Episode # 10257
Tape Date: 2/1/06
Air Date: 2/23/06
Director: Herb Stein

Summary: Lots of convincing going on in Salem! Kate and Bonnie try to convince Mimi to keep her mouth shut…Belle tries to convince Shawn to choose her…John tries to convince Marlena that Alex is a danger to her…Billie tries to convince Chelsea that there is no hope for her and Bo…Patrick tries to leave Salem, but Bonnie tries to convince him to stay….and Hope tries to convince herself that it is over between her and Bo.

At the Loft…Shawn walks in as Mimi is in the wedding dress but he sees Belle instead. Mimi chases him out, saying they can’t get married now…he has seen her in the dress. Bonnie rushes him out the door, just as Belle walks up. Mimi tells Bonnie and Kate that she wants a different dress now, if she wears this dress, their marriage is doomed…especially if Shawn learns the truth about the baby. Bonnie listens at the door (eavesdropping on Shawn and Belle) as Kate helps Mimi get undressed. (She calls Belle a little witch for not leaving him alone.) Belle tells Shawn that she is having a hard time dealing with their wedding (as Shawn has flashbacks of her in the dress). She asks him what is he thinking and he tells her he saw Mimi in the dress. Belle urges him to admit that he still loves her and he asks what good would that do…she is married to Philip and he is marrying Mimi. Kate walks up and catches Bonnie listening at the door (with a glass) and asks what she is doing. She then lectures Bonnie about keeping her mouth shut and watching what she says, saying she has a habit of blurting things out but Bonnie swears she would never tell about Claire. Mimi comes in as Bonnie demands the Basic Black credit card from Kate so she can go shopping to get the perfect dress for the wedding. As she leaves, she stops in the hall and tells Shawn and Belle how beautiful Mimi looks in the dress and how happy they are all going to be. She talks about Claire and then blurts out that she looks just like her daddy…Philip, of course. As she leaves, she thinks she needs duct tape over her big, fat mouth (LOL). Kate tells Mimi she shouldn’t have second thoughts, but Mimi tells her that she feels as if Shawn is settling for second best. Kate tells her that sometimes happiness is worth one little white lie. Belle talks about how much she loves Claire and wishes Shawn were her father. He says he will always love her but the fact is, she is NOT his daughter…she is Philip’s. Inside, Mimi frets over the lie, but Kate tells her that the truth will hurt a lot of people and she need to make sure that it doesn’t come out. She tells Mimi that sometimes, a lie can be your best friend. If she tells the truth, her life will be miserable. Shawn tells Belle that he is moving on…he and Mimi are getting married. Belle agrees that Philip is a great father, but Shawn says that is the way it should be. He tells Belle to face it…what we had is gone…the three of us can never be a family.

At the Lockhart Place…Chelsea goes over to get her things as Patrick asks what she is dong there and tells her to get out. She starts her “it’s your fault I am going to jail” routine. He puts a guilt trip on her and they argue. He tells her that he has decided to leave Salem and she says she won’t miss him. He admits that he will miss Jen and Hope (as Chelsea makes a crack about their ages). He says that Jen has Frankie but he is worried about Hope. He talks about how Bo is so threatened by him, even though he was only trying to help Hope. Chelsea’s little wheels in her mind start turning and she thinks maybe she can use Patrick as a wedge between Bo and Hope. She tries to talk him into staying but he says he is leaving and will not be involved in breaking up Bo and Hope and goes to pack. She eavesdrops on him making flight arrangements and says to herself that he can’t leave…unless he takes Hope with him.

After Chelsea leaves, Bonnie comes home and he informs her that he is leaving Salem. She tries to talk him out of it, saying he should marry Billie. He makes it clear that it is over between them, so she tells him to let Billie leave town then and to take “her murdering little kid with her”. He says he would like to stay and help Hope but Bo wouldn’t stand for that. Bonnie gets an idea, pointing out that Hope is a Horton. She urges him to let Hope cry on his shoulder, saying that Hope is perfect for him and tells him to make his move. Patrick is disgusted with her and tells her no. Bonnie says if she weren’t such a busy-body, her children would have no lives at all. Patrick doesn’t want to hear it, but Bonnie pushes him, saying he is on second base already…if he turns on the charm and plays his cards right, he could be sliding into home every night…to a beautiful wife and oodles of money. He refuses to put the move on Hope, saying she is a grieving mother, for God’s sake. Bonnie tells him that he needs to make Hope happy then, saying that Hope has class and that would be good for him. He tells her to give it up, he is leaving. Bonnie asks WHY her kids won’t listen to her and says she will do what ever she has to see they get what they deserve.

At the Penthouse…we have the same old, same old. John tries to convince Marlena to get away from Alex, he is trying to hurt her. But she won’t listen…reciting her “I love Alex…we are getting married” mantra as Alex listens. She tells John that Alex had the wedding dress special made, but John points out that it is exactly like they one THEY married in and urges her to check it out in the mirror. She has some flashes of marrying John, but quickly dismisses them and asks WHY is he trying to ruin this for her. Alex comes down, asking why isn’t John in jail and asks if his lover, Kate, got him out. John asks about the dress and Alex says that the dressmaker must have assumed that Marlena was remarrying John and copied her dress from before. Alex says he may have gotten out of jail, but it won’t do him any good, Marlena is marrying HIM. John asks why? So you can kill her?. Then he shoves Alex and they get into a scuffle and John punches him. Marlena is furious and tends to Alex. John asks WHAT will it take for you to wake up and see what’s going on? (Hey, maybe he should have punched HER, lol…just kidding). She says it will take EVIDENCE…something that John can’t produce. She tells him to leave and threatens to call the police. John throws up his hands and leaves (as Alex smiles). Alex hugs Marlena and talks about marrying her and going off, far away from Salem where John can’t hurt them. In the hall, John vows to make sure Marlena sees the truth about Alex.

At the No-Tell Motel…Billie and Bo are in bed as he is dreaming about Hope (déjà vu…haven’t we had this scenario before?) Hope and Jen arrive as Jen urges her to go in. She walks in and sees them in bed together, then turns and walks away, wordless. Jen has a look-see for herself and is shocked. Hope says she doesn’t have to be hit over the head to see the truth. He has made his decision…now he has to live with it. Jen apologizes for dragging her there and tries to get her to leave. Hope takes a second look and hears Billie mutter “make love to me again Bo”. Well, that did it…Hope tells Jen she has heard and seen enough and they leave. After they leave, Billie gets up and shuts the door, asking “My God…what have I done?” Bo wakes up feeling rough as Billie gets him aspirin. She insinuates that she slept in the chair all night and he thanks her for helping him out. He says he has to go home…Hope needs him. She tries to turn his attention to Chelsea, and Bo says he won’t abandon her, but right now he can’t turn his back on Hope. She offers to give him a ride, but he refuses and plans to walk to the church and get his bike. She suggests he not mention any of this to Hope. He thanks her and leaves. After he is gone, she cries, saying “I’m so sorry…I did it for Chelsea…I will not let her go to jail.”

At Java Café…Billie and Chelsea meet up and Chelsea wants all the details. Billie tells her what happened and Chelsea is ecstatic. She is sure that Hope will never take Bo back now…saying she needs him on her side. Plus, now, Billie can have the man she wants. Billie stares at her and asks “My God Chelsea…who are you?” (well, she’s her mother’s daughter). Billie lectures her about love and says Bo loves Hope, NOT her. Chelsea is sure that Bo will turn to Billie. Billie says that Chelsea doesn’t know anything about love…Bo and Hope are going through a rough time, but they always find their way back to each other. Billie asks her if she feels no guilt about this, but Chelsea says they deserve to be happy as well. She says she needs both of her parents to be there for her (as she turns on the tears). Billie tells her that she will always be there for her. Chelsea says that Billie must keep Bo away from Hope. Hope hates her and wants to see her suffer. She goes on to tell her that Patrick is leaving Salem. Billie fears that Chelsea is going to turn out like her. She tells her that she needs to be realistic. She says she only wants to keep Bo and Hope apart for a little while…long enough to keep Chelsea out of prison, but she knows that eventually, they will find their way back to each other…they always do. Chelsea thinks to herself that she must find a way to get Hope out of the picture…and Patrick is the key.

Jennifer and Hope…return to Jen’s house (as Jen is still apologizing for taking Hope there). Hope says that Billie took advantage of the situation, as she always does. Hope says she has lost her husband to the mother of her son’s killer. She says there is no way she can forgive Bo for that…it’s over between them. She can never take him back. She raises her cup of tea and says “here’s to the rest of my life…without Bo.” Jen tries to makes excuses for Bo but Hope says no, he has chosen Billie and Chelsea. She says that she and Bo have nothing left…she has lost him to Billie this time. They hear his motorcycle pull up and Hope rushes to the kitchen, not wanting to see him. He comes in demanding to know where Hope is. Jen stops him but he hears the back door slam. He rushes out the front door chasing after her as we hear her tires peel rubber as she takes off…leaving him there calling her name…as the previews show…

Abby (to Hope): These (flowers) are from Chelsea…a kind of peace offering. (Hope): and they are supposed to make up for killing my son?...

Bo (to John): How are you going to prove to Marlena that North is a murderer? (John): I’ll get her away from him…one way…or another…

Alex (to Lois’s body): Lois, I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time…but we need to talk…

Belle (to Marlena): I saw you and Alex in the paper…I’m sorry mom, but this wedding can NOT happen…

And the credits roll…
Laney