Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of March 23, 2015 on DAYS

Ben asked Abigail to move in with him. Nicole met Xander, a handsome stranger in town. Xander caught up with Serena and told her to give him back the diamonds -- or else. Daniel learned the truth about J.J. and Eve. Clint dumped Theresa again. Melanie suspected Clint and Kristen had teamed up and were up to no good.

Will issues a warning to Paul

Monday, March 23, 2015

by Mike

Ben invited Abigail over to his place to help him study for a college exam, but she quickly realized he already knew the material pretty well. Ben admitted he had really just asked to see Abigail because he liked spending time with her, and she returned the sentiment. "Well, since you like being with me, and I like being with you, what would you think about moving in here?" Ben asked.

Taken aback, Abigail said she wasn't sure she and Ben were at a stage in their relationship where they were ready to take that step. Abigail clarified that she wasn't saying she didn't want to live with Ben -- just that it would be best to take things slowly because the alternative could just end up ruining their relationship. Ben admitted he had been hoping for a different reaction. Abigail apologized and assured Ben it meant a lot that he had extended the offer in the first place, and she added that, while he might not think it would be a big deal for them to move in together, her family would definitely think otherwise.

After taking Theo to see a movie, Chad treated the boy to a cup of hot chocolate at Club TBD. Chad said he had missed hanging out with Theo and would love to do it again sometime soon. Theo asked Chad if Abigail could join them the next time. Chad confidently predicted that Abigail would happily agree to go Rollerblading with him and Theo if they extended the invitation.

Theo had just finished his treat when Abe arrived, so he convinced Abe to let him have another cup. After Theo went to the bar to place his order, Chad wondered what, if anything, Abe had told the boy about Stefano's return to Salem -- and Abe's attempt to arrest Stefano. Abe said he had explained to Theo that he had a job to do and couldn't change the rules of that job for family members.

"And just so you know, that goes for uncles as well as grandfathers," Abe warned. Chad wondered if he had done something illegal that he wasn't aware of. Abe said no but added that he wanted to keep it that way. Abe wondered what Chad wanted out of life -- operating, of course, under the assumption that Chad hadn't been too busy living the good life to give the question some serious thought. Chad assured Abe he knew exactly what he wanted -- and wasn't afraid to go after it.

Later, Chad bumped into Abigail in the town square. Chad started to walk away without saying anything to Abigail, but she stopped him and questioned his behavior. Chad explained that he was simply trying to stay out of Abigail's way because she had accused him of hitting on her the last time they had seen each other. Abigail told Chad he didn't have to do that, assuring him she was a big girl who could take care of herself.

Chad was glad to hear that because it made it easier for him to pass along Theo's invitation. Chad offered to bow out so Abigail could take Theo Rollerblading herself, but she dismissed the suggestion and assured Chad she would call him later to finalize the details. Chad nodded and started to walk away, but Abigail stopped him and asked what had happened at the DiMera Enterprises board meeting. Chad confirmed he had lost his fancy title to Stefano. Abigail said she was sorry to hear that, assuming it was something Chad had actually wanted to keep. "Eh, you know what they say -- you can't always get what you want," Chad replied with a shrug.

"You think I don't see through you, Chad?" Abigail countered. Chad claimed he had no idea what Abigail was talking about. Abigail shook her head and started to walk away, but Chad stopped her and said he didn't want their encounter to end the way their encounters always seemed to end. Changing the subject, Chad asked if Abigail's relationship with Ben was going well. Abigail wanted to know why Chad had asked such a question, so he explained that he was simply trying to make conversation. Abigail insisted everything was fine with Ben.

Chad wondered what Ben had thought of Jack's book. Taken aback, Abigail admitted she didn't think Ben had read it yet, and she wondered why Chad had steered the conversation in that direction in the first place. Chad explained that he had read a really complimentary article about Jack's book online a few days earlier. Abigail knew exactly which article Chad was talking about, and she agreed it had been a nice tribute to Jack's work.

Chad couldn't believe Ben hadn't read the book yet. Abigail reminded Chad that Ben was busy with schoolwork and a job. Chad conceded the point and apologized for broaching the topic in the first place. Chad hoped Ben would get a chance to read the book eventually, since Jack's writing had been amazing. Chad recalled one particularly moving passage from the book, and Abigail agreed it might have been the best thing Jack had ever written. Chad nodded and excused himself, and Abigail watched as he walked away.

In Daniel's apartment, Parker surprised Serena while she was admiring the bag of diamonds she had just retrieved from the elephant statue. "Sparkles!" Parker shouted. Serena showed Parker the diamonds but stressed that he couldn't tell anyone else about them. When Melanie returned a few minutes later, she found Serena and Parker working on an art project together.

Melanie apologized for her absence, explaining that the package she had gone to sign for had actually been for someone else. "Sparkles!" Parker shouted again. Melanie assumed Serena had taught Parker the word, but Serena clarified that he had thought of it on his own. "Secret!" Parker added. Melanie interpreted Parker's comments to mean he wanted his sparkly late-night art project to be kept a secret from Daniel.

Melanie took Parker back to his bedroom, and while they were gone, Serena stashed the diamonds in Daniel's fireplace, fearing the people who had trashed her hotel room might grab her and steal the jewels if she tried to leave the apartment with them. When Melanie returned, she observed that Serena suddenly looked much happier. Serena explained that she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders because she had just taken care of some business that had been hanging over her head for a while.

Serena didn't want to elaborate, so she changed the subject, asking Melanie to tell her about what had happened to Brady. Melanie complied, even sharing her suspicions about Theresa and Clint's possible involvement. Serena advised Melanie to be careful about getting in over her head where Theresa and Clint were concerned. "You know what the trouble is with making bad choices? Having to live with them afterward," Serena warned.

Melanie wondered if Serena was talking about something that involved Eric. Serena said no and added that Eric was the best man she knew. Melanie agreed and reasoned that Serena would therefore have to be certifiably insane to let him go. Serena happily reported she might no longer have to worry about making such a choice, since the business she had taken care of earlier might allow her to stay in Salem, after all.

At Edge of the Square, Eric informed a curious Nicole that Serena's elephant statue had been lost during her move to Salem. "You sure about that?" Nicole asked. Nicole started to explain her skepticism but quickly changed her mind about getting involved. Eric urged Nicole to continue, insisting she couldn't just leave him hanging, but before she could respond, Roman interrupted to tell Eric about what had happened to Brady.

Eric and Nicole were concerned about Brady but agreed not to talk to him about the matter right away, since he wanted to keep things quiet. After Roman left, Nicole and Eric talked about how they hadn't been informed about Brady's hospitalization during their earlier conversations with Daniel and Melanie, respectively. Eric wanted to check in with Melanie, so he excused himself and assured Nicole they would talk again soon.

As Nicole was exiting the club a short time later, she ran into Serena. Nicole revealed she had talked to Eric earlier and knew all about the elephant statues, but Serena dodged Nicole's questions and maintained that Nicole had never seen more than one statue in Daniel's apartment. "I have never met someone so desperate to be right when she is always so completely wrong. But I guess it's a lot easier to go after me than face your own problems. 'Cause you couldn't keep Eric, and you clearly can't keep Daniel. Maybe you can't hold on to anyone. Don't know, don't care. Just stay the hell away from me," Serena warned before walking away.

Eric went to Daniel's apartment to see Melanie, who informed him he had just missed Serena. Melanie told Eric about her earlier conversation with Serena and assured him Serena might be sticking around, after all.

Paul paced his hotel room, anxious to step outside for a while, but Tori insisted he needed to stay inside because he had already run into Sonny once that day. Paul thought Tori was overreacting about his encounter with Sonny, arguing that he and Sonny were grown-ups and were allowed to talk to each other. Tori hoped Paul had at least made it clear to Sonny that there was no chance they'd ever get back together with each other.

Paul admitted he hadn't used those exact words, but Tori insisted he needed to say them. Paul shouted that he would when the timing felt right to him, and he wondered why the matter was of such concern to Tori. Tori recalled Will's threat but simply replied that marriage was a sacred thing. Paul reminded Tori that the only person who had broken wedding vows was Will Horton.

Paul explained that he had encouraged Sonny to try to work things out with Will -- and to cut Will some slack. "Sounds to me like you're hedging your bets," Tori observed. Paul countered that it was too bad Tori hadn't been there to tell him exactly what to say. Paul asked if Tori would have preferred for him to have lied and said he didn't care what Sonny did because he didn't love Sonny anymore. Tori confirmed that was exactly what Paul should have said to Sonny. Frustrated, Paul grabbed his coat and walked out, ignoring Tori's attempt to stop him.

Will was upset to learn Sonny had seen Paul before seeing him that day. "Nothing's changed since you asked [Paul] to marry you. I came in second today, just like I would have back then!" Will concluded. Sonny tried to assure Will that wasn't true, but Will reminded Sonny that Paul was the man who was still in love with Sonny and was still trying to get Sonny back. Sonny added that Paul was also the man Will had cheated on him with. Sonny explained that he had simply run into Paul on his way to see Will and hadn't really been able to avoid talking to Paul for a few minutes because John had been there, too.

Will guessed Paul had seized the opportunity to make a play for Sonny, but Sonny clarified that Paul had actually told him it would be best for them to stop seeing each other. Sonny explained that Paul wanted to give him and Will space so they could work things out. Will argued that Paul would have left Salem if he had really wanted to give Will and Sonny space. Will suggested Paul was up to something, but Sonny clarified that Paul had actually defended Will and advised Sonny not to be too hard on Will. Will wasn't surprised, guessing Paul had done that to make himself look like a saint.

Will urged Sonny to read between the lines. Will argued that Paul had only said it would be best to stop seeing Sonny because he had known that doing so would just make it harder for Sonny to resist seeing him. Sonny insisted Will was either being paranoid or making things up, but Will countered that Paul was the only person who was making things up -- like lame excuses to stay in Salem. "God, how is this so clear to me, and you don't see this?" Will wondered.

"Will you just stop? Stop it! Do you know what I was doing the whole time I was gone? I was thinking about you -- about us. Now I think it's your turn to start thinking. What do you want to get out of this? Do you want to fix this, or do you want to keep coming up with new ways to put the blame on me because I was with Paul before I was with you? Until you figure that out, I am done talking," Sonny said before retreating to Arianna's bedroom. Will considered Sonny's words for a moment before grabbing his coat and exiting the apartment.

Later, Adrienne visited Sonny and informed him that Justin had gone back to Dubai. Adrienne claimed things between her and Justin were fine, and she quickly changed the subject, wondering where Will was. Sonny smiled as he explained that Will had just gone out for a few minutes, but Adrienne stopped him and said he didn't have to pretend with her because she already knew about what had happened between Will and Paul.

Sonny said he had used his time in Phoenix to try to figure out how things had gone wrong with Will -- and what he could have done differently to prevent them from ending up where they had. Adrienne hoped Sonny wasn't seriously blaming himself for Will's infidelity. Sonny clarified that he was simply trying to be honest with himself. "It takes two to make a marriage work, so that means it takes two to make a marriage fall apart," Sonny reasoned.

Sonny reminded Adrienne he had kept his money problems from Will. Sonny added that he had also kept his history with Paul from Will. Adrienne reasoned that Sonny had done the latter simply because he had promised to keep Paul's secret, but Sonny admitted he wasn't one hundred percent sure that was the real reason he had never told Will the truth. Adrienne wondered if Sonny was trying to say he still had feelings for Paul.

Sonny admitted he would always have feelings for Paul, since it was impossible to go from loving someone to feeling nothing for that person. "I love Will. I just -- I think that, uh -- that I rushed him into marrying me," Sonny added. Adrienne argued that Will was a big boy who had known exactly what he had wanted. Sonny countered that Will hadn't been out of the closet for very long before they had gotten married, nor had he had much of a chance to get accustomed to his new life as an openly gay man -- or experience what it was like to be with guys other than Sonny.

Adrienne hoped Sonny and Will would be able to work things out but insisted Sonny had to stop trying to find excuses for what Will had done. "He betrayed you, and if he loves you and he wants you to forgive him, he has to earn that forgiveness. He needs to step up and take responsibility for what he did," Adrienne advised Sonny.

Will ran into Paul in the town square and wondered if Paul was just walking around town with the hope of running into Sonny again. Realizing Will had just talked to Sonny, Paul clarified that he hadn't known Sonny had been returning to Salem that day. Will was willing to believe that but suspected Paul would keep manufacturing new reasons to stay in Salem and continue running into Sonny until he got his message across to Sonny. Paul said the only message he was trying to get across was that Sonny needed to cut Will some slack, but Will thought that was just a slick way for Paul to keep Sonny thinking about the fact that Will had been unfaithful.

"Well, I guess if I did want to go after [Sonny], I'd do it right now, when he's alone. The husband you claim to love so much is finally home, and you leave him alone so you can track me down and yell at me. Now, why is that, Will? How come he's there and you're here?" Paul wondered. Will clarified that he was simply taking a walk because he and Sonny had fought earlier. Paul sarcastically wondered what he had done to cause the fight. "You were here. You are here!" Will snapped.

Paul said he was sorry Will and Sonny had argued. "But here you are, anyway," Will pointed out. Paul wondered if Will was trying to suggest everything would be okay between him and Sonny if Paul weren't around. Will remained silent as Paul asked if Will realized just how paranoid he sounded. Paul reminded Will that Sonny had married him. "Because you said no!" Will countered. Paul protested that Will couldn't possibly believe that was true. "Why? Why would Sonny want me if he could have you?" Will wondered, his voice wavering as he spoke.

Will regained his composure and started to say he hadn't meant that, but Paul interrupted and insisted he would never believe Sonny had only married Will because Paul had said no, since Sonny wasn't that kind of guy -- and Will, of all people, should know that. "This is all such a mess. Sonny's right -- it's my fault that it's like that," Will admitted. Paul advised Will to give Sonny some time, reasoning that Sonny was still hurting but would eventually find a way to forgive Will because they had created a beautiful family together, and Sonny wouldn't be willing to just throw all that away without a fight because it was what he had always wanted.

Will wondered if Paul was actually rooting for him and Sonny to work things out. Paul remained silent as Will added that if Paul was indeed rooting for that to happen, the best thing he could do to help out would be to leave Salem. "If you don't...you will be sorry," Will warned before walking away.

Clint is caught stealing blood

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

by Spalding

In Aiden's office, Clyde paid his bill and thanked Aiden for his legal services. Aiden mentioned that Ben's case had been easy to get dismissed once he'd learned Chad was being treated as a hostile witness. Curious, Clyde asked Aiden why people "had it in" for the DiMera family. Before Aiden could respond, Hope entered the office, and Aiden introduced her to Clyde. Clyde made small talk and praised Aiden for his help.

As talk turned back to the DiMera family, Hope said she had hope for Chad. Clyde called Chad "shifty." With a chuckle, Hope said Chad was an angel compared to the rest of the DiMera family. Clyde asked Aiden if they could schedule a meeting to discuss the hospital charity then he left.

With a smirk, Hope told Aiden that she did not buy Clyde's act. Switching subjects, Aiden slipped his hands around Hope's waist and reminded her that a year before, Hope had worked overtime to convince Kayla not to date him. When Aiden joked about the situation, Hope kissed Aiden and advised him to stop talking. Aiden said he loved that Hope spoke her mind and that he was likely in love with her from the start.

At the DiMera mansion, Kate packed her bags in preparation for moving out of the house. Chad entered the living room and told Kate that she did not need to move out right away. Talk turned to Stefano's takeover. With a shrug, Chad noted that he would have been screwed over either way.

As Kate raised an eyebrow, Chad said he knew Kate had planned to remove him from the board after the vote. Kate admitted that Chad was correct. With a grin, Chad thanked Kate for her honesty. Chad said the matter was just business. Kate agreed but added that with Stefano, it was also personal. Smiling, Kate said she had no hard feelings toward Chad.

After Chad left, Clyde stopped by to see Kate. Clyde accused Kate of avoiding him because she was upset about what had happened at the board meeting. Kate grumbled that she should have seen Stefano's plan unfolding before it had been too late. When Kate mentioned that even Victor had fallen for Stefano's scheme, Clyde raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Kate explained that Victor had been "off his game" since Sonny had been stabbed.

Kate admitted that she was embarrassed that she had been fooled and had avoided Clyde because she had not wanted to see anyone. Clyde told Kate that he was on her side. When Clyde asked Kate what was next, she responded that her first move was to make Stefano very sorry for what he had done.

In the town square, Hope and Aiden sipped coffee and chatted about Stefano's brief visit to town. Chad approached the table and apologized for Stefano's return to Salem. Hope was annoyed, but Chad stressed that he had been unaware of Stefano's plans to drop into town. Chad expressed his relief that he had been demoted, explaining that he still had a lot to learn about the business. Hope advised Chad not to learn bad behaviors from Stefano.

With a smirk, Chad said that Abe had given him the same advice as Hope. Chad added that he could handle his father. Hope disagreed and reminded Chad that his siblings were either mini-Stefanos or they were dead. Hope warned Chad to be careful. After Chad left, Hope told Aiden she was still hopeful for Chad's future.

When Aiden asked Hope why she cared, Hope explained that she wanted the DiMera heir to be a decent person. Aiden counseled Hope to remember that she could not save everyone. With a smile, Aiden thanked Hope for saving him and his son from a life on the run.

Nurse Maria met with Anne at the pub to discuss what had happened with the board member that had been admitted to the emergency room. Maria apologized and said she had been overwhelmed then had gone home and turned off her phone. After Maria provided Anne with the information she needed, Anne asked who the patient was. Maria said she was sworn to secrecy because the board member wanted to keep the matter private, but Anne threatened to write remarks on Maria's permanent record. Nervous, Maria blurted out that Brady was the patient.

In Eric's kitchen, Serena baked muffins. Eric noted that Serena always baked when she wanted to celebrate. Serena thought about recovering the diamonds, and she smiled at Eric. Serena said she had finished the first draft of her article. Eric's face fell in disappointment. When Eric asked Serena if that meant she was leaving Salem, Serena stressed that she had not made up her mind, but she was leaning toward staying in town.

When Serena asked Eric if he had talked to Nicole about the elephants, Eric countered that Nicole had not mentioned the elephants until he had asked about them. Serena advised Eric not to defend Nicole because Serena would never like her. Worried, Eric asked Serena if she was contemplating leaving Salem because of Nicole. Eric stressed that his romantic relationship with Nicole was over. Serena said she believed Eric, and she apologized for mentioning Nicole.

After the muffins finished baking, Caroline arrived. As Eric and Caroline sat down to drink coffee and eat muffins, Serena excused herself to give them privacy to talk. Eric stopped Serena before she left, and he told her how happy he was that things were going well between them again. After Serena left, Caroline told Eric that she was thrilled that Eric was moving on from Nicole.

At Club TBD, Nicole waited for Daniel to arrive for their coffee date. Daniel called to explain that he was waiting to discharge a patient and was running late. Upset, Nicole asked Daniel if the patient in question was Brady. Nicole told Daniel she was hurt that Daniel was shutting her out and keeping secrets from her. Annoyed, Daniel advised Nicole not to explain to him how he felt. Nicole told Daniel she was leaving in thirty minutes if Daniel did not show up.

Overhearing, Victor approached Nicole's table and gleefully asked if Daniel was dumping Nicole. Nicole said she and Daniel were growing closer. With a self-satisfied grin, Nicole said that Daniel had let her shave him. Laughing, Victor joked that Daniel should not let Nicole near him with a razor. Victor warned Nicole that Daniel would shut her out because he did not want to grow close to Nicole again. When Nicole mentioned that Daniel had not told her about admitting Brady to the hospital, Victor flipped out. Victor was surprised by the news, and he bolted for the exit.

In Brady's hospital room, Brady packed his belongings and kissed Melanie. Melanie expressed a desire to find out who had attacked Brady, and she explained that she had confronted Theresa. As Brady's mouth gaped open, Melanie continued that Theresa had been surprised by the news. Melanie asked Brady if he was proud of her restraint in leaving Theresa's apartment without an incident. Brady nodded with a smirk.

Daniel entered the room and informed Brady and Melanie that the only drug that had been in Brady's system was the tranquilizer that had been administered by the assailant. Daniel apologized to Brady for his suspicions. With a shrug, Brady admitted that his behavior in the past was ample reason to suspect the worst.

When Melanie asked about the puncture wound in Brady's other arm, Daniel explained that Maria had informed the hospital that she had not taken blood from both arms. Though Daniel was not sure, Melanie was convinced that Maria had only used the one arm and that the assailant had taken Brady's blood. Victor arrived in a huff and berated everyone for not telling him that Brady had been attacked. With a scowl, Victor added that he was annoyed he had learned the news from Nicole.

Victor said he was concerned that Brady's attack was connected to Sonny's attack. Daniel warned Victor that if anyone was attacking the family, it was Victor's fault. Melanie intervened as Daniel and Victor bellowed at one another. Melanie reminded the men that the important thing was to discharge Brady from the hospital and get him home for some rest.

At Club TBD, Nicole shook her head and looked at her watch. Nicole mumbled to herself that time was up, and she rose from her seat to leave. As Nicole turned, she ran into a mysterious stranger and spilled her coffee onto him.

Nicole gave the man her card told him she would pay for the cleaning. The man asked Nicole to join him for coffee, and Nicole agreed. With a grin, the man said he did not need Nicole to pay for anything, but he would keep her card because he intended to call her. Surprised, Nicole asked the man if he was asking her on a date. When the man nodded, Nicole said she was "sort of seeing someone." The man complimented Nicole, and she said she wished her man would be as complementary.

As the man told Nicole he hoped to run into her in the future, Daniel entered the club. Daniel watched from the corner as Nicole and the man talked. The man thanked Nicole for spilling the drink on him, and he told her he hoped to see her around town. After the man left, Daniel walked over to Nicole and asked if the man Nicole had been talking to was a source for an article. Nicole explained that she had literally bumped into him and had spilled her coffee on him.

Confused, Daniel asked Nicole why she had given the man her card. Nicole laughed and said it was a long story. Daniel said he had plenty of time to hear the tale. With a raised eyebrow, Nicole asked Daniel if he was jealous. Daniel protested. Annoyed, Nicole said the man had treated her better than Daniel treated her.

While Serena was in her hotel room, there was a knock at the door. Serena opened the door and found the man Nicole had talked with in Club TBD. The man warned Serena that he was tired of waiting for her.

In the Kiriakis living room, Brady and Victor talked about the attack. Victor was sure the attack was related to Sonny. Victor warned Brady that they needed to proceed as if the two attacks were connected. Victor asked Brady to tell him everything that had happened.

In Theresa's living room, Clint called Dr. Mandrake to check in while Theresa slept. Clint promised that he would have Theresa's blood shortly, but he needed to make sure no one suspected a connection between Theresa, Brady, and the attack. In the bedroom, Theresa stirred awake and mumbled, "Brady, make love to me." Theresa woke up, and reality set in. Realizing she was late for work, Theresa hurriedly got dressed and ran into the living room.

Clint spiked Theresa's Bloody Mary with a tranquilizer then urged her to sip the drink and call in sick to work. Theresa was reluctant because she was out of sick days. Theresa added that she needed to know what had happened to Brady. Clint continued to push, and Theresa relented and called Anne to say she was sick.

Anne was annoyed that Theresa was calling in sick. Excited to gossip, Anne told Theresa that Brady had been admitted to the hospital for possible drug use. Theresa did not believe Brady would have taken drugs. Overwhelmed, Theresa said she was sick and would be in bed all day. After Theresa hung up, Anne joked that Theresa was not sick, but Anne believed she would be in bed all day.

In Theresa's apartment, Theresa finished her drink and felt woozy. Clint told Theresa she was exhausted. As Theresa wobbled, Clint scooped her up and carried her to bed. While Clint returned to the living room to get his needle to draw blood, a disoriented Theresa sent a provocative text message to Brady. At the Kiriakis mansion, Melanie saw the text on Brady's phone and deleted it.

After taking a vial of Theresa's blood, Clint packed up his things and scribbled out a note to Theresa. The note thanked Theresa for the fun and ended their relationship. As Clint opened the front door to leave, he ran into Melanie and dropped his bag. The vials of blood for Brady and Theresa clattered to the floor at Melanie's feet.

Melanie & Daniel begin to put pieces together

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

by ChickenGrrl

At the Horton house, Abigail asked J.J. to carry some boxes to her car because they were too heavy for her, and she was late for work. As J.J. picked up the cartons, Abigail opened the front door and revealed Paige on the doorstep. Abigail invited Paige inside for some breakfast while the girls waited for J.J. to move the boxes.

After Paige went inside, Abigail teased her brother about how his face had lit up when he'd seen Paige. Abigail peppered J.J. with questions, including whether he and Paige were back together. J.J. refused to discuss it other than to say he had never wanted anything more in his life. Abigail kissed J.J. on the cheek and hurried out.

Paige explained to J.J. that the reason she'd dropped by without calling first was to tell him that she'd told Cole that she and J.J. were thinking about getting back together, but she also wanted to tell J.J. about her talk with her mother. Paige noted with surprise that her mom hadn't really reacted other than to listen, and J.J. guessed that Eve had been too upset to talk. Paige pointed out that she and her mom had no chance of repairing their relationship if they weren't honest with one another. After Paige and J.J. kissed, she admitted that she'd really missed doing that. They agreed to get together again after Paige was finished babysitting for Parker.

Eve was on a park bench, listening to music through her earbuds with her eyes closed. When Jennifer plopped down on the bench and Eve didn't react or even open her eyes, Jennifer rudely yanked out one of the earbuds so the women could talk about their children. Although Eve was more than a little annoyed, Jennifer began by announcing brightly, "J.J. and Paige got back together last night!" Eve maintained that Paige was only considering it, but Eve guessed that Jennifer wanted her to keep her mouth shut and continue lying to Paige.

"You've been lying since the first time you took my son into your bed," Jennifer pointed out. She emphasized that she would tell Paige the truth if Eve didn't keep her word that she would not to interfere in J.J. and Paige's relationship. Eve imploringly maintained that J.J. was only going to break Paige's heart again, but Jennifer was unmoved. Eve predicted that J.J. and Paige's relationship would be over quickly because J.J. ruined everything he touched.

Eve continued that, instead of taking after Jack, as she'd always believed, J.J. was actually just like Jennifer. Refusing to take the bait, Jennifer declared, "I don't care what you say about me; I don't care what you think about me. All I care is that you keep your mouth shut and you stay away from my son. Do I really need to add, 'or else'?" Jennifer strolled away, leaving Eve fuming under her breath, "Bitch!"

In Jennifer's office at the hospital later, Abigail informed her mom that Paige had shown up at the house earlier. Abigail added that she suspected there was still a lot J.J. hadn't told her about what had happened. Jennifer urged Abigail to give J.J. some space to work things out. When Jennifer mentioned Daniel, Abigail guessed that her mom knew the whole story but agreed not to bug J.J.

In the Salem University student union, J.J. sent his mom a text message after digging unsuccessfully through his backpack. "Hey Mom, left my history notes in your car. Where are you??" the message read. As J.J. was about to leave, Eve showed up and sat in the chair next to him. Eve announced that she needed to see J.J. He warned her, "Not only do I not want to see you, I told my mom that I wouldn't, so go on, okay?"

Eve demanded to know how J.J. had managed to get Paige to buy his "bull." "It wasn't bull; it was the truth. I told her I loved her," J.J. said before noting, "You still want something from me. What the hell is it, Eve?" Jennifer arrived just then with J.J.'s notes and stared with disbelief at her son and Eve.

At Club TBD, Nicole complained that Daniel had been pushing her away, but then he'd gotten jealous when he'd seen her giving her card to a guy. "This is not about some random guy. This is about..." Daniel began, his voice trailing off when he spotted Eric walking in. Eric strolled over and affably greeted the pair, but their response was on the icy side, so Eric headed to the bar to place his coffee order. Abruptly announcing that he needed to be at home with Parker, Daniel got up and left.

A bewildered Nicole chased Daniel outside and reiterated that he was continuing to push her away. Daniel argued that he wasn't going to let her talk him into a relationship when he was clearly still playing "second fiddle" to Eric. Nicole insisted -- again -- that she was over Eric. Daniel maintained that nothing would convince him of that until it was a reality and Nicole truly felt it; then he would be able to feel it, as well.

"Maybe this isn't about Eric. It's about Chloe," Nicole said with sudden realization. She guessed that things hadn't worked out with Daniel and Jennifer because he'd kept her at arm's length to keep Jennifer from hurting him the way Chloe had. Shaking his head incredulously, Daniel stalked off without a word. "Oh, what? You can analyze me, but not vice versa?" Nicole called after him.

Nicole headed back inside and asked Eric, "You know that I've let go of what we had together, right? That I've completely accepted that it's over between us, right?" Eric replied, "I think you have." Nicole asked if he would tell that to Daniel. Eric asserted that Nicole had to show Daniel that she was over Eric by being straightforward and honest -- like Serena. Although irked, Nicole conceded that she should be more straightforward with Daniel, but she warned Eric that Serena was lying to him.

After recounting what Eric had told her about the elephants, Nicole asserted that Serena actually could not have lost her elephant statue, as she'd claimed, because Nicole had seen Serena with two identical elephants -- which meant Serena had lied to Eric. Nicole acknowledged, "It's a really stupid thing to lie about, and we both know that Serena is not a stupid person, but for some reason, she wants you to think that she lost hers."

Eric suggested that Nicole had simply been mistaken about seeing two elephants, but Nicole was certain. "Don't hold her up to me as some paragon of honesty and directness, because there's something about this whole thing that just isn't adding up," Nicole declared. Pointing out that it was all just Nicole's opinion, Eric left. Nicole got out her laptop and opened a search engine. "You know what will happen if you do this. It'll all blow up in your face, just like it always does. Eh, why change now?" Nicole muttered to herself as she typed "Serena Mason" into the online form.

When Paige arrived at Daniel's to babysit Parker, Daniel seemed happy to hear that she and J.J. were starting to work things out. Daniel informed Paige that he'd gotten permission from another doctor for her to observe an endoscopy at the hospital. A grateful Paige admitted that she was sorry for what she'd once thought about Daniel. She explained that she'd once believed he'd been sleeping with her mom. Daniel asked why she'd thought that.

Paige explained that Eve had been really upset after learning she couldn't have the vocal cord surgery. When Paige had gotten home that night, it had been obvious someone had been in her mom's bedroom because a leather jacket, which Paige had thought was Daniel's, had been in the kitchen, and Eve had really not wanted Paige to know who'd been in the bedroom. Daniel assured Paige that it hadn't been him, but Paige had already figured that out. "My mom said [the coat] was not yours, so whoever was in the bedroom just happened to have one just like it," Paige said.

Daniel and Paige shared an awkward laugh over the case of mistaken identity. As Paige headed into the bedroom to say hello to Parker, Daniel wondered who had been at Eve's that night who also had great taste in leather jackets. He suddenly remembered that J.J. had borrowed the jacket prior to that night, and when Daniel had offered the coat to J.J. later, J.J. had flatly refused to take it. Daniel's eyes widened as the truth seemed to dawn on him.

Xander, the man with the accent who had flirted with Nicole at Club TBD earlier, showed up at Serena's hotel room. Xander noted somewhat darkly that it had been a long time. "Not long enough," Serena retorted. Xander declared that they had business to settle right away. When he insinuated that he and Serena had once been intimate, she countered that had been in the past. Serena made it clear she was none too pleased that Xander had sent Navidad to approach Eric and ransack Serena's room.

Moving behind the chair where Serena had sat down and kneading her shoulders, Xander asserted that it had been necessary to ensure she wasn't playing him. Xander's touch clearly made Serena's skin crawl, because she grimaced and dug her nails into the tabletop before extricating herself from his grasp and crossing to the opposite side of the room. She insisted that she had been nothing but honest with him since he'd first told her about the scheme.

Xander was skeptical that Serena had truly been on board for the whole plan, noting, "You were fine smuggling the diamonds out of Africa but had second thoughts about giving them back to me." Serena reminded him that she had waited years after they were no longer connected to hear from him again, as he'd instructed, so he could make sure Interpol wasn't onto them. Xander countered that Serena's story -- that she had only realized she had the wrong elephant when she'd finally gone to get the statue with the diamonds inside out of storage -- strained credulity.

Xander added that Serena's life had been in danger from the moment he'd given her the diamonds, and he'd looked forward to seeing an end to that. "Things could have gone very, very badly for a beautiful woman like you. Sadly, they still could," Xander warned. Serena argued that if she'd intended to double-cross Xander, she would simply have fled with the diamonds instead of letting him know where she was. She insisted that the elephants had simply gotten mixed up when she and Eric had said goodbye in Africa, and she reminded Xander that he'd seen the picture of the elephant on Eric's website.

Serena continued that she'd had to be careful while trying to get the statue back from Eric. Xander taunted her about how difficult it had to have been to get her gullible mark, an ex-priest, back into bed without letting on that she was a liar. "Shut up!" Serena yelled. "Don't ever talk to me like that again!" Xander shouted back, charging toward her menacingly. Lowering his voice to an ominous whisper, Xander warned Serena that there could be no more delays, or she would be very sorry.

With no indication that she feared Xander, Serena stated that she was not stalling. "I don't think it's ever taken you more than an hour to get a man into bed. It's been months. No, I'm sorry. Your time's up," Xander said. Serena acknowledged that it had taken a long time, but she assured Xander that everything was fine. Concluding that Serena had gotten the diamonds back, Xander ordered her to hand them over. "No," Serena refused simply.

Serena declared that she would not return the diamonds until Xander convinced her that Eric would be safe and she would get her promised two hundred thousand dollars. Xander threatened to tear the room apart again, but Serena calmly informed him that the diamonds weren't there. Xander ordered her to take him to the diamonds right that minute. Serena tried to refuse, but Xander charged over to the door and flung it open -- revealing a startled Eric in the hallway.

In the living room of the Kiriakis mansion, Brady and Maggie wondered where Melanie had gone, since she'd just been heading downstairs to see Brady. Maggie reported that Melanie's car was gone, and she'd left Brady's phone on the hall table upstairs. A perplexed Brady tried to call Melanie but got her voicemail. He guessed she had gone to see Theresa. Maggie admitted that she was glad for a moment alone with Brady because she'd been worried about him. Brady agreed that he'd been a little concerned, as well, until he'd learned there had been nothing in his system but the tranquilizer.

Maggie clarified that she wanted to talk about Melanie. She explained that she knew it could be complicated, even risky, when friends became something more. "Especially when one of those friends is an addict," Brady acknowledged. He reassured Maggie that hurting Melanie was the last thing he wanted to do.

Maggie admitted that she'd been a little on edge since Sonny's attack. Brady apologized for not thinking about that when he'd asked her to keep his own attack a secret from Victor, but Brady hadn't been hurt physically. Maggie wondered if that had been intentional, to discredit Brady and make him look bad. Brady said Theresa was at the top of the list of people who hated him, but he really didn't think she'd attacked him. Maggie asked if it could have been Kristen. "It's her style, but she's long gone," Brady pointed out. "We hope," Maggie added.

As Clint was leaving Theresa's apartment, where Theresa was unconscious in the bedroom, he literally ran into Melanie in the hallway and dropped the vials containing Brady and Theresa's blood. While Clint retrieved the vials and stuffed them into his backpack, Melanie asked why had had them. "Guess what. That's none of your business, bitch," Clint declared, adding an ominous warning that Melanie should leave before he lost his temper.

Pushing past Clint into the apartment, Melanie said she wasn't going anywhere until he explained why he had the blood vials. Clint claimed he was a veterinarian and needed to take the blood to the lab because he'd made a house call earlier. Not buying that for a minute, Melanie began calling for Theresa. Clint ordered Melanie to shut up because Theresa was "sleeping it off" after partying too hard the night before. As Clint headed for the door, Melanie tried to grab his backpack so she could inspect its contents.

"You're really getting on my nerves!" Clint growled, just as a groggy Theresa staggered out of the bedroom and asked why Melanie kept showing up. Melanie revealed that she'd seen the text message Theresa had sent to Brady earlier that morning, noting that its content might upset Clint. Theresa tried to attack Melanie but lost her balance, causing Melanie to ask if Theresa were still drunk. Fed up with Melanie's nosiness, Clint manhandled her out the door and slammed it behind her.

"What the hell is going on?" a bemused Theresa asked. Clint apologetically informed Theresa that he had to go, but first he helped her get back in bed. She fell asleep almost instantly. "Thank God. One bitch is gone; the other's passed out. I can finally get the hell out of here," Clint muttered as he grabbed his backpack and headed out.

A little later, Theresa stumbled back into the living room, looking for Clint. When there was a knock at the door, she had to hang onto furniture she passed in order to answer it. "Oh, God, why are you here again?" Theresa demanded tiredly when she found Melanie in the hallway. Theresa said she'd just seen Clint leave. Theresa tried to warn Melanie that Clint would be right back, but Theresa suddenly gagged, clamped her hand over her mouth, and ran for the bathroom. Melanie entered the apartment and found Clint's goodbye note.

Melanie read the note and muttered, "Oh, boy, Clint's not coming back, Theresa -- ever. And lucky me, I have a new patient." She headed down the hall to check on Theresa, who had climbed back into bed. Melanie fetched a glass of water and encouraged Theresa to drink it to rehydrate herself. When she couldn't awaken Theresa, Melanie tried shaking her -- and spotted a needle mark on the inside of Theresa's elbow. "Okay, so Clint took blood from you and Brady. Why?" Melanie wondered aloud.

Paul makes a confession

Thursday, March 26, 2015

by Mike

Eric was surprised to find Xander -- an old friend from the Congo -- in Serena's hotel room. Eric wondered what Xander was doing in Salem. Xander said he'd let Serena answer that question, but she deflected, insisting he could give a much better explanation than she could.

Eric guessed Xander was doing some fundraising, but Xander clarified that those days were over. Xander claimed he was running a small pharmaceutical company -- Randor-Lewis -- and wanted to hire Serena to write an article about one of its latest drugs. After promising to think about Xander's offer, Serena asked him to leave, and he complied after making dinner plans with Eric.

After Xander left, Eric observed that Serena seemed kind of unsettled. Serena admitted she had never really liked Xander as much as Eric had. Serena complained that Xander could be pushy at times, prompting Eric to remind her Xander had once been a fundraiser. Eric hoped Xander's job offer would keep Serena in Salem a while longer. Serena assured Eric it was looking less likely she would have to leave Salem, anyway.

Changing the subject, Eric told Serena about his earlier conversation with Nicole. Serena maintained that Nicole was wrong about the second elephant statue. Serena complained that she might need to file a restraining order because Nicole seemed determined to cause trouble, but Eric thought it would be best for them to try to keep things civil.

"No, damn it! Eric, I don't want you listening to her -- about anything. She's a liar!" Serena insisted. Serena quickly apologized for her outburst and explained that Nicole just had a way of driving her crazy. Eric suggested he and Serena could just forget about Nicole and the business with the elephant statues. Relieved, Serena hugged Eric and assured him she was already feeling better about everything.

Before Nicole could begin investigating Serena online, Marlena entered Club TBD and wondered if Nicole really thought it would be a good idea to go through with the search. Nicole admitted nothing but did suggest that, contrary to popular belief, Serena wasn't actually a saint. For the sake of argument, Marlena allowed for that possibility but reasoned it would be best for Nicole to let Eric discover the truth about Serena on his own.

Marlena had heard Nicole was moving on with Daniel but decided that had to be misinformation because Nicole was clearly still stuck on Eric. Marlena advised Nicole to let Eric go, insisting that doing so would be best for him, best for Daniel, and, most of all, best for Nicole. "Now I know why Eric is hung up on Serena -- she's just like his mother, sugary on the outside and poison on the inside," Nicole muttered after Marlena left. Nicole considered picking up where she had left off before the interruption but realized, to her surprise, that Marlena might have actually given her some good advice.

At Salem University, Eve grabbed J.J.'s arm and snapped that she wanted him to stay away from Paige. As J.J. stood and started to loudly insist that wasn't going to happen, Jennifer intervened and told Eve to take her hands off him immediately. J.J. rushed off after grabbing his notes from Jennifer. Jennifer reminded Eve they'd had a deal. Jennifer warned that if the deal were off, she would call Paige right away and reveal the truth.

Eve was defiant at first but grudgingly admitted defeat when Jennifer started to contact Paige. Jennifer warned that she wouldn't just threaten to call Paige the next time -- she'd just go ahead and do it. Eve promised there wouldn't be a next time, assuring Jennifer she'd never spend time alone with J.J. again. Eve turned to leave just as J.J. returned, and she glared at him in silence for a moment before sidestepping him and walking away.

J.J. explained to Jennifer that his class had been canceled. Jennifer wanted to know exactly what Eve had said to J.J. earlier, so he told her. J.J. feared Eve could blurt out the truth at any moment, but Jennifer assured him that would never happen because Eve had finally realized just what was at stake. Jennifer encouraged J.J. to track Paige down and have some fun with her for the rest of the day.

Jennifer returned to the Horton house and sighed as she picked up a framed photograph of Tom and Alice. Jennifer wished Alice were still around to dish out advice. Jennifer feared she might be doing the wrong thing, and she thought Alice would know exactly how to handle the situation. Meanwhile, Eve returned to her apartment and started trying to formulate a new plan -- a very subtle, foolproof plan -- to get J.J. out of Paige's life without incurring Jennifer's wrath.

In Daniel's apartment, Paige observed that Daniel seemed upset about something. Daniel claimed he was just thinking about a patient. Paige was relieved to hear that, since she had assumed Daniel was upset with her because she had jumped to the wrong conclusion about him and Eve. Daniel assured Paige that wasn't the case, adding that he was sorry she had dealt with such confusion a few months earlier.

Paige admitted it had been a confusing time all around, since J.J. had started acting weird right after she had walked in on her mother with the mystery guy. After letting something slip, Paige went ahead and happily informed Daniel that she and J.J. had recently gotten back together. Paige thanked Daniel for the advice he had given her about not settling, since that had helped her realize she had kind of been using Cole to get over J.J.

Paige and Parker headed off to the park, leaving Daniel alone to try to process everything he had just learned. Daniel soon received an unexpected visit from J.J., who was looking for Paige. After telling J.J. where Paige was, Daniel revealed he had heard about the couple's recent reconciliation. Daniel wondered what had happened to the other girl J.J. had been seeing. J.J. explained that he and Roxanne had broken things off because they had never really been right for each other in the first place. Daniel mused that it was strange that Jennifer and Abigail had been completely convinced J.J. and Roxanne would never get together.

J.J. shrugged and reasoned that, while Jennifer and Abigail had obviously been wrong, it didn't really matter anymore, anyway. Daniel remained silent, so J.J. eventually asked if there was a problem. Daniel stressed that if there were a problem, J.J. could feel free to talk to him about it. Before J.J. could respond, Daniel received a phone call from Nicole, who had been sending him text messages but hadn't gotten any replies. Daniel insisted it wasn't a good time, and he hung up after promising to call Nicole back later.

J.J. tried to excuse himself, but Daniel stopped him. Daniel reiterated that J.J. could feel safe talking to him about anything, promising the conversation would remain confidential, and he wouldn't judge J.J. J.J. maintained that everything was cool, and there was nothing to talk about. Daniel shrugged and somewhat disappointedly told J.J. to take care of himself. "You make it sound like I'm lying or something," J.J. observed.

"J.J., why were you so upset when I offered to give you that leather jacket?" Daniel countered. J.J. stammered that he hadn't been upset -- he just hadn't wanted it. Daniel nodded and once again told J.J. to take care of himself. J.J. hastily retreated from the apartment and contacted Jennifer while waiting for the elevator. "[Daniel] knows. He knows everything," J.J. warned Jennifer.

Cole ran into Paige in the park and assured her he was okay with her decision to get back together with J.J. Cole said he was just glad Paige had been honest with him instead of ignoring his text messages and waiting for him to eventually get the hint. Cole wondered, however, how Paige could be extremely smart and extremely dumb at the same time. Cole insisted Paige deserved better than J.J., who was a known player.

"Paige, he's gonna break your heart. He's gonna cheat on you, he's gonna lie to you, and then he's gonna make you think it was all your fault," Cole warned. Paige insisted that Cole didn't know what he was talking about -- and didn't know J.J., either. "No, Paige, I do. You're the one that doesn't know him," Cole countered before walking away.

Later, while Cole was studying at Salem University, Eve casually greeted him. Cole informed Eve she didn't have to be nice to him anymore, since Paige had dumped him. "Oh, well...hmm. Let's see what we can do about that," Eve replied as she took a seat next to Cole. Meanwhile, J.J. tracked Paige down in the park just as she was handing Parker off to Maggie. J.J. immediately started questioning Paige about what she had told Daniel.

Jennifer went to Daniel's apartment to warn Daniel to stop bothering J.J. "You don't get to tell me what to do -- not about this," Daniel insisted. Jennifer wondered what Daniel was talking about. "Oh, I think you know. In fact, I am sure you know," Daniel replied.

Xander entered Club TBD just as Nicole was about to leave. Xander said he'd been hoping Nicole would still be around, since the club was the only place he knew to look for her. Xander explained that, while he understood Nicole was unavailable at that time, he still wanted to invite her to have dinner with him and some local friends of his -- friends he'd love to introduce her to. Nicole reminded Xander she hadn't even formally been introduced to him yet, so he extended a hand and revealed his first name.

Nicole shook Xander's hand but said she would have to decline his flattering invitation because she was already spoken for. Xander understood and promised not to try to change Nicole's mind every time he saw her. "Although...I have to admit, I really hate it when things don't turn out the way I want them to," Xander added before excusing himself. Nicole stopped Xander and wondered how often things didn't turn out the way he wanted them to. "Ultimately? Never," Xander replied before walking away.

Sonny entered his and Will's apartment, grabbed something, and started to make a hasty retreat. "So this is it? You're just gonna avoid me from now on?" Will asked Sonny as he emerged from their bedroom. Sonny said he hadn't been trying to avoid Will -- he had simply returned home to get something he needed for work. Will pointed out that Sonny had worked at the club the previous night until it had closed, had gotten up and gone to the gym at the crack of dawn that morning, and had then gone straight back to work again. "Just seems like someone's avoiding something," Will concluded.

Will added that he had sent Sonny four text messages but hadn't gotten any responses. Sonny said he wasn't really in the mood to send text messages, since a smiley face wasn't going to fix what was wrong. Will argued that he and Sonny wouldn't be able to fix anything until they started communicating with each other. Sonny promised he'd start talking once he was ready. Confused, Will said he had been under the impression Sonny had returned to Salem because he was ready to talk. Sonny clarified that he had actually returned because of the club.

"Wow. It's good to know where I stand," Will replied, turning away from Sonny. Sonny explained that the club had been suffering lately because of the competition from Edge of the Square. Sonny said he had talked to T while in Phoenix and had realized T was really nervous about the club and his own job security, so returning to Salem had seemed like the best move. Will summarized that Sonny had returned to the club, not him. Sonny asked Will not to twist the situation into something it wasn't, but Will added that Sonny had talked to T while in Phoenix but had sent all his calls to voicemail.

Sonny said he simply hadn't been ready to talk to Will yet. "Yet, or never?" Will wondered. Sonny assured Will that although he had decided to return to Salem because of the club, he had also thought they might be able to start trying, in person, to fix things once he got back. Will was eager to do that -- and confident things could indeed be fixed -- but Sonny feared it might be too soon, since they had started arguing the moment he had returned. Will reminded Sonny they had only argued because of a misunderstanding. Will reached out for Sonny, but Sonny pushed him away. "No, it's still raw, Will. It still hurts too much," Sonny insisted.

"Okay, um...when?" Will wondered. Sonny avoided the question, stating only that he needed to get back to the club. After Sonny left, Will received a visit from T, who was on a break from the club. T wondered if Will realized it was the first time they had been in the same room together since Will had returned from Los Angeles. Will was clearly surprised but tried to claim he had simply been busy with Arianna and his writing.

Unconvinced, T bluntly asked to know what was going on between Will and Sonny. Will avoided the question, wondering if Sonny knew T had gone to visit Will. T shook his head and said he had gone to see Will on his own because he had wanted to know what was going on with Will, since they hadn't connected in months and the recent text messages he had sent Will had been ignored. "I feel like I'm losing my best friend," T admitted.

Will assured T that wasn't the case. T forged ahead, saying he had tried to ask Sonny how Will was doing but had gotten a weird vibe there. T didn't know what was wrong, but he was sure something was. "You're right. And it is all my fault," Will admitted.

Paul entered Club TBD and stood near the bar, staring expectantly at Sonny. Sonny shook his head after glancing around and seeing familiar faces among the patrons, so Paul gestured for Sonny to meet him outside instead. After asking an employee to cover for him for a few minutes, Sonny went outside and insisted Paul shouldn't have visited the club. Paul understood but explained that he had needed to talk to Sonny and had been unable to reach him on the phone. "Look, Will came to see me. Sonny, I think we should talk," Paul added.

Sonny insisted on continuing the conversation elsewhere, so he and Paul went to a secluded section of the town square. Sonny stressed that he couldn't stay long. Paul understood and said he wouldn't even be talking to Sonny if he didn't think it was important to do so. Paul explained that he had been doing some thinking and had started to realize he was probably more responsible for what had happened with Will than he had initially believed -- and he was ready to own that. "We've been through all this, Paul. Unless you somehow made Will have sex with you --" Sonny began, but Paul interrupted him.

"See, but that's the thing, Sonny -- in a way, I did," Paul said.

Melanie starts to figure things out

Friday, March 27, 2015

by ChickenGrrl

At Will and Sonny's apartment, T asked Will what was going on with him and Sonny. Will would only admit that although he and Sonny were about to mark their first anniversary, neither was feeling much like celebrating. T offered to do whatever he could to help. Will admitted that what had happened was his fault, and T deduced that Will had cheated on Sonny. Will maintained that the situation was really complicated but he didn't want to talk about it, though he freely acknowledged that what he'd done had been wrong.

T said despite Sonny's best efforts, he'd been able to tell that Sonny had been very sad. T was optimistic that Will and Sonny would work things out, using Sami and E.J. as an example of a couple who had found their way back to each other after one of them had cheated. Just then, T got a panicked call from Brenda at the club, who reported that she had a huge line of people waiting for coffee because the espresso machine had broken. She explained that she was by herself because T was on break and Sonny had left.

T was surprised that Sonny had left Brenda alone right before one of the club's busiest times of day. "If Paul Narita came to see me, I'd leave, too. Of course, I'm not exactly my type," Brenda said. "He left with Paul Narita?" T asked, to Will's dismay. T hung up after promising Brenda that he'd be right there. When T saw how freaked out Will was that Sonny had left with Paul, he guessed that Paul was the guy with whom Will had cheated. Will confirmed that but informed T that Paul was also in love with Sonny. "I told you it's complicated!" Will pointed out, hastily pulling on his jacket and hurrying out ahead of T.

In the park outside Horton Square, Paul maintained that he'd been more responsible than he'd realized for what had happened between him and Will. A skeptical Sonny asked what Will had said to make Paul feel that way. Paul reluctantly revealed what Will had asked: "Why would Sonny want me if he could have you?" Sonny insisted that was ridiculous because he didn't care that Paul had been a famous athlete. Paul assured Sonny that he knew that.

Paul explained that he'd played baseball for the love of the game, not for fame and fortune, although the celebrity had been nice because it meant people had treated him differently. But he had learned to turn on the charm to get what he wanted -- and he had used it to get Will into bed. Sonny argued that Will was married but had still made a choice to have sex with Paul. Paul contended that Will had looked at him the same way a million women had over the years, and Paul had intentionally taken advantage of that.

Paul urged Sonny to give Will a break, but Sonny sarcastically expressed his disbelief that Will hadn't been able to resist Paul's famous charms. Paul pointed out that his celebrity was part of what had attracted Sonny in the first place and the main reason they'd ended up making out at a party half an hour after they'd met. Sonny insisted he hadn't had any idea who Paul was when they'd first met. Paul was dubious, but Sonny pointed out that baseball wasn't very popular in Dubai.

"So you thought the only reason I'd hook up with you is 'cause you're famous? Do you know how insulting that is?" Sonny asked incredulously. "You never told me that you didn't know who I was," Paul said. Sonny admitted that he'd felt like an idiot when he'd found out, but he had never cared about Paul's status as a baseball player. Paul confessed that he'd always thought his celebrity and wealth were part of the reason Sonny had proposed. "You didn't think very much of me, did you?" Sonny remarked, his disappointment apparent.

Paul clarified that after years of listening to his fans, his staff, and his PR people telling him how great he was, he'd started to believe that was all anyone else saw, especially since it was all he could see. "Well, I didn't give a damn if you could pitch or not. I didn't care how much money you made. I asked you to marry me because I loved you with all of my heart, and I couldn't imagine my life without you," Sonny said. Just then, Will showed up. "You son of a bitch," he snarled at Paul.

In the park, Paige told J.J. that she'd told Daniel that she and J.J. were trying to work things out. J.J. asked if that had been all they'd talked about, and Paige admitted they had also discussed a misunderstanding about her mom. J.J. observed that Paige seemed cold, so they headed for his house.

At the Horton house, Paige confided that she was glad she'd gotten a fresh start with both J.J. and her mom. A curious J.J. asked if that had been what Paige had been talking to Daniel about. Paige explained that she'd told Daniel about her mom hooking up with a guy the previous November, after Eve had gotten the bad news about her surgery, and Paige had suspected that it had been Daniel because she'd seen his jacket had been in the kitchen. Paige continued that she'd mentioned it to Daniel because she'd felt bad for thinking he could have taken advantage of her mom at such a vulnerable time.

"Apparently, it was some other guy who just happened to have the same coat," Paige concluded with a chuckle. J.J. looked like he might throw up. Paige noticed and asked if he were okay, and J.J. quickly covered. He asked how Daniel had reacted, and Paige said that although Daniel had been understanding, he'd also seemed a little upset. Paige had to leave because Daniel had arranged for her to observe surgery that afternoon, but J.J. confirmed that they still had a date to see a movie later.

Nicole ran into Brady in Horton Square and asked with concern if he were all right after his attack. Theresa overheard and echoed Nicole's question. Nicole and Brady's expressions registered alarm when they saw how sickly and disheveled Theresa appeared. Nicole tried to convince Theresa to get lost, and the exchange between the women quickly grew heated. Brady broke it up and asked Nicole if he could speak privately with Theresa. Nicole grudgingly left the two alone.

Noting Theresa's appearance, Brady asked if she were all right. Holding up a green shake of some sort that she maintained was a sure-fire hangover cure, Theresa claimed she had just partied too hard with her boyfriend. She complained about how Melanie had shown up at Theresa's apartment the night before and blamed Theresa for Brady's night in the hospital. Brady assured Theresa that he knew she hadn't had anything to do with his attack and that he was all right.

Brady seemed surprised when Theresa mentioned Melanie visiting another time. Theresa said Melanie had also stopped to see her that morning, and Theresa guessed it had something to do with the text message she'd sent Brady. Brady had no idea what Theresa was talking about. Pleased presumably because she believed she'd made Melanie jealous, Theresa theorized that Melanie had deleted it before Brady had seen it. Brady mumbled an excuse and hurried off, leaving Theresa grinning.

As Eve practically shoved Cole through the door into her apartment, he grumbled that he didn't understand what she wanted from him. Eve offered to help Cole if he were still interested in dating her daughter. "Because anyone, even you, is better for Paige than J.J. Deveraux," Eve explained, and Cole scowled. Eve warned Cole that no one could find out they were working together, especially not Paige. Cole assured Eve that she could trust him, explaining, "Who would I tell that Paige's mom had to help me get a date with her?"

Eve wondered why Cole was interested in Paige. Cole explained that although Paige was smart and didn't judge people, although that was how she'd ended up with J.J. Cole vowed to treat Paige far better than J.J. ever had, and Eve said she would think about that. Annoyed, Cole demanded to know why Eve had dragged him back to her apartment if she still had to think about it. Eve maintained that she had to think of a plan, and when she did, she would contact Cole. Cole left in a huff.

Theresa stopped by to visit her sister and announced that she was having an "unexpectedly terrific" day so far. Although Eve was completely uninterested, Theresa babbled on about Brady ending up in the hospital, Melanie blaming Theresa, Melanie's visits to Theresa's apartment, and the apparently deleted text message. Theresa wound down her story with, "Melanie is clearly jealous of me, which means I am finally winning!" Eve remarked somewhat unkindly that she had more important things to do than listen to her little sister blather on about her rivalry with Daniel's daughter.

"You play dirtier than her, sweetheart, so of course you're winning. Game over. Big deal," Eve pointed out. The wind knocked out of her sails, Theresa got up and headed for the door, mumbling that Clint was probably waiting for her at home, anyway. Eve was surprised that Theresa was back together with "that loser," but Theresa snapped that Eve was just jealous. "You know what, Eve? It would be so nice if you would just be a little bit happy for me, for once, but I guess that is just too much to ask," Theresa complained, slamming the door as she left.

Eve had just grabbed her purse to leave when Paige walked in. Eve said she was just on her way to try to smooth things over with Theresa, but she added eagerly that she would much rather visit with Paige. Paige explained that she couldn't stay because she was on her way to her internship. "I just wanted to let you know that J.J. and I are definitely back together. We even have a date tonight," Paige said. Trying to hide her disappointment, Eve said she wouldn't stand in her daughter's way if that were what Paige wanted. Relieved, Paige hugged her mom.

Back at her apartment, Theresa tried to call Clint but got his voicemail. She left him a message asking where he was and telling him that she missed him. Just then, Theresa spotted the note Clint had left and read it aloud, "Sorry, baby, you were really wiped out, and I had to split. It was fun while it lasted, but all good things must come to an end." Beginning to weep angry tears, Theresa cried, "What the hell? How could he do this to me again?"

At Daniel's apartment, Jennifer pretended not to know what Daniel was talking about. "You don't have to play games anymore. I know the truth about J.J. and Eve," Daniel revealed. Jennifer maintained that, whatever Daniel thought he knew, it was none of his business. Jennifer squirmed uncomfortably as Daniel related the story of the mix-up with the leather jacket. Jennifer urged Daniel to let it go. Daniel warned Jennifer that she wasn't doing J.J. any favors by keeping the truth from Paige if Paige and J.J. were, indeed, getting back together.

Jennifer angrily demanded that Daniel back off, but he reminded her that she'd involved him by asking him to find out what had been going on with J.J. "I care so much about you and your family," Daniel declared, urging Jennifer not to shut him out when he was only trying to help. A distressed Jennifer asserted that Daniel was wrong about everything and headed for the door. As Jennifer opened the door, she found Nicole in the hallway, her arm raised to knock and a huge smile on her face, which fell the instant she saw Jennifer.

Nicole and Jennifer both glared at Daniel, who maintained that it wasn't a good time. Grabbing Nicole's arm and pulling her into the apartment, Jennifer declared, "Nicole, come on in because I was just leaving." Daniel maintained that he and Jennifer weren't finished with their conversation yet. Nicole protested, "Jennifer seems to think so. Is she the reason you didn't call me back?" Daniel escorted Nicole out and practically slammed the door in her face.

"Seriously?" Nicole hissed indignantly, but instead of leaving, she stuck around to listen through the door. Nicole heard Jennifer stressing to Daniel that they couldn't change the choices they'd made and reminding him that they were both moving forward with their separate lives, which she thought he'd accepted. She urged Daniel to let her and her family get on with their lives without his interference.

In the hallway, Nicole wondered, "Oh, my God. Is Daniel trying to get back together with her?" Daniel argued that he cared too much about Jennifer and her family to stay out of it. Fed up, Jennifer announced that she was leaving, so Nicole quickly ducked out of sight. As soon as Jennifer was down the hall, Nicole stomped into Daniel's apartment and demanded, "Are you trying to get back together with Jennifer?" A furious Daniel couldn't believe that Nicole had been eavesdropping.

"You don't answer my phone calls or my texts, you slam the door in my face, and I'm not supposed to wonder what the hell is going on here?" Nicole demanded angrily. Daniel got an urgent text message from the hospital just then and had to leave, which only made Nicole angrier. She charged out the door after him.

J.J. was pacing in the living room like a caged animal when Jennifer got home. "Mom, Daniel knows the truth. I'm sure of it now," J.J. said. Jennifer agreed, since she had just gone to talk to Daniel. "Oh, my God. What are we going to do?" J.J. asked.

Melanie was leaning against the counter at the nurses' station, trying to figure out why Clint would have taken blood from both Brady and Theresa, when Maxine pointed out that Melanie's shift was over. Declaring that she was glad Maxine was back from vacation, Melanie asked the elder nurse for some advice. As the two women entered the break room, Melanie tried to swear Maxine to secrecy. That only worried Maxine, who demanded to know what was going on.

"I think something strange is going on with someone that I know, but I don't have any proof about it, and I'm worried that if I keep digging that I'm going to cause problems with this person, and they already are not my biggest fan," Melanie explained vaguely. Maxine guessed right away that Melanie was talking about Theresa Donovan and cautioned Melanie to steer clear of Theresa. Maxine pointed out that Theresa's initials stood for "trouble and drama."

Melanie fretted that Theresa's "bad news" boyfriend could hurt Theresa, but Maxine asserted that it was not Melanie's problem. Melanie said she would ordinarily agree, but it seemed Theresa and the boyfriend had dragged Brady into it. Maxine asked if Melanie suspected the boyfriend had committed a crime, and Melanie admitted that she had no proof.

Maxine wanted to know if Melanie had discussed any of it with Brady. Melanie said she'd promised Brady that she'd leave Theresa alone -- and had until the latest events. Maxine suggested that Brady deserved to know what was going on, especially if it were something that affected him. Melanie agreed, adding that she didn't want to lie to Brady, even if it turned out to be nothing.

Later, Nicole met Daniel as he got off the elevator at the hospital. "We are not finished talking!" Nicole insisted. Daniel cautioned her that she didn't want to talk to him until he'd cooled down. Just then, Maxine appeared to escort Daniel to where he was needed. All Nicole could do was let out an exasperated sigh.

Melanie went to the Kiriakis mansion to talk to Brady. Brady acknowledged that he already knew Melanie had been to see Theresa right after Melanie had agreed to stay away. Melanie insisted that she'd only gone over there after Theresa had sent the text because she hadn't wanted Theresa bothering Brady when he'd just gotten out of the hospital. Brady said he thought Melanie understood that engaging with Theresa only made things worse. Upset, Melanie contended that Theresa acted out because she was still in love with Brady.

Brady reminded Melanie that he and Theresa had been through a lot, especially when Kristen had returned, and he had realized that he'd used Theresa to avoid Kristen. "I slept with her when I knew it was a mistake more than once, and it wasn't fair to her at all," Brady added. He recounted how Theresa had thought she'd been pregnant because of the positive pregnancy test. The pieces suddenly began falling into place for Melanie, who recalled that Dr. Mandrake was a fertility doctor. "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed, dropping the glass in her hand.