From: Riley <LMT94002@uconnvm.uconn.edu>

The City-Update:  Friday, February 14, 1997

The storylines all kind of come together today, so I'm keeping them in
sequence.

Ally is helping Tyler tie his shoes.  She is going to go visit Tess and
he is going to go upstairs and play with Dillon.  The doorbell rings.
It's Danny.  She says it isn't a good time.  He tells her that it isn't
about the two of them.  He just heard about Tess.

Tess can't decide what she likes best about being there:  the biopsy or
the outfit.  Angie tells her everything will be fine.  Tess asks for it
in writing.  It's a very good chance that it is just a lump.  It's a
quick procedure.  The nurse comes in.  Tess asks why she has to stay
overnight.  Procedure.  Can Tess bribe the doctor to get this done a
little sooner?  Not this one.  She takes Tess's blood pressure.  Tess
doesn't understand how Angie does this for a living.  Does Tess want
something to calm her nerves?  Yeah, Buck.

Buck is on the phone.  He says that it is Room 209, second floor.  He
really appreciates this.  He'll be waiting.  He hangs up.  Jacob brings
him some coffee.  He takes a sip and says it's hot.  It's coffee, Jacob
reminds him.  It's supposed to be hot.  Buck just hopes that Zoey can
get in touch with everyone.

Carla is struggling with her jacket as she tells Tony how she had Tess
tied up to a chair for over an hour before she let her go.  Tony can't
believe she tied up her babysitter.  She could have ratted on her, but
she didn't.  She told Gino that they were playing cowboys and indians.
Carla always liked her after that.  Did she like Carla?  Well, she was
always nice to her.  Carla just can't believe this is happening to Tess.
Tony wants to know if she is up for this.  Yes.  She just has to wait
for a call from her client and then they can go to the hospital.  Tony
says he should become a client too.  Now that all the taxes are taken
care of, he'll need some financial advice.  Does Carla really think that
Tracey paid off the taxes on the building?  Carla doesn't think Tracey
is thinking about the building right now.  Why does Carla say that.
Carla just thinks she has other things on her mind.

Gino is on the phone.  Tracey walks up to Dillon and tells him that he
has to clean his room because Tyler will be there any minute.  Dillon
protests, but leaves.  Tracey looks at Gino and turns away again.  She
says quietly, "I love you and I'm doing this for you."  She goes to
Gino as he hangs up the phone.  She guesses that was the justice of the
peace.  He still can't believe that she wants to get married today.
Live for today, Tracey says.  Well, that's what they say, Gino says, but
he has to say no.

Zoey gets to Nick's door as he is reading Lorraine's letter.  She hugs
him and says she is freaked about Tess.  He says she'll be all right.
What if something bad happens?  Either way, we'll be there for her,
Nick says.  Zoey sees the letter and asks what it is.  Lorraine needs
a little time to herself, to sort things out.  The important thing is
is that she's sober.  That's good.  How is Nick doing?  Good.  How sure?
One crisis at a time, Nick says.  The important thing now is that they
all get together and rally around Tess.  Does that include him?, Richard
asks, walking in the door.  What is he doing here?, Zoey asks.  Nick
asked him.  He thinks they should all go to the hospital together.

Ally hands the babysitter Tyler's bag and asks her if she can handle two
boys.  Sure, she's armed, she says, pulling out a squirt gun.  She and
Tyler leave.  Danny wants to share a cab to the hospital.  Ally doesn't
know.  About the other night, Danny says, he knows he came on a little
strong and he's sorry.  It's okay, Ally says.  No, it's not.  He knows
how she still feels about Tony.  Ally hasn't had much time to think about
that recently.  She's worried about Tess.  Ally owes her so much.
Neither of them would be there if it weren't for her.  Danny is really
glad they are going to the hospital together.  Ally will go get her
purse.

Carla and Tony walk into the hallway and Carla complains that her client
probably called her back again.  Tony says she can call from the hospital
Carla just wishes she had given her her cellular number.  If it is that
big of a deal, Carla should stay home.  Tony has to get to the hospital
by 4.  It's not a big deal, Carla says.  She'll work it out.  She always
does, Danny says, coming out of Ally's apartment with Ally.  He guesses
that they heard about Tess.  Tony and Carla are headed to the hospital
now.  It's really scary, isn't it, Carla asks.  Tony asks Ally how she
has been as the elevator arrives.  Fine, she says flatly and walks past.

Tyler and Dillon want to have a squirtgun fight, but the babysitter
suggests a story.  They leave.  Gino puts his hands on Tracey's arms
and asks if she is all right.  No, she's not.  She says he's obviously
having second thoughts about marrying her.  He's never been more sure
of anything in his life.  He just wants a big church wedding with Tony
and Carla getting married too.  Tracey has always had this idea that
eloping would be great.  It's so romantic, so cavalier.  It's so crazy,
Gino says.  Yes, it's crazy, Tracey says, Let's do it!  Gino can't.
Hasn't he ever done anything wild and crazy in his life?  Yes, but this
doesn't feel right.  He has Carla to consider too.  She would never
forgive him, especially after the way she found out about the engagement.
Tracey says that was a suprise.  Now, she knows they are getting married.
She'll understand.  Gino doesn't understand.  What is it she's not
telling him.

If it turns out to be a simple excision, where they just go in and take
the lump out, the entire procedure should take 15 min to half an hour,
Angie says.  If...Tess says.  If, nothing, Buck says.  He's not the one
wearing the hospital gown, Tess says.  Does she look as nervous as she
feels?  The nurse tells her not to worry, she'll be back with a sedative.
Alex and Joc show up with flowers.  They won't let her go through this
alone.  Tess says they didn't have to come.  They wanted to.  It was
either that or stay home and argue about the wallpaper.  Tess says that
now that Joc owns a piece of the building, she may talk about moving
back in.  Angie and Jacob have a spare room.  Speaking of those taxes,
does anyone know who paid them off?  Gino, Jacob says.  Alex would
hedge the same bet.  All that really matters is that it is paid, Buck
says.  After this whole thing is over, Buck is going to sell off part
of his share and take his lady on a long cruise.  Tess can't think of
a better way to spend that money.  Buck thinks it's a sign that things
are going their way, which means that everything is going to work
out just fine.  Absolutely, Tess says.

Tess talks about how they found the lump.  She says she will probably
owe her life to the jerk that wanted her to star in the topless review,
that's what started the whole thing.  Zoey comes bounding in on that,
yelling, "Topless review?  Where do I sign up?"  What is going on?, Tess
asks.  Nick thought they would show up and spring you.  Richard says
they brought her some chocolate, there should be one of everything in
there that she shouldn't eat.  If they get any more people in there,
they will have to call the fire marshall, Tess says.  Does that mean they
can't come in?, Tony asks.  They file in.  They just wanted to be there
for her.  She doesn't know what to say.  That would be a first, Buck
says.  All of them coming there is the best gift she could hope for.
Tess starts crying and accuses Buck of setting this up.  To think that
she has been going through this by herself and she didn't have to...,
Tess says.  Now, her friends are here to see her through, Angie says.

What is Tracey not telling him?  Okay, it's her heart.  Is she sick?
No, he captured it the other night.  The way he reacted to the actors
she hired to impersonate her family.  Another man would have jumped to
the wrong conclusion.  Gino doubts that.  Another man would have wanted
to get rid of her.  She can't wait to start her life with him.  Gino
is flattered, but he's an old fashioned guy.  Get over it, she says.
He doesn't want to.  He's proud of her.  He wants to have a big ceremony
with all of his friend, plus a double ceremony, with Tony and Carla.
Fine, Tracey says.  He can have a church wedding with all of Brooklyn
invited if he wants...later.  But she doesn't want to waste another
minute of the time they have together.  She wants him to marry her today.
She wants him to wisk her away to city hall and marry him so that when
she puts her head on her pillow tonight, she is Mrs. Gino Soleito.  Gino
laughs, So, that's it.  Gino says she wants to get married tonight
because she "wants" him.

What Tracey meant was...  Gino starts after her, but she escapes.  All
right his "little vixen," the justice of the peace it is.  Today?  They
will do it.  He tells her to go make herself even more beautiful.  He's
going to go call Judge Gardner.  By the time the get over there, it
will be all set.  She has made him a very happy men.  Now she knows
what they mean when they say be careful what you wish for.  Gino calls
Gardner and then Carla.  He says he was hoping that she would be there
because he wants her to hear it from her and not through any grapevine...

If Tony was in the hospital and everyone showed up like this..., Tony
starts.  Carla finishes,...he'd kick them all out.  How does she know?
Tony cries when he gets shots, she says.  That's because they hurt,
Tony tells her.  Tess thanks everyone for coming.  It means so much too
her.  There's no where else that they would be.  Tess was afraid that
she was acting so bizarre around the building that they would put her
in Bellevue.  Alex says that she has to start t talking about alien
abductions first.  What about cowboy abductions?, Buck asks.  That
doesn't count.  Joc says that if anyone should get shipped out, it should
be all of them.  They were so wrapped up in their little problems that
they didn't notice that something was really wrong.  Tess is never going
to take her friends for granted again.  Buck didn't think she was doing
that now.  She loves him.  He loves her too.  They kiss and the others
decide to leave them alone.  They file into the hallway.  Tony says
they will catch them later.  Buck tells him not to go far.  They won't.
They leave.  Carla needs to make a phone call.  Danny asks her if she
is leaving so soon?  He wishes, she says.

Zoey says Joc was right.  The whole time she has been worried about her
make-up and her hair and Tess is in there worrying about whether she is
going to live or die.  Richard walks up and says the issue was never
what she looked like.

Tony goes over to Ally  and asks how she is holding up.  She just walks
away.

Carla hears the message from Gino and explodes.  Tony tells her to take
it easy when she slams the phone down.  Carla tells him not to tell her
what to do.  She's sorry.  She's just...  Tony knows.  She's having a
coronary.  She's in a good place though, a hospital.  Does she want to
talk about it?  It's just the client.  She has been working on this deal
for a month and she just bailed out.  She has to go.  Tell Tess she's
sorry.

Tess is feeling so good she may not need that sedative after all.  Just
to be safe, they should up the dosage.  They kiss.  Buck tells her that
everyone is not there yet.  A man walks in the door and d Buck says he
takes that back, smiling.

That's it for this week.  Have a good week everyone.  See you soon.
Lisa Marie

