Previously…
– Brent and Molly revealed to their sons that they are back together.
– After warding off Trevor’s questioning about Gia’s plans at Objection, Finn notified Gia that they needed to kick things into high gear.
– Desperate to get out from under Loretta’s thumb, Natalie decided to put her knowledge of Sonja’s whereabouts to use.

“Remember what I said about running!” Sonja Kahele calls across the playground. Reflexively, she brings a hand to her mouth and glances around nervously, but it doesn’t appear that anyone else at the park is paying any mind to one of the many parents present shouting to her child.

Her toddler son stops, waves at her, and then continues toward the small kids’ jungle gym at a pace just slow enough not to be classified as “running.”

As she watches TJ play with several of the other kids, Sonja takes a seat on a nearby bench. She has a baseball cap on her head, and her black hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail; a pair of large sunglasses cover her eyes. Despite all the precautions — not only her wardrobe, but leaving the safehouse’s garage via a vehicle with tinted windows and driving nearly an hour from King’s Bay to a playground — she still cannot calm the anxiety pulsating through her body. As much as being in that apartment after all these months makes her itch, being exposed like this makes it impossible for her to relax.

Leaning back against the bench she takes a deep breath. The late spring sun glows overhead, casting its warm, peaceful sheen upon the park.

Maybe this isn’t so bad, she thinks.

“Is this spot taken?”

Startled, Sonja turns her head just enough to see a woman’s jeans hovering nearby.

“No, go ahead,” Sonja says before looking out to watch TJ again. Seeing him laughing with other children gives her a temporary sense of peace, and these days, that is a gift in and of itself.

“Which one is yours?” the other woman asks as she takes a seat on the bench.

“Oh, um…” Sonja’s breath catches in her throat. She lifts her hand to point a finger vaguely in the direction of the jungle gym. “One of the little boys over there.”

“Hmm. Must be the one in the blue t-shirt. I can see it.”

Sonja raises her head and turns to look at the woman, who removes her own sunglasses.

“He looks like the perfect mix of you and Tim,” the woman says with a grin.

The world seems to stop moving as Sonja realizes who the auburn-haired woman is.

“Hi, Sonja,” Natalie Bishop says.

—–

“We’re having lunch? Is that the surprise?”

Brent Taylor, who is walking beside his ex-wife down Pier 22, shakes his head. “Nope.”

“Are you sure?” Molly Taylor asks as she smiles back at him. Just ahead of them, the serene waters of King’s Bay stretch out into the distance, a sheet of blue that shimmers beneath the sun and ripples ever so slightly thanks to the pleasant breeze in the air.

“Yes, I’m sure,” he says with a laugh.

“Okay, so if we aren’t having lunch… what are we doing?”

Brent stops walking and squares his body toward Molly. “I told you. It’s a surprise.”

“And here we are at my family’s restaurant,” she says, gesturing at the sign for Bill’s on the Pier. “So if we aren’t eating here…”

“You’ll find out soon enough.” Brent gazes out at the water.

“What in the world?” Molly says, and Brent turns to see what has caught her attention: a woman with voluminous blonde hair and a Chanel jacket, emerging from Bill’s on the Pier with a slender middle-aged man with stylish black glasses.

“What’s wrong?” Brent asks, confused by the force of Molly’s reaction to the two people.

“That’s Gia,” she tells them, outrage mounting with every syllable she speaks. “And the man with her is Jasper Zinzival.”

“Who?”

“He’s on the Objection board.” Molly watches as Jasper holds the door for Gia, the two laughing convivially the whole time. “I knew it. I knew that witch was up to something!”

—–

Despite the sudden numb feeling that overtakes her, Sonja scrambles to her feet.

“You– you must have me mixed up with someone else,” she sputters.

“Sonja, come on.” Natalie claps her hands against her thighs and then stands, too. “I know it’s you. You know it’s me. It’s good to see you again.”

Natalie levels an intense stare upon Sonja.

“After the way you interrupted my wedding and essentially destroyed my life with Jason,” Natalie says, “the least you could do is say hello.”

Sonja swallows hard. “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to talk with you.”

“I–” Sonja shakes her head nervously. “I can’t. I need to get my son and go.”

“Wait,” Natalie says, a little too loudly for Sonja’s liking. Luckily, no one around them seems to notice. The sounds of children shouting and playing dominates the airspace. “I’m not here to hurt you or your son.”

“No offense, but I can’t trust you right now.”

“I get why you’d be hesitant. I really do.”

Folding her arms, Sonja feels frozen in place. She watches TJ playing, certain that she should not take her eyes off him.

“How did you find me?” she asks.

“I have my ways.”

“Do you not understand why that frightens me?”

“I figured out where you were staying, Sonja. It wasn’t that hard once I knew what to look for. Tim might think he’s protecting you and your son, but he’s not exactly CIA.”

Sonja’s mind races, trying to figure out her next move, as she observes TJ.

“You and I, we aren’t that different,” Natalie says in a hushed voice. “We’re both mothers of young sons. And we’re trying to protect those sons — and ourselves — from Loretta Ragan.”

The mention of that name stabs through Sonja’s heart like an ice pick.

“You– you’re married to Loretta’s son,” Sonja says.

“Yeah. Talk about a monster-in-law. That’s why I’m here. Loretta knows you’re back in the area. And she’s looking for you.”

Panic floods Sonja’s entire being. Her shaky hands reach for her purse.

“What are you doing?” Natalie asks.

“The only thing I can think of,” Sonja tells her. “I’m calling Tim.”

—–

Molly fumes as she watches Gia and Jasper Zinzival together.

“What do you think she’s up to?” Brent asks.

“It’s obvious,” Molly rants. “She’s filling my position at Objection. She isn’t running the company. There’s no reason for an acting CCO to be meeting with board members.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean–“

But before Brent can complete the thought, Molly is stalking over the wooden planks of the pier toward Gia and Jasper. A concerned Brent follows in her wake.

“Jasper. Hi,” Molly says with a forced, somewhat manic friendliness. “Good to see you.”

“And you… too…” The man adjusts his glasses, as if doing so might make sense of the sight before him. “Gia didn’t mention you’d be–“

“She isn’t,” Gia cuts in. “Molly, what are you doing here?”

“You’re at the restaurant my family owns and runs. Why wouldn’t I be here?”

“I had Finn make the reservation. I didn’t even think about that.” Gia shrugs and turns toward Jasper. “Well, Jasper, it’s been a pleasure seeing you.”

“Is there something going on involving the board that I should know about?” Molly asks.

Jasper’s mouth flaps open and then closed again. Brent lingers just behind Molly, ready to jump into the fray if needed.

“Molly, considering that you’re still on leave — how long has it been now? — I don’t see why there would be any need for you to be concerned about the board,” Gia says.

Molly tips her head to one side, her dark hair falling with it. “Except that I’m still a shareholder. Which means I’m part of the board. Jasper, is there anything I should know about?”

Jasper holds up both of his palms, then looks at Gia. “You said–“

“I said it would be nice to catch up with a shareholder while I work on the upcoming collection,” Gia interrupts him. “You know, to take the temperature of the people with a financial interest in the company — which I’m keeping afloat creatively while you keep getting into all your legal issues, Molly.”

“I’m sorry about this,” Molly tells Jasper. “If you ever want to talk…”

“I should be going,” Jasper says. “Molly. Gia. Good seeing you both.”

He makes a quick exit back up the pier, toward the parking lot. Brent steps up beside Molly.

“Nice work, Molly,” Gia snipes. “Ever heard of building relationships? Clearly not.” With that, she flounces off.

“What am I missing here?” Brent asks Molly.

Molly stares after Gia as she explains, “I’ve been nervous about her being in my spot for so long. The fact that she’s meeting with board members — she’s trying to stage a coup, Brent. I just know it.”

“She might be trying to curry favor. That doesn’t mean she’s actively trying to replace you for good.”

“You don’t know Gia Vincent like I do.”

Molly sighs, and Brent allows that to hang in the air in hopes of getting the day back on track.

“Maybe we should just have lunch,” he says. “Or come back another day.”

“What? No. I want to know what your surprise was.”

“It’s not–“

“Mr. and Mrs. Taylor?” a man’s voice asks. Brent and Molly look to see a man with a graying beard, in a white polo shirt and blue pants, sporting a captain’s hat. “Your boat’s ready.”

“Boat?” Molly asks. “What’s all this?”

“Surprise,” Brent says, a little sheepishly.

—–

At the park, Natalie’s hand shoots out to stop Sonja from pulling her phone out of her purse.

“You can’t do that,” Natalie warns her.

Sonja looks up and finally removes her sunglasses. “Why not?”

“Because Tim is being selfish, keeping you and your son in King’s Bay.”

“Tim is a good father.”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t. I wish Spencer had been raised by him instead of that red-headed lunatic. But we can’t rewrite history, can we?”

“No,” Sonja says wearily, her gaze once again cutting across the playground to make sure that TJ is all right. He continues to play obliviously with a group of small children. From what Sonja can tell, there are no strange adults hovering too close or watching TJ intently.

“She made me do this,” Natalie says. “She made me find you.”

“Loretta? What?”

“I told you, she’s a monster. She threatened to take Peter away if I didn’t do her dirty work and find you for her.”

“Is she here?”

“No. No. She has no idea where I am. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”

Sonja sets her jaw. “What are you trying to say?”

“That you need to disappear, Sonja. You and your little boy need to leave King’s Bay and become untraceable. I’m begging you, from one mother to another: go while you can. I’m going to lie that I couldn’t do it, and soon enough, she’ll get word that you skipped town.”

“What if she had you followed?”

“I don’t think she did. But if she somehow did, that’s even more reason for you to vanish,” Natalie says. “I found you. I have no doubt that Loretta could do it. Forcing me to do her dirty work is some sick game to her.”

Sonja can hardly breathe. She watches TJ playing, so carefree, so unaware. Her son has already lost so many months of his life — crucial years of development — trapped inside a sterile apartment.

“I wanted him to know his father,” she says, on the verge of tears now.

“I’m sure you did. And this isn’t forever. That old bat isn’t immortal. But for the time being — if you truly love your son, and I know you do — you’ll take him and disappear as soon as possible. You can’t tell anyone, not even Tim. There’s too much risk.”

In spite of the bright sun overhead, Sonja feels darkness setting in all around herself. I never should have agreed to do Loretta’s bidding when I first came to town, she thinks. I did this to myself. I did this to TJ.

“I have to go,” Natalie says. “Promise me you’ll do what’s best for you and that little boy. He deserves it.”

Her whole body quaking, Sonja manages to nod as Natalie slips away.

END OF EPISODE 1184

Will Natalie’s scheme actually work?
What does Brent have planned on the boat?
Should Molly try to stop Gia’s plot?
Talk about it all in the comments below!

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