Nikki and Jack Fight About Diane — and Billy Confronts Adam About Baltimore

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At Society, Phyllis asks Heather if they’re all packed for Portugal. Heather says the trip is postponed. Phyllis asks what’s going on. “Is something happening between you and Daniel?” She finds it odd that they would cancel a huge trip at the last minute. Heather says it’s not odd; it happens all the time. What’s odd is that she’d jump to the conclusion that she and Daniel are having problems. She accuses Phyllis of probing into their personal lives and assures her they’re doing fine. Phyllis desperately wants them to work and has been their biggest cheerleader. Heather asks her to stop prodding and poking. Phyllis is concerned about Daniel who has lost everything. That’s what happened before when he spiraled. Heather thought of that too, but he’s very different now. He’s grounded and won’t fall apart this time. Phyllis asks if it happens again will she stick it out with him, or leave him like she did before.

In Crimson Lights, Lucy gushes to Daniel about the dress she’s wearing to the party with Faith tonight. Daniel thinks they should do something special for her mother, who’s disappointed about the trip to Portugal. Lucy is on board, but not tonight. The party is so important.

Faith and her friend walk in and Lucy rushes up to them. Lucy asks if she’s riding with them to the pool party tonight but Faith tells her that she hates to disappoint her but it’s not going to work out.

Walking to the patio, Faith explains to Lucy that her friend who is throwing the party rented out the entire place so there’s a strict head count policy and alcohol. It will be an older crowd. Lucy totally gets it and says maybe she’ll tag along next time. She walks off and Faith tells her pal that she hated to do that. The friend says, “That was extra.” Lucy rejoins Daniel and tells him the party is on and she can’t wait.

Nikki enters the Club and Jack sidles up and asks how she’s doing. She says the out-patient treatment is going very well. Jack wants to sit and catch up but asks if Victor’s meeting. Nikki says he’s not, but even if he was, he doesn’t have a say in who her friends are. Jack has something he wants to discuss with her. They sit and Nikki updates Jack that Adam is temporarily filling in for her at Newman Media. Victor says it’s because of her need to recover, but she thinks there’s more to it. She worries about the company. Jack seriously doubts that Adam is out to destroy it. He questions why she didn’t fight more. Nikki admits that the stress of the battle was making her want to drink more than ever.

Nikki says nothing is worth losing her sobriety and admit she’s been concerned that this situation with Kyle might tempt him to take pills again. Jack assures her he’s fine but rants about the escalation in tension between Diane and Kyle, who is moving out and has taken the reins, alongside Audra Charles, at Glissade. Nikki frowns, “So, now it’s just you and Diane in charge at Jabot. Wasn’t it her idea to fire Kyle?” Jack asks, “What are you getting at now?” Nikki’s just trying to understand where Kyle is coming from. Jack defends his wife and rants about Kyle pushing Diane to the breaking point. Nikki just thinks it’s interesting that everything Diane wanted when she first came back to town, she now has.

Billy happens upon Sally in the park and asks if everything’s OK. Sally says she was just thinking about work and her new line for younger people. Billy notes she doesn’t seem excited. Is there something else she’s worried about? Sally confesses she argued with Adam this morning about him going back to run Newman Media. Billy thinks it may be a good thing for him. Sally says it depends what Victor’s up to now. She reflects that Adam’s been a little edgy lately and this may be why. Billy says taking orders from Victor will do that. Sally says he assured her there was nothing to worry about and reminded her he’s managed Victor before. She explains they smoothed things over.

Billy thinks something else is weighing on her. Sally’s just worried about Adam in general. She thought the Connor news would make him less tense, not more. Billy confides that he was with Chelsea earlier, who said she couldn’t do this anymore and alluded to making mistakes. She gave him an excuse and left. Sally says, “So you’re worried too.” Billy wonders if things aren’t going as well as they say, or if they don’t want them to know what really happened in Baltimore.

Chelsea finds Adam at Newman Media and blurts that she almost told Billy everything. Adam’s relieved to hear she started to tell him and stopped herself. It’s been making her crazy and she’s a mess. Billy gave her a pep talk and told her how great she’s been handling all of this and it nearly broke her. She wanted to tell him and explain why it happened. Adam warns it could completely destroy everything for them. Chelsea has thought about nothing else. That’s what stopped her. Adam says this is killing him too, keeping this from Sally. They had a moment of weakness. “We’re human. That night we both needed comfort.” Chelsea agrees; the pain was unbearable. Adam asks if she really wants to lose Billy.

Chelsea worries that if she came so close to telling Billy once, next time she may not be able to stop herself. The guilt is eating her up inside. Adam says this isn’t just about her. He doesn’t want to lose Sally. Chelsea rants that if she just explains, Billy might be understanding. Adam doesn’t have her confidence in Billy’s understanding and compassion, especially when it comes to him. What if blowing this secret open threatens Connor’s progress or sets him back. What if he finds out that both of their relationship broke up because of what he was going through? “He would blame himself.”

In the park, Sally asks if Billy thinks there’s something Adam and Chelsea don’t want them to know about their visit with Connor. Billy thinks something has changed. It could just be stress but someone is causing it. Sally guesses he thinks Adam’s at fault. Billy doesn’t know what’s going on and his instinct is telling him it’s Adam. Chelsea is spiraling. Maybe Adam did something or it’s Connor. Whatever it is, they have to find out. That’s the only way they can truly be there for them.

At Society, Heather tells Phyllis that in Savannah, she didn’t run out on Daniel at the first sign of collapse. She did everything she could think of, but it didn’t work. She was at her breaking point, but she left because of Lucy. Heather could see what her dad’s decline was doing to her. Phyllis gets it. She’s concerned that she missed the signs before and will miss them again. Heather knows the signs now. If Daniels starts to go down that path, she will know right away. “I love him.” She knows how to handle it differently now. She thinks Phyllis needs to have a little more faith in her son, “And in me.” Daniel and Lucy walk in. Daniel asks, “What’s going on here?”

Phyllis says they’re just talking about their future. Lucy thinks it sounds like an adult conversation and wants to go get ready for the pool party. Daniel and Heather tell her no drinking, no other substance, and no bad boys. Lucy can handle herself. They just want to make sure she’s not in over her head. Lucy leaves shaking her head. Outside, she sighs.

At the Club, Jack asks if Nikki is implying Diane still has some hidden Abbott agenda. Nikki’s just saying everything she wanted landed in her lap pretty conveniently. Jack argues she came back to reconnect with Kyle. Nikki asks, “Then why did she fire him?” Jack fumes, “I think this conversation is over.” Nikki thinks he’s reading more into what she said, but he doesn’t think so. Nikki admits she doesn’t trust Diane, “And I don’t know if I ever will.”

Billy knocks on Adam’s office door and wants to talk to him about Chelsea. Something is up with her and he’s hoping Adam can tell him what it is. Something has changed since they got back from Baltimore. Chelsea’s not willing to open up, so he’s hoping Adam can shed some light on it.

Sally spots Chelsea on the coffee house patio working. Sally asks if they can talk. “Did something bad happen in Baltimore when you and Adam were there? Something you haven’t told Billy and me?” Chelsea says Connor was put in in-patient and hurt himself. Sally knows that, it’s just that Adam has been on edge lately. They actually had a little fight this morning. “Did Adam do something to upset you?” Chelsea assures her he didn’t and can’t really speak to what’s upsetting him. With that, she grabs her things and hustles out the door.

In Adam’s office, Billy tells him he knows what he and Chelsea are living through is traumatic. They came back pretty torn up about it. Adam says they were devastated and out of their minds with worry. Billy asks if he believes he’s doing better. Adam says, “I do, I have to.” Billy says Chelsea does too, so why is she still so upset and saying she made mistakes. Adam doesn’t know. Billy can’t help but think he did something to upset her.

At the Club, Jack fumes that Nikki still won’t give Diane an inch. They’ve all done things they’re not proud of in the past. Nikki says some things are more horrible than others. Jack thought his dearest friend would stop herself from looking at his wife with suspicion, but clearly she can’t. He throws down his napkin and storms off.

At Society, Daniel gets the feeling there’s more to this conversation between Phyllis and Heather. He knows his mother likes to meddle. Heather says Phyllis is worried that she’ll abandon him when he gets depressed over Omegasphere. Phyllis says she was just being a concerned, loving mother. Daniel vows he won’t fall apart. He won’t risk losing his family again. He can build a new business. Heather says wherever that path takes him, she’ll be right by his side. Daniel tells Phyllis no more meddling. “Just let us live our lives.”

Jack slams his briefcase down in his office at Jabot. Nikki trails in behind him and asks him to hear her out. She didn’t want to create friction between them. She reminds him they promised to always be honest with each other. She doesn’t trust Diane and has only tried to be civil to her for his sake. Jack asks why losing her son would be part of Diane’s grand plan to take over. Does she really think he wouldn’t know if Diane had some huge secret agenda?! Nikki only wants the best for him. He deserves happiness, always. With that, she walks out.

In Adam’s office, he tells Billy that he and Chelsea did fight in Baltimore. He lashed out and acted like a jackass. Billy’s not surprised. Adam says they got drunk and Chelsea was in the line of fire. He said some things he regrets. Billy asks how he does that knowing her history. “I could strangle you right now, but instead I will say thank you for being honest with me.” Adam says what he and Chelsea are going through is torture. Billy understands heightened emotions where a child is concerned. Delia dying tore him and Victoria apart. They didn’t lean on each other and he’ll always regret that. He warns Adam that he’s lucky to have Sally in his life and will need all the support he can get.

Billy walks out and Sally appears in the doorway, “What is it, Adam? What’s wrong?”

In the park, Chelsea starts to hyperventilate and has to sit down on the park bench.