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Widow of Opportunity
Alexandra's revelation puts
Edmund in his place- and her in hers!
Soaps In Depth August 10, 1999
"This week, Pine Valley is rocked by the untimely demise of one of its most prominent citizens, Dimitri Marick. As the count's nearest and dearest gather to grieve, they are haunted by questions concerning his sudden death and the beautiful woman with whom he spent his last hours. Who is she, really, and what is her agenda? An inquisitive Edmund is determined to find out.
After bidding his half-brother a tender goodbye, a still-distraught Edmund vows to find out the truth about this latest tragedy that has befallen the Marick/Grey household. But his attempts to get the hospital to perform an autopsy on his sibling are waylaid by the appearance of Alexandra Devane, who accompanied Dimitri back to Pine Valley. The journalist and the others sitting vigil at the hospital are thrown when the lovely stranger announces that she is against the procedure and then makes an even more startling proclaimation: She's Dimitri's widow! 'It's a very mixed reaction [that she gets],' reveals Finola Hughes, the Daytime Emmy Award winner who plays Alexandra. 'There are people that just absolutely go for my throat- like Erica- and then there are people who sort of see through it.'
Regardless of anyone's initial
feelings, after Alexandra provides proof supporting her statement, Dimitri's friends and
family have no choice but to give her the benefit of the doubt. However, Edmund is
rattled further when the newcomer fills in the details of Dimitri's last conscious
moments. After accusing her of being dishonest, he goes postal when she announces
her plan to leave Pine Valley and take Dimitri's body with her! 'Their encounters
are difficult, extremely difficult,' concedes Hughes. 'It's hard for Alex to know
how to play it, because to a certain extent, she's trying to protect something, and
Edmund, being the man that he is and an investigator of sorts, can see this.'
Erica vs. Brooke
Although Alexandra successfully averts Erica's
attempt to stop her from taking the corpse, her luck runs out when she is confronted by
Edmund, Jack and Derek at the airport. Unfortunately for the men, the lady is no
pushover. When Jack informs her that Edmund is preparing to have her actions legally
impeded, she reminds them that without official paperwork, they can do nothing to stop her
from boarding the plane with the coffin.
As Gillian, Brooke and Erica gather at Wildwind, Alexandra is the topic du jour. While Brooke attempts to absorb and assimilate mthe ramifications of the bombshell that the stranger has dropped, Gillian and Erica remain on opposite sides of the fence- Gillian believes Alex's romantic story, but Erica thinks that she is a fraud. Despite the sadness that has enveloped the estate, Brooke and Erica still manage to get into a row.
Edmund's Plea
Back at the airport, Edmund beseeches
Alexandra to not whisk away his brother's body. Touched, she relents and allows for
the casket to be taken back to Wildwind. Accompanying Edmund home, Alexandra comes
face-to-face with Brooke and Erica, who already have begun planning Dimitri's
funeral.
After Erica leaves in a huff, Brooke is moved by what she perceives as Alexandra's tenderness toward Dimitri and takes her to the hunting lodge, one of the dearly departed's favorite spots. Alone, the women bond and Alexandra asks Brooke to assist her in assisting Edmund to accept Dimitri's death.
Why? 'On the one hand, I would say that it was genuine concern because of what she is doing,' allows Hughes. 'It's almost like she has to do something, and [in the process] she is hurting people. And because of what Dimitri told Alex about Edmund, he is the one person who she genuinely wants to help deal with the loss and the grief. It doesn't help her agenda in any way,' she adds, 'because she could just as easily say, "Screw you- this is what's going to happen," and get on with what she has to do. But she does realize, on the human side, what she is doing, and she says that to Brooke.'
Alexandra Breaks Down
Later, as the mystery surrounding Alexandra
heats up, everyone's spirits plummet further down. Left alone with Dimitri's
remains, Edmund remembers his half-brother and ponders how he will break the news to his
children that their beloved uncle has gone to heaven.
At the same time, Alexandra receives a gift from her late husband- the delivery of which he'd arranged prior to his passing- and experiences an emotional meltdown of her own. Afterward, she places a cryptic phone call. '[Due to her loyalty to Dimitri] she hust has to do this- she's kind of tied.' explains Hughes. 'But there was a scene we did just the other day, where I realized what I was doing to the family and became upset. It wasnt' scripted, but it just became reality, because I do really tear up this family with decisions that I make, and that means that every relationship that I begin in town, with the exception possibly of Gillian and perhaps Brooke, even though she is a very, very intelligent woman and wary, is damaged instantly- the minute Alex sets foot in town. So it'll be wonderful to see how that can be remedied. I'm probably going to spend the next six month,' she adds, 'repairing the damage that I've done.'
Dimitri Vanishes!
Across Pine Valley, as the news of Dimitri's
death spreads, those who knew him continue to be affected. At Myrtle's, Gillian
collapses in Jake's arms. Believing that the princess is shedding tears over her
lost relationship with Ryan, Jake is thrown for a loop when she tells him about her
cousin.
And at Erica's home, David is equally shocked when she informs him that her last former husband is dead. Breaking down, Erica fondly recalls some of the happiest moments she ever spent with the count, with whom she walked down the aisle three times.
Overwhelmed with sadness, Edmund is intent on opening Dimitri's coffin. But before he can jimmy it, Alexandra walks in on him and begs him to leave Dimitri be. Although he agrees, he informs her that he plans to get to the bottom of what has happened. Later, Edmund returns only to find both Alexandra and the casket are gone!
Next week, the denizens of Pine Valley continue to react to the presence of Alexandra, who schemes to ensure that the count's funeral goes just as she wants it to."
