Katie entered Al's and found Chris finishing a burger. She picked up the check and offered to pay, but Chris said that paying for his food did not make up for his falsifying Vienna's medical records as a favor to Katie. Katie apologized, but Chris said the decision to break the rules had been his, and Katie did not owe him anything. He stood up to go, so Katie invited him to her place for peach pie and ice cream. "I'll pass," said Chris coldly.
At the hospital, Casey saw Alison, who remarked that things were getting even weirder with the "Vienna thing." She said that according to Vienna's file, she had been pregnant for a little over a month. Casey and Alison both knew that there was no way they could have missed that notation in the records earlier, and Alison was sure that someone had recently inserted that information. She suggested that Casey ask Chris for help, since his uncle had more direct access to the records than they did. That made Casey uncomfortable, but he realized that he was stuck, so he agreed to take Alison's advice.
Casey found Chris in the doctor's lounge and asked to speak with him. Then he blurted out that he might have gotten someone pregnant, but the woman involved denied that was true. Casey said he didn't believe her and needed to find out if he was going to be a father soon. He asked about a paternity test, and Chris explained that they could run such a test on a baby in utero but certainly not without the mother's consent. He said he needed the girl's name, and it was clear that he was hoping it was not Alison. Casey said it was Vienna Hyatt, and he added that someone had tampered with Vienna's medical records. Chris was stunned, and he gave Casey a lame excuse and ran out.
Vienna and Henry finished an early dinner and went up to their room at the Lakeview. As they passed Barbara's room, Vienna said that she wanted a very large kitchen in the house that Henry was going to buy for them when their baby arrived. Henry was standing near the door to Barbara's room, and he heard bumps and muffled moaning from inside. Vienna hurried Henry away, and referred to the fact that there, indeed, was someone for everyone. They went into their own room and sat on the bed while Vienna looked at pictures of bassinets. Henry was too distracted to participate, and he said that he was worried about the sounds he had heard emanating from Barbara's room.
Vienna asked why Henry even cared what was going on in there, and she offered that it had sounded to her as if Barbara was having sex on the floor, and she marveled that a woman Barbara's age could pull that off. "Once a tramp, always a tramp," she declared. Someone knocked on the door, and it was Katie, who said to Henry that she had "baby stuff" to discuss with Vienna. Henry excused himself and said he would be in the bar.
Katie told Vienna that her medical records said that she had been pregnant for over a month. Vienna was elated, but she was not so pleased when she learned that Katie had to involve Chris in their scheme. Katie was very concerned that helping Vienna had been "a horrible mistake." Vienna asked her friend to consider what she had done as saving two souls, hers and Henry's. Katie, however, regretted asking Chris to go against his principles. Katie declared Vienna "officially pregnant," and she left for home. Vienna went into the bathroom and took another pregnancy test, but it, too, was negative.
Alison was Vienna' s next visitor, and she claimed that she needed to "update" some of the woman's records. Vienna was a bit surprised that Alison was making a home visit, but Alison took out a notebook and pen and asked Vienna when her due date was. Vienna couldn't remember, and she also refused to give the name of her doctor. She tried to get Alison to leave, so Alison finally said that she knew Vienna had slept with Casey. Vienna called that a "horrible lie," but then she admitted it with a "so what?" Alison explained how worried Casey was about being the baby's father, so Vienna assured Alison that he was not, and she swore it on "Heaven and Earth." Alison said she would tell Casey that Henry was the father, and she gave Vienna her congratulations as she left.
Barbara continued her groaning and bumping along the floor as she tried to get herself untied. Henry began to worry, so he got a passing housekeeper to open the door for him. Inside, he found a trussed-up Barbara gyrating on the floor. He removed her gag and then began working on the drapery ties that Emily had used to restrain Barbara. Barbara was hysterical and shouted out that Emily was out to get Meg once and for all.
At home, Katie looked at photos of Brad and muttered that no one could ever replace him. Chris knocked and ran in, asking why Katie had not told him that Casey was sleeping with Vienna. Vienna also walked in behind Chris, and she thanked him for his help. Chris was angry that he had ever gotten involved with the scheme, and he blamed himself. He stomped out, as Vienna wailed that her entire future depended upon one little baby she was yet to conceive.
Katie went to Memorial and found Chris in the doctor's lounge, but they really had nothing to say to one another. Katie tried to explain that Vienna was desperate to be married to Henry and was terrified of losing him. Chris said he was in a position of having to keep the truth from his nephew, not to mention that he had jeopardized his job and his medical license. Katie finally said that she could assure Chris that she was 100% sure that the baby was not Casey's, and she grudgingly admitted that there was no baby. Chris called the whole thing "one big vicious lie," and he said he would tell Henry the truth. Katie argued, so Chris challenged her to try to stop him, and she planted a big kiss on his lips.
When they were able to talk, Chris said that was good, but not good enough. Katie said she could do even better. She offered to go away to a hotel with Chris if he would let Vienna's medical records stand. "Hmmmm," Chris mused, "sex for secrecy." Katie also said she was willing to go with him right away.
Alison gave Casey the good news that he was not the father of Vienna's baby, but he was reluctant to just take the woman's word for it. He was not yet able to let it go because something was not right.
At Fairwinds, Meg held Emily at gunpoint with Paul's revolver while she drank several cups of tea laced with methadone she had put there herself. She told Emily that after she shot her, the police would think Emily had poisoned Meg again. "Pretty soon, "said Meg, "I'm going to be buzzed, but you'll be dead." Emily mentioned that Eliza was asleep upstairs, but that did not concern Meg. They shouted at one another as Meg began to get more irrational. Emily begged her to put down the gun, but Meg said it wasn't time yet because she had to be "loaded" with methadone in order to convince the cops. Emily claimed that her mother, Susan, had hired a private investigator to find out who had stolen the drugs from Memorial, and that disturbed Meg even more.
Meg yelled at Emily that she was lying, as Meg appeared more confused. Finally a desperate Emily jumped her, and the two struggled. Meg was able to shove Emily away, and then she raised the gun and said, "Go to hell, "and she pulled the trigger. Just then, Paul, Emma, and an attendant ran in, and Paul went to Emily, while Emma ran to her daughter. Emma asked for the gun, and she was eventually able to persuade Meg to relinquish it. Meg was amazed that Emily was not dead, and Emily was dumbfounded, as well. Paul explained that he had replaced the bullets with blanks so that no one would get hurt.
Meg tried to say that Emily had drugged her again, but Emily set the record straight. She was very surprised when Paul believed her, however, until he told her that he knew that his wife was innocent all along. Meg appealed to Paul for help, as Emma got her to sit down on the couch. Then Barbara and Henry arrived, and Barbara was sure that Emily had tried to kill Meg again. Paul asked Henry to take his mother back to the Lakeview, and then he explained that Meg had been administering the methadone to herself. Emily questioned Paul about knowing all along what Meg was doing, as he returned the gun to the safe. Then he admitted that he had known Meg was drugging herself, but he could not take the chance of Barbara's tipping his hand.
Henry managed to get an angry Barbara away, as Emma and Paul watched a very calm Meg hug a throw pillow. They helped her to stand, but Meg fussed about where they were going. Emma promised her daughter that it would be safe and quiet in the hospital, and the two of them, plus the attendant, walked her out. When Paul returned, he apologized to Emily who still did not know how to respond to her husband.
Paul fixed himself a drink, and told Emily that he knew the exact moment when it had all clicked in his brain. It was when Paul had asked Emily straight out if she was drugging Meg's tea, and Emily had sworn on their marriage that she would never harm Meg. Paul said he had to figure out a way to set up Meg. He reminded Emily that he had bailed her out of jail and set up the whole scene. He and Emma were hiding in the hall and saw Meg take the gun from the safe and put the drugs in her tea. Emily then smacked Paul right across his face and said she understood.
Henry took Barbara back to her hotel room, as she complained how her own son had treated her. She was still angry at how Emily had tied her up, and she called her daughter-in-law "a menace." Barbara said the whole thing probably would not have happened if she had not been staying at Fairwinds in "Paul's little house of horrors." Henry offered to share the blame because Barbara had moved out in order to escape memories of him, but then he asked her to move back to the Lakeview permanently. He promised it would be different because all he could think of was kissing her, and he did just that. When Henry finally tore himself away, both he and Barbara were in terrible pain from their breaking hearts. Outside Barbara's room, Vienna hid in the shadows and watched Henry leave.
Chris accused Katie of "pimping" herself out just to keep a friend's secret, but she defended herself until she realized how weak her argument was. Chris decided, however, that he would accept Katie's offer to have sex with him in order to ensure his silence about Vienna's non-pregnancy. He opened the door in the doctors' lounge in Memorial and invited Katie to lead the way. They drove to Bay City and checked into a hotel right on the lake. In their room, Katie again asked Chris to please not tell Henry about Vienna's condition, and, in return, she promised to make things right with Casey. Chris agreed, so Katie suggested they get something to eat, and then he clarified that it would be fine after -- and he pointed to the bed. He looked at Katie and grinned, and then he said, "Take off your clothes."
Katie was very uncomfortable, as she slowly untied the bodice of her dress. Chris offered to help, so he began to assist. He remarked that she was trembling, and Katie apologized for disappointing him. Chris smiled and confessed that he had just wanted to see how far she would go to cover up Vienna's lie. He said he didn't really want to sleep with her, anyway, and he suggested a paddleboat ride on the lake instead. Katie wanted to know how the change in plans affected their "deal," so Chris said that he would not tell Henry the truth, but that she had to. They walked out of the room, but Chris looked back at the bed longingly.
In her suite at the Lakeview, Barbara went over and over her last kiss with Henry and then looked at herself in the mirror. Suddenly her mirror image yelled at her, "Hey! What's wrong with you?" and began to berate Barbara for not going after the man she loved. The image urged her to go out and get Henry back before he married Vienna. Then Barbara's alter ego asked since when Barbara Ryan gave up without a fight.
Vienna stormed angrily into her room in the hotel and began knocking bridal books and magazines to the floor. She bent to pick them up, and Henry walked in. He had something to say, but Vienna stopped him and said she already knew what he wanted to say. She suggested that they get married the very next day instead of waiting. Henry was hesitant, but Vienna was a woman on a mission. She also knew that Henry had wanted to bring up the subject of his feelings for Barbara, but Vienna refused to talk about Barbara again because Barbara had nothing to do with their wedding. Henry disagreed, however, and stated that Barbara had everything to do with their wedding.
Henry admitted that whatever he was feeling about Barbara was interfering with how he felt about Vienna. Vienna said that Henry looked at Barbara as "a way out," but she reminded him that she was the one having his child, and they owed it to the baby to stick together. She asked Henry if he could stand before a minister and say and mean those two little words, and Henry said, "For this baby, I do." They went down to the lounge, and Henry fortified himself with a martini while Vienna went to Lisa's office. When she returned, she handed him one of their wedding invitations. She explained that Lisa was printing them for her to save time, and he was holding the very first one.
Vienna said that she was hungry, but when she saw Chris and Katie walk in the lounge, she quickly said that she wanted to go to Metro to eat. Chris made a beeline for them, however, with Katie in tow, and Chris pushed Katie forward and said that she had something to say to Henry. Vienna jumped to Henry's side and declared that she and Henry were getting married the next day, and then she asked Henry to go back to Lisa's office and get two more invitations for Chris and Katie. Henry left on his errand, but Vienna was not pleased when Chris said that Katie had to tell Henry the truth.
Vienna was terrified that if she did not marry Henry immediately, then she would lose him. Henry returned with the invitations and doled them out. Katie stumbled around trying to find the right words to tell Henry that his fiancée had royally duped him, when Chris surprised her by saying that Katie only wanted the happy couple to set a date for the wedding, and that was already taken care of. Katie excused herself quietly, and Chris followed her out.
In the hospital, Chris was back at work, but Katie surprised him in the doctors' lounge again. She asked why he had not told Henry the truth when he had the perfect chance, and Chris asked, in turn, why she had agreed to keep the secret in the first place. Katie began to cry, and she confessed that it was because she wanted Vienna and Henry to have their "happily ever after." Then she took offense at a remark that Chris made about her relationship with Brad, and she lashed out and began to cry again. Chris suggested that she take her "perfect" marriage off its pedestal just a bit, so that she could start living again. Katie asked why Chris had lied to Henry, and he said he had done it for her. Then he kissed her.
At Memorial, Emma hugged Holden in the hall and told him that because of Paul's "trap," they had discovered that Meg had been drugging herself with methadone and framing Emily for it. Meg heard her brother's voice and called out to him from her room. Holden and Emma ran in, and Meg was frantic and began shouting how everything was Emily's fault. Meg asked Holden to call Paul and ask him to get there, as Holden realized just how disturbed his sister's mental state was. Emma and Holden stepped outside as a nurse tried to calm the patient. Meg continued to shout for them to call Paul, and Emma suggested that Holden do that. Holden was very angry with Paul, but he did as his mother asked.
Paul told Emily in the living room at Fairwinds that she should slap him again if it would make her feel any better. Emily accused him of lying to her for weeks, but Paul said it was the only way he could prove that Meg was self-medicating. Emily was furious that her own husband had let her go to jail, so Paul reiterated that he had to play his part in the drama convincingly. He apologized for hurting her, but he claimed it was all part of "the bigger picture," so that the pair of them could raise Eliza. Emily was also irate that she had to suffer verbal abuse from Barbara, as well, and she stomped upstairs.
In their bedroom, Emily packed a bag and told Paul she was going to her mother's. Paul begged her to stay, but Emily said that everything he had done had been for Meg, not her. He argued that he had always been in control, but Emily began to cry. Paul's phone rang, and it was Holden, who explained that he and Emma had "a situation" with Meg. He asked Paul to join them, and Paul glanced at Emily and then agreed. He begged Emily to stay, at least until he returned, but she refused to promise anything.
Barbara walked in unannounced, and Emily assumed she was there to apologize to her for all the false accusations. Barbara, however, set Emily straight by saying, "Not in this lifetime." Paul asked his mother not to kill his wife, and he asked Emily not to leave him -- ever, and he left for Memorial.
Barbara and Emily both went downstairs, and Barbara discussed how Emily had "brutalized" her in her hotel suite. They argued loudly, and when Emily reminded Barbara that Meg had tried to kill her, Barbara replied, "Who could blame her?" She also announced that she was moving back to the Lakeview, and Emily accused her of chasing after a much younger man. Emily urged her mother-in-law to give up Henry before she looked even "more pathetic" than ever. They traded more insults, and Barbara said she knew she would never have a place in her son's life as long as Emily was in it. She did ask for a framed photo of Paul and Eliza, however, and Emily agreed that Barbara could take it as long as she agreed to stay away from them.
Paul arrived at the hospital, and Emma said that the staff had pumped Meg's stomach, so the methadone was out of her system. Holden berated Paul for putting his sister's life at risk, but Emma said that Paul had to bring the situation to a head. She did say, however, that she could never forgive him for what he had done to Meg year after year after year. Meg heard Paul in the hall, and she called to him, as Holden warned him not to hurt Meg any more. Paul went into Meg's room and consoled her by saying that he owed her. Meg took that to mean that they could move on together, but Paul had to say that would not happen. Meg was not sure she could go on without him, but Paul said he wasn't good for her. He reminded her that she had to get well in order to be a part of Eliza's life.
Paul kissed Meg and walked out in tears. Emma said that the doctors had recommended that Meg go to a facility out of town, and then she broke down. Paul held her, and Holden thanked Paul for figuring out a way to get the right help for his sister. Paul looked at Meg once more through the window, and then he walked out.
Meg got dressed, and Holden broke the news that she was going to a hospital near her sister, Iva, in Washington, D.C. Meg asked Emma to go with her, and her mother promised to be with her every step of the way. Meg cried for Eliza, but she realized that she had to leave home in order to get well and return. Holden walked his mother and sister out.
Paul went home and was delighted that Emily was still there. They talked, and Paul begged her not to leave. He said that he wanted to raise Eliza with her, and they looked down the hall, and the little girl was standing there. Paul went to get her, and Emily began to laugh, accusing Paul of not playing fair. She kissed him and mentioned a huge diamond in the jewelry store window that just might salve her wounds.
Barbara walked through the Lakeview lounge, but Vienna waylaid her. Vienna handed Barbara an invitation to the wedding and then nastily said she would give Barbara and Henry a moment alone. Barbara read the invitation and was stunned that the wedding was so soon. She told Henry that was not what he really wanted, but Henry said he had "responsibilities." Barbara urged him to change his mind because he deserved happiness, too. Henry, however, was determined to put "Baby Coleman" ahead of his own wants and needs. It was his last chance, he lamented, to be "somebody's dad." He said he was sorry, and he left the lounge.
Barbara went to her suite and looked in her mirror again. She asked for a "rah-rah" speech from her alter ego, but nothing happened. Then, through her tears, she ripped the wedding invitation to shreds.
Henry sat with Vienna on their bed, and he talked to the baby he thought was there.
At Katie's house, Reid Oliver hung up from speaking with a caller who was very interested in hiring him, and the doorbell rang. His visitor was Luke, who said he understood that Reid had resigned his position at Memorial Hospital. The doctor said that was true, but it had absolutely nothing to do with Luke. Luke asked why he had quit, but Reid said that was his own business. Then he declared that he was sick of stupid hospital politics. He said petty rules and stupid regulations had made him reach a "toxic overload."
Reid told Luke that the Mayo Clinic had offered him a staff position, which he would accept, if they "sweetened the deal." Luke felt his visit had been a mistake, because he had been stupid enough to think that he owed Reid an apology for costing him his job. Reid said all he really wanted was a quiet evening alone, so Luke wished him well in Minneapolis. "Rochester," corrected the doctor, and Luke replied, "Whatever. I don't give a damn," and he walked out.
Luke joined Bob Hughes and Mona Cross at the Lakeview for another meeting about the sale of the hospital. Ms. Cross said that the new neurological wing was the primary reason why Invicta wanted to buy Memorial, but Dr. Oliver had not exactly fit their specifications. She was disheartened, however, that no replacement candidates even were close to Oliver's credentials. Bob offered to send over a list of recommendations with contact numbers the next morning to the Invicta offices, but Luke said they would never find anyone even close to Oliver's caliber. Ms. Cross asked why Oliver had abandoned his promising career, and Luke answered honestly that the doctor had done it for him.
Luke explained that he and Reid had been about to start a relationship, and that surprised Ms. Cross. Luke, however, proposed a solution; he offered to resign his seat on the hospital advisory board in order to resolve any conflict of interest. When no one objected, Luke gave a verbal resignation and advised them not to let Dr. Oliver "get away," and he ran out.
Reid was drinking at the bar in Yo's when his phone rang. The caller was Bob Hughes, who asked where the doctor was. When Bob mentioned Luke, Reid hung up, refusing to discuss anything "personal." He ordered another drink, and Bob walked in the bar. He said that Luke had stood up for Reid at the hospital meeting and had given a wonderful speech on his behalf. Bob asked Reid to return to Memorial for work, and he took a sip from Oliver's drink. "There's no alcohol in that," he complained. Reid looked at Bob and said, "And I hate Minnesota."
Reid went to Lily's and told Luke that he knew what had occurred with Mona Cross and Bob. "Here's the deal," Reid said. He announced that he was passing on the Mayo Clinic and staying with the new neurological facility in Oakdale. He also mumbled that he knew Luke was staying with Noah, but Luke quickly corrected him. He said he and Noah were only friends, and Reid admitted that he might have overreacted after seeing the pair in Java. Luke stepped closer and brushed some lint from Reid's collar.
Katie and Chris exchanged powerful kisses in the doctor's lounge until she pushed him away. She asked why Chris had agreed not to tell Henry that his fiancée wasn't pregnant, and he said that it was for Katie. He went on that he had broken the law for her by tampering with Vienna's medical records, and he held her hand. Katie reminded him that Brad had been the love of her life, but Chris interrupted that he thought she deserved to be happy again, and most likely with him. Casey barged in and began apologizing profusely. Katie left in a hurry, as Casey declared that he definitely deserved the "buzz kill of the week" award.
Chris avoided any more conversation about Katie and said that he had to meet his mother for dinner. Casey said he was hoping that he could still count on Chris to find out if he was the father of Vienna's baby, so Chris told him that he knew for a fact that Vienna was not carrying his child. Casey was relieved, although he admitted that he had been getting a little psyched about being a responsible dad. Chris called him a "free man," and he left to meet Kim at Metro.
In her suite, Barbara looked at the torn pieces of Henry and Vienna's wedding invitation, and someone knocked. It was Kim, so Barbara showed her aunt the ripped-up invitation and said she saw no reason for her to attend. Kim, however, gave Barbara a pep talk and said that her niece had a "lot of cards yet to play." Barbara, however, quoted Henry, who always said you had to "know when to fold 'em." Barbara held up the invitation and claimed she had a losing hand. Kim told her to find a man who really appreciated her, but warned that she wouldn't find him in her hotel room. Kim urged Barbara to get dressed and go with her to Metro to have dinner with Chris. She promised that getting out would perk up Barbara, since they wouldn't be running into the happy couple.
Henry and Vienna were in bed talking about being husband and wife the next day. Vienna went on about how their relationship was based on "openness and trust," so she was glad that Henry had admitted that he had feelings for Barbara. Vienna asked what was on Henry's mind at that exact moment, and he put his hand on her belly and remarked that it was strange that for being so many weeks pregnant that Vienna had not yet stated to show. Vienna got upset, so she got up and put on her robe. She declared that there was nothing "strange" about that because all the women in her family never showed until late in their term.
Henry then reminded her that she had showed early with their first pregnancy, so to distract him, Vienna grabbed Henry and asked him to make love to her. Henry protested and suggested that they "save something for the honeymoon," and someone knocked loudly on the door. Henry opened the door to Katie, who told them to get dressed because she was taking them to Metro for an engagement celebration Vienna would never forget.
At Metro, Kim and Barbara met Chris, and Barbara said she felt better already about "Henry and his Swedish broodmare." She even ordered champagne to celebrate her moving on. Suddenly Chris, who was facing the door, got a strange look on his face, and Katie, Vienna, and Henry walked in and sat at the bar. Kim asked Barbara if she wanted to leave, but Barbara said they were there first, and besides, she had champagne on order. Katie's group also considered moving on, but Henry wanted to stay, and Katie had preordered champagne for them. Katie toasted the engaged couple and wished them much happiness. Vienna started to drink from her champagne flute, but Henry grabbed her glass and reminded her she was pregnant. "Ooops," Vienna said and blamed it on "old habits."
Henry couldn't keep his eyes off Barbara, and Katie and Chris kept eyeing each other. Finally Chris excused himself and went to speak with Katie. He asked her to dance, but she literally gave a "lame" excuse. Chris gave up, but at Kim's suggestion, he asked Barbara to dance. Katie was dancing with Henry as Chris guided Barbara next to them and suddenly switched partners. "Uh-oh," mumbled Kim, "this could be trouble." Vienna was not pleased, so she took a slug of champagne and shot off her bar stool for the dance floor. She cut in on Barbara roughly, and shoved the woman into another couple who spilled their drinks on Barbara's dress. "That does it," growled Barbara, and she yanked Vienna away from Henry, and the two women went at it.
Barbara and Vienna shrieked at each other and scrambled to get closer. Henry subdued Vienna, and Chris grabbed Barbara. Kim jumped up and told everyone to calm down. Vienna hurled another insult, so Barbara grabbed her purse and retreated to the ladies' room where she yelled at herself in the mirror. An angry Henry scolded Vienna about her behavior, but Vienna claimed it was "way overdue." She convinced Henry to dance with her, as Katie and Chris watched them. Katie was sure that Henry and Vienna could keep each other on the right path, as Chris saw how tired Katie was and suggested that she go home and get some sleep. He said he would pick her up for the wedding, and then he picked a yellow rose from a floral bouquet on the bar and handed it to her.
As Katie left the bar, Casey walked in. He saw Henry and Vienna dancing, so he cut in on Henry, who was more than glad to hand over Vienna. At his table, however, Chris saw Casey dancing with a reluctant Vienna, and he murmured, "Oh, boy," loud enough for his mother to ask what was wrong.
Vienna told Casey to leave her alone, and she escaped to the ladies' room. She was stunned to see Casey follow her in there, but he said he only wanted to apologize for not believing her about the baby's not being his. Vienna accepted his apology and said she had moved on past surreptitious sex in a hospital bed. Casey congratulated her, and Vienna gave him a friendly hug. Casey left, and as Vienna was checking her makeup, Barbara walked out of one of the stalls. She stood behind Vienna and said, "You bitch!"
Barbara accused Vienna of having the gall to torture Henry while she was playing "slutty nurse" and sleeping with Casey Hughes. Then she asked why Casey had not believed her earlier about the paternity of her baby, but Vienna did not respond. They began shouting loudly, and Vienna claimed that Henry would not care whom she'd slept with. "Let's find out," taunted Barbara, and she walked out with a raging Vienna right behind her. They ran into Kim, who had heard the shouting and demanded to know what was going on. Vienna walked past her, as Barbara said the truth would prevail. Vienna grabbed her purse and Henry and declared it was time to go.
Kim and Chris finished their dinner, and he said his sea bass had been very tasty. Kim said that other than the good food, the evening was between a "flop" and a "disaster." Chris said he'd just as soon skip the rest of the meal, and his mother asked, "So you can go to Katie's for dessert?" Chris was embarrassed, but he told her if that was her version of the "take it slowly" lecture, Bob had beaten her to it. Kim said it was, and she warned her son anyway.
At home, Katie put Jacob down for the night and sat for a minute on the couch. She thought back to her wedding day with Brad and said she would never forget a minute of it. She pulled the yellow rose Chris had given her from her purse and looked at it. Then she got ready for bed and was just turning out the light when her phone rang. It was Chris, making sure that she had gotten home safely. He tried to tell her something, but Katie said she already knew. They said goodnight, and Katie looked at the rose in a bud vase in her bedroom.
Henry and Vienna went back to their room, but Vienna said it was bad luck for the bride and groom to be together the night before the wedding. Henry volunteered to find other lodgings, but Vienna made him promise that wouldn't involve Barbara. Henry reassured her it would not, and he promised nothing would stop their wedding.
An excited Casey ran up to Alison in the hospital and declared that he was officially not the father of Vienna's baby. He said a doctor had told him, so Casey was very relieved. Alison said she was happy for him, and Casey thanked her for her help and gave her a big hug. Then he suggested that they crash Henry and Vienna's wedding, but then both of them realized that would be "awkward."
Casey said that he owed Alison a good time and asked what she wanted to do. Alison suggested that he surprise her because she was "an easy date." She immediately regretted her choice of words, but Casey knew what she meant, and they made plans to meet after work. Casey went back to work, and a nurse handed Alison an envelope that had been sent to her in care of the hospital. The return address was Mick Dante in St. Louis.
Emily admired her new ring, as she and Paul had breakfast. They talked about their being a family again, but Emily was still very angry at Barbara for nearly ruining their marriage. Paul agreed that his mother had acted atrociously, but he advised Emily not to take it personally. "Are you kidding?" yelled Emily. "It is personal; she hates me!" Paul promised that Barbara would shape up if they just gave her some time. He proposed that they focus on all the great things they had in their lives. Alison appeared to speak with Emily, so Paul left the sisters alone.
Alison handed Emily the envelope from Mick and said she had been "too creeped out" to open it. She asked her sister to do the honors, so Emily tore it open. She read the letter out loud, and in it, Mick apologized for what had happened and reported that his therapy was going well, and he was "integrating" his personalities. Then he asked if there might ever be a chance for the two of them again. Emily suggested that Alison forget about the letter, and Alison said that was a good idea because she and Casey were hanging out again. Emily was surprised that he was even speaking to her sister, but Alison described them as "on the mend." Emily gave her back the letter and told her to destroy it.
Alison went back to her shift at Memorial and found an empty room with a metal wastebasket. She set fire to the letter from Mick and watched it burn. Casey walked in and asked if she was trying to burn the place down, but Alison described it as "destroying old memories." She then decided to tell Casey the truth, so she told him about the letter's contents. Casey asked Alison how the letter made her feel, and she replied that she felt scared and anxious, but she was relieved that Mick couldn't hurt her anymore. She said burning the letter had freed her from the past.
Vienna visited Katie early on the morning of her wedding, and she wondered if Henry had spent the night there. Katie said no, but Vienna was still concerned. She finally admitted that she was worried about Barbara, who had found out that Vienna had slept with Casey. Katie began to panic, but Vienna assured her that Barbara did not know that Vienna was not pregnant. She begged Katie for help in making Barbara go away. She was desperate that the woman disappear so that Vienna could get on with her future with Henry. Katie suggested that Vienna tell Henry the truth, but Vienna was too afraid that would backfire. She said she couldn't do it alone, so Katie agreed to help. Then Katie reminded Vienna that they had a wedding to prepare for.
Henry snoozed on a table in the Lakeview lounge, and Barbara spotted him. She woke him, and he said he had been there since two in the morning when he and Vienna had decided to spend the night apart. Barbara misunderstood his meaning, and she began talking about how their split was all for the best and how sorry she was that it had happened. Henry had no clue what Barbara was talking about, and he said he was there only because he had a very superstitious fiancée who insisted that he couldn't see her before the wedding.
Then he asked what Barbara had meant, but she realized her error and brushed it off. She also confided to Henry that she couldn't stand Vienna, but he wanted her assurance that she would always be his friend. Barbara ordered strong coffee for them both, with an I.V. drip for Henry.
Katie and Vienna went back to the Lakeview together, and Vienna said that she still had to go to Fashions for the final fitting of her dress. She was nervous and decided that she wanted a glass of champagne, so she pulled Katie into the bar and saw Henry sitting with Barbara. Vienna ducked back out and whined to Katie that Barbara was probably telling Henry all about Casey. She called Henry on his phone and said she was looking right at him, but she cautioned him not to turn around and look at her or it would bring bad luck. Vienna told him to forget his coffee with Barbara and to jump to all the things he had to do before the ceremony. Barbara wished Henry well and walked him out, but she stopped at the desk in the lobby to let him go on.
When Henry was gone, Barbara detoured around the corner where Vienna and Katie were hiding. "I see you brought your wheelman," Barbara snidely remarked, but Vienna referred to Katie as her maid of honor. Barbara gloated a bit and said that she relished the fact that she held Vienna's future in her hands. Katie hustled Vienna to the elevator, as Barbara sneered.
Not long afterward, Barbara ran into Fashions as she followed someone who had long dark hair like Vienna. The woman was just closing the curtain in the dressing room when Barbara arrived, so she stood outside and lectured Vienna on how awful it was for her to force poor Henry into marriage without telling him all the facts. Barbara said she was giving Vienna one hour to tell Henry the truth about Casey, or she would tell him herself. When Vienna didn't answer, Barbara ripped open the curtain to face a complete stranger, who was quite irate. Barbara ran outside and hid behind a pillar in Old Town. She saw a disguised Vienna take a piece of paper from an Asian woman, and then Barbara took off. A while later, Vienna returned to her car and checked her map for an address in Chinatown. She drove off, not knowing that Barbara was hidden on the floor behind the driver's seat.
Henry went to the cemetery and talked to the grave of his buddy, Brad. He told Brad that he thought he still loved Vienna, but he couldn't get Barbara out of his head. He said Barbara needed him in ways that Vienna didn't, and it felt good to be needed. He admitted that he felt more comfortable and relaxed with Barbara, and he asked Brad to send him a sign. Suddenly Henry realized that someone was behind him, and it was Katie. She asked Henry if he was having second thoughts about the wedding, and he admitted he was on his third round of them. He couldn't explain why he was reluctant to marry Vienna and seemed so unsure. Katie urged him to act on the love he knew he had for her friend. Henry "manned up" and declared that he had a wedding to get ready for, and he took off. Katie stayed a bit longer and talked to her love.
Henry's next stop was Fairwinds, where he asked Paul to be his best man. Paul graciously accepted, and Emily joined them and congratulated the brothers. She also asked to see the rings, and Henry almost went into heart failure. He had completely forgotten about rings, and he began to hyperventilate. He was forced to breathe into his personal brown paper bag, as Emily went off on a tirade about her "monster-in-law," Barbara. Henry recovered enough to defend Barbara, but Paul interrupted and said they needed to focus on the wedding. Paul took Henry under his wing and marched him out.
After Paul delivered Henry back to the Lakeview to get dressed, he went home and found Emily looking gorgeous. He remarked how happy he was at the moment, and Emily said she felt that way too, but she would be even happier if Paul were an orphan. She agreed, however, to a temporary truce on the subject of Barbara, at least until the wedding was over.
Henry got dressed in his room, but he couldn't find a tie that pleased him. He sat on the bed and looked miserable. At her house, Katie looked at a picture of Brad until her doorbell rang. It was Vienna with her wedding dress in tow. She put the dress down and showed Katie her new "baby bump," padding that fit under her dress and tied in the back. Katie was horrified, but Vienna said she couldn't risk Henry's getting angry and leaving her. Vienna asked for a bottle of water in order to take a Chinese fertility herb that she had gotten in Chinatown from a Dr. Ming, who was a fertility specialist. She poured the drug into the bottle and hoped for a wedding night baby.
According to the sales clerk, Barbara missed Vienna's final fitting at Fashions, but while she was there, Barbara noticed that the shop had installed new surveillance cameras. She looked at the monitor and noticed that the cameras covered the dressing rooms, as well; so when the clerk went in back, Barbara fiddled with the monitor and rewound the tape. She carefully watched Vienna enter a dressing room with her wedding dress, but she also saw her putting on her "baby bump." "That little liar!" exclaimed Barbara. "She's not even pregnant!"
"The jig is up, you lying little hussy," Barbara proclaimed as she watched Fashion's dressing room footage of Vienna slipping padding over her stomach.
At Katie's house, Vienna donned her padding as Katie implored her to tell Henry the truth. Vienna believed she'd get pregnant that night, so the truth didn't matter. Likening her feelings for Henry to Katie's feelings for Brad, she asserted that Henry would forget Barbara.
Just then, Barbara called to taunt Vienna about her trip to Dr. Ming's shop for fertility drugs. Vienna demanded that Barbara tell what she thought she knew, and Barbara hissed that Vienna wasn't pregnant at all. Revealing that she had proof about the belly padding, Barbara offered to spare Henry the truth, if Vienna abandoned the wedding. However, if Vienna dared to enter Al's Diner, Barbara would blow the sham of a wedding sky high.
Once off the phone, Vienna panicked, and Katie urged her friend to tell Henry before Barbara could. Vienna worried that Barbara would get to him first, but Katie said she'd take care of Barbara. Vienna rushed out. Katie left soon after and ran into Chris in the corridor. She murmured that there was a change in plans, and she'd meet him at the wedding.
At Java, Kim was anxious to get to the wedding early in case Barbara showed up to make a scene. Kim figured that Chris, Katie's date, could help Kim and Bob hustle Barbara out of there, if need be. Bob remarked that he'd advised Chris to give Katie space. Kim said that made two of them. Bob and Kim liked Katie, but were concerned about Chris because Katie was still grieving for Brad. They discussed how Chris had taken off twice after painful breakups with Alison. Kim worried that if Katie hurt him, he'd leave again.
In Old Town, Barbara swiped the surveillance disc and tried to brush past Emily on the street. She touted that she had something to show Henry; however, Emily ordered "Mrs. Robinson" to leave poor Henry alone. Barbara told Emily to take up knitting and stay out of her business. The two bickered about Barbara meddling in Emily's affairs until Barbara finally said that if Emily didn't move, Barbara would make her move.
Emily gloated that Barbara couldn't compete with Vienna and the baby, but Barbara claimed to know things that Emily didn't. Emily urged her to share, and Barbara laughed at the thought of confiding in her. Emily guessed that Barbara had nothing, and as she taunted Barbara about losing Henry, Barbara snatched Emily's dress strap and ripped it to force Emily to go home to change before the wedding.
Bob and Kim happened along in time to see the scuffle. Kim tried to reason with Barbara, who retorted, "Shut up, Kim!" Barbara exclaimed that she was tired of listening to people talk her out of her happiness. Barbara vowed to save Henry from a lying, conniving tramp, something she hadn't been able to do for her own son. Barbara and Emily stomped off, and Bob hoped they had good food at the wedding.
Bob and Kim were the first to arrive for the wedding, and were followed by Chris, who was concerned about Katie's mood earlier. His parents figured that Katie might be thinking of Brad on their best friends' wedding day. Chris took off, and Kim remarked that their son had it bad for Katie. Bob cooed that he and Kim had been married for three months, and Kim was tickled to be a newlywed. She hoped that Chris and Barbara could find loves like hers and Bob's.
At the Lakeview, Paul found Henry too jittery to even pick out a tie. After selecting one and deciding to hold onto the wedding rings, Paul awkwardly asked if Henry still had feelings for Barbara. Henry wondered who wouldn't have feelings for her, and he poetically listed Barbara's wonders. Paul advised Henry to reconsider his wedding, and Henry asked for a drink.
Paul refused to let Henry show up to his wedding drunk, or to let him marry the wrong woman. Henry said that he'd agonized about it, but he just had to let Barbara go. "Dear God in heaven, you're in love with my mother," Paul murmured. Henry pushed his stunned brother aside and rushed to the bar for that drink.
Downstairs, Paul followed Henry into the lounge, but neither man saw Barbara slip into the elevator with her surveillance disc. Back upstairs, a plain clothed guard caught Barbara trying to break into Henry's room. The guard knocked on the door, but when Henry didn't answer, the guard left. Someone in red gloves grabbed Barbara and pressed a cloth over her nose and mouth.
At the bar, Paul discouraged Henry from drinking before the wedding, but Henry tried to pour himself a triple at the thought of spending the rest of his life married. Paul said that if Henry really loved Barbara, he couldn't marry Vienna. "I do," Henry said. He regretted sleeping with Vienna, who'd subsequently become pregnant. Paul reasoned that Henry could honor his commitment to the baby without being married.
Still drinking, Henry explained that the miscarriage had broken him and Vienna; however, the new baby was a gift. He felt that he owed it to Vienna to stand by her, and he'd made up his mind to do just that. Paul conceded and ordered Henry some coffee. Henry gulped down more liquor and said Paul was the best man a guy could have.
Later, Paul helped a gregarious and stumbling Henry into Al's Diner. Henry went straight for the champagne, and Kim and Bob noted that Henry was wasted. Conversing with Paul, they guessed it had to do with Barbara, who'd had an altercation with Emily earlier. Bob and Kim explained that Emily would be there once she'd changed clothes.
Josiah, a guy who'd gotten his Internet certificate to marry couples at the same time that Henry had, arrived in a black Vulcan costume. He intended to marry Henry and Vienna during his break between the Star Trek conventions that day. Henry said that with enough champagne, he was cool with anything. Paul handed his brother another glass of bubbly.
Henry babbled to Josiah about love and marriage, and he wound up blabbing about his trials with Vienna and Barbara. Just as Paul worried about what was keeping Emily, she arrived, fuming about Barbara ruining her dress. Paul thought he should call his mother, but Emily seemed suspiciously certain that Barbara wouldn't show up at the wedding.
Wearing her bridal gown, Vienna rushed into the diner, and she said that she had something very important to tell her groom. Glancing at her padded stomach, Henry naively exclaimed that the baby was showing, and it had happened all at once, just as Vienna had said it would. Realizing that Barbara hadn't told Henry about the padding, Vienna suddenly proclaimed that it was her destiny to be Mrs. Henry Coleman forever.
Henry murmured that she seemed nervous, and he offered to postpone the event. Vienna replied that she wanted to marry him at that instant. Paul told Emily that the bride and groom had better marry before Barbara showed up. "She won't. Woman's intuition," Emily replied.
At Katie's house, Chris knocked on her door, and she silently approached from behind with dirt on her arms and face. Chris wondered what had happened to her. Inside, Katie cleaned herself up as she explained that Barbara had threatened to foil Vienna's scheme. While searching the whole town for Barbara, Katie had realized that she was obsessed with Henry and Vienna, because she had no love life of her own.
Katie revealed that Vienna's return to town had reminded her of when she, Brad, Vienna, and Henry had been inseparable. She sobbed that Vienna and Henry had fallen apart, and Katie just wanted her old life with Brad back. She was dirty because she'd sobbed her troubles to Brad at his gravesite earlier. It was there that she'd realized that she couldn't put Henry and Vienna back together. What they'd had was gone, and so was Brad.
Chris informed Katie that he was certain that Vienna hadn't told Henry anything about the nonexistent baby, and neither had Barbara. Katie thought that was good, but Chris pointed out that Barbara could show up at the wedding at any time. Katie agreed, and she hustled to change, so that they could leave.
When Katie and Chris arrived at Al's, Katie pulled Vienna aside to ask if she'd told Henry the truth. Vienna said that she'd done what she had to do. Conferring with Chris, Katie figured that Vienna must have told Henry, but it hadn't registered because Henry was drunk. Chris said Henry would have to be in a coma for that not to register.
Across the room, Henry slapped himself several times to sober up, and Paul called everyone to their places. The guests glanced around, presumably looking for Barbara. Josiah commenced the ceremony and asked if anyone knew a reason that the couple shouldn't be married that day. Meanwhile, Barbara lay unconscious on a warehouse floor.
