Cass saw Nicole unwrapping authentic furniture and refused to pay the bill.
Everyone gave Scott presents for dawn. Mary tried to keep his spirits up.
Amanda wrestled with Nicole's article. Sam caught her at it. He offered to help. He advised her not to be so critical of herself. Liz watched with disapproval. Sam suggested they adjourn to the park. Rachel ran into them and approved.
Mac got word that the market research results for the new cover were in. Liz came in on Rachel's heels and started in saying that Sam should marry Amanda and be responsible. Mac said Amanda had her family. Liz said she ought to have a husband. Rachel stood up for Sam. Mac suspects Sam of proposing in such a way that Amanda could tell he was insincere and nobly refused.
Nicole refused to take anything back. Cass said he could have got all the stuff for less. He said it was business — his half. She said buying furniture was creative. Mitch dropped in to take photos. Nicole set him to work. A blonde with an improbable accent oozed in: Anna Linka, their model. Nicole's jaw dropped.
Dawn struggled to compose a piece. Scott led the party in. Dawn told everyone she could be sprung today.
Amanda assured Sam she would welcome constructive criticism. He advised her to dig deeper into Cass and Nicole. He very sweetly told Amanda he wanted to know all about her. She told him she'd gone to boarding school and studied in Switzerland. She speaks French and a little German and Italian. He thought that sounded lousy but she said she loved it. She did grandma things with Ada. He said he wondered if she wouldn't have been different, raised poor. She bristled. He suggested they skate. [The passing skaters glide, but they make a suspicious rolling noise.] She assured him the doctor would permit.
Nicole whispered to Cass that Anna Linka had the wrong image and she thought they should unpick her. John dropped by to build a cappuccino bar. Cass warned him they were on a tight budget. Nicole told him not to worry.
Rachel told Mac she thought they should buy Jamie's farm. Liz brought the report on the cover in.
Sam helped Amanda lace up her skates and prevented her falling. [She didn't know how to lace her skates, you see, it wasn't just courtesy.] She decided against skating. He was interested in pregnancy. She said it felt kind of like flu.
Most of the party returned to Mary's Place. Ada told Cheryl Nicole had called. Felicia tried to convince Mary to ask Vince to escort her to Tops. Mary flatly refused. Felicia told Mary that Mitch was talking about settling down but she didn't think she was the marrying kind any more. Cheryl dragged Julie Ann off to Nicole's.
Anna Linka couldn't keep her hands off Mitch. Or Cass. Nicole told Cass that she was too obvious. He told her "Nicole Love" was classier than "Love With Love" for a name and he'd ordered business cards accordingly. She threw a fit. He said it was marketing — his decision. They quarreled. Cheryl and Julie Ann arrived. Nicole dismissed Anna Linka.
Dawn told Scott how much she appreciated the party. She showed him her song, called Waverly Place, where she lived in New York. He absconded with it. FANTASY DREAM SEQUENCE. Dancing.
Mac looked chagrined. Sam tested high in all demographic groups. His must be the cover. He said he'd announce it at the Brava party.
Amanda told Sam it would mean a lot to her for him to come to the Brava party. Matthew rushed in with a computer Mac bought him, very excited. He dashed out again. Amanda noticed Sam looking funny and asked what he was thinking. He said he didn't want his child to grow up to be a spoiled brat. They argued. He insisted they were different and stomped out.
Scott showed Chad and Felicia Dawn's song and got them to agree to have Gloria Loring sing it at Tops tonight.
Nicole annoyed Cass, so he asked Anna Linka out for New Year's. John asked Nicole. She leapt at him. Mitch posed her and Cheryl and Julie Ann in front of the mantel.