Labor Day preemption
Due to the Labor Day holiday, Days of our Lives did not air. This was a planned schedule change and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result of the preemption.
Regular programming resumed on Tuesday, September 6, with the much-anticipated "reboot" under DAYS' new writing team. For more on the reboot, click here.
At the Horton house, Laura told Jennifer that she had news. Jennifer said that unless Laura was going to say that Abigail was alive, there was nothing that would make her feel better. On the verge of tears, Jennifer said that if not for J.J. and Thomas, she would fall apart again. Worried, Laura asked what Jennifer meant. Jennifer explained that she had developed an addiction to painkillers after Daniel had been killed. Crying, Jennifer lamented that Abigail had spent her last days with strangers.
In an effort to comfort her daughter, Laura told Jennifer that after reviewing Abigail's treatment, she believed that Abigail had suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder. Laura added that the anti-anxiety medications that the doctors at Shady Hills had prescribed to Abigail were known to worsen the symptoms of PTSD.
Laura stressed, "The world that she knew was an unsafe place for her. That's why she ran. She wasn't running from you. She wasn't running to anything in particular. She was just running, and she never stopped loving you, and she did not die believing that you stopped loving her." Laura begged Jennifer to believe that Abigail had wanted to find her way home.
At the Kiriakis mansion, after John updated Victor and Deimos on his research, John took Victor aside to talk. John reminded Victor that Brady and Theresa's wedding was the next day. When John asked Victor if he planned to repair his relationship with Brady before the wedding, Victor said that Brady was not interested. John urged Victor to work harder with Brady.
After John left, Victor returned to the living room. Deimos asked Victor to move back into the mansion with Maggie so she could recuperate. When Victor expressed surprise, Deimos suggested that Victor think about it as "keeping your enemies closer" if it made him feel better.
In Brady and Theresa's apartment, Brady told Theresa that he had scheduled an appointment at city hall to get married. As Theresa and Brady kissed, Nicole entered the apartment and teased them about starting the honeymoon early. Brady left for Club TBD, and Nicole and Theresa talked. Theresa told Nicole that she was family, and they hugged.
At the hospital, Adrienne busted Steve's chops for missing several lunches with her. With a shrug, Steve noted that his specialty was "blowing people off." Adrienne smiled and hugged her brother. When Adrienne pulled away, she saw the worried look on Steve's face. Adrienne asked what was wrong. With a sigh, Steve said that he was "freaking out." Steve told Adrienne about the couples therapy and how he had failed to attend the appointment.
Adrienne warned Steve to get over himself and go to therapy. Adrienne told Steve that, unlike her, he had an opportunity to save his marriage. Taking her brother's face in her hands, Adrienne said Kayla was the best thing that had happened to him and that he better not blow it with Kayla.
In the town square, Kayla complained to Marlena that she should have known better than to have pushed Steve to enter couples therapy with her. Marlena told Kayla that she believed Kayla would figure things out with Steve.
In the park, Steve sat on the bench to think. Kayla walked into the clearing. Kayla and Steve agreed that they did not want to fight. Steve invited Kayla to sit with him. When Steve asked if Kayla wanted to talk, she said she understood why Steve did not want to attend therapy with their friend Marlena. Shaking his head no, Steve said he did not want to talk about what was in his head.
"What do we do? Give up on us?" Kayla asked. "I'll never give up on us," Steve said firmly. Steve said that his goal was to be happy with Kayla. Steve added that their relationship problems were his fault. Kayla asked Steve to be himself. Shaking her head, Kayla said she did not want to nag him anymore. Steve promised that he would talk to a therapist, and Kayla said, "I'll believe it when I see it."
In the DiMera living room, Chad told Thomas that he would be living with Lucas and Adrienne for a little while. Chad promised to visit Thomas often. After Chad put Thomas down for a nap, Andre paid Chad a visit. Andre told Chad that he wanted to be closer with Chad. With narrowed eyes, Chad asked what Andre wanted. Andre said family was important. Chad told Andre that he was having a terrible day, and as Chad started to ask Andre to leave, Jennifer and Laura entered the living room.
Andre greeted Laura, and she responded in an icy tone. Jennifer introduced Laura to Chad. As Chad held out his hand to Laura, she firmly said that she was only there to see her grandson. Confused, Chad pulled his hand away. Chad noted that Thomas was in the nursery down the hall. Laura left to see Thomas. Jennifer told Chad that Laura had discovered that Abigail had been misdiagnosed at Shady Hills. When Chad asked why that was good news, Jennifer said it meant that Abigail had not been suffering from a more serious illness and would have gotten better. Chad noted that the information did not change the fact that Abigail was gone.
As Jennifer talked about how grateful she was that Chad was giving temporary custody of Thomas to Lucas and Adrienne, Chad paced the room. Jennifer asked if Chad was having second thoughts. Chad admitted that he did not believe he would be able to give his son to anyone. Glancing over at Andre, Jennifer asked Chad if they could talk privately. Andre left them alone.
Jennifer reminded Chad that they had agreed that the change of custody was in Thomas' best interest. Before Chad could respond, Laura returned to the living room to cheerily talk about her beautiful grandson. Seeing the sour faces, Laura asked what was wrong. Jennifer told Laura that she needed to talk to Chad alone. Laura nodded and turned to leave. As Chad said that he hoped Laura would stay for a while, Laura walked out before Chad could finish his sentence.
When Chad commented that Laura hated him, Jennifer countered that Laura had suffered problems with the DiMeras in the past. Chad stressed that he would not let Thomas leave the house. Lucas and Adrienne arrived. Jennifer said that she had called them.
"So you're just going to make those decisions no matter what I say?" Chad asked. Chad complained that he was having a difficult time handing over his son. Adrienne offered to move into the mansion. Surprised, Lucas asked Adrienne if she was serious. Lucas was reluctant, but Adrienne explained that the best thing for Thomas was to have as much family around as possible.
As Adrienne grew teary-eyed, Lucas warned Adrienne not to cry because he could not say no to her. Adrienne's eyes welled with tears. Lucas agreed to move into the mansion if Adrienne would stop crying. With a smile, Adrienne hugged Lucas.
Over Lucas' shoulder, Adrienne whispered to Chad and Jennifer, "This is why I love him." Jennifer turned to Chad and asked him what he thought of the plan. Chad agreed. Lucas and Adrienne offered to take Thomas to the park, and Chad nodded yes with a smile. Jennifer thanked Chad and hugged him.
"Think your mom will like me a little bit more now?" Chad asked with a grin. "It doesn't even make a difference," Jennifer said with a chuckle. At the Horton House, Laura read up about Chad on the Internet.
At the prison, Marlena met with Clyde Weston. Marlena asked Clyde what he wanted. Clyde explained that he had summoned Marlena to the prison to ask her for a psychiatric evaluation to help his situation. With a serene smile, Marlena said that she could evaluate Clyde, but there was no guarantee that he would like the outcome. Clyde grumbled that he would rather be in prison than deal with the people of Salem. Smiling, Marlena commented that she would put that in Clyde's evaluation.
As Marlena left, another inmate, Orpheus, saw her leaving. Orpheus noted that she looked familiar. Clyde shrugged. Orpheus introduced himself to Clyde. Talk turned to Marlena, and Orpheus said that he had known Marlena from long before. Orpheus noted that he hated Marlena more than anyone in the world. With a grin, Clyde said that he and Orpheus had that in common. Orpheus grumbled that he hated to be so close to town. When Clyde asked Orpheus what he would do if he were not in prison, Orpheus said, "I'd kill everyone in Salem."
Clyde commented that he and Orpheus could not do much from prison. When Clyde asked Orpheus why he hated Marlena, Orpheus thought about when he had kidnapped Marlena. Orpheus told Clyde that they should keep their eyes open for an opportunity that would make their dreams a reality.
When Marlena returned to town, she met up with John in the park. Marlena told John about her meeting with Clyde. Annoyed, John said he did not want to discuss Clylde. John kissed Marlena.
Nicole returned to the DiMera mansion, and Deimos told her that he had invited Victor to move back into the mansion with Maggie. When Nicole asked why, Deimos said he had been inspired by Nicole's good example. Nicole asked Deimos about the frame-up, and Deimos said Victor had hired John to look into someone named Titus Drew. Nicole noted that she knew the name from her reporting days. When Nicole asked for Deimos' connection to Titus, Deimos said the details were in the past.
Nicole offered to use her reporting skills to help Deimos. With a grin, Deimos happily accepted. Deimos pulled Nicole close and kissed her. With a smile, Nicole remarked that for someone under investigation for kidnapping, Deimos was in a good mood.
At Club TBD, Brady spotted Victor sitting at a table, and he ignored him. Victor called out to Brady. With a sigh, Brady said he did not want to hear Victor deny that he had been involved with the kidnapping. Victor said that he had more for Brady than a denial. Victor asked Brady to take a leap of faith and believe in his love for Brady and Tate.
Brady asked Victor if he still hated Theresa. Victor looked over at Theresa as she entered the club. When Theresa asked what was going on, Brady said nothing and got up to leave. Victor said he was hoping there would be more. At the bar, Brady told Theresa that Victor had asked him to believe in his innocence. Brady assured Theresa that Victor would not be at their wedding.
At the hospital, Steve caught up with Kayla at work and told her that he had scheduled a therapy appointment with Dr. Strauss. Steve added that after filling out the forms, he'd noticed a pattern in his answers. Steve said he believed his problems were a direct response to his childhood with his father. When Steve noted that he had self-esteem issues, Kayla nodded. Kayla admitted that she had already figured that out.
Steve said that he wanted to reset his relationship with Kayla after his appointment. When Kayla asked what he meant, Steve shrugged. Kayla told Steve to get back to her when he figured out what he wanted.
In the park, Andre called someone on the phone and informed them that he had found an ally.
Nicole returned to the DiMera mansion, and Deimos asked her if she was going to move into the mansion as well. Shaking her head, Nicole said she was not interested in sharing a house with Victor. Deimos maintained that it was Nicole's decision whether or not to move in. Changing the subject, Nicole informed Deimos that she had information about Titus Drew. From the other room, there was a thump. After Deimos assured Nicole that the noise was likely a maid, Nicole leaned forward and whispered in Deimos' ear. Grinning ear to ear, Deimos said the information would blow the case wide open.
While Orpheus was reading a book, the door to his prison cell opened, and someone entered before it closed again. Orpheus looked up and found himself face-to-face with his new cellmate, Clyde.
Orpheus mused that it was quite a coincidence that he and Clyde had ended up rooming together shortly after their initial meeting. "Not exactly. I do have a little pull here," Clyde admitted. Clyde explained that he had arranged to share a cell with Orpheus so they could continue their earlier conversation about their mutual distaste for the town of Salem. Orpheus thought he had already said enough about the subject, so Clyde offered his own opinion, admitting that he was consumed with hatred for the people of Salem and would love to return there and settle some scores. "Keep your eyes open. There may be a way," Clyde hinted.
Chad arranged a meeting with Kate, and as she approached the DiMera mansion, she spotted Lucas and Adrienne, who were walking around the property with Thomas. When Kate mentioned the encounter to Chad, he explained that Lucas and Adrienne had agreed to move into the mansion temporarily to provide some much-needed help with Thomas' care. "But I'm also gonna need another kind of help -- from you," Chad continued.
Chad outlined his plan to completely legitimize DiMera Enterprises then asked Kate to help him accomplish that goal. "Ha! Big mistake, asking Kate Roberts for anything," Laura said as she entered the study. Chad stood to greet Laura, who grumbled that his butler had told her where to find him but hadn't mentioned anything about him being with Kate, of all people. Kate explained that she was very close to Chad and had known him for years. "Right -- ever since you married his father, the old spider himself. Which hardly makes you anyone that someone should trust," Laura maintained.
Trying to keep things civil, Chad informed Laura that Lucas and Adrienne were outside with Thomas. "Is there something that you need?" Chad asked. Laura replied that she needed Chad to think long and hard before allowing Kate to be involved in Thomas' life in any way. "Young man, a person's past says a lot about their future. Someone who doesn't hesitate to lie, to break the law, or to poison someone --" Laura started to add.
Interrupting, Chad explained that he had arranged a meeting with Kate to talk to her about legitimizing DiMera Enterprises for Thomas' sake. "Even though she once stole the corporation out from under your father? This is not someone that you should be asking to help you!" Laura insisted. As Kate pointed out that she was still in the room, Chad made it clear that he didn't appreciate Laura's attempts to pick a fight with Kate while they were both guests in his home. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't still be judging you for your past...with my husband...or God knows how many other men during your escort days," Laura sarcastically said to Kate.
Laura suggested making the conversation about Thomas instead -- and what Abigail would have wanted for him. Chad somewhat defensively replied that he had a pretty good idea of what Abigail would have wanted for Thomas, but Laura expressed skepticism, pointing out that one of Chad's other bright ideas had been to check Abigail into Shady Hills, of all places. Laura insisted that Abigail would still be alive if not for that bad decision. "Oh, how can you be so damn insensitive?" Kate asked incredulously. Undeterred, Laura continued that Chad had obviously been misinformed about where Abigail would have received the best possible care.
"[But] no sense in dwelling on it now. Besides, I promised Jen I'd take a step back," Laura tearfully added, prompting Kate to mutter that it was a little late for that. Ignoring Kate, Laura revealed to Chad that she had tried her best to talk Abigail out of getting involved with him. "I told her all about what your father had done to me [and] what your brother Peter had done to her mother and her father, but, you know, my Abigail -- she just stood right up to me, [and] she flat-out said that you weren't like that," Laura continued.
"Because he's not," Kate firmly interjected. "Yet," Laura countered. Laura insisted that Chad's plan to work with his father's ex-wife to rebuild his father's company was just the first step toward turning into his father. "Proceed with caution," Laura advised Chad, who abruptly excused himself so he could get some air.
After Chad left the room, Kate wondered why Laura had shown up at the DiMera mansion in the first place. "To help," Laura answered. Laughing, Kate countered, "Well, if you think that's what you just did, then you are crazy -- but that's right, 'cause you are, aren't you? You are crazy -- 'as a loon,' I think the saying goes. Poor Abigail. Then again, apple doesn't fall very far from the tree, now, does it?" Without waiting for a response, Kate followed Chad out of the mansion.
Gabi took Arianna to the town square to see Sonny, who mused, after lifting the child into his arms, that it had been much easier to do so before he had left Salem the previous year. Sonny promised Arianna that he wouldn't miss out on any more of her life, but she was too interested in her doll to respond. "She's ignoring her daddy," Sonny said to Gabi with a smile.
As Sonny lowered Arianna onto a bench, he stressed that he would be happy to babysit anytime Gabi and J.J. wanted some alone time together. "J.J.'s not here, okay? I don't know where he is," Gabi somewhat testily replied. When Sonny probed for more information, Gabi complained that she had only received one call from J.J. since he had left Salem.
Sonny reasoned that J.J. was probably going through a tough time emotionally because he was grieving the loss of his sister while also trying to help the Miami rescue team with the recovery operation. Gabi understood that but insisted that J.J. should want to talk to someone who cared about him and was willing to offer emotional support. Gabi soon started feeling guilty for badmouthing J.J. to his cousin, of all people, but Sonny told her not to worry about it, guessing that she was only upset because J.J. meant a lot to her. "Yeah. I just don't know how much I mean to him," Gabi sadly replied.
Julie was pleasantly surprised when J.J. returned home without any prior notice. J.J. explained that he had kept his travel plans quiet because he had encountered some flight delays that had made it hard to guess when he would be arriving in Salem. Julie raved that everyone would be thrilled to learn that J.J. was back. "I don't know about everybody," J.J. replied, admitting that he hadn't kept in touch with Gabi the way he should have.
"If that girl does not understand what you've been going through with your family, you should drop her," Julie advised. J.J. understood that Gabi wasn't Julie's favorite person, but he stressed that Gabi had every right to be upset with him. "Whatever, darling," Julie dismissively replied before changing the subject, urging J.J. to send Jennifer a text message to let her know that he was back in town. J.J. promised to do so then rushed off. "Gabi Hernandez!" Julie disapprovingly muttered after J.J. left the house.
J.J. ran into Chad at Club TBD and apologized for the way their last encounter had gone. Chad told J.J. not to worry about it, conceding that neither of them had been in the best state of mind on that particular day. Chad proposed a fresh start, reasoning that Abigail wouldn't want him and J.J. at each other's throats all the time, and J.J. agreed to give the idea a try.
Later, after J.J. left, Sonny arrived and greeted Chad, who gave him a warm embrace. "Kind of weird that we have to pay for coffee now," Sonny joked as he took a seat at Chad's table. Chad congratulated Sonny on the recent Wall Street Journal article about his rise in the corporate world. Sonny admitted that he had been a big frog in a small pond in Europe but still had a lot to learn in his new position at Titan.
Chad suggested that Sonny could move up the ranks even faster if he went to work for DiMera Enterprises instead. Sonny declined, guessing that if he agreed to do that, Victor would probably have a stroke. Chad expressed doubts, pointing out that things had changed since Justin had agreed to team up with E.J. a few years earlier. "Besides, I'm taking DiMera Enterprises straight now. Not that you would know anything about being straight," Chad added. Proud of his joke, Chad held up his hand in search of a high-five, but Sonny just grinned and shook his head dismissively.
Sonny encouraged Chad to legitimize DiMera Enterprises but maintained that it would be best for them to just be friends. Chad accepted Sonny's decision but made it clear that the offer would remain on the table indefinitely, just in case. Changing the subject, Sonny wondered how Chad was doing. Chad sadly admitted that it felt weird to imagine life without Abigail. Sonny gave Chad an understanding nod, knowing just how hard it was to get used to that sort of adjustment. "You know, if you ever need anything, you can call me. I take calls from friends," Sonny stressed. Chad thanked Sonny and returned the offer.
J.J. ran into Gabi in the town square and apologized for his recent radio silence. "I get it -- you were upset. But I was, too. I mean, don't I count for anything?" Gabi asked. J.J. assured Gabi that she counted more than anything else. "[But] the thing is that, um, I have a lot of issues when it comes to death -- my dad, Paige, and now Abigail," he explained.
Gabi understood but admitted that she had hoped J.J. would turn to her for support instead of shutting her out. "It wasn't like that," J.J. stressed. Struggling to explain how things had been for him in Miami, J.J. summarized that he had been right in the middle of the recovery operation but had shut down every time he had received a reminder of why he had gotten involved in the first place.
"I don't know if it's that I'm just too messed up in the head or it's a guy thing, but [that's] what happened. [But] I have missed you like crazy," J.J. continued. Gabi admitted that she had missed J.J., too, but she warned that he wasn't off the hook yet. J.J. promised to do whatever he had to do to make things right with Gabi. As she started leaning in to give J.J. a kiss, Gabi's cell phone chimed, reminding her that Arianna's ballet class would be ending soon. J.J. offered to go with Gabi to pick up Arianna, and she happily accepted.
Later, J.J. returned home and offered to drive Laura to the airport, but she declined, assuring him that she had already called for a taxi. Laura started to ask about J.J.'s trip to Miami, but as he was sadly explaining that no bodies had been recovered, he received a phone call from someone at the police station.
After J.J. stepped into another room to take the call, Laura retrieved her cell phone from her purse. As the taxi driver arrived and beeped the horn, Laura recorded a message for her secretary: "Remind me to check in with Dr. Robinson at Shady Hills. Abigail's body wasn't recovered at the crash site, and... My point is that I still think that my granddaughter's faculties were completely intact at [the time of] her disappearance. It just wouldn't make sense for us to jump to conclusions... Oh, how do I put this? We can't...we can't take her death at face value."
Deimos went to the Kiriakis townhouse to discuss something with Victor. Maggie encouraged the men to go to the town square to talk, joking that she was expecting a visit from Julie soon and didn't want them eavesdropping. Deimos wondered if Victor had found time to tell Maggie about their earlier conversation yet. Maggie confirmed that she had heard that Deimos had invited her and Victor to move in with him. Maggie told Deimos that she appreciated the offer but would have to think about it. Deimos understood and stressed that it was a standing invitation.
Later, after Victor and Deimos left, Julie arrived and, upon hearing about Deimos' offer, advised that there was something special about living with family. Maggie sadly pointed out that, aside from Deimos, no family members were living at the Kiriakis mansion at that time. Julie argued that Deimos did count as family, and he and Victor would have a chance to bond as brothers if Victor and Maggie moved back into the mansion. "Those two Greek guys, they're pretty smart. They know it's gonna take a lot of...goodwill glue...to heal the crack in that relationship. And, my darling, the glue is you," Julie continued.
Maggie feared that moving in with Deimos could just lead to more fighting between him and Victor. Julie didn't doubt that it would, but she advised Maggie not to automatically think of that as a bad thing, recalling that Bill and Mickey had fought constantly but had always loved each other in spite of their differences. "I don't think Deimos and Victor ever had a chance to learn what brotherly love really means. If they could learn that, they might be quite a team," Julie mused.
At the Horton Town Square, Deimos told Victor the name of one of the people who, according to a very reliable source, had recently purchased drugs from Titus Drew, and Victor agreed that, given that information, everything suddenly made perfect sense. "So, what do you think? Time to confront Tate's kidnapper?" Deimos asked. "Oh, definitely. And I know just how we should go about it," Victor replied.
Later, Deimos crossed paths with Kate while passing through a secluded section of the town square. Kate dismissively told Deimos to keep moving, insisting that she had nothing to say to him and was waiting to meet with someone, anyway. As if on cue, Victor arrived. When Kate wondered why Victor had sent her a text message, Deimos clarified that it had been from both of them. "Did you really think you could get away with it? That we wouldn't find out what you did?" Victor asked.
Clyde entered the prison's common room and tried to strike up another conversation with Orpheus, who looked up from his book with a hint of annoyance and made it clear that he wasn't a fan of small talk. "We can both profit -- possibly -- from our association, but be very careful not to get in my way. I've always agreed with Stalin: death is the solution to all problems. No man, no problem," Orpheus warned Clyde.
"Stalin? Right. Hell of a guy. Miss him every day," Clyde agreed, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Changing the subject, Clyde wondered if Orpheus believed in destiny. Orpheus replied that he believed in payback; he conceded, however, that he and Clyde did seem to have destiny on their side. Nodding in agreement, Clyde wished that the common room featured a window so he could stare down the hill at Salem in the distance. "You know, it's funny -- it looks like Mayberry, but the people there --" Clyde began.
"They're not people; they're animals," Orpheus interjected. Clyde continued that he had moved to Salem to be with his kids and had almost immediately encountered trouble from Victor Kiriakis, who had made the mistake of writing him off as "some stupid hick" after hearing his Southern accent. When Clyde bragged that he had bested Victor, Orpheus' expression changed just enough to suggest that he might actually find that somewhat impressive. Clyde noticed and assured Orpheus, "I'm not quite as dumb as I look."
"One hopes," Orpheus replied. Chuckling, Clyde continued ranting about the people he hated in Salem, revealing that he wanted to see Chad DiMera six feet under, right next to Stefano and E.J., and he especially hated the holier-than-thou Horton clan, one of whom had literally driven his son crazy. "Damn her. Damn 'em all! Not one person in that town I don't hate!" Clyde spat as Orpheus quietly observed him.
Having exhausted his list of enemies, Clyde regained his composure and guessed that Orpheus hated Marlena more than any other Salem resident. Clyde could understand why, since Marlena, who couldn't even muster a smile without looking like she smelled something rotten nearby, deserved to have her picture next to the dictionary definition of the word smug. "I'm gonna wipe that smile off her face...with Agent Black watching," Orpheus vowed. Clyde wondered if Orpheus had plans for anyone else in Salem. As Orpheus thought about an old encounter with Steve and Kayla, he confirmed, "There's more. Many more."
When Steve and Kayla arrived at the Brady Pub within moments of each other to see Joey, they realized that he had set them up. Joey explained that he hadn't been able to think of any other way to force his parents to talk to him about where things stood with them. Joey wanted to know what other hoops Kayla was going to make Steve jump through before finally agreeing to let him move back home, since forcing him to get his brain "shrunk" apparently hadn't been enough to satisfy her. "You think I like the way things are? Do you think I like who I've become, just nagging the two of you all the time?" Kayla asked incredulously.
"You don't nag," Steve somewhat hesitantly assured Kayla, but she knew that wasn't true. Kayla explained that she felt the need to nag Steve and Joey all the time because she felt like she was otherwise powerless to stop them from doing things -- really big things -- without even giving her a heads-up first. Joey conceded that he had screwed up more than once lately -- and Steve had, too. "But Dr. Evans says the most important thing is that we love each other. We do, right?" Joey asked.
When Kayla quietly gave Joey the confirmation he was looking for, he sadly noted that love apparently wasn't enough. "You two are never gonna work things out, are you? You just don't have the guts to tell me," Joey concluded. Dodging the question, Kayla went to get another cup of coffee, and when she returned, Joey gave her a hard time about being addicted to the stuff. Kayla defensively explained that coffee seemed to help with her headaches. Steve and Joey each expressed concern about Kayla's persisting hematoma, but she insisted that she would be fine once she got some rest.
Kayla wobbled a bit as she tried to exit the pub, and although she maintained that she was fine when Steve rushed to her side, she soon collapsed in his arms. Joey helped Steve get Kayla to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery after Steve signed the necessary consent form. Joey felt guilty because he had gotten Kayla worked up earlier without even considering the precarious state of her hematoma, but Steve insisted that, if anything, Joey's decision to force a family meeting might have actually saved Kayla's life because it had prevented her from being alone at the time of her collapse.
When Kayla regained consciousness after her surgery, she found Steve and Joey standing at her bedside. Steve assured Kayla that, thanks to a successful surgery, she would be back to her old self in no time. "You sure that's what you want?" Kayla jokingly asked. Steve confirmed that he wanted that more than anything else. Kayla tiredly admitted that she was glad that Steve and Joey's faces had been the first things she had seen when she had woken up. Steve told her to go back to sleep, promising that he would still be there the next time she opened her eyes, and Joey assured her that he would be, too.
Eve surprised Theresa with a visit and insisted on whisking her away for a bachelorette party at Club TBD. Anne had planned the party but had rushed off to Brooklyn after her mother had gotten sick, so Nicole was the only other person in attendance. The women were having a good time at first, but when Nicole offered to cut the cake, she got overwhelmed with emotion after taking a look at the bride-and-groom figurine perched in the center of it. Nicole abruptly excused herself so she could get some air, and Eve stopped Theresa from going after her. "Sometimes, when you're grieving...you just need to be alone," Eve explained.
As Nicole stood outside Club TBD, idly twisting one of Daniel's bracelets around her wrist, Brady approached and greeted her. Nicole seized a hug from Brady and broke down in his arms. After regaining her composure, Nicole tried to apologize for ruining Theresa's party, but Brady insisted that she hadn't. Brady assured Nicole that he and Theresa would understand if she were unable to attend their wedding the following day. "I want to! I want...to come to the wedding. Daniel would... Daniel... Ugh! I hate feeling sorry for myself!" Nicole replied. Brady urged Nicole not to think of it that way, reasoning that she was simply feeling pain.
As she placed a hand on Brady's chest, Nicole mused that Daniel would have been happy for him and Theresa. Brady jokingly guessed that Daniel would have also been a bit shocked. "[But] it's rough for you, and I get it," Brady added. Nicole wiped away her tears and started to head back inside to rejoin the party, but Brady stopped her and hesitantly revealed that he had received a letter from Eric. Nicole confirmed that Eric had written to her, as well. Reasoning that it wasn't good for Nicole to walk around with hatred in her heart every day, Brady suggested that she might want to try to forgive Eric. "Could you forgive whoever kidnapped Tate?" she asked.
"Touché," Brady conceded. Nicole added that she didn't think being unable to forgive someone was the same as hating that person. Brady conceded that point, too, clarifying that he simply thought it would be healthier for Nicole to try to move on. "I know you're just trying to help, and you want to do something good, but I don't know if you can get what's inside of me, and I don't want you to get it. I don't want you to know what it's like to know that the person you love more than life itself is never coming back. So please don't ask me to forgive, [because] even if I wanted to, I could not do it," Nicole sadly replied.
Kate feigned innocence when Victor and Deimos revealed that they had figured out that she had orchestrated Tate's abduction, but they weren't fooled. Deimos explained that Titus Drew, Salem's sole purveyor of the drug that Theresa had unwittingly ingested on the day of Tate's abduction, had remembered selling it to "a friend of Betsy's" -- which was actually a code phrase that was commonly used to describe a high-priced call girl who also happened to sell drugs to her clients. Deimos and Victor had concluded that the list of people who hated them and also happened to be "friends of Betsy's" had to be extremely short.
Kate maintained her innocence, but Victor continued that the list shrunk even more when the criteria expanded to include people who hated Theresa. Kate dismissively insisted that, while she didn't particularly care for the woman, Theresa was ultimately nothing more than a slight annoyance to her. Victor pointed out that Kate's slight annoyances had a tendency to find themselves on death row or in a coma, and Deimos added that they sometimes even ended up in rivers. "Oh, honey, you're just never gonna get over that, are you?" Kate asked Deimos.
Kate tried to leave after warning Victor not to allow himself to get tricked into believing that someone other than Deimos had been responsible for Tate's abduction, but Deimos stopped her in her tracks when he revealed, "We have proof, Kate." Victor added that he hadn't just taken Deimos' word on the matter; he had talked to Titus himself, and Titus had agreed to testify in court that Kate was the woman who had purchased the drug from him. "You're a striking woman. People -- especially men -- tend to remember you," Victor continued.
Kate scoffed at the idea of Victor and Deimos relying on the testimony of a drug dealer, of all people, to prove their allegations, but Victor pointed out that he hadn't said Titus was the proof in question. "Our evidence is a video of the transaction," Deimos clarified. "Checkmate," Victor added. Victor admitted that, despite everything Kate had done in the past, he had been quite reluctant to believe that she could actually stoop low enough to steal a child from his parents -- until he had seen the proof with his own two eyes, of course.
Countering that Victor and Deimos were in no position to take the moral high ground, Kate added that Tate had never been in any real danger, anyway. "That sounds like an admission of guilt," Deimos observed. Victor and Deimos couldn't believe that Kate had been willing to put Brady and Theresa "through hell" just to pay them back for past offenses. "I'm tired of being used by Kiriakis men. I'm tired of your collective arrogance," Kate unapologetically explained. Deimos threatened to report Kate's crime to Roman, but she calmly advised against that.
"You see, while you were dead -- which was a delightful respite -- I had access to every nook and cranny of the Kiriakis mansion. I had access to a lot of personal information. I had access to that second set of books. And I pored all over them; it helped me pass the time while I was grieving. And the bottom line? I found out that you two have links to antiquities stolen from the old country -- antiquities sent here and sold on the black market," Kate revealed.
Deimos reminded Kate that he and Victor had hated each other for decades and had never even been in the same room together during that time. "I didn't say it was a partnership," Kate countered, knowing that Deimos and Victor had been in competition with each other. "But that doesn't make you any less guilty, now, does it? So go ahead -- you call Roman Brady, and while you're doing that, I'm going to call Interpol," she added.
Deimos snatched Kate's cell phone, but when she started to gloat that Victor had been a little too hasty with his earlier "checkmate" comment, Victor warned her not to get too smug, pointing out that Brady wouldn't rest until he figured out the truth about Tate's abduction. "Which is to say that you can blackmail us, but not him," Deimos summarized. Deimos recalled that Brady had already threatened to choke the life out of him back when every piece of evidence had seemed to confirm that he had been behind Tate's abduction. "Brady has his mother's sweet disposition, but he's [still] a Kiriakis, and he's going to exact revenge," Victor agreed.
Kate warned that if Brady learned of her involvement in Tate's abduction, she would take Victor and Deimos down with her, but Victor maintained that Brady wouldn't rest until he found answers, and there was nothing that anyone could do to stop him from hunting for them. "I'm sure that's true. Someone has to pay. But why does it have to be one of us? I propose that we find a fall guy -- and fast," Kate suggested.
After the bachelorette party, Brady walked Theresa home then said goodbye for the night, promising that he would see her again the following day at City Hall. Theresa raved that it would be the best day of her life, and Brady predicted that things would just keep getting better every day afterward.
Meanwhile, at the prison, Clyde introduced Orpheus to another inmate who shared their hatred for Salem -- and just happened to be related to Victor Kiriakis. "Is he the reason you're in here?" Orpheus guessed. "No. That would be a little bitch who came on to me and then said I attacked her. Her name's Theresa -- Theresa Donovan," Xander bitterly replied.
In the park, Gabi was hysterical when she met up with Rafe to tell him that their mother had left town. Gabi said that their aunt was sick, and Adrianna had decided to leave town to take care of her sister. Gabi confided to Rafe that she felt rejected. Rafe reminded Gabi that she was not alone and that she had her brothers at her side.
At the DiMera mansion, Belle accepted Chad's job offer. As a show of good faith, Belle informed Chad that she knew where to find half of the money that Sami had stolen. Belle told Chad that she had deposited the money into the DiMera Enterprises operating account. Belle explained that she did not want to take the job at DiMera Enterprises with a giant secret separating her and Chad. Nodding, Chad said he appreciated the gesture because it meant he could trust Belle.
Chad told Belle that his problem area with the effort to legitimize the company was with Mr. Shin in Hong Kong. Chad explained that he needed Belle to relocate to Hong Kong, since the work would take some time to finish. Worried, Belle said that she did not want to relocate, but she would talk to Claire and Shawn. Chad told Belle that the decision was up to her. Sonny interrupted the conversation, so Belle said goodnight and left.
Sonny urged Chad to join him for dinner. Chad was reluctant, but Sonny reminded him that Abigail would want Chad to take care of himself. With a smile, Chad agreed. Sonny and Chad walked to the town square and ate dinner at the café. Chad was quiet and picked at his food as Sonny made an effort at small talk. Sonny told Chad that after Will had died, he had gotten into American Football. With a grin, Sonny explained that the game had helped him focus his attention, given him a sense of community, and helped him avoid the guilt he had felt over leaving Salem.
Chad assured Sonny that Ben would have killed Will regardless of where Sonny had lived. With a nod, Sonny said he had reached the same conclusion. Sonny warned Chad not to beat himself up and advised that he eat his dinner. With a wide smile, Chad grabbed his sandwich and took a big bite. Sonny started to talk about Arianna as Gabi was walking by. Gabi stopped by the table to say hello and to offer her condolences to Chad over Abigail.
Gabi explained that Abigail had been a good friend to her and had written to her every week when Gabi had been in prison. Tears welled in Gabi's eyes. Chad thanked Gabi. After Gabi joined them at their table, Chad told her about his plan for DiMera Enterprises. When Chad lamented that the executives had not taken him seriously, Gabi commented that Chad needed to dress for his job. When Gabi offered to shop with Chad, he agreed. Many bags of clothes later, Gabi and Chad returned to the table to meet up with Sonny.
As Chad and Gabi joked about his purchases, Sonny suggested that Chad should hire Gabi as an image consultant for DiMera Enterprises. Chad said he loved the idea and suggested that Gabi could help him with his style, keep an eye on Kate, and introduce Arianna to Thomas with play dates. Thrilled, Gabi accepted the job.
At Marlena's condo, Claire returned home and found Belle sitting on the couch, looking at a photo album. When Claire asked why Belle was looking at the pictures, Belle told Claire about the Hong Kong job. Furious, Claire said she refused to leave Salem because Chloe might record one of her songs. Sniffling back tears, Belle informed Claire that Philip had bought her out of his record company and that things would be awkward with Philip. Claire accused Belle of not believing in her. As Claire stormed off her room, Belle left for the police station to find Shawn.
At the police station, Hope told Shawn and J.J. that Kayla was out of surgery and doing well. Relieved by the good news, J.J. returned to work. On Lieutenant Raines's orders, J.J. pulled a case file for Hope to review for Aiden. Hope noted that Aiden wanted to review all of Justin's cases. Angry, Shawn argued that Aiden was hanging around the station in an effort to work closely with Hope. Shawn asked Hope if Aiden was the reason she had almost quit the force. "I will not allow him to ruin our lives any more than he already has," Hope said firmly.
After Shawn returned to work, Lt. Raines berated Shawn for skipping protocol on a case. Shawn argued that it had been necessary to skip protocol at the time, but Raines countered that Shawn's error could negate the evidence at trial. Furious, Raines accused Shawn of having his job because of his last name instead of his skill. Hope intervened to argue on behalf of Shawn that he had been hired because of his skill and not his name.
As Raines stalked away, Shawn asked Hope not to fight his battles. When Shawn whined that Bo had skirted the rules, Hope reminded Shawn that if Bo had always skipped the rules, he never would have been promoted to detective. Hope told Shawn that Bo would have been proud of him.
Aiden entered the bullpen to ask Hope to talk in the interrogation room about the Hamlin case. In the interrogation room, Hope explained that there had not been enough evidence to convict Hamlin and that there had been nothing that Justin could have done to stop Hamlin's release. When Hope asked Aiden why he was asking about the cases, Aiden said he wanted to be thorough. Aiden asked Hope about her resignation. With narrowed eyes, Hope growled that she refused to give up a job she loved because of Aiden. As Aiden moved the files on his desk, Hope blanched when she saw the Stefano DiMera file.
Aiden asked Hope about the DiMera case. When Aiden argued that the facts did not make sense and that there had been no witness to back up Monaghan's confession, Hope shrugged. Aiden reminded Hope that she had said that Andre had been the murderer. With a nod, Hope suggested that she had been wrong. Avoiding eye contact, Hope left the building.
After her conversation with Aiden, Hope rushed home to meet with Rafe. Hope told Rafe that Aiden was reexamining the Stefano case and that she was worried that Aiden would see through her if they discussed the case further. Hope added that she was terrified the problems would splash back onto Rafe. Rafe assured Hope that everything would be fine. As Hope removed her jacket, she winced in pain. Rafe massaged Hope's shoulder. When Hope felt better, Rafe kissed her.
As the kissing grew more heated, Hope slowed things down, arguing that Ciara would be home soon. Rafe suggested that they text Ciara to keep her away, but Hope did not want to inconvenience her daughter. With a flirty smile, Hope suggested that she and Rafe make out for a little while.
At the police station, Aiden reviewed the Stefano case. Aiden thought about when Andre had accused Hope of killing Stefano. As Raines walked by, Aiden called out to him and asked him to check on the origin of a cell phone call from Stefano's phone, ordering a plane to leave the country. After a quick check, Raines confirmed that the call had originated from the Argonne Hills neighborhood. With a furrowed brow, Aiden noted that Argonne Hills was Hope's neighborhood.
Gabi visited J.J. at work with a cup of coffee. When J.J. asked Gabi if she had forgiven him, Gabi admitted that she was no longer mad, just emotional. Gabi explained that both her father and mother had left town. As Gabi started to pour her heart out, J.J.'s phone rang, and he answered it. J.J. promised Gabi that he would call her later.
After handling some business, J.J. sat down with Shawn, and they talked about Abigail. Shawn was worried that J.J. was working instead of grieving for his sister. When Shawn asked about Ben, J.J. admitted that Ben had been a good guy at the start but had slowly driven Abigail crazy. J.J. explained that Laura felt that Abigail had been misdiagnosed and had actually suffered from PTSD. J.J. swore that he would kill Ben if Ben ever escaped again.
Raines interrupted to needle J.J. about his work. Upset, Shawn warned Raines to back off of J.J., who was dealing with the death of his sister. Annoyed, Raines argued that half of Shawn's family was on the police force, and the other half was criminals. J.J. grew irate at Raines's words, but Shawn calmed him down.
At Marlena's condo, Belle returned home and found Claire looking through the photo album. Belle admitted that she had not been able to find Shawn at the police station. Belle apologized for making Claire feel like she did not believe in Claire. With a smile, Belle told Claire that she was proud of her. Claire said she felt the same about her mother. Claire encouraged Belle to take the job, but she asked to remain in Salem. Belle agreed to let Claire stay in Salem if she would reconsider attending college.
Belle added that Claire was only punishing herself if she did not go to college. With a resigned eye roll, Claire agreed to attend Salem University if Belle let her stay in Salem while Belle was in Hong Kong. As Claire and Belle celebrated, Shawn returned home and overheard about Hong Kong. Shocked, Shawn asked what was going on.
