Previously…
– Matt suggested that Tori, frustrated about her lack of movement in launching her adult life, come work at the restaurant with him.
– Travis and Rosie’s lawyer cross-examined Molly at the custody hearing and used her past involvements with Philip Ragan, Craig Simmons, and Eric Westin to diminish her credibility.
– Brent became more determined to get Natalie to testify about Loretta’s involvement in Rosie and Gabrielle’s kidnapping.

Outside, raindrops fall lazily upon the pavement of the parking lot. Inside the coffee house, Molly Taylor sits at a small table with her hands curled around her Americano, as the moody strains of Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves’s “I Remember Everything” fill the bohemian space.

“Do you think this will work?” Molly asks.

Across the table, Elly Vanderbilt cocks her head. “It certainly won’t hurt. It’s an aggressive tactic, but…”

“They’re the ones who put us on the offensive. Brent and I had said we weren’t going to stoop to the level of talking about Rosie‘s history. We didn’t think it would be necessary or appropriate.”

“But then they tried to spin your past,” Elly says.

Molly looks up sharply. “Their lawyer insinuated that I hired Eric Westin to kidnap Rosie and Gabrielle. That’s insane! I went out with him briefly over 20 years ago! And I’m not a maniac.”

“I know that. They know that, too. They’re desperate.”

“And so we are,” Molly replies. “At least now. I’m not letting Travis and Rosie keep our daughter because they resorted to mug-slinging and rumor-mongering. If this is how it has to be…”

“Molly.” Elly tosses some of her thick, red hair over one shoulder. “We’re going to get the job done.”

“Thank you.” Molly draws a deep breath and then touches her iPhone, which is resting on the table, to illuminate the screen. “I guess we need to head to court.”

“Let’s go,” Elly says, pushing out her chair. “I have a good feeling about this.”

—–

Natalie Bishop groans as she allows her SUV to roll forward slightly. Just as quickly as she removed it, however, she has to place her foot back on the brake. She gazes out at the seemingly endless line of vehicles waiting to exit the parking lot of Peter’s elementary school, and a procession of blaring red brake lights stares back at her.

“This is hell,” she mutters as she picks up her phone to search for a podcast to put on.

She nearly jumps out of her skin, however, when there is a knock on the passenger window. And her blood pressure only jumps higher when she sees who is there.

“I spoke too soon about hell,” she says to herself before reluctantly cracking the passenger-side window enough so that Brent Taylor can make himself heard.

“Have a minute?” he asks. “Based on what I remember of school dropoffs, I’m gonna guess the answer is yes.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you,” Brent says. “It’s urgent.”

“I’m busy.”

“No, you’re not. And I’ll be quick. Just unlock the door, Natalie. Please.”

As much as she doesn’t want to do so, she notices in her rearview mirror that the mother in the car behind her is watching the situation intently; so are two teachers standing on the curb. So she presses a button to unlock the door, hoping to neutralize the situation as quickly as possible.

“I’m pretty sure this constitutes police harassment,” Natalie says as Brent climbs into the passenger seat of the SUV.

“I’m here as a private citizen.”

“So this isn’t about Loretta?”

“Okay, it’s about Loretta,” he admits. “But Natalie, I’m here to talk to you as a parent — one who’s been through an ugly custody battle. Molly and I need your help.”

“As much as I’d love to reward your constant hounding of me, I can’t help you, Brent.”

“Yes, you can. Molly and Travis both know that you said you saw Loretta that night. And I’m willing to offer whatever it is you need in order to talk openly.”

Natalie feels a strange hitch of hope tug on her heart. The thought of potentially being rid of Loretta forever, knowing that she’d be behind bars for whatever is left of her miserable life, is so appealing. But there is too much at stake. She can’t risk it.

“I’ve told you,” she says as she takes her foot off the brake, easing the car forward a few yards as the line advances slightly. “They misheard me or something. I don’t know anything.”

“Natalie.” Brent shifts in the seat in order to face her. “Stop bullshitting me. Please.”

“I’m not bull–“

“Yes, you are. And I know why. You’re afraid of Loretta. I get it! The woman had Gabrielle and Rosie kidnapped and held hostage in a basement for days. She’s sick. I want to get her off the streets. And with your help, I can.”

Natalie can see the desperation and determination in his face. She can picture that gleefully evil gleam in Loretta’s green eyes, too. How she longs to be freed from it after all this time…

“Natalie, this custody case is getting ugly,” he says. “Travis and Rosie’s lawyer essentially accused Molly of having planned the kidnapping. If we can get a credible witness to place Loretta at the scene — then we can blow that asinine theory out of the water and look like the victims that we are in this situation. It would be a game-changer.”

He stares Natalie down as if trying to will her into accepting his offer.

“I’m willing to promise you whatever it takes,” Brent urges. “Round-the-clock protection. Anonymity. Immunity. Anything. Please.”

The proposition is so tempting that Natalie’s lips part before she can even process what has been said. Just as quickly, however, she sucks the words back in before they can emerge.

“I’m sorry,” she tells him at last. “I don’t have anything to tell you.”

He narrows his eyes at her, but she remains firm and unwavering, willing him to put an end to this.

“I’m sorry, Brent,” she says again.

After a long moment of quiet, his face falls.

“I’m sorry, too,” he says. “But if something does come to mind…”

“It won’t.”

With one final, despondent look, Brent opens the door and slides out of the SUV. Natalie grips the steering wheel hard as the line of cars creeps forward a little more, wanting nothing more than to race out of this parking lot and leave him behind.

—–

“Grandma, do you know where my dad went?” Tori Gray asks as she moves into the kitchen of the Fisher home.

Paula Fisher, who is placing her wallet into her purse at the kitchen table, glances up. “He said he had a few errands to run. Do you need something?”

“It can wait,” Tori says before letting out a heavy sigh. “I wanted to talk to him about… enh, it doesn’t matter.”

“I’m sure it does, dear. Anything you’d like to share?”

Tori hesitates before explaining, “He offered me a job at the restaurant. And as much as I don’t want to take a handout… I’ve been thinking that it might be a good idea.”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea!” Paula says. “I’m sure your father will be thrilled to hear that, too.”

“I know he will be,” Tori says with a wry smile. “It’s just… well… it doesn’t matter. I need a job. I can’t turn this one down.”

“There’s no shame in accepting help. It could be a wonderful stepping stone.”

Tori shrugs. “I hope so.”

“And you know it would’ve delighted your grandfather to have both you and Travis working at the restaurant that bears his name,” Paula adds.

“That’s a good point. I’m gonna think about it that way.” Tori leans against the back of one of the kitchen chairs. “Are you going out?”

Paula looks down at her slacks and light blue, silk blouse. “I’m going to the courthouse to– well, I don’t know.”

“Oh, the custody thing. Duh.”

“Every time I arrive, I feel as though I’m choosing sides,” Paula says, “even though all I want to do is support my daughter and my grandson. But it feels more impossible every day.”

“Mom said it’s getting kind of ugly.”

“It is, and I hate that. All this tension and resentment in the family…” Paula shakes her head. “I suppose I hope by being there that I can remind everyone of what’s ultimately most important: keeping our family together and making sure that Gabrielle has a safe, loving upbringing.”

“Yeah,” Tori agrees. “It really sucks, though. People are going to get hurt no matter what.”

Paula slowly nods as she says, “They already have been. That’s what concerns me most: that even when this is over, too much hurt will have taken place for us to put this family back together again.”

—–

“Ready to go?” Travis Fisher asks as he descends the stairs of his mother-in-law‘s home, still adjusting his tie.

“Not really,” his wife responds from beside the front door, where she is organizing Gabrielle’s diaper bag. “But I guess I need to be.”

“That’s about how I feel.” Travis reaches the bottom of his stairs, and his dress shoes clap against the tile floor. “I’m so sick of getting dressed up like this, too.”

Rosie lifts her eyebrows. “But we have to look presentable and responsible. Ties and suits and dresses mean you’re a good parent, remember?”

Travis shakes his head and approaches her. “I almost forgot. If I put on a tux, do we win this thing?”

“I wish. I’d put on a ball gown if that’s how it worked.” She takes his hands in hers. “We’re gonna get through this. We made a huge dent calling Molly’s credibility into question. I could tell.”

“I just hope it lasts,” Travis says.

“Me, too.” Rosie exhales heavily. “Ready to get going?”

“No,” he replies. “But I guess we have to.”

—–

Some time later, Molly is near the front of the courtroom, conferring with Elly and Conrad, when Brent hurries in through the door at the back of the room.

“Sorry,” he says as he reaches the plaintiffs’ table. In a quieter voice, he adds, “I was trying to get Natalie to crack.”

Conrad leans forward, intrigued. “Any luck?”

Brent shakes his head. “Unfortunately not. I swear there’s something there, but…”

“That woman can stand her ground when she wants to,” Conrad says knowingly.

“It’s okay,” Molly says, taking Brent’s arm. “We’ll be okay.”

“I hope so,” he says, his concern apparent, as the doors at the back of the room open again. Travis and Rosie stride in with their attorney, Jaimie Thompson.

“Good morning,” Jaimie says tersely as the trio makes its way to the other table. Molly, Brent, and the two attorneys all stare back at her, but none reply.

—–

Outside the courthouse, Paula pauses at the bottom of the cement stairs. The lethargic rainfall has slowed to a mere drizzle, and she feels it lightly speckling her hands, face, and ears as she regards the ominous building.

“Bill, please be with us today and until this is over,” she says, craning her neck to look up at the sky. “We all need you more than ever.”

She clenches her eyes shut, hoping for the best yet expecting the worst.

—–

“Court is now in session,” Judge Barnett declares as he raps his gavel forcefully. “Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, how would you like to begin?”

At the back of the courtroom, a door slowly opens and Paula carefully enters. A few heads turn to see who has arrived as she slides into one of the rows behind Molly and Brent.

Behind the table, Elly rises to her feet. “Your Honor, we have an additional last-minute witness to call.”

Brent brings his face close to Molly’s and whispers, “We do?”

“Just trust me,” she says before squeezing his arm.

At the other table, Jaimie immediately stands up. “Your Honor, we weren’t apprised of any additional testimony–“

“We had a need to fill in some gaps after the line of questioning that Ms. Thompson pursued with Mrs. Taylor last time,” Elly says. “My clients have every right to call an additional witness.”

“You may proceed,” Judge Barnett says.

“Thank you, Your Honor,” Elly says, as she steps out from behind the table. “I’d like to call to the stand Jesse Alfaro.”

Rosie gasps.

“Jesse?” Travis asks. “Is that–“

“Yeah,” Rosie says, eyes wide as she nods in surprise.

Alarmed, Jaimie turns toward them as she takes her seat again. “Who’s Jesse Alfaro?”

“He worked with my ex,” Rosie says under her breath. “The…”

“The drug dealer,” Jaimie says so quietly that it is barely audible at all. “Oh god.”

“Shit,” Travis says, taking in a long, slow breath as the bailiff leads in the former busboy from Bill’s on the Pier, clad in an orange jumpsuit.

END OF EPISODE 1198

What do Molly and Elly have planned with Jesse?
Are Paula’s prayers all for naught?
Should Natalie agree to Brent’s terms?
Talk about all this and more in the comments below!

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