Jennifer tells Julie she just can’t get over Chad’s betrayal with Cat. She just can’t even muster up the strength to interview Julie about Grandpa Tom. Luckily, Julie called Jack in to cheer Jen up!

Up in Thomas’ room (Which actually looks like a fun kid’s room!), Chad tries talking to his son, promising he’s going to make this all right. He heads downstairs, tells everyone he’ll make this right, then walks out. But Jen doesn’t care.

 

 

Alone, Jack, Jennifer and Julie start reminiscing over Jen’s return to Salem 40 years ago. We flash back to a very young Jennifer committing petty theft, then moving on to her getting encouragement from Tom and Alice about school. All the boys like her and girls hate her because she’s so pretty! Well, that’s definitely a teenager’s take on things.

 

 

Julie pulls out the scrapbooks and Jennifer starts reflecting on Tom and Alice’s motto of forgiveness. But she won’t do that with Cat. They find a poem Grandpa Tom wrote to Jennifer after her parents got divorced and we flash back to his reading it to her.

 

 

He wasn’t the only one to offer advice — Grandma Alice always had relationship help. And flashback to her talking to young Jen about love; with Frankie, this time. In the present, Jennifer says all her mistakes with Frankie led her to Jack.

Then Julie pulls a newspaper out of the scrapbook of Jennifer’s very first Spectator story. (Wow, these family photo albums seem to be tailor made for Jen.) This flashback is of Jack giving Jen guff at The Spectator, complete with ‘80s computers and green text. But they pushed through and fell in love!

 

 

Next up is Jack’s proposal in the rain, Jack pretending to be a fireman on their wedding day, and a whole host of shenanigans, from towels and pantsing to bubble baths and being castaways. The flashbacks end with a wedding and Jennifer declaring her love for Jack. An emotional Jennifer then thinks back to the two of them welcoming baby Abigail. That, of course, makes them all sad.

Is This the End of Cat and Chad?
Cat’s home, still waiting for a text from Chad — but the one she gets isn’t encouraging! “It’s me. We need to talk.” Oof, that’s always a heart-dropping text. When he shows up, Cat can tell things didn’t go well.

Chad fills her in on all the damage Rachel did in spilling the beans to Thomas. Cat fights back tears as Chad tells her how bad things are with Thomas, and how the only way to make it right is to dump her. She understands. Kids always come first.

Chad can’t even ask her to wait because he doesn’t know if things will ever change. But he’s grateful they met, awful circumstances or not. “You’re beautiful, Cat.” And she made him feel something he never thought he would again. (Ouch, Stephanie.)

Cat’s in tears, but she’s grateful, too. They’ll always be in each other’s hearts. Chad walks out, telling Cat how hard this was. He kisses her one last time (if we believe this is really over) and leaves Cat to break down.

Is JJ In Trouble Again?
JJ, meanwhile, is brooding in the square and thinks back to calling his mom for what he thought was the last time the Christmas Eve he tried to take his own life. Jada calls and he fills her in on how his appointment with the psychiatrist went. He’s going to continue therapy.

He gets home, but the flashbackfest is over. He heard about Cat and Chad and stopped by to check in — and get an earful from his mom, even as Chad breaks up with Cat!

Julie declares she made coffee to get down to the interview and they ask JJ to stay for it. Jack gives JJ a rundown of how flashbacks work — and whoops, they aren’t done! Jennifer tells JJ about how he got his name. You know, Jack Jr. Kind of self-evident, but OK…

This last flashback is on a boat with baby JJ, and Jennifer promising Jack she’ll never take anything for granted again. In the present, Jack sings JJ’s praises, making him uncomfortable as he says how fine a cop he is.

Thomas runs down asking why they’re talking about Great-great grandpa Tom and when Jennifer tells him how he lived with Tom and Alice, Thomas asks if he can live with her. Then Charlotte finally shows up, carried in by Chad! The family is complete!