Frolicking

The orient express chugs through the French countryside. Max gets the text from Stephanie and texts her back. "I'm glad you're not upset with me. Talk to you soon."

Stephanie shuts her phone, holds it to her heart and says, "Sooner than you think." She calls the airport, "I'd like to arrange a flight to France."

"All right," says the clerk, "We have a direct flight to Paris leaving every fifteen minutes."

"That's not good enough," says Stephanie, "I need to go to Marseilles."

That's going to be tougher," says the clerk, "Our direct flights to Marseilles only leave every half hour."

Caroline comes up and asks her if she knows where Max is. "I don't think he'll be coming home tonight," says Stephanie.

"What do you know," says Caroline, "It's been a long time since I've caught a break this good."

Stephanie tells Caroline he's in France. She gives her the letter.

EJ meets Trent outside the pub, "Hello, Brent."

"It's Trent."

"Oh, yes," says EJ, "Like the river in England." Nicole comes up and Trent tells EJ they are old friends.

EJ is skeptical, "Really, Nicole? Are you and Thames old friends?"

Morgan asks Abe if Bo is around. "Of course not," says Abe, "What? Do you think he works here? " Morgan tells him she doesn't want the money.

Marlena listens and goes into Roman's office. Roman says, "We need to talk."

"What's wrong?"

"What else... Sami."

Victor talks honest cop Bo out of the evidence against Phillip with the assistance of his beeping machines. Bo hands him the tape recorder and the machines cooperate and settle down on cue.

Bo walks out of Victor's room and scowls. Kate asks what's wrong. Bo snarls, "You talk to Phillip about it. He wants a word with Phillip alone.

Ava and John decide they have a lot to celebrate. Ava says he is free now that he is rid of the disc. "You have no idea," says John. Translation: I have a copy.

Ava toasts, "To the future and starting over."

John says, "And to the beautiful woman that made it all happen."

Roman fills Marlena in on Sami, Lucas, EJ, custody and tosses in Nicole for good measure, "It seems that during the blackout, EJ and Nicole were generating their own electricity in the elevator."

"GASP!"

Morgan don' wan no stinkin' money. She says they can give it to her father when he gets back. She leaves.

Caroline reads Max' note telling her he's off to find his sister.

Max rides. Max stares. Caroline reads.

Chelsea comes in and Stephanie tells her what Max is up to. Stephanie wishes Max wouldn't have lied to her, "Trent Robbins is the cause of all this."

Nicole and Trent start go inside. EJ stops them and asks for a word with Nicole. He asks what's going on. She says she's just grabbing a bite to eat with an old friend. "Like hell you are," says EJ, "I don't like the way Thames treats you.

Trent interrupts, "I think you two are finished."

Bo stomps off with Phillip. Daniel stops Kate and tells her not to see Victor because he needs his rest. Kate asks, "Am I making you uncomfortable? I don't want things to be awkward between us."

"Then we just shouldn't talk about it any more," says Daniel.

"Chelsea's a lucky girl," says Kate.

Daniel asks, "Do you believe in luck?"

"No," says Kate, "Do you?"

"Well," says Daniel, "I got lucky with you a few times."

"That's right," says Kate, "I squeezed you in between the seventh fleet and the Salem U rugby team.

Kate wants to go into Victor's room. Daniel tells her to sit quietly. Kate sighs, "Thanks, doc."

Stephanie lets it slip that she's headed for France. She'll fill the brat in later. She walks off and Chelsea calls Morgan, "I need your help."

Caroline tells Stephanie she is sorry Max didn't tell her in person but understands, "You're gonna miss him like I do."

OH, FOR GOD'S SAKE, GET OVER IT! HE'S IN FRANCE, NOT ON A MISSION TO NEPTUNE! Oops. Sorry for the outburst. I don't know what came over me.

Caroline heads for the hospital. Outside, she bumps into Trent and Nicole. Caroline gets in Trent's face and growls, "This is all your fault."

Caroline walks off and Trent shrugs, "What?"

EJ clues him in, "I think she's not your number one fan, Thames."

Marlena is torn between the shock value of EJ and Nicole's elevator "ride" and the juiciness of it all, "OMG! Maybe Sami will focus on Lucas now."

"I wouldn't count on that," says Roman, "While EJ and Nicole were at it, Lucas and Chloe were having a real good time themselves."

Marlena thinks they should have seen this coming, "Sami has been playing one man against another forever now." Suddenly Marlena has that epiphany that can only come to women as dysfunctional as the bimbos of Salem, "Roman! THIS IS MY FAULT!"

Roman, not to mention the entire audience, can't wait to hear the rationalization on this one. Marlena cobbles the warped tale, "Sami spent years seeing her mother torn between two men." Roman wonders if Sami might be just a teensy weensy responsible.

Marlena chastises him, "As a professional psychiatrist, I can assure you that no woman in Salem is responsible for her own actions."

Abe interrupts. Marlena leaves and Abe tells Roman Morgan refused the money.

EJ smooches Nicole and turns, "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Thames." EJ leaves.

Trent gets nasty, "I warned you."

Nicole asks, "Are we done here?"

Trent says, "No we are not. I need you to do a little detective work for me."

In the last five minutes, Morgan and Chelsea have gone shopping, wrapped a bunch of Bon voyage presents for Stephanie and hand her the package. Stephanie finds a beret and an electrical outlet converter inside. She also finds a phone card so she can call them every day. She digs a little deeper and finds a French translator. "Thanks guys," says Stephanie, "but I already speak passable French. In fact, I've learned to say, 'I love being your doormat, stomp all over me' in six languages."

Bo drags Phillip into his house. Phillip asks, "Shouldn't we be doing this at the station with you barking orders and making threats?"

"Speaking of threats," says Bo, "You threatened to kill Paul." Bo tells him about the recording.

"A threat isn't a confession," says Phillip.

Bo tells Phillip Victor has the tape, "Did you kill a man?"

Phillip insists he didn't. Bo asks if Phillip knows where Paul is. Phillip says he doesn't have a clue. He also doesn't know where Paul is. Bo tells him the conversation they are having is off the record. It's off the wall if you ask me. Phillip wonders why Bo wouldn't spill the beans. "Victor asked me not to," says Bo, "He asked me to protect you. This goes against everything I believe in but I did it for our father. I let my emotions get in the way of my judgment. I'm withholding evidence. I lied to protect your sorry butt." Phillip again insists he didn't kill Hollingsworth and leaves.

Abe leaves Roman's office. Marlena intercepts him and pries about Theo. She suggests a support group. Abe and Lexie are going to try to make it. He says he and Lexie have a long way to go. Roman comes out and spares us. He takes Marlena inside his office and says the warden called, "You gave me the feeling Sami wants to reconcile with him."

Marlena asks, "Is Sami interested in the warden now?"

"I think she'd be better off without either EJ or Lucas," says Roman.

John and Ava drain the liquor. EJ walks in and catches the scene on the couch, "Oh good God. I'm not in the mood for you two frolicking."

Ava wonders if EJ has ever heard of jeans and a t-shirt. She thinks he should loosen up, "I think I'll go try to find some yummy treats."

"You just make the kitchen your own," says John.

John tells EJ Ava is right – he needs to change his wardrobe. EJ says he's making other changes, "I've been Mr. Nice Guy and look where that landed me. It has to stop. I want my son to grow up strong and independent. So I have to make some changes. I have a proposition for you."

"If you ask me to step into the service elevator," says John, "I'll rip you apart."

Kate sits with Victor. She tells him Phillip and Bo left together and were acting strangely. She asks if he knows anything about that, "Of course you do." She sees the recorder and pries it out of his hand, "Do you want me to play it?" Victor stares. Kate plays and listens, "Oh, Phillip. OMG."

Nicole walks up to the three bimbos and asks for Max. They tell her he'll be gone a few weeks. Nicole says she was just wondering, because he had ordered some special wine for her, "No big deal." Nicole leaves and they all agree that was weird.

Outside, detective Nicole tells Trent Max is gone. Trent tells her to get back in and find out where he went.

Daniel comes in. Kate hides the recorder. Daniel notices Victor's heart rate is accelerating. Caroline comes in. Kate tells Victor she'll be back and leaves. Daniel tells Caroline about Victor going into cardiac arrest, "He has a tough road ahead of him." Victor wants Caroline to stay. Daniel says, "Lexie will be in to check on you. If you need anything at all, press the button."

"I need a competent doctor," says Victor.

Daniel leaves and Caroline asks if Bo was there. "Yes," says Victor, "He's a good man. Tell him I said thank you."

EJ says he has always rather admired John, "You don't capitulate."

"I do if I can find a woman who is willing," says John.

EJ says he wants to be involved in John's businesses. John says he prefers to work alone. John wonders what EJ can bring to the table.

"Legal expertise," says EJ, "and I have an understanding of my father's business dealings."

"All things I can get elsewhere," says John, "But you are family."

"Let's not forget, I wasn't always Mr. Nice Guy," says EJ.

"You wanna work for me," says John, "Let's give it a shot."

Roman and Marlena discuss Sami. Marlena wonders if Roman can't bend the rules for Lucas. "You have got to be kidding," snorts Roman, "He needs to learn a lesson." Marlena asks him to do it for her. "I'm sorry," says Roman, "There is nothing more I can do for Lucas."

Nicole struggles as Trent grabs her. Trent thinks she's falling for EJ. He warns her to stay away. Nicole tells him to stay away from her and stomps off. Trent makes a call, "Maaaaxxxx, you went on a little trip and didn't tell your old man. I'm offended."

"You want something else offensive," asks Max, "How about this." He hangs up.

Marlena works on Roman to get him to give Lucas a break. Roman caves and says he will see what he can do, "No promises, though."

EJ and John shake. "You made the right decision," says EJ.

"Prove to me that I can trust you," says John, "Do that, and we will get along famously.

Hugs and goodbyes at the pub. Stephanie leaves. Daniel comes in. He asks if there is something going on between Bo and Victor. Chelsea says she doesn't know of anything, and that calls for a face-sucking marathon.

Caroline asks if there is anything Victor wants. "Release papers," says Victor. She says she sees he still hasn't lost his sense of humor, tells him she'll be back and leaves.

Kate watches her go and heads back into Victor's room. She unwinds the tape, "I think we both know what needs to be done with this. I'll burn it... for Phillip."

Victor mumbles, "Phillip."

Bo stares out the window. He calls Abe, "There's something I gotta tell you."

Busy Abe says, "Gimme just a minute..."

Bo flashes back to his conversation with Victor. Abe pops back in and Bo cops out, "I don't think I'll make it into work today."

"That's strange," says Abe, "You're hardly ever here, but you rarely call to tell me you won't be in."


Previews
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