11. Phallic Victories

With Virginia no longer a part of his office, Bill accepts Libby's offer to temporarily serve as his secretary, to help him help compile the study work for a hospital-wide presentation. However, in the course of her work, she learns of a file on a couple who had sex in the study 23 times. She questions Bill about it, not realizing that the couple in question is Bill and Virginia. When Bill sees another doctor's presentation put his colleagues to sleep, he becomes determined to grab their attention even if it means presenting provoking, but incomplete, research on the issue of penis size and sexual satisfaction.

DePaul and Virginia travel to a medical convention to give a presentation on the Pap smear. When their bus breaks down they are forced to spend a night at a motel, during which DePaul is angered to learn how Bill is compensated for his work, in light of the difficulty she has in securing funds. Because they missed the convention, DePaul instead presents her information to the doctors' wives. She later reveals to Virginia that a Pap smear revealed that she had cervical cancer in her mid-twenties, which led to a hysterectomy.

She also reveals that the cancer returned 18 months ago and is past the point of treatment, as it has progressed to her liver. She asks Virginia to carry on her work after she is gone. Virginia's ex-husband George returns home and is dismayed to find Ethan taking care of his children. Though this leads initially to rivalry, Ethan eventually convinces him that he is good for Virginia and the children.