Previously…
– The Taylor family, including Josh’s wife, Lauren, came to King’s Bay after Brent was injured in the explosion at the Moriani house. They were relieved when he awoke and was given a promising prognosis.
– Elly and Spencer traveled to the Bay Area to confront her former lover, Anatoli. Spencer came to the rescue when Anatoli became threatening toward Elly, and they obtained a recording of him confirming that she’d really passed her bar exam.
– Diane and Brian made amends after their argument over his secret marriage to Kelsey.

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Lauren Brooks Taylor calls out. She and her husband take care to wipe their wet shoes on the mat at the entry before stepping into Don and Helen Chase‘s home.

“Oh, it’s so nice to have you here,” Helen exclaims, and she wastes no time wrapping her late daughter’s dearest friend into a hug.

“We’re glad you could stop by,” Don says. He shakes Josh’s hand. “Are you sure you won’t stay for dinner?”

“Thanks, but Molly‘s cooking up a whole feast at my brother‘s house,” Josh tells him. “Appreciate it, though.”

As Don takes their coats, Helen develops a quizzical look on her face.

“And where are those two adorable children of yours?” she asks. “I thought they were flying in today.”

“Their flight was delayed,” Lauren explains, “but we’ll make sure you see them before we head back to California.” She gazes around the living room; although the throw pillows and a few other details are different, it is so close to how she remembers the space. “Being in here takes me back to being a teenager. It’s crazy.”

“Is that my sister I hear?” Trevor Brooks asks, his voice full of joy, as he and his husband enter from the kitchen, which sits toward the back of the house. He and Alex hurry over to Lauren to greet her with hugs.

“Where’s that nephew of mine?” she inquires as greetings continue to be exchanged.

Alex tips his head in the direction of the kitchen. “We promised Chase he could have 20 minutes of YouTube if he put on his Thanksgiving clothes and got in the car, so… here we are.”

“Gotta love the power of bribery as a parent,” Josh says.

“We’re not too proud to resort to it now and again,” Alex replies.

Helen claps her hands together. “I know you two are having dinner at Brent’s house, but would you say yes to a glass of wine and some appetizers?”

“Helen put out quite a spread,” Don tells them.

“No chance I’m saying no to that,” Josh says with a laugh, and Lauren takes his hand as they all head toward the kitchen.

—–

Over at Brent Taylor‘s house, Molly is busy in the kitchen, checking on various items with mechanized precision. Danielle Taylor steps into the room and takes a moment to observe her former sister-in-law at work.

“I’m almost scared to ask if there’s anything I can help with,” Danielle says.

Molly, who wears a white-and-blue striped apron over her black turtleneck, turns her attention from the counter, where she is busy at a cutting board. “No, I’ve got everything under control. But thank you.”

“Are you sure? Brent, Dad, and Caleb are fully focused on football, but I have an extra set of hands and slightly above-average cooking ability…”

“Beyond. It’s giving me an outlet for my nervous energy, honestly.”

“I’m sure.” Danielle takes a few steps toward Molly and settles with her back against the refrigerator. “I am so sorry for what you and my brother are going through. It sounds like a slow-motion nightmare.”

“One that I’m worried I won’t ever wake up from,” Molly says. She points out the back door. “Is everything okay out there?”

Danielle glances through the glass pane in the upper half of the door and spots her daughter standing on the back patio, pacing uneasily with a glass of red wine in one hand.

“I’ll check on her,” she tells Molly before dipping out into the yard. As she does, the cold autumn air hits her hard. She thinks about going back inside for a coat, but when Elly looks up, Danielle can tell that something is troubling her, and all thoughts of temperature drift away. 

“You hate football that much?” Danielle asks with a smile, hoping to lighten the mood.

With a deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes, Elly looks up. “No. I mean, yeah, but I can tolerate it.”

“Then what’s going on? You don’t exactly seem to be in the Thanksgiving spirit.”

Deep in thought, Elly, who is wearing her black trenchcoat, folds her arms in front of her body. 

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you,” she says at last, “but I know it’s not exactly Thanksgiving material, but you are here right now, and… I don’t know.”

“Oh, honey.” Danielle tilts her head with concern. “What’s going on? Did something happen?”

“Sort of. I mean, it did, but it was a while ago. I’m only now processing it, I guess.”

“Elly, you can tell me anything.”

“This is big,” Elly says, as if challenging her mother.

“And I can handle it. I’m here for you. I’m sorry I’m not here-here more often–“

“You have a life. I’m proud of what you’re doing in L.A.”

“But I’m your mother, too,” Danielle says, “however unconventional a path we took to get here. You can tell me absolutely anything. What’s bothering you, Elly?”

Elly draws in a deep breath through her nostrils.

“It’s something that happened while I was in law school,” she says, setting her eyes firmly on the ground. “I… I had an abortion.”

—–

“Now that is something I’m thankful for,” Brian Hamilton says as he pulls back from a kiss and gazes into his wife’s face.

“I’ve missed you,” Kelsey Barker says. She reaches down to knit her fingers through Brian’s, and the cold of his hands sends a shock through her body. The pair stand outside the King’s Bay Metropolitan Hotel, with Brian’s rolling suitcase next to them and Kelsey’s still-running car a few feet away.

“I’ve missed you, too. Both of you.” He brings his hand down to caress Kelsey’s stomach and their unborn child within.

She plants another peck on his lips and then asks, “How’d it go with Diane?”

“I think we’re back on solid ground. At least, I hope so.”

“I would’ve picked you up there, but I’m pretty sure she hates me.”

“She doesn’t,” Brian assures her. “Finding out we’re married and having a kid — that stirred up a lot of weird feelings for her. I had a conversation with someone who knows her pretty well that gave me some useful insights.”

“I’m glad you were able to smooth things over.”

“Thanks. Should we get going? I know your parents must be excited to see you.”

“And you!” Kelsey says with a giggle.

“I hope so. I know we’re coming in hot, with an elopement and a baby on the way.”

“They love having my brother and me at home, no matter the circumstances,” Kelsey tells him. “It means even more to them since Cimmy…” She goes quiet for a moment before finishing the statement. “…died.”

“It’ll be nice to remember your sister with everybody together today,” Brian says compassionately. “Want me to drive?”

“I can do it. But thanks. Just say a prayer that traffic isn’t terrible.”

She pops the trunk, and he loads his suitcase into it. Kelsey carefully lowers herself into the driver’s seat, and moments later, Brian slides into the passenger seat. He pulls the door closed and glances once more at the hotel’s entrance.

“Did you miss this place?” Kelsey asks him.

“In a way. It was home for a long time,” Brian responds, turning back toward her. “But I’m excited for what’s to come, too.”

“Me, too. How about we make a point of visiting after this little one is born? You know I’m going to want to show him or her off.”

“I will, too. I like that idea.” He rolls down the passenger-side window. “Until next time, King’s Bay.”

Kelsey smiles as she puts the car into drive and pulls away from the hotel.

—–

The guests at the Chase home are clustered around the kitchen island, picking at the vegetable platter, pigs in a blanket, and other snacks that Helen has set out. In the family room, only a few feet away, Chase is curled up with his iPad, a pair of headphones over his ears.

“How are Brent and Molly doing?” Alex asks Josh and Lauren.

The spouses exchange a look, both crinkling their faces. Lauren reaches for a piece of cauliflower.

“They’re hanging in there,” Josh finally says. “It’s all kind of in limbo, you know?”

“I heard they’re having trouble proving that vile Loretta Ragan was even behind the kidnapping,” Helen says with disgust. “I don’t know what more proof they need. Her list of crimes is longer than the line at the grocery store this morning! For starters, she had me mugged the night before Jason and Natalie‘s wedding — as if that weren’t an unholy enough event already.”

“Loretta’s going to pay for everything she’s done at some point,” Don says in an even tone. “That woman has been on a rampage for years.”

“Brent says there are two cops who could testify that she was at the house where they found Travis‘s wife and the baby,” Josh tells them all. 

“Well, why haven’t they?” Helen screeches. Don places a hand on her arm to calm her.

“Neither of them has regained consciousness because of all the smoke they inhaled,” Lauren says ruefully.

The conversation is interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. All heads turn to look as Jason and Sophie Fisher walk into the kitchen.

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Jason says. “Sophie insisted on using her key.”

“Grandma, you gave it to me for a reason, didn’t you?” Sophie asks.

A flurry of warm holiday greetings overtake the room. 

“Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes,” Lauren says to Jason as they hug. Then she turns to Sophie. “Happy Thanksgiving, Soph.”

“Happy Thanksgiving,” the raven-haired teenager replies. “Although, don’t you think it’s kind of weird that we’re basically celebrating the mass genocide of native people?”

The adults all fall quiet.

“Well, American history has a lot of dark elements to it,” Alex says. “Some of which people are only acknowledging now.”

“But we can look at this as a day to be grateful for what we have in our own lives,” Lauren adds. “Like having food to eat, and all being together…”

“I think that’s a wonderful approach!” Helen exclaims. Don sidles up to her behind the island as she continues, “It really is special to have all of you under our roof today. I know our Courtney is beaming looking down at us right now.”

“I’m sure she is,” Jason says, as he wraps an arm around Sophie’s shoulders and pulls her closer. “I know it.”

—–

“Honey,” Danielle says solemnly, as she continues to process the tale that Elly just told her: about her affair with Anatoli, the abortion he pressured her into having, and the subsequent cover-up and blackmail. “I’m so sorry that you’ve had to carry this around on your own for so long.”

“It’s okay,” Elly says, staring down at the wet ground.

“It’s not okay. None of it is okay. But I don’t want you to ever be ashamed of a choice you made about your own body or your own life,” Danielle says firmly. “I’m just sorry you were pressured into making a decision of that magnitude.”

With uncertainty clouding her eyes, Elly looks up. “I mean, it’s over now. Anatoli doesn’t have any hold over me, Loretta has no leverage…”

“Good.” They silently watch a few errant raindrops fall over the backyard. “I’m glad you were able to get the upper hand on this Anatoli guy, but I’m even happier that he didn’t hurt you or something in the process. He sounds like a nasty piece of work.”

“He is. I’m disgusted I ever got involved with him,” Elly says. “But I actually had back-up when I confronted him.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. Spencer came with me. He was right there the whole time.”

Danielle does a double-take. “Spencer as in… Spencer Ragan? I knew you had helped him out legally, but…”

“Please don’t tell anyone. It’ll be a whole thing, with Loretta and all. But yeah. He came to California with me and made sure we got a recording of Anatoli admitting everything.”

With her brow furrowed, Danielle asks, “You and Spencer are… friends now? Or… more than that?”

“Ew. No,” Elly scoffs, perhaps a bit too quickly. “We look out for one another. That’s all.”

“Okay, then,” Danielle says, nodding along. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me all of this.”

They hug. 

“Should we see if Molly needs any help?” Elly asks.

“I can guarantee you she’s going to say no, but we can try.” Danielle reaches for the doorknob. “I miss you, El.”

“I miss you, too. Thanks for listening.”

“Any time. I mean that. Pick up the phone whenever you want. I’m only a call or a FaceTime away,” Danielle says before opening the back door so they can rejoin the festivities.

—–

Later on, when Jason and Sophie arrive at Paula‘s home, it is Tim who answers the door.

“There you are!” Tim greets his youngest sibling and niece. Jason and Sophie quickly shuffle inside the house and remove their coats.

“We didn’t miss the food, did we?” Sophie asks with absolute seriousness.

“No, not at all,” Tim responds. “Samantha and I actually just got here, too. We went to visit TJ and Sonja.”

“It’s good you got to see TJ,” Jason says. He takes Sophie’s coat and hangs it up beside his own in the small closet beside the front door.

“I wish we could’ve brought him over here,” Tim says. “I know Sonja’s going stir-crazy, too. But we have to keep them safe for the time being.”

Sophie raises one eyebrow. “They just stay in that apartment all the time? That’s kind of creepy.”

Tim shrugs. “It’s not ideal, but it’s a temporary solution. You’ll get to meet him soon enough.”

“Good,” Sophie declares. “Because Billy barely listens to me anymore!” With that, she stalks off to join the gathering.

“She does realize her younger cousins don’t solely exist to be her minions, right?” Tim asks Jason with a laugh.

“I wouldn’t bet on it. Shall we? I’m sure Mom is itching to get everyone seated around the table.”

“She definitely is,” Tim says. “Happy Thanksgiving, bro.”

“Happy Thanksgiving, Tim,” Jason says, clapping an arm on his older brother’s shoulder as they, too, make their way to celebrate with the rest of the family gathered today.

END OF EPISODE 1160

Have you enjoyed the anniversary visits?
Is there anyone you’d like back in town full-time?
What did you think of Elly’s admission to Danielle?
Discuss all this and more in the comments below!

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