At the penthouse, Eric showed off baby Jude to his parents. "Watching this interaction between your little boy and you, it's just so clear that you are connected. I mean, just so close," John said. "We are. I couldn't love this guy more if he were my own flesh and blood," Eric confirmed. John told Eric he was a great father, and Eric noted that he had three great role models. "Mom, Dad, and you," Eric said. John beamed.
Marlena pointed out that Jude had Eric's smile, and she noted that there were studies that had found that adopted children picked up the mannerisms and expressions of their adoptive parents. "I can see it, too," John said. John asked about Eric's financial issues, but Eric noted that things were under control.
"We just had to make a little adjustment. But it's part of raising a kid, right?" Eric said. John asked Eric about the paper, and Eric said he was enjoying the work. Eric talked about his joint story with Nicole about the houseless in Salem. "And the two of you are working well together?" Marlena asked. Eric said yes. John asked how Sloan felt about the collaboration. "[Sloan] understood that I needed the job," Eric said. Marlena asked Eric if it was difficult to work closely with Nicole.
"You know we're always going to have a connection. But we're friends. And that's all," Eric said. With a nod, Marlena added that it was good that Eric had maintained his connection to Holly. Eric agreed.
After Eric left to meet up with Nicole, John told Marlena that he needed to review cases with Steve while she went to the office to meet up with a client. "I am so glad that you and Steve are back on good terms," Marlena said. "It's all thanks to you, Doc," John said.
At the DiMera mansion, Holly was working on homework in her room when Nicole entered and asked her to go out for tea. "I have too much studying to do," Holly said. When Nicole noted that studying could wait, Holly argued that she needed to prepare for a test. "You have time," Nicole said. Frustrated, Holly yelled, "Do you have any idea how far behind I am? I'm like totally stressed out!"
"Okay. So, you're stressed. Which is why you need to learn how to relax and balance your life," Nicole said. Nicole offered to have Marlena write a note for Holly. "No! I don't want Marlena to write me another note. I just want to be a normal kid who does normal things without her mother smothering her," Holly said. Nicole's smile disappeared.
"So, this isn't just about you needing to study, is it? You don't want to spend time with me, is that right?" Nicole asked. Holly rolled her eyes. Nicole asked Holly to be honest, because Holly's actions showed that she did not want to spend time with her mother. "All I said was I have to study," Holly said.
"I'm sorry if you feel like I'm smothering you," Nicole said. "I didn't say that I feel like you are. I said you are," Holly countered. Holly argued that it was unfair for Nicole to ask her to be a perfect student but not let her do normal high school things like go to prom or hang out with her friends. "I do want all those things for you. But that's not what this is about," Nicole said. Holly disagreed.
"You still don't trust me. And no matter how hard I try, Mom, nothing I do will ever be good enough for you," Holly argued. Nicole stressed that she was proud of Holly. "I'm just worried that you're pushing yourself too hard," Nicole said. Holly scowled. "And you want to know why I do that?" Holly asked. Holly told Nicole that she had not wanted to be the reason that one of Nicole's boyfriends walked away. Taken aback, Nicole said she was sorry to hear that Holly had felt that way.
"If I had known, I would have told you that you are my pride and joy. And that my relationships failing had nothing to do with you, okay?" Nicole said. Nicole suggested that Holly should drop a couple classes and move them to the summer. "So, you want to take away my summer from me now, too?" Holly asked. Nicole told Holly that she just wanted Holly to have options.
"I never had options," Nicole said. "And look at you now," Holly countered. Holly said she had pushed herself because she had not wanted to end up like her mother. Tears filled Nicole's eyes.
"Well, that was a very hurtful thing to say," Nicole whispered. "Yeah, well, I was being honest, that's all. The way you've lived your life is not how I want to live mine, okay?" Holly said. Nicole told Holly that she wanted a different path for Holly, too. "Maybe that's why I've been so strict with you, why I hover. Because I know that I would have had a different life if my childhood wasn't so screwed up," Nicole said. Nicole talked about the abuse in her childhood.
"I just want you to understand that nobody was there for me, not the way that I needed," Nicole said. "That's really sad, Mom, but you trying to control my life, it's not the same as being there for me," Holly countered. Nicole argued that her goal was to keep Holly safe. When Nicole mentioned New Year's Eve, Holly grew agitated. "How many times are you gonna bring that up to justify ruining my life?" Holly yelled. Nicole appeared confused.
"I admit that I have made some bad choices in my life. And those choices not only hurt me, but they hurt you, as well. And honey, I regret that. I do. I regret it. And I know I haven't been consistent in my parenting. But the one thing I have been consistent with is how much I love you. Always and forever. And the one thing I want more for you in this world is to be happy and safe and to have a good life," Nicole pleaded. Holly said she wanted the same thing.
"Then we finally agree on something," Nicole said. A small smile flashed on Holly's face. Nicole asked what she could do to make things better between them. "For one thing, you can trust me more. Trust my judgment. And, Mom, you have to understand that getting good grades, it is important to me, but it's not enough. I want to have the whole high school experience," Holly said. As Nicole shook her head, Holly added that it would make her happy if she could go to the prom.
"You just said you wanted me to be happy, right?" Holly asked. Holly promised she would not get into any trouble. After a moment, Nicole said no. "It's not an option, honey, I'm sorry," Nicole said. Holly stammered, "No." Nicole argued that although she loved Holly, Holly had almost died, and she had not earned Nicole's trust back. "You love me so much you're keeping me a prisoner in this house!" Holly yelled. Holly told Nicole that she would rather be dead.
"Don't say that!" Nicole said. "All the babies you lost were lucky because they never had to deal with you as a mother! Did you ever just think that motherhood isn't your thing? Because you're not good at it. So, you should have never had kids in the first place!" Holly yelled. Nicole appeared stricken, but after a moment, she reached out to hug Holly. Holly turned away from Nicole. In tears, Nicole rushed out of the room.
In the DiMera living room, Stefan started to make another appeal to E.J. E.J. told Stefan that he did not believe the new evidence was useful. "But if you would just take a look at this new evidence, you would see that all of it points toward Gil being Li Shin's murderer and not my wife," Stefan argued. Stefan asked E.J. to reopen the case.
"I've already told you, I will not," E.J. stressed. When Stefan mentioned Rafe's interest in the case, E.J. scoffed. "The brother of the convicted killer. Brilliant, no conflict of interest there at all," E.J. joked. Stefan admitted that Rafe had a personal interest in setting Gabi free, but it did not mean Rafe was wrong about the new evidence. "All I'm asking is that you put your personal resentment aside and put your job and the law first," Stefan asked. E.J. walked out. "You're going to regret that, big brother," Stefan muttered.
A distraught Holly met up with Marlena in Marlena's office. "What's happened?" Marlena asked. "I'm a terrible person, Marlena. I just said some really horrible things to my mom, and now I hate myself," Holly said before she broke down in tears. Marlena hugged Holly. When Holly calmed down, she told Marlena about the fight.
"You must have been very angry," Marlena said. "Like that's an excuse?" Holly countered. Holly said that she did not understand why she had felt compelled to say such nasty things to her mother. "Things that I really don't mean. And God, I just feel so guilty afterwards," Holly said. Marlena explained that often people lashed out at loved ones. "It's because we know each other so well," Marlena said. Holly admitted that she wanted to apologize, but Nicole had not answered her phone. Marlena advised Holly to give Nicole time.
"You could write a letter. Put everything down and express what you're feeling and what you're going through. And then, when you see her next, you could read it to her. Or you could just give it to her," Marlena said. Holly was unsure, but Marlena told Holly to explain to Nicole that she had wanted to express her feelings in a calm and rational manner.
With a smile, Marlena said she had been involved in a number of similar conversations in her life, and she knew how Nicole felt. "She's frightened of losing you, darling," Marlena said. "That makes sense. My mother tries to control me because she's afraid of losing me like she did my baby brothers," Holly said. Marlena nodded yes, and she told Holly that she would need to work to help Nicole gain back her trust in Holly. "I get that now," Holly said.
In the DiMera living room, E.J. instructed an employee to buy more shares of Titan stock before the DiMera board meeting the next day. "I will soon be E.J. DiMera, permanent CEO of DiMera Enterprises," E.J. said with a chuckle.
Stefan marched into the mayor's office, and he dropped his folder of evidence on Paulina's desk. "I'd like to file a complaint," Stefan said. Paulina warned Stefan that he did not have the right to barge into her office without an appointment and make demands. Stefan explained that he had damning evidence against E.J. and that he knew about Paulina's political troubles.
"D.A. DiMera and I are indeed at odds," Paulina confirmed. "[E.J.] is refusing to reopen a murder case in which new evidence has come to light that would exonerate the convicted killer and free said killer from a lifelong prison sentence. Now, he is doing this to further his own ambitions and because he hates the person convicted of the crime," Stefan said. Stefan argued that E.J. was using his office to pursue a grudge. When Paulina agreed, Stefan disclosed that the convict was his wife, Gabi.
"I'd have to see all this new evidence," Paulina said. Stefan slid Rafe's folder across the desk to Paulina. Paulina reviewed the file. "This is compelling, but it hardly proves anything," Paulina said. Stefan asked Paulina to talk to the police commissioner. Paulina noted that the convict was the commissioner's sister and Stefan's wife.
"That is true, but it's also true that Gabi is innocent. Now, I understand that this case is not a slam dunk. But this evidence at least casts a reasonable doubt on that conviction. It needs to be investigated," Stefan said. Paulina asked Stefan if E.J. had refused to investigate, and he said yes. Stefan explained that E.J. was afraid that if Gabi were freed, she would return to take over the family company and mansion.
Stefan explained that E.J. wanted to make himself the permanent CEO of DiMera while he still retained the D.A. position. Paulina scoffed. "He knows the city bylaws don't allow that. And he didn't even think to clear it with me?" Paulina yelled. Paulina picked up her phone and called E.J. Paulina ordered E.J. to meet her in her office.
Outside the pub, Ava ran into Steve. Steve told Ava that he knew about Clyde's black book. "If Harris is involved in this, I'm willing to bet you are, too," Steve said. Ava played dumb. "I bet [Clyde's] been in touch with you to get that book back. Is that about right, Ava?" Steve asked. Ava told Steve that she did not know what he was talking about.
When Steve told Ava that he knew Stefan had found the book and taken it to the police, Ava warned Steve to stay out of the situation. "I wish I could. But thanks to you, I can't. Because John and I broke Weston out of prison. And if he gets caught, he's going to send us all down the river. We're all going to jail," Steve growled. Ava told Steve not to worry, because she was looking into a more permanent solution for Clyde Weston than prison.
"What exactly are you insinuating?" Steve asked. "I am not insinuating anything, Steve. I am telling you I agree with you. If Clyde gets captured, yeah, he is going to sell all of us out. You, me, and John. So, we need a way for that not to happen. A permanent solution to the Clyde situation," Ava whispered. Stefan called out Ava's name as he rounded the corner.
"Talk to you later," Steve said to Ava before he walked away. Ava asked Stefan about Gabi, and Stefan explained that E.J. had refused to reopen the case. "No surprise there," Ava said. "Something tells me that [E.J.'s] control over the situation might soon come to an abrupt halt," Stefan said. Stefan told Ava about his conversation with the mayor. "Did [Harris] have any luck setting the trap for Weston?" Stefan asked. Ava confirmed that things were in motion.
At Paulina's office, Paulina reminded E.J., "You work for me." E.J. asked what was so urgent, and Paulina asked E.J. why he had dismissed the new evidence in the Li Shin murder case. "So, my brother's gotten to you. I should have known," E.J. muttered. E.J. started to condescendingly explain that there was not enough evidence, but Paulina cut him off.
"I am tired of you using your office to further your private vendettas and aspirations. So, that is going to stop right now. And you are going to do as I instruct you to," Paulina said. "Or what?" E.J. asked with a smirk. Paulina told E.J. he was fired. E.J. laughed in disbelief. Paulina informed E.J. that he could not keep his job as a D.A. and moonlight as a CEO permanently.
When Nicole was late to meet Eric in the square for their story, he called her. A drunken Nicole answered her phone in the small bar off the square. "Are you okay? I've been waiting for you," Eric said. Nicole admitted she had lost track of time. When Eric arrived at the bar, he took one look at the empty shot glasses, and he started to help Nicole to her feet.
"Tell me all about it in the car," Eric said. "You're taking me home? That's so sweet," Nicole said. Eric threw Nicole's arm around his neck, and he said he would call E.J. Nicole said no, because E.J. was busy. A drunken Nicole stumbled around until Eric lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the bar.
At the penthouse, Steve told John that he had a lead on Clyde thanks to information he had learned from Jada. Steve then told John about the black book and the code. "If the ISA got a hold of this, they could be able to crack it," Steve said. John agreed.
"The other thing is, I ran into Ava outside the pub," Steve said. Steve told John that he believed that Ava knew where to find Clyde. "What the hell could Ava know?" John asked. Steve said he believed Clyde had been in touch with Ava. Steve noted that when Clyde was caught, he would rat them out. "We're just going to have to prepare ourselves for that consequence," John said.
At the DiMera mansion, E.J. stormed into his living room and poured a drink. "You will pay for this, Paulina," E.J. growled. Outside the house, Eric helped Nicole stumble up the front walkway. "I'm so sorry. We were supposed to work," Nicole said. "We can work tomorrow. Let's just get you inside," Eric said. Eric opened the front door and propped Nicole up at the foyer table.
"Thank you for taking such good care of me. You always do. You are the best person in the whole wide world!" Nicole said. Eric warned Nicole not to talk too loudly. Nicole called Eric her knight in shining armor, and she said she wanted to give him a goodnight kiss. As Eric protested, Nicole pulled him into a kiss. E.J. stood in the doorway of the living room, and he watched the two kiss.
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