At the hospital, Theresa filled Anne in on her plan to get Melanie out of the picture. "There is a very serious flaw in your plan. You're counting on Melanie putting the kid's needs above her own, but if you won't do that, why should she?" Anne pointed out. Theresa shrugged and said she would simply have to move to Los Angeles if Melanie proved to be too selfish and self-absorbed to do the right thing.
Brady was stunned when Melanie revealed she had booked a flight to Europe and would be leaving later that day -- perhaps for good. Brady insisted he wasn't going to let Melanie leave, but she said it wasn't his call to make. "Brady, we both know that if I stay here, Theresa's gonna make life miserable, not just for me and you but for your son, too. I'm sorry -- I'm not gonna sit around and be even a small part of a reason that a child suffers. I'm just not," Melanie tearfully explained.
Brady argued that Melanie needed to stay in Salem and help him fight Theresa instead of admitting defeat, but Melanie countered that it wouldn't be good for Tate to be stuck in the middle of a fight -- and, with Theresa involved, it would be more like a war than a fight, anyway. Melanie added that leaving Salem was the only way she would be able to prevent Theresa from using Tate as a weapon. "I think the reason we worked so well this time was because we love each other, and we want each other, but we don't need each other. I'm gonna be okay, but your son needs you, and that makes this a no-brainer," Melanie reasoned.
Melanie abruptly excused herself after making Brady promise to wait in Daniel's apartment until she returned. Outside, Melanie leaned against a wall and sobbed for a few moments before heading over to Theresa's apartment. Melanie revealed that she would be moving back to Vienna to be with her mother, and Theresa feigned regret, hoping Melanie hadn't decided to move back to Europe due to a misinterpretation of the things Theresa had said during their earlier conversation.
Unconvinced, Melanie guessed Theresa had known exactly how the comments would be interpreted. "Great job on the whole motherhood thing -- you are off to a fantastic start. You know, some parents start a college savings account for their children, and some do the whole christening thing, but you used your son as blackmail, and that makes you despicable," Melanie added, prompting Theresa to jokingly guess Melanie wouldn't be sending her postcards from Vienna anytime soon.
Melanie warned that Brady would always hate Theresa for driving the woman he loved out of town. Melanie added that her relationship with Brady might have eventually ended naturally because, while they loved each other, they weren't really ready for the whole lifetime-commitment thing yet. Melanie pointed out that if Theresa had just stayed out of the situation, she could have kept her hands clean and remained an option for Brady to turn to after he and Melanie mutually decided to end their relationship and go their separate ways.
Annoyed, Theresa told Melanie to leave, and Melanie complied after advising Theresa to treat Tate the way he deserved to be treated, since he might one day end up being the only person in the entire world who didn't hate Theresa. Theresa slammed the door in Melanie's face and beamed with delight as she celebrated her victory, assuring herself that Brady would eventually get over his feelings of hatred toward her -- at which point they would finally be together again.
Maggie went to Daniel's apartment in search of Melanie, but when she found Brady there instead, she quickly deduced that he was upset about something. Brady wanted to let Melanie be the one to break the news to Maggie, but Maggie guessed on her own that Melanie was planning to leave Salem. Maggie admitted that, during an earlier conversation with Melanie, she had gotten the impression that Melanie had been trying to say goodbye to her and Daniel.
When Melanie returned, she asked Maggie to track down Daniel and Parker. After Maggie left, Melanie told Brady she had just finished sharing her news with Theresa. Brady declared that he hated Theresa for what she was doing to him and Melanie. "Now that you know I'm leaving -- and that I made this decision for both of us -- do you hate me, too?" Melanie asked.
At the hospital, Eve blamed Jennifer for destroying Paige's life, and Jennifer countered that it was pathetic of Eve to try to blame her for something Eve had done. Eve conceded that she had to live with the fact that she had slept with her daughter's boyfriend, but she added that Jennifer had to live with the fact that she had made the situation ten times worse when she had orchestrated a reunion between J.J. and Paige. Jennifer said she had already admitted it had been wrong of her to do that. "Wrong? No, Jennifer -- [it] was evil," Eve clarified.
"I'm evil? You, on every single level, are a bad person! And if you try to hurt my son again, you're gonna have to face me," Jennifer countered. A framed photograph of J.J. was sitting on Jennifer's desk, and Eve picked it up while declaring that he was a selfish, destructive little liar. "And guess what? I hope he burns in hell," Eve added before tossing the item across the room, shattering it in the process. Jennifer ordered Eve to leave, but Eve continued to lash out at Jennifer, complaining that it wasn't fair that Jennifer got to keep J.J., while she didn't even know where her child was.
Jennifer said Paige was a strong young woman and was going to be just fine. Eve took that to mean Jennifer had seen Paige earlier, and when Jennifer confirmed the suspicion, Eve got even more upset, assuming Jennifer had probably tried to blame everything on Eve. Eve vowed to hold Jennifer and J.J. responsible if Paige never spoke to Eve again. "You know, I totally get this. I see it so clearly now -- why you wanted Paige and J.J. together. Because if he was with someone like her, you wouldn't have to tell yourself that he's completely worthless. Oh, my God -- you wanted her to be the Jennifer Horton to his Jack Deveraux," Eve mused.
"I see it now, too -- maybe your daughter will never speak to you again, maybe your daughter will never lay eyes on you again, and maybe that will be the best thing in the world for her," Jennifer countered, prompting Eve to lunge at her. A brief struggle ensued, but Eric soon arrived and broke up the fight. Jennifer threatened to call security and press charges unless Eve left immediately. "Jennifer, I know what I did. I made a huge mistake -- a huge mistake. But so did you. And if I lose my daughter, it's only fair, and it's only right, that you lose your son," Eve declared before storming off.
Eric tried to get Jennifer to open up about what had happened, but she wasn't in the mood to talk about it. "Be careful of Eve Donovan, okay? When somebody's that angry, you never know what they might do," Eric warned before leaving. Meanwhile, in the park, Eve tried to contact Paige, but the call went to voicemail. "Mm-mm, Jennifer. No, you and J.J. are not gonna get away with this. Mm-mm," Eve muttered after recording a message for Paige.
At the Horton Town Square, J.J. said he was glad he had run into Paige. Paige reminded J.J. that she had told him never to talk to her again. J.J. nodded and sadly started to walk away, but Paige stopped him and admitted she had been angry and hurt then but had since decided it might be a good idea for them to talk, after all. J.J. shot Paige a hopeful look and asked if she really meant that. "Yeah. You know, it's not every girl who gets to ask their boyfriend, 'Who was better in bed, me or Mom?' You know, I just think I'll die if you say my mom's a better kisser than I am. No, you know what? I don't think I want to talk to you, after all," Paige replied.
Paige walked off, but J.J. chased after her. "Look, you asked me a question last night that I couldn't answer -- not at the time. You asked me how I could do what I did to you, how I could lie to you over and over again. Well, I thought about that, Paige -- all night. And I think I have an answer. Do you want to hear it?" J.J. asked, and Paige skeptically decided to take the bait.
J.J. reminded Paige that he had been pretty screwed up when he had first arrived in Salem after getting kicked out of boarding school. J.J. added that he had started trying to turn his life around shortly before he had met Paige for the first time. J.J. said he had soon fallen in love with Paige and had found it easy to believe he had put his mistakes behind him because she had made him feel like that had been true, since she had gotten him like no one else ever had. J.J. admitted he hadn't known how good he'd had things at that time, adding that everything had been perfect -- until Eve had arrived in Salem.
Paige assumed J.J. was trying to blame Eve for everything. "No. I didn't say that, and I don't think it. It was all totally my fault. And what I meant was, when she got back, things started to change for us, 'cause she made something clear to me -- something I already knew, but I just didn't want to admit -- that I wasn't good enough for you. And that scared the hell out of me," J.J. clarified. Paige reminded J.J. that she had tried to tell him that wasn't true, but he insisted she had been wrong about that.
"Your mom had it nailed. I thought that I was like my dad. Well, I am. And it freaked me out to find out what he had done, and what it really meant to be like him. And that's when it all began -- I started lying to you, and I never stopped. Once I got started, the lies just became easier and easier. I lied about why I was so freaked out, why I pushed you away, about sleeping with your mother. I have been lying to you, in one way or another, for months now, and it seems like forever," J.J. admitted.
"It was so easy for me to lie over and over again 'cause there was one huge lie behind all the others, and the real lie was that I had changed. 'Cause you were right last night, when you said that the guy that you fell in love with doesn't exist, 'cause I am still the same guy who sold the drugs, who lied to my mom about everything, the guy who tore up the square, and I'm still the guy who doesn't deserve you. I kept lying over and over again 'cause I was too afraid to admit it to myself. So, as long as I had you in my life -- as long as I still loved you -- I could convince myself that I was a decent guy," J.J. added.
"And having figured all this out, Paige...I'd still lie all over again, just to keep you. I was crazy in love with you, Paige, and I still am. And I'd do anything to keep you in my life. And I know -- I know -- that it's the crazy kind of love, like you talked about last night, but maybe it's the only kind of love that I know. What I do know now for certain is...I can't go on without you," J.J. concluded.
Paige said the sad thing was that she had never needed J.J. to be some sort of saint, anyway; she had only needed him to be honest with her -- and not sleep with her mother, of course. "Anyway, I'm sorry if you have some self-esteem issues, but I really don't give a damn. For all I care, you can go straight to hell," Paige concluded. "I'm already there," J.J. muttered. Paige walked away after saying she was glad to hear that.
Paul awoke in his hotel room after dreaming about receiving a visit from Sonny -- who, in the dream, had passionately kissed a towel-clad Paul after declaring that he had never stopped loving Paul. Desperate for some air, Paul went to the hospital to donate some blood, and he ran into Marlena there. Paul guessed Marlena was going to try to tell him to stay away from Sonny, but she clarified that she just wanted to ask him about John. Paul complained that John was a hypocrite -- and so was Marlena, since they both wanted him to stay away from Sonny but hadn't been able to stay away from each other when they had been in a similar situation years earlier.
"Well, we both made mistakes. People do that. I wouldn't have a practice if people always made the right choices," Marlena countered. Paul insisted he wasn't going to pretend he didn't still love Sonny, nor was he going to lie to anyone -- not even himself -- the way John and Marlena had. "Oh. So you know exactly what John and I should have done. And the truth is, if John had done that, you wouldn't exist," Marlena pointed out. Paul wondered if Marlena was really trying to argue that it was okay to make bad choices -- choices that could actually hurt people -- just because there might be a chance that something good could happen as a result.
Marlena clarified that she wasn't talking about good choices or bad choices at all -- she was just saying that things sometimes happened for a reason. Paul reminded Marlena that, as a psychiatrist, she wasn't supposed to believe in fate. Marlena countered that Paul's decision to have surgery in Salem, of all places, had put him on a collision course with not only his ex but also his long-lost father. "So what I'm saying is, regardless of your expectations, sometimes things are just beyond our control," Marlena concluded before walking away. Later, while looking for Theresa, Paul observed and introduced himself to his new nephew, Tate.
At the Brady Pub, Will contacted Sonny, who was relieved to hear from Will. Will apologized for missing Sonny's calls, explaining that he had turned off his phone before his meeting with Zoe. "Today was our first therapy session, and you schedule a meeting?" Sonny asked incredulously. Will clarified that he hadn't forgotten about the therapy session -- he was just running a bit late. Will promised to be there shortly, but Sonny said it was too late because their appointment had gotten canceled when Will hadn't shown up on time. Will said he was sorry. "Just come home," Sonny replied before ending the call.
When Will returned to his and Sonny's apartment, he reiterated that he was sorry. "As always," Sonny muttered. Will struggled to understand why he and Sonny couldn't have just met each other at the therapist's office, since he wouldn't have been that late for the session. Sonny explained that he and Will had been expected to arrive early to fill out some paperwork. "Anyway, they rescheduled, so we have an appointment the day after tomorrow," Sonny added.
Will suggested that, since he and Sonny had some time to themselves while Arianna was with her babysitter, they could try something else before going to counseling. "So you're backing out?" Sonny guessed. Will clarified that he was just trying to suggest that he and Sonny could try something else first, since their session had already been postponed, anyway. Will explained that he had found some exercises online, but Sonny couldn't help mocking the ideas -- things like eating meals together or refraining from going to bed angry with each other. Will retracted his suggestion and told Sonny to forget he had ever mentioned it in the first place.
Sonny apologized and wondered which idea had caught Will's attention. Will handed his tablet computer back to Sonny and pointed to the final idea on the list. "'Honesty hour'? Honestly? Why don't we start with 'honesty quarter-hour'?" Sonny suggested. Will laughed and called Sonny a coward. Sonny guessed Will was only saying that because he knew calling Sonny a coward would make Sonny want to do the exercise just to prove that wasn't true. "Is that how you honestly feel?" Will asked.
After a moment of consideration, Sonny agreed to the idea, and Will volunteered to be the first one in the hot seat. Sonny set a timer on his cell phone before posing his first question, wondering what had really happened to his Taylor Swift tee shirt. "You go for the jugular, don't you?" Will noted. Sonny didn't believe his favorite shirt had gotten lost in the laundry, as Will had claimed, because Will had never lost even a single sock in the laundry in all the years they had known each other. Will hesitantly admitted he had thrown the shirt out because Sonny had been trying to wear it ironically but had actually just looked kind of pitiful in it.
"Well, that was honest," Sonny observed, prompting Will to remind him that was the point. "Well, then, why don't I ask you something a little more important -- why did you back out of the counseling session today?" Sonny wondered. Will reiterated that he'd had a meeting. "Honestly," Sonny reminded Will, who repeated that he had honestly had a meeting -- so he wouldn't have to attend the session. "I was scared, Sonny. I was just scared that if we were to just keep talking about everything...you would just find even more reasons to leave me," Will admitted.
Sonny said he wasn't looking for reasons to leave Will. "And I'm not saying that you are. Sonny, it's just...I know that I screwed up -- over and over again -- and I'm afraid that if we see a counselor, she'll just keep pointing it out, and eventually, you'll wonder why you're even with me," Will clarified. Sonny insisted that wasn't going to happen. Will managed a bit of a smile and promised he would attend the next therapy session. Sonny said he was glad he and Will had been honest with each other, and Will checked his watch and noted that there was still time for another question before he had to leave to do an interview. "Go for it," Sonny said.
"Paul asked you if you were still in love with him. You didn't answer. So...are you?" Will asked.
At Club TBD, Kate complained to Clyde about Victor's decision to make Justin her supervisor. With a grin, Clyde told Kate that if he had been in Victor's position, he would have fired Kate. Kate was annoyed, but Clyde explained that the only thing Kate had accomplished since joining Titan had been to lose her top designer. When Clyde wondered aloud why Victor had not fired Kate, Kate argued that Victor knew her value as an employee. Clyde advised Kate to be careful at work. As Kate nodded, Clyde asked her to join him for his interview with Will.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, the men continued their "hour of honesty chat." Will asked Sonny whether he still loved Paul. Avoiding the question, Sonny stressed that he loved Will and that Will was all that mattered. Will pushed for Sonny to answer the question.
Uncomfortable, Sonny accused Will of asking for an honest chat as a trap. Unfazed, Will asked Sonny to tell him whether Sonny was still in love with Paul. When Sonny remained silent, a panicked Will shouted, "You can't do it. You still love him!" Will added that Sonny could not be in love with two people.
"Love is not what you say. Love is what you do. I didn't sleep with Paul, did I? I didn't cheat on you, did I? You did these things. Is that what love looks like for you?" Sonny asked. Furious, Will asked Sonny when Sonny would stop throwing the affair in his face. Sonny stressed that he was committed to Will, but a part of him would always love Paul in some way. Will snarled that he did not like that Sonny talked about his commitment like it was a job.
"Why is it you're the one that screws up our life, and I'm the one that has to defend myself?" Sonny asked. Will responded that Paul wanted Sonny back. With a sigh, Sonny argued that Paul was in Salem to spend time with John. Will shook his head and argued that Sonny would fall prey to Paul's charms and end up in bed with him just like Will had done.
Clyde and Kate arrived at the apartment for Clyde's interview with Will. Sensing the tension between Will and Sonny, Kate asked if everything was okay. With a noncommittal response, Sonny left in a huff. Will interviewed Clyde then Clyde asked about Will's trip to Poplar Bluff. Will admitted that everyone in Poplar Bluff had had glowing things to say about Clyde except for one person. When Clyde inquired about the interviewee, Will reluctantly told Clyde that Jeremiah had made some negative comments.
Will handed his notes to Clyde to read. After perusing Will's interview notes, Clyde asked Will to write about his interview with Jeremiah. Clyde explained that he wanted people to know that he had been a bad person but that he had changed. With a smile, Clyde told Will that he was looking forward to reading Will's article.
After Clyde left, Kate asked Will what he had done to Sonny to cause an argument. With a groan, Will commented that Kate was turning against him just like everyone else. When Kate asked who was against Will, Will explained that Victor was actively encouraging Sonny to restart his romantic relationship with Paul. Desperate, Will asked Kate to talk to Victor. Citing her difficulties with Victor, Kate declined Will's request. Will complained that if Paul did not leave Salem soon, Will would lose his mind.
In the park, Paul thought about when Sonny had told him that he would always care about him. As Paul turned to leave, Sonny walked around the corner. Sonny asked Paul what was wrong. Paul explained that after meeting his nephew, Tate, Paul had walked through the park and had seen a man playing catch with his son. Paul said he had been saddened by the thought that he had not had a father when he had been a child. Paul added that he had then thought about Arianna, and he had decided that he did not want to take any fathers away from her.
Paul said that John had been right and that he should steer clear of Sonny. As Paul turned to leave, an upset Sonny asked Paul not to walk away from him. Sonny said, "Just because Will made a mistake, it doesn't mean I should." Paul countered that if Sonny reconciled with him, it would not be a mistake because Paul and Sonny had a history, unlike Paul and Will. Sonny told Paul about his fight with Will. Paul pulled away. With a sigh, Paul stressed that if anything were to happen between him and Sonny, it would not be because Sonny had fought with Will.
In his hotel room, Xander called Serena. Xander asked about Nicole, and Serena urged Xander to leave Nicole alone. Xander noted that since the diamonds had been verified, he did not need to deal with Serena anymore. With a devilish grin, Xander informed Serena that he was sending her a souvenir of their time together. With a groan, Serena countered that she just wanted to forget everything about Xander. Xander placed a photo of a naked Serena and himself with the elephant statue into an envelope. Chuckling, Xander wrote Serena's name on the envelope.
At Serena's hotel room, Eric arrived to say goodbye. Eric said that he needed more time to tell his family about his move before he could join Serena in Hawaii. Serena was disappointed. Eric said he was worried about his family but was anxious to start his new life with Serena. With a quick kiss, Serena left to run errands.
While Serena was out, Eric worked on his computer in Serena's hotel room. A messenger dropped off the envelope that Xander had sent over. Eric placed the envelope on the desk and returned to work. As Eric reached for his cup of coffee, he accidentally knocked it over, spilling the contents onto the envelope. Worried about the materials inside the envelope, Eric opened it in order to prevent the materials inside from getting wet.
When Serena returned home, she found a stone-face Eric waiting for her. Eric showed Serena the photo of her and a naked Xander. As Serena's jaw fell open, Eric demanded to know what was going on.
In the town square, Nicole saw Daniel sitting at the café, having breakfast with Parker. Nicole smiled. As Daniel looked up, he saw Nicole and smiled sadly at her. Inside a nearby shop, Navidad watched Nicole. Maggie arrived and urged Daniel to follow her home to the apartment. Daniel scooped up Parker, and Nicole walked away. Navidad called Xander and updated him on Nicole's movements.
In Daniel's apartment, Melanie and Brady talked about her decision to leave Salem. Brady told Melanie that he did not hate her. Melanie said that she would do anything for Brady, which was why she needed to say goodbye. Upset, Brady begged Melanie to consider a temporary separation. Melanie refused. Melanie noted that Theresa would always be Tate's mother, so a temporary separation would not work. Frustrated, Brady stormed out of the apartment, vowing to figure out a solution.
Melanie headed over to the hospital. After explaining why she was leaving town, Melanie told Maxine goodbye. Maxine told Melanie that she was proud of Melanie. As a parting favor, Maxine let Melanie feed Tate and say goodbye to Brady's son. Holding Tate in her arms, Melanie said, "You're the thing Brady has been looking for his whole life, and he didn't even know it. He's gonna be the best dad."
After returning the baby to Maxine, Melanie met with Serena in the hallway, and they said goodbye to one another. Serena promised to stay in touch. As Melanie turned to leave, Nicole greeted her as she exited the elevator. Melanie informed Nicole that she was leaving Salem because it would allow Brady the ability to focus on his son. With a nod, Nicole said that if Melanie believed leaving was the best thing, then Nicole believed her.
A tearful Melanie said goodbye to Nicole, and she thanked Nicole for being a good friend. Melanie remarked that Nicole was loyal and did not back down. As Nicole made a self-deprecating remark, Melanie told Nicole not to be down on herself. Melanie encouraged Nicole to get past her issues with Daniel and to reconcile with him because Daniel loved Nicole "with all his heart."
Nicole returned to her office and paced. As Nicole muttered to herself, Xander stopped by to talk. A nervous Nicole warned Xander that he was visiting her in a public place, since she worked in a newsroom. With a shrug, Xander said he did not want to hide their relationship because Daniel was already upset with him. Xander suggested that he and Nicole let one another know where they stood. Xander invited Nicole to be his date for a family dinner with Victor and Daniel.
Nicole warned Xander that her appearance would anger Victor, and she declined the invitation. Suspicious, Xander asked Nicole if she had turned him down because of Victor or because of Daniel. Stepping uncomfortably closed to Nicole, Xander added that if Nicole had said no because of Daniel, then they would have a problem.
When Daniel, Parker, and Maggie arrived home at his apartment, they were dismayed to find a letter from Melanie. Melanie returned home, and a relieved Daniel thanked her for saying goodbye in person. Daniel wanted to help Melanie, but Melanie insisted that leaving town was the best decision. As tears streamed down Melanie's face, Daniel told her that he would love her forever. Melanie told Daniel about her conversation with Brady, and she stressed that leaving town was the best way to ensure that Brady would be able to see his son. Daniel nodded.
With a grin, Melanie mentioned that she had talked to Nicole as well. Melanie told Daniel that Nicole was still crazy about him, and that she hoped Daniel and Nicole would reconcile. With the smile fading from her face, Melanie asked Daniel to remind Brady that she was leaving because she loved Brady. Daniel nodded. Melanie asked Maggie to watch over Tate so that Victor did not interfere. Maggie smiled and agreed.
"You were the first person who ever believed in me. You made me want to be the person you thought I was, and you loved me when I didn't deserve it," Melanie told Maggie. "You always deserved to be loved. Always," Maggie said through tears. Daniel swore that he would drive Melanie to the airport, and laughing, Melanie agreed. Melanie asked for a moment alone. While Daniel, Maggie, and Parker headed downstairs with Melanie's suitcases, Melanie stood alone in the apartment and looked around. As Melanie turned to leave, Brady appeared in the doorway.
"Because I love you as much as I do, I have to trust you. I have to let you do what you think is right. To share your love for me," Brady said quietly. As Melanie nodded, Brady continued. "You found my son. You gave him to me. And now, Melanie, it's like you are giving him to me again. I will love you as long as I live," Brady said and he swept Melanie into his arms and kissed her.
Chuckling, Brady insisted that he wanted to drive Melanie to the airport. Melanie warned Brady that he would have to fight both Daniel and Maggie for the honor. Brady said he wanted as much time as possible with Melanie before she left, and he escorted her downstairs.
Abigail was in her mom's office at the hospital, stuffing letters to the board members into envelopes, when she paused on the last one, addressed to Chad DiMera. Kayla entered and asked if Abigail were busying herself with work as a way to avoid the situation with Jennifer, J.J., and Eve. Abigail admitted that the whole thing had upset her, especially how her mom had encouraged J.J. to lie to Paige, but Abigail had finally realized she'd been far too judgmental about Jennifer's behavior.
Abigail added that she had also realized that making mistakes was inevitable -- such as falling in love with the wrong person. Kayla mused that often a guy who had once seemed completely wrong actually ended up being the right guy. Abigail wondered how Kayla had felt when her family had disapproved of her relationship with Steve. Kayla confided that it hadn't made her love Steve any less, because she'd known she'd wanted to spend the rest of her life with him -- and she hadn't really cared what other people had thought.
Abigail wished she could be more like Kayla in not caring what other people thought. Nothing that Jennifer approved of Ben, a bemused Kayla asked what Abigail was worried about. Abigail stammered that her doubts were more about herself, because she wasn't sure if she were capable of the kind of loyalty it took to make a relationship last, based on how she'd lost control in the past.
Kayla reassured Abigail that she was a beautiful, smart young woman who put too much pressure on herself. Kayla encouraged Abigail to try to enjoy the present and focus on Ben because he seemed like a great guy, and he was crazy about Abigail. "Maybe you just need to be grateful and thankful for what you have right now and let your heart tell you what's right, okay?" Kayla suggested. Abigail hugged her aunt and thanked her for the advice.
After Kayla left, a messenger arrived to pick up the letters to the board members. Abigail explained that she was keeping one because she wanted to personally deliver it, along with a message to the recipient.
At Club TBD, Chad was putting the finishing touches on a handmade sign for Arianna's upcoming birthday party. Zoe was impressed that someone like Chad, a high-powered executive, was taking the time to do something like that. Kate entered and observed as Zoe added that she was free for the evening, since Will's article about Clyde Weston wasn't due until the next day. Zoe asked if Chad would like to accompany her to the theatre in Chicago that evening, but he claimed that he was busy.
After Zoe left, Kate asked why Chad hadn't even given the time of day to a woman who was clearly interested in him. Chad pointed out that Zoe worked for him, but Kate guessed that Chad was really interested in someone else. Chad asserted that his personal life was none of Kate's business. Kate maintained that she still cared about Chad and only wanted what was best for him.
Kate complimented Chad on his work on the poster and asked if Arianna's godmother, Abigail, would be attending. "There must be a million reasons why the two of you should keep your distance from each other... You don't need me to remind you of that, do you?" Kate asked pointedly.
A little later, Abigail found Chad in the garden at the DiMera mansion, where Harold had sent her. Chad explained that he'd given the staff the night off because he found it "suffocating" to be waited on all the time. Abigail explained that she had a memo from the charity to the board, requesting enhancement funds from the contingency account. Barely making eye contact, Chad brusquely assured Abigail that she would get the money.
When no further explanation was forthcoming, a frustrated Abigail started to head inside to leave the memo in the study for Chad, but she stopped to ask him, "Chad, what's wrong with you? What's going on?" Recounting the luxuries in his life -- the expensive Scotch, the servants, the jet, the countless cars -- Chad wondered bitterly, "What more could a guy want out of life?" Noting that Chad was still grieving over Kristen, Abigail suggested that maybe it wasn't wise for him to be alone in that big house by himself.
Chad countered that Zoe had told him she was available. As Abigail started to leave again, Chad grabbed her arm and suggested, "Why don't you stay? Get what you really came for?" Abigail maintained that she was only there for the money, but Chad pressed her about her true motives. "You know why you're here. We both know," Chad asserted. Abigail maintained that she didn't know what Chad was talking about.
"All of the mistakes that we have made and everything that we have done to hurt each other, it has only made us want each other even more. When I look into your eyes, I see something that no one else sees or understands, and that is exactly why it is going to be even better when it does happen," Chad predicted. Abigail protested and tried to flee, but Chad stopped her easily. "You know it's true," he murmured, sweeping Abigail into a passionate kiss, which she returned enthusiastically.
Kate went to the hospital for an appointment with her oncologist. Kayla met Kate in the waiting room to deliver the lab results, explaining that the oncologist had been called away -- but Kate was still cancer-free. Before Kate could leave, Kayla broached the topic of work and asked if Kate had actually fired her own son from Mad World. Kate stunned Kayla by divulging that Victor had fired Lucas because Lucas was sleeping with Adrienne. Kayla was surprised that Adrienne would cheat on Justin, but Kate said Justin had slept with someone else, as well.
Victor went to Daniel's apartment to invite Daniel to dinner at the Kiriakis mansion that evening. Daniel declined when he learned that Xander would be there. Victor wanted to know what Daniel's problem with Xander was. Daniel said he just didn't buy Xander's personality change from the "messed-up kid" he'd been to the supposedly successful entrepreneur he'd become. Victor was a bit taken aback, but Daniel asserted that he'd heard an interesting take on Xander from someone who'd known Xander very well in Africa.
Daniel also didn't like what he'd witnessed Xander doing with Nicole. Victor reminded Daniel that Xander had backed off when he'd learned that Daniel and Nicole had been together. Daniel asserted that Xander had done nothing but lie about that situation from the beginning. On his way out, a disappointed Victor promised not to put Daniel in an awkward position with Xander again. In the hallway, Victor sent a text message to Xander, demanding Xander's presence at the house immediately.
Later, while Parker played on the living room floor, Daniel thought about calling Nicole but decided against it, believing that she would either put him off or play games with him. Instead, as he promised to play with Parker in just a few minutes, Daniel opened his computer and pulled up Nicole's biography on the Titan Television website. "This could work," Daniel told himself.
A minute later, a distracted Daniel realized that Parker had grabbed the elephant carving and had broken its trunk. While Daniel was working out how to fix it, the base of the statue swung open, revealing the secret compartment.
In Nicole's office at the television station, Xander encroached on Nicole's personal space as he warned her that they would have a problem if she were turning down his invitation to dinner because of Daniel. Nicole refused to discuss Daniel with Xander and asked him to leave. She tried to move away from Xander, but he grabbed her and rather forcefully kissed her. When Nicole shoved Xander away, he accused her of not being over Daniel.
Nicole incredulously pointed out that Xander had kissed her in her office, a fairly public place, and then accused her of being upset about it because of Daniel. Xander argued that Nicole hadn't seemed to mind his attention back in his hotel room. "Xander, what part of my personality or body language says that I enjoy being pushed around?" Nicole demanded. Xander's demeanor shifted from entitled anger to contrition. He apologized and admitted that Nicole had been absolutely right to decline his invitation to dinner at his uncle's house.
Xander noted that his family could get in the way of things, but he thought as long as he and Nicole kept things quiet, they should be fine. As he headed for the door, Xander asked about Nicole's chat with Serena. Nicole casually wondered how Xander knew that Serena had dropped by, and he indicated that Serena had told him. Nicole diplomatically noted that Salem wouldn't be the same without Serena. Xander received Victor's message just then, so he gave Nicole a goodbye kiss on the hand and headed out.
As Nicole sat at her keyboard later and typed "Xander Cook" into the search engine, she reminded herself that she'd already done that. Hopeful that it would reveal more, she decided to try the dark web, since it had worked when she'd been investigating Dr. Chyka. Reading aloud, Nicole mused, "'Alexandros Kiriakis, a.k.a. Xander Cook.' Hmm. Why are both names mentioned? Oh, my God. He served time -- for murder!"
When Xander arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor informed him that dinner was canceled -- and would not be rescheduled. A puzzled Xander asked what was wrong. "I am very, very disappointed in you," a fuming Victor began. Reminding Xander of their previous conversation, Victor reiterated, "It's about Nicole Walker, you idiot! Could I not have been clearer? Stay away from her. Is that ambiguous? Does it require illustrations, flashcards maybe?"
Xander meekly protested that he'd taken Victor's orders very seriously, but Victor asserted that Xander was lying. Victor warned his nephew, "You upset Daniel, and you upset me. You knew what I expected of you, and you chose to defy me. Well, here's the thing: I made you, Alexandros, and I can break you. I can do it right now."
In Serena's hotel room, Eric confronted Serena with the photo of her and Xander that the messenger had delivered. "What is this?" Eric demanded. A flustered Serena accused Eric of going through her things. Eric explained that a messenger had delivered the picture in an envelope, but Eric had accidentally spilled coffee on it, so he'd removed the contents so they wouldn't be ruined. Becoming angry, Eric demanded to know why Serena was putting him on the defensive when the picture was of her and Xander in bed, with Serena holding the elephant statue.
Serena tried to insist that it had meant nothing, which did little to allay Eric's disbelief and ire. Serena insisted that the picture had been taken after Eric had returned to the States to become a priest, so she had not cheated on him. Eric argued that he was upset because Serena had never once mentioned that she'd been involved with Xander, when she'd been completely open about all of her previous boyfriends. Eric believed that Serena should have told him about her relationship with Xander, especially after Xander had arrived in Salem.
Finally, Serena blurted out that she'd never mentioned it because after getting involved with Xander, she'd figured out that he wasn't a good person. She'd been ashamed that she could have ever been involved with someone like him, and she hadn't wanted Eric to think less of her for it. Picking up the photo, Eric asked, "It still doesn't make sense to me... Why would he send this to you now?" Serena defensively insisted that she didn't know, because she and Xander had not made a secret of their mutual dislike.
Serena added that she was counting the hours until she could leave and there was an ocean between her and Xander, whom she truly hated. She asked Eric if he could please just let it go. "No, Serena, because you lied to me," Eric replied, clearly still seething. He demanded to know why Serena would have accepted an offer to work with Xander on an article in Salem if she hated him so much. Serena claimed that she'd done it so she could be with Eric. Eric was skeptical that Serena would take a job working with someone she hated just for him.
"Everything I do is for you, Eric!" Serena insisted. A dubious Eric declared, "I'm not buying any of it!" He surmised that there was something that Serena wasn't telling him, because he knew she would never take an assignment that she didn't believe in. When Serena remained silent, Eric asked how he was supposed to move to Hawaii with her. Serena implored Eric to listen to her, but he demanded, "You say you love me? Then you tell me what's going on, or we're not going anywhere together!"
Due to NBC sports coverage of the French Open tennis tournament, Days of our Lives did not air. This schedule change was planned for and there were no "lost" episodes as a result this change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, June 8, and picked up where the Wednesday, June 3, episode concluded.
Due to NBC sports coverage of the French Open tennis tournament, Days of our Lives did not air. This schedule change was planned for and there were no "lost" episodes as a result this change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, June 8, and picked up where the Wednesday, June 3, episode concluded.
