A Surprising Phone Call: The silence in the Craig house is broken by the ringing of the telephone. Jenny jumps up from the couch and answers it. Her eyes light up and a huge smile broadens her face when she hears the person on the other line. It's her younger sister Karen !!! Karen begins to fill Jenny's ears with stories of her European jaunt and other equally exciting events that have filled her recent past. Karen's voice is filled with youthful excitement and Jenny has no reason to doubt what she says. But beware Jenny: all is not what it appears to be. The person on the line, and the person who'll soon be arriving in Llanview, is a sham. The words she utters so honestly are anything but the truth. This young attractive, blond woman may be spelling trouble with a capital "T" for Jenny and her fellow residents of Llanview.
It appears that sweet little Karen is not a European traveler, but a lawbreaker, who has been spending the last 6 months in Boston observing her parole. Her probation period now over, Karen hopes to make a new life for herself in Llanview.
With Dr. Polk now permanently situated in Pine Valley, Llanview Hospital is in dire need of a new Chief of Psychiatry. As the Hospital's Chief of Staff, the job of choosing a replacement falls on the very able shoulders of Dr. Jim Craig. Jim knows just the man for the job. His name is Will Vernon. He's a former resident of Llanview and psychiatrist of the highest caliber. Dr. Vernon flies in from Montana to discuss the job with Jim. Though a likable and charming man, Dr. Vernon is also a troubled one. He evidences feelings of self-doubt when he tells Jim he might not be able to handle such a responsible position. One can only guess what causes such insecurity. Let's hope Jim's belief in Will isn't in vain.
Jenny's younger sister, Karen, has arrived in Llanview. Jenny is delighted to see her, and after much debate (Karen wasn't sure she wanted to settle down yet) she manages to convince her free-spirited sibling to remain in town. The two sisters will be sharing Cathy's old apartment. In addition to Jenny's sister, there's also been another arrival in town. Dr. Will Vernon and family, his wife Naomi, and his son Brad, have returned to Llanview. Brad is a "ladies' man" who zeros right in on Jenny. Jenny, so far, is turning down all his offers of dates. Brad is not giving up.
It's a dream come true for Brad Vernon. Jenny Wolek is going to be working in his house. She has been hired to be his mother's nurse (Naomi's latest asthmatic attack causes Dr. Larry Wolek to recommend that she be confined to bed, and also that she have a full-time nurse.) Brad hopes that this new closeness will enable him to break down Jenny's resistance. Jenny's repeated "no's" have not dampened Brad's desire one bit---in fact, it only serves to increase his attraction. Brad is not used to women resisting his charms.
Karen Wolek has let down her guard with Larry. She has let Larry get a glimpse into her "real" self. Larry understands Karen. He listens compassionately to her words of honesty. He doesn't condemn Karen when she confesses that she's used to getting by on lies--tricks and chicanery, and that's how she would get people on her side. Larry tells Karen he understands why she behaved that way, and he senses that she wants to change. He advises her to take one day at a time. Karen tells Larry she never met a man like him. Karen expresses her admiration by hugging him.
Brad has broken through Jenny's resistance. She has accepted not one, but two, dates with him. Brad was surprised that all it took to achieve this end was to drop his "playboy" act and come on as the person he really is: a confused and sensitive young man. Jenny succumbed very easily to this "new Brad." She lives to help people and when Brad cried out for assistance, she was right there. It's Jenny who forces Brad to take "a good look at his life." He does and what he sees he doesn't like. Brad decides the time has come for him to give his life some direction, some meaning. The aimless life of a tennis bum is no longer the thing for him. Brad changes serving tennis balls to serving drinks. He gets himself a job working as a bartender at Tony's Place.
Larry has decided to remain in Llanview--but not at Llanview Hospital. He is going into private practice. He's enthusiastic about his new life but the only person who really shares his optimism is Karen. She's the only one who doesn't feel he's making too hasty and impulsive a move. Karen likes this new, less conservative Larry. Karen is having a definite effect upon Larry---and it's not all mental! She has lured him into her bedroom (though it really didn't take much luring) and re-introduced him to the delights of romantic love. (Larry hasn't had a relationship with a woman since his wife Meredith died). What with a new practice and a new love, it's definitely a brand new day for Dr. Larry Wolek!
Dr. Larry Wolek is definitely an "old fashioned" doctor. he never thinks of medicine as a way to earn a quick and easy buck. The patient always comes first, not the fee. His reward is just seeing his patients returned to good health. Karen Wolek, Larry's new love, wants to change this facet of Larry's personality. She feels now that Larry is in private practice, he should devote his time to wealthy patients. People who could pay well for his doctoring. Larry so far is resisting Karen's very materialistic suggestion, but Karen is not going to give up. She wants Larry and she wants the "good life" too...and she's going to make sure she gets them both.
A bit of Karen's true nature has leaked out---but unfortunately Larry wasn't around to observe it. The only witness to this "leak" was Karen's sister Jenny. When Jenny tells Karen, Larry couldn't make their date because he was at the hospital awaiting the birth of Viki's baby, Karen does not respond with kindness and understanding. She, instead, selfishly cries out: "How could he do that to me! How could Larry cancel our date after I went through all the trouble of buying a new outfit. He doesn't have to stay at the hospital. He's really not needed there." Observing the shocked look on her sister's face, Karen realizes the seriousness of what she has just said. She immediately recitfies the situation by telling Jenny she didn't mean it. She then begs her sister not to mention any of this to Larry. Not wanting to think bad of Karen, Jenny agrees to her sister's request. Karen breathes easier.
Larry and Karen's relationship is in for some very rough weather. Vinny has let his brother know, in typical Vinny Wolek fashion, that he doesn't approve at all about larry and Karen's romantic involvement. It's sinful. It goes against all the laws of nature. They're second cousins!! Larry tries to make Vinny see how antiquated his thinking is, but he won't be swayed from his very strong beliefs. It's wrong and no amount of justification from Larry is going to change that fact.
Jenny may still be resisting our fair-haired boy wonder, but a certain waitress named, Lana, certainly doesn't give Brad Vernon any hassle. She very willingly takes him to her bed. Brad senses Lana's great attraction for him, and he plays on her emotions. he manipulates her into believing every little (lying) word that comes out of his mouth--and it should come as no surprise that most of those lies are about there being another woman in his life.
It may be easy for Brad to handle the romantic aspects of his life, but it looks like he's losing control over its physical side--mostly his health! Brad's trick knee is diagnosed by Larry as being caused by scar tissue which formed around a calcium deposit. Larry recommends surgery to remove the bad tissue, but Brad loudly vetoes the idea. He has no time to spend in a hospital. The problem will go away; it always has in the past. Let's hope Brad's hasty decision isn't an ill-fated one.
Larry has once again succumbed to Karen's wishes. Instead of sitting by the shores of a lake casting out his fishing line, he'll be in front of a blackjack table casting out his dough. Karen's downcast eyes made it very obvious that she didn't exactly find Larry's idea of a weekend in the country, the greatest vacation choice of all time. She showed far more enthusiasm when she flashed the brochures of Las Vegas in front of his eyes. Not being able to refuse his little love anything, he gives up the sounds of crickets for the bright flashing lights of the Vegas strip.
The cause of Naomi's asthmatic attacks has been revealed. It seems to be Naomi's way of making her husband, Will, pay for a past indiscretion ---and all the future ones she imagines he's having. Will tries to make his wife see that all these supposed affairs (with the exception of that one time) are all in her imagination.
Right now Naomi is positive that Will is having a thing with the new nurse that's been assigned to him. She's so young and pretty; what man, especially a charmer like her husband, could resist such a woman? Will's denials only serve to convince Naomi that what she suspects is true.
Brad has his knee operation. It's a resounding success. The doctors say he should be back on the tennis courts in a matter of a few months.
Karen is flying high, high high!!! Larry has told her he loves her, and now all that remains to be done is to set their wedding date. In a very short while, she'll have everything she desires. She'll soon be living a big, glorious, Technicolor life--how else would Mrs. Larry Wolek live!!! Karen keeps forgetting that a marriage takes two. She doesn't think at all about Larry. She should realize that a down-to-earth, practical guy like Larry would never be happy living a very grand showy, existence. Let's hope Karen's lack of foresight does not spell disaster for her (and Larry) in the long run.
Can it be that Brad is falling in love with Jenny? He is very drawn to her. He finds it quite refreshing to be around a woman with whom he doesn't have to play games. It's a new experience for Brad to be able to talk honestly and openly with anyone--let alone a member of the opposite sex. Brad may care very much for Jenny, but getting her to feel the same about him is another story. Brad has a rough road ahead of him. Jenny will not be won over that easily.
Urged on by Jenny's gentle encouragement, Will has vowed to finish the psychiatric textbook he stopped writing ten years ago. He says this time no one is going to interfere with the completion of the book. It's very curious that Will stopped writing the book the same year he was having that affair with his nurse--the affair which now causes his wife to distrust his every move--especially where his nurses are concerned!
Karen Wolek doesn't like it (not one little bit) when her plans and dreams are quickly ended in a gigantic puff of smoke. She doesn't care what the reason. Karen doesn't play second fiddle to anyone or anything! She's very careful not to let Larry see this side of her personality--after all, she doesn't want to do anything to cancel her ticket out of the dull humdrum life she is leading. Becoming "Mrs. Larry Wolek" is the first and most important thing on Karen's agenda. She's concentrating all of her seductive powers on getting this band of gold on her finger. Larry doesn't know that Karen considers the disappearance of Viki and Joe's baby a "petty event" and not worthy of all the time and worry he's devoting to it. It certainly wasn't worth the cancellation of their (or should we say mainly Karen's) long looked forward to Vegas vacation!! Larry is in for deep trouble. He thinks his new lover is going to be a compassionate and understanding "helper-and-supporter through life," not a money and status-grabbing materialistic monster!
Will has finally finished his book. He and his secretary Jenny are joyously celebrating his accomplishment when Naomi enters his office. From the look on her face, it's very obvious she doesn't share her husband's enthusiasm and optimism where his book is concerned. She confirms this impression by telling Will he shouldn't get his hopes up; there's no guarantee a publisher would be interested in this great work. This comment puts an immediate damper on his celebration.
The material things may no longer mean so much to Dorian---she's forsaken everything for Joe's love---but to Karen this is still her ideal. She takes one look at Llanfair and tells Dorian one day she's going to have a home like this. If Karen is in love, it's not really with Larry but with great wealth, power and position. Poor Larry what's going to happen when he finally sees what Karen is really like?
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