"Tad was surprised to see Gloria with her bags packed. He shouldn't be surprised, replied Gloria. It is, after all, customary for husbands and wives to live together. Tad begged Gloria not to give up on their love. Gloria, however, felt that their future together had already been doomed when Tad slept with Liza. Over and over, Tad swore that he had not slept with Liza while he was involved with Gloria. But just as many times Gloria called Tad a liar. She reminded him that Liza, while on the witness stand at Erica's trial, told the court that she was pregnant. Tad nodded. He agreed that Liza was pregnant, but said that Adam was the baby's father. Gloria tired of Tad's "Liza was sick" explanation for the nights he and Liza slept under the same roof. Tad claimed that Gloria only married Dimitri because it was a "safe marriage." By that he meant that the marriage was loveless and that Gloria would not be hurt of the marriage were to end because she never loved Dimitri in the first place. That comment brought out Gloria's wrath. She knew what she had to say to rip out Tad's heart. And that was exactly what she said. She told Tad that her marriage to Dimitri was not "loveless." She and her new husband had a legitimate marriage---and that the secrets details from their bedroom were private. Tad was floored. He denounced Gloria for using sex with Dimitri to get back at him. He found Gloria's marriage to Dimitri hard to swallow and the notion that Gloria and Dimitri had sex was an even bigger piece of meat. Tad told Gloria that he promised never to cheat on her. He warned her not to claim that history has a way of repeating itself. If it did, he said, Gloria would be out on the streets working as a con artist. As has become the case, Tad's final comment came down to an ultimatum: Either Gloria loves him or not. Gloria didn't reply. Tad turned to leave. As he opened the door, Gloria asked him not to leave. With a turn of Tad's head, would he see the sparks of a love almost lost? No. Gloria fumbled through her purse and eventually found her engagement ring. She returned the jewel box to Tad and told him that she could not keep the ring. Tad, using biting sarcasm to mask his bruised masculinity, told Gloria that she taught him a very valuable lesson: Be careful who you trust. Tad said he made the mistake of trusting Gloria. He won't do it again. Tad left and closed the door behind him. As soon as he exited the house, he collapsed against the exterior wall and broke into tears. Inside, Gloria stumbled backwards and fell onto the steps.
Liza made the rounds in the courtroom to see how various people felt about the jury's quick verdict. Jack had no comment, but Dimitri felt that the quick verdict was a good sign. When court was about to resume and there was still no sign of Erica, Adam became frantic. he feared that Erica had jumped bail and that he would be out a cool million dollars. With that, Erica made a grand entrance into the courtroom. She stood at the doors for several minutes. Camera flashes cast a brilliant silhouette on her body, making her look like the Statue of Liberty in the middle of a Fourth of July fireworks display. Erica sauntered down the aisle and assumed her seat. Dimitri told Liza that he would seek blood if Erica got off. On what crime, Liza wondered---kidnapping or divorcing him. The Liza pointed out that Dimitri had made the perfect rebound by marrying Gloria. Dimitri tried to snap back by telling Liza that his decision to marry Gloria meant that Tad was a free man. Contrary to popular belief, Liza smiled, Liza has no interest in Tad. She only wants her husband to love her.
The jury returned. Trevor noted that one of the jurors flashed him a smile, a sure sign that Erica would be cleared. The foreman was about to read the verdict---and I do mean about. He uttered the words "We the jury find the defendant, Erica Kane..." when Erica jumped to her feet and asked to speak to the court before a verdict was rendered. The move was highly irregular, but their were no objections from counsel. The jury was escorted back to the deliberation room and Erica was allowed to speak to the court. Erica told the judge that she didn't believe that she was "mentally ill" until she took the stand in her own defense. Now, however, she's changed her mind once again. She said that Edmund and Maria got the ending they deserved---a reunion with their daughter. But with an acquittal, her ending would be less than just. That's why, she continued, she feels the need to change her plea. A loud gasp echoed from those watching the trial. Many of Erica's friends and colleagues rose to their feet.
Jack, Trevor, and Erica were called to the judge's chambers. The judge wanted to verify that Erica was changing her plea under her own will and not being influenced to swap pleas. Erica said that she would not use an excuses to rationalize her behavior. Trevor was flabbergasted. he said that he would not agree to Erica's decision unless there was some "wheelin' and dealin'" on the sentencing. Trevor reminded the judge that Erica did no harm to the child during the quasi-abduction and that there was no malice intended. The judge accepted Trevor's argument, but said that the decision on whether to sentence Erica for kidnapping ultimately rested on Jack's shoulders.
Outside the courtroom, Liza went live with the latest news on Erica's case. As she preened in front of the camera,Dimitri and Adam admired her work. Dimitri found himself on the receiving end of advice after he made inquiries into Adam and Liza's love life. Adam asked Dimitri to keep his nose out of their affairs. Instead, Adam commented, Dimitri should worry about keeping Gloria "on a short leash." Gloria has a tendency to be unfaithful, Adam stated. Dimitri assured Adam that he could keep an eye on Gloria.
As court prepared to resume, Tad stood in the hall outside the courtroom with Gloria's engagement ring in his hand. He reflected on his wedding day and the time he spent with Gloria, He recalled that when he and Gloria returned to Ruth and Joe's house after Joe was taken to the hospital, they indulge in some wedding cake. At the time, Tad warned Gloria that eating wedding cake before the wedding could result n bad luck. Back then they both chuckled. Would they react the same now? Tad's final recollection was of telling Gloria that one day hey would have the wedding they deserve. Back at Myrtle's, Gloria packed her wedding dress along with her belongings and bid a final farewell to the boarding house.
Back inside the courtroom, the judge announced that an agreement had been reached between the prosecution and the defense that would result in the kidnapping charges being dropped. Dimitri was outraged. He claimed that Erica and Jack's one night of bliss resulted in the dropped charges. Dimitri even taunted the judge, daring him to slap him with a contempt charge. If contempt charges were made, Dimitri said that all he would need to do would be to sleep with the right person to get the charges dropped. Dimitri was escorted out of the courtroom. There were still two charges for Erica to face---interfering with the custody of a child (a third degree felony) and concealment of a child's whereabouts (also a third degree felony). Erica plead guilty to both counts. Erica spoke on her own behalf, asking the judge to issue a punishment he deemed suitable. Trevor quickly chimed in that Erica deserved leniency because she does not pose a risk to be a repeat offender. The judge issued his sentence---one year in the county jail, two years of probation on the contingency that Erica would seek psychiatric help, and a fine of three hundred thousand dollars. The judge ordered Erica to be cuffed and taken to holding while she awaited transport to jail. Jack raced to Erica's side and gave her something to think about during her time in holding. He told her that he loves her.
Belinda requested that the police use a side exit when taking Erica to the county jail. That way she could avoid being photographed by the media vultures. The cop in charge declared that Erica would receive no special treatment. Jack entered the scene and told the officer that he should think again about his "no special treatment" decision.
In her cell, Erica received a lecture from Trevor about how she blew her case. He said that she would have been cleared of all charges, but that her sudden change of heart resulted in twelve months of jail time. Myrtle scolded Trevor for talking badly to Erica. Erica thanked Trevor for all that he had done and said that she did what she "had to do." Trevor left to check on Erica's transfer. While he was gone, Erica clued Myrtle in to her real problem: the fact that Jack told her that he loves her. Myrtle seemed to understand Erica's dilemma, but asked her if she could love Jack after all he's put her through.
Maria's prayers fell on deaf ears. The commuter flight slammed into a mountain top somewhere between Manhattan and Pine Valley. Strewn between chunks of broken fuselage were the bodies of the passengers and crew. Brooke laid motionless on the ground in a pool of blood. Edmund slumped over in his seat with a stream of blood trickling down his cheek. Maria, who didn't have time to latch her seatbelt, was buried under twisted metal and other debris. Then came the sound of life. Madeline cooed stirring Maria to life. Maria reached out her hand and held on to her baby, assuring her that everything was okay as long as mommy was there. Brooke was the next to come about. She called out for help. Jim, Laura's mysterious stalker, raced to her side and helped her to sit up. Brooke looked around at the carnage. Her eyes fell upon her former love, Edmund. He made no movement. A few rows back, Maria could stay awake no longer. She collapsed and had no visible signs of life."
- Soap Central