One Life to Live Update Friday 1/10/03
By Laura
Pictures by Juanita
Nora is angry that the judge didn't go along with the deal. She wonders if Fitzwater is getting paid, and if not her, then who Mitch is bribing. Natalie says she’ll talk to Mitch and stop him but Nora steps in and she and Bo agree when with Cristian when he says he won’t allow Natalie to do so. She considers giving him money but Nora assures her that a settlement implies a marriage existed and an annulment implies it did not. Nora assures Natalie that Cristian is safe from Mitch while he’s in jail, but Cristian is upset that he can’t protect Natalie from there. He says he’d hurt Mitch again in a minute and Nora warns him to watch what he says. Bo assures Cristian that he’ll watch out for his niece.
Jen calls Mitch to say she's glad it all worked out, then she comes to visit Cristian and Nora says it’s a good idea so that he and Natalie aren’t alone. Nora vows to find out why the judge made the ruling that she did and Bo reminds her that Mitch always uses people to do his dirty work instead of doing it himself. They leave. Jen apologizes to the couple for testifying against Cristian and Natalie says it’s not her fault. Jen says she should have lied but Cristian reminds her that there were other witnesses anyway. Jen swears she’d lie if she had it to do over again and if it’d help him. He asks her why she’d do that after everything that’s happened between them and she sounds friendly and then admits she only did what she had to do. He tells her that her apology was enough for him and politely tells her she can go now. She leaves after offering her support and friendship. Cristian reminds his love Natalie that this is only for thirty days. She hopes she’ll have the annulment by then. She adds that it feels like they’ll never be together but he promises her that they will be.
Shawna asks Todd if he has a girlfriend stashed somewhere then she proceeds to tell him everything she heard while eavesdropping. Todd vows to take down Mitch in the press if he can’t do it any other way. When Shawna asks why they are there at the house, Todd says that it’s because his kids are upstairs. He asks if she can type and when she answers in the affirmative, he tells her to type about Jen and Mitch’s plotting. Shawna wonders if Mitch used Jen to set Cristian up but Todd doesn’t care if it’s true and orders her to write it anyway. She says it’s a dream come true, writing for a newspaper and dumping on Jen at the same time. Shawna tells Todd he’s awesome and he responds in kind that her writing is not bad. They work together on the details Shawna asks if the rumors are true about Blair and Todd says that they are. She asks if he’s seeing anyone. He changes the subject by discussing her doing a little fieldwork for him.
Starr believes that her mother does love her dad. She adds that her dad loves her mom as well. Starr sees Shawna from the stairs and runs upstairs to tell her mother that a girl is downstairs with her dad. Blair gets upset when Starr says the girl is all over him. Blair says that Todd should have a friend because she’s with Sam. She adds that she won’t go look because she’s hiding and can’t afford to be seen. She gets mad that Blair acts like she’s not even curious. Blair reminds Starr that she’s with Sam now. Starr admits that she used to be happy about that but it was a long time ago and things have changed. Blair says that sooner or later they’ll move back into their home, without Todd, and things will go back to normal. Starr gets very angry and storms out but then literally jumps for joy when she finds her mother has left the room. She has another “Starr dream”, one in which she is ‘Judge Starr’ and finds her parent both guilty of loving one another, Sam is gagged, and she sentences them to life… together, forever.
Todd tells Shawna that she has something he wants and gives her his home phone number. Blair watches on. After Shawna leaves, Blair comes downstairs and asks Todd about her. He questions why she even cares. She replies that she cares because Starr was worried, and because she’s worried about her own safety too. He tells her he was only working and she says it looked like the woman was all over him. He comments that it’s no different than she and Sam. Blair swears that it’s not the same and adds that he can see whomever he chooses, but “not here and not her”. She tells Todd that Shawna applied for an internship at the Sun while Blair was still in charge and that she has a horrible reputation. Todd calls her on the jealousy, and she truly is, but she refuses to admit it.
Liz, Hank, and R.J. plan a surprise party for Keri's birthday. Keri comes in with news. She has found a job for Elizabeth and adds that she already submitted a resume for her. After Hank heads out, Elizabeth admits that she is less than thrilled and says that she wont take the job. She says she never committed to staying in Llanview after the baby’s birth. Keri observes that everyone is starting to get along better but RJ wonders if that’s why she plans to leave, because of him. They begin to argue and Keri says it’s not god for the baby. She leaves so that RJ and Liz can discuss some things. He asks her for an explanation. She admits that he’s been wonderful, like in the past, like when he left her. He reminds her he was in prison. He wonders if this is about retaliation. She says she doesn’t buy the good guy act. She accuses him of not giving her any breathing room. He accuses her of not cutting him any slack. He accuses her of running away from her feelings for him. He tells her to go with them instead, and he’ll do the same. She asks how. When Keri walks back inside, they are embracing and passionately kissing one another.
Antonio tells Troy that no one knows about the tests. Troy is upset that they’re keeping things from Keri because she is Nora’s good friend. When Troy asks, Antonio admits that he bent the rules in order to get the records in the first place. Antonio brings up Troy’s methods in getting a confession from Lindsay and Troy agrees that he understands sometimes rules need to be bent.
The test results indicate that Steve Reynolds is not the baby’s father. The other sample is still being analyzed. Hank asks Antonio why he’s talking to the doctor and he claims he’s working on a case. Hank says he doesn’t know of any open case regarding paternity. Antonio admits the truth and tells Hank to go ahead and rake him over the coals. Instead Hank asks what he’ll do when he gets his answer. Hank admits he doesn’t know if he’s going to tell Liz. Antonio asks him to think about what’s best for Keri and Hank turns it around, asking him to do the same. After Hank walks away, a stranger asks Antonio to videotape them with their first child and he does so, while imagining he and Keri with a baby. Antonio calls and tells Keri he loves her. Then he receives the results of the paternity tests, which are conclusive that he is the baby’s father.
Mitch tells Allison there is nothing wrong with her mind. He appears as though he is healing her and drawing her sanity near, and restored. Alison says “heed the messenger”. They agree that it’s evil for her to be locked up in the asylum. He swears he will find a way to get her loose. She doesn’t want to go back to jail but Mitch says it’s exactly where he wants her. He says it’s not because he doesn’t like her, she’s his favorite, and most faithful servant. But only she can be trusted with this special assignment. He orders her to talk to the nurse and demand a new psychiatric evaluation. He instructs her to then answer the questions clearly, precisely, rationally, and sanely. He adds that his life depends on it. He promises she’ll only be there until the task is complete and then he’ll plan her escape. She says she understands the plan and she comments she’d do anything for him. He knows, reminds her that he has made her sane now, and tells her to carry out his orders immediately.
Troy calls to check on his appointment to see Allison Perkins. Then Nora comes and tells him the judge didn’t like the plea bargain she and Hank worked out and Cristian got thirty days. When she asks for good news, he tells her they have important business to take care of. Then he asks her to marry him on Valentine’s Day.