At the estate, Abby comes down to hug Tessa; who’s so relieved that everyone’s home and safe.
At CL’s, Sharon thanks Chris for getting Mariah out on bail. She’ll have to keep the ankle monitor on but it’s better than jail. You know you can’t leave GC, Chris adds – we must do everything completely by the book. Mariah finally weighs in – this isn’t right at all.
None of this feels right, Sharon agrees. Chris needs to convince the court that treatment is the answer, not incarceration. Yes, she’ll use a ‘psychological defence’. We plead not guilty. There’s no defence for what I did, Mariah wants to go back and plead guilty.
At the club with his Dad, Daniel’s update concludes with ‘Mariah is Tessa’s wife – for now’. She filed for divorce, he adds. But, who knows what’s gonna happen – everything could change. You’ve gotten a lot closer since the wedding, Danny correctly guesses.
Abby and Devon are overjoyed to have Dom home. You two are such warm and loving parents, Tessa’s sure Mariah feels guilty and ashamed. Have you not seen her yet? Devon’s surprised.
Sharon and Chris insist it’s best for Mariah to plead not guilty. ‘By reason of insanity’ is just a legal term, not a comment on your state of mind right now, Chris explains. I knew it was wrong but did it anyway; I had a plan, Mariah was desperate for ‘something to fix me’ – to make me ‘whole’ again. Sharon gently asks – why would you feel you’re not whole? What went wrong?
Daniel appreciates his Dad’s concern. Danny just wants to know what’s going on in his head – what you’re feeling DOES matter. Dom, Tessa and Mariah matter, Daniel didn’t expect to fall for Tessa. Danny gets it – it feels ‘easy’ with Tessa. She feels the same way, Daniel says.
No, Tessa hasn’t spoken to Mariah; she was in the back for her arraignment and could tell she’s so ashamed. Tessa blames Ian – Mariah blames herself (because Ian came for her) Thank God he’s dead, Abby says. The facility failed her. Prison would do more harm than good, Tessa believes. So, you really think Mariah can come back from this? Abby’s sceptical.
Mariah blames herself for Ian coming back. I was drinking, pushing Tessa away. When I met a man who reminded me of Ian, I had to kill him. I didn’t do it – but I wanted to. Mariah couldn’t bring that home to Aria. That’s why she went to Boston. But, she started seeing Ian at the clinic.
Tessa has to believe that Mariah can get better. Don’t you worry about her being around Aria? Abby asks (then apologizes) Mariah hadn’t been herself for a long time, Tessa seems to feel guilty. Abby doesn’t think that Dom’s traumatized, but, if she finds out he’s burying trauma, she might not be able to get past what Mariah’s done.
Danny and Daniel agree that Tessa’s empathetic and understanding – she’ll want to help Mariah; to be with her wife every step of the way – she won’t walk away now. Though Danny thinks she already has, Daniel has no idea what’s going to happen.