Let bygones be bygones

Sharon accepted Nick's proposal! Will her gravesite vision be a roadblock to her happiness? The discovery of red-caked boots plagued Dylan and Avery! The recovery of another 'Red' could change the future for many! And Neil took charge of his life -- and his marriage! To learn more, read this week's Two Scoops.

Wouldn't it be great if we could all transport back to a bygone era -- to a time where life was simple, filled with peace, calm, and tranquility? It would be nice to live in a world without stress and in an age where the pace wasn't frantic and so fast-paced. When watching episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, I could almost picture myself thriving in the small town of Mayberry, North Carolina, where everyone in town knew everyone else and where the deputy only had one bullet, which he kept in his shirt pocket, for his gun. Ahh...I can almost smell Aunt Bee's pie baking now. Snap, snap (click of fingers)...okay, it's time to get back to reality.

I tend to think that Sharon would like to have that kind of serenity now. Nick romantically proposed to Sharon, and she could see all of her dreams coming true. She learned that Mariah was the twin sister of the beloved daughter that she lost years ago, and she believed that with Nick, Noah, Mariah, and Faith, she could finally have the "one, big happy family" that Mariah had alluded to. Well, okay, Mariah was being a bit sarcastic, but Sharon would still love to have that. Sharon seemed to be living in dreamland with the notion that she and Nick could live happily ever after. But this is the Newman family we are talking about, right? Things are never that easy with them.

Sharon would probably love to have the type of family presented in Father Knows Best in the 1960s. Ah yes, the 60s. Just think, while Victoria has her 60s-style house, Sharon could have her picture-perfect 60s-type family -- with no secret to hound her. And Father Knows Best would be the sitcom to pattern her life after. The father ruled back, then and Nick has always protected Sharon and has even taken charge when the situation calls for it. For instance, Nick took the reins and was the one to stop Mariah from leaving town because he knew that Sharon would be the one hurt by it. So, I would say that Nick could be the textbook 60s dad for Sharon's new family.

Faith would be thrilled to have her mom and dad back together. Sharon could get her ready for school every morning with a kiss goodbye as she handed Faith her Barbie lunchbox. And in true 60s fashion, Sharon would welcome her hubby home every evening and greet him at the door with a newspaper and his slippers. Hey, I'm not just playing tiddlywinks here. Remember that fun game with the little plastic disks? I honestly haven't thought about them in years. Anyway, I could even picture Sharon with her Easy-Bake Oven. Well, okay, maybe Faith would be the one with the Easy-Bake Oven. I always wanted one when I was a girl. Those were so cool!

Unfortunately, Sharon has more than one obstacle to stop her from fulfilling that dream and one certain redheaded roadblock has the name of Mariah. (Not to mention the pesky little problem Sharon may have once Phyllis returns, but more on Phyllis later.) Mariah did not want to let bygones be bygones and she made it very, very clear to Noah that she wanted no part of Sharon, Nick, or their family and that she just wanted to pay the debt she owed to Sharon.

Mariah believed that Sharon only wanted her perfect daughter back, and Mariah stressed that she was not Cassie. I totally agree with Noah that Sharon was aware of that. At one time, I may have thought that Sharon would try to replace her beloved Cassie with Mariah, but I no longer believe that. I think too much has happened between the two for Sharon to substitute one twin for the other now.

I can't blame Noah for finally giving up on trying to be nice to Mariah. He has done everything to try to welcome her into the family, and all he gets is rudeness from her in return. It's time for Mariah to grow up a little and to think about what she's really doing by alienating the only people who have ever really cared about her. Does she really want to burn the bridge to the love and support of the only family she will ever have? This is exactly what Mariah has craved her entire life. I just hope she gives herself the chance to love and to be loved.

Nick's proposal to Sharon was adorable, and what girl's heart wouldn't melt by his presenting her with her original engagement ring, complete with a rock upgrade? The setting was perfect, and Nick couldn't have done it any better. Back in the day, McCoy pottery actually made little Tiki Leilani statues that resembled the ones that decorated the scene. My husband had one in his McCoy collection. With the room filled with love and romance and the statues, I wasn't the least bit surprised when Sharon accepted Nick's proposal. Nick then made a fatal mistake and guaranteed that nothing would ever break them up. Famous last words, right? This is a sure-fire disaster on a soap!

Since Sharon was on the road (not the path!) to recovery regarding her mental health, it was especially jarring to see Cassie at the gravesite again. At least, that's who she claimed to be. But how could Sharon just automatically accept that the girl was Cassie's spirit rather than suspecting that it might be Mariah trying to pry information out of her? Why, because it had all been just a dream. Phew, what a relief! It was enough to shake Sharon up, though, to where she wanted to rush into marriage with Nick. Just when we finally had our more emotionally secure and stable Sharon back, she was making rash decisions so that the truth wouldn't be uncovered. Whatever that truth might be, since she still couldn't recall what it was. But the truth will come out. It's just a matter of time.

Nick slipped and told Faith and Noah that they were having a dinner more important than hot dogs and popcorn and had a surprise for them that was better than a puppy. Come on, Nick, nothing is better than a puppy! Nick keeps saying over and over again that nothing will prevent them from being together, so you know that their days as a couple are numbered. Nick glanced at Sharon's traffic violation, so he must still have questions about "the secret."

However, Sharon was doing everything in her power to forget the secret, while Mariah was doing what she could to learn what it was. I don't get why Mariah resents Sharon so much though. Sure, Sharon said some hateful words to her, but it was before she knew Mariah was her daughter, and the words Sharon said were pretty much true. Yet Mariah called her "a cold, crazy whack job," and of course, she was later on hand to overhear Sharon cry out while she was in the middle of a nightmare. Nick later claimed (again) that he and Sharon would be married, and that is always a sure sign that they will never marry. Even Summer expressed her happiness for the couple, which totally jinxed the marriage. All of these declarations just keep pointing more and more to their eventual breakup.

I think my biggest surprise about the engagement was when Nikki congratulated both Nick and Sharon and even hugged the newly engaged lady. There was a time not so long ago when that would have never happened. Victor must really have crossed the line for Nikki to have forgiven Sharon for everything from the past. Plus, Nikki relates with Sharon, since both ladies gave up their babies when they were young, only to later have them back in their lives. Nikki is the one person who can understand what a difficult decision that had been at the time.

Nikki had other things to worry about, anyway, since Maureen learned the truth about who she was. We don't really know Maureen that well, so we have yet to discover if she intends on using Nikki's secret to her advantage or if she just wants to be friends with Mrs. Newman. Since she lost Katherine, Nikki could really use a friend she can truly count on. She sure kept eyeing Maureen's drink at the Athletic Club, though, and later again in Maureen's room. (Although I think Nikki sought Maureen out in her room for an excuse to drink.) I mentioned before that I found it strange that alcoholic beverages are always kept out on the stand at the Newman Ranch, even though Nikki is an alcoholic and needs to resist temptation and fan Chris C. agreed:

Nikki has been known to be an alcoholic for a long time and it is so insensitive of Victor to have decanters of drinks right there in the living room, a heartbeat away from Nikki's reach. He should know better and be able to detect when Nikki has been drinking as opposed to her MS.

You would think that as well as Victor knows Nikki, he would be able to see the difference. But Victor's been doing so much of his own thing lately regarding Phyllis that he hasn't taken the time to notice what Nikki has been dealing with. He knew that Nikki was being hounded by Ian, but he just didn't care enough to stay with her. Priorities, you know. And speaking of Ian...

Does anyone really think that Dylan killed Ian? It seems to me that if he did, he would just admit to it. Shoot, he'd probably even be proud of it. I have to admit that it all sounded rather suspicious though. Ian's car was abandoned near the racetrack where a witness saw Dylan, and Ian's wallet was in a nearby dumpster. Blood littered the Newman driveway. And Dylan did have a pretty nasty cut on his hand, although the blood on the driveway was found to be Ian's.

Sure, Dylan has a short fuse, but I just don't see him killing Ian without taking the credit for it. Dylan even stated that he didn't know that he would need an alibi for that particular timeframe. If he did kill Ian, Dylan learned that he should plan better next time.

Dylan was acting suspiciously and then there was the issue of the red mud caked on his boots. Red mud that very much resembled the red granite at the quarry where Ian's expensive jacket was found. Nah, that was all just a coincidence. But Dylan's own remarks and behavior indicated that he might have had something to do with Ian vanishing. Dylan turned to the one person who could understand because he had killed before. That would be Stitch, of course, who advised Dylan to deal with his rage before it messed up his entire life. I am just glad that the two veterans are still friends. We can continue to learn more about them through their discussions with one another.

Alas, Paul saw the mud-caked boots "in plain sight" and wondered if there was more to Dylan's story than what he was telling. But Dylan swore up and down that he did not kill Ian, and I believe him. He's just too obvious, and besides, we don't even know for sure that Ian is really dead yet. At least, Dylan remembered that, during a blackout, he had punched out a window at the racetrack, which had cut his hand. That's pretty amazing. I didn't think you could recollect much during a blackout. That's why they are called blackouts. Total memory loss.

But later, the police station received a call from the insurance company revealing that someone had wanted to know if he was still listed on Ian's life insurance policy -- and that the "someone" claimed to be Dylan. What?! I smell a setup. And it also has the earmarks of being something that Ian would do -- set up Dylan for revenge on Nikki and all of the Newmans. Ian had wanted to make Nikki pay for the past, and if he needed to use her son to do it, he would.

To me, this storyline, which had so much potential, has pretty much flopped. While it may have sounded better on paper, no real drama or tension has ever kept us hanging on the edge of our seats. Ian was a villain, so why not have him do something...villainous?! His bark has been worse than his bite by far, and his threats just never amounted to much. When it appeared that Ian was going to cause Summer to suffer from a fate worse than death back when, nothing much really happened.

Don't get me wrong. Ian's been great at being a thorn in everybody's side, but it just seems he could have done so much more. If Ian was evil and not just an annoying little gnat, he should have had Nikki and her clan constantly living in fear. The fans could have been shaking in their boots. You know, the boots not caked with red mud. Oops, sorry, I just had to say that.

Jack offered Kelly the gift of a red rose, which was the ultimate offering of love. He had admired how Kelly had "bounced" back from losing so much but also worried since she had so easily walked away from her ex-husband, her brother, Billy, and her mother. Kelly only lamented that her mother had never missed her father, as if he had never mattered, but there must be more to the story.

Even Maureen's reason for being in town sounded rather flimsy. Does she need money now that she's lost her part-time job? Jack would be a great cash register for her. After all, Maureen had wanted to toast Nikki for their kids' great fortune. Even if Kelly is not the apple of her mother's eye, she can always cherish Jack's symbol of love in the single red rose. Until it dies, that is. (Or Phyllis returns.)

Speaking of red, Victor learned that Phyllis had spoken a word, and he was almost drooling in glee. It's great having Phyllis back, and I can't wait to see her at full strength, but my mother wondered about her hair color. "Couldn't they have put just a little bit of red in the new girl's hair? Jack used to call her 'Red' all the time. Now he won't be able to." Her hair may have just a touch of red, but honestly, Phyllis looks more like a brunette now. What's the deal?

I can understand wanting to differentiate Gina Tognoni's version of Phyllis from Michelle Stafford's, but it just seems to me that she still could have done it as a redhead. I thought it was cute when Jack called Phyllis "Red," and I even saw the red gloves as something so Phyllis. And Jack just remembered that Phyllis had inspired him to create the fragrance Scarlet Mist. The color red has always been associated with Phyllis, so why change that now? Fan Kathy E. offered her comment about Phyllis' return:

...like many other soap fans, I'm waiting for the return of Phyllis. Mostly because I can't stand Kelly's character. Her insecure little girl act is too much but it's perfect for Jack to play the knight in shining armor. Hurry back, Phyllis!? I'm also getting very tired of Abby's mouth. I think Tyler got lucky that the engagement was broken off.

And Tiffany Mae asked:

I'm sorry, I just need to ask this. Is there actually anyone out there who likes Abby Carlton Newman anymore? I have noticed that since she broke up with Tyler, she has been nothing but a miserable, bitchy hag.

Seriously, Abby has become unlikable, especially around Mariah when she always comes across looking like the spoiled little rich girl that she is, anytime they are in the same vicinity. Abby honestly deserved to have the water thrown in her face. She has made it clear time and time again what she thinks of Mariah, so I have an idea, Abby -- stay away from her!

At least a more rational Abby helped Victoria prepare for the birth of her baby, although she did indicate that she would prefer to bow out of the actual delivery, since she wasn't sure she was ready to witness the very messy miracle of birth. Childbirth may be rather messy, but it is absolutely amazing. Abby wanted her uncle to be in the delivery room with her sister anyway. That sounds so weird when it's worded that way. But didn't Amelia Heinle sound sick? I could hear it in her voice. Soap actors always have to come through, though, no matter how ill they may be.

Abby may say she wants nothing to do with the "killer chemist," but even Victoria believed Abby had been flirting with Stitch. I wonder if Ben will need to change his nickname now that he won't be practicing medicine anymore. I do appreciate that Abby would not let her dad pit her against her Uncle Jack in their power games though. She's going to be too busy, anyway, trying to continually convince everyone that she has no interest in Stitch. That will be an uphill battle, my friend.

So even if Mariah had made an enemy of Abby, she seemed to have found a friend in Kevin. I wholeheartedly approve. Both Kevin and Mariah have come from rough backgrounds, and both know what it's like to have to fight for survival on their own. Neither has had a stable parental influence (sorry, Gloria!), so they can relate to each other on so many levels. Do I hope something romantic will develop from their relationship? Not really, because they make such good friends. The funny thing is that I would think that Cassie would be way too young for Kevin, yet Mariah seems older than her years. Kevin and Mariah are fun to watch together, so I hope to see more of them.

It appeared that everyone wanted to protect Mariah, and the next person on that list was rather a surprise -- Victor! He claimed that because she was a member of his extended family, Victor's desire was to protect Mariah from Ian, but Mariah probably correctly suspected that Victor would willingly throw her under a bus if it meant getting his hands on Ian. Although Victor warned the young girl about pursuing his son, he also admired how tough Mariah was. Victor was the one who brought Mariah to town. Did he, in fact, know that Mariah was Cassie's twin when he hired her to pretend to be Cassie? Victor didn't admit or deny knowing, so we will have to keep wondering -- for now.

And Mariah may have finally found a way to cash in -- with the knowledge she gained by overhearing Sharon's words as she thrashed about in a nightmare. Mariah then immediately ran to Victor and declared that she knew "the secret" that Victor been searching for. So it looks like Victor may not have to wait for Phyllis to return after all. But lo and behold, the drug must have worked because Phyllis had left her bed as she struggled to make her way back. So everything should be crashing around Sharon's head very, very soon.

Even Sharon was starting to recover her memories so, one way or another, this secret will come out. Since it appears that Sharon really did change Summer's paternity test results, and it wasn't just a symptom of her illness, all of their worlds will explode. And poor Jack will lose the daughter that he had grown to love. Sadness and heartache will follow for almost everyone involved while Victor will get to rejoice in destroying Sharon and Nick's future.

Victoria was very observant when she acknowledged to Nick that Sharon and Billy were tied for number one on Victor's hate list. But seriously, Victoria had enough problems of her own, especially since she still felt attached to both of the men that could be the father of her child. And I am sure her heart was breaking when she saw Billy and Chelsea kissing. I know that she still loves Billy, but unfortunately, she put herself in this very shaky predicament by not taking the paternity test. By knowing who the father of her baby is, she would be able to better prepare herself and her baby for the future, and she might be able to let one of the guys off the hook so he could move on.

To me, it would be harder not knowing than knowing anyway. With the knowledge, you can at least come to terms with the truth and be able to cope, one way or the other. Waiting until a new baby is born is not the best time to try to deal with something so complicated. A new mother is busy enough without having to possibly face setting one love free while also trying to decide how much to let the other into your life for the sake of your child. But in Billy's case, it may be too late if he has already chosen to move on with Chelsea, and even Victoria noted that Chelsea wasn't waiting for the ink to dry on her and Billy's divorce papers. Chelsea's retort was the line of the week, "You made your single bed, now sleep in it." Victoria's indecision was certainly causing heartache and conflict.

Neil had finally accepted the support of a new "cane" -- a walking stick -- and I say it's about time. Even Neil realized that he had not been all "sunshine and smiles" and that he needed to take control of his life. I have been saying all along that he was just victimizing himself by not accepting the kind of support that would help him cope on his own. His first step to taking back his life was to decide to get a divorce from Hilary. You would think that this would please Hilary, since she and Devon can't keep their hands off each other (not to mention their other body parts). But you know that Hilary will refuse to divorce Neil out of guilt. What she should see is that she would be doing Neil a huge favor by letting him divorce her. He would be destroyed by her betrayal with his own son.

But as much as Neil pleaded with his "beautiful, generous, and loving wife" to move on to an "exciting and vibrant life" with someone "young and vital," Hilary would have none of it. Actually, I think Hilary is one of those people who always wants what she cannot have. When a relationship with Devon became taboo, she wanted it more than ever. But once Neil tried to turn her away, Hilary instantly realized that he was the one she wanted. This game could go on forever. Hilary will always want the one most out of her reach. Jack may have been right in that Neil's gesture was a noble effort, but it also made him more desirable in Hilary's eyes. That seems to be a turnon for her.

Michael and Lauren gave it another try for a night of passion that went, shall we say, a little flat. Yes, their romantic evening came to a screeching halt due to Michael's inability in the bedroom -- again. Please, Michael, get yourself checked out so that you and Lauren will not have to deal with any more embarrassment. Michael was obviously suffering from more than exhaustion, even though he refused to admit it. While Lauren thought that seeing a counselor would do the trick, Michael asked a doctor for some help through medication. But would a doctor prescribe that kind of aid without first trying to diagnose the problem? I would certainly hope not, especially since the man could be on another type of medication that might not interact well with the prescription.

Other notable (or humorous) items that happened during the week:

After Victor learned of Nick and Sharon's engagement, I had to laugh when Nick told his father to skip the gloom and doom and to just go straight to the best wishes. Does Nick know his dad or what?!

While admiring the handmade fishing lures that Dylan had given to Paul, Victor went on a fishing expedition of his own, trying to extract information about Ian from the police commissioner. I appreciated the irony.

I love the color-coordinated coffee cups in Avery's kitchen. They really brighten up the room.

Thank goodness Lily has finally turned the corner and stopped her hateful rants against Hilary. I was getting tired of her continuously screeching.Good for Chelsea! A little flirtation with her new hunky "six-pack, surfer assistant dude" paid off in spades when Billy took notice and decided to see where their relationship would take them. A little flirting goes a long way.

When, in one moment, Hilary claimed that she could make Devon no promises as long as Neil was blind but in the next, she jumped right into the sack with Devon, so many clichs came to mind: Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. Pick the one that suits you best.

Jack had a great line when Kelly requested to know the details of Jabot's newest project. "The waiter, the walls, the bowl of peanuts have ears." That is especially true in the world of Victor Newman.

Until next time, please stay tuned.

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