Previously…
– Everyone gathered for the grand opening of Bill’s on the Pier.
– Sarah was irate when Zane showed up as Tori’s date, even though she paid him the money he was blackmailing her for.
– Kathleen became insecure after Jimmy and Danielle performed a song together and ran out of the restaurant.
– Rosie was stunned to recognize one of the busboys, Jesse, from her past.

The sights, sounds, and delicious smells of the restaurant’s grand opening swirl all around Rosie Jimenez as she walks toward the back hallway, where the ladies’ room is located. When she passes the swinging doors that lead into the kitchen, however, she stops and glances through them. Her boyfriend is visible through one of the small window panes, and Rosie’s face lights up as she watches him work. She is about to move out of the way when one of the doors swings open.

“Coming through!” a busboy calls as he carries a pitcher of water out of the kitchen.

“Sorry,” Rosie says, but she stops dead before she can even finish the word fully. The busboy freezes, too, as their stares lock upon one another.

“Jimenez? The hell are you doing here?” he asks in disbelief.

Rosie feels panic rising inside her, but she forces herself to shift into professional mode — a mode in which fear is simply not an option. “I could ask you the same thing, Jesse.”

“I work here. That’s not a crime. So don’t think about going all KBPD on me.” He smirks, as Rosie’s nerves tingle. “Yeah, I know you became a cop. Never saw that one coming.”

She glances around nervously. “How did you know that?”

“You hear things.”

“Do you still talk to–” But she cuts herself off before the question is out, because she sees Travis emerging from the kitchen.

“Hey,” he says as he sidles up beside Rosie. “What’s up, Jesse? You guys know each other?”

—–

“This is never gonna work, Jimmy. It’s time we both admitted that.”

Out on the pier, Kathleen Bundy stares sadly at her date, who is slack-jawed with confusion.

“What are you talking about?” Jimmy Trask asks as he moves closer to her.

“You and me — this has been fun, but we both know it can’t last.”

“You’re talking crazy. Everything was fine a few minutes ago. Now you, what? Wanna break up?”

“I don’t want to!” Emotion spills out of her voice as the declaration tears out of her. “But I saw you in there, with Danielle, and…”

Jimmy’s face screws up. “Danielle? What does she have to do with this?”

“You and her — you just make sense together. You have a kid together. And the way you perform together…”

“Danielle and I haven’t had a thing in more than 20 years! Where in tarnation is this coming from?”

Kathleen folds her arms across the front of her magenta dress; the autumn cold is insisting on making its presence known.

“I’m just some lunchlady from Tacoma,” she finally says. “I don’t do fancy things. I can’t sing or play a guitar or dance, or…”

“You really think those are the reasons I’d be with someone?” Jimmy pushes through the invisible forcefield that she has put up between them and takes her hands. “Do you remember what you said to me back when we met at the chili cookoff?”

With big, sad eyes, she looks up at him.

“You said, ‘I’m a wild lady, and I like wild things,’” he tells her. “And if that isn’t the truth, I don’t know what the hell is. You are the life of every party, Kath. You bring this, this joy, that’s completely infectious. You go to work every day, and you spruce up every one of those kids’ lives. You make the whole damn world brighter.”

Kathleen gazes out to the dark, shimmering surface of the bay as she listens to him.

“But Danielle, and Claire, these women you’ve been with,” she says, “they’re so skinny and pretty and classy–”

“This is not about them. It’s about you and me. And I think you’re about the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do! It’s been a long, long time since I felt like this about anyone, and you know what? It hurts me to hear you putting yourself down like that.”

Kathleen shakes her head. “I just don’t wanna get all caught up in this and then get the rug pulled from under me. Life has had this way of sneakin’ up on me right when I get comfortable…”

“Then let’s get comfortable together.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Why’s that?” He thinks for a split-second before dropping down to one knee.

Kathleen gasps loudly. “Jimmy, what are you doing?”

“I’m showing you how much I care.”

“You’re crazy!”

“Crazy for you, baby.” He slides a bulky ring off his right hand. “My old high school ring is gonna have to do for now. Kathleen Bundy, would you do me the pleasure — no, the downright honor — of being my wife?”

She covers her mouth in shock.

“You gonna leave me hanging?” he asks, grinning. “This dock isn’t exactly soft.”

“Jimmy…” A laugh and a sob somehow escape her throat at the same time. “Of course I will!”

He slides the ring onto her left hand and then scrambles back to his feet. “We’re getting married!” He turns to the bay and shouts into the night, “Y’all hear that? We’re getting married!” And then he kisses his fiancée long and hard to prove how much he means it.

—–

As the waitstaff clears the salads and brings out the next course — a sampler containing cups of the clam chowder and chili — Spencer Ragan excuses himself from his table and maneuvers his wheelchair over to where his cousin and her boyfriend are seated.

“You must be Zane,” he says as he shakes the other man’s hand. “I’m guessing Tori told you…”

“About the memory thing? Yeah. I’m glad to hear that you’re getting better,” Zane Tanaka says.

“You look really good,” Tori Gray adds. “How’s physical therapy?”

“I still feel like shit,” Spencer says. He looks past them, toward Landon Esco, who seems anything but thrilled to see Spencer as he finishes his salad in very deliberate silence.

Spencer diverts his gaze and addresses Tori and Zane again: “I just want to be back to normal. That therapist Tim hired is a drill sergeant when we’re working.”

“Really?” Tori says. “She seems kind of, I don’t know, meek.”

“That’s how she tricks you. I mean, I guess it’s good for me, but the work sucks. And I still can’t walk. I can’t even imagine getting back to living on my own right now — not that I can remember where I live.”

Tori sets down her water glass. “Your house is really cool. You don’t remember it at all?”

He shakes his head. “Not even a little. Honestly…” He leans forward in the wheelchair and lowers his voice. “There’s stuff that I know I have there, but I can’t ask Tim to go get it because I don’t have a clue where it is. He went and got some clothes and stuff, but still.”

“Like what?” Tori asks. “I can go pick stuff up for you.”

“Like…” Spencer casts a quick glance in Landon’s direction. “My weed and pipe. Do you know how nice it would be to just chill out at night? I am so bored.”

“Try and give me some clues about where it could be, and I’ll go over to the house and pick up whatever you need,” his cousin tells him.

They clam up as Helen Chase approaches their table.

“I thought I’d come over and say hello while we wait for the next course,” the older woman says. “Zane, welcome back! Tori, you must be delighted to have him here.”

Tori beams brightly as she leans against Zane. “I am.”

“Good to see you, Mrs. Chase,” Zane says.

“Hi, Mrs. Chase,” Landon chimes in.

“Oh, Landon! Hello! It’s been so long. How’s your new apartment?”

Landon quickly finishes chewing a large bite of his salad. “It’s good. Thinking about getting a lava lamp, but I have to convince Travis it’s a good idea.”

“It’s not a good idea,” Tori says with a laugh.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Helen says. “It could be kind of… what’s the word… groovy?”

“See?” Landon says, setting down his fork declaratively. “This lady knows what she’s talking about!”

—–

At a nearby table, Sophie Fisher busies herself with an iPad, while the teenagers talk amongst themselves and wait for the next course.

“You must practice, like, nonstop,” Marcus Gray is saying to Bree Halston.

“Usually six days a week,” she says, “between on-ice and off-ice training.”

“That’s intense. It’s really impressive.”

On the other side of the table, Caleb Taylor rolls his eyes at Marcus’s flattery.

Bree shrugs bashfully. “It’s just something I love doing. But I’m sure you get it. You play football, don’t you?”

“I’m only the kicker,” Marcus says. “My dad’s the coach, so he sort of makes me play.”

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s fine.”

“Oh, man, it’s awesome,” Caleb cuts in. “Football season is the best. I’m gonna be starting quarterback for the JV team next year.”

“That’s great, Caleb,” Bree says sweetly.

“That isn’t, like, guaranteed,” Christian Taylor says.

Caleb turns sharply to his twin. “Shut up.”

“Bree got first place at Regionals last month,” Sophie announces, without looking up from her tablet.

“I watched some of the video of your program when your dad was showing it to Mom,” Christian says. “You were really good.”

“Thanks.” Bree smiles as her cheeks grow rosier. “Sectionals is next week in Spokane. The field is going to be a lot harder than Regionals was.”

“I bet you’re gonna go awesome,” Marcus says.

“Hey,” Caleb interrupts, pointing to a waiter refilling wine glasses at the next table. “What do you think the odds are that we can score some booze?”

“I’m telling!” Sophie declares, though she still doesn’t look up from her reading.

Caleb groans. “There’s nothing to tell. I was joking.” Then, to Christian, he mouths, “I wasn’t joking.”

“I feel like we shouldn’t push our luck tonight,” Christian says. “I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“Me, neither,” Bree says, and Marcus nods dutifully beside her.

“Fine,” Caleb says, “but they really oversold this thing when they said it was gonna be a party.”

—–

Near the kitchen, Rosie sees Jesse’s mouth start to open, and her heart rate spikes.

“I was just asking if he could refill the waters at our table,” she blurts out. “I think we got missed in the last round. And everyone’s drinking, so…”

Jesse throws her a sideways glance.

“I’m gonna go take care of that,” he says before heading off with the pitcher of water.

“Are you okay?” Travis asks Rosie. “You seem jumpy.”

“Me? I’m fine.” Her heart keeps thudding against the inside of her chest. “The salads were great. I was just about to go use the ladies’ room. Landon showed up, by the way. You should go say hi.”

Travis cocks an eyebrow as his girlfriend rambles. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Believe me, I’m more than okay.” Eager to get to the ladies’ room so that she can gather herself, she plants a quick kiss on his lips. “Go see Landon. I’ll be right over.”

“Okay.”

She dips into the hallway and through the door into the pristine, new restroom. Once she is locked inside a stall, she lets out the breath that she has been holding in ever since she saw Jesse’s face emerge from the kitchen. She knows that there is one thing that she has to do, as much as she would rather not: she needs to find a way to talk to Jesse alone.

—–

Tim Fisher thanks the waitress as she clears the empty salad plates from Table Three. Beside him, Sonja Kahele quietly sips a glass of pinot grigio.

“Are you having a nice time?” Tim asks.

Sonja turns. “I am. Your family and friends throw such nice parties. It’s just…” She scans the room, with its wood-paneled walls, beautiful floral arrangements, and slew of activity. “A little overwhelming. I usually don’t go out like this.”

“It’s good to cut loose every now and then.”

“Yeah. It is. You’ve all done such a nice job with this event tonight. It sounds like your father would have a lot to be proud of.”

“I hope so,” Tim says wistfully.

She places her wine glass back on the table. “You really miss him, don’t you?”

“More than you can imagine. One day, he was here and so alive, and the next…” He sighs. “I’m sure you’ve seen the news about what happened.”

Sonja purses her lips. “I didn’t mean to pry. But yes, I Googled your family before I accepted the job. Losing your father and your brother that way must have been so hard.”

“It’s been a rough few years. And then almost losing Spencer…”

“Spencer is going to be just fine,” she says. “He’s getting better every day. Even if he’s a little impatient.”

“A little?”

“Okay, maybe a lot. But he’s improving.” She hesitates before continuing. “I hope I’m not overstepping my bounds here — and please, if I am, tell me to be quiet — but there’s something I’ve been wondering about. The news articles all said Spencer was Philip Ragan’s brother, but he’s also your son? And Claire’s? I’ve been confused.”

“It’s a long, complicated, really messed-up story.” He looks around the restaurant, noticing that Spencer is occupied with Tori, as he gathers his thoughts. “The short version is that Claire’s father, James, was a maniac, and right after Spencer was born, James kidnapped him.”

“Oh my gosh!”

“When we got him back, well… we actually got a different baby. James kept our biological son to raise with his wife, who was also Philip’s mother. We didn’t find out the truth until a few years ago.”

“So Travis is the son you raised,” she says, putting the pieces together out loud.

“Right. It’s been a tough road with Spencer. Loretta was the only parent he ever knew, and when the truth came out, he wasn’t exactly keen on trusting us. In some ways, his accident has been a way of starting fresh. I hate that it happened to him, but his attitude since he found out about the things Philip did has been…” He shrugs, searching for words. “It’s like he finally is willing to accept us as his family — and not just accept us, but really make it work.”

She offers a kind smile in response. “That’s great. And what about this… Loretta woman? Do they have contact?”

“From time to time, I think. Or they did before his accident. She’s in prison.”

“Prison!”

“She did a lot of very bad things,” Tim says. “Spencer didn’t want to believe any of that at first, either, but she hasn’t even bothered denying any of it. So his entire world has really been rocked.”

Sonja is quiet for a long moment before she says, “It definitely sounds like it.”

Tim snaps out of his thoughts and turns to watch her. She seems preoccupied, lost in her own musings.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, everything’s fine.” She reaches for her wine again. “Just processing everything you’ve said, that’s all. It’s a lot. But I’m glad you feel comfortable opening up to me.”

“You make it easy,” Tim says. “I can see why you’re so good at your job.”

—–

Travis is headed to check in with his roommate when he spots Kathleen and Jimmy reentering the restaurant.

“Oh, Trav!” Kathleen says, waving. “C’mon over here.”

“What’s up?” Travis asks as he joins them.

“Jimmy and I have something to tell you,” she says. “Something exciting.”

Travis scans their faces. “Yeah…?”

“Go on,” Jimmy says, beaming.

Kathleen draws a deep breath and then holds up her hand. Travis instantly sees the ring on her finger.

“Is that a class ring?” he asks.

“It’s temporary,” Jimmy explains. “A placeholder kinda thing. I had to think on my feet.”

“Jimmy just asked me to marry him!” Kathleen says. “Just a minute ago.”

“Whoa.” Travis shakes his head in disbelief. “Really? That’s awesome. Congratulations, you guys.” He fumbles for a moment before pulling Kathleen into a hug; this sort of closeness is still new to both of them, but it’s becoming more natural as time goes by.

“Hold on a second,” Landon says as he walks up to them. “Am I crazy, or did I just see some serious bling being waved around?”

Kathleen nods, unable to keep a smile from consuming her face. “Sure did. Jimmy and I are getting married.”

“That definitely calls for a hug!” Landon wastes not a second in embracing his friend’s mother.

“I’m gonna do right by your mom,” Jimmy says to Travis. “I promise.”

The men shake hands.

“I believe you,” Travis says. “You guys are going to be really happy.”

“You sure are. Now come here!” Landon says as he bombards Jimmy with a hug, too.

—–

“Aunt Natalie,” Samantha Fisher says as she approaches the display case in the entryway, where Natalie and Bree are looking over the Fisher family photos and memorabilia from the old Fisherman’s Pier restaurant that used to stand on this very pier. “I’ve been meaning to find a chance to come talk to you.”

“Oh, it’s good to see you, Sam,” Natalie says, greeting her with a hug. “How are you holding up?”

Samantha raises one shoulder uneasily. “Fine, I guess.”

Natalie rubs her niece’s arm in a comforting gesture. “I’m so sorry you have to go through all this with your mother. Jason and Alex told me.”

“I feel so bad that I missed Alex and Trevor’s wedding,” Samantha says. “It looked so nice. I brought Trevor a gift and apologized, but I still feel guilty.”

“No one blames you for sitting that out,” Natalie says. “And those guys would never hold it against you.”

“I hope they’re having fun on their honeymoon.”

“Alex sent Jason some photos,” Bree offers. “It looks really cool.”

“I think they’re really living it up in Havana.” Natalie softens her tone as she changes the topic. “But Sam, for real — you can always turn to us. We’re always here for you. I know your mother is trash–”

“Mom!” Bree says.

“Well, it’s true. I just want you to know that Bree and I are always here if you need us, and no one judges you because of the things Diane has done.”

“Thanks.” Samantha gazes down at the floor as thoughts surge through her head. “What’s weird is that I’ve never really felt like I was a Bishop — Mom kind of kept me away from all of you. But now I feel like I don’t belong with the Fishers, either.”

“Don’t say that,” Bree tells her. “We love you, Sam.”

“She’s right. We do.” Natalie takes her niece by the shoulders, forcing her to make eye contact. “The Fishers do, too. No one thinks any less of you or loves you less because of what Diane did. Do you hear me?”

Samantha feels her emotions swelling, but she manages to nod. “Thank you.”

—–

When Zane’s phone buzzes in his pocket, he immediately has a feeling what this might be about. Sure enough, he is right. With Tori and Spencer still chatting with Helen, and Landon having gone over to see Travis, he is easily able to slip away on the pretense of using the men’s room. Instead, he darts toward the restaurant’s front door.

“Over here,” a voice beckons him in a loud whisper.

He finds Sarah down at the end of the pier, far from the restaurant’s main entrance.

“Do you have a death wish?” he says as he approaches her.

“Is that a threat?”

“No. But someone’s going to see us talking.”

“At this point, I have nothing to lose.” Nevertheless, she casts a wary glance toward the front of the restaurant. “I got you the money like you asked, and you’re still here. What else do I have to do?”

“Why does it matter? I like Tori.”

Sarah is about to respond when she sees the front door opening. But then she sees her sister exit the building, look around, and head toward them. Molly’s stilettos clatter against the wooden pier, echoing into the night.

“What’s going on out here?” she asks. “Sarah, I told you to at least wait–”

“I don’t want to wait,” Sarah says. “This creep took a hundred thousand dollars and then went back on his word.”

“Because I like your daughter,” Zane says. “What’s so bad about that?”

“Oh, what mother hasn’t dreamed of her daughter finding a nice guy who obstructs justice, blackmails people, and uses her as a pawn in a sick game?”

“I’m not using her.”

Sarah slaps her hand down on the railing. “Do you think I’m an idiot? You got close to her so you could put the screws to me and get the money that I managed to avoid giving you the first time you blackmailed me–”

“Yeah, maybe,” he admits. “But I’ve grown to like her. A lot. I wouldn’t have come back if I didn’t. Not everything is about you, lady.”

Sarah lets out a growl and lunges at him. Molly inserts herself between them in time to keep her sister from actually attacking Zane.

“Let go of me,” Sarah orders.

“Zane, go back inside,” Molly says. “This is not the time or the place.”

He holds up his hands in a show of innocence. “I didn’t want to come out here in the first place. I’m going back to my date. You ladies have a great night.”

“Ugh,” Sarah moans as she watches Zane retreat back up the pier and inside the restaurant. “I’m not letting him get away with this.”

Molly finally lets go of Sarah.

“What else are you supposed to do?” she asks. “Maybe we can get the money back–”

“It isn’t about the money,” Sarah says. “It’s about my daughter being lied to and manipulated by a common criminal. I know I’ve made some mistakes, but I won’t let him hurt her. I won’t — if it’s the last thing I do.”

—–

Spencer excuses himself to return to his own table. Helen slips into the chair that Zane just vacated, beside Tori.

“You know, Victoria,” she says, “I heard you offer to go over to Spencer’s house and pick up some of his things.”

“Yeah, I figure he must be going a little crazy,” Tori says.

“Well, if you’d like any help, I’d be happy to go with you.”

“Really? Why?”

Helen waves a hand through the air, trying to seem as casual as possible. “I’m sure it will be difficult to see that house and think about what happened to him there. I’m happy to go along for moral support.”

“You don’t have to do that–”

“Oh, I insist! Maybe we can make an afternoon out of it. We can get manicures, and you can tell me all about that handsome beau of yours!”

“It’s a deal,” Tori says.

Helen grins. “Wonderful.”

If there’s something inside that house that will prove what Sabrina Gage did to Spencer, Helen thinks, I’m going to find it.

—–

Spencer is returning to his table when he sees Travis wrapping up a chat with Tim, Sonja, Jason, and Natalie. He is about to redirect his wheelchair, but as Travis turns to head back toward the kitchen, the two young men find themselves face-to-face.

“Hey,” Travis says. Awkwardness hangs over them like a raincloud forever on the verge of bursting. “Uh, glad you’re doing okay. Everyone was pretty worried about you.”

“Thanks.”

Spencer looks him over. His white chef’s coat has a few stains and splotches from his long day in the kitchen; Spencer has a few memories of Bill appearing in a very similar way. He can see Travis evaluating him, too, and he can almost see the gears turning in Travis’s head. It’s as if each of them is sizing up the other, trying to figure out what life would be like if they hadn’t been switched.

“Everything turned out great tonight,” Spencer says. “You guys did an awesome job. I think Bill would be really happy.”

Travis blinks with surprise. “Oh. Uh, thanks. That’s really nice.”

“It’s the truth. Anyway, I’ll let you get back–”

“Yeah, I should– yeah. Hope you have fun tonight.”

With that, Travis peels off. Spencer wheels himself back to the table and realizes that Tim was observing the whole interaction from afar.

“Everything okay?” Tim asks his son.

Spencer nods. “Actually, yeah.”

—–

While the soup course is being cleared, Rosie manages to catch Jesse’s eye.

“I’m gonna run to the ladies’ room again,” she tells the others at her table, hoping that Jesse comprehends what she is saying.

A minute later, she is waiting in the back hallway when he appears.

“Look,” he says with annoyance. “I don’t know nothing. I haven’t heard from him in forever.”

Rosie narrows her eyes at him, unsure whether to trust him. “I thought you’d left town, too. Then I saw you at 322 a while back. I thought it might mean he was back, too.”

He bobs his head emphatically from side to side. “I know shit went sideways with you guys–”

“That’s putting it lightly.”

“–but I’m out of that whole thing now. No more drugs, no more shit like that. So if you think I’m gonna help you find him or whatever–”

“I didn’t say that.” She does her best to keep her voice even and measured, but it unnerves her that he can read her intentions so well.

“Well, you’re a cop now, and you know how I feel about cops. I don’t trust ‘em.”

“I don’t want any trouble, Jesse,” she says. “I just want to feel safe, okay? I became a cop so that I could protect people… the way I couldn’t protect my own family.”

At the end of the hallway, Travis is walking back toward the kitchen when he spots Rosie. He is about to go over to her when he realizes who she’s talking with — and how they serious they look.

“What the hell?” he mutters, ducking out of sight as his mind floods with more questions than ever about what his girlfriend is hiding from him.

END OF EPISODE 899

Should Travis confront Rosie about Jesse?
Is there anything Sarah can do about Zane?
Will Kathleen and Jimmy have a happy marriage?
Talk about all this and more in the comments below!

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