Post by STLUEE on Apr 1, 2014 15:09:47 GMT -5
soap central
Nicole was startled when Liam approached her at a roadside rest stop and interrupted her attempt to dispose of the shredded documents. Liam observed that it looked like Nicole could use some help, and when she nervously wondered what had given him that impression, he explained that he had seen her pull her car over earlier. Liam suspected that Nicole might have a flat tire, but she assured him that everything was fine.
Nicole started to excuse herself, but Liam stopped her and said that she looked familiar. Liam asked Nicole various questions as he tried to figure out where he had seen her before, but she answered each one evasively. Liam finally realized on his own that he recognized Nicole because she was a famous television personality, and he wondered why a person of her caliber was wandering around in the middle of nowhere.
Nicole claimed that she had pulled over to respond to a text message because she was adamant about not doing that sort of thing while driving, and she added that she had taken the opportunity to dispose of some trash that had been piling up in her car. Nicole tried to leave again, but Liam protested that she first had to help him remember her name, so she reluctantly revealed that it was Nicole Walker. Nicole awkwardly encouraged Liam to keep watching her show before making one more attempt to excuse herself.
"Oh, sure, you go ahead. Uh, as far as rest stops go, this one came along at just the right time, if you know what I mean," Liam crassly replied as he approached some nearby bushes. Nicole uncomfortably thanked Liam for sharing, and after taking one last look at the trashcan that contained the shredded documents, she reluctantly walked away.
Later, after Liam left, Nicole returned to the trashcan with some matches. As she watched the documents burn, Nicole received a phone call from Eric, who had made one other attempt to contact her that night. Nicole claimed that she had missed the first call because she had forgotten to turn her cell phone ringer back on after silencing it earlier that day. Eric was eager to see Nicole, so she promised to meet him at the pub a short time later, vaguely claiming that she was at a crowded work gathering and would need a few minutes to slip away. After ending the call, Nicole extinguished the flames and walked away.
At the Horton Town Square, Aiden confirmed Hope's fear that he had overheard every word of her earlier conversation with Kayla -- especially the part where she had advised Kayla to steer clear of him. Hope jokingly acknowledged that the situation was awkward -- not because of what Aiden had heard her say but because of the humiliating fact that he had been caught eavesdropping on a private conversation. Aiden reminded Hope that they were in a public place. Hope unapologetically explained that it simply wasn't in her nature to lie or respond evasively when someone asked her a direct question. Aiden dryly agreed that it certainly wasn't difficult to pry an opinion out of Hope, who countered that it also wasn't difficult to pry a judgment out of him.
Meanwhile, Eric approached and greeted Hope, who had left him a message earlier to let him know that she needed to talk to him about something. Eric wondered if he was interrupting, and Aiden shook his head and abruptly excused himself. "Mr. Jennings, don't you want to stick around and judge my conversation with Eric? I'm sure I'll say or do something else wrong -- you could point it out to me!" Hope called out to Aiden as he walked away. As Hope sighed with frustration, Eric sarcastically observed that she was clearly crazy about Aiden. Hope warned Eric not to get her started on Aiden, and she quickly changed the subject.
Hope regretfully informed Eric that she needed him to visit the police station in the near future to sign off on his statement about Chyka. Eric knowingly guessed that the investigation was about to be halted, and Hope didn't bother to deny the suspicion. Hope apologized for asking Eric to do something that she was sure would stir up painful memories, but he optimistically reasoned that she was giving him the opportunity to officially put the ordeal behind him. Eric assured Hope that he would be okay, thanks to the support of good friends and, most importantly, Nicole.
Later, Hope passed the pub and spotted Aiden through one of the windows, so she waited for him to exit the building so that she could apologize for what had happened earlier. Hope braced herself for a lecture, admitting that she deserved it for once, but Aiden simply thanked her and said that he was grateful that she had discouraged Kayla from asking him out.
Hope informed Aiden that Kayla was a pretty amazing woman and a fantastic catch, and he pointed out that he had never said otherwise. Aiden acknowledged that Kayla seemed lovely, attractive, and smart, but Hope sensed that he was about to add that he wasn't interested in Kayla simply because she was Hope's sister-in-law. Aiden gently clarified that not everything was about Hope, and he added that it wasn't even about Kayla, either. Aiden explained that he just wasn't interested in dating anyone.
Hope understood, since Aiden had a young child and needed to focus on him at that time, and she optimistically suggested that Aiden might someday change his mind about putting himself back on the market. "There will never be a 'someday' -- ever," Aiden replied. Taken aback, Hope pointed out that Chase would eventually grow up, but when Aiden assured her that he was aware of that fact, she realized that he was being completely serious. Hope apologized and acknowledged that Aiden and Chase probably missed Aiden's late wife terribly. Hope noted that she didn't think that Aiden had ever told her his late wife's name, and he evasively confirmed that he was pretty sure that he had not. Hope guessed that she was intruding, but Aiden shook his head and clarified that he simply wasn't comfortable talking about that particular subject.
Changing the subject, Aiden mused that the silver lining of what he had overheard earlier was that it had taught him to send women to talk to Hope whenever they showed an interest in him and he wanted to deter them quickly and efficiently. The comment visibly stung Hope, but Aiden quickly clarified that he had been joking. Aiden abruptly excused himself so that he could pick up Chase, who was at a nearby judo class.
Inside the pub, Nicole greeted Eric and apologized for keeping him waiting. Eric wondered where Nicole had been, and when she repeated her earlier story about being at a work gathering, he revealed that he had tried to contact her at her office earlier and had been informed that she had left work hours earlier. Nicole claimed that she had really been working on a surprise for Eric, and he apologized and assured her that he hadn't been trying to catch her in a lie. Eric told Nicole about his earlier conversation with Hope. Nicole was pleased to hear Eric say that the ordeal would soon be behind them, since that was exactly how she felt about the matter, too.
Eric knew that Nicole wouldn't be able to attend Will and Sonny's wedding because she had to work that particular day, but he suggested that she might still like to sign her name to the card for the gift that he had purchased for them. Nicole was thrilled to do so, since it was not only her and Eric's first gift together as a couple but also a wedding gift, which she felt was appropriate. As Eric silently recalled the advice that he had received from Daniel earlier, Nicole received a phone call from Miles and reluctantly excused herself.
At the hospital, Jennifer reluctantly admitted to Daniel that she suspected that Nicole had lied to her during their earlier meeting. Jennifer wasn't upset and didn't want to make a big deal about the matter, reasoning that Nicole had indeed changed but still found it easy to lie about things because that was just who she was. Jennifer guessed that Nicole had wanted to cut their meeting short so that she could do something else -- attend a shoe sale that was in its final hours, perhaps -- so she had made up an excuse to leave in an effort to spare Jennifer's feelings.
Later, Daniel and Jennifer returned to his apartment to relieve Parker's babysitter of her duties for the night. Daniel went to his laptop to record the check that he had written for the babysitter, and Jennifer teased him about his obsession with meticulously tracking his finances using sophisticated software. Jennifer joked that her personal financial philosophy was "ignorance is bliss," which was why she was reluctant to let Daniel install the software on her computer. Jennifer preferred to simply keep track of her finances via the monthly statements from her bank, reasoning that she enjoyed the mystery of waiting an entire month to get the results.
Daniel and Jennifer continued to banter about their differing beliefs regarding finances for a few more minutes, stopping only when Parker emerged from the bathroom, where he had been cleaning up so that they could take him to get some ice cream. After Daniel, Jennifer, and Parker exited the apartment and boarded the elevator, Liam -- who had been hiding around a corner -- used the key that Theresa had given him to enter the apartment.
Liam explored the living room and ended up at Daniel's laptop, which was still open and displaying his financial information. After a brief look at the screen, Liam exited the apartment, pausing for a moment to scowl at a framed photograph of Jennifer and Daniel. Liam locked the apartment door and wiped his fingerprints off of the doorknob with a handkerchief before walking away.
While Jennifer, Daniel, and Parker were enjoying bowls of ice cream in the Horton Town Square, Jennifer spotted Hope and went to greet her. Hope vaguely mentioned her confusing earlier encounter with Aiden and predicted that she could spend a week trying to figure him out and wind up right back where she had started in the end. Changing the subject, Hope mentioned Will and Sonny's wedding, and she and Jennifer joked about the silly, outdated dances that they could do at the reception, such as the Macarena.
Daniel and Parker joined the women, and Daniel informed Hope that he wouldn't be able to attend the wedding because he had an early surgery scheduled for that particular day. As Hope and Jennifer continued to talk about the wedding, Liam lurked nearby and eavesdropped.
Gabi bumped into Nick while she was rushing through a secluded section of the town square, staring at her cell phone and muttering to herself that she would one day be late to her own funeral. Gabi apologized and explained that she was in a hurry, and Nick guessed that she was on her way to Will and Sonny's bachelor party. Gabi confirmed the suspicion and said that she was sorry that Nick would not be able to attend the event. Gabi didn't want Nick to feel left out, but he dismissed her concerns and said that he was fine. "This is me. I know you well enough to know when you're lying," Gabi replied without a hint of irony.
Gabi urged Nick to be honest with her about his feelings, so he told her about his earlier conversation with Will, who had responded sarcastically when Nick had expressed a desire to be liked. Nick claimed that he knew that Will was probably right to be skeptical, but Gabi disagreed and defended Nick, who said that he was touched that there was at least one person in the world who understood him. Nick concluded that he was just going to have to find a way to let go of his desire for other people to like him, since that was apparently asking too much. Gabi assured Nick that he wasn't asking too much and that he was indeed liked.
Nick and Gabi locked eyes with each other for a moment before he reminded her that she was late for the bachelor party. Gabi was glad that she had bumped into Nick, and she advised him to keep being himself, predicting that if he did that, Will and Sonny would eventually change their minds about him. Nick claimed that the most important thing was that Gabi, Will, and Sonny had worked things out regarding Arianna, and he suggested that Sonny and Will might be more mellow after the wedding the following day.
Nick recalled that he had been pretty worked up before his and Gabi's wedding -- not because he had been battling second thoughts but because he had feared that she might have been. Nick claimed that he had always considered Gabi to be out of his league. As Gabi started to blush, Nick urged her to go to the party and have some fun. Gabi agreed to do so, but she promised that she would be thinking about Nick the whole time. "Do that," Nick quietly muttered as he watched Gabi walk away.
At the Horton house, J.J. was playing his guitar and thinking about his earlier conversation with Paige when Abigail called out to him for what she claimed was the fifth time. J.J. apologized and set the instrument aside so that he and Abigail could head over to Club TBD for Will and Sonny's bachelor party. Abigail observed that J.J. seemed to completely zone out while playing the guitar, and she wondered if he had been searching for inspiration. J.J. somewhat irritably replied that Abigail needed to lighten up, adding that he simply hadn't heard her at first. "Wow. You might not play like a rock star, but you certainly have the temperamental thing down," Abigail countered as she followed J.J. out of the house.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Will was standing in front of a mirror in the living room, tucking his shirt into his pants, when Sonny approached and returned the shirt to its original state. "Untucked. Tonight, we go casual; tomorrow, we dress up, nice and formal," Sonny reasoned. Will feigned confusion and wondered what the following day was. "Only the greatest day of my life," Sonny replied with a smile before kissing Will.
Will teasingly referred to Sonny as "Mr. Prim and Proper" because Sonny was planning to stay at the Kiriakis mansion that night, prompting Sonny to clarify that it was a matter of tradition, not propriety. Sonny and Will each admitted that they were nervous about getting married the following day. Sonny reasoned that it was okay to feel that way, since he and Will were doing something exciting. "We're doing something great. And it's not just about tomorrow," Will replied, and Sonny agreed that it was about every single day after that, as well. As Sonny and Will kissed again, a babysitter arrived to watch Arianna so that they could attend their bachelor party.
At Club TBD, T's girlfriend, Robyn, ended a phone call and told him when the male stripper would be arriving. Two of Will and Sonny's other friends -- Kareem and an unidentified guy who was around the same age as the rest of the attendees -- were surprised to learn that T had hired a stripper, since they didn't think that matched Will and Sonny's style, but T dismissed their concerns. "Listen -- gay or straight, bachelor parties carry with them certain traditions, and I think they're gonna love it," T confidently predicted.
Later, T heard voices approaching outside, so he alerted everyone to be ready to congratulate Will and Sonny when they entered the club. The arriving "couple" turned out to be J.J. and Abigail instead, and the implication that they were about to get married disgusted her and amused him. J.J. wondered if T was flipping out yet, and T admitted that he was, since he had never been an official part of a wedding before. The same was true for J.J., who noted that he had also never before had the opportunity to attend a wedding where the people who were getting married were friends of his instead of "old people."
T, who was apparently in the same situation, wondered if J.J. had ever thought that his first wedding of that nature would involve a gay couple. J.J. admitted that he had not, but he added that he believed that it was pretty cool that he was going to get to attend such a wedding. Abigail agreed, and T mused that it was definitely something that they would each tell their future kids about. "I think our kids are gonna wonder why it was such a big deal," J.J. predicted as Will and Sonny entered the club.
Everyone loudly congratulated Sonny and Will in unison, prompting T to joke that it was a good thing that the group had gotten a chance to rehearse the greeting earlier. As Will and Sonny accepted handshakes and hugs and thanked everyone for attending, Abigail started to pour champagne into glasses, and T quietly asked her to wish him luck because he was about to make a toast and was nervous about it. Abigail protested that T had to wait for Gabi to arrive, and Will overheard her rhetorically ask T where Gabi was.
Later, T tapped his champagne glass with a fork to grab everyone's attention. "Okay. So, we all know we're here because these two are getting married tomorrow. Among some of the many swell things about these gentlemen is they have amazing taste. I mean, look who they chose for the best man. Yeah -- c'est moi. It's very cool. It is cool because -- and this is gonna come as a shock -- sometimes I can act like a jerk. And -- yeah, I know -- uh, I was never a bigger jerk in my entire life than when Will came out. My best friend was being honest about who he was, and I went all Mel Gibson on him. I remember being told off by Victor Kiriakis -- 'cause that wasn't at all scary. He said that 'ignorant' and 'stupid' weren't the same thing, but you could be both. And I was. I felt threatened, which was ignorant, and judgmental, which was stupid. I can't tell you how grateful I am for you guys to get past the things I said [and] the things I did. I almost lost one of the best friends a guy could have. Not only did you guys get past the things I said, you let me be your friend again, and to be friends with Sonny. Um, there's a word for that that people don't use much, and that word is called 'manly.' So tomorrow, they make it official -- they start a great life together -- and I just want to say that's awesome, and we should all be so lucky. L'chaim!" T sincerely stated, and as everyone raised their glasses and echoed the exclamation, Will approached T and hugged him.
Gabi arrived shortly after T concluded his speech. Abigail asked about Gabi's tardiness, and when Gabi tried to dodge the question, Abigail quickly guessed that Gabi had been with Nick. Gabi dismissively stated that she had simply encountered Nick on the way to the club. Abigail didn't believe that it had been a coincidence at all, but Gabi insisted that it had been. "Okay, whatever. Look, it's Will and Sonny's night, okay? So just don't say anything to them," Abigail advised Gabi, who assured Abigail that it wasn't exactly fun to talk to Sonny and Will about Nick, anyway.
Elsewhere, Sonny praised T for delivering an eloquent speech, admitting that he hadn't realized that T possessed that ability. "Hangin' out wit' the two o' ya, my talkin' got a little more elegant-like," T replied in a stereotypically Southern drawl. As Will and Sonny laughed, T admitted that being completely sincere during his speech had felt a bit weird. Will agreed that it had been slightly out of character for T, who had actually seemed refined for a brief moment earlier. Sonny guessed that T could even have other upscale surprises in store for the party, such as a minuet or a string quartet, and T coyly confirmed that he might have something along those lines planned.
After thanking T for throwing an excellent party, Sonny went to the bar to get some more champagne. T cryptically called out to Sonny that the night wasn't over yet, and right on cue, a young woman entered the club, wearing a police uniform. The new arrival announced that she was looking for Sonny Kiriakis, and when he identified himself, she informed him that she had received a report about illegal activity occurring at the club. Sonny assured the young woman that there was no underage drinking going on at the party, but she grabbed his shirt and led him to a nearby chair as she clarified that the report had been about public nudity.
The young woman flirtatiously wondered if Sonny knew what happened to offenders, and before he could respond, she used a remote control to turn on a portable stereo system she had discreetly carried into the club earlier. Sultry music filled the room, and everyone laughed as the young woman started to strip for Sonny -- everyone except T, who was embarrassed about the mix-up. "That was supposed to be a dude. Look at her. Look at him look at her. What a waste of a hu -- huge...talent," T complained to J.J. as the young woman continued to strip for Sonny, who was being a good sport about the whole thing.
"Um, what, uh -- what did he do, officer? Because I am willing to testify," Will said as he approached the young woman, who wondered if he was the best man. Will started to clarify his true role in the wedding, but the young woman interrupted and started to dance seductively for him, assuring him that she had plenty of handcuffs for everyone. Will played along, dancing with the young woman as Sonny and everyone else watched and laughed.
After dancing with Will for a while, the young woman turned to Sonny and informed him that his best man had some mad moves. "Uh, you don't know the half of it. And I know that because he's not the best man -- he's the groom," Sonny clarified. Confused, the young woman said that the agency had given her Sonny's name and had told her that he was the groom. "I am the groom," Sonny confirmed.
The young woman quickly realized what was going on, and she turned off the music and good-naturedly informed Will and Sonny that her dance was on the house, so they replied that her drinks were also on the house. Sonny poured the young woman a glass of champagne as he complimented her on her particular brand of skills. "Wow. It used to be that all the good ones were gay or married. Now they're gay and married," the young woman mused before tasting the champagne.
Later, T approached Will and Sonny and apologized for the earlier mishap, explaining that he had intended to hire a male stripper. Feigning confusion, Sonny wondered why T would hire a male stripper. T pointed out that Sonny and Will were at their bachelor party and were gay. Sonny acted shocked, and Will played along, wondering if Sonny had been aware of that fact before. Sonny admitted that, in retrospect, there had been a few hints.
Elsewhere, J.J. spotted Paige entering the club, and they smiled at each other as their eyes met. J.J. went to talk to Paige, who explained that she was meeting a friend there for a study group. "Right, 'cause the library doesn't have a bar," J.J. joked, and Paige laughed and clarified that the library closed early on Mondays, and the club had excellent coffee.
J.J. joked that he was glad that he had said something stupid right away, just to get it out of the way, and Paige laughed and acknowledged that he was consistent. Paige observed that it looked like some sort of private party was being held at the club that night, and J.J. confirmed that his cousins were getting married the following day. Paige apologized for intruding, but J.J. assured her that it was a casual affair and invited her to stay. Before Paige could respond, her study partner entered, took in the scene, and quickly suggested that they could find a different place to study that night. Paige agreed and said farewell to J.J., who sighed as he watched her leave.
Meanwhile, Gabi exchanged a series of text messages with Nick, informing him that she would be enjoying herself much more if he were with her at the party. Nick replied that he didn't have to be there to know how much she meant to him, and he thanked her for their earlier talk. Later, Gabi and Abigail made a toast of their own to Will and Sonny, who kissed as everyone raised their glasses to the happy couple.
. . .
Nicole was startled when Liam approached her at a roadside rest stop and interrupted her attempt to dispose of the shredded documents. Liam observed that it looked like Nicole could use some help, and when she nervously wondered what had given him that impression, he explained that he had seen her pull her car over earlier. Liam suspected that Nicole might have a flat tire, but she assured him that everything was fine.
Nicole started to excuse herself, but Liam stopped her and said that she looked familiar. Liam asked Nicole various questions as he tried to figure out where he had seen her before, but she answered each one evasively. Liam finally realized on his own that he recognized Nicole because she was a famous television personality, and he wondered why a person of her caliber was wandering around in the middle of nowhere.
Nicole claimed that she had pulled over to respond to a text message because she was adamant about not doing that sort of thing while driving, and she added that she had taken the opportunity to dispose of some trash that had been piling up in her car. Nicole tried to leave again, but Liam protested that she first had to help him remember her name, so she reluctantly revealed that it was Nicole Walker. Nicole awkwardly encouraged Liam to keep watching her show before making one more attempt to excuse herself.
"Oh, sure, you go ahead. Uh, as far as rest stops go, this one came along at just the right time, if you know what I mean," Liam crassly replied as he approached some nearby bushes. Nicole uncomfortably thanked Liam for sharing, and after taking one last look at the trashcan that contained the shredded documents, she reluctantly walked away.
Later, after Liam left, Nicole returned to the trashcan with some matches. As she watched the documents burn, Nicole received a phone call from Eric, who had made one other attempt to contact her that night. Nicole claimed that she had missed the first call because she had forgotten to turn her cell phone ringer back on after silencing it earlier that day. Eric was eager to see Nicole, so she promised to meet him at the pub a short time later, vaguely claiming that she was at a crowded work gathering and would need a few minutes to slip away. After ending the call, Nicole extinguished the flames and walked away.
At the Horton Town Square, Aiden confirmed Hope's fear that he had overheard every word of her earlier conversation with Kayla -- especially the part where she had advised Kayla to steer clear of him. Hope jokingly acknowledged that the situation was awkward -- not because of what Aiden had heard her say but because of the humiliating fact that he had been caught eavesdropping on a private conversation. Aiden reminded Hope that they were in a public place. Hope unapologetically explained that it simply wasn't in her nature to lie or respond evasively when someone asked her a direct question. Aiden dryly agreed that it certainly wasn't difficult to pry an opinion out of Hope, who countered that it also wasn't difficult to pry a judgment out of him.
Meanwhile, Eric approached and greeted Hope, who had left him a message earlier to let him know that she needed to talk to him about something. Eric wondered if he was interrupting, and Aiden shook his head and abruptly excused himself. "Mr. Jennings, don't you want to stick around and judge my conversation with Eric? I'm sure I'll say or do something else wrong -- you could point it out to me!" Hope called out to Aiden as he walked away. As Hope sighed with frustration, Eric sarcastically observed that she was clearly crazy about Aiden. Hope warned Eric not to get her started on Aiden, and she quickly changed the subject.
Hope regretfully informed Eric that she needed him to visit the police station in the near future to sign off on his statement about Chyka. Eric knowingly guessed that the investigation was about to be halted, and Hope didn't bother to deny the suspicion. Hope apologized for asking Eric to do something that she was sure would stir up painful memories, but he optimistically reasoned that she was giving him the opportunity to officially put the ordeal behind him. Eric assured Hope that he would be okay, thanks to the support of good friends and, most importantly, Nicole.
Later, Hope passed the pub and spotted Aiden through one of the windows, so she waited for him to exit the building so that she could apologize for what had happened earlier. Hope braced herself for a lecture, admitting that she deserved it for once, but Aiden simply thanked her and said that he was grateful that she had discouraged Kayla from asking him out.
Hope informed Aiden that Kayla was a pretty amazing woman and a fantastic catch, and he pointed out that he had never said otherwise. Aiden acknowledged that Kayla seemed lovely, attractive, and smart, but Hope sensed that he was about to add that he wasn't interested in Kayla simply because she was Hope's sister-in-law. Aiden gently clarified that not everything was about Hope, and he added that it wasn't even about Kayla, either. Aiden explained that he just wasn't interested in dating anyone.
Hope understood, since Aiden had a young child and needed to focus on him at that time, and she optimistically suggested that Aiden might someday change his mind about putting himself back on the market. "There will never be a 'someday' -- ever," Aiden replied. Taken aback, Hope pointed out that Chase would eventually grow up, but when Aiden assured her that he was aware of that fact, she realized that he was being completely serious. Hope apologized and acknowledged that Aiden and Chase probably missed Aiden's late wife terribly. Hope noted that she didn't think that Aiden had ever told her his late wife's name, and he evasively confirmed that he was pretty sure that he had not. Hope guessed that she was intruding, but Aiden shook his head and clarified that he simply wasn't comfortable talking about that particular subject.
Changing the subject, Aiden mused that the silver lining of what he had overheard earlier was that it had taught him to send women to talk to Hope whenever they showed an interest in him and he wanted to deter them quickly and efficiently. The comment visibly stung Hope, but Aiden quickly clarified that he had been joking. Aiden abruptly excused himself so that he could pick up Chase, who was at a nearby judo class.
Inside the pub, Nicole greeted Eric and apologized for keeping him waiting. Eric wondered where Nicole had been, and when she repeated her earlier story about being at a work gathering, he revealed that he had tried to contact her at her office earlier and had been informed that she had left work hours earlier. Nicole claimed that she had really been working on a surprise for Eric, and he apologized and assured her that he hadn't been trying to catch her in a lie. Eric told Nicole about his earlier conversation with Hope. Nicole was pleased to hear Eric say that the ordeal would soon be behind them, since that was exactly how she felt about the matter, too.
Eric knew that Nicole wouldn't be able to attend Will and Sonny's wedding because she had to work that particular day, but he suggested that she might still like to sign her name to the card for the gift that he had purchased for them. Nicole was thrilled to do so, since it was not only her and Eric's first gift together as a couple but also a wedding gift, which she felt was appropriate. As Eric silently recalled the advice that he had received from Daniel earlier, Nicole received a phone call from Miles and reluctantly excused herself.
At the hospital, Jennifer reluctantly admitted to Daniel that she suspected that Nicole had lied to her during their earlier meeting. Jennifer wasn't upset and didn't want to make a big deal about the matter, reasoning that Nicole had indeed changed but still found it easy to lie about things because that was just who she was. Jennifer guessed that Nicole had wanted to cut their meeting short so that she could do something else -- attend a shoe sale that was in its final hours, perhaps -- so she had made up an excuse to leave in an effort to spare Jennifer's feelings.
Later, Daniel and Jennifer returned to his apartment to relieve Parker's babysitter of her duties for the night. Daniel went to his laptop to record the check that he had written for the babysitter, and Jennifer teased him about his obsession with meticulously tracking his finances using sophisticated software. Jennifer joked that her personal financial philosophy was "ignorance is bliss," which was why she was reluctant to let Daniel install the software on her computer. Jennifer preferred to simply keep track of her finances via the monthly statements from her bank, reasoning that she enjoyed the mystery of waiting an entire month to get the results.
Daniel and Jennifer continued to banter about their differing beliefs regarding finances for a few more minutes, stopping only when Parker emerged from the bathroom, where he had been cleaning up so that they could take him to get some ice cream. After Daniel, Jennifer, and Parker exited the apartment and boarded the elevator, Liam -- who had been hiding around a corner -- used the key that Theresa had given him to enter the apartment.
Liam explored the living room and ended up at Daniel's laptop, which was still open and displaying his financial information. After a brief look at the screen, Liam exited the apartment, pausing for a moment to scowl at a framed photograph of Jennifer and Daniel. Liam locked the apartment door and wiped his fingerprints off of the doorknob with a handkerchief before walking away.
While Jennifer, Daniel, and Parker were enjoying bowls of ice cream in the Horton Town Square, Jennifer spotted Hope and went to greet her. Hope vaguely mentioned her confusing earlier encounter with Aiden and predicted that she could spend a week trying to figure him out and wind up right back where she had started in the end. Changing the subject, Hope mentioned Will and Sonny's wedding, and she and Jennifer joked about the silly, outdated dances that they could do at the reception, such as the Macarena.
Daniel and Parker joined the women, and Daniel informed Hope that he wouldn't be able to attend the wedding because he had an early surgery scheduled for that particular day. As Hope and Jennifer continued to talk about the wedding, Liam lurked nearby and eavesdropped.
Gabi bumped into Nick while she was rushing through a secluded section of the town square, staring at her cell phone and muttering to herself that she would one day be late to her own funeral. Gabi apologized and explained that she was in a hurry, and Nick guessed that she was on her way to Will and Sonny's bachelor party. Gabi confirmed the suspicion and said that she was sorry that Nick would not be able to attend the event. Gabi didn't want Nick to feel left out, but he dismissed her concerns and said that he was fine. "This is me. I know you well enough to know when you're lying," Gabi replied without a hint of irony.
Gabi urged Nick to be honest with her about his feelings, so he told her about his earlier conversation with Will, who had responded sarcastically when Nick had expressed a desire to be liked. Nick claimed that he knew that Will was probably right to be skeptical, but Gabi disagreed and defended Nick, who said that he was touched that there was at least one person in the world who understood him. Nick concluded that he was just going to have to find a way to let go of his desire for other people to like him, since that was apparently asking too much. Gabi assured Nick that he wasn't asking too much and that he was indeed liked.
Nick and Gabi locked eyes with each other for a moment before he reminded her that she was late for the bachelor party. Gabi was glad that she had bumped into Nick, and she advised him to keep being himself, predicting that if he did that, Will and Sonny would eventually change their minds about him. Nick claimed that the most important thing was that Gabi, Will, and Sonny had worked things out regarding Arianna, and he suggested that Sonny and Will might be more mellow after the wedding the following day.
Nick recalled that he had been pretty worked up before his and Gabi's wedding -- not because he had been battling second thoughts but because he had feared that she might have been. Nick claimed that he had always considered Gabi to be out of his league. As Gabi started to blush, Nick urged her to go to the party and have some fun. Gabi agreed to do so, but she promised that she would be thinking about Nick the whole time. "Do that," Nick quietly muttered as he watched Gabi walk away.
At the Horton house, J.J. was playing his guitar and thinking about his earlier conversation with Paige when Abigail called out to him for what she claimed was the fifth time. J.J. apologized and set the instrument aside so that he and Abigail could head over to Club TBD for Will and Sonny's bachelor party. Abigail observed that J.J. seemed to completely zone out while playing the guitar, and she wondered if he had been searching for inspiration. J.J. somewhat irritably replied that Abigail needed to lighten up, adding that he simply hadn't heard her at first. "Wow. You might not play like a rock star, but you certainly have the temperamental thing down," Abigail countered as she followed J.J. out of the house.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Will was standing in front of a mirror in the living room, tucking his shirt into his pants, when Sonny approached and returned the shirt to its original state. "Untucked. Tonight, we go casual; tomorrow, we dress up, nice and formal," Sonny reasoned. Will feigned confusion and wondered what the following day was. "Only the greatest day of my life," Sonny replied with a smile before kissing Will.
Will teasingly referred to Sonny as "Mr. Prim and Proper" because Sonny was planning to stay at the Kiriakis mansion that night, prompting Sonny to clarify that it was a matter of tradition, not propriety. Sonny and Will each admitted that they were nervous about getting married the following day. Sonny reasoned that it was okay to feel that way, since he and Will were doing something exciting. "We're doing something great. And it's not just about tomorrow," Will replied, and Sonny agreed that it was about every single day after that, as well. As Sonny and Will kissed again, a babysitter arrived to watch Arianna so that they could attend their bachelor party.
At Club TBD, T's girlfriend, Robyn, ended a phone call and told him when the male stripper would be arriving. Two of Will and Sonny's other friends -- Kareem and an unidentified guy who was around the same age as the rest of the attendees -- were surprised to learn that T had hired a stripper, since they didn't think that matched Will and Sonny's style, but T dismissed their concerns. "Listen -- gay or straight, bachelor parties carry with them certain traditions, and I think they're gonna love it," T confidently predicted.
Later, T heard voices approaching outside, so he alerted everyone to be ready to congratulate Will and Sonny when they entered the club. The arriving "couple" turned out to be J.J. and Abigail instead, and the implication that they were about to get married disgusted her and amused him. J.J. wondered if T was flipping out yet, and T admitted that he was, since he had never been an official part of a wedding before. The same was true for J.J., who noted that he had also never before had the opportunity to attend a wedding where the people who were getting married were friends of his instead of "old people."
T, who was apparently in the same situation, wondered if J.J. had ever thought that his first wedding of that nature would involve a gay couple. J.J. admitted that he had not, but he added that he believed that it was pretty cool that he was going to get to attend such a wedding. Abigail agreed, and T mused that it was definitely something that they would each tell their future kids about. "I think our kids are gonna wonder why it was such a big deal," J.J. predicted as Will and Sonny entered the club.
Everyone loudly congratulated Sonny and Will in unison, prompting T to joke that it was a good thing that the group had gotten a chance to rehearse the greeting earlier. As Will and Sonny accepted handshakes and hugs and thanked everyone for attending, Abigail started to pour champagne into glasses, and T quietly asked her to wish him luck because he was about to make a toast and was nervous about it. Abigail protested that T had to wait for Gabi to arrive, and Will overheard her rhetorically ask T where Gabi was.
Later, T tapped his champagne glass with a fork to grab everyone's attention. "Okay. So, we all know we're here because these two are getting married tomorrow. Among some of the many swell things about these gentlemen is they have amazing taste. I mean, look who they chose for the best man. Yeah -- c'est moi. It's very cool. It is cool because -- and this is gonna come as a shock -- sometimes I can act like a jerk. And -- yeah, I know -- uh, I was never a bigger jerk in my entire life than when Will came out. My best friend was being honest about who he was, and I went all Mel Gibson on him. I remember being told off by Victor Kiriakis -- 'cause that wasn't at all scary. He said that 'ignorant' and 'stupid' weren't the same thing, but you could be both. And I was. I felt threatened, which was ignorant, and judgmental, which was stupid. I can't tell you how grateful I am for you guys to get past the things I said [and] the things I did. I almost lost one of the best friends a guy could have. Not only did you guys get past the things I said, you let me be your friend again, and to be friends with Sonny. Um, there's a word for that that people don't use much, and that word is called 'manly.' So tomorrow, they make it official -- they start a great life together -- and I just want to say that's awesome, and we should all be so lucky. L'chaim!" T sincerely stated, and as everyone raised their glasses and echoed the exclamation, Will approached T and hugged him.
Gabi arrived shortly after T concluded his speech. Abigail asked about Gabi's tardiness, and when Gabi tried to dodge the question, Abigail quickly guessed that Gabi had been with Nick. Gabi dismissively stated that she had simply encountered Nick on the way to the club. Abigail didn't believe that it had been a coincidence at all, but Gabi insisted that it had been. "Okay, whatever. Look, it's Will and Sonny's night, okay? So just don't say anything to them," Abigail advised Gabi, who assured Abigail that it wasn't exactly fun to talk to Sonny and Will about Nick, anyway.
Elsewhere, Sonny praised T for delivering an eloquent speech, admitting that he hadn't realized that T possessed that ability. "Hangin' out wit' the two o' ya, my talkin' got a little more elegant-like," T replied in a stereotypically Southern drawl. As Will and Sonny laughed, T admitted that being completely sincere during his speech had felt a bit weird. Will agreed that it had been slightly out of character for T, who had actually seemed refined for a brief moment earlier. Sonny guessed that T could even have other upscale surprises in store for the party, such as a minuet or a string quartet, and T coyly confirmed that he might have something along those lines planned.
After thanking T for throwing an excellent party, Sonny went to the bar to get some more champagne. T cryptically called out to Sonny that the night wasn't over yet, and right on cue, a young woman entered the club, wearing a police uniform. The new arrival announced that she was looking for Sonny Kiriakis, and when he identified himself, she informed him that she had received a report about illegal activity occurring at the club. Sonny assured the young woman that there was no underage drinking going on at the party, but she grabbed his shirt and led him to a nearby chair as she clarified that the report had been about public nudity.
The young woman flirtatiously wondered if Sonny knew what happened to offenders, and before he could respond, she used a remote control to turn on a portable stereo system she had discreetly carried into the club earlier. Sultry music filled the room, and everyone laughed as the young woman started to strip for Sonny -- everyone except T, who was embarrassed about the mix-up. "That was supposed to be a dude. Look at her. Look at him look at her. What a waste of a hu -- huge...talent," T complained to J.J. as the young woman continued to strip for Sonny, who was being a good sport about the whole thing.
"Um, what, uh -- what did he do, officer? Because I am willing to testify," Will said as he approached the young woman, who wondered if he was the best man. Will started to clarify his true role in the wedding, but the young woman interrupted and started to dance seductively for him, assuring him that she had plenty of handcuffs for everyone. Will played along, dancing with the young woman as Sonny and everyone else watched and laughed.
After dancing with Will for a while, the young woman turned to Sonny and informed him that his best man had some mad moves. "Uh, you don't know the half of it. And I know that because he's not the best man -- he's the groom," Sonny clarified. Confused, the young woman said that the agency had given her Sonny's name and had told her that he was the groom. "I am the groom," Sonny confirmed.
The young woman quickly realized what was going on, and she turned off the music and good-naturedly informed Will and Sonny that her dance was on the house, so they replied that her drinks were also on the house. Sonny poured the young woman a glass of champagne as he complimented her on her particular brand of skills. "Wow. It used to be that all the good ones were gay or married. Now they're gay and married," the young woman mused before tasting the champagne.
Later, T approached Will and Sonny and apologized for the earlier mishap, explaining that he had intended to hire a male stripper. Feigning confusion, Sonny wondered why T would hire a male stripper. T pointed out that Sonny and Will were at their bachelor party and were gay. Sonny acted shocked, and Will played along, wondering if Sonny had been aware of that fact before. Sonny admitted that, in retrospect, there had been a few hints.
Elsewhere, J.J. spotted Paige entering the club, and they smiled at each other as their eyes met. J.J. went to talk to Paige, who explained that she was meeting a friend there for a study group. "Right, 'cause the library doesn't have a bar," J.J. joked, and Paige laughed and clarified that the library closed early on Mondays, and the club had excellent coffee.
J.J. joked that he was glad that he had said something stupid right away, just to get it out of the way, and Paige laughed and acknowledged that he was consistent. Paige observed that it looked like some sort of private party was being held at the club that night, and J.J. confirmed that his cousins were getting married the following day. Paige apologized for intruding, but J.J. assured her that it was a casual affair and invited her to stay. Before Paige could respond, her study partner entered, took in the scene, and quickly suggested that they could find a different place to study that night. Paige agreed and said farewell to J.J., who sighed as he watched her leave.
Meanwhile, Gabi exchanged a series of text messages with Nick, informing him that she would be enjoying herself much more if he were with her at the party. Nick replied that he didn't have to be there to know how much she meant to him, and he thanked her for their earlier talk. Later, Gabi and Abigail made a toast of their own to Will and Sonny, who kissed as everyone raised their glasses to the happy couple.
. . .
