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Marshall Watson (January 2nd, 1982 to December 30th, 1983)

Chemical Engineer
Formerly owned five percent of the perfume company, "Deesire."

Los Angeles, California

Married (Cricket Montgomery)

None

Lyla Peretti (Mother-in-law)
Bart Montgomery (Father-in-law)
Margo Hughes (Sister-in-law)
Craig Montgomery (Brother-in-law)
Katie Frasier (Sister-in-law)

William "Billy" Ross (adopted; with Cricket)
Suzanne "Suzie" Ross (with Cricket)

Elizabeth Ward (dated)

None

Ernie Ross was first introduced in January 1982 as a math and science tutor for Cricket Montgomery who was seeking her G.E.D., because she had needed to drop out of school because she had become pregnant during her senior year in high school the previous year. Ernie was an excellent choice for Cricket to choose as her tutor, because with a super intellect (he was only 5 years older than Cricket), he was already a chemical engineer. Although, with his superior intellect, Ernie seemed to have it made when it came to matters of pocketbook and science; when it came to matters of the heart -- Ernie was anything but an intellect. Not that he might not have had his share of women, with his blonde hair, blue eyes, nice grin and athletic build, but the eye glasses and geeky look of having a pocket protector, a calculator and clothes that were a couple of years dated (say 1955 or so), did not endear him to many women. A matter of fact, Ernie was still a virgin; his new teacher-student relationship with the very beautiful Cricket would soon change all that.

But actually it wasn't tutoring that was the first introduction of Cricket and Ernie. Cricket and Ernie were walking separately near Fashions, Ltd. and the place caught fire. What neither one of them knew at the time was that Cricket's older half-sister, Margo was inside. Luckily Margo was able somehow to scream out and without thinking of his own safety Ernie saved Margo. Both Cricket and Margo were grateful and Margo tried to get her stubborn sister to see how great a guy Ernie was -- but Cricket didn't care, the only man for her was a man who was already married and had just left town back on Thanksgiving 1981, Eric Hollister. She had even tried to pass off the kid she was now carrying as Eric's and not the movie producer she had gotten pregnant with back in Spring 1981, Cody Sullivan. All she would admit to Margo was that Ernie was cute, but rather geeky and not her type. Ernie was rather disappointed, so was Margo at her sister's stubbornness and ability to be cruel.

The tutoring continued though, with both Margo and their mother, nurse Lyla Montgomery recognizing how much Ernie was falling for Cricket. It was Cody's half-brother, Dr. Jeff Ward whom Cricket called when she went into labor. Arriving too late to get her to the hospital, "Uncle" Jeff delivered little Billy in Lyla's home. At the same time Cricket had also called Eric back to Oakdale from Seattle. Eric for sure thought that Billy was his, until Jeff and his lover at the time, Karen Haines (who also knew the truth) blew the whistle on Cricket and Eric confronted her and Cricket finally had to admit the truth the baby was the missing Cody's. Eric agreed to make sure Billy was okay with some financial obligation and occasional letters and cards, but he was now free to leave Oakdale and return to his new bride Hayley Wilson in Seattle.

While Lyla was having to deal with Cricket with a newborn son (therefore her grandson) in the house and Cricket's options without Eric running thin, Lyla was getting another addition to her family: Her son Craig was returning to the States from the island of Martinique, Cricket introduced Craig to her friend and tutor, Ernie Ross, and the men discovered they shared a common interest: chemical engineering. Craig asked Ernie if he could synthesize a formula that made men go crazy around women who were wearing it. When Cricket wore it, Ernie found her hard to resist (of course that could have been natural attraction, so they then turned to...) When the well off, Dee Stewart put it on, she was surrounded by swooning men. Dee told Craig she'd put up the money for the essence's production. Ernie would own five percent of the company's interest, and Dee's mother, Ellen would be the secretary. Another investor, James Stenbeck, suggested they name the perfume "Deesire." There was trouble in the company almost from the start because Karen Haines got her hands on the formula and blackmailed Craig into hiring her as his assistant. Dee, who despised Karen because Karen's mother Cynthia had supposedly stole her father David from her mother Ellen, refused to take orders from Karen and threatened to sell her shares, a threat she carried out in the summer of 1982 when Karen tried to manipulate to keep Jeff and Dee's sister, Annie apart.

Ernie continued to pine after Cricket, but she refused to see him. In April 1982, Miss America (Elizabeth Ward) came to town to promote the reopened Fashions, Ltd. and Ernie to try and get Miss Ward to promote "Deesire," asked her out on a date. Cricket got jealous when she saw them dancing, and she invited Ernie over for dinner. When Cricket tried to seduce him, he left. Later that day he was seen buying a book on how to make love.

Although Cricket and Ernie continued to put distance amongst themselves, it was becoming clear to all they were developing a romance. But Ernie was nervous about his lack of experience with the opposite sex and was afraid that if he acted on his feelings toward Cricket he'd do something disastrous. Margo Montgomery Dixon and attorney, Tom Hughes asked Ernie in the fall of 1982 to help decipher a code found in a hatband of drug lord, Mr. Big and helped a great deal in the case when he found the words "Bilan" and "Corsica" on the tape, which was important to Miranda Marlowe Hughes (Tom's new stepmother) who had up to that time been coerced by Mr. Big to work for his operation (Corsican referred to her one-time lover, Jacques and Bilan referred to their daughter, who had gone missing.)

In the spring of 1983, a tipsy Ernie Ross finally got up the courage to make love to Cricket, although he did call his friend Craig for pointers first (making Craig feel a little embarrassed about teaching Ernie how to make love to his younger sister.) When he saw Cricket in a sexy nightgown, he ran into her arms like a man out of control. The morning after, Ernie was bowled over by the discovery that sex could be so much fun, and Cricket was ecstatic as well. Soon, though, Ernie got a job offer in Los Angeles and they parted ways. Then Cricket found herself pregnant! For his sister's sake, Craig called Ernie in California, who was quick to return to Oakdale and propose. In the middle of their wedding, on Thanksgiving day 1983, Cricket went into labor. Determined to tie the knot, the couple completed their vows in the ambulance, with Lyla and the minister in attendance. As they were pronounced husband and wife, their baby girl (they named Suzanne or Suzie for short) was born. The new Ross family moved to California to set up house.

Cricket returned for a brief visit in spring 1984, after her brother Craig was taken to prison, but Ernie, Billy and Suzie did not return at that time, although Cricket told everyone they were doing fine.

Later in her life, in the 1990's and early in the 21st century, after her second husband Casey Peretti died -- Lyla visited Cricket, Ernie, Billy and Suzie a great deal. She always told everyone they were doing fine. A young adult, Billy Ross came for an extended visit in 2001 to 2002 and said that Cricket and Ernie were doing well, although Suzie was somewhat of a hand full (he was as well.) The last time they were mentioned was in a discussion between Margo and Katie Frasier (the daughter of Lyla and Casey Peretti's) in early 2003 (Margo had apparently had gone on a brief vacation to see Cricket, Ernie, Billy and Suzie and she said they were doing fine as well.