Previously…
– Molly and Brent became engaged again, but they were reluctant to remarry unless Gabrielle could be part of the celebration.
– After being confronted by Jason for claiming that Sabrina was cheating with Robbie, Christian came clean about his relationship with Robbie and came out to his parents.
– Tim was horrified to realize that Sonja and TJ were missing from the safehouse apartment and appeared to have left voluntarily.

The sound of the doorbell echoes through the house. Molly Taylor pauses by the front door and evaluates her reflection in the gold-framed mirror one more time, then smoothes her sleeveless white cocktail dress. When she opens the door, she is unsurprised to see her mother standing there.

“Hi, honey,” Paula Fisher says with obvious joy. She steps into the house and greets Molly with a hug. “You look lovely.”

“So do you,” Molly tells her with a smile. 

Paula glances down at her own attire — khaki-colored capri pants paired with a pink linen shirt worn over a white tank top — and frowns. “Not quite as fancy as you! I thought I was coming over to see Gabrielle while she’s here.”

“You are. She’s out back in the yard with Brent and the social worker.”

“Oh, how nice. But aren’t you a bit dressed up for playing with a toddler in the grass?”

Molly simply shrugs. “Can I get you something? Water? Iced tea?”

“Iced tea sounds great, if it isn’t too much trouble.”

Paula follows Molly into the home’s closed-off kitchen, with its white granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Molly opens the refrigerator to retrieve the pitcher of iced tea.

“I spoke with Jason earlier,” Paula says. “He said he wanted to come over and talk to you and Christian.”

Molly turns back toward her sharply. “You didn’t invite him, did you?”

Paula reacts with surprise at the forcefulness of Molly’s question. “No, I didn’t think it was my place. You aren’t angry at him, are you?”

“No,” Molly says, placing the pitcher on the island as she fetches a glass from a nearby cupboard. “It isn’t a good day for that, that’s all.”

“He feels badly that he lashed out at Christian without knowing the entire story.” Paula shakes her head. “Poor Christian, feeling as though he couldn’t open up to anyone. Was he really afraid that you and Brent wouldn’t be accepting? We’ve all been so accepting of Samantha.”

“I’m sure he knows that, logically. But being a teenager is difficult at the best of times, let alone when you feel like you’re different.”

“I suppose that’s true.” Paula watches as her daughter pours the glass of iced tea. “Are the boys home? It must be a treat having them back in the house over summer break.”

Molly laughs as she hands Paula the glass. “Are you sure you remember what it’s like having teenagers? Them being in the dorm all year almost made me forget what it’s like to be picking up socks from every room in the house at all hours.”

“I’ll see you those socks and raise you Jason’s skating clothes,” Paula replies. The two women chuckle as Paula sips her iced tea. “They aren’t home to see Gabrielle, though? That’s a shame.”

“They should be back in a few minutes. I asked them to go run an errand.”

“See, there’s a benefit to having teenagers at home,” Paula comments, and Molly leads the way out of the kitchen and through the family room, where a sliding glass door leads out to the deck and the backyard. When they reach the door, Paula stops as she notices Brent, squatting down as he plays with little Gabrielle and dressed in olive slacks and a white polo shirt.

“You and Brent shouldn’t feel such pressure to dress up for the social worker’s sake,” Paula says. “She’s going to see what wonderful parents you are, even if you don’t look country-club-ready.”

“That’s the thing,” Molly says. “We didn’t dress up just for our visit with Gabrielle today.”

“Well, I hope you didn’t do it on my account!”

“We didn’t. Not really, anyway. Mom… today isn’t only about a visit with Gabrielle. But we wanted her — and you — here for it.”

“For what?” Paula asks, confused.

“For this.” Molly holds up her left hand, showing off the diamond ring on her finger. “Brent and I… we’re getting remarried today.”

—–

“My best guess is that she must have taken the bus to get as far from King’s Bay as possible,” Sarah Fisher Gray says, as she shrugs at the printed pages spread over the coffee table of her mother’s home. “She must be hiding out somewhere where she and TJ can get around on foot if they need.”

“That’s about as much as I can make of this,” Tim Fisher agrees. The two sit on the sofa in Paula’s living room, reviewing — for what might be the twentieth time — the information that Sarah has gathered since Sonja and TJ disappeared from the apartment that was serving as their safehouse. “It seems pretty clear they didn’t board a plane…”

“If they’d boarded a plane, either the KBPD or I would’ve caught it by now. Unless she somehow had fake IDs for herself and TJ…”

“It’s possible. But they were in that safehouse for months, and I don’t think Sonja had any access to someone who could get her fake IDs while they were in there — and if she had them before that, she wouldn’t have been living under her regular name the first time we found her. Well, the second time.”

He hangs his head in frustration. Sarah watches her older brother for several seconds. 

“I’m sorry, Tim. This has to be horrible for you.”

“Beyond. I appreciate you helping out, I really do. At least you actually want to help me find them. The police are just… they tried a little, but once they were pretty sure that it wasn’t foul play, they kind of gave up. And Rosie is way too occupied with this custody case to throw her full self into it.”

“That’s why I’m here, okay?” Sarah says. She offers him a sympathetic look, her lips pressed together and stretched wide in a sort of comforting-but-not-happy smile. 

Finally Tim glances up at her and responds with a grateful look. “Thanks. But I’ll tell you one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“When we find them,” he says, “I’m suing for full custody of my son.”

—–

Metro Boomin’s soundtrack for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse plays on the after-market sound system in Caleb Taylor‘s car. Caleb sits back in the driver’s seat, his left arm extended over the steering wheel, while his twin brother is in the passenger seat, holding a cake box on his lap. At the sight of a traffic light turning yellow up ahead, Caleb’s foot jams down on the brake, causing the car to lurch forward.

“Jeez!” Christian exclaims, clutching both sides of the cake box. “You’re gonna make this thing go flying!”

“Would you rather I run a red light?”

“It was still yellow.”

“Mom said we should be careful with the cake,” Caleb retorts. “It’s not making it home in one piece if we get T-boned, is it?”

Christian rolls his eyes. “Why did she have to order some fancy cake just because Gabrielle’s coming for a visit? She’s two. She would eat one of those cakes you make from a boxed mix and love it.”

“Dude, I would demolish one of those cakes right now,” Caleb says. “Like the rainbow ones or whatever?”

“It’s called funfetti.”

“Okay, sorry, Rainbow Police.” Caleb cuts his gaze sideways toward his brother. “Sorry. I’ve been supportive since Prom last year! Can I at least get in a low-stakes joke?”

Christian busts out in a grin. “Fine. Yeah. You’re allowed.”

The light ahead of them turns green, and Caleb begins moving through the intersection.

“So how does it feel?” Caleb asks. “Now that Mom and Dad know and you don’t have to stress about that?”

“Weird,” Christian tells him. “Like… weird because it doesn’t feel weird? If that makes sense.”

Caleb scrunches up his face. “Kinda.”

“Deep down, I guess I knew they wouldn’t disown me or anything, but there was still that little voice in my head saying they might reject me, and… it’s a relief to be past that.”

“Good! Even if it’s super-weird you were banging a dude who was also trying to bang Uncle Jason‘s girl. That’s, like, an impressive level of shit to get into on your first try.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what I get for going on Grindr,” Christian says.

“It’s just real bad luck,” Caleb says as he steers into a righthand turn. “Don’t give up.”

“I think I’m gonna take a break on dating — or whatever that was — for a minute.”

“Jasmine said she works with a guy at the Objection store you might like.”

“Why? Because we’re both gay?”

“No,” Caleb snaps back. “She said he’s cool and, like, a little older than us and really into Taylor Swift. She can show you his pics and whatever.”

Christian throws his head back against the seat while being careful to hold onto the cake box with both hands.

“Fine,” he says. “That’s nice of her. Am I really desperate enough to put my love life in Jasmine’s hands? No offense.”

“She kinda knows what she’s doing,” Caleb says. “At least, from a straight guy’s perspective, if you know what I mean.”

“Gross,” Christian replies, and Caleb laughs as they continue driving.

—–

Paula lets out a loud gasp. “Remarried?”

“We didn’t think it was right to do it without all three of our children there,” Molly explains, “and we only have so many opportunities to be with Gabrielle right now…”

As she gazes through the glass door at Brent playing with Gabrielle while the social worker looks on, Paula says, “Don’t you want to celebrate with the entire family? And what about Brent’s father and Danielle and Josh?”

“In a perfect world, of course we would,” Molly says. “But we clearly don’t live in a perfect world, as the last few years have shown.”

“Well, I’m flattered to be included.”

“I couldn’t do this without you here, Mom.” Molly clasps Paula’s right hand between both of hers. “But I need to ask you a favor.”

“What’s that?”

“You can’t tell anyone about this. Not yet.”

“Not tell anyone? Molly, this is wonderful news! Why wouldn’t I—“

“Because Travis and Rosie are going to be angry that we did this during a supervised visit,” Molly tells her, “and Tim and Claire will jump down our throats for it. As if we have any other option.”

“That’s true.” Paula touches the nail of her index finger to her chin as she continues to observe Gabrielle out in the backyard. “I don’t suppose you’d wait until this is resolved.”

“No!” Molly shakes her head emphatically. “Mom, the judge could give her to Travis and Rosie permanently.”

“Molly—“

“I don’t want to believe it, but it’s possible. They’re good parents. I wouldn’t be able to sleep if Gabrielle were with people I didn’t know had good souls.” She draws in a deep breath through her nostrils. “I know how heartbreaking it will be for them if Brent and I are awarded custody. I love Travis. Brent speaks so highly of Rosie. Any child would be lucky to have them as parents. But Gabrielle… she’s our daughter, and we didn’t choose to give her up.”

Emotion overcomes Molly, and a sniffle escapes her. Paula quickly wraps her daughter in her arms.

“Oh, Molly. I know this is difficult.”

“Brent and I would have been back together three years ago if not for what happened when Gabrielle was born,” Molly says, clutching her mother. “All we want is one day to celebrate with all three of our kids, the way we would be if Loretta and that Dr. Longo hadn’t decided to play God. We have never had that for the entire time that Gabrielle has been alive.”

“Okay,” Paula says as she continues to embrace Molly. “I won’t tell anyone about this until you’re ready for them to know.”

—–

Sarah leans back against the sofa as she takes in what Tim has just told her.

“Really?” she ventures. “You’d try to keep TJ away from Sonja completely?”

“That’s not what I would want,” Tim responds, “It would break my heart to take TJ away from his mother. But I don’t know what other choice I have at this point. She didn’t even tell me she was pregnant… and then she went on the run when Claire and I found her in Hawaii… and now she’s on the run with him again.”

“Okay, true. It doesn’t really seem like you can trust her.”

“Not if I want to be a part of TJ’s life. And I’ve already lost way too much time with him. After all the years I lost with Travis, Samantha, and Spencer — I can’t let that happen again, Sarah.”

“I get it,” Sarah says sympathetically. “And I promise I’ll do whatever I can to help you find TJ.”

“Thanks. I wish I had any clue where Sonja might’ve taken him.”

Sarah chews on the inside of her cheek for a few seconds while she thinks.

“Maybe it would help to rewind,” she suggests.

“Rewind how?”

“To before Sonja took off. What was your last interaction with her? Did anything seem off or different?”

“Like I told you, she’d been frustrated about spending so much time in that safehouse,” Tim says. “Which I totally understood. But we didn’t have much choice while Loretta was still out there.”

“Right. And we have no reason to believe that Loretta somehow got to her,” Sarah adds.

Tim wags his head back and forth. “No. And Sonja told the overnight guard he could leave a few minutes early because I was coming over, even though she knew I wasn’t coming for a few hours. She was creating a window to get away.”

“And what was your read on her reaction to you telling her that you and Claire are back together?” Sarah asks. “Which, by the way, I’m still processing.”

“Hey, if you and Matt can get married twice, why can’t we?” he replies with a wry smile.

“Okay, you’ve got a point there.”

Tim’s grin fades as he continues, “But I’m not going to flatter myself and claim that Sonja taking off had anything to do with Claire and me. Hell, I think the only reason she insinuated she might want to give our relationship another try was so I’d let her and TJ move in with me.”

Sarah lets out a sigh. “I know Loretta is one scary bitch, but where did all of this even come from? She randomly chose Spencer’s nurse to threaten so that she’d have someone to read the results of a DNA test at a wedding, and Sonja has been hiding from her ever since? What sense does that even make?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense,” Tim says. “At least not fully. There’s something we’re missing here.”

“Do you have any idea what that missing piece might be?”

“No, but…” He trails off into a long pause. “I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something Sonja has never told me.”

“About Loretta?”

“Yeah. Maybe these threats aren’t as random as she’s made them sound.”

“You think Loretta might have targeted Sonja for a reason?” Sarah asks.

Tim finds himself nodding. “There has to be a reason — something that would give Loretta this much of a hold over Sonja, enough to make her spend years on the run like this.”

“Could Sonja have somehow crossed her?” Sarah wonders. “She did as she was told and exposed Natalie by reading the DNA results at the wedding.”

“Maybe it’s something deeper,” Tim says. “Maybe Loretta has something on Sonja — something that she needs to keep quiet so badly that she’d rather subject our little boy to life on the lam rather than have it come out.”

“What could that even be? Did Sonja ever hint at anything?”

“No,” he replies, “but the more I think about it, the more there has to be something. And if we can figure out what that thing is–“

“–maybe we can use it to lure Sonja back,” Sarah finishes the thought for him.

—–

“Cake’s in the fridge!” Caleb announces as he and Christian step down off the Taylors’ back deck. Molly, Brent, and Paula are all clustered around Gabrielle on the lawn, while the social worker stands a few feet away, observing with a neutral expression.

“You ordered a cake?” Paula asks Molly. “How nice!”

“Cake!” Gabrielle exclaims excitedly.

“Yes, there’s going to be cake,” Molly softly tells the little girl. “Do you like cake?”

Gabrielle responds by clapping her hands together and grinning broadly. Paula goes to her grandsons to hug them hello.

“It’s so good to see you boys,” Paula says. “Are you enjoying your summer breaks?”

“Hi, Grandma,” Christian says. “What are you doing here? Did you come to see Gabrielle?”

Paula cranes her neck to look at Molly and Brent.

“They don’t know?” she asks.

“Uh, guys,” Brent says. “There’s a reason your mom asked you to pick up that cake…”

—–

About fifteen minutes later, a justice of the peace in a gray suit with a red tie waits beneath a large tree toward the back of the Taylors’ yard. Christian and Caleb flank him, prepared to do their duty as witnesses, and Paula stands nearby, holding Gabrielle’s hand.

“Just so you know,” the short-haired female social worker tells Molly and Brent off to the side, “I’m going to have to include this in my report.”

Brent and Molly trade wary looks.

“We figured you would,” Brent tells her. “So the– Gabrielle’s guardians and their attorney will see that report?”

“It goes to the judge first,” the social worker explains. “But I want to be clear that I can’t keep this from anyone for you.”

“That’s okay,” Molly says. “We have nothing to hide. But we wanted our entire family here for this.”

—–

Soon afterward, Brent and Molly stand in front of the justice of the peace, facing one another and holding hands.

“I, Brent, take you, Molly to be my lawfully wedded wife,” Brent says when prompted by the justice of the peace.

“To have and to hold from this day forward,” Molly repeats when it is her turn.

“For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,” Brent says, his gaze locked onto Molly’s.

“In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,” Molly recites, “until death do us part.”

Brent squeezes Molly’s hands when he says, “Until death do us part.”

“By the power vested in me by the State of Washington,” the justice of the peace says after Molly and Brent exchange simple, gold bands, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

“Again,” Christian chimes in.

Molly and Brent chuckle before leaning in to kiss one another, sealing their union. Those assembled clap for them.

“Now when is cake?” Gabrielle asks loudly, eliciting laughter from the adults as the summer sun streams through the tree’s leaves and over the family.

END OF EPISODE 1191

Will this marriage last for Molly and Brent?
Should this affect the custody case at all?
Can Tim and Sarah find the truth about Sonja?
Talk about all this and more in the comments!

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