Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of July 15, 2019 on DAYS

Ted and Kate told police that Stefan had held them captive. Gabi worked to help free Stefan. Xander stole Kristen's Nicole mask. Kristen posed as Susan, and she kissed Brady. The real Susan visited. Jack decided to take the serum.

Kristen pushes Xander too far

Monday, July 15, 2019

by Mike

Abe went to the police station after listening to a voicemail message from Eli.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Abe began while approaching Eli. "Yeah... Uh... Abe, you know that I love your daughter very much... She's a great woman, and...recently, we realized that we were meant for each other... So, I -- I'd like... I -- I -- I'd like to ask for your blessing to propose to her," Eli nervously explained. "Eli, this is great news, and we can all use that right now, [so] of course I give you my blessing," Abe replied without hesitation. "Well, that is a relief...especially since I already proposed to her," Eli sheepishly admitted.

"I understand...[and] I'm so happy -- for you and my daughter," Abe assured Eli after getting the whole story. "I'm glad to hear that, Dad," Lani began while emerging from a hiding place, surprising both men.

Abe rushed off after congratulating Lani and Eli with a hug and a handshake, respectively. "So, now that we have my father's blessing...when are we gonna tell everyone else?" Lani asked Eli excitedly. "Right after I give you this," Eli replied while producing a jewelry box that contained a diamond ring. "It's perfect!" Lani raved. "For my perfect fiance," Eli lovingly stressed while slipping the ring on Lani's finger. The couple started to seal the official engagement with a kiss, but Rex burst into the police station just then and worriedly reported that Kate was missing.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan demanded to know why Hope, Ted, and Kate were trespassing on private property -- and, apparently, helping themselves to whatever they wanted.

"I just rescued Ted and Kate from your underground tunnels, where they were being held hostage," Hope explained. "By whom?" Stefan asked. "According to them...it was you," Hope replied, stunning Stefan, who stared at Ted and Kate in disbelief. "For some reason, they're trying to frame me," Stefan told Hope, who was clearly skeptical. "You're not a cop anymore, [so] I don't know why I'm [even trying to] justify myself to you," Stefan snapped at Hope before ordering the trio of trespassers to leave. "You are not going to get away with this," Kate warned Stefan on the way out. "Right back at you," Stefan countered.

At the Salem Inn, Xander curiously wondered why Kristen had suddenly decided that Ted and Kate didn't need to die, after all.

"[Because] I'm an expert at thinking on my feet, I managed to take your screw-up and turn it to my advantage," Kristen bragged. "Still not following," Xander admitted. "Of course you aren't...because my father taught me to plan two moves ahead, and you are always at least three behind. [See], this is about me taking my rightful place atop the family. I am a true DiMera, [while] my brother Stefan is just a pretender [who] betrayed me...[so], with the help of Ted and Kate, he's going down," Kristen clarified.

At the hospital, Kate and Ted waited to be examined. "[Hope] seems to believe that Stefan threw us in that room. Let's just hope the police believe us, as well...[or else] Kristen will kill us and everyone we love. [Trust me, we] do not want her as our enemy," Kate told Ted, who had no trouble believing that, based on the earlier encounter with Kristen. "[At least Stefan's] finally going to get what he deserves," Kate cheerfully noted.

Meanwhile, Hope contacted Eli, who had just finished telling Rex not only about Kate's recent call to 9-1-1 but also about Eve's decision to protect Xander from the potential consequences of that call. Rex rushed out of the police station with a sigh of relief after hearing that Kate had been found and was awaiting treatment at the hospital. Hope told Eli that Xander needed to be arrested right away. "And not just him..." Hope added.

A short time later, Kristen received a phone call from someone. "Hope Brady just rescued Ted and Kate in the nick of time, [so] we don't even have to engineer their release ourselves," Kristen gleefully informed Xander after ending the call. "So, we're both off the hook," Xander summarized, flashing Kristen a grin of triumph. "Actually...I didn't say we both were off the hook," Kristen clarified, causing Xander's grin to fade at once.

"If you think you can throw me under the bus with Stefan, I'm warning you -- I won't go quietly," Xander insisted. "Yeah, but you will go, nonetheless," Kristen countered with a dismissive shrug, delighting in the opportunity to toy with Xander a bit. "Not by myself. I promise you -- if I go down, you're going with me," Xander maintained before storming out of the hotel room, drawing a groan of irritation from Kristen, who immediately realized that it was time to drop the act. "Wait, Xander -- I have a plan!" Kristen tried to clarify, but Xander was already gone. "Damn you, Xander!" Kristen snapped from the doorway, reluctant to go any further.

At the hospital, Rex burst into Kate's room and released another sigh of relief. "I was so worried about you! Are you okay?" Rex asked while seizing a hug from Kate. "Yes, yes -- I'm fine. [I mean], I'm a little dehydrated [and] a little hungry, but...hey, it's bathing-suit season," Kate replied with a shrug. Rex struggled to understand why Stefan hadn't just killed Kate, who dodged the question with another shrug.

Gabi stormed into the Kiriakis mansion and found Brady alone in the living room, going over business documents.

"Well, if it isn't the rat himself," Gabi spat. "Did you just call me a rat?" Brady asked, confused. "Even my daughter knows you don't snitch on people, but you couldn't control yourself, could you? [You just had to tell] Chloe about my plan to take down Stefan -- [probably to] score points with her," Gabi continued, prompting Brady to clarify that filling Chloe in on the plan had, in fact, simply seemed like the best way to keep it from going off the rails. "She had a really hard time understanding why you would sleep with a guy that destroyed your life, [and she] wasn't going to let it go [without an explanation]," Brady elaborated.

After calming down a bit, Gabi bragged to Brady that the plan was working perfectly. "Well, good for you...[but] be careful," Brady warned. "I know what I'm doing," Gabi dismissively insisted. "That's what I thought [back when] I tried to seduce Eve to regain control of Basic Black...but, uh, I didn't plan on falling in love," Brady countered. "That's not gonna happen. I'm in control," Gabi defensively maintained before quickly changing the subject, informing Brady that Stefan had fired Nicole earlier. Brady immediately rushed off in search of Nicole. "[Stefan's] fallen for you...but you can't fall for him," Gabi stressed once the coast was clear.

"Talking to yourself?" Xander curiously observed, joining Gabi in the living room. "What [has] got your knickers in a twist?" Xander asked. "Nothing I can't handle," Gabi replied. "Fine, be mysterious -- I've got my own problems, anyway," Xander admitted. As if on cue, Lani entered the mansion and arrested Xander -- and, in the process, named Stefan as an accomplice. Stunned, Gabi followed Lani and Xander out of the mansion.

Abe ran into Eric outside the Brady Pub and seized the opportunity to express a few concerns about Nicole's recent behavior. "Maybe you could ask your mother to reach out to her," Abe suggested, and Eric agreed.

After saying goodbye to Eric, Abe headed over to the DiMera mansion to ask Stefan for more time to locate and try to negotiate with Nicole. "I want her out of my company -- and out of my life -- [so] if I don't [get a] resignation letter [from her soon, I'm going] public with what she did. She deserves to be locked up," Stefan told Abe. "Speaking of locking people up..." Eli interjected, joining Stefan and Abe in the living room.

Eli arrested Stefan, who assured a stunned Abe that Ted and Kate's accusations of kidnapping were completely false. "Keep this quiet, you hear me? Don't say a word to anybody," Stefan instructed Abe.

At the Salem Inn, Kristen finished transforming into Nicole then started to rush out of the hotel room in search of Xander, wanting to do damage control. Meanwhile, Eric and Brady approached the hotel room door from opposite directions, both wanting to talk to Nicole about what had happened with Stefan earlier. "Seriously?" Kristen grumbled from the other side, annoyed with the brothers for having such bad timing.

Posing as Nicole, Kristen agreed to talk to Brady but insisted that Eric wasn't welcome. "I'm a little worried about you," Brady told "Nicole" after Eric left, delighting Kristen. "I think you went to work a little too early...and maybe DiMera wasn't the right place to go [either way]. According to Eric, Stefan is willing to accept your letter of resignation [in exchange for keeping quiet about what happened earlier], so...no harm, no foul, right? [Just] forget about DiMera [and] come to work for me again," Brady continued. "Nicole" hopefully wondered if a work relationship with Brady could lead to something more in the future. Brady insisted that would never happen.

Undeterred, "Nicole" gave Brady a passionate kiss.

At the police station, Xander offered to reveal the brains of the kidnapping scheme -- in exchange for immunity, of course.

Meanwhile, Gabi joined Stefan in one of the conference rooms and suggested that Nicole might be the real kidnapper.

Kate and Ted conspire

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

by Spalding

In "Nicole's" room at the Salem Inn, Brady told "Nicole" that he could not have a romantic relationship with her because he did not want to betray his brother Eric. "Nicole" kissed Brady. Brady pulled away. "I know you felt a connection," "Nicole" said. Brady firmly said that he would not hurt Eric.

"Why? He did it to you. He didn't care that he was breaking your heart," "Nicole" said. Brady's phone beeped, and he said he needed to leave. "I know this is a mistake," Brady said before he ran out of the hotel room. Alone, Kristen yelled, "Why is it always Eric getting in the way?"

At the police station, Eve interfered with Eli and Lani's arrest of Xander. Eve pulled Xander aside to interrogate him privately in her office. Once alone, Eve told Xander that he was incompetent. "It's just as well that I have the police commissioner to get me out of [trouble]. If she knows what's good for her," Xander threatened. Eve reminded Xander that they had agreed that they were even after she had last helped him.

"As far as I am concerned, this is all still part of that last 'get out of jail free' card," Xander said. Xander threatened to tell Jack about the diary. With a groan, Eve said that she was tired of blackmail. "Jack already has the diary," Eve said. "How do you think he'll react to the news that he could have had it sooner?" Xander asked. Eve stressed that her marriage was strong enough to weather Xander's revelation.

"You prepared to lose all this just because you're too proud to help me?" Xander asked. Eve sighed in resignation. Xander told Eve to drop the investigation and let him go. After a phone call, Eve told Xander that she could not help him because there were two witnesses that had accused Xander of kidnapping.

"What's the point of being police commissioner if you can't make the law work for you?" Xander wondered aloud. Xander picked up the phone and announced that he would call the mayor. Eve yelled at Xander that she would call the D.A. and ask about a bail hearing. Xander was unhappy, but he asked Eve to inform the D.A. that he would roll over on his boss in exchange for immunity.

"You should be locked up," Eve said. Xander warned Eve not to judge him. "At least I'll put Stefan DiMera behind bars," Eve mused aloud. "Sure. Or at least whomever put me up to this," Xander said with a smirk. Confused, Eve asked Xander what he meant. With a grin, Xander said, "That's between me and the D.A.'s office."

In the interrogation room at the police station, Gabi told Stefan that she believed that Nicole had been involved in the kidnapping. Gabi pointed out that Nicole had gone into the tunnels to retrieve the Champagne and had returned empty-handed.

"How could she not see Kate and Ted unless she knew they were there already and was lying about it?" Gabi asked. With a shake of his head, Stefan wondered aloud why Nicole would want to frame him after he had given Nicole a job. Gabi suggested that Nicole wanted to punish Stefan for his part in Holly's death.

"I guess it was a little surprising when Nicole let me off the hook so easily for Holly's death," Stefan said. "She blamed everybody but you," Gabi agreed. "So, the whole time, the threat was right under my nose, and I didn't suspect a thing," Stefan said. Stefan vowed to make sure that Nicole, Kate, and Ted did not get away with framing him.

Gabi noted that Kate and Nicole did not get along, and Stefan suggested that Nicole had leverage over Kate and Ted. When Stefan complained that he needed to get out of the police station, Gabi promised Stefan that she would help get him out of jail.

"How are you going to get me out of here? They haven't even set bail yet," Stefan said. "Kate is the weak spot, and I know that she doesn't like working with Nicole. If anybody can get the truth out of her, it's me. We have history," Gabi said. With a curious smile, Stefan asked about Gabi's history with Kate. Gabi avoided the question and asked Stefan if he would be okay.

"Not my first rodeo," Stefan said. Gabi said she needed to pick up Arianna but that she would talk to Kate in the morning. "Do you need anything? Anything at all?" Gabi asked. Stefan gently kissed Gabi. "What was that for?" Gabi asked. "Just saying thank you," Stefan whispered. Stefan noted that Gabi had not questioned his innocence since his arrest.

"Of course, I didn't. I know you would have never sent Nicole down there if you were really guilty," Gabi said. "Not since my mother's murder has there been anybody in my life to stand up for me like that, so thank you," Stefan said. Stefan asked Gabi if she had remembered their conversation about taking their relationship to the next level.

"It feels like we already have," Stefan added. Stefan said he felt lucky to have Gabi in his life. Shaken, Gabi walked away and choked back emotion. Stefan asked Gabi if she was okay. "Yes, I will see you soon," Gabi said as she rushed out of the room. Stefan furrowed his brow in confusion.

In Kate's hospital room, Kate groused to Rex about Brady's work at Titan. Rex reminded Kate that Brady had spearheaded the search for Kate. While Rex went to check on Kate's lab work, Kate thought about her confrontation with Kristen in the tunnels. "I am never going to be safe as long as Kristen DiMera is out there somewhere," Kate said.

Brady visited Kate in her hospital room. "Rex texted me, and I came as soon as I could," Brady said. "So, you didn't bring me fake flowers to go along with your fake concern?" Kate quipped. Brady asked about the details of Kate's kidnapping so that he had ammunition with which to fire Xander. Kate asked about Xander's leverage over Brady.

"I will have to find a way around that. I just think we need to irradiate this bastard out of our lives once and for all," Brady said. Kate suggested that they do the same for Stefan. "Stefan deserves to take the fall for this kidnapping," Kate said. Brady asked Kate if she was worried that Stefan would attack her again. Kate said she was always worried about the return of DiMera family members.

"Well, at least we know Kristen is gone for good," Brady said. Kate shifted her eyes away. "She has risen from the ashes before now, hasn't she?" Kate said. Rex returned to inform Kate that he was headed home to Sarah.

In Ted's hospital room, Hope asked about Ted's voicemail regarding Nicole. "It turned out there was no news about Nicole," Ted said. Ted explained that Xander had lured him to the docks with the promise of news about Nicole. "He lied about Holly being alive," Hope whispered. Ted thought about when Xander had confirmed to him that Holly was alive and safe.

"I'm afraid so," Ted lied to Hope. Hope admitted that she had wondered if Ted's news was information about Holly. Ted apologized for not having better news. "There is nothing I wouldn't do for you, Hope. Nothing," Ted said. Hope explained that she could not get into a new romantic relationship with anyone because of Rafe. Hope confirmed that Rafe had moved on.

"Maybe it's time for you to do the same," Ted said as he took Hope's hand. "Maybe it is," Hope agreed. As Hope leaned in to kiss Ted, Kate walked in. Hope pulled away. "We're in the middle of something," a frustrated Ted said. "I noticed," Kate said with a smirk. Hope excused herself to make some phone calls. With a wink at Ted, Hope rose to leave. Kate thanked Hope for tracking her and Ted down. Hope nodded and left.

"Really? I still don't see what you see in her," Kate said. Ted told Kate that barging into his room was not helping. Kate said she wanted to remind Ted that Kristen was still running loose. "I'm very much aware," Ted confirmed. Kate told Ted that they needed to keep their stories straight.

As "Nicole" started to leave her hotel room, she opened the door and found Lani and Eli in the hallway. Eli told "Nicole" that he had questions for her about her relationship with Xander. Eli asked "Nicole" what she knew about Xander's recent activity. "Nicole" said that she had no knowledge of Xander's plans to kidnap anyone. Lani mentioned that Kate had been outside of Nicole's room when Xander had confessed to killing Ted.

"We're assuming that he had been talking to you," Lani said. "Nicole" admitted that Xander had confessed to her about Ted's murder and that she had not called the police. "Why the hell not?" Eli asked. "Nicole" said she had not taken Xander's confession seriously.

"That's not the kind of thing people usually joke about," Lani said. "Nicole" said Xander had shown up at her room, ranting about their divorce, and had threatened to kill her like Xander had killed Ted. "He threatened to kill you?" Eli asked. "Nicole" asked why Kate had been outside her door.

"If Kate heard Xander threatening me, she what, couldn't be bothered to knock on my door to help?" "Nicole" wondered aloud. Lani asked what "Nicole" had done after Xander's confession. "Nicole" said she had been worried what Xander would do to her if "Nicole" had told the police about his threat. Eli asked "Nicole" if Xander had previously kidnapped her on Deimos' behalf. "Nicole" nodded yes. "Nicole" asked Eli if Xander had admitted to working for Stefan.

"No. He's demanding immunity first," Lani said. Eli explained that Xander had promised to tell the police everything about his boss if the D.A. offered immunity. "I hope that Stefan and Xander go away for a long, long time," "Nicole" said. Eli thanked "Nicole" for her time, and he left with Lani. Alone, Kristen muttered that she would not let Xander sell her out to the police. Kristen's phone beeped with a news notification that the court had granted bail to Xander.

"What the hell?" Kristen grumbled. As Kristen started to leave, she opened the door and found a sour-faced Xander in the hallway. "Going somewhere?" Xander asked. Kristen ushered Xander into the room and told him that the cops had paid her a visit. "I waited for them to leave," Xander confirmed. Kristen asked Xander if he had told the police about her. Xander said he had not contradicted Kate and Ted's stories.

"You covered your own ass and left mine hanging in the breeze," Xander complained. Kristen argued that Xander had left before she had told him her plan to have Xander ask for immunity to turn on Stefan. "But look at that! I guess great minds think alike," Kristen said. Xander told Kristen that he would not forget how she had treated him. When Kristen asked to talk about the situation, Xander wrapped his hands around Kristen's throat and pushed her against the wall.

"Let me go!" Kristen said. "Can't do that. It's time to say goodbye, Nicole," Xander said. Xander ripped Kristen's mask of Nicole off of her face. "Give it back!" Kristen shrieked. "I don't appreciate being left to twist in the wind, so now I'm going to do the same to you," Xander said. Kristen begged for Xander to give her the mask back. Kristen noted that she had made progress with Brady and needed the mask. When Xander was unmoved, Kristen softened.

"I can make this worth your while if you just give me back the mask," Kristen purred seductively as she held her face close to Xander's. "I don't think so," Xander said. Xander marched out of the room, clutching the mask. "You are not going to get away with this," Kristen muttered.

In Eric's apartment, Sarah looked at her wedding photo with Rex and Eric. Eric returned home and slammed the door. "Nicole, she's gone," Eric said. Eric told Sarah that Nicole had refused to talk to him, but instead had welcomed Brady into her room. "It's almost like she can't stand the sight of me. Much less let me get near her," Eric said. Eric said he understood that he needed to move on because Nicole was no longer the woman he knew.

Eric picked up the wedding photo. With a sheepish grin, Sarah explained that Kayla had given her and Rex the framed photo as a wedding gift. Sarah fixed two bowls of spaghetti, and the two sat down to eat. "Gonna take you some time to get over Nicole," Sarah said. Eric suggested that he should get a fresh start in another city in order to get over Nicole.

"So, you're just gonna move away?" Sarah asked. "It's for the best," Eric confirmed. "You can't go!" Sarah objected. Sarah explained that a lot of people would miss Eric. "You have Rex. You don't need me," Eric said. Sarah told Eric that he was her best friend. "I've never had anyone in my world like you. You're caring and selfless," Sarah said. Sarah asked Eric if he understood how much he meant to her. Sarah started to lean in for a kiss, and so did Eric. Before their lips touched, Rex returned home, and Sarah and Eric moved away from one another.

"Everything okay?" A suspicious Rex asked. Sarah explained that Eric had suffered through an emotionally devastating run-in with Nicole. Eric told Rex not to worry about him and to concentrate his energy on finding Kate. Rex gasped. "You didn't hear?" Rex said. Rex confirmed that Kate and Ted had been held captive in the DiMera tunnels by Stefan and Xander.

"I can't believe that Xander would do that to your mom. I thought he was trying to turn over a new leaf," Sarah said. Rex chuckled. "That leaf was as rotten as the last one," Rex commented. Sarah hugged Rex and told him that she was happy to hear that Kate was safe. Uncomfortable, Eric said he would go to his room and give the newlyweds privacy.

"Wait! We didn't finish our conversation," Sarah said. Sarah told Rex that Eric planned to leave town. "You're not walking out of this room until you agree to stay," Rex said. Sarah agreed. "It's non-negotiable. You're staying, even if we have to lock you in this apartment," Sarah said. Eric agreed he would not leave.

While Eve worked at her desk, Brady burst into her office. "Do you care about doing this job with the least bit of integrity?" Brady demanded. "I'm assuming this is about Xander?" Eve asked with a raised eyebrow. Brady asked if there were still charges pending against Xander and if he would go to trial. "We will see," Eve said cryptically. Unhappy, Brady demanded to know what Eve knew. Eve explained that Xander was asking for an immunity deal from the D.A.

"I don't like the idea of Xander going free. You know if it weren't for him, Nicole wouldn't be going through this," Brady said. Eve asked about Nicole. Brady noted that Nicole was devastated and would not let Eric support her. Eve suggested that Brady could be Nicole's support. Eve explained that Nicole had always cared about Brady.

"She wants to get back together with me," Brady confessed. Brady said he refused to hurt Eric. Eve asked Brady if his only objection to being with Nicole was Eric.

At the hospital, Eli and Lani ran into Hope as she was leaving Ted's room. Eli explained that they were there to take statements from Ted and Kate. "Good, because they have quite a story to tell," Hope said.

In Ted's hospital room, Kate asked Ted what he had told Hope. "I told her what I was supposed to tell her. That Xander and Stefan kidnapped us, just like Kristen wanted," Ted said. Kate told Ted that she did not plan to go along with the lie forever. Surprised, Ted asked Kate why. "If we want to be safe, we have to get rid of that psychotic bitch and her dimwitted boy toy. For good," Kate said.

Kristen devises a new plan

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

by Mike

Jennifer found Jack in the Horton Town Square, preparing to eat breakfast.

"No, no, no -- it's too early in the morning," Jack protested with a groan as Jennifer approached. "Keep walking. Please keep walking," he begged, but she refused to comply -- and instead presented him with a printed copy of the latest issue of the Spectator, which was helpfully folded in a way that highlighted one particular column. "[Just] want to give you an opportunity to read the [editorial] I wrote about you and your administration, Mr. Mayor...[but you'll] probably want to finish your breakfast before you dive in; [otherwise], you may lose your appetite," she unapologetically stated as he stared at the newspaper with obvious anger.

"Mayor Jack Deveraux is crafting an atmosphere that emboldens racists," Jack read aloud. "That's completely untrue!" Jack defensively insisted. "Really? Do you know that your son got kicked out of his apartment because of you? [See], the landlord supposedly is a big fan of yours, so he evicted J.J. because he didn't want Haley living in his complex," Jennifer revealed. "And how is that my fault?" Jack wondered. "That's how you won the election! You played on everybody's fears, and you encouraged everyone that the right thing to do was demonize this young woman!" Jennifer clarified, prompting Jack to pontificate, yet again, that Haley was a criminal.

"I never encouraged racism!" Jack defensively argued. "And you never spoke against it, either -- and that is how you won votes, so you should be ashamed of yourself!" Jennifer matter-of-factly reasoned. "You know...the person who's prejudiced here is you! [I mean], you don't report; you attack! You're angry, bitter, biased, [and] completely unprofessional...[so], as of this moment, I am revoking your press badge!" Jack decided after a moment of thought. "You can't do that!" Jennifer insisted. "Watch me!" Jack countered. "This is outrageous! You are violating the First Amendment!" Jennifer protested, stunned.

"The press will not be silenced!" Jennifer stressed. "As if I could ever silence you!" Jack grumbled. "Relax, all right? I'm not shutting down your pathetic little paper! All I'm doing is keeping you and your associates from ever coming to one of my press conferences again!" Jack clarified. "As a journalist, I have equal right to access to information!" Jennifer pointed out. "Tell it to the judge!" Jack dismissively countered. "Oh, you would do that, wouldn't you?" Jennifer conceded. "You used to be such a huge proponent of freedom of the press! You know what? The old Jack would be disgusted right now!" Jennifer noted.

"I'm so sick of hearing about 'the old Jack'!" Jack complained. "Don't you even care about the man that you were [and] the life that you had, Jack? There's a serum out there, and you can take it, [so] why won't you?" Jennifer countered. "I'm thinking about it, all right? [But], you know, you may not believe this, but I actually kind of like my life [right now], and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize it!" Jack explained. "You don't have a life [right now], Jack! It's empty, and it's pathetic, and it's very sad!" Jennifer insisted. "I have a beautiful wife, [and] I am mayor of Salem! What's not to love?" Jack argued with a shrug.

"You're a coward, because you are afraid of who you really are!" Jennifer maintained. "That's it -- you did it, Ms. Horton! You helped me make my decision! There's no way in hell I'm gonna take that damn serum now!" Jack snapped, fed up. "Because past, present, or future, there's no way I want you in any part of it!" Jack tried to add, but Jennifer was already walking away, which seemed to upset Jack even more.

Jennifer returned a short time later and shoved a document in Jack's face. "If you're suing me, take it to my lawyer," Jack dismissively advised. "I went back to the Spectator, and I got this out of the archives, and I just think it would be really great for you to read -- very enlightening," Jennifer clarified. "As journalists, we have a duty to this country to uncover and uphold the truth at all costs. Democracy only works if we provide a check on the government -- on those in power who might try to deceive or manipulate its people. The minute this principle is curtailed in any form, our country begins a terrifying descent into fascism," Jack reluctantly read aloud.

"Who's the bleeding heart who wrote that?" Jack asked tiredly. "You," Jennifer proudly replied.

"[Now] I can see why we were such a perfect match [back then] -- we were both self-righteous blowhards," Jack dismissively argued after recovering from the shock of Jennifer's revelation.

"At least you believed in something [back then]," Jennifer countered. "Do you know why I am fighting so hard to get the old Jack back? [Because] the world was a better place with [that Jack] in it. And maybe you didn't [always] live up to your own ideals [back then], but you were so passionate to fight the good fight...and maybe the old Jack didn't have the power and influence that the new Jack does, but he had kids who admired him, and he had a wife that loved him, and there is no way that he would ever trade [that life for this one]," Jennifer added before walking away.

Eve went to the hospital to try to convince Ted to serve as Salem's district attorney once again. "Think about the power, the perks, [and the] opportunity to prosecute Stefan DiMera!" Eve reasoned. "I know you're new to this, but, uh, there's a little thing called 'conflict of interest' -- [and that means] I cannot prosecute a crime if I'm the victim," Ted explained. "Give yourself a waiver or something," Eve dismissively argued.

"You offered me the job before because you wanted me to prosecute Ben Weston, but he's [since] been cleared, [so] why do you still want me to be the D.A. [so badly]?" Ted curiously wondered. "He's a psychopath. He will break the law again, because that's what he does. He can't help himself. And when he does, that's when we are gonna bury him. That's why I need a tough prosecutor like you to nail him to the wall," Eve innocently explained, but Ted remained suspicious that there might be more to the story -- and insisted that, in any case, working with the woman who had hijacked Hope's career was simply never going to be an option worth considering.

Meanwhile, Kate received a phone call from Austin, who had heard about his mother's recent ordeal. She dismissively assured him that she was fine, but he remained concerned about her. "I'm concerned about you!" she countered, having heard that his marriage was in trouble. "Look, I'm in the hospital, so I have nothing but time, so you need to start talking," she insisted -- but just then, the door to her room swung open. "You're in luck, because I have a visitor, but we're gonna talk about this sooner than later, sweetie," she stressed before ending the call.

Kate's visitor -- Gabi -- sweetly handed over a plate of homemade brownies then impatiently demanded answers in exchange for the tasty-looking treats. "I know for a fact that [Nicole] was in those tunnels when you and Ted were locked in that secret room," Gabi explained, but Kate feigned ignorance and maintained, while sampling the brownies, that Stefan was the true mastermind of the kidnapping scheme. "Fine, lie to me -- wouldn't be the first time. I don't need you. I'm gonna find some way to prove that Stefan didn't do this," Gabi vowed before taking back the brownies. "They were dry, anyway," Kate called out as Gabi stormed off.

Later, Kate went to fill Ted in on what had just happened with Gabi. "I don't like Nicole, but I think [that] if we team up with her, we can take down Kristen together," Kate spontaneously decided, but Ted didn't like that idea.

At the Salem Inn, Kristen angrily dialed Xander's cell phone number.

"Give me back that mask, you idiot!" Kristen impatiently demanded when Xander answered the call. "Is that any way to talk to your partner in crime?" Xander asked with obvious disapproval. "You know I can't be seen unless I look like Nicole -- [and] thanks to you, partner, I haven't been able to leave this room since last night, so if you don't return that mask this instant, I am going to --" Kristen began to warn through gritted teeth. "Easy, tiger -- just having a little bit of fun with you," Xander countered. "Go look outside your door. I left you something that will make you very happy," Xander teasingly added before ending the call.

Kristen retrieved a gun, just in case, then cautiously opened the hotel room door, peeked into the hallway, and found a gift box sitting on the floor. She quickly grabbed it then ducked back out of view and shut the door. "It took months to develop this mask based on Rolf's technology. I swear to God, if you've damaged it in any way, I..." she began while opening the gift box, the contents of which silenced her at once.

"Did you like your gift?" Xander asked innocently when Kristen called back seconds later. "I hope I got the right size," Xander teasingly added. "You are playing a very dangerous game!" Kristen warned while angrily hurling Xander's gift -- the sort of mask that a wrestler might wear -- across the hotel room. "I am gonna kill you with my bare hands!" Kristen promised Xander before quickly realizing that would be too kind. "I am gonna torture you to death!" Kristen decided. "Without Nicole's mask, you can't step foot outside your door -- [at least] not without risking your freedom -- so you can't get to me," Xander dismissively countered.

"Or anyone else," Xander continued as Brady entered the Kiriakis mansion, having just returned from a jog. "Look who just walked in -- Brady Black, looking extra handsome today! Nice, uh...pecs, mate," Xander observed for Kristen's benefit before ending the call. "Who was that?" Brady asked curiously. "My assistant, Lois," Xander claimed. "Wench has a bit of a crush on you... Tell you what -- next time we're in the office, if you want, I'll put in a good word for you," Xander continued. "There's not gonna be a next time, Xander...[because], as of this morning, you are no longer a Titan employee," Brady revealed, stunning Xander.

"You were charged with the kidnapping of two people, one of which was a Titan employee, [and] you have a clause in your contract that says [that] if you commit a felony, that's grounds for termination," Brady explained. "Luckily, I have my contract right here," Xander countered without missing a beat. "Read the fine print," Xander advised Brady after retrieving a document from a briefcase. "I have to be convicted of a felony...and, in case you didn't hear, I got immunity this morning, so, uh...sorry, [but] you can't get rid of me quite that easily," Xander triumphantly summarized, but Brady quickly remembered another useful clause in the contract.

"Technically, you worked for the competition when you agreed to carry out Stefan DiMera's orders, [and] that, my friend, is [also] a violation of your contract," Brady pointed out. "Technically, that's true...but I would argue -- as would my lawyer -- that I accepted the job to benefit Titan. [See], Stefan contacted me to put Ted and Kate on ice because he knew I used to be a mercenary...but now that I've changed my ways, my first reaction was to turn him down flat...[and] then I realized I could use this opportunity to take Stefan down and destroy our family's biggest competition for good, so that's exactly what I did," Xander coolly countered.

"[So, go ahead and] fire me...but consider this -- Stefan's trial is gonna be very public, and when I come out of it, looking like a hero, you're going to have to explain -- to the board and Victor -- why you fired the man who brought down Stefan DiMera. If you play this wrong, you could be the one on the outside, looking in," Xander continued. "I like my odds...[but, for now, you can] keep your job," Brady grudgingly agreed.

Meanwhile, Sonny surprised Will with breakfast in bed -- a chocolate-chip waffle and a cup of coffee. "You're a god!" Will appreciatively raved while taking a whiff of the meal, which Sonny had lovingly prepared as a way of ensuring that Will's first morning back from the hospital would be perfect. After thanking Sonny with a kiss, Will stressed, "That is all I need for my morning to be perfect...but I'm not gonna say no to my two favorite food groups -- chocolate and waffles." As Will started eating, Sonny shared highlights from Jennifer's scathing editorial about the damage that Jack was doing to Salem as its mayor.

"Ouch -- [Jennifer] really called Jack out for what he is...or...what he's become, [anyway]," Will mused after Sonny's summary ended. "I'm surprised that he hasn't chosen to use Rolf's serum yet," Sonny admitted. "I hope he does, because this Jack Deveraux has zero moral compass," Will noted. "Speaking of no morals...I heard that Xander got immunity this morning," Sonny revealed. "You're kidding me! He -- he kidnapped my grandma!" Will incredulously stressed. "And Ted Laurent," Sonny pointed out. "Well, that -- that, I -- I don't blame him for," Will unapologetically declared, and Sonny agreed.

Sonny cheerfully predicted that, if nothing else, Xander would surely be ousted from Titan for playing a role in the kidnapping scheme. Will wondered if Brady would offer Xander's job to Sonny once that happened. "No, [because] Brady knows that I don't want to work at Titan anymore and that I want to run my own business [instead]," Sonny guessed.

"I just [still] don't have a clue what that business will be..." Sonny continued, sighing. "Well, I did promise I would help you figure it out...[so], now that I've carbo-loaded, maybe we can brainstorm... How about...a coffee shop? Or, like, a bar?" Will somewhat jokingly suggested. "Been there, done that," Sonny declared with a chuckle.

"Okay... How 'bout your own lifestyle company -- Sonny Chic?" Will continued. "I don't think I have the same eye as Gabi does for fashion," Sonny admitted, chuckling again. "Yeah, well, we do need to talk about refreshing your wardrobe..." Will agreed. "Are you really going there, Mr. Plaid-For-Days?" Sonny countered. "Ouch -- that's hurtful!" Will protested. "Well, lucky for you, I do have a thing for lumberjacks..." Sonny assured Will, who spontaneously suggested that as another job to consider.

"You're not helping!" Sonny protested between additional chuckles. "Sorry -- I'm distracted by my husband, who's very cute... Very jobless, but very cute," Will explained with a shrug. "Trust me -- I'm not complaining, because it means I get to spend more time with you...and do fun things like this," Will added before starting to kiss Sonny passionately.

Jack went to the police station to see Eve, who was reading Jennifer's editorial with obvious disgust.

"What's going on with you?" Eve asked, sensing that something -- other than the editorial -- was bothering Jack. "Oh, I've -- I've just been thinking about that serum, you know? The -- the risks, the unknowns, the drawbacks... And I've finally made my decision," Jack began. "Sounds to me like you're not gonna take it," Eve observed, clearly pleased. "On the contrary -- I want to remember my past," Jack clarified, stunning Eve.

At the Salem Inn, Kristen desperately tried to think of a way to reclaim her disguise.

Gabi soon started knocking on the hotel room door and calling out for Nicole. When Gabi refused to leave empty-handed, Kristen reluctantly opened the door, wearing Xander's gag gift. "Nicole?" Gabi asked, shocked and confused. "Go. Away!" Kristen demanded, managing an almost demonic growl to go along with the horrific mask. "If you don't leave, I'm calling the police!" Kristen added after slamming the door in Gabi's face. "This is not over!" Gabi warned before storming off. Kristen groaned and ripped off the novelty mask then went back to brainstorming ways to get into the Kiriakis mansion to steal back the far more useful mask.

"Of course..." Kristen eventually realized.

Gabi ran into Brady outside the Brady Pub. "There's something very strange going on...and your friend Nicole is in the middle of it," Gabi informed Brady.

Kate and Ted went to the Salem Inn to see Nicole, but no one ever opened the hotel room door.

Will and Sonny eventually left their bed, got dressed, and headed downstairs -- just in time to overhear Xander wrapping up a business call in the living room of the Kiriakis mansion.

"Hasn't Brady fired you yet?" Sonny asked incredulously. "Tried and failed," Xander replied with a grin of triumph. "You're awfully grouchy for someone who just remarried the love of their life. You're welcome, by the way. [I mean], do I really have to remind you who handed in the journal that saved Will's life? If it wasn't for me, you would have been a grieving widow, not a blushing bride, all over again," Xander reminded Sonny.

"He does have a point," Will acknowledged, and Sonny grudgingly agreed. "I'm sorry, Xander. You did come through for us. Of course, you could have come through a little bit earlier --" Sonny began. "But, even still, we are -- we are very grateful," Will helpfully concluded for Sonny. "Keep [this] in mind, boys -- you do owe me now, and a day might come where I need to cash in," Xander warned.

"We owe you one? You kidnapped my grandmother," Will incredulously noted. "And she's still alive...because I kept her alive, despite Stefan's orders. If you don't believe me, talk to Kate. She'll back me up," Xander countered. Will -- who wanted to check on Kate, anyway -- decided to do just that, and Sonny decided to tag along. Once the coast was clear, Xander tossed the Titan contract back in the briefcase, on top of Kristen's mask.

As Will and Sonny were about to exit the mansion, someone knocked on the front door. "Susan?" Will incredulously began while staring at the visitor in disbelief, unaware that it was really Kristen in disguise.

Kristen poses as Susan to get to Xander

Thursday, July 18, 2019

by Mike

Jennifer went to Doug's Place for a drink, needing to recover from the stress of the earlier encounter with Jack.

"I'm so glad you're here," Jennifer began, joining Hope at the bar. "I really just need to vent [to someone...but] I just need a glass of wine first... Wait a minute -- what time is it...? It's too early... Maybe I'll have, um...a mimosa -- that's good!" Jennifer continued before finally realizing that something was bothering Hope, too. "Are you okay?" Jennifer asked Hope, who responded with a quick shake of the head.

"My marriage to Rafe [is] officially over," Hope explained to Jennifer, fighting back tears while holding up the paperwork that had just arrived that morning. "Time for me to acknowledge that this chapter in my life -- a chapter I had a lot of hope for -- is done, closed..." Hope continued, and Jennifer responded with a nod of understanding, knowing the feeling all too well. The cousins comforted each other with a hug.

"It's so crazy, isn't it? I mean, [we] think we're gonna spend our future with the men of our dreams, and then everything goes horribly wrong," Jennifer sadly mused. "Jack [just] made it clear to me -- for the millionth time -- that I am the last person that he wants to spend any time with...with or without his memory," Jennifer explained before giving Hope more details about the earlier encounter with Jack. "Maybe this is what I needed; maybe -- maybe I really needed the truth to just kick me in the face to make me see that what Jack and I had is really lost forever," Jennifer conceded with a sigh at the end of the summary.

"I have to move on," Jennifer decided with a nod of determination before wondering if Hope was ready to do the same -- perhaps with Ted. "[I want] to be happy," Hope admitted, shrugging. "When I thought Ted was dead, it really -- it really made me think, [so]...maybe I do care for him, [and] maybe these papers here say it's time to explore those feelings," Hope continued, managing a hopeful smile.

At the police station, Eve tried to talk Jack out of taking Rolf's memory-jogging serum, citing the potentially fatal known side effect. "Eve, we've talked about this [already]. I want to have a relationship with Abigail and J.J. -- a shared history -- [and] taking that serum will give me that. [And] I've been following Will's progress. He's doing great -- 100% recovery, no side effects from the antidote -- [and] he's got his memories -- all of them. It seems like a win-win to me," Jack reasoned. "Yeah -- for Jennifer," Eve grumbled. "Admit it -- this sudden desire to take that serum isn't about your kids; [it's] all about Jennifer Rose Horton!" Eve bitterly added.

Jack insisted that Eve was wrong. "Why would I want to reclaim my past with Jennifer? You read [her editorial]! She hates me! She can't stand me! Every time I see her, she attacks me -- [and] I throw it right back at her [because] I can't stand being in the same town with her, let alone the same room!" Jack stressed. "Don't you understand? That's who you are; that's who you were! You, like, had these fireworks -- you're on-again, off-again; you love each other, you hate each other, [and then] you do it all over again! [And, Jack, at the time that] you 'died'...you loved her," Eve countered.

"Ancient history," Jack dismissively argued. "Until you take that serum, and all those memories come flooding back," Eve worriedly predicted. "It won't change what you and I have," Jack insisted. "You don't know that," Eve countered. "Oh, but I do...[because] I have never been happier than I am at this moment," Jack maintained. "That you can remember," Eve stressed, fighting back tears.

"How can I make you understand that you're the woman I'm in love with, not Jennifer?" Jack wondered. "There is one thing that you could do to reassure me..." Eve began before begging Jack not to take the serum. "Eve, I love you -- I do -- but... I'm sorry -- I want my memory back," Jack maintained with a shrug, prompting Eve to storm off in tears.

Outside the Brady Pub, Gabi told Brady about the earlier encounter with a masked Nicole -- and about Nicole's likely involvement in Ted and Kate's kidnapping. Brady laughed off Gabi's accusation but conceded with a sigh that Nicole had indeed been exhibiting out-of-character behavior lately. Brady refused to question Nicole on Gabi's behalf, vaguely explaining that doing so would be a bad idea. "You're working awfully hard to prove the innocence of a guy that you [supposedly] despise," Brady curiously noted. "Yes, I am -- because if he goes to prison for kidnapping Ted and Kate, I'm not gonna be able to destroy him myself," Gabi defensively reasoned.

"I've worked very hard and very long to bring back that bastard, [and] nothing is gonna get in the way of what I want," Gabi continued. "Hmm. Good luck with that," Brady skeptically replied before walking away.

At the Salem Inn, Kate and Ted plotted against Kristen from the privacy of Kate's hotel room. Ted remained reluctant to enlist the help of a wild card like Nicole -- who might just decide to alert Kristen in an act of self-preservation -- but Kate predicted that Nicole, having been under Kristen's control for months already, would surely jump at any opportunity to get out of that horrible situation. Kate added that, in any case, there were no better potential allies to turn to for help at that time, including Ted's choice -- Xander, an even bigger wild card whose immunity deal made double-crossing Kristen a pointless risk.

Ted observed, on two separate occasions, that Kate looked pale and was moving a bit sluggishly. The first time he expressed concern, she laughed off the idea that she had checked herself out of the hospital too soon, but the second time, she passed out while once again insisting that she was fine. He caught her and moved her over to the bed then fetched a bottle of water and a bar of chocolate from the minibar, suspecting that she was suffering from a case of low blood sugar. She soon regained consciousness and grudgingly bit off a tiny piece of the bar of chocolate to humor him, fearing that he might call for an ambulance if she didn't cooperate.

As Kate gulped down some water, Ted thought about their time in the secret tunnels, when things had gotten a bit steamy. Kate soon shoved the rest of the snack back at Ted and declared with a cringe that milk chocolate was disgusting. Ted insisted that Kate needed to eat something else, if not the bar of chocolate. Kate refused to cooperate and somewhat mockingly advised Ted to find and take care of Hope instead.

Ted defensively claimed to have real feelings for Hope, but Kate insisted that the odd couple would never last because of what had happened with Holly, which would surely be exposed at some point. "Larry Welsh, Patrick Lockhart, Aiden Jennings -- you see, Hope tends to attract the not-so-nice guys," Kate revealed before predicting that Ted's relationship with Hope would end the same way those other relationships had ended.

Ted stormed out of the hotel room, not wanting to deal with Kate's negativity any longer. Once the coast was clear, Kate reached for a bottle of Champagne, wanting something stronger than water. "I don't need Champagne," Kate decided after remembering the weird bath that Ted had taken while trapped in the secret tunnels. "And I don't need Ted Laurent," Kate insisted, trying not to think of what else had happened during that ordeal.

While walking past the pub, Jennifer spontaneously decided to contact Dr. Henry Shah and try to arrange a dinner date.

Hope was still at Doug's Place when Ted entered the club and flirtatiously offered a compliment. Hope, who was clearly pleased to see that Ted was out of the hospital, spontaneously offered a kiss in response.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Kristen, posing as Susan, seized a hug from Will and claimed, when Sonny asked, that visiting Salem had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. "Susan" fished for access to the interior of the mansion, and Will eventually took the hint, leading the way to the living room, where Xander was in the process of closing the briefcase that contained, among other things, Kristen's mask.

"Susan" flirted with Xander at first while fishing for a name to go along with the handsome face and chiseled body. After Will identified Xander, "Susan" lunged forward in anger, recalling that a Xander Cook had shot and nearly killed the lovely Dr. Marlena Evans, of all people, the previous summer. Will quickly intervened, preventing "Susan" from assaulting Xander. "He's not all bad," Will insisted. "He's the one that turned over Rolf's missing diary," Sonny explained. "[Which contained] the formula for the serum [that the doctors] used to make an antidote [to treat my brain tumor]," Will elaborated. "[It] saved Will's life," Sonny concluded.

"Susan" grudgingly conceded that, in that case, Xander was certainly owed a "debit" of gratitude. "Susan" pointedly noted, however, that Rolf's diary had never belonged to Xander in the first place -- and that it wasn't nice to take other people's belongings. Confused, Xander started to rush off, claiming to have a lot of work to get done before the end of the day. "Susan" slammed a hand down on the briefcase and refused to let "Will's savior" leave without some sort of gift, expressing the belief that it was always important to repay good deeds. "He was angling for a car [earlier]," Sonny helpfully revealed, but "Susan" had something else in mind.

"Susan" sneakily rummaged through a purse -- which contained, among other things, a gun. "Susan" lingered on the gun for a moment but ultimately decided to present Xander with another gift instead -- the novelty mask. Xander scowled, realizing that "Susan" was really Kristen. "That is one weird gift," Sonny whispered to Will. "Well, it is Susan..." Will reminded Sonny in an equally hushed tone. Meanwhile, "Susan" scowled back and stressed that, like "Xandy," the novelty mask was one of a kind. "Might come in handy -- you know, at Halloween...or if you're looking to make a career move," Sonny jokingly suggested, but Xander wasn't amused.

"Susan" forced Xander to take the novelty mask then pointedly advised that it might be best to stash the gift in the briefcase for safekeeping. "Susan" dramatically informed Xander that some of the wrestlers who wore such masks were actually known to be stone-cold killers who were capable of stabbing competitors in the back without hesitation. "I don't think they allow knives in wrestling matches..." Will interjected, doubting "Susan's" claim. "Susan" apologetically backpedaled, admitting that the novelty mask had originally been a gift from a gentleman whose tall tales probably shouldn't have been trusted. "You're regifting?" Will asked with a hint of disapproval.

"Susan" pointedly guessed that Xander would surely agree that it was only rude to regift an item to the same person who had originally provided the gift. Xander admitted to sharing Will's opinion that regifting was never appropriate, but "Susan" refused to take back the novelty mask, explaining that a more feminine one would be preferred. "Oh. Well, then...I wish you luck," Xander declared with a shrug before starting to leave with the novelty mask and the briefcase. "Susan" blocked the exit and suggested that Xander had forgotten to do something important. "Sorry -- where are my manners? Thank you," Xander replied before sidestepping "Susan."

"Susan" quietly cursed as Xander left the living room, prompting Will to curiously wonder if everything was okay. "Susan" bluntly claimed to simply need an emergency trip to the bathroom. Will and Sonny looked at each other in confusion as "Susan" followed Xander out of the living room. "Susan" started to exit the mansion, assuming that Xander had already done the same, but Brady entered it just then, shirtless and sweaty from another jog. "Susan" ogled Brady's chest and stammered while trying to find out if Xander was outside. "Haven't seen him," Brady replied with a shrug before helpfully advising "Susan" to stay far away from Xander.

Brady soon headed upstairs to take a shower, and Kristen sneakily followed, wanting to search Xander's bedroom. "There's a reason I put those initials on the door in the warehouse. How the hell am I supposed to know if I'm in the right room?" Kristen muttered after entering a random bedroom. While Kristen was searching the bedroom for the mask Xander had stolen, Brady emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a towel and still dripping wet.

"Susan?" Brady began with obvious confusion, startling Kristen, who was suddenly even more flustered than before.

Meanwhile, Will curiously noted that Susan had been gone for quite a while, prompting Sonny to jokingly suggest that, knowing Susan, an emergency trip to the bathroom had probably turned into something completely different, like an impromptu attempt to rid the mansion of Victor's negative energy. "Maybe, [but]...I don't know -- the way she showed up out of the blue... [It gave me] a bad feeling," Will admitted.

Will spontaneously decided to rummage through Susan's purse, which had been left unattended. "Didn't your mother ever teach you [that you should] never go through a woman's purse?" Sonny asked incredulously. "My mom is Sami Brady, so what do you think?" Will replied, and Sonny conceded the point. "Besides, Susan lied to me for two years about who I was, so I don't really feel bad [about] going through her gigantic Stevie Nicks purse," Will continued. "You might even find Stevie Nicks in that purse," Sonny joked, but Will soon found something equally shocking -- a gun. "What is she up to?" Will wondered, giving Sonny a look of concern.

Gabi ran into Xander in the Horton Town Square and seized the opportunity to ask a few questions about Nicole. "Why would I team up with my ex-wife? Nicole divorced me. She hates my guts," Xander innocently insisted after recovering from the shock of Gabi's accusation that Nicole, not Stefan, had masterminded Ted and Kate's kidnapping. "Or maybe it's all an act, [and] you're secretly in cahoots," Gabi countered.

"Prove it," Xander dismissively challenged Gabi. "I will," she promised. "And, probably, all the proof I need is right here," she added before snatching his briefcase and backing away with it.

Kristen tries to seduce Brady as Susan

Friday, July 19, 2019

by Mike

At the Hernandez house, Rafe started sorting a pile of mail -- and soon discovered the notification that his divorce had been finalized.

Rafe didn't have much time to process the news before Ben knocked on the front door. "Sorry to bother you at home, um...[but I've been] waiting to hear from you for a few weeks now. You were supposed to talk to my sister about letting me see my little nephew, [remember]?" Ben began. "I talked to her," Rafe revealed. "And?" Ben asked hopefully. "She said the same thing she said last time I spoke to her -- [that] she's worried about David's safety, and she's adamant you not be near him. [And I tried to convince her] that you're probably not a danger to anyone [anymore], but she was not having it," Rafe apologetically elaborated, disappointing Ben.

"And, uh, I was not gonna push, [because] she's not in a good place right now. [I mean], she's fragile, and, um...and, honestly, I think that she has given up all hope that she's gonna be released, [let alone] ever be able to raise her son. [Which is why] I have begun the process of petitioning for legal guardianship...[and] while everything's still up in the air, I don't want to do anything that could potentially jeopardize that guardianship -- you know, like going against Jordan's wishes -- [but]...once I nail this guardianship thing down, we can revisit this [and] talk about you potentially spending some time with your nephew," Rafe continued, giving Ben hope once again.

Ben wanted to at least get a quick peek at David before leaving, but Rafe insisted that wasn't a good idea. "But, like I said, I'll be in touch," Rafe reassured Ben, who took the hint and rushed off.

Rafe stepped back into the house with a scoff and a shake of the head -- actions that suggested that the promise that had just been made to Ben hadn't necessarily been sincere.

Ciara entered Doug's Place while Hope and Ted were in the midst of a kiss.

"Just for the record, I -- I'm officially divorced from Rafe [now]. I got the final papers today," Hope awkwardly began to explain after spotting Ciara. "You really don't owe me any kind of explanation. It's okay," Ciara assured Hope before turning to Ted. "I, uh...I assume my mother wouldn't be with you if she didn't truly believe that you've changed. I mean, yes, it's, uh...it's hard for me to get past what you did -- blackmailing my cousin Will -- but, for the record, I am truly a believer of [the concept of] love turning someone's life around, so I really hope things work out for you guys," Ciara continued, surprising Hope.

"Well, I'll leave you two to, uh...whatever... Um, I just -- I stopped by to give this to Grandma Julie," Ciara explained, holding up a paper bag. "It's just some stuff that Claire borrowed from her. [Tripp and I] found it when we were cleaning out her room," Ciara elaborated. "Grandma Julie isn't here, but I'll make sure she gets it," Hope offered, and Ciara gratefully accepted. "Do you know if Claire is allowed any visitors yet?" Ciara asked hopefully after handing over the bag. "Unfortunately, not yet," Hope replied. "Let me know as soon as she is," Ciara requested, and Hope nodded in response. Ciara thanked Hope again then rushed off.

At the Horton Town Square, Gabi tried to rush off with Xander's briefcase, causing a bit of a scene in the process.

"My entire life is in that briefcase!" Xander protested while chasing after Gabi, speaking loudly in an effort to draw the support of at least one of the onlookers. Gabi threatened to level an equally loud accusation of rape if Xander didn't stay away. "Theresa tried that once -- didn't work out so well for her," Xander pointed out while grabbing Gabi. "You need consent to touch me!" Gabi shouted. "You need consent to touch my belongings!" Xander countered. "How 'bout I put another body part on your 'belongings'?" Gabi suggested before kneeing Xander in the groin. Gabi rushed off with the briefcase as Xander collapsed to the ground in pain.

At the Brady Pub, Ben told Ciara about Rafe's earlier promise. "He probably meant it," Ciara assured Ben. "I hope you're right... I've never really been one to melt over a little kid, but...David's different, you know? Maybe because he's the only family I got...or maybe I'm just in a different stage of my life, thinking about the future -- and maybe someday [having] a family of my own," Ben admitted while giving Ciara a pointed look.

Roman soon approached and asked if Ben and Ciara needed any more food. "Just the check, please," Ciara replied. "No check -- on the house," Roman declared. "No, we can't let you do that," Ben insisted, already removing some cash from a wallet. "Yeah, especially since I've been such a lousy employee lately," Ciara agreed. "I'm really, really sorry about missing my shifts last week --" Ciara began to stress. "'Last week'? Ciara, I hired you six months ago, [and] I can probably count on one hand the number of times you've signed up for a work shift and actually worked," Roman countered, and Ben stifled a laugh, knowing that was accurate.

"Your heart's not in this job," Roman continued, and Ciara sheepishly conceded the point. "I love you to death -- you know that -- [and] I hate to do this, [but] I'm gonna have to let you go," Roman informed Ciara.

"I got a lot on my plate [right now, between] this place and closing down Ma's estate in California, [so] I need somebody here I can count on," Roman explained. "I get it...[and] I, uh, probably should have known from my first day here, when I dropped that hot tea in a customer's lap, that waitressing probably isn't my thing," Ciara admitted, managing a laugh. "You have plenty of other talents," Ben assured Ciara, and Roman agreed.

"And who knows -- maybe I'll get to see a lot more of you now that you're no longer an 'employee,'" Roman optimistically joked before walking away.

Xander entered Doug's Place while Hope and Ted were in the midst of another kiss. "Gabi Hernandez -- have you two seen her at all?" Xander asked after an awkward exchange with Hope and Ted. "No," Hope and Ted replied in unison. "Why are you looking for Gabi?" Hope curiously wondered. "Oh, just because, uh...I know she's suddenly very impassioned about defending Stefan from his kidnapping charges, [and] I'm just worried about her. Poor girl is in way over her head," Xander innocently explained before rushing off. "What in the world was that all about?" Hope mused. "I have no idea," Ted claimed.

Changing the subject, Ted offered to take Hope out on a date later, and she happily accepted without hesitation.

Rafe finished putting David down for a nap then realized that Gabi had entered the Hernandez house at some point during the process. Gabi, who was trying to pry open Xander's locked briefcase with a butter knife, begged Rafe -- an expert at picking locks -- for some help. Rafe refused, guessing that the metal briefcase couldn't possibly belong to Gabi, who always had to have the most stylish accessories.

Gabi sighed and reluctantly admitted that the briefcase belonged to Xander. Rafe again refused to help after hearing the whole story, reminding Gabi that any evidence found in the briefcase would be inadmissible, anyway. Rafe urged Gabi to return the briefcase to Xander right away. Gabi didn't think that was a good idea, but Rafe insisted that it was actually the best idea. Rafe curiously wondered why Gabi was suddenly so concerned about Stefan's freedom, anyway. Gabi defensively denied having any sort of personal relationship with Stefan, but Rafe seemed skeptical. Gabi pointed out that it would simply be bad for Gabi Chic if Stefan went to prison.

Gabi suddenly decided to return Xander's briefcase, desperate for any excuse to get out of Rafe's interrogation.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Will and Sonny inspected "Susan's" gun and discovered that it was not only real but was also loaded.

"Susan Banks with a gun -- that's about as frightening as Susan Banks with...a child," Sonny declared, shuddering. "Thanks," Will dryly countered. "No, I didn't mean you -- and she's not your real mother, [anyway]," Sonny clarified. "Well, I -- I believed that she was for a while..." Will acknowledged. "What does that say about me?" Will continued, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious about the matter. "You had amnesia, okay? You weren't in your right mind," Sonny pointed out in an effort to dismiss the concern, but Will seemed ready to ponder it further.

Sonny quickly changed the subject, wondering if it was even legal for Susan, who had spent time in a mental institution, to own a gun. "[Laws] never really stopped Susan [before]...although it might not be hers -- Roger had an extensive collection," Will noted. "Oh, yeah, yeah -- I remember... He actually pulled a gun on me when I came looking for you in Memphis," Sonny recalled. "How did you ever, like...sleep there?" Sonny asked incredulously. "I don't know... It was mostly for atmosphere -- you know, part of, like, the Elvis shtick... But, yes, Susan definitely borrowed them from time to time," Will replied.

Meanwhile, Kristen, still posing as Susan, ogled Brady's nearly naked body and stammered while claiming to be searching for a bathroom. Brady didn't bother to question why "Susan" had been rummaging through a dresser as part of the search, perhaps having learned to expect such odd behavior. Brady helpfully provided directions to the guest bathroom, prompting "Susan" to grumble that the Kiriakis mansion was bigger than Graceland. "Yeah, yeah... [Anyway], I'm gonna get dressed, if that's okay..." Brady announced, but "Susan" ignored the hint and seized a kiss.

Stunned, Brady quickly pushed "Susan" away and pointedly guessed that Roger wouldn't approve. "Susan" dismissively claimed that the relationship with Roger was an open one. Brady politely rejected "Susan's" advances, but Kristen wasn't able to resist the urge to seize another kiss. Pinned against a wall, Brady desperately tried to get away from "Susan" -- and as Will and Sonny entered the bedroom seconds later, Brady's towel fell to the floor. Will and Sonny politely looked away, and "Susan" lustfully stared, as Brady picked up the towel and put it back in place. "Are we, uh, interrupting something?" Sonny asked. "No!" Brady insisted, but "Susan" disagreed.

"Well, Susan, um...we have something that we need to talk to you about -- and, unfortunately, it can't wait," Will, who was carrying "Susan's" purse, began to explain. Brady silently thanked Will and Sonny for the interruption as "Susan" grudgingly agreed to hear the couple out. "We were just wondering what you were planning on doing, uh...with this," Will continued, removing the gun from the purse.

"Susan" seized the gun then demanded to know why Will and Sonny seemed to think it was appropriate to go through a woman's purse. "We're sorry -- we know we shouldn't have -- but we were very worried about you because you were acting...stranger than usual," Will carefully explained. "Susan" defensively reminded the men of the Second Amendment then argued that only a fool would walk around Salem, of all places, unarmed. "Susan" cocked the gun and started waving it around, making the men nervous. Will tried to take back the gun, citing concern for Arianna's safety -- as well as the fact that a permit was needed to carry a gun in Salem.

"Susan" claimed to have a permit -- then scowled when Will asked to see it. "Susan" made a show of searching the purse for the permit then reluctantly handed over the gun after admitting that the permit had apparently been left in Memphis. Will quickly activated the gun's safety mechanism. Recalling what had happened earlier, Will worriedly wondered if "Susan" had been planning to use the gun on Xander. "Susan" laughed off the accusation, but Will remained suspicious. Will started to head off to the living room with Sonny to put the gun in the wall safe, encouraging "Susan" to follow. "Susan" declined, wanting more time alone with Brady, who was horrified.

Will and Sonny silently apologized to Brady then rushed off, unable to think of any more ways to help. As soon as the coast was clear, "Susan" began trying to seduce Brady again. "I'm swearing off women right now. I've had some bad -- bad run-ins, so I'm just taking a break, you know?" Brady evasively claimed before asking "Susan" to leave. "Susan" sighed and reluctantly complied, silently vowing to win Brady back sooner or later.

Meanwhile, Will watched as Sonny locked the gun in the wall safe. "Do you really think she has a permit for that thing?" Sonny asked Will afterward. "Well, I would say it's not like Susan to lie, but she did lie to me about being a dead guy named E.J. DiMera for two years, so...there's that," Will replied. "Yeah, there is that..." Sonny agreed. "I'm starting to think that maybe she's not as harmless as she seems," Will admitted.

Will and Sonny left the living room and found "Susan" in the foyer, muttering a vow to find Xander and get back the mask. "Susan" claimed, when asked, that the mask in question was, of course, the novelty mask, which Xander didn't really deserve to enjoy, after all. "I don't know about you, but I think it's lucky for Xander that Susan does not have that gun [anymore]," Sonny told Will after "Susan" exited the mansion. "I think it's lucky for everyone that she doesn't have that gun [anymore]," Will stressed. Meanwhile, outside, Kristen dialed Xander's cell phone number and left an angry voicemail message, demanding an immediate meeting in the park.

Brady soon entered the foyer, fully dressed, and thanked Will and Sonny for having at least tried to help out earlier. Will wondered if Susan had attempted to seduce Brady because something bad had happened with Roger, prompting Brady to clarify that, apparently, Susan and Roger were simply in an open relationship. "Hmm. Well, that's news to me," Will stressed. "I know Susan can be unpredictable, but this seems weird, even for her. Every time she comes to town, chaos seems to follow," Will mused with a shake of the head, clearly a bit worried about what might happen next. Brady agreed then said goodbye to Will and Sonny and rushed out of the mansion.

Xander entered the park and soon found Kristen, who was still disguised as Susan. "It is about time! Give me back my mask -- now!" Kristen impatiently demanded through gritted teeth.

While passing through the town square, Brady ran into Gabi, who was looking for Xander. "When you see him, can you please give him this? It'll save me a trip," Gabi requested, shoving the briefcase at Brady.

Alone in the foyer of the Kiriakis mansion, Will and Sonny started kissing passionately. "Should we be doing this here?" Sonny eventually asked. "Well, I mean, with the way we keep getting interrupted, [this] seems as good a place as any," Will reasoned with a shrug. As Will and Sonny started kissing passionately again, the doorbell rang. "You were saying?" Sonny said, managing a chuckle. "Now what?" Will wondered, groaning.

Will and Sonny were shocked and confused to see that the visitor was Susan, who was wearing an entirely different outfit.