Episode 581
 

It's the Darker Side
Written by: Dallas Walsh | Originally Released: December 29, 2019

Episode Theme song: "Hotter Than Hell" Dua Lipa

Previously on One Day at a Time
- Jacob shocked his parents by revealing that his fiancé is Cassie Nova!
- Meggan and Brad wanted to have a DNA sample from Trenyce or Chris on hand for when they went to adoption agencies to try to find their child. Meggan got a tissue that Trenyce used; while Brad, unknowingly, had a tissue from Cheresa
- Shane told Eva he thinks Victoria's multiple personalities have returned
- Greg started an investigation as to how Barbara died
- Kim remained at Bob's bedside while he was in a coma
- Max and Abby teamed up to try to break up Andrew and Paige

The Pampa Grill

The annual New Year's Eve party at the restaurant is in full swing. Guests are mingling with loved ones and friends, while drinking champagne and nibbling on the h'dourves.

Natasha takes a slow sip of her champagne while she looks at Jacob. "I still can't believe that you had the nerve to lay the bombshell on us at Christmas that you are engaged to Cassie Nova and then proceed to leave the mansion and stay with her at the Executive hotel," she says to her son, trying to figure out how all of this could have happened. The last woman on earth Jacob should be engaged too is Cassie Nova, she thinks to herself.

Jacob sighs back to her. "Look, Mom," he begins to tell her. "I knew how you'd react, okay? I know your history with her; you've told me a million times."

"Then why the hell would you do this to me?" she asks him in surprise.

"Because, this isn't about you," Jacob replies to her quickly. "When I first met Cassie, I had no idea who she was. By the time I realized who she was, I had fallen in love with her."

"You realize what she is doing, don't you?" Natasha asks him, unable to hide her disappointment. "She's using you to get to me. The same way she used your father and the same way she used your uncle Robbie."

"No, Mom, she's not," Jacob tells her. "She had no idea who I was either."

"She's lying!"

"Mom, you need to get a grip," Jacob replies to her. "I'm home, and I'm not leaving anytime soon. But if you want me in your life, you have to accept Cassie as the woman I love. I am going to marry her with or without your support, but I'd rather have your support."

"Jacob…"

"No," he cuts her off. "Don't say anything. Just think about what I said, okay? Happy New Year, Mom."

Natasha watches as her son walks away from him and she quickly takes another sip of her champagne. "If you think I'm going to let you marry that monster, you have another thing coming," she whispers to herself. "You will not marry Cassie Nova. I won't allow it."

***

Cory walks up to the bar looking for two more glasses of champagne for himself and Natasha. He knows that his wife is upset with Jacob's choice of fiancé, but he hopes that she is able to maintain some kind of peace for her son's sake. That being said, he can't believe that Cassie is back in their lives and in this fashion.

"Looks like we had the same idea," Cassie says walking up to the bar in a tight fitting gold dress. "Two champagne's, please."

Cory looks over at her. "I'm glad we have some time alone," Cory tells her. "I'm not sure what kind of game you're playing, but it is going to end now."

Cassie chuckles back to him. "I'm not playing any games, Cory."

"Really? Out of all the men in New York City, you end up engaged to Natasha's son?" Cory asks her. "You don't think that looks fishy?"

Cassie shrugs back to him. "I could care less what you think of me," she tells him. "I had no idea who Jacob was when I met him. And, by the time I did, we were in love."

"If you say that enough, you might actually believe it," Cory quips back to her. "I'm going to give you this warning once, so listen closely: if you do anything to hurt Jacob or Natasha, you will answer to me."

"Oh. Okay," Cassie rolls her eyes. "I'm going to find my fiancé, excuse me."

Cassie storms off with her two champagnes until she is arriving at Jacob's side. "Darling, here you go," she passes him a glass of champagne.

"Thank you," Jacob replies to her. "Have I told you how amazing you look in that dress?"

Cassie chuckles back to him. "Once or twice," she winks at him. "Remember how long it took us to get ready for the party?"

"How could I forget?"

"I hope I'm not causing you too many problems with your family," Cassie tells him.

"Hey, don't worry about that, okay?" Jacob looks into her eyes. "I love you and this is exactly where I want to be," he tells her before he leans in and kisses her. "Happy New Year, Cassie."

"Happy New Year, Jacob."

***

"So, what are your honest thoughts about our visit to Meggan's before Christmas?" Trenyce asks Chris as he grabs her hand and takes her off the dance floor. He grabs two glasses of champagne while he does so and passes her one.

"Well, I don't think it was bad news," Chris tells her. "We knew that it was going to easy to find our child; I think the idea of looking into adoption agencies in and around Twin Peaks was a really good one."

Trenyce uneasily nods back to him. "I'm just not sure what they will look for," she admits to him. "Who knows if anyone will remember a child being brought in that long ago."

"All they can do is try," he tells her. "We are about to enter a New Year, Trenyce," he looks into her eyes. "Let's try to focus on the positives, okay? This is the year we will find our child, I can feel it."

"I hope you're right," Trenyce tells him. "Either way, I'm glad we are doing this together."

"Always together," he leans in and kisses her. "Always."

***

"Are you allowed to drink tonight?" Max asks Abby as he comes up to her with a beer in his hand. He knows that all of his friends that were in the Gen Next House in the summer haven't been drinking since Andrew almost died at the Summer Send-Off dance, but he wanted to celebrate the New Year tonight, so he is drinking.

"Yea, I am," Abby replies to him. "How are you holding up with everything that, like, happened with Helen?"

Max takes a sip of his beer as he thinks about the memorial service for Helen; his heart went out to Dawn and Adam because he could tell how much pain they were in. He never got to know Helen that well, but he hates seeing Dawn in that kind of pain.

"I'm fine," he finally tells his friend. "I wasn't the one who lost his Mom. I feel so bad for Dawn."

"Yea, me too," Abby nods back to him. "Ugh."

"What?"

"Look on the dance floor," Abby points to Paige and Andrew dancing together. "That has to change in 2020. Promise me, Max. Promise me we'll break them up?"

"I'll drink to that," Max nods back to her, as they toast.

"Max, is that you?" a voice calls out, causing him to turn around and he gets a huge smile on his face. "Oh baby," Cassie opens her arms to him.

"Mom! You're home," Max hugs her. "Oh my God, you're really home!"

***

"I can't believe that Shane thinks that Victoria has her multiple personalities again," Donovan shakes his head back to Eva, who just filled her son in on Shane's visit to her on Christmas day. Donovan knows that Victoria has been acting oddly for a while now, but the idea that she has her mental health issues again is crazy; someone would have been able to tell the difference between her, wouldn't they?"

"I know," Eva takes a sip of her champagne. "I agree that something is going on with Victoria, but the idea that her alter egos are back … I don't know, I would know if it was something that serious!"

"I agree," Donovan nods back to her. "But, we should go see her to make sure that she is okay. These are pretty serious accusations from Shane."

"I guess you told him my theory?" Shane asks them as he approaches them, having heard the tail end of their conversation. "I know it seems drastic, but…"

"No buts," Eva cuts him off. "The idea that my daughter isn't in her right frame of mind right now, is crazy."

"Look, I have more information," Shane waves his hands in the air, not wanting to fight. "I found out that Barbara Mills died at Raven's Meadow."

Donovan gasps back to him in shock, but while Eva continues to look forward at him. She knew about this from Dominick. "That doesn't mean Victoria had anything to do with that!"

"I know," Shane nods back to her. "But, she was working there. I'm just saying, there is a theme to all this, and that is Victoria. If she is sick, we have to help her, before it's too late."

"That we agree on," Donovan tells him. "We have to make sure that Victoria is okay, that's what matters right now."

The Tower's; Floor Eight; Victoria's Condo

"Helen, Happy New Year," Brandy smiles into her walkie-talkie as she sits on the sofa in the living room of Victoria's condo, holding a glass of red wine in her other hand. She was going to go to the Pampa Grill party, but she decided against it considering how many people are seemingly upset with her right now. She has to figure out a way to ensure she doesn't get caught for treating Craig for HIV when he doesn't really have the disease, and that she doesn't get caught for killing Barbara.

In the coffin, Helen gasps for air as a tear falls down her cheek. She is already exhausted from pounding her fists into the top of the coffin because no one can hear her. "Brandy, please, I'm begging you, let me out of here. I've learned my lesson, I promise you, I have."

Brandy stands up and takes a sip of her wine. "Oh Helen," she laughs back to her. "This is just the beginning. You're going to spend the rest of your life in that coffin, you better get used to it."

"No, please," Helen replies to her. "I have a family, I have a daughter!"

"Yes, a daughter that you let get raped! You're a monster!"

"You're the monster!" Helen yells back at her. "You're a crazy bitch! Now let me out of here."

"And to think," Brandy sneers. "I wanted to wish you a happy new year. Goodbye Helen," Brandy says before she shuts off the walkie-talkie. "You will never get out of there," she whispers to herself as she takes another sip of her wine. "Happy New Year."

The Black House; Helen & Dawn's Home

"I don't blame you for not wanting to go to the party tonight," Cheresa tells Dawn as she sits next to her on the sofa with a large bowl of popcorn in front of them.

"Thanks you guys," Dawn looks over at Shelley, who is sitting in the arm chair across from her and Cheresa. "I just didn't' feel like putting a dress on and having a party."

"Hey, after everything you've been through, that's understandable," Shelley tells her. "There's no timeline for any of this. It's all so fresh."

Dawn nods back to them. "Yea, it is. I still can't believe these last few months have even happened."

"Okay," Cheresa waves her hands in the air. "I'm going to grab some wine. And when I get back, you'll pick a movie. A nice escape from the real world is in order!"

Dawn chuckles back to her. "That sounds good," she looks back at them. "Shelley, you pick the movie. I'm just going to use the washroom, I'll be right back."

Dawn stands up and quickly walks up the stairs to the second level of the house. She moves into the washroom and closes the door behind her. Once the door is closed, she opens the medicine cabinet door and looks for some pills, which she finds. She reads the label, "antidepressants", which were prescribed to Helen a few years earlier after she was told that Dawn was dead by Cassie Nova. Dawn opens the bottle and puts a couple of pills in her mouth. She grabs a glass of water from the counter and swallows them down.

"Okay, ready for this movie," she says to herself.

Twin Peaks General Hospital

"I'm surprised you're not out, it's New Year's Eve," Kim tells Greg as they stand in a waiting room of the hospital. Kim still hasn't left the hospital since Bob was brought in from his car accident, and she certainly doesn't have plans to leave him on New Year's Eve. So, seeing Greg in front of her is a surprise, a nice surprise, but a surprise.

"I'm meeting Brooke at the Pampa Grill shortly," Greg looks back to her. "I wanted to come by and see how you're doing. I know the last time we spoke, you weren't exactly alone, but I thought tonight you would be."

"I am alone here, yes," Kim says back to him. "I was invited to the Pampa Grill but I can't leave Bob."

"You're a very dedicated wife," he replies to her. "I'm not sure Brooke would be this loyal if it was me in that room."

"I hope you never have to find out."

Greg chuckles back to her. "You're right, me either," he winks back to her. "I hope you know that I meant what I said, if you need anything, I'm here for you."

"I know you meant it," Kim looks back at him. "Just know that I need a friend right now. Nothing more can happen between us Greg. I mean that."

"I know you do," Greg nods back to her. "And, that's fine because Brooke and I, we have decided to put our marriage back together."

"Really?" Kim replies in surprise. "That's great news. I'll support you in that."

"Thanks Kim," Greg smiles back to her. "I still find you incredibly sexy, but I can appreciate us being friends."

"To friends?" Kim puts her hand out for him to shake it, but he pulls her into a hug.

"To friends," he whispers into her ear. "Happy New Year, Kim."

"Happy New Year, Greg."

The Richardson Estate; Meggan & Lukas' Home

"Are you upset that we aren't going out tonight?" Meggan asks Brad, who is watching Logan sleep in the playpen in the corner of the living room. Meggan didn't want to go to the Pampa Grill tonight; she wanted to spend the evening with Logan, since it's his first New Years.

"Not at all," he replies to her. "A night with you and Logan, that's the best New Year's I could have asked for."

"You're sweet," she purses her lips together. "Do you want some champagne? I don't mind if you want some."

"Yea, that'd be nice," he nods back to her. "Do you think you'll make it to midnight?"

"Probably not," Meggan laughs back to him. "But we can have fun until I'm ready for bed."

Just then, Meggan's phone rings and she quickly picks it up. "Meggan Richardson," she says into her phone. "Oh, hi. Yes, that's great….wait, what are you talking about? What two samples? … Oh, I wasn't aware, yea thanks for the heads up."

"What was that about?" Brad asks her.

"It was my lab," she tells him. "I'm not sure what they were talking about, but I took the tissue that Trenyce used in my office to the lab to get her DNA sample. He told me that there were two samples?"

Brad looks back at her. "There was a tissue in my bag," he reveals to her. "I took that Kleenex to the lab thinking it was Trenyce's. What does it matter if we had two samples?"

"That wasn't Trenyce's Kleenex in your bag," Meggan replies to him. "And, it matters because they were a match; the DNA's matched on the two tissue samples."

Brad looks back at her in confusion as he tries to retrace his steps from the other day, realizing that he was with Cheresa, who also used a tissue. "Wait, I was with Cheresa," he tells her. "She used a tissue; it must have fallen into my bag instead of the trash."

"So? We tested samples from Cheresa and Trenyce? And it's a match? That doesn't make any sense at all," Meggan replies to him.

"No, it doesn't," Brad looks back at her, as the wheels in his head start to turn. "Wait, my Mom got freaked out at the idea of me asking questions about Cheresa's adoption."

"Brad, what are you getting at? What do you think is going on?"

"I think Cheresa is Trenyce and Chris' daughter," Brad whispers in horror, wondering if he has figured out the mystery of Trenyce's long-lost daughter. "I think I just found their child!"

Next on One Day at a Time
- Natasha tells Shane that they have to stop Jacob

- Cory reaches out to Jacob

- Brandy worries that Shane will cause her problems

 
Discuss your thoughts here, in the ODaaT Forum!
 

Contact - odaatseries@gmail.com | © 2002-2024 One Day At A Time