Days of our Lives Recap for Thursday, January 16, 2025: Leo gets facts, Rachel runs away

Tate stopped by Holly’s to give her flowers. He explained he just wanted to do something nice for her, and he felt terrible about how she found out Sophia was still having his baby. He said he would do anything to change it all, but he couldn’t. He shared that he and Sophia were talking about adoption. He didn’t know how it was going to play out, but he didn’t want to lose Holly. “I can’t,” he told her.

Holly said it wasn’t Tate’s fault, but it was hard for Holly to know that he was having a baby with Sophia. She didn’t want to lose him, either. As they embraced and were making up, Doug walked in. Holly introduced Tate and Doug and explained he was the one she spent New Year’s Eve with. The two men looked at each other competitively. Tate got a text that Sophia’s doctor appointment was moved up to that day so he had to go, leaving Doug with Holly. Doug offered to leave and apologized for interrupting Holly and Tate, but Holly asked him to stay.

On the phone with Abe, Leo said he knew who Lady Whistleblower was: Javi Hernandez. There was a knock at the door, so he hung up. Leo was surprised that Marlena had dropped by, but she reminded him that they had a lunch date. Leo told her that Javi wanted to be friends, but also Lady Whistleblower and he was trying to ruin his life.

Leo told Marlena the whole story and said he was beating himself up for feeling so bad about accusing Javi, and he was lying to him the whole time. Marlena advised Leo he was jumping to conclusions. She pointed out he had no proof of any connection between Rochester and Javi. Leo admitted that Javi wearing a sweatshirt with Rochester on it was the only proof he had. He wanted to confront Javi at home, but Marlena stopped him and said it was a bad idea. She said if he was right, there was no harm in waiting until he had actual proof, but if he was wrong and accused Javi of lying again, he’d never get another chance to make it right with him. Leo agreed. Leo thanked Marlena for the free therapy, and she said he could thank her by taking her to lunch.

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At home, Javi talked to Kerry on the phone and suggested they meet for lunch. Kerry told him to meet him at the Square. Kerry was already there and pulled out a laptop after they hung up. “Let’s see…how can I ruin Leo Stark’s life before lunch?” he mused to himself as he began to write an article authored by Lady Whistleblower.

Gabi came home and told Javi he needed to come to Jesus. She said that she really liked Kerry, but Javi was jeopardizing it by being friends with Leo. Gabi suggested he cut Leo out of his life, but Javi said he wasn’t going to do that. Gabi said Leo was creepy with a heart of stone, and he would lose Kerry over it. Javi insisted that Leo was his friend and that he wouldn’t turn on him.

Javi met Kerry at the park and told him that however he felt about Leo, Kerry needed to respect he was Javi’s friend. Leo and Marlena came to the square and saw Javi wearing the Rochester sweater. Leo introduced her to Javi and Kerry. Leo said he liked his Rochester sweatshirt and asked where he got it. “Kerry gave it to me,” Javi told him. “Yeah, it’s where I’m from,” Kerry added.

At the Dimera mansion, Rachel recalled in flashbacks telling off Ava and how she admitted to her mom that she was the one sending the texts. She broke into the locked drawer of the desk and got her phone. As she started to send a text, Kristen snuck up and grabbed the phone out of her hand. Rachel told her she just wanted to get rid of Ava.

Kristen insisted that Rachel stop sending texts to Ava. She told Rachel that she and Brady decided she needed to talk to someone about her feelings. Kristen said Rachel could talk about whatever she wanted in therapy. Rachel said she wanted to tell the therapist how much she hated Ava Vitali.

Kristen explained that therapy wasn’t about getting Kristen and Brady back together. She apologized to Rachel for getting her hopes up about her parents reuniting. She said they were not getting back together but told her they both loved her. Rachel agreed to see the therapist, and Kristen told her how proud of her she was.

Ava came over to Brady’s as he requested. He admitted it was Rachel who had been sending her the texts. Brady told her not to take it personally, Rachel was upset that they had been on a date. Ava noted Rachel wanted her parents back together.

Ava and Brady talked about the situation, and he said that they had taken away her phone. “We also agreed that Rachel needs therapy,” Brady told her. Brady said he had to do whatever it took to help his little girl. Ava suggested they didn’t see each other anymore.

Ava thought it would calm the waters, but Brady didn’t think that was the answer. He said he could live alone forever just to appease his daughter. Ava said Rachel was miserable about her parents not being together, and seeing Ava would only worsen it. Brady said she wasn’t getting rid of him that easily.

Brady said he didn’t think ending their relationship was best for Rachel. He said that his daughter destroyed his relationship with Chloe, and if she got away with it again, she’d believe that all she needed to do was act up and get whatever she wanted in life. It wasn’t the lesson he wanted to teach his daughter. Kristen called and said that Rachel agreed to therapy. As Kristen was saying that she really believed Rachel was ready to get some help and put all of it behind her, Rachel packed a bag and left.

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