After years of making mostly meaningless small talk across the breakfast table with Jack's amour of the moment, as well as frequently extending the hand of homeowner hospitality to the husband of one or the other of his daughters (Brad being the mate choice for both, at least the getting to know you phase was easier the second time around), I guess John finally decided it was his turn to have a love interest parked conveniently on the premises.
It is believed, Gina, once she'd recovered from her devastation at being burned out of her restaurant, quietly vacated the guest bed John so generously provided and moved her meager belongings to a cramped yet cozy room at the AC. So John, having grown weary of wandering through the empty rooms searching in vain for someone to talk to, eagerly offered an empty bed to the distressed damsel who is undoubtedly a dire disaster waiting to develop, but in John's eyes; say it with me, fans; "is like a breath of fresh air." One has to wonder (and fan Wanda has done exactly that with her words questioning how someone as dim as John can run Jabot) how John can be smart enough to start and run his own cosmetic company, but wear wraparound blinders in most other matters. For instance, though Ashley often acts as if she's mere inches from insanity, her poor deluded Daddy hasn't even noticed and has no idea a dark Victor cloud has practically blotted out her marital sun. By the way is anyone ever going to tell John Victor's Abby's Daddy? Or will everyone just wait for him to ask why on earth Victor would be included at Abby's next birthday party? But getting back to Gloria, to be fair, I guess it really isn't that surprising she so easily eased the lambs wool over John's trusting eyes. Even the most suspicious person would likely never wonder whether the sons sitting across the dinner table from him were hatched or hired, nor could he possibly have foreseen the kind of dessert that followed that aborted dinner.
Unlike her dazzled Daddy, except when Victor's is the unsmiling face filling her viewfinder, Ashley can see quite clearly, and her disapproving look said she wasn't at all impressed with the woman perched prettily on her Daddy's divan. And if her nose pointing skyward was anything to judge by, she obviously found the scent wafting from Gloria's desperate pores anything but fresh. However, I suspect Gloria will easily hold her own against Ashley. Because now that John has opened the front door and invited her inside, I'm guessing nothing short of an explosion is likely to get her to go. Even when he discovers her duplicity regarding her $50 an hour sons, I'm guessing she will win his forgiveness with an explanation along the lines of "if you'd have known who my sons were, you would never have given me a chance." Am I the only fan who got a couple of chuckles out of Gloria's remark to Ashley that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree?" I presume she meant that as some kind of compliment, but in that particular case, she had no idea how wrong she was. I'm afraid it couldn't fall much farther even if her real father had picked it up and flung it a mile.
Well, our Elliott Hampton is quite a nasty little piece of work, isn't he? Calling on the mob to muffle Jill's mouth? Jill is edging ever closer to the well-hidden hatch hiding Elliott's off-shore secrets and has managed to convince Jack to help her. Probably growing just a little tired of his endless pursuits of all things pleasurable anyway, though he'd be loathe to admit it, Jack has jumped in with both feet. And now that he's been bitten by the Chancellor business bug, I doubt he'll be able to return to his carefree life of leisure. It may not happen right away, but obviously CI's current CEO's nanoseconds are numbered and once he's been handcuffed and carted away, there will be a cushioned CEO seat that must be filled. And who better to sit in it? Why Jack, of course, though he will probably insist his reign is only temporary, you know, just until a proper CI CEO can be located and lured. But my guess is once he's plopped his posterior in the big leather chair, he won't so easily want to get up.
Across town in another business office, although the way both Dru and Phyllis constantly conduct their childish games, I must use the term loosely, the rivalry continues. In my opinion, neither of these immature infants belongs in the business world. A better setting might be a juvenile facility for the eternally idiotic. At any rate, during the few business minutes they spent attempting to one up one another's idea for a bigger, better beauty pageant, the hissing heck cats scratched and yowled at one another, sabotaged each other's efforts and blaming it on fairies - backup disc stealing and meeting canceling fairies, respectively. Speaking of that pageant, fan Kathy wonders whether the pageant might involve the transformation of a certain woman of color, Genoa City's most well known social worker/probation officer, Lorena Davis.
Once the meeting canceling had been accomplished and the subsequent acrimonious argument concluded, Phyllis vacated her half of the office and headed to her temporary home next to Victor's horses. And how amazed were we when minutes later, Damon magically appeared. I must admit, I am extremely impressed with the man's highly developed mental manpower. All that meditating has really paid off. How else to explain how he divined that though it's the middle of the workday, a time when those wishing to keep their jobs are toiling tirelessly at their desks, Phyllis would be lolling languorously at home, primped, perfumed and prepared for a delightful midday dalliance.
Once the dalliance was done, the cooing couple returned downstairs to munch on months' old cereal and sip red wine. But their bright afterglow immediately darkened the second Daniel slunk through the door, chock full of rude comments aimed spitefully at Damon and disrespectfully at Phyllis. Now, I'll be the first to admit Daniel needed to be put firmly in his place for his attitude toward Phyllis, something Damon didn't hesitate to do. And while I also admit that everything Damon said was true and needed to be said; just my opinion, but he wasn't the one who should have said it. His intentions were good, but Phyllis is right; she's the parent, inept though she may be at it, and he should have left the correction to her. But he did give me my second chuckle of the episode when he earnestly advised Phyllis that under no circumstances should she allow her past to rule her present. Excuse me for a moment while I clean the wax out of my ears and rewind to make sure I heard him correctly. Isn't that exactly what the laconic lab man is doing in his own life? Though the rumors hint that might not be the case much longer when he supposedly opens up to Phyllis at last about his past. Probably something having to do with another rumor, that of a new man coming to town, presumably connected to Damon. Or perhaps Devon. Or maybe even both.
The spigot on Nikki's emotions was turned on full force this week and her tearful trip down memory lane made me reach for a fistful of Puffs more than once. As the week unfolded, I'm sure it slowly became obvious to every fan where Nikki's recollections were eventually going to take us. And I know I couldn't have been the only one saying, "No, no, as little Joshua's tiny voice said "I want to be the robber," knowing what was going to happen next. Now that Nikki has remembered all the horrible details of that birthday, how will she deal with knowing it was her diminutive digit that pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Joshua? Well, if she was Ashley, I'd expect she'd already be in full mental meltdown mode, Victor being the only thing capable of dragging her back to reality. But Nikki isn't Ashley, so she probably shouldn't hold her breath waiting for Victor to come to her aid. His mind is too full of Abby and Ashley to concern himself with Nikki's needs. Bobby, on the other hand, despite the fact that he's allegedly in love with Brittany, obviously isn't immune to Nikki's allure and is more than willing to help however possible. So what was up with that supportive little kiss he planted on Nikki's shocked lips? I can't say I saw her respond, but who knows what the coming week will bring. As fed up as I am with Victor at the moment, it would serve him right to lose Nikki and end up with spoiled, shrewish Ashley. As for Brittany, I can't believe she'd be completely heartbroken to have to cancel her nuptials with Bobby, not with J.T. ready to help mend her wounded heart.
For her behavior through the week, traitorous tart Ashley once again is the recipient of my derogatory darts. After going another ten rounds with Brad rehashing the same old Abby argument, no she didn't go to Victor, all trembly mouth and downcast eyes. "Oh Victor," she moaned. "I'll make sure you get some alone time with Abby." This immediately after her husband, the man she supposedly loves and doesn't want to lose, made it clear for the millionth time that under no circumstances would he agree to unsupervised visits. If Victor hadn't come up with an alternative plan, Ashley was fully prepared to go behind Brad's back in order to keep Victor happy. Victor, of course gets some darts of his own for the unsupportive way he's been treating Nikki. Why does she always get his harsh, uncaring side: "What is the matter with you!" But Ashley gets treated to glistening puppy dog eyes and oh so tender tones: "Don't you think I deserve to spend time with my daughter?" Oh gag me.
Fan Chris says: "I am so tired of the way Victor treats Nikki. I hope Nikki gets with Bobby. Victor has taken advantage of her for so long and she lets him. Some day she should just push him in the pool at one of the BBQ's." After I finished laughing, I had to agree wholeheartedly with her. I realize Nikki isn't overly willing to open her mouth and let all her secrets spill out, but neither is Victor making much of an effort to convince her to.
Lily lies comatose in the hospital, a result of Alex dropping the date rape drug in her OJ. Kevin was indeed hailed as the hero for supposedly saving the damsel in distress. Of course, it is expected Lily will make a full recovery, and will have yet another episode to add to her growing list of dumb decisions dealing with the opposite sex. Kevin might want to savor every drop of gratitude and grudging appreciation while he can, because it surely will not last. Not with Victor, Paul and Neil determined to get to the bottom of the date drug debacle. And we know from the previews that Alex isn't about to fade into the woodwork, never to be seen again. Looks like he's going to prove to be a very, very bad boy. This one is far, far from over.
So, are Lauren and Michael going to be the next super couple? Since Paul made it clear to Michael there have been no promises pledged between he and Lauren, the only thing standing between Michael and a love object of his very own is perhaps his brother Kevin. In my opinion, Lauren should leave Paul to his precious Christine, and move ahead with a real man. The kiss they finally shared proved both are willing.
There's definitely a lot happening on our favorite soap. I say, bring it on. I'm enjoying every second.
