Alone, bored, and worried about his wife's safety, Ryan bounced a tennis ball against the walls of Linden. He stopped tossing the ball and looked nervously at his watch. He sighed heavily and returned his attention to the ball. Finally, the attempt to divert his attention had lost its effectiveness. Ryan threw down the ball, grabbed his coat, and dashed out of the house.
It had been thirty years since Opal and Frank had last set eyes upon one another, but Opal instantly recognized Frank's kind smile. After the pair finished embracing, Opal welcomed her one-time love into her home. Opal told Frank that she was proud of the love they'd shared and of their son, Adrian. Opal repeatedly apologized for having told Adrian that she was his mother. Frank, however, assured Opal that he understood why she'd done what she'd done. "I know you'd lay down your life to protect our Adrian," Frank said as he smiled.
From his doorway observation post, Tad cleared his throat. Frank turned toward Tad and extended his hand. He introduced himself, and Tad got a strange expression on his face. "Uncle Frank," Tad said, hoping to coax some recognition out of the man. Frank squinted and looked at Tad. It took him several seconds to realize that the little boy he'd seen so long before had grown up. Frank noted that Tad had his mother's good looks, and the two men reminisced of a time they had played starship commander in the backyard.
In every word and gesture that Frank made, it became apparent that he truly loved and cared for Opal and Tad. Frank told Tad that he had prayed that Adrian would turn out like Tad -- a strong man that loved his family. He had worried every night for years about Tad's welfare and what Ray Gardner might have done to him. Frank was anxious to see his son again. Opal had the unpleasant task of telling Frank that Adrian had run off. Tad, who had so adamantly opposed searching for his brother, offered to make a few calls in order to help locate the missing spy.
The suggestion that she and Adam join Marian and Stuart for a double wedding did not sit well with Liza. She did not want to "horn in" on the happiest day of her mother's life. Additionally, there was the fact that Liza had never agreed to marry Adam again. Adam's face froze. He reminded Liza that she'd told him that she loved him. Liza chuckled and scolded Adam for misquoting her. What she'd actually said was that a part of her still loved him -- a far cry from "I love you."
Liza recounted a tale her father had told her. Liza's father knew of a man who had jumped in front of trolley cars for kicks. The man had repeatedly suffered broken bones, cuts, and contusions. Yet whenever he had healed, he would immediately head out and resume his daredevil activities. Adam knew that there was an impending moral to the story. He was right. The lesson was that one should learn from their mistakes.
"Adam Chandler," Liza said with a grin, "you are my trolley car." Liza handed Adam several magazines and ordered him to browse the magazines for wedding ideas -- for Marian and Stuart. Liza told Adam that she was headed for a doctor's appointment. Adam wanted to tag along, but Liza told him to stay put.
On the sun porch, Palmer perused some papers in preparation for a hospital board meeting. Braden walked into the room and said that he needed to have a word with his boss. Palmer was so absorbed in his work that he barely took notice to his employee's presence. When he did, he asked Braden to stop bothering him. Braden told Palmer that they needed to talk about a new cardiac unit for the hospital. Palmer grumbled slightly and remarked that he knew nothing about the new wing.
Braden explained that he had promised David a new cardiac wing for the hospital in exchange for David keeping quiet about Dixie's improving health. Palmer was stunned by Braden's deal; a cardiac wing would cost millions of dollars. Braden smiled slightly, noting that the wing was a good investment and a huge tax deduction. Plus, there was the added benefit of keeping Dixie away from Tad. Palmer reluctantly agreed to the plan. He did, however, warn Braden to keep an eye on David. A doctor who would lie about his patient's health, said Palmer, could not be entirely trusted.
Dixie snatched her medical records out of David's hands. She paged through her file, but the terms and jargon within the file made little sense to her. Dixie asked for her tests to be run again, but David explained that the lab had already run the tests twice -- and he'd checked over the results himself. David was quick to assure Dixie that the test results did not mean that she would never get better. In fact, he remained confident that his initial diagnosis was on the money: Dixie would get better.
Dixie wanted to know why she hadn't shown any sign of improvement. Every patient had a different speed at which they healed, David explained. He took back Dixie's medical file and warned her that only qualified physicians should be perusing the documents. Braden entered the office and was there to help Dixie pick up the pieces. Dixie was definitely upset by the news. She was sure that she had been getting better. She announced that she would seek out a second opinion. David was confident that any other qualified cardiologist would arrive at the same conclusion.
Braden told Dixie that it would be harder to keep her health troubles a secret if more doctors were privy to her medical history. Dixie realized that Braden was right and apologized to David for implying that she doubted his medical expertise. David told Dixie that her concern was understandable, again promising her that he would do everything in his power to see her heal. The trio exited the office and stood in the hallway for several minutes, wrapping up loose ends.
As Dixie, David, and Braden talked, Liza rounded the corner and observed what was going on. She ducked back around the corner and listened to what was being said. Braden thanked David for all of his help. David smiled and told Braden that he was only doing his job. The cardiologist then returned to the privacy of his office and reviewed Dixie's file. "I get a new cardiac wing, and I didn't even have to lie to get it," he said. Dixie really wasn't getting any better.
Liza scurried around the hospital corridors, searching for Jake. She told him that she'd just seen Dixie and David together. Liza asked Jake if he knew anything, but Jake was leery of breaking the confidentiality guidelines. Since he had helped Tad break into the hospital computers, he figured that telling Liza what he knew wasn't going to weigh too heavily on his conscience. Jake told Liza that David was treating Dixie for "anxiety attacks."
Liza puckered her lips and cocked her head to the side. She was waiting for Jake to tell her the truth, but he was telling her the truth -- at least as he knew it. Jake agreed that it seemed rather odd for a top cardiologist to be treating something as simple as a panic attack. Things also seemed a bit peculiar because of Braden's involvement and the secrecy around Dixie's condition. They also agreed that Tad and Dixie both still loved each other. Liza suggested that they team up to find out what Dixie was hiding -- because that was the only way that they could get Tad and Dixie back together.
Gillian searched frantically for the money Hayley was to have hidden at the boathouse. The money was nowhere to be found. Gillian began knocking things over in a desperate attempt to locate the money. She stumbled backward and fell into Adrian's waiting arms. Gillian turned around and saw the secret agent's face. She crawled as fast as she could away from Adrian. She got a few feet away and jumped to her feet.
Gillian knew that Adrian was somehow involved with the government, but she wasn't sure how. What she did know was that Adrian could arrest her on the spot. Gillian babbled on and on about Ryan's innocence, insisting that Ryan was not capable of hurting "a flea." A voice from behind correctly called out, "Fly." Adrian calmly turned around and looked at Ryan. "Hans!" Gillian chirped. She winked in Ryan's direction, hoping to clue him in to her plan. Gillian claimed that Ryan was actually one of her friends from Germany, but Adrian recognized Ryan. He had, after all, seen him at the Crystal Ball.
Once Ryan knew that Adrian knew who he was, he set out to protect Gillian. He claimed that Gillian was an unwilling participant in his plan and begged the spy not to arrest her. Adrian shushed Ryan, telling him that he would only get himself into more trouble by ranting on and on. Ryan was surprised by Adrian's nonchalance. It turned out that Adrian's appearance was a coincidence. He was not there to arrest Ryan. "I'm here to find myself," Adrian explained, adding, "Have you seen me?"
Gillian asked Adrian why he wasn't going to arrest them. Adrian cryptically replied that Adrian Sword had worked for the government -- but Adrian Sword no longer existed. Neither Ryan nor Gillian had any idea what Adrian was talking about. "Stop unscrewing my head," Gillian said in confusion. Adrian told the couple that he didn't want to know what they were up to. He did, however, tell them that they should wait until nightfall before venturing outside. Ryan and Gillian scurried on their way. Before leaving, though, Gillian told Adrian that she hoped he found himself.
Adrian sat down and engaged in some deep thought. When he heard voices approaching, Adrian hid behind a canoe. Dixie and Braden talked briefly about the news Dixie had received from David. Braden had gotten what he wanted; Dixie believed that her health hadn't gotten any better. However, Braden was about to see his plan start to crumble.
Dixie began to worry that David might be holding back on her. Perhaps her condition was much worse that David had said. Dixie decided that she wanted to go through with her plan to videotape a message for Junior to play after her death. Braden and Dixie headed back to Cortlandt Manor. Adrian stepped out from his hiding spot with a look of bewilderment on his face. He had little time to process what he'd just heard. Within seconds, Tad appeared.
On their way back to Linden, Ryan and Gillian picked up a copy of the morning paper. They waited until they got back to Linden before reading the newspaper. They were both floored when they found out why Hayley hadn't dropped off the money -- she'd been arrested. A prominent story in the Pine Valley Bulletin announced that Hayley was being held on contempt charges. Ryan realized that Hayley would remain in jail until she told the court what she knew.
Opal told Frank that a day hadn't passed without her thinking of him or Adrian. Frank told Opal that he had known something had gone wrong when he'd returned to the cabin and found the front door kicked in. Opal praised Frank's parenting skills, saying that Adrian had grown up to be a fine young man.
Frank reached into his bag and produced a letter that his wife, Alice, had written for Opal. The letter was very sweet. In the letter, Alice thanked Opal for giving her the gift of a baby boy. She called Opal's decision to give up Adrian the "noblest, most generous thing a mother could do." Opal began to sob and found comfort in Frank's arms. As the two former lovers embraced, Palmer entered the room.
Adam placed calls to florists around Pine Valley, hoping to plan a surprise double wedding. He warned the florist he'd take his business elsewhere if the florist couldn't fulfill his order. David entered the office and asked why Adam was ordering flowers. Adam took pleasure in informing David of his double wedding plans. David looked mortified by the possibility that Adam and Liza were getting remarried.
Liza returned to her office, and David quickly scurried away. Outside in the hallway, a messenger handed David a manila envelope. David smiled and carefully opened the envelope. Inside the envelope were the results of Adam's DNA profile. After reviewing the results, David realized that Adam was definitely the father of Liza's baby.
Due to ABC News coverage of the Impeachment trial, today's All My Children was preempted. The episode that was to have been shown today will be shown tomorrow. For those of you keeping score, a full five-day week of episodes has not been shown since before Christmas. There have been three preemptions this month, so that means that Wednesday's episode is actually the episode that should have aired on Friday -- if we were on a regular schedule.
The results of the DNA comparison between Adam and Liza's baby were exactly what David had hoped for. Oddly, the lab report claimed that the match between the DNA samples was consistent with that of siblings. Rather than simply spilling the beans about the baby's real father, David decided to have a little fun first.
Inside Liza's office, Adam continued to tease Liza about having a double wedding. He mused that he might be able to save a few dollars by buying in bulk. Liza chuckled and told Adam that she was sorry that coupons were not offered for wedding discounts. Adam again hinted about wanting to spend the rest of his life with Liza. As he prepared to ask Liza to marry him again, Rudy burst into the room. The frenzied assistant told Liza that the newspaper had scooped them. Adam was furious for having been interrupted and ordered Rudy to get lost.
Rudy was surprised by Adam's reaction and wondered if the multimillionaire hadn't heard the news about Hayley's imprisonment. Rudy broke the news, and Adam nearly went through the roof. He stormed out of the office and headed toward the police station. David waited until the coast was clear before acting on phase one of his plot. He told Liza that Adam had informed him that he and Liza were planning on getting remarried. Liza denied having accepted Adam's proposal, but she hinted that a reunion was inevitable.
David asked Liza if she honestly believed that Adam had transformed himself into a better man. He was sure that it would only be a matter of time before Adam did something "monstrous" to hurt Liza or someone she loved. Liza smiled and said that if Adam stepped out of line, she'd have to murder him. Liza noticed that David was carrying a large manila envelope. She questioned him about its contents. David simply remarked that the envelope contained bad news for one of his patients. Liza assumed that David was dropping a subtle hint about Dixie. Even though David vehemently denied the claim, Liza remained certain that she was right.
At the boathouse, Adrian was unwilling to listen to anything Tad had to say. Tad stepped in front of Adrian to prevent him from leaving, but that only made Adrian angrier. He grabbed Tad by the arm and gave it a strong yank. Tad grimaced in pain, but he stood tall and refused to budge from his position. Adrian released Tad's arm and agreed to hear what Tad had to say.
Tad tried to explain what had motivated Opal to seemingly desert her own son. Adrian felt that he already knew the answer: Opal was ashamed to have a "brown-skinned baby boy." As hard as Tad tried, nothing he said could convince Adrian otherwise. Adrian seemed hurt that Opal had taken Tad with her when she left -- but had left Adrian behind. Tad told Adrian that he should thank God that things had turned out the way they had. Adrian had been raised by a loving family, and he had not had to endure night after night of abuse by Ray Gardner.
Tad urged Adrian to talk to their mother and work things out. Adrian offered no sign that he was willing to grant Tad his request. Frustrated, Tad left the boathouse. Adrian lagged behind and moped around the area. Just as it seemed like he'd cooled off, a magazine cover caught his attention. Emblazoned across the cover of the Intruder was a cover story announcing that Adrian was Opal's love child.
Mateo and Max talked about going skiing together. Wanting to be just like his newfound father, Max tried on his father's oversized ski boots and announced that he was ready to hit the slopes. From the doorway, Raquel watched with a proud smile on her face. Mateo asked his son to track down Peggy and ask for some smaller boots. Max scurried off just as Raquel entered the room. Raquel mentioned that she didn't know how to ski and asked Mateo if he'd be willing to teach her.
Raquel immediately jumped from talk of slaloming to something a bit more serious. She wanted to tell Mateo something, but she had a hard time finding the words to relate her message. She babbled on and on, asking Mateo to try to understand why she was doing what she doing. Mateo still had no idea what his soon-to-be ex-wife was talking about. However, when Raquel's attorney entered the room, things became much clearer. Lynette told Mateo that she'd arranged for a new custody hearing in light of Hayley's arrest.
Mateo was stunned by Raquel's decision to take him back to court. Raquel insisted that she was doing what was best for their son. Raquel blasted Hayley for putting Ryan before anyone else. Raquel said that she would never disregard her family or son the way Hayley had shunned Mateo and Max. Max returned to the room with a pair of Max-sized boots and again announced that he was ready to go. Mateo crouched down in front of his son and promised him that he would take Max later -- just as soon as he ran an errand.
Ryan and Gillian were both upset by Hayley's incarceration -- but for different reasons. Gillian realized that she and Ryan would never get their hands on the money Hayley had promised them. Ryan, however, was upset that one of his friends had gotten into trouble for protecting him. Ryan decided that there was only one possible way to correct everything: he had to turn himself in to the police.
Still in her cell at the police station, Hayley was upset to learn that Mateo had not dropped by to visit her. Hayley was under the impression that she'd been barred from having visitors, but a guard informed her otherwise. Hayley finally did receive a visitor, but it wasn't Mateo. A grumbling Adam demanded to know why his daughter had been locked up. Hayley quietly told him what she'd done and asked her father to make good on her promise to hide money at the boathouse for Ryan and Gillian. Adam flatly refused to get involved and insinuated that Hayley had not been thinking clearly when she had decided to get herself wrapped up in Ryan's escape.
Hayley hugged her father as she thanked him for dropping by to visit her. Adam accepted the gesture of affection. He was unaware that while he was embracing Hayley, she was taking his cellular phone from his pocket. Hayley managed to conceal the phone until her father left. Hayley looked around to make sure that no one could see her before placing an urgent call to Ryan and Gillian. Hayley assured Ryan that she was okay and told him not to even think about turning himself in. Instead, Hayley urged Ryan and Gillian to go on with the plan as scheduled; they needed to stay on the run and somehow get to Budapest.
Before Hayley could end the conversation, Mateo appeared a few yards from her cell and demanded to know who she was talking to. Hayley tiptoed around the issue as best she could, but she was forced to admit that she'd been talking to Ryan. Mateo snatched the phone away from Hayley and ordered Hayley to tell him where Ryan was hiding. Hayley refused to cooperate. Mateo, however, had a trick up his sleeve. He pressed the phone's redial button and watched the display to see what number was dialing.
Out of the corner of her eye, Opal noticed that Palmer was watching her. Opal started to bicker with Palmer, but Palmer said that they should not argue in front of their company. Opal snorted slightly and corrected Palmer -- Frank was her guest not their guest. Opal accused Palmer of spying on her. Palmer wittily replied that Opal had the "wrong bloodline." Adrian was the spy, not him.
Frank apologized for sharing an embrace with Opal and hoped that the rift in the Cortlandts' marriage had not been caused by the revelation that Opal was Adrian's mother. Opal shook her head and sadly informed Frank that she and Palmer had been having problems from months. Belinda raced into the room and flashed the latest edition of the Intruder. Opal cringed as she read the headline: "Cortlandt Monticello: Tycoon's wife, Opal Cortlandt's Black love child." Frank vowed to sue the person who'd sold the story to the tabloid.
Opal knew instantly that Palmer had ratted her out. Opal wasn't so much concerned for her own image as she was for Adrian. The story, she reckoned, could blow Adrian's cover and put him in harm's way. Tad stormed into the room with his sleeves rolled up. He looked angrily at Palmer and told the tycoon that his days at Cortlandt Manor were over. Tad forcibly removed Palmer from the mansion.
Palmer pounded on the door and demanded that he be let back inside his house. The tirade went on for several minutes before Palmer became mysteriously quiet. The group assembled inside the house took the silence as a blessing. Outside, however, it became clear why Palmer's ranting had suddenly grown silent. Adrian held Palmer in a chokehold with one hand, and with the other hand, he had Palmer's mouth covered.
At Linden House, Ryan and Gillian tried to determine who they could turn to since Hayley was in jail. They knew that Erica probably wouldn't get involved and Dimitri... well, Dimitri was an uncertainty. As they tried to figure out what to do next, Mateo walked into the house.
Dressed in multiple layers of warm clothing, Stuart and Marian trekked across a frozen lake to a little wooden house. The pair entered the shack-on-ice and escaped the elements. A fire had already been lit, and the house was pleasantly warm. Marian was still fearful that they'd end up on the bottom of the lake -- and she was not amused when Stuart began jumping up and down to demonstrate the ice's thickness.
Marian slowly warmed up to the idea and walked around the small cabin. She nearly passed out when she noticed that a small hole had been cut in the house's floor. Stuart chuckled to himself and explained that the hole was used for ice fishing. Marian shifted her weight onto one leg and looked curiously at the hole. "I have plenty of ice in my freezer," she remarked. Again, Stuart laughed. He said that they were actually fishing for fish -- not ice.
Marian vowed to grow to like ice fishing. She said that she wanted to enjoy everything that Stuart enjoyed. Stuart looked nonchalantly at his fiancée and told her that he hoped that never happened. Marian was taken aback by the remark. It did, after all, seem somewhat cold. Stuart explained that he liked the fact that he and Marian were different. Their interests were varied, and most were definitely not shared, but Stuart preferred it that way.
Marian gave Stuart a kiss, and the two snuggled up for a little romantic cuddling under a fur blanket. They were so involved in their passion that they didn't even notice that one of Stuart's "tip ups" had gone off, signaling that he'd caught a fish.
Liza headed to the hospital to talk to Jake. Once she located him, Liza told the doctor about her run-in with David Hayward. Liza had already told Jake that she thought Dixie might have some sort of physical ailment. Jake had peeked at Dixie's medical records when Tad had asked him to and had learned that Dixie was being treated for panic attacks. Since David acted peculiarly about an unknown patient's medical records, Liza was certain that Dixie was hiding something. Jake reluctantly agreed to reaccess Dixie's records. He'd typed in his password and was about to retrieve the medical records when a hand slammed down on the computer's keyboard.
David had not returned to his office, but an equally formidable foe had stepped into the ring. Tad scolded Liza and Jake for sticking their noses in where they didn't belong. Liza explained that she was acting as Tad's friend. If poking around Dixie's medical files might help get Tad and Dixie back together, Liza was going to do it. She explained that her pregnancy had given her a new outlook on life; she wanted to atone for her past mistakes -- especially for breaking up Tad and Dixie.
Tad ordered Liza to respect his privacy and Dixie's too. He explained that he didn't want to have any more secrets exposed. He then took several minutes to explain the bombshell that had been dropped on him the night before. Liza told Tad that she was only a phone call away if he needed her.
At Chandler Mansion, Dixie called Braden to make final preparations for her video session. Dixie planned to tape a memento for her son, something that Junior could play, after Dixie died, to help him remember his mother. Adam was scheduled to take Junior to a hockey game, but Adam tried to wiggle out of the outing at the last minute. It wasn't that Adam didn't want to go to a hockey game, but his mind was focused solely on Hayley's imprisonment. Dixie blasted her former husband for trying to back out on their son and ordered him to put Junior first for a change.
Adam called in a few favors to some of his cronies. He hoped that someone could pull a few strings and get Hayley released from jail. Junior walked into the office area and told his mother and father that he was ready to go. Dixie gave her son a hug goodbye. Dixie looked like she was saying her final farewell to her son, and in a way, she was. Braden showed up a short time later and set up the video camera. Dixie sat down in a chair and began what turned out to be a very painful and emotion message for her son.
To the camera, Dixie told her son that she didn't want to tell him about her illness because she did not want to upset him. She assured him that they would be together in heaven one day, when the time was right. "Heaven is a wonderful place," she said softly, adding, "The only thing missing is you." She asked her son to always remember her and took time out to tell him about all the things that she would never get to see him do -- his first date, passing his driver's exam, and college graduation. "I want you to do the things I never did," she said with tears welling in her eyes. "Go to Morocco and ride a camel. Sing at the Grand Old Opry."
Dixie managed to crack a smile when she requested that Junior not name his daughter Dixie. Dixie said that she'd heard all the jokes -- Dixieland, Dixie Cup, Dixie Bird, Whistlin' Dixie. "If you need help, go to Tad," she said. She called Tad trustworthy and assured Junior that Tad cared for him by saying, "You can always count on him." Tears were flowing freely down Dixie's cheek. "The best years of my life were [spent] with you," she said as she smiled meekly.
In the video, Dixie told Junior not to think of death as goodbye. Instead, death meant "I'm right around the corner. I'm as close as a favorite memory." She concluded the videotaped message by singing "You Are My Sunshine." Even icy Braden was touched by the emotion-filled message. Dixie broke into tears, and Braden comforted her. "I don't wanna leave my baby," she sobbed. "Junior is lucky to have you," said Braden reassuringly.
Dixie wondered how lucky Junior could be to have a dying mother. Suddenly, the door to the room flung open, and Adam stepped inside. The hockey game had been canceled due to technical problems. Seeing Dixie in Braden's arms in front of a video camera, Adam naturally assumed that something of a sexual nature had been taking place. "What in the devil had you two been doing?" he asked.
One by one, visitors slowly trickled by to visit Hayley. The latest visitor, however, was one that Hayley had not anticipated. "I'm probably the last person you expected," said Kit as she approached the cell. Hayley rolled her eyes and made no attempt to hide her displeasure. Kit started off with a bit of praise for Hayley, remarking that she admired Hayley's loyalty to her friends. Kit did, however, waste no time in telling Hayley that in that instance, her trust had been misplaced.
"Ryan did not rape anyone," Hayley snapped. She said that her friend was incapable of forcing himself on any woman. Kit painted a picture of a very different man, a man that had twisted her arm and shoved her against a bar. Hayley nodded her head and reminded Kit that Ryan had already admitted that he'd pushed Kit around. As Kit continued implicating Ryan as her attacker, Hayley became more and more furious.
Hayley said that Kit had been "stumbling down drunk" on the night that she'd been attacked. Plus, it had been dark, and Kit's attacker had worn a wolf mask. Kit tried to defend herself against Hayley's attacks, but Hayley was not about to listen to anything Kit said. Kit cited the DNA evidence that seemingly proved that Ryan had sexually assaulted her. Hayley wasn't so sure. She hinted that someone had fixed the test -- and even went as far as to say that Kit was directly involved.
Kit was outraged by Hayley's insinuation and stormed out of the cell area. The guard overheard the raised voices and stopped by to make sure that everything was okay. Hayley asked the guard if the police had caught up to Ryan yet. The woman shook her head and walked away. Hayley started to cry and silently thanked her husband for not turning in Ryan and Gillian.
Gillian raced across the room to Mateo and immediately thanked him for rescuing them. She incorrectly assumed that Hayley had sent Mateo to deliver the getaway money. "I'm not here to finance your getaway," Mateo remarked coldly. He was, however, there to implore Ryan to turn himself in to the authorities. Ryan refused to comply, saying that he would not go to jail for a crime he hadn't committed.
Ryan claimed that he was doing what Hayley had asked him to do. Mateo shook his head and said that his almost-wife was "stubborn as hell." Mateo didn't want to see Hayley locked in a jail cell, but perhaps he was more concerned with the possibility that he could lose custody of Max because of Hayley's imprisonment. Gillian told Mateo that Hayley would never forgive him if he turned them in. Mateo was surprised by Gillian's devotion to Ryan. "Do you really know him?" he asked the princess. He urged Gillian to cut Ryan loose before he dragged her down with him.
"I'd go to the guillotine [for Ryan]," Gillian stated firmly. Mateo pressured Ryan to do "the right thing" so that Hayley could be released from jail. Ryan shook his head. He accused Mateo of being partly responsible for Hayley being in jail. Hayley and Ryan's friendship had been forged over many months. It was Ryan who'd been there for Hayley when she learned that she could not have any children -- and when Raquel had dropped the news that Mateo was a father. Had that never taken place, perhaps Hayley and Ryan's friendship wouldn't be as strong.
Ryan also implied that Mateo did not like the idea that Hayley had a mind of her own. Mateo vehemently denied feeling that way and again issued an order for Ryan to walk himself to the police station. When Ryan refused, Mateo pulled out his cellular phone and started dialing the police. Gillian acted quickly, smashing the champagne bottle over Mateo's head. She screamed in horror as Mateo fell lifelessly to the ground. Gillian feared that she'd killed Mateo, but Ryan noted that Mateo was still breathing and that his pulse was strong. He told his wife that they needed to make a quick getaway before Mateo regained consciousness. Along the way, however, they would call the paramedics.
The winter weather was still frigid as Ryan and Gillian trudged across the ice to the vacant fishing shack that Stuart and Marian had recently shared. Gillian was frantic that she might have seriously injured Mateo. Ryan promised to call someone to help but wondered who to call. They could not call the paramedics, the police, or just about anyone else in Pine Valley. Gillian suddenly thought up an idea to rectify the situation. She called Wildwind, and thankfully, the person she wanted to speak to answered the phone.
Raquel was stunned to hear Gillian's voice on the other end of the line. She started asking where Gillian had gone, why she wasn't going to turn herself in, and where she was headed. Gillian refused to answer any questions, saying simply that Raquel needed to get to Linden House immediately. Still unfamiliar with the lay of the land, Raquel wasn't sure how to find Linden. More importantly, she didn't understand why she was supposed to go to the gated house. Gillian stated that Mateo needed Raquel. That was all that Raquel needed to hear. She hung up the phone and headed out of the house.
Meanwhile, Gillian and Ryan returned to plotting their escape. They knew that their options were becoming extremely limited. Gillian was frightened by the prospect that assisting her husband's escape could land her in jail. Because of that, Gillian vowed to make sure that Ryan was never apprehended. Her mind flashed back to her most recent "affair" with David Hayward, the one in which she had slept with David in order to raise Ryan's bail money. Of course, the money was not needed.
Gillian decided that there was something she could do to help finance her husband's exodus. She concocted a tale about a secret safe in Edmund's Wildwind office. She'd once been shown the combination to the safe and had been told that she could access the safe's contents if ever an emergency arose. Ryan offered to go in Gillian's place, but Gillian confidently insisted that she could accomplish her goal.
Gillian never made it to Wildwind. She headed directly for Pine Valley Hospital. Dressed in surgeon's "scrubs" and black-rimmed glasses, the disguised princess walked up behind David and told him that there was an emergency that needed his attention.
Writhing in agony on the floor, Mateo attempted several times to get to his feet. Each time, however, his injuries overcame him, and he collapsed back to the ground. Following up on the cryptic advisory Gillian had given her, Raquel arrived at Linden House. She called out to her husband, but there was no response. She slowly wandered around the house until she stumbled upon Mateo sprawled out on the floor.
Tears flooded Raquel's eyes and she dropped to her knees and fell atop the man she still loved. She tried to resuscitate him, but Mateo finally awoke under his own power. Again Mateo tried to stand up, and again he failed. Raquel gave him a hand and helped him to a chair. Mateo blinked his eyes several times and remarked that his vision was out of focus. That was all that Raquel needed to hear. She told Mateo that she was either going to take him to the hospital or call the paramedics.
Once Mateo was at the hospital, Jake gave him a thorough checkup. Mateo's double vision had gone away, and he was feeling fine -- except for a bad headache. Since Mateo had been in a coma for several weeks, Jake was worried that the blow to his head could result in some sort of relapse. Mateo was also unwilling to discuss how he'd gotten clobbered. Jake left the room to arrange some additional tests.
While Jake was gone, Mateo asked Raquel how she had known where to find him. Raquel quietly explained that she'd received a call from Gillian alerting her to Mateo's condition. Mateo rolled his eyes and snidely remarked that it was nice of Gillian to be so concerned -- considering she'd been the one to hit him with the champagne bottle. Raquel was stunned by the news that Ryan and Gillian had hurt Mateo. She was even more puzzled by Hayley's allegiance to the fugitive couple.
Jake returned, and Mateo was wheeled off to have a few x-rays taken. Raquel stepped in to help update Mateo's medical records, proudly noting that she was his wife. After the update, Raquel decided that it was only fair to let Hayley know what she was missing while in jail. She picked up the phone and called the Pine Valley Police Department. "I'd like to leave a message for Hayley Chandler," Raquel said matter-of-factly. "No, not Santos. Hayley Chandler."
Raquel was pleased by what she was doing, choosing every word carefully so that it would have the most impact on Hayley. Raquel told the person on the other end to tell Hayley that Mateo was in the hospital, but that Hayley should not worry because "Raquel is by his side."
Permitted a phone call, Hayley placed an urgent call to a friend. After the call had been made, Hayley paced feverishly around her cell, waiting for her visitor to arrive. Minutes and hours passed, and there was still no sign of the visitor. Then, just as Hayley seemed convinced that her call would go unanswered, Dimitri arrived. Hayley was overjoyed to see her friend and immediately asked him to do her a "huge favor." Hayley told Dimitri that she had promised to deliver a sizeable chunk of cash to aid in Ryan and Gillian's escape.
Dimitri stopped Hayley mid-sentence and told her to say nothing further. "If you tell me [about the plan]," Dimitri said, "I'll have no choice but to tell the police." Hayley was stunned that Dimitri would turn in his own cousin. Dimitri explained that he had been on Ryan and Gillian's side up until the DNA evidence had shown that Ryan could very well have raped Kit. Hayley returned to her conspiracy theory, insinuating that someone close to the case could have fudged the results.
Dimitri sighed heavily and lowered his head. He urged Hayley to step forward with what she knew before things got worse for Ryan and Gillian. The longer the pair was on the run, he explained, the worse things would be for them. Hayley wasn't about to back down. Dimitri told Hayley that he knew she was having personal problems of her own, mainly with Raquel. He told her to do whatever she had to do to get out of jail. Then she and Mateo could go back to Jamaica or elsewhere for a much-needed vacation.
Hayley shook her head and glumly noted that Mateo would not go anywhere without Max -- and Max wouldn't go anywhere without Raquel. Dimitri reminded Hayley that it had been her decision to allow Raquel to stay at Wildwind. Hayley told Dimitri that she'd caught Raquel and Mateo holding hands. Dimitri chuckled and told Hayley that Raquel only wanted her son to have a father. Hayley disagreed. "No, she wants Mateo," she snarled.
Dimitri again asked Hayley to tell the police what she knew, but Hayley kept her silence. Dimitri left the cell area, and Hayley broke down in tears. The guard appeared at Hayley's cell with a message -- the one Raquel had asked be delivered to Hayley. Hayley read the note, and her face turned white. She began pounding and screaming, demanding that she be released from jail.
Adam was definitely observant -- and even more crafty. With Dixie's red nose glaring, Adam asked her if she'd been crying. Dixie nodded ever so slightly and admitted that she had been sobbing. Dixie was not about to tell the truth about why she'd been crying. Instead, she concocted a story about having taped an emotional videogram for some friends back in Pigeon Hollow.
Adam said that he knew almost everyone in the small rural town and asked if he could tape a few words of his own. Dixie denied Adam the opportunity to tape a message, saying that the contents of the videotape were personal. "Personal," Adam repeated. "Or perhaps pornographic?" he asked. Braden and Dixie both interjected their disgust with Adam's allusion. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Chandler," Braden groused. Adam was almost amused by Braden's remark.
Adam blinked several times before explaining to Braden that he was trying to have a private conversation with the mother of his child. Braden didn't back down, but he did agree to give the pair some privacy. Dixie tucked her videotape in her purse as Adam fielded a call from Owen, the judge that had presiding over Mateo's custody hearing. The crooked judge told Adam that he had not been able to get the contempt charges against Hayley dropped. Apparently, Owen had no favors to "call in" with the judge that had sentenced Hayley to jail.
Adam was frazzled by Owen's inability to get things done and angrily hung up the phone. Dixie smiled arrogantly at her former husband's failure to rock the system. Dixie decided that it would be better if she took Junior to stay with her at Cortlandt Manor. Adam argued that he wanted to spend time with Junior. Dixie explained that she feared Adam would have no time for Junior once he and Liza got back together. "You had Junior very young," Adam told Dixie, adding, "I'm a lot older [than you.]" The implication was that Adam didn't have as much time left with his son as Dixie.
Adam vowed to make every minute with his son count and to be the best father he could be. "I want to believe you," Dixie replied softly. Adam could sense that something wasn't quite right. He asked Dixie if everything was okay. Dixie nodded and said that she was worried that Junior might be neglected once Liza's child was born. Dixie agreed to let Junior spend the night at Chandler Mansion. She headed off to tuck her son into bed.
While Dixie was gone, Adam slipped into her purse and removed the video cassette from Dixie's purse. Tape in hand, Adam scurried to his private collection of tapes and grabbed a tape. He then switched the label Dixie had put on her tape with his own tape and then slipped the new tape into Dixie's purse. Adam waited for Dixie to return -- and she did look in her purse to make sure that the tape was still inside. Dixie said goodnight to Adam and headed on her way to Cortlandt Manor. Adam looked out his office window to make sure that Dixie was really leaving before scurrying over to his VCR and popping Dixie's tape inside.
