To thine own self be true

Ashland has confessed, and what a confession it was. Has the truth set him free? Did it help Victoria see the person Ashland had been? Did Nick have the right to delve into Ashland's past, and if so, to what end? Can Ashland's confession put an end to the speculation about his beginnings? Has Mariah been betrayed? Should Mariah be planning a future for three? Join our columnist who has questions, opinions to offer, and perhaps a speculation or two, in Two Scoops.

Shall we dive into the magnificent Ashland Locke's not-so-pretty past? Yes, let's, since it has been the most exciting thing that has happened on our beloved soap in the past little while.

Let's begin with Billy and his obsession about Ashland. He really is a dog with a brand-new bone to chew on. He keeps getting into people's faces and alienating them. When Ashland met with Victor at the Grand Phoenix, Billy had the audacity to suggest they get a table for three because he had a lot of questions for them. Needless to say, that didn't happen. Billy assured Jack that he was digging into Ashland's past to protect Victoria and his kids. I say nay; that's a crock.

Billy will never convince me -- or anyone else, for that matter -- that he is only digging into Ashland's past to protect Victoria. Despite Billy professing his love for Lily, he still doesn't want Victoria to move on with anyone. My guess is that no matter who Victoria's love interest was, Billy would be digging into their past, as well, to "protect" Victoria. Sorry, Billy, no one believes you. Billy told Jack that whatever he uncovered, it wasn't for publication. Again, it was to protect Victoria and his kids.

Billy has managed to get under my skin. There have been a couple of occasions where I wanted to jump into the television set and choke Billy. That's a rarity for me, since I have never been one to get that worked up over a character, but Billy has done a great job pushing my buttons for me to react like that.

How many people behave this way after they have divorced? This is just my opinion, and I'm no doctor, but I have found Billy's erratic behavior similar to that of someone who has bipolar disorder. He seems to flip from extreme highs to extreme lows. Could Billy have bipolar? Hmm. Something to watch and to ponder.

Billy told Jack he wasn't going to let Victoria marry someone whose life was built on lies and deception. I wonder what makes Billy think Victoria needs his permission about who she marries or who she spends time with. Because he and Victoria had children together, it certainly doesn't give him license to dictate her life choices. She isn't his responsibility anymore. Jack told Billy that Ashland had made a gut-wrenching decision about letting Harrison live with Kyle in Italy, but Billy saw that as Ashland giving more credence to his illness. Billy is skeptical about Ashland's illness, and, frankly, so am I.

Does Ashland really have cancer? I can accept that we haven't seen Ashland visit a doctor, and I can accept that we haven't seen him having his chemotherapy sessions, but what I can't accept is the fact that Nate seems to have taken Ashland under his wing to help him with his illness and that Nate hasn't been in touch with Ashland's oncologist to get a bit of medical background on Ashland so that he could have a better handle on Ashland's issues in order to help in times of Ashland's distress.

Next, we have Nick digging into Ashland's background, as well. Why? It's none of Nick's business. Nick and Billy are treating Victoria like a delicate little flower who doesn't have two brain cells that work. Whomever she partners with, it's her choice. She's an adult and doesn't need anyone's input or permission. Nick ignored Victoria's wishes to let sleeping dogs lie. He went ahead, and he dug deeper into Ashland's affairs. He certainly found a plethora of information, but was it worth it?

Did Nick fall down and smack his little head? Nick reverted to his self-righteous self, and he is sitting in judgment of Ashland. Nick has decreed that Ashland is unfit to marry Victoria. Really, Nick? When did Nick become the all-sainted pillar of the community and dictator of what is fit or unfit? Nick seems to have forgotten that his past isn't so squeaky clean.

Has he forgotten how he cheated on Sharon with Grace, Sharon's best friend? Did he forget he cheated on Sharon with Phyllis right after Cassie died rather than staying home with his wife to comfort her? That's just naming a little of Nick's not so pure past. Like Victoria, I have to wonder how Nick would feel if all his dirty laundry was thrown in his face to a new partner who wasn't aware of his past. I also have to wonder if he would be forthcoming about his past to a new partner.

Nick told Phyllis he didn't have any regrets about what he'd done. Who appointed Nick judge and jury? He has become unbending, and he refuses to see both sides of the coin. Nick has never been in a position of desperation like Ashland has, so he can't relate to that kind of self-preservation. Bobby didn't kill his friend. His friend, Ashland, had been pinned behind the steering wheel of a car he, not Bobby, had been driving. Bobby tried to rescue Ashland until the car became engulfed in flames.

Bobby had found himself in a desperate situation. He either remained at the scene and took the chance of being returned to his abusive father, or he needed to assume his best friend's identity. Desperate times called for desperate measures for Bobby DeFranco. I wouldn't have condoned what Bobby had done if he'd been living in a loving and stable home, but Bobby needed to make a choice; he either went back to the horror that was his life with his abusive father, or he stole his best friend's identity. If I had been in the same situation, I would have done exactly what Bobby did. His best friend was beyond help, and in that defining moment, Bobby DeFranco chose to become Ashland Locke, allow Bobby DeFranco to die, and create a new life for himself.

Ashland admitted that he'd been born Bobby DeFranco and that after the accident, he had assumed his best friend's name, Ashland Locke, and he'd buried Bobby DeFranco in that car wreck. I believe that 16-year-old kids who have either lived on the streets or in an abusive home have far more smarts than kids who have been brought up in a loving and stable home. Bobby had endured an abusive relationship with his father and an enabling mother. If the police had found him, they most certainly would have returned him to his abusive father. Bobby had to think fast, and he did what he had to do in order to survive.

Ashland became a successful businessman. What's wrong with Nick that he couldn't see Ashland as a strong individual who had created an empire rather than becoming a criminal. Nick had been born with all the privileges at hand, and what has he created? New Hope? I believe Nick and Devon used their own money to create New Hope. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on that account. Ashland created an empire that began with two television stations. I guess Nick felt he had the right to look down his pious nose at Ashland. Why did Nick think Ashland's past was any of his business?

Is Victoria taking all this in stride? I don't think so. She is a smart businesswoman, and Newman wouldn't still be a successful business entity if she weren't. She has a lot to worry about. With the Newman/ocke merger still incomplete, I wonder how it would affect its completion if Victoria called off the wedding. Hmm... I don't know much about mergers, but in this situation, I have to wonder if the wedding will go ahead just to ensure the completion of the merger.

Victoria is furious with Nick, and I can't blame her for feeling betrayed. She seems to be on the fence where Ashland is concerned. She told Nick not to fly to Tuscany after Summer's wedding. I loved the way she chewed Nick out. I honestly hope that she and Ashland remain a couple, but there still remains the question of where Ashland got the money to buy the two television stations from Camilla Rhodes.

After seeing Sonny return home on General Hospital, it occurred to me that there is a possibility that the money might have been acquired through criminal means. I believe that is one possibility, given Bobby and Ashland's background -- no money, no prospects of an inheritance, and being so young in that era, there weren't many ways of obtaining the kind of cash required to buy two television stations. So, what is Ashland still hiding? If that issue is ever uncovered, will he apologize once again to Victoria and tell her he should have told her everything from the beginning? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! I wonder who will uncover that little tidbit of information.

Has Ashland been true to himself? Did he really believe he'd had no alternative than to take his best friend's identity? I believe that had been his only recourse, under the circumstances. Should he have told Victoria about his past? Absolutely; however, she should have been the only one he told. I can't figure out why Billy, Nick, and Victor felt they needed to dig into Ashland's background. It was none of their business. They didn't do that with any other love interests Victoria had had, so why Ashland?

Sally has made herself very comfortable at Newman Media's fashion division. She now has her sights set on Adam, but Chloe keeps warning Sally to look the other way. Chloe has also told Sally to tone things down with Phyllis because Sally has already alienated half of Genoa City. Sally showed Chloe the dress she designed for Victoria. It apparently took Chloe's breath away, so who knows, maybe Victoria will wind up wearing a Sally original on her wedding day.

Chloe has been holding her own with the fashion platform, and she is keeping Sally more or less under control, but I see Sally trying to take over the platform in the foreseeable future. The situation should become quite interesting when Chelsea returns. I wonder which strong personality will win out, Chelsea or Sally. Chelsea wants to reunite with Adam. Adam doesn't seem to be interested in Chelsea or Sally.

Chelsea doesn't give up easily. She has noticed that Sally has been trying to worm her way into Adam's life. Chelsea is keeping a close eye on Sally. I don't think Chelsea has a chance with Adam, since he already claimed there has been too much water under that bridge, and they need to move on. Adam's focus seems to be on Sharon again. Shall we place our bets on the death knell of Sharon and Rey? I see that coming sooner rather than later.

Victoria and Ashland's wedding is fast approaching. Victoria is certainly not happy with the dress Lauren had designed for her. Chloe had been gobsmacked with the dress Sally designed for Victoria, but the drawback was that Victoria would never agree to chat about a wedding dress with Sally. Sally has alienated most of Genoa City, and Victoria is no exception. However, Sally is such a sneak that she will find a way to get the dress to Victoria without revealing that she designed it. Sally will find a way around that minor detail, I'm sure. Sally knows how to insinuate herself into peoples' lives, and she will find a way to insinuate herself into Victoria's. What's the bet, Sally will find a way to attend the wedding, as well. I will be shocked if she doesn't.

Chelsea, as always, has put her own spin on things. She didn't like that Adam told Connor about their separation without her being present. She claimed she should have been there. Chelsea knew that Connor had been upset, and Chelsea was up in arms because Adam had taken Connor to see Sharon for some counseling. Chelsea seems to be extremely paranoid. She believes Adam is poisoning Connor against her, when quite the opposite is true. I hate to say it, because I have never been an Adam fan, but he is doing a great job with Connor.

I also hate to say that I don't like this new Adam persona. If I had my druthers, I would choose evil Adam, who, in my opinion, was way more fun than this nonentity Adam has become. We no longer have any villains on the show. Where's the fun in that? Sally isn't really a villain; she's more of an egotistical flake.

This might be out in left field, but I am wondering if they got rid of Tara too soon. Yes, she embezzled from her own company, but so did Chelsea. Chelsea has been forgiven, and she never served any jail time for that crime. Why couldn't Tara be forgiven, as well? Tara is Harrison's mother. As far as I know, she is awaiting trial, and she isn't in prison.

Wouldn't Harrison benefit from having his natural mother around while she waits for her trial to begin, or has Ashland somehow arranged to bar her from seeing Harrison again? Not sure if he has that kind of power, but with all his secrets, who knows? She was a good mother; however, she did use him as leverage to get what she wanted, namely Kyle. Bringing Tara back is something to think about. She would certainly be a thorn in Ashland's side once he and Victoria were married. That could create a lot of angst for future episodes.

My heart goes out to poor Mariah. She is really having a major issue with postpartum separation from Bowie. She is adamant that having a baby of her own would fix what ails her and that Tessa should be the one to carry that baby. Tessa is at the highlight of her career. She certainly doesn't want to have a baby at this juncture in her life. Mariah feels betrayed by Tessa, because Tessa has spoken to Abby and Sharon about Mariah's knee-jerk solution after losing Bowie. Mariah doesn't realize that her hormones are still out of whack, and they are doing the thinking for her. Sharon's suggestion for Mariah to see a therapist was a great idea, and I think everyone would get behind that and help Mariah.

Tessa pointed out that Mariah's need for a baby was coming from a place of desperation, especially after she'd been kidnapped. Tessa told Mariah she wasn't ready to have a baby or become a mother. Mariah disagreed because bringing Bowie into the world changed her. She said she'd never known that she had that kind of love in her, and it was the love she wanted to give a child.

Tessa repeated that she wasn't ready. Tessa felt it was wrong to bring a child into the world because Mariah had a hole in her heart. Tessa felt in wasn't fair of Mariah to push her into something she wasn't ready for. I agree with Tessa. Mariah is desperate to have a child, but for all the wrong reasons. Mariah found a positive answer to every negative point Tessa made for her not to have a child.

What will Mariah do? There has been some speculation about that on social media, so let's do a little speculating of our own.

Mariah wants a baby. She wants Tessa to carry it, since Mariah has to wait a year before bearing another child. If Tessa goes along with Mariah's plan, who would Mariah chose to be the donor?

Obviously, her first choice would be Devon. He had been willing to be Abby and Chance's donor, so why not be her and Tessa's donor? Devon is part of a well-respected family, and perhaps some of Neil and Devon's love of music would be passed on to the baby. That would make Tessa very happy.

What a wonderful idea if Devon agreed to it; however, Devon is having issues trying to figure out where he fits into Dominic's life. He is Dominic's biological father, but that little guy will never call Devon "Dad." Devon wants to be a bigger part of Dominic's life, but he can only function in the role of godfather and Abby's close friend. Can you imagine how Devon would feel if he had another little one running around, with that child not calling him "Dad," either. I doubt he would ever agree to being a donor again.

How about Kevin Fisher? Mariah and Kevin had had a thing back in the day. Yes, Kevin is married, but he would only be the donor, nothing else. Kevin's background leaves a lot to be desired. He was abused by Terrible Tom, leaving Kevin a little fragile mentally, and Gloria never protected Kevin from Terrible Tom. Michael left that unhappy home, leaving Kevin to take all the abuse. The Fisher family background might stop Mariah from using him as a donor, since she wouldn't want any instability in her child. First, I can't see Kevin agreeing to becoming a donor because he would see that as a betrayal to Chloe. I also see a big objection coming from Chloe.

I think Mariah needs to put some more thought into this, that's my point.

I hope you have enjoyed my thoughts about what has been happening around our favorite town. I would love to read your comments and opinions. In the meantime, stay safe!Nel

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