On today’s Days of Our Lives, we pick up from yesterday, with Amy and Sophia arriving at Tate’s. He tries being polite, but Amy just railroads over him and

Sophia, saying he should be apologizing for sneaking around with Sophia and getting her pregnant. He promises they were careful, but that’s not flying with

Amy. They never should have had sex and she had big plans for the future. Tate points out that’s why she needs an abortion, and Amy tells him it’ll happen over her dead body.

Sophia begs her mom to not have this discussion, then lays out to Tate that she and her religion forbid abortion. She’s furious that this pregnancy happened, but since it did, Sophia is having the baby and they are both raising it together. “My grandchild will not be born out of wedlock.”

That last part horrifies the parents-to-be even more. Tate tries telling her that’s not happening, but Mrs. Choi tells him to shut it, she’s got a headache, they’ve got a wedding to plan, and they need to figure out how to explain it to Sophia’s dad. She drags her panicked daughter out, leaving Tate to throw himself on the couch wondering how he’ll ever tell Holly.

Doug is lamenting that he still doesn’t have enough money to “get out of this hole” when Holly knocks on the door, upset. He hides the cash and Holly wastes no time telling him about Tate’s problems — after swearing him to secrecy. “Do you think he was ever going to tell you the truth?” Doug asks after learning Tate was going to sneak Sophia off for the abortion. Probably not.

But now that she knows, Tate figured they can still just put it all behind them, but Holly admits she doesn’t feel the same. They finally told each other they loved each other, and he already got a girl pregnant. Whether they have it or not, that’ll always be between Sophia and Tate. Doug assures Holly that she’s got every right to be upset.

“Welcome to the drama that’s my life,” she sighs. Doug, though, tells her they should go to the concert and get her mind off of it for a few hours. It’s New Year’s Eve. She appreciates the offer, but she can’t do it without thinking of Tate all night.

In Jada’s office, EJ’s dumbfounded at being replaced. He quickly realizes Jada was behind it, though she just sips her coffee as he demands answers. Paulina informs him that it doesn’t matter, because it’s her decision, then lays out every reason it’s time for him to go. “EJ DiMera, you are fired.” He wants to know who’s replacing him, but Paulina says he’ll learn when she has the press conference announcing it.

“For pity’s sake, we’re family, Paulina.” Sure, but she can separate personal and professional lives — unlike him. Before storming out, EJ turns to Jada, says he knows this was her doing and she won’t get away with this. Paulina’s glad it’s over, but Jada points out that EJ threatened her. Is it really over? Paulina just laughs it off. “He’s just a petulant little boy.” And he could stand to be knocked down by a strong woman.

Jada, though, has seen what EJ’s capable of. But Paulina just tells her to enjoy being free from EJ for the new year and go celebrate with Rafe. No worries!

Rafe’s snooping around the DiMeras when he comes face-to-face with Arnold. “Heya, Rafe. It’s me, your old pal.” Rafe’s horrified, so Arnold gleefully explains how his death was faked by EJ. With Stefano’s help. They sent him to Argentina, but he got tired of hiding after 14 years. Rafe tells him that was a mistake, pulls out his phone to call the cops — and gets bashed over the head by Arnold.

“Sorry pal, I guess the best Rafe won.” He speechifies over Rafe’s unconscious body on the couch and takes a drink just as EJ gets home, horrified at the sight. He checks to see if Rafe is still alive, yells at Arnold (after double checking he’s Arnold) and demands to know what happened. And yes, Arnold admits, he explained to Rafe that EJ was the one who faked his death.

Jada calls (or, as Arnold says, “Ja-dah’s calling. Who’s Ja-dah?”) and RoboRafe is back in action. Arnold answers the phone and after a second’s hesitation, agrees to meet at the pub. EJ demands to know what he’s doing. “Well, I found that the ladies like it when you give them little pet names.”

He just wanted to see if he could pull it off, and now that he has, EJ informs Arnold they’ve got a mess to clean up.

Ava and Brady meet at the pub where she shows him the latest text. He notes that it came in on Christmas, and he was with Kristen for a bit to see Rachel. Kristen swore she wasn’t behind it, and she seemed sincere. Also, it’s too simple a plan. She tells him, though, that Steve found that the texts were coming from the DiMera estate. But that’s not why she called him there. It’s about Tate.

She tells Brady about running into Mrs. Choi and how fast things spiraled — especially once Sophia’s mom learned her daughter was pregnant. “And the baby is… it’s Tate’s?” Clearly, Ava tells him. She knows it’s not her problem, but she’s so sorry. Brady’s horrified: “This is going to change everything for the both of them.”

He cautiously tries to find out what Sophia’s “plans” are, but Ava isn’t sure. So Brady sighs and heads home, thanking her for being a great friend and telling him. “Good luck,” she tells him with a grimace.

In the show’s final moments, Holly thanks Doug again, but he insists that she not be alone. No one else is around, so it’ll just be the two of them there watching the ball drop. Holly thinks, then agrees to stay with a smile.

Brady arrives home, sees how upset his son is and asks if Tate’s OK. Ava told him what happened. He sits down, pats Tate’s knee and says he wants to hear the details from him, though.

EJ drags Rafe’s body into the secret passage, hoping Arnold won’t screw things up more. The fake in question gets to the pub, sits down with Jada and tells her she looks great. “So what’s the big news?” She starts to tell him, then notices his clothes are different. Arnold just smiles at her.

Next on Days of Our Lives, Johnny and Chanel host a New Year’s Eve part, and Belle has news for EJ.