"I realized it was the ice cream that she loved, not us." - David regarding Vanessa
"New York City once again played host to a romantic getaway for Tad and Dixie. This time, however, the pair was now a happily married couple. To aid the couple's travel to The Big Apple, Dimitri stepped in and gave them use of his private helicopter. Tad was overly protective of one of his pieces of luggage and refused to let anyone touch it. In the bad, Tad claimed that he had "a little device that will take all the worry out of [their] honeymoon." And the little gadget came with its own power supply. Dixie's eyes widened and a devilish grin swept over her face. Tad reached into the bag and revealed the contraption: a portable electric screwdriver. Tad smiled and said that by bringing the screwdriver they were assured that no one would get trapped in the bathroom! The bellhop knocked on the door and presented the couple with some wedding gifts. Junior and Jamie sent a bouquet of flowers and Joe and Ruth paid for a lovely dinner. Tad was thankful for the young man's assistance, but he didn't want his honeymoon to be interrupted. He forked over a wad of cash and impressed upon the bellhop that they should not be disturbed under any circumstance. Things got very hot, very quickly. The air conditioning went out and the entire floor was enveloped in incredible heat. Tad found creative uses for the ice cubes that came with their room service order. As the couple prepared to make love for the first time as husband and wife---er, for the first time as husband and wife this time around---they were overcome with memories of how they'd gotten to where they are today. "When You Believe," by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey provided the soundtrack to their flashbacks.
Belinda, Adrian, Alice, and Opal returned to Cortlandt Manor after the wedding reception. Alice thanked Opal for allowing her to be a part of the event, saying that it was the most beautiful wedding she'd ever attended. Now that she'd fulfilled her obligation to see her son serve as an usher at the wedding, Alice announced that she'd be heading back to Alabama. Belinda was upset that Alice was leaving so soon. Opal looked to Adrian and asked him if there wasn't some way he could "talk [his] Alice into staying." She was unable to refer to Alice as Adrian's mother. Alice shook her head and explained that she needed to return home so that she could be by her daughter's side when she went into labor. Frank had been in Philadelphia on business and decided that he would swing through Pine Valley so that he and Alice could return home together. The reunion was a little awkward for all involved. Frank gave Opal a peck on the cheek upon seeing her and thanked Opal for opening her home to Alice. Frank gave his son a hug and told him that he hopes he's had time to get to know his mother. Adrian's brow wrinkled and he stated that he had, but noted that he was unhappy that she was going to be heading home so soon. "I meant your other mother," Frank clarified. "I only have one mother," Adrian snapped, adding that he was growing tired of being told that he had two mothers. Opal bowed her head and said that she had to check on things in the kitchen. Belinda quickly chased after her. Frank scolded his son for his "rude, cruel" remarks. Adrian didn't understand why everyone was so fearful that Opal's feelings might get hurt. Adrian had admittedly been Alice's favorite child growing up, but now Adrian wondered if the extra attention was only because he was not her biological child. Alice quickly set Adrian straight. She realized that Adrian might feel that he's "being disloyal" by getting closer to Opal. Alice urged Adrian not to worry and asked that he try to find a place in his heart for Opal.
The condo was in shambles. It was hard for Hayley and Mateo to believe that little Max had caused so much destruction. Lamps were knocked over, lightbulbs broken, sofa cushions were tossed about the room, and newspapers shredded. Mateo told Hayley that he had no idea that Max would react so strongly to the news of the divorce. Hayley lowered her head and hinted that she did not think that Mateo should have broken the news to his son quite so soon. Mateo walked to a storage cabinet and showed Hayley the newspaper article that Max had defiled. Mateo went to Max's room and asked him to join him in the livingroom. Mateo asked his son to explain why he'd destroyed the house. "It was an accident," Max asserted calmly. Mateo was noticeably upset that his son refused to take responsibility for his actions. The young boy was asked to help clean up the mess, but even that failed to make Max feel any sort of tie to the damage. Again, Mateo asked Max why he'd went on his tirade. "I don't know," he muttered. "I was mad about Hayley." Hayley slowly walked towards the young boy and knelt beside him. She tried her best to reach out to Max so that they could help him deal with his anger. Max, however, wanted nothing to do with his future stepmom. He put his hands over his ears and hummed loudly so that he could drown out Hayley's attempt to make peace. Mateo sighed deeply and ordered Max to go to his bedroom. Mateo decided that it was time to seek family counseling to help Max deal with all of the changes in his life. Hayley liked the idea, but she wondered what Raquel would think.
Vanessa quietly listened from the top of the steps as Erica interrogated David. "The gory details are none of your damn business," David snapped angrily. "I beg your damn pardon," Erica snapped back. She demanded to know the whole story behind David's father's death. Erica reminded David that he'd once told her that he'd adored his mother when he was younger. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to change all of that. The questioned upon a can of worms that David had tucked away so many years ago. The night of his father's death was the first night that David came to realize that his mother never really loved him or his father. Prior to his twelfth birthday, David thought of his mother as a "beautiful, charming, funny" woman. David's father was described as a giving man who bent over backwards to please his wife. But there was one thing that he refused to give Vanessa: a divorce. On the night that he died, David's father learned that Vanessa wanted to leave him for another man---"a real man." Charles Hayward was a decorated veteran of the Korean War and devoted to his wife and son. He'd wondered what would happen to David if he and Vanessa divorced. "You can have him," Vanessa reportedly sneered. "He's just like you---he makes me sick." Vanessa was not the blue-blood that she purported; her family led a very simple life and ran a local hardware store. Vanessa had married Charles for his money and the man she wanted to run away with was also very well off. Charles tried to block Vanessa from walking out on him. Vanessa laughed and asked her husband, "What are you going to do? Kill yourself?" David recalled seeing his mother walk towards a locked desk door. She methodically checked the revolver that was locked inside to make sure that it was loaded. When it was, she handed it to her husband. In a moment of desperation, Charles put the gun to his head. Vanessa's composure cracked as she realized that her husband really was going to shoot himself. At the last moment she called out for him to stop what he was doing, but it was too late. Charles fell to the ground. David raced to his side and clutched his dying father in his arms. The blood soaked into the carpet and David's clothing, but Vanessa made no effort to assist her dying husband. In a few moments she'd be a widow and would be free to move on to another lover without the hassle of a divorce. It was at that moment that David determined that he would never have another life pass through his fingers. Erica now realized why David had gone to such great lengths to ensure that she did not die the night of the car accident. At the top of the steps, Vanessa's hands trembled wildly. She turned and scurried off. "It's horrible what you went through," Erica said softly. "But your experience doesn't excuse you from being blind to other's pain." David vowed that his role was as a healer. He reminded Erica that her wounds needed to be cleansed. He asked Erica to untie his arms so that he could fulfill his obligation. Erica feared that David would flee once she'd untied him, but David swore on his patients' lives that he would not run away.
Upstairs, Vanessa paced frantically about the parlor. "I suppose David should pay for telling his sad story," she snarled. "And I suppose that Erica should pay for listening to it." With that, Vanessa stormed out of the house."
- Soap Central
