It's so delightful to see Jason so utterly confounded by something completely outside his frame of reference: mother love. Go Liz!
Back in those days, DWI wasn't a felony, so unfortunately Carolyn isn't in serious trouble. But this is really the nadir for her, and her cruelty to her mother is inexcusable. And Elizabeth has actually left Collinwood for Carolyn's sake. Vicki's heart was probably in the right place when she suggested it, but it turned out to be only another paving stone on the road to hell.
As Vicki walks along the upstairs hallway, we get a great view of [spoiler]the small wooden casket that will much later hold the Hand of Count Petofi. [/spoiler]For now it sits in lonely splendor atop a credenza in the hallway.
Elizabeth finally can't bear her burden alone any more, and she blurts it out to Vicki.
