EJ’s Hypnosis Breakthrough Could Clear Johnny — But Will Rachel’s Testimony Condemn Him?
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Over breakfast in the Hernandez kitchen, Leo imagines Jonathan Bailey playing him in the movie about Johnny’s trial. “As Juror #9?” Javi quips. Javi then receives a note from Tesoro’s mother that was dropped off at the fire station. There are no details about her identity; she just tells her son that she loves him and that letting him go was the hardest thing she has ever had to do.
As the foster dads discuss the loving home they’re giving this woman’s child, Leo calls Javi a natural-born daddy. Javi averts his eyes so subtly Leo misses it, but a trained soap watcher knows it probably means something.
Amy’s At It Again
In the Square, Sophia stresses to Melinda over the phone about Tate wanting to see the baby. Amy interrupts with an appeal to rebuild their relationship. She misses how close they used to be. Sophia would like that, but she’s not sure Amy could understand what she’s been through. Amy urges her to talk to her, their pastor, or a therapist. Maybe see Dr. Kiriakis about possibly having postpartum depression. “Absolutely not!” Sophia exclaims.
As Sophia insists she’s fine, Javi walks up, pushing Tesoro’s stroller. Amy recognizes little T, who was with Leo when the jury was being picked, and practically clutches her pearls upon realizing Tesoro has two foster dads. “Actually,” Javi happily offers, “he has three.” Amy forces a smile, “How progressive.” Pasting on his own grin, Javi states that having a house full of love is amazing. Sophia cuts the tension by suggesting she and Amy go get breakfast. Before they leave, Amy goes soft, realizing Tesoro looks like Sophia’s brother when he was a baby. Sophia rushes her mother away, and Javi’s smile quickly drops.
The Suspects Narrow
At the Pub with her parents, Rachel worries Johnny will go to prison because of her testimony. They assure her other people will also be testifying — people who could have shot EJ. “Are you one of them, Mommy?” Rachel asks. Kristen reminds her that she was watching her sleep that night. Rachel remembers waking up and going downstairs, though. Kristen promises her she didn’t do it.
Despite her best efforts, Belle fails to leave the penthouse before EJ arrives for his hypnosis session with Marlena. She coldly bypasses him on her way out, and Marlena revels in the fact that Belle is finally done with him for good. She’d like to toss EJ out of there right now, but she’d do anything to free Johnny.
Marlena puts him under, but all EJ remembers is wanting “her” to put the gun down. When Marlena brings him out of it, EJ gets excited that the revelation that his shooter is female could eliminate Johnny as a suspect and put the focus on the four women at the house that night: Ava, Gabi, Chanel and Kristen. (Who do you think is the culprit?)
Rachel Takes the Stand
Belle comes to the courtroom, where Johnny pensively surveys the empty room. He apologizes for embarrassing his aunt with his testimony about her involvement with EJ. She assures him this is all on his father. Johnny hates what he did to her, but he also knows how much EJ loves her. Can she ever forgive him? Belle declares there’s no coming back from what he did.
As the trial resumes, Judge Dabney instructs the jury to disregard the testimony about the attorneys’ personal lives. It will be stricken from the record. And with the leaks on social media and in the press, she sequesters the jury. “Objection, your honor!” Leo exclaims, bolting to his feet. Under her withering glare, he sits and mumbles, “Withdrawn.” The jury will stay in a hotel with no cell phones and supervised contact with family until a verdict has been reached.
In the corridor, Kristen embraces a trembling Rachel before she is called in to testify. Since Kristen is also testifying, she stays in the corridor. The bailiff leads Rachel past the gallery, where Brady and Marlena give her reassuring nods. On the stand, Belle gets Rachel to recount seeing cousin Johnny point a gun at Uncle EJ. After she ran upstairs, she heard a gunshot. Belle asks if she thinks Johnny shot EJ, but withdraws the question when EJ objects.
When EJ questions his niece, he asks if there was enough time between her seeing Johnny and hearing the gunshot for Johnny to leave and someone else to come in and shoot him. Rachel says yes. EJ faces the jury and says, “That’s all I needed to know.” When the judge asks Belle if she’d like to redirect, Belle rests. As EJ whispers to Johnny at the defense table, Rachel watches from the stand with an enigmatic glare (see header photo).
