"Come in." said Carl, crossing to the desk, and taking out his chequebook. He was clearly in a rage. Darrin the chauffeur followed him, looking uncomfortable.

"Darling, what is this about?" Rachel asked.

Carl wrote a cheque and handed it to Darrin.

"I've given you one month's salary, in lieu of notice." he said, "Go and pack your things. I want you out of this house within the hour."

"Yes, Sir." The ex-chauffeur turned and headed for the servants' quarters.

"You're firing Darrin?" squawked Amanda, "But - he's been our chauffeur ever since Matt and I were children!"

"High time for a change then." said Carl.

"Darling, don't you think you're being hasty?" said Rachel.

"I will not be spied upon!" Carl burst out, "I caught Darrin, eavesdropping on my conversations! I can guess who put him up to it!"

"I don't know anything about it." said Amanda primly.

"I'm sure your brother does." said Carl, turning his back on her. "You know, Rachel, Joe will undoubtedly try to paint Paulina as a hopeless drug addict. It might be a good idea for her to submit to being tested, every morning, until Dante's custody hearing. That way, she will have proof that she's clean."

Rachel blinked in surprise; a moment earlier, Carl had been shaking with rage, and now, as though someone had thrown a switch, he was completely calm.

"That, uh, sounds like a good idea." she said, "I'll talk to Paulina about it."

*****

Meanwhile, Vicky and Jake had steeled themselves to tell Steven and Kirkland about the divorce.

"You guys know that I've been spending a lot of time at the hospital lately," Vicky began.

"With Shane." said Jake.

"Yes. Because, I love Shane."

"You told us that you love Jake." Steven pointed out.

"I know I did," said Vicky," And I do love Jake, only it's not the kind of love you ought to have for the person you marry."

The boys just looked at her blankly. Jake jumped in.

"We made a mistake!" he said, "Grown-ups make mistakes, the same as kids do. Vicky and me have been best friends since we were younger than your guys. We thought that meant that we'd be good together as husband and wife."

"Only we weren't." said Vicky, "Being married is a lot different from being friends. Married people should be like - like - "

"Like Carl and Rachel." said Jake, "They can finish each other's sentences. You and me have never been like that."

Vicky bit the bullet. "That's why Jake and I are getting a divorce."

Both boys burst into tears.

********

Rachel intercepted Darrin before he left the Cory Mansion.

"I can't override Carl's decision to let you go," she told him, "But I'll write you a letter of reference."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"You've been with us a long time, and I've always been satisfied with your performance of your duties."

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if Matthew HAD paid him to spy on Carl, but somehow, she couldn't bring herself to do it. There were some things she didn't want to know.

*********

"I didn't think Carl would FIRE you." said Matthew, "Too bad."

"Yes, Sir." Outwardly stoic, Darrin was seething on the inside. The little snot owed him more than that, after costing him his job! Though it was his own fault, for not remembering that it was Carl Hutchins who paid his salary.

"I don't need a chauffeur," Matthew continued, "But here's something to tide you over until you get another job."

As Matthew scribbled a cheque, Darring wondered how much the Cory scion thought his career was worth.

********

When Grant picked Kirkland up for their weekly outing, he found him uncharacteristically subdued.

"What's wrong, Son?"

"Mommy and Jake are getting a divorce."

"Oh?" said Grant, "I'm sure your mother and Jake both love you. The divorce won't change that."

Immediately, Grant's mind began ticking over, looking for ways to use the divorce for his own advantage.

*******

"Lila, we need to talk." said Matthew.

"We have nuthin' to tawk about!" Lila tried to close her door, but Matthew had his foot in it.

"Right after we have unprotected sex, you find out that you're pregnant." said Matthew, "I'd say we have a lot to talk about."

" Ah tole you, it's not yo' baby!" Lila insisted.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because Ah was already pregnant befo' we made love!" Just then, her telephone rang. She crossed the room and answered it.

"Hello? - Yes, this is Lila Roberts - No, Ah do NOT wawnt to get mah carpets cleaned! Goodbye!" She hung up, and turned back towards Matthew. He was holding her medical file.

"Wheah did you get that?" she gasped.

"It was sticking out of your wastebasket." said Matthew.

'Damn! Why didn't Ah burn that thang?' Lila thought. She tried to grab the file, but Matthew evaded her.

"Give it heah!" she cried, "You have no raight -!"

"According to this, you're four weeks pregnant. That means you're carrying MY baby, and I have every right!"

"It's not yo' baby! It's Shane's baby!"

"Let's just see what the DNA test says."

To be continued.