Today’s The Young and the Restless recap for December 26, 2023, details Nikki and Claire’s struggles to get away from Jordan once and for all.
The Newmans Take Action
As Victor (Eric Braeden), Victoria (Amelia Heinle), and Nick (Joshua Morrow) searched for Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), Victoria was sure that Jordan (Colleen Zenk) had somehow found her just like she managed to get Claire out of the hospital. Victoria and Nick knew there was no way Nikki would abandon her family on Christmas Eve.
However, Victor wondered if Nikki was on a drinking binge after what Nate told him the night before. Nick refused to believe that Nikki would miss Christmas to go on a bender. However, Victoria knew that Nate wouldn’t lie about Nikki drinking.
Victor finally decided to check the vodka bottle sitting out for Nikki to see at all times. He realized Nikki replaced the vodka with water. They knew there were now two possibilities for what happened to Nikki and drinking was one of them.
Soon Cole (J. Eddie Peck) showed up ready to find both Nikki and Claire. They just weren’t sure where to start. Victoria then found Nikki’s purse between the couch cushions. After pulling out a flask, Victoria also found a piece of paper with an address. Cole recognized it as a cabin he stayed at with his mother years ago.
Victor and Nick rushed to the cabin, leaving Victoria alone with Cole to wonder who Claire (Hayley Erin) could have been if they had the chance to raise her.
Drunk Nikki Goes On Defense
A very drunk Nikki finally made her way to an abandoned shack where she found Jordan brandishing a pistol. It turned out she was following Jordan’s instructions to the letter and was ready for a showdown.
While Jordan taunted Nikki about her lost sobriety, Nikki demanded that Jordan show her where Claire was. Nikki slurred her words as she accused a deranged Jordan of brainwashing Claire to hate the Newmans. Jordan wondered why Nikki would help someone like Claire — a girl who tried to poison her whole family.
Nikki pointed out that Claire at least gave them the antidote. Besides, she is doing this for Victoria, who now knows Claire is her not-so-dead daughter. Jordan went on to rant about stealing Claire to protect her from the horrible Newmans.
Nikki finally questioned Jordan about what she felt for the girl she raised for 25 years. Was there even love? Jordan didn’t have an answer for her, but was impressed that they performed a DNA test and knew the truth about Claire.
Not to be left out of the taunting, Nikki reminded Jordan that her sister Eve was a failure and a hot mess, and all of her problems were her own fault. Jordan revealed that her falling out with Eve was all over Victor. Jordan didn’t want them together but Eve refused to listen.
The back and forth went back for a while until Jordan announced her intention to let Claire go free — as long as Nikki was dead first. Poor Nikki was ready for a drink at this point, so Jordan had vodka on the ready. Nikki swigged it down before Jordan wheeled a drugged Claire out from a back room.
Drugged Claire Goes On Offense
Nikki was horrified when she saw Claire’s condition and immediately jumped into (drunk) grandmother mode. She managed to conk Jordan over the head with the vodka bottle and tried to rouse Claire. Before she could get the girl to stand, Jordan woke and physically attacked Nikki.
As the two women entered into a struggle in which more glass was shattered, Claire finally came to, grabbed Jordan’s gun, and demanded she let Nikki go. Jordan let Nikki go and tried to talk her niece down, telling her that the Newmans had messed with her mind.
Both Nikki and Jordan tried to appeal to Claire, with Jordan insisting they were family. It took a while, but Claire looked like she would finally choose her mother’s side of the family and not her father’s, tearfully telling Jordan that the Newmans would have loved her if given the chance.
When they heard sirens outside, Jordan claimed Nikki tricked them, but Nikki insisted she wanted to find Claire and keep her safe. Claire claimed Jordan didn’t deserve to live and would just escape if taken into custody, so Jordan dared her to pull the trigger.
Claire couldn’t do it, so Jordan called her weak, and that’s when Nikki couldn’t take it anymore. She lunged at Jordan, knocked her out, and convinced Claire to hand over the gun. Nikki then took her sobbing granddaughter into her arms and told her that Jordan could never hurt her again.
Finally, Nick and Victor arrived to see that Claire and Nikki didn’t need them after all. The ladies had saved their own selves as it should be. Jordan was taken into custody and Claire could begin her life anew.
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