You’re listening to Soap Dirt, the latest in television entertainment news. Hey DOOL fans! So with Gabi Hernandez crushed because her hubby signed divorce papers and ran off, what’s a girl to do but seek comfort in EJ DiMera’s muscular arms? It’s Belinda from Soap Dirt, and some hot new official Days spoilers straight from Peacock PR hint at something fun to come in the wake of this shocking split. Will Gabi and EJ explore a rebound romance soon? We’re going to talk about it, but please subscribe if you’re not following us.
So, if you’re current on your Days of Our Lives episodes, you know that Stefan DiMera did not sign those divorce papers and did not leave his wife. Nope! That was Vivian Alamain. She had her henchman, Ivan, drug and hog-tie Stefan while she forged his name on those divorce documents. Then, as Ivan shoved Stefan into the trunk of a car while he was screaming, “No, Madame!” Vivian had the divorce papers delivered to Gabi, along with Stefan’s wedding band, to sell the story that Stefan is done with her. Meanwhile, Vivian shipped her son off to rethink his life choices.
This is what the writers decided to do to end Stefan’s tenure on Days, as they fired Brandon Barash mid-contract. It’s not exactly a seamless transition, but it’s what we’ve got. If you recall, both Gabi and Stefan were rethinking their divorce at the time Vivian pulled this stunt. She’s supposed to be in prison, not running amok. Brandon Barash said he was notified of his firing just after they shot those great hospital scenes where Gabi was recuperating after Crazy Connie tried to blow her up. Stefan came with flowers, trying to patch things up with Gabi, but once she heard he was with Ava when Connie stabbed him, she was angry at him all over again. That was the deal breaker, and Gabi said she wanted a divorce.
Stefan had Belinda drop the papers, but then he got a pep talk from his sister, Kristen DiMera, who said, “If you love her, just tear them up.” At the same time, Gabi was talking to her brother, Rafe Hernandez, who said, “If you love Stefan, you can work this out.” That’s where they both were when Vivian forged the documents, shipped Stefan out of the country, and broke Gabi’s heart. Now she’s heartbroken and single as a pringle.
Now, let’s flip over to EJ DiMera. Last I noticed, he was still wearing his wedding band, but he is also single. The last time Gabi tried to hook up with him, he wasn’t in the mood. First, EJ told her he feared she’d regret spending another night with him and didn’t want her to feel that way because he knew she had regrets after Stefan found out about their first time. Second, Nicole had just served EJ with his own divorce papers, so he wasn’t exactly in an amorous mood himself. But now it’s been a few weeks, and he’s worked through some anger. I know he’ll calm down more once Eric Brady leaves town—which is happening soon.
Of course, Kristen and EJ soon figure out that their brother has left Salem. I don’t know if Vivian will leave a bye-bye note from Stefan or let them figure out he’s gone, but official spoilers for Wednesday, November 6th say that EJ tries to console Gabi over losing Stefan. At first, she might be angry at EJ—Gabi may blame him or her own bad judgment for why Stefan left her. She may assume that her sleeping with Stefan’s brother was the tipping point that drove him to “sign” those divorce papers. Maybe, but I actually think it was Gabi’s salt-in-the-wound remarks that really hurt Stefan.
Do you remember when Gabi told Stefan that EJ “rocked her world” and was better in bed than he had ever been? That’s not something a guy easily forgives and forgets. But Gabi’s words weren’t what drove Stefan away. It was the person behind the wheel of the car that Ivan shoved him into. So, Gabi will likely go through some stages of grief over the end of her marriage, but given her intense chemistry with EJ, I think she’ll circle back to him—maybe when she’s lonely, had a few drinks, or both. I suspect we haven’t seen the last of EJ with Gabi.
There’s not a lot of other romantic prospects for either of them in Salem. Brady Black is around but pursued by Kristen, and he’s flirting with Ava. Stephanie Johnson is single but hung up on Alex Kiriakis, who doesn’t seem compatible with Gabi. Philip Kiriakis is in town but likely won’t stay, and Melinda Trask is single but clashes with EJ constantly. So, not only for lack of options but also because Gabi and EJ have aligned interests and chemistry, I could see them making a go of it.
What I do wonder is if Brandon Barash, who has finished his run, will be kept alive through off-screen mentions. Vivian might control Stefan’s messaging, maybe even keep his phone to reiterate, “It’s over; I’ll never take you back.” She might want to ensure Gabi knows Stefan isn’t coming back.
For now, I’m cheering for a Gabi and EJ rebound romance. We’ll just see how it goes, as I believe Camila Banus and Dan Feuerriegel are sticking around. Thanks for being a loyal listener! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss the next episode of Soap Dirt, available on all major platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and more.
