Episode 3: Homecoming

Part 1

Traveling Companions

Alexandra Spaulding and her guests are boarding the Spaulding jet. She's said goodbye to Fletcher, and hopes that she'll see him again soon.

Just as she's seated, her one unwelcome guest, Edmund Winslow, arrives.

"Tell me again, Ross," she whispers to her seatmate, "why do you think it's a good idea for me to allow Edmund to travel back to Springfield with us?"

"I had a hunch," Ross begins, "that he'd end up back in Springfield anyway. Besides, he was a key player in helping us bring down Jeffrey O'Neal and The Syndicate."

"Alex!" Edmund proclaims as he approaches her. "I can't thank you enough for your kind invitation. My goodness," he gives her a good looking-over, "you look absolutely stunning. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" he quips.

"And may I," she says, "compare thee with an onion?"

"An onion?" asks a perplexed Edmund.

"Yes. You stink, and have a tendency to make people cry." She then instructs him to take a seat toward the back of the jet away from her and the others.

The pilot then greets Alex, and hands her a copy of The Springfield Journal. The headline reads:

Mayor Doris Wolfe Proclaims Springfield Safe!

"Mayor– indeed!" exclaims Alex.

"You don't think Doris is up for the task?" Holly asks as she takes her seat.

"If the task involves underhanded dealings, then yes, Doris is quite capable. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she knew all about O'Neal and his dreadful Syndicate" replies Alex.

"Come on, Alex," Ed warns.

"Need I remind you all of her election shenanigans against Buzz – and that she trapped my brother into marrying her?"

Ed reminds her that no one could trap Alan Spaulding into doing anything.

"Be that as it may," Alex responds, "now that Springfield is safe, perhaps it's time for a few changes on the political front."

Part 2

Blake Wonders

Blake Marler sits at the table, sips her morning coffee, and stares at Ross's picture in this morning's Springfield Journal.

"How could he betray me like this?" she wonders aloud. She thinks back, many years ago, when she first realized she loved Ross. Her father, Roger Thorpe, was none too happy…

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Sure, they'd had many ups and downs over the years – the ups, of course, being their three children, and the downs usually resulted because of her own doing.

But I love Frank now, she thinks. Don't I?

Even though Roger was not initially keen on her union with Ross, Blake wishes her father were alive now to help her through this.

Part 3

Drawing Battle Lines

Meanwhile, over at Spaulding Enterprises, Phillip Spaulding is reviewing a stack of files.

"I hate paperwork," he mutters.

"So why do it?" asks Alan-Michael as he unexpectedly enters Phillip's office.

"What do you want?" Phillip asks.

"I told you what I want – what's rightfully mine," Alan-Michal replies, "and I've already been in touch with several members of the board about it."

"Doesn't matter," smirks Phillip, "we can't make a move until Aunt Alex returns. And even at that, we've got our primary stockholders to contend with."

"Oh, haven't you heard? Aunt Alex is on her way back to Springfield right now," states Alan-Michael. This was news to Phillip. He hadn't spoken with her in weeks.

"How do you know?" Phillip didn't like the fact that Alan-Michael knew something about their Aunt Alex that he didn't.

"I spoke with her, not more than a day or two ago," Alan-Michael smugly replies.

"And did you tell her you wanted Spaulding back?" Phillip is starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Not in so many words, but we both feel that with Spaulding's recent boon, a few changes are in order. I'll be in touch, Brother." With that, Alan-Michael leaves Phillip's office.

Part 4

The Trip Back

"Alex," Holly smiles, "are you considering running against Doris Wolfe in the upcoming election?"

"Me! Oh, heavens no. I don't know the first thing about running a city!" she laughs.

"But you know an awful lot about running a business," Ed reminds her.

"Two completely different things," Alex responds.

"Speaking of business, Ed," Ross begins, "you mentioned something last night about Phillip's heart not being in Spaulding Enterprises anymore."

"Yes," Ed tells him, "after Alan died, Phillip – with Alex's blessing, of course – took the helm." Most of what Ed knew was merely hearsay, provided by his son, Rick.

"All I know," interjects Alex, "is that big things are in store for Spaulding Enterprises. And for Springfield." She stares at Doris Wolfe's photo in the paper.

Edmund, overhearing the conversation, gazes out the window of the plane. Springfield is just ripe for the picking, he smiles to himself.