At the Hernandez house, the family is getting ready for dinner, and Gabi announces that she’s invited Philip. Rafe thinks inviting her boyfriend over for Thanksgiving is a big deal, but Gabi tries to play it down. When they realize they are out of milk for the mashed potatoes, Gabi runs out to get some. (Clearly, they don’t know to use sour cream instead of milk!)
The Hernandez Family Gives Thanks
Javi and Leo wake up in bed, and Ari yells up asking if they are coming down for dinner. Leo thinks they should talk to his family about privacy. Javi suggests they get their own place to play house together, and they kiss.
While grabbing milk, Gabi runs into JJ and Philip out in the Horton Square. JJ just got off a shift, and learns that Gabi invited Philip for dinner. Philip escorts her home, and JJ looks down as they walk off arm-in-arm.
Back at the Hernandez house, Rafe and Ari talk football, and he’s proud to learn she’s killing it in the dorms’ fantasy football league. Leo comes down, and he and Rafe banter back and forth. Leo actually has something to talk to Rafe about, and Rafe wants to speak to him too, but they’re interrupted when Philip and Gabi arrive. Philip thanks Rafe for having him, and Leo tells Rafe he wants to finish their talk later.
Rafe demands they keep up the family tradition, and everyone says what they are thankful for. Javi is thankful for the time they had with Tesoro, his family, and Leo. Rafe is grateful for the family, and Ari and Gabi agree. Gabi is also thankful she has Gabi Chic back, and Ari is thankful for being able to live in the dorms. Philip says that after the year he had, he is thankful for forgiveness and loyalty, even when he didn’t always deserve it. Gabi is clearly uncomfortable by Philip’s touching words.
They finish dinner, and Leo and Rafe finally get a chance to talk as they clean up the kitchen. Rafe asks Leo about his investigation into EJ and his clinic, which hasn’t turned up much, but makes Leo think Rafe and the FBI must also be interested in it. Leo switches the subject to himself and Javi, and Leo has a huge favor to ask.
Everyone gathers back in the kitchen, and Leo surprises Javi with his mother’s engagement ring. He gets down on one knee and proposes, as everyone gathers to watch.
The Unhappy Hortons
At the Hortons, Thomas helps Jennifer set the table for dinner by putting out the place cards. Maggie and Sarah are not coming, and when the boy tries to figure out where his dad should sit, he blurts out that he wants his dad as far from him as possible. Jennifer knows this is tough on the boy, but is glad he invited his dad. Thomas snaps that he only did it for Charlotte. (Thomas clearly gets his attitude from Jennifer!)
Later, Thomas and Charlotte discuss pulling the wishbone, with Charlotte wishing their dad would come home, and Thomas hoping he never does.
Jack checks on Julie, who is fluffing the couch pillows and tidying up the living room. Jack knows this is a tough day for her, but she is grateful to be spending the day with all of them. They embrace, and Julie admits that sometimes she forgets and expects Doug to just come down the staircase. She can’t believe it’s been a year since he left them, last Thanksgiving.
Julie laments that the days drag for her now, and there hasn’t been much fun in this family or house for so long. Jack knows things got messy with Chad, but Julie snaps that taking Chad’s children from him is beyond messy. Jack hopes the lawsuit knocks some sense into Chad, and insists he and Jennifer are not trying to hurt him (Mmm, pretty sure Jen is!), but Thomas’ accident proved that action had to be taken. Julie says they are still one big family, and Jack hopes they will heal from this someday. As for today, they have to just get through it.
JJ soon arrives and asks if Chad is here, but Jack says not yet. JJ asks if he can help, so Jack suggests that he help him carve the turkey, which was Doug’s job. They head into the kitchen.
Eventually, everyone waits around for Chad to show up before they start dinner. Julie decides to call Chad, and Jennifer quietly fumes to Jack that Chad didn’t even tell them where he was going when he left, and they don’t even know if he’ll show up. Jack can’t believe Chad wouldn’t jump through hoops to be here with his kids today.
Thomas eventually asks if they can eat, since he’s hungry, and Jennifer says they can. They sit down to eat, and Julie leads the prayer for those who are here with them and those who can’t be here today.
Down In the Crypt
In the DiMera crypt, Kristen and Tony eat Thanksgiving dinner out of tin cans, and wonder what their brothers are doing, along with Rachel. They assume Chad is with the Hortons, EJ’s alone, and Rachel likely thinks her mother skipped out on her. Tony thinks of Anna, and they both say, “We’ve got to get out of here!”
Kristen attempts to continue to dig their way out, but cuts her hand. They try and figure out who is keeping them here, why them, and why now. Tony says whoever it is hasn’t been starving them to death, as they have enough food to last for years, which makes them wonder how long they’ll be kept here. Tony suggests they have so much food, possibly because more company is coming.
In the Show’s Final Moments
In the crypt, as Tony and Kristen bicker, they hear the door open.
In the Hernandez kitchen, Leo, on one knee, tells Javi that earlier he didn’t get to say what he was grateful for. He was about to, but something told him to wait, and he wanted to do it this way. He says he’s eternally grateful for Javier, and he knew there was something special about him the moment they met. He says they made it through a lot together this year, and he feels they are closer than ever. He never felt like he had a family until Javi brought him into his, and now he knows the love, support, kindness, and craziness of a real family.
Javi says, “Yes,” they kiss, and the family applauds. Gabi puts the ring, which won’t fit Javi’s finger, onto a necklace for him to wear until they have it turned into something that fits. Gabi then welcomes Leo to the family, and Rafe wishes them a long and happy life.
At the Hortons’, JJ suggests to Thomas and Charlotte that they go play Monopoly, and they head off to start the game. Jennifer fumes some more at Jack and wonders if Chad is with Cat. Jack knows what it’s like to be the family pariah, and today might have been too much for Chad, what with the lawsuit. Jack just hopes he’s okay. Julie’s phone pings, and Jack checks it. It’s a text from Chad, he says he’s sorry, he just saw this message, and to tell the kids he loves them.
Julie sits alone in the living room and talks to a photo of Doug, and asks him to do something to bring peace back to their family. She ends up breaking down in tears.
Finally, back in the crypt, a body is dumped on the floor, with its hands tied behind its back and a hood over its head. Kristen removes it, and it’s a gaged Chad!
Next on Days of Our Lives, EJ and Theo team up, and Gwen takes pitty on Xander.
