their cots, Hayley began to wonder what Mateo was doing and if he would ever understand why they had to spend the night apart.
Adrian headed to Belinda's apartment. He buried his head in her chest and tried his best not to cry openly. Belinda invited him into the apartment, but Adrian was beginning to wonder if he should have went somewhere else to clear his head. The secret agent told Belinda that his world had just been flipped upside-down. Belinda hugged him closely, a look of concern planted firmly on her face. "My mother's not my mother," Adrian said pulling away. "Opal is." Adrian found himself questioning himself, his family, and his life. Adrian said that he'd been raised to believe that, after God, family was the most important thing in a person's life. He wondered how his father and Opal had found their way into each other's lives and was furious with Opal for having abandoned him so many years ago. Belinda wanted to help Adrian, but she wasn't sure if there was anything she could say or do to lessen his pain. Adrian's first memory was of his mother, who he clarified as the "woman who raised [him]," pushing him on a swing. Again, Adrian questioned why Opal had walked out on him. He was certain that she must have been ashamed of him because he was Black. Belinda shook her head and said that the Opal she knew would never have been embarrassed or ashamed of him. She reminded Adrian of the kindness Opal had showered upon him since he showed up in Pine Valley. "I lost my mother tonight," Adrian said softly, his voice cracking. Adrian said that the woman who'd raised him was his hero---and that he believed that she was the best part of him. Belinda tried to explain that the woman who'd raised him was still very much his mother. "Opal is proud of you," Belinda interjected. "It killed her to walk away from you." In her effort to comfort Adrian, she'd inadvertently rubbed salt in his wounds. Adrian realized that Belinda had known that Opal was his mother. He confronted her, asking her why she hadn't told him. Belinda explained that it wasn't her place to break the news to Adrian. "To hell with your good intentions," Adrian growled as he walked out of the apartment.
Tad wandered around Cortlandt Manor. He eventually found himself in the parlor sitting on the sofa with Dixie. There, he began to tell Dixie what had happened after she left Opal's bedroom. He told Dixie that he'd thought he knew every branch on his family tree. He was furious with Opal for having lied to him all his life. He didn't understand how someone that loved him could have kept him in the dark for so long. Dixie got up from the sofa and sat on a chair directly in front of Tad. She told Tad that secrets have a tendency to grow heavier the longer someone carries them. Tad didn't doubt that Opal meant well or that she loved him and Adrian. "She should've told me," he sighed. Dixie told Tad that she knew what it was like to have to be dishonest with someone. Just as it appeared that Dixie was finally going to tell Tad about her illness, she suddenly got cold feet. She devised a lame tale about keeping secrets from Junior. The biggest secret? That his father, Adam, was "a donkey's butt." Dixie became serious again, explaining to Tad that keeping the truth from someone isn't always a bad thing. In fact, it could be thought of as an "act of mercy" designed to keep something painful from a loved one. Tad wondered who should decide what is too painful for him to handle. "Love makes us do things we wouldn't ordinarily do," replied Dixie. Tad decided that it was getting late and headed to his bedroom. Shortly after he left, Braden appeared. He half-jested that it seemed like no one in Cortlandt Manor ever slept! Dixie told Braden that she'd finally decided what she had to do. In the morning, Dixie was scheduled to have another blood test. If the test showed even the slightest improvement in her condition, Dixie said that she would tell Tad everything---including why she hadn't met up with him on the Statler Building and why she'd been avoiding him.
Upstairs, Opal stared longingly at a picture of Frank. She slowly headed to the phone and called the operator. She broke down in tears before she was able to ask for Frank's phone number. She later managed to compose herself long enough to place the call. When she connected with Frank, the two began talking like a pair of nervous high school lovers. The exchanged pleasantries, but Opal's eyes began to well with tears. She told Frank that Adrian knew the truth. "Adrian needs his daddy," she sobbed. After the phone call, Opal crawled into bed and tried to go to sleep. A soft knock sounded on her door. Opal sat up in bed and watched as Tad slowly entered the room. Tad came in peace. He told his mother that they had a lot to talk about in the morning. To get her through the night, he told her that he knew that she loved him---and that he loved her too.
Mateo sat alone in his bedroom presumably thinking about Hayley. Max scurried into the room and asked his daddy if he could sleep with him. Mateo smiled and he and his son crawled into bed. They were both fast asleep when Raquel slinked into the room wearing a red satin nightie. She walked over to the wide of the bed and crawled under the covers with her son and husband.
All My Children was pre-empted for live ABC News coverage of the opening arguments in the Impeachment trial. The episode originally scheduled to air today will air tomorrow.
The sun had already risen over Pine Valley, but Mateo, Raquel, and Max all remained fast asleep. Like most children, little Max woke before his parents. Upon seeing his mother and father on either side of him, Max scurried out of bed so that his parents could be alone. Shortly after Max left, Mateo rolled over and cuddled up next to the woman in bed with him. He was apparently under the impression that he was nuzzling Hayley. When Mateo opened his eyes and noticed that he was cuddling a brunette, he jumped out of bed and immediately demanded to know what was going on. "I couldn't help myself," Raquel proclaimed. In Raquel's mind, the scenario was much like a fairy tale, a realization of a lifetime of hopes and dreams. To Mateo, however, it appeared that Raquel was using Max to get closer to him. Raquel apologized for upsetting Mateo, but it didn't calm Mateo down any. He was still furious with Raquel and perhaps a little embarrassed that he'd made the mistake of cuddling up to someone other than Hayley. He angrily informed Raquel that he was headed to the police station for Hayley's arraignment.
Worried about Tad, Dixie spent a sleepless night at Cortlandt Manor. To top off her troubles, Dixie knew that in a matter of hours she would find out if her health was on the upswing. In the morning even a cup of tea couldn't help perk her up. She sat in the parlor with Braden, agonizing over how she was adding to Tad's troubles by not telling him the truth about her illness. Braden tried to convince Dixie that Tad didn't need to know about her health. Dixie remained insistent that she would tell Tad the truth if she learned that she was getting even the slightest bit better. Disheveled and equally tired, Tad staggered into the parlor and immediately apologized for the interruption. Dixie called out to Tad and asked him to stick around. When she learned that Tad planned on having some gumballs for breakfast once he got to WRCW, Dixie grabbed Tad by the arm and told him that she would make him eat breakfast---even if she had to spoon-feed him. Braden lowered his head in frustration as Tad and Dixie walked off together. Palmer observed from across the room. He walked up to Braden and lectured him for allowing Tad and Dixie to remain close. Not convinced that Tad and Dixie's bond was in any way an indication of his ineptness, Braden argued that Palmer---and his feud with Opal---was the only reason that Tad and Dixie were currently having breakfast together. Palmer reissued his order to permanently destroy Tad and Dixie's relationship. Braden wondered how far Palmer would go to accomplish his goal. "As far as it takes," Palmer smiled sinisterly. Braden nodded his head and remarked that he had a doctor's appointment to keep.
Already at WRCW and full from breakfast, Liza reviewed some scripts and recorded her comments on a pocket tape recorder. Adam appeared in her doorway with a broad smile. He carried a veritable goodie bag for Liza complete with bagel, fruit salad, and a cup of herbal tea. Liza thanked Adam for his thoughtfulness, but informed him that she'd already eaten. Still, the fruit salad called out to her and Liza reluctantly yielded to Baby Colby's hunger for a piece of fruit. Suddenly, a distraught Marian stomped into the office. "A gun," she snarled. "Somebody give me a gun." Adam looked in Marian's direction and indifferently offered her a bagel. Liza gave him a stern glance and walked across the room to see what was wrong with her mother. Before Liza could get an answer, Marian's cellular phone rang. Marian took the call. Her foot tapped slightly against the floor as her eyes blinked rapidly. "Of course," she remarked coldly. "I expected as much." Marian hung up her phone and took a deep breath. She then started bashing her phone against the table. Liza looked to Adam for help. "Stop eating and do something!" she called out. Adam put down his bagel and slowly moped across the room towards his former mother-in-law and soon to be sister-in-law. Marian explained that she was having the worst possible day. Seemingly everything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong: the shop where she'd bought her wedding gown had burnt to the ground with her dress inside and the caterer she'd hired had gone out of business because of repeated health violations. In short, Marian was convinced that her dream wedding was never going to materialize. Adam smiled slightly and asked Marian how she envisioned her perfect wedding. After listening to Marian's description, Adam told her that he would help her make the wedding a reality. Marian's teary eyes looked dazedly at Adam. She first believed that Adam was toying with her, but she soon realized that he was being sincere---or at least honest. Marian accepted Adam's offer to help, but informed him that Stuart would have to agree to Adam getting involved in the wedding plans. Marian scuttled out of the office to find Stuart. Liza, meanwhile, pursed her lips together and gave Adam a funny look. She asked her former husband why he'd decided to help out her mother. Adam explained that he wanted Liza to be happy---if Marian was happy, then Liza was happy, and by extrapolation he'd be happy. Happy enough, he figured, to want to marry him again.
As Ryan slept on the sofa, Gillian snuggled up next to him. The couple exchanged a few small kisses until Ryan fully woke up. His nostrils flared and his eyes opened in alarm. "Fire! Fire!" he shouted. Gillian didn't move and showed no sign of concern. She smiled slightly and told Ryan that there was no fire. The burning smell he detected was breakfast---toast, to be exact. Ryan forced a smile as he looked down at a charred piece of bread that Gillian had prepared for him. Showing that he does, in fact, love his wife, Ryan took a bite out of the toast and happily ate it. Later, Ryan found a trunk of clothing in the attic. The clothing was not any of Erica's Chanel or Versace gowns, but rather a trunk full of costumes. Gillian had fun donning a green sari, red boa, and a plastic Groucho Marx nose. She eventually found some clothing more suitable for the mission she was about to undertake: heading to the boathouse to retrieve the money Hayley had left for them. They had no way of knowing that Hayley had been arrested. Ryan was fearful that Gillian might get spotted and offered to go in her place. Gillian was likewise worried that Ryan might be captured if he headed out into the open and insisted that she be allowed to go by herself. Gillian slipped out the back door and headed off to the river. Only minutes later, the front door opened and Erica walked inside. Ryan tried to hide, but Erica already knew that he was hiding out in her house---she'd seen him the night before. Ryan asked Erica if she was going to call the police. Erica was unable to maintain eye contact with Ryan and mulled over the idea of phoning the authorities. She told Ryan that he needed to be "more careful" unless he wanted to be apprehended. Ryan was shocked to learn that Erica had spotted him the night before, but thankful that she hadn't squealed. Erica remained reasonably sure that Kit was lying about having been raped. Erica also explained that she did not want Jack to ruin his reputation by prosecuting an innocent man. Since she had not yet completely moved out of Linden, some of Erica's belongings were still inside the house. Erica told Ryan that the movers would be arriving in a few hours and told him that he'd have to be gone by then. Ryan smiled and told Erica that he and Gillian had already come up with an escape plan. The plan, which Erica pleaded with him not to tell her, was that they would retrieve the money Hayley was to leave at the boathouse, purchase fake passports, and the fly to Budapest to stay at Vadzel. Erica did manage to shush Ryan before he divulged his secret plans, saying that it was better if she did not know.
A female police officer angrily approached Hayley and Eugenia>'s jail cell and unlocked the cell door. Smiles abound, the two women filed out of the cell. The guard stepped in front of Hayley and shook her head; Only Eugenia would be given her walking papers. Hayley was sure that there had been a mistake. Eugenia assured her that she'd try to pull some strings to gain her release. Hayley was tossed back into her cell unmercifully. Trevorarrived within seconds and told Hayley that no mistake had been made---she was going to be arraigned on reckless driving charges. Hayley insisted that she would not talk and begged her uncle to get her out of jail. Assistant District Attorney Keith McLean strolled into the cell block and announced that Hayley's arraignment hearing had been scrapped. This, believe it or not, was actually good news. Keith explained that he'd been given permission to offer Hayley immunity in return for a full disclosure of Ryan's escape plans. Hayley sassed that she had no idea where Ryan was, asking if she was supposed to use her "extraterrestrial perception" to locate him. Trevor implored his niece to come clean, but nothing he said made Hayley feel differently. A voice called out from behind the men, asking for a few minutes alone with Hayley. Mateo approached the cell, but waited for Trevor and Keith to make themselves scarce before speaking to Hayley. He asked her why she was so unwilling to do the right thing. Of course in Hayley's mind, she was doing the right thing. Mateo informed Hayley that Raquel had hinted that she might use Hayley's imprisonment against him in court. Hayley countered by saying that Raquel could only use the jail time against Matt if he planned to marry her at some point. "Here's a quick fix," she snapped. "Don't marry me." Mateo shook his head in frustration. He told Hayley that thinking that he would not marry her---or not want to marry her---was foolish. He assured Hayley that he wanted her in his life, but he also wanted Max to be in his life, too. That meant that he was not pleased that Hayley's shenanigans might be jeopardizing his rights to custody of Max. Hayley remarked that somewhere in her life, she'd lost the part of her that was willing to fight for what she believed in---her backbone. Her timing might not have been best, but she was proud that she'd regained her chutzpah. Kieth and Trevor returned to the cell area and asked Hayley if she was ready to cooperate. She shook her head and adamantly denied knowing Gillian and Ryan's whereabouts. Without cooperation, Hayley would be forced to go through the arraignment process. She was carted off to jail shortly after Trevor voiced his unhappiness in his niece's decision. Some time later, Hayley was returned to her cell. She'd been found in contempt for failing to tell the judge what she knew about Ryan's escape. Mateo offered to bail Hayley out of jail, but all the money in the world wasn't going to get Hayley out of jail. She would be forced to remain in her jail cell until she decided to cooperate with the court and tell what she knew about Ryan's escape plans.
Belinda rushed to Cortlandt Manor to see if Opal had heard from Adrian. Opal hadn't seen Adrian since he stormed out of her bedroom the night before. Belinda told Opal that she'd tried to help Adrian process the news that she (Opal) was Adrian's mother, but concluded that she'd failed miserably. Tad and Dixie returned from their joint breakfast. Dixie told Opal that she understood why she'd felt it best to keep the truth from everyone. Opal asked Tad to call some of his friends at the police station and set up a town watch for Adrian. Tad refused, saying that Adrian was a grown man who was capable of taking care of himself. Belinda had friends of her own at the station and headed back to her apartment to call in some favors. Dixie headed off to her doctor's appointment, leaving Tad and Opal alone to talk things out. Opal begged Tad not to be upset with Adrian. Tad looked his mother in the eye and told her that he doesn't hold anything against Adrian---because he hadn't done anything. He blasted his mother for turning his life upside-down yet again. Every time he believed he knew his family, Opal dropped yet another bombshell. Opal had walked away from him, he said, when she allowed Ray to dump him off in a park. That was nearly exactly what Opal had done to Adrian. Opal claimed that she'd turned her back on both of her sons for the same reason---she wanted them to have better lives. Tad didn't disagree with Opal's assertion that both he and Adrian had been better with Ray out of their lives. But why hadn't Opal told him the truth? Opal admitted that she'd been wrong to conceal the truth. She admitted that she should never have even laid eyes on Ray Garner in the first place. But the abusive, maniacal man had given her Tad and Jenny. For that she was most grateful. Indirectly, he'd also allowed her to meet Frank and subsequently give birth to Adrian. "I'm a horrible mother," Opal sobbed. She said that she felt it was better to abandon Adrian than to risk having Ray hurt the baby---or Frank. Opal said that she'd hurt the people she loved by hiding the truth and that she felt that telling her secret would only hurt them more. Was it worth hurting everyone again? Tad shook his head and admitted that what Opal had been trying to do might not have been so bad. He then realized that Dixie's remarks about trying to shield loved ones from bad news was also right on the money. Opal dried her eyes as the doorbell rang. She'd hoped that Adrian had returned, but he hadn't. She opened the door and saw a familiar, yet aged face staring back at it. "It's been a long time," Frank Dawson said softly. Opal's eyes welled with tears. She reached out an embraced her former lover as Tad looked on in the background.
Braden entered David's office at Pine Valley Hospital with somewhat of a swagger. He plopped himself down in a chair and told David that he knew that Dixie's blood work results were due back. David nodded his head, commenting that he found it off that Braden was so up to date on Dixie's medical news. Braden claimed that he cared about Dixie and wanted to be kept informed of her progress. David reminded Braden that he could not divulge any patient's medical records because of the doctor-patient confidentiality agreement. "I scraped her off the floor of my apartment," Braden snapped coldly. It was the first time that he ever spoke condescendingly about Dixie, her health, or the way he'd saved her life. David was unfazed by Braden's callousness, replying that it was up to Dixie to tell him the results of her tests. Braden wanted to know the results of the tests. So determined was he to get the information, he decided that another approach might yield him the desired results. "I heard you left Stanford," Braden said matter-of-factly. He then added that he'd heard the reason for David's departure was Stanford's refusal to build him a state-of-the-art cardiac wing for the hospital. David nodded his head. Braden reminded David that Dixie's uncle was the mighty Palmer Cortlandt, a board member at Pine Valley Hospital. The implication was that if David did what Braden asked, Palmer might be ever so willing to make the cardiac wing a reality---complete with a heart transplant facility! David was spellbound by Braden's remark. Braden told David that while Palmer wanted his niece to get better, he did not want Dixie to know that she was getting better. David told Braden that he would do what he thought was best for his patient. Braden nodded his head and left the office just seconds before Dixie showed up for her scheduled appointment. David knew that Dixie did not want anyone to know about her health problems. David had even sent the blood to an outside lab for processing. She asked him pointblank if she was getting better. "I'm sorry," David said glumly. "You're not." Dixie squinted in the doctor's direction. "I don't believe you," she responded. "You're lying."
