Near 2:30 pm, Rae is in her office with Mrs Winters (the feisty non-Hodgkins lymphoma patient). Mrs Winters has had a complete transformation from a shrill shrew into a bubbly conversationalist. 

Rae: "It's going quite well with you, Gloria."

Rae puts the medical file down on her desk. 

Gloria: (smiling) "I should say. I've been getting some therapy in addition to chemo. It's been quite...helpful, to say the least."

Rae: "Someone to talk to is always helpful."

Gloria: "You know, I can't believe how I acted when Debbie was in the delivery room. Did you know that kind Doctor Lanning actually wrapped Debbie's cellphone in a sheet and threw the sheet in the laundry?"

Rae giggles.

Rae: "Sorry. That's an unusual reaction for Harriet, uh, Doctor Lanning."

Gloria: "Harriet's her first name?"

Rae nods.

Gloria: "You know, my younger brother went to med school with a Harriet. That Harriet also went into OB. Do you think they could be the same person?"

Rae: "You could ask Doctor Lanning."

Gloria: "I think I will. Joel will be quite pleased to know that a med school chum delivered his latest great-nephew. Nathan would be Joel's great nephew, wouldn't he? I never get those second cousin, twice removed things."

Rae: "Uh, Joel is your brother and you're Nathan's grandmother and Debbie's mother, so Joel is Debbie's uncle which makes Joel Nathan's great-uncle. Yep. You're right." 

Gloria sits back in the chair. She takes out a newspaper and unfolds it. 

Gloria: "I was sitting in the waiting area, and I found this article on NHL."

She hands the newspaper to Rae, who looks at the front page. The newspaper is the Washington Times, Metropolitan section for May 13. 

Rae: (reading from the article) "Non-myeloablative transplant."

Gloria: "Would that help me in any way should chemo fail?"

Rae: "This treatment is also known as a mini bone marrow transplant. It would require bone marrow from a donor."

Gloria: "I wouldn't be able to use my own marrow?"

Rae shakes her head. 

Rae: "Not in a non-myeloablative treatment." 

Gloria: "But what's the difference between non-myeloablative and myeloablative transplants?"

Rae: "Myeloablative transplant patients still receive high doses of chemo and radiation and use their own marrow. Non-myeloablative transplant patients receive much lower doses of therapy and use donor marrow."

Gloria: "Non-myeloablative therapy would be an option for me...(speaking rapidly)..."I mean, in the event regular therapy doesn't work."

Rae: "It's an option for you, yes. But, it's an option that will hopefully remain unused."

Gloria smiles.

Gloria: "That's just what I needed to hear. Now, if you'll tell me where I can find Doctor Slingerland..."

Rae shakes her head and Gloria raises her eyebrows.

Gloria: "Isn't he here? I brought some gourmet baked goodies for him and Nick. Those two poor bachelors, all alone."

Gloria clucks her tongue as Rae tries to hide a smile. 

Rae: "He's busy with his WHO duties, but if you want to leave him a note..."

Gloria: "Yes. I do need to apologize for my behavior. I'm afraid I was quite rude to him."

Rae: "I'm sure he understands."

Gloria: "I hope so. He's such a good doctor. I have to admit, I've been to several doctors before my diagnosis and not one doctor even tried to diagnose depression."

Rae: "That's what he does: diagnose people."

Gloria: "He's quite good. I saw him on CNN the other day."

Rae: “And you want to give him congratulations?”

Gloria smiles at Rae’s intention.

Gloria: “Yes. That too. He’s been working so hard these days.”

Rae: “You wouldn’t happen to know about a woman named “D” would you?”

Gloria: “Debbie?”

Rae: “No. Someone else. Someone with a lot of money to spend on gifts.”

Gloria: “Can’t say that I do.”

She smiles conspiratorially and Rae thinks that Gloria knows something about the Mysterious D.

Gloria: "I have heard about this "D". She might be who I think she is, but then again, she might want to keep her identity private. Best not to say anything, Doctor Brennan. Don't want to spoil her surprise."
 

...At the same time, Nick is in OR 4, taking over for UMC's spinal surgeon (Doctor Crenshaw) when Doc Crenshaw is injured in a car accident. 

The gallery to OR 4 is packed with medical students and Nick has the surgery shown on CCTV. 

As the medical students watch (some students grimace at the sight of blood), Nick peels back the glistening peritoneal sac and, with a retractor, he secures the sac away from the vertebrae. 

Nick pauses a moment in his work, knowing there will be questions from the medical students. One, a male with a name badge (the only med student wearing a name badge), moves to the microphone.

Tony: "Doctor Kokoris, what would happen if you were to accidently slice into the peritoneal sac?"

His hand hovering over the iliac blood vessel, a retractor in his hand, Nick glances up. 

Nick: "The organs would fall out, and you'd have quite a mess to clean up."

Tony nods. Down below, with the retractor, Nick pushes the ureter and iliac blood vessel up against the peritoneal sac. Then Nick addresses the gallery's audience.

Nick: "And with the iliac vessel tucked securely against the peritoneal sac, the general surgeon's duties are concluded unless further needed. Normally at this stage of the spinal fusion operation, I would hand off the retractors to my assistant, step back and allow Doctor Crenshaw his time in the spotlight."

From up in the gallery a female med student asks: 

"Would you leave the OR at this point, Doctor Kokoris?"

Nick shakes his head, then glances up to see who had spoken. The woman standing next to the microphone is a short, spike haired red head who had just married...Cecelia Thomas. No, Cecelia Evans is her name now. 

Nick: "No. I would observe the rest of the operation and in the event the iliac vessel were to rupture during the disc insertion, I would need to be available immediately--not as soon as I can scrub in, not even one minute later, but immediately available. Nurse Dawson, the pituitary rongeur."

The scrub nurse, Arleatha Dawson, hands Nick the requested instrument. Up in the gallery, several sets of eyes grow wide upon seeing the surgical instrument. 

Arleatha: "Pituitary rongeur, Doctor Kokoris."

Taking the instrument inhis hand, Nick glances up at the gallery. 

Nick: "Moving on, I am now going to remove the disc."

With his rongeur, Nick begins to remove the spinal disc. Up in the gallery, several of the med students blanch at Nick's work, seen in extreme close-up via CCTV. 

"Looks like crab meat," someone mutters in the gallery.

"Want that spicy?" someone else asks. 

"Want fries with that?" this question from yet a third person. There is light laughter amongst the medical students. 

At the last comment, Nick pauses in his work. He turns slowly towards the medical students.

"Uh, oh. That one made him angry."

The med students go quiet as Nick looks up at the gallery. 

Nick: (in a no-nonsense tone) "This is no joking matter. I will not allow you to crack jokes about a procedure in my OR. Any one else making jokes will be asked to leave." 

Nick turns back to the surgery in progress. The medical students glance around amongst themselves as Nick continues removing the damaged disc tissue.

...Meanwhile, Norman is at his desk when a floral delivery truck pulls up to the front office. Norman smiles, knowing that this means another delivery of gifts. He watches as the truck's driver walks around to the back, opens the door and pulls out two large bouqets of flowers. 

The delivery man walks through Presidio's doors.

Norman: “What’s this?”

Delivery man: “Flowers for Doctors Slingerland and Kokoris.”

Norman: “You can put them right here.”

Norman indicates the desk’s ledge. The delivery man puts the two large bouquets of long-stemmed roses (in crystal vases) on the desk’s ledge, then walks towards Presidio's sliding doors..

Norman calls after him.

Norman: “Don’t I need to sign something?”

Delivery Man: (over his shoulder) “Yeah, when I’m finished.”

Norman’s mouth drops open. The delivery man goes out Presidio’s doors and momentarily returns with two more large bouquets. This time, the flowers are orchids (also in crystal vases).

Norman: “And these are for…?”

Delivery man: “Also for Slingerland and Kokoris. Geesh, some lady sent these flower to two men? What’s their secret?”

Norman shrugs as the delivery man puts the flowers down on the ledge. He takes a ledger out of his pocket and hands it to Norman to sign.

Delivery man: (leaning on the ledge)  “Line 12.” 

Norman: (signing the ledger) “Same woman sent the bouquets?”

Delivery man: “Yep. Ordered them rush delivery. Gotta be there by three, she said. Ordered them at two. Must be nice, getting flowers from a woman.”

He smiles at Norman, takes back the ledger, tips his hat, then leaves Presidio’s offices. A few of the patients in the waiting area are smiling.
 

...At the same time in his newly redecorated office, Matt is discussing the particulars of a vegetarian versus a vegan diet with a dietician, Sandy Flowers. There is a medical file open in front of him and the new Vuitton fountain pen is on top of the medical file. 

On the side of Matt's desk lies a piece of paper that he's referenced frequently in the past few days: it's the autopsy report on Linda Weatherbee. 

Occasionally, Matt glances over at the autopsy report for Linda. He knows he shouldn't keep the autopsy report on his desk, and further, he knows he shouldn't keep reading the report, but he can't get Linda’s autopsy report out of his mind. 

Sandy: "He doesn't eat honey."

Matt: "Why not?"

Sandy: "Because the gathering of honey disrupts the bee's natural habitat so no ethical vegan would eat honey."

Matt: "But a vegetarian would eat honey."

Sandy: "Yes. But a vegan would not eat honey."

Matt: "I see. So the hospital's offering of honey nut Cheerios would violate a vegan's diet?"

Sandy nods.

Matt: "And that's why he rebelled and threw the cereal bowl at the nurse."

Sandy: "If he’s a vegan and he was offered honey via cereal then the hospital violated his ethics by serving him honey."

Matt: "Got that."

Matt picks up his new Vuitton fountain pen and makes a note on the man's medical records. 

Matt: "Now, what about eggs?"

Sandy: "Not for a vegan."

Matt raises his eyebrows in a question.

Sandy: "Most eggs are produced in very inhumane conditions. Chickens cooped up close together, not very good for the chicken."

Matt: "What if it’s a free range chicken and she drops an egg on the ground?”

Sandy: (firmly) “No eggs."

Matt makes another note on the medical records. 
 

...Back in Jackie's office, she is comparing sizes of silicone implants. Norman is with her. 

Jackie: "And this one?"

Jackie holds up a rather large silicone bag. 

Norman: "Looks like a Pam Lee reject."

Jackie laughs.

Jackie: "It is kinda large. Patient is rather flat chested. I told her a 34B would be good for starters, but I'm thinking a bit larger."

Norman peruses the selection of silicone bags laid across Jackie's desk.

Norman: "How big is 34B?"

Jackie: "Not big big but noticeable enough. I'm thinking more of a 36B."

She holds up an implant for Norman's inspection.
 

...Back in OR 4, Nick has finished with the disc removal and is in the process of picking up a mallet. 

Tony: "Um, Doctor Kokoris?"

Nick glances up at the med students in the gallery before replying into the headset he is wearing. 

Nick: "Yes, Tony?"

Tony: "Isn't a mallet a little...primitive?"

Nick: "No. Now watch."

Nick raises the mallet and begins hammering the disc into place with precise, sturdy blows. The medical students watch intently as Nick hammers. 

When he's got the disc cage located where he wants it, Nick pauses and looks up.

Nick: "Questions?"

Tony: "Do you have to hammer so hard?"

Nick: "Yes."

Tony: “How many surgeries of this type have you performed?”

Nick: “Including this one?”

Tony: “Yeah.”

Nick: “Two twenty.”

Cecilia: "Have you ever missed and hit the iliac vein?"

Nick: "Nope."
 

...A bit later, Norman is standing at his desk, taking calls and directing patients to their respective doctors when Amanda Sotheby walks in the doors of Presidio carrying a large manila envelope.

Norman: “Afternoon, Amanda. How’s UMC’s pet reporter doing?”

Amanda: “Just peachy. Who are those flowers for?"

She puts the manila envelope down on the ledge. There is barely room there with four large bouquets of flowers. 

Norman: "Slingerland and Kokoris."

Amanda: "Should have guessed. Those two did quite well on the CNN interview. Jonalee is absolutely flooded with inquiries about them and about SARS control."

Norman: "So the CNN piece did its job?"

Amanda nods.

Amanda. "Yep. They're being referred to as the City's Dynamic Docs. Sorry Doctor Brennan didn't get much of a mention in the news about Francesca."

Norman: "Not your fault."

Amanda: "I came by  looking for Tom."

Norman: (grinning)  "I take it you're here about the shooting victim."

Amanda: "Yeah. She wants to go public, thank Tom for saving her life. Is Tom around?”

Norman: “Up in surgery.”

Amanda waves the manila envelope. 

Amanda: “I’ve got copies of the photos. Thought he’d like to see them.”

Norman: “Bet he would. I’ll leave him a message so when Tom gets out of surgery he can drop by and pick them up.”

Amanda: “Thanks. Doctor Slingerland or Doctor Kokoris wouldn’t happen to be around, would they?”

Norman shakes his head.

Norman: “Surgery for Tom and patients for Matt.”

Amanda smiles then holds a finger to her lips.

Amanda: “Don’t let on, but the rumor going around the City’s newsrooms is that the Sunday Magazine wants to do a photo shoot on Matt and Nick, seeing as they did so well with the CNN interview.”

Norman: “You don’t say.”

Amanda: “Yep. Good story there.”

Norman: “I would say.”

Amanda grins mischievously.

Amanda: “Word’s also going around that there’s also to be a photo shoot of the staff at Presidio.”

Norman: “Now that really would be a great story.”

The two laugh. 

...Meanwhile, Sandy Flowers, the Dietician, has left Matt's office. Matt is still sitting, legs crossed, re-reading Linda's autopsy report. There's something that seems to be wrong with the report and Matt suddently knows what it is.

Reaching over to his speakerphone, he flicks it on and dials the ME's office and waits while he's routed to the ME's direct (and very private) line.

"ME."

Matt: "It's Matt Slingerland."

Medical Examiner: "Matt! Long time, no see. Been missing you at pub rounds."

Matt: "Other things on my mind lately."

Medical Examiner: "Such as?"

Matt: "Such as Linda Weatherbee's autopsy report."

Medical Examiner: "What's bothering you about it?"

Matt: "The report shows that Linda Weatherbee had a congenital defect of the reproductive system. How could she be pregnant?"

Medical Examiner: "It is possible for someone with a double uterus to get pregnant. Carrying the baby to term is another problem."

Matt: "I see. But the eye color is also different. Linda had amber colored eyes, not dark blue."

Medical Examiner: "Contacts. What's wrong, Matt? You usually don't call me up to nitpick over my autopsy results. In fact, this is the first time you've ever wanted to see my handiwork."

Matt: "It's just that Linda had an appointment with me the day she was murdered. Just a few hours before she died."

Medical Examiner: "Damn."

Matt: "Damn is right. I hear the police are still looking for her boyfriend, Tristan Meyers."

Medical Examiner: "Yep. Grapevine here says there's an APB out for him. But he doesn't seem to be the murderer."

Matt: "No?"

Medical Examiner: "Nope. This killing fits in with a few others that have been going around the region."

Matt: "Could it be a copycat killing?"

Medical Examiner: "I certainly hope not. One psycho running around the City is quite enough for me. Unlike Carmen over your way, I get all the murders."

Matt: "Two psychos in the City. One is running around handing out rohypnol and other club drugs at the university."

Medical Examiner: "He's gotten over your way?"

Matt is surprised at the ME's question.

Matt: "Come again?"

Medical Examiner: "I've had his handiwork on a few occasions."

Matt pales.

Matt: "You don't say."

Medical Examiner: "Couple of college age women were found in their cars, dead of course. Tox labs indicated large amounts of club drugs in their bodies, along with cocaine and large amounts of alcohol."

Matt: "Binge drinking?"

Medical Examiner: "Yep. Major frat parties this time of year."

Matt: "Did the labs indicate rohypnol in their systems?"

Medical Examiner: "In both of the women. Any reason why you're asking?"

Matt: "He's visited one of the staff at UMC."

Medical Examiner: "She didn't go through my office."

Matt: "She's alive. And pregnant."

Medical Examiner: "Bastard."

Matt: "That's what she said."

It's evening, around 8 pm and Harriet and George are in their kitchen, getting a tray of coffee ready. 

Harriet: "Are you sorry we never had children?"

George: "There are times that I wonder what our lives would have been like had we had children."

Harriet chuckles softly.

Harriet: "With all the kids I've delivered, I'm not sure how I would have raised one of my own."

George: "What about Jules? Do you see her as a mother?"

Harriet: "She's might have been diagnosed with hyperactivity as a child, although she denies it vehemently. Says she's a Type AA personality."

George: "AA?"

Harriet: "High octane Type A is what she means."

George laughs. 

George: "So, what's this I hear about someone sending all the men gift bags. Hmmm?"

Harriet: "Oh. Rumors have gone round that a mysterious woman, going by the initial D, has been sending expensive gift-laden bags to male doctors in various hospitals around the City."

George: "Only male docs? I thought Norman and David received gift bags and they're not docs."

Harriet: "But the extra-large gift bags are reserved for male docs. Nothing for us women, I'm afriad."

George: "Matt is certainly showing off his booty."

Harriet chuckles.

Harriet: "He and Nick sure received some fine presents."

George: "Not as fine as you."

Harriet smiles.

...Meanwhile at Rae's home, she is upstairs in the empty master suite. In a frenzy of energy, she has decided to redecorate.

Rae has begun her redecorating craze by repainting the master suite. She's undertaken this effort by herself, purchasing a paint gun and an interesting shade of paint called "Maple Sugar," the color of which appears on the wall as a medium gold, somewhat approaching the color of sunflowers.

Rae has just finished applying the last coat of paint and the room is decidedly golden. She steps back to the doorway to the master suite to survey her work.

Rae: "Now that's something...different. Nice and bright and sunny. Definitely not Sean."

Feeling satisfied, Rae puts the paint gun down then walks towards the hall bathroom, stripping off her oversized shirt as she goes. 

Upon reaching the hall bathroom and turning on the light, she pauses a moment before the full length mirror. Looking at herself, naked and in profile, she moves her hand over her still flat abdomen. 

Closely examining herself in the mirror, Rae next sticks her belly out in an imitation of pregnancy. 

Rae: "Yuck. I look fat. How do women do this for nine months?"

She peers closely at her hips and runs her hand over the side of her hips.

Rae: "I think I am eating a bit too much else this baby is gaining weight faster than I thought."

Wanting to put the baby out of her mind, Rae goes to the shower and turns on the water to hot. 

A step creaks. 

Rae tilts her head at the noise but shrugs her shoulders then continues on with her shower preparation by turning on the shower radio. 
 

...At the same time, Nick and Matt, along with their dates Harmony and Ophelia, are sitting around a small circular table in an upscale coffee shop. The foursome have tall, thick white coffee mugs in front of them. 

Nick and Matt have empty dessert plates behind their coffee mugs while Harmony and Ophelia are still finishing their desserts. 

Harmony sips her latte.

Harmony: "Mmm. I think the caramel is melted off my back teeth now."

She eyes her plate of chocolate caramel triple layer cake with whipped cream as she sips her latte. 

Matt leans over and wipes a smear of whipped cream off her nose. Harmony laughs.

Matt: "Don't forget that you have a dental appointment tomorrow."

Harmony: "Just a cleaning and checkup. Maybe some tooth whitening."

Ophelia nudges Nick's arm. Near the back of the cafe, on a small stage, a woman is setting up a microphone. 

Ophelia: "Nick, looks like they're doing some open mike poetry. Are you going to go up there?"

As Ophelia takes a bite of her chocolate cheesecake, Nick smiles at her but sips his coffee, a Colombian brew with half and half. 

Nick: "You planned this, didn't you?"

Ophelia grins, then takes a bite of her dessert: a chocolate cheesecake about four inches high, rich and creamy in texture with whipped cream and thick chocolate shavings on top. 

Matt: (encouragingly) "Come on, go up and read."

Nick puts down his coffee cup.

Nick: (innocently) "Read what?" 

Harmony: "Something from that book of poetry in your briefcase, perhaps?"

With a nod of her head, Harmony indicates Nick's briefcase: a nice coffee brown leather number from Coach, courtesy of the Mysterious D--Matt has a matching leather briefcase, except his briefcase is British Tan.

Harmony smiles at Nick over her the rim of her coffee cup.

Harmony: "Saw the poetry when you opened the briefcase."

Nick merely glances at Harmony and raises an eyebrow. 

Matt: "Be a sport!"

Ophelia: "Yes, Nick. Go sign up."

Harmony: "What's the harm?" 

In response, Nick puts his coffee cup down and slides out of his chair. Walking over to the sign up sheet, he puts his name down on Number 1. 

Upon his return to the table, Matt asks:

"When?"

Nick: "First."

Harmony: "Whatcha gonna read?"

Nick: "It's a surprise."

Ophelia: "It's from Violet Witherspoon."

Harmony: "Who?"

Ophelia: "Victorian poet from Macon, Georgia. Died, oh, mid 50's. She wrote about her unrequited love for John Chambers. Nick picked up a copy of Lest You Forget."

Ophelia smiles at Nick.

Ophelia: "I was with him when he purchased it earlier this evening."

Matt: (smiling) "A closet romantic. I never knew you enjoyed romantic poetry, Nick."

Matt leans his elbows on the table and bats his eyelashes at Nick. For his part, Nick flicks a crumb from the remains of his brownie at Matt. In good turn, Matt picks up the brownie crumb and eats it.

Harmony: "Matt! If you're still hungry, then here." (she takes her fork and slices a small piece of her caramel chocolate layer cake. Holding the fork up for Matt, she cups her hand under the fork to catch any crumbs. 

But Matt, ever the opportunist (and never one to look a gift horse in the mouth), slides Harmony's cake plate towards him. 

While Harmony is holding her fork aloft for him, Matt takes his own fork, he finishes the cake in three bites. 

Harmony: (laughing) "Matt! Now order me another!"

Matt: "With pleasure."

Matt guides Harmony's hand towards his mouth and he finishes the last bite of her cake.

Harmony: "Growing men!”

At the mike in the back of the coffee shop, the announcer is getting ready to begin the poetry reading. Nick wipes his mouth with his napkin.

Nick: "Excuse me."

His coffee mates nod as Nick slides dark green bound book imprinted with gold leaves out of his briefcase. Nick slides out of his seat and heads towards the open mike to scattered applause. 
 

...Meanwhile in UMC's ER, Letty is just finishing giving a diagnosis to a pregnant woman (Nicole Sanders). Nicole is sitting up on the exam bed. She's wearing a rather thin gown and she's not happy about it. Nicole has her arms crossed over her chest. 

With her back to Nicole, Letty is looking at an x-ray of the woman's chest. Letty's head is shaking ever so slowly. 

There is a dark shadow near the woman's heart, below the lungs. Letty's expession is grim; she's never seen this type of heart problem outside of her textbooks.

Nicole: "Will I be able to be carry him to term?"

Turning around to look at Nicole, Letty pauses a moment too long before answering and Nicole's expression turns to panic. 

Nicole: (sharply) "I will be able to carry him to term, won't I?"

Letty: "It...would be best if you would consider delivering early."

Nicole: (angrily) "And how are you able to determine I should deliver early? You're a cardiologist!"

Letty looks at Nicole. 

Letty: "You asked me if I thought you'd be able to carry him to term. I told you: no. If you want a second opinion, I can page Doctor Lanning and she can come in and tell you more.

Nicole: "She's not here? But she's an OB. She's supposed to be here, where I need her."

Letty: "She's not here at the moment, no. Doctors do have lives outside the hospital. And, since you didn't present in the ER with any obstetrical problems, Doctor Howland didn't think to call Doctor Lanning."

Letty takes a pen out of her pocket. She moves sideways so Nicole can see the x-ray.

Letty: "You see this dark spot here on the right side?"

Letty indicates the dark spot on the x-ray.

Nicole: "Yeah. Looks like a shadow."

Letty: "I'm gonna need to phone another doctor to help me with this diagnosis."

Nicole: "Why?"

Letty: "Because you ain't short of breath resulting from the pressure of this baby compressing your lungs." 

Nicole grows quiet.

Nicole: “But will I be able to carry my son to term?”

Letty: “I’ll need to consult with Doctor Lanning and Doctor Brennan on this before I can give you an answer.”

Nicole merely nods.

Nicole: “Can Doctor Howland give me an ultrasound?”

Letty: “I can ask for you.”

Nicole: “Please.”

Letty nods, and taking the x-ray from the viewer, leaves the exam room. 
 
 

...Back at Rae's home, she is in the shower soaping up and singing gaily (but off-key) to the radio.

Rae: "It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A. It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A. You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal, you can do whatever you feeeeeellll. Young man, are you listening to me..."

The bathroom door creaks open but Rae doesn't hear it. Footsteps head towards the curtained shower, where Rae is singing her head off.

A hand begins to pull back the shower curtain. At the movement, a startled Rae looks at the shower curtain moving aside--and she screams. 

…Meanwhile, back at the coffee shop, Nick is just finishing up reading a poem:

Nick: "and as latened days of burnished beauty passed
from brightness into winter's graying
then did i and you together lift the mask
of summer from the face of truth. 
We knew that when there comes an autumn gloriously gold,
singing sweet tunes and praying summer's smile,
color soon shall pale in snowy cold 
and memory freeze in winter's icy while."

Applause begins with Ophelia, then Matt, then Harmony and eventually the entire cafe is applauding Nick's reading of a Violet Witherspoon poem. 

The spotlight turns blue, then pink, then red, then green, then back to white. The lady announcer comes back to the mike and says:

Announcer: "Let's hear it for Nicholas Kokoris."

The applause continues for Nick's reading, while at the same time, in her shower, Rae continues screaming.

The shower curtain is pulled completely back.

"Stop screaming, already! It's just me."

Rae continues screaming.

"It's me! Sean. You remember, your soon to be ex-husband."

Rae stops screaming at last.

Rae: "Sean! Good god, you scared the hell out of me!"

She turns off the shower radio. 

Sean: (lowering his voice) "So I noticed."

Rae: (angrily) "How the hell did you get in?"

Sean: "I let myself in with the extra keys. Just came by for the typewriter and a few other things. I thought you were out to dinner tonight so I left you a message on your answering machine telling you'd I'd be by at this time."

Rae: "I didn't check the machine."

Sean: "That would...seem apparent. I'll let you finish your shower."

Rae: "That would be nice, yes. There's shampoo running down my back."

Sean looks Rae up and down.

Sean: "By the way, nice Brazilian."

Rae: (drily) "How kind of you to notice."

She smiles putting an arm over her breasts and a hand covering her nether regions, then she freezes as the steps creak--again.

Sean: (in a low whisper) "Uh, you were expecting someone?"

Rae shakes her head. Sean motions for Rae to keep quiet. She hides behind the shower curtain but peeks out. 

Sean motions for her to stand behind the curtain. Rae closes the curtain but allows herself to peek out from a small opening between the shower wall and the curtain. 

Sean moves behind the open bathroom door as footsteps sound closer to the hallway bathroom. Sean gets ready to move as a shadow appears in the doorway. 

Sean makes his move and his right hand, curled into a tight fist, makes contact with the intruder's face.

"Bllaaaaahhhhh!"

The intruder's body thumps on the floor. Sean stands over the prone body, then looks at Rae with surprise showing on his face.

...Back at the coffee shop (and as Sean is standing over the intruder’s body), Ophelia has walked up to Nick and kissed him deeply while the spotlight is on the couple. Nick returns the kiss but he is rather emotionless; he doesn't care much for Ophelia. 

Ophelia runs her hand down Nick's back; he doesn't respond. 

There is scattered applause. 

Harmony looks at Matt, who is busy devouring another plate of cake: triple chocolate sans caramel. She reaches under the table and squeezes his thigh. A surprised Matt nearly chokes on his cake.

Harmony leans over and whispers in Matt's ear. He is not expecting to hear what Harmony has to say and he shakes his head. 

He has just discovered Harmony likes to know the answers to quite personal questions. Matt might consider this an age factor since Harmony has shown her sensitivity on other issues. 

Harmony sits back, a frown on her face.

Matt: "Although I did lobby for the, ah, position as sperm donor, it was done in a clinic."

Harmony: "Ah."

She takes a key chain hip flask out and unscrews the cap.

Matt: "Is that what I think it is?"

Harmony nods.

Harmony: "Whiskey. A little bit o' liquid sunshine in my coffee."

Watching Harmony add a little drop of whiskey to her coffee, Matt now understands why Harmony has been acting a bit 'off' this evening: she's been adding whiskey to her coffee the entire time the foursome has been in the coffee shop. 

Matt has to smile; for his diligence in watching her, Harmony managed to evade detection until now. 

Then Matt frowns.

Matt: "How much whiskey have you drunk?"

Harmony: "Not much. I seem to have a strange reaction. A normal size drink gets me as drunk as six drinks would get you drunk. One beer gets me drunk, plus I get red-faced and develop a massive headache."

Matt furrows his brow.

Matt: "An allergic reaction to the sulfites?"

Harmony nods.

Harmony: "That too. But just a few sips of alcohol can get me drunk. It's strange. No doctor I talk to has heard of this problem."

Matt: "So why do you add the whiskey?"

Harmony: "I like the taste."

…At the same time that Sean is standing over the intruder’s body, inside of Harriet's home, she is just exiting the bathroom and tying her bathrobe shut when her phone rings. George gets up from the chaise lounge and lumbers over to the phone.

George: "Hello! Letty. Good to hear from you. Yes, here she is."

Harriet: "Don't tell me one of your patients is having a baby...She is. Well, truthfully, I've never heard of a tumor on that artery but I guess it could happen. Is she bleeding?...No...But she’s short of breath. Well, admit her for observation and I'll check by in the morning for an ultrasound, just to make sure. See you then, bye."

Harriet hangs up the phone.

George: "What was that all about?"

Harriet: "Woman came in to the ER complaining of shortness of breath."

George: "But Letty says it's something different?"

Harriet: "Some kind of mass on her pulmonary artery."

George: "Strange."

Harriet: "Strange indeed. I hope it's not malignant."

...Back at Rae's home, in the hallway bathroom, Sean is still standing over the intruder's body. 

Sean: "Ooops. Sorry, Jules."

Rae pulls back the shower curtain. 

Rae: "Is she knocked out?"

Sean: "Uh, yeah. Looks like it."

Rae scrambles out of the shower and bends over Jules.

Rae: "Jules? Jules, can you hear me?"

Jules moans and moves her head back and forth.

Sean: "I'll get some ice. And you need to get a towel on."

As Sean leaves the bathroom, Rae nods, stands up and pulls a towel off of the towel rack. Jules moves her head again, moans then tries to sit up. Rae wraps the towel around herself.

Jules: "Ohhhh. What happened?"

Rae: "Sean's right hook."

Jules: "That was Sean? He's got a mean hook."

Jules gingerly touches her left eye.

Rae: "That's going to swell up. He's gone to get some ice."

Jules: "I hope he hurries." 

She looks up at Rae then wobbily tries to stand up. 

Rae: "Here. Sit on the toilet."

Rae helps Jules sit down on the toilet.

Jules: "I will."

Rae: "How did you get in?"

Jules: "The front door was open. I got a bit worried."

Rae: "Sean might have left the door open when he came in ."

Sean comes back into the bathroom; he has a cold compress in his hand.

Sean: "Sean did leave the front door open. I only meant to stop by briefly--very briefly. I wasn't expecting Rae to be home and I thought that there was someone in her shower." 

Sean hands the cold compress to Jules, who holds the compress to her left eye.

Sean: "Sorry, Jules. I didn't know it was you."

Jules: "S'all right. Should have called up first. This will teach me a good lesson."

Rae: "Sure you're all right? You were knocked out briefly."

Jules: "I'll be all right."

Rae: "I'll just finish my shower, if you two don't mind."

Jules: "Not at all."

Sean: "Ditto. I gather from the paint smell that you've been painting."

Rae: "Yeah. I painted our bedroom. I mean, the master suite."

Sean: "Mind if I go look?"

Rae: "Not at all. House is half yours until the settlement."

Jules: "No hard feelings, Sean."

Sean: “Thanks. Hope you don’t get ribbed too badly at work.”

Sean exits the bathroom, leaving Jules sitting on the toilet holding an ice compress. Rae gets into the shower, takes the towel off and rinses off. 

Finished with her shower, Rae steps out of the shower and puts the towel back on.

Rae: "Feeling better?"

Jules: "Yes. I'm gonna go make some coffee, if you don't mind."

Rae: "Not at all. Sure you don't want something stronger?"

Jules shakes her head.

Jules: "No. I'm driving."

Rae: "All right. Let's see that eye."

Jules takes the compress off; Rae whistles.

Rae: "Black and blue."

Jules: "Not my first shiner but certainly my best."

Rae smiles wanly as Jules gets up. She's not wobbly but she moves a bit more slower than usual.

Rae: "I've got some new coffee that someone bought me. It's sitting on the counter."

Jules: "Sounds good. Got anything to eat?"

Rae: "Coffee cake."

Jules laughs.

Jules: "Coffee cake it is, then." 

Jules exits the bathroom. From the doorway, Rae watches Jules to make sure Jules doesn't fall down the stairs. When she hears Jules get to the bottom, Rae smiles.

Toweling her hair, Rae decides to don a terrycloth bathrobe. She heads down the hallway towards the master suite and enters. The tension between the two is noticeable. 

Rae: (faking a smile; there are no eye crinkles) "Kinda...gold, isn't it?"

Sean: (looking around) "That's an understatement."

Rae: "It's supposed to be called Maple Sugar."

Sean: "Looks likes sunflower puke on the walls."

Rae and Sean laugh, breaking the tension in the room.

Sean: "Really. It does. Why did you choose this color?"

Rae: "You know, I hate to say it, but you're right. I was trying for a dignified gold. Guess the paint store thought this color was dignified."

Sean looks thoughtfully at the walls.

Sean: "Maybe you could do a white border or something. Get rid of some of the yellow."

Rae: "It looks good in the can."

Sean: "It always looks better in the can than it does on the wall."

Rae laughs.

Sean: "I'd best be going. Got a red-eye to catch."

Rae: "Anything interesting?"

Sean: "Vacation."

Rae raises her eyebrows.

Rae: "Where?"

Sean: "You wouldn't like it."

Rae: "Come on, tell me."

Sean: "A safari in Kenya."

Rae: "Well, that is interesting." 

Sean: "Yeah, it's a working holiday, really. Covering how ex-pat Americans are faring outside our borders."

Rae: "That's a change for you. I mean, that kind of story. Frilly."

Sean nods.

Sean: "Yeah, frilly girly story: two women decide to head off to Africa and start a safari company, called, of all things, VirginBush."

Rae: (smiling) "Virginbush?"

Sean: "Yep. Virginbush. Interesting choice of names."

Rae: "I'd say. I can see how men would like the name."

Faintly, there's a call of: "Cooofffffeeeeeeeeee!"

Sean: "Guess that's my cue to leave. Oh, and I wanted to drop off my extra set of keys. Guess I won't be needing them."

Sean digs into his jeans pocket. Pulling out a set of keys, he hands them to Rae.

Rae: "Guess not."

Sean: "I'll collect my typewriter and then be off. You and Jules have a good chat."

The awkwardness of their relationship has returned. 

Rae: "Bye."

He turns to leave the room as Rae heads towards the closet. Opening the closet door, she drops the towel. Sean turns back to Rae.

Sean: "We had it really good for a while, didn't we?"

Rae puts on her bathrobe before answering.

Rae: "We did. It's not your fault. I was the one living a lie."

Sean: "So was I. You're getting kind of fat since I've been gone."

Sean exits the room before anything else is said. Rae just looks after him, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

…Back at the coffee shop’s podium, Nick clears his throat to indicate he’s ready to read again. 

“You who happen upon us
after our time has passed to dust,
transforming our physical selves to oneness with the earth,
Should you, brushing aside the leaves
that blanket our separate graves
and reading words of letters soft now with age,
think us but citizens of a distant day,
Reach to your faintest memories:
Might it be your hand that wrote these lines,
your eyes that brimmed with tears at the leaving?
We two shall search for other homes.
Look closely at the stones.
They count our unlived moments
They chronicle your days now gone.

The spotlight turns blue, then pink, then red, then green, then back to white. The lady announcer comes back to the mike and says:

Announcer: "Let's hear it again for Nicholas Kokoris."

Harmony: (leaning towards Matt) “He really does have a nice reading voice.”

Matt: “And I don’t have a nice reading voice?”

Harmony smiles.

Harmony: “Of course you do. Why don’t you read something?”

It’s Matt’s turn to smile.

Matt: “Didn’t bring anything to read. Sorry.”

Jules and Rae are in her kitchen, chatting over coffee and coffee cafe. Rae has just cut herself a huge piece of coffee cake.

Rae: "Sorry that Sean tackled you."

Jules sips her coffee and takes a bite of her coffee cake before answering.

Jules: "Yeah. Well, I shouldn't have just walked in like that."

Rae: "It's my fault. I shouldn't leave my doors open. Nick's been getting on my case for me leaving my doors both unlocked and open."

Jules: "You still googling Nick? I mean, after what happened..."

Rae: "Googling?"

Jules: "Googling. Often used to mean one has looked up someone else on the search engines but has a second meaning of having sex with someone."

Rae: "No. Not now. Nick's been really sweet, very supportive the last few weeks." 

Jules: "Word is Nick is biding his time."

Rae: "Really? Who's passing the word?"

Jules frowns then looks away.

Rae: "Don't tell me. Jackie."

Jules' expression confirms Rae's suspicions.

Jules: "She's really interested in him lately."

Rae: "Jackie? Interested in Nick? I thought she was after Matt."

Jules: "Not anymore."

Rae: "So what happened between you and Matt that's caused Jackie to hone in on him?"

Jules: "Rae, don't start this again. Matt and I had a disagreement. Yes, he had a crush on me. Notice the verb tense: had."

Rae: "All right."

Jules: "It seems everywhere I go, people ask me about Matt. Why is this such a hot topic of conversation?"

Rae: "It's fascinating."

Jules: "Fascinating?"

Rae: "Well, yeah. You and Matt conceived some embryos."

Jules: "Which were as a result of my having ovarian cancer."

Rae: "Stage 1."

Jules: "True. But I am also under the age of 40. You know very well the cancer can recurr and you also know that I have an increased risk of breast cancer."

Rae: "That I do know. Ovarian cancer in those under the age of 35 can be quite deadly."

Jules: "I'm just lucky I caught the cancer in time."

Rae: "That you are."

She smiles wanly.

Rae: "Although I remember how feisty you were when you found out about the diagnosis."

Jules: "Harriet told me that you were the one who made the official diagnosis."

Rae: "That I was. Harriet didn't want to disclose who she was talking about."

Jules smiles.

Jules: "She was very concerned about me. I liked that."

Rae: "We were all concerned about you."

Jules: "I noticed. I never said thank you for that, so thank you."

Rae: "It's part of being a friend."

Jules sips her coffee.

Jules: "Do you know I've secretly named the embryos?"

Rae: "You did? Does Matt know?"

Jules shakes her head.

Jules: "No."

Rae: "What names did you choose?"

Jules: "Aaron, Mayra, Royal, Jovita, Pierce."

Rae: "Royal?"

Jules: "It's only a temporary name. Until I figure out if I want to have them implanted."

Rae: "I like Pierce and Jovita."

Jules: "I'm partial to Mayra and Pierce."

Rae: "You want twins?"

Jules: "Possibly. Easier to raise and they leave home at the same time."

Rae: "True."

Jules gingerly touches her swelling left eye. 

Jules: "Ow."

Rae: "You're going to have quite a shiner in the morning. Sean gave you quite the right hook."

Jules: "Tell me. He missed his calling in the WWE."

Rae: (smiles) "Need some aspirin?"

Jules: "I do. Thanks."

Rae goes off into a small bathroom off the kitchen and returns with a bottle of Aleve. She hands the bottle to Jules, who opens the bottle and takes two Aleve.

Rae: "Guess I shouldn't give you any wine."

Jules: "Not a chance. I'm driving."

Rae: "Might want to stay the night on my roll-away bed."

Jules: "Thanks but no."

The phone rings. Rae goes to answer it and puts it on speakerphone.

Rae: "Hello!"

Letty: "Hello. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

Rae: "Not for me. Jules had a bad time earlier."

Letty: "Jules? She there?"

Jules: "Here."

Letty: "What happened?"

Rae: "Long story."

Jules: "I walked in Rae's house uninvited and Sean gave me a right hook."

Letty: "That must hurt."

Rae: "Actually, Jules walked in on me in the shower."

Letty: "I'm not following. You and Sean were in the shower?"

Rae: "No. I was in the shower and Sean dropped by. Scared the hell out of me. Jules was driving by the house and saw my front door open."

Jules: "I heard voices upstairs and thought Rae was in trouble. So I came up the stairs, saw two shadows in the bathroom and thought: she's in trouble. Then I went in the bathroom and blam!"

Rae: "Right in the eye."

Jules: "Nick's not gonna be too happy to hear I didn't even get a chance to defend myself."

Letty: "You sweet on Nick, Jules?"

Jules: "He is a fabulous man, sweet, warm, intelligent.” 

Jules looks at Rae pointedly

Jules:” Nick’s kind, intelligent, warm, humorous."

Letty: "So what are you waiting for?"

Jules: "He's not for me. But he's been teaching me self defense. He says a single woman who rides public transportation needs to defend herself."

Letty: "He's got a point there."

Rae:  (smiling) "I didn't know Nick knew karate."

Jules: "Hapkido. Granted, I've only taken a few lessons, but still. I should have at least phoned the police when I saw Rae's front door open."

Rae: "No. It's my fault. I should have called your name when I saw you."

Jules: "S'all right. Next time, I learn to stay away from Sean's right hook."

Letty: "Now that intros are over, I need to ask Rae something."

Rae and Jules exhcange glances.

Rae: "Personal?"

Letty: "No. But will twelve hours make a big difference in a diagnosis?"

Rae: "Not really. You think you have cancer in one of your patients?"

Letty: "It’s a possible malignant tumor on the pulmonary artery."

Rae: "Wow. That would be pretty rare if it’s confirmed.”

Letty: "Tell me. I’ve never had a malignant cardiac tumor. It took me a few hours to even consider the possibility that it's a tumor."

Jules: "A few hours? How did you stall?"

Letty laughs.

Letty: "Seems she and Doctor Howland get along really well. Terry was seen actually laughing."

Jules: "That Terry Howland? She bitched me up one wall and down another about about my misdiagnosis on the erhlichiosis case."

Letty: "Yep. As hard as it is to believe, Terry was laughing."

Rae: "And to think, we missed all the action."

Letty: "That's what you get when you take the evening off. So I'll tell my patient that we'll need to run more tests."

Rae: "No need. I'll come in for a few hours tonight. Best get it done with earlier rather than later. Besides, we don't want any lawsuits stemming from a delay in diagnosis."

Letty: "All right, then. See you in a bit."

Rae: "Right."

Letty: "Jules, take care of that eye. Cold packs work wonders."

Jules: "So will sleep."

Letty laughs, then hangs up. Rae hangs up her end of the phone.

Rae: "Well, looks like I'm gonna have to get dressed after all."
 

...Back at the Lanning home, Harriet is just getting her purse from the hallway table. She calls out to George: 

Harriet: “George, can you tidy up the kitchen?”

George: “Sure thing. Got a call?”

Harriet: “When do babies ever end?”

George: “Dunno. Hope it’s fast. I was hoping for a little nooky myself.”

Harriet: “George Lanning!”

George: “Whadda say, baby. Just you and me, out under the stars later on this evening?”

Harriet: “I will think about it. Now I’ve got to run. Keep the coffee on and the hot tub bubbling.”
 

...Near 9:30 pm, the poetry reading is over; there is a limited selection of open-mike poetry readers and tonight there were only four readers.

At the entrance to the coffee shop, Nick, Ophelia, Matt and Harmony are standing around, awaiting their respective cabs.

Ophelia: (to Matt and Harmony) “It was an enchanting evening.”

Harmony: (with a forced smile to Ophelia) “Pleasant, wasn’t it?”

Matt: “I certainly enjoyed it.”

Nick: “There’s a cab for you and Harmony.”

Nick indicates the cab, which has pulled up. Matt opens the cab’s door and waits until Harmony is seated inside.

Matt: “Thanks again for the evening, Ophelia. This certainly was…illuminating. Nick, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Nick: “Have a good evening.”

Matt gets inside the cab, shuts the door and as the cabbie drives off, Harmony comments:

Harmony: “Oh, so fake.”

Matt: “What’s so fake?”

Harmony: “Ophelia. She’s a fake if I ever met one.”

Matt: “You didn’t like her?”

Harmony: “Nope.”  (imitating Ophelia) “An enchanting evening. My foot. She hated us from the moment she laid eyes on us.”

Matt: “I didn’t notice anything except to think that Nick was having second thoughts about her.”

Harmony: “He should have tossed her out with the trash.”

Matt: “Now be nice.”

Harmony grunts and Matt puts his arm around Harmony, who snuggles up to Matt.

Cabbie: “Where to, mister?”

Matt: “Theatre near the Presidio.”

The cabbie nods and the car begins to move at a faster clip. 

Close to 10 pm, Ophelia and Nick have just entered Nick’s apartment. Upon entering, she immediately sees the floral arrangements on Nick’s coffee table.

Ophelia: “Nick, darling! And in Waterford crystal!”

She walks towards the flowers, leans over and inhales deeply.

Ophelia: “Thank you. They’re wonderful. And you’re wonderful for thinking of me.”

Nick, who has just shut the front door, turns. He sees that Ophelia has thought the flowers are for her. He decides to let her find out for herself that the flowers were meant for him; he’s not much into Ophelia and would rather wish her to leave his apartment. 

But he has invited her up for a nightcap before Ophelia’s trek back to Sausalito and he will be a gentleman and honor his word.

With her back to Nick, Ophelia is busy inhaling the scent of orchids and long-stemmed roses. 

Nick: “Which do you prefer, bourbon or whiskey?”

Ophelia: (with her nose deep in the roses) “Champagne, darling. Always champagne. Anything else is simply gauche.”

Nick frowns, then he remembers he has a stash of champagne in the refrigerator, compliments of the Mysterious D.

Nick: “Be back momentarily.”

Ophelia: (in a low voice) “No rush. We’ve the entire evening.”

Nick heads off into the kitchen as Ophelia settles herself on the couch. Ophelia leans back on the couch. She rubs one leg against the other, and slips off first one shoe, then the other shoe. The shoes drop on the carpet with a soft thump. 

Nick returns to the living room with a bottle of Cristal champagne and two fluted champagne glasses. He sees what Ophelia has in mind and he tries to hide his expression.

Ophelia: “Now this is so much more romantic than some old double date.” 

Nick pops the cork on the champagne, which bubbles up nicely. Nick pours the champagne.

Nick: “You didn’t enjoy their company?”

Ophelia shakes her head.

Ophelia: “Oh, they were nice enough, but not really my style. Harmony is simply dreadful with those clashing colors and that little hip flask of whiskey. I nearly died when I saw her pouring whiskey into her coffee. And her name.”

Nick raises his eyebrow, then sits down on the couch at the other end.

Nick: “Really? She was named for the Elton John song. I think Harmony's a fine name."

Ophelia: "You would."

Nick: "You didn’t like the coffee house?”

Ophelia: “I snack there all the time, darling. It’s just that this evening was such an embarrassment.”

Nick: “Sorry you feel that way.”

Ophelia: “And I know you’re friends with Matt, but don’t you think he’s a bit wrong for you?”

Nick: (evenly; his expression is stony for he’s trying to hide his growing anger) “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”

Ophelia: “He’s not the type for us.”

Ophelia sips her champagne.

Nick: “You do realize you’re talking about a friend and colleague of mine.”

Ophelia reaches over and pat’s Nick’s knee.

Ophelia: “Colleague yes, but we can get you some preferred friends.”

Nick: “Matt is a perfectly fine friend and he’s quite the gentleman. Excuse me a moment.”

Nick leaves the living room while a pouting Ophelia settles herself down on the couch. 

Her bid to rid Nick of some of his friends has apparently failed. Thinking about something naughty and the expression showing on her face, Ophelia decides to remove her silk wrap dress and lounge on the couch clad only in her lingerie: La Perla black lace lingerie, garters, and high heels.

She leaves her dress hung over the arm of the couch. She sits back down on the couch, leaning against the farther arm. Ophelia stretches her legs down the length of the couch.

Upon Nick’s return to the living room, he sees Ophelia dressed in her lingerie and Nick tries to hide his feelings; he really doesn’t like Ophelia and is looking for an easy way out of this situation.

Nick: “I see you have decided to make yourself comfortable.”

Ophelia: “Yes. Come sit next to me.”

Ophelia pats the couch. Nick hesitates and is saved by the doorbell ringing. Nick goes to answer it. There is a woman standing there wearing  a black velvet dress cut to mid-thigh. Nick is not sure who it is, for the woman is carrying a very large bouquet of roses. 

“It’s me, Jackie.”

Nick: “Doctor Collette! Pleased to see you. Come in, come in, won’t you? Are those roses for me?”

Jackie: “Thanks, Nick. And yes, these are for you. They were delivered just after you and Matt left. I’ve got a delivery to make to him as well when I meet him at the movies.”

Nick motions for Jackie to come in and he stands aside so in the event that Ophelia didn’t figure out Nick’s visitor is a woman from her voice, Ophelia can certainly notice Jackie’s presence now.

Ophelia: “Darling, who is that behind those roses?”

Ophelia stands up and walks towards the flowers. Jackie, who is hidden behind the large bouquet of long-stemmed roses, is trying to walk towards the center of the room.

Nick: “My colleague, Jackie Collette. Jackie, this my date for the evening, Ophelia Woodson.”

Nick takes the roses from Jackie and moves towards the coffee table. Ophelia gets her first look at a dolled up Jackie.

Ophelia: (in a nasal tone) “Pleased to meet you.”

Jackie: “Likewise, I’m sure.”

She looks Ophelia up and down. Standing in the middle of Nick’s living room in her lingerie, garter and high heels, Ophelia sneers at Jackie. 

Jackie glances at Nick, who is trying hard to hide his disgust at Ophelia’s behavior. Jackie guesses how Nick was roped into this charade and she also guesses that he would appreciate being let out of this evening’s date a little early.

Ophelia: “You must be mistaken. These roses are for me.”

Ophelia indicates the flowers. Jackie glances at Nick, who has seated himself and is sipping his glass of champagne.

Jackie: “Actually, no. As I said, they’re for Nick. I wanted to drop them off.”

Ophelia: “For Nick? How quaint. They are lovely roses, dear. And in a Waterford crystal vase. I can spot Waterford from a distance. Now that you’ve delivered them, it’s time for you to return home. Shoo-shoo.”

Ophelia makes a shooing gesture with her hands. 

Jackie: “You will need to tell the sender how lovely they are.”

Ophelia: (surprised) “Oh? You didn’t buy these for Nick?”

Jackie glances at Nick, who nods once. Jackie tries to hide a smile. 

Jackie: “Nope.Read the card.”

Glancing over her shoulder at Jackie, Ophelia walks with exaggeration and goes towards the newly delivered flowers. Leaning over, she makes sure that Jackie has a clear view of the posterior of Ophelia.

Jackie grimaces and makes a choking gesture at Nick. For his part, Nick just smiles and sips his champagne. He’s enjoying this silent showdown between the half-naked Ophelia and Jackie.

Spying Ophelia’s dress hanging over the arm of the couch nearest her, Jackie snatches the dress and stuffs it into her purse. Nick gapes, but doesn’t say anything.

Ophelia has taken out the small card from its envelope. She straightens, turns to Jackie and Nick, then reads the card aloud:

“To Nicholas Kokoris. With much love, D.”

Addressing Nick, she asks, “D? Who’s D?”

Nick shrugs his shoulders. 

Nick: “Don’t know. She also sent the two other bouquets.”

Nick indicates the other two bouquets. 

Ophelia smirks.

Ophelia: “I see. I presume that those gift bags were also from this “D” woman?”

Nick: “Yep.”

Ophelia: (coldly) "I understand."

Jackie: “Well, I’m off to the movies tonight.”

Ophelia: “Dressed like a tramp?”

Jackie: (smiling) “If you say so.”

Nick: “Ophelia?”

Ophelia: “Yes, darling?”

Nick: “Seeing as you’re a bit miffed that someone’s been sending me presents and flowers, how about we call it an evening?”

Ophelia:(innocently)  “Whatever do you mean?”

Jackie: “He means: beat it, scram, make like a tree and leave.”

Ophelia: “Surely, darling, you don’t want me to leave. We just arrived & the evening's young.”

Nick: “Yes, I do want you to leave.”

Ophelia: “We have the entire evening ahead of us. There’s no need for me to leave.”

Nick: “Let me see if I can remember. And as latened days of burnished beauty passed from brightness into winter's graying, then did I and you together lift the mask of summer from the face of truth.”

Ophelia: “That references grieving.”

Placing his champagne glass on the coffee table, Nick stands up. 

Nick: “I know. I'm grieving over my choice of a date for tonight. You insulted one of my friends and you insulted Matt's date. I will not have you insulting any of my friends in my home. Now leave.”

Nick points towards the door. Jackie is smiling, enjoying this performance of Nick’s.

Ophelia: “I understand. You would rather hang around with slatterns and hippies than to be with me.”

Jackie: "You should look at yourself, Ophelia."

Nick: “Ophelia, I agreed to this blind date as a favor to Dean Whittier. But this is the first—and last—time I want to see you.”

Ophelia: “I understand.”

She looks around for her dress.

Ophelia: “Where is my dress?”

Nick: (shrugging his shoulders) “Don’t know where it’s at. You must have misplaced it.”

Ophelia looks from Nick to Jackie and guesses what happened.

Ophelia: “Very well.”

Nodding her head at Nick, Ophelia heads towards the doors, swaying her hips. Nick is following her. Ophelia reaches the door, opens it and steps out. She turns to look at Nick and Jackie.

Jackie: “By the way, Ophelia, you could use a little nip and tuck below the waist. A bit too much champagne and caviar at the country club has you jiggling.”

Ophelia’s mouth drops open and Nick shuts the door in her face. He turns to face Jackie.

Nick: “Thanks. I was about to throw her off the balcony.”

Jackie: “Always up for a cat-fight. Where’d you pick her up, anyways?”

Nick: “One of the charity dinners.”

Jackie grimaces.

Jackie: “Good for food and drink.”

Nick: “She seemed nice at the dinner.”

Jackie: “Nice doesn’t translate into being a good date. Hey, you up for a movie? Heading over there with Matt and Harmony.”

Nick: "I think I'd like that. Let me cork the champagne and then we're off."

Jackie nods as Nick takes up the bottle of champagne and heads towards the kitchen. Spying the barely drunk glass of champagne, Jackie drains the glass. Nick comes back into the living room.

Nick: "Thirsty?"

Jackie: "Yeah. Ready?"

Nick: "Let's go. What are we seeing?"

Jackie: "It's Harmony's pick, since she won a few hundred on one of those scratch-off tickets."

Nick: "Just what Letty has been wishing for: winning lottery tickets."

Jackie and Nick laugh as Nick turns off the lights and locks up his apartment. 

Downstairs and outside, the two see Ophelia, dressed in her La Perla lingerie, standing on the curbside talking to a policeman. Sensing danger, Jackie pulls out Ophelia’s dress and hangs it on her arm.

Ophelia: (turning around and pointing at Jackie and Nick. Onlookers begin to snicker) “There! They’re the ones who stole my dress and left me standing out in the cold.”

Ophelia pouts. Her lipstick is smudged.

Policeman 1: (sighing) “What’s the story, mister?”

Nick: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jackie hands Ophelia her dress. Ophelia takes it and holds it to her chest but makes no move to put it on.

Jackie: “Here. You forgot this when you did your strip-tease.”

Policeman 2: (to Ophelia) “You’re a stripper?”

Ophelia: (wailing) “Noooo! I told you: these two took my dress and tried to rape me.” 

Policeman 1: “You certainly don’t seem to be hurt.”

Ophelia: “But I’m telling the truth!” 

Policeman 2: “Sure you are. We saw you and your gentleman walk into the building twenty minutes ago. You were laughing and kissing his cheek. This woman here came by about five minutes ago, carrying a huge bouquet of roses. Thought she was going to trip going up those stairs. Isn’t that right, Sergio?”

Sergio (Policeman 1): “Right as rain. Lots of comments and wolf whistles at you, missy. Don’t you remember?”

Nick: “Sure you remember, Ophelia. You told me that the whistles were dreadful.” 

Finally putting on her wrap dress, Ophelia stamps her foot and stomps off, muttering under her breath. She walks halfway down the block and successfully hails a cab. Turning around in the back seat, she uncharacteristically flips Nick and Jackie the bird.

Jackie: “Aren’t you going to arrest her for indecent exposure?”

Sergio: “Sure wish we could. Serve her right, but as long as she’s covered up fully, nothing much we can do about it, right Antonio?”

Antonio: “Her lingerie covers up more than some bikinis do.”

Nick: “Thanks. Owe you one.”

Sergio: “Just doing our job. Hey, aren’t you one of the docs who were on tv the other day?”

Nick nods.

Sergio 1: “My mother in law, she just came back from a trip to Japan. She went through Singapore. Any chance she could have SARS?”

Nick: “When did she get back?”

Sergio: “Two days ago.”

Nick: “Is she feeling feverish?”

Sergio: “No. No signs of sickness whatsoever. She eats like a horse. I don’t think the owners of Chinese Food like her much.”

Nick smiles.

Nick: “Because SARS has such a long incubation period, why don’t you bring her by Doctor Slingerland’s office at UMC tomorrow for a checkup?” 

Sergio: “I’ll do that. Hey, thanks, doc.”

Nick: “Not a problem. Jackie, ready?”

Jackie nods and Nick holds out his arm so Jackie can take it. The two walk down the street towards Jackie's car. Nick spies Jackie's car; it's the battered black bug with a huge bouquet of roses in the back seat. Jackie unlocks the bug's door while Nick goes around to the passenger side.

Nick: "Hope Matt can fit in your car."

Jackie: "We're meeting them there at the theatre."

Nick: "How's he going to get the flowers home?"

Jackie: "I suppose I'll have to drive them to his place after the movie."

...It’s near 10 pm, Rae has just told Nicole she’s going to need a biopsy of the mass in her chest. Nicole is clearly not happy with the decision but Letty and Doctor Howland are backing up Rae’s decision.

Rae: “This needs to be biopsied as soon as possible, Nicole.”

Nicole: “I told you, I will not sacrifice my baby for some biopsy.”

Doctor Howland: “No one is asking that you terminate the pregnancy, Nicole. Rather, we need to do a biopsy so we can determine the course of treatment.”

Rae: “And if the delivery needs to be induced.”

Nicole: “Now that won’t happen! No inducements!”

Letty: “Look. If the tumor is benign, there won’t be any problem. But a malignant tumor could grow and press on the pulmonary artery, cutting off your blood supply.”

Doctor Howland: “And then you’d have a real emergency.”

Rae: “And no choice.”

Nicole sighs.

Nicole: “I am within my rights to get a second opinion.”

Rae: “That you are. But I suggest you don’t wait too long before obtaining that second opinion. The mass is nearly the size of a plum and if it’s malignant, it will grow fast.”

Letty: “Doctor Brennan is right.”

Nicole: “I can see the three of you agree with Doctor Brennan. I’ll agree to the hospitalization and I want to see Doctor Lanning first thing in the morning. See what she has to say about early inducement.”

Doctor Howland: “I’m sure she’ll say the same thing we told you.”

Nicole: “Don’t be too sure about that. Doctor Lanning has championed me in the past.”

Rae rolls her eyes and Letty nods her head.

Rae: “Until I get a biopsy result, I can’t make a certain diagnosis. Have a good night, Nicole.”

Rae exits the exam room, leaving Letty and Doctor Howland to deal with Nicole.

Nicole: “I won’t let anything happen to Chase.”

Doctor Howland: “We’re trying not to let anything happen to you, Nicole.”

Letty: “You can think about it overnight.”

Nicole: “So I’m admitted to the hospital?”

Doctor Howland: “Yep. I’ll have the orderlies transport you to your room.”

Nicole: “Thanks, Doctor Howland.”

Nicole rubs her distended abdomen as Doctor Howland motions for Letty to exit the exam room.

Once outside, and the door is shut, Doctor Howland asks,

“What do you think?”

Letty: “It’s certainly the biggest damn chest tumor that I’ve seen.”

Doctor Howland: “Are you thinking malignancy?”

Letty nods.

Letty: “Yes. Harriet didn’t say anything about shortness of breath during Nicole’s checkup last month. If the tumor grew since then, it’s most likely a malignancy.” 

Doctor Howland: “Prognosis?”

Letty: “Without knowing the type of tumor, I can’t say.”

Doctor Howland: “If it’s a malignancy?”

Letty: “Poor. Very poor prognosis.”

Doctor Howland grimaces in pain, then reaches out to steady herself by placing a hand on the wall.

Letty: “You all right there, Terry?”

Doctor Howland: “Just low blood sugar. I’ll be fine.”

Letty peers at Terry’s face.

Letty: “Looks like you’re in pain.”

Doctor Howland: “I’ll be fine. This happens a lot. Overwork in the ER. Doctor Slingerland said so himself.”

Letty raises an eyebrow.

Letty: “So that’s why you have an assistant on those training videos.”

Doctor Howland nods.

Doctor Howland: “I may bark about it, but it is good to know I can count on OR to assist in the ER when necessary. We can try to avoid some of the more glaring ER surgery mistakes that have cost other hospitals an arm and a leg.”

Doctor Howland straightens.

Letty: “Sure you’re okay?”

Doctor Howland: “Sure…hey, orderlies! This way!”

Down the hallway, there is a small group of orderlies standing. Doctor Howland motions for the orderlies to come over. Two detach themselves and walk over to where Letty and Doctor Howland are standing.

Doctor Howland: “Patient is to go to ICU 2B.”

The orderlies nod and enter the room.

Doctor Howland: “Thanks for coming in on such short notice.”

Letty: “Not a problem.”

Doctor Howland looks up at the ceiling as the intercom intones:

“Doctor Terry Howland to the ER. Doctor Terry Howland to the ER.”

Doctor Howland: “That’s my cue.”

Letty: “You have any more dizziness problems, come make an appointment with me.”

Doctor Howland: “That won’t be necessary.”

Doctor Howland walks down the hallway towards the ER. The door to the exam room opens and Nicole is wheeled out by the two orderlies.

Nicole: “Have a good evening, Doctor Jordan.”

Letty: “You too. Get some rest.”

Nicole: “There’s never any rest with Chase. He kicks all the time.”

Letty frowns the orderlies wheel Nicole down the hallway.