College Heights

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Zoe walks into the kitchen, greeting Dominic with a good morning kiss. "I'm taking the kids to the park," she says. Dominic thinks that's a good idea. "So," she asks, "when do we start telling people we're engaged?" Dominic sighs. "Now, if I had my way. But with Runaway Groom in there it seems like a bad time." The kids run in, and Zoe herds them out the back door.

At the Citizen newsroom, Diane is scrolling through old stories about Shea, stopping on the front-page headline about his wedding to Leo. Rapping her fingers on the desk, she sighs.

Dominic tries to sneak out of the house without waking Scott—who crashed on the sofa—but is unsuccessful. Scott asks where the kids are. "Zoe took them to the park," Dominic says, "I'm just heading to the hospital." Stifling a yawn, Scott asks him to tell Elian hi and thanks him for letting him crash. "Stay as long as you need," Dominic tells him. Scott shakes his head. "I need to face this thing head on."

At Twelve Pines, Hallie comes into the dining room, where Hera, Stacey, and Tim are having breakfast. Roberta brings her a cup of coffee, telling her how sorry she was to hear what happened. "Never trust a Vanderpol, I say." Hallie smiles and nods, while Hera tries to change the subject. "Apparently there's a blizzard heading our way," she says. Stacey worries that they need to stock up, but Tim asks what they could possibly need. "When has Twelve Pines ever run out of anything?" he scoffs. "Still, better safe than sorry," she says, going to check the pantries. Tim asks Hallie how long she plans on staying, receiving a rebuking look from Hera. "Stay as long as you want, of course," Tim adds. Hallie laughs, reassuring him she wasn't insulted. "I guess until I find a place to live," she says.

Micah is getting ready for work when Shea comes up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist. "What is it?" Micah asks. "Nothing," Shea says, "I'm just glad I have you." Micah leans down, kissing him. "I'm glad I have you, too." Feeling there's more to this, Micah presses Shea. "It's what Annette said at the wedding, about Shiloh looking like Leo." Micah nods. "Just play it cool, okay? No one knows anything." Shea laughs ruefully. "Half of Arcadia knows." Yes, Micah says, and none of them have said a word since Christmas. "It's going to be fine. I swear."

Alicia watches as Elian attempts to walk with the aid of his physical therapist. Mateo arrives, bringing her a cup of coffee. She graciously accepts, surprised to see him. "Mom told me he starts physical therapy today. How's he doing?" he asks as Elian takes a tumble. Alicia grimaces.

Delaney wakes up, complaining about all the noise coming from the kitchen. Stumbling out of her bedroom, she finds Orion cooking. "What are you doing?" she asks. He says he thought he'd make her breakfast. "I don't have a morning class today. I just want to sleep," she says. He tries to get her to stay up, grabbing her and twirling her around the kitchen while the music plays from his phone. She argues, wanting to go back to sleep. Finally, a groggy Deacon comes out, turns the music off, glares at them, and stomps back to his bedroom. Orion and Delaney fall into a fit of giggles.

Ramona is watching the morning news when Brent walks in. "I thought you had a class this morning?" she asks. "Did I?" He walks to the fridge, opening it but finding they're out of milk. "Sorry, I'll stop by the Box on my way home!" she apologizes. "I'll go now," he says, grabbing his coat and heading out.

Monica is heading out the door of Wade's apartment when he stops her. "Do you really have to work today?" he pouts. "I'm sorry, sweetie," she says, kissing him and promising to make it up to him. "Have you heard from Hallie?" Wade nods, saying she texted him and is staying at Twelve Pines. Monica suggests he stop by and see her later. "Promise me you won't run out on our wedding?" Wade asks. Monica leans up, kissing him again and promising. "I wouldn't dream of it," she says. "Don't you run out on me, either." Wade laughs. "If I ran out on you your dad would shoot me in the square." Monica nods. "Yes, he would."

Dominic arrives at the hospital as Elian continues physical therapy, asking how Elian's doing. "It's like watching Bambi learn to walk," Mateo says. Alicia asks how Scott's doing. "Better than I would be," Dominic says. She asks if he thinks what she said caused Scott to call off the wedding? "Alicia, nobody takes you seriously enough to base life decisions on what you say." Elian falls again, growing frustrated. The physical therapist suggests they call it a day.

Zoe and the kids arrive back from the park. Henry and Rebecca jump into Scott's arms. He hugs and kisses them, telling them to go upstairs and get their things so they can go home. Zoe tells him they can stay as long as they want, but Scott says it's time to get on with life. "I need to keep thinks as normal and routine as possible for them." Zoe agrees. Sitting next to him, she puts her arm around his shoulder. "I know I haven't always acted like it, but you're a good father, Scott." He sighs, smiling. "I don't feel like it." She insists, though—the held it together when Layla was falling apart and he's handled the children brilliantly on his own. "You'll get them through this, too."

Stacey is shopping at The Box when she bumps into Brent. "You look better than the last time I saw you," she says cheerfully. "I guess so," he answers, pushing past her. "Brent?" she says, grabbing his arm. "Is everything okay? I know you're having a hard time because of that whole Delaney and Orion mess." He forces a smile. "I'm fine but thank you for caring." Stacey seems reluctant to believe him though. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here."

Marvin surprises Annette at her office in Dumbarton Hall. "If this is about Scott and Hallie," she begins, but Marvin interrupts her, promising it isn't. "I need your help locating someone," he says. Annette asks why, worried that one of her faculty members is in trouble. "I just need to talk to him," Marvin says, describing Neal. Annette says Marvin has described a dozen men she knows. "Please, Annette," Marvin pleads. "I'm sorry, Marvin, but unless you have a warrant, I'm not going to hand the police a list of Black men who work for me." Marvin scoffs. "But I'm Black!" Annette doesn't care, showing him the door.

Micah is in his office when Lorelai stops by. He asks if everything's okay with the baby. "It is until I meet the little monster," she says, complaining about how bloated she is. "What are you doing here?" he asks. She explains she went by the hospital to make sure they had her records and thought she'd stop by while she was out of the hotel. "We have to find you an apartment." She doesn't want one, though. "I don't have to change the sheets or clean the bathroom and food is brought right to me in bed," she says. "Honestly every pregnant woman should check into a hotel." She grimaces, and Micah jumps up. She waves him over, placing his hand on her stomach. "Feel it kick?" she asks. He smiles, nodding. "Why don't you come by our place for dinner sometime?" he asks. "Ooh, you sure Shea will be okay with that?" Micah smiles, saying of course he will, but it's clear neither of them believes that. Micah gets a notification on his phone. Checking it, he frowns. "They've made a decision in my disciplinary hearing."

Shea arrives at the newsroom. She asks him how Shiloh is, catching him off-guard. "He's fine. Why do you care?" Diane says she's just trying to make conversation. "We're working together, I'm dating your father, I figure we should at least try to get along," she smiles. Shea looks at her skeptically.

Tilly and Angelica are in the SGA office when Delaney storms in, complaining about Orion. "He's there all the time," she says, "and this morning he wanted to dance in the kitchen." Tilly thinks that sounds romantic, but Delaney says it's not—it's just annoying. Vince arrives, asking what they're talking about. "How romantic it is to dance in the kitchen," Tilly gushes, causing Delaney to pretend to gag. "I'll dance with you anywhere," Vince says, causing Tilly to blush. "Have you heard from Hallie?" Angelica asks. Vince hasn't, though.

At Keva, Bert is having coffee by himself while Wade waits for his order. Seeing him, he starts to go over, but thinks better of it. Hank walks in, bumping into Wade. "How's that sister of yours?" he asks. Wade glares at him. "Stay away from her," he warns Hank. "Brother, I'm just concerned like everybody else." Belinda walks up with Wade's order, asking if everything is okay. Hank smiles, walking away. "What was that about?" she asks Wade. "You know Hank," Wade grumbles, "never one to miss an opportunity, no matter how sleazy it is." He thanks Belinda and leaves with his takeaway. Meanwhile, Hank hands Bert his phone, showing him a news story on the uptick in crime at Centennial Village. Bert shoves the phone back towards Hank. "I told you, I want no part of this. Especially now that Scott pulled a runaway groom. The last thing my family needs is another scandal."

Wade arrives at Twelve Pines. Hera leads him into the sitting room, where Lucretia and Hallie are chatting. He hugs Hallie, asking how she's doing. "Honestly I'm fine," she says, laughing. Unpacking the lunch, he says he could kill Scott for what he did to her. "For setting me free, you mean?" she asks. Hank is stunned, asking what she means. "Look, I'm mortified by what happened. He could have chosen a better way. But," she sighs, shrugging her shoulders, "Scott wasn't wrong. I didn't want to marry him." Lucretia asks why she went along with it, then. "Because he was good to me," she says. "And I thought it was what I should want."

Stacey arrives at the SGA office, asking Angelica for a word. Delaney, Tilly, and Vince head up to the Isle of Java, leaving them alone. Angelica asks if everything is okay. "Have you talked to Brent yet?" she asks. Angelica groans, telling her mother to butt out of her friendships. "It's just, I saw him at the Box earlier, and he still seemed sad." "Of course he's sad," Angelica says, "Delaney cheated on him." Stacey thinks it's more than that, though. "It's been more than two months since they broke up," she says. "I think it's more than that." Angelica sighs, giving in and promising she'll try to talk to Brent.

Elian and Dominic are sitting in his hospital room. Elian complains about how hard physical therapy was, but Dominic tells him he did a good job. Leeza arrives, surprising them. Because of the snowstorm coming their way, she's moved up her flight. "I'm leaving tonight." Elian is sad to see her go, and Dominic leaves them to say their goodbyes.

Scott and the kids arrive back at the house. Henry and Rebecca run upstairs, leaving Scott alone. He walks into the living room, noticing Hallie's hoodie on the back of one of the chairs. Picking it up, he smells it and begins crying.

Brent is asleep on the couch when Ramona comes in from class. "Have you left all day?" she asks. "I went to the Box," he says. "We have milk now."

Leeza walks out of Elian's room, wiping her eyes. "I don't want to leave him," she says. Dominic hugs her, telling her to come back and visit soon. "Maybe for a wedding," he says. She asks who's getting married. He smiles, and she finally realises he means him and Zoe. "Oh that's wonderful," she says. "I'm happy for you." After a lingering look, she says she'd better go. Leeza Calvert leaves Arcadia.

Vince, Delaney, and Tilly arrive at the Isle of Java. Monica is there on her cell phone. Spotting them, she hangs up, rushing over. "Tilly, I'm glad I caught you," she says. "I just found out some news."

Micah sits in a conference room with Wanda and two HR representatives. "Micah, what you did violated the employee code of conduct and illustrates a poor lack of judgment. While we do believe you did not realize Miss Dunn is a student, we believe you should have. Therefore, the committee has decided to suspend you, without pay, for thirty days effective immediately." Micah stares in disbelief.

Tilly can't believe it and begins to freak out. "This is all my fault," she says as Delaney and Vince try to comfort her. "Tilly, for the last time, this is not your fault," Monica says. "Micah should have known better. This is his fault. It is not your fault." Tilly thinks this is stupid. "He didn't do anything wrong," she says. "I wanted to have sex." Monica understands that. "It's still against the rules."

Shea gets a text from Micah. He grabs his things, telling Diane he has to go. "Is everything okay?" she asks. "I just have to go," he says again. Diane stares after him, clearly suspicious.

Having finished packing a few things, Micah is escorted out of Dumbarton Hall by two HR representatives and Wanda. He takes a deep breath, walking out of the building and into the snow.