Smiles formed on the doctors' faces as Erica's bandages were removed. Almost immediately, Erica asked for a mirror. Rather than supplying Erica with a mirror, David proceeded to describe what he saw before him. He said that there was "slight swelling," but otherwise Erica's face was "flawless." In short, there was sign that Erica had ever been involved in an accident. Erica was overjoyed, but obviously a bit reserved since she still had not been allowed to see her own face. Eduoarde explained that it was the hospital's policy to not let patients view their faces immediately after surgery. David looked at his colleague and said that he believes an exception should be made. The plastic surgeon nodded and reached for a small mirror. Upon seeing her reflection, Erica knew that the doctors had not been embellishing the truth; her face had been restored. So elated was Erica that she announced that she would write a generous check to one of the local clinics. After the nurse and Eduoarde filed out of the room, Erica sat up in bed and gave David a big hug. "It's over!" she chirped. David suddenly leaned close and his lips met with Erica's lips. The two kissed very passionately until Erica pulled away. "Oh! I didn't expect to do that," she said bashfully. David smiled and admitted that the kiss was not on his agenda either. David told Erica that he wanted to take her to a nearby inn for a few days. The inn, he said, was on the edge of the rainforest and just a mile or so from a beautiful waterfall. Erica was initially reluctant to go, but she decided that a little fun would be good for her. David left the room to make the reservations. While he was gone, Erica drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were once again filled with painful visions. This time she saw herself as a young girl shortly after her father abandoned her. "Daddy!?" the young Erica shouted. "Why did you leave me?" Erica woke from her dream breathing heavily, her arms flailing. As she sat up in bed, she accidentally knocked over the vase that had been by her bedside.

Elsewhere in Rio, Palmer and Vanessa rested comfortably in the limousine that he picked them up at the airport. Palmer gave orders to be taken to the hospital, but the car didn't move. As Palmer was inquiring about the delay, a man opened the door and slinked inside the passenger cabin. "Good afternoon," he said with a heavy accent. "May I see your passports." Palmer complained about the procedure since he'd already shown the customs agents his passport. The man confiscated Palmer and Vanessa's passports, but assured them that they'd be returned at a later time. "Your agenda has been changed," he said coldly. Palmer complained that the man's intrusion was "outrageous." The man frowned and pulled back his suit jacket to reveal the shining silver handle of a pistol. Palmer and Vanessa sat nervously in their leather seats and listened to the man's words very carefully. The man explained that "Adrian Sword" had gone to great lengths to arrange a stay at a nearby ranch for the couple. The car took off down the road. Palmer made a cryptic remark to Vanessa about her "condition." Vanessa astutely picked up on Palmer's hint and called upon her acting skills to turn the tables. Vanessa started panting and clutching her chest. Before long, she keeled over into the stranger's lap. The display distracted the man long enough for Palmer to step in and play his hand. He reached into his pocket and grabbed a stun gun. The apparatus did its job and the intruder was quickly disposed of. Palmer picked up the intercom and informed the driver that their plans had changed once again. That said, the car returned on its course towards the hospital.

At the Glamorama, Opal, Belinda, and Adrian discussed their plans to oust Palmer as CEO of Cortlandt Electronics. Adrian broke the news that Palmer was in Brazil trying to court Erica's vote. He smiled sinisterly and told the women that they should not worry because he had a strong hunch that Palmer would never see the inside of Erica's hospital room. Sven, the masseur, entered the room and informed Belinda that he was ready to give her her massage. After Belinda left the room, Adrian flashed a smile at his mother and asked if he could be a Glamorama employee for about an hour. Opal knew what Adrian was up to and whispered something into his ear.
In the massage room, Belinda laid stomach-down awaiting Sven's magical fingers. When the masseuse entered the room, he went right to work. Belinda was immediately thrust into a world of ecstasy. Something about the gentle kneading seemed familiar. It was as if they had an "instinctive touch." It was then that Belinda knew that Sven had been replaced. She turned with a broad smile and greeted Adrian.

Back in the beauty parlor area, Becca popped in to inform Opal that she'd decided to take her up on her employment offer. Opal was positively giddy over the news that Becca was going to stay in Pine Valley. Becca did, however, admit that she'd sorely miss the late nights talking to her grandmother. Becca told Opal about her grandmother's magical potions and the people who'd sought her help to mend their tattered lovelives. That prompted Opal to open about her fallout with Palmer. Becca instantly recognized the possibilities the story held for Scott's document and convinced Opal to appear before Scott's camera. After Becca went on her way, Adrian and Belinda returned from their massage session. The afterglow was short-lived. Adrian received a phone call from his acquaintance in Brazil and learned that Palmer had gotten away. Opal feared that it would be only a matter of time before Palmer put his claws into Erica and convinced her to vote for him in the CEO election. Adrian tried his best to calm his mother, assuring her that he still had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

Erica was resting in her bed when Palmer entered the room. Obviously she was quite surprised to see him. Palmer calmly told Erica that she needed to check out of the hospital immediately. When he realized that he'd forgotten to ask how she was feeling, Palmer glossed over the niceties by telling Erica that he was sure that her operation was a success. Erica didn't seem frazzled by Palmer's apparent lack of concern, but she was puzzled by his remark about her need to leave the hospital. Palmer explained that he'd nearly been kidnapped on his way to visit her and said that he feared the same thing could happen to her. Palmer then carefully slid into the real reason he'd flown to Rio. He explained that he needed her vote to foil an attempt to oust him from the helm of Cortlandt Electronics. Erica replied that Palmer's name was "synonymous with Cortlandt Electronics" and pledged to help him out. She told Palmer that he could have called her rather than flying all the way to Rio to speak with her. Palmer let it be known that Vanessa had accompanied him because she was likewise concerned about Erica's well being. Erica again was surprised, but she couldn't help but wonder why Vanessa hadn't stopped by to visit with her. Palmer explained that Vanessa was afraid that she would not be well received. Palmer again stated that he feared for Erica's safety and convinced her to fly back to Pine Valley with him.

Elsewhere in the hospital, Vanessa approached David and asked him how he was doing. David was stunned. He demanded to know why his mother---and how his mother---had gotten to Brazil. Vanessa didn't offer a reply, instead saying that she wanted to check up on her son because he'd become smitten with Erica. David denied the claim and ordered his mother to stay as far away from Erica was possible. Vanessa followed David down the corridor to Erica's room. There, David instantly realized that Erica was gone. Vanessa noticed a note addressed to David on Erica's bed and covertly slipped into her purse before David noticed it. Vanessa told her son that she was sure that Palmer would send his private jet back for them. David was furious that Palmer had been there and blasted his mother for masterminding Erica's abduction.

In the limo, Palmer praised Erica's decision to return with him. He referred to David as a "philanderer" and "trophy hunter" who only wanted to add Erica's name to the list of women that he'd seduced. Erica flashed back to the kiss she and David had shared and couldn't help but wonder if Palmer was right.

"You're sick again, aren't you?" Tad asked. Dixie denied that she was ill, but Tad's questions continued fast and furiously. Dixie became frustrated by Tad's accusations that she was keeping something from him and blurted out that she was pregnant. This definitely was not the way Dixie had planned to tell him the news. Before Tad could react, a technician approached him with dire news about the "northeast corridor's" status. Tad had to excuse himself to tend to the problem even though he didn't want to leave. While Tad was gone, Dixie told Jake that she did not want Tad to think that she was keeping things from him. Instead she wanted him to see that they had beaten the odds. When Tad returned, he asked Dixie if she was absolutely certain that she was pregnant. Dixie nodded and noted that Jake had run a blood test. Tad then became furious that Dixie had gone to the hospital without first alerting him. The next question Tad had was about how Dixie had gotten pregnant. "Did you forget to take your birth control pills?" he asked coldly, almost accusatorily. Dixie was hurt by the tone in Tad's voice. She assured Tad that she felt fine. On cue, Dixie was hut by a wave of nausea and had to run off to the ladies' room. The two Martin boys were left to discuss the seriousness of the situation. Jake told Tad that nothing about Dixie's health had changed. Yes, she was still in good health, but that didn't change the fact that the pregnancy was still considered high risk. Jake didn't feel it was his place to offer advice. Instead he instructed Tad to speak to Dr. Clader---and to Dixie---before rushing to any decision. Tad remained in a state of shock. Dixie returned from the restroom and lashed out at Tad for the way he'd accused her of planning to get pregnant. Dixie saw her pregnancy as a blessing and couldn't understand why Tad was less than thrilled by the news. "I could lose you!" Tad said worriedly. Dixie begged Tad to stop focusing on the negative and think about how fortunate they were to have a chance to have a child together. Tad closed his eyes for several seconds and let out a deep breath. Tad told his wife that it broke his heart to know that she could not have everything that she wanted, but he said that he'd wait until he speaks to Dr. Clader before deciding what to do. Dixie was devastated by Tad's comment and walked away.

In an empty courtroom in downtown Pine Valley, Mateo and Raquel's decision to share custody of Max finally became legal in the eyes of the law. Raquel thanked her attorney, Lynette Neal, for her assistance. Lynette, however, cryptically remarked that judge's decision to grant shared custody had nothing to do with her. Near the exit, Mateo thanked Trevor for helping him. Now that the custody issue was resolved, Mateo wanted to focus his attention on Hayley. Mateo was surprised to learn that Hayley was no longer staying at The Valley Inn. Ms. Neal approached Trevor and asked him for a few moments on his time. While the two attorneys conversed, Mateo walked over to Raquel and asked her if she'd like to join him for some ice cream. In the corridor just outside the courtroom, Lynette again stated her surprised that judge who'd originally presided over the custody hearing had given sole custody to Mateo. Trevor chuckled in agreement and said that he'd found it odd as well especially since Mateo hardly even knew Max when the verdict was handed down. The peculiarity of the decision prompted many of Trevor's colleagues to wonder if he hadn't somehow found favor with the judge. Lynette said that she'd always believed Trevor to be "above board," but she was beginning to wonder if the rumors weren't right. Trevor was hurt that his long-time friend could believe that he'd do something illegal. After some careful thought, Trevor realized that there was someone with enough clout to buy off a judge.

For the first time in many moons, Hayley slept in late. She wandered downstairs and found Janet folding a load of laundry. Hayley sat down on the sofa and helped Janet with the folding. Hayley thanked Janet for letting her stay at the house. Janet assured Hayley that she and Trevor were not inconvenienced in any way. Hayley seemed to be comfortable with her surroundings. Janet mentioned that Trevor would be home after he finished up in court. Hayley suddenly realized that she was late for the custody hearing. She stopped at the foot of the staircase and dropped her head. She turned around and said that she could not keep running to be with Mateo. Janet offered to make Hayley a big breakfast, but when Janet checked her watch she realized that she was running late for an appointment at the Glamorama. Hayley mentioned that she's heard great things about the new salon and it almost appeared that she wanted Janet to invite her to tag along. Janet failed to pick upon that vibe and quickly scurried away. Hayley was again left alone. She plopped down on the sofa in a frump. Fortunately she didn't have much time to be lonely. The doorbell sounded and Hayley slowly dragged herself to the door. Outside, Gillian smiled broadly and asked Hayley if she was up for a visitor. Gillian told Hayley that Ryan had mentioned that she and Mateo had broken up. Hayley crinkled her brow and said that they weren't really broken up---there were "taking a breather." Gillian shook her head slightly and remarked that she had never expected Mateo and Hayley to part ways. When asked for the reason for the breakup, Hayley said that the Max and Raquel factor were just too much for her to handle. Gillian's face suddenly lit up as she realized that she had some good news. "I saw Raquel today and she looked beautiful!" Gillian chirped. A dumbfounded smile emerged on Hayley's face. She failed to see how that was good news. Gillian clarified that the good news wasn't that Raquel looked good---it was that Raquel was once again mobile. She figured that Mateo would no longer need to devote so much time to Raquel and Max any more. As for Raquel's good looks, Gillian said that Raquel "couldn't hold a candelabra" to Hayley. Hayley suddenly burst into laughter. The joy was only temporary. Hayley said that she was trapped in the ultimate paradox: the one thing that she wanted most was the one thing she couldn't have. That, of course, was Mateo. Hayley began to sob, but she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. She apologized for her outburst. Gillian, though, said that she didn't mind real tears; it was "alligator tears" that bothered her. Again Hayley began to chuckle. She asked Gillian if anyone had told her that she was "priceless when [she is] butchering the English language." Gillian softly replied that Ryan used to tell her that all the time. Hayley flapped her arms in the air to stop Gillian from taking a trip down memory lane. "Don't get on the pity potty," Hayley said with a slight smile. Gillian nodded and stopped reminiscing. She praised Hayley's sense of humor. Somehow, she noted, Hayley could find humor in any situation even when she was feeling down. "To think that I use to think you were..." Gillian was cut of. "Does it rhyme with itch?" Hayley asked. Gillian nodded her head. Both agreed that it was sort of odd that they'd become "best buds." Gillian wondered if Hayley would ever be able to get along with Raquel and Max. Hayley explained that her problems are not---and have never been---Max and Raquel. The problem, according to Hayley, was Mateo and the fact that he'd failed to tell her that he'd been married before. They embraced, but it was clear that Hayley was still hurting. She bid farewell to Gillian and headed upstairs to take a shower.

Mateo and Raquel returned home. Nurse Kelly had taken Max out for a bicycle ride so the former couple had a chance to talk about things. Raquel asked Mateo if he'd heard from Hayley. Mateo shook his head. He blamed himself for the problems he and Hayley were having. Raquel once again muttered that her appearance in Pine Valley was what had set off the wave of problems. Mateo shook his head and said that he blamed himself for everything. He said that he should have been up-front about their relationship from the beginning. Raquel asked Mateo why he hadn't told Hayley about their marriage. Mateo took a deep breath and shrugged slightly. He said that when he first met Hayley her life was in turmoil. When things started to get back in order, he and Hayley were already madly in love. But things weren't rosy for long because Tanner Jordan rolled into town. After that fiasco was put aside, 9.php">Mateo and Hayley were finally married---in a hospital room. Mateo said that he feared he'd lose Hayley by telling her the truth. "Look at what I got," he mumbled. Raquel surmised that it would not be a good idea Max to go to SOS later to watch the fireworks. Mateo thought for a second before saying that if his son wanted fireworks, he'd get fireworks.

Janet arrived at Cortlandt Manor and was formally introduced to Becca. Scott arrived a little while later to film some of the Glamorama's clients' breakup stories. Since Becca had just met Janet, she wasn't yet familiar with her sordid past. She asked Janet if she had any stories for the documentary. "Does she ever!" Opal squawked. She quickly realized that she'd made a faux pas and said nothing more. Opal's reaction stoked Becca's curiosity. Janet sat down on the sofa and proceeded to tell Becca all about her past. Janet admitted that she'd resented her sister, Natalie, because she was "the smart one, the beautiful one." Becca listened in disbelief as Janet recounted how she'd assumed her sister's life and conceived a child with Trevor. Opal quickly interjected that "this lady had paid for her crimes." Scott stopped taping and thanked Janet for agreeing to be part of his documentary. Becca asked Janet where her sister was now. "She-She's dead," Janet said softly. Becca incorrectly assumed that Janet had killed Natalie, but Janet clarified that that was not the case. Sven was ready to give Janet a massage. Opal walked Janet down the hall. Meanwhile, Scott filled in the missing pieces of Janet's story for Becca including the part about Will's murder. Becca looked absolutely crushed that Janet was the person that had taken Will's life. The expression on her face almost hinted that she'd had a crush on Dixie's brother. After Janet's massage session, she and Opal returned the parlor, which ironically was now literally a parlor. The picked up on a vibe that there might be love in the air. "Whaddya say we give cupid a little nudge," Janet grinned. Janet approached Scott and told him that she was sure that the patrons at SOS would have plenty of tales for his film. Opal stepped in and told Becca that she should feel free to tag along with Scott. While Scott was loading his equipment into the car, Opal and Janet gave Becca a quick beauty touchup. When Scott returned, he looked at Becca with a broad smile.

Adam summoned Barry to Chandler Mansion to discuss the possible fallout should he decide to come clean about Colby's paternity. Barry thought that this would be a secret that Adam "would take to the grave." Adam said that he was concerned that he might "predecease" Liza and that after his death Colby might have problems with a genetically inherited disease. In short, he wanted to know the ramifications of a confession. The list of crimes that Adam could be charged with was absolutely staggering: In total, he could face up to thirty years in jail and be fined in excess fifty thousand dollars. The monetary aspect wasn't such a big deal to the multimillionaire. The jail time, however, was a big deal. Adam blasted his attorney for not being able to come up with a way to keep him out of jail. Barry determined that when all was said and done---and taking good behavior into account---Adam wouldn't be a free man for at least fourteen years. Since he hadn't been there for his other three children, Adam was determined not to be separated from Colby for any reason.
In the next few scenes, Adam's discussion with Barry was coupled with scenes from a young fathers support group meeting at Pine Valley Hospital. Jake presided over the meeting and gave the young men tips on what was best for their children. Joe stopped by momentarily and offered his sage advice on bringing up kids. As Adam was telling Barry that he would give Colby anything she wanted, Joe was warning the men against spoiling their children. No, said Adam, was a word Colby would never hear. Joe, however, said that "all kids needs a certain amount of discipline." Joe also spoke of the dangers to lying to children. They would always learn the truth and grow up to resent the parents that had lied to them.
Back at the mansion, Adam was alone in his office when Trevor burst in. He demanded to know how much it had cost Adam to bribe the judge that had presided over Max's first custody hearing. Adam initially denied any involvement, but he implicated himself when he told Trevor that it was none of his business. Trevor accused Adam of trying to separate Mateo and Hayley. Adam was floored when he learned the news that Hayley and Mateo had split. Trevor angrily said that the split was all Adam's fault. He'd tried to "play God" and once the wheels were in motion there was no way to stop them. By losing custody of Max, Trevor said that that had made Raquel even more unbearable and determined to win Max and Mateo. That, in turn, left Hayley teetering on the edge. A noise sounded in the doorway and both men turned and noticed that Hayley was standing just a few feet away.

Hoping that Hayley hadn't heard his argument with Trevor, Adam wore a concerned expression as he told his daughter that Trevor had just told him about her split with Mateo. He offered to let Hayley stay at Chandler Mansion, but his offer was rejected. "Do you think I'd live with you after what you've done?" Hayley asked coldly. Hayley accused Adam of "playing God" with her life. "You trash everything you touch," Hayley snapped when Adam tried to convince her that he'd only wanted to help her. Adam would later explain that he thought giving Mateo sole custody of Max would make things easier on both Hayley and Mateo. Things would be easier for Mateo, in Adam's mind, because he wouldn't have to worry about not being able to see his son. And for Hayley, well, Adam thought that Hayley would be happy if Mateo was happy. Trevor broke his silence by muttering that Adam should face jail time for what he'd done. He announced that he would report Judge Charles' actions to the Bar Association. After Trevor left, Hayley continued sticking it to her dad. "You ruined my life," she snarled. "I was trying to help," Adam said again. "I didn't expect you to rip a child away from his mother on my behalf," Hayley said tearfully. Adam apologized over and over, but this time his "I'm sorry"'s wouldn't cut it. Hayley laughed when she thought about the reason she'd dropped by to see her father. Hayley had felt badly for not telling him the truth about her separation from Mateo. "The truth," she snapped, "is something that is completely wasted on you." From the doorway, a voice ordered Hayley to stop her tirade. "That's enough," said Liza. Hayley instructed her father to explain why she was so angry. Hayley was stunned to learn that Liza already knew all about the fixed custody arrangement. Liza said that she doesn't approve of what Adam did, but at the same time she couldn't condemn him either. "The ever popular 'I did it out of love' alibi," sassed Hayley. Liza assured Hayley that her father had changed since he'd finagled with the judicial system. "Oh Liza," Hayley responded. "Don't be a fool." Hayley walked out of the room leaving Liza to help her husband pick up the pieces. She was angry with Hayley for attacking him. Adam apologized to Liza for involving her in his problems. Liza smiled and hugged Adam, saying that Adam knew better than to lie to her.

Tad, Dixie, and the boys traveled to the lake for a pre-Independence Day picnic. Dixie groused repeatedly about Tad's over-protectiveness. To a certain extent her complaints were justified; Tad wouldn't even let her stoop to lay the blanket down on the ground. Junior and Jamie plodded back to the picnic site from a frog hunting expedition. Either there were no frogs to "liberate," as Jamie once said, or the critters were too fast because the boys returned empty-handed. Jake and Gillian put in an appearance, but they stayed for only a short time. Gillian handed out miniature American flags to Jake's family. Tad and Jake stepped aside for a few minutes to discuss the latest on Dixie's condition. Tad informed Jake that Dixie was "determine to have this baby." Both men concurred that Dixie was thinking with her heart rather than her mind. After the serious talk was out of the way, Tad flashed a very big grin and asked his brother what was going on between him and "the princess." Jake smiled almost bashfully and professed that he and Gillian were just friends. "It's not like I'm asking her to move in [with me]," Jake chuckled. "You already live together," Tad replied wittily, pointing to their shared digs at Myrtle's boarding house. Jake and Gillian had plans for a swim at the beach and went on their way. Later, Dixie seemed unimpressed with Jake's latest belle. It wasn't that Dixie didn't like Gillian---she said that she thinks Gillian is very nice---but she wondered if a rebound relationship was wise for Jake. The mosquitoes moved in and started feasting on the Martin clan. Dixie looked crossly at Tad and scolded him for not bringing bug repellent. Tad tried to apologize, but Dixie's anger had little to do with Tad's forgetfulness. Dixie watched the boys wrestle and let her mind drift off to the future. She imagined a future Fourth of July when she, Tad, and the boys shared their celebration with a little girl---her daughter. Tad, however, had another vision of Independence Days to come. Instead of a festive mood, he and the boys found it difficult to find anything to be happy about: Dixie had died from complications during her pregnancy.

The spicy sounds of salsa music filled the air at SOS. The club instantly captivated Becca and she couldn't wait to start dancing. Scott introduced his co-producer to Ryan and Mateo. Scott was granted permission to interview patrons just as long as he wasn't pushy. A little while later, Dimitri and Edmund popped in. As a result of a bet, Edmund was forced to cough up money for Pine Valley's fireworks display. The nice guy that he is, Dimitri nixed the bet and went "halvsies" with his brother. Ryan asked the two men if Eugenia would be dropping by later with Gillian. It was a surreptitious was of trying to find out if Gillian would be dropping by. Edmund told Ryan that Eugenia was out of town and Gillian, well, he hadn't heard from Gillian in some time. Patrons continued to stream into the club. The most festively attired couple of the evening was Marian and Stuart. Marian had somehow gotten the idea that SOC was having a costume party. So, she dressed up like the Statute of Liberty and Stuart donned an Uncle Sam outfit. Stuart approached Ryan and asked him if Gillian was going to be coming by later. Ryan broke the news that he and Gillian had gotten a divorce. Stuart seemed disappointed, but he was convinced that the divorce was only a piece of paper and that Ryan and Gillian were still madly in love with one another. Scott and Becca descended upon Jack and Brooke's table. Jack was the first to speak out about a break-up. As one might expect, Jack's tale had a humorous twist. He claimed that he'd lusted after a particular cheerleader in school, but that when he met her he realized that "she didn't have all the dots on her dice." By that time she'd become smitten with him, the school's all-star track star. Jack concocted a tale about his lack of interest in physical relationships and claimed that he was going to enter the monastery immediately after graduation. Brooke's take lacked the easy flow of Jack's. In fact, she forgot many of the details of her story prompting Jack to rib Brooke about her failed attempt at standup comedy where she also had trouble keeping her story straight. Raquel and Max arrived at the club. This was the first time that Raquel had been in the club since the accident that nearly left her paralyzed. Ryan pulled Scott aside and asked him about his relationship with Becca. Scott insisted that he was involved solely on a professional level with Becca. Ryan smiled devilishly and nodded his head. His body language signaled that he didn't believe a word that Scott was saying. Dimitri and Edmund huddled near the bar. Dimitri complained of a nagging headache, but he vowed not to let his discomfort spoil the evening. Leslie Coulson wandered over to Edmund and greeted him. The two had met briefly at SOS's grand opening. There was no mindless banter or even any expression of interest on Edmund's part. He smiled and simply walked away. David walked up to the bar and asked Mateo if Erica had been by. Mateo shook his head and said that he didn't think Erica would ever return to the club after the way she'd been ambushed at the grand opening. David sat alone at the bar trapped in his own mind. Leslie sat beside him and told him that she'd thought he'd been the victim of foul play. "What have you been doing?" she asked. After a second of thought, she blinked her eyes and changed "what" to "who." David said nothing and appeared irked by Leslie's crude remark. He rose from the barstool and walked out of the club. Trevor and Janet briefly greeted Max and Raquel before sliding off to the side of the club. Mateo took time out from chopping fruit to sit with his son and former wife. As they sat together laughing and joking, they were unaware that they were being watched. Hayley was about to enter the club when she spotted the happy group through the front window. She stood frozen, transfixed on the seemingly perfect family portrait. She bowed her head and walked away. Ryan saw Hayley through the glass and took off after her. Ryan might have been right about Scott and Becca's relationship. Scott wanted to call it a night and return home. Becca, however, grumbled that Scott had to think about more than his work. She flashed a smiled and asked Scott to dance with her. Feigning reluctance, Scott put down his camera and agreed. Brooke and Jack also shared a dance. Brooke joked that she was going to start calling Jack "father" because of his breakup story. Forget about father, said Jack. "I would [just] like you to start calling me," he said bluntly. Mateo took to the microphone and informed everyone that the fireworks display was about to begin. Everyone filed out of the club and onto the sidewalk to watch the spectacle of lights.

Erica returned home and was greeted by her housekeeper, Coral. Erica reviewed her messages and asked Coral if she'd received any calls from "a Dr. David Hayward." The housekeeper shook her head and said that unless there was a message on the pile, the doctor hadn't called. Erica gave Coral the rest of the night off. Once alone, Erica placed a call to The Valley Inn and asked to be connected with David's room. While she was waiting, she flashed back the kiss she and David shared after she received the good news about the success of her surgery. Erica was told that David was not in his room, but she would not leave a message. Erica caught a glimpse of the fireworks out of the corner of her eye. She walked to her front porch so that she could get a better view. For some reason she cast her eyes down from the dark sky. When she did, she saw that David was outside waiting for her.

Back by the lake, Tad and Dixie looked towards the heavens. Tad compared the fireworks to love, saying that people need to make every effort to ensure that their relationship doesn't end as quickly as a fireworks display.

On the beach, Jake urged Gillian to sing another chorus of "The Star Spangled Banner." Gillian agreed and twittered at the top of her lungs, "Jose can you see!" Jake broke into hysterical laughter and explained to her that the song didn't start with Jose. Finally everything made sense. "I couldn't figure out what Jose could do to inspire the National Anthem," she said. Gillian's cute blunders continued. She pulled out a plastic container from the picnic basket. She said that she'd spoken to Scott and learned that American's like to eat "fried chickpeas" on the holidays. Gillian said that she'd gone to a gourmet food store, but no one there knew anything about friend chickpeas. What Gillian didn't know was that Scott had said fried chicken. Rather than break the news to Gillian, Jake suggested that they take a quick dip. After their brief swimming session, things turned romantic. Jake leaned towards Gillian and kissed her passionately. Gillian suddenly began trembling. She pulled away and told Jake that she needed to return to the truck and get a towel.

Elsewhere on the beach, Ryan ran across the sand looking for Hayley. He called out to her, but there was no response. He panicked when he looked out into the ocean. Ryan dove into the water and swam out to where Hayley was wading. He hoisted Hayley into the air and carried her back to dry land. Hayley assured her friend that she was fine. She reminded him that she liked to go swimming when times were tough. She blasted herself for allowing everyone in her life to constantly disappoint her. Hayley began to shiver in the cool night air. Ryan wrapped his shirt around her. He held her arm and promised her that everything would be okay. Words, however, didn't seem to comfort Hayley. He slowly moved towards Hayley. Eventually their lips touched and they kissed. On her way back from the truck, Gillian passed by. Upon seeing her former husband and new friend engaged in a kiss, Gillian nearly fell over. A few yards away, Ryan and Hayley continued their steamy kiss.