Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of July 16, 2018 on DAYS

J.J. lied in court to protect Theresa. The judge awarded custody of Tate to Theresa. Eve confessed to Chloe about her guilt. Theresa left Salem. Gabi changed the results of Abigail's paternity test to state that Stefan was the father. Abigail scheduled an abortion, and Gabi tipped off Stefan about his child. Lani and Eli buried their son. Someone threatened Will.

Gabi offers Abigail some advice

Monday, July 16, 2018

by Mike

At the courthouse, Justin skeptically noted that J.J. had reportedly stopped dealing and using drugs years earlier. Brady agreed that J.J. was most likely just trying to take the fall for Theresa's latest lapse in judgment. J.J. stuck to his story, explaining to the judge, "Within the past year, I've dealt with some personal issues, and they got the better of me. [But] I swear to God, [Theresa] had no idea about my stash."

After the judge called for a brief recess, Theresa pulled J.J. aside and quietly pointed out that he could lose his job as a consequence of the lie he had just told the judge. "I can get another job, [but] you could lose your kid, and there's no way in hell I was gonna let Brady and Eve screw you out of what you should have," he countered, also whispering. She appreciated his help but hated knowing that he was going to end up as collateral damage in a matter that didn't really concern him. She thanked him with a hug then admitted with a sigh that she had never expected her opponents to stoop to such lows in an effort to win the custody battle.

Nearby, Justin watched Theresa and J.J. with obvious suspicion, unable to shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Brady, however, was no longer certain that J.J. was covering for Theresa, since Theresa had seemed genuinely convinced, prior to J.J.'s confession, that Brady had planted the bag of cocaine during a recent visit to J.J.'s studio apartment. "What do you think?" Brady asked Eve, who squirmed and stammered that Theresa was probably not back on drugs again. "Then the drugs have to be J.J.'s. How else does a bag of coke end up in his apartment?" Brady concluded with a shrug. "Good question," Justin replied, eyeing Eve.

Brady stepped aside to talk to Theresa, hoping to salvage the shared custody agreement. J.J. didn't like the idea of leaving Theresa alone with Brady but agreed to do so after she insisted that she would be fine on her own.

"You and I both know that those drugs aren't J.J.'s," Theresa told Brady after J.J. walked away. Confused, Brady reminded Theresa that J.J. had confessed to being the owner of the bag of cocaine. "He lied because you framed me, and he is not going to let you get away with it," Theresa clarified. Brady tried to convince Theresa that he wasn't responsible for the court's discovery, but she refused to believe him, since he had a history of framing people and couldn't offer a plausible alternative explanation for what had happened. Scowling, she vowed to do everything in her power to ensure that he would never get to see their son again.

Meanwhile, Justin quietly asked Eve if Victor had planted the bag of cocaine in J.J.'s apartment. "I don't know. He didn't tell me exactly what he was going to do," Eve admitted with a shrug, matching Justin's hushed tone. "Well, if he did, [then] his whole plan just blew up in his face -- and yours!" Justin grumbled. "I was just trying to help! [Theresa's] trying to paint Brady as some kind of murderer, [and] I couldn't just stand by and do absolutely nothing!" Eve defensively protested. "[So] you just had to go dirty?" Justin irritably concluded. "You better hope [that] there's still a chance [that Brady and Theresa] can resolve this amicably," Justin added.

When the hearing resumed, Theresa made one last plea for the judge to rule in her favor. Brady, in turn, made one last plea for the judge to rule in his favor. The judge summarized the pros and cons of each side then announced her decision: "As in all child custody cases, I must consider what is in the best interest of the child. Now, this was by no means an easy decision, but after careful consideration, it is in my view that sole custody be granted to...his mother, Theresa Donovan. However, Ms. Donovan, you may not, under any circumstances, stay with, or have any further contact with, Mr. Jack Patrick Deveraux..."

Brady fought back tears as the judge continued talking.

At the Salem Inn, Stefan let Chad into Kate's hotel room and delighted in watching Kate squirm while trying to explain the reason for Stefan's presence. Kate claimed that Stefan had been begging for her to return to DiMera Enterprises and help him take down Titan -- and that she had refused his offer. Stefan played along, musing with a shrug, "What a surprise -- Kate's love for all things DiMera doesn't extend to me."

After Stefan left, Chad spontaneously offered Kate a job at Titan, reasoning, "When it comes to business and revenge, there's no one better, [and] with you by my side, there's no way I can lose to Stefan." Kate doubted that Chad would be able to convince Victor to approve the job offer, but Chad was confident that Victor could be persuaded. Kate promised to consider the offer if Chad managed to make it a reality.

Satisfied, Chad changed the subject, wondering if Kate knew why Leo hadn't shown up for the first day of the sexual harassment trial. Kate shrugged and guessed that Leo had gotten spooked when unsavory details about his past had started being uncovered. Chad hoped that Leo would stay gone so the case would fizzle out before Sonny -- and, even worse, Abigail -- figured out that Chad and Kate were involved in it.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Stefan spotted Steve and Kayla, who were in the midst of a toast. "What's the occasion?" Stefan asked. "Not that it's any of your business, but I might be getting a shot at that bionic eye, after all," Steve irritably replied before telling Stefan to take a hike. Ignoring the order, Stefan argued that Steve should at least be willing to show a bit of gratitude to the person who had made the happy development a possibility in the first place. "My wife is the only one I need to thank. She's the one who made this happen," Steve countered. Stefan pointedly agreed that people often went to great lengths for loved ones.

Scoffing, Steve insisted that Stefan knew nothing about love. "Like your love is so pure, open, and honest," Stefan sarcastically replied. Kayla quickly intervened, dragging Steve away while shooting Stefan a glare.

Stefan soon received a phone call from Kate. Stefan was amused and delighted to hear that Chad had offered Kate a job at Titan. Kate dismissively insisted that Victor would never approve the job offer. Kate added that Stefan would have to find someone else to be his double agent either way, since she wasn't interested in betraying someone who was like a son to her, especially to help him, of all people. Stefan warned that if Kate didn't agree to help him take down Titan, he would happily go to the press with what he knew about her involvement in the sexual harassment lawsuit -- and would implicate his brother in the process.

Elsewhere, Abigail revealed to Gabi, with a gasp of horror, that the paternity test had named Stefan as the baby's father. "I am so sorry," Gabi replied as Abigail began panicking.

"I can't even bear the sight of [Stefan], so for me to go and have his baby -- it seems like the worst thing in the world!" Abigail fretted. "But...what if I didn't have it?" Abigail hesitantly added. "[I mean], I wasn't in my right mind when this baby was conceived -- I was ill -- and Stefan took advantage of that, so who would blame me if I chose not to have this baby?" Abigail reasoned.

Gabi conceded the point but was quick to add that she had considered having an abortion during her own pregnancy; however, she was grateful, every day, that she had decided not to go through with it. "[And I'm sure you're] telling yourself [that] you could always try again, [but what if] you can't?" she continued, adding that she was facing that very possibility as a result of the prison attack.

"Oh, my God! Gabi, I am so sorry! God, none of this would have happened if I hadn't framed you for Andre's murder! This is my fault!" Abigail said while giving Gabi a hug. Forcing a smile, Gabi insisted that Abigail wasn't responsible. "[I only] told you because I want you to know where I'm coming from [when I say] that you are so blessed to even be able to have another child, even if it's Stefan's," Gabi added.

"Who could have thought that I would have ever hoped that I had someone to change [paternity] test results?" Abigail mused, chuckling mirthlessly. "Where is Clyde Weston when you need him?" Gabi agreed with a nod. "I just want to [be able to] tell Chad that he's the father," Abigail grumbled. "[Then] pull a Clyde -- change the results. Nobody has to know it's Stefan's baby," Gabi pointed out, adding that the baby would certainly be better off with Chad for a father, anyway. Feeling conflicted, Abigail decided to give the matter some thought. Abigail walked away after thanking Gabi for listening -- and for being such a good friend.

As Abigail disappeared from view, Gabi smirked while recalling what had happened at Kayla's office earlier. "Of course! Of course Chad is the father! You get away with everything, don't you, Abigail?" Gabi had grumbled after taking a peek at the paternity test results. "Maybe not this time..." Gabi had eventually added, scowling.

Gabi confronts Stefan

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

by Spalding

At the Brady Pub, Jennifer was confused to learn from one of her reporters that J.J. had confessed in court to drug possession. Jennifer confided in Roman, and she wondered aloud why J.J. would relapse when things were going so well with his new job as an EMT. Jennifer complained that J.J.'s addiction would always be there. Roman cautioned Jennifer not to jump to conclusions about J.J.'s sobriety. With a shrug, Jennifer said she had been worried about Theresa's influence on her son.

When Theresa and J.J. returned home from the courthouse, a somber Theresa confessed that the outcome had been unexpected. Theresa said she was disappointed that she had not been able to work things out with Brady, but she was dismayed that he had planted drugs in the apartment. With a shake of his head, J.J. said it did not sound like something Brady would do, but he could not think of who else could have planted the drugs.

"[Brady] is the guy that set up Eve for murder, and he is becoming more and more like Victor every day," Theresa said. J.J. argued that if Brady had planted the drugs, he was no longer a good role model for Tate. Theresa agreed. J.J. added that Tate deserved to have someone in his life that he could look up to.

"You mean someone like you?" Theresa asked with a grin. As J.J. blushed, Theresa joked that she was not asking J.J. to be Tate's new father figure. Theresa told J.J. that she admired how J.J. had rebuilt his life after hitting rock bottom. Theresa added that J.J. would make a great father someday.

Theresa thanked J.J. for lying in court to help her in her custody battle. J.J. said the consequences at work would be worth it, because Theresa had won her case. With a nod, Theresa told J.J. that he was her only real friend in Salem, and she was thankful to have him in her life. After Theresa packed her things, she and J.J. agreed that they had both changed a lot since they had first met. J.J. told Theresa that his door was always open for her. Theresa hugged J.J. goodbye. As the two pulled apart, they lingered close for a moment.

When Theresa arrived at the Brady Pub, Roman congratulated her on her win in court. Theresa admitted that although she was happy to have her son, she was not happy that Brady had lost his son. Theresa argued that Brady had double-crossed her. Concerned, Roman asked Theresa if the betrayal was related to the drugs that J.J. had claimed in court. Theresa admitted that J.J. had claimed the drugs to protect her and Tate, but Brady had planted them.

"That is a very, very good friend," Roman concluded about J.J. Theresa asked if she could stay at the pub. Roman joked that Tate would need to bus tables. Laughing, Theresa said she would pay rent. Roman refused Theresa's money. When Roman asked about J.J.'s apartment, Theresa said fondly, "I'm gonna miss it."

At J.J.'s apartment, a livid Jennifer stopped by to speak to her son. Jennifer asked J.J. if he had taken drugs again. J.J. said he had claimed the drugs in court to protect Theresa at her custody hearing. J.J. explained that Brady had planted the drugs. Stunned, Jennifer shook her head no. Jennifer said she believed the drugs were not J.J.'s, but she also did not believe Brady was capable of planting drugs. J.J. reminded Jennifer that Brady had once planted evidence to frame Eve for murder.

"The custody hearing is over. It's all just going to go away," J.J. said. Work called. J.J. attempted to explain the situation that had happened in court, but his boss suspended him. Jennifer begged J.J. to tell the truth to clear his name. J.J. countered that he could not hurt Theresa.

In Eve's room, a panicked Brady called Justin to ask about options to block the transfer of Tate to Theresa during the appeal of the court order. Justin advised Brady to hand over Tate as instructed. Frustrated, Brady grumbled as Eve returned home. Eve informed Brady that Emma, the nanny, had taken Tate to his favorite yogurt shop. With a sigh, Brady told Eve that he could not believe that he had lost custody of Tate. Brady said he was the only parent that Tate had known. Shaking his head, Brady said he did not know how to say goodbye to his son.

"Why is this happening? Why am I losing my son?" Brady asked. "You lost him because of me," Eve confessed. Eve then backed off her confession and said that Brady would not have lost Tate if Brady had chosen Theresa. Brady complained that J.J. had lied in court. Brady said he planned to prove that the drugs belonged to J.J. Eve discouraged Brady's investigation.

"If I can't convince her to flip on J.J., how the hell can I convince her to share custody?" Brady wondered aloud. Eve argued that Theresa would only give Brady custody if Eve left him. Panicked, Brady suggested that they run away together with Tate.

"I'm not going anywhere. And neither are you," Eve said calmly. Eve reminded Brady that he had done the same thing with Nicole. "You almost got yourself killed," Eve said. Eve added that it would be a criminal act. Someone knocked on the door. It was a representative from Children and Family Services there to supervise Tate's transition to Theresa.

Theresa intercepted Tate from Emma in the hallway, and she carried him upstairs to see Brady. With tears in his eyes, Brady hugged his son goodbye. Brady explained to his son, "The reason your mommy is here is because you're gonna go live with her for a while. Is that okay with you? You're gonna go live with her because she had missed you."

"Are you coming too?" Tate asked. Brady told his son no. Brady explained to Tate that he would think about him every day. "I'll miss you, daddy," Tate said. Crying, Brady hugged his son and told him he would miss him, too. Brady promised to video chat, but the social worker noted that was against the rules. Theresa interjected that she was fine with Tate talking to Brady in video chats.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want it to be this way," Theresa said through tears. After Theresa left with Tate, Eve hugged Brady as he broke down in tears.

In her bedroom, Abigail hid the paternity test results in her purse. Chad sneaked into the room and playfully surprised Abigail. Once Abigail caught her breath, she told Chad that she had received bad news. Chad apologized to his wife for scaring her. Abigail explained that she was upset because of Gabi. Abigail blamed herself for Gabi's medical problems. Chad assured Abigail that Gabi understood that Abigail was not to blame. Chad blamed Stefan.

"He can't touch us anymore," Chad said. Abigail countered that Stefan would always be in their lives "as long as a part of him was around." Confused, Chad raised an eyebrow. Abigail covered and noted that Stefan was Chad's brother.

Chad suggested that they should move forward with their lives and have a second child. Frustrated, Abigail shook her head no. When Chad asked her what was wrong, Abigail thought about her conversation with Gabi. Gabi had said that the truth would be harder than lying. Abigail's phone rang with a call from Jennifer. Jennifer explained what had happened with J.J. Abigail promised to call J.J. and talk to him.

After the call, Abigail explained the situation to Chad. Chad said that it would break anyone to learn that a child they had believed was their child was not. Abigail said she understood why Lani had lied to J.J. With a nod, Chad left to help Tate get ready for bed.

In the park, Gabi sat alone on a park bench, and she thought about when she had learned that Chad was the father of Abigail's baby. Gabi also thought about when Abigail had read the report that had stated that Stefan was the father.

"Karma's a bitch, Abigail. But since you and Stefan ruined my life..." Gabi said before she noticed Stefan walk into the clearing. Annoyed, Gabi asked Stefan why had crept up behind her. Stefan said he wanted to talk to Gabi about her company. Gabi dismissed Stefan's request, noting that he could talk to her during business hours because she was occupied. A suspicious Stefan asked Gabi what could be more important than her company.

"Honestly, Stefan, what I've been thinking about is you," Gabi said. Gabi explained that she would no longer be able to have children because of the injuries she had sustained in prison. Stefan apologized. "Hurting you was never my goal," Stefan said. "Yeah, but you did anyway. You put a fictional person above everyone else, and because of you, I may never have children," Gabi growled. Stefan offered to find a specialist for Gabi, but she refused his help.

"You're willing to give up all hope to spite me?" Stefan marveled. Gabi said she believed in revenge and that Stefan would be punished. "I want to see you suffer like I have," Gabi said. Stefan countered, "If you think I haven't suffered, you couldn't be more wrong." Stefan said he was in hell because he had lost the woman he loved. Gabi stressed that Stefan's lover was not a real person. Stefan asked Gabi if she had forgiven Abigail.

"That is none of your business," Gabi said. Stefan said that to avoid his feelings, he wanted to throw himself into work. Stefan said he hoped that Gabi could forgive him in time.

After Stefan left, Gabi said, "No, actually, I won't. You see, you and your little whore Gabby took something from me that is very precious, and now it is my turn to take something from you." Gabi smiled as she muttered to herself about how Abigail's baby would cause hell to break loose.

"I definitely think it is a great start!" Gabi said cheerfully. Abigail called Gabi's phone. "I just made a decision. I know what I have to do with the baby," Abigail said.

Jennifer vows to clear J.J.'s name

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

by Mike

At the hospital, Kayla received a visit from J.J., who stammered as he explained that he needed her help because he had done something impulsive and was suddenly in danger of losing his job as a result.

"You know, J.J., before I can help you, I think that you need to help yourself [by] going to the judge and telling her the truth. And if you do that, then I have no problem going to bat for you with your employer," Kayla said after J.J. finished explaining what had happened. He was reluctant to agree, knowing that if he told the judge the truth, the custody case might be reopened -- and might have a different outcome the second time around.

"What's more important -- [keeping] my job or [letting] a mother raise her son?" J.J. wondered. "Only you can decide that," Kayla replied with a shrug.

Meanwhile, John, Marlena, Roman, and Adrienne entertained a patient -- Steve, who had been admitted to the hospital in preparation for the bionic eye surgery. Steve was pleased to hear that Leo's sexual harassment lawsuit against Sonny might soon be dismissed, since Leo had skipped the first day of the trial and hadn't been seen or heard from since then. "I don't know what [that] hustler looks like, but if I get my sight back, he'd better hope I never lay eye on him," Steve joked, drawing laughs from the others. Steve was still cracking jokes -- the latest being about John and Marlena's fast-approaching wedding ceremony -- when Kayla arrived.

Kayla announced that someone from Visionary Bionics had just called her. "Everything looks good. They want to go ahead with the surgery," she happily added, prompting a celebration.

Kayla waited until everyone calmed down then warned Steve, "This is fantastic news, and we have every reason to be optimistic...but we need to be realistic, too, [because] even if they successfully connect the bionic eye to your optic nerve, there's no guarantees that it's gonna work." Steve understood, but Marlena was quick to reason that the people at Visionary Bionics probably wouldn't have agreed to do the procedure on Steve if they weren't fairly confident that it was going to work. Kayla conceded that Marlena had a point. Marlena, John, Adrienne, and Roman each said a quick goodbye then left so Kayla could get Steve ready for the surgery.

Alone with Steve, Kayla contacted Tripp, who was excited for his father but was also concerned enough to want to rush over to the hospital right away. Steve convinced Tripp that would be a waste of time.

Jennifer went to the Salem Inn to see Brady, who vehemently denied being responsible for the bag of cocaine that had been planted in J.J.'s studio apartment. Jennifer was skeptical at first but eventually acknowledged that planting drugs to sabotage a custody hearing did seem more like Victor's style. Brady doubted that Victor was responsible. "We [recently] had a falling-out, [so] he wouldn't want to lift a finger to help me right now," Brady explained. "Hmm. Well, someone went to a lot of trouble to screw Theresa over...and for my son's sake, I'm gonna find out who it is," Jennifer vowed. Brady asked to be kept posted.

Meanwhile, at Doug's Place, Eve regretfully confided in Chloe about what had happened, sharing everything except the identity of Deimos' killer. "Oh, Eve...ugh, I have to say, I am -- I'm really disappointed in you," Chloe declared at the end of Eve's tale. "God! You know, I'm disappointed in myself, all right? I hate these kinds of manipulations, because I know the pain that they can cause, and because I've been on the receiving end of them!" Eve defensively countered, not finding Chloe's criticism particularly helpful. "[But] I couldn't just stand by and let Theresa take [Tate from Brady]! I had to do something!" Eve added with a sigh.

Chloe advised Eve to tell Brady the truth, warning that secrets had a way of surfacing sooner or later. "[But] Brady's never gonna forgive me!" Eve fretted. "For what?" Brady asked curiously, joining Eve and Chloe at the bar. Chloe helpfully explained that Eve had simply been sharing what had happened during the custody hearing. Brady dismissively insisted that Eve wasn't responsible and therefore didn't need to be forgiven for anything.

Eve squirmed as Brady angrily added that he would eventually figure out who was responsible, one way or another.

At the Horton Town Square, John and Marlena excitedly discussed wedding details as Roman took a phone call nearby -- one that seemed quite serious. Elsewhere, Adrienne chatted with Jennifer. "[The bionic eye procedure is] a really long surgery, and I can't stand the waiting! I need to do something to keep my mind from just going crazy!" Adrienne fretted. "I have something," Jennifer immediately replied, thinking of J.J.

Meanwhile, at the Brady Pub, Theresa received a visit from Victor, who unceremoniously fired her. "So, you fire me, the judge finds out that I can't provide for Tate, and [she] gives him back to Brady -- is that your plan?" Theresa guessed. "Not necessarily. You can stay on at Bella...as long as you agree to joint custody," Victor replied.

Theresa refused to give Brady another opportunity to stab her in the back -- perhaps with more planted drugs. "Oh, for God's sake, woman -- he had nothing to do with [that]!" Victor insisted, innocently adding that it seemed more like the kind of thing that Theresa's friends in Mexico City would do. "That did occur to me...[but] I wasn't the one who killed Mateo, [so] if his family's gonna go after somebody, it would be [Chloe]," Theresa reasoned. She maintained that Brady had to be the culprit -- and therefore couldn't be trusted. "Well, good luck feeding your son without a job," Victor replied with a shrug before exiting the pub.

Later, J.J. arrived to see Theresa, armed with some makeup she had left behind at his place. He quickly realized that she was upset about something. She confirmed it and proceeded to fill him in on what had happened earlier. She was hopeful that he might be able to help her get a job as a secretary at the EMT office, but he admitted that he couldn't because he had been suspended earlier.

Feeling guilty, Theresa started to rush off to the EMT office, determined to make things right for J.J. He stopped her and insisted that she didn't have to do that. "Even if they fire me, I'll...I'll have no regrets about this. And I'd do it all over again to protect you [and] make sure you didn't lose your son," he stressed, standing just a few inches away from her. Touched, she locked eyes with him.

Before anything could happen, Roman interrupted and asked to speak to Theresa privately. "Oh, that's okay -- you can say anything in front of J.J.," Theresa assured Roman, stopping J.J. from leaving.

"All right, well...I'm afraid I got some bad news...about your mother," Roman told Theresa.

Theresa receives devastating news

Thursday, July 19, 2018

by Mike

Jennifer was passing through Horton Town Square with Eric when she received a phone call from one of her reporters. "Yes, I did read the piece you filed on Ben Weston. [And] it was very solid, but we need a little bit more -- we need to really nail it down, all right? I do not want to jump the gun on this one," she told the person before ending the call.

Jennifer explained to a curious Eric that Ben hadn't been definitively linked to the cabin fire yet -- and she didn't want to approve any articles that blamed him for it until she was absolutely certain that he was actually responsible. "With all this drama with J.J., I've learned to reserve judgment. I'm not gonna jump to any conclusions about anything," she continued.

Eric optimistically assured Jennifer that the EMT office was doing an internal investigation that would surely result in J.J.'s name being cleared. "Oh, no -- I am not gonna sit around and wait for that. I am gonna do everything I can to find out who put those drugs in his apartment," Jennifer replied -- just as Eve passed through the area.

Eve insisted that there was only one explanation for the bag of cocaine that had been found in J.J.'s apartment -- and that explanation was that J.J. and Theresa had fallen back on old habits. "[And] I just can't believe that the judge granted Theresa custody [instead of] Brady! [I mean], a selfish, spiteful woman who shacks up in a coke den? Over a man who has proven to be a very wonderful father?" Eve added, incredulous. Jennifer maintained that someone had planted the cocaine in J.J.'s apartment. "You wouldn't happen to know who that someone is, would you?" Jennifer asked Eve curiously.

"You should get your facts straight before you start throwing around accusations!" Eve defensively countered, adding that Brady wasn't responsible. Jennifer agreed that Brady was most likely innocent. "[But] whoever did plant those drugs has a vested interest in this custody case," Jennifer continued, prompting Eric to suggest that Victor might be the guilty party. Jennifer dismissed that theory, explaining that Brady and Victor weren't even on speaking terms at that time. "[But] you would do just about anything to help Brady, wouldn't you?" Jennifer mused, eyeing Eve suspiciously.

"You are accusing me of planting those drugs!" Eve concluded with a scoff of indignation. "Just making an observation. I know how much you care about Brady and Tate -- and how much you want them together. And I [also] know from past experience that you can be ruthless when it comes to getting what you want," Jennifer replied with a shrug. "You don't know anything about me, Jen, so why don't you stick to what you do know? [Just] go home and bake doughnuts for your boyfriend!" Eve dismissively countered. She considered distracting Jennifer and Eric with the truth about Deimos' murder but ultimately decided not to do that.

"J.J. should have minded his own business and not gotten involved in the custody case...but I guess when you're a holier-than-thou Horton, you just can't help yourself!" Eve spat before storming off. "What the hell was all that about?" Eric wondered, watching as Eve disappeared from view. "I don't know...but I am gonna find out," Jennifer replied, clearly intrigued.

Eric agreed with Jennifer's observation that Eve's behavior had seemed oddly defensive. "And she never specifically said that she didn't plant those drugs," Jennifer curiously noted. "[But] Eve didn't have access to J.J.'s apartment. J.J. said Brady was the only person that was there before the Child Services [worker] showed up for the surprise inspection," Eric pointed out. "[So] what if the Child Services worker planted the cocaine and then pretended to find it?" Jennifer theorized, adding that some people would do anything if the price was right. Jennifer immediately contacted Adrienne, sensing that was an angle worth pursuing.

Maggie went to the Salem Inn to see Brady, who was still struggling to adjust to not having his son around all the time. He showed her a child's watch and sadly explained, "Remember the -- the -- the grandfather clock that is right outside of [Tate's] room at the mansion? [And how] he said it ticked so loudly, [and] he always talked about [it]? [Well], he's never had a watch before, so I thought I'd give him his first watch, and...I don't know, I thought it might remind him of [that] clock [and] make him miss his old room [less]...and his old man, as well." She declared that it was a lovely gesture.

Maggie offered to take Brady to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, but he assured her that he wasn't the least bit tempted to turn to drugs or alcohol at that time because he knew that would just make things even worse. She was glad to hear that but maintained that he was entering a difficult phase of his life and would need the support of loved ones to get through it. She wanted him to move back to the mansion, but he insisted that he couldn't do that. "Eve is not welcome there, [and] she has been with me throughout this whole process, [so] I'm gonna show her the same loyalty," he explained.

Meanwhile, at the Brady Pub, J.J. comforted Theresa, who was still struggling to absorb the devastating news that Roman had just shared. "I've always had a really complicated relationship with my mom, [and] it's crazy, 'cause until I had a kid of my own, I didn't realize [that] being a mom is a hell of a lot harder than it looks. I never told her that, and now...it may be too late," Theresa mused, fighting back tears.

"I'm shocked, you know? I mean, my mom was in remission for so long, and then...all of a sudden, the leukemia's back. [And] I kept wondering why they didn't rush back to Salem as soon as they found out I was back from Mexico, [and] I was so upset about it, [and] I kept asking why, and my dad [just kept saying] they were busy, but [now I know] it was because they were waiting for a definitive answer from my mom's doctors," Theresa added, feeling guilty. J.J. guessed that Theresa's parents had simply wanted to avoid worrying her until there was no longer any doubt that the cancer was back, since she had already been through so much lately.

"Ironic, isn't it? I got my son back, and now I'm losing my mom," Theresa noted before breaking down in J.J.'s arms. She eventually regained her composure and apologized for staining his shirt with tears and makeup. He dismissed the concern, joking that her son had already stained the shirt with cereal the previous week. She managed a laugh and assured him that neither she nor her son would be ruining any of his other shirts anytime soon, since they were moving to Los Angeles that day -- for good. "My dad said my mom needs to start chemo right away, [and] there's no guarantee that it'll work, so, um...I'm gonna go be with her," she sadly explained.

Later, while J.J. was helping Theresa pack, Brady entered the pub with Maggie, who had insisted on treating him to lunch. "What is this?" Brady demanded to know when J.J. and Theresa returned to the main section of the pub with suitcases and Tate's stroller. "Tate and I are leaving Salem," Theresa explained. "Like hell you are!" Brady snapped, prompting J.J. to warn that Tate was with Roman and Anna in another room and would be able to hear raised voices. Theresa calmly reminded Brady that she no longer needed his permission to take their son out of Salem. Brady countered that the custody ruling was already in the process of being appealed.

Brady lashed out at Theresa, assuming that she was once again trying to punish him for choosing her sister over her -- and that she was also trying to run from her problems, as usual. "Theresa is not 'running'; she is going to be with her mother. Kimberly's cancer's back, [and] she might be dying," J.J. clarified for Theresa, who was in tears again. Stunned, Maggie offered Theresa a few words of support then went to say goodbye to Tate. J.J. followed Maggie, wanting to give Theresa some time alone with Brady, who had quickly softened after hearing the bad news. Brady apologized for having automatically assumed the worst about Theresa once again.

"It's okay. I'm kind of getting used to it," Theresa replied with a shrug. "Listen, Brady, I know California's a long way away, and I know you love Tate like crazy, and that you're gonna miss him so much, but...I just -- I don't know what else to do, you know? It's just...life is short, and, you know, you can lose the people you love at any moment," Theresa tearfully continued. "What kills me is that I was so selfish, and the one time I wasn't, Brady -- the one time I wasn't -- I lost you," Theresa concluded, taking Brady's hand. Eve arrived in time to witness the moment between Brady and Theresa. "What's going on here?" Eve asked curiously.

Brady explained to Eve that Theresa and Tate were moving to Los Angeles to be with Kimberly, whose cancer had recently returned. Eve was sorry to hear about Kimberly's bad news but gently suggested that it might be best for Theresa to leave Tate with Brady, since Theresa was going to be busy helping Shane take care of Kimberly -- and Caroline, for that matter. Theresa seemed to realize that Eve had a point -- and even started to say goodbye to Tate when Maggie and J.J. returned with the boy. However, Brady quickly interrupted, insisting that Tate needed to stay with Theresa for the time being.

"[Your mommy] needs you right now. [I know because] your daddy went through this with his mommy -- your grandma, Isabella -- and you didn't get a chance to know her, [but] I think you should get to know your [other] grandma in California. I think she should get a chance to spend as much time with you as she possibly can," Brady told Tate before turning to Theresa. "Despite everything that's happened, you are a great mom, and I know you'll take care of him," Brady assured Theresa, who insisted that Brady was welcome to visit Tate in Los Angeles anytime, regardless of the judge's ruling.

Theresa stepped aside to talk to Eve, who was standing in a corner of the pub, refusing to watch Brady say goodbye to Tate. "I can't [do goodbyes], you know, after Paige and everything," Eve explained to Theresa, fighting back tears. "[But] I will call him every day, all right? And I'll remind him to brush his teeth, and I'll read to him over the phone...[I mean], if that's okay with you," Eve added. "Of course," Theresa replied. "Take care of Brady for me, okay?" Theresa added, also fighting back tears. Nodding, Eve apologized to Theresa for everything that had happened. Theresa returned the apology and gave Eve a hug.

Meanwhile, Tate refused the watch, wanting Brady to keep it. Brady promised to use it to count down the minutes until Tate would be in his arms again.

Later, Eve ended a phone conversation with Shane then rejoined Brady, who had been sitting alone at a table, staring sadly at the watch. Meanwhile, outside the pub, J.J. kept Theresa and Tate company as they waited for a taxi to arrive to take them to the airport. Theresa thanked J.J. for everything. "Kind of blows my mind -- you know, that we became friends. We...are friends, right?" she asked. "Yeah, I guess we are," he confirmed. She declared him "one of the good guys" and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You're gonna be all right," she added before heading toward the taxi, which had just arrived. "So will you," he quietly replied.

Ciara unexpectedly returned home while Claire was in the middle of a phone conversation with Tripp, who was at the hospital with Steve and Kayla. "You didn't have to get off the phone with your boyfriend just because I walked through the door," Ciara said as Claire ended the call. "Tripp isn't my boyfriend," Claire insisted. "Whatever," Ciara dismissively replied.

Claire maintained that Tripp only had feelings for Ciara. "[And] I am so sorry about what you saw between me and Tripp, but it did not mean anything, okay? It just happened," Claire added. "Things don't just 'happen' with you, Claire -- you make them happen. You went after Tripp on purpose [because that's] what you do. I start caring about a guy, and the next thing I know, you're trying to get him into bed. [So] stop pretending that you care [about me when] the truth is [that] you'd do just about anything you could to hurt me," Ciara bitterly countered.

Claire tried to deny the accusation, but Ciara remained convinced that Claire wanted Tripp. "[And] you can have him, [because] I'm moving on," Ciara announced with a shrug. "With who -- Ben Weston?" Claire asked incredulously. Claire was quick to point out that Ben had tried to kill Ciara, but Ciara insisted that Ben had actually saved her life. "How can you be so naive? [Unless] maybe you're not -- maybe you wanted to play house with a serial killer. [I mean], maybe you were so damaged by Chase that you've convinced yourself that you don't deserve to be with a good guy," Claire gently mused.

"I don't need your advice -- on anything," Ciara told Claire. "If you want to help me...stay out of my way," Ciara added before retreating to her bedroom on her crutches.

Meanwhile, at the police station, Hope gave Ben his meds then started interrogating him again, still convinced that he was responsible for the cabin fire. He maintained his innocence. "It was an old cabin. The electricity was running off of a generator. It's possible maybe some of the wiring frayed, [and] it caused a spark, [and] maybe [that] caught some of the brush that was overgrown outside," he suggested with a shrug when she practically forced him to explain how the fire could have started without his help. "You're lying," she concluded without giving the theory even a second of thought. "I'm not lying!" he insisted, clearly frustrated.

"I care about Ciara! I'd never hurt her! When I first smelled the fire, I was, like, a mile from the cabin, [and] I ran back as fast as I could [because] her leg was broken, [and] I knew she wouldn't be able to get out of there without my help! That fire had to have been an accident!" Ben maintained. "Except...it wasn't," Rafe countered, joining the interrogation.

"The fire marshal's preliminary findings," Rafe explained while tossing a file at Ben. "He found the blaze at the cabin to be 'suspicious -- perhaps even set intentionally,'" Rafe continued as Ben read the report in disbelief. "[Well], there were only two people anywhere near that cabin, and we know that Ciara didn't do it...so that only leaves you," Hope triumphantly reminded Ben, who insisted that the fire marshal's findings didn't make any sense. Hope argued that Ben had probably set the fire without even realizing it, since he had been off his meds at that time and had even been hearing voices -- voices that might have been telling him what to do.

Ben seemed to be considering Hope's theory at first, and she egged him on, sensing that she was close to getting a confession out of him. However, he eventually remembered something that had happened at the cabin.

"No. I didn't set the damn fire," Ben confidently insisted, smiling at the memory of the moment that Ciara had decided that she could trust him. "I would never hurt Ciara. I told her that, and she told you that she believes me. That's all I have to say," Ben told Hope, who was clearly annoyed to hear that. "I want my phone call," Ben added as Hope exited the conference room with Rafe.

Rafe quietly warned Hope that there still wasn't enough hard evidence to definitively prove that Ben was the person who had started the fire. "Don't you worry about that. I'll find it. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that he never gets anywhere near my daughter again," Hope vowed. Meanwhile, back in the conference room, Ben dialed Ciara's cell phone number and asked for her help.

Gabi tips off Stefan

Friday, July 20, 2018

by Spalding

At the hospital, Abe and Eli talked in the hallway about Lani. Eli worried aloud that Lani was not up to going to the cemetery for their son's memorial. Abe noted that his daughter was strong. In her room, Lani stared at the wall as Valerie informed her that she was well enough to leave the hospital.

"How do I do this? How do I bury my son?" Lani wondered aloud. Valerie counseled Lani to think about her future. Lani flinched when Valerie mentioned having more children. Valerie apologized for her thoughtlessness, and she reminded Lani that she, Abe, and Eli would stand by Lani. Valerie left, and Abe walked in to speak to his daughter. Abe told Lani that he was proud of her.

"You have so much love to give a child," Abe said. "The love I have for my baby, I just, I just don't know what to do with it. I don't know what to do with it all," Lani said before she broke down into tears. After Lani dressed, she sat on the bed with Eli's baby blanket. Eli and Valerie joined Lani.

"[Valerie] thought we could wrap David in it," Lani said meekly. Eli asked Lani if she was ready. With a nod, Lani left the hospital with Eli, Valerie, and Abe. After the service, the group lay flowers on the plaque for Alice and Tom Horton. Lani sobbed.

"We love you, David," Lani said. Abe hugged his daughter tightly. Lani said she wanted to spend time alone. Eli offered to take Lani home. With a nod, Lani accepted Eli's offer. Valerie urged Eli to take good care of Lani and himself. Eli nodded then left with Lani. When Lani arrived at her apartment, she thanked Eli for his help with David's funeral.

"[The service] was real beautiful. And bringing me home, you didn't have to do that," Lani said. Eli presented Lani with a carton of clam chowder from the pub. As Eli set the food down, he spotted baby booties. Choking back tears, Eli said he was fine. Lani saw the baby booties, and she wiped away tears. Lani said it was her turn to be there for Eli. As Lani hugged Eli, he broke down in tears.

In the Kiriakis living room, Sonny called Will on the phone and told him that Justin was talking to the judge about dismissing Leo's case. In the park, on Will's end of the call, Will wondered aloud about "the body." Kate entered the park clearing and overheard Will.

"Body? What body?" Kate asked. Will lied and said he was talking about a story as he hurriedly ended his phone call. With a grin, Kate remarked that she was good at reading Will's body language. Kate urged Will to tell her the truth.

"I hope you know that you can tell me anything," Kate said. Her statement caused Will to remember when she had said the same thing to him when he had come out to her. With wide eyes, Will told Kate about his memory. Kate was thrilled.

"I just wanted you to know that I would be there for you no matter what," Kate said. Will said he knew that. Kate asked Will if he had remembered any other past memories. Will admitted that he had had a couple memories about Sonny. Will told Kate about the memories, and Kate asked Will if he had feelings for Sonny. Will explained that he had told Paul about the memories and that his love for Sonny was in the past. Will added that he had told Sonny that he loved Paul.

Will admitted that he had taken a second dose of the serum. When Kate asked how, Will suggested that Kate did not want to know what he had done. Kate said she was fine not knowing, but she encouraged Will to stay safe. Kate changed the subject back to the body. Will again noted that he was working on a story and could not discuss the body. Will kissed Kate goodbye and rushed off.

When Will returned home, he found an envelope that had been shoved under his apartment door. Will opened the envelope to reveal a threatening note that read, "I know what you and Sonny did."

In the Horton living room, Abigail's phone beeped with a message from Gabi. When Abigail ignored the message, Chad asked Abigail if she still felt guilty about Gabi's time in prison. Abigail shook her head no. Abigail changed the subject to Chad's work at Titan. With a playful groan, Chad offered Abigail the rest of his coffee. When Abigail declined the offer, Chad noted that it was odd that his coffee-loving wife was disinterested. Abigail shoved Chad toward the door, and he left for work with a smile on his face.

After a text from Abigail, Gabi arrived at the Horton house. Gabi suggested that they needed to hurry to be able to switch the paternity test results. "I'm not having this baby," Abigail blurted out. Gabi thought about when she had read the real test results stating that Chad was the father of the baby. Abigail said she refused to lie to her husband. Gabi pleaded with Abigail to rethink her decision, but Abigail was determined to keep her appointment with the doctor.

"You're fully capable of bringing a child into this world, and you're willing to just get rid of it?" Gabi asked. "I don't have a choice," Abigail countered. Gabi called Abigail selfish. Abigail apologized for hurting Gabi, but she added that she needed to do what was best for her marriage and Thomas. When Gabi protested again, Abigail firmly noted that it was her choice. Gabi suggested that Abigail take time to think about her decision, but Abigail yelled that she had made up her mind. Abigail stormed out.

"Maybe I can't change your mind, but I know someone who will," Gabi muttered to herself.

In the DiMera mansion, Stefan sat in a chair and thought about when Gabby had said goodbye to him. Ted walked into the mansion and demanded that Stefan stop blackmailing Kate. With a chuckle, Stefan pointed out that Ted and Kate would be implicated in a crime if Ted revealed that Leo's case was fraudulent. Ted argued that Stefan did not have any proof that he or Kate had conspired with Leo. Stefan countered that he had incriminating photos of Ted with Kate and Leo.

When Stefan noted that Leo had been missing from court, he asked Ted why he was not looking for Leo. Stefan argued that people would believe that Ted and Kate had made Leo disappear. Ted growled a warning at Stefan to leave Kate alone. With a raised eyebrow, Stefan asked Ted if he was sleeping with Kate. Defensive, Ted told Stefan that his relationship with Kate was irrelevant.

"I told Kate and now I'm telling you, [Kate] will pay," Stefan said. Stefan advised Ted to convince Kate to do his bidding or suffer the consequences. Ted retreated to Kate's hotel room and told her about his conversation with Stefan.

"I didn't ask you to do that," Kate said. Ted said he had not been able to stand back and let Stefan threaten her. Kate kissed Ted. "It's been a long time since a man took my side in a fight, so thank you," Kate said. Kate warned Ted to be careful with Stefan. With a smile, Kate kissed Ted and took him to bed.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny informed Chad that Justin would likely get Leo's case dismissed because he had failed to show for court. With a shake of his head, Chad stated that Sonny had not deserved what Leo had done to him. Chad informed Sonny that he was there on Gabi's behalf to talk to Arianna. Sonny noted that Arianna was away at camp. With a shrug, Sonny said that Arianna was stubborn like her mother and was not ready to forgive her mother yet.

Chad started to mention Gabi's medical problem, but a distracted Sonny jumped when his phone rang with a call from Justin. Justin informed Sonny that the judge had dropped the case. When Sonny told Chad, Chad whooped with joy. Sonny's face remained sour. Chad asked Sonny why he did not look happy. Sonny admitted that he was disappointed that he had not been able to clear his name.

"Now that the sexual harassment stuff is over, I can finally go hard," Chad said cheerily. Confused, Sonny asked what Chad meant. Chad said he wanted to acquire a shipping company. Sonny argued that acquiring the shipping company would hurt Titan's liquidity. Sonny accused Chad of using Titan to take down DiMera Enterprises. Chad argued that the company needed to be aggressive to win back investors.

"I respect what you're saying. I really do, but Sonny, you're not in charge anymore," Chad said. "Well maybe I should be," Sonny countered. Sonny explained that he could be reinstated as CEO. With a nod, Chad argued that it looked suspicious that Leo had disappeared, and public sentiment would be negative if Sonny took over right away. Sonny countered that Chad's agenda could harm Titan.

Gabi marched into the DiMera living room and asked Stefan to sign some paperwork. With a raised eyebrow, Stefan noted that he had hoped Gabi was there to take him up on his offer for a specialist. With a horrified look, Gabi warned Stefan that her medical problems were none of his concern. Gabi handed papers to Stefan and watched his reaction out of the corner of her eye. Gabi then pretended that she had given Stefan the wrong envelope, and she made a show of demanding the envelope back.

"Abigail's pregnant?" Stefan asked. Gabi reiterated her demand for the envelope. Stefan yelled that he was the father. Gabi argued that Abigail hated Stefan, but Stefan countered that the baby had been conceived in love. Shaking her head, Gabi said that Abigail hated Stefan so much that she was ending the pregnancy. Panicked, Stefan ordered Gabi to tell him where he could find Abigail. Stefan threatened to destroy Gabi Chic if she did not tell him where to find Abigail. Seemingly reluctant, Gabi agreed. When Stefan arrived at the hospital, he yelled out for Abigail. Stunned, Abigail stared at Stefan in shock.

At Doug's Place, Gabi sipped a pink margarita and whispered to herself, "You play so tough, Stefan. That sad little heart. Turns out you're just a mere mortal, after all. Perk of not having a heart anymore? I'm gonna bring you down. And Abigail, too."