I'm Feeling Romantical

Marlena paces around her apartment, no doubt searching for apparitions. She walks onto her balcony and someone shouts Happy New Year. As she walks back into her apartment, the doorbell rings. It's Rebecca, wondering if Marlena will be attending the New Year bash she and Richard are throwing. Marlena is in a mood for bashing, but not at a party, so she declines and goes back inside. She picks up her book, "Brooding for Dummies." The sounds of the party fill the room and one glance at John's picture tells her to go have a rockin' New Year's eve. She tells the picture, "All right. I get it."

Johns picture says, "That's a first." Marlena heads off to get dressed to kill... uh, party, that is.

Bo and Roman stuff their faces with pizza and try to figure out if Chloe is telling the truth. A deliveryman interrupts and brings Bo a garment bag. Bo takes a wad-o-cash out of his Pocket and starts to peel off a few bills, "Oh, hell... Here, take it all. A cop on the take can afford to be a big tipper." The guy gives him an envelope to go with it and leaves.

Bo opens the note, which is from Hope, commanding him to get himself over to Chez Rouge by midnight, "I have plans for your lips." Roman opens the garment bag and tells Bo he has a nice gown in there. Bo asks Roman if it's all right to go and Roman says it is.

The party at Chez Rouge is a cure for insomnia if there ever was one. Even the old folks are kissing. Patch promises Kayla the next one will be better; he needs a lot of practice tonight to help find the perfect kiss to bring in the New Year. Kayla giggles and says he looks handsome in his suit. "I didn't realize you'd had that much to drink already," says Patch.

Maggie names Bo and Hope the most beautiful couple in the room. I guess Maggie's had a few too many as well. As they all speculate about whether Marlena is coming, Marlena herself ends the debate by walking up. They all giggle with delight like kids at the prom and greet Marlena like they haven't seen her for twenty years. Of course, getting rid of Marlena for twenty years would make anyone giggle with delight. Bo is impressed and tells her she looks beautiful, Marlena tells Bo he is charming. Maggie tells the bartender to cut off the liquor.

Marlena smiles, "John insisted that I come celebrate and I never was any good at saying no to him." Allrighty... that breaks the crowd up.

Patch is overjoyed to see Marlena. He goes over, bends her backwards and plants a big one on her. Fortunately, a chiropractor is attending and he helps straighten Marlena back up. Marlena joins the Bradys and the Johnsons at their table, "Beauregard," says Patch, "It's a great thing to be outnumbered by beautiful women."

"How soon do the beautiful women get here," asks Bo, "The holidays bring out the romance in all of us."

"Consciousness brings out the romance in you," says Hope.

"I'm feeling romantical," says Patch.

"I found that out," says Marlena. She makes a toast and they all drink. That was enough alcohol to make Marlena see John standing across the room.

Phillip grills Chloe about Brady's disappearance. Chloe doesn't know why they took him, but claims innocence. Phillip points out innocent people call the police when something like that happens. She reminds him she got a threatening note telling her to stop searching for Brady. Phillip asks where the note is. The beanbrain threw it away, "Just tell me what you want, Phillip."

Phillip says, "I'm hoping a woman who would hide her husband's disappearance won't have a problem with what I have in mind to secure her freedom."

Tearful Belle tells Shawn she cheated on him. She tosses every rationalization in the book at him and tells him she loves him. Belle thought this would be a great way to start off the new year. Silent Shawn simmers. "Talk to me," bawls Belle.

"Talk to Phillip," snorts Shawn. He wants to know if it happened before or after their wedding. Belle tells him. He grits his teeth and tells her all of her promises at the wedding were lies.

Belle insists she loves him, "We can get past this if you'll just forgive me."

Hope toasts, "To a girls weekend at a decadent spa." Clink!

Bo toasts, "To a weekend with decadent girls."

Patch asks Marlena to dance. Kayla gets him in an arm lock and takes him onto the dance floor herself. She tells him she's made an appointment with her doctor to run some fertility tests.

"I didn't know gerontologists did fertility testing," says Patch. She tells him they will have to keep trying in order to make this happen.

"When does it all begin," asks Patch.

She kisses him, "Right now."

"Shouldn't we get a room first?"

Bo asks if Marlena is doing OK and she assures him she is. She thinks she's let John down. Right now he would be out there looking for Brady. Bo says he and Roman are handling that. "I know," says Marlena, "But I was actually hoping to find him."

Phillip outlines his deal to Chloe, "I want you to move in on Shawn."

"Define move in."

"I want you to get as close to him as humanly possible, any questions?" Chloe is silent. Mercifully.

Things aren't going well for Belle. Shawn says he has already forgiven her for trying to get him kicked out of the academy and for working with Phillip to set him up. Three strikes and she's out. It's a good thing for Belle Shawn can only count to two. Belle plays her trump card – Claire. Shawn cuts her off at the knees, "Did you even think of Claire when you were lying in bed with Phillip? And don't drop your guilt on me just to make yourself feel better."

"That's not why I told you. I can't take back what I did."

"Why did you even marry me?"

"Because I love you and want to spend all the Days Of Our Lives together."

"I blame myself," says Shawn, "I did everything except hand Phillip the key to our bedroom."

"Don't worry," says Belle, "He already has that." The blamestorm erupts. She insists it's her fault, not Shawn's, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes I did," says Shawn, "I chose to trust you. You don't know how to love anyone. I was just too blind to see it."

Patch writhes and wiggles around Kayla waving his hands at her. "What are you doing," she asks.

"A fertility dance, baby."

She tells him that's not the way it works. He has to go over to the clinic and give a sample. "I can do that," says Patch, "Is it tax-deductible?" Kayla joins in on the fertility dance.

Chloe refuses to let Phillip pimp her out for bail and a lawyer. Phillip claims he isn't suggesting she proposition Shawn. She wonders how she will separate Shawn and Belle. "Belle is already in love with me," says Phillip.

"Oh, yeah, that explains the ring on her finger."

"Shawn is her default mode," says Phillip. Chloe thinks Shawn and Belle are in love. "Take the deal, Chloe," snorts Phillip, "Or it's goodbye and this time it looks like it could be forever."

Belle wails. Belle Bawls. Belle Blathers. Shawn wonders if she were hedging her bets in case they didn't work out. "I'm not smart enough to think of that," says Belle.

Shawn seethes, "I did everything I could to provide for you and Claire. I bent over backwards to make you happy."

CENSORED – There is no link. You know exactly what she said.

"Do you love me," says Belle, "After everything I've told you?"

"Yes."

"Then we can fix this," says Belle, "Tell me you want that."

"What I want," says Shawn, "Is a divorce." Belle collapses into a heap-o-tears.

Bo and Hope dance and worry about Marlena. Marlena sits across the room and stares at the picture of John and the headless mommy. A tall, dark stranger comes up and asks her to dance. "Maybe later," says Marlena.

"I'll look forward to it," he says, as he walks off. As Marlena's eyes follow him, she sees Crystal across the room. Crystal books.

Phillip comes back in and gives Chloe a drink. Chloe wonders if it's a peace offering. "We're not at war," says Phillip.

"If I seduce Shawn," says Chloe.

Phillip thinks Shawn has a lot of Brady swagger, but lacks confidence, "Your job is to make Shawn believe in himself. Once he sees that confidence in your eyes the rest will take care of itself."

"I won't use Shawn."

Phillip nods and points out a guy outside the room, "See that guy out there? His name is Greer. He kept a certain magazine heir out of a Thai prison. Say the word and he'll work his magic for you. Unless you're ready for a steady diet of sauerkraut and Vienna sausages served up on dirty metal trays."

Chloe considers her alternatives, "How long till I'm out?"

"I was hoping we could ring in the new year together."

"Are you buying?"

"Of course." Apparently, so is Chloe.

Shawn can't believe Phillip slept with Belle and still wants to be with her. Belle doesn't want a divorce without trying to save their marriage. Shawn tells her they won't fight over Claire, "We'll draw straws and the loser gets her."

Shawn vows to pay child support and will visit her often. Belle blubbers, "You make it sound like we're already divorced."

"We never should have gotten married," says Shawn. He tells her his parents will be there soon and he doesn't want them to know about this, "They don't deserve to have that much fun, even on New Year's Eve." He suggests she go spend the night with Marlena.

Belle moves in to hug him, but Shawn recoils and walks off. Belle is a fountain of tears.

Bo and Hope talk about New Year's resolutions. Hope says they aren't seeing much of Chelsea now that she's at college. Bo thinks that's a great idea and they both resolve to see as little of the brat as humanly possible. Hope decides Sunday's will be family time around the Brady house.

"Except during football season," says Bo.

"You're not a football fan," says Hope, "You're a Jets fan."

Bo gets defensive, "Hey, they beat the Chiefs last week!"

"Girls teams don't count," says Hope.

Bo doesn't exactly have a New Year's resolution, "It's more like a New Year's wish."

"What is it," asks Hope.

Bo gets that look, "I'll have to show you a little later."

"I think I've already seen it," says Hope, "It's no biggie."

Marlena chases Crystal down outside and confronts her. Crystal insists she is there to help. Marlena asks, "About John?"

"No," says Crystal, "His son."

"Brady," gasps Marlena, "Do you know where Brady is?"

Phillip and Greer finish their business. Phillip starts to leave. Chloe stops him and tells him the guys who took Brady said something about Belle, "They took a picture we had of her. I don't know if it means anything, but I hope not."

Phillip blows, "Why didn't you tell me this before?" He panics and runs off to find Belle.

Crystal tells Marlena Brady is in trouble and needs her. Marlena wants to know how to find him. Crystal says the picture Marlena received before John died will guide her. Marlena wonders how Crystal knows about the picture. Crystal can't tell her, but she does say Brady's destiny depends on her.

"Who are you," asks Marlena.

"Someone who won a contest," says Crystal, "'So you want to be a mystery woman in Marlena's life.'" Marlena wants proof John is alive and she wants to know where Brady is. Crystal is long on talk, short on proof. Marlena grabs her and asks about the picture. Crystal runs off as Bo, Hope, Patch and Kayla come up. "Who was that woman," asks Bo.

"Don't you know," asks Marlena, "She's the Lone Stranger." Marlena runs off as speculation runs rampant with the fearsome foursome.

Belle comes back into the pub all packed and ready to be kicked to the curb. She asks Shawn if he's not going to fight for them. "There is nothing to fight for," says Shawn. He turns away and Belle heads for the curb. Outside, she stares back inside and contemplates the life that might have been but for a romp in the hay.

Phillip finds her. She tells him she blabbed it all and she and Shawn broke up. Phillip tries to be understanding. Belle don' wan' no stinkin' understanding. Phillip says he came to warn her, "Chloe says you might be in danger."

"Chloe can go to hell," snorts Belle, "And so can you."

"We can't both live with you," says Phillip.

Marlena barges into the cop shop demanding to see Chloe. Roman whoas her up. He says Chloe is inside the office with her lawyer, Greer. Chloe and Greer walk out. Marlena grabs Chloe and demands to know where Brady is. Greer threatens to bring charges against Marlena for assault, "Who is this woman."

"It's my mother in law," says Chloe.

"You're in worse shape than I thought," says Greer. Chloe decides she can handle it. Greer figures he's off the clock so he leaves. Marlena grills Chloe about Crystal. Chloe plays dumb. It's not a stretch. She says if Marlena has any more questions she will have to call her lawyer. Chloe takes off. Roman restrains Marlena.

Shawn sits with his parents and the Johnsons. Bo, now well on his way to getting plastered, toasts Shawn and says he hopes the new year brings him peace and happiness.

Belle hugs Marlena who has taken a break from wet-vacing her apartment to sop up the tears. Belle says she didn't know where else to go. Marlena tries to be comforting, "Forgiveness is never too much to expect from someone you love."

"Please tell me that doesn't mean the same thing as 'Love means never having to say you are sorry,'" says Belle. As they hug, Marlena looks at John's picture.

The clock strikes twelve. Shawn turns into a pumpkin head. Marlena covers Belle and kisses her forehead. The crowd at Chez Rouge cheers in 2008. Phillip and Chloe smile at each other as glitter falls around them. The glitter falls in slow motion. Chloe thinks in slow motion.

Marlena ponders life on her balcony. Belle sleeps. To sleep, perchance to dream. To dream, perchance to indicate you have a brain. Marlena looks at John's picture. Patch and Kayla kiss. Shawn swills beer. Phillip grows a sinister smile as everyone sings Auld Lang Syne. Marlena strokes Belle's head. The sound of a solid object striking a hollow ball fills the room.

Marlena goes back over to John's picture, "I made a promise I would try to put this family back together. God help anybody who tries to stop me."

The Lord God sayeth, "I don't mean to brag, but if I help them, you can bet they'll stop you."

In memoriam: Irina Davidescu, a DOOL viewer since 1974.

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