"Is your suite comfortable, Your Excellency?" said Zack.

"Call me Tensing." said the Lama, "Is that not the American way?"

Between the peculiar hat he wore, and his flowing beard, not much could be seen of his face.

"As for your question, the material world is a delusion. The man who worries about being 'comfortable' is too concerned with it."

"Oh, I agree!" said Zack, "That's why I concentrate on developing my psychic powers."

"Once, in India, I met a holy man who could walk on water." said the Lama.

"Really?" Zack was impressed.

"Yes. He demonstrated by walking across the surface of a lake. He said that he had spent thirty years of his life developing his powers. Do you know what I said to him?"

"No. What?"

"You could have built a boat in a fraction of that time."

"Josie's pregnant." said Gary, "She isn't sure if it's my kid - or yours."

"Amanda's pregnant too!" said Cameron, "It's definitely Yours. Me and Amanda never made love."

"Wait a minute!" said Gary, "'Are you sure Amanda hasn't been makin' it with anyone else? ‘Cause if she has, it could be His kid."

"I never thought of that." said Cameron, who was not noted for his mental agility.

"You better check it out, before we start makin' plans."

Remy had decided to move directly to Stage Three of her plan to con Nick: when he arrived at the apartment she shared with Sofia, she said, "Hi, Nick!" and fell down in a 'faint'.

"Remy!" Nick ran to the sink, got a glass of water, and threw it in Remy's face.

"What the f-!" Remy sat up in a hurry, "Oh! What - happened?"

"You fainted." said Nick.

"Not again!" said Remy, "I mean, did I?"

"Maybe you should see a doctor."

"A doctor? Because of a little fainting fit? Don't be silly!" said Remy, giving him a toothy, patently false smile.

****

Matthew had brought Jasmine - and her mother - back to the Cory Mansion.

"I thought Lila was supposed to move out as soon as the baby was born!" Sofia grumbled.

"If Lila leaves, she'll take Jasmine with her!" Matthew pointed out, "Lila has to stay here, until I persuade her to let me have custody."

"How long will That take?"

Matthew wasn't listening; he was gazing down into his daughter's carrycot.

"Who's Daddy's girl?" he cooed, "Jasmine is!"

"I tried to warn you." Rachel pointed out, "A baby is a powerful attraction. As Jasmine's mother, Lila has power."

"Only until Matt gets custody!" said Sofia.

"Do you really believe that Lila will hand Jasmine over to Matthew and go away? She dotes on that baby!"

"She's puttin' on an act!"

"I don't think so." said Rachel, "The most unexpected people turn out to be loving mothers!"

"If Lila won't give Matt custody, he can take her to court!"

"On what grounds? The only argument he can make to a judge is that He has money, and Lila Doesn't. That's not enough."

Zack Wilder had arrived, and was duly admiring the baby: "She's a beautiful as her mother."

Sofia came to a decision: "Matt! I think we should get married right away, so that we can give Jasmine a real home, with two parents!"

"Excuse me?" said Lila, "If y'all have some notion that You ah gonna raise Mah Chile, you can jist fo'get it raight now! Ah will see you Daid befo' Ah let you anywheah Near Mah Baby!"

She clutched Jasmine protectively to her bosom and went out onto the terrace. Zack followed her.

"You tole me Matt would marry ME!" Lila hissed.

"And he Will!" said Zack, "Jordan Stark can help you - but first, you must do something for Him."

"Ah'll do anythang!"

"Get him Rachel Hutchins' wedding ring."

"Whut? Why?"

"Call it a test of your resolve - of your ingenuity." said Zack, "Give Jordan that ring, and Matt will be putting one like it on Your finger!"

****

Cass sniffed the air as he entered Felicia's suite.

"Since when do you cook?" he said.

"Well - um - you see - " Felicia stammered.

"Borscht is ready!" said Sergei, appearing from the kitchen,

"Cass Winthrop - meet Sergei Radzinsky." said Felicia, "Sergei is from Vladivostock."

"What is he doing Here?"

" He's - staying with me - for a few days."

Cass looked searchingly at him. "Where have I seen you before?"

"He looks a lot like Sting, don't you think?" said Felicia.

"Wait a minute! You're that crazy limo driver! What's he doing here?"

"Well, you see - Sergei lost his job after I complained -" said Felicia.

"Good! He deserved it!"

"And without a job, he can't afford a room, so - "

Cass took out his notebook, wrote something in it, tore the page out, and handed it to Sergei.

"Here! The address of the nearest Homeless Shelter! Hit the bricks, Tovarich!"

"Cass!"

"He's taking advantage of you - Can't you see that?"

"If Felicia tells me to go, Sergei goes!"

"Well, Felicia ? Tell him!"

"I already told him he could Stay!"

****

Cindy went to visit Grant.

"Orange is definitely Your colour, Pumpkin!" she said.

"What do you want, Cynthia?" said Grant.

"You mean, aside from the pleasure of seeing you behind bars? Half!"

"I - don't know what you mean."

"You are not going to be able to get that sleazy South American divorce - the one where I end up penniless." said Cindy, "But you can have a divorce - in return for Half of everything you own. And I mean Everything! I know exactly how much that is!"

"Why should I give you a cent?"

"Well, Sweetie, it seems that taped confession is only valid if it's backed up by My testimony." said Cindy, "If I get the divorce settlement I want, I'll suddenly develop amnesia. Otherwise - well, I think you get my drift."

She smiled brightly. The sunlight slanting through the window of the cellblock caught the red highlights in her hair, and sparked white fire from the diamond Lumina pin in her lapel. Neither of them had any idea that the pin contained a listening device!

To be continued