9-1-1: Lone Star's Gina Torres previews Tommy's unexpected visitor: 'It's not a happy reunion'

On her daughters' birthday?!

9-1-1: Lone Star's Tommy Vega (Gina Torres) is still grieving the loss of her husband, Charles (Derek Webster), who died unexpectedly from an aneurysm at the end of last season — but she's slowly moving on.

"Last week, we got to see Tommy dipping her toe into what single mom life — single woman life — looks like, with a date that went horribly wrong. But we see her sort of reclaiming that part of herself that she had put away," Torres tells EW.

But Monday's episode — previewed in the exclusive clip above — starts off with a happy occasion in the Vega house: the birthday party for Tommy's twin daughters. That is, it's a happy occasion until Charles' brother, Julius (Batwoman actor Nathan Owens) shows up.

"Tommy's girls are turning 11, and Charles isn't there," says Torres. "There's so many emotions, and his younger brother shows up out of nowhere. And it's not a happy reunion. We find out that there's quite a bit going on, and much to be desired of that relationship, and she resents him showing up. She admits he's so far away from what she feels that the girls need — and that she needs. And so, yeah it's a big moment."

Adds series co-creator Tim Minear: "Her feelings about the loss of Charles become much sharper, and much more present when [Julius] shows up, who she's often had some conflict with. She feels that this 'sunshine child' took advantage of Charles when he was alive — and that Charles often made excuses for him and forgave his entitlement. And then we discover that Julius never even attended Charles' funeral, and that's been something in Tommy's craw since that day. Something that she's having a very hard time forgiving."

New episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star air Monday at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.

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