Recaps from soap central

irritably demanded to know why they weren't letting the staff cook dinner in his state-of-the-art, gourmet kitchen. Maggie replied firmly that cooking Thanksgiving dinner was not a chore to be delegated; it was an act of love to be shared with family and friends -- and she was partial to her old kitchen. She explained that she also wanted to have memories of making the holiday meal with her new husband, and her new son and granddaughter. Victor's grouchiness abated as the new clan shared a group hug. "No wonder I love you: you always get it right. I'm a better man because of you," Victor declared.


When Victor and Maggie went out to retrieve the rest of the groceries from the car, Melanie asked her dad how he was doing. Daniel admitted that he was thinking about Jennifer, because he'd told her that he needed a break after seeing her kiss Jack. "I'm guessing I all but handed Jack the family I wanted us to have," Daniel complained. Melanie asserted that Jennifer and Daniel were supposed to be together. Changing the subject, Daniel wanted know about Melanie's love life since Dario had moved away. Melanie recalled her kiss with Chad, and admitted that she had a crush on someone, but she didn't want to discuss it further.


Later, an unhappy-looking Victor was hard at work, preparing bread for the stuffing. When he grumbled about it, Maggie handed him a bag of potatoes and a peeler. Maggie then shared some of Alice's secrets to a perfect piecrust with Melanie, who expressed her gratitude for getting to learn what it was like to cook with her grandmother. When Daniel saw the women embracing, he rushed over to join in. As the three of them enthused about how great it was to spend Thanksgiving with their new family, suddenly Daniel noticed a delicious smell emanating from the stove. Inhaling deeply over the pan, he recognized the aroma as homemade cranberry relish with orange zest, something his mother had made.


Maggie admitted, "I wanted to make something special for you, Daniel. Victor found one of your mother's cookbooks, and -- lo and behold -- that recipe was marked 'Danny's favorite.'" Daniel embraced Maggie with grateful appreciation. Maggie declared that Lillian had obviously been a remarkable woman to have raised such a remarkable son, but Daniel wondered why his mother hadn't told him the truth. Victor asserted that Lillian had never wanted to hurt Daniel, of whom she had been very proud.


Maggie returned to the stove, and Daniel noticed that she massaged her hand before she picked up a sthingy. He asked if her myasthenia gravis were acting up again. Maggie reassured Daniel that her hands were just tired from kneading the pie dough, and that the medication he'd prescribed was working fine. She suggested that Daniel and Melanie should get tested for myasthenia gravis, since they'd found out they were related to Maggie, and the disease could have a genetic component. Melanie and Daniel agreed that they would get tested, just to be sure.


Maggie then sent Daniel and Melanie to the basement to get the Thanksgiving china. Victor observed that Maggie was worried, and she acknowledged that she was, because Daniel needed his hands and eyes to be a surgeon. Victor put his arms around his wife, and urged her to count her blessings instead of worrying about what might be.


When the two men were alone little later, Victor asked Daniel what Jennifer's plans for Thanksgiving were. Daniel filled Victor in on what had happened, and admitted that he was worried he'd made a mistake. Victor declared that if Daniel loved Jennifer, he should pursue her, and not let Jack have the advantage.


Maggie and Melanie returned, and Maggie deemed Victor's potato slices perfect. Victor cheerfully confessed that the company had made the task almost enjoyable. As he watched Maggie kiss Victor, Daniel informed Melanie that he'd decided to fight for Jennifer, because he believed the two of them could one day be as happy as Victor and Maggie. After Daniel tasted Maggie's cranberry relish, he hugged her gratefully, while Melanie proudly removed her first pie from the oven. Victor watched the others and smiled contentedly.


At the Brady Pub, Abe, Lexie, Abigail, Jennifer, and Jack were filling boxes of food for the homeless. When Jennifer and Abe realized that the cranberry sauce was missing, Jennifer started to head to the kitchen to get it, but noticed that Jack was on his cell phone. When she tapped Jack on the shoulder, he quickly hung up, and went to retrieve the cranberries without Jennifer even having to ask.


Abigail tried to lift a box to carry out, but lost her grip on it, and Austin arrived just in time to grab it for her. He explained that he'd just wanted to do what he could to help out, especially since Carrie was tied up with the hearing for John's sentencing. Austin noticed that Abigail was still wearing the wool cap that he'd lent her the previous evening, and urged her to keep it. "It looks a lot better on you than it does on me," Austin declared. Abigail smiled shyly as she thanked him.


When Chad arrived with a couple of bags of groceries, he tried to kiss Abigail on the cheek, but she jerked away awkwardly as she took the bags from him. Jack watched the exchange with interest. Jennifer ordered Jack to stop staring at Chad and Abigail and get back to work.


A bit later, Chad listened anxiously as Austin and Jack made a friendly five-dollar wager on the football game that day. Austin then asked Chad if he wanted in on it, and Chad could only stammer that he didn't gamble. Jack urged Chad to lighten up.


Jennifer informed Abe that the camera crew was running late to shoot Abe for some publicity. Abe didn't think it was newsworthy, since he was doing something he did every year, but Jennifer pointed out that he was up for reelection. As Chad and Abigail finished filling up a couple of boxes, she asked for Austin's help carrying them out. Looking pointedly at Chad, Abigail explained, "Chad has something that he needs to do."


After Abigail and Austin went outside, Chad assured Jack, "I really care about your daughter." He acknowledged that Jack didn't like his daughter dating a DiMera, but vowed that he would not be like the rest of his family -- and he would treat Abigail well. Jack agreed to give Chad the benefit of the doubt, and the men shook hands. Jack cautioned, "And you remember, giving your word and keeping it are two very different things. Don't take as long to learn that as I did. You'll save yourself a lot of grief." Jack's phone rang, and since Jennifer was distracted, he furtively stepped outside to take the call.


After Abe's interview, he confessed that he felt as if he were exploiting the homeless for his own political gain. Jennifer and Lexie reassured him that there was nothing wrong with filming him doing what he normally did on Thanksgiving. Jennifer spotted Jack outside on the phone, and stormed out to confront him. She arrived just in time to hear him say, "I appreciate the lead...and I'm absolutely interested in following up on it." Jennifer accused him of accepting another assignment -- and disappearing on her and Abigail again. Jack tried to explain, but Jennifer tore into him for putting his career ahead of his family again.


Abigail and Austin returned from the car just then, and Abigail asked what her dad had done. Jack explained that he had been offered another assignment -- teaching journalism at Salem University. He added that he wouldn't accept it if Jennifer didn't want him to stick around Salem permanently. Jennifer and Abigail were happily surprised. "Like I said, I'm just trying to start over, and this time, I want to do it right," Jack explained. Austin then informed them that he'd just been offered a job at Salem U teaching a course in forensic accounting.


After Abigail and Austin went inside, Jennifer apologized to Jack for jumping to conclusions. She also encouraged him to take the job -- and get counseling -- for himself, not just to please her. Jack insisted that his plan was to fix himself and his relationships. "Well, if miracles came with Thanksgiving, I think I just got mine," declared a beaming Jennifer.


When Hope arrived at the DiMera mansion, Stefano admitted that he was equally surprised and delighted to see her. Stefano jokingly guessed that Hope was there to invite him and Kate to Thanksgiving dinner. "I came to ask about this," Hope declared. She showed Stefano the paperweight that she'd found in her grandmother's attic, which was inscribed, "To Alice -- A Symbol of Our Bond." Hope asked, "Look familiar?" She twisted open the top of the paperweight to reveal the clock inside -- and the phoenix symbol inside the lid.


Feigning ignorance, Stefano asked where Hope had found the clock. Hope replied that she'd found it in Alice's attic, "Along with other items of interest." Stefano admitted that he would be curious to know what the other items were. Hope accused Stefano of giving the paperweight to Alice. Stefano deflected by changing the subject to John's sentencing, and suggested that John had hidden the money in a Swiss bank account. Hope demanded to know whether Stefano had given Alice the paperweight.


Stefano explained that his company had sent them out as gifts in the past, but Hope pointed out that neither the inscription nor the phoenix logo would have been on a corporate gift. Stefano changed the subject again, so Hope promised to find the truth without him. Stefano noted, "You were so close to your grandmother, Hope. If she and I had such a bond for so many years, why did she go to her grave without telling you?" He added gently that Alice had been a virtuous and beloved woman who had loved Hope very much, so if Alice had hidden things in the attic, she hadn't wanted anyone, including Hope, to find them.


Hope bristled, but Stefano urged her to forget she'd ever found the paperweight, because if Alice had wanted her to know about it, she would have told Hope. Hope argued that unlike Stefano, her grandmother didn't have deep, dark secrets. Stefano pointed out that good people sometimes made bad choices -- which Hope should understand better than anyone. "You're trying to make it sound like she led a double life, and she didn't," Hope asserted firmly. Stefano declared, "This is my point, that when you learn about other people's secrets, sometimes you learn things that you really do not want to know -- their weaknesses, their mistakes, and the price that they've paid to be human."


John was doing sit-ups in his cell when Carrie and Marlena arrived. Through the bars, Marlena handed John a garment bag containing his suit, as Carrie encouraged him to get ready quickly, since it was almost time for the hearing. Carrie then left to give John and Marlena some privacy. Reaching through the bars, John caressed his wife's face as if to memorize it.


When Carrie returned, John reiterated his thanks for all she'd done to help him. Marlena expressed her concerns about the strain that defending John had put on Carrie and Austin's marriage, but Carrie maintained that she and Austin were fine. Relieved, Marlena asserted that a good marriage should be cherished.


After Carrie left to go over her speech, John cautioned his wife to be realistic and not get her hopes up about his sentencing. Marlena confessed, "This short time away from you has been an eternity for me. I can't bear the thought of it being much longer." John asserted that Marlena was stronger than she gave herself credit for, and their love would get them through their time apart, as it had through so many other ordeals.


Once everyone was gathered in the judge's chambers, Carrie asserted to Judge Weston that a lenient sentence would allow John to recover the missing money and repay everyone who had lost their pensions. Judge Weston then asked if John had anything to say, but he replied that he did not. Carrie quickly asked for a brief recess to confer with her client, and the judge consented.


As soon as everyone else had left the room, Carrie insisted that John had to speak in his own defense, lest he appear guilty, which would only get him a longer prison sentence. Marlena pleaded with John to listen to Carrie. "The victims want their pound of flesh. The sooner they get it, the safer my family will be," John argued.


Judge Weston and the others returned then, and the judge repeated her question as to whether John wished to speak. John rose, and respectfully replied that there was nothing he wished to say. Judge Weston then announced that she was ready to render her decision. She informed John that she had received letters on his behalf from his friends and family, including Mayor Carver, but she had also received letters from countless people who blamed John for robbing them of their life savings.


"You used your position of trust, your reputation as a fine, upstanding man, to plunder billions from unsuspecting clients. Not only have you destroyed their lives, you've robbed them of hope itself," Judge Weston declared. She continued that John had never shown remorse for his reprehensible actions, and she intended to send a clear message to everyone entrusted with other people's money. Judge Weston then sentenced John to serve fifty years in prison, twice the amount of time that the prosecution had requested, without the possibility of parole. "Your Honor, fifty years amounts to a life sentence," Carrie pleaded. "I know," replied the judge as she banged her gavel.


John and Marlena shared a final, tearful embrace until the bailiff led John out. Marlena and Carrie followed John to the doorway and watched him walk away. Marlena's knees buckled, and Carrie had to catch her mother to keep her from falling.


Alone in his cell, John gripped the bars as he gazed out through them, then sat on the floor next to his cot and closed his eyes resignedly.