05/06/1999 Vanessa Tips Off Jerry Reeves




"As Erica stood on the steps, she heard Brooke's voice urging her to turn her back on the fear that was preventing her from leaving her house. Erica wrapped a red scarf around her head, took a deep breath, and walked out the front door.

In the alley behind Sounds of Salsa, Gillian broke the kiss she's sprung on Ryan and immediately hit him with another surprise---the divorce. "You did what?" Ryan asked in shock upon learning that his wife had asked Trevor to start divorce proceedings. It was painfully obvious that neither Gillian nor Ryan really wanted the divorce. As they talked about their future, every statement made was followed by a question to gauge the other's reaction. "This is what you wanted, right?" asked Gillian. Ryan nodded his head slightly and unenthusiastically agreed. He apologized for sending Gillian "mixed signals" about their relationship. One moment Ryan was pushing Gillian away and the next he was dancing with her in front of a crowd. Gillian felt she was the one who should apologize. After all, only seconds after kissing him she'd told him that she wanted a divorce. Ryan sighed and mumbled that "separation is the first step of divorce." Since they were currently estranged, divorce seemed like a natural progression. "So I did the right thing, right?" Gillian asked, again signaling that she was looking for Ryan to tell her that he wanted to remain married. Ryan, however, didn't give her the chance to escape. "Absolutely," he replied. Ryan turned and returned to the inside of the club. He plopped down on a stool by the bar. Hayley danced her way towards him and asked him what was bothering him. Ryan shook the cobwebs loose and forced a smile. He told Hayley that he was fine and ordered her to return to the dance floor so that she could have fun. Tonight, he said, it was her turn to have a little fun.

Across the club, Vanessa danced with an unknown but younger man. Janet and Dimitri chatted it up in a corner while Jake discussed Ryan and Gillian's pending divorce with Trevor. Trevor reminded Jake that he could not discuss the details of the case. Jake asked Trevor if there was some way that they could delay the divorce process so that Gillian and Ryan could have some time to patch things up. Trevor agreed that it was a shame to see the Laveries split, but said that he had to follow his client's request. Brooke sat down with Dimitri, Janet, Jack, and Edmund and admitted that she'd gone to see Erica. Janet quickly rattled off that she and Opal had already tried to coax Erica out of her shell---but failed miserably. Brooke agreed that it seemed unlikely that anything she'd said would have any impact on Erica. Janet gritted her teeth as she blasted Vanessa for having wheedled her way into Erica's life.

Seated at a table with her sons and their dates, Opal plucked a maraschino cherry from her headpiece and plunked it into her mixed drink. After a few sips, she groused that the music being played was too slow. Almost on cue, the tempo picked up and Opal sprung to her feet. She asked Adrian and Tad to join her in a conga line, but they both turned her down. Belinda and Dixie, however, were feeling festive and joined Opal in a line-dance around the club. Seemingly out of nowhere, Adrian asked Tad if it was true that Opal had abandoned him in a park. Tad's brow wrinkled as he explained that, technically, Ray Gardner was the one who'd deserted him. Adrian questioned "what kind of woman" would abandon not one but two children. Tad assured Adrian that Opal had done the right thing by freeing them of Ray Gardner's deadly grasp. He concluded with a remark about how glad he was that Ray Gardner was no longer alive.

Opal led a twenty-or-so person conga line around the club. Erica slowly entered the club and looked nervously around. Opal froze in her tracks upon seeing Erica---and one by one the people behind her in line smashed into the person in front of them. The club grew eerily quiet as even the music ceased. Opal raced towards Erica with open arms, but the injured beauty quickly cast her aside. Opal invited Erica to join her at her table, but Erica walked past her and headed towards Hayley and Mateo. Erica congratulated them on a successful opening and a beautiful club. She mentioned that it was possible that Enchantment could use the club for its upcoming ad campaign. Mateo nervously motioned for the music to resume.
Opal stormed to her table and hung her head in frustration. Adrian told Opal that she should forget about Erica because she probably wasn't a true friend. His advice took an ill-advised turn when he implied that Erica had been using Opal to get closer to Palmer's money. Tad tried to get his mother back on the dance floor, but Opal no longer felt like dancing; she wanted to return home. Tad and Adrian both escorted their mother to the door. Upon seeing Erica, Vanessa picked up her cellular phone and placed an urgent call. She told the person on the other end of the line to drop what he was doing and to get to the club immediately. Trevor and Jack discussed the amount of courage it must have taken for Erica to show up at the club. During the conversation, Jack admitted to missing Erica. Rather than pursuing the admission, Trevor chose to leave well enough alone. Brooke sat down next to Erica and praised her for having risen to the occasion. Erica thanked Brooke for reminding her that she was Erica Kane, something she'd seemed to have forgotten since the accident.

Outside the club, Jake found Gillian alone in the alley with tears streaming down her cheeks. He knew that she must have told Ryan about her decision to file for a divorce. He encouraged her to reconsider, reminding her that she'd signed nothing to bind her to her decision. Gillian sniffled and exhaled deeply. She wiped the tears from her eyes and told Jake that she needs to grant Ryan his freedom. She looked Jake in the eyes and asked him to escort her back inside for a dance.

Erica decided that since she'd put in an appearance it was safe to head back home. Vanessa quickly scurried over to her and told her that she'd buy her a glass of mineral water. While she was being detained, Jerry Reeves and a camera crew entered through the front door. Jerry looked into the cameras and announced that he was "live at Sounds of Salsa, the scene of Erica Kane's first public appearance" since her face was disfigured. Vanessa smiled sinisterly, something that Janet couldn't help but notice. Erica quivered, unable to walk away. Jerry immediately hurled a barrage of questions at Erica. The question that sent Erica over the edge was a request to see what was hidden beneath her black mask. Brooke appeared at Erica's side and told her that she'd escort her home. The film crew tried to follow Erica, but Jack, Dimitri, and Edmund stood in their way and refused to let them get by. Mateo angrily confronted the reporter and told him that he was not welcome at the club. In the ladies' room, Erica lashed out at Brooke for having talked her into leaving home. Erica stormed away before Brooke could respond. Brooke returned to the club and told Jack that Erica had run off. Both agreed that they should check on her.

Dimitri asked Ryan how things went with Gillian. He figured that the dance he and Gillian had shared might have opened the door for reconciliation. He was shocked to hear that Gillian had filed for divorce. All hope was not lost, though. Dimitri forced Ryan to admit that he still loves Gillian and that he wants to remain married to her. He then urged him to go to Gillian and tell her that he still loves her.

Janet angrily confronted Vanessa and pushed her into the stockroom. Vanessa claimed that she needed to go check on Erica to make sure that she was okay. Janet knew better. She blasted the so-called friend for tipping off the media. As Janet's anger continued to grow, Vanessa suggested that she "check into a mental facility." Janet stepped closer to Vanessa until their faces were but a few inches apart. "Don't mess with me," she snarled. This level of anger hadn't been evident in Janet for a very long time.

Adrian convinced Tad to stick around for a little while so that they could help calm down Opal. Opal wandered into the parlor to get some brandy. Upon entering the room, she found an unknown woman sitting on the sofa. The woman knew Opal, but Opal had no idea who she was. The woman's identity was revealed when Adrian entered the room and referred to her as "mother." Adrian introduced Alice Dawson to Opal and Tad. Opal felt awkward standing before the woman with a fruit basket on her head. She stepped out of the room under the pretense of making some coffee, but instead she ran upstairs to change into something more appropriate. Alice asked Adrian why he hadn't answered any of the letters she'd sent him. Adrian replied that he didn't really have anything to say. "The Adrian I know," responded Alice, "always has something to say." She worried that something was troubling Adrian, something that he felt he was unable to tell her. Opal and Tad returned to the room, but Tad reminded Adrian that Belinda and Dixie were still waiting for them at the club. The two men left the mansion and Opal and Alice were suddenly dropped into each other's laps. Opal poured two glasses of sherry and the pair toasted to Adrian. An awkward silence ensued as they sipped their drinks.

Erica sat down on a park bench in a heap. No longer did she exhibit the aura that is Erica Kane. A pair of headlights shone on her face, prompting Erica to fear that she was going to be harassed. A car door opened and a figured approached the bench. Erica tugged in her scarf to make sure that it was covering her face. The man called her name and reached out to stop her from running away. Erica struggled to free herself from David's grasp, but she was unable to wriggle free. Overcome, she collapsed into the doctor's arms."

- Soap Central