Afraid of the calm before the storm

Nick faced the music (and Caroline) as a free man while Melanie and Chad decided to tie the knot, but not everyone was happy for the newlyweds-to-be. Plus, Nicole became Salem's version of 'Where's Waldo?' Were you looking for her? You can find Nicole and all sorts of other things (like lines of the week) in this week's Two Scoops.

After watching DAYS last week, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I felt a little frustrated and considered it a slow week. Well, it kind of was. But when I looked at the sand in the other side of the hourglass a little closer, I believe last week was a setup of things to come. It was the calm before the storm, so to speak. However, if those clouds rolling in last week were an indicator of things to come, I might want to take cover. And by "take cover," I mean hide my head in the sand and pray for another reboot. Let's discuss!

E.J., SAMI, and RAFE Sad news, friends. I have a sore throat. It's entirely due to the writers cramming Safe down my throat all week. Well, that and me yelling when they kissed! I think I might have pulled something, actually. Nevertheless, Rafe and Sami locked lips right before E.J. and Sami's date, which sent her into such a tizzy she called off the date. Ugh. Big time ugh.

I know, I know. I'm ranting as an EJami fan right now, but, hey, it's my column, and I'm exercising my rights. The thing is, E.J. and Sami's scenes all week were so cute and cuddly. And for them, "cute and cuddly" doesn't happen very often. It was a nice treat, only to be blown by Rafe's Rafieness.

One of the things that confuses me is that both Rafe and Sami had moved on. He was knee deep into Carrie. Sami was dating Lucas and then decided to run away with E.J. Rafe was nowhere in the equation at the time. So why the sudden re-interest now?

And it's not like Rafe couldn't be paired with other ladies in Salem. As Laurisa pointed out a few weeks ago, a Rafe/Jennifer pairing might be interesting. But there's also the cute, short-haired lawyer, how about HR Anne from the hospital, or Officer Kent? Oh, oh! He could be paired with Billie (and then leave with her once Lisa Rinna departs. Whoops! Did I go too far with that one?) I'd say pair him with Maxine, but I love her far too much to wish that upon her.

Anyway...

The point is, let's try something new. Rafe and Carrie worked, so that proves Rafe can be with someone else. And at this point, E.J. and Sami actually having a healthy-ish-for-them relationship would be new, too, as we've never seen that happen as an audience.

Alas, the writing we have on the wall now scares me. That is, E.J. resorts to trickery, Rafe saves the day by exposing him to Sami, Safe reunites, and EJami goes into another battle for the kids. I hope I'm wrong, but just in case, someone wake me when it's over.

NICK and COMPANY Of course Doug and Julie are on a cruise they just couldn't get out of. Thank God! I definitely wouldn't have wanted to see them house Nick. Nah, they get too much airtime as it is. Smart move, writers.

Oh, oh! Why couldn't Nick have stayed with his cousin, Lucas, if he needed to stay with family? Just wondering.

That left Nick at the Kiriakis Mansion. I get it, though, and ultimately don't mind the drama of it all. However, I feel like I watched Maggie cry all week, and that's sort of annoying, especially since Melanie is the semi-wronged party. Granted, it's Victor and Maggie's house, and they can invite whomever they want to live there.

In other Nick news, he got a job at the Brady Pub (more on that later). There he ran into Gabi. And she gave him a rather chilly reception upon learning his name. Yep, she certainly has room to judge people from a morals standpoint. Then again, Nick was on drugs when he committed his crimes. What was Gabi's excuse again? Right!

The thing is, I can see where Nick and Gabi have room to bond. They're both trying to shake sordid pasts. Considering Nick dated Chelsea and Melanie, both of whom were recovering brats, I don't see why he would turn his back on Gabi once he finds out what she did. Heck, they could compare notes. So, there's that.

CHAD, MELANIE, and COMPANY Let's break this down. Chad proposed to Melanie. Everyone, including Melanie, thought it was because of Nick. I am in the minority here, but I believe Chad did it because he simply adores Mel. Sure, recent events prompted him to act so quickly. I get that, but I don't think it's something that Chad wouldn't have eventually done. Ultimately, though, it's hard to get too worked up about this engagement, knowing that Molly Burnett is leaving.

But worked up is what everyone got. Only E.J. was delighted from the news, and I was delighted by watching those fun scenes. I'm a sucker for all things E.J. and Chad lately. Lexie would be proud of the brotherly bond they've formed. She would be especially proud that E.J. convinced Chad not to DiMera Nick. Nice work, E.J.!

Other than Elvis, everyone worried that Mel was rushing into the marriage. That included Dr. Dad and Maggie. Carly and Nicholas were happy, but do they really count, since they're out of the picture? I digress. I was happy Melanie brought up Dr. Dan's spotty history with the ladies when she confronted him. Point meet counterpoint!

I was also glad that Melanie brought up her marriage to Philip when sorting out her thoughts. That needed to be brought up. That was sort of a disaster. But aside from that, I'm just rolling with this storyline. Molly's departure is forthcoming, so I'm just going to enjoy the fun moments of Chad and E.J., and Melanie and Abigail, and let the water flow under the bridge. My arms are too tired of trying to navigate the Safe waters to stress out about Melanie marrying a hunk who adores her at this point.

Speaking of said hunk, Chad had more words with Gabi. I have to give her credit for taking a stand with him. She has some chutzpah, but ultimately, she did the crime. She's the guilty one. Sure, Chad is taking a risk by not telling Melanie, and I have a feeling said risk will explode, thus ending their engagement, but he's still not the one who's to blame for Gabi's misery. And she should be lucky she's not in Salem Penitentiary. Those chicks beat each other up and steal organs. Not fun.

NICOLE, DR. DAN, and JENNIFER Okay, Jennifer told Abigail something to the effect of "losing your father is all I think about." Really? I mean, really, Jennifer!? It doesn't seem that she's been thinking of Jack at all, especially considering she is so worried about Dr. Dan being "distant."

I can comprehend Jen has lingering feelings for Dr. Dan. She did love him and Jack both. But I have a hard time believing that Jennifer is this grief-laden widow who can barely function, especially compared to how well the writers are doing with Abe's struggle over Lexie's death and Kayla's pain over her divorce. The writers need to take note of the pace set by Magic, or even whatever Abe and Kayla have going on. Just saying.

I did like Jennifer and Brady bonding. It made me think, "Wow! I really want a pretzel." Aside from that, I wouldn't mind seeing them form a friendship over grief and carbs. They both need something to do, and I like when random characters start to hang out. It keeps things fresh.

On the contrary, the Nicole and Jennifer battle is becoming a little stale. I contribute that to horrible timing on the writers' part. Jennifer should be a where Abe was several months ago and not in a love triangle with Nicole and Dr. Dan, who aren't even a couple. The writing is wince-inducing. I'm not having fun. Let's do something about that, dear writers.

T, WILL , and SONNY I know T is a horrible homophobic hiney, but I like Brandon Coughlin who plays him. Vintage T was fun and had this mischievous glimmer in his eye. I saw a bit of that last week, and that made me happy. More, please!

I was also happy to see T and Will play nice and remember the good times they've shared. Maybe T is becoming less gay unfriendly. I'd like that. Brandon is a good actor. Perhaps the writers are recognizing that and trying to get T out of the bigot box they placed him in. Here's to hoping!

Also a positive sign is that Sonny and Will came clean with each other. They discussed the misunderstandings with Brian and decided to take things slowly. I'm all for open and honest communication, so props to them. They even held hands. Fine. I'll admit it. My Grinch heart melted a bit. They were cute together. There's no better feeling than when you realize the person you like likes you back. Although those damn butterflies will get you every time, boys, so have fun while you can!

The final positive note was Sami and Will's conversation. Yes, yes, and yes, writers. You are nailing this! Keep going. I adore their relationship right now. I repeat, "More, please!"

LOOSE ENDS Adrienne's worried about Sonny's choice in mates. She adores Will, but likes Brian, who's on the dean's list, pre-med, captain of his crew team, and a vampire slayer. Um, maybe not that last one, but he is pretty. I get her concern and swooning over Brian. Will does come with baggage, and Brian is perfect like St. Rafe (only actually interesting as a character). But Sonny really made a valid counterpoint by reminding Adrienne that the Johnson and Kiriakis families have a few issues, too. Snap!

Raise your hand if you think Abigail and Cameron are really over. Anyone? Nope, me either.

Congrats, Jennifer! Abigail's not a slut. Was I the only one scratching my head over their little brouhaha? It just seemed like Abigail was making outlandish claims of abandonment, and Jennifer thought her daughter was a ho. Um, Jennifer is the parent who didn't leave her family, and they've always been portrayed as super close. I probably could have done without those scenes.

E.J. is no longer Mayor DiMera. Is anyone sad about this? I didn't think so. Besides, I like him much more as a wannabe family man. Oh! And he called Justin for help. This needs to happen, like, right away.

EXTRA SCOOPS

HOT: Hats off, writers! I'm glad they penned a Nick and Caroline scene. Not only did it give Peggy McCay a chance to flex her acting muscles (you know, more than when Caroline was told to mind her own business by Marlena and Will), but it was a great nod to the history of the characters. Caroline really suffered from what Nick did to her. It was nice to hear that they've been in contact since he was sent to the clink, and I don't blame her for being firm with Nick. He's a loveable geek to us, but probably not to the woman he let take the blame for murder. In the end, she decided to give him a chance. That was a classy move. All in all, the scenes were great and needed to happen. So, that made me a happy Scooper. Yeah!

NOT: Why don't the writers just consult with the wardrobe department and have Nicole put in a red and white sweater, matching cap, and round glasses so she can officially become the Where's Waldo of Salem? It seemed like every time Dr. Dan had a conversation, she'd pop up in the background. It became a little silly after a while. I'd much rather watch Nicole and Brady banter than Nicole loom in the background, plotting against Jennifer. Yawn.

And, OMG! I don't even know what to say about the crapfest that is "Daniel Raphael Hernandez." I'd be more shocked and appalled, but I sort of saw that coming. Double yawn.

LINE OF THE WEEK: Sami (to E.J., regarding telling the truth): "Oh, I tried that once. It hurts."

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Although Nicole's annoying me lately, I loved Arianne Zucker's reactions as Nicole listened to Dr. Dan tell her how he defended Jennifer's honor.

You're not alone, E.J.! Billie is annoying.

Abe and Kayla make me smile.

Oh, no, no, no, Jennifer Rose. You do not sass Nurse Maxine. Strike one, girl. Strike one.

Jen talked to Bill Horton on the phone. He needs to visit again, especially since Kate is single.

I guess Governor Ford's term was over, and they elected a new governor. Whoops! I forgot to vote in that election.

Roman should run for mayor if they have new elections. It's not like he'll have to worry about any sex scandals, since he hasn't been with anyone since...since...um...oh, gosh. Poor Roman.

I still want a pretzel.

ALI'S FIT TIPS REMINDER: Let's give Laurisa three cheers for her dedication to working through Alison Sweeney's fit tips that appeared in September's Health Magazine. She's been doing an amazing job! Be sure to lend your encouragement by tracking her progress via her blog by clicking here, or following her on Twitter @LaurisaDays!

PARTING THOUGHTS: I stopped by Soap Central Live last week to chat about DAYS with host Dan J Kroll. The show is archived and available to listen to on demand. I pop in around the 35-minute mark. Click here for more information.

So, friends and fellow DAYS fans, that's Two Scoops for the week of September 17! Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter @Tony_S_DAYS. With that, I am leaving Salem in Laurisa's hands because I am off to count the days until Eileen Davidson returns as Kristen, and "That's a fact!"

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