The residents of Salem celebrate Thanksgiving
Roman, Kayla, and Kimberly went to Bo's grave to honor his memory on the one-year anniversary of his death. As Kimberly placed a bouquet of flowers next to the headstone, Kayla wondered aloud about the other bouquet. Roman explained that it was from Caroline. Kayla fretted that Caroline shouldn't have left the house while fighting a cold. Smiling, Roman reminded Kayla that Caroline could be quite stubborn at times. Kayla and Kimberly fought back tears as they reminisced with Roman about Bo. Knowing that Bo would want him to look after Hope, Roman vowed to do everything he could to get her released from prison.
Shawn and Ciara went to the prison to see Hope. She tried to assure them that she was fine, but they weren't convinced, knowing that she would be having a rough time that day, even under the best of circumstances, because it was the one-year anniversary of Bo's death. They gave her a picture of the three of them together, along with a leaf from the tree she and Bo had planted right before his death. As she was thanking them, an alarm began blaring, prompting a guard to step in and drag her away without explanation. She asked for a moment to grab her mementos, but the guard ignored her request as well as Shawn and Ciara's objections.
Later, Hope was taken back to the visiting room to see Rafe and was relieved to find that her mementos were still right where she had left them. She hugged Rafe, who flashed his badge in response to the guard's objections. Despite being thrilled to see him, Hope insisted that Rafe shouldn't have taken time away from his family to visit her on Thanksgiving, of all days. She urged him to forget about her and move on with his life, but he refused to do that. He assured her that he would find a way to get her released from prison as soon as possible.
Changing the subject, Rafe wondered how Hope's earlier visit with Shawn and Ciara had gone. Hope started to tell Rafe about the mementos her kids had given her, but when she removed the picture from its envelope to show it to him, she discovered that the top half of it had been torn off. He wanted to report the matter to the warden, but she asked him not to, fearing that it might just make things worse. Later, after Rafe left, Hope casually asked if the guard had a list of all the prisoners who had been in the visiting room that day. "I mind my own business. You'd be smart to do the same thing," the guard replied.
Jade entered the Brady Pub and happily greeted Claire, who explained that the place was closed for a family function. "Yeah, that's why I'm here," Jade replied. Annoyed that the message hadn't sunk in yet, Claire started to stress, in no uncertain terms, that Joey was no longer interested in Jade, but he soon emerged from the kitchen and stopped her. Jade wrapped an arm around him and guessed that he hadn't gotten around to sharing the good news yet. She proceeded to announce that she was pregnant with his baby. Claire expressed skepticism but insisted that even if Jade was telling the truth, Joey didn't have to stay with her for that reason alone.
Steve emerged from the kitchen in time to overhear what the teens were talking about. He reminded Claire that Joey was a stand-up guy. He added that it would be best to refrain from mentioning the pregnancy to anyone else for the time being. Jade protested that she wasn't going to let anyone shame her into denying the existence of her child. "And we won't deny it, either, and we'll be there for both of you -- if there really is a baby," Kayla clarified as she joined the group. Jade hoped that Kayla would at least try to start being nicer to her once her claim was confirmed to be true.
Before Kayla could respond, Kimberly, Roman, Abe, and Valerie entered the pub. Valerie handed Kayla a bottle of wine as her contribution to the Thanksgiving dinner, explaining that she wasn't much of a cook. Kayla said she was more interested in Valerie's skills as a cardiologist, anyway. Knowing where the conversation was headed, Valerie reminded Kayla that they had already discussed the opening in University Hospital's cardiology department. "I know you don't want to do a long-term gig, but, you know, maybe just a month or so, while we look for a viable candidate?" Kayla suggested. Valerie agreed to at least give the idea some thought.
Meanwhile, Kimberly stepped outside to contact Shane. She was disappointed to learn that he hadn't heard from Theresa yet. She ended the call when Roman approached to report that dinner was ready to be served. Shawn and Ciara arrived as Roman and Kimberly were heading back inside. Knowing that Shawn and Ciara had just returned from the prison, Roman assured them that Hope and Bo were in everyone's thoughts that day.
A short time later, after the last of the food had been placed on the dinner table, everyone gathered around it and took turns revealing the things they were grateful for, beginning with Roman, who had suggested the idea. Valerie seized the opportunity to announce that she would be sticking around for a while longer, which delighted Kayla and Abe but annoyed Theo. Jade, meanwhile, used her turn to reveal that she was pregnant with Joey's baby. She mentioned her pregnancy several more times during dinner, blaming it for her voracious appetite and using it as an excuse to get out of helping with the dishes.
Kayla eventually got fed up and went to the bar for a drink. Kimberly followed her and tried to keep her calm, pointing out that although the circumstances obviously weren't ideal, there was nothing like the joy of having a grandchild. Kayla apologetically acknowledged that the holiday had to be particularly tough for Kimberly, given Theresa's absence. They both agreed that what Caroline had often told them was true: parents were never happier than their unhappiest child.
Later, while Jade was dealing with a bout of morning sickness in the bathroom, Ciara, Theo, and Claire questioned Joey about the situation, hoping that he wasn't planning to marry Jade if she was, in fact, pregnant. "Stop, okay? There's nothing I can do about it, so...I'm just gonna have to...deal with the consequences," he replied before stepping outside to get some air. Steve followed him and gave him a hug, making it clear that he was proud of his son for being willing to step up and do the right thing.
Meanwhile, back inside the pub, Theo canceled a date with Claire so he could stay with Abe and keep an eye on Valerie. He was pleased, however, when Valerie decided to cut her date with Abe short so the Carvers could spend the rest of the holiday alone together. After the Carvers left the pub, Valerie contacted her son and told him that she had spent Thanksgiving with some old friends.
A short time later, Kayla spotted Joey leaving the pub with Jade. She followed them outside and wondered where they were going. Joey explained that he was walking Jade back to her friend's place, and Jade added that she was staying there because her parents had kicked her out of their place. Meanwhile, Steve emerged from the pub and handed Kayla her cell phone, reporting that she had just received a message from the hospital. "Oh, it's from the lab. They, uh...they sent a screenshot of [Jade's] test. She's definitely pregnant," Kayla reluctantly confirmed.
"I wouldn't lie to the father of my baby," Jade insisted. Changing the subject, she hoped that the turkey she had consumed earlier would help her get a decent night of rest, since her friend's couch wasn't exactly the most comfortable place to sleep. Kayla unsympathetically predicted that Jade would be just fine. Joey suggested to Kayla and Steve that Jade would be more comfortable at their place. Jade claimed that she didn't want to impose, but Kayla reluctantly agreed to let her stay in the guest room.
At the Horton house, Jennifer tried to convince Abigail to leave the attic and join everyone downstairs for Thomas' birthday party. Abigail wasn't sure she was ready to reveal herself to everyone, but she didn't want to miss the event, so she agreed to give the idea some thought. They reminisced about a stuffed animal she had received as a gift from her parents on her first birthday. Having found the item in a storage container earlier, she asked Jennifer to give it to Thomas.
Meanwhile, J.J. greeted Chad and Thomas. After a brief conversation, J.J. volunteered to take Thomas to the nursery and put him down for a nap before the party. Someone rang the doorbell as J.J. was heading upstairs, so Chad offered to greet the visitor himself. When he opened the front door, he found Gabi standing outside with Arianna.
Taken aback, Chad wondered why Gabi and Arianna weren't spending Thanksgiving with the rest of the Hernandez clan. Gabi explained that Rafe had gone to the prison to see Hope, and Dario and Eduardo had decided to eat dinner at Club TBD so they could get some work done afterward, so she and Arianna had decided to spend the holiday with J.J. instead. She wondered why Chad wasn't having dinner at the DiMera mansion. He explained that Andre preferred martinis to turkey and stuffing. He added that he had wanted to invite Sonny over to the mansion for dinner, but Sonny was still busy refereeing for Adrienne, Justin, and Lucas.
"I'd hate having to pick between two men who both wanted me," Gabi mused before realizing what she was saying. She tried to apologize, but Chad assured her that it wasn't a big deal. They stammered as they agreed that it was best for them to just be friends. Meanwhile, Julie arrived with Doug and admitted that she was surprised to see Chad. He explained that Jennifer had invited him and Thomas over for Thanksgiving dinner so they could celebrate Thomas' birthday. "I heard there's a lot of food in [the kitchen], so I hope you guys brought your appetite," Gabi said. "Actually, I think I just lost mine," Julie replied.
Gabi uncomfortably excused herself so she could prepare some drinks for everyone. "I wouldn't swallow anything that girl poured," Julie muttered as Gabi left the living room. Chad told Julie to try to show Gabi some respect for J.J.'s sake. Julie reminded Chad that Gabi had killed Nick, prompting Chad to counter that Hope had killed Stefano. "And she was Stefano's victim for decades. He goaded her into it. What Gabi did to Nick was completely different!" Julie insisted. "She served her time, so leave it alone!" Chad countered. Doug intervened and reminded Chad and Julie that it was Thanksgiving -- a day to set aside differences, at least for a while.
Meanwhile, J.J. emerged from the kitchen with some drinks. Gabi, who had lingered in the foyer to watch Chad defend her, followed J.J. back into the living room. J.J. started to excuse himself again so he could go to the attic to see if Jennifer had managed to find the gravy bowl yet, but Chad volunteered to handle the task so J.J. could spend some time with Gabi. Jennifer rushed out of the attic when she heard Chad calling for her. She told him about the stuffed animal's history and gave it to him as a gift for Thomas. Chad was confident that Thomas would love it.
Jennifer was surprised to see Gabi in the living room. "Gabi decided to give me a second chance," J.J. explained. Jennifer was thrilled to hear that. She gave Gabi a hug then urged everyone to follow her into the dining room so they could start eating. Julie said she first wanted to apologize for the way she had treated Gabi earlier. "I was not at my best," she admitted. She proceeded to give thanks for her loved ones and pray for Hope's safety.
Later, Abigail thought about revealing herself to everyone but lost her nerve as she was descending the stairs. As she ducked out of sight, Chad stepped into the foyer and began looking around. Jennifer soon joined him and wondered if something was wrong. "I just got some, like, weird feeling that someone was watching me," he explained. She dismissively assured him that everyone was present and accounted for in the living room.
As Chad and Jennifer returned to the living room to continue Thomas' birthday celebration, J.J. decided to go to the attic to get some toys for Arianna so she wouldn't feel left out. He was shocked to find Abigail hiding there, staring wistfully at a framed photograph of Thomas.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor was annoyed that Sonny had failed to attend Thanksgiving with him, Maggie, Deimos, and Philip. Philip suggested that Victor preferred to be angry with Sonny rather than think about Brady. Maggie agreed. On cue, Brady walked in with Tate. Brady assured everyone that he was fine. Maggie said they were worried about him. Shaking his head, Brady said that, unlike Theresa, he knew that he had to take care of a child and that he did not plan on falling off the wagon.
After Brady went upstairs with Tate, an angry Maggie warned Victor not to grumble about Brady. Philip suggested that Victor should act sad when he felt sad rather than snap at everyone. When Philip sarcastically wondered aloud where Brady had learned his surly behavior, Maggie smiled at Philip and thanked him for his support. Philip promised Maggie that they would help Brady get through his pain.
Maggie argued that Brady was denying his feelings. Shaking her head in frustration, Maggie added that as an addict, Brady needed to confront his emotions. Unfazed, Maggie said she would not let Brady's unwillingness to talk stop her from reaching out to him.
Upstairs, Brady packed away the remainder of Theresa's stuff into a trash bag. Brady cheerfully told Tate that he would remove all traces of Theresa from the house. Brady added that they did not need Theresa because he and Tate had one another. After putting Tate down for a nap, Brady carried the trash bag of Theresa's things down to the foyer. Maggie encouraged Brady to join her at a meeting, but Brady was not interested. Brady bitterly said his child was enough of a reminder to remain sober.
Overhearing the conversation, Victor walked into the foyer and warned Brady not to condescend to Maggie. Brady argued that the only thing he needed was to throw out the trash. After tossing the bag over to Maggie, Brady walked into the living room and announced to Philip and Deimos that he did not want to talk about Theresa. As Victor and Maggie followed Brady back into the living room, Brady asked Deimos and Philip why they had handled a business account without notifying him.
When Victor attempted to intervene, Brady warned him that he was a retiree and should stay out of the conversation. Philip offered to discuss the business email he had sent, but Brady bristled at the suggestion. Frustrated, Philip called Brady a jerk. Everyone left the room so that Brady and Philip could talk alone.
In the foyer, Victor and Deimos talked about Brady. Deimos hoped aloud that Philip would be able to calm Brady down. With a sigh, Victor noted that Nicole had asked him to keep an eye on Brady for her. Victor added that Brady was a powder keg, ready to blow up.
In the living room, Philip explained to Brady that he and Deimos had agreed on the Titan deal, and it would have overruled Brady even if he had known about the deal and objected to it. Upset, Brady scolded Philip for not asking him about the deal. Philip said that Brady had been dealing with Theresa, and he had not wanted to bother him. As Brady glowered, Philip added that Brady had made some poor decisions at Titan in the past. Brady growled. Philip warned Brady that the family would not let Brady take his anger out on them.
"You are taking what she did to you and Tate out on us. You don't even care that we're on your side. We're here. We are not the ones who walked out on you," Philip said. Brady ordered Philip to tell him the truth about how he felt. Philip said that Brady was better off since his "drug-addicted" girlfriend had left. Furious, Brady punched Philip in the stomach.
Hearing the commotion, Maggie, Deimos, and Victor rushed into the living room. Maggie went to Philip's side as he gasped for air, bent over. Philip argued that Brady needed to take a break from the company, spurring Brady to accuse Philip of pushing him out of Titan. As Philip called Brady paranoid, Victor yelled that both men needed to take a time out. Brady again reminded Victor that he was retired. Annoyed, Deimos yelled that he was not retired, and he agreed with Victor. Deimos ordered Brady and Philip to work together.
"Like hell I will," Brady growled as he stormed out. In the corner, Victor voiced his concern to Maggie that they should expect another Kiriakis Thanksgiving fistfight. Across the room, Deimos told Philip that he had made the situation worse. Scowling, Philip said that Deimos was hard on him because he had helped Chloe lie to Deimos. Deimos reminded Philip that he had lied about a child, and Deimos had forgiven Philip despite that. Deimos ordered Philip to let go of his petty jealousy with Brady. Philip agreed.
After calling Nicole, Deimos returned to the living room. Deimos thanked Maggie for encouraging him to give Nicole a second chance. Maggie smiled. Deimos turned to his brother and joked about their crazy holiday celebration and how he had never imagined it when he had been in prison. With a chuckle, Victor told Deimos to be careful what he wished for in life.
While Victor and Deimos talked in the foyer, Philip sat with Maggie on the living room couch to talk. Philip told Maggie that he had been a jerk, and he apologized for ruining her Thanksgiving. With a chuckle, Maggie said that when she had married into the Kiriakis family, she had understood that it meant she would no longer take part in the Horton traditions. Maggie quipped that the Hortons served eggnog, and the Kiriakis family served arsenic. With a sad smile, Maggie said she knew that Philip was just as concerned as everyone else about Brady.
Maggie asked Philip what else was on his mind. Maggie assured Philip that he could confide in her. Reluctantly, Philip admitted that Chloe had asked him to do something that he did not agree with because it could hurt a lot of people. Philip added that the secret was not his to tell. Maggie agreed. As Philip sighed, Maggie advised Philip to tell Chloe that he loved her. Philip admitted that he would do anything for Chloe.
At St. Luke's, Brady thought about his fight with Philip. Brady heard a noise. He turned and saw Marlena standing nearby. Marlena admitted that Victor had called her. When Brady said he wanted quiet, Marlena nodded and offered an ear to Brady. Brady wondered aloud how he could keep making the same mistakes with women. Marlena assured Brady that it was not his fault that he had not seen any red flags because Theresa had taken steps to hide any clues to her unhappiness.
"We were going to have a big wedding in this church. Now I know she didn't mean it. She didn't want it. I wanted it. She didn't want it. I wanted the family, I wanted the wedding, it was all about me. And if I had taken a step back, maybe thought about what she wanted for a second, she might have been, she might still be here. But she's gone now, and she's not coming back," Brady said.
Brady lamented that he could not hate Theresa because he still loved her. Confused, Brady wondered aloud how Theresa could walk away from her son. Brady said he was sure that Theresa had been keeping a secret. When Marlena asked Brady if he wanted John to look for Theresa, Brady shook his head no. "No. She's gone," Brady said.
At the Martin house, Eduardo stopped by to give Kate a bottle of wine. Kate thanked him for making her day better. Eduardo asked about the wedding, and Kate updated Eduardo on what had happened at the church. Grumbling, Kate said she hoped that Lucas would dump Adrienne and walk away. Suspicious, Eduardo asked Kate if she had interfered with the wedding. With a chuckle, Kate said she had bet on the wedding failing because she knew the odds were not in Lucas' favor. Eduardo asked Kate what the odds were that they would make it as a couple.
"It's like election night. It's too early to call," Kate mused. Eduardo stepped into the foyer to take a phone call from Deimos about his shipment. Eduardo thanked Deimos for his help and looked forward to their continued partnership. When Eduardo returned to Kate, he told her that he had aligned his company with Titan.
"That's not the bed I pictured you in," Kate purred. Eduardo explained that he was using Titan for shipping because it had been too good a deal to pass up. With a shrug, Kate said that although they were adversaries, she preferred to keep business separate from pleasure. Eduardo told Kate that he liked everything about her then he kissed her.
In the Horton living room, Gabi counseled Chad on how to talk to his son at the holidays about Abigail. Jennifer returned to the living room as Chad clasped Gabi's hand and told her that he and Thomas were thankful to have Gabi in their lives. As Gabi stared sweetly back at Chad, Jennifer furrowed her brow in confusion.
Upstairs in the attic, J.J. was shocked to find Abigail alive in his home. The siblings had a tearful reunion. J.J. wanted to tell everyone the good news, but Abigail begged J.J. not to tell anyone. Excited, J.J. said he needed to tell everyone, and he rushed past Abigail out the door.
Downstairs, Jennifer asked Gabi about J.J. Gabi explained that J.J. had gone upstairs to the attic to look for toys for Arianna. Panicked, Jennifer rushed out of the room and ran into J.J. on the stairs as he called out to Chad. Jennifer dragged J.J. outside and warned him not to tell anyone about Abigail. J.J. was furious that Jennifer had not told him about his sister. Confused, J.J. insisted that they needed to tell Chad that Abigail was alive.
Jennifer explained that Abigail was alive but that she was in a fragile mental state. Jennifer worried aloud that Abigail would dissociate if she were pushed too hard. As Jennifer broke down in tears, J.J. hugged his mother and assured her that they would take care of Abigail.
In the living room, Chad and Gabi were puzzled as to why Jennifer had dragged J.J. outside. Gabi suggested that Jennifer and J.J. were still adjusting to spending the holidays without Abigail. Chad told Gabi that he was glad that she was working things out with J.J. Shrugging, Gabi said that people had forgiven her, and she felt the need to do the same for J.J.
When Jennifer and J.J. returned inside, Chad asked them if they were okay. Smiling, J.J. assured Chad and Gabi that they were fine. Jennifer lied and said that she had seen a rat in the attic. Chad offered to help J.J. track down the rat in the attic for Jennifer, but J.J said he would handle the rat while everyone else went to the festival. Chad said he would stay and help J.J., but J.J. changed tactics and firmly stated that he and Jennifer needed time alone. With a nod, Chad said he and Gabi would take the kids to the festival.
In the attic, a worried Abigail packed up her things while J.J. yelled at Jennifer downstairs. Jennifer explained that Abigail had begged her not to tell anyone. As Jennifer turned to go check on Abigail, J.J. rushed past Jennifer up to the attic. When J.J. got to the attic, he found the window open and Abigail gone. J.J. rushed to the window, and Abigail popped up from behind some boxes.
Abigail sheepishly explained that she had hidden in case J.J. had not been alone when he returned to the attic. J.J. promised that he would not tell anyone, but he asked for an explanation of why she did not want to tell Chad. Abigail said that Chad had moved on with Gabi.
In the park, Gabi told Chad that she believed that Jennifer and J.J. were hiding something from them. Switching subjects, Gabi and Chad agreed that they were happy to be friends. Gabi noted that she loved J.J., and Chad nodded.
Rafe went to the Johnson house to talk to Steve about digging up dirt on the judge who had presided over Hope's case, hoping they could then use that information to force her to release Hope from prison. Steve was reluctant to agree to that idea, pointing out, "We might as well be planning a jailbreak." He promised, however, to find some other way to help Hope.
After Rafe left, Kayla returned home and apologetically explained to Steve that she was late because her meeting at the hospital had lasted longer than expected. Steve reported that Joey was out somewhere with his "baby mama." Kayla cringed at the expression and asked Steve to pick a different one. "Mother-to-be?" he suggested. Groaning, she realized that the expression wasn't the problem. Steve agreed that Joey wasn't exactly in an ideal situation. He added, however, that he was proud of Joey for being willing to step up and do the right thing -- and he was sure that Kayla was proud of Joey, too. "We're gonna get through this," he assured her.
At the prison, Hope approached one of the guards in the recreation room and asked to be assigned some sort of job within the facility. The guard stressed that plenty of other inmates wanted the same thing -- and many of them had been around a lot longer than Hope. "[But] I'll do what I can," the guard promised.
After thanking the guard, Hope took a seat at a nearby computer. As she was waiting for it to boot up, one of the other inmates approached the guard and told her that a fight had just broken out in the laundry room. The guard rushed off to put a stop to the fight, leaving Hope alone in the room with the other inmate and one of the inmate's friends.
Once the coast was clear, the two inmates joined Hope at the computer and told her it was their turn to use it. Hope countered that they would have to wait a bit longer because she hadn't even managed to get online yet. "We want the computer, and we want it now," one of the inmates, Coco, stressed. "Or what?" Hope asked. Laughing, the other inmate, Sheila, informed Hope that no one found her the least bit intimidating without a gun, badge, and backup. "Better fall in line, brave girl, or we gonna do to you what we did to your cute little photo," Sheila added as Coco revealed the top half of the picture and began waving it tauntingly.
"Fine. Computer's all yours," Hope said as she snatched the picture out of Coco's hand and rose from the chair. "Good luck getting [it] running again," she added, flipping the switch on the nearby power strip to turn the computer back off. Sheila and Coco grabbed Hope when she tried to shove past them, but she quickly broke free and warned them to never touch her again. As they lunged toward her, ready for a fight, a familiar voice suddenly called out, "Back off! And do it now -- or else." They glared at the new arrival then grudgingly left the room.
"Marlena?" Hope asked incredulously, staring in disbelief as the new arrival approached her. "Marlena? What are you, crazy? I'm the sexy one. I'm Hattie," the look-alike clarified. Hope thanked Hattie for helping her deal with Sheila and Coco. Realizing that she was still staring, Hope apologetically explained that she had just never expected to run into Hattie, of all people, in prison, of all places.
"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly proud to be incarcerated, babe. Fact is, I turned my life around since the last time I saw you. That whole Salem Stalker business...ah, it seems like the Dark Ages now," Hattie mused. Continuing her trip down memory lane, she added that Stefano had really blown things when he had tried to transform her into the spitting image of Marlena, and he had never done any of the things he had promised to do for her in exchange for her cooperation, either. With a grin of approval, she told Hope, "You did what I always wanted to do -- you filled the old coot full of lead!"
Hope wondered how Hattie had heard about that. "It's my job to know everybody's story in here," Hattie explained, although she added that Hope's story wasn't really much of a secret, given all the media attention it had received. Hope stressed that, like Hattie, she wasn't exactly proud of what she had done to land herself in prison.
Changing the subject, Hattie warned that prison wasn't exactly the safest place for someone who had once been a decorated cop. "You do okay, but as far as survival skill goes, you're -- you're about an eight. We need to get you up to an eleven, babe, so the dames in here know that you have got yourself some friends," she continued. "But I don't," Hope pointed out. "You don't? Come on, Slim -- you got me!" Hattie replied.
Meanwhile, Sheila and Coco returned and claimed seats at a nearby table, making a lot of noise in the process. Annoyed, Hattie warned them to be quiet. She then continued talking to Hope, advising her, "Keep your head down -- be respectful, you know, but not fearful -- [and] I'll take care of the rest. You'll be okay." Hope wondered why Hattie was being so nice to her. "I like you!" Hattie claimed, but Hope didn't buy that explanation.
"Okay, the thing is, here's what I was thinking," Hattie began, leaning forward and lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Once we get out of here, I was thinking that...maybe you would introduce me...to Mr. Roman," she continued, smiling as she uttered the name. "You know, after I get my record clear and stuff," she quickly added after receiving another look of disbelief from Hope.
Hope realized that what Hattie really wanted, more than just an introduction to Roman, was help clearing her record so he would find her more suitable. "Yeah! Come on, you're an ace cop, you know? I'm thinking maybe you'd look at my paperwork, you know, and see if I missed something in there somewhere," Hattie confirmed. "And in exchange, you'll have my back in here," Hope concluded. Nodding, Hattie wondered if she and Hope had a deal. Hope extended a hand in response, but Hattie insisted on doing a fist bump instead.
As Claire was passing through the town square with Theo, she told him about one of the Christmas gifts she had picked out for her parents. He seized the opportunity to ask for hints about what she wanted for Christmas. She assured him that he didn't have to get her anything, but he insisted that he wanted to. "Besides, it's what people in our situation do, right?" he added.
"What exactly is our situation? Are we...are we boyfriend-girlfriend? And if so, like, what's the next step?" Claire asked. "Uh...I'm not really sure," Theo answered. She leaned in to kiss him, flirtatiously revealing that she had a few ideas in mind. Ciara entered the town square in time to witness the couple's not-so-private moment. She watched uncomfortably as Claire pulled away from Theo and asked, "Catch my drift?" He confirmed that he had then quickly changed the subject, wondering if she would like to go on a date with him later that night. She happily accepted the offer, making a point of calling him her boyfriend in the process.
Theo stepped aside to contact his father and explain that he was going to be out for a few more hours. Meanwhile, Claire spotted Ciara and seized the opportunity to ask for help with Theo's Christmas gift, stressing that she wanted her first holiday as his girlfriend to be a special one. Ciara implied that Claire, as Theo's girlfriend, should already know his interests. Claire conceded that although she knew some of his favorite things, like his favorite band and his favorite flavor of frozen yogurt, she didn't know him nearly as well as Ciara did. Ciara hesitated for a moment then began to tell Claire about a baseball card he had been coveting for years.
Later, Ciara ran into Rafe, who could tell that she was upset about something. He assumed that she was just worried about Hope, but she reluctantly admitted that she was also starting to have feelings for Theo again. Rafe advised her to talk to Theo about her feelings, but she was too worried about being rejected -- or hurting Claire -- to do that. Rafe understood and assured Ciara that she would meet someone else soon enough.
Elsewhere, Theo rejoined Claire and suggested that they could invite Ciara to join them at the concert they were planning to attend later that night. Claire started to agree that it would be a good idea to do that, but she soon changed her mind, pointing out that Ciara might feel like a third wheel at the concert. Theo conceded that Claire was probably right. "I just, uh...I don't know, I wish there was something we could do for her. I just hate that she's all alone, you know?" he added. Claire said she might have an idea.
Later, Theo ran into Ciara and invited her to the concert. She declined, explaining that she would probably feel like a third wheel if she joined him and Claire on their date. He admitted that Claire had predicted that response. He carefully proceeded to suggest online dating to Ciara, who said she had thought about it but had never been brave enough to make a profile.
Theo offered to help Ciara then proceeded to fill out the entire profile himself. She marveled that he knew everything about her, and he countered that she knew everything about him, too. "Looks like you're all set and running. I'm sure you will have no trouble finding Mr. Right," he added, oblivious to the look of longing she was giving him.
Meanwhile, Claire met with Paul at the Brady Pub and asked him to help her acquire the coveted baseball card for Theo. Paul agreed to help with that, but when Claire tried to get him to agree to also loan her some of Black Patch Investigations' high-tech spy gear, he refused to do so without first getting detailed information about what she planned to do with it. She declined to elaborate and told him to just focus on getting the baseball card, not wanting him to know about her and Theo's plan to dig up dirt on Valerie. "If you won't share your spy toys with me, Uncle, then, um, I'll just get them another way," she muttered after Paul left.
At the Salem Inn, Adrienne awoke and found Justin and Lucas staring at her. Justin wondered if she had made a decision yet. When she didn't respond right away, Lucas suggested calling the front desk and asking for a wishbone to be delivered to the room. "Whoever breaks off the biggest piece gets the girl," he explained. Adrienne and Justin weren't amused.
Meanwhile, Sonny entered the room. When he realized that Adrienne hadn't made a decision yet, he asked her to step into his office. She reluctantly followed him into the hallway, still in her wedding dress, and listened as he stressed that she wasn't being fair to him, Justin, Lucas, or even herself. "Look, this is my life we're talking about, okay? It's not some tennis match!" she protested.
"Well, the ball is in your court, so which man are you gonna choose?" Sonny asked. Adrienne didn't know how to answer that question, so he advised her to listen to her gut. "My gut is telling me that I should strangle my youngest son for even putting me in this awful position!" she snapped. He countered that he was only doing what was best for her. He added that she needed to figure out who and what would make her truly happy.
After Adrienne went back inside, Sonny contacted Paul, who soon arrived to give him an update on the Hernandez business. Sonny was surprised to hear that Paul had only discovered knockoff handbags in the shipping crates. Paul promised to keep looking into the matter. Sonny turned his head uncomfortably as he thanked Paul. When Paul wondered what was wrong, Sonny explained that he was a bit sore because he had spent the night sleeping in a chair. Paul offered to massage Sonny's shoulders, and although Sonny was reluctant to accept the offer, Paul eventually managed to talk him into it.
The massage was cut short when Sonny heard Adrienne arguing with Justin and Lucas in the hotel room. He said goodbye to Paul then rushed into the room to find out what was going on. "I am so sick of the two of you right now!" Adrienne snapped at Justin and Lucas, who had been trying to convince her that she had a habit of grinding her teeth in her sleep. "If you're so sick of Dad and Lucas, maybe you don't want either one of them. Why don't you download Tinder [and] start swiping," Sonny sarcastically suggested. "Don't tempt me!" she warned him.
Lucas suggested that it might be best for Adrienne to take a break from him and Justin for a few days, and Justin agreed, but she refused, admitting that she had finally made a decision. After listing the best qualities of each man, she started to reveal the name of the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, but she collapsed before she could do so.
At the police station, J.J. tried to focus on overdue paperwork but repeatedly found himself worrying about what was going on between Gabi and Chad, thanks to the suspicions Abigail had voiced earlier. He rushed off as soon as he finished typing his last report.
Meanwhile, in a secluded section of the town square, Chad and Gabi laughed as they recalled some of the things they had just seen during their tour of the town's best holiday displays. Thomas had slept through most of the tour, but Arianna confirmed that she had enjoyed it. When Gabi accidentally got Arianna's scarf caught in the zipper of the child's coat, Chad stepped in to help -- and, in the process, found himself just inches away from Gabi. He stared at her for a moment then backed away and awkwardly excused himself so he could change Thomas' diaper.
Later, Chad and Gabi made plans to take the kids on another tour later that month, when even more holiday decorations would be on display. As they were preparing to part ways, J.J. approached them and greeted Gabi with a kiss. He handed her an envelope and told her, "Open it later. Secret stuff inside. Self-explanatory." He then excused himself so he could head back to the Horton house to change out of his police uniform. Chad, who had watched the scene with obvious discomfort, stammered a goodbye as J.J. walked away.
Gabi helped Chad take Thomas back to the DiMera mansion and get him settled in his crib. As she was preparing to leave, she received a text message from Sonny, explaining that he wasn't going to be able to watch Arianna that night because Adrienne had been hospitalized. She quickly typed a response, assuring him that she understood. She then started to contact J.J. to let him know that there had been a change of plans, but Chad stopped her, insisting that she couldn't ruin J.J.'s surprise. He offered to watch Arianna himself, and although Gabi was reluctant to impose, he eventually managed to convince her to accept the offer.
Chad helped Gabi put her coat on, stressing that he hoped she and J.J. would have a great night together. As she showed herself out of the mansion, she opened the envelope J.J. had given her earlier. Inside, she found a key card for one of the rooms at the Salem Inn. Meanwhile, back in the study, Chad sighed and muttered, "Be good to her, J.J. You better make her happy."
At the Horton house, Jennifer received an unexpected visit from her mother. She was reluctant to invite Laura in, knowing that Abigail was in the kitchen and could emerge from it at any moment, but when Abigail did emerge, Laura greeted her without a hint of shock, leading Jennifer to angrily conclude that her mother had known the truth about Abigail all along.
Laura explained that shortly after her last visit to Salem, Abigail had shown up at her place in search of help, and she had been treating Abigail privately since then in an effort to fix the damage that the doctors at Shady Hills had caused. "[And] you kept this a secret?" Jennifer asked incredulously. Laura tried to explain, but Jennifer interrupted, warning that she didn't want to hear another word.
After Jennifer stormed out of the house, Laura tried to comfort Abigail, who felt guilty about the pain they had caused Jennifer. Laura stressed that Jennifer was upset with her, not Abigail. "[And] she'll get over it," Laura dismissively added. Abigail tried to apologize for the rift she had caused between Laura and Jennifer, but Laura told her not to worry about it, admitting with a laugh that it was familiar territory.
Later, Jennifer returned and found Laura sitting alone in the living room, reading a magazine. "Feeling better?" Laura asked. Sighing, Jennifer calmly pointed out that her mother could have ended her suffering at any time with just one simple phone call. "I know. But I made a promise to Abigail," Laura replied, explaining that Abigail had needed to stay hidden from Jennifer, J.J., Chad, and Thomas, more than any other people in the world, because she had found it too overwhelming to deal with the expectations that went along with their love for her.
Jennifer wondered if Laura had played a part in the faking of Abigail's death. "What? No! Of course not. I was as surprised about that as you were," Laura insisted. She added that she had never discussed that particular matter with Abigail, and she thought it would be best for Jennifer to avoid discussing it with Abigail, too. Jennifer nodded and quickly changed the subject, apologizing for the things she had said earlier. "I have had time to think about it, and...and I appreciate what you have done," she continued.
Fearing that Abigail could easily spin out of control again at any moment, Laura advised Jennifer not to push too hard. Meanwhile, in the attic, Abigail sobbed while flipping through a large collection of digital photographs of Thomas that Jennifer had given her earlier. Later, Jennifer entered the attic with a tray of cookies and tea for Abigail, who wondered if Jennifer was still upset with Laura. Jennifer admitted that although she didn't agree with the way Laura had handled the situation, Abigail's well-being was ultimately the only thing she really cared about.
Jennifer started to encourage Abigail to stay in Salem for good and reveal herself to the rest of her loved ones, but she quickly backpedaled and stressed that she would be fine with whatever decision Abigail ended up making. "I mean, the thing is, I'm dead, Mom, which, you know, is, like, usually kind of permanent," Abigail pointed out. She feared that if she revealed that she had faked her death, everyone would think she was even crazier than she had been before she had escaped from Shady Hills. She promised, however, that she would at least consider staying in Salem and revealing herself to everyone.
Later, Abigail received a visit from J.J., who reported that Jennifer was "walking on air" in the kitchen. Abigail stressed that she hadn't made any promises yet. Changing the subject, she wondered why he was wearing nice clothes. "I'm meeting up with Gabi. We're gonna have a good night," he explained. "All night?" she wondered. "All night," he confirmed with a smile. He told her to stop worrying about Chad's relationship with Gabi, insisting that they were just friends. "She's with me. Only me," he added.
At the hospital, Adrienne tried to dismiss her earlier fainting spell as nothing more than a sign that she had been under too much stress lately and hadn't been eating properly, but Kayla wanted to run some tests, just to be safe. "When was your last mammogram?" Kayla asked. "What? Seriously, don't go there. All I need is a good night's sleep in my own bed," Adrienne nervously insisted, adding that she never missed a scheduled screening. Kayla was glad to hear that but still wanted to run some tests. "Kayla, I fainted! That was it! I just fainted!" Adrienne protested, but she was unable to change Kayla's mind.
Meanwhile, in the waiting area, Justin, Lucas, and Steve waited anxiously for news, along with Sonny, who blamed himself for Adrienne's earlier collapse. Kayla eventually emerged from Adrienne's room and gave the men an update. They wanted to see Adrienne, but Kayla didn't want to overwhelm her with a visit from all four men at once, so Steve was selected to be her first visitor.
Sonny waited a few minutes then entered Adrienne's room while she was dismissing Steve's concerns about their family history, begging him, "Don't go down the cancer road. Please, please don't." She reminded Sonny and Steve of all the stressful things that had happened lately, including the escaped convicts' reign of terror, her short-lived alliance with Andre, her and Jennifer's decision to purchase the Spectator, the planning of her wedding, and Hope's sentencing hearing. "And then I was imprisoned with two crazy men," she jokingly added. Sonny stressed that he was really sorry about that. "It's okay. Your heart was in the right place...even though I wasn't sure where mine should be," she replied.
When Sonny emerged from Adrienne's room, he told Lucas and Justin, "Mom wants to see...one of you." A few seconds later, someone knocked on the door to Adrienne's room. She wiped away a few tears then granted permission for her visitor to enter. Justin opened the door and approached her with a wide grin on his face.
"I don't mean to be mean, but you look worse than I feel," Adrienne told Justin. He admitted that his guilt was probably showing. "None of this would have happened if I hadn't crashed your wedding," he pointed out. She assured him that although she had been really angry with him at first, she understood that he had simply been following his heart. "[And] it was very romantic. [But] marriage is more about the day-to-day stuff, Justin, not the big romantic gestures. What I'm trying to tell you is that --" she started to add, but before she could finish the sentence, a nurse interrupted and asked for a few minutes alone with her.
Meanwhile, in the waiting area, Sonny apologetically guessed that Lucas was disappointed that Adrienne had asked to see Justin first. "No, that's fine. It's her call, you know?" Lucas replied. He assured Sonny that Adrienne was going to be okay. Nodding, Sonny reported that she had been cracking jokes earlier, as if nothing had ever happened. He admitted that although she had tried to make him feel better about the situation, he still felt guilty for having kept her locked up in a stressful environment for a prolonged period of time. "Sonny, your mom wouldn't let anyone make her do something she doesn't want to do," Lucas pointed out.
Later, Lucas went to see Adrienne, who wondered if he was upset because she had asked to see Justin first. He dismissively joked that he loved Justin like a brother. "Let me guess: you're Cain, he's Abel?" Adrienne replied. Lucas confirmed the suspicion and started to complain about how Justin had interrupted the wedding. He conceded, however, that if Adrienne wanted to be with Justin, he would grudgingly respect that decision. "Stop right there. You are good for me, Lucas Horton. You make me feel safe, happy, and loved. Every minute I'm with you, I absolutely love my life, and I want to live it to the fullest," she tearfully assured Lucas.
Smiling, Lucas admitted that he felt like a huge weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. Adrienne started to apologize for having allowed Justin to get inside her head for a while, but Lucas stopped her and told her not to worry about it. As he was giving her a kiss, Kayla interrupted and jokingly warned them to stop spreading germs.
Kayla asked for a few minutes alone with Adrienne, who observed, after Lucas left the room, that Kayla looked like she had some serious news to deliver. Kayla pointed out that Adrienne had actually missed her last mammogram test. Adrienne nervously explained that it had slipped her mind because she had been really busy lately. Kayla tried to assure Adrienne that there was nothing to worry about yet, but Adrienne seemed to be panicking despite the brave face she was showing Kayla.
Later, Lucas suggested that it would be a good idea for Sonny to fetch some fresh clothes for Adrienne. When Justin tried to protest that it wouldn't be necessary to do that because Adrienne would soon be returning home with him, a fight broke out between the two men, and Sonny was forced to intervene before it could get physical. Meanwhile, Adrienne's test results were delivered to Kayla's office. "I'm gonna need you to run those again, all right?" Kayla worriedly told the lab technician after taking a look at the results.
At the Salem Inn, Gabi met up with J.J. for a romantic evening. The room was decorated in candles and flowers. When J.J. asked about Arianna, Gabi explained that she had left Arianna with Chad, since Adrienne and Lucas were at the hospital. With a relieved smile, J.J. told Gabi that he was glad that Chad had approved of their reunion. J.J. explained that when he had told Chad about his cheating, Chad had reminded him that he should fight for Gabi.
When J.J. asked if Chad ever talked about Abigail, Gabi looked away but nodded yes. J.J. added that it had to be difficult for Chad during the holidays. Gabi said that Chad still loved Abigail, but he needed time to recover. Wanting to change the subject, Gabi said she was happy to have a romantic evening alone with J.J. Nodding eagerly, J.J. said he was happy, and he promised never to take Gabi for granted again. J.J. said he wanted to prove how special their relationship was to him.
As Gabi and J.J. kissed on the bed, he started to have flashes to his affair in Miami. Startled, J.J. pulled way. Gabi asked what was wrong. Citing the desire to be honest with Gabi, J.J. told her about his memory flashes. J.J. added that he did not want to remember the woman or the night of his affair. As Gabi nodded nervously, J.J. told Gabi that her forgiveness was the greatest gift he had ever received because he loved her. "Show me," Gabi said as she pulled J.J. into a kiss.
In the Horton attic, Abigail stared at the first Christmas ornament that she had purchased for Thomas after he had been born. When Jennifer carried up dinner, Abigail admitted that she was upset she had missed her son's first birthday. Abigail pleaded with Jennifer to help her see Thomas. Jennifer told Abigail that she needed to talk to Chad herself, but Abigail refused. Fighting tears, Abigail begged her mother to help her reunite with her son. Jennifer agreed. When Abigail asked why she had changed her mind, Jennifer said that she believed Abigail would not want to let go of Thomas once she held him again.
At the DiMera mansion, a preoccupied Chad sipped tea in the living room as Kate talked business. When Kate asked Chad if he was thinking about Gabi, Chad noted that Gabi was having a romantic evening with J.J. Chad said that J.J. and Gabi were happy together. Kate did not believe it. Kate explained that she had been both a cheater and the one cheated on, and no one got over an affair that quickly.
"I would have thought it was too soon to have feelings for someone, but I was wrong, and I think I do," Chad admitted about Gabi. Kate told Chad that it was not disrespectful for him to move on with his life. Shaking his head in confusion, Chad noted that because Gabi had been friends with Abigail, it felt like Abigail cast a shadow on any conversation he had with Gabi. With a shrug, Kate said that the one thing she and Stefano had agreed upon was that one should go after what one wanted in life. Kate urged Chad to pursue Gabi.
After retrieving a fussy Thomas from upstairs, Chad carried him into the living room to continue working with Kate. Jennifer arrived and was thrilled to see that Thomas was awake. Jennifer asked for grandmother time with Thomas, noting that Abigail had been on her mind. Kate mentioned that Thomas was fussy. When Kate exclaimed it was a great idea for Jennifer to watch Thomas because she and Chad needed to work, Chad offered to set Jennifer up in the guest room. With a sheepish smile, Jennifer asked if she could take Thomas back to her home for the night. Chad reluctantly agreed.
When Jennifer returned to her home with Thomas, an eager Abigail was waiting in the living room for them. Overjoyed, Abigail scooped Thomas up into her arms and sat in the chair with him. Abigail cooed over her son. When Abigail asked Thomas if he remembered her, a smiling Jennifer said that a son always remembered his mother. Abigail said that she wanted Thomas to feel safe and loved. With a sigh, Abigail apologized to Thomas for missing his first birthday.
Thomas started to cry. Panicked, Abigail started to stammer that she was freaking out. Abigail said she felt like she had before when Thomas had cried every time she had picked him up. Jennifer rushed to Abigail's side and coached her through the situation. Jennifer told Abigail to figured out what was wrong with Thomas. After a small burp, Thomas quieted down, and Abigail seemed to calm herself down. Abigail placed Thomas in his crib.
Abigail admitted that she had felt the pain she had felt before she had been in the mental facility. Worried, Abigail wondered if she could have handled the situation without Jennifer to help her through it. Abigail said she wanted to go back to Laura's house. Jennifer argued that Abigail needed Thomas and that she should not disappear again. The doorbell rang. Frightened, Abigail ran up to the attic to hide.
After dispensing with the guest at the door, Jennifer carried Thomas upstairs to the attic to talk to Abigail. Jennifer asked Abigail if she wanted to spend the rest of her son's childhood sneaking around like a criminal. Abigail admitted she was scared.
At the DiMera mansion, Rafe and Shawn stopped by with the help of Kate. When Chad returned to the living room, he stared at Rafe and Shawn. Shawn explained that they needed Chad's help to search Stefano's email. Chad nodded. Shawn added that they wanted to know the full truth about Stefano's murder, and they hoped Stefano's email might contain information to help the investigation.
After retrieving the email login, Chad said that after that, he did not want to discuss the murder anymore so that he could move on with his life. Shawn sincerely thanked Chad for his help. After Rafe and Shawn left, Chad retrieved a jar of lavender from the greenhouse. When Kate asked about his interest in gardening, Chad explained that lavender was Gabi's favorite flower.
At the police station, Shawn and Rafe combed through Stefano's email, hoping to find a clue as to why Stefano had wanted to push Hope to shoot him. Shawn said he felt overwhelmed. Rafe refused to give up, and he continued to search the email archive.
At the hospital, Justin and Lucas argued in the hallway as Sonny stood between them, attempting to calm the men down. In her room nearby, Adrienne listened to the commotion. Adrienne struggled to get out of bed. As Adrienne started to fall to the floor, an orderly stopped by and helped her into a wheelchair.
In the hallway, Marlena marched over to the arguing gentleman and yelled at them to shut up or she would call security to throw them out of the hospital. Marlena added, "Adrienne is going through enough. She doesn't need you idiots making it worse!" The orderly wheeled Adrienne into the hallway, and she agreed with Marlena. When Adrienne asked if Justin and Lucas had been the ones raising a ruckus, Marlena assured Adrienne that everything was under control. Adrienne told the men that they should go home, but all three refused. Marlena offered to wheel Adrienne downstairs for the rest of her tests. Adrienne asked Lucas, Justin, and Sonny not to kill one another while she was gone.
After Marlena wheeled Adrienne away, Justin bought sodas for Sonny and Lucas. Suspicious, Lucas asked if Justin had shaken his drink. Justin assured Lucas that the soda was a peace offering. Both Justin and Lucas apologized to one another, but the apologies soon led back to bickering. Sonny stepped in and cautioned the two men to stop fighting because Adrienne would return. Sonny reminded Lucas and Justin that Adrienne had decided who she wanted to be with, so their arguments were pointless. Both Lucas and Justin agreed to honor Adrienne's decision.
In Kayla's office, Marlena asked Kayla for an update. Kayla said she was waiting for the second set of test results. When Marlena asked Kayla if Adrienne's condition was about more than stress, Kayla said that Adrienne seemed to think so. Kayla noted that Adrienne was clearly scared and avoiding her BRACA 1 issue. After talking with Kayla, Marlena retrieved Adrienne from her tests and wheeled her up to her room.
As Adrienne settled into bed, she wondered aloud about her diagnosis. Marlena wisely counseled Adrienne to leave the diagnosis to the doctors. Adrienne said that she had decided who she wanted to be with, but she had collapsed before she could tell everyone her decision. Marlena offered to listen to Adrienne's decision. With a sigh, Adrienne said that she loved both men. With a raised eyebrow, Marlena asked Adrienne if that was the only reason she was avoiding making a decision between Lucas and Justin.
Adrienne admitted that she did not want to plan her life when her body could betray her at any moment. Marlena warned Adrienne not to put off her mammograms. Adrienne admitted she was terrified. After chatting with Adrienne, Marlena went into the hallway to talk to Lucas, Sonny, and Justin. When Kayla marched past them toward Adrienne's room, the group followed. Kayla opened the door and found that Adrienne's bed was empty.
