Previously…
– A conversation between Tempest and Samantha escalated into an argument over Sam having moved on with Jaq.
– After learning that Matt was donating his kidney to Jake, Tori went to the hospital to be with her family.
– Sarah learned from Claire that Molly slept with Brent and is expecting his child.

“It’s Molly. She’s pregnant with Brent’s baby. He cheated on Claire and got Molly pregnant. Can you believe the two of them?!”

Sarah Fisher Gray blurts out the breaking news with gusto. A sly grin curls her lips as she speaks; as much as she hates knowing that Claire had to experience pain similar to what Sarah herself experienced so many years ago, there is an undeniable satisfaction, even vindication, in having her sister and ex-husband exposed this way.

She fully expects her mother to scold her, but instead, Sarah watches as color drains from Paula Fisher’s face. The older woman immediately turns to look behind herself, and when Sarah follows her gaze, she sees the reason for Paula’s alarm.

“My mom is pregnant?” Christian Gray asks, stunned. The teenager has just emerged from the kitchen and stands frozen, his jaw agape.

Paula’s eyes shoot lasers of fury at Sarah, but only for a split-second. Quickly she shifts into caretaker mode, using a soothing tone of voice even though Sarah can hear the panic beneath it.

“Christian, your aunt is… she’s only making guesses. If there’s something to discuss, I’m sure your mom and dad will talk to you and your brother about it.”

But Christian still doesn’t move, still doesn’t relax. His whole body appears tensed, and Sarah feels the snapping bite of guilt for having hurt her nephew this way. As much as she resents Molly, she would never want to cause Christian and Caleb any pain.

“Your grandma’s right,” Sarah says. “I was spitballing. Total conjecture. I didn’t know you were here.”

“Marcus, Bree, and I were helping Grandma put together the bags for the needy,” Christian replies shakily.

“They were such a big help,” Paula says, her praise a little too effusive.

Sarah’s entire being feels itchy and jumpy. “Where’s Billy? Was he in the way?” she asks, desperate to redirect the conversation even though she knows there is no undoing what has been done.

“He’s in the den. I’ll check on him.” With that, Christian bolts through the dining room and toward the den.

Paula levels a stern glare upon her daughter.

“I know,” Sarah says preemptively, holding up her palms. “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was here. You could’ve given me a heads-up–”

“I didn’t know you were going to come busting in here like the town crier! Molly and Brent have been trying to figure out the right time and the right way to tell the boys.”

Sarah’s eyes go wide. “You knew?” 

“Molly confided in me,” Paula admits. “She and Brent have– well, it’s been a difficult and confusing time. She’s needed support. I’ve gone to doctor’s appointments with her.”

Realizing that she has already stepped in it, Sarah bites her tongue, holding back the sharp words running through her mind about how Molly should’ve thought about the repercussions before setting any of this in motion.

“She’s supposed to come pick up Christian on her way home from work,” Paula says. “I need to call and let her know what’s happened.” With a final pointed look at Sarah, Paula disappears back into the kitchen to retrieve her cell phone.

Left alone, Sarah lets out an enormous sigh, still unable to believe what has transpired.

—–

“Did someone order Thai food?” Jaq Pearson asks playfully as they hold up the plastic bag full of takeout containers.

“Even if I hadn’t, I’d take it,” Samantha Fisher teases as she lets Jaq into her father’s house. “I’m starving.”

“Then I guess I’m here in the nick of time.” Jaq sets down the bag on the small table by the front door as they slide off their Converse sneakers. “Is your dad home?”

Samantha shakes her head. “No, he had dinner plans with my Uncle Jason. Come on. Let’s eat!”

She leads Jaq into the kitchen and sets the food on the circular oak table.

“How was working the later shift today?” Samantha asks as she retrieves plates and utensils.

Jaq shrugs. “Fine. Your mom’s show is fun to P.A. for, though — and it’s so nice to have my whole afternoon and evening to myself. But I did run into someone when I was leaving the station.”

“Oh. Who?”

“Your cousin’s boyfriend. Zane.”

The plates land on the table with a loud clank as Samantha looks over. “How was that?” 

“Fine. A little…” Jaq searches the air for words for a few seconds. “He’s been nice to me all the times we’ve hung out, but after everything you told me about what he did to your aunts… I don’t know.”

“I have my guard up, too. I know that Tori’s been through a lot, and it isn’t my place to tell her who to be with, but it feels like she went back to him because she was grieving.”

“Right. He was talking about how Tori’s still looking for a job, so I suggested she talk to your aunt about working at Objection.”

“She’d fit in better there than I do,” Samantha says with a laugh.

“That’s what I said! No offense.”

“None taken.” Jaq crosses toward Samantha and places a hand on their girlfriend’s arm. “And that’s why I like you so much.”

Samantha blushes. “Do you think I should reach out to Tori and see if there’s anything open that might be good for her?”

“I think so,” Jaq says, “but Zane didn’t agree. He was like, no, she shouldn’t cave to her family like that–”

“Aunt Molly didn’t do anything to Tori.”

“He really seems to hate the idea of her getting too close to her family again. It’s a little eerie.”

“That feels like a huge red flag,” Sam agrees. “Maybe I should talk to her.” 

“Yeah. Maybe. I got a weird vibe from him, that’s all.” As they take their seats at the table, Jaq asks, “How was your day?”

Samantha gulps, recalling her heated meet-up with Tempest only a few hours ago. “It was okay.”

“Just okay?”

“Yeah. I don’t know.” Sam reaches for one of the takeout containers and begins serving herself vegan yellow curry.

“Sam. You’re a lot of things, but a good liar isn’t one of them.”

She drops her fork as Jaq aims a knowing stare at her.

“I can tell something’s on your mind,” Jaq says. “So tell me: what happened today?”

—–

Ground turkey meat pops and sizzles in the skillet. Tori Gray stands at the old white-topped stove — the one she can never quite get clean, no matter how hard she tries — and uses a wooden spoon to break up and turn the meat as it cooks. The sound of the door being unlocked pulls her attention from her task, and she looks up to see Zane Tanaka entering their small apartment.

“It smells great in here,” he comments as he drops his backpack by the door.

“I found this recipe for stuffed peppers I want to try,” Tori tells him.

Zane crosses toward the kitchen and gives her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, babe.”

“How was work?” she asks.

“Pretty good. Normal day.” He sidles up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. “How about you? Good day?”

Tori’s stomach flutters with nervousness. She focuses for a lengthy moment on turning the ground turkey.

“Actually,” she says, “it was a little weird.”

She feels Zane stiffen against her. “Weird how?”

“I got a text from my mom asking me to call her.”

“What, did she want to pressure you some more?” he asks with irritation.

“No. You know how my uncle needed a kidney transplant?”

“Yeah…”

She sets down the wooden spoon and turns. Zane’s arms still encircle her.

“My dad donated his kidney this morning,” Tori says.

“Whoa.” Zane’s surprise is apparent, as she knew it would be, but she cannot read any other layer of his reaction.

It takes her a few seconds to spit out the rest, and when she does, she finds herself flinching, as if to brace for Zane’s response instantly.

“I went to the hospital to wait with my mom and Aunt Mia,” she says. “I had to.”

“Of course you felt like you had to,” Zane says. “‘Cause you’re a good person.”

“He’s my dad. It’s major surgery. I just figured…” The same unpleasant thoughts that have been filling her mind since she got the news come rushing back; she shakes her head, hoping to cast them out.

“Is he okay?”

“The doctor said everything went well. He has to rest and recover, but it’s looking good.”

“That’s good. I hope they appreciate you going down there — especially since you don’t owe any of them a thing.”

“He’s my dad,” Tori says again.

“And he’s the reason we don’t have our baby girl here with us.” Zane wags his head side-to-side insistently. “But I’m proud of you for being the bigger person.”

“Thanks.”

Zane again leans in and gives her another kiss, this time on the lips. His mouth lingers on hers, and when he pulls back, he has a smile on his face.

“Don’t let them get to you with their guilting and manipulation,” he says. “I’ve got your back. Remember that.”

“Thanks,” Tori says, a little uneasily, before turning back to check on the turkey. “This should, uh, be ready in 20 minutes or so.”

“Great. Thanks. You’re an angel.”

He gives her a squeeze and then slips out of the kitchen. Tori remains focused on the cooking meat until Zane disappears into the bedroom. She knows that what her father did — deleting Zane’s text so that she wouldn’t see it and would give up her baby for adoption — was wrong, but it feels just as wrong not to be with her family at a time like this. But she doesn’t think Zane is ever going to see it that way.

—–

The evening news plays on the television in Paula’s living room. Sarah sits on the sofa, half-paying attention to a report about a robbery downtown while she combs through e-mails on her iPhone. Despite her instinct to go hide upstairs in her and Matt’s room, or to take Billy into his room to play, she knows that she might as well face her sister as soon as possible and get it over with. Nevertheless, when she hears the sound of a key in the front door, she jumps a little bit.

Sarah straightens and tucks her phone away as she hears the door closing. A moment later, Molly enters the living room. She immediately shoots Sarah an appalled look, but she scans the area to be sure they are alone before actually saying anything.

“What is wrong with you?” she snaps.

“What’s wrong with me?” Sarah rises from the sofa and takes in the full sight of her sister. Molly wears a wool coat in peacock blue, open over a black top with a stylish ruffle that cuts diagonally. The overall effect is to obscure evidence of her pregnancy entirely, and if Sarah weren’t aware of it, she might not notice.  

“Mom said you came in here like a bat out of hell and blurted out the news.”

“Mom said that? ‘Like a bat out of hell’?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I’m sorry,” Sarah says. “You know I wouldn’t intentionally do anything to hurt your kids.”

“You could’ve been more careful. You should’ve been more careful.” Molly puffs up her cheeks with air and then lets it all out. “How did you even find out?” 

“I was at the hospital and ran into Claire. I could tell something was wrong. She — rightly — felt like I might  be the one person she could open up to.”

She watches as a retort forms on Molly’s lips but then dies without making itself known.

“We were planning to tell the boys together,” she finally says.

“I said I’m sorry.”

“Not a huge help now. Where’s Christian?”

“He’s in the den.”

Molly wastes not another moment in moving through the room on her way to find her son.

“Thanks for asking how Matt’s doing!” Sarah calls out with annoyance behind her.

That gets Molly to stop midway through the dining room. She asks, “Mom said the surgery went all right. He’s okay?”

“He’s fine. Yeah.” Sarah is unable to suppress a roll of her eyes, and again Molly turns away to head to the den.

Seconds later, Paula comes bustling down the stairs with a full laundry basket in her hands.

“Was that Molly?” she asks.

“Yeah. She went in to talk to Christian.” Sarah points vaguely in the direction of the den.

“Good. Brent said he’ll be here soon, too.”

“You called Brent, too?!”

“Molly let him know. He’s bringing Caleb so they can discuss this as a family,” Paula says.

“Great. I’ll go find my Kevlar vest,” Sarah says, emitting a groan as she moves past her mother and heads up the stairs.

—–

Under the intensity of Jaq’s attention, Samantha slumps in her chair. One of the things that she likes about Jaq is how passionate she can be; unfortunately, that same force can feel absolutely overpowering when one is its focus.

It takes Sam mere seconds to realize that she can’t and shouldn’t lie right now.

“Tempest asked me to meet up and talk,” she admits. “I met her at Cassie’s after work.”

Jaq narrows their eyes. “And…?”

“It got kind of ugly. She has so much pent-up resentment.”

“Because of Thanksgiving?”

“Because of everything,” Samantha says before expelling a heavy sigh. “I really think she thought… never mind.”

Jaq watches intently as Sam shakes her head.

“What?” Jaq prompts her.

“She thought… we might get back together. Last year, after we started talking again.”

“So she’s upset that you’re with me now,” Jaq says.

Samantha nods.

Jaq pushes their plate to the side and leans forward, resting their elbows atop the table. “And how do you feel?”

“What do you mean?”

“About Tempest.”

“I–” Samantha’s mind suddenly starts whirling. She feels as if she has been tossed into deep water with utterly no preparation. “I’m with you now.”

“That isn’t what I asked.”

“But it’s the point. I am. Tempest destroyed what we had when she lashed out at my mom the way she did. There’s no buying that back.”

Jaq’s dark eyes remain fixed on Samantha. “But if she hadn’t…”

“She did. I told her that I forgave her, and I want to see that through, but there was a trust that was broken.” Sam meets Jaq’s gaze and smiles. “Besides, I like being with you.” 

“I like being with you, too.”

“Then that’s what matters. Now give me your plate.”

Jaq hands it over, and Samantha begins filling it with selections from the various containers. As she does, she prattles on about other aspects of her workday, thankful to set the subject of Tempest aside.

—–

After she comes back downstairs, Sarah takes Billy to the kitchen and hides out in there while she feeds him dinner. She hears Brent and Caleb arrive but decides not to face them; her encounter with Molly was a sufficient amount of scolding for the time being.

“Mom,” Billy says between bites of his mac-and-cheese with chopped hot dogs mixed in, “when’s Dad coming home?”

“Dad? He’s…” Sarah’s stomach tightens. “I told you, he had to go see the doctor and stay there overnight so they can make sure everything’s okay.”

“He has to sleep at the doctor’s?” 

“Yeah. Well, at the hospital. That way he can be safe.”

Billy drops his fork onto his plate. “It’s not safe here?”

“It’s safe for us. And it will be for Dad in a few days. The doctor just wants to make sure everything is okay with him before they send him home.”

“Hmm.” The boy considers this and then picks up his fork again. “Mom?”

Sarah offers him a warm smile. “Yeah?”

“Why does Dad have a different name than me?”

She strains to maintain the smile as her brain works on the response. She always intended to explain to Billy that his biological father was someone other than Matt, but it hasn’t seemed like something that he could grasp. Now, however, she wonders if the time has come.

“Because Dad and I weren’t married when you were born. You know that,” she says. “So you have my last name.”

“But you have both last names.” 

“Right. Fisher was my last name when I was born, and I got Gray from Dad when we got married.”

The little boy screws up his face tightly and then asks, “Do I get a new name when I get married?”

“If you want. We can all choose whatever names we want to have.”

“Can I make my name Poop?” he says, before bursting out into raucous laughter.

Sarah joins in, though she is less amused by the joke and more relieved for the utter normality of it.

“We’re going to have to talk about that one,” she says, chuckling, but even with the dose of lightness, she knows that she and Matt will soon have to face a much more complicated conversation with Billy.

—–

“Hey,” Brent Taylor says as he walks into Paula’s den, with Caleb trudging along behind him. Molly and Christian sit across the coffee table from one another, and the room is otherwise silent, making the thick tension even more pronounced.

Molly looks up at him with a weary expression. “Hi.”

“You feeling okay?”

“I’m fine,” she says, though it is impossible to ignore how tired and strained she appears.

“Make sure you’re taking care of yourself,” Brent tells her.

“So it’s true,” Christian interjects. “You really are pregnant?”

Instinctively, Molly touches her ever-expanding stomach. She looks at Christian and then at Caleb, who has a cap pulled down nearly over his eyes.

“I am,” she says.

“What about Claire?” Christian asks, swiveling his head toward Brent. “Is that why she hasn’t been around?”

“Claire and I…” Brent swallows the lump in his throat. “We aren’t together anymore.”

“Because you cheated on her,” Christian says harshly.

“Ugh. I don’t wanna hear about this,” Caleb says.

“Your dad and Claire have stopped seeing each other,” Molly says, doing her best to keep this as gentle as possible.

Christian glares back at her. “Because you cheated. Dad, I thought you were, like, proposing to her.” 

Molly’s mouth opens and closes helplessly. This wasn’t how she envisioned this going.

“I made some not-great choices,” Brent interjects. “It’s complicated, your mom and I– but the point is, I didn’t treat Claire with the respect that she deserves. That’s on me.”

The openness of his admission seems to take some of the wind out of Christian’s sails — and actually gets Caleb to look up from the floor.

“That part is mine to make up for,” Brent continues. “One of the ways I can start is by being a good dad — to you guys and to this baby.”

“So are you guys, like, back together?” Caleb asks, grimacing at having to ask a question about his parents’ personal lives aloud.

Molly and Brent inadvertently catch one another’s eyes. Just as quickly, they divert their gazes.

“For the time being, our focus is on being good parents, like your dad said,” Molly tells the boys. “To this baby and to you guys.”

“We didn’t want you to find out like this,” Brent adds. “But now that it’s out there… can we all band together and support your mom? We need to keep her calm and stress-free while she’s carrying this baby.”

Caleb kicks the toe of his shoe against the oatmeal-covered carpet. “Yeah. I mean, whatever.”

“You guys are such hypocrites,” Christian says roughly.

“Hypocrites?” Molly asks.

“Yeah.” Without further explanation, Christian stands and bolts from the room.

“Christian,” Molly calls after him as she, too, springs to her feet.

Brent motions for her to sit back down. “Easy. I’ll go talk to him.”

He hurries out of the room.

Molly looks to Caleb. “I really am sorry you had to find out like this.”

“It’s fine, Mom,” the teenager says quietly, but Molly cannot shake the sense that it is anything but fine. 

END OF EPISODE 1011

What will happen to Molly and Brent’s family?
Is Samantha being totally honest with Jaq?
Does Tori see that something is amiss with Zane?
Talk about it all in the comments below!

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