""Arlene is not dead," Hayley chattered in disbelief. She recalled that she'd received a note and a Christmas present from her mother. She then looked at her father and reminded him that he'd met with Arlene in Europe and gotten her to sign the divorce papers. Mateo flashed an angry glare at his father-in-law. "Sweetheart, it's true," Adam replied. Adam recounted how he'd stumbled across Arlene's lifeless body and subsequently dumped her overboard. Hearing the truth, Hayley fainted into her husband's arms. Hayley came to rather quickly, but Adam wanted to call a doctor. Hayley, however, insisted that she'd be fine. Hayley wanted to know why everyone had lied to her. Liza countered that they were not lying, but rather trying to "take care" of her. Hayley stumbled to admit that she had killed her mother. When she was able to say the words, Hayley decided that she had to find Derek and confess. As she walked away, Mateo grabbed her arm and prevented her from leaving. Mateo tried to convince Hayley that she could not turn herself in to Derek. He explained that she'd be put in jail and that she might even be sentenced to death. Hayley, however, remained convinced that she had to come clean. Liza took over for Mateo, noting that she, Mateo, Arlene and Adam would all go to jail with Hayley because they were accessories in the crime. Mateo asked to speak to Hayley in private. There, he asked Hayley to forget about the darkness of the past and think about their bright future together and their plans for a family. "How can I think about that when I killed my mother?" Hayley sobbed. Mateo stepped out of the room to get Hayley some tea, but when he returned she was gone. Mateo grabbed his jacket and raced towards the door... which was left wife open.
Dixie and Tad puttered about The Valley Inn. Leslie strolled in and quickly wandered over to the couple. Dixie had to step away and Tad immediately took Leslie to task for her repeated interruptions and unwanted appearances. As they talked, the hotel concierge walked over and informed Tad that his suite was ready. Tad looked at the man and said that he had no idea what he was talking about; he had not booked a room. By the time Dixie returned, Leslie was gone. At the front desk, Leslie flashed a wad of cash at the concierge. At the same time, she lectured him for being indiscrete. Tad had ordered the suite, she explained, but it was not for him and his wife. The man behind the desk nodded understandingly.
Over at the Martin home, the family gathered together and toasted the holiday with some eggnog. A group of carolers showed up on the doorstep to serenade the family with holiday tunes. When one of the carolers asked the Martin clan if they'd like to join them, Brooke, Opal, Petey, Laura and Jamie all agreed and headed out to do some caroling. When offered some hot chocolate by one of the carolers, Laura mused that she hoped it wasn't spiked.
Gillian arrived at the turret on the Wildwind estate and found it bedecked for the holidays. Gillian was amazed that Ryan had somehow transformed their makeshift home. Ryan smiled warmly and told Gillian that he'd realized that he had his own incredible dream that he was ignoring. Ryan presented Gillian with a gift, one that he'd found in a store window. Gillian is shocked to see that Ryan's gift is the very same cameo that she had pawned. Ryan offers a toast to Gillian, "To the love of my life." Gillian adds, "To the Christmas we both got everything we ever wanted."
Erica turned her back to her daughter and started to fuss with the ornaments on the Christmas tree. Bianca called out to her mother and asked her to turn around and face her. Erica didn't budge. Instead, she reminded Bianca that they were running "terribly late" for their press conference. Again Bianca asked her mother to turn around. This time, Erica obliged her. Bianca apologized to her mother for blurting out the news that she's gay. Erica bowed her head slightly and said that she now realized that sending Bianca to rehab was a horrible mistake because of what "that horrible girl" did to her. Bianca defended Sarah, saying that she still loved Sarah very much. Bianca told Erica how Sarah was marrying Ian to appease her mother. Erica appeared indifferent and told Bianca that she should not involve herself in Sarah's troubles. Erica said that she hoped that after Bianca had some time to cool off she might... Bianca stopped her mid-sentence. "What? That I won't be gay?" she snapped. Erica turned nervously and demanded that Bianca never utter those words again. Bianca defended her sexuality, saying that she knows that her feelings are not part of a phase. She also insisted that Sarah had not "converted" her. Erica wondered aloud if Bianca was somehow rebelling against her because of her numerous failed relationships. Perhaps, she suggested, Bianca had not yet met the right man. Erica noted that she had not yet found the right man for her and that she was not "that way." Bianca again rallied against her mother's remarks, saying that she and Sarah were lovers. Erica's voice became faint. She recalled that she had once told Mona that she would rather die than be like her. At that time, Mona warned her daughter that one day her daughter would say something equally as hateful to her. "I never imagined you could be that cruel," Erica said to Bianca. Erica walked towards the door, but when she opened it she learned that she could not make a hasty exit. A group of carolers lingered outside and sang "Joy To The World." Erica thanked the singers and tried to dismiss them, but Opal asked her gal pal to bundle up and join them. Laura, meanwhile, wished Bianca a Merry Christmas. Bianca returned the sentiment before quickly returning inside. Jackson arrived just seconds later and Opal told him that something was "going on" with Erica. Jack approached Erica and reminded her that she had a gaggle of media folks at The Valley Inn waiting for her. Jack asked Erica if there was a problem, but Erica assured him that everything was fine. Erica insisted that she had to leave and rushed out of the house ignoring Bianca's cries for her mother to stay. "Mom, this is important to me," she cried. Jack comforted his niece with a hug. Jack and Bianca sat down for a heart-to-heart talk. Jackson explained to Bianca that Erica had spent most of her adult life looking for a man to take her father's place. "And now I think she's afraid that maybe you're looking for a woman to replace her," he said softly. Bianca thought the idea of wanting to replace Erica was crazy. Jack urged Bianca to give her mother some time to understand everything that's taken place. Eventually, he said optimistically, everything would work itself out. Bianca asked her how he felt knowing that she's gay. Jack assured Bianca that he loves her and that there's nothing that could ever change that. "I wish mom felt the way you do," Bianca whispered.
Erica showed up at The Valley Inn and informed the reporters that there has been a change in her plans. Bianca, she said glowingly, had decided that her boyfriend was more important than a modeling career. Still smiling for the cameras, Erica announced that she would be the sole model for the new campaign. Erica excused herself and headed to the ladies' room. There, she reflected on the day that Bianca was born and sobbed openly.
Now at the Martin house, Dixie told Tad that she sort of liked Leslie and asked if there was anyone special in her life. Tad nervously shrugged and said that he didn't really keep tabs on Leslie's personal life. Dixie mulled the idea of fixing Leslie up with Jake, but Tad ordered Dixie not to play matchmaker. Joe and Jake took turns apologizing to Dixie for their insinuations that she and David were up to something. Later, Tad and Dixie headed outside to find their Christmas wishing star. This year, Tad did the honors, wishing for "another year with my family, my wonderful family, filled with love, hope, and forgiveness. If life ever comes crashing through our front door, I hope we hang onto each other tight and remember what brought us back together will keep us that way forever." As Tad finished the wish, a deliveryman arrived with a package for him. Inside the package was one crystal champagne glass. Oddly, there was no card, no return address and no other way to find out who had sent the package.
At The Valley Inn, Leslie holds a matching glass in her hands. In a private toast, she says, "To [Tad] and me, and New Year's Eve, when we'll be toasting the future together.""
- Soap Central