At the Brady Pub, Marlena was shocked to learn that Kristen had been released. Marlena knowingly guessed that Stefano had probably given the judge a villa somewhere in Italy, and Roman agreed that there was a good chance that such a deal had been struck. Roman reported that Kristen had been ordered to wear an ankle monitor, but Marlena doubted that would stop Kristen from fleeing.
At the hospital, Nicole found Eric sitting alone in John's room. Nicole apologized for the intrusion, explaining that she had made several previous attempts to visit John but had always caught him in the middle of one test or another. Eric expressed skepticism, but Nicole assured him that it was purely coincidental that they had both decided to visit John at the same time. Eric admitted that he didn't believe in coincidences -- not when Nicole was involved, at least.
Eric abruptly excused himself, but Nicole followed him out of the room and pointed out that it was inevitable that they would run into each other from time to time. Nicole quickly added that she wanted Eric to know that, while her boss was pressuring her to cover the story about Sami, E.J., and Abigail, she wasn't going to comply, because she didn't want to hurt Eric any more than she already had.
Eric encouraged Nicole to do whatever she wanted to do, write whatever she wanted to write, and go wherever she wanted to go, insisting that he didn't care anymore and that he couldn't bear to even look at her anymore. "Well, which is it, hmm? You just don't care, or you're so desperate not to care -- so desperate not to even think about me anymore -- [but] you hate me so much, you can't help it?" Nicole wondered.
Before Eric could respond, he received a phone call from Marlena, and when she realized that he was with Nicole, she asked to see both of them right away. When Eric and Nicole arrived at the Brady Pub a short time later, Marlena and Roman revealed that Kristen had been granted bail. Nicole angrily summarized that the DiMeras had bought off another judge.
Roman excused himself but promised to keep Marlena and Eric posted on Kristen's whereabouts. After Roman left, Marlena told Eric that she had tried to contact Brady but had been unsuccessful. Eric and Marlena decided to split up and look for Brady, and Nicole chased after Eric as he exited the pub.
At the park, Kristen greeted Brady and happily noted that they were finally together again. Brady reached for his cell phone, but before he could contact the police, Kristen showed him her ankle monitor and assured him that her movements were already being tracked. Brady guessed that Kristen wasn't the only person whose movements were being tracked, and she confirmed that she'd had him followed because she hadn't wanted him to hear about her release from anyone else.
Kristen said she had a lot of things to explain to Brady, but he snapped that he hated her and wasn't interested in hearing her explanations. Brady warned that he was ready to take on Kristen and her goons if she tried to pull another kidnapping stunt. Kristen claimed that what had happened with Daniel had been a complete misunderstanding, and she insisted that her intentions had been good. Brady refused to believe Kristen, observing that she seemed to lie as easily as other people breathed, but she swore that what she had to say to him wasn't a lie.
Kristen said she understood that Brady was hurt and angry and that he had probably been trying to wipe every thought and memory of her from his mind since the day she had left Salem. "But that's not how it's been for me, Brady. You're all I've thought about. You're the first thing I think of when I wake up, and you're the last thing I think of when I go to sleep -- if I can sleep. And if I can, I dream of you," Kristen added.
Brady expressed skepticism, but Kristen assured him that she was telling the truth. Kristen acknowledged that she had a lot to account for, and she added that she had only approached him because she was certain that the Brady she had known -- the Brady who had known her better than anyone else ever had -- would listen to her. "The reason I'm here, Brady -- I am finally gonna make things right," Kristen vowed.
Brady told Kristen that, as he knew from personal experience, certain things simply couldn't be made right. Kristen guessed that Brady was talking about what had happened to John, and Brady confirmed the suspicion, musing that the crux of the matter was that everything that had gone wrong in their lives could be traced back to the three of them. Brady proceeded to tell Kristen about the bad habits he had indulged in and the poor choices he had made after she had left Salem.
"And I got into something, Kristen -- I got into hate. Hatred of you, of course, but...hatred of someone else that, uh, came as a surprise to me -- I began to hate my father [...] for constantly reminding me of you with his presence, for being right about you, but most of all, for bringing you into my life. So I began to blame everything on him. Every time I drank, every time I snorted a line of coke, every time I had sex, every time I tried to...rip myself apart, I blamed him, [and] I got really good at hating. But I realized that, even more so than my father, the one guy I really hated the most was me -- myself," Brady explained.
"And the irony is, I'm good -- I'm fine. I'm just rolling along with my useless, stupid life, and, uh, it's gonna be without my dad, 'cause I killed him. I killed him, Kristen -- he's in -- he's in a coma. He's not waking up. He's as dead as a person can be. He's gone. And I tried to do what people like you and I do -- I threw money at the situation. I thought I could bully some doctors into coming in, examining him, and bringing him back -- some kind of miracle -- [but] it's not gonna happen. He's gone. So I have come to the realization that I'm the one who killed my father. I'm the one who did it," Brady regretfully continued, ignoring Kristen's attempts to offer hope.
"But here's the problem, Kristen, that you're not seeing -- I have to live with it. I have to live with it for the rest of my life, just like you have to live with the fact that you created this hell. There is no salvation for you here. You are as dead to me as my father," Brady concluded before walking away. Kristen sadly watched Brady leave but didn't try to stop him.
Nicole followed Eric to the Kiriakis mansion, where he was leaving a note for Brady. Eric protested that Nicole needed to look for Brady elsewhere, and he grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him as he added that he didn't want her anywhere near him. "You don't know what the hell you want," Nicole observed. With a tortured look, Eric forcibly removed Nicole from the mansion and quickly closed the door behind her.
Brady ran into Marlena in the town square and thanked her for trying to warn him about Kristen's release, adding that he had actually already had an encounter with Kristen earlier. Brady started to tell Marlena about the encounter before dismissively concluding that it didn't matter because Kristen was gone. "Where is she?" Marlena worriedly wondered.
Meanwhile, in John's hospital room, Kristen was studying John's medical files. "Hi, John. Can you hear me? Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. Life is so strange. The way I just unexpectedly ended up in Salem -- I had no idea what I was gonna do next. But now I think I do," Kristen cryptically stated, grinning mischievously.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami panicked about the state of the company, and E.J. calmly agreed that the situation was quite dire. E.J. added that one of the things he had learned from Stefano -- a man who was very passionate and, at times, also very emotional -- was that it was never wise to let personal feelings interfere with business decisions.
Sami impatiently insisted that she didn't have time to listen to one of E.J.'s lectures. "This is rather a textbook illustration of my point, Samantha. The article that your son wrote would have been a lot less damaging if the other woman hadn't been named. [...] You know, when my father wanted to have Rafe neutered, he didn't do it himself. He thought about it. Did you think about how outing Abigail would affect the company? No, you did not. She hurt you, and you wanted to hit back at her -- hard. And, in doing so, you've given the board plenty to dig into, and no real deniability for us. What the hell did you think you were doing?" E.J. wondered.
Sami explained that she had given Abigail's name to the editor of TruVista because she hadn't wanted Abigail to get off scot-free. "I still can't believe her holier-than-thou press release, though she did make it clear how she feels about you," Sami added. Sami said that when she had learned that nasty things were going to be printed about her, she had decided to make sure that people knew exactly who Abigail really was, too.
"Well, congratulations -- you got what you wanted. I have to tell you, I've been waiting for this day for quite some time -- the day when you finally come to me and beg for my help. And I've been looking forward to telling you to go to hell," E.J. replied, prompting Sami to assure him that she was already there. Sami guessed that, despite how E.J. felt about her, he wouldn't be able to sit back and watch DiMera Enterprises -- a company he cared about -- crash and burn. "It's you and Kate who are gonna crash and burn. And, personally, I don't give a damn," E.J. claimed.
Sami pointedly observed that it seemed like E.J. was letting his personal feelings affect business, but he reminded her that it was no longer his business because she had taken it away from him. Sami protested that, while she and E.J. had endured some little differences lately, he had to help her because their kids' legacy was at stake. E.J. wondered what Sami would be willing to do in exchange for his help.
Sami incredulously asked if E.J. was really trying to blackmail her to get her back into his bed after everything he had already done to her. "Wrong answer," E.J. calmly stated before exiting the mansion, ignoring Sami's attempt to stop him. Meanwhile, Sami received a phone call from Shin, and she assured him that everything was under control and that E.J. would contact him as soon as possible.
At Club TBD, Lucas was on the phone with someone, asking them to dig up information on the editor of TruVista, when Sonny emerged from the back of the place and started restocking the condiment station. Lucas ended the call and joined Sonny, who wondered why his father-in-law seemed surprised to see him in his own establishment.
"Well, you are Will's husband. With all hell breaking loose, I thought, I don't know, maybe you should be at home with him," Lucas explained with a hint of disapproval. Sonny said he had just talked to his husband and hadn't gotten the impression that he was needed at home or that all hell was breaking loose, adding that Will had actually been focused on potential television interviews and future article assignments.
"I don't want to stir things up, but you come in here and tell me I need to be with him, and you haven't even talked to him?" Sonny asked incredulously. Lucas apologized and explained that he was simply worried about his son. Lucas stressed that he was planning to talk to Will -- after figuring out a few things, such as why an unknown short-story writer had suddenly been given a job as a feature writer for a major magazine.
Sonny pointed out that Will had unique access to the people the article was about, but Lucas argued that it seemed wildly out of character for Will to write such things about loved ones, such as Sami and Abigail. Sonny admitted that he wasn't comfortable talking to Lucas about the matter, since he didn't like explaining Will to Lucas. Lucas understood but observed that Sonny didn't seem particularly happy about the situation, either.
Sonny said he believed it would be best for him to trust Will to handle the matter on his own. Sonny added that the magazine had put an enormous amount of pressure on Will. Sonny started to say something else but quickly stopped himself, prompting Lucas to knowingly observe that when people did that sort of thing, it usually meant that Sami was involved.
Sonny started to elaborate but decided to trust his original instinct and let Will be the one to answer Lucas' questions. Lucas nodded and walked away after stating that Will was very lucky to have Sonny. "We'll see about that," Sonny worriedly muttered after Lucas left.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Abigail caustically praised Will for writing an article that had packed a nice punch. Will stammered that he had tried to warn Abigail but hadn't been able to because their earlier phone conversation had been interrupted. "Oh, right -- my mistake. Yeah, yeah -- if I would have known beforehand that you were going to write, in print, how I slept with your mother's husband, then it would have been all fine, right?" Abigail sarcastically replied.
Will apologized and said he understood why Abigail was angry, prompting her to respond that he was quite perceptive. Abigail continued that she had been unsure about confronting Will but had ultimately decided that it was really important for her to make sure he knew exactly how she felt about him. Before elaborating, Abigail wondered if Will had left her a bunch of voicemail messages because he had been eager to get material from her for a follow-up article about how it felt to be publicly labeled a "whore." Will assured Abigail that he would never do something like that to her.
"No, you wouldn't! You would never do that to someone! You wouldn't. You know why? Because it is too disgusting, too vile a thing to do to somebody who cares about you, somebody who stood up at your wedding, somebody who is your own family! You would never do that! I have one small thing to tell you -- I am not a whore. I didn't take money for what I did. But you -- hmm. Now, how much did they pay you for your services rendered?" Abigail pointedly asked.
Will tried to explain everything to Abigail, but she was only interested in hearing the answer to her question, so he reluctantly admitted that he had been paid three thousand dollars for the article and that he would also receive a share of the profits from any eventual television shows or movies based on it. With Abigail's question answered, Will once again tried to explain everything to her, but she didn't think there was anything left for them to say to each other. Abigail accused Will of being just like his mother, and she left after stating that she hoped the money he had earned for writing the article had been worth it.
Abigail went to Club TBD and asked Sonny if he had known about the article when she had returned Arianna home earlier. Sonny admitted that he had, and he started to say something else, but Abigail interrupted and complained that she was sick of hearing excuses from people who supposedly cared about her but hadn't had the decency to tell her what had been headed her way so that she could have at least warned her mother.
Sonny stressed that he was sorry and that the whole thing was his fault. Confused, Abigail wondered why Sonny was taking responsibility for something Will had written. Sonny admitted that he had gotten Will the job, and he begged Abigail not to tell anyone that piece of information. Sonny stressed that the news would kill Will, who hated feeling dependent, but Abigail bitterly replied that she didn't feel like being sensitive to Will's feelings at that time.
Abigail couldn't believe that Sonny had known about the article and had been okay with it. Sonny explained that Will had simply been trying to make a point to Sami, and he stressed that Abigail's name hadn't been mentioned in Will's original draft of the article but had been added later -- without Will's permission. Abigail was skeptical because Will hadn't mentioned anything about that during their earlier conversation, but when Sonny vaguely explained that someone else had given the magazine editor her name, she quickly realized that the person in question had been Sami. Abigail rushed out of the club, ignoring Sonny's attempt to stop her.
Outside Will and Sonny's apartment, Lucas received a phone call from the person he had talked to earlier, who informed him that the editor of TruVista answered to the owner of the magazine -- Victor Kiriakis. Intrigued, Lucas ended the call and knocked on the apartment door. "If you're here to tell me off, take a number," Will said with a weary sigh when he opened the door.
Lucas clarified that he just wanted to try to understand exactly what was going on, although he added that he thought he had a pretty good idea already. Lucas wished that Will had felt comfortable asking for his help. Will stressed that his father needed to start accepting the fact that he made his own decisions. "That's just what a man like Victor makes you think, huh?" Lucas mused. Confused, Will wondered what Victor had to do with the matter.
Lucas suspected that Will might be covering for Sonny, but Will was still obviously confused, so Lucas explained that he had just learned that Victor owned TruVista. Stunned, Will abruptly asked Lucas to leave. Lucas wanted to stay so he and Will could talk about everything, but Will wearily stated that he was all talked out. "This is something that I have to do on my own, and I am sick of people thinking that I need their help," Will added. Will promised to call Lucas if he needed anything. "Damn it, Sonny," Will muttered after Lucas left.
Lucas ran into E.J. outside the Brady Pub. Lucas jokingly greeted E.J. as Salem's very own Don Juan. E.J. wasn't amused, but he managed to amuse Lucas when he irritably suggested that Lucas' time would be better spent instilling a sense of decency in Will instead of bothering E.J. Lucas pointed out E.J.'s hypocrisy, but E.J. argued that Will's actions had been more selfish than those of any of the other players in the saga.
Lucas said Will had been pushed to write the article. E.J. sarcastically wondered if someone had held a gun to Will's head. Lucas clarified that, while that hadn't happened, the fact was that the article only existed because of Victor. Confused, E.J. wondered what Lucas was talking about. "Oh, this is truly amazing. Wait a second -- I know something that the DiMeras don't? That's a first. [...] Victor owns the magazine, you fool. Boy, Kiriakis nailed you this time, DiMera," Lucas said before walking away, leaving E.J. speechless.
Abigail arrived at the DiMera mansion just as Sami was about to leave. "I warned you, you bitch!" Abigail snapped as she slapped Sami. Meanwhile, Sonny returned to his and Will's apartment and admitted that there was something that he needed to tell Will. "What you need to do is stop treating me like a child," Will irritably replied.
In their apartment, Will confronted Sonny about his involvement in securing Will's writing job at True Vista magazine. Sonny explained that he had only asked someone to look at Will's writing but that Will's writing had gotten Will the job at the magazine. Upset, Will noted that he could have submitted childhood scribbles and he would have been hired because it was Victor's magazine. When Will argued that the fallout from the article was Sonny's fault, Sonny's mouth gaped open.
"I got you a chance at the magazine. That's it. I didn't set you up to write that article. That's on you, pal. Your mom, E.J., and Abigail, they might all have been moving on from this by now if you hadn't been so desperate for attention," Sonny said. Will reminded Sonny that he had been assigned the article. Sonny quickly pointed out that Will had not had to accept the assignment. Sonny said that Will had reveled in the power trip of attacking Sami and E.J.
Will argued that he had written the article to push Sami into seeing the error of her ways concerning Abigail. When Sonny asked Will if he had ever thought about the collateral damage, Will argued that he had not named Abigail as a way to protect her. Sonny grabbed the article and read an excerpt that included enough clues for anyone to know that the mystery woman was Abigail. When Will argued that he was a writer and not a reporter, Sonny countered that Will knew Sami very well and should have expected that Sami would name Abigail as the mistress.
"You didn't think. You were just so psyched about putting your mother in her place. You didn't even warn Abigail," Sonny yelled. Defensive, Will countered that he did not need his "glorified barista husband" to tell him how to think. When Will noted that he did not want to be married to anyone that wanted to control his life, Sonny was livid.
Sonny argued that he did not control Will's life. Will countered that Sonny had pushed his uncle to give Will a job. Hurt, Will accused Sonny of not believing that Will was talented enough to get a job on his own. Will stormed out of the apartment. As the door slammed, Arianna started to cry. With a sigh, Sonny trotted into Arianna's room to check on her.
At Club TBD, Victor sat at a table, drinking. E.J. walked into the club and asked Ben for a cup of coffee, but Ben ignored E.J. Victor joked that E.J. had a knack for making friends. E.J. told Victor that he had learned from Lucas that Victor owned True Vista. Victor grinned. Victor said he'd had no hand in the writing assignment because he was not involved in the day-to-day business of the magazine. When E.J. asked Victor if he had any idea how the article had affected the lives of E.J.'s children, Victor countered that E.J. should have thought about his children when he had decided to have sex with Abigail.
Victor paid for his drink and commented to Ben that the room was full of hot air. Ben asked E.J. to leave because he was bad for business. With an eye roll, E.J. sat at the bar, refusing to leave. When E.J. said that he was happy that Abigail had Ben in her life, Ben bristled. Ben told E.J. not to talk about Abigail. E.J. smiled to himself and left.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail marched into the foyer, slapped Sami, and called Sami a bitch. Furious, Sami grabbed Abigail and threw her against the door. "You picked the wrong day to start a fight with me," Sami growled. Sami chuckled and called Abigail a "spineless bitch." When Abigail argued that Sami had told the magazine Abigail's name, Sami happily took credit. Sami said she had toyed with not telling the magazine Abigail's name but that her memory of helping Abigail through her pregnancy scare had changed her mind.
"Making me lose my job, trying to turn Ben against me, showing those pictures to my mother? Really, Sami? That wasn't enough for you?" Abigail asked. "No. Because of you, my marriage was over before it began, and my children's lives will be in shreds. So I have to take a little comfort in knowing that you can't hide behind your shiny, sorority girl image any more. Everyone gets to know what a lying slut you are, including Chad," Sami said.
Confused, Abigail asked Sami what she meant. Sami explained that she had emailed Chad a link to the article and had also mailed him a copy of the article. Shocked, Abigail called Sami a "vile, vindictive woman." As Sami started to close the door on Abigail, Abigail stopped her and asked about Wei Shin. When Abigail wondered aloud about how Mr. Shin would react to Sami and Kate's maneuvers at the company, Sami remarked that Mr. Shin would not give Abigail the time of day.
Calling her bluff, Abigail said that Mr. Shin had been anxious to talk to Abigail. Sami's eyes opened wide in shock as Abigail pulled up Mr. Shin's number on her phone. Abigail noted that Mr. Shin had given her the impression that Sami had lied to Mr. Shin. With a sigh, Sami asked Abigail what she wanted. Abigail told Sami to back off. When Abigail noted that Sami had hurt Jennifer and Chad, Sami cautioned that Abigail could hurt a lot of people if she talked to Mr. Shin.
Abigail scoffed at Sami and noted that Sami had not thought twice about ruining Abigail's life. With a groan, Sami countered that Abigail should have considered the consequences when she'd had sex with E.J. Abigail argued that she had acted impulsively, and Sami should understand what that was like. Abigail warned that Sami had no more ammunition to use against her.
When Sami asked about Mr. Shin, Abigail said she would not take Mr. Shin's calls but that she would answer any of his inquiries with the truth if he reached out to her in other ways.
"Which truth is that?" Sami asked. Abigail countered that everything was in her press release. As Abigail turned to leave, she commented that she hoped Sami and E.J. would spend the rest of their lives tearing into one another because that was what Sami deserved.
In the park, Marlena met with Will to talk. When Marlena asked Will if he blamed Sonny for the fallout from the article, Will argued that because of Sonny's actions, Will had been placed in the position of having to take the article. Marlena suggested that Will was overlooking the part where Will had the responsibility of taking the assignment and writing the article. When Will said that Sonny had argued that Will had enjoyed hurting his mother, Marlena asked Will if there was any truth to Sonny's accusation. Will denied the charge. Marlena reminded Will that he and Sonny loved one another.
Sonny called Victor and asked him to stop by to talk at the apartment. When Victor arrived, he cooed over Arianna as Sonny asked whether Will had talked to Victor about the magazine. Victor asked Sonny why he had kept the secret from Will. Sonny admitted that he had made a mistake. With a stern expression on his face, Sonny accused Victor of failing to prevent the situation with the article. Victor reminded Sonny that Sonny had asked him to pull some strings for Will.
When Sonny asked who had pitched the idea of the article, Victor admitted that he had been the one. Victor argued that if Will had not written the article, someone else would have done it. Sonny informed Victor that Will had stormed out. With a sigh, Victor said that Will was a grown adult and knew what he'd been doing when he had accepted the assignment. Sonny worried aloud that Will would refuse any new writing opportunities. Victor assured Sonny that the magazine liked Will's writing, and it did not matter how Will had been hired for the job originally.
Victor worried aloud that Maggie would be crushed when she learned that Victor had been the one that had pitched the idea for the story about Sami. Victor advised Sonny to talk to Will and work through their problems.
In the town square, Brady informed Marlena that he had fought with Kristen in the park. Worried, Marlena asked for details. Brady said that Kristen was not done with him. Brady explained that Kristen had said that she wanted to make things right. Worried, Marlena wondered aloud if Kristen was with John. Marlena called the hospital and confirmed that John was alone, except for hospital staff.
Brady worried that John was vulnerable. Marlena told Brady that John was scheduled for a CT scan and not to bother going to the hospital. When Marlena remarked that she should call Sami and warn her about Kristen, she reconsidered, noting that Sami was probably aware of Kristen's release because E.J. had likely had a hand in securing Kristen's bail. Brady promised to protect Marlena and John from Kristen. Hugging Brady, Marlena noted that Kristen had already hurt Brady. Brady swore that Kristen could not hurt him anymore.
In John's hospital room, Kristen talked to a comatose John. Daniel walked into the room and grabbed Kristen's arm, yanking her off of John's bed. When Daniel whipped out his phone and noted that he was calling the police, Kristen showed him her ankle monitor. Daniel joked that every judge was on Kristen's payroll. Daniel pulled Kristen out of the hospital room.
In the hallway, Daniel explained that he would call security to ensure that Kristen did not return to John's room. Kristen said that she only wanted to see John one time and that she had no need to see him again. As Daniel hung up the phone, Kristen asked Daniel if they could talk privately. Daniel nodded reluctantly. Daniel and Kristen walked to his office to talk. Kristen said that there was no evidence to back Daniel's claim that he had been kidnapped. Smiling, Daniel said that Kristen would go to prison. Kristen smiled and thanked Daniel. Kristen explained that she would not have had a chance with Brady if Daniel had not forced her to return to Salem.
"I think things are going to go better than I ever expected. I think things are going to go perfectly," Kristen said. Daniel invited Kristen to write him a letter from prison. Smiling, Kristen countered that she did not believe she would be convicted. Kristen warned Daniel not to project his anger over Jennifer onto her.
When Will returned to his apartment and found Sonny pacing the living room with Arianna, he told Sonny that he wanted to put his daughter to bed. Will pulled Arianna out of Sonny's arms. As Sonny called out to Will, Will cut him off and noted that he did not want to talk to Sonny.
In the Kiriakis mansion, Brady thought about his conversation with Kristen. Upset, Brady looked at the decanters of alcohol. Maggie walked around the corner and stopped mid-stride when she saw Brady pick up a glass from the bar cart. Brady threw the glass against the wall and turned to see Maggie standing in the doorway, mouth open in shock. Brady assured Maggie that Kristen would not drive him to drink. Maggie told Brady that she was proud of his restraint. Nodding, Brady grabbed his keys and announced that he needed to go to an A.A. meeting.
When Brady asked Maggie how she was doing, Maggie admitted that she was upset that Will had written the article about Abigail and Sami. Brady assured Maggie that Abigail was a tough person and would get through the situation fine. Brady wanted to confront E.J., but Maggie asked Brady to leave E.J. alone. Brady nodded. When Maggie noted that Sami had to feel humiliated by the affair, Brady commented that Sami would not admit to being hurt and would instead work to get even.
Maggie asked Brady to call Sami. Brady said that he had called and texted Sami and Jennifer but that neither had called or texted him in return. When Brady worried aloud that no one wanted to talk to him, Maggie assured Brady that people loved him and would support him. Smiling, Brady told Maggie that he loved her.
As Ben closed up Club TBD, Abigail walked in the door. Abigail kissed Ben. Abigail pulled away and told Ben that she'd wanted to say goodnight. With a grin, Ben invited her to stop by and say goodnight whenever she wanted.
As E.J. walked into the DiMera living room, he spotted Sami sealing a box with tape. E.J. jokingly asked if Sami was holding an explosive device. When E.J. walked over to Sami, he noticed that the address was for the kids' summer camp. Sami explained that she was sending items to the kids that they needed. When E.J. asked about the kids, Sami said that Allie had emailed her. E.J. suggested that they drive up to see the kids and take them out for a meal. Sami smiled for a moment then her face fell. Sami noted that they should not give the kids the wrong idea. E.J. nodded and said that he was going to bed.
"And if I want your help with the board then you want me to come with you, right?" Sami asked. "Has your opinion of me really sunk that low?" E.J. asked. E.J. clarified that though he missed sleeping next to Sami, he was not asking for her to sleep with him in return for his cooperation with the board. When Sami asked E.J. what he wanted, he said that he wanted a chance.
"I don't want to be back in your bed unless I'm back in your heart," E.J. said. E.J. asked to start with talking over a meal. "I would like to earn the right to hold your hand. Just tell me that that is not impossible. I will move mountains," E.J. said. As Sami stared silently, E.J. turned to leave. Sami called out his name. Sami handed a list of board members to E.J. then she asked E.J. to have lunch with her. E.J. thanked her. After E.J. left, Sami started to cry.
A frazzled Brady marched over to the hospital after Daniel texted him about his confrontation with Kristen. In John's hospital room, Brady asked Daniel about the CT scan. Daniel said there was no change. Brady asked about Kristen's visit with John, and Daniel assured Brady that Kristen would not get close to John again. Still uneasy, Brady worried aloud that security would not be enough to keep Kristen away from John. Daniel informed Brady that Kristen had thanked him for forcing her to return to Salem and to Brady. Daniel worried aloud that Kristen appeared to have a plan.
In her hotel room, Kristen made a call to someone to talk about John. Kristen sent photos of John's medical chart to the person on the other end of the call. "My future depends on what you tell me," Kristen said.
Abigail was surprised when she arrived at Club TBD and found Ben working, since he had closed the night before. After explaining that he was moving some things in the storage room, Ben headed to the back to look for the keys. Just then, Jordan walked in and asked how Abigail's interview had gone earlier. Abigail replied, "Actually, it didn't. I'm pretty sure that someone in H.R. got ahold of Will's article and decided that I wasn't right for the company." Abigail added that she'd heard about a marketing position at a new sports complex.
Jordan said that Rafe had a friend who worked there, and it seemed as if she were about to offer to ask Rafe for help on Abigail's behalf, but her voice trailed off. Jordan admitted that she hadn't taken Abigail's advice to talk to Rafe. Abigail said that she hoped Jordan and Rafe could work things out, and she offered to be there if Jordan ever needed anything. "You just keep making my little brother smile," Jordan said. Ben returned with the keys and was about to leave for the storage room when Abigail offered her assistance. Ben accepted gratefully, so the two headed out.
When Abigail and Ben got to the storage room, Abigail looked around and remarked that she understood why they were moving everything to a new storage place, while Ben stuck a box in the doorway to prop it open. Ben explained that the new one was also a lot closer to the club. He tried to let Abigail off the hook about helping him, but she asserted that she was perfectly capable of moving some boxes. Ben kissed her, but she swatted him playfully and told him to get to work.
Ben and Abigail had packed quite a few boxes when she spied the box in the door. "I'm gonna get this box," Abigail announced. Before Ben realized what she was doing, Abigail had removed it, and the door shut behind her.
Kate ran into Rafe in Horton Square and asked how his visit with Gabi had gone the previous day. Before Rafe could say more than that Gabi was hanging in there, Clyde showed up and said hello to Rafe -- and Kate. Rafe was a bit surprised that Clyde and Kate knew each other, but Clyde quickly covered that he'd recognized Kate from her picture in the business section of The Salem Spectator. As he introduced himself to Kate, Clyde explained that she might know Ben Rogers and Jordan Ridgeway, his son and stepdaughter.
After Clyde offered his sympathy to Rafe for his breakup with Jordan, he wondered what had happened to split them up. Clyde expressed hope that Rafe and Jordan could find a way to work things out. As Clyde started to leave, he said that he would like to talk with Kate about getting acclimated in Salem, since she had strong ties to the business community. Rafe suggested that the two of them go ahead and talk because he had to get going. Clyde urged Rafe not to give up on Jordan.
As soon as Rafe had gone, Kate hissed, "Do you mind telling me what the hell that was all about?" Clyde explained that when he'd seen Kate talking to Rafe, he'd decided to introduce himself so they would have a good excuse if people saw Clyde with Kate in the future. Clyde added that he also liked the idea of being seen with Kate because she was an "extraordinary woman." Kate seemed uncomfortable, but Clyde maintained that he thought of the two of them as partners, since she was the reason he was in Salem.
Clyde added that he'd never met anyone like Kate -- someone so beautiful with such a zest for life, but who was also a "real barracuda" in business. Kate accepted his compliment as graciously as possible, but she pointed out that her business sense also meant that she was very busy. As Kate tried to walk away, Clyde reminded her that she was supposed to have some information for him. Apologetically admitting that she'd almost forgotten, Kate handed Clyde a slip of paper and said, "This gentleman can help you... He's expecting your call." Before Kate left, Clyde reiterated, "I meant what I said before... You're quite a woman."
Rafe and Jordan ended up in the park outside Horton Square at the same time. After a moment of awkward silence, Rafe started to continue on his way, but Jordan stopped him. They made small talk for a minute, and Rafe confided that he wished he could have taken Arianna when he'd visited Gabi the day before. A sympathetic Jordan reminded Rafe that Arianna was in good hands with two terrific dads and a wonderful uncle.
Rafe was a little disappointed when Jordan explained that the reason she'd stopped him was to ask him to put in a good word for Abigail with his friend at the sports complex in West Salem. Jordan continued that Abigail was having a difficult time with her job search because of the news of her affair with E.J. Rafe admitted that he had no idea why Will had written that article. Jordan told Rafe that she, not Abigail, was asking him for the favor. Rafe promised to do what he could.
Aiden was picking up a coffee to go at the Brady Pub and remembering his waltz with Hope at the fundraiser when the bartender told him that the coffee was on her -- and slipped him her phone number. Although he admitted that he was flattered, Aiden told her that he didn't date.
J.J. stopped by the police station to ask Hope if she knew what he could get Aiden to thank him for getting J.J.'s juvenile record expunged. Hope maintained that she didn't know Aiden well enough to offer any helpful suggestions. A skeptical J.J. remarked that Hope and Aiden had worked very closely together on the auction for St. Luke's, but Hope claimed that it had been "all business." Just then, Aiden arrived. J.J. explained that he had been telling Hope how grateful he was that Aiden had gotten J.J.'s juvenile record expunged, and he was glad for the chance to thank Aiden in person.
After J.J. had gone, Aiden said that he was there to depose Officer Post about a case. Hope said that Post was unavailable, and Hope would have to reschedule the deposition for Aiden. Aiden began to grow frustrated when they couldn't agree on a date in the near future. Hope explained that Officer Post was a single mother who'd been on an extended undercover assignment, but she promised to see what she could work out. Aiden hotly demanded to know why everything had to be an argument with Hope. Hope tried to defend herself, but an irritable Aiden left.
Hope found herself thinking about her dance with Aiden at the gala. Pushing the thoughts aside, Hope announced to a uniformed officer that she was going for a run and hurried out. After changing into workout gear, Hope was running in the park when she had to stop and rest because her leg cramped up. "Damn it. I should have stretched," she muttered, massaging her leg and trying to catch her breath. Aiden showed up just then, but Hope didn't see him. He started to turn and leave, but then he stopped and asked Hope if she were all right.
At Paige's cousin's apartment, Eve showed Paige the cover of TruVista and asked if she'd read it. Nodding, Paige remarked, "Poor Abigail." Incredulous, Eve pointed out that Sami Brady was the real victim. Eve asserted that the entire Horton-Deveraux clan was just the kind of trouble that Paige didn't need. Before Paige could get too worked up about her mom's disapproval of J.J., Eve explained that she merely didn't want Paige to eventually regret deferring Stanford -- or for J.J. to break Paige's heart.
Paige maintained that J.J. was a good person who truly had turned his life around, and she didn't need to be careful around him. A concerned Eve wanted to know if Paige were in love with J.J. because she didn't want to see Paige throw away all of her plans and dreams for a boy. Insisting she wasn't doing that, Paige refused to discuss it any further. Paige announced that she was going downstairs to finish moving their stuff out of the moving van.
Eve thought cousin Joan's job offer in Chicago couldn't have come at a better time, since it would allow Eve and Paige to stay in that "dump" a while longer. Rolling her eyes at her mom's promise to start looking for a better place soon and refusing Eve's offer to hire someone to help them move the boxes, Paige headed out. Eve was dismayed when she realized that Paige had asked J.J. to help.
Jennifer arrived at the hospital and interrupted Theresa and a nurse gossiping about Abigail Deveraux and E.J. DiMera. With a gleeful glint in her eye, Theresa noted that she was in charge of hiring a temporary assistant for Jennifer and didn't want to hire someone who would have to resign in disgrace. Theresa guessed that the seemingly demure Abigail had to be a "hellcat" in bed to have landed someone like E.J. DiMera. Theresa wondered if Abigail had gotten that from Jennifer -- and that was what Daniel had seen in Jennifer, since it obviously couldn't have been anything else.
Theresa began to squirm a little as Jennifer reproached her for having such a pathetic life that she had to spread "bitterness and gloom" by taking pleasure in gloating over others' problems, when Theresa had essentially thrown away the gifts she'd been given, like beauty, brains, opportunity, and people who cared about her. Jennifer accused Theresa of getting Brady drunk and coercing him into marriage -- and said if Brady hadn't been under the influence, he never would have fought with his father. "As far as I'm concerned, what happened to John is not Brady's fault; it's yours," Jennifer hissed.
Eve got off the elevator in time to overhear the end of Jennifer and Theresa's argument and see Jennifer stride off toward her office. With seemingly genuine concern for her sister's well-being, Eve asked Theresa what Jennifer had just said. Although she was clearly upset, Theresa claimed that it had been nothing. Explaining that her first settlement check had been sent to Jennifer by mistake, Eve promised that she would also stick up for her little sister with Jennifer.
Theresa confided that Jennifer had been trying to blame Theresa for what had happened to John, who would soon be moved to a long-term care facility -- and Theresa would be glad not to have him there to remind her of everything that had happened. Eve suggested that Theresa take a walk and do Eve a small favor, something that would be fun for Theresa.
Eve barged into Jennifer's office and explained that her check had been sent to Jennifer by mistake. Jennifer testily said that the check was at home, and she couldn't just run home and get it because she was working. "This is totally unacceptable!" Eve declared. Jennifer asserted that she would have made other arrangements about the check if she'd known that Eve had intended to pick it up at Jennifer's office. Nosily rifling through the huge stack of messages on Jennifer's desk, Eve remarked that Abigail's scandal had probably kept Jennifer too distracted to think about the check. "Don't you dare go there!" Jennifer snarled, grabbing the messages back.
"Have you forgotten our agreement? My family is off-limits to you," Jennifer reminded Eve. Eve demanded her money. "You will get it when I get around to it. Now get out!" Jennifer barked, holding the door open for Eve. Thwarted, Eve childishly knocked something off Jennifer's desk on her way out the door. In the hallway, Eve muttered, "My check's at her house -- where I will find her unemployed slut of a daughter. Two for the price of one. I'm gonna love this."
As Jennifer straightened up her desk, she told herself, "You're going to get through this, Abigail, the same way your brother got through that nightmare with Theresa, because I am your mom, and it is my job to protect you -- no matter what it takes."
In the moving truck, Paige apologized to J.J. for how hot it was. J.J. shucked his shirt and got to work in just his undershirt. He picked up one of Paige's boxes, but the bottom immediately fell out, spilling the contents on the floor. Paige seemed embarrassed when J.J. found a little stuffed lamb that had fallen out. She admitted that she'd planned to take it to college because someone very special had won the lamb for her at a carnival. J.J. assumed that it had been a boyfriend, especially when Paige became wistful over an old photo that had also been in the box.
Showing J.J. the picture, Paige explained sadly that the "someone special" was her father, who had left one day after a fight with her mom and had never returned. Paige continued that the postcards her dad had occasionally sent had eventually stopped, and she understood why her mom acted the way she did with her and with men: "She just never got over him leaving." Paige admitted that she hadn't gotten over it, either -- and she was aware that J.J. knew how that felt, too.
J.J. gave Paige a comforting kiss, which quickly turned passionate, and soon they were horizontal on the floor in the back of the truck. A moment later, Theresa appeared in the doorway. When Theresa made her presence known, J.J. and Paige jumped up. After a couple of snide comments from Theresa, J.J. strongly suggested that she leave. Theresa explained that Eve had asked her to stop by to pick up a photo album that Eve had gotten from their dad by mistake -- and considering what she'd just walked in on, perhaps J.J. was the one who should leave.
"My mom's fine with me and J.J.," Paige insisted, so Theresa got out her phone and threatened to call her sister to verify that. "What the hell's the matter with you?" J.J. demanded. Paige urged J.J. to go and let her handle Theresa, so J.J. reluctantly grabbed his shirt and left. Paige guessed that Theresa was going to seize the opportunity to stick it to J.J. and Eve, both of whom Theresa either hated or resented. Paige emphasized that what Theresa had walked in on wasn't what it had looked like; she and J.J. had merely gotten a little carried away.
Theresa noted that was how things always happened, but Paige asserted confidently, "Maybe for you, but I'm not like you, Aunt Theresa. I'm not going to sleep with J.J. just because I can." She urged Theresa to worry about someone else besides Paige.
Theresa followed Paige upstairs to retrieve the photo album. Paige found it in a box and gave it to Theresa. Theresa acknowledged that in similar situations, she hadn't always made the same choice that Paige just had. "I think that the way you're playing this is smart, so keep it up. If you want a guy to stick around, you have to hold out for as long as possible, because as soon as you give J.J. or any man what he wants, he'll be gone in a Salem second," Theresa said.
J.J. was playing his guitar at home a little later when there was a knock at the door. He answered it and was a bit taken aback to find Eve on the porch. "What did Theresa tell you?" J.J. demanded.
At the park, Hope asked Aiden to leave her alone, but he wasn't willing to do that because he could tell that she was in pain. Aiden took a seat next to Hope and started to massage her leg to soothe the muscle cramp. Hope didn't object, and her leg soon felt much better.
Aiden awkwardly pulled away from Hope and started to leave, but he quickly changed his mind. "You know what? Um...this is crazy, and it has to stop. Hope, we both know how I feel about you. [...] I've been carrying this around for a while, and I feel like it's just time to -- to get it out there -- stop putting on an act," Aiden said. Aiden admitted that, after the gala, he had started developing feelings for Hope -- feelings he hadn't known what to do with because it had been a very long time since he had last felt that way about anyone.
Surprised and flustered, Hope reminded Aiden that she was married, and he said he was thankful for that fact, since he couldn't be with anyone else, anyway. Hope said she understood how it felt to have unwanted feelings for someone. Aiden assured Hope that he still considered her a friend and that he knew she loved her husband. Hope nodded and said she was sorry for Aiden's grief, adding that she could see just how much he missed his wife. "Well, I didn't say that," Aiden replied.
"You know, you've had a good marriage, Hope, but, uh...I did not. Um...see, my wife and I, we, uh -- we fought...a lot. And it was hard, you know? And, uh -- well, we didn't want to put Chase through a divorce, so we stayed together. Maybe that was a mistake -- I don't know. But then she died, and, uh, I was left with Chase, and...regrets that I can never resolve. But most of all, I was left with the knowledge that I, uh -- I wasn't a good husband. I'm not a good person," Aiden admitted. Hope disagreed and pointed out that Aiden had done a lot of good things since arriving in Salem, but he insisted that he wasn't wrong about the matter and that she would just have to take his word on it.
At the hospital, Maggie found Daniel in his office, compiling information for the district attorney to use in the case against Kristen. Maggie was somewhat worried that Kristen might eventually seek revenge against Daniel, but she seemed even more concerned about another woman she wanted him to beware of -- Eve.
"A long time ago, when your sister was young, Eve nearly killed her. It was an accident -- she stole a car, and she ran down Sarah in the road. Now, I know -- look, I know it was an accident, and I know people change, but Eve -- it's clear that she hasn't. See, there's -- there was always one thing or another with her in those days. And so now that this -- well, now that she's settled this lawsuit with Jennifer, she's bound to get restless, and she's looking for trouble to stir up. [...] You are just the type that she sets her sights on," Maggie explained.
Daniel was surprised to hear about Eve's history with Maggie's daughter, but he insisted that Eve wasn't going to get anywhere with him. Maggie seemed satisfied but mused that she still had to worry about J.J., who was dating Eve's daughter. Daniel assured Maggie that Paige and J.J. were terrific for each other and that the fact that Eve was Paige's mother was completely irrelevant.
At the Horton house, J.J. was relieved to learn that Theresa hadn't told Eve about what had happened between him and Paige earlier. "I just know that this is, like, the last place you'd want to be, so I just figured Theresa probably made up some story or something to get you over here," J.J. claimed, hoping to satisfy Eve's curiosity.
Suspecting that Eve was checking up on him and Paige, J.J. explained that Paige was still unloading boxes from the moving truck outside her cousin's apartment. Eve clarified that she was actually just interested in picking up a check that had mistakenly been mailed to the Horton house instead of her place. J.J. didn't know where the check was, but Eve stressed that she needed it right away, so he agreed to look for it.
Meanwhile, Eve spotted J.J.'s guitar and wondered if she had interrupted his practice time. J.J. said he had simply been messing around. "Hmm. Paige says you're a very talented musician. But, uh, if you're just 'messing around,' I'm kind of wondering how good you can be. Paige's opinion is obviously biased, but mine won't be, so...let's hear how good you really are," Eve challenged J.J.
J.J. played something for Eve, and she was impressed when he ended on a suspended fourth chord. Eve recalled that when she had been J.J.'s age, she had saved her money until she had been able to afford to buy her own guitar, and she had played it, with accompanying vocals, until her fingers -- and her listeners' ears -- had bled.
J.J. doubted that Eve's listeners had suffered, since Paige had told him that Eve had a gorgeous voice. Eve sadly confirmed that she'd had a good voice. Eve added that music had always been a passion of hers and that it had been the one thing she had always been able to count on. Eve admitted that music had basically saved her life, and J.J. assured her that he knew the feeling.
As J.J. idly strummed his guitar, Eve recalled that there had been one song she had been particularly driven to learn when she had been younger. Eve doubted that J.J. would recognize the song, but he was up for the challenge, so she cleared her throat and tentatively started to sing the first few notes of "Oh Shenandoah." Eve quickly stopped and sheepishly admitted that she sounded terrible. "Uh, kinda," J.J. agreed.
J.J. encouraged Eve to try again, and she reluctantly agreed. J.J. played the song on his guitar and occasionally sang with Eve, who managed to make it through one whole verse and halfway through another before her voice suddenly cracked. J.J. stopped playing and wondered if Eve was okay. "Do I look okay?" Eve hoarsely replied.
J.J. pointed out that Eve hadn't warmed up before singing, but she snapped that she didn't need him to make excuses for her or feel sorry for her. Eve quickly apologized for lashing out at J.J. Eve explained that, while everyone seemed to believe she was nothing more than a shallow, greedy so-and-so, she had really only wanted the money from Jack's estate for two reasons -- to pay for Paige's college tuition and to pay for vocal cord surgery.
"J.J., singing, for me -- it's the one thing that -- that made me feel grounded, in control, fulfilled...and I miss it -- I miss it terribly," Eve added, struggling to maintain her composure. Realizing that J.J. wasn't going to be able to locate her check, Eve abruptly excused herself after adding that, while things between her and Jennifer would probably never change, there was still a chance that things between her and J.J. could be different.
In Paige's cousin's apartment, Paige refused to believe J.J. was the kind of guy who would dump her right after she slept with him for the first time. "Oh, honey. Of course he is. [...] I'm all for you and J.J., okay? Enjoy it. Just remember that it will. Not. Last," Theresa maintained. Theresa said she was on Paige's side, and she promised that if Paige agreed to hear her out, she would forget about what she had caught Paige and J.J. doing earlier.
Paige reluctantly agreed to accompany Theresa to Club TBD, where Theresa continued to dish out unsolicited advice about life, insisting that Paige would never be able to count on anyone except herself. Paige refused to accept the cynical philosophy, stressing that Eve had always looked out for her. Amused, Theresa argued that Paige was the one who was taking care of Eve.
Theresa explained that Eve was the kind of person who wanted other people to take care of her and fight her battles for her, but Paige insisted that wasn't true. "So...she didn't ask you to use your relationship with J.J. in order to influence her lawsuit with Jennifer?" Theresa knowingly asked. Paige ignored the question, and as Daniel entered the club with Parker, she pointed out that Theresa had previously claimed that she wanted Paige to think of her as a big sister. Paige wondered when Theresa was going to start acting like one.
"Why else would I be doing this, Paige? You know what? I'm trying to help you, and sooner or later, you're gonna realize that this is the best advice of your life. [...] I know J.J. better than...just about anyone. So, you know what? You'd better keep stringing him along, because, yeah, he's a lot of fun -- as long as he thinks there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow," Theresa irritably replied.
Paige said Theresa was kind of disgusting and more than a little sad. "Oh, honey. You're the one who's gonna be sad...as soon as you give him what he wants. Because before you know it, he's gonna be hunting for a new pair of panties to nail to his wall," Theresa countered before exiting the club. Daniel approached Paige and told her to forget about anything Theresa had just tried to sell her. Daniel said Theresa was just jealous of Paige, and he urged Paige to trust her instincts about J.J.
J.J. arrived a short time later, and Daniel explained to Parker that J.J. and Paige were going to watch him for a while because his usual babysitter was unavailable. J.J. and Paige went to the bar to order some lattes, and they told each other about their earlier conversations with Eve and Theresa, respectively. Paige admitted that, while she wasn't sure if Theresa would tell Eve about what had happened in the moving truck, she didn't really care, either. Paige insisted that it didn't matter what anyone else thought about J.J. -- it only mattered that she thought he was great.
Theresa went to Eve's place to tell Eve about what had happened with Paige earlier. Eve admitted that she shouldn't have asked Theresa to check up on Paige, but Theresa assured Eve that it had been a wise decision. "I found them on the moving truck together, [and] J.J. was all over Paige, teaching her how to do the horizontal mambo, if you catch my drift. [...] And your daughter is a pretty fast learner, too," Theresa revealed.
Theresa quickly added that Eve couldn't say anything about the matter because she had promised Paige that she wouldn't tell Eve about what had happened, but Eve just misinterpreted that as an indication that Paige had asked Theresa to lie for her. "Okay, you know what, Theresa? That is it -- J.J. is done! He's history!" Eve angrily declared. Theresa warned that ordering Paige to stop seeing J.J. would be a surefire way to lose her. "You know...maybe I won't have to say a word," Eve mischievously mused as she inspected a flier for an off-campus college kickoff party that was just a couple weeks away.
In Club TBD's storage unit, Abigail groaned with frustration as she held her cell phone in the air, trying to find a signal. Ben was glad Abigail was the one who had gotten them locked in, since that meant she couldn't accuse him of purposely doing so in a lame attempt to make a move on her. Abigail laughed and said she hoped Ben had better moves than that.
Abigail apologized for foolishly moving the box that had been keeping the door open, but Ben assured her that it wasn't a big deal. Ben pointed out that the place had an air vent to prevent suffocation, and he added that Sonny and T knew where he was and would eventually decide to find out why it was taking him such a long time to clear out the unit.
To pass the time, Ben and Abigail prepared a picnic, using some of the items in the unit. When it was time for dessert, Ben presented Abigail with a box of almond cookies. Abigail gasped and explained that, while that was her favorite kind of cookie, she rarely got to enjoy them because J.J. hated them. Ben and Abigail agreed that they were glad their siblings weren't trapped with them -- for several reasons.
Ben revealed that Jordan was claustrophobic and would likely go nuts if she ever found herself in such a situation. Abigail mused that Jordan's reaction would probably depend on who she found herself stuck with. Ben agreed and admitted that he hoped Jordan and Rafe would eventually work things out. Ben added that, while Rafe wasn't his favorite person, Jordan really loved the guy, and she deserved a break because she had sacrificed a lot for Ben.
Abigail started to talk about Clyde, but Ben quickly stopped her. "Abigail, don't. Please. This is perfect. Don't ruin it by bringing him up," Ben begged Abigail. Abigail nodded and started to clean up the remnants of the impromptu picnic, but she accidentally knocked some things off a shelf in the process. Ben knelt to help Abigail pick up the scattered items, and as they started to kiss passionately, she was reminded of a similar encounter with E.J.
At the DiMera mansion, E.J. informed Sami that he had contacted each board member to assure them that, despite what the TruVista article suggested, there was absolutely nothing to worry about. Ready to fulfill her part of the bargain, Sami suggested that she and E.J. could go out for lunch. E.J. thought Sami just wanted to be seen in public with him to reinforce their claim that everything was fine, but she denied the suspicion.
Later, while E.J. and Sami were having lunch at the Brady Pub -- and trying to ignore the fact that every other customer was staring at them -- Roman arrived and optimistically wondered if they were negotiating the terms of a divorce. Sami pulled Roman aside and vaguely explained that she and E.J. were discussing something important. Sami asked Roman to let her handle the situation herself, and he reluctantly agreed.
After Roman left, E.J. told Sami about an earlier conversation he'd had with a particularly troublesome board member. Sami had apparently made a rather large donation to the man's pet charity, which handled historical renovations in his hometown. E.J. reported that the man had been quite impressed with Sami's knowledge of architecture. E.J. admitted that he was surprised that Sami shared the man's interest.
Sami clarified that it wasn't really accurate to say that she was interested in the subject. Sami explained that when E.J. had once mentioned to her that he had grown up in a Queen Anne home, she had assumed that meant he had grown up in a queen's castle, and she had been embarrassed when she had later realized that it was actually a building style. Sami said that had prompted her to do more research because, at that time, E.J.'s opinion of her had meant everything to her.
As the lunch date progressed, E.J. and Sami showed each other the videos they had received from sleep-away camp from Johnny and Allie, respectively. A short time later, Sami received something shocking on her cell phone.
Julie breezed into Club TBD and greeted Kate with, "Blessings, Kate!" Kate commented that Julie looked lovely. Julie revealed that she and Doug had just returned from a yoga cruise, and she'd "been renewed." Presenting Kate with a tiny carved Buddha, Julie explained that she'd bought some of the little statues in bulk because she found it very calming to have one around. Kate graciously thanked Julie. Kate scowled when she spotted a copy of TruVista magazine at the next table. T appeared and said that he'd been looking for the magazine. He complimented Will's writing but soft-pedaled a bit when he realized that Kate wasn't as proud of Will as he was.
Intrigued, Julie asked what was going on. T had to step away to answer the phone but told Julie that she could keep the magazine. Looking curiously at the cover, Julie asked Kate what she would find inside. "Well, you're not going to find inner bliss. Here, keep it. You're going to need it more than I do," Kate said, returning the Buddha to Julie before heading out.
Abigail and Ben were making the best of being trapped in the storage room for Club TBD by making out. As Ben backed Abigail into some shelving, she flashed back to being in a similar situation at the hospital with E.J. She abruptly pushed Ben away and told him to stop. Ben assumed that he'd done something wrong and asked Abigail what it was. Just then, there was a knock on the door, and T's voice called out to Ben.
When T opened the door, Ben said that he and Abigail had gotten locked inside accidentally. Smirking, T teased Ben, but an obviously upset Abigail insisted that it had been her fault. She used T's arrival as an excuse to leave. T asked Ben if everything were all right between him and Abigail. "No, I don't think so," Ben replied.
A little later, as T and Ben hauled some boxes into Club TBD, T asked again about things between Abigail and Ben. Ben said that he didn't want to talk about it. T announced that he had to make a delivery to Sonny's and asked Ben to watch the place, since the other bartender's shift was ending. After T had gone, Ben wondered what had just happened with Abigail.
When Sonny went home because he'd left something behind that he needed for work, Will seemed disappointed to see him. Sonny became upset because Will had clearly been avoiding him. "Is this how it's going to be? Is this how you're going to punish me?" Sonny demanded. He pointed out that married couples were supposed to talk things out. "You just think it's my fault that everything in your life sucks right now," Sonny said accusingly. Will countered that he did have a job he loved, and he had Arianna. "And me. You have me, Will," Sonny reminded him.
Will said that he knew he had Sonny. "If I talk, will you listen?" Will asked, and Sonny promised that he would. Will acknowledged that Sonny had only been trying to help. Will continued that he'd found Sonny intimidating when they had first met because Sonny had traveled around the world and had even climbed K2. Sonny tried to point out that he could never write as well as Will, but Will barked at Sonny to let him finish. Will continued that Sonny had done all of those things without any help from anyone.
"Look at me. I couldn't even come out of the closet without screwing that up," Will said. Sonny gently reassured his husband that there was no right or wrong way to come out. Will snapped that Sonny's knee-jerk reaction was always to make excuses for Will. Will pointed out that, in an effort to convince himself that he wasn't gay, he'd gotten Gabi pregnant. "Drunk frat boys use protection, but not me!" Will noted.
Will added that he loved Arianna more than anything, but he knew that he was a "screwup" and always had been. Will asserted that he had always blamed his mother for his mistakes -- but he'd thought that he'd been turning things around, especially when he'd gotten the assignment with TruVista, but Sonny and Victor had gotten the job for Will. "Damn it, Will, your skills got you the job," Sonny insisted.
Will asserted angrily that everyone hated him for writing the article, but at least he'd gotten to do it because he was good -- or so he'd believed. Sonny tried to take the blame for that, but Will declared that he didn't want to talk anymore. Will went into the bedroom and closed the door. A glum Sonny called through the door that he had to deal with something but would return soon. He reassured Will that they would get through it. Outside, Sonny said to himself, "Please, let us get through this."
Maggie returned home to the Kiriakis mansion and found Victor waiting to talk to her in the living room -- with a bouquet of yellow lilies and orange roses. "What have you done now?" Maggie asked lightly. Victor began by assuring Maggie that he'd never intended to hurt anyone, and he beat around the bush until she ordered him to "cut to the chase." Victor confessed that he owned TruVista magazine. He added that he was sorry, but he knew an apology wasn't nearly enough. Maggie suspected that there was more to it than that, and Victor admitted that the article had been his idea.
While Maggie was starting to read Victor the riot act, Sonny walked in. "Aunt Maggie, stop. This isn't Uncle Victor's fault; it's mine," Sonny declared. He explained that he'd asked Victor to get the writing job for Will, but Victor hadn't been involved with the assignment Will had gotten. Maggie pointed out that Victor could have had Will taken off the story. Victor admitted that was true, but he hadn't done it because Will had wanted the story. Sonny assured Maggie that Will hadn't put Abigail's name in the story. Victor added that he hadn't known about it until the article had gone online.
Sonny clarified that Sami was the one who had revealed Abigail's name to the editor -- but he didn't blame Sami. "This started because of me... I had a gut feeling that Abigail would be outed, and I just stuck my head in the sand," Sonny insisted. Victor argued that he was to blame, and finally, Maggie ordered them both to stop. She said that she needed to speak to Victor in private. As Sonny was leaving, Victor declared, "You've got a lot of guts, kid. I'm proud of you." Sonny replied gloomily, "Then you're the only one."
Maggie crossly told her husband that she had been furious with him, but then she'd seen how much he loved Sonny, and she'd realized that Victor had only done what he'd done to help Will. "I love how you love kids, and I know you'd never intentionally hurt Abigail, not in a million years," Maggie added. Victor promised to ask himself what she would do the next time he was in a situation like that. "You are so lucky that you're so damn cute," Maggie asserted playfully. "I am the luckiest man in the world," Victor agreed.
When T arrived at Will and Sonny's to drop off some bills from the club for Sonny, Will informed T that Sonny wasn't home. T said that he would wait. Reminding Will that they were best friends, T said that he could tell that something was wrong and asked if Will wanted to talk about it. Will said that he was expecting a lecture from T about the article, but T said that best friends shouldn't lecture one another. "I didn't like seeing Abigail hurt, but you know, who am I to say what you should or should not have done? You had your reasons, I'm sure," T added. Will said that at the time, he'd thought so.
T assured Will that things would settle down eventually. T reminded Will that the two of them had been through a few rough patches, as well, but Will pointed out that what he'd done to Abigail was worse than anything he'd done to T. T maintained that their most recent rough patch had been about what he had done to Will, not the other way around. He acknowledged that he had been a "jerk" -- but Will had gotten past it and forgiven him. "Sonny and Abigail, they could surprise you. You surprised me," T noted.
Just then, Sonny returned home. T showed Sonny where the bills were then hurried out. Will started to leave, as well, but an angry Sonny refused to let him go until they settled things.
When Jordan met Rafe in Horton Square at his behest, Clyde spied on them from behind the florist's cart. Rafe informed Jordan that he'd talked to his friend about the job for Abigail, but the guy had already filled the position. Jordan was just grateful to Rafe for trying. Rafe reassured Jordan that his friend had promised to keep Abigail in mind if anything else opened up. Rafe acknowledged that what had happened to Abigail had been rough on her as well as a lot of other people.
Jordan assumed that Rafe had meant Sami, but Rafe said that he'd been referring to the whole Deveraux family. Jordan apologized for mentioning Sami. She asked Rafe why he hadn't just sent her the information about the job by text message. Rafe said that it had just been an excuse to see Jordan. When Jordan had to leave, Clyde emerged from his hiding place, just as Rafe got a text message. Clyde said that it was good to see that Rafe and Jordan were starting to work things out.
As politely as he could, Rafe said that he didn't feel comfortable talking about his relationship with Jordan with Clyde. Clyde said that since he'd made Jordan unhappy for so long, he only wanted her to be happy. Rafe said that he needed to get to the station. "'To protect and serve' -- isn't that the slogan?" Clyde remarked. Rafe corrected him, "It's not a slogan; it's a motto." As Rafe was walking away, Clyde thanked him for introducing Kate to Clyde.
A distressed Abigail arrived in the park outside Horton Square and sat on the bench to think. Just then, Jordan showed up and asked if Abigail were all right. Abigail claimed that she'd just been lost in thought. Jordan divulged that Rafe had referred Abigail for the job, and although it had already been filled, Rafe's friend had promised to keep Abigail in mind. Abigail was touched that Jordan had spoken to Rafe for her, and she asked what it had been like for Jordan to talk with him again.
Jordan said that they had talked like friends, and for a few minutes, she'd even been able to forget what had happened between them. Abigail said that talking was at least a good first step. Jordan asked if Abigail had enjoyed her time with Ben. Abigail said that she had, and she thought she should go tell him so.
After Abigail had gone, Clyde found Jordan alone in the park and commented that it was a beautiful day -- although it wasn't nearly as nice as his favorite time of year. Jordan knew that he was referring to squirrel-hunting season, and she encouraged her stepfather to return to Poplar Bluff so he could fully enjoy it. Clyde maintained that he didn't want to leave Salem, since he'd just found his "beloved children" -- plus he wanted to stick around to see how things worked out between Jordan and Rafe. "You were spying on us?" Jordan asked incredulously.
"[Rafe is] a nice boy, real polite. He even introduced me to this super-fine lady. Maybe you know her -- Kate Roberts?" Clyde asked pointedly. Jordan had a hard time hiding her surprise. Clyde explained that he'd seen Kate and Rafe talking, "real close and friendly-like," so he'd gone over and said hello, then he'd recognized Kate. Clyde added that Kate had been very sweet and down-to-earth, not to mention good-looking. Without answering Clyde's question about whether she knew Kate, Jordan made an excuse and left in a hurry. "Bull's-eye," Clyde said as he watched his stepdaughter leave.
E.J. and Sami were having a pleasant lunch at the Brady Pub when she received a text message that caused her to exclaim, "Oh, my God." A worried E.J. asked if it were about the children. "It's Stefano," Sami said, not looking up from her phone. E.J. got upset when Sami wouldn't divulge anything further, especially because it concerned his father. E.J. protested that Sami was suddenly behaving as if she were angry with him when he'd thought the ice was beginning to thaw between them. "Look, I'm sorry. I have to go! I have to take care of this," Sami said curtly as she rushed out. Incensed, E.J. dialed Stefano, muttering, "Come on, Father. Answer the bloody phone!"
When E.J. left the pub a little later, he ran into Julie outside. E.J. exasperatedly stated that he knew what Julie was going to say and urged her not to pile on, because she could not possibly make him feel worse than he already did. "Believe me -- I have ripped myself to shreds over this better than you ever could," E.J. added. Julie calmly said that she believed E.J. She explained that it would be hypocritical of her to judge him when she had hurt people in exactly the same way.
"I've lived long enough to know these things happen. We're human beings. We stumble, pick ourselves up, walk on down the road. Perhaps we stumble again. It's a cycle. It's life," Julie asserted sympathetically. She acknowledged that it was "unfortunate" that Will had made everything public. E.J. asked if Julie had talked to Will yet, but she said that she'd just gotten back into town, plus she thought Will could use a little time first. "You certainly seem...different," E.J. observed.
Julie explained that she'd needed to get away after Nick's death, and the trip had opened her eye. Tapping the center of her forehead, she clarified, "The spiritual one. I think I have found a pathway to peace, higher consciousness, contentment. Perhaps you might try something of the sort one day." Pressing one of the little Buddha statues into E.J.'s hand, Julie said sincerely that it had been good to see him. She walked away, leaving E.J. utterly dumbstruck.
Later, E.J. made a phone call. "I need to know what is going on with my father. I need to know everything, and I need to know it now," E.J. demanded impatiently.
Abigail went to Club TBD to talk to Ben. He acknowledged, "It's my fault. I came on too strong." Abigail assured him that wasn't the case. Abigail apologized and reassured Ben that he'd done nothing wrong. "I don't get it," Ben said. While Abigail was trying to explain, E.J. walked in, and Abigail stopped mid-sentence. When E.J. saw her, he immediately turned around and left, but Ben spotted him. "It's okay, Abigail. I do get it," Ben said irritably before walking away.
Sami went home to the DiMera mansion and saw that Kate wasn't there, so she sent Kate an urgent text message to get home right away. When Kate finally strolled through the front door, a frantic Sami demanded, "Where have you been? I said it was about Stefano! Did that not get your attention?" Kate remained blasé about the situation -- until Sami produced her phone and showed the message to Kate. Anxiety creeping into her voice, Kate reminded Sami, "Stefano is coming back to Salem? He can't do that because he would be arrested."
Sami advised Kate that it appeared Stefano was close to making a deal with the state; he would have to pay the back taxes and some huge fines, but then the state would drop all the charges. Sami fretted that Stefano would try to exact "Old Testament-style" revenge on them. Kate was incredulous because the prosecutor had been so determined to make his career on nailing E.J. and Stefano. Kate announced that they needed to get confirmation instead of just guessing. She grabbed her purse and hurried out with Sami right behind her.
Rafe entered his office at the police station and was a little startled to find Kate and Sami waiting for him. Sami explained that they'd gotten a warning that Stefano was getting another hearing. Unable to believe that news, either, Rafe left to verify the information. A few minutes later, Rafe returned and informed the women that the prosecutor who'd been so eager to put E.J. and Stefano away had been replaced. Kate and Sami were dismayed that the DiMeras had apparently bought yet another public official. Rafe told them that a judge had to approve any deals, but Stefano's hearing had been set -- for the following day.
