[gentle music]
Shawn, hey, I just got home from work.
Have you seen it out there?
The holiday is already lit, and the traffic is--
oh. You going out?
Yeah, with you.
♪ ♪
Oh, hello.
Hi, Mom.
Well, look at you.
[laughs] Happy Fourth.
Mm-hmm.
Now, something tells me this is not just about, I don't know,
going out to see the fireworks tonight.
Well, Chad is taking me to a pre-fixe
Founding Fathers dinner at Le Bistro.
[chuckles] - You look gorgeous.
Thank you.
I just hope it's fun for Chad, you know?
He's been a little bit sad that the kids
are with Jack and Jennifer for the summer break.
So I think he could use a little cheering up.
And I think you will be just what the doctor ordered.
♪ ♪
[relaxed acoustic music]
Lexie, hey.
- Chad, hey. - [laughs]
Oh. [sighs]
I see, uh--
see you're visiting Tom and Alice, huh?
Who are still watching over us in their namesake square.
Yeah.
You know, sadly, I never got to meet them,
but, uh, my late wife, Abigail,
she learned what it meant to be a Horton from them.
Passed that on to our kids.
- Such a beautiful family. - Yeah.
I don't know if I have told you enough how wonderful it is
to have you back in our lives.
I mean, seriously, you were truly the best of us.
Oh, Chad, that's what they say about you.
Abe and Theo go on about what a kind
and wonderful man you are. - That means a lot.
Not sure if I deserve it, but it means a lot.
Speaking of Theo, where is everybody?
I assume you guys are here for the fireworks, yeah?
We are, yes.
They went to the food truck to get us dinner.
But, um, Chad,
while it's just the two of us,
there's something I want to talk to you about.
♪ ♪
Mm.
So are you and Mom sticking around the square tonight?
Yeah.
Your mother wanted to see the fireworks.
Why?
I was kind of hoping you two were going to be
doing your own thing elsewhere.
Elsewhere? Why's that?
Because Johnny and Chanel are having
a birthday gathering for Trey.
And, of course, Paulina is invited.
And I wasn't.
[soft dramatic music]
OK, buddy.
[phone ringing]
Dad, hey.
[laughs] No, I'm just--
I was actually just wrapping some presents.
What?
What do you mean you can't make it?
It's Trey's first birthday.
[tense music]
What?
So it definitely is arsenic poisoning?
♪ ♪
[soft orchestration]
announcer: Like sands through the hourglass,
so are the "Days of Our Lives."
♪ ♪
What's, uh-- what's going on?
Is everything OK? - Everything's fine.
It's just, um,
I wanted to thank you
for being there for Theo in my absence.
Oh. Come on, no need to thank me.
You know, honestly, I think I got the better end
of the deal there. Theo is a good guy.
You know, I'm really proud of the man he's become.
I am so glad you two are close.
And promise me, Chad, that you'll stay close,
that you'll keep looking after him.
Of course. Always.
But Lexie where's this-- where's this coming from?
Is something wrong?
[relaxed acoustic music]
♪ ♪
It's not like you weren't invited.
I know how much you love Johnny and Chanel,
but, you know--
It would be awkward for Pauline, I get it.
I mean, it's hard for Mom, too.
They're both going through a lot right now.
Yes, yes.
Yes, they are. I--
You know, I just wish I had handled
the situation differently.
Yeah.
I know how hard it was for you to abide
by Mom's wishes to not contact Paulina.
Yeah, it was.
You know, Paulina and I, we had something--
we had something very special.
And I--I can't just turn off my feelings for her.
Mm-hmm.
I love Paulina too.
I know it's a lot harder for you,
which is--while I can have two moms, you--
I can only have one wife.
[soft dramatic music]
[laughs]
So how was your visit with Rachel?
Uh, it was good, except that she told me
something a little surprising.
Oh, yeah? What's that?
She said EJ had come to visit her.
Hmm. Well, that is surprising.
Did he go there for some specific reason?
Yes. Apparently he--
he told her that he forgave her for shooting him.
Oh, well, that's good, right?
Yeah. Oh, no.
It's--it's very good for Rachel's recovery.
Yeah. But what?
♪ ♪
We both know EJ doesn't do anything
without an ulterior motive.
♪ ♪
[sighs] My God, poor Holly.
Look, Dad, you have to tell 'em.
What? No, I can't do that.
What do you mean why?
Because it's going to be a little hard
to get away tonight.
Why can't you do it?
[tense music]
Look, I gotta go.
I'll--we'll talk later.
♪ ♪
Johnny, what's going on?
♪ ♪
Well, I know EJ's motives are often suspect.
Well, they're always suspect, but Rachel is his niece.
It's possible he just stopped by
to see how she was doing and show her that he cares.
I mean, the man almost lost his son recently.
You know, maybe that brought out a softer side.
Sure, I suppose that's possible.
All right, I gotta get going.
The maître d' at the Bistro gets very fussy
if you're more than a couple minutes late
for your reservation. - All righty.
Why don't I walk you out? - Walk me out?
Where are you going?
Uh, well, I'm gonna stop by Trey's birthday party.
And then I want to pop in and see somebody beforehand.
Oh, yeah? Just somebody?
Or do they have a name?
Yeah.
The name is a dear old friend.
[soft dramatic music]
OK, so you mean we're not just going
to be sitting on the couch having ice cream,
watching fireworks on the TV?
Why would we do that when we can
have a nice, wonderful dinner
and we can watch them in-person?
Oh, yeah?
Kind of like a--a date?
Um, not kind of like a date.
I'm thinking more like an actual date.
[gentle music]
Well, OK.
Give me five minutes, and I'm going to change
and freshen up. - All right.
Five minutes and counting.
[chuckles]
Well, you know, you don't think we have it
a little backwards?
I mean, we're living together, and now we're going on a date.
Yeah, it's about time.
I don't know.
You don't think it's a little weird?
Like, we have it, you know, the other way around.
All I know is that I have been looking forward
to wining and dining you, Ms. Hunter.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, and more importantly,
I want to thank you for everything
that you've done for me in my recovery.
Well, you really don't have to thank me.
It was all my pleasure, believe me.
♪ ♪
Oh, that's--that's nothing,
just, you know, some business stuff.
Nothing important.
But you were talking to your dad.
I thought he wasn't involved in your business anymore.
But--yeah, but, I mean, you know him.
He likes to keep a hand in everything.
Thinks he's the second coming of Rupert Murdoch or something.
Johnny, I can tell
when you're dancing around something.
So just be straight with me. Is there a problem?
No. No, not at all.
Just, uh, you know, there was a situation.
We had a disagreement on how to handle something.
But it's all good now, OK?
So I can now give my full attention to you
and our little birthday boy.
[tense music]
[sighs] Nothing's wrong.
It's just...
I told Theo I was so proud of him
for taking the lead at DiMera, and I am,
but I just want him
to keep listening to his better angels
while he's in the job.
Hey, you have nothing to worry about,
I promise you that.
Theo is always gonna do the right thing,
and I mean it.
[relaxed acoustic music]
I gotta run.
I'm meeting somebody, but I'll see you guys later.
- Happy Fourth. - Happy Fourth.
First of many more, right?
♪ ♪
I know I say this often, but it bears repeating--
you have got the most beautiful eyes.
Mm, well, you can keep saying that.
Matter of fact, I might just put you on record
so I can hear it whenever I want.
[laughter]
Uh-oh, don't look now,
but the famous on-camera smooching couple
has just entered the building. - Hmm?
[indistinct chatter]
[exhales sharply]
I thought I told you not to look.
Well, looks like Shawn and his caregiver are on a date.
- It make you uncomfortable? - No.
No, I'm glad that Shawn's moving on.
Look, honestly, I'm--
I'm glad that Belle is moving on.
I mean, she deserves to be happy.
And if she's gonna date a DiMera,
it's a lot better that she's dating the non-Bond villain.
[laughs] I assume you mean EJ.
Yeah, of course. I mean, who else?
Look, by all accounts Chad-- Chad is--
Chad's a mensch. He's a decent guy.
He's got a good heart.
And, you know, they both deserve to be happy.
And I'm pretty sure they probably feel
the same way about us.
Well, I guess we're about to find out.
[relaxed jazz music]
♪ ♪
[upbeat country tune]
Marlena.
- Roman, Happy Fourth of July. - Same to you.
Uh, table for two?
If you'll join me.
I would love to. Holiday whiskey?
Or small batch bourbon for special occasions.
Why, sure.
Good over here?
Yeah, right there.
I was just on my way over to our great-grandson's
birthday party, and I thought I would check on you.
I was planning to attend that party as well.
I thought I might see you there.
Definitely.
So how are you this Independence Day?
Um, well...
I'm independent, that's for sure.
Kate moved out.
Oh.
So you and your dad had a little disagreement
about how to handle something? Talk about vague.
It's--it's just work stuff, OK?
That's all. What's important to me is you.
How are you feeling?
A lot better after my nap, and actually,
even before that.
I--I feel my energy coming back.
- Yeah? - Mm-hmm.
That's fantastic news.
Yes, it is.
And I'm really excited about the Fourth
and our son's first birthday.
It is just-- it's gonna be an amazing day.
Yeah, it is.
All right, well, shall we get our little one
ready for his birthday?
- Yes, let's do it. - All right.
Oh, and, uh, do not forget the birthday candles.
You mean the one candle.
Yes, yes, just the one.
OK
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
Lexie?
Lani, hey.
Hi.
Are you OK?
I am, yes. [chuckles]
Just a long day.
And then there's, um, well... [laughs]
The emotional toll of being back.
[relaxed acoustic music]
What do you mean?
Well, when I left,
my son was so young.
Now he's all grown up, and yet I react to him
as if he were still a child, wanting to protect him
from pain and sorrow.
♪ ♪
I am so proud of the man Theo has become.
But... [laughs]
I suppose once a mom, always--
Always a mom.
Trust me, I get it.
Speaking of which, where are your babies?
They're with Julie at the Book Club,
and they're probably just pulling all the books
off the shelves as we speak.
[laughs] That's a grandma problem.
Yeah.
And knowing Julie, she will shut that down right away.
Oh, I'm sure she will.
Lani, um, please don't say anything
to your father about the-- my moment before.
You know how he worries.
Sure, of course, I won't.
Hey, Dad. - [laughs]
Lani. - Hi.
Yes. How are you?
Oh, mmm. - Hi.
Hello, brother. - Hello.
Well, I would love to stay and hang out,
but I need to pick up the twins from the Book Club.
I'll see you later? - See you later.
- Yeah. - Bye, Lexie.
Bye.
♪ ♪
I'm sorry.
That line, the wait just seemed like forever.
What did you get?
Uh, some hot dogs, tamales, and potato salad.
Oh, you know, this just looks
pretty crowded around here.
Now, why don't we move to a more secluded spot?
We can eat and watch the fireworks.
It doesn't seem that crowded. [laughs]
Plus, we're right near Tom and Alice's plaque,
which is so comforting.
I think this is the perfect spot.
[relaxed acoustic music]
♪ ♪
OK, big smile.
Come on, you can do better than that.
[laughs] There, perfect.
All right, Claire is gonna be
very happy to see that you're out and about
and having a good time.
Yeah, well, you should send her some of yourself too.
'Cause you look very beautiful tonight.
That she does.
I will make sure to take her picture.
[chuckles]
Well, you have a great night.
You too.
Well, I'm really glad that she took some photos of you
to send to your daughter.
I'm sure Claire must be worried sick about you
since your shooting.
Yeah, well, she was, until I told her
that I had a very kind and wonderful nurse
to take care of me.
Mm.
[relaxed jazz music]
All right, sent.
Boy, I bet you miss your daughter,
having her so far away, huh? - Oh, I really do.
But we video chat all the time. We text and email.
But, yeah, I do wish that I could just hug her sometimes.
I bet you're a great mom too.
[laughs] Well, if I am,
it's because I learned from the best.
[chuckles] Yeah.
You know, speaking of that, is she
still OK with us poking around this chessboard mystery?
Um, well, when I told her that Paul
was gonna help out, she was so relieved,
and so I may not have told her that we're still poking around.
Right. Got it.
Yeah.
Although it's not really high priority for Paul,
since he's usually working on things where lives are at stake
and, you know, not a game of Clue.
Well, hey, it's my father's game of Clue,
so potentially high stakes, right?
Yeah, right.
Well, let's just pray nobody gets whacked in the study
with a candlestick.
[indistinct chatter]
Roman, I'm so sorry to hear about you and Kate.
Yeah, so am I.
But I kind of forced her hand.
How so?
Well, by giving Ari the room that Kate was holed up in
when she was no longer welcome in our bedroom.
Well, Will told me that--
that Ari had moved out of Gabi's.
She did.
And that kind of brought matters to a head,
especially when Kate suggested that she move
back into our bedroom, and I told her no,
that she was on her own.
Were there no more rooms here available?
No, now that Joy Wesley and her baby are living here,
there are no rooms left.
Well, where did she go? To the Salem Inn?
That's where I thought she'd go.
But no, she is back at the Kiriakis Mansion.
[upbeat country tune]
[relaxed acoustic music]
♪ ♪
Why are you two looking at me like that?
I mean, if you insist on going someplace--
oh, now I get it.
Now I see why you wanted to move to another place.
You wouldn't mind if I join them?
It's Trey's birthday.
Of course not, baby. Go on.
♪ ♪
So do you feel like still sticking around here?
Absolutely.
I believe this square is big enough for everyone.
♪ ♪
Isn't this exciting, my angel?
[laughs]
Baby, it's your first birthday
and the birthday of this great country of ours.
[chuckles] Yeah.
Theo, glad you could make it.
Happy birthday, little man.
[laughs] And isn't it amazing?
This whole town threw a party just for you,
with face painting and music and fireworks.
Ooh, I hope he won't be expecting this every year.
Oh, come on, you're the mayor,
you can make it happen. - Oh, please.
And have all these folks jumping out of their seats
at the town hall over how I spoil my grandson?
Uh, do you know if his sippy cup is in here?
- Uh, is it not in the bag? - No.
No, I swear I packed it. - OK, here, let me check.
Let me take a look.
All right, buddy, come here. - Thank you.
Find this thing.
Theo, will you help me bring out the cake, please?
Mm-hmm.
All right, you got your diapers.
[laughs] Let's see.
[shushing]
[upbeat acoustic tune]
♪ ♪
Are you sure this doesn't make you feel uncomfortable?
I'm fine, Abe.
I promise.
Now, how about we eat this food before it gets cold?
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
- Aha. - That's your cake, buddy.
Yeah.
Wonderful, wonderful.
♪ ♪
Yummy.
[gasps] Hey you!
It was so nice and thoughtful of you
to give your little cousins gifts, Little T.
You know, they loved 'em so much,
they had to run back to the bookstore
to show Julie and Foster, yes. - [laughs]
You want to go back to Dad? - [laughs]
Yeah.
It was a pleasure, wasn't it, buddy?
- Yeah. - Oh, oh, oh, oh.
And it is also Lani and Eli's wedding anniversary.
- Oh. - Yes, it is.
Married six years today. - Wow.
Congratulations.
- Congratulations, baby. - Thank you.
Congratulations.
[laughs]
Aw, thank you, thank you.
Happy anniversary, Lani.
Thank you, thank you, all of you.
I just wish Eli was here to celebrate with us...
Mm.
- And not in the field. - Aw.
Well, I'm sure he's gonna make it up to you.
Mm-hmm.
Ooh, you know what?
I think that it is time to change...
Uh-oh, are you stinky?
This little one's diaper. Yeah, huh?
- Oh, no. - We'll be right back.
Hold on, hold on. Grandma's coming with you.
[laughs]
Uh-huh, then we'll be back to the party.
Oh.
And if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go
check up on my mom and dad.
Sure.
Well, I'd say, besides Eli not being here,
this evening turned out pretty good,
don't you think? - I would, yeah, I do think.
And I hate to do this, but I gotta...
[phone rumbling] I gotta check my phone.
- Everything OK? - You know what?
I gotta take this call. I'm sorry.
A business associate from Kuala Lumpur
who clearly doesn't care that it's a holiday.
Will you please let Chanel and Paulina know?
- Yeah, of course. - Thank you.
So you want to order some dessert before the fireworks?
Mm.
I was thinking that maybe we take the dessert
and fireworks somewhere more private.
Mm.
Check, please.
Look, we can make jokes all we want,
but I don't want anyone to get hurt
over this mystery either, OK?
Because knowing my father,
he might have set some kind of trap or something
for your parents. Who knows?
OK, we don't even know what we're looking for.
I mean, what does a chess set and 1,000 Lira
and Verdi and La Scala-- what does it even mean?
Well, look, I'm very down to find out.
But before we embark on this most excellent adventure,
I think that we need to establish some ground rules.
OK? - Like?
Well, let's make a pact.
If we ever start to feel like this is a bad idea,
if you ever start to feel uncomfortable,
we drop it, no arguments.
And that goes for you, too?
- Deal. - Deal.
[chuckles]
Now, on a lighter note, this whole wild goose chase
has made me do something very out of character,
something I've never done before, actually.
Oh, yeah? What?
Well, I bought these.
Much to my father's dismay,
classical music was never really my thing.
Though, Metallica was never really his either, I guess.
Oh, wow, I bet. [laughs]
The Salem String Quartet's
"Verdi in the Square."
Who knows?
Maybe we'll get a little inspired.
OK.
[relaxed jazz music]
You know, actually, it makes sense that
Kate would go to Victor's.
Her son is living there.
True.
But to frame Johnny the way she did,
it just feels like a Kiriakis plot, you know?
And now, with her living there, it feels like they're
all just circling the wagons.
Well, the optics are not good,
but maybe Philip was just doing
what he could to try to help his mother in her hour of need.
Yeah, I suppose.
And yet, Kate, all this time, she insisted,
swore that my family was her family.
Well, clearly not.
And can you imagine what she would do
if someone screwed over Philip or one of her other kids
the way she did Johnny?
[relaxed country music]
Roman, I can imagine that.
It was exactly what Sami did to Kate and Austin a few times.
That's right. Of course.
And hell hath no fury.
Thing is, I know Kate doesn't always
walk the straight and narrow.
But to do what she did to our grandson,
I don't know how to live with that.
♪ ♪
I also don't know how not to.
I don't know how to live without her, Marlena.
♪ ♪
So how were the birthday festivities?
Great. It was good fun.
Too bad Trey's not going to remember anything about it.
[chuckles]
Well, at this age, the party is not for the kid,
but for the parents. [chuckles]
Oh, I remember your first
birthday party so vividly.
Don't you, Abe? - I do.
[laughs] I remember you--
you smeared the frosting all through my hair,
and your eyes went wide, and you giggled,
and you were so pleased with yourself.
- Oh. - [laughs]
And you clapped for each present
very, very loudly. - Uh-huh.
- [laughs] - [laughs]
[gentle music]
But what I remember most about you at that age was...
♪ ♪
How you looked at me when I held you in my arms...
♪ ♪
Like I held the secret to the universe...
♪ ♪
Like I was your whole world.
♪ ♪
[gasps]
♪ ♪
Can I hold you in my arms right now?
Yes. Yes, of course you can.
[sighs]
♪ ♪
Where'd Johnny go?
He said he needed to return a call
to a business associate in Kuala Lumpur.
- Hmm. - What?
Johnny's working on the Fourth?
In the middle of his son's birthday party?
It is OK, Mama.
He's had to take a lot of time off these past few weeks
to be there for me, so he's probably just playing catch-up.
I'll text him.
All right, you know what?
It is way past this little guy's bedtime,
so I should probably get him home
and try to get him to sleep.
All right, I love you, Mama. - Oh, I love you too, baby.
Bye-bye, Little Trey.
[laughs]
Oh, bye, sis.
Bye. Mwah.
Bye, birthday boy. [chuckles]
All right, enjoy the fireworks.
- Mm-hmm. - Oh!
Nope, nope, nope. - [chuckles]
[relaxed acoustic music]
♪ ♪
I love you, Mama.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
[gentle music]
♪ ♪
You sure you don't want to watch the fireworks?
Mm.
I think that we can set
a few off of our own.
- Mm. - [chuckles]
[romantic music]
♪ ♪
[fireworks exploding distantly]
Roman, I hope you and Kate find
your way back together, but, you know,
just--just don't rush it.
Because usually clarity comes when we don't try to force it.
That's very true.
And thank you, that was helpful.
But now, enough about me.
I want to hear what's going on with you.
So how about we take a quick walk and talk
to the square and watch some fireworks
and wish our great grandson a happy birthday?
- I'd like that. - How about that?
- [laughs]
[relaxed country tune]
[fireworks booming]
[laughs]
Happy Fourth of July, darling.
[crowd exclaims]
And many more.
[crowd cheering]
[fireworks booming]
[gentle music]
♪ ♪
[fireworks booming]
♪ ♪
[crowd cheering]
Let's go get the twins, huh?
You coming, Mama?
No, no, I'm gonna head home.
- You sure? - Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I'm sure. - OK.
I love you. - Oh, I love you, too.
[laughter]
Good night, Paulina.
Oh, night. Oh.
[sighs]
[crowd cheering]
[fireworks booming]
Oh, Johnny sent me the sweetest video
of Trey this morning.
Yeah, was that the one where Johnny
was playing peek-a-boo with him and Trey was laughing so hard?
That's the one.
I actually watched that several times.
Oh, Paulina, hi.
Marlena, Roman.
So were you at Trey's birthday party?
It isn't over, is it?
- Yeah, it is. - Oh.
- We missed it? - Oh, yeah.
But I'm sure Trey, he won't mind.
[laughs] He won't remember it anyway.
- Oh. - That is true.
And we will celebrate with him and his parents another time.
Mm-hmm, of course, sure.
Well, I'm gonna be heading home.
What? Already?
Why don't you-- why don't you stay
and enjoy the end of the fireworks with Roman and me?
Ah, sure, I'd like that.
[laughs]
Oh! [laughs]
[fireworks booming, whistling]
Oh, hey.
Hey, you.
Come sit.
Ah. So Trey's asleep, huh?
Uh-huh.
He went down the second we walked in the door.
[chuckles]
I'm sorry I had to leave the party early.
Oh, that's all right.
Is everything OK at work?
Yeah. Yeah, it should be now.
It should be fine.
You sure?
[gentle music]
No more talk about work. OK?
In fact, no more talk at all.
♪ ♪