Original air date: January 6, 1993
Production number: 2392019
Written by: Ellen Herman
Directed by: Charles Correll
Guest Stars: Deborah Adair, Linden Ashby, John Marshall Jones, Laura Leighton, Larry Poindexter, Sydney Walsh, Tuc Watkins
Co-Stars: Gerald Berns, Natalie Venetia Belcon, Nelson Mashita
Rating: 4****

Summary: Jane awakens to a call from Sydney, her younger sister, who's taken off school for a few days and is at the L.A. airport right now. Jane picks her up and Michael takes her to lunch at Bikini Burger. Sydney explains how much she dislikes school and it has never been for her. She tells him how much she thinks Jane has the perfect life, married to him and working for Kay Beacon. Their parents even called Jane "Perfy." When Jane comes home that night she finds Michael in the bedroom, who has retreated there to allow Sydney to watch a rented movie. He thinks Syd's jealous of "Perfy." Jane denies this, and explains to him that her parents didn't give her the name "Perfy"; Sydney did. Jane unfolds the couch bed for Sydney and Syd explained that she dropped out of school because she hated that place because she had no friends. Everyone already knew each other and the sororities were all full, and on top of that she was doing poorly in her classes. Syd explained that her parents said if she bombed out of one more school then that would be "it" and asks if she can stay with Jane until she gets out of this rut. Jane allows her to stay as long as she needs to. Michael is upset with Jane's decision. Sydney goes to work with Jane the next day and meets Kay Beacon. Syd starts kissing up to her by saying she's been interested in design as a hobby. Kay allows Syd to stay for the day on the condition that she get her morning papers and allows Kay to use to belt during lunch. Sydney agrees. During dinner that night, Sydney is happy because Kay gave her a $300 Victorian necklace "because she's Kay Beacon and she can do whatever she wants." Jane picks up the phone and it's their mother questioning why she couldn't reach Syd at school. Sydney starts lip syncking, "I'm not here," so Jane tells her mom that Syd's at a winter carnival at a friend's college. As Syd is going to bed, she thanks Jane for lying to mom, and one of these days she's going to make their mother proud of her. Jane recalls the time they had a summer home on Lake Michigan and she used to scare her about the story of the woman who drowned in the lake and her wet ghost haunts their house. Jane explains that Syd just needs a direction. Sydney says she wants to be a fashion designer and work for Kay Beacon. She plans to move out there and get a cheap apartment. At Kay's the next day, Syd, who was supposed to be home working up a resume, shows up with a box of doughnuts. Kay asks her to fetch some milk to go with them. That Friday night, Syd is leaving with Kay for a club, with Jane left behind to finish work. Syd comes home and Jane is angry because she's been worried sick and tells Syd to find a way to help herself. Michael is angry the following morning and Jane tells him that Syd isn't going to be around much longer. Jane asks Syd what she's going to do today and she replies naggingly, "Find a way to help myself." Kay is explaining to Jane that she is perceptive of what's going on. Sydney is crowding Jane, not leaving enough room for Jane to breathe. She advises her not to worry about Sydney, because people like that always land on their feet. Syd then shows up with the chocolate donuts Kay has been craving, and tells Jane that Kay offered her a job as her personal assistant. Jane is with Michael that night griping about Syd, that she's taken over her job, her apartment, and what's next? Michael? Jane smells smoke and finds Sydney smoking again. Syd tells her that if she wants her to quit the job, she will because she loves her. Jane tells Sydney that she loves her too and they wish each other a good night.

Jo is shooting pictures on the beach in the morning with Jake. Jo comments that Jake's bike is a "girl's bike." Jake says, "I'll show you a girl's bike!" and drives her home. Later, Jake sees Jo removing her nameplate from the mailbox and questions why. Jo shows him that she got a letter from Charles, her ex-husband. Jake solves this problem by putting "addressee unknown" on the letter and sending it back. He tells her to meet him at the bike shop "Rusty's" at noon. Jake shows Jo a motorcycle he's buying, that Rusty is allowing him to pay for in installments. He shows Jo his old bike and asks her to have it. She declines. Jo later tells Jake she declined because she feels she can't take anything if she has nothing to give back, because there's too much pressure that way. Jake responds wondering why she's "keeping score" and he doesn't want anything from her, he's not her husband. Jake is sitting at home reading poems from William Carlos Williams, which Jo uses for inspirational purposes. He shows up at her door the next day reciting a poem he had memorized. He tells Jo to check the value of a 1962 William Carlos Williams poem and measure it in dollars, then don't tell him that he never gave Jo anything. Jo starts to reconsider because she says she does love the bike. The phone rings and Charles is on the other line. Jo demands he never calls the number again. The next morning, Jake comes out of his apartment to find a stranger going through the gang's mail. The stranger says he's looking for "Beth Reynolds." Jake realizes then that this is her ex- husband, Charles. Jake tells Charles that nobody's moved out of the building for years.

Lucy gives Alison an invitation to the Advertising Associates Ball, which she got because she knows folks on the Board of L.A. Associates. Alison must now get a date, and she hasn't been seeing anyone since Keith. Alison asks Danny Baker in accounting to the ball, and he declines because he's going with Kendra Hale in creative. He tells "Eleanor" that he's flattered by the invite. At home, Alison is angry at herself because she feels she made a fool of herself in front of Danny and he called her "Eleanor." Billy offers to set her up with Tom Brooks, a friend of his, and Alison agrees for drinks with her, Billy, and Tom the next night. Alison and Billy arrive at Shooters the next night and Billy introduces her to Tom, who is a 3rd year law student at UCLA working at the D.A.'s office. He is instantly attracted to Alison. During dinnertime, Tom and Alison are bonding and Billy does the classic, "Whoa, look at the time." Before Alison can ask him to the ball, Billy grabs her saying that he left the stove in the apartment on. Outside, Alison questions why he went through with the set-up. Billy then declares that he doesn't want Alison dating his friends. The next morning, Billy apologizes to Alison and offers to skip a seminar to take her to the ball. She accepts, and questions why he's doing this. He replies, "Because that's what friends do." Awwwwww.

Matt is in Rhonda's apartment admiring her new sweater. Rhonda tells him that Terrence gave it to her after he saw her admiring it in a store window. Rhonda is frustrated because Terrence has been smothering her with roses, dresses, nightgowns, etc. Matt tells her that he thinks Terrence is treating her right, because he's otherwise seen guys stand her up and cheat on her, and they've spent enough Saturday nights sitting around watching romantic movies. Rhonda replies that this is terrifying. Matt counters with, "If it wasn't terrifying then it wouldn't be love." Rhonda and Terrence are sitting at a dinner table filled with cultural snobs, who believe that the world is in a cultural famine. Denise, the head of the party, questions Rhonda as to what she does. Terrence starts answering her questions by saying that Rhonda is a dancer. Rhonda counters by explaining herself, that she is a aerobics instructor of hip-hop funk. Denise says, "My point exactly." When Terrence and Rhonda return to her apartment, Rhonda is furious because Terrence was showing her off to be something she's not. She emphasizes that she is an aerobics instructor and she would rather spend her time at the mall than at a party with stuck up windbags. Rhonda feels Terrence is ashamed of the real her. Terrence tells her that he feels she'd rather hurt somebody that cares about her than risk being hurt herself. Rhonda tells him, "You bet your sweet ass." and throws him out. Matt and Rhonda are in her apartment the next day and hear soul music. Rhonda at first thinks that somebody's stereo is too loud, but then sees Terrence outside the window with a trio of soul singers and makes her way downstairs. Terrence proposes. Rhonda is ready to decline because it is all happening too fast. Terrence explains that he doesn't need another year to know she's the right woman for him, and he's been so successful in his life because he's taken chances. Rhonda accepts with a skeptical Matt watching.

The Stuff You May Have Missed:

Sydney had a smoking habit in this episode. The time at home must've allowed her to kick the habit.

Memorable Quotes:
TERRENCE: I'll tell you one thing, baby: you would rather hurt somebody who cares about you than risk being hurt yourself.
RHONDA: You bet your sweet ass.