What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

General Hospital

Esme says she doesn’t know what’s sadder, that Josslyn taped her little spectacle to show to the world – Cameron says, they didn’t even know it existed – or that she can’t do a halfway decent job of blaming Esme. If Josslyn is so hellbent on blaming someone, don’t look at her, she wasn’t there. Why doesn’t she ask someone who was? She points, and they turn around to see Trina, who asks, what’s going on? Cameron says, what was supposed to be a private moment between him and Joss was filmed and made public. Josslyn says, there’s a video of her and Cam at the cabin, and it was just played in front of Professor Kahn’s class. Trina says she’s so sorry, and Esme says, is she though?

Harmony points at letters, and Ryan blinks. She says, he’s cold; she can get him a blanket. Doc comes in, and says, she’s Harmony, right? Harmony says she is, and he’s Ryan’s brother, Dr. Collins. She’s never seen him visit before. He says he limits contact with this brother whenever possible, and she asks what made him show up today. He says, primarily curiosity. He understands she’s Ryan’s primary caregiver. How would she assess his condition? She says, unchanged. He remains locked in, and communicates only by blinking. He says, so he’s heard, and says hello to Ryan, who doesn’t respond.

Maxie rolls the stroller to where Britt is sitting in the MetroCourt lounge, and says she hopes Britt doesn’t mind Bailey crashing their ladies lunch. Britt says, of course (🍷) she doesn’t. It’s about time she got to meet her niece. Maxie says, Baby Lu, this is your Auntie Britt, and Britt says she’s Bailey’s resident bad influence. She promises to send Bailey home all sticky and keep all her secrets. Bailey looks at Britt like she totally gets it, and Maxie says, speaking of secrets, can Britt forgive her for hers?

Laura sits with Sam and Drew, and says she think it’s their best shot at finding out what Victor’s agenda is. Sam agrees, and says, they just have to iron out the logistical issues. Drew says, Victor isn’t going to be easy to manipulate; their execution has to be flawless. Laura says, which is why they shouldn’t bring in any more people. Do they agree on that? The fewer people the better? They do, and there’s a knock at the door. Sam opens it to Dante, who says he was in the neighborhood and thought he’d drop by. He realizes she has company, and asks if he should he go back outside.

Ava lets Victor into Windymere, and says, what a surprise. He says he was hoping to share some tea with his nephew, and she asks if he’s talking literal tea or the gossip kind. He says, as fun as the second one would be, Darjeeling was more what he had in mind. She says, that can be arranged. Will she do, since Nikolas isn’t here? He says what he was hoping to discuss with his nephew, he could happily relay to his charming wife. It’s about Spencer. The poor boy is struggling, and he’s afraid she and Nikolas are making it worse.

Doc asks Harmony to tell him more about Ryan’s communication skills. She said he can blink out complex messages. She says, it depends on the caregiver. She and Ryan communicate pretty effectively with the letterboard, but it doesn’t go so well with the other staff. Nikolas comes in, and Samuel asks if he can help him. He says he’s there to see Spencer. Samuel knows who he is. His Uncle Victor hired him to look after Spencer, so why doesn’t Samuel go find his son? Samuel asks if Nikolas’s son wants to see him, and Spencer walks in.

Britt picks up Bailey, and says, there’s nothing to forgive, but Maxie says, Bailey is Britt’s family, and Maxie kept her hidden from Britt. Not that it was her intention. She was ready to have Britt deliver her. Britt asks how they could know Cyrus was going to try and kill her, and she’d end up on the run with Jason? Things happen; she understands. Maxie kept her beautiful niece safe, and now they’re both here. She’s proud of Maxie. Maxie thanks her, but says she hates the thought that Peter got his hands on Bailey at all. Britt says, it was ultimately Maxie’s quick thinking that saved her daughter, and Peter’s gone. They never have to worry about him again. Maxie says, but he didn’t take Bailey on his own. There’s another person out there responsible for taking Bailey, and they’re free as a bird right now.

Laura tells Dante, come in, and he asks what he’s walking in on. Laura says, a plot, and he says, sounds both illegal and dangerous. She says, it’s definitely risky, and the legality is kind of murky, so they’re calling this unofficial. Sam says, but necessary, and Laura says, it could be considered a matter of public safety, but it goes beyond her interest as mayor. She’s here as a mother and grandmother, and even thought the plan gives her pause, she’s committed to doing what must be done. Drew says, it sounds like she’s considering bringing Dante in, and Sam says they can trust him. Laura says she knows. Considering Dante’s position, she understands if he doesn’t want to help them, but she needs his discretion either way. He says, of course (🍷). He’s in. He trusts them, they trust him; what are they doing? Laura notices the time, and says she’ll let Sam and Drew fill Dante in on the details. Doc is waiting for her and she’s already late. Don’t anyone make a move without consulting her first. Drew says, they’ll reach out as soon as the plan gets solidified. Laura tells Dante, welcome aboard, and leaves. Dante says, the plan to do what? and Drew says, stop Victor Cassadine.

Victor tells Ava that he was visiting Spencer earlier today, and Spencer was devastated not to be able to visit his mother’s grave on the anniversary of her death. Ava asks if that’s now her fault, and Victor says, of course (🍷) it is; it’s entirely her fault. She brought charges. She says, Spencer stalked and terrorized her and her child, and Victor agrees it wasn’t Spencer’s finest hour, but he’s always felt they should keep family squabbles in-house. She says, what’s done is done; can’t change the past. He says he agrees, but you can change your future plans. She says, any plan in particular? and he says, now that she mentions it, he thinks she and Nikolas should rethink their vow renewal.

Doc says his brother appears unresponsive, and Harmony suggests he let her try. She asks if Ryan needs some eyedrops, and he blinks twice. She says, that’s a no, and Doc says, so his eyes aren’t dry. Ryan just has nothing to say to him. There’s no response, and Doc says, let’s keep it that way. He says goodbye to Harmony, and leaves.

Spencer tells Samuel, it’s okay, and Samuel steps away. Nikolas says he has to admit, he’s surprised Spencer agreed to see him. The last time he was there, Spencer told him not to come back. Spencer says Nikolas can thank his better angels for a change of heart; one angel in particular. Nikolas asks if this angel has a name.

Trina asks what Esme is trying to imply, and Esme says she’s just wondering. Is Trina sorry for Joss and Cam, or is she apologizing for something more? Trina says, like what? and Esme says, whoever recorded and emailed that video was in the cabin. Trina says, and Esme has the nerve to be pointing her crooked finger at her? and Cameron says, no one’s pointing fingers, but Josslyn says, she is. Right in Esme’s face. Esme says, once again, she and Spence left that night, but Trina probably doesn’t remember much. She was pretty out of it. Cameron says, there has to be an explanation for all of this, and Trina says, there is. Cameron and Josslyn were set up.

Britt says, Austin and her mom are convinced Victor Cassadine is involved, and Maxie says, yeah, but they can’t prove it. Britt says, yet. There’s no way her mother’s letting this go. Maxie says, Anna and Robert aren’t going to let go of it either, but she’s tired of looking over her shoulder and jumping at shadows. She just wants to relax, spend time with her kids, and with her precious baby girl. Britt holds Bailey, and asks how James and Georgie are feeling about their little sister. Maxie says, the bright spot in all this; they’re so in love. Britt says, as is Maxie, and Maxie says, it’s new. Anything is possible. She’s not going to rush things. Britt says she was referring to Bailey. Who is Maxie talking about?

Laura meets Doc at the MetroCourt, and he says he hopes her day was more productive than his. She says, that remains to be seen, and asks, what happened at Spring Ridge? He says, Ryan refused to communicate with him. He blinks messages that are understood by the caregivers and medical staff. In fact, he saw Ryan interact with his primary caregiver, but he absolutely refused to acknowledge Doc. Laura asks what that means, and he says, he’s not sure, but it makes him uneasy.

Spencer says, Uncle Victor urged him to be more receptive to Nikolas’s visits, despite his misgivings. Nikolas says, and Spencer listened to him, and Spencer asks why he wouldn’t; Victor listens to him. Believe it or not, Victor holds Nikolas in high esteem. Nikolas says he wouldn’t expect Victor to be his champion, and Spencer says, something else that might surprise Nikolas is, Victor’s never said a word against him. He always says family is what matters most, which is why it surprises Spencer that Nikolas never appears to give Victor the benefit of the doubt. Nikolas says his dealings with Victor is complicated, but he does agree with him on the importance of family. It’s why he’s here today, of all days. Spencer says, so he remembered, and Nikolas says, it’s been almost two decades since Nikolas lost his mother. It seems like it was yesterday. He regrets Spencer has lost so much in his young life, and Spencer says he’s lost Nikolas twice. Nikolas says Spencer hasn’t lost him; he’s lost Spencer.

Ava says, their vow renewal is none of Victor’s business, and he says, therein lies the problem. She and Nikolas want to live in their own private little bubble, and while that might be very romantic, he doesn’t think either one of them considered Spencer. It’s driven him to these sad, desperate acts to get his father’s love and attention. Ava says, Spencer wants to break them up, and Victor says, of course (🍷) he does. Why wouldn’t he? He has to watch the two of them so deeply in love to the exclusion of everyone else, including him. How does she think that makes him feel? She says, Spencer’s a young man; he’s not a child. And from what she’s seen, he should be less concerned about his father’s love, and more concerned about his own.

Trina says, only one person at that cabin was twisted enough to give a teddy bear with Ryan Chamberlain’s voice to an innocent child, and Josslyn says, or torch Ava’s car, leaving her murdered daughter’s hospital badge beneath it. Esme says, those were terrible mistakes, and Josslyn says, mistakes? Because Esme has regrets, or because she got caught? Trina says, and now everyone knows what kind of soulless person Esme really is, and Esme says, she messed up. She doesn’t know how many times she can apologize. She guesses forever, but suggesting she set up Joss and Cam is deflection. Trina says, when someone shows you who they are, believe them. Esme’s had trouble following her since she first set foot in Port Charles, and now she expects them to believe this disgusting stunt is somehow beneath her? Cameron says, let’s not do this right now, and Trina says she doesn’t want to do this at all. She’s sorry it’s making this harder on him and Joss, but Esme’s coming for her, and she’ll be damned if she doesn’t defend herself. Esme says, right. Trina’s not to blame here; she’s at fault.

Britt says, Austin? He and Maxie are a thing? Officially? Maxie says they’re officially trying it out, and Britt says she knew Austin liked Maxie, but after he pointed Bailey in Victor’s direction, his chances had dropped to none and never. Maxie says, Austin majorly messed up, but he apologized, and if you take into consideration how supportive he’s been, and how his quirky personality just cracks her up, she wants to see where it goes. Slowly. Super slowly. Britt says, after what happened with Peter, she’s proud of Maxie not rushing into things too fast. Very pragmatic. Maxie says her kids just got their mom back. She needs to settle in, and reestablish stability for them. Then there’s Deception. They’re coming up on the IPO, and she’s done nothing to contribute. So officially unofficial is the best she can do with Austin at the moment. What about Britt? Anyone new on the horizon? Britt says, same as always. Work keeps her busy. Maxie says, work always keeps her busy. What’s really preventing her from seeing someone?

Josslyn asks if Esme admits she’s behind this, and Esme says, in a manner of speaking. She pushed for the weekend getaway, and described it as a couples trip, which made Trina feel like an outsider. Then she asked those provocative questions during the drinking game. It was immature, petty, and she’s sorry. Had she known it would push Trina over the edge… Trina says, oh hell no, and moves forward. Cameron stops her, but Trina says, no. Not when Esme is talking all this trash about her. Esme says she had no idea Trina had issues with anger. She always seems so poised, but if Esme’s psychology class has taught her anything, it’s that sometimes people who seem so controlled, have an undercurrent of disfunction. Trina says, who the hell are you calling dysfunctional, you conniving bitch?

Nikolas says, he and Spencer both have a lot to answer for. They say, like father like son, and it seems accountability is something they both struggle with, but he’s sure of one thing. Spencer is the greatest gift of his life. He’d planned to tell Courtney that when he visited her grave. Spencer says, he visited mom’s grave? and Nikolas says he had some things he wanted to say to her. Spencer says, like what? and Nikolas says he wanted to apologize for failing Spencer, that Spencer would have been so much better off if his mother had lived. He wanted to ask for help. Spencer asks, what kind of help? and Nikolas says, help in being a better father to Spencer. He didn’t get to say any of it because Sonny was there, and in spite of everything going on with his own life, he was quick to point out the mistakes Nikolas made with Spencer. Spencer says, that sounds like Uncle Sonny, and Nikolas says he’s not Sonny’s biggest fan, but Sonny certainly cares about Spencer. So does he. Spencer says he knows, but what about Ava? Where does Nikolas’s wife fit into all this?

Harmony sits down with a book, and says she’s surprised Ryan chose Wuthering Heights, although she supposes it’s not a romance if you read the novel. It’s about the price of obsession, isn’t it?

Victor says he’s simply trying to promote family harmony, and Ava says, by criticizing her and Nikolas? He says, their desire to recommit themselves to each other is lovely. Actually, it’s inspiriting, but isn’t a vow renewal a chance to recommit themselves to melding their families together? How can they do that without including Spencer? Ava asks if he’s suggesting they call off the ceremony, but he says, no, of course (🍷) not, but it’s a family affair, and as such, surely they have to include the entire family. Ava says, she appreciates that sentiment, and don’t call her Shirley, but she and Nikolas want a drama free ceremony. It is, after all, still about them. Victor says, it is, but Nikolas and Spencer are in a very precarious position right now, and he’s sure she woudn’t want to widen the gap between them. He’s afraid a small, intimate ceremony would do just that. If it’s a matter of expense… She says, it is not, and he says, excellent. He gets up, and says, it’s all settled. She asks whatever gave him that impression. So please sit back down.

Dante says, Drew thinks Victor is after him? and Drew says, Victor tried to activate his conditioning a few days ago, and it didn’t work because he had the wrong tarot card, but it all fits. Victor was helping Peter because Peter promised Victor the means to control him. Dante says, to what end? He knows Drew has combat experience and skills; a lot of ex-military do. Why is Victor going through the trouble for Drew? Sam says, because he wants Drew’s memories, and Drew says, the theory is, Victor is going to activate his conditioning and order Drew to tell him something. Probably something from one of his classified ops when he was a SEAL, but it doesn’t matter, because Andre Maddox said those memories are gone; they cannot be accessed. Sam says, but Victor doesn’t know that, so they’re going to pick up where Peter left off, and let Victor think it’s still possible. Dante asks, how? and Drew says they’re going to supply Victor with the tarot card Peter never handed over. Sam says, and Victor is going to use it, and Drew says, whether Victor gives him an order or asks him a question, it doesn’t matter; they’ll find out what his objective is. Dante asks if Drew is sure he wants to put himself in such a vulnerable spot, and Drew says, absolutely. He wants Victor out of all of their lives for good. Dante asks how they get him the card, and Sam says, they’re still working on that one. Dante says, too bad they can’t just put it in an envelope and slip it under his door, and Sam says, that would be nice. She asks if Dante has any better ideas, and Drew says, in order for this to work, Victor’s got to believe he found the card himself. He wonders if Peter knew why Victor wanted to activate his conditioning, but Dante says, Peter’s dead. Sam says, Dante is a genius. She knows how they’re going to get the tarot card to Victor. Drew asks, how? and Sam says, Peter’s going to give it to him.

Esme says she had no idea that Trina was capable of hurting their friends, or she wouldn’t have provoked her. Josslyn asks if Esme is psycho or just stupid. She and Esme are not friends, and Josslyn wouldn’t spit on Esme if she was on fire. Esme says she’s sorry Josslyn feels that way, but Josslyn says, Esme’s not sorry for any of it. She’s probably actually enjoying herself, and why not? She obviously took a lot of trouble to set it up. Esme says, how dare Josslyn blame her for this; she’s not the one responsible. Cameron says, enough. Trina’s right, Esme is toxic. Get out. Esme says, fine. She’ll go. She hopes they both realize who their true friends are someday. She storms out, and Trina says, she swears, one more word, and she doesn’t know what she would have done. She asks if Josslyn is going to be okay, and Josslyn says, she just needs to pull herself together to leave this room. Trina says she doesn’t know who Esme thought she was fooling with that fake innocent act, and Josslyn says, she’s the absolute worst. How do they think it happened after Esme and Spencer left? Trina says, cameras have timers, and Josslyn asks if anyone saw Esme near their room. Cameron says he doesn’t know. He wasn’t watching her; he didn’t think he needed to. Trina says, sadly, she was out of it most of the night, and Josslyn says she wishes that night had never happened.

Britt asks if Maxie knows who she sounds like, and Maxie says, don’t say it, but Britt says, her mother. It’s a conspiracy, and during Women’s History Month no less, or doesn’t she care? Maxie says, of course (🍷) she cares. She’s the mother of two daughters. Britt says, then Maxie should know how important it is for women to blaze their own trails, reach their own goals, follow their own passion. History isn’t made by women desperate to be in a relationship; it’s made by women who see the bigger picture. Maxie says she’s all for blazing trails and following passions, but she thinks love can be part of the equation. When was the last time Britt went on a date? Britt says she’s had no time. She had to expose Cyrus. Maxie says, he’s been in prison for months, and Britt says, then she had to go to Greece and rescue her mother. Maxie says, she’s home, and in love with Scotty. Britt says, then the whole Peter thing… and Maxie says, that’s defunct, departed; next. Britt says she works a lot. Unless she dates a patient or another doctor, it’s slim pickings. Maxie asks if she’s thought of a matchmaking service, and Britt says, Maxie is working with her mother. Maxie says she just wants Britt to be happy, and Britt asks if anyone is really happy. Maxie says, that’s dark, very dark.

Doc asks how Laura’s meeting went, and she says, they have a plan in the works. All they really need is confirmation of what they suspect, that Victor had a hand in Luke’s death, and also in the abduction of Maxie’s baby. He also seems to have an interest in Drew. Doc asks if she thinks this plan could lead to Victor’s arrest, and she says, probably not. He’s got a real talent for evading justice, but right now she’d settle for getting him out of Port Charles; getting him away from Spencer and Nikolas. He asks if Ava is on board, and Laura says, she is. They’re putting together a small army; all eyes on Victor. All they need is to come up with the right bait, and then they can trip him up for good.

Victor says, as Ava wishes, and sits back down. He didn’t mean to jump the gun. She says she appreciates his concerns and takes them to heart, but if he expects her to unilaterally make a decision about their ceremony, he’s out of luck. She and Nikolas will decide what’s best together. He says, that’s the tragedy of us Cassadines. We’re either fiercely loyal or at each other’s throats, and never the twain. And that plays right into their enemies’ hands. She asks if he doesn’t think that’s a bit grandiose, and he says, maybe, but he’s been a Cassadine a lot longer than she has, and there are always those who wish to thwart them., to undermine their power, and feed off their disunity. Stavros, Mikkos, Helena, all tried and failed to unify them as a family, but he’s determined to change that. That’s why he’s been cultivating a relationship with his son Valentin, as well as working to end the rift between Nikolas and his son. That’s why he’s always there to help Nikolas in times of trouble. Ava flashes back to talking to Laura about getting Victor to lower his guard enough to confide in her. Victor says, he has big plans for this family, and he needs her help. She says, with what? What are these big plans?

Harmony says, if you go by pop culture, Heathcliff is the hero, but if you dive into the book, he’s vengeful and obsessive. Nikolas tells Spencer that Ava knows he’s here. She encouraged him to come, despite what Spencer’s done to her. She won’t not stand in the way of their relationship. Today was a painful reminder that Spencer’s already lost one parent; the other one is right here, hoping Spencer will give him a chance to make things right between them. What does he say? Can he find a way to put the past aside, and can they start fresh? Spencer says, Nikolas didn’t get to say what he wanted at Courtney’s grave, but he thinks she heard him now, and he feels she would want him to say – Esme walks in – yes. Esme says, this is the best thing she’s seen all day, or at least a close second. Nikolas says he’ll be back to visit next week. Maybe when Spencer is out, they can properly celebrate his birthday. Nikolas squeezes Spencer’s shoulder and leaves, and Esme says she didn’t mean to run him off. Spencer says, she heard him; he’ll be back. She says she’s glad, and he says he’s glad she’s back. It gives him a chance to make things right with her. He’s sorry he was so thoughtless about the loss of her parents. She says, it’s forgotten. She didn’t have the best relationship with her adoptive parents. Her grief is nothing compared to his. He never even got the opportunity to know his mother. He says he’s so grateful she understands, and he understands she’s sensitive where Trina is concerned. He won’t bring Trina up so much from now on. She says she’s not sensitive when it comes to Trina. She’s just on to her.

Victor says, the only plan that matters is Ava’s vow renewal, and she says, to be clear, she does know the value of family, and considers herself a Cassadine just as much as a Jerome. He says he didn’t mean to imply otherwise, and she says, if opening their special ceremony to the family will mark a new start, she’s all in, but only if Nikolas agrees. In perfect soap timing, Nikolas walks in, and says, agrees to what? Victor says, he and Nikolas’s lovely bride were having tea. Please do join them. They were discussing the possibility of opening their vow renewal to the entire family. Nikolas says he thought they decided on just the two of them, and Ava says, they had, but his uncle got her wondering if it’s the right way to go. Wasn’t she just saying earlier how important family is, and they’ve got to make an effort? They could start by inviting Spencer. He may not come, but they can extend the invitation. Victor says he’ll be glad to do his part in bringing the lad around, and Nikolas says, Victor does seem to have a lot of pull with his son. Victor asks if that’s a  problem, and Nikolas says, it worked in his favor today. He and Spencer are in a better place than they’ve ever been. Victor says he feels Nikolas is still uncomfortable with his and Spencer’s relationship, but Nikolas says, he has no issue in Victor getting to know Spencer. What worries him is what Spencer might discover about Victor. For instance, none of them initially knew Victor was in league with Peter. Is he hiding anything else? Victor says, certainly. If Nikolas is concerned he has an ulterior motive, he most certainly does.

Sam says, Peter had personal effects, items that were with him at the time of his death? And Dante says, they would have been collected off him; it’s standard procedure. Drew asks, who would have that stuff now? and Dante says, the WSB. Sam says, as evidence? and Dante says, at first, but then they would have gone through it, and passed it on to his next of kin. Drew says, Bailey, by way of Maxie, and Sam says, they have to make that known to Victor. Dante says, so Victor goes through Peter’s belongings, thinking the card he can use to control Drew is among them, and Drew says, he’s a genius. Sam says, they have to get access to Peter’s things, and plant the tarot card in there, and hope Victor finds it. Does Dante know anyone who would be able to help them? He says he might. He’ll make a call.

Doc asks if Laura has shared her suspicions with Tracy, but Laura says, no; she’s too much of a wild card. Anna is going to Austria, and she’s sure Anna will uncover the truth about Luke’s death. He says, so she has full confidence in Anna, and she says, absolutely. He says, but she still wants to go to Austria herself.

Spencer asks what Esme means by she’s on to Trina? and she says, every time she turns around, Trina is trying to get close to him. He says, this is what he was trying to avoid, and she says, don’t you dare try to tell me I’m making it up. She’s seen the stolen glances, Trina holding his hand at Kelly’s, the secret meeting at the gallery before he came here, and her Valentine’s Day present. He says, it wasn’t intended as a Valentine, and she says, he and Trina have an intimate relationship; they share secrets. He flashes back to meeting Trina in the cemetery, and says, they’re just friends. She says, Joss and Cam thought Trina was their friend until she recorded them having sex, and sent the footage to the entire PCU class, and Spencer asks when that happened. She says, just this morning. They were definitely not ready for prime time. He says, that’s insane. Poor Joss. She says, poor Joss accused her at first, until it became clear that her so-called bestie was the culprit. He says, Trina wouldn’t do something like that, and she says, the footage was taken at the cabin after they left. He asks what makes her think it was Trina, and she says, Trina was black out drunk, and in her feelings about being alone and unloved; it tracks. He says, the Trina he knows… and she tells him, that’s what she’s been saying. Maybe he doesn’t know Trina as well as he thinks.

Josslyn tells Cameron, she doesn’t mean she wishes the whole night had never happened, and he says, he knows what she meant. She says, her mind is going a thousand miles a minute. She doesn’t know how this happened. She feels like she’s in a nightmare. Trina says they’ll get to the bottom of this, she promises, and Cameron says, he’ll go to the dean. At least it was contained in the internal student PCU website. Trina’s phone dings, and Josslyn says, what? Trina says, somebody sent her a link to an X-rated website, and Josslyn asks, have we gone viral?

Laura tells Doc, she would like go to Austria with Anna if she could. She still feels a kind of loyalty to Luke. She’s sorry if it’s hard to hear. He takes her hand, and says, it’s not; it’s understandable. Of course (🍷) he’s concerned it might be dangerous, and he’ll miss her, but he’s not going to stand in her way. She says, that means the world to her, and he asks if she’s leaving right away, but she says she’s not leaving at all. She’s needed here. He says he could have told her that, and she says, not just as mayor; as a wife, as a mother, as a grandmother. They have a predator in Port Charles, and she’s not about to leave while it’s circling the nest.

Nikolas says, so Victor has an ulterior motive, and Victor says, yes, happily. As he told Ava, he intends to reunite this family, and if he can move the needle even a fraction toward a reconciliation between Nikolas and Spencer, he’s gratified. Nikolas says, as is he, and thanks Victor, but Victor says, no. He thanks Nikolas and Ava for reconsidering their plans for their vow renewal. He says, to their family celebration, and they clink teacups.

Dante gets off the phone, and Drew says, that didn’t sound good. Dante says, Peter’s belongings have already been delivered, and it’s too late to recall the messenger. Sam says she’ll reach out to Maxie and see what she can find. Dante says, it’s not Maxie. Peter stipulated a different executor for his estate.

A messenger asks Britt to sign and initial, and she asks who it’s from. He says, everything she needs to know is inside the box. She signs, the messenger leaves, and she opens the attached note. Maxie says, what is it? and Britt says, what’s left of Peter.

Cameron looks at his phone, and says he’s not clicking that. Josslyn asks what they do, and he says, damage control, but first, they’re getting the hell out of here. Let’s go. Trina tells Josslyn to go. They’ll talk later; she’s here for Josslyn. They leave, and Trina’s phone dings. It’s a text from Spencer that says: Heard about the video. Are u ok?

Esme tells Spencer that she’s glad they left the cabin early. They could have been victims of Trina, amateur pornographer. Samuel tells Spencer, it’s time for routine room checks, and Spencer says, these take a while. Esme sees Ryan, and says, don’t worry; she’ll be here. Spencer leaves, and Harmony tells Ryan, that’s it for today. She’ll order him some nutrition before she finishes her shift. She asks if he’s warm enough, and he blinks once.

Harmony leaves, and Esme approaches Ryan. She asks if Ryan needs something. She can get an orderly. He seems distressed. Through clenched teeth, barely moving his mouth, he says, what they hell are you doing?

Tomorrow, Sasha asks if Brando has changed his mind about getting married; Sam tells Dante, there might be a problem with the plan; Drew tells Victor that his timing couldn’t be better; and Maxie tells Britt, don’t do that.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Teresa bitched to Luis that the women were coming for her. They were always right, and she was always wrong. She didn’t want to fight with her family. Back at the house, Traci told the others, all she said was Teresa should be more vocal in supporting her brother. In Teresa’s interview, she said, Traci didn’t know her or what goes on in her family. She needed to step away. Joe #2 and Melissa followed Teresa and Luis down to the dock, and Joe said, sometimes he wanted a sister. Jennifer had called him a crook when he works like a dog. If someone had said the same about Teresa, he’d defend her. Jennifer was evil. Teresa said she didn’t think Jennifer was a bad person, and in Joe’s interview, he said this was coming from the woman yelled at Marge for asking questions. In Melissa’s interview, she said it was ripping the family apart, and Teresa didn’t get it. It was the usual ridiculous amount of hypocrisy. She was done. Joe said Teresa should have his back; that’s what brothers and sisters did. Back at the house, the party continued on, with pictures taken, food consumed, and lots of pinkness. Teresa and Luis came back, and Teresa told Tracy that she didn’t want to fight, but Tracy said, Joe was Teresa’s brother, and she should stand up for him. Teresa said when Marge brought up the video, Joe didn’t say anything, and Tracy said that was a different thing; Teresa’s friends were concerned. Teresa said she’d never seen the video, and in her interview, she said, she never watched it because she didn’t care, and Gia had never seen it either. In Marge’s interview, Marge said Teresa was full of sh*t. She didn’t believe Teresa and Gia hadn’t seen it, or Teresa wouldn’t be so upset. Teresa said they should respect it if she didn’t want to talk about something. She brought up Marge outing Bill on his affair, and Marge said, for years Jennifer had been saying horrible things about her. Everybody had an issue with Jennifer, and she’d pushed it to the limit.

At Jennifer’s house, it wasn’t so pink, and the kids played in the pool. Jennifer said they’d have their own pink party and family night, but in her interview, she said she was mad at Bill for not defending her. She was tired of putting on a brave face for the children, and pretending everything was okay when it was clearly not. Back in Pinkworld, Tiki was wondering what had happened, and Joe #2 said he loved Bill, but Jennifer put her hands on his wife, and Bill didn’t want to get involved. In Joe’s interview, he said, Jennifer had called him a crook, and kicked him out of their house. He and Bill were supposed to be friends. We saw some clips of good times with the guys, and Joe told them, that’s what the wolf pack is. Frank said, no matter what happened with the wives, they don’t let anything come between them. They called Luis over to join them in doing a shot. Melissa told Jackie that she loved them hanging out together. It was too bad Jennifer took Bill away.

Marge and Marge Sr. went out to lunch, and in Marge’s interview, she said,  two weeks into the pandemic, Marge Sr. landed a gig with a wine distributor. Wine was essential to life as far as Marge Sr. was concerned. Marge wondered how they were going to find Marge Sr. a man. She was opinionated and it scared people. Marge Sr. said, and Marge wasn’t opinionated? and Marge said, rumor had it, she could be.

Teresa took Gia to Asbury Park, not far from where I live. Asbury Park was really cool, started going downhill, was a nightmare, and now it’s cool again. She and Gia had some ice cream, and talked about Gia’s first year anniversary with boyfriend Christian coming up. Gia said she wanted to take a helicopter ride around the city, and Teresa asked if Gia liked Luis, and Gia thought he and Teresa were moving too fast. In Gia’s interview, she said, when you were in the honeymoon stage, it was easy to just see the good.

Marge told Marge Sr., on the surface, Luis seemed great, but she heard things. We saw headlines about Luis facing a lawsuit for abuse, and having a playboy past. Marge said, it was hearsay, but Luis’s ex-fiancé implied he’d hit her in front of her kids. Teresa told Gia that she didn’t care what people thought. Marge brought up Luis’s past, but all she cared about were her children, Luis, and his children. Marge Sr. said she hoped it worked out for Teresa, and Marge said, her too.

Dolores’s mother Valerie and father Larry visited her townhouse, and she gave them the tour. She told them that she was up in the air about how long she’d be there. The house renovation fell behind because of covid, and now she felt afraid to leave. She’d never felt so peaceful. She  loved the house where her kids grew up, but it also held some painful memories. Apparently, Frank had exhibited quite a bit of rage back in the day, and in Dolores’s interview, she said, she used to cry to her mother, but there were a lot of things she didn’t tell her dad. He’d been a cop, and would probably have wanted to strangle Frank. Thank God he’d cheated. She didn’t know if the yelling, screaming, and breaking things would have been enough for her to break up with him. She told her parents that Frank was moving back in, and we flashed back to the rule setting dinner. Then she reluctantly told them about breaking up with David, and there was a bit of a silence, broken by Larry saying, oh boy. It had been five years. Dolores said she went on vacations and to events by herself. David didn’t want a life outside of work. Larry said David was like his own, and Valerie said, they didn’t come better, but Dolores had the right to expect more. Dolores said she didn’t want life to pass her by, and Valerie said, Dolores had gone through a lot and survived.

Melissa went to the new property with Joe #2, and in her interview, she said they looked for a great property with a house to knock down. Even though it didn’t look like much now, it would have six bedrooms, and the kitchen would be bigger than the one she had. Joe showed her the plans, and they went out on the back porch where there was a humongous beehive. Melissa screeched and squealed, and flew off the porch. She noticed a broken window, and Joe said he’d broken it since she’d had the keys. He broke another one, and she was like, WTF? but he said they’d have to be broken anyway. She wanted to take a shot, but her rock just bounced off. She said it was hard to believe it was going to go from this to a big beautiful house. She loved her house, but was ready for a change. In Joe’s interview, he said that they’d been going through a rough time – we flashed back to that – and Melissa wanted to move. He loved the house, but changes in life kept it fresh. He was taking his time with building, and Melissa had designed it. They were having fun, and it was going to be like a new chapter.

Jennifer had a kickboxing instructor coming to the house for a session with her and Gabby. In Jennifer’s interview, she said she wasn’t big on working out, but her family decided to change to a healthier diet. It would fun to do something together that was also teaching them a healthy lifestyle change. Dolores was going to join them. She said her mother was extending her trip in Turkey, which didn’t thrill Olivia, but when Olivia was gone, Jennifer told Gabby that she was in no rush for grandma to get back. She was going to have a lot to tell her. In her interview, Jennifer said, they’d decided to tell Gabby about Bill’s affair, and wanted her to know they were in a place where they could talk about it, and everything was going to be okay. Her mother wouldn’t think Bill was the culprit, since she thought, men will be men, but she was going to be mad at Marge for bringing it to light. She told Gabby that grandma would want her to have revenge, and Gabby said, but it was ten years ago. The instructor arrived, and Jennifer told Gabby that she and dad were good. They were going to get through this. I want to like her, but she is really awful.

Dolores came shortly afterward, and they started with squats. Ugh. I hate squats. They used the heavy bag and the instructor sparred with them, and in Jennifer’s interview, she said she thought it was a great idea. It was releasing a lot of tension. She just pictured Marge as a  punching bag, and got some good jabs in there. The instructor said they looked fantastic and did well, and Dolores said she’d take it over a therapist. When the instructor left, Dolores told Jennifer that an abnormality had been discovered when her mother took a stress test. She was going to need an angioplasty. Jennifer asked about David, and Dolores said they’d talked every day when they were going out, and when she texted, saying they hadn’t talked in a while, he said he thought there was nothing left to say. He was still in contact with the kids, and was hanging out with everyone but her. She was avoiding him by not going to the hospital, but she’d also wanted to talk to Jennifer. Jennifer said she’d been hoping she and Melissa would get to a better place, but Melissa got confrontational. And thanks to Marge, Jennifer had to tell everyone about Bill cheating. In Dolores’s interview, she said, Frank cheated on her when she was pregnant with Frankie, and she’d felt shame, wondering if she wasn’t good enough. Jennifer told Dolores, Joe #2 said he loved Bill, but couldn’t stand his wife, and Bill was a p*ssy, not saying a word all night. For ten years, she’d put him on a pedestal. If she saw Bill was being ganged up on, she’d say, if you disrespect him, you disrespect me. He betrayed her once, and was doing it again. Dolores asked if Jennifer was still mad about the affair, and Jennifer said, at this point, she was numb. She dealt with it the only way she knew how, and thought if she forgave Bill, they should never talk about it again. Maybe she hadn’t gotten over it. Dolores said Jennifer’s Cinderella dream was thrown off a cliff. She might still be angry. Jennifer wondered, since she’d decided to move on at the time, was it okay to change her mind? Dolores said, Bill was a reasonable guy, and if Jennifer needed to deal with it, speaking to him might be cathartic. Dolores’s brother called, and told her that Valerie had a 90% blockage. A triple bypass had been scheduled. Dolores told Jennifer that her family was crumbling.

The guys got ready for their night out, and Marge picked out a shirt for Joe #3, which her teeny tiny pup immediately took up residence on. She told him to wear extra cologne. Teresa asked if Luis was looking forward to it, and he said he was nervous. Teresa said she was staying out of the Bill thing, since she didn’t want Joe #2 to think she was taking sides. Bill told Jennifer that obviously, Joe #2 brought the girl drama. Even told Jackie that he didn’t hold Bill responsible for Jennifer’s behavior, and Jackie said she hoped he could admit what his wife did was terrible. The guys met at a restaurant, where Frank ordered an appletini, and Joe #3 said, Frank could crush apples with his biceps. Tiki asked Joe #2 what was up with Luis, and Joe said, supposedly he’d smacked around his ex in front of her kids. He didn’t know what to believe. In Joe #2’s interview, he said, what if the rumors were true, and he’d given Luis the benefit of the doubt? Joe #3 said, when there were witnesses, that was bad. Teresa was in love and it was making her blind. Tiki thought Joe #2 needed to have a conversation with Luis, and wondered if Bill was coming. Frank said, Bill hadn’t responded to the group text, but Joe #2 had responded with, f*** you, Bill. Tiki said, the last thing dude needed was for his ass to be kicked again when he was going through this.

Bill showed up, and said he hadn’t been sure if Joe #2 was joking with the text. He’d thought they were cool, but a night like that changes a lot. He tried not to get involved in the women’s drama. Joe #2 said, Bill’s wife was out of control. What she’d said was dirty and disgusting, and she’d crossed the line. Bill asked if Marge didn’t cross the line. She’d done some digging, but Jennifer hadn’t. Evan said, oh yes she did. She was always trying to find stuff to hurt people. She was not a good person. Bill said he was done, and left. Evan said, bye. See ya.

To be continued…

🏖 Summer House is so awful, I’d literally wiped watching it from my mind immediately, and forgot to include it yesterday. Here are the highlights.

Carl wished Kyle would read the room sometimes. Good luck with that. Paige thought it was rude to go on a date with Adrian while she was talking to Craig, but didn’t know where she and Craig were at. Paige thought it was loser-ish to ask a guy where you were in a relationship, but Paige asked anyway. Craig told Paige that he felt saying they were exclusive at that moment might be too much pressure on him. Austen came to the house, and Ciara told him that she didn’t want Lindsay in his room, which Lindsay reacted to by spitting fire. Then Ciara made out with Austen at the bar to cinch the deal.

Carl invited new main squeeze McKenzie to Lindsay’s princess fairytale birthday party. Just in case you’re confused, no, she wasn’t turning 12; she was turning 35. It was McKenzie’s first time in the Hamptons, so double good luck with that for her in the house. The party décor was pretty impressive, and I loved the costumes, but it still seemed weird. Like, call it a Game of Thrones party or something. Kyle humped the unicorn floatie, proving once again that he shouldn’t drink, and McKenzie told Carl, it was hard to believe Amanda would be with that forever. She was the luckiest girl alive.

This season, Craig wants to introduce Paige to his parents; lots of drinking; Carl and Lindsay hook up; Amanda and Kyle argue about a prenup; lots of fighting, more drinking, and throwing things. In other words, it continues to be just as awful. Maybe Jennifer should move in.

🌉 Once More Unto the Breach…

Drop in tomorrow for a dash of soap and OC happenings. Until then, stay safe, stay viewing your cup as half full, and stay believing someone if they show you who they are.