Previously…
– The board voted to suspend Molly from Objection Designs. Meanwhile, Finn was revealed to be in cahoots with Loretta in an effort to take down Molly.
– Tori also found herself jobless after Molly was suspended.
– The fact that Jaq planted the threatening letters to frame Tempest was exposed after Diane joined forced with Tempest.

The needle moves in and out, an eerie staccato of piercing and pulling, piercing and pulling.

Suddenly a shriek fills the air.

The needle stops abruptly.

“What’s wrong?” Molly Taylor calls out from her post at the kitchen table.

In the seconds that follow, footsteps thunder down the stairs of her home, and one of her teenage sons bounds into the kitchen.

“My Halloween costume!” Christian exclaims. “It’s missing–” 

But he stops himself mid-statement as he takes in the sight of his mother at the table with the sewing machine.

“Is that…?”

“Your costume. Yeah.” Molly holds up the black track suit jacket from the sewing machine. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d touch it up for you.”

Christian takes a few steps closer, his eyes widening. “Mom. It looks awesome.”

“I do know my way around a sewing machine,” Molly says, “in spite of what the people on the Objection board might want to believe.”

“I’m sorry,” Christian says. “I know this has to be hard…”

She forces a smile. “It’s fine. And it’s nice to keep busy. Do you like it?”

She hands him the jacket, which he holds up. A white strip runs along the seams, with the words Brooks Marks in black printed along it. 

“It’s so good,” he replies, nearly bubbling over with glee. “Bree is going to die when she sees this.”

“How is that a costume?” Caleb asks as he saunters into the kitchen and goes straight to the refrigerator.

“It’s from Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” Christian says, annoyed.

Caleb rolls his eyes and then evaluates the contents of the fridge. “Mom, we have nothing to eat.”

“I went shopping yesterday,” Molly says as she stands up. “There’s eggs, there’s bread for toast, there’s fruit…”

Caleb lets out a groan and closes the refrigerator.

“There’s also cereal and waffles,” his mother adds. 

“I’ll just have a granola bar or something,” Caleb says as he goes to the pantry. 

“Are you not dressing up for school?” Molly asks.

“He thinks he’s too cool to dress up for Halloween,” Christian says as he slips his arms into the track jacket to try it on.

“Dude, we’re 18, not 8,” Caleb responds. 

“Yeah, we’re 18, not, like, 48,” Christian retorts.

“There’s nothing wrong with being 48,” Molly interjects. 

Cowed, Christian looks at her. “Sorry.”

She returns to the table and takes a seat at the sewing machine, where she picks up another garment. “Give me 15 minutes and the pants will be ready, too.”

Caleb evaluates his twin brother, who is admiring the jacket.

“Is Bree wearing one of those, too?” he asks.

Christian shakes his head. “She has a different costume. Still from the Real Housewives cinematic universe, though.”

“Cinematic universe?” Caleb questions.

“It’s a joke,” Christian says, letting out a loud huff. 

Ignoring the reply, Caleb unwraps the granola bar and begins to leave the kitchen.

“I’ll be ready to leave for school after I shower,” he says. “Be ready.”

“I’ll be ready,” Christian says with a note of annoyance in his voice.

Molly starts up the sewing machine again as they listen to Caleb’s footsteps on the stairs.

“Don’t let your brother — or anyone — make you feel silly for enjoying Halloween,” she says. “Expressing yourself is a good thing.”

His hand on the track jacket’s zipper, Christian pauses and smiles at her.

“Thanks, Mom.”

—–

“Okay, this is scary as hell!”

Tori Gray sits back in the chair in her grandmother‘s dining room to admire the layer of white paint, along with crimson lips and lines trailing right through the eyes down to the equally red lips, that she has painted on her little brother’s face.

“Is it really?” Billy Fisher asks with excitement.

“You look way too much like that clown from It,” Tori says. “Once you put on the wig–“

“It’s gonna be killer,” Matt Gray says from the doorway that links the dining room to the kitchen. “No pun intended.”

“Oh, come on. Pun totally intended,” Sarah Fisher Gray says from her own chair at the table. “That was a dad joke if I’ve ever heard one.”

Matt shrugs. “Guilty as charged.”

“I wanna go see how my face looks!” Billy exclaims.

“Just don’t touch it!” Tori calls after him as he sprints down the short hall toward the half-bath near the den. 

“Thanks for doing this,” Sarah tells her daughter. “Billy’s been bragging to his friends all week about how good his costume is going to be.”

“I’m happy to do it for him,” Tori says. “And it gives me something to do.”

Sarah groans. “I still can’t believe Molly cost you your job–“

“She didn’t,” Tori replies, her posture reflecting the sudden stiffness in her tone. “She didn’t do anything. The board was conspiring against her.”

“It’s just typical,” Sarah says.

“Sarah,” Matt says, calmly but firmly, as he steps into the dining room. 

The blonde woman looks up at her husband. “I’m only saying.”

“This is all gonna work out,” Matt says to Tori. 

“I just want to be working,” she says. “After all that time finishing school and then not having a job, I felt like I was getting somewhere, you know? And now I’m just this unemployed loser again.”

“You are not a loser,” Sarah says firmly.

Tori’s shoulders slump. “I feel like one.”

Matt places his hand on the back of her chair. “I can see if we need another busser or dishwasher at the restaurant. It’s not exactly some fashion house, but if you wanna keep busy and earn some money…”

“Thanks, Dad,” Tori says, with genuine gratitude in her expression. “Zane swears he doesn’t mind supporting me for a while, but…”

“We’ll find you a job,” Sarah says, flashing Matt a sly look at the mention of Tori’s controlling boyfriend. “Don’t worry.”

“And in the meantime,” Tori says, twirling a makeup brush in her hand, “I can help Billy scare the crap out of his classmates.”

“Noble work if I ever heard of it,” Matt says with a laugh.

—–

In the kitchen of the Brooks home, Jaq Pearson is pouring coffee into a travel mug when they hear footfalls coming toward the back of the house. They quickly shove the coffee pot back onto its burner.

“Good morning,” Finn Campbell says.

Jaq turns to see their roommate standing there, dressed for work in slim-fitting, olive-colored chinos, a gray t-shirt, and an unbuttoned navy cardigan.

“Hey,” Jaq mutters as they fumble to screw the lid onto the mug, keeping their eyes down as they do so.

“Off to work?” Finn asks.

“Uh, no. I switched to the afternoon shift.”

“Then where have you been going every morning?” Finn folds his arms. “I’ve barely seen you at all.”

“Just the library. Have a good day.”

They try to move out of the room, and though Finn doesn’t try to stop them, he does swivel around to continue speaking:

“Jaq, you don’t have to avoid me.”

Although they stop in their tracks, Jaq does not turn back.

“I assumed you would hate me, too,” Jaq says. “After what I did…”

“You made a mistake. A big mistake. But a mistake.”

Jaq finds themself nodding. “I wish everyone saw it that way. Samantha won’t answer my texts or calls — I just want to apologize. And I switched my shift so I don’t have to see Diane at work–“

“I’m not gonna run you out of your house with a pitchfork,” Finn says. “You screwed up. You were feeling desperate and let that get the best of  you. It happens.”

Jaq turns slowly, their face scrunched up. “Really?”

“You had your reasons. And it sounds like one of those reasons was that you saw your girlfriend making out with her ex after she had planned to take said ex on a road trip without telling you. I’d be suspicious as hell, too.”

“Thanks, Finn,” Jaq says with surprise. “You’re pretty much the first person who’s even been willing to look me in the eye. My parents…”

“They’re mad at you?”

“They consider me getting into legal trouble just one more example of how I’m going down a bad path into sin — which, of course, started with me telling them I’m non-binary. The only reason they’re even sort of helping out with costs is because they want to keep it as quiet as possible.” They push their dark bangs out of their face. “Being the black sheep of the family is so fun.”

“Listen,” Finn tells them. “This is your home. I’m disappointed in what you did, but I get it. You didn’t kill someone. Tempest has been cleared of those charges. You’re gonna face consequences of some kind. No one needs to keep beating up on you.”

“Thanks, Finn,” they say softly.

“Most importantly: do you have a costume?”

“What? No. I don’t have any Halloween parties to go to–“

“But we are definitely gonna get trick-or-treaters,” he says. “Look at this neighborhood. It’s the definition of suburban.”

“You’re right,” Jaq says. “I might have something…”

Finn holds up his index finger. “Say no more. One of the benefits of living with a gay man: we always have a costume trunk at the ready. Hang on.”

He dashes out of the room, leaving Jaq to sip their coffee and let out the first sigh of relief they have expelled in days and days.

“I wish you’d called me,” Isaac Banks says as he cuts his pancakes, which are smothered in maple syrup and butter.

“Like I know your number off the top of my head,” his sister replies. The two sit in the dining room at 322 Bar & Grill, which is rather sedate given that it is a weekday morning. “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads plays over the sound system as part of a vaguely Halloween-themed playlist.

“You’ve got a point. I don’t think I know anyone’s number by heart.”

“Claire‘s is probably the only one I know,” Tempest says. “And even that didn’t help me much.”

“Really? But you said you got bailed out–“

“Not by Claire.” Tempest sets down her fork and knife. “You ready to hear who posted my bail?”

Isaac narrows his eyes. “Who…?”

“Diane.”

She sits back in her chair, watching as this news lands on her brother.

“The same Diane who you got into a huge fight with at Travis‘s wedding?” he asks at last. “What, did she feel bad or something?”

“So you really haven’t talked to her.”

Isaac shakes his head. “Not at all.”

“I’ve got a crazy-ass story for you, then,” Tempest says before launching into a spirited recounting of how she and Diane banded together to expose Jaq’s lies.

“You’ve gotta be kidding,” Isaac says once Tempest has finished her tale. “What is this, one of those Lifetime movies?”

“I can’t believe Jaq turned out to be such a psycho.”

“That’s some nasty shit to pull on someone you barely even know.”

“For real. They’re gonna get theirs, though. I hope.”

“Fingers crossed,” Isaac says as he picks up his fork again to spear another bite of pancake. “Have you and Samantha talked?”

“Not since that day. She felt bad about me getting arrested — I could tell — but I haven’t heard anything since. I think she’s pretty pissed off at her mom.”

“Understandably.”

“Never thought I’d say this, but thank the Lord for Diane Bishop,” Tempest says. “That crazy white lady saved my ass — and kinda put hers on the line in the process.”

“Talk about things I never thought I’d hear outta your mouth,” Isaac says.

Tempest picks up her English muffin. “So you just haven’t talked to her? Or you don’t want to?”

“I don’t even know. That stuff you told me at the wedding — about her and Samantha’s dad–“

“It’s heavy. I know,” Tempest says. “But the way Diane came through for me — when she didn’t even have to — it makes me think maybe she has changed, for real.”

Isaac continues to chew, a thoughtful look upon his face as he mulls that over.

—–

“It’s kind of spooky, isn’t it?”

Christian stares up at the gray, foreboding sky as he, Bree Halston, and Marcus Gray walk through the campus of King’s Bay Academy. All around them, in various states of costuming, students move around, shuffling between homeroom and first period.

“It’s definitely going to rain,” Bree comments. “I guess it’ll just roll off my costume?”

“It totally will,” Christian says.

“Isn’t that uncomfortable?” asks Marcus, who is dressed in a basic pirate costume, with triangular hat, flowing white shirt, and black vest. 

“Kind of,” Bree says, stopping to look at her reflection in one of the classroom windows. “I’m worried it will be if I get caught in the rain.”

“It’s iconic, that’s what it is,” Christian says. “Look at you!”

Bree takes in the sight of her red latex suit, topped off with heavy, blunt bangs.

“You’re a Real Housewife, right?” Marcus asks.

“Erika Jayne,” Bree says. “Christian and I wanted to kind of have a theme.”

“You could’ve joined in,” Christian tells their friend. 

Marcus laughs uneasily. “I don’t know if that’s really my vibe.”

Bree pokes him in the shoulder. “It could be!”

Christian watches his two friends, doing what seems to be awfully close to flirting, and feels a black cloud settling in his chest. Before he can fully process it, however, he spots his younger cousin walking toward them.

“Happy Halloween,” he says to Sophie Fisher. “Who are you supposed to be?”

Sophie, who is wearing a mauve sweater set and slacks, carries a wrapped piece of meat from the grocery store.

“You can’t tell?” she asks.

Christian, Marcus, and Bree exchange a look amongst themselves.

“No,” Bree says. “Not really…”

“I’m my Grandma Helen, when she got arrested for murder the second time!” Sophie declares. She swings the wrapped piece of meat. “She went out to buy a roast and came home and got put in cuffs!” 

“You are nuts!” Christian says with a chuckle. 

“Who are you guys?” Sophie asks, examining them carefully.

“I’m a pirate,” Marcus says, “if you couldn’t tell.”

“Deep cut, but that actually could be a Housewife costume,” Christian comments.

Bree snickers with understanding as Sophie turns her gaze on the two of them.

“You guys are Real Housewives?” she asks.

“I’m one of the sons from Salt Lake City,” Christian explains, “and Bree is Erika Jayne!”

“That suit is crazy!” Sophie says. “How do you go to the bathroom?”

Bree shrugs. “That’ll be a challenge for mid-morning break.”

“You look good,” Marcus says with a nod. “Totally pulling it off.”

Christian feels that same cloud swirling inside himself again as he watches Bree accept the compliment. 

Up above, the sky suddenly opens. Students cry out and rush out of the way as rain begins to pour over the campus.

—–

Inside her parked car, Tori holds her iPhone as her thumbs tap out a quick message:

Taking Billy to school for my mom! Be home in a little bit. xo

As much as she hates herself for the lie, she knows that it is the best course of action right now. No good would come of getting Zane all worked up over where she really is.

Just as she is opening the driver’s side door, rain starts to fall fast and furious from the sky above. After hesitating a moment, Tori uses an arm to shield herself as she dashes across the sidewalk and beneath the cover by the front door. She presses buttons on the callbox, waits anxiously — as if afraid someone might spot her here — and then hurries inside as soon as the door gives its loud buzz. She opts for the stairs instead of the elevator and is soon standing in front of an apartment door, knocking.

Within seconds, it is opened.

“What’s going on?” Landon Esco asks her.

END OF EPISODE 1101

Why has Tori come to see Landon?
Will Tempest’s newfound appreciation for Diane last?
Is Finn the support system Jaq needs right now?
Talk about all this and more in the comments below!

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