Blood Is Thicker Than Daughter
Schuyler barged into Rex's loft and discovered Stacy and Kim attempting to remove a padding that was affixed to Stacy's abdomen. Schuyler was convinced that Stacy wasn't pregnant, but a nervous Kim blurted out that Stacy had suffered a miscarriage. Upon learning that Stacy had lost Rex's child, Schuyler accused Stacy of conning an unsuspecting man into fathering a child, which she had planned to pass off as Rex's.
Schuyler was certain that Stacy wanted to trick Rex into believing that she was further along in her pregnancy than she actually was. Heading toward the door, Schuyler informed Stacy that he was going to tell Rex and Gigi the truth about Stacy's pregnancy. Cornered, Stacy exposed her bare stomach to Schuyler and announced that Schuyler was the father of her baby.
A stunned Schuyler listened as Stacy related that she had drugged him the night they had spent together. Schuyler reminded Stacy that she had assured him that they never had sex. Stacy and Kim stated that Stacy wanted Rex's child, not Schuyler's. As Schuyler panicked at the thought of fathering Stacy's child, Kim suggested that he forget about his one-night stand with Stacy.
Inside John's room at the Angel Square Hotel, Roxy entered the room as Natalie revealed to Rex that Mitch Laurence was alive and had murdered Jared. Upon hearing the news of a Mitch sighting, Roxy fainted. After Roxy regained consciousness, Rex questioned how Mitch could still be alive if Roxy's claims of killing Mitch were true. Natalie demanded to know the secret that Rex and Roxy were withholding regarding Mitch. As a helpless Roxy listened, Rex related that Mitch was his father.
Natalie wondered if Mitch had raped Roxy years earlier, but Roxy wouldn't reveal the details of how Mitch had fathered Rex. Upon learning that Roxy had been aware that Mitch had been alive for months, Natalie blamed Roxy for contributing to Jared's death. Natalie believed that Jared would still be alive if Roxy had been honest with everyone. A tearful Roxy claimed that she had only wanted to protect everyone from the evil Mitch Laurence. Rex said that everyone connected to Mitch would have to pay the price for Roxy's mistakes.
When Rex learned that Mitch was being held in a Napa jail, Rex attempted to phone the facility, but a frantic Roxy stopped him. Roxy panicked when Rex announced that he wanted to meet his father, and begged Natalie to convince Rex that meeting with Mitch was a bad idea. A concerned Natalie agreed that Rex should stay as far away from Mitch as possible, but Rex reminded Natalie of the desire she had to meet her family years before .
Natalie pleaded with Rex not to reveal his identity to Mitch. Warning Rex of Mitch's evil nature, Natalie was certain that Mitch would eventually hurt Rex, Shane, and Rex's unborn child. Insisting that he wanted to speak with Natalie alone, Rex instructed Roxy to leave. In tears, Roxy proclaimed her love for her children and apologized for the pain she had caused. Out in the hall, Roxy fell to the floor and wept uncontrollably.
Back inside the room, Natalie warned, "Once you tell Mitch that you're his son, there's no turning back!" Natalie begged Rex to speak with Jessica before he paid a visit to Mitch. Natalie believed that Jessica could give him insight on the horrors that existed as an offspring of Mitch Laurence.
At Llanfair, Jessica worried about Natalie's state of mind and expressed the guilt she felt over the pain Mitch had caused her family. Brody promised Jessica that they would help Natalie deal with her grief. Brody tried to get Jessica to discuss her feelings, but Jessica shut down and claimed that she didn't want to think about Mitch. Brody related that he was also in pain, but insisted that they would take care of each other.
Inside the Napa jail, Mitch spoke to his unknown visitor. After thanking the visitor for showing up, Mitch stated, "You have your instructions! Carry them out to the letter. My family's future depends on it!" Retrieving a pen and pad, Mitch related that he had one more task to complete. In a letter that he constructed to Jessica, Mitch wrote "You disobeyed the commandment to honor your father, but with my guidance you will learn contrition." After stating that he looked forward to meeting his granddaughter, Mitch signed the letter "Dad." Mitch instructed his follower to mail the letter.
Meanwhile, Brody and Jessica showered. As Brody pampered Jessica in the shower, she stood motionless. Afterward, Brody and Jessica went to bed. Jessica appeared worried as Brody kissed her goodnight.
At the Seattle hospital, Rachel told Todd that Téa was staying at the hotel across the street. Nearby, Greg tried to calm Danielle, who was upset to learn that Todd was searching for her mother. Once Danielle learned that Todd was headed to Téa's hotel room, Danielle attempted to follow him, but Rachel prevented her from doing so. Danielle questioned Rachel about Todd, but Rachel only informed the teen that Todd and Téa had a past. Convinced that Todd was a threat to her mother, Danielle broke away from Rachel, and ran off to protect her mother from Todd.
Meanwhile at the hotel, Ross fought with Téa. After an intense struggle, Téa lay unconscious on her hotel room floor. Todd stormed into the room and discovered Ross kneeling over an unconscious Téa. After pulling Ross away from Téa, Todd struck Ross, and helped Téa regain consciousness.
Upon regaining consciousness, Téa screamed for Todd to leave her alone. As Ross lay injured in the corner, Todd asked, "Do you two have a kid together?" Ross quickly announced that they did indeed have a daughter together. Placing the paternity test results in her pocket, Téa appeared nervous.
Noticing Téa's nervous behavior, Todd questioned why Téa didn't think he could deal with the fact that she had a child. Commenting on Todd's jealousy issues, Téa reminded Todd of his actions after being told that Jack was Max's son. A suspicious Todd wondered why Téa continued to lie to him once their marriage had ended. When Téa refused to answer, Todd exclaimed, "I think you're scared! You thought I was going to take her because she's mine. Is she my daughter?" Before Téa could answer, Danielle rushed into the room. Spotting her father, an elated Danielle fell into Ross's arms.
Todd and Téa listened as Ross and Danielle discussed their separation. Ross insisted that Téa had kept Danielle hidden from him. Danielle related that Téa had tried to convince her that Ross was a terrible person. In a calm tone, Todd asked Téa, "Do you care to tell her or should I?" Danielle demanded that Todd stay out of her family's business, but Todd insisted that Danielle leave with her mother immediately.
Informing Danielle that Todd was a dangerous man, Ross instructed Danielle never to listen to Todd. As the teen stared in disbelief, Ross asked Danielle if he had ever lied to her in the past. Danielle acknowledged that Ross had always been truthful with her. Téa pleaded with her daughter to ignore Ross's requests, but Ross insisted that his main priority was to take Danielle somewhere safe. Todd stated that Ross wasn't leaving the hotel with Danielle.
At the hospital, Greg told Rachel that Matthew was doing fine. Although Matthew hadn't felt any sensation in his legs, Greg insisted that Matthew was progressing as Greg expected. When Greg wondered here Danielle had gone, Rachel responded, "She's with her parents!"
Back at the hotel, Ross announced that he was leaving with Danielle. Staring at Ross, Todd declared "If you try and take her, it will be the last step you take!" Glaring at Todd, Danielle instructed, "Leave my dad alone!" Todd replied, "Ross isn't your dad!"
Congratulations, It's a Girl
At the police station, Bo received a visit from Rex, who revealed that Mitch Laurence was his father. Bo, thinking that it was a bad joke at first, tried to find holes in Rex's disclosure, but Rex assured him that it Roxy had confirmed it. A sullen Rex admitted that the truth explained his life and Roxy's actions in the past. He had hoped his father would turn out to be someone like Bo, Rex finished. Bo assured him that he was nothing like Mitch Laurence and in fact was a good father. Rex praised Bo in return, calling him a good teacher.
Bo promised that Mitch would not be able to get near Rex and his family, but Rex thought that he might want to see Mitch. Bo quickly shot the idea down, mentioning the fact that Mitch was "pure evil" and not Rex's father in any real sense. He thought that Mitch would try to get into Rex's head and go after his family. He thought it possible that Rex could get into Mitch's head as well. It was entirely too dangerous. He wanted Rex's promise that he would not go to see Mitch. He gave Rex a bear hug.
Oliver told off a fellow police officer who began to speak when Oliver told him that his boyfriend had delivered his dinner. When Oliver finally finished, the officer noted that he had only wanted to tell Oliver that there was soda in the break room. As Kyle stood by chuckling, Oliver apologized. The officer advised Oliver that not everyone was a jerk in their beliefs regarding Oliver's announcement that he was gay. Kyle pointed out that Oliver had referred to him as his boyfriend. He was pleased. The men shared a kiss when no one was looking.
At Llanfair, a panicked Viki ran downstairs to Clint when she discovered that Natalie was missing. He calmly reassured her that Natalie was safely ensconced with John and that Jessica had returned home with Brody. Viki's first thought was to head to John's place to retrieve Natalie but Clint advised her that the press was camped out in front of the house. He added that Viki had won the mayoral election while she had been gone. He congratulated her but she was adamant that she wanted to make a statement to the congregated press.
At the front door, Viki was bombarded with questions from the assembled reporters. Clint quieted them down and Viki proceeded to speak. She informed them that the police had learned that Jared did not kill Pamela or Wayne and that Mitch had been the one to commit all of the murders. Mitch was being held for the deaths. She added that Jessica considered Clint to be her father and that Mitch had no place in their lives. She jokingly reminded everyone of the mayoral election.
She was grateful to be elected and both honored and humbled that she had won, she continued. Even though she had high hopes during the election, she would, regretfully, not be able to serve. Her family had been going through some terrible times and it would be unfair to both them and the public for her to continue. She concluded that the city charter had provisions for a scenario such as the one that had occurred. Clint was sorry that she wouldn't take office. He knew of one person who would be happy.
Markko was still feeling regretful that he had been the one to cost Dorian the mayoral election, while Langston reassured him that thousands of people had cast their votes for Viki. He couldn't have been solely responsible for Dorian's loss, she consoled him.
Dorian continued on her mission of trying to locate the one person who had sabotaged her election. She ended up at the Buenos Días café and put Moe, Noelle and Carlotta into a line. Dorian wanted to know who everyone had voted for and why. She called it her post-election analysis. Carlotta accused her of just looking for someone to place the blame on for losing the election. She urged Dorian to "live with it" because it was over and she had lost. She herself had voted for Viki, Carlotta admitted, after seeing how Dorian had run her household. Moe took exception to Dorian's quizzing, noting that it was unconstitutional. Noelle suggested that Dorian count her blessings.
A gloomy Gigi sat with Shane at the counter and waited to hear some news from Schuyler. Noelle, noting Gigi's demeanor, had Moe call Shane into the kitchen. Noelle did her best to cheer Gigi up, acknowledging that everyone had bad days like Gigi had when she had been drunk. She wanted to know if Gigi had feelings for Schuyler. Instead of answering, Gigi recapped the night she spent with Schuyler because she had too much to drink. Noelle asked the question again. He was a good friend and a big help to her, she emphasized. He was off talking to Stacy to try to get her to keep her mouth shut about seeing them together, she added. She had planned on telling Rex the truth but he had just learned that Mitch was his father. She would tell him eventually, she swore. Noelle understood that it was a bad time.
Schuyler, paying a visit to Kim and Stacy, was stunned to learn that he was the father of Stacy's child. He wanted to know the reason that he should keep quiet. Kim pulled an uncertain Stacy aside when Schuyler received a call from Gigi and assured her that they needed to blame Schuyler for leverage. He wanted Gigi and would most likely do anything to have her, Kim explained. Schuyler told Gigi that he was negotiating with Stacy. He told the women that he had a conscience and would not be able to keep the news to himself. Kim did her best to embellish her plan, pointing out that Schuyler would end up with Gigi if he did what Kim wanted him to do.
Schuyler insisted that as the baby's father he had parental rights and wanted to be involved in raising his baby. As Kim continued to press for Schuyler to keep the news secret, he asked if she thought he was stupid. He asked if he was supposed to keep quiet for their benefit. Suddenly he had a thought. What if the baby looked like him, he wondered. The young women assured him that he and Rex had a resemblance to each other. He wondered about Rex's request for a paternity test after the baby's birth.
Kim told him not to worry. "We got that," she told him. He advised the women that they had hurt Gigi when they had shoved the sonogram in her face and that was the reason she had become drunk. As Stacy declared her love for Rex yet again, Schuyler reminded her yet again that Rex would never love her. Stacy recognized that Schuyler hated Rex and this was the chance for everyone to get the person they wanted, she pleaded. She would have Rex and he could have Gigi, as long as he remained quiet about the baby's real paternity. Schuyler insisted that while had had lied when he was on drugs, he wasn't that same guy any longer.
As a persistent Stacy and Kim tried their best to get Schuyler to go along with their plan, he asked how he knew for sure that the baby was his. They assured him it was. He had one condition, he countered. He wanted their assurance that they would not tell Rex about the night that Gigi stayed with him, even if it would help their cause. He admitted to feeling dirty.
In Seattle, Danielle heard Todd announce that he was her father but she ignored him, announcing that she had a dad and they were leaving together. Téa wanted to tell Danielle the truth and tried to stop her daughter. Danielle refused to listen when Téa showed off her bruised neck and emphasized how violent Ross was. Danielle was certain that it was Todd who had caused the bruising, not Ross.
Ross took Danielle's misunderstanding and ran with it, explaining that he had saved Téa from Todd. He reminded her of how fatherly he had been during her childhood and how he had looked after her. Téa drew Danielle's attention to Ross's face, pointing out that she had scratched him when he had tried to strangle her.
Danielle began to back away from Ross when she finally realized that Téa was speaking some truth. Uncomfortably, she looked at his hands on her shoulders and removed them. A flustered Ross started to make excuses for his actions, stressing that he was desperate to keep his daughter and merely wanted to make a point. Danielle grabbed her phone and called the police. Ross apologized for losing control but assured his daughter he would never hurt her.
When the local police officers arrived, Danielle told them that her mother was trying to kidnap her with Todd. Todd pointed out the bruises on Téa's neck that were there as a result of Ross attempting to strangle her. The policemen advised all of the adults that they would be needed at the police station for further questioning. They would have to put Danielle into protective custody. As Téa voiced her opposition the officers placed Ross in handcuffs. "She is mine, right?" Todd asked Téa. She pulled the DNA results from her pocket and handed them to him. "Congratulations, it's a girl," she responded. The officers returned and put Todd into handcuffs next. Danielle was unsuccessful in stopping them from taking her father.
Dorian returned to La Boulaie in a huff and Markko tried to confess his sin. Langston managed to jump in and interrupt before Markko was able to speak up. Dorian admitted that she felt as though she had let people down by losing and wouldn't be able to fulfill her campaign promises. Markko tried again and this time he managed to tell Dorian the truth; that he had voted for Viki instead of her. It was his fault that she lost, he said somberly.
As an angry Dorian began to blame Markko for her loss, Langston jumped up to aid him, noting that he wasn't the only person to have voted for Viki. She reminded Dorian that the person she loved was in London and she should focus on her personal life. Perhaps the fact that she had lost the election by one vote was a sign. Amelia walked into the kitchen and agreed with Langston. She thought that Dorian should follow her heart and be free to love who she chose, just like she preached. Dorian was loathe to abandon their cause but Amelia promised that they would keep on fighting. She knew that Dorian loved David.
Dorian extended her apologies to Markko, admitting that she had been looking for someone to blame. She adored both David and London and decided that she would pack. As she headed for the door, Amelia received a phone call and told Dorian to wait. Dorian was shocked to hear that Viki had vacated her office and would not serve. "It's not over," Amelia advised her.
As Gigi waited for Schuyler's call, Rex arrived at the café. She directed him to the kitchen to see Shane. "Mission accomplished," Schuyler told her when he called. Wondering what it cost him, Gigi was relieved to hear Schuyler assure her that she was safe.
Is It So Small a Thing?
As Starr prepared Thanksgiving dinner for herself, Cole, and Hope at La Boulaie, she lamented the fact that no one else was around to help them celebrate the holiday. She was shocked to see Dorian wander into the kitchen, because she had presumed that her aunt had flown to London to be with David. Dorian revealed that Viki had given up her position as mayor and Dorian was ready to serve in Viki's place, because people needed her. Dorian, not in the least empathetic, accused Viki of deserting the town's citizens. Starr felt that her aunt would make the same choice as Viki if she had been through the same situation.
Amelia arrived, announcing that the city council had succeeded in making their decision for a replacement mayor. "Congratulations, May or Lord," she exclaimed. The council had determined that with the original vote being so close, it was the "will of the people" to award the mayor's position to Dorian. Shouting for joy, Dorian proclaimed that she would be able to make a stand for gay rights. "What about David?" Starr asked her. She'd made a promise to the gay community, Dorian replied, and the people were counting on her.
Starr was happy that another of her aunts was a mayor of Llanview but she was disturbed by Dorian flaunting her ascendancy to the office. Viki and her family were hurting, the perceptive teen responded, and she didn't want to celebrate.
At Llanfair, a worried Viki was relieved to see Charlie as he walked through the front door. He had gone to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, he assured her. He expressed his dismay at Viki declining the position of mayor after all the hard work they had done. Viki apologized for making the decision without Charlie. He hoped she wasn't throwing it all away for him, because he didn't deserve it, he told her.
Viki assured him that she was doing it for herself because she needed to be there for her family. She recalled being in Africa when Nash had died. It wasn't a good time to begin such an important job, she pronounced, and she didn't feel as though she was sacrificing. Further, she felt that Charlie needed to forgive himself and she wanted to help him try. A mayor had to give 100% attention to the job, she concluded. Charlie wondered if the new mayor could be Dorian.
Jessica spent time with Bree until Brody arrived with a talking turkey toy for the little girl. Bree was excited to see Brody and, as the little group hugged, a despondent Natalie looked on jealously. Jessica apologized, but Natalie insisted that she understood. She remembered feeling happy but guilty after Jessica lost Nash. Bree handed Natalie a bunch of flowers in remembrance of Jared's favorites.
Brody extended his sympathies and an offer of help to Charlie, who thanked him and declined the offer. Charlie thought he would be fine with Viki's aid and his A.A. meetings.
On the phone back to Llanview, Rachel gave Nora the latest word on Matthew. She confirmed that Matthew had not been able to move his legs yet, but it was normal and they were hopeful. Bo arrived at the Buchanan mansion, exclaiming that he missed Nora. She acknowledged that her heart was breaking for Clint and she would have a difficult time telling him that she was leaving him. She loved Bo too much, she conceded. Bo knew that he and Nora would be together some day.
At the Buenos Días Café, the Balsoms grabbed a booth and sat down. Shane wandered off to see Moe in the kitchen, with pictures from the school play. He thought it was funny that his teacher thought that Moe was Shane's grandfather. Rex disclosed that he never wanted to tell Shane about his real grandfather, Mitch. Gigi felt that Rex should seek Jessica out, since he learned they were siblings, but he wasn't ready to talk to her. He wanted to talk to Shane first, he decided. Gigi advised him that she'd be by his side to help him, but the holiday was not the right time. She let Rex know that Jessica would be lucky to have him as a brother.
The Evans family congregated at the café for dinner. Mrs. Evans vowed that she would no longer speak to Greg since he had started dating Rachel. Mr. Evans asked her to "think about how quickly a family can go from anger to grief." He was not supportive of his wife's decision. He thought that they should extend their hands to the Buchanans instead of spending time holding a grudge. Moe and Noelle expressed their concern for the Buchanan family.
As Bo and Nora hugged, Clint walked into the room. He announced that he knew what was going on and the couple, stuttering, began to make excuses. Interrupting them, Clint declared that he knew they would rather be in Seattle with their son. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The Evans family had arrived with a feast for Thanksgiving. They appreciated how kind the Buchanans had been to them when Shaun was hurt. Clint dashed from the room, ordering everyone to wait.
Layla and Oliver chatted as they worked on putting together their Thanksgiving meal. Oliver noted that he had left his parents a message and Layla was confident they'd get back to him. Cristian thought that they had plenty to be thankful for. Oliver admitted that he was waiting for his first official date with Kyle while Layla realized that Cristian had never asked her for a date, either. Jokingly, Cristian suggested that it was good enough that he had moved back to the apartment. Oliver and Layla disagreed.
Kyle walked into the Angel Square Hotel as Roxy spoke confidentially to Morris, her stuffed porcupine. She admitted that she was still not on good terms with Rex, and she thought that Natalie needed her "other mother." Kyle extended an invitation to the dinner he was attending, sure that Oliver wouldn't mind. She didn't want to be the "sixth wheel," Roxy responded, declining the invitation. He informed her that she reminded him of his own mother.
In Seattle, Greg stopped by to check on Matthew, after Matthew ended his phone call to Destiny. Greg had hoped for more progress, but they were still on schedule for recovery, he told the teen. He would not make any guarantees and it was still possible that Matthew wouldn't walk, Greg admitted to his patient.
Rachel, Greg, and Matthew tried to enjoy their paltry holiday dinner. When Bo and Nora and the entire Evans family entered the room to share in the holiday, complete with a feast, they were ecstatic. Clint had flown the group to Seattle in his private jet. Shaun and Mrs. Evans were unable to get past their differences with Greg and they could only glare at him. Greg wondered why his mother and brother had bothered to fly out to Seattle. Mr. Evans assured Greg that they had both wanted to be there. Greg acknowledged that while he was sorry about what happened between himself and Shaun, he would continue to pursue Rachel.
As Viki and Natalie reminisced about Jared, Viki suddenly remembered that it was Thanksgiving. When they heard a knock on the door, they were surprised and thrilled to find Moe, Noelle, and the Balsom family, complete with a Thanksgiving dinner. There was another surprise when Dorian, Starr, Cole, and Hope arrived shortly after. Gigi informed Noelle that Schuyler had managed to get Stacy to keep quiet about Gigi staying overnight with him. She thought it was the last thing that Rex needed to hear. Rex advised Charlie that Roxy was up to her usual tricks, and he and Jared had both been proud to be called Charlie's sons. Clint arrived.
Viki congratulated Dorian after Dorian told her she would be taking over as mayor. Viki thought that Dorian would be excellent "if you choose to be." As all of the guests mingled, Viki announced that she wanted to share a favorite poem with all of them. She read the moving words, based on Is It So Small a Thing? by Matthew Arnold.
As Viki read, families and friends across Llanview and beyond celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday. Nigel and Renee shared a drink, while in Seattle, Destiny did her best to reunite her own family members. She pulled Greg over to the couch where Shaun and her mother were sitting. Bo and Nora felt bad for their disappointed son. Jessica thanked Clint for being her real dad, and expressed her love for him. Layla, Cristian, Oliver, and Kyle shared the holiday.
It was time for dessert in Seattle and when Destiny accidentally dropped her fork onto Matthew's leg, she was instantly apologetic. It was a turning point for the teen as he realized that he suddenly had feeling in his leg. Everyone was joyful when he was able to move his toes.
Back at La Boualie, Cole showed Starr the wishbone he had nabbed from her first prepared Thanksgiving turkey. He wanted to save it as a souvenir for Hope and didn't want it broken. He had everything he wanted anyway, he said as he smiled at Starr.
As the song "All We Are" by Matt Nathanson began to softly play, the citizens of Llanview continued to observe the holiday. Roxy watched forlornly from outside the Buenos Días Café as her family members returned to the eatery. Spotting his mother outside, Rex went after her as she walked away. He led her back to the café, where she exuberantly hugged her grandson. Charlie cleaned up after dinner, looking longingly at a leftover glass of wine. Having second thoughts, he spilled the drink out. In Seattle, as Shaun eyed Greg and Rachel, Destiny tied the laces on Matthew's brand new sneakers.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, ABC aired encore episodes of recent memorable show in today's daytime line-up. This programming change was planned for and there will be no lost episodes as a result. For your convenience, we've provided links to the full recaps that we posted when these episodes originally aired.
All My Children:
On an island in the Caribbean, Amanda goes into labor and plans to tell David that their baby died. Originally aired on June 12, 2009 (Click here for the complete recap)
One Life to Live:
Dorian announces that she and Amelia are going to get married - and then they kiss. Originally aired on November 9, 2009 (Click here for the complete recap)
General Hospital:
James Franco makes his first appearance as the mysterious Franco. Originally aired on November 20, 2009 (Click here for the complete recap)
On behalf of everyone at Soap Central, I'd like to let you know that your support of Soap Central over the years means so much to us. Without you, our loyal readers and fellow soap fans, we wouldn't be marking the close of our 14th year online. I hope that you and your loved ones have a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving.
Dan J Kroll
Founder, Soap Central
Due to the extended Thanksgiving holiday, One Life to Live did not air today. This programming change was planned for, and there will be no lost episodes as a result. Regular programming will resume on Monday, November 30 and pick up where Wednesday, November 25's episode concluded.
