Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of May 28, 2018 on DAYS

Gabi's attacker was murdered, and she was blamed. Eve gave up Brady. The sanitarium announced it would release Ben. Laura invited Abigail to go to Boston for treatment. Stefan offered Kayla a deal. Ciara broke up with Tripp because she could not tell him about Chase. Theo dumped Claire, and Claire kissed a wounded Tripp. Chloe killed Mateo. Chloe confronted Theresa, and Brady asked Theresa to move out.

DAYS was preeempted for Memorial Day

Monday, May 28, 2018

by Soap Central

Due to the Memorial Day holiday, Days of our Lives did not air. This was a planned preemption and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the preemption. Regular programming resumed on Tuesday, May 29, and picked up where the Friday, May 25 episode concluded.

John fights Mateo

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

by Spalding

As Theresa confronted Eve in her apartment, Brady knocked on the door. Brady informed his paramours that he had made a decision. "I truly believe that I've come to the right conclusion," Brady said. Brady told Eve that he knew he could move forward with her. Brady then turned to Theresa and told her that Theresa would always have a place in his life. Brady stressed that his decision was based on what was best for his son.

"Before this goes any further, you both need to hear what I have to say," Eve said. Eve said she wanted to step aside. Confused, Brady asked Eve why she had changed her mind. Eve said she wanted Tate to be with his mother and his family. Eve said she did not want to shuttle Tate between two homes. "Your needs are important," Brady countered. Eve thanked Brady, but she offered that Tate was more important than all of them.

"The truth is that if Theresa had not left, then we would never have been together," Eve whispered. With tears welling in his eyes, Brady stood there speechless. Theresa hugged Eve and thanked her for her decision. Theresa suggested that she and Brady should leave Eve alone, but Brady refused. Brady asked Theresa to head home so that he could talk to Eve privately. After thanking Eve again, Theresa left.

"Are you sure about this?" Brady asked. Eve said she was certain. Suspicious, Brady asked Eve if Theresa has said something to force Eve's decision. "My decision, it had nothing to do with anything that Theresa said to me, and of course she made it very clear that she was not going to give you up. I mean why should she? I wouldn't if I was in her shoes," Eve said. Eve added that it did not matter what Brady's decision had been because her choice was final.

"I told you I wasn't going to hurt you again, and look what I'm doing," Brady said sadly. Eve told Brady that he did not need to apologize to her because he had not hurt her intentionally. With a shrug, Eve said she did not think Theresa should be punished for an act of bravery. "She put you and Tate first. She put you and Tate before herself. And that's honorable. That's loving and loyal in the most profound way. And I am going to try to emulate that. Is it a sacrifice? Yeah, because I have to give you up and our future together," Eve said.

"I hate leaving you like this," Brady whispered. "I'd be a little insulted if this were easy for you," Eve joked. Eve reminded Brady that she was used to being alone. With tears in her eyes, Eve asked Brady to leave. As Brady turned to leave, Eve stopped him in order to return her engagement ring. Brady wanted Eve to keep it, but she shook her head no. Brady said he wanted to tell her what his decision had been, but Eve said, "Stop. I don't want to know."

In the Kiriakis living room, Victor assured Sonny that he was proud of how Sonny had handled the recent acquisition for the company. Smiling, Victor said he was reassured that Sonny was the right choice to head the company. "I think you're going to feel differently when you hear what I have to say," Sonny said sadly. Sonny told Victor about Leo's shakedown. Victor was furious.

"You're not a very good judge of character are you? First Will Horton, now this," Victor grumbled. Sonny apologized profusely. Victor argued that Sonny's careless decisions showed that he should not run the company. "You're fired. Effective immediately," Victor said. Sonny's phone beeped. Victor called Sonny naive. With a grunt, Victor said he needed to call a board meeting. Sonny went into the foyer and saw that the text message on his phone was from Will.

When Theresa returned home, Victor was pleasantly surprised to hear that Eve had given up Brady. Victor asked Theresa why she did not appear happy. Victor asked Theresa what else was going on. Theresa admitted that she had information about Chloe. Confused, Victor demanded an explanation. Theresa told Victor that El Fideo had taken Chloe, and she was Theresa's replacement in Mexico. Theresa added that El Fideo had threatened to kill her family if anyone returned for Chloe.

"Chloe made her bed a long time ago. As far as I'm concerned, that bitch is getting exactly what she deserves," Victor groused. "No one deserves Mateo!" Theresa said. Theresa confided that she was worried that she would lose Brady if he learned the truth about Chloe. Victor said Brady would never hear the truth from him. "The truth about what?" Brady asked as he walked into the living room.

"Theresa was just telling me about Eve. She was asking me to keep my glee in check," Victor lied. Victor said he was pleased by the conclusion. Brady stressed that there should not be any more secrets in their house. Victor asked for privacy to take a phone call, so Brady and Theresa stepped into the foyer. Theresa asked about Eve. Brady said he and Eve were both upset. Theresa suggested that they go upstairs and spend time with Tate.

At Will's apartment, Will spent time with Arianna. After face painting and games, Will and Arianna talked about getting ice cream. Lucas knocked on the door. Lucas hugged his granddaughter as Will asked about Chloe. Lucas shook his head no. Lucas asked Will if they could talk privately. Will asked Arianna to pack up their board game then he and Lucas stepped outside into the hall. Lucas informed Will that Gabi would officially be going home. Lucas wanted to tell Arianna, but Will asked Lucas to wait for Sonny. Lucas agreed.

When Sonny arrived at Will's apartment, Arianna was painting cat whiskers on Lucas' face. Will thanked Sonny for rushing over then they told Arianna that her mother would be home in the morning. Arianna jumped up and down with joy. To celebrate, Arianna painted Sonny's face like a bunny. Will asked Lucas to take Arianna downstairs for ice cream. After the two left, Will asked Sonny if he was okay. Sonny said that Leo was living in an alternative universe and was a "money-grubbing opportunist."

Will asked Sonny if he could reason with Leo, but Sonny said the damage had been done. When Will asked about damage control, Sonny explained that Victor had fired him from Titan. Will placed his hand on Sonny's and said he was sorry. Startled by the gesture, Sonny looked at Will's hand, then in his eyes. Lucas returned with Arianna, and Sonny pulled away. Will thanked Lucas for his help and asked him for an update about Chloe as soon as he learned any news.

In the prison infirmary, Gabi thanked God aloud for her release. "I wouldn't be counting my blessings just yet, sweetheart," Dianne said from the doorway. Gabi warned Dianne that she would be caught, but Dianne said she was confident that the guard would be on break long enough for her to get her revenge on Gabi. Dianne accused Rafe of helping Gabi skate out of prison. Gabi begged Dianne to let her go home to her daughter. "Not until I get my revenge," Dianne said.

"You're going to be leaving, all right. In a body bag," Dianne growled. Dianne crawled on top of Gabi's bed and pinned her down. Defiant, Gabi fought back. Dianne regained the upper hand then choked Gabi into unconsciousness. When Gabi woke up on the floor of the infirmary, she saw Dianne lying on the floor next to her with a needle in her neck. Gabi gasped in shock.

In Mexico, Paul and John broke into El Fideo's compound. In Chloe's room, they found blood on the wall, but no Chloe. As John turned toward the doorway, Mateo entered with his gun leveled at John. Two henchmen rushed into the room and circled Paul and John. "Drop your weapons or die," Mateo threatened. John and Paul complied. Mateo informed the men that an associate had told him about their raid.

"We're not here for you. We're here for the girl," John growled. Mateo refused. John told Mateo that he was an agent with the ISA, and he suggested that the wise move was to let them leave with Chloe. "Chloe is not yours or the ISA's to take. She is mine," Mateo said. Smirking, Mateo told John that out of respect for John's position at the ISA, he would give John the option to decide who to shoot first.

When John appealed on Paul's behalf, Mateo determined that Paul was not an ISA agent. With a grin, Mateo asked John if Paul was related. Paul admitted that he was John's son. John stood between Mateo's gun and Paul. John appealed to Mateo's greed by announcing that he had intel on rival drug lords. Mateo lowered his weapon then reconsidered and pointed it at John's head. With a groan, Mateo crumpled to the ground, stabbed. Behind Mateo, Chloe appeared in the doorway with Miguel's bloody knife.

One of the henchmen pointed his weapon at Chloe, and Paul tackled the man. John fought the second man. Once the henchmen were subdued, they threatened that John and Paul would never find peace because they had killed El Fideo. John urged Paul and Chloe to get ready to move quickly.

After Lucas left Will's apartment, Will apologized to Sonny for his unfair situation. Sonny thanked Will for lending him an ear. Smiling, Will reminded Sonny that they were family. Will's phone rang with a call from Paul. "I'm great now that I'm hearing your voice," Paul said. Paul explained that he and John had found Chloe and that they were on their way home. Will said he was relieved to know Paul was safe.

"I missed you so much. I can't wait to see you," Will said with a big grin. Behind him, Sonny appeared to be upset by the reminder that Will had moved on. In the square, Lucas answered a phone call from Chloe. Fighting tears, Chloe told Lucas that she was safe. Relieved, Lucas said he was happy to know Chloe would be returning home.

"I owe you everything. If you hadn't realized that something was wrong," Chloe trailed off, pushing off the unthinkable. Lucas begged Chloe to return home as soon as possible. "I'm coming home. I'm coming home to you," Chloe yelled with joy.

Stefan offers Kayla a deal

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

by Mike

At Statesville, Rafe sent Chad a text message about Gabi's imminent release then followed the warden into the infirmary -- and gasped in shock as a grisly scene shifted into focus.

The warden quickly concluded that Gabi had killed Diane as an act of retribution. Horrified, Gabi fretted to Rafe that, once again, she was being blamed for a crime she hadn't actually committed.

Rafe assured Gabi that there was a security camera perched outside the entrance to the infirmary that would likely prove that someone else had been in the area at the time of Diane's death. The warden promised to review the surveillance footage but seemed confident that doing so would be a complete waste of time.

"You know, this is all your fault!" Gabi told the warden, adding that a guard should have been watching the infirmary at all times. "Say that again -- I dare you," the warden countered. "No, no -- she's done," Rafe assured the warden. "You can say that again, too," the warden joked before storming off.

At the Salem Police Station, Hope enjoyed a coffee break with Marlena, who had been concerned about Hope since the day that Claire had gone to visit Theo. "You took off so quickly [after Claire brought up Rafe]. I was afraid you were upset," Marlena told Hope. Nodding, Hope admitted that it was still hard to forget about what Rafe had done. "But I am most definitely not ready to give up [on him, so]...for now, the annulment papers [are] off the table," Hope hesitantly added. "[You know], I'm trying to get past [his betrayal], and I want to, [but]...I just really don't know if I ever really will," Hope concluded, sighing.

Hope soon received a phone call. After a brief conversation, Hope ended the call and incredulously informed Marlena, "Ben Weston -- he could be up for release [soon]. Apparently, he had some kind of a 'breakthrough' with a psychiatrist who has [consequently] deemed him sane. Now, either that doctor is a total quack, or Clyde is working some scheme...but either way, Ben Weston is a deranged monster who should never be set free."

Hope expected Marlena to agree without hesitation, but Marlena reminded Hope, "I can see how you, [as a cop], might feel that some remorseless thug or some repeat offender might not be a candidate for rehabilitation, but as a doctor, I see a difference between a criminal and a person who commits a crime because they're mentally ill -- [and one such] case in point is Abigail."

Hope couldn't believe that Marlena was comparing Abigail to Ben, of all people. Marlena pointed out that Abigail and Ben had both committed crimes as a result of mental illness. "[But Ben] is a serial killer!" Hope countered. "And there is no way in hell [that] this sudden recovery of his is legit! [I mean], in addition to being extremely dangerous, he's incredibly resourceful; [after all], he managed to break himself out of the psych ward, undetected, to stop the double wedding! Now, if he could do that, he is more than capable of snowing a shrink into believing that he's sane!" Hope continued.

Allowing for that possibility, Marlena decided to personally evaluate Ben to get a clearer sense of what was going on. "Are you sure [that's] something that you should be doing?" Hope asked, concerned. "[It's] something that I have to do -- for all of his victims," Marlena insisted, adding that if Ben really was faking the so-called breakthrough, she would file an objection to his release.

At Doug's Place, Chad and Abigail shared a dessert and chatted about Rafe's earlier text message. Abigail wanted to throw a party to celebrate Gabi's release from prison but knew that wouldn't be appropriate.

Jennifer soon entered the club -- with Laura, who had been approved to oversee Abigail's court-mandated therapy sessions. Chad still hated the idea of being separated from Abigail during the rehabilitation process but took comfort in knowing that Abigail would only be staying at Laura's place in Boston for a few weeks. Abigail, meanwhile, was relieved to know that Laura, not a complete stranger, was going to be handling everything.

Chad soon left the club so Abigail could have some time alone with Laura and Jennifer. Abigail admitted to Laura that it was hard not to feel guilty about the things that Dr. Laura -- and especially Gabby -- had done, including sleeping with Stefan. Nodding, Laura stressed, "I know exactly how you feel from my own battle with mental illness. [I mean], the part I regret the most was the pain that I inflicted on my children."

Jennifer admitted that having a mentally ill mother hadn't always been easy. She was quick to add, however, that the hard part had been dealing with how it had affected her mother, not how it had affected her.

"[I hated] watching you suffer, and that's why I became so fearful that [the same thing] would happen to me one day," Jennifer told Laura. Chuckling mirthlessly, Abigail interjected, "Well, lucky for you, it skipped a generation." Jennifer made it clear that if she could have voluntarily taken on the challenge of living with a mental illness to spare one of her children from the same fate, she would have gladly done so.

Abigail feared that, on some level, there was a lingering attraction to Stefan that could cause problems in the future. Laura wasn't concerned, reasoning that Abigail's love for Chad had proven to be stronger than Gabby's love for Stefan, and that was why Gabby was no longer in control of Abigail's body. Laura promised to help Abigail fully integrate Gabby and Dr. Laura so neither alter would ever be able to emerge again.

At the Brady Pub, Kate took a seat at Steve's table and admitted, "I was surprised to get your text. Can't imagine what you'd want to talk to me about."

Steve, who was only dealing with Kate to avoid taking Chad away from Abigail for even a few minutes, explained that one of DiMera Enterprises' companies was developing a bionic eye. "I know it might be a long shot, but it's probably the only shot I have of ever seeing again, so...how do I sign up?" Steve asked. "Sorry -- I can't help you, and neither can Chad," Kate replied.

Steve was aware that Kate had been fired from DiMera Enterprises and that Chad had quit working there. "Still, I thought maybe there was something you could do -- [maybe] pull some strings..." Steve explained. "Why don't you talk to Stefan yourself?" Kate suggested. "I would rather stay blind for the rest of my life than owe that son of a bitch anything," Steve insisted.

"Well, [you were willing] to talk to me, [so you must be] pretty desperate to get your sight back," Kate mused. "I've survived this long with one eye. I'll manage [with none]," Steve dismissively replied, still unwilling to ask Stefan for help. Kate admitted with a sigh that Stefan probably wasn't going to be leaving DiMera Enterprises -- or Salem, for that matter -- anytime soon.

"[See], Stefan is determined to settle scores," Kate continued. "I don't follow," Steve admitted. "Dear, departed Vivian -- the woman only a son could love? [Well, he did, so] now he's coming after me," Kate clarified.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan received an unexpected visitor -- Kayla. "What do you want?" he tiredly demanded to know. "As sick as I am to admit it...I need your help," she replied.

"Let me get this straight -- just days ago, I was lying in a hospital bed, and you referred to me as 'sick' [and] 'twisted' [and said] that I should go straight to hell for what happened to Abigail...but now you want me to help you?" Stefan asked incredulously, delighting in watching Kayla squirm. "Believe me, I don't want to be here...but there is nothing that I wouldn't do for the man I love," she stressed.

Kayla warned that if Stefan tried to sell the bionic eye technology to the United States government, the deal -- and, consequently, the profits -- would be tied up in legal red tape for years. "However, if, um, my hospital [were to] acquire the technology, you could -- you could be paid right away, [because] we recently received a very generous financial gift, and the funds haven't been allocated yet," she continued.

Stefan doubted that the generous financial gift that Kayla was referring to was in the neighborhood of eight zeroes, which was where it would have to be in order for him to even consider her offer. "Well, maybe the deal could be paid off in another way. [I mean], since we are being straight with each other, you are one of the most reviled men in Salem, and my husband is one of the most beloved, so if you were to make a philanthropic move that would benefit [him], I think [that] would go a long way toward your redemption. [Trust me] -- if word gets out that you passed up a major payday to help Steve, [then you'll] go from pariah to hero overnight," she suggested.

"I didn't get to where I am today [by] worrying about what other people think of me," Stefan dismissively replied. Kayla guessed that Stefan at least cared about Abigail's opinion. Scoffing, Stefan doubted that one good deed would be enough to fix things with Abigail. "[And] it hurts me that Abigail hates me, [because] I never meant her any harm," Stefan stressed. Kayla challenged Stefan to do something to prove that was true.

Stefan gave the matter some thought then told Kayla, "I'll give you everything that we have on the bionic eye...[but only if] you help me destroy Kate Roberts. [Just] give me something that I can use against [her], and I'll give you something that you can use to help your husband." Kayla's reaction gave Stefan the sense that she already knew something that could be of use to him. "Come on -- tell me what it is," Stefan curiously urged Kayla.

Meanwhile, Kayla's cell phone rang. "I need to take this," Kayla evasively informed Stefan before stepping aside to answer the call. "Hey, Sweetness. I just talked to Kate about Visionary Bionics, [and] it's a no-go [because] she and Chad are out at DiMera. [And] she said that I should talk to Stefan [instead, but] I told her no way -- [you know], because of what he did to Abigail," Steve told Kayla, who promised to meet him at the pub soon.

"You do this right now, [and] we both walk away very happy," Stefan continued after Kayla ended the call. "Even if I knew anything about Kate, I wouldn't tell you," Kayla replied. "What happened to the [declarations of] 'I'd do anything for the man I love'?" Stefan countered. Kayla remained silent as Stefan reached for a business card. "In case you change your mind. Call me anytime," Stefan said while handing the card to Kayla.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Kate spotted Chad, who was sitting alone at a table, drinking a glass of whiskey. Chad told Kate about Laura's plan to treat Abigail in Boston. "After the bang-up job [Laura] did last time, I wouldn't expect too much," Kate warned. Unamused, Chad guessed that Kate was still upset with Abigail for the things Abigail had done to Kate as Gabby and Dr. Laura. Kate insisted that wasn't the case.

"[And] if I was upset, I'd [just] be upset [about] what she did to you. I mean, she slept with the enemy -- literally," Kate continued. Kate took the glass of whiskey as confirmation that Chad was upset about that, too. "Yeah, it's killing me," Chad admitted with a sigh. "I mean, it wasn't just seeing my wife [with another man]; it was the [contemptuous] way she talked to me -- [like] she enjoyed rubbing it in, [like] she was doing it to hurt me. And I know that it wasn't really her, but then Gabi said [that] maybe, in Abby's subconscious, she was doing it [to] get back at us for being together," Chad continued, adding that Gabi might be right.

Kate insisted that Chad had no reason to feel guilty about what had happened with Gabi, since Abigail had been presumed dead back then. Nodding, Chad hoped that the past could soon be put in the past -- for good.

At the Brady Pub, Kayla admitted that Steve's decision to reach out to Kate was somewhat surprising. Nodding in agreement, Steve mused, "Guess it just shows how bad I want to see again."

"What Stefan did to Abigail was unconscionable, but maybe --" Kayla began. Interrupting, Steve insisted, "I'm not asking Stefan. [And besides], even if I did, you think that bastard would help me?"

Kate, alone in the town square, received a phone call from Stefan, who wondered if she was enjoying her freedom after having been let off the hook for his mother's death. "I know that you are desperate to blame me, but the reason [your mother] is dead is because she stuck a loaded gun in my face," Kate insisted. "The police may buy that story, but I sure as hell don't," Stefan countered.

"Time's up, Kate. Ready or not, here I come..." Stefan warned in a singsong voice before ending the call.

Eve and Chloe have an enlightening talk

Thursday, May 31, 2018

by Mike

At the Salem Inn, Ciara received a phone call from Tripp -- and promptly sent it to voicemail.

Eve, who had invited Ciara over so they could finalize their plans for Bella's first photo shoot, couldn't help laughing. "I appreciate your work ethic, [but] you are allowed [to take] a personal call every now and then, you know -- especially from some hot guy who's totally into you," Eve assured Ciara. "At least one of us should be happy, right?" Eve added with a sigh.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Xander entered the living room, wearing only a pair of board shorts, and invited Theresa to take a dip in the pool with him. "I'm not in the mood," she replied, turning away from him with a sigh of annoyance. "Don't know why you're [sitting] around moping; Chloe's the one who's locked up with a murderous drug lord," he pointed out, adding that he wasn't solely to blame for that.

"I wonder what Brady would say if he found out that you left poor, defenseless Chloe to fend for herself while you saved your own hide?" Xander mused, delighting in watching Theresa squirm. "Don't worry -- he won't hear it from me...[but], of course, my silence will require payment... Do you have a pad and pen [handy]? It could be quite a long list..." he continued. "Will you just spit it out already?" she impatiently demanded.

"What the hell's going on here?" Brady asked, joining Xander and Theresa in the living room. Theresa explained that Xander wanted something but was obnoxiously dragging out the request instead of cutting to the chase. "What do you want?" Brady wondered. "A 'thank you' would be nice," Xander told Brady. "Are you serious?" Brady asked incredulously. "It couldn't hurt..." Theresa pointed out, shrugging. Stunned, Brady grudgingly thanked Xander for saving Theresa's life. "You can do better than that," Xander insisted. "Not in this lifetime," Brady countered. "Okay, I'll accept...but only if you put in a good word for me with your grandfather," Xander replied.

Brady was stunned to hear that Xander wanted to be Titan's new CEO -- and expected Brady and Theresa to help make that happen. "[Look, Brady], if you're worried about the kind of job that I'd do, just [convince Victor to] name me temporarily [and] let me prove myself. But there's no way that you can give your undivided attention to Titan right now, [when] you've already got your hands full with Basic Black and Bella -- and, frankly, now that the beloved mother of your child has returned to you, I would've thought you'd want to use every second you have spare to rebuild your family," Xander reasoned before turning to Theresa for backup.

Theresa asked to talk to Brady privately. Once the coast was clear, Theresa advised Brady to pretend to agree to put in a good word for Xander. "I mean, it's not like [Xander will] ever know the truth -- and besides, [even] if you actually talk to Victor, it's gonna fall on deaf ears, [so just tell Xander] that I worked my considerable charms on you, and you spoke to Victor, and Victor said, 'Oh, sorry -- no,'" Theresa reasoned.

Brady curiously noted that Theresa was going to a lot of trouble just to help Xander save face. "Look, [I just] don't see the point in provoking him, okay? [Let's just] let him think that he got what he wanted...and then we can forget that he ever existed," Theresa maintained. "[And as for] the thing that Xander said about [you] spending time with me and Tate and rebuilding our family...look, I hate to say it, but I think he's right," Theresa continued.

Brady couldn't believe that Theresa was actually trying to convince him to let someone else take over as CEO of Titan. "[I know that] you are more than qualified to do that job, Brady, [but] come on -- running a company [just] doesn't allow you a lot of spare time, and I do think that we should spend every single moment we have together so that we can get back to where we were," she reasoned. Sighing, he conceded that she had a point.

Tripp returned home from work and greeted Ciara, who claimed that she had missed his earlier call because her cell phone had been turned off. She quickly excused herself, claiming that she was hungry. She offered to pick up something for him while she was gone, but he held up a bag to show that he had already grabbed takeout. "You know, you don't have to run off. If you don't want to talk to me, you can just tell me that," he assured her, fairly certain that she had been intentionally ignoring his phone calls. "No, I haven't -- [it's just that] I've been really busy..." she claimed. "Right," he skeptically replied.

Ciara started to exit the apartment but soon decided to have dinner with Tripp instead. He was delighted at first, but when he tried to give her a kiss after they finished eating, she quickly pulled away from him, remembering the rape again. "Everything okay?" he asked. "I'm just thirsty," she claimed before heading toward the kitchen. "Wait," he called out. "These past few days, I've noticed that something's been...wrong...[and] I think I know what it is," he continued. "You do?" she asked, stunned. "Um...you've never, uh...gone...all the way before, have you?" he carefully guessed.

"No -- I mean...yes, I have," Ciara told Tripp. "Then what's the problem?" he asked, confused. "Whatever it is, you can tell me," he stressed when she didn't respond right away.

"Look, maybe I just don't want to have sex with you," Ciara blurted out. "Okay -- not that into me. Message received," Tripp replied with a sigh.

Ciara started to apologize, but Tripp interrupted, insisting that he appreciated her honesty. "So, what do you want?" he asked. "Honestly, I don't know," she admitted, shrugging. "I mean, winning this Bella contest -- I'm gonna be really, really busy with that, [so] I don't know if I'm gonna have time for [anything] serious," she continued, adding that, in any case, getting involved with a roommate was usually a recipe for disaster. Nodding, he assured her that he was okay with taking things slowly, just to be on the safe side. "No, Tripp -- what I'm saying is [that] I don't think we should see each other...at all," she clarified, stunning him.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Will spotted Marlena, who was wrapping up a phone conversation with Bayview Sanitarium's lead administrator. "Everything okay?" Will asked, startling Marlena. "Just a consult," Marlena claimed before quickly changing the subject, asking Will for an update on Rolf's hidden diary entries. "Apparently, Rolf knew [that complete memory loss was a] side effect of the drug [he used to bring me back to life], and he was working on a fix," Will revealed. "[And] apparently, Susan didn't want him to use it on me -- [no] wonder why -- but...from the looks of it, I think he figured it out," Will continued.

"[Which] means I might, you know, have a way to get my memory back...[but], to be honest, I'm not really sure how I feel about that," Will hesitantly concluded. "Because of Paul," Marlena guessed.

At Doug's Place, Lucas reunited with Chloe, who had just returned from Mexico City with John and Paul. "[This El Fideo] -- John and Paul took care of that guy, [right]? They put him away [so] he'll never see the light of day again?" Lucas asked hopefully. "Uh, no, he won't...[because] I killed him," Chloe hesitantly admitted. Lucas was surprised -- but also proud and relieved -- to hear that Chloe had killed Mateo in order to save John and Paul.

Changing the subject, Chloe apologetically informed Lucas, "I'm only here for tonight; I have to go to New York [tomorrow to] see Parker." Lucas understood and protectively volunteered to accompany Chloe. "That's okay, right?" he asked. "It's more than okay," she confirmed, smiling. "Good. [And] tonight's gonna be about [us]," he promised. She liked the sound of that but admitted that she had something to take care of first.

John and Paul spotted Marlena and Will in the town square and excitedly rushed toward them. Marlena took John in her arms and squealed with delight as she spun in place with him a few times, not wanting to let him go. "Well, I don't know if you're [quite] that happy to see me..." Paul began to say to Will. "Oh, you better believe it," Will replied before shutting Paul up with a passionate kiss.

"You hungry? You gotta be starving! You want, like, a steak, or a burger, or...?" Will asked after pulling away from Paul. "No, no -- actually, I would love to just go home and crawl into bed," Paul replied. "That was [gonna be] my next suggestion," Will flirtatiously assured Paul. The couple said a quick goodbye to John and Marlena then rushed off together, leaving John and Marlena feeling like they had missed something.

Once the coast was clear, Marlena hesitantly informed John, "I've got some news for you. [But] I didn't want to say anything, you know, with Will here; I didn't see any reason to upset him unnecessarily... [Anyway], Ben Weston may be released from the sanitarium [soon], and it looks like I might be the only person who can stop that from happening." John found it laughable that anyone would ever even consider the possibility that a serial killer had been successfully rehabilitated and was no longer a threat to society, but Marlena was quick to clarify that, technically, Ben wasn't a serial killer. "[He was found] not guilty by reason of insanity...[and because of that], if his doctors determine that he is [now] sane, [then] the court has no choice but to release him," Marlena explained. Marlena hoped that if Ben was faking his breakthrough, she would be able to see that.

Chloe went to the Salem Inn to see Eve, who was shocked to hear about everything that had happened in Mexico City. "Yeah, it was horrifying, to say the least, but... Eve, I'm sorry... [See], I came here to see you because...I have some bad news...[and] it's about your sister..." Chloe tearfully began. After Chloe finished repeating Mateo's story, Eve clarified that Theresa was still alive and well -- and was actually in Salem at that very moment.

Eve shared Theresa's version of events with Chloe, who couldn't believe that Theresa had never bothered to tell anyone the identity of Mateo's new obsession. "This whole time, I've felt terrible, thinking that she had died [trying to save] my life. [I mean], when I killed Mateo --" Chloe began. Interrupting, Eve asked to hear more about that story. "I didn't have a choice. He was about to murder John and Paul," Chloe explained. "And instead of feeling grateful that I had saved their lives, I felt terrible that I hadn't done it sooner -- that I hadn't saved Theresa!" Chloe continued. "You know, [she] left me a note [that] just said, 'I'm sorry.' I thought she was sorry because she'd somehow failed me, but I guess she was sorry because she left me there -- she left me there to die!" Chloe concluded, outraged. Eve, who was equally outraged, asked Chloe for a big favor.

Meanwhile, back at the town square, John told Marlena about Theresa's death. Confused, Marlena assured John, "Theresa's not dead; she's alive -- [and] she's right here in Salem."

At the Martin mansion, Will told Paul about the sexual harassment lawsuit that Leo had filed against Sonny. "I knew something was off about that guy..." Paul mused with a shake of the head. Will wanted to help Sonny, but Paul doubted that Sonny would be receptive to that idea. "Yeah, you're probably right. It might be a little awkward. But, you know, I think I'm [still] gonna call him tomorrow -- just, you know, to see what he says," Will decided. "Well, that sounds good, because tonight, I just want to crash," Paul replied, settling on Will's bed with a sigh of exhaustion. Chuckling, Will said it was great to have Paul back, safe and sound.

Paul hesitantly admitted that there had nearly been a much different outcome to the rescue operation. "Oh, my God! Paul, if that guy had pulled the trigger --" Will began to fret. Interrupting, Paul reassured Will that everything had worked out in the end. "[Besides], I mean, it's not like I woke up in a morgue..." Paul added. "Not a competition, Paul..." Will dryly replied. Paul laughed and clarified for Will that the point was that they had both survived.

"Yeah, um...speaking of... I -- I made some progress with Rolf's diary, [and] I think I might be able to get my memory back," Will hesitantly revealed. "[I mean], I have no idea how easy or difficult it'll be to recreate the formula -- I mean, most drugs are developed in, like, a state-of-the-art lab in a huge pharmaceutical company -- but, you know, I figure that if I can find a researcher at the university or the hospital, you know, it could be a start," Will continued, sounding excited. Paul took that to mean that Will hadn't found a researcher yet. Will confirmed the suspicion, telling Paul, "I mean, I didn't want to do anything before talking to you first..."

"But, um, now that I have, you know, I think maybe we could get the ball rolling," Will continued. "You haven't, like, come across, like, a chemist or anything in your P.I. work, have you?" Will asked.

"No..." Paul hesitantly replied, still trying to absorb Will's news. "Yeah, I figured it was a long shot...but, you know, luckily, I think my family has some connections at, you know, both -- like, the hospital and --" Will continued, talking at a speed that matched his excitement. Interrupting, Paul clarified, "Will, no -- um...you know, what I'm saying is, uh, maybe...maybe we shouldn't go down this road...at all."

Meanwhile, back at the town square, John promised Marlena that he wouldn't go on another dangerous mission until after their wedding ceremony.

John sealed the deal with a kiss -- just as Marlena received a text message. "It's the sanitarium. I've been given clearance to see Ben," Marlena informed John after checking her cell phone. He started to voice his concern, but she quickly interrupted, reminding him, "This is what I do, remember?" Conceding the point, he gave her another kiss then sighed as he watched her rush off to Bayview.

Lucas was at Doug's Place, preparing a romantic meal for Chloe, when Xander entered the club and wondered why it was so empty. "We're closed," Lucas explained. "Who's the lucky girl?" Xander asked curiously, plucking a card from a bouquet of flowers. "You don't know her," Lucas insisted. "Don't be so sure about that, mate," Xander bragged. "Chloe, I'm so happy you're back where you..." Xander began to read aloud.

"Chloe Lane?" Xander asked incredulously. "Good guess," Lucas irritably replied before going to grab some silverware. "So much for my leverage over Theresa..." Xander grumbled, smashing a flower in frustration.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Theresa kissed Brady and stressed that she wouldn't feel like she was truly back at home until she was sharing a bed with him again. "That's home to me," she continued. "Please take me home," she tearfully begged before giving him another kiss. He responded favorably and started to lead her out of the living room -- just as its doors swung open.

"Eve! We were just..." Brady began, stammering. "No need to explain," Eve insisted. "But before you fall for another one of my sister's lies, you might want to know what really happened down in Mexico," Eve continued, glaring at Theresa. "I brought an eyewitness," Eve concluded before stepping aside. Theresa's jaw dropped as Chloe followed Eve into the living room.

Chloe confronts Theresa

Friday, June 1, 2018

by Spalding

As Theresa and Brady hugged in the Kiriakis living room, Eve marched into the room, followed by a stone-faced Chloe. A relieved Brady rushed over to Chloe to tell her how happy he was to know that she was home safe. A guilty Theresa stood silently as Chloe told Brady that John and Paul had saved her. "No thanks to her," Chloe barked as she looked over at Theresa. Startled, Brady asked Theresa what had happened.

Eve interrupted to explain that Theresa had left Chloe behind in Mexico and had told no one. Worried, Theresa asked Brady to talk privately. Brady demanded that Theresa explain to everyone in the room. "I think that is the only way we're going to find the truth, isn't it?" Brady asked. Theresa told Chloe that she had wanted to rescue Chloe, but Xander had convinced her that it would not be possible. Theresa apologized, but Chloe was livid.

"I thought you were dead, and I cried for you!" Chloe yelled. Theresa said she had not told anyone about Chloe because Mateo had threatened to kill her, Brady, and Tate if she did. "Was it you? Were you the one that told Mateo that John and Paul were coming to rescue me?" Chloe asked with a gasp. Brady asked if John and Paul were okay. Chloe told Brady that Mateo had set a trap for John and Paul and had intended to execute them. Brady remembered that Theresa had been in the room when Marlena had told him that John and Paul were headed to Mexico.

"You called that bastard, didn't you?" Brady asked Theresa. "I'm so sorry," Theresa stammered. "So, it wasn't enough to abandon Chloe in Mexico -- you had to serve up my brother and my father to save your own ass?" Brady asked. "Because she is a selfish little bitch," Eve spat out. Theresa argued that she had made a bad decision out of fear. Brady asked Chloe what had happened.

Chloe said she had killed Mateo in order to save Paul. Overcome with emotion, Chloe ran out of the room. Theresa said she had felt horrible leaving Chloe behind, but she did not regret protecting her family. Eve asked Theresa, "How can you live with yourself?" Brady requested a moment alone with Theresa. Shaking her head, Eve asked Theresa how she had found the nerve to guilt Eve into giving up Brady after what she had done.

"You told me that you came up with that decision on your own," Brady said with concern. Eve explained that Theresa had batted her eyes and cried. Eve warned that Theresa would answer to her if Theresa hurt Brady or Tate. "You will wish that you were back with El Fideo," Eve growled before walking out.

"Who the hell are you?" Brady asked Theresa in disbelief. Theresa said she had hoped she had done the right thing to protect Brady when she had gone to Mexico. "Is this where I applaud the one unselfish thing you've done in your life?" Brady asked.

"I dreamed about the one day that maybe I could hold you and Tate in my arms again. And then the sun came up. Another day with the monster who reminded me of the woman I was before you and Tate loved me, and another day where I had to face reality that I may never see either one of you ever again. And every night, it got harder to put the pieces of my heart back together, so I became selfish again," Theresa said.

"You could have hurt a lot of people. Do you understand that?" Brady asked. Theresa apologized for lying about Chloe, but she added that she did not regret her choice to return home. "What I need is for you to go. I want you out of the house," Brady said. Theresa nodded. Crying, Theresa said, "I will go. But I am taking our son with me."

In the loft, a shocked Tripp asked Ciara why she wanted to break up. Ciara claimed she wanted to focus on her job at Bella. "You and I do not want the same things, Tripp," Ciara yelled. Ciara packed a bag and informed Tripp that she would spend the night at her mother's house. With tears in his eyes, Tripp stopped Ciara. Tripp begged Ciara to talk to him about what was wrong. Ciara pulled her hand away and left.

There was a rattle at the front door, and an emotional Tripp rushed over and yanked it open. Claire was standing in the hallway. "What are you doing here?" Tripp asked sullenly. "That's a hell of a way to welcome me home," Claire grumbled. Tripp asked about Theo. Claire admitted that Theo had dumped her.

"I learned that when you lie to someone you love, it always comes back to bite you," Claire said. Claire explained that Theo had broken up with her when Claire had confessed that she had rigged the contest. "Well, at least you know why you got dumped," Tripp said. Tripp explained that Ciara had dumped him with no explanation. Confused, Claire asked what had happened. Tripp told Claire about his date with Ciara.

"It's like all of a sudden, all she could care about was being the new face of Bella, and she made it very clear that she had no room for a boyfriend in her life," Tripp said. "Wow. I guess I'm not the only selfish bitch in this town," Claire said. Shaking her head, Claire said she did not understand what had changed because Ciara had appeared to be as interested in Tripp as Tripp was interested in Ciara.

"Theo and I would fight before, and I thought this would be like all the other times," Claire lamented. "This time, he could barely look at me," Ciara said sadly. With a sigh, Claire curled up next to Tripp on the couch. When Claire called herself a loser, Tripp said he was a loser, as well. Shaking her head, Claire told Tripp that he had not done anything wrong. Claire argued that she was a terrible person and deserved to be alone.

"Nah. You're not as bad as you think you are," Tripp said with a grin. Tripp added that no one deserved to be alone. Claire grabbed Tripp and kissed him.

In Will's room, Paul told Will that he was concerned about Will's desire to experiment with Rolf's formula. "What if this crazy-ass formula kills you?" Paul asked. Paul said he was concerned about the odds. "You know what I love about you? You take the odds and knock them out of the park," Will said. Paul said he did not like to gamble on Will's life. With a nod, Will said he was unsure whether he wanted to recover his memories or not.

"Do you want your memory back so badly that you'd risk your life?" Paul asked. Will said he wanted the memories of his friends and family so that he could connect with them. "I know there are some hard memories, but I think I have to face those, too," Will said. Paul suggested that the best option was to leave Rolf's formula in the diary, but Will disagreed. Will reasoned that the formula could save lives and that he could not lock it away.

Will asked Paul if he was scared that Will would recover his memories of Sonny. Shaking his head, Paul said he was worried that he would lose Will. Will admitted it was possible that he could return to Sonny, but he did not think so because he had a strong connection to Paul. "Whatever happened in the past, the present is pretty damn good, and I want to see what the future holds for us," Will said. Will kissed Paul softly. "You're going to go through with this, aren't you?" Paul asked. Will asked Paul for his support. Paul agreed to stand by Will's side.

"I would be such a fool to let an amazing person like you get away," Will said. "You wouldn't be the first fool," Paul said quietly. Will promised Paul that his memories would not change how he felt about Paul. Paul called his contact at the university and set up an appointment for Will.

At the police station, Rafe explained to Hope what had happened to Gabi at the prison. Hope told Rafe the news about Ben's possible release from the sanitarium. Rafe was outraged. Rafe asked Hope if she believed Ben was faking his recovery. Hope said she did. Hope added that Marlena would examine Ben and report back to her. Rafe agreed that Marlena was their best hope for keeping Ben locked up.

Ciara entered. Though Hope was elated to see her daughter, she noticed the overnight bag on Ciara's shoulder. Ciara explained that she and Tripp had broken up. Rafe told Ciara he was sorry to hear her news then he left to deal with work. As Hope opened her mouth to talk, Ciara blurted out that a boyfriend was too distracting when she needed to start her new job at Bella.

"Or maybe it has something to do with what we discussed the other night. With what happened with Chase," Hope said. With her voice shaking, Ciara argued that her decision was because of her new job. Hope did not believe her.

"Whenever Tripp touches me and it looks like we're about to take that step, Chase is there. I can hear him. I can feel his hands on me," Ciara said. Hope raised her arms to hug her daughter, but Ciara pushed her away. "I have to do this myself. Why can't I make this monster go away, Mom?" Ciara said. Ciara broke down in tears in her mother's arms. Hope gave her daughter a pep talk and reminded Ciara that Tripp was crazy about her.

"It's your choice whether or not you tell [Tripp] what Chase did to you. Ciara, if you have real feelings for him, you could choose to fight with those feelings. Love with all that courage and strength that you have, and that monster will never have a chance. Not ever," Hope said. Ciara asked how. Hope encouraged Ciara to talk to Marlena. Smiling through tears, Ciara said she wanted to be with Tripp.

Ben Weston sat patiently in a conference room at the sanitarium as Marlena walked into the room. As Marlena sat down across from Ben, she informed him that she was there to evaluate whether he was mentally fit enough to be released. Ben said he was grateful for the opportunity to apologize to Marlena, and he added that he did not want to hurt anyone ever again.

Marlena asked Ben when he had started to feel remorse. Ben said he had first understood right from wrong "six months ago." Marlena noted that progress took years and did not occur suddenly. Marlena asked what had changed. "Your daughter Sami came back to Salem," Ben said matter-of-factly. Ben explained that when Sami had forced him to reenact Will's murder, he had seen the fear in Will's eyes and had realized the horror of what he had done.

"Sami might have thought she had found the cure for her son, but what she cured was me," Ben said. Ben said he was ready to work through recovery with medication and treatment. "It isn't about getting released. It's about getting better. That is the priority," Ben stressed. Ben said he did not expect forgiveness, but he wanted to make peace for his crimes.

"You've hidden your darkness for a long time. You hid it in the past. Are you hiding it from us now?" Marlena questioned. Ben said he had not asked to be released, but he welcomed the opportunity. Marlena opened a folder, then removed photos of Ben's victims. As Marlena placed each photo in front of Ben, he squirmed in his seat.

"You put those people in the ground! What would you say to them or to their loved ones?" Marlena demanded. Ben said the only person he could make amends with was Will. "What I did was unspeakable, but when I heard that Will was alive and I saw him, it changed everything. In that moment, it changed everything, and I realized that anything is possible," Ben said. Ben added that he had once been a good person, and he wanted to be that person again.

When Marlena returned to the police station, Hope eagerly asked about Marlena's examination. Marlena admitted that she never wanted to see Ben released from the sanitarium, but he was not delusional, was taking his medication, and had shown genuine remorse. "I'm sorry, but I cannot file the objection in good conscience. There is nothing I can do to keep him from being released," Marlena said.