Daniel comes in for a coffee and sees Tessa there. She’s happy to see him, and he asks where Aria is.

Tessa says Lucy is babysitting her.

Daniel realizes he forgot. He tells Tessa that Mariah reached out to him to talk; she asked him to look after Tessa and Aria, and it sounded like she was leaving and wasn’t coming back.

Tessa’s face falls. “Ok.” She says that Mariah had mentioned going to Boston to get help.

Daniel asks if she found out what Mariah was hiding from her.

Tessa nods. She tells him to keep it between them, and says that Mariah told her that she’d tried to kill someone. After she told her, she ran away. Does he think Mariah could have actually tried to kill someone?

Daniel hopes it’s not true; Mariah isn’t a monster. He can’t believe that she’d try to kill someone! Maybe it was self-defense?

Tessa isn’t sure. She wonders if Mariah was triggered by Ian Ward’s return to Genoa City. Maybe she and Aria are better without her! Tessa knows Mariah is kind, affectionate, and loving, which makes this even harder. Mariah spent her earlier years in a cult, but was able to escape it and get to know her real mother, Sharon. She figures Mariah must have tried to kill the person on her business trip; she hasn’t been the same since. She wonders if she should call Mariah and try to convince her to stay in town, or should she let her go and try to figure out life as a single mom?

Daniel says it’s not his place to say. He’ll be there to support her, but he doesn’t want to feel like he’s overstepping or taking sides. This is awkward!

Tessa laughs and says that if he’s going to take sides, it’d better be hers!

Daniel smiles. He knows this is causing her pain.

Tessa wishes he’d decide for her… She’s done adulting! This is too tough!

Daniel asks what her gut says… Is she ready to give up on her and take a step back?

Tessa still loves Mariah. She doesn’t want her to suffer on her own. She’s going to the hotel that Mariah is staying at and will try to get to the bottom of it.

Daniel thinks it’s a great idea to investigate it. He knows she doesn’t want to lose her! He says he fought with Heather, and it was dumb. In the end, it doesn’t matter, and he regrets wasting time on fighting.

Tessa agrees. She hopes it won’t take too long to get answers!

Tessa asks if he has the time.

Daniel has nothing but time! He smiles.