"Braden, Dixie, and Palmer arrived at Wildwind and searched around for a place to put their coats. Palmer waddled off to find a coat rack and Braden went to find a glass of water so that Dixie could take her pills. Dixie rummaged through her purse looking for her pill bottle. A pair of footsteps told Dixie that Braden was returning. When she turned around, she realized that her assumption was off the mark---it was Tad. She dropped her bottle of pills. Tad quickly bent over and picked them up for her. He was naturally curious about Dixie's pills and asked her why she was carrying medication. "I'm a drug addict," Dixie jested lamely. She went on to explain that the pills were nothing more than aspirin. The pressure was lifted off of Dixie and Tad got to make a witting quip about Dixie's date for the evening, who Tad referred to as "the boy wonder," giving her a headache. Dixie countered by asking Tad why his "arm candy" was not by his side. Tad bowed his head ever so slightly and said that Paige was off checking her phone messages. Marian and Stuart suddenly scurried into the room. The happy couple was giddily chattering about possible wedding ideas. Apparently, the Crystal Ball had given them a plethora of ideas. They mulled the idea of having a champagne fountain and having the waiters wear barrels. Why? The concept went along with their Niagara Falls theme---the barrels signifying that they were "taking the plunge"---into marriage, not over the falls. Tad and Dixie watched the couple with smiles on their face. It took several minutes before Stuart and Marian realized that they were not alone. "It's nice to see you together," said Stuart upon noticing the former lovers. Tad and Dixie simultaneously explained that they were just talking. Nevertheless, Stuart and Marian decided to give Tad and Dixie their space and dashed out of the room. Dixie shook her head in disbelief, remarking that Stuart and Marian were a seemingly odd couple. Tad muttered that the pair had endured their fair share of problems and still come out together. "I guess they were meant to be," he said softly. Braden returned to the room and Tad took that as his cue to leave. When he did, Dixie told Braden about her fumbled pill bottle. She also let it be known that she did not enjoy seeing Tad and Paige together. Braden urged his date to pay no mind to Tad and Paige, but Dixie could not do that.
Edmund's paused speech resumed seconds later as Ryan and Gillian took their place in the back of the room. He announced that the proceeds from the gala would help provide better lives for underprivileged children. A frantic Kit waited until after Edmund concluded his speech to ask why Ryan had crashed the ball. Edmund assured Kit that he would "take care of it." Brooke stood by Kit's side and offered her additional support. Erica turned to Dimitri and asked him why men are so foolish. Dimitri knew that trouble was brewing and told Erica that he wanted to step in to smooth things over. Erica thought to herself and deduced that she could be of assistance as well. Edmund angrily confronted Ryan about showing up at the party. He ordered Ryan to leave immediately, but said that Gillian was allowed to stick around. Gillian announced that she would not stay if Ryan was given the boot. Hayley hurried over to the group and explained that she'd been the one to invite Ryan and Gillian. She played up the charity aspect of the night, but it didn't help. Edmund promptly noted that Ryan was "un-invited." Dimitri arrived on the scene and told Edmund that he had an emergency to discuss with him. Dimitri yanked Edmund away. Erica appeared a few seconds later and asked Gillian if she could "borrow" Ryan for a few minutes. She told Gillian that she wanted to repay her for the kind way she'd treated Bianca. Always with one eye on her surroundings, Erica pulled the married couple close to her so that a nearby photographer would have a front page-worthy picture. Erica told Ryan that she wanted to introduce him to the mayor. Ryan was stunned. He was surprised that Erica wanted anything to do with him---especially after the way she'd busted his advertising kickback scam. Erica told Ryan that that was "old news." She then waltzed him over to the other side of the room and introduced him to the mayor. Kit hoped that Erica was escorting Ryan home, but Brooke informed her that Erica was probably just giving Ryan "her blessing." After the meeting, Erica explained to Ryan that it wasn't as important for the mayor to have met him as it was for the other partygoers to have seen him meet the mayor. In essence, people might have a higher tendency to side with Ryan rather than Kit if they saw him mingling with the upper class, so to speak. Erica wasn't done making a scene just yet. She clapped her hand and asked the band to start playing. The band followed her orders and Erica and Ryan waltzed their way to the dance floor.
Adam and Liza briefly discussed Marian and Stuart's wedding ceremony. The last they'd heard, the couple planned in getting married in a hot air balloon. The topic went from weddings to childbirth as Adam asked Liza if she was really considering naming her child "Colby Colby." Liza smiled and hinted that she hadn't yet chosen a name, although Marian was lobbying for the name "Gertrude."
In Dimitri's office, Dimitri and Edmund feuded over Ryan and Gillian's impromptu appearance. Edmund became even more infuriated when he heard the band strike up a tune without his permission. Edmund reached for the phone and prepared to ask security to forcibly remove Ryan from his property. Dimitri grabbed the phone away and told the security officer on the other end that he wanted to praise him for a job well done. He hung up the phone and then prepared to field his brother's wrath. Edmund insisted that he would "not play host to a rapist" while the rapist's victim was also at the party. Kit entered the room and said that she'd like to be able to speak for herself. Edmund promised Kit that he'd get rid of Ryan, but surprisingly Kit was opposed to the idea. She feared that ejecting Ryan would cause a scene that would mar the festivities. Dimitri agreed, noting that the tabloids would have a field day if Edmund and a guest got into an altercation. Mateo poked his head into the room and informed Edmund that Palmer wanted to make a sizeable contribution to Maria's charity. The contribution, however, did not come freely. In return, Palmer wanted to present the check to Edmund personally---making it the perfect photo op. Edmund left the room, leaving Kit and Dimitri in eerie silence. Dimitri was about to leave when Kit asked him for a chance to "clear the air." She reminded Dimitri that he had once told her that he believed her story about being Jack's brother. He'd also believed that she'd been sexually assaulted. That was before Kit's past false allegations came to light, Dimitri explained. Now, he no longer believed her. Additionally, he now feared that Kit and Edmund's friendship might end up hurting Edmund. If Edmund allowed himself to love again, Dimitri said, he wanted to make sure that his brother fell in love with the right woman. Kit fumed at the implication that she wasn't good enough for Edmund and stormed out of the room.
Adrian, Opal, and Belinda watched Palmer's staged donation presentation with looks of disgust written all over their faces. Opal reached for her checkbook and started scribbling. She smiled deviously as she announced that she was going to make a donation that would put Palmer's donation to shame. The donation was going to be drawn off of a bank account she shared with Palmer. Adrian and Belinda couldn't help but laugh as they realized that Opal was about to stick it to her husband.
Adam and Hayley took a few minutes to bring each other up to date on their personal lives. Adam feigned surprise when Hayley informed him that Max was living with them. She sighed and said that the only thing she wants is for Raquel to get lost. Adam smiled prompting Hayley to beg him not to get involved in her problems. Adam swore that his days of plotting and scheming were over. Hayley hoped that her father was being honest and said that he might just be able to work things out with Liza after all. Her ears must have been ringing because Liza wandered over to the discussion. Hayley told the couple that she needed to get herself a drink of soda and walked away.
Ryan and Gillian were both flattered that Erica had stuck up for them. Gillian began to wonder if Pine Valley might not be such a bad place after all. The reality check came when David strolled into the party. He walked over to the married couple and instantly struck a nerve. He told Gillian that she looked "ravishing" as always and noted that Ryan looked "free." He wondered how Ryan had managed to put together bail money to get out of jail. Gillian gritted her teeth and explained to David that Ryan didn't need bail because he'd been released. David nodded his head and congratulated Ryan on beating the assault charges. Ryan's brow crinkled in confusion. The fact that he'd been picked up on assault charges had never been made public. David did finally leave, but not before making a cryptic comment about the "sacrifices" Gillian might be willing to make in order to obtain her husband's freedom.
At the beverage table, Hayley sipped from a glass of cola. Her peace and quiet were shattered by Raquel's appearance. As she set her drink down, Raquel stated that the evening had been like a fairytale. Hayley was civil, saying that she was having a good time at the ball as well. She reached down and picked up her glass. She took a sip of the drink and immediately spit it out. She looked at Raquel and asked her what she'd been drinking. "Rum and cola," Raquel replied innocently. "Are you crazy?!" Hayley snapped before running off. Raquel tracked down Gillian and asked her why Hayley acted so peculiarly when she found out that she'd sipped some liquor. "Hayley's an alcoholic," Gillian replied bluntly. She said that she admires Hayley's conviction to steer clear of alcohol. She also told Raquel that she and Hayley are no longer at odds.
Across the room, Dixie asked Eugenia> to cut in on Tad and Paige's waltz. Eugenia gladly obliged and was anxious to dance with the man who reminded her so much of her late husband. Tad grinned and asked Eugenia if she was sure that she was not confusing him with Alexi again. Eugenia returned the smile and said that her late husband was a bit more charming than Tad---but raised her eyebrows as she said that Tad was "twice as naughty" as Alexi. In the corridor, Dixie pulled Paige aside as the actress was on her way to the phone. Dixie claimed that she was an actress and that she'd auditioned for the same role as Paige. She even went as far as to say that Steven Spielberg was in town to personally give her the audition. Paige was aghast; she had taped her audition and mailed it to the filmmaker. Dixie told Paige that she was certain that she could still catch Mr. Spielberg at the airport. Dixie didn't have to say another word. Paige raced out of the house presumably headed for the airport.
In a side bedroom, Erica was adjusting her makeup when she noticed that the bed was "moving." She shook her head and went back to her lipstick just as Brooke entered the room. "If common sense were an anchor," Brooke sneered. "You'd be lost at sea." Erica turned towards Brooke and told her that she didn't have time to bicker with her. 'I have a date---unlike you," replied Erica. She then gave Brooke a few tips on finding a man: They were not lurking around spare bedrooms. She advised Brooke to "troll" the hors d'oeuvre table because "men like pigs in a blanket." The acidic remark was meant to criticize Brooke's appearance in her ball gown. Brooke let the remark slide, instead telling Erica that it was inappropriate for her to parade around the ball with Ryan. Erica reminded Brooke that people were innocent until proven guilty. She then asked Brooke if her personal experience had made her forget the basic principles of the law. Brooke, she snapped, was "innocent until a miracle" cleared her name. Brooke took a deep breath and took the opportunity to toss a zinger back at Erica. She said that it was ironic that she realized she wanted a gentleman in her life at about the same time Erica realized she did not need a man. The man, of course, was Dimitri. Erica called Brooke "a fool" for having let go of Dimitri in the first place. Brooke nodded in agreement, noting that she now realized that she should not have brushed Dimitri off so easily. Brooke left the room with a confident smile on her face. Erica returned her attention to the jiggling bed. She reached down and patted gently on the bed. When she did, a loud shriek sounded out. Marian and Stuart suddenly sat up on the bed sending the coats that had been placed on the bed flying about the room. Erica tried to hide a smile as Stuart insisted that he was trying to help Marian locate a lost earring. Marian assured Erica that they had not been eavesdropping on her chat with Brooke, but in the same voice she applauded Erica's decision to remain celibate. Stuart and Marian looked at each other and decided to head back to Stuart's place for a little romance. After the couple left, Janet scurried into the room and shut the door. She looked at Erica with a half grin and asked her to tell her what was going on between her and Dimitri. Erica claimed that she and Dimitri were just friends, but Janet wasn't buying it. She reminded Erica that her "friend" was also her former husband. Janet smiled and said that "we married ladies like to spread happiness." Erica insisted that she was not ready for another romance especially after her debacle with Jack and Mike. Sometimes, Janet explained, love waits until you're not looking for love.
Brooke found Dimitri in his office partaking in a cigar. Dimitri explained that he had stepped into the office so that he would not offend the non-cigar smokers. Brooke didn't have a problem with Dimitri having stepped into a private room, but she saw no reason for him to smoke alone. Dimitri didn't peg Brooke as a cigar aficionado. She wasn't, but she explained that she wanted to "keep an open mind." She had not kept an open mind, she said, when she'd told Dimitri that she was not ready for a relationship. She leaned over and gently kissed Dimitri on the lips---as Erica stood in the doorway.
Edmund found Kit in the parlor looking for her coat. Kit told Edmund that she was going to adjourn for the evening because she felt that she didn't fit in. Edmund called Kit "a survivor" and told her that he would not let her skip out on him. He took her by the arm and said that he was done playing host. Now he wanted to enjoy himself.
Adrian informed Belinda that he'd gotten his orders and found out that he'd be forced to leave Pine Valley in the morning. Belinda was disappointed and told the secret agent that she'd miss him. When the band played another waltz, Belinda asked Adrian to find Opal and ask her to dance. Adrian smiled and nodded his head.
Everyone took to the dance floor as the ball inched closer to an end. Gillian and Ryan danced just inches away from Edmund and Kit. Nearby, Palmer watched intensely as Opal and Adrian danced together. Dixie bumped into Tad and asked him if he would mind dancing. Tad took her by the arm and instead of leading her to the dance floor, led her to the parlor area. There he asked Dixie why all of his dates seem to mysteriously disappear. "Alien abductions?" Dixie offered. Tad looked sternly at Dixie and told her that he knew she was somehow involved in getting the women to suddenly leave. The question was, why was Dixie doing this if they supposedly had no chance of getting back together?
Derek scanned the results of Ryan's DNA test. He remained emotionless and didn't so much as hint as the test's findings. The detective placed several calls to Jack, but each time Jack was unreachable. Finally, Jack called in and asked Derek to tell him what the emergency was. Derek related the results of the test, results which were never announced for the viewer to hear. Jack seemed stunned by the results and asked if his sister knew yet. Derek shook his head and said that Jack was the first to know. Kit, he said, was probably surrounded by friends at Wildwind's Crystal Ball. Jack was concerned when he learned that Ryan might also be in attendance. Derek offered to hold off on acting on the test results until the morning. "Crystal Ball or not," Jack said sternly. "Do it.""
- comptondetroit