Previously…
– Helen enlisted Sabrina’s help in acquiring a DNA sample from Spencer that could be used to test Peter’s paternity.
– Alex was stunned to receive an invitation to the premiere of the movie based on his debut novel, for which he was supposed to cowrite the screenplay with Liam before Liam lashed out and got him fired from the project.
– With Spencer’s treatment nearly complete, Sonja prepared to move out of the house. She secretly went to visit Loretta Ragan, whom she thinks has been paying her to keep Spencer’s memory at bay — unaware that her real boss is Natalie.

 

“It’s so nice out,” Sabrina Gage says as she enters the house.

“Finally,” Spencer Ragan agrees as he closes the door behind his visitor. “I feel like it’s been raining for six years.”

“I’m still not used to that. The Iowa winters could be brutal, but the rain here just goes on and on…” Sabrina turns around and looks Spencer over. “You look really healthy. I bet you’re ready to get outside this summer.”

“You have no idea.” He waves for her to follow him and leads the way to the living room of his father’s house. “You want anything? Water? La Croix? Coffee? It’s a little early for a drink, but…”

“La Croix would be great,” Sabrina says, and she seats herself on the couch as Spencer disappears into the kitchen for water. Her body vibrates with nervous energy; as much as she genuinely did want to come see Spencer and check on his progress, she is all too aware of her ulterior motive for coming here today. 

He returns with two cans of sparkling water in hand. There is only the faintest hint of a hobble visible in his gait, which Sabrina is relieved to see. When she found him at the bottom of his staircase months ago and later saw him in the hospital, she truly feared that he might never walk again. 

“Grapefruit or Lime?” he asks, holding up the cans.

“I’ll have either,” she says. 

“Come on, pick. You’re the guest.”

“Ummm…” She finds herself trying to guess which one Spencer would want less. It is something she always does — tries to make things as convenient as possible for everyone else. “I’ll take the Lime.”

“Cool. I love Grapefruit.”

“I think you mean Pamplemousse.”

Spencer lets out a small laugh. “Yeah. That.”

He sits, and they both crack the cans open.

“How have you been?” Sabrina asks, trying her hardest not to tap her foot nervously on the floor. “It seems like your therapy has gone well.”

“Yeah. Thank god. It was a pain in the ass, but it’s paid off. I’m actually going to be able to go back to work in a few weeks.”

“Work? At Vision?” 

He nods, and Sabrina observes how his nearly black hair is longer and curlier than he used to keep it. 

“That’s great,” she says.

“I know I quit before my fall, but everything that happened with Tim and Claire kind of seems like water under the bridge.” He shrugs and sips his water. “Hey, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

“What’s that?”

“The day I fell down the stairs — what were you doing at my house? I know we weren’t exactly friends before then.”

“Oh. Umm…” Sabrina feels a sting of shame radiate through her body. She hates that she was so desperate for cash that she was willing to profit off Philip’s infamy, and she has often wondered if Spencer’s accident was some kind of karmic retribution for their plan. “It was something about Philip’s estate.”

“What about it?”

“I actually don’t know,” she tells him. “You were going to fill me in that day.” She is all too happy to leave that in the past. “You haven’t had any luck with your memory?”

“No.” He sucks in his lips as he shakes his head. “Maybe it’s better that way. People have kind of filled me in, and I don’t know if I want to remember finding out the truth about Philip.”

“I don’t blame you. But I really am glad you’re doing well.” Knowing that she has somehow has to pivot to accomplish her goal, she reaches for her purse and abruptly says, “Do you want some gum?”

“What? Oh, I’m fine. But thanks.”

“You sure?” she asks as she takes out a stick for herself and unwraps it.

“Yeah. I’m good.”

Sabrina attempts to hide her frustration as she pops her own piece of gum into her mouth. In her mind, it was all so smooth: she would offer him gum, then get him to spit it out in a napkin before she left, ostensibly to save him the trouble of getting up. She would then be able to hand the gum over to Helen Chase for this mission she has in mind. Sabrina still thinks it sounds insane that Spencer could somehow be the father of Natalie’s child, but if there is any chance it’s true, Jason deserves to know that the boy he is raising isn’t really his. He’s a good man and an excellent father, from what Sabrina has seen, and being lied to about something so serious isn’t fair. And if Helen’s theory turns out to be nonsense — which seems very possible to Sabrina — then the DNA test will confirm that, and no one’s life will have to be upended.

“I saw on the news that your grandma was set free,” she comments. “Whatever happened at her house sounded scary.”

“Yeah, it was something with Travis’s girlfriend and… I don’t know the whole story. But it’s good that Paula is out. She didn’t deserve to be locked away on house arrest in the first place.”

“You really think not? Even though she shot Philip?”

Sabrina watches Spencer’s face harden at the thought of his brother being shot dead.

“Philip murdered five people,” he says. “It’d be six, if Tori hadn’t pulled through. If Paula thought he was going to hurt Sarah or Molly, I can’t blame her for firing the gun.” His gaze drops to the beige carpet.

“He was still your brother,” Sabrina says.

“It’s like I have to separate the man I knew as my brother from the man who went on a killing spree and then died that way. Like they could somehow be two different people. It’s the only way it makes sense.” Suddenly he smacks his palms against his legs and stands, his balance just a little bit off. “I have to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

Sabrina nods and watches as he sets his La Croix can down on the table before going. Her mind races wildly as she thinks about how to complete her mission before she leaves this house. She can’t return to Helen empty-handed; she promised that she would bring her something that she could use to obtain a sample of Spencer’s DNA. 

That is when she sees it again, in an entirely new light: the can.

She hears the faint sound of the bathroom door locking down the hallway. Knowing she has only a short window in which to work, she reaches for Spencer’s can. It is still half-full. Careful to keep her lips from touching it, she does the most efficient thing she can think of and downs most of what is left inside it, leaving just a little in case the backwash might be useful. Then, still grimacing to herself as she struggles to swallow the carbonated water, she pulls the plastic bag from her purse and quickly shoves the can inside. She zips her purse and pretends to amuse herself with her phone until Spencer returns.

He settles onto the couch again. “So what have you–“

He stops mid-thought and glances around. “Wait. Where did my drink go?”

—–

“Grandma Helen, we’re here!” Sophie Fisher announces as she barges into Don and Helen Chase’s home with a certain amount of fanfare.

Don stands at the open door, chuckling, as Paula Fisher enters behind her granddaughter. While smirking at Sophie’s theatrics, Paula gives Don a friendly hug. 

“We’re so glad you’re okay,” Don says. 

“It feels like a dream to be out of the house,” Paula says as she sets down her purse on the end table. 

“There she is!” Helen exclaims as she emerges from the back hallway that leads to the kitchen. “Paula, are you ever a sight for sore eyes.”

Paula goes over to her old friend for another embrace. 

“Thanks so much for inviting me over,” Paula says, looking between the Chases. “I’d have been happy to have you both–“

“We assumed you’d like to get out a bit,” Helen responds. “Lunch is almost ready. Come on.”

The foursome head into the kitchen, as Sophie recaps her morning for her grandparents. 

“And then Natalie left Peter’s dirty diaper sitting on the counter and totally forgot about it! Isn’t that gross?” she says with disbelief.

“Very,” Paula says. “Why don’t we talk about something more pleasant before we eat?”

Helen shudders to herself, thinking of her own escapade with one of Peter’s dirty diapers not too long ago. “Yes, why don’t we?”

Paula and Don seat themselves at the kitchen table, while Sophie climbs up onto one of the stools at the breakfast nook to watch as Helen finishes whipping together a pasta salad. 

Sophie swings around on the stool to look at Paula. “Did you know you tied Grandma Helen?”

“Tied?” Paula asks.

“What are you talking about, dear?” Helen says as she finishing mixing the salad.

“You got arrested twice!” Sophie declares.

Surprise and embarrassment register across Paula’s face. “Well, it was really more of a violation that got cleared up…”

“Yes, exactly!” Helen harrumphs as she sets down the wooden tongs.

“Can’t we talk about something more pleasant?” Don suggests. “Like the fact that Paula is here with us now.”

“It really is so nice to be out and about again.” Paula clasps her hands together with joy. “I can’t thank you enough, Don, for taking the time to come visit me and give me painting lessons. It helped keep me from going insane.”

“It was my pleasure,” he says.

“I’m only sorry I wasn’t better at it,” Paula says. 

“Yes, well, it was worth a shot!” Helen says as she brings the pasta salad to the table. “Now you know that it isn’t something you’ll have to pursue any further.”

“I suppose not. Can I help you with anything, Helen?”

“No, I’ve got it, but thank you.” Helen returns to take a sandwich platter from the far counter. “Why don’t we all enjoy lunch?”

They all gather around the table and begin compiling their lunches. 

“It’s so lovely to be here with all of you,” Paula says. “And with summer on the horizon, too. We have so much to look forward to.”

“Like Daddy and Natalie’s wedding!” Sophie interjects.

Paula smiles. “It’s going to be lovely.”

Helen pauses over her half-filled plate, a grin creeping across her face. “Yes. I think it’s going to be a very exciting time.”

—–

“Are you ready for it?” the voice calls out from behind the curtain.

“So ready!” Bree Halston responds. “Come on, let’s see it!”

Bree stands beside the bridal shop attendant, waiting with baited breath, as the curtain is dramatically swept aside and Natalie Bishop steps out. The sleeveless white dress that she picked out months ago has been altered to hug and flatter the body that she has worked so hard to get back since giving birth to her son. 

“It’s marvelous,” the attendant, a middle-aged woman with a large rose-shaped brooch on her jacket, says, even as she swoops over to zip up the back of the dress’s bodice.

“Mom, you look so good,” Bree says. “It’s beautiful.”

Natalie studies herself in the three-way mirror. “Wow. It turned out so well.”

Bree comes up to stand behind her, and they continue to gaze at the dress and their reflections.

“Is there anything else you might like done to the dress?” the attendant asks. 

“I don’t think so,” Natalie says, a little breathless at the sight of herself in a wedding dress after so long. “Is there anything you’d recommend?”

“Not a thing. I’ll give you ladies a moment.”

Mother and daughter remain in quiet reflection for a long moment.

“It’s really happening,” Natalie finally says.

“I can tell how happy you are,” Bree tells her. “And I’m glad that Jason makes you feel that way.”

“You know he loves you, too.”

“I know. It’s really cool.”

Natalie lets out a breath, equal parts relieved and contemplative. “You know, part of me never thought this day would come — that I’d actually find someone to spend my life with.”

“I think it was worth the wait.”

“Mm-hmm,” Natalie agrees as she nods. Then she catches the teenager’s eyes in the mirror. “I’m sorry for all the times I’ve been… preoccupied. I know that isn’t fair to you. If I could go back and change it…”

“Mom, it’s okay. I get it.”

“Just let me finish. You — and now Peter — are the most important thing in my world. Always have been, always will be. I hope I’ve never given you the impression otherwise, but I know there have been times I’ve been scattered, or focused elsewhere, or whatever. Like when I was with Julian.”

“I’m really glad it’s Jason you’re marrying and not him,” Bree says with a smile, her strength showing through.

“Me, too. This is a dream come true. Or it will be in just a few weeks.”

“It already is. The wedding is just a formality. A time to celebrate.”

“Yes, but everything will feel so much more right once it actually happens,” Natalie says, and again that nagging voice pops up in the back of her mind, telling her that this could all still go terribly wrong. No, it can’t — she can’t let it. Spencer is not going to remember, and he isn’t going to ruin this. She and Jason are going to be man and wife, and they are going to live happily ever after. There is no question about it.

Inside Thaw Coffee & Tea, off the main lobby of the Edge of Winter Arena, Alex Marshall sets down his coffee on the white acrylic table as he joins his best friend. 

“If there are any other loose ends you or Tim need help with, I’m happy to pitch in,” Alex says.

“Thanks. You’re a hero.” Jason Fisher scoots his chair in closer to the table. “You know you’d be my best man if I didn’t have a brother.”

“You don’t have to explain it to me.”

“At least it’s a small wedding party,” Jason says, pausing for a wry laugh, “though I think that has more to do with Natalie’s, uh, lack of ease at making female friends.”

“It’s sweet that she’ll have Bree standing up for her.”

“Yeah, it is. Man, I cannot believe it’s only a few weeks away.”

“Be excited. You’re marrying the woman you love. You guys are going to stand up in front of your loved ones and make the family you’ve built official.”

A smile creeps across Jason’s face at the thought. “Yeah. That part, I’m excited about. And we basically have all the RSVPs in now.”

“Good.” Alex sips his coffee thoughtfully for a moment. “Speaking of invitations…”

Jason cocks an eyebrow. “You’ve got my interest.”

“I got an invitation to a movie premiere. The premiere of the movie I was supposed to write.”

“With Liam. Wow.” Jason racks his brain for a few seconds to find the right response. “How do you feel?”

“Weird. Mostly just weird. I don’t know if I want to see it, I don’t know if I want to face Liam… I just don’t know.”

“Guess we always knew it was going to come out.”

“But we didn’t. I thought it might get stuck in development hell, or the studio would ultimately pass on it, or something,” Alex says. 

“Are you scared that Liam might’ve completely changed it?”

“I can’t decide.” Alex taps a finger against the table as he thinks. “On one hand, it would be horrible to see Liam and the studio turn it into something it wasn’t supposed to be. On the other… it’s my story. It feels so wrong that they got to be the ones to tell it without my input, let alone if they actually told it the way I wanted to.”

“Ugh, yeah. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t know what to do. Do I hold my head up high and go and act like it doesn’t bother me?”

“I get the impression that Liam really, really wants it to bother you,” Jason says.

“Same. But if I don’t go, does it look like I’m running scared…”

“…or like you care so little that you can’t be bothered?”

“Right.” 

The two men sip their coffee in silence.

“If you ask me,” Jason says, “you need to go. Show up, see what this thing is all about, put on a brave face in front of Liam. I know you. Wondering about it is going to drive you crazier than actually going.”

“You know what I hate most about you?” 

“That I know you this well?”

“Yes. Because I think you’re right,” Alex admits. “I think I do need to go.”

—–

Sabrina’s heart leaps into her throat. “What?”

“My La Croix,” Spencer says as he searches the room in confusion. “Wasn’t it right here?”

Sabrina knew that she would have to do this, but she hates it. She reminds herself that it’s a tiny lie — barely even a lie, just a fib over a can of sparkling water. Then again, it has bigger implications… but they are ones that could change both Spencer and Jason’s lives for the better if Helen’s suspicions are correct. 

Still, it weighs heavily on her as she forces out the words: “You took it with you.”

“I did?”

“Yeah. I saw you carry it out.”

He groans. “I seriously have no memory of that. I didn’t think my short-term memory was fucked-up.”

She pushes out a laugh. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

“Ugh.” He ducks out of the room, and Sabrina tenses knowing that he is going back to the restroom to look. She holds her breath until he returns. 

“It isn’t even in there,” he says. “Where the hell did I put it?”

“I’m sure it will show up when you aren’t looking for it,” Sabrina tells him.

“Yeah. You’re probably right. Ugh.”

He settles back into his seat, and Sabrina maneuvers her way through some more conversation: about their plans for the summer, Spencer’s hopes for returning to Vision, and other things that she tries to stay engaged in even though all she can think about is getting out of the house and delivering the can to Helen.

—–

After carefully removing the dress and returning it to the attendant, Natalie excuses herself to the shop’s restroom. Wearing her wedding dress, seeing herself as she will look on the day she marries Jason, not only filled her with joy — it also caused her terror over potential doom to mount.

She stashes her cell phone in her purse, digs into the side pocket for the second phone that she has been carrying around, and dials the only number saved in that phone.

It rings. And rings. And rings.

“Dammit, Sonja,” she mutters. “Where are you? This is important.”

She had thought about letting the plan fade away, now that Sonja is supposed to be moving out of Tim’s house and no longer overseeing Spencer’s treatment. But it seems to have worked so far, and she cannot risk him remembering anything from before his fall: not Peter’s paternity, not their fight at the top of the stairs, none of it. 

Frustrated, she ends the call and returns the phone to its hiding place.

“No one is going to ruin this for me,” she vows. “No one.”

END OF EPISODE 923

Will Natalie be able to control the Sonja/Spencer situation?
Will Helen and Sabrina be able to get a DNA sample from the can?
Is Alex going to regret attending the movie premiere?
Talk about it all in the comments below!

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