At the hospital, Nicole closes her eyes as she hug Eric. He puts his hand on the back of her head.
Credit: Peacock screenshot

Kayla comes home to Steve comforting Ava over Tripp. Ava tells Steve she’s counting on him and leaves. Steve fills Kayla in on Tripp’s kidnapping. Kayla doesn’t understand why EJ would involve Tripp in his issues with Ava. She muses there’s something Ava’s not telling Steve. He’ll deal with that later. For now, he needs to get to Seattle. Kayla tells him to book two seats on a flight because she’s going with him. Steve tries to talk her out of it, but realizes there’s no fighting her.

At home, Kayla faces Steve as she adamantly makes a point.

At the DiMera mansion, Tony suggests EJ pay Ava’s ransom. EJ believes what he’s done makes his mother safer, not the opposite. As he leaves a voicemail demanding Ava not ignore him, she shows up. They exchange threats and demands. When Ava warns EJ that she could have her associate put a bullet into Susan’s head, he grabs her throat. Tony pulls him off her and EJ explodes at Ava to get out. She orders him to gather his money because she’s running out of patience. After she’s left, Tony urges EJ to pay her off before something happens he can’t control.

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With disheveled hair, EJ's face scrunches and he points his finger at someone off screen. Tony stands next to him, gaping.

At the hospital, Jada and Eric reel over the news of her pregnancy. Jada asks if the test could be wrong. Sarah says they’re very accurate, but she’d be happy to run it again if she wants. She leaves them to talk.

Jada tells Eric she saw him kissing his ex-wife. She knew Nicole had strong feelings for him, but she didn’t know until now that his feelings for her are just as strong. He admits he has been in denial for a while. But he honestly thought they were done when he got involved with her. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do about the pregnancy, but it’s not his problem. Eric wants to make decisions about this baby together and to be there for her. She says fine, but right now she’s tired, and he needs to go. Alone, Jada rubs her stomach and tears up.

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In a patient room, Jada wears a hospital gown and sits on an exam table. She turns her somber gaze to Eric who sits next to the table.

In a waiting room, Rafe explodes at Nicole. He realizes she still had feelings for Eric before their wedding. Nicole promises there’s nothing she wanted more than to be his wife, but that was before she knew Eric left the priesthood. He accuses her of using him to get over Eric. She admits it and cries as she apologizes. He tells her to leave, but she won’t until he understands that she truly thought she could get over Eric and have a lifetime of loving him. “Well, nice try,” he deadpans.

Nicole insists she meant her wedding vows and wanted them to be the last ones she ever said. “Since when have wedding vows meant anything to you,” he snarls. He thinks marriage is just a game to her. Just ask Victor and Lucas and EJ — twice. He throws her cheating on Eric with Xander in her face.

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In a waiting room, a heartbroken Rafe faces away from an emotional Nicole.

In the end, Rafe says Nicole got what she wanted, which is all that matters to her. Nicole returns her ring. She didn’t deserve it or him. She did everything wrong in their marriage, and he did everything right. “Except that I wasn’t Eric,” he responds. Sobbing, Nicole leaves. Rafe holds the ring and cries. He puts it on the table and walks out of the room.

Eric finds Nicole at the coffee station. She tells him it’s done with Rafe and asks about Jada. He stammers as he says, “Jada’s pregnant.”

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At a Brady's Pub table, Gwen looks up from her laptop at Xander with an inquiring expression.

Outside Brady’s Pub, Xander leaves Ava an urgent voicemail. Inside, he downs a drink and then notices Gwen working at a nearby table. She’s having a hell of a first day at the paper considering Chanel’s arrest. Xander is surprised to hear it because he’s been busy with his own first day. She learns about Red Nax. When she can’t find a thing about it online, she asks why he’s lying about his job. He tries to deny it, but she knows him too well.

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Xander confesses everything as Sarah walks in. Xander squirms as Gwen makes pointed remarks to Sarah about his job. Sarah steps away to take a call from the hospital, and Xander asks why Gwen didn’t expose him. Honor amongst thieves she supposes. Also, she still cares about him and doesn’t have it in her hurt him like that. He thanks her and she wishes him the best of British luck to him with Ava. As Xander and Sarah head out for dinner, Gwen tells Xander to call if he’d like to talk… you know so she can write a piece about his start-up company. He thanks her, but it won’t be necessary.

Next on Days of Our Lives: Alex comforts Allie, and Sonny supports Leo.

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