Today's recap was provided by jennymc

In a room upstairs at Wildwind, Edmund gently tried to console a distraught Alex. She admitted to Edmund that she had been having nightmares and that she never should have come to the Crystal Ball. "I could have killed someone," she cried. But David had only a dislocated shoulder, Edmund reassured her. His attempts to find out what happened at the top of the stairs were useless. None of it was clear in Alex's mind. "But David triggered something," she admitted. Edmund reminded her of her strength, how she met and fell in love with Dimitri despite his fatal illness. Maybe Rae Cummings could help, Edmund suggested. Alex refused, and telling Edmund she was tired, she made her way back to the lodge.

At the Marick Mausoleum, Ryan and Greenlee got dressed and left. Ryan was uneasy about Gillian having seen him and Greenlee together, but Greenlee laughingly told him she'd protect him from all ghosts, including that of his ex-wife!

A frantic Liza was on the phone to Marian, explaining the urgency of retrieving Adam's letter to Jake. As Liza put down the phone, Adam appeared and asked who was on the phone. Liza covered, saying it was the pilot of their private jet. Adam couldn't wait for what he called their "second honeymoon" in Monaco. He was basking in what he thought was Liza's forgiveness and readily told Liza how he had escaped from the safe room. Liza was shocked to learn he had been in and out of there since before Christmas!

Gillian returned to the Crystal Ball, the image of Ryan and Greenlee still burned into her brain. She told Jake she will become his wife. "I've grown up a lot," she told him, carefully choosing her words. "And I want something real." As they rejoiced together, Marian interrupted and dragged Gillian away. She explained the importance of the fateful letter, and Gillian rushed off to Jake to try to recover it. This she did by taking Jake to an upstairs room, with Champagne and desserts for a private celebration. She managed to get some dessert on Jake's sleeve and whisked the jacket off him, saying she would get one of the maids to clean it. Outside the door, she took the letter from Jake's jacket and handed it to a jubilant Marian.

Meanwhile, David was on his way to the hospital accompanied by Erica. She was indignantly demanding that David have Alex arrested for trying to kill him. David explained his plan is to find out what Alex's problem is, and that she won't get away with anything. "She made a lethal mistake tonight, as she will soon discover," he said ominously. Alex was never violent when he knew her in London, he told Erica, and he was determined to find out what her problem was. Then he questioned why Erica was with him, and why she had returned to the Crystal Ball after their earlier disagreement. Erica waffled and explained that she felt she had to be at the Crystal Ball, because of Dimitri. "And Maria," David reminded her.

As they sat in the car, halted by a traffic accident, the subject of their speculations, Alex, was at the Marick Mausoleum, sharing her thoughts with Dimitri. "My darling, I'm coming apart," she gently whispered. "I'm so alone here, I need your arms around me to make me feel safe." She sadly leaned her head against his name carved in the stone. "You knew the real me, and you loved me in spite of everything." In the ballroom, Leo flirted with Becca, but she blatantly ignored him and begged Ryan to dance with her. Greenlee approached Leo, and he taunted her that "Handsome" had left her side. He bragged that he can get any woman, and Greenlee challenged him: "Make Miss Virgin Tyree fall for you, then dump her!" Watching as Becca was now dancing with Scott, she added, "She's having too much fun! Fix it, before I hurl!" Leo agreed to take up the challenge.

Hayley and Mateo found their way to each other's arms and shared a kiss and then a dance. But Mateo was interrupted by Stella, who asked him to go and see Maddie upstairs.

Ryan escorted Eugenia back to her table after they danced, and Eugenia again told him how fond she is of him. Ryan glanced beyond Eugenia, where Jake was making weird moves to make Gillian laugh. "There'll never be another Duchess Eugenia," he told Eugenia when she told him he would one day find another "Grandmama-in-law."

Adam was in a rush to leave right away, but Liza was in no hurry, even when Adam mentioned his letter to Jake. "The whole Martin clan will be pounding on our door the minute he reads the letter telling him he's not Colby's father," declared Adam. "I want to be here for Jake to reassure him that he will still be a part of Colby's life," Liza replied.

But Adam sees a future with just him, Liza and Colby. He poured some Champagne to toast his family. He told Liza how desperate he was to get out of the safe room, how he longed for her. Liza said she felt badly about locking Adam in the safe room, but, "At the time I felt it was the right thing to do," she commented blandly. "We're together now, and we can go on from here," he said happily. Taking Liza's hands, he sat her on the bed. Adam told her that he loved her so much, more than any other woman, and that he could forgive her anything. "No more lies, no more deceptions." Liza echoed the words. But she was still worried about Jake's reaction to the news. "Oh, he's a Martin, he'll recover, that's what they do," Adam replied. "Mom will bake him an apple pie and he'll go shoot some hoops."

Liza, stalling until she heard from Marian, suggested Adam run bath for her, and she'd join him in a few minutes. After he left, the phone rang and Marian triumphantly told Liza she had the letter. Liza told her to bring it immediately. Then she cut the phone line, hurriedly went through Adam's jacket, removing his cellphone and wallet, and then removed his passport from a dresser drawer. Marian arrived with the letter. Liza quickly scrawled a note for Adam on the envelope. "Be sure to give it to him," she told a bewildered Marian. Liza explained she had hired a private jet and was leaving Adam, and made a hurried exit to get Colby.

Adam emerged from the bathroom in his robe, "Where's Liza?" he asked in horror as he saw Marian, happily waving the envelope at him. "Liza wanted me to give you this, and the important thing is that Jake never read it," she told him gleefully. He grabbed the envelope and read in horror the words, "If you tell Jake that he is not Colby's father, you will never see me or Colby again!" He frantically yelled for Liza, then checked his jacket and the drawer where his passport had been. Back at the Crystal Ball, Jack and Brooke admitted to each other that their dates were fictitious, while Joe reported to Edmund that Ruth and Tad were beating the Cortlandts at poker! Edmund gathered everyone around and announced that the invitation ornaments were to be placed on the Tree of Humanity on the center of the ballroom. As people did so, he said, "We want to think of the people who have touched our lives, for good or for bad."

Today marked All My Children's 30th anniversary. The show premiered as a half-hour soap on January 5, 1970.

On the sofa, Janet hugged the Christmas angel close to her chest. Trevor wandered into the room to find out why his wife was having trouble getting to sleep. Janet told Trevor that she'd been sitting up thinking about the person she'd used to be. Trevor urged her to forget who she used to be and focus more on who she had become. Janet bowed her head and reflected on the day she and Trevor had legally become husband and wife. Both agreed that they finally had gotten everything they'd ever wanted. Outside, a figure raced past the window. Janet leapt from her husband's arms and headed for the porch. Outside, Janet pleaded for her and her family to be left alone. Trevor appeared by her side a few seconds later and told her to join him back inside the house.

"I am not going to lose my wife and child," Adam snarled through gritted teeth. Not wanting to overstate the obvious, Marian looked at Adam and informed him that he already had. She asked Adam why anyone would want to be close to him after all the horrible things he's done. Adam closed his eyes momentarily and recalled one of the many times that he'd hurt someone he'd supposedly loved. He remembered how he'd turned to Dixie to father his child after learning that Brooke, his wife at the time, was unable to have children. "I had the best reasons for everything I did," Adam argued. Marian shook her head and coldly stated that Adam only thinks of himself. Marian walked out of the room leaving Adam alone with his thoughts. He looked longingly at the locket he'd given Liza. He remembered the time when he and Liza were very much in love. Tears in her eyes, Liza had asked Adam, "Who are you?" Haltingly, but confidently, Adam looked deep into her eyes. "Don't you know?" he replied. "I'm you!" Back in the present, Adam vowed that "the people who tried to keep us apart will pay with their souls!"

Myrtle used her key to let herself into Erica's home. Erica was glad to see her good friend, but a bit remiss that she had left before she could hang her ornament on the Tree of Humanity. Erica stated that she needs "more than memories" in her life. Myrtle gently cocked her head to one side and asked Erica if she could really see a future with David Hayward. "I can imagine it," Erica said with a smile. "At least I think I can." Myrtle mused that she'd be a rich woman if she had a nickel for every time Erica claimed to be in love. Erica pursed her lips together and jokingly asked Myrtle if there wasn't someone else who needed her advice. Myrtle chuckled and agreed that she should be returning to Wildwind. "I hope 2000 brings you everything you hope for," she said with a broad smile. She stopped for a second and added, "Within reason." Erica thanked Myrtle for stopping by and continued getting ready for bed. She stopped to look at a photograph of Mona. She fondly recalled the advice her mother had given to her over the years --- even if she didn't want to hear that advice when it had been dispensed. "You really have to stop watching those soap operas," Erica once snapped at Mona. "They are scrambling your brains." To that, Mona quickly replied, "You know, Erica. With a daughter like you I don't have to watch soap operas --- I live in one!" Tearfully, Erica placed the picture back on her nightstand. She gently rubbed her mattress and reflected on another of her loves --- Dimitri. She reminisced about her trip to Budapest with Count Andrassy and the waltz they shared in their full royal garb. The memories were quickly followed by an image of David professing his love to her. Erica finally crawled into bed, but she didn't have a chance to drift off. The sounds of someone playing the piano lofted into her bedroom. She called out David's name and walked towards the door. Suddenly, David appeared before her with a smile on his face and a sling on his arm. "You shouldn't sleep alone the first night of the new millennium," he beamed.

At Wildwind, everyone gathered in the ballroom to hang their ornaments on the tree. "Maria and Dimitri believed that life was more fulfilling the more you gave," Edmund announced. Another pair had also been instrumental in Pine Valley history. All eyes turned towards Joe and Ruth. Edmund referred to them as "the two people who have made Pine Valley feel like a home more than anyone else."
Greenlee walked over to Ryan and asked him why he wasn't holding an ornament. "I'm not into nostalgia," he replied as he rebuked Greenlee's attempt to seduce him. Ryan was unable to take his eyes off of Gillian and Jake.
Dixie asked Tad if he thought that they would ever make it to their thirtieth anniversary. Jake, who'd been dancing in the background, stepped forward with some sage advice. "Wanting it and reaching it are two different things," he said. Tad remembered how he'd first asked Dixie to marry him. Dressed in a chicken suit, Tad hid Dixie's engagement ring in a take-out box.

From across the room, Mateo and Hayley exchanged glances, but neither one took the first step to walk towards the other.
Phoebe told Brooke and Jack that she was afraid she'd "weigh down" the tree with memories when she placed her ornament. As she did, Phoebe urged her niece to "do more living and more loving." Brooke rolled her eyes and remembered a lecture her aunt had given her about her one-time relationship with Benny Sago. In the conversation, Phoebe had insisted that she was "not trying to be a busybody." Brooke confessed that she doesn't like to think about the past very often. Both Jack and Phoebe knew that Brooke was still pained by the memories of losing her daughter, Laura. Brooke lowered her head and remembered how Tom Cudahy had broken the news of their daughter's death. Brooke angrily and tearfully hit Tom's chest as she tried to deny the horrific truth. "There are so many what ifs in life," Brooke sighed. Jack looked up towards the ceiling and said that if given the chance to go back in time, he'd still make the same mistakes over again.

Ryan removed his ornament from his pocket and slowly walked towards the Tree of Humanity. As he did, he thought about his wedding day and how he'd talked Gillian out of marrying Scott.

Next in line was Opal. She told Tad and Adrian that her memories would only be of pleasant things. "I am not gonna waste one second of this new year on regrets," she proclaimed. But with a glance over in Palmer and Vanessa's direction, Opal was momentarily distracted. She remembered her reaction when Palmer had presented her with a diamond engagement ring. Palmer looked at Opal and couldn't help but have a few memories of his own --- but they were not of Opal. "This is the year," Vanessa told him," that I'm going to make you forget that there was any other woman in your life." Palmer reflected on a September meeting he'd had with Daisy, arguably the true love of his life.
Brooke and Edmund gently nudged Mateo about the "circling" he and Hayley had been doing all night. Edmund urged him not to waste even a second of time. "You think you have unlimited time," he said sadly. Brooke knew exactly what Edmund was talking about. She was still unable to shake the images of the plane crash that had taken Maria's life. "When you find something that runs so deep, you do everything you can to hold on to it," Edmund said prophetically. Edmund's mind wandered back to his wedding day, the day that he'd married the love of his life, Maria.

Myrtle returned to the party and sat down beside Phoebe. The two women talked about how Phoebe had helped Myrtle out of a homeless shelter. While Phoebe wanted Myrtle to be grateful for the help, Myrtle knew that Phoebe had had ulterior motives. Phoebe had needed Myrtle's help in breaking up Linc and Kitty. Myrtle confessed that Kitty was the closest thing she'd had to a daughter --- except maybe for Erica.

Scott quietly hung his ornament on the tree and thought about how Stuart had come into his life so many years before. The memory, of course, could not help but be tied to the untimely death of his mother, Cindy.

Tad continued to watch Joe and Ruth and he found himself wondering what it takes for a union to last so long. He thought about the many mistakes he'd made along the way, most notably when he dated a mother and daughter (Marian and Liza Colby) simultaneously.

Edmund once again appeared before the crowd and asked them to celebrate the lighting of the Tree of Humanity. As he did, he recited what prompted Agnes Nixon to create All My Children thirty years prior. "The great and the meek, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, in sickness and in health, in triumph and tragedy, we are all God's children."

Sophie lurked outside the Dillon house with a crowbar in hand. Janet sat unassumingly on the sofa as Trevor slumbered upstairs. Trevor finally awoke and realized that his wife was missing and set out to find her. He joined her on the sofa as Hayley returned home wearing a smile from ear to ear. From her expression, Janet and Trevor knew that Hayley had had a great time at the ball. Hayley made no mention of the kiss she and Mateo had shared. Trevor and Janet headed upstairs, while Hayley sat alone and thought about her night. She walked over to the window and looked outside. A few flurries gently fell outside. "Goodnight, Mateo," she said softly. Across town in his condo, Mateo was also looking outside at the nighttime sky. "Goodnight, Hayley," he whispered.

Back home in their bed, Joe and Ruth looked at the photo album and thought about all that has gone on in the past thirty years. "So much seems to have changed," Ruth said with a bit of sorrow in her voice. Joe concurred. "For a small town, an awful lot goes on in Pine Valley," he noted. "It's been a great thirty years. The next ones are going to be even better."

The New Year meant that most people were thinking about what lied ahead. Janet was unable to shake loose the memories of the year just passed. As she removed the Christmas decorations from the tree, he mind flashed back to the walloping she'd given Sophie. Trevor entered the room still wondering how someone could have gotten into the house to litter it with candy canes. Amanda scurried down the steps with a pair of binoculars, boasting that she'd just caught the neighbor in his backyard wearing his pajamas. Trevor scolded his daughter for being nosy. Amanda and Trevor headed off to meet Jamie and Brooke. Janet opted to remain behind and finish putting away the decorations. As Trevor was leaving, she pleaded with him not to take his eyes off of Amanda. Later, Janet looked over at the mantel and once again noticed that the silver necklace had somehow found its way out of her jewelry box. Janet took a deep breath and looked into the mirror. She saw only her reflection; Mirror Janet was nowhere in sight. Sophie's ghost, though, was another problem. "You're dead," Janet said defiantly. "So live with it." Janet angrily threw the necklace into the trash and headed upstairs to soak her troubles away.

Erica awoke and found David sitting on the edge of her bed. She told him that she'd had the most wonderful dream, a dream in which a "tall, dark, and handsome" man serenaded her before taking her into his arms and making love to her. Of course, it was no dream --- it was reality. As the cuddled and kissed, Erica inadvertently pushed up against David's injured shoulder. David, who hadn't been wearing his sling, was still sore over how his injury had occurred. He told Erica that he did not believed that Alex had intended to hurt him. In fact, he wasn't even sure if Alex knew that she was pushing him down the steps. Erica insisted that Alex was a dangerous woman and asked David to promise that he'd limit the time he spent with her. David told Erica that he had to go to Wildwind to retrieve the watch he'd lost during his fall. Erica allowed him to leave, but she wasn't about to forget what Alex had done. She told herself that she would "not give Alex a second chance to kill" David. She picked up the phone and placed a call to a business contact in Europe, a Miss Chadwick. She told the woman that she needed a dossier on Alex sent to her immediately.

At BJ's, Alex joined Rae at a table for a cup of coffee. Rae had mistakenly assumed that Alex wanted to speak to her about what had transpired the night before. Alex icily told the counselor that she did not want "some kind of session" with her. Instead, she wanted to assure her that she was feeling fine. "You don't believe that any more than I do," Rae replied with a slight smile. Alex apologized for sounding frigid. She explained that she'd like to get to know Rae better --- just not on a professional basis. Rae talked of a woman who was too proud to turn to others for help. Alex thought that Rae was talking about her. In actuality, Rae was talking about herself. If her statement did apply to Alex, Rae said that it just goes to prove that they have much in common. Something about the comparison unnerved Alex. Or perhaps she thought that Rae was trying to trick her into talking about her troubles. Whatever the reason --- and in spite of Rae's reminder that everything said to her would be kept in the strictest confidence --- Alex rose from her chair and bid farewell to Rae.

Amanda, Trevor, Brooke and Jamie arrived at the restaurant for a quick bite to eat before they headed off to the skating show. The kids were still fascinated with the pair of binoculars. As they headed to okay with their new toy, Trevor and Brooke sat down at a nearby table to discuss Janet's recent peculiar behavior. Trevor explained that he was worried that Janet might be afraid to open up to him about something that might be bothering her. He informed Brooke that Janet's quirkiness started at about the same time Derek had dropped by to ask her about the escape of her former cellmate. Brooke wondered if it was possible that Janet had been in contact with Sophie. Trevor stated that Janet had said that she hadn't seen or heard from Sophie. "She fought her demons and won," said Trevor when Brooke hinted that Janet might be hiding something from him. Just to be on the safe side, Trevor asked Brooke if she'd watch after Amanda while he went home to check on Janet.

It seems that Tad's morning rituals get more and more bizarre as the months go by. Dixie scolded her husband for breaking up a chocolate bar and placing it atop his bowl of cereal. Junior scurried into the house toting a puppy. He asked his mother and Tad if they could have the dog. "Now you guys can have something little to look after," he said innocently. His intentions were good, but it brought back many painful memories for Tad and Dixie. While Junior was in the backyard playing with the dog, Tad mentioned that they'd seemed to be avoiding talking about Bess. Dixie told Tad not to dwell on the sorrow, but rather to look at what they already had. Rae dropped by to find out if Tad had been avoiding her. She told him that she'd been trying to contact him about her show idea for days --- but that he has yet to reach out to her. Tad explained that the idea of doing a show on black-market babies, while a good one, was a bit "too dark" an issue for his new program. Rae was very attached to the idea and took Tad's rejection personally. Angrily, she demanded that Tad reconsider. Tad also lost his cool and told Rae that the idea hit "a little too close to home." Dixie entered the room and told Tad that she thought he should do the show. The talk then turned to how they'd do such a program. Rae suggested that a disguised Tad set up an appointment with a lawyer who deals with illegal adoptions. Dixie knew that a wife would be needed for the undercover sting. She offered her services, but Rae and Tad were both a bit apprehensive about involving Dixie. "I can do it Tad," Dixie pleaded. "Please let me."

Alex returned to the main house at Wildwind and stopped cold upon seeing the main staircase. A split-second later, David walked through the front door. "Returning to the scene of the crime?" he asked Alex with a sneer firmly planted on his face. Alex accused David of following her, but David assured her that he'd only dropped by to pick up his watch. When David referred to his tumble down the steps as "an accident," Alex lashed out at him. They both knew that the fall was hardly an accident. Alex, though, insisted that she had not meant to hurt him. It was little consolation for the doctor, who noted that he would not be able to perform any surgery for at least a few weeks. When asked why he'd covered for her, David said that he wanted to do what was best for the foundation. Saying that his partner had tried to kill him was hardly the best publicity move. Alex requested that David resign his post at the foundation, but David refused. He wanted to start anew with Alex and asked only that she promise not to push him out a window. "As much as I despise you, I never meant to hurt you," Alex said softly. David looked directly into her eyes and asked her about the events leading up to his fall. He got Alex to admit that she had seen "someone else" before she's pushed him down the staircase. "What happened last night is just between us," David said with a smile. Suddenly, Alex's face turned white. She and David had reached a certain level of civility, but now all of that was gone. She once again saw the older man that she'd see just before pushing David down the steps. "Geoffrey," she gasped. "You just called be Geoffrey," David muttered. "Who is he?" Alex said nothing. She dashed past David and ran out of the house.

Janet had been taking a hot bath when the sounds of Christmas music sounded out from downstairs. She put on her bathrobe and raced down to see if Trevor and Amanda had come home. Not only had someone turned on the stereo, but that same person had also put all of the decorations back on the Christmas tree. Janet turned away in fright. It was then that she saw yet another surprise. Someone had placed a crowbar on the mirror along with a little red bow. Suddenly, Sophie appeared from out of nowhere. "I'm back," she snarled seconds before punching Janet on the side of her head. When Janet came around, she found herself tied to a chair. "Sophie," Janet gasped. "You're alive." Sophie nodded her head and flashed a frown. "I wake up and a rat is eating pizza crust off my face," she groaned. Janet explained that she'd never intended to hurt Sophie, but that her demands for money were just too much. "I needed more," Sophie replied coldly. "But it's not about money any more. It's about my satisfaction." Janet looked on as Sophie paced back and forth in front of her. "I'm going to get mine as soon as that hubby and kid walk through that door," Sophie added. She brandished the crowbar that she'd hung on the mirror. Janet screamed out in horror. She begged Sophie to reconsider. She told the woman to take anything she could find in the house and leave. Sophie had no qualms with murdering Trevor and Amanda. After all, she'd already killed a prison guard during her breakout. Her plan, though, was to frame Janet for the murders. Janet insisted that no one would believe that she'd kill her husband and daughter. Sophie pointed out that Janet had tried to kill her own sister. Janet turned to pleading for her daughter's safety. Sophie agreed that Amanda was an "okay kid," but that didn't mean that she wouldn't kill the girl if she had the chance. Janet tried to appeal to Sophie's softer side. She told Sophie that she'd been her "lifeline" while they were holed up in jail. "You said that we were sister," Janet said softly. After Natalie's funeral, Sophie had given Janet a necklace to show their new bond as sisters. Janet claimed that that necklace meant a great deal to her. For just a moment, it looked as though a tear had formed in Sophie's eye. She said that she was going to give that necklace to Amanda one day. As for the clobbering she given Sophie, Janet once again said that Sophie's demands were too much. "You want too much," she said. She explained that since she's been on the outside longer, she knows that an ex-con needs to take things slowly at first. Sophie was definitely moved by Janet's remarks. Then she saw the necklace that Janet had tossed in the trashcan. "You lying hussy," Sophie erupted. Sophie placed duct tape over Janet's mouth so that she wouldn't be able to talk any more. "You played me for the last time," Sophie growled. Janet and Sophie both heard a car pull up in the driveway. "Whoever comes through that door first gets it right between the eyes," Sophie said coldly. She raised the crowbar above her head and waited behind the door. Outside on the porch, Trevor fumbled around for his key.

For one reason or another, Mateo had gotten an early start at the club. He asked Tina to take inventory and write down everything that needed to be reordered. Tina noticed that Mateo was in an unusually good mood. "Are you high on something," she asked with a smile. "Just life," Mateo replied. Content with the answer, Tina headed off to start her work. Adrian walked into the office and apologized for being late. He asked Mateo to put him to work, but Mateo said that everything was under control. And what still had to be done was something that only he could do. That intrigued Adrian and he asked Mateo if he'd like to share what it was that he was up to. Mateo reached into his pocket and produced a small ring box. Inside the box was a huge diamond ring. Mateo proudly announced that he planned to ask Hayley to marry him. He followed that up by boasting that he was absolutely certain that Hayley would accept his proposal. Adrian was surprised by how fast the relationship was developing. The last Adrian had heard, Mateo and Hayley had only shared a dance. "What about slow and easy?" he asked. "We're back where we're supposed to be," Mateo responded. Adrian didn't want to be a wet blanket, but he couldn't help but think that one dance would not wash away all their problems. "We've been postponing our lives for everyone else," Mateo stated. He explained that if they sit back and wait for everyone else's lives to fall into order, they might never have a life of their own. Mateo's talk convinced Adrian that all was right with the world. There was still one obstacle on the road to happiness --- Hayley still had to say yes. Mateo said that the next time he saw Hayley he planned to pop the question. Mateo put the ring into his pocket and headed out to find Hayley. Later, Tina returned to the room and she and Adrian cozied up to each other as they tried to figure out some of the scrawlings Tina had made on the inventory checklist.

Before entering the house, Trevor bent over to pick up the morning paper. Fortunately for him, it allowed Hayley to catch up to him. Hayley told her uncle that she needed to talk to him --- in private. Trevor nodded his head and told his niece that they could go somewhere and he'd buy her a chocolate pudding.
They ended up at The Valley Inn, but by then Hayley was no longer in the mood to eat. "You were on Cloud Nine," Trevor remarked when asking what was troubling Hayley. Hayley admitted that kissing Mateo was something magical. "It was like my soul was ready to sprout wings," she smiled. After returning home from the ball, though, something happened to change Hayley's mind. During the few minutes of sleep she'd managed to get, Hayley was haunted by images of "the mother from hell." Trevor's brow crinkled as he asked Hayley how Arlene played into her dream. Hayley called her mother's presence in her dream a "reality check." Somehow, Arlene had managed to convince Hayley that her happiness with Mateo would only be short-lived. One way or another, Hayley would follow her mother's footsteps and "screw up" somehow. Trevor shook his head and told Hayley that screwing up was her mother's bag. "The only thing your mother could predict was her next hangover," Trevor grumbled. Trevor reminded Hayley that her split with Mateo was not solely her fault; both she and Mateo had made mistakes. The twelve-step program, he told Hayley, tells one to "let go of what wasn't working." Using that as a guide, Trevor was certain that Mateo and Hayley could once again find happiness. All they had to do was to avoid making the same mistakes again. "When I close my eyes, I see Mateo crushed," Hayley said sadly. She wondered how he could ever forgive her for accusing him of walking away from Ryan and then not correcting him when he assumed that she and Ryan were sleeping together. Trevor countered by pointing out that Mateo had "shoved" vodka in her face. Hayley nodded and confessed that she's not sure if she'll ever be able to forgive Mateo for that. This wasn't the reaction Trevor had anticipated. He quickly moved to try to make Hayley see that she still loved Mateo in spite of their fallouts. Hayley shook her head and said that she was beginning to believe that her mother was right. She stood up from the table and raced away. Trevor was about to chase after her, but he got sidetracked by an incoming call on his cellular phone. The call was from a very anxious Mateo who told Trevor that he had a "big question" for Hayley. Trevor warned Mateo that now was not the time to ask Hayley anything. After stating that Hayley needs "down time," Trevor hung up and chased after his niece.

At BJ's, Becca sat with Ryan and talked about what was a "new experience" for her. Ryan assured her that it was no big deal because he does it with all his friends. Becca nervously explained that she's worried that Scott will walk in on them. Ryan nodded understandingly and told her that they'd have to come up with a good cover story to prevent being caught. Becca hugged Ryan to show her thanks. Greenlee and Leo happened upon the pair and Greenlee immediately went on the rampage. Greenlee asked Leo why it seems that every man throws himself at Becca. Leo urged Greenlee not to make judgments about Becca. "Don't judge a heifer by the twitch of her tail," he said with a smile. Greenlee was intent to storm over to the table and toss out a barrage of insults at Becca. Leo, however, voiced reason and asked Greenlee to give him the chance win their bet. "Becca would never fall for you," Greenlee sneered. "You're too pagan." Leo was convinced that he could win Becca's heart if given the chance. Greenlee was anxious to see how Leo planned to defrost "the Ice Queen." The pair joined Ryan and Becca at their table. Greenlee immediately asked what the two were talking about. Becca swore them to secrecy before explaining that Ryan was helping her plan a surprise party for Scott to celebrate his getting into film school. Greenlee rolled her eyes. "Will there be square-dancing and hog calling?" she asked sarcastically. Becca was quick to fire back with an insult. "You might have a future in skin flicks if you're not already overexposed," she snapped. Leo and Ryan bit their lips to keep from laughing. Greenlee asked Becca if they've ever made films about people like her. She mused that the tale would presumably be about a "hick" who went off to war, was killed, and left behind a gaggle of kids. Becca suddenly became very quiet and asked Greenlee to drop the subject. Greenlee pressed on until Ryan told her that Becca's brother had been killed in Desert Storm. Greenlee didn't seem to mind her faux pas. In fact, it only provided more fuel to the fire. "I had no idea," she said insincerely. "Did the backwoods boys have a special platoon?" Ryan grabbed Greenlee by the arm and pulled her away. Across the room he blasted her for her insensitivity. Greenlee insisted that Becca deserved what she'd gotten because she shamelessly flirts with any man near her. "Miss Hayseed can't wait to jump your bones," Greenlee snorted. Ryan had about all he could take for one day. As he stormed away, he told Greenlee that he likes to believe that there are still good people in the world --- and that Becca is one of them. Greenlee chased after Ryan and apologized for upsetting him. She stopped short, though, of saying that she'd apologize to Becca. She licked her lips and asked Ryan if he was grumpy because they hadn't gotten a chance to make love recently. Ryan smiled and he and Greenlee headed back to his apartment arm-in-arm. Back at the table, Leo told Becca that he was sorry for the way Greenlee had treated her. Becca puckered her lips and told Leo that she knew he was lying. She thought that he and Greenlee were an item and was surprised to learn that they were just keeping up appearances. Leo told Becca that he'd like her to take him on as her "pupil" and teach him how to be nicer. Becca burst into laughter and told Leo that he was "full of it." Nevertheless, she didn't make effort to walk away.

Hayley took her troubles to the beach. She sat down in the sand and stared out at the ocean. In the background, Mateo looked on with a smile.

Needless to say, Sophie was furious that she didn't get the chance to bop Trevor with the crowbar. Janet breathed a sigh of relief, but that served only to infuriate Sophie all the more. Sophie knew that it would be only a matter of time before Trevor and Amanda returned home. Anger was beginning to turn Sophie into an even more dangerous woman. She asked Janet if Amanda was like her --- good at math. She presented Janet was a story problem. "Daddy and daughter walk through a door. All things being equal --- crowbar, velocity, windshear, skull density --- who'll crack first when I lower the boom?" Janet struggled to free herself, but it did no good. Sophie stopped momentarily and mulled the idea of getting in some practice on Janet. Sophie smashed the crowbar against a vase. Sophie ripped the tape from Janet's mouth and gave her one last chance to plead for her life. Janet promised to get Sophie one million dollars, but Sophie didn't buy it. She asked Janet how she planned to get one million dollars when she had a hard time getting fifty thousand dollars. "What are you going to win big with Regis?" Sophie mused. "And when you get stumped on a question are you gonna call up your old cellmate, Sophie?" Janet nervously stated that she could talk to Adam Chandler about getting more money. Janet again tried to appeal to the bond that she and Sophie shared. Janet said that she remembered how hard it was to get used to life on the outside. Suddenly, Mirror Janet's evil cackle sounded out. Janet turned and angrily told the voice to shut up. "Who are you talking to?" Sophie asked. "Are you still talking to that whacked out inner-self?" Janet shook her head and stated that her doctors had given her a clean bill of health. Sophie reluctantly gave Janet twenty-four hours to come up with the extra cash. She wanted her money in small bills. If any aspect of her demands were not met, she told Janet that her loved ones would get it. Sophie headed to the door and quietly left. Janet scurried to clean up the mess that Sophie had made. As she did, Mirror Janet made an encore appearance. The reflection laughed at Janet's misguided belief that Adam would give her money. "If Sophie kills me, what happens to you?" Janet asked. Mirror Janet was silent for a few moments. She told Janet not to worry about her --- it was Trevor and Amanda that were in trouble. "Leave me alone!" Janet screamed. She turned and raced out of the house. Trevor slowly walked into the room in stunned disbelief. "Who the hell is she talking to?" he asked.