Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of August 1, 2022 on DAYS

Steve plotted against Orpheus. Chad yelled at Thomas. Sonny comforted a drunken Chad. Evan took his son from Shawn. Jan took the baby from Evan. Gabi filed Ava's fake marriage certificate. E.J. asked Ava to move in. Gabi confided in Shin about Ava. Sarah remembered that Rex was her alibi. Rolf gave Jake's heart to Stefan. Jada asked Eric out. Xander and Sarah found the Sarah mask in Gwen's room. Gwen ditched the mask, but Leo returned it to her. Victor hired Alex. Paulina accepted Chanel's choice. Lucas changed his plea.

Shawn and Evan argue about Shawn Christian's paternity

Monday, August 1, 2022

by Mike

At the Salem Inn, Sarah showered and dressed then emerged from the bathroom and discovered that Xander was no longer in their room but had left behind a note -- "Out doing an errand."

Someone started knocking on the hotel room door just then, so Sarah set aside the note with a shrug of confusion then went to greet the visitor -- and was surprised to see that it was Chad.

Sarah started to offer condolences, but Chad wasn't interested in discussing Jake's death -- especially since there were no unanswered questions swirling around that particular tragedy, while the circumstances that had led to Abigail's death were still a mystery. "Were you there that night?" Chad wondered. "I would tell you if I could...but I just don't know," Sarah responded.

Sarah explained everything to Chad. "Sometimes, I feel like I should be locked up," Sarah confessed in a whisper at the end of the story, fighting back tears. "I loved Abigail -- she was a wonderful, kind person -- and in my right state of mind, I would never hurt her...but I'm just not always in my right state of mind," Sarah added with a shrug -- and Chad understood.

Xander entered the police station and convinced a guard to fetch Lucas, claiming to be a lawyer. "Why are you trying to frame my fiance?" Xander snapped at Lucas once they were alone together in one of the conference rooms.

Lucas denied the accusation, but Xander wasn't convinced. "Sarah didn't kill Abigail -- she couldn't kill anyone! Now, you tell these cops that you made it all up, or I'm gonna tear you apart with my bare hands!" Xander spat while scowling at Lucas, who was handcuffed to a chair and was therefore defenseless. "I never said Sarah killed Abigail," Lucas clarified, but Xander didn't find that particularly comforting.

"'Hypnosis' -- what a load of crap; you can just close your eyes and say anything you want to!" Xander argued, still convinced that Lucas had fabricated the story about seeing Sarah at the DiMera mansion on the night of Abigail's murder. "You think I want to incriminate Maggie's daughter -- my own cousin? I have no choice -- because she was there!" Lucas countered, adding that Marlena didn't have any doubts about the story.

Xander wanted actual proof that the story was true, but Lucas had no way of granting that request. "But this morning, the police came up with new evidence that backs up exactly what I said," Lucas announced, surprising Xander, who demanded more details. "My lawyers asked the cops to do another search of the DiMera mansion, specifically looking for a paring knife that I cut my hand with -- and it was on the bar," Lucas continued, prompting Xander to wonder why the police had failed to locate the knife during their first search of the mansion. "I don't know -- it must have fell into a little cranny or something. But they did lab work on the blade, and the only blood found was mine," Lucas continued, but Xander was still skeptical. "The paring knife didn't match [Abigail's] wounds -- they said it was something more like a steak knife," Lucas concluded, but that didn't satisfy Xander, either.

While passing through the town square, Leo spotted Gwen, who was staring at the screen of a tablet computer. Leo approached and congratulated Gwen on having received a pardon from the governor. "I haven't been this excited since they freed Britney!" Leo raved before noticing that Gwen was crying. Leo guessed that Gwen's tears meant that something truly awful had happened -- because, after all, nothing less would be enough to wipe a smile off the face of anyone who had just been released from prison much earlier than expected.

Between sobs of anguish, Gwen managed to confirm the suspicion and elaborate that Jake had been killed the previous day. "Gyllenhaal?" Leo sputtered, collapsing onto Gwen's bench in horror. "Not that Jake; my Jake!" Gwen clarified while shoving the tablet computer at Leo, who breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the obituary that the device was displaying. "Don't scare me like that!" Leo grumbled. "You have the sensitivity of a doorknob!" Gwen responded. Gwen's seemingly genuine grief puzzled Leo, who was quick to point out that they were supposed to hate Jake for being a cheater. "Doesn't mean that I wanted the poor prat dead," Gwen insisted, fighting back a new wave of emotion.

Leo changed the subject, hoping that Gwen would cheer up if pulled into a conversation about a potential future with Xander. "I have to congratulate you on your sense of timing -- you get out of the big house right as your romantic rival is on her way in!" Leo declared -- and Gwen took the bait, perking up while bragging about a recent conversation with Xander.

Chad emerged from the nearby Salem Inn a short time later, while Leo was once again questioning whether Gwen was somehow responsible for Abigail's death. Gwen and Leo each breathed a sigh of relief after realizing that Chad hadn't overheard their conversation. Gwen tried to offer condolences, but Chad didn't believe that the gesture was genuine. Gwen also tried to ask about Thomas and Charlotte, but Chad refused to answer any questions about the kids. "Stay the hell away from my children," Chad warned Gwen before walking away. Once the coast was clear, Gwen once again assured Leo that someone else was responsible for Abigail's death.

Xander soon approached and started telling Gwen about what Lucas had revealed earlier -- and Leo started squirming after learning that the police believed that Abigail had been stabbed with something like a steak knife.

Chad entered the Horton house and saw that Thomas was sitting alone in the living room, fiddling with a tablet computer. Chad noted that Thomas was supposed to be at the aquarium with Jennifer, Jack, and Charlotte. "Mommy was supposed to take me -- I don't want to go without her," Thomas explained before assuring Chad that Doug and Julie were upstairs.

Chad offered to play a game of basketball with Thomas, concerned that the child had been spending too much time on the tablet computer lately. Thomas declined the offer, explaining that spending time with Chad wasn't fun anymore. "I just want Mom back!" Thomas stressed. "You don't think I would do anything to bring her back? I can't! She's gone, and there's nothing that we can do about it!" Chad countered before trying to apologize to Thomas for the outburst. Thomas threw the tablet computer at Chad then stormed upstairs. Chad sighed then broke down while staring at an image of Abigail that was stored on the device.

At the hospital, Marlena exited an elevator then continued heading toward her office -- and was alarmed to find Orpheus waiting there, looking quite comfortable in the desk chair that was usually reserved for her.

Marlena threatened to call security and report a break-in, but Orpheus insisted that the office door had been left unlocked. "By some miracle, I just got out of prison -- do you actually think I would break in here the next day?" Orpheus argued. "I wouldn't put that past you," Marlena countered. Orpheus promised to leave after a brief conversation with Marlena -- then added that they could even leave the office door open during their talk, just to make them both feel more comfortable. Marlena sighed then agreed to humor Orpheus -- but only for a few minutes.

Orpheus guessed that Marlena had already heard that Evan, not Shawn, was Shawn Christian's biological father. Marlena confirmed the suspicion then admitted to being skeptical about the claim, prompting Orpheus to stress that it would be proven soon enough. "I think we both agree that my son is...mentally unstable --" Orpheus began to add. "People who kill people usually are," Marlena interjected, annoying Orpheus, who chose to retaliate with a reminder that not everyone was fortunate enough to be able to use demonic possession as an excuse for bad behavior.

Marlena tiredly warned Orpheus to quickly get to the point of their conversation. Orpheus shrugged then asked Marlena to be Evan's psychiatrist. "You despise me! Why would you want me to work with your child?" Marlena sputtered. "I can separate facts from feelings -- and the fact is, you're a gifted psychiatrist. And, beyond that, you were an important mother figure for him when he was a child," Orpheus reasoned. "You were holding me hostage!" Marlena noted. "That doesn't discount the fact that you and he formed an important bond. I think that he would respond well to you," Orpheus countered.

Marlena refused to treat Evan then promised to at least help Orpheus find another psychiatrist -- and Sarah arrived while Orpheus was trying to change Marlena's mind. "You're the reason that my child is dead," Sarah spat at Orpheus. "According to the news, I'm not the only one who took a life," Orpheus countered before apologizing to Sarah for what had happened a few years earlier.

Orpheus exited the office -- and Marlena apologized to Sarah for the awkward encounter once the coast was clear. Sarah conceded that Orpheus might be right -- then begged Marlena for help with the search for answers.

Meanwhile, Shawn and Evan waited for the results of Shawn Christian's paternity test -- which Kayla was personally running, just to be safe.

Shawn argued that even if Evan turned out to be Shawn Christian's biological father, the child would be better off with someone else as a parent. "Ask Rafe how well I took care of David," Evan bragged. "Ask my sister how many times you tried to kill her and Ben," Shawn countered. "I would never hurt my own child," Evan insisted.

Shawn and Evan eventually received the results of Shawn Christian's paternity test. "Told you so," Evan bragged as Shawn stared at the results in disbelief.

John entered the Brady Pub and claimed a chair at Steve's table. "Thanks for meeting me on no notice," Steve began. "You said it was an emergency," John responded.

John guessed that Steve wanted to talk about Orpheus' sudden release from prison. "Can you believe our idiot governor put that sociopath back on the street?" Steve grumbled, drawing a sigh and a shake of the head from John.

Steve repeated the veiled threats that Orpheus had made during their recent conversation -- then begged for John's help with the matter. "We need to stop him dead in his tracks -- and the sooner the better. There's no other choice, John -- we need to eliminate the threat," Steve argued in a whisper. "Sounds to me like you're talking about killing the guy," John translated. "Sounds like that for a reason," Steve responded. "We can't kill the guy," John insisted. "I don't see why not," Steve countered. John maintained that Steve wasn't thinking straight and that there had to be another solution -- and Orpheus entered the pub just then.

"I was just chatting with your lovely wife," Orpheus bragged to John before walking away. "Still want to play by the book?" Steve challenged John once the coast was clear.

Sarah undergoes hypnosis

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

by Spalding

In the DiMera living room, E.J. told Tony that Ava had claimed she had married Jake the morning of his death. "Do you think there is a possibility that [Ava] engineered the marriage and then put a hit out on her new husband?" Tony asked. E.J. said no because the shooter had almost killed Ava, as well. Tony asked E.J. if his only concern was Jake's shares of the company.

"What else would I be concerned about? As should you," E.J. muttered. E.J. argued that Gabi's alliance with Shin could oust E.J. and Tony from the company. Tony agreed that they would need to deal with Ava. With a nod, E.J. explained that Gabi was behind the scheme.

"[Gabi] saw to it that Ava was listed as Jake's next of kin by the hospital," E.J. said. Tony asked about Vivian. "I think we should go and visit father's ex-paramour as soon as possible," Tony said. E.J. refused to work with Vivian. Before E.J. could explain his plan, his phone beeped.

Xander returned to his room at the Salem Inn and was dismayed to learn that Sarah had gone out. "She shouldn't be out alone. She could have another episode," Xander whispered. Xander started to leave, but Gwen was in the hallway. "What do you want?" Xander asked. Gwen asked Xander if he was upset that Sarah might be charged with murder.

"You used to be better at playing the game," Xander grumbled. When Gwen played innocent, Xander noted that Gwen loved the idea that Sarah might go to prison for Abigail's murder. "It's written all over your face," Xander said. Gwen said she did not want Sarah to be guilty.

"I feel terrible that happened to her. I'm partly to blame for her being the way she is now," Gwen said. "If you feel terrible about it, it's only because your plan didn't work out the way you wanted it to," Xander countered. Gwen stressed that she was there to help Xander, but he told her he did not believe her.

"Why don't I come up with an alibi for Sarah? I'm quite good at doing things like that," Gwen said. Xander explained that the only person that had seen Sarah at the time of the murder had been Lucas. "Are you happy now?" Xander said. Xander sat on the bed, and Gwen sat next to him. Gwen reached out to touch Xander.

"Don't do that," Xander warned. "I'm sorry. Comforting you is still an instinct for me," Gwen whispered. Xander stressed that he did not want comfort from Gwen. When Gwen suggested that a lawyer could use temporary insanity as a defense for Sarah, Xander grabbed Gwen's arm, and he guided her out the front door.

"All I'm saying is that Bayview is a far better option than Statesville," Gwen said. "She is not going to either place if I have anything to say about it," Xander growled. Gwen argued that Xander was powerless. When Gwen mentioned that Sarah could secure a pardon, Xander asked Gwen why she had been pardoned.

"Kristen vouched for me," Gwen said quietly. Xander noted that it made sense that Kristen and Gwen had gotten along. "Kristen lent you the Sarah mask, right? The one that fooled everyone, including me," Xander said. With a look of disgust, Xander said he was disturbed by the idea that Gwen and Kristen were back on the street. "God only knows what [Kristen] is up to now," Xander muttered.

At Marlena's office, Marlena put Sarah under hypnosis. "Right now, we're going to talk about the day that Abigail died," Marlena said. Marlena reminded Sarah of when she had run into Sarah at the hospital. "I was afraid that the antidote to the drug that Kristen gave me wasn't working anymore," Sarah whispered. Marlena asked Sarah what else she remembered.

"Do you remember the advice that I gave you?" Marlena asked. Sarah said that she remembered that Marlena had encouraged her to talk to Abigail. Marlena asked Sarah if she had gone to see Abigail. Sarah thought about her confrontation with Gwen at the prison, and she told Marlena about the conversation. When Sarah mentioned that she had yelled at Gwen for having worn a Sarah mask, Marlena made a note on her notepad.

"And how did Gwen react?" Marlena asked. Sarah noted that Gwen had argued that the drug was Abigail's fault because Abigail had left it in the tunnels. Marlena asked Sarah if she had looked for Abigail after she had left the prison. Sarah said that she had been angry after her visit with Gwen, so she had returned to the Salem Inn. Sarah confirmed that she had been alone in the room.

"I took a sleeping pill, then I got into bed," Sarah said. Sarah confirmed that she had slept for a while until a dream had woken her up. "I decided that I had to see Abigail right then and there," Sarah said. Sarah said she had put on her raincoat. "Lucas mentioned you had on a raincoat," Marlena whispered to herself.

"Before I could leave, somebody knocked," Sarah said. Marlena asked about the visitor. Sarah remembered that Rex had been at the door. "Try to remember what Rex was doing there. Why did he say that he had to see you?" Marlena asked. Sarah said that Rex had been worried about her since Kate had told him about Sarah's ordeal.

"I heard that she put on a mask that made her look like me and told you that I wanted us to get back together," Sarah had said. "And she was still wearing the mask when she dumped me about a minute later," Rex had said. Sarah had told Rex not to blame himself.

"Kristen had everyone fooled," Sarah had said. "It still bothers me that I wanted to believe what Kristen told me. That I wanted to believe that you had come to your senses and realized that you wanted me and not Xander, because I still love you," Rex had said. Rex had admitted that he had held out hope that Sarah would return to him.

"I'm so sorry. Xander and I are back together, and we have never been more in love," Sarah had said. Rex had said that he understood. When Sarah had started to leave, Sarah had swooned. Rex had encouraged Sarah to lie down instead of going out.

When Marlena woke Sarah from her hypnotic state, Sarah gasped. "What if I never left the inn? What if I never went to the DiMera mansion? What if I was nowhere near Abigail when she was killed?" Sarah asked. Marlena cautioned Sarah not to get too excited. With a sigh, Sarah wondered if Rex had been a hallucination. Marlena called Rex.

While on speakerphone, Rex confirmed that he had watched Sarah sleep in her room the night of Abigail's murder. "I was kind of hoping you forgot about that. It would have saved me a lot of embarrassment," Rex said. Rex told his side of the story, and it matched Sarah's memory. Rex explained that he had monitored Sarah's vitals to make sure that she was okay, and then he had left after ten. Relieved, Sarah thanked Rex.

After Marlena ended the call, she noted that Sarah had an alibi. Elated, Sarah returned to the inn to tell Xander about her hypnotherapy session. "What made [Rex] show up?" Xander asked. When Sarah explained that Rex had wanted to get back together, Xander yelped, "Cheeky bugger! Who does he think that he is?"

Sarah told Xander that she had turned Rex down, but he had stayed with her after she had become dizzy. "This was on the night of the murder," Sarah clarified. "Wait, does this mean...?" Xander asked. With a grin, Sarah confirmed that Rex was her alibi.

"I didn't do it, baby!" Sarah said. "God bless Rex Brady!" Xander countered. Xander kissed Sarah, then his smile fell away. With a frown, Xander complained that Lucas had sworn that he had seen Sarah at the scene of the crime. "I knew he was lying," Xander said.

Across town, Gwen checked into a cheap motel room. As Gwen unpacked her suitcase, she pulled out a Sarah mask.

Kristen joined Dr. Rolf in his secret lab in the tunnels under the DiMera mansion. Rolf pulled back a curtain to reveal Jake's body hooked up to machines. "We've got big plans for brother Jake," Kristen said.

"I admit to being pleasantly surprised that you got on board so quickly with my latest Lazarus project," Rolf said. "I barely knew Jake, but still, he is my father's son. And that means a lot to me," Kristen said. Rolf told Kristen that Stefano would be proud of Kristen. "Let's give Jake a new lease on life," Kristen said. Rolf injected a serum into Jake's I.V.

"Shouldn't he be opening his eyes or something?" Kristen asked. Rolf sighed with frustration. "Usually, I'm able to administer the drug much closer to the time of death," Rolf said. Kristen asked if that meant the drug would not work. Rolf explained that the patient needed to have a spark of life for the drug to work.

"Jake's body was left alone for hours after he was shot," Rolf explained. "So, there is no hope?" Kristen asked. With a shrug, Rolf said they might have been too late to help Jake. "Don't you dare tell me that, not after you got my hopes up," Kristen said. Kristen refused to leave the lab until Rolf cured her brother.

"I developed a prototype for a much stronger serum," Rolf admitted. Kristen urged Rolf to use the new serum. When Rolf complained that the new serum was untested, Kristen argued that Rolf did not need to wait for FDA approval. Reluctantly, Rolf administered the new serum to Jake.

Ava curled up in bed and refused to answer the front door. When the visitor refused to stop knocking, Ava angrily threw open the front door. Jake was standing in the hallway. "Is that any way to greet the man you love?" Jake asked. Jake walked into the room, and he spun around.

"I saw your dead body at the hospital," Ava stammered. With a grin, Jake said he took after his father, the Phoenix. "You're not getting rid of me that easily," Jake said. With a laugh, Ava reached out to hug Jake, then she startled awake in her bed. "It was a dream. It was nothing but a dream," Ava whispered.

When there was a knock at the door, Ava reluctantly answered it. Gabi marched past her into the room. Gabi warned Ava that they needed to move on their plan before Tony or E.J. discovered that the marriage was fake. Angry, Ava said she did not want to talk about Gabi's greed. Gabi asked Ava if she no longer wanted to be a part of the plan.

"You were involved with Jake for a very long time. You said that you loved him," Ava said. "Yes, I was crazy about him," Gabi confirmed. Ava asked Gabi why she was so nonchalant about Jake's death. Gabi reminded Ava that Ava needed the money. Gabi handed Ava a marriage license. Ava did not take the envelope.

"I would love for Jake to walk in through that door and straight into your arms, but unfortunately, that is just not going to happen," Gabi said. Gabi argued that if Ava signed the marriage license, she could prevent E.J. from stealing Jake's stock from Ava. Ava asked what happened after she signed the forms.

"I'll take it from there. Just trust me," Gabi said. Ava's face darkened. "That was the wrong thing to say," Ava growled. Ava threw the envelope across the room. With a groan, Gabi asked what was wrong. Ava argued that she was taking on all the risk.

"Let's say that this blows up in our faces," Ava said. Ava noted that in that event, Gabi would still have Stefan's shares in the company. "I gave up my family money for my son. And as you say, I don't have a dime to my name," Ava said. Ava demanded dividend checks as a guarantee. As Gabi groaned, Ava also demanded an executive job and a seat on the board.

"You're blackmailing me," Gabi said. "What I'm doing is negotiating," Ava corrected. Gabi agreed to talk to Shin and the board to meet Ava's demands. Ava signed the marriage license. As Gabi started to leave, she stopped at the door.

"Did you really love Jake?" Gabi asked. "I really did. I think he was pretty much what I was searching for all of my life," Ava said. With tears in her eyes, Gabi said, "I feel very sorry for you. Yeah, I cared about Jake a lot. I was really only with him because he reminded me so much of his brother. Stefan was the love of my life. And a love like that only happens once," Gabi said. After Gabi left, Ava nodded in agreement.

Ava was curled up in her bed when another visitor knocked at her front door. "Leave me alone!" Ava yelled. E.J. continued to knock until Ava answered. "What do you want?" Ava asked. "I came by to advise you to give up the scheme. I know you were never married to Jake," E.J. said. "When Jake died, he and I were husband and wife. You got a lot of nerve talking to me like this," Ava growled. E.J. said that City Hall had confirmed that there was no record of Ava's marriage license.

"His death certificate probably isn't there yet, either. Doesn't mean he's not dead," Ava said. E.J. accused Ava of having invented the marriage. Ava groaned. After a deep breath, Ava told E.J. to call City Hall again. E.J. complied.

In Rolf's lab, the doctor confirmed to Kristen that the new serum was no more successful than the last. "But his heart is beating again," Kristen noted. Rolf noted that there was no brain activity on the monitor. "Damn. I really thought that I was getting a brother back today," Kristen whispered. Rolf's eyes widened, and Kristen asked what he was thinking about.

"That you may still get your wish," Rolf said. Confused, Kristen asked Rolf what he meant. Rolf said that Jake would not rise from the ashes, and he walked over to another curtained area. "His twin brother Stefan, however, is an entirely different story," Rolf said. Rolf pulled back the curtain to reveal Stefan's body. On Stefan's chest was a glowing device. Kristen gasped.

Rolf vows to make Stefan O. DiMera rise again

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

by Steve Holley

At DiMera Enterprises, Gabi yelled at someone over the phone to get paperwork filed at the courthouse that stated Ava had been married to Jake at the time of Jake's death. Just as Gabi slammed the phone down, Li entered. Gabi told Li that her call had been about a contract issue, but Li saw through Gabi's lie.

Li surmised that Gabi wanted Jake's shares of DiMera in order to stop E.J. from reclaiming the company. Both Gabi and Li agreed they didn't want E.J. to return to the company. Li correctly guessed that Gabi's phone call had been about making Ava and Jake's "marriage" seem authentic.

Li assumed that the phony marriage had been Ava's idea, but he was caught off guard when Gabi said that it had been her idea to arrange the marriage and not Ava's. Li pointed out that Gabi and Ava despised one another, but he admitted he admired Gabi's plan. Li approved of how Gabi had continuously kept DiMera on top, but he insisted that Gabi keep him in the loop on all her future plans. Gabi promised that she would. Gabi and Li made out, and the two ended up having sex in Gabi's office.

At Ava and Jake's place above the garage, E.J. was stunned when he learned by phone that Ava's marriage to Jake had been authenticated. E.J. apologized to Ava for having accused her of using Jake's death to line her pockets.

E.J. claimed that Stefano would have been "terribly disappointed" with how E.J. had treated Ava. Ava asked E.J. if he could speed up her shares of DiMera so that Ava could pay her rent for the month. "I have a better idea. There's plenty of room at my house. Why don't you move in with me?" E.J. asked.

E.J. referred to Ava as "family," since Ava had married E.J.'s brother, but Ava noted that E.J. had wanted no part of Jake. E.J. said his offer to have Ava move into the mansion was his way of apologizing for how he'd treated Jake.

E.J. shared that Chad had moved out, and he said that a change of scenery might benefit Ava, who said she didn't want to forget Jake. E.J. said a move to the mansion might help Ava heal. Ava cried as she remembered how quickly she had lost Jake. E.J. consoled Ava, and he assured her that things would get better. Ava accepted E.J.'s invitation to move into the mansion, and she thanked E.J. with a close hug. "It's the least I can do," E.J. said.

After E.J. left, Ava called Gabi, who learned that E.J. had invited Ava to stay at the DiMera mansion. Gabi was surprised when she learned that Ava had accepted E.J.'s invitation.

Back at the DiMera mansion, E.J. played chess with himself and stared at the portrait of Stefano above the mantel. "I asked the widow DiMera to move in here. I trust you approve, since I'm following your sage advice: keep your family close and the pretenders closer," E.J. said.

At Shawn and Belle's place, Shawn told Belle that Evan was the father of Jan's baby. Shawn admitted that while he knew the baby wasn't his, he didn't want to give the child away to a criminal like Evan. Belle said that despite all of Evan's prior misdeeds, he'd been given a full pardon and a clean slate.

The doorbell rang, and Belle opened the door to Evan, who gloated that he had come to take his baby and that he'd already picked out a new name for the child: Maddox. Shawn was shocked when Evan announced that he and the baby would start a new life in New Zealand. Belle pleaded with Evan to give Shawn a chance to at least say goodbye, but Evan heartlessly said no and all but grabbed the baby from Shawn's arms.

After Evan left, Shawn wept on the sofa, and Belle sat down to comfort him. Belle said she wished she could have done something to help. "No, you don't. This is what you wanted all along. The baby's gone, and he's never coming back. Are you happy now?" Shawn snapped at Belle.

Shawn quickly apologized to Belle for his outburst, and he said he wasn't angry at her. Shawn said his anger was mostly directly toward Jan. Shawn and Belle admitted that Jan had managed to drive a wedge between them, but Shawn wondered where that had gotten Jan. "Dead in the water," Shawn surmised.

Belle remarked that they didn't know if Jan was really dead and that they had both learned the hard way to never underestimate Jan's ability to escape death.

Later, on the docks, Evan was stunned to run into Jan before he could get out on the water with the baby. Jan gloated that she was too mean to die and that she had stayed hidden from the Coast Guard after she'd survived the blow she'd taken when Belle had hit Jan over the head with the oar.

Jan revealed that she'd spent two weeks stowed away on an empty yacht to plot her return. Jan took the baby and held him in her arms. Evan demanded that Jan give the baby back. "I don't think so," Jan said as she kicked Evan into the water.

Alone with the baby, Jan hoped that Evan would drown. She told the baby that the two would leave town together, but only temporarily. "But don't you worry, sweetheart. Salem hasn't seen the last of Team Spears," Jan warned.

In Rolf's lab under the DiMera mansion, an ecstatic Rolf proudly exclaimed that he'd brought Stefan back from the dead. Kristen looked on in shock as Stefan began to breathe with a glowing device placed over his chest. The only problem, Rolf said, was that Stefan's heart had been donated to Julie when she'd needed a heart transplant. "Your brother is heartless... in the most literal sense of the word," Rolf exclaimed.

Kristen was shocked that Stefan had been kept alive without a heart for four years. Rolf explained that he had appropriated Stefan's body, while Gabi believed her husband had been cremated. Rolf stated that with Stefan's blood being pumped through artificial means, he had started the process of acquiring a new heart. Rolf said that his plans to make Stefan "whole" again had been interrupted when Rolf had been sent to prison.

Kristen admired Rolf's work, and she wondered what the next step might be. Rolf said they would need to acquire a matching heart -- preferably one that was family. Rolf suggested using Jake's heart, since Jake and Stefan had been identical twins.

Kristen asked if Rolf was certain the heart transplant would work. "I am cautiously optimistic that when his heart is beating in his twin's chest, Stefan O. DiMera will rise again!" Rolf said, and he raised his fist and howled an evil and maniacal laugh.

Sarah and Xander grow suspicious of Gwen

Thursday, August 4, 2022

by Mike

Abe finished another day of work then headed over to the town square to have dinner with Paulina, who was already there and had already ordered a martini.

Paulina was quick to flag down a waitress and order a second martini for Abe. "Heavy on the gin -- and stingy as hell on the vermouth," Paulina requested.

"Trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me?" Abe guessed after the waitress walked away, unaware that Paulina's ulterior motive had more to do with business than sex. "When it comes to your career, you can be downright stubborn!" Paulina complained once Abe started drinking -- and they were soon arguing again about the idea of pursuing greater political goals.

Abe -- who, to Paulina's dismay, needed more than just a few sips of alcohol to be manipulated into running for governor and considering even higher positions -- spotted and flagged down Nicole as a way of putting an end to the argument. "Won't stop me!" Paulina warned Abe as Nicole hobbled toward them on crutches. "Nothing ever does..." Abe countered before turning away from Paulina to help Nicole get settled at their table.

"We have to get you a drink...but first, tell the man he should be governor!" Paulina insisted, further annoying Abe, who was more interested in making sure that Nicole was okay. "No, he's right -- shame on me! Feel free to open up -- I know exactly what you're going through; when we were robbed at gunpoint last Labor Day, I don't think I slept for a week!" Paulina backpedaled, making Abe even more annoyed because the conversation was supposed to be about Nicole's experience.

Paulina conceded Abe's point then finally allowed Nicole to start talking about the ordeal -- but interrupted after hearing that Eric had saved the day. "That's so romantic!" Paulina raved before starting to urge Nicole to reunite with Eric -- but Abe eventually managed to stop Paulina and stress that Nicole's husband might not like that idea.

Paulina congratulated Nicole then stepped aside to take a phone call from someone at a focus group that had been hired to determine how many people would be willing to vote for Abe as their next governor. Once the coast was clear, Abe started to apologize for Paulina's earlier comments, prompting Nicole to admit that even Rafe had concerns about Eric -- then insist that those concerns weren't warranted.

Chad was at the Brady Pub, gulping down some whiskey, when Sarah called from the Kiriakis mansion to reveal everything that had happened since they had last talked to each other earlier that day. Chad sent the call to voicemail then ordered a refill -- and Sonny entered the mansion, having just finished another day of work, while Sarah was recording a vague message about the new information that had just emerged. Sarah ended the call then updated Sonny before rushing off to another room to share the good news with Maggie.

Sonny soon received a phone call from Eric, who revealed that Chad had just been cut off after consuming a lot of alcohol at the Brady Pub and was making a scene in protest. "I have an appointment to make, [and] I just didn't know who else to call --" Eric explained, prompting Sonny to interrupt with a promise to handle the matter. Sonny ended the call then rushed over to the pub and tried to convince Chad that it was time to call it a night. Chad threw a punch at Sonny in protest, but Sonny dodged the blow then dragged Chad out of the pub.

Sonny took Chad to the Kiriakis mansion then tried to find out what had prompted the binge. Chad stumbled over to the bar and filled a glass with whiskey, ignoring Sonny's objections, then started venting about what had happened with Sarah earlier that day. Sonny eventually interrupted to reveal that Sarah had an alibi for the night of Abigail's murder, and Chad scoffed in response then grumbled that the suspects kept being proven innocent. "So, what does that mean -- that my wife stabbed herself to death?" Chad mused with a laugh of disbelief before gulping down the whiskey then telling Sonny about what had happened with Thomas earlier that day. Chad broke down in Sonny's arms while fretting about being a bad father to Thomas.

Xander entered the police station and started to tell Rafe about Sarah's alibi for the night of Abigail's murder -- but Jada overheard and interrupted the conversation to poke holes in the story. "Dial it down --" Rafe quickly tried to warn, but Jada ignored the advice and continued arguing with Xander. "Idiots!" Xander eventually spat before storming out of the police station with a shake of the head -- and Rafe waited until the coast was clear then admonished Jada for having revealed too much about their investigation during the argument. Rafe followed Xander out of the police station after telling Jada to show more restraint in the future.

Eric arrived a short time later and greeted Jada, ready to provide a statement about what had happened at the park the previous day. Jada accidentally spilled a bottle of water on the case file then started cursing about the blunder before calming down and apologetically admitting to being in a bad mood -- and Eric, who had entered the police station just as Xander had exited it, sympathetically guessed that there was probably a good reason for the outburst. Jada vented about Xander then wondered why Eric didn't like the guy. "Well, for starters, he slept with my wife," Eric revealed before telling Jada more about what had happened with Nicole.

Eric eventually changed the subject, promising to take Jada to the Brady Pub the following day for a tour of the rooms that were available for rent there -- and Jada offered to treat Eric to lunch afterward. "Are you asking me on a date?" Eric realized, and Jada confirmed the suspicion -- then Nicole entered the police station while they were finalizing their plans.

Xander joined Sarah at the Salem Inn and started venting about what had just happened at the police station. "I told Rafe that Rex could confirm your alibi -- [but] that Hunter woman, she was all over the fact that he's your ex-husband [and] might lie for you," Xander grumbled before insisting that Lucas was the one who was actually lying.

"He didn't see you -- you couldn't be in two places at once --" Xander began to reason. "Except I was before," Sarah pointed out. "That bitch!" Xander spat after realizing what Sarah meant. "For all I know, she still has that mask, [and] we've seen the lengths that she'll go to [in order] to get rid of me -- and she's the only person that I know that flat-out hated Abigail," Sarah explained to Xander before guessing that Gwen had "killed two birds with one stone" on the night of Abigail's murder.

Xander agreed that Sarah was probably on the right track. "The hard part is getting somebody to believe us -- I mean, Gwen was in prison --" Sarah fretted. "Gwen wasn't in 'prison' -- she was in Statesville; I know flea markets that have tighter security than that place! And we'll get the police to believe us by showing them evidence," Xander countered. Sarah was surprised to learn that Xander knew where Gwen was staying. "She wanted me to know that she's there for me, since it looked like you were the killer," Xander explained to Sarah with a shake of the head. Xander and Sarah rushed off to search Gwen's motel room for the mask.

Jack was at the Horton house, having a heated phone conversation with a member of the Boston newspaper's staff, when someone knocked on the front door. "I can approve all editorial decisions through email -- [and] the bottom line is that I am not leaving Salem until I find out who killed my daughter!" Jack snapped at the staff member before opening the front door -- and finding Gwen standing on the other side of it.

Jack said a quick goodbye to the staff member then ended the call and greeted Gwen with a hint of coldness. Gwen apologized for having shown up at the house uninvited, prompting Jack to admit that the timing was actually great because Jennifer, Doug, Julie, Thomas, and Charlotte were all eating dinner at their favorite pizzeria at that moment. Gwen started to reminisce about having taken the kids to the pizzeria while working as their nanny, but Jack eventually interrupted and demanded to know the reason for the unexpected visit.

"I wanted to tell you that the pardon was not my idea -- it was Kristen who got me out, who intervened... Now, I'm not gonna pretend like I'm not happy about it, but I didn't scheme to get it -- I was absolutely prepared to serve my sentence," Gwen informed Jack, who seemed satisfied with that explanation.

Rafe arrived just then and filled Jack in on what had just happened at the police station -- and Gwen listened with great interest then pointed out that Sarah's alibi conflicted with Lucas' recollection of what had happened on the night of Abigail's murder. "We're gonna have to look at Lucas' statement a hell of a lot harder -- I mean, after all, Sarah can't be two places at the same time," Rafe responded. Jack hoped, for Maggie's sake, that Rafe would be able to verify Sarah's alibi. "It must be hell to wonder if your daughter is capable of doing something like that," Jack mused.

Gwen is caught with evidence

Friday, August 5, 2022

by Spalding

Maggie walked into Alex's room at the Kiriakis mansion, and she was shocked to find him in bed with an unknown woman. "I'm sorry I barged in on you like that," Maggie said. As Maggie turned her back to the bedroom, Alex and his lady friend got dressed.

"This is Laura," Alex said. "Lisa," Lisa corrected. Lisa shook Maggie's hand. Maggie made small talk until Lisa announced that she needed to get to her art class. "I teach it," Lisa explained. Lisa gave Alex her phone number, and she complimented Maggie's hair as she walked out.

"You called her by the wrong name, and she wants to see you again?" Maggie said. "What can I say? I'm good at what I do," Alex said. At a loss for words, Maggie walked out. When Maggie got to the living room, she told Victor what had happened with Alex. Victor was annoyed.

"I think it is kind of hilarious when you attempt moral outrage," Maggie joked. "Not everyone is as accepting as you are, Aunt Maggie," Alex said. Alex walked over and kissed Maggie. Maggie went into the kitchen to talk to the cook. With a smirk, Victor noted that Alex reminded him of Justin at that age.

"That's not a compliment," Victor added. As Alex settled into a nearby chair, Victor asked him, "What the hell are you doing with your life?" Victor told Alex that he knew Alex had asked Sonny about a job. When Alex noted that working with his brothers had not been what he had expected, Victor joked, "Why? Did they actually expect you to work?"

Victor asked Alex what he envisioned for his role at Titan. "Shouldn't Sonny be sitting in on this conversation?" Alex asked. Victor promised to tell Sonny about their conversation later. "You really want Sonny to know why you're actually here?" Victor asked. "I should have known I couldn't put anything past you," Alex said. Alex swore that he was not after Sonny's job.

Victor noted that he had made Sonny CEO because he'd believed it had been the right choice at the time. Victor explained that Sonny did not have the necessary killer instinct. Alex asked Victor if he was referring to the deal to acquire a company that had fallen through.

"Would you have believed [Gabi]?" Victor asked. When Alex said he was not sure, Victor accused Alex of protecting Sonny. "He is my brother," Alex said. "Or maybe you're trying to protect yourself," Victor countered. Victor explained that he had learned that Alex had stolen the company, not Gabi.

"You can't put anything past me," Victor said. "Lesson learned. Full disclosure: I knew Sonny was out to buy that company. So, I formed an LLC to hide behind, and I bought the company out," Alex admitted. "So, you are after Sonny's job," Victor said. "No. I was trying to help Sonny out," Alex said. Alex explained that he had kept Sonny from a bad deal.

"I have no interest in that company. My long-term plan was to flip it back to Titan at the original terms that Sonny should have been able to get from the very beginning. I was only trying to help," Alex said. Alex asked Victor not to tell Sonny. "No one in this family would ever trust you again," Victor said.

When Alex asked Victor what he planned to do, Victor said he would not tell Sonny what Alex had done. "You'll be a fixer for the company, working under Sonny but reporting to me. Okay?" Victor said.

"Do I have a choice?" Alex asked. Victor said no. Alex accepted. "It occurred to me that this little arrangement could be what you wanted from the very beginning," Victor said. Alex smirked.

At Allie's apartment, Allie joined Chanel on the couch. Over a glass of wine, Allie talked about how happy she was with Chanel but also about how guilty she felt about Johnny's heartache. "That last thing I wanted to do was hurt [Johnny], but someone was going to get hurt," Chanel said. Chanel and Allie agreed not to let anything ruin their night.

The two lovebirds kissed until they were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was Lucas. "What are you doing here?" Allie asked. Lucas explained that the police had released Lucas on bail due to lack of evidence. "What about kidnapping my mother? That's still a crime, isn't it?" Allie said. Chanel pulled Allie away from the door, and she encouraged Allie to talk to Lucas.

"No, it's our night," Allie said. Chanel told Allie that she would go open the bakery so that Allie could talk to Lucas. "Why? So I can hold my dad's hand and make him feel better?" Allie asked. "No, so you can talk to him and make yourself feel better," Chanel countered. Chanel told Allie that Allie needed to start somewhere with her father.

"Not tonight. It's our night," Allie protested. "We will have a million more," Chanel assured Allie. Chanel kissed Allie goodbye, and she left. "I'll go if you want me to. It's your call," Lucas said. When Allie did not object, Lucas walked into the living room.

"I don't understand what I did, and I can't stand to think about what it's been like for you," Lucas said. "Kind of a pattern, isn't it? You think about me after you've already done what you know is wrong," Allie said. Lucas admitted that Allie was right.

"Afterwards, you always feel so sorry," Allie said. "I am sorry, but I'm not here to ask for your forgiveness. I'm here to tell you something that I think might be able to help you," Lucas said. "So, you didn't kidnap my mother?" Allie shot back. With a frown, Lucas confirmed that he had kidnapped Sami. Lucas explained that Marlena had put him under hypnosis.

"I didn't kill Abigail. I am not a murderer," Lucas said. "And that cut on your hand?" Allie asked. Lucas told Allie how he had cut it. "You were blind drunk! You had your back up against a wall. You snuck into the DiMera mansion, and what? You made yourself a [drink]?" Allie shouted. Lucas explained that he had seen Sarah run down the stairs and drop something.

"The police think that might be the murder weapon," Lucas said. Lucas asked Allie if she believed that he was not a murderer. Allie admitted that she had not believed he could kill anyone. "But I don't believe Sarah could, either," Allie added. "Me, neither, to tell you the truth," Lucas said. Allie suggested that Lucas avoid using the phrase "to tell you the truth."

"I don't believe that you killed Abigail, but I will never forget, forgive, that you were the one who kidnapped my mom," Allie said. Allie called Lucas a coward. Lucas explained that Kate had forced him to plead not guilty to the kidnapping charge. "I get it," Allie whispered. Allie noted that the day of the wedding had started out as a dream.

"That day, my eyes were finally opened about who you really are," Allie said. Allie reminded Lucas that he had played the hero when he had been the one to make Sami suffer. "I don't understand you. And it breaks my heart," Allie said. "Tell me how to make it up to you," Lucas pleaded. Allie told Lucas that he needed to show her that he wanted to be different.

Johnny stared at the closed bakery. Paulina saw him, and she told him that Chanel had taken the day off. Paulina took Johnny over to the caf, and she bought him a beer. "This can't be how it ends. It just can't be," Johnny lamented. "It wasn't in the cards," Paulina said. Johnny reminded Paulina that she had told him that she preferred him with Chanel.

"Were you just saying that to make me feel better?" Johnny asked. "Of course, I meant it!" Paulina stressed. Paulina said that she believed Johnny could make Chanel happy. "Let's do something about it then," Johnny said. Surprised, Paulina stressed that the fight was over.

"Chanel just needs to see she made the wrong decision. And that's where you come in," Johnny said. Johnny reminded Paulina that she had influence over Chanel. "If I try to change [Chanel's] mind about Allie, I will lose whatever influence I do have over her," Paulina argued. Johnny suggested that they craft a plan for Chanel's sake. Paulina was wary.

"Let me make Chanel truly happy," Johnny said. "We can't hurt Allie. That's key," Paulina stressed. "I take that as a yes?" Johnny asked. Paulina said that helping Johnny was against her better judgment. Johnny stressed that he had no interest in hurting Allie.

"Doesn't that seem inevitable?" Paulina countered. "Maybe in the short term, but really, we're just freeing her up to meet the true love of her life. Like I know Chanel is for me," Johnny said. Paulina raised an eyebrow.

Across the square, Chanel noticed Johnny in the caf with her mother. "We need to figure out a way to get Chanel away from Allie that is permanent," Johnny said. Chanel walked away. Johnny suggested that they create a misunderstanding so that Chanel felt betrayed by Allie. When Johnny asked Paulina if she had a better idea, Paulina said, "Let's not do anything at all."

"Hello, you two," Chanel said as she popped out from the corner. "What are you doing sneaking up on me like that?" Paulina said. Chanel asked Paulina and Johnny what they had been talking about. Paulina said that she had been comforting Johnny.

"Heartbreak is tough," Paulina said. "Especially when you're planning to inflict it on someone else. Like Allie," Chanel said. "I think you misheard," Paulina said. Chanel quoted what Johnny had said about a plan to make Chanel feel betrayed.

"I half expect something like that from you, [Johnny]. But you, [Mama]? You're supposed to have my back, not be plotting against me. I hate both of you," Chanel said. Chanel stomped off. Paulina chased after Chanel, and she met up with her outside the Brady Pub.

"You don't have to explain. It's crystal clear. You don't want me to be with Allie," Chanel said. Chanel stressed that she had made her choice. "As my mother, I thought you would be happy for me, but instead, you're plotting with Johnny behind my back!" Chanel said. Paulina said that she had not been serious.

"I was just worried that you hadn't made the right choice," Paulina said. "I picked the girl, and according to you, the right choice means picking the boy. That's what this is really all about," Chanel said. Paulina stressed that was not why she preferred Johnny.

"Except when he was possessed, he never hurt you. And Allie has. She was all over the map with her feelings for you and Tripp. And that hurt you. I saw it," Paulina said. Chanel argued that Allie was finally able to face her feelings for Chanel. With a nod yes, Paulina noted that Allie still had a lot of baggage. "Like with that little boy," Paulina said. "Henry isn't baggage. This is about me making a choice that you're not comfortable with," Chanel argued.

"You're wrong! You know I'm open-minded. That I think love is love. Now, Chanel, now look at our skin. Don't we already have it hard enough in this country? You're making a choice that's going to make it even harder for you?" Paulina asked.

"You would never run away from a choice you felt deep in your heart. And you would hate it if I did. Just tell me the truth," Chanel pleaded. With a sigh, Paulina admitted that she had wanted Chanel to settle down with a man. "I was trying to make you fulfill my dream. I wanted every clich in the book for you," Paulina said. "For you," Chanel corrected.

When Paulina told Chanel that she wanted Chanel to have a big wedding and lots of kids, Chanel said she wanted the same things. "You're just hanging on to an old-fashioned idea of what marriage has to be. I can have all of those things with Allie," Chanel said. Chanel asked Paulina to back her, not fight her.

"I don't want to lose my mother," Chanel said. "I promise you, you won't!" Paulina stressed. Paulina grabbed her daughter and hugged her. After, Paulina returned to the square to talk to Johnny. "Please tell me you were able to talk her down?" Johnny asked. Paulina told Johnny that she would not help him. "I said that I wanted [Chanel] to be happy. And that means being with Allie," Paulina said.

When Chanel returned home, Allie told her about her conversation with Lucas. "[My dad] made a decision," Allie said. Outside the Brady Pub, Lucas talked on his phone. "I want to change my plea in the kidnapping case. Back to guilty," Lucas said.

Xander and Sarah broke into Gwen's hotel room to look for evidence implicating Gwen in Abigail's murder. When Xander unzipped the suitcase, he found a Sarah mask. As Xander and Sarah were about to high-five in celebration, they heard Gwen unlocking the door. Xander and Sarah hid in the bathroom. Gwen beelined for her suitcase, and she pulled out the mask.

"I have got to get rid of this thing," Gwen muttered. After Gwen left, Xander and Sarah exited the bathroom. "Thank God she's not onto us," Sarah said. "But we're onto her," Xander countered. Sarah noted that Gwen had left with the only evidence linking Gwen to Abigail's murder. Xander and Sarah left to follow Gwen.

In an alleyway, Gwen walked over to a Dumpster. "Now that Sarah has an alibi, this thing has to disappear, so no one finds out what I did," Gwen said. Gwen threw the mask into the Dumpster.

Gwen returned to her hotel room, and she groaned. "Why didn't I just do that that night?" Gwen wondered aloud. There was a knock at the door. It was Leo with food. Leo asked for an update on Sarah. "Surely the noose is tightening around her neck, even as we speak," Leo said. When Gwen scowled at Leo, he started to unpack the food.

"And for dessert, I'm back," Leo said. Leo pulled the Sarah mask out of a bag and held it up to his face. "That old thing. What are you going to do with that," Gwen said. "Marry Xander and enjoy the honeymoon," Leo said as he waggled an eyebrow. Gwen laughed nervously.

"I found it in a Dumpster," Leo said. Leo confessed that he had seen Gwen dump the mask in the alley. Leo explained that he was aware that Sarah had an alibi that contradicted Lucas' eyewitness account. "Just who did [Lucas] see that night, rushing down those stairs?" Leo asked. Gwen argued that Leo was being ridiculous.

"I saw the panic in your eyes when I pulled the mask out of the bag. And we both know this is about more than the mask," Leo said. Gwen poured a drink. Leo recounted that Gwen had a lot of motive, missing hours at the prison, and a mask of Sarah's face.

"I'm your friend. Tell your friend what happened that night," Leo said. "There's nothing to tell," Gwen said with a tight-lipped smile. With a nod, Leo offered to return the mask to the place he had found it. Gwen grabbed the mask. "I would prefer if you would just let me handle it on my own," Gwen said. Leo left.

In the alleyway, Xander and Sarah looked around. "Gwen came this way," Xander said. "And came back empty-handed," Sarah noted. Xander spotted the Dumpster, and he suggested they look inside. Xander gagged. "We're going to have to get in there and dig it out," Sarah said. Xander balked at the idea.

With a shrug, Sarah jumped into the Dumpster and rooted around. Xander begged Sarah to get out. "This mask isn't going to find itself," Sarah said. "Please don't make me come in there after you," Xander pleaded. After a moment, Sarah noted that the mask was not in the Dumpster. "Where the hell is it?" Sarah wondered aloud. Xander suggested that Sarah had overlooked the mask in the mess.

Reluctantly, Xander jumped into the Dumpster to have another look. Sarah laughed as she watched him. After Xander flailed around in the trash, he leaped back out. "I told you," Sarah said. "I'm not giving up. We may not have the mask, but we know that Gwen must have been there the night of the murder," Xander said. Sarah argued that they did not have proof to support their theory.

"We just have to go to the cops and tell them what we know," Xander said. Sarah pointed out that although Gwen had motive, they did not have evidence to prove means or opportunity.

"[If we go to the police], all that is gonna do is let Gwen know that we're onto her. Right now, she thinks that that mask is gone for good. And we have to keep it that way if we're going to nail her," Sarah advised.

Sarah and Xander returned to their hotel room and showered. "I am eternally sorry for making you jump in that Dumpster first," Xander said. "You more than made up for it in the shower," Sarah purred. Sarah and Xander agreed that their next step was to go to Statesville and find proof that Gwen had been absent from the prison the night of Abigail's murder. "We're going to get you through this. Together. Gwen won't ever see us coming," Xander said.