"She might have been simply looking to gobble up some of his Jell-O, but Allie stopped by Joe's room to check on his condition. Joe had been having some disturbing flashback-nightmares and visualizing how Ruth would suffer if he were to pass away. As the two talked, Palmer strolled into the room and asked Joe if he had given Allie a reprimand for treating patients without being properly qualified. Joe told Palmer that Dr. Doyle graduated tops in her class and has been an intern for two years. Palmer found himself with egg on his face. No one had told him that Allie was actually a doctor. Allie explained that she had not told Palmer of her credentials because she thought that treating Peter was the top priority. Later on, she added, they could chat about her qualifications. Palmer apologized for lashing out at Allie, adding that he was pleased to have her on staff. Allie dashed off to make her rounds. Once she was gone, Palmer and Joe talked business. Palmer told Joe that a Dr. Chapman is soliciting Pine Valley Hospital for the vacant seat on the board. Joe was enraged by the doctor's interest in the hospital. He said that Dr. Chapman will never sit on the board and commented that the doctor should have his license revoked. Why such a strong reaction from Joe? It seems that Dr. Chapman is a therapist who specializes in "curing" people of homosexuality, a practice that Joe said has no medical basis as well as no proof that his techniques work.
At Cortlandt Manor, Kelsey and Kevin returned from a game of tennis. Kelsey told Kevin that she has second thoughts about her choice of college. Going to her first choice would require that she leave Pine Valley. So she's decided to go to Pine Valley University. Kevin was happy that his friend was sticking around and gave her a congratulatory hug, a hug that was seen by Opal. Kelsey told Opal that she's going to be staying in town. She then went to the phone to call her mom and tell her the news. Opal told Kevin that she thinks Kelsey is staying in town because she wants to be near him. Kevin didn't think so. When he looked at the clock, he realized that he was running late for his first counseling session---with Dr. Chapman.
Dr. Craig, a cardiologist, told Ruth, Tad, and Jake that Joe's condition was much worse than first thought. Three of the arteries leading from Joe's heart were severely clogged---90% blocked. In order to correct the situation, Joe would need triple by-pass surgery. The longer the surgery is postponed, the higher the risk of Joe suffering a second heart attack... as well as a higher risk of dying. There is about a 10% chance that Joe will not survive the surgery because of his age. The good news, however, is that the success rate of the operation sites around 50%. By success, it was explained that there is a fifty-fifty chance that the surgery will completely fix Joe's condition without the need for additional surgical procedures. But no one liked the one-in-ten chance that Joe might not survive the operation. Ruth explained to her sons that Joe has a reason for fearing the surgery. Joe's father had a faulty heart valve and it was determined that he needed surgery to replace the valve. At the time, however, the surgery was something relatively new. Joe's father died on the operating table.
Palmer returned to Cortlandt Manor and told Opal that he had managed to patch things up with Allie. Opal was pleased that her husband had given the doctor a second chance. Palmer went off to do some business, but not before telling Opal that he would not take any phone calls from Dr. Chapman. Opal recognized the name and asked Palmer why he did not want to speak to the physician. Palmer told his wife about the doctor's untested sexual "reversion" techniques. Opal's face soured as Palmer headed off to his office.
Opal called Judith, Kevin's mother, to discuss her decision to use Dr. Chapman as Kevin's counselor. Judith defended Dr. Chapman as a miracle worker. She said that the doctor could cure Kevin of his homosexuality and make him "normal" again. Opal told Mrs. Sheffield that everyone she's spoken to has said that one's sexuality cannot be changed. Judith chuckled as she told Opal that sexual orientation is a learned behavior. She turned to pleading with Opal not to say anything to anyone about Dr. Chapman because the doctor was going to help make her family whole again.
Ruth was set to tell Joe about his need for surgery, but she found it harder to tell Joe than she anticipated. Joe claimed that he was back to normal and made plans for a getaway vacation to Hawaii. Ruth smiled meekly and left the room without telling her husband that his heart is closing in on a shutdown.
Allie entered the room a short time later with Joe's dinner. Joe wasn't happy with the offering of broth and told Allie that he wants a hot fudge sundae. Allie giggled allowed and said that she hardly thinks a sundae is food suited for a soon-to-be member of the "zipper club." Joe's eyes drooped. He knew instantly that he was scheduled for surgery. At that moment Jake entered the room and received a thorough scolding from his father for hiding the truth from him. Allie apologized for telling Joe something that she thought Joe already knew. No one was safe from Joe's wrath. He order Ruth to call housekeeping and have them remove the floral arrangements from his room. He said the room looks "like a damned funeral home."
Just as Skye prepared to part with the truth about her paternity test swap, Maria and Madelyn entered the room. Edmund knew that Skye wanted to speak to him privately and asked Maria to leave the room for a few minutes. Skye shook her head and said that what she has to say also needs to be said to Maria. Skye began by rehashing her one-time feelings for Edmund. Maria said that she already knew about Skye's crush on Edmund and told the woman that there was no need to dwell in the past. Everything was better now and they'd all moved on with their lives. Besides, there is nothing so bad that it cannot be forgive, Maria smiled. Skye, now with tears in her eyes, asked Maria if she could ever forgive Erica for kidnapping Madelyn. Amazingly, Maria said that she could, one day, forgive Erica. She added that she was fortunate to have had Edmund forgive her past indiscretions. Edmund was another story. He said that Erica had robbed him of his child---something that he could never forgive. Skye instantly knew that Edmund would probably never forgive her for changing the paternity results and ran out of the room. She told her Uncle Stuart that she tried to part with the truth but that she could not risk having Edmund hate her. Stuart suggested that Skye write a letter to Maria and Edmund. In the letter she could pour out her heart. She doesn't even have to mail it, he said. Just the act of writing the letter will make Skye feel better. Skye agreed and sat down at her desk to write a letter to the Greys.
Kevin met with Dr. Chapman. The first topic was of the shooting death of Laurel Dillon. Dr. Chapman told Kevin that his family's problems appeared to have begun at that moment. But there's still hope that the Sheffield family can get back to some sort of normalcy. The doctor said that they need to address the cause of the problems and then "fix" the problem. The problem, as the doctor saw it, was Kevin's assumption that he was gay."
- Soap Central