Thursday - 12/2
KIRIAKIS MANSION
MAGGIE: Congratulations, you two! That’s exciting news!
VICTOR: Indeed.
PHILIP: Thank you.
JUSTIN: Where’s it gonna be?
MELANIE: The pavilion in the Town Square, where Dad and Nicole had their wedding a few years ago.
PHILIP: There’ve been a few Salem weddings there, and we thought we’d continue that tradition.
VICTOR: I’m rather surprised you didn’t want to have it here.
PHILIP: We thought about it, but that was our last wedding, and we all know how that turned out.
VICTOR: Yes, we don’t need a repeat of that.
MELANIE: Wow, Victor, that almost sounded sincere.
VICTOR: Don’t push it.
Melanie and Victor winked at each other, and Melanie thought she could see a small smile cross Victor’s face.
MAGGIE: Well, I’m very happy for you both! This is going to be so wonderful! If you need help with planning or anything-
MELANIE: You’ll be the first person to know.
Philip and Melanie sat down.
ADRIENNE: This really is wonderful news!
JODY: Yeah. And speaking of wonderful news...
Vic, Jody and their fiancees stood up.
VIC: You’re kinda stealing our thunder there, Phil.
Jody nudged his brother.
VIC: I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Seriously, though, we are happy for you. And the girls and us have finally decided on a date for our wedding.
PHILIP: Don’t you mean dates?
JODY: Nope, we met together, we got engaged together, so we’re getting married together!
VIC: And we’re getting married on the 21st of June. We’re planning to have the ceremony here. Hope that’s okay, Uncle Vic.
VICTOR: Of course it is. You’re both Κυριάκης and more than welcome to have the wedding here.
JULIETTE: Thank you very much.
VERONICA: This place is so beautiful. We can’t wait to be spending more time here.
JODY: That’s the other part of our announcement. Obviously, June is quite a ways away, and we’ll be back and forth between here and Dubai for a while. We have a few things to tie up in Dubai-
VIC: But shortly before the wedding, we’ll be making a new home.
Philip looked up.
PHILIP: You mean…?
VIC: Yep! We’re moving to Salem!
Philip looked across the table to Victor, who avoided his gaze.
Adrienne and Justin stood up and hugged their sons and soon-to-be daughters-in-law.
ADRIENNE: Well, this is fantastic news! I’m so happy the two, sorry, four of you will be moving here more permanently.
JUSTIN: Congratulations!
MAGGIE: So much good news in one morning!
VICTOR: Yes.
BRADY PUB
Stephanie and Theresa had met for breakfast.
THERESA: So, you said you wanted to talk about Jeremy Horton?
STEPHANIE: Wanted to isn’t exactly the wording I’d use. Personally, I’d prefer to pretend he doesn’t exist, but that’s clearly not helpful, so here we are.
THERESA: Wow. He must have really done something to mess things up with you.
STEPHANIE: That’s an understatement. I don’t care to go into significant details, but he was involved in a lot of dodgy things behind my back.
THERESA: Hey, I’m no stranger to people with pasts. I’ve got one myself. What’d he do?
STEPHANIE: Among other things...human trafficking.
Theresa took a sip of her drink.
THERESA: Okay, a bit more significant than what I was thinking.
STEPHANIE: That was the worst of it. Well, I say it was the worst of it. He was also just generally an abusive a-hole when we dated.
THERESA: Ouch. Sounds like you made a lucky escape.
STEPHANIE: Yeah. So I just wanted to warn you not to mess around with him. People say he’s changed, and I’d like to believe that, but…
THERESA: I get it. Like I said, he burned you bad.
STEPHANIE: You can say that again.
THERESA: Well, you don’t need to worry about me chasing after Jeremy Horton, and not just because he’s a Horton. I’m not interested. We talked for one night, had a little fun, but that’s all it was. And even if it wasn’t, it doesn’t matter, because I’m leaving Salem.
STEPHANIE: What? When?
THERESA: A few days. That’s why Andrew came to town, he’s helping me pack and get everything arranged.
STEPHANIE: Well, now I feel bad that we never really got to know each other. I mean, we’re cousins, and roughly the same age, give or take.
THERESA: Maybe someday we will be able to get to know each other better.
ALAMAIN INDUSTRIES
Nicholas sat at his desk, looking over reports. His desk phone.
NICHOLAS: Yes? Good, send her in.
He put the phone down, as well as the papers. A moment later, the door to Nicholas’ office opened, and Nicholas stood up.
NICHOLAS: Cassie, please come in.
SALEM UNIVERSITY
Ciara knocked on Trix’s door. Trix opened it a moment later.
CIARA: Ready to go?
TRIX: Yep. Sorry I can’t drive, my car’s in the shop.
CIARA: No worries. Once Uncle Steve finishes teaching me to ride, we can use my Dad’s bike. Until then, we can use the university’s taxi service.
TRIX: Sounds good.
The two walked outside and waited for a taxi.
CIARA: I do like the dress you bought on Black Friday.
TRIX: Cheers. I love the colour.
CIARA: Yeah, it’ll look nice on you. Speaking of which, have you decided on a plus one yet?
TRIX: No, not yet. Why?
CIARA: Just wondered. I was thinking, maybe I could be your plus one.
TRIX: What, really?
CIARA: Yeah. This doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind about Katalin or anything. I still don’t trust her.
TRIX: Fair enough. What changed your mind about coming?
CIARA: I don’t know. Maybe all the talking you and Claire have been doing about it finally wore me down. So, if you’ll have me…
TRIX: ‘Course I will. There’s nobody that I’d want to be by my side at a party like the one in January.
Trix kissed Ciara’s cheek. A taxi rolled up and they got in. Though they didn’t know him, Charlie was their driver.
CHARLIE: Where to, ladies?
CIARA: Java Cafe, please.
CHARLIE: You got it.