Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of July 25, 2016 on DAYS

Adriana warned Hope to stay clear of Hope. Claire said no to college. Steve and Eduardo bonded. Steve saw Fynn kiss Kayla. Sonny returned to town. Deimos gave Maggie and Victor good news. Victor and Deimos called a truce. Kayla and Steve were at odds. Jade's father had a run-in with Joey. Summer left town after she fought with Theresa.

Chase learns the truth about Aiden

Monday, July 25, 2016

by Mike

At the Hernandez house, Adriana complained that Rafe had risked his life for Hope, of all people -- a woman who cared so little about him that she had recently gone out of town with another man. Rafe protested that Adriana was being too hard on Hope, who had quite literally saved his life. Adriana dismissively countered that Rafe's life wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if he had never gotten involved with Hope.

Meanwhile, Gabi burst into the house, gave Rafe a hug, and told Adriana to stop arguing with him, reasoning that all that mattered was that he and Hope were alive and well. Adriana reluctantly dropped the subject and remained quiet as the family ate dinner. Afterward, Gabi told Adriana that the meal had been delicious. "Well, I'm glad I do something right," Adriana bitterly muttered.

Rafe and Eduardo insisted on doing the dishes themselves, so Adriana went outside with Gabi, who apologized for being hard on Adriana earlier but maintained that Adriana needed to stop giving Rafe a hard time about Hope and start letting him live his own life. Gabi insisted that Hope was a good person who had never meant to cause Rafe any pain. "I mean, she's better than the other women that he's been with in Salem," Gabi added. "Really?" Adriana replied. Nodding, Gabi explained that Rafe wasn't exactly the best judge of women. "Except for Hope," Gabi quickly added.

Adriana remained convinced that regardless of whether Hope was a good person or a bad one, she still wasn't right for Rafe because of all her baggage. Adriana wanted her children to have normal lives, but Gabi pointed out that the Hernandez family wasn't exactly normal to begin with, given that it consisted of an ex-assassin, a convicted murderer, and a cop. "Well, okay, okay, but why bring more trouble?" Adriana argued. Believing that was exactly what Hope was -- trouble -- Adriana insisted that, for his own good, Rafe needed to turn his back on Hope and everyone associated with her.

Later, after Adriana and Gabi rejoined Rafe and Eduardo inside the house, Rafe made the mistake of thanking Eduardo for something, prompting the women to probe for more details. Rafe explained that Eduardo had offered to use some old connections to help prove that Aiden had been at least partially responsible for the explosion. Eduardo protested that he hadn't mentioned anything about using his old connections, but Rafe countered, "Well, how else were you going to find anything out?" Eduardo said it didn't matter, anyway, because Rafe had turned down the offer.

Eduardo stressed, more to remind Rafe than to comfort Adriana and Gabi, that Rafe planned to handle the matter his own way but wouldn't be doing anything else without some form of backup. Despite acknowledging that no one seemed to care about her opinion, Adriana nevertheless complained that Rafe needed to just drop the matter entirely. Rafe wondered if Adriana was saying she wanted Aiden to get away with the crime. Adriana insisted that she didn't, but she added that Aiden seemed to be pretty good at covering his tracks. "What if you can't prove anything? What if he comes after you again?" Adriana fretted.

"He might do that, anyway," Rafe pointed out. Adriana argued that Aiden wouldn't have any reason to do so if Rafe stopped investigating him and walked away from Hope for good. Rafe guessed that Adriana was about to suggest that he needed to move on with Blanca, and Adriana confirmed the suspicion, reasoning that Blanca was a very lovely young woman. "Oh, would you forget about it, okay? I want nothing to do with Blanca! There's nothing between us, and there never will be!" Rafe insisted.

"And she's in the room. Hi, Blanca," Eduardo awkwardly added. Sighing, Rafe apologized to Blanca, and Eduardo quickly made up an excuse to drag a somewhat uncooperative Adriana out of the house so Rafe and Blanca could have some privacy. Following Eduardo's lead, Gabi also rushed off, claiming that she needed to check a rash Arianna had developed. "Right," Rafe skeptically muttered as Gabi left the house.

Once they were alone, Blanca assured Rafe that she understood that his earlier comment hadn't been malicious; it had simply been the truth. Blanca added that although she was grateful to Rafe for giving her a place to stay, it would probably be best for her to start looking for a place of her own. Rafe didn't try to change Blanca's mind, but he did make it clear that she could take her time with the search so she could find the place that was right for her. Rafe abruptly excused himself so he could go to the hospital to see Hope. Nodding, Blanca said she was glad that Hope was doing better. "Me, too," Rafe replied before leaving.

Later, Gabi returned and helped Blanca look for apartments. Although Gabi was skeptical at first, Blanca stressed that she wasn't planning to move out because she had convinced herself that she didn't stand a chance with Rafe. Blanca explained that she hadn't moved to Salem for Rafe, anyway; she had simply looked the town up online and had decided that she could build a nice life there.

"Okay, but if Rafe was available --" Gabi started to ask. "Well, he's not, so what's the point of talking about it?" Blanca reasoned. Blanca added, however, that although she wasn't looking for a guy at that time, she planned to keep her options open and therefore wouldn't be opposed to going on a double date with J.J. and Gabi if J.J. had any cute, single friends who were interested.

Eduardo took Adriana to Club TBD to treat her to a slice of cake, but she barely touched it, preferring to continue sulking about what had happened earlier. Eduardo urged Adriana to let Rafe make his own decisions about women. "If Hope is the woman he wants, who are we to be trying to change his mind about that? He's a grown man," Eduardo reasoned. Adriana argued that Rafe had a habit of picking out women who ended up breaking his heart sooner or later. "Yes, but it's his heart," Eduardo maintained. Eduardo added that Hope wasn't the monster Adriana kept trying to make her out to be.

"So, you want me to give Rafe and Hope my blessing?" Adriana asked. Eduardo said that would be nice. "But if you can't do that, maybe you could just stay out of their way," he added. Adriana remained convinced, based on how Hope's previous relationships had ended, that any relationship Rafe tried to start with her would be similarly doomed, but Eduardo pointed out that it wasn't Hope's fault that her first husband had died after developing cancer or that her second husband had turned out to be a very convincing liar. Eduardo maintained that Rafe deserved a chance with Hope, who clearly made him happy.

Adriana started to raise more objections then stopped herself and reluctantly conceded the point, once again grumbling, "No one listens to me, anyway." Eduardo insisted that wasn't true. Adriana admitted that she was very impressed with the way Eduardo had been conducting himself since returning to Salem. Visibly moved, Eduardo grasped Adriana's hand as he stressed that he couldn't even begin to describe how much her kind words meant to him. Adriana pulled her hand away and abruptly changed the subject, excusing herself to go look for Dario.

While Adriana was gone, Eduardo decided to check his messages, and when he reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve his cell phone, he found a typed note next to it, which read: "Do you honestly think you can buy our silence? This is only the beginning. MURDERER!" Eduardo looked around with concern, curiously muttering that the note hadn't been in his jacket pocket when he had gotten dressed that morning.

Ciara went to the hospital to see Hope, who assured her that Aiden was out of their lives for good. Ciara soon excused herself so she could get to Shady Hills for a shift. Hope made Ciara promise to be very careful around Chase. Later, Rafe arrived and reported that Kayla was going to try to spring Hope from the hospital within the next couple days. Rafe promised to do whatever he could to make Hope's transition home a smooth one, but she grasped his hand and assured him, "I have what I need: my family around me...and you."

Aiden went to Shady Hills to see Chase, who wondered why Aiden wasn't still out of town with Hope. Aiden evasively explained that there had been a last-minute change of plans, but Chase could tell that Aiden wasn't giving him the whole story. "Something really bad happened, didn't it?" Chase guessed. Aiden elaborated that he had decided to cut the trip short and back off of his pursuit of Hope because he had realized that they still had a lot of issues to work through, but Chase still didn't believe him. "It's her, isn't it? She doesn't want you," Chase concluded.

Aiden dodged the question, insisting that he would rather talk about how Chase was doing. "What difference does it make how I'm doing?" Chase snapped. Aiden stressed that it made a difference to him. "Well, Dad, I don't feel like I exist anymore. It's like I'm invisible. When people see me walking down the hall, they just look the other way," Chase revealed. Chase continued that everyone knew that he was a rapist and that his father had pulled strings to get him transferred from prison to Shady Hills. "And now Ciara Brady is an intern here. And wait 'til the word gets out that she's the one I raped, Dad," Chase added.

Aiden begged Chase to give Shady Hills a chance, pointing out that it had a wonderful reputation. "That's why Abigail DiMera tried to burn it down [then] took off," Chase sarcastically agreed. Chase insisted that Shady Hills was no different than prison; in fact, it might be worse, because at least the people in prison hadn't looked at him like he was the scum of the earth. Aiden offered to talk to the staff and make them start treating Chase differently, but Chase knew they never would. "I'm the guy who raped a sweet girl like Ciara Brady. And you know what? The one person who does treat me differently around here is her," Chase mused.

Later, after Aiden left, Chase ran into Ciara in the reading room and asked her to tell him what had happened between Hope and Aiden. A guard intervened and stressed that Ciara didn't have to talk to Chase if she didn't want to, but she assured the guard that she was okay. "I'm decent to you because I work here and this is my job, but it doesn't mean that anything has gotten better between you and me. You raped me, and part of me is not gonna be able to get over that. You were my friend, and I trusted you, and you just threw that in the garbage! And no matter what you do, you're not gonna be able to get that back -- not ever," Ciara told Chase.

Chase said he was sorry, and Ciara mused that his apology had almost sounded sincere. "Did your dad teach you how to do that?" Ciara asked, prompting Chase to wonder what that was supposed to mean. Realizing that Chase was eventually going to hear the news one way or another, Ciara revealed that Hope had obtained proof that Aiden had been lying to everyone since his return to Salem. "He was the one planning on killing my mom right from the beginning," Ciara angrily explained.

Aiden returned to his room at the Salem Inn and soon received an unwelcome visit from a physical manifestation of his dark side, and he knew that it was getting harder for him to keep that part of himself under wraps. Aiden's subconscious taunted him, insisting that women like Hope would always eventually see him for what he truly was: a spineless jellyfish who desperately wanted to be a big man. Aiden protested that there had to be a way to win Hope back, but his subconscious predicted that she would probably put a bullet in his head if he ever tried to go near her again.

"See, you used to have a good reputation in this town. You have to find a way to earn people's respect again, and, at the same time, show them you are a man to be reckoned with. Now, you've got the smarts to do it, but you're a nobody right now. Forget about [that] -- you're less than nobody. What you need is a position of power; a place where you have control over Andre DiMera or anyone else out there who wants to hurt you," Aiden's subconscious added. Later, Aiden formulated a plan while reading an article about one of Justin's recent indictments, which had hinged on advancements in DNA testing.

Deimos offers Victor a truce

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

by Spalding

At the caf in the square, Philip talked to Chloe about her recording career. Philip said he wanted to show everyone what he and Chloe were capable of producing. With a raised eyebrow, Chloe asked Philip if he wanted to prove himself to Victor.

In the Salem Pub, Shawn and Belle cheerfully talked about Claire's orientation for college, but Claire announced that she was dropping out of school. Belle asked Claire to think about her future. Shaking her head no, Claire said that college would not help her be a singer. Claire said she would not change her mind, and she walked out of the pub.

Dismayed, Shawn and Belle talked about their daughter's news. Shawn wondered aloud if the rebellion was because they had split up. Shawn suggested that he and Belle should lay out a plan for Claire. With a shrug, Belle said that they should not push Claire. Belle noted that even if they forced Claire to go to school, they could not make her study. Shawn disagreed. Belle firmly warned Shawn not to bully their daughter.

With a furrowed brow, Shawn asked Belle if she was attempting to pick a fight with him. Belle said no. With a shrug, Belle said she was upset by Claire's news and off her game. Shawn and Belle agreed that Claire was not ready to be a singer. Shawn suggested that they convince Claire to go to college and make Claire think it was her idea.

As Claire walked through the square, she saw Philip talking to Chloe. Theo saw Claire, and she told him about her conversation with her parents. Claire looked back over at Philip. Theo asked what was wrong. With a sigh, Claire grumbled that Philip was eager to do anything to help Chloe's career but was avoiding her. Theo encouraged Claire to be patient and get more experience.

When Claire complained that Chloe had everything, Theo disagreed. Theo reminded Claire that Chloe needed material to sing and that Claire was a songwriter. With a smile, Claire said she would ask Philip and Chloe to listen to one of her songs. Claire marched over to the table. Claire explained that she had material for Chloe. Smiling, Chloe thanked Claire. Philip told Claire that she needed to work on her voice instead, and he wanted to obtain material from established songwriters.

"People who have chops, know how to write a hook," Philip said. Claire attempted to play one of her songs, but Philip told her no. Not giving up, Claire asked if she could be Chloe's assistant. Chloe agreed. Thrilled with the job, Claire trotted back over to Theo. Chloe told Philip that she was happy to help Claire as long as Shawn and Belle were on board.

Across the square, Claire told Theo about her conversation with Chloe and Philip. Claire said she planned to impress Chloe and get her foot in the door. Claire thanked Theo for pushing her to talk to Philip and Chloe. When Theo asked Claire about Ciara, Claire noted that she was still fighting with her. Claire explained that Ciara had moved home, and it was likely because Ciara had realized that Chad would always love Abigail. Upset, Theo said he needed to leave.

Claire returned to the caf and gave Chloe her contact information. Claire thanked Philip and Chloe for the job. As Philip and Chloe left, Belle and Shawn approached their daughter. Claire said that she was working as Chloe's assistant. Shawn was upset. When Shawn asked Belle to back him up, Belle said she wanted to talk to Philip. Claire begged her mother not to ruin her job opportunity. Belle assured Shawn that they were on the same page then she ran after Philip. Shawn barked at Claire that she was going to college and would not work for Philip.

At Philip's hotel, Chloe dropped Philip off at his room and headed out. After Chloe left, Belle knocked on the door. With a scowl, Belle accused Philip of using Claire to stay close to her. Philip said that Claire had asked for the job, and Chloe had said yes. With a look of curiosity, Philip noted that it was interesting that Belle's first instinct had been to think of him.

Dario escorted Nicole to the shooting range so she could blow off some steam. With a grin, Dario reached over and pulled out the target for their shooting. The target was a photo of Kate. Dario stood closely behind Nicole and coached her on breathing. As Nicole smiled nervously, Dario walked over to the gun and demonstrated how to shoot it. Nicole took her turn shooting. Laughing Nicole said, "This is like revenge without consequences!"

Nicole thanked Dario for helping her relieve stress. With a grin, Dario told Nicole not to try the remedy outside of the range. Nicole looked down at Dario's hand on her hip. With a nervous smile, Nicole told Dario he did not need to hold onto her anymore. Dario nodded. Nicole said she did not want to lead Dario on.

While Dario retrieved the target, Nicole's phone beeped. Dario asked Nicole if the call was from Deimos. Nicole said she was ignoring the call. Smiling, Nicole thanked Dario again. When Dario suggested that they go to Club TBD, Nicole's face fell. Dario stressed that he wanted to get a drink as friends. Nicole happily accepted.

In the park, Victor warned Deimos not to appear anywhere near Maggie because it would upset her. Deimos said he had no choice, since Victor had not taken his calls. As Victor turned to leave, Deimos pleaded with Victor to make peace. Victor did not believe Deimos. Deimos explained that he needed to move on from hating Victor. Growling, Victor reminded Deimos of what he had done to Maggie.

Victor suggested that Deimos devote his life to good deeds anywhere but Salem. Victor needled Deimos until he grew upset. With a groan, Deimos said that he would prove that he fully intended to make peace with Victor. "You can go to hell," Victor growled as he walked away.

When Victor returned to his condo, he was talking to Justin on the phone about Deimos. Victor saw Maggie and stopped talking. Maggie told Victor to retrieve her from the kitchen when he was done with his phone call. After Maggie wheeled out of the room, Victor told Justin that Maggie did not know that Deimos had visited and that he did not want her to know. Victor urged Justin to offer his services to Deimos and flush Deimos out. Justin informed Victor that Roman had initiated an investigation into the missing evidence. Justin asked Victor to forget Deimos, but Victor ordered Justin to help him.

At the Brady house, Ciara read a news story about Rafe and Hope surviving the bomb explosion. When Ciara saw a story about Abigail's disappearance, Ciara thought about when she had played chess with Chad and had kissed his cheek. Ciara started to head upstairs when Theo knocked on the front door. Theo and Ciara talked about Hope. When Theo asked Ciara if she had moved home because of Hope, Ciara nodded yes.

"Look, I shouldn't have told you how I felt because I miss us being friends. And I don't like it being weird when we're together," Theo said. Ciara agreed. Ciara invited Theo inside, and they sat down on the couch to talk.

At Club TBD, Justin met with Deimos to discuss their prior business. Justin confirmed that he had handled Deimos' request. With narrowed eyes, Deimos asked Justin if he had talked to Victor about his offer of a truce. Justin lied and said he had not heard about the truce. When Justin mentioned that Tate had been kidnapped, Deimos was visibly upset. As Deimos noted that kidnappers should burn in hell, Nicole walked into the club and overheard him. Deimos saw Nicole and Dario at the door. Deimos told Justin that he would talk to someone about Tate then he left to talk to Nicole.

Deimos took Nicole aside and asked her if she wanted to run Basic Black. Shaking her head, Nicole said she had not changed her mind about Basic Black. Nicole said she still intended to work with Dario to renovate Club TBD. With a grin, Deimos asked Nicole what she wanted from him to convince her to take the job. Nicole explained that she did not want to take the job at Basic Black because she did not trust Deimos. Deimos offered to keep their personal and professional relationships separate. Nicole countered that she did not want any relationship with Deimos.

As Nicole turned to leave, Deimos stopped her. Deimos said he had heard about Tate, and he told Nicole to ask Victor if there was anything he could do to help retrieve Tate. "I doubt there is," Nicole whispered. After Deimos walked away, Nicole told Dario that she still did not trust Deimos. As Deimos left, Nicole watched him.

At the Kiriakis condo, Justin updated Victor on his conversation with Deimos. Victor urged Justin to stay close to Deimos. When Justin noted that Deimos might not be plotting anything, Victor scowled. Justin clarified that Deimos had appeared to have no interest in working with Justin. When Victor reasoned aloud that Deimos was keeping his distance because he had coordinated Tate's kidnapping, Justin disagreed. Justin said he believed that Deimos had been sincerely surprised by the news about Tate.

"He seemed really upset about it. Something is different about him. I mean I can't put my finger on it, but I think he's changed," Justin said. Maggie wheeled into he room and asked who had changed. Victor explained that Deimos had offered a truce, and Deimos' near-death experience had changed him. Victor said he did not believe Deimos. Maggie looked at Justin, and she noted that Justin believed Deimos. Justin said he was not sure. Annoyed, Victor said he still believed Deimos was involved in the kidnapping. Shaking his head, Justin said he did not believe Deimos had had anything to do with Tate's disappearance.

Maggie urged Victor to consider the truce. There was a knock at the door. As Justin went to answer the knock, Victor asked Justin to punch Deimos in the jaw if he was in the hallway. Justin opened the door and found Sonny. Elated, Justin hugged his son.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Deimos met with a Dr. Hochman. The doctor informed Deimos that he was retired and no longer performed surgery. Deimos said he needed Dr. Hochman's skills. Dr. Hochman intuited that Deimos was referring to Maggie, and he noted that Victor had already offered a "king's ransom" to help Maggie. Dr. Hochman said there was not enough money in the world to convince him to perform the surgery. Deimos leaned in close to the doctor and said, "Did I say anything about using money to convince you, doctor?"

While Dr. Hochman reviewed a folder filled with incriminating information, Deimos threatened to release all the dirty laundry in the file to the public if the doctor did not cooperate. With a sigh, Dr. Hochman said he would do the surgery. Deimos thanked the doctor for his decision.

Steve makes a bold move

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

by Mike

At the Hernandez house, Adriana tried to convince Blanca not to move out. Blanca insisted that she had to, and she reasoned that doing so would actually benefit Adriana, since it would leave the house ready to receive a new resident, such as Eduardo.

Blanca noted that Eduardo looked at Adriana the same way Rafe looked at Hope. "That is the very last thing I want to hear!" Adriana protested, but Blanca maintained that it was true nevertheless. Blanca added that Adriana looked at Eduardo that way, too. Adriana ignored the observation and changed the subject, insisting that Eduardo and Dario would never be able to live under the same roof.

Blanca suggested that Adriana could always move in with Eduardo instead, but Adriana clarified that Eduardo was staying at a hotel at that time. Adriana added that she wasn't sure she would ever be able to live with Eduardo again because she was still having a hard time accepting the fact that he had started a family with another woman after leaving the Hernandez clan years earlier. Blanca pointed out that Adriana would never know if Eduardo had truly changed unless she gave him a chance to prove himself.

At Club TBD, Steve finished a beer, and Eduardo quickly gave him a refill, explaining that it was on the house. "You look like you could use it," Eduardo observed. Steve warned that Eduardo wouldn't stay in business for long if he kept handing out free drinks to one-eyed strangers. "Safe bet there won't be too many of those walking in here," Eduardo replied, and Steve conceded the point.

Steve admitted that he had been surprised to hear that Eduardo had bought Club TBD, since he had assumed that Eduardo wouldn't be sticking around for long. Eduardo said he had assumed the same thing for a while. "Of course, that was before Eve moved halfway across the country to get away from me," Eduardo added. Steve suggested that Eduardo might be giving himself too much credit for Eve's departure, and Eduardo allowed for that possibility but admitted that Eve had every right to want to get as far away from him as she possibly could.

Steve said he could relate because he, too, had once abandoned his family to keep them safe. "You can never get that time back, and you never stop trying to make it up to them," Steve mused with a sigh. Eduardo said he had actually been lucky enough to have two of his three kids decide to give him another chance. Eduardo confidently added that Adriana would soon follow suit, prompting Steve to wonder what Eduardo's secret was. Eduardo uttered a Spanish phrase, and Steve knowingly translated it to English: "Never give up." Steve swore that he never would.

Steve admitted that he wasn't sure how to make Kayla believe that he was done living a life of danger, especially since he wasn't even entirely sure he had managed to make himself believe that yet. "[Those] kinds of situations just keep finding me," Steve explained. Eduardo thought that might be because Steve was subconsciously trying to keep some distance between himself and his family, but Steve insisted that wasn't the case.

"Well, then, maybe it's time you actually did something about it," Eduardo suggested. Eduardo continued that, in his case, when apologizing, groveling, pleading, and promising had all failed, he had done the only other thing he had been able to think of: he had bought Club TBD. "[Adriana] knows how much I value a dollar and that there's no [possible way] I'm gonna walk away from the amount of cash I sunk into this place," Eduardo explained.

"As opposed to walking away from your family?" Steve asked incredulously. "Ouch," Eduardo replied, prompting Steve to stress that he wasn't judging Eduardo; he simply didn't understand why buying a club had calmed Adriana's fears. Eduardo guessed that convincing Dario to run the place had been another point in his favor. Nodding, Steve looked around as he recalled the fun times he and Kayla had shared in that same building years earlier, back when it had housed the Cheatin' Heart.

Later, after Steve left, Adriana arrived to talk to Eduardo, but some customers entered the club just as she was beginning to reveal what was on her mind. Knowing that Eduardo needed the business, Adriana paused and urged him to take care of the customers first. While Eduardo was gone, Adriana found the threatening note he had recently received. After reading it, she tucked it back under a stack of menus, right where he had left it, then abruptly excused herself, claiming that she had left the stove on. Eduardo reminded Adriana that she had wanted to talk to him about something, but she claimed that it hadn't been important, anyway.

At the hospital, Fynn insisted on examining Kayla after observing some concerning symptoms. Kayla humored Fynn but assured him that she was fine. Fynn suggested that Kayla might want to go ahead and schedule an appointment to have her hematoma treated, since it hadn't subsided on its own yet, but she didn't want to worry her family. Fynn argued that a medical crisis would worry Kayla's family even more, but she again dismissed the idea, fretting that it would be too hard for her to keep an eye on Joey during the recovery process.

Kayla explained that although Joey was doing fine physically, there were still a lot of other issues that needed to be addressed -- and, unfortunately, he had shot down her repeated attempts to convince him to talk to a psychiatrist, pointing out that she couldn't force him to do so because he was an adult. Kayla added that she was also concerned about Joey's decision to continue seeing Jade. "I swear, if she hurts him again..." Kayla muttered before letting her voice trail off.

Kayla felt kind of bad about refusing to give Jade a place to stay but feared that saying yes would send the wrong message, implying that it was okay for Joey and Jade to have sex under her roof whenever they wanted to. Fynn pointed out that there were worse places for the teens to have sex, and Kayla conceded that he was right -- and that it was quite likely that Joey was sexually active, in any case. "But why this girl?" Kayla wondered with a sigh. Fynn suggested that Joey might be in love with Jade. Kayla insisted that Joey didn't even know what love really was yet, but Fynn thought that might just be wishful thinking on her part.

Later, when Fynn and Kayla went to one of the break rooms for some coffee, he asked her, "Has Steve always been 'the one'?" Kayla said she'd had other serious relationships, but things with Steve had always been different, and that was why she had chosen to marry and have kids with him. "He's my hero in many ways. But...I don't know, then we get back here, and I just realize that I can't live with the drama that he brings to my life," Kayla continued with a shrug. Fynn admitted that it was hard for him to wrap his head around that kind of dilemma because he had been doggedly single his whole life. Fynn added, however, that he might finally be ready to settle down.

Kayla wondered what had prompted Fynn's change of heart. "I met someone," Fynn replied with a smile. Fynn added that Daniel's sudden death had taught him not to waste a single opportunity that presented itself. Fynn wondered if the idea of starting over with someone new scared Kayla more than the idea of taking Steve back. Kayla insisted that she had started over many times in the past. Feeling encouraged, Fynn forged ahead, arguing that if it were at all possible for Steve to convince Kayla that he had changed, he would have already found a way to do so.

Kayla nervously tried to end the conversation and walk away, but Fynn stopped her. "I can give you what [Steve] never could [and] never will," Fynn promised before kissing Kayla, who soon pulled away and found Steve standing in the doorway. Fynn told Steve not to be upset with Kayla, and Steve stressed that he wasn't upset with her. Kayla wondered what Steve was doing at the hospital. "I came to talk to you, but...looks like I came at a bad time," Steve replied before walking away.

After hastily assuring Fynn that they would continue their conversation later, Kayla chased after Steve and led him to her office so they could talk privately. Kayla told Steve she was sorry he'd had to witness the kiss but grateful that he had kept his temper under control. "[And] I'm actually glad you walked in when you did," Kayla added, stressing that Fynn had crossed the line. Steve reasoned that the incident had at least given him an opportunity to prove to Kayla that he could control his temper.

"Sweetness, I know you said you need time, but I came here today to talk to you because I wanted to tell you that I'm making some changes, and things really are gonna be different," Steve added. Kayla was shocked when Steve revealed that he had decided to leave Black Patch Investigations and take a job at Club TBD. Kayla predicted that Steve would be bored out of his mind there, but he disagreed, reminding her that he liked bars -- especially that bar, which had once been the Cheatin' Heart. Kayla quietly assured Steve that she hadn't forgotten all the good times they'd had there.

Kayla pointed out that Tate was still missing, and Steve confirmed that he planned to continue helping John with the search. "And then what next? There's always gonna be something," Kayla predicted, but Steve insisted that the only excitement he wanted in his life was the excitement of living life with her and their kids. Kayla knew that Steve probably wanted to believe that, but she doubted that he would be able to last long as a bartender, recalling that he had once tried to sell neckties for a living and had only lasted a day. Steve thought he would enjoy peddling beer more because that was a product he actually liked.

"Don't put yourself in a box because you think it's what I want. You will be miserable...and I will be, too," Kayla maintained. Steve countered that he was miserable without Kayla, and he insisted that she had to at least let him give the idea a shot. Kayla shook her head sadly, still unable to take the leap and tell Steve what he wanted to hear, and he eventually gave her an understanding nod. "Okay. You do what you have to do. I'm gonna do what I have to," Steve said before leaving the office.

At the Johnson house, Joey and Jade were making out on the couch in the living room. Jade eventually pulled away, fearing that Kayla could return home at any moment. Joey said Kayla was working the late shift at the hospital and wouldn't be home until early the following morning. "Why are we talking about my mother?" he added. Jade pointed out that she was in Kayla's house, where Kayla didn't want her to be.

"I really don't care," Joey replied. Jade advised Joey not to tell Kayla that, since Kayla was already convinced that Jade was a bad influence on him. "Because you are," Joey said with a grin before starting to make out with Jade again. Joey wanted to take Jade to his bedroom, but she feared that they might fall asleep in there. "Wow. That's not something I was worried about," Joey replied with a chuckle.

Jade explained that she didn't want Joey to have to sneak her out of the house the following morning, but he maintained that he didn't care about such concerns. Jade asked Joey to stop saying that, insisting that she didn't want Kayla to hate her even more. "No offense, but I don't think that's possible," Joey joked. Hurt, Jade admitted that she didn't like thinking that anyone hated her -- especially not the mother of the guy she was into.

Joey assured Jade that Kayla didn't really hate her. "She wouldn't like any girl I was hooking up with," Joey continued. Jade skeptically wondered if Kayla would really object to Joey dating a rich, successful Ivy League graduate whose father was a lawyer and whose mother was a brain surgeon. "I think the real question is, why would someone like that want to be my girlfriend?" Joey jokingly replied.

Joey said he liked Jade just the way she was, and she returned the sentiment. "I think my mom's really gonna like you when she gets to know you [and sees] what a good person you are," Joey predicted. Jade wondered if Joey truly believed that. Joey joked that he didn't, but after Jade gave him a playful shove, he assured her that he did. "I think you're sweet, and you're funny, and I especially like kissing you," he added before starting to make out with her again. Jade admitted that she liked kissing Joey, too. "Among other things," she suggestively added as they sprawled out on the couch together.

After having sex, Joey and Jade cuddled together on the couch for a while, but Jade eventually decided that it would probably be best for her to leave soon. Jade assured Joey that she wasn't planning to go back to her parents' house, adding that she had slept at her friend McKenna's place the previous night and had been told that she could stay there until she found a job and a place of her own.

Joey said he hated Kayla for not letting Jade move into the Johnson house. Jade told Joey not to say that, stressing that although it did bother her that Kayla didn't like her, she still respected Kayla for loving Joey unconditionally, and she wished her mom felt the same way about her. Joey assured Jade that he loved her, and she returned the sentiment. Joey begged Jade to spend the rest of the night with him. She eventually agreed, and he happily started making out with her again.

Later that night, Joey awoke from a nap and discovered that Jade was gone. Sighing, he sent her a text message to see if everything was okay. Jade read the message while passing through a secluded section of the town square but didn't reply to it. Instead, she curled up on a bench, as if she planned to be there for a while.

Deimos makes Victor an offer

Thursday, July 28, 2016

by Mike

Adrienne arrived at the Kiriakis townhouse just as Sonny was about to explain why he had decided to return to Salem. After giving his mother a hug, Sonny apologetically admitted that he had wanted to return home the moment he had heard about what Deimos had done to Victor and Maggie, but he had felt like he couldn't at that time. Victor pointed out that there was nothing Sonny could have done to change things, anyway.

Sonny handed Victor an envelope, explaining that he had found one way to help. Victor was shocked when he opened the envelope and removed the enclosed check. "Where'd you get this kind of money?" Victor wondered. Sonny revealed that he had sold the club he had been running in Paris as well as the building that had housed it. "You put it in my name," Sonny reminded Victor.

"That's been in the family for years. It's right next to the Gare de Lyon. It's prime real estate!" Victor protested. Nodding, Sonny said that was why he had held out on selling it until he had found someone who had been willing to pay his asking price. "But that was supposed to be your inheritance," Maggie pointed out. Sonny begged Victor and Maggie to accept the money, stressing that his only regret was that he couldn't do more to help them, since they had done a lot for him over the years. Victor thanked Sonny with a hug, admitting, "You're the best, Sonny -- the best of all of us."

Later, as Adrienne was trying to find out if Sonny was home for good, Deimos let himself in, taking advantage of the fact that the townhouse door had been left partially ajar. Victor demanded to know what Deimos wanted. "I came here to discuss something with you and Maggie. I had no idea that I'd be walking into a family reunion," Deimos replied.

Turning his attention to Sonny, Deimos guessed, "You must be Jackson, my grandnephew." Sonny clarified that he went by his nickname. Nodding, Deimos told Sonny it was good to finally meet him. "And you must be the beautiful mother I've heard so much about," Deimos said to Adrienne. "Cut the crap," she impatiently replied.

Victor was also getting impatient, so Deimos cut to the chase, explaining that he had some news that he hoped would prove to Victor that he sincerely wanted to make things right between them. "Well, it better be good," Victor skeptically replied. Deimos called in Dr. Hochman, who had been waiting in the hallway outside the townhouse, and announced that the doctor was ready and willing to perform the operation that would get Maggie back on her feet again. Confused, Victor pointed out that Hochman had previously refused to take Maggie's case. "Let's just say that your brother made me see the light," Hochman replied.

"I bet he did. What's the catch?" Victor wondered. Deimos assured Victor that there was no catch, but Victor wasn't convinced. Victor warned Maggie not to trust Deimos and Hochman, but she reasoned that it wasn't like Hochman -- an internationally renowned doctor -- would risk his reputation to perform an operation that would leave her worse off than she already was. Victor reluctantly conceded the point. "[Then] what is the downside? If this is real, and if it can get me to walk again, how can we say no?" Maggie wondered.

Deimos left with Hochman so Victor and Maggie could discuss the matter privately. After Justin, Adrienne, and Sonny stepped into another room, Maggie assured Victor that she understood why he was hesitant to accept Deimos' olive branch. "It isn't ego, Maggie. It's survival instinct," Victor insisted. "Who cares?" Maggie countered. Deimos eavesdropped from the hallway as Maggie pointed out that nothing Victor had previously said about Hochman's sterling reputation and incredible talent had suddenly changed just because Deimos was the one who had managed to convince Hochman to perform the operation.

Justin stepped back into the living room, along with Adrienne and Sonny, and agreed that Victor couldn't refuse Hochman's help just because Deimos had made it possible. Meanwhile, Deimos also rejoined the conversation. Victor reluctantly conceded the point and stood to accept Deimos' offer, admitting that he didn't even want to know how Deimos had gotten Hochman to cooperate; he simply wanted Maggie to be Maggie again. Deimos promised that Victor wouldn't regret his decision.

Sonny pointed out that, while everyone was grateful for what Deimos had done, there was still a lot more he could do to make things right with Victor and Maggie. "Sounds like everything I heard about you is true. And I'll try not to be upset with you for stealing my thunder," Deimos said to Sonny before announcing that he did, in fact, have every intention of doing even more to make things right.

"You want Maggie to be Maggie again; I want you to be you," Deimos told Victor. Deimos offered to return half of Victor's holdings as well as Titan. "My only real interest is Basic Black. I'll hold on to that, [and] half the money, and the house, and we'll call it square," Deimos continued. Victor wondered if he was supposed to find that offer overwhelmingly generous. Smiling, Deimos hoped that Victor would take some time to think about the offer instead of just rejecting it right away.

Deimos knelt beside Maggie and told her he was happy to have found a way to undo the damage that had undeservedly been done to her. Maggie mused that Deimos knew a thing or two about undeserved suffering himself. Deimos stood and told Sonny and Adrienne he was looking forward to getting to know them both better. Deimos then said goodbye to everyone and showed himself out.

Victor guessed that his family expected him to just roll over and accept Deimos' offer. Maggie pointed out that it would be nice to live in peace again, but Victor doubted that Deimos would really let that happen. Adrienne observed that Deimos had seemed sincere, but Justin admitted that he wasn't quite as convinced yet.

Victor tabled the discussion for the time being, preferring to focus on getting Maggie ready for the surgery before deciding whether to accept Deimos' offer. Nodding, Justin offered to take Adrienne and Sonny to Club TBD for drinks to celebrate Sonny's return. Adrienne and Sonny headed outside, but Justin lingered in the doorway of the townhouse for a moment to get Victor's take on what had just happened. Victor admitted that he wasn't sure what to make of it yet. Justin advised that Deimos' offer sounded pretty good -- if it was legitimate. Eyeing Maggie, Justin pointedly added that accepting the offer could mean an end to Victor's recent troubles.

After Justin left, Victor wondered if Maggie had heard the conversation. Maggie claimed that she hadn't listened to the "man talk." Victor guessed that Maggie wanted him to accept Deimos' offer. Maggie said she understood that Victor was a proud man who probably believed that accepting less than one hundred percent of what had been taken from him would be like caving. Maggie assured Victor that she didn't care about the size of their house or their bank account; she simply wanted to live a happy life with him, and that might not be possible if he decided to continue his war with Deimos.

As Sonny followed Justin and Adrienne into Club TBD, he admitted that he liked the subtle changes the Hernandez family had made to the place. Adrienne agreed, adding that Sonny's decision to sell the club to Eduardo had been the right call. The news surprised Justin, prompting Sonny to wonder why Adrienne had never bothered to fill Justin in during their recent conversations. Adrienne admitted that she and Justin hadn't exactly had many recent conversations. Sonny was somewhat disappointed to hear that Justin and Adrienne had no plans to get back together, but he assured them that he understood.

Changing the subject, Adrienne wondered how Sonny had been doing since the last time he had been in Salem. Sonny admitted that he'd had to leave after Will's funeral because he hadn't been able to handle all the reminders of what he had lost. "Will and I -- we were in a bad place, you know, with everything going on with Paul, and then...Will was killed, and I just -- I couldn't take it in, so I really just needed to go away and sort of...let it hit me. And it did. It really did," Sonny continued with a sigh. Sonny added that it finally felt like the right time to return home, especially with everything that Victor and Maggie were going through.

Adrienne wondered if Paul knew that Sonny was back in town. Before Sonny could respond, Deimos interrupted and admitted that he had followed the Kiriakis family inside to see if they might be willing to help convince Victor to accept his earlier offer. Sonny said Victor made his own decisions. "Hmm. Trust me, kid, I know that better than anyone," Deimos replied. Deimos feared that Victor's stubbornness and hatred would keep him from doing what was best for himself as well as Maggie. Deimos looked to Justin for support, but Justin was only willing to confirm that he, too, wanted what was best for Victor and Maggie.

Nodding, Deimos left after assuring the family that his offer was sincere. Confused, Adrienne wondered why Deimos had assumed that Justin would back him up. "I have no idea why Uncle Deimos thinks or does anything," Justin replied. Sonny admitted that he trusted Deimos even less at that moment than he had before meeting the guy. Justin didn't want Sonny to get involved in the matter between Victor and Deimos, but Sonny pointed out that, as a Kiriakis, he was already involved. Justin had to rush off because he had just received an urgent text message from Roman, but he warned that the discussion wasn't over yet.

After Justin left, Sonny wondered how Adrienne's relationship with Lucas was going. Adrienne revealed that she and Lucas had decided to get married. Adrienne added that she was happy -- or, at least as happy as she could be, given the fact that she was closing one chapter of her life and starting another chapter -- and she hoped Sonny would be happy for her. "Well, the way I see it, at least one of us should be happy in our life," Sonny replied with a hint of sadness.

At Black Patch Investigations, the search for Tate continued. Brady admitted that he was starting to panic because Tate had been gone for three days, and there still hadn't been any solid leads in the investigation. Paul suggested that Tate's abductor might have purposely created smokescreens to keep everyone focused on the wrong things in the investigation. Paul continued that the abduction might actually be about making Victor look guilty as a way of punishing him for something. Brady thought Paul's theory was a bit far-fetched, but John soon found proof that the Chopin organization had ties to the Greek mob -- and Deimos.

Before the men could follow up on the lead, Theresa burst into the room and insisted that Summer was the one who had abducted Tate. Explaining that the remaining details of her repressed memory from her hypnosis session had surfaced during a dream earlier that night, Theresa said she was absolutely certain that Summer was the person who had emerged from the hedges and advanced toward her and Tate in the final moments before the abduction. Brady had doubts, guessing that Theresa had subconsciously filled in the blanks with her own theory in a desperate search for answers. Theresa was annoyed at first but eventually conceded the point.

After leaving the office, Theresa went straight to Summer's room and told the guard to take a break. Theresa proceeded to confront Summer, still convinced that the details from her dream had revealed the truth about Tate's abduction. Summer denied Theresa's accusations and started to leave in search of Brady, hoping he would help clear everything up.

Theresa shoved Summer against a wall and refused to let her go anywhere before revealing where Tate was being held. Summer freed herself and insisted that she couldn't provide answers she didn't have. Theresa hurled insults at Summer and vowed to kill her if she didn't reveal Tate's whereabouts right away. Unfazed, Summer countered with insults and a death threat of her own.

Knowing that Summer was actually capable of murder, Theresa bolted toward the door. Summer quickly reached out to try to stop Theresa, who lost her balance and fell to the floor, hitting her head on a table in the process. Summer nervously waited to see if Theresa would get up, staring worriedly at the blood spilling out of Theresa's head wound.

As Sonny was leaving Club TBD, he ran into Paul, who was pleasantly surprised to see him. Paul wondered what Sonny was doing back in Salem. "This is home. It's where I belong," Sonny replied.

When Deimos returned to the Kiriakis mansion, he found John and Brady waiting for him in the living room, ready to question him about the Chopin organization. Meanwhile, at the police station, a cop informed Justin that Roman wanted to talk to him about some evidence that had gone missing a few months earlier.

Victor makes a deal with Deimos

Friday, July 29, 2016

by Spalding

At Club TBD, Kayla went to see Steve, and she was shocked to find that he had been telling the truth about working as a bartender. Kayla reminded Steve that he hated to take orders. With a shrug, Steve said anger was in his past. Steve took Kayla's hands gently and said, "This is the first day of my new life, and I am going to prove to you that nothing is more important to me in this world than getting you back."

Unsure, Kayla said she felt like Steve would self-destruct in his new profession. Steve said he knew that Kayla loved him and that she would forget about Fynn. Shaking her head no, Kayla said Steve could not change who he was as a person. Kayla said she did not believe that Steve could turn his back on someone in need and that, eventually, Steve would return to his old ways. Steve said he refused to lose his family and that he would not let that happen.

Steve asked about Joey. Kayla told Steve that she had been fighting with Joey over Jade. With a nod, Steve cautioned Kayla to be careful with Jade. Steve warned that if Kayla was too negative about their son's girlfriend, it would make Joey more defensive. Steve offered to talk to Joey. Kayla confided to Steve that Joey had cried in his sleep and was still having nightmares about Ava. Kayla informed Steve that she had scheduled a therapy session for Joey with Marlena.

In the park, Joey asked Jade to spend the weekend with him. As the lovebirds kissed, a large bald man, Hal, warned Joey, "Get your filthy hands off of my daughter." Jade and Joey jumped apart from one another. Joey introduced himself to Hal, but Hal was not interested in playing nice with Joey. Hal accused Joey of ruining his daughter's life. Jade interjected that running away had been her idea.

When Hal grabbed his daughter's arm, Joey intervened. Angry, Jade said that Hal had not taken an interest in parenting before and that it was too late for him to start. Joey told Hal that he could not be a father when it suited him. When Joey yelled that Hal could not keep him and Jade apart, Hal grabbed Joey by the shirt to shake him.

As Fynn passed by, he saw the argument and grabbed Hal, pulling him off of Joey. The combative Hal shoved Fynn away. Fynn warned both Joey and Hal to calm down. Jade told Hal that she would talk to him alone. Joey objected, but Jade insisted that she would be fine with her father. Joey was angry, but Fynn warned Joey that he was in trouble with the law and should not push his luck. Joey reluctantly agreed.

Fynn and Joey walked to Club TBD, and Joey was surprised to find his father tending bar at the club. Steve said that he no longer worked for Black Patch. Kayla asked what was going on, and Fynn said he and Joey had stopped by for coffee. As Fynn stepped away to take a phone call, Kayla and Steve told Joey that he needed to resume therapy. Grumbling, Joey agreed to meet with Marlena. Joey left with Kayla for the appointment.

As Fynn turned to leave, Steve stopped him. Steve said he would not intervene in whatever was happening between Fynn and Kayla, but he would not let Fynn use his son. When Fynn shook his head in confusion, Steve warned Fynn not to suck up to Joey to score points with Kayla. Steve added that he had no intention of giving up on Kayla.

In the Brady Pub, Nicole and Parker ate dinner together and talked about his summer camp. Dario said hello as he passed by the table, and Nicole introduced him to Parker. When Nicole asked Parker about dinner with Chloe, Parker asked Nicole if Dario could join them for dinner. Nicole smiled at Dario.

At the Salem Inn, a freaked-out Summer stared at an unconscious Theresa lying on the floor after Theresa had fallen. Summer took Theresa's pulse. Finding a heartbeat, Summer attempted to rouse Theresa awake, to no avail. Summer wrote a note, grabbed her suitcase, and started to leave. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she passed Theresa on the way out.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady and John questioned Deimos about the Chopin group and its connection to Tate's kidnapping. John showed Deimos a picture of Deimos with the suspect in the kidnapping. Deimos confirmed that he was in the photo, but he did not remember the other man in the picture. Deimos said that before prison, he had run a legitimate business and had not worked with the Greek mafia.

John urged Deimos to tell the truth. Frustrated, Demos said he was not to blame for everything. Deimos stressed that he would never arrange for an innocent child to be kidnapped. Deimos said he hoped that Brady would find his son soon. Narrowing his eyes, Brady said that if Deimos had lied to him, Brady would return to the house and murder him.

In Summer's hotel room, Theresa woke up and realized that Summer was gone. Theresa called Brady and told him that Summer had attacked her and left. Brady and John rushed over to the hotel. When Brady and John arrived, Theresa was shaken and begged them to help her find Summer. Theresa told Brady and John that she had told Summer that she had remembered Summer kidnapping Tate and that Summer had grown agitated and threatened her.

Theresa added that when she had turned to leave, she had tripped and hit her head. Brady wanted to take Theresa to the hospital, but Theresa was worried that Summer was leaving town. As John looked around the room, he found the note that Summer had left. The note read, "Salem Inn Room 1019."

Brady and Theresa went to room 1019 to investigate while John worked on tracking down Summer. Upset, Theresa said she had an overwhelming feeling that Tate had been in the room. Brady wondered why Summer would send them to the room if she had been claiming that she was innocent of Tate's kidnapping. Brady hugged Theresa and apologized for not listening to her about Summer. Brady returned to searching the room.

As Brady looked behind the chest of drawers, he found one of Tate's toys. Vindicated, Theresa said she had known in her gut that Summer had taken Tate. Brady reasoned aloud that Summer had delivered Tate to the person that had been staying in the room on the date of the kidnapping.

In the town square, Maggie saw Summer and called out to her. When Maggie asked if she was leaving town again, Summer said that Maggie would be happy to know Summer was leaving. Maggie asked Summer what was going on. Summer told Maggie that it had meant a lot to her to have gotten to know Maggie. Summer said that she appreciated Maggie's affection. Maggie said that she had enjoyed their time together. Crying, Summer said she was sorry for a lot of things, but she was not sorry that she had met Maggie. As Maggie stretched out her arms for an embrace, Summer turned and walked away.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor told Deimos that he accepted Deimos' offer. When Deimos asked why, Victor said he was tired of fighting. Victor said he wanted to enjoy the rest of his life with his wife. With a nod, Deimos said he agreed. Victor told Deimos that Deimos should not be the only one to make amends.

"I accept my guilt. I was responsible for the argument that caused Helena to lose her life. I was so hurt and angry by the fact that you stole her from me that I let you spend 30 years in prison for a crime that you didn't commit. Over the years, I convinced myself that I did nothing wrong. Now I know that I did. So the question is, can we truly move on?" Victor said.

"I am genuinely sorry for the hell I put you and Maggie through. Do you accept my apology?" Deimos countered. Victor said no. "I can and I will discipline myself not to think about you one way or another," Victor added. Deimos said he wanted to start fresh with Victor. With a grunt, Victor said he agreed to stay out of one another's way, but no more.

After Parker left the pub with Chloe, Nicole and Dario sat and chatted in a booth. Nicole talked about how much Parker was like Daniel. Nicole gushed over Parker. Smiling, Dario told Nicole that it was obvious how much Parker loved her. Nicole said that Parker made her feel like Daniel was still around, and it was comforting to her to see Parker.

With tears in her eyes, Nicole talked about how her life with Daniel had truly started a year ago that day. Nicole explained that she had hurt Daniel but had told him the truth about what she had done, and her confession had solidified their relationship. Choking back tears, Nicole said that her life felt wrong because Daniel was not there.

"Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, and I have forgotten that he has gone because I'm still, you know, kind of asleep. So I roll over to his side of the bed, and I try to cuddle with him, and then I remember what happened, and I -- it's like a shock all over again, every time," Nicole said. Chuckling through her tears, Nicole confided that she read a lot of self-help books before bed to deal with her grief. Nicole said the only thing that would help her was time.

"And maybe falling in love again," Dario said. Nicole grew quiet. Dario asked Nicole if she was thinking about Deimos. Nicole shrugged. When Dario noted that Nicole had feelings for Deimos, an indignant Nicole reminded Dario that she had just poured her heart out to Dario about Daniel. Nicole said she would not betray Daniel.

"You think you can betray someone who is not alive anymore?" Dario asked. Nicole said she had thought about that question. Dario said she could not betray Daniel by moving on to someone else. Dario counseled Nicole that she could only betray Daniel by not finding love again and by shutting down. Shaking her head, Nicole said she sometimes felt like Daniel wanted her to wait for him. Dario warned Nicole that she would waste her life if she did that. Nicole agreed.

Dario thanked Nicole for opening up to him and being honest. Dario said he wanted to be honest too. With a smile, Nicole encouraged Dario to tell her about his feelings. Shaking his head, Dario said, "Right now, I'm thinking and feeling that I want to kiss you."

"Dario, you are so sweet and understanding and attractive, but we're just friends, and that's all. I just don't want to encourage you to think that there could be anything more," Nicole said. As Dario sighed, Nicole's phone rang. Dario saw that Deimos was calling. Dario told Nicole to answer her phone. When Nicole did, Deimos asked Nicole to meet with him so that he could share some good news.

In the town square, Kayla and Joey talked about Joey's therapy. When Joey grumbled that Kayla hated Jade, Kayla corrected Joey. Kayla said that she hoped Jade could make something of herself, but Kayla did not want someone without direction to be around her son while he was still dealing with his emotional problems. Angry, Joey asked Kayla why she wanted him to give up the woman he loved. Kayla took Joey by the shoulders and said she was worried about Joey's future.

Joey told his mother that he felt anxious and stir-crazy. Kayla assured Joey that they would get him the counseling that he needed. Frustrated, Joey asked Kayla if she and Steve would get the counseling that they needed. Joey argued that Steve was pretending to be a bartender and that Kayla was pretending she did not love Steve and was interested in Fynn instead. Though Kayla disagreed, Joey said Kayla's feelings about Steve were clear. Kayla argued that she was wondering whether she and Steve were compatible as a couple.

"You know what's not fair to you or me or dad? To pretend like I'm the only one that has problems. This entire family is screwed up and miserable, and they all need help," Joey said.