BB/YR: Sally Spectra, the Unintentional Heroine

[Meredith]

This character seems to haunt me on a daily basis.  It's not just her brilliant red hair, but also her energetic personality.  She came from nothing.  Her family wasn't rich.  Her parents worked at a carnival, and they abandoned her.  She never had anything handed to her.  She had to work hard for everything she ever got.  When she moved from LA to Genoa City, she actually reminded me of myself.  I also had to move to a new city after I finished college.  I was basically alone with no family, no friends, no nothing.  It is hard being on your own and starting from scratch.  I think this is why I empathize with Sally so deeply.  She's not perfect, but at least she acknowledges her mistakes.  She doesn't pretend to be anything she's not.  She has so much potential, and Courtney Hope is a damn good actress!!

 

Sally and Wyatt in happier times:

 

 

[Meredith]

SO SALLY CAN WAIT

 

Sally was practically living out of her car since Phyllis ejected her from the Grand Phoenix. Her new apartment was only minimally furnished and in a shabby part of town, so she spent as little time there as possible. She had moved to Genoa City for a fresh start, but Summer ruined all that by going to LA and digging up dirt on her. Sally wasn’t perfect, but who was? Certainly not Summer.

 

She decided to stop by Crimson Lights on her way to work. It was her favorite coffee shop in Genoa City. Once she tried their light roast coffee and gluten-free pastries, she was immediately hooked. The cafe’s owner Sharon was a pleasant person. A bit nosy, but pleasant nonetheless.

 

Sally ordered a large coffee and a blueberry croissant. She had an hour to spare, so she took a seat on the terrace. There was no one else in the entire establishment. Sometimes Sally wondered how that place stayed in business. Genoa City was so quiet compared to LA.

 

In between sips of coffee, she glanced at her email on her smart phone. Although she was Lauren Fenmore’s Junior Director of Internet Marketing, she felt very unfulfilled in her career. It was a step below what she was capable of, and nothing close to what she did in LA. The JCV job would’ve been perfect... if Summer Newman hadn’t snatched it from her.

 

So Sally would have to wait until the Fates decided it was her turn to shine. In the meantime, she had to bear Summer’s snide remarks...and what was that the other day? A slap, that’s what it was. Summer was a spoiled rich kid. Instead of taking responsibility for her own shortcomings, she had to blame all her problems on Sally. When Summer and her equally spoiled fiance Kyle ganged up on Sally at the same time, it just wasn’t fair. It was like David and Goliath.

 

Sally’s phone was acting up again. It was a cheap model that she bought from a discount retailer. She had heard some reports in the news about the model overheating and exploding, but she bought it anyway because she couldn’t afford an iPhone. Her phone suddenly felt very hot. There were actual sparks beginning to fly from the device. She tried to power down the phone, but she couldn’t because the off button was stuck. The phone quickly caught on fire, and Sally backed away from it in horror. Her fingertips were slightly burned, and blisters were beginning to form on her skin.

 

Suddenly, an athletic man with dark brown hair and chiseled cheekbones appeared from nowhere. The man wore an expensive black suit and matching dress shirt without a tie. He dumped a bottle of spring water on Sally’s phone. The menacingly evil device coughed and sputtered before it finally died. Sally collapsed into her seat and stared at the burned out phone on the table. The man who put out the blaze breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“Are you all right, miss?” he asked.

 

“I’m fine,” Sally replied. “Just a little bit cooked, but I’ll be fine.”

 

“Those things are total crap,” he told her. “Why don’t you get an iPhone?”

 

“I can’t afford one of those. I just moved, and I have so many bills to pay.”

 

The man sat down at her table and looked at her hands.

 

“You should go to the ER. Those fingers need bandaging.”

 

“I have to get to work. I’m already on thin ice. I don’t wanna give Lauren another reason to fire me.”

 

“You need to see a doctor. I’ll phone your boss for you.”

 

“Who are you?”

 

“Adam Newman, son of the great Victor Newman.”

 

“You’re Adam Newman? I’ve read so much about you in the news.”

 

“Well, don’t believe everything you read. Most of ChanceComm’s articles are just written to make me look bad. Billy Abbott hates my guts.”

 

“Don’t worry. I don’t believe everything I read. And just so you know, I’m not perfect either.”

 

“And who might you be?”

 

“Sally Spectra. I work for Lauren Fenmore. I used to be a fashion designer in LA.”

 

Adam moved to shake Sally’s hand, but then he withdrew the gesture when he remembered her scorched fingers.

 

“Well, Sally, I’m gonna take you to the hospital, even if I have to drag you there.”

 

“Wait, I need to get my purse.”

 

Adam drove Sally to the hospital in his black Mercedes. Dr. Dawson was the only ER physician on duty. She disinfected Sally’s burns and bandaged her hands. Sally wouldn’t be able to type for a few weeks, but she could still drive.

 

“I left my car at Crimson Lights,” Sally remembered.

 

“I drive take you back,” Adam said.

 

They got into the Mercedes, and Adam drove out of the hospital parking lot.

 

“I’m gonna be useless at work for the next two weeks,” said Sally.

 

‘From everything you’ve told me, it sounds like you don’t really like your job.”

 

“It’s okay, but it’s a step down from what I did in LA.”

 

“What if I told you that I could help you get to where you wanna be?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“My dad and I just started Newman Media. We have a fashion platform. You could use it to launch your own line.”

 

“I already had my own line in LA. It was called Spectra Fashions.”

 

“Then you could relaunch your line from Newman Media.”

 

“Can I just think about it?”

 

“Sure. Take all the time you need.”

 

Adam parked his car in front of Crimson Lights.

 

“Lauren’s been so good to me. I don’t know if I can abandon her right now. She needs me.”

 

“Do you wanna spend your life being someone’s assistant or pursuing your own dreams?”

 

“You don’t even know me. I could be a serial killer or something.”

 

Adam looked at Sally and laughed so hard he almost had a hernia.

 

“Some people might say the same thing about me.”

 

“I’m just going through a lot right now. I broke up with my boyfriend, well there was more than one actually. And I just burned my hands with my stupid smart phone. How’s that for an oxymoron?”

 

“Here’s my number,” Adam said as he gave Sally his business card. “Give me a call when you decide.”

 

“I might just take you up on your offer. There’s a lot of people who would be glad to see me leave that office. Summer Newman hates my guts.”

 

“She probably hates me a lot more than she hates you.”

 

“I’ll let you know by the end of the week,” Sally promised him.

 

“Keep your chin up, Sally,” Adam told her, “and don’t look back in anger.”

 

 

 

 

[Meredith]

SALLY CINNAMON

 

Two weeks, later, Sally was sitting in her usual spot at Crimson Lights. The bandages had come off, but her hands were still a bit sore from the burns. She wore white gloves in public, which made her look like a Southern Belle. Lauren had a spare iPhone and iPad that she gave to Sally after she found out about the accident. She promised to ease up on Sally’s duties until her hands were fully healed.

 

Sally was sipping a light roast Colombian coffee and working away on her new iPad at her table on the terrace. Genoa City was feeling really hot these days, but not as hot as LA. Sally could walk around in a halter dress without even needing a jacket. For the first time since the breakup, she had settled into a comfortable routine.   She was an ambitious woman who wanted to manage her own fashion house someday.  

 

“Hey girl,” a voice said.

 

Adam stood across from her table and smiled. He was wearing a navy blue dress shirt and black dress pants. He stuck both of his hands in his pockets.

 

“You never called me,” he said. “I was worried about you.”

 

“Sorry, I forgot. I’ve got a lot going on.”

 

“So how are those hands?” he asked as he sat down across from her.

 

“Still a bit sore. Thanks for asking.”

 

“Your hair is the most interesting color I’ve ever seen. It’s like cinnamon.”

 

“Thank you. You’re not too shabby yourself.”

 

“So what do you think of my proposal?”

 

“Can I give you an answer next week?” she asked him.

 

“Sure. I’m in no hurry. Take all the time you need.”

 

“Why are you so interested in my career and general well-being?”

 

“You’re a fascinating woman, Sally Cinnamon.”

 

“You like the Stone Roses, too?”

 

“Doesn’t everyone? British rock is the best music in the world.”

 

“Hey, I’m gonna get a coffee. Do you need a refill?”

 

“No thanks. I’m fine. Too much caffeine makes me nervous.”

 

Adam walked over to the counter and ordered a chai latte. He couldn’t make small talk with Sharon because she wasn’t working. A newly hired Navajo barista poured his coffee. He paid for his latte and tipped the girl generously. Then he ambled back to the terrace and returned to Sally’s table.

 

“Do you like watching me work?” she asked him.

 

“Yeah, I do actually. You’re such an interesting person. So animated and lively!”

 

“Are you making fun of me?”

 

“Of course not. I meant that as a compliment.”

 

“Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”

 

“I’m the CEO of my own company. I set my own schedule.”

 

“Well, I need to get some stuff done. I can’t concentrate with you staring at me.”

 

“I get it. You don’t wanna talk to me.”

 

“No, Adam. You just caught me at a bad time.”

 

“I’ll just leave you alone.”

 

“I promise I’ll call you next week.”

 

“Sally Cinnamon, you’re my world!”

 

“Okay, now you’re creeping me out.”

 

“Sorry, I’ll just let you work and go on my way.”

 

“Don’t be sorry Adam... I could really use a friend right now.”

 

“I thought we were already friends, or at least acquaintances.”

 

“We’re friends now,” Sally said and offered him her gloved right hand.

 

Adam and Sally shook hands before he left for the office. It was the beginning...of something.

Edited June 12, 2021 by Meredith

[Meredith]

LAY DOWN SALLY

 

A few days later, Sally’s hands were all but healed. She ditched the white gloves and began to look forward to summer. The season, not her arch enemy at work. On Friday night, she decided to go sunbathing in Chancellor Park. So she put on a green halter top and black lace-up shorts. She also packed a blanket, water bottle, and sunscreen. She found a nice quiet spot in the park and laid her blanket down in the grass. Then she turned onto her stomach and put on a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses. She lay there for a few minutes until she heard a familiar voice.

 

“So we meet again,” Adam said.

 

“Are you stalking me?” Sally wondered.

 

“Of course not. I didn’t even know you’d be here.”

 

“Sorry, I’m not in the mood to talk business.”
 

“Neither am I. It sure is a gorgeous day, isn’t it?”

 

Adam sat down on the blanket beside Sally. He was wearing a black pullover shirt and twill pants. Why did he always dress like Johnny Cash? When Adam smiled, he closely resembled Tom Cruise when he was in his prime. She knew she would never be able to get rid of him, so she might as well get used to the guy. The universe kept pushing them together for some reason.

 

“Can you do me a little favor?” Sally asked him.

 

“What is it?”

 

“I need you to rub this suntan lotion on my back. I don’t wanna get burned.”

 

“No, we certainly wouldn’t want that to happen again.”

 

Sally handed Adam a bottle of sunscreen with SPF 50. He removed the cap and poured a small amount into his hands. He began rubbing the lotion on her shoulders and then worked his way down her back. Sally would never admit to anyone that it actually felt better than sex.

 

“Oh, that feels good,” Sally murmured. “Can you do my arms and legs, too?”

 

“Anything for m’lady,” Adam replied.

 

Adam continued massaging sunscreen into the delicate skin on Sally’s lower back. At that moment, a perky little head popped out of the bushes. Summer Newman glared at the couple on the blanket in the grass. Seeing two of her least favorite people in such an intimate position made her skin crawl. She whispered “Ewww” quietly to herself and then walked away.  It was a match made in hell, she thought.  

 

After Adam applied sunscreen to Sally’s arms and legs, he sat down beside her on the blanket. She took off her sunglasses, and he stared into her ocean blue eyes.  Adam was starting to fall in love with Sally.  He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Suddenly he had an impulse to lean in and kiss her. It was a long, lingering kiss that lasted for almost a minute. She didn’t even try to stop him.

 

“What are we doing?” Sally asked Adam after they pulled away from each other.

 

“Come on, Sally. You wanted that just as much as I did.”

 

Sally crossed her legs and laced her fingers together. Adam’s smile was quickly fading away.

 

“I’m sorry, Adam. I’m just not ready for another relationship.”

 

“I thought we were having fun. Why do women always have to label everything?”

 

“We have to define things. It’s in our DNA.”

 

“Well it shouldn’t be. That’s stupid.”

 

“I just broke up with Jack Abbott recently,” she told him.

 

“You dated Jack Abbott! Isn’t he old enough to be your father?”

 

“He’s actually a very sweet man. We had fun together. He just had some trust issues.”

 

“Jack is such a hypocrite. He pretends to be a knight in shining armor, but he’s just as bad as the rest of us. He left my dad to die when he was having a heart attack. He even screwed over several members of his own family. Believe me, Jack is no saint!”

 

“Really? I had no idea. Thanks for enlightening me.”

 

“Actually,” said Adam, “I’m just getting out of a relationship, too.”

 

“I think we need to hit the brakes,” Sally told him.

 

“Are we still friends?”

 

“Of course. We just need to take it slow.”

 

Adam and Sally sat together for half an hour and just enjoyed each other’s company. They didn’t talk about business or their rapidly evolving liaison. Adam didn’t ask Sally out on an actual date, but he knew that their paths would cross again. It was Genoa City after all, a place where everyone knew each other. There was no anonymity. Eventually everyone became acquainted, or something more than acquainted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2021 by Meredith

[Meredith]

MUSTANG SALLY

 

Genoa City had an independent supermarket called Milo’s. It was the community’s best kept secret-- so secret that no one ever talked about it. Sally bought her groceries there once a week. She loved their deli and bakery. Everything was always so fresh and wholesome. She picked up her meat, bread, and vegetables for the weekend, which she paid for on her debit card. Then she left through the automatic doors and walked to her car in the parking lot. She drove a red Mustang that was still practically new. It was a smooth ride and very fuel-efficient.

 

She was about to get into her car when a black Mercedes pulled up beside her. Adam waved and got out of the vehicle. Sally smiled at him and waved back. They stood around and talked for a while.

 

“We just keep running into each other,” said Adam.

 

“Do you think the universe is trying to tell us something?” Sally wondered.

 

“Definitely. Hey, I didn’t know you shopped here.”

 

“I didn’t know you shopped at all. Don’t you have a personal assistant or something?”

 

“Nah. I was raised on a farm. Mom taught me the value of hard work. I do my own errands.”

 

“I thought I was the only one in this town who ever had to work for anything.”

 

“Well, you’re not. There’s a lot of people around here who came from humble beginnings. My dad grew up in an orphanage.”

 

“The great Victor Newman was an orphan? Well, I’ll be damned!”

 

“What about you, Sally? Do your parents live in LA?”

 

“I don’t know where they are. They abandoned me when I was a kid.”

 

“I’m sorry Sally. You must’ve had a rough childhood.”

 

“I did, but it made me the person I am today.”

 

“That’s one of the things I like about you, Sally. You’re a self-made woman.”

 

“I’m not as interesting as you think. I did a lot of things I regret. I moved to GC for a fresh start.”

 

“I’ve probably done much worse things than you,” Adam confessed, “and so has Summer.”

 

“What did Summer do?” Sally asked. “Did she hurt you?”

 

“I’d rather not go into it right now. Some things are much too painful to recount.”

 

“Tell me, Adam,” Sally insisted, leaning on the driver’s side of her car. “I need to know.”

 

“Five years ago, I was driving in a car with my wife Chelsea. We’re not married anymore, but we were still together back then when it happened...”

 

“What happened?” Sally grilled him. “Please tell me, Adam.”

 

“Chelsea was pregnant back then. We were driving in the car when Summer hit us. She was going through her rebellious phase.”

 

“What happened to the baby?”

 

“Chelsea had a miscarriage, and the baby died.”

 

“I’m so sorry, Adam. What a terrible loss for you and your ex!”

 

“In addition to killing our baby, Summer also stole a car.”

 

“What the hell? That girl is such a holier-than-thou hypocrite.”

 

“I know. So that’s why we barely have anything to do with each other anymore.”

 

“I'm glad you told me. I need to know things like this if we’re gonna have an open, honest relationship.”

 

“It feels better to talk about it—in a parking lot of all places. Thanks for this.”

 

“I gotta get home before my crab cakes thaw out,” Sally said. “I should give you my own card. If you ever need to talk, just give me a ring or shoot me an email.”

 

Sally handed Adam her business card and gave him a hug. He smiled at her as she got into her Mustang and drove back to her apartment. Then he went into Milo’s feeling much better than he had in weeks. He decided to call Sally later that day.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Meredith

[Meredith]

SALLY COMES AROUND

 

Adam and Sally talked on the phone every single day, sometimes for hours at a time. It was surprising how much they had in common. After a hard week at work, Sally told Adam that she needed to get away. Then he invited her to his cabin by the lake. He picked her up on a Friday afternoon, and they drove to the property in his black Mercedes.

 

“Thanks for inviting me to your cabin,” said Sally. “I haven’t been outside of Genoa City in months.”

 

“You’re welcome. I need to create some new memories in that place. The last time I stayed there was a total disaster.”

 

“Oh really? What happened there?”

 

“I had the cops banging on my door because I was falsely accused of something. It took two months and a trip to Kansas before I could clear my name. I got stuck in the middle of a tornado with my brother Nick. A roof collapsed on us, and we were lucky to make it out alive.”

 

“Wow!” Sally exclaimed. “That’s quite a story. I’ve actually met Nick. He seems like a decent person, but his partner Phyllis hates my guts.”

 

“Another thing we have in common,” Adam said with a chuckle.

 

Adam drove for half an hour until they reached the lake. The cabin was still in the same condition that he had left it in. They filled the refrigerator with some groceries that they had picked up at Milo’s Market. By that time it was almost six o’clock, so they had dinner. Milo’s crab cakes and Greek salad were the best. After they ate, they drank cocktails and listened to The Cure's Greatest Hits. Adam mixed a Rob Roy using his favorite brand of Scotch, and Sally had a glass of Long Island Iced Tea.

 

“So what are your favorite bands?” Sally asked him.

 

“Mostly 90s groups like Radiohead, Oasis, and the Stone Roses. Sometimes I listen to classical music to mix things up. What about you?”

 

“Not gonna lie. I love pop music. The first concert I ever went to was the Spice Girls.”

 

“That’s okay. I love that you’re not a music snob like me.”

 

“Do you wanna play cards? I’ve got a deck in my purse.”

 

“Sure. We used to play at lot of poker when I was in the fraternity."

 

Sally fished the deck out of her purse and shuffled the cards. They played Snap and Crazy Eights, both of which Sally won. Adam, feeling embarrassed about losing, convinced Sally to put the deck away.

 

“How about a show? I don’t have Netflix anymore, but I’ve still got a cable subscription.”

 

“Sure, anything but horror movies. They give me nightmares.”

 

Adam turned on the television to a cable station. The 1996 version of Romeo & Juliet with Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes was on. Adam turned up the volume and made a bag of popcorn in the microwave. He sprinkled it with white cheese topping and emptied it into a glass bowl. Then he placed the bowl on the coffee table and sat next to Sally on the couch.

 

“One of my Sigma Chi brothers used to blast that movie soundtrack through the chapter house," Adam reminisced. 

 

“I heard that they hated each other in real life—Leo and Claire," said Sally.  

 

“That’s why it’s called acting. Pretending to like someone you can’t stand to be around.”

 

“I’ve got a lot of experience with that. Maybe I should’ve been an actress.”

 

Sally grabbed a handful of popcorn and flicked it into her mouth.

 

“Why didn’t you try auditioning for a part when you lived in LA?”

 

“I was just more interested in fashion. It’s my passion.”

 

“Hey, the movie’s starting.”

 

The opening sequence ended, and the real movie began. Sally put her head on Adam’s shoulder, and they watched Romeo & Juliet. It was a contemporary interpretation of William Shakespeare’s play set in a modern city called Verona Beach. Sally loved the movie, even though she had already seen it. Adam sat through the whole show, but he didn’t enjoy it as much as Sally. He found it too girly.

 

When the movie was over, Adam shut off the TV set. He apologized for what he believed was a lame evening, but Sally didn’t mind it at all. She was too busy thinking about what would inevitably follow. There was a very serious expression on her face. She knew they were going to have sex.

 

“What’s wrong, Sally?” asked Adam. “You seem nervous.”

 

“This is it, isn’t it? We’re going to...sleep together.”

 

“Well, not if you don’t want to.”

 

“Of course I want to. I’m not a virgin. I used to be engaged.”

 

“I’ll be gentle,” Adam promised her. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

 

Adam took Sally’s hand and led her into the bedroom. She could feel herself blushing. She couldn’t believe it was happening, that she was allowing herself to love and be loved again. He picked her up and laid her on the bed. Then he unbuttoned her blouse and pulled down her skirt. She pulled his shirt over his head and unzipped his pants.

 

They kissed and cuddled for a long time before they finally made love. Then they fell asleep in each other’s arms. Sally knew that she had finally found her soulmate, and Adam was thinking of asking Sally to move in with him. He knew he would eventually propose marriage, but that wouldn’t happen for at least two months. In the meantime, they would just enjoy the moment and forget about the past because it didn’t matter anymore.

 

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by Meredith