Nicky gets a birthday surprise- a visit from her mother Valda! Nicky feels ambushed by the whole affair, and Alistair tries to convince her that turning thirty isn't as bad as it seems. Nicky says that it isn't about her age, it's about her mother's attitude, which makes Nicky feel like a hopeless loser. Valda makes things worse when she learns that Nicky isn't seeing Cliff anymore, and suggests that they go off to England together. Nicky confides in Alistair, who happily takes this as a sign that they have even more in common than he thought, and decides the time is right to send her the message that he's more than interested in her himself. To do the trick he creates a mixed cassette of love songs that tells her exactly how he feels about her.