Holly's punishment / Thursday (Read 212 times)

[André DiMera]

Holly comes downstairs. Nicole tells her to sit down, which she does. Holly starts to say something, but Nicole tells her that it’s her turn to talk, and Holly will listen.
Nicole asks Holly what she thinks the consequences for what she did should be. Holly thought she’d be grounded. Nicole wanted to make sure she thought things through, so she wasn’t coming at this from a place of anger or hurt. She talks about the purpose of consequences. She tells Holly that what she did, lying to the police and letting an innocent man be prosecuted, whether she was trying to protect her (Nicole) or not, part of Holly was trying to protect herself. If she had been honest from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened. Holly says she deserves whatever punishment she gets.

Nicole tells Holly that the first thing she’ll do is make amends with Tate. Holly thinks that’ll be hard, since his parents don’t want them seeing each other. Nicole tells her to write a hand-written letter, both to Tate and his parents. Holly says Tate already knows how sorry she is. Nicole tells her to remind him. She took months away from Tate’s life, and she’s surprised Tate’s forgiven her. Holly asks if Nicole will ever forgive her.

Nicole does forgive Holly, but she’s angry, sad and scared. She asks how long Holly was using drugs before she OD’d. Holly admits that it was a few weeks. Nicole asks where she got the drugs. Holly tells her that it was at school, but after what happened, she will never use again. Nicole hopes there will be fewer drugs on the street since the bust of Clyde’s drug ring. Holly didn’t think this could happen, since lots of kids have prescriptions for these drugs. Nicole counters that those kids have medical conditions, and she has no idea what she’s getting when she uses drugs off the streets. Nicole says Holly will learn her lesson in the hardest way possible. Holly claims she has, but Nicole asks if she’s used or had a drink since she OD’d. Holly admits that she drank at the christening. Nicole reminds her that she is underage, and alcohol is also a drug. Holly says Nicole was busy, and she only had two drinks very stealthily. Nicole thanks her for being honest, now she needs to be honest with her. She wants to trust Holly, but she’s just shown that she can’t.

Holly doesn’t get why Nicole doesn’t trust her. Nicole tells her that she clearly hasn’t learned her lesson even after almost dying. The only way to earn her trust back now is through time and hard work. She tells Holly she will go to therapy, not as a punishment, but she clearly needs it. Holly agrees. Nicole starts to say the therapist might say she needs to go to rehab, but Holly says “no”. Nicole counters that Holly just admitted to drinking shortly after being in a coma from OD’ing. Holly makes a snarky remark about how Nicole drank more when she was her age, but Nicole cuts her off, telling her not to throw her past in her face. Things were very different for her. She thought at the very least Holly would be contrite. Holly claims she is. Nicole asks if she knows what she put Tate through, being beaten up in jail. Holly says it’s not her fault E.J. went ballistic on Tate. Nicole points out that Tate tried to protect her. The only reason he was in jail in the first place was because Nicole said Holly would never take drugs and E.J. believed her. Nicole says the only way she’ll feel better is if she knows for sure Holly won’t relapse. She grounds her indefinitely. Holly says she has to see her friends. Nicole says she can see her friends here, then demands her phone and car keys.

Holly is shocked and refuses to give up her freedom. Nicole reminds Holly of who’s in charge. Holly says she’s been in a coma for months. If Nicole’s so happy she’s alive, why won’t she let her live? Nicole counters that giving up her phone won’t kill her. Holly says her life is on her phone, which Nicole says is a problem. Holly counters that Nicole didn’t think so when she was ten and had to walk home from school, order her own meals and buy her own clothes, so Nicole didn’t care about her at all. Nicole says that’s not true. Holly continues that she only lied so Nicole wouldn’t think she’s a bad mom, but she is. She started taking drugs because Nicole was completely checked out. She says her father died before she was born, and starts going through Nicole’s list of relationships. Nicole raises her hand, then puts it down. She holds it out and demands Holly’s phone. Holly and Nicole stare each other down.

Holly hands her the phone, but says she won’t give her the password. Nicole doesn’t want to snoop, she just wants to make sure Holly can’t call any dealers. Holly thinks Nicole is being extreme. Nicole reminds Holly that she was plotting to break up Johnny and Chanel. Maybe they’re not so different, since Holly always wants what she can’t have. Nicole says she loves Holly with all her heart and will do anything to protect her. She’s going up to bed, and suggests Holly does the same, then leaves.

Tate walks in and motions for Holly to keep quiet. They hug. Tate asks why Holly hasn’t answered her texts, and she tells him that Nicole took her phone. She hears Nicole coming down the stairs and tells Tate he has to go. He leaves through the window before Nicole comes back. She doesn’t want to go to bed angry, and talks about how things were when Holly was a baby, and they were in Italy. She will always fight for Holly and can’t bear to lose her. She wishes her good night, then goes back upstairs. Holly cries.

[Kpatch]

Nicole did a (mostly) good job keeping from reacting to Holly's accusations, and staying on track. Holly doesn't need standard therapy. She needs to go to an addiction program. Alateen or something like that. I really hope she doesn't go to Marlena, Tate's grandmother and Nicole's therapist.

[Trey]

I agree to a point... I don't know if Holly needs an addition program as much as she definitely needs therapy. She has issues she needs to work out. It is disappointing to see Holly throw Nicole's past as a teen/young woman in her face (as she was repeatedly raped on camera and plied with alcohol and drugs by her father so he could profit off her trafficking). But I digress...

I'm glad Nicole stood firm about the phone and a punishment.

I just hope that the writers don't re-write Nicole as an absentee mom.

[doolfan4life]

I think Nicole handled that brilliantly
Holly is a twit I don’t know what Tate sees in her

[mae00]

These scenes were so realistic. Nicole did a great job handling Holly and sticking to her guns. Holly, being the typical spoiled teenager acted just the way I expected her to. An angry teen will always use what info they can to try to one-up their parents.

I HATE that Tate lied to his parents about going to see Holly. The kid obviously learned nothing.

[André DiMera]

Apr 4, 2024 13:28:51 GMT -5 Trey said:

It is disappointing to see Holly throw Nicole's past as a teen/young woman in her face (as she was repeatedly raped on camera and plied with alcohol and drugs by her father so he could profit off her trafficking).

I have to wonder how much Holly knows about Nicole's early life. If she knows even half of what Paul put Nicole through, then her comment was tone deaf at best, incredibly cruel at worst.

Today's episode showed to me more than anything that Holly isn't really sorry for what happened. Not really, not in any meaningful way. Sure, she'll give lip service and say that she's sorry, but she's not. She's only sorry that she got caught. She comes in saying she'll take whatever punishment is given to her, but the second Nicole actually tells her what the punishment will be, she argues, throws a hissy, and then becomes downright nasty. Obviously nobody likes being punished, I get that, but this was more than that. I'm so glad Nicole didn't let her get away with it, though!

[Kpatch]

Great points André DiMera. I doubt she knows about Nicole's past as Misty Circle. I agree she isn't really sorry. She's a spoiled brat. I wanted to slap her myself (I'm glad Nicole resisted that urge by the way) when she asked if Nicole is ever going to forgive her, as if it's been years. It's been hours, if that. They are wearing the same clothes they were wearing at the christening for goodness sake. She's just not used to not getting her way.

[horizon]

Sorry to be contrary and I have never been a parent. But I have been a son. Eric GETS Holly. Her mother is estranged from her. I have no doubt Nicole would be terrific with her newborn, but she is no match for a troubled teen.

Granted Holly has been wayward, but Tate slipped in to see her just to show teens are often a bit astray. Goes with the territory.

But as a parent try to at least "FEEL" them. Nicole has NEVER connected with her daughter since she came back.

And cold punishment will get this where? I am not against barriers, but it seems to me Nicole may have made the problem worse.

I know Nicole is trying in her fumbling trembling way, but I think she is out of her league.

Which leads me back to a big problem I have with this show using frigging Marlena as the only shrink in town. I would like to see Holly go to an UNDERSTANDING shrink but the show refuse to bring in one. Jerks.

I did get a chuckle when Tate slipped in to see Holly. True teen truancy.

[mikey]

I thought these were great scenes. Holly is a brat, and Nicole isn't perfect, but it's complex family drama. I thought the exchange about the phone was so good.

[horizon]

Apr 4, 2024 18:18:49 GMT -5 mikey said:

I thought these were great scenes. Holly is a brat, and Nicole isn't perfect, but it's complex family drama. I thought the exchange about the phone was so good.

The exchange about the phone was telling. Holly was in a COMA, and it hasn't been that long since she didn't fess up and when she kind of tried Nicole would have none of it.

One learns from a punishment if it comes from a good place. But the end result of this confrontation is Holly thinks her mother is an impediment to her happiness.

Taking away Holly's phone the most PRECIOUS thing in her life, her lifeline, is akin to FIFTY LASHES. It is exceedingly painful and leaves marks.

So, my question is what pray tell will Holly learn from this other than a growing resentment and growing estrangement between her and her mother.

I suspect the biggest motivation for Nicole to lay down the hammer is she is afraid her daughter might further hurt herself with drugs and perhaps booze. Understandable for sure.

But dishing out a harsh punishment will not necessarily make Holly's life any safer. I would argue that it could very well make things worse.

I question Nicole's parenting skills and her ability to truly COMMUNICATE with her daughter. Holly is a problem child but not that much different from other teens suffering from angst and anxiety. 

Nicole is great with "her baby" (Jude) but dealing with a troubled teen is a whole new frontier.

And the other issue is the obstacles facing a child with one parent. Typically, with two parents, the youngster can lean on the one parent who is less harsh. Here, Holly has no one else to lean on albeit I think Eric is her best lifeline here and Nicole better wake up quick to that fact.

[ProudTVJunkie]

Those were great scenes and played out very realistically. Holly isn’t a bad kid at heart, but she is a spoiled, entitled brat. As Nicole said, I don’t think Holly comprehends what she put Tate, Brady, and Theresa through. She takes no responsibility for her actions. The second she learned there were real consequences, she blamed Nicole, EJ, and anyone else she could think of to keep the focus off her.

Phones and cars are privileges for a teen. My daughter got her phone at age 12, and was told that it would be monitored and could be taken away if we felt she wasn’t acting responsibly. Thankfully, that’s never happened. But considering Holly was getting drugs from her friends, I don’t blame Nicole for taking these steps.

Holly did her very best to manipulate her mother, but Nicole held firm while continuing to reiterate how much she loved Holly. Given the circumstances, I thought she did well. And I'm curious to see what kind of therapy Holly gets moving forward.

[horizon]

Spoiled teen I suppose but I prefer to think of Holly in different terms. Why is she the way she is, and I think Nicole has a lot to do with it.

I just don't feel Nicole is PROPERLY communicating with her daughter. Nicole has been unable to convey the kind of warmth that helps settle their children down.

It was Eric who picked up on her vibe and helped push Holly into confessing. That is very telling.

I guess I am alone at least so far with this thought path here.

[fluffysmom]

I'm glad Nicole isn't letting Holly off the hook easily.

[mikey]

The one spot where I have a little bit of sympathy for Holly (who, I agree, is an entitled brat and not learning a lesson in general) is that she went into a coma, and she woke up to this whole mess with her stepfather waging war against Tate. So it's not like she exactly set it all in motion on her own.