It's like sugar, so sweet

'Twas the first week of May Sweeps and all through the town, Salemites were shaken from the drama around! An alive Nicole was a wreck over Holly, and being twice-dumped left Abe not so jolly. Plus, it's Emmy weekend, so let's round up the troops and gush over everything DAYS in this week's Two Scoops!

You know those big numbers in musicals right before the first act concludes? The ones where the majority of the cast comes together and belts out something so powerful you don't even want that pesky intermission? That! That's how I'm feeling right now as things in Soap Land are readying for a powerful second act. Not only did DAYS deliver a strong start to May Sweeps last week, but it's also Daytime Emmy weekend!

Sidebar: if you yell "weekend" while doing your best Oprah impression, it's really fun. "Please welcome, Daytime Emmy Weeeeeek-eeeeeend!" Yep. You'll be doing that all day, too. Sorry. Well. Sorry-ish.

Now, the Daytime Emmys are like a big group hug for all things soaps. Sure, individual laurels are fantastic, and I'll be thrilled if when DAYS sweeps every category, since, you know, it's the most nominated show this year, but it's the overall celebration that excites me. Casts, crews, and fans from every show meeting together to champion the genre. The love for daytime truly brings people together. It's brought us together today. Aw!

Right now, we're sandwiched between Emmy golden goodness. Friday night, the Creative Arts Awards were held. Oh, and you know which show scored several wins? DAYS did. DAYS. Did. It's really no wonder, though. I mean, we're talking DAYS here. It's easily the best soap on the block. Yep. I said it. And with a strong overall showing in 2018, I'm sure that the three trophies that were handed out Friday won't be the only ones come Sunday night...

Sunday! I can't wait. I have an outfit picked out. A bottle ready to break into. Snacks are being prepared tomorrow morning. And as soon as I'm done with this column, I'm resting my fingers so I can Tweet up a storm with the rest of my Soap Central peeps. Emmys, Team DAYS is coming for you! We're coming.

Speaking of "coming," more so, "comings and goings," DAYS was packed with them last week! For starters, Nicole's back! She's really back. As she said herself about returning home, "I made it. I made it." She did, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Like, I wanted to reach through my screen and give Arianne Zucker a hug. A large part of my DAYS-lovin' heart beats for Nicole. Having Ari back in the role is just an overwhelming feeling of, well, home.

Laurisa gloriously gushed about the return of Nicole in last week's Two Scoops. It's a must read, and I completely concur with her love of all things Ms. Walker. My feet are still sore from joining my better Two Scooping half in that happy dance. Wait! What's that? It's time for another breakdown to dance it out over Nicole's return!? Okay! I'll put on Chaka Khan's "Like Sugar" and meet you back here in four minutes.

And back! Whew. Having Nicole return to Salem is amazing, no doubt, but it's also an instant reminder of loving something too much. They say it's hard out there for a pimp. Please. Try being an Eric and Nicole fan! Their love story is like Supermarket Sweep. You have a minute or so to shove all the happiness you can into a cart and consume it before the buzzer goes off and everything falls apart again. But before we get to the bitter, let's talk about the sweet...

Eric and Nicole's reunion was just that. Super sweet. From her exhausted, teary aforementioned declaration that, "I made it. I made it," to his, "God, I love you," to her heartfelt, "How have you been, my darling?" and everything in between, I was in "Ericole" heaven. The chemistry between Greg Vaughan and Ari did not miss a beat. And when Eric and Nicole talked about the simple joy of having dinner together and the fact that they were able to talk about tomorrow? Well. I was a misty-eyed idiot uttering oohs and ahhs. More, please.

Of course, happiness in Ericole Land can't last forever. Or, well, even for five minutes. Sarah returned to tell them that Holly has been kidnapped! I strongly suspect that in Ari's negotiations to return, they started with, "Look. Nicole is going to cry. A lot. We'll get you unlimited Kleenex and waterproof mascara and you get to wear a super cute, casual, comfy wardrobe for a while. Deal?" But I digress...

Nicole is a mess over Holly's abduction. Really, everyone who loves Holly is. Nicole's said messiness is also causing her to lash out at Chloe. While it's mistargeted, it's easy to see that Nicole blaming Chloe really has little to do with Chloe. Nicole is consumed with grief, and the Chlomeister is an easy target. At the end of the day, they got over flesh-eating bacteria. Once Holly is safely returned, I'm sure they can sort things out again. Friends 'til the end, right?

Right! Lead buried. Xander -- Xanimal! -- kidnapped Holly, and Ted is helping him! This storyline is certainly bringing a large part of the cast together, and I love that. I also generally love that the devilishly delicious Paul Telfer is back. Hi, Paul! Though, many questions remain, such as, who is Xander working with? Why do they want Holly!? Will Xander share his single malt with me?

On one hand, I suspect Kristen. She was Xander's last partner, and they worked well together. Yet linking Holly and Kristen is tricky. That leads me to suspect number two on the other hand -- Vivian! Yep. She's still alive out there, and, indirectly, Vivian could be using Holly to strike at Maggie. There is no love lost between Victor's ex and his current wife. Remember that sarcophagus? Uh-huh. I wouldn't be surprised if she teamed up with Xander. Still, I suspect Vivian would make a beeline for Stefan. So, maybe not? We shall see!

LOOSE ENDS: Maggie and Nicole's reunion was great! I loved the way Maggie navigated around Brady to swoop in for that hug. It was all bittersweet, of course, but I'm a sucker for their relationship. Maggie loves hard, and Nicole needs all the love she can get right now! Then again, so does Maggie. I'm a little worried about her, too.

Also, Eric Martsolf deserves mucho kudos for his portrayal of Brady last week! Brady and Nicole have some sordid history, but there was always a deep friendship there, too. Eric played that to perfection! You could tell Brady was dying to go in for a hug of his own upon seeing Nicole again, but their more recent past prevented him from doing so. I hope that these two can mend fences and become platonic pals again. They were the best (until they weren't).

Since the news of Nicole's return broke so long ago, it made it hard to invest in Eric and Sarah: The Would-Be Couple. I do like their friendship. She ships him hard as a person. She absolutely has his back. I want Sarah to be my pal, too! But rooting for "Sarah and Eric" was a one-way ticket to Heartbreak Land. But! Before I get more into that, let's talk good Godfrey...

Linsey Godfrey, that is. I've been a fan of her work since day one, but, damn, Linsey sold Sarah's pain and perseverance so effortlessly last week. I just wanted to slide a lemon bar, glass of whiskey, and box of tissues across the table for her. Since Emmy Madness (which is like Jungle Madness without the sweatiness and rage) is in the air, I think Linsey just found new material for her submission reel next year. Bravo!

Though, as much as Linsey's performance impressed me, my sympathy level for Sarah was somewhere around "Karma, am I right?" and "You made me feel bad for Rex. How dare you!" For real, Sarah needs to sit down with Mar Mar on a more professional level and do more than apologize for duping Doc into spilling the beans and a gossip sesh. When Sarah said that Rex doesn't have to know about her feelings for Eric, that she almost left him, and that she'll rally to move on and marry him, the look on Mar's face summed up everything that needed to be said. That being, "Oh, no, girl. Just no. Shut it down. Dump Rex. You don't love him."

It pains me to say it, but, "Poor Rex." That twice-cheater deserves the truth. And Sarah deserves to live her truth, even if that truth puts her back at the singles table. She's being incredibly unfair to Rex and herself. It's just strange to me, as Sarah comes off as a "ride or die" gal. When she's in, she's all in. When she's not, she'll let you know. For her to keep Plan B, err, Plan R(ex) as a safety net is confusing.

Gabi. Gabi. Gabi. Gal can have all the fantasies she wants about destroying Stefan and taking everything DiMera, but lady doth protest a wee bit too much. The chemistry between Camila Banus and Brandon Barash is sexy and playful. I think Chloe may soon join Sarah in the "Near Relationship" category. Maybe they can have drinks at Doug's Place.

Eli wasn't wrong-wrong for describing Lani's decision to take a leave of absence and care for baby David as, "It's too damn much!" Though, in reality, it's been a day or two since Rafe was shot, and his concern seems misdirected at the moment. I believe Eli's supposed to be coming off as worried about Lani's attachment to David, but it's looking a little pouty because she can't drink beer with him at the pub. Maybe they can watch a movie together while Baby D takes a nap. May I suggest The Hand That Rocks the Cradle?

Hands down, Abe and Val had the classiest breakup in soap history. I wouldn't have expected less, though. They're both sophisticated. Still, I would be remiss if I didn't say I don't want Val to go back to DC, either. I'm glad she has her super-duper life there, and I'm proud of her, too, but, boo. I miss her already! I adore Vanessa Williams. Welcoming her back as Val and losing her again within twenty-four hours was too bittersweet. Maybe next time, she can stay longer. Maybe? Pretty please?

On the topic of missing people already, no, Shelia -- don't go! While I loved the odd couple coworker aspect of Abe and Shelia, I wasn't as in love with them becoming romantically involved. Thankfully, they weren't, either. They're just going to be pals. Sweet! Well, bittersweet, since she's leaving, too. T-Boz is going to be sorely missed. She added a lot of fun and flavor to the canvas with her earnest and energized portrayal of Shelia. I sincerely hope to see her again. I'm crossing my fingers that when Shelia is done chasing waterfalls, she'll find her way back to Salem. Okay. Sorry. But I had to. #TLC4EVA

HOT Yes. Yes. Yes. [dramatic pause] And, oh, hell, yes! Stephen Nichols is returning to DAYS!!! Yes, three exclamation points. Stephen returning as the Patch Man deserves that and more. I. Can. Not. Wait.

NOT It's Daytime Emmy Eve in Two Scoops Land, and with the awards on Sunday and the sensational news of Stephen's return and a Sweepstastic start to May, this week's "NOT" is preempted. Plus, Claire has her lighter back, and I want to get to a safe place as soon as possible. But I do have a favor. Let's channel our love for all things DAYS to the cast and crew. Shower them with some social media support! Let them know how much we appreciate them and stream the Emmys on Sunday to cheer on Team DAYS! Deal?

LINE OF THE WEEK: Shelia (to the press): "You want a comment? Well, I have all kinds!"

TRUE 'DAT LINE OF THE WEEK: Sarah (to Rex): "Weird things do happen in this town."

EXCHANGE OF THE WEEK: On Ted's amazement that Xander got Holly to sleep Xander: "Oh, I just put a wee dram of single malt in her sippy cup. Now we're both happy." Ted: "What!?" Xander: "Do you really think I'd give booze to a toddler?" Ted: "Xander, yes. Of course, I do."

RANDOM THOUGHTS Yes, please! I love that Maggie is hoping that Victor will use his vast resources to help find Holly. Though she better save the lecture and finger-wagging if he does something a little vintage Victor-ish to do so.

I'm terrible. That's on record. So, I totally cracked up when Claire exclaimed, "It only happened one time!" in regard to attempting to torch someone. True. It was only once. There's that. But Eve is right, My Little Pyro may want to get her jealousy under control. If not, I do suggest fire-retardant clothing. As they say, it's better to be safe than crispy.

Oh, crispy reminds me! J.J. burned Jack so hard, he's going to need some aloe. Turnabout and fair play and all, right, Jack? Casey Moss and Matthew Ashford scenes will never disappoint.

Nobody can say that Hope isn't direct, but I think I would have slowly shut the door on her when she asked, "You're having sex?" then quietly yelled, "I'm not home." Still, I hope that mutual trust in each other's judgment thingy works for her and Ciara. It was sealed with a wonderful Hope wink, so it must be honored.

Also noted, never compare Bo and Ben. Got it, Fancy Face. Got it. And agreed. Bo was one of a kind. Simply the best. And simply still missed. Oh, Beauregard. Is it too late to get him some *whispers* Resurrection by Wilhelm?

Abe said to Val, "I can't believe you're here. I've missed you so much." Me, too, Abraham. Me, too.

Ha! My new guilty pleasure is the look on Rex's face when he must feign politeness around Maggie after catching her bashing him. Kyle Lowder's facial expressions are amazing.

I kind of feel like Claire burned Haley with, "Oh, shut up! You are not sorry." Well. I feel Claire Bear wasn't that far off base. Off her rocker? Sure. Off base? I'm not entirely convinced.

Shelia needs to return for more scenes with Eli. T-Boz and Lamon Archey crack me up!

I think Tripp secured his "Best" Ever Boyfriend Award by telling Haley that, "Claire is emotional and dramatic." He's so thoughtful and sensitive. Well, if you're not his girlfriend.

I'm waiting for a Nicole and Rafe reunion! These two had a nice friendship that needs to be picked up where it left off. And, let's be real, they both could use more friends right now.

I'm all in for Sarah's Princess Leia-inspired hair! #MayThe4thBeWithYou

Eli, Rex, and Claire need to commiserate. They're all kinds of a "Second Choice" gang.

Yes. More Laverne! She not only can sense a scam, but she could smell the crazy on Lani. Come on over here, Laverne. I'll catch you up over cocktails at Doug's Place. Never mind. It's too dangerous there. Chez Rouge it is!

If I were to nitpick, I'd say I loved the Abe and Shelia flashbacks, but, like I did with Avenger's Endgame, I did stay in my seat until the credits were done in hopes of another scene. Maybe some Abe and Val flashbacks, too.

I love that Nicole didn't give a flip about the entire Stefan saga and how he fits in. She summed him up as the "latest DiMera bastard." I mean, she's not wrong. It's a long line.

When Xanimal called himself "step-dada" it was both creepy and comical. His rendition of "Rock-a-bye Baby?" That was just creepy.

I adore that Claire calls Victor "Pop-Pop." I also love that we might get some more Claire and Victor scenes. Yes, please.

I would not want to tick off Dr. Grant! When Valerie snapped, "Well, start talking, Abe," she was not messing around. Don't give her spin! Work it, Val. Work. It.

I know the show is being vague on the details of Nicole's return, but I still want to learn more about her plight, specifically from the moment that mystery person pulled her from the warehouse to how she ended up back in town. And who was that mystery person!?

Yikes! Eric and Nicole are brave. They ate Rex's mystery casserole. I'm guessing it's Brady Pub leftovers mixed with protein powder and a dash of Axe body spray. Delish! Though I think I'll stick to Maggie's lemon bars.

PARTING THOUGHTS So, friends and fellow DAYS fans, that's it for the week of May 6! As the Emmys are Sunday, I'm off to primp and pluck and pamper myself. By that, I mean consult with Laurisa to see which festive cocktail we can come up with for this year's awards! I'll be back next week to Two Scoop on everything Emmy and May Sweepsy. And, "That's a fact!"

What are your thoughts on ? What did you think of this week's Two Scoops? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.