Written by MichaelJune 15, 2020June 20, 2020

Episode 1022

Previously…
– Samantha realized that the code written inside the lockets was the combination to the safe in her late grandfather’s study.
– While Christian reacted emotionally to learning that Molly and Brent are expecting another child, Caleb grew stoic at the news.
– Sarah encouraged Claire to attempt to get closure by confronting Molly.

“What can I do for you?” Molly Taylor, stationed at the open front door of her home, asks.

Across the threshold, Claire Fisher holds her purse straps with both hands. “I think we’re overdue for a talk.”

A tense moment passes as the women stare at one another. Claire’s gaze moves over Molly’s rounded stomach; the sight of it, this clear proof of her pregnancy, stuns her for a moment. Finally Molly steps aside to let Claire into the house. She does so wordlessly, the steps of her shoes sounding louder than usual in the large, empty house.

“We can go in here,” Molly says, gesturing toward the formal living room, and Claire follows her. Tension crackles between them as they sit down across the glass coffee table from one another.

“I didn’t think you’d be free so soon,” Claire says.

“I had an appointment with my OB-GYN, so I decided to work from home for the rest of the day.”

Claire stares across the table at her, lips pursed. “Did Brent go with you?”

Molly sighs. “Yes. Claire, I–”

“I didn’t come here to fight,” Claire says. “I promise. But I do want to talk to you.”

“Okay. Of course.” Molly folds her hands in the lap of her wide-cut, flowy black trousers. “I’m all ears.”

“Molly, we’ve known each other for a long time. We’ve been family, even when we technically haven’t been, for a long time. I really never expected that you’d do something to hurt me this way.”

“I’m sorry. I am. But I can’t change what happened.”

“But why did it happen in the first place? Does our relationship mean that little to you? Do you have that little respect for me?”

“Claire, of course I respect you!” Molly says. “This wasn’t about…” But she trails off.

“Wasn’t what?”

“It’s nothing.”

“You were going to say that it wasn’t about me, weren’t you?”

Molly’s eyes drop to her lap. “Claire…”

“That’s the truth, isn’t it?” Claire presses. “You slept with the man I thought I was going to marry, and you didn’t even think about what it would do to me. Just like you did to your own sister.”

In his office on the eighteenth floor of Winston Tower, Trevor Brooks puts his designer-loafer-clad feet up on the desk.

“All you need to do is get into your own grandmother’s house,” he says to the coworker sitting across from him.

“Getting into the house isn’t the problem,” Samantha Fisher replies. “But getting out of my grandma’s eyesight long enough to try the combination on the safe…”

“Sounds like you need to sneak down in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah. I was thinking it would help to bring someone as a decoy. Someone to keep Grandma Claudia occupied while I go into my grandpa’s office and try the safe.”

“That’s a good plan,” Trevor says.

Samantha nods. “Now I just need a good excuse to be there in the first place.”

“Visiting your grandmother isn’t a good reason?”

“We aren’t that close. Maybe she wouldn’t think it was strange, though.”

“Or maybe…” Trevor drops his feet back to the floor and leans forward. “You could say you’re there on business.”

“That’s a good idea. Yeah. I don’t know that Sun Valley is the most obvious destination for a business trip in the fashion industry, but…”

“We’ll come up with a good excuse.” Trevor grins. “You’ve got me invested now.”

“Thanks, Trevor.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I haven’t come up with your airtight cover story.”

“No, but you’ve let me vent about this,” Samantha says. “That’s helpful in and of itself.”

“It sounds like whatever’s in that safe is top-secret for a reason,” he says.

“Yeah.” She bobs her head as she turns over the possibilities in her mind for the thousandth time. “How’ve you guys been? Any big weekend plans?”

“Not really. We’re going to make sure Chase gets in some good time at the park, since it’s finally not raining. I’m actually leaving early today — I need to drop off these proofs for Molly.” He indicates a blue folder sitting atop the desk.

“Lucky,” Samantha says. “Well, if you come up with any brilliant explanations for why a copywriter for a fashion designer needs to go to Sun Valley…”

Trevor winks conspiratorially. “Then you’ll be the first to hear ‘em.”

—–

“Thanks, man,” Caleb Taylor says as he passes the vape pen back to his friend Arjun, who is sitting in the passenger seat of the older Ford Explorer being driven by their other friend, Greg.

Caleb flops against the backseat as he feels the weed rush through his body and into his head.

“You sure you have to go home?” Greg asks as he steers the Explorer into the circular driveway in front of Caleb’s mom’s home.

“Yeah, I’ve gotta get that fucking History paper done so I don’t have to write it over the weekend,” Caleb says. “If I don’t get it done, my mom won’t let me go to the beach.”

“Lame,” Arjun says before taking another hit from the vape.

Greg puts the car in park. Caleb undoes his seatbelt and takes note of the black Kia Optima parked in the driveway; he instantly recognizes it as belonging to Claire.

“Thanks for the ride,” he says as he opens the back door.

“Hit us up if you get tired of doing your paper,” Greg tells him.

“For sure. Peace.” Caleb hops out of the Explorer, closes the door, and makes his way toward the house. He finds the front door unlocked, and as soon as he turns the knob, he hears two voices coming from the living room.

“This isn’t the same as what happened with Sarah,” Molly is saying.

“How is it not the same?” Claire retorts. “You stole your sister’s husband, divorced him when things got rough, and then stole him from me when you changed your mind!”

Caleb eases the door closed as quietly as he can and then tiptoes toward the kitchen, staying close to the staircase so that he won’t be seen from the living room.

—–

In the living room, Molly exhales loudly and runs a hand through her black hair. “I didn’t steal Brent from Sarah.”

“He was married to your sister, fell in love with you, and then left her to be with you,” Claire says.

“Sarah cheated on Brent and got pregnant with another man’s baby,” Molly counters. “Brent thought Tori was his daughter and was prepared to stay in the marriage. I’m sorry for what happened, and I know falling in love with him wasn’t the most noble thing I’ve ever done, but he never cheated on her.”

“I’m sorry to hear that I don’t warrant the same level of respect that Sarah did. I know they were married, but still.”

“Claire–”

“This was a bad idea,” Claire says, hastily getting up. “I thought it might help me get closure, but it’s just making me angrier.”

Molly rises, too. “I’m sorry for what Brent and I did. I never wanted to hurt you.”

“But you did.” Claire grabs her purse. “I wish you all the best with your pregnancy, I really do. But part of me also hopes I never see you again.”

She storms out, leaving Molly with her mouth agape. A moment later, Molly hears the front door open. She grimaces as she touches her hand to her stomach, hit all over again by the guilt of what Claire said to her. But the sound of clattering from the kitchen pulls her from her thoughts.

“Christian?” she calls out.

“It’s me,” Caleb, whose voice is ever-so-slightly deeper and flatter, responds. He pokes his head out of the kitchen with a bag of tortilla chips.

“When did you get home?” Molly asks.

“A little while ago.”

“How much of a little while?”

Caleb digs his hand into the bag of chips. “I don’t know.”

Molly furrows her brow. “Why didn’t you say hi?”

“I don’t know, Mom.” He crunches down on some chips. “Why’s it matter?”

“It doesn’t.” She looks at his eyes. “Wait a minute.”

“What?”

“Are you stoned?” she asks.

Caleb looks up, doing his best to appear offended, but Molly knows her son well enough not to miss the half-second hitch in his reaction.

“Are you?”

“No! What the hell, Mom?”

“Your eyes,” Molly says. She approaches him.

“Mom, I came home to write my paper. Jeez.” He shrugs away from her.

“I asked you a question.”

“And I told you no. God. Don’t yell at me ‘cuz Claire pissed you off.”

Molly freezes. “Excuse me?”

“You’re pissed ‘cuz Claire called you out on stealing Dad from her. Don’t take it out on me.”

“Caleb Taylor! That’s enough.”

“I didn’t start it,” he snarls. “You’re coming for me ‘cuz you know Claire was right about what you did to her and to Aunt Sarah.”

—–

Trevor turns his steering wheel and pulls his car into Molly’s driveway. As he does, he sees a black Kia exiting the other side of the horseshoe-shaped drive. Through the driver’s side window, he can see Claire in profile.

The Kia pulls onto the road and disappears into the distance. Trevor brings his own car to a stop but sits there for several seconds, the engine still humming and the cool air blowing on him through the vents. Knowing what has happened of late among Molly, Brent, and Claire, he can only imagine that Claire’s visit was less than pleasant.

He considers texting Molly to see if now is a good time for him to come by, but he decides that he can drop off the proofs quickly and be on his way. He turns off the car, grabs the folder from the passenger seat, and heads for the front door.

—–

Inside the house, Molly stares back at Caleb in shock.

“I know this is all complicated,” she manages to say, “but you don’t have to worry about what’s going on with your dad, Claire, and me.”

Caleb does an exaggerated double-take. “I don’t? You’re having a baby! What don’t I have to worry about?”

“A baby is something to be excited about,” Molly says, “and we’re going to give this little girl or boy a wonderful home. I’m sorry for some of the choices I made along the way, but it’s time for all of us to look to the future.”

“So everyone should get over it? Claire, too?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“That’s what it sounded like.” He holds the open bag of chips with one hand. “You’re such a hypocrite. Stop judging me when you won’t even let Claire judge you for shit you actually did.”

“Caleb!”

“I’m gonna go work on my paper,” he says, and he takes the chips and stomps up the stairs.

Molly remains tight-lipped as she watches him ascend the stairs in a huff. All she can hear in her mind are Claire’s words and then Caleb’s, piling on top of each other, reminding her of what a mess this entire situation is.

She places her palm over her stomach as she feels a cramp and then an intense shot of pain.

She lets out a groan at the sensation, then tries to breathe in and out deeply. But it doesn’t help ease the painful sensations.

“You’re fine. You’re fine,” she whispers to herself, though the cramping sensation only intensifies.

—–

Trevor walks up to the front door and finds the door resting against the frame but not closed.

“Claire really did leave fast,” he says to himself.

Through the gap in between the door and the frame, he says, “Molly?”

The only response is silence.

“Molly?” he asks again, as he nudges the door open. It creaks as it inches wider.

“It’s Trevor. I have the proofs,” he announces. Still, there is no answer.

He is about to call her name again when he sees Molly — lying on the floor of the entry, sprawled in a way that he immediately knows she is not okay.

“Molly!” he shouts as he rushes toward her.

END OF EPISODE 1022

Is Molly’s pregnancy in jeopardy?
Did Claire go too far in asserting herself?
Will Samantha get into the safe?
Talk about it all in the comments below!

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