IT WAS FASCINATION

The romantic department store scenes have long been considered the most romantic scenes in the history of daytime. It was fun, romantic, and pure fantasy.

FROM DAYTIME TV'S GREATEST STORIES VOL 2, 1981:  "Spinning the dial last summer, soap watchers had fantasy at their fingertips-One Life To Live in Paris, Another World in the Carribean-but nothing compared to Luke and Laura waltzing through a deserted department store. Innocense and passion designed to create pure romance. What we didn't see, the behind-the-scenes making of the Luke and Laura magic, was the incredible dedication of these two fine performers. To film the department store fantasy, they had to work in the middle of the night, when the store was closed. At 2:00 a.m. they were ready to tape but the two tired-but-trying-hard stars stumbled over each other as they attempted to sashay down the aisles of the store. Finally, after producer Gloria Monty reminded them they didn't have to recreate a 1940's musical, they relaxed. "We finally realized we weren't Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers," says Tony. "We were Luke and Laura." And that's when the fantasy became real for viewers from coast to coast."

GENIE ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA AT THE TIME OF L&L's 15 th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

GENIE: Laura was a deeply insecure lost soul, desperately searching for love and Luke gave that to her. Luke made her the Princess. I believe the moment that embodies the spirit of this story, and perhaps the definitive moment for Luke and Laura, was dancing in the department store at Wyndham's. Because it was at that moment, when he made her a Princess and danced her around, that all the pain was gone.

ROMANCE IN A DEPARTMENT STORE

With only 120 dollars to their names, L&L was planning on getting away from PC. But as they were walking down the street, a couple of police officers were coming their way and they had to duck into Wyndham's department store. Laura needed a wig to cover her blonde hair so L&L went to the beauty section of the store, but there were no wigs. A famous French hairdresser was supposed to be there, but couldn't make it. Luke assumed his identity so that he might be able to find a wig for Laura.

LUKE: IT'S A PIECE OF CAKE.
LAURA: WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO SPEAK FRENCH?
LUKE: I FAILED FRENCH IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I'VE SEEN EVERY MAURICE CHEVALIER MOVIE EVER MADE.
LAURA: WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL FOR YOU, BUT WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? I TOOK SPANISH!
LUKE: JUST SAY OUI. WHATEVER ANYBODY SAYS, SAY OUI.
LAURA: OUI, OUI. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS.
LUKE: WE WILL GET AWAY WITH THIS...AND EVEN IF WE DON'T, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO PASS THE TIME. NOW PUT YOUR HAIR UP IN A FRENCH TWIST, PUSH OUT YOUR LIPS. POUT A LITTLE, BABY. LOOK FRENCH.

Luke cut one of the ladies hair and ruined it. He called it " La Dip". The next lady to come into the salon wanted Luke to style her wig. Luke seduced the woman into believing her natural hair was so sexy, and told her she shouldn't hide herself from men and to rid herself of the wig. He had the woman eating out of his hand as Laura(Luke called her sexy, silent Simone) watched in amazement and laughed about it. The woman left her wig behind and Laura had her little black, curly wig. L&L walked through Wyndham's and found a couple of trainee-employee name tags. They went by Carl and June and worked a bit in the shoe department. They were in the stock room when an announcement came over the intercom saying that Wyndham's was closing.

LAURA: LUKE, WE'RE GOING TO GET STUCK IN HERE ALL NIGHT. WE CAN'T DO THAT.
LUKE: OH, YES WE CAN. YES WE CAN. LAURA, WE ARE GOING TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE STORE.
LAURA: WE CAN'T DO THAT LUKE.
LUKE: SURE WE CAN. SURE WE CAN. AND WE'LL SAVE THE MONEY THAT WE WOULD HAVE SPENT ON A MOTEL

The store closes and L&L are left to run around and pick out clothes to take with them, leaving behind money to pay for the items. L&L came across a couple of mannequins in evening wear and joked around.

LUKE: ARE YOU THINKING WHAT I'M THINKING?
LAURA: WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
LUKE: I'M THINKING I'D LIKE TO LIVE TONIGHT LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW AND I'D LIKE TO WEAR THIS.
LAURA: YOU WANT TO WEAR THE GOWN?
LUKE: NO, ACTUALLY I HAD THE TOP HAT AND TAILS IN MIND. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE GOWN WOULD LOOK BETTER ON YOU.
LAURA: WELL I THINK SO TOO.
LUKE: YOU DO?
LAURA: YES, I DO.

I have to say that this was the first time I had ever seen Laura laugh so much. I had never seen her have fun before, but the night in Wyndham's with Luke brought out her personality and she laughed so much and joked around....something that Laura never did PRE Luke.

Luke picks up the mannequin and it falls on him
LUKE: (Pointing to the mannequin) SHE'S PUSHING HER LUCK. LOOK AT THIS. AND SHE'S TOO FRIENDLY FOR MY TASTE, DON'T YOU THINK?
(Luke addresses the mannequin as Laura laughs) NOW LOOK. WE DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL MY DARLING. (Turning back to Laura ) SHE'S COLD. VERY COLD. YOU'RE MUCH WARMER.(talks to mannequin again) I THINK YOU SHOULD PERHAPS NOT TAKE LIFE SO SERIOUSLY YA KNOW? AND YOUR NOSE IS CHIPPED AS WELL. AND I HOPE MY DATE HAS A BETTER...UH....NEVERMIND.
(Luke starts to undress the mannequin)
LAURA: NO, NO. LEAVE HER ALONE.
LUKE: LOOK, I'M TRYING TO GET ACQUAINTED, DO YOU MIND?
LAURA: WELL, GET ACQUAINTED WITH HIM.
LUKE: HE'S NOT MY TYPE. HE'S TOO TALL.
LAURA: (LAUGHING) LUKE.

Luke leaves Laura to get dressed. Unknown to both of them, a hit man is watching them. After they dress, Luke waits for Laura on the first floor. The elevator opens up and L&L dance to "Fascination." they touch, twirl, and kiss. Luke points Laura towards a table that he has set up for them . L&L stare into each other's eyes and toast to their special night.

LAURA: YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER HAD CAVIAR BEFORE.
LUKE: YOU HAVE BEEN SUPREMELY DEPRIVED. THIS IS A NIGHT OF FIRSTS.
( Laura has a bit of caviar on her bottom lip. Luke touches her lip with his finger and tastes the caviar) YOU'VE NEVER BEEN MORE BEAUTIFUL TO ME THAN YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.
LAURA: THIS IS ALL LIKE A DREAM.
LUKE: WELL, IF IT IS, I HOPE YOU DIDN'T LEAVE A WAKE UP CALL.
LAURA: OH, IT'S A WONDERFUL DREAM.
LUKE: NO, BABY. TONIGHT IS REAL.
LAURA: AND I'M VERY GLAD THAT IT IS.
LAURA: I LOOK IN YOUR EYES AND I SEE EVERY BEAUTIFUL THING THERE IS IN THE WORLD.
LAURA: IS THAT WHAT YOU SEE?
LUKE: I SEE LOVE.
(Laura looks way)
LUKE: WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA...DON'T LOOK AWAY. DON'T LOOK AWAY. I LOVE YOU MORE THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO LOVE ANYONE. (KISSES HER HAND) SO, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? MORE CHAMPAGNE? MORE CAVIAR?
LAURA: I THINK I'VE HAD ENOUGH.
LUKE: WHAT'S WRONG?
LAURA: NOTHING. IT'S JUST THAT EVERYTHING IS SO RIGHT.
LUKE: IT IS FOR ME TOO.
LAURA: IS THERE A WORLD OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM?
LUKE: NOT TONIGHT THERE ISN'T. AND AFTER TONIGHT, THAT WORLD OUT THERE WON'T BE THE SAME AGAIN.
LAURA: I FEEL LIKE CINDERELLA.
LUKE: (clock chimes) OH, CINDERELLA. IT'S MIDNIGHT. HERE COME THE PUMPKINS.

The watchman is due on that floor so they walk away as "Fascination" plays again. They make note that it is their song and they dance again. Luke lifts Laura into the air, twirls her around, and kisses her left breast, and then her lips. Laura teases Luke as she tries to run away.

LUKE: COME HERE, COME HERE, COME HERE. I LOVE YOU, WOMAN.
After saying this, Luke kisses Laura very passionately. The kiss is visually perfect.
L&L dance out of the elevator onto the next floor to the song " I'm In The Mood For Love."
LAURA: LUKE, IF THE NIGHT WATCHMAN COMES....
LUKE: NO, LAURA. THAT WON'T HAPPEN. NOBODY IS GOING TO STOP US TONIGHT. THIS IS OUR NIGHT TO BE ALONE..
Luke picks Laura up, carries her as he twirls and dances her around. Laura kisses Luke VERY PASSIONATELY. Luke carries Laura past the mannequins and says ...
LUKE: OH, GOOD EVENING LADIES! DO YOU KNOW I LOVE THIS WOMAN!!!

Luke swings Laura around as he carries her to the bed. With Laura's neck craned back, they kiss. Luke slides his lips down her throat, kisses her hand, and dances away to remove his jacket. Luke lies on the bed with Laura and they start kissing. Laura puts her arm around Luke. Laura all of a sudden stops kissing Luke. Luke lifts her arm up and it falls back down. Laura has passed out from too much champagne! Luke decides he will just lie beside of her....until she throws her leg over his groin.... Laura is practically lying on top of him and he is frustrated and knows he can't stay there with her. As Luke gets up, Laura starts sliding off the bed and Luke pushes her back on the bed and turns her head to the side so she can breathe...Luke goes to lie on a chaise lounge, FRUSTRATED. Laura has a nightmare and Luke goes to her. She is still asleep.

LAURA: LUKE?
LUKE: (Luke covers Laura with a blanket and holds her)SHH, BABY, SHHHH. THERE, THERE. IT'S ALRIGHT. I'M HERE. I'M HERE. I'LL ALWAYS BE HERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. DON'T WORRY, BABY. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT. I HOPE.

While L&L sleep, the hit man(Hutch) walks up to L&L and puts a gun to their heads. He decides not to kill them though. He decides to let THEM decode the black book and lead him to the gold. That night while L&L slept, Hutch killed the night watchman before he could find L&L. L&L found the dead body the next morning and knew that the killer had been in the store with them. L&L's adventure didn't stop there. They still had a whole summer of adventure, romance, and danger as they tried to solve the mystery of "The Left Handed Boy."

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