Today’s Young and the Restless recap airs in the USA on Thursday, January 4, 2024, and airs one day ahead in Canada. We post our Y&R recaps every weekday!
Last Episode
On the last episode of Y&R, Sharon & Summer discussed their feelings for Chance, Lucy set a Parent Trap, and Victoria visited Claire at the hospital.
Genoa City Memorial Hospital
Claire has just woken up. She sees Victoria sitting beside her and asks how long she’s been there.
Victoria says she hasn’t been there long and asks how Claire is feeling.
Claire’s not sure how to answer Victoria’s question.
Newman Media
Nikki sits at her desk, flipping through some files. She starts thinking of when Claire and Jordan had trapped her at the lake house, flooding her veins with alcohol and causing her to lose her sobriety.
Nikki shakily buries her head in her hands and yells, “Get out of my head!”
Audra enters the office and asks if everything is alright.
Crimson Lights
Sharon tells Chance she and Summer were talking about him; they were singing his praises and talking about how handsome and charming he is!
Chance asks if that’s why they got quiet and had guilty looks on their faces when he walked in.
Sharon says they didn’t want to feed his “enormous ego.”
Chance grins and says he gets it and appreciates the flattering cover story. They were talking about something he didn’t need to know. He says she can tell him lies like that any time he wants!
They kiss.
Newman Media
Audra tells Nikki that she doesn’t want to be insensitive, but she might have some idea of what she’s going through… Battling alcoholism is a never-ending war of temptation and willpower, and she knows how stress and trauma can affect the fight.
Nikki asks how Audra would know about this.
Audra says she “lived on the battlefield” with her father for a long time until he lost the war.
Nikki says she’s sorry Audra lost her father in such a painful way. She says sharing something so private from her past must be difficult.
Audra says she doesn’t want to make it about her. She wanted to make the point that she understands if that’s part of what Nikki’s going through.
Audra knows how difficult it can be to go through the guilt and fear of alcoholism, and she’s aware of the toll it can take on a person and their family. She says if Nikki needs someone to talk to about it, she can talk with her.
Memorial Hospital
Claire asks Victoria about the books she’d brought her… Was she reading to her while she was sleeping?
Victoria smiles and says they’re a couple of her favorites. She says she never read to Claire; she just wanted to talk and sit with her. She hoped that if Claire heard her voice while she was sleeping, it might bring her out of any nightmare she might be having.
Claire says nothing can stop the nightmares; they’re waiting for her whenever she closes her eyes… Sometimes, she can’t help but have them while she’s awake.
Victoria asks Claire if there’s anything she’d like to talk about.
Claire says she was dreaming about Nikki and Jordan fighting at the cabin, and in her dream, Claire shot her aunt and killed her. She says she couldn’t do it in real life, but in her dream, she had no choice; it was up to her to stop Jordan.
Victoria says a person’s mind comes up with a lot of dreams when they’re trying to process trauma, but it makes sense.
Claire asks if it makes sense that she becomes a killer in the dream.
Victoria shakes her head and says maybe Claire’s mind is trying to kill her connection to her aunt so that Jordan’s hold over her will be gone for good. She thinks it’s a kind of release and could be a positive sign.
Claire asks why she feels so guilty about it.
Victoria figures Claire probably feels guilty about everything that happened, and the guilt is crossing into her dreams. Maybe it’s her mind’s way of letting go and getting beyond the pain she’s experienced. She says Claire can bring it up at her next therapy session.
Victoria tells Claire she talked to her doctors, who are ready to help her. She asks if Claire has had a chance to share anything with her doctors yet and if she feels more comfortable at the hospital.
Claire shakes her head. She says the only thing she feels is more and more frightened.
Daniel’s Apartment
Summer walks into her brother’s apartment and looks around. She can’t believe Sally had done all the decorating.
Daniel asks if that’s her way of saying she likes it.
Summer says she’s just surprised. It’s modern but warm and inviting!
Daniel grins and asks if she came over to critique his decor; she’d already seen it before Christmas.
Summer says she just wanted to say hi and to see him and Lucy. She wanted to catch up and see what they were up to!
Daniel doesn’t buy it. He asks what’s really going on.
Summer says she needs a sane person to talk to. She can’t talk to their mom because she already knows what her advice is.
Daniel figures it must be about Chance.
Summer groans and wonders how everyone knows what she’s feeling without her saying anything. She thinks it’s embarrassing.
Daniel grins and says he doubts everyone knows.
Summer figures he’s saying most people know, then. She sarcastically says that makes her feel so much better; he’s the best brother ever!
Daniel cringes and says, “You’re welcome…?”
Summer says she’s a CEO and a mom. She does deals and handles contracts; she doesn’t have time to be tied in knots over a guy who’s involved with somebody else!
Daniel says he’s not the one to talk to; he’s tied up in his own emotional mess!
Summer asks what he means… Is it Lily?
Daniel doesn’t want to talk about it.
Summer says he must want to talk about it; he’s the one who brought it up! She says this is what siblings are for; it’s a safe space!
Daniel says he thinks Heather is trying to start a romance between them.
Memorial Hospital
Victoria tells Claire she’s safe; Jordan will never come back for her.
Claire says the thought of Jordan terrifies her, and she doesn’t think she will ever escape her thoughts and feelings about her life. She feels like she won’t ever sleep again and will never feel normal or safe.
Victoria says it feels that way now, but it’s hard to see past the pain when you’re hurting. It may feel like it’s going to be forever, but she needs time, rest, and therapy. She says she and Cole will be there for her.
Claire finds it hard to accept. She’d grown up her whole life hating the Newmans, and she couldn’t imagine that her real mom would be sitting with her at her bedside, ensuring she was okay. She says it wasn’t part of the plan; she doesn’t know what comes next and doesn’t know if she’s strong enough to face it.
Victoria says she’s survived a lot already; her strength means she’ll make it through.
Claire says she’s tired and hates the therapy sessions. She hates talking about Jordan, her childhood, and the lake house. She wishes she could erase her entire life from her memory.
Victoria understands, but Claire can’t change what’s already happened. She has to accept it and understand that it wasn’t her fault. She’ll be able to have a normal life and will get stronger and better, even if she doesn’t believe she will. Victoria’s sure Claire will find happiness again.
Claire isn’t sure she deserves happiness or to get better.
Newman Media
Audra tells Nikki she doesn’t mean to pry or prod, but she’s been to many Al-Anon meetings and understands the process. She spent a lifetime recognizing the signs of someone covering their urge to drink.
Nikki says it’s kind of Audra to reach out, but she’s misread the situation.
Audra doesn’t think she has.
Nikki says she’s been through a traumatic experience with her family, and they’re dealing with it the best they can together. They’ll be fine. She thanks Audra for her concern.
Audra nods. “Understood.” She leaves the office.
Memorial Hospital
Victoria tells Claire she deserves to get better and deserves happiness. Jordan took her happiness from her, and they will take it back. She reminds Claire that her aunt emotionally manipulated her in the worst possible way.
Claire says she’s not a child and knows the difference between right and wrong. She shouldn’t have listened to Jordan when the plan involved kidnapping, poisoning, and attempted murder. She could have called the police, but she went along willingly and was wrong in many ways.
Victoria says she had no choice; Jordan raised her to rely on her and to trust and respect her. Jordan groomed Claire to do those horrible things!
Claire asks if Jordan is still locked up… She hasn’t been released on bail?
Victoria says Jordan is still in custody and hopes she spends “the rest of her miserable life” in prison.
Claire is worried about what will happen if Jordan gets out of jail.
Victoria promises that won’t happen. She says Jordan will spend the rest of her life locked up away from them.
Claire asks how Victoria can be so caring and comforting; how can Victoria even stand to look at her?
Society
Nikki walks into the restaurant and has a seat at the bar. She asks for sparkling water with lime.
The bartender pours it for her, and she thanks him. The bartender walks away to talk with some other patrons. Nikki looks around furtively, slips her flask out of her purse, and pours the contents into her drink.
Daniel’s Apartment
Daniel figures his sister’s non-reaction to the news that he thinks Heather wants a relationship with him again is telling… Summer must think so, too!
Summer thinks that Heather probably wants to be happy and in love again and have her broken-apart family back together. She asks her brother if he wants to see if there’s still a spark between him and Heather.
Daniel says a lot has happened since he and Heather were together in Savannah. They’ve both moved on with new people. He’s with Lily, and Heather sees it every single day.
Summer says that doesn’t stop people from feeling what they feel and acting on it.
Daniel says it stopped Summer from acting on her feelings for Chance.
Summer says Chance was never hers to begin with.
Crimson Lights
Chance and Sharon sit down on the indoor patio. Chance asks how her business is coming along.
Sharon says it’s coming along masterfully; their launch is set for next week!
Chance grins and says he’ll get his suit cleaned as long as he’s invited.
Sharon laughs and says if there were a VIP list, he’d be on it. She asks if he’s still planning to work at Chancellor-Winters.
Chance nods. He says Jill is looking forward to him working with her, and Billy has volunteered to be his mentor at the office… Chance doesn’t think that’s the best idea, though.
Sharon says Billy is experienced in the corporate world.
Chance says he’s unsure he wants Billy’s “brand” of business sense to influence how he approaches things. He’s heard that Billy isn’t the guy he should be taking advice from immediately.
Sharon says she has an unrelated question for him. She asks him if he’d be interested if they weren’t dating, and Summer asked him out.
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Daniel’s Apartment
Summer tells Daniel she hasn’t had any history with Chance, whereas if Daniel hadn’t screwed up, he would probably still be with Heather.
Daniel says he knows; he kicked himself for a long time afterward for what he did. He says she can’t pass up the opportunity if she likes Chance.
Summer is interested in Chance, but she refuses to chase after him when he’s still hanging out with Sharon. She doesn’t even know if they’d be compatible.
Daniel says their situations are different. Heather should respect that he’s emotionally in a different place; her relationship might not have worked out, but his relationship with Lily is just fine.
Summer asks if Daniel told Heather that. He says he has, and she tells him to give Heather time to let it sink in; just because she made a move once doesn’t mean she’ll do it again!
Daniel isn’t sure that’s going to work.
Summer says if Daniel told Heather he’s not interested in going back to where they were, she’ll accept it as long as Daniel isn’t sending mixed messages. She won’t make a move on Chance because she knows the situation; he’s still with Sharon.
Daniel says Summer is making excuses for why she can’t make a move on a guy she likes. He figures she already talked to their mother about it; he wonders whether Summer hopes he’ll give her the opposite of their mom’s advice or whether he’ll back Phyllis up.
Crimson Lights
Chance asks Sharon where the question came from; did it have something to do with what she was talking with Summer about earlier?
Sharon says she’s picked up something… Summer was really happy that she and Chance went to the concert together; she couldn’t stop talking about it. Sharon thinks Summer enjoyed more than the music at the concert.
Chance thinks she’s reading too much into it. It was one of Summer’s favorite bands!
Sharon says Summer lights up when Chance walks into a room. Sharon thinks Summer has developed feelings for him.
Chance thinks Sharon’s reaching. They’re nothing more than friends.
Sharon asks him to humor her by answering her question. If Chance wasn’t going out with Sharon, would he be interested in dating Summer?
Chance says he’s unsure how to answer the question but knows he’s dating Sharon and likes what they have.
Sharon asks what it is, exactly, that they have.
Society
Nate walks into the bar just after Nikki puts away her flask. She’s staring into her drink as he greets her.
Nikki says a cordial hello.
Nate hopes Nikki’s not upset with him.
Nikki says she’s not thrilled with him… He’d told Victor she was drinking again.
Nate nods and asks if he is wrong in his belief.
Memorial Hospital
Victoria tells Claire to look at her. She says looking into Claire’s eyes isn’t difficult for her, and supporting her isn’t any harder. The more she gets to know her, the more she sees Claire’s strength.
Claire asks how she can believe that.
Victoria says it’s true. She’ll always be grateful that Claire saved her mother’s life and says she was proud of Claire for acting so bravely when she stood up to her aunt.
Claire says she saw the fear and anger on their faces at the lake house when they learned she’d poisoned them and betrayed them, and that will always be in the back of her mind, and it’s probably going to be in Victoria’s mind, too.
Victoria says it won’t be easy to forget, but she’s being honest with Claire now. She has faith in her and the life she can have. She says they can work on it together.
Claire thinks Victoria is still in shock about having a grown daughter who she thought had died years ago. She says she’s not the sweet, innocent baby taken from them.
Claire says Victoria will see who she really is and realize that there’s nothing left but a horrible, broken person who tortured her and tried to kill her. She says seeing that look in Victoria’s eyes might kill her.
Victoria tells her not to think that. Neither she nor Cole would ever look at Claire that way!
Claire says she can’t predict the future.
Victoria says Claire can’t either. She tells Claire not to shut them out and to give them a chance to get to know her.
Claire says it’s too hard; she gets a knot in her stomach in anticipation of Cole and Victoria hating her again. She says Eve died the day she was taken from the hospital. Claire is someone else who’s angry and alone, rejected and abandoned. She doesn’t know how to get past it.
Victoria says she has to know she’s not in it alone. They’ll get through it together.
Claire says she’s not strong or brave like Victoria thinks. She thinks she’ll always be the person who tortured Victoria and her family.
Victoria says she doesn’t think that, and neither should Claire.
Claire asks her to leave and never return.
Victoria says she should have let Claire rest. She gets up.
Claire yells for her leave her alone and tells her not to come back. She’s going to tell the staff not to let Victoria visit her. This is it!
Victoria begs Claire to let her in and help her through things. There’s no answer. Victoria takes her bag and leaves.
Society
Nate tells Nikki he alerted Victor about her drinking out of concern. He wasn’t retaliating for being let go from Newman; it was a doctor’s healing instinct.
Nikki says she appreciates it. She explains that the family has been through a lot lately, and they are aware and supportive of her journey. She’s concerned about them as well.
Nate says he’s sorry to hear that.
Nikki says there’s nothing for him to worry about; her family will take care of matters together.
Nate nods. He tells her to stay strong and take care of herself. He leaves her and sits at a table in the dining room.
Nikki doesn’t touch her drink. She takes out some money, throws it on the bar beside her drink, and leaves.
Daniel’s Apartment
Summer tells Daniel she doesn’t know what advice she wants, but that’s why she’s there… She’s tried to distract herself through work and home life, but every time she sees Chance, all her feelings come back to her.
Daniel says it sounds like she’s got a hard case of infatuation.
Summer doesn’t disagree. She wonders if Chance feels anything for her.
Daniel asks if Summer has any reason to think Sharon and Chance aren’t happy.
Crimson Lights
Chance asks Sharon if she thinks something is happening between him and Summer.
Sharon says she knows him better than that.
Chance wonders why she’s asking him these questions… Does she think he’s developing feelings for Summer?
Sharon says she couldn’t blame him if he did; Summer is a beautiful, smart, successful woman.
Chance says Sharon is all that, if not more.
Sharon thanks him and says it’s not about that… She’s not insecure or jealous.
Chance wonders what she’s getting at; it feels like she’s trying to provoke a response from him… Is this her sneaky way of ending things between them?
Sharon says that’s not what she’s doing; she adores spending time with him… All that charm and passion rolled into one sexy package… Phew!
Chance smiles and kisses her. He tells her she’s a sexy package, too.
Sharon tells Chance she has to be honest with him; she’s not looking for a serious relationship right now. She explains that she’s been through a lot over the last few years and likes her life as it is.
Chance says he’s happy with things the way they are, too.
Sharon’s glad they feel the same way. She says he has a big heart to share, and it’d only be natural if he was still trying to find his one big love, and she doesn’t want to lead him on or hold him back.
Chance says he’s perfectly happy with things as they are. They kiss.
Daniel’s Apartment
Summer tells Daniel that Sharon and Chance seem happy when she sees them together, but she had a strange conversation about it with Sharon earlier.
Summer says Sharon told her she and Chance were just “hanging out and having fun” and Summer had the impression that they hadn’t discussed a future together.
Daniel says it sounds like how things are between him and Lily.
Summer says that’s why Heather tested the water with him… And she’s going to do the same with Chance!
Newman Media
Nikki finishes reviewing some reports and tells Audra to hand them off to the finance department.
Victoria knocks on the door and apologizes for interrupting. She says she needs to speak with her mother privately.
Audra nods and leaves the office, closing the door behind her.
Victoria asks Nikki how she’s doing; is she ready to be back at work?
Nikki says she thought she was ready and the office would be a good distraction, but she almost drank earlier. She explains that she was overwhelmed, and it felt like she couldn’t go another moment without a drink. She says it was very close, and it was hard to stop herself from drinking.
Victoria says it took a lot of courage.
Nikki says that Nate was the one who pulled her back from the edge.
Victoria asks how it happened.
Nikki says Nate ran into her at Society. She asks whether Victoria has had any recent contact with him.
Victoria says she hasn’t. She doesn’t think Nate is over his anger with her.
Nikki says Nate didn’t seem angry; he seemed genuinely concerned for Nikki’s well-being.
Victoria doesn’t think that’s surprising; despite what Victor thinks of Nate, he’s kind and compassionate.
Nikki sees that Victoria seems “off.” She asks what’s happening with her.
Victoria says she feels like she’s losing Claire again… But this time it’s forever.
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