Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of May 23, 2011 on DAYS

Comprehensive daily recaps for Days of our Lives, dating back to 1996.

Monday, May 23, 2011

by Mike

At the Brady Pub, Carly swallowed a handful of pills as she waited for Jennifer to arrive. When Jennifer entered the pub, Carly quickly dropped the pill bottle back into her purse. Jennifer sighed as she realized that her phone had died; she explained that she needed to check in with the hospital. Jennifer reminded Carly about the hospital's investigation into the missing medication.

Jennifer asked if she could use Carly's phone. Without waiting for an answer, Jennifer grabbed Carly's purse and started to rummage through it. Jennifer found Carly's passport. Jennifer jokingly asked if Carly was thinking about leaving the country. Carly claimed that she had found the passport in one of her drawers earlier. Carly said that she had decided to show the passport photograph to Melanie.

Jennifer and Carly started to reminisce about their boarding school days. Jennifer admitted that she had been a mess back then; she recalled that everything had changed after she had met Jack. Carly agreed that Jennifer had changed after Jack had entered the picture. Carly noted that finding a soul mate could have that type of effect on a person. Jennifer knowingly added that losing a soul mate could be devastating.

Jennifer pointed out that Carly had seemed uncomfortable when she had seen Jennifer and Daniel together earlier. Carly claimed that she had been surprised; she insisted that she wasn't interested in a romantic relationship with Daniel. Carly said that Daniel deserved to be with someone who would make him happy -- like Jennifer. Jennifer pointed out that Carly deserved to be happy, too. Carly quickly changed the subject; she explained that she had a meeting that she was going to be late for, and she assured Jennifer that she would reschedule their lunch date for another time.

In Quinn's hotel room, Chloe pointed out that she didn't know anything about Quinn. Chloe started to ask Quinn about his job; she recalled that he had said something about being a traveling salesman. Quinn confirmed that he was a type of traveling salesman, and he shrugged it off as a boring job. Chloe wondered when Quinn would be leaving town. Quinn announced that he had decided to stay in Salem for a while.

Quinn wondered if that was all right with Chloe. Chloe said that it was better than being alone. Chloe immediately regretted her statement; she explained that she had sounded clingy, and she didn't want to be that person anymore. Quinn pointed out that no one wanted to be alone. Later, Quinn excused himself so that he could attend a business meeting. Before Quinn left, he said that he couldn't wait to see Chloe again.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano found E.J. shredding documents. E.J. explained that he was eliminating every last trace of evidence that could have connected the DiMeras to the drug ring. E.J. announced that he had decided that he only wanted to be associated with the legitimate side of the DiMera business. "What next, huh? Is Taylor gonna have you singing in the Methodist church choir?" Stefano joked. E.J. insisted that he was being serious.

E.J. admitted that there was still a chance that he could be linked to the drug ring; he said that Troy might have left a trail of evidence behind. E.J. insisted that he needed to stay on the right side of the law until all of the loose ends had been tied up. Stefano realized that E.J. was hiding something. Stefano demanded to know the whole story. E.J. claimed that he couldn't tell Stefano anything else. E.J. said that the police might decide to question Stefano, and he wanted Stefano to be able to answer their questions honestly. "When have you ever known me to be honest with the police?" Stefano dryly asked.

At the pier, Taylor recalled her earlier conversation with E.J. Nicole stepped onto the pier and wondered if Taylor was ready to leave Salem. Taylor ignored Nicole's question. "I know what you did to E.J. -- you blackmailed him so you could stay in an empty marriage," Taylor said. Nicole wondered who had told Taylor about the blackmail scheme. Taylor said that it didn't matter how she had learned the information.

Nicole told Taylor to mind her own business; she added that Taylor needed to keep her opinions to herself. Nicole pointed out that her marriage -- and her life -- had been good, until Taylor had arrived in Salem and ruined everything. Taylor recalled that Nicole had begged Taylor to stay in Salem. Nicole reminded Taylor about Eric Brady. Taylor insisted that she and Eric were just friends. "You have a way of getting friendly with every man that I have been with. Is that how you know about my empty marriage, because you're such 'good friends' with E.J.?" Nicole asked.

Taylor claimed that she had been trying to stay away from E.J. Nicole laughed and wondered how that strategy was working out for Taylor. Taylor pointed out that Nicole had referred to her marriage as a loveless one the previous night. "E.J. and I love Sydney and Johnny, and they both love us. And a part of me loves E.J. We are a family -- a twisted one, maybe, but the only family that I have ever really had, and I am not going to lose it," Nicole said.

"E.J. might be unhappy right now, but he will get over it. He's like a little raccoon -- he gets distracted by something shiny, but eventually...he always comes back to me," Nicole added. Taylor started to share her thoughts about Nicole's scheme, but Nicole stopped her. "I don't care what you think. You have worn out your welcome, so why don't you hop back on that bus that you are so fond of and hit the open road? Why don't you go visit Brandon or something? Or better yet, why don't you go far, far away and get your own damn life?" Nicole angrily asked. After Nicole left, Taylor nervously realized that Nicole knew the truth.

At the safe house, fake Rafe claimed that he had cancelled the Javier Morales bank account, but Sami and Rafe were not convinced. Rafe asked Sami to run an errand for him; after Sami left, Rafe tried unsuccessfully to make a deal with fake Rafe. Fake Rafe laughed and said that it was cute that Rafe had sent Sami on an errand. Fake Rafe said that Sami wasn't going to be willing to take orders from Rafe for more than a day or two. "Then it'll be back to business as usual; she'll be towing your manhood around in that cheap little plastic purse she carries around," fake Rafe joked.

When Sami returned, she handed Rafe a laptop; fake Rafe reiterated that his bank card was worthless, but Rafe quickly managed to access the Javier Morales bank account. Rafe pointed out that the account was asking for a password. Fake Rafe jokingly stated that Sami should know the password, because she knew where all of his moles were located. Rafe knocked fake Rafe out; after fake Rafe was unconscious, Sami wondered how they were going to get the password. Rafe assured Sami that he would be able to hack into the account.

A short time later, Rafe managed to hack into the bank account. Sami's jaw dropped as she noted the size of the deposit that had been made to the account. Rafe pointed out that the deposit had not been made with cash. Rafe traced the deposit to a dummy corporation; he apologetically informed Sami that it would probably be impossible to connect Stefano to the fake corporation that he had used when he had deposited the money. Rafe suggested that they might need to rethink their entire plan. Sami wondered if Rafe was giving up on her.

Rafe assured Sami that he would never give up on her. Sami apologized and explained that she didn't trust her own instincts anymore. Rafe pointed out that Sami couldn't have predicted that the DiMeras would have inserted a clone into her life to destroy their marriage. Sami told Rafe that the only time that fake Rafe had acted like her Rafe had been when he had rescued Theo and Ciara. Rafe pointed out that fake Rafe wouldn't have had any reason to rescue two kids that he didn't care about; he theorized that fake Rafe might have been ordered to rescue the kids.

Sami surmised that fake Rafe had accidentally stumbled upon Ciara and Theo on his way out of town. Rafe sighed and conceded that the kids were probably a dead end. Rafe said that they would have to follow the money if they wanted to make a connection to Stefano. Rafe wondered if E.J. was a fan of Ivanhoe. Rafe explained that the dummy corporation was called Ivanhoe Corporation. Sami smiled and said that she recognized the name.

Sami explained that E.J. had received mail from the Ivanhoe Corporation when she had been living at the DiMera mansion. Sami said that she had never opened the envelopes, but she had been certain that they had contained checks. Rafe said that they needed to get their hands on one of those checks. Rafe suggested that it might be time to get the cops involved in the investigation.

At the hospital, Chad greeted Lexie. Lexie noticed that Chad was carrying a bouquet of flowers. Lexie wondered if Chad was visiting a patient. "No, actually, I'm -- you know, I'm afraid this is gonna sound really lame. Uh, you know how in old movies when, um -- guys will show up with flowers when they're hoping the girl will, you know --" Chad's voice trailed off as he nervously tried to explain himself. Abigail overheard Lexie and Chad's conversation; she interrupted and waited for Chad to finish his sentence. Chad stammered as he handed Abigail the bouquet of flowers.

Lexie excused herself so that Chad and Abigail could have some privacy. Abigail pointed out that she had been a total bitch to Chad earlier. "I wouldn't say 'total.' I just -- I feel bad about walking out on you when my father called," Chad said. Abigail said that she appreciated Chad's gesture, but she had decided that a relationship between the two of them would never work. Chad incredulously pointed out that it was ridiculous that they couldn't even be friends.

"Look, it's totally me, okay? It's just...I cannot stop bugging you about Stefano being your father. I mean, aren't you annoyed with me? I'm annoyed with me," Abigail said. Chad admitted that he had been annoyed with Abigail. "But I keep coming back to the fact that you do it because you actually give a damn about me," Chad added. Chad asked Abigail if she would like to meet him for lunch every day while they were working at their respective summer jobs. Abigail pointed out that Stefano would probably hate that idea.

Chad said that he didn't care about Stefano's opinion on the matter -- he just wanted to know how Abigail felt about the idea. Abigail tentatively stated that she would think about it. Abigail thanked Chad for the flowers. Chad realized that Abigail probably needed to get back to work. He started to leave, but Abigail stopped him. Abigail gave Chad a quick kiss. Before Chad could respond, Abigail walked away.

Back at the DiMera mansion, Nicole told E.J. about her earlier encounter with Taylor. When Nicole wondered who had told Taylor about the blackmail scheme, E.J. feigned ignorance. Nicole suggested that Lexie had probably told Taylor. Nicole told E.J. to keep his mouth shut. "Could you...please...give up this fiction that I do not hold all the cards? Do I have to remind you that I have proof that you and Stefano were doing mind games on Rafe in the basement? You serve at the pleasure of the queen, and right now, she's not amused," Nicole warned E.J.

Later, Nicole went to the Brady Pub to have lunch with Chloe. Chloe happily announced that she might be able to see Parker again if she managed to get her life back together. Chloe added that she had met someone. Nicole crassly wondered if Chloe had slept with the man yet. Chloe sighed at Nicole. Nicole apologized and said that she was happy for Chloe. Chloe wondered if Nicole was all right.

"My slut of a sister is circling E.J. I am his wife, and he better be reminded of that, or else...I will make mincemeat of his little girlfriend," Nicole vowed. Chloe said that Nicole couldn't go after her own sister. Chloe explained that it wasn't normal. Nicole pointed out that Taylor was going after Nicole's husband. Nicole wondered if that was normal. Chloe said that Nicole might need Taylor's support eventually. "What's wrong with you? I don't have her now -- she's dead to me. I mean it, Chloe. Taylor has pushed me too far, and now I'm gonna push back," Nicole promised.

Back at the hospital, Taylor told Lexie about her earlier encounter with Nicole. Taylor sighed and admitted that she shouldn't have messed with her sister's life. Lexie reminded Taylor that E.J. had been there every step of the way. Lexie warned Taylor that Nicole wasn't going to hand her husband over to Taylor without a fight. Taylor agreed that Lexie was right. Taylor cryptically added that she knew what she needed to do.

Meanwhile, Abigail accidentally bumped into Carly in the waiting area. The collision caused Carly to drop her purse. Abigail apologized as she started to gather the items that had fallen out of Carly's purse. Carly tried to protest, but Abigail insisted that the spill had been her fault. Before Carly could stop her, Abigail reached under a nearby chair and picked up Carly's pill bottle.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Chad greeted Stefano. Stefano noted that Chad was late. Chad explained that his supervisor had changed his lunch schedule. "No. The injustice of it all," Stefano said with mock outrage. Chad suggested that Stefano might be able to get the supervisor to reverse the change. Stefano wondered if Chad really wanted his daddy to announce that his little boy wasn't happy about his lunch schedule. "Oh, it was you, wasn't it? You found out that I went to go see Abigail, so you got my supervisor to yank my chain, right?" Chad asked.

Stefano pointed out that Chad had made it clear that he didn't want special treatment; Stefano claimed that he was just respecting Chad's wishes. Stefano told Chad to talk to his supervisor if he wanted to change his schedule. Chad started to leave. Stefano pointed out that they had not even ordered yet. "I don't want to punch in late, sir. Oh, you know, and one more thing -- when I'm off work, I'm gonna see Abigail Deveraux anytime that I feel like it. You have yourself a nice day," Chad said. Stefano grinned as Chad walked out of the bar.

Outside the Cheatin' Heart, Quinn received a text message from Chloe. In the text message, Chloe simply stated that she hoped to hear from Quinn again. Quinn accessed a video file on his phone. The video showed Chloe opening the envelope of cash after her first encounter with Quinn. "Oh, Chloe...you'll definitely hear from me again. You don't know it yet, but this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship," Quinn muttered.

At the pier, Taylor placed a call to E.J.'s phone. Taylor explained that she had something that she needed to tell E.J. Taylor asked E.J. to meet her in the park. E.J. eagerly agreed.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

by Spalding

In the storage room at the safe house, Sami pleaded with Rafe not to involve the police. Sami argued that if they went to the police then E.J. might catch wind of their investigation and flee the country with the children. With a sigh, Rafe agreed.

Bo was walking toward the pub when he received a phone call from Sami. Noting that Bo had a different perspective on Rafe, Sami asked Bo about Rafe's job performance. Though reluctant to say anything negative, Bo admitted that Rafe was performing poorly at work. When Sami asked Bo about Rafe's involvement in the recovery of Theo and Ciara, Bo explained that he did not know why Rafe had been in Centerville. "That's where he found them right after he told your dad he didn't have time to look for them," Bo said.

Bo added that Theo and Ciara had experienced an intense reaction to Rafe. Bo explained that Theo had been upset and that Ciara had commented that Rafe was only nice to kids when adults were around. When Bo apologized for telling Sami all the bad news, Sami thanked Bo for the information. After hanging up the phone, Rafe pulled faux Rafe out of the closet and pulled off the gag. Sami asked faux Rafe about when he had found Theo and Ciara on a county road that led to O'Hare airport in Chicago.

"It was dumb luck that you found them. Isn't it? You weren't looking for those kids. You couldn't care less what happened to them," Sami said. Faux Rafe admitted that Sami was right and that his car had broken down near where the children had turned up. When faux Rafe made comments about sleeping with Sami, Rafe cautioned faux Rafe to watch what he said. Rafe gagged faux Rafe and stashed him back in the closet.

At the hospital, Carly spilled the contents of her purse in the hallway, and Abigail helped her pick up the items. As a flustered Carly scrambled to grab everything, Abigail found Carly's pill bottle with the name Katerina on it. Confused, Abigail asked Carly why she had a pill bottle for Katerina with a controlled substance inside. Carly explained that Katerina was a patient and took the bottle from Abigail. "Your working in a hospital now. You're going to come across things that are nobody's business," Carly said sternly. Carly urged Abigail to learn to keep her mouth shut.

Startled, Carly apologized to Abigail for snapping at her. Carly explained that her patient had difficulty getting around and that she was helping the patient get the medication she needed. Abigail asked Carly if Katerina was the reason that Abigail had run into Carly at the drug store. Abigail complimented Carly for taking such an interest in her patient and going out of her way to help Katerina. Gently touching Abigail's arm, Carly instructed Abigail not to tell anyone what Carly was doing for her patient.

"Not to tell anyone about what?" Bo asked as he walked up behind Carly. Carly told Bo that she was giving Abigail some tips on hospital protocol. Abigail told Carly that she understood what Carly was saying, then left to get back to work. Bo apologized for interrupting and explained that he had stopped by to talk to Carly. After stepping into the doctor's lounge, Bo explained that he was worried about how Carly was doing since they had broken up. When Carly muttered that she was fine, Bo handed her some mail. Carly snatched the mail from Bo's hand and threw it on the floor.

"Is something going on with you that you're not telling me?" Bo asked with concern. "I'm telling you I want you to leave me alone," Carly snapped. Bo noted that he knew Carly well enough to know that she was struggling. Changing the subject, Carly asked how Hope was doing. Bo admitted that Hope was doing better since Ciara was home and then he changed the subject back to his breakup with Carly. Bo asked Carly if there was anything that she wanted to say that she had not had a chance to say when they initially broke up.

"I'll tell you what I didn't have a chance to say. I know I was just there until you decided Hope needed you more or you needed her more or whatever that was," Carly said. Angry, Carly asked Bo to go home. "Pretend that you and I never happened because God knows that's what I'm trying to do," Carly yelled. Concerned, Bo asked Carly if she had someone to talk to. Carly assured Bo that she was not alone. When Bo asked if Carly was upset that Jennifer was dating Daniel, Carly shook her head. "I'm happy for them, and I find this to be unbelievably patronizing," Carly said gruffly. Rattled, Carly walked away and then ducked into a nearby lounge and took some pills to calm down.

In her room in the Salem Inn, Vivian stared at her phone, hoping that Stefano would call her. With a gasp, Vivian cried out to Gus, informing him that she had received a text message from Stefano asking her to meet him at the Cheatin' Heart. Confused, Gus noted that Vivian was meeting Stefano at a dive bar.

At the DiMera mansion, Kate called Lucas to see how he was doing. Kate informed Lucas that Rafe had left Sami. After hanging up the phone, Kate turned to find an angry Johnny enter the living room. Johnny told Kate that he was mad at Rafe for leaving and not saying goodbye. Kate assured Johnny that though people had left Johnny, E.J. and Stefano would always be in Johnny's life. With a smile, Kate informed Johnny that Allie was going to call him. Johnny squealed with delight, but then his smile faded. "Does Rafe not love us any more?" Johnny asked sadly. Kate told Johnny that no matter where Rafe was, he loved Johnny.

Taylor met with E.J. at the park, and she told him that she had spoken to Nicole. "She knows about you and me," Taylor said. With a nod, E.J. said, "I thought that was a possibility." Taylor noted that Nicole was toying with her. "She is not blackmailing you because she loves you and she wants to stay in the marriage. She's blackmailing you because she hates both of us!" Taylor lamented.

"The ammunition that she is using against me is something I gave her that had nothing to do with you," E.J. assured Taylor. Unfazed, Taylor worried that Nicole was going after E.J. because of her. E.J. noted that Nicole could have gone back to Brady, but Taylor corrected E.J. by saying that Brady had informed her he did not want to get back together with Nicole. E.J. remarked that Nicole had made it clear that she was keeping the marriage going to get even with E.J. and Taylor.

When E.J. commented that Nicole was not going to get away with blackmail, a worried Taylor asked E.J. what he planned to do to Nicole. E.J. begged Taylor to trust him. When referring to his past, E.J. explained that he had helped Arianna with legal troubles and that when Arianna died, she had been attempting to help E.J. With a smirk, Taylor remarked that she could not picture E.J. as a drug dealer. E.J. assured Taylor that he wanted to become the man that Taylor thought he was.

"Is there anything else that you failed to mention?" Taylor asked. E.J. told Taylor that he wanted to come clean, but she changed her mind and noted that she was not ready to hear the whole truth. Taylor explained that she had called the district attorney's office and told the district attorney about E.J.'s crimes. Taylor added that once the district attorney informed her that he would need to call the police, she had hung up the phone. As she wrung her hands together, Taylor babbled that she had worried an arrest would mean that E.J. would lose custody of his children and that it would put more stress on Sami as she was dealing with the loss of her husband.

"I couldn't do that to you," Taylor whispered. E.J. asked Taylor if she could live with her conscience if she did not turn E.J. over to the police. Taylor admitted that she had felt relieved when she decided not to turn E.J. in. "Arianna died. You've been punished," Taylor said. "She was the one who was punished. Unfairly. And me? I have to live with that every day for the rest of my life," E.J. said softly. E.J. added that when he told Taylor his life was in Taylor's hands, he had meant that he was giving Taylor the opportunity to cut him out of her life.

"I don't want to be without you," Taylor admitted. Though E.J. was pleased, Taylor admitted that she was not sure she was comfortable being out of control. "I don't want to live without you," Taylor said. "You don't have to," E.J. whispered before kissing Taylor.

After cleaning Rafe's belongings out of the loft, Will and Gabi stopped on the pier and talked. Gabi worried aloud that Sami would not want to see her since Gabi was Rafe's sister. After resting at the pier, Will and Gabi finished taking Rafe's belongings over to the Brady Pub. Will assured Gabi that Sami would not hold Rafe against Gabi.

With a sigh, Gabi noted that she had received her graduation announcements and that she was disappointed Arianna and Rafe would not be there for her. With a smile, Will assure Gabi that the entire Brady clan would be cheering Gabi on at her graduation. When Gabi went to the bathroom, Will texted Sami and asked her to meet him so that they could talk about Gabi.

As Gabi returned to the table, she admitted that she could not stop thinking about the last time she had seen Rafe and how different he was. "I miss the brother I used to have. Not the one I have now. I never want to see him again," Gabi said. Will looked up and was shocked to see Sami enter the pub with Rafe.

Vivian entered the Cheatin' Heart with Gus, but ordered him to go away so that she could meet with Stefano privately. As Vivian checked her makeup in her hand mirror, Kate entered the bar. Kate asked to sit at Vivian's table. As Kate sat down, Vivian got up and grabbed a pool cue. While Vivian played pool, Kate asked about Vivian's pursuit of Stefano. As Vivian looked at her watch, Kate asked if Vivian was waiting for someone. When Vivian remained tight-lipped, Kate asked if Vivian was waiting for Stefano.

Vivian admitted that she was waiting for Stefano, and Kate laughed and called Vivian gullible. Kate offered to call Stefano to ask him about Vivian. When Kate pulled the cell phone out of her purse, she noted with a grin that she had accidentally taken Stefano's phone rather than her own. "So you sent the text? Stefano is not going to like that," Vivian said. With a smirk, Kate explained that Stefano had loved the idea when, over lunch, she told him her plan for Vivian.

"He's not interested in you, Vivian. Not personally, not professionally, and I only can assume that you hang on to this fantasy because you have nothing else to think about," Kate said witheringly before counting out all the reasons that Vivian was alone. "So if you're waiting for Stefano to look at you, you're going to be waiting a long, long time. Go home, Vivian. Don't bother us again," Kate growled before marching out of the bar. Rolling her eyes, Vivian muttered, "Get in your laughs. Why don't you go get some more blue streaks in your hair."

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

At the Brady Pub, Gabi confided to Will that despite his advice to remember the good times with her brother, she couldn't stop thinking about the last time she'd seen Rafe. Just then, Sami walked in -- with Rafe, much to Will and Gabi's dismay. Will greeted his mom with sarcasm about how happy he was to see Rafe again, while Gabi glared at her brother. After Gabi explained that she had just told Will that she never wanted to see Rafe again, Rafe apologized, and insisted that he'd never meant to hurt her. Gabi wanted Rafe to tell Sami what he'd done.

Sami stepped in and tried gently to get Gabi to wait to discuss it later, but Gabi was insistent. Rafe could only stammer a few words, which Gabi declared just proved her point that Rafe didn't want his wife to know what a jerk he'd become. Gabi stormed out. As he followed Gabi, Will told his mom that she was making a huge mistake, and then asked Rafe, "Why did you come back? Haven't you done enough?"

After Will had gone, a furious Rafe was ready to kill the imposter, and Sami reminded him that he couldn't until they could prove a connection between the DiMeras and the imposter. They agreed that, especially after seeing how hurt and upset Gabi was, they had to move quickly. The two of them hurried out.

When Will and Gabi returned to the pub later, he saw from outside that Rafe and Sami had gone. Will expressed his frustration with how his mom always sprang things on him without any warning. Stopping himself mid-sentence, he admitted sheepishly, "I was going to do the same thing to you." Will explained that he'd gotten a hotel room for the two of them for prom night, but assured Gabi that he could cancel it. Gabi said that they should just take things slowly and see what happened on prom night. Relieved, Will declared that whatever happened, he couldn't wait.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano asked Nicole if she would be joining them for dinner. Nicole replied that she planned to eat in her room, because she was heartbroken about her sister's impending departure from Salem. Nicole explained that Taylor had always felt overshadowed by Nicole and needed to strike out on her own. Stefano didn't seem to buy it, but he played along. Nicole maintained that even Taylor's job at Titan had been a favor from Brady for Nicole. "I need to be stoic and brave, and I will be -- and I will find a way to manage without her," Nicole declared with a touch of melodrama, and then left the room.

When Rafe and Sami arrived at the loft, he looked around appreciatively, grateful to have his life back. Sami was excited when she spotted Rafe's wedding ring on the table by the door, because "the creature" hadn't been wearing it. With a declaration of love, Sami happily slipped the ring back on her husband's finger. After the two kissed, Sami then noticed that the ring had been sitting on a note from the imposter -- and divorce papers.

Sami read the note aloud: "Sami, I'm sorry it has to end like this. Please sign these papers and mail them to the lawyer." With an angry groan, Sami declared that she hated the imposter, as well as E.J. and Stefano. Rafe replied that it was time for payback, and Sami agreed. "It's time to start playing them the way they've been playing us for months," she declared, and then dialed the DiMera mansion.

When Stefano answered, he informed Sami that E.J. wasn't in, and asked where she was. Sami replied that she was back, and asked Stefano to relay the message to E.J. that she would be picking up the children the next morning. She then casually added that if she had to take her grandmother to physical therapy, Rafe would pick the kids up instead. Stefano angrily demanded to know why Sami had taken Rafe back. "He's my husband," Sami replied calmly. She cautioned Stefano not to tell Johnny that Rafe was back, because she wanted to surprise the boy, and then hung up abruptly.

At the park, Taylor admitted that she hadn't been able to turn E.J. in and send him to jail because she couldn't imagine her life without him. E.J. was thrilled, and assured her that she would never have to. He pulled her close and kissed her. With a smile, Taylor warned that E.J. would have to be patient with her, because she wasn't accustomed to not playing by the rules. E.J. teased that it could be quite amusing. Taylor was still worried about Nicole, but E.J. wanted to focus on Taylor, and how happy she made him. Taylor admitted that made her feel a little less like "the other woman." E.J. assured her, "You're not the other woman; you're the woman."

E.J. and Taylor were kissing passionately, and she had just thrilled him by agreeing to his suggestion for them to be alone, when a call from Stefano interrupted them. Stefano ordered E.J. to get home immediately, because Hernandez was back. After the brief phone call, Taylor wanted to know what was wrong. E.J. replied that he couldn't tell her -- not because he wasn't being forthcoming, but because he really didn't know. He asked her to please just give him an hour, and to wait there for him.

Nicole was surprised when she found Taylor in the park a little later. Nicole angrily spat that Taylor should have been packing to leave town, but Taylor determinedly replied that she wasn't going anywhere. Taylor declared that Nicole had some nerve, making Taylor feel bad about herself when Nicole had been lying to and using E.J. "I see what you have turned into, and it just makes me hate you for what you have done!" Taylor proclaimed. Nicole retorted, "Well, right back at ya, bitch."

Rafe peeled off his shirt so that Sami could help him attach a wire. As she taped the microphone to his chest, he assured her that he could be a "goofy, creepy lech," like the imposter was. Just as Sami was predicting it, E.J. called Rafe. "What the hell are you doing?" E.J. demanded. Rafe began loading his pistol.

As E.J. arrived at the mansion, he shouted for Stefano to explain what was going on. "Samantha called; she said that she is back, and Rafe is with her!" Stefano replied. E.J. exploded, but Stefano warned that they had to follow the Rafe impersonator's lead to find out what was going on. Just then, Rafe rang the doorbell.

When E.J. answered, Rafe did his best impression of the imposter. "You weren't expecting to see me again, were ya?" he asked E.J., and then greeted Stefano, "Hey, Stef, how they hangin'?" Rafe brazenly strolled over to the bar and poured himself a drink. E.J. warned that the imposter had better explain what was going on immediately. While Sami listened in from the loft, Rafe drawled, "You wanna know why I'm back? Well, it has to do with Sami, and what we did to her."

Carly and Daniel were working on paperwork in her office at the hospital, and joking about a patient whom the entire staff had hated. Carly invited Daniel to join her for a quick dinner, but he declined, citing plans with Jennifer. "Okay. Have fun!" Carly said as Daniel rushed out to meet his date. As soon as he had gone, her smile fell, and she pulled her bottle of pills from her coat pocket. "I know I don't need this," she muttered, but took one anyway.

As Jennifer and Daniel were walking arm-in-arm past the nurses' station, Melanie and Abigail playfully chided each of their parents about public displays of affection and curfews. Lexie interrupted to get Abigail and Melanie to fill out their paperwork for the upcoming charity pool tournament. Jennifer conspiratorially whispered to Daniel that she'd changed her mind about going to Chez Rouge, and promised to explain on the way to where she wanted to go instead.

While they filled out their forms, Abigail asked what Melanie was going to do about Dario, since it appeared he was in some trouble with the "scary guy" who'd been hassling him. With a shrug, Melanie asserted that Dario could handle himself. The girls then discussed how cute their parents were together. Carly walked past just then, and saw Abigail and Melanie with their heads together, and jumped to the wrong conclusion.

Worried that Abigail was telling Melanie about Carly's prescription for "Katerina Von Leuschner," Carly demanded, "What are you two talking about?" The girls were so startled that they jumped. Carly quickly apologized, explaining that she was just tired from surgery. When Melanie mentioned the pool tournament, Carly said that she was too overwhelmed with work to participate, so Abigail and Melanie planned to team up. Carly then pulled Abigail aside on the pretense of discussing her internship.

When Lexie returned to the nurses' station, Melanie gave her the forms for the tournament. Lexie then informed Melanie, "Troy's transfer is complete. That maniac won't be getting anywhere near you again."

In her office, Carly emphasized to Abigail that despite how close Abigail and Melanie were becoming, and even though Melanie was a nurse at the hospital, Abigail still couldn't discuss confidential patient information with her new friend. Abigail assured Carly that they hadn't been discussing the pills for "that Katerina woman," adding, "I know better than to talk about a patient with her." Carly apologized, and then changed the subject to Daniel and Jennifer. Beaming, Abigail asserted that her mom was crazy about Daniel.

Abigail was leaving Carly's office, just as Lexie stopped by to ask if Carly could fill in for the doctor who was covering for Daniel. Smiling, Lexie noted that after everything Daniel had been through, he deserved to have a little fun. Seemingly without intending to, Carly snapped the pencil she was holding in half. Lexie asked gently if it bothered Carly that Daniel and Jennifer were dating. Carly insisted that it didn't, but pointed out that it was a little ironic, considering all the times Jennifer had tried to push Carly and Daniel together. Lexie then got a page, and left.

A miserable Carly wondered how she was going to get through the night when all she wanted to do was go home. After promising herself, "Just one more," she popped another pill. A little later, she rubbed her eyes, and rose to leave -- but before she made it out the door, she collapsed on the floor.

Behind the bar at the Cheatin' Heart, Dario listened to a phone message from Mike, who threatened to break Dario's kneecaps if he didn't pay Mike back. As Dario was wondering what to do, Adrienne appeared with the bank deposit, which she had in a paper bag. She asked if Dario could take it to the bank before the evening rush.

When Jennifer and Daniel arrived at the Cheatin' Heart, she began racking the balls for a game of pool while she explained that she wanted to beat Abigail -- who Jennifer believed had gotten a little too cocky about her pool playing -- in the pool tournament. As Jennifer grabbed a cue stick, Daniel asserted that what she needed was a good teacher. She prepared to take her first shot, and he moved behind her, his body very close to hers, as he offered her some pointers, but when she hit the ball, it flew wildly off the table.

Daniel confessed that he was actually terrible at pool; he'd just used the coaching as an excuse to put his arms around Jennifer. She admonished him teasingly. As the two of them were kissing, Adrienne emerged from the back room with a tray of glasses, which she dropped when she spotted Daniel and Jennifer.

Adrienne cut her hand on the broken glass, and Daniel followed her behind the bar when she went to clean it up. He took a quick look at it, and then left to get his medical bag out of his car. A concerned Jennifer told Adrienne, "No matter what you say, I know how you feel about me moving on."

Jennifer then recognized a woman across the bar as someone she knew from the hospital, and went over to greet her. The woman, Layla, explained to the girl she was sitting with that Jennifer was a friend, and asked if she could tell Jennifer what had happened. The girl insisted that it was no big deal, and that what had happened had been her fault. Layla explained that she needed to take the girl to the hospital, and wanted to let the staff know that they were on their way, but couldn't get a signal inside the bar. She asked if Jennifer would wait with the girl while Layla stepped outside. On her way out, Layla whispered, "Date rape."

Jennifer slid into the chair across from the girl, and spoke to her softly. "I know that you feel really alone right now, and I know that you feel like you did something wrong," Jennifer said, and continued, "Let me tell you that I know how you feel. You may not believe me, but I do. And those feelings can go away." She continued that there were people who could help the girl get through it. Daniel returned, and appeared moved when he saw Jennifer comforting the girl.

After Layla and the girl had left for the hospital, Jennifer told Daniel what had happened, and admitted that she, too, had been raped. Daniel confessed that he'd been able to tell, even from across the room, that Jennifer understood what the girl was going through. Jennifer stressed, "This is not fair, because all rape is horrible, but there is something about knowing that man, something about looking into his eyes and trusting him on some level..." Daniel was stunned that Jennifer had known her rapist, especially when she told him that it had been Lawrence Alamain.

Daniel growled that it made him hate Lawrence even more. Jennifer ordered Daniel not to treat her differently, because that would mean Lawrence had taken something else from her. Daniel agreed that if he got overly sentimental, Jennifer had permission to perform surgery on him. They laughed, but Daniel asked if Carly knew what Lawrence had done to Jennifer. Jennifer replied, "Yeah. We are part of that special club: women who have survived Lawrence Alamain. So we'll always be friends because of that."

The mood lightened, and Jennifer described how plain she'd felt in boarding school next to her beautiful, exotic roommate, Carly, whose name was even exotic. Daniel didn't understand how anyone could think the name "Carly Manning" was exotic. Jennifer was explaining that Carly's real name was Katerina Von Leuschner -- just as Abigail entered and overheard. Abigail flipped out a little, and Jennifer wondered why Abigail cared so much what Carly's real name was.

On his way to the bank via the pier, Dario bumped into Mike, who was angry that Dario hadn't returned his calls. Mike reiterated his threat to break Dario's kneecaps. Dario insisted that he had the money, but he needed a couple of hours to get it together. Melanie arrived on the pier just then, and when she saw Mike threatening Dario, she ducked behind a bush to listen. Dario pointed out that beating Dario up would not get Mike's money back.

Mike agreed to wait a while, but warned that if Dario were lying, Mike would do far worse than breaking kneecaps. Melanie picked up a piece of wood, and bashed Mike over the back of the head, knocking him out cold. "Thank God I was here! You don't have to thank me," Melanie told Dario with a proud giggle. Dario snapped, "Thank you? You're gonna get me killed!"

Thursday, May 26, 2011

by Mike

At the DiMera mansion, Rafe -- pretending to be fake Rafe -- toyed with E.J. and Stefano; meanwhile, Sami listened to the conversation from her apartment. Stefano wondered why fake Rafe had returned to Salem. E.J. claimed that fake Rafe had ruined everything. Rafe tried to get E.J. to elaborate. E.J.'s temper flared, but Stefano calmly reminded E.J. that he needed to control his anger.

E.J. nodded and agreed that they should keep things civil. As Rafe tried to continue the discussion, Kate entered the room and wondered why Rafe was back in town. Rafe announced that he and Sami had decided that they were not going to get a divorce. "Wow, what a stupid...that woman is a bigger idiot than I thought she was! Well, I guess it just goes to show that she can't spend more than a week without a man in her bed; I guess that's why she forgave you," Kate joked. Rafe started to get defensive; in an effort to defuse the situation, Stefano escorted Kate out of the room so that he could talk to her privately.

As Sami continued to monitor the situation from her apartment, someone started knocking on her door. When Sami opened the door, Caroline entered the apartment; she explained that Will had informed her that Sami and Rafe were back together. Caroline wondered if Sami had lost her mind. "Look, Will asked me if he could stay another night at my place, because he didn't want to come home and be in the same room with that cheating bastard," Caroline added. Sami hinted that she was busy, but Caroline insisted that she wasn't leaving without an explanation.

Sami admitted that the situation was complicated. Sami added that she and Rafe were in love. Sami said that she had forgiven Rafe for cheating on her, but Caroline wasn't convinced. Caroline said that it was out of character for Sami to forgive someone who had betrayed her; Caroline added that she had expected Sami to tear Rafe's head off. Caroline wondered how Sami could be so gullible.

"Aren't you glad that Grandpa Shawn found a way to forgive you after you cheated on him?" Sami asked. Caroline sighed and admitted that she had never deserved a man like Shawn. Caroline added that she had never been as forgiving as Shawn had been. Sami apologized for her insensitive comment, but Caroline assured her that it was all right. "You are right; who am I to judge, you know? I just don't want to see you hurt again, that's all," Caroline said. Sami promised Caroline that Rafe was never going to hurt her again.

Back at the DiMera mansion, Kate and Stefano went to the foyer to discuss Rafe's return. Stefano assured Kate that he was just as confused as she was. Kate wondered why Rafe was back in Salem, and why he and Sami had reconciled. Stefano admitted that he didn't know how to answer Kate's questions. Kate wondered what Stefano was going to do about the situation.

Meanwhile, E.J. noted that Kate's comment had bothered fake Rafe. Rafe pointed out that Sami was his wife; he claimed that he had defended her because that was the kind of reaction that Kate would have expected, but E.J. wasn't convinced. E.J. observed that fake Rafe had never had a nice thing to say about Sami before. E.J. demanded to know what kind of game fake Rafe was playing. Rafe agreed to explain everything, but he stalled for time by asking if he could pour himself a glass of scotch first.

Rafe walked over to the bar and started to pour a drink; after E.J. turned his back, Rafe knocked a nearby vase onto the floor. Stefano and Kate rushed back into the room when they heard the vase shatter. Rafe apologized for his clumsiness, and he innocently asked if the vase had been valuable. Kate dryly stated that the vase was just a priceless antique. Rafe suggested that he should leave before he caused more damage; before anyone could protest, Rafe quickly exited the mansion.

When Rafe returned to his apartment, he told Sami that he had been ready to kill E.J. and Stefano. Sami explained that Caroline had dropped by to chastise Sami for reconciling with Rafe. "I swear to God, Rafe, I am out of practice at this whole 'lying and manipulating the people I love' thing," Sami admitted. Rafe conceded that it had been difficult to resist the urge to shoot E.J. and Stefano. "Not to mention the fact that I'm trying to be this Javier guy, if that's even really his name. Just acting ridiculous, grinning all the time...I need more specifics," Rafe added. Sami wondered what Rafe's next move was going to be; Rafe cryptically stated that there were two things that he needed to do.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. and Stefano tried to determine why fake Rafe had returned to Salem. E.J. suggested that fake Rafe had returned to ask the DiMeras for more money, but Stefano insisted that fake Rafe had plenty of money. Stefano wondered if fake Rafe had changed his mind about leaving town after he had saved Theo. "Oh, you think he liked the hero worship? He's come back for some more? Would he risk our anger -- losing all the money that we gave him -- for some bizarre emotional reason?" E.J. asked.

Stefano admitted that they were lucky that the real Rafael Hernandez was dead. E.J. agreed, but he wondered what they were going to do about the other Rafe. Stefano reminded E.J. that they had started the entire plan for E.J.'s sake, as a way to stop his kids from viewing Rafe as a father figure. E.J. realized that Stefano was saying that he expected E.J. to solve the problem himself; E.J. wondered what Stefano wanted him to do. "Seems simple to me -- eliminate him," Stefano said with a shrug.

In the park, Nicole confronted Taylor. Nicole demanded to hear Taylor admit that she was in love with E.J. "Okay, I do. I love E.J., and I have loved him from the minute I saw him, and it has not changed. I love him even more now," Taylor blurted out. Nicole sighed and muttered that Taylor's confirmation had only made things worse.

Nicole recalled that Taylor had previously denied that there was anything going on between her and E.J. "I told you that I was in love with him again! And I was happy in my marriage! You must have thought I was some pathetic fool, because you knew -- you knew that he was in love with you! Oh, you two must have had a ball laughing about me. That I'm some stupid cow who can't see my nose in front of my face! That I'm some pathetic fool!" Nicole shouted. Taylor insisted that she had never meant to hurt Nicole.

Nicole claimed that her life had been ruined because of Taylor's actions, but Taylor insisted that Nicole wasn't an innocent victim. Taylor listed Nicole's past sins; she added that she knew exactly what Nicole had been holding over E.J.'s head. Taylor announced that she had confronted E.J. Taylor proudly revealed that E.J. had told her everything. Nicole noted that Taylor didn't seem very upset about what E.J. had done.

Taylor insisted that E.J. was a good man. Taylor said that E.J. had given up the drug operation after he had learned that one of his men had killed Arianna. Nicole grinned as she silently processed the information that Taylor had just revealed. Taylor noted Nicole's amusement, and she told Nicole to stop playing games. Taylor said that she knew that Nicole was using the truth about Arianna's death as leverage against E.J.

Nicole played along and noted that Taylor had figured everything out. Taylor wondered why Nicole was so eager to stay married to someone who didn't love her. "No, he loves you. Well, here's the deal, sis -- I am staying married to E.J., and then Johnny and Sydney will still be in my life. And if you go near my husband again, I will tell the cops everything...about the drug ring, Arianna's death; he'll lose his children, his freedom, everything. Will he still love you then? Think about that," Nicole said. Before Taylor could respond, Nicole stormed off. Later, Taylor called E.J. and reluctantly cancelled their date.

At the pier, Dario chastised Melanie for knocking Mike out. Melanie explained that she had seen Mike at Dario's apartment earlier, and she had knocked him out because she had known that he was dangerous. Dario insisted that he would have been fine without Melanie's help. Dario claimed that he could talk his way out of any situation. As Dario and Melanie continued to argue, Brady stepped onto the pier and wondered what had happened.

Dario and Melanie continued to argue as they tried to answer Brady's question. "Can I point out to you two that there's a guy lying on the ground over there? He's either dead or unconscious," Brady stated impatiently. Melanie assured Brady that Mike was just unconscious. Dario added that he was the one who was going to be dead as soon as Mike regained consciousness. Melanie explained that she had knocked Mike out because she had believed that Dario had been in danger.

Dario explained that Mike was a bookie; Dario said that he had bet on the Cubs. "All right, that's always a bad idea," Brady dryly stated. Dario said that he owed Mike approximately two hundred dollars. As Dario explained the details of his debt, Mike started to regain consciousness. Mike groaned as he struggled to remember what had happened.

Melanie bluntly informed Mike that she had hit him with a pipe because she had assumed that he was going to hurt her friend. Melanie tried to test Mike's vision; Mike called her a bitch, and he threatened to kill Dario and Melanie. Before Mike could stand up, Brady jumped in and introduced himself as Brady Kiriakis. Brady wondered if Mike had heard of the Kiriakis family before. Brady pointed out that the pier was Kiriakis territory.

Brady handed Mike a generous amount of cash. Brady warned Mike to forget about what had happened at the pier. Brady suggested that Mike should go to the hospital; Mike ignored Brady's advice, and he quickly rushed off. After Mike left, Brady promised Melanie that he would find Mike and take him to the hospital for a thorough examination.

Melanie hugged Brady. Dario sarcastically noted that Melanie and Brady made a cute couple. Melanie wondered if Dario was capable of showing the slightest amount of gratitude. "Uh, yeah, yeah. But when word gets out on the street that I can't pay my debts --" Dario stopped himself as he realized that he was being a jerk. Dario cleared his throat and thanked Brady sincerely.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Jennifer wondered where Abigail had heard the name Katerina Von Leuschner. Abigail shrugged and claimed that the name had just sounded familiar. Abigail quickly excused herself, but Jennifer's suspicions were aroused. After Abigail left, Daniel received a phone call from Victor. Daniel told Jennifer that Victor rarely called; Daniel wondered if something serious had happened.

Victor said that his ulcer had started giving him problems again, and he said that he didn't want to go to the hospital. Victor said that he wasn't in severe pain, but he still wanted a professional opinion. Daniel started to say that he was busy, but Victor added that he was anxious about his health. Daniel agreed to go to the mansion to check on Victor. Daniel explained the situation to Jennifer, then he asked her to accompany him to the mansion.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Daniel determined that Victor had eaten too many spicy foods. Victor promised that he would avoid those foods in the future, but Daniel wasn't convinced. Victor bluntly asked if Daniel and Jennifer were an item. Daniel was noticeably uncomfortable; he tried to evade the question, but Victor could tell that his suspicions had been right. "I am very pleased about this, Daniel -- I think you finally got it right," Victor said.

Daniel tried to make a quick exit, but Victor insisted that he wouldn't let the couple leave until they had shared a round of drinks with him. Daniel reminded Victor about his ulcer, but Victor pointed out that Daniel had said that the problems had been caused by something that Victor had eaten. Before Daniel could protest, he received another phone call. After Daniel left, Jennifer said that she was glad that Victor was going to be all right. "Well, I echo that. I'm certainly much better now that I've seen you and Daniel together. Thank God he's finally thrown that destructive diva to the curb where she belongs," Victor said.

Victor started to complain about Chloe, but he quickly apologized when he noticed the look of discomfort on Jennifer's face. Victor summarized his feelings by stating that Daniel had finally proven that he had good taste. Jennifer thanked Victor, then she pointed out that she had seen Victor's scrapbook on the coffee table earlier. Victor explained that Philip and Parker had moved away from Salem, so he had been wallowing in self-pity. Victor jokingly offered to show Jennifer some incriminating photographs from Daniel's childhood.

As they looked through the scrapbook, Jennifer spotted one of Daniel's wedding photographs. "That's Rebecca...the day he married her. It seemed like the whole world was shining...we lost her to cancer, unfortunately," Victor explained. Jennifer acknowledged that Rebecca was beautiful. Victor agreed, and he admitted that outer beauty was the only quality that Chloe had shared with Rebecca. "Daniel never did have a hard time finding beautiful women. You know, Jennifer, if I were you, I would grab a hold of that man with both hands. You're not gonna do better, believe me," Victor said.

When Daniel returned, he explained that he was needed at the hospital. Jennifer assured Daniel that she understood, and she added that she would take a cab back to her house. Victor insisted on having his driver take Jennifer home. Jennifer escorted Daniel to the front door, and they rescheduled their date for the following night. When Jennifer returned to the living room, Victor excused himself so that he could find his driver. After Victor left, Jennifer looked at the scrapbook again; Jennifer noted that Rebecca and Chloe were each extremely beautiful.

At the hospital, Carly collapsed in her office. As she regained consciousness, one of the hospital security guards entered her office to check on her. Carly claimed that she had gotten dizzy. The guard offered to find a doctor, but Carly insisted that she would be fine. Carly claimed that she had not eaten anything, and she begged the guard not to tell anyone about the incident. The guard reluctantly agreed to respect Carly's wishes.

Later, Abigail walked into Carly's office and confronted her with the information that she had learned about Carly's alias. Abigail wondered why Carly had lied about the name Katerina Von Leuschner. Carly claimed that she was extremely ill. Carly explained that she had used an alias so that her family wouldn't find out about her illness. Carly said that she didn't want to worry Daniel, Jennifer, and Melanie with her problems.

Abigail apologized and wondered if there was anything that she could do to help. Carly asked Abigail to promise that she wouldn't tell anyone about Carly's illness. Abigail stressed that Carly needed to tell her family about her health concerns. Abigail tried to explain that Carly's family would want to help, but Carly pointed out that she wasn't like Jennifer. Carly insisted that she couldn't tell her family about her health concerns.

Abigail reluctantly agreed to keep Carly's secret. After Abigail left, Carly immediately reached for her pill bottle. "I really should throw you in the river. But then there could be an emergency, and...looks like I'm gonna have to hang on to you," Carly rationalized. Carly stuffed the bottle of pills back into her purse.

Friday, May 27, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

On the pier, Quinn was telling someone on the phone that he didn't understand why E.J. had wanted to sell such a lucrative drug business. Quinn continued that he planned to fix his personnel problems by "making someone an offer they won't be able to refuse."

Maggie was putting a casserole in the oven when Chloe knocked at the back door. A happy-looking Chloe explained that she had been giving a voice lesson in the neighborhood, and wanted to stop by and have a cup of tea with Maggie. Although Chloe admitted that she only had a couple of students so far, Maggie was pleased that the flyers had paid off for Chloe -- and to see Chloe smiling. Chloe confided that she had met a great guy. Maggie wasn't exactly thrilled, but Chloe maintained that the guy made her feel good about herself.

"Well, maybe you should figure out a way to feel good about yourself on your own," Maggie asserted, but then acknowledged that she was hardly one to be doling out romantic advice. She explained that she was baking a casserole with kasseri, a Greek cheese she hated, for Victor, a man she was utterly confused about. Chloe just wanted Maggie to be happy, and Maggie agreed that she wanted the same thing for Chloe.

Jennifer walked in just then, and was a bit taken aback to see Chloe. Jennifer apologized for interrupting, but Maggie shushed her, and offered to make some more tea. Quinn called Chloe just then, and asked her to meet him at the pier. Chloe was relieved for an excuse to leave. She thanked Maggie for the tea, said a cordial goodbye to Jennifer, and left.

Jennifer divulged that she and Daniel had ended up at Victor's the night before, and Victor had seemed so miserable that Jennifer had actually felt sorry for him. Maggie cut Jennifer off, and told her about the casserole with kasseri. Jennifer noted with a sly grin that Maggie hated kasseri. "Victor loves it. Damn that man! He makes me so stupid," Maggie lamented.

When Chloe got to the pier, Quinn was pleased that she'd been able to make some time for him. Chloe replied that she only had two students, so she had a lot of time on her hands. Quinn declared that Chloe needed to have some fun. Since they'd gotten off on the wrong foot, he asked for the chance to make it up to her by taking her out on a date, so they could get to know each other better. Quinn had to step away to take a phone call. He ordered the person on the other end to get the shipment out on the street immediately, and threatened, "Must I remind you, mate, you don't want to disappoint me."

In her office at the hospital, Carly's hands were shaking from withdrawal, but, fearful that she would lose her license, she was determined to quit the pills cold turkey -- alone. Daniel arrived and gave Carly a box of cigars, which he had purchased to thank the doctor who had filled in for him the night before, and then he'd learned that Carly had actually done it. Carly shrugged it off, and asked if Daniel and Jennifer's date had been fun.

Daniel joked that he clearly knew how to show a lady a good time, because he and Jennifer had ended up at Victor's. He continued that he and Jennifer had rescheduled their date for that night; since Melanie had invited Daniel and Carly to a family dinner, Daniel asked if it were all right with Carly to move it to lunch. Carly agreed, so Daniel agreed to get in touch with Melanie about it. As Daniel left, he teasingly called Carly "Katerina," and explained that Jennifer had told him about her days at boarding school with Carly.

After Daniel left, Carly admonished herself, "It doesn't matter that he knows. Everything's going to be okay. Just stop taking the damn pills, and everything will be fine!"

Abigail found Carly at the nurses' station later, and offered to listen if Carly ever needed to discuss her illness. Disconcerted to recall that she had lied about being sick to Abigail, Carly fumbled for words. Abigail assured Carly that they didn't have to discuss it if Carly didn't want to, and added, "Like they say in the movies, your secret's safe with me."

Jennifer arrived just then and overheard, and wanted to know what secret they were talking about. Carly explained that she had just been discussing doctor-patient confidentiality with Abigail. Abigail then left for her break. Jennifer was worried that Abigail had done something wrong, but Carly assured her that Abigail was doing well. Jennifer said that she really needed to talk about something, and asked if Carly could get some coffee. Carly agreed, but first had to finish a chart. While Jennifer was waiting, Daniel showed up. They joked about his pool-playing skills, and then shared a kiss right in front of the nurses' station -- and a dismayed Carly.

Carly and Jennifer then went to Carly's office. Jennifer stated sheepishly that it was great to have a friend who'd known her in boarding school, when Jennifer had been "stupid and dorky." Carly countered that Jennifer had actually been gorgeous. Jennifer confided that after seeing a picture of Rebecca and running into Chloe, she knew that Daniel liked women who were "va-va-voom" -- which Jennifer thought she was not. Carly asserted that she could tell that Daniel really liked Jennifer, who was beautiful in her own way -- and, Carly maintained, just as "va-va-voom" as those other women.

After Jennifer had gone, Carly fantasized about Daniel entering her office and kissing her passionately. Snapping out of it, Carly chided herself, "Oh, God, that's all I need. Right, Manning; just make your life more complicated than it already is."

Jennifer returned to Alice's with a new dress, which she held up to herself in front of the mirror. Scoffing, she muttered to herself, "Come on, Jennifer. Really, who do you think you're kidding?"

When Maggie took the casserole to the Kiriakis mansion, Victor was surprised and delighted. He admitted that he'd been trying to invent a reason to visit Maggie, but then he'd realized that it wouldn't be fair to her. He explained that he didn't think he could live up to what she thought she saw in him, and he thought they should make a clean break. Maggie indignantly argued that she should have a say in it, but Victor maintained that he didn't want her to get hurt.

"You had all those years with a man who deserved your trust, your commitment. But I knew Mickey -- and I, madam, am no Mickey Horton," Victor declared. Maggie concluded that Victor was afraid that he was the one who was going to get hurt, and declared that Victor could be more like Mickey if he just "manned up." She told Victor to call her if he ever decided that he wanted to have fun, and left. Victor shouted after her, "Why you little... I am not scared!"

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. was on the phone, leaving a worried message for Taylor, when Stefano entered. Stefano was annoyed that E.J. was wasting time with his "little girlfriend" when they had to eliminate the Rafe impersonator. E.J. believed they just needed to convince the imposter to leave town, but Stefano was adamant. The two of them bickered until Stefano delivered an ultimatum: they could either eliminate the imposter, or Stefano would make sure that Taylor knew all about it.

At the loft, Sami was having a nightmare of being in bed with faux Rafe again, and he was about to force himself on her. She screamed in her sleep, "Stop! Get off me!" Rafe woke her up and tried to comfort her, but called her "babe." Sami recoiled, and asked him never to call her that again. Rafe reassured her that she never had to see the imposter again because it was over, but Sami wasn't so sure. Rafe promised that he would get E.J. out of Sami's life, and out of the kids' lives, for good. Just then, E.J. called and asked if he could drop off the children in a few minutes. Sami agreed. When she hung up, she turned to Rafe aid said, "Okay. Showtime."

After E.J. had left the mansion, Chad stopped by with a report that Stefano had asked him to fact-check. Stefano wanted to know what Chad had thought about the report. "Well, the facts were factual, and the conclusions drawn were very imaginative," Chad replied. Stefano apologized for their earlier "mix-up," but Chad noted that the mix-up had been because Stefano had been trying to control Chad's life -- which was never going to happen.

Stefano was worried that the rebellious Chad would start to find Abigail more attractive simply because Kate and Stefano disapproved. Chad responded with good-natured sarcasm. Stefano asked Chad, "If I push you too hard, or at least if you think I am pushing you too hard, and you don't feel as if you can take it, and you want to leave or something like that, give me a heads-up, all right? Because honestly, I don't want to lose you." Chad assured his father that he found the DiMeras far too fascinating to leave. Chad then headed out.

Chad met Abigail in the park, and complained about how Stefano was playing games with him. Abigail concurred that Stefano seemed very controlling. Chad confided that he had grown up feeling like a constant disappointment to the man he'd thought was his father, but Stefano asked what Chad thought about things, and made Chad feel smart. Abigail divulged that when she'd been little, she'd had the most fun dad in the world, one who would play games with her and J.J. and answer all their questions, but when she'd been in high school, her dad had sort of lost interest.

"So I get what you're saying about Stefano. I really get it," Abigail stated. She then declared that they spent too much time talking about their families, and asked what Chad wanted to talk about. Chad replied, "Well, there's something I've been thinking about, but it doesn't really have anything to do with talking." He then kissed Abigail.

When E.J. arrived at the loft with Sydney and Johnny, Rafe was listening in from the next room. Sami hugged her kids enthusiastically. Johnny wanted to know where Rafe was, but Sami explained that Rafe wasn't home. Sami then sent the kids to their bedrooms, where she'd left some surprises for them. Johnny happily took Sydney by the hand and led her out of the room. E.J. asked, "Rafe's not here?" Sami demanded to know why E.J. thought that was his business.

E.J. pointed out that his children spent a lot of time there, and not long before, Sami had wanted nothing more to do with Rafe. Sami replied that she'd been mad, but then she'd realized that she loved Rafe no matter what. E.J. reminded her that she'd told him that Rafe had a complete disregard for her and the children. Incredulous, Sami asked furiously, "Are you serious? You're going to stand there and talk about disregard for our children after what you did?"

E.J. demanded to know what she was talking about. Sami asserted that E.J. knew exactly what she was talking about, but she didn't want to rehash the past. She continued that Rafe had left because he hadn't liked the man he had become, so he'd gotten help -- and new medication -- and had since turned back into the man she'd fallen in love with. E.J. wanted to know if that meant Rafe was "the old Rafe" around the children, as well. Sami firmly maintained that she would never do anything to jeopardize her children.

E.J. noted that Sami's change of heart seemed out of the blue, and she seemed very casual about allowing Rafe back into her life. Sami firmly asserted that it had not been a casual decision, but she would always love Rafe, and no one could ever make her change her mind. She asked E.J. to leave, but he wanted to talk to Rafe, to evaluate his so-called transformation. Sami reminded E.J. that Rafe wasn't home, so E.J. asked her to have Rafe call him -- or E.J.'s lawyer would be calling Sami.

In the hallway, E.J. muttered to himself, "Something's off."

Rafe returned to the living room, and reassured Sami that she'd done well. He didn't think E.J. was suspicious of her, only of the Rafe imposter. Sami was worried what E.J. would do if he thought "the creature" was a problem, because they all knew how the DiMeras handled their problems.

Johnny ran into the room, and greeted Rafe eagerly. Rafe scooped the boy up for a hug. Johnny then offered to get Rafe a beer, but Rafe pointed out that it was still morning. Johnny declared, "You know what? You're different." Rafe sat Johnny down and explained that although he had done some things he shouldn't have done, he wasn't going to be like that anymore. Sami carried Sydney into the room, and put the tot on Rafe's lap. While Rafe hugged Sydney, Johnny informed him, "Daddy said you were going away and not coming back." Rafe assured the boy that he was back, and he was never going to leave again.

E.J. returned to the DiMera mansion, and informed Stefano that imposter Rafe hadn't been home, so E.J. had tried to get Samantha to tell him what was going on. "And did she?" Stefano asked. E.J. replied, "Honestly, I don't know." He explained that Samantha believed that Rafe had turned over a new leaf to again become the man she'd fallen in love with. Stefano couldn't figure out why "that idiot" had returned, since imposter Rafe was a millionaire. E.J. noted that the impersonator had nothing to gain and a lot to lose by returning. "So why does he come back?" E.J. wondered. "I know why," Stefano declared.