1977 (#22) - Liz's advice and Snapper's dating with Cynthia

Unable to recover from Chris' departure, Snapper, initially disappointed by the woman's behavior, appears determined to seek a divorce. However, it is his mother Liz who dissuaded him from the idea, taking his situation with Bill as an example. Convinced that sooner or later he will return, as her husband did, Liz convinces Snapper to put his thoughts about his marriage aside for a while and devote himself to work in the hospital. Here, meanwhile, she meets Cynthia Harris, a nurse who has long been secretly in love with the charming doctor Snapper. Cynthia's sympathy is very helpful to Snapper, who, thanks to her, finds the smile again; however, Snapper is unprepared to start a new story with the girl, who understands the situation perfectly even if she doesn't give up her dream to be with him. It is precisely the insistence of the girl and her strong character that soon persuades the man, who thus starts dating Cynthia, although without a convinced sentimental commitment.

1977 (#21) - The publication of Lorie's novel and Lucas' return from Hong Kong

It is an increasingly bitter Vanessa, tired of watching Lorie in the arms of her son, breaking the truce in his rivalry with the woman. So she decides to try everything to get away Lorie out of her life, thus starting the publication of Lorie's second novel, which she had been in possession of for some time. At the same time, a still depressed Lorie, who is struggling to get over the pain of her mother's death, is convinced instead to bury the axe of war with Vanessa for good. Feeling closer to the woman, not justifying but understanding the reasons of a mother who after all only wants to protect her son, she decides to rebuild her relationship with the woman by giving her a special gift. Lorie thus set out in search of Vanessa's second son, Lucas, tracing him back to Hong Kong and bringing him back to Genoa City, convincing the boy to put the past behind him. It turns out, in fact, that the fire that caused Vanessa's injuries was accidentally and inadvertently caused by Lucas who, feeling guilty for what happened, ran away immediately afterwards, making him lose track until today. At the sight of her son, an incredulous Vanessa embraces Lucas in ecstasy, whom she hadn't seen for years. Lance, too, is overjoyed to find his brother, and he never stops thanking Lorie for this miracle.

1977 (#20) - Karen's reliance on Ron and Nancy and Chris' desperation

Nancy, reluctantly convinced by Ron to give up Karen, asks to see her daughter for the last time. Chris and Snapper gladly grant the visit, not without hiding a certain fear of Ron's possible actions. In the end, the meeting ends with a painful goodbye from Nancy to Karen, who this time is much sorrier, even though she doesn't recognize her mother this time either. This, however, is enough to convince Ron to try the legal way to regain custody of Karen. Nancy, on hearing the news, thanks Ron immensely and is excited to have her daughter back. At the hearing, Chris desperately tries to convince the judge that Karen's parents are unfit to raise a child, but when the judicial psychiatrist declares Ron and Nancy's condition to be perfectly compatible as parents, Chris' worst fears soon become reality. The judge doesn't resolve the custody issue, but decides to give Nancy and Ron some time to live with the little girl for a few months so they can prove they are really fit to raise Karen. After a while, so not only did Nancy and Ron fully pass the test of parenting, but they were able to fill Karen with love, who became more attached to the two than anyone could believe. It is Karen herself who persuaded the judge for custody of Nancy and Ron, saying that she loves her real parents. At these words, Chris burst into a never-ending cry. Devastated by the court's decision, the woman is inconsolable and the repercussions of the situation are so severe that even her marriage to Snapper is in crisis, since she decides to leave the city alone to find herself despite the objections of the man who would have liked to be close to his wife at this delicate moment. In the meantime, two very happy Nancy and Ron decide to leave Genoa City, taking both Marion and Karen with them to start a new family life all together.

1977 (#19) - Morbid friendship with Katherine and reconciliation of Joanna and Jack

Meanwhile, after her divorce from Jack, Joanna received help from Brock, who convinced her mother Katherine to let her stay in their cozy and spacious home. Joanna thanks Brock, who was also happy to have found someone to keep her mother company, who suffered from loneliness. Katherine and Joanna soon formed a deep friendship, as they shared every moment of the day and found their vitality together. This friendship, however, worries Brock because Katherine is excessively morbid and is developing an unusual attachment to Joanna. In fact, Katherine, increasingly convinced that it is better to stay away from men and that it is better to live as a single woman than with a man next, finds the friendship with Joanna more and more pleasant and soon finds herself having mixed feelings for her. Her obsession with her friend goes so far that she tries to push Jack away, telling her that she already has another man when her ex-husband asks about Joanna. It's only Brock's intervention, very critical of her mother, that made her give up her plan to push Jack away from the woman. The two, in fact, miss each other; Jack apologizes for literally losing his mind and congratulates Joanna for returning a beautiful and charming woman just like when they met; Joanna, who has never stopped loving Jack in her heart, does not take long to fall into his arms. The two of them decide to move back in together, planning their next marriage, under the puzzled and somewhat happy Katherine's eyes.

1977 (#18) - Jennifer's cancer and death

In the many and troubled adventures of Stuart and Jennifer's four daughters, news shocked the Brooks family. Stuart is in fact distraught when Dr. James Atwater, in the presence of Jennifer herself, informs the couple that the cancer has now spread and that Jennifer has only a few days to live. Chris, Leslie, Lorie and Peggy are grief-stricken and desperate to hear the news and are all working hard to stay close to their mother in the last days of her life. Stuart confesses to his wife that he has never felt a deep love like the one he has for her, Chris thanks his mother for giving her the strength that has always distinguished her, while Leslie is holding on to the woman to give her back some of the love she has received. Then it's Lorie's turn, who although she has never been very close to the woman, in the last year, from the news of her truth about her fatherhood, has formed a completely new relationship that has introduced her to a different Jennifer with whom, in besides the feelings of a daughter, she has also developed a deep friendship. Finally, Peggy begs her mother not to leave, as she still has much to learn from her. Paradoxically, it is Jennifer who consoles everyone, once again showing herself to be a strong and courageous woman; in a final touching conversation with Stuart, finally, a suffering Jennifer apologizes to her husband for not always putting him first before letting go in a desperate hug. And it is in Stuart's arms that an exhausted Jennifer dies, overcome by a heart attack. Everyone despairs for the death of Jennifer, who is given the farewell in a moving funeral ceremony in which many characters of Genoa City give their personal greetings and praise to the woman.

1977 (#17) - The reunion with Marion, Nancy's improvements and Ron's company

While Ron is in the hospital, his mother Marion Reeves, who had abandoned him since he was a child, pays him a surprise visit. Marion, in a touching encounter, confesses to her son that she came to know of his hospitalization and all the events he has been going through in recent times; realizing that all his mistakes are are in fact a result of her own mistakes, she apologizes for all the failings of the many years he has been forced to live alone. Ron, despite his initial resentment, forgives his mother and cannot help but try to understand her motives. What matters now, after all, is the promise from now on to be close to each other. In the meantime, Nancy, once again admitted to the psychiatric center, shows surprising signs of improvement. Evidently, her time out of the institution, alongside Ron, Karen and all the important people in her life, has enabled her to establish the basis for a full recovery. And then there is the fact that Ron, urged on by Marion, is starting to visit his wife more and more frequently, convinced that even without Karen, they could rebuild their family. Finally released from the mental institution, fully recovered, Nancy can finally embrace Ron and meet Marion, his mother. Nancy's happiness, however, is obviously cut short by Karen's absence, whose absence becomes increasingly unbearable. Ron repeatedly tries to convince her that by now she has become attached to Chris and Snapper, with whom they are beginning a journey that will surely guarantee her a better life, but Nancy seems to be particularly affected by the lack of her daughter.

1977 (#16) - Larry's dismissal from Chancellor Industries

When Larry inadvertently causes a break-down of an expensive machine at Chancellor Industries, Katherine gets angry with the man and, without hearing any reason, fires him right then and there. Larry, desperate tries to explain himself, but the woman is inflexible. This is a real disaster for the poor Larkin family, who without the salary brought home by the man can certainly not make a living. For a short time, Larry hides this from Linda, leaving the house at the same working hours and putting all their savings to live and raise their two children, Pete and Harry. However, hopes of finding a new job fade and Larry is forced to admit the truth to Linda. Shocked by the news, the young woman runs to Liz, who lives in the same neighborhood as him and whom he regards as a kind of mother, to ask her for help. Liz promises that she will talk to Katherine to get the man hired back, but all of the woman's prayers are in vain, since Katherine has no intention of readmitting the worker to the company. In the end, it is Greg, sorry for what happened to run to help the family, agreeing to hire Linda as secretary, who thanks Greg sincerely; Liz herself is proud of her son for the decision. The only one who is not enthusiastic about the job is Larry, not at all happy that his wife is going to work for Greg, knowing that they had a love story in the past when they were very young. Both Greg and Linda, however, reassure the man by dismissing that story as a simple teenagers crush.

1977 (#15) - The divorce from Brad and Brock's attentions to Leslie

Before getting on the plane, Brad hands a letter to Leslie where he tenderly declares his eternal love for her and tries to make her understand how much she means to him. However, Brad informs Leslie that if he didn't show up within a month, it would mean that the operation went wrong and the two of them would never see each other again. Along with the letter, Leslie finds the divorce papers already signed by Brad and which Leslie would have formalized if Brad did not return to Genoa City. Thus the days and weeks pass, and an increasingly desperate Leslie receives no news from Brad. In the meantime, Brock is giving her a shoulder to cry on, encouraging her to get strength and live with joy all that life has to offer, even if it is a difficult challenge or a bitter defeat. Everything, in fact, is part of a hard path that, in the end, will have to give meaning to our life. Leslie is very grateful to Brock and the two soon become inseparable. It is Brock, in fact, who is present when, months passed without Brad showing up, Leslie decides to make her divorce from Brad effective and it is always Brock on whom Leslie cries desperately and vent all her anger and frustration. Meanwhile, Brock begins to have feelings for the woman and affection soon becomes love. For a long time the man puts his feelings aside and focuses on making Leslie's life as joyful as possible, and when she seems to have overcome the trauma of Brad's divorce, he confesses to her that he has fallen in love with her. Saying this, he hands her a ruby ring asking her to start a new path in her life together, but Leslie, shocked, is forced to admit that she is not yet ready for a new relationship, despite being honored to have received the proposal from a special man like Brock.

1977 (#14) - Jack's selfishness and the divorce with Peggy

Things between Jack and Peggy went pretty well until the night a suspicious Stuart decides to follow his daughter, discovering with disgust that he is in front of Jack's apartment. Thinking that the man has subdued his daughter and is abusing her by exploiting her weaknesses, Stuart decides to teach Jack a lesson that night. And so when Stuart breaks into the house and attacks Jack, soon a fight breaks out between the two men. A desperate Peggy who listens scared to her father in the bathroom, unable to stand Stuart's accusations against her husband any longer, finally comes out and lashes out at her father for treating Jack unfairly. Peggy thus confesses to a shocked Stuart that she is now married and that thanks to Jack she is trying to overcome her sexual inhibitions in bed with her husband. She then accuses her father of having ruined their intimacy and, soon after, she comes back with a horrified Stuart but only to take her things and move permanently to Jack, determined to be in any way a perfect wife for the man she loves. Stuart first firmly criticizes his daughter's behavior, but then decides not to fight it anymore, realizing that his daughter has become a woman. Some time later, Peggy confesses to her father that she has consummated her marriage and has now overcome all limitations. However, the reality is different, since Peggy still has a mental block and Jack's insistence on trying to make love does not help the girl to relax. One night Jack, tired of waiting and wanting to make love to his wife, takes her by force and forces her to have a relationship against her will. Peggy, once again feeling abused, hurls herself against the man, calling him the same as Ron and, just like her brother George, as her family has repeatedly suspected. After that, Peggy takes her things and runs away. Despite Jack's objections, Peggy is unshakable and immediately starts divorce proceedings. Back at Stuart's again, Peggy is so comforted by the whole family that she admits she was wrong to trust a man like Jack.

1977 (#13) - Karen’s kidnapping, Snapper’s rescue and Ron’s suicide attempt

Chris's happiness at the ruling in favour is not going to last long. A Ron now driven by madness, and determined whatever it takes to be with his daughter, carries out the plan to kidnap the child. He goes to the schoolyard and, taking advantage of a moment of distraction, takes Karen with him, putting her in the car and leaving unnoticed. When Snapper and Chris are contacted by the school, they immediately realize that Ron is the only one behind Karen's disappearance. Frightened of the little girl's fate, the two immediately rush to the police to report the kidnapping, allowing the release of Ron's arrest warrant. He, meanwhile, reassures the little girl, who is constantly asking about Chris, telling her that he was about to take her on a trip and that Chris would soon join them. At the bus station, and about to leave for the first available destination, Ron notices that Karen is ill. So he decides to take her to the clinic for tests; what he didn't know was that the clinic is the same one Snapper runs. At his sight, Ron is forced to leave the hospital unnoticed, and decides to leave the girl to the doctors, giving up his crazy plan to give Karen a better future with Chris and Snapper. When Snapper is astonished to see the girl lying on a cot, he immediately warns Chris that he has found the girl, and the two burst with joy, relieved that their nightmare is finally over. Meanwhile Ron, now determined to end his life, attempts suicide by poisoning himself, but he is found and hospitalized, where the doctors manage to save him.

1977 (#12) - Vanessa's plan to kill Lorie and Lance's injury

Tensions between Vanessa and Lorie, meanwhile, do not diminish. Actually, if Lorie is threatened by Vanessa about her second book, in turn Vanessa is threatened by Lorie because of the lies about her health condition. It is Vanessa, at this point, who is planning a plan to resolve the issue in her own way: to kill Lorie. And so, when Lance is forced to go to Chicago for job-related issues, created on purpose by Vanessa through a stratagem, the situation becomes ideal to accomplish the woman's plan. By getting a revolver without too much trouble, Vanessa intends to simulate a robbery to shoot Lorie and the blame the fact to a simple fatality, thus discharging the responsibility on the fictitious thieves. What the woman did not anticipate is that Lance, at the last moment, gives up leaving, as he has been informed by telephone that there is no reason to go to Chicago and that the whole thing was probably the result of a misunderstanding. When Vanessa hears movement in the house, therefore, she fires two shots convinced she was targeting Lorie; soon, however, she is horrified to see her son on the floor. Taken urgently to the hospital, a desperate Lorie is comforted by the doctors when they tell her that Lance has received no fatal shots and that he will get away with it in a short time. Vanessa, despite her plan having failed, does not give up on her plan and threatens Lorie with publishing her book in case she has not taken responsibility for what happened. Lorie, reluctantly, is forced to accept, in exchange she obtains to catch Vanessa away from their home. Once he regains consciousness, then, a mortified Lorie confesses to Lance that she was the shooter, convinced that there were robbers at home; but even this attempt by Vanessa fails when Lance forgives the woman. However, it is Lance himself who begs the mother to retrace her steps when she confesses to her son that she intends to go and live alone; Lorie is forced by the circumstances to pray to Vanessa to stay too, since she cannot reveal to her husband the agreements made with the woman, and the woman, in the end, gladly accepts Lance's offer. In spite of all the vicissitudes, therefore, neither Vanessa nor Lorie manage to prevail in their fierce struggle that takes place behind the backs of an unaware Lance.

1977 (#11) - Liz's memory and David's unrequited love for Jill

When Snapper returns home, everyone welcomes Snapper with open arms. Liz has regained her memory for some time now and, although she wanted to confess everything to exonerate her son, he had firmly refused. In the end, everything worked out for the best, and finally the whole Family can return to live with joy in the memory of their father, putting all the tribulations of the last months behind them. During this time, David was welcomed by all the members of the family, happy to have a beneficiary of Bill's generosity near them. Soon, David was fascinated by the young Jill, who was single after Phillip's death and forced to raise Phillip Jr. alone. Encouraged by Liz, who would like a husband for her daughter, David stepped forward and proposed to Jill to give a father to her child. Jill is honored by the proposal, but realizes that she does not love the man and cannot marry without being in love.

1977 (#10) - Stuart's opposition and the secret marriage between Peggy and Jack

During the time immediately following the rape, the Brooks family has every reason to be concerned about Peggy's emotional state, and everyone, Chris at first, advises the girl to seek professional counseling and then see a psychologist. Peggy, however, reacts with anger to the proposal and refuses to do therapy, stating with absolute determination that she doesn't need it and insisting rather that if everyone would stop pressuring her, everything would be better. During this time, Stuart also refuses to allow Jack to see his daughter, despite the opposition of the man. The opposition to this relationship becomes even firmer when Stuart and Chris realize that Professor Jack Curtis is George Curtis' older brother, Chris' rapist, years earlier. Despite attempts to hinder their love, however, Peggy and Jack, who makes very clear that he hasn't nothing to do with his brother and hasn't had any contact with him for years, continue to see each other in secret. And the prayers of Stuart and Chris, who try to warn the girl not to trust the man, are useless: Peggy is convinced that a secret marriage would be able to solve her emotional problems, so Jack, madly in love with Peggy, decides to follow her immediately to make real the idea. The two plan their love getaway and, without telling anyone, exchange their wedding vows. Peggy and Jack also plan how their wedding will take place; since they can't live together under the same roof yet, their newly weds life soon turns out to be a part-time marriage, with the girl trying to go to Jack's house as often as possible. Peggy is convinced that without the pressure of her family she will be able to achieve a normal relationship with her husband and hopes that this will help her overcome her trauma, making sure that she can finally give herself to him.

1977 (#9) - Ron's return, Karen's request for custody and Brock's defense

Just as Snapper and Chris are more determined than ever to get custody of Karen, and they think there are no more problems that could stop this project, Ron surprisingly returns in town with new claims on Karen. Convinced by the doctors that Nancy can recover and overcome her problems, Ron contacts his lawyer to inform him that he wants to claim his rights over Karen. Meanwhile, Ron visits Nancy to see with his eyes the woman's condition, but the encounter is much worse than expected, with Nancy recognizing Ron but beginning to act hysterically to the point he is forced to leave. Ron, however, through his lawyer, is convinced that only by reestablishing a relationship with the woman he can have a chance of getting back his daughter, and so he arranges for Nancy to be released from the center to take her home. Here, Ron begins slipping Nancy tranquilizers to make her appear more stable and gradually makes her look normal again. Ron has absolutely no interest in the woman's health, to the point that he's giving her doses of tranquilizers well beyond the recommended dose; what Ron is interested in is Karen's custody. As Nancy grows more and more normal in appearance, the lawyer congratulated Ron on a job well done, promising that he would soon be able to appear in court to regain custody of his Karen, along with a fully restored Nancy. Snapper and Chris, worried about Ron's plan, immediately contacted Brock, who began studying Ron's wicked behavior. He realized that Nancy's apparent improvement was in fact all the result of drugs that could only make Nancy presentable for a few hours a day and could only make her health worse in the long term. On the day the hearing before the judge was scheduled, therefore, Brock asked to move the session from morning to afternoon, demonstrating Ron's treatment of Nancy and upsetting the man's plans, whose request was thus denied. The verdict made Chris happy, thanking Brock infinitely for his help and embracing Snapper, with whom she hugged little Karen.

1977 (#8) - The truth about Leslie's abortion and Brad's eye surgery

As the weeks go by, Brad notices more and more Leslie's distance and begins to worry about the consequences of the abortion on the woman. She, meanwhile, is less and less able to live with the burden of truth about abortion, and eventually confesses the episode to Brad, reassuring him that she is neither angry nor less in love with her husband, convinced that it's just a bad situation that sometimes happens to good people. Brad, however, is unable to find peace and takes the whole thing as a sign of destiny that he intended to send a clear message to the two of them. Suddenly, Brad begins to realize what he needs to do, even though it requires a great sacrifice. He realizes that he has caused, even if not voluntarily, only suffering to Leslie's gentle and delicate soul, first with secrets about her past, then with his illness and now with the abortion. He understands that his wife is giving up a lot to be with him and support him in all his troubles; all suffering that Leslie doesn't deserve to suffer. So he makes a drastic decision to try a difficult eye surgery and to stay married to Leslie just in case things go well. Leslie protests, encourages her husband to face the difficulties together and stay involved, and criticizes the decision; but in the end she can't do anything to change Brad's mind, so he books a visit and some tests in Chicago with his doctor in case of a possible dangerous eye surgery: he is now determined to face a high-risk surgery with no guarantee of success in the expectation that his visual capacity will be restored and thus start a new life with Leslie. The woman would like to follow her husband, but Brad stops her firmly, saying that he should take care of her and not the other way around.

1977 (#7) - Vanessa's scars and the rivalry with Lorie

Back from their honeymoon, to welcome the couple in Genoa City there is Vanessa, always invasive and judgmental towards Lorie. Lance, very annoyed, claims independence from his mother, particularly in romantic choices, despite the fact that they are living under the same roof. It is precisely regarding this point that Lorie does not understand Lance's choice to welcome her mother into their home; the girl is in fact convinced that if Vanessa could go and live in one of her houses it would have less influence on their relationship and many tensions would be lessened. However Lance, although he does not appreciate his mother's behaviour, is very attached to her and does not want to leave her alone in her physical condition. In this regard, however, Lorie is increasingly suspicious. In fact, when the girl encourages Vanessa to have a facial plastic surgery and remove the scars on her face, the woman convinces Lance that she cannot be operated on because of her precarious health condition. Lorie, however, manages to talk to Vanessa's doctor who assures her that the woman has never had heart problems, unlike what Vanessa claims, and that she has refused several times and without any reason to undergo an operation to remove the scars. Lorie, thus, understands that the woman in all these years has preferred to stay with her face disfigured just to hold on to Lance and be able to influence him in his decisions. Cornered by Lorie, Vanessa then threatens the girl not to tell Lance about this detail, since she knows of the existence of a second book of hers that could undermine not only her relationship with Leslie but also her marriage to Lance.

1977 (#6) - The murder charges, Greg's defense and Snapper's release

Snapper is the only one who knew that Liz had given in to Bill's demands and turned off his life support to avoid him suffering; and he is also the only one who knew that this could lead his mother to serious problems with Justice. But now that Liz seemed to have removed all memory of Bill's death, Snapper hopes to put this matter behind him. However, these hopes remain in vain, as the hospital in Genoa City immediately begins an investigation to determine what caused Bill's death. Soon, Liz's position begins to become unclear as the hospital's director initiates legal proceedings to shed light on the case and contacts both prosecutors and the judiciary. Snapper, cornered and determined not to see his mother suffer again because of this painful situation, accuses himself of voluntarily turning off his father's machines before Liz can even be charged. On hearing the news, Greg and Jill are shocked, and Liz herself, who remembers nothing of what happened, lashes out at her son wondering how he could have done such a thing. Jill is the first to realize that Snapper is hiding the responsibility of their mother, and when he confirms it, Greg immediately takes action to try to exonerate his brother. So it's Greg himself, recently certified as a lawyer, who rushes to Snapper's defense. Brock tries to convince the judges of how hypocritical it is to consider it murder to have only obeyed his father's orders, but in the end, exonerating Snapper is a simple bureaucratic technical quibble regarding the functionality of the machine that kept Bill alive; and since the court refuses to go ahead with the costs of the trial, the charge is dropped. Initially, the hospital refuses to accept the Court's verdict and suspends Snapper from his duties as a doctor, determined to permanently relieve the doctor from his job. However, when the hospital also decides to dismiss the case and rehabilitate Snapper, he has long since left the public facility to open a free clinic for the poor and needy.

1977 (#5) - The visit to Nancy's institute and Chris' willingness to adopt Karen

Chris, Snapper and little Karen's quiet family life is interrupted when Stuart announces that he has received a phone call from a nurse in a psychiatric center not far from Genoa City and has thus probably tracked down Nancy, hospitalized under the false name Jackson. When Chris and Snapper rush to the center to check if the patient is actually the woman, both recognize Nancy in her, despite not being able to believe what happened to her, as she is practically unrecognizable and suffering from severe mental distress. The doctors suggest that Snapper bring Karen into the institution so that Nancy can see her and spend time with her, as this might shake her up and bring her back to reality. The request is initially rejected decisively by Chris, who refuses to expose the child to such trauma, but later, however, the compassion she feels for seeing Nancy in that state makes her change her mind, and also with Snapper's encouragement they visit Nancy with Karen. Despite the doctors' expectations, however, Nancy remains unresponsive to Karen's sight and the meeting is short as Karen immediately curls up on the floor scared and clings to Chris' skirt, who immediately decides to leave the room. When the doctors are forced to realize that Nancy would probably never recover, Chris is increasingly convinced to adopt little Karen.

1977 (#4) - Leslie's miscarriage accidentally caused by Brad

Meanwhile, married life for Leslie and Brad seems to be happy again. In fact, the two find themselves more connected than ever before in dealing with Brad's illness and together they are overjoyed with their baby that Leslie is carrying. In addition, the pregnancy is not an obstacle for Leslie, who continues to give concerts and is very much appreciated. Leslie is slowly adapting to the fact that Brad is seeing less and less, and the man is moved when Leslie shows that she has learned to read in Braille. Brad is also happy to see Leslie determined to do her part to fulfill their pact that she would go on with her career if that's what she wanted. However, once again, destiny is fierce against the couple. In fact, one day, while Brad was helping Leslie pack up her things as she was about to leave for her new concert tour, the man accidentally and inadvertently hit Leslie in the stomach with a suitcase. Later, when Leslie begins to feel abdominal pain, she decides to go to the hospital instead of the airport as planned, without telling Brad anything. Here, Leslie gets the news from the doctors, in particular Dr. Dave Campbell, that she never wanted to hear, that the blow caused the death of her son. Leslie, devastated, was forced to have an abortion. Aware that Brad was not responsible for what happened and that he did not even realize that he had caused the death of their son, Leslie swore to herself that she would never tell her husband about her role in the miscarriage. So when she calls Brad from the hospital to inform him about the abortion, she immediately tells her husband that she felt down on the way to the airport. Brad, with pain in his heart, thus consoles Leslie, who curses destiny for all the hard trials it is reserving for their marriage. At the same time, she asks God for the strength to go on.

1977 (#3) - Chris' desire for motherhood and Ron's renunciation of Karen’s custody

The moment Nancy is admitted to the psychiatric center, and Ron runs away from the city and vanishes without a trace, Chris and Snapper get a chance to keep little Karen temporarily. Chris, who is having trouble in getting pregnant, thus decides to formally request final custody of the child, despite Snapper, worried about Chris' growing attachment to Karen, is afraid that this would only bring distress to his wife, convinced that Ron soon, knowing that there is no arrest warrant on him, would return to look for his daughter. Snapper's predictions, however, are only half right. Ron returns to the city, but after an interview with Chris, who asks him to think about the wellness and future of his daughter Karen, the man surprisingly announces to Snapper and Chris that he wants to give up custody of Karen, convinced that his wife Nancy would never recover from her illness. Ron also promises both Chris and Snapper to get out of their lives and start all over again far from Genoa City. Chris, extremely happy, then, is delighted to be able to cuddle up with what could soon become her daughter, Karen. Chris and Snapper's marriage is stronger than ever.