Without warning, Dimitri plucked the brown paper bag from Gloria's hands. He slowly uncrumpled the bag and prepared to look inside. Gloria yelled out for him to halt what he was doing and noted that he'd ruin her surprise by peeking. Dimitri honored his wife's request and didn't go any further. How long, Dimitri asked, would he have to wait? Gloria smiled and told him that he'd find out soon enough what kind of surprise she had planned for him.
Joe had an unusual request for his son; He asked Jake to write down the answers to the Bulletin's questions so that he could review them. This way, Joe said, he could make sure that all of the facts were present and so that everyone would get a spot in the limelight. Jake agreed, but hinted that Allie might not be a willing participant. Joe noted that Allie had been distracted lately. Jake nodded and filled in father in on Allie's ex-boyfriend troubles. Joe worried that Allie's personal problems might somehow interfere with her work, but Jake assured him that Allie would never let that happen. Jake suggested that they work on Allie's personal background for submission to the newspaper. Joe loved the idea and added that it would keep Allie from having to worry about the article. He phoned his secretary and asked that she have Allie's records pulled for use in the biography.
Allie claimed that David charmed her into their relationship. She said that she used to believe that doctors could walk on water. When she coupled that to the fact that David was the youngest person ever to be appointed to a chief position at Stanford, it was easy to see why she fell for him. David didn't buy it. He told her that it was him who was attracted to her. He stated that he loved her "ready to boil in oil attitude," referring to her feisty, confrontational manner. Allie's beeper went off, but as she reached for it, David grabbed it and tossed it across the room. Allie accused David of trying to get her in trouble. David called Allie a perfect woman. His praise didn't flatter Allie. If she was so perfect, she asked, why did she have to tweak her undergraduate records? David denied that he was trying to hurt Allie by exposing her dirty secret. In his mind, he said that keeping this information secret proved that he loved her. David took her hand and slowly caressed it. He asked her to recall a time when she said that his touch made her feel like a woman. Allie began to cry. She said that she was young and impressionable back then. David smiled and told her that his touch still makes her melt. A nurse knocked on the door and asked if anyone inside needed help. Allie had secretly pressed the call button and summoned a nurse to the room. She went to the door and pretended that she had been resting in the room. In her sleep, she lied, she must have accidentally pressed the button.
Liza didn't believe Adam's claims that he needed her. She reminded him that they were going to be legally divorced in a matter of weeks and told him that he needs a nurse---not her. Adam ranted and raved about doctors' need to fatten their pockets by making outlandish diagnoses. Liza asked Adam to return to the hospital before he killed himself. Adam smiled and stated that Liza's concern proved that she still loved him. Adam told of his experiences on the gurney in the hospital. He said that he half-expected the "bright light" to envelope him and signal the end of his life. Dying, Adam said, was not the problem. But dying without making amends to the people he'd hurt made him a nervous wreck. He stepped towards Liza and gently stroked her cheek. He moved closer to her in preparation of a kiss. Before the two's lips could unite, Marian burst into the house and asked Liza was she was doing. Liza downplayed her concern for Adam and said that she only dropped by to make sure that Adam doesn't kill himself before their divorce is final. Liza asked her mother to accompany her on a shopping outing. The two women left and Adam was alone to grouse over how close her had been to wooing Liza back into his life.
Allie returned to work, but she wasn't too pleased with business as usual. As she signed her name on some documents, she threw the papers and clipboards to the ground. Jake observed her for several moments before casting a clipboard of his own onto the pile. Allie apologized for not answering Jake's page, but said that she had been extremely busy. Jake admitted to being a little busy himself. He told Allie and he had been putting together a biography on Allie for the Bulletin's feature on her. Allie bowed her head in disbelief. She blasted Jake for allowing the newspaper to invade her privacy.
Back at the loft, Dimitri and Gloria set up their Christmas tree. Waiting on the coffeetable for them were two boxes sent from Hungary. Dimitri and Gloria were both quite somber upon seeing the boxes. The boxes, it was revealed, contained some of the toys Dimitri used to play with as a child. Acting on Dimitri's request, Corvina had sent them along in the hopes that Maddie would one day be able to play with them. Dimitri had forgotten to contact Corvina and tell her to withhold the packages. Gloria asked Dimitri to keep his chin up and told him that one day they will have children of their own to play with the toys. Dimitri gave her a kiss and thanked her for being there for him. Gloria left to tend to things in another room. While she was gone, Dimitri sneaked over to the sofa and peeked inside Gloria's little brown bag. When he read the label on the package, his face formed a proud smile.
Winifred served Adam his dinner in the livingroom area. Adam took one look at the tray and ordered Winifred to bring him his real meal. Winifred had taken the doctor's orders into consideration and prepared a healthy meal for her boss. Adam, however, wanted his meat-and-potatoes meal. Winifred refused to take away the meal and that infuriated Adam. He told her to ask her replacement to clean up the mess he'd created. There were two things about that request that puzzled Winifred. First, what replacement was he referring to? Second, Adam hadn't touched his food so how could there be a mess? Adam answered the questions quite clearly. He lifted the tray and tossed it across the room. He told Winifred that she was fired and that her last duty as his housekeeper was to find someone to replace her. Winifred ran out of the room crying. Adam, on the other hand, cackled gleefully at his performance.
Winifred phoned Liza to ask for her help in dealing with Adam. Liza explained that she wanted nothing to do with Adam and that Winifred should contact Hayley. Winifred followed Liza's instructions and called Adam's middle child. Adam listened to Winifred's frantic words to Hayley and grinned at knowing that his plan was working.
At the mall, Marian congratulated Liza for being able to turn a deaf ear on Adam. She asked Liza to repeat after her: Adam and I are history. Liza did repeat the phrase, but she said that she wishes she meant it. "I'd rather gargle with broken glass" Liza sighed, referring to getting back together with Adam. "But I still love him."
Mateo insisted that Hayley consider hiring a private nurse for her ailing father. Hayley worried that her father would thumb his nose at an outside. Hayley wondered if Mateo was trying to put a wedge between her and her father. Mateo insisted that he had Hayley's best interests in mind. He didn't want her to devote all of her time to Adam's health. A visiting nurse, he explained, would allow someone else to worry for her.
Scott and Gillian paid a surprise visit to Chandler Mansion. Their visit was quite a surprise---Adam hadn't had enough warning to pretend he was feeling poorly! Adam snapped at his nephew and told him to get out of his house. Scott said that he was worried about his uncle and begged him to return to the hospital. Adam cracked an evil grin and told Scott that if he wants to do something to help him, he can leave immediately. He added that he should take "Princess Pouty" with him. Adam's acidic comments worked. Scott and Gillian exited the house in record time. Adam could only laugh at his latest performance. He sat down to enjoy a steak dinner with oodles of salt. The doorbell interrupted his meal. Thinking that Hayley was at the door, he laid down on the sofa and covered up with an afghan. With a feeble voice, he called out to Hayley to help him. The doorbell rang repeatedly, so Adam was forced to go to the door. A burly woman barged into the house and helped Adam to the sofa. She informed him that she had been hired to nurse Adam back to health. She took one look at Adam's meal and read him the riot act. She accused the millionaire of trying to give himself a "brain fry," which she explained was "nurse talk for a stroke." The woman's wacky methods continued as she rooted in her bag for some medical equipment. As she tossed things left and right, a turkey baster, among other items, flew through the air. Adam looked up to the sky and laughed that he must be in hell. The nurse took Adam's blood pressure, but Adam griped that the cuff was too tight. He could barely contain his laughter as he yelled that she was cutting off his circulation. The nurse admitted that she was a little unsure of her blood pressure-taking skills and opted to check Adam's lungs. She instructed him to "breathe in, breathe out, breath in..." Adam quipped that he knows how to breathe and asked her to get her hands off of him. The nurse decided that she'd go another route. She dimmed the lights and readied to put a relaxing CD on for Adam to listen to. The mood seemed too amorous and Adam accused the nurse of trying to seduce him. His rants continued with accusations that Palmer had hired her to try to kill him! The nurse was offended by the insinuation. She was there on "a mission of mercy," she proclaimed. Adam's snide remarks had finally gotten the best of her and she stormed out of the mansion.
Gillian and Scott returned to Wildwind to pay a visit to Eugenia. Scott stayed only a short time. He was there long enough, however, for Eugenia to revisit the possibility of having Gillian marry the hair to the Chandler fortune. Gillian reminded her grandmother that Scott was only Adam's nephew and that he was not interested in becoming a multi-millionaire. Eugenia produced a sheet of paper with a list of names on it. She told Gillian that the sheet of paper was her Christmas list. Gillian's heart skipped a beat as she read off the list of expense gifts that Eugenia planned on buying for her friends and family. Gillian managed to talk her grandmother out of the gift buying at least for a few moments with talk of a quiet holiday spent together in their new home. Eugenia found Gillian's use of the word "home" a little odd and asked her granddaughter to explain herself. Gillian smiled coyly and said that she has her sights set on happiness and that she's going to pay Edmund a surprise visit at the office.
Seeing the pregnancy test sent Dimitri into a quick trip to heaven. He heard Gloria returning and quickly slipped the test back into the bag and walked away. When Gloria returned he was about to tell her that he peeked into her bag, but he was interrupted by a knock at the front door. The unexpected visitor turned out to be Allie. She asked to speak to Gloria in private and Dimitri obliged them. Allie told Gloria about the planned article in the Bulletin. Gloria praised Allie for a job well done and was surprised to learn that Allie didn't want to be the focus of the article. Allie explained that the idea of people knowing everything about her doesn't appeal to her. Yes, it even scares her a bit. Gloria understood and agreed to Allie's request to speak to Joe on her behalf and ask that the article be nixed. On to other news, Allie grinned. She asked Gloria how Dimitri reacted to the news that she might be pregnant. Gloria told Allie that she hadn't told Dimitri because she doesn't want to get his hopes up. The past year, Gloria sighed, had been a year of ups and downs. Allie nodded and offered some sage advice. Marriages, she spouted prophetically, are about ups and downs and Gloria should not have to ride this latest ride on the emotional rollercoaster alone. Dimitri returned to the room with a tray of cheese and champagne. Allie took the hint and excused herself. Dimitri sat Gloria down and proposed a toast to their first Christmas together. Gloria sipped the champagne and was mildly shocked to find out that the champagne was not champagne---it was apple cider. Dimitri grinned bashfully and issued a confession. He told Gloria that he peeked into her bag. Gloria apologized for keeping the test kit a secret from her husband, explaining that she didn't want to disappoint him if it turned out that she was not pregnant. Dimitri wasn't willing to hear any bad news. He told his wife that they are due for some good news---and this is it.
Brooke told Edmund that Adam was going to part with ownership of Tempo. Edmund was caught off guard by the announcement and asked how the tycoon had been convinced to give up the publication. Brooke, motioning towards Jim, said that Adam offered to give a third of the ownership to her, Jim, and Edmund if they agreed to let him off the hook for the TransGlobal mess. Edmund nodded his head, but didn't indicate that he would go along with the deal. He summoned Brooke to his desk and started talking shop. Jim, of course, knew little about the duties of an editor and became bored by the banter. He made up an excuse to get out of the office. Once he was gone, Edmund questioned Brooke on her decision to include Jim as a part owner in the magazine. Brooke defended her decision with references to the plane crash. She noted that neither she nor Edmund would be alive if it had not been for Jim. Edmund apologized for sounding harsh. He reminded Brooke that he leaned on Skye after the crash. That was all he needed to say. He pleaded with Brooke to do a little more digging on Jim before making any major decisions.
Some time later, Gillian, wrapped in an expensive fur coat, sauntered into Edmund's office. She closed the door behind her and told Edmund that she felt a need to thank him for all of his generosity. With that, she let the fur coat slip to the flooring exposing her bare body.
The nursing agency phoned Hayley to let her know that the nurse assigned to care for her father had quit. When the agency learned of Adam's erratic behavior they refused to issue a replacement. Hayley bit her tongue to keep from saying anything bad about her father. She told Mateo that she was going to go to the mansion to check on her father. Mateo offered to go along, but Hayley scrapped that idea. She pointed out that Adam's blood pressure would skyrocket if he saw Mateo. Mateo agreed. Before Hayley could leave, he planted a seed in her mind that Adam might be faking his ailment to get sympathy.
Adam was overjoyed to see his daughter. He put on quite a show for her and told her that he feels much better now that she's by his side. That was all Hayley needed to hear to decide that she was going to spend the night in her father's house. Adam refused, saying that Hayley belonged with Mateo. Hayley said that Mateo would understand. Adam gave Hayley a big hug and thanked her for being such a wonderful child.
Derek arrived at Holidays and asked to speak to Laura. He informed Laura that Ricky had ten times the lethal amount of heroin in his system. That potency of the drug was not found in Pine Valley, the detective noted. That led him to the conclusion that Ricky might have been murdered. Laura's voice trembled and she turned and walked away. Derek followed her around the restaurant and asked her another painful question. He stated that the photography experts at the station doubted that Ricky was the person responsible for taking the pornographic pictures. So who was the person who really took the pictures? Laura refused to answer. Luckily for her, Jim entered the restaurant and overheard the discussion. He demanded that Derek ease up on Laura. Derek left without any further questions. Jim accused Laura of wanting to tell he truth. Laura denied the accusations, but Jim wasn't so sure.
A little while later, Laura received a phone call from a heavy-breathing man. He told her that her photos turned him on and that he wanted to see more of her. Laura began to panic. Brooke arrived and saw the look on her daughter's face. She told Laura to stall so that she can have the police trace the call. Laura nodded her head. On the other end of the line, in an alley somewhere across town, Jim continued speaking in his disguised voice.
Edmund rose from his desk and asked Gillian to put her coat back on. Underneath her coat, Gillian was wearing a skin-tight leather outfit that left little to the imagination! He mused that he hasn't "been seduced by a gold digger" in quite some time. Gillian was more miffed at not being able to seduce Edmund than anything else. She told Edmund a sob story of how she and her grandmother have a certain lifestyle to maintain. Edmund suggested that Gillian get a job. She laughed. Gillian rolled her eyes as she talked about "slave wages" from boring jobs like waitressing.
Belinda took Janet aside at Holidays and asked her to give Trevor a second chance. She said that it was not unthinkable for Trevor to give his son the benefit of the doubt. In fact, she said that she would have questioned Trevor's motives if he completely disregarded Tim's account of how he ended up in the meat locker. Janet thanked Belinda for her advice and walked out of the restaurant. As Janet left, Miles entered. Belinda smiled broadly in anticipation of speaking with her gentleman friend. Instead of walking towards her, Miles made a sharp right turn and headed for another corner of the restaurant. He sat down with Rafe, the head of the local youth center, and the two chatted for several minutes. Once their business was complete, Miles rose to his feet and headed to the exit. For the first time since he entered Holidays, he saw Belinda. He walked over to her table and apologized for not seeing her. He also informed her that he had not been avoiding her, it was just that he's been tied up with his new job at Cortlandt Electronics. Someday soon, Miles grinned, they'll get to have their first date. Miles excused himself and walked away. Rafe ran over to Belinda and told her that she's being too hard on Miles. Belinda didn't really think she'd been difficult, but Miles must've thought otherwise. Rafe made a cryptic comment before he left the table. He said only that Belinda would soon see first hand how nice a guy Miles really is.
Across the restaurant, Derek told they'd manage to trace the call to a payphone just around the corner. As Derek dashed off to nab the obscene caller, an out of breath Jim entered Holidays. He asked Laura what was going on and faked sympathy when he "learned" that Laura was still being harassed. Rafe walked by the table and told Laura how badly she was missed at the center. Jim asked Rafe if he had any connections at youth centers in other cities. Rafe nodded his head and rattled off a list of places with which he had ties. Jim asked Rafe to get more information on the Boston facility. He then told Laura that she could finally escape her sordid past by leaving Pine Valley. The suggestion surprised Laura, but she was open to the idea. She began to think about what her life would be like in another city. Maybe this time, she sighed, she could start over---and get it right.
Jack phoned Erica to tell her that he was unable to get an audience with the governor. Erica was disappointed and urged Jack to keep trying. Victoria entered the visiting room and voiced her disappointment with Erica's lack of visitors. Victoria had been amused by Erica's assortment of guests---a handsome district attorney, a Mr. Moneybags and his flaky wife, among others. Speaking of friends, Erica asked Victoria if she could call Maggie and ask her to drop by the prison. Victoria obliged her cellmate and placed the call. Maggie wasn't thrilled to hear from Victoria. She was even less thrilled to learn that Erica was the one who wanted to contact Maggie. Erica snatched the phone from Victoria's hands and pleaded with Maggie to pay a visit so that they could discuss their unfinished business. Maggie chomped on a stick of bubble gum and told Erica that she wasn't so sure that she wanted to speak with her. Finally, Maggie said that she'd check her calendar and get back to her. Erica put down the phone and sighed. She told herself that she was going to make Maggie and offer she couldn't refuse.
While decorating the Christmas tree, Tad and Trevor discussed the latest problems between Janet and the Dillon family. Tad told Trevor that he was not a bad person for doubting Janet's story. After all, she has exactly led an angelic life! Trevor told Tad that he believes Janet's story even if she didn't pass the polygraph test. The discussion abruptly ended when Tim returned home. Tad decided that he'd return home and allow the two men some time to chat in private. Tim reached into a box of ornaments and pulled out his mother's angel. He asked Amanda if she'd like to put "mom's angel" on the highest bow. Amanda shook her head and told Tim that Natalie was his mother, not hers. Amanda's little mouth hurled some mighty big words as she told Tim that he ruined her Christmas by accusing Janet of a crime that she didn't commit. Amanda raced up to her room. Trevor pulled Tim aside and told him that he owes him. Had it not been for Tim, Trevor stated, he never would have known that Janet was still evil. Tim told his father to forget about it and start thinking about the holiday. The doorbell rang. Trevor opened the door and found Janet standing on the stoop with a package in her hands. She said she was sorry for dropping by unannounced. She asked if she could see Amanda and give her an early Christmas present. Trevor was silent for a long time---too long. He told her that she'd picked a bad time to come by and that she should turn around and go back home. Janet was crushed. You could almost hear the sound of her heart breaking into a million pieces. Trevor took the package and then slammed the door shut. He told Tim that Janet had a lot of nerve dropping by the house. Tim's face turned a ghostly shade of white. Amanda ran downstairs and asked to see her mother. Trevor explained that Janet couldn't stay, but that she'd dropped off a present. Amanda opened the box, which contained a star for the top of the tree. Amanda and Tim argued over whose ornament should top the tree. No one won the argument and Amanda once again ran upstairs to her room. Trevor smiled broadly and commented that Janet had hoodwinked the young girl. In the morning, Trevor said, they would put and end to Janet once and for all.
Gillian ended up at Tad's with an offer he couldn't refuse. She offered to be his new television megastar. Tad laughed in Gillian's face. He told her that there are three reasons why she cannot be on television: She has no experience, no talent, and there is no reason why she should want to be on the tube. Gillian had three quick answers to the questions: Tad had no talent when he broke into the industry, she has plenty of talent, and she wants to be on television just to have some fun. Suddenly the idea didn't seem so wacky to Tad. He told her that she should drop by in the morning and that he'd have a job for her at the station. Gillian gushed with thanks for her friend and told him that he wouldn't be sorry. After Gillian left, Tad smiled devilishly and agreed that he wouldn't be sorry he hired Gillian---but she would!
In the morning, Gillian kept her promised and showed up at Tad's house. Tad told her that his plans had changed. He'd been summoned to New York on some urgent business matters. He asked Gillian to venture to the station by herself and speak to Liza. Liza, he said, would love to meet her.
At Tempo, Jim and Brooke discussed their future as co-owners of the magazine. Their conversation took a sexual turn as the two wondered what would happen if they shared adjoining offices. They began to kiss and stopped short of doing anything else only because Edmund entered the room. Jim left the room so that Brooke and Edmund could talk about the magazine. Edmund informed Brooke that he'd decided to accept Adam's offer to sell him a third of the magazine. Edmund still wasn't sure that Jim could be trusted with a third's ownership in the magazine. Brooke stood up for Jim and called him a remarkable and trustworthy man. That was all Edmund needed to hear. He took a step back and gave Brooke the greenlight to go through with the sale. After Brooke left, Edmund got on the phone and called Tempo's top investigative reporter. He asked the man, named Rodney, to do some digging into Jim's background.
Derek dropped by The Dillon House on Trevor's request. Trevor told the detective that he was working on a plan to get Tim to finally tell the truth. Derek nodded his head and disappeared. Tim walked down the steps and learned that his father had something in mind for him. Trevor explained that after Amanda is in school, he wants to take Tim somewhere where they can take care of Janet. Tim assumed that Trevor meant the police station and asked his dad to forget about what Janet had done. Trevor couldn't do that. Janet had almost killed his son. It was then that he announced that they were going to take a trip to the scene of the crime---the meat locker.
A prison guard announced that Erica had a visitor. Erica trembled in anticipation of seeing Maggie. The visitor, however, was not Maggie. It was Janet. Janet apologized profusely for turning her back on Erica and offered to make it up to her friend. Erica asked Janet for an update on everything that had happened in her life since they last spoke. Janet didn't go into detail, but she told Erica that a lot of people had been treating her like dirt. But no more. Janet's voice lowered and she told Erica that she's not going to be "Ms. Nice guy" any more.
News travels fast in any town and Pine Valley is no exception. Scott overheard the news that Laura was considering relocating outside Pine Valley. He told her that he wishes her well, but stopped short of telling her that he'd miss her. Laura returned to work leaving Scott standing alone at the coffee bar. Kelsey strolled by and commented that "another happy couple bites the dust." Scott replied that he and Laura were never a happy couple. Kelsey was no longer the lone member of the singles' club and she took great pride in that. Scott excused himself so that he could return to work. Before Scott left, Mateo pulled him aside and asked Scott if Adam had ever faked an illness in the past. Many, many times Scott chuckled. Later in the day Kevin commented that he noticed a certain chemistry between Scott and Kelsey. Kelsey didn't put too much stock in Kevin's comments. Bur when Kevin started repeating his claims, Kelsey had a change of heart. Kevin reminded Kelsey that Scott had kissed her at the Halloween party. Kelsey quickly added that Scott was drunk at the time. Then her mind kicked into overdrive and she asked Kevin if he'd ask Scott what he thought of her. Kevin, who had prodded Kelsey into thinking that she might have a future with Scott, turned his back on his friend and told Kelsey that he didn't want to get involved. Kelsey smiled happily as she thought of what it might be like to date Scott.
Trevor advised Tim to dress warmly so that he didn't catch cold while in the meat locker. Tim didn't want to go back to the old warehouse, saying that it gave him the creeps. Trevor told his son that he had to go to the meat locker because Derek wanted to take a written account of the actual event. Trevor looked high and low for his car keys, but they were nowhere to be found. Amanda appeared at the top of the steps and announced that she'd thrown her daddy's keys out the window. By doing that, Amanda explained, she was making sure that Tim wouldn't try to put her mommy back in jail. Trevor managed to find his keys and he later told Amanda that no one was trying to put Janet in prison. Still Tim had second thoughts about proceeding with the latest step in the investigation. He stated that Janet had already served time in jail and added that there was no reason to lock her back up. Trevor worried that people might brand his son a liar if Tim backs out on pressing charges against Janet. Someone, Trevor said sternly, has to pay for what happened to Tim. Tim bowed his head and agreed to return to the scene of the crime.
In order to prevent Hayley from leaving, Adam faked another attack. In the latest attack, he pretended that his left leg gave out on him. Of course Hayley was concerned for her father's welfare and refused to leave his side. Adam told Hayley that his leg had just fallen asleep and urged her to go back home to be with Mateo. There was no way that Hayley was going to desert her father. Adam began talking about how his Thanksgiving was "a travesty." Eating alone at the Valley Inn, he said, was not the way he wanted to spend the holiday. Hayley pointed out that Mateo also had a horrible holiday. Adam knew that Mateo still blamed him for Maria's death. He posed the same question to Hayley, but he received no response from his daughter. She rose to her feet and asked him if he needed another glass of water. Once Hayley left, Adam walked around the room to stretch his legs. The doorbell sounded and Adam had to scurry back to the sofa to pick-up where he left off in his acting routine. In a feeble voice, he called out to whomever was the door and told them that the door was unlocked. The door swung upon and Marian barged into the house. Adam had been expecting to see Liza. Marian wasted no time in giving Adam a tongue-lashing. She accused Adam of luring Liza back into his lair. Adam maintained that he did not want to hurt Liza anymore because he'd already hurt her enough for one lifetime. Marian nodded in agreement. She firmly stated that Liza, while still in love with Adam, would never get a chance to have her heart broken by Adam again.
At WRCW, Liza filled in as host of The Cutting Edge while Tad was in parts unknown looking for Skye. Her guest on the show was an oddball clairvoyant who was channeling the spirit of John F. Kennedy. Without warning, Gillian barged onto the set and started asking Liza questions about her salary, dressing room, and other work related matters. Still the cameras rolled unflinchingly. Liza did her best to pay Gillian no mind, but when Gillian began insulting the guest she had no other choice but to speak up. Liza asked her stage crew why no one had stopped taping. Rudy had no explanation. Liza ordered Gillian to get off of the stage. She followed Liza's orders and immediately walked over to Rudy and began asking him questions about his marital status and income. Liza finished taping the episode, but as soon as she was given the clear sign she stomped over to Gillian and asked her what she was doing at the station. Gillian smiled and explained that Tad had given her a job. Liza read Gillian the riot act for forcing her to go over budget by re-taping the show. Fortunately, Scott returned from Holidays with some pastry and coffee. He took Liza aside and told her that it wasn't fair of her to take out her frustration with Adam out on Gillian. Liza denied being hung up on Adam. She would prove otherwise when a phone call from Hayley came through a few seconds later. Hayley told Liza that Adam had taken a turn for the worse. She requested that Liza take some time out to stop by Chandler Mansion and, not unlike the clairvoyant, try to life Adam's "spirits."
Barry Shire wandered through the corridors of WRCW until he eventually tracked down Scott. He told the young man that he had some legal documents for him to sign. With a few strokes of the pen, Scott inked his name on a trust fund that his Uncle Adam had established for him. On the first of the New Year, Scott would have access to the trust fund. No figures were revealed, but Gillian salivated at the thought of getting her hands on some of Scott's money.
Janet told Erica all about Tim's meat locker tale. Erica was stunned that Trevor didn't believe Janet's story. She told Janet that sometimes nice girls finish last. Janet concurred and vowed to handle matters differently from that point forward. That was all that Erica needed to hear. She leaned over to Janet and asked her if, during her time at Statesville's penitentiary, she ever heard any of the inmates plotting jailbreaks. Erica's request shocked Janet. She told her friend that she would not aid her in an escape plan. Erica claimed that "desperate times require desperate measures." She pleaded with Janet to consider Bianca's health. That was exactly what Janet had been thinking. She told Erica that during her prison sentence, in addition to paint-by-numbers, she didn't go a day without looking at a picture of Amanda. Erica told Janet that she met a woman who resembled her and that she wanted the woman to take her place in jail. Janet played along with Erica's scheme. One day, she said, the authorities will get wise to her scheme. Taking Bianca to Bali or Timbuktu was an option, but one day someone would realize that Erica was not in jail. Erica reminded Janet that she had stolen Natalie's identity a few years back. Janet nodded. She said that Natalie, unlike Erica, was not a public figure. There were no admiring fans running up to her to ask for autographs. Erica was a public figure and someone would figure things out. Erica conceded defeat and announced that both she and Bianca were trapped by circumstances. Janet didn't want Erica to see herself as a trapped woman. Jack, she sighed, would help her work things out.
Liza arrived at Chandler Mansion and was brought up to date on Adam's condition. Hayley finished her synopsis by saying that she doesn't feel that Adam cares about living any more. Liza wanted to help in some way, but she feared that any concern she showed would give Adam false hopes about their future together. Adam eavesdropped on the conversation, smiling in the satisfaction of knowing that his plan to win back Hayley and Liza was working. He had to make a mad dash back to the sofa so that he would not be caught in the acting of listening in on Hayley and Liza's conversation. He made a leap from several feet away to land squarely on the sofa. He pulled up the covers and resumed his charade. Liza and Hayley's somber faces displayed their concern and Adam ate it up like a gourmet meal. Adam told Liza that his illness was his final gift to her; She would have the sardonic thrill of seeing Adam wither away and die. Liza, silent up until that point, sat down at the foot of the makeshift bed. Softly she told Adam that she doesn't want to see anything bad happen to him. She noted that she'd be lying if se said she didn't care about Adam. That admission, Adam cooed, was the greatest gift he could ever ask for. Mateo walked into the room with a pompous grin placed prominently on his face. Mateo took potshots at Adam hoping that he could prove that Adam was faking his illness. Hayley was upset with her husband for his brash treatment of her dying father. As Hayley gave her father a big hug, Adam forgot about his "paralyzed" left leg and began to twitch it nervously. Mateo saw the movement and smiled to himself. He walked over to the bookcase and picked up a lengthy hardcover novel. He returned to the sofa and "accidentally" dropped the book onto Adam's leg. Reflexes took over and Adam and once the book hit Adam's leg, he yanked it up to his chest. Adam groaned in pain and called Mateo an oaf. Mateo proclaimed that a miracle had taken place, one that allowed Adam to move his leg. A silent sense of astonishment took over as Hayley and Liza both gasped.
At the meat locker, Derek and Trevor asked Tim to recreate the events that led up to his imprisonment in the old meat locker. To assist in the recreation, they asked Oyster Cracker to play the part of Janet. Tim was very nervous and needed several minutes to "remember" what had happened. Tim worried that Oyster had snitched on him, but Oyster swore that he'd never do that to his friend. Tim claimed that Janet had hurled verbal insults at him and then pushed him. Janet then ran to the door and locked him inside. Derek instructed Oyster to do as Tim had said. Oyster nodded his head, pushed Tim down, and then ran for the door. It took him a good ten seconds to push the heavy iron door closed. Derek asked Tim why he didn't have time to get back up and stop Janet from closing the door. Tim said that he had hurt his ankle during the fall and had been unable to get up in time. Trevor asked for a few moments alone with his son. Trevor told Tim that he made a big blunder. In his police statement, Tim stated that he'd hurt his ankle trying to escape from the meat locker, not during the fall. The holes in the story forced Trevor to ask his son to tell him the truth. Tim became very quiet. He lowered his head and finally admitted that he'd lied and made up the whole story about Janet locking him in the meat locker.
At the mall, Kelsey found Scott sitting by himself in the food court. She pulled up a chair and jumped into some meaningless small talk. The tow friends learned that they had a quirky habit in common: they turned their noses up at mall shopping for Christmas and only purchased things out of catalogs. Kelsey thought that she had a perfect opening to ask Scott if he'd accompany her to the Crystal Ball, a New Year's shindig being thrown at Wildwind. Kelsey was too subtle in her hints and they never registered as even a blip on Scott's dating radar. Gillian sashayed over to the table and wrapped her arms around Scott. She spoke endlessly of the many designer label dresses she saw while window-shopping. She expressed her need for a fabulous dress for the Crystal Ball, for which, she added, Scott would be her date. As spontaneously as she appeared at the table, Gillian also disappeared. Kelsey shook her head in wonder and asked Scott why he allowed Gillian to treat him like a fool. Scott flashed his pearly whites and told Kelsey that he's well aware of Gillian's plan. He said that Gillian is only interested in him because he has a big trust fund. Kelsey was even more perplexed. If Scott knew that Gillian was playing him for a fool, then why is he allowing himself to be taken advantage of? Again Scott smiled. He told Kelsey that Gillian is beautiful---and she's a bona fide princess. More importantly, however, he is two steps ahead of her at all times. Kelsey eventually left the mall. Scott, for some reason, agreed to buy Gillian a ball gown. Gillian wanted to repay Scott for his generosity in the only way she knew how: romance. Scott definitely enjoyed her advances, but he felt that they should go somewhere a little more private. Gillian agreed and led Scott off by the hand.
Adam leapt to his feet to beg Hayley and Liza not to be angry with him for faking the severity of his illness. He reminded Hayley that she was at the hospital when the doctor offered a diagnosis. Being there meant little to Hayley because she believed that Adam had bribed the doctor to concoct a bogus diagnosis. Again Adam turned to begging. He told Hayley that he needed her now more than ever; He stated that he needs her by his side and wants her forgiveness. Hayley responded coldly, criticizing her father for his pathological lying. Hayley would have loved to remain by her father's side---and she would have had he really been sick. Adam tried to explain himself, but Mateo ordered him to keep quiet. He took Hayley by the waist and escorted her out of the mansion. Liza remained behind. Adam asked her not to go. Surprisingly, Liza didn't move. She did, however, have something to say. She called Adam "pathetic" and told him that he'll never be able to explain away his latest attention-grabbing scheme. A lone tear meandered down Liza's cheek. She cocked her head to one side and in a voice barely above a whisper that he "came so close" to winning back her love, but he ruined it. She turned and walked away.
Mateo and Hayley returned to their apartment. In an odd shift of position, Hayley was furious with her father and Mateo was somewhat sympathetic to Adam's plight. Mateo nearly chuckled as he told Hayley that he'd observed Adam tapping his "paralyzed" foot to the music. He explained that Adam wanted his family back together. For that Mateo couldn't fault the man. He was not going to invite him over for brunch, though. Hayley marveled in her husband's ability to be compassionate. She thanked him for being such a wonderful man. One thing led to another and they ended up in bed together.
There were no signs of anger or hatred in the wake of Tim's confession. Instead, Trevor took his son in his arms and gave him a big bear hug. Without a reprimand, Trevor made his son see the error of his ways. Tim said little and avoided all possible eye contact with his dad. Derek returned to inside of meat locker and asked the two men if they'd come to any resolution. Trevor informed the detective that all charges against Janet were to be dropped. Derek turned towards Tim and asked him if he was sure about the decision. Tim had his head lowered and he barely looked up when he answered with, "Yes, sir." Derek told Tim that he was a very lucky young man. He could have been slapped with a number of charges, but he was going to be let off the hook. Derek said goodbye and headed back to the police station. Trevor instructed his son to make amends with everyone he'd hurt through his lies. Trevor told his son to tell Amanda that Janet never did anything wrong. After that, Tim would have to issue a formal apology to Janet for dragging her through the mud. Tim nodded his head and said that he'd do whatever he had to do to make things right. Trevor beamed and was content in knowing that he'd be able to work out the problems between Tim and Janet and have a nice happy family. Boy, was he wrong.
Tim returned home and spoke to Amanda. His behavior was quite odd, but being caught in a big lie could have been affecting his thoughts and actions. Tim confessed that he made up the story about Janet locking him in the meat locker to break up her and his father. The precocious little girl nodded her head and said that she already knew that. Janet, she said calmly, would never hurt Tim. Amanda spoke very highly of her mother and the praise was too much for Tim to take. He fought off tears and told Amanda that she'd have to go back to the neighbor's while he ran an errand. Amanda laughed gleefully as she conjured up images of a big happy family. Tim played along with his sister by lying about where he was going; He said that he was going to pick out a present for Trevor and Janet. Then the happiness faded away. Amanda told her brother that she feels very sad because she has her mommy and he does not. Tim gave her a big hug and told her to be on her way. Amanda scurried along to the neighbor's. Tim headed upstairs to pack his bags. He returned downstairs with tears in his eyes. He looked at the Christmas tree adorned with the star Janet had given to Amanda. He walked over to the desk and picked up his mother's angel. He clutched the ornament near his heart and spoke aloud to his mom. He told her that he has to leave because it's the right thing to do.
At the mall, Janet bumped into a fellow shopper. The man, who turned out to be an attorney, was new in town and had no idea who he'd smacked into. Janet was sort of surprised that there were people who didn't know her identity---especially someone in the legal profession! He offered to buy her a cup of cappuccino. She accepted his offer with a smile. They sat down at a table and chatted amongst themselves. The gentleman asked Janet if he'd like to join her on a date, but before she could answer Trevor told the man that Janet was busy. The man left his business card behind so that Janet could give him a call down the road. After the barrister dashed off, Janet yelled at Trevor for ruining a potential date. Trevor told Janet that Tim had finally told the truth. This meant that they could resume their dating. Not so, said Janet. She told Trevor that her problem was not with Tim---it was with him! Trevor was lost. Janet told him that his lack of faith in her made her question their future as a couple. Trevor couldn't believe his ears; Janet was giving him the old heave ho. He explained that he had dealt with her poorly because he never really thought about their relationship in the right way. He said that he tried to figure out how Janet would fit into the family rather than how she fit into his life. And how did she fit into his life? "I love you," Trevor blurted out. "I love you."
Liza sought refuge at the boathouse. She was alone only for a few moments before Adam tracked her down. Liza told Adam to leave her alone, but Adam wasn't about to back of until he got what he wanted. Adam asked Liza to explain why she showed him sympathy when she believed he was gravely ill. Liza snarled that she figured she'd be a happier widow than divorcee. Nonsense Adam yapped. He told her that she still loved him. So what if he had to fake a neurological disorder to prove it. He would, he said, do it again and again if it meant that he could be reunited with her. Liza lifted her hand and gently brushed Adam's cheek. She admitted that she still loves him. Adam kissed her hand and smiled proudly. "That's what makes it so sad," Liza sobbed, adding that she was leaving Adam once and for all. She thanked Adam for helping her realize that she wanted to have a child of her own. Having a child with Adam would have been a mistake according to Liza. A child needs love, she reckoned, and Adam could not supply that love. Adam's face twinged erratically. He told Liza that he was having another attack. She didn't believe Adam's "crying wolf" and once again turned her back and walked away. Adam's face continued to twitch nervously. He took one step before falling to the ground.
