Tuesday - 11/16
KIRIAKIS MANSION
Theresa had just gotten back from dropping off Tate at school. She had gone back upstairs to her room and looked at a picture which sat on her bedside table. It was of her, Carter (though she hated when anybody called him that and still thought of him as Brady) and Tate. She smiled at it, somewhat sadly. She sighed, then picked up her phone and dialed a number. She waited as the phone rang.
CARTER (V.O.): Hey, it’s Brady Black. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you.
Theresa hung up as the answering machine beeped.
THERESA (quietly): Except you won’t be getting back to me.
She looked at her saved numbers and dialed a different one.
THERESA: Hi, it’s me. Do you have a minute? We should talk.
LOFT
CLAIRE: It’ll be weird not having Grandma around on Thanksgiving.
Ciara had come over and the two were having brunch.
CIARA: Yeah. But, I’m glad that she and her cousins are getting together.
CLAIRE: Me too! It sounds like it’ll be so much fun! Speaking of fun, have you sent your RSVP yet?
Ciara rolled her eyes.
CIARA: No, and for the millionth time, I’m not going to.
CLAIRE: You’re really not gonna go on this once-in-a-lifetime trip?
CIARA: Nope. I’m not interested. A fact of which I thought I’d made clear before.
CLAIRE: Sure, but I thought you might change your mind after having some time to think about it.
CIARA: While I admire your persistence, it’s not gonna happen. I have no interest in watching our creepy lookalikes get crowned.
CLAIRE: They’re not actually creepy.
Claire sighed.
CLAIRE: Look, I’m sorry I keep bugging you about this, I’m just really excited.
CIARA: I get it. And I’m glad for you.
CLAIRE: Sorry for being a pest.
CIARA: You’re not being a pest, stop talking about my best friend like that. I love how excited you are for this, I just don’t feel the same.
CLAIRE: I get it. I’ll cool it with bringing it up.
CIARA: Thank you.
CLAIRE: Moving on to a happier topic…
CIARA: Yes, please!
CLAIRE: Do you and Trix have any plans for the day after Thanksgiving?
SALEM UNIVERSITY
Peyton was putting on her jacket when Meadow walked in.
PEYTON: Hey! You’re back!
MEADOW: I am back, yeah. I know we only have a couple days before Thanksgiving break, so I could have stayed away until after the holiday, but I figured I’m gonna need to do this eventually.
PEYTON: Yeah, that makes sense. I’m glad you’re back!
MEADOW: Thanks.
PEYTON: How are you doing?
Meadow shrugged.
MEADOW: I’ve started going to therapy, which is helping. The funeral helped, too.
PEYTON: That’s good.
MEADOW: What about you?
PEYTON: I’m good, thanks. The teaching classes I’m taking are really interesting!
MEADOW: Awesome.
PEYTON: Yeah! So, I’ve got some time before my next class. Wanna grab a bite?
MEADOW: Sure.
The girls walked from the dorm to the main building.
MEADOW: What’s with all the posters?
PEYTON: Oh...you don’t know.
MEADOW: Don’t know what?
ALLIE: They’re missing persons posters. Sorry, I didn't mean to overhear. Hi, Meadow. Good to see you back.
MEADOW: Thanks. And what do you mean missing persons posters?
ALLIE: A couple days after Halloween, one of the girls went missing. The last time anyone saw her was at Harrison’s one night.
PEYTON: And a guy went missing last week, too. It’s so crazy!
MEADOW: It sounds like it! Does anyone know what’s going on?
ALLIE: Not to my knowledge. Campus security’s gotten a bit tighter since the two disappearances and...you know, what happened on Halloween.
Meadow nodded.
ALLIE: But, my grandpa, aunt and a couple of my cousins are all on the police force, and they’re looking into it.
MEADOW: Yeah, it was your aunt that talked to me on Halloween.
PEYTON: Hopefully they’ll get it figured out soon.
Allie nodded.
ALLIE: I should go. I’ve got a kitty who’s probably getting hungry. Glad you’re back, Meadow. Nice to see you, Peyton.
PEYTON: See ya.
MEADOW: Bye.
Allie walked away.
MEADOW: Has it really been as crazy as all that?
PEYTON: Unfortunately, yeah. I think it’s weird that they don’t have any idea of who’s doing this.
MEADOW: Totally. This isn’t exactly how I envisioned my return to Salem U.
PEYTON: I can imagine.
They continued walking and were soon joined by Johnny.
JOHNNY: How’s the first day back after everything?
MEADOW: From the first half hour, kinda crazy. Peyton and Allie updated me on the two kidnappings that happened here recently.
JOHNNY: Yeah, it’s been a weird time.
Just then, Johnny and Meadow heard a voice that they had hoped they would never hear again.
SHAW: What the hell?!
All three stopped walking and turned to see Meadow Shaw walk towards them.
SHAW: What the actual freaking hell?!