Michael and Lauren – trouble brought them together and then nearly tore them apart. But, by rising to the occasion, and facing their demons head-on, they’ve been able to stay the course and emerge as one of the most popular pairings The Young and the Restless has ever had.
How Did Michael and Lauren Meet?
Theirs was hardly an auspicious start. Lauren found herself the object of Kevin Fisher’s obsession and though she helped uncover his villainous deeds, she also found herself wanting to aide in his rehabilitation.
Lauren found a willing partner in Michael and soon the time spent discussing Kevin led them to discover that something more existed between them. They agreed to go on a proper date… which was soon followed by another, and then another.
After a brief, but worthwhile courtship, Michael was ready to propose; but he decided that the simple and predictable practice of kneeling and presenting a diamond ring just wouldn’t do.
Instead, he had the Private Dining Room at the Genoa City Athletic Club outfitted to resemble a Las Vegas Casino and had the Blackjack dealer deal Lauren a pair of cards that read: “Marry Me.”
Lauren was stunned. And despite her evident love for Michael, it did take some convincing on his part to help her warm to the idea of marriage and utter that all-important, “Yes.”
The Young and the Restless: Trials and Tribulations
With preparations for the wedding underway, Michael set about reuniting Lauren with her beloved, though rarely mentioned son, Scotty Grainger. His efforts angered Lauren and the sordid saga of the boy’s earlier life was eventually uncovered.
Michael did his best to persuade Lauren that Shelia Carter, the woman who had abducted Scotty when he was a mere babe was long gone, all the while unaware that Sheila had actually ingratiated herself into Scotty’s life under the guise of college student “Brenda.”
Determined to undermine Lauren’s happiness, Sheila returned to Genoa City alongside Scotty and used the present he intended to give Lauren – a silver pendant – to poison her longtime rival!
Partners. in Crime
She also joined forces with Michael’s former stepfather, reprobate Tom Fisher, to help her halt the impending nuptials. Lauren’s poisoning did indeed cause a postponement, but the ceremony was eventually held – with the accompaniment of Grammy-nominated jazz trumpeter Chris Botti.
But wedding day success led to a wedding night disaster. As part of her fiendish scheme, Sheila had Tom plant a bomb on Michael and Lauren’s honeymoon yacht. When it exploded while he was off-ship, Michael feared that Lauren had perished.
Instead, she had been taken hostage by Tom and imprisoned alongside Sheila who had been double-crossed by her partner-in-crime. A daring rescue was enacted by Genoa City detective Paul Williams (co-incidentally, Lauren’s former husband). And while Lauren emerged unscathed, Sheila was presumed dead.
Lauren made her way back home on The Young and the Restless and revealed herself to Michael inside the church where her wake was soon to be held. Husband and wife tearfully embraced and prayed that their nightmare was finally over.
Further Third-Party Interference
But it was all in vain. After dealing with the riggers of a late-in-life pregnancy, and the premature birth of their son – Fenmore Michael Baldwin – they had to contend with the emergence of a fiend claiming to be Sheila Carter but bearing the likeness of Phyllis Summers.
“Sheila” launched a vicious attack against Lauren and abducted both Fenmore and Phyllis’s daughter as well as Phyllis herself. Upon recovering, Lauren managed to track her assailant down and shoot her dead! However, she struggled to reconcile her fear that she had killed the wrong woman.
Soon after, Lauren found herself targeted by Daisy and Ryder Callahan, the revenge-minded offspring of Sheila and Tom, who were being spurred into action by a woman claiming to be Sheila’s sister.
Sarah Smythe turned into Lauren’s exact double, thanks to plastic surgery, assumed Lauren’s life but a kidnapped Lauren was able to once again escape captivity and use a firearm to end an evil-doer’s reign of terror!
And yet, trouble continued to dog Michael and Lauren. During a particularly low moment, Lauren allowed herself to fall into bed with bartender Carmine Basco, who then developed a particularly unhealthy fixation on her.
Michael and Lauren – Present Day
Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin weathered that storm, displaying the same assuredness that they would use when confronting Michael’s stage-three prostate cancer diagnosis and Fenmore’s descent into substance abuse.
At present, the couple remain just as close – and romantically active – as they ever were. A fact that Kevin and Chloe are all too aware! The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes.
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