In the hallway, Ted asks Stella why she's there, and Stella first issues her seven-months-too-late apology for leaving him stranded at the altar, and then explains to Ted that she and Tony have been in love since high school, but her pregnancy at age 19 was too much for them to handle and... I CALL BULLSHIT! When Ted meets Stella, she's already gone through college, medical school, her internship and her dermatology residency. Her daughter Lucy is about eight years old. Unless Stella was, herself, a real-life Doogie Howser M.D., she is -- at the very least -- 30 years old. Don't play me for a chump, Show. She's still Sarah Chalke and she's still stunning, whether her character is 25 or 45 years old. Anyhow, for a long time, Stella focused on being a mother -- not on Tony and not on the idea of being in love. Ted reminded her of the possibilities, and she did love him, just not enough to either marry him or throw Tony over for him.

Just then, Ted's neighbor, Mrs. Matsen (played by the lovely, talented and delightful Renée Taylor) opens her door and advises Stella to forgive Ted and take him back, because, "He's sorry." When Ted explains that's not what's going on and asks Mrs. Matsen to go back inside, she rolls her eyes as she acquiesces. Ted then tells Stella that it is "Good seeing [her]," and makes to return to his apartment. He's stopped short only when Stella asks him if he can "talk to Tony." Ted, bless him, says, "What?!" instead of hitting her. After Stella begs some more and acknowledges that "it's an awful thing to ask," he says, "Yeah. It's an awful thing to ask," because, oh, my word. WHAT AN AWFUL THING TO ASK! Where's Lily? We need some smiting. Stat. Stella knows it's awful, but she has no idea what else to do. "I love [Tony]." After Ted takes great pains to explain that she's already disconnected all the romantic strings inside him that she's now trying to pluck, Mrs. Matsen peeks her head outside her door once more, to encourage them to kiss, but Ted and Stella yell at her to go back inside. And we cut to...