Donna's not big on vacuuming and cleaning and dusting. Peter refuses to mow the lawn when spring comes. (500 acres he said. That's a lot.) Marley plans to get a job. Donna's opposed.
Catlin wishes he could've done more for Willa. Blaine said he'd done all he could. It's all over the papers. "Sally," he said.
"Catlin," she said. Sally and Alice discussed Willa. Sally's indignant that they're trying to make it sound like a crime that he knew her.
Cass presented Kathleen with flowers. He's on about Valentine's Day. She'd forgotten. Oh, hi, Dee. Kathleen gave Dee her flowers from Cass from Cass. Cass sounds fogged. Dee's thrilled. She thanked him. She went to put them in water. Cass told Kathleen the story of his first love -- Stevie LaFraise. Lived on the next block (this foreign babe Kathleen called her). Kissed him smack on the mouth at his 9th birthday party (and she almost 10). Threw him over and moved away. Cass asked after Kathleen's first love. Richie Columbo. He 17. She 7. He was their paper boy. "He would ride by our house every morning . . . effortlessly pedaling his magnificent ten speed like some Greek god." He spoke to her but once. In the pizza parlour he asked her what those little black things on her pizza were. Olives she said. He ordered a pizza with everything but. The conversation thrilled her for months. What if she'd said mushrooms, she mused.
Donna's bats. She won't let Marley work. Peter and Marley are against her. They're going to let her cool down.
Sally says the whole thing will blow over. Alice thinks he should talk to a lawyer. Sally says she's not going to make him do anything he doesn't want to do. He's got to trust her no matter what.
Blaine told Catlin it wasn't his fault Willa came. He said she'd come looking for him. Blaine: She used you before. That's what you said. Catlin: Yeah. Blaine: Well it seems to me that she wanted to use you again. Catlin: She was just so mixed up -- Blaine: Well I don't want you to get mixed up. Now you have to put this behind you. Catlin: Yeah. That's what I'm trying to do. Blaine: How's Sally taking it? Catlin: She's standing right beside me. Blaine: Are you surprised with that? Catlin: I should've been honest with her from the beginning. I should've told her all about Willa. I don't know many women who would be this understanding. Blaine: She loves you, stupid. Catlin: Yeah. I love her too. I'm really lucky to have her. But she must be so hurt by all this. Blaine: Catlin. She knows you didn't do it deliberately. And as for what happened to Willa, you can't be held responsible for that. Catlin: I wish I could believe that. Catlin: I wish I could believe that. Blaine: WELL YOU CAN. And now that Larry knows the truth he's going to clear everything up. Catlin: I don't think he can. Blaine: YES HE WILL. And next week you and Sally will be married, your suspension will be revoked, and this whole thing will be nothing more than a sad memory. Catlin: I hope so. Blaine: Oh, Catlin.
I didn't mention this at the time because Peter seemed to heed it not but when Sally turned down his Brava mess she suggested Kathleen and he seems to be acting on that now. Peter wants to improve Brava. It hasn't been the same since Cecile left. He checked New York and everybody loved Kathleen. He knows about the $50,000 Jamie gave her. She'll consider it but she likes being Winthrop president. [Ed. Note: Peter is hung up on sex. He made the occasional crack about Cass. Kathleen held her own.]
Moses supposes his toeses are roses but Moses supposes erroneously. Cass is on about Singin' In the Rain to Dee (I love this man) and diction and grammar. Dee wants to throw in the towel. Cass was kind but firm. He left her Mosesing to answer the door. Tony arrived to hear about Donna's party. He's displeased they've not got the letter from Donna. Cass managed to get Dee out of the room in time.
Blaine gave Sandy a Valentine's present. Chocolates. He'd forgotten. She says he can share with her. They discussed Catlin. Sandy wants to make up for his rotten memory. They'll go to Tallboys and if she comes home with him he'll give her some of his candy. She thinks she might be able to swing it considering they share a dwelling. But she says they can forget about the candy.
Catlin's brooding. Catlin: Don't you see what's happening? I had a whole lifetime before I met you. And now it's coming BACK. It's coming back and it's going to ruin everything we have. Sally: Honey, what happened with Willa is not going to hurt US. Catlin: Well I wish I could believe that. Sally: I love you. And no matter what the papers say, what the police do, I'm not going to walk out on you, you know that. Catlin: You don't even know me. Not the guy Willa knew. Sally: The guy Willa knew doesn't even exist any more. Catlin: Sure he does. If she hadn't come back looking for him maybe she wouldn't've been killed. Sally: What happened to Willa is not your fault. You cannot blame yourself for that. Catlin: IF I'd known, if only I'd KNOWN, maybe I could've HELPED her. Oh, man. Sally: Well it's too late for that now, but maybe you can help yourself. Why don't you tell me about her? Catlin: That wouldn't do any good. Sally: Catlin, I love you, and I want to be able to share everything with you, not just the good things. Catlin: I met her a long time ago in Wyoming. I always felt kind of sorry for her. Sally: Why? Catlin: Because she was so alone. Sally: Didn't she have any family? Catlin: Not any more. She didn't have many friends, either. At one point she got mixed up with drugs. She got busted. She tried to convince the cops that I gave her the stuff. Sally: Did they ARREST you? Catlin: I got out of it okay. Sally: And you still hung out with her after that? Catlin: Yeah. I never could stay mad at her,. There was just something about her, I don't know, I just always wanted to protect her (longish silence). Well, that's all there is to tell about her. Sally: Thank you. Catlin: For WHAT? Sally: For talking to me. For trusting me. Catlin: I don't know what's going to happen now. Sally: I do. You're going to be reinstated at the Academy. Catlin: Larry thinks I need a lawyer. Sally: Well, yeah. So does my mom. Catlin: WHY? What'd I do, except TALK to somebody that I knew a long time ago? BIG DEAL. That's all it was, I swear. Sally: I know that. And I believe you. But it would be better to play it safe. Maybe we should talk to a lawyer.
Tony's annoyed. He thinks Dee's not there. Cass says Dee's not progressing as well as he'd hoped. Tony sicced Rocco on him. Sudden silence. I suspect Dee of appearing and looking radiant. Commercial. I was right. Tony's thrilled. Cass got a little arrogant. Cass said he and Dee were real close now. Tony was taken aback until Cass amended it to close to their goal. Cass told him all the credit should go to Dee and told her that she was the most beautiful young lady he'd ever seen. She's pleased I think.
Marley breezed in somewhere thinking Ben would be there and found Jake instead. He was solicitous. Then conversation appeared perfectly normal (until he asked her to hand him a shirt at which point I stopped the tape and had hysterics). Jake hasn't seen Ben. He would like a tour of the estate but she doesn't think today's a good day. Jake said Ben could come too. Ben arrived and asked where they were going. Jake explained. Ben said it was up to Marley. Marley said 'twas okay. Jake wants to go now. (Could he be an impostor? His looks were surprising and he's uncommon eager to view richesse.) He's taking his camera.
Sally talked to Peter. He suggested they go talk to Catlin. She said Catlin didn't know she was talking to him and she'd like to talk to him herself first. Peter said he could talk to him when he got there. He wants to confer with him before Larry INTERROGATES him. He asked if there were anything other than what was in the papers. Sally said yes but she'd let Catlin tell him. She thanked him. He said they'd get Catlin out of this JAM and she wasn't to look so sad and he's her friend. She feels better already.
The hospital staff is quaking in its boots because Sandy (while at KBAY) fired hundreds upon thousands of employees (and, consequently, KBAY made money hand over fist) and he seems to think that's a good idea. Alice is not afraid. She only wants the hospital to do the best.
Donna says she likes Blaine so much. (For one who adores the man's wife she certainly spends enough time with the man.) She giggles.
Sally and Peter were surprised to find the cabin Catlinless. Catlin returned. He'd been out walking. And what brings you here, Peter? Sally tried to explain that she'd wanted to talk to him first but Peter barreled ahead. Steamroller Peter. Peter asked Sally to leave them alone. Catlin was unthrilled but Peter went about it the right way (saying that he was sure he could handle it himself but it would make Sally feel better to know he had support) and Catlin gave in. Sally returned. Peter thinks they should talk to Larry and get him cleared sooner so they can go on with their plans. (Life. The Universe. Everything.) The menfolk left. Sally'll wait for Catlin there.
Jake's an amateur photographer. Donna doesn't like him taking photos of her home. He apologized. "Didn't the maid tell you I forbade cameras on the property?" Jake said he'd never invade a woman's privacy and he'd give her the negatives. She said that wouldn't be necessary. Teatime. She rebuked Marley for carrying the tray. She intends to speak to Roberts about this. "That is one up-front lady," says Jake. O the irony of it all.
Larry adopted his frustrated cop manner for dealing with Catlin. He was on and on about Willa. Catlin objected to the theory that Willa had bought drugs with his $20 and died. He said she didn't look like she'd been on drugs, she just looked scared. He said he thought somebody'd wanted Willa out of the way (glimmerings of intelligence?).
Cass raved about Dee to Kathleen. Dee came in. Kathleen was impressed. They want to go and visit Donna for her recommendation.
Catlin returned to the cabin. Sally reassured him. Sally: I love you so much. Catlin: Oh, I love you. Sally: And the only thing we have to think about now is our wedding next week. Spending the rest of our lives together. You said that nothing would interfere with that, you promised, remember. Catlin: I meant it. Sally: Good. Let's just concentrate on each other. Leave this whole mess in Peter's hands. (Foreshadowing the lack of wedding?) Rustly silence.
Peter called an informant in Wyoming. He wants anything that could link Willa Grover to Catlin Ewing. He was short with him. Just get the information. (I HATE this man. He wants to find something so hideous it will turn Sally's stomach, no doubt.) At the end there was a pause long enough that I wouldn't be surprised if Emily had sprung from his head fully formed (hopefully causing him injury severe enough to put him out of commission. But then she's a nurse and would no doubt cure him.)
It's interesting, Blaine talking to Catlin like a Dutch uncle.
I dinna like Larry.