At the Brady Pub, Ben guessed that Chad had used money -- and the DiMera name -- to convince the hospital board to rehire Abigail so that she would start to think Chad might not be such a bad guy, after all. Abigail insisted that Ben had completely misinterpreted the situation, but he countered that she was just allowing herself to fall for Chad's manipulations once again.
Kayla uncomfortably excused herself so the couple could sort through the disagreement privately. Abigail wanted Kayla to stay and take her side, but Kayla diplomatically admitted that she couldn't attest to Chad's motives one way or another, anyway. Kayla left after pointedly informing Ben that Abigail had really loved working at the hospital.
Ben apologized to Abigail and assured her that she would have his full support if she decided to return to her old job. Abigail appreciated that but wished that Ben would at least try to get his misgivings about Chad under control. "Yeah, I'd love to, but he happens to push my buttons every single time I turn around. [...] You may not want to see it, you may not want to believe it, Abigail, but the thing is, Chad went to bat for you at the hospital because he's trying to get you back," Ben maintained.
Abigail thought Ben's theory was ridiculous, arguing that Chad could barely stand to be her friend after what she had done with E.J., let alone anything more than that. Abigail added that Chad was clearly interested in Jordan, but Ben insisted that Chad had only zeroed in on Jordan as a way of driving Ben nuts. Abigail pointed out that Chad hadn't known about Jordan's connection to Ben at first, but Ben expressed skepticism, admitting that he didn't believe anything where Chad was concerned.
"I should have just kept my mouth shut. [...] Damn it. See, this is exactly what Chad would have wanted -- us arguing about him, me attacking him, you defending him. He couldn't have scripted this better himself," Ben mused with a sigh of irritation. Abigail continued to doubt Ben's theory, although she warned that it might turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy if he weren't careful. Abigail abruptly excused herself, ignoring Ben's attempt to stop her.
At the Horton Town Square, Kate impatiently glanced at the clock on her cell phone, and Chad whistled in shock when she revealed that the mystery person she had arranged to meet with was twenty minutes late. Kate wanted Chad to leave, but he was much more interested in sticking around to watch her confront the person who'd had the audacity to keep her waiting.
Chad mockingly guessed that the person in question was Clyde. "I never took you for the Duck Dynasty kind of girl. [...] Or maybe blue is the new white -- in collars, I mean," Chad teasingly mused. Kate clarified that she wasn't an elitist, and she pointedly added that, over the years, she had realized that being wealthy and well-educated wasn't always enough to stop a man from also being a complete jerk.
Chad guessed that Kate had simply needed a change of pace after her previous relationships with Stefano, Victor, Roman, John, Ian, and Rafe. Chad conceded -- with an exaggerated Southern drawl -- that Clyde was definitely different than all the other men he had listed, and Kate coolly agreed that Clyde was charming, bright, and one of a kind -- as Jordan had surely informed Chad during their recent chats. Chad replied that, while Jordan hadn't really said much to him about her stepfather, he had gotten the distinct impression that the man creeped her out. Kate joked that she could relate, since Jordan had always had the same effect on her.
"You know, I'm sure she's persuaded you that I am, to this day, jealous because she 'stole' Rafe Hernandez away from me, which, in truth, never happened. Frankly, my only reaction to the two of them being together is one of confusion, that someone as intelligent and tasteful as Rafe would ever fall for someone as -- as dull and as provincial as Jordan Ridgeway. Oh -- sorry, but I really put my foot in it, haven't I? Since you're now the one who has fallen for her, now that Rafe has come to his senses," Kate pointedly added. Chad ignored the comment and walked away after musing that he hoped Clyde wasn't planning to stand Kate up.
In Clyde's hotel room, Jordan maintained that Clyde had raped her when she had been fifteen years old, but he denied the accusation, arguing that what had happened between them had been wrong but had not been rape. Clyde explained that, while he wasn't trying to make excuses, his past behavior had been due -- at least in part -- to the drinking problem he'd had at that particular time, as well as the death of Jordan's mother.
Jordan tightened her grip on Clyde's gun as she warned him to shut up, but he doubted that she hated him enough to shoot him. Jordan insisted that she did, but her resolve wavered when Clyde calmly dared her to pull the trigger. Jordan sobbed as she loosened her grip on the weapon and allowed Clyde to take it away from her. Clyde stashed it in the drawer of a bedside table as he warned Jordan to never point a gun at him again unless she was prepared to actually use it. "What's done is done. You cannot change the past. I gotta live with what I did, but you gotta live with what you did, too. Come the Day of Reckoning, we will both be judged," Clyde added.
Jordan begged Clyde to clarify the cryptic comments he had made about her sins during some of their most recent conversations, but he insisted that she didn't need to know anything else about the past, and he advised her to leave it alone. Jordan vowed that she would never go back to being the broken girl she had once been, since she didn't want to let Clyde win. "Good for you," Clyde replied as he opened the hotel room door and gestured for Jordan to leave.
Later, Chad found Jordan crying on a bench in a secluded section of the town square. Concerned, Chad wondered what had happened. Jordan dismissively insisted that nothing had happened, and she assured Chad that she was fine. Chad started to apologize for inadvertently prying, but Jordan interrupted and offered her own apology for snapping at him. Chad gave Jordan a chance to talk to him about what was bothering her, and she started to decline the invitation before instead breaking down and sobbing on his shoulder.
Chad jokingly mused that he and Jordan had to stop meeting each other at times when one or both of them were complete train wrecks, which managed to elicit a laugh from her. Chad stressed that the person who had made Jordan feel bad didn't deserve another second of her time, and he added that he would be there for her if she ever needed anything from him. As Chad gazed into Jordan's eyes, he admitted that he badly wanted to kiss her but was restraining himself because he didn't want to be a jerk and take advantage of her vulnerable state. Chad started to say something else, but Jordan stopped him with a kiss.
Clyde caught up with Kate in the park, and he apologized for missing their earlier meeting. Kate complained that she didn't like being held up, and Clyde assured her that he felt the same way -- and that he had a very good excuse for his tardiness. "Just like you, I got held up. Uh...but in my case, it was at gunpoint," Clyde explained, smoothly adding that being held at gunpoint was about the only thing that could possibly keep him from a planned meeting with her. Kate admitted that Clyde's excuse was pretty hard to beat.
"You know, I was really lookin' forward to this meeting, not only because I get to spend time with a beautiful and fascinating woman, but because I was hopin' you might have some ideas about the best ways to make use of this," Clyde stated as he retrieved a check from his jacket pocket and handed it to Kate, who observed that it wasn't an insubstantial amount of money. Clyde vaguely explained that he had been saving for a rainy day. Kate advised Clyde to think about investing the money in a small company with a solid forecast, and he appreciated the advice, but he suggested that he might instead want to use the money to buy a nice house in Salem.
Kate was surprised to learn that Clyde was thinking about making his stay in Salem permanent. Clyde shrugged and admitted that he was starting to like the town more and more with each passing day. Kate agreed to get back to Clyde in the near future with a few real estate ideas, and she started to leave, but he stopped her and reminded her that she had recently promised to have dinner with him again. Kate wondered if Clyde was worried about mixing business with pleasure, and he replied that he was actually looking forward to doing just that. Kate agreed to have dinner with Clyde, and he kissed her before predicting that they would rock Salem together.
Theresa woke up in her bedroom but couldn't remember anything that had happened after her walk in the park the previous night. A short time later, Theresa arrived at the hospital -- nearly three hours late for her shift -- and apologetically explained to Anne that the pregnancy had apparently caused a bout of insomnia. "[Or maybe you were] celebrating like you usually do when you get exciting news -- with a bottle of wine and a joint?" Anne jokingly suggested. Unamused, Theresa insisted that she would never do anything to harm her unborn baby.
Theresa excitedly mused that she needed to find Brady and think of a way to deliver the amazing news that he was going to be a father. "Yes, and I think he is going to be thrilled to pieces[...], as any guy would be, to get the amazing news that an irresponsible alcoholic chick -- who he had no commitment to in any way, shape, or form -- is carrying his child," Anne sarcastically replied. After the women squabbled for a few more minutes, Anne revealed that when she had tried to contact Kristen that morning to discuss the scholarship program, she had been informed that Kristen had checked out of the Salem Inn.
Theresa feared that Kristen might have moved into the Kiriakis mansion with Brady, but Anne reported that she had called the Kiriakis mansion and the DiMera mansion, and neither place was housing Kristen at that time. Theresa was hesitant to believe the news, but she eventually decided that if Kristen really had left Salem, that meant it was the perfect time to tell Brady about the baby. Anne tried to convince Theresa to give the matter some more thought first, but Theresa ignored the advice and rushed off to the Kiriakis mansion to see if Brady was there.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady received a visit from John, who apologized for deceiving his son but admitted that he wouldn't do things differently if given the chance. Brady appreciated the honesty, and he assured John that Kristen was out of the picture for good. Brady added that he understood why John had deceived him. "[But] here's the problem -- people protecting me by lying to me -- to keep me from self-destruction, or whatever the rationale is -- has become anathema to me. I will not tolerate anything else but the truth from anybody. I need it. I deserve it. Always," Brady concluded as he slid a Basic Black file across the coffee table to John.
Brady explained that a crisis had arisen in Europe that needed to be handled -- in person -- immediately. John had already been cleared for travel, and he recognized the severity of the situation, so he agreed to resolve the problem himself, but he stressed that he would be returning to Salem immediately afterward. Brady was okay with that, explaining that he simply needed some time to figure out how he felt about what his father had done. Brady promised John that they would talk again when John returned. "I'm glad you're alive. I will be forever grateful for that. But I cannot let you interfere in my life, on any level, ever again," Brady firmly concluded.
Outside Club TBD, Marlena received an unexpected phone call from Stefano, who threatened to take matters into his own hands unless she somehow convinced Sami to grant him access to his grandchildren right away. Marlena explained that Sami was simply being protective of the kids because they had just suffered a terrible loss. Stefano insisted that the kids didn't need to be protected from their own grandfather, and he impatiently demanded to know where Sami had taken them.
"Stefano, I'm through discussing my daughter with you...but I will talk to you about your daughter -- and her latest chapter of destruction she's brought down on Salem, beginning with Brady. You must be so proud. Not only is your daughter a sadistic, pathological liar, but she has engendered vitriolic hatred among the people of Salem, who, for some reason, decided to give her a second chance when she returned to town. [...] But the really good news is that she and her adoring father -- that would be you -- are blowing this town, hopefully until hell freezes over," Marlena calmly replied, ignoring Stefano's attempt to interrupt and issue another warning.
Annoyed, Stefano abruptly ended the call and tossed his cell phone across the room in frustration. When Marlena realized that Stefano had hung up on her, she smiled and mused that toying with him had been fun. Later, Stefano broke down while listening to sorrowful opera music and staring at a framed photograph of E.J., Sami, and the kids.
John met with Marlena outside Club TBD and informed her that, while he understood that they had a lot to talk about, he unfortunately had to keep things brief because he was about to leave Salem and head to Europe. Marlena wondered how long John would be gone. "As long as it takes," John vaguely replied, and he proceeded to tell Marlena about Brady's earlier request.
Marlena understood that it would probably be best for the men to distance themselves from each other for a while. "I'm gonna miss Salem, though. And Brady. But most of all...you," John assured Marlena. "John, I've waited a long time for you to come back. I guess I can wait a little while longer," Marlena replied. Relieved to have Marlena's blessing, John gave her a gentle kiss before walking away.
Brady wasn't particularly thrilled when Theresa showed up at the Kiriakis mansion, but he decided that it would be best for them to talk about what had happened, although he stressed that they wouldn't be having any other discussions afterward. "Kristen is no longer in my life -- she's gone, and she will stay that way. [...] I have some things I'm going to say to you, and when I'm done, you will be out of my life, as well," Brady informed Theresa.
Brady proceeded to explain that he had allowed himself to believe that everyone had been telling him the truth lately because that was what he had needed to get himself through each day. Brady added that, while he had since learned that a lot of people had been lying to him, he couldn't really judge any of them too harshly, since he had been one of the biggest liars of all.
"The truth is the most important thing to me now. And the truth is that I was with you to desperately fill a void, Theresa -- for companionship, for drugs, for alcohol, for sex, for living in the moment -- because I needed validation, and I wanted escapism -- and yes, even a...kind of love. I own my part in all of that, but I am not that man anymore. [...] Kristen left town. You should, too. It would be for the best -- for me, for you, for everyone -- but it's your call. You can go wherever you want, you can be whoever you want, you can destroy your own life if you want, but make no mistake -- I will have no part in it, and you will get no help from me. We are done," Brady firmly concluded.
Theresa tearfully started to say something, but Brady stopped her. "Theresa, I mean it. I told you I had some things to say to you. They have been said. There is nothing left for you to do but get up and walk out of this house and get the hell out of my sight," Brady snapped. Theresa told Brady that she couldn't do that because it wouldn't be fair to either of them.
"Brady, there's something that you need to know. Something important -- life-changing, really. Um...I'm carrying your child," Theresa revealed.
Hope met with Aiden at Club TBD. Aiden asked Hope for a do over on their date. As Hope smiled and said yes, Nicole interrupted with an exclamation that Aiden was the answer to her prayers. Nicole explained that she was working on a story about professionals relocating from other cities. With a grin, Nicole told Aiden that he was photogenic. Aiden firmly refused to take part in Nicole's story. Nicole argued that Aiden could use the story as free press for his law firm, but Aiden was not swayed.
After Nicole left, Aiden apologized to Hope for being curt with Nicole. Hope noted that she knew that Aiden was uncomfortable talking about Portland. When Hope added that she had seen Aiden's reaction to Bree, Aiden asked Hope if she had seen Bree since then. With narrowed eyes, Hope said, "No. Why?" Aiden shrugged. Hope promised to call Aiden later, then she left for work.
While Aiden checked his phone, Nicole returned to his table. Aiden apologized to Nicole for his bad mood. When Aiden offered to help Nicole find another person to interview, Nicole declined the offer. Nicole told Aiden that it was clear that he was hiding something and that Hope would figure it out sooner or later. Nicole swore that she would not dig up dirt on Aiden but that she felt she should warn him to be careful with Hope.
"Because unfortunately, experience has taught me that the bigger the secret you're keeping the bigger it's going to come back and bite you," Nicole cautioned. To prove her point, Nicole recounted a number of secrets she had attempted to keep through the years including her years in porn, her miscarriage and kidnapping, when she had falsely accused Jennifer of killing her baby, and when she had destroyed the evidence that Eric had needed to clear his name. Flustered, Aiden assured Nicole that she did not need to tell him her secrets. Nicole explained that she could not change the past but that she could use her mistakes as a cautionary tale for others.
"I'm a really good liar if I do say so myself. But I just couldn't get away with it for long. The truth alway comes out somehow at the worst possible time in the worst possible way," Nicole counseled. Nicole wished Aiden luck, and she walked away.
Abigail talked to Kayla about returning to work. When Kayla cautioned Abigail to take her time in returning to work, Abigail disagreed. Abigail noted that Ben was angry because he believed that Chad had pushed the hospital to rehire Abigail in order to manipulate her. When Abigail asked Kayla if she agreed with Ben, Kayla said she did not know Chad's intentions. Kayla suggested that Abigail use caution with Chad.
Abigail was worried about Ben's jealousy. When Kayla asked about Ben and Chad's working relationship, Abigail admitted that the relationship was rocky. Kayla recounted the reasons that Ben might feel insecure. Abigail nodded in reluctant agreement.
Now officially on the clock, Abigail followed Kayla to her first assignment. Kayla introduced Abigail to her confidential patient, Paul, who had donated money to the hospital for its rehabilitation room. Abigail thanked Paul for his donation. When Kayla left to finish her rounds, Abigail sat with Paul to discuss the details of his injury and the donation. Abigail asked Paul if he wanted to keep the donation anonymous, and Paul insisted he did.
Outside the pub, Ben informed Sonny that Chad had forced the hospital to rehire Abigail. Sonny suggested that Chad had acted out of guilt and that he did not think Chad wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with Abigail. Ben was unsure. When Sonny reminded Ben that Chad had been interested in Jordan, Ben sighed. Ben worried aloud about competing with Chad. Sonny stressed that Abigail wanted Ben, not Chad, and that Ben had nothing to worry about.
In the park, Jordan kissed Chad. Rafe was walking through the park and was startled to see Chad and Jordan kissing. When Chad and Jordan parted, Chad spotted Rafe staring at them from the park entrance. Rafe slowly walked away from the clearing. As Chad apologized for taking advantage of Jordan, Rafe listened from just beyond the bushes. Jordan reminded Chad that she had kissed him. Jordan thanked Chad for helping her feel better. Chad offered Jordan a shoulder to cry on whenever she needed one.
After Jordan left, Rafe returned to the clearing to talk to Chad. Rafe asked Chad what he was up to with Jordan. When Rafe argued that he was angry at Chad for what he had done to Gabi, Chad lost his temper. Chad insisted that he had saved Gabi from going to prison for the acts she had committed against Melanie and that it was clear that Gabi had not learned her lesson.
"I guess she didn't make very good use of her freedom did she? I guess by your twisted logic, Nick's death is my fault too?," Chad growled. Chad added, "Now let me get this straight. I'm a bad person because I'm a DiMera. You have a sister who went to prison for murder, another who went to the slammer for doing drugs. What does the name Hernandez make you?" Rafe narrowed his eyes.
Chuckling, Rafe said he would not let Chad provoke him like Chad had provoked Ben. Chad joked that he did not want to see Rafe, a cop, behind bars. When Rafe warned Chad not to hurt Jordan, Chad reminded him that Rafe had told Jordan he loved her and then had slept with Kate. Chad promised Rafe that he did not need to worry because he would not hurt Jordan.
In the Kiriakis living room, Theresa told Brady that she was pregnant with his child. Brady laughed. Brady said he refused to believe any more of Theresa's lies. Brady stressed that a child was the last thing he would want with Theresa. Angry, Brady told Theresa that he was furious that Theresa had helped him spiral into drug use, endangered his friends with her lie about Liam, and had hit John hard enough to put him in a coma.
"Shut up, Brady! I do not need a recap of the mistakes that we have made, okay? What matters now is the future and our future includes a baby that we made whether you like it or not. I am pregnant. I'm not lying and I can prove it," Theresa said. Theresa reminded Brady of the night he had been upset and had whisked her upstairs for a sober night of sex. When Brady asked if she had been taking any birth control, Theresa swallowed back tears and noted that they had broken up so she had not been taking anything. As Brady stared, speechless, Theresa reminded Brady that they had also had unprotected sex the night they had discussed starting over.
"You know if my being pregnant with your child really is the last thing that you wanted, maybe you should have done something to prevent it," Theresa argued. Theresa added that she could not fake a pregnancy. When Brady argued that if she was pregnant it did not mean it was his child, Theresa slapped him hard across the face. As Brady stood in silence, Theresa talked about how much she had enjoyed being with Brady. Crying, Theresa stressed that Brady had been her only lover since they had started sleeping with one another.
When Theresa asked what was next, Brady demanded a pregnancy test. Theresa agreed and offered to buy a pregnancy test. Suspicious, Brady demanded a blood test from the hospital. Theresa agreed and called Kayla to arrange a test.
After talked to Paul in his private hospital room, Abigail returned to the nurses' station and ran into Jordan. When Abigail informed Jordan that she had been rehired at the hospital in the PR department, an ecstatic Jordan hugged Abigail. Citing the confidentiality agreements that she and Jordan had signed in order to work with the new mystery patient Paul, Abigail asked Jordan to talk about him. Jordan did not have any information about Paul's life, and Abigail jokingly warned Jordan that Paul was a flirt.
After talking to Abigail, Jordan went to meet Paul. When Jordan entered the room, she gasped and said, "Oh my God! You're Paul Narita! I hate you! I mean you're an amazing pitcher but you killed my Red Sox last year." Jordan chattered on about Paul's ERA and then sheepishly asked for an autograph. After discussing the physical therapy regimen, Jordan and Paul discussed baseball again. With a grin, Paul told Jordan that he was looking forward to working with her.
As a surprise, Sonny showed Ben an apartment that a friend of his had vacated. Stunned, Ben asked the landlord how much was the rent. With a smile, Sonny noted that the rent was cheaper than the apartment that Ben had been looking at in Chad's building. Excited, Ben offered to give the manager an application. The landlord waived off Ben's offer and said that Sonny had vouched for Ben and he only needed first and last month's rent. Ben happily accepted the offer.
In her office at the police station, Hope typed on the computer. Rafe startled Hope when he walked in and said hello. The two laughed and talked about their lives. Rafe told Hope that he thought she was doing the right thing moving on with Aiden. Hope blushed, and Rafe apologized for getting personal. Hope talked about Aiden and how much she liked him. With a sigh, Hope told Rafe that Aiden had been weird around Bree and had been gruff with Nicole.
When Rafe asked Hope what she was thinking, Hope admitted that she wanted to look into Aiden's past but she also did not want to invade Aiden's privacy. Rafe offered to research Aiden's past for her. Hope declined the offer and said that she hoped Aiden would open up to her. With a nod, Rafe said he understood after his experiences with Jordan and her hesitation to open up about her past. Rafe reminded Hope that he was available if she needed to talk or if she changed her mind about looking into Aiden's past.
After Rafe left, Hope stared at a photo of Ciara and sighed. Hope returned to the computer and entered Aiden's name in the search box of her internet browser. Hope's finger hovered over the enter key, silently debating whether to search the internet for information about Aiden. With a sigh, Hope hit enter and her mouth dropped open. The first article in the search was about when Aiden had been suspected of murdering his wife but that the charges had been dropped.
In the town square, Abigail ran into Sonny. Sonny congratulated Abigail on returning to work at the hospital. With a raised eyebrow, Abigail asked Sonny if he had heard the news from Ben. Sonny nodded and added that he knew about the fight too. Abigail admitted that she had acted like a jerk to Ben. With a smile, Sonny sid that the situation was complicated. Abigail asked Sonny if he knew where to find Ben, and smiling, Sonny said Ben was not at the club.
In his new apartment, Ben unpacked his things and thought about his fight with Abigail in the pub. Ben mumbled to himself that he wished he could experience the new apartment with his girlfriend. When there was a knock at the door, Ben rushed to answer it, expecting to find the landlord. Instead, a smiling Abigail was in the hallway bearing a housewarming gift. Abigail handed the present to Ben and urged him to open it.
When Theresa and Brady arrived at the hospital for the pregnancy test, Kayla sarcastically joked that the pregnancy was not planned. Theresa bristled at Kayla's comment and said that she and Brady wanted to handle the situation in a mature manner. Theresa added that she needed the results quickly because Brady would not believe her without a blood test that proved she was pregnant. Kayla nodded and escorted Theresa to a hospital room. When Rafe arrived at the hospital, he and Brady chatted. Brady told Rafe that he had screwed up and that of all the mistakes he had made with women, this one was the stupidest thing he had ever done. Behind Brady, Theresa rounded the corner and quietly listened to Brady and Rafe talking.
Sonny met with Chad outside Club TBD to discuss their new club. After discussing issues with the electrical costs, Chad told Sonny not to worry about the costs for the new club. Sonny thanked Chad for helping Abigail get her PR job back. With a smirk, Chad said he was happy to hear someone was happy about what he had done. When Sonny said he hoped Chad had helped Abigail for the right reasons, Chad groaned. Sonny explained that he had watched Chad push Ben's buttons and Sonny stressed that Ben was a good person that wanted the best for Abigail.
Abigail went to Ben's new apartment to give him a housewarming gift and so they could discuss their relationship. Ben was eager to celebrate his new place and Abigail's job, but Abigail was skeptical that he was truly excited that Chad had gotten her reinstated at the hospital. Ben reassured her that her happiness was all that mattered. Abigail admitted that she should have been more sensitive to Ben's feelings. Ben confessed that he could go a little crazy when anything made him fear that he could lose Abigail.
Abigail declared that Ben made her very happy because he cared about her and wasn't playing games with her, and she wanted to be with him. They kissed, and things quickly became passionate as they undressed and moved to the bed. After they had sex, Ben promised Abigail that he would not let anything or anyone ruin things for them.
In her office at the police station, Hope reluctantly began an Internet search about Aiden. She had just found an article in the Puget Sound local news archives with the headline, "Aiden Jennings Held for Questioning in Wife's Death" when Aiden walked in the door. A dismayed Aiden admitted that four years earlier, everyone in Portland had believed he'd murdered his wife in cold blood. He assured Hope that he had not killed his wife, but Hope could read that for herself.
After giving Hope a bouquet of flowers he'd gotten to apologize for being a "jerk" earlier, Aiden started to leave, but Hope pleaded with him not to. She explained that she knew Aiden was a private person, and she had tried to respect that. Aiden acknowledged that Hope wouldn't have become suspicious about him if she hadn't seen him with Bree or witnessed his overreaction with Nicole. Hope shut off her computer and said that she didn't want to read about Aiden; she wanted him to tell her what had happened.
Aiden and Hope went to the park, and he described his rocky relationship with his late wife, Meredith. Hope listened quietly while Aiden continued that he and Meredith had both loved Chase, so they had tried to keep their marriage going for their son's sake, despite their frequent fights. Hope acknowledged that she understood the Jennings' desire not to break their son's heart by getting divorced. Aiden continued that Meredith had turned to alcohol to numb the pain -- and he had since become intolerant of that sort of behavior, which was why he rarely drank.
Meredith had owned a gun, Aiden said, and when she'd been drinking, she would occasionally threaten to take Chase away or to use the gun on herself or Aiden -- but the gun had never been loaded. One night, they had fought while staying at their second home in Puget Sound, and Chase had been asleep. Meredith had drunk more and more, which had only made Aiden angrier and angrier. He admitted that she'd accused him of being a bad husband and father, and he had said "beyond cruel" things to her.
Aiden began to get emotional as he related how Meredith had retrieved her gun from the bedroom, but instead of merely threatening to kill herself, she had loaded the gun in front of him. She'd raised the gun to her head, and Aiden had pleaded with her not to do it lest she wake Chase -- but incredibly, instead of angering her, it had stopped her. "She loved our son... But she, she hated me more," Aiden continued, beginning to cry as he described how Meredith had put the gun back to her head. He had lunged for her to grab the gun, but she had pulled back -- and pulled the trigger.
Aiden said that, fortunately, Chase had slept through everything until the sirens had awakened him. Hope was worried that Chase had seen his mother, but Aiden explained that he had held Chase until Aiden's sister had arrived to take the little boy home with her so the police could interview Aiden. Aiden related the mistakes he had made before the police had arrived: even though he was an attorney and knew better, he had gotten his prints all over the gun when he had taken it from Meredith's hand while trying to stop the bleeding.
"She looked up at me, and her last words to me, to anyone [were], 'I hate you,'" Aiden said, adding that he'd felt as if a part of him had died when he'd seen the light go out in Meredith's eyes. Aiden admitted that Hope was the first person he'd ever talked to about the events of that night. Hope understood that it had to be a painful memory for Aiden to have to live with. She asked how much Chase remembered, and Aiden said that his son recalled very little. Aiden began to cry again as he talked about letting his son down because he hadn't been able to stop battling with Chase's mother.
With tears in her eyes, Hope gently stroked Aiden's hair and held him as he wept. Aiden asserted that he should have told Hope about everything when they'd first started to get serious, but he said that he would not blame her if she wanted to walk away. Hope assured Aiden that she wasn't going anywhere. Relieved, Aiden kissed her tenderly and thanked her for being someone he could trust to listen and care. "For so long, it's felt like life has been pressing in on me, like I just couldn't breathe. Now I can," Aiden affirmed, exhaling deeply. He kissed Hope passionately and declared, "I love you, Hope. I want to be with you -- now."
Daniel was about to leave his apartment for the hospital when he found a wad of cash held together by a money clip in a pocket of the jacket that J.J. had borrowed. Realizing that J.J. probably needed it back, Daniel sent J.J. a text message. Just as Daniel was heading out, Maggie arrived. After they discussed Parker's return, which was happening in a couple of days, Maggie observed that Daniel seemed "out of focus."
Daniel admitted that he and Jennifer had talked before she'd left to visit her mother, and, after some brutal honesty, they had decided it was over. Crushed, Maggie embraced her son sympathetically. Daniel declared that he would never regret loving Jennifer, but he needed to focus on the other blessings in his life, especially his family. Maggie was confident that Daniel would be all right.
Eve called J.J. because she wanted to talk to him in private. They agreed that she would meet him at the Horton house right away, since his mom was out of town and Abigail wouldn't be home for a while. Before Eve could head out, Eric showed up at her apartment -- and Paige arrived at the Horton house. Eve quickly sent a text message to J.J. to let him know that she had been delayed but would arrive soon.
Eve informed Eric that she was on her way out. He explained that he had just stopped by to show her the retouched photo that she'd emailed him about -- plus he was concerned about her after seeing her drinking in the square the night before. Eve admitted that the previous twenty-four hours had been pretty bad, starting with learning that she wouldn't be able to have her throat surgery, or, by extension, resume her singing career. Eric was sympathetic. Eve asked if he would keep that news quiet, since she hadn't been able to tell her sister yet. Eric assured Eve that she had nothing to worry about.
Paige privately recalled that she'd seen Daniel's jacket in her apartment the night before, when her mom had slept with an unknown man. Paige kissed J.J. hello and told him that she'd changed her mind about observing Dr. Jonas' surgery. After Paige and J.J. decided to stay at his house instead of going out for coffee, she presented him with a calendar she'd made, filled with large pictures of the two of them. J.J. was touched and impressed because he knew how much work had to have gone into making it.
Paige declared that being with J.J. felt "perfect." They began to kiss, and although J.J. was distracted at first, things grew more heated. Soon, they were making out on the couch, with Paige on J.J.'s lap, but a text message on J.J.'s phone interrupted them. J.J. gently moved Paige off of his lap and jumped up to respond to the message. As he went into the other room, he advised a flabbergasted Paige that he might also have to make a quick phone call.
While J.J. was out of the room, the doorbell rang, so Paige answered it -- and was stunned to find her mom at the door. J.J. was equally taken aback when he returned and saw Eve, who quickly covered that she'd stopped by to see Jennifer. As J.J. explained that his mom was visiting her mom for another week or so, Eve surreptitiously slid a piece of mail from the hall table into her purse. She lied that the lawyer had mistakenly sent Jennifer's royalty check to Eve then she fished the envelope out of her purse and handed it to J.J.
Paige suddenly proclaimed that it was fate that all three of them were there, since she had told them that she wanted to make a fresh start. Paige suggested that the three of them go out and talk things through, although Eve was admittedly very skeptical that it would work.
Eve, Paige, and J.J. headed to Club TBD for coffee. Paige declared that they had to leave everything that had happened in the past, and Eve and J.J. concurred. While Paige was gesturing animatedly, she knocked over her coffee and spilled it on her blouse. Eve went with Paige to the ladies' room to help her get the stain out.
While J.J. was waiting for the women to return, Daniel showed up. J.J. explained that he was there with Paige and her mom, because Paige believed that J.J. and Eve could start over and be friends. "Good luck with that," Daniel said with more than a hint of sarcasm. Just as Paige and Eve returned, Daniel held up the money clip and said, "When you were wearing my coat last night, you left this in the pocket."
At the hospital, Theresa overheard Brady telling Rafe that getting her pregnant was the stupidest thing he'd ever done. Hurt, she told Brady to go to hell because she didn't need him anymore. Brady gently grabbed Theresa's arm as she tried to walk away, but she recoiled at his touch. Brady apologized sincerely for what she'd overheard. Kayla returned just then and informed Theresa and Brady that the pregnancy test results wouldn't be back for another hour. She suggested that Brady and Theresa head to the pub to wait, and Kayla would deliver the results in person.
When Theresa and Brady arrived at the Brady Pub, he tried to get her to eat something. Theresa admitted that she'd been feeling nauseated all day. She promised that after they got the pregnancy test results, she would have Kayla run a paternity test, as well. "I'm sure that we don't need that," Brady assured her a little sheepishly. He cautioned Theresa that marriage was not an option, and she promised that she would not get an abortion. Brady was relieved because he would have fought her if she'd tried and because he had always wanted a child.
"Just not like this, right?" Theresa acknowledged quietly. She warned Brady not to try to take the baby from her, but he firmly reassured her that he would never do that. He promised that they would figure out a way to raise the baby together. Brady noted that Daniel and Chloe were doing a good job of raising Parker together, so Theresa and Brady could let the others' example guide them. Brady and Theresa agreed that things would change once their child started school -- but he promised that they would work together as a team.
Kayla arrived just then and suggested that she and Theresa speak privately. Theresa declared that she did not intend to keep any secrets from Brady about their child. "There is no child... you're not pregnant," Kayla informed a shocked Theresa.
At the Brady Pub, Brady wasn't the least bit surprised to learn that Theresa had apparently lied about being pregnant, but she insisted that wasn't the case, instead accusing Kayla of lying about the matter. Kayla gently assured Theresa that the news was true, offering a printout of the test results as proof. Tears fell from Theresa's eyes and stained the document as she inspected it.
Brady lashed out at Theresa for being foolish enough to pull such an easily refuted stunt and expecting to get away with it. Kayla asked Brady to back off, and she informed him that false positives could indeed occur when using home pregnancy tests. Kayla offered to find someone to cover for her at the hospital so she could stay with Theresa for a while longer. "Why? I don't need you. You've said all you need to say. Go!" Theresa snapped.
After Kayla left, Brady reasoned that it didn't matter whether Theresa had been lying or telling the truth earlier, adding that the only thing that mattered was that he needed her to stay away from him. "You're a bad drug, and I don't do drugs anymore. [...] Kayla gave us good news today, okay? You're not pregnant. Thank God you're not pregnant. I'm not ready to have a kid right now, and I know that you are not ready. But thank God that this kid isn't gonna have to go through the hell of having us as parents. [...] This is where we go our separate ways. You stay out of my way, or you will be sorry," Brady warned Theresa before exiting the pub.
Later, in Theresa's apartment, Anne suggested that Theresa could show Brady the positive home pregnancy test to prove that the whole thing hadn't been a lie, but Theresa explained that she had apparently emptied her trash the previous night, although she couldn't remember doing so. Theresa painfully suggested that she might have suffered a miscarriage, but Anne gently reasoned that Theresa probably would have known if such a thing had happened.
Theresa conceded the point but still found it odd that she couldn't really remember anything about the previous night -- aside from the fact that she'd had really weird dreams she couldn't quite recall. Theresa added that she had felt like a freight train had struck her when she had woken up earlier that day. "Or a gallon of Merlot?" Anne guessed as she gestured toward a large, nearly empty bottle of wine she had just spotted on the kitchen counter. Theresa had no explanation for the bottle, but she insisted that she never would have endangered her unborn baby's life with alcohol consumption, defensively adding that she did have some willpower.
"All right, look, Theresa, I'm not even saying this was a conscious decision, okay? All right? But is it possible -- is it possible -- that one night you were a little agitated -- you know, a little distracted -- and that maybe it slipped your mind that you're not supposed to drink?" Anne wondered. Theresa remained silent, but when Anne impatiently prompted her for an answer, she tearfully conceded that Anne's scenario didn't seem completely impossible. Theresa argued that some doctors believed it was okay to have an occasional glass of wine while pregnant, but Anne pointed out that there was barely enough left in the bottle to fill a glass.
Theresa didn't think she had blacked out the previous night, but she admitted that she couldn't be certain. "Well, it would have been in character, Theresa -- let's get real, okay? You are your -- your own worst enemy," Anne pointed out. Hurt, Theresa tearfully ordered Anne to leave. "Okay, that's fine, but you don't take this out on me, okay? You were wrong about being pregnant, and you made a fool of yourself, and now you have no one but yourself to blame for burning every bridge that you had with Brady, his family, and -- let's face it -- everybody else in this town," Anne countered before storming off.
In the park, Aiden backpedaled slightly after telling Hope that he loved and wanted to be with her, guessing that he had probably gone too far, but she assured him that she felt the same way. "I was attracted to you from the very beginning...even though I really, truly -- I didn't like you. No, not at all. [But] I liked how you made me laugh, even when I didn't want to. And I loved that you love your child like I love mine. And your smile...as rare as it was. [...] But I didn't like how closed off you were. You acted like I was pushing, when all I was really trying to do was just talk to you. I mean, of course, I completely understand now why you did. I can let it go. The fact that you could trust me with something this painful and intimate -- not only do I like you, I trust you...and I respect you. I do want to be with you," Hope added before kissing Aiden.
Elated, Aiden said he knew how to make that happen, although he cryptically added that Hope might not like his idea. Before Aiden could elaborate, Maggie arrived and invited him and Chase to join her and the rest of Hope's family for Thanksgiving dinner at the Kiriakis mansion. After Aiden accepted the offer, Maggie launched into a tangent about how she didn't like cranberry sauce, but she quickly realized that Hope and Aiden wanted to be left alone, so she rushed off after knowingly suggesting that Hope might finally have something to be thankful for again.
Once they were alone again, Aiden explained to Hope -- at the risk of sounding crude -- that he wanted to take her somewhere so they could be together right away, before the kids got out of school for the day. Aiden suggested renting a hotel room, but Hope revealed that she had actually won a Salem Inn hotel-and-spa package from the silent auction that had been held during the gala a few months earlier. Hope had been planning to give the voucher to Doug and Julie for Christmas, but she decided that she and Aiden could put it to better use.
A short time later, Hope and Aiden entered their hotel room and almost immediately started kissing. Hope pulled away when Aiden removed her coat, prompting him to wonder if she wanted him to stop.
Maggie ran into Kayla at the hospital and quickly deduced that something was wrong. Kayla admitted that she was worried about Theresa -- even more than usual. Acknowledging that Theresa wasn't Maggie's favorite person -- or anyone's favorite person, for that matter -- Kayla explained that she had nevertheless held out hope that Theresa would eventually straighten her life out.
"Sociopaths aren't known for straightening themselves out," Maggie bluntly replied, but she quickly apologized and conceded that she had loved Nick despite the terrible things he had done. Maggie wondered what Theresa had done to elicit concern from Kayla. "What she does better than anybody else -- make a bad situation worse," Kayla replied.
At Club TBD, Daniel greeted Eve and Paige and started to tell them what he had been talking to J.J. about, but J.J. quickly interrupted and said he needed to talk to Daniel privately about something that couldn't wait until later. J.J. wanted to have the conversation at the Brady Pub, so Daniel said goodbye to the women and started to leave. J.J. followed suit, but Paige stopped him and wondered what was going on.
J.J. revealed that Daniel and Jennifer had ended their relationship for good right before Jennifer had left Salem to visit Laura. J.J. explained that he felt like he needed to talk to Daniel about the matter right away. Paige understood, and when J.J. speculated that his conversation with the doctor might take a while, she assured him that they could finish their discussion with Eve some other time.
After J.J. left, Paige rejoined her mother and announced that she had just figured out everything. Eve feigned ignorance, so Paige elaborated, speculating that Eve and Daniel had sought comfort in each other's arms the previous night because they had each been reeling from devastating news. Eve laughed off the theory, insisting that it was purely coincidental that Daniel owned a jacket that resembled the one Paige had seen in their apartment. Eve pointed out that practically every major retailer -- including a department store right in the middle of Salem -- had been selling that type of jacket lately.
Paige conceded the point and apologized for jumping to the wrong conclusion. "I learned the hard way, honey, that you don't want to come close to any of, uh, Jennifer Horton's castoffs or hand-me-downs -- not now, not ever. [...] I made a really big mistake. The worst part is you found out about it. But, you know, we can't move past this or move on if we keep playing 'who's in the bedroom with Mother?'" Eve flippantly reasoned. Paige understood and promised to stop questioning her mother about the tryst -- as long as the man in question wasn't someone she knew. "It's. Absolutely. Nobody," Eve assured Paige.
At the Brady Pub, J.J. expressed his appreciation for all the times Daniel had helped him out in the past, and he admitted that he needed Daniel's help once again. "I always do the wrong thing, and I always make the wrong choice. [...] You think that I'm this kid that's turned everything around, but the truth is -- is that I have screwed up worse than I ever have," J.J. regretfully added. Daniel initially assumed that J.J. had somehow screwed things up with Paige, but he soon started to suspect that the young man was instead talking about something that had happened with Eve, who had seemed tense around J.J. at the club earlier.
J.J. feigned ignorance and claimed that Daniel's initial assumption had been correct. J.J. admitted that he hadn't taken Daniel's advice about filling Paige in on what Jack had done to Kayla years earlier. Daniel guessed that Paige had somehow found out on her own, and J.J. confirmed that she had -- in a really bad way. Daniel thought Paige was smart enough to understand why J.J. had been reluctant to talk about the matter.
"She didn't at first, but then, uh, she came around. [But] I wasn't really cool in the moment. I sort of overreacted," J.J. vaguely explained. Daniel argued that J.J.'s initial reaction didn't matter, since the young man had ultimately managed to clear the air with Paige. Daniel advised J.J. to let go of the past and start fresh with Paige. "You know, yeah, maybe you're right. I can do that. What's done is done, right?" J.J. reasoned with a nod.
When J.J. returned home later that day, he removed his jacket as he thought about the first time he had told Paige that he loved her -- and about what had happened between him and Eve the previous night. "Daniel's right. There's no reason why I can't just put that behind me and start fresh with Paige -- just start over," J.J. reassured himself. Seconds later, J.J. received a text message from Eve, who wanted to see him right away.
Eve arrived at the Horton house a short time later, and after J.J. assured her that they were alone, she lashed out at him for leaving Daniel's jacket out in plain sight in her apartment the previous night, complaining that it had caused her daughter to jump to the conclusion that she had slept with Daniel. Eve thought she had managed to convince Paige otherwise, so J.J. reasoned that things would probably be okay going forward, as long as Paige didn't ask him about Daniel.
"About you and Paige going forward...J.J., you have to understand that what happened between us -- you now have to break it off with Paige, okay? You cannot be with her anymore. You two are over -- forever," Eve insisted -- just as J.J.'s nearby cell phone chimed due to the text message Paige had just sent to declare her love for him.
Daniel went to the Kiriakis mansion to apologize to Brady again for what had almost happened with Kristen. Daniel explained that, while he wasn't trying to make excuses for his actions, he had been in a bad place at that time, and it had been a real moment of weakness for him. Brady was sorry to hear about what had happened between Daniel and Jennifer. "You gotta understand, I mean, I -- it's just that I've never made any mistakes when it comes to women, all right, so I felt really secure judging you," Brady dryly added.
Brady admitted that Daniel had actually done him a favor, since what had almost happened between Daniel and Kristen had proven that she had never been the woman she had claimed to be. "I'm glad I could be of service," Daniel replied, not wanting to let Brady be the only one who got to make bad jokes about the situation. Changing the subject, Brady offered an apology of his own, admitting that Daniel had been right about Theresa all along. Daniel wasn't particularly surprised to learn that Theresa had apparently lied about being pregnant, but Brady conceded that it was possible that she really believed that she had been.
In an undisclosed location, Mandrake placed a phone call to Kristen and promised that he would soon visit her to check on her condition.
Hope and Aiden kissed in their room at the Salem Inn. Aiden gently navigated Hope toward the bed and removed her coat, but he sensed her hesitancy as he slid his hands up her back. Apologizing, Aiden acknowledged that he had pushed her into having sex too soon. Hope reassured Aiden that she wanted to be there with him, but she was nervous about it. She explained that she hadn't been with anyone but her husband in a long time, and he had been gone for over two years. Aiden suggested that they could simply hang out in the room all afternoon, or they could check out. Hope said that wasn't at all what she wanted.
Aiden assured Hope that he understood her fears because he felt the same way. He said that he had completely shut down after his wife's death and had focused on his career and his son. Aiden continued that starting over with someone new, especially having to explain his wife's suicide, had seemed impossible -- but then he had met Hope. "It feels like we have lived a whole year this afternoon, doesn't it?" Hope remarked. Aiden agreed, noting that perhaps they had shared enough for one day. He got up and headed toward the bathroom, but Hope took his hand and pulled him back to the bed, the intent in her eyes clear.
After Hope and Aiden made love, he impressed her by snuggling her with one arm while pouring champagne with the other hand. After passing a glass to Hope, Aiden toasted, "Here's to making love and drinking champagne in the middle of the day." They each professed their happiness. As the two padded around the room in plush hotel bathrobes and continued sipping champagne, Aiden reminded Hope that they had to pick up their kids from school. "I'm glad we didn't wait any longer," Hope declared. "Me, too," Aiden concurred, kissing her.
Hope headed for the shower, and Aiden promised to be in momentarily to join her. Once he heard the water running, Aiden used his phone to look at the article about himself online.
Daniel entered Paul Narita's hospital room and found the patient speaking with his agent, Satoru Aoki, in Japanese. As Paul was introducing the two men, Maxine entered with Paul's chart. Paul joked that once Daniel fixed his shoulder, Paul would finally be able to live his dream of playing the violin. Not amused, Satoru stressed to Daniel that Paul had to get his fastball back in time for spring training. "He will be ready when I say he's ready," Daniel replied. He added that he would talk to the team doctor once Paul had rehabbed the shoulder for a while.
After advising Paul that he would send in someone from the physical therapy department to discuss what would happen after surgery, Daniel left. Paul wanted to know if he would be working with the "gorgeous" woman he'd met. "Sorry, player, I don't have that information," Maxine said sternly, sticking a thermometer in Paul's mouth.
Out near the nurses' station, Jordan greeted Abigail warmly and admitted that she was glad to see her friend back at work. Since Jordan was curious about how it had happened, Abigail explained that Chad had gotten her reinstated. Before she could finish her explanation, Abigail spotted Daniel and excused herself to go speak to him.
Daniel welcomed Abigail back to the hospital. Acknowledging that her mom had filled her in about it, Abigail expressed her sympathy about Daniel and Jennifer's split. Daniel assured Abigail that she and J.J. would always have a special place in his heart, and he hoped they could remain friends. He added that he had just provided an ear for J.J., and J.J. had seemed to feel better afterwards.
Abigail returned to Jordan and finished her explanation about how Chad had stood up for her with the board to get her job back. Abigail added that Ben had even seemed to understand, probably because he'd been in such a good mood about his new apartment. When Abigail mentioned Ben being able to afford a new place because of Clyde, Jordan somewhat brusquely changed the subject, noting that she had a consultation with a patient before he had shoulder surgery. Abigail said that she was supposed to meet with Paul, as well, so the two women headed into Paul's room.
Paul joked and flirted openly with Abigail and Jordan while they were in his room, until Maxine firmly informed him that it was time to head down to the surgical suite. As Jordan and Abigail exited the room, they wondered if Paul hit on every woman who went into his room. Abigail apologized for mentioning Jordan's stepfather. She noted that although Ben shared a lot about his childhood with her, Jordan didn't seem to like talking about it -- but Abigail promised to try to be more sensitive about it because she didn't want to lose Jordan's friendship.
Softening, Jordan reassured Abigail, "You won't. And just so you know, I have never seen Ben this happy or this serious about anyone before. I just really don't want to see him get hurt." She clarified that she hadn't been referring to Abigail, who cautioned Jordan, "[Ben] thinks that you might be getting too close to Chad." Jordan wondered if Abigail were also worried about Chad and Jordan. Abigail pointed out, "You're not as naïve as I was when I was with Chad, and maybe he's changed." Jordan suggested that by getting Abigail reinstated, perhaps he was trying to make up for what he'd done to her.
In the operating room, Daniel prepared to perform Paul's surgery while Maxine assisted. The anesthesiologist placed a mask over Paul's face, and within seconds, Paul was unconscious. A while later, Daniel found and removed a bone spur that hadn't shown up on any of Paul's scans.
Daniel, Jordan, and Maxine were waiting around Paul's bed when he regained consciousness later. Daniel cautioned Paul that he would be a little out of it for a while. After Daniel left, Jordan advised Paul that they could begin his therapy as soon as Daniel cleared him. "Then whatever he just did to my shoulder was worth it," Paul said groggily, and Maxine rolled her eyes.
At the coffee station, Satoru wanted to know how the operation had gone. Daniel cautioned him that the surgery had been more complicated than they'd anticipated, and it would be weeks before they would know whether Paul could pitch again. An annoyed Satoru pointed out that the longer Paul stayed in Salem, the harder it would be to keep the surgery quiet, and there were millions of dollars at stake. Daniel stated firmly, "I'm not Paul's pitching coach. I'm not his agent, either. I really don't give a damn about your ten percent. All I care about is getting my patient completely healed."
Ben was daydreaming behind the bar about having sex with Abigail when Chad walked into Club TBD. As Chad reviewed some paperwork, he said that he thought Ben should move over to the new club once it was ready to open. A bit irked, Ben noted that he'd just gotten a new apartment that was walking distance from the current club. Chad pointed out that it would be a great opportunity for Ben, who voiced his suspicions that Chad only wanted that for Ben because it would mean that Ben would have no time to spend with Abigail.
Chad insisted that he simply thought the new club would be a better fit for Ben, who made a sarcastic remark about Chad getting Abigail her job back. Chad maintained that he'd felt he owed Abigail because of the way things had ended between them and because she'd gotten a "raw deal" from Sami. Chad insisted that he was interested in Jordan, not Abigail, and he thought the interest was mutual -- and Ben was the only one who had a problem with Jordan seeing Chad.
Later, Ben overheard Chad ordering flowers to be delivered to Jordan at the hospital.
Paige was walking through Horton Square when Daphne caught up with her and informed her that their lab had been cancelled. Paige sent a text message to J.J. to let him know. Daphne deduced that things between J.J. and Paige had improved. Paige admitted that she and J.J. had worked things out after a very rough patch.
As Paige and Daphne headed into the Brady Pub, Paige said that she and J.J. could tell each other anything. Daphne guessed that when they had been at her house and they had heard J.J. practicing his guitar, Paige had fallen in love with him that day without even knowing him. Daphne wondered if Paige's mom would let up about J.J., since he and Paige had worked things out.
Eric headed behind the bar to get a cup of coffee, and he spotted Paige talking with her friend. He overheard Paige relating the bad news about Eve's surgery, although Paige seemed hopeful that Eve would ease up on J.J. Daphne got a text message from her irresponsible lab partner, who wanted Daphne's notes from the week. After Daphne left, Eric approached Paige and explained that he knew her mom and had recognized Paige from the pictures at their apartment.
When Eric said that he'd been at the apartment the day before, Paige seemed to assume that he was the one whom Eve had been with. After Eric introduced himself to Paige, he explained that Eve had hired him to shoot her publicity photos. He added that Eve had been very excited about resuming her singing career when he'd seen her the night before, but she'd told him that morning about what the doctor had said. Eric asserted that he'd been able to tell that Paige mattered even more to Eve than singing did.
Eric said that he wasn't sure how Eve would feel about seeing the pictures he'd taken, since her surgery had been canceled. He asked if Paige could take the proofs home and give them to Eve only if her mood seemed right. Paige said that she would -- but she guessed that Eve might like to see Eric again, since the two had seemed to get along so well. Paige added that she thought it would be good for Eve, who had few friends in town, to spend time with people her own age.
At the Horton house, Eve insisted that because she and J.J. had slept together, things had to be over between Paige and J.J. J.J. was incredulous. Eve pointed out that it would be very difficult to pull off being around one another, especially if J.J. and Paige got even more serious or perhaps even got married some day. "A secret like that never dies. Do you really want to live the rest of your life afraid that...she's going to find out about us?" Eve queried. She noted that if that happened, not only would J.J. and Paige's relationship be over, but Eve and Paige's would be destroyed, as well.
J.J. didn't understand why he had to lose everything when Eve was also lying to Paige about what had happened. Eve maintained that Paige needed her mother. J.J. pointed out that Paige had been on her own -- and doing just fine -- when he'd met her. Eve argued that she couldn't stop being Paige's mom, but J.J. could stop being Paige's boyfriend. J.J. asserted that it wasn't Eve's decision. Eve contended that they had to think about what was best for Paige -- and lying to her wasn't it. "Then I won't... I'll tell her the truth," J.J. declared.
Eve warned J.J. that it would devastate Paige to know that the two people who supposedly loved her the most had betrayed her. Eve asserted that Paige, who already had a hard time trusting men, would never trust J.J. after that. J.J. agreed not to tell Paige, but Eve angrily pointed out that he'd been ready to blab the truth without thinking about the consequences. She reiterated that J.J. had to accept that it was over for him and Paige.
Furious, J.J. accused Eve of purposely sleeping with him to break up him and Paige. Eve indignantly reminded J.J. of the events that had led to them being together. "J.J., please, stop fighting me on this," Eve implored him. J.J. didn't know how he would break up with Paige. When his phone chimed, he jumped up to check it and saw that Paige had sent him a message to let him know about the canceled class. "She wants to see me. You got any ideas about how I'm supposed to do this?" J.J. asked Eve, whose gaze was fixed on a photo of Jack. "You'll think of something. You just put your mind to it," Eve said as she got up and left. J.J. sent a message to Paige, inviting her over.
Eric met Eve at the apartment to show her the photo proofs. He admitted that he'd been unsure about taking them to her. Eve assured him that she would be fine; she'd learned that often in life, things simply didn't turn out as planned. Eric concurred. As he headed out, Eric informed Eve that he'd met Paige earlier. Eve declared that Paige had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. Eric noted that Paige had been upset because of what had happened to Eve. "She's really looking out for you," he added. "Paige and I, we look out for each other," Eve said.
When Paige arrived at the Horton house, she asked how J.J.'s conversation with Daniel had gone. J.J. said that he'd had a good talk with Daniel. Paige observed that something seemed to be wrong. "Well, I promised that I wasn't going to lie to you anymore. There is something wrong," J.J. admitted.
