"One of the trips out of their love nest took Tad and Dixie to Central Park for a little inline skating. Dixie was awed by Tad's agility and limberness. He'd apparently pulled off a masterful feat by dodging and errant Pekinese. While Dixie was boasting of her husband, "the human pretzel," Tad was trying to hide the fact that he was in terrible agony. He forced a smile, but through gritted teeth he cried in pain with each step that he took. Dixie, however, had no idea that he was in such pain. She disrobed and headed to the shower. She poked her head out of the bathroom and asked Tad if he wanted "to go for the gold medal in another sport." Tad had just sat down, but he didn't want to let Dixie down so he struggled to the bathroom. After their romantic encounter in the shower, Dixie was ready for more. Tad didn't want to let her down, so he pushed himself to the brink. Dixie praised Tad's performance, saying that his "slow, gentle, and caring" style was something she enjoyed very much. Little did she know that this wasn't part of Tad's usual repertoire. She snuggled up to Tad, but when she hugged him Tad cried out in pain. It was only then that Dixie knew that her husband ached. She was impressed that Tad had gone to such great lengths for her. Tad confessed that he thought that admitting his pain would ruin their honeymoon. Dixie took off Tad's shirt and gave him a much-needed back rub.
On the sun porch at Pine Valley Hospital, Hayley's Alcoholic Anonymous meeting got underway. The woman presiding over the meeting asked if the group if anyone was on the verge of taking a drink. Hayley's hand slowly rose into the air. Hayley walked to the front of the room and introduced herself. She explained that she hadn't gotten close to taking a drink, but had thought about it several times. She told the group that she was grateful for her relationship with Mateo, but admitted that there were some problems. The actual explanation of her problems took place off camera, but presumably she told them everything. "Today is my two-year anniversary," she said sobbing. "And I'm not even married." Looking back, Hayley felt badly for running out on the romantic evening that Mateo had planned. "A pint of vodka [and] everything would be okay," she said. "But there's no problem that drinking can't make worse." After the meeting, a familiar face approached Hayley to offer her some words of advice. "Axel," Hayley said softly. "I mean, Albert." The actor smiled and told Hayley that he decided to go by the name Axel because it "sorta fits." Axel admitted that he'd just recently celebrated his ten-year anniversary in AA. He urged Hayley to remain optimistic even if everything looked bleak. Axel knew this wasn't the easiest thing to do, but he told Hayley that it was the only way to keep moving forward. Axel said that optimism has kept him going through low points in his acting career. He said that he was confident that one day the "role of a lifetime" would be given to him and he'd be jumping over seats to accept an Academy Award. The advice was truly touching and came from a side of Axel that has never before been seen.
Liza wondered why Adam had been looking for Ryan. Actually, Ryan wondered that himself. Adam explained that he wanted to thank Ryan for having been there to help Hayley through a difficult time in her life. Cries echoed through the baby monitor and Liza hurried off to see if Colby was okay. Meanwhile, Adam cut to the chase and told Ryan why he wanted to talk to him. ""I need your help in ridding our town of David Hayward." Ryan confessed that the idea of David being "ridden out of town on a stake" didn't upset him, he didn't want to dump his personal problems with David on anyone else. Adam offered to tell Ryan why he hated David in return, but Ryan wouldn't open up. "After what he pulled on Gillian," snapped Ryan, "I wouldn't dirty my hands on that bastard." Ryan backed away and walked out the front door. Adam was left to mull over what David could possibly have done to Gillian. Liza returned carrying Colby. She and Adam sat down on the sofa and looked protectively over the now sleeping infant. Adam told Liza that he desperately wants to make her his wife. Liza smiled and told Adam that everything would be taken care of soon.
At SOS, Edmund, Scott, and Dimitri were engaged in a heated argument over the greatest military blunders in history. Edmund argued that Custer's defeat far surpassed Dimitri's offering of the Hungarian Army's defeat of Souliman the Magnificent. Mateo wandered over and offered that he'd created the biggest blunder in history. He told the men how he'd set up a near perfect anniversary celebration only to have Hayley burst out of the condo in tears. Dimitri tried to offer an explanation to help his friend. He said that as soon as men stop trying to figure out women, they'd all be much happier. He said that men are "doomed to live up to [women's] expectations." In this case, the expectations he spoke of not the lofty kind, but rather a euphemism for disappointment. Mateo excused himself briefly to greet a new arrival at the club. He smiled warmly and walked Vanessa to the bar where he gave her a double scotch on the house. Mateo returned to the table and received a bit of advice from Scott. Scott told of an Indian tribe in the West Indies where men and women are complete equals. The women garden and harvest all of the vegetables. The men's duty, he said, is to "give the women the meat." The men looked at one another and chuckled loudly. Over at the bar, Vanessa mumbled, "Idiot," under her breath. Marian and Stuart arrived with a club-warming present for Mateo. Dimitri said that the gift, a handmade piñata, would look great if it were hung over the bar. Mateo looked a little unsure about having the piñata in such a prominent place, but nevertheless he agreed. Vanessa wandered over to Stuart after mistakenly thinking that he was Adam. Vanessa seemed amused by the idea that Adam had a "simple" brother. Vanessa went off on a tangent and told Stuart that his piñata reminded her of how savage the Hispanic race could be. Not only was her remark off the mark, but she went on a several minute-long description of a bullfight. The gory description sent Stuart running away in tears. Marian returned and asked Vanessa where Stuart had gone. Vanessa told Marian that Stuart was "a stock short of a portfolio." She added that she was intrigued that the mighty Adam Chandler could have "that" for a brother. Marian might have really let Vanessa have it had Scott not stepped in to stop her from berating Vanessa. Marian was, however, able to silence Vanessa by saying that she was "quiet happy to have that for a husband." Scott had had many years to grow accustomed to the teasing he'd endured by class bullies. He urged Marian not to waste her time on someone like Vanessa. Hayley returned to the club and apologized to Mateo for having ruined the evening he'd planned. The couple shared a passionate kiss and headed home for some overdue romance.
Jake and Gillian headed to the boathouse for their picnic. There, Jake asked Gillian about her most exotic meal. Gillian smiled and fondly recalled that she'd once dined on peacock tongues with a sultan. The tongues weren't high on her menu of likes. Jake asked Gillian if she could explain the difference between leeks and capers. Gillian eloquently mentioned that capers were pickled flower buds that had been "sacrificed to the Gods of the dinner table." Jake praised Gillian's beautiful description. Gillian confessed that she often has a hard time expressing herself in English because she tries to translate from English to Hungarian or other foreign languages and then back to English. As she explained this, Jake suddenly leaned over and gave her a kiss. The kiss surprised Gillian. She asked Jake why he'd kissed her when he knows that she's still in love with Ryan. "Maybe to give you something else to think about," he smiled. Gillian smiled warmly as Jake packed up. He took her by the arm and the pair strolled off into the distance."
- Soap Central