The father of all Father's Days

Marco smirked as Paul interrupted the Newman Father's Day brunch to snap the cuffs on Darth Victor and haul him off to the pokey. Adam watched as Billy celebrated the day with Connor and Chelsea. Devon asked Hilary to become Mrs. Hilary Hamilton and Nick asked Sage to move in. Dylan moved on with Sharon but still looked out for Avery.

Father's Day started out well enough for the Victator and family, but by the time brunch was over, Paul was hauling Victor off to jail in handcuffs, and Marco was smirking the smirk of someone who had just one-upped the master at his own game. Finally, chalk one up in the "win" column for hapless Jack, even if it was his doppelgnger who sealed the deal! I think I've mentioned before that I am shallow and wishy-washy, so after several of you took me to task for my last column, I considered the possibility that I had not looked at the positive aspects of the current story, only the negative, so on a positive note I have to say that I'm getting a lot of satisfaction at seeing Victor and Marco face off for higher stakes.

Victor was awfully calm when he told Marco that he could not be intimidated. I wonder if there is anyone who is actually like that in real life. I'd like to be like that: not flinching when someone criticizes and never ever being frightened or intimidated. Of course, Victor also shrugs off any facts that do not fit his version of reality, and that is not a good thing.

I have no doubt that Victor will eventually wiggle out of this dilemma with a slap on the wrist, as usual, but in the meantime I enjoy watching him squirm. There was really no reason for his greed to be so out of control that he would treat Jack the way that he did. I really hope that somehow, some way, someone finally shows Victor how it feels to be bullied and intimidated. I did think that when Victor heard that Jack Abbott was dead, he felt a moment of regret for causing Jack's death and ending a rivalry that had spanned more than three decades.

Marco, as Jack, didn't have as good a Father's Day as he might have hoped. He did get the satisfaction of seeing Victor carted off to jail, and Marco heard from Marissa, the love of his life, but he also got lots and lots of questions about his secretive behavior from Phyllis and had to tell more and more lies. Kyle was also unhappy, along with all the other Abbotts, to find out that Jack was claiming Gabriel Bingham as his son, and while all the Abbotts went along with Marco's plan to frame Victor, only Billy was comfortable with it.

Marco is a smooth talker, and I am sure that when Jack -- who is not dead -- finally catches up with Marco, Marco will convince Jack to team up with him against Victor, and no doubt Jack will, unaware that Marco is a cold-blooded killer. I'm calling this a guilty pleasure because I'm enjoying Bergman's performance, right down to the restrained bobblehead that Marco does when he's playing Jack.

In other Father's Day happenings, Nick was in an expansive mood after he and Sage decided to live together and raise their baby, assuming it's Nick's and not Adam's. I think the baby will be Adam's. Even if it's not, Sage will have some explaining to do. She has not been entirely truthful with Nick, and he has a right to know the facts. Just because Sage wants Nick to be the father of her child doesn't make it automatically so. I do like Sage better as a blonde than as a brunette, or worse yet, a henna head. Phyllis is the only "Red" that we need.

I doubt that Nick and Sage will last if the baby is not his. If Nick and Sharon don't try again, I think Nick and Phyllis might make a good couple. Jack may never forgive Phyllis for not recognizing that an imposter had replaced him. That could cause their trust to be irretrievably broken. As Jack heals from his trauma, he might even fall off the wagon and join Neil and Nikki. They could form their own A.A. group and meet in the Newman living room. Anyway, with all the changes and fallout, Nick and Phyllis could easily fall back into each other's arms, if they have something to commiserate about and no one else to turn to.

Father's Day was bittersweet for Paul and Christine. Paul had a quiet breakfast with Dylan and shared a moment with Christine about what might have been and would never be. Nikki offered a sincere apology to both for her actions, which were part of the chain of events that led to the loss of Paul and Christine's baby. Christine accepted Nikki's apology because, as she told Paul later, she was tired of being angry all the time. As Paul and Christine held each other, they found closure and peace in the face of their great loss.

It's not shaping up to be a great Father's Day for Neil either. Lily is going through a very rough patch with Cane, and Devon has plans to make the former Hilary Winters into Hilary Hamilton. I'm pretty sure that Neil will find some way to spoil that plan. Neil wants revenge, and I think he will find a way to get it.

I've criticized Lily several times in the past for her unreasonable shrewish behavior, but not this time. I liked the way that she laid the truth on the table and got to the bottom of what happened -- and why -- between Lauren and Cane. I think Lily has every right to be angry at Cane. Cane should have talked to Lily as soon as he realized that Michael was pushing Lauren at him. If he had told Lily, he never would have kissed Lauren because Lily would have been all over it. That kiss should not have happened anyway. Why is Lauren confiding all her personal problems to her employee instead of her sister, Jill? I never had a boss who shared personal problems with employees. After that kiss, couldn't Cane sue for sexual harassment?

I think Lily was right to accuse Michael of "pimping out his wife," and I have to wonder exactly what was going on in Michael's head. I was glad that Lily called him out when he tried to blame cancer, radiation, and painkillers for his behavior. "Been there, done that," to paraphrase Lily, "and there are two children you didn't think of either, so get a grip, Michael!" I want to see Lily and Cane stay together, if only because they have those rare children in Genoa City who are lucky enough to have known from the beginning who their parents are!

Michael and Lauren have been a couple for so long, and have worked through so much, that it would be a shame not to see them stay together. Lauren thought she was pregnant once before, so maybe she could seduce Michael then get pregnant so they could "stay together for the sake of the baby. Stranger things have happened to fifty-somethings.

Billy had a very happy Father's Day. First he celebrated with Johnny, Katie, and Victoria -- Billy and Victoria are definitely working their way back to each other, and I will not be surprised when they reunite. Billy Boy is such a thorn in Victor's side that I can't imagine Billy anywhere else except with Victoria. After brunch with Vic, Billy stopped at Connor's, where he took great pleasure in letting Gabe know that Billy would always be a father figure to Connor. Billy's displeasure upon learning that Gabe was Jack's illegitimate son was no less than that expressed by Chelsea when she learned that Gabe had been lying to her.

Adam is so conflicted. I yelled at the TV, "Tell her the truth, be happy together," but Adam just doesn't listen. Adam loves Chelsea and Connor so much, and he conveys it so well. Adam is afraid to be rejected. He won't open himself to the notion that when he looks for rejection, he will find it, and the possibility that if he looks for love, he will find that instead. Adam and Chelsea could have a love for the ages if Adam would just give it up and trust her. Like Chelsea keeps telling Adam, it's his lies that are keeping them apart.

There is still the matter of Delia's death to settle, and I am still holding out hope that Adam is not the culprit. I refuse to believe that Adam could have hit an eight year-old child with enough force to kill her and not enough to notice a bump or a thud. Somebody else did the dirty deed. Let's pin that on Jack's double along with all his other crimes.

After receiving an email with a lot of reasons why Sharon and Dylan made a good couple, I took a fresh look, and guess what? I might have been too hasty about dissing that pairing. Dylan and Sharon exchanged a silent glance and smile at Crimson Lights on Monday that melted my heart because it felt so real and natural. They might have fallen into couplehood a little faster than I would have liked, but I think they are going to make a good duo. I take back my earlier assessment, and because I am wishy-washy and shallow, I am not ashamed to change my opinion when someone offers me a better one. Thank you, Nancy. I am better for your letter.

Steve Burton finally seemed to be hitting his stride as Dylan last week. He was less ham-handed and more restrained in his performance. It was the kind of acting that I've been expecting from him. Dylan treats Sharon with the kind of respect that she needs but doesn't get from anyone else. Dylan shares a lot of characteristics with Nick and could make the same kind of father figure to a brood of kids that Nick does. Dylan would be an acceptable replacement for Nick in the family Christmas portrait -- at least to Faith, who is not so much bratty as traumatized. Now that Sharon is with Dylan, I wonder if she will still be banned from the family manse at future social functions. Of course she will. Nikki will be livid!

As I binge watched all five episodes earlier, I realized that I had misspoken when I referred to the writing as pedestrian in my last column. It's not the writing but the plotting that I'm not crazy about. (Thanks, Denise!) I actually enjoyed a lot of the dialogue. I laughed out loud when Summer, in an almost whine, said to Phyllis, "I haven't even dated, and I'm already a widow." How astute of her.

And after Lily took Lauren to task for kissing Cane, Devon tried to reason with Lily when he told her, "This is where you work out things with your husband." Lily's response, "I thought someone who cheated with his father's wife would understand." Devon was speechless. It also showed that Lily is not impressed by Devon's money. I did hate to see Lily cozy up to creepy Joe, but it gave Neil a chance to give the sober speech to Lily, who rightly pointed out that Neil had only been back on the wagon a few days and was really not one to give advice.

There was nothing unrealistic about the restraining order shuffle that Avery, Joe, and Dylan are doing. Avery got a restraining order against Joe, who has one against Dylan. As in real life, they were ignored. Joe was trying to get a reaction when he walked into Dylan's place of business and taunted Avery. Michael was there to witness and make Joe back off. Later that day, after Avery saw someone on her balcony, she called Dylan, who rushed over while Sharon called 9-1-1. Paul arrived with the troops, but without evidence, Joe could not be arrested. It's clear that Avery still has feelings for Dylan, but Dylan seems to have made his choice and told Avery so. Will Avery try anything else to get Dylan back? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, it's a good thing that Sharon's insecurities drove her to get dressed and go to Avery's place to look for Dylan. If she had not, Avery would have been alone when Joe again violated Avery's restraining order. Sharon was by Avery's side as a witness, and she was not intimidated by Joe like Avery was. Sharon forced Joe to leave, but he will be back. We know that Jessica Collins is leaving the show. Will Avery simply leave town and disappear, or will she be a victim of domestic violence, or will she perhaps shoot Joe in self-defense? (Jessica Collins was wonderful in her role and we will miss her. We wish her the best of luck wherever she goes next.)

In real life, restraining orders rarely stop determined abusers. The police try to enforce them but don't have enough manpower to handle the demand. Unfortunately, women are often brutalized and murdered by the men who claim to love them -- and yes, men get killed by their significant others, too.

I don't know about you, but I thought Ashley was back to work pretty darn fast after having brain surgery. Medicine has really changed. In the old days -- five or ten years ago -- Ashley would have had to have her head shaved, at least partially, and the recovery time would have been a few weeks instead of a few hours. Had it been me, I would have stayed home for as long as the doctor said I should, because loafing is more fun than working -- most of the time. I think four hours per day, three days a week, is the perfect amount of time to work. Unfortunately, I never found an employer who felt the same way, even when I worked for myself.

Another thing I noticed last week was how easy it was for Marco to type Marisa's name into a search engine, locate her, and get the details of the freighter explosion. I've looked for lots of people from college that I lost touch with, and I have not been able to find even one of them! Apparently they all just dropped off the face of the earth or else there's more to finding an average person than just typing their name into Bing or Google.

Happy Father's Day to all you gentlemen out there who have spent your lives as good husbands and fathers. I hope you get all the love, adulation and respect that you deserve. In other words, "I hope you get what's coming to you!!!!" LOL. Until the next meeting of Soapaholics Not-So-Anonymous, take care, fellow fan addicts, and remember you can never have too many friends, real or imagined.

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