The staff prepares for the engagement party of Kelly Howland and Brad Dodge. Kelly's father Ned has urged the marriage for financial reasons: his company needs a merger with Victor Dodge's firm to survive. Ned's wife Margot assures her daughter that love can come later. However, Kelly is in love with a young mathematics teacher, David Newman; in fact, she is carrying his child. Adding more complication, Jonathan Talbot, who is an alcoholic, introduces himself to Kelly as her long-lost Uncle Jonathan. Actually, he is Margot's former lover and Kelly's true father. Due to Ned Howland's actions, Jonathan saw his business crumble and then he sought solace in the bottle. Meanwhile, Christine has learned that a lump in her breast may be malignant. Because the same problem claimed her mother's life, Christine is terrified and turns to Peter for comfort. Peter and Christine drink too much wine, and spend the night together, but they're too inebriated to share anything but sleep and a hangover.