Previously…
– During a conversation with Molly, Rosie discovered that Travis had withheld the truth about Molly bringing over the rocking horse as a gift for Gabrielle.
– Spencer and Natalie brought Peter over to spend time with the Fishers before Christmas dinner, and Natalie had a confrontation with her sister. She urged Diane to visit their mother over the holidays.
– Sarah and Matt lamented Tori’s engagement to Zane.

The frenetic opening chorus of Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree” kicks up over the Fishers’ stereo. Fresh off her not-as-bad-as-she-dreaded encounter with her sister, Natalie Bishop turns around — and sees her former fiancé and his daughter walking into the living room. 

“Jason. Sophie. Hi,” she says stiffly. 

“Natalie!” Sophie shrieks with excitement. The teen runs up to Natalie and throws her arms around her.

“Merry Christmas,” Natalie says with surprise as Sophie hugs her. “I’ve missed you.”

“Same!” Sophie says. Only now does she turn back toward Jason. “Don’t be mad, Dad.”

“I’m not mad,” Jason assures her. “Merry Christmas, Natalie.”

“You, too,” his ex replies. 

Sophie takes a step back from the woman who almost became her stepmother. “I didn’t know you were coming here!”

“Spencer and I brought Peter over to see your grandma and Tim,” Natalie explains. 

With widened eyes, Sophie asks, “Peter’s here?! Where?”

Natalie gestures vaguely toward the dining room and back hallway. “Somewhere back there. I need to find him.”

“I will!” Sophie shouts before darting away.

Jason folds his hands together awkwardly. “I didn’t realize you’d still be here.”

“Sorry.” Natalie smooths the front of her festive, black-and-gold dress. “We were on our way out, but Tim wanted to talk to Spencer about something. And then I ran into Diane…”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Jason says. 

She cranes her neck to look behind him, an attempt to gaze into the entryway. 

“What?” he asks.

“Where’s Little Miss Turnip Truck?”

He levels an irritated stare at her. “Sabrina is at home in Iowa with her parents.”

“Spending the holidays apart?” Natalie uses one manicured nail to scratch her chin. “How do we feel about that?”

“We feel fine,” Jason says. “Sabrina and I are taking things slowly–“

“I didn’t realize she had any other speeds.”

“Natalie,” he says firmly. “Enough.”

“Fine. Fine. Do you want to–” She uses her thumb to indicate the dining room and back hallway again. “Do you want to see Peter?”

Immediately Jason softens, though he maintains a wary guard. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I know he’d love to. As long as you’re okay–“

“I’m ready to. Yeah. Thank you.” He smiles, hoping to push down his anxiety over an encounter he has thought about many times. “Let’s go.”

—–

In the Fishers’ kitchen, Matt Gray presides over the oven, where a holiday prime rib is roasting. Satisfied with the way it is cooking, he closes the door.

“It smells incredible in here,” Molly Taylor proclaims as she steps into the kitchen. 

Matt slings a kitchen towel over his shoulder as he turns around. “Thanks, Molly. And merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Matt. Can I help you with anything?”

“Think I’ve got everything under control, but thanks,” Matt says. “Bring the boys with you?”

“They’re here, yeah,” Molly says. “Somewhere. Brent had them for Thanksgiving.” She watches him check the pans on the stovetop before inquiring, “How’s Tori doing?”

“Okay, I think. I mean…” He grimaces. “I wish she wasn’t marrying that guy.”

“I can’t believe she’d even consider it. But it seems like he has some kind of hold on her.”

“That’s what’s freaking Sarah and me out. We can’t get through to her.  I think Sarah’s worried we have no moves left.”

“My sister has no moves left? Excuse me?” Molly lifts both of her sculpted eyebrows. “I’d hate to give Zane any credit for anything, but if he managed to outsmart Sarah…”

“I wouldn’t count her out yet.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can help with on that front,” Molly says. “You know I love Tori. And she was really finding her footing at Objection. I feel so bad that my mess cost her her job–“

“She doesn’t blame you for that,” Matt says. 

“Still. I know you and Sarah were hoping that having a career would give her something besides Zane to cling to. I have a feeling that it isn’t a coincidence that he decided to propose the minute she was out of a job.”

“That bastard knew what he was doing.” Matt grits his teeth. “And now we’ve gotta put on happy faces and spend holidays with him…”

“Maybe we’ll have a Christmas miracle. And if not… there might be something coming in the new year that changes Tori’s perspective.”

He eyes her suspiciously. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m working on something with my lawyers,” she says, “and if everything goes according to plan, Tori and I could be back at Objection where we belong very soon.”

—–

“It sounds like you’re kicking ass,” Travis Fisher says to his younger cousin as he hangs his coat in the small closet beside Paula’s front door. 

“I’m trying,” Caleb Taylor responds. He pulls the sleeves of his cable-knit sweater over his hands. “Really hoping one of the schools I applied to comes through with a scholarship.”

“I bet one of them will. Where does the traveling team play after Christmas?”

Caleb groans. “Mibe Township.”

“Gross.” Travis closes the closet door. “I always hated going all the way out there. Plus the Owls play dirty.”

“They totally do!” Caleb says. “That’s been a thing since you were in high school?”

“I think it’s always been a thing.”

“Hey,” Rosie Jimenez says as she appears in the doorway to the living room. “Find parking okay?”

“Yeah. All good. The car is just down the block,” Travis tells his wife. He holds up the keys. “And Caleb just volunteered to go get the other bag of presents.”

“I did?” the teenager says.

Travis shrugs. “I was about to ask you. Do me a favor, would you? I just brought all this stuff in.” He indicates the trays of food and paper bag stuffed with gifts, both sitting on the floor nearby.

“You owe me,” Caleb says before taking the keys and darting outside.

When Travis looks back at Rosie, she is glaring at him, her arms folded.

“Where’s Gabrielle?” he asks, sensing some tension. 

“She’s with your grandma.” Rosie glances quickly behind herself. “Why didn’t you tell me where that rocking horse really came from?”

Travis feels his stomach drop. “…what?”

“I ran into your Aunt Molly already. She was so happy that you let her spend time with Gabrielle when she brought over the rocking horse that she had bought for her own baby.”

Caught, Travis simply stands there, unsure what to say.

“Why’d you lie to me, Travis?”

“I didn’t lie,” he says. All he wants to do is shrink down until he disappears. “I just…”

“Left out the part of the story that you thought I’d have a problem with?” Rosie shakes her head. “Travis, that isn’t cool. If I’d known–“

“What was I supposed to do?” he hisses in an attempt not to be overheard by anyone in the living room. “She showed up at our door with this really sweet present–“

“–which she bought for a baby she’s still grieving. And I have every sympathy for her and Brent, I really do, but the way she’s so focused on Gabrielle–“

“She brought her a gift.”

“She brought her a gift that has a lot of personal meaning,” Rosie says. “And then you let her hang out with Gabrielle? Hold her?”

“I couldn’t throw her out! She’s my aunt, Rosie. And after what she’s been through–“

“That’s the part that concerns me.” Again Rosie looks behind herself to be sure no one is close enough to hear them. “First she decides that we’re unfit to be parents and that she should adopt Gabrielle. Then she’s bringing her presents and wanting to spend time with her. That raises a few flags for me, that’s all.”

“I get it. I do.” Travis reaches for her hands and is relieved when she doesn’t yank them away. “I’m sorry. I felt stuck — it was such an awkward situation–“

“I don’t like lies,” Rosie says. “Or lies-by-omission, or any of it. We need to be on the same team here, Travis.”

“Okay. Yeah. I’m sorry.” He leans in and kisses her. “I’m really sorry.”

“From now on, we communicate about this.”

“Deal.”

He kisses her again, eager to put this dispute behind them. But he dreads the prospect of having to put his foot down with Aunt Molly — and, he suspects, that moment is going to come sooner rather than later.

—–

In the den, Jason stands with Paula and Tim. He stares at the doorway long after Natalie and Spencer have departed with Peter.

“I’m so glad you had the chance to do that,” Paula says.

Jason’s voice is ragged with emotion as he says, “I’ve missed him so much.”

“I know that had to be tough,” Tim comments, “but you can always be a part of Peter’s life.”

Wonder fills Jason’s face. “He remembered me. I was worried…”

“Of course he remembers you,” Paula says. She moves toward her youngest child and places a comforting hand upon his arm. “You were his father for the first two years of his life.”

“And now Spencer is his father,” Jason says. 

“But you’re his family, too,” Tim interjects. “I could tell it meant a lot to Peter to spend some time with you.”

All three of them marinate in the gravity of the moment. Jason glances around the room, searching for a distraction from his outsized emotion.

“You really went all out on the flowers this year, Mom,” he says, indicating an ornate arrangement of red, pink, and white on the coffee table. 

“Those were a gift,” Paula explains. “Danielle sent them. She sends some every Christmas… and we try to talk on the phone…”

Now it is Jason’s turn to tilt his head sympathetically. “About Ryan?”

Tim inhales sharply but reserves comment. 

“Yes,” Paula says. “Danielle always saw the good in him — even when he did his best to bury it. You did, too, Jason.”

Jason casts a wary look at his older brother before saying, “Ryan was there for me during some really terrible times. But I know he wasn’t perfect.”

“No one is,” Paula replies. “But I do miss him so.”

Tim steps up to his mother’s side and curls an arm around her. “We know you do, Mom. It’s only natural. He was your son.”

Paula turns toward him with surprise. “I know you didn’t exactly have warm feelings toward him — not that I can blame you–“

“Still, he was your son,” Tim says. “He is your son and always will be. So I’m sorry you’re hurting and missing him.”

“Thank you.” She leans her head against Tim’s shoulder. “Has Sarah had any more updates for you?”

“What do you mean?” Tim asks, confused. 

“About Sonja and that little boy,” Paula says. “Thinking about Ryan and all the time we lost… and Jason’s situation with Peter… it makes me think about that child — and if he is your son–“

“Sarah’s doing her best to track Sonja down,” Tim says.

“And I pray to God that she does. It’s so horrible for that woman to keep him from you, if he is your son. It’s cruel to you and that boy.”

“If anyone can find them, it’s Sarah,” Jason says hopefully.

“I really hope she does,” Tim admits. The two grown men stand there, flanking their mother, and their silent wishes do all the talking for them.

—–

The Christmas tree in the living room glitters, as its white lights bounce off the sparkly ornaments, creating a dazzling and festive effect. Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” plays as Tori Gray removes a few wrapped presents from a shopping bag and sets them beneath the tree.

“Which ones are for me?” her little brother asks excitedly. 

“You opened your gift from Tori this morning,” Sarah Fisher Gray says as she ruffles her son’s dark blond hair.

Billy looks up at her with a scowl of disbelief. “The Lego set?”

“You mean the box with three Lego sets in it?” Tori laughs. “Yeah, that. These are just a few extra ones for people who weren’t here to open presents this morning.”

Billy covers his eyes. “Maybe I wasn’t here…”

“Except you knew your gift was Legos,” Zane Tanaka says from a few feet away, where he stands watching Tori unpack the presents. 

“There’s something here for Aunt Molly, and Travis and Rosie, and Samantha, and the kids,” Tori explains.

“I’m a kid!” Billy counters.

“And you got your present from Tori — and Zane — already,” Sarah tells him, “plus a thousand others.”

“Fine!” he says, sticking out his tongue and then rushing off to some destination he probably has not even figured out yet. 

“Looks like your little brother knows how to negotiate,” Zane says.

“Or gaslight,” Sarah adds, and she finds herself diverting her gaze from Zane’s as soon as the word leaves her mouth.

Tori pulls a foil-covered tray from the bottom of the shopping bag and hands it to her fiancé.

“Would you bring this to my dad in the kitchen?” she asks. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

“Sure thing,” Zane says, taking the tray and exiting. 

Sarah watches quietly as Tori folds up the large shopping bag. The chatter of multiple conversations from elsewhere in the house competes with Darlene Love and her Wall of Sound.

“You must be feeling good about things,” Sarah observes, “if you sent Zane in there to face your dad alone.”

Tori’s eyes widen with fright. “Why? Is Dad gonna say something–?”

“No! We’re trying, Tori. We really are. If this is what you’re sure you want…”

“It is,” Tori says roughly, but then her demeanor softens. “There is something I wanted to ask you.”

Uncertain where this could be going, Sarah waits.

After a pause, Tori asks, “What do you know about Zane’s family?”

“Zane’s family? I’ve never met them.”

“But you’re a P.I. And you’re you. I’d find it very hard to believe you never looked into them.”

Sarah expels a little puff of annoyance at being clocked so accurately. She glances behind herself, making sure that Zane is nowhere nearby, before asking:

“What do you want to know?”

From the nervous shifting of Tori’s eyes, Sarah can tell that her daughter is concerned about the same thing. 

“He doesn’t want to invite them to the wedding,” she explains, her voice a little shaky, “and when I suggested we visit them for Christmas, he basically said it wasn’t even possible since they don’t get along.”

“And you’re thinking…?”

“That it would be good to try and fix that before we get married. From what you know, is there any chance of that?”

Sarah sighs, disappointed in herself for having gotten her hopes up. 

“There isn’t much to tell,” she says. “Divorced parents, mom who took off and seems to have another family now, dad who’s been in and out of rehab for an issue with pills.”

“That’s what Zane said.”

“It sounds like he told you the truth,” Sarah replies, even more irritated at having to admit that. “They don’t exactly sound like a big happy family.”

“I really want Zane to have people who care about him at the wedding,” Tori says sadly.

“This might not be something you can fix for him. And that’s a hard lesson to learn.”

“Didn’t you, like, force Dad and Uncle Jake to make up back in the day? I thought they hadn’t talked in years–“

“That was different.”

“Different how?”

Sarah is about to answer, but the turning of wheels in her mind prevents her from doing so. She checks to be sure that they are alone again.

“We can talk about this more later, if you want,” she says. “Alone.”

“Good idea,” Tori says. “I should go check on Dad and Zane, speaking of.”

She folds her arms and watches Tori go. While she is standing there in thought, Diane descends the stairs and sizes up her best friend. 

“You have a look on your face,” Diane says, sounding intrigued.

“Don’t quote me on this,” Sarah tells her, “but Tori might have just handed me a way to handle Zane.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah… I just have to figure out the right angle before I do anything.”

—–

“Dinner is served!” Matt proclaims a few minutes later, as he carries a platter containing a carved prime rib — crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside — to the dining room table. Behind him, Tori and Zane bring in bowls containing side dishes. 

“Everyone find your seats!” Paula calls out as she waves people in from the living room. “It’s time to eat!”

At the table, Jason is already seated beside Molly, who holds a glass of red wine in one hand.

“It was really cool to spend time with Peter and have it feel… I don’t know about normal, but not sad,” he says to his sister. 

“That’s a really special Christmas present,” Molly says. “For both of you.”

As Jason nods in agreement, he watches as her attention drifts down the table, toward where Rosie, who has Gabrielle in her arms, is lowering herself into a chair that Travis has pulled out. 

Samantha Fisher, who is sitting next to Rosie, smiles at Gabrielle, who coos happily at her.

“She’s gotten so big since the last time I saw her, and that was only a few weeks ago!” Samantha says.

“I know,” Travis comments. “It’s wild how fast they grow.”

When he glances up, he sees Molly watching them, too. Uncomfortable, he diverts his gaze and hopes that Rosie has not noticed.

“As always,” Paula says from the head of the table, “I’d like to thank each and every one of you for being here to celebrate the holiday. We are so blessed to be able to be together like this… and I’d appreciate if we could take a moment of silence to remember all those who can’t be here with us today.”

Everyone gathered around the table bows their heads in respect. Frank Sinatra’s rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” plays quietly in the background. 

“Thank you, everyone,” Paula says as she lifts her head. She reaches for her own glass of wine and raises it. “Merry Christmas to all of you.”

“Merry Christmas!” voices ring out from around the table, as the clinking of glasses and holiday cheer fill the house.

END OF EPISODE 1112

Does Sarah finally have a plan to bring down Zane?
Will Sonja and TJ be found in the new year?
Are Travis and Rosie going to have to stand up to Molly?
Talk about all this and more in the comments below!

Next Episode