[NOTE: This update is extra long because it contains a lot of direct quotes from some very powerful scenes involving Bianca.]
PREVIOUSLY ON AMC
Mateo, Hayley, Liza and Adam crowd around the front door as Derek tells Adam: "I have a few questions I need to ask you about the whereabouts of Arlene Chandler."
At the Valley Inn, Jack asks Erica: "What, exactly, did Hayward say?" Erica: "He actually said something really OBSCENE about Bianca and her roommate, Sarah!"
Bianca opens the front door to go meet Erica at the Valley Inn, but sees Sarah on the doorstep: "Sarah!"
VALLEY INN LOBBY
Erica thanks the reporters for being there and promises excitement about the new Enchantment campaign. She urges them to pig out at the buffet while they wait for her beautiful daughter, Bianca. Bruce, the prima-donna photographer, mutters about Erica's damn kid always screwing things up. Erica accosts him as his mouth bulges with hors d'ouevres. She angrily asks what he's doing there, since he's no longer working on the campaign. He says he's working for one of the trades now.
Brooke walks up to Jack and says hello. He jokingly asks if she's cover Erica's hoopla for Tempo, but she says she's just there for lunch. Brooke asks what Erica is up to and he says she's about to introduce Bianca as part of their mother-daughter campaign. Brooke gets angry and says Erica SHOULD be introducing her daughter to a THERAPIST! She needs help, considering SHE'S the one who pushed Laura overboard! Jack gives his patented upper-body sway/head-tilt 1/2 twist and asks if Erica knows this. She says yes, but Erica is in her usual denial and Bianca is suffering as a result. Erica walks up: "How DARE you!"
Jack steps in before any real damage can be done and tells Brooke that he has a hard time believing the story. She says it's all over the news that Libidozone had been given to almost everyone one the yacht. Bianca saw Leo and Laura kissing, got jealous and pushed Laura overboard. Erica protests that there was NOTHING between Leo and Bianca, so there was no jealousy, thus no motive. Jack pulls Erica to the side to have a "private" chat. Jack tells her that he HAS read the news reports AND he was there and was affected himself, if she will recall. Erica: "Affected so much that you would push somebody overboard?" He tells her to hear him out. He says maybe Bianca was affected by the drug and saw Leo and Bianca kissing. He stumbles over his words a little before finding his stride: "I think that maybe Bianca doesn't have feelings for Leo. I think maybe she has feelings for Laura." Erica: "Are you out of your MIND?" This catches the attention of a reporter, who starts scribbling, and both Erica and Jack clam up temporarily. They start up again, albeit more quietly. Jack: "I am not saying that I believe Brooke's story about Bianca pushing her into the water. What I'm saying is we have been seeing certain signs from your daughter and from other people. Now, your daughter is obviously struggling, honey. Bianca is struggling with something. It's clear. Now, I'll tell you what I think she's struggling with. Her sexuality." Erica blinks at him in consternation, then puncheslaps him. She glares at him, then totters unsteadily through the crowd of reporters, rubbing her hand. [As I watched the odd way she trotted out, especially in that dress with that hairstyle, I couldn't help but think of Sally Field in Soap Dish :-)] Brooke stares at Jack, who appears to be trying to realign his jaw.
ERICA'S HOUSE
Bianca, wearing a sparkling navy dress to match her mother's dress, asks Sarah what she's doing there. After making sure Erica isn't home, Sarah asks to come in. She's bearing a gift. She looks around and nervously says the house was what she expected, then comments that the dress is not Bianca's usual afternoon attire of t-shirts and sweatpants. She hands the gift to Bianca. Bianca asks if she's trying to make her cry. Sarah gets serious and begs her to open it. Bianca sadly takes it to the side and opens it. It's a new journal. Sarah: "For your new memories." Bianca stares at her, still hurt and bitter over Sarah's betrayal of planning to get married. Sarah stares up at Erica's portrait and says "She's everywhere, isn't she?" Bianca snaps that it's HER house! She demands to know why Sarah drove all the way down from Boston -- surely to give her the Christmas present? Something happened, didn't it? Sarah admits that's true. Her mother sort of lost it after Bianca had left her hotel room. She seemed afraid that Sarah would run away with Bianca, so she moved the wedding up -- to tomorrow! She thinks that will seal the deal and that will be that. Sarah says it will be good for her mother and good for Ian. Bianca asks what about her? Sarah says she guesses she's letting other people decide about that. Bianca heaves a sigh of frustration and asks what this is about -- is she asking--? Sarah says yes and begs for Bianca's help.
Bianca wants to know how she can possibly help. Sarah whines: "I can't believe this is happening to me!" Bianca: "Sarah, nothing is happening to you that you can't stop!" Did Ian try to do something to her? No, he wouldn't hurt her or anybody else. Bianca: "Well, then what do you want from me? You BROKE UP with me. I told you what I want, what I would do to make it happen, and you're marrying Ian tomorrow!" Sarah protests that she doesn't WANT that. Bianca tells her SHE has to change it, but Sarah says she can't do that -- she's not as strong as Bianca. Sarah: "My mother keeps telling me that everything is going to be fine, that my wedding day will be the happiest day of my life. Except -- that's already happened -- with you." Bianca looks at Sarah with angry hurt and her voice trembles as she says: "So what? Do you want me to make up your mind for you?" Sarah: "I want YOU! I want what we had! I want that with YOU. And I'll never be what my mom wants me to be! Maybe you can pull that off with your mom, but _I_ can't!" Bianca: "Whoa! You think I'm who my mom wants me to be?" Sara points out that Bianca is even starting to dress like Erica [heh, heh, heh]. Bianca says that she wouldn't be there if Sarah had come with her that afternoon in New York -- she's here doing this now because she doesn't have Sarah. Sarah tearfully says: "I'm here now." Bianca is stunned, but hopeful. She asks what Sarah is REALLY saying, because she couldn't take it if Sarah didn't REALLY mean it! Sarah says she can't marry Ian tomorrow. Bianca shakes her head and steps toward Sarah as Sarah says: "Not unless you help me through it! [I'm beginning to see why Erica doesn't like this girl] Help me to be strong, like you are!" Bianca, let down once again, resignedly says: "Sarah, what are you trying to do to me?" [Yeah, what she said!] Sarah says that Bianca can pull this off -- she can stay in Erica's house and be anything her mom wants her to be for as long as she needs to do it. Then she can move on and be herself. Sarah says that Bianca gave her an out that day -- she would have run away with her. Obviously Bianca is strong and can survive ANYTHING! Sarah: "I CAN'T!" If Sarah had said yes that day, Bianca would have gone with her. Bianca explodes: "But you DIDN'T -- NOW LOOK AT ME!!!" Bianca turns away. Sarah says they both know it's not going to stay this way forever, but she doesn't have it in her to be who she is -- she has to be somebody else. Bianca grits her teeth and says she doesn't know what Sarah wants from her. Sarah: "I want you to say it's going to be ok. I want you to tell me that I'm not going to be unhappy for the rest of my life! I want you to let me go." [Huh? I don't know about Bianca, but I think _I'm_ getting whiplash] Bianca: "Sarah -- I can't do that. I love you and that has never changed, not for one minute!" Sarah says that's why she knows Bianca is going to be ok. She can say what she feels and OWN it! She'll be able to tell her mother the truth one day because she believes what's in her own heart -- Sarah CAN'T! Bianca turns on her and darts her tear-filled eyes, saying that Sarah is SO WRONG about her! Sarah came there for her help, but she can't even help herself!
Bianca asks Sarah if she's BLIND! What is it that Bianca is able to do that Sarah is not? Bianca can't tell her mother she is gay -- not now, not ever, because her mother would fall apart. She knows because she's tried! Bianca: "I have tried to say, 'Mom, I want you to know who I am. I want you to know Sarah because I know that if you could see how special she is, there is no way that you couldn't love her, too.' My mom can't accept who I am, Sarah, and you won't accept us, so where does that leave us?" Sarah: "You'll be able to tell her. You're strong enough to do it. I know you are!" Bianca: "Sarah, would you just shut up? I'm not strong! You're not strong! The only thing that is strong here is our FEAR, and it's winning, Sarah! We're letting it win!" Bianca spins and walks across the room.
Sarah brings up a memory of them breaking out of the school to play on the swingsets at the school next door, and Bianca saying she was trying to kick the stars. Bianca: "Yeah. And you said I couldn't." Sarah: "And you said you could do anything. That's the difference between you and me [...] I still love you." Bianca: "I know. I know you do." They both gulp and stare painfully at each other. Sarah steps toward Bianca and they desperately hug each other, crying. Bianca closes her eyes and caresses the back of Sarah's head, cherishing Sarah and the moment as if it were their last. When she opens her eyes, she sees Erica standing in the doorway. Erica's face falls and she looks like she's going to hurl as she gives Bianca a questioning head tilt.
As a horrified Erica watches, Bianca suddenly breaks the embrace and steps back in terror like a kid caught playing doctor. Sarah turns around and Erica gathers her wits and slams the door. Erica demands to know what Sarah is doing there -- hasn't she caused them all enough pain? Sarah stutters that she was just bringing Bianca a gift from Boston. Erica says maybe she didn't make herself clear in NY -- Sarah is NOT welcome in her home, even WITH a gift! Bianca finds her voice again and steps forward, begging Erica not to do this. Erica blazes ahead, castigating Sarah for detaining Bianca while a dozen reporters wait for her debut at the Valley Inn. Bianca pleads with Erica not to do this right now. Erica asks if she has to call her personal security guards to make SURE that she leaves? [Erica has security guards? They aren't very effective, considering anyone at all can come to her door and people routinely let themselves in to lie in wait for her] Bianca yells at Erica to STOP! Sarah dives for her purse/backpack and says it's okay, she's leaving. Sarah says to Bianca: "I'm sorry I came here." Erica: "You should be!" Sarah shakes her head beseachingly at Bianca: "I never meant to hurt you. I never did, not for a minute!" Bianca stares as Sarah turns to walk out, then calls to her: "No, Sarah, WAIT! We have to talk!" Erica desperately tosses in: "We have to get to the Valley Inn, honey!" "NOOO!!!" Bianca shrieks! She looks quickly back and forth between Sarah and Erica and seems to make a decision. She walks over to Sarah and whispers: "Sarah, THIS IS IT. This is it. We can DO this! We can -- we can do this NOW, Sarah. You don't HAVE to get married! You don't have to --" Sarah frantically looks between Bianca and Erica and bolts out the door. Bianca screams: "Sarah!" She stares, devastated, at the closed front door.
Erica nervously walks over to Bianca and picks all around the lower half of Bianca's dress, twittering about the stylist smoothing it all out. [I notice that Erica's dangling forelock is on the opposite side of the face from the one that Bianca wears.] Bianca just stands there, catatonic. Erica reaches out and caresses her face, turning it toward her, telling her that she doesn't have to worry about anything -- Mommy's here! She can't wait to show her to the world. The limo is waiting and Uncle Jack is waiting. She tells her how much she loves her. Erica: "You know what else? Your father would have been so proud of you! Oh, he would have loved to see you JUST this way!" Through it all, Bianca stares at her without uttering a sound, her pain palpable. Bianca slowly turns and walks across the room. She picks up the journal and stares at it, knowing it represents all her lost hopes and dreams of love with Sarah, and the end of something bigger. The silence is deafening [so much so that I keep backing it up to make sure I don't inadvertently have the TV on mute or that the speakers aren't suddenly broken]. Erica finally calls Bianca's name, tentatively, worry and dread written all over her face. Bianca puts the journal down and turns, staring for a long time at Erica. There's still complete and utter silence -- not even a swish of a matching dress. She turns back to Erica and slowly reaches up to her right hear. Her sorrowful eyes never leaving Erica's face. There's something new in her eyes now, though: determination. She pulls the earring off, then pulls the other one off. Erica, afraid to say anything, but knowing she must, asks Bianca what she's doing. Bianca seems to be trying to muster all her courage to say something.
ADAM'S HOUSE
Adam tells Derek that he and Arlene are divorced now and there's really no further need for contact. Now if he'll excuse them, they were just on their way out to be remarried. Derek says he needs to talk to Arlene and needs to know where she is. Adam says he doesn't know and doesn't care. Ever the loyal daughter, Hayley makes a face and says he knows EXACTLY where Arlene is, he just came from seeing her! Why doesn't he just tell Derek here to find her? Derek rolls his head back and gives Adam a challenging go-ahead-and-feed-me-more-bullshit--I-won't-believe-you-anyway-you-degenerate-scum-sucking-bottom-feeding-maggot-from-hell look. [Of course, Derek also gives that look to grandmothers, nuns, newborns and passing airplanes, so that doesn't really mean anything. I'll bet it goes over really well when he asks women out -- no wonder this man never gets laid!]
They all move into the living room like they are being herded by a border collie. Adam admits it wasn't a social call -- he had tracked Arlene down to sign the divorce papers, she complied and he didn't look back. He certainly doesn't want to look back today, on the day he and Liza are starting over! Surely Derek can understand THAT! Derek says he understands that Adam still hasn't told him where Arlene is. Adam says she was in Amsterdam the last her heard. They met at a coffee house to sign the papers -- it was arranged by their attorneys, and he doesn't have her address. He knew it was the last 10 minutes he would ever have to think about her -- it IS the last time, right? Derek asks if he knows tht Stuart filed a missing person's report on Arlene. Adam and Marian are visibly stunned by this new piece of information. Derek informs them that Arlene left her stuff at the Pine Cone Motel, except for a valuable painting that Stuart had given her. Marian explains that she was very upset with Arlene after what she had done to Stuart last summer, so Stuart probably didn't tell them because he knew they wouldn't be sympathetic to Arlene's situation. Derek says Stuart called and dropped the missing person's report the night before because he had heard Arlene was in Amsterdam and assumed she was okay. Adam gets pissed off because that means Derek already knew the answer before he even came to the house and was just trying to test them!
Derek wants to know why and how she left the country with nothing but the clothes on her back. Do any of them find that out-of-character for Arlene? Hayley finds it VERY out-of-character because her mother hoards everything, especially because she never has anything for very long. Adam points out that Arlene hasn't been sober since Nixon was in office, so what would be so unusual about her leaving everything behind when she skips town? Derek watches him with puffed-out cheeks, but appears to be swallowing his lips as his eye twitches. Adam protests that all this insinuation and innuendo are demeaning, and they have a WEDDING to go to! He moves to leave. Derek ignores him, sits down in front of their white Xmas tree, and asks if anyone saw Arlene on the yacht the night of the fundraiser. Mateo rubs his face in his hands. Hayley opens her mouth and looks under and up at Mateo. Liza, Adam and Marian all give each other broad, worried, conspiratorial looks. No one says anything and Derek says it's not a rhetorical question. Derek tells them that a very expensive necklace was stolen that night and wants to know if any of them know anything about it. Hayley remembers choking Arlene and seeing that Arlene was wearing just such a necklace. Hayley chokes out a guttural sound and covers her face. Everybody stares at her.
After some other scenes and commercials, we return to the Chandler living room where everyone but Mateo is inexplicably ignoring Hayley and staring at Derek while Hayley tries to compose herself and Mateo suggests he gets her out of there (she declines). Adam: "Although it makes me all warm inside knowing that Palmer Cortlandt is out half a million dollars, it doesn't really concern us." None of them saw Arlene on the yacht that night. They were in the midst of a major battle with Arlene then, and if any of them had seen her, they would have noticed -- she's hard to miss! Derek agrees, then asks why Marian told Vanessa she had seen Arlene on the yacht that night. Marian vehemently denies telling Vanessa any such thing! Vanessa is a liar and Marian has no idea what she's talking about.
Hayley leaves the room and Mateo follows. She takes deep breaths, then tells Mateo that she saw Arlene wearing the necklace that night -- that must be how she got the money to get out of the country. She has to tell Derek! Mateo says they have to be sure and she spits out that she IS sure. Hayley bursts back into the room and tells Derek there's more.
Hayley tells Derek that she DID see Arlene on the yacht that night and she WAS wearing the stolen necklace. Adam sputters that Hayley can't say that, she was DRUGGED and hallucinating! Mateo yells at Adam in a manner that clearly says: "It's over, shut up and let her talk!" Derek wants to hear what she has to say. Adam pulls his finger out of his pocket and points to Mateo, saying: "No, no! That's IT! Mateo, take your wife upstairs." MATEO, do as I say!" Mateo tells her to go ahead and speak. Adam orders LIZA to take her out of there. Hayley yells "No, no, NO!" She wants to tell Derek the truth about everything. Derek: "That would be refreshing." Adam puts the kiebosh on it, saying not in HIS house! If Derek wants to question his daughter or anyone else in his house, he'll need a court order! Derek ignores Adam and tells Hayley she can come down to the station now or she can come later when he gets a subpoena -- it's up to her. She stares. Adam completely loses his composure (you can tell because some hair has fallen into his face) and yells NO, until Derek gets a court order, it's up to HIM! He grabs Derek and yanks him around as he says this last part. He orders Derek to get the hell out of his house! Derek grins maniacally at him, then turns back to Hayley, making REALLY weird faces and simultaneous baring and sucking on his teeth [Mommy, that man is SCARING me!] Still with a twisted smile, he tells Hayley he'll be REALLY interested in what she has to say. He turns back to Adam, saying: "And I WILL hear it!" He walks out as everyone stands still as statues. Hayley: "What just happened here? What do you all know that _I_ don't know?" Amazingly, she is NOT whining OR being sarcastic as she says this. Adam shakes his head. She DID see Arlene wearing the necklace and they ALL know how she knows it -- because she was CHOKING her! Adam: "Is that what you were going to tell Det. Frye, that you were choking your mother to death?" Hayley: "No, I wasn't going to tell him that I was choking her to death because she didn't die ... Right?" They all look away. Hayley turns back to Mateo and demands to know what the hell is going on. Mateo hems and haws and finally says she should know the truth.
Hayley DEMANDS the truth, but before Mateo can continue, Adam spins Hayley around and says that the truth is that her mother came on to her husband and she lost control and choked her. That's only because she got there first -- anybody in the room would have GLADLY choked her FOR Hayley. Marian chimes in that it's true. Hayley says there's more to it. Adam keeps trying to control the situation and Liza urges him to stop. Hayley says she choked her mother, and she passed out. Then she got up and went to Amsterdam, right? Adam saw her there, right? Mateo says no, he DIDN'T see her there. He takes her hands and tells her he loves her. Adam tells him that if he loves his wife, DON'T say another word! Hayley stares at Adam, then back at Mateo. Mateo takes a breath to say--[oops, scene change ...]
VALLEY INN LOBBY
Jack asks for the attention of the reporters, and gives a yada, yada, yada speech about teenagers being late and thanking them for their patience. Brooke walks up to him and he says he doesn't know why he does it -- she slaps him in public and he helps her fend off the wolves! He says he's either incredibly loyal or incredible stupid -- "Or in love?" Brooke says. She grins and says he never really got over Erica. She hopes that he can help Bianca, because she's not sure her mother can.
ERICA'S HOUSE
Bianca turns her back on Erica, then reachs up and takes the pins out of her hair, pulling it down around her shoulders in it's usual style. Erica puts her face in her hands, then assumes her hands-on-thighs model pose. Desperate to keep Bianca from telling her what she already knows in her heart, she walks over and tells Bianca that she's right -- she has good instincts -- of course her hair should be down. And if her hair is down, then the earrings don't work, but don't worry, they'll (stylists) make everything perfect -- they'll make everything right. Bianca takes off her heels and turns, stone-faced, back to Erica. Erica looks down and asks her what she thinks she's doing. Bianca: "This isn't ME mom -- it never was." Erica asks what look Bianca is going for and babbles about the stylists being magicians. Bianca interrupts and says NO. Bianca: "I have to tell you something." Erica is about peeing in her pantyhose and starts to edge away, saying she has to go -- she can't keep those people waiting any longer than she has. Bianca forcefully states that she's NOT going. Erica shakes her head and says: "Of COURSE you're going. We're going! We're going together! This is what we wanted, the PERFECT mother and daughter for all the world to see!" Bianca: "I don't want the world to see me, mom. I want you to see me." Erica continues to be the Queen of Denial: "But this is what we wanted!" Bianca says no, it's what ERICA wanted -- she NEVER wanted it. She turns her back on Erica again, then unwraps her dress and takes it off, standing in her black slip. Emotional soap opera music starts playing softly in the background. Erica, still dreading what's to come, asks her if she's lost her mind! Bianca turns back to face her and orders Erica to look at her. Erica doesn't want to look at her, she wants her to go! Bianca: "LOOK AT ME!!! I want you to see WHO I AM, mother. Can you see who I am? Can you? I'm trying to show you." Erica: "Oh, honey, there is something wrong. There is something TERRIBLY wrong with you!" Bianca: "No. No. You just won't look." Erica: "I am looking. I'm looking at my daughter standing half naked in my living room when we have a press conference!" She walks behind Bianca and picks the discarded dress off the floor, frantically shaking it out and seeming to focus on it's very threads in an effort to avoid the inevitable as she babbles: "We have dozens of reporters and magazine editors waiting --" Bianca turns to her, pleading: "Mom, were you listening to David when he tried to tell you who I was? Or Uncle Jack?" Erica looks like a trapped rabbit as he eyes blink rapidly and she starts to breathe faster. She turns back to face Bianca and says: "Bianca, what are you doing? What are you trying to say?" She smiles and tries to turn the dress right-side out [so to speak] Bianca sighs heavily. Bianca: "You know. I -- I'm trying to show you who I am. I want you to see who I am. Please. Please. I'm your daughter. Yours and Daddy's." Erica wobbles her head faintly and stares at her with big eyes [reminding me of E.T.] The soap opera music has grown increasingly louder. Bianca: "And I really believe that he would be proud of me, just like you said. Just not for the reasons that you think. Look at me. I'm exactly who you always knew. I'm still your baby and I still love you." Erica's face breaks as she starts to cry and says pitifully: "I don't know exactly who you are right now, honey. I -- I just know that I have to go. I have people waiting for me. I have responsibilities --" she starts to walk toward the door. Bianca turns and cries: "And you have a DAUGHTER who you won't SEE! Is that what you want, Mom? Is it?" Erica stares at her, her mouth working silently. [The music is so loud at this point that it's harder to hear the actors speak. Now I'm thinking of the "queue the music" scene from "The Truman Show".]
CHANDLER LIVING ROOM
Hayley stares at her father like a little girl. Adam says Arlene practially tried to kill her -- she practically ruined her life -- don't let her win NOW! Hayley: "Win WHAT?" He says her mother was impossibly cruel to her, over and over, no matter how many chances Hayley gave her, try to remember that! Hayley: "Was?" Mateo says her dad's right -- her mother never was a good mother, not once to Hayley. She didn't walk off that boat that night. When Hayley choked her, she didn't wake up. Mateo: "She died, Hayley." Hayley plops down on the couch and tries to absorb it. Hayley: "Oh! I killed my own mother?" She stares accusingly at Adam.
ERICA'S HOUSE
Erica walks back to Bianca and says she doesn't know why she's doing this to her! Erica: "I mean, I'm hanging on by a THREAD here!" Bianca stands stiffly and says: "This is not about YOU, Mom!" Erica whirls: "The HELL it isn't! Well, I'll tell you this! I will not let my COMPANY down and I will not let my FANS down and I will not let MYSELF down! She starts to crack as she exclaims: "I'll just do what I've always done! I'll just do it alone!" She starts to walk away. Bianca cries to her retreating back: "Have you always loved me, Mom? Have you?" Erica cries: "How could you even ASK me a question like that?" Bianca walks over to her and whispers: "Do you love me now?" Erica: "Bianca!" Bianca: "Do you?" Erica: "YES!" Bianca takes a deep breath, closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them and says: "I'm gay." Once again, the silence is deafening. Erica gives the merest hint of a questioning look and Bianca returns an only slightly less subtle nod to indicate that she truly did just say that and she meant it. Erica stares, speechless.
ON THE NEXT AMC:
Dixie walks into the Martin house as two unfamiliar boys [Max and Petey?] yell "Merry Christmas!" and jump up on her like Dino on Fred Flintstone.
Bianca tells Erica's back: "Turn around. Face me. Face who I am."
Liza leans over and tells Hayley: "If you tell the police, we'll ALL go to jail. Now, is that REALLY what you want?" [Gosh, what a supportive step-mother!]
As candles burn [in the tower?] and Gillian leaps into his arms, Ryan whispers: "Merry Christmas, Princess."
Irreverently submitted,
Robin "Merry Christmas, everyone" Coutellier
PREVIOUSLY ON AMC
Mateo, Hayley, Liza and Adam crowd around the front door as Derek tells Adam: "I have a few questions I need to ask you about the whereabouts of Arlene Chandler."
At the Valley Inn, Jack asks Erica: "What, exactly, did Hayward say?" Erica: "He actually said something really OBSCENE about Bianca and her roommate, Sarah!"
Bianca opens the front door to go meet Erica at the Valley Inn, but sees Sarah on the doorstep: "Sarah!"
VALLEY INN LOBBY
Erica thanks the reporters for being there and promises excitement about the new Enchantment campaign. She urges them to pig out at the buffet while they wait for her beautiful daughter, Bianca. Bruce, the prima-donna photographer, mutters about Erica's damn kid always screwing things up. Erica accosts him as his mouth bulges with hors d'ouevres. She angrily asks what he's doing there, since he's no longer working on the campaign. He says he's working for one of the trades now.
Brooke walks up to Jack and says hello. He jokingly asks if she's cover Erica's hoopla for Tempo, but she says she's just there for lunch. Brooke asks what Erica is up to and he says she's about to introduce Bianca as part of their mother-daughter campaign. Brooke gets angry and says Erica SHOULD be introducing her daughter to a THERAPIST! She needs help, considering SHE'S the one who pushed Laura overboard! Jack gives his patented upper-body sway/head-tilt 1/2 twist and asks if Erica knows this. She says yes, but Erica is in her usual denial and Bianca is suffering as a result. Erica walks up: "How DARE you!"
Jack steps in before any real damage can be done and tells Brooke that he has a hard time believing the story. She says it's all over the news that Libidozone had been given to almost everyone one the yacht. Bianca saw Leo and Laura kissing, got jealous and pushed Laura overboard. Erica protests that there was NOTHING between Leo and Bianca, so there was no jealousy, thus no motive. Jack pulls Erica to the side to have a "private" chat. Jack tells her that he HAS read the news reports AND he was there and was affected himself, if she will recall. Erica: "Affected so much that you would push somebody overboard?" He tells her to hear him out. He says maybe Bianca was affected by the drug and saw Leo and Bianca kissing. He stumbles over his words a little before finding his stride: "I think that maybe Bianca doesn't have feelings for Leo. I think maybe she has feelings for Laura." Erica: "Are you out of your MIND?" This catches the attention of a reporter, who starts scribbling, and both Erica and Jack clam up temporarily. They start up again, albeit more quietly. Jack: "I am not saying that I believe Brooke's story about Bianca pushing her into the water. What I'm saying is we have been seeing certain signs from your daughter and from other people. Now, your daughter is obviously struggling, honey. Bianca is struggling with something. It's clear. Now, I'll tell you what I think she's struggling with. Her sexuality." Erica blinks at him in consternation, then puncheslaps him. She glares at him, then totters unsteadily through the crowd of reporters, rubbing her hand. [As I watched the odd way she trotted out, especially in that dress with that hairstyle, I couldn't help but think of Sally Field in Soap Dish :-)] Brooke stares at Jack, who appears to be trying to realign his jaw.
ERICA'S HOUSE
Bianca, wearing a sparkling navy dress to match her mother's dress, asks Sarah what she's doing there. After making sure Erica isn't home, Sarah asks to come in. She's bearing a gift. She looks around and nervously says the house was what she expected, then comments that the dress is not Bianca's usual afternoon attire of t-shirts and sweatpants. She hands the gift to Bianca. Bianca asks if she's trying to make her cry. Sarah gets serious and begs her to open it. Bianca sadly takes it to the side and opens it. It's a new journal. Sarah: "For your new memories." Bianca stares at her, still hurt and bitter over Sarah's betrayal of planning to get married. Sarah stares up at Erica's portrait and says "She's everywhere, isn't she?" Bianca snaps that it's HER house! She demands to know why Sarah drove all the way down from Boston -- surely to give her the Christmas present? Something happened, didn't it? Sarah admits that's true. Her mother sort of lost it after Bianca had left her hotel room. She seemed afraid that Sarah would run away with Bianca, so she moved the wedding up -- to tomorrow! She thinks that will seal the deal and that will be that. Sarah says it will be good for her mother and good for Ian. Bianca asks what about her? Sarah says she guesses she's letting other people decide about that. Bianca heaves a sigh of frustration and asks what this is about -- is she asking--? Sarah says yes and begs for Bianca's help.
Bianca wants to know how she can possibly help. Sarah whines: "I can't believe this is happening to me!" Bianca: "Sarah, nothing is happening to you that you can't stop!" Did Ian try to do something to her? No, he wouldn't hurt her or anybody else. Bianca: "Well, then what do you want from me? You BROKE UP with me. I told you what I want, what I would do to make it happen, and you're marrying Ian tomorrow!" Sarah protests that she doesn't WANT that. Bianca tells her SHE has to change it, but Sarah says she can't do that -- she's not as strong as Bianca. Sarah: "My mother keeps telling me that everything is going to be fine, that my wedding day will be the happiest day of my life. Except -- that's already happened -- with you." Bianca looks at Sarah with angry hurt and her voice trembles as she says: "So what? Do you want me to make up your mind for you?" Sarah: "I want YOU! I want what we had! I want that with YOU. And I'll never be what my mom wants me to be! Maybe you can pull that off with your mom, but _I_ can't!" Bianca: "Whoa! You think I'm who my mom wants me to be?" Sara points out that Bianca is even starting to dress like Erica [heh, heh, heh]. Bianca says that she wouldn't be there if Sarah had come with her that afternoon in New York -- she's here doing this now because she doesn't have Sarah. Sarah tearfully says: "I'm here now." Bianca is stunned, but hopeful. She asks what Sarah is REALLY saying, because she couldn't take it if Sarah didn't REALLY mean it! Sarah says she can't marry Ian tomorrow. Bianca shakes her head and steps toward Sarah as Sarah says: "Not unless you help me through it! [I'm beginning to see why Erica doesn't like this girl] Help me to be strong, like you are!" Bianca, let down once again, resignedly says: "Sarah, what are you trying to do to me?" [Yeah, what she said!] Sarah says that Bianca can pull this off -- she can stay in Erica's house and be anything her mom wants her to be for as long as she needs to do it. Then she can move on and be herself. Sarah says that Bianca gave her an out that day -- she would have run away with her. Obviously Bianca is strong and can survive ANYTHING! Sarah: "I CAN'T!" If Sarah had said yes that day, Bianca would have gone with her. Bianca explodes: "But you DIDN'T -- NOW LOOK AT ME!!!" Bianca turns away. Sarah says they both know it's not going to stay this way forever, but she doesn't have it in her to be who she is -- she has to be somebody else. Bianca grits her teeth and says she doesn't know what Sarah wants from her. Sarah: "I want you to say it's going to be ok. I want you to tell me that I'm not going to be unhappy for the rest of my life! I want you to let me go." [Huh? I don't know about Bianca, but I think _I'm_ getting whiplash] Bianca: "Sarah -- I can't do that. I love you and that has never changed, not for one minute!" Sarah says that's why she knows Bianca is going to be ok. She can say what she feels and OWN it! She'll be able to tell her mother the truth one day because she believes what's in her own heart -- Sarah CAN'T! Bianca turns on her and darts her tear-filled eyes, saying that Sarah is SO WRONG about her! Sarah came there for her help, but she can't even help herself!
Bianca asks Sarah if she's BLIND! What is it that Bianca is able to do that Sarah is not? Bianca can't tell her mother she is gay -- not now, not ever, because her mother would fall apart. She knows because she's tried! Bianca: "I have tried to say, 'Mom, I want you to know who I am. I want you to know Sarah because I know that if you could see how special she is, there is no way that you couldn't love her, too.' My mom can't accept who I am, Sarah, and you won't accept us, so where does that leave us?" Sarah: "You'll be able to tell her. You're strong enough to do it. I know you are!" Bianca: "Sarah, would you just shut up? I'm not strong! You're not strong! The only thing that is strong here is our FEAR, and it's winning, Sarah! We're letting it win!" Bianca spins and walks across the room.
Sarah brings up a memory of them breaking out of the school to play on the swingsets at the school next door, and Bianca saying she was trying to kick the stars. Bianca: "Yeah. And you said I couldn't." Sarah: "And you said you could do anything. That's the difference between you and me [...] I still love you." Bianca: "I know. I know you do." They both gulp and stare painfully at each other. Sarah steps toward Bianca and they desperately hug each other, crying. Bianca closes her eyes and caresses the back of Sarah's head, cherishing Sarah and the moment as if it were their last. When she opens her eyes, she sees Erica standing in the doorway. Erica's face falls and she looks like she's going to hurl as she gives Bianca a questioning head tilt.
As a horrified Erica watches, Bianca suddenly breaks the embrace and steps back in terror like a kid caught playing doctor. Sarah turns around and Erica gathers her wits and slams the door. Erica demands to know what Sarah is doing there -- hasn't she caused them all enough pain? Sarah stutters that she was just bringing Bianca a gift from Boston. Erica says maybe she didn't make herself clear in NY -- Sarah is NOT welcome in her home, even WITH a gift! Bianca finds her voice again and steps forward, begging Erica not to do this. Erica blazes ahead, castigating Sarah for detaining Bianca while a dozen reporters wait for her debut at the Valley Inn. Bianca pleads with Erica not to do this right now. Erica asks if she has to call her personal security guards to make SURE that she leaves? [Erica has security guards? They aren't very effective, considering anyone at all can come to her door and people routinely let themselves in to lie in wait for her] Bianca yells at Erica to STOP! Sarah dives for her purse/backpack and says it's okay, she's leaving. Sarah says to Bianca: "I'm sorry I came here." Erica: "You should be!" Sarah shakes her head beseachingly at Bianca: "I never meant to hurt you. I never did, not for a minute!" Bianca stares as Sarah turns to walk out, then calls to her: "No, Sarah, WAIT! We have to talk!" Erica desperately tosses in: "We have to get to the Valley Inn, honey!" "NOOO!!!" Bianca shrieks! She looks quickly back and forth between Sarah and Erica and seems to make a decision. She walks over to Sarah and whispers: "Sarah, THIS IS IT. This is it. We can DO this! We can -- we can do this NOW, Sarah. You don't HAVE to get married! You don't have to --" Sarah frantically looks between Bianca and Erica and bolts out the door. Bianca screams: "Sarah!" She stares, devastated, at the closed front door.
Erica nervously walks over to Bianca and picks all around the lower half of Bianca's dress, twittering about the stylist smoothing it all out. [I notice that Erica's dangling forelock is on the opposite side of the face from the one that Bianca wears.] Bianca just stands there, catatonic. Erica reaches out and caresses her face, turning it toward her, telling her that she doesn't have to worry about anything -- Mommy's here! She can't wait to show her to the world. The limo is waiting and Uncle Jack is waiting. She tells her how much she loves her. Erica: "You know what else? Your father would have been so proud of you! Oh, he would have loved to see you JUST this way!" Through it all, Bianca stares at her without uttering a sound, her pain palpable. Bianca slowly turns and walks across the room. She picks up the journal and stares at it, knowing it represents all her lost hopes and dreams of love with Sarah, and the end of something bigger. The silence is deafening [so much so that I keep backing it up to make sure I don't inadvertently have the TV on mute or that the speakers aren't suddenly broken]. Erica finally calls Bianca's name, tentatively, worry and dread written all over her face. Bianca puts the journal down and turns, staring for a long time at Erica. There's still complete and utter silence -- not even a swish of a matching dress. She turns back to Erica and slowly reaches up to her right hear. Her sorrowful eyes never leaving Erica's face. There's something new in her eyes now, though: determination. She pulls the earring off, then pulls the other one off. Erica, afraid to say anything, but knowing she must, asks Bianca what she's doing. Bianca seems to be trying to muster all her courage to say something.
ADAM'S HOUSE
Adam tells Derek that he and Arlene are divorced now and there's really no further need for contact. Now if he'll excuse them, they were just on their way out to be remarried. Derek says he needs to talk to Arlene and needs to know where she is. Adam says he doesn't know and doesn't care. Ever the loyal daughter, Hayley makes a face and says he knows EXACTLY where Arlene is, he just came from seeing her! Why doesn't he just tell Derek here to find her? Derek rolls his head back and gives Adam a challenging go-ahead-and-feed-me-more-bullshit--I-won't-believe-you-anyway-you-degenerate-scum-sucking-bottom-feeding-maggot-from-hell look. [Of course, Derek also gives that look to grandmothers, nuns, newborns and passing airplanes, so that doesn't really mean anything. I'll bet it goes over really well when he asks women out -- no wonder this man never gets laid!]
They all move into the living room like they are being herded by a border collie. Adam admits it wasn't a social call -- he had tracked Arlene down to sign the divorce papers, she complied and he didn't look back. He certainly doesn't want to look back today, on the day he and Liza are starting over! Surely Derek can understand THAT! Derek says he understands that Adam still hasn't told him where Arlene is. Adam says she was in Amsterdam the last her heard. They met at a coffee house to sign the papers -- it was arranged by their attorneys, and he doesn't have her address. He knew it was the last 10 minutes he would ever have to think about her -- it IS the last time, right? Derek asks if he knows tht Stuart filed a missing person's report on Arlene. Adam and Marian are visibly stunned by this new piece of information. Derek informs them that Arlene left her stuff at the Pine Cone Motel, except for a valuable painting that Stuart had given her. Marian explains that she was very upset with Arlene after what she had done to Stuart last summer, so Stuart probably didn't tell them because he knew they wouldn't be sympathetic to Arlene's situation. Derek says Stuart called and dropped the missing person's report the night before because he had heard Arlene was in Amsterdam and assumed she was okay. Adam gets pissed off because that means Derek already knew the answer before he even came to the house and was just trying to test them!
Derek wants to know why and how she left the country with nothing but the clothes on her back. Do any of them find that out-of-character for Arlene? Hayley finds it VERY out-of-character because her mother hoards everything, especially because she never has anything for very long. Adam points out that Arlene hasn't been sober since Nixon was in office, so what would be so unusual about her leaving everything behind when she skips town? Derek watches him with puffed-out cheeks, but appears to be swallowing his lips as his eye twitches. Adam protests that all this insinuation and innuendo are demeaning, and they have a WEDDING to go to! He moves to leave. Derek ignores him, sits down in front of their white Xmas tree, and asks if anyone saw Arlene on the yacht the night of the fundraiser. Mateo rubs his face in his hands. Hayley opens her mouth and looks under and up at Mateo. Liza, Adam and Marian all give each other broad, worried, conspiratorial looks. No one says anything and Derek says it's not a rhetorical question. Derek tells them that a very expensive necklace was stolen that night and wants to know if any of them know anything about it. Hayley remembers choking Arlene and seeing that Arlene was wearing just such a necklace. Hayley chokes out a guttural sound and covers her face. Everybody stares at her.
After some other scenes and commercials, we return to the Chandler living room where everyone but Mateo is inexplicably ignoring Hayley and staring at Derek while Hayley tries to compose herself and Mateo suggests he gets her out of there (she declines). Adam: "Although it makes me all warm inside knowing that Palmer Cortlandt is out half a million dollars, it doesn't really concern us." None of them saw Arlene on the yacht that night. They were in the midst of a major battle with Arlene then, and if any of them had seen her, they would have noticed -- she's hard to miss! Derek agrees, then asks why Marian told Vanessa she had seen Arlene on the yacht that night. Marian vehemently denies telling Vanessa any such thing! Vanessa is a liar and Marian has no idea what she's talking about.
Hayley leaves the room and Mateo follows. She takes deep breaths, then tells Mateo that she saw Arlene wearing the necklace that night -- that must be how she got the money to get out of the country. She has to tell Derek! Mateo says they have to be sure and she spits out that she IS sure. Hayley bursts back into the room and tells Derek there's more.
Hayley tells Derek that she DID see Arlene on the yacht that night and she WAS wearing the stolen necklace. Adam sputters that Hayley can't say that, she was DRUGGED and hallucinating! Mateo yells at Adam in a manner that clearly says: "It's over, shut up and let her talk!" Derek wants to hear what she has to say. Adam pulls his finger out of his pocket and points to Mateo, saying: "No, no! That's IT! Mateo, take your wife upstairs." MATEO, do as I say!" Mateo tells her to go ahead and speak. Adam orders LIZA to take her out of there. Hayley yells "No, no, NO!" She wants to tell Derek the truth about everything. Derek: "That would be refreshing." Adam puts the kiebosh on it, saying not in HIS house! If Derek wants to question his daughter or anyone else in his house, he'll need a court order! Derek ignores Adam and tells Hayley she can come down to the station now or she can come later when he gets a subpoena -- it's up to her. She stares. Adam completely loses his composure (you can tell because some hair has fallen into his face) and yells NO, until Derek gets a court order, it's up to HIM! He grabs Derek and yanks him around as he says this last part. He orders Derek to get the hell out of his house! Derek grins maniacally at him, then turns back to Hayley, making REALLY weird faces and simultaneous baring and sucking on his teeth [Mommy, that man is SCARING me!] Still with a twisted smile, he tells Hayley he'll be REALLY interested in what she has to say. He turns back to Adam, saying: "And I WILL hear it!" He walks out as everyone stands still as statues. Hayley: "What just happened here? What do you all know that _I_ don't know?" Amazingly, she is NOT whining OR being sarcastic as she says this. Adam shakes his head. She DID see Arlene wearing the necklace and they ALL know how she knows it -- because she was CHOKING her! Adam: "Is that what you were going to tell Det. Frye, that you were choking your mother to death?" Hayley: "No, I wasn't going to tell him that I was choking her to death because she didn't die ... Right?" They all look away. Hayley turns back to Mateo and demands to know what the hell is going on. Mateo hems and haws and finally says she should know the truth.
Hayley DEMANDS the truth, but before Mateo can continue, Adam spins Hayley around and says that the truth is that her mother came on to her husband and she lost control and choked her. That's only because she got there first -- anybody in the room would have GLADLY choked her FOR Hayley. Marian chimes in that it's true. Hayley says there's more to it. Adam keeps trying to control the situation and Liza urges him to stop. Hayley says she choked her mother, and she passed out. Then she got up and went to Amsterdam, right? Adam saw her there, right? Mateo says no, he DIDN'T see her there. He takes her hands and tells her he loves her. Adam tells him that if he loves his wife, DON'T say another word! Hayley stares at Adam, then back at Mateo. Mateo takes a breath to say--[oops, scene change ...]
VALLEY INN LOBBY
Jack asks for the attention of the reporters, and gives a yada, yada, yada speech about teenagers being late and thanking them for their patience. Brooke walks up to him and he says he doesn't know why he does it -- she slaps him in public and he helps her fend off the wolves! He says he's either incredibly loyal or incredible stupid -- "Or in love?" Brooke says. She grins and says he never really got over Erica. She hopes that he can help Bianca, because she's not sure her mother can.
ERICA'S HOUSE
Bianca turns her back on Erica, then reachs up and takes the pins out of her hair, pulling it down around her shoulders in it's usual style. Erica puts her face in her hands, then assumes her hands-on-thighs model pose. Desperate to keep Bianca from telling her what she already knows in her heart, she walks over and tells Bianca that she's right -- she has good instincts -- of course her hair should be down. And if her hair is down, then the earrings don't work, but don't worry, they'll (stylists) make everything perfect -- they'll make everything right. Bianca takes off her heels and turns, stone-faced, back to Erica. Erica looks down and asks her what she thinks she's doing. Bianca: "This isn't ME mom -- it never was." Erica asks what look Bianca is going for and babbles about the stylists being magicians. Bianca interrupts and says NO. Bianca: "I have to tell you something." Erica is about peeing in her pantyhose and starts to edge away, saying she has to go -- she can't keep those people waiting any longer than she has. Bianca forcefully states that she's NOT going. Erica shakes her head and says: "Of COURSE you're going. We're going! We're going together! This is what we wanted, the PERFECT mother and daughter for all the world to see!" Bianca: "I don't want the world to see me, mom. I want you to see me." Erica continues to be the Queen of Denial: "But this is what we wanted!" Bianca says no, it's what ERICA wanted -- she NEVER wanted it. She turns her back on Erica again, then unwraps her dress and takes it off, standing in her black slip. Emotional soap opera music starts playing softly in the background. Erica, still dreading what's to come, asks her if she's lost her mind! Bianca turns back to face her and orders Erica to look at her. Erica doesn't want to look at her, she wants her to go! Bianca: "LOOK AT ME!!! I want you to see WHO I AM, mother. Can you see who I am? Can you? I'm trying to show you." Erica: "Oh, honey, there is something wrong. There is something TERRIBLY wrong with you!" Bianca: "No. No. You just won't look." Erica: "I am looking. I'm looking at my daughter standing half naked in my living room when we have a press conference!" She walks behind Bianca and picks the discarded dress off the floor, frantically shaking it out and seeming to focus on it's very threads in an effort to avoid the inevitable as she babbles: "We have dozens of reporters and magazine editors waiting --" Bianca turns to her, pleading: "Mom, were you listening to David when he tried to tell you who I was? Or Uncle Jack?" Erica looks like a trapped rabbit as he eyes blink rapidly and she starts to breathe faster. She turns back to face Bianca and says: "Bianca, what are you doing? What are you trying to say?" She smiles and tries to turn the dress right-side out [so to speak] Bianca sighs heavily. Bianca: "You know. I -- I'm trying to show you who I am. I want you to see who I am. Please. Please. I'm your daughter. Yours and Daddy's." Erica wobbles her head faintly and stares at her with big eyes [reminding me of E.T.] The soap opera music has grown increasingly louder. Bianca: "And I really believe that he would be proud of me, just like you said. Just not for the reasons that you think. Look at me. I'm exactly who you always knew. I'm still your baby and I still love you." Erica's face breaks as she starts to cry and says pitifully: "I don't know exactly who you are right now, honey. I -- I just know that I have to go. I have people waiting for me. I have responsibilities --" she starts to walk toward the door. Bianca turns and cries: "And you have a DAUGHTER who you won't SEE! Is that what you want, Mom? Is it?" Erica stares at her, her mouth working silently. [The music is so loud at this point that it's harder to hear the actors speak. Now I'm thinking of the "queue the music" scene from "The Truman Show".]
CHANDLER LIVING ROOM
Hayley stares at her father like a little girl. Adam says Arlene practially tried to kill her -- she practically ruined her life -- don't let her win NOW! Hayley: "Win WHAT?" He says her mother was impossibly cruel to her, over and over, no matter how many chances Hayley gave her, try to remember that! Hayley: "Was?" Mateo says her dad's right -- her mother never was a good mother, not once to Hayley. She didn't walk off that boat that night. When Hayley choked her, she didn't wake up. Mateo: "She died, Hayley." Hayley plops down on the couch and tries to absorb it. Hayley: "Oh! I killed my own mother?" She stares accusingly at Adam.
ERICA'S HOUSE
Erica walks back to Bianca and says she doesn't know why she's doing this to her! Erica: "I mean, I'm hanging on by a THREAD here!" Bianca stands stiffly and says: "This is not about YOU, Mom!" Erica whirls: "The HELL it isn't! Well, I'll tell you this! I will not let my COMPANY down and I will not let my FANS down and I will not let MYSELF down! She starts to crack as she exclaims: "I'll just do what I've always done! I'll just do it alone!" She starts to walk away. Bianca cries to her retreating back: "Have you always loved me, Mom? Have you?" Erica cries: "How could you even ASK me a question like that?" Bianca walks over to her and whispers: "Do you love me now?" Erica: "Bianca!" Bianca: "Do you?" Erica: "YES!" Bianca takes a deep breath, closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them and says: "I'm gay." Once again, the silence is deafening. Erica gives the merest hint of a questioning look and Bianca returns an only slightly less subtle nod to indicate that she truly did just say that and she meant it. Erica stares, speechless.
ON THE NEXT AMC:
Dixie walks into the Martin house as two unfamiliar boys [Max and Petey?] yell "Merry Christmas!" and jump up on her like Dino on Fred Flintstone.
Bianca tells Erica's back: "Turn around. Face me. Face who I am."
Liza leans over and tells Hayley: "If you tell the police, we'll ALL go to jail. Now, is that REALLY what you want?" [Gosh, what a supportive step-mother!]
As candles burn [in the tower?] and Gillian leaps into his arms, Ryan whispers: "Merry Christmas, Princess."
Irreverently submitted,
Robin "Merry Christmas, everyone" Coutellier
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