Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of September 13, 2021 on DAYS

Gwen lied to Jack about Snyder's blackmail. Abigail returned to Salem. E.J. beat up Xander. Kayla examined Doug for dementia. Rafe interrogated Bonnie. Bonnie told Justin about her past. Gabi and Jake asked Brady to talk to Victor about Philip's behavior. Nicole and Rafe discussed their feelings. Ben and Ciara visited Oak Alley on their honeymoon. Paulina told Marlena the truth about Lani. Johnny and Chanel reconciled after a successful bakery opening. Roman and Lucas agreed to invest in Johnny's movie. John worried about the script. Doug revealed to Marlena that he was possessed by the devil.

Johnny asks Marlena for help with his movie

Monday, September 13, 2021

by Mike

Abigail was surprised to receive a visit from Chad at Laura's place in Boston. "Your mom let me in," Chad explained. "I see," Abigail responded. "It's really good to see you," Chad stressed. "You, too," Abigail declared. "Can I hug you for a sec?" Chad begged with a nervous laugh -- and Abigail hesitantly initiated the embrace then pulled away with a forced smile a few seconds later. "You didn't tell me you were coming," Abigail noted. "I was afraid you'd talk me out of it," Chad admitted.

"[Look], it's become clear that you don't have any plans to come home --" Chad challenged Abigail. "I can't come home yet -- my grandma's estate is still a mess, and I'm not gonna leave my mom alone to deal with it," Abigail insisted while turning away from Chad. "Can't Jennifer find somebody else to help finish everything up? [I mean], you said you needed space, [so] I stayed away, [but] it has been months now, [and] the kids miss you, [and] I miss you --" Chad protested. "I'm sorry -- I need more time," Abigail maintained before starting to retreat to another room, prompting Chad to block the path. "Talk to me!" Chad begged -- and Abigail agreed with a sigh after a moment of thought.

"Grandma just kept...a lot of stuff...[here] -- the attic and the basement, you know, piled to the ceiling with...just...clothes, and books, and knickknacks -- and I'm going through some upstairs closet the other day, and I find this box [of] things for a newborn -- some tiny sleepers, and blankets, and bibs, and a little lamb, and...stuff... [So, anyway], Mom and I were wondering if she had kept it for her or if she had kept it for me -- and I'm, of course, just thinking, 'Keep? Donate? Trash?' Then it hits me that Gwen's daughter was my niece, [and] your daughter, [and] our kids' half-sister... And I thought I was doing fine -- you know, I thought I made it past all of that -- [but] the truth is...that child was a member of our family, and I guess I just hadn't really seen that... [And] no matter what anyone says, I can't help but feel like I killed that child," Abigail revealed.

"Abby, you have to find a way to forgive yourself, okay? Gwen waged a full-on attack on you from the day we hired her, [and] I bought into her lies -- I'll never understand why -- [so] if she's still coming between us, it is because of me --" Chad stressed. "You're trying to make me feel better...[but] I need you to be honest with me, because I know the kind of father that you are -- [so], is there any part of you that hates me for what I made happen to your child?" Abigail countered. "There's no part [of me], anywhere in my body or soul, that hates you for anything," Chad insisted.

"[Okay, well, either way]...it's not just about the guilt [over] the way I feel about Gwen and the fact that I didn't want [the] baby to exist -- [I mean], you were unfaithful to me, [and] I'm having a really hard time trusting you --" Abigail admitted to Chad. "[Then] I'm gonna help you do that -- however long it takes, whatever I have to do -- [because] you are the most important person in the entire world to me, [and] you always will be; I'm nothing without you," Chad declared, drawing a forced smile from Abigail, who eventually agreed to return to Salem.

At the Horton house, Gwen started to tell Jack the truth about the miscarriage -- but ultimately decided that it would be safer to take Xander's advice about claiming to have originally met Snyder while working as a prostitute.

"You did what you had to do to survive," Jack reasoned at the end of Gwen's tale. "Then...you understand?" Gwen wondered. "I have done so many things that I have been ashamed of in my life, and if I judged you harshly, I would be the biggest hypocrite in the world... You may remember this from all that research that you did, but my adoptive father, Harper...Deveraux -- he hunted and killed women who were sex workers... [Anyway], thank God you got out of that life before you encountered a psychopath like him... [Look], you're safe now, [okay]? You're my daughter, [and] you'll always have a place in my life and in my heart," Jack answered.

Jack gave Gwen a hug -- then apologetically rushed off to another room to take a phone call from Jennifer. "Well, Xander, I went with your ridiculous hooker story -- because I'm a bloody coward... But I couldn't let my father hate me -- I couldn't lose him..." Gwen muttered while fighting back tears.

At the Salem Inn, Xander watched in disbelief as E.J. dialed a judge's office phone number. "After everything I've done for you --" Xander protested while E.J. was waiting for someone to answer the call. "I can't recall owing you for a thing," E.J. argued. "Nashville!" Xander countered. "What about it?" E.J. wondered. "All right, I guess you don't remember it 'cause you were a vegetable during most of it, but who do you think made sure you were fed? I literally put food in your mouth three times a day [and] wiped the drool off your face -- you were helpless as a baby!" Xander spat before snatching E.J.'s cell phone and ending the call.

"You are not leaving this room until I have your word that you won't call that judge back and send me to prison," Xander declared. "It's clear that you have diminished mental capacity, so I'll use short words -- I...am no longer...the 'vegetable' I was...in Nashville," E.J. warned. "You sure about that, mate?" Xander teased while turning away from E.J., who seized the opportunity to throw a punch.

Xander fell to the floor but quickly recovered from E.J.'s unexpected blow. "You shouldn't have done that, mate..." Xander insisted with a scowl before slamming E.J. against a wall. A lengthy fight ensued, but E.J. eventually gave Xander a kick in the groin to end it, perhaps seeing no other way to win. "That's for all those wretched lima beans in Nashville -- I kept spitting them out, but you just shoved them back in my mouth and laughed. 'He who laughs best laughs last,'" E.J. snapped at Xander before reclaiming the cell phone then staggering out of the hotel room.

At the Horton Town Square, Julie nearly choked on a mini doughnut while processing the fact that Doug had just forgotten Alice, of all people. "Alice Horton [is] my grandmother," Julie reminded Doug. "Well, then, why don't you just take a boxful of doughnuts over to her and ask her what she thinks of them [instead of trying to guess]?" Doug advised Julie.

Horrified, Julie led Doug over to Tom and Alice's memorial plaque. "You loved them so much -- don't tell me you don't remember them!" Julie prodded Doug. "This square is dedicated to their memory," Doug noted. "You could tell that just by reading that plaque..." Julie realized. "Don't be so upset, my love -- it's a beautiful summer day, and we are enjoying it together --" Doug argued. "Don't pretend, please -- tell me the truth," Julie countered. "Okay, truth -- well, when I see these faces, I have a feeling that they're very fine people...but, truthfully, I don't know either one of them from Adam," Doug confessed.

"Why can't I remember them? What is wrong with me?" Doug wondered as Julie fought back tears. "I don't know, sweetheart, [but] we're gonna find out -- we're gonna fix this," Julie assured Doug while forcing a smile.

At the hospital, Marlena and Kayla caught up with each other while they were each between appointments. "Jack had made an appointment for me to evaluate Doug this morning, [but then] he just...canceled..." Kayla explained. "Well, I hope that means that Doug is back to being himself again," Marlena responded.

Kayla changed the subject, eager to talk to Marlena about what was going on with Justin and Bonnie -- and Johnny eventually interrupted. "Look at you -- all grown up!" Kayla observed while greeting Johnny with a hug. "Tell my dad that, will you?" Johnny begged. "I definitely will," Kayla agreed.

Kayla exited Marlena's office after making vague plans to get together with Johnny sometime in the near future. "I'm sorry you haven't seen me before now," Johnny stressed while greeting Marlena with a kiss on the cheek. "That's all right," Marlena insisted before somewhat suspiciously wondering why Johnny had chosen to make an office visit instead of a townhouse visit. "I'm having problems with Allie, and I wanted to talk to you in private," Johnny explained. "Oh... What kind of problems?" Marlena responded. "I'll get to that," Johnny promised.

"But first...I just wanted to say -- I know how much you helped her when things were tough, and what a difference that made to her, and that she probably couldn't have gotten through it without you and how amazing you were... We're so lucky to have you for our grandmother --" Johnny raved. "Aren't you laying it on just a little bit thick?" Marlena protested. "Oh, come on -- I mean it --" Johnny insisted. "Mm-hmm... I know that look on your face," Marlena warned. "What 'look'?" Johnny countered. "The look you had when you were seven years old and you wanted me to talk your mother into letting you keep the snake you found in the garden," Marlena elaborated. "It was just a garter snake -- it wouldn't have been any trouble!" Johnny stressed with a shrug, drawing a patient smile from Marlena.

"You want something. Tell me what it is," Marlena challenged Johnny. "Okay, I do want something -- I want to spend some time with my favorite grandma," Johnny declared. "Yeah... I'm sure flattery gets you a long way, but the people that sit [in my office] come in here to be honest," Marlena challenged Johnny again.

"Okay, fair enough -- I want to make an independent film, and I need investors to help me finance my dream," Johnny admitted. "Do you have any other investors?" Marlena wondered. "I almost had Uncle Tony and Anna...but Dad made sure that didn't happen -- all he cares about is me being the next generation at DiMera," Johnny grumbled.

"[But] I don't care how hard I have to fight -- I know what I want, and I'm gonna make my dream come true," Johnny vowed. "So...tell me about your movie," Marlena requested. "I...haven't really settled on one idea yet...but I think it'd be cool to do, like, an indie version on the life of Greta Thunberg or Matt Fraser; I don't see either one of those people giving the rights to a guy like me for their story, but... [Anyway], I made a couple shorts on my phone, [but] all I'm really sure of is that I want the focus to be on somebody who I can connect with, somebody who inspires me..." Johnny answered.

"And who are you thinking should write it for you?" Marlena wondered. "Me!" Johnny clarified. "Oh... Wow... That's...ambitious, I guess..." Marlena stammered. "Well, it eliminates the fights between the writer and the director," Johnny reasoned. "You know, you should maybe call your brother -- I mean, Will spent some time in Hollywood, and he's learned the lessons about how to navigate some difficult situations..." Marlena advised.

"You're a genius!" Johnny declared. "Will you stop that, please!" Marlena objected. "No, I'm serious -- I remember us all moving to Hollywood so Will could sell a screenplay he'd written about Mom's life," Johnny maintained. "Ah, yes -- The Sami Brady Story," Marlena recalled. "That could be exactly what I'm looking for, actually..." Johnny mused.

"Do you think Will would let me read his script?" Johnny wondered. "I don't know -- you could ask him, certainly... And if you meet some resistance, you could have him call me -- he's my other favorite grandson... And I will talk to John about maybe getting involved financially --" Marlena responded. "Oh, come on -- I know you're the one who calls the shots --" Johnny teased. "No, that's entirely not true -- John and I are equal partners," Marlena insisted.

"May I give you some advice?" Marlena offered. "Sure," Johnny agreed. "Save some of that rakish charm for when you get to Hollywood -- you're going to need it... [Also], I'm wondering if the university taught you anything about making an elevator pitch," Marlena continued. "What's that?" Johnny wondered. "Look it up," Marlena concluded before politely chasing Johnny off. "You're amazing!" Johnny stressed while exiting the office -- and Marlena waited until the coast was clear then thought about the conversation with a hint of concern.

Meanwhile, Julie watched nervously as Kayla checked Doug's vitals in one of the examination rooms. "Well, you have the blood pressure and the heart rate of a man half your age," Kayla eventually declared. "Must be all that racquetball," Doug guessed. "That's wonderful...but today...we're concerned about his mind," Julie clarified before explaining everything that had happened recently.

"There are a lot of possible causes for these mental lapses of yours," Kayla assured Doug after Julie finished speaking. "Not just Alzheimer's?" Doug translated. "No! And a lot of the causes are eminently treatable," Kayla confirmed. "So...there's hope!" Julie raved. "I am going to do a lot of tests, and when I get the answers back, we will figure out what the next step is," Kayla promised.

Johnny entered the DiMera mansion and spotted E.J. in the living room. "Tough day at the office?" Johnny teased. "You should see the other bloke... Have you got the financing for your pipe dream?" E.J. responded. "I might have... Also got a lead on a hot script -- I don't think you'll be a fan of the subject matter, though..." Johnny warned. "Try me," E.J. muttered. "It's called...The Sami Brady Story," Johnny elaborated. "You're joking," E.J. assumed with a dismissive laugh. "I'm not -- and I'm afraid some of the characters don't get their happy Hollywood ending," Johnny countered with a mocking smirk.

At the Salem Inn, Xander winced in pain. "Damn you, DiMera -- the one that laughs last...and hardest...and longest...is gonna be me, you son of a bitch!" Xander vowed.

Rafe interrogates Bonnie

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

by Spalding

In the Kiriakis living room, Justin stared at his wedding rings. Steve walked in. "How you doing, man?" Steve asked. "My fiance is in jail for larceny and murder. Other than that, I'm doing great," Justin said. Steve told Justin that Bonnie had not made bail. "Good, because I never want to see her face again," Justin grumbled. "That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Steve asked.

"You warned me. You always saw her for what she truly is: a con artist," Justin said. "You loved her," Steve said. Justin wondered aloud if he had loved Bonnie or just been mesmerized by her resemblance to Adrienne. "I think it was more than that," Steve said. Justin argued that his belief that Bonnie had Adrienne's goodness had been a fantasy.

"Was it really a fantasy?" Steve asked. "I convinced myself that she had changed, but none of it was real. Bonnie is the same grifter that she's always been. And frankly, I'm glad that I got out of it before she took everything," Justin said. "I don't think we know the whole story," Steve said.

"These are not the actions of an innocent woman. A woman that I was prepared to spend the rest of my life with. I don't want to think about what an insult that is to Adrienne's memory," Justin said. "My sister wouldn't see it that way," Steve said. "That's how I see it!" Justin countered. Justin said he had believed he could be happy with Bonnie, but he had been wrong.

"You're allowed to move on, you know," Steve said. "But not with her," Justin said. When Justin noted that Steve had been the one to warn him about Bonnie, Steve countered that he had changed his mind. "You told me to keep an open mind. You told me that people change. You convinced me, Justin," Steve said. "I was wrong," Justin said. "Were you? Or are you wrong now?" Steve asked.

Shocked, Justin asked Steve, "Are you actually defending, Bonnie?" Steve argued that there was more to the story. "There was something off about Calista Lockhart," Steve said. Steve explained that Bonnie had been upset by Calista's arrival in town. "What the hell was [Calista] doing here in the first place?" Steve asked. Justin shrugged.

"I know you feel betrayed, but it's not like you to turn your back on her," Steve said. Steve encouraged Justin to talk to Bonnie. When Steve told Justin that Bonnie had fired her attorney, Justin groaned in frustration. "What was she thinking?" Justin whispered. Steve urged Justin to help, but Justin said he did not want to be played for a fool again. Steve reminded Justin that Justin had been ready to spend his life with Bonnie. "Can you honestly tell me that your feelings for her are just gone?" Steve asked.

An exhausted Bonnie waited in the interrogation room at the police station. When the door opened, Bonnie was shocked to see Calista saunter into the room. Calista still had the bleeding bullet wound in her chest. "There is nobody left to help you. Even your fianc has abandoned you," Calista said. Bonnie backed away in horror. Calista brandished the gun.

"You were the one that was supposed to die, so I'm just here to finish the job," Calista said. "Don't shoot me!" Bonnie screamed. "Take it easy. I'm not going to shoot you," Rafe said. Bonnie opened her eyes. Rafe was standing across the room with the gun in an evidence bag. "It's not even loaded," Rafe said. Concerned, Rafe asked Bonnie why she was scared.

"Must have been a dream," Bonnie said. "You were awake," Rafe pointed out. With a shrug, Bonnie noted that it had been a long night. "I understand you fired your public defender," Rafe said. Bonnie explained that since her lawyer had been unable to secure bail, she did not want him to represent her. Rafe asked Bonnie if she wanted an attorney present when he questioned her.

"I might be able to help you, Bonnie. If you tell your side of the story," Rafe said. Bonnie scoffed. "What do you want to know?" Bonnie asked. Rafe asked Bonnie to tell him her story. "I just want the truth," Rafe said. "The gun went off accidentally. I wasn't trying to kill her. I swear," Bonnie cried out. When Rafe asked what had happened, Bonnie explained that it had been self-defense. Bonnie told Rafe about the struggle for the gun.

"That is some story. I'm glad you told me," Rafe said. "You believe me, don't you?" Bonnie asked. Rafe asked Bonnie why Calista had attempted to kill her. "The woman was crazy," Bonnie said. Rafe asked about the gun. Bonnie shrugged. "Who knows what was going on in that addled mind of hers," Bonnie said.

"So, this has nothing to do with you using this exact gun to kill her husband?" Rafe asked. "Who told you I killed Calista's husband?" Bonnie asked. "She did," Rafe said. Rafe showed Bonnie a letter that Calista had written. "But she is dead?" Bonnie asked. Rafe nodded yes. Rafe read the letter aloud, which said that Calista had gone to Salem "at great personal risk." Bonnie groaned.

"Despite our working relationship, Bonnie stole one million dollars belonging to me and my husband, Harrison Lord," Rafe read. The letter then accused Bonnie of Harrison's murder. "I've always wanted [Bonnie] to pay for her actions that fateful day, so I've held onto his gun all these years. Please have it tested for forensic evidence," Rafe read aloud. Bonnie shook her head in frustration as she listened. Rafe then read that Calista had asked Bonnie for restitution.

"Well, she's lying of course," Bonnie said. Rafe explained that the evidence supported Calista's accusation. "If this goes to court, you are going down," Rafe said. Rafe asked Bonnie why she had taken Xander's money. Bonnie broke down in tears as Rafe yelled at her. "This interrogation is over," Justin said as he walked in. "Says who?" Rafe asked. "Says her attorney," Justin said.

Philip sat at the bar in Julie's Place, and he called Chloe at Basic Black to say hello. "After I followed you to Pennsylvania, I thought you deserved an attentive boyfriend," Philip said. "You mean not a crazed and jealous one?" Choe countered. "Something like that," Philip said. Philip asked Chloe to join him for lunch, but she declined the offer because she had to help Brady with the quarterly reports.

"Raincheck?" Chloe said. Reluctantly, Philip agreed. After Chloe ended her call, Nicole noted, "We're not that busy. You could have gone to lunch." Chloe said she wanted to finish the reports. "[Philip] was just calling to check how I'm doing today," Chloe said. Chloe confided that she was worried Philip had called to check up on her.

"Lately, Philip is just so jealous of Brady. And he is convinced that there is something going on between us," Chloe confided. "But there's not?" Nicole asked. Chloe stressed that she was friends and coworkers with Brady. Chloe told Nicole about the incident in Wilkes-Barre. When Nicole reminded Chloe that she had urged Chloe to tell Brady about her feelings, Chloe countered that Brady had rejected her. "I chose Philip," Chloe said.

"And are you happy with that decision?" Nicole asked. "I was happy with my decision until Philip started acting like a jealous teenager," Chloe said. Nicole asked Chloe if the jealousy was a dealbreaker. Chloe said she still wanted to be with Philip, but only if he stopped being possessive.

"He's getting so paranoid that he thinks Brady is spying on Titan," Chloe said. Chloe told Nicole about the keylogger, and Nicole agreed that it did not sound like Brady. "I don't think he did it, but you know when Philip gets something in his mind, you can't argue with him," Chloe said. Nicole asked Chloe what she had planned. Chloe explained that she had promised to stop seeing Brady if Philip proved Brady had spied on him.

"But if Brady didn't do it, then there is nothing to prove," Chloe said. Chloe changed the subject to Nicole. Nicole told Chloe that she and Eric were getting a divorce. "Not only do I have to say goodbye to Eric, but I have to say goodbye to a part of myself," Nicole said. When Chloe reminded Nicole that she could lean on her friends like Rafe, Nicole grimaced. Nicole updated Chloe on the situation with Rafe and Ava.

"It's the only way that I can make sure that I don't make things more complicated," Nicole said. "For them or for you?" Chloe countered. "Both," Nicole stressed. Chloe asked Nicole if she was willing to give up Rafe as a friend. "The last thing that I need right now is more trouble," Nicole said. Chloe noted that Ava sounded a little like Philip. When Chloe noted that Ava's worries had been in her mind, Nicole said no. Nicole told Chloe that Rafe had admitted to Ava that he had feelings for Nicole. "How do you feel about that?" Chloe asked.

At Julie's Place, Ava sat down next to Philip at the bar. "Here to shake down Julie for some protection money?" Philip joked. With a smirk, Ava explained that she was there to apply for a position as a chef. "That seems like an unusual career path for a mob boss," Philip noted. "I left all that behind," Ava said. Ava told Philip that she was dating Rafe, and she would never return to organized crime.

"Doubt me all you want, but I have gone legit. And I have never been happier," Ava said. "Well, if that's the case, I'm happy for you. I guess," Philip said. Curious, Ava asked Philip what he meant. Philip joked that if Ava was still in the mob business, she could find someone to break Brady's legs. "Why?" Ava asked. "Just a joke," Philip muttered.

Philip told Ava that Brady was after his girlfriend, Chloe. "You're really threatened by him, huh?" Ava asked. "I'm threatened because he keeps pulling these moves to get close to [Chloe], and when I call him out on it, he acts like I'm the crazy one," Philip said. Ava chuckled. "I know exactly how you feel," Ava said. Philip asked Ava for details, and she told him about her fears about Rafe and Nicole.

"So why aren't you breaking Nicole's legs? Aside from the fact that you've gone legit," Philip said. "I might've had an impulse, but Nicole agreed she'd stay away from [Rafe]," Ava said. Ava urged Philip to talk to Chloe. Philip admitted that Chloe had agreed to stay away from Brady if Philip was able to prove that Brady had been spying on him. With a shake of her head, Ava argued that Brady seemed like "a pretty straight shooter."

"That's what he wants people to believe, but I know better. He failed at Titan. He failed at marriage. He's gotten desperate. I see it every time he is around Chloe. Once I find that proof, she'll see it, too," Philip said. Ava wished Philip well. Philip asked about Rafe. "Are Rafe's feelings for Nicole behind him?" Philip asked. "They are," Ava said. Philip asked Ava if she was able to get past her jealousy.

In the town square, Gabi and Jake met up with Brady at the caf. When Brady asked Gabi and Jake why they wanted to talk, Gabi said, "It's about you spying on Titan." "You think that I'm spying on you?" Brady asked. Jake suggested that Brady wanted revenge. "Is this about the keylogger incident?" Brady asked. Brady said he had already told Philip that he had not installed the device. "I didn't know what the hell a keylogger was," Brady added. Brady asked Gabi if she believed Brady would do "something like that."

After a moment, Gabi shook her head no. "I was pretty sure we were on a wild goose chase. That this is about Philip having a personal vendetta against you," Gabi said. With a shake of her head, Gabi apologized. "I shouldn't have let him get in my head," Gabi murmured. "You're talking about Philip, right?" Brady asked. When Jake asked Gabi if she was sure, she said that she did not believe that Brady would sink so low as to spy on them with a keylogger.

"Philip told you that I was spying on you, right?" Brady asked. "He wouldn't shut up about you. He said you would resort to any means to bring him down," Jake said. "This is not an ordinary rivalry. It was like he was possessed," Gabi added. When Jake asked Brady if he knew why Philip was so angry, Brady said that Philip was jealous. Brady explained that Philip was worried that Brady would steal Chloe from him.

"That would explain why he is raging," Jake said. Brady told Jake and Gabi about the incident on the business trip. "This makes a lot more sense now that you're telling us," Gabi said. "What do you mean?" Brady asked. Gabi explained that Philip had made a lot of comments about Brady at the office, and she and Jake had been confused. When Gabi noted that Philip was so preoccupied with Brady that he was not focused on his job, Brady raised an eyebrow.

"So, you're suggesting that he is kind of like letting stuff slip at Titan?" Brady asked. "Look, I like Philip, so I take no pleasure in telling you this, but, these days, my business depends on Titan. And I have to look out for Gabi Chic's interest. And I'm just afraid that Philip is going to run this entire company to the ground," Gabi said. Brady asked Gabi and Jake if they had talked to Philip about it.

"[Philip] is our boss. What are we supposed to say? Plus? He is past the point of listening," Jake said. Brady suggested that Gabi talk to Victor. "I don't think I could salvage a working relationship with Philip if I go over his head," Gabi said. Brady agreed. "It's good to know that I'm not the only one that has witnessed his insane behavior," Brady added. Gabi asked Brady to talk to Victor. Brady noted that Victor was unlikely to listen to him because Brady no longer worked for Titan.

"Someone needs to tell [Victor] what is going on with Philip, and I think he needs to hear it from family," Gabi said. Suspicious, Brady asked what was going on with Gabi and Jake. Gabi said she was concerned about the company. "No ulterior motives?" Brady asked. "Gabi Chic is my life's work, and I am in danger of Philip ruining it," Gabi said. With a nod, Brady agreed that Philip was unfit.

"I think that either one of you would make a better CEO than Philip at this point," Brady said. Jake laughed. "I don't know about that," Jake said. "Whether Victor listens to you or not, we have to tell him, because we are in danger of Philip destroying this entire company," Gabi said. Brady said he needed to think about it. "If you agree that Philip is a threat to your family's company, you owe it to your family to tell Victor," Gabi said. "What the hell is going on here?" Philip asked as he walked over.

Outside Julie's Place, Ava ran into Steve. Ava thanked Steve for his advice. "[Rafe and I] worked things out, and things are going really well," Ava said. "I'm glad to hear it. All you can do is be open and honest. Nothing hurts a relationship more than keeping secrets," Steve said.

Bonnie confesses to Justin

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

by Mike

At the Horton Town Square, Philip accused Gabi and Jake of conspiring with Brady to take over Titan. Jake and Gabi took turns explaining to Philip that they had simply been warning Brady to stop spying on Titan. "You all are insane -- I told you I didn't do it. [Now], if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do --" Brady declared. "What kind of work?" Philip wondered. "Not that it's any of your business, but it's a very important project -- [and] Chloe's waiting for me," Brady responded.

After Brady walked away, Gabi and Jake started embellishing the details of what had just happened in an effort to make Philip even more upset. "So, [Brady's] just going around to random employees of mine, telling them that my girlfriend's gonna leave me for him..." Philip grumbled before storming off -- and Jake and Gabi celebrated their victory once the coast was clear.

"How 'bout we grab ourselves a treat?" Jake suggested while directing Gabi's attention to Sweet Bits. "That was supposed to be my store, and they stole it right from under me!" Gabi grumbled. "Oh, right... Does that mean --" Jake responded. "I don't care how sweet their bits are -- we're not gonna give them a dime!" Gabi confirmed before dragging Jake away.

At Basic Black, Nicole dodged Chloe's questions about Rafe with a vague comment about having no intention of making a play for Ava's man -- then steered the conversation back to the topic of Philip's jealousy toward Brady. "You think Philip is justified in acting jealous?" Chloe assumed. "Kristen is out of the picture [now, and] we all know that your feelings for Brady haven't gone away --" Nicole responded.

Brady entered the CEO's office just then and apologized to Nicole and Chloe for the interruption. "You're not interrupting -- I was just actually leaving for the day --" Nicole insisted. "You don't have to go --" Chloe protested. "See you tomorrow!" Nicole declared before rushing off. "Okay, I don't know what that was all about..." Chloe grumbled. "Maybe it was about you saying you had feelings for me," Brady suggested. "Is that what you heard?" Chloe wondered. "I heard something like that, yeah," Brady confirmed. "Actually, I was just telling Nicole about the whole Wilkes-Barre mess with Philip, and she just kind of drew her own conclusions," Chloe explained.

Chloe quickly changed the subject, wondering if Brady was responsible for the spyware that had been found on Titan computers. "What if I [am]? We're business rivals, [and] all's fair in love and... All's fair in war..." Brady responded before backpedaling after finding out the terms of the deal Chloe had made with Philip about the matter.

"You again!" Philip snapped at Brady while storming into the CEO's office. "I work here, Philip," Brady responded. "You said you were too busy for lunch, [but] now you're just here, shooting the breeze with the guy who told Gabi and Jake he'd do anything to win you back!" Philip challenged Chloe. "I didn't say that -- [just that] I'm tired of your petty insecurities and your jealousy, and I think you're a paranoid maniac. [And] you're not exactly proving me wrong here," Brady declared before rushing off. "Okay -- you can stop marking your territory now..." Chloe advised Philip. "I'm sorry -- he just pushes my buttons to make me look like a jerk to you, [and] I just don't want to lose you..." Philip explained before seizing a hug from Chloe.

Nicole ran into Rafe outside the Brady Pub, and they awkwardly greeted each other. "I know that Ava has had some problems with jealousy, but at some point, she has to accept the fact that I have friends, and some of them are female --" Rafe argued when Nicole tried to rush off. "It's not that simple...[because] you don't have feelings for your other friends like you do for me," Nicole challenged Rafe. "Where did you hear that?" Rafe wondered. "Ava told me," Nicole responded. "[Well], now I'm with Ava, so that's the end of it -- I mean, it's not like you had those feelings for me, right?" Rafe summarized. "Whatever feelings were there...well, it's over -- I've moved on," Nicole declared before ducking into the pub, ignoring Rafe's protests.

At the police station, Bonnie struggled to process Justin's offer of help. "Yesterday --" Bonnie began to remind Justin. "Yesterday, I acted as judge and jury before you even had a trial," Justin regretfully summarized before gently asking for Bonnie's side of the story. "I guess I should start at the beginning," Bonnie decided. "Which is...when?" Justin wondered. "Somewhere around 2003," Bonnie clarified, surprising Justin.

"Remember the BuddyBucks scam?" Bonnie prodded Justin. "If I remember correctly, Buddy's Burger Barn was running a promotion, [so] sales went through the roof -- but there wasn't a winner," Justin recalled. "And I can tell you why," Bonnie said.

Harrison produced the winning BuddyBucks ticket and handed it to Bonnie as Calista watched. "Now all you gotta do is walk into Buddy's Burger Barn and tell 'em you got some fries with a side of cash, and then...bam, you are a millionaire!" Harrison explained to Bonnie. "Hey, whoa -- half-a-millionaire! Remember, we are splitting this payout -- and I still think we should get a bigger cut --" Calista snapped at Harrison. "There's no need to be greedy -- we could not have done this without the lovely Miss Bonnie," Harrison reminded Calista.

"I don't know -- this feels wrong..." Bonnie fretted. "You're taking cash from a big corporation, and they're just gonna give it away, anyway -- no one gets hurt," Harrison reasoned. "Except for those people buying burgers, hoping to win a prize!" Bonnie countered. "Sweetheart, why don't you head on over to Buddy's and get us some burgers and fries -- [and, in the meantime], I'm gonna work on Bonnie's nerves," Harrison ordered Calista. "Fine... Good luck with Meryl Streep here..." Calista grumbled before exiting the Lockhart-Ford residence.

"What if the police come sniffing around my house -- or what if they find out we're related by marriage?" Bonnie challenged Harrison. "Calista's brother walked out on you, [so] we're not related anymore. [But] if anyone messes with you, let me know -- I'll handle it," Harrison responded before showing Bonnie a gun. "I'm here for you -- in every way..." Harrison stressed before starting to caress Bonnie's shoulders. "I should go --" Bonnie announced while recoiling from Harrison. "You don't get to make that decision," Harrison insisted while grabbing Bonnie's arms.

"I'm not gonna hand you a half a mill in exchange for nothing -- I'm gonna get what I paid for," Harrison declared as Bonnie struggled to get away. "I don't want the money -- I just want to go!" Bonnie begged before finally managing to pull away from Harrison. "Come on, you know you want --" Harrison argued while advancing toward Bonnie again. "Don't touch me!" Bonnie warned before grabbing the gun and aiming it at Harrison's chest then firing a shot when the warning wasn't heeded -- and Calista returned with the food just then.

"You killed him!" Calista snapped as Bonnie dropped the gun in shock. "He was trying to force himself on me --" Bonnie explained. "Liar!" Calista protested. "It's true!" Bonnie insisted. "He would never betray me for the likes of you! You wanted that ticket all for yourself, you greedy little bitch --" Calista guessed. "No, I didn't -- I just wanted to --" Bonnie maintained. "You are not gonna get away with this, Bonnie Lockhart -- I am calling the police, and you are going to prison!" Calista declared, horrifying Bonnie, who rushed off in tears.

"Left in such a hurry, I didn't even pick up the gun -- I just got in my car and sped home... And I kept waiting for her to come after me, but she never did, [so] I guess she and Harrison had committed so many crimes, she figured she'd get busted if she called the cops on me," Bonnie concluded between sobs, drawing a nod from Justin. "What did you do with the ticket?" Justin wondered. "I couldn't cash it -- it was blood money, you know? I mean, literally -- it had blood all over it. So, I just flushed it down the toilet...and I imagined my whole life going down the drain with it -- and now it finally is!" Bonnie responded. "It wasn't your fault," Justin stressed. "It's just...I was married to a man who beat me senseless almost every day -- and when Harrison touched me, I just said...'No more -- no more!'" Bonnie explained, drawing another nod from Justin.

"I believe you," Justin declared after hearing the rest of Bonnie's story. "[And] you still want to defend me?" Bonnie assumed. "Yes," Justin confirmed. "Thank you!" Bonnie raved. "But I won't lie to you -- this is going to be a tough road, now that you've admitted to killing Calista, Harrison Lord, and your husband --" Justin warned. "Oh, hang on -- I did not admit to killing my husband...'cause I didn't do it," Bonnie insisted before telling Justin the truth about that incident, knowing it would be protected under attorney-client privilege.

"So, you took the rap for your daughter -- you spent all those years in prison for a crime you didn't commit... [Now], the person with a big enough heart to do that for her daughter -- that's the person I love," Justin summarized after Bonnie finished talking. "Still?" Bonnie translated. "Yes -- I love you! And, yes, this is gonna be a hard fight in court...but after this is over, I still intend to marry you," Justin insisted, delighting Bonnie, who breathed a sigh of relief and fought back fresh tears -- of joy -- as they embraced.

Ben and Ciara, still honeymooning in New Orleans, visited the nearby Oak Alley Plantation at the end of a long day of sightseeing. "I can't believe how beautiful it is here... I've heard a lot about this place from my mom -- this is where her and my dad, and their love story, kind of took off --" Ciara said to Ben -- just as a young Black woman approached and politely interrupted.

"Welcome to Oak Alley -- may I help you?" the woman began. "We came for a tour," Ciara responded. "I'm sorry -- we just closed for the day," the woman declared. "Oh, man... I guess we just got caught up touring New Orleans -- we didn't realize how late it was..." Ciara admitted. "It's all right -- we can come back tomorrow," Ben suggested. "But...baby, we just drove an hour -- and we have tickets to the Voodoo Museum tomorrow --" Ciara protested. "We can skip the Voodoo Museum -- this is important to you; this is special --" Ben insisted. "Oh? What brings you here?" the woman wondered. "Well, we are on our honeymoon...but my parents actually came here a long time ago -- this is where they first started falling in love; they even had a little symbolic ceremony here... [Anyway], they always wanted to come back --" Ciara explained. "They never did?" the woman translated. "No, they did not -- my father passed away," Ciara clarified.

"You know, maybe we should get going -- I thought I heard some thunder, anyway..." Ben advised Ciara, perhaps sensing that the conversation was heading toward an awkward silence. "Wait -- I'm not supposed to do this, but...if you'd like, I can show you around a bit [right now]. I'd like you to see what Oak Alley is all about today," the woman decided after a moment of thought.

The woman gave Ben and Ciara a tour of the place then led them back to the entrance. "Wow -- walking around Oak Alley was...a lot different than what I expected..." Ciara mused. "You were disappointed?" the woman assumed. "Oh, no, not at all -- it's just...in my mind, it was always about my parents' history here; I never really thought about the actual history of this place," Ciara clarified. "Or how it connects to the history of our country," Ben guessed. "Yeah, no -- I've [always just] heard some old stories about 'the French, mysterious colonizers' who came here, planted a bunch of oak trees, and gave this place its name," Ciara recalled. "Mm-hmm -- a very romantic story," the woman declared.

"Much more romantic than the truth -- that the trees were planted by slaves, the same slaves who built the plantation house," the woman stressed. "It was powerful to see all their names listed like that in the database," Ben admitted. "I've been working here for two years, and it gets to me every single day -- imagining the lives of my ancestors, what they went through... But I'm grateful we're able to remember them -- and to give visitors a more accurate picture of what this place used to be, [because] in order to move forward, we have to reckon with our past; if something's built on ugliness [and] violence, then it's always gonna be there, beneath the surface, and we can't ignore it," the woman responded.

Ben squirmed as the woman spoke -- and Ciara noticed. "Are you okay, baby?" Ciara wondered. "I'm just tired," Ben claimed.

Ben and Ciara thanked the woman for the tour then started to rush off. "Feels like a storm's coming..." Ben said to Ciara as a strong gust of wind rattled the plantation's sign.

Kayla tests Doug's memory

Thursday, September 16, 2021

by Mike

At the DiMera mansion, Johnny opened a laptop then adjusted a ring light. "Perfecto... Who knew video calls would make me a better cinematographer..." Johnny mused before contacting Will.

"How's everything in Arizona?" Johnny began. "No complaints -- I've been covering some great stories for the paper, Sonny and his brothers are doing great work at their biotech company..." Will reported. "You have any time for fun?" Johnny wondered. "Yeah, we took a little road trip to end the summer, had some nice family bonding time... And now Ari's back in school," Will answered.

"I was...very surprised...to hear you moved back to Salem," Will admitted. "If I had known how much pressure my dad was gonna put on me to work at DiMera, I might have thought twice before coming...[but] it was time for a change, [and] I've got plans of my own -- I'm gonna make a movie...and that is where you come in," Johnny explained.

"Still have the script?" Johnny asked Will after elaborating. "Man, I haven't even thought about that in years...but I save everything to a hard drive, so I probably have it somewhere," Will replied. "Could you send it to me?" Johnny begged. "Yeah, sure...but have you asked Mom how she feels about this -- if she'd be cool with you making a movie about her life?" Will answered. "I would...if she would return any of my calls..." Johnny grumbled.

"Mom's ghosting you?" Will sputtered. "No, she left town after she cheated on my dad with yours -- went off the grid; apparently, she needs some 'space'..." Johnny clarified. "Yeah, I got that text she sent... I feel bad for her -- her marriage ending... I hope she's okay..." Will declared. "Yeah, me, too... [But] she really has no one to blame but herself," Johnny insisted. "Sounds like the whole thing was pretty dramatic," Will mused. "Mom's whole life has been pretty dramatic," Johnny noted.

"And that is why I know her story will make a good movie," Johnny stressed. "Just keep in mind, I was pretty young when I wrote [that script]," Will warned. "[Maybe] it'll need some tweaking, but let me take a look -- we'll discuss," Johnny responded. "I gotta say, it's impressive -- you have a dream, and you're making it a reality," Will acknowledged.

"Allie is, too -- I heard she just opened a bakery with a friend," Will added. "Yeah -- it's an...interesting...partnership..." Johnny muttered. "Meaning...?" Will prodded Johnny. "Eh... Do you ever get the feeling Allie might...play for your team?" Johnny wondered. "Why would you think that?" Will responded. "Never mind," Johnny backpedaled.

"Just send me the script -- I can't wait to read it; I'm sure it's full of family secrets that no one's ever told me," Johnny begged again before saying goodbye to Will.

At the hospital, Marlena continued a phone conversation with John. "I do realize it's a lot of money -- and so does Johnny; that's why he understands we have to think about it," Marlena confirmed. "I would like to support him in this -- only if you're comfortable with that," Marlena declared. "I will talk to you about it at home," Marlena agreed before ending the call.

At the Horton Town Square, Chanel and Allie hugged in celebration of the fact that Sweet Bits had made a "big" profit on its first day of business -- and Tripp approached during the embrace. "Am I interrupting?" Tripp began with an awkward laugh, prompting Allie and Chanel to pull away from each other. "There's nothing romantic going on -- in case you were worried..." Chanel stressed. "Who said I was worried?" Tripp wondered. "No one -- I don't know why Chanel said that, because she knows you and I are together!" Allie insisted. "Yeah, Horton's made that clear..." Chanel grumbled.

"I saw Johnny earlier -- I ran into him, actually -- [and] I asked him to fill me in on what happened the other night," Tripp revealed. "Why didn't you ask me?" Allie wondered. "I did...but you didn't have time to talk, and I thought it was important to know where we all stood --" Tripp explained. "What did Johnny say?" Chanel interjected. "He definitely doesn't appreciate his sister butting in on his relationship with you," Tripp answered. "That is not... Forget it," Allie muttered. "Finish," Chanel demanded. "You know how I feel about this whole situation -- now it is up to you if you want to decide to continue on your...whatever...with Johnny," Allie conceded with a shrug.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it anymore, okay? I'd just really much rather focus on Sweet Bits being a huge hit," Allie added. "Which is why I'm here -- I wanted to celebrate with both of you -- so...why don't we get a table and order some Champagne," Tripp suggested. "Sure -- and, with the bank we just made, I can finally afford to buy the bubbly --" Chanel responded. "We can split it --" Allie offered. "Neither one of you is gonna pay," Tripp insisted.

"I would like to congratulate my girlfriend and her business partner on being on the way to building a baking dynasty, okay? So, the Champagne is very definitely on me," Tripp clarified before leading Allie and Chanel to a table near the Bistro then ordering a bottle of Champagne from the restaurant. "Oh, yeah -- this is the good stuff," Chanel raved as Allie thanked Tripp.

Johnny approached while Tripp was trying to make a toast to Allie and Chanel. "Is this a private party, or is there room for one more?" Johnny wondered, delighting Chanel and annoying Allie and Tripp.

"Since you weren't responding to my calls or texts, I realized I needed to up my game to get your attention... Congratulations on your grand opening," Johnny said to Chanel while handing over a bouquet of flowers. "No flowers for me?" Allie guessed as Chanel thanked Johnny. "Maybe if you'd apologized," Johnny responded. "For what?" Allie wondered. "For trying to come between me and Chanel like a psychopath," Johnny clarified.

"I was just trying to protect her," Allie explained. "She doesn't need you to do that," Johnny argued. "I get that now...and I get that my brother's love life is not something I should be involved in -- and, believe me, I don't want to be," Allie stressed. "Look, I know that I don't have the best track record when it comes to women -- I could be a real jerk -- but that's in the past now; I've learned from my mistakes, [and] I'm a different person!" Johnny insisted.

"You can stay -- my friends and I are celebrating a very exciting, very promising new beginning...and you should be a part of it," Chanel assured Johnny as Allie and Tripp silently stewed.

Tripp reluctantly fetched a glass for Johnny then finished the earlier toast -- and Allie reluctantly touched glasses with Johnny. "You guys really inspire me -- you worked hard to make your dream come true, and I'm gonna do the same thing with my film," Johnny declared. "Do you even have a script?" Allie asked dismissively. "I do 'even have a script'!" Johnny matter-of-factly replied before elaborating.

"Oh, my God -- my mother would love to have a movie made about her life..." Chanel mused. "What you're doing feels way too personal," Allie protested. "Message received -- you hate the idea. My dad does, too -- which makes me love it even more," Johnny countered. "Kind of strange to think you'd have actors playing people in your family..." Tripp noted. "Totally!" Allie agreed.

"Besides...I mean, who could do justice to Sami Brady?" Allie added. "What about you?" Johnny suggested. "I think your brother's just trying to get back on your good side," Chanel said to Allie teasingly. "No, I'm serious!" Johnny insisted. "You do resemble your mom..." Tripp said to Allie supportively. "I'm a baker and a single mom -- I'm not an actress," Allie objected. "Think about it, sis -- I could make you a star..." Johnny countered, intriguing Allie.

Abe met with Lani at the Brady Pub for dinner. "Where's Paulina?" Lani wondered. "I did invite her, but she had something she needed to do," Abe answered.

Abe told Lani about what had happened with Paulina the previous night. "You and Aunt Paulina are thinking about getting married? That's...kind of fast..." Lani stammered. "Well, I mean, that doesn't mean it's going to happen tomorrow...or even necessarily happen at all..." Abe clarified.

"How would you feel if it did?" Abe wondered. "It's not really up to me," Lani admitted. "You're my daughter, and your opinion means a lot to me -- and even more so since I know how much she hurt you... [I mean], forgiving someone and being comfortable around her all the time are two different things --" Abe countered. "I'm comfortable around Aunt Paulina," Lani insisted. "As your aunt...but what if she becomes your mother?" Abe responded. "Stepmother," Lani protested. "Of course," Abe backpedaled.

"But a stepmother would have a bigger role in your life than an aunt -- I mean, you'd see her all the time... Is that something you could handle, or is that too much to ask?" Abe challenged Lani. "Ever since you met Aunt Paulina, there's been a spring in your step and a smile on your face, [and] I want you to feel that as long as you possibly can, [so]...if you want to marry Aunt Paulina, you have my blessing," Lani assured Abe. "So...when are you popping the big question?" Lani wondered while hugging Abe, who just laughed in response.

At the hospital, Kayla joined Doug and Julie in one of the examination rooms. "Doug, in cases like yours, where you've experienced some confusion and some memory issues, we like to start with a very basic test -- it's about 30 questions that will assess your cognitive function -- and then, when we get the results of that, we will know where you stand, and we can take it from there. [Now], first off, I'm going to tell you five words..." Kayla began.

Meanwhile, Marlena received an office visit from Paulina, who handed over a box of baked goods. "I thought you'd enjoy a sample of what my daughter and your granddaughter have created," Paulina explained as Marlena peeked inside the box.

Marlena hungrily eyed the baked goods then reluctantly closed the box and set it aside while thanking Paulina for the gesture. "After the mess I made [by] almost turning the square into Price Town, I should have bought every item in that bakery and passed them out for free," Paulina admitted. "Well, you did the right thing [in the end], and now it's all behind you," Marlena responded. "If only I could fix all my mistakes so easily..." Paulina fretted.

"Something is weighing on me, Marlena, and it's a very heavy emotional burden, and I hear that you're the best when it comes to helping people out with these kinds of issues -- [but] I know you're close with Abe, [so] maybe this was a mistake..." Paulina declared before starting to rush off. "If you're looking for some professional advice, anything you tell me would be protected by doctor-patient confidentiality -- I couldn't breathe a word of it legally, [and] I could be sued [and even] lose my license [if I did]," Marlena stressed. "In that case..." Paulina conceded before forging ahead.

"You're shocked," Paulina guessed at the end of the tale. "Just a little bit..." Marlena confirmed before offering a few words of sympathy. "[Now] I've grown older, I've got my own money, I have my own resources...and I still kept it a secret -- and if [Lani] and Abe found out that I did that, they would never, ever forgive me," Paulina predicted. "I'm not sure that's true -- and, in my life and in my career, I've learned that sometimes things that you think can't be forgiven do get forgiven. [So], no pressure, but if you decide you want to tell Abe and Lani the truth, I will help you facilitate that --" Marlena argued. "No, Marlena -- you've got to promise me that what I have shared with you here today, you're gonna just keep it between us!" Paulina demanded. "You don't have to worry -- everything you say to me is in strict confidence," Marlena reiterated.

"[But] I can see how much pain you're in, and I wish I could help..." Marlena explained. "Just unburdening myself to you has been a help," Paulina insisted. "Well, I would suggest that you book some appointments with me or someone else, [then] -- and maybe one day you'll feel comfortable sharing your secret with Abe and Lani," Marlena advised. "I don't know about that..." Paulina muttered before agreeing to future therapy sessions with Marlena.

Meanwhile, Kayla presented Doug with the final challenge of the test -- repeating the five words that had been provided earlier. Julie was concerned at first -- but, after a long pause and a desperate request for a hint, Doug finally remembered each word. "I don't think there's anything serious going on with you," Kayla concluded, drawing sighs of relief from Doug and Julie.

While exiting the hospital a short time later, Julie and Doug ran into Paulina, and they chatted with each other while waiting for an elevator to arrive. "Doug Williams, did you just grab my ass?" Paulina eventually snapped, drawing a grin from Doug and a gasp from Julie. "I'm mortified!" Julie exclaimed before apologizing to Paulina, who dismissed the concern after learning that Doug had been exhibiting some out-of-character behavior recently.

Paulina boarded the elevator that had just arrived, but Julie stopped Doug from following -- then summoned Kayla to the nurses' station. "I think we better run that MRI, after all..." Julie said to Kayla as Doug gave them a shameless shrug.

Doug reveals a secret to Marlena

Friday, September 17, 2021

by Spalding

E.J. walked into Johnny's bedroom. "Guess what today is," E.J. said. "Do I have to?" Johnny asked. E.J. noted that it was "take your son to work day." Johnny told E.J. that he was tired of the work conversation. "I am all in on making this film," Johnny said. Curious, E.J. asked if Johnny still planned to make the movie about Sami. Johnny said yes, and he handed the script to E.J.

"You're making a movie on Will's old script," E.J. noted. When Johnny asked if there was a problem, E.J. pointed out that several studios had already rejected Will's script. "Some tweaking, fresh vision," Johnny countered. E.J. asked Johnny about exploiting his family. "Mom corroborated with Will, she won't object," Johnny said. "What if I object?" E.J. asked. Johnny said he would write E.J. out.

"It's not like you're vital to the story," Jonny said with a shrug. "How could I not be? I was the love of your mother's life," E.J. said. Johnny argued that the script told a different story. "That title belongs to Lucas," Johnny said. E.J. disagreed, so Johnny encouraged him to read the screenplay.

"Mom and Lucas aren't even a real couple, and yet the chemistry is already off the charts. You can tell they're totally meant for each other," Johnny said. E.J. scoffed at the idea. "Of course, Will made it sound that way. Lucas is his father," E.J. said. With a shrug, Johnny noted that decades later, Sami and Lucas still had trouble keeping their hands off one another.

"Despite your great love," Johnny said. E.J. got in Johnny's face. "Watch yourself, John Roman. Take it too far, and you might just live to regret it," E.J. whispered.

Abigail returned home with Chad. When Abigail looked at the staircase, she remembered the night that Gwen had fallen. After Abigail spent time with the kids, Chad sent them off to school. Abigail thanked Chad for making her realize it was time to return home.

When Chad offered to take Abigail's bags upstairs, she told him that she felt they should sleep in separate bedrooms. "Is that a problem?" Abigail asked. "No," Chad said. Chad stressed that he wanted to do whatever was needed to make Abigail feel comfortable. "But we are going to have to have a conversation with the kids," Chad added. Abigail agreed. Chad noted that "certain people" would talk about the separation.

"Abigail! What a lovely surprise!" E.J. said as he entered the room. Abigail was clearly surprised by E.J.'s presence. E.J. awkwardly hugged Abigail hello, and he winced when Abigail patted his ribs. "Just worked out a little too hard yesterday. Finally back to my old self," E.J. said. "For better or worse," Chad muttered. Abigail told E.J. that she was glad to see that he was healthy, and E.J. said he felt the same about her.

"I'm glad my brother took my advice to go off and fight for you," E.J. said. "I didn't realize it was your idea," Abigail said. "It wasn't his idea," Chad objected. Chad stressed that he had flown to Boston because he had wanted to see Abigail and work things out. "The important thing is that you're here," E.J. said. E.J. added that he had overheard about the separate rooms.

"That's none of your business," Chad grumbled. "As a man whose own marriage has recently imploded, I am a champion of unions where love wins the day. And I know yours will, too," E.J. said. E.J. stressed that Chad was regretful and ashamed of his actions. "Would you shut up? I don't need you speaking for me!" Chad said. Chad asked E.J. why he was not at the office with Johnny. Annoyed, E.J. said that Johnny had refused to join him, and E.J. blamed Chad. Chad angrily yelled he was not to blame.

"[Johnny] is a grown man. He should be able to make his own choices in life," Chad said. "His choice has been to party his way through Europe," E.J. countered. Chad argued that Johnny should explore his options, and he noted that E.J. wanted to control Johnny instead.

"You're supposed to be working with me to steer this family in the right direction. That was the whole point of taking this company back, and yet you take pleasure in egging Johnny on to defy me!" E.J. said. Chad noted that Johnny would rebel with or without Chad's help. E.J. asked Abigail to remind Chad of his loyalties.

"I think you are trying to put Chad in between you and your son, and now you're trying to put me between you and Chad. Which is not going to happen, because I am not going to take the bait," Abigail said. "I see you two are still a united front, even if you are sleeping in separate bedrooms," E.J. said. "Like Chad said, that's none of your business," Abigail retorted. E.J. apologized and left. "That's not how I planned to welcome you home," Chad said.

At the pub, Roman went over to Lucas and Kate's table. Kate shoved a bakery box toward Roman. "For you," Kate said. "Most people don't bring food into a restaurant," Roman said. When Kate explained that the food was from Allie's bakery, Roman opened the box and grinned.

"What a way to start the day!" Roman said. "I'm telling you, they are going to give you some competition. They had a line out the door," Kate said. Lucas lamented that Sami was not there to celebrate Allie's success. "Have you heard from her?" Lucas asked. Roman said no, and then he took the doughnuts back into the kitchen.

When Roman returned from the kitchen, Kate laughed. Kate noted there was powdered sugar on Roman's cheek. When Roman could not find it, Kate brushed it off his face as she chuckled. Lucas raised an eyebrow as he watched. Roman reminded Kate of their wedding cake. Kate groaned and recalled that the Salem Stalker had made the cake look like it had been oozing blood.

"Good times," Lucas joked. Roman noted that Alice had saved the wedding by making a tower of doughnuts. "It was such a beautiful reception. Until the groom appeared to be killed," Kate said. Lucas noted that they needed one normal wedding in Salem. Roman said that he had ended up on the island of Melaswen for his honeymoon.

"Victor didn't exactly fill out a sarong the way you did. And still do," Roman joked to Kate. When Roman returned to the kitchen, Lucas asked if something was going on between Kate and Roman. "Why on earth would you think that Roman and I are involved?" Kate asked. "Blatant flirting," Lucas said. Kate's gaze drifted toward the kitchen, and Lucas noticed.

"I think you and Roman are great together," Lucas said. Lucas reminded Kate that Roman had expressed an interest in getting back together with her. "He said that months ago. He hasn't said anything since," Kate noted. "Every man's got his pride," Lucas said. Lucas encouraged Kate to talk to Roman.

When Johnny walked into the pub, Lucas gave him a warm hug. "Beautiful as ever," Johnny said as he kissed Kate's cheek. "What a sweet talker. Just like your dad," Kate said. When Kate noted that E.J. was excited to see Johnny work in the family business, Johnny told Kate that he had no interest in DiMera Enterprises. Before Johnny could explain his dream, Roman joined them.

"I was beginning to think you were avoiding me," Roman said. "Actually, I've been working on my dream project," Johnny said. Johnny announced that he planned to make a movie. When Johnny asked Roman to invest in his film, Roman joked, "That is why you finally came to visit." Roman asked about the cost. Johnny explained that he needed multiple investors, and Marlena had already given him the idea for the project.

"What's it about?" Kate asked. "I am going to direct Will's screenplay about my mom's life," Johnny said. Roman said it was a great idea. "My dad hates the idea," Johnny said. "Oh, really? Why?" Lucas asked. Johnny explained that E.J. had argued that Sami would object. Johnny noted that Sami had approved the script years before.

"But I wanted to get your input," Johnny told Roman. Johnny pointed out that the script included Marlena's affair with John. "Ancient history, man. So, I'm good," Roman said. Roman asked Johnny to cast someone handsome to play him. Johnny promised to make Roman proud.

"Lucas? Do you have any interest in backing my movie?" Johnny asked. Confused, Lucas asked Johnny if he wanted money from the man that had wrecked E.J.'s marriage. "That's between you and my dad. You've always been good to me," Johnny said. Johnny added that Lucas was a huge part of the script.

"The way that the script reads, you were the love of my mom's life," Johnny said. "Wow. So, I bet you couldn't wait to tell E.J. that," Kate said. "I'm sure that went over real well, didn't it?" Lucas added. When Johnny noted that it had pushed E.J.'s buttons, Lucas laughed. "That's good enough for me. I'll sign the check right now!" Lucas said. Johnny looked to Kate, but she declined to invest. Kate noted that E.J. signed her paycheck, and Johnny said he understood.

After Roman returned to work and Johnny left, Kate noted that Lucas' ulterior motives to invest in the movie were obvious. Lucas grinned. "I'd do anything for family," Lucas said. "And sticking it to E.J. has nothing to do with it, right?" Kate asked. Lucas shrugged, then changed the subject back to Roman. "There is no me and Roman," Kate stressed. Lucas urged Kate to give Roman a chance.

"A chance for what?" Roman asked as he returned to the table. Lucas announced that he needed to run an errand, and he ran out of the pub. Confused, Roman asked, "What was that all about?" "Lucas thinks that we should get back together," Kate said.

In the Horton living room, Julie showed Doug their family photo album and quizzed him on the people in it. Doug jokingly said a photo of Maggie was Bonnie Raitt. Frustrated, Julie asked Doug not to make jokes. "I think we have tested my memory enough for one morning," Doug said. "I know this is tedious, it's just that I'm so worried about you," Julie said. Doug clutched Julie's hand to comfort her.

"I honestly don't know what has come over me," Doug said. Julie told Doug that she hoped Kayla would have answers. When Kayla arrived, she asked Doug about his health. Doug admitted that he was embarrassed about what he had done to Paulina. "I don't understand why I did that," Doug said. "That's why Kayla is here. To give us some answers," Julie said. Kayla said she had looked at the test results.

"There are no signs of bleeding, a stroke, or a tumor. I didn't see the presence of biomarkers that would raise any red flags. There was some shrinkage of your brain volume, but that is not unexpected at your age," Kayla said. Doug asked Kayla if she had ruled out Alzheimer's. "Not yet. Not every patient that has the disease shows clear biomarkers," Kayla said. Julie asked about the next steps. Kayla recommended a PET scan next. Doug and Julie eagerly agreed. Kayla added that Doug should talk to Marlena for additional assessment.

In the penthouse, John raved about the Sweet Bits doughnut. "It was nice of Paulina to bring you some," John said. Marlena agreed. When John noted that both Allie and Johnny were ambitious kids, Marlena admitted that Johnny had asked her to invest in his movie. "Any idea what the movie is about?" John asked. "It's about Sami," Marlena said. Marlena explained that Johnny had wanted to work on something personal, and she had recommended that Johnny talk to Will about a screenplay.

"It turns out that Johnny is now going to direct the script that Will wrote," Marlena said. John went quiet. Marlena asked what was wrong. "I think it's really a terrible idea," John said. When Marlena conceded that it was a risky investment, John clarified that he was worried about dredging up the past for the world to see. John noted that the script likely had a scene about when a teenage Sami had found John and Marlena making love.

"Oh, that," Marlena whispered. Marlena said she did not think Johnny would show that scene. "That moment of betrayal was the catalyst that drove Sami's actions for years. I don't see how Johnny tells her story without that context," John said. Marlena nodded in agreement. Marlena added that the affair was not a secret.

"I'm not proud of it, but I've adjusted to it," Marlena said. "So have I. But what about Roman?" John asked. Marlena said Johnny would talk to Roman first. "We're all good friends now. Roman has moved on with his life," Marlena said. John sat quietly. Marlena asked John if he was opposed to Johnny's movie.

"The past is sometimes best left in the past, Doc," John said. "So, are you concerned about [Johnny] revisiting our affair?" Marlena asked. John noted that the affair had damaged Marlena so thoroughly that she had been left vulnerable. Marlena stressed that the movie was about Sami, not her. "But what happened next, it affected Sami, as well. And it is not a subject Johnny should be messing with," John said. Marlena's phone rang. It was Kayla, so Marlena took the call.

Kayla asked Marlena to evaluate Doug because he had exhibited symptoms of cognitive decline. Marlena agreed. After Marlena ended her call, she asked John if they could continue their conversation later. John agreed, and he kissed Marlena goodbye.

Johnny went to the penthouse to see Marlena, but John told him she had gone into work. "Did [Marlena] happen to mention my project to you?" Johnny asked. John said he had discussed it with Marlena but that he had concerns about the script. "I'm a little apprehensive about putting our life out there like that," John said. "You mean Grandma Marlena's affair?" Johnny asked. John said he was worried about Roman. Johnny confirmed that Roman had approved and agreed to invest in the movie.

"So, if that is the only thing stopping you from investing," Johnny started. John interrupted to note that he had other concerns. "Let me finish having this conversation with your grandma, and then I'll circle back with you as soon as possible," John said. Johnny told John he was fine with whatever they decided to do.

"I'm going to go finish reading the script," Johnny said. "Wait. You haven't even finished the script yet?" John asked. With a shrug, Johnny said he knew all the major plot points. "How do you feel about movies with talking dogs?" John asked. Johnny laughed and asked why. "Never mind," John said. With a shake of his head, Johnny walked out. John retrieved a box from the closet. Inside the box was his priest's collar, his Bible, and a news clipping about when Marlena had been possessed by the devil.

In the square, Johnny sat on a bench and read through the script. "What the hell? Grandma Marlena was possessed by the devil?" Johnny exclaimed.

In the waiting area of the hospital by the nurses' station, Kayla and Julie talked. "I know how hard this is. I went through something very similar with my mother," Kayla said. "All the days of our lives have been so wonderful. Years and years. Much more than most people ever get. I want more," Julie said through tears. Kayla urged Julie not to give up hope.

When Marlena met up with Doug in her office, she said her results were inconclusive. Marlena said she wanted to run some more tests. "If I confess something to you, do you promise to keep it just between us?" Doug asked. Marlena reminded Doug that he was her patient. "Anything you tell me will be held in strict confidence," Marlena said. Doug admitted that he felt something was wrong with him.

"I say and do strange things, and I don't know why. I just pray that you can help me," Doug said. "I will do everything I can to help you," Marlena said. Marlena asked Doug about his recent incidents. Doug told Marlena he had mixed her up with Vivian, and they both chuckled.

"I feel worse, really, about forgetting Tom and Alice. How could I ever forget them? They meant so much to me," Doug said. "Having a lapse in memory doesn't mean that they're any less meaningful to you. So, please, don't feel guilty about it," Marlena said. Doug said he did feel guilty about having groped Paulina. "Do you have any idea why you did that?" Marlena asked. Doug said no as he looked at his hand.

Marlena asked about when Doug had locked Julie in the freezer by accident. "That was no accident. I locked that bitch in there on purpose," Doug said. Taken aback, Marlena asked Doug to repeat himself. "You heard right. It was the most fun I had all week," Doug said with a grin. "I'm sure you don't mean that. I think you're just confused," Marlena said. "You're the one that's confused. I'm not Doug!" "Doug" said with a laugh.

When Marlena reiterated her name, "Doug" said he knew her well. "It's been over 25 years, Marlena. But did you really think I wouldn't come back for you?" "Doug" said in the voice of the Devil.