Liza came downstairs in the middle of the night and turned on the light. She screamed because she saw Adam sitting in the dark and it scared her. She told Adam that she couldn't sleep very well because he was not there with her. Adam told Liza that this should be their wedding night and they should be wrapped in each other's arms making love until dawn. Liza told Adam that she could handle it if it were Arlene's ghost but her being alive terrified her. Mateo came down the stairs and he could not sleep either. He said that he didn't know any ghosts that could trash their condo like this person did or move everything out of their motel room. Mateo told Adam and Liza that he was thankful to them for letting Hayley and him stay there. Mateo said that if this is Arlene who is doing all this damage, she has gone over the edge. Lisa told Adam that Stuart thought he saw Arlene at the gallery and their wedding cake was smashed. Mateo also told Adam that they found the flask at the condo. Adam said it couldn't be Arlene because she had no pulse and he threw her into cold water and she would have been able to survive from that. Mateo said that if it wasn't Arlene, they have some sicko on their hands. Mateo asked what would happen next. Lisa said that whoever this person was, they know personal things about them and she was afraid.
A female was shown walking into Liza's room carrying a package. She went over to the crib. The person looked like Arlene but was only shown from the waist down. Mateo, Adam and Liza were still downstairs discussing Arlene's death. Adam said that someone said that they saw Arlene and Adam on the boat. He wanted to know who saw them. Hayley then came down the stairs because she could not sleep either. Adam said that Hayley's welfare was his primary concern. Liza asked Hayley if she needed anything. Mateo left to get her a glass of milk. Liza told Hayley that she and Adam were really sorry about what happened at their condo. Liza went upstairs to check on Colby because they heard her crying. Adam told Hayley that tomorrow they would check on their condo and see if they can find out who trashed it. He invited Hayley and Mateo to stay with them until this was all resolved. Mateo came back into the room with a glass of warm milk for Hayley. Hayley thanked her dad for letting them stay at the mansion because she said that she always felt safe there. Just then, Liza streamed out Adam's name and he, Mateo and Hayley went running up the stairs. Lisa was holding Colby when they came in and she pointed to a package that she found in the crib. Mateo picked up the package and Liza was upset because the package was not in the crib before and she knew that someone had been in the room. Mateo opened the package and inside was an ashtray from the Commodore Motel in Chicago. Hayley said that her mother is back. Liza wanted to know what the connection was between the ashtray and them. Adam told her that the motel was where he spent the time with Arlene and Hayley was conceived there. Hayley said that nobody knew that except Adam and Arlene. A note was in the box and it was on stationery with Arlene Chandler's name and the word "confess" was written on the paper. They all went downstairs to talk and Liza said that she didn't want to take chances with their lives. Liza wanted to call the police but Adam talked her out of it. He said that they could not tell them that they killed Arlene and now she is back to life. Adam said that what Arlene wants is money. Adam said that they have no proof that Arlene is alive. Hayley wanted to know what would happen the next time. What would happen if someone got hurt next time. Mateo said that he was leaving to go and check all the bars because the one thing Arlene wants most was booze. He told Hayley that he was going to check the bars and the dives and if he finds her, he will drag her back by her hair. Hayley told Mateo to be careful. He told them that if Arlene is alive, he would find her.
Tad dragged Leslie through the hotel lobby and took her to his home to tell Dixie that the affair was a figment of her imagination. Tad called out Dixie's name but she did not answer. He looked at his watch and wondered where she was. Leslie told Tad that she wondered where the "little woman" could be, it was past her bedtime or was it. While Tad left the room to see if he could find Dixie, Leslie picked up a picture of Tad and Dixie and was looking at it. Tad came back into the room and told her to put the picture down. Tad said that Dixie was not there. Tad told Leslie that Dixie was upset when he left and she was probably at a friend's house. Tad said that they would wait for her to return. Leslie said that she knew what they could do while they were waiting. She told Tad that Dixie was with David, getting comfort from the new man in her life. Leslie tried to get Tad to call David and see if Dixie was there but he would not. He decided to call after all and when he did, there was no answer in David's room. Tad told Leslie that David was probably at the hospital. Leslie made herself at home and poured a glass of alcohol and offered it to Tad as a nightcap. She told Tad that they would be doing a lot of this in the future. Tad said that all he wanted was his wife. Leslie said that apparently she wanted someone else. Tad took the drink and smashed it against a wall. He went to look out the window and see if Dixie was driving up. Leslie picked up a ceramic duck that Jamie made and she commented that she already loves Jamie. Tad told Leslie that everything around him was his and that was what he wanted and nothing else. Leslie told Tad that she was his future and he told her that she was a "psychotic pain in the neck" who was here to tell Dixie the truth because he was getting his family back. Leslie told Tad that Dixie had moved on and it was time for him to do the same. He grabbed her face and squeezed her cheeks and told Leslie not to say Dixie's name again. She had no right to speak her name or breathe the same air that she does. He told Leslie that if Dixie left him, it would not be because of Leslie's lies. Tad told Leslie to stay away from him. He told her that she was like a disease and she made him sick. Leslie said that all she did was love him. Tad told her that he would do everything to get rid of her. Leslie asked Tad if that was why he dreamed up that bogus job for her. He asked her how she knew about it and she told him that he was bragging to Dixie about it. Tad told Leslie that the conversation with Dixie was in his bedroom. He then realized that she was in the room hiding. Leslie said that she left when they went into the shower. Tad said that was when she took his ring and credit card. He tried to call Derek at the police station but he was not in so he asked for a squad car to come to his home. He was reporting a burglary. The police arrived and Tad told her that she was busted. As he went out the door to get the police, she tore her shirt open and knocked a chair over. Tad came back in and asked her what she was doing. Just as the police came into the room, Tad had her by the shoulders and she told the policemen that she was glad they were there.
Dixie was in David motel room in his arms. He began kissing her and she started to take off her jacket and then his shirt. David stopped her and said "No, we can't." Dixie asked David why he stopped because she thought he wanted her. David said that he looked into her eyes and saw hurt. He told Dixie that he wanted her but not like this. Dixie told David that she wanted him but David told her that she wanted to escape, to get back at Tad. David told her that she was running away from something. He told her that he wanted their first time to be about their love and their passion. Dixie told David that he must think she was using him. The phone rang and Dixie thought it might be Tad. David started to go and answer the phone but Dixie pulled him back and told him not to answer it. Dixie said that if the call was Tad, she was not ready to talk to him. Dixie said that it was awfully late and she should leave. David stopped her and asked her where she was going. She had to stop and think and said that she did not want to go back to the house because it would be empty. David ordered a taxi for Dixie but while he was on the phone, Dixie leaned against the door and just started crying. David canceled the taxi and went to comfort Dixie. Dixie told David that she didn't know what would happen to the kids. What would they think? She told David that he was so kind to her. David tried to cheer Dixie up by telling her stories about Vanessa and what she did to them when they were younger to cheer them up. David had Dixie close her eyes and he told her that he sees her very content, Junior was a soccer player and a rock singer and she lived in a sunny house on top of a hill. Dixie asked him why he said "on top of a hill" and he replied so that they could go sledding every winter. David said that he could not picture his life without her in it. He told her that he would do everything to take away her pain. Dixie said that she needed to leave and David said that he would book her a room for the night. He called the desk and there was a convention in town and everything was no room available. David told Dixie that she could stay in his room. He told Dixie that he would sleep on the two chairs and she could have the bed. She said that she would leave, she had a home to go to. David said that if she went home, she would probably see Tad packing. He again asked her to stay and she agreed.
Adam came back down the stairs after making sure Hayley was back in bed. Liza told Adam that Winifred was with Colby and would stay with her until Arlene was caught. Adam told Liza that he looked at the security tapes and it was a woman who looked like Arlene. He said that it was dark and it only showed her back. Liza asked Adam what it would take to convince him that Arlene was out there and she was doing this to them. Adam walked away and went to the phone. Whoever was on the other end of the phone, Adam told them that he wanted someone found and the person was Arlene Chandler. Mateo went to the bar that Arlene and Adam once owned and showed Arlene's picture to the bartender. He told Mateo that he usually remembers the good looking ones but hasn't seen her. Mateo showed the picture to 2 strangers that came through the door and told them that if they saw her, to call him. He left his card with them. After Mateo left, this woman came out from the back room and sat down at a table. A guy handed her a martini and called her by name, Arlene.
When the police came into Tad's home, Leslie told them that Tad attacked her and dragged her from the Valley Inn through the lobby to his home. Tad told them that Leslie took her credit card and he just got it back from her. Leslie told the police that they were having an affair and she tried to break it off but he got violent. Tad tried to explain to the police that he was the one who made the phone call about the burglary. The police took Tad and Leslie down to the station for questioning.
Dixie got out of the bed and went to the closet to get another blanket. David offered to get it off the shelf for her and while they were both standing there, he brushed his hand across her neck and face and she just seemed to melt into his arms. They began kissing.
As a new day rose on Pine Valley, Jake led Tad back to his home on Holland Avenue. Tad had been charged with assaulting Leslie, but he'd been let out on bail. Derek had granted his friend some privilege and allowed him to slip out the police station's back door to avoid a media circus. Tad called out to his wife, but there was no reply. Tad raced up the stairs to see if his wife was home, but he found the bed untouched. Tad returned downstairs and sadly told Jake that Dixie must been gone all night. Jake wondered aloud if Tad had, in fact, been carrying on an affair with Ms. Coulson. Tad denied the charges, but admitted to have slept with Leslie once - the night of Ryan's yacht party. Jake's eyes lit up and he immediately linked Tad's one-night stand with Leslie to the Libidozone-spiked punch served at the party. Tad was glad that Jake understood his quandary and asked that he try to make Dixie understand that the sex drug was to blame for his infidelity. Jake agreed to talk to Dixie, but he told Tad that he understood why Dixie was so upset. He explained that Tad's decision to keep quiet about the incident - which took place all the way back in November - made him look guilty. Tad told his brother that he'd kept quiet because of a looming threat known as Dr. David Hayward. Tad's face fell when Jake asked him if he feared that Dixie might turn to David in her time if need. Though he may have thought it before, something about hearing his fears said aloud made Tad panic. He suddenly jumped up and raced out of the house.
In the bar at The Valley Inn, Ryan and Gillian shared breakfast as they held a meeting with a woman representing a group that had an interest in investing money in incredibledreams.com. The woman, known only as Ms. Grace, appeared ready to invest a lot of money in spite of Ryan's company's financial woes. She excused herself from the table to phone some other representatives of her investment group. Ryan and Gillian indulged in some nervous banter while they awaited the final verdict. Gillian told Ryan that she'd hock her brooch if the deal feel through, but Ryan refused to allow her part with the family heirloom. The brooch, he said, needed to stay in the family so that they could give it to their daughter. When Ms. Grace returned, she brought with her good news; the investment was a go - with one condition. The woman asked Ryan for a face-to-face meeting with company owner Adam Chandler. Ryan reminded Ms. Grace that he, not Adam, was in charge of all of the business decisions. The woman questioned why she was not allowed to speak to Adam and Ryan quickly agreed to set up a meeting. Ryan was pulled aside by waiter and told that his credit card had been declined. Ryan promptly paid with cash and claimed that his bank had made some sort of mistake. Ryan told Gillian that he was going to head back to the yacht. Gillian said she'd meet him there after she'd finished running some errands for Eugenia. As Gillian finished up at the table, Greenlee wandered into the bar. She was amused that Gillian was apparently dining alone. Gillian assured Greenlee that she'd been eating with Ryan. Greenlee then countered that she wasn't aware that The Valley Inn accepted "food stamps." Gillian didn't let the insult get to her and fired back with one of her own. She instructed Greenlee to order the eggs benedict because she wouldn't be able to order food like that in jail. Greenlee informed the princess that the charges against her had been dropped. Gillian mentioned that she would be seeing Leo and would tell him of her situation. Greenlee claimed that she wasn't interested in having Gillian convey a message for her, but once Gillian left the room, Greenlee quickly trailed after her.
On the yacht, Leo read over a how-to guide to computers. As he did, Bianca arrived and broke the news that she'd gotten Pine Valley High's resident computer guru, Phil Lacey, to agree to help set up incredibledreams.com's web site. Leo smiled broadly and said that he'd like to meet the guy who was going to save his neck. Bianca smile and muttered that Phil, an heir to the Lacey's department store fortune, wasn't exactly a guy. A voice called out from the deck asked for some assistance in getting down into the main room. As Phil walked down the steps, Leo realized that Phil wasn't a Philip - Phil was Philomena. Bianca left the pair to talk technical issues. Phil appeared quite pleased with the working conditions and agreed to help Leo. There was a question of her internship with the company, though. Phil wanted to know if there was tuition involved. Overjoyed that Phil wanted to pay instead of being paid, Leo informed the young woman that she'd have to pay $200 per week, but that she'd be entitled to unlimited use of the computer systems as part of her tuition. When Ryan returned to the boat, he found Leo sipping tea and lounging casually on the sofa. Initially, he was furious with Leo for slacking off and hired a high school kid to tend to multi-million dollar equipment. Then, he realized that by allowing Leo to fail, it might make Adam realize that the company needed full-time employees and not cheap labor. As the two men talked, a woman stormed into the room. The woman, arguably sporting a plus-size outfit, blasted Ryan and his company and threatened to sue for "every penny [he's] got." Ryan and Leo exchanged nervous glances as the woman explained why she was so furious. According to the woman, Sally Brumfeld, she and her fiancé had hired Incredible Dreams to send them to Maui to get married. The dream wasn't just to get married, but to get married while bungee jumping over a cliff. When they'd gotten there, they were told that they exceeded the maximum weight allowed to make the jump. Unable to achieve their goal, the couple returned to Pine Valley. On the airplane ride home, Sally's fiancé "got friendly" with a flight attendant and now they were split. Ryan offered to refund all of Sally's money, but that wasn't good enough to appease the woman. Ryan also offered to send Sally on a cruise where she could meet and mingle with other eligible singles. That idea, too, failed to win over Sally. She sadly noted that her real incredible dream was to be a runway model, but that her figure would never allow her to attain that dream. As she said that, Bianca and Phil returned to the room. Leo's eyes suddenly lit up and he raced over to Phil and asked her if she'd help him out of a jam in return for a reduction of her tuition. Phil agreed. Leo told Sally that he and Lacey's were going to make her dream of being a runway model a reality. Phil eyed the woman up and down for a few moments before agreeing that Sally exemplified the store's target demographic for a new advertising campaign. Overjoyed, Sally hugged anyone near her and said that Incredible Dreams had made her dream come true. Ryan thanked Phil for helping out - and was also amazed that she knew so much about the computer systems. Gillian, who had returned during the ordeal with Ms. Brumfeld, noticed that Greenlee was standing on the deck peeking through the window. Greenlee quietly entered the room and asked to speak to Leo. Leo agreed to give her a few moments of his time. Phil, meanwhile, briefed Ryan on what she'd done to the web site. She said that she could do a lot more, but that she'd have to do it after school. Outside, Greenlee handed Leo a check for his half of the loft. Leo accused Greenlee of trying to play some sort of mind game with him. Greenlee denied it and asked Leo if he was capable of admitting that he still thought and cared about her. Leo didn't make any admissions, but he did asked Greenlee if she'd heard from her parents. Greenlee was reminded of Leo's nosing into her personal business and became furious. She against told Leo to take her check and said that she hoped by cashing it that he'd have nothing but bad luck.
Jake stormed up to a table in the bar area of The Valley Inn where Leslie was holding a meeting with a client. Jake advised the client against using Leslie for legal representation. After practically being forced out of his seat, the client told Leslie that he'd contact her later. Leslie knew why Jake was seated before her. Jake warned Leslie to stop playing mind games on Tad. Leslie tried to deny that she was playing any games, but Jake did not allow her to get a word in edgewise. Jake told Leslie to consider herself "warned" and left the table.
Upstairs on the ninth floor, Dixie awoke in bed next to a shirtless David, his arm draped over her, Dixie carefully pulled away from David and slinked out of bed. As she reached for her clothing, David stirred. The doctor got out of bed and approached Dixie, kissing her neck from behind. Dixie seemed to melt into David, but she abruptly pulled away and asked David to stop. Dixie continued to dress, prompting David to ask if she was leaving. "Are you going?" he asked. "Is it over?" Dixie nodded her head and told David that she was going home to piece together whatever was left of her marriage. She looked coldly at the doctor and asked him why he appeared so brokenhearted. "You got what you wanted," she snapped. David denied that he was solely interested in bedding Dixie and implied that he'd do whatever he had to do in order to have her in his life. The remark raised the question of what exactly it was that David had done. Seeing that he'd almost made a fatal slip, David quickly regrouped and said that he'd opened up to Dixie as he'd never done to anyone before. Dixie paused and stopped getting dressed. The uncertainty of what she'd fine when she returned home frightened her terribly. Through the conversation, Dixie appeared greatly distressed. She begged David not to say anything, for every time one of them spoke it only made things more awkward. David managed to talk Dixie into staying at least through breakfast. David phoned room service and asked that some food be sent up. Dixie slipped into the shower so that she'd be clean by the time room service arrived. Dixie was in the shower only a few minutes before a knock sounded on the door. David smiled and noted that room service had acted awfully quick. When David opened the door, he found Tad on the other side. An intense look on his face, Tad demanded to know if David had heard from Dixie. David shrugged nonchalantly and said that he was sure that Dixie would contact Tad if she wanted him to know where she was. Suddenly, Dixie stepped out of the shower and asked David if he had any shampoo. As she looked up, she realized that Tad was standing in the doorway to the room. Upon seeing his wife wrapped only in a towel, Tad's jaw dropped, a mortified look smeared across his face.
In the hunting lodge Edmund was looking through a box that belonged to Alex. He pulled out a sheet of paper and then flashed back to the two of them in bed and Alex telling him about a game she and her father played when she was young. Dimitri walked in, saw what Edmund was doing and said "Those are my wife's private belongings. Do you have any respect at all?" That began an argument between the two brothers. Edmund reminded Dimi that he and Alex had a life together and that he wouldn't forget it. Dimitri told Edmund not to hold onto that life. Edmund tried to explain that he was trying to find clues to Alex's location. He then asked Dimitri what had gotten into him. Dimitri said the short version was "Erica". Dimitri told Edmund about Erica's talk with Alex on the yacht the night of the party, how Erica told Alex she should leave the two brothers alone. He told Edmund that Erica believes she must have gotten through to Alex but Edmund said "That's good for her ego, but that's not the Alex we know." He handed the paper he'd found in the box and told Dimitri about the word game Alex enjoyed playing when she was young. Since Alex had never told Dimi about this he began to feel that maybe Erica was partly right, maybe Alex left town because she wasn't over Edmund. "Alex is yours Dimitri" Edmund told his brother. Dimitri admitted that it bothers him that Edmund and Alex shared a life and a love. Edmund explained that it was their grief over losing Dimitri that brought them together. Dimitri nodded and looked around the lodge, wondering what else Edmund might have found. He told Edmund that he feels like half a man with his wife missing and wondered aloud which one of them she was thinking about. Edmund reminded Dimitri that this was not a contest, that Alex is married to Dimi and loves only him. He vowed to help find Alex. Dimitri told Edmund that he was much more forgiving than his older brother and Edmund chuckled "That's why I'm the little brother! To teach you humility!". Dimitri said he was tired of dead ends, he just wanted his wife back. They discussed possible suspects and both agreed David Hayward is their number one suspect. But then Edmund wondered if there might be some truth in what Erica said and Dimitri asked where would Alex go? Edmund said out loud "Bristol, the cottage!" and they rushed off to make plane reservations.
Gillian was in the main living room of the yacht when a very happy Ryan bounded in. He told her that he just couldn't believe that the last person he'd expect on earth to help him really did - Leo! He praised Leo's efforts, especially his finding Phil the computer whiz. Gillian shared Ryan's happiness and then told him she had errands to run. He wanted to "do lunch or something" but she insisted she needed to go out. Ryan looked in a shopping bag she had and found a beautiful gown he'd recently given her. "I know what you're doing princess, forget it!" he said. Gillian tried to tell him she was just taking it out to be cleaned but he didn't buy it. She finally admitted that she was going to return the dress and get the cash to help their financial woes. Ryan set down Rule #1 : You will not sell anything you own; and Rule #2 : No dipping into your inheritance or asking Dimitri for help. She said it wasn't fair, that she had plenty of clothes and that she wanted to help. Ryan told her that he'd make everything right with his company and they'd have enough money for a huge wedding. He went on with all that he wanted for their wedding but Gillian said all she wanted was to be his wife. Ryan told her she'd be that and more and they'd live happily ever after. After making love Ryan was on the phone, thinking he was alone. He returned a call to a bank who'd offered him a credit card. Gillian overheard the conversation, which didn't sound promising. After Ryan hung up she gave him a hug and said she was going out to run her errands. He made her promise again not to sell anything and she walked out the door. Later Gillian walked into the Valley Inn and asked the manager if they had any openings for a waitress.
Standing in David's room Tad asked Dixie where her clothes were. Dixie asked him to leave, she "won't do this here.". Tad snidely asked what she would do here and walked toward her. David grabbed his arm. They began to struggle and Dixie stopped them. She asked David to leave for a little while and he did after making sure she was going to be ok. Tad remarked that he regretted not beating David up on the boat the night of the party. He asked Dixie how she could let David speak for her. He told her that they were supposed to be stronger than this. Then it dawned on him what had happened the night before "You did it? You slept with him?" Tad tried to again explain that he only slept with Leslie one time and that was because of the drug. Dixie said that the drug only let him do what he wanted to do, but Tad denied this strongly. He said she was the only one in his heart and that Dixie had things all wrong, there was no affair. She countered that she'd seen all his things in "their room" and Tad tried to tell her how Leslie had stolen his bag at the airport and set him up. Dixie didn't believe this at all. Tad told her that he didn't even know he'd touched Leslie until the next day. She asked if Leslie fabricated the whole thing then and he said yes but Dixie still didn't believe him. She said she didn't want to believe that Tad could break his promise to her again. "Leslie set the whole thing up, probably with David's help" Tad insisted. Dixie told him to stop making ridiculous accusations and to just admit what he did. Tad looked at her and said you don't want to believe me! She told him he should've been honest with her from the beginning but what she wants isn't that important to him. Tad told her that she was everything to him but that doesn't matter. "The fact is you wanted to sleep with David". She scoffed at the idea saying Tad was trying to attack her now. Tad said she'd been wondering what it would be like to be with David. Dixie said she'd had to bury her fears about Liza, with all the time they'd spent together working but then he lied to her about Leslie. "Why didn't you tell me about the yacht party?" she cried. Tad admitted that he'd made a huge mistake not telling her but that he was scared to death of hurting her. He said he just kept remembering what Dixie had told him, that if he did it again she'd walk out. "I thought you couldn't forgive me. I guess I was right" he told her. Dixie responded that she didn't know what to say but Tad accused her of just marking time, keeping track of his mistakes and waiting to use them against him. Tad asked if she cared about David as a friend or more and Dixie said she didn't know She told Tad about seeing him and Leslie in the hallway outside her room and about seeing "her perfume" delivered to Leslie. Tad demanded that she be honest "You do have feelings for him!" and Dixie finally admitted that yes, she does. Tad told her that he could be sure of one thing, "that you mean everything to me." With that, Tad walked out of the room.
Meanwhile at the bar David joined Leslie saying "Hello good looking!". Leslie wasn't as jovial, and told David about Tad "throttling" her. She went on to tell him about the sexual harassment charge she placed against him in response to his numerous charges (theft, breaking and entering, ect). Leslie told David that Tad demanded she tell Dixie the truth. David asked how she planned to win Tad over and she admitted that she's losing ground with Tad. She told David that the whole Martin clan was going to come down on her. The only thing standing in her way she claimed was Dixie and "I've got to get rid of her". David got very angry and told her to leave Dixie alone. He was very adamant and Leslie told him to back off or she'd tell Dixie everything. David didn't believe that Dixie would believe Leslie but Leslie was sure Dixie would be fascinated to hear all about the Libidozone and "how you poisoned a boat load of people just to get to her!". David claimed that no one could link him to the drug on the yacht. She asked him how he slipped the drug to all those people "or are you saving that story for yours and Dixie's kids? Oh, she can't go that route can she?" She went on about how she can give Tad lots of children and David told her he thinks she's losing it. He thought she should go away for awhile to rest and offered to help her find a place. But she told him that she was not his puppet and that he was not going to use her and then throw her away. "I'm a firm believer in paybacks! If I lose my law practice and Tad, I'll start with you and end with Dixie." she threatened. David said she couldn't prove anything against him and walked away. She smiled and said to herself "sure I can David, I'm a lawyer."
David went back to his room and found Dixie dressed and ready to leave. She told him Tad had left and that she was going to go also. He told her he'd be right there and if she needed him to just call. She stopped at the door as he said this, then went on out into the hallway.
Tad was in the living room at home looking very down when Junior and Jamie came in all dressed to go play outside. Junior asked Tad if something was wrong and Tad told him it was just a bad day. The boys asked him what happened and he tried to tell them it was just business problems. Junior told Tad not to let it get him down; he was better than that. Tad thanked him and the boys went out to play. Tad sat down in the darkened room holding a picture of he and Dixie together and looked completely broken.
Dixie walked down the hallway at The Valley Inn, leaned against the wall and let her devastation pour out.
As night fell over Pine Valley, a desperate Gillian asked the bar manager of the Valley Inn if he was hiring. When he snobbishly told her that they were always hiring, Gillian found her opportunity and lied, telling him that she had experience serving in Paris, Vienna and at Wildwind parties. Upon hearing that she had catered at Wildwind, he tossed her an apron and hired her on the spot.
Opal and Myrtle entered the bar. The two women discussed how odd it was that Erica took the news of Bianca's sexuality so badly, considering the fact that she knew more gay people. "Well," Myrtle reasoned, "they're not her daughter." She stated that if Bianca and Erica didn't reconcile soon, they never would. Gillian suddenly arrived at their table, donning her waitress uniform. The two were flabbergasted to see her. They asked her why she was working and Gillian wondered why there was a problem with her having a waitressing job. "You're royalty," Opal replied. Suddenly, she looked beyond Gillian and told her that Ryan had come to pay her a visit. Gillian feverishly ran to hide from him. Myrtle quietly asked her how long she had been working at the bar. "Three and a half minutes," Gillian replied. The manager went over to Gillian and informed her that there was another "deuce" ready to order and that she shouldn't keep them waiting. After he left, Gillian stepped out of her hiding spot with a look of confusion on her face. Myrtle held up two fingers. "Two," she said, explaining 'deuce' to Gillian.
At the bar, Stan, Ryan's business prospective, told him he was concerned about the negative publicity for incredibledreams.com but that he was pleased with the revenue he was making from banner ads on the sight. He confided that he was a "little jumpy" about the new ownership but Ryan assured him that nothing had changed and that it was only temporary. He confirmed that he was going to buy it back after he raised enough capital. Stan quietly asked him if he needed to raise cash fast and informed him about a fool-proof real estate idea, but that he would need a "strong stomach" to go through with it. Ryan declared that if it was foolproof, why worry?
Gillian was still hiding when the manager came to Opal and Myrtle's table and asked if there was a problem. The two sang her praises, marveled at her ability to be a quick learner and said that she was one of the best waitresses they ever had. He smiled, went to Gillian and ordered her to serve Ryan and Stan. Ryan didn't look up as she walked over to the table and tried to hide behind her order pad. She tried to use a fake accent as asked if she could take their order. "Well, only if you tell me your name," Stan replied. Ryan finally looked up and with a startled look on his face, stated, "It's Gillian." Stan told Ryan he was holding out on him by knowing "this beautiful girl" and he asked her if she was taken. "Completely," Gillian assured him. Ryan finally found the strength to stand up and introduce Stan to "Gillian, my fiancée." A shocked Stan declared, "But you live on a yacht?" Gillian offered to take their drink orders but Ryan refused and demanded that she tell him what's going on. Stan rises and stated that she had heard him on the phone trying to get a credit card and she thought she would try to help him. "You don't need to serve drinks to drunk salesmen to help me pay my rent," he assured her. He told her that if she served one more drink, he would carry her out over his shoulder. Gillian asked what the big deal was and an astounded Ryan replied that she was royalty. "So?" Gillian countered. "Have you seen the Duchess of York on TV today? There's nothing wrong with a royal getting a job." She offered again to ask Dimitri for the money but Ryan refused, reminding her that they had agreed not to ask her family for help. The waiter interrupted Ryan with news that he had a phone call and Ryan told Gillian that when he came back she had better have her coat because they were leaving. Once he had departed, the waiter informed Gillian that she had just started her shift but she assured him that she had things under control. Suddenly, she noticed that Jake had just come in and she turned around so he wouldn't see her but it was too late. Jake approached her with a shocked look on his face and Gillian coldly remarked, "Yeah, it's me, 'Princess Beer Nuts and Wine.' Do you have a problem with that or can I get you a drink?" Jake apologized and said he was just surprised. Gillian explained that she had only had the job for twenty minutes and already had "seen everybody I know on the planet," all of whom were surprised to see her "trying to make an honest dollar." Jake told her that she didn't have to explain and assured her that she would be a great waitress once she served someone she didn't know. He informed her that their divorce papers had been filed and asked her once more if she had second thoughts about saving their marriage. Gillian replied that she had many regrets about the way things happened but assured him that she's where she wants to be. Ryan came up behind her and Jake excused himself to meet an associate. Alone, Ryan told her that he didn't want her working there but Gillian stopped him declared that she wouldn't have it. She explained that when she was married to Jake, she was the "doctor's wife" and would never want for anything and Ryan in some way felt bad for taking her out of this life. "Look at you!" he cried. "Look what my mistakes have done to you!" Gillian assured him that everyone made mistakes and that she would get everything she wants in time because Ryan was a man of his words. The two embraced while the manager looked on and threw up the receipts in frustration. Ryan told Gillian that he wanted to "marry (her) yesterday" and promised that he would give her the big wedding she wanted. They kissed at Myrtle and Opal looked on and raised their drinks in a toast. Gillian told Ryan she had to get back to work but assured him that she could "get married in Las Vegas and still be the happiest woman in the world." As Gillian walked away, Ryan called Stan and told him that he was in on the real estate deal.
Jack arrived at Erica's unexpectedly and Erica informed him that he couldn't stay long as she was expecting company. He told her that he wouldn't and asked her how she was doing. She challenged his good intentions and questioned if he was there to see if Brooke's lecture had gotten through to her. Jack admitted that he heard from Bianca that she hired Shannon to replace her as the new Young Miss Enchantment and that Bianca was confused by the way her mother was acting. Erica defensively asked him why she was to blame for all of this but Jack only said that Bianca defended and justified Erica's reasoning for using Shannon for the campaign, a girl who "torments her every day at school." He told a surprised Erica that Bianca was hurt when she decided to use Shannon as her model. Erica restated that Bianca made it clear that she didn't want to be involved in the campaign and asked him if he knew how much Bianca had hurt her. Jack replied that Bianca is not gay with the intention of hurting anyone and told her that she can't control her sexuality any more than they can. "Oh," Erica miffed, "I don't believe that." She stated that she never could or would accept Bianca's sexuality. Confused, Jack asked if that meant she couldn't accept the truth about Bianca being gay. Erica disputed what the truth of the matter was. He asked her if she was aware that Bianca didn't feel like she could talk to her and Erica replied that she had taken steps to correct this. Jack stated that he heard Erica wanted her daughter to see a psychiatrist and asked her to reconsider. Frustrated, Erica told him that "it's not about brainwashing my daughter into any way of thinking," and that was not the purpose of therapy. She reminded him that when she was addicted to pain killers and when Bianca was anorexic, therapy greatly helped them through their ordeals. Erica assured Jack that all she had done was enlist the help of a therapist to come and talk to them and advised him that his opinion on what she was doing had "no place in this conversation." She stated that she wanted to help her daughter and Jack hoped that she would consider what that meant under the circumstances. He turned to leave, but Erica stopped him. She confided that ever since she and Travis brought Bianca into the world, all she had ever been concerned about was the safety and happiness of "her baby." Jack and Erica embraced and, as he left, he hoped that they would be able to work things out for both their sakes.
Bianca entered a restaurant and spied Becca at the take-out counter. "Becca," she called out, and walked towards her. The two hugged and Bianca asked her how her holidays were. Becca replied that they had gone well and then quietly asked her how she was doing. Bianca seemed surprised that they'd heard about her "little scandal down in Pigeon Hollow." Becca explained that she was in line at the market one day when she noticed the tabloid headlines. She quickly looked around, lowered her voice, apologized for the "hateful" things that had been printed about her and asked if Erica was going to sue for liable. Confused, Bianca divulged that she didn't like having the media attention but that the tabloid headlines were true. A shocked Becca couldn't bring herself to ask Bianca if she was gay, but Bianca stated that she was. Bianca assured her that nothing had changed from before except that now everyone knew who she had been for a very long time. She asked Becca what was the matter and Becca looked to the ground and stated that she "never knew." Bianca replied that no one did and asked her if they were going to be "okay as friends." Becca replied that they were and that she'd never judge her but that she'd never known gay people before and doesn't really understand. Bianca offered to answer any questions that she had but Becca uncomfortably told her that her business was private. The waiter interrupted their conversation with Becca's food. She hurriedly handed him money and said goodbye to Bianca as she rushed away. A confused Bianca called out Becca's name and she stopped. "Happy New Year," she said. "You, too," Becca replied and quickly scrambled away.
Hayley and Mateo arrived home and began arguing. On the doorstep, Hayley announced that it was up to her to figure out Arlene's next move but Mateo had doubts that it was really Arlene who was pulling all the pranks. Hayley challenged him to think of someone who would be sick enough to destroy Liza and Adam's wedding cake, ransack their home and leave a note saying 'CONFESS' in Colby's crib. Mateo informed her that he wouldn't let her do anything and that he would be the one to catch her. Hayley countered that she was the one who set the whole thing in motion the night she strangled Arlene and therefore it was up to her to catch her. She opened the door and turned on the lights as Mateo asked what she was going to bait Arlene to do, but Hayley didn't answer. She immediately noticed the missing necklace that she had hung on the lamp. Frantically, she explained to Mateo that Arlene came and stole it and he ran into the other rooms to see if she was still there. Hayley wandered over to the kitchen and put her bag down. As she turned around, she let out a wailing scream that pierced the calm night. Mateo rushed in to investigate and followed Hayley's eyes to the kitchen window, where a doll hung by a noose from outside. Mateo went out to retrieve it and brought it back in. Together they took off a note fastened to the doll which read, 'You can't live with the guilt,' and Mateo noticed that it was the same handwriting from the note in Colby's crib. A frightened Hayley explained that the doll was one that she kept in a box inside the house, one that Harry gave her as a gift when Arlene forgot it was her birthday. Harry had lied and said the doll was from the both of them and, for some reason, Arlene had always despised it. Suddenly, Tina came running in and anxiously asked what had happened. Mateo hurriedly hid the doll behind the couch cushions and replied that they had gotten robbed. Tina asked who would do such a thing and Hayley calmly replied, "My mother." A shocked Tina asked why she would do such a thing. Hayley explained that her mother and her actions weren't normal but Tina seemed confused because she had been told that Arlene left town. Suddenly, the phone rang and Mateo answered it. A man on the other end claimed that a bartender told him he was looking for a blonde woman and informed Mateo that he had seen her. Mateo demanded that the man stay where he was and told him that he would be right over. He hung up and narrated what had just happened. Hayley wanted to come but Mateo insisted that she stay home and lock the doors because he didn't want them getting into a confrontation. After Mateo had left, Tina asked Hayley if she would tell her what's going on. As Hayley locked the doors, she explained to Tina that the less she said, the better is was for everyone. Tina was convinced there was more to the story and told her that she had been acting strangely since the night of the yacht party. Hayley absentmindedly walked over to the doll and picked it up. Tina saw it, charged over and demanded to know what it meant and who left it. Hayley quickly placed it in a box and whispered that she didn't want to talk about it. Tina stormed over to the phone to call Derek but Hayley hung it up and wouldn't let her. Tina exclaimed that someone was trying to freak her out and they were winning. She said she didn't know why Arlene would do such a thing and called the doll with the noose "psycho." Hayley sighed and replied, "It's Arlene. She's responsible for all of this." She explained that she had it coming because she did something bad and she deserved what she got, but that is all she would explain. Hayley excused herself to lie down and Tina told her that she would stay. After Hayley closed the bedroom door, Tina picked up the doll and read the note.
Mateo arrived at the bar and spotted the guy who had called him. He asked where Arlene was but the guy informed him that she left a long time ago. Mateo hands him some crumpled money and told him that the next time she came, he was to call him. He agreed and took the money. The guy revealed that he spoke with her and Mateo asked what she had said. "Something about people getting away with murder and having to pay," he replied. "Do you know what that's about?" Unwilling to answer, Mateo asked what else she had said. He told Mateo that she said he would know what she meant. Shocked, Mateo asked the guy to level with him and to tell him what was going on. He confided that she gave him $100 and told him to call Mateo at a specific time, knowing that he would come right away and he walked away. "She set me up," Mateo realized and rushed out.
Dr. Trent, Erica's chosen psychologist arrived at Erica's and the two made themselves comfortable in the living room. When Dr. Trent inquired to Bianca's whereabouts, Erica told her that she wasn't home from school yet but that she was very relieved that she was here to help them. Dr. Trent assured her that she found Family Counseling the most rewarding part of her career. Erica began to explain the situation with Bianca but Dr. Trent cut her off, stating that she would rather wait for her daughter to arrive so Bianca wouldn't feel as if they were getting a head start on her. When Erica looked down, Dr. Trent asked if Bianca was aware that she was coming. Erica revealed that she didn't but that she had told her to come home immediately after school. "That's not helpful," Dr. Trent sighed and said that she would come back at a time that was convenient for the both of them. Suddenly Bianca walked in, greeted her mother and asked who her friend was. Erica introduced Dr. Trent while she stepped forward and shook Bianca's hand. She told a confused Bianca that she was a family therapist and that she thought Erica had let her know she was coming. Angrily, Bianca asked Erica if she "hired someone to shrink me in my own living room" and told the doctor that she didn't need to be "reprogrammed." Dr. Trent assured her that she was not a reparative therapist and that she was willing to help them by listening to them. Bianca dubiously asked if she could help her and Erica begin talking again and Dr. Trent announced that she would try. "Alright then," Bianca told her, "please stay." The therapist assured her that she didn't want to pass judgment on her, but Bianca informed her that she was the second person today to say that but that's all she had been feeling lately. The three sat down and Dr. Trent asked Erica if there was anything she wanted to say to Bianca to start. Erica apologized for hiring Shannon and offered Bianca a chance to come back to modeling. Bianca thanked her and agreed under one condition: instead of posing her with a "pumped up male model," she wanted to be posed with another girl. Erica quietly asked Dr. Trent if she had noticed that all Bianca had done was bait her and wait for a reaction, but Bianca replied that every time she did that, Erica tried to pretend that she wasn't really gay. Erica asked the therapist whether any 16 year old girl could make such a decision about themselves, but Dr. Trent told her to speak to Bianca directly. Erica responded that whenever she did, Bianca always had the "right answer" for everything. Angrily, Bianca stood and declared that she was tired of "being despised" in her own home. Erica went to Bianca and told her that she didn't hate her. Bianca snapped that she was hurt because her mother had seemingly traded her for someone like Shannon; someone who was prettier and straight. Erica denied all as Bianca accused her of being ashamed of her. Infrustration, Bianca demanded that Erica tell Dr. Trent how she felt about having a lesbian daughter. "I feel cheated," Erica admitted. "And I feel like it's all my fault." She confessed that she hated herself for feeling like that and that she was more frightened than she ever had been in her life.
Mateo arrived home and found Tina sprawled on the floor, semi-unconscious. He ran into the bedroom and found it aglow with candles and Hayley sound asleep on the bed. Mateo picked up a note from the nightstand, which read, "I'm as close as your next breath. I can get you whenever I want." Mateo sat on the bed. Hayley awoke and read the note. "Oh, my God," they repeated together, and locked themselves in a tight embrace.
Hayley evaluated Arlene's latest break-in as a true sign that she was "over the edge." To this point, it appeared that Mateo had forgotten that Tina still lay sprawled on the living room floor. A few seconds later, Tina staggered into the bedroom rubbing her head. Upon seeing the eerie scene in the bedroom - several dozen lit candles encircling the bed - Tina immediately grimaced. The young woman called the scene "like a shrine for the dead" and wanted to call the authorities. Mateo, however, stepped between Tina and the phone and told her that calling the police was not an option. Making a strange statement of her own, Tina declined medical treatment, saying that she'd have Jake check her out in the morning when she reported for work at the hospital. Mateo decided to take Hayley to Chandler Mansion. Tina again requested that someone call the police, but again Mateo told her to be quiet. He asked that Tina blow out the rest of the candles before going home to her own condo. Tina nodded understandingly as Mateo and Hayley left. Only a few seconds later, Tina picked up the phone and dialed the police station. After some time passed, Derek Frye showed up at the condo. He asked Tina several questions, including one about the whereabouts of Hayley and Mateo. Tina told the detective where he could find the pair and also let it be known that the Santoses believed that Arlene was responsible for ransacking their home. Tina headed into the living room to retrieve the doll that had been hanged outside the condo, but it had mysteriously disappeared.
On the phone with Stan, the investor he'd met with just a short time earlier, Ryan asked for the turnaround time on the real estate venture that had been bandied about. Leo, meanwhile, entered the bar and froze in his tracks upon seeing the Princess Andrassy in a "bar wench" uniform. Gillian took Leo's pointed remark in stride and proudly held up three dollars that she'd made in tips. Leo continued on his way and took up a seat next to Ryan. The two men talked business and Ryan chided Leo about his newfound cash infusion from Greenlee buying him out of his share of the loft. Leo made no attempt to deny his windfall, but hinted that he still didn't have as much money as he'd like. Hearing that Leo wanted a bigger piece of the pie, Ryan briefed him on the real estate deal he was investing in. Leo liked what he'd heard and told Ryan that he wanted in on the deal too. Adam arrived at the bar and grumbled about what he saw as Ryan's poor work ethic. He chided Ryan for hobnobbing with Leo, a man he called "transplanted Euro-trash." Ryan touted Leo's work to his boss and at the same time let Adam have it for "micro-managing" every aspect of his business. Adam nodded his head and told Ryan that he'd let up on him until the end of the first quarter. If, said Adam, Ryan could make his company profitable by that time, he'd allow Ryan to operate as he deemed fit. If Incredible Dreams was still operating at a loss, Adam promised to yank Ryan from his job and put in place his own suits. After Adam left, Greenlee cagily entered the bar. She sat down at a table and spotted Gillian performing her waitressing duties. Greenlee dumped some ice on the floor and accomplished her goal of sending Gillian - and her tray of glasses -- crashing to ground. Gillian didn't realize that she'd been set up and chalked up her spill to clumsiness. Leo and Ryan both helped her to her feet. Greenlee called out to Gillian and demanded that her drink order be taken. Gillian did as she was expected and later returned with the drink Greenlee had ordered. Hoping to cause more trouble, Greenlee claimed that she'd been brought the wrong drink and demanded to speak to the manager. The manager appeared, apologized for Gillian's mistake and assured Greenlee that her drinks would be on the house. The manager then warned Gillian that one more mistake would result in her termination. Leo approached the table with Greenlee's new drink order, a Bloody Mary, and "accidentally" spilled it all over Greenlee's white outfit. Greenlee jumped to her feet and screamed. As Leo, Ryan and Gillian laughed, Greenlee stormed out of the bar.
"You're afraid of me?" Bianca gasped. Erica bowed her head for a moment before looking her daughter in the eyes. She explained that she wasn't afraid of her, but rather afraid of losing her. Dr. Trent announced that the two women had taken "a major step toward resolving [their] conflict." Bianca assured her mother that she wasn't going to lose her, however, she warned her that she risked pushing her away. Erica tearfully spoke of the dreams she'd had that would never come to fruition. There would be no shopping for a wedding dress, no picking china patterns and no weddings. Bianca softly asked that her mother not give up on her dreams. It was still possible, she said, for her to find "a special girl" with whom she wanted to share her life. That very idea seemed to send a shockwave through Erica's small frame. "It would not be the same thing," Erica replied snappily. Bianca questioned her mother's husband-hopping and numerous failed relationships. Erica turned her back to her daughter and argued that her exploits were not being questioned. Dr. Trent stepped forward and stated that Erica's behavior actually was something that needed to be addressed. The doctor at no time laid any blame on Erica or Bianca. She did, however, want to know why Erica had been involved in so many failed romances. "It's not my fault if the men I choose don't live up to my expectations," Erica responded. Dr. Trent asked Erica if it's possible that her expectations are set too high. Before Erica could respond, Bianca stated that her mother's high standards had lead to a divorce from her father. Erica was furious for what she saw as the doctor's decision to side with Bianca against her. She angrily dismissed Dr. Trent, saying that her services would no longer be needed. Before departing, the doctor politely told Bianca that she's be available if she or her mother needed to talk. Later, in a huff, Bianca asked her mother was she planned to do now that family therapy had failed. Erica again agreed to allow Bianca appear in Enchantment's ad campaign, but she told Bianca that she'd need to rehearse some responses to the numerous questions reporters would undoubtedly ask. Convinced that her mother wanted her to lie about her sexuality, Bianca angrily stated that Shannon could remain in place as the company spokesmodel. She then raced up the stairs even as her mother called out for her not to run away. Erica sat down on the sofa and looked over a photo album of some of Bianca's baby pictures. As she did, Bianca wandered down the steps with a bag filled with her belongings. Bianca announced that she was moving out. She then walked over to a table where Erica displayed photos of some of the men in her life. One by one, Bianca angrily turned over pictures of Travis, Jackson, David and Dimitri. "You are a failure as a woman and as a mother," Bianca shouted. As it turned out, the display was actually a nightmare. Erica tossed and turned on the sofa where she'd fallen asleep. Bianca quietly slinked down the steps. She spotted her mother and knelt beside her. She started to reach out to brush her mother's hair with her hand, but Bianca struggled with the idea and hesitantly pulled away. She then headed to the door and walked out onto the porch. There, Rain was waiting to see her. The young runaway had tossed some pebbles at Bianca's window to get her attention. Now that she was outside, Rain asked Bianca if she was up for a little "mindless fun." Bianca smiled broadly and the pair dashed off into the night.
Hayley and Mateo arrived at Chandler Mansion, greeted by a perplexed Winifred. Winifred wanted to be of help to the couple, but Mateo angrily dismissed her. Later, Mateo implied that he suspected one of Adam's servants as the person behind the break-ins, cake smashing and other Arlenesque incidents. Adam returned home a short while later and was told of the latest incident at the condo. Mateo handed his father-in-law the note he had found by Hayley's side. Adam nervously scanned the note and offered that anyone could have written it. Hayley shook her head and explained that the handwriting in the note matched Arlene's to a tee. Duffy, a private eye Adam had hired to watch over Hayley and to find Arlene, arrived at the mansion and was given an update of all that had transpired. Hayley was shaken by her near-encounter with Arlene and asked to turn in for the night. Mateo walked Hayley up to their bedroom. Meanwhile, Duffy and Adam chatted about how best to proceed in finding Arlene. Adam called his former wife "part-time party girl, part-time black widow." Later, Mateo returned downstairs and told Adam that he thinks it might be time to go to the police. Adam argued that contacting the police was the worst thing possible. Adam feared that Hayley would confess to killing Arlene and would have to go to trial - a severe threat to her sobriety. Mateo reminded Adam that Arlene was alive and that Hayley could not go to jail for her murder. Adam nodded slightly and stated that Hayley would still have to go to trial for assaulting Arlene. The doorbell sounded, signaling the arrival of Detective Frye. Mateo wasn't pleased to learn that Tina had called the police, but he did seem to breathe a sigh of relief. Derek told the two men that they didn't have to rouse Hayley from her sleep; he would talk to her in the morning if it were necessary. Derek did, however, want to know why Tina had gotten the impression that Arlene was responsible for wrecking Mateo and Hayley's condo.
Duffy headed to the bar formerly owned by Adam and asked around about Arlene. He flashed a photo, but none of the patrons had seen anyone matching Arlene's description. Frustrated, Duffy left the bar. Only a matter of a few seconds later, a slender woman wearing a pair of black boots strutted into the bar from a back room. Bud, the man who had summoned Mateo to the bar earlier in the night, looked up at the woman and shouted, "Yo, Arlene! Save me a dance?" The woman sashayed over to a jukebox, popped in a quarter and selected a tune to dance to. She then walked over to Bud's table and pulled him up for a dance. To this point, the vantage point was from the woman's knees to the floor. As the pair danced, the camera slowly inched its way up towards the woman's face. "And sweetie," the woman purred. "Put some muscle into it." She then pulled Bud's mid-region into her own. "And you know what muscle I'm talking about." As the pair turned during the dance routine, the woman's face was finally revealed - it was Hayley.
