Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
My Girl? Cole (J. Eddie Peck) and Victoria (Amelia Heinle, l.) brace for big news about Claire (Hayley Erin).
At the coffeehouse, Victoria awaits Cole’s return from Oregon, where her ex-husband is trying to obtain Grace’s DNA from Jordan’s lake house to find out once and for if she is their biological daughter. “Victoria is still in a state of shock as she faces the possibility that Claire is actually Baby Eve,” proclaims Amelia Heinle (Victoria). “Her death was such a traumatic experience for Victoria, so the thought that she could have been separated from her daughter all of this time is heartbreaking.”
Cole arrives to report that he accomplished his mission and absconded with Claire’s toothbrush, hairbrush, and other personal items. “Cole and Victoria are too impatient to go through the proper channels to get a DNA sample of Claire,” explains Heinle. “That’s why Cole decided to take matters into his own hands and return to Oregon. Victoria was just as eager to find out the truth about Claire as soon as possible, so she agreed to Cole’s plan.”
Victoria and Cole then submit samples of their own DNA to be compared against Claire’s. While the lab is performing a rush job, Cole and Victoria have a heart-to-heart about the dilemma they face: If Claire is their daughter, where do they go from here? “Victoria and Cole seem to be leaning towards helping Claire deal with her trauma of being raised by Jordan and now having to deal with the consequences of being her great aunt’s pawn,” Heinle notes. “They are sympathetic to Claire’s plight, so they’re hopeful that Michael will agree to represent Claire. Victoria knows if anyone can help Claire with her legal problems, it’s Michael Baldwin.”
The legal eagle also traveled to Oregon, where he interviewed Ms. Grace as he considers taking on her case. While they wait for Michael to meet them at Crimson Lights, Cole opens up about the psychological toll their recent ordeal with Jordan and Claire took on him, noting that it brought back painful memories of his psychologically challenged late mother. He adds that he can’t turn his back on Claire, the young woman who could well be their daughter — and he knows that Victoria can’t either. “Because she is a mother, Victoria’s maternal instincts have kicked in,” affirms Heinle. “She has seen how much pain and trauma that Claire is experiencing so there is a part of Victoria that wants to help her despite what she did to her family.”
Michael shows up and recounts his meeting with Claire, conceding that she’s deeply troubled. Michael then informs Victoria and Cole that he will take the case and they respond that they should have the DNA results in a few days. Michael asks the pair if they would change their minds about helping Claire if she turns out not to be their daughter. “It’s obvious that Victoria is already emotionally invested in helping Claire,” says Heinle. “ Victoria will soon be faced with a tough decision to make should the results prove that Claire is not Baby Eve. Either decision will have a severe impact for Victoria and her family.”
