Days of our Lives Recap, May 28, 2025: Rachel makes a startling admission about EJ's shooting

On Days of our Lives today, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Carrie and Abe share emotional memories about John, while Alex, Johnny, and Rachel face tough questions.

What Happened on Days of our Lives

At the hospital, Kate lamented to Roman about how pale Philip looked. She declined Roman’s invitation to take her back to the pub for breakfast. Later, Abe and Paulina arrived to see John. When they approached Kate, they asked about Philip’s condition. Kate was angry that the police had released Xander from custody.

Paulina promised Kate that Belle was determined to get justice for Philip. After Paulina briefly stepped away, Abe challenged Kate on why she was so certain about Xander’s guilt. Kate hedged, and Paulina’s return gave her an excuse to make a beeline for the exit.

In John’s hospital room, Marlena sat vigil with John. She smiled as she talked about all the visitors he’d had in the past few hours. Marlena had been afraid John wouldn’t come back to her, but he always did. She had also wanted to be angry with Steve for getting John involved in his plan or even at John for agreeing to it. But Marlena had realized that would be akin to being angry “at the sun for shining or the ocean splashing against the shore. It’s just you.”

As Marlena told John he was a hero to everyone in his life, Carrie appeared at the door. When Marlena caught sight of Carrie, she gasped and rushed to her stepdaughter, weeping in her arms. Marlena told Carrie how glad she was to see her. Carrie wished it could have been under better circumstances. She explained Austin couldn’t come because he was attending their son Noah’s high school graduation.

Marlena was sorry Carrie had missed the event, but Carrie affirmed her family knew where she had to be. “If I t wasn’t for the two of you, I wouldn’t have the life I do today,” Carrie cried while Marlena embraced her tightly. Carrie confided that she’d been too young to really understand when Roman had been presumed dead, but Marlena’s presumed death had really hit her hard. She tearfully recalled how John had tenderly told her how Marlena was gone and how he had comforted her when she was overcome with grief. Carrie had basically been an orphan while her mother Anna was in Europe, but John had taken her in and made her feel so “cherished and secure.”

Even though everyone else gushed over John’s feats as a “legendary superspy,” Carrie believed John’s true superpower was fatherhood. Many people didn’t even have one good dad, and she was lucky enough to have two. Marlena fondly reminisced about the first time she’d met “five-year-old spitfire” Carrie. Although Carrie was Roman and Anna’s biological child, Marlena had always considered Carrie her and John’s daughter as well. Carrie thanked Marlena for never treating her like anything other than family.

“Family is who sits in your heart, who brings you to life, who makes it worthwhile,” Marlena said, tears in her eyes. “You, my darling girl, you will always be our daughter,” she promised Carrie before sharing another hug. Carried opened up more about her childhood with John. He’d taught Carrie so much and had been there for every major milestone, from Carrie getting her first bra to Carrie learning to drive. Carrie remembered a time at Christmas when John had helped her decorate a tree and had made her smile, even though he had been in pain from losing Marlena.

Carrie had always told her friends that her dad was Superman. “And he still is,” she stressed as she clasped his hand. When John seemingly squeezed Carrie's hand in response, Marlena and Carrie reacted with awe and hope. They were soon joined by Abe, who warmly welcomed Carrie home. The women gave Abe a private moment with his "Partner." Abe settled at John’s bedside and told John how much they all needed him, especially “one person.”

Abe had witnessed the “entire love story” of John and Marlena. He flashed back to a conversation John and he had in which John showed Abe an engagement ring for Marlena. John had asked Abe to be his best man. Back in the present, Abe looked forward to standing with John when his son Theo one day married John’s granddaughter Claire. “We’re family,” Abe brokenly pledged. “We always will be.”

Outside the room, Marlena introduced Carrie to Paulina. After Carrie excused herself, Paulina urged Marlena to go home and get some rest while everyone else watched over John. Marlena thanked her for the offer but firmly stated she wasn’t going anywhere. When Marlena left, Paulina looked after her friend with worry.

When she went back to John’s room, Marlena had a fantasy where she was lying on a sofa. John seemingly called to her from an open window. She stepped outside onto a balcony and recited “I can feel you” over and over. But the voice ceased, and Marlena called unsurely for John again. Gazing at John, she begged, “Don’t leave me. Not ever again.”

Meanwhile, Carrie spotted Belle emerging from the elevator. The sisters embraced. Carrie hopefully told Belle about John’s seeming response to her and Marlena’s presence. Carrie was more certain than ever that John would come back to them.

Before going to the hospital, Belle paid Alex a visit at DiMera Enterprises. She explained she’d wanted to get some work done while other family members visited John. Belle then bluntly confirmed Philip was the reason for her visit. Alex swore he had no prior knowledge of Philip’s attack or of the “stupid” thing Philip had done with the drug. He did shoulder part of the responsibility because he’d seen Philip acting strangely with Kevin Lambert and hadn’t followed up on it; Belle assured Alex he wasn’t to blame.

Alex couldn’t understand what Philip had been thinking. Belle defended her friend and reasoned, “He was trying to make amends with one brother by saving another’s life.” Alex was happy that Bo had ultimately gotten the drug, but he was sorry that Belle’s dad had gotten badly hurt in the process. Belle confessed she had wanted to blame the drug dealer Asher for the explosion. She had realized, however, that he was just a mixed-up kid who had paid with his own life.

Belle let Alex know she wouldn’t be so quick to overlook Philip’s attack. She knew Xander had a motive, as did Alex. She wanted Alex’s true assessment of whether or not Xander was guilty. “I plead the fifth,” Alex replied. Belle pressed him for more information, and Alex reluctantly told her about his run-in with Xander near the Salem Inn around the time of Philip’s attack. Belle was outraged that Alex hadn’t said anything sooner, but Alex reminded her it was “innocent until proven guilty.”

Alex felt loyalty to Xander, and he worried about the effects on the company if Xander was guilty. He wasn’t even sure if Xander would show up for the board meeting.

At the Brady Pub, Roman found Johnny having a cup of coffee. Johnny asked about Philip, and the conversation soon turned to John. Roman had no doubt John would pull through, especially with Marlena by his side. He mentioned that Eric was coming to see John.

Johnny gave an update on their other family members. Allie couldn’t take a flight because Henry had an ear infection, but Will was on the way. Sami and Sydney were also trying to get to Salem. Johnny conceded his mother had endured her share of struggles with John, but she had ultimately loved both of her father figures, as she’d named Johnny after both John and Roman. He hoped he could one day live up to each man’s legacy.

Johnny felt he’d let so many people down recently, especially Chanel. Roman assured him that everyone in his life understood his difficulties. Johnny's good nature was more than living up to John’s name. Johnny stepped behind the bar counter to get Chanel some coffee, but his attention was distracted by the missing gun lockbox. Roman claimed he’d moved the box after he’d realized the gun inside had been stolen on the night of EJ’s shooting.

Johnny became agitated and asked if Roman had any idea who had taken it. Roman responded by reminding Johnny of their talk about the gun that night. Johnny wondered if Roman was asking for a confession. Johnny angrily stated he hadn't shot his father and abruptly left.

Later, Kate updated Roman on her hospital visit, and Roman updated Kate on his conversation with Johnny. Roman admitted he wasn’t sure he believed Johnny’s denial of guilt.

At the DiMera mansion, Kristen overheard EJ’s side of a phone conversation between him and Brady. EJ had wanted to know if Brady would be able to make it for that day’s board meeting at the hospital. EJ learned about John and gave his sympathies before asking again if Brady would be attending the meeting. After Brady hung up on EJ, Kristen immediately asked her brother what had happened to John. EJ filled her in on what he knew and admitted that, given what Brady had said, it didn’t look good for John.

Kristen became distressed, and EJ very awkwardly tried to comfort her. Kristen apologized for getting upset, but EJ acknowledged John and she had “quite the history.” Kristen called John the first man she had truly loved. EJ made a crack about the lengths she had gone to for John, including passing EJ himself off as her son. He then snarked about Kristen “transferring” her obsession with John onto Brady.

Kristen snarked back that EJ had his own “creepy” track record of romantic entanglements, including bedding mother and daughter Kate and Billie and sleeping with his ex-sister-in-law Belle. EJ glanced at Stefano’s portrait. “At least we come by it honestly,” he said of his and Kristen’s “twisted” history. After all, Stefano had spent a large chunk of his life in pursuit of his “Queen of the Night,” Marlena.

Kristen was worried about how Rachel would handle the news about John. She hinted that EJ could help ease the blow by giving Kristen the opportunity to provide Rachel with good news about her grandmother. When EJ brought up the hospital vote, Kristen blasted him for not caring about John or his family’s pain. EJ grew serious and said that more than ever before, he understood what family ties meant. He wished with all his being that he could be there for Johnny during John’s crisis.

Later, in Horton Town Square, Belle bumped into Johnny. Following a brief exchange about John, Belle tried to subtly bring up EJ. Johnny wasn’t having it and reaffirmed that he never wanted to see “that evil son of a bitch again.” If Belle were smart, Johnny cautioned, she would stay away from EJ, too.

When Johnny made his way across the square, EJ saw him and called out to his son. In his desperation to reach Johnny, EJ stumbled and fell to the ground. For a moment, Johnny forgot his anger and rushed to his father’s aid. EJ looked up at him, and Johnny’s face hardened again. He turned his back on EJ and strode away.

Back at the mansion, Kristen sat Rachel down and said she wanted to talk about Rachel’s Grandpa John. Rachel got excited because she thought John was home. The little girl’s face crumbled as Kristen gently told her about John’s accident and hospitalization. Rachel suddenly claimed she didn’t feel good and that her stomach hurt. She’d been feeling that way since the tea party.

Kristen got Rachel a drink and tried to soothe her. She brought up the bad dream that had bothered Rachel. The little girl said she’d heard a gunshot during the dream, then admitted she may have heard the shot “in real life.”

Rachel confided that shouting had awakened her the night of EJ’s shooting. At the commotion, Rachel had snuck downstairs. She’d seen Johnny with EJ. And Johnny had a gun.

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