Previously…
– Paula was released from the hospital following her heart attack and bypass surgery.
– Molly and Brent visited Travis and Rosie to propose that they settle the custody suit without returning to court, but the latter couple were not willing to concede custody of Gabrielle.
– The Fisher family, torn asunder by the custody case, remained separated for the Thanksgiving holiday.

“This cake your mother brought looks incredible,” Claire Fisher says as her daughter-in-law enters the kitchen of Tim Fisher’s house, where a faction of the family has gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Rosie Jimenez forces a wan smile. “She insisted on not showing up empty-handed.”

“You can never have too much dessert on a holiday.”

“Do you know where Travis went?” Rosie asks. “I thought he’d be in here…”

“He checked on the potatoes a little while ago…” Claire, who is putting aluminum foil over a baking dish containing green bean casserole, glances around as if she might have somehow overlooked her son’s presence. “…but I haven’t seen him in ten minutes or so.”

“I’ll find him.”

Claire turns to face Rosie, leaning back against the countertop. “How are you all doing? I know you must not be in the holiday mood.”

Folding her arms, Rosie lets out a sigh. “We’re okay. Hanging in there, I guess.”

“I wish there were something we could do. Gabrielle seems like she’s in good spirits, at least.”

“Totally. She has all three grandparents and her parents here, and she knows there’s cake and pie for later. On one hand, I’m happy that she’s oblivious to what’s going on — but it kills me to think that her entire life could be pulled out from under her one day, and she wouldn’t understand at all.”

“I’m so sorry, Rosie.”

“Thanks.” Through the glass door that leads out to the backyard, Rosie sees movement out of the corner of her eye. She cranes her neck and sees her husband standing out there.

“Travis is in the yard,” she says. “I’m going to go check on him.”

Claire nods, and Rosie passes through the kitchen and opens the sliding door. Travis turns with a start; he is wearing only a sweater, without a coat, and he has his arms crossed against the cold.

“What’s going on?” she asks as she closes the door and joins him.

“Just thinking. I’m waiting for the turkey to finish, and…” He stares off into the distance, where a few bare-branched trees stretch over the top of the fence. “I feel like we’re on Death Row or something.”

“We’ll get back into that courtroom after the holiday and fight back. Jaimie will think of a strategy.”

He exhales heavily, and curls of his cold breath lift off into the sky.

“What if they’re right?” he says, and Rosie doesn’t even need to ask for clarification. She knows exactly who they are.

“Your aunt and uncle came over to bully us into submission,” Rosie counters. “On a holiday, which is gross. Don’t let them get under your skin.”

“Too late,” Travis says. The desperation in his eyes is plain to see. “They are Gabrielle’s biological parents. We can’t change that. And now they can make a solid case that someone purposely stole her from them. What if that’s all the judge needs to award them custody?”

—–

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Molly Taylor says as she stoops down to give her mother a hug. Paula Fisher, who is stationed on the sofa in her own living room while the rest of the family prepares the holiday meal, embraces her eldest daughter warmly.

“Happy Thanksgiving, dear,” Paula says with palpable gratitude. After the near death experience of the heart attack she recently suffered, she is simply thankful to be in her home at all, let alone with so many loved ones around her; still, she longs for the rest of the family — those celebrating elsewhere because of the fractures in the clan — to be here, as well.

“You’re looking good, Paula,” Brent Taylor says before Molly steps back and he, too, bends down to hug his mother-in-law. “Feeling better?”

“I’m getting there,” she says as she settles back into the sofa. “Where are the twins?”

“They’re driving separately,” Molly says. “Caleb wanted to have his car in case he needs to go see Jasmine later.”

“At their age, I appreciate them coming at all,” Paula responds. “Dinner shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“Smells great in here,” Brent comments.

Molly agrees with a nod. “I just hope they’re using less butter and oil. We need to be careful with your heart!”

“Oh, give me a break,” Sarah Fisher Gray says with annoyance as she arrives in the doorway between the dining room and the living room. “What do you think we’re trying to do, kill Mom?”

“Sarah, dear,” Paula says from the sofa.

Sarah ignores their mother and looks squarely at Molly: “Oh, wait. You’re the one who did that with your little stunt in court.”

—–

Toward the back of the Fisher house, Jason Fisher and Sabrina Gage stand in the den. A fire crackles in the hearth as the couple admires some old family photos.

“Is this from Tim and Claire’s wedding?” Sabrina asks as she picks up a silver picture frame. “Wow, it’s all very…”

“Nineties?” Jason says with a laugh. “Yeah. I don’t know what I was thinking with the frosted tips.”

She turns to him with a wink. “You do look nice in your tuxedo, though.”

Jason gives her a peck on the lips. “Thanks. I remember I kept asking Tim if all the groomsmen could wear Jordans instead of dress shoes…”

Sabrina grimaces. “I’m glad he said no.”

“I was a teenager!” he fires back with a laugh.

“When, in the 1900s?” Sophie Fisher asks as she enters the room with a plate full of appetizers in her hand.

Jason turns toward his teenage daughter with consternation. “It was the 90s, not Prohibition.”

“Prohi-what?”

“Never mind,” he says. “How are things out there?”

“Fine. Billy wants me to do some TikTok dance with him, which, like…” She shudders. “I wanted to see if you guys wanted any food.”

“Thanks, Sophie,” Sabrina says with some amount of surprise. “What do you have?”

“Crackers… some weird-looking cheese… those fig things wrapped in bacon…”

“They’re dates,” Jason says. “And they’re delicious. I’ll take one. Thank you.”

He selects one off the plate, as Sabrina contemplates her own choice.

“I’m going to pass on the weird-looking cheese, but I’ll take a few carrots,” she says. “We’ll come out there in a minute and find some stuff for ourselves, too.”

“Okay.” Sophie shrugs and then pops a piece of the cheese in her mouth. “Even weirder once you eat it,” she comments as she floats out of the room.

“That was nice of her,” Sabrina says once the teen has disappeared from the den.

“No kidding,” Jason replies. “If you had told me that, by the end of the year, we’d have finally made progress on that front…”

“I hope I’m winning her over.”

“If you weren’t, she’d be letting us know at every turn. Don’t worry.”

Sabrina chuckles and takes a bite of one of the mini-carrots. “That’s a good point. Then I’m glad I decided to stick around King’s Bay for Thanksgiving. Any progress I can make with Sophie is a win.”

“You know, I’m really thankful that you stayed.”

“I couldn’t go back to Iowa when you were so worried about your mom.”

“Well, luckily she seems like she’s on the mend,” Jason tells her, “and I get to spend the holiday with my girlfriend and my family, so it’s a win-win.”

“Good.” Sabrina pops the rest of the carrot into her mouth. “I am still going to go home for Christmas, though. I miss my parents.”

“Of course. I’d never hold that against you. But I was thinking…”

She cocks her head to the side. “What?”

“Maybe Christmas is the wrong time,” he says, “but it could be time for me to go back with you sometime and meet them. Don’t you think? You’ve met my entire family…”

Sabrina’s mouth broadens into a smile. “I’d really like that. I bet my parents would, too.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. They think I’m living this mysterious life on the west coast. Besides, they might think I’m making you up,” she says, grinning.

—–

Out in the living room, Molly gasps at Sarah’s outburst.

“Sarah,” Paula says sternly.

“Come on, Sarah,” Brent chimes in. “That’s not what Molly meant.”

“Then why is she acting like Matt is too stupid to know how to make some healthier food for Mom? We’re the ones living here and helping her out around the clock.”

“I was only asking a question,” Molly says.

Sarah sets her jaw and stares down her sister. Matt, his white t-shirt sporting a few drops of grease, hurries in from the dining room.

“Let’s just chill out,” he says quietly to his wife.

Sarah turns toward him and then, with a heavy exhale, relents. She shoots Molly a final glare before heading back toward the kitchen with Matt.

“I don’t know why she always has to assume the worst,” Molly says.

Before Paula or Brent can respond, the sounds of the front door opening and new guests arriving fill the space. They look to see Spencer and Peter wiping their feet and removing their coats.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Spencer says as he takes Peter’s hand and leads him into the living room, while balancing a pie box on the palm of his other hand.

“I’m so glad you both made it,” Paula says, joy once again overtaking her expression. “Happy Thanksgiving, Peter.”

The little boy shyly buries his head against his father’s hip but waves at his great-grandmother.

“He’ll warm up,” Spencer says. He hands Peter the pie box. “Why don’t you go bring this to the kitchen?”

Peter takes the box with both hands. “Is Sophie here?”

“She’s around here somewhere,” Paula tells him.

“I’m gonna find her!” Peter shouts, and then he takes off with the pie.

“Careful with that!” Spencer calls after his son. Then he turns his attention to Paula. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m all right, dear,” she says. “I’m happy to be home for the holiday. How are you doing?”

As Spencer is mulling his answer, he is all too aware of Brent and Molly hovering nearby.

“I’m okay,” he answers. “Things have been a little hectic at home, what with… Loretta and all.”

“We hope you know that none of this reflects on how we feel about you — or Peter,” Molly interjects. “It’s about what that woman has done to our family.”

“I get that,” Spencer says. “It’s complicated. For the time being, we’re telling Peter that his Mimi is on a trip.”

Brent dips his head in a nod. “That makes sense.”

“Have you seen her?” Molly asks.

Spencer hesitates.

“You don’t have to answer that,” Brent says.

“I went to see her once,” Spencer says. “She was pretty sure she’d get bail. I’m not surprised she didn’t.”

“This is all so unpleasant,” Paula says before letting out a sigh. “I just wish we could all finally have some peace.”

“I want that, too,” Spencer agrees. “Listen, I’m gonna go make the rounds before we have to go to Tim’s.”

“We’re really glad you’re here, dear,” Paula tells him, but her face falls once he walks away.

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Molly asks.

Paula gazes into the dining room, where Spencer is now chatting with Tori.

“I hate that it has to be this way,” she says at last. “Not having all my children and grandchildren here… it’s so awful.”

“It won’t be this way forever,” Brent says.

Molly softly sits down on the arm of the sofa beside her mother. “We’re going to work this all out and put this family back together. I promise.”

—–

Matt leads Sarah back into the kitchen, which feels at least ten degrees warmer than the rest of the house thanks to the heat being generated by the oven and stove.

“Today’s not the day,” he says.

Sarah lets out a huff. “She always comes marching in here like she has all the answers and we’re all too stupid to have thought of the most obvious things.”

Matt takes a deep breath before responding, “I know your sister pushes your buttons. I get it. But you two going at it isn’t gonna do your mom any good.”

She stares at him with a frown before finally melting. “Fine. Why do you always have to be right?”

“You think I’m always right? I’m gonna write that down for next time…”

“Shut up,” she says, playfully swatting at his chest. “Thanks for calming me down.”

“It’s what I’m here for,” Matt says with a grin. “Now what do you say we get this food on the table?”

“I like that. But you’re saying I shouldn’t poison Molly’s food, right?”

With a laugh, Matt shakes his head and goes to the oven to check on the turkey.

—–

In the backyard of Tim’s house, both Travis and Rosie do their best to ignore the November cold.

“You’re not saying you think we should give up, are you?” she asks.

“No,” he answers quickly, but then he adds, “I don’t know.”

“I’m not handing Gabrielle over to them just because they intimidated us.”

“I didn’t say that we should. I don’t want to.” Travis hangs his head and stuffs his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I just don’t know what we’re supposed to do anymore.”

“We fight,” Rosie says, stepping around to place herself in front of him. “We keep fighting. For our daughter and our family.”

Travis mulls this over for a lengthy moment. “Yeah. I guess that’s all we can do.”

“It is.”

“I should check on the turkey,” he says. “I don’t want it to get too dry.”

“Travis…”

“You’re right,” he adds, as he moves to the sliding door. “I know you are.” He doesn’t allow her time to respond before he slips back inside the house.

Rosie remains in the yard, not quite ready to rejoin the festivities. She can’t quite shake the defeated, vacant look in her husband’s eyes — as if he has already accepted that there is only one way for this situation to end.

Then I’ll have to fight hard enough for all of us, she thinks.

END OF EPISODE 1204

Is the case going to cause a rift between Rosie and Travis?
Was Sarah wrong to lose her cool with Molly?
What would you like to see for Jason and Sabrina in 2024?
Discuss all this and more in the comments below!

Next Episode