Days of our Lives Recap for Tuesday, November 12, 2024: EJ and Gabi battled in the square

Chad was sitting in the interrogation room at the police station when EJ escorted Cat into the room. “I need to talk to you,” Chad said. Cat reiterated that she did not know where to find Abigail’s body. “This isn’t about that,” Chad said. EJ explained that he planned to drop the charges against Cat. Suspicious, Cat asked why. “For the record, Cat, whatever your supposed justifications were, I am disgusted and appalled at what you did to Chad and the rest of Abigail’s family,” EJ said. EJ removed the handcuffs. “Enjoy the freedom you sure as hell don’t deserve,” EJ growled. With a nod, EJ walked out.

“I imagine you’re not just having your brother drop the charges out of the goodness of your heart,” Cat said. “You’re right. I would much rather see you rot in there for the rest of your life. But I can’t,” Chad said. Chad explained that Clyde had escaped prison. Cat gasped. Chad admitted that he had talked to Clyde but had not discussed Cat’s mother.

“I asked him about Abigail’s remains. He told me he would tell me, under one condition,” Chad said. “What’s the condition?” Cat asked. Chad said that Clyde had demanded that Chad deliver Cat to him. Confused, Cat asked if Clyde wanted revenge. “Like what he has probably already done to my mother?” Cat asked. “I imagine so,” Chad said. Chad told Cat that the only way to recover Abigail’s remains was to hand over Cat.

“The only way? You hate me that much?” Cat asked. “Yeah, I hate you. Because at the end of the day, you had the power to stop all of this, and you didn’t,” Chad said. Chad told Cat that he understood why Cat had gone along with the scheme but believed she could have done more to stop it. “There is a part of me that wants to let Clyde do my dirty work. If it were my brother, he probably would. But I am not my brother, so I will not hand you over to your death,” Chad said.

Chad explained that he planned to use Cat as bait. “And I’m going to do my best to protect you, but I can’t guarantee it’s gonna work out,” Chad said. Cat agreed to help. “I owe you that much, at the very least. And if there’s a chance that my mother is still alive, this could lead me to her,” Cat said. Cat started to ask about her brother, but Chad refused to help Mark. “But if we’re gonna do this and have any hope of it being successful, we’re gonna have to work together. Travel together. Compare notes. You have to be around me. Are you going to be able to handle that?” Cat asked. Chad said he would do whatever he needed to do to find his wife.

At the Horton House, Julie was headed to the kitchen when JJ rang the doorbell. Julie yelped and hugged JJ. Julie and JJ sat on the couch, and JJ told her about his part in Chad’s wedding in Paris. Julie told JJ she was grateful he had been there to expose Cat. “The good thing is, that sadistic woman is now in jail, along with her murderous brother,” Julie said. Julie told JJ that she was glad he was in town.

“I need to know what happened to my sister’s body. And I wanted to see my family,” JJ said. “You are a dear to care so much,” Julie said. JJ asked about Doug. “Being around him always lifts my spirits,” JJ said. Julie said that Doug was under the weather and upset about the fake Abigail. “You know, Doug, he’ll be up and around in no time,” Julie said. “The man’s nothing if not resilient,” JJ. said. JJ and Julie marveled that Doug was 98 years old.

“I believe that every day that Doug is with us is just a blessing,” Julie said. “We all do,” JJ agreed. Julie asked JJ if he had brought his guitar so that he could sing with Doug. JJ smiled, reminding Julie of the time Doug had gently persuaded JJ not to propose to Lani. “As I recall, you came to that conclusion on your own,” Julie said. JJ asked about Eli and Lani, and Julie said they were good. Julie asked JJ if he was seeing anyone.

“At the moment, no,” JJ admitted. “Such a handsome, charismatic guy. I’m sure there will be a lovely lady coming along very soon,” Julie said. Julie pointed out that JJ did not have a suitcase, and she asked him if he planned to check into the Salem Inn. JJ said yes. Julie asked JJ to stay at the Horton house with the family, and JJ agreed. “It’s going to be wonderful having you here. I hope you stay a while this time,” Julie said. “We’ll see,” JJ said.

Gabi and Javi ate lunch at the cafe in the square and discussed his assistant duties. While Gabi talked about a failed investment deal, Javi smiled as he read a flirty text from Leo. “Are you listening to a word I’m saying?” Gabi asked. Gabi asked Javi about the text that had made him smile. Javi lied and said he had been taking notes.

“I am so grateful for the gig, but I didn’t realize that I was just gonna be, you know, an errand boy,” Javi said. Gabi stressed that she needed more than errands and rattled off a list of tasks that she needed Javi to perform at the office. Instead of typing notes about the tasks on his phone, Javi sent a follow-up text to Leo. Gabi handed Javi her divorce papers and asked him to file them at the courthouse. Javi asked Gabi if she was sure.

“It’s over. As soon as they’re filed, I’ll officially be divorced,” Gabi said. “I’m sorry, Prima. I know this isn’t what you wanted,” Javi said. As Javi walked away, EJ walked over and said hello. “What the hell do you want?” Gabi asked. EJ argued that Gabi’s reaction to the letter had been childish, and he asked her to apologize.

“For what?” Gabi said. “You said the dissolution of your marriage was entirely my fault,” EJ argued. Furious, Gabi yelled that it was EJ’s fault. EJ reminded Gabi that he had only slept with her because she had seduced him after she had sworn that her marriage was over. “You were trying to stick it to Stefan,” Gabi countered. EJ groaned with frustration.

“You were the married one. You were the one who initiated things with me. And just to be clear, you were screaming from the rooftops that you were through with Stefan,” EJ said. “But you knew, you knew I wasn’t [in my right mind],” Gabi said. With a smirk, EJ asked Gabi, “When are you in your right mind?” Gabi yelled that EJ should have stopped before they had slept together. After a moment, EJ sighed.

“All right. If it makes you feel better, blame me. I ruined your marriage. Lest we forget, you ruined mine, as you may recall, by shooting your mouth off at that press conference. So let’s consider us even,” EJ said. “So you admit you ruined my marriage,” Gabi said. EJ swallowed his anger, and he forced a smile.

“Yes, there was a part of me that relished seeing Stefan in such anguish over our little tryst. And yes, I did drive my brother to demand a divorce when I told him that he would never be able to get out those salacious images,” EJ admitted. EJ told Gabi that he would take credit for her divorce but that Gabi and Stefan deserved all the heartache after all they had done to EJ. He leaned in close and whispered, “I loved doing it. I loved seeing my brother cuckolded just as much as I loved seeing your poor little heart broken.” Gabi slapped EJ.

When EJ warned Gabi that he could call the police, Gabi attempted to slap him again. EJ grabbed Gabi’s arm and stopped her. “Hey! Get your hands off her! Now!” JJ yelled as he entered the square.

Outside the Brady Pub, Leo sat on the bench and nervously stared at his phone. “Ugh! He must be typing and erasing, which you only do when you like somebody, right?” Leo said. After a moment, Leo groaned and put his phone away to concentrate on his writing for the soap. Joy exited the pub, and Leo called out to her.

“Sorry, how do you know who I am?” Joy asked. Leo explained that he was the head writer of Body & Soul, and he introduced himself. After a moment, Joy said, “You are the guy who destroyed my parents’ marriage. “I did what?” Leo said. Leo’s phone beeped with a message from Javi, but he ignored it. “I have destroyed quite a few marriages in my day, so I’m gonna need you to be a little more specific,” Leo said. Joy informed Leo that she was Craig and Nancy’s daughter. Leo apologized.

“Look, I hope this doesn’t affect our ability to work together,” Leo said. “Fingers crossed,” Joy said. Leo stressed that he was sorry for his actions and that he had been going to therapy to address his issues. “What I have learned is that I have a good heart, and that I didn’t set out to be a homewrecker,” Leo said. Joy sighed, and she said she did not want to judge anyone.

“Lately, I’ve become a bit of a home-wrecker myself,” Joy admitted. With a smirk, Leo asked if Joy had said that to impress him since she was the new vixen on the show. “No. Actually talking about real life,” Joy said. Eager for gossip, Leo asked for details. “I probably shouldn’t even be talking to you about this. So just forget I even said anything,” Joy said. Leo told Joy that he used to be a gossip columnist.

“You can tell me. And then maybe, just maybe, I can incorporate this home-wrecking into a juicy story for your character,” Leo said. As Joy contemplated the offer, Javi walked past. Leo and Javi said hello to one another. “Long time no see,” Javi joked. “Welcome to Salem, where you run into everyone you know and hate about a hundred times a day. Present company excluded,” Leo said. Leo introduced Javi to Joy, and he apologized for not having responded to Javi’s last text.

“I was wondering if you were blowing me off since I saw those read receipts and the dots that never turned into words,” Javi said. Leo started to explain why he had not responded when Joy announced that she needed to leave for set. Leo groaned in frustration as Joy walked away without enlightening him on her gossip. Javi asked about Joy. Leo explained that he had slept with Joy’s father and destroyed his marriage. Javi grinned and called Leo a bad boy.

“I feel like I’m less of a bad boy and more of a home-wrecker, which doesn’t sound nearly as sexy. But then Joy just admitted that she was one, too. I’d love to get the lowdown on whose home that one wrecked,” Leo said. When Javi spoke in Spanish, Leo responded in kind. Leo explained that he had learned Spanish after spending a summer in Spain with his mother.

“We were supposed to meet this rich guy on a boat. He was going to save us financially. Only there was definitely no boat, and he was poor as a church mouse,” Leo said. “You’re funny. You know that?” Javi said. Leo grinned. “I know that I am, but I love when people say it,” Leo countered.

When Javi noted that he needed to drop off Gabi’s divorce papers, Leo said Gabi should hire an assistant. Javi explained that he was the assistant. Leo asked about the divorce, and Javi noted that it was messy. “Gabi, god bless her, is the strongest person I know. But this broke her,” Javi said. Leo noted that he had no sympathy for Gabi or Stefan. “I have to run these errands, or Gabi is going to kill me,” Javi said. Leo suggested that he and Leo could meet up for dinner. “I’ll text you,” Javi said.

At the hospital, Johnny was alone at the hospital room set, and he thought about when Joy had returned his wedding ring to him. Alex walked in and asked Johnny if he was ready for him to sleep with Johnny’s wife. Alex clarified that he meant his character, and Johnny asked Alex to be careful with his phrasing after recent events. Alex apologized, and he said he had been an idiot. “Stephanie and I made a huge mistake that we will never, ever do again,” Alex said. Johnny told Alex that his relationship with Stephanie was none of Johnny’s business.

“Right. But you and Chanel kind of are my business, Johnny, because we work together. So I need your assurance here, man,” Alex said. Johnny promised to behave. “Look, Alex, I’m sorry. Really, I am, if my little outburst screwed things up for you and Stephanie. I’m especially sorry for what I did to Chanel,” Johnny said. Chanel walked into the room and overheard Johnny.

As Chanel entered the room, Johnny and Alex greeted her. Chanel admitted that she was struggling to get into the headspace to do the scene with Alex and Johnny. “But I am a professional, so I am gonna power through it. And you are gonna do the same,” Chanel said to Johnny. When everyone was ready, Johnny called action on the scene. As Alex and Chanel kissed, Johnny thought about when he had kissed Joy in her hotel room. After the love scene was over, Johnny half-heartedly congratulated Alex and Chanel on their “steamy” scene. Alex and Chanel high-fived one another as they climbed out of bed.

After Alex left, Chanel asked Johnny, “Was it so bad?” Johnny said no. Relieved, Chanel said he hoped there would be no more awkwardness in love scenes. “Right. Not a problem. Not anymore,” Johnny said. “And you feel better now?” Chanel asked. Johnny explained that he was fine with the scene but was still upset with his own behavior. Chanel encouraged Johnny to move past the fallout. Johnny thought about when he had kissed Joy, and he shook off the memory.

“I want to be the husband that you deserve, Chanel. And I will be. But I’m going to make this up to you. Not just with my words but with my actions. I promise,” Johnny said. As Johnny hugged Chanel, a look of guilt crossed his face.

In the hospital hallway, Joy introduced herself to Alex as he donned a robe. “[I heard that] you’re gonna be a huge thorn in Chanel’s side,” Alex said. “Who said I was going to cause trouble for Chanel?” Joy asked defensively. Alex clarified that he meant Chanel’s character on the show. Joy told Alex that Stephanie had warned her about possible anger from viewers of the show. With a goofy smile, Alex noted that Stephanie was the best.

“Why did you say it like that?” Joy asked. Alex admitted he had been dating Stephanie, but they had had to break up because of the show. “Right! You’re Alex, Bonnie’s stepson. Bonnie is my mom’s best friend, so I heard all about what happened,” Joy said. Alex grimaced.

After Chanel got dressed, she met up with Alex at the coffee cart in the hallway. Alex noted that Johnny appeared calm during the taping, and he asked Chanel if he was okay. “Yeah. I think that he was fine with the whole love scene stuff,” Chanel said. Chanel explained that Johnny had residual guilt from his behavior at the surprise party. “Understandable. Did I tell you I met Joy, by the way?” Alex said. Chanel noted that Joy was nice. Alex told Chanel about his awkward interaction with Joy.

Down the hallway, Joy arrived on set in the hospital room where Johnny was alone. Joy told Johnny that she had met Alex. “What’s wrong? You seem upset,” Joy said. Johnny admitted that he was upset about their secret. “Joy, I have to tell my wife the truth,” Johnny said.

Chad returned home to the Horton house. Julie told Chad that JJ was visiting because he wanted to check on the family after the Cat problem. “Thank god I will not have to set eyes on that conniving succubus again,” Julie grumbled. “Well, actually,” Chad said. Cat walked into the living room. Julie raised an eyebrow at Chad.

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