Previously…
– At Objection Designs’ anniversary gala, Isaac and Sienna were shocked to recognize one another. Sienna admitted to Tempest that her daughter, Noelle, is Isaac’s child.
– Travis was bereft after learning that Rosie had gone to stay with her brother in Seattle without even telling him.
– Loretta discovered that Spencer had helped Elly shake off her blackmail and blasted him for his betrayal. Fearful of what Loretta might do, Spencer and Natalie brought Peter to the gala with them.

Billie Eilish’s ethereal, yearning “Birds of a Feather” floats through the air inside the studio space where Objection Designs is holding its anniversary gala. Golden uplights warm the blank white walls, and guests in tuxedos and gowns mingle among the high-top tables wrapped in elegant white tablecloths. Florals featuring bursts of white add texture to the space, as well.

“Peter looks very handsome in his suit,” Claire Fisher says to her son. She holds a flute of champagne in her hand, and Tim Fisher stands right beside her; they are watching their young grandson, Peter, who sits on one of the velvety black sofas, playing a game on his iPad.

“I know this has to be the most boring thing on Earth for him,” Spencer Ragan says, “but we didn’t have a choice.”

“I thought you had a babysitter,” Tim replies.

“We did. But I didn’t feel too safe leaving him there.”

Claire breathes in sharply. “Why not? Did something happen?”

“Yes, but not with the babysitter.” Spencer glances over at his son again, as he has been doing every 20 seconds or so, just to ensure that he is still here. “With Loretta.”

Tim’s facial features tense. “What did she do?”

“It’s more about what I did,” Spencer explains. “She found out that I helped Elly shake off the blackmail material Loretta had on her. She said I’d betrayed her and that Peter is the last hope for a loyal family member. So, obviously…”

“You’re not going to take your eyes off him,” Claire finishes the thought. “But you can’t keep him glued to your side for the rest of your life.”

“No, this is a temporary solution,” Spencer says. “Natalie and I agreed that we couldn’t leave him. I haven’t figured out where we go from here.”

“We need to get the police involved,” Tim says. “There’s too much at stake.”

—–

Elsewhere at the busy event, Isaac Banks and Diane Bishop wait at the bar. They accept their cocktails from the bartender and turn around, only to find Isaac’s younger sister, clad in a pale yellow dress with a square neckline, waiting there.

“Sienna left,” she informs them.

“Good,” Isaac says, more than a little glibly. “Not a moment too soon.”

“What was that woman doing here?” Diane asks Tempest. “You invited her?”

“We met at the arena,” Tempest explains. “She was trying to get her daughter into the car and spilled some coffee and I went over to help her. We got to talking, and I told her there was a barista opening at Thaw, so she applied and got the job. We talk when I go in there, so I invited her to come here tonight to get, you know, a night off.”

“None of that was a coincidence,” Isaac says insistently. “You don’t know Sienna like I do.”

“And there’s a lot you don’t know, either,” Tempest says. “Her daughter — she’s yours, Isaac.”

“What?” His face crinkles up in disbelief. “There’s no way. She lies–“

“I don’t think she was lying about this. And there are, you know, ways to prove it.”

“That woman just happens to show up in King’s Bay, conveniently meets you, then finagles an invite to an event where she can run into Isaac,” Diane says. “This was all planned.”

“You know I’m not some gullible dumbass,” Tempest shoots back.

Diane groans. “I didn’t say that.”

Isaac pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes for several seconds, as if attempting to recenter himself. “I need to find out the truth about that little girl. But I’m warning you, Tempest, Sienna plays games. Don’t let yourself get caught up in them any more than you already have.”

—–

“Everything looks wonderful!” Paula Fisher exclaims as she wraps her daughter in an embrace.

“Thanks, Mom,” Molly Taylor says with a smile. She is dressed to the nines for her company’s big night, but soon enough the smile fades, revealing a troubled weariness.

“What’s the matter, dear?” Paula asks. The Fisher family matriarch wears a ruby red gown with a crimson shawl over her shoulders.

“I’m nervous to have everything go off without a hitch,” Molly responds. “I don’t know if you noticed, but we have a party crasher.”

“What? Who?” Paula’s head swivels to scan the busy event space.

“Finn is here. I have no idea why. Trevor spoke with him and thinks it’s best if we don’t escalate it into some kind of scene, but I can’t shake the feeling that he might try something.”

“What could he even do?”

“I don’t know. He was helping Gia try to take the company from me completely, so it’s possible he’s still working with her.”

Paula frowns at the prospect. “You should make sure security watches him.”

“They already are,” Molly says. “And so is Brent. Everyone has worked too hard for tonight to get derailed by a disgruntled ex-employee.”

“I’m sure everything will be fine,” Paula assures her. “This should be a wonderful night to celebrate your accomplishments, and nothing else.”

—–

Brian Hamilton sips a martini beside his wife, who is wearing a strapless silver dress and drinking a glass of white wine.

“Sometimes I forget how there’s truly never a dull moment in this town,” Brian comments. “We hadn’t been at the party for more than 60 seconds when Isaac ran into an ex he didn’t even know was in town, who had also managed to befriend his sister.”

“I can’t say I miss how crazy things can get in King’s Bay,” Kelsey says, “but I do have some nice memories of my time here, too. Like meeting you.”

Brian grins before leaning in to give her a peck on the lips. “If only we hadn’t wasted all those years in-between when we first dated and when we made it official.”

“If only you hadn’t given me very good reason to end things.”

He exhales loudly. “Okay, I guess I deserved that. But everything worked out, didn’t it? We’re happy, Simon is healthy and growing, and most of all, we don’t have to deal with this insanity on a regular basis.”

As Kelsey responds with a laugh, a man’s voice catches their attention.

“Brian Hamilton, is that you?”

Both Brian and Kelsey turn to see Andy Fitch, in a classic and well-tailored black tuxedo, standing nearby holding an old-fashioned in one hand.

“Andy! Good to see you.” Brian steps forward to shake hands with the brown-haired man. “I’m not sure if you’ve met my wife, Kelsey.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Andy says, also shaking Kelsey’s hand. “Andy Fitch.”

“Is your mother here?” Brian asks him.

“I’m afraid not,” Andy says. “She took a nasty fall a few months ago, and the recovery hasn’t been as swift as we’d hoped.”

“I’ve been meaning to call her. I should visit. Do you think she would be all right with that?”

“She’s always been very fond of you,” Andy tells him. “You’ll just have to give her plenty of notice so she can present herself the way she wants you to see her.”

“I can do that,” Brian agrees warmly.

Kelsey cocks her head to one side. “Is this the lady who bought you in an auction?”

“That would indeed be my mother,” Andy says.

With an amused smirk, Kelsey says, “I guess I missed Brian’s gigolo phase.”

“It was for a good cause!” Brian exclaims.

“And it was certainly better than the time my mother paid a record executive to send my fiancé on tour so that she’d be away from me,” Andy adds.

Brian lifts his martini glass. “To Katherine Fitch. She’s always been one of a kind.”

“To Katherine Fitch,” Andy says, as both he and Kelsey clink their glasses against Brian’s.

—–

Brent Taylor sidles up to Tim and Claire, who are waiting toward the back of the party, in a spot where they can keep an eye on the door.

“Hey,” the police commander says. “I wanted to let you know I’ve got officers on this Loretta situation.”

“Thank you,” Claire says. Simultaneously, she is grateful to have personal access to law enforcement for help with a situation as dire as this one — the threat that Loretta might kidnap Peter and disappear with him —  but also conscious of not wanting to be too effusively grateful toward Brent, given their history.

“Of course,” he replies respectfully. “I don’t want that nutjob hurting anyone else, either.”

“That trial can’t get here fast enough,” Tim says. “She shouldn’t even be out on bail in the first place.”

“I want to see her punished as badly as you do,” Brent comments. “Maybe even more. After all the time we lost with Gabrielle — and all the pain we went through when we thought she’d died…”

Claire anxiously rubs her bare arm. “There has to be something proactive we can do.”

An event worker in all black cheerily leans in while passing the trio. “Time to find your seats! The fashion show is beginning shortly.”

Brent glances around to make sure they aren’t being overheard. “Like I said, I have officers assigned to watch her. I wanted to tell you that — and one other thing.”

“What’s that?” Tim asks, a note of urgency landing in his voice.

“I have an unmarked car patrolling Spencer and Natalie’s neighborhood, just to alert me if Loretta makes any moves,” Brent tells them. “But the officers reported that the lights were all off at the house. And have been since they first checked. It might not mean anything, but we all know that woman always has another trick up her sleeve.”

Claire watches the people around them begin to move toward the other half of the space, which has been set up for the fashion show. A sudden chill runs down her spine.

“So the question is: where is Loretta right now?” she says.

At the Wild Lady, Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s twangy “I Had Some Help” plays over the speaker system. Travis Fisher sits inside the busy country-and-western-themed establishment, running his finger over the live edge of the wooden bar as his condensation-laden glass drips onto the coaster beneath it.

“You look like you could use another one… but I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” a voice declares, and Travis glances up to see his biological mother standing behind the bar. “How long have you been here?”

“Just for this drink,” Travis says. “And I’ll take an IPA.”

Kathleen Bundy considers that before shrugging. But she juts out one pink fingernail toward the car keys resting atop the bar. “I’ll make you a deal: I’ll get you that beer if you hand those to me.”

“I’m not driving. I promise,” he tells her. “Actually, could I crash in that spare room upstairs?”

“I don’t see why not,” Kathleen replies, “but don’t you have a wife to get home to?”

He lets out a heavy sigh. “No. I don’t know.”

“Oh, hon. What’s going on?”

“Rosie went to stay with her brother in Seattle for a few days,” he explains.

“I’m sorry, Trav. I know you two are working through a lot of tough stuff. Was it because of a fight you had?”

He shakes his head. “Sort of. She didn’t even tell me. Her mom did.”

Kathleen leans forward, her elbows pressing onto the bar. “Rosie’s hurting real bad. Don’t jump to any conclusions, and don’t do anything rash. Okay?”

He can hardly bring himself to nod, but does so just enough to reassure her.

“I’ll get you that beer,” she says, moving off to grab a cold glass.

Left alone, Travis’s mind spins in circles as he stares at the car keys resting on the bar next to his empty glass. The night has felt like a whirlwind, from the moment he left Juanita’s home in a daze until he wound up here to drown his sorrows, and all he wants is his regular existence back — whatever that is supposed to be.

END OF EPISODE 1238

What has Travis done?
Will the show be a success?
Is Noelle really Isaac’s child?
Discuss in the comments below!

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