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At the christening, Leo says he has something very important to say that can’t wait and pushes the priest out of the way. As EJ offers to have him arrested, Sloan, holding Jude, casts a pleading look at Leo. He hedges before saying he is covering the event for The Spectator‘s society page. Therefore, if anyone has objections to their photo being taken, they should speak now.

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Leo continues on about the losses everyone there has suffered. However, Jude has his entire life in front of him, which brings them hope. He is honored to be his fairy godfather, a role he takes very seriously. Brady declares Jude is a lucky kid to have two godfathers for the price of one. Everyone claps.

As the christening continues, John grimaces and fidgets with his collar. Marlena follows when he goes outside to get some air. John doesn’t think the house of the lord is the best place for him, considering what he’s done. Marlena counters it’s the best place. She reminds him that Konstantin forgave him. Can’t he do the same for himself?

After the ceremony, Theresa leaves to see Tate, while Melinda yells at Leo. Holly hangs back while Nicole and EJ leave to prepare for the party. Later, Eric finds Holly alone in tears. After making him promise to keep her confidence, she confesses the drugs she OD’d on were hers, not Tate’s.

At the halfway house, Theresa shows Tate a photo on her phone of Brady holding Jude. When he scrolls for a photo of her and Alex, she tells him they broke up. Tate assumes it’s because of his problems. Theresa assures him that’s not the case. Tate is hopeful they’ll reunite because he doesn’t like seeing her alone. “Time will tell,” she wistfully says.

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As they approach the mansion, Nicole tells EJ she’s glad she showed herself she could get through the christening. EJ calls her heroic. He’s proud of her for wanting to do this. Nicole worries about how sad Holly seemed. EJ muses it’ll be a long time before she feels like herself again.

Leo comes upon Melinda and Sloan outside the church. Sloan lashes out at him for almost revealing their secret. Leo confesses to having a weak moment, but then he remembered what a hot mess the child Nicole did raise is. He was also struck by how Madonna-esque (the virgin, not the Queen of Pop) Sloan looked and changed his mind. He promises never to be tempted to confess again and strolls away to party at the DiMera mansion.

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Arriving at the party, Steve greets Marlena and a fidgeting John. He explains Kayla had to stay at the hospital because they’re short-staffed. Roman joins them and an uneasy John steps away. Roman asks if he’s okay. “No, he’s not,” Marlena says with a sigh.

Across the room, John grumbles about what Stefano did to so many people as EJ approaches. Marlena interrupts their tense exchange. EJ assumes he’s the reason Sami’s not there. Marlena explains she’s with a friend who lost their husband, and Belle is with Shawn. EJ wishes them all the best. John sneers that the DiMeras don’t wish anyone the best but themselves. He orders EJ to stay away from his family, or he’ll… When he trails off, EJ glibly suggests John learn how to finish his sentences. Marlena is confident EJ knows where it was going.

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When Brady arrives, Nicole tells him Kristen agreed to stay away. Brady is relieved, but he was hoping to see Rachel. He calls Nicole selfless for hosting the party after what she went through. She’s just trying to prove that she can be truly happy for Eric and Sloan. “Are you?” he asks. “More or less,” she says.

At the church, Eric tells Holly he won’t tell anyone, but she needs to tell her parents. She worries it will kill Nicole after everything she’s been through. Eric assures Holly her mom is stronger than she thinks. But also, she needs to do this for Tate, as well as herself.

When Holly arrives at the party, Leo watches her sneak a glass of champagne. She takes it outside and drinks. She hides it when Eric, Sloan, and Melinda arrive. When they head inside, Holly gulps her drink and follows them.

In the living room, Nicole asks to soothe a fussy Jude. Melinda’s eyes bulge and Sloan tenses as Jude quiets in her arms. Sloan take the baby back, Holly sneaks off with another glass of bubbly, and Eric makes a toast.

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Outside, Holly downs her drink and calls the halfway house. She pretends to be Tate’s mother when a woman answers the phone in the community room. The woman calls out to Tate that his mother is on the phone. Theresa angrily grabs it, demanding to know who is on the other end. Holly quickly hangs up.

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When Sloan’s ready to take Jude home, Eric hesitates. He wants to stick around for Holly. Leo offers to drive them home, along with Melinda. After they’ve left, Eric watches Holly reach for another champagne glass.

John returns to the church and lights a candle. He kneels, recalling his time as a priest. Then again, he really wasn’t one, because everything he believed about himself was a lie, as is everything he believes about himself now. Marlena overhears him asking for God’s help through this. She kneels next to him, confident God will help him. She will, too, because they are in this together.

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At Sloan’s place, she and Melinda reinforce their pact with Leo to never speak of Jude’s true parentage again. They are the only ones who know the truth. Leo agrees to it — unless the money stops rolling in.

At the halfway house, Theresa deduces Tate’s caller was Holly. When she learns he talked to Holly before, she reminds him there’s a restraining order against him. She fumes over Holly, trying to ruin his life, and warns she better leave him alone.

When Brady returns to the party after taking a call, he finds just EJ, Nicole, Eric, and Holly there. He pointedly announces he’s going to visit Tate. After heated words with EJ, Brady starts to leave. Holly stops him. She apologizes to her mother and admits the drugs she OD’d on were hers.

Next, on Days of Our Lives, EJ isn’t too pleased with Eric, and Xander investigates.

Join us in paying tribute to the soap vets we lost in 2024 in the photo gallery below.

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