Days of our Lives Recap February 17: Chad Says Goodbye To Salem, Stephanie is Shocked by Steve and Kayla’s Elopement Reaction

TL;DR: In today’s Days of our Lives recap, Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) makes his final appearance, saying his goodbyes before taking Thomas and Charlotte to Arizona. Alex and Stephanie shock Steve and Kayla with news of their secret elopement, while the stalker remains a threat.

Days of our Lives Recap Feb 17

In what marked the last episode of Billy Flynn’s run as Chad DiMera, he said his goodbyes while Chad prepared to take a road trip with his kids, Thomas and Charlotte.

Chad spent some time at Abigail’s grave, talking to her about how much he missed her. He said he and the kids were going to go spend some time in Arizona to reset and regroup as a family.

“This is goodbye but I know I will take a piece of you and Salem wherever I go,” Chad said tearfully. He told her they’d had a once in a lifetime kind of love.

Placing a candy heart on the headstone, Chad wished Abigail a happy Valentine’s Day. “Goodbye..for now,” he added.

UnHappy Valentine’s Day

At the Horton house, Julie gave chocolate chip packages to Thomas and Jeremy for their road trips. When Chad came home, an emotional Thomas asked if his dad was sad.

Chad told Thomas that the way he missed Abigail, holidays made people think about them a little more. Thomas had been sad thinking about the little candy hearts with the writing on them that his mom used to give them.

Chad pulled out a box from his pocket and surprised Thomas with them. The two shared a little laugh and some teary look s together in a sweet father and son bond.

Wedding Night

Alex surprised Stephanie with a rose petal heart on the hotel room bed as he carried her into the room. 

After they made love, Alex surprised her by saying they had reservations at the Bistro. Stephanie recalled that her parents were going there for their anniversary.

Stephanie thought that her parents would be happy about their surprise wedding, but noted they couldn’t say anything about it to anyone else because of the stalker.

Reluctantly, they took off their wedding rings so they could go out and not disrupt their fake wedding plans for the next day.

Happy Anniversary

Kayla and Steve went to the bistro to celebrate their wedding anniversary. After reminiscing, they talked about the stalker and the plan to lure him to the courthouse for Stephanie and Alex’s announced wedding.

Kayla didn’t like Jeremy but had a hard time believing he would try to kill Alex. She noted it would break Julie’s heart if it were true.

Steve said the evidence was overwhelming that it was Steve, but if it wasn’t, they had no clue who it could be.

When Jack and Jennifer came in, they insisted on celebrating with them. Over dessert, Jennifer asked Steve and Kayla to check in on Julie as they were all leaving town.

Jennifer commented that Jeremy was being run out of town for something he didn’t do, prompting a brief debate between her and Steve.

Gifts and Surprises

Jack and Kayla smoothed it out as Jennifer got emotional, saying goodbye. She told them that she understood what it was like to want to protect their daughter.

Jack and Jennifer left again, and Kayle surprised Steve with a present. He opened his card to find a certificate for Mandarin lessons.

Steve said he had a surprise for Kayla: he already started. In Mandarin, he told her he loved her.

In the square, Jack and Jennifer ran into Jeremy. They told him that they believed in him and they loved having him around.

Jack and Jennifer told Jeremy to be sure to visit them in Boston while he was living in New York. After he left, they reminisced about Valentine’s Day being the day Jennifer proposed to Jack.

Saying Goodbye

Julie came in and helped get Thomas excited about the trip. After he went to go pack, she and Chad talked and she choked back tears about how happy she was for Chad and the kids to take the trip.

Chad held Julie’s hand as she cried how much she would miss them. Chad tearfully told Julie that he wanted to thank her for being so good to him and his kids.

“You opened up your home and your heart to us,” he said. He acknowledged that the household got chaotic at times, especially while she was grieving.

Chad said without a doubt, the house was full of love, and it helped him get through losing Abby. Julie thought he did the same for her when she lost Doug.

The Happy Couple

Jeremy was walking through the square when he saw Alex and Stephanie going into the bistro. He had a flashback of Alex confronting him at the pub as they went inside.

Steve and Kayla were happy to see them, but not too happy to find out they’d gone to Chicago.

Stephanie and Alex nervously told them that they eloped. Jaw-dropped, Steve and Kayla looked at one another, and he winked at her.

Alex and Stephanie sat down and assured them that they had taken lots of photos, but promised they wouldn’t post them until after they caught Jeremy.

Steve and Kayla tried to pretend they were upset, but then burst out laughing and congratulated them.

Steve ordered champagne and they did a quiet toast to one another. Outisde, Jeremy wrote a note to Stephanie insisting he was nothing but happy for her and Alex on their engagment and how he intended ot prove it to her.

Chad’s Farewell

Julie and Chad hugged as she told him that he would always be her family. Jack and Jennifer came in and they wished Chad a good trip.

Jack said that they hated knowing they contributed to making it a very hard year. Chad told them that even in their darkest moments, he never stopped thinking of them as family.

“We hit a bump in the road and then we listened to each other, and now we’re stronger for it,” Julie surmised. They all agreed with her.

Julie took the kids upstairs to read to them before bed. Jennifer and Jack said their goodbyes and hugged. Everyone was tearful and warm, and promised to stay in touch and see each other again soon.

Chad stayed in the living room, looking around and taking it all in. He hugged the photo of him and Abigail on the desk as he cried then turned out the lights as he left the room, turning back one more time before going upstairs.

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