Days Of Our Lives Recap for June 09, 2026 delivered a Tuesday in Salem that nobody walked away from unscathed. EJ gleefully detonated a bomb under Gwen’s relationship with Kristen. Xander and Kristen had a surprisingly honest conversation about everything they have done to each other. And Alex handed Joy a key that Stephanie will absolutely never forgive him for.
EJ Spots the Keycard and Gabi Stays Out of It
The episode picked up with EJ and Gabi wrapping up their sparring in the square just in time to catch Kristen slipping a keycard into Xander’s pocket. EJ chuckled to himself. Gabi was horrified on Gwen’s behalf. EJ had assumed this was some kind of open arrangement between everyone involved. Gabi corrected him firmly, pointing out that Kristen and Gwen were supposed to be friends.
That said Gabi had no intention of getting involved. “Not my monkey, not my circus,” she said and strolled off. Javi was nearby watching Trey and Gabi paused to exchange warm words with him before moving on. Later EJ wandered back over to Gabi and admitted he had ratted out Kristen and Xander. He then offered to help her forget about Philip entirely. Gabi stormed off in pure disgust and that was the only correct response.
Days Of Our Lives Recap: Gwen Makes Her Move and EJ Drops the Bombshell
At the pub, Leo ran into Joy who was searching frantically for Kelsey’s stuffed elephant. Just outside Gwen received a threatening text from Dimitri warning her he was getting closer to the truth. She headed inside and Leo practically crushed her in a relieved hug. She was still alive and he needed to see that for himself.
They sat and Gwen laid out her plan. She intended to buy University Hospital right out from under EJ purely for revenge. Leo pointed out it would also put her in good standing with Jack, a useful side effect. But Dimitri’s daily taunting hung over everything and Gwen knew she had to move fast. Back in the square she and EJ traded accusations, both claiming to be allies while clearly circling each other. Gwen warned him that if Dimitri produced proof about their joint kidnapping they would both go down. EJ absorbed that. Then he smiled and told her to go check the Inn for herself. He delivered it with pure gleeful relish.
Kristen and Xander’s History Comes Knocking
Upstairs at the Inn, Xander winced almost immediately at his elbow. Kristen was more than happy to take control of the situation, which honestly tracked completely for her. Their post-bedroom conversation turned to their kids and the complicated shared history neither of them could fully escape. Kristen lamented Rachel being back in Bayview and Xander genuinely wondered why she could not simply pull her out. Their talk was surprisingly grounded for two people who operate entirely in chaos.
Then Gwen started pounding on the door. Kristen did not miss a beat. She swung it open and announced she and Xander were simply having a meeting. EJ had seen nothing. There was nothing to see. Gwen bought every single word of it and told Xander to call her before walking out. Kristen watched her leave and quietly noted that Gwen was one of her only real friends besides Lani. Whether she actually felt that guilt or was simply performing it was left entirely open.
Days Of Our Lives Recap: Alex’s Key Mistake Ends With a Gunshot
Alex came home from his run to find Stephanie back from the wedding. They fell straight into each other’s arms and things got warm fast. Joy interrupted by knocking on the door with a crying Kelsey searching for her stuffed elephant. The elephant turned up inside the apartment and the crisis was resolved. Alex then casually suggested giving Joy a key for next time. Except it was not casual at all. He handed her one on the spot. Stephanie pretended she was fine. She was not fine. They even agreed they should properly introduce Joy to Kelsey next time, which somehow made the whole thing worse.
Joy headed to the pub and realised her phone was missing, leaving Kelsey briefly with Leo. Leo bonded happily with the baby as Javi pushed Trey inside and joined them. Things turned awkward when Leo learned that Gus was planning to stay in Salem. That news landed with visible discomfort. Later Stephanie took a nap and Alex headed out for errands. Joy came back, knocked and got no answer. She used her new key, let herself in and Stephanie woke up in a haze. She saw the door opening, grabbed her gun and fired directly at a blurry Joy.
Tuesday closed on a gunshot and a secret barely held together with a smile. Gwen trusted Kristen with everything and Kristen is already keeping the biggest thing from her. Stephanie pulled a trigger that Alex essentially loaded for her. The Days Of Our Lives Recap for June 09, 2026 proves Salem has a talent for turning small mistakes into catastrophic ones. Stay with Soap Opera Daily because the fallout from Tuesday is only just beginning.