Thur Jan 18, 2024: Today on Young and Restless, Tucker and Kyle spar, Jack asks Diane for permission to help Nikki, and Kyle tells his mom she should be Co-CEO.
Wednesday’s recap: Christine wanted to end things with Danny, Danny cuts Phyllis out of his life, and Lauren asked Jack to help Nikki.
(This day ahead recap episode airs in the USA on Jan 18. Expect spoilers! Recaps go live by 4:15 PM EST daily.)
Diane finds Jack pensively staring out the doors of the Abbott estate, he was restless last night and she assumes he has something on his mind.
He explains he may need to help a friend who he thought had overcome her problems.
That sounds private to her and she doesn’t want to intrude.
Jack doesn’t want them to have any secrets after all they’ve been through.
She offers to keep this confidential.
Before he can say anything, there’s something he has to tell her.
He explains that he was addicted to pain killers years ago after he had surgery for a gunshot wound.
She’s sorry and wonders why he never mentioned it.
It wasn’t his proudest chapter. All the lying and scheming…it was very dark.
Their son knew and it impacted him in a big way. Kyle leaked it to the gossip columns and Neil and Phyllis helped him through the worst of it.
It’s hard for her to hear that but she’s glad that Phyllis was there for her and he’s shared this with her.
Jack explains that because he’s in recovery, he’s in a position to provide guidance and support to Nikki.
They sit and he says that Nikki has had relapses and emerged stronger. Her sponsor has slipped and Lauren asked him to help.
He doesn’t have all the details on what happened to inspire this but he wants to help.
If she has a problem, he won’t do this. Diane won’t get in the way.
He mentions they were married. His wife trusts him anyway.
She only worries that helping could re-awaken his addiction.
He assures her it won’t so she gives her full support. This only makes her love him more.
Seth is at Nikki’s office. She walks in as he searches her drawers.
He apologizes for that but has been worried about her.
She accuses him of not being there to protect her. “I’m not the only one who started drinking again am I?” she asks.
He suggests she’s deflecting and she thinks he’s evading.
She’s sure he was looking for a drink or a talk.
Seth insists he only came to check on her but she is sure he wants help.
Twitching, he admits he fell off hard and he’s ashamed.
Nikki sympathizes and he asks if they can go to a meeting together.
She points out he can’t be her sponsor now that he’s relapsed.
She urges him to go to a meeting and call his sponsor.
Seth says he doesn’t have to be her sponsor but he needs a friend.
Nikki doesn’t think he’s thinking clearly and tells him he needs to reach out to someone else because her sobriety is too precarious.
Audra walks in. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were in a meeting,” she says.
Nikki says Seth is just leaving.
With difficulty, he walks out, saying he’s sorry he let her down.
She tells him they both need to take care of themselves.
Once Audra closes the door, she asks the boss if she’s okay.
Nikki brings up her mentioning her father was an alcoholic.
She explains that Seth is her sponsor and he fell off the wagon. She’s worried that rejecting him could make him spin out.
Audra offers to help any way she can.
Whenever she hears someone has relapsed, it leaves a pit in her stomach from when it happened with her father.
“Don’t take this the wrong way but this is a new and thoughtful side of you I’ve never seen before,” Nikki comments.
Audra knows everyone sees she prioritizes her career but this is her one soft spot.
Nikki gets a text from Jack, asking to meet.
She guesses what that’s about.
Back at the Abbott estate, Jack asks Diane again to keep this quiet.
He doesn’t have to ask.
Jack thanks her and she leaves for breakfast, saying hello to Nikki on her way out.
Nikki asks Jack why he summoned her.
He claims he was just concerned about her after her ordeal.
She tells him to stop fishing and assumes Lauren told him everything.
He admits Lauren is worried and so is he. He wants to offer his help.
She doesn’t want to burden him but he says she could never be. Besides, he’d worry himself sick if he thought she was struggling.
Jack understands where she’s been and offers to be her punching bag or whatever she needs. He cares about her.
Tearing up, Jack recalls that they were married when she first started drinking. He didn’t handle it well at all and he’s been feeling guilty ever since. He wants to make it up to her.
She’s not sure. Jack will be there for her whenever she needs someone.
Kyle bumps into Tucker when he wanders into Society. He wonders if he is still coming after him and he’s not apologizing because he doesn’t regret anything.
Tucker suggests they step into the ring next time. He asks him to sit down and claims he respects him now for showing how loyal he is to his family.
McCall always knew he was a daddy’s boy and couldn’t be turned. He took a risk trying to play him.
Tucker thought that sharing some information with him could whip the family into a frenzy and they would turn on each other. Kyle points out that fizzled.
Tucker wonders what it is about the Abbott family that inspires such devotion. Kyle assumes this is snark but he’s being sincere.
The Abbott doesn’t think he knows anything about being part of a family or retaining relationships… aside from what he has with Audra.
Tucker calls that “mentorship” but Kyle thinks it’s a lot more transactional that that. Once she realizes she doesn’t need him, she will cut him loose.
McCall asks what his point is and Kyle says he has no one else. All he knows how to do is burn bridges, not build them.
“Because I’m evil?” Tucker jokes, pointing out the Abbotts are as mean-spirited and aggressive as anyone else, united by shared hatreds and enemies.
He challenges him to look him in the eye and admit he was tempted to betray his family. Smiling, Tucker concludes there is nothing to admire about the Abbotts.
“By the way, I’m still coming for you,” he adds.
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Audra walks into the GCAC and sits at a table.
Tucker spots her from the bar and strolls over.
He asks if they can talk. “There’s no ‘us,'” she says, bluntly.
Sitting, he’s sorry he’s disappointed her and hopes she doesn’t stay angry with him.
She says this is about her keeping her distance from his toxicity before it poisons her.
He takes that to mean they should keep it purely business and claims he has big plans for her.
She tells him to count her out and asks if he’s cut Ashley out, once and for all.
He doesn’t see the relevance but she thinks he won’t be able to think clearly as long as she’s around. She’s why he couldn’t anticipate the leak.
Ashley is just an ideal to him and will never accept him as he is.
When she tells him he’s refusing to accept who he should be with, he asks who that is.
She assumes she will suggest herself since they are two selfish people who have great sex and put their ambitions first.
But she likes to think she has a shred of humanity and wants to cling to that before he destroys it.
“I’m beginning to think your fate is to be utterly alone,” she says, walking out.
Nikki returns to her office.
When she sits at her desk, she calls Lauren and asks to meet.
Diane meets her son at Society and worries his dad may be putting himself in a complicated position.
He’s sure his dad can handle it. She brings up business and he admits he’s changed his mind about the job at Jabot.
He’s decided that the COO job is where he belongs. His pride and sense of entitlement nearly ruined him.
His father was right that he needs continued lessons in humility. His mom thinks he’s being noble.
Kyle suggests that Jack should give her the job of Co-CEO.
His mom thinks that’s outlandish but Kyle can’t see any better options. They argue about all she brings to the company.
This is all touching for Diane, but she could say nice things about him too.
Her son says they can all work together and that’s all that matters. They are stronger when united.
Kyle regrets nearly betraying the family and doesn’t think he’s wrong to keep the position away from him.
He’s determined to make sure Jack agrees that she should be the one to replace Billy.
They spot Jack arriving. He sits and asks what they were discussing.
Kyle brings up the job.
His father has been giving that a lot of thought and commends his son on galvanizing the company.
They assume he’s made his choice.
Kyle stops him from making the announcement and says he should give it to his mom.
“How did you know that?” smiling Jack asks. Kyle looks disappointed and Diane makes excuses.
Kyle claims it’s the right call and Jack declares it the dawn of a new era. Kyle stares down.
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