Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of January 28, 2019 on DAYS

Leo's mother, Diana, arrived in Salem, and she knew John. Haley confessed to J.J. that she was an illegal immigrant. Rex and Sarah reconciled. Eric wondered if he had feelings for Sarah. Jack and Jennifer fought. Xander stole Rolf's notebook from Eve. Ben drove a wedge between Claire and Tripp. Eli and Lani confessed their love for one another. Someone kidnapped Ciara.

Leo demands sex from Sonny

Monday, January 28, 2019

by Mike

Rex quickly jumped to conclusions after finding Sarah in Eric's apartment. "How long has this been going on behind my back?" Rex demanded to know.

"There's nothing going on," Eric assured Rex. "Then why did I find condoms in your bedroom?" Rex asked Sarah. "You went through my stuff?" Sarah replied, outraged. "No, I didn't go through your stuff; I just went to your room, and the condoms were lying all over the floor," Rex clarified. "Our engagement is broken, Rex, so whether or not I have condoms is none of your damn business!" Sarah pointed out. "And there it is. I knew it. The two of you are --" Rex began. "She didn't say that," Eric interjected. "Oh, so she's just throwing condoms around her room for fun, as one does?" Rex skeptically countered. "[It was] Xander Cook!" Sarah blurted out.

Sarah's admission stunned Rex, who quickly realized that was why Eric had been so upset lately. "Oh, I'm more than 'upset,'" Eric insisted, glaring at Sarah. "Well, how do you -- why do you -- know about this?" Rex wondered. "Ask her. I'm out of here," Eric replied before storming out of the apartment and slamming the door shut.

Sarah braced for a lecture from Rex, but he knew that he was in no position to judge her. "I had it coming," he conceded. "Don't you dare say that this makes us even," she warned.

"We will never be even, Sarah...unless, of course, you [sleep] with Eric," Rex replied. "But he was angry with you, so I guess --" Rex started to add. "That revenge sex is off the table?" Sarah concluded for Rex.

"He was pretty thrown, Sarah -- more than I would be," Rex pointed out. "See, Eric is the type of guy [who] doesn't understand why people do mean, bad things deliberately. Me, on the other hand? Yeah, I understand; I get it. After what I did to you, you wanted to hurt me as badly as I hurt you. [But the] problem is, I think you hurt yourself -- and Eric -- much more than you hurt me," Rex continued.

Rex offered to try to help Sarah patch things up with Eric, but Sarah insisted that Rex's help wasn't needed or wanted. Undeterred, Rex wondered if there was some other way -- any other way -- to make things up to Sarah. "I love you -- I love you with everything I got -- and whether or not you give me another chance, that's never gonna change," Rex stressed before vowing to never do anything to hurt Sarah again.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny sent a text message to Will: "Any news from John?" Will's response drew a hopeful smile from Sonny: "I'm just about to check in with Marlena. I'll let you know what I find out!" The smile faded when Sonny realized that Leo was watching from the hallway. "Don't stop on my account," Leo said knowingly, barging into Sonny's bedroom and shutting the door.

Leo approached with a lecherous look and tried to remove the robe that Sonny was wearing. "Knock it off," Sonny demanded, swatting Leo's hand away. "What is so strange about me wanting to sleep with my husband?" Leo asked innocently. "You blackmailed me into marrying you, and I hate your guts," Sonny pointed out. "Oh -- that," Leo conceded.

"Look, I try to keep up appearances in public, [and] I don't get down on you for spending all of my money and drinking all the alcohol in the house, but when we're alone like we are right now, I don't want any part of you," Sonny stressed. "There are parts of me you used to want pretty badly," Leo flirtatiously countered, but Sonny wasn't amused. "If you want to sleep with someone, sleep with someone -- [but] it's not gonna be me!" Sonny insisted with finality. "I can't take this anymore!" Leo dramatically declared before starting to pout about recent rejections. Sonny was stunned to hear that Leo had also been trying to get into Xander's bed.

"You do know he's straight, right?" Sonny asked. "I'm desperate, all right? I haven't gotten any action from my husband since way before the wedding, [and] all of sudden, this really good-looking guy shows up, often wearing very little, so...yes, in exchange for sex, I offered up the leverage I had over you," Leo replied with a shrug, stunning Sonny again. "[Xander] didn't deliver the goods, so neither did I...[but] that does not mean you are off the hook, [because] I'm horny, and if you don't make me happy -- often -- I can still give Xander those photos...or I can give them to the press...or to the cops... So many options, really -- [and] all of them bad for you," Leo continued.

Leo tried again to remove Sonny's robe but got the same result. "Come on, Sonny -- what's the big deal? Aren't you sick of living like a monk?" Leo wondered. "Yes, I am -- really sick of it -- but sleeping with someone that disgusts me is not the answer!" Sonny spat. "I know -- you want 'meaningful' sex with Will, the love of your life," Leo tiredly concluded for Sonny. "But I don't see that happening -- not anytime soon -- and you're a young, sexy guy with needs..." Leo flirtatiously added. "Do you really think you can blackmail your way into my bed?" Sonny asked incredulously. "A guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do," Leo reasoned with a shrug.

"I have nothing to lose, [but] you could end up in prison, [where] you'll be referred to as 'pretty,'" Leo pointedly added. "Come on, Sonny -- it'll be our secret. I won't tell Will if you won't," Leo promised, inching closer to Sonny. "We may have a piece of paper that says we're married, but in my heart, I'm married to Will, and he and I have been through way too much for me to betray his trust with someone like you. [And] if you turn those photos in to the cops [or] the press, Will and I may get in trouble, but you're also gonna lose everything -- this cushy life you have at the mansion, the spa days, the shopping sprees, the servants, all the Champagne...everything," Sonny replied, pushing Leo away.

Leo seemed to realize that Sonny had a point -- but also seemed determined to have the last word. "I'll think about it and get back to you. Or not. Maybe I'll just surprise you," Leo said before leaving Sonny's bedroom.

At the hospital, Will entered Marlena's office and hopefully wondered if John had managed to find Leo's mother yet. "I spoke to him [about that] this morning, [and]...he wishes he had more to go on," Marlena apologetically replied, making Will's cautious optimism vanish in an instant. "Oh, honey... I know how much this means to you..." Marlena sympathetically stated. "It's just that Leo is driving Sonny crazy," Will replied with a sigh. "Yeah, well, Leo is despicable," Marlena declared, and Will agreed without hesitation. "I just hope [this lead] pays off for you and Sonny," Marlena added. "Well, if it doesn't, we're both kind of out of ideas," Will admitted, sighing again.

"John is doing all that he can," Marlena assured Will. "I know. And, I mean, [Sonny and I] both know it's a long shot," Will replied.

"You know, Leo told Sonny that he wishes he could pay somebody to get rid of his mother for the rest of his life," Will revealed. "Wow. Those are very strong words. [Well], with any luck, [John will find Leo's mother, and she] can give us some insight as to why Leo is the way Leo is," Marlena mused. "I can give you some insight -- Leo was the scum of the earth when he was born, and he, uh, stayed that way," Will confidently declared.

"I know this seems insurmountable...but you'll find a way to get through it, [because] when two people love each other the way you and Sonny do, you find a way -- I do know that from experience," Marlena assured Will. "Keep saying that," Will requested. "I will," Marlena promised, giving Will a warm smile. "You know, um...the best part about, uh, getting my memory back was remembering how much you mean to me," Will admitted, smiling back. "You are the child of my child, and I love you with all my heart," Marlena said. "I love you, too. You have always been there when I needed you," Will replied. "Always will be," Marlena vowed.

Will gave Marlena a hug then started to leave. "Where can I reach you if I need to?" Marlena asked. "Um...I'm gonna grab some lunch at the pub...and after that, I'll just...I'll -- I'll keep you updated," Will replied. Just then, Eric entered Marlena's office. "Sorry -- am I interrupting?" Eric asked. "No, no -- not at all. I was actually just, uh, heading out. It's -- it's good to see you," Will replied. "You, too," Eric agreed as Will walked away.

Marlena guessed that Eric was upset about something. "Don't know if I need a parent or a shrink," Eric admitted. "Luckily, you've come to both," Marlena replied, giving Eric the same warm smile that Will had received earlier.

"Are you upset because Sarah slept with the man that killed Nicole...or because Sarah slept with anybody?" Marlena wondered after Eric finished explaining everything. "I still love Nicole," Eric evasively stressed. "A part of you always will," Marlena acknowledged. "I can't even begin to feel anything for anyone else," Eric continued. "You 'can't'? Or you think you shouldn't?" Marlena asked.

"I understand the guilt you feel because Nicole died in that explosion and you didn't...but you have to go on with your life, even if you don't feel like it, [and] if you have formed a special friendship with Sarah, that is not a betrayal of Nicole," Marlena assured Eric. "Rex is my brother. I don't want to hurt him the way I hurt Brady," Eric protested. "When you and Nicole were trying to deny your feelings, do you think that helped Brady?" Marlena wondered. "No," Eric admitted. "Then why do you think that you and Sarah denying your feelings is going to help Rex?" Marlena continued.

At the Horton Town Square, Jack wondered why Jennifer hated Eve so much. "I don't hate her; I hate what she's doing to you," Jennifer clarified. "At least she tells me what I've accomplished [and] what I was good at! All you do is tell me about my failings!" Jack countered. "Don't you think it's important for you to know [those things] before you run for mayor?" Jennifer asked.

"You just don't want me to run against your good pal Abe," Jack guessed, ignoring Jennifer's question. "Eve tells me what I can do, [and] all you do is tell me what I can't do or shouldn't do. Well, I'll tell you this -- I'm not turning my back on Eve, [and] I don't care if you hate her or not," Jack added with finality before starting to walk away.

Jennifer chased after Jack, who just kept walking. "I'm tired of hearing about a past I don't know or remember!" Jack said in an effort to silence Jennifer. "And there's no magic potion that's gonna bring my memory back," Jack added. "Actually, there is -- and he's standing right over there," Jennifer replied while eyeing Will, who had just entered the town square. "Who's he?" Jack asked curiously, finally stopping. "His name is Will Horton...and you two have a lot in common," Jennifer began to explain before calling Will over. "You remember Jack, right?" Jennifer asked. "Sure," Will confirmed. "I've known you all my life," Will added while shaking Jack's hand.

"Will got caught up in Dr. Rolf's magic, too," Jennifer explained to Jack. "Well, then, how do you know that you know me?" Jack asked Will, confused. "Rolf actually developed a serum that could counteract the side effect of the drug [that brought us back to life]. It took a couple of injections, but then stuff started coming back to me, and now I, uh...I remember everything," Will clarified. "Where do I get it?" Jack excitedly wondered. "The hospital had to turn it over to the FDA for testing, [which] could take years," Jennifer apologetically reported. "What about Rolf's original notes from his diary?" Will suggested. "Seth Burns lost it, apparently," Jennifer replied.

"Oh, this gets better and better..." Jack grumbled before changing the subject, wondering if Will regretted having taken the serum.

"[Getting my memories back] was a big relief...but at the same time, it did make my life a little more complicated. [I mean], when your memory is a blank slate, you can [just] choose who you want to be, but when it all comes back, you have to live with [these] memories of the things that you did that you regret. [Then again], even if you don't get your memory back, you don't live [forever] in that, uh, guilt-free state that you're in when you first open your eyes, you know? [I mean], whether you want to or not, you [still] hurt people [moving forward]...and sometimes it's the people that you really, really love," Will replied. "[Anyway], I know I probably left you with more questions than answers, but, um, if you ever want to talk, I'm around...and if anybody can understand what you're going through, it's me," Will added before walking away.

Once the coast was clear, Jack began lashing out at Jennifer for having provided false hope. "[You know], you look like the man that I fell in love with, [but] you're not that man," Jennifer sadly mused. "You always, always found the hope in every situation, [so] I thought maybe it would help you to meet someone who's been through the same thing -- [I thought] maybe I was giving you hope -- [but] this guy standing here, who shrugs at whatever... I don't know this man. I don't like this man. And that makes me really sad," Jennifer added before walking away with a shake of the head.

At the Salem Inn, Eve demanded to know how Xander had managed to break into her hotel room. "Don't you know [by now]? I can get [into anyplace] I want...and once I'm in, I can take anything I want," he cryptically replied, eyeing her in a way that made her quite uncomfortable. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?" she asked nervously, pulling her coat close to her body. "What you owe me," he vaguely replied. "I don't owe you anything," she insisted, confused. "Actually, you do. We had a deal, and I came through for you, [but] you didn't hold up your end of the bargain," he clarified. "I gave you what you asked for," she dismissively pointed out.

Xander explained that Eve's inside information about DiMera Enterprises hadn't been enticing enough for Victor, who had just named Brady as Titan's new CEO. "I can't make Victor hire you!" Eve protested. "Well, then, I'll just have to settle for mucking up all of your plans, won't I? Works for me..." Xander replied before teasingly producing Rolf's diary. Horrified, Eve began wrestling with Xander in a desperate attempt to steal back the item. "I think I'm getting a little turned on," Xander declared, causing Eve to recoil in disgust. "You're a pig!" Eve spat. "And you are a very silly girl if you think you're getting this away from me," Xander countered.

"I'm the one that told you about [this] bloody diary in the first place, [and when] I heard Rolf whining about how he lost it, [I just] knew there was no way that you would leave this loose end untied, because Jack might get his memory back [if this fell into the wrong hands]," Xander continued. "You're making this whole town dance to your tune because of me, whereas I have absolutely nothing to show for all of my hard work...until now. So, we're going to do things my way until I get what I want...[and the] clock's ticking," Xander concluded. Frustrated, Eve maintained that there was no way to force Victor to fire Brady and hire Xander.

Xander seemed to realize that Eve was right. "I might lie low for a while -- I've had enough drama, [and] right now, I just want to have a good time -- but I promise, as soon as I work out how to use you in my plans, I'll be in touch," Xander warned before starting to leave. Just then, Jack entered the hotel room. "Now, you I know!" Jack said, surprised to see Xander. "Just popped by to say, 'Cheerio!'" Xander explained. "Yes. Xander is leaving town," Eve elaborated. "I really hope it all works out for you two crazy kids..." Xander teasingly mused, waving Rolf's diary at Eve while Jack wasn't looking. Eve watched helplessly as Xander left with the item.

Eric returned home and found Rex and Sarah in each other's arms, kissing. "What...?" Eric began, confused. "Sarah has decided to give me a second chance!" Rex happily revealed as Sarah avoided eye contact with Eric.

While eating lunch at the Brady Pub, Will received a phone call from Sonny, who shared everything that had happened earlier. "[Leo's] a loose cannon," Sonny fretted at the end of the tale. "What did your grandma say?" Sonny asked hopefully. "That John told her he wishes he had more to go on," Will replied with a sigh. "I wish he had more, too," Sonny said, also sighing. "I don't know how much longer I can deal with this," Sonny added. "Do you want me to come over? [Or] meet you somewhere?" Will offered. "I would love to see you more than anything...but I just can't chance it with Leo -- not today," Sonny replied. "Okay. Well, hang in there," Will advised.

Marlena entered the pub shortly after Will ended the call. "John found Leo's mother!" Marlena excitedly announced, getting Will just as excited.

Meanwhile, at the Kiriakis mansion, Leo rushed to the front door to greet a visitor, hoping it was Xander. "Oh, sweet mother of God..." Leo said with a groan, staring at the visitor in disbelief.

Leo's mother visits

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

by Spalding

In J.J.'s apartment, he paced nervously. Haley returned home. J.J. asked to talk about their conversation from earlier. Haley asked J.J. to forget what she had said about being an illegal immigrant, but J.J. refused.

"I care. So, won't you please just talk to me?" J.J. asked. J.J. encouraged Haley to tell him about her past. Haley explained that she had grown up in Beijing, and she told J.J. about how her parents had met.

"My dad was distant. Cold," Haley said. When J.J. asked about Melinda, Haley explained that Melinda had moved to the United States when Haley had been a baby. "My parents and her had some kind of falling out," Haley said. Haley told J.J. that her childhood had been very normal until her father had been killed in a car accident.

"My mom was never the same. A few years later, she died of cancer," Haley said. Haley said that her mother had given her money and information to find and visit Melinda. "[Melinda] didn't exactly welcome me with open arms," Haley said about her sister. Haley said she understood why Melinda would not appreciate a complication in her life.

"When I told [Melinda] I had nowhere to go, I was telling her the truth. She was stuck with me," Haley said. Haley admitted that she had been a burden, but Melinda had taken care of her and had helped put her through school.

"When she decided to run for mayor, everything went to a whole other level. Flying under the radar wasn't enough," Haley said. Haley said she did not want to risk everything her sister had worked for in life.

"There was nothing for me to go home to China for. So, I only saw one way out," Haley whispered. Haley said she knew she had been confused. "I felt so trapped, and I just didn't want to mess things up more than I already had for my sister," Haley said. J.J. asked Haley how upset Melinda would have been if Haley had died. Haley said she knew it would have hurt her sister and that Marlena had shown her that suicide was not the answer.

"[Marlena] is the only person that I've shared this with besides you. You know she can't say anything because she is my shrink. J.J., what about you? Can I trust you?" Haley asked. J.J. assured Haley that she could trust him. Haley and J.J. hugged.

At the Brady Pub, Will told Sonny over the phone that John had located Leo's mother. "I can't wait for this nightmare to be over. Thank you!" Sonny said. "It means everything to me. You mean everything to me," Sonny added. Marlena was hopeful that it would mean the end of Leo.

As Will and Marlena sat down at a table, John walked in and kissed Marlena. Melinda interrupted to ask Marlena to talk in private. With a groan, Marlena asked, "Now?" "It's urgent," Melinda said with a scowl. Marlena followed Melinda out of the pub. Anxious to hear the news, Will asked John to update him instead of waiting for Marlena to return. John said he had not spoken with Diana directly.

"My contact was keeping tabs on her until I could get there and question her myself," John explained. John told Will that Diana had confronted the employee about her son Matthew and given John's employee the slip. "You have no idea where she is?" Will said. With a shrug, John said he believed Diana would go directly to Leo.

Outside the pub, Marlena warned Melinda that she was team Abe Carver. Brushing past Marlena's statement, Melinda said she knew that Haley had told Marlena about her immigration status. Melinda warned Marlena that she would sue her if Marlena told anyone that Haley was her sister.

"You want me to keep quiet because you're running for office," Marlena said. "I want you to keep quiet because it is your professional obligation," Melinda growled. Marlena chuckled. With a scowl, Melinda thanked Marlena for helping her sister.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Leo was dismayed to find his mother, Diana, at the front door. Leo shoved his mother back away from the house so that they could talk privately outside. "I was being followed," Diana said. Diana told Leo that the man that had followed her had asked her about Leo.

"I gave him the slip and came here to warn you," Diana said. Leo muttered that they could not be seen together. Diana marched inside the house to get warm. Diana walked into the living room and poured herself a drink. Leo whispered at Diana to leave.

"What kind of son excludes the person who gave him life?" Diana asked. "I've got a good thing going here, and you are going to blow it," Leo growled. Leo told Diana to leave before anyone saw her there. As Diana and Leo turned toward the door, Sonny walked in.

"Hey, hubby. Who's your friend?" Sonny asked. Leo lied and said Diana was a personal shopper, but Diana laughed. "Matthew, stop. " Diana said. Sonny asked if Leo was Diana's son. Diana confirmed that was true. "His birth name is Matthew. I haven't a clue where Leo Stark came from," Diana said.

"Diana Cooper. And you must be the new husband. I read about you online," Diana said as she shook Sonny's hand. Sonny grinned widely. Leo announced that it was time for his mother to leave, but Sonny urged Diana to stay and talk about her son.

"What is it you'd like to know about your new husband?" Diana asked. Sonny asked Diana about Leo's trouble with the law. "Stop it!" Leo shouted. Sonny reminded Leo to watch his manners. Leo said he knew that Sonny was behind the security detail tracking down Diana.

"If you ever thought she would give you anything to hurt me, you are insane," Leo said. "Why don't you let me speak for myself," Diana said quietly. Sonny's phone beeped with a message from Will, and he ducked into the foyer to deal with it. Once alone, Leo grabbed his mother's arm and ordered her to leave out the back door.

"Get away from me, you brat!" Diana shouted as she slapped Leo. "Let's get something straight. I'm the parent, you're the child, or should I say parasitic leech? You do not put your hands on me. You do not talk to me in a condescending, dismissive tone, and you certainly do not tell me what to do. Now, apologize this instant," Diana said. Quietly, Leo said he was sorry. Diana reminded Leo that she knew information about him that he did not want Sonny to know.

In the foyer, Sonny called Will on the phone. Will informed Sonny that John suspected that Diana would make her way to Salem. "Diana Cooper is in my living room as we speak," Sonny confirmed. Sonny added that Leo was miserable. Will asked Sonny if he had learned anything about Leo yet. Sonny said that Diana had started to talk, but Leo had stopped her.

"That's good. That means there is something there," Will said. With a grin, Sonny said he agreed and that he would push Diana until she told Sonny something useful. When Sonny returned to the living room, he said, "What did I miss?" Leo and Diana stared at one another.

With a smile, Diana announced that she was tired and needed to rest. Sonny invited Diana to stay at the mansion, but she opted to stay at a hotel instead. Sonny encouraged Diana to take a room at the Salem Inn and charge it to him.

"You are a very generous young man. No wonder my son set his sights on you," Diana said. Diana told Leo that it was wonderful to have seen him again. "We have so much to catch up on," Diana purred. Sonny walked Diana out. When Sonny smiled at Leo, Leo's eyes burned with rage.

Eric returned home to his apartment and was surprised to see Rex and Sarah kissing. Shocked, Eric asked what was going on. "I just realized we've all made mistakes," Sarah said. "This is really great news, bro. Why don't you look happy about it?" Rex asked. Eric quietly emptied his pockets and put the items on the desk as Sarah and Rex stared at him.

"Eric is unhappy, but it is not because you and I got back together. It's because he hates me. Because I slept with Xander," Sarah said. Eric thought about his conversation with Marlena when Marlena had suggested that Eric did not like the idea of Sarah sleeping with anyone.

"I don't hate you. It's not how I feel about you at all," Eric told Sarah. Confused, Sarah said she did not understand why Eric had reacted so strongly to her fling with Xander. Eric explained that he had been angry and had been protective of Sarah because she had been vulnerable. Sarah told Eric not to feel responsible because sleeping with Xander had been her choice. Sarah said she needed to go to work. Eager to spend time with Sarah, Rex told her he would contact her later.

After Sarah left, Rex told Eric that he understood that Eric was upset about Xander, but he asked Eric to forgive Sarah because she had not intentionally set out to hurt Eric. Rex told Eric that Sarah was very logical in work but emotional in her personal life. "You want to be mad at someone, be mad at me. I'm the one that drove Sarah to sleep with Xander," Rex said.

Rex apologized to Eric for putting Eric in the middle of his relationship. Eric said the most important thing was that Rex and Sarah had decided to take another shot at their relationship. With a nod, Rex asked Eric for one more favor. Rex asked Eric if he would be able to be friends with Sarah again. Eric countered that Rex should forget Eric's friendship with Sarah and concentrate on Rex's relationship with her instead.

"I realize now it all starts with trust. No more secrets, right?" Rex said. Rex apologized to Eric for jumping to conclusions about Eric sleeping with Sarah. Eric told Rex not to worry about it. "The reason I thought that, though, is because you two were really getting close. As mad as I am about her sleeping with Tarzan, I got to admit that if it was with you, it would be a lot tougher to deal with," Rex said.

"I hope you know that I would never take advantage of Sarah like that," Eric said. Rex said he knew that because Eric was a better man than him. With a chuckle, Rex said sleeping with Eric would have been the ultimate in payback for Sarah. "I'm glad she didn't make that move," Rex said with a relieved sigh.

At the hospital, Maggie beamed as Sarah arrived for her shift. Maggie told Sarah that her friend Liz, Noelle's mother, had called and told her about Rex and Noelle. With a nod, Sarah said she guessed Rex had told Noelle because Noelle had been leaving her voicemails.

"Did Liz call to defend her daughter?" Sarah asked. Maggie explained that Liz had called to make sure Sarah was okay. "She thought that what Rex and Noelle did was appalling," Maggie added. Maggie said that Liz hoped Sarah and Noelle would be able to work through their anger one day.

"The bigger picture here is that Rex Brady is a womanizing creep. Not to mention a coward, and thank God you got that awful man out of your life," Maggie said. Hesitantly, Sarah told Maggie that she had reconciled with Rex. "What do you mean that you and Rex are together?" Maggie asked. Maggie reminded Sarah that Rex had humiliated her at her engagement party.

"In fairness, Rex didn't know about the baby,"' Sarah said. Maggie argued that the news about Noelle was new. "Rex was happy to go straight ahead with this reconciliation, knowing that he was sitting on another secret that could blow up at any minute," Maggie noted. Fighting tears, Sarah said she had been angry at Rex, but he had not been the only one to make mistakes.

"It's not as if you slept with his brother," Maggie joked. "I sure as hell tried," Sarah said. As Maggie popped a questioning eyebrow, Sarah told Maggie what had happened with Eric.

"You and Eric are good friends. I would hate to see that ruined," Maggie said. Sarah told Maggie it was too late to save her friendship with Eric. When Maggie assured Sarah that Eric would forgive her for making a pass at him, Sarah told Maggie that she had also slept with Xander. Maggie gasped.

"Have you lost your mind?" Maggie yelped. Sarah admitted that she had made a mistake and wanted to move on from it. "With Rex? Are you sure?" Maggie asked. Sarah stressed that she did not want to punish Rex. "I just want to make sure that you are not punishing yourself," Maggie countered. Maggie suggested that Sarah might fear that she did not deserve someone better than Rex.

"You deserve a man who will love you and cherish you and treat you with respect," Maggie said through tears. "I believe the man who is going to cherish me is Rex. He has made bad choices, but he is a good person, and he is an incredible doctor, and he is great with kids, and he is totally in love with his daughter. And he really does love me," Sarah said as she held her mother's hand.

Maggie was unsure, but Sarah stressed that she was entering the relationship with her eyes wide open. Maggie said she only wanted Sarah to be sure that she was doing what she wanted to do rather than settling.

Ben causes problems for Claire and Tripp

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

by Mike

Roman arrived at Eric's apartment just in time for the start of a big game, armed with a bag of fresh appetizers from the Brady Pub -- and immediately sensed some tension.

Eric claimed a container of loaded nachos then retreated to another room, leaving Roman alone with Rex, who had been planning a date with Sarah and assumed that was the reason for the tension. Rex filled Roman in on what had happened between Sarah and Xander -- and why it had happened. "Spare me the details," Roman protested with a shake of the head before congratulating Rex on having managed to reconcile with Sarah.

When Eric finally returned to the living room, Roman was alone. "Where's Rex?" Eric asked. "Went to pick up Sarah for their date," Roman replied. Eric sighed and claimed another container of comfort food.

At the hospital, Marlena wrapped up a phone conversation with Sami, who was worried about Will. "I'm sure that he and Sonny will be back together very soon, [but] yes, we will keep an eye on him," Marlena promised.

Sarah entered Marlena's office shortly after the call ended. Sarah explained that there was a young man in the emergency room who needed someone to talk to, but Marlena could tell that wasn't the only reason for the visit. "If you have a minute, I'd...I'd like to talk to you about Eric," Sarah hesitantly requested. After Marlena nodded, Sarah began elaborating -- and soon realized that Eric might have already said something about the matter. Marlena vaguely advised Sarah to talk to Eric. "I tried, but...he's really upset, [and] things have gotten really awkward between [us -- especially now that I'm] back together with his brother," Sarah replied, surprising Marlena.

Sarah got the sense that Marlena believed that reconciling with Rex was a bad idea. "I think only you can decide that," Marlena said before asking if Sarah was having second thoughts about the reconciliation. "No, but...my mom thinks that I'm punishing myself; she thinks that I'm settling..." Sarah began to explain before stopping abruptly. "Are you settling?" Marlena wondered, wanting to keep Sarah talking. "Not at all," Sarah defensively insisted before changing the subject, having always been much more interested in talking to Marlena about Eric. Marlena again offered a vague hint that Sarah needed to have a conversation with Eric.

Later, Rex approached Sarah at the nurses' station. "Sorry I'm a little early, [but] I was excited to see you, and I'm really looking forward to tonight," Rex said. "Me, too," Sarah replied with a smile and a nod.

At the Salem Inn, Eve caught Jack scouring the Internet for information about Xander. "I got a really bad vibe when he was here earlier -- I mean...bad. [And] I know [he] brought me back to the land of the living, but from everything I'm reading, [he's] really a shady character, [so] why did [he] turn me over to you in the first place? I mean, it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart -- the guy's a mercenary, [after all] -- so what was in it for him?" Jack asked curiously. Eve tried to dodge the question, but Jack warned that a good reporter could always tell when someone was hiding something. Eve reluctantly admitted that there was indeed more to the story.

Eve spontaneously claimed that Xander had wanted sex and had hoped that facilitating a reunion with Jack would be enough to make that happen. Eve added that, after countless rejections, Xander had finally decided to give up and move on to some other woman in some other town. "All those muscles, the accent -- you weren't tempted?" Jack asked skeptically. "Not one little bit. I made it very clear [that] I'm only interested in one man," Eve seductively replied before giving Jack a kiss. Jack pulled away and surprised Eve with questions about Rolf's diary and the memory-jogging serum, hoping that Xander had mentioned something about it at some point.

Eve feigned ignorance and dismissively insisted that it wasn't important for Jack to remember the past, anyway. "What's important is your future -- with me," Eve added before kissing Jack again. Jack allowed the second kiss to last longer than the first one but eventually pulled away again and rushed out of the hotel room, feeling overwhelmed and wanting to be alone for a while.

While eating lunch at the Brady Pub, Jennifer and Adrienne discussed Jack. Adrienne was stunned to learn that Jack was thinking of joining the mayoral race. Jennifer clarified that it had almost certainly been Eve's idea.

"She is going to whisper in his ear and mold him into exactly the man she wants him to be," Jennifer grumbled. "You can't let her do that!" Adrienne insisted. "I'm not; Jack is. And for the first time, I think she may actually succeed," Jennifer said with a sigh. "Remember when he bought half the Spectator from Diana Colville because he wanted to kill every negative story? Well, that's what he sounds like again -- he sounds power hungry; [he sounds] like a ruthless politician," Jennifer added. "But Jack hasn't been that man in so long! I mean, your love changed him!" Adrienne pointed out. "I thought so -- I thought that our love was stronger than Eve's lies -- [but] maybe I was wrong," Jennifer replied with a shrug.

Adrienne tried to cling to the hope that everything would go back to normal once Jack's memory returned, but Jennifer sadly revealed that Jack already seemed resigned to the worst-case scenario, even after having heard Will's success story. Just then, Jack entered the pub and approached the bar. Adrienne rushed over to seize a hug from Jack, who immediately tensed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to smother you," Adrienne said after giving Jack some space. "It's just so good to see you again!" Adrienne excitedly added. "Uh...it's -- it's nice to see you, too..." Jack replied. "Jen and I were just having lunch. You could join us," Adrienne hopefully suggested. "Some other time," Jack replied before rushing back out of the pub, ignoring Adrienne's protests.

"I drove him away," Adrienne said with a sigh after rejoining Jennifer. "I came on too strong. [That's] what I do, and it's been that way with Jack and me for forever," Adrienne continued.

"It's not your fault that he left; it's mine," Jennifer argued. "It's the same old story, Adrienne -- I want to pull him close, and he runs away. Maybe there is no pulling him back anymore. [And] I know that I should just be so grateful that he's alive and here, [and] I shouldn't even ask for any more..." Jennifer added before stopping abruptly. "He's the love of your life. Of course you want more," Adrienne sympathetically stressed.

"This is a really horrible thing to say, but...I feel like it was easier when I thought he was dead...because he's here, but he's so far away, and I just feel like that's gonna kill me," Jennifer hesitantly admitted.

While cleaning, Haley told J.J. to decide what he wanted her to cook for dinner. He insisted that she didn't need to cook -- or clean -- to continue staying at his apartment. He guessed that she was worried about being thrown out of another place because of her secret and was trying to be really helpful to make it harder for him to get rid of her. She thought her concern was reasonable, since most people wouldn't want to risk getting caught harboring an undocumented immigrant, but he assured her that he wasn't going to turn his back on her -- and that he had, in fact, been researching ways to solve her problem.

Haley believed that if there were any way to do that, Trask would have already mentioned it, but J.J. argued that Trask was focused on personal ambitions and clearly didn't have Haley's best interests at heart. J.J. wanted Haley to talk to Justin, but Haley didn't like that idea -- and didn't appreciate J.J.'s comments about Trask. J.J. tried to apologize, but Haley stormed out of the apartment.

A short time later, someone knocked on the apartment door. J.J. assumed that Haley had returned, but the visitor was actually Jack -- and that made J.J. just as happy.

"Sorry to show up like this. I, uh...I was just out walking -- wandering, really -- and...well, something...drew me to this place. I may have no memory of being your father, but I have to tell you, I feel a connection to you that I haven't felt with anyone [else] in this town. I -- I don't know how to say this, but...I'm glad you're here," Jack said. "I'm glad you're here, too," J.J. replied while fetching two bottles of beer.

Jack quickly deduced that J.J. was upset about something. "It's that girl we talked about -- Haley, from New Year's... We sort of had a fight," J.J. explained with a sigh. "About...?" Jack asked curiously. "I finally found out what's been bothering her," J.J. elaborated. "Well, that's a good thing...right?" Jack replied, confused. "I thought so at first, but...now that I know what the problem is...it makes [things] a little bit more complicated than before," J.J. vaguely clarified. Jack probed for more details in an effort to help, but J.J. didn't want to betray Haley's confidence. "[Then] I won't push...[but] I hope that you know that you can trust me," Jack assured J.J.

"It would be great to be able to talk this out with somebody..." J.J. hesitantly admitted. "Okay, so...lay it on me," Jack excitedly replied, still eager to help.

At the loft apartment, Tripp and Claire rested in each other's arms on the couch after a second round of sex, both breathlessly raving that it had been better than the first round that had occurred the previous night. "Why did we wait so long?" Claire wondered. "Well, I mean, we almost did it a few months ago, but Ciara walked in on us," Tripp pointed out. "Well, luckily, [this time] we have the place all to ourselves," Claire happily noted.

Just then, someone began knocking insistently on the apartment door. Claire quickly got dressed then opened the door while Tripp was still shirtless. "I need to talk to you," Ben told Claire, barging into the apartment just as Tripp found and donned a shirt. "Tripp and I are actually kind of in the middle of something --" Claire tried to protest, but Ben forged ahead. "I need to talk to Ciara, [so] I need you to help me out, Claire," Ben insisted.

"Why would [she] do that?" Tripp wondered. "Because [she] owes me," Ben explained with a shrug. "For...?" Tripp asked as Claire tensed. "I thought you knew... The real reason why Ciara left town --" Ben began. "You started kidnapping people for Stefan DiMera," Tripp summarized. "My job was only part of it," Ben clarified as Claire silently protested. "Ciara was [also] mad at me because [Claire] convinced me to team up with her [to] break up you and Ciara," Ben elaborated, ignoring Claire's plea. "He is lying!" Claire claimed. "No, Tripp, I'm not lying. I swear to God. What possible reason would I ever have to bring that up if it wasn't true?" Ben countered.

"Why the hell couldn't you just keep your big mouth shut?" Claire snapped at Ben. "So, it is true," Tripp concluded with a shake of the head. "Look, it was Ben's idea --" Claire began to claim. "Is that why you had to talk me into it [after] I told you that it was wrong and that I didn't want to lie to Ciara?" Ben countered. "You just kept pushing and pushing and pushing, because that's what you always do, [Claire] -- you push!" Ben added, drawing a nod of agreement from Tripp. "It was no big deal!" Claire tried to assure Tripp. "Ciara and I broke up, didn't we?" Tripp pointed out. "Yes, but not because of anything that Ben and I did!" Claire countered.

"It was no big deal!" Claire desperately repeated. "It was obviously a big deal to Ciara...and you better believe that it was a big deal to me," Tripp replied with a scowl before storming out of the apartment.

Claire immediately began lashing out at Ben, knowing that misery loved company -- and believing, therefore, that everything that had just happened had been quite deliberate. "This isn't about you, Claire; it's about Ciara!" Ben insisted. "I need you to help me make Ciara understand that this whole little breakup plan was not my idea," Ben added. "And why on earth would I help you?" Claire asked, scoffing. "[Besides], it's probably too late, 'cause as we speak, Ciara and Theo are probably getting back together," Claire added. "Don't say that. You don't know that. Don't say that," Ben protested. "You need to help me out, Claire," Ben repeated.

"No, you need to get out of here," Claire replied before starting to tug at one of Ben's arms. "Get your hands off of me, you little bitch!" Ben spat, grabbing Claire's wrist. "You don't get to use me then throw me away like a piece of garbage!" Ben continued, scowling at Claire. "You're hurting me," Claire protested, trying to pull away from Ben. "You hurt people all the time, Claire! You do it all the time, and it has to stop -- it's going to stop!" Ben countered. "Or what?" Claire asked, trying to sound defiant. "You don't want to know that, Claire," Ben quietly insisted. "You're scaring me," Claire finally admitted. Ben sighed and immediately released Claire.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," Ben promised as Claire breathed a sigh of relief. "But I need to talk to Ciara," Ben reiterated. "Then get on a plane [and] go to South Africa," Claire dismissively began. "I can't do that. I don't have a passport," Ben explained. "But I gotta do something; I gotta make this right," Ben insisted. "Good luck with that, really, 'cause...take it from me -- getting Ciara to forgive you is next to impossible," Claire warned.

"I can deal with everybody in this town hating me, Claire -- I can deal with everybody in this whole damn world hating me -- [but] not Ciara. I have to fix this. I will fix this," Ben vowed before exiting the apartment.

Tripp ran into Haley in the park and quickly deduced that something was wrong. "I've had better days," Haley admitted. "That makes two of us," Tripp replied. "Girlfriend issues?" Haley assumed. "Not exactly," Tripp said. "Oh. Is it a boy?" Haley asked. "No, it's a girl -- a woman -- [but she's] my ex," Tripp clarified. "She got involved with someone else, and he's just -- he's a real jerk... And I just kept telling myself, 'Tripp, you know, just move on; [just] throw yourself into something new and forget about her,'" Tripp continued. "So...did you?" Haley wondered. "Yeah...and it was a huge mistake," Tripp grumbled. "I know what [that's] like," Haley revealed.

Haley didn't really want to elaborate -- but did agree to join Tripp for lunch.

Will asks Diana for help with Leo

Thursday, January 31, 2019

by Mike

At the Salem Inn, Diana received a visit from Will, who introduced himself then asked if he could talk to her about her son.

"Are you a friend of his?" Diana wondered. "Um...not exactly... Uh, Leo is married to my ex-husband, Sonny," Will explained. "[And] you think Sonny's bad news, [so] you want to warn my son to be careful," Diana guessed. "Unfortunately, it's the opposite. Uh...you see, Sonny doesn't love Leo; Sonny loves me. And we were hoping that you could help us get Leo out of our lives -- once and for all," Will clarified.

"Doesn't sound like you're a fan of my Matthew," Diana observed. "That would be putting it mildly," Will confirmed. "How would you put it?" Diana wondered. "I don't want to offend you, Ms. Cooper," Will carefully replied. "Oh, no, no, no -- speak freely...and please call me Diana," Diana insisted while gesturing for Will to enter the hotel room. "Okay, Diana..." Will agreed, stepping inside.

"The thing is, your son has done a lot of horrible things -- a lot of them -- especially to Sonny. [Now], most of them occurred before they were married -- for example, Leo filed a fake sexual harassment lawsuit against [Sonny]," Will continued. "When I was trying to find Matthew, I saw something about a lawsuit online...but from what I read, the case never went to trial, which means it was never proven to be false," Diana noted. "Well, trust me -- it was. The whole thing was a scam. [Leo] made up the entire thing for money. [And then Leo] trapped Sonny in a loveless marriage [with blackmail]," Will insisted.

Diana wasn't surprised to hear that the marriage wasn't real, since there had been obvious tension between Leo and Sonny earlier. "In fact, Matthew -- or 'Leo' -- [even] accused [Sonny] of tracking me down in order to get rid of him. Sounds like he wasn't wrong about that," Diana mused. "My grandmother's husband is a private detective, and I...I begged him to find you, because we thought you could help us deal with Leo," Will admitted.

"You seem like a very nice young man -- as does Sonny -- so I wonder...what does Leo have on you two?" Diana asked curiously.

"Okay, um...I'm sure Leo will probably tell you this, so I'm -- I'm gonna be honest. Long story short...we thought we killed your son. [See], the day before Sonny was gonna go on trial for sexual harassment, I showed Leo some dirt that I dug up on him, [and] he was furious, [so] he attacked me...[and] he would have killed me, but Sonny got there [and] pulled him off, [and that's when] Leo fell [and] hit his head. [And] I swear it was an accident, [but] it really did look like he was dead, [and] with the lawsuit...[I mean], who was gonna believe us if we tried to explain the truth? [Anyway], he has photos of us trying to dispose of what we thought was his dead body, [thanks] to some guy named Ted Laurent," Will explained.

"Did you just say Ted Laurent?" Diana asked incredulously. "Yes... Why? Do you know him?" Will replied. "No. No, I don't know Ted Laurent," Diana claimed. "[But] I've read about him. He represented that infamous serial killer -- Ben...Ben...Ben Weston. [You know], I can't believe that they'd let that psycho free. He killed four people, didn't he?" Diana continued. "Three, actually," Will vaguely replied. "[So], my son was in cahoots with Ted Laurent? Interesting..." Diana mused.

Changing the subject, Diana wondered why Leo had chosen Sonny as a target. "Sonny is a Kiriakis. The name comes with a lot of money and power, and Leo is...very attached to that," Will explained. "Again, I'm not surprised," Diana admitted. "Our family comes from money, [though] not as much as the Kiriakises, [so] Matthew got used to the finer things, and before I knew it, he was spending money like there was no tomorrow. He would have gone through our entire family fortune if I hadn't cut him off when he was younger. [You know], he still resents me for it. He said that I was denying him the life to which he had grown accustomed. Can you believe that?" Diana added. "Actually...yes, I can," Will replied.

"[Anyway], when I suggested that he actually go out and make a living, he took an interest in art...which required a lot of money for supplies and gallery spaces. [And I paid for all of it at first], but the more expensive the projects became...and the more questionable his talent --" Diana continued. "You don't think he's talented?" Will asked. "Have you seen his work, Will? It's something only a mother could love...and I don't love it, [so I stopped funding his efforts]. I was trying to get him to be realistic about his future [and] learn to be responsible," Diana explained. "Unfortunately, I don't think that lesson took, because he will still do anything for a quick buck...and because of that, Sonny and I are living a nightmare," Will fretted.

"[And] how exactly do you think I can help you? Matthew and I aren't close. I honestly have very little sway over him," Diana replied. "I realize that, but Sonny noticed that when Leo talks about you, he gets very agitated; he gets upset, he shuts down..." Will began to explain. "Does he say anything in particular about me?" Diana asked. "It's all right. I'm tough. I can take it," Diana added when Will didn't answer right away. "Okay...um, he said you were a monster," Will revealed. "That's it? Believe me, he's called me far worse to my face," Diana admitted with a dismissive laugh. "I'm sorry," Will said. "No, no -- I'm tough, as I said," Diana maintained.

"Anyway, um...we were really hoping that you could provide us with some information that we could use to...neutralize his -- his threats," Will explained. "So, you are looking for ammunition," Diana summarized. "Essentially, yes," Will confirmed. "Is there anything you can tell us?" Will asked hopefully. "My son is no angel; he's gotten in plenty of trouble over the years and left a trail of victims -- including me. In some ways, it would serve him right if I gave you the ammunition you need," Diana mused, drawing a hopeful grin from Will. "However...he is my son, and though I am sympathetic to your cause, he is my flesh and blood, and I do love him," Diana added. "Of course you do," Will quickly agreed.

"But...like you just said, your son has hurt a lot of people. [And] what he's doing right now is not right. It is wrong -- it is horribly wrong, in fact -- and it sounds like you could do something to stop him," Will added. "I think you need to leave now," Diana suddenly decided. "Diana...? I mean, come on, you gotta -- you gotta -- please, help me!" Will protested. "No. I cannot," Diana insisted. "Yes, you can! You just won't -- and that's wrong, too! Don't you see that? What you're doing now is wrong!" Will desperately countered. "I have given you enough of my time. Goodbye, Will," Diana said with finality while opening the hotel room door. Will sighed and reluctantly exited the room. Diana took a deep, shaky breath once the coast was clear.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny entered the living room and cheerfully greeted Leo, who had just gulped down quite a bit of whiskey.

"Is everything okay? I mean, you seem a bit rattled," Sonny curiously observed. "You think you're smart, don't you? Digging up my mother, convincing her to come to town..." Leo angrily countered. "I don't know what you're talking about. I just wanted to reunite my dear husband with his family. I thought you'd be happy to see her," Sonny innocently replied. "Did you? Really? Because I told you repeatedly that I couldn't stand her!" Leo snapped. "You have no idea what you've done...but if you think this little stunt of yours is going to get you out of this marriage, you are very much mistaken! I am going to make you pay for this!" Leo vowed before storming upstairs, shoving past Adrienne in the process.

"You'll have to forgive Leo's outburst. His mother just showed up in Salem," Sonny happily explained to Adrienne, who was thrilled to hear that John's team had managed to find Diana -- and that Leo was miserable as a result of the unexpected development. "I put her up at the Salem Inn, [and] Will's there right now, trying to get anything out of her, so I'm just praying that she gives us something that we can use against my 'darling' husband," Sonny continued as Adrienne began clipping coupons. "My entire life, [we've] had money -- more than we've known what to do with -- but you never miss an opportunity to save a few bucks," Sonny teasingly noted. "I grew up poor," Adrienne reminded Sonny to explain the habit.

"Besides, with Leo's spending sprees, he could break up this whole family any day now," Adrienne added with a laugh. "If only his spending habits were the worst of it..." Sonny muttered. "What's that supposed to mean?" Adrienne asked, confused. "Nothing," Sonny evasively replied, but Adrienne kept probing for details. "I just don't feel comfortable discussing this particular topic with you," Sonny insisted with a cringe. "Not again! I ran into your Uncle Jack earlier, and he couldn't get away from me fast enough, [either]!" Adrienne pouted. "Okay, now you're kind of being a little...manipulative..." Sonny protested. "No, not 'kind of'; I am, so spill it!" Adrienne replied. "All right," Sonny agreed with a sigh.

"Leo has new demands for our marriage, and, uh...he wants me to...perform...husbandly, uh, duties," Sonny explained with obvious discomfort, drawing an awkward cough from Adrienne.

Later, Leo returned to the living room in search of more alcohol. Sonny was no longer there, but Adrienne was still clipping coupons -- and was quick to approach Leo with the scissors.

"It's time you and I got something straight," Adrienne began, scowling at Leo while waving the scissors threateningly. "You may be married to my son -- for now -- but if you try to force him to consummate this marriage, you are gonna live to regret it," Adrienne continued, circling Leo like a shark. "Sonny went running to his mommy," Leo realized, laughing mockingly. "Well, Mommy's gonna make sure that you keep your hands -- and other parts of your body -- to yourself, because if you don't... You. Will. Never. Consummate. Anything. Again!" Adrienne countered, punctuating each syllable of the warning with a snip of the scissors.

Upstairs, Sonny stared longingly at a photograph of Will -- and soon received a phone call. "What happened?" Sonny asked Will excitedly after answering the call. "She definitely knows something we could use against Leo...but, uh, I wasn't able to convince her to talk," Will reported. "Will, we're so close. We can't give up now," Sonny insisted. "I won't. Don't worry. I'll keep pressing her 'til I find out what she knows," Will promised.

At the hospital, Marlena received an unexpected visit from Ben. "Do I have the date wrong? I thought our monthly appointment wasn't until next week..." Marlena said while scanning a calendar for Ben's name. "It is, [but] I just really needed to talk to you [now]," Ben explained, shaking a bit. "Is something wrong?" Marlena wondered. "Yeah. Yeah, it is. I...I feel like I'm spinning out of control, and I don't know how to stop it," Ben admitted.

Marlena gestured for Ben to enter the office and shut the door. "Take a breath," Marlena advised, and Ben complied. "Why do you feel like you're out of control?" Marlena asked afterward. "I don't even know where to start," Ben admitted. "Okay, well...start with the last time you felt in control," Marlena suggested. "About a month ago, I guess... I was on top of the world -- finally felt like my life was coming together, [because] I had a good job working for Stefan, [and] Ciara and I had just started dating... I was so happy... But now it's falling apart. I lost my job...but more importantly, um...Ciara left me, [and] I'm afraid I could lose her for good," Ben revealed.

"[Ciara and I] got in a huge fight, [and] once I cooled down, I went back to talk things out with her, [but] she wasn't there...so I swallowed my pride, and I went to go see Hope, [who] was very happy to tell me that Ciara went to go visit Theo in South Africa. [I've been leaving] her a ton of messages [but] haven't been able to reach her," Ben continued. Marlena wanted to know more about the fight, but Ben was reluctant to share potentially incriminating information. Marlena reassured Ben that the conversation was protected under doctor-patient confidentiality -- as long as it wasn't about a crime that was yet to be committed, of course. "No, no, no -- this was...this was all in the past," Ben confirmed before proceeding to tell Marlena about Gabi's kidnapping.

"Ben, to tell you the truth, I share Ciara's concern [about you working] for a man like Stefan DiMera," Marlena admitted at the end of Ben's tale. "I appreciate your concern, but it really was just a job," Ben insisted. "And none of that matters now, anyway, because as soon as Stefan was arrested and Chad took over, his first act of business was to fire me. [And Ciara] knew that I was fired, [but]...what I didn't get to tell her is that I was on my way to quit working for Stefan, anyway, because of her! I did it for her!" Ben added. "Why didn't you tell her that?" Marlena wondered as Ben began pacing the office. "She didn't give me a chance to. [By then], she was already upset with me about something else," Ben clarified before proceeding to tell Marlena about the alliance with Claire.

"Dr. Evans, Ciara was the only one who believed in me -- [who] believed that I have changed... Even after everything that her mother did [to try to] convince her that I set that damn fire at the cabin, she still believed in me; she still had my back... Just knowing that I was worthy of someone's trust -- [that] just made me feel like I could be a better person. Without her -- without Ciara in my life -- I'm just...I'm afraid I could turn back into that monster that I was before," Ben admitted with a sigh. "Are you saying that you feel like you...you could kill again?" Marlena asked, concerned. "No, no -- I didn't mean that. I swear. [It's just]...Ciara makes me feel like I have purpose -- like I'm worth something. [It's like] she's my anchor, [and] without her, I am...I'm lost," Ben clarified.

"You cannot let Ciara define you. You can't let somebody else create your self-worth. That comes from within you. And I know that you know that," Marlena argued. "You're right," Ben conceded.

"[It's just]...I care about this girl so much, and the thought of losing her forever, Dr. Evans...it's killing me," Ben admitted. "I know it's been really rough for you lately. Do you have some sort of a support system?" Marlena wondered. "My father's in prison. And, um, my sister, Jordan...um, we haven't been in touch in a while," Ben replied. "Well, maybe you could reach out to her," Marlena suggested. "Maybe," Ben noncommittally agreed. "And what about your, um...your living situation?" Marlena asked. "I don't know. Maybe I'll go back to the homeless shelter for a little while," Ben answered. "[And] your meds?" Marlena continued. "Just ran out," Ben reported.

Marlena wrote Ben a new prescription and spontaneously decided that it would be best for them to meet twice per week for the foreseeable future. He thanked her for everything then rushed off, seemingly relieved.

At the police station, Eli overheard Hope's end of a phone conversation with Ted. "So, you're meeting with [Ted] again?" Eli asked curiously after Hope ended the call. "Do you have a problem with that?" Hope defensively replied. Eli wondered -- not as an employee but instead as a concerned family member -- what was going on between Hope and Ted. "Nothing," Hope insisted, but Eli wasn't convinced. "Hope, [Ted] is a sleaze, and you know that! [And] I would think you would want nothing to do with [him, because he] not only represented Ben [but also] took on Stefan's case," Eli said. "Actually...Ted defending Stefan was my idea," Hope revealed.

Eli was still questioning Hope when Ted arrived. "I have a packed schedule today, so our meeting is gonna have to be a quickie -- uh, quick," Hope told Ted, prompting Eli to walk away with a shake of the head.

"So, uh...what idea did you want to run by me?" Hope asked Ted once the coast was clear. "How would you feel about you and me working together?" Ted excitedly began. "Planning on joining the police academy?" Hope joked. "Uh...no, not quite...but last night, Detective Grant mentioned Melinda Trask had resigned, and I started thinking...I may be a good fit for the job. [I mean], defending criminals is definitely lucrative, but it also takes its toll, [so maybe] it would be a little bit more satisfying to put them away. [And] I want to change my life; I want to fight for the good guys now, [and] be a better person. [And that's] because of you," Ted elaborated.

Just then, Hope received a phone call from Theo. "Thank you, honey, for calling me right back. Yeah, I just wanted to check in with Ciara," Hope began. Hope seemed a bit concerned when the call ended a short time later. "[Ciara] left South Africa -- booked an earlier flight home, apparently -- and, according to Theo, her flight should have landed hours ago. I wonder why she hasn't called or texted me..." Hope said to Ted.

Lani went to Doug's Place to meet up with Eli -- and was surprised to see that he had rented the place out and had decorated it with beach gear. "The other day, you said that you could not take -- and I quote -- 'one more day of cold,' and that if you had any sense, you'd be on the next flight back to Miami," he reminded her. "Too bad I used up all my vacation days," she grumbled. "Well, I figured...if you can't make it back to Miami, I'll bring a little Miami sunshine to you," he continued. "[Plus], I just needed a reason to see you in a bathing suit," he joked while handing her a bikini.

Lani changed clothes while Eli fetched a tray of fresh fruit and two mojitos. As they lounged on beach chairs, they talked about going to Miami together at some point. Lani was worried that Eli might think that was a boring vacation destination, but he assured her that he wanted to know all about her old stomping ground -- and also just wanted to know all about her in general. "Well, when you meet my mother, you will know more than you ever wanted to know," she warned him. "[But] I can't wait for you two to meet. I know my mom is going to love you just as much as I love you," she added.

Lani's casual declaration of love surprised Eli, who gave her a kiss and happily stressed that he loved her, too.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Diana paused in front of Tom and Alice's memorial plaque and seemed to sneer at it before walking away with a sigh -- and nearly colliding with Marlena. Diana gasped then greeted Marlena by name.

At the police station, Hope tried to contact Ciara, but after a few rings, the call went to voicemail -- because Ciara, already blindfolded and gagged, was being tied to a bed at that exact moment, and the captor ignored the ringing cell phone.

Ciara is tied to a bed

Friday, February 1, 2019

by Spalding

In the town square, Diana noticed Marlena as she passed by the memorial for Tom and Alice Horton. "Marlena?" Diana asked. "Do I know you?" Marlena responded. "No. I feel like I know you," Diana admitted. Diana explained that she had listened to Marlena's radio show back when it had still been on the air. Diana told Marlena that her voice had been a comfort through rough times.

"I'm glad it was helpful," Marlena said as she turned to walk away. Diana stopped Marlena and asked to buy her a drink. Marlena started to say no, but Diana insisted on buying the drink, and she promised not to confess her problems to the doctor. Marlena agreed to a drink. As Marlena walked toward the caf, Diana narrowed her eyes.

Marlena and Diana sipped wine at the caf. Diana asked about why Marlena's radio show had ended. "Some of my fans were just too intense. And I really love one-on-one therapy, so I went back to my private practice," Marlena explained. Marlena asked Diana why she was in Salem. Diana said that she was in town to visit her son.

"We get along when he is not trying to drive me completely insane," Diana complained. Marlena laughed and said that she understood. "I've got a daughter like that," Marlena said. Marlena explained that trouble followed her daughter. Diana said her son Matthew was the same way. Marlena asked Diana's name.

"Diana Cooper," Diana announced as she held out her hand for a handshake. Marlena paused. "Did you say Cooper?" Marlena asked. Diana confirmed that Matthew Cooper was her son. Diana thought about the argument she had had with Leo at the Kiriakis mansion. Diana admitted that her son went by the name Leo Stark. Marlena frowned and said she knew Leo.

"I can tell from your tone that the interaction wasn't pleasant," Diana said. "To put it mildly, he's made my grandson's life a living hell," Marlena said. Marlena told Diana about Will. "Will Horton is your grandson?" Diana asked in surprise. Diana apologized. Diana added that she agreed that Will was a good man. Marlena asked Diana to help end the situation with Leo.

"I'm sure you don't want your son stuck in a loveless marriage," Marlena commented. Diana agreed. "I have tried to talk to Matthew. He does not listen to me," Diana said. Marlena urged Diana to make another attempt. As Diana looked away, Marlena changed tactics. Marlena wondered aloud what could have happened to Leo to have made him a vindictive person. Leaning toward Diana, Marlena asked her for insight.

"Maybe you could tell me whatever I need to know about Leo. Not just for Leo's sake, but for everybody's sake," Marlena said. "If someone were to ask you for personal and potentially damaging information about your daughter, would you be willing to throw her under the bus for a complete stranger?" Diana asked. Marlena said nothing. Diana rose from her seat and excused herself to leave.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Leo met Brady. "I've heard a lot about you," Leo said. Brady informed Leo that he was moving back into the mansion. "The more the merrier!" Leo said cheerily. Leo noticed that Brady had carried in his own luggage. With a smirk, Leo commented, "I bet you handle lots of things just as brawnily." Brady sighed as he motioned toward the bags. Leo told Brady that he was happy Brady was taking Xander's place as CEO.

"When God closes a door, he opens a window," Leo said. Brady stared at Leo without a word. Leo suggested that he and Brady get to know one another. "Why would I want to get to know the creep that tried to take my family's company away from me?" Brady asked. Leo reminded Brady that he had been unsuccessful in that scheme. When Leo noted that his failure should garner him some good will, Brady shook his head no. Leo then argued that Vivian had forced him into the scheme because she was impossible to refuse.

"Not impossible. I actually did manage to say no to her. And then I managed to bury the bitch alive," Brady said. Leo reached out and stroked Brady's arm. Leo commented about the strength needed for digging. Brady warned Leo to let go, or he would be next. Message received, Leo pulled his hand away. Brady softened and explained that he was not gay.

"Honey, who are you trying to fool? That is a serious case of gay face," Leo said. Brady warned Leo to knock the banter off, or he would suffer "a serious case of broken arms." Leo asked Brady if he was afraid that he could be attracted to a man. Brady said no. "Never say never," Leo yelled, then grabbed Brady and kissed him. John walked in the house as Brady pulled away from Leo's grasp.

"What the hell are you doing? What is wrong with you?" Brady grumbled. "You can't blame a guy for trying," Leo countered. Leo asked about the "silver fox." John announced that he was Brady's father. John asked Leo about his visit with his mother. Confused, Leo started to ask how John knew about his mother then stopped.

"John? John Black the P.I.? Are you the one who tracked my mother down?" Leo asked. John confirmed he was that John Black. "You had no right to interfere in my life like that. I take back what I said about you being a silver fox. You're a jerk," Leo said. John smiled serenely at Leo. With a dismissive wave, Leo said he was headed to the kitchen for a snack.

Once Leo was gone, John chuckled as Brady lamented that Sonny had to tolerate Leo every day. "The guy's a nightmare," Brady said. John asked Brady if he was certain that he wanted to move back into the house with Victor. Brady said he was fine. When John mentioned Eve's return, Brady explained he had not thought about Eve.

"Just like that?" John said with a snap of his fingers. "Let's just say I've had some help getting over it," Brady said. John pushed Brady for details. Brady explained that he had reconnected with Chloe. Brady added that Chloe had been a good friend to him. John asked Brady if he was only friends with Chloe. With a chuckle, Brady said everyone had asked him about his relationship with Chloe.

"Chloe and I are just friends," Brady stressed. John asked Brady if he had met Leo's mother yet. Brady shook his head no. John explained that he believed Diana was the key to pushing Leo out of the house and their lives. Brady asked John for details about Diana. With a shrug, John urged Brady to unpack while John went to the Salem Inn to do more recon on Diana. John promised to update Brady later.

When Brady returned downstairs after settling in, he ran into Leo in the foyer. "Are you sure you don't need a hand?" Leo asked. "Hands off," Brady warned with a grin. Leo asked if John was gone. "Yes, [John] is gone. And soon, you'll be, too," Brady said.

At Doug's Place, Chloe arrived at work and found Stefan sipping a drink amongst the remains of Eli and Lani's beach-themed date. "Aloha!" Stefan said. "What are you doing here?" Chloe asked Stefan. With a grin, Stefan said he had stopped in for a drink as Eli and Lani had left arm in arm. Chloe groaned and admitted that she had forgotten about Eli and Lani's private party. Stefan held up a "Closed for Private Party" sign.

"I found this on the ground outside as they were waltzing past me," Stefan said. Stefan suggested that Lani and Eli had moved their private party to a more private location. Stefan asked Chloe if she wanted to join him for a drink. Stefan shook a pitcher of mojitos. Chloe countered that she was working.

"Not for a few hours. Technically, this place is still closed, so why don't you slap this [sign] back on the front door and come kick your feet up for a bit?" Stefan suggested. Chloe declined. Stefan complained that he was tired of drinking alone at home. With a smirk, Stefan said he could get used to drinking while looking at Chloe's face. Chloe told Stefan that if he behaved himself, he could stay, and she would ignore him.

"I can be quite difficult to ignore," Stefan said as he slurped the remains of his drink. Stefan talked loudly about relaxing, and he asked Chloe if she was always uptight. Chloe protested that she was relaxed but not interested in drinking with Stefan.

"Are you afraid that you might actually enjoy yourself and have to report to people that I'm good company, witty and charming, and endure being ostracized for having such an unpopular opinion of me?" Stefan asked. Chloe rolled her eyes dismissively. With a chuckle, Stefan told Chloe to be brave and join him. Chloe agreed to share one drink with Stefan. Stefan handed the private party sign to Chloe, and she placed it outside the restaurant. Stefan poured Chloe a tall glass from the pitcher.

When Chloe returned, she settled into the beach chair next to Stefan. Chloe reviewed the restaurant's mail as Stefan watched her. "This is your idea of relaxing?" Stefan inquired. Chloe said it was relaxing because when she was finished, she would have a clean desk. As Chloe chatted about the mess at her house due to her two children, she noted that work was her oasis of "peace and order."

"I certainly wouldn't want to do anything to undermine your sense of peace and order when you're in an oasis," Stefan said with a chuckle. Stefan thanked Chloe for taking pity on him and joining him for a drink. Chloe shuffled through the mail as Stefan asked her about Holly. Chloe said she loved being a mother.

"But yet you say you have to come to work to feel peaceful," Stefan pointed out. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I don't love the absolute chaos of being around my children. Sometimes you just need a break from it. You know when you become a parent, you get pulled from every which way. Maybe you will experience that someday, or maybe you won't. Maybe you'll just shuffle them off to a nanny, I don't know," Chloe said. Stefan said he would not pawn off his children.

"When I thought Charlotte was mine, I was actually, I just felt bereft when I wasn't around her," Stefan said. "You must miss her," Chloe said quietly. Stefan nodded yes. Chloe suggested that Stefan could still visit Charlotte because she was still his niece. Stefan explained that Abigail and Chad would not let Charlotte set foot in the mansion, much less anywhere near him. Stefan reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver spoon.

"I got this for her for Christmas. I've been carrying it with me ever since. Pathetic, right?" Stefan confided. Chloe said no. "You thought she was your child," Chloe noted. Stefan toasted to Charlotte. "I'm sorry," Chloe said quietly. Stefan thanked Chloe. Changing the subject, Chloe asked Stefan why he was not at work.

"It's running itself at this point -- and handily trouncing the competition, I might add," Stefan said. Stefan said he was confident that his company would thrive, since Brady was the CEO of Titan. As Chloe continued to open mail, she noted that Titan would continue to thrive, as well.

"How would you know?" Stefan asked. "I know Brady. Not only is he a shrewd businessman, but when he wants something, he goes after it with a vengeance. He's no pushover. He is relentless when he wants something," Chloe said. Stefan laughed. "What are you, his publicist?" Stefan asked. Chloe noted that she was Brady's friend -- and ex-wife.

"Of course, you are. What went wrong?" Stefan asked. Chloe explained that she and Brady had grown apart in their marriage. "Brady is a good man, and I'm grateful that we reconnected and that he is back in my life. In fact, I think we're closer now than we've ever been," Chloe said.

"How close is that?" Stefan inquired. "Brady and I are just friends, like I said," Chloe stressed. "Don't the best relationships always start out that way?" Stefan teased. Chloe said it was not Stefan's business. Chloe added that her breakup with Lucas was too recent, as well. Chloe turned the conversation to Stefan's love life.

"I've been bored and celibate, which is not cool, because I actually enjoy the company of women," Stefan said. With a chuckle, Chloe encouraged Stefan to find a new woman. "If you made yourself available, I'm sure women would come knocking down your door. I mean, you are handsome, you're rich, you're kind of famous, you're witty and charming," Chloe encouraged. "You admit it!" Stefan said with glee. Chloe noted that men like Stefan were only single because they chose to be single.

As Chloe opened an envelope from her pile of mail, she gasped. Stefan asked what was wrong. Chloe pulled a bloody knife out of the envelope. "What the hell is that?" Stefan asked. Chloe thought about the last time she had seen the knife. "This is the same knife that I used to kill El Fideo," Chloe said, her voice shaking. Stefan asked Chloe why someone would have sent her the knife.

"I don't know. I just remember one of his guys had said I'd just signed my death warrant, and I would never have another moment's peace, but when I came home, nothing happened, and I put it out of my mind. Oh, my God! What am I supposed to do?" Chloe asked in a panic. Stefan quietly told Chloe that he would call the police.

In the interrogation room at the police station, Hope called Ciara on the phone and left a voicemail asking her daughter to call her when she arrived back in the U.S. "Voicemail again. Why isn't she picking up her phone? It is so strange," Hope said.

Hope told Ted that she was worried because it was unlike Ciara not to return her calls. Hope called Claire and asked about Ciara, but Claire confirmed that she had not heard from her roommate. Worried, Hope wondered aloud why Ciara had not gone straight to the loft from the airport.

"This doesn't make any sense why she wouldn't tell anyone that she was coming home early from South Africa. No, you know what? There is no way. She would have called or texted," Hope said. Ted suggested there could have been a flight delay. With a nod, Hope called the airline. The airline confirmed that Ciara's flight had landed on time and that Ciara had been on the passenger manifest. Ted suggested using a phone tracking app, but Hope explained that Ciara had deleted the app when they had fought months earlier.

"Where the hell is she? What's going on?" Hope asked. Hope called Ciara again and left another voicemail. Ted urged Hope to remain calm. "There is a simple explanation why your daughter is unreachable," Ted suggested. Ted asked Hope if Theo had given her any indication as to why Ciara had decided to return home early. With a groan, Hope said she hoped that did not mean that Ciara had missed Ben.

"Why would Ciara be missing Ben Weston? She went halfway around the world to get away from him," Ted said. Hope worried aloud that Ciara might have had a change of heart. Hope called Marlena and asked her to stop by the station. When Marlena arrived, Hope explained the situation regarding Ciara. Hope asked Marlena if she had talked to Ben and if he had mentioned Ciara.

"I saw him earlier today," Marlena admitted. Hope asked Marlena if Ben had said anything about Ciara. Marlena noted that she could not break her patient's confidentiality. Hope begged Marlena to help her.

At the Salem Inn, Diana sat in her room and read an article about the shooting at Marlena's wedding. There was a knock at the door. It was John. "Diana?" John asked. "Hello, Roman," Diana said.

In a cabin, Ciara's phone rang, unanswered. Over on the bed, a blindfolded Ciara struggled against the ropes that tied her to a bed frame. A person clad in leather checked the knots on the rope as Ciara screamed through her gag. The mysterious person played the latest voicemail from Hope aloud on Ciara's phone. As the message ended, Ciara cried out a muffled, "Mom!"

The mysterious figure pulled out a match from a box and held it, ready to strike it against the matchbox. When the match lit, the smell drifted over to the bed. Ciara thought about when she had woken up in the cabin when it had been on fire after her bike accident. The stranger lit a nearby kerosene lantern with the match. A leather-clad hand brushed hair from Ciara's forehead. The hand removed the gag from Ciara's mouth, but the blindfold was left in place.

"Why are you doing this to me? Where am I? And who are you?" Ciara asked the stranger.