Days Transcript Monday, January 6, 2025

Days of Our Lives Transcript

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Transcript provided by Suzanne and Thane

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

[tense music]

[phone ringing]

[phone line trilling]

[phone ringing]

[Rafe straining softly]

[phone ringing]

[sighs] Good morning, Counselor. Or should I call you Madam DA?

Look, EJ, we didn’t really get much of a chance to talk last night, and–

Oh, you mean when you dropped that bombshell that you stole my job? What else is there to say?

[sighs] Happy New Year, Leonardo. Yet another one spent all by your lonesome. No zaddies, no silver foxes.

[inhales deeply] No French twinks named Maxime blowing plumes of smoke out of a slightly open window saying…

[French accent]

“Cheri,zees was merveilleux, but I must head back to Marseilles.”

[sighs]

[normally] Well, at least I’m not hungover. Although maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

[soft suspenseful music]

[notification chimes]

Oh, no. “Good morning, dear readers, Lady Whistleblower here, “AKA–ha! “Almost had you there, didn’t I? “That’s one scoop you’ll never hear from me. “And by the by, my sources tell me “the mystery of my identity “is driving ‘Body & Soul’ head writer, Leo Stark– “well, Stark raving mad. “I wonder what could be in store for Mr. Stark “in the New Year? “In 2024, he lost his man. In 2025, will he lose his job, too?”

[sighs]

You know, I usually don’t steal shampoos and conditioners unless I’m checking out of a fancy hotel. But consider this payment, prima, for making me hand-wash your car three times this week.

[notification chimes]

[chuckles] The Lady Whistleblower’s latest. “All the hot goss, ‘Body & Soul’ edition.”

[chuckles]

[phone ringing]

[soft upbeat music]

Hello.

Chanel. Hey, I–I, uh… wasn’t sure you’d answer.

Why wouldn’t I answer? Oh, I know because I don’t have anything to say to you.

[phone beeps]

[soft somber music]

You, on the other hand…

Me?

Oh, yes. I have plenty to say to you. You, who pretended to be my friend, who lied to me for months, and ruined my marriage. How the hell do you live with yourself?

[soft orchestration]

announcer: Like sands through the hourglass, so are the “Days of Our Lives.”

[soft somber music]

Johnny, I wasn’t expecting to see you today.

Yeah, well, you just missed Abe. He, uh, he had the same thought.

Oh, well, in any case, happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

Mm. I had the worst case of writer’s block this morning. But rather than stare into the abyss of that blank screen, I decided to eat a quart of butter pecan ice cream, binge-watch however many seasons there were of “30 Rock,” after which I came across Lady You-Know-Who’s latest column.

[Leo sighs and groans] Which lit quite a fire under my tush. So I thought I would vacate to a quiet locale where I could write a new and very brilliant storyline, one that that shady bitch had better not spoil.

Well, uh, you know, if you want me to get out of your hair–

No, no, no. Actually, I just had a germ of an idea that I would love to run past you.

OK, shoot.

Picture this: Regan and Faith are trapped together in some cave. It’s–it’s weird, it’s kind of gross, they are thirsty, they’re hallucinating, their mental faculties are slipping away while they both fight to get back to, drum roll, please, the man they both love. What do you think?

Not going to work. Definitely not.

[quirky dramatic music]

[soft somber music]

So I assume Johnny told you about–

Oh, yes, he did.

OK. Then you know that we didn’t–

Actually sleep together? Yeah, yeah, that’s what he said.

It’s the truth. Chanel, I swear he stopped it before anything could actually happen. You know why? Because he loves you. Like crazy. So–

[sighs] Do you think there’s any way you could possibly forgive him?

[tense music]

EJ, I just want you to know that I did not pursue this position. Jada asked me to take it.

You didn’t have to say yes.

No, I didn’t.

But who am I to judge? You don’t owe me your allegiance. The mayor, on the other hand, and the police commissioner– well, the word “betrayal” comes to mind.

Maybe you should look at this another way.

What other way? Those women conspired against me.

Nobody conspired against you, EJ, OK? Mayor Price was just making a change, that’s it. And you know what? You’re going to land on your feet like you always do. So maybe you should just accept the situation with a little bit of grace and forget about all the revenge and retribution.

Revenge and retribution? Me?

[tense music]

Tell me, Belle, what could I possibly do to the mayor or to Jada Hunter?

[phone ringing]

[phone line trilling]

Come on, pick up.

[suspenseful music]

[phone ringing]

Hello? Rafe?

[muffled shouting]

You don’t think it’s going to work? Come on! Two rivals stuck together, nose-to-nose, dying to pull each other’s hair out.

Joy and Chanel aren’t gonna do it.

What? Why not?

[quirky suspenseful music]

Because of me.

OK, first of all, it is none of your damn business whether or not I forgive Johnny.

No, it’s not. But I care about you both. And look, the only reason any of this even happened was because of the misunderstanding between you and Alex–

“Misunderstanding.” Is that what Johnny’s calling it now?

You know the only reason he ended up back in my room that night–

Is because he was an idiot. He should have known that there was no way that I would ever be unfaithful to him. He should have had faith in me and in our relationship. And if there was any kind of misunderstanding, then he should have come to me and asked me about it.

But he wanted–

But he didn’t behave like a sane adult. Instead, he decided that the best way to tend to his bruised ego would be to hop in a bed with another woman and then lie to me about it over and over again, just like you did!

[somber music]

Oh, Mom.

Hello, my darling. Happy New Year.

[chuckles] Look at you. I just got up, and you’ve already done a full-body workout.

I have. Well, in fact, I’ve got a new trainer, and she’s got me doing the, the HIIT, H-I-I-T training.

Ah, well, very impressive. So how was last night? Did you watch the ball drop?

Have you met me?

[Belle chuckles] I was in bed by 10:30. How was your New Year?

It was good. I was at the DiMeras’.

Really? Why?

Oh, Johnny and Chanel, they just threw a little impromptu gathering.

Huh? And I wasn’t invited?

[Belle chuckles] What?

Be glad you weren’t. It was a very strange, little party.

Oh. Sit by me. Tell me everything.

Oh, well, they first ran out of food, and then the host just disappeared. And then, of course, for me, it was very awkward, but.

Oh, because of EJ?

Uh, yes, but not for the reason you think. Paulina fired him yesterday and gave me his job.

[tense music]

[muffled shouting]

Here, I brought you–

– Hello?

Rafe, tell me where you are.

[phone beeps] Rafe? Hello?

Damn. Must have fallen out of my pocket when I dragged you down here. It looks like I got here just in time. Oh, and happy New Year to you, too. I would have been down here sooner, but Johnny and Chanel threw a last-minute New Year’s Eve party. Catered by Brady Pub, unfortunately. And Arnold ate all the appetizers, so I’m afraid you’re going to have to settle for eggs and toast. Not a fan? Well, don’t look at me like that. If there’s one person you should be directing your ire at, it’s Arnold Feniger. If he hadn’t taken it upon himself to, like, tell you absolutely everything I didn’t want you to hear, then I wouldn’t have had to drag you down here in the first place.

[Rafe snarls] Oh, just OK, enough. Enough, enough with the theatrics, all right? It’s meal time.

Now, there’s no point in screaming because no one’s going to be able to hear you. OK? Open up. Here we go.

Help! Help me! Somebody help me!

[EJ sighs] Please!

Happy New Year,

mi amor.

Same to you.

Mm. This is going to be our year. I can feel it. I am off to the gym, but feel free to try some of my famous pancakes.

Thanks.

Hey, is everything OK?

I hope so. Rafe is away on a case for Black Patch.

Really? But I thought that you were with him last night for New Year’s Eve.

I was. But then suddenly, this case came up and he had to leave. Anyway, I just tried calling him right now, and it sounded like he picked up. But he didn’t say anything. It was just like these muffled sounds. It almost sounded like humming. And then the call just dropped.

Well, maybe you had a bad connection. Why don’t you try calling him again?

Good idea.

– This is Rafe Fernandez.

I can’t get to my–

Damn, now it’s going straight to voicemail.

[sighs]

Why weren’t you up-front with me from the beginning, Joy? I mean, I–I–I befriended you. I invited you into my home. I tried to look out for you. And you know why? Because I know what it’s like to be the new girl in town, to have a mom who thinks that all you ever do is screw up.

I didn’t ask you to look out for me. Chanel, you have been so kind to me. And I appreciate that more than you even know. But I just–

What? So you just thought it would be easier to keep lying to my face than to admit that you climbed into bed with my husband?

No, that’s not– I didn’t–I didn’t lie to you.

No? Well, you sure as hell didn’t tell me the truth. God. You even–you let me keep inviting you over.

You wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Yeah, and you came up with a million and one excuses. And now I know why.

Chanel.

[laughing] I don’t–I don’t–

You let me make a fool of myself over and over again.

[soft somber music]

Chanel, I’m sorry.

No, you’re not. You’re only sorry that you were found out. You know what Johnny told me? He told me that you were afraid that you were going to lose your job at “Body & Soul,” that poor Joy feared that she, aww, she wouldn’t be on TV anymore. So to protect your job, you betrayed a friend. That says a lot about your character.

You hooked up with Joy?

Look, Leo, I’m only telling you this because it’s already kind of out there. And I think you should know that Faith and Regan together in an enclosed space is–

That would be like two gladiators circling each other in the Roman Colosseum, the sexy but somewhat inbred emperor looking on in amazement. OK, OK, Johnny, look, I get it. And I don’t mean to pry. OK, of course, I mean to pry. But how could this have happened? You and Chanel are the epitome of a happy couple.

I don’t know. You know, I thought so, too. This thing with Joy, it happened before she was cast. Before I even knew who she was. When I stupidly thought that Chanel was cheating on me with Alex.

So you only slept with Joy that one time then?

Well, actually, I didn’t– didn’t sleep with her. I stopped it before it got that far.

Oh, so you didn’t– there was no– well, then, is it technically even cheating?

Doesn’t matter. All right? I was half-naked with some other woman on top of a bed and then I lied about it for weeks to Chanel. When she found out last night, she was livid. She walked out. If I–if I had just, I don’t know, talked to her instead of accusing her of something she didn’t even do, I don’t know–

[sighs] Yeah. I understand how that can happen.

You do?

Yeah, the same thing just happened to me.

Rafe, honey, call me when you get this, OK? I love you.

Girl, we have to do something about the perturbed expression on that beautiful face of yours. I’m sure Rafael is fine.

I just wish I could talk to him.

You will. He’ll call soon. You’ll see.

Mm.

So how are the wedding plans coming?

They’re coming along, actually. Rafe and I decided to get married on his birthday.

Stop!

Mm-hmm.

Wait, isn’t that at the end of the month? It’s so soon.

Yeah. Well, you know, we’ve both been married before, so we just figured we’d throw something together… modest, you know?

Did she just say modest?

Mm-hmm.

Jada, sweetie, in our culture, a wedding is an excuse to wear the biggest veil and the biggest train and party for days.

[chuckles] You can’t just slap something together. That’s why you need a fun-loving visionary to step in.

[chuckles] Thanks, Javi, but really–

No, please. Just let Javi take care of it. And you told me that you had a not-so-good experience in your last marriage, so this time, you’re going to get it right from the jump.

Javi, really–

No, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.

Rafael is my

primo, and you will soon be my… prima-in-law or whatever.

[laughter] And I know how busy you are being commish and he’s doing his PI thing, so fear not. With me at the helm, you will not have to lift a finger.

[tense music]

[Jada chuckles]

Help me! Help!

[EJ sighs]

[Rafe sighs]

Are you through? I told you you’re wasting your breath.

Then why bother gagging me if no one could hear me, EJ?

Well, failsafe for one, as well as the, you know, psychological factor.

You son of a bitch. Untie me. Now!

I can’t do that. You know too much.

Why? Because… I know that you faked Arnold Feniger’s death, that you shipped him out of the country before he could testify against you?

[sighs] Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but yes. Look, I had no idea the man was just going to show up in Salem. I was trying to get rid of him when you snuck into my home after I expressly told you to leave. Had you listened to me, I would have paid this Feniger fellow off to go crawl back under his rock. But when I walked in and found you knocked out, I had no other choice but to stash you down here.

You are blaming this on me? It’s my fault that you had to kidnap me?

You trespassed onto my property.

Oh, you are making a big mistake, DiMera. Need I remind you that my fiancée is the police commissioner? I’m sure she’s searching for me as we speak.

Actually, I know that she isn’t.

So you’re the–

The new DA, yep.

[laughter]

Oh, that’s wonderful news. I’m so pleased. I’m so happy. And not just because it’s well-deserved and a great accomplishment, but because it means you’ll– well, you’ll be in Salem for a lot longer now. But–

But?

It does mean that, um– Honey, how is EJ taking it?

Oh, well–

[chuckles] Yeah, things are going to be uncomfortable between us more so than they already are. But at least, I won’t be bumping into him every day.

[Belle chuckles]

Yeah. Well, that’s good news. The other news is that you’ll be seeing a lot of Shawn.

Yes, that’s true. And we have talked about it. And although he was very supportive, yeah, I’m worried about working in such close proximity with him. I mean, when we split up, I thought we were going to be on different continents. I didn’t think I was going to see his face every single day.

[knock at door] I’ll get it.

Oh.

[Belle clears throat]

[soft dramatic music]

Hey.

[soft suspenseful music]

Uh, may I?

Oh, of course.

[chuckles]

Happy New Year, Shawn. It’s nice to see you.

It’s nice to see you, too, Marlena. I’m sorry for dropping in on New Year’s Day, but the reason why I’m here is– well, I know that you haven’t officially started doing a job yet. But I’m pretty sure that when you show up at the office tomorrow, you are going to have a stack of cases on your desk. And if I know you, I know you’re going to want to hit the ground running.

What are these?

Just a few cases that EJ declined to prosecute. A slam dunk, open and shut. And I think you need to revisit them.

Wow, that is amazing. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Yeah, well, I appreciate having a DA that’s looking out for the good people of Salem. Not just himself.

Damn you, EJ. Jada has no idea I’m missing because you replaced me with Arnold. Just like you did last time, huh?

Ding, ding, ding.

You son of a bitch! You son of a bitch. I swear, if he lays a hand on her–

Oh, calm down. He’ll do no such thing. Though… he did briefly step in last night.

Last night? New Year’s? Oh, he didn’t.

Kiss her at midnight? Of course, he did. It’s de rigueur when the ball drops, as you well know, to kiss one’s date. But I intervened before anything further could happen.

I swear I could kill you both with my bare hands. Where’s Feniger now?

[sighs] I’ve dispatched him to a motel to lie low while I clean up this mess.

Wait a minute. If he is lying low, where does Jada think that I am now?

She thinks you’re attending to an urgent matter for Black Patch.

What about when she talks to Steve and finds out that it’s all a bunch of BS?

She won’t.

Oh, yeah? Are you sure about that? Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you don’t have that many options. I mean, you can’t keep me down here forever, EJ.

Mm, I don’t know. I could set up an air conditioning unit down here, and it could make for quite the, uh, cozy summer getaway.

[suspenseful music]

OK, I’ll tell you what. I will make you a deal.

Ooh, a deal.

Yeah, I deal. You and I… you and I can work together to take down Feniger. And we will take him down for good this time.

Aw, that is so kind of you, Javi.

Well, you are going to be family. And especially since you’re going to be wearing my mom’s ring, we’re not having some half-assed ceremony.

You know, I still feel a little self-conscious, you know, having your mom’s ring.

Well, stop it. I already told you it looks amazing on you. Besides, it wouldn’t fit on my future fiancé’s finger. If I ever have one.

Oh, come on. You don’t want to get married?

I obviously love weddings. I’m just starting to feel like it isn’t in the cards for me.

Mm.

But aren’t you– aren’t you seeing that one guy? Uh, Kerry? What’s his last name?

Youmans.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, and he’s great. He’s gorgeous and successful. He’s a real family man, too. I spent the holidays with them and everything.

But?

I’m not sure if he’s the one.

– So you accuse this Javi of being Lady Whistleblower and it turns out that he’s not?

Yes, and now the real– well, the imposter Lady Whistleblower is still out there typing away on her keyboard, torturing me. Meanwhile, Javi wants nothing to do with me.

Sorry. It sucks.

Yeah, it does.

[Leo sighs]

I assume you’ve tried saying sorry?

Have I tried saying– I have been groveling up a storm, Johnny, but he does not want to accept my apology. No way, no how. It’s all moot now anyway because he’s seeing somebody else. Not that that’s going to happen to you and Chanel.

[Johnny sighs]

Honestly, man, in this moment, I’m not very optimistic.

Chanel, will you listen to me, please. It wasn’t just about the job.

No? Then what was it about?

Well… nobody knew me here except as Nancy Wesley’s daughter or Chloe Lane’s sister. I didn’t want my first impression to be happy home-wrecker. And my mother would have absolutely killed me, for one thing, so.

[somber music]

[Chanel sighs]

I have definitely done my share of stupid things.

But I thought I was your friend. And that is not how you treat a friend.

No. No, it’s not. And that makes it so much worse. I–I really like you, Chanel. And I think you’re a great person. If I had known Johnny was your husband, none of this would have–

But you knew he was married. And that didn’t stop you?

You’re right.

[chuckles] I knew that he was somebody’s husband, and… that’s why there’s no excuse for what I did.

Honestly, maybe it’s not even too late to–

Never mind.

What, too late to what? Say it.

To take the money that Johnny’s dad offered me so that I would leave town.

EJ did what?

EJ knew about this, too?

Chanel, he didn’t know.

Enough with the lies. My father-in-law, he tried to bribe you. He offered you a big, fat check so that you could leave town, didn’t he?

[soft somber music]

I should have gone.

I wish you never came in the first place!

Me, too. Chanel, I am so sorry.

Yeah, you know, you know, everybody, they keep saying that, and somehow, it doesn’t make it feel any better. My advice to you, take the money and pretend like this conversation never happened. You are not a good person, Joy. And I hope I never see you again.

[tense music]

– Johnny, come on. Chanel is going to forgive you eventually. She loves you.

I don’t know, Leo.

I do. And look, until you guys work things out, you know, nice bottle of wine, some good make-up sex, all that fun stuff, I will do my best to keep Chanel and Joy apart as best I can.

Thank you. Seriously, thank you. And I’m sorry if that means you got to, you know, come up with a new story.

Uh, new story.

[Leo inhales deeply] Mm, new story, new story, new story. Oh, boy. Ugh. Ugh. You know what? I am going to need a more serious infusion of caffeine to make that happen. Would you like anything from the coffee cart?

No, I’m good. Thanks.

All right. Hang in there, yeah?

Yeah, you too.

[somber music]

[sighs]

So what makes you say that Kerry might not be the one?

I don’t know. I mean, is anyone really the one? Maybe I’m just in a bad mood because I had a lame New Year’s Eve and I just need to get my endorphins flowing. Oh, God. I hope I don’t run into Leo at the gym.

Look, I know Rafe and Gabi are not Leo’s biggest fans, and he’s not my favorite person, either.

He sure as hell not mine either.

[scoffs] I don’t know what I ever saw in him. What? I was only into him for, like, a second.

[soft dramatic music]

OK, fine, I was smitten. And yes, I thought that we were compatible. Until he ruined it.

He did apologize, though. No?

It’s just– it’s too little, too late. We are done-zo for good. Definitely for good.

So how come you’re working the holiday?

Well, Jada offered to give me the day off, but I had nothing to do, so I volunteered.

Mm. Well, I see that one of these is your collar, so I promise I’ll do everything I can to make the charges stick.

I trust you’ll make us both look good. Well, I’ve intruded on your family time long enough, so, um, I should get going.

Shawn, I hope you know that you will always be part of our family.

Thank you for saying that, Marlena.

[somber music]

Well, I should go. Happy New Year, both of you.

You too.

[Belle sighs]

Oh, my goodness. Let me just say that you both handled that very well, very professional.

Thank you.

I’m proud of you.

Thank you.

And it seems as though Shawn is pleased that you’ll be the new DA.

I think it’s more that he’s relieved that EJ isn’t, but.

I think a lot of people will feel that way.

Except for EJ.

[laughs]

Honey, you’re going to be a great DA. And I, I am– I’m sure that you will give EJ a wide berth.

Oh, I know how to handle EJ. I know him pretty well.

I know you do.

OK, you don’t have to remind me that I’ve had a little thing with him in the past or that Sami wanted to murder me because of it. None of that is going to happen again.

I just want you to be careful.

I will. I promise.

[tense music]

Think about it, EJ. You don’t want this Feniger guy around either, right? So you and I, we can work together to put him away.

EJ, I promise you, I will not say anything about your part in this. All I want is to go home. To go home and to get this Feniger son of a bitch off of the streets. EJ, you have my word. And my word means something. You can trust me.

[EJ sighs]

[EJ pats hands]

[inhales deeply] Maybe I can trust you, but I can’t trust Feniger.

Oh, my god.

Even if you keep my name out of it, you think he will? Your fiancée has already gotten me fired.

Wait, what?

[sighs] Jada somehow convinced Mayor Price to replace me with Belle. So I have my doubts that Jada won’t take the first opportunity to put yours truly away.

No, EJ, she will not say anything. Really, I–I will talk to her.

[laughs] Oh, OK. What are you going to say? “Darling, please, please do not put this man in jail. Pretty please, with sugar on top?” We both know that woman has a mind of her own.

EJ, I am telling you she won’t.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But you’re going to have to stay put until I can figure out exactly what I’m to do with you. Now, in the meantime, I am sure that you are absolutely famished.

[EJ clears throat] So.. here comes the aeroplane.

[EJ imitating airplane] Come on.

[somber music]

Hey. Hey, Chanel. I–

I know that I said earlier that I have nothing to say to you, but I realized I do have something to say to you.

Of course. What is it?

I quit.

Joy. Hello. You are just the person I was hoping to run into. I wanted to give you a heads-up about some pink pages coming your way for tomorrow’s show.

Pink pages?

Yeah, I had to write you out of a couple of scenes. The ones with Chanel, to be precise.

Great, so I guess that means that you–

Heard what happened? Yep. Johnny filled me in. It’s too bad that we can’t, you know, harness that animus on screen.

Leo, you don’t think this is going to end up in Lady Whistleblower’s column, do you?

Oh.

[sputters] No, not if I have anything to say about it.

In other words, yes.

[Rafe grunts]

[tense music]

[Rafe sighs]

Rafe, honey,