Rafe learned that Ben was Jordan's brother. Sonny and Will asked Marlena to marry them. Eric realized that he could not marry Nicole. To spite Daniel, Theresa agreed to help Liam with his plan. Eric caught Nicole trashing evidence, unaware that it could have cleared his name. Brady and Theresa made love. John tried to get through to Brady. Aiden and Hope had another run-in.

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

by Mike

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady awoke in his bedroom and checked his cell phone, which showed that he had received a voicemail message and ten missed calls from Theresa. Brady recalled that at some point before his argument with Maggie the previous night, he had told her that he had not had a single drop of alcohol that particular night, and she had replied that it didn't matter, since he was still behaving like an alcoholic regardless.

Brady went downstairs and found Maggie in the living room. Maggie tried to avoid Brady, explaining that she was in a hurry to get to Chez Rouge, but he stopped her and said that he needed to tell her that he was sorry. Maggie dismissively stated that she was sure that Brady probably felt sorry for something at that particular moment, and she started to reiterate that she didn't have time to talk to him, but he interrupted and admitted that he had been an "ass," that she'd had every right to be appalled with his behavior, and that everything that she had said to him had been true.

Brady acknowledged that he needed to stop running from his feelings and instead face them. Maggie agreed with Brady's epiphany and wondered how he planned to put those words into action. Brady shrugged and admitted that he didn't know the answer to that question yet, adding that he was going to have to think about it for a while. "That is the most sense you've made to me in weeks. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I hope you mean what you're saying, Brady, because if you do...I'll be here later. Take care today," Maggie replied before exiting the mansion.

In Anne's office at the hospital, Theresa stared at her cell phone and wondered why Brady wasn't answering her calls. "I am not a girl you want to ignore, Brady. You're leaving me no choice but to do some work. You'll pay for that, Brady Black," Theresa muttered as she reluctantly picked up a stack of files and started to sort them. Meanwhile, John entered the room and convinced Theresa to accompany him to the Brady Pub so that they could talk about something.

Theresa wondered if Shane had sent John to spy on her. John laughed and reminded Theresa that Shane, as an ISA agent, was perfectly capable of spying on her himself without her knowledge. Theresa tried to laugh off her sudden feelings of paranoia as she changed the subject, wondering why John had tracked her down. John explained that he loved Brady, who meant the world to John. Theresa acknowledged that Brady was a good guy, and she assured John that he had nothing to worry about, since she and Brady were simply having fun hanging out with each other.

John observed that it seemed like Theresa hadn't managed to have a whole lot of fun since arriving in Salem. John said that he had heard that Theresa had been hitting one pothole after another lately, and she confirmed that it had been a pretty challenging time for her. John mused that Theresa might just need the right kind of break, and she knowingly guessed that he was willing to help her make everything better -- at the cost of staying far away from Brady, of course.

John said that, while he couldn't fix all of the potholes in Theresa's life, he could help her avoid them. John suggested that Theresa simply needed to find her niche, and she jokingly agreed that she would be much happier if she could find a way to get paid for shopping. John observed Theresa's expensive designer purse and acknowledged that she had good taste. Theresa admitted that the purse was the nicest thing that she owned, prompting John to reply that it didn't have to be that way. John explained that Basic Black had a lot of opportunities for someone who was smart and willing to apply herself.

Theresa dismissively stated that she wasn't very good at entry-level jobs because they didn't provide enough of a challenge. John vaguely clarified that he had something different in mind, and he wondered if Theresa was tied to Salem, elaborating that he had more job openings in Europe than in the United States. Theresa admitted that she had never visited Europe because it had always been out of reach for her, and John said that was no longer the case. Meanwhile, Brady entered the pub, but only Theresa saw him, since John's back was turned toward the entrance.

"God, this is unbelievable. You're just trying to bribe me, right? You're just gonna give me a job in Europe to get me away from your son?" Theresa incredulously summarized as Brady approached and demanded to know what John was doing. Brady dismissively advised John to work on fixing his own life instead, and John exited the pub without responding.

Brady apologized to Theresa for what John had tried to do earlier, and she said that she understood, since her father was also like that. Brady wondered if that meant that Shane was skilled in the arts of bribery and deception. Theresa clarified that Shane generally practiced the art of coercion instead -- when he was around, at least, which, according to Theresa, wasn't often. Brady said that sounded familiar.

Theresa changed the subject and asked Brady about Maggie. Brady revealed a few vague details about his earlier argument with Maggie, but he was reluctant to elaborate, so Theresa offered to order some screwdrivers to make it easier for him to talk about what had happened. Brady reminded Theresa that she was supposed to return to work later that day, but she replied that he was far more important.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami told E.J. that their date the previous night had been nice -- until Kate and Gabi had lost their respective minds, at least. E.J. advised that Sami needed to get herself a better class of co-conspirators, and she agreed, arguing that Kate, in particular, should have had enough sense to realize that it would be a bad idea to get anywhere near Stefano, let alone go on a date with him.

Sami gasped as she suddenly realized that Stefano might have sought erectile dysfunction medication in preparation for his date with Kate. As Sami started to loudly express her disgust, E.J. rushed to shut the living room doors so that Stefano wouldn't overhear the conversation. E.J. asked Sami to drop the subject, advising that talking about erectile dysfunction was not the way to goad a proud man like Stefano.

Sami sighed and reluctantly agreed to grant E.J.'s request, clarifying that she was just worried because Stefano was going after Kate again. E.J. pointed out that Sami was making assumptions about the situation and that Stefano hadn't even admitted that Kate had been his dinner companion the previous night. Sami suggested that E.J. could ask Stefano to confirm her suspicion, but E.J. believed that the matter was none of his business, so she decided that she would simply get the truth out of Kate instead.

E.J. tried to argue that Kate was a big girl who could take care of herself, but Sami countered that Kate had been stupid enough to marry Stefano a few years earlier. Sami feared that Kate might share their secret about Nick with Stefano, but E.J. doubted that Kate would be foolish enough to trust Stefano. Sami still felt that it would be best to remind Kate of why it would be a bad idea to trust Stefano or get involved with him again, so E.J. gave up on trying to change Sami's mind. Sami mused that in addition to dealing with Kate, she also needed to find a way to deal with Gabi.

As Sami complained about Gabi's naïveté and stubbornness regarding Nick, she suddenly realized that E.J. was the perfect person for the job, since Gabi respected E.J., and he had a way with young women in general. "You got through to Abigail; you could just do it again," Sami reasoned. E.J. predicted that trying to warn Gabi about Nick would be a good way to send her straight into Nick's arms, but Sami argued that, while she would likely just make the situation worse if she tried to talk to Gabi about Nick again, E.J. would know exactly what to say to influence Gabi. Sami turned on the charm, and E.J. eventually gave in and reluctantly accepted the task.

At Club TBD, Lucas reminded Kate that Jordan's name wasn't Jane Doe, prompting Kate to counter that they didn't know what Jordan's real name was. Kate guessed that Jordan had fabricated the out-of-state job offer as a way of tricking Rafe into panicking and doing something to convince Jordan to stay in Salem. "That's a classic maneuver; I think you've fallen for that a few times yourself," Kate teasingly added, but Lucas wasn't amused.

As Ben approached and started to clear a nearby table, Lucas accused Kate of sounding like a jilted junior in high school. Kate insisted that she was simply trying to protect Rafe from getting hurt, and Lucas sighed and impatiently advised that the best way to accomplish that goal would be to stop going after Jordan. The comment caused Ben to stop what he was doing and focus on Lucas and Kate for a moment.

Later, Ben watched from the bar as Kate and Lucas ate and continued their conversation. Kate vowed to do whatever it took to figure out the truth about Jordan. Kate argued that Lucas would do the exact same thing to protect a friend if he were in her situation, but he remained doubtful that her motives were pure. Kate reminded Lucas that Jordan had numerous identification cards and aliases that proved that Jordan wasn't who she claimed to be. Kate added that if it turned out that Jordan was legitimate, she would be satisfied with that and would wish Rafe and Jordan well, but Lucas was still skeptical, recommending that Kate needed to find a new hobby.

Meanwhile, Sami approached Lucas and Kate's table and said that she and Kate needed to talk about where Kate had spent the previous night. Lucas was eager to hear the answer to Sami's question, but Kate dismissively reminded him that he had a meeting that was scheduled to start in approximately twenty minutes. Lucas took the hint and excused himself, urging Sami to give Kate "hell." After Lucas left, Kate wondered what Sami's problem was. Sami replied that Kate and Gabi were her problems, although she added that she had only been tasked with handling the former problem.

Kate wanted to know what was wrong with Gabi, so Sami summarized that Gabi had gone on a date with Nick the previous night. "Oh, God, when is that girl going to smarten up and just learn from her experience?" Kate asked with a groan of frustration. Sami pointedly agreed that Kate had just uttered some great advice, but Kate didn't understand the meaning of the comment, so Sami clarified that she was talking about Kate's dinner with Stefano the previous night.

Kate assumed that Stefano had told Sami about the dinner, but Sami clarified that, while she had figured it out on her own when she had seen the untouched plate of food and Kate's favorite brand of champagne, Kate's reaction had just confirmed the suspicion. Sami added that, while she understood that Kate was probably feeling lonely because Rafe had recently dumped her, jumping back into bed with Stefano wasn't the right way to remedy that problem. Kate protested that she was the one who had broken things off with Rafe, and she explained that she had only agreed to have dinner with Stefano to fulfill a promise she had made to Chad.

Kate started to add that she had told Stefano exactly what she thought of him during the dinner, but she stopped herself and insisted that she didn't have to explain herself to Sami. Sami reminded Kate that they were talking about Stefano DiMera. "Oh, really? Really? You don't think I know what that means? Because I do. I don't want anything to do with that man ever, ever again. But you know, once again, I don't have to explain that to you, because I learned from my experience, Sami. I'm not the one still living in his house. I'm not the one about to marry a man I tried to murder," Kate pointedly replied.

Sami wondered why Kate was being such a "bitch," prompting Kate to reply that she was probably acting that way because Sami had entered the club with guns blazing -- a choice of words that Kate quickly admitted she probably should have avoided using. Kate questioned Sami's decision to attack her for having dinner with Stefano, since Sami was involved with "Junior." Sami objected to the nickname, but Kate argued that it was appropriate because that was exactly what E.J. was -- a junior version of Stefano.

Sami wondered why Kate was criticizing E.J., and Kate admitted that she didn't know the answer to that question, since he had been surprisingly helpful during the fiasco with Nick and Gabi. Kate pointed out that E.J. had also recently lost a battle with Stefano, and she predicted that E.J. was always going to be living in Stefano's shadow. Sami protested that E.J. had only lost the battle in question because he hadn't been willing to sacrifice the woman he loved in order to win. Sami argued that Stefano, on the other hand, was more than happy to grind up anyone who dared to get in his way or even just upset him a bit.

Kate confirmed that she was fully aware of Stefano's ruthlessness. Sami advised Kate to be careful around Stefano, prompting Kate to wonder why Sami cared one way or another about her. "Because I like you, and I don't want to see you get hur --" Sami started to blurt out before abruptly stopping herself. Sami and Kate were equally shocked, and each tried to brush off the comment, but Kate did confirm that she felt the same way about Sami. Kate and Sami were quick to clarify that they weren't friends. Sami suggested that it would be more accurate for her and Kate to refer to themselves as "frenemies," and Kate agreed, adding that they only maintained a civil relationship with each other because of Arianna and Gabi.

Sami seized the opportunity to change the subject, summarizing that she and Kate needed to closely monitor the situation with Nick and ensure that Stefano never got involved. Assuming that Sami was making another pointed statement about the dinner at the DiMera mansion, Kate defensively reiterated that she absolutely did not ever want to have Stefano in her life ever again. Kate started to excuse herself, but before leaving, she took a moment to thank Sami again for the thing that Sami hadn't said earlier, and Sami smiled as she replied that Kate wasn't welcome. Kate promised that Sami didn't need to worry about her, adding that Gabi was the only one who could introduce trouble into their lives.

At the Horton Town Square, Sheryl was showing Nick some potential designs for the packaging of one of Mad World's new products when she spotted Jordan strolling through the area. Sheryl called out to Jordan and said that she was surprised to see that Jordan was still in Salem. Sheryl started to introduce Jordan to Nick, but Jordan interrupted and clarified that they had met before, adding that he had once been married to Rafe's sister. Nick abruptly excused himself, claiming that he had to make a phone call, and as Jordan and Sheryl started to talk, he ducked out of sight so that he could eavesdrop.

Jordan revealed that she had decided to stay in Salem. Sheryl knowingly guessed that Rafe had been pleased with that decision, and Jordan confirmed that things were going well with him. Jordan wondered what Sheryl was doing with Nick, and she was relieved to learn that Sheryl simply worked with him and wasn't on a date with him. Sheryl tried to find out why Jordan had been concerned in the first place, but Jordan dismissed the question and changed the subject, asking Sheryl about Lucas. Sheryl reported that things with Lucas were going well professionally and might be headed in that direction personally, as well.

After Jordan left, Nick returned and said that he was glad to see that Sheryl had started making friends in Salem in a relatively short amount of time. Sheryl clarified that she and Jordan had actually known each other in Birmingham before they had separately relocated to Salem. Nick dramatically mused that it was a small world, and Sheryl agreed before resuming their earlier conversation about packaging designs.

Later, Lucas approached Sheryl and Nick's table and wondered what was going on. Sheryl explained that she had been sharing her design ideas with Nick, and he proceeded to gush about her talents. Lucas said that he needed to talk to Sheryl about something, so Nick took the hint and excused himself. "Don't ever meet with him again. You understand?" Lucas instructed Sheryl after Nick left.

Sheryl apologized and explained that she hadn't realized that meeting with Nick would be a problem. Lucas clarified that he understood that she had simply been trying to do her job well, but he added that Nick was a chemist and therefore didn't know anything about marketing. Sheryl nodded and admitted that her attempt to earn extra credit with her bosses had obviously failed. Lucas assured Sheryl that she didn't have to worry about that because everyone was already really impressed with her work, and he grasped her hand as he added that he was particularly impressed.

Nick ran into Kate outside the Brady Pub and told her about his earlier encounter with Sheryl and Jordan. Nick mused that it was quite amazing that the two women had known each other in Birmingham before arriving in Salem, and he predicted that he could probably guess which woman had arrived in Salem first. Kate impatiently wondered if Nick was trying to make some sort of point.

Nick asked Kate if her attempts to uncover some dirt on Jordan had yielded results. Kate feigned ignorance, dismissively suggesting that Nick had obviously been inhaling toxic fumes in the laboratory, but he wasn't convinced, proudly bragging that he had put everything together in two seconds flat. Nick confidently warned that he could probably find out much more about Kate's scheme if he gave the matter any real attention. Kate sighed and impatiently demanded to know what Nick wanted. "I don't care what you have planned for Jordan or Rafe at all, as long as you leave me and Gabi alone. Okay?" Nick said before walking away.

In Will and Sonny's apartment, Gabi informed Rafe that Will and Sonny had gone somewhere earlier and that Arianna was sleeping, leaving Rafe wondering why Gabi had invited him over in the first place. Gabi innocently claimed that she had simply wanted to have breakfast with her brother, but Rafe wasn't convinced, so she sighed and reluctantly admitted that she had also wanted to tell him something about Nick, since she was certain that Rafe would eventually hear about it from someone else otherwise.

"What did the S.O.B. do now?" Rafe wondered. Gabi assured Rafe that Nick hadn't done anything, but Rafe wasn't convinced, and he demanded to know if Nick had hurt her. Gabi warned that Rafe would wake Arianna if he didn't calm down right away, so he lowered his voice and urged her to stop stalling and to tell him what Nick had done. Gabi reiterated that Nick hadn't done anything, and she started to ask why everyone always assumed otherwise, but Rafe interrupted and wondered if she really wanted to go there.

Gabi complained that she was sick of arguing with everyone about Nick. Rafe groaned and knowingly braced himself for assurances that Nick had changed. Gabi insisted that, unlike Rafe, she had the right to decide whether Nick had changed or not because she knew him better than anyone else in Salem did. Gabi added that she also understood that Nick had made a few mistakes and was trying to rise above those mistakes. Rafe told Gabi that she was nothing like Nick, but she countered that she was also nothing like her "perfect" brother. Gabi wished that people would just give Nick a break for a change.

Rafe feared that Gabi was trying to tell him that she had gotten back together with Nick, but she clarified that they had simply been spending time together lately. Rafe sighed as Gabi added that she truly believed that Nick had changed. Rafe said that he had understood how Gabi had allowed herself to get sucked into Nick's orbit the first time, when she had been pregnant and scared that she was going to have to raise her baby alone, but he couldn't understand how she could allow herself to get sucked in again. Gabi insisted that Nick wasn't the same as he had been before.

"Like when Nick was blackmailing Will and treating him and Sonny like dirt? Then?" Rafe pointedly asked. Gabi defended Nick, pointing out that he had been recovering from what had happened to him in prison at that particular time. "Only he didn't! He didn't even try! I -- would you listen to me? Just listen to me, your cop brother, okay? I have spent more than my fair share of time with ex-cons, and I am telling you, he has not changed, Gabi!" Rafe asserted.

"He's not an ex-con; he's a Horton, for God's sake!" Gabi protested, and she reiterated that Rafe couldn't be certain that Nick hadn't changed because he didn't know Nick like she knew him. Rafe maintained that Gabi had no idea what she was about to put herself through again. "Well, you know, I think I know Nick a whole lot better than you know Jordan Ridgeway," Gabi countered. Rafe argued that Jordan was a private person, not a criminal. Rafe knowingly guessed that Gabi was just trying to change the subject because she didn't want to face the fact that choosing to spend her life with Nick would be an incredibly stupid move.

Gabi reminded Rafe that she was an adult and a mother, and she clarified that she wasn't asking for his permission to live her life. Rafe skeptically wondered why Gabi had called him over to the apartment in the first place if she hadn't wanted his permission. "Some...understanding, maybe? But whatever. I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna sit here and allow you to -- to talk trash about Nick, because he has changed. So, if you don't respect that, I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to go," Gabi firmly stated. Rafe nodded and started to walk away, but Gabi stopped him and wondered where he was going. Rafe explained that he was leaving, since Gabi didn't want him to disparage Nick, and he had nothing nice to say about Nick at all. As Gabi started to protest, Rafe calmly exited the apartment.

Later, Gabi received a text message from Nick, who thanked her for the previous night and said that he'd had a great time. Gabi returned the sentiment, and a few seconds later, she received another text message from Nick, who promised that he would see her soon. Moments after reading the latest text message, Gabi heard someone knocking on the apartment door. Gabi opened the door, expecting to see Nick, but she found E.J. standing outside instead.

E.J. observed that Gabi looked disappointed, and he guessed that she had been expecting someone else. Gabi confirmed the suspicion but didn't elaborate, instead informing E.J. that Will had left earlier. E.J. clarified that he was actually there to see Gabi, and he handed her a manila envelope that contained the photographs from her earlier photo shoot. Gabi reminded E.J. that he could have just sent the pictures to her via email, and he explained that there was actually a company policy that forbade that sort of thing to ensure that the images couldn't be copied or reproduced.

Gabi guessed that Sami had sent E.J. to patch things up because Sami had blown it the previous night when she had seen Gabi with Nick. Gabi referred to E.J. as Plan B, but he resented that implication and clarified that he was actually Plan A. E.J. promised that if Gabi let him in and gave him the opportunity to say what he wanted to say to her, he would leave immediately afterward. Gabi agreed and invited E.J. into the apartment.

After listening to E.J. explain some of the exciting perks of her new job that were on the horizon, Gabi impatiently encouraged him to go ahead and shift the focus of the conversation to what she was certain was the real reason for his visit -- Nick. "Gabriela, this is what I have to say about Nick -- you follow your heart. You know what to do when it comes to Nick Fallon, and nobody else can or should be able to tell you," E.J. said.

Taken aback, Gabi wondered what the catch was. "Well, I think only you know that. Look, you -- I can tell you what I've seen -- you came to my house, you were hurt, [and] you asked for my help. Your life was a wreck because of Nick," E.J. replied. Gabi said that was only because she had felt guilty about what she had done, but E.J. clarified that she had felt guilty about what she had thought that she had done -- what, in fairness, Nick had forced her to do in self-defense.

Gabi insisted that Nick had changed, and E.J. agreed, although he added that what neither of them knew at that point was how Nick had changed. E.J. acknowledged that Gabi's big heart was one of her most admirable qualities, and he added that, as her friend, he was simply advising her to stay safe and take things slowly. Later, Gabi thanked E.J. for the advice, and he started to leave, but as he opened the door slightly, she decided that she wanted to ask him something else first. E.J. left the door partially ajar as he turned his attention back to Gabi, unaware that Nick had just arrived and was eavesdropping on the conversation.

Gabi wondered if E.J. believed that people could change, and he confirmed that he believed that maybe, eventually, people could do so. "You know, Gabriela, there were times when I thought I had changed, and I swore to myself -- and to Samantha -- that I had, but I hadn't yet. And there were times when she trusted me, and she shouldn't have...and the consequences of that were really brutal, and we were lucky to escape with our lives," E.J. added. E.J.'s admission surprised Gabi, but he summarized that he was simply being honest with her. "Now, you -- you know where you've been. You know Nick's past. That's what you know. Anything else is just Nick talking. That's why I'm saying don't jump into this, okay? Be careful," E.J. advised as Nick continued to listen outside.

Jordan entered Club TBD and approached the bar, where Ben reported that he had overheard a woman and a younger man talking about Jordan earlier in a way that had suggested that the woman was out to get Jordan. Jordan didn't want to talk about the matter at the club, so Ben informed a coworker that he was going to go ahead and take his break. Jordan and Ben exited the club together, and Sami's suspicions were aroused, so she decided to follow them.

Sami ran into Rafe while following Jordan and Ben through the town square. Sami could tell that something was wrong with Rafe, so he explained that he had just finished having breakfast with Gabi, who had lost her mind. Rafe warned Sami that Gabi was planning to give Nick another chance, and Sami revealed that she had actually seen Gabi and Nick together at the pub the previous night. Sami advised Rafe to try to talk some sense into Gabi, but he replied that he had already tried to do so.

Rafe abruptly concluded the conversation, explaining that he was on his way to meet someone. Sami guessed that Rafe was talking about Jordan, so she reported that she had spotted Jordan walking through the town square earlier with a guy from Club TBD. Sami revealed that Jordan's conversation with the guy had seemed pretty intense. Sami pointed Rafe in Jordan's general direction, and he thanked her for the information before walking away.

Jordan took Ben to a secluded section of the town square so that they could talk privately. Ben reiterated that he had overheard a woman and a younger man talking about Jordan earlier, adding that the woman had been sporting a blue streak in her hair. Jordan assured Ben that there was nothing to worry about, explaining that the woman in question was just jealous or possessive.

Ben assumed that meant that the woman had once been involved with the man Jordan had stayed in Salem to be with. Ben had a bad feeling about the situation, but Jordan dismissed his concerns and started to leave. Ben grabbed Jordan's arm and told her not to walk away from him. As Jordan tried to free herself from Ben's grasp, Rafe arrived, pulled Ben off of her, and proceeded to punch him in the nose.

^ back to the top

by Spalding

In the Brady Pub, Marlena talked to Will and Sonny about their wedding plans. Will asked Marlena to officiate the wedding. Surprised, Marlena stared in stunned silence. Will explained that Marlena had helped Will realize who he was and had helped him come out of the closet. Will added that because Marlena had encouraged him, he had found Sonny.

Marlena said that she was honored but that she could not legally perform the ceremony. Sonny explained that he had found a website that certified people to perform civil ceremonies. With a smile, Marlena agreed to wed Sonny and Will.

In her living room, Gabi and E.J. talked about Nick, as Nick eavesdropped outside through the cracked open front door. E.J. counseled Gabi to be careful. When Gabi asked E.J. if he thought Nick had changed, E.J. answered that his opinion was irrelevant. E.J. added that Nick had suffered a brush with death and that Nick was likely traumatized by the experience.

As E.J. closed the cracked door, Nick moved to the window to listen. When E.J. said it was clear that Nick had an agenda, Gabi was defensive. Gabi argued that Nick had changed and that it would not be a bad thing if she got back together with him.

"Are you sacrificing yourself to neutralize Nick?" E.J. asked with concern. Gabi said she was not sacrificing herself. Gabi stressed that Nick was different from the night at the river and that Nick was the man that she had fallen in love with. E.J. warned Gabi not to rush into a relationship and to be careful.

At Club TBD, Abigail asked T for help planning Will and Sonny's bachelor party. When Abigail mentioned that they should talk to Gabi, T grew flustered and said that he could not leave work to help Abigail as he had promised. As Abigail left to meet Gabi, she ran into E.J. outside. Abigail unloaded on E.J., and she yelled that E.J. was not the good and decent man that she had believed. Abigail argued that if E.J. was a decent man then he would have showed restraint and not had sex with her.

Abigail stormed off and walked over to Gabi's apartment. When Gabi greeted Abigail at the door, her face fell. Abigail asked Gabi is she had expected to find Nick at the door. Gabi admitted that she had expected to see Nick, but that she was just friends with him. When Abigail spotted the photos from the model shoot, Gabi explained that Nick had convinced Sami and E.J. to hire her as a model.

Abigail asked Gabi if she was going to get back together with Nick. Gabi said that she had not ruled out the possibility of dating him. When Gabi mentioned that E.J. had advised her to take her relationship with Nick slowly, Abigail gritted her teeth in frustration. Abigail said that whatever E.J. had advised Gabi to do then Gabi should do the opposite.

Abigail cautioned Gabi that E.J. had a way of convincing people to do things that were not necessarily in their best interests, but instead in E.J.'s best interests. Gabi countered that E.J. had advised her to make up her own mind regarding how she felt about Nick.

At Club TBD, Nick got a drink at the bar and thought about the conversation he had overheard between Gabi and E.J. Nick muttered that E.J. had given Gabi good advice. Nick resolved to keep his distance from Gabi so that she would want to be with him even more.

When Will arrived at the club, he chatted with T about the wedding. T went to assist a customer, and Nick sat at Will's table. Nick told Will that he thought it was amazing that Will was marrying Sonny and making a commitment. Uncomfortable, Will countered that it was unlike Nick's marriage to Gabi, which had been a lie. Angry, Nick argued that when he had married Gabi, he had known her better than Will knew Sonny.

When Sonny arrived home, he found Abigail and Gabi talking. Abigail told Sonny that she was excited about the wedding. With a sigh, Gabi announced that she had something to say that might upset Sonny. "Don't you think it's kind of weird not to invite Nick to your wedding?" Gabi asked.

In the town square, a curious Sami debated whether to follow Rafe in his pursuit of Jordan. As Sami repeatedly turned around, Kate walked over and joked that Sami looked like a squirrel crossing a street. Sami informed Kate that she had witnessed Jordan arguing with a man from Club TBD, and that she had told Rafe who had followed Jordan toward the park. Sami said it was clear that Jordan knew the man from the club.

Curious, Kate wondered aloud if the man was the reason that Jordan had started to leave Salem. When Kate admitted that she had a plan for Jordan, Sami questioned whether Kate still had feelings for Rafe. Kate deflected Sami's inquiry by arguing that Sami had residual feelings for Rafe. As Sami objected, E.J. walked over and urged Kate and Sami to stop arguing in public. Sami said that Kate was jealous of her happiness. Before Kate walked away, she told Sami to let go of her ex.

"Why do you let her get to you?" E.J. wondered aloud. E.J. said he did not care about Rafe or Kate, and he walked away with Sami in pursuit. Sami caught up with E.J. at the DiMera mansion. Sami explained that Jordan had behaved strangely, so Sami had followed her. With a groan, E.J. exclaimed that protecting Rafe was Sami's number one priority in life.

Sami took E.J.'s face in her hands and assured him that her connection to Rafe was in the past. Sami stressed to E.J., "You are my everything. Forever and ever." Sami and E.J. kissed and went upstairs. After making love, E.J. and Sami talked about Gabi. E.J. said that he had spoken to Gabi about Nick, but that the decision of whether to date Nick was up to Gabi.

At the pub, Kate met with Marlena to talk about the wedding. When Kate mentioned that she wanted to talk to her friend the governor about officiating the wedding, Marlena said that she would be officiating instead. Kate laughed. When Marlena raised an eyebrow, Kate realized that Marlena was not joking. Marlena jokingly asked if Kate was upset that Will loved Marlena more. Kate smiled wryly. Marlena and Kate agreed that they were lucky to be included in the wedding.

In the park, Ben grabbed Jordan's arm, and she yelled at him to stop. Rafe arrived in the clearing and pulled Ben away from Jordan. Rafe punched Ben in the nose. Jordan begged Rafe and Ben to stop fighting, and she pushed the two men apart. Worried, Rafe demanded to know what was going on.

"He's my brother!" Jordan exclaimed. Confused, Rafe asked Jordan why she had not said something since Ben had arrived in town. Rafe turned to Ben and warned him that he could not mistreat women. Ben argued that he would never hurt his sister. Jordan assured Rafe that she was fine, and she asked Rafe to give her time alone with her brother.

After Rafe left for the cafe, Jordan said, "No one can ever know the truth." Ben said he would not stop worrying about Jordan because he owed her. Jordan begged Ben not to tell anyone about their connection. Hurt, Ben asked Jordan if she was that ashamed of him. "Ben, come on, you know why," Jordan called out after him.

Jordan returned to the town square and met with Rafe at the cafe. Jordan explained that she had had a falling out with her brother years earlier and did not feel like she had a brother. Rafe asked Jordan if Ben was the reason she had wanted to leave Salem. Nodding, Jordan added that Rafe was the reason she had stayed in town. Jordan told Rafe that she was not ready to talk to him about her problems with Ben. Jordan apologized for not telling Rafe about Ben, and she asked him not to tell anyone about her brother.

^ back to the top

by ChickenGrrl

At Club TBD, Nick asserted that he'd known Gabi a lot better when they'd gotten married than Will knew Sonny. Will pointed out that Nick had manipulated Gabi while blackmailing Will at that time -- and then Nick had done it again with the job in New York. Nick irritably maintained that he had paid for his mistakes, plus he had changed since returning to Salem. Will didn't buy that Nick had changed for a second. Nick asserted that if he were the same old Nick, Will and everyone he cared about would be in prison.

Will argued that showed that Nick had not changed. Nick insisted that he was happy for Will and Sonny because theirs was an old-fashioned romance. Nick continued that although Sonny had been out for most of his life and had been with a lot of guys all over the world, Sonny had settled on Will, "a total newbie with a heart of gold." Nick added, "You were like his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It's nothing to be ashamed about."

A livid Will accused Nick of belittling Sonny and Will's relationship, and the more worked-up Will got, the more Nick tried to calm him down. Nick pointed out that a lot of people didn't get to hang on to the kind of love that Will and Sonny had -- like most of Will's family, who'd had a number of failed marriages. "All I'm saying is that I hope that you don't have to go through the pain that a lot of other people have," Nick asserted.

At Will and Sonny's, Gabi asked Sonny why Nick wasn't invited to the wedding, and Abigail agreed that Nick should be there. Sonny angrily retorted that he didn't even want to hear Nick's name. After Sonny apologized, Gabi pointed out that it would be weird if Nick weren't there because he was Will's family -- and people might ask questions about why Nick wasn't there, and Sonny wouldn't want to have to answer them.

Abigail was taken aback to learn that Will and Sonny had invited Theresa but not Nick. "I don't want to talk about Theresa, okay? And you know damn well why Nick will never be invited to the wedding," Sonny firmly reminded Gabi. Abigail tried to reason with Sonny, but he reminded her that at the christening, she had heard him admit to everyone that he had manipulated Gabi. Gabi argued that Nick had changed -- and he had apologized in front of everyone.

"Nick is a calculating son of a bitch, and he always has been... All he cares about is what he wants, and what he's always wanted is Gabriela Hernandez -- oh, and her daughter, Arianna Horton. Here's a prediction for you: Will and I will never let that happen," Sonny vowed. After Abigail had gone, Gabi left, as well. A frustrated Sonny pounded the sofa pillows with his fist.

When Will arrived home, Sonny greeted him at the door, full of news about Arianna. Will grabbed Sonny and kissed him passionately, then took him to bed. After they'd had sex, Sonny asked what had gotten into Will. Will explained simply that he loved Sonny, but he also wondered why Sonny had proposed to Will. Sonny asked if Will were getting cold feet. Will assured his fiancé that wasn't the case, because when Sonny had proposed, everything had become perfect.

"I have never loved someone the way that I love you," Sonny declared. He added that the day Will had been shot had been the day Sonny had realized that he had to marry Will. Will acknowledged that he wasn't as sophisticated as Sonny, and he hoped that Sonny would always be glad they got married. "I will always be glad, and we will always be happy," Sonny reassured Will, kissing him.

In Horton Square, Gabi thanked Abigail for sticking up for her. Although Abigail understood Gabi's frustration, she pointed out that it was Will and Sonny's wedding, so Will and Sonny should be able to decide whom to invite. Nick showed up just then and overheard -- and agreed with Abigail. Nick explained that he didn't want to cause a problem at Will and Sonny's wedding because he knew it would take time for then to realize that he'd changed.

Once Nick and Gabi were alone, she expressed her regret that he wouldn't be at the wedding. Nick said that Gabi was going to look so beautiful that no one would be able to take their eyes off of her. Nick stressed that he didn't want Gabi to feel pressured because she needed to make up her own mind about him -- but he would be there whenever she wanted to see him.

As Liam lay in bed alone, he visualized a furious Jennifer dumping Daniel after catching Theresa and Daniel having sex. "It could happen, and if it could..." Liam mused. As he studied a photo of himself and Jennifer, he plotted to pick up the pieces when Daniel broke her heart again.

At the hospital, Anne left an irate message for Theresa: "Get back here now. Operation Jennifer is about results, honey bun, okay? Not promises." Jennifer happened by just then and overheard Anne. "That was fascinating. Tell me more about Operation Jennifer," Jennifer demanded. Anne claimed that "Operation Jennifer" was intended to find out who had circulated the doctored photo of Jennifer and posted malicious comments about her on the website. Unconvinced, Jennifer threatened to go to the board and see to it that Anne and Theresa were out of a job if she found any evidence linking Theresa or Anne to either incident.

As Theresa and Brady arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, Theresa got Anne's voicemail and told Brady that she had to get back to work. Trying to persuade her to stay, Brady kissed Theresa deeply. She reluctantly pulled away but promised to get in touch with Brady as soon as she could get away again.

After Theresa had gone, Brady headed into the living room and poured himself a drink, which he quickly tossed back. Just as he was refilling his glass, Maggie walked in and demanded to know what Brady was doing. "I was, uh, hanging out with Theresa, Maggie, and it just sorta happened. I figured one more wouldn't count," Brady explained, setting the glass down. Maggie was incredulous that Brady had been hanging out with Theresa.

Brady complained that he'd caught his dad trying to bribe Theresa into taking a job in Europe just to keep her away from Brady. Maggie regretted that John had gone behind Brady's back, but she believed that it showed that John was concerned about his son. Brady grumbled that control, not concern, was what motivated John Black. Maggie argued that whatever John's intentions were, it was no excuse for Brady to go out drinking with "that miserable little twit."

Brady wondered why Maggie despised Theresa. Maggie was much more interested in getting Brady back into the program before he ruined his life, but Brady didn't want to hear it. Fed up, Maggie left.

Just as Jennifer was walking away form Anne, an out-of-breath Theresa arrived at the hospital and tried to apologize to Anne. Anne disclosed that she knew Theresa had been with Brady Black when she was supposed to have been at work -- and Jennifer was "on high alert" because she'd overheard Anne leaving a message for Theresa. Anne threatened to ship Theresa back to an L.A. prison cell if she didn't show up for the job Anne was paying her to do.

Liam showed up a little later and invited Theresa to join him for a quick bite, his treat. Theresa admitted that she probably shouldn't leave, but she didn't want to be around when her boss returned, so she accompanied Liam out of the hospital.

Over lunch at the Brady Pub, Theresa asked if Liam had been seeing anyone since Jennifer had gotten back together with Daniel. Liam said that he hadn't. When Liam asked about Theresa's hookup with Daniel, she accused him of carrying a torch for Jennifer. Liam insisted that he wasn't, but when he pulled out his wallet to pay the check, the photo of him and Jennifer fell out. Liam claimed that he'd forgotten the picture was in his wallet, but realization dawned in Theresa's eyes. "You're obsessed; you're still carrying around a picture of Jennifer Horton. You're the one who's been harassing her!" Theresa guessed.

Nicole dropped by Daniel's apartment to apologize for the way she and Eric had behaved the night before. Daniel noted that Nicole seemed happier than he'd seen her in a long time. After a little beating around the bush, Nicole excitedly informed Daniel that she and Eric were getting married, though she clarified that it wasn't happening right away. Daniel wanted to know how Eric had proposed.

Nicole confessed that she had tried to seduce Eric before the party, but he'd slowed things down because he wanted to wait until after they were married to have sex. Daniel pointed out that it didn't exactly sound like a proposal. "He wants to marry me. Sooner or later, it's gonna happen!" Nicole insisted. Daniel gently reminded Nicole of everything that Eric had been through in the previous year and hinted that marriage might be a little too much to ask.

Nicole pointed out that she and Eric had hardly just met, but Daniel urged her to take things slowly. "Remember, when you rush into things, sometimes people, they just get hurt," Daniel warned bluntly. Nicole wondered if Daniel had been talking about the two of them instead of her and Eric. Daniel pointed out that Nicole had a tendency to force things to happen when she wanted something. Nicole reminded Daniel that when they'd been together, he hadn't loved her, and Eric did. Daniel was sure that was true, but he reiterated that Nicole should take things slowly with Eric. Nicole agreed to just let things happen -- and then it would be "the best thing ever."

Nicole headed to the hospital next to apologize to Jennifer. Jennifer pointed out that Nicole and Eric hadn't been the only ones having problems at the party. Nicole expressed her gratitude to Jennifer for inviting her and Eric to the party. "It makes me feel like we're okay," Nicole added. Jennifer assured her, "We are okay. I wanted you there, and not just because you're Daniel's friend." Jennifer declared that Nicole was a lot of fun and suggested that the two of them should go out for coffee later.

Maggie went to Daniel's and filled him in on what was happening with Brady. Daniel noted that A.A. taught that a person had to hit rock bottom before they could make a change in their life. Maggie worried that it would take Brady a long time to reach the bottom, and in the meantime, he was destroying himself little by little. Daniel said that he didn't know what else to do after Brady had turned a deaf ear to him. Maggie believed that Brady could get back on track were it not for Theresa. "There is no way we can get her out of his life -- is there?" Maggie wondered. Daniel replied, "There just might be."

Jennifer went to the Kiriakis mansion to drop off a pocket watch that had belonged to her grandfather for Maggie to give to Will to wear at the wedding. Brady put the watch on the desk and promised to give it to Maggie when she returned. Jennifer asked if Brady were all right, and he assured her that he was. Brady asked Jennifer for some advice about Theresa -- whom he had been seeing. "That's great. Good for you," Jennifer said.

Jennifer explained for a puzzled Brady that she cared about him and wanted him to be happy, but since she had no respect for Theresa, all Jennifer could do was wish Brady well. Brady noted that Jennifer seemed to know some things about Theresa that he probably should know, as well. Although Jennifer didn't want to discuss it, Brady questioned, "Just tell me why you hate her so much. Is it because she slept with Daniel? Is that what you can't forgive?"

When Father Louis met Eric in the park, Eric confided that he didn't know how to handle something that had happened. Eric explained that he and Nicole had been seeing each other, though they were taking things slowly -- but the night before, they'd started talking about marriage. Afterwards, Eric had realized that there was an obstacle in front of them that they might not be able to get past. Eric continued that he'd become a priest after he'd experienced a crisis of faith while working in Africa, when he'd needed God's guidance and the church.

Eric explained, "I may not be a priest anymore, but God and the church's teachings are an enormous part of my life, which means a marriage to Nicole -- a marriage the church would recognize or even bless -- just won't be possible." Although Eric outlined Nicole's admirable qualities, Father Louis warned him, "The church teaches against a marriage to someone like her." Eric acknowledged that Nicole had been married a few times, and some of the marriages might not qualify for annulment.

"Well, with that kind of history, there could never be a marriage that met the church's requirements. In fact, the church would consider a marriage to someone like Nicole to be wrong," Father Louis advised.

Nicole met Eric in the park a little later, after receiving a text message from him. Before Eric could explain why he'd asked her there, Nicole kissed him. After declaring that he had made her a better person, Nicole explained that she had apologized to Daniel and Jennifer about the previous night because she had known that was what Eric would have wanted.

Nicole confessed that she had also told Daniel about trying to seduce Eric -- and although she'd since realized that it had been the wrong thing to do, she was glad she'd done it, because otherwise they might not have talked about getting married. "Nicole, about that," Eric began, stroking her hair tenderly.

^ back to the top

by Mike

Will emerged from his and Sonny's bedroom and confirmed Sonny's suspicion that Arianna was still sleeping. Will guessed that Arianna was making up for a lack of sleep the previous night, and he suggested that he and Sonny could seize the opportunity to get some rest themselves. "That would be great, but in case you haven't heard, we are getting married in less than twenty-four hours," Sonny reminded Will.

Sonny was holding a small stack of documents pertaining to the wedding, and he informed Will that, while they had been amazingly efficient, they still had a few last-minute details to take care of before the ceremony. As someone knocked on the apartment door, Sonny assured a relieved Will that they were almost done with the preparations and were actually about to check off another item on the list.

Caroline greeted each young man with a quick kiss on the cheek as she entered the apartment. When Caroline learned that Arianna was sleeping through their scheduled play date, she offered to leave so that Will and Sonny could continue preparing for their big day, but they informed her that they actually had a second reason for asking her to meet with them that day. As Caroline took a seat next to Will and Sonny on the couch, she guessed that they were about to ask her to make her famous peanut butter cookies for the wedding reception.

Will smiled and clarified that, while he would never turn down Caroline's cookies, he and Sonny actually had something else they wanted to talk to her about. Sonny wondered if Caroline had heard that Marlena had agreed to officiate the wedding ceremony. Caroline nodded and reported that Marlena was really proud of that fact. Will explained that he and Sonny had asked Marlena to handle that task because she had played such a big part in getting them together in the first place, and Sonny added that Caroline had also played a big part in that process.

Confused, Caroline wondered what she had done to deserve such credit. Will replied that Caroline had always been loving and supportive of him and Sonny, just as she had been Will's entire life. Caroline shrugged and wondered what else a grandmother -- a great-great-grandmother, as Will gently reminded her, prompting her to joke that she would take all of the "greats" she could get -- would do. "It's an answer like that which is why I love you so much. We're -- we're asking three people to speak at our wedding, and -- well, you're the first person we wanted to ask," Will explained.

Caroline assumed that Will and Sonny wanted her to read scripture or a poem, but they clarified that they simply wanted her to speak from the heart. Caroline warned that once she started talking, it might be difficult to shut her up, and Will laughed and assured her that she would have plenty of time to talk because he and Sonny had the entire afternoon free the following day. Will said that he had always been able to count on Caroline to make sure that he would never feel like he was alone in the world.

"And now you'll never be alone, you know? I prayed that I'd live long enough to see you married with children -- not necessarily -- ahem -- in that order, you know? I told Will that I had two dear friends who were in a loving, committed relationship all their adult lives, but...they never had the chance to marry. I'm very glad things are different, and I would be honored to speak at your wedding," Caroline replied. Will hugged Caroline and thanked her for making his and Sonny's wedding day even more special.

Later, Sonny emerged from his and Will's bedroom and apologetically informed Caroline that Arianna was still sleeping. Sonny promised that seeing Arianna in her wedding dress the following day would be a sight to behold, and Caroline replied that Arianna would look beautiful in a potato sack. "But I do love weddings with all the trimmings -- I'm a sucker for it, you know? But the important thing is, you're getting married. Yeah. And she is gonna have two daddies. And the three of you are gonna have a wonderful life," Caroline predicted.

In the park, Eric told Nicole that they needed to talk about marriage. Nicole observed that Eric suddenly sounded really serious, and he agreed that marriage was obviously a serious commitment, but she interrupted before he could say anything else. "Okay, all right, all right -- hang on a second. We just got back together; we don't have to have this conversation right now...unless -- well, um, I know how strongly you feel about getting married before we -- ahem -- get together. You know, maybe...you don't want to wait any more than I do. Is that what you're saying -- you want to do this sooner than later?" Nicole wondered.

Eric gently clarified that he hadn't been thinking about rushing into anything, and Nicole feigned relief, jokingly reminding him that only fools rushed in. Nicole quickly tried to steer the conversation back to its previous point, but before Eric could reveal what he had really been trying to say to her earlier, Marlena approached and greeted them. Marlena was glad to see Eric and Nicole, admitting that she owed each of them an apology. Marlena explained that she had asked Stefano to put her in touch with Chyka because she had been trying to protect Eric, and she conceded that in doing so, she had once again crossed a line.

Eric suggested that it would be best to just drop the subject, reasoning that if Marlena was truly sorry, that meant that she could understand that Nicole probably didn't want to hear Marlena talk about how certain she had been that Nicole had been trying to ruin his life. Marlena agreed and changed the subject, revealing that she had one more thing that she needed to talk to Eric about -- Will and Sonny's wedding. Marlena reported that Will was aware that Eric's invitation had gotten lost in the mail. Eric assured Marlena that he already knew where and when the wedding would be taking place. "But -- well, the thing is that he -- he wants to make sure you understand that you are welcome to bring a guest. Nicole...Will and Sonny and I would like that to be you," Marlena announced, stunning Nicole, who thanked her for the invitation.

Marlena revealed that Will and Sonny had asked her to officiate the wedding ceremony. Marlena hoped that Eric would send her a lifeline if things got shaky while she was performing the ceremony, and he assured her that she could count on him, although he confidently added that she was going to do a great job. Eric knew that Marlena's support had always meant a lot to Will and Sonny. Marlena hoped that Eric also knew that she supported all of her children and grandchildren, and he confirmed that he was indeed aware of that fact.

Eric excused himself so that he could meet Jennifer at the hospital. Marlena quickly asked about Eric's job there, and he reported that things were going well. Eric gave Nicole a quick farewell kiss before walking away, and Marlena started to follow him, but Nicole asked her to wait for a moment. Nicole acknowledged that it had probably been difficult for Marlena to reach out to Nicole the way that she had earlier, and she confirmed that she was willing to accept Marlena's apology. Marlena thanked Nicole, who wondered if everything was cool between them. Marlena claimed that it was, but Nicole observed that Marlena didn't sound very convinced.

Marlena claimed that she was simply in a hurry because a patient was waiting for her, and she started to excuse herself, but Nicole stopped her and observed that the expression on Marlena's face was suggesting that things weren't really cool between them at all. Marlena wished that Nicole would just take the conversation at face value, and Nicole countered that she wished that Marlena would shoot straight with her so that they could finally get everything out on the table. "Fine. You want everything on the table? Look me right in the eye one last time and tell me you are not hiding something about Chyka or my son," Marlena challenged Nicole.

"There's nothing more; you know everything you need to know," Nicole claimed. Marlena nodded, thanked Nicole, and walked away. "Damn her! She still doesn't believe me," Nicole quietly muttered.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady said that it didn't make sense to him that Jennifer had apparently forgiven Daniel for sleeping with Theresa but wasn't willing to show Theresa the same sort of forgiveness. "Daniel wouldn't touch [Theresa] if she were the last woman on this earth," Jennifer blurted out, managing to stop herself only after Brady's suspicions had already been aroused.

Brady tried to probe for additional details, so Jennifer evasively wondered what Theresa had told him about their feud. Brady summarized that he had heard that Jennifer and Theresa hated each other's guts and that Jennifer had once fired Theresa and tried to ship her back to Los Angeles. Jennifer nodded and summarized that Theresa was "bad news in about sixty-two different ways," but Brady argued that he couldn't possibly take Jennifer's warnings seriously without knowing the real reason for her animosity toward Theresa.

"You know, Jennifer, maybe there was -- there was a time when I would have just taken your word for it and not asked any questions, but you're the one -- if I'd have known that Kristen was cheating on me, if I would have known -- if you would have told me that she was maybe pregnant with some other guy's baby, things might have been different for me," Brady pointed out. Jennifer apologized and assured Brady that she would do things differently if given the chance. Brady countered that Jennifer couldn't rewrite history but could instead take advantage of her latest opportunity to be completely honest with him about a woman he was involved with.

Jennifer argued that the two situations were completely different because what she knew about Theresa had nothing to do with Brady at all, vaguely adding that she could end up hurting a lot of her loved ones if she told him what he wanted to know. Brady bitterly summarized that Jennifer didn't trust him to keep her secrets but expected him to trust everything that she said about Theresa. Jennifer suggested that if Brady didn't want to take her word on the matter, he could instead question Kayla, Maggie, or anyone else who had ever dealt with Theresa.

Jennifer reasoned that Brady was only oblivious to Theresa's self-destructive behavior because he wasn't himself at the moment. Brady dismissively summarized that the conversation was going nowhere fast, and he promised to let Maggie know about Jennifer's visit. "Okay, fine -- I'm gonna go. But remember, when everyone tried to warn you about Kristen, you didn't want to hear it. And I get that -- I didn't want to hear it, either, because Kristen was my friend. But Theresa is not your friend; right now, she is your worst enemy," Jennifer warned before leaving the mansion.

Later, Brady was pouring himself a glass of whiskey when someone rang the doorbell. When Brady opened the door, he found John standing outside. Brady was still upset with John and didn't want to talk to him, but John bluntly replied that not everything was about Brady. John held up a wrapped box and explained that he was simply dropping off a gift for Will and Sonny's wedding, adding that he had assumed that Brady would be at work at that time. Brady defiantly took a sip of the drink that John was eyeing before replying that he was working. John seemed skeptical, but he promised that he wouldn't give Brady a lecture.

John offered to help Brady, who irritably replied that staying out of his life would be the best way to help him. Brady pointed out that everyone's attempts to keep him and Kristen apart had only made him want her more. Brady wondered if John could see the pattern that was developing, and John posed the same question to Brady. Brady insisted that John could no longer tell him what to do, and John replied that he knew that and had already given up on trying to do so. John added that he would never give up on loving Brady or wanting what was best for him.

John started to say something about Isabella, but Brady interrupted him. "Don't you -- no, don't you bring Mom into this, Dad! She would hate your guts for what you did -- as much as I do," Brady angrily insisted, glaring at John with a look of total disgust. "Oh. Well, then, I guess it's a good thing she's not here right now to...look at either one of us," John replied as he pointedly tapped Brady's glass, which Brady drained as John exited the mansion.

Later, Brady received a visit from Marlena, who told him that she would be officiating Will and Sonny's wedding ceremony and that she was a nervous wreck as a result. Brady jokingly advised Marlena not to screw up the ceremony, and he admitted that he hoped that the wedding would actually reach its intended conclusion, since they were long overdue for a happy wedding. Brady predicted that Will and Sonny would probably make it, although he was less confident about Sami and E.J. Marlena asked Brady not to go there, so he changed the subject and wondered if she had talked to John since his return to Salem.

Marlena vaguely confirmed that she had, and Brady revealed that John had visited the mansion earlier. Brady mused that it was amazing that John could fall off the face of the earth for months and still have nothing better to do than stalk Brady after resurfacing. Brady just wanted John to leave him alone, and he guessed that he didn't have to tell Marlena what that felt like because she probably felt the same exact way about John.

In the halls of Salem High, J.J. ran into Paige, who sidestepped him and walked away without saying a word. J.J. considered stopping Paige, but before he could do so, Rory approached and announced with a playful shove that J.J. wasn't going to believe what had happened the previous night. Paige glanced back at J.J. and Rory for a moment before turning a corner, leaving J.J. to complain that Rory's timing "sucked."

Rory teased that Bev had been right all along -- J.J. really did "have it bad" for Paige. J.J. insisted that Paige wasn't his type at all, adding that he simply wanted to explain the PalPage friend request that Rory and Bev had sent Paige on J.J.'s behalf before the whole school started to think that J.J. was a jerk or a dork. "Well, they already think that, dude," Rory helpfully reminded J.J. before resuming the earlier story about what had happened the previous night. Rory reported that he had delivered pizzas to "Dr. Dan's" apartment and that Jennifer had been there and had seemed really freaked out about something.

Later, J.J. returned to the Horton house to pick up his "shnazzy" community service vest. J.J. asked Jennifer about the incident that Rory had mentioned earlier, and she assured him that Rory hadn't done anything wrong, clarifying that she and Daniel had simply invited a group of people to the dinner party who didn't really get along with each other very well. J.J. thought that kind of thing was only supposed to be an issue during high school, but Jennifer explained that things could often be tricky when people had different circles of friends.

Jennifer reported that she had gotten the impression that Rory was still doing drugs when she had seen him the previous night. "Oh, Mom, he always looks stoned, even when he's totally sober. That's -- that's just Rory," J.J. clarified with a laugh. Jennifer nodded and wondered if Rory and Bev were the only two people J.J. had been hanging out with lately. J.J. tried to hide his embarrassment, turning away from Jennifer as he quietly replied that he wasn't some sort of "loner loser." Jennifer assured J.J. that she didn't think otherwise, adding that she simply knew that when a person was dating someone, it could be easy for that person to start to lose touch with other people and interests that had once been important to them.

Confused, J.J. wondered who Jennifer was talking about, and when she clarified that she was referring to his relationship with Bev, he confirmed that he and Bev had gone out a couple of times but added that the relationship hadn't really gone anywhere. Jennifer started to advise J.J. to be patient, assuring him that he would eventually find the right girl, but he interrupted and wondered if it was really necessary for them to continue that particular conversation. Jennifer conceded that she had already embarrassed J.J. enough for one day, and she gushed that she was proud of him as she gave him a hug and a kiss before he left to start his next round of community service.

When J.J. arrived at the town square and started his community service duties, Paige approached him and reported that their boss, Russ, had told her to ask J.J. to help out with the trash. J.J. promised to take care of the trash later, and Paige assumed that meant that he planned to do it when she wasn't around. J.J. confirmed the suspicion, prompting Paige to irritably ask if they could stop acting like they were six-year-olds.

J.J. said that was up to Paige, elaborating that if she had given him a chance to explain the PalPage friend request situation earlier, he could have told her that his friends had sent it to her on his behalf as a joke. Paige wondered which friends J.J. was referring to. "The only two that I have," J.J. replied, and he encouraged Paige to ask his friends to confirm his story if she didn't believe that he was telling the truth. "So, in other words...you didn't 'friend' me at all," Paige somewhat disappointedly summarized. J.J. nodded and said that was what he had been trying to tell Paige all along.

Later, J.J. approached Paige and reported that Russ had instructed him to help her sweep. "Under duress, of course," Paige muttered as she handed her broom to J.J., who guessed that she probably believed that he didn't know what that meant. Paige pointed out that J.J. was putting words in her mouth, and she wondered why he always felt the need to act like a jerk when he was around her. Paige said that she knew that J.J. wasn't really a jerk, but he countered that she didn't know anything about him. Paige clarified that she knew more about J.J. than he was aware of -- like the fact that he played the guitar and was really good at it.

Paige explained that one of J.J.'s neighbors -- Daphne, a name he didn't recognize -- was a good friend of hers, and she added that she had overheard him jamming to some classic Eric Clapton tunes when she had visited Daphne the previous week. J.J. humbly stated that he had simply been fooling around, but Paige protested that he had real talent. Paige revealed that she had been playing the piano for as long as she could remember and had even studied at Julliard the previous summer, thanks to a scholarship program. Paige said that, while she had learned a lot there, she would never have what J.J. had.

"The way you play -- what you must feel inside -- that can't be taught. It's just something you have, and you have it," Paige summarized. Paige recalled that she had also heard J.J. play an original piece. J.J. once again humbly stated that he had simply been messing around, but Paige insisted that the original piece had sounded incredibly honest and had made her sad, because he had a gift that he was throwing away to blow off school, "diss" anyone who believed that school mattered, and spend all of his time getting high with Rory and Bev.

J.J. protested that Paige didn't know anything about him, and he clarified that he no longer used drugs and that Rory and Bev were basically the only friends he had. Paige said that she had been under the impression that J.J. and Bev were more than just friends, but he replied that Paige was wrong again. J.J. suddenly shifted his weight, causing the broom that he was holding to sway slightly. J.J. had a firm grip on the broom handle, but Paige reflexively reached out to catch it anyway, and she briefly touched his hand in the process.

"Look, um -- I -- I -- I meant what I said. You -- you know, Bev -- Bev and I -- we -- we just don't have a -- a ton in common...not...like I would like, if -- if you know what I mean," J.J. stammered, and Paige confirmed that she might know what he was talking about. J.J. cleared his throat and assured Paige that he could handle the sweeping on his own, so she thanked him and left to attend to one of their other tasks. J.J. smiled as he watched Paige walk away.

At Club TBD, Theresa called Liam a liar when he tried to deny her accusation that he was the person who had been harassing Jennifer. Theresa guessed that Liam had only shown an interest in her because he knew that she hated Daniel and Jennifer almost as much as Liam did. Liam claimed that he didn't hate anyone.

"Oh, yeah, right. That's why you bring up their names every time you talk to me? You're furious that she dumped you, and this is all about payback, isn't it? Meanwhile, you know who's getting blamed for your stupid little stunt? I am! You think I'm gonna sit here and take the blame for this? You know, Daniel threatened me, okay? He says all sorts of terrible things to me, and he's gonna have to take it all back. When I tell him how wrong he is, maybe he'll finally get the hell off my back," Theresa said before exiting the club, ignoring Liam's attempts to stop her.

At the hospital, Daniel was trying to contact Theresa when she suddenly and unexpectedly stormed into his office. Theresa started to say that, while she was aware that Daniel didn't want to see her, she didn't care because she had something to tell him that was going to "surprise the hell out of" him, but he interrupted and clarified that she was actually just the person he had been hoping to see that day. Daniel optimistically wondered if Theresa's surprising revelation was that she was going to dump Brady.

Taken aback, Theresa reported that Brady was happy with her, and Daniel countered that Brady was happy because he was drunk out of his skull morning, noon, and night. Daniel accused Theresa of being a bad influence and warned her to stay away from Brady. Theresa reminded Daniel that they had previously agreed to stay out of each other's business, and she wondered what had given him the impression that he could tell her what to do. Daniel replied that Theresa was using a good guy who had been through a lot and deserved much better than her, and he added that if she had even an ounce of compassion in her body -- which he doubted -- she would leave Brady alone and stop encouraging his addiction. "Are you making me a better offer?" Theresa flirtatiously asked as she leaned over Daniel's desk and locked eyes with him.

Theresa's sick, undying obsession with hurting Jennifer disgusted Daniel, who stressed that he couldn't even stand to be in the same room with Theresa. Theresa pointed out that she and Daniel were indeed sharing a room at that moment, and she reminded him that many people believed that there was a fine line between hatred and love. "Oh, shut up. You don't know anything about love -- anything! I used to think you had a heart in there, but I was wrong -- clearly I was wrong -- because even your parents know it is hopeless to think that you will ever change, and I can't wait till Brady comes to his senses and sees what everybody else already knows," Daniel snapped.

Theresa calmly warned that, while she had kept her end of the bargain with Daniel up to that point because she was a woman of her word, he was going to be very, very sorry that he had spoken to her that way. Daniel wasn't worried, since he really was a man of his word, and he would ship Theresa back to Los Angeles -- and the prison that awaited her there -- in a heartbeat if she ever tried to touch Jennifer again. Daniel opened his office door and dismissively instructed Theresa to remember his warning, leave Brady alone, and exit the room immediately.

In the waiting area, Jennifer ran into Abe, who wondered if he could get some advice from her. Jennifer was happy to help, so Abe explained that he and Maxine had each received an invitation to Will and Sonny's wedding. Abe explained that, while he and Maxine had previously talked about having dinner together at some point, he was afraid that having their first date at a wedding might be a bit weird. Jennifer failed to see the problem, since Abe and Maxine were both planning to attend the wedding anyway, but he reasoned that if Maxine turned down his invitation to accompany him to the wedding, things could get awkward.

Jennifer didn't think there was any reason for Abe to worry about that, since Maxine wasn't the kind of person who let situations get awkward. Meanwhile, Maxine returned from a patient's room, and Abe seized the opportunity to approach her and ask her to be his date to the wedding. Maxine accepted the invitation without hesitation. "The last time I went to a wedding at the Kiriakis mansion, things did not end well, and that's an actual understatement," Maxine recalled with a laugh. Abe hoped that Will and Sonny's wedding would be better for everyone, and Maxine replied that she was optimistic about it. Abe excused himself and left after receiving a quick, friendly reminder from Jennifer that listening to her was always a good idea.

Maxine rushed over to share the good news with Jennifer, who could barely contain her excitement for her two good friends. Maxine admitted that she was suddenly nervous about attending the wedding, and she quickly started to worry about what she was going to wear, especially after she realized that she didn't own a single pair of shoes that would be appropriate for dancing. Jennifer promised to help Maxine pick out the perfect pair of shoes, and she confidently predicted that Maxine and Abe were going to have a great time together.

Meanwhile, Eric arrived to show Jennifer the proofs for the photo essay, and he seized the opportunity to apologize for ruining her and Daniel's dinner party. Jennifer joked that Eric was giving himself too much credit, since everyone had been having an awful time even before he and Nicole had arrived. Eric thanked Jennifer for trying to make him feel better about the matter, and she reminded him that all couples fought occasionally. Jennifer revealed that she had actually had a really nice conversation with Nicole earlier, but Eric didn't seem as pleased about that as Jennifer had expected, so she wondered if he was all right.

Eric claimed that everything was fine, but before he could elaborate, he received a phone call and excused himself so that he could answer it. After Eric left, Maxine returned and reported that Liam had been looking for Jennifer earlier. Just as Maxine realized that Jennifer didn't want to see Liam, he approached Jennifer from behind and asked if he could talk to her about something. Maxine, who had rushed off to the nearest available phone as soon as she had spotted Liam, interrupted and claimed that Jennifer had just received a phone call that sounded like it might be urgent and could take a while. At Jennifer's request, Maxine agreed to transfer the call to Jennifer's office, and Jennifer abruptly excused herself so that she could answer it.

After Jennifer left, Liam ran into Theresa in one of the hallways. Liam started to ask if Theresa had told anyone about their earlier encounter yet, but she shushed him and dragged him off to a more private location. Later, Jennifer returned to the waiting area and overheard the end of Eric's phone call, which had been about getting married in the church. Jennifer tried to talk to Eric about the matter after he ended the call, but he didn't seem interested in doing so, so she instead urged him to let her know if he ever needed help with anything.

Later, Jennifer entered Daniel's office and proudly informed him that she had found the perfect wedding gift for them to give to Will and Sonny -- an amazing piece of custom-framed artwork from a website that Adrienne had recommended after she and Justin had also purchased something from it for Sonny and Will. Jennifer started to go to Daniel's computer so that she could show him what she was talking about, but she suddenly realized that he seemed a bit distracted, so she wondered if everything was all right. Daniel claimed that he was simply bummed that he wouldn't be able to attend the wedding with Jennifer, who said that he would still be there in spirit.

Theresa dragged Liam to a secluded section of Horton Town Square, where she informed him that she wasn't going to reveal what he had done to Jennifer. Theresa stressed that she still wasn't happy that Liam had let everyone think that she was the person who was responsible for the smear campaign, and she told him to stop pretending to be her friend -- a condition that he seemed more than happy to agree to. Theresa reasoned that, while she and Liam might not like each other, they still had a common enemy, and she revealed that she had something that might help him -- a lot.

At the Brady Pub, Eric ran into John, who just wanted to say that, while a lot of people were having issues with Nicole, he had seen another side of her and hoped that Eric's relationship with her would work out, since Eric deserved to be happy. Meanwhile, in the park, Nicole wondered what kind of game Marlena was playing. "Who cares? She can't prove anything anyway. You're a pro, Nicole -- you know how to handle this. There's only one thing left to do, and then my secret will be safe, and Eric will be mine...forever," Nicole muttered as she thought about the shredded documents.

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by ChickenGrrl

Upon Justin's return to Salem, he went to Club TBD and congratulated Sonny on his upcoming wedding. Justin admitted that he and Adrienne had never thought they would get to see their son get married. When Sonny declared that he was the luckiest guy in the world to be marrying Will, Justin corrected him: "Second luckiest. Will Horton, he's the luckiest." Sonny said that he felt lucky to have such a great family, because when he'd come out, it it had never even occurred to him that his parents wouldn't accept him for who he was.

Justin said matter-of-factly, "You get the kid you get, and if you're not prepared to embrace all the possibilities, then you shouldn't be a parent." Justin was optimistic that when Arianna was Sonny's age, being gay would be no bigger deal than one's eye color. Sonny revealed that he and Will wanted Justin to speak at the wedding. Justin said that he would be honored. He also agreed that having Lucas and Caroline speak was a great idea.

When Lucas stopped by Will and Sonny's apartment, Will teased his dad by pretending not to be ready to get married. After he admitted that he simply needed his dad's help to make things perfect, Will divulged that Marlena was getting ordained so that she could perform the ceremony. Lucas reluctantly agreed to break that news to Kate. Will continued that he and Sonny had asked Caroline and Sonny's dad to speak, but they would need someone to lighten the mood afterward. Lucas said that he would be honored to speak.

Will said that he and Sonny would have to postpone their honeymoon until sometime in the summer. As Lucas headed out so that Will could get changed before the bachelor party, he noted, "I know your mom and I, we didn't give you the best example of how a marriage should work, but we're sure hoping you and Sonny can show us how it's done."

At Justin's invitation, Lucas went to Club TBD so the two dads could toast to their sons' future. After each man raised a glass to the other's son, Lucas joked, "I was telling Will that when he and Sonny, you know, come up against a problem, they should just think about what Sami and I would do -- and then do the exact opposite." Justin and Lucas agreed that they had raised wonderful sons. Raising his glass again, Justin declared, "To us -- and to the parents of out, proud gay sons everywhere."

When Justin asked Lucas if they should coordinate their speeches, Lucas said that he was supposed to be the comic relief. Justin insisted that he also knew how to be funny. The men played a brief game of one-upmanship about who was funnier before agreeing that it wasn't a competition.

Almost the instant that Sonny returned home, Will got a call from his mom, who was unhappy that Will hadn't told her that Marlena would be performing the ceremony. Sonny's mom called him just then, as well. Evidently both mothers were miffed that their sons hadn't asked them to speak at the wedding. The guys did their best to placate Sami and Adrienne by telling each of them that the other woman wasn't speaking, either.

After Jennifer and Daniel smooched in his office at the hospital, Daniel said that he had a craving for Thai food. Jennifer agreed that she was also hungry, but she was meeting Nicole for coffee. Jennifer got a text message from the IT department, telling her that neither the flyer nor the nasty comments on the hospital message board about her had originated on hospital equipment. Jennifer was clearly disappointed that she wouldn't be able to use those infractions to get Theresa fired -- but nothing else had happened since then, so she was hopeful that the games were over.

Daniel asked if Kayla knew of Jennifer's suspicions about Theresa. Jennifer pointed out that she couldn't go to Kayla without any proof, and she was worried that Theresa might retaliate by hurting J.J. Daniel divulged that Theresa had been to see him, and she'd insisted that she had great news for him and Jennifer, but he hadn't believed her. He had warned Theresa not to cause any more trouble, or she would have to deal with him.

Jennifer reminded Daniel that she was supposed to be fighting her own battles. Daniel clarified that he'd yelled at Theresa about her involvement with Brady, who would soon see who she really was -- but Theresa seemed determined to cause as much trouble as possible. Daniel added that the one good result of the conversation was that it was finally sinking in for Theresa that there wasn't much she could do to harm Daniel and Jennifer.

In the park outside Horton Square, Theresa told Liam that she had something that might help him in their quest to destroy Daniel and Jennifer. Liam insisted that he wasn't interested in whatever Theresa had to offer because he didn't hate Jennifer and Daniel. Theresa held up a key to Daniel's apartment and asked, "Still not interested?" As Theresa used a handkerchief to wipe off the key, she hinted at the trouble Liam could cause if he could get into Daniel's apartment whenever he wanted.

Liam maintained that he had no idea what Theresa was talking about. Promising not to say a word to anyone, Theresa left the key and handkerchief on the bench and told Liam to do whatever he wanted with it. Liam pointed out that Theresa had really gone out on a limb by giving him the key because he could take it straight to Daniel. "I like living life on the edge," Theresa declared calmly. Liam noted that Theresa hated Jennifer and Daniel a great deal, and Theresa concurred.

At the Kiriakis mansion, the sight of John's wedding gift for Will and Sonny caused Brady to remember his own preparations for his wedding to Kristen. Eric arrived to make sure Brady would be all right, since both of them would be attending Sonny and Will's wedding. Brady insisted that he was fine. Eric revealed that the hospital had hired him to photograph all of the board members, including Brady, for its annual report. Brady irritably consented to let Eric take the picture instead of getting another photographer.

Brady's surly attitude made Eric plead, "Can we just stop this, please? [...] Brady, if we let this come between us, if we stop being brothers, then Kristen wins." Eric pointed out that Kristen had already wreaked enough havoc for the two of them. He added that the worst of it was that Brady believed Eric had betrayed him, and Eric couldn't prove his innocence. Brady said that the whole thing still made him sick. Eric argued that Kristen had hurt both of them, so Brady should be mad at her.

Brady pointed out that Eric was doing just fine, with a new profession and a new girlfriend. "You know, brother, you may have fallen out with the church, but women are still falling into your bed," Brady added derisively. "Stop it!" Eric shouted. More quietly, he said that he had obviously been wrong in thinking he could get through to Brady. On his way out, Eric added that he still loved Brady like a brother -- and he believed that Brady still loved him, too.

Theresa showed up a little later and reminded Brady that he was supposed to have picked her up an hour earlier, and he hadn't responded to her calls or text messages. Brady admitted that he'd forgotten but promised to call her later. As he tried to close the door, Theresa accused him of letting everyone get to him about her. Brady insisted that wasn't the case. Theresa followed Brady into the foyer and slapped the drink out of his hands.

Theresa accused Brady of letting other people tell him how to live his life, but he denied it. Fed up, Theresa ordered him, "Do me a favor. Don't call me, all right? Don't call me tomorrow; don't call me ever again. I'm gonna find myself a real man." She turned to leave, but Brady yanked her back by the arm. Gripping her by both arms, he growled that nobody told him what to do, including Theresa. "That's more like it," Theresa purred. Brady kissed Theresa roughly and shoved her against the wall as she clutched at him, pulling him closer to her -- and soon, they were in his bed.

Eric went to Daniel's office, looking for Jennifer, but Daniel informed him that she'd just left. Eric apologized for what had happened at the party. Daniel assured him that it was all right, especially since Eric and Nicole had worked things out. Eric confided that he'd told Nicole that he wanted to marry her -- but he wasn't sure he could go through with it.

After Eric had explained the situation, Daniel asked, "So you have to choose between Nicole and the church?" Eric confirmed that was essentially it. Daniel was confident that Eric would do the right thing, even if it weren't the easy thing. Daniel cautioned Eric that Nicole was pretty excited about marrying Eric, and Eric agreed that the two of them needed to discuss it.

Later, as Eric was leaving Daniel's office, he left a voicemail for Nicole, asking her to call him right away about something important.

Kayla was walking through Horton Square, clumsily carrying a large, wrapped wedding gift, as Aiden was walking the opposite direction, looking at his phone. They ran into each other, causing them both to drop the items in their hands. After exchanging sincere apologies, Kayla reminded Aiden that they had met at Jennifer's. As Aiden picked up Kayla's gift, she said that she had waited too long to shop for her grand-nephew's wedding. Aiden interrupted her to insist that she looked far too young to have a grand-nephew.

Kayla continued that since she'd shopped so late, she'd gotten stuck buying all the random, leftover items on the gift registry -- and it seemed the wind chimes might have broken when she'd dropped the box. Kayla was embarrassed about what she'd purchased, but Aiden assured her that the bride and groom wouldn't have registered for those items if they hadn't wanted them. "It's a groom and groom," Kayla corrected him.

"That's awesome," Aiden declared, adding that he'd recently attended the wedding of his aunt and the woman she'd been with for forty years. Aiden teased that he'd shopped early so he'd gotten his aunt a great gift. Kayla said with a bit of awkwardness that she hoped Aiden was sticking around Salem so she could learn a thing or two from him. As Aiden left for the courthouse, Kayla let her eyes linger on his departing form.

When Hope ran into Nicole in front of the Brady Pub, Hope disclosed that she had news about Dr. Chyka. "Oh, my God! Did you find him?" Nicole asked, astonished. Hope clarified that the Salem police and all other authorities had called off the search for Chyka because he'd dropped out of sight. Although Nicole knew that Chyka was the only other person besides her who could prove that Kristen had drugged Eric, she sounded sincere when she said, "It's a shame."

Hope asked if Nicole would go to the police station to read over and sign her original statement from the night Nicole and Daniel had confronted Chyka. Nicole was reluctant because she'd already told the police everything she knew. Hope noted that she would be finished with the paperwork as soon as Nicole signed the statement. "And that'll be it?" Nicole asked. "Right -- unless, of course, you've remembered something else you want to add," Hope said.

Nicole said that she blamed herself for Chyka getting away, and it still upset her that Eric had been forced to leave the priesthood. Nicole added that Eric had made peace with what had happened to him, and he'd said that he could find happiness in other ways. "Hope, he really is an inspiration," Nicole declared. She promised to go to the station as soon as she'd taken care of something.

Hope had just left when Jennifer arrived and apologized for her tardiness. Nicole admitted that she'd forgotten about their coffee date, but an unconcerned Jennifer grabbed her by the hand and hurried inside. As they got a table, Jennifer excitedly asked if it were true that Nicole and Eric were discussing marriage. Nicole confided that she couldn't believe that she and Eric had ended up together, although it had happened "by default."

Jennifer stated reassuringly that Eric loved Nicole very much. Nicole confessed that she didn't feel worthy because she was getting everything she'd ever wanted, but Eric's life had blown up. Jennifer argued that Nicole had put Eric's happiness above her own by fighting so hard to prove his innocence, even though her success would have meant that he would return to the priesthood.

Jennifer noticed a little later that Nicole had been checking her watch a lot. Liam entered, unseen, and hung back to eavesdrop as Nicole was claiming that she was supposed to meet with someone to discuss a story, and it might be her only chance to interview him. Jennifer went to the bar to pay the check. Liam's eyes darted back and forth between the two women. He turned to hide his face as Jennifer and Nicole exited the pub, then he followed them out.

A little later, Jennifer returned to Daniel's office and found that he had already ordered and eaten most of the Thai food, although he'd saved her some spring rolls. Daniel asked how coffee had gone with Nicole. Through a mouthful of spring roll, Jennifer admitted, "I got the impression she wanted to be someplace else."

When Hope and Kayla met at the café in Horton Square, Kayla asked what Hope thought about Aiden Jennings. Hope hedged that she didn't know Aiden very well, but she confirmed for Kayla that he was a widower. Kayla asked hesitantly if Aiden were seeing anyone. "Are you interested in him?" Hope asked. Kayla deduced from Hope's disbelieving reaction that she didn't like Aiden. Hope admitted that she simply couldn't figure Aiden out -- but she thought Kayla should form her own opinion about him.

Kayla confided, "I just feel like I've sort of been on the shelf, you know, since Steve and I split." She added that Aiden seemed charming, intelligent, and very nice. Hope conceded that Aiden could be those things, but he could also be stubborn and judgmental. As Kayla headed out, the women agreed that since they were both dateless, they would dance together at Sonny and Will's wedding.

As soon as Kayla had gone, Aiden appeared from behind the flower cart and gazed wryly at Hope. "How much of that did you hear?" Hope asked. "Oh, I heard every word," Aiden informed her.

Nicole carried the bag of shredded documents into a secluded area of the park and looked around to make sure no one had seen her. She told herself, "Don't kid yourself, Nicole. I mean, you could do the far, far better thing and actually show Eric this, but then, of course, he'd jump right back into the collar by tomorrow. And in spite of all the tortured talks you had about him choosing you for all the right reasons, bottom line is you'll take him any way you can get him."

With a sigh, Nicole said, "Looks like the decision's been made." She carried the bag to a trash can and began emptying the shredded paper by the handful into the bin. After she dumped out the last of the shreds, Nicole began digging in her purse for some matches but couldn't find any. "Great. Now what do I do?" Nicole muttered. Suddenly, Liam appeared, startling Nicole. "Ma'am, are you all right?" Liam asked.

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