Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of September 11, 2017 on DAYS

Roman and Paul saved Marlena, John, and Andre. Hope arrested Hattie. Hope stalled Rafe about a wedding date. Bonnie made a deal with Sheila that kept Adrienne in prison. Theo and Claire got back together. Nicole was back at the Horton Center. Eli told Abe he'd been fired. Lucas went on a drunken binge and was angry with everyone. Lucas saw Will.

Hattie tries to get out of a sticky situation

Monday, September 11, 2017

by Mike

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sheila explained to Justin that she needed to talk to him about something important. He agreed to hear her out after she added that she had recently befriended his ex-wife.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Victor looked down at Bonnie's hand -- which was still resting on his knee -- and demanded to know, "Good God, [Adrienne], what do you think you're doing?" Bonnie quickly moved her hand back to her lap and apologized for being too touchy-feely, adding that she simply needed to get something off her chest. "Then call a priest!" Victor dismissively replied.

Bonnie laughed and praised Victor for his sense of humor. "[But seriously, listen] -- what I have to tell you...[I just] really hope it's not too shocking. But please, just hear me out. I just feel so badly," Bonnie continued. "Bad," Victor interjected, but Bonnie didn't understand what he meant. "You feel bad, [Adrienne]. If you lost your sense of touch, then -- and only then -- would you feel badly," Victor explained.

Bonnie forced a smile and thanked Victor for setting her straight. "[Now], why don't you go away? Go...walk the dog or something," Victor dismissively suggested. Bonnie started to point out that Victor didn't own a dog, but she stopped herself after deciding that he had probably just been making another joke. "[I'm just] getting used to you again. You [only] pretend to be grumpy because you don't like intimacy," Bonnie concluded.

"I don't like you, [Adrienne] -- not anymore," Victor bluntly clarified. Ignoring the dig, Bonnie picked up where she had left off earlier, explaining that she felt bad because people -- specifically, Maggie -- believed that she had been callous with Lucas during their breakup. "I don't care," Victor stressed, but Bonnie forged ahead, insisting that she hadn't meant to be cruel to Lucas; she had simply felt that ripping the bandage off quickly, so to speak, had been the best way to end things with him. "But now he's in a tailspin," Bonnie fretted.

"Thanks to you," Victor pointed out. Again ignoring the dig, Bonnie continued that she didn't want Justin to be the next person she hurt unintentionally. "[Adrienne], is there anything -- anything -- that I can do that would make you stop talking?" Victor impatiently interjected. Scoffing, Bonnie protested that she was simply trying to assure Victor that she wasn't going to rush into anything with Justin -- including sex. "I didn't want you to think I'm a double-dipping hussy or anything like that," Bonnie added as Victor released a groan of disgust.

"Justin! Get this creature away from me!" Victor called out in desperation, prompting Justin to enter the living room -- with Sheila in tow. "What's wrong now?" Justin asked Victor with a weary sigh. Meanwhile, Sheila and Bonnie stared at each other in disbelief and simultaneously asked, "What the hell are you doing here?"

When Victor demanded to know what was going on, Justin gestured toward Sheila -- who had not yet shared her name -- and explained that she had arrived at the mansion a few minutes earlier and had asked to talk to him about something important. "Her salary, I imagine," Bonnie quickly interjected, adding that she had made a few phone calls after Maggie had mentioned that the maid had recently quit.

Bonnie dragged Sheila into the foyer and shut the living room door so they could talk privately. "Oh, my God, girlfriend, what have you done now?" Sheila asked Bonnie, realizing that Adrienne had actually been telling the truth all along. Bonnie tried to feign ignorance, but Sheila wasn't fooled, pointing out that the real Adrienne Kiriakis wouldn't have recognized her because their paths wouldn't have crossed at any point -- unless she was the woman everyone at Statesville believed to be Bonnie Lockhart. Sighing, Bonnie reluctantly admitted the truth to Sheila then demanded to know what she was doing at the Kiriakis mansion.

Sheila explained that Adrienne had asked her to deliver something to Justin -- and had promised her a hefty reward for doing so. Bonnie seized the greeting card and read Adrienne's message in shock. "You can't do this!" Bonnie insisted. "The hell I can't," Sheila countered, reclaiming the card. Bonnie tried to convince Sheila that Justin would promise a reward then back out of the deal after getting what he wanted, but Sheila had a feeling that Justin could be trusted. Desperate to change Sheila's mind, Bonnie spontaneously suggested, "[Why] settle for a one-time payout, huh? Listen, girl -- [if] you want long-term, big-time cash, you stick with me."

"And...what, be the maid?" Sheila asked incredulously. Offended, Bonnie -- who had once been a maid herself -- defensively insisted that it was honest work. "Yeah, but it's work, and I hate work," Sheila countered. Bonnie quickly adopted a different approach, promising to double whatever Adrienne had offered Sheila. Sheila held out until Bonnie promised to triple Adrienne's offer, at which point Sheila smiled and assured Bonnie, "All right, I'm listening."

Bonnie swore that she would pay Sheila within the next few days, explaining that she needed a bit of time to figure out how to get the money because she had already maxed out each of Adrienne's credit cards. Sheila insisted that she was going to keep the greeting card as collateral until then, just to be safe. "What, you don't trust me?" Bonnie asked incredulously. "Hell no!" Sheila replied. Sheila added that she was going to need a place to stay while waiting for Bonnie to secure the promised payoff. "With a balcony so I can grill outside," Sheila demanded.

Meanwhile, Victor wondered if Justin had noticed that Adrienne had been acting odder than usual lately. "She wants to tell me about her personal feelings! And I hardly have any interest in my own personal feelings, [so] imagine my distaste at hearing hers!" Victor continued, adding that it was ridiculous of Adrienne to assume that Maggie would be okay with hiring a complete stranger to be the new maid. "[Guess that's one thing that] hasn't changed a bit -- she's still not all that bright," Victor dryly concluded.

"We can be moved out by tonight," Justin irritably warned Victor, adding that Adrienne had been through a lot in the past year and probably wasn't acting like herself for that reason alone. Victor reluctantly agreed to drop the matter, not wanting Justin to follow through with his threat to move out of the mansion. Justin knowingly predicted that Victor would stay silent for an hour at most before starting to complain again.

Bonnie soon returned to the living room with Sheila, who forced a smile and asked, "Where [is] the vacuum?"

At Bayview, Andre called out to no one in particular from his padded cell, frantically insisting that he needed to be released immediately because he wasn't crazy. Meanwhile, John assured Marlena that they were going to survive the electroconvulsive therapy session with their memories intact because, if Stefano had never been able to defeat them, Hattie definitely wasn't going to be able to do so. "I pray [that] you're right," Marlena replied.

A nurse soon joined John and Marlena and cheerfully announced, "Well, time to get started! Ladies first?"

At the Horton Town Square, Roman shared Hattie's story with Paul, explaining that she had been a perfectly nice and somewhat sane diner waitress until Stefano had found her and decided to use her as a pawn in his never-ending quest for revenge against Marlena and John. Roman assured Paul that John and Marlena were still alive because Hattie didn't have a history of violence. When Paul expressed doubts, Roman pointed out that Hattie could have killed Andre but had instead chosen to send him to Bayview as a way of getting her revenge. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Paul asked Roman suddenly.

At the Salem Inn, Hattie insisted that she was Marlena then tried to slam her hotel room door shut, but Hope braced herself against it to keep it open. "I see you're all packed up [and] ready to go," Hope observed, eyeing the suitcase on Hattie's bed. "[But], Hattie, I'm afraid you're not going anywhere," Hope continued, stepping into the room.

Hattie claimed that she was on her way to a medical conference in Atlanta, but Hope refused to believe that, knowing that the real Marlena would never do the things Hattie had been doing while posing as her. "Hattie, I am your friend, and you could really use a friend right now. You need to undo whatever it is that you did -- before it's too late," Hope stressed.

Focusing on the suitcase again, Hope wondered what she would find inside if she opened it. "Let me think -- my clothes!" Hattie impatiently answered. "Exactly -- your clothes. Hattie's clothes. Clothes that look nothing like Marlena's," Hope agreed, adding that she had gotten a good idea of Hattie's style during their time together at Statesville, where Hattie had often passed the time, maintaining a personal fashion board on one of her favorite websites, Pinterest. Still feigning ignorance, Hattie picked up the suitcase and started to leave with it, forgetting that she hadn't bothered to close the zipper yet.

Sobbing, Hattie sank to the floor and started to collect her scattered articles of predictably distinct clothing, refusing to let Hope help her. "It's over, Hattie," Hope gently declared as Hattie continued crying. "You don't hate me, do you?" Hattie worriedly asked Hope between sniffles. Hope stressed that she could never hate Hattie, who had saved her life during their time together at Statesville. "[But] you need to tell me what you did with John and Marlena," Hope added. Hattie reluctantly admitted that she had sent John and Marlena to Bayview -- where they were actually scheduled to undergo electroconvulsive therapy that very day.

Roman and Paul arrived at Bayview just in time to stop the nurse from starting John and Marlena's electroconvulsive therapy session. A Bayview administrator followed Roman and Paul into the treatment room and assured them, after checking a machine, that John and Marlena were both under the effects of a sedative but were going to be just fine. "Good timing, kid," John weakly declared as Paul began releasing him from his restraints.

Meanwhile, back at the Salem Inn, Hope worriedly contacted someone then informed Hattie, after a brief phone conversation, that Roman and Paul had arrived at Bayview in time to stop John and Marlena's electroconvulsive therapy session. "That's good," Hattie said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Do you think that Roman hates me?" Hattie added after a brief pause.

"Seriously? You almost destroyed two people's lives, and you're worried about how Roman [will feel about you]?" Hope asked incredulously. Conceding the point, Hattie apologized for being selfish then added that she hated herself for what she had done. Hope wanted to know why Hattie had tried to take over Marlena's life, so Hattie explained that it had seemed like the perfect way to get revenge on Andre -- and perhaps win Roman's heart as a bonus. "I guess I got to be a little obsessive at Statesville," Hattie admitted with a sigh. "You think?" Hope dryly replied.

"You don't get it, 'cause everybody always loves you, but the thing is -- the thing is that Roman was the first person who was ever really nice to me. He'd come in, and he'd say hi to me, and he'd talk to me, and he'd smile at me, and he'd laugh at my jokes, and he'd compliment my food," Hattie tearfully explained to Hope, who gently suggested that Hattie should have tried to win Roman's heart as the true version of herself instead of attempting to be someone else. Hattie sadly conceded that she might have actually had a chance with her Prince Charming if she had handled her return to Salem the way that Hope had just suggested.

Hope handed Hattie a box of tissues then informed her, "You need to come down to the station with me." Hattie tried to talk Hope into letting her go as a way of repaying a debt, but Hope regretfully explained that although she would always be grateful to Hattie for saving her life, she couldn't just look the other way after everything Hattie had done. "Okay. I guess you've gotta do what you've gotta do," Hattie tearfully conceded.

Meanwhile, back at Bayview, Roman freed Andre, who vowed to make Hattie pay for what she had done. Roman suggested that it would be best for Andre to just leave Hattie alone, since he had already taken years of freedom away from her as Alfie. "She has got enough to answer for without having to deal with you -- and, after all, you're gonna have enough troubles of your own after what you did to Kate," Roman added.

At the DiMera mansion, Chad struggled to understand why Marlena had sent Andre to Bayview. "There's a logical explanation -- the man's insane," Kate matter-of-factly declared. Chad insisted that wasn't true, but Kate argued that only an insane person would schedule a press conference just to publicly humiliate her. "I mean, what did he think -- that I was gonna roll over and play dead?" Kate asked incredulously.

Kate added that it had also been insane of Andre to enlist Marlena's help, especially after everything he had done to her over the years. Abigail suggested that Kate might have teamed up with Marlena to have Andre committed, but Kate argued that even if it was easy to imagine her devising such a scheme, Marlena was practically the last person in the world who would ever agree to go along with it. Chad conceded the point but added that if he hadn't just watched Marlena declare someone insane on national television, he never would have believed that she was capable of doing that, either. "I agree," Kate admitted with a nod.

Kate tried to talk Chad out of going to Bayview to see Andre, arguing that DiMera Enterprises could suffer even more if the press found out about the visit, but Chad believed that he owed his brother at least that much. "Not anymore," Kate insisted, adding that Andre had been planning to force Chad out of the company, as well. Chad agreed to entertain Kate's theory, but Abigail refused to believe it, protesting that Andre had changed in recent years and was genuinely trying to be a better person. Kate admitted that she had once believed that, too. "But now I think [it] was all an act," Kate continued. Abigail pointed out that Kate couldn't be certain of that, but Kate maintained, "I know Andre better than both of you [do]. He's been planning this coup for a long time -- and it would have succeeded if it wasn't for Marlena."

Chad admitted that although he wanted to give Andre the benefit of the doubt, just as Abigail was determined to do, he couldn't help thinking that the press conference had been the sort of thing the old Andre would have done. "Sometimes I think he just can't help himself," Kate mused with a shrug. Abigail maintained that even if Andre was his own worst enemy at times, he had also proven himself capable of genuine kindness in recent years. "[Sure], he has his moments, but he's also driven by this need for control and power," Kate countered.

Abigail continued to defend Andre, arguing that Stefano was to blame for Andre's faults because Stefano had always preferred his other children to Andre. Nodding, Chad confirmed that from the moment he had learned that he was a DiMera -- back when he had still been a stranger to the family -- Stefano had always shown even him more respect than Andre. "[So] maybe Andre tried to be the CEO of DiMera Enterprises because he just wanted to prove to Stefano that he's worthy," Abigail reasoned. "[Which would mean] it was about our father, not me," Chad added.

Kate conceded that Stefano had always treated Andre horribly; she maintained, however, that even so, the fact of the matter was that Marlena had seen Andre as such a threat that she had decided to send him to Bayview, and that had to be taken into consideration, too. "I'm not saying that we shouldn't give him help -- I believe we should -- but we cannot turn a blind eye to what he did," Kate continued.

Agreeing with Kate, Chad decided to split his focus between getting help for Andre and doing damage control with the DiMera Enterprises board members. "[They're] already circling wagons, [so] we're in for a fight," Kate warned. Kate still didn't want a DiMera to visit Andre in Bayview due to the possibility of bad press, so Chad decided to send Abigail, taking advantage of the fact that she had not officially rejoined the family yet.

After Abigail left, Kate apologized to Chad, admitting, "I thought that we all could make [this] work -- I [really] did -- [but] I'm just as controlling and as ambitious as Andre, [so it wasn't] exactly a marriage made in heaven." Kate added that despite what her earlier comments might have suggested, the truth was that she actually hated the idea of Andre being locked in Bayview, which was surely going to be a painful experience for him. Before Chad could respond, Kate received a phone call from Roman, who teased, "Wait 'til you hear what I've got to tell you. You're not gonna believe it."

After Roman explained everything, Kate ended the call and repeated the story to Chad, who quickly called Abigail back to the mansion. Abigail was pleased to learn that Andre wasn't really certifiable, but Kate dryly countered, "The jury's still out on that." Abigail insisted that wasn't funny, prompting Kate to unapologetically stress that she wasn't going to just forget about the fact that Andre had stabbed her in the back earlier that day -- something he couldn't blame on Hattie. Abigail suggested that Andre might have a reasonable explanation for that. "I hate to say it, but [even if he does], I don't know if I'm gonna be able to trust him again," Chad admitted -- unaware that Andre had just entered the mansion.

At Bayview, John and Marlena agreed to accompany Roman to the police station so they could give their statements while things were still fresh in their minds. When Roman reported that Hope had Hattie under control, Marlena warned, "[Hattie] didn't work alone on this. I'm sure she had somebody helping her."

Meanwhile, in one of the treatment rooms, an orderly prepared another patient for electroconvulsive therapy, strapping him to a gurney before rushing off to look for the nurse. Once the coast was clear, the patient grabbed a set of keys the orderly had left on a table that was just within reach.

Nicole wants to return to work

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

by Spalding

At the Horton Center, Eric was working at his desk when Nicole walked in. Breathless, Nicole said that she had lied to everyone, including herself. Nicole declared her loved for Eric and kissed him. As Eric passionately kissed Nicole, he pulled away long enough to tell her that he had never stopped loving her. The kissing grew more heated.

As Eric dreamed of kissing Nicole, Doug and Julie walked into his office at the Horton Center. Julie woke Eric up from his sexy dream. Eric sheepishly explained that he had been up all night at the hospital with a client. Talk turned to a childcare program at the center, and Julie commented how lucky the center had been to have Nicole starting so many wonderful initiatives. Eric said he would miss having Nicole around. Shaking her head, Julie marveled at how good Nicole had been at writing grant proposals and how she had not known that Nicole had such a big heart.

Eric stressed that he could not ask Nicole to return to work at the center, and he asked Julie to let the idea go. Julie insisted on appealing to Nicole. "She's right where she belongs," Eric said. Unfazed, Julie headed out to run errands while Doug stayed behind to help Eric. Once Julie was gone, Doug mentioned Jennifer. Eric said that he and Jennifer were still good friends. Doug reminded Eric that it was good to have someone in his life that could share his heart. Doug urged Eric not to close himself off from Jennifer.

At the Martin house, Gabi stopped by Eli's room to give him a present. Eli was in a towel, but after he dressed, he eagerly opened the box and found a Gameboy with Tetris on it. Gabi said she'd remembered that Eli had loved the game as a child, and she'd thought he could use a distraction. Eli's phone beeped. After reading the text, Eli explained that his boss had messaged him to say that he would call shortly.

With a beaming smile, Gabi suggested that his boss would give him a big promotion or transfer him to a bigger city. Eli shook his head no. Eli explained that he had gotten the feeling from his boss that his boss was unhappy with Eli's work. Shrugging, Eli added that if he were offered a transfer, he would not take it. Eli said he would miss too many people in Salem. As Gabi smiled shyly, Eli looked into her eyes.

While playing the video game, Gabi mentioned that she wanted to take self-defense classes. Eli offered to show her a couple moves. Eli went into the hallway, and when Gabi opened the door, he grabbed her and put her into a loose chokehold. As Gabi playfully attempted to break free, Julie walked in, and the two hurriedly broke their embrace. Julie told Gabi that she was thankful that Gabi was okay, and she apologized to Eli for overreacting after he had arrested Abe. Julie added that she would keep her nose out of Eli's business. Gabi interjected that she and Eli were not romantically involved, but Julie said she only wanted Eli to be happy.

After Julie left, Eli retrieved coffee from downstairs. As Gabi awkwardly mentioned Julie's comments about them, Eli suggested that Julie had noticed that they were comfortable with one another. Eli offered to show Gabi more self-defense maneuvers the next day then take her to dinner. Gabi accepted. As Eli returned her smile, a friend at the FBI called his phone. The friend confirmed that their boss was going to fire Eli.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady made plans on the phone to meet up with John and Marlena. When Brady walked into the living room to tell Nicole, he was alarmed to find that she was not there. Paranoid, Brady muttered to himself as he poured a large glass of whiskey. From the hallway, Nicole's laughter drifted into the room. Brady hurriedly hid the glass behind the decanter as Nicole entered the room with Holly. Playing it cool, Brady pointed out that Tate had given his little sister his favorite toy. Holly hugged Tate's stuffed animal. Nicole thanked Brady again for his help with the judge.

Brady lamented that he would be tied up at Titan while Sonny took time off for his wedding and honeymoon. Hesitantly, Nicole mentioned that she wanted to return to work. Nicole hurriedly stressed that the family would be her priority. Suspicious, Brady asked Nicole if she wanted to return to work at the Horton Center. Nicole said she did, but she did not want to work at the center because of Eric. Nicole explained that she loved the work at the center and was happy that she had been able to help the center with their grant applications.

As Brady tensed, Nicole stressed that she loved only Brady. Brady growled that Eric still loved her, and Nicole argued that regardless of Eric's feelings, she only wanted to be with Brady. Julie arrived and told Nicole that their grant application had gone through. Hopeful, Julie asked Nicole if she would consider returning to work at the Horton Center. Chuckling, Nicole said she and Brady had been talking about that before Julie had arrived. Brady interrupted to note that Nicole could volunteer at one of the many charities that Titan supported.

With a knowing smile, Julie countered that Titan's charities were more about writing a check, whereas Nicole's work at the center was more hands-on. Julie said that she hoped Nicole would reconsider returning to work there. Julie said that the center needed Nicole. With a nod, Nicole said she would think about it. After Julie left, Brady told Nicole that the decision was up to her. Nicole thanked Brady for letting her decide. Brady left to meet with John, and an emotional Nicole fought back tears.

Hoping to clear her head, Nicole pushed Holly in her stroller over to Horton Square. Nicole sat on a bench and talked to her daughter about her work options. As Nicole looked up, she saw Eric across the square. They smiled at one another. Nearby, Brady walked into the pub and sat down at the bar. Brady stared at the bottles of liquor in front of him.

At Hope's house, Hope slept in on her morning off. When Hope groggily woke up, Rafe smiled and reminded her that they were rid of Raines. Hope grinned in joy. As Rafe grumbled that they would hopefully be rid of Eli soon, too, Hope reminded him that Eli had not put Gabi in danger. Rafe disagreed. With a sigh, Hope said she was disappointed that Hattie had not been able to stay out of jail. Rafe noted that Anjelica had played Hattie.

After making love, Rafe asked Hope about their wedding. Hope said she was in no rush to plan the wedding, and she reminded Rafe that she needed to help Abigail plan the double wedding. Rafe suggested that they make it easy and go get their license from the courthouse before going in to work. Raising an eyebrow, Hope asked Rafe if he was pressuring her. Rafe said it felt like Hope was avoiding marrying him. Hope promised that she wanted to marry Rafe, but for the moment, Hope wanted an endless honeymoon.

At the DiMera mansion, Abigail and Chad were talking about their wedding guest list when an annoyed Kate stomped into the living room. Kate blamed Abigail for not stopping Jennifer from printing a story about Andre's press conference. Abigail quickly noted that Hattie was mentioned in the story and had been blamed for damaging Andre's reputation. Andre joined the group and asked Kate if she was disappointed that the psychiatric facility had released him. Chad asked if Andre had planned to steal the company from him.

Andre claimed that he was offended by the question. Andre argued that he had kept the family afloat during all the problems in the past few months. Chad countered that Andre's press conference conflicted with Andre's argument that he was protecting the family. Abigail interrupted and urged Chad, Andre, and Kate to admit that they had all made mistakes and needed to find solutions to the PR crisis.

Andre noted that the six months temporary leadership of DiMera Enterprises was reaching an end, and he wanted Chad to lead the company again. Abigail noted that Andre had been loyal to Chad and had been good to her. Abigail asked everyone to forget recent events and move forward. Chad started first, and he told Andre that he was proud of all Andre had accomplished. Chad said he knew that Andre had supported him. Kate agreed to overlook Andre's power play, and Andre agreed he would overlook Kate's antics as well.

Chad, Andre, and Kate agreed to work and save their business together. While Kate called board members, Andre called the media and offered interviews. Chad took Abigail aside and thanked her for getting the family back together.

Marlena confronts Hattie

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

by Mike

After hearing about what had happened to John and Marlena, Claire contacted Marlena and left her a voicemail message, explaining, "I was just calling to say that I'm really glad you're okay -- and, also, um, about that message that I left you [a few days ago to thank you for] the great advice about Theo? Um...yeah, I'm not sure if it was you who gave me the advice or if it was her, so...I don't know. Never mind, okay?"

As soon as Claire ended the call, Theo -- who had emerged from his bedroom in time to hear her recording the message -- cleared his throat and asked, "So, uh, what advice did your grandma give about me?" Claire tried to dodge the question, joking that it might be nice to have a doppelgnger to handle her shifts at work, but when Theo repeated it, she claimed that her grandmother had simply advised her, shortly after the fallout of the sex tape, to try maintaining a friendship with him instead of letting their breakup cause him to disappear from her life completely. "That was her advice?" Theo asked. "What else would it be?" Claire replied with a shrug.

Theo admitted that he was glad that Claire had decided to take Marlena's advice. "Me, too. I missed hanging out with you," Claire replied. Theo and Claire locked eyes with each other from opposite ends of the kitchen, but before anything could happen, Tripp entered the apartment with a box of stuff and asked, "Is this a good time for me to move in?"

Claire said she was excited that Tripp was moving back in with her and Theo. "Me, too. I just kind of wish Joey was here, too," Tripp replied. Claire agreed then quickly changed the subject, praising Tripp for his decision to donate his inheritance to the hospital. Theo bluntly hoped that Tripp had saved enough money to pay for his portion of the rent. Nodding, Tripp explained, as he retrieved a wad of cash from his pocket and handed it over, that he had sold his furniture so he would have enough money to pay for rent and essentials until he found a job. "Okay, well, rent is due the last week of every month, so don't be late on payments," Theo warned before retreating to his bedroom and shutting the door. Tripp jokingly told Claire that Theo was probably looking for a welcome party for him. Chuckling, Claire assured Tripp that Theo would warm up to him eventually.

"[Besides], his real problem isn't with you," Claire continued, explaining to Tripp that Theo was mainly just upset because he had caught them in an embrace a few days earlier and had jumped to the wrong conclusion about what it meant. Confused, Tripp said he had been under the impression that Claire and Theo were no longer a couple. Claire confirmed that Theo was just a friend. "But you want [him] to be more," Tripp realized. When Claire admitted that Tripp was right, he guessed with a chuckle that she had only invited him to move back into his old apartment as a way of making Theo jealous. Claire insisted that wasn't true, stressing that she had extended the invitation to Tripp because she liked him and knew it would be fun having him around all the time. "[But] if it makes Theo jealous in the process...?" Tripp asked. "I guess I wouldn't complain," Claire answered.

Claire started to apologize to Tripp, but he assured her that he wasn't upset -- and that he would, in fact, be happy to do whatever he could to help her with her plan. "I've caused a lot of trouble lately. It'd be nice to help out someone I care about," Tripp continued. Claire thanked Tripp, placing a hand on his shoulder in the process -- a gesture of appreciation that Theo caught when he emerged from his bedroom seconds later.

Tripp soon resumed the task of moving boxes of stuff from one apartment to the other. Claire and Theo insisted on unpacking the boxes as their way of helping out, reasoning that the whole process would go faster with two extra pairs of hands. After dropping off one of the boxes, Tripp paused to mention that he had visited Joey earlier that day. "He wanted me to tell you thank you for the care package you sent," Tripp told Theo, who explained, somewhat dismissively, that the care package had basically just contained junk food. "Well, he was excited to have it," Tripp stressed.

"Hey, when did this come out?" Theo asked with sudden interest, having just retrieved a video game from the box he was unpacking. Tripp explained that the game had been released a week earlier, and he added that he hadn't even had a chance to install it on his gaming console yet. "I've been dying to play it," Theo admitted, prompting Tripp to suggest that they could give it a shot together later. "Yeah, okay," Theo quickly agreed.

Changing the subject, Tripp gestured toward Claire, who was busy unpacking a box in the kitchen, and quietly asked Theo, "If I wanted to, you know, maybe ask her out...would you be okay with that?" Theo claimed that he would be perfectly fine with that because, after all, he was no longer interested in Claire as anything more than just a friend. Claire hid a smile and continued working so Theo wouldn't realize that she had heard the exchange.

Tripp soon excused himself, explaining that he would have to finish the moving process later because he needed to head over to the bank before it closed for the day so he could sign a few documents. Once the coast was clear, Claire thanked Theo for giving Tripp a chance. "Do I have a choice?" Theo dryly replied. Ignoring the question, Claire continued that Tripp was going to be a great roommate.

"You know, [Tripp's] totally into you," Theo revealed. Claire feigned ignorance, scoffing as she insisted that Theo was crazy. "I mean, I'm not great at reading people, but he did just say he wants to ask you out, so, you know, I'm assuming he wants to ask you out," Theo maintained. Claire claimed that was news to her then added with a smile that it might be fun to go out with Tripp, since he was cute, and they did have great chemistry. "Who knows -- maybe it'll turn into something," Claire concluded with a shrug.

Claire raved that it would be awesome if things worked out with Tripp because then she'd be sharing an apartment with her boyfriend and her best friend. "Awesome? [That's] not awesome at all. [You] going out with Tripp -- that's -- that's horrible," Theo insisted. Feigning confusion, Claire innocently asked Theo to explain why he felt that way. "Because I don't want you to be Tripp's girlfriend, Claire; I want you to be mine," Theo answered before giving Claire a passionate kiss.

While waiting for his father to join him at the Brady Pub, Brady struggled to resist the urge to order a stiff drink. Before Brady succumbed to temptation, John entered the pub and cheerfully greeted him. Breathing a sigh of relief, Brady stepped away from the bar to give John a hug. After claiming a table, John and Brady began discussing Hattie. Brady felt bad because he had failed to immediately realize exactly what had been amiss during his recent conversation with Hattie. "I just thought it was Marlena acting a bit strange, but now it makes total sense why 'she' was saying the things that she was saying to me," Brady continued.

When John asked for more details, Brady reluctantly explained, while staring at a menu of alcoholic drinks that was tucked inside the pub's larger main menu, that Hattie had accused him of being jealous of Nicole's recently renewed friendship with Eric. "Come on, kid -- Mad Hattie, she doesn't know what the hell she's talking about," John dismissively assured Brady. "[But] that's the thing -- [she's] right," Brady admitted with a sigh before quickly filling John in on everything that had happened since the night that Nicole and Eric had shared a Halo-induced kiss.

John advised that if Brady truly loved Nicole and truly believed that she felt the same way about him, he needed to stop being suspicious because jealousy was one of the quickest ways to destroy a relationship. "[And if Nicole] wants to go work at the Horton Center and you stop her...come on, is that really love?" John continued.

At the Horton Town Square, Eric joined Nicole on a bench and watched as she interacted with Holly. When Eric assured Nicole that she was already a great mother, she thanked him then revealed with a smile, "You know, we walked by the fountain earlier, and I threw a coin in, and I realized [that], for the first time I can remember, I didn't wish to be a mom." Nicole admitted that although she already had a beautiful daughter and the love of a great man, she had selfishly wished for something else -- the chance to make a difference in the world. Eric didn't think that was selfish at all, but Nicole believed that spending time with Holly needed to be her top priority.

"[But] it's okay to wish for something for yourself, too," Eric insisted. Nodding, Nicole admitted that she had been tempted to say yes when Julie had invited her to continue working at the Horton Center; however, Brady had helped her realize that working with Titan's charities might be a better idea. "Well, we are going to miss you at the Center. I mean, I will. I mean, we all will," Eric stammered. "I'll miss it, too," Nicole replied.

Nicole started to excuse herself, but Eric stopped her and made it clear that he was glad she had her daughter back in her life because she deserved to be happy. Nicole stressed that Eric deserved to be happy, too, because although he had made some mistakes in his life -- just as everyone else had at one point or another -- he was still one of the best people she knew. "I am so glad to have you back in my life," Nicole added.

Eric said a few words to Holly then started to walk away. "Wait. Why does it always sound like you're saying goodbye?" Nicole asked, reminding Eric that they were still going to see each other all the time because he was her boyfriend's brother. Eric conceded the point but added that Nicole and Brady needed some time to themselves so they could work on building the family they had always dreamed of creating together. "Which couldn't have happened without you," Nicole pointed out. "It was the least I could do [after] I almost destroyed Brady's life the night Daniel died," Eric replied.

Changing the subject, Eric wondered if Nicole and Brady were still having problems. "Never better," Nicole assured Eric, forcing a smile. Pleased to hear that, Eric stressed that he had never meant to cause trouble for Nicole and Brady -- and he would never get between them again. Brady soon approached Nicole and Eric, who explained that they had just been saying goodbye to each other because they were no longer going to be working together at the Horton Center. Nodding, Brady reported that he had just finished catching up with John. "I can't believe [what] Hattie put him and Marlena through, [but even though she] tried her best to break them up, [the] bottom line [is that] they have a relationship that is just...solid...[and] no one [is] gonna come between them -- ever," Brady pointedly continued.

After Eric left, Brady admitted that he shouldn't have told Nicole earlier that he wanted her to quit working with Eric. "I was being a jealous idiot. I trust you, and I trust him, and I know that there's nothing going on between you," Brady continued. Brady urged Nicole to contact Julie and accept a permanent position at the Horton Center, adding that he didn't want to stand between her and something she loved doing. "Well, it does make me happy," Nicole confirmed with a smile before giving Brady a hug and thanking him for being so understanding. Meanwhile, at the Horton Center, Eric sighed as he stared at Nicole's empty desk.

Marlena went to the police station to talk to Hattie, who was disappointed that her visitor wasn't Roman. Hattie tried to apologize for everything she had done to Marlena and John, but Marlena insisted that contrition wasn't going to be enough. "So, I guess you're just gonna have 'em throw the book at me, huh?" Hattie worriedly concluded. "Maybe. [But although] I'm not forgiving you, [we] may be able to make a deal," Marlena replied.

Hattie was hopeful -- until Marlena revealed that she wanted to know the identity of Hattie's partner. Hattie claimed that she had been working alone, but Marlena knew that wasn't true because of what Hattie had said on the night she had begun posing as Marlena. "So, who was it? Stefano?" Marlena guessed. Scoffing, Hattie insisted, "I would never work with that man again! No, no -- it wasn't anybody in the DiMera family."

"So, you admit there was somebody," Marlena concluded. "Damn. You are good," Hattie marveled, realizing that she had just fallen into a trap. Marlena impatiently warned that she would let Hattie rot in prison unless she received the accomplice's name right away. Marlena added that the district attorney would probably be willing to make a deal with Hattie if she identified the mastermind who had coerced her into taking over another person's life. "What possible downside could there be for you?" Marlena reasoned. Hattie abruptly ended the conversation, worried about what might happen if it was revealed that one of her partners was dead.

While a guard was escorting Hattie back to her holding cell, she protested that she hadn't been given a chance to make a phone call yet. "The public defender's [already] been alerted," the guard tiredly replied, assuming that Hattie was simply stalling. "Public defender? I don't think so! I want to talk to Justin Kiriakis," Hattie demanded.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sheila was in the living room, watching television and eating chips, when Bonnie joined her and demanded to know what she was doing. "Watching my stories. Girl, I've been locked up for ten years, and it's like I missed nothing at all!" Sheila replied. Bonnie insisted that Sheila was supposed to be working, but Sheila refused to do that, knowing that she held all the cards at that point.

Bonnie grudgingly began doing Sheila's work duties -- just as Maggie entered the living room. Sheila turned off the television and hid the bag of chips behind her back as Bonnie nervously explained that she had simply been demonstrating the proper way to dust Maggie's prized figurine collection. Forcing a smile, Maggie made it clear that she wanted to talk to Adrienne privately. Sheila cringed as she rushed off, sensing that things were about to get tense. Once the coast was clear, Maggie complained that Adrienne shouldn't have taken it upon herself to hire a new maid. "I handle the staffing in this house," Maggie continued.

When Maggie carefully added that Sheila seemed a bit rough around the edges, Bonnie countered, "I never judge people by their outward appearance." Ignoring the dig, Maggie wondered where Adrienne had managed to find Sheila. Bonnie claimed that an old friend had recommended Sheila for the open maid position. "Where, um, exactly did she work before here?" Maggie asked. "The big house. A big house," Bonnie replied.

Bonnie accused Maggie of believing that Sheila wasn't good enough to clean her house, but Maggie clarified that she was simply worried that Sheila wouldn't have good chemistry with the other staff members -- specifically, Henderson. "Does anyone really have good chemistry with Henderson?" Bonnie dismissively countered. Maggie maintained that if Sheila needed dusting lessons, she probably wasn't the best choice for the maid position. Bonnie insisted that she wasn't going to fire Sheila, adding, "You're the boss, [Maggie]; if you want her gone so badly, you do it."

Maggie said she was going to let Sheila continue working at the mansion for the time being, but she added that she was going to be monitoring the situation very closely. "[And], from now on, no more household decisions without consulting me first," Maggie added before walking away. "Uppity bitch," Bonnie grumbled once the coast was clear.

Bonnie turned the television back on then started dusting again while fretting about what would happen if Maggie decided to fire Sheila. Meanwhile, on the television, a newscaster began repeating the day's top story. "Last night, Salem police arrested convicted felon Hattie Adams for kidnapping and impersonating noted psychiatrist Dr. Marlena Evans," the newscaster reported, causing Bonnie to drop one of Maggie's figurines in horror.

Bonnie tries to do damage control

Thursday, September 14, 2017

by Mike

After kissing Claire, Theo pulled away and asked her, "So, what do you think?" Swooning, she replied, "I forgot what a great kisser you are."

Theo clarified that he wanted to know what Claire thought about his earlier confession that he wanted her to be his girlfriend again. "Oh! Yeah, that. Yes. Yes, I want that, too. Definitely," Claire replied. Dodging Claire's attempt to kiss him, Theo pointed out that she had hinted just a few minutes earlier that she might be interested in going out with Tripp. "Which one of us do you really want?" Theo asked.

Claire reluctantly admitted that she had lied about wanting to be Tripp's girlfriend -- and had also lied about being okay with having nothing more than a friendship with Theo. "I never was [okay with that]; I was just telling you what you wanted to hear. Is that a deal-breaker?" Claire asked, reaching out for Theo's hands. Theo wasn't happy about what Claire had done, but he assured her that it wasn't a deal-breaker.

Claire was relieved to hear that because she knew trust was a big deal to Theo, and she still felt guilty about what she had done in the past to betray his trust. Theo insisted it was time for Claire to stop beating herself up about that, adding that she had made up for it when she had stood by him while his father had been in jail. "Besides, how could I stay mad at you [when] I lied, too?" Theo continued, admitting that he had never really been okay with just being Claire's friend; he had simply been trying to convince himself that he didn't want more. "Well, that doesn't matter, because everything is over now, and we're back together," Claire concluded with a smile.

"Well...we kind of have a problem," Theo hesitantly replied. When Theo elaborated that he wasn't sure if he could handle living with someone who was interested in dating his girlfriend, Claire assured him that Tripp had only been pretending to be interested in dating her. "[See], I told him how you got jealous after you saw us hugging, and then he decided -- on his own, I swear -- that he wanted to help me out by making you even more jealous," Claire explained, adding that the hope had been that Theo would eventually get jealous enough to admit that he wanted her back. "Kind of like you did," Claire added with a weak chuckle.

"You...still want me back...don't you?" Claire asked hopefully. Theo confirmed that he did; however, as Claire was breathing a sigh of relief, he asked if she was sure she hadn't been the mastermind behind Tripp's plan to make him jealous. Claire maintained that Tripp had devised the plan on his own. "Not that I wasn't happy [about] it," Claire continued. After resolving to thank Tripp later for his help, Claire gave Theo a passionate kiss.

Sheila went to Statesville to see Adrienne, who was devastated to learn that Sheila had decided not to help her expose Bonnie. Adrienne tried to warn Sheila that Bonnie couldn't be trusted, but Sheila revealed with a chuckle that Bonnie had said the same thing about Adrienne. "[And, see, Bonnie] has a reason to [keep her word], because if she doesn't, I can blow her whole cover sky-high. Last thing she wants to do is get booted out of the Greek tycoon's estate," Sheila continued. Confused, Adrienne clarified that she didn't live at the Kiriakis mansion; she lived at the Salem Inn -- with Lucas Horton. "Not anymore," Sheila replied with a shrug.

Adrienne was stunned when Sheila explained that Bonnie had broken up with Lucas and had gotten back together with Justin. "[That] must've been her plan all along -- to take over my life so she could get to Justin and his money!" Adrienne realized, fighting back tears. "And, uh...it looks like it's paying off," Sheila revealed, managing to muster the slightest hint of sympathy. Adrienne tried to assure herself that Justin would figure out the truth sooner or later, but Sheila warned, "Girl, wake up! A man has no use for a brain when it comes to love; they see what they want to see, and when your ex [looks at] Bonnie, girl, all he sees is you."

Adrienne made another attempt to get Sheila back on her side, but Sheila maintained that siding with Bonnie was the safer gamble. "[I only came here] because I know what it's like to wait for a rescue that's never gonna happen. Somebody once promised to have my back, too, [and] I remember sitting in my cell, day after day, [waiting for them to follow through]. I just didn't want to put you through all that," Sheila explained.

"Then don't!" Adrienne begged Sheila, who refused to change her mind but noted that, on the bright side, there wasn't much time left on Bonnie's prison sentence. "Two years, tops," Sheila continued. "Years?" Adrienne repeated incredulously. Sobbing, Adrienne protested that she couldn't spend two more minutes in Statesville, let alone two whole years. "Girl, I know the feeling!" Sheila agreed before starting to rush off, wanting to get out of the prison as soon as possible. "No! Don't leave me!" Adrienne shouted, grabbing Sheila. A guard quickly intervened and dragged Adrienne away, vowing to put her back in solitary confinement.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Bonnie started sweeping up the shattered remains of Maggie's figurine while the newscaster on the television continued, "Hattie Adams falsified the medical reports of three people, committing them to Bayview Sanitarium. Pending trial, Adams is expected to be back at Statesville Prison for an indefinite period."

"O-M-G! What if Hattie names me as her accomplice? Oh, my God, I gotta get to her before she opens her big mouth!" Bonnie fretted. After turning off the television, Bonnie dumped the shattered remains of the figurine in her purse then started to rush off -- just as Brady and Nicole entered the living room with Holly. "Adrienne! How you doing? [You know], we haven't seen much of you at all since you moved in, [so] we were thinking maybe we could all have dinner -- you and Justin [and] Nicole and I," Brady cheerfully suggested. Bonnie declined without an explanation then started to excuse herself, prompting Nicole to ask, "Where's the fire?"

"Fire? There's no fire!" Bonnie nervously replied. To satisfy Brady and Nicole, Bonnie reluctantly promised to get back to them later with a better day for the dinner. Bonnie then tried to leave again, but Nicole stopped her, admitting that although it was nice to have Adrienne back in the mansion, it was also a bit surprising, since she had seemed excited to marry Lucas until just a few weeks earlier. "What can I say? Lucas and me, we just...you know. And then, uh, Justin and me, we..." Bonnie stammered. Observing that Adrienne seemed really distracted, Nicole wondered if everything was okay. "Never better!" Bonnie insisted.

Struggling to stay composed, Bonnie carefully explained that although she had loved Lucas and had been happy with him, she had eventually realized that Justin was the man she truly wanted in her life. "I'm sure you know how that is, right? I mean, you never lose that pull toward your first love, you know? [Your] soul mate," Bonnie continued as Nicole forced a smile and Brady squirmed uncomfortably.

"Well, that's my two cents on love," Bonnie concluded with a shrug before reiterating that she was in a hurry to get somewhere. "Holly needs to eat, anyway, so..." Nicole replied. "Holly? Who's Holly?" Bonnie asked before looking down at the child in the stroller. "Oh, the baby, Holly! Holy Holly!" Bonnie continued, chuckling nervously. Bonnie excused herself after informing Brady and Nicole that she had just hired a maid who would probably be able to whip up something special for Holly in the kitchen. Brady and Nicole exchanged looks of confusion as Bonnie exited the mansion.

While Nicole was feeding Holly, Brady silently stewed over what Bonnie had said earlier about first loves. However, when Nicole rejoined Brady later and tried to assure him that she didn't share Adrienne's beliefs, he dismissively claimed that he wasn't the least bit worried about such clichd and ridiculous musings on love. "So, you're [still] okay with me going back to work at the Center?" Nicole asked. "Yeah," Brady replied.

Nicole tried to contact Eric to give him the good news, but her call went to voicemail, so she decided to go over to the Horton Center to talk to him in person. Brady encouraged Nicole to do that, but as soon as the coast was clear, he turned his attention to the nearby bar.

Marlena entered the Horton Center and greeted Eric, who challenged her to name his favorite childhood snack as a way of confirming her identity. "Peanut butter cups," Marlena answered with a chuckle. Satisfied, Eric hugged Marlena and said that he was glad to see that she was okay. Marlena was interested in hearing about Eric's recent experience with Hattie, which John had mentioned earlier but hadn't known much about, so Eric explained that he had found Hattie in a trashed hotel room with Adrienne, of all people -- and although it had seemed like they had been partying, Hattie had claimed that she had been giving Adrienne role-reversal therapy to help her deal with her breakup with Lucas. Somewhat impressed, Marlena mused that Hattie had clearly done some homework before trying to take over the life of a psychiatrist.

"There had to be some reason the two of them were together," Marlena continued. Eric tried to keep Marlena focused on Hattie, but Marlena also wanted to talk about Eric and refused to let him dodge her questions. Eric reluctantly filled Marlena in on what had been happening in his life lately. Marlena was glad to hear that Eric and Nicole had managed to find a way to work together at the Horton Center.

After Marlena left, Nicole arrived and revealed that she wanted to keep working at the Horton Center. "What about Brady?" Eric asked. "It was his idea," Nicole answered.

Brady was about to pour himself a stiff drink when Marlena entered the Kiriakis mansion and called out to him. Brady quickly stepped away from the bar and greeted Marlena with a hug then challenged her to name his favorite childhood snack as a way of confirming her identity. Chuckling, Marlena answered, "Red jelly beans -- [and] you sound just like Eric."

Changing the subject, Marlena casually asked if Adrienne was around. Brady explained that Adrienne had rushed off earlier to take care of an errand. "Does she seem...odd...to you?" Marlena wondered. "Yeah. Actually, since she's been here, she hasn't acted or sounded like herself," Brady confirmed. "Hmm," Marlena replied with a knowing smile.

Justin entered the police station in time to hear Hattie repeating her request to talk to him. Justin was reluctant to help Hattie because John and Marlena were two of his closest friends, but Hattie argued that he had a duty to help anyone who was in need of his services. "Well, I'm certainly not the only lawyer in town, and since there's no valid reason for me to take on your case..." Justin began. "Oh, I got a hell of a valid reason," Hattie teased.

Justin refused to make Hattie any promises but agreed to hear her out. Hattie followed Justin into a conference room and explained that she was ready to name her accomplice -- a person whose list of crimes was just as bad as hers, if not worse. "You might not believe me at first, but when you hear what I gotta tell you, you're gonna --" Hattie continued.

Bonnie burst into the room before Hattie could say another word. Hattie tried to protest when Bonnie asked for a minute alone with Justin, but he agreed to pause his conversation with Hattie so he could find out what his ex-wife had to say to him. Bonnie led Justin out of the room and quietly insisted that he couldn't represent Hattie. "Are you forgetting what that woman did to your -- our -- friends?" Bonnie continued.

Justin clarified that he hadn't agreed to represent Hattie yet; he had simply agreed to hear her out. "Apparently, she wasn't working alone, and she's hoping that if she gives up her accomplice, the judge will go easy on her," Justin continued. Bonnie warned that Hattie couldn't be trusted, but Justin was still curious enough to hear her out. "Just promise me you won't represent her!" Bonnie demanded.

"Adrienne, you need to calm down. [Besides], why do you care so much, anyway?" Justin asked. Bonnie claimed that she simply didn't want Justin to get involved with a client who was clearly bad news. "Well, whether I do or not, it's my decision," Justin insisted. Changing the subject, Justin wondered why Adrienne had really made the trip down to the police station. "I'm here to talk to Hattie," Bonnie explained.

Justin was surprised to learn that Adrienne knew Hattie, but Bonnie nervously clarified, "I thought if I got here first and got the exclusive, it would be a coup for the Intruder -- Spectator." Chuckling, Justin pointed out that Adrienne wasn't a reporter. Bonnie claimed that she was trying to do something nice for Jennifer to make up for what had happened with Lucas, but Justin maintained that it would probably be best for Jennifer to handle the interview herself. "Look, I'm doing it, all right?" Bonnie snapped. As Bonnie started to apologize for her tone, Justin received a phone call he wasn't willing to ignore.

After Justin stepped aside to answer the call, Bonnie rejoined Hattie, posing as one of Justin's associates in order to get past the police officer who was standing guard outside the conference room. When Bonnie quietly demanded to know if Hattie had been about to squeal on her earlier, Hattie explained that Marlena had figured out everything. "Everything?" Bonnie asked worriedly. "Well, no -- I mean, she doesn't know about you, not yet. But look, babe -- we were partners in crime, [so] it's only a matter of time now before they get you," Hattie warned. "Not if you keep your big mouth shut!" Bonnie countered.

Hurt, Hattie admitted that it felt like Bonnie was leaving her high and dry. "Well, if you're the only one who got caught, why ruin both [of our] lives?" Bonnie reasoned with a shrug. "Because you were involved, [too]!" Hattie pointed out, adding that it wasn't fair that she was behind bars while her accomplice was living in the lap of luxury. "It just seems like I [always] get the short end of the stick, you know?" Hattie tearfully continued.

Bonnie argued that she could be of more use to Hattie as Adrienne Kiriakis, who had money and influence, but Hattie wasn't sure she could count on Bonnie because Bonnie had left her to deal with Anjelica's dead body on her own. "Seems to me [that] if I gotta go back to prison, well, then, you should, too," Hattie maintained as Bonnie desperately tried to change her mind.

Justin soon entered the room and wondered, "Adrienne, what's going on in here?"

Lucas lashes out at everyone

Friday, September 15, 2017

by Spalding

At the DiMera mansion, Lucas called out to Kate. When Kate failed to answer, Lucas decided to pour a glass of whiskey. As Lucas downed the glass of liquor, Kate walked in. Lucas lied and said he was not drinking again but that he had needed one shot to take the edge off his nerves. With a sigh, Kate fired Lucas. Lucas begged Kate to reconsider because he had already lost too much in his life. Kate urged Lucas to get help.

Lucas cried out that what he wanted was support from his mother. Kate asked Lucas to think of Will. Furious, Lucas warned Kate never to mention Will to him in a negative way. Kate apologized, but the damage had been done. "I'm glad you're sorry because now I really do need a drink," Lucas said as he stormed out.

In the park, Eli told Abe that the FBI had fired him for mishandling the counterfeiting case. Abe disagreed, but Eli pointed out that his boss had been upset that Gabi had been in the line of fire. Eli added that his boss had been looking for an excuse to get rid of him. Abe suggested that Eli stay in town and work at the police department. Abe offered to put in a good word with the commissioner once he found a new commissioner.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Paul and Sonny were talking about wedding plans when Gabi arrived. Gabi told the men that Arianna was excited to be the flower girl at their wedding. Sonny informed Gabi that they had decided to have a double wedding with Abigail and Chad. When Sonny asked Gabi if she still wanted to attend the wedding, Gabi said she would need to think about it. Gabi promised that Arianna would be the flower girl at the wedding, whether Gabi decided to attend or not.

After leaving the mansion, Gabi walked with Arianna through the town square. While Arianna practiced throwing flower petals, a drunk Lucas interrupted. Gabi saw the liquor bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag. Squealing, Arianna ran into her grandfather's arms. When Lucas suggested a sleepover, Gabi said no. Lucas was indignant, but Gabi calmly pointed out that she would not allow Lucas to spend time alone with Arianna when he was drunk. Lucas snapped and yelled at Gabi not to tell him what to do. Lucas stormed off.

With Lucas gone, Arianna pouted because she wanted to spend time with Lucas. Eli saw a frustrated Gabi with Arianna, and he offered his help. Relieved, Gabi explained about the double wedding and running into a drunk Lucas, and Gabi said she was happy to have a friend. Eli bought ice cream, cheering up Arianna. Gabi thanked Eli and commented that he was good with her daughter. Eli offered to escort Gabi to the wedding if she needed moral support. Gabi said she would consider his offer.

In the police station interrogation room, Bonnie pleaded with Hattie to protect her. Justin walked in the room and was shocked to see "Adrienne" with Hattie. Bonnie lied and said that she was conducting an interview with Hattie for the paper. Hattie went along with the lie, and she said that she had a juicy story. Worried, Bonnie asked for a moment alone with Hattie, but Hattie said that everyone would hear her story soon anyway. Hattie announced that she had been working with Anjelica.

Justin questioned Anjelica's motive to hurt Marlena, but Hattie explained that Anjelica's plan had been to use her to counsel Adrienne and then drive her nuts. Still confused, Justin wondered aloud why Anjelica would want to hurt Adrienne. Rolling her eyes, Hattie explained that Anjelica had wanted Justin to herself. Shaking his head, Justin mumbled that Anjelica had known that he would never want to be with her. Justin asked Hattie how Anjelica had ended up in Adrienne's bed. Avoiding the question, Hattie said she did not know.

Bonnie asked for a moment alone with Hattie to get closure, and Justin reluctantly agreed. Once Justin was gone, Bonnie pulled Hattie into a bear hug and thanked her profusely. Hattie said that she wanted at least one of them to have a happy ending. As Hattie pulled away from the hug, she asked for a favor.

Bonnie walked into the police station bullpen and told Justin that she believed Hattie had been as much a victim of Anjelica as Marlena had been. Bonnie asked Justin to represent Hattie in court. When Justin raised his eyebrows, Bonnie argued that Hattie was a lost soul. Bonnie added that it was easy to see how Anjelica had been able to take advantage of Hattie. Justin agreed. When Justin informed Hattie, she asked why he had changed his mind. Justin said that Adrienne had changed his mind.

At the pub, John and Marlena talked about her meeting with Eric. Marlena told John about Eric's strange run-in with Adrienne and Hattie at the hotel. Marlena suggested that Adrienne was Hattie's partner. John was not convinced. John said he did not think Adrienne would willingly help Hattie, but he agreed that Adrienne had been behaving strangely lately. When the two discussed possible motives, Marlena mentioned and dismissed PTSD. Marlena noted that Adrienne would have asked for help if she had needed it. Shaking her head, Marlena said she could not shake the feeling that Adrienne was connected to Hattie.

Outside the pub, an angry Kate saw Bonnie walking by and lashed out at her. Kate accused Adrienne of abandoning Lucas and pushing him off the wagon. Kate called Adrienne heartless and cruel. When a frustrated Bonnie argued she had been through a lot recently, an emotional Kate reminded Bonnie that she had sat by Adrienne's side through her cancer treatment. A disgusted Kate said the woman she'd known then had been replaced by a "callous and mean-spirited" woman. When Kate mentioned that Lucas was mad at her for firing him, Bonnie groaned. Bonnie told Kate that it was not fair to call her cruel when Kate had put the welfare of her company before her son.

Bonnie turned and walked into the pub. When Bonnie saw Marlena, she attempted to leave unnoticed, but Marlena called her over. Smiling, Bonnie said she had been too busy to return Marlena's messages. Marlena asked Bonnie to give her a couple minutes of her time. Reluctantly, Bonnie sat at the table with Marlena and John. Marlena asked Bonnie for information about Hattie. Bonnie cheerfully said she had loads of information to share.

At St. Luke's, Chad and Abigail agreed that their next marriage would be forever, and they high-fived to seal the deal. As the lovers kissed, Sonny and Paul arrived for their joint meeting with Father Louie. Sonny told Chad and Abigail that he had asked Arianna to be the flower girl. Abigail asked about Gabi. Sonny admitted that Gabi had been thrown by the news but happy to let Arianna act as the flower girl. Chad asked if Gabi was going to attend the wedding, and Sonny shrugged and said that she was thinking about it.

After the two couples met with Father Louie, they joked about why the priest had not asked Sonny or Paul if they were going to change their names like Abigail. The couples were laughing as Lucas stumbled in. Lucas angrily yelled that Gabi had kept him away from Arianna. Sonny attempted to calm Lucas, but Lucas was belligerent. Sonny suggested that Lucas get sober before he spent time with Sonny's daughter. Lucas grew enraged. Lucas yelled that Sonny was not Arianna's father, and he screamed that Sonny had hurt Will.

"Like mother, like son," Lucas bellowed. Lucas blamed Sonny for Will's death. As Sonny stepped back, wounded, Lucas ranted about divorce statistics. Paul asked Lucas to hand him his car keys. Lucas said he had no intention of leaving the church, and he handed the keys and his liquor bottle to Paul. As Lucas sat in a pew to pray, Abigail left to call Jennifer and tell her about Lucas. Paul escorted Sonny out and attempted to calm him down. Alone, Lucas pulled a flask out of his pocket and toasted to "God-forsaken love."

"What did I ever do to you? You've taken everything from me. You took my son. You took Adrienne. And now you're taking Ari away from me? She's the only thing I have left. Why are you doing this to me? Answer me!" Lucas cried out to God. "Dad?" a voice said. Lucas spun around and found Will standing behind him. His eyes filled with tears, Lucas called out his son's name.