ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #76-1

"Do you believe young Mr. Todd has a right to his child?" Carl challenged Rachel.

"In theory? Yes, of course."

"How about in practice, then?"

"In practice... I saw what getting an out of the blue father did to Jamie and Matt. I look at the hell that Grant put Kirkland through when he resurfaced. And yes, I'm sorry, but also at the tailspin finding out about you sent Ryan into. In every case, these lives were upset not for their own benefit, but for the benefit of the men involved."

"Grant had a choice. I did not. Like GQ Todd, had I known about my son from the start, none of the subsequent distress and heartache would have been necessary."

"But, was it ever necessary at all? For goodness' sake, Carl, you only told Ryan the truth to keep him from dropping you off a multistory building. You can hardly claim his well-being was your primary concern at that moment."

"And you can hardly claim that your own contrary stance isn't coming from a place of equal selfishness."

"I don't understand. I have always taken complete and utter blame for what I put Matt and Jamie through. I recognize that they resent me and I can't fault them for it."

"But, you can fault any and all men interested in standing up and claiming their children, regardless of the mother's wishes. After all, wouldn't your life have gone much, much smoother had you been allowed to pick your sons' fathers after the inconvenient fact of conception? The sainted Mac for Matthew, the legitimate Russ for Jamie...."

For more on Rachel's past, click here and here.

***

Donna puts Spencer, Lucas and Carl on notice, Grant makes GQ an offer he can't refuse, Lorna wonders what Morgan is up to, Amanda and Lila draw battle lines, Dean meets Lori Ann to Frankie's ambivalence, and Marley faces a tough choice (with your help) when Carl invokes the past!

Get it all at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2010/2010_76p1.html