Days of our Lives Recap for Monday, April 14, 2025: Sami and Rafe take an amorous trip down memory lane

At the hospital, Sami called Sydney and updated her daughter about EJ’s condition. Just as Sami told Sydney there had been no developments in identifying EJ’s shooter, Johnny walked up. Sami ended the call and told Johnny that his sister would call him later. Sami then admitted she’d been worried about how her talk with Johnny would go.

Johnny said Rafe had helped him understand that Sami wasn’t at fault and that everyone eventually had to take responsibility for their actions. Johnny’s comment prompted Sami to remember that she had wanted to ask Johnny something. She begged off the question and announced she was going to the pub to visit with Roman. Johnny declined Sami’s invitation to join her and headed back to Paulina’s place instead.

At Paulina and Abe’s place, Chanel greeted a miffed Paulina at the breakfast table. Paulina admitted she was a bit mad because Chanel had thought Paulina might have killed EJ. Chanel reminded her mom that Paulina had dramatically announced she needed to make a confession. Chanel then admitted that she was really worried about Johnny. He had not been taking the news about his conception well.

Later, a concerned Chanel hugged Johnny when he arrived home. He told Chanel that Chad had guilted him into visiting with EJ. Although he hadn’t been able to talk with his dad, the visit had been worth it because his mom had been there, and they’d had their long-overdue conversation. Johnny confided that the talk had helped him understand his mom better and had helped him feel closer to her than ever before. His dad, though, was a different story; Johnny didn’t believe he’d ever get past what EJ had done to Sami.

Johnny reminisced about a time during his childhood when EJ had brought home a bunch of presents. While Johnny had assumed the presents were for Sydney and him, EJ had told the kids they were giving the gifts to a shelter for underprivileged kids. EJ said he never wanted his children to take anything for granted, and the experience made Johnny view EJ as a great and thoughtful person. Over the years, Johnny had been enlightened about his father’s faults, but he always comforted himself with the certainty that he loved EJ and that EJ loved him. Yet when Johnny had seen his father lying in the hospital bed, all he’d been able to think was that EJ had deserved it.

Chanel understood Johnny’s feelings but compelled her husband not to lose himself in his anger. Chanel wanted Johnny to focus on all the good things in his life, which she teasingly reminded him included her. Johnny grew serious and affirmed that Chanel was the best part of his life. The couple exchanged declarations of love and then headed to bed.

At the Brady Pub, Roman recalled putting his gun back in the lockbox on the night of EJ’s shooting. Kate’s arrival distracted him, and the spouses both announced they had something they needed to tell the other. Kate went first and declared Roman would never guess who had gotten out of prison. Roman listened patiently as Kate vented about Vivian’s release and the immediate beeline the woman had made to Philip. Roman couldn’t understand why Vivian thought Philip would help her, but Kate attributed it to Vivian’s insanity.

Roman decided he would make clam chowder to calm Kate’s nerves. Before he left, however, Kate asked him what he’d wanted to tell her. Sami’s arrival preempted Roman’s response, and Roman happily greeted his “Peanut.” Sami updated her dad on her conversation with Johnny. Sami expressed optimism that the conversation had gone well.

Roman apologized for disclosing the truth to Johnny, so Kate piped in and took the blame. Sami assured both Roman and Kate that she didn’t harbor any ill will toward either of them because the conversation with Johnny had been one she should have had long ago. Roman asked Sami if she’d join them for dinner. Sami responded that she had another stop she needed to make first.

Following Sami’s departure, Roman worried some more about Johnny and Sami. Roman could relate to Johnny’s rage because he’d spent two decades carrying the same rage for EJ. Kate asked what Roman had wanted to discuss with her earlier. Roman divulged that Rex had found a gun in Kate’s room. Kate said it wasn’t news that she carried a weapon, but Roman said that Kate’s ire at EJ was a relatively new development.

Kate was offended at the implication that Rex believed her to be a murderer, but she had to acknowledge that she had taken extreme actions in the past, especially with Vivian and Clyde. She asked Roman if he thought she could be guilty. Roman flashed back to his own gun again and attested to Kate that he was “certain” she hadn’t done it. The proclamation relieved Kate, and she hugged Roman. He still wore a troubled look.

At the Kiriakis mansion, an irate Xander demanded to know why Vivian was in his home. Vivian breezily announced that she would be moving in. Philip tried to interject, but Xander proclaimed Vivian would be living in the mansion “over my dead body.” An unfazed Vivian smirked and replied, “That can be arranged.” She blew it off when Xander asked if she was threatening him.

Xander called Vivian “a malignant bitch with a heart of stone” and commanded her to leave before he and Philip threw her out. Vivian suggested that would not be happening because Philip had invited her to stay. Xander shot a disbelieving glare at his brother. He harshly reminded Philip that Vivian had tortured Maggie and buried her alive. Vivian cracked that Maggie had technically been “above ground” during that ordeal.

Xander pondered if Vivian had something on Philip. Philip confessed that Vivian was blackmailing him…emotionally. He claimed a grudging bond with Vivian because she had given birth to him. “Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Philip stated. Vivian looked on with a smile.

Xander gave up, as he realized Philip had rights to half the house. He snapped that if Philip wanted the “maniac” to move in, “it’s your funeral.” Philip would be the one to break the news to Maggie, though. As soon as Xander stormed out of the room, Vivian sidled up to Philip and said she had been worried he would bust her. Philip had been tempted, and he warned Vivian not to make him regret the decision.

“Your secret’s safe with me,” Vivian crooned. “As long as Kate agrees to send that cretin to an early grave.” With that word of caution, Vivian flounced off. Philip turned to Victor’s portrait. “An early grave – not sounding so bad right now,” he sighed.

At Shawn’s place, Shawn invited Rafe inside. Rafe wanted to hear Shawn’s side of the story about Jada. Shawn explained that he was in a “really bad place” when the fling happened. Rafe interrupted and challenged Shawn on whether he had been using Jada to get back at Belle. Shawn vehemently denied the accusation and said he cared for Jada.

Shawn's comment enraged Rafe further, and he demanded Shawn clarify if he had feelings for Jada and if the affair had been a one-time encounter. Shawn affirmed that he had only hooked up with Jada once and defended Jada’s love for Rafe. He didn’t think Rafe should blame Jada. Shawn would understand if Rafe didn’t want to be his friend anymore since Shawn felt he had betrayed that bond.

Before the conversation could continue, Shawn received a call from the station. He pleaded with Rafe to stay until he attended to the call. After Shawn stepped out, though, Rafe found Jada’s shirt laying among Shawn’s belongings. “One time, huh?” Rafe sarcastically said aloud. Later, Shawn returned to the room and discovered Rafe gone.

At the police station, Jada looked at her gun and thought back to Shawn asking her why she didn’t have it at the bar. She had claimed to Shawn that she had left the gun back at the station. Emerging from the flashback, Jada put the gun into a file cabinet and locked it inside.

Later, Jada met with Paulina and updated the mayor on the latest developments in the EJ investigation. Jada conceded that if the bullet that was being analyzed didn’t match Kristen’s gun, then the investigation would be back at “square one.” Jada still believed Kristen to be the prime suspect and laid out Kristen’s possible motivation: to get vengeance for her mother’s sudden disappearance. Paulina suggested that Jada go home and take a breather, but Jada admitted she couldn’t go home. Paulina correctly guessed Rafe was still angry and expressed hope the former cop would "come to his senses."

Jada made her way to Shawn’s place to retrieve the clothes she had left behind. Shawn offered to let her stay as long as she wanted, but Jada said she was returning to Stephanie’s apartment. Shawn caught Jada off guard when he revealed that Rafe had come by to confront him. Shawn had believed he was getting through to Rafe, but he’d had to leave to take a call. When he had returned, Rafe was nowhere to be found.

Jada was disappointed by the development. She was also relieved that Shawn had not disclosed that she had spent the night at his place. Neither wanted Rafe to get the wrong idea.

Meanwhile, at Rafe’s house, Rafe was haunted by a fantasy of Jada and Shawn hooking up again after Rafe had sent her away. A knock at the door disrupted the moment. When Rafe answered, Sami exclaimed, “Surprise!” Rafe warmly greeted his ex-wife and invited her inside. Sami explained she’d come to town to see Johnny.

Sami thanked Rafe for his own talk with her son. Sami believed Rafe had set the stage for Johnny to understand Sami’s actions better. Rafe was glad Sami and Johnny’s talk had gone well, but he thought Sami had another reason for stopping by. Sami admitted Rafe knew her too well.

Sami confirmed with Rafe that he was no longer on the police force. Then, she told him how worried she was about Johnny. Hesitantly, Sami raised the possibility that Johnny had unloaded his anger at EJ by shooting his father. Rafe tried to talk Sami down. He didn’t think Johnny had it in him to kill his own father.

Sami took comfort in Rafe’s assertion, and the talk soon turned to EJ’s latest transgression. Sami was shocked when Rafe revealed that EJ had hired Arnold to replace Rafe once again and that EJ had torpedoed Rafe’s engagement. Sami wondered why Jada wasn’t currently with Rafe. She scolded him after he revealed that he’d gotten angry because Jada hadn’t figured out that Arnold was an imposter. When Rafe brought up Jada’s dalliance with Shawn, Sami expressed sympathy for how Jada must have felt during the switch.

Rafe said he was beginning to soften toward Jada after talking with Shawn. Discovering Jada’s clothes at Shawn’s place had ended that goodwill. He believed it confirmed that Jada and Shawn’s affair was not over. Sami shifted her sympathies to Rafe, especially after he bemoaned how Arnold had once again stolen his life. Sami admitted she'd been taking a hard look at her life and her relationships.

Sami confessed she had a lot of regrets about her and Rafe's prior relationship, which she called the healthiest of her life. She felt she’d taken him for granted and implied he was the one that got away. With a wistful smile, Sami proclaimed she’d never been happier than she had been with Rafe. Rafe agreed with the sentiment. Caught up in the moment, the two leaned in for a lingering kiss.

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