Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of May 16, 2011 on DAYS

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

Monday, May 16, 2011

by Mike

At the safe house, Rafe told Sami that he had remembered that he had been injured. Rafe recalled that Sami had nursed him back to health. Rafe sighed and admitted that he had not remembered anything else about his past. Sami assured Rafe that he would eventually remember everything.

"Okay, so...I have a theory about your amnesia. I've been thinking about it, and I think it's like a frozen river, kind of, you know? And it's spring, so there's a crack in the river; the next thing you know, there's gonna be another crack, and another crack, and the next thing you know, it's gonna flood back to you," Sami excitedly explained. Rafe smiled and said that he liked listening to Sami's voice. Sami laughed and said that Rafe had once turned on a basketball game to drown out the sound of her voice. Rafe grinned as he continued to listen to Sami's recollections.

Rafe started to recall details from his wedding to Sami; Rafe described Sami's wedding dress, and he remembered that the trees had been lit up. Rafe wondered why Sami had been crying during the wedding. Sami explained that E.J. had taken her kids away from her that night. Rafe guessed that his hatred for E.J. would continue to intensify as he learned more about the terrible things that E.J. had done. Sami admitted that she had been responsible for some of Rafe's bad memories of E.J.

Sami explained that E.J. had made her lie to Rafe; she added that E.J. had manipulated her into breaking up with Rafe. Rafe said that he didn't want Sami to blame herself for something that E.J. had forced her to do. Sami admitted that she was lucky that Rafe was a very forgiving person. Rafe reminded Sami that he had amnesia; he pointed out that she could have just let him forget about that part of his past. Sami shook her head and said that Rafe had taught her about the importance of honesty.

Rafe smiled and wondered if they had ever had any fun. Sami assured Rafe that there had been a lot of fun times. Sami laughed and admitted that they had almost been arrested for public indecency during one of their dates. Rafe agreed that the date sounded like it had been fun. Meanwhile, fake Rafe regained consciousness and started pounding on the wall.

Rafe dragged fake Rafe into the living room and shoved him onto the sofa. After Rafe removed the gag, fake Rafe reminded his captors that he needed to eat something. Rafe started to refuse fake Rafe's request, but Sami suggested that Rafe should go into the store to get some breakfast. Sami cryptically added that she would stay with fake Rafe -- and the gun. Rafe pulled Sami aside and handed her his gun; Rafe whispered that he would be waiting right outside the door.

After Rafe left, Sami taunted fake Rafe with the gun; meanwhile, Rafe listened from the hallway. Sami told fake Rafe that Rafe had started to get his memories back. Sami noted that Stefano and E.J. had taught fake Rafe everything about Rafe's life. "But they didn't just tell you about Rafe, did they? They told you about me, too. How I like my coffee, my nicknames for my kids, my favorite chocolate. Did E.J. happen to mention that I...shot him in the head?" Sami asked as she turned the gun over in her hand.

"You stole Rafe's life...and turned my life inside out. But that was E.J., right? E.J. wanted me to divorce Rafe, but you...you had fun. You enjoyed it. You are such scum; you're that guy that kicks puppies and scares kids...that shoves women around, because deep down inside you know...you're not really a man," Sami said. Fake Rafe snickered and shrugged off Sami's accusations. Fake Rafe admitted that the hardest part of the job had been dealing with a total bitch like Sami every day. Fake Rafe joked that he should have gotten hazard pay.

Sami told fake Rafe that he should have left town when he had the chance. Sami continued to taunt fake Rafe with the gun; she warned him that she wasn't as forgiving as Rafe was. Fake Rafe dared Sami to shoot him. Fake Rafe said that Sami could just get Rafe to clean up her mess again; fake Rafe added that Rafe was more like a nanny than a real man. "There's no one on earth who knows better than me which one of you is the real man," Sami calmly stated.

Rafe returned and claimed that the store had been closed. Sami said that she was sick of talking to fake Rafe. Sami asked Rafe to gag fake Rafe again, then she rushed off to the bathroom. Rafe sarcastically observed that fake Rafe had not managed to mend fences with Sami. Fake Rafe shrugged and said that Sami wasn't a very warm person.

"Except in the sack. I'm thinking maybe you don't know about that. Yeah -- she said I was like...like never before. Like I was a new man," fake Rafe claimed. Rafe punched fake Rafe; after fake Rafe was unconscious, Rafe dragged him back into the bathroom. Later, Sami wondered if everything was all right. Rafe hesitantly asked Sami if she had slept with fake Rafe.

Outside Daniel's apartment, Melanie ran into Dario; she asked if Dario's foot was all right. Dario joked that his foot had been broken in three different places. Dario tried to thank Melanie for her help by inviting her over to his apartment for drinks, but Melanie declined his invitation. Melanie claimed that it was a bad idea to get too friendly with the neighbors. Before Dario could respond, Melanie excused herself so that she could get to the hospital.

At the Brady Pub, Vivian told Gus about her new plan to destroy Kate. Vivian wondered how a man like Stefano could stand to be with a woman like Kate. Gus wondered if Vivian had considered the possibility that Stefano was truly in love with Kate; Vivian shuddered and warned Gus that she never wanted to hear him say that again. Gus wondered if Vivian was still planning to seduce Stefano. "No, I'm not going to use my feminine wiles against Stefano; I'm going to outwit him, and in doing so, bring Kate to her knees. How ironic -- isn't that where she launched her career in the first place?" Vivian jokingly asked.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano learned that there had not been any activity on the Javier Morales bank account. Stefano muttered that fake Rafe had either lost the bank card, or something more serious had happened to him. Kate interrupted Stefano's thoughts and asked if he was all right. Stefano assured Kate that everything was fine; Kate lovingly pointed out that Stefano would have been able to handle the situation either way. Kate quickly excused herself so that she would not be late for a meeting that she had scheduled.

After Kate left, Stefano muttered that she had been right; he quickly placed a call to Marco and explained that he wanted to discuss the Rafael Hernandez situation. Later, Vivian arrived at the mansion and insisted that she needed to talk to Stefano. Stefano groaned when he heard Vivian's voice, but she ignored his protests. "I just have one question for you -- what would you say if I told you that you could do serious damage to Titan, and make more money than a small Arab nation doing it?" Vivian asked. Stefano sighed and admitted that Vivian had managed to get his attention.

Vivian explained that Titan had made some very risky investments. Vivian claimed that she wanted to exploit those risks; she added that she would need a partner. Vivian pointed out that Stefano was the only person in the world who hated Victor as intensely as she did. Stefano hesitantly admitted that it was a tempting offer. "Tempting? Oh, come on, you and I both know that the best aphrodisiac in the world is a trifecta of money, power, and revenge. I'd like to make a toast...to the prospect of the two of us crawling into bed together," Vivian said as Kate walked into the room.

Stefano suggested that Vivian should leave; Vivian agreed and quickly rushed out of the mansion. "That woman is always so unpleasant...except when I found her in a coffin, that was fun," Kate jokingly stated. Stefano laughed and explained that Vivian had tried to make him an offer; Kate wondered if Stefano had accepted. Stefano said that Vivian was out of her mind, and he admitted that he was amused by that fact. Kate said that she had not been amused by Vivian's pathetic act; Kate added that she hoped that they had seen the last of Vivian.

At the hospital, Abigail said that she had seen Melanie carrying a futon into someone's apartment building the previous night. Abigail noted that the guy that Melanie had been helping was cute. Melanie insisted that Dario was a jerk; Daniel walked by and overheard Melanie's statement. Later, Daniel talked to Melanie about the fact that Dario had moved into their apartment building. Melanie admitted that she had been trying to keep her distance from Dario.

Melanie pointed out that it was going to be difficult to stay away from Dario when he was living across the hall. Daniel wondered why Melanie wanted to keep her distance from Dario. Melanie explained that Dario had a habit of getting under her skin in the same way that Philip had. Melanie added that she just didn't want more drama in her life. Daniel reminded Melanie that she had said that she wasn't going to get attached to another guy right away; Melanie laughed and assured Daniel that she definitely wasn't going to get attached to Dario Hernandez.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Chloe met with Justin and admitted that she was worried that she was never going to see Parker again. "I had this nightmare; Parker was with Philip, but they were on the other side of this glass wall. I could see that Parker was crying, but I couldn't hear him and I couldn't get to him. I just -- I woke up in a panic," Chloe explained. Chloe told Justin that Philip had refused to talk to her. Chloe asked Justin to check on Parker for her.

Chloe said that she just wanted to know what was going on in her son's life. Justin reminded Chloe that he was Philip's attorney. Justin explained that any information that he received about Parker could be considered privileged information. Chloe told Justin that she was sorry that she had bothered him. "It's okay -- I'm not mad; I understand. I made my bed and I have to lie in it, right? Thank you for listening," Chloe said with a sigh.

After Chloe left the bar, Adrienne noted that Justin's conversation with Chloe had seemed unpleasant. Justin admitted that he wanted to help Chloe; he added that he didn't know how to do that because his hands were tied. Adrienne assured Justin that he would think of something. After Adrienne and Justin left, Chloe returned and asked to speak to Adrienne. Dario told Chloe that she had just missed Adrienne; Chloe pulled a flyer out of her purse and explained that she had wanted to ask Adrienne to hang the flyer in the bar.

Dario pointed out that the bar probably wasn't the best place to post a flyer for singing lessons. Meanwhile, Kinsey walked in and screamed excitedly when she saw Chloe. Kinsey pointed out that Chloe had been on Hearth and Home; Kinsey added that she wanted to have a career just like Chloe's one day. Kinsey insisted that they were going to be best friends, then she asked if Chloe had any advice for aspiring journalists. "Marry someone whose mother has a TV show," Chloe dryly stated as she exited the bar.

Kinsey muttered that she wasn't surprised that Chloe's career had tanked. Later, Kinsey tried to order a drink; Dario refused to serve her because he could tell that her I.D. was fake. Kinsey started to leave in a huff, but Dario reminded her that she hadn't paid for the food that she had ordered. Kinsey tossed a handful of crumpled dollars at Dario. Dario tried to point out that Kinsey had not given him enough money, but Kinsey ignored him and walked out of the bar -- leaving her purse behind.

As Dario started to rummage through Kinsey's purse, Melanie walked in and accused Dario of stealing from the customers. Dario warned Melanie that she shouldn't jump to conclusions. Melanie insisted that there wasn't any other way for Dario to explain why he had been going through someone's purse. Melanie said that she was glad that she had stopped by; she explained that she had finally started to realize that Dario was a complete jerk, then she stormed out of the bar.

Outside the bar, Quinn greeted Chloe; Chloe told Quinn that she was busy. Quinn insisted that he had just wanted to greet a friend. Chloe wondered if Quinn paid all of his friends. "Well, can't friends have a small business transaction together?" Quinn asked. Chloe assured Quinn that she wasn't that kind of person; before Quinn could respond, Chloe walked away.

At the pier, Justin admitted that he had not heard from Philip. Adrienne wondered why Philip had refused to tell Chloe how Parker was doing. "In my nuanced, carefully considered analysis of the situation...Philip is being a world-class jerk," Justin conceded. Justin explained that he needed to tread carefully so that he wouldn't make the situation worse. Adrienne started to talk about Chloe's earlier demeanor at the bar, but Justin stopped her.

Adrienne followed Justin's gaze and saw that Chloe was walking toward them. Justin assured Chloe that he was going to try to get some news for her about Parker, but he stressed that he couldn't promise anything. Chloe asked Justin to tell Philip that she was trying to get her life back together. Chloe removed one of her flyers from her purse and showed it to Justin and Adrienne. Justin smiled and said that he hoped that everything would work out for Chloe.

After Justin and Adrienne left, Chloe started to hang one of her flyers on a nearby wall. Chloe heard someone call out her name; when Chloe turned around, she was shocked to find Quinn standing on the pier. Chloe pointed out that she had never told Quinn what her name was; Quinn admitted that he had asked around. Quinn explained that he had wanted to apologize for the way that their last encounter had ended. Chloe asked Quinn to leave.

"I can't -- I see now that I've insulted you, and I wanna make it up to you. Please...let me?" Quinn asked. Chloe assured Quinn that he didn't have anything to be sorry about; she claimed that it had been a big misunderstanding. Chloe wondered if Quinn wanted his money back. Quinn said that he would take the money if Chloe didn't want it. Quinn pointed out that Chloe had seemed insulted by the money.

Chloe confirmed Quinn's suspicions. Chloe claimed that she had given the money to charity; Quinn smiled and noted that Chloe was beautiful and generous. Chloe said that she was sorry that she had given Quinn the wrong impression. Chloe wondered if they could just forget about what had happened. Quinn grinned and admitted that he would never forget.

Back at the Brady Pub, Gus wondered how Vivian's meeting with Stefano had gone. "The seeds of doubt have been planted. It's only a matter of time before Kate goes mad with jealousy. Oh! I'll be her...Iago," Vivian gleefully stated. Gus dryly suggested that Vivian might end up being Kate's Wile E. Coyote instead.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

On the pier, Chloe politely begged Quinn to get away from her -- and to forget that their one-night stand had ever happened. Quinn insisted that it was impossible, because Chloe was unforgettable. He asked her for another chance, just as Daniel showed up. Daniel somewhat protectively asked if Chloe were all right. Chloe maintained that she was fine, and Quinn hastily introduced himself to Daniel. Chloe reminded Daniel that she was no longer his concern, and asked him to leave.

After Daniel left, Quinn assured Chloe that he would never have told Daniel about what had happened between them. Chloe wanted to know why Quinn had tracked her down, and he asked why she had wanted to be with him the previous night. She admitted that she had been drunk, and he pointed out that he had been, as well. They agreed that neither of them had been thinking clearly -- otherwise he never would have left money for her. Quinn confessed that he felt a connection with Chloe, and wanted to help her.

Chloe didn't think Quinn could do anything to help with her career, and he concurred -- but he thought he could help until things picked up for her again. He declared that he was going to let her keep the money. Chloe seemed disappointed, and Quinn asked what she would want him to do for her instead. "I don't know. Make me feel better about myself?" Chloe replied. Quinn looked into her eyes earnestly, and urged her to believe in herself. Upset, Chloe told him to forget her, and rushed away.

At the Brady Pub, Jennifer was on the phone with Hope. Jennifer invited Hope to meet her before Jennifer's upcoming date with Daniel -- a hike up Green Mountain for a picnic. Just as Jennifer hung up, Justin arrived with Jennifer's final divorce papers from Jack. The swiftness with which Justin had finalized everything startled Jennifer a little, although she seemed mostly relieved.

However, after Justin had gone, Jennifer opened the envelope and looked at the papers inside sadly. Hope arrived just then, and immediately recognized what the papers were. "I'm free. I'm not married anymore," Jennifer declared, fighting to smile instead of cry. Hope put her arms around her cousin comfortingly. Jennifer admitted that she'd thought the divorce would help her stop worrying and wondering about Jack, but she still couldn't stop thinking about him.

Hope wished that she could help take Jennifer's pain away, and gently reminded her, "Remember what Gran used to say to us? 'And this shall pass, too.' And it will; I promise you." Jennifer tearfully expressed her gratitude to Hope, and then determinedly wiped away her tears with a napkin so she could meet Daniel for their date.

Chloe met Justin at the Cheatin' Heart, and he informed her that he'd had a change of heart. While Quinn eavesdropped, Justin added that he wanted to help Chloe -- but first he wanted to give her some good news about Parker.

Jennifer arrived at Daniel's as he was filling a backpack with food for their picnic. He teasingly checked to make sure she wasn't allergic to any of the foods he was taking, and as he chattered cheerfully on about their plans, he suddenly realized that Jennifer was upset. Jennifer confessed that although she had been looking forward to their outing, she'd decided that it was a bad idea -- because of Jack. Daniel asked if Jack had called or shown up, and Jennifer replied, "No, and he never will." Daniel reminded Jennifer that he had also just been through a divorce, and reassured her that he understood what she was going through.

Jennifer obviously felt guilty after all the trouble Daniel had gone to, and apologetically explained that she just didn't think she was capable of being in another relationship. Daniel insightfully asserted that what had happened with Jack had not been Jennifer's fault, because while he didn't want to be too critical of the father of her children, Daniel didn't think Jack sounded like a very reliable guy. A hurt Jennifer agreed, but she fretted that Daniel probably wasn't ready for a serious relationship, either -- and even if he were, it shouldn't be with her. Daniel tried to argue with her, but Jennifer was insistent that if they got involved, things would go horribly wrong, and she ran out the door before he could stop her.

Later, Hope was surprised to find Daniel at the hospital when he was supposed to have been hiking with Jennifer. Clearly disgruntled, Daniel admitted that Jennifer had broken their date. Hope informed him that Jennifer had just gotten her divorce papers, and Daniel's demeanor instantly softened. He asked Hope to tell him about Jack. Hope acknowledged that Jack could be a lot of fun, but he was a bit detached where friendships and other relationships were concerned.

Daniel asked whether Jack had truly loved Jennifer. Hope assured him that Jack and Jennifer had been very much in love for a very long time, and Jennifer had kept him grounded -- until she couldn't. Daniel confessed that he just didn't understand how anyone could abandon a woman as amazing as Jennifer. Hope confided that no one did, especially Jennifer.

Jennifer called Abigail from an exam room to see how Abigail's first day at the hospital had gone. When she got Abigail's voicemail, Jennifer left a message confessing that she had ruined her date with Daniel, and asking if Abigail wanted to have dinner later.

Jennifer opened the door to leave the room just in time to overhear Hope declaring that she would like to track Jack down and strangle him. Jennifer ducked back inside to eavesdrop, and heard Daniel singing Jennifer's praises to Hope. He reiterated how terrific he thought Jennifer was, and how he didn't get how Jack -- or any man -- could just let her go. Daniel added that he had deduced that Jennifer believed she had failed, and that was why her marriage had failed, and why she didn't want to get involved with anyone yet. Hope urged Daniel to give Jennifer time. They agreed that they just wished Jennifer could see herself the way everyone else saw her.

Jennifer quietly closed the exam room door, and left by the room's other exit.

Hope asked Daniel how he was handling things since his divorce. He confided that he was really more worried about Chloe, especially since she had lost her son. He added, "She's not in a very good place right now, obviously. But I can see pretty clearly now how she can so easily just go of the rails and make the wrong decision."

A knock at the door within moments after he'd returned home irked Daniel, but he opened the door anyway. Jennifer was on the doorstep, and she said that she would still like to go on their hike if he were still up for it. Grinning, Daniel agreed. Jennifer declared that she refused to let Jack ruin any more of her days than he already had. Daniel happily invited her in, but wanted to know what had changed her mind.

Taylor was looking for Lexie at the hospital, where she ran into Abe. Taylor explained that she needed to ask Lexie for a favor. Abe replied that Lexie was in the operating room, and wondered if Taylor's favor involved why she had moved out of the DiMera mansion. Taylor maintained that she simply didn't belong at the mansion anymore.

At the DiMera mansion, Nicole arrived with a tray of breakfast for E.J., which she had hoped to serve to him in bed, but was disappointed to find that her husband was already up and getting dressed. E.J. hurled the tray across the room, then removed his wedding ring and dropped it in Nicole's glass of orange juice. With a sardonic smile, Nicole merely downed the juice and removed the ring.

Nicole followed E.J. downstairs, and chided him for giving Mary even more work to do by making such a mess. E.J. irritably suggested that Nicole could clean it herself. He then wondered why being a mother to Sydney and Johnny had not matured Nicole into not wanting to live a lie. Unmoved, Nicole declared, "I'm glad you brought up the children, actually, because there's something I have to tell you: I'm going to be watching you from now on."

Nicole warned E.J. that she would not let him turn the children against her, despite his assurances that he would not, because she no longer trusted him after what he'd done to Rafe. E.J. grabbed Nicole roughly by the arms, and ordered her to learn how to keep her mouth shut. After she pulled free, she promised that as long as E.J. stopped treating her disrespectfully, she would never breathe a word about the "crazy, sadistic trick" he'd played on Rafe. E.J. maintained that the only way Nicole ever got anything was by extortion or blackmail.

Taylor arrived in the foyer just in time to hear E.J. shout sarcastically at Nicole, "It's your only currency, sweetheart. Do what Nicole says or face the horrifying consequences!" For a moment, Taylor started to listen in, but then changed her mind, and hurried quietly out the front door.

Pointing her finger resolutely in E.J.'s face, Nicole commanded, "Let me just reiterate: I want to be completely involved in Johnny and Sydney's lives -- and if you interfere with that in any way, it will be over for you, E.J. Life as you know it will be over." He began to stride out of the room silently, but Nicole stopped him to toss his wedding ring at him.

Later, E.J. sat at the desk, gazing at a photograph of Johnny. "Everything I've ever done, I've done for you," E.J. told the picture, adding, "And now I'm trapped." He stormed across the room to pour another drink, and slammed his glass down furiously on the bar. "God, even from the grave, he plays God with my life. Damn you, Hernandez. Damn you!"

Nicole ran into Abe on the pier, and asked how Taylor was doing. Abe admitted that Taylor was upset, but she had insisted on returning to the mansion to pick up the things she'd left behind. Nicole was surprised to learn that Taylor had just gone back to the mansion about a half-hour earlier.

Taylor entered the DiMera living room, and informed E.J. that she had learned that breaking things off with her hadn't been his idea. She declared that she would give him one last chance to tell the truth, and demanded to know what Nicole had over him.

At the safe house, Rafe gently pleaded with Sami to tell him whether she had slept with the imposter. Her eyes steely with disgust, Sami at last replied very reluctantly that she had. She tried to explain that she'd believed the imposter was her husband, but Rafe still didn't understand. "You saved my life. I wasn't here for months. I finally show up -- I didn't even know my own name! But you knew I was the real me. How did you not know that it wasn't me in your bed?" he asked.

Sami pointed out that the impersonator looked just like Rafe, and the DiMeras had prepped him to know intimate details about Rafe and Sami's life -- and he had blamed any forgotten details on the accident, which Sami had caused. She continued that the first time she'd been with the imposter, she'd known something was off, but she'd believed that everything was her fault. She beseeched Rafe tearfully, "If the DiMeras had done it to me, if they had put some woman in my place, and you didn't know, and she looked just like me and she talked just like me -- are you serious? You think you would've just known?" Rafe replied quietly that he couldn't imagine not knowing.

Sami didn't blame Rafe for being hurt. Beginning to weep, she explained that she was still trying to come to terms with having lived with "that monster" for so many months, all while knowing in her heart that he wasn't really Rafe. And even though her true husband had returned, their nightmare wasn't over, because he didn't understand why she hadn't known the truth. "And you're right. I should have known. I should have known, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" she sobbed, burying her face in her hands.

Rafe tried to reassure her that he understood, and acknowledged that it had been unfair for him to say that he would have known the difference between her and an imposter. He explained, "You made me understand that if I was in your position, that if something didn't feel right -- if everything didn't feel right -- that one day you're just hoping that it would turn around and that everything would be okay. I get it. I understand."

Sami was incredulous, and very grateful, but admitted that not only did the memories of having slept with the imposter sicken her, she felt guilty and disloyal for it. Rafe reassured her that he did not blame her, and pointed out that they got the chance to fall in love all over again. He admitted that while he couldn't remember everything yet, he remembered how much he cared about her. "I can't believe I have you back," Sami cried breathlessly, and the two shared a tender kiss.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

At the hospital, Brady was surprised to find Melanie in Troy's room. She explained that she was just saying goodbye to Troy, who was being transferred to a hospice, because his condition had been downgraded from a coma to a chronic vegetative state. Melanie admitted that it frustrated her that Troy would never have to pay for killing Arianna or trying to kill Melanie -- and they would never know why he'd done it.

Melanie speculated that since Troy clearly had not been the brains behind the drug ring that Arianna had been working undercover to take down, Troy's boss was probably the one who had given the order to kill Arianna. Brady and Melanie agreed that if they ever learned that person's identity, they would kill him. Brady vowed that he would find out who it was, even if Troy would never be able to tell them.

Victor stopped by the nurses' station later to pick up the minutes from the last board meeting. As he chatted with Melanie, Victor stunned her with the news that Chloe had moved out of Maggie's house.

Brady exited Troy's room, and approached his grandfather. He offered to give Victor back a sizable portion of Titan stock in exchange for an important piece of information. As the two men went into a waiting room, Brady explained that he was aware that Victor had owned the drug operation that Arianna had been investigating, but he knew that Victor had sold it. Brady asked Victor to divulge whom he had sold the operation to.

Victor wondered why Brady wanted to dredge up the past -- and why he should tell Brady. Brady replied, "Because you built Titan from scratch. Do you want to be a part of it again or not?" Victor was peeved that Brady wanted the information simply to avenge the death of his drug-dealing ex-girlfriend, but Brady promised to keep Victor's name out of it. At last, Victor somewhat grudgingly admitted that he had sold the operation to E.J. DiMera.

At Maggie's, Ciara and Hope were helping Maggie gather some old clothes to donate to charity. While Ciara went upstairs to retrieve some more items, Maggie admitted that she'd been putting off getting rid of Mickey's things for too long. When Maggie pulled Mickey's old fishing hat out of a box and reminisced about it, Hope recognized how sentimentally attached to the hat Maggie was. Hope offered to send the hat to Shawn and Belle, who were deep-sea fishing off the coast of Mexico. She insisted that Shawn would be more than honored to wear his great-uncle's hat. Maggie gratefully agreed.

Maggie then admitted that even though it had been over a year since Mickey's death, she was still grieving. She knew that Mickey would want her to have as much joy in her life as possible, so she'd tried to make herself move forward, but she'd realized that she was never going to find love again. Since Mickey had been the love of her life, Maggie explained, even the thought of loving someone else felt disloyal, so she had decided to focus on her friends, family, and her beautiful memories.

Hope was surprised to find a gorgeous evening gown -- with the tags still on it -- in one of Maggie's boxes. Maggie explained that she'd purchased it for the cruise that she and Mickey had never gotten to go on, and since she would never get to wear it, she thought it should go to someone who could use it. Hope tried to encourage Maggie to believe that love could happen a second time even to someone who'd experienced such a great love, and not to give up. Maggie irritably declared that Victor, not she, had been the one who had given up.

Hope was taken aback that the rumors were true that Maggie had been seeing Victor. Maggie confided that she had thought the relationship might become serious, but it hadn't. The women compared notes about the curmudgeonly Victor, as well as the softer one who only showed his face to a select few. Maggie admitted that she'd let herself hope, after seeing so much of Victor's gentler side, that something more might blossom between them, but then Victor had declared that Maggie had "certain standards of conduct that were just too high."

Ciara ran back into the room just then, and told Maggie that they were headed to Victor's next to pick up some of his old clothes. The tot invited Maggie to join them, but Maggie politely declined.

After Hope and Ciara had gone, Melanie arrived at Maggie's. She asked if it were true that Chloe had moved out, and Maggie revealed that Chloe felt that she needed some time on her own. Melanie admitted that she had concluded, "You're obviously still mad at me, otherwise you would have told me." Maggie insisted that she had never been mad at Melanie; she simply hadn't told Melanie because it had happened very recently. Melanie sheepishly confessed that she had feared that by not forgiving Chloe, she'd disappointed Maggie. They embraced warmly. Melanie then revealed that Victor had been the one who had encouraged her to visit Maggie.

Ciara and Hope were waiting for Victor at the Kiriakis mansion when he arrived. Victor presented his granddaughter with a new doll, which Ciara promptly declared she wanted to name "Maggie." Hope confided that Maggie had seemed a little down earlier. She added that she and Ciara had tried to convince Maggie to go to Victor's with them, but Maggie had declined.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Quinn eavesdropped while Justin advised Chloe that even though he was Philip's attorney, he had an idea of how to deal with the situation with Philip and Parker. Justin asserted that it would be very damaging for Parker to grow up without contact with his mother, and promised to try to get supervised visitation rights for Chloe, as long as she could prove that she was capable and responsible. Chloe declared that she would do anything for her little boy. Justin warned her not to get her hopes up about regaining custody, but Chloe hugged him gratefully.

Justin wanted to talk about Chloe's suicide attempt, and she expressed her inability to forgive herself for putting Parker in danger. Justin understood how devastated Chloe had been, but he admonished her to work hard, continue taking her medication, and keep going to therapy. Chloe promised that she would.

Quinn waited for Justin to leave the bar, then emerged from his eavesdropping post, and acted surprised to bump into Chloe again. Chloe was in a hurry to leave, but Quinn admitted that he felt stupid for having hurt her feelings by leaving money for her after they'd had sex. Chloe insisted that she was over it. Quinn asked her to try to pretend that no money had ever changed hands, and to just consider him a guy she'd hooked up with after having just met him. His tactic worked, and Chloe admitted that would not have been such a bad thing. Quinn then asked if she would let him take her out to dinner, on a real date, to make it up to her. It took some persuading, but Chloe finally consented.

At the pier, a chagrined Nicole was muttering to herself about why Taylor had returned to the mansion. Lexie interrupted Nicole's thoughts, and demanded to know why Nicole was blackmailing E.J. She warned Nicole that everything was going to blow up in her face. Lexie questioned whether Nicole had thought through what could happen depending on who won the war between E.J. and Nicole. She urged Nicole to consider what would happen if she ended up losing Sydney -- or if Nicole were to win and E.J. ended up miserable. Lexie concluded, "And Sydney grows up in a household filled with hatred. Your childhood was nothing but bad memories, Nicole. Is that really what you want for Sydney, too?" Lexie warned that Nicole was headed down a dark road, and would end up losing everything.

At the DiMera mansion, Taylor demanded to know what Nicole was using to blackmail E.J. He claimed that he had married Nicole -- and was staying with her -- for the sake of the children. Taylor reminded E.J. that she had given him only one chance to tell her the truth, and he'd lied. She turned to leave, but he begged her to stay, and swore that he had not lied. Taylor revealed that when she'd arrived to pick up a box of her belongings, she had overheard him and Nicole arguing about why he was really staying married to her.

Taylor didn't understand why E.J. was allowing Nicole to blackmail him, when all he would have to do would be to promise Nicole a huge settlement and generous visitation rights with the kids. E.J. guessed that Nicole probably never wanted to let him have that kind of power over her again. Taylor demanded to know what would happen if E.J.'s secret did get out -- and if it were so terrible that he could never be forgiven.

E.J. would only remind Taylor that she knew he had done some things he wasn't very proud of. Frustrated, Taylor begged him to either tell her the truth or set her free. E.J. finally conceded that Taylor deserved to know who he really was and what he'd done. He was just about to divulge what Nicole was using to blackmail him when suddenly they heard Nicole's voice from the foyer, cheerfully calling, "Honey, I'm home!"

Taylor insisted that she had just been on her way out, and left in a hurry. With feigned casualness, Nicole asked what Taylor and E.J. had been talking about. E.J. informed his wife that Taylor had overheard their conversation, and she knew that Nicole was blackmailing E.J. into staying married. A furious Nicole demanded, "Tell me something, E.J. Why are you and my sister having such an honest, intimate conversation about our marriage? She can't stand you, and you think she's a pain in the ass, right?"

E.J. assured Nicole that Taylor didn't know any details. Nicole warned E.J. that if Taylor did learn the truth about Rafe, she would immediately tell Sami and the police -- and then it would be all over for E.J. "It will be over for both of us. Or are you so stupid you don't quite realize that?" E.J. pointed out.

Brady walked into the Brady Pub, and found Taylor drinking alone. She could tell that he was upset, and he admitted that he'd just gotten some information he didn't quite know how to handle. "Makes two of us," Taylor concurred. Brady asked what had happened, and she would only say that she'd gotten into an argument with E.J. Brady vehemently ordered Taylor to stay as far away from E.J. as possible, and explained, "I just found out that E.J. killed the woman I loved!"

Thursday, May 19, 2011

by Mike

At Maggie's house, Melanie explained that Victor had encouraged her to talk to Maggie. Melanie noted that Maggie seemed surprised; Maggie admitted that she didn't understand why Victor cared about her. Melanie bluntly stated that Victor was in love with Maggie. Maggie insisted that Melanie was wrong. Maggie told Melanie about her earlier conversation with Victor.

"I am grateful to Victor for understanding how important you are to me," Maggie admitted. Melanie said that Victor understood because he was in love with Maggie. Before Maggie could respond, Melanie realized that she was late for a meeting with one of her friends; Melanie wanted to reschedule her meeting, but Maggie insisted that Melanie should spend time with her friend. "Victor went to bat for you, so it's time for you to step up to the plate and admit you love him back," Melanie said as she exited the house.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Justin learned about the deal that Victor had made with Brady. Justin noted that Victor didn't seem very happy about the turn of events. "Because I got a piece of my company back, because I'm no longer furious at my grandson, 'cause I've got my health, I should be dancing a jig? There are other things in life, Justin -- companionship, love, 'someone to watch over you,' to quote Gershwin. Without that, there's nothing; you should know that better than anyone. Just a big, fat waste," Victor said.

Later, Maggie arrived at the mansion; she asked if Victor was busy. Victor admitted that he was supposed to be at Titan; he explained that Brady had given him a piece of the company. Maggie suggested that Victor was trying to avoid her. Maggie theorized that Victor was afraid that he would end up disappointing her. Maggie suggested that it was easier for Victor to just walk away, because he didn't want to face potential failure

Victor admitted that Maggie was right. Maggie said that she had realized that she didn't want Victor to try to change for her sake. "I know that underneath that sometimes callous, curmudgeonly, antisocial guy that you present to the world, there's a heart of gold...a very good man of character. That's who I see; that's who I adore," Maggie said. Victor apologized for being arrogant enough to believe that he deserved a woman like Maggie.

"I'm the arrogant one...insisting that you change, believing that I could change you. Victor, you are a lovely person just the way you are. You're smart, you're funny, you're caring, and very deserving of love and admiration. But maybe the person who needs to understand that most of all...is you," Maggie stated. Maggie kissed Victor; before Victor could respond, Maggie exited the mansion.

At the Brady Pub, Brady told Taylor that E.J. was responsible for Arianna's death. Taylor warned Brady that he couldn't make that kind of accusation unless he was willing to back it up with an explanation. Taylor theorized that Brady had decided to make E.J. the scapegoat for Arianna's death because Brady hated E.J. Taylor told Brady to go to hell; she started to storm off, but Brady stopped her. Brady assured Taylor that he wasn't in the habit of falsely accusing people.

Taylor wondered if Brady had any proof to back up his allegations. Brady told Taylor to forget what he had said earlier, but Taylor insisted that she couldn't do that. Taylor said that she needed to know exactly how E.J. had been involved in Arianna's death. Taylor explained that she might be able to help Brady if he told her what had happened to Arianna. Brady quickly told Taylor about Arianna, Troy, and the drug ring that Arianna had been trying to expose.

"Turns out that the head of the drug cartel here in Salem is none other than your brother-in-law, Elvis DiMera. And since Troy is in a coma now, and he doesn't look like he's gonna wake up any time soon...well, it looks like E.J. is gonna get away with murder," Brady said. Taylor wondered how Brady had learned that E.J. was the head of the drug ring; Brady said that Taylor was just going to have to trust him. Taylor sighed as she struggled to think of a logical way to explain the information that Brady had shared with her.

Brady noted that Taylor looked like she was about to faint. Brady guessed that Taylor was worried about Nicole; he assured Taylor that Nicole could take care of herself. Taylor claimed that she was also worried about E.J.'s kids. Taylor told Brady that he needed to go to the police; she insisted that Brady couldn't let E.J. get away with murder. "Look, it's not exactly in the Kiriakis DNA to go running to the cops; that's not how we roll, all right? And if I do open up that can of worms, a lot of people are gonna get hurt," Brady explained.

Taylor wondered what Brady was going to do with the information that he had obtained. Brady said that he was going to have to figure that out on his own. Taylor promised that she wouldn't tell anyone about their conversation. Taylor admitted that she had been shocked by Brady's revelation; Brady insisted that he wasn't surprised at all. "See, E.J. is scum; he's always been scum, and he always will be. He's watching his back right now, but I swear to God, once he lets his guard down, I'm gonna be there...and I'll take him down," Brady vowed.

At the hospital, Maxine noted that Daniel was in an extremely good mood. Before Daniel could respond, Jennifer entered the waiting area and interrupted their conversation. Daniel wondered if Jennifer was feeling all right. Jennifer admitted that she was still sore; when Jennifer noticed the look that Maxine was giving her, she clarified that her calves were sore because she and Daniel had gone on a hike earlier that morning. Maxine wasn't convinced; she knowingly asked if Daniel was sore, too.

Jennifer insisted that Maxine had gotten the wrong impression. "I'm not thinking anything...except you two went on a nice little...'hike,'" Maxine said. Jennifer stressed that she and Daniel had gone on a hike because they were friends who both enjoyed the outdoors. Maxine smirked and assured Jennifer that she understood exactly what was going on. After Maxine left, Daniel teased Jennifer as she struggled to hide her embarrassment.

Later, Jennifer ran into an old friend, Scott, in the waiting area. Jennifer asked about Scott's wife; Scott admitted that he and his wife had gotten a divorce the previous year. Jennifer conceded that her divorce had just been finalized earlier that day. "You know, maybe you and I could commiserate over a cup of coffee sometime," Scott suggested. Jennifer politely accepted Scott's invitation, unaware that Daniel was listening nearby.

After Scott left, Jennifer sensed that Daniel was upset about something. Jennifer assured Daniel that Scott was just an old friend from high school. "Oh, he's a friend. It's fine, right? Just like you and I are friends, which is cool, right? Look, it's all good. You have friends, I have friends...I'm fine, okay?" Daniel insisted. Daniel tried to excuse himself, but Jennifer stopped him. Jennifer realized that Daniel was probably upset because of what had happened with Chloe.

"What I'm thinking is that whatever happened between you and Chloe, you are easily threatened by what you perceive as disloyalty; if that's the case, then you are not ready for this, and we should just end this right now," Jennifer said. Jennifer quickly added that she didn't want to end her relationship with Daniel. Daniel pointed out that Jennifer had told Maxine that they were just friends. Jennifer explained that she had done that for Daniel's sake. Jennifer suggested that they should just forget about their silly misunderstanding.

"Here's the thing, though -- every room you walk into, you just light it up, right? And every guy in that room is gonna want to be with you. Okay, full disclosure...I was jealous," Daniel admitted. Jennifer tried to interrupt, but Daniel continued to ramble. Daniel finally stopped talking when he realized that Jennifer looked like she was about to cry. Jennifer assured Daniel that she was fine. Before Daniel could respond, Jennifer excused herself.

A short time later, Jennifer returned; Daniel tried to apologize, but Jennifer stopped him. Jennifer explained that it had been a long time since she had felt appreciated. "That's so self-pitying...for whatever reason, everything that you just said to me just made me feel so emotional, and it was so sweet, and...I feel like a fool right now," Jennifer admitted. Daniel hugged Jennifer and assured her that she was not a fool.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. angrily tossed a glass across the room as he recalled his earlier conversation with Taylor. Stefano walked in and wondered why E.J. was upset. E.J. dryly asked if Stefano's question had been rhetorical. "Fine...I'll venture a guess. You are sick and tired of having to deal with this farce of a marriage you have with ding-dong Nicole, and apparently you seem to be madly in love with her sister," Stefano said. Before E.J. could respond, Johnny ran into the room; Johnny was wearing his FBI jacket, and he announced that he wanted to see Rafe.

E.J. delicately explained that Rafe had left town because Rafe and Sami had been fighting. Johnny wondered if Rafe was gone forever; E.J. confirmed that Rafe was never going to return to Salem. E.J. and Stefano assured Johnny that they were never going to abandon him. "I don't wanna wear Rafe's jacket anymore," Johnny said as he took off his FBI jacket. E.J. smiled as he hugged Johnny.

After Johnny left, Stefano happily noted that E.J.'s plan had worked out perfectly. E.J. sullenly agreed with Stefano. Later, E.J. heard someone pounding on the front door of the mansion; when he opened the door, he found Taylor standing on the other side. "So, I hear that you run a drug operation, and that you are also in the business of killing people. Hmm? Arianna Hernandez -- young woman, her whole life ahead of her. You were responsible for ending her life, weren't you? Weren't you?" Taylor demanded.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Dario received a phone call from someone named Mike. Dario assured the man that he would get his debt taken care of as quickly as possible. After Dario ended the call, he approached Adrienne and hesitantly asked her for an advance on his paycheck. Adrienne apologetically informed Dario that she couldn't give him an advance because her accountant handled all of the paychecks. Dario told Adrienne that he understood.

After Adrienne left, Dario kicked the side of the bar in frustration. Melanie walked in and wondered which customer Dario had tried to rip off. Melanie pointed out that she had seen Dario lose his temper several times; she added that he had been trying to steal something from someone each time. Dario warned Melanie to back off. As Melanie and Dario continued to argue, Gabi walked in and quietly watched their fight.

Adrienne interrupted and offered to cook some food for Melanie; Melanie claimed that she had lost her appetite, then she stormed off. After Melanie left, Gabi told Dario that she had figured out that Melanie was the reason that he had decided to stay in Salem. Dario insisted that Melanie was driving him crazy, but Gabi wasn't convinced. Gabi noted that Dario enjoyed the conflict. Gabi warned Dario that Melanie was out of his league.

At Daniel's apartment, Abigail stopped by to talk to Melanie about the hospital internship. Abigail realized that Melanie was upset about something. Melanie reluctantly admitted that she had seen Dario earlier. "He just -- he annoys me more than anybody I've ever met in my entire life. He -- he knows how to press all of my buttons, which is just frustrating the heck out of me; and this is gonna sound kind of messed up, but I think that your aunt made a mistake hiring him, because he's a complete jerk," Melanie said.

Melanie admitted that she wasn't pleased that Dario had moved into Adrienne's old apartment. Abigail suggested that they could get Dario evicted. Melanie was intrigued, but she reluctantly pointed out that she was living in Daniel's apartment. Melanie explained that she didn't want their pranks to cause problems for Daniel. Before Abigail could respond, someone started shouting in the hallway; Melanie went to investigate the commotion.

Melanie found Dario's bookie, Mike, pounding on Dario's door. Melanie informed Mike that Dario wasn't home. Mike explained that Dario owed him money; he added that Dario had been blowing him off. Melanie claimed that she didn't know where Dario was. Mike told Melanie to let Dario know that Mike was looking for him.

After Mike left, Abigail wondered why Melanie had lied about Dario's whereabouts. Melanie explained that she didn't want Dario to get hurt. Abigail smirked as Melanie quickly clarified that she didn't care about Dario -- she just didn't want that sort of thing on her conscience.

Friday, May 20, 2011

by Spalding

Daniel and Jennifer were hugging in the doctor's lounge when Maxine interrupted them and asked for Daniel's help. Jennifer wandered down the hallway and ran into her old classmate Scott. After chatting for a moment, Jennifer asked Scott if he had asked her out on a date earlier. With a grin, Scott joked that Jennifer had probably been "off the market for a while." When Jennifer started to fumble for words, Scott asked her if she was seeing someone. Jennifer explained that her relationship was new. As Daniel eavesdropped from the nurse's station, Jennifer commented to Scott, "He is the most incredible man."

At the Brady Pub, Kate talked to Philip via videoconference on her phone. As Kate cooed over Parker and waved at him, a stunned Chloe walked up behind Kate and saw her son's image on the phone. "I want to see my baby," Chloe cried out as she reached for Kate's phone. Kate slipped out of Chloe's grasp and told Philip that she would call him back.

Once off the phone, Kate reminded Chloe that Chloe's actions had cost her visitation with Parker. Stefano interrupted Kate's conversation when he called her phone and asked her to meet him at Chez Rouge. Kate agreed then snidely joked that she hoped Chloe would not commit suicide over their conversation. Kate advised Chloe to stop going to bars in the daytime if she wanted people to believe that Chloe was getting better. "As for Parker, he is safer without his mother. Now what does that say about you?" Kate said before walking out of the pub.

Frustrated, Chloe sat at the bar and cried. As Chloe dropped her head into her hands, Quinn gently put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Chloe warned Quinn that she would be poor company. Unfazed, Quinn offered to take care of "Cruella" for Chloe. Chloe explained that Kate was her former mother-in-law. Quinn offered to help Chloe forget Kate and told her that he wanted to restart his relationship with Chloe. While Chloe went to fix her make-up, Quinn took an ominous-sounding phone call.

When Chloe returned to the table, she noticed Daniel on the sidewalk in front of the pub. Daniel and Jennifer were headed into the pub when Daniel received a text message from the hospital. Jennifer offered to get lunch and carry it back to the hospital for Daniel. With a smile, Daniel thanked Jennifer for not going out with Scott. Daniel softly kissed Jennifer on the lips as Chloe watched through the window from inside.

As Jennifer walked into the pub and over to Caroline, Quinn noticed the sour look on Chloe's face. "You look like you could use another drink," Quinn offered. Chloe readily agreed. Unnerved by Jennifer, Chloe announced that she wanted to go home. Quinn told Chloe that he felt a connection with her and that he liked her. "I want to help you," Quinn assured Chloe. As Chloe got up to leave, Quinn smirked to himself before following Chloe out the door.

Jennifer took takeout back to the hospital for Daniel. When Daniel looked around and realized that he was alone with Jennifer at the nurses' station, Daniel pulled Jennifer close and kissed her. Maxine walked around the corner and spotted Jennifer and Daniel kissing. "Those two are getting friendlier by the minute," Maxine commented under her breath.

Quinn took Chloe back to his hotel room and explained that he wanted Chloe to distance herself from the night she had sex with Quinn. Quinn explained that he wanted to see Chloe happy. "I wouldn't presume to think that I could make you happy. At least not yet. But maybe I can help you forget for a while," Quinn whispered as he gently pulled Chloe toward him. "I want to," Chloe said as she kissed Quinn.

Chloe and Quinn fell into bed and began to have sex. As Quinn nibbled on Chloe's neck, she cried out Daniel's name. Startled, Quinn pulled back and Chloe apologized. "Don't be," Quinn responded, then began to kiss Chloe again.

Kate met Stefano at Chez Rouge. When Kate realized the restaurant was empty, she asked Stefano what he wanted. Stefano evaded the question until midway through the meal, and then he mentioned Vivian. Stefano assured Kate that she had nothing to fear from Vivian. Kate admitted that she believed that Stefano was keeping something from her. Stefano told Kate that Vivian had made a business proposition but that he would ignore Vivian's offer if it meant he would lose Kate.

While a restrained faux Rafe struggled against his ropes in the storage room of the safe house apartment building, Rafe and Sami slipped away to a hotel. Sami noted how relieved she was that they had left the safe house before law enforcement showed up to use it. Rafe joked that it reminded him of the time Sami attempted to sneak out of the safe house while he was in the shower. Realizing what he had said, Rafe blinked then all his memories of Sami flooded back. "I remember. Oh, my God, it's you," Rafe whispered. As Rafe remembered his family and the children, he asked Sami how everyone was.

"You never stopped believing in me. You never doubted even for a minute, did you?" Rafe said. "You knew I'd get my memory back. You knew," Rafe said happily as he picked Sami up in his arms and twirled her around. Rafe kissed his wife passionately. "There was never anyone for me but you. You have always been in my heart," Sami said breathlessly. Smiling, Rafe kissed Sami, and the two made love.

As they lay in bed, Rafe commented on how close he felt to Sami. With a sigh, Rafe reminded Sami that they needed to deal with faux Rafe. Meanwhile, faux Rafe remained tied to a chair in the storage room. Faux Rafe pushed the chair across the floor toward the door. When Sami and Rafe returned to the storage room, they found faux Rafe lying on the floor, the chair overturned. Sami showed faux Rafe his bank card and theorized that the associated bank account was full of DiMera money. With a smile, faux Rafe countered that he had cancelled the card and that it would not lead Sami to anything.

At the DiMera mansion, Taylor asked E.J. if he was running the drug ring that had ordered the murder of Arianna. When E.J. asked Taylor whether she wanted to hear the truth, she hesitated. "Regardless of my last name, I'm as noble and honorable as they come. I'm a man of tremendous integrity and virtue. I have a heart that never hardens. I have a temper that never tires. And I have a touch that never hurts. So, come on, let's have a drink. To my innate, unfailing goodness," E.J. said with bitter sarcasm. Furious, Taylor grabbed the drink E.J. offered her and threw it in his face.

Taylor asked E.J. whether he was the reason Arianna was murdered. Hesitant, E.J. finally looked into Taylor's eyes. "You had a woman killed," Taylor said with a gasp. "Not on my orders," E.J. said. E.J. explained that he hadn't known that Troy had run over Arianna until he had read it in the newspaper.

E.J. thought about when he learned the news. At the time E.J. had read the news, he had been in the living room with Stefano. E.J. blamed himself for Arianna's death. "This has to stop," E.J. said as he snapped back to the present. When Taylor asked E.J. what he meant, E.J. explained that when he learned that Troy had been the driver, he had wanted to turn himself into the police. "I still do," E.J. said guiltily.

With a sigh, E.J. explained that he had not turned himself in because Stefano had talked him out of it. Stefano had explained that if E.J. stepped forward, Taylor and his children would learn that E.J. headed up a drug cartel that was responsible for Arianna's death. Taylor accused E.J. of attempting to cover up his crimes. "I know you're not falling in love with me, Taylor. You're falling in love with the man you think I am. Falling in love with the man I want to be. It's not who I am," E.J. said. "If I could not be this guy, I'd take that offer, and I'd run. But this is who I am," E.J. said sadly.

"This is insane. In one breath you tell me that you are a drug lord, and in the next you tell me that you want to be a better man for me," Taylor said as she fought tears. "Why don't you want to be a better man for yourself?" Taylor asked angrily. E.J. told Taylor that after Stefano had talked him out of confessing, he had sold his drug business. "You let your father rule you life!" Taylor yelled. E.J. argued that he could not make up for Arianna's death. Taylor countered that E.J. should have turned himself in. Shaking his head, E.J. grabbed the phone and urged Taylor to turn him in to the police.

"How could you let this go so far, E.J.?" Taylor asked. E.J. noted that if Taylor was not going to call the police, she should leave. "I don't know how you live with yourself," Taylor said in disgust. "I can't just turn back time. So I live with the guilt every day of knowing that Arianna died in part because of who I am. I carry that burden with me, together with the shame of your being disgraced by me," E.J. said. When Taylor asked E.J. if he was done dealing drugs, E.J. stressed that he had not been involved with anything illegal since the day he had learned about Troy.

"Moving forward, no one else is gonna suffer because of my direct or indirect involvement," E.J. announced. Heartbroken, Taylor walked out of the mansion. Confused, Taylor walked to the pier and wondered what she should do with the information E.J. had given her. Back at the mansion, E.J. thought about when he had sold his drug business to Quinn. E.J. stared out the window and muttered to himself, "If I could just find a way to keep Taylor from finding out that I'm the reason Samantha lost Rafe."