THE SCOOP

On Monday, June 19, “Days of our Lives” will once again celebrate Juneteenth, the newest federally observed holiday that celebrates the end of slavery, when on June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger announced General Order No. 3, which stated that in accordance with the Emancipation Proclamation, “all slaves are free.”

In addition to the holiday celebration, the episode will also mark the one-year wedding anniversary of Abe (James Reynolds) and Paulina Carver (Jackée Harry). Returning for the episode are Lamon Archey (Eli Grant), Cameron Johnson (Theo Carver) and Marla Gibbs (Olivia Price) – Archey and Johnson will have extended stays in Salem as Eli and Theo work on locating Abe, who was recently kidnapped by Nurse Whitley (Kim Coles). Eli will also reunite with his other family, including grandmother Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes).

In an interview featured in the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest, on newsstands now, Reynolds reveals that Abe is aware he got married on Juneteenth, based on a conversation he had with Chanel (Raven Bowens) while he was in the hospital, but his memory overall is completely blank, even though Nurse Whitley does reveal to him that he has a son and daughter. 

“It might sound fantastic to him, but, on the other hand, he’s got to fill in the holes and these might be the answers,” says Reynolds. “He just doesn’t know. So he not only has to take what’s presented to him, but also assume it’s fact. He’s not thinking he’s being lied to or something’s off about this, because he has nothing to compare it to.” After having flashes of his wedding day, Abe later accuses Whitley of not being his wife. “Abe starts having little flashbacks and feelings, but he’s not sure if they’re true memories or not,” shares Reynolds. “What he does know is that his wife looks different in these flashbacks, that it’s not her. Also, some of the things she’s saying to him slide in the face of what is current reality. If he’s the mayor, then why are they living in this rathole?”

Obviously, Whitley has excuses for everything, even when Abe demands to see photos from their wedding day. Whitley claims the album got lost, and when Abe doesn’t buy it, Whitley finds a photo of Abe and Paulina’s wedding day online and photoshops her face over Paulina’s, finally giving Abe enough evidence to believe her lies which leaves him wanting to make things up to her by agreeing to renew “their wedding vows.” 

Since Whitley is the only person Abe knows at this time, Reynolds says, “Why not cooperate in this meaningless exercise?” He adds, “And Abe is also hoping [by participating] it might make something come back to him. There’s nothing familiar about this woman and this relationship.”

Watch a promo for this week’s episodes below.