Giving Advice

March 13, 2003

Nora: Sit.

Natalie: I did sleep with Mitch. I mean, why are you so upset?

Nora: Because possibly it couldn't be true.

Natalie: Ok, I know I said that I didn't sleep with him --

Nora: Because you didn't.

Natalie: But we did consummate the marriage.

Nora: Really? When?

Natalie: In Vegas that night, before we came back to Llanview.

Nora: Then why did you claim that never happened?

Natalie: Because I didn't want Cristian to look at me like that and think of me that way -- having sex. And then mom -- and then when I found out Mitch Laurence was --

Nora: All right, Natalie, this is the problem with lying -- you have to keep pumping out the lies to cover the first one.

Natalie: I slept with Mitch, which means I cannot have an annulment, which means divorce.

Nora: Which means a healthy settlement, huh?

Natalie: Why not? I mean, I was thinking of half. Are we going to get some service around here?

Nora: Ok, now, let me explain to you what happens if you stick with this ridiculous story, ok?

Natalie: It's not a story.

Nora: If you go on the stand and swear under oath that you slept with Mitch Laurence, Mitch Laurens's attorney, a very smart woman by the name of Evangeline Williamson -- do you remember her?

Natalie: Mm-hmm.

Nora: She's going to put you on the stand, and she will cross-examine you and ask for every single detail. In front of Cristian, his mother, your mother, and everyone else in that courtroom. She's going to want to know everything. Every moan, every groan, every gasp of pleasure. Where your hands went, where his hands went, and everything that he whispered to you while he was consummating your marriage and then Mitch's attorney is going to slice your testimony like a razor blade, lie by lie. And after she has completely discredited you, perjury means prison. Is that what you want?

*~*

Bo: Gentlemen? What's up?

Antonio: Nothing much, Commissioner. I'm on my way over to angel square, check on that possible O.D.

Cristian: Antonio, please.

Bo: Antonio, I don't have a problem with you taking this case.

Antonio: Thanks. I appreciate that, sir.

Bo: But before you leave, I'm going to need your gun.

*~*

Antonio: Look, Commissioner, I -- you have it all wrong. I mean, I have this whole situation under control. If you think that the same thing is going to happen that happened with Ben Davidson, you --

Bo: It's a regulation. See, I don't have a choice. And neither do you.

Cristian: I still think you should take some time off --

Antonio: Nobody asked you, little brother. Right now what I should be doing is working. It's something I'm good at. It's something I can do.

Cristian: Isn't there a way we can have him sit and make him deal with all this stuff or something?

Bo: He'll deal -- in his own way. Just have some faith in him. He's strong. Antonio will pull through this.

*~*

[Music plays]

Natalie: The jukebox has got the best selection. I --

Nora: Natalie, skip the small talk, please. You have to make a decision if you're going to stick with this story all the way through a court case. It will be a disaster.

Natalie: What choice do I have? I have to tell the truth, right?

Nora: Then perhaps you should do that.

Natalie: I am. And just think, you know, how much this is going to help out mom. I mean, if I can get half of Mitch's net worth --

Nora: Natalie, for god's sake, what the hell do you think you're doing? Life is too precious for you to be throwing it away for money. I'm sorry. I just lost some friends in a plane accident, and I'm not handling it as well as I thought I was.

Natalie: Oh, I'm sorry, Nora.

Nora: No, I'm sorry. I just want you to understand, ok? If you go to court and you swear under oath that you slept with Mitch Laurence and the court finds out that you're lying --

Natalie: Listen, I'm going to say that I slept with Mitch because I did. And it's not like you've got to go up and give your version to the judge, right?

Nora: Oh, no, because I'm not even going to be there. I'm in the district attorney's office now, remember?

Natalie: Yeah, but, I mean, you're n going to finish handling any of your cases?

Nora: No, it's not allowed. I turned over my entire caseload to Sam Rappaport. Who, by the way, you better tell the truth to.

Natalie: He's Jen's dad. I mean, that could be a problem. I mean, he's got a great reputation.

Nora: Oh, he's brilliant. And he's not going to believe this schlock, either. And no good lawyer would ever put a witness on the stand when he knows she's going to lie.

Natalie: Ok. I'll keep that mind. I'd better call Mr. Rappaport.

Nora: Never mind, it's late. Best wait till morning.

Natalie: Yeah. Morning.

Nora: Natalie? One more time --

Natalie: Ok, come on, I heard you, ok?

Roxy: Oh! Thanks for the beer bath. Sorry.

Nora: Just what I needed.

*~*

Bo: Right now Antonio's drowning. And work is the only way he can get air. When he figures out another way, then he'll start to grieve.

Cristian: Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

Bo: How's Natalie?

Cristian: She's good. Oh, which reminds me, I probably should get home to her.

Bo: All right, well, I'll let you know how your brother's doing, ok?

Cristian: Thanks, Commissioner, for everything. Hey, Nora.

Nora: Just the man I was hoping to see.

Cristian: Oh, yeah? What's up?

Nora: I just came from having a conversation with Natalie over at Rodi's.

Cristian: Rodi's?

Nora: Mm-hmm. I suggest you get down there and talk to her before she does something foolish.

*~*