Nick sure is a little touchy these days. Any time Dylan or Sharon mentioned their precious little Sully, Nick would cry out, "His name is Christian!" But I guess if my ex had been hiding my son from me for months, I would be a tad oversensitive too. Just imagine if you had discovered the deceased son you had cherished so dearly was actually alive and well and living with someone you believed to be a trusted friend. Because, even though Nick and Sharon were divorced, they still thought of each other as friends. Nick had always been the one to try to protect Sharon in the past, even when she caused him so much grief. But that turmoil was nothing compared to the pain Sharon inflicted on Nick by keeping the tot's parentage secret. It's just too bad she didn't know the entire truth either.
But Chelsea did, and she chose to play God by continuing to keep silent. Didn't Chelsea learn anything from the heartache she caused Dylan by lying about Connor's paternity? It's almost as if she thinks she's some kind of Mother Goose, fiercely protecting all the baby birds of the land, except that Chelsea's type of safeguarding will only cause more damage in the long run. But then, of course, she's got Victor egging her on. Adam had wanted Nick to raise both Connor and Christian, so no harm, no fowl...oops, I mean foul. Chelsea needs to open her beak and let the truth fly out. The one who will be most hurt by it all, if it stays nested away, will be Christian.
Another person emotionally wounded was Faith, who was confused that the toddler was Sully when she caught the bus earlier that morning but was Christian when she got off the bus later that afternoon. Faith seemed to be the only one with a lick of sense, when she pointed out to her dad that the child still thought he was Sully. Maybe for Shakespeare, "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," but the boy would have to be utterly bewildered, after a year of being known as Sully, to suddenly be called Christian. He was growing and learning throughout the first year of his life, which included developing his own personality, partially by identifying with his name. Faith even observed that though he was a different baby, he still looked the same. She's one smart kid.
Wow, wouldn't it be great if, for once, we could see the aftereffects of one of the many paternity cover-ups that often take place on soaps? Maybe The Young and the Restless could wait a year or two and SORAS Christian to the ripe age of ten. Then, Christian could turn into a juvenile delinquent as a result of being ripped from the loving arms of the only mother he had ever known and of a father who had been totally devoted to him. I know Nick is a terrific father, but due to no fault of his own, he didn't raise Christian the first, formative year of his life. Hopefully, Christian's still young enough to adapt. But what if all the home-swapping and losing the people he thought were his parents were enough to warp the youngster later in life? That would be a very realistic story.
Of course, Y&R would need a talented adolescent to play the part, and it's pretty hard to find genuinely gifted child actors. Actually, Max Page might have been perfect for the role. I miss Max as Reed Hellstrom, mainly because he is such a wonderful young actor. An older Christian would need someone of Max's acting caliber to be able pull off such a complex storyline. However, for some reason, soaps never address the issue of how the adults' past dirt can sometimes corrupt a child's life as he or she is growing up. Maybe it's time they did.
In the meantime, Nick can just buy Christian a new stuffed animal, give him applesauce and bananas, and all will be right with the world. Forget that the little guy was just taken away from the couple he had thought of as his parents. The new toy and jars of baby food will make everything all hunky-dory again. And Chelsea will continue to hide the fact that Adam is Christian's biological father. I wonder if we will have to wait until the next November sweeps period for that little tidbit to come out. I hope not. Dragging that stuff out can be so annoying -- although I do give Y&R credit for having the big reveal on November 1st. No sense in wasting any time. Good use was made of this sweeps period. More than likely, the only way the truth about Christian's paternity will come out is if Adam returns. And I would think Adam will make a very dramatic entrance somewhere down the line.
It was heart-wrenching to see Dylan in tears when he finally had to acknowledge that the fight to keep Sully was over. He sincerely loved that little boy. I was sorry Nick didn't jump on Dylan's suggestion to share custody in some kind of way with the bereaved couple. I believe there is never too much love in a child's life, and apparently, Paul shared that same belief. The baby's former granddad only asked Nick that his son continue to have a place in Christian's life, since he was, after all, still related as the tot's uncle. The suggestion did sound pretty reasonable; however, I can't blame Nick for being a little wary.
Yet Nick was not one to hold a grudge against the mother of two of his children, and he did not want to pursue kidnapping charges against Sharon. That was very merciful and compassionate. Sharon should be grateful for that, although that may not keep her out of the doghouse -- or prison. I laughed when Dylan suggested Sharon seek professional help in a mental facility. I mean, that's where the whole mess started. I'm sure Sharon would have found the humor in that, also, if she weren't so miserable. Okay, Dylan was just trying to keep his wife from being a jailbird, but surely, there must be another way. Who knows what adventure could arise from another stint of Sharon and Patty being in the same facility? You can bet it would be one G C Buzz would be foaming at the mouth to get.
But leave it to Nikki to use this "agonizing personal ordeal" as an excuse to engage Sharon in a catfight. Patty would have loved it. Exactly what did Nikki think she was going to accomplish by confronting Sharon in her own home? Both Nick and Dylan did not want that, but Nikki didn't care. As long as she had the reason to get into another skirmish with Sharon, that was all that mattered. I am glad Melody Thomas Scott and Sharon Case love to play these scenes, even if the some of the fans find them to be a little cringe-worthy.
Nikki immediately ran, crying, to Victor to boast of her fight with Sharon and was surprised when her husband sided with Nick and asked Nikki to take "the high road." But, of course, Victor was working his own agenda and had an ulterior motive for being so gracious. Victor was attempting to do exactly what Sharon had just tried and failed to accomplish, and that was to keep the whole matter on the down low, since he knew Adam was actually Christian's daddy. Well, until GC Buzz blew up the baby-swapping story to the whole world, and then Victor had a change of heart. Then Sharon had to pay!
Noah was right in being outraged about his grandfather being a hypocrite, since Victor's past was filled with lies and manipulation, all in the name of family. And Victor was still hiding the complete truth about Christian, so, really, where did he get off slinging mud at Sharon? Actually, as far as DNA goes, the real losers, not counting Dylan and Sharon, will be Paul and Nikki, once the paternal truth comes out, but Victor will remain the winner. As always. Nikki was Christian's biological grandma with Dylan or Nick has his daddy, but she is not related by blood with Adam, who's his "real" father. Victor was not his grandfather when Dylan was Christian's father but would be with either Nick or Adam as his patriarch. Good heavens, you almost need a scoreboard.
Therefore, Nick was not actually entitled to have legal custody of the child, only he didn't know it. So, what will happen with the boy if it is learned that Nick is not his father? How can the lad ever have any security if he continues to be tossed from home to home? If Nick discovers the truth and Adam is still assumed to be dead, would Victor go after custody of Christian? The kid thinks he has problems now...oh boy! But I doubt if Victor and Christian would end up in Paris, even in Adam's memory.
However, even if Victor got custody, Christian would barely be a blip on his grandfather's radar, since Victor's focus is forever on plotting to burn Jack and the Abbotts. And this time, Victor had the tinder and matches in the form of the mole, Curtis Fielding, and his supposedly fake but actually probably very authentic documents. Jack always seems to think he has the upper hand with Victor, but he should know better by now. Even when Victor's losing, he's winning. He always knows how to grasp victory out of the jaws of defeat. Oh yeah, Victor definitely gave himself an appropriate name after he left the orphanage.
While working at Jabot, Jack couldn't help but keep looking at the sultry look in Phyllis' eyes and listening to her seductive voice from her soft, moist lips. Whoa, this could wind up sounding like a cheesy romance novel. As his strong, muscular arms wrapped around the curve of her long, angular back, their passion smoldered, as their eyes burned into each other and their mouths locked together in ecstasy. Okay, I will work on it. I don't think Phyllis is going to New York anyway. Jack couldn't bear it. He may think he will be happier, if she were far, far away, but their love for each other knows no bounds. There's no way he could forget the fire of his red-hot Red.
So, Jack not only appears to be losing the battle with Victor (what else is new), but even though he may not be aware of it, he's not winning with Phyllis either. Actually, I think he's in a no-win situation. If Jack gives Phyllis another chance, how can he trust her again? But if he is able to fight off his feelings for her, Jack will lose the love of his life. And how long will Phyllis' resolve and determination to get Jack back last? Jack's words cannot overpower his feelings for her, no matter how hard he tries. You know, when you think about it, this may be the only story, right now, that has nothing to do with Sully and Christian.
Hilary was still hot on the trail of a scandalous story to deliver to her GC Buzz viewers, and she refused to let snow, rain, heat, gloom of night -- or Cane and Lily's "little terrors" stop her from her mission. I hope Hilary's plans don't include being a mother anytime soon. I somehow doubt if that would be a priority in her world. It was funny when the twins noted that their Aunt Hilary had once been their grandma. I am sure she hated that reminder. While babysitting the kids, Mariah stumbled upon Victor's burrowing mammal, Curtis, who was ready to spill his guts to the public. I have a horrible feeling this dude may be a huge stumbling block to Mariah's successful career in news.
Fortunately for Mariah, Devon refused to use the footage Hilary filmed of the Newman Enterprises bombshell, since any (falsified) evidence Curtis could provide would clear Victor and incriminate GC Buzz...and Devon was in no hurry to go to the slammer. Unfortunately for Mariah, Kevin's rush to confront his friend about covering for her mother gave Hilary another story she could sink her fangs into. Hilary was out for any kind of blood, and she had no qualms about using her husband to get a juicy morsel. I can't believe Hilary tried to get Devon to eavesdrop for her by having him lip-read Mariah's conversation with Kevin. Oh wait, yes, I can believe she would stoop that low. Hilary doesn't care about the carnage she would leave behind after leaking out the dirt about such a private, personal, and tragic circumstance that was destroying a family. After all, if it gets the ratings, anything's fair game.
Later, Devon had a change of heart about airing the Newman Enterprises mole story, once Victor pointed out the error of his ways. After Victor promised to drop the lawsuit, Devon grabbed the first person available, Mariah, to break the news to the public. Rather ironic, huh? I was sorry when Hilary arrived in time to snatch the microphone away from Mariah. I wanted to see what Mariah could do. Just think -- GC Buzz could have had its own sensational, buzz-worthy water-cooler story with the dueling hostesses duking it out for top reign over the entertainment world. Maybe the feisty redhead could have given Hilary a run for her money. Now, we may never know.
Hilary didn't have time for that, anyway, since she had better fish to fry. Ooh, I can almost picture Patty's kitties licking their chops at that sizzling image. Hilary continued to show she was willing to do anything to get what she wanted, as she pretended to be the lawyer Paul had arranged for Patty, just so Hilary could get her scoop. And she got it, so I guess that worked. Hilary really crossed the line, though, when she related to Patty that babies were "precious like little kittens." Hey, don't use those adorable, cuddly felines for your lies and deceit, Hilary. That's just going too far.
It looked like Mariah might get her golden opportunity to have a successful career as an ace reporter, after all, when Hilary blabbed the shocking tale to all her viewers and raked in the glowing praises of her hosting prowess afterwards. Oh my, sharing Sharon's side of the story may very well backfire, and Mariah could unintentionally alienate her mother, causing Sharon to lose probably the only friend she has left in the world. Mariah's efforts could either help her or make Sharon even more of the town pariah than she already was. But seriously, Sharon didn't appear to have anything more to lose anyway.
Honestly, I don't see too much of a difference between this new and improved GC Buzz and the sleazy tabloid offered by the previous owners. Well, there is one difference. The previous owners would actually check their facts before airing a story, which is something Hilary never bothers to do. How could the "certifiably delusional" Patty be a credible source? She couldn't. However, Mariah could -- even though Hilary had spread the details of the sordid scoop before Mariah had a chance to accidentally verify them. Oh yes, Hilary will need Mariah around to pull the reins on her any time Hilary goes spinning out of control. Mariah's hands will, most certainly, be full of the bridle the majority of the time.
It didn't take any time at all for Chloe to "break a confidence" and tell Kevin all about the "whole baby debacle" concerning Sully and Christian. Chloe proves, over and over again, just how untrustworthy she really is, but Kevin and Chelsea blindly continue to put all their faith in her. What has Chloe ever done to deserve their trust and respect -- and especially their love? Kevin has always seen someone who doesn't really exist. Hey, in that way, Chloe is just like Sully. Chloe only started cozying up to Kevin again when she learned she could use him to keep her secret about Bella's father. Oh, my gosh, Bella's another child that doesn't know who her biological father is. Maybe we could start placing bets right now on whose paternal secret will be made public first: Bella's or Christian's? I'm sure that's one gamble Billy would love to make. What are the odds other children are facing the same dilemma in Genoa City? It seems to be an epidemic.
And Chelsea is crazy for trusting Chloe "with all her heart." Why does she? The only thing Chloe's ever done for Chelsea is to backstab her, to kidnap her son, and to run Adam down with a car. Chelsea must be desperate for friends. Well, her alternative would be Sharon, who hasn't been the poster girl for honesty and integrity, so what choice does Chelsea have? I don't know -- anyone but Chloe, especially since the deceitful lady probably had a hand in the possible death of Chelsea's husband. But Chelsea doesn't know that, of course. And as long as Chloe can continue to snow her supposedly BFF, Chelsea will just get buried deeper and deeper under Chloe's manure.
There's a new girl in town, and she happens to know Travis. Who was willing to bet that the lovely lass is the very same boss' wife Travis had an affair with to cost him his Wall Street job? Billy? Sure enough, it was Michelle. Billy may want to get in on this action, maybe in every sense of the word. She's a looker, and Billy's available, even if he has been alternating between hounding Phyllis' every move and stirring up trouble between his ex and her new love. One thing's for sure. The pretty lady will be a distraction in one way or another. Either for Billy or Travis. Or both.
It's rather funny how Travis went on and on to Michelle about his wonderful Newman Enterprises job and all the perks and about his amazing woman but then ran straight to a bar and cried in his beer to Noah about how much he felt trapped in Victor's orbit. Well, Travis could have avoided being sucked in by not accepting a position at Newman Enterprises in the first place. That is Victor's universe, and the Mustache is the sun circling over all of his globes. Noah was right that Victoria needed a confident, secure man to help her break free, but I'm not sure that's Travis, especially when, at the first sign of trouble, he knocked on the door of Michelle, who was dressed only in a towel.
It was so sweet and sad when Dylan talked to Sully of lesson 127, which was how to be a decent guy. You had to wonder what Dylan's first 126 lessons were.
Bravo to Ashley's new app sensation, Jabot Go, for women on the move. I love the idea of being able to apply makeup on a selfie to determine if the color is right before laying down some hard-earned cash.
Really...Hilary considered "Newman traitor tells all" a graphic that would pop and turn heads? It just seems a little mundane. That heading desperately needs some pizzazz.
Shoot, GC Buzz could have become a success just on all of the shenanigans Nikki and Victor have played on each other throughout the years. Sharon was right. It's been decades of mind games.
Could Abby already regret divorcing Ben?
Did we ever see Lily and Cane take midnight walks? That must have occurred off-screen.
So, Phyllis and Jack enjoying playing a game of strip chess? How sexy, although you could see in Summer's face that Phyllis' detailed rules of the game were a little TMI for her Supergirl.
Until next time, please stay tuned.
Teddi
What are your thoughts on The Young and the Restless? 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.
