From: Kay Weisman <weisman@mcs.net>

			Guiding Light Update
		     Real Thursday, November 20

Courtroom:  Ben pounces on Abby--"Isn't it true that Roy Meachum isn't the
first person Abby has falsely accused?"  Ross counterattacks and the two
spar like pit bulls until the judge calms things down.  Ben asks Abby if
she remembers Craig Johnson.

Mattessa's Living Room:  She's arranging flowers; Matt accuses her of
overdoing it, claiming he saw her move a table.  He wants her to sit on the
couch; she wants him to go to work.  He says if he didn't know better, he'd
think she had a rendezvous planned with another man.  The doorbell rings;
it's Michael.

Casa Spaulding:  Alan and Annie are making up after last night's fight.
Annie reminds Alan he has legal temporary custody of Tammy, so technically
he can go and get her from the Lewis's.  She says what she really wants is
to have Tammy and raise her as their own little girl.

Courtroom:  Enter Reva and Cassie.  Ross and Ben continue squabbling with
the judge.  Later, aside to Ben, Ross says don't play with this woman's
life.  Where is your conscience?  Ben retorts he must have lost it with his
birthright.  Then, on the stand, Ben produces a police report from
Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Apparently Abby went to town with her father, was
left alone for a short while, and was approached by a man who wanted to
take Abby's picture.  She completely misunderstood, assumed he was trying
to attack her, and screamed for help.  Abby says she was just a young girl
at the time, had never been outside of Goshen, and was confused.

Mattesa's Living Room:  Vanessa explains to Michael that she and Matt are
laughing because Matt just suggested she was meeting a man.  Michael picks
up the cue and invents a reason for his visit--he's trying to get back his
medical license and needs Vanessa to write a reference for him.  Matt
leaves for the office, and Michael wants to know what's up?  Why did she
call him and why doesn't she want Matt to know?  Vanessa says she's
concerned that she might not stay in remission from her disease.

Outside the Courtroom:  Dina, doing an impression of "Geraldina," is
preparing to go on the air broadcasting tabloid smut.  Enter Blake, who
wants to know what she thinks she's doing?  Doesn't she realize she can't
be impartial about this case and shouldn't be there?  Dina still wants to
know why Blake came to Ben's room the night before.  Blake leaves in
disgust.

Courtroom:  Ben pounces on Abby's claim of confusion, implying if she was
confused then, she is confused now, too.  He easily trips up her testimony
with a relentless barrage of questions, implying that Jessie was her real
attacker.

Casa Spaulding:  Annie argues she and Alan can provide Tammy with a more
stable home than Cassie; Alan points out Cassie is Tammy's real mother.
Annie wants Tammy to bring "meaning and focus to their lives."  Besides,
Alan owes her.  Enter Nettie, trying to announce that Josh is there, but
Annie won't let her get a word in edgewise and finally Josh enters
unannounced.

Courtroom:  On cross examination, Ross tries to repair the damage Ben has
caused.  He points out that at the time of the Lancaster incident, Abby was
only sixteen, had never been out of Goshen before, and was unable to speak
or use sign language to communicate.  Also, following the occurrence, Abby
apologized to Craig Johnson for her error.  He also establishes that Annie
now lives in Springfield, holds down a job, and has regular contact with
both men and women.  Abby restates that it was Roy Meachum who attacked her
on August 25, and that she isn't confused about that.  The judge calls a
recess.  Aside, Blake chats with Holly and Fletcher.  Holly is very angry
about what Ben is doing to Abby; Fletcher fears he isn't finished yet.
Rick goes to comfort/smother Abby with his fawning attentions.

Outside the Courtroom:  Geraldina delivers a scathing report about the
alleged victim and her unfortunate day in Lancaster.  Enter Ross who speaks
assuredly on camera and then chastises Dina for her stupidity at not being
able to see through Ben.  As he leaves, Blake approaches asking when she
turned back into a vindictive witch?  Dina's very curious about Ben and why
he would come to town to defend a nobody.  She sends one of her lackeys to
uncover some dirt.

Inside the Courtroom:  Ben and Ross continue squabbling.  There's no new
information, but Ben threatens that when Abby suffers it's Ross's fault
because he wouldn't settle out of court.

Mattessa's Living Room:  Michael quizzes Vanessa about her sudden change in
attitude about her disease, reminding her that he and Rick both counseled
against this pregnancy.  It seems that Vanessa isn't really the Pollyanna
she wants Matt to think she is; she realizes she might die during this
pregnancy, but wants to leave the baby as a legacy for Matt.  She wants
Michael to promise her that if it comes to saving her or the baby, he will
save the baby.

Casa Spaulding:  Josh tells Annie and Alan they had better not even think
about taking Tammy.  Even though he and Reva aren't remarried yet, he
considers Cassie and Tammy family.  Also, he has a sworn statement from
Donald Paulsen, detailing how he got Cassie a job so she could spy at Lewis
Oil.  If Alan takes Tammy's custody to court, he is prepared to reveal all
this information, which would mean Alan could return to prison.  Josh can't
imagine what Alan could get out of all of this that would make it worth his
while to tangle with Josh in court.  Annie says Alan gets a family with her
and Tammy out of it.  Alan remains mute.

Outside the Courtroom:  Cassie and Reva talk about Tammy.  Cassie feels
uneasy leaving her with a sitter to come to this trial; Reva assures her
everything will be OK.  Cassie thinks it would be better if she and Tammy
left town, but Reva won't hear of it.

Inside the Courtroom:  Some of Roy's buddies harass Jessie and Michelle.
Marcus says he can get his father to issue a restraining order if that will
help.  In another corner, Rick tells Abby if she gets flustered on the
stand, she should look at him and he will make everything better.
(Right...)

Mattessa's Living Room:  More Vanessa whining.  She says she needs someone
to talk to about this problem and can't talk to Matt because he's so happy
and she doesn't want to spoil it for him.  She wants Michael to agree that
he will safeguard the baby's life NO MATTER WHAT.  He reluctantly assents,
if she will call him the first time she senses her symptoms are returning.
Then they notice Geraldina on television.  She's busy revealing to all the
world the details of who's got who's heart.  Vanessa becomes enraged and
announces she's off to the courthouse to stop this.  Michael insists he
will drive.

Courtroom:  Recess is finally over and Ben is redirecting his venom at
Abby.  This time he gets her to admit that Jessie and Michelle "helped" her
to "remember" the night of August 25, and that Jessie captured Roy,
announcing "I've got Roy, the guy who attacked you."  He suggests to
everyone that Jessie set up Roy to deflect attention from his own guilt.

Casa Spaulding:  Alan says he can and will supply Annie's every need.  Josh
reminds Annie she's on probation, and leaves.  Alan says this isn't going
to be easy.  An ecstatic Annie tells Alan not to move--she's going to make
him the happiest man alive.

Courtroom:  Ben points out that Frank, a personal friend of Abby's,
arranged for the line up, and suggests that Frank acted improperly in doing
so.  After a dramatic pause of 20 seconds, Ben tells the jury that Abby
deliberated six times that long before identifying Roy in the line up.  He
suggests she didn't recognize Roy at all and that she had a hard time
deciding whether or not to implicate an innocent man.  Rick stands and
screams, LEAVE HER ALONE.

Casa Spaulding:  Alan is on the phone to someone, presumably getting
started with the Tammy business.  Enter Annie dressed in a flowing black
and lavender night gown number which she begins to remove immediately.  In
spike heels she mounts a table (and, seemingly Alan) and begins smothering
him with kisses.

Outside Courtroom:  Cassie hangs up the phone, apparently unable to reach
Josh or talk to Tammy.  Reva tells her not to worry, but Cassie decides to
go home and be with her.  Nearby, Geraldina describes the "moment of
silence" and recreates the last courtroom segment for her viewers.  Enter
Vannessa, declaring that her reporting is disgusting and that she is making
a mockery of another woman's pain.

Inside Courtroom:  After being chastised by the judge, Rick turns to leave
the courtroom before he gets evicted.  At the back door, he pauses next to
Jessie and tells him, "Get me the gun."



