Previously…
– After Matt donated a kidney to his brother, Jake, Tori felt the need to be there for her family and finally reunited with her parents.
– Bree mended fences with her one-time coach and almost-stepfather, Jason. 
– Diane and Natalie’s mother, Claudia, had a terrible reaction to seeing the matching lockets that her late husband and Therese DeLuca had owned.

“Namaste,” the lithe, caramel-skinned instructor says. A serene expression covers her face as she presses her palms together in front of her heart.

“Namaste,” the class repeats. The peace of today’s yoga sequence drifts through the air like the smoke from a freshly blown-out candle, and, moments later, people are back on their feet, chattering and moving out of the studio.

“I needed that today,” Sarah Fisher Gray says as she kneels atop her yoga mat and uses her towel to blot the sweat from her face.

“Me, too,” Diane Bishop agrees from the next spot over. “Although I could barely focus after that bomb you dropped on me before class. You know how I get over other people’s messes!”

“I had a feeling you’d eat that up. I still can’t believe Brent got Molly pregnant.”

“I can’t believe he cheated on Claire, first of all. I mean, I can — since they did it to you, too — but it’s shocking they didn’t learn a damn lesson the first time. God, they’re even making me feel bad for Claire.” 

Sarah sets down her towel and begins to roll up her mat. “I knew I could count on you to make me feel less like a crazy person.”

“What do you mean?” Diane asks as she wipes down her own mat.

“My mom.” Sarah lets out a weighty sigh. “Of course, the immediate priority was ‘We can’t upset Molly because it isn’t good for the baby.’ Which, sure… but it’s like being pregnant gets her completely off the hook for any wrongdoing.”

“She isn’t upset?”

“She’s stopped just short of saying stuff like, ‘Claire should’ve known better than to get involved with Molly’s husband.’ It’s crazy.”

“Must be nice being the sister who can do no wrong,” Diane says with raised eyebrows.

“No kidding.” Rolled mat in hand, Sarah stands up. “Whatever. I’m focusing on the fact that things are actually on the upswing with my family.”

“That’s so great about Matt. And his brother. Sounds like it’s finally time for them to put everything behind them.”

“I hope so. It’s still tough seeing Matt so weak while he recovers, but the doctors keep saying it’s all normal and it’ll just take some time.”

“He’ll be okay,” Diane says. “It’s a lot to put his body through.”

“Yeah. And Tori actually coming to see him of her own volition — maybe the universe had some plan for how this was all supposed to work out.”

“That’s very namaste of you.” 

Sarah shrugs. “It definitely feels like we’ve turned a corner. There’s only one thing that still worries me.”

Diane finishes rolling up her own mat. “I’m going to guess that’s a certain ethically challenged I.T. specialist.”

“Bingo,” Sarah says, sucking in her lips with concern. “As long as she’s with Zane… I don’t know how we can have a relationship with our daughter.”

—–

“Such a nice day out there,” Zane Tanaka says, still panting from the run he just took. A wavy ring of sweat hangs around the neck of his red T-shirt as he shuts the apartment door.

“It looks amazing,” Tori Gray comments from her spot on their beat-up sofa, where she is folding a pile of laundry. “I’ll take a walk later and go work on my job applications somewhere.”

“Wish I could play hooky with you.”

“At least you get these long mornings when you work the late shift.”

“Yeah. But still.” Zane leans over and stretches out his arms, wrapping them around her.

“Ew! You’re all sweaty!” Tori exclaims through a laugh. 

“You can handle it,” Zane teases, and he smothers himself against her as Tori squeals.

She pushes him off but gives him a kiss on the lips.

“You’re so gross,” she says.

Zane sticks out his tongue. “And you love it.”

“Hang on.” She hops off the couch and moves toward the small linen closet in their hallway. As Zane hears the closet door creaking, he notices Tori’s phone vibrating and lighting up atop the coffee table.

Seconds later, Tori returns with a small towel. She holds it out to him. “Here.”

But Zane is now stone-faced. Slowly he reaches for her phone and picks it up.

“What’s this all about?” he asks.

Tori’s stomach tightens. “What?”

He holds out the phone so she can see.

“It’s a text from your dad,” Zane says as Tori reads the notification. “Thanking you for coming to visit.”

“Zane, I…” Her mouth is suddenly very dry. “I can explain.”

“Doesn’t look like there’s much to explain.” He drops her phone onto the sofa cushion. “You’ve been seeing your family and hiding it from me, haven’t you?”

—–

Conrad Halston comes down the steps in front of his townhouse. At the curb, the door of the sapphire blue Porsche Macan swings open.

“Thanks for coming all this way,” Conrad says as he watches his ex-wife get out of the car.

“It’s no problem,” Natalie says. Leaving the driver’s door ajar, she pulls open the back door to reveal a black garment bag hanging. She removes it from the car.

“This is the dress, right?” she asks as she unzips the bag, revealing a glittering red figure skating costume.

“That’s the one. Thank you.” Conrad takes the bag from Natalie and zips it back up.

“Why does she need that? She’s been done with that program for over a year.”

“Jason wants her to use it for her Junior Freeskate test.”

“Jason?” Natalie draws her head back in surprise. “What does he have to do with this?”

“Bree’s taking lessons from him again,” Conrad explains.

“She what? Since when?” 

“Since the custody suit died down. They were able to mend fences. It’ll be good for Bree.”

“Are you sure about that?” Natalie challenges brusquely. 

“What’s not to be sure about? He’s an excellent coach. Bree needs someone consistent — it hasn’t been good for her training to be rushing off to take lessons from different coaches all over the place.”

Natalie taps her designer stiletto against the pavement.

“It would’ve been nice if someone had told me,” she finally says.

“I’m telling you now,” Conrad counters. “I thought you were grateful to Jason for giving up on challenging you and Spencer for custody.”

“I am. It’s just…” She folds her arms across the front of her pale pink blazer and white t-shirt. “She’s my daughter. He’s my ex. It’s a complicated situation.”

“To say the least. But he’s an excellent coach and a good man. It’s definitely best for Bree’s training.”

“I guess,” Natalie grumbles. “I still wish someone had given me a heads-up.”

“I’m sure Bree was going to tell you when she saw you.”

“And when’s that going to be? She isn’t here, is he?”

Conrad shakes his head. “She was going to go straight from the rink to school.”

“It sucks not to be included in my own daughter’s life,” Natalie says, sounding genuinely wounded.

“I’m sure. But the only reason Bree isn’t living with you is because you invited that unstable convict to stay in your house.”

“I didn’t– she’s not–” Natalie’s efforts at protesting die midstream. Finally she says, “I’m doing my best to manage the situation.”

“By inviting a dangerous woman into your home?”

“Loretta is only dangerous if she feels challenged. If she doesn’t feel like we’re keeping her from Peter, she won’t do anything crazy.”

Conrad widens his eyes. “How reassuring.”

“I’ve got it under control,” Natalie grumbles. “In the meantime, thank you for looking out for Bree. I really do appreciate it.”

“Of course. She’s my daughter, too.” He levels a serious stare at her. “But I want you to be careful with this Loretta. I know you think you have everything handled–” 

“I do.”

“–but she sounds legitimately dangerous and unpredictable.”

“It’s not going to last forever,” Natalie says as she slips back into the driver’s seat. “I’ll make sure of that.”

“Tread carefully. That’s all I’m saying.”

With an obligatory nod, Natalie closes the door of the small SUV. Garment bag in hand, Conrad steps back and watches her pull away from the curb.

“Please don’t do anything stupider than you already have,” he says quietly before returning to his townhouse.

—–

With their mats tucked under their arms, Sarah and Diane stroll out of the yoga studio and into the lobby of the fitness center.

“I just can’t imagine sitting down for family dinner with Zane, after everything he’s done,” Sarah is saying. “But we don’t have much of a choice at this point.”

“Tori will get tired of him eventually,” Diane replies. “She’s been through so much during what are really formative years: Philip trying to kill her, the trial, losing the baby…”

“…being tricked into a relationship by someone who was using her to squeeze blackmail money out of me.” Sarah grits her teeth and shakes her head. “It makes my blood boil that she’d even be in the same room with him for five minutes, let alone live with him.”

“Because she was angry at you and Matt, and she was grieving her baby. It’s rebellion. It’s clinging to whatever seemingly solid ground she could find.”

“Zane is not solid ground,” Sarah says. “Even if he does have an actual job now, thanks to you.”

“Hey.” Diane stops mid-step and faces her friend. “You’re not holding a grudge over that, are you? I told you, I only helped him for Tori’s sake.”

“I know. I know.” Sarah’s shoulders sag. “I just wish we could run him out of town and never hear from him again. But I guess a more nuanced approach is in order.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to keep an eye on him at the station. Maybe I’ll get lucky and catch him in something that makes Tori think twice about being with him.”

“From your lips to God’s ears.”

The two continue toward the smoothie bar at the other end of the lobby.

“How about you?” Sarah asks, doing her best to shake off her annoyance. “Have you come up with any more insights into this whole Theresa DeLuca thing?”

“No. And I’m not sure there are any, to be honest.”

“What do you mean?”

“The way my mother reacted when she saw the locket Samantha had… That tells us most of what we need to know.”

“You think?”

“This was a wild goose chase,” Diane says as they arrive at the back of the short line at the smoothie bar. “I appreciate your help, seriously — but I’m not sure there was much to learn here.”

Sarah turns toward her and folds her arms. “Diane. You found out that your grandfather paid some woman who worked for him and who had matching lockets with your dad to move away and never come back the same year as your parents got married.”

“Yeah, and what does it ultimately add up to? As best I can tell, my father was in love with this working-class woman, and someone decided she wasn’t up to snuff and made him marry my mother instead, and my mother has probably spent her entire life resenting that.”

“That’s a lot to learn,” Sarah says.

“It’s a lot, but I’m not going to accomplish anything by pushing harder. You know I never say this, but I think the best thing to do here is to nama-stay the hell out of it.”  

Sarah laughs as Diane swivels toward her.

“Now I’ve got a question for you,” Diane says. 

“What’s that?”

Diane points up at the menu. “What smoothie do you want? My treat.”

—–

Tori stares back at Zane nervously.

“I told you, I went to the hospital,” she says, swallowing a lump in her throat.

“When your dad was having his surgery. But that sounds like you actually got to see him, too.” Zane shoots up from the sofa. “So you went back?”

Tori winces and then lets it all out in a furious rush of words: “He’s my dad, and it was a major surgery, and if something had happened and I hadn’t gone…”

“But you hid it from me.”

“I didn’t hide it from you.” 

“You didn’t tell me.”

Tori watches him carefully; an intensity radiates off of him in hot, red waves.

“I knew it would make you mad,” she finally says.

Zane’s strong jaw trembles slightly as he contemplates his response.

“I had to see him,” Tori adds. “He’s my dad.” 

“And I’d be a dad right now if not for his bullshit,” Zane snaps back. “Don’t forget that. He’s the reason we had to say goodbye to Chiyo. All because he deleted that text I sent you without even letting you see it.” He picks up her phone off the couch. “Notice how I was a man about it and asked you? That’s ‘cause I respect you, Tori. He doesn’t.” 

“I gave you a second chance,” she says. “I let you back into my life, and I moved back here, and we’re happy now. Right?”

Zane softens a touch. “Of course we are.”

She takes advantage of his change in tone to take his hands in hers. 

“Then maybe my parents deserve a second chance, too,” Tori tells him. “Maybe it’s time for everyone to heal. Really heal.”

He draws in a deep breath through his nostrils.

“It doesn’t mean I love you any less,” she says, “but they’re my parents, and I don’t want to cut them out of my life — not if we can fix things and feel like an actual family again.” 

Seconds of tense silence tick by.

“I want you to be careful, that’s all,” Zane says at last. “If they hurt you again…”

“Then we’ll deal with that when it happens. If it happens. But I have to give them this second chance.”

He dips his head with understanding.

“I love you, okay?” Tori stretches up on her tiptoes to give him another kiss. “Now go shower. You’re gross.”

“I’m gross, and I love you.” Zane kisses her back. “But yeah, I’m gonna hit the shower.”

Tori resumes folding laundry, and Zane moves toward the bathroom. He turns on the shower, and as the tight room begins to fill with steam, he strips off his clothes and looks into the foggy mirror.

“I won’t let them take you away from me,” he vows through gritted teeth. “I won’t.”

END OF EPISODE 1014

What will Zane’s next move be?
Is Diane wrong to set aside the Therese mystery?
How much longer can Natalie tolerate Loretta?
Talk about all this and more in the comments below!

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