"At the hotel, Celia dreamed about an eyeless, doll-like girl with blood on her face. "He's always right behind you," the little girl said, and Celia whipped around to see a man within inches of her. Celia awakened with a gasp, and Pete assured her that she was safe with him.
The two were about to kiss, but Celia's phone chimed. On her phone, she saw a plethora of text messages from Evelyn, who Celia assumed was beside herself because Celia had ditched Europe to take off with Pete. Pete offered to drive Celia back, but she wanted her overdue fun to continue.
Later, Pete and Celia returned to the room with shopping bags, and Celia beamed about the fun they'd had in the East Village. She'd never been to that part of Manhattan because Evelyn's never traveled below Rockefeller Plaza. Celia said Evelyn would believe Pete was trying to corrupt her. He said he might be, but Celia asserted that one couldn't corrupt the willing.
Pete asked Celia to promise to hold onto the memories that they'd shared once she returned to Evelyn, and he asked Celia not to think about anything but what he wanted to do right then. Celia asked what that was, and he kissed her.
At Opal's house, Evelyn arrived in a huff about Pete absconding with Celia. Opal disbelieved that, and she asserted that Celia, with her plaid-skirt-clad caboose, had lured Pete in. Evelyn contended that Celia was an innocent, but Pete had kept Celia out all night so he could seduce her.
In Celia's room later, Evelyn searched the place, and Opal left a message for Pete to call her. Evelyn discovered the tablet with Pete's message on it, and as the ladies listened to it, Opal insisted that "the boy has been bewitched," as she'd said. Evelyn was astounded by Opal's ignorance about Pete being a troublemaker, and Evelyn said he had no idea how serious the trouble could be.
At the Chandler mansion, Miranda arrived, but she wasn't sure if A.J. still wanted to catch the bus with her. He asked how else they'd get to school. She wasn't looking forward to subjecting herself to the uncouth kids at school. He suggested that she walk in like she owned the place and get it over with.
"About last night..." Miranda said, Sighing A.J. assumed she was referring to the kiss. She explained that they'd been like family while growing up, and he was her best friend. She didn't want to screw that up. Hiding his disappointment, A.J. claimed it was cool. She asked if it really was, and he tried to smile a little as he assured her that it was.
By the lockers at school later, A.J. cut off Hunter as Hunter approached Miranda. Hunter claimed he wanted to apologize, but A.J. barked that Hunter probably had some ulterior motive. Hunter called A.J. paranoid and claimed to be ready if A.J. wanted another piece of him.
Miranda asked Hunter to leave her and A.J. alone, and Hunter scoffed, wondering if that was what he'd get for apologizing. Hunter advised her to keep her "B.F.F." away from Hunter before A.J. "got his ass kicked" and scored a one-way ticket out of school for good.
Hunter left, and Miranda butted her head against the lockers. A.J. said not to let Hunter get to her, and the worst part was over. He encouraged her to have fun while they got through the day.
Later, A.J. was in the corridor with Kyle after practice. Kyle noted that the coach had been hard on A.J.; however, A.J. wasn't worried about that as long as it didn't screw up his chance to be starting pitcher. Kyle told A.J. to get real because Rick had locked the position when his pitch had topped eighty.
A.J. wondered where the "Superman arm came from," and Kyle said Rick had been juicing. A.J. was shocked when Kyle added that the whole team had been doing it, but Kyle was surprised that A.J. wasn't. Kyle shoved a bag of syringes and vials into A.J.'s hand and said A.J. needed to inject it into his buttocks. Kyle suggested A.J. double the dose to catch up to the others and then pay Kyle later.
Miranda approached, and A.J. stashed the drugs in his locker. She said her day hadn't been too bad. Some kids had ostracized her, but others had spoken out against Hunter's behavior. A.J. said he'd been chewed out by the coach for his suspension. She apologized causing him trouble, but he said he'd do it again. She asked if he were still up for starting pitcher, and he said it was between him and Rick.
Miranda left for the next class, and A.J. looked thoughtfully at the bag of steroids in the locker.
On the patio at the mansion, Cara tried to catch the cane wielding JR as he fell. He smashed into the pavement and slapped his leg in frustration. He said there was a Chandler meeting that day, and he couldn't walk into it like a weakling. Cara handed him the cane and ordered him to not to be impatient.
Later, JR entered the living room and saw Brooke preparing her briefcase. Brooke said that he looked nice and wondered where he was off to. JR mentioned the board meeting, and Brooke frankly said that Adam wouldn't want JR at the meeting. She explained that the company was in a critical place, and she had some strong-arming to do with the board members.
JR assumed that Brooke was saying that the board would remember his reign of terror and fear that he was planning another coup. Brooke suggested that he talk things over with his father and give the situation some time to heal. JR sadly sat down, and Brooke left for the meeting.
Cara entered and wondered why JR hadn't gone to board meeting. He grumbled that he'd been uninvited. She was sorry about that, and JR expressed frustration about people apologizing and telling him to give it time. He guessed that a headshot wound and five years in a coma hadn't been enough. He mumbled that everyone would be better off if David had been a better shot.
Cara decided that self-pity was unattractive, and JR needed to order his priorities. She suggested he strengthen himself and then prove that he was a changed man. Though she hadn't known JR long, she believed he was sincere in wanting a second chance. JR appreciated Cara being one of the few to believe that about him. He offered to buy her lunch before they began an afternoon session.
At the Hubbard house, Jesse entered, and Angie asked if he'd had any luck. Jesse remarked that something had happened while he'd been out all night, chasing a lead. "I came face to face with a ghost," he said. The doorbell rang, and upon opening the door, Angie faced the same ghost -- Billy Clyde Tuggle.
Angie grabbed Billy Clyde by the lapels and demanded to know what he'd done with her daughter. Prying her off Billy Clyde, Jesse said he'd thought Billy Clyde had been involved, too, but he'd realized that Billy Clyde might be able to help them find Cassandra.
Angie demanded to know if Billy Billy Clyde was still a pimp, but Billy Clyde thought that was a harsh term. He claimed that he protected the damsels like a good shepherd and tithed ten percent to the Lord. Angie cringed, but Billy Clyde offered to put Angie's mind at ease by having someone vouch for him.
Later, Billy Clyde arrived at the bar and reminded Ruby that they were going with the script they'd rehearsed. Ruby guessed it was the one that would get the chief of police to shut down the strip club that had been taking Billy Clyde's business. She wondered why he couldn't shut them down himself, but Billy Clyde warned her to keep her mind on her best assets and stick with the script.
Jesse and Angie arrived, and Billy Clyde introduced them to Ruby Marie Delight. Angie asked if Ruby knew where her daughter was. "Do I?" Ruby whispered to Billy Clyde. Billy Clyde said she didn't, but she could give her ideas on who had the daughter. Jesse decided to take Ruby to a table to talk without Billy Clyde.
Angie told Billy Clyde that if she learned that he'd been involved in her daughter's disappearance, she'd pay someone to throw him in the river and make sure he'd never make it out. She doubted that Dixie, his kidnap and attempted rape victim, would buy his saved routine.
Jesse returned with Ruby and pulled Billy Clyde aside to berate Billy Clyde for taking advantage of Jesse's grief to get Jesse to shut down Billy Clyde's competition. Billy Clyde feigned naivety, but Jesse said that until Billy Clyde had some cold, hard proof about who'd taken Cassandra, Billy Clyde had better stay away from Pine Valley.
At the Kaslov hideout, Cassandra shivered in a ball on the bed, and other girls lingered in the room. Vlad entered and ordered the girls to clean Cassandra up because a client who she'd impressed wanted her all night long.
Tia, one of the other girls, complied. As she brushed Cassandra's hair, she said that she'd told Cassandra to use the pills to get through the ordeals. Cassandra, however, didn't intend to get through them. She wanted to fight. She insisted that her father, the chief of police, had been expecting her days earlier, and she guaranteed that he had every law organization looking for her.
Vlad returned, threw an outfit at Cassandra's feet, and said to wear it because the client wanted to play games. As he handed out pill cups, Tia whispered to him that she had information for Uri. Vlad grabbed her by the neck and said he'd play games with her "right now."
Vlad hustled Tia out, and another girl, Eileen, handed Cassandra the outfit. Cassandra asserted that she wouldn't give in. She intended to fight until it killed her -- or until she killed them.
In an office, Uri looked at a cell phone photo of Billy Billy Clyde and then slammed down the phone. Tia and Vlad entered, and Tia relayed what Cassandra had said about her step-father being the chief of police. Uri slapped Vlad. "You told me she was French!" Uri raged. Vlad said Cassandra's passport had been French, and Uri asked if Vlad had any idea of the trouble he'd caused. Uri then announced that they would have to "get rid" of Cassandra tonight."
- Chanel S. Garner
soapcentral.com
