Bianca comes down stairs and finds Kendall there. Seeing that her little sister is going out, Kendall gives her two bottles of champagne. She explains that her picnic with Ryan has been cancelled. At first Bianca is reluctant, but then agrees to take the champagne, saying you only live once. They exchange a few pleasantries before Bianca leaves. Kendall walks around Myrtle’s living room, sulking and board. The doorbell rings and assuming it’s a solicitor, she starts mouthing off. She opens the door to find Ryan with a picnic basket. One Myrtle’s floor Ryan sets out a blanket and containers of food. Kendall wonders what’s going on as he produces a little jar from the basket. He throws the contents on her and she finds out that they are little, black, plastic ants. To complete the outdoors effect he has also brought with him a plastic log that has a woodpecker — happily pecking — and a humming bird attached. Kendall asks him why he’s doing this, telling him they could have waited for the weather to clear up. Ryan responds that you should never put things off. Kendall continues with telling him if you put things off people may disappoint you. He tells her he will never let her down. They get their food all set out and she picks at it, finding it somewhat questionable. Ryan goes to the kitchen for chips as she scoops the mayonnaise drenched potato salad off of her plate. He comes back and sees it as she tells him she does not like mayonnaise — it’s a texture thing. She explains that after he went to all the trouble she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. She asks what else people do on picnics and he tells her about frisbee and football, neither of which she likes. She decides picnics aren’t her thing. They decide to think of something else to do and find they thought of the same activity as he leans in to kiss her. Their kiss deepens as she tells him they have the house all to themselves. They are then interrupted by Chris and Erica. Kendall and Ryan are happily surprised to find Chris on crutches instead of the wheelchair. They suggest champagne until Kendall tells them she gave it to Bianca. Erica immediately rips into her for giving alcohol to underage Bianca. Chris and Ryan try to calm Erica down as she gets into a worried frenzy over Bianca, especially after finding out that Bianca took the champagne and left the house. Erica goes to slap Kendall, but Ryan steps in and stops it from happening.

Tuesday, April 23 2002

Kendall and Ryan wake up and he has a broad smile on his face. She asks him why and he wonders why she would ask. She explains that other guys she has been with she usually doesn’t stay until morning. Ryan tells her that he isn’t like other guys and they smile. She tells him not to look at her because her hair and makeup are a mess. He says she’s cute when she looks sleepy and that her skin is soft. She asks him if she’s the first girl he’s been with since Gillian passed away. He regretfully tells her that she is neither the first nor the second. She asks if that made him feel disloyal and he says he’s thought about it a lot. He knows Gillian would have wanted him to go on, but those other women did not make sense, nothing made sense after Gillian died. He tells her last night was the first thing that made sense. He goes on to say that he’s happy she stuck around until morning because he likes waking up next to her. In bed, they play one of the hotel video games. Before they can finish he rolls her over and kisses her as someone knocks on the door. Ryan wants them to leave, but assuming it is room service, Kendall asks him to answer the door because she’s starving. He asks if she’ll be late for work and tells him she makes her own hours and requests a latte. He knows exactly how she takes her drink and she goes to the bathroom. He opens the door the find the concierge. His credit card maxed out and though he expected it he gives the man another card and some cash. Kendall, who was eavesdropping, emerges from the bathroom shocked he would spend everything he had so they could have a memorable night. She finds him smiling and wonders why since he’s now broke. He tells her when he’s happy, he smiles. She tells him he keeps surprising her and that it is a good thing. After making love again the two lie in bed and he asks what she’s thinking. She asks if this was a date. They deem it not only a date, but an excellent, off the scale first date. They playfully argue about how different Ryan is as a neighbor than as a date. She announces she has to go to work and declares the night a slice of heaven. After showering and getting dressed she innocently calls the previous night a one night stand. Ryan explains that he doesn’t know what exactly will happen now, but he would never call it a one night stand, it meant more than that to him. Leaving the room behind, she tells him she left her sunglasses and goes back in. She takes one last look at the room with a happy smile plastered on her face.

Monday, April 22 2002

Ryan and Kendall continue their kiss in the room at the Valley Inn. Things heat up, but he backs away. She’s confused, but he tells her he is concerned about her inability to feel that closeness, her fear of it. She assures him she is okay and tells him he was correct in what he earlier told her on Myrtle’s porch - they talk too much. She pulls him towards, kissing him, and they make love. Afterwards, Kendall allows a few tears to fall, overcome having let herself get close to someone. Ryan assures her everything is fine. He tells her that after Gillian died she shut down. Kendall understood saying that after a while, you’re unsure of how else to live. He tells her that he was basically sleep walking through life and as hard as he tried to resist, she was the one that woke him up. Later, sipping champagne and eating strawberries, they wonder how long this happiness will last. They discuss what exactly is going on between them, deciding there is no real label for it. She tells him that the nice, happily ever after parts are not her best events. They complement each other on their earlier activity as he asks her what her best event really is. She’s confused and he explains that what they’ll do is do something they each like. They’ll plan, do that, then make another plan. One step at a time. She thinks about it and announces her choice as being corny. She finally tells him what it is she wants to do. She has never gone on a picnic with a man. She wants a full out picnic with checkered cloth, deviled eggs and straw basket. He laughs and agrees, saying it’s a good idea. He decides that they are not an item, but are ‘picnicing’. She laughs and agrees, both liking the term. She tells him she does not want to leave the bed for a very long time and as he embraces her, assures her they will not. She later falls asleep and cuddles closer to him, as he watches her slumber with a smile on his face.