Previously…
– After Travis and Rosie announced their plans to adopt Gabrielle, they overheard Molly — who had expressed interest in taking in the child herself — questioning their fitness as parents. Later, she was arrested for assaulting Dr. Longo when she confronted the doctor in hopes of getting answers about the night her own baby died.
– Tempest told Samantha that she is grateful to Diane for helping clear her name of sending Jaq the threatening letters.
– Tori and Zane announced their engagement.

Family and friends have now filled Paula Fisher‘s home in anticipation of this year’s Thanksgiving feast. The guests snack on crackers, cheese, and vegetables as they catch up with one another and bask in the happy glow of the day; the mouth-watering scents wafting out of the kitchen tempt their senses.

Molly Taylor stands in the living room of the house in which she grew up, talking with her niece, Tori Gray, and Tori’s new fiancé.

“It was really romantic,” Tori says, “underneath the stars at the winery. And the ring–” She holds up her left hand for Molly to take another look at it. 

“It’s gorgeous,” Molly says tensely before taking a sip of her red wine. The truth is, the emerald ring is lovely, and under any other circumstances, she would have no trouble gushing over it — or the engagement itself. But given her family’s history with Zane, most of what she feels right now are reservations. 

“Thanks,” Zane says proudly. “A beautiful ring for a beautiful woman.”

“Well, congratulations,” she says, holding up her wine glass. “I’m so glad you have something positive to focus on right now.”

“Tori’s being a trooper,” Zane chimes in, an intrusion that irks Molly — she has noticed the way that Zane seems to speak for Tori, and it doesn’t make her any more enthused about her niece marrying this man. 

“But I keep telling her not to lose hope,” he continues. “You guys will be back at work in no time.”

Tori sighs. “I hope so.”

“I wish I could’ve convinced them to keep you on,” Molly says. “But the way this entire thing happened, I feel like the rug was ripped out from underneath me. I go to a meeting off-site and, by the time I get back, the board has secretly met and suspended me?”

“It sucks,” Tori agrees. “But you know Gia was just waiting for her chance.”

“I do know that.” Molly’s head swims with anger and fear and disbelief over her recent arrest and the professional fallout, and she does her best to redirect her thoughts forcefully so that she can try to enjoy the holiday. “That emerald is an unusual choice for an engagement ring. Why’d you choose it?”

Zane looks over at Tori as he explains, “It was our daughter Chiyo’s birthstone. I wanted her to be a part of our engagement in some way.”

“Oh. That’s…” The mention of the child that Tori and Zane lost only evokes painful thoughts of Molly’s own child, pronounced dead right after childbirth. She still isn’t convinced that she knows everything — that Dr. Longo isn’t concealing some kind of malpractice — and she feels that familiar swirl of suspicion and panic enveloping her.

Tori seems to notice what is happening and brightly says, “I think I just heard someone else come in. I wonder who it is.”

All three of them look toward the front of the house, and a moment later, the latest arrivals enter the living room from the entryway. But the sight of them does not soothe or distract Molly at all.

Travis and Rosie stare directly at her, as Travis clutches a carseat with baby Gabrielle in it.

—–

In the den, Tim Fisher drags a baby carrot through the ranch dressing on his plate as he listens to his younger brother. 

“It all works out, because Sabrina was happy to fly home to Iowa and spend Thanksgiving with her family,” Jason is saying, “but it would be nice if we could eventually merge our lives a little more, you know?”

Tim finishes chewing before he says, “Have you broached the subject with Sophie again? About you and Sabrina dating?”

“She knows we’re still spending time together. I don’t hide if I’m going out to dinner or have plans with Sabrina. My hope is that, after the holidays, we can start getting her used to the idea that Sabrina and I are together.”

“I hope she’s warmed up to it by now.”

“I hope so, too,” Jason says with eyebrows raised to convey his exasperation at the situation. “How about you, old man? Any new dating prospects?”

Tim shakes his head vigorously, as if it’s the craziest proposition he has ever heard. “No. No way.”

“Why not? You’re still young and good-looking — I mean, relatively speaking–“

“Shut up,” Tim says, laughing as he tosses a balled-up cocktail napkin across the coffee table at Jason.

“I’m serious. You don’t need to put yourself out to pasture, man. There are a lot of women out there who’d be lucky to land someone like you.”

“Thanks for that. But I’m not too sure if that’s where I want — or need — to put my energy these days. I’m a grandfather!”

“You’re a grandfather, not Father Time.” Jason takes a quick sip of his beer. “Do you think you might be, uh, hesitant because of the situation with Sonja?”

“One hundred percent. I really thought we were investing in something real, and then — bam, she’s fleeing town.”

“Have there been any updates on that?” Jason asks. “On her, or the kid?”

Tim is about to answer when he sees his cell phone, which is sitting on the coffee table, light up. It lightly vibrates against the table, as well. Seeing his daughter‘s name on the display, he picks up the device. 

Jason watches, casually at first, then with growing curiosity, as Tim takes in whatever information is on the phone.

“What?” he finally asks.

“It’s Sam,” Tim tells him. “She says not to worry, but she isn’t going to make it to dinner.”

—–

Soft flames crackle in the fireplace of Diane Bishop‘s condominium. The movie Spencer streams on her flatscreen TV, and the soft hum of the oven heating the pre-made meal Diane picked up at the grocery store adds to the calm ambiance. It isn’t exactly the sort of Thanksgiving she would dream of, but at least it’s peaceful and there is no one putting pressure on her to do this or that. When the timer on the oven sounds, she pauses the film and stands up to go check on her dinner.

As she is bent over in front of the oven, however, there is a knock on the door — a somewhat timid knock, but a knock nonetheless. Cursing whoever it is that has decided to disturb her solo holiday, Diane pulls her food from the oven, quickly turns the appliance off, and then walks softly toward the front door so that she can look through the peephole and then decide whether to open the door or not.

What she sees through the peephole, however, causes her to scramble to unlock the door.

“Hi, Mom,” Samantha says.

“What are you doing here?” Diane asks with shock. “Do you want to come in?”

“Sure. Yeah.” 

Diane steps to the side to let her daughter in. Samantha wears a red wool coat and jeans, and her brown hair hangs in its usual plain, long style, falling behind her shoulders. 

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Samantha says, with a clear note of awkwardness in her voice.

“Happy Thanksgiving.” Diane’s instinct is to wrap Sam in a hug, but she knows that she shouldn’t jump to any conclusions. “I really didn’t think I would see you today. Or maybe ever. Sam…”

As Diane trails off, Samantha glances around the condo. 

“Is this all you’re doing for Thanksgiving?” she asks.

“I have some food I picked up. And this movie — well, it’s not bad so far. Kristen Stewart is great.” Diane folds her arms in front of her body. “Why aren’t you at your grandma’s? Is your dad there?”

“He is. I told him I had to do something first,” Samantha explains. “I wanted to come and thank you for what you did for Tempest. Getting her out of jail and all. That was really big of you.”

“I couldn’t let her face prison time once I figured out what Jaq was up to. No way. Even if it meant blowing myself out of the water for yet another of my brilliant schemes.”

“That was pretty selfless of you.”

“You really think so?” Diane hates the way that hope surges inside of her; after all these years, she should know better than to get excited.

“I saw Tempest earlier. She’s the one who made me see it that way.”

“Wow. Hell really has frozen over.”

“No one is more surprised than me,” Samantha says. “But I felt like I had to come see you today.”

Silence sits between them for a long, uneasy moment.

“So what does this mean?” Diane asks, unable to contain herself another instant. “You have every right to be mad at me–“

“I’m not not mad,” her daughter says. “But it’s Thanksgiving, Mom. And what you did for Tempest — the way you put her and justice ahead of yourself — that tells me something.”

Diane winces. “That I’m an idiot?”

“That you’ve changed. That you’ve learned something.”

“Sam, I am so incredibly sorry for bringing Jaq into your life,” Diane says. “All I wanted was for you to be happy with someone who deserved you, especially after what Tempest did to us. I thought Jaq could be that person.”

“I did, too. Clearly we were both very wrong about them.”

“Yeah.” Diane lowers her head with regret. “I’m sorry. That’s all I can say.”

“I don’t want to cut my mother out of my life,” Samantha says, “no matter how much easier it might make certain things.”

“I appreciate that. I think.”

“You’re my mom, and it’s Thanksgiving. And you stepped up in a way that I didn’t know you were capable of. That says a lot.”

Once again, Diane feels that surge of hope — but, this time, she doesn’t feel like she has to push it down.

“You really mean all this?” she asks. “Do you want to stay for dinner? I could make something extra–“

“I have a better idea,” Samantha says with a smile.

—–

Back at the Fisher home, Molly faces her nephew, his new wife, and the little girl they have been fostering. A wave of shame crashes over her as she recalls her outburst at their wedding reception.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” she says, feeling the uncomfortable twisting of embarrassment in her stomach. “Can I have a minute with you two? And Gabrielle, of course.”

Travis and Rosie exchange cautious looks but both nod.

“Let’s go get a drink,” Tori tells Zane, and in another instant, they have both disappeared into the dining room.

“I owe both of you an apology,” Molly begins, intertwining her fingers nervously. “I was entirely out-of-line with — what you heard me saying at your wedding. And it wasn’t true, either. I was desperate and speaking out-of-turn.”

She feels both their gazes burning into her and then lowers her eyes.

“You can imagine how taken aback we were,” Travis says at last. “On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives–“

“I know,” Molly says. “It was wrong of me.”

“It was completely inappropriate,” Rosie says, her tone unwaveringly firm. “For you to even suggest that I had compromised myself professionally because I wanted to keep Gabrielle–“

“It wasn’t only wrong of me,” Molly interrupts. “It was plain wrong. Brent has spoken so highly of your work, Rosie… and the fact that Travis chose to marry you tells me everything I need to know. Please accept my apology. I’ve been operating from a place of pain for the past year, and it got the best of me.”

Another agonizing moment stretches on. Molly is sure that everyone else in the house — her mother, Tim, Jason, Sarah, Matt, Jake, Mia, all the kids — must be watching her get her just desserts, but she is too afraid to look.

But when Rosie responds, both her voice and her face soften. “Thank you for that. I get it. I’m sure Travis does, too.”

Her husband nods, his lips held tightly in an expression whose somberness seems, to Molly, to show sympathy for his aunt’s plight.

“We’re really sorry you’re going through all this,” Travis says.

“Thank you,” Molly replies. “You guys are going to be great parents. Gabrielle is very lucky.”

Another look, this one a bit more inscrutable, passes between Travis and Rosie.

“What?” Molly asks.

“We actually have some news on that front,” Travis says. “We’ve been approved to adopt Gabrielle.”

Rosie jumps in: “It’ll be a long time before it’s official-official, but as of the 1st, we’ll no longer be considered a foster family, but a family on the way to a completed adoption. The social worker doesn’t see any reason to be concerned that it won’t all go through.”

“That’s really wonderful to hear,” Molly says, bringing both hands to her face, and although she does mean it, there is also a part of her that aches at the prospect of this couple with their lives ahead of them and this adorable little baby, safe and loved in a home.

The smile that she pushes across her face feels pained, but it is the best she can do.

“I’m happy for all three of you,” Molly says. “I’m going to go see if Matt and my mother need any help.” Quickly she shuffles out of the living room, leaving Travis and Rosie to get Gabrielle settled.

—–

Zane is pouring himself a drink at the makeshift bar on the dining room buffet when Helen Chase sidles up to him. 

“Happy Thanksgiving, Zane,” the older woman coos. 

He sets down the bottle of scotch and turns toward her warily.

“Mrs. Chase,” he says flatly to the woman who not so long ago pounded him over the head with a pot full of chili.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Helen says. “I haven’t seen Victoria yet.”

“She’s helping Billy with something. But thanks. We’re very happy.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” She purses her lips. “And I’m glad to see that you’re all right. My intention wasn’t to hurt you, Zane.”

He glances around uneasily. “Could’ve fooled me. The way you bashed me with that pot–“

“Are you guys talking about how Grandma Helen hit you over the head?” Sophie Fisher asks as she bounds over to them.

“Sophie, dear,” Helen says admonishingly. “You make it sound like I was trying to put him in the hospital!”

“Weren’t you?” Sophie asks her grandmother.

“No!” Helen shakes her head insistently. “But I’m not sorry I did it!”

“That’s what I figured,” Zane says, letting out a loud sigh as he picks up his glass of scotch and the wine he poured for Tori. 

“That isn’t what I meant,” Helen hastens to add. “Well, it is — but only because I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if you’d hurt poor Landon any worse.”

“I’ve apologized to Landon. That was all a misunderstanding.”

“Good. Then we can all move on.”

“I’d love to,” Zane says.

“But you’d better not hurt anyone, especially Tori, ever again,” Sophie says as her index fingers juts out toward Zane. “Otherwise Grandma Helen’s chili pot is gonna find you again — and this time, it won’t show you any mercy.”

Helen nods with approval. “Those are wise words from such a young lady.”

“I’m gonna go find my fiancée,” Zane announces, both glasses in hand. “Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Sophie says with cloying sweetness as Zane takes a swig of his scotch and moves away.

“Well done, dear,” Helen says. “I’d say we set him straight.”

Sophie pumps her fist. “Hell, yeah!”

—–

“Are you sure you’ve got all those?” Tori asks her little brother as he balances many cans of sparkling water in his arms.

“Duh,” Billy shoots back.

“We could use a bag or a box or something,” she says, but he simply moves for the door that connects the garage to the rest of the house. Tori hurries ahead to open it for him. 

“I’ll get a few, too,” she adds as Billy disappears. She is pulling some cans from the second refrigerator that Paula keeps in the garage when the door opens again.

“Oh. I didn’t know anyone was in here. I came out to find a few more candles,” Sarah says, a bit awkwardly. “Can I help?”

“I think Billy took more than enough for everyone, but thanks.” With her hands full, Tori uses her hip to close the fridge. 

Sarah holds open the door for her daughter, but as Tori passes, Sarah says, “Wait a second.”

Cans in her arms, Tori turns. “Yeah?”

“I just want you to know that… all I want — all your dad and I want — is for you to be happy. Whatever that means for you.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Tori says with a smile of genuine relief.

“And we want you to be sure about what will make you happy — really happy,” Sarah continues.

“Mom…”

“I rushed into marrying your Uncle Brent way too quickly–“

“Because you didn’t want to lose him to Aunt Molly,” Tori says harshly.

“Yeah. But that was because I was convinced I had something to prove: that he wanted me more, or that someone would choose me over my sister. And we all know how that worked out.”

“Zane and I are in love.”

“I’m not saying you aren’t. All I’m saying is, make sure you’re 100 percent clear on your feelings and what you want for the rest of your life before you marry anyone. Okay?”

Tori regards her with annoyance for a beat before turning to head back into the house.

“Fine,” she grumbles.

“I love you,” Sarah calls after her as she watches her daughter go.

—–

Tim sits on the sofa in the living room, bouncing his knee as he holds Gabrielle on his leg.

“Grandfatherhood looks good on you,” Molly observes as she approaches.

“I guess this makes me a grandfather two times over, now that the adoption is underway,” Tim says. He looks up at his sister with concern. “How are you doing? Come on, sit.”

“We’re probably going to have dinner in a minute.”

“Sit anyway. Come on.” Tim pats the cushion beside himself. “How are you holding up?”

Molly shrugs as she holds the stem of her wine glass between her fingers. “I’m okay. I’m meeting with Conrad and Elly this week to talk about next steps–“

“To get those charges dropped?”

“And to get my job back. There has to be a way…”

She loses her train of thought, however, as she stares into little Gabrielle’s face. The baby’s gray-blue eyes are deep-set, and as Molly looks at them and at the little button nose, all she can see is the same face that her twins had as babies. The resemblance is not only uncanny — it’s shocking.

“Molly?” Tim asks. 

She does her best to yank herself out of her thoughts. “Sorry. I was just thinking…”

“There has to be a way…”

“For me to get back in at Objection,” she says, but still, all she can think about is the way that Gabrielle looks so much like Caleb and Christian as infants. 

—–

Zane locates Tori as she’s coming down the hallway with the cans of sparkling water.

“There were still cans left after all the ones Billy took?” he asks.

“I know.”

Zane holds up the glass of white wine. “Got you a drink.” 

“Great. Let’s go dump these so I can enjoy that,” she says.

“Your dad says dinner is gonna be served any minute, too,” Zane tells her as he falls into step behind her and follows her into the dining room. 

Over in the living room, a voice asks, “It smells great in here. Did I miss dinner?” A moment later, the voice’s owner peeks her head out of the entryway.

“Sam! I thought you weren’t going to make it,” Tim says from his post on the couch.

Still in her red coat, Samantha steps into the living room. “I wasn’t sure that I would,” she says. “But I have a surprise.”

Molly, who is still sitting next to Tim, asks, “What kind of surprise?”

“I’m sure we have room for one more person at the table, right?” Samantha says as Diane emerges.

Surprised, Tim shifts Gabrielle into his arms and stands up. 

“Does this mean you guys have made up?” he asks his daughter.

“I hope so,” Diane says with a nod.

“I only thought it was right for Mom to join us for Thanksgiving,” Samantha says.

“Is that who I think it is?” Sarah asks as she rushes into the living room. “What are you doing here?”

“You have Samantha to thank for me being here,” Diane says.

“Now this is what I call a happy Thanksgiving!” Sarah says, throwing her arms around her best friend to embrace her. “Now come on. Matt says dinner’s going to be served any minute…”

END OF EPISODE 1107

Are you pleased that Samantha and Diane reunited?
Will Molly keep her thoughts about Gabrielle to herself?
How can the Fishers stop Tori from marrying Zane?
Talk about all this and more in the comments below!

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