Days of our Lives Recap for Monday, February 17, 2025: Johnny and Chanel make Tate an offer

At Steve and Kayla’s place, Kayla lightly scolded Steve for pretending to forget their anniversary. When Steve asked if he was forgiven, she relented and gifted him a kiss on the lips. As the couple settled down to enjoy wine and Kayla’s favorite cheese, Kayla wished that Stephanie could have her own special Valentine’s Day date. Steve brought her up to speed on the apparent reconciliation between Stephanie and Alex.

Kayla was happy for Stephanie but took note of Steve’s less-than-pleased demeanor. Steve admitted he was worried about Alex’s “player” reputation and about Stephanie getting hurt. Kayla believed Alex and Stephanie deserved another chance and reminded Steve that making mistakes had made them “wiser.” Steve conceded that as many times as Kayla and he had broken up and reconciled, they should have the market cornered on “wise.”

A text from Tripp caught Steve’s attention. Steve explained Tripp’s worries about Ava to Kayla and vowed to get answers for his son. Later, Steve and Kayla exchanged Valentine’s/anniversary gifts. They pulled out their gifts simultaneously and shared a laugh when they both touted similar-looking envelopes. Inside each envelope was a pair of tickets for a Chicago Cubs baseball game. Kayla suggested they offer the extra set of tickets to Stephanie and Alex.

At the Bistro, Alex waited at a table for Stephanie. When she arrived, he presented her with a rose. Stephanie joined Alex at the table, and he poured them a bottle of fine wine. The beverage prompted Alex to recall how his mother used to take him on wine-tasting trips and other high-priced excursions when he was younger. Although he was grateful for the experiences, he sometimes wished that his mother had been more “conventional” in her parenting. Stephanie believed those experiences had shaped Alex and she was thankful to his mother for the person he had become.

Stephanie returned the favor by opening up about her childhood in California with Kayla. Stephanie reiterated that her mother had always made her feel loved and had made family trips with just the two of them a priority. Although she was happy to have her dad back in her life, Stephanie didn’t regret her childhood because it, too, had molded her.

Alex agreed and expressed gratitude that Stephanie’s journey had led her to him. The two tasted their desserts; Stephanie was left with cream on her chin. Alex chuckled and brushed it away, then leaned in for a kiss.

At Leo’s apartment, Leo scattered his office supplies onto the bed and groused about not being allowed back on set. When he heard a knock at the door, he quickly covered the supplies, afraid that the police had come to arrest him for theft. Instead, Javi strolled inside and announced he had brought Leo a “kiss” for Valentine’s Day. He placed a chocolate kiss in Leo’s hand before moving in for the real deal. Leo pulled back and apologized for not having made dinner reservations.

Javi assured Leo he understood. Since Leo had lost his “dream job," Javi would give him time to process. The couple sat on the bed to exchange gifts. Javi gave Leo a pillow etched with the phrase, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, come sit by me.” Javi cracked that the gift had immediately made him think of Leo; he promised Leo that he would always be available for a sit-down, no matter what.

Leo placed the pillow center on his bed and then retrieved his gift for Javi. Once he saw the box was from a high-end retailer, Javi excitedly opened it. He gushed over the blue scarf inside and remarked on how expensive it must have been. Javi insisted they return it, but Leo refused because he had wanted to get something nice for Javi while he still could. The couple agreed on a night indoors with room service and TV.

A disagreement brewed, though, when Leo mistakenly thought Javi wanted to watch Drag Race and Javi corrected that he wanted to see who won “the Big Game.” Leo assumed that Javi meant football, but Javi wanted to watch a playoff game with his home state basketball team. Javi confided that watching the games as a kid had always made him feel closer to his dad. Javi had feared his dad would react badly after Javi told his father he was gay, but his dad had reacted with complete acceptance. Javi’s mother, however, had been another story.

Later, Leo and Javi laid in bed and watched the basketball game. Javi was explaining the game to Leo, who was enjoying the men in shorts. He joked about getting Javi a pair of basketball shorts for next Valentine’s Day, then worried that he was making assumptions about their relationship. As he snuggled closer, Javi smiled and proclaimed he couldn’t wait to spend next Valentine’s Day with Leo.

After Javi’s team scored, Leo got excited and admitted he was getting into the game. Mainly, he enjoyed getting to see another side of Javi. The couple kissed. Javi switched off the game as Leo, and he fell back on the bed.

At the hospital, Tate told Johnny and Chanel about Sophia’s mother changing her mind regarding the adoption. When Tate mentioned that Sophia and he needed to find the right couple, Johnny shared a look with Chanel and then suggested, “Maybe you just did.” Tate was puzzled, so Chanel clarified that she and Johnny could adopt the baby. Tate asked if they were serious; the couple explained how they had been discussing having a family.

After Chanel and Johnny talked about their visit with Kayla, Tate expressed his sympathies. Johnny added that before Tate had arrived, they had been mulling their options. Chanel and he believed crossing paths with Tate might have been fate trying to tell them it was “meant to be.” Johnny added that the baby would stay in Tate’s family since Tate and he were cousins. Chanel worried Johnny, and she might be “coming on too strong” or that they might be making Tate uncomfortable.

Tate reassured them that was not the case and that he and Sophia had been searching for some time for the right couple, whom Sophia’s mother would approve. When he told them about the couple that had backed out, Chanel asked if Sophia’s mom would only okay the adoption if the couple came from her church. Tate couldn’t say specifically, as he only knew that Sophia’s mom would want the adopting couple to have “good Christian values.” At Tate’s clarification, Johnny and Chanel exchanged another look.

Tate said he needed to talk with Sophia, but first, he needed to see Holly since he was already late for their date. He was hopeful that things could be worked out with the baby, as he believed Johnny and Chanel would make great parents.

At the Horton Cabin, Holly nervously posed in her negligee in front of the mirror. Doug arrived and got an eyeful of Holly’s attire. Both Holly and he abruptly turned away in embarrassment. Cautiously turning back around, Doug explained that Julie had sent him to the cabin on an errand. Holly admitted that she had plans with Tate, but he was late.

When Doug mentioned Holly and Tate having “quite the night,” Holly stammered that she was only trying on the negligee and that she would take it off before Tate arrived. Doug awkwardly clarified that he had only meant that Holly looked “nice.” He promised that he would leave as soon as he found what Julie had sent him after. Holly jokingly asked if it was a book of love poems and was surprised to learn her guess was correct. Doug found the book and explained that his grandfather had left the lyrics of a song he had written for Julie inside.

Holly thought the gesture sweet and hoped that one day she would be as “head over heels in love” as Julie and Doug, Sr. had been. Doug said his grandfather had been “a hopeless romantic" and that he shared that trait with the man. Doug browsed through the book and expressed his amazement that someone could write so openly about love. Holly theorized that the poems contained feelings that the writer couldn’t admit in spoken words. She asked Doug if any poems had spoken to him in the book, and he mentioned “Ode on a Grecian Urn.”

Holly recited the first lines of the poem from memory. Doug then began reading an inscription his grandfather had written inside the book: “When I first saw you, that’s when I knew the truth. You are the most beautiful, wonderful thing I’ve ever seen. And that’s all I ever need to know.” Holly mused on the words, and Doug affirmed the poem conveyed how he felt about her.

Doug immediately apologized to a shocked Holly for blurting out his feelings. He claimed that the first time he had met Holly, his heart had “skipped a beat.” Holly said she had no idea Doug felt that way. He called himself an “idiot” and asked Holly if they could just “rewind” and forget what he had said. “I don’t think I can,” Holly responded. Just then, Tate came through the door with a bag of food and greeted Holly. Doug’s presence stopped him mid-sentence.

Before Holly could say anything, Doug quickly explained that he was only at the cabin to retrieve a book for Julie. He wished Tate and Holly good night and made a beeline for the door. Tate took notice of Holly’s seeming distress and asked if she was okay. Holly claimed she was fine and changed the subject to Tate. He told her about Sophia’s mom changing her mind about the adoption and then stated he might have found a couple to adopt the baby.

After Tate told Holly about Johnny and Chanel’s offer, he noticed she still seemed hesitant. Tate assumed Holly was worried about the baby remaining close by in Salem. He assured Holly that once the baby was born, his obligation as a parent to the baby would end, and his priority would be Holly. He pledged that nothing would come between them again. When Tate hugged Holly, she wore a look of contemplation and distraction.

Meanwhile, Doug returned to the Horton house and sat down with the book of poems. He flashed back to admitting his feelings for Holly and seemed to focus on her response that she couldn’t forget his confession. He had a forlorn expression as he re-read the words he had recited to Holly.

Chanel and Johnny returned to the DiMera mansion. Chanel reflected on the irony of them going to the hospital to see about becoming pregnant only to leave with the possibility of adopting a baby. Johnny apologized for initially speaking up for both of them and asked Chanel if she was really okay with the idea. Chanel assured him they were “on the same page,” but she did ponder if they would feel the same way now that “the adrenaline had worn off.”

Johnny asked if Chanel had reservations since Tate and he were related. Chanel stressed that she would love any baby they brought home. She was more worried about Sophia’s mother’s potential interference in the baby’s life. She didn’t want to set Johnny or herself up for disappointment. Johnny acknowledged the possibility of problems with Mrs. Choi, and Chanel added that the woman might not even approve of them.

Chanel questioned whether she and Johnny possessed the “good Christian values” Sophia’s mom apparently wanted. While Chanel considered herself someone who tried to be kind and help people, she admitted she was an infrequent church-goer. Since faith was so important to Sophia’s mother and since the woman seemed to have “the deciding vote,” Chanel was anxious that neither Johnny nor she would measure up. Johnny considered Chanel the best person he knew, and he pledged that they would deal with whatever outcome may arise together. The couple reaffirmed their love and kissed.

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