Gabi and Melinda Scream and Pray as the Bomb Explodes — and Connie Holds Ava at Knifepoint

Friday, September 20, 2024: Today on Days of Our Lives, EJ rushes to save Gabi, Stefan scrambles to save Ava, Jada tracks down Connie, and a tormented “Abigail” shares a “memory” with Chad.

In the Horton living room, “Abigail” tells Chad she remembered something. As Chad leaves to ensure Julie keeps the kids occupied upstairs, “Abigail” practices what she’s going to say and frets over what she’s doing to him. When he returns, Chad excitedly asks what she remembered. “Abigail” says his reciting of his wedding vows touched something inside her, and she remembered her own vows. Chad grabs her in an embrace. It’s what he prayed for.

At the hospital, Kayla catches up with Steve over the phone about his futile visit with Clyde. She can’t resist saying, “I told you so,” and reiterates that she won’t do a DNA test on “Abigail” without her consent. Upon hanging up, she encounters Jada, who warns Rafe is trying to check out against medical advice because he’s worried about Gabi. Kayla says she’ll give him a sedative, and Jada leaves to join the search for Connie.

EJ finds a bloody fireplace poker in the DiMera living room. He looks around and notices the secret door ajar. EJ slips through the doorway. Downstairs, Gabi and Melinda scream and struggle in the wine cellar. As the bomb counts down from two minutes, Gabi prays in Spanish and then translates for Melinda. EJ comes to the door as the bomb explodes. EJ flies back against the wall, knocking him out. He comes to and labors to his feet. A fire burns inside the cellar and Gabi lies unconscious under rubble.

A furious Ava ignores Stefan’s repeated calls in her room above the Pub. In the Bistro, Stefan starts to leave a sincere apology on Ava’s voicemail, but decides to do it in person. Meanwhile, Connie comes to Ava’s room to confront her for ratting her out over her fraudulent resume. She’s already made sure Melinda won’t bad mouth her ever again, and now, Ava won’t either. Connie pulls out a knife. Ava tries to talk Connie down as Stefan knocks on the door. Luckily for Connie, he’s next on her list. Ava yells for Stefan to go away, but Connie puts a knife to her throat, ordering her to invite him in. Stefan surveys the scene as he enters. “Oh, God,” he deadpans.

In the Horton living room, “Abigail” twitches as she hesitantly recites Abby’s wedding vows. A teary-eyed Chad can’t believe it. There’s no way she’d know those words if she weren’t there with him that day. He knows they won’t immediately go back to the way they were, but it’s the most hope he’s had since he found out she was alive. Chad reluctantly takes a phone call and steps out of the room. “Abigail” sinks into the couch, distraught.

At the hospital, Mark leaves a message for “Abigail” about his visit with Clyde. Kayla walks up and asks him about “Abigail’s” DNA test. He vows he didn’t let it out of his sight. It was in no way tampered with, so that woman is definitely her niece.

Jada comes to the DiMera living room, detecting smoke. She sees the bloody fire poker and the open doorway. Jada pulls her gun as she heads into the tunnels. Amid smoke downstairs, EJ sets down a fire extinguisher and smacks out a remaining flame with his suit jacket. He spots Melinda in the rubble. She’s awake but still tied to the chair. She chokes as she tells him to help Gabi. He rushes to Gabi who doesn’t respond to his jostling. Jada arrives on the scene and unties Melinda. Worried about a head injury, EJ rushes out with Gabi in his arms to take her to the hospital.

Connie keeps her knife to Ava’s throat as she explains her vendetta and devotion to Li to a very confused Stefan. She has to silence Ava for good and then Stefan’s next. Stefan tries to convince Connie to let Ava go by putting all the blame on himself. He then switches tactics by badmouthing Li, which causes Connie to lunge at him with her knife.

Alone in the Horton living room, “Abigail” calls Mark and tells him she recited Abby’s wedding vows to Chad. She found them in a box of Abigail’s mementos. She laments it feeling even more cruel. Mark doesn’t like it either, but their mother’s life is on the line. “Abigail” hangs up as Chad returns with news of the DiMera mansion explosion.

Kayla comes to an unconscious Gabi’s hospital room. She tells EJ she ordered a CT scan to rule out a brain bleed, but it’s just a precaution. He should go home and get some sleep. EJ won’t leave until he knows she’s okay. Gabi stirs awake, wondering what happened.

Jada brings a coughing Melinda water as they sit at the DiMera chessboard. Jada’s so sorry they didn’t find her sooner. Putting up a brave front, Melinda wonders if they can track Connie’s phone. Jada tells her she ditched it for a burner. Melinda remembers that Connie took Gabi’s phone when she left. Jada thinks tracking that phone might be the break they need. An ambulance arrives for Melinda.

Alone with EJ in her hospital room, Gabi calls herself a fool for trusting Connie. EJ assures her it’s not her fault. As she recounts feeling as if she was going to die amid the rubble and smoke, EJ tenderly squeezes her hand. She credits EJ with being there, just in time. She puts her other hand on top of his, crediting him for saving her life.

After stabbing Stefan in the arm, Connie runs out of Ava’s room. Tending to a bleeding Stefan, Ava says, “You saved my life.”

As Connie leaves the Pub, Jada comes up behind her. She aims her gun, ordering Connie to drop the knife.

Next on Days of Our Lives, Gabi shows EJ her appreciation, and Johnny and Chanel find time for romance.