Time and Punishment

Carrie and Aidan are interrupted in bed by the voice of Big on Carrie's answering machine. Though Aidan says nothing, Carrie fears that he'll never be able to forgive her for her affair with Big. She wonders if you can ever really forgive if you can't forget. Carrie works hard to show Aidan that she's a great girlfriend, but he seems distant and angry.

Charlotte stuns the girls by announcing that she's planning on quitting her gallery job and devoting herself to having a baby and redecorating. Charlotte is angry that the girls, especially Miranda, are judgmental of her decision. She calls Miranda and while on the phone Miranda's neck goes out. Aidan offers to go check on Miranda and finds her naked on the floor unable to move. A mortified Miranda lets him scoop her up in bathmats. Charlotte hires a young ambitious 20-something who reminds her of herself. On the new gallery girl's first day, Charlotte has a moment of doubt, but sticks by her decision and walks out into her new non-working life. Miranda recuperates with her neck brace and finds that not working isn't such a bad thing.

Samantha starts an affair with a guy who steals her cab. They have great sex but Samantha is miffed when her new boytoy tells her she needs a bikini wax. She evens the score next time by shaving his own hairy private parts.

Meanwhile, Carrie finds Aidan at his bar flirting with the waitress and practically ignoring Carrie. Carrie realizes she's being punished for her big mistake. She offers to walk Aidan's dog while he works and again finds him hanging out with the sexy waitress. She angrily goes home. Aidan shows up and says he's pissed and wants Carrie to remove Big from her life. She says she can't do that and pleads that Aidan has to forgive her. He surrenders his anger and takes her in his arms.