Out of the frying pan and into a pickle

It's choose your cliché week for Cane, who has already lost his job and now has a sleazy photographer on his back, demanding cash for silence. Nick also needs some do re mi to finance a venture with Noah. Follow the money in this week's Two Scoops.

No matter how you slice it, Cane is in a pickle. He's been burned by Juliet, fired by Victoria, and is about to cook his own goose by using his kids' tuition money to pay off that blackmailing scum-sucker, Jesse. Cane has apparently never watched a cop show or seen an action movie. There are only two ways to end blackmail: the victim fesses up and take his punishment, or the blackmailer gets murdered -- and, no matter what, the truth always comes out anyway.

Cane is a very weak man, and I don't know if the writers will ever be able to write him out of this corner and redeem him in my eyes. Every time Cane uses that whispery voice on Lily, I want to cringe. And how he can call Victoria "a stone cold bitch" when he knows that his obsession with getting something on Billy tanked the commercial and cost Brash & Sassy big bucks in addition to Juliet's lawsuit? Cane lied about everything, even when Victoria looked him in the eyes and begged for the truth. Frankly, I can understand why Victoria would prefer that Cane not work for the competition. Cane has almost single-handedly tanked Brash & Sassy. Going to work for Jabot would be adding insult to injury.

Cane ought to be feeling guilt over what he has done and the people he has betrayed. Victoria had faith in him and kept him on after she bought the company. Cane paid her back by stabbing her in the back, lying, and then expecting that he would experience no consequences for his actions. Cane may love Lily, but he showed no respect for Victoria and none for Juliet when he took credit for her actions in Tokyo.

Although it appeared on Friday that Cane would not send the blackmail payment and Jesse would sell his story to Billy, I don't think it will play out like that. In the soapiverse version, Billy will give Jesse a tongue-lashing and refuse to pay him. Before Jesse can change Billy's mind, Cane will change his and transfer the cash to Jesse, who will become mute again. The actor who plays Jesse makes his character the perfect stereotypical greedy bottom feeder who will do anything for a payday. I'm wondering if he will get tied in to the human trafficking ring that Sharon has uncovered. Maybe Jesse will get murdered, and Cane will find himself framed for that too! Just goes to show how destructive envy and a little white lie can be.

Watching Jason Thompson with the child actor playing Johnny reminded me just how great he was as a father to Emma Drake on General Hospital. He is wonderful with child actors, probably because he has some dear ones of his own. Billy is growing up. He tried to resign -- and I think that, at the time, it would have been best if Victoria had accepted it instead of firing Juliet. Victoria had ulterior motives for keeping Billy around, and it's understandable. He is the father of her children, and Billy and Victoria have been bouncing back and forth for many years. Billy may be living with Phyllis, but he is still married to Victoria emotionally, and what Victoria wants and needs comes before what Phyllis needs. I don't know how long Phyllis will be content to live in Victoria's shadow, but I doubt that she will wait patiently as Billy boards a slow boat back to Victoria.

Nick and Noah had some teary father-son moments. They were pretty quick to decide to create a big franchise operation, which I'm pretty sure will cost mega-buckaroos. The Underground may be successful, but it's not raking in millions! I suspect that when Nick goes over his financial holdings, he's going to find that Victor has burrowed in through some kind of loophole and relieved Nick of his fortune.

Where is Victor, and what is he doing? If he doesn't start paying more attention, Jack is going to swoop in and carry Nikki away for some R&R. I thought that Nikki made up with Victor at the concert, but I was either delusional or it didn't last past Victor's fight with Nick. Either way, it appears that Nikki will be getting Jack's undivided attention until Victor takes action.

So, now that Sharon is working a hotline, will she team up with Paul and Scott to go undercover and bust a human trafficking operation? Sharon could start another career as a cop now that her bipolar condition has disappeared with the proper meds. Business owner, parent, volunteer, student, and now one of Genoa City's finest! Kidding aside, this is a relevant story. Human trafficking is big business around the globe and in our towns. Many are suffering. Maybe Y&R will have some suggestions about what we can do to make a difference.I've been wondering how nice guy Devon would leave Mariah to go back to Hilary, and I think I've figured it out. Mariah and Tessa are going to discover that they have very strong, very passionate feelings for one another, and they will act on those feelings. Will they admit those feelings or keep them in the closet for a while longer? I guess that's why we call it drama! I can't imagine Mariah as the sneak-around type, but I can see how telling Devon that she has feelings for Tessa could hurt him and injure Tessa's career. I can definitely see Devon consoled by Hilary and Jordan doing the same for Lily, once Lily learns that Cane was responsible for quashing her commercial. Only Juliet will be left to comfort Cane, but no matter how much she tries, Cane will long for Lily while blaming everyone but himself for the mess he made out of his life.

I loved spa day with Ashley, Abby, and Dina. I do think that Dina is in the beginning stages of dementia, even though Ashley thinks that it's depression. I like this story also. The prodigal mother returns, and a family experiences healing. What could be better or more heartwarming than that? Come on, Y&R, make me bawl like a baby!

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