pc mar 8 1999 D.V.: WHY, LUCY. WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE. COME IN. LUCY: WHAT IS THIS? D.V.: HMM. WELL, IT SEEMS TO BE AN ARTICLE ABOUT MY STARTING A NEW LINE OF ROMANTIC CLOTHING. LUCY: YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS. I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAS SO STUPID TO FALL FOR YOUR RIDICULOUSLY PITIFUL ACT -- "OH, LUCY, LUCY, I REALLY WANT TO HELP YOU. PLEASE, LUCY, DON'T HESITATE TO CALL" -- WHEN ALL THE TIME YOU WERE TRYING TO UNDERMINE MY SERENA LINE, WEREN'T YOU? D.V.: LUCY. IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES AND I'D READ THIS ARTICLE, I'D BE FURIOUS, TOO. TROUBLE IS IT'S NOT TRUE. LUCY: REALLY? REALLY? THIS HAPPENS TO BE "FASHION VARIETY." THIS IS NOT SOME TRASHY TABLOID. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY LIE? D.V.: THIS -- THIS MAGAZINE WATCHES MY EVERY MOVE LIKE A HAWK. IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR SOMEONE TRYING TO SCOOP EVERYONE ELSE TO LEAP TO THIS CONCLUSION. YOU KNOW, COME TO THINK OF IT, IF "FASHION VARIETY" IS WRITING THIS, IT MAY BE A BETTER IDEA THAN I THOUGHT. PERHAPS BORDISSO SHOULD PRODUCE AN HISTORICALLY BASED FASHION LINE.  FRANK: THAT M DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT. COURTNEY: WOULD YOU QUIT BREATHING DOWN MY NECK? YOU'RE MAKING ME NERVOUS. FRANK: LOOK AT THE WAY JULIE SIGNED "MARCIA COOPER" RIGHT THERE. THE M DOESN'T MATCH. COURTNEY: I KNOW THAT, FRANK. I'M WORKING ON IT. FRANK: WELL, WORK HARDER. IF YOU CAN'T GET THIS SIGNATURE RIGHT, YOU AREN'T GOING TO CONVINCE THE BANK MANAGER YOU'RE MARCIA COOPER AND WE WON'T GET A PENNY OF JULIE'S MONEY. AND WITHOUT THAT MONEY, YOU CAN KISS GOOD-BYE ALL OUR PLANS TO BANKRUPT CHRIS AND BREAK UP JOE AND KAREN. [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY NCI'S CORPORATE PARTNERS] LUCY: HOW DARE YOU PRETEND TO GET THIS BRAINSTORM OVER COPYING MY DRESS. WELL, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING -- YOU COULDN'T DO IT. YOU COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE SERENA LINE BECAUSE IT'S MY HEART AND MY VISION AND MY SOUL. AND EVEN IF YOU SOMEHOW MANAGE TO PUT OUT SOME TWO-BIT COPY OF MY DRESS, IT WOULDN'T HAVE THE SPIRIT OF ME. SO THOSE BUYERS OUT THERE WOULD KNOW THAT. BELIEVE YOU ME, THEY WOULD! D.V.: WHOA! STOP. DESIST. I WAS MERELY STATING A FACT -- THAT I COULD CREATE A SIMILAR LINE, NOT THAT I WILL. LISTEN TO ME. DON'T BE DOING ANYTHING HASTY LIKE PICKING UP A BLUNT OBJECT AND START SWINGING. LUCY: NO. I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU. I AM NOT SOME RUBE THAT JUST FELL OFF THE TURNIP TRUCK YESTERDAY. I HAPPEN TO HAVE CREATED THE THIRD LARGEST COSMETICS COMPANY IN THE COUNTRY, JACKS COSMETICS. SO DON'T PATRONIZE ME. DON'T TALK DOWN TO ME LIKE I'M SOME SORT OF 5-YEAR-OLD THAT WALKED INTO THE ROOM WITH ADULTS -- [D.V. LAUGHS] LUCY: WHAT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS SO FUNNY? D.V.: OH, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. BUT YOU CANNOT IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF MEALY-MOUTHED YES MEN THAT I ENCOUNTER EVERY DAY. IT'S A PLEASURE TO ENCOUNTER SOMEONE WHO HAS THE -- WHAT WOULD BE THE POLITICALLY CORRECT TERM? -- INTESTINAL FORTITUDE TO TELL ME OFF, EVEN IF YOU ARE WRONG. LUCY: WRONG? I -- ME BEING WRONG REMAINS TO BE SEEN. D.V.: I AM WELL AWARE THAT YOU'RE A SAVVY BUSINESSWOMAN. THAT WAS THE FIRST THING I LOOKED INTO. I DON'T WANT TO CRUSH YOUR SPIRIT. I WANT TO NURTURE IT. AS SMART AS YOU ARE, YOU DON'T KNOW THE CLOTHING BUSINESS. NOW, TRUST ME -- LUCY: OH, YES, I -- D.V.: TRUST ME. I HAVE RUN ACROSS PLENTY OF TALENTED DESIGNERS WHO'VE GONE BELLY-UP TRYING TO SLOG THEIR WAY THROUGH THE QUAGMIRE OF PRODUCTION. IF YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO HELP YOU, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU CAN MAKE "SERENA" A HOUSEHOLD NAME. NOW, WHAT DO YOU SAY? TRUCE? SEBASTIAN: SO, WHEN WILL THOSE RESULTS BE READY? NURSE: IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. SEBASTIAN: AH. HEY. HI. ELLEN: OH, HI. WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE? SEBASTIAN: A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE SLIPPED AND HIT HIS HEAD. HE NEEDED A FEW STITCHES, SO I BROUGHT HIM OVER. ELLEN: HE'S OK? SEBASTIAN: OH, YEAH, HE'S FINE. HE TOOK A CAB HOME. SO I FIGURED, SINCE I WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I WOULD TALK YOU INTO A CUP OF COFFEE. ELLEN: I CAN'T. I HAVE ROUNDS. SEBASTIAN: YOU DON'T GET A BREAK? ELLEN: IT WOULDN'T BE FOR A WHILE. I JUST GOT ON DUTY. SEBASTIAN: I CAN WAIT. I GOT TIME. ELLEN: SEBASTIAN -- SEBASTIAN: 15 MINUTES. 15 MINUTES, JUST THE TWO OF US. IT'LL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME. FRANK: NEW ACCOUNTS, RIGHT OVER THERE. YOU CAN DO THIS. COURTNEY: RIGHT. I CAN DO THIS. FRANK: OK. SHOWTIME. WOMAN: HOW MAY I HELP YOU? COURTNEY: I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THE BANK I USE, AND I'M LOOKING FOR BETTER SERVICE. YOUR AD SAYS HASSLE-FREE. WOMAN: ABSOLUTELY. WE MAKE BANKING EASY. MS. -- COURTNEY: COOPER. MARCIA COOPER. THIS IS MY BOYFRIEND, NICK. WOMAN: WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF CHECKING AND SAVINGS PLANS. COURTNEY: WELL, I WAS THINKING ABOUT AN INTEREST-EARNING CHECKING ACCOUNT. WOMAN: WE'VE GOT THE EXECUTIVE PLAN. THOUSAND DOLLAR MINIMUM MONTHLY BALANCE ELIMINATES ALL SERVICE CHARGES AND PAYS 3%. COURTNEY: GOOD. THAT SOUNDS PERFECT. WOMAN: WOULD YOU LIKE TO OPEN IT NOW? COURTNEY: OH, I WISH, ONLY -- FRANK: WHAT'S THE MATTER? COURTNEY: WELL, HONEY, I JUST -- I HATE THE IDEA OF HAVING TO GO BACK TO MY OLD BANK TO CLOSE THE ACCOUNT. THEY'RE GOING TO ASK ME WHY, AND WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY? "I DON'T LIKE YOU"? WOMAN: IF I MAY? YOU CAN OPEN YOUR ACCOUNT HERE, THEN WE CAN HAVE THE BALANCE OF YOUR OLD ACCOUNT WIRED TO US ELECTRONICALLY. COURTNEY: YOU CAN DO THAT? WOMAN: NO PROBLEM. YOU WON'T HAVE TO SEE THEM AT ALL. COURTNEY: OH. THANKS. THAT'D BE GREAT. WOMAN: I'LL JUST NEED SOME IDENTIFICATION AND YOUR CURRENT ACCOUNT INFORMATION. COURTNEY: OK. HERE'S MY PASSPORT. IS THAT ALL RIGHT? WOMAN: PERFECT. COURTNEY: AND HERE'S MY CURRENT BANK AND ACCOUNT NUMBER. WOMAN: WHY DON'T YOU FILL THIS APPLICATION OUT WHILE I MAKE A PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR PASSPORT. COURTNEY: ALL RIGHT. SCOTT: GARCIA, COME IN. GARCIA: HEY. SCOTT: SO, WHAT'S THE WORD? LUCY'S DRESSES -- THEY WERE RUINED ON PURPOS RIGHT? GARCIA: WELL, YOUR HUNCH WAS RIGHT. THERE WASN'T ANY SIGN OF FIRE OR SMOKE THAT WOULD HAVE TRIGGERED THOSE SPRINKLERS AT THE WAREHOUSE. THEY WERE DEFINITELY TAMPERED WITH. SCOTT: HMM. ANY IDEA WHO DID IT? GARCIA: WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME LOWLIFE WHO'S DONE THIS SORT OF THING FOR HIRE BEFORE. I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANY DETAILS UNTIL WE HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CHARGE HIM. SCOTT: WHO DO YOU THINK HIRED HIM? GARCIA: WELL, WORD ON THE STREET IS THAT HE WAS WORKING FOR SOME BIG-TIME CLOTHING MANUFACTURER. SCOTT: AND WHO WOULD THAT BE? GARCIA: SORRY, MY FRIEND. I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT, EITHER. SCOTT: COME ON, COME ON, GARCIA. SOMEONE'S TRYING TO PUT LUCY OUT OF BUSINESS. GARCIA: LOOK, SCOTT, I KNOW THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY CAN BE CUTTHROAT, BUT RIGHT NOW ALL I HAVE IS SPECULATION. THIS GUY MIGHT BE INNOCENT. I CAN'T PUT HIS NAME OUT THERE AS A BAD GUY WITHOUT PROOF. SCOTT: WELL, LET ME THROW YOU A NAME -- DAVID BORDISSO. GARCIA: ALL I CAN SAY IS GOOD GUESS. MORNINGS SEEM SO MUCH BRIGHTER... AFTER A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP. THAT'S WHY I LOVE MY TYLENOL P.M. SOMETIMES I HAVE TROUBLE SLEEPING. I USED TO WORRY ABOUT TAKING SOMETHING. HOW WOULD I FEEL IN THE MORNING ? AND THEN I TRIED TYLENOL P.M. IT STOPS MY PAIN AND HELPS ME SLEEP. SO IN THE MORNING, I'M RESTED, REFRESHED, READY TO MAKE THE MOST OF MY DAY.  IT'S TYLENOL P.M. ( juice pouring ) MOM SAYS THE WHOLE FAMILY SHOULD HELP OUT WITH DINNER. SO, SHE GAVE EVERYONE A JOB. MY JOB'S MAKING WELCH'S JuiceMakers. BUT IT'S NOT TOO HARD. SEE, WELCH'S JuiceMakers IS A CONCENTRATE BUT IT'S NOT FROZEN. AND IT COMES IN ALL KINDS OF GREAT FLAVORS. THIS IS CHERRY SENSATION. IT'S 100% JUICE... ( chuckling ) ...AND EVERYBODY LOVES IT! WE DRINK A LOT OF WELCH'S JuiceMakers AROUND HERE. I GUESS THAT MEANS I HELP OUT A LOT.  COURTNEY: WHO IS SHE SPEAKING WITH? FRANK: MY GUESS IS THE BANK MANAGER. COURTNEY: OH, GREAT. FRANK: IT'S PROBABLY JUST A FORMALITY. COURTNEY: OH, BULL, FRANK. THEY KEEP LOOKING OVER HERE. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG. FRANK: WELL, DON'T ACT SUSPICIOUS. SMILE LIKE I JUST TOLD YOU A JOKE. COURTNEY: OK, IF THERE'S NOTHING WRONG, THEN WHAT THE HELL IS TAKING SO LONG? FRANK: I DON'T KNOW. SHE'S COMING BACK. COURTNEY: IS THERE SOME KIND OF PROBLEM? WOMAN: OH, NO. IF YOU CAN BE PATIENT FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES MORE, EVERYTHING WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF. COURTNEY: ALL RIGHT. ELLEN: HAVE YOU SEEN LENA BANKSTON? NURSE: SHE'S OVER THERE. ELLEN: SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION. MRS. BANKSTON, I'D LIKE TO RUN SOME TESTS ON YOU BEFORE TOMORROW'S SURGERY. LENA: DO I HAVE TIME TO FINISH THIS GAME? ELLEN: SURE. LENA: OH, GREAT. SEBASTIAN: THIS WOMAN'S DANGEROUS. IF WE WERE PLAYING FOR MONEY, I'D BE CLEANED OUT. LENA: I WIN. SEBASTIAN: AGAIN? LENA: UH-HUH. SEBASTIAN: BEAUTIFUL AND SMART, HUH? LENA: THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME COMPANY, SEBASTIAN. SEBASTIAN: YOU'RE GOING TO DO FINE TOMORROW, ESPECIALLY WITH DR. BURGESS LOOKING OUT FOR YOU. LENA: WHERE SHOULD I GO? ELLEN: BACK TO YOUR ROOM. AND A NURSE WILL BE THERE SHORTLY. LENA: OH. OK. ELLEN: I HAVE NOT SEEN HER THAT CALM IN OVER A WEEK. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE THE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE TYPE. SEBASTIAN: WELL, THERE'S A LOT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME. "YOU'RE RIGHT, SEBASTIAN. MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE SOME COFFEE." "WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA, ELLEN. I'D LOVE TO." ELLEN: SO YOU'RE SAYING I WOULDN'T NEED TO DO ANY TALKING AT ALL? SEBASTIAN: I WISH THAT YOU WOULD. WHAT I'M REALLY HOPING FOR IS THAT YOU'LL JUST LISTEN. ELLEN: OH. SEBASTIAN -- SEBASTIAN: COME ON. JUST RIGHT HERE. RIGHT HERE. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO ANYPLACE. 10 MINUTES. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? ELLEN: LET ME GET MRS. BANKSTON STARTED ON HER TESTS. SEBASTIAN: I WON'T MOVE. [DOOR OPENS] LUCY: HEY. SCOTT: HEY. WHERE YOU BEEN? LUCY: I WENT TO CONFRONT DAVID BORDISSO A@UT THAT "FASHION VARIETY" ARTICLE. SCOTT: WHAT DID HE SAY? LUCY: HE SAID -- HE SAID THAT HE HAD NO INTENTION OF COPYING THE SERENA LINE, MAKING DRESSES LIKE THAT. SCOTT: OF COURSE NOT. HE'D RATHER TAKE OVER THE SERENA LINE THAN GO THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF COPYCATTING THE DRESSES. LUCY: WAIT A MINUTE. WHAT -- WHAT DO YOU KNOW? WHY DO YOU SAY THAT? SCOTT: GARCIA WAS HERE WHILE YOU WERE GONE, AND HE IMPLIED THAT BORDISSO WAS BEHIND THE SPRINKLER DISASTER. LUCY: OOH! THAT BASTARD. HE DID IT ON PURPOSE, DIDN'T HE? HE DID IT ON PURPOSE SO HE WOULD RUIN THE DRESSES AND WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO HIM FOR HELP. SCOTT: BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT YOU'VE GOT A HIT ON YOUR HANDS AND HE -- HE WANTS A PIECE OF YOUR PIE. LUCY: YEAH. EXCEPT WHY WOULD A MANUFACTURER THAT LARGE TARGET ME? I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT. HE'S GOT US ALL DELAYED ON THE DELIVERY OF THE DRESSES ANYWAY. HE COULD FLOOD THE MARKET WITH COPIES IF HE REALLY WANTED TO. SO, WHY? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SCOTT: HE'S A SNAKE. YOU KNOW HOW WE HATE SNAKES. AND EVE ALSO TOLD ME SO. LUCY: OH, WAIT. WHAT DOES EVE REALLY KNOW ABOUT DAVID BORDISSO? SCOTT: WELL, SHE WAS A LITTLE MORE INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH HIM THAN YOU THINK. LUCY: EVE SLEPT WITH BORDISSO WHEN SHE WAS A HOOKER? SCOTT: ESCORT. LUCY: SHE GOT PAID TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM, RIGHT? SCOTT: YES. LUCY: OK. WAIT A MINUTE. HOW'D YOU FIND ALL THIS OUT? SCOTT: WELL, I STOPPED BY THE LIGHTHOUSE AFTER SERENA'S RECITAL. YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO GET THE SKINNY ON THIS GUY, AND TURNS OUT HE'S RUTHLESS. HE PROBABLY PLANTED THAT ARTICLE IN THE "FASHION VARIETY" -- LUCY: OH. SCOTT: JUST TO PRESSURE US INTO SIGNING UP WITH HIM, YOU KNOW? LUCY: WELL, HE'S WRONG. IF HE THINKS HE CAN BULLY ME, HE'S GOT ANOTHER THING COMING TO HIM. SCOTT: HOW DID YOU LEAVE IT WITH HIM? LUCY: FRIENDLY, UNFORTUNATELY. SCOTT: WELL, THAT'S GOOD. LUCY: THAT -- THAT'S GOOD? SCOTT: YEAH. YOU SEE, HE'S NOT GOING TO BE SUSPICIOUS WHEN WE GO INTO BUSINESS WITH HIM. LUCY: I AM NOT ABOUT TO GO IN BUSINESS WITH HIM, UNLESS IT'S JUST TO GET OUR DRESSES MADE AND THEN WE DUMP HIM LIKE THE MAGGOT THAT HE IS. SCOTT: THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. WE'RE GOING TO SET UP OUR OWN MANUFACTURING PLANT AND THEN DUMP HIM. LUCY: OOH. I LIKE THAT. SCOTT: I THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD. SEE, HE THINKS HE'S CONNING US. BUT THE LAST MOMENT, WE'LL PULL THE RUG RIGHT OUT FROM UNDERNEATH HIM. ü YUM, BRRR ü ü COOL, COOL LA LA ü ü COOL, COOL ON THE TONGUE ü ü COOL LA LA COOL ü ü SO REFRESHING ü ü COOL ON THE TONGUE ü ü COOL LA LA COOL ü ü SO COOL ü ü COOL ON THE TONGUE ü ü PEP-O-MINT ü ü COOL LA LA COOL ü ü WINT-O-GREEN ü ü COOL ON THE TONGUE ü ü COOL LA LA COOL ü ü SO FULL OF ü ü LIFE SAVERS ü ü YUM üü  SORRY I'M LATE. I WAS AT MY DOCTOR AND-- OH, DID YOU ASK HER ABOUT THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN READING ABOUT MENOPAUSE ? I DID. SHE SAID... IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER MENOPAUSE... AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF ITS ASSOCIATED ESTROGEN LOSS. YOU MEAN, LIKE HOT FLASHES ? HOT FLASHES AND NIGHT SWEATS. BUT OTHER THINGS TOO. LIKE VAGINAL DRYNESS. IT CAN INTERFERE WITH INTIMACY. AND OSTEOPOROSIS. I KNOW THAT MENOPAUSE... INCREASES OUR RISK FOR FRACTURES. DR. HARTMAN ALSO SAID... STUDIES SHOW THAT MENOPAUSE CONTRIBUTES TO HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN. ADDITIONAL ONGOING STUDIES ARE INVESTIGATING... THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MENOPAUSE AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, COLON CANCER, BLINDNESS AND TOOTH LOSS. I HAD NO IDEA. MY DOCTOR AND I DECIDED... TO STICK WITH THE PROGRAM WE'VE AGREED ON FOR YEARS. I SHOULD SPEAK TO MY DOCTOR.  WHEN CONSIDERING MENOPAUSE, CONSIDER THE ENTIRE BODY OF EVIDENCE. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO... TO HELP PROTECT YOUR HEALTH DURING AND AFTER MENOPAUSE.  THE SUN WILL RISE. WINTER WILL COME. AND WATER WILL TASTE AS FRESH TODAY AS IT DID A THOUSAND YEARS AGO. WITH BRITA.  I JUST FOUND OUT CAPRI SUN COMES IN A DRINK MIX AND IT'S ALL NATURAL, WHICH I APPRECIATE. ESPECIALLY AS THE PITCHERS DISAPPEAR. NEW CAPRI SUN ALL NATURAL DRINK MIX. FRANK: WHAT'S THE HOLDUP? WOMAN: I'M SURE IT'LL ONLY BE A MINUTE OR SO LONGER. COURTNEY: THIS REALLY IS NOT MY IDEA OF HASSLE-FREE. HONESTLY, IF YOU CAN'T WRAP IT UP, I SHOULD JUST GET MY PASSPORT AND GO ELSEWHERE. WOMAN: LET ME CHECK AND SEE IF THERE'S A SNAG. COURTNEY: OH, GREAT. OH, GREAT. THEN THEY -- THEY KNOW. THE SNAG IS THEY'RE STALLING UNTIL THE POLICE ARRIVE TO HAUL US OFF TO JAIL. FRANK: WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "US"? YOU'RE THE ONE WITH THE PHONY PASSPORT. COURTNEY: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WORM YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS, FRANK. IF I GO DOWN, YOU GO DOWN.  MAN: SORRY WE TOOK SO LONG. BUT WITH AN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT LARGE, WE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY DURING THE TRANSFER. WOMAN: COULDN'T TAKE THE CHANCE YOU WERE AN IMPOSTOR. COURTNEY: THAT'S FUNNY. SO YOU MEAN THE MONEY'S ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED INTO MY NEW ACCOUNT? WOMAN: YES. JUST SIGN HERE, AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DEALING WITH YOUR OLD BANK AGAIN. COURTNEY: YOU KNOW, I WAS WONDERING -- DO I NEED TO WAIT, OR CAN I MAKE A WITHDRAWAL WHILE I'M HERE? WOMAN: NOTHING TO WAIT FOR. IT'S ALL DONE. HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE WITH YOU, MISS COOPER? D.V.: I HOPE THIS ISN'T ROUND TWO OVER THAT ARTICLE. I CALLED THE MAGAZINE AND TOLD THEM THEY WERE WAY OFF THE MARK. LUCY: OH. NO. NO, NOT ALL. ACTUALLY, I'M HERE TO APOLOGIZE FOR COMING ON QUITE SO STRONGLY EARLIER. D.V.: NO APOLOGY NECESSARY. YOU HAD EVERY RIGHT TO BE UPSET. LUCY: WELL, YES. I HAVE BEEN JUST SO TENSE, AS YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, OVER TRYING TO GET THE SERENA LINE OUT, AND I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT YOU WERE RIGHT. I DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. SCOTT: AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. D.V.: OH. WELL, SIT DOWN. SCOTT: SEE, WE HAVE A PILE OF ORDERS TO FILL AND NEW ONES COMING IN AND NO NEW PROSPECTS TO FILL THEM. LUCY: YES, AND I KNOW THAT MY DRESS LINE IS GOING TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS, BUT I JUST DON'T WANT TO STUMBLE SO BADLY OUT OF THE STARTING GATE THAT I FAIL TO RECOVER. SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE DECIDED I WANT TO ACCEPT YOUR HELP. D.V.: REALLY? YOU GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION YOU WEREN'T LOOKING FOR A PARTNERSHIP. LUCY: WELL, YES. THAT'S JUST BECAUSE I CAN BE SO DARN STUBBORN SOMETIMES. BUT WE REALLY DO WANT YOUR HELP TO MAKE OUR DRESSES. SCOTT: YES. YOU SEE, WE HAVE OUR BACKS TO THE WALL HERE. WE HAVE TO FILL THESE ORDERS. LUCY: EXACTLY. AND SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY WHY I'VE CHANGED MY MIND TO ACCEPT YOUR OFFER. D.V.: YOU ARE A SAVVY BUSINESSWOMAN. YOU'RE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT ONLY A FOOL WOULD LET EGO KILL A GOOD BUSINESS DEAL. SCOTT: WHAT DO YOU SAY? LET'S GET THIS DEAL ROLLING, HUH, PARTNER? D.V.: I'M AFRAID NOT. SEBASTIAN: SO, HOW'S MRS. BANKSTON? ELLEN: SHE'S FINE. SHE COULDN'T STOP GOING ON ABOUT YOU. SEBASTIAN: I LIKED HER, TOO. ELLEN: SHE THOUGHT YOU WERE FUNNY, HANDSOME, AND CHARMING. AND THEN SHE ASKED ME IF I WAS SINGLE. SEBASTIAN: AND WHAT DID YOU SAY? ELLEN: THAT I AM SINGLE BUT ALREADY VERY INVOLVED WITH A FUNNY, HANDSOME, AND CHARMING MAN. SEBASTIAN: I DON'T BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCES, NOT IN THE ONE THAT BROUGHT US TOGETHER 10 YEARS AGO IN NEW ORLEANS AND NOT THE ONE THAT BROUGHT US TOGETHER AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF A SNOWSTORM JUST THE OTHER NIGHT. ELLEN: YOU KNOW, I HAVE ALREADY HAD THIS CONVERSATION. SEBASTIAN: NOT WITH ME. ELLEN: WITH LUCY. SEBASTIAN: LUCY COE, THE WOMAN WHO MADE OUR STORY INTO AN INFOMERCIAL? p ELLEN: YES. SHE'S A FRIEND OF MINE. SEBASTIAN: AND CAN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU TOLD HER OUR STORY? ELLEN: IT JUST CAME UP IN CONVERSATION. I DID NOT GIVE HER PERMISSION TO USE IT FOR HER AD. SEBASTIAN: SHE MUST HAVE BEEN MOVED BY IT. ELLEN: WELL, LUCY'S PRETTY OUT THERE. SEBASTIAN: NOW, WHAT DID SHE SAY IN THIS DISCUSSION THAT YOU TWO HAD ABOUT ME? ELLEN: THAT DOESN'T MATTER. SEBASTIAN: HMM. I WOULD SUSPECT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY. MAYBE I SHOULD JUST GIVE HER A CALL. ELLEN: SHE SAID THAT MAYBE I SHOULD KEEP MY MIND OPEN TO WHAT THE UNIVERSE HAS TO TELL ME. SEBASTIAN: THE GALL OF SOME PEOPLE, TELLING YOU YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR MIND OPEN. ELLEN: ALL RIGHT. IT'S OPENED. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. SEBASTIAN: OK. I WAS IN MY OFFICE, THINKING ABOUT YOU AS I HAVE FROM TIME TO TIME, WONDERING IF I'D EVER SEE YOU AGAIN. I FLIPPED ON THE NEWS TO SEE THE WEATHER REPORT. IT WAS A COMMERCIAL. SO I STARTED SURFING. ELLEN: MY, A CHANNEL SURFER. YES, YOU TOLD ME. I DON'T HOLD IT AGAINST YOU. SEBASTIAN: AND THERE IT WAS, OUR STORY. I MEAN, AT THAT MOMENT, ELLEN, I FELT THAT THERE WAS FATE OR GOD OR SOME COSMIC FORCE THAT WAS GOING TO BRING US BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. ELLEN: YOU'RE READING WAY TOO MUCH INTO THIS. SEBASTIAN: ELLEN, I FOUND YOU IN A BLIZZARD IN A TOWN I'VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE. ELLEN: LUCY MADE THE INFOMERCIAL BECAUSE I TOLD HER THE STORY, AND YOU CAME TO TOWN LOOKING FOR LUCY. PORT CHARLES IS NOT THAT BIG A TOWN. YES, I DO BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCE, AND THAT'S ALL THI IS. SEBASTIAN: OK. MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT. MAYBE THE COSMIC FORCES WEREN'T PULLING OUR STRINGS. BUT YOU CAN'T LOOK ME IN THE EYES AND TELL ME WHEN WE HAD DINNER THE OTHER NIGHT THAT YOU DIDN'T FEEL THE SAME CONNECTION THAT WE BOTH FELT 10 YEARS AGO IN NEW ORLEANS. THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL GOING ON BETWEEN YOU AND I. ELLEN: WHETHER I DID OR DIDN'T, IT DOESN'T MATTER. NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN US. SEBASTIAN: NOT EVEN A FRIENDSHIP? ELLEN: NO. SEBASTIAN: WHY, ELLEN? ARE YOU AFRAID IT'S GOING TO LEAD TO SOMETHING? ELLEN: I HAVE TO GO NOW. IT WAS VERY NICE SEEING YOU AGAIN.