Laura as Gwen's mother speculation on Days of Our Lives
Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

The timing of Laura’s return is awfully suspicious.

Gwen’s lies and machinations are starting to catch up with her on Days of Our Lives, leaving her no choice but to fess up to them. Or, at least, some of them. While she admitted to lying about Abigail and Jake’s affair this week — which just led to more lies — no one yet knows what is driving her need to blow up the Deveraux family.

Could Jaime Lyn Bauer’s return as Laura Horton shed some light?

Perhaps, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

Abby confronts Gwen on Days of Our Lives

First, let’s remember that Gwen is a little too interested in Jack. This week, she pointedly referenced his past as a deadbeat father and husband. Last year, she outed his and Kate’s one-night-stand at Jack and Jennifer’s anniversary party. Combine that with her many snide assumptions about Abigail’s perfect childhood, and the leap that Jack might be her biological father isn’t a far one.

Of course, if Jack is her father, we’re left wondering who her mother is. And that’s where Jack’s mother-in-law Laura comes in.

If you’ll recall, Laura and Jack have a past, which lends credence to the idea that Laura could be Gwen’s mother. Not to mention, the timing of Laura’s return is pretty suspicious. We’re finally getting get some answers about Gwen’s past and now Laura’s return is announced? How convenient.

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Gwen glowers as Jack and Abigail hug on Days of Our Lives

The last time Laura was seen in Salem was in 2018 when she took a troubled Abigail to seek treatment in Boston for her Dissociative Identity Disorder. Prior to that, in 2016, it was revealed Laura allowed everyone to believe Abigail was dead so she could help her granddaughter recover from the abuse Ben inflicted upon her.

It’s understandable that Laura sympathizes with Abigail’s mental health issues, as she spent over a decade in a sanitarium herself. Then, after getting released in the early 90s, she endured more drama, much of it related to Kate, who previously slept with her ex-husband, Bill. Following that and other upheavals, Laura checked into The Meadows to regroup from all the chaos in her life.

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Laura with Kate and Chad on Days of Our Lives

It was there she met Jennifer’s estranged husband Jack while they were both using aliases. Since they didn’t know who the other was, they had an affair. As we’ve established, Laura has no issue keeping secrets from her family, which means, she could have gotten pregnant and kept their child hidden all this time. Or, perhaps, she gave the baby up for adoption. Or maybe she doesn’t even remember that whole period of her life.

Of course, our evidence is all circumstantial and Laura’s return could be for other reasons. Abigail seems pretty healthy right now, but maybe after all of Gwen’s nonsense, she’ll have a relapse and need her psychiatrist grandmother’s assistance. Laura could also return to go up against Kate or even to connect with a returning Vivian, who was Laura’s sanitarium buddy back in the day. Then there’s Kristen, who she once shot, but since the latter is in prison, that doesn’t seem as likely.

Laura at Jennifer and Jack's wedding on Days of Our Lives

Since Jaime Lyn Bauer indicated she’ll only be back for a couple of episodes, she could simply be coming home for a visit and to support her family. Days of Our Lives does like to bring their alums back for periodic visits, after all.

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What do you think? Is Laura Gwen’s mother? Or is she returning for another reason? Take a look through our photo gallery of possibilities for who could be Gwen’s mother and tell us your theory below.

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