Dimitri raced over to Gloria's side and asked her if everything was okay. Gloria wiped the tears from her eyes, but said nothing. Dimitri turned to Edmund and ordered him to give his daughter back to him. Finally, Gloria broke her silence. Her hand shaking furiously, Gloria showed her husband the blood work results proving that he could not be Maddie's father. Dimitri cried foul and accused Edmund of creating bogus documents. Tad entered from a side room and accused Dimitri of being the one who's been lying. Again Dimitri demanded that his daughter be turned over to him. Edmund growled that Madeline is not Dimitri's daughter. Tad smiled devilishly and announced that he'd contacted a magistrate to help settle the problem. On cue, the magistrate entered the waiting room. Dimitri's eyes smiled as he realized that the man was an old family friend. Family friend or not, the magistrate was not about to turn his back on the truth. He informed Dimitri that he'd been getting calls from media outlets around the world asking about the charges against Dimitri. As Hungarian royalty, Dimitri would surely not embarrass his homeland by creating a mockery of its judicial system. Dimitri had no other choice, but to submit to the judicial review. Gloria was asked to take Maddie back to Vadzel and await the verdict. Dimitri promised Gloria that he would fight Edmund. She responded by saying that Dimitri should allow Maddie to be with her real father. Dimitri walked over to Edmund and told him "my daughter will never be yours." Edmund looked him in the eye and replied, "I don't want your daughter. I want my daughter."
The news that Kelsey had been arrested sent a wave of worry over Joe and Ruth. So imagine their surprise when Jack informed them that Kelsey and Gillian had been arrested for prostitution! Derek and a fellow police officer led the recent arrests, all joined by a chain of handcuffs, into the police station. Gillian hooted and hollered that she felt "so Pretty Woman," a reference to the Julia Roberts movie. Kelsey, on the other hand, was more subdued. All of the other arrests were taken to booking, but Gillian and Kelsey were escorted to speak to Jackson. Derek uncuffed them and Jack asked Kelsey if she'd like to explain why she was in a madam's hotel room. Kelsey knew that her answer would sound really bad, but she told the truth nevertheless. She explained that Victoria had introduced herself and said that she was going to be hosting a party. Kelsey noted that she was reeled in by the promise that she might get to meet a literary agent. She swore that she did not know that she was going to become part of a prostitution ring. Joe asked Jack to drop the charges against the girls. After a moment of hesitation, he agreed. The decision sent Kelsey into celebration. She referred to herself as "a loser" for getting sucked into the mess. Ruth, however, had a different slant on things; She said that her granddaughter has a tendency to leap before looking. Joe and Ruth escorted Kelsey home and Gillian was about to saunter back to Linden until Jack ordered her to halt. He told her that he was not sure that Gillian was innocent. He accused her of being bored and deciding to find a little fun by becoming a hooker. The inference enraged Gillian and she lashed out at Jack for his poor judgment. Jack wondered what Erica sees in Gillian and told Gillian that he thinks she's nothing but trouble.
At the cemetery, Janet had a heart-to-heart talk with her departed sister. Janet apologized for all of the horrible things that she'd done to Natalie. She insisted that Amanda was the best thing to happen to her and that being a mother has turned her life around. She praised Nat as a good mother and asked for her help in dealing with Tim. She said that Tim is "a man on the outside," but a "boy on the inside" who still misses his mom. Janet expressed a desire to be a happy family---her, Amanda, Trevor, and Tim. She even confessed that she's in love with Trevor. Once the words slipped past her lips, Janet became noticeably quiet. She wondered if her statement would upset Natalie, so she asked for a sign from her sister to indicate if her relationship with Trevor was acceptable. In what could have been dismissed as an eerie coincidence, a crisp autumn wind sent the leaves on Natalie's grave flying in all directions. When it stopped, Janet found a tulip bulb resting on the ground. The bulb, Janet realized, was the sign she'd been asking for. Janet compared her relationship with Trevor to the flower bulb---she should nurture it and help it to grow. Janet thanked Natalie and left with a smile on her face. Her sister, she beamed, approved of her relationship with Trevor.
At Vadzel, Gloria looked over Maddie's belongings. She began to sob when she realized that the baby might be taken away from her. Tad entered the room and placed his hand on her shoulders. Gloria accused him of following her, Tad initially denied the claim but would later change his story. Gloria's lips quivered. She fought back tears as she told Tad that Maddie had called her "mama." Tad told her that Dimitri had been lying to her since day one. He implied that Dimitri had known all along that Maddie was not his biological daughter. He used the baby, Tad explained, the help him get closer to Gloria. Dimitri returned from the magistrate's office with the bitter taste of defeat lingering in his mouth. He told Gloria that the magistrate ruled against them; Maddie would be returning to Pine Valley with Edmund. Edmund took a step towards his daughter, but was held off by Dimitri. He demanded that he be allowed to say goodbye to Maddie. Dimitri told Maddie that she would always be his daughter. Gloria quietly told him that it was time for the baby to be reunited with her father. Dimitri had a hard time letting go. He face drooped and his eyes welled with tears. It took everything in his power to keep himself from crying. Tad was annoyed that Dimitri had once again roped Gloria into his web of deception. Edmund asked Gloria to pack up the baby's things so that he could take Maddie home.
Amanda returned home from school with a lot on her mind. She worried that Tim would be sent away to school. Trevor assured his daughter that Tim would only be sent off to boarding school if he wanted to go. That led to another dilemma: Tim doesn't want to be around because of Janet and Janet doesn't want to be around Tim. So, the little girl wondered, does that mean that if Tim stays her mother will leave town? Trevor insisted that Janet wasn't going to go anywhere. He tried to take her mind off of her troubles by playing a game of Go Fish. The distraction didn't work. Luckily, Janet arrived at that moment and Amanda was back to her usual chipper self. Janet told her daughter that she wasn't going to leave town. In fact, she said, she has a feeling that things are going to get better for them. She was, of course, referring to her "sign" from Natalie. She could have had no way of knowing that her words might come back to haunt her if Tim has his way.
At the infirmary, Edmund allowed the doctors to give Maddie a final check-up before leaving. He told Maria that their daughter was coming home. Maddie cooed happily as she played paddy-cake on Edmund's cheeks.
Gloria found Dimitri sitting in front of a roaring fire. He turned and asked her if she planned on leaving him.
Oyster refused to help Tim with his plan. He said that it was too dangerous. Tim was furious that his friend wouldn't help him. He even laid on a guilt trip buy reminding his friend that he left Amanda home alone so that he could help him with his stalled car. Oyster's position never wavered. Tim said that he would lock himself in the room with or without his friend's help. Oyster reached into his pocket and pulled out a candy bar. He handed it to Tim and told him that he might need something to eat while locked in his self-imposed prison. Oyster promised to return in twenty-four hours to help Tim get out of the room on the off chance that someone didn't find him. Tim walked into the abandoned room and Oyster scampered out of sight. Tim's face was red with anger. He gave a tug on the heavy metal door. It swung towards him, sending him flying back against an old metal apparatus. The jolt sent him flying to the ground. A stream of blood trickled down his forehead, as he lay motionless on the ground. When he came around, he struggled to stand up. He called out to Oyster to help him, saying that he was injured. But by then there was no one around to hear his cries.
Jack's main objection to Gillian's escapades wasn't that he believed she was looking to become a prostitute---he did consider that, though. He was worried that Bianca might be exposed to Gillian's shenanigans. Gillian felt that Bianca was already exposed to "the birds and the bees" and that her arrest would not be a problem. The princess complained that Americans are too uptight on the topic of sex. Citing Amsterdam's legalization of prostitution, Gillian commented that a man who is desperate enough to pay for sex should not be charged with a crime. Bianca burst into the station. She'd seen a news brief on television announcing Gillian's arrest on solicitation charges. Bianca didn't know what solicitation meant and asked a bunch of questions. Gillian knelt on the ground and looked Bianca in the eyes and told her that her arrest was a mistake and that no charges were being brought against her. That seemed to lessen Bianca's fears. After the explanation, a man dressed in a suit walked over to Gillian an pulled her aside. He told her that he was sent by the federal government to inform Gillian that her student visa is up for review. The charges against violated the terms of her visa and even though Gillian pointed out that she was not actually charged with a crime, she was told that her actions were enough to consider a review. In a dumb move, Gillian tried to flirt with the agent to get him to skip over the review. He told her that bribing a federal agent is a federal crime. He agreed to overlook her misguided attempt at justice, but warned her to contact a good lawyer to help her with her fight.
Edmund opted to remain in the waiting room after a nurse took Madeline to the examining room. He thanked Tad for helping him get Maddie back from Dimitri. Tad downplayed his role in the process and said that it was Edmund who ultimately convinced Gloria to do the right thing. Edmund could tell that Tad still had feelings for Gloria. Tad denied the claims. He told Edmund that he was "off the mark" and that Gloria was Dimitri's wife. Still, Edmund felt it was a mistake for Tad to let Gloria go.
Janet offered to bake some cookies with her daughter to help get her mind off of all the bad things that had happened recently. Amanda took one look at Janet's dirty hands and told her that she'd have to wash her hands first. Trevor looked curiously at Janet's filthy hands and asked her what she'd been doing. When Amanda left the room, Janet explained that she'd visited Natalie's grave. Trevor admitted that he also stops by the cemetery when things get tough. Janet smiled meekly when she told Trevor that Nat approved of their relationship. The two capitalized on their tender moment and shared a kiss. Amanda returned to the room and saw the two kissing and commented "...and they all lived happily ever after" to herself. Trevor told Amanda that it was time for her to wash up and get ready for bed. She offered no resistance and dashed up the steps. Janet was about to tell Trevor that she told Natalie about her feelings for him when the doorbell rang. Oyster entered and asked Trevor if he'd seen Tim. Trevor's face scrunched up and he told Oyster that Tim was supposed to be at his house. Oyster claimed that he hadn't seen Tim since school. Trevor made some phone calls, but no one had seen Tim. Trevor worried that something bad had happened, but Janet assured him that Tim wouldn't do anything stupid. She talked Trevor out of calling the police because she worried that police involvement might cause Tim to fly off the handle. Trevor decided to make a few trips to some of Tim's hangouts on the off chance that he might be trying to scare him. He ended up at the police station and told an officer that his son was missing. The officer brought up a touchy question---does Trevor think that foul play might be involved?
Gloria asked Dimitri why he thinks that she'd leave him. Dimitri called himself "the villain that everyone loves to hate." He encouraged Gloria to join the ranks of those who see him as an evil man who lied in order to steal his brother's baby. Gloria was so taken by Dimitri that she believed every word he said. She refused to believe that he would steal someone's child and told her husband that she loves him dearly. She told Dimitri that he doesn't have to worry about her leaving him because she'll always be there for him. Eugenia entered the room and told Dimitri that she'd received an urgent call from Gillian. She explained that Gillian faced deportation. Dimitri wanted Gillian to handle the matter on her own, but Eugenia was frantic enough to convince Dimitri to get involved. He asked her to head to the infirmary and get Edmund's help. Eugenia was upset that Edmund was in Budapest and hadn't stopped by to visit her. She was immeasurably perplexed when Dimitri told her that Edmund was having his daughter examined. As far as Eugenia knew, Edmund had no daughter! After Eugenia left, Dimitri apologized for not being able to supply his wife with privacy. That prompted Gloria to ask Dimitri to return to Pine Valley. Dimitri was caught off guard and asked Gloria why she wants to leave Vadzel. Gloria explained that she feels more at home in Pine Valley and that she wants to start their life anew. Dimitri agreed and told Gloria that he'd see her in their bedroom after he locked up. Gloria nodded and headed off to bed. Dimitri cackled to himself. He planned to work on getting Gloria pregnant so that he could have the baby serve as a bond to keep Gloria in his life.
At the hospital, Eugenia told Edmund of her granddaughter's problems. Edmund picked up the phone and called the police department. He spoke to Gillian and told her that he'd help her with her legal matters. He instructed her to go to Wildwind and do nothing---absolutely nothing. That way she couldn't get in trouble. While Edmund was on the phone, Eugenia and Tad had a witty little conversation. Tad drooled over the number of crass remarks he could make about Gillian's arrest on prostitution charges. And every remark that he made reminded Eugenia of her late husband. Eugenia smiled wryly and told her husband's near-twin "if only I were a few years..." She stopped mid-sentence, but Tad knew exactly what she was going to say. Gillian asked to speak to her grandmother. The two women shared a tender moment, both expression their love for one another. Eugenia urged Gillian to remain strong and told her that she knows she make her proud. Edmund's offer to allow Gillian to stay at Wildwind didn't come a moment too soon. Jack ordered Gillian to pack her bags and move out of Linden. Gillian was moved to tears by her second eviction. She told Jack that she is a lot like Bianca---a privileged child with few friends and a life under the microscope---and that she wants to help Bianca. Jack wanted nothing to do with Gillian and told her that he still wants her to move out of the house. Meanwhile back in Hungary, Edmund and Tad vowed to stick it to Dimitri and to make him pay for all that he'd done to them.
Tim lit a candle that he'd stashed in his jacket and again called for help. No one could hear him. He envisioned what would happen when he announced that Janet had locked him up in the meat locker. In his mind, he saw everyone turning against Janet as she was hauled off to jail. Even Amanda turned on Janet and told her to rot in jail. Tim's gag began to backfire. First the room was invaded by rats. Then he realized that the room had no ventilation---and that his air supply was running out.
With Tim nowhere to be found, Trevor was becoming more and more uneasy. He didn't want to even consider that foul play might have been involved. It was Derek's job to cover all angles, but with every implication that something bad might have happened, Trevor's inched one step closer to a meltdown. Brooke had stopped by to help distract Amanda while Trevor and Janet searched for Tim. Derek noted that Tim was at an awkward moment in his life. He claimed that Trevor's decision to have Tim arrested might have pushed him over the edge. Coupled with Trevor's relationship with Janet? Well, that didn't help matters either. Janet wondered if Derek was trying to imply that she was somehow involved in Tim's disappearance. Derek quickly assured her that he never even thought that she might be involved. Amanda noticed that Harold, the family dog, was missing. That revelation worried Trevor even more. Tim, he explained, never goes anywhere without Harold. If the dog was missing, it was possible that Tim planned on a lengthy disappearance.
Hayley and Mateo were in the middle of another squabble when Brooke phoned them with the news of Tim's disappearance. Hayley tried to impress upon Mateo the fact that Adam wanted to make amends for his poor judgment. Mateo wanted nothing to do with Adam and almost asked Hayley to cut herself off from her father. Hayley refused to cut ties with her dad. She said that in spite of his flaws, she still needs him in her life. The spat came to an end after Brooke's phone call and the couple headed for the old warehouse district as part of a "dragnet" to locate the missing boy.
Esther cooked up some specially seasoned eggs for Bianca, but Bianca claimed that she wasn't hungry. With a therapy session later in the morning, Esther didn't want Bianca running around without having had any breakfast. Bianca broke the news that her therapy session was cancelled due to the holiday. For some reason, Esther didn't believe Bianca. She asked her if something had happened at therapy that made her not want to go. Bianca became upset and told Esther that it wasn't her place to poke into her personal life. Esther meant well, but Bianca didn't see it that way. Esther tried to make things better by telling Bianca that she needed to take care of herself and that taking care of herself would make Erica feel better. Bianca was convinced that she would never see her mother again. In an attempt to pacify Bianca, Esther let it slip that Bianca might see her mother really soon---like in a few hours. Bianca titled her head to one side and listened intently as Esther revealed that Erica was having a parole hearing. Bianca's hopes soared into the stratosphere as she planned a Welcome Home party for her mom. Stuart dropped by a few minutes later and whispered to his friend that Jack would call them after the parole hearing. The key, Stuart said, was to not let Bianca know about the parole hearing. Esther's face dropped. She confessed that she let the news slip. Stuart wasn't worried because he felt that Bianca would take the news well. She didn't. Bianca ran willy-nilly around the house preparing posters and banners for her mother's return.
At the parole hearing, Jack informed Erica that The State would not argue against her early release from prison. Belinda noted that the final decision rested on the judge---and that she could rule anyway she wanted. Isabella entered the courtroom and sternly issued Erica a message; She would see to it that Erica remained in prison until her jail time was completed. Erica was stunned that Isabella was going to be allowed to speak at the hearing. She begged Jack to get rid of Isabella. That couldn't be done. It's judicial policy to allow the victims or victims' families speak at parole hearings. The judge entered the courtroom and Belinda issued her remarks. She called Erica a model prisoner who had worked on various humanitarian projects while incarcerated. The judge was critical of Belinda's accounts and asked if giving a television interview was Erica's way of reaching out to her ill daughter. Belinda argued that Erica's daughter's health is contingent upon Erica's release from jail. Before Jack could state the State's position, Isabella leapt to her feet and demanded that Erica be locked up until her sentence was completed. The judge ordered her to remain quiet until it was her turn to speak. Jack stated his position---that Erica should be released. Isabella spoke for several minutes. In her speech, she accused Erica of being a bad mother and said that kidnapping Maddie was a method of revenge against Maria. She begged the judge to overlook Erica's celebrity status and to issue a verdict that was fair and based on God's laws. Erica didn't take things sitting down. She raced to the front of the courtroom and spoke on her own behalf. She pleaded with the judge to allow her to be with her daughter---before it was too late. Jack explained that Erica was being barred from visiting with her daughter and that he had been caring for Bianca for several weeks. He might have said a little too much. The judge decided that Jack was too closely involved in the case to be neutral. She scratched The State's opinion from the record and reviewed the material presented to her. Taking into consideration all that had been said, the judge blasted Erica for being concerned for her own child, but for overlooking the child that she'd stolen from Edmund and Maria. Therefore, the judge ruled that parole was to be denied and that Erica would have to serve out the rest of her time.
In the meat locker, Tim began to shiver and shake, He candy bar had been eaten by the rats and his watch broken during his fall. He had no way to tell how long he'd been locked up---and no way to tell how long he had until he'd be "rescued." A familiar noise sounded from the other side of the door: Harold's barking. Fortunately for Tim, Hayley and Mateo were in the neighborhood and overheard Harold's barks. Mateo told Hayley to ignore the sounds, but she felt a need to investigate. When they found Harold, they knew that Tim was nearby. Mateo pried open the door and found Tim hovering on the brink of consciousness. Mateo asked him how he'd gotten locked up in the abandoned building. Tim hesitated for a few moments before replying, "Janet."
Trevor paced the floors nervously, wondering why no one had been able to find his missing son. After what must have seemed like a lifetime to him, Mateo called and told him that he and Hayley had found Tim in a meat locker in the old warehouse district. Mateo did little explaining; He simply told Trevor that he and Hayley had called the paramedics and that Tim was en route to the hospital. Trevor asked Janet to accompany him to the hospital, but she felt it better that she not go anywhere near the boy until he'd done some cooling off. Trevor agreed and asked Janet to go to Wildwind for the planned gathering.
Allie placed a phone call to Dr. David Hayward and told him that she knew he was coming to town, but wanted nothing to do with him. Her message was quite clear: Stay away. Tim was wheeled into the emergency room on a stretcher. One of the paramedics stated that Tim had a bruised ankle and was suffering from hypothermia. Jake decided to have Tim's ankle x-rayed just to make sure that it wasn't broken. Tim had already been wheeled to radiology by the time Trevor arrived at the hospital. He urged Hayley and Mateo to go to Wildwind so that they could be with their family. They agreed and told him nothing about Tim's claims that Janet was responsible for his injuries. Jake pulled Trevor aside and briefed him on Tim's condition. Allie joined the fray and suggested that Tim be allowed to stay in the hospital overnight just to be certain that nothing serious was wrong with him. Trevor agreed. Trevor convinced them to nix their plans to work overtime and to go home and celebrate Thanksgiving. Jake nodded his head and asked Allie if she'd like to join him and his family.
At Wildwind, Brooke, Isabella, Belinda, Janet, Amanda, Laura, and Jamie gathered together to celebrate the holiday. Isabella announced that Edmund had phoned and given her a cryptic message about Maddie returning home with him. Isabella and Belinda discussed their recent differences and promised not to let those differences cause any problems for them. Isabella remained set in her opinions; Erica should not be released from prison until her sentence was served. Belinda assured Isabella that she was not angry with her and that she never wants anything to come between them. Belinda did, however, sassily comment that Isabella would have to thank Erica for reuniting Edmund and Maddie. On cue, Tad and Edmund returned home from their European adventure. Edmund smiled proudly as he told everyone that he had a big announcement to make. Last year, he said, he and Maria announced that they were expecting a child. This year, he continued, he was pleased to tell them that Maddie was home at last and that she was really his daughter. Matt proposed a toast to Maddie's return, commenting that it was ironic that she finally came on a day of thanks. He also proposed a toast in memory of all the loved ones they'd lost. As he went down the list---Julia and Noah, Hector, and then eventually to Maria---windchimes sounded from outside. Edmund looked towards the heavens and smiled. The chimes, he grinned, were Maria's way of saying hello to them. Several people felt badly for Gloria. This was, after all, the second time she'd "lost" a daughter. Isabella didn't put all the blame on Dimitri. She explained that had Skye not tampered with the results, everything would have been different. Brooke then knew why Skye had suddenly quit working at Tempo and vanished. Belinda asked Edmund if he wanted to press charges against Skye. He shrugged his shoulders and replied that he was too happy to even consider legal action---at least for the moment.
Myrtle visited Erica at the correctional facility. Erica was pleased to see her, but insisted that Myrtle leave and head for somewhere that she could celebrate Thanksgiving. Myrtle rose from her seat and tapped on the door. Gillian and Esther burst into the visiting room toting boxes of holiday goodies. Erica had ordered holiday food and decorations as a parting gift to her cellblock buddies. She never expected that her parole would be denied and that she would be locked up for the holidays. Gillian panned the dining facilities, calling them too drab. She giggled and commented that the gray cement walls were almost her new home. Myrtle motioned for Gillian to silence, but it did not good. Gillian announced proudly that she was arrested for prostitution. Erica was floored. She blasted Gillian's escapades, claiming that she put Bianca at risk. If Travis were to learn of Gillian's arrest, Erica snapped, he might demand that Bianca return to Seattle. Gillian apologized and told Erica that she would move out of Linden immediately. Gillian sauntered out of the room and wasn't seen again. Erica worried that her life was falling apart. "I have nothing to be thankful for," she sighed. A familiar voice called out the word "mommy." Erica spun around and saw her daughter running towards her.
At the Martin House, Ruth feared that she would not have enough place settings for all of her holiday guests. No one had told her who was coming and who was not. Joe suggested making the meal "buffet style" so that they wouldn't have to worry about the number of plates. Tad arrived and filled everyone in on Maddie's return to Edmund. Opal and Petey joined the party sans Palmer. Opal didn't explain why Palmer didn't tag along. She simply said that he was in a bad mood and didn't want to celebrate. Kevin worried that they had had another fight. Opal neither confirmed or denied Kevin's fears. Allie accepted Jake's invitation and joined the meal.
After dinner, nearly everyone headed to the skating rink to burn off some calories. Allie and Jake hung around to clear off the table. While Allie was in the kitchen, The Martins received a surprise visit from Dr. David Hayward---the same Dr. David Hayward who was going to be issuing the seminar on cardiac care and the same Dr. David Hayward who Allie had asked to leave her alone. When Allie exited the kitchen and saw the man, her heart stopped and she froze in her tracks.
Bianca watched in horror as everyone piled turkey, stuffing, and other goodies on their plates. Erica became extremely concerned when she noticed that Bianca was not touching her food. Bianca tried to slip her food into her napkin so that it would look like she'd eaten her food, but Erica noticed what her daughter was trying to pull. Instead of lecturing Bianca, she opted for another approach. She asked everyone to decide which of two pies they liked best, apple or pecan. The vote was split down the middle. Erica pushed two plates in front of Bianca and asked her to supply the deciding vote. Erica put a small piece of pie on a fork and held it in front of Bianca. Slowly, Bianca opened her mouth and tasted the pie. Myrtle smiled proudly and Esther watched with bated breath as Bianca nibbled a few more pieces of pie. The score was settled---pecan pie came out on top. Jack took Erica's hand under the table and gave it a quick, firm squeeze. The time came for everyone to leave. Erica was crushed that she would once again have to say farewell to her daughter. She instructed Esther to do whatever it took to get Bianca to eat. Erica was desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures. Jack assured her that he would call in favors and do whatever it takes to get Erica out of jail. Erica wanted nothing more to do with the proper legal channels. She told him that she will do whatever it takes to get out of jail---and that means anything.
Trevor was allowed to visit with Tim. Tim was still weak, but his condition was no longer considered serious. Trevor hovered over his son and asked him how he ended up in the meat locker. "I didn't do it," Tim responded. "Janet did."
All My Children will not air today due to the extended Thanksgiving Holiday.
