My head is still spinning. I mean, everything has happened so quickly. One minute, Chelsea was the ex-con who had changed her thieving ways and found true love, not once but twice. And the next, she instantly became a cold-hearted, conniving woman, whose only motive and ambition had been to hurt Nick. Well, according to Phyllis anyway. Phyllis even went so far as to tell Nick that he had at least seen Chelsea's true colors before they got married.
So, has camouflage been cloaking the real Chelsea during the last three or four years? Was she that good at deception that she could carry off such a diabolical scheme to get...what exactly? It seems to me that she was the one who ended up with nothing except Connor in the end. Nick and Phyllis agreed that Chelsea was not a bad con, only a bad person, but I tend to disagree in both cases.
While it's true that Chelsea was never Snow White or as pure as the driven snow, she was never mean or "manipulative" (picture Hilary's air quotes), and she had only grown through her love for Adam and then for Nick. At one time, when Chelsea was at her most successful with Chelsea 2.0 (I can still hear Ian's little ditty ringing in my ears), she was surrounded by love and devotion from all her family and friends. She helped others when she could and was available to lend a listening ear during their times of need. Chelsea truly cared about others. Shoot, even Victor trusted her and believed in her more than he ever believed in Adam or Nick, his own sons. Victor and Chelsea were partners in crime in keeping the secret of Christian's paternity, but for Chelsea, it was more to not hurt Nick or to tarnish Adam's memory than trying to pull a scam on anyone.
But once Phyllis painted her as the scarlet woman, suddenly Chelsea was this evil, conniving grifter, whose only purpose in life was to...wait, I'm still trying to figure that out. If Chelsea had been trying to return to her swindling ways, she sure wasn't very clever in going about it. She lost everything. Chelsea seriously needs to brush up on her con artist skills if she's going back to that way of life. Man, she'll never make it out in the real world now.
And it's not like she was defeated by Victor, whose soul can be blacker than black. Chelsea was beaten by Phyllis, who previously, on a good day, had been thought of as "an irrational crackpot full of conspiracy theories." So, then Chelsea hightailed it out of town. What?! That is what surprised me the most -- that Chelsea would just run away when the going got tough. She never would have dashed off in the past, so why would she leave now?
To me, Chelsea never seemed like a coward with a huge yellow streak running down her back. And if her motives weren't pure, as least her intentions seemed to be. Chelsea claimed to have stolen the money from her own company to protect Connor's and Christian's future, which would make sense, since we are talking about the Newmans, after all. Victor strategizes and moves his family members around his own personal chess board like pawns while he holds his reign of terror over them like a king guarding his territory.
That's why he wanted Nikki back so desperately. He had to have his queen by his side to appear to show her support. Really, who could blame Chelsea for wanting to protect the kids? (Apparently, Phyllis could.) Victor kicked his own son out of his life, when Nick was only trying to protect his mother. And as his grandchildren get older, Victor will be pulling their strings more and more, and there's no telling when they will be given the boot as well.
Chelsea should never have lied to Nick about Christian's paternity, though, and that is what did her in. But still, it all seemed so flimsy. That lie's been going on for ages, and she never blinked an eye about her deception in front of Nick. I guess in the end, her loyalty to Adam was greater than being true blue to Nick. Come on, she told Phyllis that Adam was Christian's father. And then Billy learned of it too.
Until then, no one but Chelsea and Victor knew the truth, and they both could have taken it to their graves. And they probably would have, except, of course, Melissa Claire Egan decided to leave the show, so the writers had to come up with something. It was just weird that everyone in town turned against Chelsea so suddenly, after everything she had done for them. Hey, what are friends for?
But Chelsea did show her true colors when she returned Christian to Nick and to the family that loved the child so dearly. The Newmans could have at least given her some credit for that. I knew she wouldn't be able to keep Christian from the only father he had ever known...well, when he was Christian, not Sully, that is. Chelsea loved Christian enough to let him go, and that showed that she had a heart of gold. When Chelsea said in her letter that her feelings for Nick were genuine, I believed her.
I hope Chelsea returns someday down the road. I genuinely think that Nick would eventually forgive her if she did, especially after he heard her heartfelt words on the video. Nick's always been the dashing white knight to the ladies in his life. Well, rats, there's another couple that I really liked that are now splitsville. But even if Chelsea doesn't return, Victor made it his sworn duty to ensure that Connor would be drawn back into the Newman fold. So much for the boy having a normal life without all the Newman drama. Connor would be so much better off if Victor never found him.
I was just thinking of the song "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper, only the colors Cyndi sang about had a different meaning than Phyllis' version. Ms. Lauper's true colors were "beautiful, like a rainbow," and we know that Phyllis sure didn't mean that about Chelsea. The blistering speed that Phyllis painted Chelsea's character as being as black as even Victor's was rather unbelievable. And it was even stranger that everyone just went along with her. Still, Sharon remembered the Chelsea who had helped her without actually whitewashing her, which wasn't really necessary anyway. Chelsea was not as dark and evil as Phyllis kept depicting her, no matter how hard she tried.
And Phyllis was still slapping the watercolors on the canvas when she stressed that Chelsea had claimed to tell Nick the truth about Christian's paternity to keep Phyllis quiet. Hey, I was there, and that's not what Chelsea said. She just warned Phyllis that if the former "Red" kept pursuing her suspicions, that little fact about Christian would probably come out. Chelsea wasn't as "deceitful, selfish, mercenary" as Billy said. At least Billy realized that something must have happened to make her so desperate to leave. It's rather strange that nobody even suspected Victor's part in all this. The man in black always seems to come out smelling like a rose.
Phyllis was probably tickled pink to have Chelsea out of Nick's life though. So, what was the motivation for her actions? Did Phyllis subconsciously hope to rekindle the flames of the romance between her and her ex? Was that why she suddenly turned on Sharon, another one of Nick's exes, which ended their chummy alliance? Sharon has learned the hard way that secrets can destroy the very thing a person is trying to protect, but apparently, Phyllis still needed to learn that lesson.
Both of Christian's biological parents are (supposedly) dead. I would think that even though Nick would be disappointed to learn that Christian was his nephew, not his son, he would have a big enough heart to love Christian as his son all the same. Sharon trusted in Nick's goodness, but Phyllis didn't. And Sharon would be the one to pay the price if she let Phyllis convince her to lie again to Nick.
And as much as Phyllis tried to threaten and tongue-lash Sharon, she couldn't keep Sharon's lips zipped. Bravo, Sharon! I seriously believed this was going to drag on forever (or at least, another two or three years), but now the cloud covering the huge secret finally has a silver lining. Nick can move on with the child he always thought of as a son -- only I'm not so sure he should move back to the Newman Ranch. Victor was already angling for control over Christian, and a move to the ranch would put him right in his grandfather's vicinity.
But Nick needed to be armed with the truth about Christian's parentage so he could be on guard for a sneak attack from Victor using that knowledge as a weapon against his son. Sharon really did the right thing in telling Nick. And Billy was absolutely right. Secrets do come out. It's just that soap characters have a tough time learning that.
I was so afraid that Y&R would pull a Days of our Lives stunt and have it all be a daydream (or nightmare, in this case) and that Sharon's big reveal to Nick had never really happened. Therefore, I was very relieved when she repeated her grand announcement. Christian's not your biological son, Nick, he's Adam's. Those words were music to my ears. But really, there was no need for it to be a secret any longer, since Chelsea left town.
Wow, I just sadly realized that there's no real need for Adam to return from the dead now with both Chelsea and Connor gone -- not anytime in the near future anyway. It's probably for the best, since filling Justin Hartley's shoes would be a hard way to go for any actor. Time can help erase the imprint Mr. Hartley left on the character, and maybe one day, Adam can arise from the grave. Wait a minute...Christian! There's still hope for Adam's resurrection after all.
What will Nick do now that he is single again? Nick, Sharon, Phyllis, and Billy would really make a bizarre quartet, lacking any true harmony. While Phyllis might be deliriously happy bouncing back and forth between Nick and Billy, I don't see any kind of spark at all between Billy and Sharon. Other than their one-time fling, I would never even consider them as a couple.
Sharon and Nick have always been close, and I wouldn't mind seeing them give it another whirl. And she and Nick did get very close again at the hospital, when Nick learned, for a fact, that Christian was Adam's biological son. I loved that he finally apologized to Sharon and understood just how tough it had been for her to give Sully up. Besides, Sharon's been on her own since Scott left town, and she's already proven she can exist without a man in her life.
That's another lesson Phyllis could stand to learn. The longest Phyllis survived without a guy was when she was in a coma. Sometimes it's better to have the blue ribbon of pride for being strong and independent on your own than to have the booby prize of some kind of boob. Just something to keep in mind, Phyllis.
And Phyllis sure appeared to be jealous that Nick was thankful to Sharon for telling him the truth. The thrill Phyllis had with Billy must be wearing off. Their sex games were probably more fun, exciting, and even dangerous, when they were playing them behind Jack's back. Phyllis must be ready for a new challenge, and Nick was in her sights. Otherwise, why would she rip Sharon apart?
Phyllis even blamed Sharon for being the one to hurt Nick. Hmmm...that honor should go to Sage, who lied about Christian's paternity in the first place. Chelsea just kept the lie alive. Thank heavens Sharon finally put a stop to it all. The truth needed to come out. And bravo to Nick for continuing to love Christian as his own. But I always knew he would.
Now, if Nick can just learn the truth about Victor's part in it. Maybe it's just me, but the slicked-back look of Victor's hair makes it appear darker. Of course, Victor's character has never been seen in shades of gray, anyway, so I guess the look suits him. Victor almost seemed willing to act innocent about knowing the truth about Christian as long as Nick allowed Victor and Nikki access to their grandson.
However, the first time Nick forbids them any visits, all bets will be off, and Victor will probably file for custody of Adam's son. Nick was wise to want to keep the truth from his father, but unfortunately, that cat was already out of the bag. And the feline will howl if Nick makes the wrong move. I couldn't help but notice that Victor was calling Nick "son" again. Some things can be forgiven given the proper motive or reward.
Since Nick wanted answers, it was worth it for him to make a deal with Anita to listen to Chelsea's words, even if hearing her voice was painful for him. Ironically, Chelsea helped Nick decide that his future home with Christian would be with Sharon, Mariah, and Faith. Oh, wait until Phyllis finds out about this! She will probably be at Sharon's home more often than she will be with Billy. Sharon may subconsciously want to be near Nick, also, but I doubt she is acting on a hidden agenda.
It appears more and more that a triangle of Sharon, Nick, and Phyllis will be forming, with Billy on the outside, looking in. I just hope that Nick's moving in with Sharon doesn't destroy their friendship. Hey, they have had worse things happen, but they still somehow manage to reunite as friends. And hopefully, it won't blow up their relationship for Faith's sake.
As Hilary searched for the gold medal choice of baby daddies, she eventually realized that she didn't even have a chance for the bronze. (And yes, that's a small reference to the Winter Olympics, which were fantastic!) And Hilary, being Hilary, wanted the man she couldn't have, which was Devon, who was still very much onto her. Thank goodness.
Okay, Phyllis had advised Hilary to prove to Devon that she had changed by showing him. So, Hilary went on the air and announced to the world that she regretted all the mistakes she had made to all the people she had hurt -- which was a ton of people, by the way. So, how is that "showing" Devon she had changed? It still sounded like a lot of cheap talk to me. Oh, I know. Hilary could have done as Devon requested by giving more power to Mariah for the show, as a grand gesture and as proof. Now, that would have been showing him.
But come on, Hilary's big apology was for Devon's benefit only, not because she gave a holy ding-dong about how anyone else felt. She's so phony. And the more Devon rejected her, the more Hilary wanted him. As desperately as she wanted a baby, Hilary called off her search because Devon was the only man worthy enough to fit the bill. Devon had better beware, because any baby he may create with Hilary could easily become another shiny tool for her to use against him. Hilary hasn't changed a bit. She only wanted a baby, because she's pea green with envy that Cane and Lily have Sam, even if Lily was still cautiously learning how to act as his mother. How on earth can Hilary prove to Devon she's changed when, deep down, she really hasn't?
It seemed Hilary did learn, maybe a little too late, what Devon had meant by "showing" him she had changed, because it finally dawned on her to do what Devon suggested and let Mariah be the solo host of The Hilary Hour. Devon liked what he saw and could envision Mariah as the now and forever host of The Mariah Hour. Really, it would serve Hilary right if she lost her job, and her negativity and childishness caused her downfall. But then a girl told Devon of St. Hilary's work as a mentor in an after-school program, and Devon immediately felt he had misjudged her. I could almost hear the cries of Devon's future baby with Hilary echoing in the background.
Well, Ashley didn't seem to be so red-hot angry at Jack when she talked to him about how happy she was at Newman Enterprises. It was more of a slow, rolling boil, where her temper could explode if her brother pushed the right button. If only Ashley knew that Jack was working with Victoria to sabotage her career at Jabot's competition. Then, Ashley would be ready to crown Jack and knock "Princess Vicky" off of her precious throne. And Ashley may just succeed in doing that, anyway -- either physically or figuratively at Victor's company.
While Ashley celebrated her success with Jack, Victoria had him pull the trigger on their plan. Ashley will never speak to her brother again if their plan succeeds. That would be the ultimate betrayal. Jack should be happy for his sister, even if her success is at "Mustacheville," not trying to ruin her career. Hopefully, Dina's distraction will cause Jack to forget to put his part of the plan in motion. I would rather see Jack decide he is a better man than to stoop to deliver such a low blow to Ashley's business reputation, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. If Jack and Ashley work toward the common goal of locating their mother, hopefully he will give up his diabolical scheme. After all, he wouldn't want to come off looking too much like Victor.
Well, J.T. and Victoria keep reminding me, over and over, why I never cared for them as a couple in the first place. They are as beige and boring as their son is. And they are terribly selfish and self-centered, especially when it comes to their kids. J.T. was outraged that the mother of his children, who all live in another state, wanted custody of their children.
And Victoria thought the best thing would be for her to interfere in their business, but actually, that's no surprise. Victoria didn't give a hoot about her own kids when she dragged a man that her children barely knew into their lives without any consideration about how they felt. So, why not strip J.T.'s children away from a loving mother whose only fault was to file for full custody of them, since J.T. had left and moved away? I don't blame Mac a bit. J.T. picked his priorities, and his children didn't even make the list.
I laughed when J.T. and Victoria decided that Mac could relocate to Genoa City. Hey, yeah, she should just change her entire life to suit the two of them. The sad thing is that's probably exactly what's going to happen. After all, poor J.T. didn't deserve it, forget about the kids. J.T. and Victoria sure have been stricken with amnesia when it comes to them.
So, J.T. was going to file for full custody to take Mac's children from her, just like he took Reed from Victoria. You would think Victoria would be sympathetic toward Mac, but no way. On the contrary, Victoria and J.T. were positive that Mac was starting the custody suit just to get back at them. Because in their little world, it's all about them. Sadly, it's become painfully obvious that it's not at all about the kids.
The only interesting thing about J.T. was his supposed investigation to get dirt on Victor through Victoria. I'm already ready for Victoria to find out and drop him like a hot potato. She really has changed. Lily was right. Victoria is just not fun to watch anymore. Victoria pretty much forbade Lily from being friends with J.T. What nerve. Just how long will J.T. want to stay with her when she's attempting to become almost a carbon copy of her father? But Victoria's insecurity is what separates her from her ruthless dad. It just makes her appear pathetic.
It was so freaky watching Mariah hug Hilary. It was almost like watching an episode of The Twilight Zone.
First, Phyllis badgered and threatened Chelsea, then she wanted dirt on Sharon to blackmail her. Phyllis must be bored. She really needs to get a life.
Nick told Victor that it was not the first time he had been disillusioned by a woman he loved, which was so true. Wow, Nick and Noah are more alike than they even thought. Maybe they should take up cards, since they both seem to be horribly unlucky in love. Billy would probably be willing to teach them a trick or two.
Until next time, please stay tuned.
Teddi
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