Esme, wanting to distance herself from Nikolas and Spencer, moved out of Laura and Kevin's penthouse. Carly, not fully convinced that Esme had genuinely changed for the better, nonetheless reluctantly allowed her to move into one of the apartments above Kelly's, the diner she had recently purchased from her mother, Bobbie Spencer. However, when Esme was not at her job as Alexis Davis's receptionist at the Invader, she spent most of her time with the support group, to the point where she hardly ever was home. Nelle, whom Esme still knew as "Jan," revealed that the support group was part of a larger organization supposedly dedicated to helping parents from troubled backgrounds raise their children.
Nelle showed Esme their daycare center. She explained to her that parents often leave their children in their care while they go confront life's challenges, and that they were welcome to stay there for as long as they wished. Many of the children at the daycare didn't even have actual homes to go to, as they were abandoned by their parents. She introduced Esme to a man and his two-year-old son. The man explained that the baby was born with severe complications. His wife, already suffering from postpartum depression, was told that the baby didn't make it, after which she suffered a nervous breakdown and had to be institutionalized. The man said that he wished his wife could be here and that Nelle was a "miracle worker." Nelle downplayed her role in the baby's recovery and told him that when she was ready, his wife will join them.
Nelle explained to Esme that parents often give up on their children before their children give up on themselves, and it is especially common with newborn babies. Esme says that she can't believe how any parent could do such a horrible thing. Nelle agreed that it was horrible, but that it happened more often than people think, and the little boy they just met was fortunate that his father never gave up on him. She explained that sometimes parents give up hope for their babies' lives even when the baby is still delicately holding on, and that's where she and her organization step in.
Nelle then asked Esme if she'd like to volunteer at the daycare. Esme said yes, and Nelle introduced her to another volunteer, a young woman around Esme's age named Leann Harris. Leann and Esme hit it off immediately. While they were working, Esme explained her situation to Leann, telling her that she couldn't remember anything about her life prior to earlier this year, but apparently had done some really horrible things, and that both of her parents were serial killers. Leann told Esme that she at least knows where she came from, as Leann has never met either of her parents, or knows anything about them.
Leann explained to Esme that she never knew her parents and had grown up in a clinic, as she had been sick for much of her childhood. She never met the director of the clinic but explained that he had been conducting experiments on people without their consent. When she was around 10, the director was arrested, and the clinic was shut down, after which she went to live in an orphanage. She didn't have a happy childhood, but it made her happy knowing that she was helping the children in this organization, and "Jan" had been amazing. Esme agrees.
Later, Esme accompanied Nelle back to her house. Nelle asked Esme if she enjoyed volunteering at the daycare. Esme said yes, and she enjoyed talking with Leann. Nelle asked Esme what she thought of Leann, and Esme said that she felt bad that Leann never knew her parents, and it sounded like she had a rough childhood, but at least she remembered everything about her life. She expressed to Nelle that it frustrated her that she still wasn't able to remember what her life had been like before she lost her memory, and it was especially frustrating to not remember the reasons why she supposedly did all those horrible things.
Nelle told Esme that she might be able to help her remember, though Esme would have to do the work herself. Esme is confused, but Nelle says that it will be easier than she thinks. Esme agreed to let Nelle help her. Nelle first asked Esme how she fely about Spencer. Esme said that he was a nice guy and had been a good father figure to Ace, and she enjoyed spending time with him, but she didn't want to get in the way of him and Trina. Nelle then asked Esme what she thought of Trina. Esme said that she seemed nice, and though they most likely would never be friends, Esme respected her. Nelle asked Esme if this is how she really felt about Trina, and to think carefully about this for a minute before answering. Esme closed her eyes and tried to think. She had scattered flashes of walking out onto the parapet at Wyndemere, hearing Spencer's voice talking to some girl, and hearing how happy he sounded. Nelle watched and smiled as Esme's hand slowly curled into a fist.
Meanwhile, Detective Dante Falconeri paid Michael and Willow a visit. He explained that they ran another DNA test on the body that was previously identified as Nelle, and the results were confusing. It turned out that the body did have some DNA in common with Willow, Wiley, and Amelia. Willow asked if this meany that the body was Nelle's after all. Dante said no, as they don't share enough DNA to be full siblings. He remarked that it was possible Willow had a half-sibling that she wasn't aware of.
Michael recalled that Willow and Nelle's father, Silas Clay, was also the father of Ava Jerome's daughter, Lauren Katherine, aka Kiki. However, Kiki had died after being stabbed by Ryan Chamberlain, and her body was discovered on the Haunted Star and identified by a devastated Ava. This had happened two years before Nelle fell off the cliff. So why would Kiki's body suddenly be discovered in a river in Pennsylvania wearing Nelle's clothes? Wouldn't the body have been decomposed? Michael said that this didn't make any sense. Dante agreed, and told Michael that was only the half of it. Michael asked what he meant, and Dante informed him that the body had disappeared from the lab!
Nelle relaxed in her living room, watching TV and sipping a martini. Suddenly the front door burst open and an angry young woman stomped in. Nelle yelled that it was rude to barge into people's houses without knocking.
The woman marched over to the sofa and glared down at Nelle. "This is sick, what you're making me do!" she said.
Nelle looked up at the woman. It was Kiki Jerome!