Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI
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In the Square, Johnny mistakes Hattie for his grandmother as she reads her script. She assures him she doesn’t have kids. “You must be Hattie Adams,” he says and introduces himself as Marlena’s grandson and Body and Soul’s director. She wants to talk to him about the script because it doesn’t sound like her character, Charlemagne. Johnny believes that’s something only the writer can speak to. Hattie says he’s right and energetically heads off.
In his Salem Inn room, Leo reads Kimberly’s book on D.I.D. He thinks it describes Marlena and decides to hold an intervention. He calls to see her right away.
At Body and Soul, Abe asks Kate what she thought of Leo’s script. She calls it melodramatic with hyperbolic dialogue — which is exactly what the show needs. She especially liked the heartbreaking scene of the son visiting his mother in jail. Plus, his idea to give Charlemagne double lives will play into Hattie’s wheelhouse. Kate and Abe move on to discuss hiring hot young actors and the concept of SORASing.
Alex finds Stephanie working on her laptop at the Bistro as she prepares for a new client. He thinks all those plates they broke did the trick since it’s supposed to bring about new beginnings. When he gets up from his seat, he spills water all over her laptop, freezing her screen. He profusely apologizes and insists on paying for her meal. She puts her hand on his, assuring him it’s okay. They hold a lingering gaze as Justin and Bonnie enter. Grinning, Bonnie wonders what’s going on.
As Leo reads Kimberly’s book, Hattie comes to his door. She needs his help rewriting her script. He tells her that bad dialogue is the least of her problems. He knows she has D.I.D. She asks if that’s a venereal disease. They talk in circles about Dissociative Identity Disorder, the movie Sybil, and Cybill Shepherd. A frustrated Leo exclaims, “I’m trying to help you, Dr. Evans!” A stunned Hattie declares she’s not Dr. Evans.
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In the Square, Johnny marvels at Chanel about how much Hattie looks like his grandmother and how different their personalities are. Referring to Body and Soul, Chanel says she wouldn’t mind having a job more unpredictable and exciting. She’s hired so much staff the bakery is running itself. With Johnny pursuing his dream, she muses she should pursue her own. She just doesn’t know what that is yet.
Stephanie leaves the Bistro to go to her meeting — minus the notes she was just working on. Alex feels terrible, but Justin has something that might lift his spirits. He hands him a manilla envelope. Alex looks through annulment papers, thanking God his marriage to Theresa will officially be over. Justin says he can put that nightmare behind him now. Bonnie adds, and maybe get back together with Stephanie. Alex insists they’re just friends who are not looking for new relationships.
After Alex leaves, Bonnie gets a message about her Body and Soul contract, which sets her pay at scale. Justin is happy for her, but offers to negotiate a better deal. She was worried he’d think her acting was silly. Justin is so proud of her and hopes she’ll bring him as her plus-one to the Daytime Emmys. Bonnie plants a big kiss on him.
Stephannie comes to the Body and Soul office as Kate leaves for an errand. Stephanie assures Abe she had a presentation all prepared, but her computer froze. She’ll do it from memory. Abe declares this is just a formality. The job is hers if she wants it. She enthusiastically accepts and then passes an arriving Johnny on the way out.
Johnny looks through Leo’s story ideas, particularly drawn to the young couple. Abe says he and Kate agree. Now, they just have to find the right actors. Johnny suggests Chanel, who killed her, audition for the role of Celeste in his never-made movie. Plus, she’s looking for a new creative outlet. All they’ll need is a leading man she has chemistry with.
Alex finds Chanel sitting in the Square. He tells her he got his annulment papers, noting it’s not all Theresa’s fault. He ignored the red flags. She snarks he’s driven by his hormones, which leads to questionable decisions, like sleeping with her girlfriend. They heatedly rehashed their threesome and how Alex slept with Allie while she and Chanel were fighting. It leads to a loud debate about whether or not Chanel was into Alex during their tryst. When Johnny and Abe approach, Johnny notes the tension between them is off the charts. “That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Abe says.
At the Salem Inn, Leo tries to convince a confused Hattie that she’s one of Marlena’s alters. He yells and shakes her and pulls her to the door to take her to Bayview. However, he opens the door to Kate, who explains Hattie is not Marlena’s alter, but her doppelganger. Gaping, Leo apologizes for trying to have Hattie committed. Hattie is just glad to know he thinks she’s sane. “Relatively speaking,” Kate deadpans. She then hires Leo as Body and Soul’s head writer and leaves. A gasping Leo reels. Hattie is so happy for him, especially since he can now fix her script.
Stephanie runs into Roman outside the Pub and tells him about her job on Body and Soul. Roman is excited for everyone he knows working on the soap, but calls showbiz a whole new level of crazy. On a serious note, Roman expresses condolences for Everett. Stephanie tells him since he and Jada were divorced and he had no family, Jada will be releasing his ashes to her. Roman hopes both she and Jada can find peace and put the tragedy behind them.
