EPISODE: 10,328
DIRECTED BY: Jim Baffico
TAPE DATE: 5/8/06

Our Salemites return to their homes to unwind after a long, hot day as the loft dwellers kick up the heat a few notches; Sami gets a thrill ride with EJ; and Bo continues pursuing Hope.

AT THE LOFTS….
The loft dwellers return home to their hot apartments. Claire’s spending the night with John and Marlena in their AC’d penthouse. Belle offers Mimi her maternity clothes and Philip shows Shawn a check to tempt him into making him part of the racing team. Belle makes it perfectly clear she doesn’t want him driving. Philip is determined and says if something did happen to him, Claire’s Godfather would be there for her. Mimi says no she won’t..then covers by saying she knows Philip and Shawn will always be there for Claire. Belle apologizes for making everyone uncomfortable and Shawn is anxious to get Mimi home to their fan. Once home he’s anxious to massage her feet up and swears he can feel the baby in her stomach. He spouts off in vitro terms and Mimi tells him enough…she only has one thing on her mind as they start to heat up the loft a few more degrees. Shawn stops her, remembering having sex might mess things up. He tells her that sex isn’t recommended for 2-3 weeks as it might mess up the in vitro process. Mimi tells him there’s other ways they can have fun and as she cools him off with an ice cube, he loves the way her mind works. Later we join them afterwards as he’s anxiously looking forward to his first child. Cue Mimi’s sad expression. (I've gotten emails that bedrest is highly recommended for women in this stage of in vitro process and even dinner out not recommended.)

Across the hall Belle and Philip chat about his driving and he promises not to take stupid chances that would take him away from her and Claire. They decide to try for another baby right there on the couch…we rejoin them in their bed after round 1 and they move on to round two being it’s a good time of the month for her. (guess she figures she can buy new maternity clothes and Mimi can’t)

SAMI, SAMI, SAMI…..
A crying Sami talks to EJ in the park. Of course he’s Mr. Sympathy. Max (in a suit) walks up and we learn he knows EJ from the European race circuit. He’s surprised to learn EJ’s already settled into Salem and worried about the competition as the two friends gaffaw and slap each other’s shoulders. Sami’s surprised to learn EJ’s a famous European race car driver (hey, at least he lives in an apartment, not over a garage as famous Max does, LOL) and points out that Max is her Uncle Max. The two guys tell old racing stories about how EJ became well respected and successful. After Max leaves, EJ says he’s not the man of mystery Sami thinks and his life is an open book as they chuckle (and we see) about the dropped towel incident when they met. He offers her a ride home to show her how fast he can drive. As they tear through Salem town in his souped up convertible, Sami can’t get enough of it (was waiting for her real life husband, a CHP officer, to pull EJ over and give him a ticket, LOL). He calls her Samantha “Jean” and after they park outside of town, she puts together his knowledge of her coincidences and asks him who he is and why is he there. He denies it, saying he saw SJ on her stationery and Jean was the only viable name for her. (EXCEPT FOR HER MIDDLE NAME BEING GENE AS SHE'S NAMED AFTER EUGENE WHO WAS MARLENA'S BEST FRIEND AT THE TIME...SO HER MIDDLE INITIAL WOULD BE "G", NOT "J"). She buys it and she tells him about her determination to get Austin again and is working on her positive karma. He believes he’s the master of his own fate. She cites how the bad things she’s done turn around and bite her and now Austin might lose the deal with Shawn because of her and see her as a liability. EJ laughs that her fiancée won’t break up over a business deal. He does ask about Shawn’s turbo engine and she tells him she doesn’t know anything about it (word spreads fast apparently). She wants to change the subject and says there must be a woman out there for him and he says yes, and he’s with her right now. Sami tells him she’s engaged and she loves her fiancée. He laughs, realizing how she misunderstood what he said. He meant his car, his one love is his car right now. He denies having a girlfriend and she can’t understand that as he’s such a hunk (my words, not hers) and asks if he’s gay then. He says no and she gets him to tell her how there was a woman he met and fell in love with at Oxford. She chose her career over him. He understood she had goals too and is very successful as a corporate executive now. Had he given up his goals, he would have stayed in London and had a family. He fires up his car and races down the road home. She can see Austin’s home already and figures he’s probably working on rectifying their problem with Shawn and Max. EJ says he’s quite sure that they could easily find another driver to work with them. That gives Sami an idea (duh) and she’s anxious to tell Austin. He gallantly gets out and opens her door after assuring her that Austin loves her and it’s easy to see by the way he looks at her. He takes a deep breath after she’s gone inside.

AT CHEZ ROUGE…
After she sees Hope and Bo (see below) Max joins Chelsea as she tells him that Hope is out to get her and she’s serious about getting Hope out of the picture. Max asks what she expects him to do, put a hit out on her? He realizes Chelsea’s done something he doesn’t know about and we see a flashback of her sending emails to Hope and Bo. She denies doing anything (of course). Max warns her if she does anything, it’ll just put her name in headlines again which she doesn’t need. She doesn’t want to go home. Max takes her home anywhere and they find the house empty and Billie’s car gone. Chelsea asks Max to give her a memorable night together before they send her away. Max thankfully has matured since we first met him and knows her first time should be memorable.

Bo offers to do anything to show Hope his loyalty. Chelsea walks in and Hope tells him if he’s serious, he has to make a decision as to whose side he’s on. Cue Chelsea’s wounded deer look. Hope walks away, knowing the answer. Bo tears into Chelsea about why she came over, knowing it would make things worse and she gives her token apology and saying she knows whose side he’s on. Bo catches up to Hope, but she’s not interested in dinner anymore, only in making sure Chelsea pays for what she did. He follows her home and begs her to let him stay with her the night, saying they need each other. Not interested, Hope tells him to go to the boat and call Billie. She’s the one he should be with tonight. Bo’s not buying it and realizes that’s not just it, she wants to be with Patrick. Hope tells him she doesn’t have any plans with Patrick, but wants Bo to leave. She’ll see him in court the next day. He vows to never give up on her and she tells him he has to. Bo leaves and Hope opens the door and turns on the light (not shutting the door). She’s startled as she sees Zack standing on the chair with his arms outstretched saying “Mommy, Mommy, help me”. She calls out ZACK…as the previews roll….

Sami anxiously tells Austin: “I know how we can get Shawn and Max’s account away from Lucas.”

Kate to EJ: “Mr. Wells, are you hitting on me?”
EJ: “That rather depends.”
Kate: “On what?”
EJ: “Do you want me to?”

Marlena to John: “I broke our marriage vows. I became pregnant by Roman and you call that nothing?”

Bo to Hope (with Chelsea eavesdropping through the open window): “I’ve decided which side I’m on at the trial.”
Hope (sounding more calm after talking with Zack apparently): “Bo, I already know the answer.”

as the credits roll...
Linda