Val finishes a journal assignment about the Ewings for her class. Lilimae find and reads it, then gives it to Abby who shows it to Joe. Joe thinks it's publishable and sends it to a publisher. When Val finds out, she is both furious and flattered. Gary thinks it is a scam and runs off to work on Methanol with Abby. Laura tells Richard she is pregnant, but is going to get an abortion and leave him because she doesn't love him anymore. Richard convinces Laura to keep the baby and that he will change, and starts pampering her and being really nice, which only irritates her. Richard is very sincere about wanting to change, and tells Karen how excited he is about the baby. When he gets home, Laura has left him.