Since the holidays, peace has blanketed the citizens of Genoa City, and love has filled the air. No one was fighting or threatening, and the villains have all vanished from sight. Not one character has plotted revenge or promised to even the score after a perceived wrongdoing in the past couple of weeks. And most have been paired off romantically in the hopes of living happily after ever. Shoot, all that was missing was Noah and his ark.
Gone are the days when Victor was out to belittle Jack or to destroy the relationship between Billy and Victoria. Sniff, I miss those days. Whenever we see Victor now, he's always smooching up to Nikki and promising to love and protect her forever. Where's the fiendish Mustache that we've all grown to love or hate throughout the years? I miss him.
Nick must have started a trend when he released Chelsea from any obligation she had felt for their relationship, so she could be free to start a new life with Adam. Nick even erased the vendetta against Adam, although it's unlikely he will be chumming it up with his younger brother at social gatherings. But even though he was hurt by the loss, Nick kept a stiff upper lip and was determined that everything would be all hunky-dory. Even if Nick was a sucker, he had done the right thing by letting Chelsea go because he couldn't force her to love him, even if she had really wanted to, also. He realized that Chelsea was using him as the easy way out and was not being true to her feelings.
So, let's all form a circle, join hands, and sing "Kumbaya," shall we? (Well, maybe not Nick and Adam just yet.) Everyone's been getting along with everyone else, which can be a bit tedious. The only threat that's been offered lately was by Devon to Colin and Cane, who were nowhere around. That hardly counts. Devon even extended the olive branch to Amanda, who was looking more like Hilary than ever. Amanda really looked like Hilary's twin, which could very well be a story for another time. With the outward resemblance so strong, how long will it be before Amanda practically morphs into Hilary?
Even as Devon claimed he wanted to get over his obsession of the spitting image of his dead wife so they could co-exist peacefully, in his very next breath, he declared that Amanda knew the location of Colin. Oh, yeah, that's one way to make amends, all right. Devon noted that Amanda didn't deny knowing where Colin was, but maybe she was just insulted by Devon's accusation. Devon seemed to see her lack of denial as verification that she was involved up to her eyeballs in the codicil to Katherine's will scheme. Still, you know Devon would love to join hands with Hilary...I mean, Amanda, even with his suspicion, since that was just a way of keeping him near her.
Devon even told Lily, who had returned for a visit, about how he still suspected that Cane and Amanda had played a part in Colin's scheme to defraud him. While Lily didn't want the father of her children to go to prison and wanted to give Cane another chance to redeem himself, if he were even involved in the fraud, Devon vowed to put his sister's ex behind bars. But when he added Amanda to the mix by saying he would show no mercy to either one of them, it was obvious just how obsessed Devon still was over Hilary's look-alike. Oh, that wasn't looking good for Elena, no matter how much she loved, respected, and admired him. At one time, when Hilary was alive, Devon had tried to escape her pull, and it looked like history just might be repeating itself with Amanda.
Sadly, Tessa wasn't gone for good after she left to go on tour with her ex-husband. Hey, a tour got rid of the boring Fen for a while, so I had my hopes. They were dashed, though, once Tessa exclaimed to Tanner how much she missed Mariah. I understand that Mariah and Tessa miss each other. What I am puzzled by is the need to point out that not only is Tessa with her ex, but that Mariah is also working with an ex -- Devon. Yeah, almost everyone in town has been paired up at one time or another, so it would be hard not to have some kind of contact with an ex. Mariah and Devon have been good friends since their romance fizzled and, in fact, were probably closer as friends than they ever were as lovers. However, Mariah needed to be cautious and to keep in mind that Tessa was interacting with her ex in the glamorous music world filled with parties, including a bash on a private yacht.
Hmmm...Lola's reaction to Theo and the mysterious brunette was rather interesting, considering she was supposed to be happily married to and madly in love with Kyle. It's rather weird that she didn't immediately think it was for business, since Society was where Theo spent all his work time. It must be nice to come and go as you please and to hang around in a restaurant during working hours. But it would be no "Kumbaya" singing for Kyle and Theo, since they found yet another reason to bicker. Seriously, Kyle and Lola need to find other things to talk about besides Summer and Theo. Yeah, the two supposed lovebirds seem to always fight over Summer or over Theo, which is just the way Summer and Theo like it, although it isn't getting them any closer to the prize.
With all the jobs he's lined up, hopefully Chance won't overload himself. First, Devon had him investigating Amanda, and then, Nick hired him to oversee the high-tech security system at New Hope. Then, Phyllis indicated that she wished to hire him, as well, although she had an ulterior motive. Boy, Chance has been one busy bee. Nick probably also had his own agenda by having Chance underfoot, so he could pump information out of him about Adam in Las Vegas. Whew! There's still hope for yet another battle between Nick and Adam. All that singing "Kumbaya" around a campfire can get a little old. Nick could claim all he wanted that he was only watching out for Abby, but it was more than that. Nick couldn't be happy that Adam had totally disrupted his life -- again.
Actually, Phyllis wasn't interested in hiring Chance; she wanted him to hire her in his security business. Phyllis had set her sights on Chance, and his dance with the redheaded cobra could cost him dearly, either professionally or personally. Or both. Phyllis was one piranha with teeth, so was her interest in Chance in a business sense or had she decided he was the next one in line for her "emotional graveyard full of men"? And if Abby was so concerned over Chance's fate, why didn't she accept his offer for a date, so, at the very least, she could keep an eye on him? It was almost as if Abby threw in the towel once Phyllis entered the ring.
There's a new puppeteer in town, and his name is Connor. The only thing that Adam and Chelsea have taught their son, so far, is how to manipulate others to get anything he wants. Yeah, Connor's got that down pat. The kid rewarded his reunited parents with a breakfast of multi-grain cereal, pastries, juice, milk -- and a promise of frozen waffles. Yum. But the second Chelsea mentioned needing to leave for work, Connor whined that she should just take the whole day off. When his mother talked of returning to the hotel, Connor demanded that she never go there again. Hey, he had the excuse of being held captive there, and, by golly, he was using it. Oh, yes, Connor was calling all the shots. Just wait until he starts going outside of his immediate family. Watch out, Genoa City!
Adam and Chelsea took Connor to the Grand Phoenix to show him that the place was safe again, since the bad guy was in jail. After Chance assured the kid that the hotel was also fun, since it even had a game room, Connor gave his permission for Chelsea to continue to work there. Thank heavens for the game room! So, what if Connor had decided that Chelsea should no longer frequent the hotel? Would she have quit just to please him? Would she have sold her shares, too, if he had demanded it? Chelsea's already bending over backwards to do whatever it will take for him not to throw a tantrum. His wish is her command. She should be very thankful that Chance was around to defuse Connor's fears. Dear "Con" was indeed "a pro."
Adam announced at a dinner thrown by Victor and Nikki that he intended to get Dark Horse back on its feet so that he could leave Connor a legacy, and Victor was thrilled. Even after Nikki reminded him that all of Adam's success and happiness had come at Nick's expense, Victor still buddied up to his youngest son and remembered that Nick had started Dark Horse to compete with Newman Enterprises. Hmmm...could it be that the sleeping bear was finally coming out of hibernation to growl and slap anyone aside who dared to get in Adam's way? It just hasn't been the same without Victor's mighty roar. Adam later told Chelsea about his plans to revive Dark Horse, and she was utterly delighted. It sure didn't take long for her to forget the wrong that she and Adam had both done to Nick.
Victor didn't need to destroy Billy's relationship with Victoria because Billy was doing a fine job of that himself. The gum-chomping Billy still lurked just beneath the surface as he told the woman he loved that he finally had time to breathe by not being chained to a desk -- like she was. Nice guy. After he informed her that he had ditched his therapist, Billy told Victoria that he no longer wanted her to fix him. But in his thoughts, he believed she saw him as damaged goods. Oh, Billy was doing everything he could to sabotage things with Victoria, and by living so close to the edge, he was already crossing over the line. And Victoria found proof of that when Billy lied to her after she showed him the Empty Glass Lounge bar tab she had found in his coat pocket.
Billy was juggling all the different sides of Billy Abbott, and it was just a matter of time before it all came crashing down on him. It was no wonder that Victoria found it so exhausting. Even if Billy had, at one time, faced his demons, he seemed to be letting them take control of him again, only in a different way. His lies and secrets were ruling him, and Victoria had every reason to be concerned. Even if she followed her mother's advice about putting her needs first through the detachment with love process, Victoria would still feel helpless about not being able to provide Billy with what he needed to overcome those demons. But if Billy wasn't willing to fight to defeat them, Victoria didn't stand a chance in what would be a losing battle, anyway.
Nikki agreed with Victoria that Billy seemed to be romanticizing his wild side and feared he was rationalizing it; however, she also understood that he needed to find his own way. It truly was up to Victoria if being with Billy was worth going through the angst, and she correctly worried that he would have more secrets in store. Billy later related with his biggest secret, Amanda, that it seemed everyone was judging them. Amanda assured Billy that he wasn't broken, but Victoria had already told him that numerous times. But it wasn't that Billy thought that Victoria felt that he needed to be fixed; he truly believed that he needed to be, and yet he refused to change. By blaming Victoria for judging him, he didn't have to change, which was the best way to destroy them as a couple.
Billy even seemed confused about what he, or his demons, really wanted. Why lie to Victoria about innocent meetings with Amanda, unless he wanted something more? Maybe he just liked having his own little secret that nobody else, except Amanda, knew. Billy kept saying that he just wanted to be who he really was and not have to feel ashamed about it, but he should want to improve the less desirable qualities that he has. Besides, did he believe that lying to Victoria should be part of the way he really was? And Amanda should keep her advice to herself, since she really didn't know Billy all that well and knew nothing about his history with Victoria and her family. Billy had no right to keep being his true self if that true self kept hurting Victoria.
Even without any outrageous confrontations, drama was still afoot, since Sharon learned she had cancer after undergoing a biopsy on a lump in her breast. See, Sharon was proof that a lady could still have anxiety, even if she was in a happy relationship with a man. Well, as much as Sharon could be happy with Rey. There was still something missing between this couple that a trip to Miami wouldn't cure, so it's a good thing Sharon had another storyline going for her. And you've got to give it to our girl Sharon. She's battled with more disorders than most others in town. Sharon finally got on an even keel with her bipolar medication, only to face having cancer. It's a great story, though, and Sharon Case is knocking it out of the park.
Of course, Sharon was frightened of asking about her chances of survival. Nobody would want to even think of the possibility of dying. Plus, Sharon would be concerned for her children. She should have told Faith the news right away, though. The poor girl found out by discovering a note with an oncologist's name and "Breast Cancer Center" written on it. Wisely, she took a picture of the note with the camera on her phone to show to her dad. Ahhh...the wonders of today's technology. But it was such a horrible way for Faith to get the news, and Nick promised her that he would get the details concerning Sharon's health.
But Sharon needed to know the facts first, as she learned her cancer was in stage II and that the recommended treatment was chemotherapy and surgery that didn't include having a mastectomy. She was relieved to learn that, especially since her doctor indicated she had a good chance at beating the cancer. Later, when she admitted the truth to Nick, Sharon stated that she feared telling Faith, but it was the right thing to do. Her children needed to know, so they could be a part of her support system. Nick and Rey (as much as I hate to admit it) were already helping Sharon to stay strong and to remain positive, and her kids could help her with that, also. She had so many people who loved her and who were willing to help her in her battle against cancer -- and they will be her best weapons.
And, of course, Faith was upset and feared her mother was dying, but that made Sharon even more determined to stay alive for her daughter. Sharon needed to be a gladiator to "kick cancer's butt," and Mariah even suggested getting T-shirts for the cause. Sharon educated them on self-examination and even showed her girls what a lump in a breast felt like. That's something that each and every female needs to know throughout her life. This story has already been very educational about breast cancer. Rey even had their little group join hands (but not to sing "Kumbaya," thank goodness) and declare that they were Team Sharon and would be there for whatever she needed. That cancer didn't have a chance against this strong team determined to fight and win the battle over it.
Even if Faith referred to her mother when she used the term, Nick was the parent with the "weirdness," after he demonstrated his "cool dad" dance to his daughter. I have to admit, though -- it was cute!
Jill certainly seemed to be a tad delusional when she hoped that Lily would join Cane and the twins overseas, since that was one ship that had already sailed.
When Victoria worried about being paranoid over Billy, Nikki stated, "Honey, it's only paranoia if you're worrying for no reason." Hey, if anyone's going to be paranoid, it should be one of the Newmans.
I hope Phyllis didn't get too thirsty at the Grand Phoenix. Her martini glass adorned with the twisted lemon peel, which she kept picking up as if to take a drink out it, appeared to have nothing in it. I've heard of dry martinis before, but that's ridiculous.
When Mariah mentioned almost not recognizing Summer without her matching poodles, Kyle and Theo, I could almost visualize them each in a collar and leash, completely under Summer's control. Summer would love that.
I got more teary-eyed when Sharon told Mariah about her breast cancer than when she told Faith because it was obvious Mariah preferred to be blamed for something she did rather than to hear bad news about her mother. Mariah's love for Sharon showed, and Sharon will need that love to get her through her battle.
Until next time, please stay tuned.
Teddi
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