Friday Update
March 29, 2002

PREVIOUSLY ON ALL MY CHILDREN

Adam honestly tells Liza: "What they think we might be dealing with is a brain tumor." Liza's face crumples and she starts to cry.

Bianca tells a drunken Leo: "You ripped off the DA's office and you stole a file so that you could figure out your mother's sick mind."

An exceptionally sloppy-looking (for HER) Greenlee tells the new guy, Trey: "You have no idea how great I clean up." Trey: "So SHOW me. I'll take you out for dinner, no strings attached."

Masculine feet enter Vanessa's hospital room and Vanessa condescends: "Oh, well, FINALLY, you got here."

PV HOSPITAL

[In what may be an unprecedented show, ALL scenes take place at the hospital (with a small, self-contained telephone call to Colby's bedroom)]

As Liza, Mia and Anna watch in a waiting area, Adam attacks David. Adam tells Mia to take Liza home, but Liza wants to know what's going on. Adam accuses David of using a sick Liza to put money in his pocket. He's spitting nails as he yells up close and personal in David's face: "You truly ARE your mother's son, AREN'T YA?" David is momentarily speechless and winded at the horrific magnitude of such a hideous slur.

In Vanessa's dim room, Trey enters at Vanessa's beckoning. She's sitting on the bed with her blanket artfully draped (and PINNED) around her like a mink stole. [Where did she get a sharp PIN?] Vanessa rants about being sprung and says if she doesn't get out of there real fast, she is going to go stark raving MAD! She turns on her lamp, looks at Trey and realizes he's not who she thought he was. She apprehensively asks who he is. He ambles closer and tells her he's just like she says: the only person that can save her. [As others have mentioned, he really does look like Clark Kent; i.e, he's a hunk hiding behind glasses and an unassuming, mild-mannered demeanor] Trey: "Now -- shall we get started?" Vanessa looks at him with a mixture of suspicion and a slight smile of hope.

Out in the hall, Leo tells Greenlee he's visiting Maggie. She tells him he looks awful. He thanks her, but compliments HER outfit, remembering another time she wore the little red number. She informs him that she's wearing it for someone else -- she's there on a date. He accuses her of roaming the halls waiting for her date to get out of ER. She gives him a withering look and tells him he is SOOO stupid! He throws up his hands, says he's sorry this ever happened, then rushes away because this is just too much to deal with [isn't EVERYTHING as far as Leo is concerned?] Greenlee tosses a snappy: "Yeah, me TOO!" over her shoulder and clops away. She only gets a few steps, though, because she can't stand it -- she whirls and rushes a few steps back to yell at Leo that he's WRONG! Leo rushes back with the speed of a hornet and asks if she has ANY pride and if she's THAT helpless! Greenlee takes EXTREME offense at the "helpless" part. He waves his arms and basically nyah-nyahs at her about her BIIIG declaration of independence. He once again says it's not his business and then tries to bolt. She manages to grab him this time, though, and yanks him back. She orders him to just SAY IT! He bends down to her level and beseeches: "After everything that you've been through, you went back to JAKE?" She stares at him and then jerks her head at his usual Olympian conclusion jumping.

Greenlee tells Leo twice that he is IMPOSSIBLE. She slap-slugs him for emphasis both times and adds that he's also BORING. He stands like a tree trunk and makes faces, but puts his hands in his pockets and waits for her to finish hitting him. Furious, Greenlee bends forward and says: "Thank GOD I'm not with you anymore and I don't have to listen to your whiny, inferiority complex-ridden RANTS anymore!" Leo: "Yeah, I wish I could say the same." She gives him an exaggerated THAAANNNK YOOOUU SSOOOO MUCH and says he's made it clear she is MUCH better off without him. She starts to walk away again, but Leo makes a crack about her not needing him when she's got bachelor #2 changing out of his scrubs. She strikes an I'm-All-THAT- with-a-CHERRY-on-top pose and asks if he really thinks she's all dressed up like that for JAKE. He waves it off with both hands and says he doesn't even care. She laughs and realizes that he's EMBARRASSED for her -- but she is SOOO much more embarrassed for HIM. He again feigns indifference, so she walks back over and hisses at him to just SHUT UP! They talk over each other about what he thinks she said and what she says he HEARD but she didn't SAY. She says she wouldn't waste her time with Jake just like she wouldn't waste her time with HIM! He asks why, if that's true, she is even talking to him. She wonders the same. They both agree she should just leave in a FINE!/FINE! kind of way. She loftily informs him that she is going to go find her date, a MATURE and INTERESTING person who doesn't enjoy driving her CRAZY. He points out that she's not moving. She orders HIM to move. The throws his arms up like he's being frisked and steps back. He suddenly spots something over her head [which isn't hard to do], ducks behind her and claps a hand over her mouth. He shushes her, then sidewalks her to into a chapel, quietly shutting the swinging doors. He takes his hand away and whispers to her that he needs her to help him RIGHT NOW. She starts to say something as he opens the door to peek out again, but he replaces his hand over her mouth.

In Vanessa's room, Trey tells her that it's an understandable mistake -- people say he looks like his father and she thought that's who he was. She asks if she knows his father. He says yes, they go way back. His father is James H. Kenyon Jr., the attorney. Vanessa clearly remembers and smiles at the memory, but pretends she doesn't know what he's talking about. He says he's James H. Kenyon III -- people call him Trey because of it -- get it? Trey -- three -- hammer -- head? He says it's a little precious, but it's all HIS. This guy is smooth as silk and just as slippery. Vanessa giggles wildly and says he's talking nonsense, so he must be her agent. He says she must be Rosie. She is thrilled that he recognizes her. He sits and says his father has told him all about her. She drops the coy act asks if she should have been warned that his father was sending his son. She adds a viper tongue-swipe for emphasis [proving to me that she IS Vanessa, NOT Rosie]. Vanessa is insulted that his father doesn't want to mess his hands with her dirty little case. Trey says they should just say his father is "getting on". [Trey has perfectly filed teeth [I know actors prefer that look, but teeth THAT evenly proportioned look like wooden dentures to me, albeit very WHITE dentures]. Trey says his father no longer has that killer instinct, but HE has inherited it. Vanessa completely slips out of Rosie mode as she appraises him. She informs him that she doesn't take second best. He sits up even straighter and says that, although he may not look it, he's EXACTLY what she needs. Vanessa says: "Oh. Oh, dear. Well, if I had $1,000 for every time some SWEET, young face said that to me, I would [slipping into purring vamp mode] -- I'd be in another BUSINESS." He says she's paying him by the hour and suggests they get down to business, although he suspects she's heard THAT before, too. [What's she going to pay him with, "trade"?] She HOW DAREs him, saying he was still in short pants when -- He stands and says he's an officer of the COURT and it would be best if she didn't tell him about some of her ... _accomplishments_. She orders him out and says she's done quite all right on her OWN -- ALL on her own. He thinks she's wrong -- in fact, he thinks she's done abysmally. She mocks his usage of the word "abysmally" and asks if he really likes using it. He says she needs help fast. She laughs it off and says SHE brought Rosie back and had them declared incompetent to stand trial. He asks if she thinks that's a GOOD thing. She gloats and purrs that she has been accused of inhumane and inHUMAN behavior, yet she will not see the inside of a jail cell! He agrees but points out that she'll be spending a lot of time in a locked and padded room, very much LIKE a prison cell. She scoffs and asks if he can do better. He strikes an I'm-All-THAT-and-a-PITCHFORK pose and says he can make her a free woman, even if she SHOULD be spending time in a cell, padded or otherwise. Vanessa says she's just decided she doesn't LIKE him. In aw-shucks mode now, he apologizes if he's said anything to offend her. She snaps: "Oh, don't try to out-Rosie ME! You don't like ME, either!" He narrows his eyes and says she's right -- he doesn't. He says she doesn't NEED him to be a friend -- she needs someone who will use his energy and knowledge of the law to work a MIRACLE -- and that person is HE. He walks up to shake her hand and asks if they have a deal. She stares at him a moment, then gets a very Palmer-like, eyebrows lifted oh-REALLY look.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, David tells Adam that he's delusional. Liza turns around and grabs her forehead. Adam reiterates his accusation about David taking advantage of Liza in her condition. Jake walks up behind Anna. David denies it and says he had no IDEA anything was medically wrong with her [if *I* was afraid of being disemboweled by Liza through the TV screen, David should definitely have noticed she was not herself]. Liza looks like she's going to puke. Adam says Liza was selling valuable company assets and David HAD to know it was a result of her illness. David says that never came up in their conversation and he just took Liza at her word. Adam tries to enlist Jake to his side, saying David HAD to know! Jake says he can't say whether or not David knew. David says there you go, because Jake would pounce on ANYTHING to crucify him at the slightest opportunity. Adam: "Days ago [hello, it was YESTERDAY] my wife walked into this hospital to get some help with her symptoms -- disorientation, blinding headaches, lapses of memory. But instead of giving her the help that she needed, he made her sign a bogus contract!" Liza appears to be at the "urp" stage. Mia looks concerned. Jake turns on David and demands to know if this was true and he failed to inform her doctors of her condition. David rubs his jaw and says THAT didn't take long. Jake says it never DOES with HIM, but he's sure the Grand Jury will be interested in how David answers that question. David turns to Liza and orders her to tell them that he had no idea of the extent of her illness and that they only talked business. David: "And you were your usual self as far as I could tell -- isn't that true?" [Yeah, if her "usual self" includes roaring and acting like the monster in the hallway in Poltergeist] Liza stares, seeming not to comprehend. Adam tells her: "No, you DIDN'T!" Mia tells them BOTH to stop talking to her. Liza looks like a cornered animal and appears to be at the clear-it-out-of-the-mouth- and-reswallow-it stage. Adam reassures Liza, apologizing and saying he'll take care of it himself. Adam turns to David, puts both his hands on David's chest to stop him and tells him to leave her alone. David jerks out of Adam's grasp and asks what the hell is wrong with him -- she can answer ONE question, can't she? Adam vehemently yells: "You say one more word to her, and I'm going to KILL you!" They stare, up close and personal.

Meanwhile, Leo and Greenlee peek out the door at a policeman talking to a woman who appears to be saying that she doesn't know. Leo lets the door close and winces when it creaks [as well he should since the officer is so close he's practically leaned up against it]. They both step back a little, Greenlee loudly bumping into some furniture in the process. She whispers to him, asking what the officer wants. Leo guesses he's showing a picture of him. Greenlee wants to know what they are after him for -- what the hell did he do NOW? He says he thought he had more time -- he HAS to get to Maggie before they do. She asks if it has to do with Vanessa. He says EVERYTHING has to do with Vanessa right now -- he just needs her to help him. He repeats the request, piteously this time. She reminds him of their minutes- old fight. He reminds her that she lobbed some stuff at HIM, too. Greenlee agrees, saying that's the story of THEM! She can't let herself get sucked back into it again and won't have anything to do with his problems. She turns to leave. He agrees it's dangerous, especially with the cops right outside the door. She says it's not the cops, it's her SANITY -- she'd be a fool to get involved with him again and she WON'T! He surrenders and plops down in the nearest chair, saying he's sorry and she's right -- he had no right to ask her. Greenlee: "If I don't take care of myself, who will? The fact is you don't DESERVE my help." Leo: "Greenlee, I'm AGREEING with you. You made your point. Fine. Go. I'll be ok." He looks extremely worried. She seems to melt a little, but stands resolved and tells him: "Good Luck." He childishly tells her to have fun on her DATE. Greenlee: "BITE ME!" He tells her to just GO. She says she WILL. Unfortunately, she doesn't get any further than the door before whirling and saying she CAN'T! Leo stands and urgently shushes her. He whispers the question of what CAN'T she do. She walks up to him, looks up at him with her big black eyes, and says she can't leave him alone -- what does he want her to do? He thinks about it then starts to speak, but is interrupted by a commercial fade.

Leo profusely thanks Greenlee. He doesn't know how much trouble he is in yet, but he needs her to distract the cop outside the door so he can go talk to Maggie. He points out that she's CERTAINLY dressed for it! Greenlee reluctantly takes off her coat and agrees to do it, saying she'll point the cop in the wrong direction and make sure he doesn't see anything but her. Leo looks appreciatively looks her over and says: "I've been THERE!" She glares at him, which jolts him out of his fond reminiscence. They take another peek out the door. Greenlee tells him to wait until the coast is clear. He kisses her on the cheek as thanks, fluffs her hair and checks her over one last time. He says he just hopes the cop is straight :-) She clops out. Leo looks around for an alternate escape from the chapel. He just now NOTICES that he's in a chapel. He looks up to God and offers some advice, even though God already knows everything about everything. Leo: "Did you ever think that if you make doing the right think little more easier, more people might do it?" He admits to doing some rotten things, but mostly he was doing things for somebody ELSE. He's not asking for anything or saying God owes him anything, but he wants him to cut David a break. Not that David has earned his wings or anything, but he DOES do good things, saves lives, and worshipped his father. He admits to always being a little jealous of David because David had a father for 12 years, whereas Leo never knew his father. But if David finds out that his father was a drug dealer and a coward, it would finish him. So could God please, PLEASE let him get away with this one little thing? And it's not like Leo is asking this for HIMSELF; he's doing it for David's sake.

Meanwhile, in Vanessa's room, she and Trey shake hands until Vanessa abruptly (and yet somehow elegantly) yanks it away. She grouses that she paid for steak -- fillet mignon -- and they sent her HAMBURGER. He says sometimes hamburger can really hit the spot. He says he'll be back tomorrow. This was their "get acquainted" meeting, and he thinks it went FAR from abysmally, doesn't she? Vanessa gasps at his arrogance in thinking HE can control the meeting. She growls at him to SIT DOWN and SHUT UP because there is a whole lot she has to tell him! He nods and starts to walk away, saying he'll be back tomorrow. She INSISTS that they start now. He says he's actually on a date and there's a very attractive woman waiting for him. She yells at him to get out, then. She turns off the lamp and fusses with her blankets, acting like he's already left. He says good night and starts to walk out. Vanessa can't STAND that! She turns the lamp back on and tells him to wait just a MINUTE! She wants him to take care of something right away. She viciously tells him to put a tail on Mateo Santos because he has been threatening her and trying to drive her insane. She says she knows it's him because someone keeps calling her pretending to be Proteus. He notes the lack of a telephone. Vanessa: "I know there's no phone, but sometimes they don't come on the telephone, you know, but I HEAR it. I hear Proteus' VOICE!" Trey: "You get calls without a phone?" Vanessa gives a strained to the breaking point laugh [for some reason, Snagglepuss comes to mind] and barks: "I'm not HALLUCINATING -- the voice is REAL!" Trey: "Are you sure it's Proteus' voice?" Vanessa confidently whispers that it sounds EXACTLY like him. Trey looks skeptical. Vanessa: "Oh, come on. I know it can't really be Proteus, you FOOL! But someone is trying to FRIGHTEN me, and I want you to find out who it is!" He promises to do so. In the meantime, he wants her to relax. She huffs a scathing chuckle and shakes her head. He reminds her that she's made quite a few enemies in this town and nobody likes her. Vanessa sits back, does a chicken-winglike adjustment to her "mink", rolls her eyes and says she just cries herself to sleep every night. He says that if someone IS trying to scare her, it's a good thing they are using strange voices, because it COULD be a lot WORSE. She gives him an oh-REALLY? look of disdain. He tells her to try and get some sleep, then leaves. Vanessa jockeys for the best position to watch him leave. [She does it in an exceptionally curious manner, but if *I* were in the bed instead of her, it would be in a checking-out-his- ass manner]

Meanwhile, over in Liza's tortured corner of the world, she pants and desperately runs her hands through her hair as the menfolk continue to bluster. David taunts Adam about threatening to kill him in front of witnesses -- now that he's in business with Adam's wife, he could walk away with Adam's entire ESTATE! Adam says he'd give up every penny he owns just to have David out of his life! Mia, who is SUPPOSED to be helping Liza, runs over to keep Adam from doing whatever it is she thinks he'll do. Liza holds her belly, mutters: "Oh, God, no!" and collapses onto the floor. David and Adam both rush to her side as yells go out for a gurney, etc.

Over near the chapel, the burley cop finishes questioning a nurse and starts to walk away, writing notes. Greenlee saunters up and says: "Excuse me? Do I look all right?" Cop: "Excuse me?" Greenlee looks sad and plaintively says: "Do I?" He looks her up and down and enthusiastically says she does. Greenlee tosses her head back, all the better to expose her creamy neck and cleavage, and sighs. She lazily runs a hand through her hair and says she's not -- she's dizzy, and her breathing is irregular. He says maybe she should see a doctor -- she IS in the right place. Leo slowly opens the door behind the cop [you could easily see he behind the frosted glass -- wouldn't SOMEONE have noticed them skulking behind it earlier?]. She says they told her to WAIT in Triage. She sees Leo and says she must not have looked sick enough and guesses they just want to wait until she just FAINTS and loses consciousness. To demonstrate, she pretends to swoon into his arms. He says they have to get her to a doctor. She makes eye contact with Leo to indicate to him to am-scray. She tells the cop that a doctor would be a good idea. He says he just spoke to a great one, Dr. Jake Martin. Greenlee yanks back out of the cop's arms, fully recovered, and jabs her finger at him, saying she doesn't want to see a doctor, she wants to file a POLICE REPORT! She heard that in order to sue someone, you have to have a police report. Leo tilts backward like a giant walking backslash and starts to slink away, but stays to make the door close quietly. The cop is incredulous that now she wants to SUE someone. He starts to walk away, but Greenlee grabs his arm and asks if he's married. As Leo finally DOES slink away, Greenlee asks the cop if his wife or mother or sister were weak and ill and they needed a helping hand, wouldn't he expect them to be treated with some sort of compassion and civility? Greenlee: "I mean, after all, this is America, right? The greatest country in the world!" He thinks perhaps they SHOULD get her to a doctor, after all. She playfully slaps at him and says thanks, he's been a great help -- he should have his wife, sister or mother call Enchantment -- she'll be glad to send them a free Deluxe Package. Tell them to ask for Greenlee Smythe. She starts to walk away, saying: "Have a nice day, Sweetie." He calls her back, asking if she's Greenlee -- didn't she used to be engaged to Leo DuPres? Greenlee smiles.

All business now, the cop asks if she's aware that they were looking for Leo DuPres. Greenlee haltingly searches for words: "We are? You are? *I'm* not!... AWARE, that is [giggling] of my ex-fiance's comings and goings ... and FYI, 411, and all that." So she hasn't seen him? Greenlee: "NO! Thank GOD! He's trouble!" She's sorry she can't help him, but she hasn't seen Leo in days -- WEEKS. She makes a face and says it's just not her scene to help him evade the law, anyway. On alert now, the Cop says: "Did I SAY I thought you were helping him EVADE the law?" Greenlee abruptly changes her tone and says: "We're DONE, right? Excuse me." She starts to clop away, but he grabs her arm and yanks her back. As she stares up at him with an I-BEG-your-pardon look. As Trey walks up behind the cop, the cop tells her it would be better for her if she would just tell him what she knows. Trey stops to listen for a moment, then intervenes. He suggests the officer let her go. He introduces himself as her attorney. Greenlee looks up triumphantly at the cop. With an edge, Trey says: "She was kind enough to wait for me while I visited a client, and I would take it PERSONALLY if I found her being MANHANDLED by an overeager police officer!" The cop says there's no problem, he just wanted to ask her a few questions. Trey takes note of the officer's name, PERRY. [Ah, the cop who was manhandling JR at the police station during the "teen" drug storyline] Officer Perry says he thinks Trey's client knows the whereabouts of someone they are looking for. Greenlee smugly and confidently enunciates each word as she says: "And - I - TOLD - him - I - DIDN'T!" Trey asks if they should go down to the station, then. Greenlee whips her head around: "WHAT?" Trey does not break eye contact with Perry as he says Perry can conduct his questioning STRICTLY according to police procedure. Perry scoffs and says he just wants to ask a few quest-- Trey: "But if there's a SINGLE irregularity in your methods, I'll slap a harassment suit on the Pine Valley Police Department faster than they can bounce you off the force!" Perry smirks with comprehension and says he has all he needs for NOW. He smirks some more at both of them, then walks away. Trey takes a few protectively-predatory steps toward the retreating officer and glares. Greenlee sardonically says: "Who ARE you?" He turns and gives her a closemouthed smile.

Meanwhile, in Maggie's room, Maggie is sitting in bed reading a magazine. [I am getting SO tired of reiterating: WHY IS SHE STILL IN THE HOSPITAL? Haven't they thawed her out yet?] Leo slips in. Maggie is happy to see him, but he quickly runs over and shushes her. He asks if she's okay. Maggie answers my question by saying she's BEEN okay -- they're keeping her there just to TORTURE her! She notices something is wrong (not to mention that his hair looks like it's been beaten with an egg-beater during a tornado) -- he doesn't look so good. He thanks her and says that's sort of been the popular consensus today. He says he doesn't have time for this -- the cops are after him. He sort of broke into the DA's office and sort of stole her deposition, tore it up and flushed it down the toilet. She asks why he would do something like that -- that was TESTIMONY! He says everything she told Jackson Montgomery no longer exists [because no one would EVER think to actually make a COPY of it or have it on disk for another quick printout]. She asks if he's trying to help his mother, because she's not going to go along with THAT. He says no, he's trying to protect his BROTHER.

Over in the waiting area, David shuffles back out, rubbing his neck and shaking his head with fatigue. Anna has been waiting in a chair and asks if Liza is all right. David says Liza's been admitted and Jake is taking care of her pain. She asks how long Liza has been like this. David says he doesn't know. Anna pointedly says that it's hard not to see that Liza's very ill. She sips her coffee. David stares, then comes around to sit in front of her. He denies doing any of the things Adam accused him of. She believes him, doesn't she? Anna: "I'd like to. It makes too much sense. And I know you so well." David laughs derisively and says: "Well, obviously, you don't me well enough to know that I would never stoop to taking advantage of someone that was that ill." Anna: "Two words -- Libidozone poisoning." [ROTFLMAO!] He says that was NOT the same thing -- he had no INTENTION of hurting all those people! She says no, just one: Tad. He says that since she insists on talking about the Libidozone, not ONE PERSON back then gave him the benefit of the doubt [Dumb-as-Dirt Dixie did], and that's the same thing that's happening NOW! All anyone has to do is make an accusation and everyone automatically assumes he's GUILTY! [And?] She haughtily asks him whom he thinks he's talking to. He leans forward and says his WIFE! He doesn't give a damn about Adam's rantings or Jake's contempt. He DOES care about what SHE thinks and it bothers him that she believes THEM over HIM when he's sitting right there looking into her eyes and telling her it's NOT TRUE! She looks searchingly at him and asks if he would TELL her the truth if he were guilty. He says he wouldn't lie to her. She says they are preparing to impanel the Grand Jury. He doesn't know what that has to do with anything. She says that he doesn't know if she's going to testify against him or not, so why would he COMPOUND his list of felonies if he doesn't know if she's going to help put him in prison or not? David purses his lips and jadedly nods.

Meanwhile, Jake comes out of Liza's room looking grim. He tells Mia that Liza is MUCH better [Like father like son -- a smile means the situation is catastrophic and a grimace means all's well. Jake needs to work on his weak delivery, though, to really nail the gravity of his father's flawlessly mismatched expressions-pronouncements]. Mia nervously asks what happens next. He says they'll start tests first thing in the morning. She asks what could be causing her headaches [wasn't she there for the previous "probable tumor" diagnosis?]. Jake says they have to run the tests to be sure, but stress is probably a contributing factor. Mia gulps and mulls the idea of STRESS causing the headaches on top of whatever else might be wrong with her. She wants to see Liza, but Jake suggests waiting until Adam comes out. She forgot, but is glad that Adam seems to be behaving himself right now at least. She notes that he really DOES love Liza in his own way. Jake says Liza is lucky to have Mia in her life right now. Mia says she never really knew how much she wanted a sister and family until now. Jake says they'll get to the bottom of it; in the meantime, he wants her to keep doing what she's been doing because it's really been helping Liza out a LOT. Mia tearfully nods and says she's not going anywhere. Jake assures her that she matters to Liza.

In Liza's room, Adam sits on her bed and says that if he could take it all back, he would. She sits with her arms crossed and quietly says she would too. He tells her NONE of this is her fault -- it's HAYWARD'S, but he shouldn't have lost his temper. Liza works her mouth into a tight line to try to keep from crying. Adam asks what's wrong. She says she broke Colby's heart tonight. She let her down! She launches herself into Adam's comforting arms. Adam holds her tight, looking extremely worried.

[How did Liza rate a solid blue gown when Vanessa and Maggie have to wear flowered ones?] Liza sits back and wipes away tears. She says this isn't happening, and she needs to be STRONG. Adam says no, why doesn't she just let go for once in her life and let him take care of her. Liza blinks back tears and says she PROMISED Colby. Adam assures her that Colby is safe with Marian. Liza says he doesn't understand -- she promised to tuck Colby into bed tonight. Now it's past her bedtime and Liza is sure she's scared. He says Marian has talked to Colby and told her that Liza will see her tomorrow. Liza still bemoans breaking her promise, which she's never done until now [I seriously doubt THAT, but I'll let it slide for the moment]. He suggests that she not break the promise by tucking Colby in over the telephone -- she didn't promise that it WOULDN'T be by phone, after all. She seems a little heartened. Adam chuckles and brings her the phone. Marian is sitting on the edge of Colby's bed, cuddling her. Liza tells her that she's okay. Colby pipes up, asking if that's Mommy on the phone. Liza tells Marian about her tele-tuck plan. Colby gets on the phone and sweetly asks where she is. Liza says she's with Daddy and Uncle Jake and she's sorry she can't be there to tuck her in. Is it okay to do it over the phone now? Colby is adorably agreeable. She's already said her prayers with Mimi. Liza tells Colby to close her eyes. Colby obliges. Liza gently says: "And you can imagine in your mind that I'm going to give you a big kiss on your forehead, and a medium kiss on your nose, and a little, tiny kiss on your chinny-chin-chin." Colby: "My chinny-chin-chin?" Liza: "You are all ready for sleep. And you're going to have wonderful, wonderful dreams. Good night, Baby." Colby: "Good night, Mama." Liza: "You know I love you." Colby: "I love you, too." Liza: "And I'll see you really soon. I -- I love you very, very much." Colby: "I love you, too." Liza: "Good night, Baby." Colby: "Good night, Mama." Her babyish little voice just breaks your heart -- and Liza's. Liza reluctantly hangs up, then cries in Adam's arms.

Out in the hallway, David tells Anna that, yes, it HAS crossed his mind that she holds his life in the palm of her hands -- and that seems to PLEASE her somehow. She bristles and says it doesn't PLEASE her -- it INTERESTS her! David asks if she means like a scientific project. She says that sometimes she thinks she's just getting to know him, and then a whole new set of equations just POPS UP! He says she can study him clinically all she wants, but with HIM, it's very PERSONAL. And it HURTS him that she's always looking at the worst inside of him. And it hurts him that, in spite of everything they've said to each other, he can't trust her. She protests that she didn't SAY that. He urges her to SAY it then -- say that she's going to testify against him and send him off to jail! She counters by asking him to tell her the truth about the contract with Liza. He says he IS telling her the truth and she doesn't want to believe it! Hard as nails, she says: "That's RIGHT!" David melodramatically shakes his head and sits back, sighing deeply and rubbing his forehead. He asks her to consider this: if he DOESN'T go to jail, and if his contract with Liza stands, SHE is going to be a very wealthy woman. She might not want to believe that he cares about her, but something tells him that it's not going to bother her when she benefits from his alleged crimes. He gets up and walks away. Anna gulps, purses her lips and stoically ponders what he said.

Officer Perry walks up to Anna. He tells her that they haven't found Leo, but his ex-fiancee, Greenlee Smythe, was acting VERY strange. He's SURE Leo DuPres is somewhere in this hospital. Anna distractedly nods.

In another hallway, Greenlee saunters up to Trey and appraisingly says: "To THINK I called you a NERD!" He corrects her -- she called him a GEEK. She adjusts his tie and says he just acted like Clint Eastwood. He says it's all an act and GEEK is a little closer to the truth, he's afraid. She notes that he IS a lawyer, and they KNOW how to pretend they're tough. He says it takes a lot out of him. In any case, he's finished with his client and ready to start their date. She is too. She speculatively asks him if he's ALWAYS this nice. Trey: "Is that a trick question?" She says she just has a feeling that there's something MISSING here. He laughs and asks: "Like what?" Greenlee: "I don't know. Like after I get to know you, you're going to pull off your human facemask and underneath you're going to have green skin and three eyes." Trey: "Boy, you ARE smart. Yes, Greenlee, there IS something." He swings his head to the side and pretends to whip off his invisible mask, making a whooshing sound. He then informs her that Vanessa Cortlandt is his client. Greenlee: "What? [she steps back a few feet] WHAT?" Trey: "Uh-oh." Greenlee is angry now and demands to know why he didn't tell her about this two hours ago, before she agreed to have dinner with him! He asks if SHE always tells the truth -- wasn't she lying to the cop about the guy he was after? She stares momentarily, then concedes that he's a very good lawyer, but he'd BETTER not get Vanessa Cortlandt off. He says that, FWIW, he didn't CHOOSE to defend her -- he drew the short straw, sort of. She says she doesn't really want to talk about. He suggests they go eat and puts a teasing arm around her waist as they walk away, lightly running a finger around over her back. He pauses, though to ask if the guy she helped out tonight was the ornament guy. She looks up at him and grudgingly says she doesn't know why she did it -- she keeps letting Leo get to her. Trey: "Leo, huh?" Greenlee: "Leo DuPres -- Son of Gorgon." He hooks his arm in hers and says it should be an interesting dinner. They leave.

In Maggie's room, she tells Leo that it's ancient history about David's father being a drug dealer before killing himself. Leo says it DOES matter. She says she already TOLD Jackson everything and they can use it as evidence against Vanessa. He says it still MATTERS -- Jackson is going to want to come back and depose her again. He says she can tell Jackson everything about all her crimes that will put Vanessa away for good -- just leave out the part about David's father. Pretend it didn't happen or just forget about it, all right? He says it would KILL David it he found out his father wasn't the hero he thought he was. Maggie says she thought he and his brother didn't really like each other all that much, but she guesses Leo really DOES love David. He asks her to promise to just leave that part out of her testimony. She promises and he thanks her. David walks in and pleasantly says hi to Leo. He comments on how nice it is for Leo to visit Maggie, who was going stir crazy. Leo keeps yanking on the back of his hair and looking everywhere but at David. Leo says visiting hours are over so-- He tries to slither out, but David stops him, wanting to visit. Suddenly a deafening announcement is made over the PA system telling all guards to be at their stations -- a security check will be required at all entrances and exits. It's a CODE ORANGE Security alert. David says that's strange -- that's the HIGHEST security alert for the hospital. He wonders what happened. [They use this MAJOR alert for a guy who breaks into the DA's office and steals papers, but not for all the KNOWN murderers, kidnappers, drug dealers, etc., that are constantly skulking around or actively assaulting people or blowing things up within the hospital? Meanwhile, cardiac patients, upon hearing the announcement, are doing some coding of their own] Leo turns white and starts to sweat, looking VERY trapped.

Out in yet another hallway, Adam is loudly yelling into a phone (NOT a cell phone for once) that he wants their VERY BEST man, their TOP NEUROLOGIST. Adam stops for a moment to yell at the loudspeaker to SHUT UP [been there, done that! My former employer once hired a high school marching band to march up and down the narrow aisles of cubicles playing "When the Saints Come Marching In" -- try talking business over the phone with THAT going on. "Can you hold on a sec? I think I hear a ... TROMBONE?"]. Adam demands that they send them there by tomorrow morning before Liza's first tests -- send them by Air Freight if they have to!

In Liza's room, she asks Mia what all the commotion is about. In a vague reference to the stricter rules now in force throughout the country since September 11, Mia says it's a Security Check -- life in the 21st Century. Liza: "Oh. Well, I could just see Adam's face if they ask him to take off his shoes!" They both laugh. [I have to hand it to the actress playing Mia -- her eyes actually ARE swollen, so I think she really IS crying during these scenes.] Mia comes over to sit with Liza and tells her not to worry about anything Adam said. It's just Adam being Adam, and he knows Liza wouldn't do anything to hurt Chandler Enterprises. Liza gets a grim look on her face. She tells Mia that Adam is right -- she DID do all those things to destroy the company ... and she didn't do it because of her illness. She did it on purpose. Mia is taken aback. Liza is calm and firm.

Back in Maggie's room, David asks if Leo is okay. Leo claps his back and assures him everything is good and he'll see him later. He opens the door and steps out, then quickly whirls back into the room in a panic. Just before the door closes, Anna and Officer Perry burst in. Leo tries to leave with pleasantries tossed over his shoulder, but Officer Perry stops him. Leo struggles to fight him off, yelling the usual bad-guy things about having an appointment, they have no right to hold him, is this how Anna runs her department now, etc., but he is unsuccessful. [I'm surprised he didn't mention the one-armed man.] Hearing the struggle, Greenlee and Trey hurry into the room. Anna tells Leo that he's making it worse, then yells at him to BE QUIET! As David looks on with disbelieving horror, she informs Leo that he's under arrest for breaking and entering, tampering with evidence related to an ongoing investigation, obstruction of justice and impeding the work of officers of the court. Greenlee stares.

[In Vanessa's room -- well, let's just look at Vanessa's room, shall we? She's a clever murderer, kidnapper, blackmailer, drug dealer, and ostensibly crazy person. She's being kept in a hospital room for no apparent reason. In her room, available for her to put all of her engineering skills to potential use to create weapons or instruments of escape or suicide are: LOTS of pillowcases, sheets and blankets; at least three unanchored ceramic lamps with unscrewable, breakable incandescent bulbs; arty prints on the wall, framed under GLASS, no doubt hanging by twisted WIRES from NAILS; PINS with which to fashion imaginary finery; her breakable makeup mirror; curtains; a bookcase with heavy books and a potted plant on top -- and that's only what I can see in the last scene!] Back to the actual scene, Vanessa comes out of the bathroom, wearing a floral wreath as a bracelet [her arm isn't even bandaged anymore] and enthusiastically singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, How I Wonder Who I Are!" She giggles and pulls back the blanket from the bed -- to see a SNAKE wildly slithering around in it! She screams and yells and shakes her hands near her head in horror and helplessness. The snake looks malevolently at her, hissing and flicking it's forked-tongue in and out, not unlike Vanessa is wont to do!! [Ah, now THAT'S an entertaining Friday cliffhanger!]

ON THE NEXT AMC

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Still in Maggie's room, Anna gently tells Leo: "You need to tell David the truth." Greenlee: "What truth?" Anna continues: "He needs to know why this happened." The brothers both look at her with open mouths.

Trey tells a pouty, still bed-bound Maggie: "You're my star witness, Maggie. I'm not letting you go anywhere."

Opal (in her volunteer uniform) and Palmer stand in Vanessa's doorway as Palmer yells in: "At it again! Well, you're not going to get away with it THIS time! Vanessa tries to look as cool, calm and elegant as one can look while sitting disheveled in a blue-flowered hospital gown in a guarded room.

Mia tells a tearfully worried Liza: "You just tell me what you need me to do to help you pull this off."

Irreverently submitted,

Robin "forked" Coutellier