Reflections by Jill - A Weekly Commentary for OLTL for January 27, 2009

I am getting very tired of watching Tea try to manipulate everyone, including Schuyler Joplin. Tea was just about to question him to try to find out if he knew anything about his mother’s dealings with Todd that could hurt Todd in court, when Antonio walked in and stopped her. Antonio tried to question Schuyler himself, trying to make Schuyler understand to what extent Todd would go to blackmail someone to get what he wants. Schuyler wouldn’t give Antonio any information, but we finally found out what he keeps in that locked drawer. It’s a letter from his mother that he hasn’t yet opened. Boy, wouldn’t Miss Tea like to get her hands on that little goodie. That has to be the proof that can put Todd away for good. So, is it safe to say that the “bad guys” will see to it that the letter never comes to life?

So, Todd is feeling remorse for the 100th time in his life and we all know how long these periods last. They last until he can come up with his next scheme. Anyway, he winds up at Blair’s door and begs to see his kids. He gave her a real sob story, telling her how much he needs his kids and how much he needs to be with the only two people left in the world that love him. Oh, would someone please cue the violins? When Todd has what he wants and his schemes are working for him, he couldn’t care less about his kids, but now that he has no one and nothing, he needs his kids. Of course Blair let him in to see the boys. One of these days she’ll learn. Oh wait, no she won’t!

I’m glad that Renee convinced Janet to come forward. She told Janet that she needed to tell the authorities what she knows about Todd’s plan to take Starr’s baby so that Marty can have some peace. I was glad that Janet agreed to talk to Nora, but let’s face it; will Janet live long enough to testify against Todd? I wouldn’t put it past Tea to find a way to get Janet out of the way. Bo and Nora aren’t satisfied that Janet provided them with the fake credentials Todd gave her to get into the hospital and steal the baby. They proceed to send Janet over to Todd’s house wearing a wire. Oh boy, who didn’t know that Todd would figure that one out in ten seconds? Todd was skeptical right away because Janet never had more than two words to say to him; she just followed orders. Now all of a sudden she was a little chatterbox, standing there threatening to turn on him and go to the police if he doesn’t pay her a lot of money. Todd admitted nothing on the tape; he’s way too smart for that and he didn’t waste any time ripping open Janet’s blouse to find the microphone. It’s too bad we can’t put John back in charge of this case. Maybe once Antonio is gone John will be convinced to go back to the police department. I hope so.

Anyway, as always, Todd had the chance to come clean and do the right thing and all he can do is deny everything to save his own skin. If Marty made him a changed man, there is something I am obviously missing.

Bo and Nora decide to go visit the principal at the high school and let her know that they found drugs in Matthew's book bag and that they came from the school. Matthew has finally figured out how to be the rebellious teenager he never was and after Bo denied him permission to break his grounding to go the concert at Ultra Violet, he goes anyway. I wonder how he thought that was going to end up. Matthew is going to be involved with a young girl at school named Becca whom he thinks is both cool and hot and she will try to get him into all kinds of trouble. How far will he go? And what will he do now that Bo has shown up at the club and removed him. He should have figured from his father’s reaction to him having a joint in his bag that it wouldn’t be pretty if he got caught disobeying his wishes. Matthew is being a “normal” teenager, testing the waters. Now the fun begins for his parents. The pressure of being the son of the police commissioner and the district attorney has put Matthew in a very tough position with some of the creepy little kids at school and he just wants to feel like everyone else. That was evident when he stole the pills from Cole’s locker after he questioned Cole about the pills and Cole lied and said they were antibiotics.

I can’t wait for Vanessa to turn on Cristian. It didn’t take them long to fall into bed together, which considering how much Cris knows he hurt Sarah is pretty disgusting. Vanessa is totally into hitting the sheets until she finds the letter that Ray wrote to Lola in her bag. Hey, saving her skin definitely comes before sex with her flunky, Cristian. She confronts Lola about the letter and it is obvious that Lola is torn as far as what she thinks about her father, but she appeases Vanessa by promising to come to her with anything regarding Ray in the future. Vanessa burns the letter and plays the dumb, confused, scared little girl when Cristian asks why she burned it instead of taking it to the police. Lola confiding in Tea doesn’t bode well for Vanessa, that’s for sure. This is all going to blow up in Cristian’s face and I don’t think I’ll be able to conjure up an ounce of compassion for him.