Memorable Moments in the 80’s Story
Steve Saves Bo
One of the men working for Bo, loading freight on the docks, decided it was time to teach Bo Brady Kiriakis a lesson or two. He trapped Bo among some crates, and Steve pulled him out just in time- the crates collapsed around them. Bo’s leg was injured, and Steve hit his head. Bo was rushed to the emergency clinic, where Kayla had recently accepted a job. Kayla saw how concerned Steve was about Bo, and was confused. Steve collapsed – it turned out he had a concussion. From this day forward, Kayla looked at Steve differently. She began to see him as a hero of sorts, despite his tough act.
Stockholm
So much happened in that town! Steve and Kayla were there with “Roman” and Hope investigating the kidnapping of Marlena and trying to retrieve the bonds (its long and complicated but this all tied in to Steve and Bo’s tattoos and a hidden treasure). The first time there, Kayla came to rescue her brother Roman- and Steve who had just been shot. His face said it all: He was SO glad to see her there, once again taking care of him. Hope told Kayla that when Steve was delirious, he called out for Kayla.
Steve and Kayla were trapped in a water tank, where he was just about to tell her he loved her (until they were rescued). They stayed at Helga’s, where Kayla wore a white dress and took Steve’s breath away. They played truth or dare, and Steve let Kayla see into his heart.
Kayla sees under the patch
Not since the day Bo had knifed his eye out, had Steve Johnson alllowed anyone to look under the patch. But Kayla found Steve bruised, beaten, and cut on the pier. He wouldn’t go to the hospital so she nursed him at his apartment. She insisted on treating his eye, but Steve pulled back defiantly, despite being in immense pain. Kayla assured him she was just doing her work, and he didn’t have the strength to fight her. He trembled afterwards, as she left to buy medication, and was surprised that “she didnt even flinch”. He was even more surprised when she returned and spent the night on his floor, to watch over him while he refused to be treated at a hospital. Despite all his pain, Steve managed to get a blanket to cover a sleeping Kayla. This was the symbollic beginning of Kayla’s unmasking of the real Steve Johnson.
The First Kiss
Kayla was angry at Steve for smuggling the emeralds from Stockholm. Kayla had unknowingly brought Steve’s jacket back onto the plane- the jacket he had purposely left behind in Stockholm with the emeralds in the coat pocket. He tried to explain that he had changed his mind- decided not to do smuggle them because he wanted to change his life as Kayla had said he could. Steve and Kayla argued about his past, with Steve saying a tiger can’t change his spots. Kayla brought Steve the emeralds she had hidden in order to keep Steve from being arrested. She begged him to be real with her and they locked in a kiss. It was passionate, but Steve begged her to leave saying, “you’re beautiful, you’re perfect, you’re everything I ever wanted”, but he couldn’t figure out why she would want a “one eyed bum” like him.
Mike’s Lab Explodes
The couple was trapped for two days under the rubble of the lab before they were rescued, and Kayla kept losing consciousness. Steve worried for her and tearfully begged her not to die- he loved her (it was the first time he said the words to her). Kayla, of course, was too feverish to hear him and thought it was a dream.
Kayla poisoned by Harper
Not long after Kayla married Jack, Harper grew suspicious that Kayla knew the truth: he had adopted Jack. Harper was adamnant that his son not know he was adopted, and poisoned Kayla slowly to keep her from telling Jack. (In reality, it was Melissa who had found the adoption papers, not Kayla). Steve grew suspicious of Kayla’s illness when she recovered after not taking her medication- and when her family was not allowed to visit her or take her to a public hospital for examination. When he discovered she was being poisoned, he kidnapped her from the Deveraux mansion; EMOTIONALLY he cried as he took her to an ISA hide out.
He nursed Kayla back to health with the help of his old best friend from the orphanage, who was now a doctor: Marcus Hunter (Richard Biggs). Kayla woke up and briefly ran away; when she fainted, she was found by a good hearted but offbeat scientist, who later gave her back to Steve. Kayla wanted to run away from Salem with Steve. He explained why he couldn’t… he had given her up to marry Jack (to give the ailing man a will to live) in the first place because Jack was really his brother, Billy.
The Lady In Red Fantasy
Steve was about to go to prison for shooting his father Duke (Adrienne had actually shot and killed him after he raped her, but didn’t remember; Steve was protecting her)- he and Kayla sat down and had this beautifully filmed fantasy dance.
Steve to the rescue
Max watched as a junkie harrassed Kayla at knife point in the emergency clinic; he ran to Steve who arrived just in time to scare the junkie away. But Kayla had been stabbed and was bleeding. Scared and worried, he gently helped her bandage her wound.
Frankie and Max
Steve and Kayla bonded as they tried to find a home for the two brothers. He told her about his past for the first time, and she got her parents to adopt the two boys. Through Max and Frankie, Kayla and the audience saw the very vulnerable and hurt side of Steve Johnson. Right before Steve left the fish market, on the day Max and Frankie moved in, Kayla gave him a kiss on the cheek as he pulled back. Outside, Steve touched the place on his cheek where Kayla had kissed him- visibly moved.
The Pool Cue
Steve and Kayla had been getting closer in the aftermath of Marlena’s “death”. She bought him a surprise gift- and no one had ever given him a gift “just because”. Steve was truly touched by the gift- another symbol of Kayla’s acceptance of his real self. Kayla asked him to spend the night, but Steve turned down the offer. Kayla asked why not..he had spent the night with other women…He answered: “Other women, I could love and leave…but if I loved you, I don’t think I could ever leave”.
The Park
Kayla was upset over Marlena’s death; making matters worse, Steve was pulling away from her and putting on his “we are from two different worlds” routine again. She told him she was the best thing that ever happened to him…then later said she thought they had something really special and she didn’t want to waste any more time –
Roman had lost Marlena and it made her realize how precious time is. Steve was amazed “look at you getting all upset over someone like me”. He begged her to walk away from him – that he wasn’t good enough for her. But he couldn’t deny that he cared about her, and gave in to Kayla. “I care about you Kayla and I want you!” That’ s all Kayla needed to hear before she went in to face her family with the news of Marlena’s death. They kissed and hugged tenderly before she entered the fish market. Outside, Steve looked scared and vulnerable “what have you gotten yourself into here, dude?”.
Kayla gets drunk
Steve had stood Kayla up on a date, and she was angry with him. But while eating at Shenanigan’s, she overheard Joanie, Steve’s friend, tell how Steve had helped her win some money playing pool the other night..money she needed badly to take care of her son (she was thinking of giving him up, but Steve stopped her). Kayla decided to go to Steve’s apartment to confront him and ask him why he didn’t explain the truth, and Adrienne followed her there. Adrienne wanted to ask Steve about something too; as she and Kayla waited, Adrienne allowed Kayla some sips of her drink (alcoholic beverage). By the time Steve arrived, Kayla was extremely tipsy. She confronted him in her drunkenness, and it was a refreshing comedic moment for a couple who had so much angst! Steve blamed Adrienne, and took Kayla home. She pinched his butt on the way. At the loft, Kayla stripped as Steve blushed. He tucked her in, but she begged him not to leave and looked like she really meant it. Steve insisted that he had to go home and take a cold shower. Kayla offerred to come with him but he answered, “I think that would defeat the purpose”. But he gave in, and stayed. Steve and Kayla were kissing and things were leading further, but she fell asleep! Steve tucked her in again, and was about to leave but Kayla mutterred “I thought you were going to stay”.
Once again, he gave in to Kayla and lay next to her. Before falling asleep again , she mumbled “I like a man that sleeps with his boots on”.
Playing Pool For Kisses
Kayla wanted to play a game of pool with Steve for “big money- a buck a ball” He told her (in that oh-so-sexy way he had),”I’m not interested in money”. She said, “What do you want to play for?”
Steve says, “Kisses”
After she lost Steve demanded that she pay up (10 kisses). Kayla didn’t want to do it at the bar. Steve said,”Yes, here. You don’t want all these people to think that you’re a welcher, do you?”
“A Brady never welches.” She answered.
He kept trying to throw her count off by saying the wrong number and the crowd at the bar cheered them on. Right before the last kiss Steve said to Kayla, “This is the best game I ever won.”
She replied “You know what? This is the best game I ever lost.”
Their last kiss was a nice long one.
On the run (Summer of 87)
Steve was set up to shoot Harper Deveraux. Not only were the cops after him, so were the people really responsible for the plot to kill the Senator (they wanted Steve dead and unable to tell the truth). Kayla joined up with Steve, and many memorable moments ensued. There was a train ride where they disguised themselves in old time western wear, the STEAMY hot springs where they almost made love and Steve admitted “I’ want you Kayla…I’ve wanted you for so long”, and the heart motel. At the motel, Steve fed Kayla bananas as she bathed in bubbles. He told her she had saved his life 3 times on their journey- once from a snake bite (in the woods) and once from a bear (on a cliff). She asked him what the third time was. He said “I think I was talking about the day I met you”. They donned heart robes, attacked each other with soap bars as the sprinklers went off, and again *almost* made love, by the window as shots rang out.
They even landed in Los Angeles, at the “California University at Los Angeles” (“CULA”; really filmed at the campus of UCLA), where Steve was reminded of his past at the orphanage in Los Angeles , and that Duke (his abusive, wife battering father) worked on the University campus as a handyman. He shared the memories with Kayla, as they ran from good cops and bad guys, and investigated the truth about the shooting.
Kayla is deaf
As she repaired what she thought was a broken fuse in the basement, Kayla was attacked by the Salem Knifer. As they struggled, a can of gasoline was knocked over and spilled, eventually causing an explosion. The knifer got away, but Kayla was left unconscious in the fire. Steve ran to her and pulled her from out of the fire, rushing her to the hospital where family and friends gathered. When Kayla awoke, she couldn’t hear or speak. Kayla and Steve learned sign language for courage, and love. On the rooftop, they “danced” to “the lady in red” though Kayla couldnt hear the music. Over time, they both learned more an more sign language. Kayla slowly adjusted to being deaf, but faced many challenges. Steve proposed and signed the Rose to Kayla, but she wanted to be able to speak her vows and hear Steve’s vows. She was determined. Kayla slowly regained her memory of being attacked, and who the knifer was: Senator Harper Deveraux.
Steve and Kayla Wed
This was the most watched Days of Our Lives episode ever, and one of the most beloved daytime weddings in memory. Steve surprised Kayla with the wedding of her dreams. Kayla regained her speech (she had regained her hearing thanks to surgery not long before) and she and Steve pledged their love and commitment to each other forever.
Steve takes care of Nick; Benjy is attacked at the park
The reality of the discrimination and pain he has suffered as a man with a patch, hits Steve again when he sees what the burned man (Nick) he found is dealing with, and when Benjy is attacked by kids in the park (throwing rocks). Steve tells Kayla people can’t stand when someone is “different”, and worries for Benjy. Kayla assures “Mr. Johnson” that “for the record” he is the sexiest man she has ever known, that she loves him and wants him for exactly who he is, and that Nick and Benjy will be fine, they have Steve.
Steve Thinks Kayla is Pregnant (she isn’t).
(aka “Pretty Woman Episode, because Pretty Woman plays as Kayla prepares dinner and Steve arrives singing it).
Steve sees the baby clothes Kayla bought for a friend’s baby shower and jumps to conclusions. When Kayla says she has some great news, he determines that his suspicions are right. One of the funniest episodes I have seen, he puts on her coat and goes for a ride on his bike. He meets up with Marcus and tells him the “news”. Steve expresses how scared he is of fatherhood: he didnt have a great paternal role model and he doesn’t even have a steady job. Marcus
arranges for Steve to hold a baby at the hospital- trying to emphasize to him how all that babies really need is love and devotion- something they never had as kids. Marcus tells Steve that his baby with Kayla will be the luckiest baby in the world. Steve goes home, and Kayla seems to be having cravings for foods she never had before. Kayla thinks Steve is acting weird, and she starts to worry about him. Finally she tells him her news: She has decided she is ready to let Benjy go live with his grandfather. (Benjy is a deaf child they found abandoned during their honeymoon in the Orient). Steve breathes a sigh of relief, but they talk about having kids some day. Kayla says she has so much love inside of her for Steve, she wants to share that with someone. With their child someday.
Emily and Gideon
Nick gave Steve and Kayla an old mansion he owned, as a gift. (He was grateful to Steve for taking him in after he had been badly burned and injured in a car wreck.) In the attic of the mansion, Steve and Kayla found a diary and some old clothes and belongings of previous tenants from the Civil War Era. Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans played the roles of Emily an Gideon as Steve and Kayla read from Emily’s diary. A beautiful love story, displaying yet again, the amazing chemistry between the actors. In the second book of the diary, Steve and Kayla (and Emily and Gideon) were on location in South Carolina- helping Marcus find answers about his past. The scenery and the love story was breathtaking.
Steve Finds Out Kayla Is Pregnant
Steve found out from Jack that Kayla was pregnant. (If you watched Days this was a joke because Mary Beth/Kayla was already clearly showing. Steve had to be blind in both eyes not to notice). Anyway, Steve confronted Kayla with the news and they argued- emotionally. Kayla was still angry at Steve because of his lies about his past with Marina (the no longer dead ….at the time, first wife). She had caught him in what looked like a compromising position with Marina in Italy.
Steve confronted Kayla, wondering how she could keep this from him and let him find out from Jack of all people. Kayla told him Jack guessed she was pregnant, and Steve agonized that Jack had noticed and he had not. The scene was heartbreaking….touching….emotional. Steve and Kayla were both so hurt and they both longed to be together. Nothing was solved, but no matter how they argued, the love in their eyes for each other, and the love for their unborn child was SO evident. Steve touched her belly.
This scene showcased their chemistry SO powerfully. A definite tearjerker, and definitely some of the best acting by BOTH Stephen and Mary Beth ever.
Steve and Kayla are reunited with Stephanie
Stephanie Kay had been kidnapped while Kayla was in prison for Marina’s murder (sidenote: Isabella, Marina’s sister, had actually killed her in self defense); the nanny Steve had hired was delusional and thought the baby was her own (sidenote:she had a stillbirth on the same day Kayla had her baby). In Australia, with Bo’s help, Steve and
Kayla tracked down the nanny and Stephanie Kay. At last reunited, they hugged the baby tearfully and kissed. Not long after, Kayla was cleared of the charges (she had escaped prison to look for her baby) and the entire family was reunited with Kayla, Steve and the baby.
How The Love Story Ended
On a night Steve and Kayla were saying goodbye to Salem and heading for a trip around the world together, Steve got caught in an explosion that Lawrence Alamain had set up on Bo’s yacht (Alamain’s intent had been to kill Bo. Steve was rushed to the hospital). At the hospital, Steve had visions of heaven and being torn- Kayla begging him back and a grown up Stephanie begging him as well. Steve came out of his coma, he awoke. But soon after, someone put something in his IV…and he flatlined. At his “funeral” the coffins were switched, and so Steve Johnson was only presumed dead.
Milestones
Special Dates
Steve vandalizes Kayla’s apartment- May 27, 1986
Emma, in pursuit of revenge against Kim Brady, had the perfect plan to get Kimberly’s baby kidnapped. One hitch: the blackmarket baby seller she wanted to employ had a day job as a pediatrician- and Kayla Brady, Kimberly’s sister, worked for him. Emma hired Steve (who didnt know about Emma’s plans for baby Andrew), to scare Kayla back to Salem. It worked.
Steve and Kayla make Love For The First Time: July 17, 1987
Steve was “officially” still under suspicion for Harper’s shooting and hiding out at Kayla’s. On a hot summer night, they were alone at last and made love on the roof of Kayla’s loft as Donna Summer’s “Woman in Me” played in the background.
Steve and Kayla Marry:July 22 and 25, 1988
Days of Our Lives’ most touching wedding ever; Kayla regained her speech (she had regained her hearing thanks to surgery not long before) and she and Steve pledged their love and commitment to each other forever.
Stephanie Kay Johnson is born: February 19 & 20, 1990
Kayla was on trial for Marina’s murder, but for this moment in time , amidst the chaos, she and Steve bonded with their bundle of joy. Steve wanted to name the baby after Kayla and Kayla wanted to name her after Steve- so they compromised.
This passage (from Corinthians) was read at Steve and Kayla’s second wedding (8/13/1990)
Earnestly desire the higher gifts, and I will show you a still
more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I am only a noisy gong or a clanging
cymbal.
If I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and
all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.
Love is patient, and kind.
Love is not jealous, or boastful, it is not arrogant or rude.
Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.
It does not rejoice in wrong, but rejoices in the right.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things.
Love never ends.
Special Gifts to Each Other
Steve gave Kayla:
His mother’s necklace (all he had left of her, at the time) for Christmas, a necklace with an anchor charm on it (as a momento of their wedding) on their honeymoon, dozens of yellow roses (their special flower), a silver rose (as a wedding gift when she married Jack)”The Rose” was one of their songs, and a music box.
Kayla gave Steve:
A cookbook inscribed with the lyrics to “The Rose” (as a Christmas gift), a pool cue (he had never received a gift “just because”), a harmonica (showing she loved who he was, he didnt have to change), and a music box.
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