Previously…
– After being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, Molly was instructed to lighten her workload and focus on resting for the duration of her pregnancy.
– Diane overheard Samantha on the phone, planning to bring Tempest along to Sun Valley with her.
– Diane alerted Jaq and gave them the weekend off from work. Jaq surprised Samantha by showing up, ready to head to Sun Valley — and Samantha had to run interference to keep Jaq from finding out that Tempest was supposed to join her.
– Tempest was crushed when she realized that Samantha was bringing Jaq instead.

A pink sun burns across the evening sky as Samantha Fisher turns her car down the tree-lined lane that leads to her grandparents’ home in Sun Valley.

“Wow,” Jaq Pearson observes from the passenger seat. “This place is stunning.”

Samantha watches the proud evergreen trees pass by, falling in the car’s wake one by one. “It really is.”

“It must’ve been amazing coming out here when you were growing up.”

“To be honest,” Sam replies, “I only ever came to this house a few times when I was younger. I could probably count them on one hand. My mom and her parents…”

Jaq winces with sympathy. “Not so close?”

“Not at all. They came back into our lives a little more toward the end of my grandpa’s life — probably because my Aunt Natalie was in King’s Bay by then. But… yeah. I’m a lot closer with the Fisher side of my family than I am with the Bishops, in general.”

“And yet we drove all the way to Idaho to visit your grandma.”

“Not just to visit her.” Samantha turns into the gravel driveway in front of the large, lodge-style house, complete with stone pillars out front. “We have a mission.” 

Jaq gawks up at the imposing house. While not a mansion, it is rather grand, with a three-car garage and two balconies visible just from the front.

“How are we supposed to find a tiny safe in this place?” Jaq marvels as they both step out of the car.

“It’s in my grandpa’s study,” Samantha explains. “You’ll see — it’s the second room on the right when you go inside.”

They go to the trunk and remove their bags — a black rolling suitcase for Samantha and a red camping backpack for Jaq. As Samantha is closing the trunk, a voice trills at them from the front of the house.

“That was excellent time you made!” Claudia Bishop declares as she descends the wooden front steps.

“We got lucky. Not much traffic,” Samantha says as she wheels her bag clumsily over the gravel. 

“I’m glad to hear that.” Claudia frowns at the sight of Samantha struggling with the bag. “It’s much easier if you just lift it up.”

Samantha follows her grandmother’s advice, though she does a quick, barely perceptible eye roll at Claudia’s magical ability to be critical when one least expects it.

“Hi, Mrs. Bishop,” Jaq says.

“Hi, Jaq. It’s lovely to see you again.” 

Claudia gives her granddaughter a hug and asks, “That company of yours won’t even put you up in a hotel while you’re here for work?”

“They will,” Samantha says, tapping into her well rehearsed cover story. “But everyone’s arriving for the shoot tomorrow. I wanted to get a head start, and I thought it would be fun to show Jaq around Sun Valley tomorrow before I work, so we decided to come a night early.”

“Well, I’m happy to see you,” Claudia says. “It gets a bit lonely around here since your grandfather passed.”

“I’m sure.”

“It’s a really amazing house,” Jaq says as they climb the steps and enter the home.

“Thank you.” Claudia holds open the door for them and then closes it. “I ordered extra food from the wonderful bistro on Main Street. I thought you might be hungry.”

“That sounds great. Thanks,” Samantha says.

“You’ll be staying in the guest room right at the top of the staircase,” her grandmother continues. “But for now, leave your things and come to the kitchen.” 

They deposit their bags at the foot of the grand staircase, which sits beneath a breathtakingly high ceiling accented with wooden beams. Claudia leads them down a short hallway, and as they approach the second door, which is thankfully open, Samantha nudges Jaq to indicate the study–

But she nearly chokes when she glances inside the room.

“This room is different,” she says, though she isn’t sure if she’s even addressing anyone or just babbling out of shock.

Claudia stops and turns back. “It was too painful to have Henry’s study right there. He spent so much time in there, behind the desk and in that armchair. I…” She trails off, shaking her head sadly at the memories. “I decided to clear it out. The decorator is coming next week to help me figure out what to do with it.”

“So Grandpa’s stuff… it’s all gone?” Samantha asks, her stomach sinking.

“It was just too painful,” Claudia says, and then she continues on the way to the kitchen. Samantha and Jaq exchange a horrified look at the realization that Henry’s safe is nowhere to be found.

—–

Tempest Banks drags a sweet potato fry through the glob of ranch dressing on her plate.

“Hope this isn’t weird for you,” she says before popping the fry into her mouth.

“Why would it be weird?” asks Travis Fisher, who sits across from her at a round high-top table in the middle of The Wild Lady. The bar’s jukebox plays a song by Luke Bryan, something that Tempest has heard someplace or another but couldn’t have identified on her own if given half the title and a photo of the singer.

“Because she’s your sister,” Tempest replies matter-of-factly.

“And you’re also kinda my sister.”

“And that sounds nasty as hell when you put it that way while I’m talking about Sam being my ex.”

Travis smirks as he picks up his half-full pint of beer. “No one ever said our family was normal.”

“It’s not.” Tempest munches on another fry and gazes blankly at another table of patrons for a few seconds. “It’s bullshit what she did, that’s all I’m saying.”

“I’m not disagreeing with you. But I do think Sam maybe got herself caught between a rock and a hard place and, I don’t know, panicked.”

“She played me, that’s what she did.”

Travis takes a long sip of his beer. “She probably shouldn’t have agreed to let you go to Sun Valley with her in the first place — not if she’s serious with Jaq.”   

“You really think they’re serious?” Tempest asks with a scowl.

“That’s what it seems like. They’ve been dating a while. And she’s bringing Jaq on that trip now–”

“The trip I was supposed to go on.”

“Yeah…” But Travis’s hesitance is audible in the drawn-out word.

“What’s that mean?”

The song on the jukebox changes to something bouncy by Kacey Musgraves. Tempest eyes Travis intently and drinks her own beer.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m taking Samantha’s side,” Travis finally says, “because the way she bailed on you at the last minute did suck. But Jaq showed up, all ready to go with her, and…”

“And what?” Tempest presses, her glare issuing a challenge all on its own.

“Even if you guys are getting back to being friends… you know how it would’ve looked for Jaq to find out that Sam was bringing her ex-girlfriend on a trip like that.”

“Yeah. It would’ve looked like we’re friends. Which we are.”

Travis throws her a Come on look, complete with raised eyebrows. “I’d feel weird if Rosie found out I was planning on going on a road trip to another state with Elly. Especially if I hadn’t told Rosie about it.” 

Tempest’s gaze sizzles with fire, but whatever protest she has ready dies on her lips without ever being spoken.

“Samantha definitely screwed up,” Travis adds, “and you’ve got every right to be hurt by that. When she gets back, you guys should talk about it.”

“Friends don’t do each other like that.”

“No, they don’t.” He considers his next words carefully. “You sure that’s all this is to you, though?”

Instead of answering him, Tempest downs the remainder of her beer.

“Sam’s with Jaq now,” Travis says. “I know that you never wanted things to end between the two of you in the first place. And maybe you were hoping that if you helped her out, or if you got time together in Idaho, you could get back together.”

Again Tempest regards him with silence, but the way her shoulders droop confirms Travis’s suspicion.

“So you’re mad at her for pulling the plug at the last minute,” he continues, “and you’re also disappointed that she’s in Idaho with Jaq instead of getting back together with you. They’re two separate things.”

“Not totally separate.”

“No. But I don’t want to see you keep getting hurt, and I think you need to be realistic about how things are going to be between you and Samantha from here on out.”

“You’re annoying,” Tempest says as she picks up another sweet potato fry. “Annoying, but kinda right.”

“Like I said, you’re like a sister to me, too, and I want you to be happy. I get it — I was hung up on Elly for a long time after she dumped me, and I was miserable because I couldn’t let go of the idea that we might get back together. If Sam’s moved on with Jaq, you can’t change that. What you can do is figure out a way to be friends with her — if you want to — and focus on trying to meet someone new.”

Tempest groans and then hops off her barstool. “You know what else I can do? Get us another round.”

“I’m down,” he says, polishing off his beer.

“Good. And Trav?” She offers him a genuine smile. “Thanks. For real.”

“Any time. For real.”

—–

“That was great, Grandma Claudia,” Samantha says after finishing the final bite of her steak.

“Of course it was. The chef is wonderful,” Claudia comments from the vast marble island of the kitchen, where she is refilling her glass of red wine.

“Thanks for ordering dinner for us,” Jaq adds.

“You’re quite welcome. Would you like to watch a movie before we all turn in for the night?”

“That sounds great,” Samantha says as she hops up and begins clearing the table. She carries the stack of dishes over to the dishwasher. “We’ll go upstairs and change and then come back down.”

“Mm-hmm,” Claudia says as she sips her wine. 

After Samantha loads the dishwasher, she and Jaq get their luggage and go upstairs. Only once they are in the guest room do they speak about the thing that has been at the forefront of their minds throughout dinner.

“So it’s just gone?” Jaq asks.

“I don’t know.” Samantha shakes her head in disbelief. “I couldn’t think of a smooth way to ask, ‘What landfill did you send everything from Grandpa Henry’s study to?’”

Jaq lets out a little snort. “Yeah, I’m not sure how we can pull that off without tipping our hand.”

“But we need to find it somehow,” Samantha says, her jaw tightening with determination. “Whatever’s in that safe — my mom needs to know about it.”

—–

Jason Fisher embraces his sister in the lightly sun-dappled entryway of her home, her pregnant belly bumping awkwardly against him.

“I’m really glad you’re okay,” he says. “And the baby, too.”

Molly presses her lips together in a subdued but grateful expression. Jason can see the weariness in her face, underneath the light but masterfully applied makeup.

“I’m trying to remind myself of that,” she says, “but I feel like I’m in this constant state of anxiety. Am I resting enough? Am I eating right? Am I letting too much fall by the wayside?”

He ticks off the answers on his fingers, one by one. “Probably, I hope so, and definitely not.”

She chuckles and gestures for him to follow her to the kitchen. 

“It’s hard to hand so much work off to other people,” she says as she moves to the refrigerator and takes out some hummus. “Did you hear that I’m hiring Tori as my second assistant?”

“No! That’s great.”

“It should be a good opportunity for her, and a way for me to let go of a little bit of what’s on my plate.”  

Molly shakes her head and retrieves a container of pita chips from the pantry. She places them on the table along with the hummus.

“Sounds like a smart idea,” Jason says as he takes a seat.

“Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Water’s fine. What were we saying two seconds ago about you needing to take it easy?”

For a moment, Molly looks as though she might challenge him on that. Instead, she simply fills two glasses with ice, uses the dispenser built into the front of the fridge to fill them with cold water, and joins him at the table.

“I’m sure you get it, as someone who runs a business,” she says. “It’s hard to just… stop. Work doesn’t pause because we need it to.”

“I get it. Totally. But you’re surrounded by smart, talented people. You hired them for a reason. Objection runs the way it does for a reason. You should be able to take it down to half-speed or whatever for a few months.”

She looks pensively down at her stomach. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

“You don’t. Your number one priority has to be keeping that baby healthy.” He dips a pita chip into the hummus and chews it noisily. Once he swallows, he adds, “And come on. You must be pretty excited about being a mom again.”

Molly brightens. “I am. Really. I didn’t think I’d have another baby at this point in my life. I guess I thought about it when Philip and I were talking marriage…” She shudders at the now-tainted thought of their relationship. “…but it was never that serious a consideration.”

“But now it’s happening.”

“Yeah. There’s been so much drama that I’ve hardly focused on the fact that we’re going to have a new son or daughter soon.”

“You really aren’t finding out what you’re having?”

Molly shrugs. “No use, really. I’m not going to attach a ton of expectations to who my child is ’supposed’ to be just because I find out its gender. And I don’t need to shoot a bunch of blue smoke out of a cannon or whatever people are doing just to celebrate.”

“I get that,” Jason says with a laugh. “Being surprised will be nice.”

“That’s one thing I’ve learned with Caleb and Christian. No matter what you expect, you’re going to be surprised, anyway. They’re their own people.”

“You can say that again.” Jason reaches for another trip. “Sometimes I wonder what Court would think of Sophie. Neither of us ever imagined that baby girl would grow up to be so…” He pauses, the chip in mid-air, as he searches for the right word.

“Quirky?” Molly offers.

With a laugh, Jason says, “Good way to put it.”

After taking a drink of her water, Molly asks, “Have you told her about you and Sabrina yet?”

“Not really. Especially after what happened with Natalie, I can’t imagine bringing someone else into her world like that until I know it’s going to be really serious.” 

“And do you think this has the potential to be really serious?”

“I think so.” He sips his water and grins. “Yeah. I’d like it to be. It’s just early going, you know?”

“You’re being a responsible dad by handling it that way. But I’m glad you aren’t closing yourself off, either.”

“There have been times I’ve wanted to.”

“Don’t. You deserve to be happy, Jay. After the hell Natalie put you through — karma owes you!”

“I want to believe that,” he says. “I really do. But I’m long past thinking that the universe is fair.”

“It definitely isn’t. But maybe we can pretend for a while?”

“Sounds good to me. A little bit of delusion might be just what we need right now.”

“I’m choosing to think of it as optimism,” Molly says, smiling again as she reaches for the container of chips. 

—–

When Samantha and Jaq come back downstairs, having changed into their individual versions of loungewear — leggings and a loose athleisure top for Sam, and long gym shorts with a t-shirt for Jaq — Claudia is waiting at the foot of the staircase.

“Before we go to the screening room,” she says, “could I ask the two of you to help me move something?”

“Screening room?” Jaq asks, half-under their breath.

“Sure. What is it?” Samantha says.

“A plastic crate in your grandfather’s old study,” Claudia tells them. “It’s too heavy for me to move on my own. It just needs to go out to the garage.”

“We’ll do it right now,” Sam says, and they move around the corner and into the almost-bare room where Henry’s grand desk used to sit. Samantha and Jaq each pick up one end of the blue crate; it is heavier than either expects at first, but not unmanageable. They shuffle out into the hallway and back toward the front door, where Samantha indicates to Jaq, who is moving backward, where they are going. Claudia dips around them and opens up the door that leads out to the garage.

They continue carrying the crate in careful half-steps, socked feet barely lifting off the floor, and navigate their way into the garage.

“Right over there is fine!” Claudia calls out from the doorway.

As they set down the crate, something catches Samantha’s eye. She thinks she is imagining it at first, but as her gaze rests on it, she understands that it is real: the small safe that was once in Henry’s office, now perched on a metal shelf.

“Thank you so much,” Claudia says, and Samantha can feel her grandmother’s eyes upon them. She knows that she will not be able to get into the safe right now.

As she turns to exit, however, she nods her head, and Jaq picks up on it. They react with widened eyes but quickly cover.

“No problem at all,” Samantha tells Claudia as they reenter the house. “Happy to help.” She wonders how she is going to get through an entire movie when all she will be able to think about is sneaking back to the garage and opening that safe.

END OF EPISODE 1028

Will Samantha have a chance to get into the safe?
Can Molly allow herself the rest that she needs?
What should Tempest do about her feelings toward Sam?
Discuss all this and more in the comments below!

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