In the nick of time

Billy and Stitch found Victoria just in time to help with the delivery. Colin prompted Devon for payment. Jill snapped a timely photo. Constance wanted more time with her grandson, 'Gabriel,' but Adam wanted a timely exit from his confinement. Michael wanted to spend more time with Lauren. Joe hoped that Avery would two-time Dylan. Catch all the news all the time in this week's Two Scoops.

"I let the fear get the best of me, and I lied," was Nick's explanation when Noah wanted to know why Nick had not ordered a second paternity test way back when and avoided the entire catastrophe of Nick and Sharon's non-wedding.

Curiously, Nick had rejected a similar explanation from Sharon when Nick asked Sharon why she had not told the truth after she had gotten back on her meds and realized what she had done while she was off her meds. All I can figure out is that Nick holds himself to a different set of standards than he does Sharon or anyone else.

I do hope that Nick comes to his senses as he takes some "alone" time. He promised Sharon "forever," and it seems like he turned that into "never" a lot quicker that he should have. Nick does have a very hot temper, but sometimes he cools down and uses his head for something other than a hat rack. If I had a nickel for every time Nick has cut Victor out of his life and then forgiven him, I'd have a whole lot of nickels.

I still have hope that Nick and Sharon's love for each other will once more prevail and they will find their way back to each other and their family. Nick is, at heart, a family man, and he will not be happy until he can be with his family. Nick needs to find a way to forgive Sharon so that he can get his family back and be the man he says he is. At least Nick showed some restraint with Grace, who is a sad, aging mantrap.

None of Nick's reasons for breaking his word to Sharon work for me. If he didn't mean that he would stand by Sharon, "no matter what," then Nick should not have said it. Since he did, he should find a way to keep his word, despite Sharon's actions, which I find no worse than Nick's. That Nick did not have consequences when he lied about the paternity results does not make Nick's actions any less wrong than Sharon's. A lie is a lie is a lie. I was taught that our word is all we have. Apparently Nick did not get that memo.

I almost called this column, "Bad Moon Rising," because of that spooky moon shot just before Nick got to the cabin and before scenes of Adam, Sage, and Constance in that creepy house. I mean, how Goth can you go? I kept expecting to hear a howl and then see someone turn into a werewolf. (Of course that might be more because I've been binge watching The Vampire Diaries with my niece, Rachel -- I did mention that I'm very suggestible didn't I?) Loved the cute dog -- no mistaking him for a werewolf.

Now that Nick is in the woods, who will he bond with, Adam, Sage, or both? It would be terrific if Adam meets Nick in the woods and they become friends. They could bond without Nick knowing that they are brothers. In the beginning, Nick said that he would never be friends with Dylan, but look at them now. I'm just saying that the same could happen with Adam if Adam, as Gabriel, met Nick halfway. Nick is, after all, in some ways just a big old puppy dog himself.

Maybe Nick will have a passionate interlude with Sage and take her home as his latest inamorata. Nick does have a thing for blondes. Well, technically, Sage isn't blonde, but she played one in her last role, so she could fake it.

Speaking of hair color, I frequently mention the heavy-handed henna use on the hair of various actors and actresses, but this time I was pleased and surprised to see Phyllis's hair turn from henna brown to a really flattering shade of red.

What blew me away was the change in Summer's hair color from blonde to red. I have to admit that it makes her look a lot more similar to Phyllis in appearance -- they really do look like mother and daughter now -- but it was a very abrupt change. Since no one mentioned it at the Abbott family party, and certainly Abby would, I guess we are supposed to believe that Summer has always had red hair. We'll have to see if recent family photos have been Photoshopped and Summer is suddenly a redhead (strawberry blonde?) on all the family mantels!

Now that Summer is all Newman again, she has to be wondering what might have been if she and Kyle had not been stopped from consummating their relationship. Was it in the nick of time, or was it an itch that will have to be scratched? I'm picking "scratched" and expecting Kyle to arrive home soon, now that the Abbotts are massing at the mansion. I don't really mind if Summer and Austin break up. Summer is awfully whiny, though I was glad to see her stand up to Victor and his gloating.

I'm becoming a fan of Mariah as she channels her inner Cassie. She's spunky and has a lot more in common with Austin than Summer does. Mariah is also good with Kevin. I enjoy their witty banter in the coffeehouse ,and I am delighted to see that Kevin is about to become an Internet sensation. If Kevin does reap fame and fortune, I wonder if he will still find time for his day job.

Time may be running out for Michael and Lauren. His cancer has progressed to stage two, and Michael has not told Lauren. That does not bode well. I would like to think that it is a cautionary tale and a health alert about the dangers of prostate cancer, but Y&R is restructuring, and Lauren looks great, plus she is terrific at being weepy and teary-eyed. She's done just about everything, so Michael's death would not be far-fetched. After a few days as a bereaved widow, she could be up and at 'em before we know it.

By the way, didn't Lauren look great in that white sheath she was wearing when she met Joe Clark at the club? I don't think I ever looked that good! I just tell myself she doesn't eat. (Or maybe, she is one of the undead -- along with Ashley!)

Time seemed to be standing still at both the Abbott and Newman parties. Both had very awkward moments. Jack was very uncomfortable as Phyllis gushed about their recent engagement. Uncomfortable was a nice change of pace from the "befuddled" expression that Jack has carried in his last several conversations with both Phyllis and Kelly.

As predicted, Kelly was little more than a speed bump in Phyllis' road to recovering Jack. When Jack left Kelly, he was determined to tell Phyllis that he had fallen for another woman, only to be quickly seduced by Phyllis and reminded that he had vowed "forever." Jack was putty in Phyllis' very capable hands. He promptly proposed with only fleeting thoughts of Kelly, who, I anticipate, will get kicked by Phyllis after she is down.

Kelly is not only about to find out the truth about Jack and Phyllis, but she is also about to find out that Stitch did not kill her father, so Kelly is going to have many of her dreams and illusions shattered. I suspect that she is one hot mess of unresolved issues. She is certainly unlucky in both love and life and has suffered a lot of loss in a short period of time. How much more can Kelly take before she cracks? Who among Genoa City's eligible singles will help pick up the pieces?

Ben and Billy finally stumbled onto Victoria just in the nick of time to help her give birth. And what a birth it was. No blood, no umbilical cord, and no need for anything sterile, or even hot water. Babies don't need hospitals on soaps because they are hardly ever born there. Closets, elevators, lofts, yes -- hospitals, rarely.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I think Victoria is being awfully selfish about getting that paternity test. I can understand not wanting to jeopardize the baby, even slightly, but I think that the test should have been done as soon as they reached the hospital. It's not fair to anyone to keep both Billy and Ben hanging on. The only one who benefits is Victoria, who gets all the attention from both men vying for her favors. Hmm, maybe Victoria has that Munchhausen's syndrome, where moms keep the attention on themselves, only without the "hurting their children" part.

It's great to have Eileen Davison (Congrats on your reality series, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) back and to see that Ashley is in fine fettle and just as take-charge as ever. She let both Billy and Phyllis know that she had no shame about meddling. It's easy to see that the apple does not fall far from the tree, at least as applied to Abby, who certainly knows how to poke a hornet's nest, as she demonstrated at both the Abbott and Newman gatherings.

I was really proud of Devon for calling Colin's bluff, until Devon caved in and gave Colin the money. What could have been better than using Colin to spill the whole hill of beans to Neil? That would absolve Devon of guilt for telling and would free Hilary. After all, how much can Devon really care about Neil if he's willing to sleep with his dad's wife behind his back? It seems to me that it would be a lot kinder to tell Neil rather than let Neil continue in his fantasy. It also seems that being blind should make Neil a lot more sensitive to his environment and those around him. Instead, Neil just seems oblivious.

The same applies to Lily, who is just plain out of sync with reality -- at least as it applies to soaps. When Hilary was on the up and up and really trying to do the right thing, Lily hated her and tormented her. Now that Hilary has reverted - somewhat -- to type, Lily has made Hilary her new best friend. When everything blows up, I'm sure Lily will have a few choice words, including the ever-satisfying, "I told you so!"

It was fast thinking on Jill's part to get that photo of Colin with his mob colleague and send it to Detective Harding. For once, the police acted in a timely manner and actually got the crook. Jill forced Colin to come clean, though he did not reveal that he had blackmailed Devon for the money. Jill proved that she had Colin's back, and Colin proved that he really did love Jill, at least enough to pay off his debt rather than let Jill be harmed. Does that mean that they will live happily ever after and retire to the Chancellor mansion attic, never to be seen again, except on holidays and special occasions or when the twins need a sitter?

Avery's ex-husband, Joe, seems to be working on a timetable that includes getting Avery back in his bed. I'm not invested in Avery and Dylan as a couple, so it wouldn't bother me if they broke up. Besides, who better than Dylan to comfort Sharon while she waits for Nick to come around again? Dylan, at least, showed Sharon some understanding, and I thought that what he said to her was spot-on.

Melody Thomas Scott is doing a really great job of playing addiction in a subtle, restrained way, but all the signs are there. When she looked at Victor's champagne, you could feel her mouth water in anticipation, like a vampire smelling fresh blood. I've known a few --addicts, not vampires -- in my day, and Scott has the behavior down pat. She's not through the worst of it yet, and I hope that there is more ahead for her character and Maureen, who is also well played by Meredith Baxter.

Where can Maureen go from here? Can she be redeemed, or will she be summarily dispatched to prison? Is it possible that Maureen is actually covering for Kelly, because as Nikki pointed out, "What kind of mother lets an innocent child go to jail for her?"

It's good to see that Victor has switched his loyalty back to Stitch, now that the truth is out. But how far will Victor go? Will he think it is okay to play God and stick it to Billy by influencing the outcome of the paternity test? I certainly would not put it past Victor to take an action that he condemned in another, if it suited his purpose.

Picky, Picky, Picky: was I the only one that noticed that Billy took one last look at Victoria and the baby through the window on a closed door before walking away, and then, about 30 seconds later, the door was standing open when Nick walked in? Bad continuity or hospital elf?

In parting, I would like to say that I believe Y&R has kept the promise it made to us last year when the show's honchos said that if we gave them a year, they would get the show back on track. I think the show is better now than it has been in a long time. I like all the recasts. Phyllis, Billy, and Adam are all doing a great job, and I couldn't be happier. I can always find things to pick at, but now, I can also find things to compliment, and that just wasn't happening at this time last year.

I would still like to see more creative writing that pushes boundaries and does the unexpected, but for now, it's fantastic to see the tried and true well executed by excellent actors who make me forget that they are acting. That's more than enough to keep me tuning in.

Until next time, fellow fan addicts, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving with family and friends, but not the imaginary kind, because Y&R is being preempted by football games. If you can't cope with that, then break out the imaginary meds, kick back with a soothing libation, and celebrate your blessings. Take care.

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