Days Of Our Lives Relationship Timeline: Eli And Lani
"Days of Our Lives" fans tune in each weekday afternoon expecting to see some big drama, and the soap opera doesn't disappoint. Over the years, the NBC sudser has pushed the envelope with storylines surrounding serial killers, people being buried alive, faked deaths, baby swaps, identity theft, brainwashing, resurrections, and even demonic possession (via Fame 10). However, some fans tend to prefer the love stories that "DOOL" has cultivated over the years.
The show has become known for creating some of the most beloved super couples of all time with pairings such as John Black and Marlena Evans, Bo and Hope Brady, Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis, and Ben Weston and Ciara Brady. Viewers can't seem to get enough of their favorite couples, and over the years the duo of Lani Price and Eli Grant has become one of the most beloved couples on the show, per Soaps in Depth. They've even made history together. However, things haven't been easy for the pair.
Early struggles brought Eli and Lani together
According to Soaps in Depth, Lani Price (Sal Stowers) first appeared in Salem in September 2015 when she was introduced as a rookie police officer who harbored a big secret — the mayor Abe Carver was her father. During her time working with the Salem PD, Lani grew close to her co-workers, including Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering), JJ Deveraux (Casey Moss) and Eli Grant (Lamon Archey). Lani's friendship with JJ quickly turned into romance. Meanwhile, Eli (who first debuted on "DOOL" in 2011) started up a romance with Gabi Hernandez (Camila Banus). However, things took a wild turn when Lani and Eli mistakenly thought that JJ and Gabi were having an affair. The situation led Eli and Lani into a one-night stand, but it didn't end there as Lani later discovered she was pregnant.
The truth about Lani's pregnancy eventually came out and she and Eli decided to raise their child together. However, the pair suffered a heartbreaking loss when Lani went into preterm labor and the couple's son died (via She Knows Soaps). The pair decided to name their child David Abraham after their two fathers and continued to help each other through the grief of their tragic loss.
Blackmail led to heartbreak for Eli and Lani
After the loss of their son, Eli and Lani only grew closer, and "Days of Our Lives” fans watched as the couple fell deeper and deeper in love. They eventually got engaged and set a date and allowed Eli's grandmother Julie Williams to help plan the nuptials (via She Knows Soaps). However, tragedy struck when Julie was hospitalized with a heart condition. Lani later made an agreement with Gabi Hernandez, who then gave permission for her late husband Stefan Dimera's heart to be donated to Julie. However, Gabi blackmailed Lani to get revenge, which forced Lani to leave Eli at the altar, claiming that she didn't love him enough to marry him. Lani then left Salem heartbroken.
Lani found solace at a nunnery in Europe, where she became friends with Kristen DiMera. The two later returned to Salem together and eventually exposed Gabi's blackmail scheme. Once Eli found out the truth, he and Lani reconciled and were quick to resume their romance. Eli proposed to Lani again and the two were set to walk down the aisle.
Eli and Lani had a historic wedding
While planning their second wedding, Lani made an interesting discovery. "Days of Our Lives" viewers were thrilled when the character told Eli that she was pregnant again, and even more excited when the couple found out that they were having twins. In addition to their big baby news, Eli and Lani planned a July 4 wedding. The ceremony made "DOOL" history as it was the first time that the soap had aired the wedding of an African American couple, per Cheat Sheet.
Following the nuptials, Lani and Eli settled into married bliss and eventually welcomed their children, Carver Malcolm and Julia Harriet. Sadly, things took a dramatic turn when the babies were kidnapped by Vivian Alamain (via Soaps in Depth). Thankfully, the two police officers tracked down their children and they were returned to the arms of their parents.
Eli and Lani are now both working with the Salem PD and raising their twins as a happily married couple.