Paul Raven

FRIGHTENING NEWS

On his way home to Carol and his apartment, Jay hears the announcer’s voice on the car radio blare forth some very frightening news. It went as follows: “PETE LARSEN WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS APARTMENT. THE POLICE SUSPECT HE WAS MURDERED. FIRST INDICATIONS ARE HE WAS SEVERELY BEATEN.” Jay shudders. He needs an alibi. He didn’t kill Pete (when he left the man’s apartment, he was very much alive) but who will believe him after the way he was talking about the guy. Jay calls his friend, Fred McNeil, and asks him to be his alibi. When the police question him, he’ll tell them he was with him (Fred) the whole night. If he tells the police the truth, they’ll never believe he left Pete alive in his apartment. Fred agrees to come through for Jay. He’ll second Jay’s story to the authorities. Jay breathes easier. He arrives home and makes up with Carol. They agree to be more sensitive to the other’s needs. Jay doesn’t tell her the truthful events of that evening. He tells her his alibi story. He still can’t be honest with her.

Jay has been arrested for suspicion of murder. The woman who saw Jay enter Pete’s apartment, put aside her fears, and went to the police. The police then called Jay and asked him to come down to headquarters. They said they had some more questions to ask him. While Jay is being interrogated, the woman identifies Jay as the man who burst into Pete’s apartment. Jay says she’s crazy, he was with Fred McNeil. The police then bring Fred into the room. Fred tells Jay he told the police the truth. Once he found out Jay lied to him, he could no longer be his alibi. Jay could say nothing further. The police book him, and Jay calls Laurie and asks her to get in touch with Tom.

Tom arrives at headquarters and bails Jay out. They then return to Jay’s apartment. Carol welcomes him with loving arms. She had been informed of his arrest by Judge Lowell. Carol asks Jay to now tell her the whole truth. Jay does…well, almost. He tells her about his verbal argument with Pete, but he doesn’t tell her nor Tom that he went to Melinda’s afterwards. (She’s his alibi, but it’s an alibi which could destroy his marriage.) He just says that after leaving Pete’s dwelling, he drove around, stopping first at an out-of-the-way coffee shop and then at a bar.

Tom tells Carol things look very bad for Jay. As it stands now, all the evidence is stacked against him. He had the motive and he’s the only one who has been pinpointed at the scene of the crime. It’s not very likely that the police will look for anyone else.

Depression is no longer hindering John’s recovery. He now has found a reason for living…and he owes it all to Mary. After all, if it weren’t for her, Dr. Alex Keith would never have seen his manuscript…and the completion of this manuscript is now what’s keeping him going.

Dr. Keith is very high on the book. He told John it’s going to be an important medical text. It will open many doors for him. It may even get him back into a hospital. Alex’s words made John’s spirits soar. He immediately calls Mary and asks if she’ll help with the typing of the book. Mary wants to free herself of John…but she can’t. She keeps remembering that he saved her life, she agrees to assist.

Mark was hoping to get out of the hospital in the very near future. He becomes very depressed when he realizes this dream isn’t to become a reality. His body seems to be losing the battle against his disease. Susan tries to cheer him up…but she fails. She’s trying very hard to keep her objectivity…will she be able to keep on doing so? She can’t deny that she’s suffering along with the boy.

WILL BEAU SHOW HIS TRUE COLORS?

Jane wants to give Beau and Annie a very extravagant gift. She wants to bestow upon them a joint membership in Oakdale’s very exclusive and elite country club. Beau wants to accept the gift; Annie is hesitant. She isn’t the country club type. Beau, so far, is adhering to his wife’s wishes, but knowing Beau, how much longer will he continue to live in poverty?

Grant has moved back into the house. He has decided to give his marriage a second chance. His talk with Lisa was very satisfactory. She seemed very sincere when she told him that this time she’ll be much more sensitive to his needs. She’ll also be more open and direct about her feelings. There’ll be no more game playing. Lisa’s words caused Grant to feel that their marriage now has a very good chance of turning into a long and fulfilling union.

Grant goes to see Val and tells her of his decision. Val fights back the tears. She was silently hoping he wouldn’t go back to Lisa. She has come to care for this man very deeply. She would have liked nothing more than to have been his new love. Val prays that Lisa will treat him right.

Bob has been living a very quiet life these days…but is that soon to change? Is a new love about to enter his life? Could be. He doesn’t yet know her name, but from the first minute he saw her, at a department store, when she gave his daughter a little gift, he knew he’d never forget her. She has left a very strong impression in his mind. He’s very intrigued.

For a while, Mark’s future looked very hopeful. His test revealed he was showing great progress battling his disease…but now he has once again taken a turn for the worse. He has developed pneumonia.

David learns the news and prays Susan will be able to handle this critical time in Mark’s life. One would have to be blind not to notice how attached she has become to this young man…and this type of deep attachment could be very damaging to Susan. Will she have the strength to weather the storm?

CONCERN FOR A FRIEND

Kim and Dan are very worried about Mary’s involvement with John. They have been noticing that she’s been spending more and more time with him at the hospital. She doesn’t have to devote that much time helping him with his book.

They both can’t help but feel that John isn’t the right man for her. She’s so sweet, innocent, and trusting. John will only hurt her again. He swears he’s changed, but they have their doubts – that much evil could not have been obliterated so quickly.

Jane throws a big, gala bash honoring Beau and Annie. She tried to keep it simple, but somehow it wound up being the party event of the season. The guest list included many of Beau’s old friends, as well as the rich, the prominent and the powerful.

It’s an old, familiar world to Beau and he easily slips back into it. He hardly notices that his wife is having a slightly harder time adapting. Annie spends most of the evening on the sidelines. She tries, but she can’t really be comfortable amongst Oakdale’s Beautiful People. She looks over at her husband and silently wishes he shared her uneasiness…but it’s obvious he doesn’t. She has never seen him happier. Annie then makes a decision which she later voices to Beau. She says they can accept his mother’s gift of membership to the country club.

Susan’s frazzled state propels David to have it out with Alex. He accuses Alex of using Susan…and now abandoning her. She’s driving herself to the breaking point because she’s worried about Mark…and she’s worried about Mark because Alex got her involved with him. Susan needs help and Alex has to be the one to give it. It’s only right.

Alex is not as insensitive as he comes on, and David’s words quickly hit him where he lives. He immediately lets his real self shine through – and it’s a kind, gentle spirit who approaches Susan and says he’s taking her home. He won’t take no for an answer. He’ll leave word with the hospital to contact them at her apartment if there’s any change in Mark.

A PLEASING SURPRISE

Susan is too wound up to relax. She tells Alex she’s afraid to be alone. She’s afraid of what she might do. Alex says he’ll stay the night with her. He’ll sleep on her couch…and then in the morning they can go to the hospital together. Susan is very thankful for Alex’s kindness – and she’s also very surprised by this compassionate side of his nature. She’s beginning to think that she judged him too harshly; he’s not such a monster after all.

The next day when they return to the hospital, they receive some very good news. Mark’s fever is down. He’s beginning to fight his pneumonia. He’s on the road to recovery. Susan and Alex have never felt happier or more relieved in their lives.

With their reconciliation still at the infant stage, Lisa has already displeased her husband. He didn’t like the fact that she made two fairly important decisions without taking a moment to consult him. He thought she agreed that this time a thing like that wouldn’t happen again. She was going to be more considerate of his needs and feelings. Lisa apologizes for her insensitivity, but Grant is still left with a slight twinge of doubt about his decision to give his marriage a second chance. Was he too hasty in assuming that Lisa could really change?

Mary is a very important person in John’s life and what he wants more than anything is to reestablish a deep, personal relationship with her…and he feels he can do it. He knows just the right buttons to push to draw her closer to him. He can win…as long as he doesn’t get any outside interference. But that’s exactly what he has gotten. Mary tells him, she has been warned against him. She won’t say who did the warning, but John assumes it’s his old nemesis, Dan. John makes plans for revenge.

He thinks one good way to get at Dan is to widen the breach between him and Alex. Wearing his most sincere countenance, John tells Alex he’d be wise to keep a close eye on Dan. He’s not as forthright and honest as he appears. He’s really a back stabbing bastard of the highest order. Alex tried to make light of John’s warning, but it’s obvious it has left a deep and lasting impression on him.

A PARTIALLY WELCOMED HOUSEGUEST

Seeing how depressed his good friend is, Rick makes a magnanimous gesture. He tells David that after he’s released from the hospital he can come stay with him and Leslie. It was a very compassionate overture – but not a wise one. Rick failed to consult Leslie before making this offering.

At first, Leslie is really steamed. She tells Rick she doesn’t want to share their new home and new marriage with a stranger. How could he invite David to stay with them without first consulting her! The man is suffering from psychosomatic paralysis! Who’s going to take care of him?

Rick doesn’t understand this sudden change in Leslie. She’s usually so sweet, so giving. When Leslie later comes back and apologizes, Rick takes everything at face value. He will not allow himself to see that his soon-to-be wife has not killed her anger, but merely repressed it. Leslie still doesn’t feel right about the whole idea. She’s just doing it to please Rick.

Laura and Scotty’s relationship is veering away from the platonic. He’s beginning to see her in a more romantic light. She no longer looks like such a kid to him. Scotty expresses his change of heart by kissing Laura long, hard and passionately. Laura responds in kind. It looks like a new romance is beginning to blossom in Port Charles.

Mark received some very bad news. While escaping from the state mental institution in a stolen car, Mary Ellen ran the automobile into a brick wall and was killed instantly.

Jeff returns from New York. He goes to see Lisa but can’t bring himself to tell her the truth about her illness. In answer to her question, he just says it’s serious. At the time he thought it was the right thing to say, but now, because of what happens next, he sees it as nothing more than a serious lack of medical judgment.

What happened? Lisa has left the hospital. When Jeff went to examine her the next morning, he found her room empty and her clothes gone. Peter enters the room and tells Jeff he saw Lisa getting into a cab. He thought Jeff released her. Jeff curses himself. Since Lisa doesn’t know how sick she really is, she probably won’t seek medical attention when she suffers an attack – and this is a course of action which could cost her her life! Jeff immediately calls the police. Lt. Sage later reports to Jeff that a woman bearing Lisa’s description was seen boarding a bus bound for Montreal. It’s bad news and Jeff fears Lisa may be doomed.

A REALIZED DREAM?

Heather’s New York City landlady, Mrs. Hadley, is heavily involved in the seedy world of pornography and prostitution. She wanted to entrap Heather in this sticky web – but her plans have been foiled. Heather will no longer have to take any job to pay her bills. Her dream may soon become a reality. She may soon be a movie star. She has been discovered by a Hollywood producer. Mr. Sherman tells Heather if she comes to L.A., he’ll introduce her to the right people. It’s glorious news – but what is she to do with Steven Lars? She doesn’t want to give up her baby, but if it hinders her chances…Should she give the child to Jeff? Is that the thing to do?

Mark has a new patient. It’s wealthy business man, Lamont Corbin. Mark gasps in surprise when he sees Lamont’s wife. It’s his childhood friend, Katie O’Reilly. She did all right for a scrapper from Boston’s poverty strewn North End. Katie tells Mark she wants to keep their relationship strictly professional.

Laura cajoles Monica into giving her a prescription for birth control pills – just in case. She can’t ask Leslie – her mother still thinks of her as a little girl. Monica didn’t want to get involved in such a sneaky deed (the wounds between her and Leslie are hardly healed), but she had no other choice. Laura tells her if Monica doesn’t do as she asks, she’d make it with Scotty without the benefit of protection. She would just have to take her chances.

Jeff quickly opens the large manila envelope bearing the Utica, N.Y., return address. He shakes the package and out tumbles a check and a pendant. The check is for Dorrie and the pendant is for him – and both items are from Lisa! She’s returning the money she borrowed from Dorrie…but why is she sending him the Gemini pendant? All Jeff remembers about the pendant is that Lisa told him it stood for “eternal love.” Jeff is confused.

A few days later this confusion is increased. Jeff is refilling some papers at the nurses’ station when suddenly his concentration is broken by a rather melodic female voice asking, “Do you know where I can find Dr. Jeff Webber?” Jeff turns around, his mouth goes slack, his eyes open wide with shock. The woman is Lisa! Or is it? She says not. She’s Lisa’s twin sister Lana, Lana Holbrook. She’s here to see her sister and she was told Dr. Webber is her physician. Jeff says he’s Dr. Webber but seeing Lisa is not possible. Her sister skipped out of the hospital a week ago – and they don’t’ know where she is. Jeff then tells Lana the sad news. Learning her sister is terminally ill causes Lana to nearly faint – but she quickly recovers. Jeff notices Lana is wearing a Gemini pendant. Lana says she and her sister both have one. Lana quickly points out that while she and Lisa may be identical in appearance, they are in no way alike in personality. Lisa is quiet (a shrinking violet) and very sweet; traits which far from win Lana’s stamp of approval. The disdain is very evident in Lana’s voice as she tells Jeff it’s no wonder she and Lisa never got along.

Wanting more than anything to become a big Hollywood star – and needing more than anything, a great deal of money to achieve this dream – Heather finds herself forced to take drastic action. She’s going to let the Taylors adopt Steven Lars for the $10,000 they promised her. She doesn’t want to give up her baby, but what other choice does she have? She tells Mrs. Hadly of her desire and her landlady (and friend?) immediately comes to her aid. She tells Heather she knows just the lawyer who can help her. Mrs. Hadly places an urgent call to her friend Mr. Wallace.

LANA TOO?

While meeting with Jeff and Lt. Sage (she was to tell the lieutenant about her sister), Lana suffers a strange tingling sensation in her hand and then faints dead away in Jeff’s arms. Jeff brings her to General. He runs the necessary tests and diagnoses Lana as also suffering from Breechman’s disease. The problem gets more perplexing by the day. Breechman’s disease wasn’t known to be genetic. Jeff worries that Lisa may be getting worse.

In addition to his concern for Lana and Lisa, Jeff is also very worried about his son. He learns from Heather’s mother that Heather is planning to go to Hollywood, and he hits the roof. That’s the last straw. Heather is not going to run around the country with his son. He’s going to track her down and fight for custody of the boy.

He writes to Heather, in care of her GPO address, and tells her of his intentions. He then places a hurried call to Lt. Sage and asks him to give him the name of a private investigator. He doesn’t care what it costs. He has to find Heather Grant!

Jeff’s letter puts Heather in a real squeeze. She can no longer dally in her decision to give up her son – but can she find the strength to do it? Does she have any other choice? She wants her son; she wants her dream, but it now seems clear she can’t have them both.

The adoption won’t be entirely ethical – but it will be much more expedient. The Taylors will adopt – and pay for – her baby – but they won’t know it’s hers. Heather would much rather have handled things more above board, but speed is of the essence. Mr. Wallace said an entirely legal adoption would take months. Seeing that Heather is still a bit hesitant, Mr. Wallace (very anxious to get his grubby hands on part of her money) does something to cement her decision. He tells Heather he has taken the first step and sent Diana and Peter a telegram.

Mark tells Katie the outlook for her husband isn’t very good. The operation is very risky and there’s a very good possibility that Lamont will die on the operating table. Mark wants Lamont to know the truth about his condition, but Katie disagrees. She says such news would cause her husband to retreat in his work – and that’s what is keeping him alive.

…THOSE RESTLESS URGES

Karen likes to be at the center of her man’s life, not at the periphery. She can’t adjust to the fact that Larry dedicates more time to his medical practice than he does to her. She’s glad she wasn’t found pregnant, but maybe if she was things would be different – bust as it stand now she’s in desperate need of ego massage – and she knows just the man to quench her thirsting desires. It’s Gus the plumber. She sends out the necessary signals, Gus picks up on them and a day or so later (when Larry is out of town for the day) they wind up in her bed. Afterwards, Karen feels very dirty. She wishes she could control this other person living inside her. She doesn’t want to wreck her marriage.

Llanview has a new resident. She’s a young woman named Edwina – and she seems to be an old flame of Richard Abbott’s – at least she glows a lot whenever she hears his name. Will she play havoc with Richard and Becky’s blossoming relationship?

Meanwhile, Richard has gotten Becky a job at The Banner. Becky is ecstatic. It’s her first paying job. She’s thankful to Richard, but she’s still not too hepped up on going out with him. She appears to have a checkered past. One night she tells Richard she’s not as innocent as he thinks she is. Richard will not be put off. He’s very attracted to Becky’s naïve country ways. He likes protecting and sheltering her form the cruel world.

Once again Brad has told Lana it’s over. She showed up drunk at the health club one night and almost broke things up between him and Jenny.

A CRUSHING BLOW

Lana is shattered. She tells Brad he’s a cold, unfeeling monster. He told her he loved her. Were all his passionate words lies? Brad doesn’t reply and this non-verbal retort leaves Lana ice-cold. She seeks comfort and advice from her friend Cathy. Cathy consoles Lana and tells her to be strong. Brad is a louse. She’ll meet a better man – one more deserving of her sweet, sensitive nature.

What about the cold, calculating cad? Well, Mr. Golden boy, (Mr. Wonderful) is very…very…happy. He’s gotten Jenny to agree to marry him. He’s won her away from his father. Lana cries for Jenny. She feels this kind of gentle woman will be getting the short end of the stick very, very soon.

Learning about the engagement, Will begs Jenny to see him. In his heart he feels she’s making the wrong choice, but he doesn’t say so to her face. He tells Jenny he’s going to try and forget her. He’s not going to both her anymore.

Lana prays her dizziness and nausea isn’t what she thinks it is…but the doctor confirms her worst fears. He tells her she’s pregnant. She’s into her second month. Lana’s world comes tumbling down around her. Cathy puts the pieces back together (Cathy well remembers being in the same situation) and sets Lana on the right course. Lana decides to keep her baby, but says she’s not going to tell either Brad or Jenny that she’s pregnant. It would be humiliating to tell Brad, and if she told Jenny, Jenny would break up with Brad and Brad would hate her (Lana) for being the cause of the breakup. She’d rather have Brad treat her coldly…than not treat her at all.

Becky Lee Hunt is on her way to becoming a big country and western star. She auditions and lands a job at a local C&W joint, The Blue Ridge club. Her success is the result of hernew image. It was two little items that made all the difference: A blond Dolly Parton-type wig and a flashy and glittering dress. She looked smashing and wowed the audience…except for one rumpled young reporter. Richard didn’t approve at all and he tells Becky so. Becky’s temper erupts in ferocious flames and she tells Richard what he can do with his comments. It now seems very clear to her that they don’t understand each other at all. It may be best that they don’t see each other any more. Richard doesn’t agree with Becky’s capsule description of their problems and her solution to same, but he can’t get her to change her mind. She’s determined that they’ll never be a twosome.

Edwina has finagled herself a job with the Lord publishing empire. She’ll be working as Paul’s assistant at The Lord Press. Paul is immediately impressed with Edwina’s good looks and great intelligence. Will a new romance be blossoming in Llanview? Will Paul forsake Pat for Edwina?

Sam tells Marco she’ll never go to bed with him. When she loses her virginity, she wants it to be with a man she admires – and he’s far from that man. She knows that now. She doesn’t want a cold, calculating hustler; she wants a conservative, kind, gentle, mature man.

Is there such a man in Llanview? You bet there is! – and Sam has already picked him out. It’s Tony Lord. He’s perfect…but how is she going to get him? How is she going to make him think of her as a woman…not a little girl.

COUPLES

Trying very hard to forget Jenny, Will asks Nurse Robin Crosley, a very attractive thirtyish divorcee, out to dinner. Robin felt she didn’t have Will’s full attention so she seeks advice and counsel from Jenny Siegel. Is Will in love with someone else, Robin asks? Robin’s probing questions leave Jenny…confused…frightened…and desperately needing an escape hatch, and that night she takes the necessary self-preserving step. Jenny tells Brad she’ll marry him.

Brad’s joy pops out of him, like air from an exploding balloon. He has never been so deliriously happy. He has won the woman he loves!

It’s a joyful moment that seems to last only seconds. The next day Brad gets a visit from Lana. She tells him she’s pregnant. It’s a kink in his life he can well do without, and hesitating not a second, Brad tells Lana he’ll take her to New York and she can have an abortion. Lana explodes. She tells Brad she’s keeping the baby and she doesn’t care that by doing so she’ll be destroying his perfect little world. She’s not going to hide the fact he’s the father.

Lana leaves the health club half-hating Cathy for persuading her to tell Brad. Why didn’t she follow her instincts and remain quiet? She expected Brad to humiliate her and that’s exactly what he did.

Dorian gives Paul a pretty meaty assignment for his first task as manager of The Lord Press. He is to come up with a new idea for a magazine. She is assigning Pat, Edwina and Richard to help him with this project.

Paul calls a meeting and Richard goes into shock when he enters the office and sees Edwina sitting in the chair right next to Pat’s. Edwina coolly rises from her seat and sweetly tells all gathered that she and Richard new each other at Princeton. In fact, at one time they were both up for the same journalistic prize, which Richard ultimately won. Edwina’s voice hints that she wasn’t exactly happy that her old friend scored this win. Wonder what secret lurks in their past?

Each passing day leaves Pat more and more…confused…torn…and troubled. She knows her loyalties lie with Tony, but she can’t deny she still feels something very strong for Paul. Their evenings together at home are so right; so perfect. It’s like he never left. She doesn’t want to hurt either Tony, Paul or Brian…but someone is bound to suffer great anguish. What is she to do?