Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of March 8, 2021 on DAYS

Belle quit as Sami's lawyer after forensics confirmed Sami had gunshot residue on her clothes. Ava met Henry. Gabi stopped Abigail and freed Gwen. Abigail told Chad that she needed to make Gwen pay. Gabi agreed to give up on Jake. Paulina made a play for the Basic Black storefront. Theo returned for a visit. Christian shot Shawn. Ciara blew up her cage, and Ben rescued her from the rubble. Kristen knocked out Sarah when Sarah saw her out of her disguise. Rex returned to Salem.

Belle demands the truth from Sami

Monday, March 8, 2021

by Mike

Allie took Henry to the town square to see Lucas. "I was at the police station [earlier, but] Rafe sent me away," Allie grumbled. "Did you hear anything?" Lucas wondered. "They kept [Mom] overnight -- I mean, that can't be good..." Allie responded. "Right..." Lucas agreed before deciding to contact Shawn, who revealed that Sami had officially been arrested earlier that day as the prime suspect in Charlie's murder case.

After ending the call, Lucas filled Allie in on everything that Shawn had just shared. "I know -- it's bad," Lucas conceded when Allie started to panic about the seriousness of Sami's predicament. "But your mom, she's been in situations like this before..." Lucas began to assure Allie. "Believe it or not..." Lucas somewhat dryly continued. "And she always finds a way to come out okay, [so] let's not think worst-case scenario," Lucas concluded with a dismissive shrug. "How can I not when this is all my fault?" Allie argued. "Why would you think this is your fault?" Lucas countered.

"Because...if I hadn't told Mom about Charlie, then she wouldn't be where she is," Allie stammered. "You didn't tell your mom to ride into town with a gun and take matters into her own hands," Lucas protested. "I know, but --" Allie started to respond -- but Tripp approached just then, eager to see Henry.

"I'm sorry -- am I interrupting?" Tripp began. "Actually, I'm kind of glad that we ran into you -- [see], I wanted to reach out earlier, [but] I didn't really know what to say...about Charlie..." Allie answered. "I don't really know what to say, either -- I mean, I didn't even know I had a brother until a few weeks ago..." Tripp stressed.

"I can't say a part of me isn't relieved that he's out of our lives for good," Tripp admitted before quickly backpedaling. "I shouldn't have said that -- that I was relieved -- [because, after all], he is my brother -- was my brother... It's just that if he was still here, I might not be..." Tripp began to explain.

Allie and Lucas were both surprised to learn that Charlie had recently threatened to resort to murder as a way of ensuring that Tripp would never have a relationship with Henry. Tripp was equally surprised when Allie and Lucas revealed that Sami had been arrested as the prime suspect in Charlie's murder case. "I just wish that none of this ever happened..." Allie fretted. "I know...[but] I'm just glad Henry's okay," Tripp stressed.

Rafe entered the Hernandez house and greeted Ava -- then reported that Sami was under arrest as the prime suspect in Charlie's murder case. "We found her fingerprints on the murder weapon," Rafe explained. "[But] do you [actually] believe that Sami killed my son?" Ava wondered. "What I believe doesn't matter -- I just have to go with the facts," Rafe answered. "Yeah, but you and Sami are close --" Ava recalled. "My personal relationship with her isn't gonna interfere with the case, if that's what you're thinking," Rafe stressed.

"I know that you and Charlie weren't close, but he was your son, and I'm going to see to it that justice is done," Rafe promised. "I believe that justice has been done," Ava admitted. "Are you saying you think he deserved to be shot?" Rafe asked incredulously. "I'm saying I understand why Sami did what she did -- [because] I am a mother, just like Sami is, and I understand what it's like when your child is hurting, and how you want to do anything to take their pain away," Ava matter-of-factly replied. "Okay, yeah -- but in the eyes of the law --" Rafe argued. "She has to be punished -- yeah, I know; I get it," Ava conceded.

"[And] don't get me wrong -- I am grateful that you've arrested my son's killer, [because] no one should have to die the way that he did... [Look], I'm just relieved that things are over now, and we can all start to heal," Ava stressed. "Well, I wouldn't go that far -- [I mean], this case is anything but 'closed' [right now, and] it is going to be a long and painful process for everyone involved," Rafe warned. "Including you," Ava fretted, guessing that Rafe still had feelings for Sami. "My relationship with Sami was -- is -- very complicated," Rafe muttered. "I get it -- so was mine with my son," Ava whispered.

Ava quickly changed the subject, offering to move out of the Hernandez house right away -- but Rafe insisted that there was no rush, even though Charlie was no longer a threat.

At the police station, Sami demanded to know why Belle hadn't intervened earlier. "How was I supposed to stop [Rafe from arresting you]? Your fingerprints were on the gun that shot Charlie!" Belle argued. "Doesn't mean I killed that son of a bitch," Sami countered.

Belle scoffed then started to exit the conference room in which Sami was being held. "Where are you going?" Sami wondered. "I warned you not to lie to me, and [then] you said you never touched the murder weapon...so, you lied -- and now, as promised, I quit," Belle answered.

"Wait, Belle -- you can't just go!" Sami protested. "Why should I stay and represent you when even I can't trust you?" Belle reasoned. "Okay -- I touched the gun, all right? [But] I didn't kill Charlie Dale -- I was telling you the truth about that part, I swear!" Sami stressed. "Oh, you 'swear' -- okay..." Belle skeptically muttered.

"For someone who says she's innocent, you sure are acting awfully guilty..." Belle observed. "I know it looks bad --" Sami conceded. "I just don't understand you!" Belle blurted out with a sigh of frustration before quickly backpedaling, realizing that Sami's behavior was actually all too familiar -- to practically any parent, at least.

"You're just like Claire was [back] when she was...maybe two years old? [Anyway], she'd come in with chocolate all over her face and swear up and down [that] she 'never ate that piece of cake'!" Belle recalled. "She takes after her aunt," Sami bragged. "That's not a good thing, Sami! You knew that your fingerprints were gonna be on that gun, and you knew that I was gonna find out -- just as you were swearing to my face that you were telling the truth!" Belle summarized. "I also knew that you were gonna help me -- I know that you are -- because you're family -- because you're my sister -- and you know that that is the most important thing -- that you might not like me, and we might not get along, but when things are really bad, there is nothing that we wouldn't do for each other," Sami argued.

Belle grudgingly conceded the point after a moment of thought. "Fine, I'm not gonna walk out that door this time...but this is your absolute last chance -- if you lie to me again, Sami, I swear to God, I am done with you," Belle stressed before demanding to know why Sami had been foolish enough to touch the murder weapon. "I guess I just wasn't thinking clearly..." Sami stammered, but Belle wasn't convinced.

"Are you protecting someone?" Belle challenged Sami, who laughed off the accusation. "It occurs to me that if you weren't sitting here charged, [then] the number-one suspect would likely be your daughter --" Belle pointed out, still suspicious of Sami's true motives. "She didn't have anything to do with this!" Sami insisted. "How do you know?" Belle wondered. "Because my daughter is not a killer...unlike someone's daughter, who doesn't mind torching an ex or two --" Sami answered. "Leave Claire out of this!" Belle warned. "Sorry, you're right -- I'm just very protective when it comes to my little girl," Sami whispered.

At the Hernandez house, Ava received a visit from Tripp -- who was with Allie and Henry. Ava was touched that Tripp had arranged the meeting with Henry -- and that Allie had agreed to it.

At the police station, Rafe joined Sami and Belle in one of the conference rooms. Belle explained to Rafe that Sami had picked up the murder weapon in a moment of panic and had then put it back on the floor a second later. "Why didn't she ever mention that before?" Rafe wondered. "Oh, come on, Rafe -- she was petrified; she knows how this looks, especially given her history!" Belle reasoned.

"[So, Sami]...you never fired the gun?" Rafe guessed. "Nope -- I never fired the gun," Sami confirmed. "[So, Rafe]...look, I know you've got a lot of other suspects, and if the fingerprints are all you've got, and the D.A. isn't ready to file charges, then --" Belle began to summarize. "[The fingerprints] aren't all we've got -- not by a long shot..." Rafe clarified before elaborating that gunshot residue had been found all over the clothes Sami had been wearing on the night of Charlie's murder. "I can explain --" Sami insisted, speaking to Belle instead of Rafe -- who argued that the only explanation was that Sami had killed Charlie.

After Rafe left, Sami continued trying to offer an explanation to Belle, who wasn't interested in listening to it. "I gave you one more chance, and you blew it -- you lied to me [again] -- so I quit -- for real this time. You're on your own," Belle snapped at Sami before storming out of the room and slamming the door shut.

At the DiMera mansion, Anna curiously wondered why Gwen was tied to a chair in the wine cellar. "Oh, you know -- just looking for a nice Merlot..." Gwen sarcastically answered before begging Anna for help with the bindings. "Somebody kidnapped you," Anna realized. "Thank you so much for noticing," Gwen grumbled.

Anna was surprised to hear that Abigail and Gabi had joined forces in an effort to take down Gwen. Anna selected a bottle of wine then left, refusing to free Gwen.

At the park, Chad explained to Abigail -- and, by extension, Gabi -- that Thomas and Charlotte were playing together somewhere nearby. "I didn't expect to see you here..." Chad admitted. "Yeah, I know..." Abigail responded. "I canceled our couples therapy appointment 'cause you said you had something 'more important' to do," Chad noted. "I did -- I mean, yeah, I do," Abigail stammered. "With her?" Chad asked incredulously. "I...asked Gabi to meet me here..." Abigail hesitantly replied. "Why?" Chad wondered. "So that I could do something that I should have done a long time ago," Abigail claimed.

Abigail made a big show of apologizing for having leveled false accusations at Gabi the previous year -- and Gabi, in turn, made a big show of debating whether to forgive Abigail for the misunderstanding. "What the hell was that about?" Abigail snapped at Gabi after Chad rushed off to check on the kids. "Chad wasn't gonna just believe that I'm gonna accept your apology without fighting back," Gabi reasoned with a shrug. "So, it was an act? [Because, remember], you've already accepted my apology!" Abigail summarized. "We have made a truce...but you do have to know that I'm never gonna be totally over what you did to me," Gabi explained. "Understood -- and right back at ya," Abigail countered before changing the subject, ordering Gabi to lead the way to Rolf's secret stash of drugs.

"Just to be clear...we're only gonna be threatening [Gwen], right? I mean, we're not gonna inject her with the...you know...[and] melt her brain?" Gabi challenged Abigail. "Like I would ever do that! And since when have you grown a conscience about drugging people?" Abigail responded. "Do you want my help or not?" Gabi snapped. "Do you want Jake back or not?" Abigail countered.

Gabi released a groan of frustration then led Abigail to Rolf's secret stash of drugs -- and, afterward, they headed off to the DiMera mansion to confront Gwen, who still refused to confess to having murdered Laura, even after being threatened with a syringe containing one of Rolf's drugs. "We all know you don't have the guts," Gwen challenged Abigail, who raised the syringe in response and insisted that wasn't true.

Meanwhile, Anna tried to stop Chad from going down to the wine cellar to select something for a welcome-home dinner for Abigail.

Paulina makes a move against Kate

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

by Spalding

While Eli helped Lani fold laundry in their apartment, Lani said she loved her aunt, but she did not have the words to describe her. "When I was little, it would drive my mom crazy that my Aunt Paulina would sweep in from her latest adventure and just spoil me rotten," Lani said. Lani told Eli that one year, she had begged her mother for a pony for Christmas, and Paulina had ridden into the house on a pony on Christmas morning.

"[Paulina] is definitely not afraid to flaunt what she got. But she also really likes taking care of the people she loves," Lani said. Eli guessed that Paulina had not had her own kids to spoil, and Lani confirmed that Paulina had a daughter. When Eli joked that the situation sounded like a Real Housewives scenario, Lani told him that her Uncle George was a house husband.

"Aunt Paulina was the one who made a fortune at commercial real estate," Lani said. "Good for her," Eli said. With a smile, Lani said that her aunt was flamboyant, but when it came to business, "she is a total badass." With a chuckle, Lani warned Eli not to get on Paulina's bad side.

After Lani left for work, a package arrived. Inside was a Tiffany blue box and a note that read, "My dearest Carver and Jules, maybe you weren't born with these in your mouths, but don't you worry, Aunt P's got your back." Lani chuckled. "At least it wasn't a couple of ponies," Lani said.

In the DiMera wine cellar, Abigail threatened to inject Gwen with the same drug Gwen had used on Abigail to "melt" her mind. With a laugh, Gwen told Abigail that she did not have the guts to follow through. "You sent Gabi to do your dirty work and bash me over the head," Gwen said. "I was glad to do it," Gabi interjected. "That's because you're almost as ruthless as I am, but not sweet, cowardly Abigail," Gwen said.

"You've underestimated me, which was a very, very big mistake," Abigail said. Abigail raised the needle above her head as if she planned to stab Gwen. Gabi grabbed Abigail's wrist. "Let go," Abigail growled. Gabi wrestled the needle away from Abigail.

"You little bitch!" Abigail yelled. "You told me you were not going to go this far," Gabi whispered. "[Gwen] needs to pay!" Abigail objected. Frustrated, Gabi argued that she would not go back to prison for attempted murder because Abigail overreacted. "This is over! I'm done!" Gabi shouted.

"All of a sudden you've got a problem with committing a felony?" Abigail asked. With a sigh, Abigail noted that she would find another way to force a confession from Gwen. Gwen argued that Abigail was too weak to pressure her. "You are not helping, Gwen," Gabi said. Gabi begged Abigail to think about her kids. Angry, Abigail told Gabi that she would never help Gabi get Jake back. "I can't believe I actually thought I could trust you," Abigail said. With a frustrated sigh, Abigail walked out.

"Thank you for saving me from that lunatic," Gwen said. Gabi said she could not set Gwen free because she would go to the cops. Confused, Gwen asked Gabi if she planned to leave her in the cellar to be murdered. "What's your solution?" Gabi asked. "If I promise to leave your name out of this kidnapping, I won't mention a word to the police, will you let me go?" Gwen asked.

In the DiMera study, Anna pleaded with Chad not to go to the wine cellar. "What is it you don't want me to see down there?" Chad asked. Anna confessed she had drunk all the wine that Chad wanted. Suspicious, Chad argued that he knew Anna was faking drunkenness. Chad asked what Anna was hiding in the cellar.

"I've had so much practice lying, you'd think I'd be better at it," Anna grumbled. Anna asked Chad to trust her and not go into the cellar. "What's down there that you don't want me to see?" Chad asked. Abigail opened the door to the tunnels and entered the study. Chad asked Anna for a moment alone with his wife, and Anna hurried out of the room.

"What's going on? You're starting to scare me," Chad said. Abigail refused to explain. As Chad announced he would look in the tunnels himself, Gwen stumbled out of the secret passage. "Your wife tied me up, and she tried to kill me!" Gwen said. "Do not listen to her!" Abigail yelled. Gwen told Chad that Abigail had conspired with Gabi to kidnap her. "She put me in the basement and tried to get me to confess to murdering Laura Horton," Gwen continued. Gwen stressed that Laura's death had been an accident.

"They tried to kill you?" Chad asked. "Yes, and when I refused to lie, she pulls out this syringe filled with Dr. Rolf's mind-altering drug, and when I still wouldn't confess, then she threatened to actually inject me with it. I mean, my God, if Gabi hadn't stopped her, she had murder in her eyes. She still does," Gwen said. Chad looked into Abigail's eyes, and he asked her if what Gwen had said was true.

"I can't believe that Gabi let you out," Abigail growled. Chad gripped Abigail's shoulders firmly and held her back from Gwen. Abigail lamented that she had trusted Gabi. "I [told Gabi] that I wouldn't go to the police. I'm going to say that you did this all on your own, and you know what? You're going down," Gwen said.

Chad reminded Gwen that Laura's death was still under investigation. "I'm innocent, but your wife here, she is a psycho, and she has finally cracked, and you are complicit. But I have witnesses," Gwen said. Abigail argued that Gabi was not in a position to be a witness. Gwen marched out. Abigail started to follow her, but Chad grabbed her.

"Do you have any idea what you just did? You put everything at risk. Our family, our future, your freedom. For what?" Chad asked. Abigail argued that the family was not safe. "How many other people are you going to let [Gwen] hurt?" Abigail asked. Abigail accused Chad of taking Gwen's side. "I'm not on her side!" Chad bellowed.

After a moment, Chad took a deep breath. Chad reminded Abigail that she had canceled couples therapy in pursuit of her revenge. Chad asked Abigail how long she had planned to kidnap Gwen. When Abigail shrugged, a pained look crossed Chad's face.

"Did you move back home because you wanted to work on our marriage or because you wanted access to the tunnels?" Chad asked. Abigail swore she would never use Chad in that way and that Chad knew that. "Right now, Abby? I don't know you at all," Chad said. Abigail stressed that she had moved back into the mansion so that they could work on their marriage.

"Gwen tried to tear us apart, and now she might succeed because you can't let this go!" Chad said. "Am I just supposed to let my grandmother's death go?" Abigail asked. Chad yelled that it was not worth Abigail's incarceration. When Chad suggested that Laura's death could have been an accident, Abigail said, "I cannot believe you're even saying that!"

"Well I can't believe you tortured someone in our basement! How far is too far? What is it going to take for this to be over?" Chad asked. "This is only going to be over when Gwen is no longer a part of our lives. Whatever it takes," Abigail said. Chad asked Abigail what she intended to do to Gwen. "I will figure it out," Abigail said. Chad begged Abigail to move on, but Abigail said she could not forget what Gwen had done to her or her family.

"I'm so sorry for how Gwen hurt you, and I am sorry beyond words for how I hurt you, and for believing her lives. But how you're acting right now, baby, this isn't you," Chad said. "Yes, it is. This is me. I am finally fighting back the way I should have a long time ago," Abigail said. Chad asked Abigail if fighting back was worth going to prison. "Yes," Abigail said. With tears in his eyes, Chad walked out.

In Jake's office at DiMera Enterprises, he reviewed reports while Kate worked nearby. "Turns out I'm pretty good at this CEO thing. Sales numbers are up. Stock price is at an all-time high, and your idea to take over the Gabi Chic space in the square and make it the flagship for Basic Black? Stroke of genius," Jake said with a chuckle. When Jake said he could not forget the look on Gabi's face, Kate asked Jake to stop.

"Just stop picturing Gabi's face, because when I made the suggestion to take over that place, it was a business decision. I didn't expect to be talking about Gabi Hernandez for the whole damn day," Kate muttered. "Here we go again," Jake complained. Jake asked Kate why she was upset when the lease deal had been her idea. Kate explained that she had suggested a business deal, and Jake had made the whole situation about Gabi.

"How could I not? She said she was going to run my company into the ground," Jake said. Kate argued that the situation with Gabi was not personal. When Kate noted that Gabi was an old friend, Jake scoffed. "You're still friends even after she has tried to weasel her way back into my bed multiple times?" Jake asked. Kate argued that Jake had made it an issue.

"I chose not to hire Gabi. I chose not to be her friend anymore. Now I can't even hate her? When are you going to let it go?" Jake asked. When Kate mentioned the old adage of a thin line between love and hate, Jake stressed that there was nothing left between him and Gabi. Jake admitted that he was frustrated that he could not convince Kate that things were over between him and Gabi. Kate pointed out that when Jake had made those statements, he had pulled Kate into a kiss.

"It's a bad thing if you're using me to convince yourself that you don't have feelings for her," Kate explained. Jake started to respond, but Kate asked for a moment to get air, and she left. As Jake continued to work, Gabi rushed into the room. "Oh, good, you're here!" Gabi said. Jake warned Gabi that he had nothing to say. Gabi said she needed to talk to someone.

"I just stopped a murder," Gabi said. Gabi told Jake what had happened with Abigail, and he asked her if she wanted a pat on the back for her actions. "I don't know why I'm here. I'm just freaked out, okay?" Gabi said. Gabi explained that she could not talk to her brother because he was a cop. "You're my," Gabi started. "My what?" Jake asked. After a moment, Gabi admitted, "You're my only friend.

"Except we're not friends anymore, Gabi," Jake said. Jake reminded Gabi that she had threatened to destroy his company. "That's why you went crawling back to Abigail? You were desperate for a friend?" Jake said with a laugh. "She came crawling back to me," Gabi objected. Curious, Jake asked Gabi why she had helped Abigail. Gabi admitted that Abigail had offered to help blow up Jake's relationship with Kate.

"How many times do I have to tell you no? Would you please just stop? Do you realize how much stress you bring to my life?" Jake asked. Gabi shrugged. Jake asked what Abigail's plan had been. "I don't know. She's not even going to help me," Gabi said. Jake asked Gabi if she intended to finally give up on her pursuit of him. "Giving up? Me? Never," Gabi said. Frustrated, Jake asked Gabi what it would take to convince her that he was in love with Kate.

"You're not in love with Kate. You just think you are," Gabi said. Gabi explained that Jake could not be in love with Kate when he still had unresolved feelings for Gabi. Jake disagreed. With a smirk, Gabi noted that when she had kissed Jake in the square, he had kissed her back. "You know you felt it. That spark. Strong as ever. Admit it," Gabi said. "Fine, Gabi. I will admit it. You're right. I do," Jake said as he took a step closer.

"I care about you enough to not want to watch you act desperate and pathetic chasing a man who is never going to be yours," Jake said. Hurt, Gabi asked Jake why he was saying that. "Because this has to stop. Please. Now. For me, for Kate, and most importantly, for you. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Jake said. "Your message is very loud and very clear," Gabi said. Gabi added that she would not be back. Gabi hesitated at the doorway, then she walked out.

As Paulina left the Salem Inn, she spotted Abe walking across the square. "Yoo-hoo! Abraham Carver! Just the man I wanted to see," Paulina said. Paulina told Abe that she was no longer upset that Abe had refused to hold the christening on government property. "My bad for thinking that the mayor has some kind of pull," Paulina added. "I have plenty of pull," Abe countered. Paulina promised to make the day of the christening unforgettable.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Abe joked. As Abe started to leave, Paulina stopped him again. "I have a business proposition for you," Paulina said. Paulina said she had noticed the stop work order on the door to Gabi Chic. "Turns out two interested parties are involved in a dispute with the landlord," Paulina explained. When Abe asked Paulina what she wanted, Paulina asked Abe to put in a good word with the landlord.

"Does this mean that you're staying in Salem?" Abe asked. Paulina said she wanted to expand her brand to the Midwest. Kate overheard the conversation, and she interrupted to note that she had signed a lease for the storefront. "Just who the hell are you?" Paulina asked. "I'm Kate DiMera. Who the hell are you?" Kate countered.

"This is Lani's aunt, Paulina Price. Kate used to be my spokesperson until very recently," Abe said. Suspicious, Paulina asked for the story. When Kate said she had simply changed jobs, Abe added, "Without two weeks' notice." Paulina asked Kate if the storefront was for her new job. With a shake of her head no, Kate said that she was an executive at DiMera Enterprises. Paulina suggested that she would take over the store, and Kate could return to the mayor's office.

"Like I said, I already have a signed lease on that store," Kate said. Paulina said she had confirmed that the contract had not been executed. "And I understand that the landlord is open to a little palm greasing, but I suspect you already know that," Paulina said. Kate argued that her company had made a strong offer for the place. When Paulina asked about the business, Kate explained that the store would be a flagship store for Basic Black.

"Basic Black? What an interesting name for a white-owned business. Some would call that cultural appropriation," Paulina said. Abe explained that the founder of the company was named John Black. Paulina asked Abe if he could say how many businesses in the square were Black-owned. "Not off the top of my head," Abe admitted.

"None. Gabi Chic was the last owner who was a Latinx proprietor, and now she, too, has become a casualty of corporate greed. Now, that is not a good look, Mr. Mayor," Paulina said. Kate chuckled nervously and defended the equal opportunity employment at DiMera. With a nod, Paulina listed the names of DiMera board members, and she pointed out that each member was white.

"You know, whether or not there are Black-owned businesses in this square doesn't mean I should have to move," Kate argued. Paulina countered that Kate had not moved into the storefront yet. "The mayor has the right of ensuring equal representation in every sphere of public life," Paulina said.

"Paulina does make some very strong points. So, given that, I will introduce you to the landlord, and you can make the pitch directly," Abe said. With a groan, Kate asked Abe if it was revenge because she had quit her job on short notice. "I only agreed to make an introduction. It's nothing personal," Abe said.

After Kate left, Paulina thanked Abe. "I agreed to make an introduction. I'm not on anyone's side," Abe said. "I'm sure you'll do the right thing for your town and for your family," Paulina said.

With ropes still tied to Gwen's wrists, she carefully messed up her hair and clothes before she groaned and stumbled over to Eli's desk at the police station. "What happened?" Eli asked. "I need to report an attempted murder," a breathless Gwen said. Eli helped Gwen into a chair. Gwen asked for Rafe.

"I'm tired of getting the runaround in this department!" Gwen snapped. "And we're tired of you coming down here, wasting our time with unfounded charges against Abigail," Eli said. Gwen held up her wrists to show off the knotted ropes. "My little sister kidnapped me, and she tried to kill me," Gwen complained. Eli admitted that he was skeptical. Gwen asked Eli if he intended to bury the charges like Shawn. "We're not family counselors. You and Abigail are going to have to work this out yourselves," Eli said.

Eli and Lani selected Jules and Carver's godparents

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

by Mike

Roman went for a walk then returned to the Brady Pub -- and found Gabi sitting on a nearby bench, sobbing. "Arianna?" Roman worriedly began. "No, no -- Arianna's fine; I spoke to Will and Sonny this morning," Gabi quickly clarified. "Then...what's wrong?" Roman wondered. "I just got dumped!" Gabi fretted. "I didn't realize you were seeing anybody," Roman admitted. "Well, I wasn't...so, yeah, you're right -- I wasn't exactly 'dumped'; more like...humiliated and insulted!" Gabi conceded before explaining to Roman that Jake was apparently more interested in being in a relationship with Kate.

"Kate, of all people -- [Kate], who is old enough to be his mother; Kate, who has been with every single man in this town --" Gabi summarized. "Whoa -- easy there, okay? You are talking about the mother of my children," Roman protested. "Yes, that's right -- yes, the twins that came out of the sky..." Gabi dryly recalled before halfheartedly apologizing to Roman.

Roman disagreed with Gabi's assertion that Kate wasn't good enough for Jake -- and argued that, in fact, Jake wasn't good enough for Kate. "[But at least] we both agree that Jake and Kate don't belong together," Roman summarized. "Yeah...but they're together, [so] I will now accept that, and I am not gonna give a damn about that stupid idiot anymore -- [in fact], I can do better than Jake!" Gabi declared before rushing off in tears.

At the Horton Town Square, Paulina continued trying to guilt Abe into forcing a certain outcome in the bidding war for the property's only available storefront. "I believe that you have a real opportunity to prove that you're a visionary --" Paulina argued. "You also seem to believe in bulldozing people. [Now], I have told you repeatedly that I only agreed to make an introduction [between you and the landlord]," Abe countered.

"'Bulldozing'? [No], I play fair -- not like that 'DiMera' woman!" Paulina protested. "So, it's not 'fair' that Kate has a signed lease for a property that you want," Abe summarized. "It's not the lease [that's unfair] -- it's the way she's using her history with you! This is a business deal, but she's framing it in personal terms!" Paulina clarified. "And you dropping the word 'family' into every other sentence [is]...not personal," Abe guessed.

"You don't have to take my word for it -- if you want to know more about my track record [when it comes to playing fair], just ask anybody in Miami --" Paulina maintained. "Miami and Salem are two very different places," Abe stressed with a chuckle. "Which is why it's a good thing that I'm here -- somebody needs to bring a little pizzazz to this one-horse town! [I mean], you have Ye Olde Salem Inn, Ye Olde Jewelry Store, and Ye Olde Dry Cleaners... Baby, if variety was the spice of life, Salem [would be] a sodium-free diet -- [not to mention] whiter than an Alaskan tundra...and I'm not talking about the miles and miles of picket fences!" Paulina reasoned while looking around the town square with a cringe of disgust. "Not to generalize or anything..." Abe grumbled. "This town needs me!" Paulina insisted.

"And I need to take off these shoes -- ugh, they're killing me! I need to sit down!" Paulina randomly complained. "Oh? Well, there's Ye Olde Bench..." Abe offered, directing Paulina's attention to the nearest available seat. "No -- let's go someplace else, where I can buy you a drink... Salem isn't dry, is it? I mean, I can get a drink here, [right]?" Paulina responded. "We repealed Prohibition just last week," Abe sarcastically confirmed before starting to list Salem's most popular restaurants -- none of which sounded appealing to Paulina.

At the Price-Grant apartment, Lani received a visit from Theo, who had just arrived in town -- a day sooner than expected -- and hadn't seen anyone else yet. "I couldn't wait to see those babies, so I caught an earlier flight," Theo explained before taking a look at the twins -- and declaring that they both slightly resembled Eli but mainly resembled Lani. "I know...but don't tell Eli," Lani whispered to Theo with a laugh.

Theo produced a leather pouch and handed it to Lani, who found two handmade bracelets inside -- a blue one and a pink one. "The Zulus make them," Theo explained. "These are perfect [gifts] from a perfect uncle," Lani raved before acknowledging, with a hint of embarrassment, that the handmade bracelets couldn't be more different from the silver spoons that the twins had received from their aunt that day.

Lani told Theo a bit about Paulina then changed the subject, eager to reveal a secret. "Eli and I talked about it, and we decided that both babies deserve their own godparents, so we're gonna ask Dad to be Carver's [godfather...and] we're hoping that [you will] be Jules's," Lani explained, and Theo nervously accepted the responsibility.

Lani hoped that the development would prompt Theo to start visiting more often -- and that Theo's girlfriend would be okay with that change. "We want you here for the twins' birthdays, and holidays, and --" Lani begged. "She's actually not my girlfriend anymore -- [in fact], we just broke up," Theo clarified before refusing to say anything else about the matter.

Eli met up with Valerie at the Brady Pub and apologized for being late. "I got caught up at work --" Eli started to explain, but Valerie dismissed the concern then changed the subject, anxious to know why the meeting had been arranged in the first place. "Lani and I have decided -- unanimously -- that we want you to be Carver's godmother," Eli revealed, and Valerie happily accepted the responsibility.

"And we're gonna ask Julie to be Jules's godmother -- but we haven't told her yet, so...keep it on the low," Eli added. "You...do know that she's already expecting that...right?" Valerie warned. "Oh, God..." Eli muttered. "I talked to her on the phone the other day -- or, rather, I listened to her on the phone -- and that's all she talked about... You know, I sure hope I'm there when you tell her, because she said she was going to act very surprised," Valerie elaborated. "That sounds just like my Grandma Julie..." Eli conceded with a shake of the head.

Claire entered Julie's Place and greeted Julie, who was clearly upset about something. Claire was stunned when Julie explained that Sami had been arrested earlier that day as the prime suspect in Charlie's murder case. "Weird..." Claire muttered before deciding to instead focus on helping Ben.

"That just slipped out -- I'm sorry," Claire tried to backpedal when Julie started probing for more information -- but when Julie refused to forget about what had just been said, Claire reluctantly clarified the comment then insisted that no one else in the family could know what was going on until there was absolute proof that Ciara was alive. Julie grudgingly agreed to keep Doug in the dark for the time being.

At the police station, Shawn received a visit from Ben, who handed over Orpheus' burner phone and repeated everything that Clyde had revealed earlier. Shawn was quickly able to determine that Evan had taken not just Orpheus' calls but also Clyde's call from somewhere in the nearby town of Brookville -- but Ben grew impatient while waiting for a more precise location to be pinpointed. Ben snatched the burner phone from Shawn and placed a call to Evan. "Dad?" Evan began -- but before Ben could respond, Shawn silently reclaimed the burner phone and ended the call.

"If Maddox has Ciara, and he knows that we're onto him, he's gonna move her -- or even worse!" Shawn explained to a furious Ben, who soon calmed down and apologized for having made such a reckless move. "It's just...I feel helpless," Ben admitted. "You and me both," Shawn stressed before acknowledging that, on the bright side, Ben had just provided another opportunity to pinpoint Evan's exact location.

Abe took Paulina to Julie's Place for a drink. Paulina immediately started complaining about the restaurant -- and continued complaining even after Julie approached to greet Abe. Paulina was stunned when Abe revealed that Julie was Jules's namesake. "Why would [Lani and Eli] name that little girl after this old white lady?" Paulina protested. "You didn't let me finish my introduction -- [see, Julie is] Eli's grandmother," Abe clarified. "She is?" Paulina asked skeptically. "Eli's late father was my son David Banning," Julie defensively replied. "I had no idea Eli had a w--" Paulina began to admit with a nervous laugh before stopping abruptly. "Obviously..." Abe mused.

Paulina apologized to Julie for the misunderstanding. "I've been known to put my foot in it on occasion," Paulina conceded. "On occasion, I have put my foot in it, too," Julie revealed -- just as Eli and Valerie entered the restaurant together. Valerie and Paulina quickly started discussing each other's hair after Eli introduced them -- then both women simultaneously gasped in shock when Julie reached out in an effort to verify Paulina's observation that Valerie's hair looked really soft. "Julie, you and I need to have a little talk -- you never touch a Black woman's hair!" Paulina declared. "I'll explain later," Eli assured Julie -- but Paulina had no qualms about explaining right away. "It's a teachable moment!" Paulina reasoned -- just as Lani and Theo entered the restaurant together, with the twins in tow.

Abe immediately pulled Theo aside -- partly for a private reunion but mainly to warn that Paulina was a really "intense" person, since Theo often felt uncomfortable around such people before getting to know them better. Paulina soon started hitting on Theo, validating Abe's concern. Theo managed to laugh off the flirtation, and Paulina eventually returned to the matter of Julie's teachable moment.

Julie apologized to Valerie at the end of Paulina's lesson -- and when they all seemed to be ready to drop the matter, Lani and Eli seized the opportunity to make individual toasts to each person who had agreed to be a godparent to either Jules or Carver. Eli and Lani acknowledged Abe, Valerie, and Theo -- then started to acknowledge Julie, the only person who had not already been given the news.

"Oh, I'm honored to accept!" Paulina blurted out before Lani and Eli could actually name Julie as the final godparent. "No --" Lani tried to clarify as Eli uncomfortably gulped down a whole glass of Champagne, but Paulina just kept talking. "You know, I have received many awards in my lifetime, [but] nothing compares to this, [so] thank you -- from the bottom of my heart!" Paulina raved at the end of a lengthy speech before rushing off to prepare for the christening that was scheduled to take place the following day. "Now what the hell are we gonna do?" Eli asked Lani once the coast was clear.

At the police station, Shawn learned that Evan had answered Ben's call from somewhere in Salem. Meanwhile, Claire went to the Weston apartment to see Ben -- but found Evan there instead.

"Who are you?" Claire wondered as Evan started to rush off. "I know who you are!" Claire suddenly realized, stopping Evan. "You're the guy from the gym, right?" Claire tried to backpedal, but Evan wasn't fooled.

"You and I are gonna have a little chat," Evan decided, blocking Claire's only way out of the apartment. "Let's start off with you telling me just who the hell you are," Evan demanded, and Claire complied. "'Brady,' huh? So, you're related to that bitch Ciara," Evan realized. "What are you doing here -- and what do you want with Ben?" Claire asked nervously. "I'm going to kill him," Evan matter-of-factly replied. "[And] while we wait for him to come home...I'll figure out what I'm going to do to you," Evan added before producing a gun, drawing a gulp from Claire.

Ben and Shawn find Evan with Claire

Thursday, March 11, 2021

by Mike

At the Kiriakis mansion, Xander and Sarah excitedly discussed their wedding ceremony, which was scheduled to take place the following day. Xander teasingly guessed that Sarah was going to have a bachelorette party later -- and that male strippers had been hired for the event. Sarah reluctantly confirmed Xander's suspicion -- then quickly backpedaled with a laugh.

"No, I am not having a bachelorette party -- I don't [even] have a maid of honor, and that's who plans all that," Sarah clarified. "I should work on that, too..." Xander realized. "Your maid of honor? You should!" Sarah agreed before chasing Xander off with a reminder that it was considered bad luck for any couple to sleep in the same bed on the eve of their wedding ceremony.

After Xander left the mansion, Sarah removed a wedding gift from its hiding place and started wrapping it -- then received a visit from Justin and Bonnie shortly after completing the task. "For the groom?" Bonnie assumed. "A new sporran for his kilt -- [basically], it's a pouch, [and it] comes in handy 'cause kilts don't have any pockets. And [a kilt] is what my groom's wedding attire will be," Sarah explained, drawing a giggle from Bonnie, who guessed that Xander looked sexy in a kilt -- a suspicion that Sarah confirmed with a suggestive nod. "I'm sorry your mom won't be there," Bonnie declared. "[And] Melissa was gonna fly in [to be my maid of honor, but] she booked this gig [and] couldn't cancel, so..." Sarah revealed. "Well, since your mama and your sister can't be here...oh, my God, it would be my great privilege to be your maid of honor!" Bonnie offered.

"Bonnie, that's very kind of you, but I'm sure Sarah has someone else in mind --" Justin protested. "I'm sorry -- I didn't mean to overstep; I just figured, since I'd be there as Justin's plus-one, you know --" Bonnie explained. "I'm not sure the officiant gets a plus-one --" Justin argued. "Of course you do, [Justin -- and], actually, Kayla's working, [so]...I would love that, [Bonnie]. Thank you," Sarah interjected. "Thank you! [And] I promise you, I will be the best maid of honor you could ever hope for!" Bonnie excitedly stressed while giving Sarah a hug.

Meanwhile, Xander went to the Horton house to see Jack. "Nice place!" Xander began. "Thank you?" Jack responded. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Xander stressed. "No -- my wife's out of town, and I was just reading," Jack insisted. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Xander wondered. "I...have a job at the Spectator..." Jack confirmed. "Could you take the day off?" Xander requested.

"I'm marrying Sarah Horton -- [and] I would have told you about the wedding sooner, but you just found out you have a daughter you didn't know about, and your wife's mom just died, so..." Xander began to explain. "Yes, it's been a busy time," Jack confirmed. "[Anyway], I'm not the type that goes around with a whole gang of guys, and you came through for me at a time when no one else would, so...I need a best man, and I really was hoping it'd be you. What do you say, mate?" Xander concluded. "Boy, you are challenged in the friend department... Oh, what the hell -- I'll do it!" Jack agreed after some thought.

Delighted, Xander gave Jack a hug -- then insisted that they were going to do a pub crawl that night.

Kristen went to Basic Black to see Chloe, once again disguised as Susan. "Here -- these are for you," "Susan" sheepishly began while shoving a bouquet at Chloe. "You're...giving me flowers..." Chloe summarized, confused. "Mm-hmm -- that's what people do when they want to say they're sorry," "Susan" explained with a shrug.

"You probably didn't notice [this, but] I get a little upset when you hover around Brady --" "Susan" admitted. "'A little upset' is a bit of an understatement...but go on," Chloe interjected. "Well, it's not personal -- I'm sure you're...very nice...and that you really want to help Brady... [It's just that] I think I should take care of him -- [you know, 'cause] it's my fault that he got shot," "Susan" clarified. "But...you keep saying it's my fault..." Chloe pointed out, drawing a sigh of frustration from "Susan," who had clearly been hoping that it would be easier to sell the lie.

"I didn't get the warnin' in my head that Brady was in danger until it was too late. I let everybody down, and that just...you know, it made my head hurt...and I just couldn't take it. [That's why] I said it was your fault," "Susan" reasoned before shoving the bouquet at Chloe again and begging for forgiveness -- then seizing a hug after both the bouquet and the apology were graciously accepted.

"Susan" eyed a nearby letter opener and fantasized about repeatedly plunging it into Chloe's back during the embrace -- but eventually just pulled away instead. "I want us to be girlfriends!" "Susan" declared. "Really?" Chloe asked incredulously. "Yeah -- I mean, we have a lot in common!" "Susan" matter-of-factly replied before struggling to think of even one example to offer a skeptical Chloe.

"We both want Brady to be happy!" "Susan" eventually noted, and Chloe conceded the point. "[Brady and I have] been good friends for a long time," Chloe stressed. "Only friends?" Kristen wondered. "Once we got past the divorce," Chloe confirmed. "Yeah...but, see, I have this sixth-sense thing, [and] right now, it is tellin' me that you are tired of bein' friends -- and it is tellin' me right now that you're fallin' for him!" "Susan" argued. "That...is...ridiculous..." Chloe protested. "Ha! I hit it right there on the mark, didn't I? Oh, come on, honey -- you can tell me! I mean, you're better [for] him than that mean, mean, mean Kristen DiMera -- I mean, she's just so nasty and evil... I mean, don't you think that's true, huh?" "Susan" prodded Chloe.

"Brady and I, we make a really good team here together at work, [and] we enjoy each other's company, [and] I love helping him with Rachel, [and] we're old friends with a lot of history...but that's it!" Chloe maintained. "Huh... So, then, why did you turn down Philip Kiriakis for a date?" "Susan" countered. "How do you know about that?" Chloe wondered. "Oh, well, he just came to see Brady, and I just happened to be there, and he just told me everythin' -- I guess it's just 'cause I'm so easy to talk to... [Anyway, he said] he really cares about you, [but] you're not interested -- [and] he also said he thinks it's 'cause of Brady," "Susan" explained. "Hmm... He said the same thing to me..." Chloe admitted -- and "Susan" argued that Philip's concern seemed valid.

"[So]...did you turn him down 'cause Brady Black gives you that funny feelin' down there in your basement?" "Susan" asked. "My what?" Chloe replied. "Do you feel like you have to hang around him all the time 'cause you want that spark to happen between you and, you know, grow that flamin' love so hot that he just tosses Kristen out? [Listen], you can tell me, 'cause we're girlfriends now!" "Susan" elaborated.

"Well...yeah...I haven't spent this much time with Brady in years, and we have become close again, and...you know, it does make me think about when we were really good together, and...you know, of course, it also makes me wonder if maybe [we] would be good together again..." Chloe eventually admitted while turning away from "Susan," who picked up the letter opener while seething with rage.

"But just because I feel that way about Brady, [that] doesn't mean that he would ever..." Chloe acknowledged before stepping aside to take an office call, giving "Susan" a chance to calm down a bit -- but Chloe made the mistake of using the speakerphone setting, and "Susan's" rage immediately returned and intensified when they both learned that Brady was the caller. "What are you doing at the office?" Brady asked Chloe incredulously. "Trying to keep Basic Black in the black, I guess?" Chloe replied, confused. "Well, you've been working too hard, so the least I can do is take you to dinner -- [and] this is not a working meal," Brady declared.

Chloe accepted the offer then said goodbye to Brady and ended the call. "Wow, look at that -- I mean, you know, we were talkin' about Brady, and then he called and asked you out to dinner... Some coincidence, huh?" "Susan" mused, forcing a laugh. "Do you think it's a sign?" Chloe wondered. "Maybe..." "Susan" answered, forcing another laugh.

"[But, then again], he is in love with Kristen, and she is the mother of his baby girl..." "Susan" argued. "Yeah...but that's only because she tricked him into getting her pregnant," Chloe countered. "And then he fell in love with her for real!" "Susan" snapped. "[Still]... I don't know... I mean, she's trying to convince people that she's changed, but I don't believe it -- [after all], the woman threatened to kill me when she broke out of prison! Personally, I'm glad that she's back behind bars -- I mean, the woman's a murderer! Honestly, Brady and Rachel are better off with her being in prison for a long, long time," Chloe declared, oblivious to "Susan's" anger.

"Aren't you gonna feel bad about bein' the other woman?" "Susan" wondered. "Susan, calm down -- it's just a dinner at the pub," Chloe answered. "Famous last words..." "Susan" grumbled. "Want to walk out with me?" Chloe offered. "No, you go on ahead -- I'm gonna...put those flowers in some water before they die," "Susan" responded. "That's really sweet, [Susan]! I'm really glad that we're friends now!" Chloe raved before exiting the office.

As soon as the coast was clear, Kristen picked up the bouquet and hurled it at a wall. "'Friends' my ass -- I am the worst enemy you have ever made, you conniving slut! You're never gonna take Brady away from me -- I will kill you first!" Kristen spat while shedding the disguise -- just as Sarah entered the office in search of a wedding dress that Chloe had forgotten to deliver to the Kiriakis mansion.

At the police station, Shawn figured out that Evan had not only been in Salem at the time of Ben's earlier phone call but had also been in the vicinity of the Weston apartment. Shawn was quick to point out that Evan could have simply been passing through that part of Salem at the time of the call for some completely unrelated reason, but Ben found it difficult to dismiss the oddity as nothing more than a coincidence.

"You think that Maddox is at your place," Shawn summarized. "But why? What the hell would he be doing there? [And] if he has Ciara [somewhere in Brookville], why would he leave her?" Ben wondered. "Let's get over [there and check it out, just in case]...but I am in charge -- I don't want any heroics from you, do you understand?" Shawn responded before starting to rush off, expecting Ben to follow.

Ben stayed put and didn't even acknowledge that Shawn had just spoken. "What's wrong?" Shawn asked. "I don't know yet..." Ben replied.

Meanwhile, at Vincent's lair, Ciara tried to psychically warn Ben of Evan's murderous intention.

"Ciara -- she's telling me I'm in danger..." Ben realized. "Ben, you've been under a lot of stress --" Shawn protested. "I hear her!" Ben insisted.

At the Weston apartment, Claire desperately tried to reason with Evan. "I never did anything to you!" Claire stressed. "You were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Evan countered. "Look, if you let me go, I'm not gonna tell anyone that I saw you!" Claire promised. "You're totally lying," Evan guessed.

"I can't let you mess up my plans for Ben," Evan insisted. "You've come here to [hurt] Ben because you can't hurt Ciara," Claire assumed. "Wrong -- see, I can hurt Ciara...and killing Ben is the best way to do that," Evan clarified. "Oh, my God... Ben is convinced that Ciara is still alive, and someone is holding her hostage... Is it you?" Claire realized. "Bingo," Evan confirmed before explaining everything.

"And after I shoot that little creep [Ben], I am going to find a silver platter and hand it to Ciara...with [his] head on it," Evan bragged. "Ciara's in a room with glass walls?" Claire wondered. "How do you know that?" Evan responded. "Ben says Ciara and him share a connection now -- like, he knows what she's thinking," Claire explained. "Get out of here!" Evan incredulously protested. "She is the one who told him that she's alive," Claire matter-of-factly maintained. "He told her the same thing -- she claims he talks to her," Evan grudgingly admitted -- and even Claire briefly acknowledged that the concept was seemingly impossible.

Evan insisted that it didn't matter if Ben and Ciara truly shared a psychic connection or not -- because, either way, only one of them would make it through the night alive. Claire warned that killing Ben would put a quick stop to Evan's efforts to torture Ciara because the apparent soul mates were each other's only reason for living. Evan flashed Claire a wicked grin and countered that Ciara was a prisoner who was never going to be given the freedom to decide whether to go on with life or end the suffering and join Ben in the afterlife. "[And] killing you [will] just be an extra little dagger in her heart," Evan guessed before cocking the gun.

"That's where you're wrong -- [see], Ciara hates me [because] I tried to burn her alive, [so] if you kill me, she'll be thrilled...[and] you don't want that!" Claire tearfully argued. "Doesn't matter -- you know too much, [and that] makes you a liability," Evan dismissively countered before aiming the gun at Claire's head and preparing to pull the trigger -- but Shawn and Ben burst into the apartment just then.

Evan quickly grabbed Claire and demanded Shawn's gun. "He's got Ciara!" Claire announced. "We know -- he admitted it to my dad," Ben responded. "That's who called me?" Evan interjected. "I'm the one that you want, [so just] let go of Claire --" Ben advised. "Are you kidding? I've got the trifecta -- I could kill Ciara's husband, brother, and little niece!" Evan countered. "This place is crawling with cops right now, [so] if you kill us, [then] you're not gonna get out of here," Shawn warned. "Nice try, Dudley Do-Right...but if that were the case, they'd have already stormed the place by now," Evan guessed.

"[Now], unless you want me to kill your daughter right in front of you, you'll hand me the gun!" Evan demanded again -- and Shawn reluctantly complied. "Cops think they're so smart, but you're such a joke -- [when] you idiots gave Ben here the death sentence [for a crime I committed], I couldn't believe it, [and now this]..." Evan mused with a chuckle. "[Anyway], which one of you should I blow away first?" Evan wondered. "I've always considered myself a gentleman, so I guess it's the little lady," Evan decided, drawing quick objections from Shawn and Ben, who both desperately tried to negotiate a different outcome.

At Vincent's lair, Ciara continued worrying about Ben. "I have to get out of here..." Ciara fretted before glancing at an exposed pipe in a corner of the chamber. "You've tried this, like, a million times already..." Ciara acknowledged before trying yet again to unscrew a section of the pipe -- then celebrating when all of the effort finally paid off.

Ciara started hitting the door of the chamber with the dislodged section of the pipe -- but the door was apparently made of shatterproof glass, and dismantling the pipe had caused some sort of gas to start filling the chamber. Meanwhile, at the Weston apartment, Claire thrust an elbow into Evan's midsection during Shawn and Ben's joint effort to negotiate -- and Shawn immediately pounced on Evan.

Evan's gun went off during the ensuing struggle, and Ciara heard the gunshot at Vincent's lair and assumed that Ben had just been shot -- but Shawn had actually taken a bullet to the left leg. Ben forced Evan off to Vincent's lair at gunpoint as Claire called for an ambulance and tended to Shawn's wound. Ben and Evan eventually arrived at Vincent's lair -- and Ben gasped after looking inside Ciara's chamber.

Friday, March 12, 2021

by Spalding

At the Brady Pub, Chloe told Brady about her conversation with "Susan" at the office. "[Susan] is actually a bit more insightful than I gave her credit for," Chloe said. When Brady asked what Chloe meant, Chloe thought about her admission to "Susan" that she still had feelings for Brady. "Are you okay?" Brady asked. When Chloe said she was fine, Brady pointed out that she was blushing. Brady urged Chloe to open up to him. Before Chloe could confess her feelings, Xander stumbled into the pub with Jack.

"Round of drinks for everyone! Tonight, we celebrate, because tomorrow is my big, fat Greek wedding!" Xander shouted. As Xander and Jack passed Chloe and Brady's table, Chloe noted that Xander did not have any friends. "How are you having a big wedding?" Chloe asked. Xander admitted that the wedding was going to be an intimate, mostly Scottish affair. "I don't care," Brady said. Xander said he wanted to buy Chloe and Brady a drink to thank them for their help with Sarah's dress.

"I don't do shots anymore. I don't drink, and if I did, I wouldn't want to drink with you," Brady said. As Chloe rose to leave with Brady, she offered her condolences to Sarah. Roman delivered drinks to the table, and he cautioned them about a hangover. Xander told Roman to hold his comments.

"Nice to see you, Jack," Roman stressed with a chuckle. As Roman headed back to the bar, Jack suggested that he should order decaf coffee. "Let's drink some scotch," Xander said. Xander and Jack knocked back a shot. As Jack reached for the next shot, Xander suggested that Jack make a toast. Jack said he was not prepared. "You're a writer. I'm confident you'll come through," Xander said. "To life's greatest adventure," Jack said. "Mount Everest?" Xander asked. Jack shook his head no and said he had meant love.

"With any other big decisions in life, buying a house, taking a job, we consider the risks. If it's too great, you turn it down. You look for something safer. Something with guarantees. Love has no guarantees. Love is a leap of faith, but with the right person, there is no fear. Together, you'll laugh, cry, create, determine, love, it's all one big adventure. The wonderful winding road of love. May you and your bride-to-be travel it together in health and happiness, always," Jack said. Xander and Jack clinked glasses and downed their shots.

"Xander Cook is getting hitched?" Rex said. Xander looked over as Rex walked through the front door. With a raised eyebrow, Rex asked about the "unlucky girl." Rex asked Jack how much Xander had paid Jack to drink with him. "Jack's my best man, actually," Xander said. Confused, Rex asked Jack if he had met Xander. Xander told Rex to move along.

"The curiosity is killing me. What kind of a woman would actually choose to spend the rest of her life with you. Like, who is this pathetic loser?" Rex asked. "It's your ex-wife," Xander said. In disbelief, Rex said, "There is no way in hell that Sarah would marry you." When Rex argued that Xander had hurt Sarah, Xander reminded Rex that he was one to talk. "After all, you cheated on her twice. Once with her sister and the other one you got pregnant," Xander said. Xander thanked Rex.

Jack stepped between the two men. "We are going to be on our way," Jack said as he pushed Xander toward the door. "You had your chance with Sarah, and you blew it," Xander said. Xander argued that Rex had treated Sarah like dirt.

"[Sarah] dumped you at the altar once, and she will do it again," Rex said. "I understand your regret. You let an incredible woman get away," Xander said. Xander told Rex that he could spend every day in regret, or he could move on with his life. "The best man won," Xander added.

Brady and Chloe returned to the penthouse. After a quick check on Rachel, Brady and Chloe settled in on the couch. Brady complimented Chloe on her lullaby to Rachel. "Of course, I adore my son, but I would be lying if I didn't say that there is a part of me that wishes I had a little girl, too," Chloe said. Brady assured Chloe that she would have another child if she wanted. "[Rachel] is just missing Kristen. We both are," Brady said.

Brady asked Chloe to close her eyes, and she obliged as Brady retrieved something from the other room. "You have been so good to me these past couple weeks. And anything I've needed, you've gotten for me, so I figure it is time I gave you exactly what you needed," Brady said. Brady told Chloe to open her eyes. When Chloe did, Brady pointed at a pastrami sandwich. "I figured you probably got your appetite, having left Xander's lame bachelor party," Brady joked.

Sarah discovered Kristen at Basic Black when she stopped by to pick up her wedding dress. As Kristen stared at Sarah, Sarah looked over and saw a wig and glasses. "You were pretending to be Susan Banks!" Sarah blurted out. "Chloe is trying to steal Brady from me, and there is no way in hell I'm going to let that happen!" Kristen barked. Sarah asked Kristen how long she had been masquerading as Susan.

When Kristen explained that she had changed places with Susan a couple weeks before, Sarah noted that Chloe's comments about Susan's possessiveness of Brady made sense. "I'm possessive? That slut can't stay away from him!" Kristen interrupted. Sarah stressed that Chloe and Brady were only friends and coworkers. With a roll of her eyes, Kristen said that Chloe had made numerous excuses to spend time with Brady.

"Chloe said that Kristen is the only woman that Brady loves," Sarah said. "But that's not what Chloe told me," Kristen countered. Confused, Sarah asked Kristen what she meant. Kristen switched into her Susan accent and told Sarah that she had apologized to Chloe and drawn out Chloe's confession. Kristen added that Brady had asked Chloe out to dinner.

"Which means [Chloe's] plan is working. Chloe knows that Brady is vulnerable, which means she is going to try every trick in her whore handbook to steal him away from me," Kristen complained. Sarah asked what had happened to Susan. Kristen explained that Susan had taken her place at the prison on a temporary basis. Sarah was skeptical that Susan had volunteered to switch places.

"When I told [Susan] that Chloe was taking advantage of my incarceration to steal Brady, she understood that was very wrong and jumped at the chance to help me," Kristen explained. Sarah asked Kristen about her plan. Kristen said she wanted to convince Chloe to back off of Brady. "I don't like this," Sarah said. Kristen asked Sarah to keep her secret, but Sarah refused.

"Why not? You gave Xander a pass," Kristen said. "Xander changed," Sarah stressed. When Kristen asked Sarah if she truly believed that, Sarah said yes. "That's why I'm marrying him tomorrow!" Sarah said. "You are marrying that worthless piece of --" Kristen started. Sarah interrupted to explain that she was there to pick up her wedding dress.

"I know that [Xander] did terrible, terrible things. Just like you, and just like you, he became a different person," Sarah said. "Maybe, but nothing changes the fact that he let you fall in love with my child while yours was in a grave," Kristen said quietly. After a moment, Sarah noted that she would never forget what Xander had done. "But you forgive him?" Kristen asked.

"Xander delivered my daughter. He was the first person to see that love between us. To see how powerful our bond was. And when my baby died, he couldn't bear to take that away from me," Sarah said through tears. "So he took that away from me," Kristen countered. Sarah agreed that Xander's actions had been wrong.

"I understand you not hating Xander, but to forgive him? To marry him?" Kristen asked. Sarah said her heart had been closed to Xander until he had taken her to her daughter's gravesite to show her that he had replaced the headstone. "Xander wanted to save me the pain of having to change it, and he wanted to make sure that my daughter was honored properly. And it hit me. The full cycle of Mackenzie's life. Pregnancy, birth, death. Xander was there for all of it. He was right by my side, and I knew that I wanted him to stay there. For better, for worse, for always," Sarah said.

"I hardly think that one gesture makes up for all the damage he did," Kristen countered. Sarah said she did not care what anyone else thought. "I love who I love," Sarah said. Sarah added that she was sure that Brady felt the same way about Kristen. Kristen told Sarah that she was welcome to throw her life away, but she would not let Sarah leave until she promised to keep Kristen's secret.

"You owe me! For stealing my child!" Kristen argued. Kristen added that she would not have stabbed Victor if Sarah had given Rachel back when she had learned the truth. "I'm losing time with [Rachel]. I don't get to wake up in the morning and see her beautiful face," Kristen said. Sarah admitted that she was sympathetic to Kristen's situation. Kristen begged Sarah to keep quiet so that Kristen could keep Chloe from replacing her as Rachel's mother.

"That's not going to happen," Sarah said. Kristen disagreed. "[Chloe] is moving in on him. In the house. In the office. And that has got to stop!" Kristen said. Sarah asked Kristen her plan. "I swear to you, I'm not going to do anything," Kristen said. "I wish I could believe that. Restraint isn't exactly your strong suit. You just said you stabbed Victor, and what about what happened to Haley Chen?" Sarah asked. Kristen stressed that Haley's death had been an accident.

"You just broke out of prison and showed up to a hospital with a gun," Sarah said. When Kristen pointed out that she had turned herself in to police, Sarah noted that Kristen had surrendered herself after Kristen had threatened to kill Chloe. "I did not hurt her!" Kristen objected. "But how do I know that you won't?" Sarah asked. Kristen argued that if she had wanted to kill Chloe, she would have already.

"That's not who I am anymore, Sarah," Kristen said. Sarah said she believed that Kristen was sincere but that Kristen still had impulse control issues. "What I am afraid of is that if you felt too threatened or if you got too angry, you could end up hurting Chloe or worse. God, if that happened, I would never be able to forgive myself," Sarah said. Sarah took her phone out of her pocket and started to call Brady.

When Brady answered the phone, there was no one on the call. "If it is important, [Sarah will] call back," Brady said. At the Basic Black office, Kristen clutched a glass paperweight and mumbled, "Darn impulses." Sara was unconscious on the floor. "I didn't want to do it, but you gave me no choice. I couldn't let you tell anyone my secret," Kristen said.

Outside the Brady Pub, Xander sent Jack to catch them a cab for the next bar while he made a phone call. Xander looked through the window at Rex, and he whispered, "Maybe I'll just wish [Sarah] a good night." At the Basic Black office, Kristen sent Xander's call to voicemail. "Sorry, Xander, but your bride-to-be is unavailable right now," Kristen whispered. Xander left a voicemail and joked that he would be a better male stripper than anyone else in town. "Thank you. I'm just ecstatic that you are on life's greatest adventure with me. I love you with all my heart, and I can't wait until tomorrow when we finally become husband and wife," Xander said.

At the penthouse, Chloe and Brady shared her sandwich, and he asked Chloe what she had been about to tell him before Xander had interrupted. Chloe said she had overreacted. "[Susan], she is an oddball, but I think she's got a good heart," Chloe said.

Claire kept pressure on Shawn's gunshot wound in his leg as they waited in Ben's apartment for an ambulance. "I know that Ben was desperate to find [Ciara] just like we all are, but, God, I wish he had just waited for backup," Shawn said. "So many people have tried to tear Ben and Ciara apart, but their love is just too strong. I have to believe that now is no different. Somehow, some way, they will be together again," Claire said.

Ben forced Christian at gunpoint to lead him to Ciara's cage. When they arrived at the destination, Christian pulled back the curtain to the glass room. The inside of the cage was destroyed. "Oh, my God," Ben muttered as he looked into the room. Ben pointed the gun at Christian's head, and he demanded to know where to find Ciara. "Guess hidden under all that rubble," Christian joked. Ben demanded an answer.

"When I left, Ciara was alive and well, but it looks like she found a way to blow herself up," Christian said. Ben yelled at Christian to open the door. Christian complained that the room appeared to be unstable, but Ben clutched the gun tighter and screamed at Christian to open the door. "I don't think you are going to like what you see," Christian said as he opened the door. Ben called out to Ciara, but there was no answer. Worried about the structural integrity of the room, Christian suggested that they leave.

"You can come back for Ciara's corpse some other time," Christian said. Furious, Ben pistol-whipped Christian across the face. Christian fell to the ground, unconscious. Ben dropped the gun on the ground. "I'm not going anywhere without my wife," Ben muttered. Ben sifted through the wreckage as he called out Ciara's name. With the structure creaking, a tired Ben looked around until he saw a copy of Ciara's Through the Looking Glass book on the floor.

Ben lifted the mattress off the bed, and he saw Ciara underneath. Ben picked up Ciara and cradled her in his arms. "I'm here, my love," Ben whispered. Ben checked Ciara's vitals and determined that she did not have a pulse or breath. As Ben started CPR, he quoted Romeo and Juliet. Ben leaned in close and checked Ciara. "I felt you breathing!" Ben said. Relieved, Ben whispered to Ciara that she would be okay.

Ben waved his phone around until it caught a signal. As Ben started to call for help, Christian stumbled to his feet across the room. Christian had the gun, and he pointed it at Ben. "Put the phone down, Weston," Christian said. Christian asked about Ciara, and Ben confirmed that Ciara was alive. "Not for long. You, either," Christian said.

"You're not going to shoot us," Ben said. When Christian asked why, Ben said that was not how the story ended. "We have been to hell and back again. Accidents. Fires. Prison. Explosions. Kidnapping. Nothing broke us," Ben said. Ben noted that he and Ciara had found one another.

"There is nothing special about either of you. You are a psycho, and she is the bitch who ruined my life. And your story? It's not a fairy tale. It's a tragedy. You're not going to ride off into the sunset on her motorcycle," Christian said. Ben whispered to Ciara that he would never let her go. "Say hi to Jordan for me," Christian said. As Ben looked up at Christian, a piece of the ceiling fell down and hit Christian on the head.

In Salem, a bandaged Shawn sat in his hospital bed as Claire updated Belle on the shooting. Belle was upset that Claire had elbowed a gunman, but Shawn noted that Belle would have done the same thing. "That's true. God, I'm glad you're both okay," Belle admitted. Frustrated, Shawn announced that he needed to find Ben and help look for Ciara. A unified Claire and Belle pushed Shawn back into bed and insisted that he stay put.

"How am I supposed to relax when I don't know whether my sister is alive or dead?" Shawn asked. Claire walked out to the nurses' station to call Ben's cell phone, but it went to voicemail. As Claire left a message for Ben, he exited the elevator, carrying Ciara in his arms. Claire turned around and gasped when she saw Ben with Ciara.