Kayla offers Steve a way to fix things
At the Brady Pub, Paul told John that being a public figure made it kind of hard to blend into surroundings when working as a private investigator. John pointed out that, on the other hand, being a public figure was a pretty good cover for a private investigator. "Why do I get the feeling that that's not your only problem with the job?" John asked.
Confirming the suspicion, Paul admitted that he wasn't sure he was cut out for a job in which he had to exploit people's private pain, as he had with Jennifer. John conceded with a sigh that the job could take its toll, but he urged Paul not to give up on it just yet. Paul acknowledged that cracking one of his other recent cases -- Tate's kidnapping -- had felt pretty great. "Hey, it's the good with the bad, kid," John replied.
Meanwhile, Sonny, who had just picked up a takeout order, approached to say hello, and John took that as his cue to leave. Hoping for more advice, Paul repeated his concerns to Sonny, explaining that he was worried that being a private investigator could negatively impact his relationships with other people. "Not that I'm in any other kind of relationship," Paul quickly added.
"Well, if you're smart, I would keep it that way. 'Cause if you get involved and put yourself out there, I mean, you're just gonna wind up getting hurt," Sonny replied. Taken aback, Paul protested that, while he was aware that losing Will had torn Sonny apart, relationships didn't always end with that sort of pain. Paul started to add that Sonny and Will had been happy until he had entered the picture, but Sonny interrupted and asked him not to go there. "This isn't about [Will], anyway. What I'm trying to say is...don't set yourself up to get hurt," Sonny added. Sonny reasoned that Paul needed to do what was in his best interest, not John's.
Still somewhat shocked, Paul admitted that he felt like he was looking at a whole new version of Sonny. Sonny conceded that he might have changed a bit over the course of the past year or so. "I'm my own man now. I'm not out to please people all the time," he explained, adding that he was focused on clearing Victor's name at the moment, but after he accomplished that task, he might join the family business -- on his terms, not someone else's. "The family business? Wow, that's, uh...you definitely have changed," Paul mused.
"Will's dead. I'm alone. So...everything has changed," Sonny replied. Observing that Sonny was obviously still grieving the loss of Will, Paul advised that it might be a good idea for Sonny to share his feelings with a therapist. Sonny rejected the idea, insisting that he was fine. "I've [just] changed a little bit, okay? People are gonna have to get used to it," Sonny added before saying goodbye to Paul and exiting the pub.
At the Hernandez house, Gabi was shocked to learn that Eduardo planned to leave Salem later that day. Dario insisted that Eduardo was doing the right thing, but Gabi disagreed, protesting that Eduardo couldn't leave so soon after the family had finally gotten him back. "[So] a guy tried to mug me. He gets to win? Just because he made some threats?" Gabi asked incredulously.
Adriana backed up Gabi, who looked to Rafe for further support. Rafe confirmed that he felt the same way Gabi did, but he also pointed out that it was ultimately Eduardo's call to make. Eduardo maintained that he had to leave Salem to ensure that what had happened to Gabi would never happen again -- to her or anyone else he loved. Eduardo said he would try to keep in touch via social media, but he wasn't willing to promise anything, since contact of any kind could put his family back in the line of fire.
Adriana ran out of the room in tears, unable to say goodbye to Eduardo. After Eduardo chased after her, Gabi chastised Dario for seeming eager to shove Eduardo out the door. Dario unapologetically confirmed that he was glad that Eduardo was finally leaving Salem for good, adding that Gabi had been attacked because of the heinous things Eduardo had done to people over the years. "He's doing the right thing -- maybe for the first time in his life," Dario continued. As Gabi started to argue that everyone had a past, Dario received a phone call and stepped outside to answer it.
Rafe tried to comfort Gabi, reminding her that Dario had always been selfish, pigheaded, and unforgiving, but she felt like something was off. "[Dario's] been acting so weird [lately], and I feel like there's something going on that we don't know about," Gabi mused. Dario soon returned and excused himself, vaguely explaining that he needed to take care of something.
When Eduardo and Adriana rejoined Gabi and Rafe a short time later, Gabi complained that Dario had left without even bothering to say goodbye to Eduardo. Eduardo wasn't surprised, and he assured Gabi that he understood. Eduardo reluctantly said goodbye to Rafe, Gabi, and Adriana, promising to return as soon as it was safe to do so.
In a secluded section of the town square, Dario angrily handed more cash over to Gabi's attacker, insisting that there wouldn't be a third payoff. "Really? I think I'm always gonna be worth a little walking-around money...if you don't want your family to know the truth," the attacker replied with a smirk. As he passed through the town square a short time later, he ran into Gabi, who screamed and called for help when she saw him. He rushed over to her and clasped her mouth, warning her to shut up. "Man, I have had it with your stupid family!" he angrily added before dashing off.
Kayla went to the Salem Inn to give Steve an update on the therapy sessions Joey had been having with Marlena. Kayla reported that Marlena, who had received Joey's permission to talk to her about the sessions, believed that he was making progress. Kayla hesitantly added that Joey thought it would be good for her and Steve to talk to Marlena about their relationship. Kayla was willing to do that, but Steve wasn't interested, insisting that therapy wasn't his thing. "You know all the crap I went through when I was a kid. I don't see the point in dredging all that up again," he explained.
Kayla argued that therapy could be a way for her and Steve to work their way back to each other. "I don't need a therapist to find my way back to you. I'm already there. You're the one who's saying we can't make it work," Steve pointed out. Kayla defensively complained that Steve was making it sound like she was to blame for all the problems in their relationship. "It is never gonna work out with us if you're not willing to do the work," she insisted. Steve countered that he had already changed careers for Kayla and had also moved out of their house to give her space. "What more do I have to do to prove to you that I'm trying here?" he asked.
Dodging the question, Kayla wondered why Steve, who had always been fearless in all other respects, was afraid of therapy, of all things. "Are there so many things in your past that you feel that you need to keep buried? Are you afraid of some demon jumping out of you?" she asked. Steve clarified that he wasn't afraid of therapy; he simply didn't see the point of it. Steve added that he didn't think he and Kayla would enjoy therapy, anyway, but she dismissively countered that therapy wasn't meant to be an enjoyable experience. Realizing that agreeing to go to therapy would mean a lot to Kayla, Steve reluctantly gave in and said he would give it a try.
While passing through the town square, Jade spotted Joey and called out to him, noting that it had been a while since they had last seen or even spoken to each other. "Are you avoiding me?" she wondered. Joey assured Jade that he had simply been dealing with some stuff recently, but he declined to elaborate. Groaning, Jade complained that she hated knowing that Joey was keeping things from her, since imagining worst-case scenarios was always worse than knowing the truth. Joey assured Jade that he hadn't found a new girlfriend or decided that he could do better than her. "I just... I've been going to therapy lately," he admitted.
Sighing, Joey added that he hated therapy and wanted to quit going but couldn't because his parents were forcing him to attend. "Whenever I go, all this -- all this stuff starts coming up, you know? Like why I'm so angry," Joey continued. Joey reluctantly revealed that Marlena had blamed most, if not all, of that anger on his association with Jade, who had been the catalyst for many of the bad decisions he had made lately. Jade defensively reminded Joey that she hadn't been around for what had happened with Ava. Joey conceded the point but fretted that being attracted to Jade's exciting side could mean that he was turning into his father.
Confused, Jade pointed out that Joey had always wanted to emulate his father. "That's what I used to think, but now -- now I'm starting to think that all this bad stuff's happening because I'm trying to be like him," Joey explained. Jade sarcastically wondered if that meant Joey had hooked up with her because she reminded him of his mother. "No! No, not at -- you're more like Ava," Joey blurted out. Jade didn't find that particularly comforting, but Joey assured her that he hadn't meant it in a bad way. "I just -- I don't really know what I'm saying right now, and I should just stop talking," he concluded.
Jade agreed that she didn't know what Joey was saying, either -- but the one thing that seemed clear was that their relationship was over. "Go to hell!" Jade spat as she stormed off, ignoring Joey's attempt to stop her. Meanwhile, Steve and Kayla approached and asked Joey what was going on. Joey explained that he and Jade had just gotten into a fight, prompting Kayla to wonder if there was anything she and Steve could do to help. "Yeah, there's something you can do -- you can tell Dr. Evans I don't want to go to therapy anymore! It's just making things worse!" Joey snapped.
Kayla protested that Joey just needed to give the therapy process more time. Hoping to change Joey's mind, Kayla added that she and Steve were planning to start going to therapy, too. "If we can do [it], Joey, so can you," Kayla reasoned, and Joey reluctantly conceded the point. Pleased, Kayla excused herself so she could get back to work. "Dad, are you sure about this? 'Cause, I mean, sometimes Mom starts talking, and pretty soon she thinks everyone believes what she's saying," Joey told Steve once they were alone. Joey guessed that Steve would hate therapy even more than he did.
Confused, Steve pointed out that, according to Kayla, Joey was the one who had first suggested the idea of her and Steve attending therapy together. "That was before talking to Dr. Evans started screwing everything up," Joey grumbled. Joey complained that he loved Jade, but that didn't seem to matter to Marlena, who kept putting doubts in his head about being with Jade. "It's your life. If you don't want some psychiatrist to tell you how to live it, you've gotta be true to yourself. In the end, it's up to you," Steve reasoned. Joey thanked Steve for the advice then tracked Jade down and assured her that he still wanted to be with her and was sorry they had fought.
John ran into Kayla at the hospital and was surprised to hear that she and Steve had decided to start attending therapy sessions with Marlena. "Good luck with that," John stammered. John added that although he missed working with Steve, he understood Steve's desire to prove to Kayla that things had changed. Kayla expressed doubts, admitting that Steve was late for their first appointment.
Later, after John left, Kayla called Marlena and canceled the appointment, explaining with a sigh that Steve apparently didn't want to change, after all. "Which means there's no hope. I think we're gonna have to call it quits," Kayla tearfully added. Meanwhile, John entered Club TBD and found Steve sitting at the bar with a drink in his hand, trying to reject an attractive young woman's persistent advances.
At Club TBD, Kate talked on the phone to Julie about plans to purchase the Martin house bed and breakfast. Julie explained that she and Doug needed to focus on Jennifer and could no longer run their business. After Kate hung up the phone, Philip and Chloe entered the club. Philip informed his mother that he and Chloe were having a baby. Without missing a beat, Kate asked Philip why he was so sure that it was his baby. Kate urged Philip to obtain a paternity test. Shaking his head, Philip firmly said that there was no need to confirm paternity.
After Kate left to attend to her deal with Julie, Philip and Chloe reviewed their list of people to tell about the baby news. Chloe was worried that Brady would see that she was lying about the baby, but Philip reasoned that Brady might be too distracted by his own personal problems to see through the ruse. As Philip's phone rang with a conference call, Chloe told him that she was grateful for his help. With a nod, Philip left to take his phone call outside.
After Kate left the club, she thought about Deimos' connection to Chloe. With narrowed eyes, Kate called the Kiriakis mansion. At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole stopped by to see Deimos. Deimos lamented that Nicole had not already moved into the house because he had missed her. Deimos answered the ringing phone while Nicole stared at her engagement ring from Daniel on her finger. Disguising her voice, Kate said that she was calling from Chloe's obstetrician's office about the appointment for the baby. When Deimos answered in confusion, Kate claimed she had an alternate number for Chloe and hung up the phone.
Deimos asked Nicole to meet him at the mansion later to talk about her moving in with him. With a nod, Nicole reminded Deimos that she wanted to take things slowly. Nicole added that she needed to get to know Deimos before moving ahead with him.
At the Martin house, Kate met with Doug and Julie to finalize the paperwork transferring the property to Kate. Julie asked Kate to let the current long-term residents remain, and Kate nodded yes. As soon as Julie and Doug left, Kate called the long-term tenants and ordered them to pack up and leave the premises.
Andre stopped by the Martin house to talk. When Andre asked Kate if vengeance was still on her to do list, Kate shrugged. "Revenge as a means to an end? That would be worth your time," Andre purred. Kate invited Andre in for a Champagne toast.
At Club TBD, Deimos approached Chloe at her table. Deimos said that he knew Chloe was pregnant, and he asked if he was the father. Chloe stressed that Philip was the father of her baby. Deimos did not believe her. Chloe argued that Philip had been a part of her life for a long time and that they had a tangled history.
Fresh from his business call, Philip returned and jumped into the conversation. Philip put an arm around Chloe. Suspicious, Deimos asked Chloe why she had kept her relationship with Philip a secret. When Deimos said that he could be the father, Philip said he was not worried and did not need a blood test to show that he was the father. Annoyed, Deimos left.
Chloe wondered aloud how Deimos had learned that she was pregnant. After reviewing the short list of people they had told the news, Chloe realized that Kate had tipped off Deimos. Philip groaned.
At the Kiriakis condo, Justin escorted Victor home after securing his bond with the court. Victor asked Justin to confirm that Deimos was responsible for framing Victor. From the kitchen, Maggie wheeled into the room, grinning from ear to ear. Victor rushed to his wife's side to greet her. When Maggie asked about Victor, Victor swore that Deimos was to blame for the frame-up. Victor said he could not be sure until he looked his brother in the eye. Worried, Victor told Maggie that he needed her to believe in his innocence. Maggie smiled.
At Brady and Theresa's apartment, Brady was upset that his grandfather would not be at his wedding. Theresa showed Brady her design for Brady's tuxedo, and Brady calmed a bit. When Theresa mentioned that Maggie was home from the hospital, Brady brightened. Theresa suggested that they visit Maggie to cheer her up. After grabbing Tate and his stroller, the couple traveled to the Kiriakis condo.
When Brady and Theresa arrived at the condo, Maggie greeted them. Maggie informed them that Victor was out on bail. Uncomfortable, Brady noted that they would not stay long. While Theresa headed into the kitchen with Tate to fetch tea, Brady sat on the couch next to Maggie. As Brady reached down to grab one of Tate's toys off the floor, he spotted a pill. Brady lied to Maggie and said he had found a breath mint. Brady pocketed the pill.
After chatting with Maggie, Brady and Theresa returned home with Tate. Brady photographed the pill and looked it up online. Dismayed, Brady noted that the pill was the same drug that had been used to knock out Theresa when Tate had been kidnapped. Brady was disappointed that he had new evidence of Victor's guilt. Brady apologized to Theresa for the multiple times he had encouraged her to make amends with Victor in the past. Theresa told Brady not to worry about the past.
In the town square, a dejected Justin ran into Adrienne. Adrienne said that she was on her way to meet with Jennifer and help her plan the funeral for Abigail. As Justin nodded in sympathy, Adrienne asked about Victor. Justin explained that Victor was out of jail, and Justin added that he had resigned from his position as the district attorney. Surprised, Adrienne pressed Justin for details. Justin said that he had resigned because of his own decisions and not because of Victor. Changing the subject, Justin asked Adrienne about the plans for her wedding. Beaming, Adrienne said she was happy with Lucas.
At the police station, Hope confronted Aiden in the interrogation room about his new job as the district attorney. Hope said that she would never forget what Aiden had done and that she could not work with him. Hope added that she would never change her mind about Aiden. Rafe walked in and interrupted. Grabbing the opportunity, Aiden left.
Rafe advised Hope to back off of Aiden because he could threaten their jobs. Roman joined Hope and Rafe in the interrogation room, and he assured Hope that Aiden had been the best option available to serve as the D.A. Furious, Hope said she would not work with Aiden. Hope threw her badge onto the table and walked out. Rafe assured Roman that he would talk her down.
Rafe pursued Hope back to her house to talk. Rafe argued that Aiden would win if Hope quit the force. Rafe reasoned aloud that he needed his partner to work with him on the inside. Upset, Hope reiterated that she wanted Aiden out of her life. Rafe asked Hope to stand her ground against Aiden.
With a sigh, Hope surmised that Aiden had blackmailed Justin into quitting. When Justin arrived, he set Hope and Rafe straight on what had happened. Justin said he had acted foolishly and made a bad call. After a quick apology, Justin left. Hope and Rafe discussed their options. With a grin, Hope said that Rafe was right.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Deimos returned home and found Victor on his doorstep. Victor confronted Deimos about the frame-up. Deimos protested that he was innocent. As evidence, Deimos argued that if he had framed Victor for revenge, he would have gloated about it to Victor's face. Deimos suggested that someone was after both him and Victor.
At the park, Nicole sat on a bench and looked at Daniel's ring on her finger. With a sigh, Nicole slipped the ring off her finger and clenched it in her fist. Dario arrived at Nicole's invitation, and she informed him that she had decided to be with Deimos. Visibly disappointed, Dario told Nicole that he was happy for her. Nicole said she was relieved by Dario's reaction. With a smile, Nicole hugged Dario tightly.
At the Kiriakis condo, Maggie cheerfully informed Victor about her progress in her rehab session. Victor stared absently out the window. When Maggie asked what was wrong, Victor explained that he had talked to Deimos. Victor said he was no longer sure that Deimos was to blame. Confused, Victor wondered aloud who had framed him.
At the Kirakis mansion, Nicole returned to talk to Deimos about their relationship. Deimos apologized to Nicole. As Nicole raised an eyebrow questioningly, Deimos explained that he had left to confront Chloe about her pregnancy. Deimos said that it was his baby. Emotional, Nicole said she needed to think about the news. After Nicole ran out of the mansion, Dario stopped by to yell at Deimos. Dario warned Deimos that he "better not hurt Nicole." Unimpressed, Deimos closed the door in Dario's face.
At Chloe's apartment, Nicole banged on the door. When Chloe answered the knock, Nicole gritted her teeth. "Tell me the truth, Chloe, and I'll know in two seconds if you're lying. Is Deimos the father of your baby?" Nicole blurted out.
At the Brady Pub, Gabi met with Sonny, who wondered why Arianna wasn't with her. Gabi apologetically explained that Adriana had asked to spend the day with Arianna -- a request that had been hard to refuse because Eduardo had just left Salem and might never return. "I tried to explain [that] to Ari, but I just don't think she understands. She asks for Will all the time, and now that her godmother's gone, too, it's just --" Gabi started to add.
"No, I haven't given up on Abigail yet," Sonny protested. Realizing that Sonny hadn't heard the news yet, Gabi gently informed him that Abigail had died. Sonny, who had missed a call from his mother earlier, sadly concluded that she had probably called to tell him that. Gabi expressed empathy for J.J., knowing how it felt to lose a sibling. "I think about my sister every day -- every time I say my daughter's name," she admitted.
Sonny spontaneously asked Gabi for a favor. A short time later, they arrived at Will's grave, and Gabi realized that it was the first time Sonny had visited it since his return to Salem. Nodding, Sonny choked back tears and placed a bouquet of flowers on Will's grave as he explained, "I don't believe that a person's -- that he -- that, uh...that he's here. But [this is] something that I needed to do, and I couldn't do it alone."
Gabi assured Sonny that she would always be there for him, just as he had always been there for her, even when she hadn't deserved -- or even appreciated -- his support. "You know what this past year's taught me? You need to protect the people you love, 'cause you never know when you're gonna lose 'em," Sonny sadly replied.
Belle took Claire shopping for new clothes to wear to work, and as they were passing through the town square afterward, Claire thanked Belle for being supportive of her desire to get started in the music business right away. Belle was quick to reiterate that Claire would have to get a college education if she failed to make a name for herself within her first year in the business. Belle added, however, that she hoped things would work out the way Claire wanted them to. Claire was confident that they would, especially in light of the fact that her newest song had earned high praise from Chloe.
Belle was surprised to hear that, since Chloe wasn't exactly known for being generous with compliments. Claire gushed that it was perfectly understandable for the incredibly talented Chloe Lane to have really high standards. "It's actually hard to believe you two are friends," Claire added. Belle took that as a dig, but Claire explained that she just found it weird to think that her parents had grown up with a famous singer. Claire wondered how Belle could have ever called the glamorous Chloe Lane, of all people, Ghoul Girl. Belle clarified that her old friend Mimi Lockhart was the one who had given Chloe that nickname.
Claire recalled that Mimi had once been married to Shawn. "For, like, two seconds," Belle stressed. Claire also recalled that Belle had been with Philip at that time. "We were a little mixed up back then," Belle conceded. Claire rhetorically wondered if everyone had to go through that sort of phase at some point. Belle's interest was piqued, and when she probed for the source of Claire's musing, Claire coyly admitted that she was interested in a boy but was worried that he might still be hung up on another girl. After learning that the other girl wasn't interested in the boy, Belle assured Claire that he would soon get over that girl.
Elsewhere, Theo ran into Ciara, who was on her way to the Horton house to give her condolences to Jennifer. When Theo admitted that he wasn't sure what to do to show Jennifer that he was thinking of her, Ciara invited him to sign the card attached to the bouquet of flowers she had purchased for Jennifer. As Theo was doing that, he asked if Ciara had talked to Chad recently. Ciara said she hadn't, and she played along when Theo assumed that she had fallen out of touch with Chad simply as a consequence of moving back in with Hope. Ciara also led Theo to believe that she would no longer be babysitting Thomas because Chad wanted an on-site babysitter.
After an awkward silence, Ciara tried to excuse herself, but Theo decided to accompany her to the Horton house. Ciara didn't seem to mind, but as they were leaving the town square, they ran into Claire, who also decided to tag along. After handing her shopping bags to Belle, Claire took Theo's hand and exited the town square with him. Ciara followed in a huff, and Belle smiled knowingly as she watched the teens walk away.
When Ciara, Theo, and Claire arrived at the Horton house a short time later, Doug informed them that Jennifer had left earlier. Adrienne offered to put the flowers in a vase, and Lucas followed her into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Claire filled Doug and Julie in on how things were going with her singing and songwriting pursuits. When Theo gushed that he loved hearing Claire sing, Ciara rolled her eyes and retreated to the living room. Julie followed Ciara and wondered if she was all right. "I'm just tired of being sad," Ciara admitted with a sigh. Ciara added that she was worried about Chad, who, unlike Jennifer, didn't really have any family to turn to for support.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad received a visit from Jennifer, who wanted to have another conversation about their custody dispute. Jennifer conceded that only a truly horrible father would agree to hand his child over to an addict who had just relapsed less than twenty-four hours earlier, but she insisted that Chad wasn't fit to take care of Thomas on his own, either. Jennifer continued that she was determined to protect Thomas because she had failed to protect Abigail. "From what -- me?" Chad guessed. Jennifer reminded Chad that he was the one who had forced Abigail to commit herself to Shady Hills in the first place.
"What was I supposed to do, Jennifer? She was sick! Marlena told me [that] was the best thing I could do. [And] what is the point of dredging all this up now? I mean, do you blame Marlena? Do you blame Abby for [being] sick? Why don't I blame you for your lousy genes, [since] you want to throw accusations around at me. You know Abby was terrified her entire life that she was gonna end up like her grandmother? Now you're an addict, your brother Lucas is an addict, you have a history of mental illness in your family --" Chad pointed out.
Jennifer interrupted and countered that, as a DiMera, Chad had no room to talk to her about bad genes. Chad wondered if Jennifer would prefer for Thomas to be the son of a serial killer. Jennifer wished that Abigail had never gotten involved with Chad or Ben. Chad argued that Jennifer was essentially wishing that Thomas had never been born, but she insisted that she would always be grateful for Thomas. "But I have no idea what's gonna become of him, [and] if you don't put his interests first, I'm gonna do it for you," she added before exiting the mansion.
Later, while drowning his sorrows, Chad stared at a framed photograph of Abigail and tearfully recalled happier times with her. Remembering that he had once promised to renovate the DiMera mansion for Abigail, Chad looked around the study then spontaneously decided, "Let's renovate, baby!" Chad proceeded to trash the room, and when he was finished, he sank to the floor and began sobbing uncontrollably.
Belle soon arrived and did what she could to comfort Chad, even fetching a cup of strong black coffee to help him sober up. When Chad explained that he had been renovating before Belle's arrival, she gently pointed out that if he got rid of everything that reminded him of Abigail, he wouldn't have anything left of her. "Yeah, but it was cathartic," Chad replied with a chuckle. Chad added that, in a weird way, trashing the room had helped him start thinking about his life -- or lack thereof -- and had led him to a decision about his future. "I'd like you to be a part of it," Chad told Belle.
Confused, Belle asked Chad to elaborate. "This house is full of ghosts. I need an exorcism," Chad explained. Chuckling, Belle informed Chad that she probably wouldn't be able to help with that. Chad disagreed, clarifying that he wanted to make DiMera Enterprises successful again -- and make it a completely legitimate company in the process. Chad continued that he didn't want to do that to increase his odds of winning the battle for custody of Thomas; he wanted to do it for Thomas' future, and also because he knew it was what Abigail would have wanted.
Belle thought that sounded like a great idea, but she still didn't understand why Chad needed her help. "Well, it's gonna be a change from the ground up -- a huge undertaking -- and I'm gonna need some major legal help. Would you consider coming to work for me?" Chad asked. Chad promised to pay Belle extremely well and provide benefits and vacation days, and he also assured her that she wouldn't have to work crazy hours or give up her private practice.
Pointing out that she hadn't even been practicing law for that long, Belle wondered what she had done to deserve such great perks. Chad replied that Belle was a great lawyer, and he knew he could trust her with his life as well as Thomas'. Belle thanked Chad for the kind words. "You know you're still drunk, though," she jokingly pointed out. Chuckling, Chad continued that it would be quite appropriate for John and Marlena's daughter, of all people, to be the one who legitimized the DiMera name. Belle agreed to give Chad's offer some thought.
After leaving the Horton house, Claire, Theo, and Ciara went to John and Marlena's townhouse to hang out for a while. When Theo went to get takeout for himself and the girls, Claire seized the opportunity to talk to Ciara about the kiss Ciara had walked in on the previous night. Claire explained that things were going really well with Theo, and she hoped that their developing relationship wouldn't make things weird with Ciara. Ciara pursed her lips but didn't respond. Meanwhile, Theo returned with the food. When he handed Ciara her order, she handed it back to him and urged him and Claire to enjoy it. Ciara then abruptly excused herself and left the townhouse.
When Jennifer returned to the Horton house, Julie suggested that it might be a good time to plan Abigail's memorial service. Lucas admitted that planning Will's memorial service had been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. "But it's important. It's important for you, and it's important for other people to [have a chance to] say goodbye," Lucas added. Jennifer refused, insisting that she wasn't ready for that yet.
Julie wondered if Jennifer would instead like to hear everyone share memories of Abigail. Jennifer liked that idea better, so the family laughed and cried together as they reminisced about Abigail. Later, Jennifer told Lucas and Adrienne that she had gone to see Chad earlier. Lucas was reluctant to encourage Jennifer's mission to take Thomas away from Chad, given his own regrets about what he and Sami had put Will through during Will's childhood. Lucas reasoned that Chad, who had always been good to Will and had loved Abigail deeply, deserved another chance to prove himself to Jennifer, but she disagreed.
"I trusted [Chad] with my daughter's life, and I will never make that mistake again," Jennifer insisted. Lucas gently pointed out that Jennifer couldn't really expect to be awarded custody of Thomas after what had happened the previous night, and she conceded that she had blown that chance and probably wasn't strong enough to handle having custody of Thomas yet, anyway. Lucas wondered what Jennifer planned to do next, and she admitted that she wasn't sure. "I just want my grandson to be safe," she explained.
Changing the subject, Adrienne revealed that she and Lucas had decided to postpone their wedding in light of what had happened. Jennifer protested that Lucas and Adrienne couldn't do that because the family needed something to look forward to. Lucas agreed to proceed with the wedding as originally planned after Jennifer assured him that she wasn't going to fall off the wagon again. Lucas and Adrienne stressed that they would be there for Jennifer if she ever needed help with anything, including her fight to protect Thomas.
Later, in an undisclosed location, a woman sobbed while clutching the side of her bed with a hand that was adorned with a distinctive ring, and at that same time, back at the Horton house, Julie comforted Jennifer with a poem that had comforted her after Alice's death -- Mary Elizabeth Frye's "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep," which ended with the line, "Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there; I did not die."
As she modeled her wedding dress for Anne, Theresa bragged that in one week's time, she would be Mrs. Brady Black, and there was nothing Victor could do to stop that from happening. Anne warned that Theresa might want to change out of the dress before Brady returned home. Theresa dismissed the superstition as a silly one, but she quickly backpedaled and agreed that it would be best not to take any unnecessary risks.
At the Kiriakis townhouse, Justin complained that if he were still the district attorney, the case against Victor would have been dismissed before making its way to court because it was based on nothing more than circumstantial evidence and hearsay. Justin admitted that he was looking forward to making Aiden look like an idiot in front of a jury, but Victor warned him not to get too cocky.
"I'm having a hard time convincing my own family that I didn't kidnap Tate. Even Maggie's suspicious," Victor continued. Victor stressed that he and Justin needed to find irrefutable proof that someone else was the mastermind behind Tate's abduction. Justin said he was working on that -- but, in the meantime, he needed Victor to try to get Brady back on their side.
Later, Justin ran into Deimos at the Brady Pub. Deimos apologized for the role he had played in Justin's forced resignation from the district attorney's office, and he wondered if there was anything he could do to make amends. "Thanks, but no thanks," Justin replied. Deimos wondered why Justin was still suspicious of him, even after Victor, of all people, had decided that he had truly changed. Justin said he had dealt with criminals long enough to know that they never truly changed.
Chuckling, Deimos observed that Sonny had obviously gotten his skepticism from his father. Justin warned Deimos to stay away from Sonny. Deimos countered that Justin might want to advise Sonny to stay away from him, since Sonny seemed determined to exact some sort of revenge. "Let me make myself perfectly clear here: [my desire] to turn things around does not mean that I'm just gonna roll over. If anyone comes after me, I will strike back," Deimos vowed before walking away.
Brady went to the police station to give Shawn the pill he had found at the Kiriakis mansion, hoping that Shawn could lift a fingerprint off it or at least figure out who sold such drugs in Salem. Guessing that Brady expected the dealer to be linked to Victor in some way, Shawn tried to defend his grandfather, but Brady remained convinced that Victor was guilty. Changing the subject, Brady wondered if the police had managed to track down Summer yet. Shawn shook his head and reported that Summer had seemingly vanished from the face of the earth. Sighing, Brady said that was probably for the best.
Later, Brady went to Daniel's grave and admitted that, while he was grateful to Daniel for saving his life, he wished that finding Summer and convincing her to move to Salem hadn't been part of the bargain, since she had caused nothing but problems. Brady conceded, however, that he couldn't blame Daniel for that. "You were [just] trying to do something good. I know that. Hell, maybe if you were still alive, maybe we could have helped Summer -- saved her from herself -- but you're not here, are you? You're gone, she's gone, and it's a lost cause," Brady continued with a sigh.
"Summer may be a lost cause, but you and I are not," Victor said as he approached Brady. Victor tried to convince Brady that someone else had abducted Tate, reasoning that if he had wanted to take Tate away from Brady and Theresa, he would have taken them to court and bribed a judge instead of turning Tate over to some stranger. Brady said he couldn't believe Victor, even if he wanted to, because Victor was the best liar he had ever known. "So, yes, this time around, I'm gonna need more than your word, Granddad. I am gonna need proof that you are telling me the truth," Brady continued.
As if on cue, Brady received a phone call from Shawn, who reported that although no usable fingerprints had been found on the pill, it was the drug that Theresa had unwittingly ingested on the day of Tate's abduction. Shawn added that one particular street gang had essentially cornered the market on that particular drug, and they had ties to a mob guy named Titus Drew, who had allegedly done business dealings with Deimos and Victor in the past. Brady thanked Shawn for the information then ended the call.
When Brady demanded answers, Victor confirmed that he had known Titus for a long time. "I find it's in my best interest to know men like him," Victor explained. Victor said he had never done business with the man but had bought him a cup of coffee from time to time in exchange for information about what was happening on the streets. "I see. So if you need something dirty or shady to be done out there, you always have Mr. Titus in your pocket to owe you for all those cups of coffee," Brady concluded. Confused, Victor wondered what Brady was talking about.
Brady told Victor about the pill as well as its connection to Titus. "You know, you all but swore on my mother's grave that you had nothing to do with this kidnapping of my son, but here I find out that you and Deimos, you're -- you're in this up to your necks!" Brady angrily added. Recalling that John and Marlena had always said that Isabella had been a good, decent woman who had loved Victor deeply, Brady spat, "I'm glad my mother isn't around to see the man that you've turned into." Victor maintained his innocence, but Brady insisted that he was done with Victor for good, and he stormed off after warning Victor to stay away from him, Theresa, and Tate.
Chloe and Nicole went to a secluded section of the town square to discuss the paternity of Chloe's baby. Chloe claimed that Philip was the father, but Nicole refused to buy that, pointing out that Philip had hated Chloe after the truth about Parker's paternity had been revealed. Chloe said she had eventually reconciled with Philip after she had convinced him to visit Parker from time to time. Nicole was surprised to hear that Chloe had arranged visits between Philip and Parker behind Daniel's back. Chloe explained that Parker had missed seeing Philip, and she had simply wanted to make everyone happy.
Chloe continued that Philip had started spending even more time with Parker after Daniel's death in an effort to fill the void. "So you thanked him in that special way you have?" Nicole guessed skeptically. Chloe protested that Nicole wasn't being fair, but Nicole remained convinced that Philip wasn't the father of Chloe's baby, even if the rest of Chloe's story was true. "We know the worst about each other, and we don't hold back. That's what makes us such great friends. So why won't you tell me the truth now?" Nicole asked.
Chloe tried to stick to her story but eventually gave up and tearfully admitted the truth to Nicole. Chloe insisted that Deimos could never know that the baby was his, but Nicole argued that he had a right to know the truth. "Seriously? Did you feel like E.J. had a right to know when you were pregnant with his baby?" Chloe countered. Chloe reminded Nicole of the horrible things that Deimos had done, but Nicole insisted that he had changed since then. "If you really believe [that], then you just need to shake him off and get the hell away, because you've been around long enough to know that men like Deimos don't just change," Chloe replied.
Nicole maintained that Deimos had changed -- and she had seen the proof with her own eyes. Chloe argued that Nicole was just seeing what she wanted to see because she was in love with Deimos. Nicole admitted that she wasn't sure how she felt about Deimos. "This isn't easy, Chloe. I mean, I didn't think I'd find anyone after Daniel -- and, truthfully, I wasn't even looking. And then Deimos came into my life, and he turned it upside down -- in good ways and bad," Nicole added.
Chloe conceded that she couldn't tell Nicole how to live her life. "But if you're seriously gonna consider having a relationship with [Deimos], then how are you gonna keep my secret? I mean, I don't care what you say [about] how much he's changed and how different you think he is. If he ever finds out that you knew this baby [was] his and you didn't tell him, there will be hell to pay," Chloe predicted. Nicole agreed that she couldn't start a new relationship with a big secret hanging over her head, and she insisted that Chloe needed to tell Deimos the truth.
"Or what? You will? What, are you threatening me now?" Chloe asked incredulously. Nicole said she was just trying to look out for Chloe. "Well, I'm looking out for this baby. I don't care that you don't think that Deimos is still the devil incarnate. I can't take that chance! I can't gamble on him not treating this baby like another one of his possessions," Chloe tearfully countered. Sighing, Nicole reluctantly agreed to keep Chloe's secret. "But whatever happens -- whatever the outcome -- promise me you'll keep me out of it," Nicole requested. Chloe promised that Nicole would never regret her decision.
Philip went to the Martin mansion to try to convince Kate to give him a loan so he could buy out the silent partner in his record label. Kate wanted to know who the silent partner was, but Philip said he was contractually obligated to keep that information to himself. "Well, honey, I would love to help you out -- I really would -- but I just can't see how I could invest in Chloe and her pitchy singing. I mean, maybe if you had a more secure, stable singer --" Kate started to suggest.
"I knew this was a mistake," Philip grumbled as he turned to leave. Kate stopped him and explained that she simply didn't understand how he could get involved with Chloe again, especially after everything that Chloe had done to him and Lucas in the past. Philip insisted that his personal life was none of Kate's business. "Fine, let's just keep it to business, then. How much do you want?" Kate asked.
Philip handed over a piece of paper, and Kate raised her eyebrows when she saw the figure he had written on it. Philip assured Kate that he would pay her back eventually. Kate sighed and agreed to give Philip the loan -- if he admitted to her that he wasn't really the father of Chloe's baby. "You know what? Forget it. Forget I asked for anything," Philip replied before storming off, ignoring Kate's attempt to stop him.
While passing through the town square a short time later, Philip ran into Chloe, who told him about what had happened with Nicole earlier. As Philip was asking if Chloe believed that she could count on Nicole to keep her secret, Kate interrupted and apologized for what had happened earlier, stressing that she loved Philip and wanted to be a part of his life, even if she didn't always approve of his choices. Kate handed over a check for the amount that Philip had requested then gave him a hug before walking away. "She just wants to buy her way into your life -- and you're letting it happen!" Chloe complained, shaking her head in disbelief.
Nicole went to Club TBD and informed Dario that she wouldn't be able to continue helping him redecorate the place because she would be starting her new job at Basic Black the following day. Dario was disappointed to hear that, but he could tell that Nicole was really looking forward to starting a new chapter in her life, so he sadly wished her luck.
After Nicole left, Dario went to the Kiriakis mansion and asked Deimos for a job. "Watching Nicole?" Deimos guessed, knowing how protective Dario was of her. Deimos said he respected that about Dario, and he agreed to give Dario a job. Pleased, Dario said he would be happy to do whatever Deimos needed him to do, and he promised that he was the kind of guy who could get things done and keep quiet about those things afterward. Deimos offered Dario the task of keeping tabs on Chloe Lane, and Dario agreed, revealing that he knew Chloe well.
As Deimos and Dario shook hands to seal their deal, Nicole entered the mansion and wondered what was going on. Dario explained that he had just needed to get a few things straight with Deimos. Nicole protested that she was a big girl who could take care of herself and didn't need Dario to warn people to treat her right, but he unapologetically countered that he always looked after his friends.
After Dario left, Deimos observed with a hint of amusement that he would have to watch his step around Nicole because she clearly had a very loyal friend. Nicole said Dario's machismo could get a bit out of control at times. Deimos thought Dario had a major crush on Nicole, but she stressed that they were just friends. Deimos assured Nicole that he believed her, and he added that he was relieved to know that he didn't have to compete with anyone for her affections. Nicole playfully reminded Deimos that she wasn't his to claim. "Well, I hope that changes soon, 'cause I find myself falling madly in love with you," Deimos replied.
Dario returned to Club TBD, and when Philip and Chloe entered the club a short time later, he watched intently from the bar as they claimed a table on the other side of the room and began a hushed conversation.
In the Horton living room, Jennifer looked through Abigail's things and found a music box with pictures of Abigail as a baby. Overcome, Jennifer clutched the photos to her chest and cried on the couch. Wiping away tears, Jennifer answered a knock at the front door and discovered that Lucas and Adrienne had stopped by to check on her. Jennifer said that she had gone to an A.A. meeting earlier and was doing fine. Jennifer said she had been going through some things from Abigail's childhood. Lucas invited Jennifer to join them for brunch, and Jennifer accepted.
In the chapel, Chad prayed to Abigail. Chad admitted that it was a strange thing for him to pray, but he wanted to give prayer a shot, since it had meant so much to Abigail. Chad wondered aloud what was best for their son. Chad told Abigail that he planned to make DiMera Enterprises a legitimate business.
"All I've ever wanted to do was to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you. I was good at that. We had happy moments. And I would still bet that those short moments were more intense and powerful than most people get to experience their entire life. But in the end, I failed you. And I'm sorry. But I won't fail your memory. So I'm gonna do what's best for Thomas, and its' gonna be a struggle to go on, but I will go on. For you," Chad said.
After running errands, Claire returned to Chloe's hotel room. Chloe was feeling queasy, and Claire handed her a box of animal crackers. When Chloe's eyebrow raised up quizzically, Claire explained that her mother had eaten animal crackers to control morning sickness. Chloe smiled. After nibbling a few, Chloe admitted that the cookies had helped her nausea. Chloe and Claire talked about songwriting, and Claire admitted that she would be elated if Chloe recorded one of her songs. Chloe promised to talk to Philip about it.
At Belle's apartment, Philip dropped off a check for Belle to buy her out of his record business. When Belle asked why Philip had dropped the check off personally, Philip blurted out that Chloe was pregnant and that he was the father. Philip explained that he had been dating Chloe off and on. With a nod, Belle said that she believed Philip would be a good father.
Holding back her emotion, Belle asked Philip if their recent relationship had been a distraction from Chloe. Philip said that he believed cutting ties from one another would be best. Belle agreed. When Philip wished Belle well, she said she wanted a life with Shawn. Philip shrugged and left.
At Club TBD, Belle met with Chad to inform him that she accepted the legal position at DiMera Enterprises. When Chad asked why, Belle said she wanted to help Chad clean up his company. Chad showed Belle his business plan proposing that the company expand into the tech business. When Belle reminded Chad that his plan would be expensive, Chad nodded.
Chad asked Belle if she knew where Sami and the DiMera money could be found. Belle stressed that even if she knew where to find Sami, she would not tell Chad. Smiling, Chad said he looked forward to starting the company by rebuilding fresh. Chad explained that the money Sami had taken was dirty money. Belle nodded.
In the town square, Lucas and Adrienne chatted over brunch about their wedding. Jennifer grew distracted by a women across the square that looked like Abigail. Jennifer rushed over to the woman and called out Abigail's name. The woman turned around. Jennifer deflated at the sight of the stranger. Adrienne hugged Jennifer.
With a pained smile, Jennifer said she had seen Abigail everywhere she went. As Jennifer crumpled into tears, Adrienne hugged Jennifer tightly again. Lucas said he had gone through the same thing with Will. Adrienne assured Jennifer that eventually Jennifer would be able to focus on the joy that Abigail had given to Jennifer in her life.
As Jennifer waxed philosophic about providing all the love and care that Thomas deserved, Chad entered the square and told Jennifer that they could agree on that desire. Chad asked Jennifer about the memorial service, and Jennifer admitted that she was not ready. Jennifer and Chad each admitted that the other one looked better. When Chad noted that his new purpose was to do everything he could for Thomas, Lucas bristled. Lucas asked if Chad wanted to intimidate Lucas' sister.
Jennifer calmed Lucas down and asked to speak to Chad privately. Chad and Jennifer stepped to the side to talk. Jennifer said she was still concerned about Chad's ability to take care of Thomas, and Chad said the same about Jennifer. Jennifer admitted that she was not capable of taking care of Thomas. Confused, Chad asked Jennifer what she had in mind. Jennifer suggested that Lucas and Adrienne take temporary custody of Thomas.
Chad was furious, but Jennifer implored Chad to think about the idea. Chad insisted that he could take care of his son, and for Jennifer to suggest otherwise was cruel. Jennifer countered that Chad had almost given Thomas to her once, and she was worried that he would give up again. Chad shook his head no. Jennifer told Chad that he was a good father, but he needed to grieve before he could take care of Thomas.
"You have grown into a man that I respect in spite of everything. And I know, I know you made my daughter so happy," Jennifer said. Jennifer asked Chad to think about her suggestion for Abigail's sake. Without a word, Chad turned and walked away. Belle pursued Chad to a bench nearby and asked him what had happened. Chad told Belle about Jennifer's suggestion, and Belle said she believed the temporary custody suggestion was the best option. Belle promised to make sure Chad had access to Thomas. Belle added that Chad should drop the custody battle.
Nearby, Ciara saw Chad. Embarrassed, Ciara ran out of the square and over to Club TBD. Unsure of whether or not to go into the club, Ciara turned to leave and ran into Rory. Rory gave Ciara his condolences for the loss of Abigail. Ciara nodded. Rory invited Ciara to a party that evening. Smiling, Ciara thanked Rory for the invitation but declined, citing her promise to spend time with her mother. Rory wished Ciara well and left.
At the Brady Pub, Philip reviewed paperwork and thought about the last time he had made love to Belle. Shaking off the memory, Philip called Chloe and told her that he needed to talk to her right away. Philip rushed over to Chloe's apartment to tell her about his latest ideas. Philip explained that he had planned a photo shoot with DJ Wear. When Philip started to talk about songwriters, Chloe's expression stopped him cold. Philip apologized to Chloe for bothering her when she was feeling ill.
Smiling, Chloe said that she was pleased to see Philip blather on about her career. Philip sat next to Chloe on the bed and stressed to her that nothing would prevent him from fulfilling his promise to Chloe and her baby. Chloe said she did not doubt Philip. Philip stressed that he would keep Chloe's secret. Chloe turned the conversation to Claire's new song. Philip said that Claire needed to pay her dues before she could have an opportunity handed to her. Chloe was not sure, but Philip argued that Claire needed to thicken her skin. Chloe agreed.
With a grin, Philip grabbed sheet music from his folder and handed it to Chloe. After clearing her throat, Chloe sang the song on the sheet music as Philip watched, mesmerized. When Chloe finished, she expressed her concern about building a music career with two children.
"I told you, this baby's health and well-being and yours are my main concern. And I cannot wait to give you the life you've always dreamed of," Philip said. With a smile, Chloe continued the song. As she sang, Chloe stared into Philip's eyes. Philip grabbed Chloe and kissed her.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad talked to baby Thomas. Chad said that he would always do what was best for Thomas. As Chad cuddled his son to his chest, he called Jennifer at her house. Chad agreed to give Lucas and Adrienne temporary custody of Thomas. Chad stressed that he would be able to see Thomas whenever he wanted, and Jennifer eagerly agreed to those conditions. After hanging up the phone, Chad kissed his son and assured him that everything would be okay.
At the Horton house, Jennifer spotted a baby photo of Abigail on the floor. Jennifer picked up the photo and stared at it. "I am so sorry that we did not get more time together, baby. And that I wasn't with you in your last moments here. But I am going to be there for Thomas, I promise you. Always and forever," Jennifer said.
As Jennifer listened to the music box, there was a knock at the door. When Jennifer opened the door, her mother, Laura, was on the front porch. Jennifer hugged her mother tightly. Laura said she needed to talk to Jennifer about Abigail.
