Monthly Archives: June 2023

June 29, 2023 – Trina Walks Out On Spencer, Jackson, Not Guilty, Farewell, On Or Not, Fancy Feud, Andy’s Call, She’s a Tease, VanderNews, Dream Tour & Call Me

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth goes to Finn’s place, and he says, this is a pleasant surprise. What can he do for her? She says, he invited her here, and he looks confused. While she looks for the text, Violet comes out, and says, good. Aunt Elizabeth is in time for her dinner.

While she sips a martini, Ava flashes back to slapping Austin after realizing he took Avery. There’s a knock at her door, and Austin says, they need to talk before she gets them both killed.

Drew asks if Carly is okay, and she says she can’t believe this is their last night together, possibly for three years. It just feels so wrong. He says, it’s the only choice he could make. He couldn’t look at himself in the mirror, he couldn’t be a father to Scout, he couldn’t even hold his head up if he did otherwise.

At the hospital, Portia says she knows it was short notice when she asked Esme to stop by. And she brought the baby; he’s so adorable. He’s really growing, right? Esme says she just came from work, and Spencer was supposed to pick him up from daycare, but he had other plans. Portia says, that’s actually one of the reasons she called Esme over here. There’s something she thinks they should discuss. Esme asks, what about? and Portia says, Esme and Spencer, and how they plan to co-parent Ace.

Walking into the Highsider, Spencer says, Trina and Joss came here alone? She says, they sure did. There was a bar fight, the cops had to come, and they got carded. Hopefully, this visit will be less eventful. He says, Esme certainly picked the right spot to score a black-market phone, and Trina says she’s just hoping they can find a witness who can confirm that Oz Haggerty sold one to her, but he says, this whole thing is convoluted. They already had the evidence they needed. She says she’s talking about real proof. Maybe a bartender or a waitress saw Oz negotiating with Esme; maybe even saw him giving her the phone. He thinks it’s a waste of time, but she says, they need something real. Not some made up evidence that his Uncle Victor left him. Have a little faith. He says, forgive him for not being overly optimistic that they’ll get help or cooperation from a bunch of lowlifes. Josslyn walks in with Dex, and tells Spencer, maybe you’re the wrong person to be asking.

At the bar, Dante says, to us and a well-deserved night out, where no one will ever find us, and they clink beer bottles. She says she doesn’t know, looking over at Josslyn and the others. She hates to disappoint him.

Ava says she doesn’t want to see Austin right now, but he walks in anyway. He pours himself a drink, and she says she doesn’t remember offering him one, but he says he thinks a drink is the least she can owes him after what he did for her today. She asks if he means scaring her to death; making her believe her child had been kidnapped. He says, no. He means staging an incident that got the nanny out of the way without A, getting Avery kidnapped for real, and B, not getting her nanny killed. Because make no mistake, if Mason had thought even for one second that Pilar was inhibiting her ability to spy on Sonny, Pilar would meet up with a very unfortunate accident. That’s something he can’t live with. So he made the call. He thought it was better for Pilar to lose her job than lose her life. Bottoms up. She asks what the hell he’s gotten her into.

Esme tells Portia that Spencer is Ace’s brother, not his parent. Ace’s actual father Nikolas decided to run away rather than face justice for keeping her prisoner. That leaves her as his only parent. Portia says, from a legal standpoint, Esme is absolutely correct, but sometimes the daily realities of raising a child aren’t so cut and dried. In fact, if she remembers correctly, they’re exhausting and messy. She’s been there. She been in Esme’s situation, but knows what it’s like to have somebody who’s really supporting you 100%. That was her ex-husband Marcus Taggert, and for Esme, that appears to be Spencer. He’s clearly extremely devoted to his baby brother. Esme says, Spencer does care a great deal about Ace, but when it comes to actual caregiving, sometimes Spencer is available and accommodates, but sometimes not. It’s like a constant negotiation. Portia says, that’s why she thought it might be a good idea for Esme and Spencer to take a parenting class together.

Josslyn and Dex sit with Spencer and Trina, and Josslyn says she can’t believe this place hasn’t changed at all. Spencer says he can’t believe she and Trina came in there alone, like a couple of undercover agents, trying to get dirt on Esme. Josslyn says, and here they are again, and Trina says, but this time they’re not alone. Dex says, in case they start another barroom brawl? and Trina says, they didn’t start it. Spencer asks if this is the kind of place Dex is used to, and Dex says he’s seen his fair share of place like this, especially in the service. They’re all over the world; they have their advantages. I just have to say, this bar looks nothing like the way they’re making it sound. I’ve been in actual shady bars, and they don’t look like this. Josslyn says, hopefully, they can find something real that ties Esme to Oz Haggerty, and Spencer says, something real? Josslyn says, something not fake, like the evidence his Uncle Victor left him, and Trina says, it just kind of came out. Josslyn says she knows why he’d want to use it. They all know Esme’s guilty. Spencer says, that’s kind of his point. It’s not considered framing someone if the person actually did the crime. He knows his Uncle Victor was insane, but he was also a pro. The evidence Victor gave him would hold up to scrutiny, and he feels like they’re wasting a lot of time when they already have what they need to take Esme down. Trina says, so he’s telling them that he kept the fake evidence.

Sam wonders what those four are up to, but Dante says he doesn’t give a damn. He’s off duty, and he’s with his girl at the bar of her choice. As far as he’s concerned, they’re the only ones here. They clink bottles again.

Carly tells Drew that she should have done more. She feels so responsible. Michael came to her, and he wanted her to flip on Sonny. He had proof, and he said if she testified against Sonny, the Feds would probably back off and keep Drew out of it altogether, but she couldn’t. He says, that’s because it’s not who she is. He’d never expect that. She says, but he’s not culpable. All he did was tell her about the plan to merge ELQ and Aurora. She’s the one who acted on insider information. She’s the one who’s guilty. He’s not; Sonny’s not. Sonny’s guilty of a whole bunch of other stuff… He says he doesn’t care about Sonny. His going to prison has nothing to do with her. She says, it has everything to do with her. He’s going to prison to protect her, and she doesn’t know if she can live with that.

Violet puts a vase of peonies on the coffee table, and Elizabeth says, wow. Those are gorgeous. Finn asks where she got them, and Violet says she ordered them on his phone, but they’re pink, Aunt Elizabeth’s favorite. Does she like them? Elizabeth says she loves them, and Violet says she forgot the candles. You can’t have a romantic dinner without candles. She knows she’s not supposed to light them, and asks if Finn will help her. He says he’ll light the candles, and Violet runs off to get them. Finn tells Elizabeth that clearly he and Violet need to have a long conversation about boundaries, and she says, it looks like they’ve been set up by a pintsized matchmaker. He says he guesses they’re having a date.

Drew says, what if he told Carly that his going to prison isn’t really about protecting her, and she says she’d call him a liar. He says, okay, it is about protecting her, but it’s not only about her. It’s about her children and the extended family that they share. He thinks about it like a cost benefit analysis. (Can he get more boring?) If he goes to prison, it causes the least amount of collateral damage. It’s just the logical choice. She says, this isn’t spreadsheets and algorithms. There’s nothing logical about this.

Austin says, Ava’s in this mess because of him? It’s the other way around. He’s in this mess because of her. Because she killed her husband and left him in the tack room. She says, it was an accident. She didn’t mean to kill her husband. She was just trying to keep him from taking her daughter. Austin knows that. He says, all right, but he’s dead, and she left his body out where any old body could find him, and guess who did? Mason. And now Mason’s got them exactly where he wants them. He’s in this mess because of her. If she goes down for murdering her husband, he’s going to prison as an accessory. He’ll spend the rest of his life in prison for a killing he had nothing to do with. She says, he offered to help her, and he says, because she asked. Now they’ve got all the leverage over him they could ever possibly want, unless they decide to let Mason do his thing and get them out of the way. Ava asks, enough with the they. Who is the they? Who is behind him and Mason?

Violet finishes setting the table, and says, it’s ready. Finn says he thinks she forgot a place setting. Where is she going to sit? She says, not with them. This is a date, just for the two of them. She’s going to be their server. Please have a seat. They sit on the sofa, and Violet says she’ll get the drinks. She goes to the kitchen, and Finn says, it’s been a minute since they spent time outside of work. She says, that’s why, when she got his text, she was thinking that… She knows the text was from Violet, but… never mind. He says he’d like to hear, when Violet runs in with a jar of something that looks like pink lemonade, and Finn says he’ll help her pour, taking it from her. He pours a glass for Elizabeth and himself, when there’s a knock at the door. Violet says, dinner’s here, and Finn says, she ordered dinner from his phone? She says, dessert too.

Dante says he doesn’t think he told Sam, but she did an incredible job officiating at Michael and Willow’s wedding. She asks where that came from, and he says he wanted to tell her, but they haven’t had a lot of time to sit and connect with each other because everything’s been so crazy. She looked so beautiful in that pink dress. She found a way to be appropriate and official, but smoking hot at the same time. He doesn’t know how she does it. She thanks him, and he says she was warm and loving, and made it about them, not her. She says, it was about them; it was their wedding. He says, not to him. They were saying their vows, but all he could think about was her.

Spencer tells Trina that he kept the evidence as Plan B. He saw no reason to get rid of it. Right now, Esme is being marginally cooperative. Should that ever change, or if she should regain her memories again, or revert to being her old self, or worse, take Ace and leave the country, he would at least have some recourse; something to take to the cops. Dex says, in his experience, taking evidence to law enforcement is more complicated than Spencer thinks. If Spencer shows up with this boatload of evidence, the cops will vet it. And if even one piece doesn’t hold up, Spencer will be arrested and charged with obstruction. Spencer asks, what makes you the expert, Mr. Combat Vet? If Dex is so good, if he’s such a talented soldier, why take a job opening doors for his uncle? Dex tells Josslyn, let’s go, and Josslyn says, lovely as always. Spencer gets up and says he doesn’t need Dex’s help. He punches Dex in the face, and caught off guard, Dex falls. Josslyn asks if he’s okay.

Austin tells Ava, these people aren’t like anyone she’s met before. They’re not you’re run of the mill Mafia types. They don’t care about codes or territory. They could care less about family or honor or any of that. They’re going to get what they want by any means necessary. Right now what they want is information about Pikeman from Sonny, and she’s going to get it for them. She says, they’ve made that abundantly clear, but what’s not clear is what they want her to give them. He says, give them what they’re asking for, or they’ll just keep ramping up the pressure. Or worse. They’ll get her out of the way, and come at Sonny from a different angle. She says, he’s afraid of them, isn’t he? She can see it. His fear is real, even though everything else about him has been a lie.

Drew says he knows Carly is scared, and she says she is. She’s guilty, and she can’t stop thinking it should be her. She should take the fall. He says, that would be a terrible idea, but she says, if it were her, they’d probably send her to Spring Ridge. He says, she doesn’t know that. The Feds made it pretty clear they were interested in her because of Sonny. Think about it. To save herself, she would have had to give evidence up against Sonny, which would have torn her family apart. Kristina, Avery, even Donna would have resented her for that someday. And if she didn’t give up Sonny, Joss and Michael would have blamed her for sacrificing herself for a man they think betrayed her. It was a lose-lose. She says, but none of that is his fault. It’s her mess. Outcome of her choices. She’s the one who chose to marry Sonny, to have kids with him, to have knowledge about his business. That’s on her. Why should he have to pay for it? He says, the answer is because he loves her.

Portia tells Esme that GH happens to offer parenting classes, and one starts next week. Esme says she appreciates Portia thinking of her, but she has work, and she doesn’t think Spencer… Portia says, some of the topics are just so practical. Like how to get her baby to sleep through the night, which can be extremely helpful now that she’s working. And also how to tell the difference between common baby ailments and something more serious. Esme supposes that would have come in handy when Ace had colic, and Portia says, the main thrust of the course is just to get partners on the same page, to be able to communicate effectively and set goals for the baby. She thinks that would be extremely helpful in Esme’s case. Esme says, they do have a lot of last-minute changes, and Portia says, having predictable schedules can really help with frustration and disappointment. She gets it. Things come up; adjustments need to be made. But if Esme and Spencer really do plan to work together, they can support each other in a calm and organized way. She just thinks it would be better for the both of them and especially Ace. Esme says, Portia does make some really good points, but she’s not so sure Spencer would want to take a class with her. Portia says, it doesn’t hurt to tell him. Tell him that she’s going either way, and give him the option to attend with her. He might surprise her. She gives Esme a pamphlet.

Sam asks if Dante saw that, and he says, dammit, he did. Dex says, the first one is free. The second one will cost Spencer. Josslyn tells him, relax; let it go. Spencer takes another swing, but Dex is more than ready, punching Spencer a few times before Spencer falls to the ground. Trina runs over to Spencer, and the bouncer comes out, saying, break it up. Dante says he’ll handle it. He’s an off-duty cop, and he knows these guys. The bouncer thanks him (they’re even polite!), and Dante asks if Spencer can get up. Trina tells him, just breathe, and Dante asks, what’s the problem here? Josslyn says, Spencer punched him, and Dante says he saw it. Sam says she saw it too, and Dante says, Dex could press charges on assault if he wanted to, but Dex says, they’ll just go. Dante says, that’s probably the best thing. He doesn’t know how many of them are actually over 21 anyway. Josslyn says she’ll call Trina, and leaves with Dex. Dante helps Spencer up, and says, as an ex-con, he doesn’t think Spencer wants barroom brawl on his record. Spencer, who can’t even speak yet, nods, and Dante tells him, think about that next time.

Ava says, Austin first came to town a long-lost Quartermaine. And when that didn’t pan out, he latched on to Maxie. And when that didn’t pan out, he latched on to her. All of his kindness… He was so solicitous and supportive after she was stabbed by The Hook. Was any of it sincere? Or was he just following orders? Has she ever been anything to him? Austin asks if he’s ever been anything to her, other than just her patsy.

Elizabeth asks if she can help Violet, but Violet says, no thank you. Did she like her dinner? Elizabeth says she loved it. Pizza is one of her favorites. Violet says, daddy likes it too. Sometimes they even have it twice a week. She goes to the kitchen to get dessert, and Finn says, busted. Not only does he allow his daughter open access to his phone, he resorts to bi-weekly pizza. Elizabeth says she’ll tell him a secret. Her freezer is well stocked with tater tots and chicken tenders, because sometimes that’s all you can do. And Jake wouldn’t eat anything green for years. Violet comes back, and says, we have a selection. She puts a plate of cupcakes on the table, and says, they’re not as good as Aiden’s, but they’re still yummy. Elizabeth says, Violet has to pick one first, and Violet studies the choices intently.

Spencer tells Trina, Dex has no idea the kind of havoc Esme has caused in their lives. Dex has no right jumping in and telling him what to do. Neither does Joss for that matter. Trina says, first of all, Joss is her best friend, and don’t forget she has stakes in this too. She had to agree to drop the charges against Esme, and she did it because of Spencer’s baby brother. So if he’s upset that she told Joss, and took it out on Dex… He says, no. He just doesn’t want Joss’s help, and doesn’t want her Neanderthal boyfriend’s help either. Trina says, that’s a very interesting choice of words because the only Neanderthal that threw the first punch was him, after he lied by omission about holding on to the fake evidence. He says he explained, and she says, it’s like everything in Greenland never happened. It’s like he came back and turned into this selfish entitled jerk he’s always been. She can’t stand when he does this. Maybe this is just him. Maybe this is just who he is. He says he’s sorry, but she says, no. She can’t hear another meaningless apology. She runs out, and Dante says, that did not go well. Sam says, no. She says, poor Trina, at the same time Dante says, poor Spencer.

Drew says he loves Carly, and he wishes they didn’t have to spend their last night rehashing all the things they can’t change. He wishes he could sweep her up and take her somewhere exotic and romantic, where they could go dancing all night and maybe walk on the shore at dawn, so he could tell her everything that’s in his heart. He wants them to be together. He wants them to move in together. He wants to wake up every morning with her and go to bed every night together. And instead, they’re here, but that’s okay. The world, the SEC, got in the way, but that doesn’t change how he feels about her and what he wants. They can still have that life together. It’s just getting delayed a little bit. She says she loves him too, so much. She’ll wait as long as it takes for them to have that life together, but they have tonight. Tonight is theirs. They kiss.

Finn asks how Elizabeth is adjusting to her role as head nurse, and she says she’s still finding her way. Some of her teammates are still adjusting to her new title. Sometimes she feels like she’s got this, and sometimes she wonders how Epiphany managed for so long. He says she’s absolutely got it. Their styles are different, but they both mix strength with compassion. Epiphany was kind of this force of nature, and Elizabeth is more soft-spoken, but she has a core of steel. She hopes that’s a compliment, and he says, it absolutely is. He thinks she’s… remarkable. And on top of all that, she’s a really good sport for going along with all this. She says, it’s her pleasure. She hasn’t had any pizza in weeks, so Violet planned the perfect dinner. They see Violet asleep in a chair, and Finn says, she’s exhausted. She really went all out. Elizabeth agrees, and asks if he wants help putting her to bed. He says he’d like that, and asks Violet if she’s ready for bed.

Drew and Carly slow dance as By My Side by The Paper Kites plays. He says he loves her, and she says she loves him too, and they get busy.

Behind bars, Cyrus reads from the Bible: The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted in Him and I am helped.

Dante says he guesses Spencer and Trina’s table is free, but Sam says, no. Bad juju. She’ll pass on that. Dante says he knows Spencer can be a bit of a brat sometimes, and she says, sometimes? When he was a kid, he was cute, but now… Come on. That is appalling. Dante says he feels kind of bad for Spencer. There’s nothing worse than doing something stupid and pissing off the woman that you love. And then he tries to flex, and gets his ass handed to him instead. She laughs, and he says, then his pride’s hurting and his body is physically hurting. And you know he can’t be comforted by his woman because he’s so deeply embarrassed. And then she gets even more mad, and then he blows up at her. Now he’s got to just try and grovel to her and win her back. She says, that’s very insightful. What happened to him? He says he pleads the Fifth, and she says, maybe from Trina’s perspective, you know that your guy is hurt, but you don’t know how badly, and he’s completely embarrassed himself. And that temper. You’ve got to wonder if that’s something you’re going to have to live with as long as you’re together. But right now, your guy, he’s on the ground. He’s in pain and vulnerable, and you’re torn between wanting to yell at your guy for doing that and yell at the other guy for hitting your guy. So what are you gonna do? Are you gonna… Dante says, walk out? That’s what she did. Sam says, you know what she would do? She would have taken a chair and broken it over the other guy’s back. But she knows she doesn’t have to worry about being in that position with him. She believes he has more sense than to ever start a bar fight. He says he can think of a lot of other cool stuff to do in this place besides start a bar fight, and they start to dance to the jukebox playing.

Outside, Dex says he’s sorry, but Josslyn says, he has nothing to be sorry about. He came with them to help. He told Spencer that if he uses that fake evidence, he’s the one that’s going to get arrested. And he’s right, but what does Spencer do to thank him? He sucker punches him. Again? It’s like the only time he could land one against Dex. Dex says, she’s really mad, and she says, yeah, she’s mad. Why isn’t he mad? Why is he smiling and laughing? Dex says he’s smiling because she’s beautiful, and he’s laughing because she makes him happy. He kisses her, and she says, his lip is bruised. He kisses her for even longer.

At home and obviously in pain, Spencer takes off his shirt. There’s a knock on his bedroom door, and Esme says, what happened to… She opens the door, looks at him, and says, you?

Elizabeth asks if Finn wants help with the dishes, but he says, not necessary. Especially since dinner came from a pizza box. She says, and a cupcake box, and he promises to have a talk with Violet about playing matchmaker. He loves Violet, but they can’t be together just because she wants them to. Elizabeth says, of course (🍷). There has to be more between them than that. She should get going. She picks up her bag, and says she had a really lovely time. Finn asks her to wait, and picks up the vase of flowers, saying, don’t forget these. She says, they look so pretty on his table, but he says, Violet got them for her, and pink is her favorite color. She reaches for them, and their hands touch.

Austin says, Ava thinks he’s just a sucker? Instead of going to the police like a normal person, she does that thing she does, and he just helps her cover it up like a normal person. She killed her husband. She tells him, stop saying that. She didn’t mean for him to die. He says he only has her word on that, and she says she only has his word that she can trust him; that he’s on her side. He says, if he wasn’t, he’d just let them kill her, and she asks why doesn’t he? He says, because he doesn’t want her to die, and she asks, why? He grabs her and kisses her.

Dante dips Sam, and she laughs, saying, he’s one hell of a dancer. He says, that’s easy when he has one hell of a partner. She says, one who, by the way, would never walk out on him. They kiss.

Trina finds Portia at the hospital, and hugs her. Portia says, what a wonderful surprise. It’s kind of late though, isn’t it? Trina says she was going by and decided to stop in and see how Portia is doing with… things. Portia takes Trina’s arm, they walk, and Portia says, that’s very kind of her. She and Curtis are in limbo at the moment, but when that changes, Trina will be the first to know. Trina says, it’s really hard when you have a strong connection to somebody and things happen to make you question it. Portia says she appreciates the understanding, and the visit. She thought Trina might be out with Spencer or something tonight. Trina says she wasn’t feeling it, so she decided to say her goodnights and swing by here. Portia says, lucky me.

Esme says, did Spencer fall? Did someone punch him? He asks if it matters, and she says, he blew up and ran to his room so fast, she got worried. He forgets that she was attacked in this place and Ace was kidnapped. Slams and bumps make her… He says, there’s nothing to worry about. As she can see, he’s fine. Thanks. She tells him, if you say so, and closes his door.

At Dex’s apartment, Josslyn asks if it hurts, and Dex says, a little. She says, here? touching his lips, and he says, no pain at all. She says, she should probably test it out, and kisses him. She tells him, stay down and let her take care of him, and they get busy.

Carly tells Drew, some days and nights drag on forever, but some nights end too soon. Morning’s going to come, and he’s going to be headed to Pentenville. He says, they still have a few hours left. They don’t have to start saying goodbye just yet. She says, he has to promise her that he’s going to be careful. She knows he has the skills to protect himself, and he’ll have to prove that at first, but after that, she wants him to keep a low profile, and stay out of trouble. She wants him to be a model prisoner and do his time, and come home to her. Promise her. He says he’s going to come home to her. He promises. She kisses him.

Cyrus tells the guard, a new prisoner starts tomorrow. Cyrus knows him. He’s a friend. His name is Drew Cain.

Tomorrow, Violet doesn’t want Elizabeth to leave; Ava pushes Austin away; and Sonny wants to discuss Sasha’s future with her.

🫲 Get To Know Him…

Or refresh your memory.

👨🏽‍⚖️ Good Luck With That…

This seems like a futile effort to me. I can’t see any reason empties should be in someone’s car. Did she say she was taking them to recycling?

🥀 Another Star In Heaven…

He was a busy guy. I remember him being in a lot of things.

🧨 Soap Independence…

So does this mean GH is technically on 4th of July? That’s not Monday.

🎬 She’s the Expert…

Doubtful she didn’t want to eclipse Taylor. It’s not so much what she says, it’s her schoolmarm know-it-all fancy pants delivery.

📲 One Season Wonder…

I read this three times and still don’t get how she was harassed.

💎 She’s Gotta Wear Shades…

Maybe the next season won’t be so exhausting.

🍸 Meanwhile, In Vanderland…

She’s raking it in. For once, we got to see people reaping what they sowed.

Giving you Lala.

Jax must be jumping for joy that he was finally able to pass on the title of Worst Human Being On Earth to Sandoval.

🩰 Life In Plastic…

This is one of the coolest things ever.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1377661/allow-margot-robbie-to-give-you-a-tour-of-barbies-dream-house

🪄 Life Is Your Creation…

Make a stop here tomorrow for soap, teatime, words to ponder, and music to end the month. Until then stay safe, stay interacting with an open mind, and stay not doing stupid things and pissing off the [person] you love.

June 28, 2023 – Brook Gives Tracy What She Wants, OC Inflicts Itself On Montana & Padam

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At a poolside table, Martin asks if Lucy is going to give him a thrill and go for another dip in the pool, but she says, no, and asks if there isn’t a rule about waiting after you eat. He says, she hasn’t touched her burger, and she says, true, but she absolutely devoured his hummingbird cake. He says, she is his hummingbird cake… What’s wrong? Why does he get the feeling something is weighing on her?

Brook walks into Maxie’s office, where Maxie has papers spread all over her desk. Brook asks if the storm is over or should she hide under the desk, and Maxie says her assistant quit to find herself, whatever that means. So now Maxie is finding herself drowning in extra work. She doesn’t even know if she’ll have time to eat lunch. Brook says she had a feeling, and brought lunch to Maxie. Didn’t she say she and Lulu used to have lunch all the time back in the day? She says she did, and it’s sweet of Brook, but didn’t she ask for the day off? What’s she doing here?

In the nook, Tracy sends a text to Brook: Text me when you find anything useful at Maxie’s office. Sam and Dante walk in with Scout, who hugs Tracy. Tracy says, Leo’s not here, Olivia took him to the park. Or if they’re looking for their resident horse whisperer, he’s probably out mounting a defense for something else he’s done. At least that’s what she’d bet on. Dante says, they’re not here for his mother or Cody, and she asks, to what does she owe this visit. Drew comes in, and says he asked them to bring his daughter to see him.

Josslyn walks into Sonny’s old kitchen, and Carly asks, how was the pool? Josslyn says, it was great. She saw Dex and got to catch up with Trina. Carly asks why she didn’t stay, and Josslyn says, Trina had things to do, and she wanted to check on Carly. Carly says she’s all right, but Josslyn asks how she could be, with the judge giving Drew three years. Not in Spring Ridge, but in Pentenville, when there’s a deal in place? What’s the judge’s problem? Carly says she doesn’t even know where to begin, but the moss bowl🎍will make it all better. Apparently, Judge Kim saw an opportunity to be tough on a so-called privileged defendant. Josslyn wonders if by privileged he means a decorated Navy SEAL who just helped save a bunch of people from Victor Cassadine in Greenland. That doesn’t count for anything? Carly says, Judge Kim didn’t want the public to see Drew get away with a while collar crime just because he’d done some heroic things, and Josslyn says, but three years? And nobody even got hurt? She doesn’t even know what to say. Carly says, she does, so say it. Josslyn thinks she made a huge mistake not turning in Sonny.

Ned says he appreciates Sonny sending his goon away, but would have appreciated it more if Sonny hadn’t had his goon track him down and manhandle him back here. Nina says, nobody wants to hurt anyone. It’s just that Sonny is worried about him. Ned says he’s not a problem for Sonny anymore. He’s not a problem for anyone in this town anymore. So if they’ll excuse him, he’s got a train to catch. Sonny says, he’s not going anywhere.

Ava screams for Avery in the park, when Chase comes along with some officers, and says, they’re here to help. She says, someone’s taken her daughter.

Josslyn says, it’s no secret what she thinks, but does Carly regret not giving the Feds evidence against Sonny? Carly says, no. It’s a line she can never cross, but she does see the consequences to Drew, and can understand why Josslyn would say I told you so. Josslyn says, it’s not really their style, calling each other out like that. Probably because they agree on most things. Carly says, except this, and Josslyn says she may never 100% agree with Carly about Sonny, but she’s had a change of heart since the last time they talked about him. What Carly said really opened her eyes. She thinks she has been a little too focused on defending Carly and protecting Dex. She thinks she did lose her way a bit. To be clear, she can’t forgive Sonny completely for what he did to their family, but if Carly and Michael are willing to let go of their anger, so is she. At least for Avery and Donna’s sake. Carly takes Josslyn’s hand and says, it makes her so happy. Josslyn says she thinks she struggles because Sonny is guilty of so much, and he gets to walk around free. Now Drew is going to prison for three years. Scout has already been without her father, and now she’s about to lose him again. Sam must be going crazy about this.

Scout hugs Drew, and he says he saw some flowers in Monica’s garden that just sprouted up. Doesn’t she think Dante would like to see those? Scout says, sure, and Drew tells her to go show him. Scout takes Dante’s hand, and leads him outside. Sam says she’s sorry she couldn’t be at Drew’s hearing, but he says, that’s probably a good thing. It wasn’t exactly a crowd pleaser. Tracy asks what she’s missing, and Sam says, she didn’t see the news? Tracy says, obviously not. Some of us can’t watch the news 24/7. What happened at the hearing? Drew says, the judge rejected the plea deal. Instead of six months in Spring Ridge, he got three years in Pentenville. Tracy says, that’s unconscionable. That’s a miscarriage of justice. Drew says he agrees, but it’s what the judge imposed, and he intends to comply. He looks at Sam, and says, now the real question is, how are they going to break this to their daughter?

Brook hands Maxie a take-out container, and says she thought she’d come in and help with the social. So many more people are engaging because of The Deceptor. Are sales really that crazy? Maxie says, Brook has no idea, and brings up a file on her computer. Brook asks what she’s looking in, and Maxie says, the shared drive file that shows all the various products they’re selling. Brook looks over her shoulder, and Maxie says, they’ve had to up the number of Deceptor units they’ve produced, and they’re still selling out. She’s never seen anything like it. She’s sure there’s a limit, but they just haven’t reached it yet. Brook says, it’s amazing. They’ve obviously hit a sweet spot. The more they sell, the more word of mouth, the higher the engagement. Maxie says, the difficult part is, it’s hard to keep up. She hasn’t had time to find a new place to live. Brook says, she’s looking for a house? and Maxie says, she’s the mother of three kids. She thinks she’s made a two-bedroom apartment work for a really long time. She needs a bigger house with a backyard. It’s something she should have done years ago. Brook says, especially since she’s been raking in the dough for quite some time now. Why does Maxie think she hasn’t? Maxie says, because of Nathan.

Ned says, he sees where this is going. Just for the record, he borrowed Sonny’s computer last night, and did some online research about him. Quite the eye-opener. Sonny says he’s sure it was, and Ned says, Sonny didn’t mention he had a kid with Olivia. Sonny says, it was a long time ago. His name’s Dante. He’s a police detective, and grown up with a family of his own. Ned says, Sonny also didn’t mention he has this professional reputation. Is Sonny going to break his legs if he doesn’t stay in Port Charles and keep Olivia happy? Sonny says he and Olivia have a lot of history. It’s surprising how far he’d be willing to go for her, but he knows Olivia would want her husband in one piece. As far as his professional reputation, some of the stories are true, some are not true, but on that note, he’s going to make Ned an offer he can’t refuse.

Chase asks Pilar to tell him what happened from the beginning, and Pilar says, Avery was with her… Chase says, Pilar is her nanny, correct? and Pilar says, yes, Pilar Rodriguez. Avery loves this spot. They come here at least once a week. She turned her back for one second, and Avery was gone. Chase asks Officer Williams to take Pilar’s statement, and she goes with the officer. Ava says, they’re losing time. They say the first 24 hours is the most important in a kidnapping, isn’t it? He says, it’s possible Avery just wandered off. He did it all the time as a kid. He drove his dad nuts. At this point in time, there’s no reason to believe Avery was kidnapped. Ava says, he doesn’t understand. She has every reason in the world to believe someone kidnapped Avery. Chase says, why is that?

Sonny says, Ned probably didn’t find this when he was doing his research, but he has connections to every industry in Port Charles. Music venues, radio stations, even boutique record labels near Charles Street. Ned says, okay. Sonny has his attention. Sonny says he can’t make Ned be part of the Quartermaine family, but because Olivia and Brook are so important to him, as long as Ned sticks around Port Charles and lets them know he’s alive and safe, Sonny may introduce him to the right people, and who knows? They may even sign Ned to a record label. But the offer only stands if he stays in town.

Chase asks if Ava has a reason to believe someone would want to hurt her daughter, and she flashes back to Austin saying that she refuses to accept how ruthless Mason is. No one is off-limits. She tells Chase, Avery’s father is Sonny Corinthos. He has too many enemies to count, right? That makes all of his kids targets, that includes Avery. Chase can’t just assume she wandered off. He says he’ll call it in and get a PCPD Missing Child Alert. They’re going to find her. He promises. He leaves, and Ava says, Sonny, and takes out her phone.

Felicia and Mac approach Lucy and Martin, and Lucy says, this is amazing. She had no idea they were going to be at the pool today. What a wonderful coincidence. Mac says, it was sort of a last-minute thing. He has some paid days off coming, and Felicia insisted he spend one of them enjoying the pool. Lucy says, they insist he and Felicia join them, and Felicia says she’s had her mind set on a poolside pina colada all morning long. Would he get her one please? He says, coming right up, and Lucy says, that sounds yummy. She asks Martin if she could have a poolside pina colada too, please, but missing the cue, he says, she’s still got half of her first one. She chugs it down, and says, they disappear so fast. Where do they go? He laughs, and she says, please. Also, it would give him a chance to bond with Mac. He says, that’s important because… She says, because Mac and Felicia are her best friends, and ever since she got divorced from Doc, she hasn’t been as close to them. She’s losing out on those couple outings, and it would mean so much to her if the two of them hit it off. She plays with the buttons on his shirt, and says, so please, maybe have some small talk at the bar, get us some lounges, pretty please… He says, her wish is his command, kisses her, and goes over to Mac at the bar. Felicia tells Lucy, the coast is clear. Does Lucy want to tell her the real reason she called for her to come here?

Brook tells Maxie that she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to bring up an emotional subject. Maxie says, it’s okay. Her apartment is where she and Nathan met. On New Year’s Eve. He showed up to sublet it when she was leaving town. They talked for a few minutes, then went their separate ways. Looking back, it was a night that changed her life. And then she and Nathan fell in love, and that apartment is where they shared their life together. It’s also where she and Nina planned his funeral. Brook says she never thought about it that way, and Maxie says she knows when she moves into a house, she’ll make memories with her kids there, great memories. But she’s not going to make any new memories with Nathan. Her apartment has becomes like an adult emotional support blanket. She’s afraid to let it go. Brook says, Maxie doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to do, but sometimes change can be good, right? and Maxie says, yeah. Look at them. Can Brook even remember a time they couldn’t stand each other? Now Brook is Bailey’s second mom, and Maxie would trust Brook with her life. Brook says, maybe she shouldn’t.

Tracy says she knows she and Drew don’t have any use for each other, but her brother is turning over in his grave about this. Drew says, there’s nothing they can do about it not, but she says, wrong. He can change his plea, and throw Carly under the bus.

Carly tells Josslyn that they filed an appeal. There has to be some way to set this right. Diane comes in and admires the moss bowl🎍, and Carly says she was just telling Josslyn that they filed an appeal on Drew’s behalf. Now that the hearing is over, will she be able to represent him? Diane says, she cannot, because Carly’s case is still being settled. She does have some good news. Carly says she’ll take anything, and Diane says, as of tomorrow, Carly’s accounts will be unfrozen. Both Carly and Josslyn say, thank God, and Diane says, thank God indeed. However, the court has determined a financial amount she’ll have to pay for restitution for her part in Drew’s crime. She gives Carly a folder, and Carly looks inside. She looks shocked, and Josslyn asks, how much does she have to pay? Carly looks at Diane, and says, five million dollars!? Diane says, it’s exorbitant, she knows, and she tried to talk the judge down. He will not budge. He assessed her the maximum fine. Carly says, five million dollars? This is her entire savings. And this isn’t counting property taxes, and food, and insurance, and bills… Josslyn says she has her trust fund, but Carly says, no. Drew didn’t make this sacrifice so the financial burden lies on her. Josslyn says, what about Michael? Or Sonny? She’s sure they’d help. Diane says, oh no. That cannot happen.

Drew tells Tracy that he’s not going to relitigate this. The judge imposed a sentence, and he has every intention of serving it. She says, nothing is final. He just needs a sharp lawyer and deep pockets; he has both. Sam tells him that she hates to say it, but she agrees with Tracy, and Tracy says, thank you. Wait. What? Sam says, the deal Drew made with the US Attorney was for a six-month sentence in Spring Ridge. Now that the deal has been altered, maybe there’s a little wiggle room for him to change his plea to not guilty. Drew says, but what good is it going to do? The outcome will still be the same, unless he says it was all Carly’s idea, and obviously, he’s not going to do that. This is for the best. Tracy says, for who? For Carly. Not for his daughter. He says, Scout has a loving, safe home with Sam and Dante. He knows she’s going to miss him, and it’s going to kill him to be away from her, but the disruption is minimal. Taking the deal, even with the extended prison sentence, does the most amount of good for the most amount of people. Sam says, he’s supposed to be the sacrificial lamb for the greater good? How is that fair? He tells her, nobody said life was fair, and Tracy says, self-sacrifice is a highly overrated virtue. He says he violated the rules. He’s got to pay the penalty. The best he can do is face the consequences. Sam asks, where are the consequences for Carly? Why is he the only one… Dante comes back with Scout, and Scout asks why they’re fighting.

Maxie asks why she shouldn’t trust Brook, and Brook says she’s no angel. Maxie says, doesn’t Brook think she knows that? They were co-conspirators when they passed off her baby as Brook’s. Brook says, but that was for a good cause; to protect Baby Louise from Peter. Maxie’s desk phone rings, and she says she’ll be right there. She tells Brook, that was distribution. They’re having a hard time keeping up as well. She’ll be right back. She leaves, and Brook checks the hallway, then goes over to the computer. She puts in a flashdrive, and sits down. She says, oh Maxie, you shouldn’t have made this so easy. There’s the Deception file with all The Deceptor information. All she has to do is copy and paste.

Ned says, if he takes Sonny’s offer, and signs with a local label, how does he know they’ll make him a priority, and not some local indy nonsense? Sonny says, because if he introduces Ned/Eddie, he’ll be a priority. Sonny’s phone rings, and Ava says she’s at the park with Pilar. Someone has taken Avery. Sonny asks what she means, and Ava says, she was with Pilar, then suddenly wasn’t with Pilar. The police think Avery may have wandered off, but she has a bad feeling. He says he’ll be right there, and leaves.

Mac and Martin go to the chaise lounges, and Mac asks if Lucy is forcing them to be fast friends. Martin looks at him, and Mac says, Chief of Detectives, remember? It’s his job to figure out people’s motives. Martin says, let’s put it this way. He wouldn’t put it past Lucy to recreate the same couples joy she had when she was married to Doc. Mac says, the four of them had a lot of fun, and Martin says, so he hears. About that. He’s sure Doc is happy with his sister these days, but he has to confess, he’s surprised the good doctor walked away from someone as wonderful as Lucy. He knows she’s made her fair share of mistakes, but he thought Doc would be as charitable and forgiving as she is. Mac laughs, and Martin asks if he said something funny. Mac says, Lucy charitable and forgiving? Obviously, Martin’s never crossed her, and Mac wouldn’t advise him to start now.

Felicia says, so Lucy is saying Martin has been acting strangely. How so? Lucy says, it’s really been since she got back from the safe house, but it’s been glaring these past few days. Felicia says, give her some examples, and Lucy says, his phone rings, but he doesn’t answer. He sends it right to voicemail and won’t let her know who called. And he’s especially cryptic about all business matters. And he clams up as soon as she says he helped her invent The Deceptor. Bizarro. Felicia asks what she means, and Lucy says, she’ll be telling people that she and Marty had this great talk, and he inspired her to make The Deceptor. She tries to acknowledge his contribution, but he shuts the conversation right down. Felicia asks if it’s possible he doesn’t want to hog the spotlight from her. Lucy did do all the legwork. Lucy says she did think of that, but she takes pride in being in touch with the universe, and Felicia asks what the universe told her. Lucy says, something is very fishy. She just doesn’t know what to do. Felicia says, sure she does. That’s why Lucy asked her here. Lucy wants Felicia to spy on her boyfriend.

Drew promises mommy and daddy weren’t fighting, but Scout says, sure sounded like a fight. Sam says, it’s just because mommy and daddy were a little scared, and Dante asks if Scout remembers how scared she got when he let her stay up and watch The Wolfman with him and Rocco. Scout says, mommy was really mad, and Dante says, the Wolfman wasn’t the only one in the doghouse that night. Scout asks Drew why he and mommy are scared, and he says he thinks scared isn’t the right word. More like a little worried. Scout says, about what? and he asks her to sit down. They sit at the table with Sam, and Drew asks if Scout remembers when he told her that he made a mistake at work and the police weren’t very happy about it? She nods, and he says, yesterday he went to court, and because of that mistake he made at work, he has to go to prison for a little while. Scout says, mommy had to go to prison a long time ago. She and Danny went to visit; it was scary. Drew says, it can be scary. It’s hard to have to stay there, but her mommy came home and so will he. She asks if he’s sad, and he says he is. Mostly because he’s going to be away from her. But sometimes in life you’ve got to do things you don’t want to do, so he’s going to go and make the most of it. When he comes out, the first person he’s going to see is her. She asks if he promises, and he says he does. They hug, and Tracy suggests Scout show her those beautiful new flowers. Before she leaves, Scout says she can visit Drew, right? and Sam says, every weekend, rain or shine.

Diane says, if Carly had economic ties to Sonny, that would only force both of them under the forensic financial microscope together. Trust her. It would not end well for either of them. Josslyn says, what about Michael? and Diane says, Michael sailed through this whole debacle unscathed, but if the SEC starts looking in his direction, hypothetically, did he know what Carly and Drew were up to? Carly says, understood, and Diane says, good, because if Michael offers a sum of money to somebody involved with his company’s insider trading, even if that party is his mother, it will force the SEC to ask even more questions. Carly says, in the grand scheme of things, it’s only money. Drew’s losing his freedom; Scout’s losing her father. Diane’s phone dings, and she says she has to go finalize paperwork with the Feds, so wish her luck. She knows it doesn’t seem like it, but this is actually a good deal. She leaves, and Josslyn asks what Carly is going to do.

Sonny arrives at the park, and asks, what’s going on? Pilar says she’s so sorry. She turned her back for two seconds and Avery was gone. He says, that’s not important right now. What’s important is that they find Avery. He tells Frank to look around, and Chase says, they’ve got this, but Sonny says, so does his team. Chase says he’s just warning Sonny. If there are other elements at play, his presence might escalate the situation. Sonny says he doesn’t care how Chase feels about his business; right now, he’s a parent first. Ava comes over, and says, there’s something Sonny needs to know, when Austin asks if they’re looking for someone. Austin comes out holding Avery’s hand, while in the other, she holds a balloon.

Ava asks if Avery is all right. She was so worried. Chase tells an officer to cancel the Missing Child Alert, and Ava asks where Avery went. Austin says he was out for a run, and he saw this little one running around by the pond all on her own. Avery says she saw a bunch of balloons in the air, like ten, and she wanted to see where they were coming from. Austin says he could tell something was up, because no one was around. There were no adults, and Pilar was nowhere to be seen. Luckily, Avery remembered him as a familiar face, and he asked if she would allow him to get her a balloon in exchange for bringing her back to Pilar. Sonny tells Avery not to do that again. Never run from mommy, him, or Pilar. She knows better than that. Avery says, yes, daddy, and Sonny goes over to Pilar. He says, never let Avery out of her sight, and Pilar says she got a call. She thought it was her grandmother, but it turned out to be a telemarketer. When she looked up, Avery was gone. She’s so sorry. He says, it’s all right, and goes back to Ava and Avery. Ava says she was scared out of her mind, but Sonny says, everything’s all right. He’s going to take Avery home with him, and when Ava’s done with the police, she can come by. Ava thanks him, and he leaves with Avery. Chase asks Austin where Avery was when he spotted her, and he says, on the south side of the pond by the boathouse… Ava watches as he talks.

Nina tells Ned that Sonny just texted, and they found Avery. She was all right; she just wandered off, chasing a balloon. She’s so relieved. Ned says he can’t imagine having kids. It must be terrifying all the time. Which is why he never wanted that baggage in his life. Nina says, you’d be surprised how children can make your life a lot more meaningful, even if it’s painful, but he says he needs the room and the time to follow his passion – music. Part of him feels like even if he sticks around Port Charles, being near these kids who think he’s their old man, he could grow soft; turn into someone like the man they think he is. Nina says she thinks it’s great that he’s considering Sonny’s offer. Being a really big fish in a small pond, there’s nothing wrong with that. Ned asks, how so? and she says, the boutique labels here, there’s no national reach, no touring infrastructure for him like there is in L.A. and the city. If he stays here, it’s just for the love of music, right? He’ll play in people’s basements and living rooms, but if he goes out there in the world, he’ll just be chasing fame, and glory, and attention. That’s not what he wants, is it?

Maxie says, sorry that took her so long… Her office is empty, and she says, Brook Lynn?

Brook hugs Drew, and says she feels terrible about his sentence. That judge was so arbitrary and unfair, the opposite of justice. She wishes it didn’t have to be this way. Drew says, him too, but all of their support means a lot to him, so he thanks him. Drew says he has to check in with Carly, and Sam says she doesn’t want to run into Tracy. Drew wonders if what Sam said to Scout about visiting him on the weekends is going to be a good idea for her, but Sam says, Scout handled it when Scout visited her. She’s made of steel like her mom and dad. Dante says, if Drew happens to get into trouble in there, let him know. He might be able to help. Obviously, he’ll do it quietly, so no one knows Drew has connections to law enforcement. Drew says he appreciates that, but the best thing they can do is what they’ve been doing; be present for Scout. They shake hands, and Dante says, good luck.

Carly tells Josslyn, that’s a fortune. They’ll figure it out. She’ll get a job. She just hasn’t because she thought she’d get the MetroCourt back, but it’s been a year. She’ll get a job; that’s her reality now. Josslyn says, please let her help, but Carly says she’ll figure it out. When she came to Port Charles, she had absolutely nothing. She started on the bottom and clawed her way to the top. This is a setback. It’s a blip in her life. She’s Carly Spencer and she’ll get every single thing back that she lost. She promises that.

Lucy says she really only asked Felicia here to confide in her very, very best friend in the entire world. She would never dream of suggesting that Felicia put the P.I. hat back on for her benefit, and perhaps try to get to the bottom of the mysterious circumstances in her relationship. Felicia says, if that’s the case, forget she brought it up, but Lucy says, Felicia wins. She just needs to know what’s going on, so will Felicia please help her? Felicia says, of course (🍷), and Lucy says, who knows? It might just turn out to be a big fat nothing burger. She takes a bite of a pretty tasty looking burger.

Mac says, in the spirit of their new friendship, let him give Martin a piece of advice. Lucy doesn’t hold a grudge too often. She forgives a white lie, a transgression, even a crime, but the ones she never forgives are the ones who dismiss her; who think she’s stupid, or easily manipulated, or lacking agency. Martin says he sees, and Mac says, but Martin and Lucy are equals, on the same level, so he doesn’t see a problem. Martin flashes back to the text from Ex #3: You’ve been avoiding me. That’s a serious mistake.

Maxie calls Janine, and asks if Brook is in her office. Brook left her salad in Maxie’s office, and… Oh. What does she mean, Brook didn’t come in today? Maxie just saw her.

Tracy says, home already? She takes it Brook has something for her. Brook hands her the flashdrive, and says, all the propriety information on The Deceptor, from the current sales report to the first communications about it last fall. Tracy says, last fall? That’s a lot sooner than we thought. Brook says, we? Tracy’s been holding out on her. Is she working with someone else to take down Deception? Tracy says, yours is not to ask questions. Yours is to do as I say, or else.

Josslyn says she believes Carly is going to figure it out, and Carly says, she should. The world may be kicking them when they’re down, but she kicks back ten times harder. She hugs Josslyn and says, they’re going to get through this. Drew knocks at the window, and Carly lets him in. Josslyn hugs him, and says, it’s good to see him. She’ll give them a second. She leaves, and Drew and Carly hug. He says, now that he’s here, it’s all happening so fast, and she says, this is where they say goodbye, and he says goodbye to the moss bowl🎍. They hug again.

Ned says, Nina’s given him something to think about, when Sonny comes in with Avery. She runs to Nina, and they hug. Nina asks, what happened to her? Is she okay? Sonny says, she wandered off, but she’s doing okay, and Nina suggests they go into the kitchen for a snack. Avery says, okay, and they leave. Ned says, Sonny must have been scared there for a second, and Sonny says, now Ned must know how his family feels. Ned says, except he’s a grown man, and he doesn’t owe the Quartermaines anything; just like the Quartermaines don’t owe him anything. He has some reservations about staying in this town, and how much a local label could accomplish for him, but that being said – Nina listens from the doorway – a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. So he’s willing to give this arrangement a chance – for now. He and Sonny shake hands.

Chase thanks Austin and Pilar for answering his questions, and Austin says, right place, right time. Chase says he can give Pilar a ride, and she thanks him. She turns to Ava, saying, Miss Jerome… but Ava says, they’ll finish this conversation later. Pilar leaves with Chase, and Austin says, lucky for Ava that he was around when the nanny was out to lunch. Ava cracks him across the face, and says, you son of a bitch. You set this whole thing up, didn’t you?

Tomorrow, Portia says, there’s something she and Esme need to discuss; Carly tells Drew that she’ll wait as long as it takes; Spencer punches someone; and Ava asks what the hell Austin has gotten her into.

🍊 There wasn’t too much screaming on The Real Housewives of Orange County tonight, but there was a lot of lecturing on film protocol. Emily took her daughter Annabella, along with Anabella’s portfolio, to a modeling agency. I can see her being a helicopter stage mom. Kinder and gentler, but definitely hovering. The women were going on a shrews girls trip to Montana dude ranch, so everyone had to shop for Westernwear and cowboy boots. Emily wasn’t able to go, since she tested positive for covid, although she felt no symptoms. Heather was feeling empty nest syndrome because Max and Nikki were off to college, and Gina was feeling triggered by Jenn’s infidelity, harping on it at every opportunity. At the ranch, there was a mechanical bull outside in a corral, which I thought was weird. Shannon said she wasn’t getting on it because, vagina. She didn’t elaborate, and Tamra was like, there’s surgery for that, but in Shannon’s interview, she said she had a bony vagina. I hope she’s not putting that on her dating profile. She also said she wasn’t brushing things under rug anymore, and when Tamra toasted to new beginnings, in her interview, Shannon said she was hopeful, but cautious. It felt like the past two and a half years hadn’t existed. Oh, I’m sure it won’t take long to bring it all back. In another weird moment, Shannon dressed up like a saloon proprietress and served drinks. I have no idea if this is a dude ranch thing and planned ahead of time, or just random.

The bulk of the episode revolved around Taylor committing a faux pas or a cardinal sin, depending on your point of view. Since I’m only half-paying attention to this show, I don’t know all the details, but Taylor got a part in some movie. I’m guessing it’s like a Lifetime movie or something ironic like Sharknado. Anyway, one of the actresses dropped out, and Taylor asked if Heather might be interested. This opened up a weird can of worms that crawled all the way to Montana. Heather responded in her usual condescending manner, but not really fully explaining why she couldn’t just walk onto the set and start acting. Taylor’s feelings were hurt, and she looked at Heather’s IMDb, which she didn’t think was all that impressive. It probably isn’t. I think she’s had a lot of guest star roles on sitcoms and series, and done a few of them there Lifetime movies. Earlier, Heather had been talking to Terry about reviving her career, and wondering if her time had passed. Now she was whining about having put her life on hold to have a family. While she stressed it had been worth it, and I believe she loves her family, you’d have thought there were a lot of hardships. Have you seen her house? Anyway, dum-dum Taylor had to say something about Heather’s résumé to Tamra of all pot stirrers. On their first day in Montana, Heather had already lectured Taylor on the hierarchy of the film industry, and how the part wasn’t Taylor’s to offer. After she got wind of the IMDb assessment, it brought on a second lecture, as well as more weeping and wailing about how she’d put her life on hold for her family, and now Taylor was denigrating her career. In Gina’s interview, she said, while Taylor did a stupid thing, Heather was acting like someone took her Oscars away. She was acting like Judi-f***ing-Dench.

Next time, shoveling horsesh*t and driving a tractor.

🧊 Dropping It Like It’s Cold…

While I can’t promise blue skies, if you come back tomorrow, I can promise soap and tea for at least two. Until then, stay safe, stay using the words excuse me instead of just barreling through, and stay away from insider trading. It can be really expensive if you get caught.

June 27, 2023 – Laura Says Her Goodbyes, Clarification, Six Years, First Day, Fan’s Choice, Daytime Lifetime, BET Awards, Reunion & Pink

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase and Brook come back from a run, and Brook says she was almost able to forget that her father doesn’t know who she is. He hugs her and says he’s sorry.

At the pool, Dex asks where Trina is, and Josslyn says, she’s getting them drinks. He asks if she’s worried about Drew, and she says, he can hold his own, but three years in Pentenville? It’s just wrong. Her mom told her to have fun today, but she can’t help feeling guilty about it. Trina comes back, and says, that’s how you feel when someone you love is going through something and you can’t help them.

Spencer asks if Laura would like him to take her to the airport, and she says, that’s sweet of him, but she has a driver and she’s going to be doing mayoral business up until she leaves. Esme asks if she’s only taking one suitcase, and Laura says she used to travel quite a bit, and got good at packing light. (Me too. It only takes one time of packing too heavy to learn.) Spencer asks if Laura doesn’t think the trip is too risky, and Esme says, he’s right. Besides, they need her here. Laura says she understands their concern, and she’s arranged for some back-up for them. They’ll see, but she feels quite confident the two of them will come together and work out their relationship… for Ace’s sake.

In the nook, Olivia tells Tracy that she made a mess of things last night. She realized coming home that she pushed Ned further away. Tracy says, none of them would have fared any better. She knows she wouldn’t have. Olivia asks if she really thinks so, and Tracy says, he thinks he’s Eddie Maine. None of them know how to deal with that. They have to just hope he comes to his senses soon.

Sonny asks how long Nina’s been up, and she says, an hour or so. He asks if she’s seen Ned, but she says, not yet. Should she check on him? He has a brain injury. Isn’t it a bad sign if someone with a concussion wants to sleep a lot? He says, doctors say rest is the best thing. He called Olivia to check in, and she gave him the run down. Maybe he’s going to wake up and remember his life. She says, here’s hoping, when Ned comes out, and asks if someone can tell him what he’s doing here. I kind of like the scruffy looking Ned.

Valentin runs into Anna’s house and asks if she’s all right. She says, of course (🍷) she’s all right. Why wouldn’t she be? He tells her, look for herself, and brings her outside. MURDERER is painted in red on her front door, and she says, what it lacks in subtlety, it certainly makes up for in style. It must have happened when she was asleep. He says, she didn’t hear anything? and she says, no, checking the door jam. She tells him, no sign of forced entry. They didn’t set the alarm off. Must be kids. He says, she thinks it’s kids? and she says, they probably read the article in the newspaper and knew where she lived. It’s just a prank. She goes back in, saying, she’s going to get something to clean it up. Just my two cents, but her story seems too sophisticated for kids to be pulling a prank over.

Ava tells Austin that she’s given it a lot of thought, and she’s changed her mind. She can’t get Pilar fired. He says, nannies come and go, right? Mason is a very impatient man. If he thinks they’re dragging their feet, he’s going to come up with some very creative ways to motivate them. Broken bones come to mind. She says, Mason’s not going to get any information at all if he incapacitates her, and Austin says, who says it’s her bones he’s going to break?

Spencer tells Laura that he’s sorry. He was up half the night. Esme says, Ace would settle down, or would seem to, then he’d be up crying again. Laura says, and they were both up with him? Why didn’t they trade off?… She sees. Because neither one of them trusts the other to take care of Ace. Spencer says he needs more coffee and goes to the kitchen. Esme yawns, and Laura says, they’ve talked about this. She doesn’t have to do absolutely everything for Ace. Esme says, she just understands what Ace needs better than Spencer does, and Laura says, good for her. Now she just has to let Spencer figure it out, so she can get some sleep. Spencer is very good with Ace. Esme says, she’s not wrong, and Laura says she thinks if Esme could bend just a little, Spencer could meet her halfway. There’s a knock at the door, and Laura opens it to Martin, who hugs her and asks how she is. She says, very good, and she’s about to close the door, but sees Lucy there. Laura invites her in, and Lucy says she hopes it’s not an imposition, but Marty told her that Laura was heading to Russia today. Martin says, so they’re here to see her off.

Brook says she’s so glad Chase is here to help her through this, and he says, if there’s anything she needs him to do, just ask. She asks him to come inside with her and get some water. She desperately needs to hydrate. They see Tracy in the nook, and Brook tells her that they went for a run. Tracy asks if someone is chasing them, and Chase says, funny. Tracy says, what is? and Brook asks if there’s any news about her dad, handing Chase a bottle of water.

Sonny says, Ned doesn’t remember Sonny bringing him here last night? and Ned says, of course (🍷) he does, but he didn’t get a good look around. When he woke up and saw that view… It’s amazing, man. Nice digs. Maybe one day when he’s on tour, he’ll be able to stay in a place like this. Sonny says he’s glad he was able to make Ned comfortable, and Ned says, it was luxurious. He thanks Sonny for letting him crash here, and Sonny says, anytime. Olivia is his friend. Ned says, about her. Don’t get him wrong, she seems like a nice lady – Sonny says, she is – but he had to get out of that club last night before he said something he regretted. He doesn’t know how to convince her that he can’t be who she wants him to be.

Ava says, if Mason lays one finger on Avery, she’ll kill him, and Austin says, she refuses to accept how ruthless Mason is; there’s no one who’s off limits. She says, fine. Does he have an idea of how they should get rid of Pilar? He says, they tell Sonny that she stole something, but Ava says, she wouldn’t, and Sonny wouldn’t believe it. Something else. Mason walks in, and says, good. They’re both here. Austin says, Mason called this meeting, so let’s get started, and Mason says, great idea. So what do they have for him?

Martin asks Laura how long the flight to Russia is, when Spencer comes back, and asks, what brings Port Charles most vivacious couple by? Laura says, Uncle Marty is the back-up she was talking about, and Martin says, he’s just here to help out while Doc and Laura are away in Russia… where Americans are advised to leave. Spencer says, that’s fantastic. They can certainly use all the help they can get. How is he with changing diapers? Martin says, he’ll be acting in a strictly advisory capacity in that regard. Someone to call in the middle of the night should trouble arise. Lucy says, and they can count on her. Although she’s not officially a member of the family, she’s a phone call away. Spencer tells Martin that he’s curious. Has Martin held a baby before? Laura tells Spencer, don’t be rude, and Lucy says, Martin happens to have many, many, many hidden talents. In fact, you’d think he’d know nothing about skincare, but he was instrumental… Martin says, hold on, and they start to bicker while Laura laughs. Martin says he doesn’t see Doc. Where is his newly minted brother-in-law? Laura says, he’s at the hospital wrapping a few things up. He’ll meet her at the airport. Lucy says, that means Spencer and Esme will really be by their lonesome. Doesn’t caring for a baby bring them together? Esme says, they both love Ace, and that’s the most important thing. Right, Spencer? Spencer says, that’s right.

Trina asks Dex how long he’s been in Port Charles, and he says, a little over a year. She asks where he was before, and he says, all over the place. He joined the army when he finished high school. He did a tour, and when he got discharged, he bounced around. He did a bunch of different jobs, then ended up being the substitute manager at Volonino’s. Trina says, Joss never said that. Is that where they met? Josslyn and Dex look at each other, and Trina says, obviously not. Dex says he met Joss while he was working, and Josslyn says, for Sonny. Dex says, there was a misunderstanding, but Josslyn says, no, there was no misunderstanding. Dex says, Joss threatened to call the cops on him, and Josslyn says she threatened to call the cops on Sonny. Dex was collateral damage, so she changed her mind. Trina says, lucky him, but Dex says, it wasn’t luck; it was Joss. He asked her to cut him a break and she did.

Tracy tells Brook, as far as anyone knows, Ned is still at Sonny’s. Olivia went over there under the pretext of taking him some clothes. Brook wonders if that was a good idea, and Tracy says, she also took him some dessert pasta. She’s just concerned Olivia is going to overdo it, and push him too hard and drive him further away. What are the odds? Brook asks why Tracy didn’t stop her, and Tracy says, because she’s Ned’s wife. She’s fighting for her husband, and if there’s a 1% chanced it’s going to work, who is she to stop her? She asks if Brook doesn’t think she should get changed. Even a business as slipshod as Deception can’t think that’s appropriate office attire. Brook says she took the day off, and Tracy asks why she’d do that. Chase says, because her father almost died and doesn’t recognize her anymore. Give her a break. She needs it. He tells Brook that he’s sorry, but he has to go. He has to work this afternoon. Tracy says, oh yeah, because he got his police badge – Brook says, detective shield – back. He must be so grateful he got to go back to a job he loves so much. He says he sure is, and Tracy says she doesn’t doubt it. Sometimes work is the best thing for us. She looks at Brook.

Nina opens the door to Olivia, and invites her in. Sonny hugs her and says, it’s good to see her. She says, it’s good to be seen, and Ned says he’ll be in his room. Olivia says, please stay. She’s so sorry about what happened at The Savoy last night. He says he’s sorry too, and she says she made him some ricotta ravioli… He likes it. Nina says, it looks delicious. Maybe they could have it for dinner. Olivia says, actually, it’s a dessert or a snack… but just eat it whenever. Nina says she’ll put it in the fridge for now, and Sonny follows her to the kitchen. Olivia asks if Ned slept okay, and he says he did. What about her? She says, not so much. She brought him some clothes. She hands him a bag, and he says, that’s very thoughtful of her. He’ll go change. He tries to take the bag, but she hangs onto it, and asks, just give her five minutes. Please.

Dex leaves for work, and Trina says, he and Josslyn look happy. Josslyn says, they are, and Trina asks if Josslyn is going to be okay with Dex working for Sonny. Josslyn says, no, but she knows the type of guy Dex really is, and Trina says, the type who works for Sonny. Josslyn says, there’s more to him, and Trina says she gets it. Josslyn sees a side of Dex no one else sees. Trina sees a side of Spencer that he usually keeps hidden. Josslyn says, anything specific? and Trina says, before Victor died, he falsified evidence that could put Esme in prison, and left it to Spencer in his will. Josslyn asks why Spencer hasn’t used it, and Trina says, because the evidence isn’t real? Josslyn says, so? Esme did commit those crimes. So what’s wrong with setting her up to make her pay for them?

Ava says, it’s only been five minutes since Mason last threatened them. He can’t possibly expect results already. Mason says, she’s Sonny’s baby mama. She can’t get him to talk? Ava says, come on. She and Sonny are not friends. She and Sonny have never been friends. Austin says, they have a great plan. They just need a little bit of time to execute it. Mason asks if he hasn’t made it clear that the information he needs is time sensitive, and Ava says, what information? Maybe if he told them what he was looking for, things would move a little faster. Mason says, anything on Pikeman. Shipping dates, manifests, anything. So quit stalling. Ava says, they’re working as quickly as they can, but Mason says he doesn’t think they are. He thinks two intelligent, capable people such as themselves could do anything they put their minds to. Maybe they just need a little more motivation. He reaches into his jacket pocket.

Tracy’s phone rings, and she steps outside to take it. Chase asks, what is up with her? and Brook thanks him again for coming at Tracy with that. She’s so glad there’s surveillance footage of her dad’s fall. Otherwise, it would be her word against Drew’s. He says, actually, that’s not true. Someone else witnessed Ned’s fall.

Olivia shows Ned a photo album, and says, here’s where they were saying their wedding vows… and here’s where he was singing at Leo’s birthday party… and this was Thanksgiving. He says, if it was Thanksgiving, why is there pizza? She says, he really doesn’t remember, huh? There’s always pizza at a Quartermaine Thanksgiving. He says he can see how happy everyone is in all these photos. They don’t mean anything to him; he’s sorry. She plops the album in his lap, and says, just look through. Pick a page, any page. You never know. Maybe something will ring a bell. He looks through the album, and says, hey. That’s him? We see a picture of young Ned as Eddie Maine.

Alone with Laura, Martin says, Russia? Chechnya? Laura says she knows the situation is volatile there. But Doc’s going to be there. Valentin will be there. Martin says, what could possibly go wrong? If Doc can’t make the Russians feel better about themselves, he’s sure Valentin can arrange for a group of mercenaries to exfiltrate her. She says, he’s an optimist after all, and he says, she brings out the hope in… Do him a favor. Take care of herself. He means it. He calls her baby sister, and kisses her cheek, telling her to come home to them.

Valentin takes photos of Anna’s door with his phone, and asks if she doesn’t think the police should see this. She says she’s not calling the police. It’s a prank. A juvenile act of vandalism. He says, this is not a prank. This is an attack, and for all they know, this is a warning shot. She says she thinks he’s overreacting, but he says he thinks she’s underreacting. So until she can face what is, he’s staying. He walks back inside, but she says, no. He’s going to Russia with Laura. He says, no, he’s not, but she says, he’s going. He says, they have a situation literally on her doorstep, and she says she can handle it on her own. Because if it’s kids, it’s nothing. He says, it’s not nothing, and it’s not kids, and she says, if it isn’t, she’ll handle that too. But Doc and Laura can’t handle Chechnya on their own. They need him there. He says he loves her, and he wants to protect her, and she says she loves him, and she loves that he wants to protect her. He says, and he likes worrying about her, even if she doesn’t need him, but she says she thinks she needs him more than she wants to need him. He says he’s listening, and she says she needs his voice. She really likes how he makes even the most mundane things sound very sexy. He sits on the steps, and says, go on. She sits next to him, and says she likes the way he says, breakfast is ready. He says, breakfast is ready, and she says, then along comes an English breakfast with everything ten times larger than it needs to be. He says, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and she laughs, saying, she loves his bad jokes. He says he’s never told a bad joke in his life, and she leans her head on his shoulder. She says she just needs him. She just wants to be where she can breathe, and she doesn’t have to watch her back because he’s watching it for her. He puts his arm around her, and she says, he understands the pain of past mistakes. He says he does. Is that what this is? She wants him to leave so she can atone for them? It seems like some sort of righteous punishment for her sins.

Mason holds up a plastic bag with a few hairs in it, and Ava squints at it, asking if those are supposed to be hers. He says, they are hers. She can keep that. There are plenty more on Nikolas’s body. Ava says, a few of her hairs on his jacket, that doesn’t mean anything, but he says, hairs and DNA. The cops know she was the last person to see Nikolas before he – air quotes – disappeared – end air quotes. It won’t take them long to come to the right conclusion; she murdered Nikolas. Austin says they understand the stakes, and they’ll get him something soon. He promises. Mason says he really hopes so, and leaves.

Trina says, Josslyn would really be okay giving the police false evidence to put Esme away? and Josslyn says, after everything that girl did to them? She’d want it in a heartbeat. Trina says, so she’s saying the ends justify the means? but Josslyn says, she’s saying, in this situation, sometimes the system needs a little help to get justice. And she thinks Spencer would feel the same way. Trina says, he did.

Spencer asks what Laura said to Esme, and she says, the same thing she wants to say to him. Ace needs both of them. He says he still thinks his brother would be far better off without Esme in the picture, and she says, he can think that all he wants, but it’s not going to happen. Esme and Ace are a package deal. He glances at the safe deposit box key on his keyring, and flashes back to telling Trina, no good will come of opening that box; and her asking if he really doesn’t want to know what that box is protecting his family from. He fingers the key, and Laura says, Esme is not going to disappear, no matter how much he may want her to.

Anna tells Valentin, when she came back last night, she was looking for some righteous retribution. Then Laura, and Robert, and Felicia came round and did their best to bolster her up. She did her best to be appropriately grateful and appropriately receptive. He says, otherwise, she couldn’t get rid of him fast enough, and she says then when they’d gone, she was left with that newspaper and that brutal headline. She started to think about her entire career; everything she’d ever done, the good and the bad. And all the people she’s loved, the people she’s saved, the people she betrayed. She realized that even with all of her past spread out across the newspapers, the world didn’t stop. He says he thinks she worked hard to make up for the time she spent working for the DVX, and she says she really tried to balance the scales. He says, she has, and she thanks him. She says she needs people like him around to remind her of that. She thinks she’s going to be fine, and if those vandals come back with their spray cans, she’s going to be here to show them exactly what she’s made of.

Ned looks at another old photo of him and… Lois? and he says he looks good. Sonny says, what about the girl next to him? Does he remember her? Ned says, it’s on the tip of his tongue, and Sonny says, her name was Lois. She’s their old friend from the neighborhood. She was actually his manager. Ned says, wow. He can’t place her. He guesses the bump on his head is to blame. He sees a third photo of himself as Eddie, and says he remembers this guitar. Olivia says, he remembers a guitar. He doesn’t remember his wife or his family, but he remembers a guitar? From the 90s? She laugh/cries, and Ned says he doesn’t mean to upset her any more than he has already. He puts down the album, says he’s sorry, and gets up. Sonny asks where he’s going, and Ned says he has to get out of here; get some air. He’s not a prisoner, is he? Sonny says, no, of course (🍷) not, and he leaves. Nina follows him, calling, Eddie! and Sonny hugs Olivia.

In the hallway, Ned says, Nina is the only one who calls him that, and she says, it’s his name, isn’t it? He says, yeah, but no one here wants to believe that, except her.

Brook asks if another witness came forward, but Chase says, she didn’t. Brook says, she who? and he says, Nina Reeves was there when Ned fell. You can see her plain as day on the security footage. She wonders, if Nina was there, why wouldn’t she say anything? and he says he doesn’t know, but it’s weird, right?

On the patio with the phone, Tracy asks, when has she been anything but focused? Of course (🍷) she knows how important this is… Do they want to criticize? Why don’t they come here and do it themselves, okay?… That’s what she thought. Let her remind them, that they’re partners. They are not her boss… Good. Now leave it to her. She’ll get the information on The Deceptor that they need. She promises.

Austin tells Ava, drugs. Family connection or not, Sonny wouldn’t like it if he thought Pilar was using drugs. Ava says she’s not planting drugs on Avery, and he says, they have to come up with something that’s going to work. Because if they don’t give Mason something, they’re going to… What is it? There’s a word. She says, die, and he says, yes, that’s what’s going to happen. His phone chirps, and he says, then what’s going to happen to her daughter? He takes his phone out of his pocket, and she says, fine. She’ll do it, after she spends time with her daughter.

Olivia tells Sonny, this was clearly a bust, but he’s given her a lot to think about. She’s going to go. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, yeah. Ned – she’s not calling him Eddie – says he wants space; she’ll give him space. She just wishes she wasn’t so terrified he was going to skip town.

Ned says, if anyone had to come after him, he’s glad it was Nina. She doesn’t pressure him like the other two. She says she’s really sorry this is happening to him, but no one should force him to be someone he’s not. He says, she’s right. That’s why he’s thinking it might be best for everyone if he left town.

Martin and Lucy sit at a table poolside, and Martin asks if they’re okay. Lucy wonders why he’d ask her that, and he says he’s getting the distinct impression that she’s upset about that discussion they had about marriage. She says, no, and he says he wants to believe her, but she’s not exactly acting like herself. She says she could say the exact same thing about him. Why would he shut her down when she was extoling his virtues? He says, they talked about this. Deception is her company. She can’t be out there saying he designed The Deceptor. She says, why not? She didn’t even bring up the pillow talk; there was no bedroom mentioned. He says, promise him that she won’t tell another soul that they even talked about The Deceptor. She says, okay, if that’s what he wants, and he thanks her.

Josslyn asks Trina if Victor left a note that said, this is the fake evidence that could get Esme convicted, and Trina says, no. Josslyn says, then Trina doesn’t know for a fact that the evidenced is fake, and Trina says, not for a fact. Josslyn says, then they have to tell Dante, but Trina says, they can’t do that. Spencer already destroyed the evidence. Josslyn says, really, and Trina asks what that’s supposed to mean.

Spencer asks if Laura really thinks she’s going to find his father, and she says, all she knows is, when Nikolas was hiding out… He says, when he was pretending he was dead for three years. He let the whole family believe it, and she says, yes, that time. It was Victor who gave Nikolas refuge in his house. Spencer says he was left the property in Chechnya in Victor’s will, and she says she may or may not find his father there, but even if she doesn’t, she may find a clue as to where he is or what he’s up to. He asks if she thinks it’s really worth all that effort, and she says, yes; he’s Spencer’s father. Spencer says he knows Esme manipulated him into trying to separate his father and Ava, and he takes full responsibility for the part he played in that. That being said, his father has done some unforgiveable things, and he doesn’t want to risk losing Laura on the off-chance Nikolas is in Chechnya. Esme stands in the doorway as Laura hugs Spencer and says, he’s not going to lose her. She thinks as he gets old, he’ll see that there are few things that are truly unforgivable. People can change, if you let them.

Brook and Chase kiss, when Tracy comes in and says, don’t they ever stop? Chase says, only when absolutely necessary, and leaves. Tracy says, now that he’s gone, doesn’t Brook think she should… Brook asks why she’s pushing so hard. What does she want from Deception, and why is it more important to her than her own son?

Olivia thanks Sonny, and says she can’t tell him how much it means. He tells her not to give up, and she asks who he’s talking to. This is family, and she’s going to fight like hell. His phone dings, and she says she’ll see herself out. She leaves, and finds Nina and Ned still in the hallway. She says, it’s okay. Don’t be scared. She’s leaving. Enjoy the ravioli. She tells Ned that if he ever wants to call her, Sonny has her number. Ned nods, and she jets. He says, that was brutal, and Nina says she’s sure the more he sees the Quartermaines, the easier it’s going to get, but until then, every time he runs into them it’s going to be tough, because there’s a lot of them. Ned says, this is why he loves life on the road. It’s all about the music. Being on stage. Making people happy. That’s where he’s alive. She says, it sounds amazing. She sometimes dreams about running away, being free. He says, as far as he’s concerned, there’s nothing keeping him here.

Lucy needs to powder her nose, and Martin says, a moment without her will be an eternity. Lucy leaves, and Josslyn tells Trina that she’s surprised Spencer decided to destroy the evidence. Trina tells her to fasten her seatbelt. Not only did Spencer destroy the evidence, he agreed with her when she said it would be wrong to use it. Josslyn says, Trina must be a really good influence on him.

On the phone in the hallway, Lucy says, meet her by the pool. She needs their help. Something is wrong with Martin. She peeks around the corner at him.

Laura says her driver is here, and Esme says she really wishes Laura wasn’t leaving. Laura hugs her, and says she knows Esme is scared, but she’s going to be just fine. Don’t be afraid to let people in. Esme says, all right, and Spencer says, if Laura must be going, he’ll walk her out, but Laura says she thinks she can manage that suitcase on her own. He says, be safe, or else he’s coming to Chechnya to find her. She says she loves him; he says he loves her too, and they hug. She tells him, be civil to Esme, and he says, she can count on him. He fingers the key again.

Anna says she hopes she convinced Valentin to go and help Laura. Forgive her if she’s projecting, but she thinks it’s important for him to do this. She thinks he needs to help her. He says he does, and she says, then go. Find Nikolas. Then come back here and find her. They kiss.

Tracy says, of course (🍷) nothing is more important than Brook’s father. As much as she hates to say it, there’s nothing they can do for him right now. Brook says, yes there is. They have to show him how much they love him; convince him that he’s better off with his family. Olivia comes in and tells Brook that she’s sorry. It’s not going to work. Her dad doesn’t think of them as family anymore. He thinks of them as really pushy strangers. Tracy says, she didn’t have any luck with him? and Olivia says she really thought looking at some pictures, going through the album might trigger something, but no. Nothing. Not even a glimmer. She just made him feel worse. Brook says, so now what? They’re not giving up on her dad. Olivia says, of course (🍷) they’re not giving up on her dad. She’s going to get her husband back. But they have to figure out a new tactic… just as soon as she figures out what that is. She leaves, and Tracy says, Brook heard her. He doesn’t want to see them. So? Brook says she guesses she’s going back to work, and Tracy smiles.

Nina runs in, and Sonny asks, where’s Ned? She says she’s so sorry. She couldn’t stop him. Ned’s gone.

Spencer sees Esme looking at him, and says, what? She tells him that she just wanted to say that she’s given it some thought, and she’s willing to work together if he is. For Ace. He says, for Ace.

There’s a knock at Sonny’s door, and Dex says, it’s him. Sonny tells him, come in, and Dex enters the apartment. Ned walks in after him.

Outside, Pilar calls to Ava, and runs toward her. Ava asks, what’s wrong? Where’s Avery? Pilar says, Avery is gone. She’s disappeared.  

Tomorrow, Drew asks Sam how they’re going to break this to their daughter; Tracy says, it’s a miscarriage of justice; Carly says, Josslyn thinks she made a mistake by not turning in Sonny; and Sonny says he’s going to make someone an offer they can’t refuse.

🩺 Paging Dr. Obrecht…

Fans read too much into things. https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kathleen-gati-clarifies-her-status-at-gh

🎉 Achieving Success…

Definitely cause for celebration. Congrats to him!

🏥 From Pine To Port…

It will be interesting to see how they work him in.

🧼 The Pseudo Awards…

Not quite the Emmys, but no surprise, GH did a near sweep.

🥇 The Real Deal…

But when they’ll get them, who knows?

https://tvline.com/awards/daytime-emmy-winners-2023-susan-lucci-maury-povich-honoree-list-1235001454/

🏆 Best In Entertainment…

BET Award winners.

https://people.com/bet-awards-2023-complete-winners-list-7551422

And more important, the fashion. It certainly went the gamut, from glam to goth.

https://www.essence.com/gallery/all-the-looks-from-the-2023-bet-awards-red-carpet/

🐶 And It Feels So Good…

Of course, I would have just gotten another dog instead of a kid, but to each his own. It’s a good pet parent who recognizes when their pet needs to be rehomed.

https://people.com/andy-cohen-and-former-rescue-dog-wacha-together-once-again-7546884

🍦 Flavor Of the Month…

Come on by tomorrow for soap and OC smack talk. Until then, stay safe, stay checking your behavior before throwing the first stone, and stay not being afraid to let people in.

June 26, 2023 – Ned Checks Himself Out of GH, Double the Pride On Deck & Express

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis and Diane warm up for yoga. Actually, Diane warms up while Alexis watches. Alexis says, confession. She didn’t think Diane would be free tonight, and Diane says, the joke’s on Alexis. While Carly’s case has interrupted many of her evenings, Carly’s not facing a prison sentence, so warm up. Alexis says, Carly is very lucky to have Diane as a lawyer, but Carly’s not the reason she didn’t think Diane would be free. She assumed Diane would be out with Robert. Diane makes a face.

Laura, Felicia, and Robert approach Anna’s house, and Felicia says she assumes they’re in agreement. Laura says, they go in and persuade Anna to join them at The Savoy. Felicia says, she’s been cooped up for a long time, but don’t forget what Valentin said. No matter what, don’t take no for an answer. Robert asks if they smell something burning.

Anna is burning papers in the fireplace, when they walk in. Apparently, she leaves her door unlocked. Laura asks what she’s doing. She says, just burning her past.

Spencer asks if Esme is warming Ace’s bottle, but she says, now that it’s officially summer, she thought she’d make popsicles out of it, so she’s freezing it. He says, please tell him she’s joking, and she says, obviously. Since Laura and Doc aren’t there, she’ll have to share her good news with him. He says, she’s decided to turn herself in for her many crimes, but she says she just got her first paycheck. He says, honest pay for honest work; how does it feel? She says, it felt great. Until she saw the amount. She was hoping she’d get more. He says he’s been there, and she says, he worked? and he says, at Kelly’s. It’s a shock at first, but she’ll get used to it. He asks, how’s the job? and she says, Ace loves daycare, and everyone there adores him. Who wouldn’t? He’s adorable. And The Invader staff seems to hate her less now that she’s transferring calls to the right people. Mostly. He says, that’s great… What? She says she’s not used to him being nice to her, and he says, Doc and his grandmother asked them to get along, and they’re away… She says, that’s just it, isn’t it? Laura’s the reason they get along even this well, and she’s going to Chechnya to look for Ace’s father. She’s just afraid all this is going to fall apart.

Brook says, maybe they just took Ned for some tests, and Olivia says, he has to still be here. He doesn’t know who he is, and wouldn’t even know where to go, right?

Sonny asks how Carly is handling this, and Michael asks how he thinks. She’s ready to go to war for Drew. Sonny says, war with who? Even if Ned’s responsible, he doesn’t know who he is. Michael says, that’s convenient for Ned, and the worst possible outcome for Drew.

In the back on the phone, Nina tells Ava that she didn’t plan for this to happen, but now that it has, a tiny part of her almost feels sorry for Carly. What is she going to do without Drew for three long years? Ned approaches her, and she says she feels so awkward. She sees him, and says she’ll call Ava back. He says, just the person he’s been looking for.

Robert looks at one of the papers and asks if Anna realizes how rarely the WSB gives out commendations. She says, yes, it’s useless now, isn’t it? She doesn’t mean to be rude, but she really intended to spend the evening alone. Laura says, or she could come with them to The Savoy and maybe have a good time, and Felicia says, Anna hasn’t been out of the house in days. Anna asks how she knows that, and Felicia says, they’ve been surveilling her. Laura says, Valentin reached out to them. He’s worried about her. Anna says, that’s just because he feels guilty they’re not spending his last night in Port Charles together, and Laura says, he told them that Anna insisted he spend his last night with Charlotte before he left for Chechnya with her and Doc. Anna says, this might come as a shock to them, but she’s not good company right now, and Robert says, he’s been enlisted to help get her to the club with them tonight. The basic idea was Valentin’s, and she knows how Robert despises him. So why doesn’t she come along and endure it? If he can do it, she can do it. She says, that sounds like a lovely invitation, and Felicia says, come with them. Anna says she doesn’t want to; she wants to stay here with her thoughts and her fire. Robert says, so she’s fine, and she says, yes. He says, then what is she doing reading trash like this? He holds up a copy of The Sun with her picture on the front page and underneath, Anna Devane Double Agent. She says, every word of it is true. She was a double agent, and innocent people were hurt because of her. She thinks it’s time she dealt with that.

Diane says she has not been seeing Robert, and Alexis says, Diane said have not, not haven’t. When she does that, something’s wrong. Diane says she just doesn’t wish to discuss it, that’s all, and Alexis says, fine. She’s not going to meddle… just pry. What happened with Robert? Diane says, absolutely nothing. He chose Holly, Holly left town, and that, as they say, is that. Alexis says, if he chose Holly, why did she leave town? but Diane says she has no idea. Alexis asks if Robert said he chose Holly, and Diane says, no. He just didn’t call, and he didn’t write. Ergo, he was at home nursing a broken heart. As Alexis knows, she’s nobody’s rebound, and as Alexis also knows, she doesn’t wait by the phone. Alexis says, hell no, she doesn’t. She deserves better. Diane says, damn right, and Alexis says, okay, she’s exhausted. Let’s go. Diane says, Alexis didn’t do anything, and Alexis says, that’s how she exercises. Let’s get something to eat. Diane says, she can’t eat; she didn’t exercise. Alexis leaves, and Diane follows her out.

Spencer says, his grandmother wouldn’t have left him and Esme alone if she didn’t think they could handle it. He’s been doing everything he can to share in this responsibility with her. Esme says, he’s been really helpful, but she wonders about his commitment after Laura comes back. What happens when it’s not just them and Ace anymore? There’s a knock at the door, and Esme answers it. It’s Trina, and Esme says she thought Spencer was staying in tonight.

Chase picks up Ned’s wallet, and says, there’s no cash. Does Olivia know if he was carrying any? She says she doesn’t know, and he leaves to talk to the nurses. Tracy says, Ned would not have left GH. Eddie Maine, however, is foolish, immature, and thoughtless. Olivia says, that’s still her husband Tracy is talking about, and Tracy says, in the immortal words of Eddie Maine, lady, I don’t know you. Brook says, if they didn’t take him for tests, maybe he just went for a walk, or he’s raiding the vending machines. They don’t know if he left the hospital; Chase will find out for them. This is not a reason to panic. Tracy says, give it time.

Nina says, Ned was looking for her? and he says, yeah. Let him buy her a drink, and she can tell him all about this place. She says, The Savoy? and he says, yeah. What kind of talent do they bring in here, and how are the crowds? She says, they’re good, depending on the band. She just has to ask him. Isn’t he supposed to be in the hospital? He says, she thinks she knows him, doesn’t she? Well, she doesn’t, but she will soon. Her and anyone else with a lick of taste and an ear for good music. He holds out his hand and says, his name is Eddie Maine, and she says, Nina Reeves. Pleased to meet him. He says, nice to meet her. Let’s get that drink.

Michael says, Ned doesn’t know who his mom or Drew are, or that he turned them in for insider trading, and Sonny says he was the southern partner in L&B Records when Eddie Maine was touring. Ned lived a double life, but he always knew who he really was. Michael says, now he thinks he’s Eddie, and Sonny asks, how sure are the doctors? Michael asks if Sonny thinks he’s lying, and Sonny tells him, he didn’t say that, but he needs to see it for himself. Michael says, here’s your chance, and Sonny turns to see Ned clinking his glass against Nina’s, saying, let the good times roll.

Robert says, it’s all ancient history, and Anna has given a tone to all of it. She says, has she though? She feels she threw herself into work so she wouldn’t have to face the truth of what she did. She felt if she ran fast enough or far enough, her past wouldn’t catch up with her. Now it has. Felicia says, Anna hasn’t run from her mistakes. If anything, she’s owned up to her past. Laura tells Anna to think of all the times she put her life at risk to help others. Was she doing that because she wanted to atone, or because it’s just who she is? Some people they may never know, but the fact is, those acts of heroism and all the good things she’s done can’t be denied. Robert says, Laura is right, Anna’s still a hero. Anna says she’s also a traitor. He’s called her that, and she doesn’t want to involve them by association. Laura suggests Robert go ahead and get them a table at the club, and Felicia says she’ll walk him out. Anna says she knows what this looks like, but she’s not wallowing, and Laura says she thinks Anna is taking stock. Anna agrees and thanks her for understanding. Laura says, of course (🍷), but what she doesn’t understand is why Anna is shutting them out.

Ned/Eddie tells Nina that he’s been away from Port Charles for a while, so he’s trying to get his bearings; trying to find all the happening spots in town. Sonny walks over, and asks, what’s going on? Nina tells him, this is Eddie Maine, and he was just asking about the music scene in Port Charles. She tells Ned, this is her fiancé, Sonny Corinthos, and Ned says, her fiancé is one lucky guy. Sonny agrees he is, and Ned apologizes if he overstepped. Sonny asks what he means, but Nina says, don’t worry; he didn’t. Ned offers to buy Sonny a drink, but Sonny wonders why Ned is in a nightclub when he just got out of the hospital. Ned wonders how Sonny knew about that, then realizes he still has the band on. He tells Sonny, hospitals are for sick people. Lucky for him, he’s not sick. Sonny suggests he buy Ned a drink and introduces Michael. He says, they want to hear Ned’s music stories, and asks if Nina didn’t have to make a call. She thanks him for reminding her. It’s a business thing. She leaves, and Sonny asks what kind of music Ned/Eddie plays.

Nina calls Olivia, who says, the last thing she needs is Nina. She can’t even begin to think about the MetroCourt right now. She puts her phone in her pocket, and Chase comes back. He tells them not to panic, but Ned checked himself out. He signed a form saying he was leaving against medical advice. Tracy wonders what name he used. If he signed out as Eddie Maine, they should have put him in a straitjacket instead of letting him roam free. Olivia says, it doesn’t matter how he got out of here. The fact is that he’s gone, and they have to figure out where. Tracy says, Ned would have never left the hospital. Eddie Maine is probably busking on a street corner somewhere. Olivia says she wishes she thought Tracy was wrong, and Tracy asks, where do musicians hang out? Chase tells them to keep brainstorming. He’s going to call this into the station, and see if they can help track down Ned. Brook says, that was Nina, and Olivia says, Nina’s calling her? Brook says, she found dad; he’s at The Savoy. Tracy says, a nightclub; why didn’t they think of that? Brook says, they’d better go before Ned breaks loose again.

Spencer asks Trina if he’s in trouble. Did he forget something? She says he didn’t forget anything, but she knows how busy he’s been, and she thought they could have a chill night in. She even brought snacks. He says, it’s good to see her, snacks or no snacks, but… Esme asks if they’re going to watch a movie, but Trina says, they haven’t decided yet. Esme says, there’s a lot of movies and shows on streaming right now. They don’t mind if she joins them, do they? They’re like, um… and Esme says she was just kidding. She’s going to feed Ace, give him a bath, then it’s bedtime for both of them. She leaves, and Trina says, wow. It’s a shock to the system to see him and Esme together like this. He says, like what? and she says, on the same side like they used to be.

Looking at the instruments on stage, Ned says he’s a man without a band, and Sonny asks if Ned has representation. Ned says, not currently, but he’s going to put out some feelers though. It’s been a while. Sonny says he knows how that is. Michael asks if Sonny doesn’t know a few people in the music business, and Sonny says he doesn’t see why he can’t reach out. Ned says, Michael’s not into music, is he? but Michael says he is. Ned asks, what was the last show he went to? and Michael says, actually, Fido, right here on this stage. Ned says, never heard of them, but Michael says, he should. But then again, it was a long time ago. Since then, he’s been kind of busy, taking care of his family and running the business. Ned says, right. He’s all business. Life is short. You gotta live a little, kid. Relax. Nina comes back, and Sonny asks, how’d it go? She says, great. The issue is headed to the press. Ned says, issue? and Nina says she runs a magazine. So what does he think of The Savoy? Ned says, after some of the dives he’s played in, this place is a palace.

Anna says, Laura is the mayor of Port Charles and shouldn’t be seen with her. What if someone were to take their photo? Laura says she doesn’t care about that, and Anna says, maybe she should. She’s a politician. Laura says she didn’t get elected to office by hiding her past, and she’s well-aware of the complexity of Anna’s, and she’d be honored to have her picture taken with Anna. Felicia says she would challenge anyone to compare the good Anna’s done against the wrongs they’re writing. It’s no contest. Anna says she appreciates that, and she knew of course (🍷) that they wouldn’t turn their backs on her, no matter how much she wants them to. But it’s not about what other people think of her; it’s what she thinks of herself. She’d come to terms with her past, and even the crimes she was a part of because of her work as an agent. She felt somehow she was balancing the scales, but now that she’s no longer an agent and won’t ever be again, she realizes she’s not ready to let go of that part of her life because she feels like her work isn’t done.

Sonny tells Ned that he invested in a small club back in the 90s; one of the co-owners was a friend of his from the old neighborhood. Very ambitious. She brought in two singers, and one of them made it really big. Sonny doesn’t know what he’s doing now; just living the crazy life he guesses. Nina’s phone dings, and she sees a text from Olivia: We’re almost there! Nina says she has another work call, and steps away. Ned says, you see? A beautiful woman like that, and she can’t even enjoy a night out. He tells Michael, take his advice; don’t let work consume you. Robert comes in, and says, it’s good to see Ned up and about. He’s sure Olivia’s delighted. He asks Sonny for a word, and Sonny tells Ned that he’ll be right back. Ned drains his drink and jets.

Sonny asks how he can help Robert, and Robert says he’s curious. Why does Sonny Corinthos need someone to fight his battles for him? Sonny asks what battle they’re talking about. Narrow it down. Robert says, it’s a problem when Sonny starts using Diane Miller… Diane walks in with Alexis, and says, excuse me, District Attorney. He’s not accusing her client of something without his attorney being present, is he?

Spencer tells Trina that he and Esme are in no way on the same side. They’re just trying to make the best of a very, very messed up situation right now. She says, that’s fine. She’s glad their living situation is more tolerable now. He says, unfortunately, it means he and Trina don’t get to spend as much time together. He’s really sorry he had to leave Curtis’s birthday party early. He asks if something happened, and she says, when is something not happening with her family. Her family… which Curtis is. He asks if she’d like to elaborate on it, and she says that she and Curtis were just starting to get closer, when Curtis did something stupid to upset her mom. He asks if she wants his advice, or does she just need him to listen? but she says she doesn’t think anyone can give her advice on this. He takes her hand, and says, then listening it is. Esme stops in the doorway with Ace.

Robert tells Diane, just an informal chat; nothing official. Sonny says he still doesn’t know what they’re chatting about, and he’s starting to lose interest. Robert says he doesn’t like that Sonny is using Diane to get confidential information from him. Diane says, let her handle this, and Sonny says, by all means. Diane and Robert leave, when Olivia runs in. She asks Nina where Ned is, and Nina says, he’s with Sonny and Michael. Alexis says, can’t take Sonny anywhere, and Tracy asks Sonny, where’s Ned? Nina said he was with Sonny and Michael. Nina says, he was, and Michael says, he was just here a second ago. Olivia says, they’ve lost him? and Sonny says, he can’t be far. N’neka takes the mic, and welcomes everyone to The Savoy. There’s more applause than there are people, and she says, she has some good news, and of course (🍷) some bad news. First, the bad news. Unfortunately, their opening act, Caterwaul, got stuck in customs. But the good news is, their headliners, The Retrobates, will be out in a few minutes. Ned walks out onto the stage, and she says, excuse me, sir. You can’t be up here. He grabs a guitar, and says, if they need an opening act, he’s their man. How are you, Port Charles? How’s everyone feeling tonight? Come on! Make some noise.

Ned asks if everyone is having a good time. Let’s get this party started. Olivia says, Ned, get down from there, and he says he doesn’t know that song, but here’s one she might recognize. He starts to play, but his knees buckle, and Chase and Michael help him off the stage and lead him away. Brook thanks Nina for calling. They would have never known he was here if she hadn’t. Nina says she’s just glad she could help, and Brook says, he would have been halfway to Vegas by now. Chase tells Olivia that Ned will be okay; he’s sitting with Michael. He tells Brook that Ned is okay. He just needed some water.

Ned tells Michael that he’s fine now. The crowd’s all warmed up. He has to get out there. Michael says, the crowd can wait; so can he. Olivia tells Sonny that Ned thinks she’s a complete stranger, and Sonny says, it’s that bad? She says, Ned doesn’t remember anyone. He doesn’t remember Brook or Tracy. He denied Leo to his face. Her little boy was devastated. Sonny asks what she wants him to do, and she says, Ned doesn’t trust her. He doesn’t trust anyone in his family. Sonny says, because they want him to be someone he doesn’t remember being. He was talking to Ned, and he doesn’t seem… Olivia says, Sonny didn’t mention that he knew him before? and Sonny says, not yet.

Esme clears her throat, and walks in, saying, sorry. She just came to get Ace’s binkie. Spencer asks if she gave him his bottle, and she says, yes. He asks if she turned on the noise machine, and Trina says, maybe he needs to be swaddled. Spencer says, no, he’s too old for that, and Esme says she came here to get a pacifier, not attend a forum on parenting strategies. If she needs anything, she’ll call them, but don’t hold their breath. She leaves, and Spencer tells Trina that he’s sorry. She was saying? Trina says, it’s okay, but he says, it’s not. He doesn’t like the way Esme spoke to her. Trina says, she’s tired, and if someone who didn’t have kids gave her unsolicited parenting advice, she’d also be upset. He says, oh no. He’s got Trina defending Esme as well, but she says, it’s all right. He says he doesn’t like this whole… situation, and she says she doesn’t either, but this is how it has to be for Ace… for now. Until they can find a way to get rid of Esme. He flashes back to putting the false evidence back into Victor’s safety deposit box, and saying, just in case. Trina says, they just have to find some real evidence they can trust. Once they do that, Esme will be out of their lives forever.

In the hallway, Diane says, what the hell was that about? and Robert says he hates the fact that Sonny thinks he can use her to get to him. Diane says, use her? Like he and Holly used her. Or was it different? He thinks so little of her, doesn’t he? He says, no. It’s because he has so much respect for her, and he hates the fact that Sonny uses her to do his bidding.  She says, let’s make it clear. She doesn’t do anyone’s bidding; she protects her clients. He knows who she works for. She needed some information, so she asked him for it. Did Sonny Corinthos also need that information? That’s attorney/client privilege. He says, how convenient, and she says, and accurate. Besides, why does he care? He says he cares a whole lot more than she realizes.

 Anna says, as an agent, as a cop, she felt she had a purpose; that it was where she belonged. Now she doesn’t have that anymore. She’s been asking herself the question, what now? Felicia and Laura both say they know how she feels, and Felicia says, they’ve all reinvented themselves. Laura asks if Anna has talked to Valentin about it, and Anna says she did, but she didn’t want to burden him because he’s leaving with Laura. Laura says she can tell him to stay, but Anna says, Laura needs him. She knows Laura’s very capable, but a US government official isn’t supposed travel to Chechnya. Valentin has a lot of contacts there and speaks the language. She thinks Laura needs that. Laura says, to be honest, she was surprised when he offered to go with her. It actually meant a great deal to her, and right now, she needs all the help she can get. Anna says, it’s settled then. She’s coming to Chechnya with Laura.

Robert says, Diane knows how much he values their friendship and their relationship. She says, they don’t have a relationship. Last she checked, they were just two colleagues on opposite sides of the courtroom, and even rarer, on opposite sides of the dinner table. He says, it doesn’t have to be like that, and she asks if he’d be saying that if Holly hadn’t left town.

Spencer says, Trina is absolutely right. He can’t wait for that day. Esme says, sorry to interrupt again, but Ace won’t go to sleep, even though she sang him that silly song. Spencer says, it’s not a silly song. She just doesn’t sing it right, and she says, why doesn’t he sing it to Ace, so she can listen and maybe do it better? Or is that too much to ask for him to sing to his baby brother? Trina says, they seem to have their hands full, so she’s just going to go. She starts gathering her stuff, but Spencer says, stay. She says, that’s okay. Go sing that silly song to his brother and put him to bed. He says he doesn’t want it to be like this, and she says, neither does she, but it won’t be like this forever. And with Esme’s track record, they won’t have to wait long.

Olivia finds Ned on a bench in the hallway tuning a guitar, and says she can’t imagine what it must be like for him. She knows he doesn’t know her and doesn’t want any pressure or interfering in things he doesn’t feel… Michael asks if Sonny is sure this is a good idea, and Sonny says, Olivia wanted to talk to Ned alone. Michael asks what Sonny thinks now that he’s seen Eddie Maine up close, and Sonny says, Ned isn’t faking it. No matter how much Sonny doesn’t like him, Ned wouldn’t put his family through this. Olivia asks Ned to come back to the hospital, but he says, why? He’s not sick. She says, he just got dizzy on the stage, and had to be helped off, but he says he just got a little dehydrated. He’s fine now. Right as rain. She says, what he had was a major head injury and chest compression… Stop tuning that thing. It isn’t even his. He says, whosever it is shouldn’t have left it on the stage, and she says, just like a man with a major head injury shouldn’t be walking out of the hospital. He says he couldn’t stand being in that hospital room one more second. Being told what to do, when to eat, when to sleep. Being told who he is, who he’s not. He knows who he is. He rips off the hospital bracelet, and she says she knows he thinks he does. If he can’t come home for her, she understands, but his kids are his kids. Can’t he do it for his kids? He says he appreciates what she’s trying to do, and thinks he even knows what she’s going through. He’s truly sorry that he’s causing her pain. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone. She says, then stop, and he says, but he can’t be someone he’s not. She says, right. And he can’t love someone he doesn’t know.

Sonny asks if Nina is upset about something, and she says, it’s just she hates seeing Ned’s family in so much pain. He says that’s what he loves about her. She’s got a big heart.

Olivia says, Ned, please, and he says, it’s Eddie. She says, Eddie. If he’s not going back to the hospital, can he please just come home? Or why doesn’t he come back to her place? He can have his own room. He says he appreciates the offer, but it doesn’t feel right to him. He has to be on his own. He walks to the door of the club.

Spencer says he’ll call Trina tomorrow, and they’ll set up a date. She says she’d like that, and they kiss, but Esme interrupts, asking for his help in looking for Ace’s toy pig. Trina says she knows her way out, and opens the door. Spencer picks up Ace’s stuffed pig, and tells Esme, believe it or not, the toy pig is in the toy bin. He asks her to give him Ace, and she hands him the baby. He bounces Ace gently as he sings Lullaby and Goodnight. Trina listens for a moment, then closes the door behind her.

Sonny tells Olivia that he’s going to take Ned back to his place, and she asks him to keep her posted, hugging him. He says, of course (🍷), and he leaves with Nina. Olivia picks up the hospital bracelet, and cries. Michael puts his arm around her.

Anna tells Laura that she has more contacts than Valentin. Why have one WSB agent when you can have two? Laura says, Anna has just been accused of being a double agent. How will it look if she just takes off? Felicia says, and go to Chechnya of all places, and Anna says she thought Laura didn’t care about optics, and Laura says she doesn’t care how it looks for her; she cares about how it looks for Anna. Anna asks if she thinks it could make her reputation worse, and Laura says she thinks it will make it look like Anna is running away. Anna asks what she’s supposed to do then. She helps people. It’s what she does and who she is. And if she’s not an agent for the WSB, who is she? Felicia says, Anna doesn’t need the WSB to give her purpose. There are plenty of people in the world who could use Anna on their side. Anna asks if Laura is one of them, and Laura asks if she’s kidding. Before all this happened, Anna would have been her first phone call, but it did happen, and now helping her will do nothing to help Anna. Anna says, okay, and Laura promises she’ll find a new path. It may even find her.

Michael says, he knows he and Ned have been at odds lately, and Olivia says, not anymore; he’s not Ned. Michael says, he will be again. He promises to help Olivia and Ned any way he can. Brook and Chase join them, and Brook asks, where’s her dad? Olivia says she tried to get Ned to come home with her, but he wouldn’t, and Michael says, Sonny went after him. He’ll look after Ned tonight. Brook says, that’s great, but what about tomorrow night, and the night after that? Chase says, they’ll cross that bridge when they come to it. In the meantime, he has the feeling that Eddie Maine can handle himself.

Robert says he doesn’t understand what Holly’s leaving has to do with anything, and Diane says she specifically asked him to call her when he’d decided who he wanted to be with, and he never called. Robert says, because Holly left town, and Diane says, so he thought the decision had been made for him? Does she look like someone who would appreciate being chosen by default? It’s just not good enough, and she can’t believe he thought it ever would be.

Tomorrow, Josslyn asks Trina, what’s wrong with setting her up; Laura thinks Spencer will meet Esme halfway; Valentin says, until Anna can face what is, he’s staying; Chase tells Brook, that’s not true; and Ned asks what he’s doing here.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Glenn stresses the need to communicate at all times. If they have an emergency, it’s a safety issue. Daisy says, they can’t hear the radio in the laundry or on the aft deck, but Glenn isn’t having any excuses. In Chase’s interview, he suggests Daisy is too defensive, and should just own it. In Gary’s interview, he says, it sounds like a user issue. Glenn tells them to deal with the radio issue. It was 15 minutes, and no one tended to the guests. In Daisy’s interview, she says she thinks it’s a valid point, but if she was in the laundry when there was a fire, she thinks someone would find her. Glenn tells Gary to help him with a test, and Gary goes to the laundry. Daisy says, she’s not imagining it, and Glenn radios Gary. Gary says, the radio was all the way down, but he heard Glenn loud and clear. Glenn tells him to go to the aft deck, and Gary can hear him there too. Glenn tells them, just leave it in the hallway, and they’ll hear it. They clean up the boat, and Colin asks if Daisy is okay. She says, she’s over it. She’s trying her best, and to be constantly told it’s not good enough… He tells her to cheer up and kisses her. Bonnie arrives, and Daisy goes out to meet her. In her interview, Daisy says, they haven’t seen each other in person for three years, mainly because of covid, but they talk all the time about everything. Bonnie followed in her footsteps, and became a yacht chef. They never intend on working together. They would kill each other. Bonnie and Daisy go to the master cabin, and Bonnie asks Daisy to tell her the stuff that she can’t in front of the others. Daisy says, Gary hooked up with one of her stews, but the stew likes Alex. And she hooked up with Colin. Bonnie says, every girl’s dream, and Daisy says, he found out about her and Gary, and it was like a sex triangle. Gary is having feelings and it’s a bit overwhelming. Bonnie says, as soon as Gary had her, he wouldn’t appreciate her, and they get ready to go out. Daisy introduces Bonnie around, and the crew leaves. Glenn says, finally.

In the taxi, Lucy asks if Bonnie is single, and Bonnie says, always. They go to a restaurant in Olbia, Sardinia restaurant, and Bonnie says she hasn’t blacked out in ages… except for the other night. On the boat, Glenn hunts for vegetables. Bonnie toasts to the crew, and thanks them for having her. She tells them that she works on an expedition yacht, and it’s insane. In Colin’s interview, he says he thinks Chase has taken a knock this season. Maybe Bonnie will pick him up. Daisy and Colin get snuggly, and Bonnie tells them, don’t be coupley.  She’s surprised they’re together, since Daisy is fancy, and Colin is more like her. She’s just happy Daisy found someone who tolerates her. Where’s the tequila? In his interview, Colin says, it must seem crazy. It’s so different for him and Daisy to be connecting on this level. It’s unusual, but the feelings are genuine, and it feels good… most of the time. Ileisha, Bonnie, Gary and Daisy go for a smoke, and Bonnie says, Daisy and Gary are better suited, but Gary says, Daisy has a boyfriend now. Bonnie says, if they were on a desert island, they’d be happily ever after. Daisy says, when they’re alone things are sweet, but when they’re around everyone else, it gets complicated. In Ileisha’s interview, she wonders if Daisy wants both of them.

In Gary’s interview, he says, having Daisy’s sister saying he’s more suited to Daisy hurts. He’s in denial, and not accepting he’s lost his chance. It feels like dead butterflies. On the way back, there’s lots of yelling and drinking, and although she’s sitting next to Chase, Bonnie leans over to the backseat and kisses Alex. Chase wonders, what did he ever do? In Lucy’s interview, she says, poor Chase; he gets so close. Although there is some satisfaction in watching a man get pied so hard. By the time they get back to the boat, Glenn is in bed. Things are already messy, and Colin says, this is bad, He’s letting his country and family down. Gary backs Daisy into a corner, and she pushes him off, telling him, stop it. Gary tells Bonnie that her sister tried to kiss him, and some of the crew gets in the jacuzzi. Gary tells Mads that he wants to be in her life, but they’re at different stages. In Mads’ interview, she says, Gary just wants her so Alex can’t have her, and she’s not an object to be had. She tells him not to be a poop. Chase says he’s over it and goes to bed. In his interview, Colin says, this not good. Gary is on edge and jealous; his competitive nature kicked in. Daisy gets in Colin’s bunk, and Gary kisses Mads on deck. Daisy says she’s taking Bonnie to the master cabin, and deposits her in bed. Gary suggests he and Mads go to the master, but Bonnie tells them to get lost. Colin and Daisy end up in the starboard cabin, directly across from Mads and Gary in the port cabin. We hear heavy breathing and noises I can’t unhear from both cabins.

Bonnie comes out, and peeks into the starboard cabin, and says, you sluts. Colin leaves, and Bonnie gets in the bed with Daisy, and says she broke a nail, but doesn’t remember. In Daisy’s interview, she says, the sexual energy between her and Colin is alive. She kind of expected it. Alex says he’s hung TF over, and Bonnie and Daisy agree that they’re traumatized. Gary bugs Daisy since he’s such a d-bag, and Alex tells Colin that he made out with Bonnie in the van, which makes Chase sad. Bonnie says her goodbyes, and in her interview, Daisy says, Bonnie was a hurricane that blew through the Parsifal III. She was spot-on about Gary, but Colin is different. His calm nature is attractive, fun, exciting, and new to her. Gary asks if Colin and Daisy hooked up, and Colin says, they just kissed, but Gary doesn’t buy it. Glenn calls Ileisha, Gary, and Daisy to the crew mess for a preference sheet meeting.

Primary Bryan is North Carolina’s top realtor, and will be bringing his companion Rob and longtime friend Madison, and well as Craig and his husband Wick. Daisy says, there are three pages on Bryan, and Ileisha reads, that he doesn’t expect the chef to be as well-versed in European cuisine as he is, so don’t attempt any dishes outside their wheelhouse. Gary says, meow, and they laugh. Daisy reads that Bryan wants his toilet paper folded into roses one day and sailboats the next. They also want a Pride themed dinner in rainbow colors. Ileisha reads that he’d like at least 10 courses, and Gary reads that he expects the primary’s preferences to supersede the guests. Ileisha says, this is literally a nightmare.

Glenn says, the guests expect five-star service, and there were issues last charter. There’s no room for mistakes, and he expects them to be at the top of their game. He thinks this will be a good one. Mads says, Tim’s face is still on the door, as she cleans it. Daisy orders provisions like rainbow stuff and speedos, and Ileisha goes to bed early. In the morning, Daisy says, they’ll have pink champagne for the guests’ arrival, and they do last minute cleaning. Gary bugs Daisy some more, for the reasons I’ve already mentioned, and in Alex’s interview, he says, Gary needs to be more mature and conscientious. If your subordinates think they’d be better off without you, it should be eye opening. Chase says, he’d love a little more presence. The provisions come in, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, on the last charter, they weren’t 110%, and she feels the pressure to step it up. She’s on a mission. Glenn announces the guests will be there in 15 minutes, and asks if everybody’s ready for a great charter.

The guests arrive, all rainbows and fans. Glenn welcomes them to the Parsifal and Sardinia, and Daisy gives them the tour. Primary Bryan hops up and down to see the chocolate in the master cabin. Glenn tells Daisy that he’s getting the sails up. There’s going to be quite a bit of heel, so get well-stowed. The pirate movie music begins, the sails go up, and the guests get all excited. Glenn estimates the angle at 20, and things move and slide. At 11 knots, Lucy says, f*** me, as she tries to field flying objects.

Another sailboat is nearby, and in Glenn’s interview, he says, they got their sail up, the other boat has their sail up. Anytime two sailboats are together, that’s a race. He radios the other boat, and tells Colin that the captain is cool. Let’s tack now. The guests tell Glenn, don’t let them win, and Ileisha says, this doesn’t help her prepping guests. In his interview, Glenn says, it’s like the cherry on top. His job is to impress the guests and give them a special experience. He tells the guests that they were the winner, but it’s really inconclusive. The water toys are put out, and the guests get on the boards, one in a rainbow unicorn innertube. In Ileisha’s interview, she says she’s served 10 course meals many times, but this is the least amount of time she’s had to prepare. She usually has days. It’s a challenge, but definitely one she can handle. Colin asks Gary how things are with Mads, and Gary says he’ll see what happens,  but at the end of the day, Mads is leaving after the season. Colin asks how Gary feels about Daisy, and Gary says he’s happy for them. Colin says, he’s got no feelings? and Gary says he thought he did, but he’s happier being friends. In Colin’s interview, he says, Gary is such a d-bag. He’s contradicted himself so many times, it’s difficult to believe what he says. We flash back to Gary flip-flopping, and Colin says, they’ll always be friends, but Gary is one of those guys he can’t trust completely. Gary says, it’s the fairy tale world they live in, and Colin says, it’s confusing.

Chase helps Ileisha and the guests get dressed for dinner in sparkly shirts and headbands with ears. Bryan pronounces the first course heaven. In the galley, Chase jokes that he hurt his back… carrying the team. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the interior is better with the radio. They’re more efficient and saving energy. He’s proud. Bryan says, he’s wowed, and blown away. Gary bugs Mads, and she says, he’s like a gnat that keeps coming around. Gary says, she kissed him the first night, and Chase jokes that she kissed him; Gary wasn’t here. Gary says, Mads upgraded, but Mads says, if she was upgrading, she’d have made out with Alex. In Gary’s interview, he says he’s offended. He can take a joke, but he doesn’t think she meant it that way. He’s trying to talk about how he feels, and it keeps getting brushed under the rug. It’s kind of what he does. Maybe she’s not the chick for him. He needs to do some reflecting. Colin says, it’s a sloppy season, and Gary says he’s over this.

Part Two

Colin suggests Gary dwell on it. It’s good for him to be taken down a peg. The truth hurts. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, 10 courses on the Parsifal is brutal. It’s going to take forever to serve, which means a late night for everyone. Baby squid is served, which makes me sad. After seeing an octopus playing with a diver, they’re off my menu. Ileisha says, she’s a machine running on fumes, and Chase says, make that money. Bryan says, the dinner is hugely brilliant. At midnight, Alex says, 7-8 hours of their day is just meals. Mads says, Gary literally won’t look at her, and in her interview, a producer asks why she thinks he’s offended. She says she feels it’s the ego thing; one of a number of things she wishes Gary would get over. Daisy wonders what it’s like to have a civilized fight with Gary. The meal is finally at its end with cheesecake being served as the last course. Ileisha says, they did it. She can’t believe she pulled it together. She’s done. Colin kisses Daisy goodnight, and Chase tells Ileisha, to celebrate, they should make out. It’s hard no, and he says he was just spit-balling. It was the first idea that came out. Daisy says she’s going to bed, and Gary asks if it’s his bed. Ugh. The rest of the crew turns in, and Alex says he’s going into hardcore cleaning mode.

The next day, Gary hugs Daisy because he never quits, and in Daisy’s interview, she says she doesn’t want boundaries to affect her and Gary’s relationship, but she doesn’t want it to affect her relationship with Colin by being inappropriate. Gary wonders, why can’t everyone be cool? and Glenn says, he is. It comes naturally. We flash back to Chef Marcos needing help with a 10-course meal last season, and needing help. Colin tells Ileisha about it, and says, she did on her own. Daisy asks the deckhands to change into their speedos.

Gary asks Glenn for a hug, and Glenn says, is that a cocktail weenie or are you happy to see me? In Chase’s interview, he says, if the guests want him in a banana hammock, he knows he looks good, and he’ll do anything to make them happy. They help the guests with the boards, and the guests play in the water. Daisy says, tonight’s the Pride dinner with a rainbow/unicorn theme, and Glenn gives Gary a wedgie. Alex asks how Gary feels, and Gary says, it’s a good season, but he wants a chick there for him not just when she’s drunk. In Alex’s interview, he says he doesn’t know why Gary and Mads have continued this long. He thinks Mads deserves better, and he’s better than Gary. The music begins, the sails go up, the boat heels, and stuff flies. In Lucy’s interview, she says she doesn’t want a co-dependent. She was looking for a good time not a long time.

Ileisha thinks there are only six colors in the rainbow, but Daisy thinks she has a color missing. I try yelling at the TV that Daisy’s right, but it does no good. Gary hugs Daisy against her will, and she pushes him away, saying, it’s so inappropriate. In Colin’s interview, he says, Gary is a desperate man. His ego feels attacked because he doesn’t have female attention. Now Colin is in the thick of it, and it’s a sh*t situation to be in. Lucy is confused with the array of stuff for the dinner. Chase puts on a pink cowboy hat, and tells Ileisha if she wants to save a horse and ride a cowboy. Daisy says, each person is dressing as a color, and asks Gary to do a fan dance. He’ll figure it out. For gay guys, this bunch sure is wearing some mismatched outfits, but hey, it’s their party. Bryan is thrilled, and says, it’s like their own Pride festival. Daisy asks if Colin is mad at her, and he says, she never told Gary that they had feelings to make him back off. Daisy says, it’s clear they’re hooking up, and Colin says, Gary’s an idiot, which about sums it up. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the crew is falling in line. All it took was some tough love. Daisy tells the guests that the boys prepared a fan dance. Both wearing angel wings, and Chase sporting a seashell bra, Gary and Chase leap around with fans, and it’s pretty funny.

Glenn tells Ileisha that it was an amazing dinner. Gary says, Mads only thinks he’s cool when she’s drunk, and Colin says, she also thinks Alex is cool. She hooked up with him in the van. Gary asks why Colin didn’t tell him, and in Colin’s interview, he says, Gary needed a taste of his own medicine. He gets away with everything. Maybe it’s karma.

Last day of charter. Bryan says, it was his magnum opus; glitter and feathers all over everything. The guests pack and anchor is home. Lucy gets popped in the nose by a champagne cork, and says, she wasn’t even opening it; she just took the cage off. Glenn says, that’s why you should never have your face over it. That’s why it has a cage. The guests take photos with Glenn, and there are the usual hugs and goodbyes. Bryan says, each of them are family now, and one of the guests passes out rainbow flags. Brian says, it was amazing and wonderful. He didn’t expect to be embraced by the crew. He tears up, and says, they were able to expand their Pride family when the crew joined their celebration. It was a priceless gift. Glenn says, they were happy to be part of it, and Bryan gives him the tip envelope, The crew waves their flags, and Glenn toots the horn. At the tip meeting, Glenn says, the charter was a blast, and he’s proud of everybody. They’re working well with their walkies, and he was proud to watch them operating like a well-oiled machine. They know how to throw a party. Daisy says she just tied together a bunch of last minute things, and Glenn gives Ileisha massive kudos. The crew applauds, and Glenn says, she crushed every meal. She says, it was a lot of work, but she thought it was her best charter, and Glenn says, Pride means inclusion, acceptance, and equality, and he felt it in their team spirit. Pride is about feeling respected. He asks for a drumroll, which Chase gives him, and says, the tip was $30K – I literally gasp – or 2930 euros each. Those guys might not have been snappy dressers, but they sure could tip. Daisy says she’s pretty sure it’s the biggest tip they’ve ever received, and Glenn says, he hates announcing it, but they’re picking up the next charter tomorrow.

Glenn says he’s bringing in a chef from a local restaurant for them, and toasts to the best team ever and the best charter tip. He asks Ileisha, Daisy, and Gary to gather for the preference sheet meeting, and tells them Primary Todd has a wildly successful travel company. He’s bringing his boyfriend Grant, his mom, and Nick, Brad, and Ray who is Nick and Brad’s boyfriend. Daisy says, they’re a thruple, and explains to Glenn that it’s different from a threesome; it’s a relationship. Glenn says, it’s the garnish on top, and Ileisha says they want tons of protein; it sounds like they’re real meat eaters. (Insert your own joke here.) Glenn says, they’ll leave at 11 am and set up the toys, then pick the guests up in the tender. Daisy reads they want a Glamazon party; exotic jungle glam. Gary says, they want to do a beach workout, and have an ABC party with the crew included. Glenn says, that means anything but clothes. He has another side. Daisy asks if he’s been to one, and he says he pleads the fifth. In Glenn’s interview, he says he doesn’t do it now. He almost always wears clothes. He tells the crew that he’ll be clothed, but it is the last charter of the season… Gary says he’s going to miss Daisy. He’d wanted to explore what happened when they hooked up. Daisy tells him, Colin’s not happy, so they need to stop flirting. Chef Roberto arrives, and Daisy shows him the galley. The crew gets dressed and sits for dinner. Chase toasts to them being different, yet coming together for a common goal and crushing it. He asks if anyone is down for Twister, and Colin tells him, read the room. Gary gets in his speedo, and tells Daisy that they should get in the jacuzzi. She tells him that she’s with Colin, and he says, he’s with Mads. Are they trying to get back at one another? Daisy tells him to stop being an idiot. He’s f***ing inappropriate. Alex asks why Mads is bloated, and she says she’s on her period. You’ll see why this is important in a minute. WARNING: Things you might not be able to get out of your head coming up.

Everyone gets in their swimsuits, and they all jump off the boat. Except for Glenn, who’s already in bed.  Mads gets in Gary’s bunk, and Chase wonders if he’s safe in his cabin. Alex checks and says he is, but Chase is right back out with his pillow and heads for the crew mess to sleep. Eventually, Mads leaves, and tells him to get in his bed. In the morning, it’s a real mess, and Glenn says, for f***’s sake. There’s a charter in a few hours. It was a school night and they know the drill. They probably had a few too many, but just because it’s the last charter, they can’t drop their guard. He wakes the crew, and Chase teases Gary about having dessert. Mads tells Lucy that she needs to stop making stupid decisions and drinking. Gary tells Colin that he was going down on Mads when Chase walked in, and Colin asks if she wasn’t on her period. Gary asks why he’d say that, and Colin tells him, ask Alex. Which still really doesn’t answer the question, and even though I can’t stand Gary, Colin’s disappointed me again. Gary hunts Mads down, and asks if it’s her time of the month. She asks, why? and when Gary tells her, Lucy can’t get out of there fast enough. Gary tells Mads that he’d think she’d have the decency to tell him. He can’t trust anyone anymore. He stomps off, and Mads says, what the f***?

This was wrong on so many levels, I just don’t have the time or energy.

To be continued…

🌄 It’s Time To Call It a Day…

Join me tomorrow for soap and whatever rabbits I pull out of the teapot. Until then, stay safe, stay being grateful for at least one thing every day, and stay not letting work consume you.

June 23, 2023 – Judge Kim Overrides Drew’s Sentence, Sketchy, Memorable, VanderFilming, Ranks On Deck, Next Fear, Back In, Other Gigs, Shark Boss, Super Rescue, Twice Three Quotes & Out

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Judge Kim sentences Drew to three years, and Carly jumps up, saying, no! You can’t do that.

Ned says, Deanna seems like a really nice person. Trust him. He doesn’t belong here. He feels fantastic. Ask the shrink. Deanna says she just needs to check his vitals, and she’ll be out of his hair, calling him Mr. Quartermaine. He says, Eddie. It’s Eddie Maine.

Doc goes over to the waiting area, and Olivia asks if she’s getting her husband back. Brook asks if her dad is going to be okay, and Doc says, those are all valid questions. He’s afraid he doesn’t know how to say this… Brook says, no. Her father really believes he’s Eddie Maine? Doc says, he doesn’t just believe it. He is Eddie Maine.

Tracy says, so Brook’s solution to rid her son of his delusions is to lean into them? and Alexis tells her, she’s simply saying, if Tracy would let Ned try to work this out on his own, in his own time without constant opposition from her – Gregory comes down the hall and ducks behind the corner, listening – it might help him get better a little faster. Tracy asks when Alexis got her therapist certification. Did they hand it out with her last sobriety chip? Alexis says, you’re impossible, and Tracy says, you’re an idiot. Alexis says, charming, and Tracy says, and by the way, you’d think Alexis’s twelve steps would teach her not to impose her neuroses on Tracy’s son. Gregory comes out, and tells Tracy, he was too much of a gentleman to say it last time, but back the hell off.

Lucy tells Sasha that she wants to apologize for bringing up all that Cody stuff earlier. She was bad, and promises to never do it again. Sasha thanks her, and Lucy says, except it would be great if… Sasha says, Lucy… and Lucy says, Cody could be just snapped up like that by somebody else. Sasha says, don’t be greedy; she has a guy. Lucy says she does, and she wouldn’t trade Marty for anything. At the beginning, it’s kind of delicious, when you’re wondering, not knowing… Sasha says she always found it torturous, but Lucy says, not her. Even as a little girl, she’d get a daisy and do that old petal pluck thing. He loves me, he loves me not… Martin shows up with a bouquet of daisies, and says, he definitely loves you, kissing her.

At The Savoy, Sonny says, nothing’s too good for the woman he’s going to marry, and he and Nina clink champagne glasses. She says, he’s making her blush; no easy task. He tells her, get used to it, when Dex walks in with Josslyn. They come over to Sonny’s table, and Dex says, it looks like they had the same idea. Josslyn asks if Sonny knows how it’s going for Drew and her mom.

Judge Kim says, one more outburst and he’ll have Carly removed, and Carly says she’s sorry, but there must be some kind of mistake. There was a deal on the table. They agreed six months in Spring Ridge, not three years. The judge says, there was a deal in place, however, sentencing is up to the court; not just duration, but location. Due to the gravity of the charges, the court has decided Andrew Cain will serve out those three years in Pentenville Penitentiary.

Tracy says, Gregory has a habit of sticking his nose in other people’s conversations, and Alexis thanks him, but says she doesn’t need defending from Tracy. She’s had years of practice. She sees Gregory has had some experience with her too. Gregory says, they just met the other day, when she was berating his son Chase, and Tracy asks if he means when she was reminding Chase of everything her granddaughter did to get him reinstated as a cop. And they’re back together, so you’re welcome. Feel free to apologize any time. He says he was hoping to clear the air when he saw her again, but after seeing how she treated his friend here, he thinks she’s entitled to something else from him. Tracy asks what that would be, and he says, a lesson in etiquette. He’d be happy to teach her free of charge. Alexis smiles.

Brook says, it’s only temporary, right? Her dad will be her dad again. Olivia says, of course (🍷) he will. He’ll be back to being impossible and lovable as ever… Right? Doc says he wishes he could tell them everything will be back to normal in no time, but he can’t. As she knows, Dr. Ashford ordered a battery of neurological tests, and the team has gone over the results. They’re dealing with a traumatic brain injury. But the neurological indicators and the behavior of the patient himself would indicate something else, something more than a simple case of memory loss. Olivia asks him to break it down, and Doc says, for everything they’ve learned about the human brain, it’s still a mystery. For some reason, Ned’s brain has superimposed over the thoughts and feelings of Ned Quartermaine, with the thoughts and feelings of…

Ned tells Deanna, Eddie Maine. M-A-I-N-E, like the state. He’s telling her, there’s nothing wrong with him – Deanna reaches into her pocket for a syringe – that some fresh air and a room of his own won’t cure. So please, get him out of here. She says, of course (🍷) she will, and injects him. He asks what she gave him, and immediately conks out.

Lucy asks how Martin knew she was thinking about daisies, and he says, it’s a lucky coincidence. He’s using her favorite flower to apologize for being so incredibly busy lately. After today, he promises his clients are going to be breathing a whole lot easier, and he can spend time on them. She says, he is a winner. He’s definitely the best lawyer in town. He says, it’s not his client’s case, but they definitely have a stake in the outcome, and Sasha asks who they are; anyone she knows? Martin flashes back to telling Nina that he’ll do everything in his power to make sure no one knows it was her who tipped off the SEC about Drew and Carly, and tells Sasha that he’s sorry. Attorney/client privilege, and he’s already said too much. What are they up to? Lucy says, Deception and more Deception, but specifically, The Deceptor. Sasha says, sales are through the roof. It seems their clients really appreciate a product that does what it promises to do. Lucy agrees, and says, she promises The Deceptor is going to change the lives of women, men, and human beings everywhere, especially the three humans sitting at this table. And to think she owes it all to him.

Sonny says he hasn’t heard anything from the courthouse, and Josslyn says she’s just glad her mom isn’t facing prison time, thanks to Drew. Nina says, it was very noble of Drew, and Josslyn says, some people know how to put aside their needs for the sake of others. Sonny asks if he can talk to Josslyn a second, and she says, sure. They step away, and Dex sits down. Nina says, they really haven’t had a chance to get to know each other. Now that she and Sonny are… Why don’t they start at the beginning. Please call her Nina. Despite what he might have heard about her, they want the same thing.

Carly asks why the judge would sentence Drew to Pentenville. He hasn’t committed a violent crime; he hasn’t committed a crime at all. This is one big mistake. Judge Kim tells Carly, sit down before I knock you down he holds her in contempt, and Drew asks her to sit. She does, and Zeke says, Miss Spencer may be out of order, but the point she made is valid. His client has admitted to insider trading. He’s taken responsibility for his actions, and the US Attorney has agreed to sentence him to a minimum-security facility; standard practice for a non-violent crime. Judge Kim says, standard practice is subject to circumstance and interpretation by the presiding judge. Zeke says, Mr. Cain is not a common criminal. He’s a respected member of the community. He’s a decorated Navy SEAL. Recently, he even worked with the government to save hostages taken by Victor Cassadine. Are all these things just going to be ignored and forgotten? The judge says, on the contrary. It’s actually because of all those things that he can’t look the other way. There aren’t two sets of laws in this community. One for the privileged – yes, that includes heroes – and one for the rest. No one is above the law. That’s why he’s having Mr. Cain taken from this courthouse and remanded to Pentenville immediately.

Zeke asks the judge to give Mr. Cain time to get his affairs in order. Mr. Cain has a family, including a young daughter, in addition to all the people at his business, Aurora Media, who depend on him. He’s not a flight risk. The SEC lawyer says, the government has no objection to counsel’s request, and Zeke says he agrees with the judge; no one is above the law. The days of privilege superseding accountability are rightly numbered. With that being said, he also believes justice without mercy is hollow and meaningless. Wouldn’t Judge Kim agree?

Martin says, Lucy is giving him way too much credit. The Deceptor is 100% her baby. The credit is 100% hers. Sasha says, Lucy just walked into the office that morning and started spinning this new idea. Could Martin have had something to do with it? Martin says he didn’t, but Lucy says, he did. Stop it. She loves the fact they did this together. Sasha says she wants details, and Lucy says, as she probably knows, every good story begins in bed. Isn’t that right, my magic man?

Tracy says, if anyone needs an etiquette class, it’s Gregory. Maybe he could get his other son to give him lessons, because Finn knows how to… Alexis says, all right. That’s enough. Take a breath. Everyone to their neutral corner. Tracy says she’ll leave Alexis to her friend, because she has real issues to deal with; her son and her family. Real issues that need real compassion. Something Gregory wouldn’t understand. Gregory says he understands a lot more than Tracy thinks. Do them both a favor and stay away from Chase. Tracy says, if he’s as smart as his son – and she means Finn, not the other one – he will stay the hell away from her. She walks off, and Gregory asks Alexis, friend of hers?

Brook says, her father’s brain wants him to be Eddie Maine? and Chase says he doesn’t understand. Ned has everything a man could want; a lobing family, a successful job, standing in the community. Why would he want to give up all that just to relive his glory days? Olivia says, this is all her fault, and Tracy joins them. Olivia says, if she’d just believed Ned about turning in Carly and Drew to the SEC. If she’d only believed him sooner… Tracy says, please. Leave it to Olivia to make this all about herself. Brook tells Olivia not to listen to her. She’s just as scared as the rest of them, but granny’s fear comes out as mean. Tracy says, scared? Her? What Ned needs is a cold splash of water and a good talking to. Olivia says, that is the last thing he needs right now, and Doc says he understands emotions are running high, but turning on each other won’t help anything. Brook says, no wonder dad wants to be Eddie Maine. Can they blame him for wanting a break from this family? She leaves, and Chase follows her.

Brook and Chase go into Ned’s room, and Brook asks if he’s okay. Deanna says she had to give him a sedative to calm him down. Deanna leaves, and Brook says, poor daddy. This whole thing started when they thought he blew the whistle on Carly and Drew. If someone else is to blame, why won’t they come forward?

Nina says she and Dex both care about Sonny. And don’t tell her it’s just a job when Dex took a bullet for him. Thank you for that, by the way. He says, boss dies, he loses his health plan, and Nina says, Dex likes him, she loves him. That makes them both Team Sonny. Now that she and Sonny are getting married, she hopes he keeps an open mind, despite what others say about her. He says, by others she means Josslyn? and she says, all she’s asking is that he reserve judgement until he realizes she wants to keep Sonny safe and happy even more than he does. He says, and she wants him to convince Joss to give her a chance.

Sonny says he’s surprised Josslyn and Dex are still together, and she asks, why? He says, she came to his office and wanted him to fire Dex. She didn’t like Dex working for him. She says, Sonny told her it was up to Dex to ask him that, and Sonny says, it was, but Dex wants to stay in the organization. He wants more than a paycheck; he wants to belong. Dex made peace with him. How about her?

Judge Kim says he’s granting Mr. Cain one week to get his affairs in order. However, he must surrender his passport and remain within the city limits of Port Charles until he turns himself in to the authorities for transport to Pentenville. Zeke thanks the judge, and Judge Kim says, should Zeke’s client not appear, he will be treated as a fugitive, and those three years in Pentenville will seem like a long weekend. This hearing is adjourned. The bailiff says, all rise, and the judge leaves. Zeke gives over Drew’s passport, and Carly hugs Drew.

Carly asks, what happened? It was supposed to be six months in Spring Ridge. Zeke says, this isn’t over. He knows with Drew’s skill set, it’s tempting to disappear, but Drew says, when he gives his word, he keeps it. Zeke leaves, and Drew says he’s going to be around here for a while, so why doesn’t Michael take his mother… Carly says she’s not leaving, but Drew says, it’s going to be a while. She says, they have seven days, and hugs him. Michael says, whatever Drew needs. If there are any resources he can provide, he’s here. Just like Drew has been for him and Willow. Michael leaves, and Carly and Drew hug some more.

Lucy says she remembers there was a half-moon shining through the window, and she was lying in Marty’s arms. It was almost like the moon was winking at her; like it knew something. She remembers thinking, this is so yummy, and maybe a little sad because they missed out on time together when they were apart. She wished they could just stop the clock. It was so interesting. All of a sudden, she guesses Martin heard her because he was awake. He said, what if there was a formula or product that could just stop time? Martin says, for heaven’s sake. He was just thinking out loud. She says, he’s being modest again. He was buzzing with so many ideas, and she fell asleep with all that going on in her head. Sasha says, and then? and Lucy says, and then, that’s the best part. Because when she woke up, she knew it wasn’t a dream. It was a product that could actually conquer time, or at least delay it. That was when The Deceptor was born, and Marty was her magic muse. Sasha says, wow, but Martin tells her, don’t dare believe what Lucy is telling her. He swears it was Lucy Coe who took a raw idea, a concept, and perfected it. She’s the one. She made it her own. She’s one sexy genius. He kisses Lucy, and she says, and he’s a handsome, sexy, gallant muse. Sasha says, all this story needs is a fairytale ending. How about it? When are they getting married? They both look at her and say, never.

Gregory says, Finn warned him that Tracy can be quite the dragon, but as Alexis can see, Tracy barely laid a claw on him. She asks if he’s okay. What Tracy said about him not dealing with any real issues was awful. She has a heart of stone, but even she wouldn’t have said that if she actually knew… He says, there’s no reason Tracy should know anything about him. But what he doesn’t understand is why Tracy came down so hard on Alexis. There’s obviously history there. What did Alexis do to her? (I literally lol.) Alexis says, it’s what Tracy did to her. Did he ever hear the expression, first hurt, then hate? That’s Tracy to a T. That’s her M.O. He says, go on. How did Tracy hurt her?

Tracy says she’s going to see her son, but Olivia says, no, she is not. Now sit down and shut up. Tracy says she’s his mother, and Olivia says she’s his wife. What he needs is love and understanding right now; the kind he can get from his daughter, not some horrendous, bitchy monologue from Tracy. Doc says he thinks they may have just gotten a window into why Ned might prefer to be Eddie Maine, and Olivia says, to get away from his mother? Tracy says, or his marriage? Doc says, let’s not look at it as an escape, but rather a journey to find his true self. Tracy rolls her eyes.

Brook says, he looks so peaceful, like all his problems are a things of the past, when Ned grabs her wrist. He says, she wants to solve his problems? Bust him out of here – now.

Drew says, seven days is like a lifetime. They just have to put it in perspective, and think about everything Willow and Michael have been through and how they live day by day. She kisses him, and says she wants more time. He says, they’ll just have to live every day, every minute like it’s their last, and create enough memories until he comes back. She says, what about Scout? and he says he’ll spend time with Scout. When he’s not with her, he’ll be with Carly. He kisses her, and she says she can’t believe this is happening. He says, let’s not think about it like three years. They’ll think about it like 36 car payments. She says she’s so sorry, but he says, it’s going to be okay. She hugs him.

Nina asks if a good relationship between her and Josslyn isn’t good for Sonny as well, and Dex says, no disrespect, but while he’s loyal to Sonny, he’s also loyal to Josslyn. and she gets to make up her own mind. Nina says, but they’re talking about peace, and that’s always a good thing. She wouldn’t even suggest for him to intervene if she didn’t think it would be helpful to everyone, including him. He says he’ll think about it, but just to be clear, he’d never let anyone hurt Mr. Corinthos or Josslyn. Nina says, or Sonny’s wife, I trust, and he says, that goes without saying. As long as she’s important to Mr. Corinthos, she’s important to him.

Josslyn tells Sonny, Dex had this job before she knew him. It’s his life and his decision. She was wrong to go behind his back to Sonny and ask Sonny to fire him. And Sonny was right to turn her down. So yeah, she has made peace with Dex working for Sonny. He says he’s glad to hear it, but that’s not the question he asked. Has she made her peace with him?

Sasha asks, what’s wrong with marriage? and Martin says, nothing, says half the population. It just so happens, he fell into the other half. Over and over again. Know what they say about baseball? Three strikes you’re out? He’s out. He asks if Lucy understands, and she says, I do. I have a history of saying I do when I wish I didn’t. What she and Marty have… He says, is perfect. Why spoil it with a prenup and a trip to Reno? He says he has a conference call, and has to leave. After that, he’s going to relax by the pool. In the meantime, Lucy should put the daisies in water. He leaves, and Sasha says she thought Lucy was the marrying kind. What changed? Lucy says, nothing. She was hoping when she said no, Marty would talk her into saying yes.

Alexis tells Gregory, then wouldn’t you know it? Chase was the arresting officer. He says he can’t believe what he’s hearing; that’s diabolical. Alexis says, Tracy thought she was saving Ned from her evil clutches. She and Ned almost got married a long time ago, and then a couple of years ago, he was married, and she was drunk, and they had a regrettable evening. Two lost souls. He says, say no more. He hopes Chase was smart enough to see through Tracy’s scheme and clear Alexis’s name. She says, it took a village, but in some way, Tracy did her a favor. She didn’t do any of the things Tracy was framing her for, but she was out of control. From that moment, she turned her life around. He says he admires her for rising from the ashes, but Tracy’s frame up could have had a very different ending. Alexis says, let it go; she’s not worth it. He says he agrees, but his son is.

Chase tells Ned that he’s a police officer, and he’s asking Ned to let go of Brook’s wrist. Brook says, he’s not hurting her, but Chase says, let her go. Ned releases her, and she says she promises, as soon as the doctors release him, she’ll take him home. He says, to Vegas? but she says he has a home in Port Charles too. He says he needs to get to Vegas, and she says she understands the need to perform; getting love back from the audience. He says, there’s nothing like it, is there? and she says she can think of some things. Like the love of the people who know you best. Your family.

Tracy says, the only journey she wants Ned taking is the one back to his senses, and Doc asks if she’s considered the possibility that in Ned’s mind, he’s being sensible. Olivia asks if he’s saying Ned being Eddie Maine is a good thing, but Tracy says, Eddie Maine isn’t real; it’s a stage name. Doc says, to her, but to Ned, Eddie Maine represents freedom, gratification, simplicity. And maybe just a touch of the fantasy he needs. Olivia says she needs Ned. She knows it might be selfish, but she just wants her husband back, warts and all, and Leo needs his father. Isn’t there any way they can coax him back? Tracy says, coax him? He needs another bump on the head.

Zeke comes back to the courtroom, and tells Drew that he’s requested a meeting with the judge. Carly asks if the judge is willing to listen to reason, and Zeke says, he is willing to listen, but only after Drew is remanded to Pentenville. Drew says, okay. As long as he’s being held accountable, and not above the law. Carly says, that could take months, or even a year, and the whole time he’ll be locked up in Pentenville. Drew says he’s been in Afghanistan. He’s a Navy SEAL. He’s not worried about Pentenville. Zeke says, the minute Drew goes to prison, he’ll be lobbying for that meeting, and Drew says, anything to expedite this, please. Zeke says, got it. He’d offer Drew a ride, but he has the feeling Drew has better things to do with his time. Drew thanks him, and Zeke says, this isn’t over. This is a significant setback. They’ll talk soon. He leaves, and Drew tells Carly, enough about him. She’s about to face a very stiff financial penalty. She says, that’s her problem, but he says, it’s their problem, and he knows how they’re going to solve it.

Josslyn says she’s working toward acceptance. Sonny is who he is, and he did what he did, and she doesn’t have the power to change that. When she’s angry at him, she hurts some of the people she loves, who also happen to love him. So she doesn’t know if that counts as making peace, but that’s the best she can do right now. He says he hopes someday they can both do better, but for now, he’ll take that. Michael comes in, and Sonny asks, what’s going on? Michael says, Josslyn texted him and said she’d be here with Dex. He wants them all to know, he just came from Drew’s hearing, and the judge gave him three years in Pentenville. Sonny says, son of a bitch, and Nina says, it wasn’t supposed to be that way. Josslyn says, oh really? How was it supposed to be?

Sasha says, it’s her fault for bringing up marriage in the first place, but Lucy tells her, don’t feel bad. She can’t believe Marty said, never. She thought if she said, never, Marty would say, my little snookums, never say never, but he didn’t say that. Sasha says, with three marriages and divorces, you can’t blame the guy for being a little gun-shy. Lucy says, maybe. According to Marty, those wives made his life a living hell, but she wishes she could exorcise it out of his head, and he’d be open to the idea of marriage again. Sasha says, Martin loves her. He’s not going anywhere. Not every guy would stay up late encouraging their partner to follow their dream, then help make that dream a reality. Lucy says, she’s right. He hasn’t asked for any share of the profit; not one single penny. Sasha says, that’s true love for you.

A text says, An electronic deposit of $50, 000 was credited to your account, and sitting with his feet in the pool, drink in hand, Martin says, every month, like clockwork. Trust me, Lucy. Marriage would only spoil everything.

Ned tells Brook, no offense, but the more he hears about her father, the less he envies him. Family life is nice and all, and he can tell she really loves the guy, but corporate life and all the ulcers that go with it, not his style. He has the feeling it’s not hers either.

Doc tells Tracy that he’s not aware of any traumatic brain injury being cured by another traumatic brain injury, and Olivia says, if Tracy is even thinking of taking a hammer to her husband… Tracy tells them, calm down. She was kidding. Olivia says, there’s nothing funny about this situation, and Tracy says, money is no object; whatever it takes. Doc says he’s in unchartered territory as well, but he knows a few experts. He’ll consult with them, and draw on every resource and database he can find. In the meantime, he does think Ned should start therapy. Tracy says, Ned or Eddie, because they’re supposed to be calling him Eddie now, right? How long do they have to buy into this fantasy? Doc says, and there’s the disconnect. Not Ned’s, hers. She can call it a fantasy, but to Ned, it’s his life. Whatever they do, don’t deny his reality. Give him space. Brook and Chase join them, and Brook says, he wants more than space. Olivia asks what he wants. Tell her. Brook says, a one-way ticket to Vegas.

Nina says, there was supposed to be a deal in place, wasn’t there? and Michael says, there was, but the judge overrode it. Josslyn says, mom must be devastated, and Sonny says he’ll reach out to Drew and help in any way he can. Michael says he already did. The US Attorney was as shocked as the rest of them. This is completely on the judge. Nina’s phone rings, and she goes to the table to answer it. She says, Ava heard… She just did… She knows. It’s awful, isn’t it?

Drew says he’s just going to get his affairs in order, and he’s going to put Aurora Media up for sale. They’ll use the proceeds to pay for Carly’s financial… She says, absolutely not. Aurora is his creation. It’s his legacy for Scout. He says, Scout is too young to care about that. She’s going to be fine; she’s got ELQ shares. He’s made other investments… Carly says she’s not going to let him give Aurora away. He’ll need it when he comes back. Whatever the penalty is, she’ll figure it out. He says he doesn’t like that, but she says she doesn’t want to think about this right now. She wants to make the most of whatever time they have left. He kisses her.

Lucy tells Sasha, okay. She’s thinking, you know how Marty planted the idea for The Deceptor in her head? Why can’t she plant the idea of wedding bells in his? Sasha says, why not? and Lucy says, okay. To the future, and may all those ex-wives and the damage they’ve done, be a thing of the past. They clink glasses.

Martin’s phone dings, and he says a text from Ex #3: You’ve been avoiding me. That’s a serious mistake. He says, oh God. He swears, the only thing worse than number two at the swimming pool is number three. He rolls over a little too far, and into the pool with his phone.

Alexis tells Gregory, don’t faint, but she’s going to the gym. Maybe they could meet for dinner afterwards. She’s thinking Thai food. He asks if she’s worried he’s going to track Tracy down and put the fear of God in her, but she says, first of all, he’s assuming Tracy fears God. Second of all, he’s too civilized for this… right? He says, Chase can hold his own, but what after she and Finn have told him, it’s clear that woman fights dirty. Alexis tells him not to sink to Tracy’s level. He has more important things to worry about. He says, there’s nothing more important than his sons.

Tracy says, her son thinks he’s a Vegas lounge lizard. This has gone on long enough. Doc can keep his therapy. She’s going old school. She starts to walk, and Brook asks where she’s going. She says, to knock some sense into Brook’s father.

Carly asks how Drew can be so calm, and he says, after weeks of uncertainty, now he knows what he’s facing. He can prioritize. He can do what means most in the time he has left. She says, they have to be strong, and he says, they will be. Seven precious days before he turns himself in. Let’s not spend another second in this courtroom. He kisses her hand, and suggests they get out of here. She looks like she might cry, and nods.

Tracy busts into Ned’s room, Brook, Chase, and Olivia following her. The bed is empty except for Ned’s pressure cuff and the links to the other medical equipment.

Josslyn says, her mom’s not responding to anything. Her phone must be off. Dex suggests they find her, and they leave. Sonny asks Michael how Carly is handling this, and Michael says, how does she think? She’s ready to go to war for Drew. Sonny says, war with who? Even if Ned’s responsible, he doesn’t even know who he is. Michael says, that’s convenient for Ned, and the worst possible outcome for Drew.

Having moved to the back of the club with the phone, Nina tells Ava that she didn’t plan for this. But now that it’s happened, there’s a tiny part of her that almost feels sorry for Carly. Ned comes into the club, and Nina says, what is Carly going to do without Drew for three long years?… She knows. She just feels awkward. Ned sees her, and comes toward her.

On Monday, Esme is afraid this is all going to fall apart; Felicia tells Robert, no matter what, don’t take no for an answer; Anna doesn’t believe her work is done; and Ned says, just the person he’s been looking for.

🚩 Flags Flying High…

Everything that makes Luis sketchy is… everything.

💎 Beverly Hills Memory Lane…

If you want to relive this sort of thing. Although the dinner party from hell is pretty entertaining. It did not benefit that psychic’s reputation.

🍸 Moving On…

You didn’t think I could let it go yet, did you? I’ve got the feeling Sandoval didn’t cancel shows because of filming. Not when he’s been giving twofers.

Who’s Your Boat Daddy…?

Captain Lee will always be my Stud of the Sea, but I have to admit, Captain Jason is quite easy on the eyes. Interesting how the Med lost viewers after the Hannah debacle.

💣 Fearsome Villain Afoot…

I wasn’t thrilled about how they made Victor so awful. Hopefully he doesn’t get eaten to even things out.

https://movieweb.com/fear-the-walking-deads-latest-trailer-reveals-the-return-of-an-old-villain/

⚰️ She’s On Again…

Carol is apparently back in the game.

🤹🏾‍♂️ Busy Guy…

And I swear he’s the voiceover on that Twizzlers ad where the guy on the beach ponders wearing white after Labor Day.

🦈 His Domain…

After zombies and the internet is evil, my third horror sub-genre favorite is giant sharks.

https://comicbook.com/horror/news/shark-week-jason-momoa-trailer-2023-streaming-details-discovery/

🐶 Real Life Superhero…

From Batman to Dogfather.

https://people.com/batman-actor-burt-ward-went-from-robin-to-dog-rescue-7547542

🧘🏽‍♀️ Quotes of the Week

People who are trying don’t vocalize it; they just do it. – John, Extreme Sisters

Hope is the destination that we seek. Love is the road that leads to hope. Courage is the motor that drives us. We travel out of darkness into faith. – Dean Koontz

A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life. – William Arthur Ward

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.Henry David Thoreau

A room hung with pictures is a room hung with thoughts. – Joshua Reynolds

I got a lot more respect when I was dead. – Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring), General Hospital

💃🏽 Blaming It On the Bossa Nova…

Since Fear the Walking Dead is on a break, so am I, although I’ll be watching Dead City. Judging from the first episode, it looks extremely promising. But I’ll be here on Monday really Tuesday, dishing out soap and a double dose of Deck. Why does Bravo insist on being a pita? One episode a week is quite enough. Until then, stay safe, stay treating what you borrow as if it were your own, and when given the choice, stay going with love and understanding, rather than a horrendous, bitchy monologue.

June 22, 2023 – Selina Forces a Truce, Surprise, Her Start, Again, In the OC, Wanting Spin, Unfollowed, VanderTalk, Hotel Pets (!) & Only

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

💔 In my area, GH was interrupted for the majority of the show. Normally, it annoys me, since it’s usually news we can wait for, but today I felt differently, having rooted for the rescue of those in the Titan submersible. Sadly, it was not to be, so RIP to those brave souls who died doing what they loved.

General Hospital

Sasha comes back to the table, and asks what Maxie just said. What did Maxie mean, Cody may feel something more than friendship for her? Lucy starts to talk, but Sasha says, it doesn’t matter, because she couldn’t be more wrong.

Cody tells Gladys that he and Spinelli have evidence that Gladys planted the bracelet on him; evidence that will show her testimony is bogus. Spinelli says, do the decent thing and recant, and Gladys says, or what? Cody says, or it will leave her heading upriver, not him.

Kristina says, sure, she’ll go, and Sam thanks her. Kristina says, as soon as Sam tells her what’s up, but Sam says, it’s not a good time. Kristina asks if it’s because Sam’s so busy. She’s literally sitting here alone. Sam says she’s on a job, and Kristina says, sounds fun. P.I. stuff? She looks around, and Sam says, it’s not fun; it’s important. Kristina says, adultery? Fraud? A criminal investigation? Sam says, come on, getting up, and Kristina asks where they’re going. Sam says, anywhere but here. Sam gives Spinelli a nod, and they leave.

On the phone, Finn says, they want to rule out any neurological issues before they proceed with treatment, when Gregory walks in. Finn says, let him know when they’ve got it set up, and hangs up. Gregory says, his son the doctor, and Finn asks how he is, hugging him. Gregory says, busy day? and Finn says, relentless. Good thing he’s getting the hell out of Port Charles.

Alexis walks into the hospital and sees Tracy. She asks, how’s Ned? and Tracy asks if she doesn’t mean Eddie Maine.

In an empty courtroom, Drew looks at a phone alert for Scout’s swimming lesson, when Carly walks in. She hugs him, and says she can’t believe today is the day. He says he feels a little bit like a kid waiting to hear his punishment, and she says, punishment he doesn’t deserve. He says, punishment she doesn’t deserve either, and she asks if he’s ready. He says he doesn’t know. Is anyone ever ready to sign away their freedom? She hugs him again.

As they enter the MetroCourt Gardens, Kristina asks if Sam doesn’t want her to know, or is Sam going to fill her in? Sam says she’s doing some surveillance, and Kristina says she saw Spinelli out there and Dante’s friend Cody. What are they doing with Gladys Corbin? Sam asks if Kristina knows what the P in P.I. stands for, and Kristina says, private. Sam tells her, good job, and she asks if she gets a gold star. She’ll drop it, but if Sam has a minute, she’d like some big sister time. Sam asks if everything is okay, and Kristina says, with her? Yeah. She’s worried about Molly.

Gladys says she thinks she’ll pass, but Cody says, that would be a mistake. They have her dead to rights. Gladys says, it’s going to take more than made up words to trip her up, and Cody says, she doesn’t care that they have evidence that could send her away. Gladys tells him, if said evidence actually existed, they would have turned it in by now. So why are they here with her instead of at the PCPD?

Sasha says she and Cody are just friends, and Lucy tells her, if you say so. Sasha says she does. It’s not like that between them. Lucy says, of course (🍷). No one was suggesting there was anything romantic going on. Maxie says she thinks they should get back to work, and Sasha asks, then what were they suggesting? Lucy says, just that on Sasha’s end, it might be strictly platonic, but maybe things are developing for Mr. Bell.

Gregory says, Finn’s leaving town? and Finn says, not permanently. He’s going on vacation, which he thought Gregory would get, being it was his idea. Gregory, him, Violet, Chase, Disneyworld. Ring any bells? Gregory says, as he recalls, Finn told him that it wasn’t a good time, and Finn says, it wasn’t, but now Violet is out of school, and he’s got a couple weeks coming up where he can take some time off. Gregory says, and Chase? and Finn says, it may be more difficult for him, since he’s just getting his badge back, but he’s working on it. Finn even got Violet a set of purple Mickey Mouse ears. So what does Gregory say? Gregory tells him, it sounds wonderful, but he’s afraid things have changed on his end.

Drew tells Carly that he’s been going over it in his head again and again. He knows the right thing is to accept this plea deal, but now that he’s here… She says, it’s hard, and he says, it is. She says, he doesn’t have to do this. Please? He says, it’s the only way, when Michael walks in. Carly says she told him that he didn’t have to come, but he says he wanted to. Drew says, they appreciate him being here. He knows Michael has enough on his plate with Willow and the kids. Michael says he checked all the boxes. He had breakfast with Wiley and Amelia… Or rather, Amelia watched from a rocking chair while he and Wiley ate. The nanny took Wiley to the park, he stopped by Aurora, then spent time with Willow. Drew asks how she is, and Michael says, she must be doing better, since she’s back to bossing him around. She basically insisted he come. She sends her love to both of them. Drew says he sends it right back, and Carly says, her too. Michael says, she also wanted him to tell them, it’s painfully obvious if it wasn’t for Drew, she wouldn’t even be here. Drew suggests they not think about that, but Michael says, still, it’s true, and they’re eternally grateful. Carly says, so is she, and asks, how’s Ned? Michael says he was going to check in with Ned this morning, but then Brook told him the latest. Is that right? Drew says, Ned doesn’t even remember who he is. He thinks he’s Eddie Maine. Carly says she can’t imagine how hard it is for Olivia, and Michael says he feels terrible for the family. It’s just that he can’t get past the fact that the reason they’re here, the reason Drew’s life is being blown up, is because of Ned.

Alexis says, Tracy answered her question. She stopped by to see Ned, and was told Eddie isn’t accepting visitors. Tracy says, that’s a blessing. What if he took one look at Alexis and launched into that Eddie’s Angels business? Alexis says, because she caused enough problems in his marriage, and Tracy tells her, she said it. Alexis says she’s going to be nice, and despite their history, she’s telling Tracy that she’s sorry. This must be very difficult for Tracy and her family. Tracy says, a mid-life crisis is annoying, and definitely bad for business, but this is different. This is so much worse. Her son doesn’t know her. And worse, he doesn’t know Leo. When Luke died, she thought she could withstand anything, but she honestly thinks this is more than she can handle.

Drew says he gets that Michael’s angry, and Michael says, Drew’s not? Drew says he’s very angry – they both are – but this is happening for a lot of reasons besides Ned. Zeke comes in, and Drew introduces him to Carly and Michael, saying, Michael is Josslyn’s brother. Zeke says, their daughter and sister is a wonderful woman, and Carly says, he knows Josslyn? Drew says, Zeke is Trina’s uncle, and Zeke says, Portia’s his sister. Carly says, they absolutely adore Trina, and Zeke says he hit the jackpot in the niece department. Zeke tells Drew that he spoke with the prosecutor, and he said the Feds accepted the deal. All that’s left is for the judge to sign off, Drew enters his plea, and he takes care of the rest. Michael says, what is the deal, if they don’t mind him asking? and Drew says, six months in minimum security prison, and in return, Carly doesn’t have to do any prison time. Michael says, that’s not it, is it? and Carly says, no. Zeke says, her attorney will reach out to her for the financial penalty, and Michael says, there’s no way this could blow back on his mom, is there? Zeke says, essentially, Drew is taking responsibility for the insider trading. The SEC is satisfied, and won’t throw the book at the both of them. Zeke’s phone rings, and he steps away to take the call. Michael thanks Drew so much for doing this for his mom, and Carly says she told him to change his mind; that it wasn’t a good idea. Drew says, this is the best outcome for everybody involved, and Carly says, really? The best outcome is for him to go to prison? Drew says, when you consider the alternatives, yes. Michael says he knows what Drew is giving up, and doesn’t want him to worry about anything. When he’s gone, they’ll check on Scout. He’ll keep Aurora running, and Drew’s life will be waiting for him, right where he left it, when he gets back. Drew says, coming from Michael, he believes that, and they bro hug.

Sam asks if Kristina heard from Molly, and Molly says, no, that’s the problem. Ever since Molly told them about her endometriosis, she’s been so distant. Kristina keeps reaching out of course (🍷), but either Molly doesn’t respond at all, or if she does, it’s with some lame emojis. Sam says, emojis, yeah. Molly’s doing the same thing to her. Kristina asks what they do, and Sam says, nothing?

Sasha tells Maxie and Lucy, back up. They think Cody is interested in her? Maxie tells her, that’s not what Lucy said, but Lucy says, that’s kind of exactly what she said. Sasha says, and they think she should be receptive to that? but they both say, no. Sasha says, good, and Maxie says, because Sasha’s still grieving and not ready to date, but that’s fine. Unless she is ready to date, then that’s totally fine too. Sasha says, she’s not, and Lucy says, okay. All she was saying was, Cody is a man… and Sasha is a smart, beautiful woman, and he did ride on in to rescue her at Home & Heart. Sasha says, as a friend, and Maxie says, a really caring and sweet and thoughtful friend. She really loves how Sasha brings out the chivalrous side of Cody. Because let’s be honest, he can be a little rough around the edges. Sasha says, ya think? and Maxie says, but with Sasha, he’s different. She had her reservations about Cody at first, but it turns out he’s a really great guy. Sasha says, and a very good friend, and Lucy says, for now. Sasha and Maxie both say, Lucy! and Lucy says she’s sorry; it just slipped out.

Cody says he wanted to give Gladys the chance to do the right thing for Sasha’s sake, but Gladys says, he doesn’t care about Sasha. He says, that’s where she’s wrong. Let’s face it. They both know there are details at play here that have been kept on the DL. Spinelli says, that’s intriguing. Does Gladys care to expand on those details? Gladys says, here’s the way she sees it. There are only two possible reasons Cody came to her instead of going to the police. Either he’s got butkus, and he’s trying to save his butt, or he came to this so-called evidence illegally. She’s not a betting woman, but if she was, this is a bet she can’t lose.

Gregory tells Finn that he recently accepted a job at The Invader, on their editorial board. Finn congratulates him, and says he’s glad Gregory finally made it official. He seemed to be really enjoying his time there. Gregory says he’s sorry he didn’t tell Finn sooner. Their schedules hadn’t lined up since he started. He’s still getting used to the grind of a daily newspaper. Finn says, there’s no need to apologize, but consider himself lucky that he’ll explain about the trip to Violet. She’d never let him hear the end of it. Don’t worry about it. They’ll do it next year. Gregory says, no, and Finn asks, what does that mean? Gregory says, next year’s too far away. Who knows how long Violet’s princess phase will last? Finn says, if God has mercy, not much longer, and Gregory says, they’ll have to make it sooner… but not too soon. He knows better than to ask for time off less than a month into the job. Finn says he takes it Gregory and Alexis worked things out, and Gregory says, she’s a good friend. Finn says, agreed, and Gregory says he wishes he could say the same thing about some of Finn’s other friends.

Tracy tells Alexis, they understand what’s going on, but this is hugely traumatizing for Leo. The father he loves suddenly doesn’t recognize him and wants nothing to do with him. Alexis asks how Leo is handling it, and Tracy says, not well. Who can blame him? Honestly, she thought Ned was made of sterner stuff, and Alexis asks how she means. Tracy says, Eddie Maine was an alter-ego Ned created years ago, and Alexis says she knows he wanted to be a performer, but Tracy says, he wanted to escape his real life. Alexis asks if Tracy thinks he’s doing the same thing again, and Tracy says, it’s no secret Ned is facing accusations from half his family for turning in Carly and Drew to the SEC. Add to that, he’s working overtime to try and fix the business disaster of Valentin faking his own death. Alexis asks if she’s suggesting Ned fell on purpose.

The bailiff says, all rise, court is now in session. The honorable Judge Albert Kim presiding. Judge Kim takes the bench, and tells them, be seated. This is the United States versus Cain, in which the defendant, Andrew Cain, has been charged with insider trading. How does he plead? Drew looks at Carly, gets up, and says, I plead guilty, your honor.

Finn says, Gregory is talking about Tracy, and Gregory says, ding, ding. That woman is a piece of work. Finn says, Tracy is an acquired taste, and Gregory says, you don’t acquire a taste for arsenic, you avoid it. Finn laughs, and says, that’s a little harsh. He understands Gregory’s skepticism, but believe it or not, Tracy’s been a really good friend to him. Gregory tells him, so he keeps saying, and Finn says he knows Gregory didn’t like how she treated Chase. Gregory says, when she tore into him and attacked his character? and Finn says he didn’t like it either, but to Tracy, family is everything, and in her mind, she was just looking out for her granddaughter. Gregory says, his friend needs to find another way to express herself, and Finn says, trust him. There’s more to Tracy than the prickly exterior. You just have to dig a little deeper.

Tracy tells Alexis, she’s just suggesting that deep in Ned’s psyche, he’s relishing the idea of getting away from it all, and this accident affords him that opportunity. Alexis says, that’s quite a stretch, but Tracy says, is it really? It wouldn’t be so bad if it were just him alone, but he has a family, and Olivia is beside herself and Brook is a wreck. Alexis asks what the doctors said, and Tracy tells her, they’re useless. They say, be patient, time heals, blah-blah-blah. Alexis says, sounds reasonable to her, and Tracy wonders if there’s anyone in this hospital who’s willing to go to extreme measures to turn Eddie Maine back into Ned.

Sam says she hates this for Molly, but all they can do is love her and be a safe haven for her, and Kristina says she just can’t believe this. She also can’t believe, of the three of them, she’s the only one with functional plumbing. (Are you thinking what I’m thinking?) Not a single issue. Sam says, rub it in, why doesn’t she? and Kristina says she did do some research online. She didn’t want to bother Molly with questions, but endometriosis is a really painful condition. Can Sam believe Molly’s been suffering all this time? Alone? She hates that for Molly. Sam says she hates it too.

Sasha asks if they think it’s weird she’s not ready to move on yet, but Maxie says, no. It’s not even been a year since Brando died. Not that there’s a timetable. Lucy says, not at all. She thinks it’s natural not to know how and when and if you’re able to just let go. Sasha asks if Maxie felt that way with Nathan, and Maxie says, after Nathan died, the thought of moving on without him, starting a whole new life, was the most overwhelming feeling in the entire world. Sasha says, of course (🍷) she wants that for herself, and Lucy says, but if she can’t see it yet, really, it’s okay. Maxie says, everyone grieves differently and at different paces. She’s doing great. Lucy takes Sasha’s hand, and says, she really, really is.

Gladys says, they couldn’t have lifted anything off her fitness app. She didn’t bring her phone with her to the ball. Cody asks, who leaves their phone at home? and Gladys says, someone who couldn’t fit it in her purse. Ha! The waiter clears Sam’s table, and the whatchamacallit falls on the ground. Gladys asks, what’s that? as Selina walks in with Li, and steps on it.

 Selina picks it up, and walks over to Gladys. She says, this looks like a directional microphone, and Gladys says she has no idea what that is. Selina says, it’s meant to record conversations from a distance, and Gladys asks if Cody and Spinelli recorded her. Selina asks if one of them dropped this, and Cody says, sure didn’t. Spinelli says, how fortuitous that she picked it up so no one would trip, and Selina says, they wouldn’t want that on such a lovely day, would they? Forgive her if she seems intrusive, but she’s sensing some tension between the three of them. Is everything all right? Gladys says, it was all right until these two showed up and started harassing her out of nowhere. Cody and Spinelli protest, and Cody says, nothing Selina needs to concern herself with. They know how busy she is, don’t they Gladys? Selina says, not too busy to resolve a conflict. Shall they put their heads together and come up with a solution? Cody says, that’s not necessary, but Selina says, nonsense. Have a seat over there. She’ll help them iron this out. Cody goes to sit, and Gladys thanks her, following him. Selina blocks Spinelli, and says she’ll take it from here. She tosses the microphone into the pool.

Maxie says, just think of where Sasha was at this time last year, and Lucy says, they’re so proud of her. Sasha says she almost feels like a different person, and Maxie says, she’s still herself, just stronger and wiser. Lucy says, and infinitely more resilient. Sasha says she’s so lucky to have them in her corner, and Maxie says, always. Lucy says, always, and excuses herself to use the powder room. Sasha asks if Maxie thinks anyone has as much energy as Lucy, and Maxie says, no. Her phone rings, and she tells Sasha, it’s Georgie. Sasha says she’ll hold down the fort, and Maxie steps away. Sasha looks at a photo of Brando on her phone, and says, Brando, I have come a long way, haven’t I? But it’s true; I’m still not over you. And I have to wonder if I’ll ever be. She looks up, and Dr. Montague is there.

Kristina says, it must be pretty awful to want to be a mother, then find out you can’t be, and Sam says, it’s awful, and isolating and devastating, and a million other not so fun feelings. But the good thing is, once the dust settles, Molly and TJ are going to be okay. They’re going to be able to have a family. It’s just going to be a longer, windier road to get there. Kristina says she hopes they do try to have kids another way. Molly and TJ would be the best parents. Sam asks if she’s chopped liver, and Kristina says, no. She’s a supermom. And she’s a super aunt obviously. Sam says she doesn’t know about that. Scout told her that the last time Kristina took her and Danny out to dinner, she didn’t let them have dessert afterward. Kristina says, that’s because she let them have dessert before, and Sam says, she thought that was a good idea why? Kristina says, Scout left that part out. She’s taught her niece well.

Gregory says, Finn really thinks that highly of Tracy Quartermaine? and Finn says, in a realistic and tentatively appropriate way, yes. Gregory says he trusts Finn’s judgement. He’ll reserve his and give her another chance, but he won’t put up with her demeaning his son. Finn says, as well he shouldn’t, and Gregory says, perhaps… maybe he pushed back a bit too hard. He should probably clear the air. Shouldn’t he? Finn says, no, and Gregory says, apologize for the last time they spoke, but Finn says, that will get him absolutely nowhere.

Judge Kim says he understands the prosecution has reached a deal with the defendant. The SEC lawyer says, they have, and the judge says, and both sides are in agreement with these terms? The lawyer says, that’s correct, and Zeke says, they see eye to eye on all points. Judge Kim says, that’s where they lose him. He’s reviewed the deal and the facts on the case, and he finds it a miscarriage of justice. It’s his opinion that the defendant knowingly colluded with Miss Spencer in order to drive up the stock price of Aurora Media, with the desired result being significant and personal financial gain. As such, he sees no reason why Mr. Cain shouldn’t receive the maximum penalty for his crimes.

Zeke gets up and says, the maximum penalty for these charges is twenty years, and the judge says he’s aware. Zeke says, so we – and by we, he means the defense and the prosecution – believe that a sentence of that magnitude is too harsh in a case like this. Carly looks like she might have a heart attack, and Judge Kim says he believes what they’re proposing is too lenient. Zeke says, Mr. Cain has run Aurora Media with integrity since he founded it, not a single misstep or example of shady business practices. The judge says, until now, and Zeke says, but he is a family man, just as he’s a CEO, maybe even more so. When he proposed a merger of Aurora and ELQ, it wasn’t for his personal gain as the judge suggested. It was to benefit his family’s company. In fact, the merger never even came to pass. Meaning his client never saw any of the benefits, professional or personal. Just the opposite in fact. The company lost money. So the true miscarriage of justice here would be to make an example of a man who has no history of securities fraud. He simply made an error in judgement trying to help the people he loves.

A wet Spinelli finds Sam and Kristina, and Sam asks, what happened? Kristina asks if he got pushed in the pool again, and Sam says, again? Spinelli says he thought he and Kristina had an agreement that it stayed between them, and she says, sorry. Spinelli holds up the crunched microphone, and Sam says, no. He says, courtesy of Miss Selina Wu, and Sam suggests Kristina go get a drink. Kristina leaves, and Spinelli takes her seat. Sam says, start from the beginning, and he asks if she wasn’t listening, but she says she got waylaid by Kristina. He says, they were working Gladys, just like they discussed. They were inches from success when Miss Wu just sauntered in and ruined everything.

Li hands the pool waiter some cash, and says, see to it they’re not disturbed. The waiter says he’s got it, and tells the two whole people there that he’s sorry, but they’re closing the pool for a private function. They leave, and Selina says she has a meeting shortly, so let’s not waste time. She’d hoped they could resolve this issue without requiring her intervention, but it seems her hopes were naïve. Gladys says, he started it, and Cody says, did not. Selina says, enough. She can’t have both of her favorite players at odds. Her game is a place of harmony. Make peace now. Gladys says she can’t make peace when Cody is still spreading lies about her, and Cody says, she’s trying to get him sent to prison. Selina says, this is how it’s going to work. Gladys is going to see to it that the charges against Mr. Bell are dropped. Gladys says, with all due respect, that’s not her call, and Selina says, it’s Gelhorn Jewelers’, but she’s their star witness. Without her, they don’t have a case. Amend her statement. Say she’s since remembered that the night of the Nurses Ball, the clasp on her bracelet was loose. Cody says, and what? Fell off of her wrist and into his jacket pocket? Selina says she’s confident a cater waiter from that evening will come forward and testify they found it on the floor near Cody’s things. The waiter thought it belonged to Cody, and put it in his jacket pocket for safekeeping. Matter settled. Cody says, sounds good to him, and Selina says, what about Gladys?

Sasha tells Dr. Montague, hi, and he says he was on his way out when he saw her sitting there, so he thought he’d say hello. She says she doesn’t suppose he missed the part where she was talking to the picture of her dead husband, and he says he might have noticed that. She promises she’s not losing it again, and he asks if he can sit. She says, sure, and he says he doesn’t think she’s losing it. What he observed was a grieving woman expressing her emotions in a healthy way. It’s good to let her feelings out. Just look what happened when she bottled them up after her son died. The fact that she’s allowing herself to go places she’s scared of is progress. She thanks him, and says, it means a lot. He gets up, and says he’s looking forward to their next session. She says, her too, and he leaves.

Finn says, Tracy isn’t a touchy, feely kind of person, and Gregory tells him, you don’t say. Finn tells him, he does say. She’s got zero patience for this type of thing. Gregory says, then what does he do? Chase is in love with her granddaughter. Hopefully, Chase and Brook will be together for a long time. Wouldn’t it behoove them all to get along? Finn doesn’t know what to tell him. Gregory can try to make some roads there, but Finn doesn’t think he’ll succeed. Gregory says, that sounds like a challenge, and Finn says, it most certainly was not. Gregory says, you never know. Tracy might come around. They’re both grown-ups. If he comes to her openly and honestly, why wouldn’t she respond in kind?

Alexis asks Tracy to define extreme measures, because the last time Tracy went to them, it didn’t work out so well… for her. Tracy asks if Alexis wants to rehash the past. No? What she means by extreme measures is medical equivalent of shaking him until he snaps out of it. Alexis says, that sounds possibly unethical, definitely illegal, and Tracy asks what she’d suggest. Alexis says she’d suggest a gentler route. Instead of challenging Ned’s worldview, which will just make him dig his heels in deeper, just go along with it. Let him believe he’s Eddie Maine.

Spinelli tells Sam that he’s curiously suspicious about how deferential Cody and Gladys became when Miss Wu entered the scene. Sam says, and Selina really couldn’t have wanted to be peacemaker? and he says, she wouldn’t take no for an answer. And of all people, why would she insist on wanting them to come to an understanding? Sam says, and what is the nature of Selina Wu’s relationship to Gladys, and to Cody?

Gladys says she can’t just amend her statement. She’ll look like a complete flake. And what about Sasha? What’s her daughter-in-law going to think? Cody says, that she’s the lying liar that she is? but Selina says, on the contrary. Everyone will be grateful that no one was unjustly punished. She’ll be a hero. Gladys says, fine. They’ll do it Selina’s way. Selina says, and Cody. Whatever problem he has with Gladys, he’s going to drop it. Cody says, she doesn’t understand. Sasha’s his friend… Selina says, there will be no unnecessary conflict in her games, and Cody asks why she’s protecting Gladys. Selina says, simply put, none of your business, and Cody says, have a nice day. He starts to leave, but Selina says, not so fast. She asks Li to take Gladys to the bar for a drink, and Gladys says, don’t mind if I do, walking ahead of him. Selina says, no one can know Cody works for her, and Cody says he gets it. She says, except she doesn’t think he does. If he did, he wouldn’t try to make trouble and draw unwanted attention to her business. There’s a lot of money at stake. Keep his mouth shut… or she’ll shut it for him permanently.

Maxie and Lucy come back to the table, and Lucy says she ran into a big fan of their Deception products, and boy, could that woman talk. Sasha says, unlike Lucy, and Lucy says she wants to apologize for bringing up all that Cody nonsense, but Sasha says she’s glad Lucy did. Lucy says, a few minutes ago Sasha wasn’t so glad, but Sasha says she doesn’t want to live in denial anymore. She did that before, and it sent her down a dark path. She doesn’t want to go backwards. Maxie says, that’s good to hear, and Sasha says she’s got enough to handle ending her guardianship. So as for whether or not Cody has feelings for her, it doesn’t matter. It’s clear his presence in her life makes things more complicated. Maxie says, with Gladys she means? and Sasha says, Gladys means a lot to her. Gladys has helped her in ways no one else could understand. So she’s resolved to ending her guardianship, and maintaining a relationship with Gladys.

Selina walks up behind Gladys, saying her name, and causing Gladys to nearly choke on her drink. She says, Gladys never responded to her text. Selina was worried something might have happened to her. Gladys gives her an envelope, saying, first installment. Selina says she’d hoped Gladys would pay back the entire amount, and Gladys says she will. Like she told Selina, she has to break it up into chunks. She can’t transfer a huge amount at once; Sasha will notice. Selina says, very well, but don’t forget about the interest. Which makes it in Gladys’s best interest to pay the loan back as soon as possible. Dr. Montague says, Miss Wu, and Selina says, Monty. One moment? He tells her to take her time, and she leaves with Li. Monty goes over to Gladys, and says, nice seeing her again. He couldn’t help but overhear. It sounds like she’s in a tough spot with their friend Selina. Gladys says she owes Selina money, and he says he’d be glad to help her settle her debt. She says, he’d do that for her? and he says, of course (🍷). But not without a favor in return.

Alexis says, if he thinks he’s Eddie Maine, why not treat him like he’s Eddie Maine? and Tracy says, that is the worst idea she’s ever heard. Alexis says, okay. Never mind then. Tracy says, so what Alexis is telling her is, in order to rid Ned of his delusions, they should lean into them? Alexis tells her, she’s saying, if they allow Ned to work this out on his own, without constant opposition from Tracy, maybe it would help him get over it. Tracy asks when Alexis got her therapist certification. Was that handed out with her last sobriety chip? Alexis says, she’s impossible, and Tracy says, she’s an idiot. Gregory sees them, and ducks around the corner.

Judge Kim says, committing a crime, even if it is for love of one’s family, is still a crime. However, considering the defendant’s record since founding Aurora Media, along with the fact that the merger was never finalized, he’ll allow that the maximum penalty is not warranted. Given the charges, the proposed deal of six months is still too lenient. He hereby sentences the defendant to serve three years. Surprise all around. From me too. He can go over the SEC’s head? I dunno about that.

Tomorrow, Gregory tells Tracy, back the hell off; Ned/Eddie says, they’re kidding him; Josslyn tells Sonny, it’s the best she can do right now; and Carly says, there’s been some kind of mistake.

🏥 Spreading It Thin…

The downside of working on a soap.

🛹 Thanks To the Boogaloo…

Everyone’s got to start somewhere.

🥀 Heartache Strikes Again…

Geez, this poor woman needs to catch a break.

🍊 If You’re Craving Oranges…

In case yesterday’s smack talk wasn’t enough.

🤼‍♀️ Of Course They Do…

A better show might be to lock them in a room until there’s a clear winner.

🌪 And In a Surprise Twist…

Reality worlds collide.

🍸 VanderPast and Future…

Highly doubtful this was staged, although I’d buy that producers knew about it. Especially if it was going on while they were filming. And Sandoval did already have a storyline going with the Schwartz & Sandy’s mess.

What’s to come. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe.

🐩 Permanent Guests…

I’ve actually seen the kitty at the Algonquin. Although I’m not sure which number it was.

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/hotel-pets-america

🥾 On the Beaten Path…

Finish off your week tomorrow with some soap, a pot of tea, and a side of quotes, topped off by music. Until then, stay safe, stay sharing knowledge, and stay remembering that grief has no timetable. Everyone grieves differently and at different paces.

June 21, 2023 – Spinelli Helps Plan a Trap For Gladys, Rotten O(C)ranges & Jesse

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In the park, Cody asks Sam if she’s sure he’s coming, and she says, he’ll be here. Cody says he can think of one reason he wouldn’t be, but she says she didn’t tell him the reason. Spinelli arrives, and greets Sam. Cody says, long time, and Spinelli says, Sam knows there’s little he can refuse her, so clear up this moment of confusion. Last he checked, she didn’t trust Cody as far as she could throw him. What changed? Cody asks if Spinelli’s illegal algorithm told him that, and Spinelli says, funny. Without threat of physical violence or blackmail, he has no reason to employ it. Cody says he thinks Spinelli was employing it long before he got to town, and Spinelli says he doesn’t need an algorithm, proprietary or otherwise, to tell him that Cody is no stranger to their system of jurisprudence. Cody says, wasn’t Spinelli best friends with Sonny’s old business partner? He’s pretty sure that guy was no stranger… Sam says, enough, both of them. Deciding which of them is the best criminal mastermind is not their major concern right now. Spinelli asks, what is? and she says, catching the person who is the bigger criminal mastermind than the two of them combined.

Sasha, Lucy, Maxie, and Gladys are at the MetroCourt Gardens, and Sasha says she feels sorry for Brook. She’s been at the hospital worried sick, and now on top of that, she has to miss this meeting. Maxie says, she’s been the poster child for professional dedication since Lucy hired her back, but Lucy says, Maxie hired her back. Maxie says, of course (🍷) she’s happy to have Brook back, but she’s pretty sure… Sasha says she hopes Ned makes a speedy recovery. The situation is hard on everybody, but Brook told her that Leo is really struggling. Maxie says, Brook told her that he was hiding out in the stables, and Gladys says, the kid lives in a humongous mansion, and chooses to hide in a smelly stable with the horses? Maxie says, anyway, she said Cody was there, and managed to talk Leo down. Sasha says, Cody has a gift for calming people down. Must come from working with horses. Gladys says, please. The only thing worse than horse crap is the person who shovels it. Sasha tells her, give it a rest. Gladys doesn’t know the first thing about Cody Bell.

In Dr. Navarro’s office, TJ tells Molly, the speed with which ultrasound results are interpreted doesn’t mean anything, good or bad. She’s young, she’s healthy. Chances are her ovarian reserve is high. She says, he’s right; there’s nothing to worry about. The doctor walks in, and Molly says, so what’s the word? How many eggs are they working with?

Doing paperwork at the club, Curtis flashes back to confessing to Portia that he kissed Jordan. He hears the door open, and says, we’re closed. Trina asks if there’s any exception for family, and he says, always. What a nice surprise. Can he get her anything? She says she’s good, and he asks, what brings her by? She says, him and her mom. What happened between the two of them yesterday?

There’s a knock at Jordan’s office door, and she says, come in. Portia walks in, and Jordan asks what she can help Portia with. Portia says, help her understand what on earth possessed Jordan to kiss her husband.

Sam tells Spinelli, the hope is, once they’ve compiled the evidence and presented it to Gladys, she’ll feel compelled to exonerate Cody. Spinelli says, quick query. Is Cody’s freedom the only thing at stake here? Because it’s not the greatest usage of his expertise. Sam says, there’s more, and Cody asks how much Spinelli knows about Gladys Corbin. Spinelli says, quite a bit actually. Gladys is cousin to Sonny Corinthos’s late father Mike Corbin. Former resident of Bridgeport, Connecticut, where she was employed as a waitress, so limited financial resources. As a result, Gladys became somewhat mercenary; some might say avaricious. To wit, a claim that her son Brando was dead to collect insurance payments, got involved with Cyrus Renault, perjured herself when she claimed she saw Jason Morgan dispose of the gun that killed Franco Baldwin. In short, without the offices of her late son Brando and her daughter-in-law Sasha, Gladys’s presence in Port Charles would likely not be tolerated. Cody says, it’s the daughter-in-law he’s worried about. Sasha had a very public breakdown after back-to-back devastating losses. She’s been working really hard at building back her life, and she’s been leaning on Gladys because she’s Brando’s mother, but Gladys doesn’t deserve Sasha’s trust. He didn’t even know about the insurance fraud or framing the guy for murder, but just watching Gladys messing with Sasha’s finances is enough for him. Sasha has no idea who her mother-in-law really is, and if they don’t expose Gladys, she’s going to get hurt. Sam says, which is why she thinks they can put aside their differences, and use their collective powers for good. Cody says he’s not going to lie… Spinelli says, that would be a refreshing change, and Cody says he stands to benefit also. If the trial should go against him, and he’s convicted of theft, he’s been through worse. Sasha’s the one at risk here. Spinelli asks why he cares, and Cody says, unlike him, Sasha’s a good person. He messed with Spinelli – there’s no doubt – but he’s sorry. Please don’t let his totally justified anger at Cody keep him from helping Sasha. They can’t pull this off without his help. Spinelli says, for fair Samantha, and Sasha, and Sam says, he’ll help them keep the law from riding Cody out of town on a rail. Spinelli says he’ll rustle up the real outlaw.

Gladys says she knows one thing about Cody Bell, and it’s all she needs to know; he’s a thief. Lucy asks, what happened to innocent until proven guilty? and Maxie says she had her reservations about Cody, but she’s really warmed up to him. He’s got this low-key self-confidence thing she really likes. Not to mention, he’s great with kids. Liesl said he and James were sharing a sundae together the other day. Gladys says, so nobody’s bothered about the crime Cody committed against her, or Sasha? Or the good people of Gelhorn Jewelers? Sasha says she cares, but this is a business meeting, which means they should talk about the numbers for The Deceptor. Maxie says, happily. Demand for The Deceptor is outpacing supply. They need to find a new supplier who can handle that type of volume. Lucy says, exactly. And they need to do it before the new product is in the hopper. Gladys says, new product? and Lucy says, it’s so top secret for now. Gladys says, in that case, she’ll let them talk confidential business. She has an important meeting… with a cocktail. She leaves, and Sasha says she’s sure Gladys didn’t mean to be rude… Actually, she probably did. She apologizes on Gladys’s behalf. Lucy says she doesn’t think anybody would call Gladys an assistant type, but she sure is quick to get her little feelings hurt. Maxie says, let’s be real. Gladys can dish it, but she sure can’t take it. She can’t believe the things Gladys was saying about Cody.

Trina says, everyone was enjoying Curtis’s birthday party. For the first time in a long time, things just felt… perfect. Curtis says he knows; he felt it too. Trina says, so what happened? One minute, things were fine. The next minute, her mom runs out. She can’t even get her mom to talk to her. He says, she hasn’t heard from her mother?

Gladys goes to the pool, when her phone rings. She asks, who’s this? and Cody says, don’t hang up. It’s Cody Bell. She says, there’s no escaping him today, and he says, weird, but okay. She asks what he wants, and he says, to meet up. She says, what for? and he says, it’s for her benefit. She says, what’s for her benefit is a strawberry daquiri – she signals the waiter – at the MetroCourt pool. He says, for breakfast. That’s classy. She says, there’s fruit in it. (Ha-ha!) She’s hanging up. He says he should probably take what he knows about her and go directly to Sasha anyway. Enjoy her breakfast. She says, okay, let’s hear it. Come tell her what he thinks he has. Sam says, Cody gets to make a splash at the MetroCourt pool again, and Spinelli says, without a parachute this time.

Trina says, she and her mom have been in touch, but when she asked about yesterday, her mom said it’s between her and Curtis. Curtis says, yeah, it’s complicated, but he promises, it’s got nothing to do with her. She says, it has everything to do with her. Her mom’s feelings are important to her. So are his. But she can’t do anything to help if neither one of them will tell her what’s going on. Hasn’t there been enough of that in this family already?

Portia says she’s heard Curtis’s side. Now she’d like to hear Jordan’s. Jordan says, it was one kiss. That’s all. Portia tells her, that’s what Curtis said, and Jordan says, they wouldn’t lie to her; it was fleeting. Portia says, don’t downplay it. She knows there were feelings involved, right? Jordan says, there were. Confusion, history, and unresolved emotions. Portia asks if they’re resolved now, and Jordan says, absolutely. She’s done, and she won’t be interfering in their lives again. Portia says, aside from sleeping with her brother.

Dr. Navarro says, Molly’s ultrasound indicates her ovarian reserve, her egg count, is normal, and Molly says, TJ was right; there’s nothing to worry about. The doctor says, however, egg count is just one factor in fertility. Egg quality is another, and in many ways more important. Molly asks if they were able to determine the quality from the ultrasound, and Dr. Navarro says, based on the number of follicles in her ovaries and her bloodwork, her endometriosis has had an adverse effect on the quality of her eggs. Conceiving a child using her eggs poses a real challenge.

Curtis says he’s not sure he and Trina should have this conversation before she has it with her mom, and she asks, why? What’s he hiding? He says, she knows he’d never hide anything from her, but he thinks she should talk to her mom first. She says, he hasn’t talked to her mom since his party? and he says, she didn’t come home last night. Don’t worry. She texted; she’s at the hospital. She’s fine. Trina says, then she’ll go there to get some answers, but Curtis says, hang on. Don’t push her mom, especially at work.  Trina says, this is officially freaking her out. If there’s another secret, she needs to know. And not from her mom; from him… Zeke was right. She shouldn’t have come here. He asks what her Uncle Zeke has to do with this, and she says, Zeke said she should keep her distance from Curtis.

Jordan says, Zeke told Portia about their recent night together? and Portia says, not at first. She pressed him about it. She thinks he could tell she wasn’t in the mood for nonsense. Jordan says, that’s disappointing, and Portia says, because he admitted to their fling? Or because he exposed Jordan’s designs on her husband? Which one? Jordan says, it wasn’t like that, but she’s disappointed in the recent choices she’s made in men. She wishes she hadn’t kissed Curtis. Portia says, it wasn’t just a kiss though. It didn’t just come out of nowhere. The two of them were talking and hanging out… sharing things, confidences. Did Jordan talk to her husband about their marriage? About his feelings for Trina? What conversations did Jordan have with Portia’s husband behind her back? Jordan says, Portia’s torturing herself for no good reason. She’s with Curtis. Portia says she’s not sure about that one. Jordan might get what she wants, and that’s Curtis, free and clear.

Lucy says, Maxie is so right. Gladys definitely has strong opinions about Cody. Sasha says she feels like Gladys disliked Cody even before the whole thing with the bracelet, and Lucy says, well, Dominique Stanton Taub Baldwin was a very, very, very dear friend of hers. She was Lucy’s daughter Serina’s biological mom, and she’s Cody’s mother, so that makes Cody and Serina half-siblings. That means she’s kind of predisposed to believe Cody. She doesn’t know him that well, but truthfully, if she had to choose between believing Cody or Gladys, she would choose Cody, always. Maxie says, same here. Not that she’s doubting the facts. The bracelet was found in Cody’s pocket, but there has to be some other explanation. Sasha says, that’s what she’s come to believe. What if someone stole the bracelet off Gladys and slipped it into the first pocket they saw? She thinks Cody and Gladys are both victims. She wishes they could both see it. Maxie says, just because there’s friction between Gladys and Cody, that doesn’t mean it needs to affect Sasha’s friendship with Cody, but Sasha says, it already has.

Sam walks into the pool area, wearing a big sunhat, and carrying a copy of Crimson. I wonder if there’s a real Crimson magazine out there somewhere, and then I try to remember the last time I read a physical copy of a magazine. Sam sits at a table near the bar, and watches Gladys sunning herself and sipping her daquiri. Cody comes over to Gladys’s chaise, and she says, always a displeasure. Spinelli joins him, and she says, what’s he doing here? Cody says, they both know she planted that bracelet on him. Now he has the evidence to prove it.

Jordan tells Portia that she doesn’t want Curtis. Not anymore. Portia says, please, and Jordan says, there was a time she fantasized about reconciling with Curtis, but even then she didn’t want to disrupt what he and Portia had. Portia says, not until she found an opening. She can’t believe she just praised Jordan, and thanked her for looking out for Trina, not knowing the whole while that Jordan had just kissed her father. Jordan says, the father Portia never intended to tell her about? (Oh, snap!)

Curtis says, Trina’s uncle has no right to come between them, and Trina says, if there’s a you and me, it’s because of mutual respect and trust, but not if he’s keeping secrets from her about him and her mother. She’s going to find out. If not from him or her mom, then from Zeke. And he implied that it’s Curtis’s fault her mom’s upset. Curtis wonders how Zeke would know that, and says, because Portia told him. Trina asks if it’s true, and Curtis says, yes. It’s his fault. She asks what he did, and he says he kissed Jordan. She says, what? Recently? He says, since the wedding. And he didn’t tell her mother.

TJ says, what about fertility medication? and Dr. Navarro says, Molly has a high level of estradiol, which she believes is preventing Molly’s body from producing some kind of hormone. TJ says, which will make it even harder for her ovaries to respond to medication. Molly says, so that’s it? but the doctor says, they can do a test to see how Molly’s body responds to fertility drugs. Molly says, but statistically, how likely is it she’s able to create a viable embryo? and the doctor says, without further testing, it’s difficult to assess a specific percentage. Molly says, she understands, but are they talking low, extremely low, non-existent? Dr. Navarro tells Molly that she’d say, extremely low.

Maxie says, Cody came to Sasha’s rescue at Home & Heart, and that was after his arrest, so he doesn’t seem to be holding Gladys’s accusations against Sasha. Sasha says, that’s the kind of person Cody is. He saw some of the hateful tweets the producers at Home & Heart were putting out, he realized she might be in trouble, and showed up to help. But when she tried to thank him, he basically said they couldn’t be friends unless she picked a side. Cody insists Gladys isn’t the person Sasha thinks she is. Lucy says, Gladys is still Sasha’s guardian. Does she think Cody really wants her to turn her back on the person who controls her money? Sasha says, what? and Lucy says she happens to be a very pragmatic woman. Sasha says, Gladys will always be her family, but Gladys may not be her guardian for much longer.

Gladys says, he’s delusional, but Cody says, thinking she can frame him and get away with it is delusional. Sam takes something from her ear, and puts it in the crease of the magazine. (A recorder of some kind?) Cody says, Gladys is going to get the insurance company to drop the charges, and Gladys asks how she’s going to do that. He says, she’s imaginative; she’ll figure it out. Gladys says, and if she doesn’t? and Cody says he’ll show everyone in town the evidence that says she did. Gladys gets up, and says, he’s bluffing. The PCPD and the insurance company investigated. If there was evidence she set Cody up, they would have found it. Spinelli says, fascinating, and she says, it speaks… What? He tells her, she never once said she’s innocent.

Kristina asks Sam, come here often? and Sam closes the magazine. Kristina sits down and asks what Sam is up to.

Portia says, Saint Jordan. Jordan is never going to let her forget that she kept Portia’s secret all those months, and Jordan didn’t expose her, despite her strong feelings for Curtis, right? Jordan says, believe it or not, all she ever wanted was for Portia to be happy. Portia says, at the expense of her own happiness, and Jordan says she cares about Portia and Curtis. She prayed for them on their wedding day. Portia says she knows she made mistakes in her marriage to Taggert. And it must have been extremely difficult to let go of a man like Curtis, but Jordan had to know how much it would hurt her not to hear about the kiss from her or Curtis. Jordan says she almost told Portia at GH, and Portia asks, why didn’t she? Jordan says, because Curtis asked her not to.

Trina says, now she knows why her mom left the party, and why Curtis isn’t her uncle’s favorite person at the moment. Curtis says, they were separated, but he still understands why Portia was hurt, and she asks why he didn’t tell Portia right away. He says, because he wasn’t sure what the kiss meant. He had to work it out first. She asks, has he worked it out? and he says, his future’s with Portia. Trina says, if she’ll have him, and he says he sure hopes forgiveness goes both ways. So how does she feel about things? About him? She says she hates that he hurt her mom, and she hates that her mom hurt him. She likes him, but she doesn’t like secrets. Maybe it’s hereditary.

Kristina tells Sam, she has the day off, so she’s doing some research for her foundation. She thought she’d multitask and catch some rays at the same time. Sam says, good for her, and good luck with that tasking, but Kristina says she always has time for her big sis. She takes a sip of Sam’s drink, and says, that’s good.

Gladys says, of course (🍷) she’s innocent. Cody here’s the criminal. Spinelli should consider the company he keeps. Spinelli says, Mr. Bell is a lot of things, and Cody says, there’s a photographer that has pictures of her at the Nurses Ball, with and without the bracelet. It really narrows down the timeframe that the bracelet was – air quotes – stolen – end air quotes. Funnily enough, that timeframe happens to be more or less when he was changing. She says, more or less? That’s his evidence? He says, that’s just Exhibit A. Mr. Spinelli, would you present Exhibit B?

Sasha says she had a session with the psychiatrist who’s doing her guardianship evaluation, and Maxie says, that’s great. How’d it go? Sasha says, pretty good, she thinks. Dr. Montague seemed nice enough. It’s really hard to tell with these guys. Maxie asks when the judge will make the decision, but Sasha says she doesn’t know. She has to hope she can convince Dr. Montague that she’s in full control of her faculties again. Lucy asks, who would think that now? and Sasha says, Lucy did, when Lucy asked her to step down as the Face of Deception. Lucy says, that was ancient history, and it was a business decision. Maxie says, one that they weren’t all on board with, and Lucy says she got a lot more respect when she was dead. Maxie says, they’ve all seen how far Sasha’s come, and she’s sure the judge will see it too. Sasha says, Nina wrote her this wonderful letter of support to add to her petition, and she was hoping maybe… Maxie says, done, and Brook can put it on the Deception letterhead, but Lucy says, no. Sorry. She would really like to do it, truly. She wants to attest to Sasha’s strength of character, and how hard she worked in recovery, and her commitment. Look at her. Look how far she’s come. Sasha says she’s so lucky and so grateful that the people she works with are also her friends.

Dr. Navarro says, while the chances are extremely low Molly’s eggs are viable, it’s not impossible, but they may want to start exploring other options. It’s a lot to take in. She’ll give them some time to process. She leaves, and TJ says, this is just a setback. It’s not the end of the road. They can still have a biological child. She says, he can have a biological child; she can’t. He says, they don’t know that yet, not for sure, and she says she’s just connecting the dots. It’s not just that she can’t conceive a baby or carry a baby. She can’t even create one. He says, biology isn’t everything. There are all kinds of families, and all kinds of ways to create one. She says, but she fantasized about their baby. His curly hair, his stubborn streak… He says, his stubborn streak? Her eyes. She says, his smile. Doesn’t he want a baby that’s a blend of both of them? He says, of course (🍷), but he has the original – her. And whether they foster or adopt or whatever, their child will be remarkable because she’ll be its mother. She says, Dr. Navarro’s right; it’s a lot to take in. She just needs to think about it. She gets up, and he says, about the tests the doctor recommended? but she says, all of it. More needles won’t change the fact that she needs time to make a decision. He says he gets it. No pressure. She says she knows it affects him too, and he’s been amazing through all of it. He says, anything for her, and she says, how about an honest answer? How is he going to feel if it doesn’t happen for them?

Maxie says, Sasha’s got lots of friends, even ones she thinks she’s lost. And yes, she’s thinking of one hunky friend in particular. Sasha says she hopes that’s true, and Maxie suggests they get back to manufacturers, but Lucy says she’s reached her limit of what she can do without coffee. Maxie says, the waiter was just here, and Sasha says she has to go powder her nose, so she’ll let the waiter know Lucy wants coffee. As she walks away, Lucy says, this time she needs an espresso, stronger… one pump non-fat vanilla, and raw sugar, and four dashes of cinnamon. When Sasha is gone, Lucy asks Maxie to tell the truth. What exactly is the story about Cody and Sasha?

Spinelli says, testis unus testis nullus, and Gladys says, Exhibit B’s an anatomy lesson? Spinelli says, no, it’s Latin. It means, one witness is no witness. Gladys says, it’ll come in handy the next time she’s on Jeopardy, and Spinelli says, she’s the only one claiming Cody stole her bracelet. She says, her account was enough for the insurance agency and the PCPD, and Spinelli says, which is why she should recant. And soon. Otherwise, she’ll be the one facing a judge.

Kristina says, Sam should be really proud. Once she pushed past the hurt pride, she’s really doing her due diligence with her foundation plans, handling things in a logical order, and staying practical. With one eye toward Gladys, Sam says, that’s good. She’d love to hear all about it. Later. Kristina says, why not now, big shot?

Gladys asks, on what charges? and Cody says, falsifying a crime is a crime itself, punishable for up to seven years in prison. Spinelli says, but she already knew that having provided false testimony against Jason Morgan, claiming she saw him dispose of a murder weapon he never even touched. Given her previously unreliable, patently false testimony is a matter of record, he can’t believe the police would have a problem believing she’d lied again. Gladys says, it’s the truth, but Spinelli says, not according to her location at the time Cody was getting dressed for his Nurses Ball performance.

Trina says, as much as her mom is hurting right now, she knows Curtis was going through the same thing not that long ago because her mom was keeping something from him. She knows it’s not the same, but transparency – or the lack of it – is the common denominator in all of this. He says he was always going to tell her mother, but point taken. He shouldn’t have waited. Trina says, one time, Spencer pretended to be on Esme’s side so he could trap her, and he was going to tell Trina eventually, but she suffered a lot until he did. If he’d just been upfront with her, or everybody was upfront, it would save a lot of pain and heartache. He says, she’s right. Very wise. Her mom and Taggert raised her very well. She says, they did, but lately she’s had to learn a lot of lessons despite her parents.

Portia says, Curtis wanted to hide this from her, but Jordan says she doesn’t think he viewed it that way. Portia says, how then? and Jordan says she thinks Curtis wanted to protect Portia while he sorted through his feelings. Portia says, so Curtis wasn’t sure which one of them he wanted, but Jordan tells her, that’s not what she said. Portia says, she didn’t have to, and Jordan says, none of that matters anymore. She’s out of the picture. Portia asks, whose choice was that? and Jordan flashes back to telling Curtis that she has to finally let go. Two years was too long to put her life on hold. Portia says, who walked away? Was it Jordan or was it Curtis?

Sam asks Kristina to grab them two mimosas. Then Kristina can tell Sam about her plan. She hands Kristina some money, and suggests she go to the bar downstairs; this one is super slow. Kristina says she tries not to question freebies, but why does she get the distinct feeling that Sam’s trying to get rid of her? Sam says, because she is. Beat it.

Gladys says she knows Spinelli is Sonny’s IT whiz kid, but even she knows you can’t pinpoint an exact location by room. Spinelli says, you can with the right tracking apps, and Gladys says, he hacked into her phone and installed one? He says he didn’t need to. She did it for him.

Jordan tells Portia that she walked away, but not to overanalyze what happens during a separation. She’ll drive herself crazy. Portia says, at least Jordan doesn’t have to worry about an ex-wife still pining for her husband, and grabs her bag. Jordan says, Portia’s husband would have never kissed her if Portia had taken her advice, and told him the truth before the wedding. So who is Portia really mad at? Her? Curtis? Or is she mad at herself? Portia walks out.

Curtis tells Trina, everybody’s human. Even parents. She says, that’s true. They all make mistakes. But she has three parents, and only one of them has kept their marriage vows – her dad, Marcus Taggert. He’s not perfect, and he hasn’t made the best choices, but he’s a great example of fidelity and forgiveness. Curtis says he wants to be that for Trina too, but she says, they’re not off to a great start, and leaves.

TJ says, the more they talked about it, the more he fell in love with the thought of having a family with Molly. Even though the emotions are tense for both of them, she’s the one who has to go through the physical ordeal. He can understand not wanting to be poked and prodded. She says, it’s not just about the physical discomfort; it’s everything else. Work, friends, them. It’s all taken a backseat to tests and doctor’s appointments. It’s been overwhelming. He asks if she’s saying she doesn’t want a baby anymore, but she says, no. She’s just saying she needs a break. Doesn’t he? He says, it’s been a bit consuming, and she asks if he doesn’t want to sleep again, and go to the movies, and dance at The Savoy, and love the life they’ve been living? He says he does, but can’t they do that and plan a family? She says, eventually, after some time, and he says he can give her time. She kisses him, and says she loves him. He says he loves her, and she says, how about that coffee? Their whole day’s free. He says, sounds good, and they hug, but I’m not so sure that’s how he feels.

Maxie says, Sasha and Cody haven’t been hanging out for long, but she knows their friendship means a lot to both of them. Lucy says, obviously, because he didn’t hesitate when he thought she needed help at Home & Heart. He put his butt on the line. Literally, and to her it’s a very grand gesture for just chums. Sasha comes back, but stands a few feet away, messing with her phone. Maxie says she doesn’t like to speculate, and Lucy says, really? Come on. Maxie knows Lucy can read her mind, and she’s thinking exactly what Lucy is thinking. As Sasha listens, Maxie says, fine. She thinks what Cody feels for Sasha is more than friendship.

Gladys asks what Spinelli is talking about, and he says, 14,000 steps and eight flights of stairs the day of the Nurses Ball; that’s very impressive. Cody says, very. How many miles is that? Spinelli says, just over seven, given that Gladys’s stride is between 2.1 and 2.35 feet. Gladys says, what is this? and Spinelli says, it’s the minute data from her favorite fitness app, the one that she uses to map her walks. Cody asks if an app like that can place a user in a dressing room near a certain jacket, and Spinelli says, the spatial metadata is surprisingly advanced. It can pinpoint exact latitudes and longitudes, complete with tagging and time stamps. Cody asks if Gladys knows what that is. It’s nerd for, gotcha!

Tomorrow, Michael asks if there’s anyway this could blow back on his mom; Alexis asks if Tracy is suggesting Ned fell on purpose; Sasha says someone couldn’t be more wrong; and Drew makes his plea to the judge.

🍊 Animal Housewives…

Still not loving things in the same old Real Housewives of Orange County. Last week, Tamra let loose, screaming at Shannon for no real reason, suggesting Shannon f*** a duck. Although she claimed she didn’t remember, Tamra apologized. Ho-hum. Taking it with a grain of salt, Shannon accepted a hug, but didn’t exactly say she accepted the apology. In Shannon’s interview, she said, Tamra was going to have to apologize for everything in the past two years. Good luck with that.

New Housewife and friend of Tamra’s, Jenn, runs a yoga studio, and it looks like she’ll have the black cloud of infidelity following her. Did she or did she not sleep with a guy from the gym before separating from her husband? I don’t know and don’t care, but I’m sure every single one of these women will have an opinion. Jenn also had unfortunate timing, posting a happy dance about still being open after covid on TikTok – the day before Tamra and Eddie were having a goodbye party to close the gym. Thanks to Gina – who has consistent diarrhea of the mouth – this was brought up at the party. While Tamra seemed understanding, I guaran-effing-tee you she will be pissed about it at some point later. Probably after one or ten glasses of pinot.

I’ve always liked Emily and Shane, and it’s amusing to see Emily more glammed and toned this season, but still not quite fitting in. Even less than Rachel on RHONJ or that one who was a witch on RHOBH. Emily sort of politely fumbles her way through Housewives territory, while her on and off buddy misfit Gina shouts her way in. I liked Gina more when she had bad hair. Fancy Pants Heather is still, well, fancy pants, and in a way doesn’t fit in either. The desire to be in charge is strong in this one, and she’d be better served with her own show. In this one, she just comes off looking at best insensitive, and at worst, mean.

The party ended with a food fight, courtesy of Tamra. Really? Middle aged women in gowns smushing and throwing cake? Call me a killjoy, but I can’t stand to see adults throwing food at each other. Unless it’s a scheduled event at Camp Puerile. I fail to understand why it’s such a go-to with a lot of these women.

Meet Jenn:

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhoc-season-17-who-is-new-housewife-jennifer-pedranti

🩰 Polishing My Barbiecore…

Since we have plenty of time for tea this week, keeping it short, but dip back tomorrow for soap and some freshly brewed. Until then, stay safe, stay never littering (it’s disgusting), and stay being careful what apps you put on your phone.

June 19, 2023 – Drew Gives Sam Bad News, Hacked, Strange, Strike Out, Oh Daddy, Signs, Wives Guide, Not Done, Crazy, Cattitude, Watch This & Cruel

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth looks at Epiphany’s photo on the memorial wall, and says, hello, my friend. I miss you, especially on a day like this. I’m about to start my first shift as head nurse. I’m excited and nervous, and could really use a no-nonsense Epiphany pep talk right now. Remembering your words that I’m the best choice for the job are almost as good… almost. But when I start to doubt myself – which is more often than I care to admit – I remember I was taught by the best, so I got this. I won’t let you down.

Molly thanks Dr. Navarro for seeing her and TJ on such short notice. TJ says, they realize their call is a little… Molly says, spur of the moment. The doctor says, it’s her pleasure, and asks how Molly is feeling since she started treatment for endometriosis. Molly says, better, thanks. She hadn’t realized how much pain she’d been in since the medication got rid of most of it. Unfortunately, there still is some. Dr. Navarro asks if she’s given any more thought to hormone therapy, and Molly says, actually, that’s why they’re here. If she starts hormone therapy, her periods will stop. So before that, they want to harvest her eggs. What’s their first step?

Carly tells Drew, they don’t have to do this. Call his lawyer, and tell him the deal’s off. He says, they already settled this, and she says, if by settling this he means he won’t listen to reason. He says he has the best reason in the whole world, and she kisses him. She says, don’t pin this on her, but he says he’d 100% rather do the time than see her do it, and they kiss again. He tells her that he’ll see her later.

Nina finds Ava in the park, and thanks Ava for meeting her. Ava says, of course (🍷). When Nina said she was going to come clean to Sonny, Ava thought Nina would be in a lot worse shape than she is. She wonders if Nina came to her senses and realized she’s better off without him anyway, but Nina says, no. It turns out she didn’t lose Sonny after all. Ava says, don’t tell her that Sonny forgave her for turning Carly into the SEC, but Nina says, she didn’t tell him. She was ready to tell him; she was thisclose. But she looked into his eyes and couldn’t say the words. Ava says, but what about Ned? Didn’t he regain consciousness yesterday? Nina says, yes, and Ava says, Ned knows what she did. It’s only a matter of time before he tells everybody the truth. Nina tells her, let’s just say Ned is no longer interested in clearing his name.

Elizabeth asks a nurse if Ned is still combative this morning, and she says, only when they forget to call him Eddie Maine. She feels so sorry for his family. At the reception desk, Amy says good morning to Portia, and apologizes for waking her. She thought the on-call room was empty. Portia says she wasn’t really sleeping, and Amy says she hopes the patient’s okay. Portia asks, what patient? and Amy says she figured one of Portia’s patients must have taken a turn for the worse. Why else would she be sleeping at the hospital? Elizabeth hears, and asks Amy to check on Mr. Pascal in 1013 to make sure he ate his breakfast. Amy leaves, and Portia says she’d better get started on her rounds. Elizabeth asks if she wants to talk about it, and Portia says, about what? Elizabeth says, yesterday was Curtis’s birthday, and she knows there weren’t any emergencies on the floor last night. So why did Portia sleep here instead of at home with her husband?

Carly goes to Sonny’s penthouse, and he asks if she’s okay. She sounded awful on the phone. Carly says she thinks Sonny should know that things are about to be resolved with the SEC, and he asks what she did. She says she didn’t. Drew did.

Dante lets Drew into the apartment, and Alexis is there. Drew says, it’s a nice surprise, and she hugs him. She says she was delivering one of Danny’s skateboards, and Sam said he was stopping by, so she thought she’d stay and say hello. He says, it’s always great to see her, and she says, same. Now that she’s said hello, she’s on her way out. Drew asks her to stay; this actually involves her, in a way. Sam asks what he wants to talk to them about, and he says he’s asked his lawyer to offer a plea deal to the SEC, and he has every reason to believe they’re going to accept. Dante asks what Drew offered them, and Drew says he’s going to have to pay a fine, and he’s also going to have to go to prison. Sam asks how long he plans on being in prison (like he decides), and he says, they haven’t accepted the deal yet, but his lawyer proposed six months. Sam says, that doesn’t seem like a good deal to her, and asks if it does to Alexis. Alexis says she wouldn’t recommend it if she were his lawyer, and Drew says his lawyer isn’t crazy about it either, but he’s made up his mind. (Is it me? It doesn’t sound that bad considering it’s usually like, two years.) Dante asks if Diane suggested the same thing for Carly, and Drew says, no. Sam says, of course (🍷) she didn’t. Drew’s going to prison so Carly doesn’t have to. Drew says he’s weighed all the options, and she has to trust him that this is the best possible solution. Sam asks what Carly says about this, and he says he was just hoping they could figure out a way to tell Scout together. She asks, what would be their approach to that conversation, because she doesn’t know how they explain to their six-year-old daughter that he’s not only leaving her again, but this time, it’s his choice.

Taggert goes to Jordan’s office, and she asks, how’s his head? He just looks at her, and she asks, what brings him by? He says he wanted to apologize for being such an ass yesterday, but she says she doesn’t need an apology. She’s just glad to see he sobered up. He says, lesson learned, and she says, since she doesn’t need an apology, and he doesn’t need an intervention, what else can she help him with? He says, actually, there is something. He needs a job, so he was wondering if there’s any room for another detective at the PCPD.

Portia says she knows this is Elizabeth’s first day in charge. She must have a million things to do. Elizabeth says she has a meeting with Monica in an hour. Until then, she’s free if Portia wants to talk. Portia says she doesn’t even know what to say, and Elizabeth says she doesn’t have to go into detail. What she does know is that Portia’s upset, and she wants to help. Portia says she appreciates Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says, stop her if she’s prying. Portia says, pry away, and Elizabeth asks if things aren’t working out with her and Curtis. Portia says she thought they were. Don’t get her wrong; she knew it was going to be a long path to reconciliation, but when Curtis moved back in, she took that as a sign he was ready to try. From the guest room, but still. Elizabeth says, that seems like a fair assumption, and Portia says, they actually started to talk again. Trina came to his birthday party, and it made him really, really happy. Things were still tense, but they were so much better than they had been. She could really start to see a future where they were family, but it turns out Curtis had other ideas.

Ava says, so Ned thinks it’s the 90s, back when he was performing as Eddie Maine? and Nina says, from what she understands, he actually believes he is Eddie Maine. He only remembers his stage persona. He doesn’t remember his life as a Quartermaine at all. Ava asks if that means he doesn’t remember Tracy. She doesn’t think Tracy would take that well. Nina says, all she knows is, he doesn’t remember she was the one who called the SEC, and her secret is safe. Ava says, they’ll get to that, but if Nina didn’t come clean to Sonny, why isn’t she wearing her engagement ring? Nina says, Ava was there. She put it on the mantel when she was going to the hospital to tell Sonny the truth. There she was, ready to come clean… Ava says, and she looked into his eyes, and his dimples… and Nina says, then she had to come up with this lame excuse for why she didn’t have the ring on. She told him that she lost it down the drain. Luckily, when they got to the house, she managed to swipe it off the mantel and put it in the sink. Ava says, she’s crazy. That is a big, very expensive diamond. Nina says, he called the plumber. All right, she panicked. It’s a small price to pay. This is such a mess. Ava says, Nina has to know, this situation is not sustainable. Sooner or later, Ned is going to remember his real life. Nina says, trauma victims often don’t remember the events leading up to their accident. Ned overheard her conversation with Martin, then he bumped his head, so that knowledge may be gone for good. Ava says, she better hope so. If Sonny finds out now, Nina’s going to be under the gun with no way out.

Sonny says, it’s a good deal Drew made. It keeps Carly out of prison. That’s if the Feds agree to the terms. Carly says, it’s not a slam dunk, but Drew’s an optimist. Sonny says, if it keeps her out of prison, then the Feds won’t be pressuring her to flip on him. That’s if he’s really willing to do this. Carly says, he is. She didn’t even hear about this deal until after Drew’s lawyer submitted it to the SEC. Sonny says, it’s an honorable thing to do, and she says, Drew totally cut her out of his decision. Sonny says, how could they get out of this, and nobody take the fall? and she says, that’s the thing; there’s no other way out. At least none that she can see. And if they take their chances in court, they could go to prison for a helluva lot longer than six months.

Nina tells Ava that Ned has a traumatic brain injury. He’s lost most of his life as Ned Quartermaine. If he ever gets his memory back – which she sincerely hopes he does – what are the odds of him remembering this small little detail about her? Ava says, if Ned gets his memory back, she thinks it’s pretty likely that he’d remember being wrongly accused of turning Drew and Carly in to the SEC. Even if he doesn’t, if those two go to prison, everyone who believes he’s innocent will be looking for the guilty party. Nina asks what she’s supposed to do, and Ava says, she’s supposed to do what she said she was going to do. Come clean to Sonny. Tell him that she made a mistake, and wishes she could take it back, but she can’t. Nina says she just can’t do it. She can’t lose Sonny now. And what about Willow? If she finds out Nina is responsible for putting Drew and Carly in prison, Willow’s never going to speak to her again. If the truth comes out, she’ll lose the man that she loves, and she’s going to lose any kind of relationship she has with Willow. She’s just going to have to keep walking the tightrope she’s been walking, and hope for the best. Ava suggests they go for a latte, and Nina says she thought they were going for a run, but Ava says she only agreed to that because she thought Nina would have broken up with Sonny, and would need the endorphins. She clearly doesn’t, but Ava needs the caffeine.

Dr. Navarro says, they’re all set. The technician will be in shortly to prep Molly for the ultrasound. Molly says she can’t wait, and thanks the doctor again. Dr. Navarro leaves, and TJ asks if Molly is okay. Molly says, once she’s on hormone therapy, harvesting her eggs won’t be an option, so it makes sense to do it now. They can decide what they do with the eggs later. He says he hates that she’s in pain, but she says, it’s better. He says, any pain. If the hormone therapy can take that away, he wants her on it as soon as humanly possible. She says, her too. So they freeze her eggs and keep all of their options open. She keeps reminding herself that her endometriosis might make it harder for them to have a baby. He says, but not impossible, and she says, even though she might not be able to carry the baby herself, they can use her eggs and find a surrogate to carry their child. He says, tons of people do it, and she says, they do, but they’re not us. So she has to ask. Would he be okay with using a surrogate?

Alexis says she’s sorry, but she has to go. She has to go to GH and check on Ned. Dante says, they’ll keep her posted, and she leaves. Sam says she’s waiting. How are she and Drew supposed to tell their daughter that he’s chosen to leave her? (I dunno, but I bet it’s easier than having to tell her about a trial dragging on forever, and then him being in Pentenville for a few years.) Drew says he doesn’t want to leave Scout, and she says, then don’t. Fight the charges. It’s not like he and Carly made money on the merger because Carly knew about the merger; the merger didn’t even happen. ELQ and Aurora are still separate companies, and they both lost money. Dante says, not to be cop in the room, but it’s the intent that matters with insider trading. It’s not the outcome. Sam says she doesn’t care, but Drew still deserves the lesser sentence. Carly is the one who bought the shares. Drew says, she was trying to help him and Michael, but Sam says, that’s still on her. Unless he expects her to believe that he and Michael told her to buy the shares to drive up the stock, which not in any universe does she think is possible. Dante says he thinks there are dishes that need to be done, and jets to the kitchen. (The Invader announces, for the first time ever, a man volunteers to do dishes. Just kidding, male readers.) Drew asks Sam not to make this any harder than it already is, and she says she’s not going to make it any easier, that’s for damn sure. He says, this is the best way out of a bad situation, and she says, best way for who? Not for him. Not for their daughter. So she guesses it’s best for Carly then. He says, Carly’s got primary custody of Donna. If Carly goes to prison, Donna’s whole world gets turned upside down. Scout has Sam and Dante, and she’s used to not seeing him. She says, what is he talking about? He was held captive in a dungeon for half of her life. Drew says, she can bring Scout to see him in Spring Ridge, and she says, that makes everything okay. He says, Dante is an amazing father, but she says, don’t you do that. Dante and Scout have an excellent relationship, but Dante is not Scout’s father; he is. When they lost Drew the first time, Scout was truly too young to miss him. She didn’t know what she was missing because she had no memories of him. But now she’s going to know he’s gone, and she’s going to miss him every single day of her life, and she’s not going to watch their daughter go through that kind of pain.

Jordan says, Taggert wants to work here? Again? He says he’s a good detective, and she says, one of the best. She just thought he preferred working for himself these days. Picking and choosing his own cases. He says he did. It was great, but now with all this traveling, it’s getting old. He wants to stay in Port Charles. She says, so this is about Trina, and he says, if he told her no, would she believe him? She says, and she thought it was the booze talking yesterday. Come on. Is he really worried Curtis will replace him in Trina’s life?

Portia tells Elizabeth, all these months, all she wanted was for Curtis to move back home. She thought they needed to be together, so they could figure out if they could get their marriage to work. But as soon as her feelings get hurt, she runs away. Elizabeth asks why she ran. With Curtis in the guest bedroom, Portia could have avoided him if she wanted to. Portia says, that’s just the thing. She didn’t want to avoid Curtis. She wanted to hurt him the way he’d hurt her. She didn’t go home last night because she was afraid if she and Curtis were in the same house, she would say something in anger that she couldn’t take back. And then that would push Curtis to say something he couldn’t take back, and then their marriage would really be over. Elizabeth says, so despite what Portia found out about him and how he hurt her, she still wants a life with him? Portia says, sure… She doesn’t know. They sit, and Portia says she’s been working so hard to regain Curtis’s trust. She wanted to show him that she could make up for all the mistakes she’s made. He kept saying, it was too soon to talk, and she’s thinking, it’s because she hurt him so deeply that he needed time to heal; she needed time to atone. In her mind, they were both getting stronger, and they were going to come together and work on their marriage. Turns out Curtis wasn’t thinking about their marriage. He wasn’t thinking about her at all.

Jordan says she can’t imagine what a blow it must have been; Taggert learning Trina wasn’t his biological child. She is still his daughter, no matter what. He tells her, that’s what everyone keeps saying, and she says, he honestly doesn’t think Trina would cut him out of her life, does he?

TJ says, he wants to raise his and Molly’s child with her, no matter how they get there, and she says, if they choose surrogacy, how do they choose the surrogate? It’s a huge responsibility. He asks, what qualities are essential besides general good health? No drinking, non-smoker. Molly says, she has to be a vegetarian, and he says, agreed. Is that it? She says she doesn’t know. How picky can they get? Can they ask her to read to the baby, and listen to classical music, and to refrain from watching any violent movies? He says he’s not sure, and she says, fortunately, there are experts who can advise them. He says, right. Let’s listen to the experts. You know what? He thinks this’ll work. They kiss.

Jordan says, they don’t have to talk about it if Taggert doesn’t want to, and he thanks her, adding, he doesn’t. So let’s talk about that job. She says, bottom line, she doesn’t have room in the budget for another detective, and he says, oh well. Didn’t hurt to ask. She says, but she does have another position opening up, and he says he’s listening. What job? She says, hers.

Drew tells Sam, if he could find a better solution, he’d take it in a heartbeat. It breaks his heart thinking of being away from Scout. Things he’ll be missing. Things they’ll be missing together. The things they love to do together; like camping, and the holidays, and trick-or-treating, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She says she just wants him to know how important he is to Scout; that he’s not taking this deal because he thinks Scout won’t miss him. Because she will. She’ll miss him every day. She loves her daddy. He says he knows that, and he loves her too. Please don’t ever let her doubt that.

Carly tells Sonny that she still can’t believe Ned turned them in. Speaking of whom, is it true? Ned thinks he’s Eddie Maine? Sonny says, yep, it’s true. Olivia is so upset because he says he doesn’t know anybody. He even told Leo that he thinks Leo’s not his son. Carly says, poor Leo, and Sonny says, that’s Ned. Even when he doesn’t know who he is, he’s hurting people. (Ha-ha! Poor Ned.) She says, before all this happened, she and Drew were trying to figure out a way to persuade Ned to get the SEC to drop the charges. He asks if she can tell him what the plan is, but she says, it doesn’t matter. He thinks he’s Eddie Maine. And it makes her sick to think of Drew behind bars again, after everything Peter August and Victor Cassadine did to him. Nina walks in with Ava.

Elizabeth says, Curtis wouldn’t move back in if he’d truly given up on their marriage, and Portia says, she’s right. This is why she shouldn’t be talking to Curtis yet. She’s just not ready. She has no clarity. She’s just a ball of hurt and resentment right now. Elizabeth’s phone chimes several times, and Elizabeth says, and so it begins. Portia asks if those are all from the same person, and Elizabeth says she wishes. Portia says, that’s what comes with being in charge. Go. Be head nurse. Just remember… They say it together, you asked for this. Elizabeth suggests they pick this up over lunch, and Portia thanks her, but says, Elizabeth has helped her realize who she really needs to be talking to.

Alexis sees TJ looking at some files, and she says, he’s working? She thought he and Molly had an appointment with Dr. Navarro this morning. He says he’s not officially working, but since he’s here… She says, he couldn’t help himself. He says, Molly’s having an ultrasound to have an some-medical-term count, and Alexis says, what’s that? since she’s as confused as I am about that word. He says, it’s a way to determine how many eggs Molly has left, which will tell them how many eggs they can hope for if they harvest them. Alexis says, that’s good, right? and he says, yes. It gives them options just in case. She says she knows this isn’t how he and Molly imagined having a baby, and he says, it sure isn’t. Funny thing is, ever since they were teenagers, they were told, don’t have sex; you could get pregnant. Alexis asks if they heard that from anyone else besides her, or was she the lone voice in the wilderness? but he says, it felt like everybody. She says, but her voice was the loudest? It happens often. Go on. He says, they were so careful, but now that they actually want a baby, it’s not this instantaneous thing they’ve been worried about all these years. And if that’s not confusing enough, it’s no longer private. Something just between him and Molly, it’s doctors, testing, labs. She says she knows they didn’t plan it this way, and she knows it’s not ideal. He and Molly can keep focused on the prize, which will be a baby coming to them, one way or the other.

Jordan says she’s the new acting Deputy Mayor, and Taggert says, wow! That’s amazing. Congratulations. She thanks him, but says, she can’t do both jobs. She needs to find her replacement. He says, she’d be like his boss? and she says, yes, just like she would have been if he’d taken the detective job. She can’t just offer him the position, but she can run it up the flagpole and see if it flies. He asks if she thinks he can really be Police Commissioner, and she says, if she didn’t think he’d be good at the job, she wouldn’t have mentioned it. So what does he think?

Carly says, she was just leaving, and addresses Ava as she walks out. Sonny says, good run? and Nina says, they decided to walk to Perks instead. Ava asks, how things are with Carly? Is there anything new from the SEC? Sonny says he hates to disappoint Ava, but the insider trading charges aren’t going to be a problem for Carly. Nina asks, why is that? and Sonny says, there’s a deal in the works. Carly and Drew are just going to have to pay a fine, so she doesn’t have to spend any time behind bars. Nina says, Carly didn’t agree to give Sonny up to save herself, did she? but he says, nothing like that. Drew agreed to spend some time at Spring Ridge, so Carly doesn’t have to go to prison.

Drew tells Sam, Scout didn’t even remember him when he got back. She was so shy around him; they’ve come so far. Sam says, now she can’t wait to be around him, especially when he picks her up for sleepovers. He says, she’ll have sleepovers at the Quartermaines, and he’s sure she’s still going to try and teach Leo and Annabelle II how to play the keyboard. Sam says, but who’s going to be there to teach her how to play the harmonica? Or go to her swim meets? Can he really stand not seeing their daughter for six months? He says, no, he can’t, but he’s going to have to. There’s a knock at the door, and Dante opens it to Carly. She says she thought Sam might have a few things she wants to say to her, and Sam says, Drew’s going to prison. She’s not happy about that. Carly says, neither is she, and Sam says, but it is his decision, so she respects that. Carly says, for the record, she tried to talk him out of it, and Sam says she appreciates that. She turns to Drew and asks if he’s figured out a way for them to tell their daughter. He says, the deal hasn’t been officially accepted yet, and she says, he thinks they should wait. He says he thinks it’s better they don’t say anything until he has an exact date that he’s heading to Spring Ridge. Sam says, Scout doesn’t need to know any maybes. This is going to be hard enough. Drew says, which is another reason he wanted to talk, so that Sam, him, and Dante can figure out how to tell her. Dante says, Drew wants him there? and Drew says, absolutely. Dante says, that means a lot. Thanks. Drew says, Dante means a lot to Scout, and he’s grateful she’s going to have the two of them in her life while he’s gone.

Alexis goes to the reception desk, and Amy asks if she’s here to see Mr. Maine. She’s trying to get used to calling him that instead of his real name. At least until he remembers who he is. Isn’t it crazy that he thinks he’s this singer from back in the day? Elizabeth calls over to Amy, who says she didn’t see Elizabeth behind her. Elizabeth says she just got here, but Amy must have… Amy says, patients to check on, and leaves.

Nina says, words fail her, and Ava says she thinks it’s great news, especially for little Donna. Sonny says he’s just glad his daughter doesn’t have to go through the pain of not having a mother, even if it’s temporary. But he does have some good news. Guess what the plumber found in the pipeline? He shows Nina her ring.

Sam tells Dante that she hates that Drew decided without consulting anyone. At the same time, she’s glad they have time to think of how to break it to Scout. He says he thinks they just have to tell her it’s temporary; that her dad is coming back. Sam says, maybe they can make her a chest, and he says, like a treasure chest? She says, exactly, snuggling next to him on the couch. They can put in report cards, her artwork, and… He says, disciplinary actions, and she laughs. She says, all the little things she does, and when Drew gets out, they can go through it together. He says he thinks it’s a great idea. That way, he won’t miss anything. She says, he’s going to miss a lot.

Walking outside, Drew says he’s so happy Carly and Sam are friends. She’s going to need a good, solid support system when he’s gone. She says, he’s going to prison. That means he’s going to be a prisoner again. (Another Sherlock!) He says, Spring Ridge is not exactly an underground cell in Crete. (Thank you.) He’ll be fine. She says she knows he’ll be fine; she’s not. How is she supposed to be okay without him? They hug.

Molly comes back, and TJ says he ran into her mom. He told her what they were considering. He hopes that was okay. She says, of course (🍷) it is. She’ll call her mom later, but right now why don’t they go somewhere and get coffee, and enjoy her rare day off. He says, they’ve already seen her OB/GYN. How can they top that? She really knows how to party. They walk, and Dr. Navarro comes by. She says she was just about to call them. Molly’s test results came in. Wow. Fastest. Lab. Ever.

Ava says she’ll leave them to it, and asks Nina to call her later. Sonny wants to talk to Frank, and Nina says she’ll walk Ava out. They go around the corner, and Nina says, can you believe it? Carly gets off scot free – again. Ava says she’s appalled, but not entirely surprised, and Nina says, Carly is the one who bought the damn stock. She’s the one who acted on the information she wasn’t supposed to have. Carly should go to prison; not Drew. It’s not fair. Ava says, there is a bright side to this Nina isn’t seeing. Carly getting off is really the best thing that could happen for Nina. Nina asks how Carly staying out of prison and staying in Port Charles good for her, and Ava says, because if Carly went to prison, and Sonny found out it was because of her, a broken engagement would be the least of her worries. If he finds out now, there’s a chance he might forgive Nina… maybe. Nina says, it’s small comfort.

Drew tells Carly, it’s six months. It’s not going to be fun, but they’ll get through this. She says she knows. He’s right. He says, does she know what else he is? Not wrong yet. They’re going to make the most of their time together. She says, that sounds like a challenge, and he says, what if it is? She says, challenge accepted, and they kiss.

Sonny puts Nina’s ring on her finger, saying, back where it belongs. She says she’s so relieved. It didn’t feel right not having it on. He says, never take it off, and she says she won’t. They kiss.

Elizabeth sees Amy, and asks if they need to talk about patient confidentiality, but Amy says, no, and she’s sorry. It’s just that Miss Davis and Mr. Quartermaine are practically family. Elizabeth says she knows, but practically family… Amy says, isn’t actually family. It won’t happen again. Elizabeth thanks her, and asks if she’s seen Portia. Amy says, her office is locked. She thinks Dr. Robinson left.

There’s a knock at Jordan’s office door, and she says, come in. Portia walks in, not looking too happy.

Tomorrow, Lucy asks Maxie, what exactly is the story; Gladys wants to know what someone thinks they have; and Portia asks, what on earth possessed Jordan to kiss her husband?

🕊 Nothing Is Sacred…

Although the posts do seem a little odd. I would think people caught on pretty quickly.

🙋🏻‍♂️ It’s Not Right…

What a bummer he didn’t get a proper goodbye.

🪧 No Picket Sign For You…

Looks like there’s been a workaround.

💪 Who’s Your Daddy…?

A little DILF for your coffee.

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Here’s a Shock…

Even though she’s no prize, I’m dumbfounded Teresa takes the amount of crap she does from Louie. I figure she’s either in it for the money (and does he really have money?), or the TV time, or both.

👠 History Lesson…

A handy guide to the Housewives franchise.

⚓️ He’s Got Plans…

It absolutely sucks that my Boat Daddy won’t be on Deck anymore, but I’m glad to hear there’s a Plan B.

In Related News…

It doesn’t seem as bad as some of the things that have been on Deck. Well, except for the 💩 one.

🐈‍⬛ Follow That Cat…

Who could resist this feline fatling?

https://celebritypets.net/big-kitty-puss-puss-the-cat-with-an-attitude-as-big-as-her-appetite/

📺 If you can, catch Bryan Cranston on Watch What Happens Live. He reenacted Ariana’s speech to Sandoval where she told him that she was sorry she ever loved him. It was the best.

🏖 Currently Doing Summer…

Circle back tomorrow for soap and probably some OC smack talk. Until then, stay safe, stay not being your own worst enemy, and stay keeping focused on the prize, even if it didn’t come the way you’d planned.

June 19, 2023 – Zeke Tells Portia About Curtis Kissing Jordan, Double the Guests On Deck & Sing

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Ava says, there’s nothing. They might as well face it. Sonny doesn’t keep sensitive documents out where anyone can find them. Maybe he’s got some information on this Pikeman deal in his home office. Austin asks if she can get in, but she says, it’s locked… unless he’s got a spare key hidden in a drawer somewhere. She looks in some drawers, and Austin says, maybe now isn’t the time to take chances, but she asks how many chances she’s going to get. He says, somebody might see her. Sonny’s always got a lot of people, and a really tall bodyguard, right? She hears something and says she’s got to go.

Austin sees Laura going by, and she nearly falls over. He grabs her, and she says she’s a little… He says, unsteady. Maybe they should find a quiet place.

Nina says she had to see Sonny, and he takes her hands, asking, what’s wrong? Where’s her ring? She says, that’s what she needs to talk to him about, and he says, tell him, because she’s worrying him. She says she’s trying to find the words and the courage, because once he knows, there’s no going back.

TJ says he’s not sure he heard Ned correctly. Can he repeat that? Ned asks why TJ keeps calling him Ned. He already told TJ; his name is Eddie Maine. Olivia asks if this is some kind of joke, and Brook asks if he’s messing with them, calling him daddy. They’re family. Ned says, daddy? He’s not her daddy. He doesn’t know any of them. (I was pretty sure he was going to say he’d like to be her daddy, but that didn’t happen.) Tracy says, he fell down and hit his head at the MetroCourt pool. Does he remember that? He says, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, lady.

While she pretends to do paperwork, Jordan flashes back to begging Zeke not to tell Portia about her and Curtis kissing. She picks up her phone.

At the pool, Trina asks how Curtis liked his birthday, and he says he got a good swim in, he got to celebrate with the people he loves, and he got his first macaroni picture frame. What else could he want? I say, two macaroni frames?

Portia tells Zeke not to blame Curtis for his behavior the night of the wedding, but he says he’s concerned with how Curtis has behaved since the wedding. She asks what he’s talking about. He only just came to town. How could he possibly know how Curtis is behaving? He says, sorry, and tries to jet, but she says, that’s not happening. She wants to know what he meant. What’s going on?

Pilar walks into Sonny’s apartment, and says she didn’t realize Ava would be there. Ava says, Sonny and Nina were called away. They asked her to stay with the girls until she arrived, but she should be going. When Avery wakes up, tell her that Ava loves her very much and will see her tomorrow. Ava goes to the door, and Pilar asks her to wait. She forgot her magazine. She hands it to Ava, and Ava says, she was just in the middle of a very long, very interesting article. She thanks Pilar and leaves. Pilar notices a drawer slightly open, and closes it.

Sonny says, Nina can tell him anything. They promised to be honest with each other. Before she can speak, Leo calls to Sonny. Dante brings Leo over, and Sonny says, two of his favorite people. How’s it going? Leo says, Brook brought him here, but she’s in with his dad. Dante is taking him for a walk. Dante says, Brook needed a break, huh? and Leo dashes off. Sonny asks, how’s Ned? and Dante says, they’re still trying to get him out of the twilight sleep. He wasn’t awake when they went for a walk. Sonny looks over at Leo, who’s playing with his fidget spinner on the steps.

Ned says he doesn’t know what scam they’re trying to pull, but he’s not falling for it, and TJ says, he’s disoriented, which can happen after an injury to the head. Olivia says, please tell her what’s wrong with her husband, and Ned says, for the last time, he’s not her husband. TJ asks Brook, Tracy, and Olivia to wait in the hall so he can examine Ned in private. They leave, and Ned says, and stay out.

In the hall, Olivia wonders what’s happening, and Tracy says she never should have sent him to that boarding school. It cost a fortune, and he obviously didn’t get over that ridiculous fantasy of being a rock star. Olivia says, it’s got to be the anesthesia. When it wears off, he’s going to be himself again. Tracy says, Eddie Maine… She never saw that coming.

Austin helps Laura to a bench and asks if they should find an exam room, but she says she’s fine. It’s just that she gets a little lightheaded when she gets her bloodwork done. He hands her a cup of water, and says, generally speaking, the medical advice is to wait ten or so minutes before leaving the office. She says she thinks Dr. Chang suggested that, and she… He says, she must be joking. Is she telling him a patient ignored medical advice? He’s never heard of that. That’s bananas. He can’t believe it. She says she’s in a rush. She’s trying to make a trip abroad. He says, she must be going somewhere remote if she needs bloodwork, and she says, the Chechen Republic. He says he could be wrong about this, but isn’t that an incredibly dangerous place for her to go? She says she wishes she had a choice, and he asks if she’s going in her capacity as Mayor Collins, but she says, no. She thinks her son may be there. She’s his mother, and she feels it’s kind of her responsibility to bring him back. He says she can’t go; she can’t do that.

Trina says she was glad to hear Curtis moved back in with her mom. It’s good they’re working things out. He says, it’s important to him that she approve, and she says, her mom is crazy in love with him. And despite all the mistakes she’s made, Trina still wants her to be happy.

A call comes in from Jordan, but Curtis ignores it, and says, they all want Trina’s mom to be happy. Trina says, being angry becomes like a rock sitting on your shoulders, and he says he hears her.

Jordan gets voicemail, and she says she wanted to let Curtis know that… Never mind.

Zeke tells Portia, let it go. It’s none of his business. He walks away, but she follows, and says, remember when he told mom and dad that he was late for curfew because he was helping his pal Derrick with a flat tire, when he was really out playing poker with his buddies? He asks how she knows, and she says she can read him like a book. She knows him. She always has, and always will. If there’s something he needs to tell her, then tell her. They don’t keep secrets from one another. He says, she’s not going to like it, but she says, what she doesn’t like is being kept in the dark. He says, she won’t let this go, will she? and she says, no. He says, Curtis kissed his ex-wife. Jordan.

Laura says she can’t do that, and Austin says, as a doctor, given her condition, he’s going to make a strong medical recommendation that she not go anywhere dangerous outside of the US. If something should happen, she needs reliable medical care, and she doesn’t speak the language, right? She’s going to need a translator, she’ll need a knowledgeable guide, and she’ll need considerable military level protection. If something went wrong, does she have a foolproof way to get out of the country and get home? She asks if it’s his medical advice, and he says, yes. She’s not wrong. He’s a medical doctor, but he’s also a citizen. As one of her constituents, he has concerns. Who’s going to be in charge? How long is she going to be gone? Has she made arrangements for what will happen during her absence? She says, these are all really good questions. He’s given her a lot to think about. He says, so she’s changed her mind, and she says, no, but she thanks him for the advice, and the water. She hands the cup back to him, and he says, she’s welcome. She says she’s feeling much better, and moves on. His phone dings, and it’s a text from Ava: Meet me in your office.

Sonny goes over to Leo, and Dante tells Nina, Leo’s a smart kid. There’s no point in shielding him from the truth. Sonny sits on the steps next to Leo, and says he hasn’t seen one of those in a while. Leo says, fidget spinners aren’t cool anymore, but he still has his, and Sonny says, if Leo thinks it’s cool, then it’s cool. Does he know what else is cool? Worrying about his dad. Leo says, his brain’s swelled because he hit his head, but his skull can’t expand. That’s what prevents blood flow. Sonny says he’ll take Leo’s word for that. He knows Leo knows a lot about skulls and blood flow and everything, but he knows a lot about people. Leo’s dad is a tough customer. He’s going to fight like heck to get well.

Brook says, they don’t know anything yet, and Olivia wonders what she’s going to tell Leo, but Brook says, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Although it’s probably best for him not to see dad until he’s himself again. Olivia says, what if he’s never himself again? What if he decides to stay Eddie Maine? Brook says, that’s a bridge too far. Let’s just concentrate on the present. She asks Tracy to stay with Olivia. She’d like to find Leo and Dante, and tell them dad is awake. And take it easy on her. She needs their sympathy, not snap out of it. Tracy asks if that’s how Brook sees her, and Brook says, that’s how she saw Tracy in the ICU. She knows Tracy is as scared as they all are, and it’s just how she reacts, but Olivia needs their support, and Tracy needs to step up. Brook leaves, and Tracy sits next to Olivia. Olivia says, what if this is just like Jason? What if he just never comes back to them? Tracy pats her shoulder and says, there, there.

Curtis says he heard Trina was staying with Josslyn over the summer while the dorms are closed. How’s that going? Trina turns away, and he says, no agenda. He’s just curious. Trina says, Josslyn and her mom have been very generous, letting her stay with them while she figures things out. He says, sometimes you need space; he gets that. She says, her mom doesn’t, but he says, her mom gets it more than she thinks. She’s just trying to respect Trina’s boundaries. Her mom can’t help it if she misses her. Trina is her world.

Portia says, Curtis kissed Jordan? How does Zeke even know that? Did he see them? He says, nothing like that. Jordan told him. She says, so yesterday at the bar, Jordan told him, a complete stranger, that she kissed her ex-husband. Is that what he’s telling her? He says, no, and she says, then he overheard her? She could have been talking about a different ex. He says, just trust him. He knows. She asks how she can trust him if she doesn’t have the whole story, but he says he promised he wouldn’t. She says, promised who? and he says, Jordan. They spent the night together. Portia says, ugh, and walks away, shaking her head, but he says, Jordan made it clear that what happened between them wasn’t serious, and she was still hung up on her ex. She said they kissed once, but it was over. Portia says, she could have been talking about a different ex. It’s not like she hasn’t had past relationships. He says, it was her ex-husband; it was Curtis. He’s sorry. He wishes it weren’t true, but he had to tell her.

Dante asks if Leo wants to see his dad, and Leo says, okay. Dante says, he’ll let Sonny and Nina know if anything changes, and Brook joins them, saying, dad’s awake. Leo asks if he can see Ned, but Brook says, not yet. He’s a little confused. Sonny asks what she means, and Brook says, Dr. Ashford said it’s not uncommon with a head injury. He’s examining Ned now. Dante suggests they go see mom. He’s sure she’d like a hug from her two boys. Brook says she’ll catch up with them later, and Dante and Leo leave. Sonny asks, what’s wrong with Ned? and Brook hugs him. He asks, what happened? and Brook says, dad’s awake, but he’s different. Nina asks, how? and Sonny says, he’s not going to come back to normal right away after a hit like that. Nina says, Sonny’s right. They have to give him time. Brook says, they don’t understand. He doesn’t know who he is. He says he’s Eddie Maine.

Leo runs to Olivia and hugs her, saying, Dante told him that she needed it. She says she sure does, and Dante hugs her. Tracy says, the doctor’s in with Ned, and Dante says, they ran into Brook. She said he woke up, but he’s confused? Tracy says, that’s putting it mildly, when TJ comes out. He says, Ned doesn’t appear to be suffering from any physical deficits. There’s no loss of coordination, he’s not slurring his words, and his motor functions and reflexes are normal. Olivia says, that’s good, right? but TJ says, however, he is experiencing some cognitive symptoms, such as combative behavior and profound confusion.

Leo goes into Ned’s room, and says, dad? Ned says he doesn’t mean to be rude, but he’s no one’s dad.

Trina says she misses her mom too, but it’s complicated, and Curtis says he gets that. When is it not? She asks if her mom said anything to him, but he says, she doesn’t have to. Her face lit up when Trina arrived. Trina says, her mom was just glad she came to Curtis’s birthday party, but he says, news flash; her mom lights up when she’s around. She doesn’t need a reason. Always. Trina says, all right. Message received. Speaking of her mom, where is she? She needs her advice about this art fellowship she’s thinking of applying for. He says, sounds promising, but she says, don’t get too excited. It’s super boring. He says, boring progress, but it’s still progress. Her mom’s at the restaurant. Think they should join her?

Austin finds Ava in his office, and says he just ran into Laura. He tried to convince her not to go to a war zone to look for dead Nikolas. She asks if Laura listened to him, but he says he didn’t do such a great job. He did the best he could; maybe she’ll reconsider. Ava says, maybe? That’s not good enough. They have to stop her. No maybes about it. He says, one calamity at a time. He sees she got out of Sonny’s in one piece. She says, Pilar, the girls’ nanny, came in, but she covered… maybe. He says he thought there were no maybes, but she says, what does it matter anyway? There’s no way she’s getting into Sonny’s home office, and that’s the only place he’d keep anything to do with Pikeman. He says, well mayb… perhaps, there’s another way into Sonny’s office, but she says she’s not crawling through any airshaft. He tells her that he didn’t say anything about her.

Laura goes to Jordan’s office, and asks if she has a minute. Jordan says, of course (🍷), and Laura says she won’t take much of Jordan’s time. She needs a favor. Jordan says, anything for Laura. What does she need? Laura says, Jordan’s resignation.

Zeke says he’s so sorry. He never wanted to hurt Portia. To think Curtis… She says, that’s enough. She appreciates what he’s trying to do, but she considers his involvement in her marriage over. She needs to talk to Curtis. Curtis walks in with Trina, and Zeke says, don’t look now. Here’s her chance. Portia asks how they’re doing, and Trina says she wanted to talk to Portia about next fall, and then she’ll probably head out. Portia says, sounds good, and picking up on Portia’s obvious distress, Trina asks if she’s okay. Zeke says he won’t let Trina leave before he has a chance to hang out with her. What does she say? Portia nods, and Trina says, sure. They leave, and Curtis says he just had the best conversation with Trina. Portia says, did he kiss Jordan?

Zeke and Trina sit at a table poolside, and he says, her mom had the best cannonball as a kid. He couldn’t improve his, no matter how much he worked on it. Then he saw Trina make her first cannonball, and it was even better than Portia’s. She asks, what’s going on between her mom and Curtis? Her mom looked really upset. She’s going back to the restaurant. She gets up, but he blocks her way and says, don’t. She asks what he’s not telling her.

Curtis tells Portia, yes, he kissed Jordan. It was just one kiss a few weeks ago. He should have told her. He’s sorry. She says, a few weeks ago? That’s when they started talking again; that’s when he moved back into the house. He says he’s not making excuses, but their marriage was hanging in the balance. He was confused. He ran into Jordan… and it just happened. She says, so Jordan just kissed him out of nowhere? but he says, no, it was mutual. She turns away, but he moves in front of her, and says, but Jordan made him realize how much he wants to give their marriage a second chance. She says, oh my goodness, lucky me. Let me send Jordan a card and thank her. He says, that came out wrong. What he meant… She says she knows exactly what he meant, and he says he didn’t want to hurt her. She says, that’s why he didn’t tell her, and he says, not while things were so fragile between them. She asks if he was ever going to tell her.

Jordan says, if she’s done anything to offend Laura… but Laura says she wants Jordan to resign as Commissioner of police so she can serve as acting Deputy Mayor of Port Charles. She needs somebody she can trust, and somebody who knows how government works, and to be perfectly honest, there isn’t anyone who comes anywhere close. So she has to accept. She’ll be responsible for choosing her replacement, and she’s going to need Jordan to do that immediately, because she’s leaving. Jordan says, leaving? and Laura says, hence the urgency. Jordan says she’s honored and will do anything to support Laura, but she’s not the right person for the job. She’s sorry, but she has to turn Laura down.

Sonny says, that was Ned’s stage name when he sang for L&B Records back in the day, and Brook says, but now he thinks that’s who he actually is. Eddie Maine doesn’t have a wife or kids, or any family at all. Nina asks if she means her father lost his memory, but Brook says, not exactly. He remembers certain details about his life, but he doesn’t remember what happened yesterday. Nina says, so he doesn’t remember his fall? and Brook says, not even the pool. She has to meet up with her family, but thanks Sonny for the shoulder to cry on. He says, anytime, and she leaves. He tells Nina, leave it to Ned to cause this mess. (Ha-ha! Like it’s Ned’s fault.) Now Brook has the weight of her family on her shoulders. Nina says, he’s right. When she thinks about everything the Quartermaines are going through, their problems don’t seem so bad. He takes her hand.

Ava says, so this means she doesn’t have to keep putting her neck on the line? That’s great, but will Austin’s cousin go for it? Mason seemed pretty keen on her being the one to get close to Sonny. Austin says, Mason is nothing but pragmatic. He doesn’t think Mason cares as long as he gets results. She asks how they find this mystery person. Is it him? Is he going to start making house calls over there? He laughs, and says he thinks it might be time for a new nanny. She says, that’s not a bad idea. The nanny has open access. She’s there when Sonny isn’t, and his goons don’t keep tabs on her… Austin says, right? And it might be a good idea to get rid of Pilar because she said Pilar was suspicious of her just now. She admits Pilar doesn’t like her so much, but she’s extremely loyal to Sonny. She won’t quit. He tells Ava, who said anything about her quitting? and she says, then how do they replace her? He says, they have to get Sonny to fire her.

Brook joins the rest of the family, as TJ is telling them, Ned is calling himself Eddie Maine. Does that name mean anything? Olivia says, that was his stage name, and TJ asks if Ned was an actor. Tracy says, no, small mercies, and Olivia says, he was on tour with a rock band. TJ says, but not recently, and Olivia says, not since the 90s. TJ says, both memory impairment and changes to his personality indicate that Ned is suffering from a traumatic brain injury, and Tracy asks if they didn’t know that already. He says, they’re trying to ascertain the full extent of his injury, and what part of his brain was affected, because no two brains are alike, and no two injuries are the same. He’s trying to arrive at a specific diagnosis, but they should prepare themselves. Finding the prognosis for a full recovery will be challenging. Personality changes, memory and judgement deficits, lack of impulse control are all common side effects and may be with Olivia’s husband for a while. Brook asks if Leo didn’t come up with Dante, and they all look around.

Leo says, Ned isn’t his real dad; Julian is. But Ned adopted him. Ned says, that doesn’t sound like something he’d do, and Leo says, but he did. Brook comes in, and tells Leo, let’s go. His dad’s not feeling well; he has to rest. Ned says, for the last time, he’s not his dad, or hers. Leo runs out.

Brook tells Olivia that Leo was with dad, and Olivia says she’s got to find him. God knows what Ned said to him. Brook says she’ll go; Olivia might make him worse. Dante says, why doesn’t he go? They should stay here. Tracy says, stop, all of them. She’ll go look for her grandson. Stay here and listen to the doctor. She dashes off.

Sonny says, there was something Nina was going to tell him. She’s going to tell him, right? She says she was an idiot. She was trying this new facial clay mask from Deception, and she took off her engagement ring and put it on the sink. The clay got in her eye, and she couldn’t see anything. She was trying to find a hand towel, and accidentally dropped her beautiful ring down the drain. She feels terrible. He asks if she called a plumber to check the drainpipe… Never mind. He’ll call his guy and he’ll find the ring. She says, that’s a possibility, and he says, the ring’s not the problem. Does she know what the problem is? He’ll tell her. He’s concerned about her; how she’s acting.

Laura asks why Jordan is turning her down, and Jordan says she’s a cop, not a politician. She’s not qualified to be Deputy Mayor. Laura thinks she’s selling herself short. Police Commissioner and Deputy Mayor are civil servants, and Jordan has been serving as Police Commissioner for ten years. She knows how the town works, and knows about the different power systems in play here. And if Laura has learned anything from Eileen Ashby, it’s that political savvy means absolutely nothing if the trust’s not there. She trusts Jordan more than anyone. Jordan thanks her, and Laura says, then how can she refuse? She’s risen to the highest rank the PCPD has. Isn’t she ready for a new challenge?

Trina asks Zeke, what’s going on with Curtis and her mom? but he says, her mother will let her know when the time is right. He knows Trina would do anything for her mom, but this is between her mom and Curtis. Trina says she’ll hang back for now, and he says, she was always her mom’s little defender. She asks what that means, and he says, no one would dare upset her mom, or they’d get a kick in the shins from… He points at her, and she says she wasn’t that bad. They sit back down, and he tells her that he didn’t say it was bad; she was amazing. It also wasn’t one-sided. Her mom was an expert shin kicker if she thought someone was going to hurt her little girl. The two of them had quite the bond. It’s good to see her all fired up and protective. It’s good to see that bond is still there. She says, that doesn’t mean she’s still not angry with her mom for lying to her. When she was little, she and her mom were honest about everything. At least she thought. But he’s right. Her mom may have disappointed her, but she’ll always love her. If anything happens to her, she’ll be at her side.

Curtis says he doesn’t have a good explanation, and Portia says, this is incredible. After all of this talk about honesty and openness, he had no problem not sharing this with her. He says, she can’t compare this one transgression, kissing Jordan one time, to her twenty years of lying about Trina’s paternity, and she says, that gives him a lifetime pass? She deserves to know the truth. They’re married. She doesn’t understand what happened. He says he was in rough shape. He started talking to Jordan. They’d been hanging out for a while… She says, wait a second. He said it was one kiss. Now he’s making it sound like it was more than that. He says, it wasn’t more than that, and she says, but he was thinking about Jordan and sought her out. He says, it wasn’t like that, but Portia says, he was confiding in her, and she comforted him. He says, it’s history; that’s all it is. She says, really? Because to her, it sounds real current. And they both know Jordan has been harboring feelings for him. She just never knew he felt the same way.

Tracy sees Leo sitting on a credenza in a waiting area, playing with his fidget spinner. She says, there he is. He’s quite the runner, isn’t he? He asks why his dad said he wasn’t his dad, and Tracy says, technically, he’s not. Leo tells her, that’s what he said, but then his dad said he never adopted him. She asks what he knows about her, and he says, she’s mean. She and I laugh, and she says, maybe, but she’s direct. She’s going to tell him the truth. She sits next to him, and says, his dad fell. And he hit his head so hard… he’s confused. He’s so confused, he doesn’t recognize his family. That hurts her feelings. She imagines it hurts his too. He nods, and she says, but she knows somewhere deep inside his dad knows exactly who they are. He just can’t remember it right now, but he knows it. Because the man in that bed is Leo’s dad. He’ll always be Leo’s dad. Got it? Leo nods, and she puts her arm around him, pulling him close, and he hugs her. That was just precious.

Olivia asks when she’s getting her husband back, and TJ says, Ned has to be seen by a neurologist and a psychiatrist, and they’ll have recommendations on how to proceed. Until then, they won’t know for any certainty when Ned will recover. Brook says, but it’s not like he’s going to be Eddie Maine forever, and TJ says, they’ll do everything possible to treat him, but it’s just too soon to tell. Olivia says, this is crazy, and TJ says he wishes he could do more. Dante says, it’s okay, and TJ says, in the meantime, he’ll call in the additional specialists he mentioned, and they’ll determine a course of treatment. Olivia thanks him, and he leaves.

Ava tells Austin, she can’t get Pilar fired. She’s been working for Sonny for years. Avery loves her. He says, will Avery love Pilar more than Ava who’s dead and gone, thank you Cousin Mason? He’s just saying. Who is she going to turn to? Nina? Carly? Ava says, okay, point taken. Pilar’s out. He says, she can get this done, and she says, in her sleep.

Jordan doesn’t know what to say, and Laura tells her, say yes. She needs Jordan by her side. The city of Port Charles needs her. Jordan says she told Laura that she’d do anything for her, and she meant it. She accepts. Laura shakes her hand, and says, welcome aboard, Deputy Mayor Ashford. She asks if Jordan likes the sound of that, and Jordan says she does.

Zeke says he always knew Trina would stand up for her mom, but it’s good to hear her say it. Trina says, he’s not the first person to make the case for her mom. In fact, he’s not the first person today. Curtis went out of his way to tell her how much her mom missed her… What isn’t he telling her? He says, maybe she should keep her distance, and she says, from who? He says, from Curtis. Wow. Isn’t he all up in his sister’s business? And so quickly.

Curtis takes Portia’s hands, and says, Jordan’s his past. She’s his future. He wants to be with her. Her voice breaks as she says she wants to believe him, and he says, please don’t give up on them. Not when they’re so close to finding their way back to each other. She says she wishes it was that simple, taking her hands from his. She says she can’t be here right now, and leaves.

Nina says, Sonny is concerned about her? and he says, she had him thinking the worst. Like she was going to tell him something terrible. She lost her engagement ring. Does she think he cares about that? She says, it’s her engagement ring that she loves. It’s beautiful and it’s expensive. He says, it’s a piece of jewelry. As long as he’s with her, that’s all he cares about. He hugs her.

Laughing, Tracy plays with the fidget spinner, and tells Leo, this is fun. It flies off her finger, and onto the floor. They both jump down to get it, and she says, did she break it? She can get Leo another one. Leo says, it drops all the time. See? He spins it. It’s okay. She says, so it is.

Olivia says, what if Ned never comes back to them? but Dante says, he will. She says, he heard what TJ just said, and Dante says, he’s just doing his job, letting her know about possible outcomes. So let’s wait for the neurologist and psychiatrist to get in here, and see what happens. She says, okay, and he hugs her, saying, give it some time.

Brook looks through the room window at Ned.

Tomorrow, Taggert tells Jordan, if he said no, would she believe him; Drew tells Sam, it’s the best possible solution; and Carly tells Sonny, things are about to be resolved with the SEC.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Last night of charter. Daisy asks if she and Colin are okay, and he says, his policy in life is honesty. Ileisha hopes that guest Kevin is drunk enough that he won’t notice his piece of cake is a mess. Kevin thinks it’s small, but he’s more of a mess than the cake, so it’s a non-issue. Colin says he’s over it, and Daisy says, no way she wanted this drama. He tells her, it’ll be fine, and she says she’s sorry. In Colin’s interview, he says, you don’t often hear Daisy say she’s sorry or admit she’s wrong. He knows she cares and feels remorse, but it’s hard to swallow since he has true feelings involved. They hug it out. The guests and most of the crew go to bed. Alex points out various fish to Mads, and in Alex’s interview, he says he loves working, but he’d rather hang out with Mads. He considers this work/life balance.  

Last day of charter. Daisy tells Ileisha that breakfast is at 9, and tells Lucy, happy graduation. In Gary’s interview, he says, if Colin is willing to throw the friendship away over this, it didn’t mean that much to him. The guests sit for breakfast, and Suginia says, they’ve had an amazing time. She can’t believe it’s coming to an end. Chase calls Gary, and shows him crumbs under the table. He says, this is how the whole boat looked before. In his interview, Gary says, if Alex only had a few hours, he should focus on the obvious sh*t like crumbs. He’s pissed off. Alex should know better. He tells Chase that Alex should be able to tell what to prioritize by now. Colin tells Daisy that they’re moving in the right direction, and they hug. Daisy tells the guests that she would love for them to stay. They’re having a party for Lucy’s graduation. Lucy’s friends video call her, and in Lucy’s interview, she says she’s not at her own graduation. That’s the life of yachting, but she would do it again, so she can’t get upset. Tonight she wants to have a couple shots and get drunk. Glenn tells Colin to fire up when he’s ready. The anchor is home, and Gary sings, it’s your graduation to Lucy as she washes dishes. They dock, and there are the usual hugs and goodbyes. Suginia says, it was amazing. From the bottom of her heart she thanks each and every one of them. Ileisha taking the time to make Johnny cakes had her beloved Grandma Flo smiling down. She gives Glenn a small token for the best yachting crew ever, handing him the tip envelope. Glenn toots the horn, and the guests wave. Ileisha is pleased that she got a shout out, and the crew changes clothes.

Gary tells Alex about the crumbs, and says, Chase wasn’t happy. Alex asks if Chase was upset, and Chase says, it’s not the best to see food where the guests were sitting. In Chase’s interview, he says he didn’t expect Gary to run to Alex about the food on the sundeck. Gary says, suck it up buttercup, like he could ever be Captain Lee, and in his interview, Chase says, this is pissing him off. Gary is making him look like a tattletale bitch. In Alex’s interview, he says he shouldn’t have to hear from Gary how Chase feels. He’s dealing with small d*ck energy. Glenn radios the crew for the tip meeting, and says, it was a fun charter. All around, the service was good, so kudos for that. They raved about the Caribbean dinner as well, but it’s not time to let foot off pedal. They need to remotivate, and see it through to the end. The tip is $20K, or 1957 euros each. In Lucy’s interview, their hard work paid off. She couldn’t be at her graduation, but $20K… Chase helps Ileisha in the galley, and in her interview, she says, Chase is a sweetheart. He’s good looking, tall, and has a good body, but her boyfriend has those things. It’s tough long distance, but she’s pretty loyal… She laughs and says, she is loyal. Daisy tells Gary that she to chat with him and Colin, but Gary says, it will blow over. Daisy asks Mads to help her decorate for Lucy’s graduation, and in their cabin, Chase tells Gary that if Ileisha crawled in his bed, he wouldn’t kick her out. Gary says, neither would he, and Chase says, he can’t have them all. Mads and Daisy decorate, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Lucy made it clear that she’s sad she’s not home, but they’ll have her family on FaceTime. They’ll bring the graduation to the Parsifal.

The crew gathers together, and when Lucy joins them, they cheer. She sees her family on the laptop, and the crew puts a cap and gown on her. In Lucy’s interview, she says, this is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for her. She sees her grandad and gran, and tells them that she’s going to get pissed. She loves them. The crew leaves in a taxi, Daisy going with Colin and Gary. Daisy says, they lost focus. Together, they’re a team. Gary asks how Colin feels, but he doesn’t think crew night out is the time. In Gary’s interview, he says, the van ride is awkward. He’s not good with confrontation, and he’s very nervous. They get to the restaurant, and Daisy toasts to Lucy being a smart, beautiful woman. Back on the boat, Glenn plays chess with himself. Some of the crew steps away for a smoke, and Gary tells Colin that he’s sorry he lied. It was a catch-22 for him. Colin says, Gary is a p*ssy, and Gary says he told the truth, but lied to Daisy in breaking his promise. Hindsight is a beautiful thing. Colin says, when he asked Gary about hooking up with Daisy, he said no. He lied to Colin’s face, and Colin never would have done that. That’s why it hurt. Gary says, he feels like a puss, but nothing is happening between them. In Colin’s interview, he says, Gary hasn’t respected his and Daisy’s relationship. He’ll take what Gary says with a pinch of salt. He doesn’t know what to believe.

Gary says he’s been a d*ck the majority of his life. He wanted to show he could keep a promise. He was in a lose-lose situation. Mads in still keeping her distance from Gary, and in her interview, she says, she made the wrong choice. She put herself in this position, and set a bomb about to explode. She tells Alex that she wishes she could rechoose. Colin tells Gary that he thought the van ride was scary. He thought Daisy was going to be like, you did this, and you did that. In Daisy’s interview, she says, she feels the weight being lifted. She’s relieved Gary and Colin are speaking to each other. She’s ready to forget this f***ing mess and move forward.

Just before they get back on the boat, Lucy and Gary jump in the water in their underwear. In Lucy’s interview, she says, sorry mum and dad. On the boat, Mads gets in the jacuzzi with Alex, and Daisy gets in bed with Colin. Mads decides to call her family, and when Gary sees her, he says, she’s pathetic. She tells him, f*** off. She’s trying to speak to her family. He says, she’s being weird, and he doesn’t know why. Ileisha and Chase hunt for food in the galley. Mads tells Lucy that she was trying to call her family, and Gary called her pathetic. She’s not answering him; it’s f***ing over. She has guys who can f*** her just as well. Ileisha hugs Chase, and thanks him for helping her through her struggles and being there as a friend. In his interview, he sighs. She tells him that she appreciates him, and he says, his pleasure. They go to their separate cabins, and Chase tells Gary that Ileisha is killing him. She’s hugging and caressing him, and every moment he feels like they’re going to make out. Gary says, she’s putting him in the friendzone, and Chase realizes Daisy is in Colin’s bed. He says he’s not coming back, and leaves. He asks if he can sleep in Ileisha’s room, but she says, he can’t sleep next to her. In her interview, she says she feels bad for him, and he ends up sleeping in the crew mess. Half asleep, Daisy mistakes Colin for Gary, and asks what he’s doing in her bed. In Colin’s interview, he says he’s never been mistaken for someone else in bed.

Daisy tells Colin that she kept seeing Gary’s face; she’s not going to lie. In Colin’s interview, he says it’s a blow to his ego, and he wonders if she’s thinking about Gary when they’re fooling around. He tells her that she’s an idiot; a stage five idiot. She goes back to her cabin. In the morning, everyone stumbles out, holding their heads. I can’t imagine waking up hungover on a boat and having to work. It makes me queasy just thinking about it. Chase tells Gary that he called Mads pathetic, and Mads tells Daisy that she’s not giving Gary attention, and he called her pathetic. Lucy throws up, and Mads thinks she’s still drunk. Gary asks if Mads wants to chat, and in his interview, he says, she’s pissed. Maybe she likes him if it affected her so much. He says, Chase told him what he said, but he has no recollection of it. He’s sorry. She says she’s never been called pathetic in her life. She’s going back to bed. In Gary’s interview, he says he apologized, but she’s still keeping a grudge. He follows her, and says, he apologized for something he doesn’t remember. Colin walked into the room when they were having sex, and she let it blow over. She says she doesn’t want to start. It pisses her off that he said that too. F*** off. Making his bed, Glenn says he had weird dreams last night, and I wonder if it was another donkey dream. They clean the boat, and Gary asks Daisy if she and Colin hooked up last night, but she says, they kissed. Lucy says she feels like she was dragged through a bush backward. Daisy and Gary joke around, and Colin doesn’t look happy. Daisy asks to talk to Colin in the guest area, and he says he’s pissed off at her. Daisy says, the two of them are in her head, and she wants them out of her head. Colin says, it’s unbelievable that she’s giving him this attitude, and she says, Gary needs to stop being in her head. It’s his fault. She wasn’t thinking about him; she didn’t know where she was. Colin says, she’s blaming literally everyone else for what comes out of her mouth. She needs to take accountability.

Chase tells Alex that twice he gave feedback on the night thing. The first time he asked to talk to Alex on his own, but Gary said, no way; he’d handle it. Then he tried to shoot down what Chase was going for. He suggests they include Gary in as little as possible, and Alex says, cut out the little middleman. In Alex’s interview, he says, the only reason there’s a problem with him and Chase is, Gary is f***ing up the communication chain. He and Chase fist bump. Daisy tells Colin that she apologized, but Gary started this. He says he wants her to figure out what she wants, and she says she wants him. He says, if you want someone, you’re not thinking about other people, and in Daisy’s interview, she says she was thinking about the two of them, and the friendship mess they’re in. I’m not sure if I missed something, but all of a sudden, it seems all good.  

It’s time for the preference sheet meeting, and Glenn says, primary Alisa is in finance. She wants to be with her amigos doing water sports and wants a guitar serenade. They all say, Colin, and Daisy reads that they want a sushi, seafood, and sashimi dinner with oysters, and Italian fare; chef’s choice. Ileisha says, that’s her favorite thing, and Daisy reads that they also want a Viva le France party. Glenn says, France isn’t all that far from where they are. Maybe he can take them there for the dinner.

The next morning, provisions come in. Glenn says, the guests will be here in 20 minutes, and in Glenn’s interview, he says, at this point in the game, he has the same high expectations as he did at the beginning. He’s happy, but wants them to finish strong, not limp their way to the end of the season. He wants to push them a little bit to keep them on top of their game. Glenn tells the guests to kick off their shoes, and welcomes them to Sardinia and the Parsifal. They have a lot of stuff planned, but first Daisy will give them a tour. After the tour, oysters are served, and they look amazing. Guest Tim says he wants marry Daisy when she presents the oysters to him, and I think, me too. The guests agree the view is awesome, and ask Mads to take a group photo. They drop anchor, and shut down the engines.

There’s a boat close behind, and Gary thinks they might be dragging. Glenn doesn’t want to fire it up until they’re sure, and still checking, Gary says, they’re definitely dragging. He lets out more chain, and yells for the other boat to do the same. One of the guests says, it’s getting dicey, and Gary yells for help with the fenders. He asks Glenn to reverse, and one of the guests says, they know they shouldn’t be this close. The other boat starts to throw out their fenders.

To be continued…

But we don’t have to wait.

Gary lets out more chain, and Glenn reverses. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the other boat is going to T-bone them, and they’re not doing anything. He’s got to let out the chain, shut the thrusters down, and spin around or they’re f***ed. Gary finally says, they’re clear. His f***ing heart. Mine too. In his interview, Glenn says, this is the first time it was too close for comfort, but the Parsifal lives to sink another day. Moving on to the next crisis. Daisy says, just another day on the Parsifal. I’ve seen those situations where another boat will think they’re big stuff and play chicken, trying to force the superyacht to move, but the way this looked, I don’t think the other boat knew what to do. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, sushi is an art form. She wants to make something different, so she’s making mosaic sushi. She’s a chef because she loves creating beautiful pieces. They drop anchor again.

The sushi is served, and when Daisy says, it’s tuna onigiri, Tim says, tuna on Gary. Daisy says, Gary might enjoy it. Be careful what they wish for. In the laundry, Lucy says she has towels coming out her a-hole, and Daisy asks Gary to be a sushi model tonight. He says he’ll do it, but they’re not allowed to eat the worm in the middle. Ugh. He’s so gross. In Colin’s interview, he says, Gary’s given his blessing for him to pursue Daisy, yet Gary’s still flirty like he’s pursuing her. Maybe he’s overthinking it (probably), but it feels like something different now. Ileisha is excited to do the Italian food, and the guests tell Alex that he looks like hot Jesus. Daisy’s sister Bonnie texts that she’s coming to visit, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Bonnie is free-spirited. She thinks the change of energy will be good for her. She laughs, and says, Bonnie drinks like a fish, so she’ll fit in quite well. The guests use the water toys, and one of the women loses their pants while racing Alex on a bodyboard. Alex says, cheeky. In the crew mess, Chase says he heard they almost hit a boat, and Mads tells him about it. I guess he slept through the whole thing, and I can identify. My house was flooded during Hurricane Sandy, and I slept through most of it on the third floor. Tim looks around for service, and Glenn tells Lucy. In Glenn’s interview, he says he never wants a guest to come looking for service. The expectation level for service on charter one doesn’t change when they get to charter seven. A guest shouldn’t have to come looking for anyone.

Mads tells Daisy that she was putting away stuff – we flash back to her chatting with Chase in the crew mess – and Glenn came down. He told her that one of them always needs to be one deck, but she was literally on her way up. Daisy thinks having two of them there at all times is unreasonable, when Glenn comes by, and tells her to try and stay on top of things. The stews decorate the table with flowers, and it’s gorgeous. The guests get a beautiful sunset for dinner as well. In Gary’s interview, he says he wanted to give Mads space, but it’s difficult because he’s an attention seeker. He feels like he’s in kindergarten again. The guests sit down, and dinner begins with more amazing oysters. Mads says she needs a sugar daddy; she can’t do this life anymore. Glenn asks Daisy to check on the guests, and she says she was literally there five minutes ago. Guest Robyn starts to open a bottle of something, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, oops, and sighs. Chase shows Ileisha his muscles, and Glenn sings deedly-deet while getting ready for bed.

Glenn gets a message that they can dock in France, and in his interview, he says, Bonifacio, Corsica is less than two hours away. He wants to seize the moment, and give the guests something special. It’s one of the coolest ports in France, and he thinks it’s going to be awesome. Daisy texts Bonnie that she can’t wait for her to meet Colin and Gary. Tim asks if they can move upstairs where there’s a breeze, and Daisy says, it will just take them two seconds, but the guests insist on helping by carrying their own plates. Glenn tells Daisy, it’s not cool. He wishes he’d known; he would have asked the boys to put up the awning. In his interview, Glenn says he doesn’t know what’s going on with Daisy, but now isn’t the time to drag their asses. Star players are always improving, and that’s his goal. Daisy says, stupid f***ing cockpit.

In the morning, it’s freshly baked blueberry and blackberry muffins. I would be huge in a minute on one of these cruises. I would do nothing but eat. Gary tells Lucy that he’s trying to give Mads space, and in Lucy’s interview, she wonders what he wants from her. He and Mads aren’t getting married. She’s not getting involved. Mads drops a glass, and Gary is right there to help clean up, saying, sh*t happens. Daisy kisses Colin, and he asks how her day is going. She says, sh*tty, but she’s trying not to let it get to her. Her sister is coming on their night out. Colin says he’s excited to meet her. Alisa says, what vacation could top this? and Tim says he’s excited about France. Glenn radios Colin and says he’s getting ready to sail, and Colin says, go for it. In Chase’s interview, she says he’s finally figuring Gary out. No matter what Gary says, he’ll smile and do the work. He wants to tell Gary off, but he’s not going to. The anchor is in the pocket, the pirate movie music plays, and they sail. Things slide and pop open, and one of the guests says, who needs a roller coaster? Glenn says, goodbye Sardinia; hello Corsica.

The guests rate the sail a ten out of ten, and Daisy tells the stews, as soon as they get there, do the table and turn downs. Keep their radios with them and on at all times. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the stakes are high. The space to dock is long and narrow, and there’s no room to turn a boat this size. He has to dock in reverse. If you can dock here, everywhere else is a breeze. The guests find the city breathtaking, and Tim asks the next boat if they have any Grey Poupon. Gary and Daisy take the guests for a walk in the city, and Gary does some shopping. In Ileisha’s interview, she says she’s doing sushi and seafood isn’t French, but since they’re in France, she’ll give them a French vibe. They’re going to love it; she’s amazing. Daisy asks Gary where her present is, but he says he couldn’t find anything suitable. She’s got a boyfriend now, and it’s made things awkward and complicated. Back at the boat, Glenn tells Gary to take a shower, but Gary jokes, it will add extra salt. Gary does shower, and as he lies down to be the sushi platter, Colin gets ready with his guitar, and Daisy tells him to take his shirt off too. They decorate Gary with the sushi, putting wasabi on his nipples. In Mads’ interview, she says, she had sex with Gary, but she still wouldn’t eat off him; it’s so unsanitary. I love sushi, but I wouldn’t eat off Gary either. Or anyone. Just the thought of it is grossing me out.

The guests toast to making memories, and applaud Gary being a good sport. When he’s done being a sushi plate, Gary shows Glenn his nipples, saying, they’re burning from the wasabi. Alisa says, Ileisha nails it every time, and Tim says, it’s Gary fresh. In Glenn’s interview, he says, maneuvering this port in the dark is even more challenging. There are reeds and underwater rocks. You have to be confident in your chart work and navigation. As they pull out, Alex says, the party’s over, and their fries aren’t even that good. Mads calls Gary stupid, and he tries to hug her. In her interview, she says, she’s not big on holding a grudge. She can easily forgive, but in the end, people show their true colors. She tells Gary that he’s so ridiculous. Anchor is dropped in Cannigione, and Colin tells Gary that Bonnie is coming tomorrow.

Last day of charter. They head for Igy Marina, and Daisy tells Glenn about her sister coming to town. She asks if it’s okay if Bonnie stays on the boat after their night out. Glenn says he’d love to meet her, and Daisy says, she’s a good time. No surprise, the guests don’t want to go.  Fancy Eggs Benedict comes out, and Tim says, it’s a sad day for all of them. When they head inside, Tim walks into the door. He’s bleeding, and Gary radios Daisy for ice, but she’s busy talking to Ileisha and doesn’t hear him. It’s time to dock, and in Gary’s interview, he says, if he’s not there because he’s tending to a guest, and something happens, it’s his fault. Where is Daisy? It’s absurd.

Glenn asks, what the hell is going on? and Gary says, Tim is bleeding. He radios Daisy again, but she still doesn’t hear. Another guest gives Tim tissues to hold against his wound. They dock, and in Glenn’s interview, he says, it’s been 15 minutes since they made the call to tend to Tim. Why the hell haven’t they taken care of him? It’s unacceptable. Glenn finds Daisy, and says, they called when they were docking. She gets ice, and in her interview, she says, if it’s a serious injury, she would presume somebody would come find her on this relatively small boat. She says she’s sorry; she didn’t hear the call. Alisa asks if Tim sees stars, and he says he did, but now he’s good. Daisy runs in with the ice, apologizing for missing the radio call. They were docking, and she zoned out. She asks if it hurts, and Tim says, his ego more. Yeah, been there, done that.

The guests say their goodbyes, and Alisa says, they had the most amazing time, and thanks Glenn for making France happen. It was a once in a lifetime trip, and they appreciated tuna Gary. She gives Glenn the tip envelope, and he tells them to have a safe trip home. The horn and the waving happen, and Glenn says he’s calling the tip meeting now. They gather in the main saloon, and Glenn says he knows they’re tired and burned out, but that’s not a good reason to drop the ball. Please keep their radios on, and make sure they’re working; it’s a safety issue. They need communication at all times. He can’t stress that enough. Daisy says, when they’re docking she can’t hear it; it doesn’t pass through. Glenn says, that’s an excuse, and in his interview, he says he doesn’t want to hear it. You f***ed up; own it. He says, Tim cut himself and was bleeding for 15 minutes. It’s unacceptable.

Next time, guests in heels with fans; a boat race; Bonnie arrives; and Mads says, if she’d been trying to go for better, she would have made out with Alex.

😵‍💫 Just Another Manic Monday…

Drop in tomorrow for soap and tea, since Jersey is blessedly over. Until then, stay safe, stay having private conversations in private, and stay remembering that being angry can become like a rock sitting on your shoulders.

June 18, 2023 – Morgan Sees Red, Dead In the City & New World

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

There’s a mishmash of images in Morgan’s head; chaos, bloodshed, Grace and Mo. Madison snaps him out of it, and tells him that she heard about Grace and came to see if he was okay. When she got here, he was killing them. There are fallen dead all around him, and he says he doesn’t remember killing them. She says he attacked her too, but he doesn’t remember, and he tells her that Mo is at the shipyard. He’s got to stop her. He screams for his ax like Joan Crawford/Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest. He’s graffitied the train car, and says she needs to get away from him. In losing Grace like he lost Jenny, he’s afraid of losing Mo too. He thought he was past seeing red. When he does, all he does is kill; until he’s cleared. Walkers and people; it doesn’t make a difference. It’s a cycle and it’s starting again. He swung his ax at her, and doesn’t remember. Who knows what else he might do? She says she’s not leaving him. She’d lost herself when they met, and he helped her back. Whatever happens now, she’s with him. She’ll make sure he doesn’t lose himself. He says he has to come back and bury Grace right. He can’t lose Mo. He doesn’t think he’ll survive it. She says, then let’s not lose her. She leaves, and he looks at his bloody hands.

They go to the shipyard, and there are dead zombies all over the place. Some are still up and moving though, and Morgan does his clearing thing, seeing red. Madison calls to him, and says she tried to stop him; they helped. He sees Daniel is there, along with the rest of the army. He asks if he hurt her, but she says she managed to stay out of the way. Only the prefects were here, and they got out. As they trudge through the water, Daniel tells Morgan that June is monitoring PADRE from the repeater station. The dead overwhelmed the prefects and pushed them back to the water. Mo led them out. The island’s been evacuated. Morgan radios Mo, and says, a friend once told him, you can hide, but you can’t run. The only thing that will ease the hurt is the people she has left; the same thing she’s running from. He starts to see red again and tells Madison about the settlements PADRE wants to build. He’s afraid if Mo goes with them, he’ll never see her again. Madison says she’ll go after Mo. Mo ended up at PADRE because of her; let her make it right. June radios Daniel, and says, it sounds like the prefects are surrounded by walkers on a couple sides. They’re going to a houseboat. Morgan is worried about it sinking, but Madison tells him that they’ll get to it before it sinks. Morgan says, it’s overgrown. She’ll never find it. Daniel says, then he’ll have to be the tour guide. He gives her his ax.

Crane and Shrike land on shore. Crane tells Shrike that he got rid of any trace of their files, but he couldn’t find the coordinates. Shrike says, they must be somewhere they haven’t looked. Brilliant deduction, Sherlock.

Mo sees the houseboat, and a flare goes up. She radios PADRE One, and Shrike tells her to double back. They’re not on the houseboat. PADRE is moving ahead with the expansion, but they need the coordinates to launch it; that’s what it’s always been about. Mo wonders why they can’t decide on their own coordinates, but Shrike says, these were developed to provide the perfect conditions for community. The coordinates are hidden in a pair of binoculars on a Carrion named Krennick. Kill as many as they can until they find him. Morgan radios Mo, saying, don’t listen. Get to the houseboat. Keep herself safe until he gets there. Shrike will get her killed. Shrike says, no, Morgan will get her killed, but Morgan says he’s not going to lose his kid. Mo says, he already has. Don’t make it harder than it already is. Daniel says, they can do this, and Madison says, they’ll have to fight their way toward Mo. Morgan sees red, along with the images of death and angst in his head, and tries to get his ax. He sees himself fighting Madison, but the next thing he knows, he’s in quicksand along with his ax. Mo tells the prefects that they’re going to split up to cover more ground, and Morgan radios her. He says, what she saw at the house on the walls is happening again. He doesn’t know what he’s done or might do. Promise him to forget what he told her. If she sees him, run from him.

Dwight loads a gun, while Sherry nurses Finch. June comes in and asks where Dwight is going. He says, Shrike’s going to the swamp, and he’s making sure she doesn’t come out. He’s going to stop Shrike from doing to the kids what she did to his. June asks him to let her do it. She wasn’t there for her daughter and should have been. Finch needs him. So does Sherry. Let her do this. He gives her the gun and goes to Finch and Sherry.

Morgan is in the swamp, seeing red. Mo stabs him in the collarbone, and says, he thought she was Carrion. She’s sorry, but she had to stop him. Madison radios, and Morgan says, she needs to help Mo at the houseboat. Gasping for oxygen, Madison says she’ll try, but she doesn’t know if she can find it without him. Morgan tells Mo, turn around and walk away.

He wakes up in the sinking houseboat, one arm chained to a railing. Mo says, he passed out, and it was the only place she could bring him. It’s the safest one. Zombies are starting to get uncomfortably close, and he tells her, cut him loose, and he’ll kill the zombies. She needs to get as far away from him as she can. She says, why couldn’t he just let her go? Now they’re trapped like before, because of him. She was trying to run away. He asks why she didn’t, and she says she didn’t want to watch him die like Grace, but now there’s no way out. He tells her that they’re breaking the cycle, as zombies break through the hull of the boat. He sends up a flare with one hand, and Madison sees it. She radios that she’s on her way, but Shrike pops out of the woods, and says, no, she’s not. Madison says she needs to get to the houseboat, and Shrike says, so is she. She should have just killed Madison. Shrike is about to shoot Madison, but Daniel shoots a warning shot at her first. He says, the next one will be in her head. His army comes out, and he says, meet the parents of the children she stole. She says, rescued, but he assures her that they don’t see it that way. Dove says, they’re stuck trying to live a life that’s been dead a long time, and Daniel tells Madison to get in the boat. He’s going to try to get through to them. Madison takes off, and there’s a gun battle as Madison paddles away.

Zombies are closer to the boat, and Morgan asks for his ax, but it’s still a hard no. Mo stabs the zombies in the head, and says she’d rather fight them than him. He tries to get loose, and begins to see red as more zombies break through. He radios Madison, who says she’s coming as fast as she can, but she’s not sure it will be enough. He says, it has to be. Mo needs her. Madison says, and she needs oxygen. He wouldn’t let her save Mo before. He says, she still can. He gives Mo a scuba tank, and tells her that she’s going to swim right under. She refuses to leave him, but he says he’ll find a way out. He’s not going to make the same mistake he made 7 years ago. They were surrounded by walkers, and the boat was sinking. Mo was just a baby, and he thought it was all over. He saw red, and when he came to, his hands were covered in blood, and he was standing over her. He called PADRE to get her because he didn’t trust himself to care for her. Swim until she’s clear of this place. Mo takes the tank, and dives, and Morgan radios Madison. He says, Mo is going to be okay. She says, what about him? but he says, just find her. Make sure she doesn’t get on the ship. Shrike gets on the radio and says, if she finds the coordinates, he’ll never see Mo again, but he says he doesn’t think so. The walker they’re looking for with the binoculars is in front of him. He’s going to bury the coordinates at the bottom of the swamp, where they’ll never find them or him. He reaches for a rifle nearby, and sees red, along with images of Mo in distress. We jump to Madison fishing him out of the water. She tells him, the houseboat went under, and she had to pull him out. He asks, where’s Mo? He has to stop her. Madison says, he’s going to get himself killed, but he says he can’t lose her. Madison says, when PADRE first got its hooks in her, it was with her kids, and her kids were the only thing that kept her going. Even when Alicia thought she was dead, Alicia kept Madison with her. Shrike comes flying out, asking, where is he? She’s freaking out for the first time, and losing control, and Morgan says, he went down with the ship. Then, of all the zombies in all the towns, Shrike’s dad comes through the water. Shrike falls to her knees and cries, remembering him. He comes out of the water, clutching at her, and tears her neck out with his teeth. Madison kicks him off of Shrike, and brings down the ax. She tells Shrike that she’s sorry, and takes the binoculars, as we all would. She takes out the coordinates, and Shrike says, dad, I’m sorry. Madison says, he was always with her.

Crane has Daniel and the others on their knees, and tells the prefects, guns up. He shoves Daniel, saying, don’t look at him. Mo runs joins them, and asks, what’s going on? Dove says, the army is stopping them from finding Carrion, but didn’t have what it takes, and Crane says, you know what comes next. This is what they’re trained for – shoot them. That doesn’t happen, and Dove says, they’ve been given an order – fire. Daniel says, they won’t do it. Making a child kill for the first time is harder than you think. Dove says, he’s wrong. They heard Crane; pull the trigger. Daniel says, don’t listen to them. When he was young, he was in the same position. He wishes someone had stopped him. It will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Dove says, enough. This ends now. Guns up. Pull the trigger. Nope. Crane says, pull the trigger now, and he and Dove hassle Hawk, but he won’t shoot. Morgan runs up, and says, hold your fire. Mo asks why he’s here, and Dove tells her not to speak to him. He tried to kill her. Morgan says he’s not here to hurt anyone, and Madison says, they’ve got the coordinates, holding them up. Crane asks what they want for them, and she says, nothing. Morgan says, they’re going to give the coordinates to them, and Crane says, it’s a trick. Morgan says, it’s not a trick, and Daniel starts to protest, but Morgan says, if that’s what it takes to end all this, let them have it. He’s letting Mo go. If she thinks this is what she needs, he won’t stand in her way. Mo says, he told her that he didn’t want to lose her, and he says he doesn’t. Dove says, he’s just messing with their heads, and Morgan says, it started when he lost his wife and son; he lost himself. When Dove’s mom died, it started again, but he thinks he can break free of the cycle. Madison led him to it. She said, you never lose the people who matter. Crane says, enough, and Madison says, his sister couldn’t kill them. She saw their father, and remembered what he wanted PADRE to be; what he died for. Morgan says, part of him was still alive; Crane’s sister saw it. They’re a part of the people they love. Go to the ship and see where it leads them, but remember the people they’ve left behind who will remember them. They might not know today or tomorrow how important it is, but the day will come.

Mo puts her hand on Crane’s arm, and he lowers his gun. She tells Morgan that she wants to be with him, and they hug. Everyone is like, aww, except for Crane, who cowers like the big baby he is.

Shrike wakes up on an operating table, June watching as Shrike sees a snapping zombie head above her. Shrike cries out, but June says, no one is going to hear her. Morgan and Madison told her where Shrike was, and she brought Shrike here. Shrike says, there’s still time. Give her a dose of radiation. Please. June radios Dwight and Sherry, asking what to do, but Finch stops Dwight from answering for a moment. He says, don’t make her feel this, and Dwight tells June, make it quick and painless, and June tells Shrike, it’s less than she deserves. June stabs the head, when Crane walks in. She points her gun at him, but he says he just wants to see Shrike. June says, either he does it or she will. He blubbers and shows her that he’s unarmed. June tells him, bury her deep, and find another place to live. She leaves, and Crane and Shrike cry, but I have little sympathy.

At the shore, Morgan thanks Madison for helping him find his daughter and himself. But there is something else. Whatever comes next for her and the kids, they don’t need him to get it done. He’s been thinking about the people he ran away from when he arrived. He has to find them; see if they’re still there. Right his mistake, and make sure they’re okay. He wouldn’t do this if he didn’t believe the rest were safe with her. She says she thinks they only see her as a woman who took their kids away, but Morgan says, she’ll give them good reason not to. Mo says, Madison gave her a reason, and hands Madison her old jacket back. She thanks Madison, and hugs her. Morgan hugs Madison and says, they’ll always be with her. Mo and Morgan get in the boat, Mo leaving her prefect mask behind, and they row away.

Sherry and Dwight bury Finch, marking his grave with a wooden name plaque. Dwight asks if PADRE didn’t give him the name, but Sherry says, he made it his own and no one can take it away from him. She asks what they’re supposed to do now, and Dwight says he thinks it’s got to be the end of them. No matter where they go, or what they do, it stays the same. Sherry says, it never stops, and he says, it just seems to get worse. Maybe it’s not because of a-holes like Negan and Shrike. Maybe they’re not meant to be together. Sherry tears up and asks where he’s going. He says, back home. He thinks he can start over. She says she doesn’t want to hurt him, and he says he doesn’t want to hurt her either, but it seems to be what they do to each other. Sherry says, then let’s put an end to it, and he says he’s sorry. They hug. Pfft! Why is Dwight doing this?

Dove asks Madison if they’re getting on the ship, and Madison tells the group that there are files on the island that tell them where they came from and who their parents are. Some of them could still be out there. They’ll find them and bring them here. They’ll make PADRE what it was meant to be in the first place.

Morgan buries Grace in a large makeshift graveyard. Mo comes along in normal clothes, having ditched her uniform. He hugs her and gives her a not-pokey stick to practice with. She goes to wait for him, and Morgan goes to the grave of E. Eastman. He says, as much as his weapon has changed since Eastman gave it to him, he supposes he has too. Eastman made that all possible with everything he gave to Morgan and taught him. Morgan has realized all life is precious, but it’s not about killing or not killing. It’s about what you do with the time that you have and the people you have. Morgan needs him to look after Grace. Mo practices in the background, and Morgan tells her, every swing has a reason. Either strike or block. He asks her to show him, and she makes some moves. He says, they need to get going, and she asks, where? He says, remember the friend he mentioned; the one who told him not to run? He thought they’d look for him. Mo asks if he thinks they’ll find him, and Morgan says, it wouldn’t be the first time they found their way back to each other. He gets on the walkie, and says, this message is for Rick Grimes from Morgan Jones. He’s going to look for Rick, whether he’s at Alexandria or not. He’ll leave this message every day at dawn and leave the walkie on for a few minutes. Who knows? Maybe Rick will even be listening. He looks at Grace’s name plaque, kisses his palm, and places it on the ground where she’s buried, thinking of everyone he’s lost. He picks up his ax, and says, let’s go. They start to walk, and they both turn for a second, like they heard something, then keep walking.

A message comes over the radio. This is Madison Clark. If you can hear this message, you are in a territory PADRE has patrolled. PADRE has fallen. They are no longer a threat to you or your children. She gives some coordinates to come find any children, and someone listening writes them down. Madison says, if they can’t get there, send an SOS to this channel, and they’ll find them. They’ll do their best to reunite them with their children and make up for the damage PADRE did. The listener packs a bag with a bunch of weird weapons, including a mechanical hand.  

The final season returns this fall.

🗽 Dead Spoilers…

While the first episode was more of a set-up than anything else, I don’t think this show is going to disappoint. I’m thrilled that we’re finally getting out of Georgia, but even better, NYC is a phenomenal backdrop for zombies. Okay, maybe I’m a little biased, having spent a good portion of my life there, but it’s definitely fun new territory. I didn’t recap, since this week I dealt a laptop death, a dog stepping on a bee, and pulling a hamstring during a workout. I was like, isn’t Vanderpump Rules and that incessant ad with the woman singing about her A1C enough? Anyway, I just wanted to enjoy it, but I did jot down some highlights. If you haven’t watched it yet, don’t read them.

Maggie is looking for her son, and while she still holds a grudge against Negan, she needs his help to find Herschel. She hunts Negan down, then they follow a lead she has to NYC. They travel through New Babylon, a capital city where marshals keep order. One in particular, Perlie Armstrong, is out to get Negan. Zombies are called chompers in this one, and among the many new dangers the city holds, they get bombarded by zombies falling from rooftops. On the plus side, a little ice cream type truck tours the streets, playing crooner tunes, and luring zombies. Like gossip columnist Cindy Adams always says, only in New York, kids. Only in New York. Herschel, now a young man, is being held captive by The Croat who reminds me a little of Teddy. He wants information, but Herschel isn’t giving it, and it looks like he’s the type to show no mercy.  

🗯 Best quote, from The Croat, talking about the city after the zombie apocalypse: The irony is that in death, the city is so much more alive than it ever was. Because the struggle, it galvanizes you. Shows you the strength you had inside all along.

Oh yeah, and there’s cockroaches.

⚰️ Dead Tired…

Come on back on Monday really Tuesday for soap and what’s on Deck. It looks like another double episode, but I have no clue why this is a thing now. Until then, stay safe, stay having a Happy Father’s Day, even if you just father a plant, and stay remembering it’s about what you do with the time that you have and the people you have.