Geneva's wig flew off at Kim's press conference in the Lakeview lobby, and everyone, including Vienna, recognized Henry. Kim was speechless and furious, and she asked Henry if he was out of his mind. Vienna was horrified, and Henry tried to talk with her, but she ran off. Kim made Henry explain himself to the press and his fans, and he said that he had done nothing with malice. He explained that his message as Geneva was to raise daytime programming to a higher degree of decency.
Kim pulled Henry off camera and lit into him. She suddenly realized that the whole thing had begun with Vienna's "wardrobe malfunction," and Henry admitted that, as Katie and Brad walked up. Kim went to appease the press, and Katie inadvertently spilled the news that she had known about Henry's masquerade all along, and Brad did not take that well. Henry defended Katie until Kim returned and scolded Henry for putting her in an untenable position with her board of directors, the viewing public, and the FCC. Henry's "sorry" didn't cut it with Kim.
Kim said she wanted only two things from Henry: first, that Henry would never, ever, help her again; and second, if he ever came near WOAK, he was "toast." Then she popped him hard on the arm and said, "Ooops." Henry collapsed on a couch where Floyd, Geneva's biggest fan, found him. Floyd assured Geneva that he was still there for her. He even followed Henry up to his room and talked about continuing their "relationship." Henry got rid of Floyd and found Vienna sulking on the bed, but she wouldn't let him touch her.
Jack went home from work very early because he could not focus. He was worried that Carly's rehab would adversely affect the children. He was thankful that J.J. was in London for the summer, and Sage was at Camp Idlewild. Jack wanted Janet to consider going away with him for a couple of days to a cabin not far away. He mentioned the younger kids' plans, and reminded his wife that Parker was away at a tennis tournament for several days, and that Liberty had started her internship. Janet thought she could get the time off, and they agreed to go.
Craig took bags of groceries into Carly's house, much to Rosanna's dismay. He talked about all sorts of domestic subjects, including taking Parker to a Cubs/Reds game for a day. Rosanna was not happy that Craig was acting as if nothing had changed in their lives. She told him that with Carly away, he could no longer be there either. Craig argued that he didn't think that Carly would approve of kicking him out, so Rosanna mentioned that when Carly left rehab, perhaps booze would not be the only thing she would be giving up. Craig threw a parting shot and went out the door as Jack and Janet arrived.
The Snyders went in and asked Rosanna if she could "hold down the fort" for a couple of days while they snuck away. Rosanna was pleased to oblige them and sent the happy couple away to pack. She then took a call from Camp Idlewild telling her that Sage was not feeling well and had asked to go home. Rosanna said that she was on her way and left immediately. She stopped first at the diner, hoping that Parker had not yet left, but he was already gone. She called Jack for the second or third time, but she got no answer and was forced to leave a message.
Craig walked in the diner and overheard part of the message. Rosanna was in a difficult spot because she hadn't had a valid driver's license since returning to the US, and there was no way she could drive to Sage's camp legally. Craig offered the solution, much as Rosanna was reluctant to accept his help. She told him that she was hesitant to ride with someone who had tried to kill her with a car, but she really had no other choice. She climbed in Craig's car and they took off.
Rosanna and Craig arrived at camp, and Sage was waiting. She wanted to know why her parents had not picked her up, so Rosanna explained that Jack and Janet were having a mini-break at a cabin. Rosanna stumbled, however, when Sage asked about Carly's whereabouts, so Craig stepped in. He told the girl that her mother had not been herself lately, and Sage interrupted by saying that she knew it was because of the drinking. Craig would not say where Carly had gone, but he remarked that she was getting better and would be home soon.
Sage immediately accused Craig of making her mother sick. She was upset and rude, and she finally took off running. Craig caught her and they struggled, as Sage screamed. Rosanna took over and promised that all would be well. She said that if Sage went home with her, she would take care of the girl until her father returned. Rosanna gave Sage the choice of staying at camp or going home with her, and Sage chose to go with her aunt.
Jack and Janet arrived at the cabin, and Jack had great plans for catching their dinner in a nearby stream. Janet said she would work on her tan lines in the sun, and Jack forgot about fishing. He took out his phone, but Janet would not let him look at it. They kissed, began disrobing, and ended up on the bed. After making love, Janet was hungry and began scouring the cabin for food. Jack's phone beeped, and he saw that he had several messages. He was unhappy to learn that Sage was ill, so he called the camp right away.
The counselor informed Jack that Sage had gone home with her aunt and Mr. Montgomery. Jack was distraught because he had not wanted Sage to find out that Carly was gone so soon. Janet said that the girl had to learn sometime, but Jack felt that it was his job to explain it to Sage. He wanted to go back immediately, so they packed up and left.
Vienna and Henry had an unpleasant discussion, and Vienna accused him of not wanting to share her with anyone else. Vienna said that she had liked her job and the attention it had brought her, but Henry had taken that from her. She said Henry loved Geneva Swift more that he loved her, and she asked him to leave. Henry agreed to go down to the bar while Vienna cooled off, and he made a hasty exit.
Brad was still upset that Henry, and Katie by her not telling, had hurt so many people. He was also concerned about his job with WOAK and how Kim would feel about him. Brad walked out on Katie and went to the Lakeview bar where Henry was. Henry feared for his life when he saw Brad, but Brad only berated him for coming on to him as Geneva Swift. Henry argued that the persona of Geneva had taken on a life of its own, but he was very worried about Vienna. The bartender never showed up, so Brad suggested that they both leave and tend to their business at home.
Rosanna, Craig, and Sage got home to Carly's house, and the girl went immediately to her room. Jack and Janet arrived, and Sage was glad to see her father. Janet took her outside while Jack chewed out Craig for taking Sage from camp without his permission. Rosanna explained how Craig had helped out by driving, and something she said made Jack realize that his daughter knew that Carly was at rehab. He offered to "lay out Craig" on the spot, and said he would take Sage to the farm with him, at least that night, and perhaps permanently, and Parker as well, when he returned. Jack asked Sage what she wanted, and she said that she only wanted her mother home.
Sage asked if she could see or talk with Carly, but Jack told her it was not possible, and he chose to take her to the farm. They drove home, and Jack was still furious that Craig had told his daughter about Carly.
Brad went home and made up with Katie. Henry, however, was not so fortunate. He found that Vienna had packed her bags and booked herself on a night flight to Sweden. She said she wanted the comfort of a real woman: her mother.
Rosanna found Craig in the Lakeview bar, and she told him that while she thanked him for his help that day with Sage, he needed to stay away from Carly's kids.
At Java, Noah met with his faculty advisor, Professor Mason Jarvis, who read Noah's screenplay. Mason gave the boy some favorable comments about writing and told him not to underestimate his abilities. Luke approached, and Noah introduced him to Mason, who invited Luke to join them. The professor suggested that Noah go the film festival route with his finished project, and he explained to the boys that was how he had gotten his start. He complimented the two of them on their wonderful relationship, but said that he had to leave because he had someone waiting for him for dinner.
After Mason left, Luke admitted that the professor was a nice guy. Noah panicked that he would not be able to finish his project on time, so Luke encouraged him to stop stressing himself and to relax. He suggested that they go to Metro and kick back and have a fun evening. Noah could hit the grind in the morning. The two of them kissed, and they left for the club.
Barbara took Paul home to Fairwinds when he was released from the hospital, and he was impressed with his estate. His mother explained that Paul was rather well off financially, and he asked about his father. Barbara took a deep breath and then described James Stenbeck as a monster whose death was the source of much relief for many people in Oakdale.
Bonnie found Dusty in the Lakeview lounge, and she chewed him out for not calling a meeting with her to prepare to defend himself against the charge of attempted murder. Dusty said there was no need for such preparation, since he had decided to plead guilty. Bonnie threw a fit and attempted to talk Dusty out of such nonsense. She reminded him that if he went to prison, he would miss ten to fifteen years of Johnny's life. Bonnie refused to just stand by and watch Dusty ruin his life, so Dusty gave her a dismissive wave and fired her.
At the farm, Holden and Meg shared lemonade and discussed Paul's injury. Meg told her brother about the microchip in Paul's brain, but Holden found that incredible. He warned Meg that Paul was only attempting to get on her good side again and that she should not fall for the ruse. Holden cautioned her to stay away from Damian, as well.
After Holden left, Meg went to Fairwinds, and Paul seemed pleased to see her. Barbara asked Meg to have a one-on-one conversation with her son to see if that sparked any memory. Paul acted shy with Meg, and he seemed quite taken with her appearance. He said that he couldn't understand how he could have forgotten someone so beautiful. He asked more questions and began to realize that he and Meg had gone through many serious problems. Meg told him that he had been a compulsive liar who had violent mood swings and was totally untrustworthy.
The climax came when Meg described how Paul had kidnapped their daughter and taken her out of state. Paul stopped Meg's monologue at that point and asked why on earth she wanted anything to do with him. Meg said that she felt somewhat responsible for not recognizing that Paul was not in control of his actions because of the microchip. Paul thanked her and then asked her to go home, telling her to walk out the door and never return. He promised her a divorce, which he realized she had wanted, but he said he felt no connection with her or Eliza. Meg was very hurt that Paul was giving up on his daughter.
At the Worldwide offices, Damian told Lily that he had found a specialist in New York who might be able to help Paul with his memory loss. The challenge was that the doctor would need special permission to get privileges to practice at Memorial, and that took time. Damian asked Lily to contact Lucinda, who was on the hospital board, to see if she would use her influence to expedite the privileges. Before she answered, Lily called Damian a liar when he said that he felt some obligation to help Paul because of his minor role in the bombing incident. She reminded him that Paul had cost Damian millions of dollars in damages, and she said that she knew that Damian was just trying to impress Meg.
Lily called Lucinda, who agreed to put on the necessary pressure to allow the New York doctor to treat Paul at Memorial. Damian, however, learned that the doctor was not taking any new patients, so he asked Lily to drop everything and fly with him to New York on Lucinda's jet to meet with the doctor in person. Damian flattered Lily about her powers of persuasion, and she agreed to accompany him.
In New York, Lily and Damian explained the details of Paul's injury to the specialist, and he was intrigued. Damian offered him the use of the Worldwide jet, and Lily persuaded him to clear his schedule for a couple of days. With the doctor's promise that he would soon visit Oakdale, Lily and Damian flew home.
Bonnie went to Dusty's room and told him that she refused to stay fired. She argued passionately that he needed to fight back, and she suddenly kissed him. Dusty enjoyed the kiss, but he broke away and told Bonnie that she was wasting her time. Bonnie suggested that, just this once, the damsel could save the white knight. Dusty called her offer tempting, and they were about to kiss again when someone knocked on the door. Dusty answered it, and Holden walked in. Bonnie made a hasty exit, as Dusty guessed that Holden's appearance was not a social visit.
Holden and Dusty went down to the bar and began talking about Meg. Holden wanted to hear the bomb story from Dusty, so Dusty explained how Damian had not stuck to the original plan and had foiled the whole plot. Holden was easily persuaded that Damian was also to blame for the bombing, and he left Dusty knowing that it was up to him and his family to deal with Damian Grimaldi. Dusty headed for the elevator but Bonnie intercepted him and asked if he had hired a new lawyer yet. She again offered to help, and Dusty said he would consider it, as he got into the elevator alone.
Luke and Noah arrived at Metro and saw Mason and another man having some wine and a serious discussion. The boys were surprised that the professor's "significant other" was a man, because neither of them had known that Mason was gay. They decided not to interrupt, but Mason saw them and waved them over. He introduced his partner as "George," and he invited the boys to join them. Mason explained that he and George had been in the middle of a lovers' quarrel, but he was ready to "kiss and make up." George said some disparaging and hurtful things to Mason and got up and walked out.
Mason explained that his partner was from a wealthy family and had no need to work. He did nothing during the day, so when Mason returned from work, George was very needy. Luke and Noah listened carefully without comments, as Mason paid the bill for them all and left. Luke told Noah that when the men were arguing, he projected Noah and himself into the next few years. The experience had definitely given Luke something to think about.
Barbara served Paul some soup and asked about his visit with Meg. Paul said that he had told her to leave and never return, and his mother was shocked. She argued that he needed to give his memory more time to heal, but Paul was not convinced. He took a call from Lily telling him that they had found a brain specialist to help him, but Paul was in a dilemma. He told Barbara that from what everyone had told him about himself, he did not think he wanted to be Paul Ryan anymore.
Holden returned home and found Lily and Damian there. Lily explained that she had just returned from a quick trip to New York, and that Damian had found someone to treat Paul. Lily went into the kitchen to see to dinner, and Holden told Damian that Dusty had told him the story of the errant bomb. As Damian left, Holden said that he might have Lily and Meg fooled, but Damian was not fooling him. He then told Lily that he was very worried about Damian's relationship with Meg, but he was willing to give Damian the benefit of the doubt. Holden and Lily clinked glasses and drank wine.
Damian dropped in on Meg and told her about the specialist for Paul. Meg was not overly enthusiastic about the news, and she told Damian that Paul had said that he did not want to see her or their baby any more. Meg was upset not knowing what kind of man Paul would be after treatment by the New York doctor. Damian took her in his arms and hugged her.
Casey opened his mail first thing in the morning and discovered that Oakdale University had reinstated him and that he could register for fall classes. He let out a loud whoop and was very excited-until Margo and Riley showed up. Then Casey made one of his hasty exits without mentioning a word about his big news. Margo complained about Casey's moods and remarked that her son had gone from cheery to gloomy in a matter of seconds.
Riley noticed the open letter on the table, so he handed it to Margo, who read it and rejoiced. She wanted to do something special for Casey, so Riley suggested a surprise party at lunchtime. Riley offered to round up the guests, and he left to do that. Tom joined Margo and was also excited for his son. Margo clued Tom in about the surprise party, and she asked him to make sure Casey would be home at the right time without knowing why.
Hunter was working at the Intruder office when Larry McDermott surprised him. Larry seemed unaffected when Hunter calmly said he hated Larry, then Emily walked in. Larry tried to hand Hunter a package, but Emily yelled at him to get out. Larry insisted on giving Hunter a music box that had belonged to his mother, Aurora, and he explained that he had taken possession of it when he and Aurora stopped seeing one another, and she had left it in the hotel room where they used to meet. Emily told Larry to leave, and Hunter agreed, so Larry walked out. Hunter opened the music box, but reiterated that he didn't want it.
Hunter resumed work, but he was unhappy. Emily asked what was wrong, and Hunter said that he was bummed that his mother had kept so much of her life a secret from him. Emily tried to cheer him up by reminding him that he had a whole new family in Oakdale, and that she was his mother, too. Hunter declared firmly that Emily was not his mother, and she was hurt by his dismissal.
At Java, Alison entered and spotted Casey, so she turned to leave. Casey asked her to wait, and offered her a cup of coffee. They got off to a bad start that ended with another of Casey's hasty exits. Riley walked in and told Alison that Casey had been readmitted to college, and Alison felt terrible about how she had just treated him. Riley mentioned the surprise lunch party for Casey, but Alison expressed very little interest in attending. Riley asked to see her phone, and he pointed out a picture on it of Alison and Casey in happier times. He said that Casey often moped in his room listening to sad music and looking at that same picture. He urged her to join the party, and said other nice things about Casey.
Casey went to Memorial and told his grandfather that he would have to find a replacement driver for the senior van. Bob was unhappy at first, until he realized that Casey was telling him that he was going back to college. Casey accepted Bob's congratulations, and took off. Tom found his father then and told him about the party. Bob asked Tom if Riley was still living at his house, and was surprised to hear that he was.
Riley went back home and delivered the gift Margo had ordered for Casey. It was a top-of-the-line laptop computer, wrapped with a bow. Riley called her "Mom," which delighted Margo, but he had made sure that no one else was there. Riley said he felt uncomfortable around Tom, who seemed to be always watching him, but Margo insisted that they continue with the charade and keep the secret that Riley was Adam. Tom arrived home, followed shortly by Bob, Kim, and Lisa. Nancy was a bit under the weather, so she couldn't make it. Tom called Casey and, in a serious voice, asked him to be home as soon as he could.
Hunter found Alison at the hospital and asked to speak with her. She had to finish some work because she was going to Casey's party over her lunch break. Hunter scolded her for giving Casey any more attention, and he was worried that Casey would hurt Alison's feelings again. Hunter announced that he was going to the party with her.
Larry ran into Emily in the Lakeview lounge and sat down with her. She tried to chase him away, but he asked for the chance to make things right for her. Emily accused him of stealing her unborn children, but Larry interrupted and asked if she remembered his friends who worked in in vitro fertilization in Chicago. He promised Emily that, if she wished, she could move up to first priority on the waiting list, and she could give birth again. Susan passed by at that moment and heard Larry's comment, and she was outraged.
Larry told Susan to stay out of her daughter's love life, and Emily said that, for once, her mother was right. Then, however, she called Larry a liar and a fake. He argued that science was almost perfect in his field, and he guaranteed Emily another baby. Emily declared that she no longer wanted to be pregnant, and that she, Hunter, and Alison wanted nothing more to do with Larry. Larry accused Emily of throwing away the child she had always wanted to love, and he left the two women.
Emily told Susan to ask what was obviously on her mind, so her mother wanted to know why Emily had changed her mind about wanting a baby. Emily said that she had Hunter, and he needed her while he was grieving for Aurora.
The party people heard someone approaching, so they got ready to yell "Surprise!" but the visitors turned out to be Alison and Hunter. Alison introduced Hunter as her brother, and explained how that had happened. Lisa's comment was, "Oh, great, another Stewart to contend with, but at least this one's a man!" Tom explained to Hunter that Hunter also had a half-brother, Daniel, and the conversation got a bit convoluted as Hunter tried to figure out how Tom and Emily had produced a baby.
Tom spied Casey's car pull up, so everyone got a noisemaker and let Casey have it when he walked in the door. He took one look and did his signature move -- a fast getaway. Margo ran after him, however, and caught him. Casey was disappointed that he hadn't gotten to tell his folks the news about college, but he did agree to go back inside and greet his guests. Riley maneuvered Hunter away from Alison so that she and Casey could have some private time. They apologized to one another, and Casey said how glad he was that Alison had shown up.
Casey leaned over and kissed Alison, and that disturbed Hunter, who was watching the couple carefully. Hunter tried to get Alison to leave, but she was not yet ready. Hunter got very protective of his new sister, and she told him that she was capable of making her own decisions. Hunter was upset, and he walked out without Alison.
Lisa asked Margo about Riley, and Margo was defensive and suggested that everyone make him feel welcome. Tom took photos of Casey with the guests, as Alison stood off to the side next to Dr. Bob. She clearly heard him say, "Nurse, would you send in the next patient?" Alison giggled at first, but then she realized that Bob was serious and she asked if he was all right. Bob seemed surprised and asked why she had inquired. Tom called Bob then for a picture, leaving Alison quite confused. She mentioned the incident to Kim, and Bob overheard and said the comment had been an example of his lame humor.
Kim, Bob, and Lisa took off, and Casey offered to walk Alison back to the hospital. He also told Riley that the day had been awesome. Margo and Riley cleaned up, and she was pleased at Casey's reaction to the laptop and to Riley's participation in the festivities. Riley needed to do something, so he left, but promised to be back for dinner -- if Tom was cooking.
After Riley left, Tom asked Margo when the young man might be moving on. He said that Bob had questioned him about that, but he also wanted to know for himself. Margo said that she had told Riley that he could live there as long as he wanted.
Back at the office, Emily walked in on Hunter looking at Aurora's music box. They talked about grief, and Emily promised that she was not trying to replace Hunter's mother. Hunter suggested they stick strictly to business.
Lisa, Bob, and Kim had a drink at the Lakeview bar, and Lisa gave a great deal of credit to Bob for Casey's going back to school. She excused herself for a moment to take care of a problem at the desk, and Kim told Bob that he was pretty terrific. Bob returned the compliment to Kim, but he called her "Lisa." Kim caught the mistake, but Bob denied it. Kim took the champagne glass out of Bob's hands and told him that he had imbibed a bit too much drink.
Casey and Alison had a rendezvous on the hospital roof, and it went well. They kissed and made some plans.
Sage and Parker arrived home and detected a noxious smell in the house. They decided it was very similar to the time when a raccoon had run amok in the house and then died. After nosing around a bit, however, the kids decided it was more likely that the odors were generated by Aunt Rosanna's cooking. The two almost made a fast getaway, but Rosanna stopped them and invited them to sit and eat lunch. She served them a vegan plate of whole-wheat pasta with Swiss chard. Parker declared that it tasted like green sandpaper, and Sage concurred, so Rosanna gave in and offered to take them out.
Lily called Luke at the foundation and said that Lucinda had called Dean Brewster at the university, and he had agreed to meet with them all to discuss Luke's reinstatement. The dean had not promised anything, but he had agreed to the meeting. Lily asked Luke to go home immediately because it was important that he, himself, talk to the dean. Luke agreed very reluctantly. Holden prepared for the meeting by dressing in his best suit, and he and Lily agreed that the dean held the key to Luke's future.
Luke confided in Damian that he was uncomfortable that his grandmother was pressuring the university to readmit him. He said that everyone in his family was telling him to go back to school, but Luke did not answer when Damian asked him what he wanted to do. Luke was afraid that he would just be going through the motions of class and homework, and therefore it would become a chore. Damian suggested that Luke get a job and take on some new challenges, but Luke complained that no one would hire him in a bad economy.
Damian said that he desperately needed someone he could trust in his shipping business, but he knew that Lily and Holden would blame him for "luring" Luke away from college. He asked if his son would like to join him in Grimaldi Shipping. Since Luke knew nothing about the shipping industry, he asked about training, and Damian stressed that he would provide that. He also mentioned that the job involved world travel, and he said that Noah could accompany Luke on his journeys. In fact, that might be exciting for someone in the film business. Damian confessed that his dream was that Luke would like the shipping business well enough to take it over eventually.
Craig sat with Johnny in the Lakeview lounge, and he talked on his phone. Craig agreed to a meeting with a Mr. Lazarus later that day. Johnny spotted Parker and Sage, who had walked in with Rosanna, looking for real food, and he asked to sit with them. Rosanna invited the boy to sit with them, and she overheard Craig tell his business contact that Carly Tenney would be finishing another project and would not be joining them in Chicago. When Craig hung up, Rosanna talked with him, and he suddenly got the idea that Rosanna should accompany him to the meeting as Carly's stand-in.
Rosanna wanted no part of any business with Craig, so she refused. Craig stressed that a closed deal would mean income for Carly when she returned from rehab. Rosanna was determined to stay away from Craig, but she reconsidered after she thought about Carly's possibly having her own life when she returned. Rosanna agreed to go with Craig. She told the kids that they were going to Chicago for lunch, and Parker moaned that he had been "so close to real food."
Craig's meeting was at a Chicago French restaurant, and Rosanna got the kids set up at a private table. The waitress asked where the kids were from, and she reacted strangely when she learned they were from Oakdale. Craig introduced Rosanna to Ed Lazarus, and they took a nearby table. The children could not read the French menu, but the waitress was sympathetic and asked them to leave the ordering to her.
Craig began his pitch to Lazarus, but Rosanna suddenly asked to see the financials for the vitamin water business. Craig was stunned by her request, so she asked to speak privately with him. They stood off to the side and argued. Rosanna accused Craig of bringing her to the meeting only to make "goo-goo eyes" at the client, and to perhaps show a bit of cleavage. She was incensed that he was not treating her like the equal partner that Carly was. For his part, Craig was furious that Rosanna had attempted to take over the meeting, and he asked if it would kill her to show a little cleavage.
Lucinda and Dean Brewster arrived together at Lily and Holden's. Lucinda immediately made her pitch for Luke's readmission to Oakdale University. Brewster reminded them all that Luke had violated the school's code of ethics, but Lily remarked how Luke had thrown himself into the foundation work, and had expressed remorse for his actions during the school election. Lucinda called Luke and expressed her irritation that he was not home yet. She said he needed to converse with the dean himself, and Luke promised to be there as soon as possible. Before he left, Damian urged his son to consider his options carefully.
Luke arrived home, and Lily told him that the dean wanted to hear his thoughts about returning to school. Luke stunned them all by revealing that he had no such thoughts because he had other plans for his life. He said that he had been offered a really good job that he thought he should take. Lily asked what job, and Luke said it was with Grimaldi Shipping, working for Damian. Dean Brewster made a hasty exit, and Lucinda blistered Luke by thanking him for humiliating all of them in front of the dean. Luke reminded them that school was their idea, not his, but Holden blew up and shouted that working for a con artist was not such a great career move, either.
Luke quoted all the opportunities that Damian had mentioned, including travel for him and Noah. He also mentioned all the education that seeing the world could provide. Luke said that he respected Holden more than anyone else in the world, but that he had to do what he thought was right for him. Lucinda claimed that Damian had never drawn a legitimate breath in the world of business his entire life, but Luke said that was not true. Holden threatened to make sure that Damian stayed away until he withdrew his offer to Luke, but Luke cried out that it was not Holden's call.
Lily offered to intercede with Damian, and she left before anyone could stop her. Lucinda and Holden were sick that Luke had such a cavalier attitude about the opportunity to have a good education. Lily saw Damian getting his mail at the front desk of the Lakeview, and she asked him "what the hell" he thought he was doing. Lily was furious that Damian had offered an alternative to Luke's higher education. Lily asked if he was trying to undermine Holden, but Damian replied that he only wanted "what was best for Luciano." Lily next accused Damian of staking a claim on their son, and she mentioned his lunatic, drug-running relatives who were all involved in the Grimaldi Enterprises. Damian said that Luke was a grown man, and it was time to let him go.
The waitress in Chicago served a special dish that she had made herself, and the kids loved it. She told them that she had gone to culinary school, but she had not had a shot at doing anything but waiting tables yet. She said her name was Teri, and she mentioned a special dessert that they usually served only at night, and she promised to get them some if she could sneak them by the manager.
Rosanna and Craig returned to their table, and Rosanna began a brand new pitch of her own to the client. Suddenly Mr. Lazarus recognized her as Rosanna Cabot of Cabot Motors, and he declared that whatever she wanted to do, they would do. Craig looked at Rosanna in amazement, as the client told Rosanna that he was glad she was on board with her business reputation. When Lazarus left, Craig complimented Rosanna for scoring big points. Rosanna told him that he could forget about flattering her in hopes of getting more out of her.
Teri served the children petits fours and was severely scolded by the manager. Then the manager slipped on Johnny's toy car and took a nasty tumble. Rosanna approached the children's table and was amazed that Teri had served them artichoke soufflés, which they had loved. Sage and Teri hit it off particularly well, and Sage asked for Teri's email address so that she could let her know when they might be returning to Chicago.
Lily took Damian to her house, and he and Holden began sparring. Lily claimed that Luke was mature enough to make decisions for himself, and that enraged Holden. Lily went on that by bringing the dean to their house, they were being manipulators. She apologized to Holden, but said that they had to trust their boy to make the right decision. Holden suggested that Damian leave, and Lucinda walked him out. She warned Damian that he could not win the game he was playing with Lily and Holden; they would not allow him to steal Luke.
Lucinda left, and Luke appeared outside. He told Damian that he was very excited about working with him, and Damian said that he felt the same way. Luke told Damian that he had made his decision.
Craig took Rosanna and the kids home, and Rosanna asked for all sorts of documents and privileges so that she could oversee Carly's interest in the business. Craig called her "one tough cookie," and asked if she wanted to get a cup of coffee. Rosanna reminded him that they were not allies, or partners, or even friends, and she said goodnight.
Sage got the laptop and began emailing Teri, the waitress in Chicago. Parker kidded her about that, but Sage finished her message and sent it. Teri read the message on her phone at work, and she was pleased to hear from Sage. Her manager caught her with her phone out, and he told her to pack her things, and he fired her on the spot.
At Java, Noah gave Luke a present, a messenger bag that he'd bought for Luke to use at school. Luke informed Noah of his plans to work for his father at Grimaldi Shipping rather than return to college. Noah was surprised, but Luke said that he'd been thinking it over for a couple of days. Noah was not pleased that Luke had been considering such a major change without even discussing it with him.
Luke explained that there hadn't been any time to talk to Noah about Damian's offer, because Noah had been so busy with his film project. Noah was still upset and told Luke that he had thought they would graduate together and then move to New York. Luke said that he could still move to New York when Noah was ready to go, because Grimaldi Shipping had offices there. Noah told Luke that couples weren't supposed to make life-altering decisions without consulting one another first.
Luke said that he hadn't meant to exclude Noah. Luke said that he wanted Noah to support him, but Noah said that he wasn't the kind of boyfriend "who thinks everything you do is adorable even if you're making a huge mistake." Luke asked if Noah thought he was making a mistake, and Noah said he wasn't saying that.
Mason approached the pair and greeted them. Noah asked Mason how late he had worked on the film they'd been editing the night before, and Mason said he had only finished about 15 minutes earlier. Mason invited Noah to accompany him to a screening of the film, but Noah said, "Not now." Luke told Noah to go with Mason, saying, "This isn't worth having everybody get angry with me. Especially you."
Luke left, and Mason asked Noah if everything was okay. Noah replied, "I think I just convinced my boyfriend to quit his job." Noah explained the situation. Mason asked if Noah knew why Luke had changed his mind about college, and Noah suggested that since he had a career planned for himself, perhaps Luke hadn't wanted to be "left behind," the way Mason's ex-boyfriend, George, had felt about Mason's career. Mason cautioned Noah against using his relationship with George as an example for Noah's relationship with Luke, because every relationship was different, and he told Noah that he and George had had more problems than just Mason's work. Noah told Mason that he and Luke hadn't had any problems lately, and Mason replied that it sounded like the relationship was worth fighting for.
At the offices of The Intruder, Emily tried to entice Hunter into going out for breakfast, but Hunter wasn't in the mood. He showed Emily a box and told her it had been delivered to him that morning and that it contained his mother's ashes. Emily was creeped out by the ashes and told Hunter to find someplace to put them other than the office. Emily left, and Hunter went back to work.
Lucinda walked into Emily's office and found Hunter working alone. Hunter told Lucinda that Emily was out covering a story. Lucinda asked what Hunter was doing, and he told her he was working on a new section of the Web site where users could post links to their own videos, to create an online community, which was what advertisers liked to see. Hunter thought that the Web site could triple its traffic as a result. Lucinda was impressed and remarked, "You could run this place by yourself." Hunter replied, "Sure, no problem," and asked if there was anything else he could do for Lucinda. Lucinda asked Hunter to tell Emily that Lucinda wanted to see her, and then Lucinda left.
Emily went to the diner, where she saw Paul eating breakfast alone and reading a newspaper. She sat by him and said, "Didn't anyone tell you print is dead?" Paul looked at her and asked, "Do I know you?" Emily chattered on, trying to get Paul to give her a good quote to use in her story for the newspaper. Emily soon realized that Paul's brain damage from the bombing was more severe than she'd realized, and she asked Paul what he knew about himself. He told her that all he knew was what Barbara and Meg had told him, and that it was "horrifying." Emily replied, "It's all in the perspective."
Paul asked Emily if he had done terrible things to her in the past, and she told him yes, but she said that she had once shot him in the back, although he had deserved it. Paul apologized, but Emily said he couldn't be sorry for something he didn't remember doing. Paul was grateful that she understood that, because no one else he'd spoken to seemed to realize that. Emily pointed out that the amnesia meant that Paul didn't have to be remorseful for anything he'd done to Dusty, but Paul said that he wanted to take responsibility for whatever he'd done. He asked if Emily had any insight into what had happened.
Emily explained to Paul that he had set up both Dusty and Damian to encourage a war between the two men, so that Meg would want nothing to do with either of them, leaving Paul a chance to win Meg back. Paul said he could understand why Dusty had wanted to get back at him. He wondered why Emily didn't hate him, too. Emily told him that she wasn't exactly a saint herself, and that it was more fun to knock the saints off their pedestals. As Paul smiled, Emily told him, "You're in there somewhere, Paul Ryan; I can see it." Paul wondered whether that was a good thing, but Emily said that Paul had a lot of "enjoyable qualities," too.
Hunter walked in and told Emily that Lucinda had been looking for her. Emily introduced Paul to Hunter, and Hunter told Emily that Lucinda had been acting weird. Emily decided she should find out what Lucinda wanted, so she told Paul goodbye, calling him "Amnesia Boy" and joking that she hoped he would remember their conversation.
When Emily went into Lucinda's office, Lucinda asked her when she thought The Intruder might turn a profit. Emily said she had left her crystal ball at home, but if she had to guess, she'd say six to nine months. Lucinda told Emily that she had been discussing The Intruder with Hunter, and Hunter thought that the tone of Emily's writing needed adjustment. Emily was surprised by Lucinda's remark, but she was even more surprised when she realized that Lucinda was trying to fire her.
Lucinda told Emily that she lacked the youth, insight, and experience to take The Intruder into the 21st century. Emily retorted, "How the hell would you know? You're stuck in the 19th century!" Lucinda told Emily that she was going to make Hunter the editor-in-chief of The Intruder. Hunter walked into the office, and Lucinda said, "I think I'll let you two work this thing out together." Lucinda walked out, and Emily told Hunter what had happened.
Luke went to visit his grandmother at Worldwide and found her sitting outside her office in the boardroom. He asked what she was doing there, and she told him that there was a battle going on in her office. Lucinda then asked Luke if he was on his way to work, but Luke said he was actually going to quit, and then he told her not to look so thrilled. Lucinda told Luke that she wanted him to do whatever made him happy. He said he wasn't sure what that would be, but everyone had been upset that he had wanted to work with Damian. Lucinda told Luke that she would find him another job, and that made Luke realize that everyone's anger wasn't directed at the fact that Luke didn't want to go back to college, but rather at the idea that Luke might want to work for Damian.
Lucinda told Luke that she thought he was just confused, but Luke said the only thing that was confusing him was why he'd been listening to everyone else trying to tell him what to do. He pointed out that the only person who had listened to him was Damian, and he said he would be proud to work for Damian. Luke left.
Emily told Hunter that in one fell swoop, he had succeeded in getting a promotion and ditching his would-be mother. She stormed out of the office, and Lucinda told Hunter to let Emily go. Hunter turned to Lucinda and said that he had never meant for Lucinda to fire Emily, because Emily was the heart and soul of The Intruder. He said that he couldn't do the job without Emily, and he quit.
Luke found Noah again at Java and apologized for how he had handled the situation about college versus the job. He said that Noah was the most important person in his life, and he wanted Noah to be a part of everything. Luke said that he had decided he wanted to work for Damian and get to know Damian, which was something Noah had encouraged him to do from the time Damian arrived. He begged Noah not to freak out. Noah smiled and handed Luke a package. Luke, thinking it was the messenger bag that Noah had tried to give him earlier, said he couldn't take it, but Noah said he had exchanged the bag for some ties, which Luke was going to need if he was going to work for Damian.
Damian went to the farm and told Meg that the neurosurgeon he'd found in New York had agreed to operate on Paul to try to restore his memory, as soon as Paul worked out a schedule with the surgeon. Meg was both grateful and relieved to hear the news. She then told Damian that Margo had told her that Dusty intended to plead guilty to the charge of planting the bomb that injured Paul.
Bonnie went to the Lakeview and found Dusty dressed all in black for his court date. Dusty reminded Bonnie that he had fired her, but Bonnie told him she wouldn't give up on him that easily. Dusty told Bonnie that because he had set the bomb, he would plead guilty. Bonnie left and went to the Snyder farm. Bonnie told Meg that Meg needed to go to the trial to speak on Dusty's behalf. Bonnie wanted Meg to testify about Paul's involvement in setting Dusty and Damian against one another, because Bonnie believed that the background information needed to be considered by the judge before any ruling was made.
Damian told Bonnie that Dusty wasn't Meg's responsibility, and Meg said that she didn't want to get involved in the situation again. Bonnie pleaded with Meg to change her mind, telling her that Dusty was sure to spend time in prison if he pleaded guilty. She reminded Meg that Dusty would do anything for Meg and Eliza, and Bonnie thought Meg should step up and help Dusty.
Bonnie went to the courtroom and told Dusty that she had asked Meg to speak on his behalf. Dusty told Bonnie that he didn't want that, and since Meg wasn't there, he assumed Bonnie's powers of persuasion were a little rusty. However, Meg entered the courtroom a moment later, and Bonnie told the judge that Meg was prepared to testify that Dusty's actions "were the result of severe provocations and emotional distress and without harmful intent."
Meg took the stand, but before she could say anything, Paul entered the courtroom and announced that Meg shouldn't be any more involved than she already had been. Paul said that he had been the "extreme provocation" that had caused Dusty to act the way he had.
The district attorney objected, but the judge wanted to hear what Paul had to say. Paul took the stand and began to testify in a rambling way about what he had been told had happened. He told the judge that the whole situation had been the result of him, Dusty, and Damian all wanting the same woman, and that Dusty and Damian had figured out that he'd been setting them up and had tried to teach him a lesson. Paul said that the fact that the bomb had gone off was a "technical malfunction, kind of like what's going on with my brain."
Paul said that if he was the horrible guy everyone told him he'd been, then Dusty had a right to try to take him down. He told Meg that he was sorry, and he told Dusty that he owed him an apology, too. Paul said if the attorney wanted to throw the book at him, that was fine, because whatever life he had once had was gone anyway, but Paul didn't want to cause Dusty any more harm. The district attorney told the judge that he wouldn't press charges against Paul, so the judge told Paul that he was free to go. The judge then announced that Dusty's sentencing would occur within a few days, and he adjourned the courtroom.
Meg approached Dusty and told him that she realized that she had misjudged him, and she apologized for that. Dusty said that he'd just been trying to look out for Meg and her daughter, but Meg said she could take care of herself. Dusty said he hoped so, because he was going to be out of the picture for a while. Meg said the judge might let Dusty off with just probation, but Dusty didn't think so. Dusty then told Meg that she had made her choice, and their relationship had ended a long time ago. He walked away, and Meg left with Damian.
Dusty asked Bonnie what would happen next, and Bonnie said they had to wait for the judge to make his sentencing decision. Dusty tried to say something, but Bonnie told him she already knew what he was going to say, that he didn't need her help and didn't like what she'd done for him. Dusty told Bonnie that he just wanted to say thank you, and then he kissed her on the cheek.
At the farm, Meg told Damian that at the hearing, Paul had been the "old" Paul, the loving and honest man she'd fallen in love with. Damian warned Meg that Paul could change back at any time because of his neurological condition, but Meg countered that Paul might stay the way he was for the rest of his life. She told Damian that she wanted to go see Paul right away.
Emily went to the Lakeview lounge to have a drink. Paul saw her sitting there and asked why she had a box with her. Emily explained that she had been fired in an ambush. Paul said he was sorry, but Emily said she was sure she'd land on her feet. Paul mentioned that he hadn't seen Emily at Dusty's hearing, and Emily was surprised to hear that Paul had been there. Paul said he felt bad that he had messed up Dusty's life, so he had told the judge it was all his fault. Emily replied, "Wow, you really are the anti-Paul!" Paul took a sip of Emily's drink and flirted with her, saying he hoped some of his better qualities might still be there and that Emily might be able to remind him of them. Emily said, "Let's get out of here," and they left.
Emily and Paul went to Fairwinds, where Paul poured them each a drink. Paul asked Emily what had brought them together in the first place, before she'd shot him. Emily told him that they had been together off and on since they were kids, and that they used to team up for nasty schemes. Emily said Paul had found that kind of thing to be a turn-on. Paul asked, "How about you? Turn you on?" Emily replied, "You have no idea." Paul said, "You're right, I have no idea. About anything. I guess I'll just have to put myself in your hands ... as long as you return the favor." They went into each other's arms and began kissing passionately.
