Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of November 23, 2020 on DAYS

Jan forced Shawn to marry her, but John strangled Jan unconscious when she confessed that she had killed Belle. Eli arrested John. Philip found Belle in his bedroom. Kristen urged Lani to forgive Eli. Charlie and Claire shared a kiss. Sarah and Xander discovered Ava's fake name. Jack apologized to Abigail. Jennifer refused to forgive Jack. Rafe and Gabi returned to Salem. Gabi saw Jake in bed with Kate.

Jan tries to marry Shawn

Monday, November 23, 2020

by Mike

At Statesville, Kristen received a visit from Lani, who soon began complaining about what Eli had done. "The last thing I want is for you to be angry with Eli," Kristen stressed. "Too late -- I already kicked him out of the apartment," Lani admitted. "He was in an impossible situation --" Kristen reasoned. "While Eli [was] pressuring you to confess, I was talking to Trask, [and] I was getting through to her...[so, the bottom line is that] if Eli hadn't decided to just go about this completely on his own -- if he would have trusted me [and] respected me [and] been honest with me -- you wouldn't be here right now," Lani countered.

"What-ifs -- we can talk about them forever and ever -- [but the real] bottom line is...I stabbed Victor, and now I'm paying the price, [but] I do not want you to pay, too! [Look], Eli loves you more than anything in this world, [and] he was just protecting you and your family and your future -- if I can understand that, why can't you?" Kristen argued. "I do understand that...[but] he lied to me -- [and] if I wouldn't have found him and my father with their heads together, he would have kept lying to me forever! [And, you know, after] he went behind my back to arrest you, [he and I] agreed -- no more secrets -- [and now this comes out, so...I mean], how am I supposed to ever trust him [again]?" Lani reasoned. "Forgive him -- that's all you have to do," Kristen suggested. "Like it's that simple..." Lani grumbled.

"Do you know what I would give to be with my family right now? And you can have that in an instant! [Look], I went to prison so that you wouldn't have to -- I did it for you [and] Eli [and] those beautiful babies that you are about to bring into this world -- [and] the only thing that is worse than being stuck in this hellhole [is] knowing [that] I did it for nothing! [So], I am begging you -- don't let my sacrifice be in vain; work things out with Eli, please!" Kristen snapped. "I want to...[but] I don't know if I can," Lani admitted, fighting back tears. Kristen released a groan of frustration, prompting Lani to offer an apologetic shrug.

Eli and Abe went to Julie's Place to cancel Lani's baby shower -- and Julie was quick to side with Lani, not Eli, after hearing the reason for the cancellation. "I know you were trying to protect your wife, [but] marriage is a partnership -- you do not run around making unilateral decisions!" Julie stressed, and Eli conceded the point after recovering from the shock of the reaction.

Julie soon started trying to think of ways to help Eli reconcile with Lani -- and ultimately decided that the first order of business was for Abe to stop providing Eli with a place to stay. "You are facilitating the separation of Lani and Eli, [so] send him packing, and then make sure Lani is the first person who hears about it -- I'm sure she won't want to see the father of her babies out on the street...any more than I want to see my great-grandbabies born into a broken home!" Julie explained to Abe. "I would love [to] stay and listen to more of your...creative ideas...but, uh, I gotta get back to the station," Eli informed Julie before rushing off.

Julie remained determined to give Lani a baby shower -- but reluctantly agreed to take Abe's advice about removing Eli from the guest list, at least for the time being. "I know my daughter -- she's very stubborn," Abe reasoned. "Gee, I wonder where she gets that..." Julie countered. Changing the subject, Julie started admonishing Abe for having supported Eli's deception -- and for having refused to fire Trask when Lani had requested the intervention, since the whole mess could have been prevented if not for that fateful decision. "I can tell you one thing -- when my Doug was mayor of this town, we never would have --" Julie began. Enough! I have been beating myself up plenty already, [so] there's no need to pile on!" Abe stressed. "Understood -- [then let's just] do something to get those crazy kids back together again," Julie replied.

At the Evans-Black townhouse, Jan did a quick twirl to show off Belle's wedding dress, getting a peek at each of the stunned onlookers in the process. "What's the matter -- were you expecting someone else?" Jan asked the group with a smirk.

Shawn and John simultaneously demanded to know what Jan had done to Belle. "Belle, Belle, Belle -- everything's always about Belle..." Jan grumbled. "Your precious Belle is fine...but she won't be for long if you don't behave," Jan stressed.

Jan suddenly noticed that Brady was trying to discreetly dial a phone number. "Make that call, and your sister is a dead woman!" Jan warned Brady before grabbing a nearby basket and proceeding to confiscate each wedding guest's cell phone. "Sorry -- I really must insist; a wedding should be a phone-free zone," Jan reasoned with a smile. "Don't you agree, Dr. Evans? I know you're a stickler for etiquette..." Jan continued. "Yes, I am," Marlena confirmed, returning the smile.

"Why are we giving in to her crazy demands?" John quietly asked Marlena while only Shawn was within earshot. "Because she is mentally unbalanced, and we don't know what she's done to Belle, [so] all we can do now to keep Belle safe is just...[you know], play along," Marlena replied in an equally hushed tone. "But, you see, we don't even know if Belle is safe now!" John pointed out, purposely speaking most of the words loudly enough for Jan to hear them. "I need to know my mom is okay!" Claire begged Jan, following John's lead.

"We're not gonna take your word for it," Brady warned Jan, joining the chorus. "All right already -- if I show you proof [that Belle is fine], will you all just shut up about her?" Jan snapped before showing the group a digital image of Belle that had been left open on Jan's cell phone in anticipation of the request. "As you can see, Belle is alive and well -- just a little...tied up...at the moment..." Jan summarized.

"Now, can we get on with the ceremony [already]? I am finally gonna be Mrs. Shawn-Douglas Brady [today...because, you see], you and I are getting hitched -- right here, right now -- [Shawn...or else] you -- all of you -- will be singing the 'Wedding Belle Blues'!" Jan continued. "I wouldn't marry you if I had a gun pointed at my head!" Shawn insisted. "Shawn, sweetie...I couldn't point my gun at your head...because it happens to be trained on Belle as we speak," Jan countered with a shrug and a smile.

"So, you don't have a gun on your person right now..." Marlena pointedly translated. "I couldn't bring it with me, obvi -- it didn't go with my dress!" Jan playfully confirmed, seemingly oblivious to the silver lining that Marlena had found in the revelation. "[But] I left it with...a trusted friend...[so] let me be very clear -- if anyone attempts to leave this room [or] tries to call for help [or] does anything whatsoever to get in the way of my perfect wedding...it'll be Belle's funeral!" Jan stressed with a scowl.

Claire tried to reason with Jan, arguing that they were supposed to be friends. "We are [friends] -- you're the very best friend that I have! Way better than that user Nicole Walker, who talked me into trying to murder your Pop-Pop..." Jan assured Claire, who didn't seem to find the reminder of that incident particularly comforting. "I am overjoyed that you're gonna be my maid of honor!" Jan added. "Thank you -- that...truly means...a lot to me... But the thing is...I'm worried about my mom --" Claire tried to reply, fighting back tears. "How many times do I have to say it? She's. Fine!" Jan snapped. "But where is she?" Claire wondered.

"Claire, I thought I could at least count on you to be happy for me..." Jan grumbled. "Jan, of course I, uh, want you to be happy..." Claire managed to choke out after Marlena, who was standing behind Jan, silently advised that it would be best to play along for the time being. "Good -- because, well, you're the reason that I made it this far, [you know; I mean], earlier, at the pub, you gave me some super-useful info [when] you told me that your mom was getting ready at the Salem Inn, [and that's how I was able to pay] her a little visit, [and] now...here I am!" Jan summarized.

"Oh, my God -- that's why you insisted that I go and see Charlie; that's why you said I had to invite him to the wedding in person! You were trying to get rid of me!" Claire realized. "Well...yes...but, I mean, it worked out perfectly for both of us, right?" Jan reasoned, shrugging shamelessly. Charlie silently processed the news, seemingly a bit hurt that the wedding invitation hadn't been Claire's idea.

"I get it now -- why my mom was so weird when I saw her at the Salem Inn... She was so nervous and uptight, and she wouldn't even let me in the room -- [and that's because] you were in there with her, [right]?" Claire further realized. "With a gun to her back," Jan confirmed. "But...Jan, you told me that you weren't interested in my dad anymore, [and] that you understood that [my dad and my mom] were meant to be together!" Claire pointed out. "I know that's what I said...and I am so sorry, Claire -- there's no good way to put it, but...I lied," Jan explained with another shameless shrug.

"I'll never accept that your parents belong together. Shawn is mine -- now and forever!" Jan summarized for Claire, who sighed and walked away with a shake of the head, giving Marlena an opportunity to jump in. "As the officiant, it's my job to make sure that...the bride...has everything she dreamed of, so I thought we could take a moment to talk privately about the ceremony..." Marlena suggested to Jan, who nodded in agreement. "To be honest, Dr. Evans, my day is already somewhat less than perfect -- for starters, I never would have picked this dress, [and] the crowd is a little thin, [and] I really had my heart set on a destination wedding -- [but] I suppose the most important thing is that I'm marrying Shawn," Jan declared.

Shawn, John, and Brady watched from afar as Marlena's conversation with Jan continued. "God, I really hope that Marlena can get through to Jan [and] let that lunatic know there's no way in hell that I would ever marry her," Shawn whispered. "Actually, Shawn...you will," John insisted in an equally hushed tone.

"You want me to marry Jan?" Shawn incredulously repeated. "Doc's trying to get through to her, but let's not be naive -- nobody is gonna talk Jan Spears out of fulfilling a fantasy she has obsessed about for two decades! [Look], the only way we're gonna keep Belle safe is to placate Jan, so...I'm afraid, my boy, you're gonna have to go through with this ceremony. [But don't worry, because] everybody knows this wedding isn't real, obviously -- it's not legal, [and] it doesn't mean anything. What we're doing is a stall tactic -- [we] just need a little bit of time to rescue Belle [and] make sure she's safe, [and then we'll] throw Jan in jail [and] have ourselves a real wedding," John explained. "I'll do anything to save Belle," Shawn conceded.

Jan continued talking to Marlena, oblivious to the details of Shawn's conversation with John. "Jan, you're a smart girl -- you know that Shawn was planning to marry Belle today...because Shawn loves Belle --" Marlena tried to protest. "No -- he just thinks he loves her. [But she] has treated him so badly -- I mean, how many times has [she] cheated on that perfect specimen of manliness? I would never do that -- I would never take Shawn for granted; I will honor him and treasure him and show him what true love means!" Jan countered.

"Jan, I don't think you've thought this thing through; [I mean, say] you marry Shawn -- then what?" Marlena argued. "We eat cake...[and then] I take my husband to bed, of course...[and then] we go on a fabulous honeymoon and live happily ever after!" Jan summarized with a smile and a shrug. "[Now], don't try to 'shrink' me, Dr. Evans, because it's not going to work," Jan added. "Duly noted," Marlena replied.

Meanwhile, Charlie tried to comfort Claire, who felt guilty for having ignored Belle and Shawn's repeated warnings about Jan's true nature. "I stupidly believed that we were bonding over being..." Claire began to explain before stopping abruptly. "Former, um...mental...patients?" Charlie carefully concluded for Claire. "You know," Claire realized. "Xander told me," Charlie clarified. "[And] I told him that I would never judge you for getting help -- [and besides], it's obvious that you're...better..." Charlie added with a hint of uncertainty. "I thought that Jan was [better], too...but, clearly, I was wrong..." Claire admitted.

Jan suddenly called out to Shawn. "Ready to tie that knot?" Jan asked in a singsong voice. "Ready as I'll ever be..." Shawn replied with a forced smile. "Claire, I'm gonna be the best stepmother ever -- after all, we're already best friends, right?" Jan said as Claire reluctantly joined the ceremony as the maid of honor. "Yes -- best friends," Claire agreed after Shawn, who was standing behind Jan, silently advised that it would be best to play along for the time being. Marlena soon started the ceremony -- and when it reached the point where objections to the union of the bride and groom could be voiced, Jan warned everyone to stay silent.

Marlena continued the ceremony -- and eventually got to the point where the bride and groom were supposed to exchange vows. "Jan, do you take --" Marlena began. "Actually, the name's 'Janet' -- 'Jan' is a nickname," Jan clarified. "Right..." Marlena replied before forging ahead. Jan excitedly said "I do" when it was time to do so, but Shawn's "I do" was uttered in a much more somber tone.

Shawn recoiled when Jan tried to seize a kiss, and Marlena helpfully pointed out that it wasn't time for that yet. "We haven't exchanged the rings yet!" Jan realized. "My best man's got --" Shawn began to explain while looking around the living room, prompting Jan to take a good look at the crowd, as well. "Someone's missing!" Jan observed.

Brady -- who had sneaked out of the townhouse at some point during the ceremony -- ran into Eli while en route to the Salem Inn. Eli initially scoffed at the idea of helping Brady, of all people, but ultimately agreed to do so after realizing that a life was at stake. Eli followed Brady to Belle's hotel room then drew a gun and kicked open the door -- and the men gasped at what they saw on the other side of it.

Jan announces that she killed Belle

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

by Spalding

Xander and Sarah waited outside Ava's apartment for her to exit. As Xander fidgeted, he admitted that he needed to use the bathroom. "Rookie mistake!" Sarah teased. Sarah told Xander that she would wait while he went to the bathroom. While Xander was gone, Ava left her apartment. When Xander asked about a photo, Sarah complained that the woman had walked by too fast for her to get a picture.

"There is always plan B," Xander said as pulled a lockpick out of his jacket. Xander made quick work of the lock. "Magic fingers!" Sarah said. "You already knew that," Xander whispered with a grin. Xander and Sarah crept into Ava's apartment, and they looked for information about the mysterious woman. When Xander rifled through the trash, he found a visitor's badge from Statesville.

"Angela Van de Kamp," Xander read aloud from the nametag. Xander said the name did not sound familiar. Sarah looked up the name online. As Sarah complained that she did not see anything useful, keys jingled in the front door. Xander and Sarah hid in a closet until Ava walked into the bathroom. The water in the shower turned on. Xander suggested that he should peek in the bathroom, but Sarah stopped him.

"I am not going to let you sneak a peek at a naked woman in a shower," Sarah hissed. "Are you jealous of Angela Van de Kamp?" Xander asked. Sarah gasped, and she insisted that they needed to leave before they got caught. After Xander and Sarah left the apartment, they stopped in the park to regroup. Xander called a friend at Statesville, and his friend confirmed that the visitor had met with Kristen.

In the Kiriakis living room, Maggie asked Philip why he had not been at dinner. Philip said he had no appetite. With a raised eyebrow, Maggie pointed out that the alcoholic drink in Philip's hand would not help his stomach. "It's a fine idea," Philip said before he gulped down his drink. Maggie asked Philip if he wanted to talk. Philip confessed that he was upset that Belle had decided to remarry Shawn.

"I didn't know that Shawn and Belle marrying again would affect me this way," Philip said. "That's pretty obvious," Maggie agreed. Philip noted that his feelings for Belle were unrequited. With a nod, Maggie said that feelings sometimes did not go away. Maggie reminded Philip that unrequited love was the basis of many great works of literature and art.

"True, but in real life, unlike in literature, theater, and movies, it's not very entertaining," Philip said. Maggie said she had suffered unrequited love before, and she agreed it was difficult. Confused, Philip wondered aloud why his feelings for Belle had not disappeared, since Belle had been together with Shawn for a long time.

"So long as they're not married, you can hold a sliver of hope that maybe you and Belle might find your way back to each other," Maggie suggested. "Which is delusional," Philip countered. "But understandable," Maggie said. With a smile, Philip thanked Maggie for attempting to make him feel less pathetic. Maggie assured Philip that he would find the right person, and "everything is going to fall into place." Philip admitted that he had dated women, but he had always compared them to Belle. Maggie told Philip that he was a catch and would find the right girl.

"You remind me an awful lot of my husband in many ways, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm quite smitten with him," Maggie said. Philip swore to not talk about what could have been with Belle anymore and to instead concentrate on work. "Are things any better between you and Xander?" Maggie asked. Philip told Maggie he could not stand Xander. Philip noted that Xander had a habit of butting into matters where he did not belong.

Maggie defended Xander, and Philip noted, "We will have to agree to disagree." Maggie admitted that Xander did not respect boundaries, but she said that Xander had made an effort to be a better person. Philip disagreed. When Philip complained about Xander's constant hovering, Maggie told him that he did not need to worry about Xander if Philip was doing his job. Philip said he did not want to disappoint his father. "We're all pulling for you, Philip," Maggie said. Philip admitted that the pressure was almost too much.

"It sounds like you are talking about something more serious than just this personality clash between you and Xander. I mean, is there more to it?" Maggie asked. "It's nothing for you to worry about. I'll manage," Philip said. Concerned, Maggie pushed Philip to open up, but he insisted he was fine.

"I see a bright, capable, determined young man who's doing everything he can, his very best, to honor his father's wishes. Who's putting in a hard day's work to protect the family legacy," Maggie said. Maggie said she believed that Philip would be successful. "No bet is a sure thing. I learned that the hard way," Philip said. Philip thanked Maggie for the pep talk, hugged her, and went upstairs.

At the Salem Inn, Eli and Brady kicked in the door to Belle's room. The room was in shambles. "Jan said that Belle was being held by someone at gunpoint here. Where is she?" Brady exclaimed. Eli and Brady searched the room, but there was no sign of Belle. "I'll have some officers check the surveillance footage and talk to hotel staff," Eli said. Eli suggested that they find Jan and force her to give them information.

At the penthouse, Jan's forced wedding to Shawn continued. When Shawn said that his best man had the wedding rings, Jan looked around the room. "Where the hell is Brady?" Jan asked. John lied and said that Brady had needed to leave to relieve the babysitter. Marlena added that Rachel had been upset since her mother had left for prison and that Brady did not like to leave Rachel alone for long.

"You better not be lying, because if Brady goes to the cops, Belle dies," Jan said. Claire appealed to Jan not to kill her mother. "I also know my dad doesn't love you, and he never will," Claire said. Claire looked behind Jan and saw Marlena give her a warning nod no. "Claire says you don't love me, but you can learn to love me, right?" Jan asked Shawn. Shawn insisted he would marry Jan.

"We can't complete the ceremony without [the rings]," Jan said. Marlena offered to search through her jewelry box, but Jan forbade Marlena to leave the room. Jan insisted that Marlena and John hand over their wedding bands. "Now -- unless you want your daughter to die," Jan said. Reluctantly, Marlena and John took off their rings. Marlena continued the ceremony, and Jan and Shawn said their vows. After Marlena pronounced Shawn and Jan as husband and wife, Jan leaned in to kiss Shawn. Shawn hesitated. Frustrated, Jan grabbed Shawn to kiss him.

Brady and Eli burst through the door. "Is she safe? Did you find her?" John asked. Brady confirmed that the room had been trashed, but there had been no sign of Belle. "No!" Marlena called out. Furious, Shawn grabbed Jan and shook her. "What have you done with her?" Shawn demanded. Jan told Shawn to let Philip have Belle.

"I knew you could never really love me until [Belle] was dead. So, I shot her and disposed of her body," Jan said. Enraged, John lost control and grabbed Jan by the throat and strangled her until she was unconscious. Brady and Eli pulled John off of Jan. Marlena checked Jan, and she confirmed that Jan still had a pulse. "I didn't mean to hurt her!" John yelled. Shawn insisted that Belle was alive. Claire wanted to join Shawn in the search, but Shawn ordered Claire to stay with Charlie, since Jan's accomplice might have a gun.

As Shawn walked out, John followed, but Eli stopped John at the door. Eli told John he was under arrest because he had attacked Jan. "So, now you're going to go by the book?" Brady asked. Eli pointed out that Jan was in bad shape, and he could not overlook an attack that had happened in front of him.

"It wasn't intentional. You heard what she said about Belle. So, I lost a little control. [Jan's] going to be okay," John barked. The sirens of the ambulance rang out, and Marlena offered to accompany Jan to the hospital. Brady asked Eli to focus on Belle instead of John. Eli called the station for backup, then he escorted John out of the room with Brady to meet up with officers downstairs.

After Marlena left with Jan, Claire and Charlie sat on the couch. "I can't believe that this is happening," Claire said. "We don't know anything for sure yet," Charlie assured Claire. In tears, Claire complained that Jan had sounded like she had enjoyed hurting Belle. Claire blamed herself for telling Jan about the wedding. Charlie put his arm around Claire, and he assured her that Jan would have learned the information from someone.

"I know you're scared, but right now, you need to stay strong. Lean on me. I'll help you," Charlie said. "I can't stop thinking about Ciara. None of us wanted to believe that the worst was true, but it was," Claire said. Charlie told Claire that it was a different situation. "Dad believes that mom is alive, that she's going to be okay. I need to believe that, too," Claire said. Charlie let Claire cry on his shoulder.

Philip went to his bedroom to turn in, and he was shocked to find a lingerie-clad Belle asleep in his bed. "Belle? Are you okay?" Philip asked. Philip asked Belle why she was not marrying Shawn. "Philip? Where am I?" Belle asked groggily. Philip reiterated his question about the wedding. "She drugged me," Belle said. Confused, Philip asked Belle who she was talking about.

"Jan. She tried to kill me," Belle said. Philip sat on the bed next to Belle and comforted her. "You're safe," Philip said. Belle told Philip about her fight with Jan at Belle's hotel room. "I thought she was going to kill me, but then I think she realized that if she did that, Shawn would hate her," Belle said. Belle reasoned aloud that Jan had decided in her mind that if Belle was with Philip, Jan could have Shawn. Belle asked Philip to call Marlena and make sure that everyone was okay.

At the Salem Inn, Shawn searched Belle's room for a clue about her disappearance. Shawn found a letter on the ground. "My darling Shawn, I couldn't be more excited to marry you again. I made mistakes in the past, but I've learned from them. I know in my heart and soul that you are the only one, the only man that I want to be with," Shawn read aloud. When Shawn finished reading the note, Eli arrived and confirmed that officers were reviewing the surveillance footage.

"I find it very hard to believe that Jan managed to get Belle out of here without any help," Shawn said. Eli agreed that Jan could have used an accomplice. Shawn thought about Jan's comments about Philip at the wedding, and Shawn thought about his conversation with Philip in the square before the wedding. "I think I might know who Jan's accomplice is. Philip Kiriakis," Shawn said. Confused, Eli noted that Philip had been arrested for threatening Jan.

"The two of them want the same thing. They want to break Belle and I up," Shawn insisted. Shawn suggested that Philip's assault arrest had been a ruse to throw off suspicion. Eli and Shawn raced out the door.

At the police station, Brady waited with John in the interrogation room. When Brady stated that he would call a lawyer, John noted that normally, they would call Belle in a police matter. "We're gonna keep the faith. That's what Shawn is doing," Brady said. "I swear, I don't know what came over me. It's like it was some blind rage. I just couldn't stop myself," John said. Concerned, John asked Brady how long he had strangled Jan. Brady said he and Eli had yelled at John to let go, but John had not heard them.

"All I could hear was what [Jan] did to my daughter," John said. Brady assured John that Marlena would call with an update. At the hospital, Marlena whispered, "Dear God, [Jan] has got to be okay."

At the Kiriakis mansion, a frantic Shawn rushed into the house with Eli. Maggie directed Shawn to Philip's room. Maggie asked what had happened. "Belle was kidnapped by Jan Spears. We think Philip was involved," Eli said. Maggie insisted that Philip would never help Jan do anything, much less hurt Belle.

In Philip's room, he confirmed to Belle that neither John nor Marlena had answered their phones, and Shawn had not answered, either. "Oh, my God. Jan had a gun. What if she went over [to the penthouse] and shot everyone?" Belle whispered. Philip promised Belle that everyone would be fine. Shawn walked in. "I knew it!" Shawn yelled. Belle jumped to her feet and stood between the two men. Philip insisted he had found Belle in his bed, and Shawn called Philip a liar.

"In Jan's warped mind, she thought that if she was going to have you, Philip and I should be together. This was all Jan. Philip had nothing to do with this," Belle insisted. Shawn hugged Belle. "Thank God you're safe. Jan told me she had killed you," Shawn said. Philip slipped out of the room. Belle asked Shawn about his ring, and Shawn told her about the ceremony and the rings. When Belle hoped aloud that the marriage was invalid, Shawn noted the Jan had not obtained a marriage license. Shawn told Belle that John had attacked Jan. "I hate her for what she's done. For my dad's sake, I hope she's okay," Belle said.

Philip went downstairs, and he informed Maggie and Eli that he had found Belle in his bed. "How the hell did she get into this house? Let alone in your bed?" Maggie asked. With a shrug, Philip said he did not know.

At the penthouse, Claire paced nervously until her phone beeped. "It's from my dad!" Claire exclaimed as she looked at her phone. Claire confirmed that Belle was alive. "Are you okay?" Charlie asked. Claire said she was relieved. With a sigh, Claire apologized for inviting Charlie into her nightmare evening. Charlie said he was glad that he had been there to protect Claire. "It's been a long time since someone wanted to take care of me," Claire whispered. Charlie kissed Claire.

At the police station, Brady read a text from Shawn, and he told John the good news about Belle. "Thank God for not letting me give up," John said as he hugged Brady in celebration. Marlena walked into the room. John told Marlena that Belle was safe. "I got Shawn's text," Marlena said. Worried, John asked why Marlena looked concerned. "Is Jan okay?" John asked.

The Hortons celebrate Thanksgiving together

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

by Mike

Gwen peeked inside the DiMera garage and saw that Jake and Kate were sleeping next to each other on a cot that had been set up where a workbench usually stood. "Oh, Jake..." Gwen whispered, showing a hint of desire. "[Sure], it's Thanksgiving -- [but] that doesn't mean you need to sleep with someone who looks like she swam over ahead of the Mayflower..." Gwen continued, showing a hint of jealousy. "I can use this to my advantage, though..." Gwen concluded with a mischievous smirk, burying the hints of vulnerability under one deep breath.

Gwen headed back to the mansion and started searching for Chad -- but found Abigail first. "[Chad's] still asleep," Abigail revealed. "Actually...when he wakes up, would you mind letting him know that I went over to see my mom?" Abigail requested. "I thought you guys were going over there later..." Gwen admitted. "Oh, we are...but I just...ugh, I feel like I should see her [privately first], before we're all together -- I just haven't spoken to her since I got drunk and broke up her marriage..." Abigail clarified. "Oh, sweetheart -- that wasn't your fault..." Gwen insisted. "Well, my dad doesn't agree," Abigail grumbled. "Hopefully, my mom will be more forgiving..." Abigail added before rushing off, leaving Gwen free to continue searching for Chad.

Gwen headed off to the Deveraux-DiMera bedroom and discovered that Abigail had failed to completely shut its door earlier -- and that Chad was still inside, awake but not yet fully dressed. Gwen watched from the doorway, clearly enjoying the view, then knocked on the door after Chad finished donning articles of clothing. "Sorry to bother you... I'm looking for Abigail -- do you know where she might be?" Gwen began. "No, uh, I don't, actually -- uh, I woke up this morning, and...uh, she's been nowhere to be seen..." Chad distractedly grumbled.

"Are you all right?" Gwen wondered, observing that Chad looked a bit pale. "Just a bad dream," Chad explained. "Well, I've heard that if you tell someone about the dream, it won't happen again..." Gwen advised. "Yeah, I've heard that, [too...but] I doubt it's true," Chad replied. "What the hell -- I'll give it a try," Chad decided after giving the matter a bit more thought. "I, uh...I dreamt that...I went down to that workroom of Jake's...and Abby was in there with him," Chad revealed. "Like...she was just stopping by, or...?" Gwen asked. "Well, he wasn't fixing her carburetor, if that's what you mean," Chad clarified. "Oh... Right..." Gwen muttered. "Well, no wonder you're upset, [then]..." Gwen conceded. "[But] Abigail is crazy...about you..." Gwen assured Chad, who nodded in agreement.

"I know it's stupid -- it's just...I can't, uh, help but remember finding her passed out cold with her head in his lap," Chad admitted. "She didn't know what she was doing," Gwen stressed. "Yeah... Well... [Either that, or]...maybe, [since] she was really drunk [that night], she thought that Jake was..." Chad countered before stopping abruptly. "Who?" Gwen asked. "Just, uh, forget it," Chad replied.

"I found her scarf in there!" Chad blurted out seconds later, unable to stop dwelling on the matter. "In the workshop?" Gwen assumed. "Yeah -- where Jake's been spending...a lot of his time lately..." Chad elaborated. "[Look], Jake's a dog -- I know that better than anyone; a woman just needs to have a pulse, and he's just raring to go -- [but] Abigail is far too classy to go with rubbish like Jake!" Gwen insisted, and Chad nodded in agreement again. "I just, uh...I don't get why she would tiptoe out of here and not leave me a note, like she usually does..." Chad grumbled seconds later, still unable to stop dwelling on the matter. "Well, maybe she was in a hurry," Gwen suggested. "Maybe..." Chad conceded. "[But] look at Jack and Jennifer..." Chad fretted seconds later. "Tragic..." Gwen summarized.

Meanwhile, Jake and Kate -- who had both woken up at the same time earlier, when Gwen had failed to silently shut the door to the garage, but were both unaware of what had disturbed their slumber -- helped each other get dressed, both still breathing heavily as a result of a couple rounds of sex. "You know something? This place -- with a decent bed, some plaster and paint, a full-time cleaning crew and disinfecting crew -- it, you know, might not be so bad..." Kate, who had previously complained about having spent the night on a lumpy cot in a dingy garage, admitted to Jake after taking a closer look at their surroundings. "You willin' to foot the bill?" Jake challenged Kate, who reflexively scoffed in response -- then started giving the idea some real consideration. "Well, maybe -- 'cause, you know, [it's] a good distance from the house, [and] we could meet up here..." Kate decided. "Yeah -- I like it here; there's no butlers, no maids, no --" Jake summarized. "Chad," Kate interjected.

Jake soon changed the subject, somewhat wistfully declaring that it was nice that Kate was going to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with a few family members -- namely, Philip, Lucas, and Allie. "It would be better, though, if we weren't having [dinner] at Nicole's dreary little apartment..." Kate grumbled. "You guys related to her?" Jake wondered. "No!" Kate insisted, shuddering at the thought.

Jake and Kate soon heard Chad outside, searching the property for Abigail. Kate ducked into the bathroom -- and, seconds later, Chad burst into the garage and wondered if Jake knew where Abigail was hiding. "No..." Jake replied with a hint of confusion. "Why would she be here?" Jake asked. "It's, uh, the last place I looked," Chad stressed. "[But] we're supposed to be getting ready to leave for Thanksgiving..." Chad started to explain before stopping abruptly, having just noticed the cot. "You sleeping her--" Chad stammered. "You sleeping here?" Chad continued after covering the mistake with a cough.

"Why do you care?" Jake wondered. "I don't -- uh, it's just, it's, uh...it's a pit in here..." Chad claimed with a cringe of disgust. "Yeah, well, I've been workin' on the carburetor in Stefano's old Maserati -- thought it'd be cool to get that thing runnin' again... Anyway, when I'm workin' late, I just decide to sack out here," Jake revealed. "How is the, uh...the old car coming along?" Chad asked. "Oh, well, you know...I got a magic touch with the older models..." Jake replied, knowing that Kate could hear everything that was being said.

"I don't know why you want to sit behind a desk at DiMera, then -- uh, I should...I'll tell Shin that you just want to do what you were born to do..." Chad offered. "Wow -- that's...that's...that's very brotherly of you!" Jake dryly mused. "Thank you -- I appreciate it -- but...I think I can burn the midnight oil down here and climb the ladder at DiMera at the same time," Jake assured Chad, who responded with a nod of skepticism and a sigh of disappointment. "Happy Thanksgiving..." Chad muttered before starting to exit the garage. "Enjoy that turkey, my brother!" Jake called out.

As soon as the coast was clear, Kate emerged from the bathroom and started playfully admonishing Jake for the earlier comment. "Just my way of sayin' that, uh...they don't make 'em like they used to -- that a classic is a classic," Jake somewhat nervously clarified, and Kate decided to accept the explanation.

Kate wondered if Jake truly wanted to work at DiMera Enterprises or if the former mechanic had secured a prominent position within the company solely for the pleasure of annoying Chad. "I want to be a part of runnin' DiMera," Jake insisted. "Why should Chad be in total charge?" Jake reasoned.

"Well, clearly, he perceives you as a threat..." Kate observed. "Well, he wouldn't know anything about my plans if it wasn't for that damn Gwen..." Jake grumbled, confusing Kate. "Chad walked in on me tellin' Gwen to shut her mouth about you and me, [so] I had to make up a story --" Jake clarified.

"Gwen knows about us?" Kate repeated. "She saw you sneakin' my jacket back into my bedroom -- and she caught us kissin' in the study --" Jake explained. "Oh, my God -- I told you not to be so free and easy with those PDAs of yours --" Kate fretted. "Calm down -- [she] hasn't said a word --" Jake stressed. "Are you telling me that I can trust [that] little beast?" Kate wondered. "No -- I wouldn't tell anybody that; [she's] always workin' some sort of agenda..." Jake admitted. "[But] whatever the hell she's workin' on now has nothin' to do with you and me," Jake assured Kate.

Abigail went to the Salem Inn to see Jennifer and J.J., who were in the process of discussing the slaps that Jennifer and Kate had traded during their recent encounter in the park. Abigail started to apologize for what had happened at the party, but Jennifer interrupted. "You have nothing to apologize for," Jennifer insisted, drawing a sigh of relief from Abigail -- who took the response as a hint that Jack wasn't going to be welcome at the Horton house for Thanksgiving dinner.

Jack went to the Horton house, armed with a basket of flowers that could function as a centerpiece, and rang the doorbell. "Happy Thanksgiving!" Jack exclaimed when Julie opened the front door.

Julie slammed the door shut without saying a word -- then opened it again after Jack refused to go away. "You're no longer welcome in this house!" Julie insisted. "I know -- [and] I have nothing to say in my own defense... [But] I only came over [here] to apologize [to you] for hurting [Jennifer -- and] these flowers [are] to thank you and Doug for taking care of [her]...especially today," Jack clarified.

Julie softened and accepted the flowers -- and the apology -- after learning that Jack had only slept with Kate out of fear that Jennifer would never emerge from the coma. "I can't dismiss what happened with Kate...but you have helped me to, uh, understand how it happened -- [and], to be perfectly honest, I lost faith, too," Julie admitted. "[Now, look], I cannot speak for Jennifer, but...though she was deeply hurt by you, Jack, I know she still loves you -- [and], obviously, you still love her, [so]...in my experience, that kind of love always finds a way," Julie added, drawing a hopeful nod from Jack.

Jack thanked Julie for the encouragement then started to rush off -- just as Jennifer arrived. Julie explained what was going on then suggested that it might be nice for Jack to stay and eat Thanksgiving dinner with the rest of the family, but Jennifer wasn't ready for anything like that yet. Jennifer seized the opportunity to stress that it was wrong of Jack to blame Abigail for what had happened. Jack left without responding to Jennifer's argument.

Abigail returned to the DiMera mansion and found Gwen in the study. "Have you seen Chad yet?" Abigail asked Gwen, who created a distraction as a way of dodging the question, pretending to have lost one of the mittens that Charlotte was going to need to wear later that day. Abigail found the mitten for Gwen, who probed for information about Abigail's visit with Jennifer as a further distraction.

Abigail eventually invited Gwen to the Horton house for Thanksgiving dinner. Gwen feigned uncertainty, prompting Abigail to insist. Gwen accepted the invitation after voicing a bit more uncertainty -- then suggested that it might be best to invite Jake, as well. "Don't you want Chad and Jake to get along? I mean, they are brothers..." Gwen reasoned. "Anyway, it's up to you if you decide to invite him...but, um, if you do, just don't tell anyone that I mentioned it -- I don't want him thinking that I'm using you to get him back," Gwen added before rushing off.

Chad entered the study a short time later and wondered why Abigail had disappeared earlier without even leaving a note behind. "I just forgot... I'm sorry -- I hope you weren't worried..." Abigail fretted. "I was...but it's fine -- I, uh...I get it..." Chad grumbled before changing the subject, probing for information about Abigail's visit with Jennifer.

Abigail eventually asked if Chad would be okay with inviting Jake to the Horton house for Thanksgiving dinner. "Absolutely not!" Chad snapped. "Why in the hell would you want to invite Jake to your family's Thanksgiving?" Chad demanded to know. "He's your brother, honey -- I mean, he's my brother-in-law, he's the kids' uncle, [he's] all alone..." Abigail reasoned. "He's all alone because he's an arrogant ass!" Chad declared. "[And] I don't know why you'd want to put your family through that -- don't they have enough going on?" Chad argued.

"I shouldn't have brought it up," Abigail conceded before starting to rush off. "Are you mad?" Chad called out. "No," Abigail claimed while continuing to exit the mansion, and Chad followed after choking down a scream of frustration. Gwen was already waiting outside with the kids, so the group headed over to the Horton house together.

Before letting everyone eat, Doug and Julie each made a toast, and Gwen produced a bottle of sparkling apple cider so Abigail wouldn't feel left out -- but it wasn't a sealed bottle. During Doug's toast, Hope and Ciara were mentioned. Later, Julie again told Gwen that they had met somewhere before, but Gwen again insisted that wasn't true -- despite knowing that Julie was thinking about the day that Abigail's glass of Champagne had been spiked at Julie's Place. After Julie walked away with a shrug, J.J. tried to hit on Gwen again -- and was again ignored. Meanwhile, Jennifer privately admired the flowers that Jack had picked out.

Later, J.J. went to the Brady Pub to see Jack -- and, a short time later, Abigail arrived and hopefully wondered if there was room at their table for one more person.

Meanwhile, at the DiMera mansion, Gwen thanked Chad for having refused to let Abigail invite Jake to the Horton house for Thanksgiving dinner. "She was so set on it, I didn't know how to talk her out of it --" Gwen claimed. "Really?" Chad stammered. "[But] if she would have invited my cheating ex...well, I would have had to stay here..." Gwen continued. "[Anyway], please don't tell her I said anything -- she's still so upset about that party, [and] I don't want to add to that..." Gwen concluded. "I won't say anything," Chad promised.

THANKSGIVING: Days of our Lives did not air

Thursday, November 26, 2020

by Soap Central

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Days of our Lives did not air. This was a planned preemption, and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the programming change.

Regular programming resumed on Friday, November 27, and picked up where the Wednesday, November 25, episode concluded.

Rafe and Gabi return to Salem

Friday, November 27, 2020

by Spalding

At the Horton house, Jennifer offered to help Doug clean the kitchen, but Julie asked Jennifer to stay and talk to her instead. Uncomfortable, Jennifer said she wanted to go to bed early. Julie apologized to Jennifer for putting her on the spot when she had asked if Jack could stay for Thanksgiving.

"You still need time," Julie said. "Thank you so much for understanding," Jennifer said. "But," Julie added. Jennifer laughed. Julie confessed that she was still angry at Jack, but she had also listened to Jack. "That wonderful guy loves you to the ends of the earth," Julie said. Julie agreed that it was too soon to forgive Jack, but that time would "heal all wounds."

"In time, do you think you'll be able to forgive Jack for what happened with Kate?" Julie asked. "I actually understand the night Jack slept with Kate," Jennifer said. Jennifer added that she was not sure that she would have made the same choice if the roles of her and Jack had been reversed.

"Is it possible that there is a future for the two of you?" Julie asked. "No. I don't think that I can forgive him," Jennifer said. "And yet you just told me you understood," Julie said. Jennifer clarified that she understood why Jack had slept with Kate, but she could not forgive Jack for lying to her for so long. "It feels like I cannot trust him ever again," Jennifer said. Julie argued that Jack had lied to Jennifer because he loved her. "Would you tolerate Doug lying to you for any reason?" Jennifer countered.

J.J. and Abigail joined Jack at the pub. "Still don't want anything to do with me, Daddy?" Abigail asked. Abigail apologized for having publicly told Jennifer about the affair and not talking to Jack first. J.J. stepped outside to talk to Theo on the phone, and he left Jack and Abigail alone to talk.

"I apologized to Mom," Abigail said. "So, you two are okay?" Jack asked. Abigail nodded yes. "I really hate what you did to Mom, but I should have handled it differently. I shouldn't have been drinking with my meds. I did, but I was so angry with you," Abigail said. Abigail admitted that she had wanted to hurt Jack like he had hurt Jennifer.

"I'm sorry that I ruined a day that should have been about celebrating you and Mom. I am sorry that I hurt our family. And I hope that at some point, you will be able to forgive me for that," Abigail said.

"I made a horrible mistake with Kate. I made an even worse one when I lashed out at you and blamed you for the fallout from that letter," Jack said. Abigail admitted that she should have talked to Jack privately so that he could have spoken to Jennifer in a more careful manner. "I don't think it would have been quite as hurtful if she hadn't heard it in a roomful of people," Abigail said. Jack noted that Jennifer would have been hurt regardless.

"This is all on me and no one else. You were right. We can't go back. We can't change that. But we can move forward. As a family. I forgive you, sweetheart. I love you, but can you forgive me?" Jack asked. Abigail sat down at the table with Jack. Jack apologized for the cruel things he had said to her the night of the party.

"I don't know that I can forgive myself. You have been through so much. You have fought so hard," Jack said. Jack told Abigail not to feel guilty for his mistake. "I'll try," Abigail said. Jack told Abigail that he admired her caring heart. Jack and Abigail hugged, and they said they loved one another.

"Do you think Mom is ever going to be able to get past this?" Abigail asked. "This isn't the first time that I've lied to your mother and hurt her. In the past, that big heart of hers always managed to forgive me, but this time, this time I don't know if there is any coming back from the pain that I've caused," Jack said. Jack said he did not want to lose his daughter, too.

"I don't want to lose you either, Daddy," Abigail said as she hugged Jack again. With a smile, Jack said that he was grateful and lucky to have his kids with him. J.J. returned, and he saw Jack and Abigail hugging. "This is the picture I wanted to see," J.J. said. Jack invited J.J. and Abigail to stay and share the pie they had delivered to him. Abigail groaned at the thought of more food. J.J. said he needed to get back to South Africa because of a business emergency.

"I really am sorry I have to leave so soon. I was looking forward to spending real time with everybody," J.J. lamented. Abigail apologized for having ruined J.J.'s trip. "If they are handing out an award for those that screwed up the most, I got this," Jack joked. Jack told J.J. and Abigail that they were the best family in the world. "Agreed," Abigail and J.J. said in unison. Jack urged J.J. to stay in touch, and he hugged his kids.

J.J. returned to the Horton house to say goodbye to his mother. "I understand, and I'm very happy for you that working with Theo has been so wonderful and you have made such a success of it. I'm very proud of you," Jennifer said. With a smile, J.J. reminded Jennifer that he was just a phone call away. J.J.'s smile fell away, and he told Jennifer about his visit with Jack at the pub. "He said we might take our hits, but we are still the best damn family in the world. And I agree with him," J.J. said. J.J. hugged his mother goodbye.

In the DiMera living room, Chad thought about the night he had found Abigail asleep on Jake's lap. As Chad frowned, Gabi walked into the room. "So, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?" Gabi asked. "What the hell are you doing here?" Chad said. When Gabi argued that Chad did not care about her or her family, Chad agreed.

"You want to know what I am grateful for? You being out of our lives for good. So, why don't you skedaddle back to Mexico or hell or wherever it is you came from," Chad said. "This is my home," Gabi countered. Chad disagreed. Chad argued that after Gabi had hurt Abigail, he did not want her under the same roof as his wife.

"Were the doctors able to put all the pieces back together again?" Gabi said. "Shut up! The only reason she was in the hospital was because you drugged her," Chad growled. Gabi told Chad that it was a waste of time to blame her for drugging Abigail because the real culprit was still out there. Right on cue, Gwen walked into the room.

"What is she doing here?" Gabi demanded. Chad explained that Gwen was the nanny. "Was she the top candidate of slutty nannies R us? You know what? Whatever makes you happy," Gabi said. Chad told Gabi to leave. Gabi refused to go until she saw Jake. Gwen chuckled.

"You really think you can just waltz right back into his bed, do you?" Gwen asked. "This is between Jake and me," Gabi growled. Gwen warned Gabi that Jake would warm his bed with the closest available person. "I wouldn't be surprised if he has already moved on," Gwen said. Chad scowled. Gwen called Gabi disgusting because she had used Jake to return to power at DiMera Enterprises.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Gabi said. "Actually, I do. Jake told me everything, so don't you deny it," Gwen said. With a shrug, Gabi admitted that she had told Jake she had used him. "But it was all a lie," Gabi added. Gwen asked Gabi why she had bothered to return to town.

"Where is Jake? Because he needs to know the truth," Gabi said. Gwen thought about when she had found Jake and Kate in bed together in the workshop. Gwen told Gabi that Jake was in his workshop. With a sigh, Gabi marched out of the house. Once Gabi was gone, Chad announced that Gabi's return was bad news for the family.

"Who are you talking about?" Abigail asked as she walked in. With a sigh, Chad told Abigail that Gabi had returned. "Is she here in the house?" Abigail asked. "If she goes anywhere near you, she is going to have to deal with me," Chad stressed.

Kate met up with Jake in his workshop. When Jake asked about her Thanksgiving dinner, Kate reminded Jake, "Talking isn't something we do." Jake noted that Kate was not the easiest person to talk to but that he was glad that Kate had opened up to him about Jack. Kate apologized for burdening Jake, but he said he was thankful.

"Let me be there for you now," Jake said. Kate opened up about her dinner at Nicole's house. "Allie is going through a really difficult time right now," Kate said. Kate talked about baby Henry. "[Henry] is the result of the rape," Kate told Jake. Kate talked about how Allie had been struggling with the pain and shame of the rape.

"At the same time, there is this beautiful baby, Henry. And I know that [Allie] gets it, I know she does," Kate said. "But it is a constant reminder of the rape," Jake interjected. Kate nodded yes. Kate wished aloud that she could make things better for Allie. Jake told Kate that she was strong and fierce and that her love was the kind of thing that Allie needed to feel safe again.

"You are a constant surprise," Kate said. "You have surprised me in a lot of ways, too," Jake countered. With a smirk, Kate told Jake to eat his turkey dinner. "That's not what I'm hungry for," Jake said. Jake reached over and pulled at the ties on Kate's shirt. Jake kissed Kate's forehead and then her neck.

After having sex, Jake and Kate curled up in bed together. Kate giggled. "I'm celebrating Thanksgiving in a workshop, making love with a very hot young man, who just happens to be the son of Vivian Alamain and Stefano DiMera. And that is really crazy. Even for me," Kate said. Jake smiled at Kate. "It may be crazy, but there is no place in the world I'd rather be," Jake whispered. Jake and Kate cuddled and laughed together. The doorway slowly opened, and Gabi watched them.

As Roman walked through the park, he ran into Rafe. "What are you doing back in Salem?" Roman asked. "I'm back because this is my home. It's where I belong," Rafe said. Roman agreed. Rafe said he was on his way to surprise Hope. "Don't call. Don't go over there," Roman said. Roman told Rafe that Hope was not home, and he told Rafe about Ciara's death.

"I'm so sorry," Rafe said. Shaken, Rafe sat on the bench. "I just walked Ciara down the aisle. She was so happy. Man, she had her whole life ahead of her. Her and Ben were so in love," Rafe said. Roman told Rafe that the police had not found a body in the car and that Hope had believed that Ciara was alive somewhere. Rafe asked about Vincent. Roman said that Vincent had sworn that he had shot and killed Ciara.

"Hope is convinced that [Vincent] is just screwing with them. That maybe he has her somewhere. [Hope] hasn't given up hope that Ciara is still alive," Roman said. "I should have been there for her," Rafe lamented. Roman noted that Rafe was right to tend to his mother.

"She was never sick. It was all a lie," Rafe said. Confused, Roman asked Rafe what was going on. Rafe told Roman about his father's predicament with the cartel. "I should have stayed here. I should have helped Hope look for Ciara. I should have never left her," Rafe said. Rafe reasoned aloud that he should have sent his family ahead and stayed behind to help Hope.

"There wasn't a damn thing you could have done," Roman said. Roman stressed that Rafe's priority was to protect his family. "Is it safe for you to be here? Are those men still after your family?" Roman asked. Rafe told Roman that he had eliminated the threat. Roman asked about the family. With a grin, Rafe said the family was good.

"Gabi and I, there was only one place that we wanted to be. Salem. So, we came back here," Rafe said. Rafe asked where he could find Hope. Roman explained that Hope had left town indefinitely.