A coffee house for Cassie?

It seems Sharon would like to have things both ways. She wants to move on and not grieve overmuch more for Cassie, yet wants to keep the coffeehouse to keep her alive.

I guess it's just my month to be down on Sharon. I'm just not very impressed with her lately. Perhaps it's because more often than not her face is wearing that discontented, sour frown, except, of course, when she's showing every pearly white tooth in her mouth to Brad. It seems Sharon would like to have things both ways. She wants to move on and not grieve overmuch more for Cassie, yet wants to keep the coffeehouse to keep her alive.

I know the head scribe promised one of the principal purposes for Cassie's demise was to create compelling conflict between her parents (like their respective infidelities hadn't already created enough of those), but, in my admittedly twisted and biased opinion, their conflicts since Cassie's death feel flat and more than a little manufactured to me. First we had their polar opposite ways of dealing with their grief. One took the low road of revenge, the other the equally low boulevard of crying on the nearest man's shoulder. Now we have the proposed sale of Crimson. Again, husband and wife are looking at things from opposite points of view. Oh, I stand corrected, by the way, on my guess of last week that it would be Nick nay, Sharon, yea.

I could understand Sharon's reluctance to sell if she planned to run the coffeehouse herself, as she once claimed to want so badly she made it part of her expected divorce settlement, if my memory is functioning correctly. Of course, after making that particular pronouncement, she almost immediately abandoned the idea. But no, the way she's worked it out in her simple mind, Nick can run it. After all, he has nothing much else to do since he refuses to snatch the CEO crown from his sister's head. His desire to spend time with Noah instead seemed to be pooh poohed by his materialistic wife as a ridiculous notion that deserved no real consideration.

And then there's her reasons for wanting to keep Crimson in the family. Let's see. Cassie loved it there, as do her friends, and Noah as well. Okay, correct me if I'm being obtuse, but couldn't they continue to love it under new ownership? And Sharon likes to go there to daydream about the multiple times they had a memorable moment there and she feels close to her there. Just me being simpleminded again, but wouldn't she feel closer hanging out in Cassie's room or nuzzling nose to nose with her beloved horse? And what difference would it make to her memories if Mac and Kevin own Crimson? Wouldn't she still have them? So what if owning Crimson brings Nick massive amounts of remembered pain because of Cassie's last near death visit there? Well, I guess he should just get over that because doesn't he know harmonious Newman life must always revolve around what Sharon wants and needs? I'm not saying it has to be all Nick's way either, but someone has to compromise. I hope it's Sharon though many of you might it should be Nick. If Sharon does agree to the sale, perhaps she could condition it by saying it must be renamed after Cassie.

All that aside, though, unlike Mac and Kevin, I'm finding it hard to get very passionate about the Crimson sale. Rich Nick and Sharon hardly need the cash, whether it's being generated by coffee sales or as an extra zero or two added to their bottom line when sold. Matter of fact, of the five potential parties to the sale, Kevin is the only one who actually needs to work for a living. And technically, even he doesn't really since if need be I'm sure Michael would continue to underwrite all his brother's necessities. So let Sharon keep Crimson so whenever she has nothing better to do she can go there and think about Cassie for the minute or two she's idly waiting for Brad to wander in and offer an ear to listen to her constant complaints. Grandmummy Chancellor can just buy Mac and Kevin their own coffeehouse to play in. I'm sure the Genoa City young adults would transfer their allegiance from Crimson with hardly a second thought.

But my current disgust with Sharon pales next to what I feel at the moment for Mrs. Gloria Abbott! Talk about the bottom of the barrel! This brainless, bigamist twit wouldn't recognize truth if it pranced up and walloped her across the back of her calculating crown. Tom knows his wife well. He knew there was no way she'd risk termination of her free ride on the Abbott gravy train for a man she only brought in the world. After all, the way she probably rationalized it, Michael is a grown man. No skin will be stripped off her greedy hide if both her husbands hate his guts. But that wasn't the only reason the strumpet will never drink another drop of sympathy from my goblet. It's because of what she did next. Without so much as a beat of silence to think up a tall tale, she began lying fluently, quite creatively at that, to her husband, denying any knowledge of Tom's presence and throwing Michael to the wolves without so much as a twinge of regret. Complete with horrified eyes widened to the diameter of dinner plates, copious throat clutching and claw waving caterwauling. Tom's provided the shovel to dig her grave and for her willingness to once again help him place one of her son's head on the chopping block, I'll volunteer to be the first onlooker to toss on some dirt. I hope Tom drains this gold-digging, poor example of motherhood of every copper penny she can get her greedy paws on. These two twisted peas in a pod deserve a lifetime of poverty together. It's easy for Gloria and Kevin to want to sit back and take a wait and see posture now. But the moment Tom decides to turn his attention to them, like frightened little church mice, away they will scamper to Michael, begging him to ease the Tom cheese out of the rat trap. I wish Michael would take Kevin's advice and focus on his own life, leaving Gloria and Tom to sink into the muck from whence they came. But Kevin's warning about what Michael stands to lose if he doesn't stop yanking on Tom's flea-bitten tale has probably come too late. Now that Sheila has harnessed her nag to Tom's aged, swaybacked stallion, Michael is likely to be in trouble, even if he never took another exposing action against Tom. Although I confess the best thing about Tom and Sheila putting their conniving heads together is the possibility that somehow they might manage to destroy each other.

After the whack Ashley gave Tom once she'd learned of his deception, Sheila's lucky Tom had enough left for her to play kissy face with. Because you know that's exactly what's going to be happening at Sheila's hole in the wall. I'm sure it's obvious to Sheila that there's no loving for Tom to be had in that town. Hopefully that fateful meeting of slimy and slimier will be left to the imagination of those who can stomach such a sight.

John disappointed me with his quick willingness to condemn Michael. He claimed he didn't believe a word Tom said, yet though it made little sense, Gloria's collaboration of his tale seemed to erase his doubts. Gloria better hope Tom was right about John's oblivion to the family finances, because there will be no way to talk her way out of it should John's aging eyes light on those cancelled checks made out to Tom in Gloria's looping handwriting.

If Tom and Sheila are an unusual pair, just wait until Ashley and Michael join forces, as it's been rumored they soon will. Talk about good vs. evil, or is it half good, half not as good, vs. pure evil? John may be willing to turn two blind eyes and three fourths of his brain away from the truth about the depth of Gloria's knowledge of Tom, but I'm betting Ashley is not nearly as gullible as dear Daddy. Though I haven't been a fan of Ashley's for quite some time, pairing her with Michael to defeat Tom and Sheila could make me raise my low opinion of her. I'm also hoping that with Ashley aiding and abetting Michael, he's not likely to take an action that could cost him his law license and land him in a GC lockup.

It is so like Sheila to be drawn to a sick inhuman specimen like Tom with nothing but menace on his manipulative mind. I noticed there wasn't even a flicker of concern at learning Tom was a lowdown child molester. I'm sure that only made her palpitate with anticipation of the mayhem they could cause. By the way, when Sheila smiled, that strangely misshapen mouth slathered in garishly loud lipstick flattening, was I the only one who immediately thought of Robin Williams all got up in that Mrs. Doubtfire disguise? Sheila is like a broken record, her needle stuck in the same annoying groove. What is she talking about she can be dangerous when provoked? When did provocation ever have anything to do with this creature's murderous vendetta? Unless Lauren provokes her simply by continuing to breathe.

Daniel finally uttered most of the words that have been waiting their turn to tumble from my mocking mouth. At last, Phyllis has decided to rent them a home of their own and stop mooching off others. Although I don't know what was different about Daniel expressing a desire for a home of their own now than when he requested it when she was determined to shack up with Damon. Speaking of Damon, is it just my imagination, or is their new apartment Damon's old digs? Albeit, a mighty prettied up version of it, thanks to Jack's generous financial donation.

I thought Phyllis was cute in her playful little updo, as excited as a little girl on Christmas morning almost jumping up and down with joy at being able to give Daniel something the one thing he'd been pining for. Phyllis in relaxed, Mommy mode is always a nice change from her stunts that often backfire. Now that Lily is out of the way, there should be more of those mother/son Awwww moments. It also looks as if Phyllis and Jack will soon be cooing together on the same seat of a romantic love train again. I hope they enjoy the ride, because we know Jack and Phyllis for that matter. It's not likely to be long before business again comes between these two.

Boy, Casanova Carlton is really working all those unsatisfied Newman women, isn't he? Successfully too, it appears. And an unsmiling Jack is positively green with envy watching Brad's game piece advance ahead of his, the player buying up all the most coveted aisle space in their Genoa City department store monopoly game. I would warn Brad to watch his back, but Jack's grandiose schemes have an uncanny way of exploding prematurely, leaving him the one wiping splattered egg from his face. Despite the head scribes insistence that doing away with Cassie had nothing to do with causing yet another infidelity to begin brewing on the back of the Newman stove, from my seat on the sofa, I swear I hear alarms blaring in the distance and squinting my eyes, see what appears to be yellow caution flags flapping in the wind. In the competition for Diego, Sharon ultimately lost to Victoria, though neither actually got to keep the trophy. I'm not sure who will win the booby, I mean, Brad prize this time. While Brad may be drawn more to Sharon, he's never had any problem choosing the slice of bread with the most butter slathered on it. And given his determination to carve out a deep Newman niche for himself, and in the process cause Jack to retire nightly and rise daily tasting sour grapes no amount of mouthwash can eradicate, I wonder whether most of his Cupid's arrow will be whizzing right at Victoria.

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually looking forward to someone, anyone, fanning the flames of the banked business feud, although I would like to see Nick and Victor rejoin the fray. Perhaps that will change, but right now I'm having a hard time taking Victoria seriously. All that grinning and gushing over Brad makes her seem needy and too soft to be CEO. With Nick and Neil distracted by family matters and Victor apparently written right out of the loop, boorish Brad has easily taken over. Now that Nick is hopefully over his hatred for Daddy, I hope he soon washes the sawdust from his soapbox derby construction, reads the infidelity warning on the bedroom wall and goes back to Newman to give Brad a run for Cassandra Rawlins' money.

In the it could happen category, as often seems to be the case in Genoa City, even as one beloved (or not) body exits through the revolving doors, another approaches down the sidewalk. The latest rumored newcomer's name being bandied about is Adrienne Frantz, or Amber to B&B fans. I don't claim it's true, just some second, or third or fourth hand information I lurked across.

No Brittany, no J.T., and no J.T. and Mac together. Oh what a wonderful breather it's been. But don't worry; I didn't get too excited over their absence. Word has it the coming week will bring them all back. Joshua, too, so it's been said.

The rest of the year should be quite interesting. As much as I detest Sheila and Tom, I can't deny their presence is bound to cause lots of fireworks for plenty of people. And my fingers are crossed that Gloria, through Ashley, will be the first casualty of their maniacal collaboration. Don't you just salivate at the thought of that disgusted, dismayed look on John's face at learning the truth? You know, the one that looks like he just smelled something rotten? I doubt it will take Tom long to get over the shock of seeing the real Sheila (a tussle in her dingy sheets ought to take care of that) and then it's look out Lauren and Michael. I still don't know what's in it for Sheila, though, because when it's all over and the cement dust has dissipated, Scotty's contempt for Sheila will undoubtedly surpass Lauren's.

Kevin added to the J.T./Mac dynamic might even make it interesting for me, although, unfortunately for Kevin, I don't see him waltzing away with the woman. If it takes him even half as long as it took his brother to get a girl of his own, he could have a very long wait ahead of him.

And then there's Brittany and what's to be done with her. Whispered word has it her immediate future (and her bouncing baby boy's) will somehow be tangled up in Jill's. Nothing like a baby in the mansion to make its womenfolk all mushy mouthed.

Finally, added to all of the above is Devon and Yolanda. When she's finished having hysterics at finding herself coming down from her meth high in the hospital, her limbs in the process of being strapped down, will she finally admit the error of her ways and start on the long road back? When new Lily returns, will she even have a foster brother anymore? For that matter, when Neil and Dru finally turn from family to business, will their names still be on a door at Newman?

Okay, that's how I saw some things last week. Here's how it looked to some of you.

* * * * * * *

SANDI - I can't believe John Abbott is so blind and took what Tom said and now is after Michael without an explanation. Now the blackmail starts with Gloria to keep the rest ofwhat has happened quiet. I agree with Sharon and the coffee house; let the two "munchkins" manage the coffee house the way they want to, but leave the ownership with Sharon and Nick. She is doing a good job with her memories and grieving; Nick is off base and sullen all the time. Unfortunately, life DOES GO ON with you or without you. Now, I thought Tom and Sheila knew each other before their encounter at the bar last week. Who was Tom receiving phone calls from when he first came to GC? By the way, those phone calls have now stopped. I still cannot believe Jackie is conducting business from the rooftop of the AC and can get so much work done! He doesn't do any work ever! I was waiting and waiting for Michael to "get down and dirty" with TT. He has somewhat, but the old Michael would have gone farther than what he did. I do like Michael and Kevin now and thought I would never say that - that must mean they are good actors, which they are.

MACARENA - Sheila's current disguise should be for her Brenda personality. Had she done that, she wouldn't have to hide in GC and she would have literally added another layer to her sadness, as she couldn't show Scott the "real" Sheila. I can't listen to Lily whining either, but I remember how in H.S. EVERYTHING reminds you of him. And she knows there will be yelling, but she can't help but mention Daniel to her parents! I hope the next actress can pull off the wistfulness.

JENNIFER - I agree with you about the Sheila sl. I don't watch the show these days - I TiVo it so I can fast forward through the segments with Sheila. I never wanted her to come back, and I don't care to watch her and her ridiculous "disguise" and pathetic "accent." I am afraid I will be fast forwarding for a long time, since the scribes have a way of dragging out the most painfully annoying storylines. I also have to say that I'm relieved that Lily is off to boarding school. By the time she said her tearful goodbyes, I wasn't the least bit sympathetic to her pain. I am looking forward to the new "Lily," whenever she arrives. Christel Khalil was a great actress, but I grew tired of her whining and spoiled brat attitude. Maybe the new Lily will return from boarding school a little wiser, more mature, and less of a drama queen. Thanks for "listening" to my rant! I enjoy reading your column and respect that fact that you include our comments!

WANDA - Get a grip, Devon! He is acting so stupid about his Mom. She doesn't want to clean up or be taken care of. After all these years, he seems to think it is just gonna be great to have a Mom. He said he couldn't lose her after just finding her. She wasn't lost nor did she want to be found. She was in the park all along. Get a grip, Devon! The TT SL is good if Sheila wasn't involved. Been there and done that already! Michael just gets better and better though. To use the Y&R buzz word, what Jack did to Phyllis and Daniel's apt was truly amazing.

See you all next week. Keep those comments coming!