Alone in her hotel room, Serena inspected some photographs of Eric, who was posing shirtless on a bed. "I cannot blow this," Serena reminded herself before putting the pictures back in her hidden safe. Meanwhile, Derrick arrived to deliver a bucket of ice Serena had requested earlier. Serena let Derrick in and started questioning him about Nicole's recent visit, threatening to get him fired if he didn't tell her everything.
Nicole listened as her anonymous source explained that Serena Mason was a woman who had a great reputation for being a terrific journalist who was always in pursuit of the truth -- but, in actuality, she was a total fraud, personally and professionally. Nicole feigned disinterest, predicting that an exposé about such a nonentity wouldn't exactly perform well in the ratings, but the source advised her not to dismiss the idea yet.
Nicole admitted that she had crossed paths with Serena before but didn't know the woman particularly well. The anonymous source offered to fill Nicole in on what Serena was all about, but Nicole declined and abruptly ended the call after claiming that Serena wasn't on her radar. "I'm with Daniel now. Eric and his little friend are not my problem," Nicole muttered.
When a coworker entered Nicole's office a short time later, Nicole shared that there was something to be said for doing the right thing. Nicole excitedly added that she would be going on a date with Daniel Jonas later that night, and she excused herself so she could shop for the perfect dress to wear.
Clyde spotted Rafe in the town square and took the opportunity to gloat about the fact that the former detective had been reduced to being nothing more than a regular citizen of Salem, just like Clyde. Rafe insisted he was nothing like Clyde. "Now, what is that supposed to mean? Do you think you're better than me, ex-Detective Hernandez? Well, then, go ahead -- take your best shot," Clyde dared Rafe.
Rafe innocently clarified that he had simply meant that he had nothing in common with Clyde, a real Renaissance man who owned a trucking company and a nightclub in Branson that was apparently half-empty on a good night. Clyde countered that Rafe had probably been kicked off the police force -- and found it difficult to maintain a successful relationship with a woman -- because no one could ever figure out what he was talking about.
Rafe observed that Clyde seemed like a lucky man -- perhaps too lucky. Clyde conceded the point but stressed that he had nothing to hide. "If there is any little thing you want to find out about me, step right up and ask. ... It'd be more efficient that way, since you can't use your badge to go diggin' around in my past like you used to," Clyde added before walking away.
At Club TBD, Chad overheard Abigail excitedly informing Ben that the hospital would be making an official announcement about her and Jordan's new charity project during a small press conference later that day. Chad spontaneously decided to attend the event to support Jordan, and he suggested that Ben could time the club's next scheduled delivery to the hospital so he would be able to attend the event to support Abigail.
Later, Serena ran into Nicole while buying a cup of coffee. Nicole insisted it was just a coincidence that she and Serena had shown up at the club at the same exact time, but Serena wasn't convinced. Serena revealed that she had recently learned more about how Nicole had gained access to Serena's hotel room. Nicole suggested that she and Serena could put that misunderstanding behind them and move on, but Serena wasn't interested.
"I see you for the lethal, toxic snake that you are," Serena quietly warned Nicole. Serena complained that what Nicole had done to Eric had profoundly changed him, leaving scars that would probably never heal. Serena guessed that Nicole felt no remorse and probably believed Eric had gotten what he had deserved. Nicole denied the accusation, but Serena continued to verbally attack her.
Serena vowed to make sure Eric healed and learned how to be happy again. "With you? Well, that's a long shot, considering the mean-spirited bitch that you are," Nicole countered with a laugh. Serena walked away after warning that there would be a very high price to pay if Nicole continued to interfere in Serena's life -- or Eric's.
Later, Serena returned to her hotel room and soon received a phone call from someone. "Hi. Sorry I haven't gotten back to you yet. Nothing here in Salem has been going the way I thought it would. But I just made something very clear to someone a few minutes ago, so I don't anticipate any more problems moving forward," Serena assured the caller.
Meanwhile, Nicole returned to her office and contacted the anonymous source she had heard from earlier. The source admitted to leaving messages for others about the Serena Mason story but insisted that Nicole was the top choice because she had a reputation for being unafraid to get her hands dirty. The source wondered if Nicole was interested in the story. "Let's just say I'm, uh -- I'm thinking it over," Nicole replied before ending the call.
At the hospital, Jordan watched as Paul lifted five-pound dumbbells, warning him not to overexert himself. Paul somewhat bitterly guessed that Jordan didn't believe it would be worthwhile to do so, since he would never be able to pitch again, anyway. In response to Jordan's inquiry, Paul explained that he had been given the devastating news the day after Christmas -- and that he had only confided in one person about it since then.
"I mean, it's really rough -- one day, you're totally confident, and everything's going your way, and then suddenly, it's all over. I mean, not that I have any right to feel sorry for myself. I mean, I've been really lucky. It's just, uh...I guess it'll just take time to adjust to this, uh, new reality," Paul mused with a sigh before setting the weights aside. Jordan stressed that Paul deserved to be proud of what he had achieved as a pitcher, and she predicted that he would eventually find a different path that involved something else he was passionate about.
Sonny found Victor sitting alone at a table in a finished, fully furnished club. "Why'd you ask me to meet here?" Sonny wondered after taking a quick look around the place. Victor explained that he was interested in hearing Sonny's thoughts on the club because Sonny was the Kiriakis family's resident expert on such businesses. "Well, if failing miserably makes me an expert, then you're right -- I'm your guy," Sonny replied.
Victor argued that Sonny had simply suffered a setback. Sonny suspiciously mused that he had been summoned to a brand-new club for a meeting with Victor right on the heels of that setback. Victor sighed and started to explain that he had arranged the meeting because he still had faith in Sonny, but Sonny wasn't interested in having his ego boosted or his pride protected, so he asked Victor to skip the pleasantries and just tell him the truth.
Victor explained that he had recently mentioned Sonny's interest in a nightclub to Bill Breck, the same man who had correctly informed Victor that Sonny's last venture had been doomed from the start. Victor shared the tragic story of the man who had ordered the development of the nightclub he and Sonny were sitting in, concluding that the man's widow wanted nothing to do with the place. "And you think I do?" Sonny guessed.
Victor pointed out that the club was in a perfect location -- a trendy neighborhood that a lot of young, successful people called home -- and that Sonny could easily make a few changes to put his own personal stamp on the place. "I'm not interested. ... I know you don't get it, but this was something I was trying to do on my own," Sonny explained.
Victor struggled to understand how using Chad's money had been Sonny's idea of doing things on his own. "So that is what this is about -- you're still ticked off that I'm partners with Chad, that he's my friend?" Sonny guessed. Victor groaned and urged Sonny not to make the mistake of believing that Chad was really a friend, but Sonny protested that he didn't want to get into such a discussion with Victor.
"Don't walk away from an opportunity because of your damn pride!" Victor irritably advised Sonny, who maintained that he simply couldn't let his uncle buy the nightclub for him. "Too late -- I already bought it," Victor gruffly revealed. Sonny sighed and took another look around the place. "Well, good luck with it, Uncle Vic. You're gonna need it," Sonny concluded before leaving.
Later, Rafe entered the club while Victor was barking orders at someone on the phone. "Hillbilly son of a bitch. ... That man is officially on my last nerve," Victor grumbled after ending the call. Rafe guessed that Victor was talking about Clyde. Victor vaguely complained that Clyde was venturing into areas he didn't belong in. "I'm more than a little ticked off at him. Son of a bitch is gonna rue the day he ever crossed me," Victor vowed.
Changing the subject, Victor explained that he wanted to talk to Rafe about the club. Rafe was surprised to learn that Victor had purchased the place but observed that it seemed nice and was definitely in a good location. "I want you to run it for me," Victor revealed. Rafe said he had worked in a club before joining the FBI but had never actually been in charge of one. Victor seemed satisfied with Rafe's level of experience.
"The place is already staffed. I bought the liquor license when I bought the building. All we need is supplies. Then we schedule a big opening," Victor matter-of-factly explained. Rafe pointed out that running clubs was Sonny's area of expertise. Victor admitted that Sonny had refused to accept the responsibility. Victor added that he wasn't willing to run the club himself.
"I'm not gonna stand here and beg you. Either you want the job or you don't. And quite frankly, if you don't, I don't know how the hell you're gonna make a living," Victor bluntly added before walking away, leaving Rafe alone in the club. Later, Victor contacted Clyde and demanded to see him right away.
Sonny ran into Paul outside Club TBD. Paul was glad to see Sonny, since there was something he wanted to share -- but he stressed that Sonny would have to keep it to himself. "A secret. ... Well, you know I'm good at those," Sonny somewhat bitterly muttered. Paul revealed that his surgery had been unsuccessful and that his pitching career was consequently over for good.
Sonny hesitantly placed a comforting hand on Paul's shoulder and said he was sorry to hear that. Paul explained that he had learned the news a week earlier and had been trying to tell Sonny since then. Sonny realized that was why Paul had recently declared that he was finally ready to be in a real relationship with Sonny -- one they could have out in the open.
"Look, Sonny, I've -- I've been getting mixed messages from you. ... It's just that, in spite of everything that you're saying, I mean, you're still finding ways to see me," Paul pointed out. Sonny insisted that Paul had misconstrued things, and he once again showed off his wedding band to remind his ex that he was married. "But are you happy? I mean, in this marriage?" Paul wondered.
"Relationships are work -- even the good ones. My husband and I, we try to work through our stuff. We are honest with each other every day, and after what you and I went through -- I'm telling [you ] -- honesty is a deal breaker for me," Sonny replied. Paul protested that Sonny was getting off track, but Sonny disagreed, arguing that it was all the same track -- and that Paul had always used that excuse to avoid dealing with the real issue.
Paul defensively wondered what Sonny believed the real issue was. Sonny argued that Paul had always used his baseball career as an excuse to avoid being openly gay in the past. "I'm telling you, if my family knew --" Paul started to protest, but Sonny interrupted him. "Then why are you talking about 'us' now that you're not pitching? You're still going to hide who you are, no matter who you're with," Sonny knowingly predicted.
Paul tried to explain that his grandfather was old school. "I don't care that your grandfather is old school. He is your family, and he should love you for who you are. And I think you're underestimating him and your mom. Let me tell you the truth -- the person who has the biggest problem with people knowing you're gay...is you," Sonny countered. Paul remained silent, and Sonny walked away after reiterating that he was really sorry about Paul's arm.
Will let Kate into his and Sonny's apartment and informed her that Arianna was napping. "Oh. Well, as much as I would like to see the baby, I really came over here to talk about Paul Narita, to see how things went. Did you get what you wanted out of him?" Kate wondered. Will evasively replied that things with the article were still unsettled.
Kate guessed that Will had lost his nerve when he had gone to interview Paul again. Kate reiterated that Will needed to be willing to ask the hard-hitting questions if he wanted to find out who Paul really was. Kate pointed out that Paul was a big deal and that an article about him, if done properly, could make Will's career take off. "I know that, Grandma! And I did everything I could to make that happen," Will snapped.
Will quickly apologized and claimed that he was simply sensitive about his job performance because he had been under a lot of pressure from his editor lately. Kate sympathized and fretted that she had just barged into Will's home and placed even more pressure on him, but he dismissed her concern, acknowledging that she was only pushing him to be his best. "Yes -- for yourself, for Arianna, and for Sonny," Kate stressed.
Will remained silent as he stared at the floor. Kate changed the subject, wondering how things were going with Sonny's new club on the south side of town. "We've both been so busy, we've barely talked about it. I was hoping to see him here, but when I arrived, it was just Arianna and the sitter. ... He texted me; he said that he was gonna go see his Uncle Victor," Will explained.
Kate received a phone call and abruptly excused herself after ending it, vaguely explaining that she had a meeting to attend. "Honey, you are such a talented writer -- you really are. It's just...sometimes, I think you're too nice. Sweetie, people respect toughness -- they really do -- so don't stop pushing Paul Narita, especially if you think you're getting close to breaking through. ... I'm so proud of you. I really am -- now and always," Kate assured Will before leaving.
"You wouldn't be so proud of me if you knew the truth," Will regretfully muttered after he closed the door behind Kate. Will tried to work on his article but found it difficult to stay focused. "Damn it. I can't just out Paul Narita... Unless that's what he really wants," Will mused after recalling the conversation he'd had with Paul after they had slept together, during which Will had pointed out that Paul could make a huge impact on the world with such an announcement.
At the hospital, Anne tracked Jordan down to voice some reservations about the physical therapist's new charity project -- such as the fact that Abigail was involved in it. Anne guessed that the project's anonymous donor had chosen to remain anonymous to avoid being associated with Abigail. Anne threatened to talk to Seth Burns about pulling the plug on the project, vowing that she wasn't going to sit around and wait for another chapter of Deveraux embarrassments to cheapen the hospital's reputation.
Chad and Abigail arrived a short time later and found Jordan near the nurses' station. Jordan started to warn that she had been forced to make a judgment call without first discussing it with Abigail, but before she could say anything else, Anne returned and announced that she had decided to accept Jordan's offer. Anne conceded that she was the perfect choice to act as the overseer of the project's finances, since she was great with money and had actually considered being a financial planner before deciding that she was too much of a people person to pursue such an isolated career.
After Anne went to take a call from Seth, Jordan apologized for blindsiding Abigail with the development. Abigail understood, citing the old adage about keeping friends close and enemies closer. As Ben arrived, Anne returned with a couple of reporters and announced that Seth would not be able to attend the press conference. Anne paid recognition to Chad, gushing that she was glad to have a distinguished board member in attendance to witness the historic groundbreaking of a beautiful project she would be spearheading. "Actually, you have a second board member here...and this one isn't signing off on any of this," Kate interrupted.
Kate complained that Jordan and Abigail were too young and inexperienced to handle such a project. Anne pointed out that she was overseeing the project and had an advantage over Jordan and Abigail in both age and experience -- although it wasn't readily apparent in her appearance -- but that wasn't good enough for Kate, who wondered how the project's anonymous donor would feel about the project being dumped in the laps of a pair of children with zero qualifications. Chad protested that the board had no say in the matter, but Kate disagreed.
The reporters interjected, eager to hear more about the anonymous donor. Kate explained that she believed it would be prudent to put the project on hold until she could figure out the donor's identity and get approval on the people who had been tasked with handling the project. Anne protested that such a delay would be ridiculous and pointless, and Jordan agreed, especially since the donor already knew where the money was going, anyway -- and had total faith in Jordan and Abigail's capabilities. Kate curiously wondered how Jordan could possibly know such a thing about an anonymous donor.
Jordan turned to Chad and urged him to admit the truth. "You're the donor? Why am I not surprised?" Kate mused with a laugh, playing along. The reporters seemed disappointed to learn that yet another hospital program was predictably being funded with DiMera money, but Anne gushed that the DiMera family had always been extremely generous.
Ben waited expectantly, wondering if Chad was actually going to try to take credit for the anonymous donation. Jordan tried to convince Ben that Chad really was responsible, but Kate interrupted, suggestively observing that it seemed painfully obvious that Jordan had used persuasion to solicit money from Chad. "Chad DiMera is not the anonymous donor -- my father is," a fed-up Ben finally blurted out, stunning Jordan.
Will closed his laptop as Sonny's keys rattled in the apartment door lock. Sonny entered and greeted Will with a quick kiss on the cheek. "Wow. Finally. We are in the same room together. I thought that you'd been avoiding me because of New Year's Eve. Sonny, I'm -- I'm really sorry that I did not make it home in time for midnight," Will began. Sonny remained silent, so Will forged ahead. "Sonny, can we talk? There is something that I need to tell you," Will admitted.
"Will, there's something I have to tell you first. I lost everything. The Southside club totally tanked; I ran out of cash before I could finish it, before I could recoup the money I borrowed from our accounts. It's all gone. The new club, and basically all of our money, is -- is -- it's gone," Sonny regretfully revealed. Meanwhile, Will's phone started ringing. Sonny begged Will to let the call go to voicemail, but when Will realized who the caller was, he apologetically stressed that he couldn't do that. "I have to finish my article, Sonny. Now, more than ever, I need to work for us...don't I?" Will pointed out.
Sadly conceding the point, Sonny excused himself, explaining to Will that he was going to check on their daughter. After Sonny entered Arianna's bedroom, Will answered the call. "I made up my mind -- I'll do it. ... I can't lie about myself my entire life. Might as well tell the whole world about me at once, right?" Paul told Will.
In the Horton living room after going to the theater, Jennifer and Hope complained about the movie that Kayla had raved about. When Jennifer stated that she loved the book they were reading in book club, she then worried aloud that Kayla might hate the book. Hope said she had not started reading the book. With a chuckle, Jennifer suggested that they turn book club into a wine club. Hope declined to be part of an incarnation of the club because she was avoiding Kayla.
Hope updated Jennifer on her tension with Kayla, and Hope explained Aiden's side of the story. Hope said that she loved Aiden and trusted him completely. When Hope added that she felt guilty about her happiness, Jennifer joked that she had been there before and understood how Hope felt. Hope said she prayed for Bo's safety and that she loved and supported him, but she added that she was still angry with and disappointed in Bo. Shaking her head, Hope wondered aloud how Bo could choose work over his family.
In Horton Square, J.J. thought of when he had first met Paige while walking past the café. As J.J. turned to walk away, he ran into Eve. Eve begged J.J. to talk to her privately. J.J. flat-out refused to talk with Eve at her apartment, but he reluctantly agreed to meet with Eve in the park.
Once alone in the park, Eve informed J.J. that Jennifer had confronted her about J.J.'s breakup with Paige. J.J. was defensive, so Eve reminded him that she had not forced J.J. to sleep with her. Frustrated, J.J. commented that Eve deserved to lose Paige. Eve called J.J. selfish for entertaining the idea of telling Paige that he had slept with Eve. With a sigh, J.J. promised not to tell anyone, including Jennifer, that he'd had sex with Eve.
Still nervous that J.J. had let something slip to Jennifer, Eve walked to the Horton house to find out what Jennifer knew about the breakup. Under the guise of delivering papers signing over the rights to Jack's book, Eve knocked on the front door. Jennifer was dismayed to see Eve, and she dismissed Eve's excuse for the visit. Caught, Eve admitted that she wanted to talk about J.J. and Paige's breakup. Eve said that she did not know why the two had broken up, but she hated to see Paige suffer a broken heart because of J.J.
Jennifer told Eve that she had no idea why J.J. had broken things off with Paige. Relieved to see that Jennifer was in the dark about Eve's tryst with J.J., Eve asked Jennifer to keep J.J. away from Paige. Jennifer suggested that she and Eve should stay out of their children's lives and let them work things out.
When Eve pushed again to keep J.J. away, a suspicious Jennifer asked Eve why she wanted to make J.J. the bad guy. "You don't know him! You don't have a clue about that boy or what he does!" Eve shouted defensively.
In the student union at Salem University, a morose Paige sat on the couch and stared sullenly at a textbook. Marybeth sat on the couch next to Paige and asked her about her holiday break. Paige told Marybeth about her breakup with J.J. and how he had slept with someone else because he had believed she would not return from Los Angeles. As Paige wondered aloud who the woman could be, she saw Bev walking down the staircase. Paige gritted her teeth. Marybeth told Paige that it was unlikely that J.J. would sleep with Bev.
Bev cheerfully asked Paige about her holiday break. When Paige growled that J.J. had told her about Bev's vacation, a chipper Bev whipped out her cell phone and showed Paige photos of her cruise. Bev added that she had returned the previous night. After wishing the women well, Bev scampered down the hallway.
Marybeth wanted to chase after Bev and ask her if she had slept with J.J., but Paige said no. Paige confided that she was worried about Bev's answer. Shaking her head, Marybeth walked away. Paige thought about moments in her relationship with J.J. With a sigh, Paige turned her head and spotted J.J. standing by the bulletin board across the room. Paige eagerly approached J.J. and asked him why he was at school.
J.J. admitted that he was dropping his music in film class. Paige's face fell as she noted that the music class was the only class they had together. J.J. said that he thought they should avoid one another. As J.J. walked away, Paige chased after him and stopped him at the door. Paige demanded to know why J.J. had slept with another woman. J.J. said he had not known whether Paige was returning to Salem. Paige said that she deserved the truth and that she did not believe J.J. was telling her the whole story.
In the park, Aiden called Bree on the phone and yelled at her for gossiping about him. Aiden added that because the gossip had gotten back to Hope, he no longer had any choice. Worried, Bree asked Aiden what he planned to do. "Do I really need to spell it out for you?" Aiden yelled before hanging up the call. Aiden made another phone call to someone and asked them to "proceed with the arrangements."
Aiden walked to the town square to pick up his son, Chase. When Chase asked his father whether they could visit the beach house, Aiden broke the news that they could never return home because he was selling the house. Chase was upset. When Chase saw Hope walking through the square, he focused his frustration on her and accused her of being the reason his father was selling the beach house. Chase accused Hope of attempting to erase his mother and replace her.
Aiden swore that Hope did not know about the sale of the house. Hope assured Chase that she did not want to replace Chase's mother. Hope added that she wanted Chase to remember his mother. Aiden ordered Chase to sit on a bench and calm down while he talked to Hope. As Hope and Aiden stepped aside to talk, Hope asked Aiden what had happened. Worked up, Aiden yelled, "That's none of your damn business!"
At the Kiriakis mansion, Clyde arrived to chat with Victor per Victor's request. An angry Victor threatened that Clyde would regret infringing on his trucking business turf in Salem. Clyde suggested that the business needed "new blood." Victor called Clyde delusional and out of his league. With narrowed eyes, Clyde said that Victor's customers were no longer satisfied with Victor's services. Clyde suggested that Victor hand over all of his "unsavory" holdings to him. Clyde then yelled that it was the last time he would answer a summons from Victor.
In the hospital by the nurses' station, two reporters pressed Chad to admit that he was the anonymous donor. When Chad opened his mouth to speak, an angry Ben jumped in and warned Chad not to take credit for the donation that Clyde had made. Jordan's jaw dropped open. Devastated, Jordan asked Abigail and Ben why they had not told her the truth if they had known that Clyde was the donor. Overwhelmed, Jordan ran down the hallway with Chad, Ben, and Abigail in pursuit.
In the hospital lounge, Chad consoled Jordan. Chad said that he had not known Clyde was the donor. Ben and Abigail rushed into the room and apologized to Jordan. Jordan was furious with Ben because he knew how she felt about Clyde. Ben said he was sorry and that he truly believed Clyde had wanted to help Jordan. Abigail added that she had been worried about obtaining the necessary funding for Jordan's program and that she had believed the anonymity of the donation would mean that Jordan would not feel beholden to Clyde.
Shaking her head, Jordan stated that she believed Clyde had orchestrated the situation and had wanted the truth to be made public. Anne walked into the lounge and urged the group to return for the press conference so the stories from the conference would be about more than just the donor. After Anne left, Chad offered to donate the necessary funding, but Jordan declined, citing Kate's comments about Jordan's connection to Chad. Abigail urged Jordan to forge ahead with the program to help people.
Jordan, Chad, Abigail, and Ben returned to the press conference. When a reporter asked about the program, Jordan fell silent, unable to speak. Abigail stepped in and explained about the services the program would provide to senior citizens in the community. When the press conference ended, Jordan asked Abigail to talk in the lounge. After the women walked away, Chad yelled at Ben for almost ruining Jordan's program because of Ben's hatred for him.
Chad then walked across the waiting area and confronted Kate about what she knew. Kate said she had not known that Clyde had been the anonymous donor. Kate added that if she had known Clyde was the donor, she would have discouraged him from giving any money to a program run by Jordan as it was doomed to failure. Chad accused Kate of maneuvering Ben to reveal the name of the donor to the press.
In the lounge, Jordan told Abigail that Clyde's involvement had tainted her program. As Ben joined them in the room, Abigail noted that Clyde had made her and Ben sign an agreement not to tell the name of the donor. With tears in her eyes, Jordan said she was upset that Ben thought it had been worse for her to believe Chad was the anonymous donor rather than her abusive stepfather who had beaten her younger brother and ruined their lives. Jordan added that she was happy the program was moving forward, but she was disappointed in Ben.
Still fuming, Jordan left the hospital and marched over to Clyde's hotel room to confront him. Jordan accused Clyde of attempting to manipulate her life. As Jordan yelled at Clyde, he grabbed her by the throat and mouth and threw her onto the bed. With one hand covering Jordan's mouth to quiet her, Clyde growled, "I've had enough of you, Tammy Sue. It's time we got a few things straight."
At Salem University, Paige demanded to know whom J.J. had slept with. She guessed that J.J. was refusing to tell her because it was someone she knew. J.J. maintained there was no point in discussing it because he and Paige were done, but Paige kept after him. J.J. reminded her that when she'd gone to California, she'd told him that he was never going to see her again. He'd offered to visit her, but she had told him to forget about them. "So I went out and did what millions of guys before me have done. Big shocker," J.J. said. Paige was incredulous that J.J. seemed to be blaming her.
Paige contended that J.J. wasn't like other guys. J.J. reminded her that ever since they'd met, people had continually warned her what a bad guy he was. As J.J. started to walk away, Paige protested, "You told me you loved me." J.J. admitted callously, "Yeah, I know. But I don't. The truth is I really don't need you in my face right now. You're kinda starting to bore me." Paige slapped him. "You go to hell, J.J.," Paige hissed as she stormed off.
In the Horton living room, Eve maintained that Jennifer had no clue who J.J. was. Fed up with Eve's insinuations, Jennifer demanded, "You need to clue me in right now!" Eve tried to escape without further discussion, but Jennifer pressed the issue. Eve reminded Jennifer about J.J.'s past crimes and misdeeds. Jennifer defended her son and argued that all of those things were in J.J.'s past -- and everyone could see that except Eve, who had done nothing but try to ruin his life since he'd first started dating Paige.
Jennifer accused Eve of doing something to break up Paige and J.J. Jennifer vowed not to give up until she found out just what Eve had done. Eve shouted that she knew "for a fact" that J.J. was the same bad boy he'd always been. She asserted that Paige hadn't started lying to Eve until she'd started hanging around with J.J. On her way out the door, Eve paused to remark spitefully that she'd always assumed Jack had been responsible for making J.J. who he was, but she'd since realized that Jennifer was to blame. "God, I hope you're proud of yourself," Eve spat.
When J.J. arrived back at the house, Jennifer asked if he wanted to talk about what had happened with Paige, since he'd been keeping everything bottled up inside. J.J. claimed that he'd realized Jennifer had been right that there would be a lot of girls in his life, and he didn't want to tie himself down. Jennifer didn't buy his explanation for a second. She reassured J.J. that he could confide in her about anything, and she would try to help him. "I am the one person who will always be on your side," Jennifer promised.
Eve found Paige weeping on a park bench and asked if she were crying about J.J. Although Paige initially didn't want to talk, after some gentle prodding and reassurances from Eve, Paige finally threw her arms around her mom. Paige cried, "I don't understand him! I don't know what happened." Eve did her best to comfort her daughter. Once the sobs subsided a little, Paige explained that J.J. had been very mean, almost as if he'd become a different person.
Eve noted that was just how boys were sometimes. Paige complained that she'd believed J.J. had loved her just a short while earlier, wondering aloud, "But you don't do what he did to people you love, right?" She clarified that while she had been in Los Angeles, J.J. had slept with someone else. Eve fought to hide her astonishment -- especially when Paige added, "He slept with someone I know."
Outside Horton Square, Rafe expressed his gratitude to Marlena for taking the time to visit Gabi. Marlena asserted that Gabi -- like Rafe -- was family. Marlena added that Gabi was afraid Rafe would leave town, since he was no longer on the police force, and Gabi wouldn't get to see him anymore. Rafe said that he would never move far away while Gabi was still in prison, but he pointed out that there was nothing left in Salem for him.
Marlena found it hard to believe that Rafe had no prospects. Rafe admitted that he'd gotten an offer to run Victor's new nightclub. Marlena didn't think it was a terrible idea because it would allow Rafe to make a good living while staying in Salem near Gabi.
While John and Abe were having coffee at the Brady Pub, Abe offered Rafe's former position on the police force to John. Taken aback, John pointed out that it had been years since he'd been a cop. "John, this is another chance to do the kind of work you thrive on, work you love," Abe asserted. Before heading out, Abe urged John to think it over.
Marlena joined John a little later, and he filled her in on Abe's offer. John admitted that he had actually been thinking about slowing down to enjoy life more and asked if Marlena had been thinking the same thing. After mulling over the options John had hinted at, Marlena declared with a sly grin, "I think I'd rather chew glass. And I think you feel the same way." John admitted that he should have just asked Marlena what she thought of Abe's offer. Marlena asserted that John had always been happiest when he'd been helping people. Kissing Marlena's hand, John said that she was a beautiful woman who never failed to "amaze and fascinate" him.
In Horton Square, Hope apologized for intruding and walked away after Aiden snapped at her for offering an alternative to selling his house on Puget Sound. Once Chase had gone to the toy store with a friend, Aiden approached Hope and apologized for the way he'd spoken to her. Hope regretted how Aiden always felt he had to explain himself to her. Aiden acknowledged that the situation with the house was "kind of a mess," but it had been on the market for a while, although Chase didn't know that.
"Since when?" Hope asked. "Since you," Aiden replied. Aiden explained that he'd kept the beach house because Chase had a lot of happy memories of it, but it was where Aiden's wife had died, and he no longer wanted to be trapped by his past. Aiden added that he had worried what sort of message it would send to Hope if he'd kept the house. Hope was touched that Aiden had been concerned about her feelings, but she didn't want him to get rid of the house on her account, not if Chase loved it.
Aiden believed that selling the house would be better for Chase in the long run -- and it would be better for Aiden and Hope, as well. After assuring Hope that he loved her, he urged her to trust him about selling the house. Hope got a text message from Abe and had to go, but before she left, she thanked Aiden for the explanation.
When Chase returned from the toy store, Aiden chided his son for the way he'd treated Hope. Chase apologized and agreed to apologize to Hope, as well, but he really didn't want his dad to sell the house. Aiden emphasized that he had already made up his mind. Chase was worried because some of his mom's things were still at the house, but Aiden assured Chase that they would have everything sent to Salem. Aiden acknowledged that Chase was hurting but promised that they would make a great life in Salem. "I made [this decision] because I think it's the best thing for you. You believe that, don't you?" Aiden asked. "No," Chase replied.
Hope met Abe in the park and noted that having John back would be great for morale. Abe observed that Hope had been a bit quiet and offered to listen if she wanted to share. Hope explained that she'd been seeing Aiden Jennings, whom she'd really grown to like and who was very serious about their relationship, and she had begun to realize just how different Aiden and Bo were. She continued that Bo had never been really forthcoming with information, but she could tell that Aiden was trying to be completely honest with her -- although it seemed as if there were a lot more to the story.
In a waiting room at the hospital, Ben asserted that Jordan would never forgive him for not telling her that Clyde had been the anonymous donor. Abigail believed that Jordan would eventually forgive Ben, despite her feelings for Clyde. Anne entered and asked where Jordan was, because Anne had some concerns about the project. Abigail sent Jordan a text message so the three of them could meet. After Ben left for the club, Anne said that she'd looked all over for Jordan, who also wasn't returning Anne's messages.
When Jordan hadn't returned any messages a while later, Abigail offered to address Anne's concerns. Anne explained that she was worried that the project could end up costing the hospital because of the way Abigail and Jordan had set things up for future donations. Without even having to refer to the prospectus, Abigail directed Anne to the places in the document about that issue.
Anne grudgingly admitted that the prospectus covered the problem, although she noted that it had been written in "legalese." Abigail suggested rewriting those sections so they weren't confusing. "Okay, well, who knows? Maybe the three of us will be able to work together, after all," Anne conceded on her way out.
Rafe went to Club TBD to look for Sonny, but Ben said Sonny wasn't around. Ben expressed condolences to Rafe for losing his job, noting a bit sourly that as a result, Rafe could no longer go after Chad. Ben explained that Jordan had enough to deal with and didn't need someone like Chad in her life, as well. Rafe believed that Jordan was too smart not to see through Chad.
A little later, Ben asked how Rafe knew about Victor's new club. With a shrug, Rafe admitted he had too much time on his hands. As he headed out, Rafe asked Ben to share any useful information he might learn about Chad. "Just because I'm off the police force doesn't mean I'm going to stop keeping an eye on the guy," Rafe added.
When Abigail arrived a little while later, she was surprised and worried to learn that Ben still hadn't heard from Jordan, either.
As Rafe walked home, he called Victor and asked if the offer were still on the table. "Okay, then, I'm in," Rafe declared, explaining, "Because as much as I might like to leave town, Gabi needs me here." He asked when Victor planned to open the new club.
When Jordan arrived at Clyde's hotel room and accused him of trying to manipulate her with the donation, he grabbed her and shoved her onto the bed, his hand clamped over her mouth. "That's enough out of you, Tammy Sue! It's time you and I got a few things straight! I am done taking crap from you and everyone else in this damn town," Clyde snarled. While Jordan struggled to get free, Clyde growled that nothing he did to make things right was good enough for her -- unlike Ben, who had been "coming around."
Jordan finally managed to bite Clyde's hand. Yelping, he swung his other hand back to strike her with it, but Jordan didn't even flinch. "Go ahead, Clyde. Show me what a big man you are," Jordan dared him. Clyde walked away and poured himself a drink instead. Jordan noted that Marlena Evans would deserve a Nobel Prize if she could figure out what was going on in Clyde's twisted brain. Clyde argued that Dr. Evans had been helping him -- for example, he had refrained from hitting Jordan just then. Jordan was underwhelmed.
Clyde protested, "You march in here and call me the devil. All I did was give you what you wanted!" Jordan argued that she didn't want anything from Clyde. Clyde maintained that Jordan had always wanted to help people, and he had only wanted to help Jordan succeed at that. Clyde blamed his lawyer for blabbing that Clyde was the source of the donation. Jordan revealed that Ben had actually been the one who'd told her -- and she believed that Clyde's plan all along had been for her to find out.
Clyde pointed out that he'd gained nothing out of Jordan learning about his donation because she still hated him -- although he was glad that Ben was a little proud of Clyde. Incredulous, Jordan wondered how Clyde's writing one check would erase Ben's memories of the beatings and verbal abuse. "If I'm so evil, how come I've spent all these years covering for you?" Clyde asked. Jordan insisted that what had happened to her mother had been an accident.
In a taunting voice, Clyde reminded Jordan that she had hated him and had started hating her mama, too, for refusing to leave him. Clyde continued that Jordan's mama had died the same day she'd shared some news with Jordan. A tearful Jordan claimed she had no idea what Clyde was talking about, but he grabbed her by the arm and suggested that she let herself remember everything about that day.
Accusing Clyde of making things up, Jordan tried to flee, but Clyde restrained her against the wall and forced her to listen to his allegation: "You not only killed your own mama -- she was pregnant. That's what she told you, and that's what made you do what you did. You killed the baby she was carrying, and you knew you were doing it. You killed your own mama, and you killed our baby boy right along with her!"
At the DiMera mansion, Chad accused Kate of putting on an act with the pointed questions she had asked about the anonymous donor during the earlier press conference at the hospital. "[I did that] to protect the hospital [from] that do-gooder scheme that's the brainchild -- and I'm using the word 'brain' advisedly -- of those two airheads who could barely run a hairdryer together," Kate dismissively replied.
"Enough! I want you to stop bothering and putting down Jordan, or I promise you, I will make you regret it," Chad snapped. Kate observed that Chad was morphing into his father in some ways but was still clueless in the romance department. Chad insisted that Kate had no idea who he really was.
"Really? So, tell me, how many women were there between Abigail and Jordan?" Kate pointedly asked. Chad remained silent. "I rest my case. Jordan is playing you like a walleyed pike, and the rest of us can just sit back and watch as she reels you in," Kate concluded before walking away.
At Club TBD, Ben chastised himself for agreeing to go along with Clyde's plan to anonymously donate to Jordan's charity project in the first place. Abigail assured Ben that Jordan would eventually find a way to accept Clyde's involvement in the project. "Are you serious, Abigail? What the hell is wrong with you?" Ben snapped. Ben insisted that Jordan had a right to be upset because life with his father had been harder on her than on him.
Abigail maintained that Jordan would forgive Ben after realizing that Clyde was simply making genuine efforts to right past wrongs -- not just with the charity donation but also with Ben's college tuition money. Ben remained skeptical, and he rushed off after suddenly thinking of a place Jordan could have gone after leaving the hospital earlier.
Jordan refused to believe Clyde's claim about her mother -- until he violently pressured her into remembering that she had been en route to a doctor's office at the time of the accident that had taken her mother's life. Clyde wondered why Jordan's mother -- who hadn't been sick at the time -- would have needed to see a doctor. "Because of the baby. Because of the baby," Jordan tearfully realized.
Jordan sank to the floor as she continued to sob. Clyde poured a shot of whiskey and practically ordered Jordan to drink it. "That's right -- [your mother] wanted to go to the doctor 'cause of the baby. She was carrying my baby, and you knew that meant she wouldn't leave me like you wanted her to, and that's why you did it. ... They told me, you know -- it was a little boy. Your baby brother," Clyde confirmed.
Jordan tearfully maintained that the crash had to have been an accident. "Now, after the crash, even though I lost my wife and my child, I got you out of there, and I protected you 'cause I knew your brother was gonna need you more than ever. As for what happened after that, I've told you how sorry I am, how much I regret that...and one day, I will have to answer to my maker for what I did. But for now, you will treat me with more respect. I got a chance with Ben. You do anything to mess that up, I will tell him everything -- how you climbed behind the wheel of that truck and deliberately killed his mama and his baby brother," Clyde warned Jordan.
After Jordan gulped down a second shot of whiskey, Clyde told her to pull herself together and leave. Clyde argued that it had been time to make Jordan remember the truth because it wasn't healthy for her to continue to lie to herself about what had happened. As Jordan headed out of the hotel room -- still in tears -- Ben arrived and demanded to know what Clyde had done to her.
Clyde innocently offered to let Jordan explain. Jordan claimed that she'd had a pretty intense confrontation with Clyde about his donation but had ultimately decided not to fight it, since it was going to help a lot of people, and that was all that really mattered. Jordan apologized for the way she had snapped at Ben earlier, and as she hugged him, she shot Clyde an icy glare.
Jordan left after Ben informed her that Abigail had been looking for her, but Clyde asked Ben to stay for a few more minutes. Clyde apologized for getting his son stuck in the middle of the mess between him and Jordan. Ben said he was okay with everything as long as Jordan was. Changing the subject, Clyde pointed out that Ben's first semester of college would be starting the following day. Ben admitted that he was really looking forward to it. Ben started to excuse himself so he could get back to work, but when Clyde opened the door to show Ben out, Kate was standing in the hallway.
Kate claimed that she had wanted to apologize to Clyde for inadvertently getting his cover blown earlier. Clyde assured Kate that it wasn't a big deal, since everything had worked out in the end. Ben somewhat suspiciously agreed before leaving. After closing the door behind Ben, Clyde passionately kissed Kate and praised her earlier performance at the hospital.
Clyde wished he could be a fly on the wall when Victor read the story about the donation. Kate wondered why Clyde cared about Victor's opinion. Clyde shrugged and innocently replied that he had simply gotten the impression that Victor didn't like him, and he speculated that Victor was perhaps jealous of Clyde's involvement with Kate.
Chad found Abigail in a hospital break room while looking for Jordan. Abigail blamed Chad for the way Jordan had been blindsided earlier, but he insisted that he hadn't led Jordan to believe he was the anonymous donor. Chad said he hadn't even known Jordan had believed that until the press conference, and he added that if Abigail wanted to blame someone for what had happened, she needed to talk to her boyfriend.
Abigail said she had already tried to talk to Ben but hadn't had much luck because he was upset with her -- and he had every right to be, since she was the one who had convinced him to go along with Clyde's plan to keep the donation anonymous. Chad insisted that Abigail couldn't blame herself for what had happened. "What's important is getting this project up and running and making it a success, and if Ben is gonna stay mad at you, then -- well, then, you know what? He's just a fool who doesn't appreciate how good he has it with someone like you," Chad argued.
As Abigail thanked Chad, Jordan arrived and apologized for how she had acted earlier. Chad left so Jordan and Abigail could get back to work on their project. Jordan pretended to be okay while Abigail was filling her in on Anne's earlier complaints about their project, but her tough exterior faded away as soon as Abigail went to make copies of some paperwork.
Daniel entered his apartment just in time to hear Melanie confirming a date with someone she was talking to on the phone. Daniel questioned Melanie after she ended the call, but she innocently claimed that she had simply been talking to a friend. After Melanie retreated to her bedroom to get ready, Daniel contacted Brady and declared that they had a problem that needed to be dealt with.
Brady nervously feigned ignorance, so Daniel explained that he had just realized he had loaned his mountain bike to Brady the previous year -- and had never gotten it back. Relieved, Brady apologetically admitted that he had placed it in his garage and forgotten about it. Daniel wanted the bike back so he could use it the following day, so Brady reluctantly agreed to return it right away.
After ending the call, Brady sent a text message to Melanie to warn her about what had just happened. When Melanie emerged from her bedroom, Daniel commented on the dress she was wearing, but she insisted that she had only chosen it because all her jeans were dirty. Melanie pointed out to Daniel that her cell phone was laying on the table, and she reminded him that he was supposed to be installing a needed software update for her. Brady arrived while Daniel had Melanie's phone in hand. When Brady realized that Melanie was surprised to see him, he quickly assessed the situation and struck up a conversation with Daniel as a distraction.
Daniel set aside Melanie's phone, and she casually grabbed it as he and Brady talked about the bike. Changing the subject, Daniel pointed out to Brady that Melanie looked amazing, adding that she was headed out on a date with someone but was being mysterious about it. Melanie awkwardly excused herself and rushed off. Daniel invited Brady to stick around for a while, but Brady claimed that he had a meeting to attend.
At the Horton house, J.J. admitted to Jennifer that he had hooked up with someone while Paige had been in Los Angeles. J.J. added that he had told Paige about the fling because he believed she had a right to know the truth. Jennifer understood why J.J. was upset with himself, and she wondered if the woman he had slept with was someone he cared about. "Care about? Are -- are -- are you kidding me? Mom, I hate her guts," J.J. declared.
Jennifer encouraged J.J. to talk to her about what had happened, predicting that it might make him feel better. Before J.J. could respond, Maggie arrived to see Jennifer, since it had been a while since they had last talked. J.J. seized the opportunity to make a hasty exit, but Jennifer followed him outside and begged him not to leave.
"Mom, I love you, and I know you care about me, but guys don't talk to their moms about stuff like this, okay? It's just -- it's weird," J.J. declared. Jennifer disagreed and insisted that she could help J.J. if he would just talk to her. Jennifer wanted to know if J.J. had at least used protection. "Oh, God -- Mom! No, that's not the problem!" J.J. protested with a cringe of disgust. Jennifer wondered if that meant J.J. hadn't used protection.
"I -- I -- I can't talk about this. I gotta get outta here," J.J. muttered before walking away, ignoring Jennifer's attempt to stop him. When Jennifer reentered the house, Maggie observed that her timing had obviously been bad. Maggie wondered if J.J. was all right, and Jennifer shook her head as she worriedly replied that he definitely wasn't.
Maggie optimistically suggested that J.J. might be in a different frame of mind when he returned home later -- and that Jennifer might be able to try to talk to him again at that time, perhaps with better luck. Jennifer stressed that she appreciated Maggie's advice, even if she wasn't able to be specific with Maggie about what was going on. After Maggie left, Jennifer vowed to figure out a way to help J.J.
Daniel asked Maggie to meet him at his apartment so he could talk to her about his relationship with Nicole, since he didn't want Maggie to be blindsided when he showed up with Nicole at the opening of Victor's new club later that night. Maggie had reservations but stressed that she just wanted Daniel to be happy. Daniel assured Maggie that he was -- and that he had his eyes wide open.
After Maggie left, Daniel received a phone call from Jennifer, who wanted to talk to him in person about J.J. "There's just something going on with him, and, uh, I don't think that I can help him the way you can," Jennifer explained. Daniel assured Jennifer that he would do anything for J.J., and they arranged to meet sometime the following day to continue the discussion.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady and Melanie laughed about how awkward things had been with Daniel earlier. Brady had felt especially uncomfortable when Daniel had bragged about how Melanie looked in her dress. Brady admitted that he had wanted to say things about Melanie's appearance that simply weren't supposed to be said about a woman in front of her father, but he also felt guilty because he didn't want to keep things from Daniel.
Brady wondered if he and Melanie were crazy for even considering pursuing a romantic relationship with each other. Melanie admitted that she had been about to ask Brady the same question. Unable to think of any answers, Brady and Melanie spontaneously decided to just leave the mansion and do something together. As Brady and Melanie stood to leave, Maggie entered the room -- and gasped when she saw them kissing.
Eve worriedly asked Paige to tell her everything J.J. had said about the woman he had slept with. Paige explained that, while J.J. hadn't supplied her with a name, he had been unable to hide his guilt when she had guessed that he had slept with someone she knew. "Whoever she was, she had to have known how I felt about J.J. -- everybody knows. And she went ahead and slept with him, anyway. Who would do something like that, Mom? Who?" Paige tearfully wondered. Eve advised Paige to stop worrying about who J.J. had slept with and instead focus on the good news -- she had dodged a bullet thanks to J.J. revealing his true colors fairly early on.
Paige wondered how she would ever be able to stop the pain of J.J.'s betrayal -- especially since everything in Salem seemed to remind her of him. Eve suggested that she and Paige could move back to Los Angeles that very night -- perhaps even in time for Paige to finish her freshman year of college at Stanford. Paige revealed that it was too late for that, since Stanford's winter semester had already started earlier that month.
Paige added that she hadn't done anything wrong, so she wasn't going to let J.J. make her feel like she had to run away. Paige decided she needed to go for a walk to clear her head, and she rushed off after declining Eve's offer to join her. Fuming, Eve grabbed her cell phone and furiously typed out a message before storming off.
J.J. reluctantly met with Eve in the park after receiving her text message. Eve lashed out at J.J. for failing to warn her that he had told Paige he had slept with someone else. J.J. insisted that he didn't owe Eve anything, but she countered that he owed Paige. J.J. explained that he had simply been trying to destroy his relationship with Paige for good -- which was what Eve had been pressuring him to do all along.
Eve complained that she hadn't wanted J.J. to accomplish that task in a way that left Paige determined to figure out who had slept with him. J.J. predicted that Paige would eventually drop the matter, since he was the last person on earth she wanted to think about at that time because he had made her hate him. Eve hoped J.J. was right, since she was certain the truth would destroy Paige if it were ever revealed.
Daphne met Paige at the Brady Pub and wondered how she was doing. Paige opened up about the scene she had made at Salem University earlier, guessing that Daphne hadn't heard about it yet. Daphne suggested that it might be best for Paige to try to just forget about J.J. Paige admitted that her mother had given her the same advice.
Paige said J.J. had been practically the best thing that had ever happened to her. Paige reasoned that J.J. had only cheated on her because she had told him she would be staying in Los Angeles permanently. "He thought he'd lost me. That's when some little bitch got to him. I'm gonna find out who she is if it's the last thing I ever do -- and I'm gonna make her as miserable as she's made me," Paige vowed.
In the Kiriakis living room, Melanie and Brady kissed passionately until a startled Maggie saw them and gasped. Melanie and Brady stammered nervously, and Melanie explained that she and Brady were friends, but that was in flux. Maggie asked to talk to Brady alone. Melanie reluctantly left the room but stood in the hallway and listened through the closed door.
Maggie told Brady that she was worried about him as his sponsor because it was too soon in his recovery to start a new relationship. Brady stressed that he would be responsible. Nervous, Melanie rushed into the living room and added that she and Brady would be responsible.
"How could you think I would ever do something to hurt him?" Melanie asked. Melanie asked Maggie if she was the one Maggie did not trust. With a sigh, Maggie asked Brady to let her talk to Melanie alone. Brady went into the hallway and closed the door behind him. Maggie muttered to herself that she had known something was off between Melanie and Brady on New Year's Eve. Melanie said she and Brady had thought the attraction would pass, but it had not. Melanie added that she wanted to figure out what was between her and Brady.
Melanie explained that she and Brady had a strong friendship, and they believed they could build a strong relationship. Maggie shared her concern that Melanie had not witnessed what had happened to Brady in the past year.
"What if we're good for one another and we make each other happy? Do you walk away from that because the timing is weird?" Melanie asked. Maggie was unsure. Proving her point, Melanie reminded Maggie that when she had started seeing Victor, Mickey had just died. When Maggie asked, "What if it's not love?" Brady walked back into the room. "Then at least we know where we'll stand," Brady interrupted.
With a sigh, Maggie commented that neither Melanie nor Brady respected a closed door. Melanie said that she understood that she and Brady had a history of lousy decisions, but they wanted to explore their feelings. Maggie nodded. Melanie asked Maggie to keep the relationship a secret from Victor and Daniel for the moment. Maggie agreed. Maggie suggested that Melanie and Brady keep their meetings to daylight hours so they kept their wits about them.
After Maggie left, Melanie giggled, and she and Brady joked that they felt like teenagers. Melanie and Brady agreed to meet during daylight hours then shook hands goodbye. With a coy smile, Melanie slowly walked away, staring at Brady the whole way.
At Sonny and Will's apartment, Sonny and Will prepared to go out for the evening for work obligations. When Adrienne failed to respond to a text message about babysitting Arianna, Will texted Lucas. Lucas arrived and excitedly scooped up his granddaughter. Will left to meet with the subject of his article. When Lucas raised an eyebrow and commented on the number of interviews Will had done with his subject, Sonny countered that Will was dedicated to doing his job well. Sonny thanked Lucas and left for Club TBD.
Adrienne arrived after running an errand for Victor. Lucas agreed to co-babysit Arianna with Adrienne. When Adrienne realized that Arianna needed a diaper change, she joked that Lucas was the main babysitter. After changing Arianna's diaper, Lucas and Adrienne talked about the photo book that she had sent to Justin. Adrienne said that Justin had admitted that he had not looked at the book but had commented that the book was bulky. Lucas told Adrienne that her gift had been thoughtful and a great idea.
As they chatted, Lucas informed Adrienne that he had run into Paul Narita in the town square. When Lucas asked Adrienne if she knew who Paul was, Adrienne nodded quietly. Lucas wondered aloud why Paul would be in Salem. Adrienne murmured that Paul might just be passing through town. When Lucas got up to get Arianna's dinner, he wondered aloud what team Paul might join. Adrienne whispered to Arianna, "Grandma A knows what team Paul plays for already."
After putting Arianna to bed, Lucas told Adrienne that she did not need to hang around. With a smile, Adrienne said she wanted to stay in case Arianna woke up and needed to be snuggled. Noticing a score sheet for cribbage, Adrienne laughed and joked that their boys were turning into old men. Lucas challenged Adrienne to a game, and Adrienne accepted.
At Club TBD, T commented to Sonny that the club had no business because of Victor's new place. Sonny assured T that business would be fine because Victor's place was only open at night, and Club TBD was open day and night. T asked about Will, and Sonny said that Will had been busy working on his article. T was relieved to know that Will was not just blowing him off but was actually too busy to text him. When T asked about Victor's club, Sonny admitted that Victor had offered Sonny the club, but Sonny had turned him down.
After closing the club, Sonny returned home and was surprised that Will had not beaten him home. Lucas said goodnight and left.
Will met with Paul at an office. When Paul smiled knowingly, Will explained that he had wanted to keep their meeting professional and focused because the story was a big deal and could help people. Paul worried aloud that it would rile up the haters who would just call him a "fag." With a frown, Will asked Paul if that was what he thought of himself. Nervous, Paul asked Will to tell his story about coming out. Will told Paul the story of how he had almost gone to prison because he had not wanted to explain that his alibi was that he had been at a gay men's club.
Paul chuckled then his smile faded. Paul asked Will what had prompted him to go to the club for the first time. Will explained that he had realized it was the life he had wanted. Will added that a man had helped him and supported him in making the decision to come out as a gay man. Nodding, Paul commented that the man had to have been special. Paul said that he had once had someone like that in his life, who had encouraged him to be who he was in his heart.
Paul said that he had pushed his man away. When Will asked about Paul's family, Paul grew agitated. Will asked again, and Paul ended the interview. Paul said he had changed his mind and did not want to come out in Will's article. Paul left, and Will chased after him.
In Daniel's apartment, Nicole's phone rang with a call from her anonymous tipster that had called about Serena. While Daniel showered in the other room, Nicole listened as the anonymous caller said that he had juicy gossip about Serena. When the caller asked Nicole if she was interested in the information, she sighed. Nicole thought about her conversation with Daniel when he had said he would break things off if she did anything to show that she was not over Eric.
Nicole joined Daniel in the shower. With a grin, Daniel asked Nicole if she still wanted to go to Victor's club. "Eventually," Nicole joked. Daniel asked about who had called, and Nicole admitted that an informant had called her with "a hot tip." Nicole said she had declined the offer of information. Suspicious, Daniel asked why. Nicole explained that the story was not worth the trouble. With a grin, Nicole added that the only story she was interested in was Daniel.
In Serena's apartment, Serena and Eric kissed. As the kissing grew more heated, Serena began to undress Eric. With a jolt, Eric pulled back and asked Serena to slow down. Serena nodded. As Eric turned, he knocked over the envelope of materials that Serena had kept in her safe. Eric leaned to pick up the contents of the envelope off of the floor when Serena swooped in and asked Eric not to look at the papers. Serena added that the materials were confidential and part of her story. With a shrug, Eric said he would not understand the medical contents anyway.
Changing the subject, Serena mentioned a new phone app she had downloaded that showed where to find local hotspots. Serena suggested that they give the app a whirl and go out for the night. With a smile, Eric opened the door and ushered Serena out for a night on the town.
At Victor's new club, Theresa and Anne arrived and eagerly looked around the room for eligible bachelors. While Anne fetched drinks at the bar, Theresa hit on Rafe, and she introduced herself. Noting Theresa's last name, Rafe told Theresa that her father had saved his life when they had been in prison together. Realizing that Rafe was Sami's ex, Theresa groaned. Anne returned with the drinks, and Rafe excused himself to attend to a matter at the bar. Anne informed Theresa that she had seen Rafe strip once, but Theresa was no longer interested.
Eric arrived at the club with Serena and talked to Rafe out front about his new job at the club. While Eric went to get drinks, Serena informed Rafe that she and Eric were old friends. At the bar, Theresa accidentally hit on Eric. When he turned around, she was mortified. Theresa said that she had been joking. Eric commented that Theresa looked better than when he had seen her at the hospital. Uncomfortable, Theresa said she was fine.
Eric bought her a drink and invited her to join him and Serena. Theresa said she would join them in a moment. As Eric left to find Serena, Theresa gulped her drink and marched over to Anne, who was dancing alone in the corner. Theresa growled that she either knew every guy in the club, or she was related to them. Theresa dragged Anne out of the club and over to the town square.
Annoyed, Anne complained over a cup of coffee that Theresa was a buzzkill. Anne posited that Theresa was still hung up on Brady, but Theresa stressed that she was over Brady. Theresa complained that there were no options for dating in Salem. As Theresa rolled her eyes, she spotted a cute, leather-clad man across the square. The man and Theresa smiled at one another. When Theresa said she wanted to meet the guy, Anne suggested that Theresa could meet the guy while she returned to the club.
After Anne left, Theresa walked over to the man, and he introduced himself as Clint. With a smirk, Clint told Theresa that she was too pretty to be alone.
Back at the new club, Dan arrived with Nicole and said hello to Rafe at the front door. Daniel realized he had left his phone in the car and ran off to retrieve it. Nicole went in the club with Rafe to get a drink at the bar. With a smile, Rafe asked Nicole if she was dating Daniel. Nicole nodded with a goofy grin on her face. Work interrupted and Rafe left to deal with a situation in the back.
Nicole picked up her drink and attempted to navigate the dance floor. Halfway across the room, a man bumped into Nicole, causing her to spill her drink on Serena. Serena yelled that Nicole had poured the drink on her on purpose. Nicole claimed that she had been bumped, but Serena did not believe her and violently bumped her as she walked past.
Furious, Nicole called Serena a bitch and told her she had made a mistake. Nicole pushed Serena then Serena shoved Nicole so hard that she fell backward onto her butt. Outside, Daniel ran into Eric at the door. Daniel and Eric chatted until they both realized that Nicole and Serena were both inside the club. Panicked, the men ran inside.
