Shana’s Office / Hallway
Ava locks Shana in her office to keep her from going to meet Leo. Ava looks conflicted about what she’s done, but can’t stand the thought of Shana and Leo being together.
Burnell’s – Sales Floor
Leo is rummaging around in the closed store and a security guard walks up behind him with a revolver drawn. Why does a mall security guard have a goddamn gun?
Leo identifies himself and Joe, the security guard, puts the gun away.
The Tides – Exteriror
Casey helps Trucker, who is planting a tree outside the Tides in Trisha’s memory. He wonders if Trucker would have given Trisha up if that’s what she needed.
Hospital – Reception Area
Ally and Cooper debrief following the sonogram. He asks her once again if she’ll marry him.
The Tides – Exterior
“Suppose you had to choose between someone you love more than anything in the whole world and your own conscience,” Casey says to Trucker. He goes on to explain how Ally makes him feel, which reminds Trucker a lot of how he felt about Trisha.
They talk about the tree, which Trucker hopes will grow alongside Christopher and that Christopher will grow up sitting beneath it and Trisha will be able to watch over him. Casey remembers the book he brought as a gift, which Trisha had told him was on her reading list for Christopher. Trucker is touched and brings the conversation back to Casey and Ally, telling his friend to hang on to what he’s found.
Hospital – Reception Area
Cooper lays out his plan to Ally once again. “I’m just trying to do what’s right for the baby,” he tells her. Ally worries that people will think she married him for his money and then dumped him to go back to Casey.
“You want us to stand up in front of our families and God and say vows to each other,” she says, struggling with the idea.
“There is no nobility in being poor,” Cooper argues. But she wonders how she can take false vows with him and then, later, take real vows with Casey.
Burnell’s – Sales Floor & Elevator
Ava shows up looking for Leo and wants to get things out into the open about his feelings for Shana. “You have every right to be angry with me,” Leo says. How generous of you, Leo.
Leo points out that he’s been in love with Ava since they were teenagers and is clearly confused about how he can be falling out of love with her now that he has her. She thinks they can still work things out and reminds him of all the good times. “Don’t disappoint me,” she begs him.
What makes this triangle so absolutely fantastic is that you can feel for each side of it and that’s a testament to both the writers and the actors, particularly Peluso. It would be so easy for Ava to be the “heavy” in this situation because of how cruel she was to Shana at the start of the storyline, but you absolutely feel Ava’s grief and fear and can’t help but have sympathy for her. So often soap triangles are plot based, built on the true love couple being torn apart by the machinations of an interloping third party who usually ends up being depicted as crazy. This is a triangle based on emotion, where each party is allowed to be flawed, where your sympathy is constantly shifting, and you can see all sides of it. It breaks your heart, but it’s so compelling to watch.
Finally, Ava walks away from Leo, retreating to the elevator.
Shana’s Office / Hallway / Alley
The security guard, Cleveland, tells Shana that a locksmith is on the way and will be there in “a couple of hours.” Shana feels sick and decides to open the window, but then gets the idea to just climb down the fire escape. When she gets to the bottom, she slips and falls, landing hard.
Burnell’s – Sales Floor
Joe finds Ava hanging out on the sales floor and does not draw a gun on her. She sends him away and tells him that she’ll lock up. She walks away and sees a mannequin that reminds her of Shana and feels guilty.
Shana’s Office / Hallway / Alley
Leo finds Cleveland and the locksmith working on the door. When they get inside, he sees that the window is open and rushes over. When he glances out, he sees Shana laying in the alley below. Leo rushes down to Shana, who thinks she’s alright but then begins having pains.
Hospital – Reception Area
Casey comes to pick up Ally. He wants to know if she’s going to move into the mansion if she marries Cooper and she tells him that she’s not going to marry Cooper. “I’m in love with someone else.” She goes on to say that she loves him too much. He tells her that he loves her, too, and that’s why she should marry Cooper.
The Tides – Exterior
Trucker sits outside, reading from The Giving Tree. He dedicates the tree to Trisha and buries their wooden rings, a picture of Christopher, and a flower at the base. “You taught me how to be loved, Trisha, and made me the father that I want to be. And I will try so hard to go on and be the man you told me I am. Goodbye, Trisha. I will love you forever.”
Shana’s Office / Hallway
Ava shows up, looking for Shana. Cleveland tells her that there was an accident.
Hospital – Reception Area
Leo is with Shana as she’s brought in by the paramedics. He tries to reassure her that it will be alright and she asks him to stay.
Episode Cast:
- Leo Burnell – James Carroll
- Shana Vochek – Susan Keith
- Ava Rescott – Lisa Peluso
- Casey Bowman – Paul Anthony Stewart
- Trucker McKenzie – Robert Tyler
- Cooper Alden – Michael Weatherly
- Ally Rescott – Laura Wright
- Cleveland – ?
- Joe – ?
Loving (1983-1995) 