DAYS OF OUR LIVES Ep. 35

Written by A. Washington-Beeby

Story Consultants: ML Cooks & C. Nathaniel Richardson

Ciara, Johnny and Chase walk together down the path toward the Brady Pub, Hope not far behind as they walk. Hope is on the phone to someone and stops near the door of the pub, as the kids talk a bit further away.

CHASE: My dad says that he fought a bear once and won.

JOHNNY: COOL!

Ciara looks at Chase, unimpressed.

CIARA: So? No one cares what lame fights your dad's in, Chase. I bet he made it up.

CHASE: Did not!

CIARA: Well did you SEE him fight the bear?

CHASE: Just cos I didn't see it doesn't mean it didn't happen!

CIARA: Then I don't believe you.

CHASE: Shut up!

Chase pushes Ciara, and Ciara pushes back, just as Hope notices and Aiden arrives. They both scuttle to stop the kids from fighting.

HOPE: Hey hey hey!

AIDEN: What's going on here?

CIARA: He pushed me.

CHASE: Did not!

CIARA: Did so.

Hope steps between the kids as they begin to grab for each other again.

HOPE: Okay, okay, enough! Ciara! Come into the pub with me, we're gonna have a talk, okay?

Ciara folds her arms and frowns in an almost melodramatic fashion.

CIARA: Fine.

Ciara stomps into the pub, closing the door behind her. Hope looks at Aiden with a knowing look of parental frustration, but Aiden is not appearing to understand. Holding his son against him as if to protect him, he shakes his head at Hope.

AIDEN: Why is it SO HARD for you to control your child?

Hope raises her eyebrow, upset by Aiden's accusation.

HOPE: Excuse me?

---

Theresa crosses her arms in frustration as Billie sits across from her at the table at Club TBD, unable to contain her disapproval at Theresa's relationship with Brady.

THERESA: Uh oh? What? What's wrong with Brady?

BILLIE: I mean....it's not that he's a bad guy. I've known him since he was a kid, he's a great guy but...Theresa, he's in a really bad place right now, and...having been an addict myself, I know what this could be for him right now, and I don't think it's healthy for either of you.

THERESA: Billie. Were fine. We have a lot of fun together and I let him take a lot of weight off his shoulders. Is that really such a big deal?

BILLIE: Honey, if he's using you as a distraction for his real problems, yeah. It's a huge deal.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og7-6YubuS4

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Will looks at Marlena with an unimpressed look as he stands in her office.

WILL: Grandma, come on. This isn't something to celebrate.

MARLENA: I know. I know, but...well, you know how much I love EJ DiMera.

WILL: Oh, I'm sure there's enough warmth there to heat our entire apartment block.

Marlena and Will laugh. Will puts his hand on Marlena's shoulder reassuringly.

WILL: I know you're just looking out for her. But I have a really strong feeling that, if they can get through this, they might just make it this time.

Marlena gives a half-hearted smile to Will. She stares at the ground a few seconds before looking to him. Will looks to her the entire time, wondering what she's pondering.

MARLENA: Will, I don't know if I've ever talked to you about this. But I think you need to hear it. Because I really don't think you truly understand my hesitation at your mother marrying EJ.

Will nods slowly, a bit confused as to what Marlena's leading to.

WILL: Okay. What do you mean?

MARLENA: Well...as your mom told you, EJ...he forced your mother to have...sex with him. And...

Marlena takes a moment and breathes. She fights back tears as she tries to muster the words. Will rubs his hand up and down Marlena's arm in sympathy. Marlena's fight slowly is lost as she recounts her story to Will.

MARLENA: I have been in her shoes before.

WILL: With EJ?

MARLENA: No, no. It was...so long ago. Before your mother was even born. I was engaged to a man named Kellam Chandler and...he raped me. And I...I just don't know if it's possible for any woman to be able to truly, completely trust and believe in that man after he does something like that to her. Now, your mother has been so strong for so long, and has really fought this feeling about EJ for a long time but...I think the realization of what EJ did to her...it's finally sunk in, Will. And if I'm being completely honest...I'm so glad for that, because now she can see that man for the evil, evil creature that he is.

Will, stunned by Marlena's story and her perceptions of Sami and EJ's relationship, leans in to hug his grandmother, so very much on his mind, he can only stare ahead, eyes wide open.

---

Jenn looks at Liam, confused and slightly hurt by his rejection of her evening plan.

JENNIFER: What do you mean?

LIAM: Jenn, I just have a lot of work to do tonight. I know you wanna help take my mind off it but..I've just been so distracted lately and I really need to finish this project for tomorrow. I hope you understand.

Jenn smiles as Liam speaks. She feels reassured and puts her hand on his shoulder in sympathy.

JENNIFER: Liam! It's okay. I understand. You shouldn't feel guilty for being dedicated to your job.

LIAM: I figured you'd understand. Look, we can always get together tomorrow night and I'll tell you how everything went. Okay?

JENNIFER: I'd like that.

LIAM: Alright. I'll see you later.

Liam kisses Jenn tightly on the lips. Jenn watches as Liam heads off for his car, a smile a mile wide across her face. As Liam takes off, she hears the phone ring. Jenn scuttles back into the house, closing the door behind her. She picks up the phone, and hears from her mother.

JENNIFER: (into phone) Hello?

...

Laura Horton sits at a desk in her office at a Portland clinic. She appears relaxed and content, wearing a huge smile as she begins to talk on her office phone to her daughter.

LAURA: Hi Darling. It's your mom.

...

JENNFER: Mom! How are you?

...

LAURA: I'm well, honey. I just wanted to call to let you know I'd be coming to town in a few days.

...

JENNIFER: Oh that's fantastic! Uh...where are you staying?

...

LAURA: I'll just be staying at the Salem Inn, it's just for a couple weeks while I work with a patient at the hospital. Marlena asked me to help her with it.

...

JENNIFER: Absolutely not, we'd love to have you stay with us at the house.

...

LAURA: Are you sure? I know it's a really busy place right now, and I wouldn't want to impose.

...

JENNIFER: Mom! Don't worry about it. I'll build a bed for you if I have to. Just...please come stay with us, will you?

...

LAURA: Alright, darling. Oh, and by the way...how is Abigail doing?

...

JENNIFER: She's actually doing much better, Mom. Apparently she's just started a new job today working for Countess Wilhelmina. I don't know how I feel about her working for the DiMeras though.

---

Sami, Abigail, and EJ stand in the hallway at the DiMera Building. EJ is shocked and upset after Sami's news. Abigail is also a bit uneasy, not having realized that she'd be working so closely with EJ in her new position.

EJ: Samantha, why didn't you consult me about this first?

SAMI: I didn't think it was a big deal. What, you don't want Abigail working here?

ABBY: I'm sure he doesn't. That's fine, EJ. If you'd rather I not take this job, I can always find another job.

EJ: No. No, Abigail. That's not what I meant. Look. Samantha. Can I have a word alone with Abigail for a minute? I just...I don't want her to misunderstand.

Sami looks at Abigail and EJ, feeling something is going on that she's unaware of. She lingers on their eyes. Both of them fixated on the other. Sami turns to EJ and hesitates before speaking.

SAMI: Sure. I'll be in my office. We can talk later.

Sami walks back into her office, before shutting the door, the turns back to Abigail.

SAMI: Oh! Abigail. Don't forget to head down to HR at 3:00 and pick up your new ID badge, okay?

ABBY: Okay, thanks Sami!

Sami closes the door to her office. No sooner has she done this than EJ has taken Abigail by the arm and dragged her into the adjacent board room. Abigail is surprised and tries in vain to fight EJ off, but he overpowers her. He lets go of her, and Abigail falls against the board room table.

ABBY: OW! What the Hell, EJ?

EJ: You're going to have to explain to me how you figured I wasn't working closely with Samantha at this company.

ABBY: I didn't think of it, okay? I figured you were busy working with Stefano. I didn't think I'd be working alongside you all the time.

EJ: Did you ever think of letting ME know before you accepted?

ABBY: Why would I do that? What business is my work to you, anyway?

EJ: It's my business because we have a secret between us that we need to protect, and the more we're together, the more difficult that will be.

Abby in tense as EJ is approaching her with anger every time he speaks. She tries in vain to back away, her legs pressed against the conference table.

ABBY: Well, we just have to make the best of it.

EJ: We absolutely do not, Abigail.

EJ turns away a minute, running his fingers through his hair with a pensive look across his face. He stops a second a turns to Abigail, a more subdued, inquisitive tone in his voice. He asks with less hostility:

EJ: You never told me what happened with your job at the hospital.

Abigail tenses again after relaxing a moment. She looks at the ground as if searching for somewhere to look away from EJ.

ABBY: It was nothing.

EJ: Oh ho ho, come on, little girl. You know, that's not it or you'd be fighting to get that job back right now. What happened?

Abigail doesn't speak, her mouth quivers as she tries to speak, but fails to come up with a good lie. EJ's anger rises, and he desperately lurches toward Abigail, grabbing her by the shoulders and shakes her, as if to loosen the words from her throat.

EJ: Tell me what happened, damn it! What happened at the hospital, Abigail!

ABBY: It was Anne! It was all Anne!

EJ stops, taking a step back. EJ is confused, barely knowing Anne.

EJ: Anne?

ABBY: Anne Milbauer. She heard everything. She forced me to quit or she'd...

EJ holds back from screaming, a great tension in his face turns away from Abigail, a burning rage in him he struggles to keep from letting out.

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