More ABC News coverage of the Impeachment trial pre-empted portions of today's show. Today's recap pools resources and provides a complete recap of everything that took place.
After viewing the tape at Pine Valley Hospital, Liza headed to Chandler Mansion to check on the fallout. Once there, Adam told Liza how he'd bungled his father-son talk with Junior. He vowed to never interfere with his children's lives again. Furthermore, he assured Liza that if they were to get back together, he would never even think of stepping on Liza's toes. Liza reminded Adam that her baby was not related to Adam by flesh and blood. "I will love it like my own," replied Adam with a smile. "She," Liza interjected. Adam's eyebrows scrunched up and he gave Liza a peculiar look. She explained that her baby was not an "it"---she was a girl. Adam nodded unconvincingly and continued telling Liza how much he wanted to be a part of her life. He explained that motherhood might one day make Liza realize why he acts the way he does. That said, Adam once again told Liza to consider his marriage proposal.
Still groggy from his battle with pneumonia, Ryan awoke in his hospital bed and found a strange sight just over his wife's shoulder. A police officer hovered at the doorway, checking in every few minutes to make sure that Ryan was still accounted for. Ryan still had no recollection of why or how he'd ended up in the hospital. Gillian lamely suggested that the officer might have been stationed at the hospital to prevent baby-snatching. A veil of coldness set over Ryan. He shuddered under the covers and said that he'd had a vision of being trapped in a freezing lake. Gillian knew that Ryan would eventually learn the truth and reluctantly began bringing Ryan up to speed on all that had gone down. The pieces started to fall together when Ryan was told that he'd jumped into an ice fishing hole to escape the police. He then remembered that Gillian had lied about going to Wildwind to get her hands in Edmund's secret wall safe. ""You really went to see your lover, David Hayward," Ryan said coldly. Now everything was coming together. He told Gillian that he remembered that she'd slept with David to raise her bail money---and that she'd offered to sleep with the doctor again to raise money to fund their escape from the authorities. Ryan rolled over in his bed and told Gillian to get out of his room. Gillian sat down on the bed and told her husband that she wasn't going anywhere.
At Wildwind, Mateo finally got around to telling Raquel that he and Hayley planned to move out of Wildwind after the custody hearing. He then offered Raquel the chance to sign a "no fault" divorce agreement, but Raquel refused to pen her name on the dotted line. Raquel also tried to concoct a variety of reasons why Matt couldn't (or shouldn't) move. Since conversation was getting them nowhere, Mateo decided that it was time to call it a night. Hayley smiled devilishly and told her almost husband to go along without her. "I need to speak to Raquel alone," she said. Mateo nodded and headed upstairs. Hayley encouraged Raquel to do what she had to do in the courtroom. "You can use my past against me," said Hayley sternly. "We're moving out regardless [of the outcome of the custody hearing.]" The implication was that Raquel was getting too much enjoyment out of the "living under one roof" arrangement. Raquel denied the accusation, but Hayley didn't believe her. "I don't enjoy this arrangement either," Raquel replied. Hayley nodded her head and said that if that was the case, Raquel should have no trouble doing the right thing. The right thing being agreeing to a divorce. Max wandered out of his bed, saying that he had been woken up by all the loud voices. There was one thing that would make the young boy fall asleep: Sleeping in the same bed as his mommy and daddy. Raquel told her son that they would be unable to sleep together because they all had their own beds. She blinked her eyes several times as an idea emerged in her mind. She told Max that his father might just agree to his request, but only if he raced upstairs to Mateo's bedroom and asked him. Max was too young and naive to realize that his mother was using him. He scurried upstairs and knocked on his father's bedroom door. Inside, Matt and Hayley were engaged in a little romantic activity. They quickly broke things off just as Max entered the room. Max told his dad that he was unable to get to sleep. Then came the bombshell. "Can we do what we did last time when Hayley wasn't here?" Max asked innocently. "I want to sleep with you and mommy in the same bed." Outside the room, Raquel smiled deviously.
Somewhere between the front door at Chandler Mansion and a hotel in New York City, Tad stopped toting Dixie over his shoulder. Dixie still had no idea that Tad knew about her illness. Tad ultimately confessed that her knew all about Dixie's illness and that he'd seen her videotaped farewell. As Dixie took her pills, Tad asked her why she'd been keeping the truth bottled up for so many months. Dixie told Tad that when they'd had their heated discussion last summer, they'd talked about their future together. Dixie said that she "couldn't give [Tad] forever," she didn't want to put him through the pain of losing her. She spoke softly as she told Tad that at any given time her heart could simply stop beating. "Now you have two hearts beating for you---yours and mind," Tad smiled. Both agreed that David was a good doctor---even if he was a bit of "a jerk." Tad told Dixie that he was going to ask her a question and that there was only one possible answer she could give---"Yes." He told her that he would not accept any other answer. "Do you understand?" Tad asked. Dixie smiled wryly and replied, "Yes." The couple laughed giddily for several minutes before Tad told Dixie that that was not the question. His face grew serious as he looked deeply into Dixie's eyes. "The question is: Will you marry me?"
Silence met Adam's proposal. He cocked his head to the side and begged Liza for an answer. It must have seemed like an eternity for Adam, but Liza did finally speak up. After Adam's confession of how he'd interfered in Mateo's custody hearing and blabbed the news of Dixie's illness to Junior, she had been given every right to walk out of Adam's life once and for all. For some reason, and so Adam observed, Liza was still sitting with Adam. "You can't cling to a loved one," Adam babbled, referring to his willingness to let Liza leave. Liza blinked her eyes and mused that Adam could always retire from mogul-dom and write greeting cards. "You still haven't left," grinned Adam. Liza struggled to get out of her seat and asked Adam if he was daring her to leave. Liza claimed that she was "fascinated by the way [Adam's] mind works." According to the former Mrs. Chandler, Adam is "selfish, greedy, and a fraud." Adam out on his best innocent face and told Liza, "Your love can help me change." Liza muzzled a laugh and told Adam that he needed a keeper, not a wife. "I love you, but I'm not crazy enough to live [with Adam's wackiness every day]," Liza commented. Adam suddenly became quite calm. He asked Liza to repeat what she'd just said. Liza fumbled for words, perhaps desperately trying to get around an admission that she'd just told Adam that she loved him. Alas, Liza smiled broadly and again told Adam that she does love him. "To hear you say [I love you] out loud means everything to me," Adam gushed. Adam went on to vow that he and Liza would be the happiest human beings alive once they were married. Sirens went off in Liza's mind; She had said nothing about wanting to marry Adam. Liza squinted and looked at Adam's face. She was not certain that Adam was "one hundred percent squeaky clean." Adam denied that he was keeping anything from her, but that didn't stop Liza from wondering. Liza informed Adam that she knew how he'd gotten into an argument with Stuart and Marian. Liza told Adam that she would not allow him to hold her mother's wedding "hostage." She went on to strong-arm Adam into doubling the amount of money he planned to spend on the wedding. In return, she promised to give him an answer to his proposal the night of her mother's wedding.
Mateo calmly told his son that sleeping together was not an option. Max stomped his feet and demanded that he be allowed to sleep with his mommy and daddy. Outside, Raquel laughed to herself as she realized the extent of the trouble she'd caused for Mateo and Hayley. Mateo told his son that he was going to take him back to bed. As Mateo opened the door, he found Raquel with one ear pressed against the door. Raquel lamely explained that she'd dropped by to make sure that Max hadn't disturbed Mateo and Hayley. Hayley sat on the bed---silent. Mateo nervously glanced at Hayley, fearful of what she wasn't saying. Raquel took Max to his bedroom, leaving Hayley and Mateo do discuss what had just happened. Mateo cautiously explained that he and Max had fallen asleep in the same bed. In the morning, he said, Raquel slipped into the room and invited herself into the bed. Hayley was unmoved by the explanation. She slowly walked towards the door after commenting that she wanted to get a spare blanket because it had suddenly gotten cold in the room. Raquel paced around the parlor, perhaps awaiting the fall-out of her little scheme. Hayley appeared and issued a stern warning to the other Mrs. Santos. She implied that Raquel's conscience was preventing her from getting any sleep. She asked Raquel what she'd hoped to accomplish by crawling into bed with Mateo. Did she want to seduce Mateo in front of her son---or perhaps she'd hoped that Mateo would mistake her for Hayley? Raquel turned her back to Hayley and insisted that she did not have to take Hayley's abuse. Hayley nodded in agreement. She warned Raquel that she'd be wise not to use Max as a prop to win back Mateo. That, Hayley said, would not work. Hayley took pleasure in telling Raquel that she was going to go to bed with Mateo.
"I want you out. NOW!" Ryan yelled at his wife. Gillian shook her head and refused to budge. As the pair bickered, Jack appeared outside the room and demanded that Jake release Ryan back into his custody. Jake refused citing Ryan's need for continued observation. Jack wanted to enter Ryan's room, but the policeman standing guard explained that a "special assignment nurse" was conducting a test on Ryan. Jack accepted the explanation, but that didn't mean that acceptance came without question. Jack asked Jake for an updated list of personnel that was allowed to enter Ryan's room. Jake nodded. As he looked past Jack, he could see that Gillian was still inside the room. Before he could act, he was paged away to handle an emergency. Gillian claimed that her presence had started to have healing effects on Ryan. Ryan, however, chalked up his recovery to antibiotics. Gillian's back still faced the door, so no one on the outside knew that she was not really a nurse. But the secret was about to be discovered. David had been asked to consult on the case. He entered the room and asked "the nurse" for an update on the patient's condition. "He's better," Gillian mumbled. Again, her accent shone through. David smiled as he realized that Gillian had been trying to pass herself off as a nurse. David pulled a syringe from his pocket and asked "the nurse" to prep the patient for a shot. Gillian flipped when she saw the syringe and started pummeling David. The ruckus roused Jack and guard and they hurried into the room. Before they actually entered the room, David made a crude remark about being aroused by Gillian's violence. Jack was furious when he saw that Gillian had infiltrated the supposedly secure room. David remained calm while he explained that he'd been attacked by a frenzied Gillian. He claimed that Gillian was angry because she believed that he had a personal vendetta against Ryan. David repeated his claim that he wanted to do his civic duty by reporting Ryan and Gillian's whereabouts to the police. Jack still didn't understand Gillian's unnatural fear of needles. The princess held out her arms and told Jack to arrest her. That way, she figured, she could be in a cell next to her husband. Jack warned Gillian that if she interfered again, he would have her carted off to a women's detention facility. Gillian panicked. She called out to Ryan and asked him to always remember that she loved him. She swore that she would re-earn Ryan's trust. She was then escorted out of the room by the police officer.
Dixie was stunned speechless. "The required answer is 'Yes,'" grinned Tad. "Tad, you can't," Dixie managed to chatter before she was halted by Tad. "Yes doesn't begin with 'Tad, you can't,'" he laughed. Dixie took her fingers and pinched Tad's lips together so that he couldn't interrupt her. "I love you so much," she said softly. Dixie told Tad that she'd dreamed of this moment for a long time. But now that it was here, her mind was aflutter with activity. "I can't ask you to do this," Dixie said. Tad was shocked. Dixie explained that she didn't want Tad to get his hopes up because she could still die at any time. Tad wasn't about to let the moment get ruined by negative thoughts. He assured Dixie that they'd be together for a long, long time---at least until their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Dixie smiled and told Tad that they should go to the Statler Building to get their "Affair to Remember" recreation right. Tad shook his head. He smiled devilishly as he informed Dixie that he wanted to do something with her that wasn't exactly appropriate for the top of a high rise building. "Most people do not have a chance to go back," said Tad. Both Tad and Dixie were thankful that they bucked the trend. "Will you be my once and future bride?" Tad asked softly. With that, Tad produced a beautiful engagement ring. Dixie broke into tears and exuberantly shouted, "Yes!" Finally, the answer that Tad had requested. The couple shared a kiss and slowly moved towards the bed. Tad worried that Dixie's heart might not be up to a physical encounter. Dixie flashed her big eyes at Tad and told him that her heart knew exactly what it needed---and that was Tad.
The sun rose on a clear day in Manhattan. Sunlight infiltrated Dixie's sleep and she slowly awoke from what must have been an enjoyable sleep. Dixie rolled over and realized that Tad was gone. She called out for him and seconds later Tad raced to her side. Tad feared that Dixie was having an attack and readied to call the paramedics. Dixie smiled and told her lover that she wanted to make sure that she hadn't been dreaming. The couple kissed. They began thinking about their wedding; Dixie wanted Junior to walk her down the aisle and Tad was going to ask Jamie to be his Best Man. Tad headed to the bathroom to get Dixie's medicine. Dixie claimed that she hadn't felt so good in a long, long time. She wanted to call room service, but Tad nixed the idea. He claimed that room service charged too much for breakfast. Actually, Tad was acting very peculiarly. He rushed Dixie into the bathroom to take a shower, but she froze in her tracks when someone knocked on the door. Tad tried to remain calm and pushed Dixie into the bathroom. He propped a chair underneath the doorknob so that Dixie was effectively trapped in the bathroom. Dixie didn't have to remain prisoner for long. Tad opened the door a short time later and revealed what he'd been so desperate to keep a secret: a candlelight breakfast. Everything on the menu was "heart smart," from the egg white omelets to the decaffeinated hot chocolate. As an added bonus, Tad picked up a copy of "An Affair To Remember," hoping that he could finally see how the movie ended. Both chuckled as they realized that they'd already lived out the movie and that there was probably no reason to watch the film. Dixie told Tad that she feels she owes her life to Braden because without him she might have died. After their breakfast, of which neither ate much, Tad and Dixie found their way back to the bed.
Mateo and Hayley awoke and discussed their thoughts on the custody hearing that would take place in a few hours. Hayley worried that the judge would pluck Max from Mateo because of her recent imprisonment and battle with alcohol. Mateo remained optimistic and hoped that the judge would do the right thing and split custody of Max "fifty-fifty" between him and Raquel. Hayley vowed to make any custody agreement work. "Just as long as [we're all] not under one roof," Mateo laughed. Speaking of moving plans, Hayley reached under the bed and retrieved the classifieds. She and Mateo scanned the listings and came up with nine possible residences. One of the condominiums seemed better than the others because of its proximity to the park. On the downside, it was almost right next to a fire station and Hayley worried that they'd be disturbed by the sirens. Mateo mentioned that Max wanted to be a fireman---and that the boy had asked him about his occupation. "Yeah, what do you do for a living?" Hayley laughed. Matt explained that he'd told Max a fairytale version of their stint as owners of Holidays. The couple decided that it might be time to consider starting a new business. Their new line of work would have to keep the daytime hours open for Max. "A night club!" Hayley chirped. She smiled as she said that Mateo and Max could be the "Desi and Little Ricky" of the 90s.
Downstairs, Raquel had summoned Lynette to Wildwind to discuss a change in legal strategy. Lynette was upbeat when she learned that a new judge had been appointed to the hearing. The new judge, she beamed, ruled ten-to-one in the mother's favor. Surprisingly, that meant little to Raquel. She asked her attorney to have the hearing delayed. Lynette questioned her client's decision, saying that she could get everything she wanted if she went through with the hearing. "Not everything," Raquel grumbled. "I want a full-time father for Max and a real family." Lynette shook her head. She was able to read between the lines and figure out what Raquel really wanted---a husband. Lynette reminded Raquel that Matt was very much in love with Hayley. "But Mateo and Hayley are having problems," Raquel interjected. "It's only a matter of time." Raquel was positive that Hayley would push Mateo away because, in Raquel's mind, Hayley does not respect Mateo. Against her better judgment, Lynette placed a call to the courthouse and was granted a three week continuance. Raquel jumped for joy. She was certain that the extension would give her enough time to win over Mateo. As Lynette left the room, Mateo entered. Raquel forced a look of concern and told Mateo that she'd just learned that the hearing had been postponed. Raquel claimed that her attorney had failed to file papers on time and that the judge delayed the hearing. Raquel was very convincing. She immediately went into a request for Mateo to forgo his plans to move out of Wildwind. "We can go on like this for a little while longer," she said softly. "Just the three of us." Raquel failed to count another participant in the scenario---and that other person was standing in the doorway. Unamused by Raquel's antics, Hayley strolled into the room and gave Mateo a kiss. Mateo didn't hesitate with a response. He told Raquel that he intended to move out as planned. "What does that mean for me and Max?" Raquel asked in shock. Mateo told Raquel that she was free to do what she wanted. But since the hearing had been postponed and he still had sole custody of Max, he planned on taking Max with him.
Erica walked into Vanessa's room with a broad smile and floral arrangement. Without looking, Vanessa commented for the visitor to put down the plant and leave. It seems she'd mistaken Erica for a nurse. When Erica spoke up, Vanessa quickly apologized for her behavior. Erica reached into her purse and pulled out Vanessa's handbag. The patient was overjoyed to be reunited with her purse, saying that it contained her "whole world." Erica told Vanessa that she was glad to see that she was better and asked if she remembered anything about the night before. Vanessa nodded and informed Erica that her memory had not been affected. She also doubted that she'd had a heart attack, chalking up her attack to bad food. Erica mentioned David's name and asked Vanessa if she had any idea why the cardiologist had refused to help her in her time of need. Vanessa coldly replied that she did not care to talk about the doctor. The door swung open and David appeared in the doorway. He told Erica that she was "tiring" his patient and asked her to leave. Vanessa smiled meekly and thanked Erica for returning her purse. Erica offered to return later with magazines or goodies. Vanessa shook her head and told Erica that she was no longer needed. After Erica, left the tension between David and Vanessa continued to grow. David angrily asked the woman why she'd chosen to show up in Pine Valley. Vanessa gave a plethora of reasons---everything from "just passing through" to a supposed interest in establishing a residence. Vanessa looked almost proud as she told the doctor that he's "done well" for himself. The praise, however, was an understatement as far as David was concerned. He touted himself as a "superstar" in the world of cardiac care. He had, after all, performed a quadruple bypass on the governor. Vanessa then mentioned that it was a shame that David's success hadn't carried to his personal life. David turned a cold shoulder and walked out of the room.
Erica scurried to Joe's office and told the Chief of Staff that she'd been haunted by visions of Vanessa's attack. Joe smiled warmly and assured Erica that the woman would make a full recovery. Erica bowed her head. It was obvious that she was debating whether or not to mention David's involvement. "Does this state have some kind of Good Samaritan law?" she asked. The question seemed to come out of the blue. Erica qualified her question by asking if it was a crime for a doctor to walk away from a person in need of medical attention. Joe stated that doctors were bound by duty to help all those in need. Erica took a deep breath and stated that one of the staff members had done just that---walked away from Vanessa. Jake and Joe were stunned to learn that David was the doctor in question. They'd judged David to be a spotlight hog. Why would he pass up an opportunity to play hero? Joe wanted answers and had David summoned to his office. In the interim, Jake explained that he'd had a previous run-in with David when he'd been framed for mismedicating Adam. When David showed up, he had all the right answers. He claimed that he'd been unable to tend to "Mrs. Bennett" because he'd received an urgent page from the hospital. Erica said that she'd never heard David's pager go off. David grinned and explained that he has a vibrating pager because he disproves of the audible alerts. He added that he'd returned later to make sure that everything was okay and that he was confident that Joe was capable of handling the emergency. David's silent pager went off and he was called back to duty. Erica was stunned and insisted that everything David had said was a lie. Joe had his doubts as well. He went to Vanessa's room to ask her about Erica's allegations. Vanessa laughed nervously and claimed that while Erica means well she was making up stories.
In her office at Enchantment, Erica looked out her office window while conducting a phone conversation. She was unaware that someone had entered her office. Suddenly, the receiver on the phone pressed down. Erica looked up and saw a scowling David staring back at her.
"Who let you in?" Erica gasped upon setting her eyes on David. David smiled wryly and told Erica that he'd gotten past the front desk by claiming that he needed to talk to Erica about Bianca's health. Erica was furious with David for using her daughter as part of his warped games. She was even more surprised when David announced that wanted a second chance to make a first impression with Erica. "We got off on the wrong foot," David said, his voice icy and tense. "We travel in the same circles [and] I'd life for us to be friends." A shocked chirp escaped Erica's mouth. "That's a scary thought," she said drolly. David implied that a friendship with him would be beneficial for Erica. He reminded her that many of his acquaintances have very deep pockets, pockets that could contain thousand and thousands of dollars worth of donations for Teens Against Addiction. Erica was unimpressed. She told David that she did not question whether or not he could be a good doctor. He did, after all, help Bianca. She warned him that his sweet talking would not fool her. "I'm on to you," Erica grinned. She knew that David hoped he could flatter her into silence about the incident in The Valley Inn's parking lot. "It's one thing to dislike me or disagree with me," David responded. "But going behind my back [to report his alleged misdoings] is another." Erica reminded David that he had walked away from a dying woman. David rolled his eyes and assured Erica that Vanessa had never been in danger. He also brought up the fact that he'd been paged. David's niceness was never convincing---so he opted to let his colder side come forward. The cardiologist slammed his hand on Erica's desk. "Don't cross me or I'll be obliged to return the favor," David snarled. The threat was enough to send shivers up one's spine---but not Erica's. She was not about to back down, reminding David that she had more money, connections, and media contacts than him. If he even thought of causing her problems, she'd level him in an instant. David again claimed that he'd prefer to be friends with Erica, but Erica told him that he blew his chances for friendship when he walked away from Vanessa Bennett. David warned Erica not to believe that Vanessa was a sweet, innocent woman. Everyone, he said, needs help at some time or another. And Erica was no different. The doctor also claimed that he and Erica were a lot alike, both having made their fair share of mistakes. He suggested that if their enemies assembled to share their thoughts on them (them being, Erica and David), they might use similar words to describe them. Erica shook her head and insisted that her enemies would not even mention her name in the same breath as David's. Seeing that the conversation was getting nowhere, David told Erica that he would pretend that they'd never met and hoped that she'd do the same. He went as far as to say that he would cross the street if he saw Erica approaching. He then filed out of the office with the same pompously frightening smile on his face. Erica immediately got on the phone and told her receptionist to call security should David return. She also asked the woman to track down Adam for her.
Scott called Stuart to asked about his father's wedding plans. Stuart had to cut the call short when several men entered the gallery toting chairs. Stuart informed the men that they were delivering the items to the wrong place. Adam entered and explained that the men had not made a mistake; They were delivering the items needed for Stuart's wedding. Stuart thanked his brother for coming around and making good on his promise to give him a wedding. Adam confessed that Liza had been the one to talk sense into him. Stuart gently warned Adam not to make life hard for Liza since Liza would soon be his step daughter. Adam smiled and professed that he would never dream of making Liza unhappy. He then hinted that he and Liza might be getting married again. Stuart was elated and gave his brother a big hug.
Across town, Marian paced nervously back and force in Liza's condo as she waited for Opal to show up. When Opal finally did arrive, Marian scolded her for being late and for not taking her wedding seriously. Opal explained that a lot of things had popped up in her life. Marian still had no idea that Adam had un-reneged on his offer to give her a dream wedding and she wanted to make alternate plans. Liza watched quietly from the background for several minutes. When she decided that her mother had stewed enough, she informed her that the wedding was back on. Marian embraced her daughter and thanked her for putting Adam back in line. Opal was forced to admit that she had not even thought about making plans for Marian's bridal shower. Marian was miffed and feared that Opal would host a rinky-dink gathering at Cortlandt Manor. Opal vowed to make good on her promise to deliver a high quality shower. Marian suggested that they rent a limo for the evening, saying that perhaps Adrian could act as the chauffeur. "There is no way I am going to ask my son to [drive around a bunch of] marinated matrons," Opal groused. Marian's jaw dropped. She hadn't heard the news that Opal was Adrian's mother. Opal took some time out to explain the events leading up to and following the huge revelation. She had assumed that Marian, an avid reader of The Intruder, had already seen the news. Marian apologized for not having been there for Opal in her time of need. Before allowing Opal to run off to finalize shower plans, Marian made Opal promise that they'd maintain communication between one another. They could talk "mother-to-mother," Marian beamed. Marian also had things to do. She wanted to go to the gallery and tell Stuart about Adam's change of heart. Shortly after the two women left, a knock sounded on Liza's door. Liza opened the door and found a man holding a huge box in front of his face. Liza told who she believed to be a delivery man that she had not ordered anything. The box dropped and revealed the man's face---it was Adam. Adam grinned happily and told Adam that he wanted to deliver her matron-of-honor gown. Liza thanked Adam for agreeing to plan the wedding. Adam chuckled and said that he hoped Liza would be so overcome with emotion that she'd agree to marry him. Liza quashed a smile and told Adam that she liked the old, devious Adam much better than the new-and-improved, honest version. Adam kissed Liza on the cheek and dashed out of the condo.
Raquel asked Mateo why he'd moved up his moving date. She implied that another move would throw Max's life into disarray. Hayley stepped forward and stated that Max could help them pick out a house. Raquel felt that the whole idea was "cruel." Hayley disagreed. Hayley argued that cruel was allowing Max to think that they'd all live together forever. Max returned home from school and presented his parents with a drawing. Max sensed that something was bothering his mother. Raquel angrily looked at Mateo and told Max that his father would explain everything. This was possibly the first time that Raquel had used the word "father" rather than "daddy." Mateo explained that Wildwind was Sam and Maddie's house. He went on to say that he wanted a house of his own. "One with you, me, and mommy?" Max asked. Mateo bowed his head. "Not exactly," he responded. He told Max that Raquel would be finding a house of her own---he even stated that he and Hayley would buy her one. It took him several minutes before he finally stated that he'd be living with Hayley in the new house. "Will you still be my daddy?" Max asked. It became obvious that he was worried that Mateo would get "lost" again if he was not living under the same roof as Raquel. Mateo smiled warmly and promised Max that he would always be his father. He touted the benefits of having his parents live in two different house, relying heavily on the idea of having two bedrooms to make Max receptive to the idea. "Your mom and I are good friends," Mateo said, casting a quick glance at Raquel. "But I live with Hayley." Raquel's heart fell to the floor and shattered into a million little pieces. Mateo assured his son that he and Raquel would both be there for him. That seemed to ease the boy's fears. Hayley told Max that they wanted him to help them find a new place to love. Max put on a big smile and said that he was ready to start looking for a new house. Max and Mateo headed off to the kitchen to get some cookies. Meanwhile, Raquel blasted Hayley for trying to "steal" her son away from her. Hayley denied the charges and angrily told Raquel that Max had nothing to do with her decision to force a move out of Wildwind. "If you had agreed to a divorce, you'd have joint custody," Hayley stated frigidly. "You wanted more. If you don't watch yourself, you'll get nothing." The phone rang and Hayley stomped over to answer it. Her face dropped as she listened to the person on the other end. When Max and Mateo returned to the room, Hayley informed Mateo that she needed to postpone their house hunt. The phone call was from Gillian and she alerted Hayley to Ryan's hospitalization. Since Gillian was barred from going near her husband, Hayley wanted to step in to help. Mateo nodded his head. Raquel smiled slightly. She hoped that this latest wrinkle would create more tension between Hayley and Mateo. After Hayley left, Mateo told Max to get his coat. In spite of Hayley's absence, they were still going out to look at house. Raquel was stunned.
Back at the gallery, a giddy Marian told Stuart that their wedding was back on. Of course, Stuart already knew that. He asked Marian to climb a ladder and look at one of the decorations Adam had ordered. Marian slowly crawled to the top of the ladder and looked inside a huge, wooden crate. She leaned over to far and fell head first into the crate. Stuart quickly dove in after her---and ended up trapped himself. But neither Marian nor Stuart were upset. A flurry of styrofoam peanuts flew out of the as did moans of pleasure and ecstasy.
When David remarked that he and Erica had a lot in common, he may have been right. Erica waltzed into Chandler Mansion as Adam was on the phone with a florist. She pressed down the receiver and abruptly ended the conversation, much the same way David had ended her phone chat. Erica asked Adam for he is thoughts on David. She was greeted with a barrage of negative feedback. "Is it true that he tried to kill you?" Erica asked. Adam nodded and filled his former wife in on his sordid past with David Hayward. Adam wasn't sure why Erica wanted to know so much dirt about the doctor. It was Erica's turn to speak of David's questionable medical procedure. She told her tale of how David had walked away from a dying woman. Adam wasn't surprised. Erica continued her story, but she was stopped mid-sentence when Erica mentioned that the victim was Vanessa Bennett. Erica cocked her head to one side and asked Adam if he knew the woman. "I know her," he grinned. "But not nearly as well as Dr. Hayward."
In her room at the hospital, Vanessa chatted away with a friend. She ended the phone call when David walked into the room. Vanessa smiled unconvincingly and told David that it was nice of him to drop me. "Hello, mother," David snarled.
After a whirlwind trip to New York City, Tad and Dixie returned to Pine Valley and broke the happy news of their engagement to Brooke, Jake, Junior, and Jamie. The boys were overjoyed that they'd once again be "brothers." Tad apologized for having doubted the boys' optimism that he and Dixie would get back together, but the apology didn't near carry as much weight as the thought of sharing the same bunk beds again! Dixie explained that it was "mostly [her] fault" for the delayed reunion because she didn't want anyone to know that she was sick. Jake cringed as Dixie mentioned that Dr. Hayward was nursing her back to health. Tad pulled his brother aside and asked him if he could help him with one more favor. The two men slipped out of the house unnoticed as Dixie and Junior sat down for a heart-to-heart talk. It was easy to see that Junior was still very worried about his mother. He became concerned when she'd show too much emotion, obviously fearing that the extra excitement would compromise his mother's health. Dixie assured her son that she'd never been happier. Junior grinned broadly and chirped that everything appeared to be returning to normal.
Liza headed for the gallery to check up on her mother and Stuart. When she arrived, there was no sign of anyone---only a muffled moan coming from across the room. Liza stepped in to investigate and realized that the moans were coming from inside the crate. She knocked on the crate with a smile on her face and called out to her mother. "There's nobody here but us packing peanuts," Stuart replied giddily. The couple eventually emerged from their styrofoam paradise. Marian started to explain how she and Stuart had ended up in the crate and what they were doing. Liza held up her hand and wittily told her mother that she did not want her to share her story. Liza looked around the gallery in amazement. She had not expected Adam to come through in such grand style. Marian and Stuart both detected a bit of reluctance in Liza's voice. Liza explained that she had promised to give Adam a response to his marriage proposal after the wedding. She added a bit of a disclaimer, saying that she held her impending response over Adam to assure that the wedding would go off without a hitch. Marian knew that her daughter wasn't dejected for no reason; She knew that Liza wanted to accept Adam's proposal. Marian smiled warmly and told Liza that she would not object if Liza decided to get married to Adam again. "Your happiness is the most important thing to me," gushed Marian. Liza was moved to tears and gave her mother a big hug. Liza decided to return to her condo to get ready for the wedding. Soon after she left, Marian and Stuart headed back to their love nook inside the crate!
The revelation that Vanessa Bennett was David Hayward's mother came as a shock to Erica. She could not believe that David had left a woman to die in the parking lot---and the fact that he'd walked out on his own mother was totally incomprehensible. When Erica voiced her doubts over Adam's information, Adam handed over a dossier he'd had written up on David. Erica review page after page of the file and realized that Adam was telling the truth. With the help of a private investigator, Adam managed to learn a lot about the renowned cardiologist. He'd had a life of privilege, attending the top boarding schools and colleges in the country. One thing that his childhood lacked, however, was close ties to his parents. Throughout David's teenage years, Vanessa was out of the country, hobnobbing with bigwigs in Europe and enjoying her wealth. Only one thing was missing from the information package: details about David's father. David's father had passed away when David was still in high school. How he'd died remained a mystery. Even the death certificate failed to mention the cause of death. Adam looked at Erica and asked her how they were going to fight back against David. Erica placed her hand on her chest and asked Adam how she'd gotten roped into Adam's revenge scheme. Adam smiled wryly and pointed out that Erica had come to him for information---so it seemed only natural that she'd want to be a part of a payback scheme. Erica shook her head and said that she'd keep Adam in mind if she heard any information that could be useful to bring David down. Erica sensed that Adam was holding something back from her. She seemed to have overlooked that Adam might want to stick it to David---after all, he had nearly killed him! Still, Erica perceived that David was holding something over Adam. Adam wasn't about to admit that he'd done something shifty and told Erica that she was just being overly concerned. After Erica left, however, Adam leaned against the front door and quietly hoped that Erica managed to dig up some dirty on David---and quickly.
"I was wondering when my famous cardiologist son would pay me a visit," Vanessa said with an amused smile. David shook his head and informed his mother that she'd gotten things mixed up. He would be the one who was getting paid for the visit, a forced attempt at sardonic humor. Vanessa looked at David and asked him if he would really make his own mother pay for medical assistance. David grew tired of his mother's company and told her that he had to check on other patients.
Hayley kept her promise to Gillian and showed up at the hospital. She immediately embraced the princess and asked if there was anything she could do to help. Gillian bowed her head and asked Hayley if she could help get her back in Ryan's good graces. Hayley hadn't been kept abreast of the latest developments in the Ryan and Gillian saga, so she had no way of knowing that the couple was once again on the outs. Hayley asked Gillian to start at the beginning and tell her everything that had happened. Gillian feared that Hayley would judge her mistakes. David strolled up to the two women with a sly smile. He told Hayley that she was looking good and informed Gillian that he was going to run some addition tests on Ryan. Gillian leapt from her seat and clawed at the doctor. The guard that had been stationed outside Ryan's room quickly moved to break up the altercation. Hayley out two and two together and determined that David must have been the man with which Gillian had had her affair. Gillian bashfully admitted that Hayley was correct. Slowly, she told Hayley the long, painful story about how she'd slept with David not once, but twice. Hayley claimed that she understood why Gillian decided to sleep with David to earn Ryan's bail money. More than that, she said that she believed that Gillian was doing what she thought was best for Ryan. Gillian was overcome with emotion as her former "enemy" had now become a staunch ally. Gillian begged Hayley to do what she could to make Ryan forgive her.
David headed back to his office. He stopped in the hallway in front of his office and rummage through his pocket for his keys. After unlocking his office door, David slowly walked into his office. He froze in his tracks when he saw two pairs of eyes staring back at him. "What's up, doc?" Tad quipped as David entered. David looked angrily at Tad and Jake and demanded to know how they'd gotten inside. He read them the riot act about thinking they could so what they wanted since they were the sons of the Chief of Staff. Tad stood up and looked the sometimes evil doctor in the eyes. He firmly stated that he knew all about Dixie's health woes and asked for a prognosis. David looked to Jake and asked his colleague to remind Tad about the doctor-patient confidentiality agreement. Tad informed David that he and Dixie were engaged and that he would find out the information one way or another. David sighed and walked to his computer terminal. He tapped in a few commands and Dixie's medical file pulled up on the monitor. Jake reviewed the chart and determined that everything was on the up-and-up. It couldn't help but be noticed that David seemed irritated that there had been an assumption that he hadn't been on the level with Dixie's care. Tad was unable to follow all of the medical lingo and asked for a plain English explanation. David's choice of words was interesting. "Once Dixie turns the corner," David said, "she'll probably make a full recovery." Tad never once doubted that David was good at his job---he just didn't like him as a person. Tad and Jake left, fully convinced that Dixie was in good hands. David turned his attention towards a locked filing cabinet that held the results of Adam's DNA comparison to that of Liza's unborn baby. As he held the yellow file folder in his hands, he received yet another unannounced visitor. "Our conversations always appear to be cut short," Vanessa grinned. She helped herself to a seat in front of David's desk. David was unamused by Vanessa's appearance. Vanessa claimed that David was just like his father---cold and unappreciative. She blamed herself for "overindulging" David during his formative years. David cringed at being compared to his father---or perhaps it was just the mention of his father. Vanessa scolded David for not being concerned about her health. "Even God enjoys a good show," David said icily. His implication was that he enjoyed seeing his mother sick. David went on a lengthy tirade about how women need to be kept in line. This was not the first time he'd made such a remark. With that, David walked out on his mother.
Back at Brooke's house, Dixie still had regrets about her videotaped farewell. Brooke noted that had it not been for the tape, she and Tad would never have found their way back to each other. Dixie was stunned when Brooke informed her that Liza had been the one who'd discovered the tape and forced Tad to watch it. Tad returned from his trip to the hospital and asked Dixie if they could head to Cortlandt Manor and fill Opal in on the good news. Dixie told Tad to go along without her because she had someone that she needed to see first.
At her condo, Liza looked at her matron-of-honor dress with a smile. A knock sounded on her door and Liza called out Adam's name. When she opened the door, however, it wasn't Adam that was standing on the other side. It was David, with an urgent warning for Liza.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Trevor visited with Ryan to keep his client up to date on his legal battle. Trevor handed the patient a note that Gillian had written. Ryan took the letter and threw it on the ground. Trevor didn't question why Ryan was upset with Gillian. Trevor explained that things were sort of looking up for Ryan---but not by much. Witnesses at The Pit would bolster Ryan's story that Kit had been a willing participant in their steamy dance session. Now, the attorney was going to search for experts that would be able to testify about the drawbacks and inaccuracies of DNA testing. It was a long shot, but it was all that they had going for them. Hayley entered the room. Trevor had gotten her name placed on the list of permitted visitors. Trevor left so that his niece could have a few minutes alone with Ryan. Ryan claimed that he'd been worried about Hayley. Hayley laughed slightly and said that it was odd for Ryan to have been worried about her. Hayley asked Ryan if there was any way that he could ever forgive Gillian. Ryan put his hands over his face and remarked about the quirks of falling in love. He said that he'd lived his entire life without experiencing love. And when he finally did, his life "[went] down in flames." Hayley pleaded with Ryan not to give up---on himself or his love for Gillian. Before leaving, Hayley told Ryan that Gillian had vowed to clear Ryan's name no matter what. Hayley went outside and told Gillian that her session with Ryan hadn't reaped the desired results. Gillian remained vigilant. She walked up to Ryan's room and shouted, "I love you Ryan!" The guard grabbed Gillian and escorted her to the exit. During the distraction, Braden managed to slip inside the room. Ryan had been reading the letter that Gillian had written. He put down the card and looked at his visitor. "It really was you," Ryan said in awe. "Yes, Ryan. It was," Braden smiled.
