ERIC had just poured himself a coffee when Taylor walked into the house with the kind of look that meant she wasn’t here for small talk. She asked if he missed Nicole already, and he admitted that he did. It still felt strange that they were engaged. Taylor wasn’t smiling.
She pointed out that Nicole had left her ring behind, and Eric shrugged it off, saying she was rushing to catch her flight to Chicago. Anyone would forget something in that hurry. No way, Taylor said. Nicole left that ring on purpose.
Eric frowned. Why would she do that? Because she doesn’t want Lucas to know you’re getting married, Taylor answered. She’s playing you two against each other.
Eric shook his head. Lucas hadn’t even gone with Nicole to Chicago. There was no reason for her to hide anything. Taylor pressed on.
It’s a Titan appearance, Eric. People from work will be there. If she wore the ring, the word would get back to Lucas. She doesn’t want him to find out.
Eric reminded her that Nicole didn’t want to hurt Lucas. Taylor said it went deeper than that. There were other reasons. Eric asked her what she meant, but Taylor told him to just drop it.
She wanted him to be happy. He deserved it. Then Eric asked what was really going on with her. Taylor hesitated, then admitted she was fine.
But Eric wasn’t buying it. Meanwhile, Nicole was in Chicago, greeting a crowd that had gathered for her appearance. Two men pushed through, calling her Nicky. They said she owed them.
Lucas stepped in, telling them to back off, and the men laughed. Nicole knew them. It had been a long time. The men reminded her of the old days, of a scam the three of them had run back in L.
A. A bait-and-switch operation. When things got hot, Nicole disappeared and they took the fall. Three years in prison.
Now they wanted payback. Lucas told them she didn’t owe them anything. Louie, the hotel security man, came over and Lucas told him to get the men out. They complained that it was a public place, but Louie made it clear they’d leave or be thrown out.
Lucas escorted Nicole inside and ordered her a glass of wine. He told her to relax, that as long as she was with him, no one could hurt her. Nicole said the past would never go away. She’d never escape her mistakes.
Lucas told her there was a way out, and she knew it. He just didn’t say what it was. In Salem, John and Marlena were playing hide-and-seek with Brady and Belle in the park. John found Brady, then suggested the kids go play on the swings so he and Marlena could talk.
Marlena noticed he was having one of his headaches again, but John downplayed it. He suggested they all have some fun instead. She told him not to overdo it, then went to help Belle with the swing. While they packed up the picnic afterward, John had another moment of pain.
Marlena wanted to run tests. John said the only way to make the headaches stop was to find out the truth about his past. She warned him that the truth might make things worse. He said he needed to take a walk alone.
Before leaving, he told her he loved her, no matter what he found out. She reminded him that his future was with her and the kids. At the townhouse, Greta was talking with Gina, who insisted she needed the compact back. Greta said she didn’t have it anymore.
Gina pressed her, demanding to know if she knew where it was. They argued back and forth until Greta finally admitted she had no idea where the compact had gone. Gina asked if she’d ever told her who gave it to her. Greta remembered her mother saying it was a gift from a very special friend.
Gina asked if that friend was Stefano, but Greta said she didn’t know. She said she was sorry, that she wished she could help. But Greta wasn’t telling the whole truth. After she left, she called Billie and asked to meet her at Salem Place right away.
She said she needed to see her. Gina watched her go, and she knew something. Greta was lying. She had to find her and make her lead her to that compact.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Mike ran into Craig and Nancy in Las Vegas. They were celebrating their anniversary. Nancy noticed the bruise on his cheek and asked what happened. Mike said it was just an accident, nothing to worry about.
They told him they’d renewed their vows the night before. Mike congratulated them, and Nancy suggested they all get together for dinner with Carrie. Carrie’s not here, Mike said. She had to go back to Salem.
Nancy said they’d run into Austin last night, and he seemed anxious to see Carrie. Mike said he had phone calls to make and left. Craig and Nancy exchanged a look. They guessed that Mike had caught Austin with Carrie.
If that was true, the scandal they had been hoping for was about to happen. Craig would become chief of staff, and Mike’s career would be finished. Later, Mike asked Craig to fill in for him as the keynote speaker at the medical convention. Mike said something personal had come up and he was going back to Salem.
Craig agreed to take the speech, and Nancy promised they’d help any way they could. After Mike left, they congratulated themselves on how perfectly everything was working out. Austin, meanwhile, had come home. Marlena opened the door and asked how his trip went.
He said he found Carrie. She was in bed with Mike. Sami was in prison, waiting for her custody hearing. She was terrified that Austin would lose Will.
Austin reminded her that the judge had heard statements from her parents and the Bradys. He told her not to worry. When she asked if he could get Carrie to come back, he said it didn’t matter. They had a strong case.
Lucas was unfit. Austin promised to get full custody. Then he told her he had arranged for her to watch the hearing on closed circuit television. Sami broke down and thanked him.
She said she wanted Will to grow up to be just like him. Austin promised they would take it one round at a time. But Austin’s mind was elsewhere. Earlier, he had confronted Carrie at a hotel in Las Vegas.
She told him not to go. He said he was done with her and their marriage. She begged him to stay, warned him that if he left, she’d never see him again. He said he was doing this for all of them, especially for Will.
But after he left, Carrie thought about what he’d told her, about how he was only helping Sami. She finally believed him. And she wanted to make up for what she’d done. Now she was at the prison, asking to see Sami.
Carrie walked in and found Sami waiting. Sami was shocked to see her. Carrie said she was there to help Austin get Will. Back with Eric and Taylor, Taylor was still dancing around the truth.
Eric asked what was going on, why she seemed so nervous about the wedding. Taylor said Nicole probably regretted forgetting the ring, that once she came back she’d put it on and never take it off. Eric said he hoped she was right. Then Taylor admitted the truth.
She said she was in love with him. She told him she shouldn’t have said anything, but she couldn’t hold it in anymore. Eric told her not to apologize. He said he was in love with her too, more than he had ever loved Nicole or anyone else.
He held out the ring and asked her to marry him. Taylor was stunned. She said yes. Then Eric watched her face and asked what was wrong.
Taylor said she was just feeling sentimental about him and Nicole. She asked if Nicole really wanted children. Eric said they did, but not right away. He wanted kids raised by a full-time parent, not a nanny, because his mother was never there for him and Sami.
Taylor looked like she was about to cry. Eric asked what was wrong. Taylor said she didn’t understand why he was rushing into this. Nicole had lied to him about her past.
She asked if he was sure those problems were really behind them. Eric said Nicole had changed. They had both changed. He asked Taylor to forgive her sister for her mistakes and be happy for them.
Taylor said she was trying. He told her that someday she’d find someone and fall in love, and whoever he was, he’d be a lucky guy. Gina, meanwhile, was frantic. She told Greta that her whole future depended on finding that compact.
Greta said she couldn’t help. Gina pressed her, but Greta refused to say more and left. Gina was certain the girl was lying. She had to find her.
At the hotel in Chicago, Nicole thanked Lucas for handling the men outside. She told him she would never escape the mistakes of her past. Lucas said as long as she was with him, no one could hurt her. Nicole said he couldn’t protect her forever.
Lucas replied that there was a way, and she knew what it was. Then he asked her a question. Could Eric snap his fingers and make her troubles disappear? What if those two men saw Eric on the street and told him about her past?
Would he accept it? Would he forgive her? Nicole had no answer.
