Monthly Archives: September 2023

Sep30

September 29, 2023 – Nina Spills To Sonny, NuMolly, Hope, Revealing, Backtrack, Levi Rock, RHOP 8, Early Drama, Fakes, Her Stance, VanderWhiner, A Huid Ye, Last One, Newsworthy Pets, Tenner Of Quotes & When

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

New York City. Trina and Spencer are seated outside at an upscale restaurant, and Trina says, that was amazing. The set, the costumes, the music. She felt like she was actually at the Moulin Rouge, Didn’t he love it? He says he did, although he did have a little bit of trouble paying attention, because there was a pretty girl next to him who he kept stealing glances at. She says she’s definitely not as exciting as the Can-Can, but he says he disagrees. She says she’s not sure Toulouse-Lautrec would agree, and he says, it made him happy to see her so happy. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She says, how could she be anything but happy? She’s in the city with the most incredible guy. He says, who’s incredibly hungry, and she says she’s starving.

Nina lies in bed sleeping, surrounded by papers, when Sonny comes in. She says, hello, handsome, and he says he didn’t mean to wake her. She says, no apologies necessary. She loves waking up to him.

Drew dreams about the attack and wakes up with a start. Willow is sitting next to his bed, and she says, bad dream? He says, this kind of dream is his reality.

There’s a knock at the gatehouse door, and Michael opens it to Carly. He asks what she’s doing here at this hour, and she says she needs his help. She saw Willow at GH; she’s with Drew. He says he stayed behind with the kids. How is Drew doing? She says, he made it through surgery. He’s lucky to be alive. They almost beat him to death. Michael says, he shouldn’t even be in Pentenville. He doesn’t know what that judge was thinking. She says she does. Judge Kim used Drew to advance his career, and she needs Michael to help her prove it.

Finn asks where Elizabeth has been all night. It’s the first time he’s seeing her. She says, it’s been so busy. She’s been assisting in surgery for the past three hours. Why is he here so late? He says he couldn’t leave without saying hi to her.

Ava comes into Windymere, and butler Giles takes her umbrella. She asks, why is it only raining on this godforsaken island? Not a single drop anywhere else. Giles says, Spoon Island is in microclimate, and she thanks him for the science lesson. (Personally, I’d like to hear more on that, since I think I live in one too.) She says she’s obviously not meant to be dry today, so in keeping with the wet theme, she’s going to take a long, hot bath. He says, no, she won’t, calling her madam, and she tells him, stop it with the madam and tell her why she can’t take a bath. He says he’s sorry, but the hot water heater isn’t working due to intermittent power outages on the island from the storm. She says, like the microclimate, and he says, precisely. She says, please tell her the vodka and olive situation hasn’t been affected by the storm, and he says, not to his knowledge. She says, hot dog. Then fix her a martini. She’s going to get out of these wet clothes. He asks how she’d like her martini, and she says, dry, very dry.

Geneva, Switzerland. Laura and Doc walk into an office, and a man says, welcome, Miss Spencer. She shakes his hand and says, actually, it’s Collins now, and introduces Doc. The man says, Hans Mueller. Pleased to meet you. He and Doc shake hands, and he tells them to have a seat. Hans says he’s known Doc’s lovely wife for years, and Laura wonders how long they’ve been doing business, then says, don’t answer that. She doesn’t think she wants to hear that number, but Hans has been a friend of the family for a long time. Hans asks what he can do for her, and she says, he can help her find her son.

Elizabeth says she’s not buying it. There has to be another reason Finn is still here. His shift ended hours ago. He says he’s insulted. Okay, maybe he’s waiting around for some lab results, but seeing her is incentive for sticking around. She says, he won’t be seeing her around here at night anymore. The kids are done with camp and she’s switching back to days. He says he likes seeing her any way he can, but he has to admit these nights have been kind of special. She says she wouldn’t exactly call a 12-hour shift special, and he says, seeing her has been kind of nice, and their talks on the roof. She says, when he stole her spot, and he says he thought they cleared this up. She’s the interloper. She says she doesn’t think she’s ever been described that way, and he says, if the shoe fits. She says, whoever gets there first, okay? and he says, it sounds like a challenge. She laughs and says she should go. Goodnight, Dr. Finn. He says, goodnight, Nurse Baldwin.

Sonny asks how things went with Charlotte. He’s sure she was excited spending the night at Nina’s place. Nina says, she was, but things are difficult for her right now. She’s been acting out. He says, she’s what? Fourteen? Nina says, it’s hard for her to believe this, but she’s fifteen, and he says, acting out comes with the territory at that age. You’ve got to have patience. She says she is, but when she and Valentin were together, she was Charlotte’s stepmother for a while, and even though they’re not together now, she still thinks of Charlotte as family. He says, family is very important. It’s the most important thing. She says, since they’re on the subject of family, they need to talk about his.

Drew says, not that he doesn’t appreciate the company, but what is Willow doing here? She says, she and Michael heard about the attack. They were so worried about him, she had to come and see him, so Michael stayed home with the kids. He says, that’s very sweet, but she didn’t have to come, and she says, it’s the least she could do. He literally saved her life. If he hadn’t rescued Liesl, she wouldn’t have gotten the bone marrow transplant, and she wouldn’t be here. A visit from her certainly can’t compare, but she wanted him to know she’s thinking about him. He thanks her, and she asks if there’s anything he wants or needs to talk about? He says, no… Well, there is one thing he needs to know and it’s pretty important. She says, anything, and he says he needs to know how Wiley’s T-ball team is doing.

Laura tells Hans that her son has been missing for months now, and she’s afraid something’s happened. Hans says, he hasn’t contacted her at all? and she says, no. And he left behind two sons. One of them is just a baby, and she doesn’t believe he’d just abandon them. So she’s afraid maybe he’s being held against his will. She and Doc have been searching for him for weeks now, but they haven’t come up with any leads. Doc says, they’ve been to the Cassadine properties in Russia and Greece, but there’s no sign of him, and Hans says he’s happy to help in any way he can, but what makes them think Nikolas is in Geneva? Laura says, because his money is here.

Ava thanks Giles for making the fire. She knows it’s a bit early, but it was so damp. She feels better already, and she’ll feel even better when she gets that martini. She turns around to take the martini from Giles as there’s a clap of thunder, startling her. The martini sloshes onto her, and Giles says he’s so sorry. Let him get her a napkin. She says, no, no. It’s quite all right. She told him she wasn’t meant to be dry tonight. He hands her a manila envelope, saying, this came from the real estate agency. She thanks him, and he says he’s off this evening, but there’s plenty of food in the kitchen. She says she’ll be having a liquid dinner. Thanks so much, and get home safely. He leaves, and she sits on the sofa. She opens the envelope and takes out pictures of a house interior. She says she can’t wait to get off this island.

Trina says, what a beautiful night, and thanks Spencer. He says, no need to thank him. All he did was place a few phone calls; to the hotel, to the restaurant, and then the concierge. It’s not a big deal. She says, everything has been wonderful, but she wasn’t talking about the reservations. She knows how hard it is for him to get away. He has to deal with Esme and be there for Ace, and she wants him to know how grateful she is that he made time for them. He says, I love us, and she says, me too. And she loves him, so very much. I’m not sure why. He’s really good looking, but he talks too fast and too loud, and he’s still an entitled snob.

Carly tells Michael that she can’t believe it. This is all her fault. He says, it isn’t, but she says, it is too. She’s the one who insisted on investing in Aurora. She’s the one who took a chance and put all her money into that stock. That’s what led to the insider trading charge. Michael says, she had no idea that was going to happen. Someone is to blame, but it’s not her. Whoever called the SEC, they’re to blame. She asks if he still thinks it was Ned, but he says, there’s no way to know. Now Ned thinks he’s Eddie Maine and they may never know, but he’s working on it. She asks what he means, and he says he may have a lead on the whistleblower, but it’s not going to get Drew out of prison any sooner. He’ll tell her about that later, but right now they have to focus on getting Drew home. She says she spoke to Diane, and she thinks their best strategy is to put pressure on the judge; either get him to reduce or commute Drew’s sentence. He asks how they do that, and she says she has some information on the judge and she’s going to use it.

Willow shows Drew her phone, and says, these days, all the kids get a trophy. Wiley didn’t understand it at first, since they lost every game. He said he thought only winners get trophies, so she told him, everyone is a winner at T-ball. Drew says, has he maybe tried soccer? but she says, young Mr. Corinthos wouldn’t even consider it. She’s afraid Wiley takes after his dad. He is so stubborn. He’ll argue about it no matter how many times he strikes out. Nina came by last week, and she can’t believe how committed their slugger is. He says, wow. That must mean she and Nina are getting along. She says, it’s going better than she ever imagined. Nina’s respecting boundaries. She always calls to see if it’s okay to come over. She’s great with the kids. Wiley loves his grandmother. He lights up when he sees her. He says he’s so happy that things are going better. That’s great. How is Michael doing with all this? Has his opinion of Nina changed? She tells him, like she said, Michael’s stubborn.

Sonny asks if something happened between Nina and Michael, but she says, no. It’s not Michael, it’s… Gladys. He says, what’d she do now? and Nina says, she’s in serious debt. She owes a lot of money to Selina Wu. He says, that’s somebody you don’t want to mess with. How did Nina find out? She says, Gladys came to her. Gladys asked her for money. She wanted Nina to bail her out because she was too afraid to approach Sonny. Sonny says, let him guess how she got into this hole – gambling. Nina says, she lost a lot of money. Apparently, she’s been playing for months. He says, dammit, getting out of bed. What the hell is wrong with Gladys? Didn’t she see what gambling did to Mike? It pretty much destroyed his life. What was she thinking? Nina says, that’s the point; she wasn’t thinking. And she hates to tell him this, but it gets worse. Before Gladys came to her, she found another way to get the money. He says, how? and she says, Gladys was stealing money from Sasha.

Thunder rumbles as Ava raises her glass and says, here’s to the end of the Windymere era. Good riddance to this place and everything that happened here. She sips her martini, and flashes back to the argument she and Nikolas had that ended with her cracking him over the head and thinking he was dead.

Doc tells Hans, we have a saying in the US; follow the money. That’s what led them here. Laura asks if there’s anything Hans can tell them, and he says, Nikolas indeed has a substantial amount of money with them, but it’s separate from the Cassadine estate. Nikolas has several separate accounts. A large amount was sent to him by his Uncle Victor. His condolence on Victor’s death. Both Doc and Laura are like, no, and Doc asks if there’s been any recent activity in Nikolas’s accounts. Hans says, as a matter of fact, there’s been quite a bit. There have been several withdrawals. Laura asks if Hans has seen him, and Hans says, no, but he’ll print out the records for them. Laura thanks him, and Hans leaves. Doc says, this could mean Nikolas is alive, and Laura says she hopes so.

Spencer says he can’t believe it, and she says, that she’s in love with him? He’d better believe it. He says, no. That it took her so long to say it. He was just professing his love to her back in the hotel room and she didn’t say anything back, so he just assumed… She says, that she didn’t feel the same way? and he says he didn’t know. Why didn’t she say anything then? She says she learned a thing or two from Aunt Stella. She said, good things come to those who wait. He says he would have waited an eternity for her to say those words and he’s so glad she did. He doesn’t know if she’s noticed, but he’s not the most patient person in the world. She says, him? What is he thinking about? He says, that he’s the luckiest guy in the world, and takes her hand. He says he’s loved her for so very long. Since the day he met her. She says, that was a long time ago, wasn’t it? They’ve certainly been through a lot since then. We go down Spencer and Trina Memory Lane, but not too far, since it was another actress then, and there’s a song part. He says, the best is yet to come, and kisses her hand.

Sonny says, so Nina is telling him that Gladys is stealing from her daughter-in-law? and Nina says, yeah. Gladys has been syphoning money from Sasha’s bank account for months, until she drained it. And she was desperate because she still owed Selina Wu a lot of money. Then when Sasha came to Gladys and said she wanted to end the conservatorship, she panicked. Gladys doesn’t want anyone to know what she’s doing. He says, Sasha came to him months ago and said she felt stronger and didn’t need a guardian. Gladys told him that she was against ending the guardianship. Is Nina telling him that Gladys tried to make sure this didn’t happen? She takes his hand and says, Gladys did a lot more than just that.

Drew tells Willow that he gets where Michael is coming from. Everyone knows how Carly feels about Nina. But he keeps getting reminded, not only is life short, but it’s so fragile. They shouldn’t waste their time arguing with people and holding grudges. It just takes too much energy. Willow says she knows. After losing her mother, she realized how important family is. Harmony was never really her family, but the Quartermaines are. She feels so blessed to be a part of them. They’re so generous and loving… He says, and crazy, and stubborn, and combative. She says she knows, but she wouldn’t trade their money them for anything. He says, neither would he.

Elizabeth scrubs at her scrubs in the locker room, and sees Finn’s ID hanging from a locker. She looks over to see him in the shower. Since the doors are wide open. She leaves her ID on the table, and walks into the shower stall with him.

It continues to storm on Spoon Island. Ava turns around, and jumps, dropping her martini.

Hans comes back, and says, here are the current records for Mr. Cassadine’s accounts, handing them to Laura. She says, thank you so much. She looks through a folder and says, wow. There are quite a few withdrawals, aren’t there? Doc says, and these dates line up. They started just a few months ago. She says, right after Nikolas went missing, and Hans says, his colleagues tell him the withdrawals were made in person by Mr. Cassadine. As she can see, there’s a recent transfer for a substantial amount. He’ll leave her with these records. He has to attend to another matter. She says, he’s been so helpful. She can’t thank him enough. He says, always a pleasure, and says, nice meeting Doc. Doc says, they really appreciate this, and they shake hands. Hans says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Laura says, he’s alive. Her son is alive. Thank God. She and Doc hug, and he says, this might lead them to him.

The waiter asks if Trina and Spencer would like to see the dessert menu, and Spencer looks to Trina, but she says, no thank you. They have to get going. He says he’ll take the check, and the waiter leaves. As much as I’m not keen on Spencer, I’m glad Trina is looking forward to her first time with him. Usually, there’s all this angst surrounding that, so it’s nice to see the flip side.

Elizabeth goes to Finn, and they kiss. She asks what he’s thinking, and he says he doesn’t want to think anymore. I’m thinking, why is she still wearing her scrubs? They start getting busy.

Nina tells Sonny, Sasha needed to get out of Ferncliff now. She needed to get away from this so-called doctor that was taking care of her. And the only way to do that was to pay this guy off. Sonny says, son of a bitch, and Nina says, a lot of stuff happened, but the bottom line is, Cody Bell broke Sasha out of Ferncliff. He says, Dante’s friend? and she says, yeah. Somehow, he got into Ferncliff, and he took her with him. Gladys said that Cody kidnapped her, but she doesn’t believe that. He says he’s sorry that Gladys put her in this position, but she says, no. She’s sorry she didn’t tell him earlier; she was trying to fix it herself. Anyway, he doesn’t need to apologize. He says, Gladys is family, but he’s put up with this way too long. That’s on him. Gladys will be dealt with. He probably doesn’t know who to go after first, Selina, Gladys, or the so-called doctor.

Drew thanks Willow for coming to see him, and she leaves. In the hallway, a woman turns around and Willow sees it’s Harmony.

Carly tells Michael, Diane said this judge is hoping to get a seat on the Circuit Court, and it’s really important because it’s a steppingstone to the Supreme Court. (The stuff I learn from this show.) He asks what that has to do with Drew’s sentence, and she says, he was hoping to look good. He could have given Drew a harsher sentence because he wanted to look good to the Justice Department. She doesn’t know. It’s all speculation, and it’s going to be really tough to prove actual misconduct. He says, what if they don’t have to prove it? What if the appearance of misconduct is enough? She asks what he means, and she says, let’s say we get the story out to the press. Maybe Drew’s case would gain some traction. She says, they could get Alexis to run a piece in The Invader, and that will put pressure on the judge, but he says, they have to tread lightly though, because Alexis is a former attorney and she’s scrupulous. Alexis won’t run a hit piece on Judge Kim just because Carly asks her to. Carly says, Alexis won’t do it for her, but there’s someone else she’d do it for.

Ava asks what the hell Mason is doing here. Did Giles let him in? He says, the guy in the penguin suit? He’s long gone. She asks what he wants, and he says, it depends. What is she offering? She says, nothing. She said her piece yesterday, so get out of here. He walks closer, and she says she told him, get out of here. She’ll call the cops. He says, go for it. We’ll be long gone before the cops can get here. She says, we? and he says, yeah.

Spencer opens the hotel room door, and Trina sees red rose petals on the bed. She says, Spencer… and goes to him, kissing him. They get busy, and there’s a song part. Another minority I’m in is, no rose petals on the bed please. Wouldn’t they stick to you?

Nina says, Sonny can’t do anything tonight. He can deal with this tomorrow. The only thing that matters is planning their wedding. He says, no. Actually, the only thing that matters is getting married.

Willow asks what Harmony is doing here, and Harmony says she came looking for Willow. Willow asks, why? and Harmony says she came to warn Willow. Willow says, about what? and Harmony’s lips move, but we can’t hear the words. Willow wakes up on one of the couches in the waiting area at the hospital.

Trina and Spencer bask in the afterglow, and he says he has no words for her. She says, wow, and they kiss.

Doc asks if Laura sees anything, and she says she’s looking for a pattern; a clue as to where Nikolas might be now. But it’s this one very large withdrawal. Does Doc think he opened another account so he could maybe hide what he’s doing or where he is? He says, maybe, but they’re not going to figure anything out right now. He suggests they take these back to the hotel for champagne. This is information worth celebrating. She says, it is, and hugs him. She says her son is alive and they’re celebrating. And their search was not in vain. Again, if Nikolas wanted to let her know he was alive, he could have just picked up the phone instead of making her trot halfway around the globe.

Ava says she’s not going anywhere with Mason, and reaches for a fireplace poker. He says he wouldn’t do that if he were her, and she tells him, stay away from her. He says, she ratted them out. She wasn’t smart.

Elizabeth approaches the reception desk and asks if Amy has checked on the patient in 1002. Amy says she did and he’s fine. Elizabeth looks tired. Does she want Amy to get her a coffee? Nothing like a little caffeine to get you through the night shift. Elizabeth says she’ll never sleep tonight if she has one of those. Finn comes out, and Amy says, here are the labs he’s been waiting for, and asks why they both have wet hair.

Spencer tells Trina, you know when I’m happiest? When I’m with you. He means it. They kiss some more.

Someone walks into Hans’s office, and he says he assumes they’re here for more money. Nikolas closes the door and says, yes. He needs to make another withdrawal. Hans says, he just missed his mother, and Nikolas says, did he? Hans says, she was just here with her husband. They’re looking for him. His mother is a very gracious woman. She loves him and his disappearance has given her a large amount of pain. Be a good son and do the right thing. Nikolas says he plans to.

We see the living room at Windymere is empty.

Carly asks why Drew isn’t sleeping. He should be resting. He says he got some sleep. Then Willow came to visit and he’s sure he’s going to nod off again, so he’s good. She should go home. She should be with the girls. She says, Josslyn’s with them; they’re fine. She’s not going to stay long. She just needed to be with him, even if it’s just to watch him sleep. She loves him. She’s so sorry this happened to him. He tells her not to worry. Everything’s going to be okay. She says, he’s damn right, because she’s going to make sure.

Michael asks if Drew’s okay, and Willow says she thinks so. It looks like Drew will recover. The surgery went well. They had a good visit. She’s really glad she saw him. He asks her, what’s wrong? but she says, it’s nothing. He says, if she’s not feeling well, she has to tell him. She says, it’s not that. After she left Drew’s room, she sat in the lounge for a bit and nodded off. He says, she’s pushing herself too hard. She should have waited before going back to work. She says she guesses she was a bit more tired than she realized, but that’s not what’s bothering her. She had the strangest dream about her mother. He says, Nina? but she says, no, Harmony. But it was only a dream.

Nina tells Sonny that she doesn’t care about the dress and the flowers and the – she flips through some of the papers on the bed – cake. It doesn’t matter. He says, it seems like it matters to her because she’s doing a lot of planning, and she says she has, but it’s also insignificant right now. With everything that’s happened these last few months; with Sasha being committed, and Curtis getting shot. She feels really guilty about planning a big wedding because a lot of people that they love are suffering. He says he’s got an idea, and she says, what? He says, why don’t they elope? He’s serious. All they care about is to say their vows and become husband and wife. She even said she didn’t want to deal with this right now. She says, but Sonny… and he says, the planning’s going to be out of control. Olivia is going to keep coming to her with more options, and do they really care what icing is on the cake? (Well… yeah.) She says she doesn’t know, and he says, we will fly to the island tomorrow. We will get married. What does she say? She tells him that she says yes! throwing all the papers in the air.

On Monday, Sonny says, that’s exactly what he wanted him to do; Laura says she’s not giving up her search; Valentin tells Martin that Charlotte’s future depends on their conversation today; and Sasha says she plans to do just that.

👩🏻‍⚖️ Newest Of the New Mollys…

I didn’t even know how old they were supposed to be, and who cares anyway?

Kristen Vaganos Is the New Molly on GENERAL HOSPITAL

🚑 It’s a Match…

Weird how it’s sort of art imitating life.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/john-j-york-health-update-i-believe-they-found-a-match

💎 Fancy Pants POV…

Like we didn’t think she’d come back.

Heather Dubrow Reveals If She’ll Return to RHOC, Talks “Deceiving” Post-Reunion Pic With Tamra and Taylor as Terry Dubrow Shades Cast

🧂 A Little Salt…

Zero sympathy about the ring, and she acted like a child because she’s an adult? What does that even mean?

RHOSLC’s Lisa Barlow Reveals Fate of Missing $60K Ring, Reacts to Backlash Over Glam Drama and Claims of Being Insecure, Plus Shades Jen Shah, Monica and Admits Angie Came in “Hot”

🗽 New York Casual…

I love their Reunion pic. They’ve dressed like themselves; not like they’re having a quinceañera. One article said fans were angry about the jeans. What’s wrong with people?

Jenna Lyons Wears Levi’s Jeans to Her 1st ‘RHONY’ Reunion

🪙 Trailing the Potomac…

What’s to come for the Grande Dame and company.

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/rhop-season-8-trailer/

👠 What Happens In Jersey…

Jackie gives a tease.

Jackie Goldschneider Teases Jersey ‘Drama’ Filming RHONJ Season 14

When will Andy learn? When the lawsuit finally comes knocking?

Rumor: Reason for Danielle Cabral and Jennifer Aydin’s Physical Fight Revealed
Jennifer Aydin and Danielle Cabral Back to Filming RHONJ After Investigation

🎪 Faux Housewives Of Bravo…

Kind of ironic, considering she looks nothing like she did when she was first on the show.

NeNe Leakes Says ‘Everything Is Fake’ on Real Housewives Nowadays

🍹 Dance Card Officially Filled…

She could use a break, but she should really let that Austen thing go.

Southern Charm’s Olivia Flowers on Where She Stands With Taylor and Austen After ‘Hookup,’ Her “Emotional Blackout” After Brother’s Death, and Rod Razavi Romance

🗑 Filed Under Who Cares…

What a big egotistical baby this guy is.

Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval on How Raquel “Really Hurt” Him, Their “Gross” Scene, & New Details of Finale Fight, Plus Money Worries Amid Scandoval & Losing Friends

🎭 Farewell Old Friend…

I was sad to hear about his death. Although I’m glad they remembered he was in VR5. Blink and you missed it, but it was a great show and it started Michael Easton’s career. I knew he was going places.

https://people.com/ncis-star-david-mccallum-dead-7974574

https://people.com/david-mccallum-dead-ncis-costars-more-pay-tribute-7974806

https://people.com/david-mccallum-dead-ncis-costars-more-pay-tribute-7974806

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/a45338401/david-mccallum-ncis-death-mark-harmon-tribute-statement/

📀 End Of an Era…

I’d keep that last one and sell it later on eBay.

https://www.today.com/popculture/news/netflix-stop-shipping-dvds-rcna80319

🐾 Paws In the Forefront…

If not at a Paw Patrol screening, then where else would they break records?

https://people.com/paw-patrol-the-mighty-movie-breaks-record-for-most-dogs-attending-film-screening-7974680

Adorable to the nth degree, especially in that tiny hat.

https://people.com/meet-wisp-the-persian-kitten-tiktok-is-in-love-with-8286012

🦆 Quotes Of the Week

No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess. – Sir Isaac Newton

The greatest deception [humans] suffer is from their own opinions. – Leonardo da Vinci

If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try. – Seth Godin

It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up. – Babe Ruth

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. – Mahatma Gandhi

We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better. – C Joybell C

Action is the foundational key to all success. – Pablo Picasso

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear. –Mark Twain

They’re not on the same page. They’re not even in the same book. – Jamal Menzies, Pillow Talk: 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days

Crying and throwing a tantrum isn’t going to be a solution to the problem. – Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, My 600-LB Life

🛶 Building an Ark…

Stop in again on Monday really Tuesday for soap and what’s going on in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay making requests instead of demands, and stay not wasting your time arguing with people and holding grudges. It takes too much energy, and life is short.

Sep29

September 28, 2023 – Gladys Is the Worst Person In the World, A Distinct Lack Of Charm & Remember

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer and Trina go into their hotel room, which is pretty swanky, and Trina is suitably impressed. He asks what she thinks, and she says she thinks it’s perfect, kissing him. She can’t believe they had to leave Port Charles and come all the way to NYC to spend some quality time together. Not that she’s complaining. He says, neither is he, and they kiss again. (FYI: people from NYC do not call it NYC. It’s just the city.)

Dressed in a cowboy hat and fringed vest, squirt gun in hand, Josslyn goes into Sonny’s old kitchen where Donna and Avery, also wearing cowboy getups, are hiding behind the kitchen island. She says, stop right there, pardner. Unless you’re looking for trouble. She takes a hit from one of their squirt guns, and Donna says, gotcha. The moss bowl🎍quietly laughs, and Josslyn says, not for long. You can’t get me here. They have a showdown around the island. Ava walks in, and asks, what’s going on? Donna and Avery both squirt her.

A guard says, Cyrus must have pulled some serious strings to get a visitor at this hour, and Cyrus says, the warden owes him one. He picks up the phone, and says, he hopes they’ve come to give him good news about Drew Cain. Across from him, Mason sucks on a lollipop, looking surprisingly like The Rock in this lighting. I actually do a doubletake.

Carly paces in Drew’s room, and flashes back to them telling each other, I love you. She sits by the bed and strokes his arm. She says she’ll get him out of Pentenville. She has to.

Dante thanks Dr. Montague for coming to the station on such short notice, and Montague says, no trouble at all. Anything he can do to assist. Dante says, they just have to get to the bottom of a few things, and Montague says, happy to help. Dante asks Montague to follow him into the interrogation room, and he can take the doctor’s statement. Cody is led into the squad room and sees Montague through the window.

Dante says he hopes Montague doesn’t mind if he records this. Does he want some water? Montague says, no thanks, and outside, Cody says, go on, Dante. Get ‘em.

Sasha asks if Gladys will do it. Will she confess and testify against Dr. Montague? Gladys says, please. If this comes out, Sonny will kill her – literally. Sasha says, like Dr. Montague was planning to kill her, and Gladys says she didn’t know he was going to do that. She never wanted to hurt Sasha. Sasha says, Gladys just wanted her locked up and drugged so she could steal her money, but Gladys says, that’s not how it was at all. She got in a jam. Things got out of control. Sasha’s got to believe her. She would never ever agree to that. She loves Sasha. Sasha says, then prove it. Confess and help her put away Dr. Montague for good.

Spencer tells Trina that he’s going to run and pick up the tickets. She asks if he’s bailing on her, but he says, not at all. He just thought she’d like to decompress after the flight (how long was it? 20 minutes?) She says, that works for her and asks him not to be long. He says, of course (🍷), kisses her, and leaves. She leaves a message for Portia, saying, they got to NYC safe and sound. Tell Curtis and Marshall that she said, hey, and they’ll talk tomorrow. Love you.

Avery says, they got Ava, and Ava says, they did. It’s like the OK Corral in here. Josslyn gives her a towel, and says, they’re going to have dinner soon. She suggests the girls go upstairs and wash up. Donna says, they can ride their horsies upstairs, and they gallop off. Josslyn asks, what brings Ava by? and Ava says she just came to say goodnight to Avery. She knows Josslyn’s mom is at the hospital with Drew; she just came from there. Josslyn says, that’s why she’s here holding down the fort. Is there any news? Is Drew awake? Ava says, not yet, but he’s out of surgery and the doctors seem very confident that everything went well. Josslyn says, that’s good to hear, and thanks Ava. Ava says, of course (🍷). They’re all worried. Drew doesn’t deserve this, and she owes him so much for everything he did to bring Trina home. Josslyn says, Trina really means a lot to Ava, and Ava says, she’s like a daughter. Josslyn says, Ava’s really done a lot for Trina. Getting her that internship at The Chuck. Ava’s taught Trina pretty much everything she knows about the gallery and the art world. She thinks Trina’s really lucky to have Ava in her life. Both the moss bowl🎍and I wonder if we’ve stumbled into Bizarro World, and Josslyn says she knows Trina really appreciates Ava. Ava says she appreciates Trina too. She’d better go up and make sure those cowgirls and their horsies aren’t getting into any mischief.

Mason asks if it isn’t a risk; him and Cyrus meeting here. They’ve been so careful. Cyrus says, relax. The cats are asleep. Mason says he’s not worried about the prisoners, but the warden… Cyrus says, the warden is busy with Drew Cain. So tell him what he’s heard about Cyrus’s friend. Mason says, nothing. All Austin could find out was, Drew Cain was in surgery, and it wasn’t looking good. Cyrus says, there are those of us who become casualties in God’s grand scheme, but when you choose the side of the devil, you willingly stake your life on the losing end.

Deanna goes into Drew’s room and says she’s sorry. She didn’t know Carly was still here. Carly says she wanted to stay until Drew woke up, and Deanna checks his vitals. Carly says, he looks so vulnerable hooked up to all this, and Deanna says, he’s been through a lot. They have to monitor him closely. After the trauma he experienced and the surgery, he’s likely to be out for the night. She tells Carly to let her know if she needs anything, and Carly says, the doctor said the surgery was a success. Deanna says, yes. He’s very lucky. Carly asks if there could be complications at this stage, but Deanna says, try not to worry. Carly says, how is he really? and Drew says, he’s doing pretty good. Better because she’s here. Carly goes to his side.

Walking to the hospital elevator, Jordan says, the warden didn’t need to come all this way to visit Drew. She would have been happy to report his condition. Warden Garten says, not at all. This attack should have never happened. She prides herself on the security at Pentenville, and this is a major fail. She had to make sure for herself that Mr. Cain was okay. Jordan says, she’s brought many reforms to the prison. It’s impressive. The warden says, but they can’t rest on any laurels. Something brutal like this means they have a whole lot more work to do. She’s eager to see if Mr. Cain can shed any light. Jordan says, it’s suspicious though. The severity and duration of the attack suggests there might have been some coordination between prisoners and guards.

Mac thanks Montague for coming in and says, they want to get to the bottom of this. Montague says, as he told Mac’s detective, he’s glad to assist and recover Miss Gilmore. She’s at risk out on her own. Dante talks into the recorder, saying, this is Dr. Damon Montague’s statement on the assault by Cody Bell that happened at Ferncliff, and Montague says he found Cody Bell in one of his patient’s rooms, and Cody attacked him. Dante says, attacked him why? and Montague says he was making his rounds when he heard animated voices coming from a room. When he opened the door to check it out, Cody Bell went crazy and jumped him. Dante asks why he didn’t call security before going into the room, and Montague says, it was the room of one of his troubled patients. (Aren’t they all troubled?) Mac says, Sasha Gilmore, and Montague says, yes. She’s very vulnerable and he was afraid for her life. He’s been treating her for some time and frankly, he’s quite shocked about how much she’s declined since the stabbing episode. Dante says, and he thinks Cody Bell is the one who attacked him, and Montague says, Cody jumped him, and they fought, but Mr. Bell was crazed and knocked him out. When he came to, he was in the bathroom tied up and Cody had taken his clothes. Dante says, when Cody was arrested, he was wearing the clothes Montague says he stole from him, and in the pocket, they found these. He places the bottle of pills on the table and asks if Montague can explain them. Mac sees Cody watching through the window.

Gladys asks Sasha how she can prove it. She didn’t know what Montague was planning to do. Sasha says, but Gladys knew him from her card games. Gladys got him to give her pills that messed with the antidepressants she was already taking. Gladys and Dr. Montague did that to make her look unstable, so Gladys could keep the guardianship going. Gladys says, she was desperate. She’s so sorry. Sasha says, if she’s really sorry, then there’s only one choice; help her put an end to Dr. Montague. He has to be stopped. Gladys says, okay. She’ll do whatever Sasha wants. She’ll go to the police, tell them everything Dr. Montague did. Sasha says she has to wait here, but this is Gladys’s last chance. She’s trusting Gladys. Gladys says, of course (🍷), of course (🍷). She won’t let Sasha down. She feels so terrible. Sasha says, be sure not to tell anyone she saw her. This has to come from Gladys speaking from her own conscience. Gladys leaves, and in the hallway, she takes out her phone. She makes a call, and says she has information about an escaped fugitive. I yell unprintable things at the TV.

Dante asks what Montague has to say about these pills, and Montague says he’s never seen those before in his life, but it makes sense. It appeared Sasha was getting drugs from inside Ferncliff. Maybe Cody was her dealer. (D’oh! Backfire.) Dante says, that definitely helps them clarify some things. He thanks the doctor for his cooperation and says, they may need to speak to him again. Montague says he’s at their disposal, and Mac says, they’ll be in touch. As they come out, Cody says, no. They’re letting him go? and launches himself at Montague, getting him down on a desk.

There’s a knock at the door, and Sasha says, Gladys? There’s another knock, and Sasha opens the door to two police officers. One says, Sasha Gilmore? and Sasha says, no, trying to close the door, but they come in anyway. The officer tells her, please remain calm. They’re only here to escort her back to Ferncliff. Sasha says, they’re making a mistake. She can’t go back to Ferncliff. Please. They lead her out, and she says, why, Gladys? Why? Because apparently, Gladys has no soul.

Deanna says, welcome back, Mr. Cain. How are you feeling? Drew says, good. He’s here. Deanna says, he’s been through a rough surgery. He has to be very careful not to exert himself too much. Drew says, yes, ma’am, and she says she’ll let the doctor know he’s awake. If he needs any help with pain management, just buzz her. She tells Carly to make sure he doesn’t overdo it, and Carly says she will. Deanna leaves, and Carly says she’s so glad Drew is awake. It was so hard watching him lay here like this. She’s so sorry. He says, it’s okay, but she says, it’s not okay. He was only in Pentenville because of her. He says, she’s not to blame. He’s fine. She asks how he can say that. He was only attacked because of her… and Sonny.

Warden Garten asks if Jordan thinks there could have been collusion between the prisoners and her staff at Pentenville, and Jordan says, it’s certainly suspicious. Drew’s injuries indicate a lengthy fight. She’d like an investigation into who was on duty during the attack.

Ava helps the girls set the table, and Josslyn gets a call from Trina. She steps outside to take it. She asks what Trina is doing. Where’s Spencer? Trina says, he went to go pick up the tickets for the theatre. They’re here. Look at this place. She shows Josslyn the room, and Josslyn says, it’s amazing. Tell her everything. How was the flight? She’s assuming they flew first class. Trina says, Joss… but Josslyn says, come on. Enjoy it. Trina says, it was amazing. Spencer has this special key, which meant they got to board first, and they were treated like royalty. They were given heated nuts, and little mints, and fresh baked cookies when they landed. Josslyn asks if a driver was waiting for them, and Trina says, with a sign that said Cassadine. And the driver took them directly to the car, and they didn’t have to wait for the luggage. Josslyn says, wow. Say what you will about Spencer, but that guy’s got game. Trina says, he really does, and Josslyn says, so is she excited? This is huge. Trina and Spencer haven’t really been able to explore their relationship since Greenland, and tonight’s the night. It’s her first time with Spencer. How is she feeling? She knows Trina’s thought about it. Does she still feel ready? Trina says, absolutely. She’s been ready for a while now, and they’re never alone. Josslyn says, they’re alone now, and Trina says she feels really good about Spencer. They’re in a really good place right now. Josslyn says she’s so happy for Trina. Go get ready for her night, but call her tomorrow with every detail… Maybe not all of the details. Know she’s here for Trina no matter what. Seeing Ava through the window, Trina asks if that’s Ava. Is Ava there with Josslyn? Josslyn says, she came by to say hi to Avery. Have a great night. Trina says, you know it. Tell Ava that she said hey. Josslyn says she will. Love you. Trina says, love you more, when Spencer comes back. He says, they’re all set. He picked up the tickets, and everything else is running on schedule. She asks what else he has in store for them, and he says, she’ll see.

Spencer says he could tell Trina, but it would ruin the surprise. She says, don’t ruin the surprise, and he says, that would take all of the fun out of this, but he’ll tell her what. They are in the capital of the Western world. What would she like to do? She says, everything. She’d like to see Soho. There’s a couple of galleries they deal with there. She wants to go shopping, she wants to eat, and she really wants to see the Big Four, MOMA, Guggenheim, Whitney, and the Met. He says he’s so glad she said that, and she asks why he has that smile. He says he thought they weren’t ruining surprises, and she says, he didn’t tell her it had something to do with the museums. He says, okay, he’ll tell her, when there’s a knock at the door. She says, saved by the bell.

Cody is pulled off of Montague, and Mac hustles the doctor away. Cody says, they can’t let him walk, and Mac says, take him to his cell. Sasha is brought in, and Cody says, Sasha. They lock eyes, and Dante looks like he can’t believe it.

Carly says, Drew has to be careful, and he says, she’s not to blame. It was his choice to help Sonny. She says, it’s not his responsibility to fight Sonny’s battles, but he says, it’s not just Sonny’s battles; it’s other injustices too. She says, he doesn’t have to fix everyone’s problems, but he says, she knows he can’t just stand by and watch that stuff happen. The drug problem itself is heartbreaking enough. If he can help root out the corruption, he’s going to do it every time. Jordan comes in with the warden, and says, he’s awake. He had them so worried. Drew thanks her, and she asks how he’s feeling. He says he’s sore, but he’ll be okay. He’s kind of surprised to see the warden here. Carly says, warden? She gets up and asks, how the warden could let this happen to Drew? What kind of prison is she running?

Cyrus says he sent Mason with a message to his nephew’s ex-wife. It’s been more than a handful of days, so what was the dear lady’s response? Mason says, she’s not the one they have to worry about. Betty’s the problem.

Donna asks, what are these? and Ava says, they’re chopsticks; you eat with them. Josslyn thanks Ava for getting the delivery, and Ava says, of course (🍷). How was Trina? Josslyn says, she’s great. She says hi. She and Spencer made it to New York. Ava says, that’s great. She hopes Trina has the time of her life. Josslyn says she’s sure Trina will, and Ava thanks her for being here with Avery. She knows things haven’t been easy. She’ll get out of Josslyn’s hair. Josslyn says, they have way too much food for three people. Would she like to stay for dinner? The moss bowl🎍and I are astounded, and Ava says she’d like that very much, and thanks Josslyn. She tells the cowgirls that she thinks they’ll need more chopsticks because she’s staying for dinner. The girls cheer.

Spencer pops open a bottle, and says, champagne? Trina says, yes please, and he pours them both a glass. They clink glasses and drink.

Carly says, the warden is supposed to be protecting the inmates, and Jordan says, Warden Garten is on the same page as them about getting justice for Drew. She’s here to help them brainstorm about how they can reopen the case and maybe get it before another judge. Carly says, sorry. She’s really upset about all this. The warden says she understands perfectly and tells Drew that she owes him a deep apology. Jordan says, the warden wants Drew out of Pentenville just as much as they do, and Warden Garten says she’s just as upset as Carly is. Drew ending up in a hospital bed was never the outcome she wanted for him. She feels terrible and wanted to see if he could shed any light on the situation. Carly says, the only important thing is to get Drew out of Pentenville, and the warden says she couldn’t agree more.

Mason tells Cyrus that he’s sorry. He really thought they could trust Betty. She may have gotten too cocky and let down her guard and showed Corinthos her cards. Cyrus asks if that’s what Mason thinks happened, and Mason says, it’s possible she turned on them. Sonny’s a very powerful figure, and persuasive, so she may have decided to strike a deal with him.

Cody asks Sasha, what happened? He sees Gladys and asks what Gladys did to her. Mac says, they’re going to escort Sasha back to Ferncliff, but Sasha says she can’t go back there. Cody says, hold on, and tells Dante, don’t do it. Mac says, they’ll make sure nothing happens. They’re expecting her. Cody says they can’t take her back there, and Sasha says, Dante, please. Ferncliff? Dante says, it’s okay. Just for a little bit, until they can sort this out. The officers lead her away, as she says, no, please. Cody says, it’ll be okay. He’ll get her out of there somehow. Mac asks if Gladys minds waiting. He’ll take Cody back to processing and then get back to her. She says she was just trying to help her poor daughter-in-law, and Cody says, do not trust her. She’s behind all of this. Mac asks Gladys to wait in the interrogation room and goes with the officers taking Cody. Montague looks at Gladys, but she doesn’t turn around.

Trina says, look at all of this. Is that caviar? He says he knows it’s a little bit cheesy, but he just couldn’t resist. Why not go all out? He’s really happy she could come along this weekend. He knows she’s really busy with school starting and finishing that paper. She says, which she finished, no thanks to him. He says he can’t help wanting to spend all his free time with her, and he’s glad Ava was able to give her some time off from her duties at the gallery. She says, of course (🍷). It’s no trip to Turks and Caicos like he wanted, during hurricane season, where probably they’d be stranded on some island before they got rescued. He says, so she discovered his master plan; being marooned, just the two of them on an island. She says, when he puts it like that, it does kind of sound nice. Just the two of them. He says he is sorry it’s taken so long for them to have some alone time with each other, but she says, it’s okay. He says, no, it’s not. He just needed to make sure Esme wasn’t going to run away with his little brother, but he’s glad she turned out to be dependable. She asks if they came all this way just to talk about Esme, and he says, of course (🍷) they didn’t, kissing her.

After more kissing, Spencer says, they do have a dinner reservation to get to, and Trina says, let’s get to it. He feeds her something, like people do before going to eat, and he says, they don’t have to go so fast. They haven’t made a proper toast yet. They raise their glasses, and he says, to the woman he loves. She says, to us, and he says, to us. They clink glasses, and kiss some more. He says, okay, dinner, and goes to take a quick shower.

Jordan says, rest assured, she and Diane are exploring all legal loopholes and case precedents. They’re doing everything they can. Drew thanks her, and says he knows they’re going above and beyond. Jordan says, they’re just doing what has to be done. He shouldn’t be in Pentenville, and they’re going to solve this problem and get him out. Carly thanks her, and Jordan says, they’re in this together. Drew says he’s sorry he can’t tell them anything helpful about the fight, and Carly says, attack. Drew was attacked. Warden Garten tells him not to worry about that; just focus on his healing. She’ll see him soon… or hopefully not. Carly asks if there isn’t something they can do to make sure Drew doesn’t go back to Pentenville; some kind of medical exemption? Jordan says, they’re looking into that, and the warden tells her, don’t worry. They’ll do everything they can to make sure nothing like this happens again. They have her word. Drew thanks them, and they leave. Carly says, thank God they’re not in this alone. Hopefully, Diane and the warden can come up with some kind of miracle. Drew asks her to sit by him please, and she does. He says, they’re alone together. No talking about prison or trials or any of that. He takes her hand and says, just us.

On the phone, Josslyn tells Dex that she was so worried. Why such a brutal beating in the first place? Ava walks in, and Josslyn says, thank God he’s awake. Ava clears her throat, and Josslyn says she’s got to go. She’ll call him in a little. Ava says, the girls are all washed up and ready for bed. The playroom’s still a bit of a mess though. Josslyn says, that’s nothing new, and Ava says, they’re waiting for the bedtime story they were promised. She asks if there’s any word about Drew, and Josslyn says, her mom called. He’s awake. Ava says, that’s a relief, and Josslyn says, Drew shouldn’t have gone to prison in the first place. Who the hell tipped off the SEC? They could have gotten him killed.

Gladys sits with her head in her hands, and Montague asks if she’s okay. She says, how can she be? Thanks to him, her daughter-in-law has completely lost touch with reality. He says, she’ll be taken care of in Ferncliff. He’ll see to it personally. He leaves.

Sasha is led to her room, and she says, Dante, please. He says, they’re going to get her out of here; he promises. She says she doesn’t belong here, as the attendant ties her wrist to the bed. Dante asks if that’s really necessary, and Sasha asks him to do something. The attendant gently pushes Dante out the door, and Dante yells, they’re going to get her out. The attendant straps her other wrist as Dante looks through the window.

Trina comes out all dressed up in an off-the-shoulder cocktail dress, and Spencer says, wow. She looks amazing. She says he doesn’t look so bad himself, but he says, this is one battle she’s not going to win. She’s breathtaking. Can he help her with her necklace? She says, necklace? and he takes out a jewelry box. We can’t really see it, but she says, it’s beautiful, and he puts it on her. He says he wanted her to have something permanent. That way, she’ll always remember their weekend together. She turns around, and he says, perfect, kissing her. He says, dinner awaits, and they leave. It’s so convenient that whenever someone is given jewelry, they’re never wearing any.

Curtis says, so Mason thinks it’s possible that Betty was unable to fool Corinthos and instead chose to join forces? Mason says, it’s possible, but Cyrus says, no, it’s not possible. And he’s an idiot for thinking that. It was an easy job. Betty had no reason to betray him. Sonny accepted her too quickly, which means Ava’s the one who did it. And for that sin, she’ll have to face Divine retribution. Mason says, what about Cassadine? He was very clear about not hurting her. Cyrus says he doesn’t care what his nephew said. He’s not the one running the show. I am. Get it done. He hangs up and leaves.

Ava says she’s glad to hear Drew’s awake, and Josslyn says she’s glad Ava came tonight. She thinks it made things much more normal for the girls. Ava says she couldn’t help but hear Josslyn was on the phone with Dex. How is it having a boyfriend working for Sonny? Josslyn wonders why she’s asking, and Ava says, Josslyn may not remember, but she’s the daughter of a man whose business dealings weren’t always… inside the law. They have more in common than Josslyn thinks, and if Josslyn really wants to know, it’s because Josslyn is Trina’s best friend. And what affects Trina matters to her. And she wants to be sure Josslyn is taking care of herself, that she has her eyes open wide. Because she will need crystal clarity to navigate a relationship with someone in the business… She gets her bag and tells Josslyn that the girls are hoping for Hippity Hoppity the Kangaroo. She says, take care, and Josslyn says, her too. Ava leaves, and Josslyn turns out the light, silently wishing the moss bowl🎍a good night. Outside, Ava calls Nina and says she just found out Drew woke up. So Nina won’t have Drew’s death on her conscience.

Jordan tells the warden that she hopes if any good comes of this, they can get justice for Drew. Warden Garten says, Drew doesn’t belong in Pentenville. She’ll help any way she can to ensure an early release. She thanks Jordan and leaves. Jordan looks skeptical.

Carly lies next to Drew on the bed, and he kisses her forehead.

Cody says, Mac can’t let Sasha stay in Ferncliff. Dr. Montague… Mac says, Dr. Montague isn’t going to do anything to Sasha, but Cody says, she’s not safe there. Mac says, it’s just for a little while. They’ll get Sasha out, but by going through the proper channels. Don’t worry. They’re doing everything they can. I wonder if they’re going to set Montague up.

Sasha cries in her room, calling Cody’s name. Montague comes to the door and looks through the window. She sits up and sees him.

Tomorrow, Trina tells Spencer, good things come to those who wait; Drew tells Willow there’s one thing he needs to know and it’s very important; and Carly tells Michael that she has information on the judge she’s going to use.

Southern But Not So Much Charm

Madison and I have something in common. We both fold fitted sheets by rolling them in a ball. The guys are hung over, and JT gives himself an injection after swallowing some pills. What? His mom calls, and he says he had too much fun with the boys; he’s a little sensitive. In JT’s interview, he admits to being a mama’s boy. Since he has type 1 diabetes (okay, that explains the shot), his mom helped him focus on health at an early age, but you have to live your life and hopefully sort it out in the morning. His mom is a top interior designer and renovates property, and he develops and renovates real estate. His core business is a string of Airbnb’s in Charleston. His mom shows him Poppyseed, a cute little (I think) Chin mix, and I squee. He says he’d do anything to be in Virginia on a cold rainy day, with Poppyseed in his lap and his mom giving him ibuprofen. In his interview, he says he grew up in Great Falls, Virgina, and had the perfect childhood. There was a stream running through his backyard and a nature conservancy behind his house. He tells his mom, when not so hung over, they’ll catch up more, and goes back to bed.

Craig and Shep get pedicures, and Shep says, this is Craig’s Shangri La. He’s going pheasant hunting tomorrow, so he doesn’t want anything painted. He tells Craig that the whole implication that Austen and Taylor aren’t just friends got to him. It’s messy. Craig says, Austen just sat there while JT was telling the story, and we flash back to that. In Shep’s interview, he says, Austen wouldn’t hold up if he was accused of a crime. If he was a juror at Austen’s trial, he wouldn’t be inclined to find him innocent. He asks Craig what level of certainty he has that they’ve been more than friends, and Craig says, Austen slept with multiple girls he’s date. We flash back to Austen telling Shep that he’s interested in Chelsea, and in his interview, Shep says, they have a history of Austen wanting what he has. Sometimes it feels like it’s personal. Like Austen wants the toy Shep has. I don’t know where to start with how wrong Shep’s thinking is, and Craig says, hooking up doesn’t mean much to Austen. Shep says, it definitely bothers him. It almost seems like it’s the other way around. Shep doesn’t want Austen to have what he doesn’t want anyway.

Taylor visits Austen and says she’s fragile. When she and Olivia were out, she met a very attractive man who meets all three of her requirements; you have to be funny, smart, and love Jesus. He told her that he liked her, but to run for the hills. She might need Austen’s therapist’s number. He tells her, it’s expensive. There’s a knock at the door and it’s at home IV people. Does that really work for a hangover? How much does it cost? They say they’re administering Toradol, Zofran, and B complex vitamins. Can I do this myself? Austen and Taylor do eye patches while they get the IVs, and Austen says, it was awkward last night. Taylor was talked about a lot. She asks, who was there? and he says, him, Shep, Craig, and JT. JT told Shep about Taylor spending the night, and Craig asked if Shep thought his and Taylor’s relationship was inappropriate. She says, WTF does JT know? and he says, apparently everything. In Taylor’s interview, she says, they’re single and have had a long-standing friendship. They should do what the hell they want. Shep did, and he wasn’t single half the time. She tells Austen that’s why she didn’t want to tell anyone about her crashing with him. She wouldn’t even tell Olivia. It would make Olivia feel uncomfortable. He says, she can’t bring it up.

Venita gets ready for a girls get together at her place. It’s outside and casual, which for Venita means, get dressed up. Olivia brings some clothes over to Taylor’s, and Taylor’s dog Penelope is wearing a panty. Olivia tells Penelope, congrats on being a woman. Madison arrives at Venita’s first, bearing champagne. Is that Dom? I wouldn’t be surprised. She tells Venita, good job, and Leva comes with flowers. Leva says her husband was surprised she was dressing up for a girls only thing, and Venita says, they dress for each other (truth!). In Leva’s interview, she says, Venita is the quintessential Southern bell, from her aesthetic to the way she hosts. She loves it. Leva says she’s planning a thing for Taylor. She can use them rallying behind her. She’s younger and it’s her first real breakup; that one shakes you. Venita says, when you date that long, you think you’ll be spending your lives together. Leva says she remembers feeling like everyone was against her, and thinks Taylor needs to hear it from them. Madison says, his friends are going to be his friends, and in her interview, she says she’s been there. If anyone understands crazy, it’s her. We flash back to her screeching that Austen is a p*ssy and he needs to own it. She says, things have changed, haven’t they? but I’m still skeptical. Taylor and Olivia join them, and they’ve brought Charles a Lambchop toy. He takes it out of the giftbag, and the whole thing is too cute. Taylor says she couldn’t bring Penelope. They don’t want puppies. Venita reveals the spread of food, and they eat. Madison asks, who’s dating who? and Olivia says she was casually seeing a guy, and Austen ran into them at a bar. He said, funny seeing you here, making out with a random guy in a bar. He’s a baseball player, and Austen said he never took her for a Triple-A type. We flash back to Craig outing Madison about dating a married ballplayer at the Reunion, and Madison says, blame it on her. I would have slugged Austen. No ballgame pun intended.

They discuss Madison’s party, and agree it was fun. Taylor says, after the martinis, sh*t got whirlwind, and Madison says, she knows Taylor is still hurting, but she would have gone in the opposite direction. Taylor says, she was trying to have a conversation with Craig, and it happened so quickly. We flash back to Taylor losing her sh*t, and she says, obviously, she should never retaliate that way. Leva suggests she be the bigger person and apologize, and Taylor says she misses their friendship. Madison says, woman to woman, she’s been in that situation, and those guys are thick as thieves. She knew from the beginning they’d no longer be her friends. They were going to talk sh*t about her and hide what Austen did. She didn’t just mourn the loss of their relationship, but her friendship with Craig as well. We flash back to Taylor telling Criag, we used to be friends, and Madison says, don’t let them make fun of her reactions. The biggest burn is to let them talk about how good she’s doing. She thinks that’s revenge. Leva says, Taylor is better than that. If she needs to be emotional, let them redirect her. Venita says, her emotions are always valid, but pivot in public. In Taylor’s interview, she says, the girls have all experienced heartache and know how to properly handle it. She wants to heed their advice, but she wears her heart on her sleeve. Venita says, she has people to back her up, and Madison says, she’s not alone. Taylor says she appreciates their female defensive, but she was just seeing red in that moment. Madison says, imagine what it would be like if they all jumped in next time. Leva says, Austen should have stepped in, but he just buried his head. We flash back, and yes, he literally did. Madison says she thinks they’ve all learned, Austen doesn’t have anybody’s back. Taylor thinks he’s better at being a friend than being in a relationship, and Madison says she thinks he’s low key in love with Taylor. Olivia says, no, and Taylor says, when Austen and Olivia broke up, it put her in a weird position, since she’d always had a good relationship with him. Olivia says, Taylor was able to translate their language, and she wanted them to maintain their friendship. No part of it bothered her. Taylor says, she just wants to coexist and be happy. They cheers to the guys kissing their ass.

I have to add my two cents. Yeah, you’re probably not going to keep your ex’s friends as your friends. I’ve always said, the worst part of my breakups was never the actual guy. It was breaking up with the friends, the family, the pets, the apartment…

Craig unloads some pillows in a warehouse. In his interview, he says, Sewing Down South has grown. It’s incredible to have gone from selling out of his living room to an ecommerce site – we flash back to him being on a home shopping network – to a flagship store – we see a clip of the opening – to having enough inventory for a warehouse. Move over Martha Stewart. He’s here to stay. Partner Jerry comes in, and talks about their massive Kroger order, and says, their holiday order will be at least 1800. Craig says he has to talk to Paige. They’ve been trying to split their time. In Craig’s interview, he says, with the warehouse, design room, and Kroger deal, his responsibility is increasing. If Paige doesn’t move to Charleston, they could be long distance forever. We flash back to Paige weeping over the thought of leaving her mom, and Craig asks Jerry if he can’t spend the summer in New York with Paige. Jerry says, no. It’s a different ballgame.

Austen meets Rod at a bar, and says, he’s trying to stick to tequila. I seem to be in the minority who doesn’t see the charm of it. Rod says, Australia was wonderful, but he thought Shep wasn’t coming back. In Austen’s interview, he says he’s known Rod for 7 years. Everyone likes him. He’d rather leave the drama and refers to himself as Switzerland. Rod says he has some weird, awkward news. He may or may not have been out with Olivia, and they might have made out a little. He’s definitely interested and figured he’d tell Austen to his face; clear the air. Austen says, uh, uh, uh a bunch of times, and then, I don’t know. He asks if Rod is going to ask her out, and Rod says, yeah, and there are a bunch of back-and-forth yeahs. In Austen’s interview, he says he thinks he blacked out. Austen says he cares about Olivia, but that being said, she’s not his property. He saw her kissing another guy, and she can do what wants. He thinks Rod is a great guy, but he can’t say it doesn’t affect him to hear it. He wonders if they should take a shot, because that cures all ills for this group. In his interview, Austen says, after the breakup, he knew she was going to date, but he doesn’t want to put a face to it. Now he has to put Rod’s stupid faced to this bullsh*t.

Shep delivers some fresh pheasant to Olivia at her parents’ house. She asks why it’s warm, and he says, because it’s fresh killed. She drops the bag like there are hot potatoes in it and points out there are still some feathers attached. I’m thinking that pheasant seems a lot bigger than when I ordered it once in a restaurant, and then I remember it was quail I looked at and thought, please be an appetizer. She asks Shep to change a lightbulb for her, and in Olivia’s interview, she says she’s the groundskeeper while her parents are gone. Her mom said she liked having Shep down the street; Olivia can give him a call in case of an emergency. Shep is the emergency. She tells him about the get together at Venita’s, and he asks, what’s Taylor’s current disposition? Olivia says, Taylor is single, and Shep is like, what are you talking about? She asks what disposition means, and he says, mindset. Good Lord. Doesn’t she read? She says, it hasn’t been that long, and Shep says, JT went after Austen about his relationship with Taylor. He really dug into it. Olivia says she doesn’t get the vibe it’s anything more than that; they have a genuine friendship. Shep says, Taylor stayed overnight at Austen’s, and JT implied something happened. His mind was swimming, and he wondered if they’d started something he doesn’t know about. Olivia says, doesn’t Shep think if something was happening Taylor would tell her? but he says he doesn’t know what to think. Austen was tongue tied. We flash back to that, and Shep says, he usually fights back. So he has big questions about Austen’s trustworthiness. She says, she would expect to know if something happened, and he hopes nothing did. It’s slimy, and they’d both be disappointed if their friends were in that situation. It would be f***ed up. Olivia says, it makes her stomach turn thinking about it. What’s wrong with these people? Shep didn’t want to get serious, and I thought Olivia broke up with Austen. And it seems Charleston only has about 20 people living there.

Charles has a blue/green tail again, and it makes me want to dye my Pekingese Hannah’s tail, but I’m thinking pink. Olivia calls Taylor from the car and asks if she wants to grab coffee. In Olivia’s interview, she says, Shep’s whole demeanor, how bothered he was, is getting to her. She feels herself wondering if something more is going on. Taylor gets to the coffee shop first and calls Craig to apologize and extend an olive branch. He says, it’s all good and not to stress about it. That’s one thing I’ll give Craig; he doesn’t hold a grudge. She thanks him and says she’s doing a Day Chaser launch at Republic. Olivia comes in, and Craig says he appreciates her call. He thinks after seeing each other and talking in person, they’ll feel better. He’d love to come and support her. Taylor says she likes Craig, but then sh*t happens, and she wants to squeeze his head. In Craig’s interview, he says he texted Shep that Olivia was still healing, but wanted to move forward. Olivia says, during guys night, JT raised the question of Taylor and Austen. Shep seemed shook, and when Austen was confronted, he had nothing to say. Taylor says, to be honest… um….

Taylor says, after New York, she and Austen were both not in good places. They created a bond in the midst vulnerability and brokenness.😐They were being pushed together because of their history. She wondered if being together was something they should explore, and Austen didn’t know either. She called her brother for advice, and he said, why jump from the frying pan into the fire? She had to decide if the feeling was genuine or a crutch. She told Austen they’d just been lost in emotion, and he 100% agreed. Olivia stammers and says she didn’t know any of that. Taylor says she gets that Olivia feels blindsided. She’s going through so much already, Taylor didn’t want to spring it on her. Olivia says she doesn’t think they’d be having this conversation if Taylor and Austen wanted to be together. She’d want Taylor to talk to her about it within a 24-hour period. She asks if Austen talked to his family, and Taylor says, he talked to his sister. In a moment of weakness, she needed her crutch. She starts to cry and says, she wasn’t going to God; she was going to somebody else. She doesn’t want Olivia to think she’s betraying her trust. Olivia says, their friendship is most important, not her and Austen. She asks if anything happened to make Austen go from her brother to them talking to their families. Possibly a drunken kiss or a hookup? Taylor swears on her life nothing happened, and Olivia thanks Taylor for letting her in on it, but she doesn’t look happy. They leave, going to their respective cars, and Olivia cries in her car.

What is wrong with these people?  

To be continued…

🛻 Running On Fumes…

Make a return trip tomorrow for soap, discriminating tea, quotes, and music for the end of September. Until then, stay safe, stay determined, but not ruthless, and stay pivoting in public, even though your emotions are always valid.

Sep28

September 27, 2023 – Eddie Makes His Comeback, Goodbye Craig, Pick a Molly Lane, Freak Show Finale & All the Man

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Eddie/Ned thanks Marshall for booking him at The Savoy tonight, but Marshall says, no need to thank him. He just made a suggestion; it was Curtis who got the PR machine rolling, When Curtis throws a party, people want to come. Eddie says he wasn’t sure after that crowd the other night, and Marshall says, he means lack of crowd, and they’re going to try and keep that a thing of the past. Does he have everything he needs? Eddie says he does. He’s just trying to finalize the set list. N’neka calls to Marshall, who goes over to her, and Eddie says, there’s just one problem.

Out in the club, Olivia tells Brook, look at this. The stage all set up for her father to play. Brook says, it’s surreal watching Eddie Maine’s universe take physical form. Olivia says, he’s so excited about this; she’s getting all caught up in it with him. Brook tells her that she says it like it’s a bad thing, but Olivia says, it’s not that. Brook says, Olivia is still hoping he remembers who she is, who they all are, and Olivia says, not who they are, who he is. She knows Brook thinks she’s crazy, hanging all this hope on a half-finished song, but there was something in him when he played it for her, and talking about muses and everything. She just felt it in her heart that there must be something deeper in there; like Ned was underneath wanting to climb out. Like the song was his way back to them. When he was recording it, there was a minute there when she thought he might remember something. Then Marshall offered him this gig and a challenge to finish the song and play it here tonight. She’s just so afraid she’s getting her hopes up for something. Maybe it’s just a beautiful song and doesn’t mean anything at all. Brook says, don’t worry. At least Eddie accepts them all now. He’s getting to know them in a new way. Olivia says, what if he gets to know them and decides he doesn’t feel the same way about them that he used to?

NuMolly (sigh… see below) and TJ come into the club, and Curtis says he’s glad they could make it. TJ says, they’re looking forward to having a good time. They have a lot to celebrate. Curtis agrees and says he’s glad he gets to celebrate with them.

Blaze comes in, and Brook says she’s so glad Blaze could make it. Blaze thanks her for the invite. She’s never heard of Eddie Maine. Brook says, he was a little before their time, and Blaze says, so he’s a comeback? Brook says, oh, he’s come back all right. Eddie Maine’s actually her father. Blaze says, Brook told her that her father’s a musician, but isn’t her last name Quartermaine? and Brook says, yeah. He dropped the Quarter and just stuck with the Maine.

Curtis tells TJ and Molly to get some drinks on him, and they go to the bar. Portia joins him, and says, look how many people are here. Curtis says he just put some feelers out and talked to some old friends he hasn’t seen for a while, and that was it. She says, when he calls, they come, and he says, dad wanted to pack the house for Eddie Maine’s debut. Marshall asked him to pull out all the stops. She says, and viola. She wishes Trina was here to see this.

Josslyn sits on the bed while Trina packs. Trina wonders where her new pumps are; she just had them earlier. Josslyn takes them out from under the suitcase and says, here you go. Trina thanks her, and Josslyn says, she’s got to calm down. Everything’s going to be okay. Trina says, it’s Spencer’s fault she’s late.

Spencer calls to confirm concierge service for his flight to New York. They will be on time… Okay, perfect. He’ll be there soon. Esme comes out with Spencer’s tablet and says, he left it in the kitchen. She thought he might want it for his trip to New York.

Chase goes into the interrogation room and asks Dante, how’s it going in here? Did he get anything out of this guy? Dante says, they shouldn’t be too much longer, and Chase says, right, closing the door. He sees Sam in the squad room, and she asks if Dante is here. Chase says, he’s in the interrogation room with a prisoner, Cody Bell. Is he expecting her? She says, no, but she’ll shoot him a text and let him know she’s here. Chase says, forget that. He’ll announce her. He goes back in, where Dante and Cody are discussing football, and Chase says, Sam’s here to see Dante. How about if he lets her in and they can tell him what’s really going on here?

Gladys packs frantically, tossing some things aside when the suitcase won’t close. There’s a knock at the door, and she says she’s almost ready. She thought they were going to text. The knocking continues, and Gladys opens the door to Sasha. She throws her arms around Sasha and says, thank God, but Sasha’s not looking too happy.

Chase asks if Dante had a desk sergeant notify Gladys Corbin that Cody was in custody, knowing that she’d show up here and he’d be the one to deal with her. Dante says, yes, but it’s only because he knew Chase could handle her. He’s sorry. Chase says he could barely handle her. That woman is crazy. The only reason she got up and left is because she got a phone… a phone call. But they knew all about that, don’t they? Dante says, they have reason to believe that Gladys has been embezzling from Sasha. That call… Sam says, that’s how Gladys found out that she was being investigated.

Gladys says she’s so glad to see Sasha, and Sasha says, really? It sounded like she was expecting someone else. She walks in, looking at the suitcase, and Gladys asks where she’s been. How did she get away from Cody? The police have him in custody, but no one had seen Sasha and he refused to say what happened. She feared for the worst. She was so afraid for Sasha. Sasha says, really? and Gladys says, of course (🍷). Sasha says, then what’s with the suitcase and all the clothes? Was she going somewhere?

Marshall goes back to the green room, and Eddie tells him that he was just saying how much he appreciates the chance to play. Marshall says, doesn’t he know it. As a musician, there’s no substitute for performing. It’s not only a reward; it’s the greatest teacher. It shows you what’s working and what needs help. It gets all the creative juices flowing and it’s a great way to test new material. Speaking of which, he can’t wait to hear Eddie’s new song. He leaves, and Eddie says, about that… He gives the band the set list and says he decided to put that Idle Rich song there instead… Brook walks in, and he thanks the band for coming in for a quick run through. Get themselves a beer and he’ll see them later. The band leaves, and Brook says, sorry. She didn’t mean to drive everyone away. He says, not at all. You know musicians; any excuse to get a beer. She says she just came to tell him that she knows he’s going to do great tonight. She just wishes her mom was here to see it. She knows he doesn’t remember, but growing up, she heard countless stories about Eddie’s performances, listening to CDs, and now here she is, about to hear it live for herself. She can’t wait. He thanks her, and she almost hugs him, but instead says, break a leg, Eddie.

Olivia congratulates Blaze on being Brook’s first client. She’s absolutely thrilled. Brook is going to do a great job for Blaze. There’s nobody more dedicated than Brook when she puts her mind to something. Blaze says, then that will make two of them. She plans to match Brook’s dedication. So tell her about Eddie Maine. He’s Brook’s father? She was a little vague about it. Olivia says, it’s a long story, and Blaze says, that’s what she said. Olivia tells her, let’s just say, it’s been a while since Eddie has performed for people other than busking in Rice Plaza. So they’re all a little bit on edge tonight.

Portia asks, how are the soon-to-be parents? and Molly says, a little on Cloud 9. TJ says, they wanted to tell his mom tonight, but she had to cancel at the last minute. They’ll tell her soon. They want the whole family to be in the loop. Portia says, all they have to do is tell Aunt Stella, and they laugh.

Willow, Kristina, and Michael come in, and Kristina tells Michael, lighten up. Willow is already back at work. He says, that doesn’t mean she has to charge out of the gate like a bull, and Willow says, coming to a club isn’t charging out of the gate. He says, after her first day back at work, he figured she’d want to stay home and relax after all that exposure and stress. She says, coming to the club will help reduce the stress, and it’s actually good for her immune system. Kristina says, and vodka does wonders to keep things sterile (I concur), but Willow says, unfortunately, just sparkling water for her tonight. Kristina says, Michael, on the other hand, if he isn’t careful, he’s going to become a Type-A as controlling as Molly. She looks at Molly and TJ across the room.

Spencer packs his tablet, and Esme comes out, looking at her phone. He says he wants to go over everything with her before he leaves, but she says, he can’t go.

Olivia asks how Eddie is doing, and Brook says, he’s not nearly as nervous as they are. He was just going over the set list with the band. Olivia wonders if he’s finished the song. He’s being so tight lipped about it. Brook says, he didn’t tell her anything, and Olivia says, maybe he wants it to be a surprise. She’s going to thank Marshall and Curtis. It’s really Marshall’s challenge that made this whole thing possible. She leaves, and Blaze says, Olivia told her the whole big story about Eddie; what a history. Brook says, that history has crash landed right into the present day, and Blaze says, it’s so strange. She guesses Brook knew he had that whole double life back in the day, but now after his head injury, he’s really become this guy, Eddie Maine? Brook says, that’s what he believes, and Blaze says, so he’s Brook’s dad, except he believes he’s a completely different person. How does that even work? Brook says, about as well as you could expect. She misses her dad of course (🍷), but she’s really starting to like Eddie; they all are. Everyone except her grandmother.

Marshall tells Curtis, you see all these happy people here? Does he think they’re here for Eddie Maine? No. They’re here for Curtis. Curtis says, they already went over this, but Marshall says, this club is you; you are this club. When Curtis pulled out all those PR stops, he got this crowd here. It’s because of Curtis they’re all here to see Eddie Maine’s big comeback. Curtis says, they’ll talk about it later, but one thing he can say, it feels good to be back in the mix. Marshall says, another good reason to be glad he didn’t sell this club to that woman, but Curtis says he hasn’t really made a decision on Selina’s offer yet. Olivia joins them and says she wanted to thank them for supporting Eddie tonight.

Michael asks, what’s up with Kristina and Molly? and Kristina says, see for yourself, heading over to them. Molly tells TJ, she’s coming over here, and Kristina says, hello, you two. She hears congratulations are in order. They’re going to be parents. Whether they want to believe it or not, she’s very happy for them both… That’s all. She leaves, and Molly and TJ look like a couple of idiots.

Dante tells Chase, while Cody isn’t innocent, he had to break some rules to break out Sasha. He’s not as guilty as the charges would imply. Sam says, it’s just a matter of getting evidenced to prove it, and Chase says he never would have thought Gladys would do something like that to Sasha. He thanks Cody for figuring it out, and Sam says, they’re all grateful for that. Chase says, Sasha’s a friend, so if there’s anything he can do to help take down the doctor, and prove Cody and Sasha’s innocence, just ask. Cody says, his part’s done. Whatever happens next is up to Sasha.

Gladys says she was packing to go search for Sasha, and Sasha says, really? Gladys says she’d go to the ends of the earth for Sasha, and Sasha asks if that’s where she was going. Or where was she planning to look? Gladys says she thought she’d check out where Cody came from originally, the Finger Lakes region, right? Maybe he had an accomplice. Sasha says, Cody didn’t have an accomplice, but Gladys did.

Trina asks Josslyn, what is with Spencer? She couldn’t get rid of him before and now he’s late? Josslyn says, Spencer will be here. He wouldn’t miss this for anything. Isn’t she excited? Trina says, of course (🍷). She’s a little nervous, which is to be expected. Josslyn says, it is, and Trina says she doesn’t want to back out. She and Spencer are ready to move to the next step and she really wants to explore New York with him. Did she tell Josslyn that he got them third row center seats to Moulin Rouge? Josslyn says, once or twice, when Trina’s phone rings. Trina says, finally, and asks where Spencer is. He says he’s still at his grandmother’s, and she asks what he’s doing there? She thought he said they had to… He says, they can’t go, and she says, why not? He says, Ace’s daycare called and one of the kids has chicken pox. He guesses Ace was exposed and now there’s a chance that he has it. He’s really sorry. He can’t leave Ace right now.

Eddie writes down some lyrics, picks up his guitar, and sings about the siren of the sea. Olivia comes in and says she hopes she’s not intruding. He tells her, no. Come on in. He’s just doing a sound check. She says she’s sorry; she didn’t want to crowd him. She knows there’s a technical side where he has to work out the kinks. He says, truth. Plus, he’d rather she be there for the full effect on stage in front of the audience. She says she can’t wait. He really isn’t nervous at all, is he? He says, a little bit, but that’s only natural. This is in his blood. It’s what he lives for. She says, it really is, isn’t it? She just came to wish him good luck. She brought him a gift. She holds up a bandana, and he says, dinosaurs. She says, Leo wanted him to have it. He said, tell Eddie to rock the house. Eddie moves closer, taking the bandana, and it looks like they’re about to kiss, but it turns into a hug. He says, it’s such a nice gift, and thanks her for coming back to give it to him. She pushes him back, and he says, what’s wrong? She says she just wanted to wish him good luck, or break a leg, or whatever it is they say. He says, with Leo’s bandana and her great mojo, he’s bound to be a hit. She says she knows he will be, and awkwardly walks backward to the door. She says she can’t wait to hear that song. She hopes he finishes it, and they find out who that siren of the sea really is. She leaves, and he looks at the bandana.

On the phone, Dante says he needs a records check on a Dr. Damon Montague… Priors, prescription history, all that kind of stuff… That’s right. That’s the name. Scotty comes in and tells him, hang up. Dante says, thank you. That’d be great. As soon as they can. He asks what he can do for Scotty, and Scotty says he’s here to see his client, Cody Bell.

Cody asks how Sasha’s doing, and Sam says, she was strong. She was ready to face Gladys. He says he should have never left her alone, but Sam says, she was determined to see this through. She wanted to go with Sasha, but Sasha refused. If she didn’t think Sasha was strong enough to handle this by herself, she would have insisted on going with her. He says he can’t help it. Gladys is dangerous. She’s been able to manipulate Sasha in the past. What if she does it again?

Gladys asks what Sasha is talking about; what accomplice? Sasha says, Dr. Montague, and Gladys says, she must be confused. The court appointed the doctor. It’s perfectly understandable after everything Sasha’s been through. She gets it. Why doesn’t Sasha sit down and she’ll make some tea? Sasha says she doesn’t want tea, and she’s not confused anymore. She knows exactly what Gladys did. Gladys says, all she’s ever done is… Sasha says, steal from her. Gladys used her position as Sasha’s guardian to drain her bank accounts. Gladys sold Brando’s garage behind her back. Her own son’s blood and sweat, and she treated it like it was nothing. Gladys says she told Sasha… and Sasha says, you stop talking right now. She knows everything. Everything that’s happened to her is because Gladys was worried she’d lose her meal ticket. So when she wanted to end the guardianship, when she wanted to get control of her life, Gladys panicked. She might discover everything Gladys stole from her, so she got Dr. Montague to help her cover it up. That’s why he prescribed her those pills; pills that interfered with the medication she was already taking. She started hallucinating. She was paranoid and scared. Gladys drove her to insanity and made her life a nightmare. And you know what the worst part is? She cries and says she actually thought Gladys loved her. How could Gladys do something like this? How could Gladys betray her at her lowest point when she trusted Gladys with her entire life?

Chase hugs Brook and Blaze, and says, it’s great to see Blaze. She says, he’s going to be seeing a lot more of her, and Brook says, Blaze just signed with her. Blaze is her kick-off artist. He says, congratulations to both of them. He can see this. It’s a great partnership in the making. Olivia runs over and says she’s got to borrow her stepdaughter for a minute. They leave, and Brook asks Olivia, what’s wrong? Something wrong with Eddie? Olivia says, Eddie’s fine. She just made a complete fool of herself. Brook asks, what happened? and Olivia says she went into the green room and gave Eddie the bandana Leo wanted him to have. He was saying thank you to her and pulled her in close. She thought he was trying to kiss her, but he just wanted to give her a hug. Then she started babbling about break a leg and made a complete idiot of herself. Brook says, just calm down. What’s the problem? Olivia says, she wanted to kiss Eddie Maine. She feels so guilty. It’s like she almost cheated on her husband. Brook says, she means with her husband? but Olivia says she doesn’t know what she means anymore. She puts her palms together in prayer and looks up.

Willow says, Michael can stop checking on her; she’s fine. Better than fine. He says he just can’t take his eyes off her. She’s too beautiful. He tells her, look over there, and she says, oh my God. It’s Tracy.

N’neka asks what she can get Tracy, and Tracy says, scotch, rocks, make it a double please.

Blaze nearly runs into Kristina, who says, they meet again. Blaze says she’s here with Brook. Brook’s her new manager. Kristina says, that’s fantastic. Congratulations. So that’s what they were so hush-hush about at Charlie’s. Blaze says, Kristina cracked the case. What about her? Does she have a boyfriend? Kristina says, God no. She’s here with her brother and his wife. They have two kids, so they don’t get a lot of alone time. She’s just giving them their space. Blaze says, Brook’s boyfriend just got here, so she’s sort of a third wheel with them too, and Kristina says, sounds like they should stick together.

Marshall takes the mic and asks for everyone’s attention. There’s a bunch of cheering and he thanks them all for coming. He says, they have a lot to celebrate tonight, but first, he wants to send a shout out to his son Curtis. Curtis Ashford, in the house. Everyone whoops and applauds, and Marshall says he knows they all miss seeing Curtis around here, and many of them have come at his specific invitation. Not only did he invite them to the greatest party this side of Port Charles – that’s every night except Tuesdays, private parties, see N’neka. That’s a commercial, but seriously, tonight The Savoy is so pleased to bring them a very special performer. And rumor has it he might even debut a new song. So without further ado, de-bop-shu-bop-shebang (or something like that), let’s give it up for Eddie Maine. There’s applause and cheering, and Eddie says, hello, Port Charles. He missed them. Are they ready for Eddie? Let’s do it. There’s more cheering and he begins to play.

Trina tells Josslyn, obviously, Spencer needs to stay. If Ace comes down with chicken pox, he could never forgive himself for leaving. Josslyn says, it’s totally understandable, and Trina says, besides, she has plenty to do this weekend. She should really do another draft of her essay for her arts seminar and she knows Ava could always use extra hands around the gallery. Josslyn says, Trina knows she doesn’t always have to make the best of everything, right? Yeah, it’s a weekend canceled; it’s not a tragedy. But it’s for sure a letdown and it’s okay to be disappointed. Trina says, even pissed off, and Josslyn says, even throw things. Trina says, like this, tossing a pillow at Josslyn, and Josslyn says, that’s not exactly what she had in mind. Then again, Trina was always more levelheaded. Trina says she was just really looking forward to it though, and Josslyn hugs her, saying, she’s sorry.

Spencer asks if there’s any sign of a fever, but Esme says, he actually seems fine. He’s sound asleep. He says he’s going to take his stuff upstairs and thinks one of them should stay with Ace just in case. They can alternate shifts. Her phone dings, and she says, wait. She just got another text from the daycare.

Dante asks if Cody called Scotty to come down and represent him, but Scotty says he always represents Cody. He got a tip they hauled Cody in and he didn’t get a call from him, so he figured they didn’t give Cody his call, which as Dante knows, due process. Dante says, there’s a lot of phones here. Cody could have used any one of them to call Scotty. Scotty says, yeah, but if Dante denied him the right to counsel, that’s grounds for a heavy lawsuit there. Dante says, almost hefty even. Why doesn’t Scotty come into the interrogation room and talk to his client? Dante tells Cody, his lawyer’s here, and Scotty says, why didn’t Dante tell him that Cody was here?

Gladys says, Sasha’s got it all wrong. Cody filled her head with lies. He twisted everything around. That is not… Sasha asks, how many times did Gladys remind her to take those pills Dr. Montague gave her? And when she started spiraling, did Gladys even think twice? Did she have a moment of remorse? Or was she just so worried that she would find out what Gladys stole, that her falling apart was a relief? Gladys says she was never relieved, and Sasha asks if Gladys has any idea what she put her through. When she was at Ferncliff, Dr. Montague injected her with drugs. He kept her delirious and barely conscious. She couldn’t fight him. When she and Cody escaped, they found an unmarked bottle of pills in Montague’s jacket pocket. She thinks he was going to stage an OD. He was going to make it seem like she’d bought drugs and took too many. Did Gladys know that? Did she know Montague was going to kill her? Was it part of her plans? Gladys says, never. She never wanted him to hurt Sasha. She did everything she could to stop him.

Eddie finishes playing and there’s much applause. Michael says, it’s nice for Tracy to show up for her son’s debut. So what did she think? Tracy says she thinks Michael should mind his own business and go back to his wife, but he says, don’t be that way. It’s a nice night. The family’s here to support Eddie. The least she could do is get in the spirit of things. She says she’s here, isn’t she? And speaking of spirit, why doesn’t he make himself useful and get her another drink; scotch/rocks. He takes her glass and says, with pleasure.

Eddie says he’s sure everyone will recognize this next one because it was originally recorded by the King, Mr. Elvis Presley. We don’t see the song because, commercial. Eddie says, this next one is for someone very special, someone who has helped him find his way back to the stage. She certainly has his back, and she’s the best friend any guy could ask for – Olivia Quartermaine. Marshall says, play the new song, and Eddie says, Marshall’s right. He’s working on a new song, but he hasn’t finished it yet. He doesn’t think everyone wants to hear a tune that’s half-baked, so instead, he’s going to play an Idle Rich classic from his old Eddie Maine days. Are they ready? The audience cheers and Tracy is almost smiling. Eddie plays I’m All the Man You’ll Ever Need. He’s actually pretty good. The crowd responds enthusiastically and Tracy smiles.

There’s a knock at the dorm room door, and Trina wonders if Josslyn forgot her key again. She opens the door and it’s Spencer. He tells her that he booked them on another flight; their car’s waiting. It was a false alarm. The daycare texted again and said it was just poison oak. Ace was never exposed to chicken pox at all. She says, really? and he picks her up, spinning her around.

Scotty tells Cody that he has the perfect defense. Sasha has a history of violence. She attacked the reporter; she stabbed Cody. They’ll just say she kidnapped him. Cody says, no and no. He appreciates what Scotty is trying to do. He wasn’t kidnapped. He broke out of Ferncliff and he took Sasha with him. Scotty says, quiet. There’s a copper here. (Ha-ha! I love how Scotty talks like he’s in a detective movie from the 1940s.) Dante says he didn’t hear anything. Did Sam hear anything? She says, not a thing, and Dante says, they’ll leave the two of them alone. They can talk about anything they want. Cody says, that’s not really necessary, but Dante says he has to. If he doesn’t give Cody the benefit of counsel, it could result in a real hefty lawsuit. Dante and Sam leave, as Cody wails for them to come back. He says, hi, Scotty.

In the squad room, Dante says, the amount of times Cody’s pissed him off, he’s never once wished Scotty on him, but Sam says she thinks he can handle Scotty. She’s more worried about Sasha being able to handle Gladys.

Gladys says she swears she didn’t know what Montague was doing to Sasha. She never would have gone along with it. Sasha’s voice gets louder as she  talks. She asks how she can believe anything Gladys says. Gladys stole from her. Gladys lied to her; undermined Sasha’s belief in her own recovery and her sanity. Gladys claimed she loved her. She drove Sasha and Brando home from the hospital the day Liam died. Gladys is supposed to be her family. Gladys says she didn’t mean for any of this… Okay, she had a problem, a losing streak. She got in over her head. She was going to pay all the money back, but she kept losing, and she didn’t want Sasha to find out she was borrowing from her. She didn’t want Sasha to hate her. She just needed the guardianship to go on for a little bit longer. It was that Montague. He’s the one who gave Sasha those pills. And he never told Gladys what they would do to her… and she never asked. She cries and says she didn’t mean for any of this to happen. She’s so, so sorry. She’s so sorry. Sasha says, then prove it. Confess. Go to the police station and tell them everything that she did, and testify against Dr. Montague so he can never do to anyone else what he did to her. Gladys looks stricken.

Text next to a photo says: In Loving Memory Craig Sjodin 1955-1923 (See below.)

Tomorrow, Cyrus says he hopes someone’s come to give him good news; Jordan tells the warden that she wants an investigation into who was on duty during the attack; Carly wonders if there will be complications at this stage; and Cody attacks Montague.

📸 Who Craig Is…

Wow. It sucks that he just retired.

https://www.soapoperanews.net/2023/09/craig-sjodin-dies-at-67.html

🎢 Revolving Mollys…

Why do they continue to play with my head with this Molly business? No explanation either.

https://www.soapoperanews.net/2023/09/kristen-vaganos-is-new-molly-on-general.html

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Real Housewives of Orange County

Just to clarify, I do make fun of Heather, calling her Fancy Pants, and I think her delivery sucks, but I don’t think she’s malicious. Tamra on the other hand…

Shannon goes to a chiropractor, and in her interview, she says, it wouldn’t be a trip to Mexico without an injury. Emily meets her there and in Emily’s interview, she says, the trip to Mexico was physically exhausting, especially diving 30 feet. She’s happy to get some relief. Emily tells Shannon that she talked to Gina, who was really hurt, and we flash back to Gina saying Heather Fancy Pants was talking behind her back. Emily says, Gina feels she puts in effort, but gets pushed away. Gina goes shopping with Tamra and Jenn for Halloween party costumes. In Gina’s interview, she says, Halloween is her favorite holiday ever. She’s having a party and was inspired by the Cirque du Soliel performance. Her bunch of friends are clowns, so she figured total freak show would be apropos.

Heather’s dogs! In Fancy Pants’ interview, she says, thank goodness Josh and Heather Altman found them a rental. They’re pretty dug into the OC. She complains to Terry about getting dogged in Mexico, and we see the screen split a million ways, each frame showing one of the women yapping at Fancy Pants. Except for the one in the middle of a dog humping a pillow. One of these things is not like the others. Tamra swears she would never call Gina a loser, and in her interview, Gina says, Tamra doesn’t lie. She saves information and reveals it at the least opportune moment for you. Fancy Pants tells Terry that they’re all scared of Tamra, and he says, now the head cheerleader came back. Emily tells Shannon that she thinks Fancy Pants is kind and generous, but she saw another side during the trip. In Emily’s interview, she says, Tamra admits what she says and apologizes. She thinks Fancy Pants would rather shovel sh*t than apologize for anything. Shannon says, Emily needs to have a long, in-depth conversation with Fancy Pants. In Shannon’s interview, she says she’d like to see Fancy Pants accept responsibility. Jenn says she feels like Fancy Pants is protecting her image, and Tamra says, instead of accusing her of saying things about everyone, why wouldn’t Fancy Pants say something to her? In Tamra’s interview, she says, Fancy Pants turned this around and wants to destroy people, and Fancy Pants isn’t destroying her. Fancy Pants gets a text from Gina saying she’d like to sit down and talk about what happened. In Fancy Pants’ interview, she says she values Gina’s friendship, but if Gina can’t see where she’s coming from, it’s bullsh*t. In Gina’s interview, she says she’s been a good friend, but if Fancy Pants won’t admit the things she’s said, take responsibility, and apologize, there’s no moving forward.

In Tamra’s interview, she says, Amare magazine reached out to her, and asked if she’d like to be on the cover featuring the Women of the Year. She and Eddie started a company called Vena CBD, and it’s turned into a multimillion dollar business. Of course it did. Because the wrong people always get the money. She says she’s tooting her own horn, and I wonder, when does she not? Having access to so much CBD, you’d think she’d be calmer or at least not screech all the time. She says, her dad ran his own business, and she always wanted to own her own business. She gets all teary and says, but she didn’t go to college, since she was raising kids. She thought the money would just pour in and she’d be successful, but it doesn’t work like that. Wow. It took her this long to figure that out? You’d think that’s one thing she would have learned by not going to college. She says she feels lucky, and photos are taken of the group of chosen women, all wearing white. In her interview, Tamra says, in the next two years, they intend to sell Vena CBD, and come up with another business. With all the lack of sex she has, she was thinking sex toys. Cannabis and sex toys. Is there anything better than that? I could probably think of some things, but it’s not worth the effort considering who’s asking the question.

Jenn makes a spaghetti casserole, and in her interview, she says she has three dishes: taco salad, spaghetti, and chili. Otherwise, it’s Door Dash. She tells Ryan about all the fun stuff they did in Mexico, and then adds the lunch from hell. She says she needs to know for a fact that nothing else happened. In Jenn’s interview, she says she felt like Tamra was sitting on information she didn’t know about. We flash back to Tamra telling Jenn that she knows things, but she’s not saying anything. If there was something else, there’s no staying together. Ryan says, it was one night, a year and a half ago, and he was doing what single guys do. They haven’t spoken a word in a year. They were talking about moving to the next step, and Jenn hitches her wagon to Tamra, who pulls her in reverse. They’re forging a path, merging their kids, and talking about marriage. In her interview, Jenn says, her fear is that Ryan wakes up one day, realizes this isn’t what he wants, and all those things come to fruition. She knows he loves her, but just hopes he can hold up his end. Jenn tells Ryan that she has an appointment with an attorney. She just has to bring in the retainer and they’ll be good to go. He says he can give her the money, but she says, no, and in her interview, she says, it never crossed mind to understand finances. There’s power in being able take care of yourself, and she has to figure this out on her own. She lists all of her faults, and asks if he’s crazy. He says, crazy for her. Just her. Aww. I guess we’ll see.

John and Shannon go out to eat, and John asks about her meeting with Fancy Pants. Shannon says, Fancy Pants always has an explanation, and we flash back to Fancy Pants saying, the only things she said about John and Shannon’s relationship were things already known by the group. Shannon says, there’s no hope for repairing the friendship if Fancy Pants continues to blame others for her wrongdoing. Tamra told her that Fancy Pants claimed she wasn’t all-in, when she’s told them that she and John are happy where they are right now. The waiter brings Shannon’s watermelon salad and my God does she take a big bite. She tries to get John to take a bite, but he doesn’t want it. She stops short of asking him to do it for her. She says, when she was in Mexico, she was stressed about the kids applying to college. She’s going to lose it when they go. In Shannon’s interview, she says, all the kids will be away and she doesn’t want to live alone. John says, they’ll be visiting, and he thinks it will be an exciting new time for them; just them spending time together and relaxing. It’s overdue. In her interview, Shannon says she and John have a history of bickering and arguing. It’s given her pause, and she wants to make sure they can fix that before going forward. John says, they’ll get through this trial together, and she says, loses kids, gets John. Yep, he’s a real prize.

Shannon arrives at Tamra’s house, and in her interview, Shannon says she never thought she’d be dealing with people’s sh*t, but she needs to develop products to earn money for her kids’ college. Jenn is going to be patient one for the Sitolonic, an at home colonic. When Jenn gets there, they discuss pooping, and Tamra says she goes seven times a day. In Jenn’s interview, she says – let’s say it all together – she knew Tamra was full of sh*t. They move on to talking about Fancy Pants, and Jenn says, the bus ride back was weird. Fancy Pants kept grabbing her feet; she was obsessed with them. In her interview, Fancy Pants says, Jenn’s feet are like model feet, and in Emily’s interview, she says, maybe Fancy Pants has a fetish. She didn’t think Fancy Pants knew who Jenn was. Jenn says she and Taylor were in their room, when Fancy Pants wanted to hang with them. She went to her room to get her soup and said she was coming back, but never did. Shannon sets up the colonic, and it looks like a real project. Tamra announces, it was a win, and I just think, ugh. Why?

Gina and Fancy Pants meet for coffee, and Gina orders champagne for Fancy Pants before she gets there, which is actually pretty nice. Fancy Pants arrives, and Gina says, it’s obvious she’s upset; Gina is too. Fancy Pants says, Gina’s the one who called, so why is she upset? Gina says she values their friendship and feels like she’s been there for Fancy Pants, but Fancy Pants says, it’s hard to believe, since Gina is so quick to believe Tamra. Gina says, Fancy Pants can understand why she’d want the loser thing explained, and Fancy Pants pulls out her phone, putting on a recording of Tamra and Teddi’s podcast, where it seems Tamra is the one who used the L-word. In Gina’s interview, she says, if Fancy Pants is her friend, she should tell her these things. It was probably a joke, but once again, she and Emily are collateral damage in their bullsh*t. Gina says she cares about Fancy Pants, and Fancy Pants says, only reason she’s sitting here is because she cares about Gina. She probably wouldn’t have come if it had been anyone else. She was attacked for things she didn’t do, and thinks Emily is going to the Tamra School of Friendship. We flash back to Emily picking on Fancy Pants, and she says, everyone is scared of Tamra. She’s nasty and takes no accountability. In Fancy Pants’ interview, she says, Tamra is the root cause. Issue number one. We flash back to Tamra initiating the discussion about Fancy Pants’ IMDb. She says, issue number two, and we flash back to Tamra asking if Fancy Pants talked about Shannon and John’s relationship when they were at lunch with the group. She says, issue number three, and we flash back to Tamra screeching that Fancy Pants said they were losers. Fancy Pants says, Tamra has systematically taken her relationships and totally trashed them. Gina asks if Fancy Pants is coming to her party, but Fancy Pants says she doesn’t know. Gina says, she has to put Tamra in her place.

The party looks freaking impressive, pun intended. There are fire eaters, a guy on stilts, unicycles, a whole photo setup, and all kinds of circus accoutrements. Gina is a ringmaster, with Travis in a lion costume as her Mane Man. Emily is the Queen of Pop(corn) and Shane wears a shirt with a stick of butter one it. Taylor is cotton candy with husband John as a ringmaster. Eddie and Tamra are both evil clowns, and in Gina’s interview, she says, It’s an appropriate look for Tamra; like a Chucky doll. Jen is a cowardly lion to Ryan’s lion tamer with no shirt. Shannon is a fortune teller, and John is John in a Suit, although he has money coming out of his pockets and a top hat, so I guess he’s millionaire John in a suit. He and Shannon argue about him wearing the hat, and it’s like the watermelon salad all over again. In Emily’s interview, she says, Shannon’s costume looks like something she’d wear daily. Matt and girlfriend Britt arrive, and in Gina’s interview, she says, they’ve worked through their sh*t from the past, and they’ve never been better. We flash back to some low points, and Gina says, it’s a lot of weight off her shoulders. She tells Emily that she and Fancy Pants should talk it out. She feels like Emily’s been more aggressive than normal. Emily says, Fancy Pants called them losers, but Gina says, Fancy Pants shared a recording, and it was a comment Tamra made on her podcast. Emily says, Tamra’s been saying sh*t about her for years, and when confronted, she’s said she’s sorry. In Emily’s interview, she says she doesn’t understand. If Gina is making excuses for Fancy Pants, that’s their relationship. She won’t do it. Tamra says she’s not talking to Fancy Pants, and Gina says she thinks Fancy Pants is just being hypersensitive. Tamra says, Fancy Pants wants to blame everyone else. She gets information, she twists it – Tamra twirls around like the idiot she is – and presents it. In Tamra’s interview, she says, Gina is Heather-merized. She knows how Fancy Pants works. Fancy Pants and Terry arrive, dressed respectively as an acrobat with a hoop and event staff security.  

Terry asks where they’re starting, and Fancy Pants says, at the bar, as we all would. In her interview, she says she wanted to be a dolphin trainer, but there are no dolphins at the circus, so she’s an aerial act. In Emily’s interview, she says, Fancy Pants is a step up from a whale trainer. She’s an intergalactic fantasy nighttime whale trainer. In Tamra’s interview, she says, Fancy Pants is an ice queen, like her heart. Jen publicly pulls out a wedgy as I would do, and in Shannon’s interview, she says, it’s foggy looking at Fancy Pants’ future, since she doesn’t know if she has a future with her. Shannon and Tamra get all mushy with each other, and Shannon says she met with Fancy Pants.   She tells Tamra that Fancy Pants said, the head cheerleader was back (although it’s really Terry who said that), and Tamra says, Fancy Pants is intimidated. She proved that when they talked about their highs and lows in Montana. We flash back to Fancy Pants saying, being left out made her sad. In her interview, Shannon says, it’s not a competition. Maybe Fancy Pants thinks it is. She tells Tamra that she’s not letting Fancy Pants get in the middle of their friendship and they hug. In Tamra’s interview, she says, when she thought Shannon ghosted her, she was devastated. Fancy Pants won’t get in middle of them. John complains about having to carry his hat, and Taylor whines about Heather leaving her and Jenn. Fancy Pants just used them when she had nobody else. She babbles about her wealthy friends being down to earth, and in Gina’s interview, she says, Taylor is code red wasted, and talking endless loops of nonsense non-stop. She doesn’t know WTF Taylor is talking about any more. Gina tells Taylor, if she comes at Fancy Pants with anger, she might not get the result she wants. In Jenn’s interview, she says, Taylor is spinning in circles, eyes popping out. They’re at opposite ends of how they want to handle Fancy Pants. She feels like she’s dismissed with Fancy Pants, but perhaps that falls on her and she wants to tell Fancy Pants how she feels. Taylor and Jenn approach Fancy Pants, and Taylor says, they wanted to go dancing, but stayed behind to be supportive of Fancy Pants. Then she went to get chicken soup and never came back. Taylor’s stepdaughter lives in Tulum and was waiting for them. Fancy Pants says she slurped her soup, sat down for one second, and fell out. Taylor says, why not text them? and Fancy Pants says, why didn’t they knock on her door? She fell asleep. This really insults Taylor, who says, when Fancy Pants laid down, she should have thought to text. My mind wanders and I wonder what this party cost.

In Fancy Pants interview, she does a spot on impression of Taylor prattling on. We didn’t go dancing because you went to get your soup and didn’t come back… And? Fancy Pants tells Jenn that she thinks Jenn is a great member of their friend group. She’s glad Tamra brought her in, but she doesn’t understand how Jenn puts up with Tamra’s bullsh*t. Jen says she’s trying to figure things out in the group, and Fancy Pants says she’s enjoyed what little time they’ve spent together. Jenn says, same here, and Tamra talks smack about Fancy Pants, watching her from across the room. Fancy Pants apologizes to Jenn for falling asleep, and Jenn says, that’s all she wanted here. In Jenn’s interview, she says, if she walked in and all she heard about the new person was their boyfriend’s past, she wouldn’t have any interest either. She can’t wait to get to know Fancy Pants outside of the boyfriend drama. Taylor says, her friends who are billionaires are not pretentious. Emily says, Fancy Pants called them losers, and Fancy Pants tries once again to tell her that she was talking about Noella. She says, when they were in Montana, Tamra maligned Emily’s career, saying she’s not a lawyer. We flash back to Tamra saying, Emily told her that she’s a party planner. She’s clearly not done a trial in a year. Tamra looks over, and Taylor says, Fancy Pants thinks she’s better than them. Emily says, her intent isn’t to hurt Fancy Pants’ feelings. She knows she has rough edges. She and her sister threw digs at each other their entire life. It’s how they got through growing up, but it hurt to be called a loser. In Emily’s interview, she says she has an amazing life, but deep inside she carries hurt with her, and when she feels someone is attacking her or integrity, it’s like a physical reaction. She can’t control it. Fancy Pants says she loves Emily and her family. She felt like she was left high and dry, but she wants to move past it. If she gets offended, she’ll tell Emily. Gina comes over, carrying her whip, and asks if she’s going to need it. Across the room, Tamra says she’s boiling, and in her interview, she says, Fancy Pants is rallying the troops. She’s taking each girl and talking sh*t about Tamra. Fancy Pants got caught in her own sh*t, and is trying to turn everyone against her. She seems all nice, but behind the scenes, Fancy Pants is the worst villain of them all. She wanders over, and Fancy Pants goes to the bar. Emily says, Fancy Pants told her that Tamra said she’s not really an attorney, but a party planner. Tamra insists she didn’t say that, and hunts Fancy Pants down. She asks if Fancy Pants is kidding her, but Fancy Pants says she doesn’t want to do this. Tamra has her own version of the truth. Gina tells Emily, poor Terry, and Fancy Pants says she doesn’t like Tamra’s nonsense and spinning things. Tamra keeps repeating, what am I spinning? getting in Fancy Pants’ face. Terry asks Gina and Emily to go help his wife, but Gina says she thinks his wife is very capable of handling herself. Fancy Pants says she played Tamra’s podcast for Gina, where Tamra said they were losers. Tamra says she was mocking Fancy Pants, and Fancy Pants says, Tamra is laboring under the misconception she gives a sh*t. Tamra says she doesn’t give a sh*t either, and Fancy Pants suggest they wrap this up then. As she walks away, Tamra says, goodbye, bitch, kind of like, you can’t fire me, I quit.

Gina says she can’t take this sh*t, and Tamra says, Fancy Pants is a liar. Emily asks Tamra about the podcast, and we hear it again. Gina says she wants a group pic, even if it’s an uncomfortable, really awkward family photo. What family isn’t f***ed up? In Gina’s interview, she says, it’s like when you force kids to take a family photo and it’s been the worst day. Just smile and take the picture. I want the f***ing memory. They take the photo, and Shannon tells Gina that she did a phenomenal job.

In Jen’s interview, she says she’s lived her life pleasing other people. Being in this group makes her want to be more powerful and have more of a voice. Ryan says he loves her, and in the text – because it’s the finale, thank God – it says, Jenn has paid the attorney, and is now taking the biggest gamble, moving in with Ryan.

In Shannon’s interview, she says, when she met John, he said he was her future, but she still doesn’t know. They have some hurdles to jump, but she thinks they’re small. The text says, shortly after filming, Shannon and John broke up… or did they? Shannon denies the rumors.

In Gina’s interview, she says she feels like she’s made progress in her personal life. She tells Travis that she wants to get married like this, and he asks if he has to wear a lion costume. I literally lol. She tells him, it’s the best party ever, and the text says, Gina and Travis are both real estate agents and have added to the family – a dog named Meatball.

Emily thanks Shane for being a good husband, which he corrects to great. He says, it’s hard to take her seriously when she’s dressed like popcorn, and in her interview, she says she wants to be a better person, mom, wife, and friend. Her take away from Fancy Pants and Shannon is that she’s learned about herself. Growth is always good. The text tells us that Annabelle’s modeling career took off. Emily wants Annabelle to be a star so she can retire. She went to Fancy Pants’ birthday party, and there was no sand in the salad.

In her interview, Fancy Pants says, not only does she need to figure out who wants to be friends with her; she needs to figure out who she wants to be friends with. She doesn’t understand Tamra. If she’s looking to be top dog, it’s hers. The text says, she and Terry are looking for their next dream house, assisted by Nicky who’s being mentored by Josh Altman. The HD Network is also growing.

In Tamra’s interview, she says, she thinks Fancy Pants knows she’s not buying into her bullsh*t. The truth always comes out. The text says, Tamra has become closer to John and Shannon. She’s getting her ducks in a row, and Fancy Pants can f*** one.

As the party ends, Gina says, welcome to the freak show… sh*tshow really.

Next week, the Reunion, which looks like the SOS. Gina says she doesn’t know if she can continue to do this. Run. Before it swallows you like it’s doing to Emily.

🥾 Hitting the Trail…

Join me tomorrow for soap and some not always charming Charm. Until then stay safe, stay never correcting someone’s grammar in public, and stay remembering that the truth always comes out.

Sep27

September 26, 2023 – Dead But Not Forgotten In Port Charles, Not Michael, Girl Power, Strike Deal, Salty Talk, New York Hour, Daryl This Week, Bowl Announcement & Crazy

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth calls for an update on Drew and tells Carly, the doctor is here. He’s the best, and they’re going to start operating right away. Finn asks Jake if he’s okay and suggests Jake come with him.

Charlotte says she loves their new place, and Valentin says he’s glad. She says she could tell Nina knew about it already, and he says he told Nina this morning, so she could keep Charlotte distracted while he made it perfect. Charlotte says, she didn’t know until this morning? She thought Nina helped him decorate, but he says, no, it was somebody else. She says she knows it wasn’t Anna and laughs.

Dante looks on a tablet at the message left for Anna on the mirror, and Chase asks if he thinks it’s the same person who burned down Anna’s house. Dante says he doesn’t know. They broke into the suite, left a message on the mirror, and put ink on Anna’s clothes. It doesn’t seem like the same thing. Chase says, but the missing footage at the MetroCourt implies a sophisticated perp, when Cody walks into the station, saying, here he is. He surrenders.

Sam finds Sasha outside the cabin and asks if she’s getting some fresh air. Sasha says, the leaves are starting to turn; it’s beautiful. Sam agrees, and Sasha says she’s always loved being outdoors. Cody does too. Sam says, it’s pretty hard to ride horses inside, and Sasha asks, what if this doesn’t work? Cody might never be free again.

Sonny walks into the chapel and sees Anna. She says, they run into each other in the strangest places, and he says, that’s true. She says, maybe they both need to be here right now, and he asks if she remembers asking him if he thought it was worth it, the life he chose. She says, yeah, and he says he’s beginning to wonder. She says, he’s having doubts, huh? When she asked him before, he said he didn’t have any regrets. He says, before he came in here, he was leaving the hospital and he saw Curtis. Curtis is in a wheelchair because of him. Anna tears up and says she’s struggling with that too, but she doesn’t think Sonny can blame himself. He says, she even told him that she thought the bullet was meant for him, and now an innocent man is in a wheelchair and Drew is upstairs fighting for his life because of him.

Carly tells Elizabeth that the doctor explained to her what the surgery was about, but she still didn’t get it. Can Elizabeth go over it with her more? Elizabeth says, the piece of Drew’s rib that broke is lodged near a main artery and needs to come out as soon as possible. Carly says, or it will kill him, right? She wonders where the hell Austin is, when Ava comes out of the elevator. Ava asks Nina if she knows why Carly wanted her here, and Nina says, Drew was beaten up in Pentenville and he’s having emergency surgery to save his life. Did Ava tell Carly that she’s the one who put him there?

Sam tells Sasha to keep the faith. Dante’s not going to let anything happen to Cody. Sasha says, but it’s not entirely up to Dante, is it? and Sam says, not entirely, but… Sasha says, Cody is an escaped mental patient. He’s wanted for kidnapping her and assaulting Dr. Montague; even though Montague was drugging her and trying to kill her. Sam says, they’re going to prove that, and Sasha asks, how? Sam says, they have the evidence of the drugs from Montague’s own pocket, and they’ll prove he was conspiring with someone else. Sasha says, her own mother-in-law, and Sam says she’s so sorry, but Gladys will pay. The first step is establishing a legal record. Sasha says, and that’s why Cody had to turn himself in, and Sam says, exactly.

Chase asks, where the hell is Sasha? and Cody says he’s here to turn himself in. Chase says he asked where she is, dammit. He swears, if Cody hurt her… Cody asks if Chase really thinks he would, and Chase says, then tell him where she is. Cody says, all he’s telling Chase right now is that he’s here to give himself up, and Dante says, Chase heard what Mr. Bell said. Chase asks if somebody wants to tell him what’s going on, and Dante says he thinks Chase should book the suspect. Chase says he will. They’re going to do this completely legal, then Cody is going to go back to answering questions. Cody says, and he’ll get the same answer. He’s here to turn himself in. Chase cuffs Cody, and says, he has the right to remain silent. Cody says he loves that part, and Chase finishes giving him his rights. He asks if Cody understands them, and Cody says, sure do. He exchanges a look with Dante.

Valentin wonders why Charlotte would say she knows Anna didn’t help decorate, and Charlotte says, it’s not her style. It’s beautiful. Did he do it himself? He says, no. His decorator Jen helped him. Charlotte says, she did an amazing job. It’s more comfortable than Windymere ever was. He says he’s glad she likes it so much, and she says, when her friends came to Windymere, she could tell they thought it was creepy. He says, they can come here now. She can bring her friend Jake. She says, Jake? and he says, she told him that she was with Jake last night before she came to the MetroCourt. She says she was. She showed him all the pictures of them together. He says, it looked like she was having a good time. Is he a nice kid? She wonders if she can see her new room, and he asks if she wants him to go with her, but she says, no. She wants to see it for the first time by herself if that’s okay. He says, it’s down the hall, second door to the left, and she runs off. He flashes back to telling Nina that he doesn’t want Charlotte near Anna. He doesn’t want her out of his sight.

Anna says, Drew was beaten that badly? and Sonny says, Carly told him that Drew hasn’t regained consciousness since the fight. She says, that’s not good (like he doesn’t know that). It’s Pentenville. Prisoners are going to start fights for a myriad of reasons. He says he asked Drew to get him information, and she says, he agreed? Sonny says, he never should have asked him. He thought Drew was going to be discreet and he’d be safe. She says, he can’t be sure of that, but he says, yes, he can, because he ordered it. He let it be known Drew was under his protection in Pentenville. She says, someone defied his order.

Finn brings Jake to his office and asks if he’s okay. Jakes says he needs to know what’s happening with Drew, and Finn says, okay. Does he want to take a seat? Jake shakes his head, and Finn says, these things take time, so he’ll make some calls and find out what’s going on with Jake’s uncle. Jake leans against the credenza, and Finn picks up the phone.

Carly walks over to Ava, and Ava says she’s so sorry to hear about Drew. Carly says, is she? and Ava says, of course (🍷). She doesn’t know exactly what happened… Carly says she can tell Ava exactly what happened. Drew was set up, beaten, almost to death, and now he’s in surgery and he might not make it. Ava says, oh no, and Carly says, Ava’s not really surprised, is she? Ava says, what? and Carly says, cut the act. She knows exactly what Ava did.

Chase brings Cody into the squad room and tells Dante that he has Cody booked. What does Dante want him to do? Dante says, Chase could question him. Does Cody want a lawyer? Cody says, no. It wouldn’t do any good. Dante says, that’s not a positive outlook to have, and gets up. He suggests they all go into the interrogation room. Chase asks if Dante wants him to sit in, but Dante says he’s got this. Chase says he has no doubt, and closes the door as Dante uncuffs Cody.

Gladys runs into the station and tells the desk sergeant that she’s Gladys Corbin. She’s Sasha Gilmore’s guardian. She got a call saying they have her kidnapper in custody. Where’s her daughter-in-law? Chase watches her from across the room.

Sasha says she doesn’t understand why Cody is risking so much just to protect her, and Sam says, maybe he thinks she’s worth it. Sasha says, based on what? They’ve had a few nice conversations. She thinks he’s a nice guy. They were becoming friends, then she started so strange. Then she stabbed him at the MetroCourt pool. Sam says she saw Cody that night at the hospital, and they both agreed Sasha had no idea what was going on. Sasha says, those pills Dr. Montague gave her… Sam says, they made her delusional, and Sasha says she was so sure she saw Cyrus Renault when she stabbed Cody. Sam says, our minds can play terrible tricks on us when someone screws around with them. Cody knows that’s what happened with her. Sasha says, still, he’s putting everything on the line for her. What kind of person does that?

Finn says he appreciates the update, and tells Jake that Drew is still in surgery. But he knows the surgeon doing the operation and he’s excellent. Jake’s uncle couldn’t be in better hands. Jake says, what happened out there when Finn first came in… Finn says, what? He’s worried about his uncle, right? Jake says, yeah, but he shouldn’t have cried, and Finn says he doesn’t know about that. Not so long ago, he got some news about someone he really cares about, someone he loves, and does Jake know what happened? Jake says, what? and Finn says he cried. Man, he cried. He doesn’t think there’s any shame in that. Jake really loves his uncle, right? Jake says, yeah. He just needs him to be okay.

Sonny says, this would not have happened five years ago, and Anna asks what he means. He says, no one would have defied his orders back then. She says, something like that is happening to her too. She thinks things are impacting her more than they used to. He says, things like someone burning down her house? and she says she still can’t believe that happened. He says he feels like things are just out of control, and he used to feel like he could keep things under control. If she knows what he means. She says she does, and asks what he’s going to do. What do they do? Throw in the towel? He says, never, and she says she didn’t think so.

Ava says she doesn’t know what Carly’s talking about, and Carly says she’s a liar. Nina says, this isn’t the time or the place, and Carly tells her, you back off. This does not concern her. She can’t believe she was stupid enough to trust Ava. Ava says, trust her with what? What did she do? Carly says she told Ava that Drew was going to ask around Pentenville to find out who Ava’s boyfriend Austin was visiting when he was there. Did she call him right away? Ava says, no, and Carly says, did she meet up with him? Did they plan the hit on Drew together? Ava says, no. She had nothing to do with this. Carly says she doesn’t believe her, because she’s the only other person who knew about this. And how convenient that Austin isn’t working today. Drew could have been killed. Dammit. He shouldn’t even be in Pentenville. Ava says she’s not the one who put him there, and Carly asks what the hell that’s supposed to mean.

Finding Valentin on the patio, Charlotte says she loves her room, and Valentin says he knew she’d like it. She asks how the decorator knew everything she’d like, and he says, they looked at a lot of photographs and she asked a lot of questions. She says, it’s like she picked everything out herself. There are even new riding clothes in her closet. He says he wanted her first ride on Butterscotch to be perfect. If she looks down there, the bridle path comes along up here. She can ride right up to the door. She says, he’s thought of everything, and he says, she told him before that she doesn’t think this is Anna’s style, and she says, it’s not like her house. He says, she doesn’t think Anna is going to like it? and she asks, why? Is Anna going to move in here too? He says he doesn’t know. Maybe. She needs a place to live since her house burned down.

Sonny says he’ll find out who did this to Drew, and Anna says she’s sure he will. He says, it’s funny how life works. He didn’t know she was in here. She says, nor I, you, and he says, if she hadn’t been… She says she had the feeling he’d have come to the same conclusion. He’s not ready to turn the page. He helped her realize she’s not either. He says he guesses they keep fighting, and she says, they keep fighting. He needs to go see Carly. She’s so scared for the man she loves. She needs his support. He says he’ll go check on Drew and hopefully, she’s there. If she’s not… Anna says she’ll light a candle for Drew, he thanks her, and leaves.

Finn asks how Jake found out what happened to his uncle, and Jake says he was already here at the hospital talking to his mom. He saw Carly and wanted to ask her about visiting his Uncle Drew. Finn says, in Pentenville, and Jakes says, his mom told him that he could go, but then Drew got put in solitary before he could. Elizabeth is about to walk in, but waits, and Jake says, and now… Finn says, for what it’s worth (🍷), Jake can always talk to him, and Jake says, it feels like everyone he likes leaves. His dad died, Franco died, Cam went away to college, Finn left, and now… He sighs, and Finn says he knows it hurts. He’s still here and he’s not going anywhere.

Sam tells Sasha that she’s been trying to figure out who Cody is ever since he came to Port Charles last year. Sasha says, Cody and Dante are good friends, and Sam says, yes, but they haven’t really seen or spoken to each other since they were teenagers. And it turns out Cody has a questionable past, so she wasn’t really sure if she could trust him or not. Sasha says, but now she does? and Sam says she does. But who is she to judge anyway? She has a pretty colorful past herself. Sasha says, so does she.

Chase says, Gladys’s daughter-in-law isn’t here, and Gladys says she knows that. Where did they take her? GH or back to Ferncliff? He says, they apprehended Cody Bell, and she says, and he kidnapped her. If he doesn’t have her, where is she? Dante cracks open the door and gestures to Cody. Chase says, they’re trying to figure that out, and Gladys says, let her see him. She wants to see Cody right now.

Nina says she doesn’t know why Carly is blaming Ava for this, and Carly says, because she’s the only one who could have made this happen. Drew’s too smart to be sloppy and someone targeted him. And now Ava is trying to tell her that this is all her fault? Ava says, what? No. Carly says, Ava just said she’s not the one who put Drew in Pentenville. And Ava’s right; she is. Fine. She gets it, but how could Ava do this? Sonny comes out of the elevator and calls to Carly. Carly asks what Austin has on Ava, and Sonny asks what Carly is doing.

Sasha says she knows Cody isn’t the only one taking a risk for her, and Sam says, Dante’s not someone to sit on the sidelines when he knows someone’s in trouble. Sasha says, Sam’s taking a risk too, but Sam says she doesn’t see it that way. She thinks they’re all just trying to do the right thing. Sasha asks if that’s why Sam fell in love with Dante; he does the right thing. Sam says, it’s one of the reasons, and Sasha says she thinks they’re a good match. Sam agrees and thanks her. Sam’s phone dings, and she looks at Sasha.

Chase says, Cody’s being interrogated at the moment, and Gladys says, by his friend Detective Falconari? He says, that’s none of her concern, but she says, don’t think she doesn’t know what’s going on here. They’re protecting a dangerous man like Cody Bell, when who knows what trouble her poor daughter-in-law is in. He says, they’re doing everything they can to find her, and she says, apparently, it’s not enough. Sasha is in a very fragile state. He says, they know that, and she says she wants to talk to the Commissioner right now, but Chase says, the Commissioner isn’t in. She says, then she’ll wait. Cody kidnapped Sasha. he put her life in grave danger. He has to pay.

Dante closes the door, and Cody asks if he heard that lunatic. He put Sasha’s life in danger? Dante says, stay calm, but Cody says, it’s a little hard to stay calm with that performance Gladys is putting on out there. Dante says, that was a pretty good performance. He almost believes that she’s worried about Sasha. Cody says, the only thing Gladys is worried about right now is the truth coming out.

Chase asks if he can get Gladys coffee, but she says, no. Her phone rings, and it says, unknown. She answers, and a woman asks if this is Gladys Corbin. Gladys says, yes, and we see it’s Sam putting on a fake voice. She says, this is Mrs. Margis from Port Charles Savings & Loan. She’s calling about the accounts of Sasha Gilmore.

Elizabeth goes into Finn’s office and asks if Jake is all right. Jake says he is, and asks if Drew is out of surgery, but she says, not yet. She’ll be notified the minute it’s finished. Jake says, so they just sit around and do nothing? but Elizabeth says, not necessarily.

Carly tells Sonny, Ava did it. She was stupid enough to tell Ava what Drew was doing. She told Austin or his cousin Mason, and that’s why Drew was attacked. And that’s why he might not make it. Sonny tells Carly that she’s wrong, and Ava says she swears she didn’t say anything to anybody. Sonny says, she didn’t, and he knows for a fact she didn’t. Carly says she doesn’t know what to think anymore and heads for the waiting area. Following her, Sonny says, she has to focus on Drew. That’s all that matters. He’s strong; he’s going to get through this. She says she doesn’t know.

Anna lights a candle in the chapel, and she flashes back to telling Dante about the papers Valentin had from Pikeman, and Dante asking if she thinks Valentin could be working for Pikeman again. She wonders what else she doesn’t know about Valentin.

Valentin asks if Charlotte knows why he asked her to stay with Sam, Dante, and her brother Rocco, and she says, because he’s afraid she won’t be safe at Anna’s. He says, she’s right. He would have never forgiven himself if she’d been there the night of the fire. She says she was at camp, and he says he knows. Just so she knows, he’s made special precautions to make sure they’re safe here. His phone rings, and he says, it’s her Uncle Marty. He goes to the other room to take the call, and she flashes back to reading the letter that came with the tarot cards. She reads: Anna Devane is not who she says. Do not trust her. Valentin comes back in and says, Charlotte?

Cody says he can’t wait to get on the witness stand and testify against Gladys. She is going to prison for what she did to Sasha. Dante tells him, hold the phone. Right now, Cody is the one in custody and being charged with kidnapping and assault. Gladys isn’t in custody, and she isn’t facing charges right now. Cody says, but she will be as soon as Dante explains to the judge… Dante says he’s not explaining anything unless and until they have proof that Gladys and Montague were working together to hurt Sasha. If they don’t get that… Cody says he could be the one in prison.

Gladys says she’s sorry. She doesn’t understand why they’re calling her. Sam (as Mrs. Margis) says, she is Miss Gilmore’s guardian, is she not? and Gladys says, yes, but Sasha’s been kidnapped and she’s a nervous wreck about it. Sam says she’s sorry to hear that, but this is official business, and Gladys is listed as the responsible party for all of the accounts of Miss Gilmore. Gladys says, as her guardian, she only paid Sasha’s bills and provided money when Sasha needed or asked for it. And the medical bills. Sam says, none of that is of their concern. She’s just calling to advise Gladys, they’ve received a subpoena from the DA’s office. Gladys asks, for what? and Sam says, the banking records for all Miss Gilmore’s accounts. Gladys asks if those accounts aren’t private and confidential, and Sam says, under normal circumstances, yes, but if the DA has cause and a subpoena is issued, they have no choice but to turn over those records, and those records will be turned over today. Thank you. And goodbye, Miss Corbin. Sam crosses her fingers on both hands.

Charlotte says she hopes Uncle Martin comes to visit them, and Valentin says, it’s certainly possible. He’s been here before. Martin helped him find the place. She says, maybe someday mom will wake up and visit them too, and he says, she misses her mom a lot doesn’t she? Charlotte says, everyone acts like she’s gone, but she’s not. Charlotte likes talking to her. She feels like her mom can hear her. He says, maybe she can. What kind of things do they talk about? She says, everything. She’d love their house. He asks how she’d feel if Anna moved in with them, and she says, whatever would make him happy. But she needs to know. He says, she needs to know? and she says, if Anna moving in would make him happy. She needs to know for the reading. He says, what reading? and she takes the tarot cards out of her backpack. She says, the cards, and shows him the box. He flashes back to being with Charlotte in the Bistro, and her saying, the only thing that stays the same is things changing. He remembers showing Anna that MURDERER is painted on her door, and the fire. He flashes back to him and Anna discovering the trashed suite; then watching the security footage with Nina and finding out Charlotte was the one who broke in.

Anna leaves the chapel as Finn, Elizabeth, and Jake come by. Finn asks Jake and Elizabeth to go ahead; he’ll catch up with them. Jake and Elizabeth go into the chapel, and Finn asks if Anna is okay. She says, yeah. She heard about Drew. How is he? He says he hasn’t heard anything yet. Elizabeth thought Jake might find some comfort in being here. She says, poor kid. He’s been through so much and he’s so young. Finn asks, what about her? What brings her by? She says she had a phlebotomy treatment and there’s a lot of stuff going on in her head. He asks if it’s a good place for her to clear her head, and she says, always is. He says, she’s been through a lot. He called her a few times and left a message after the fire. She thanks him and says, that was very thoughtful. He says he thought maybe she’d give him a call and let him know she was okay, and she says she should have. There’s been a lot going on. She’s sorry. He says, it’s okay. He knows. She has a lot of people who are there for her, but don’t ever forget he’s her friend too.

In the chapel, Jake says he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do, but Elizabeth says, he doesn’t have to do anything. If he wants, he can light a candle for Drew. He lights one, and she sits down. He joins her and asks if they pray now. She says, they can, and they should think their most positive thoughts to bring Drew through this to recovery.

Sonny asks if he can get Carly anything, and she says, Ava’s right. Drew’s in that prison because of her. He tells her, stop it, but she says, it’s true. He never committed insider trading; she did. He pled guilty so she wouldn’t be tried. He tells her, listen to him, but she asks if she can’t just be alone, please, and he goes over to Nina and Ava. Nina says she’s glad he showed up when he did, and Ava says, her too. Carly was on quite a rampage. He says, that’s the way Carly gets when she lashes out. Something happens. Nina says, Carly needs to know that sometimes there are no answers.

 A doctor comes out and tells Carly that the surgeon wanted him to speak to her. Ava, Nina, and Sonny watch as he talks to her. He leaves, and Carly sits down again, her head in her hands. Sonny walks over, and Nina says, oh my God.

Nina and Ava join Sonny and Carly, and Sonny says, Drew made it through surgery. He’s going to be okay. Nina says, thank God, and Carly says, the surgery was a success. They expect him to make a full recovery. Ava says, that’s such a relief. She’s so happy for Carly and she’s sorry Carly had to go through this. Carly says she’s sorry she attacked Ava. She shouldn’t have done that. Ava says, it’s okay. If she were in Carly’s shoes, she would have felt the same thing. But the truth is, she thinks Drew’s a good man. He helped save Trina’s life in Greenland, and what he did for Willow… They all owe him. Carly says, they do, and asks to talk to Sonny alone.

Elizabeth’s phone dings, and she tells Jake, Drew’s okay. He’s going to make a full recovery. They hug.

Looking at his phone, Finn says, Drew’s surgery was a success, and Anna says, thank goodness. He should get in there. He tells her, remember what he said, and she thanks him. She leaves, and he goes into the chapel. Jake says, this is the best news, and Elizabeth smiles at Finn.

Carly says she wanted to thank Sonny for being here, and he says, she’s welcome.

Nina says, Carly really went after Ava, and Ava says, that was nothing compared to what she’ll do to Nina if she ever finds out who put Drew in prison.

Valentin asks where Charlotte got the tarot cards, and she says, a girl at camp gave them to her and showed her how to use them. She flashes back to reading the letter, and we hear Victor’s voice say, to guide you, I’m giving you these very special tarot cards. They are very powerful tools. You’ll find them helpful. She takes them out and looks through them. Back in the present, she lays out the cards on the coffee table as Valentin watches, looking worried.

Chase asks if Dante’s had any progress, and Dante says, it shouldn’t be too much longer. Chase says, right, and leaves. Dante looks at Cody.

Gladys frantically throws clothes into suitcase. She can’t get it zipped, so she grabs a few things, tossing them on the floor, and tries again. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, almost ready. She thought they were going to text. The knocking continues so she goes to the door and opens it. It’s Sasha, who looks mighty pissed off.

Tomorrow, Curtis says he’s glad to be back in the mix; Esme says, Spencer can’t go; and Cody says, what happens next is up to Sasha.

🏥 Bait and Switch Up…

Since Kristina ended up being his sister and a lesbian, it really wouldn’t have worked out.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chad-duell-reveals-he-didnt-originally-audition-for-michael-on-gh

🎉 Celebrating Their Girls…

Score one for the daughters.

Soap Stars Celebrate National Daughters Day — See the Family Pics!

🪜 Getting There…

They kinda sorta reached a temporary agreement.

WGA and AMPTP Reach a Deal to End the Writers Strike

🧂 Salting the Lake…

Usually, I just have this on in the background, but some of them were acting so stupid, I actually stopped doing what I was doing and watched. Who could waste time being awful while staying at the Trixie Motel? Once again, the wrong people have the money and amazing vacations. However, Trixie gave us one of the best quotes ever: There is no crying in makeup. PS – Monica needs to run.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 4, Episode 4 Recap: These Women Are a Real Drag On Vacation

🗽 Shining the Apple…

Not sure what to think about an adult who keeps a log of slights, so she can bring them up at a later date. Bring back the Countess telling us not to be all uncool. And then drunkenly falling into the shrubbery. Good times…

Real Housewives of New York Season 14, Episode 11 Recap: Erin Can Never Say She’s Sorry

⚰️ The Best Of Daryl…

This show just gets better and better.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-episode-3-recap-paris-sera-toujours-paris/

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/09/25/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-episode-3-recap/

🏉 Half the Story…

And I thought we were rushing the 2023 holiday season.

https://people.com/usher-announces-2024-super-bowl-halftime-show-gig-kim-kardashian-7973971

🛴 Not Bringing It On Home…

Join me tomorrow for soap and an RHOC episode aptly titled, Welcome to the Freak Show. Until then, stay safe, stay not giving advice unless someone asks or pays for it, and stay not throwing in the towel if you’re not ready to turn the page. Keep fighting.

Sep26

September 25, 2023 – Brook Asks Blaze To Be Her First Client, Different Deck In the Med & Bizarre

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth says, the beating Drew took was severe, and the doctor says he’s concerned about Drew not regaining consciousness. He hopes the X-rays and CT scan will give them more answers. He asks Elizabeth to let him know when Drew is back in ICU and when the test results come in. Jake comes in, and Elizabeth says, it’s not a good time, but he says he has to talk to her about Charlotte.

Charlotte sleeps on the couch, and Anna wakes her, saying, she fell asleep. Charlotte asks, where’s papa? and Anna says, he’s not here. Charlotte asks if he’s coming back, but Anna says she doubts it. He has other things to do. He’s very busy. Charlotte says she needs to see him, but Anna says, he doesn’t have time. Charlotte says, Valentin always has time for her, and Anna says, that was before. Charlotte says, before what? and Anna says, before he fell in love with her. He’s all hers now. Charlotte says, no, but Anna says, he’s mine, all mine. Charlotte keeps saying she wants papa, but Anna just smiles. Charlotte sits up, and Nina says, she had a bad dream. It’s just a bad dream.

Anna nearly walks into Portia, mumbles an apology, and keeps on walking. Portia asks her to wait.

At Charlie’s, Blaze looks at a headline from The Invader on her phone: BLQ OUT @ DECEPTION; Quartermaine heiress and former songbird given the boot. Brook runs in and says she’s so, so sorry she’s late. She was on her way, and life happens. She promises she didn’t ask Blaze to come here to waste her time or beat around the bush. After a lot of soul searching, and a fair amount of family drama, she’s decided to go back to music management. She’d like to sign Blaze as her first client. So what does Blaze say?

Alexis walks into Charlie’s, and Kristina says, fancy seeing her here. Alexis says she’s here to see her daughter, and Kristina asks if her daughter is meeting her here. Alexis says, Kristina’s her daughter; she’s here to see her. Kristina asks, what’s up? and Alexis says she has a message from Kristina’s sister. Kristina tells her, please say Sam, but Alexis says, Molly.

Molly approaches the nurses station and asks if the reception nurse knows where she can find Dr. Ashford.

TJ sees Curtis and asks what he’s doing at the hospital. Curtis says he had a check-up appointment and thought he’d stick around and see TJ. TJ says, that’s great; he has a little break right now. How was the check-up? Curtis says, same, when Molly joins them. She says, Curtis is here too. Perfect. TJ asks, what’s going on? and she says she has news to share.

On the phone at Pozzulo’s, Sonny says he doesn’t want any more excuses. Understand?… Yeah. He’s done. Just let him know. Dex runs in, and says, Drew Cain was attacked and beaten up. Sonny says, what? and Dex says, they told him it’s bad. Sonny asks, how bad? and Dex says, they took him to the hospital.

Jake says, Elizabeth came in late last night and left early this morning. He didn’t get a chance to talk to her. She asks if they can talk about this later, but he says he just needs a few minutes. It’s about Charlotte. It’s important. She says, okay, and seeing Carly run in, she asks him to wait for her. Carly asks where Drew is, and Elizabeth says, he’s in the ICU, but he’s been taken for some tests. Carly asks if Elizabeth saw him, and she says, yes. Carly asks how he looks. Did he say anything? Elizabeth says, he hasn’t regained consciousness since the beating, and Carly says, please tell her it’s going to be okay. Elizabeth says, Drew’s getting the best care possible. They just have to wait for the tests to come back. Carly says she knows Elizabeth is just trying to be professional, but please tell her what’s going on. She’s just going to call Monica, and Monica will tell her. Elizabeth says, Monica is in Berlin for a conference, and there’s no need to notify her until they know more. Drew put Carly down as his emergency contact. The doctor will talk to her as soon as he has any information. Carly says, he never should have been in that prison, and asks if Elizabeth thinks this is her fault. It is. It’s 100% her fault. Elizabeth says, Drew made his own choices, and this isn’t about blame. She has to go talk to her son. Carly says, Jake’s here? but Elizabeth says, he’s here about something else. She hasn’t told him anything yet. He already lost his dad and Franco, and at one point, Drew was a father figure in his life, and if he loses him too…

Nina tells Charlotte, it’s okay. Sometimes it helps if you talk about your bad dream. Charlotte says she’s already forgetting what it was about, and Nina says, that happens to her. Sometimes if she has a bad dream, she concentrates and she realizes it’s something that happened in the past. Sometimes it’s something she did the day before. Valentin comes in, and Charlotte runs to him, hugging him. Nina says, Charlotte had a bad dream.

Brook says she’s so sorry to spring this on Blaze. She would have worked up to it, but she walked in so late. Blaze says, it’s okay. She had a great conversation with the manager while she was waiting. Brook says, Kristina, she’s the best, and Blaze says, she seems like a cool person. Brook says, she’s super cool, and she sings too. She sang at the Nurses Ball. She was terrific. Blaze says she saw the video online; Kristina was great. She thinks she embarrassed Kristina by watching it. Brook says, people not in the business tend to be embarrassed by their talents, but Blaze is in the business and she’s here with a proposal to get Blaze front and center, and get her career to the next level. She brings out her tablet and says, since Blaze dropped that sleaze Linc, the public hasn’t heard from her. They’re going to change that.

Kristina says she swears, she’s given Molly all the space she’s asked for, but Alexis says, this isn’t anything bad. In fact, it’s good news. Molly just found out from her surrogate that she’s pregnant. So Molly and TJ are having a baby.

Molly says she was going to wait until TJ got off work to tell him, but she’s too excited. Curtis says, they probably want to be alone, but Molly says she’s really glad Curtis is here. She wants them to know; she wants the whole family to know. She takes TJ’s hand and says, it worked. Andrea is pregnant. TJ says, we’re having a baby? and she says, we’re having a baby. He picks her up and spins her around, while Curtis smiles wide.

Sonny asks, what the hell happened? He told Dex to make certain Drew is off limits. Dex says, that’s exactly what he told Book when he visited the prison. He made sure everyone knew Drew was being protected by Sonny Corinthos. Sonny says, who’s after him? and Dex says, that’s what he’s trying to find out. Sonny says, someone went against his orders? and Dex says, yes. Sonny says, that someone needs to be punished, and Dex asks what Sonny wants him to do. Sonny says, they’re going to find out who that someone is, and they’re going to make them pay. Where is Drew right now? Dex says, they took him to GH, and Sonny says, let’s go.

Anna asks bodyguard Tre to make himself scarce, and Portia says she thinks they need to clear the air. Anna says, they don’t. She should have never come to their house. She should have called first. She really needed to see Curtis and needed to apologize. She’s sorry. Portia says, Curtis doesn’t blame Anna, and Anna says she knows. Curtis was extremely gracious. Portia says, and she wasn’t, but Anna says, that’s not what she meant. There was nothing Portia said that was unjustified. Portia says she knows that, but it was out of proportion. Anna was there and it was convenient for her to focus all of her anger on Anna, but she didn’t deserve all of it. Anna says, all of it.

Elizabeth promises to let Carly know as soon as she hears anything, but it could be a long wait. Carly says she’s not going anywhere. Not until she sees Drew. Is Elizabeth going to tell Jake? Elizabeth says she doesn’t know, and Carly says she’s sorry. Go.

Elizabeth goes over to Jake, and says she’s sorry she took so long, but she is working and doesn’t have a lot of time. What did he want to tell her? He says he was with Charlotte last night.

Charlotte says she doesn’t even remember her dream. She’s just glad Valentin came. He asks what they’ve been up to, and Nina says, they went to Kelly’s for some breakfast, then they did some window shopping and saw some really great ideas for winter clothes. Charlotte agrees, and Nina says, then they came back here and Charlotte read Crimson magazine and fell asleep. Valentin suggests he and Charlotte do something together, and Charlotte says, what? He says, it’s a surprise. It’s going to make that bad dream fly right out of her head. Charlotte says she’ll go get her jacket, and goes in the bedroom. Nina asks, what if she was dreaming about what she’s done to Anna? and he says, who knows? He just hopes what he has planned is going to make them all move past it.

Portia tells Anna that she apologizes for her actions the other night. She’s still angry. She’s angry that Curtis was collateral damage because someone was targeting Anna or Sonny. She knows Anna didn’t pull the trigger, but Curtis is in a wheelchair. He’s in a wheelchair through no fault of his own. It’s one thing to take responsibility for your own actions, but it’s a whole other thing to have to pay the price for someone else’s.

Brook shows Blaze the tablet, and says, these are some platforms she thinks might help get Blaze back in the public eye. Concerts, social media, potential producers, collaborators… Blaze says, interesting, and Brook says she knows how important it is for Blaze to be herself and not some image like Linc conjured up. So she’s open to suggestion. Blaze says she can see Brook put a lot of work into it. She’s really into this, isn’t she? Brook says, yeah. She enjoyed trying to push Chase’s career. He’s an amazing performer, but if your heart’s not in it, what’s the point? But Blaze is so committed. Brook can see it in her performances. She hopes Blaze knows how much she respects her, and that she’d never do anything to make Blaze feel uncomfortable or dishonest, which is why she’s so excited to sign Blaze as her first client. Blaze says, okay, but Brook keeps going. She says, and Blaze is such a unique talent. That’s something she doesn’t think Linc ever really saw. She has great style, and Brook really wants to help her reach the next level in her career. Not just in business, but through songwriting. Blaze tells Brook that she said okay, and Brook says, excuse me? Blaze says, O…K, and Brook asks if she’s saying yes. Blaze says she is; she’s in. Brook says, just like that? and Blaze says, just like that. Brook stood up for her when everyone else looked away. She’s not sure she would have been able to get away from Linc if it hadn’t been for Brook.

Kristina says, Molly just found out? and Alexis says, today. Kristina asks if it isn’t a little early in the pregnancy to be telling people, and Alexis says, it is, and she promised Molly that when she talked to Kristina, she’d say they cautiously had good news. It was Molly’s decision, and Alexis thought it would be great if they could all be supportive together. Kristina says, of course (🍷). They must be really excited. She knows Molly and TJ both really want this baby. Alexis says, fingers crossed it’s all worked out for them, and Kristina says, it has. Alexis says, what? and Kristina says, it would have been nice if she’d had that moment with her sister where Molly tells Kristina herself, and she got to see the look on Molly’s face. But she’s hearing it secondhand, and if she’s honest, it hurts a little.

Molly hugs Curtis, and he says, that’s great news. She says she knows it’s a little early and some people think she should have waited, but Andrea’s already glowing and she’s so positive about everything. TJ asks if she called this morning, but Molly says, Andrea actually came to the courthouse to tell her in person. Her mom was there, so she already knows, and Curtis can tell Portia and the rest of the family. TJ asks if anyone else knows, and Molly says her mom is going to tell Kristina. She hopes that’s okay.

Elizabeth says, Jake was with Charlotte? She thought he was with his friend Angus. He says he’s sorry. He guesses he was a little embarrassed that he was seeing Charlotte again. She asks, why? and he says, she’s a girl. She says, and he felt the need to tell her this now? and he says he shouldn’t have told her he was seeing Angus. And Charlotte was taking all of these selfies of them. She says she sees. He was afraid if Charlotte posted them, she’d find out. He says he’s sorry.

Sonny and Dex come out of the hospital elevator, and Dex says he’ll see what he can find out. And he’ll make that call for Sonny. Sonny walks over to Carly, and she says, Sonny promised to protect him. He says he doesn’t know what went wrong and he’s sorry. She says, Drew is fighting for his life. They put him in danger for asking him to find out information. He tells her, Drew said he wanted to find out who Austin was visiting in Pentenville, and she says, for Sonny. He says, Drew’s a smart guy. He’s sure when Drew asked questions, he was careful. She says, really? Then why is he in the hospital right now?

Elizabeth says, maybe Jake has a thing for Charlotte, and he says, stop it. She tells him, she’s just saying. He’s been spending a lot of time with her lately. What is it he likes about her? He says, everything. Plus, she likes him.

Charlotte, Nina, and Valentin approach a house, and Charlotte asks what they’re doing here. Whose house is this? Valentin says, see for herself, and opens the front door. They go inside a gorgeous, beautifully furnished living room with floor to ceiling windows.

Anna says she thinks Portia summed it up pretty well, and Portia says she knows Curtis and Anna got closer from the time they spent together in Greenland. She hopes Anna knows how much she appreciates what Anna did to save her daughter. Anna says, it was a group effort, and Portia says she’s just trying to clear the air, but Anna says she doesn’t have to apologize, because Portia was right. Curtis doesn’t deserve to suffer the consequences meant for someone else. No one does. Portia says she heard about Anna’s home; how her house burned down and she lost everything. She’s so sorry. Anna says, it’s just things. She thinks they’ve both been through enough to know things aren’t important. Portia says, the fire could have cost her a lot more, and she’s glad Anna’s okay. Curtis also told her the story about how she saved Valentin’s life. Wow. The two of them are closer now. She’s glad Anna has someone in her life. Anna thanks her, and Portia leaves. Anna flashes back to telling Valentin, each new layer that gets peeled back, she gets to see who he really is. Like maybe she never knew him. He tells her that he loves her, but she says, he’s not answering her question, and he admits he wasn’t at ELQ the night of the fire. She remembers him telling her that the footage outside of her suite the night of the break-in is missing. Tre comes back, and she asks him if they can meet at the car. She’s perfectly safe here. He leaves.

Brook says she let what happened with Blaze and Linc go on for too long, and Blaze says, so did she. If Brook hadn’t finally stepped in, who knows what could have happened? Brook says she should have stepped in sooner, but Blaze says, stop. Not to pat themselves on the back, but doesn’t she think anyone who met them would think they were two strong women? Brook says, if they didn’t, they wouldn’t hesitate to correct them, and Blaze says, yet somehow, they both managed to let a man like Linc take advantage of them. Brook says she thinks back, and she still can’t believe it, and Blaze says she went to a support group for survivors of both physical and emotional abuse. There were women in there like them; strong, intelligent women who went through the same thing. Guys who are predators have had a lot of practice. They know what buttons to push, what vulnerabilities to take advantage of, and they do it all with a slimy smile on their face. Seeing Brook put Linc in his place was absolutely priceless. Brook exposed him to everyone for exactly who he was. And now he’s canceled. Brook says, amen to that, and they clink glasses.

Sonny tells Carly, Drew is tough; he’s going to get through this. She asks how he knows. He hasn’t even regained consciousness. He was beaten so badly, who knows if he even will. Sonny says he’s going to figure out who did this, and she says, and then what? He says, as soon as Drew gets better, Diane is going to do everything she can to get him released from Pentenville. She asks if he’ll even be alive to get released.

Blaze asks if Brook brought papers or is there a contract she can sign on that fancy tablet of Brook’s? Brook asks if Blaze doesn’t want to take some time and think it over, but Blaze says she knows she can count on Brook, not just to promote her, but to care about her. Brook says she does, and Blaze asks, what about Deception? Brook says she’ll miss the people, but that world never really spoke to her. Blaze shows Brook her phone and says, it’s speaking in all caps now. Does this have anything to do with Brook going into music management? Brook says, bad news travels fast.

Alexis asks if Kristina thinks it’s possible she’s being a little overly sensitive about this, and Kristina asks, how? Her own sister can’t even pick up the phone and tell her the news herself? Alexis says, because she was excited and wanted to have lunch with the surrogate; they wanted to celebrate. Kristina wonders if Molly asked Alexis to tell her, or was this perhaps Alexis’s idea? Alexis says, well… and Kristina says, this is unbelievable. It just keeps getting better and better. Alexis says, please don’t… Kristina says, don’t what? Her sister has explicitly singled her out to be completely hands-off to her surrogacy journey, and now her mother has to beg Molly to let her in on the news that the baby’s on its way? Alexis says she didn’t beg Molly, and the baby is far from being on its way. They both know how much pressure Molly’s been under, and frankly, she doesn’t think Molly’s been able to even process the fact she can’t get pregnant. But now that the surrogate is pregnant, maybe Molly can relax, and they can just support her and give her some space. Kristina says she’s giving Molly all the space she’s asked for. Is she honestly that overbearing? Molly’s her sister. Why does Molly not want a relationship with her?

TJ says he thinks it’s great that Molly’s mom is telling Kristina, but for now, let’s just keep it family. Molly says, of course (🍷), and her phone rings. She says, it’s the office, and steps away to take the call. Curtis says, so TJ is going to be a dad, and TJ says, in nine months, if all goes well. Curtis says, so far, so good, right? and TJ says, right. Curtis asks if he’d be right in assessing that TJ is overjoyed. He’s honestly never seen TJ so happy. TJ asks, how could he be happier? He’s going to be a dad. They shake hands bro style.

Charlotte tells Valentin, it’s beautiful, when Nina’s phone rings and she excuses herself, going outside. She asks Dex, what’s up? and he says, sorry to bother her. He knows she was supposed to meet Sonny at the MetroCourt in a little while. She asks if something is wrong, and Dex says, no. He had to come to GH. Drew Cain is here. Nina asks if he’s okay, and Dex says he’s not sure. He was beaten up pretty badly in Pentenville. She thanks him for letting her know.

Valentin tells Charlotte, the lot is a little more than two acres and they’re less than half a mile from Winding Road Stables. She says, that’s where Butterscotch is boarded, and he says, and they’re just a short drive from her school. Nina comes back in, and Charlotte says, it’s perfect. Is he thinking of buying it? He says he’s not thinking of buying it… because he already bought it. She hugs him and says, this is their house? For real? He says, for real. He knows it’s been a long time coming, but from now on, this is their home. She says she loves it.

Sonny tells Carly not to go to the worst-case scenario, but she says she loves Drew, and he might die because someone told the SEC what they did. Then some power-hungry judge gave him an insane sentence for it, just to further his career. It’s wrong. It’s all wrong. She walks away.

In the elevator, Dex asks Sonny if he thinks the guy from Pikeman had something to do with Drew getting attacked, but Sonny wonders why Pikeman would care about Drew Cain. Dex says, what if they found out Sonny was protecting him? It might have been their way of sending Sonny a message. The guy’s threat wasn’t exactly subtle. Sonny says, good thinking, but there’s a lot of people in Pentenville who would have it in for Drew if they knew Drew was helping him. Dex says, there are a lot of guys in there from the other Families who are locked up, right? He takes out his phone and asks if any of the names jump out. Sonny says, they’d love to take him down, and Dex says he’ll keep pushing. He made that call to Nina. They come out of the elevator and hear Portia saying she’s so happy for Molly and TJ. Curtis says he thinks they should celebrate at The Savoy because his dad just managed to book Eddie Maine, and TJ asks if Curtis will be there. Curtis says he will, and Molly says, they’ll see them later. She leaves with TJ, and Portia sees Sonny starting to head toward them. She stops smiling, and tells Curtis that they should get out of here too, and get ready for tonight. She wheels Curtis away, and Dex asks if Sonny wants him to hang around, but Sonny tells him to go. He’ll call Dex if he needs him.

Alexis says, Kristina is not overbearing. Maybe a little impatient. Kristina says she feels like the way things are going right now, she’s never getting her sister back. Alexis says, since Kristina has this instinct that she’s inherited from her, sometimes it’s best not to tackle a problem head on. Kristina asks what she’s supposed to do; sit around and wait? Alexis says, yes. This baby’s a blessing for Molly and TJ, so let them have their moment and when they’re ready, they’ll reach out. Kristina says, okay. She really is happy for Molly. Alexis says she knows, and she knows Molly knows that too. Anyway, Kristina has big things to do right now. Diane said she has her first board meeting for the youth center. Kristina says she does, and she’s excited about that, but she’s not excited about talking about her least favorite topic. Alexis says, fundraising. It’s a drag, but she has to come up with an idea to get people pumped up. Kristina says she’s been wracking her brain to think about something – she looks over at Brook and Blaze – and she thinks she may have a really good idea.

Brook reads, Brook Lynn Quartermaine, the infamous trust fund wannabe was fired from her job at Deception Cosmetics amidst lawsuit turmoil. Sources tell us the Quartermaine princess is out because of allegations regarding the hot Deceptor wand. What’s next for the former warbler? She seems to be zero for zero. While no one can fault BLQ for her singing career being unceremoniously slashed short due to a freak attack, we can wonder about her suspicious exit from Deception. Perhaps it’s all in the name. This had to be Lucy. She swears this had nothing to do with wanting meet Blaze. Blaze says, it’s a hit piece. She’s had some herself. Hers are usually accompanied by an incredibly unflattering picture. It’s no big deal. Don’t worry about it. Brook thanks her, and Blaze says, it was a really low blow to make fun of her being attacked. Brook says, it’s not easy losing the one thing you loved more than anything in life.

Elizabeth says she’s glad Jake told her about Charlotte, but she has to get back to work. She tells him to head home, and he wonders if he should ask Carly about Uncle Drew. She said he could go visit Drew, but it’s been so long… Elizabeth says, wait. There’s something she has to tell him about his Uncle Drew.

Carly flashes back to talking to Sonny a minute ago, and then to telling Ava that Drew was going to find out who Austin was talking to at Pentenville. She says, Ava, and gets up.

Sonny goes into the chapel and finds Anna there.

Jake cries, and says, Uncle Drew has to be okay. Elizabeth says, the moment she knows anything, she’ll call him, but he says he wants to be here to find out. Please.

On the phone, Carly tells Ava that she’s at GH on the 10th floor. Get here as soon as she can. Nina comes out of the elevator, and Carly asks what she’s doing here. Nina says she heard what happened to Drew, and Elizabeth tells Carly that they’re taking Drew to emergency surgery. Carly asks, why? What happened? Elizabeth says she doesn’t have any details, but the doctor will be here soon to give Carly an update. Carly says, please let him be okay, and Nina looks uncomfortable.

Outside Charlie’s, Kristina thanks Alexis for the brilliant idea, and Alexis says she has no idea what that idea was, but she’s welcome. Kristina says she knows she was a little hard on Alexis, but she does appreciate Alexis coming to tell her the news. Alexis says, Kristina and Molly are going to get through this. Her girls love each other. Just be the strong one for Molly this time, okay? Kristina promises, and they hug. Alexis leaves, and Kristina watches Brook and Blaze through the window and smiles.

Brook says, if anyone could understand what it would be like, it would be Blaze. Singing was everything to her. For it just to be taken away suddenly, forever… Blaze asks how she deals with it, and Brook says she had a lot of help. Chase made her realize that there are different ways she can use whatever talent she has. Blaze says, but Brook never really lost her love for music, and Brook says, not even close. It’s in her blood. Her dad’s a musician. Her mom was a music manager – Lois Cirello. She is quite a character. Blaze would really like her. She always says the old cliché, when life gives you lemons… and they both finish, make lemonade. Brook says, she’s got quite the style; it’s definitely her own. Blaze says, maybe she’ll want to meet Brook’s first client, and Brook says, Blaze still wants to sign with her? Blaze says, hell yeah, and they shake hands.

The doctor comes over to Carly, and she asks if Drew is conscious. He says, no, but that might have saved his life. He broke one of his ribs, and the X-rays show there was a threatening of the aorta. Any unnecessary move could have been fatal. Carly says, so the surgery’s going to fix this? and the doctor says, that depends on many factors, but they have a specialist coming in. The surgery will take a few hours, and they won’t have any answers until it’s finished. Nina watches Carly stress out.

Anna says she and Sonny seem to end up in the strangest places together, and he says, that’s true. She says she feels like maybe they should be here right now, and he asks if she remembers asking him if it was worth it; the life he chose. She says, yeah, and he says he’s beginning to wonder.

Outside, Valentin tells Charlotte that he thinks they should put a tennis court right there. His phone rings and he says, that’s the landscaper. He’ll be right back. He goes inside, and Charlotte remembers opening a package from Switzerland she received while at boarding school. She opens it and takes out a of tarot cards, along with an envelope that has Charlotte written on it. She opens the envelope and read the letter inside. Valentin comes back and asks if everything is all right. She says, everything is going to be perfect.

Tomorrow, Gladys wants to know where her daughter-in-law is; Jake asks if they sit around and do nothing, but Elizabeth says, not necessarily; Valentin asks how Charlotte would feel if Anna moved in with them; and Carly says she knows exactly what Ava did.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Bear with me if I get any names wrong. My cross to bear in life is being bad with names and this new season brings nearly all new people.

Genoa Italy. Captain Sandy tells us that the Italian Riviera is an epic experience. The season hasn’t even started yet, and it’s a sh*tshow. Natalya is the temporary chief stew, since chief stew Tumi and second stew Kyle are stuck with an immigration problem. In her interview, the captain says, to save the season, they’re starting with two temps. There isn’t a ton of time, and she had to make a last-minute decision. Natalya is a hard worker with a great attitude (the latter is debatable), and she’s grateful Natalya can make it. She tells Natalya that she’ll have to teach the temp stew, since she’s primarily a deckhand. In Natalya’s interview, she says, she thinks she’ll do a better job than last season’s chief stew. Tash gave her PTSD, but she loves Captain Sandy. Chef Jack arrives, and in his interview, he says he trained in Liverpool and worked on the French Riviera and Asia. His forte is sauces. The initial reason he became a chef was for the travel. Growing up, he ate frozen food and McDonald’s, and didn’t have a vegetable until he was 16. Bosun Ruan arrives, and Captain Sandy says she’s happy with his experience on big vessels and driving the tender in big swells. In Ruan’s interview, he says he’s been a bosun for three years. There wasn’t much opportunity in his hometown, and he dropped out at 16. He’s 100% a water baby and a smooth sea never made a good sailor. He knows where he comes from and knows where he wants to go. Stew Jessika and deckhand Lara arrive, and Ruan dances in his cabin. There’s a bunch of introductions and checking out the boat. Deckhand Luka comes on board and says he worked for Captain Jason. We get a Down Under flashback, and Captain Sandy says, Captain Jason highly recommended him. In Luka’s interview, he says, he’s really an ETO, an electrical engineer, but he enjoys being on deck. In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s impressed with Luka. She thinks he’s hot. Agreed. Deckhand Haleigh joins the crew, and in her interview, she says her dad wanted a son. I understand this, since I’m the son my father never had. She tells us that she played a lot of sports growing up, and worked on tugs. You get all your money and are done in one month. Then you can go home and drink beer. She burps. An MCA inspector arrives, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, this season is a different. The Mustique (the boat) is a huge adjustment. It’s a commercial built vessel and it’s heavy. There’s full displacement, and it’s a whole different ballgame for her. They’re also in a major port that’s highly regulated. An MCA officer can board at any time. It’s all about safe operation of the vessel, and their job is to make sure the boat is safe. The inspector says, Ruan gave the captain photocopies of his certifications, and you should always have originals. It’s a problem.

Ruan is called to the bridge, and he says, it will be hard to get originals. The inspector tells him, on a private boat, it’s fine, but not on a commercial vessel. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, this is not okay, and now they’re in a bind. There’s a reason why they want originals; you can’t forge an original. If Ruan doesn’t get the documents in five days, it’s going to be a sh*tshow. In Jessika’s interview, she says she finds comfort in people, and wonders, who’s going be her friend? She grew up with a best friend who was a leader, and she’s comfortable in that situation. That’s why she’s a strong second stew; she’s a good follower. Natalya explains to Jessika that she’s only a temp and will be leaving. Ruan tells the deckhands about needing the original documents, and everyone gets to cleaning the boat. In Lara’s interview, she says she grew up on a farm in a conservative family. She used to dive and play in cow manure. At that age, you don’t care, but she wouldn’t do it now. Maybe if she was drunk enough… The captain asks Natalya what happened to Storm (her boatmance last season), but she says, he has a girlfriend. Ruan calls the friend holding his original certificates and explains that he needs to send them. Provisions come in, and for once, there’s enough space for everything. In Jack’s interview, he says he was always shy. He didn’t talk much until he was 8, and he hasn’t stopped yapping since. Temp stew Brooke arrives, and in her interview, she says, she’s not usually a stew. She’s been a deckhand on smaller vessels, but never been on one this big. It’s her first live aboard, and she’s excited, but she’s sh*tting her pants. Ruan calls a deckhand meeting, and his advice basically boils down to, they don’t want to hit anything or the season will be done.

Captain Sandy calls a crew meeting, and welcomes everyone. She says, there are a lot of women, and it’s the highlight for her. She tells them, no drugs, they can’t drink on charter, no racist comments, and don’t take her smile away. She introduces chief engineer Tony and chief officer Nikola (or vice versa). The captain then calls Natalya, Ruan, and Jack to the crew mess for the first preference sheet meeting. She says, primary Kian is her friend and doctor. He turned 40 during the pandemic and wants to celebrate in style. He’s bringing along friends Cameron, Jesus, Geraldo, Nathan, and Carl, and they want to do water sports, so the captain wants to water toys out when they drop anchor. Natalya reads that they want a coastal Italian meal and would like the captain to join them. Captain Sandy says, be prepared, and in her interview, she says, Kian is incredible. She saw him after she was in a car crash and one of her eyes wouldn’t close. He took skin from one eye, added it to the other, and fixed it. The crew is finally finished with getting the boat ready at around 9 pm. Ruan gets a phone call and starts crying. One of his best friends died. The only friend he’s known since he was little. He had a head on collision with a bus.

The crew is up before dawn, and in Ruan’s interview, he says, it wasn’t just a friend who died. He had been by Ruan’s side since he was 8, and every memory is with him. Ruan’s dad died when he was young, and it wasn’t about family; it was about friends. He lost someone who means so much to him. The first person he’d speak to in the morning, and the last to speak to before bed. It’s all gone. He tells himself, pull yourself together. Jessika claws at the linens on the beds to get the wrinkles out, and I file this away for future reference. The guests arrive, and Natalya tells interior, the boat looks amazing. Well done. Captain Sandy hugs Kian, and says, they’re going to show them the best time ever. One of the stews greets them with shots, and Kian says he likes what he sees. Natalya gives the tour, and in the galley, Jack says, welcome to my dungeon. Kian says, they’re collected 20 Michelin stars, and in Jack’s interview, he says, and they’re friends with Captain Sandy. It’s serious squeaky bum time. I have no idea what that means, but it sounds like some babytalk for getting in the bathtub. The MCA inspector calls and says he has additional questions about Ruan’s certificates. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, there’s someone else’s picture on Ruan’s certificate. This is not okay. They could be arrested because of one crew member.

The inspector says, Ruan can’t remain on board, and the captain thanks him for bringing it to her attention. She calls Ruan to the bridge. She tells Kian that they’re going to depart in one hour, and he says she’s holding her to that. Captain Sandy asks Ruan if he’s that guy, and shows him the picture. He says he is, but he doesn’t look like he believes it either. She says, whoever issued this, it’s not his, and asks where he went to school. He says, on a boat. He needed one quickly. She says, you have to go to a class to get it. Did he go to school? He says he did, in Moraco, but she says, you can’t get your yacht masters on a boat, and there’s no school in Monaco. In Ruan’s interview, he says, he’s worked on boats for three years using the same ticket. The captain says, he has to leave. If it turns out to be verified, a tender will bring him back to the boat, but if not, they can’t bring him back. They have to get moving, so he needs to get off the boat. In her interview, Captain Sandy says she’s a factual person. She’s seeing what she’s seeing, and this is a problem. Sometimes mistakes happen, but she doesn’t think that’s the case. Regardless, it’s a problem. She’s starting with no chief stew, and now no bosun. She texts provisioner Norma. In Jack’s interview, he says, they’re in Italy and have the best Italian ingredients. He’s making fresh, Italian food. He doesn’t believe in making swans and stuff. Lunch is served. Food porn! Food porn! Captain Sandy calls Luka to the bridge, and says she’s had an incident and Ruan has to leave. Until they can verify his documentation, they need an interim bosun. He says he doesn’t mind helping, and in the captain’s interview, she says she has to get off the dock, and doesn’t have a lot of choices. Luka’s CV is impeccable, and Captain Jason said he was excellent. The guests compliment Jack on lunch, and in Jack’s interview, he says his anxiety is gone. He’s Harry Potter and the galley is his Hogwarts. In Jessika’s interview, she says she knew Brooke was green on a boat, but she’s also green in real life. A bright green stew? Ruan packs and the crew wonders what’s going on. In Luka’s interview, he says, if you get pulled over by the cops, you don’t show them a photocopy of your license.

In his interview, Luka says, it looks a different trip for all three of them on deck, and he’s a little nervous. His main focus is to not crash the boat while they’re leaving the dock. Captain Sandy calls to shore for a pilot, and in her interview, she explains that if a boat is over 500 gross tons, they need a pilot on board when coming in or leaving the dock. A pilot is like a live google maps and knows the traffic in the marina. The unnamed marina pilot boards, and they leave the dock. In Luka’s interview, he says, they’re getting help now, but they need someone for the rest of season. There are so many people here, if they f*** up, it will be on the news. He’ll be the guy on stern saying, you just hit the dock. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she saw red flags with Ruan, but department heads are hard to come by. She thinks there’s a 0.5% chance he’ll come through. If she can’t find someone, they’re totally screwed. Luka teaches Haleigh anchor stuff, and in his interview, he suggests they fake it until they make it. The guests dress for dinner, and in Jack’s interview, he says he has a big act to follow. We flash back to Chef David, and Captain Sandy says she’s hoping dinner goes well for her friend.

Captain Sandy joins the guests for dinner – more food porn! – and Kian asks about her story. She says, her career saved her life. A neighbor gave her a quaalude and it changed life. She got on the drug train, but one day, she realized it was just another Groundhog Day and got sober. She started washing boats to pay her fines and feels that now it’s her job to mentor others. Kian asks how many chances she gives people, and she says, three, but I’m not so sure about that. Haliegh says, she hates washing dishes, but it’s what she knows how to do. Interior isn’t complicated; it’s just something she’s never done. She wants to be a captain. Her dad was a captain, and he was her biggest motivation. He came up with Sprouts grocery store, and before he passed away, he told her to do what makes her happy. The cake is, well, the cherry on the cake; it’s amazing, and so velvety chocolate looking. Kian says he wishes he was on a yacht in Portofino and blows out the candles. Natalya tells Jack that they’re loving it, and in his interview, he says he likes a chief stew who’s supportive. When they’re thrown in the deep end, they need to work together, and he thinks Natalya is rising to the challenge. In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s happy. The boat looks good, and the interior is running smoothly. If she gets a gold star from Captain Sandy, she’ll be loving life. The captain tells Jack that he’s really good, and in his interview, he says he’s cooked around the world and got the Michelin Knife Award in his 20s. Growing up, he was the wrong child. Ruan calls the captain, and says he’s sorry, but he thinks he’s going home. She asks about the original documents, and he says he stopped his friend from mailing them. He’s deciding to call it quits and go back to South Africa. In Captain Sandy’s interview, there are nothing but bleeps.

The guests get in the hot tub, and in her interview, Captain Sandy says, you don’t want to disturb the client. It’s an embarrassment for the boat, and better to just keep them happy. Smoke and mirrors. Nothing to see here. She hopes Norma pulls it off. Jessika thinks Natalya is going too easy on Brooke. They all need to break a sweat. Natalya says, she’s from the deck and it’s literally her first day. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Jessika needs to chill out. It’s Brooke’s first night and she’s brand new. They’re already one person down. Realize you’re not the chief stew. She never thought she’d say that. Jessika says, the problem is having to guide Brooke while she’s doing her own duties, and thanks Natalya for not stressing out. She thinks Natalya is a good chief stew. I’m sure this will somehow come back to haunt Kyle after he gets there. Luka says he doesn’t know what’s happening, and in his interview, he says he’s been chucked in deep, but never this deep. He never managed a team. He tells Haleigh what to do on the bridge, and in his interview, he says, his biggest problem is, he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. The last thing he wants to do is let Captain Sandy down.

2nd day of charter. Norma calls, and Captain Sandy says, she can’t get anyone for two weeks? Now what does she do? Unbelievable.

To be continued…

⛓ Linked Out…

Join me tomorrow for soap and tea offerings. Until then, stay safe, stay not finishing other people’s sentences, and stay realizing that there are many different ways you can use whatever talent you have.

Sep23

September 22, 2023 – Drew Gets a Nasty Surprise, Blazing Again, In His Memory, Influenced, She’s In, Surviving, Lego Rick, Best In Dead, Almost Fear, Senior Swimmer, Pets (!) For the Win, 10 Quotes Plus Mine & Last

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis wheels himself into the hospital, and Portia says she didn’t expect to see him here. She was just about to head home. He says he had a follow-up appointment and was hoping to catch her. She asks what she can do for him… Is it that bad? He says, no, but it is important. It’s about their daughter.

Trina works on a paper in her dorm room, when there’s a knock at the door. She says she’s busy; go away. The knocking continues, and she says, go away. Spencer asks if she’s too busy for her boyfriend, and begins drumming on the door. She says, okay, okay, and opens the door. She says, yes, she’s even too busy for him, and he makes a pouty face.

Jordan comes out of the hospital elevator, and TJ runs over and hugs her. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says her neighbor had surgery. She thought she’d stop by and visit her. He says, that’s nice of her, although he’d expect nothing less from his amazing mother, and she says, someone’s in a good mood. He says he’s pumped. Dr. Chang asked him to assist in surgery this morning. She says she’s guessing that’s a big deal, and he says, she has no idea. Dr. Chang is the best in his field, and there he was, right by his side. The doctor even asked TJ to join him in his next surgery. Jordan says, that’s great. She’s so proud of him. He thanks her and says, now he has to do even more research because he has to be at the top of his game for the next surgery. She says, luckily, he has time to study now. When a baby comes into the picture, things are going to change.

On the phone outside the courtroom, Molly tells a women that they’ll have to set up a meeting with DA Scorpio. Alexis comes along, and Molly tells the woman that they’ll talk later. Alexis says she knew Molly was in court today and wanted to see how she did. Did she win? Molly says, no. The judge sided with the defendant, and DA Scorpio is going to want to hear a play-by-play of what went wrong. Alexis says, nothing went wrong. Molly’s perfect. She’s sure it was the judge… bias. Look what happened to Drew. Molly’s phone rings, and she sees it’s Andrea. She tells Andrea that she’s kind of in the middle of something… Why does Andrea need to see her right away?

Blaze walks into Charlie’s, when her phone rings. She says she just got to Charlie’s… Don’t worry. Not a problem. She’ll just answer some emails on her phone… Blaze will see her when she gets here. Kristina says, oh my God. Blaze.

Carly thanks Diane for coming back to Sonny’s old kitchen the house with her, and Diane says she goes where Carly needs her. She stares longingly at the moss bowl🎍, and Carly says she didn’t want to have this conversation in public. The last thing they need is for anybody to hear what they’re saying. Diane said she had some information on the judge, but most important, is it enough to get Drew out of Pentenville?

Drew goes into the shower and gets nakey, camera angles and set pieces strategically blocking his lower half. He runs the shower, and two inmates walk in. Drew doesn’t see them because he’s facing the wall instead of the doorway, like anyone would be likely to do that when they’re by themselves in a prison.

Molly says she’s in the courthouse… Okay, that works. She’ll wait for Andrea here. Alexis asks if there’s a problem, but Molly says she’s not sure. Andrea was having breakfast next door and wants to see her in person. Alexis asks if she said what it was about, but Molly says, no, which means it’s bad news, right? If it was good news, Andrea would have told her what it was. Alexis says, they don’t know that, and Molly says, she didn’t sound happy. She seemed nervous. Alexis tells her, just relax. Andrea will be here any second. In the meantime, does Molly want her to wait? Molly asks if she has time, and Alexis says she always has time for her. She suggests they sit down, and Molly asks if she’s sure. Alexis says, she’ll just text Gregory and tell him that she’s going to be a little late this morning. Molly says, Alexis is spending a lot of time with him. Did she and Diane have an argument or something? Alexis says, the only thing she and Diane argue about is exercise. Is she not allowed to have more than one friend? There. She’s available to Molly for the rest of the morning. Molly asks her to thank Gregory for her, and Alexis says she will. She has to admit he was a great hire, and for a stuffy professor, he’s actually a lot of fun. He has great stories. Molly says she’s glad to hear that. She really likes him and hopes he stays around a long time.

Blaze says she’s sorry. Does she know Kristina? Kristina says, yes… no. Blaze doesn’t know her, but she knows Blaze. She loves Blaze’s music. Blaze thanks her, and Kristina says, her latest single is amazing. It’s on all of her playlists all the time; her cooking playlist, her running playlist, her productivity playlist. Her fangirl moment is going to come to an end now. Can she get Blaze a table? Blaze says she’s meeting someone here, but they’re running late. She thinks she’ll just wait at the bar. Kristina says, the first round’s on her; she insists. What can she get Blaze? A Bloody Mary? A mimosa? Blaze says, just some sparkling water. She’s here for a business meeting.

Trina says she’s working on her essay for her art seminar, and Spencer asks if she didn’t say her goal was to have more of a work/life balance at PCU. She says she did, but not if she wants her essay to be good, and she does. He says, she just started her junior year at PCU. If he has to guess, he bets she has two more weeks for this at least. Is he right? She says she’ll take him up on that bet, because he’ll lose in a heartbeat. It’s due on Tuesday. He says, oh, Tuesday, pulling her into his lap. In other words, she has plenty of time for a little bit of fun. He kisses her.

Portia asks, what’s going on with their daughter? and Curtis says, while they were playing video games last night… She says, the ones they said she wasn’t very good at, and he says he doesn’t think she’s figured out the buttons just yet. She says, he has to teach her. She wants to be down with them, and wants it to be a family affair. He says, of course (🍷). They’re getting a little off topic. While they were playing video games, Trina told him that she was planning a trip. He wondered if she mentioned that to Portia. Portia says, Trina hasn’t, but she’s certainly not surprised. Trina’s been pretty busy; moving back into the dorm, working part time at the gallery, and plus that huge class schedule she still has. She’s sure Trina just hasn’t told her yet. So where’s she going? Another art gallery probably. He says, no. It’s not art or school related. She’s taking a trip to Manhattan… with Spencer.

Diane says, as Carly knows, she just had breakfast with Robert Scorpio, and Carly says, Diane told her that he might have some insight as to why the judge gave Drew such a ridiculous sentence. Diane says, Robert told her that Judge Kim has career aspirations well beyond his current seat on the bench, and Carly says, like what? Diane says, like the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The Second Circuit Court could be a huge steppingstone to the Supreme Court. For that you need an impressive judicial record, friends in the Justice Department… Carly says she gets all that. What does this have to do with Drew?

For a guy with a short haircut, Drew spends an inordinate amount of time washing his hair. One of the inmates nods to the other, and they approach. Drew feels their presence, turns around, and the fight starts. Drew slams one of them to the ground, but the other grabs Drew’s neck, and pushes him up against the wall, shoving his face under the shower stream.

Andrea finds Molly, who asks, what’s going on?

Drew finally gets the better of the inmate trying to strangle him under the water, but the other one gets up and jumps back into the fray. He gets Drew down, and they kick the crap out of him. Looking at these two goons, I find it hard to believe they could get the best of Drew, even nakey and wet, but he lies unconscious. We see blood go down the drain with the water.

Diane says, Judge Kim appears to be, could be, paving the way for the Justice Department to offer Carly a deal. Judge Kim hands Drew an overly harsh sentence. The Feds are well aware Carly is frantic to get Drew out of Pentenville. That’s their leverage. They offer to release him from prison in exchange for… Carly says, in exchange for information on Sonny, and Diane says, there you go.

Portia says, Trina and Spencer are going to New York City, and Curtis says he doesn’t want to betray her trust, but that’s what Trina told him. And he got the feeling Trina expected her to tell Portia. She asks, when is this happening? For how long? He says, this weekend, a couple of days. That’s the way he understands it. She says, okay, and he says he knows Spencer is a tricky subject for her and Trina, and he’s sorry if he upset her. She says, Trina’s a junior in college. If she wants to go away for the weekend, she has every right to, and she certainly doesn’t have to tell her mother about it in advance. He says, that’s not how he expected her to react. Is she really as calm about this as she seems?

Kristina asks if she can get Blaze a refill, and Blaze says, sure. Kristina says she understands this is totally none of her business, so feel free to say so, but does this meeting Blaze is having possibly have anything to do with her next album? Blaze says, no. She’s looking for new management because her last manager was a total creep. Thank God that’s over. Kristina says she remembers that whole thing blew up at the Nurses Ball. She’s sure everyone wants to sign Blaze though. Blaze says, they do, but after Linc, she realizes she needs more control over her career. It’s hard to find people with vision. Most just want you to churn out the same songs year after year; the old, shut up and sing. They don’t want to hear she plays four instruments and writes as well. She has a voice, and it’s her fault she stayed with Linc for as long as she did, because he wouldn’t listen to it. She won’t make that mistake again.

TJ tells Jordan that he’s fully prepared for their lives to change, if and when a baby comes along. He understands he won’t be able to devote as much time to medicine, and that’s not a problem. Everything will take a backseat to the baby. He shouldn’t even be talking like this. They don’t even know if the IVF was successful. Jordan asks how long before they find out if it worked, and he says, Andrea should know in a few days. But he and Molly are trying to give her space. They’re trying to resist the urge to text her every morning asking if she’s pregnant. Jordan says she knows it can’t be easy, and he says, it’s not. Molly’s been through so much disappointment since they started trying to have a baby. He doesn’t want her hopes up if it doesn’t happen this time. She says, but it could.

Molly says, before Andrea tells her why she needed to see her, she needs to say something first. This whole surrogate experience has been hard on her and TJ, but she’s also tried to put herself in Andrea’s shoes. She must feel so much responsibility to make this happen for them, and she just wants Andrea to know, if she has bad news, and it didn’t take… Andrea tries to interrupt, but Molly keeps on going. And if she doesn’t want to be their surrogate anymore, Molly completely understands. Alexis says, Molly is just so smart. Sometimes she overthinks things. Andrea says she’s not here with bad news; just the opposite in fact. She’s pregnant. Molly says, really? and Andrea says, they should have Dr. Navarro confirm, but the home test says she’s pregnant. She and Molly hug.

One of the inmates gives Drew another kick, but his cohort says, that’s enough. The job’s done. They leave, and we see more blood go down the drain.

Portia tells Curtis, is she thrilled that Trina is going away for the weekend to Manhattan with Spencer? Of course (🍷) not, but what is she supposed to do? March over to her dorm and forbid her to go? Curtis says he knows how much she doesn’t trust Spencer, so the idea did occur to him, and she says, if she thought for a second that would work, she’d be at Trina’s dorm in a heartbeat. But she knows better. She’s learned by now that she can’t pressure their daughter. She learned the hard way. Trina is a lot like Curtis in that way. He says, and she’s not stubborn at all, and she says, okay. Trina inherited her streak from both her parents. He says he should probably get to his check-up, so they’ll talk tonight.

Trina tells Spencer, stop, and he asks, what’s wrong? Is she not having fun? She says, that’s not the point. He’s distracting her and she needs to finish this paper before they go to the city. He says he knows it’s hard, but it’s going to be okay. She’s such a perfectionist, and he knows she’s such a good student, but they’re going to be back from their trip on Monday and she’ll be able to turn in her paper on Tuesday. He admires how smart she is. This all looks very impressive. She probably doubled the amount of research she needed for this paper, but she’s going to have time to finish this when they get back from their trip. She says, he’s probably right, and he says he is right. She says, but if she doesn’t finish  this paper before they go, she’ll be thinking about it all weekend, and she wants this weekend to be about them. All she wants to be thinking about is him, and her, and them being together.

TJ asks if Jordan really thinks it could happen. He’s been trying not to let himself go there, thinking he’ll somehow jinx it, but what if it worked and Andrea is pregnant? She says, then it will be the best news in the world. He says, wow. That means in nine months, Baby Ashford-Davis could be here? What if they’re not ready? Or if they don’t know what they’re doing? Or if… Jordan says, no one knows how to do this the first time around, and he says, in medical school, he’d just open a book and study and have the answers. There’s no book to tell him how to be a good dad. What if he can’t do it?

Andrea says, when she took the test and found out she was pregnant, all she could think about was telling Molly. And yes, it’s incredibly premature, and they should schedule an appointment with Dr. Navarro, but when she saw the result, it made her so incredibly happy, she figured Molly would feel the same way. Molly says she is; she does. And Andrea 100% made the right call in telling her because they’re in this together. Oh my God. She’s got to tell TJ. He has a really busy day at the hospital. Maybe she should wait to tell him tonight. Andrea says she’ll let Molly make that call, and Molly says, if Andrea is pregnant, she needs to eat something. Andrea says she just had breakfast, but if Molly hasn’t eaten, she could maybe have a juice or something. It does feel like they should celebrate, right? Molly says, absolutely, and asks if Alexis would like to join them, but Alexis tells them to go celebrate together. As they’re about to leave, Alexis calls Molly over, and says she’s very happy for them. She doesn’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but she just wants Molly to remember it’s early. Things happen. She’s not saying they will, but she doesn’t want Molly to get ahead of herself. Molly says she knows. Alexis is right and Molly hears what she’s saying, but this is the first good news she’s had in a really long time, and she wants to really celebrate. Alexis hugs her.

Kristina says, Blaze and Chase were so good at the Nurses Ball this year, and Blaze thanks her. She says she loved Danielle Ponder, and Kristina says, her little sister’s obsessed with her. Blaze asks how many sisters she has, and Kristina says, two brothers and four sisters. Blaze says, wow, and Kristina says, that’s a lot, right? She and her sisters have performed a few times at the Nurses Ball. Blaze says, Kristina sings? She needs to hear more about that.

Carly tells Diane, so we’re doing this again. The only way to get Drew out of Pentenville is if she gives the Feds information on Sonny? Diane says, this is all still pure speculation on her part. And Robert’s part. They have no proof that the Feds, the Justice Department, are involved in any way. There’s no firm deal on the table. This could just be a political stunt by Judge Kim to move him up the ladder. It could also be the reason he gave Drew this insane sentence. Carly tells Diane that she doesn’t know what to say, and Diane says, say nothing. It’s only her obligation to present Carly with all the options. Carly says, it’s not an option. If the Feds came to her and offered her a deal, she’s not going to take it. Diane knows that. She knows Sonny’s not her husband anymore, but he’s still her family, and she’s not going to be the one who puts him in prison. Diane says, not even if it means saving Drew? and Carly says, not even if it means saving Drew. Diane says, atta girl.

Cyrus walks into the shower area, and sees Drew lying unconscious, the shower running. He checks Drew’s pulse, and yells for the guard. He shouts, a prisoner’s been attacked! Come quick!

Blaze says, what Kristina is telling her is that she’s more than a bartender, that she has hidden talent. Kristina says she is in fact more than just a bartender. She manages this place. Blaze says, good for her, and Kristina thanks her and says, clearly between the two of them, Blaze is the professional singer here; she’s just having fun. Blaze says, that’s all that really matters, because if she’s not having fun, neither is the audience. Kristina says she doesn’t know how Blaze does it. She gets terrified standing onstage. Once she’s there and in the moment, she can enjoy herself, but it’s a worthy cause and they raised some money, so that’s all that counts. Kristina’s phone rings, and she tells Blaze that she’ll be right back.

Jordan tells TJ, there are tons of books on parenting, and numerous websites with advice on infant care, but the bottom line? There’s no roadmap for raising a child. It’s on the job training. He says, what if he fails? There’s no trick to changing a diaper, but how does he make his child feel comfortable? How does he make them feel safe and secure? Jordan says she’s not the best person to be giving parenting advice. She missed a lot of his upbringing, and it’s something she’ll regret for the rest of her life. But what she does know is, he’s an amazing person with an incredible partner. He and Molly will figure this out together. He thanks her and says, for the record, she’s an amazing mom and she’ll make an incredible grandma. She says she’s still rethinking that name. She’s too young to be called grandma. Doesn’t he think? He says, absolutely, and they laugh.

Alexis says, speaking of celebrating, would it be all right with Molly if she told Sam and Kristina that Andrea is pregnant? Molly asks, what happened to her saying it’s still too early? and Alexis says she knows what she said. If Molly lets her tell them, she’ll make sure they’re cautiously optimistic. She just wants to make sure all the Davis girls are on the same page with Molly and TJ. And whatever happens, let’s all be supportive. Molly asks if this is where Alexis tries to get her and Kristina talking, and Alexis says, absolutely. Is it so wrong for a mother to want her children to talk to each other? Molly says she guesses they’re going to find out sooner or later. Go for it. She gives Alexis a kiss on the cheek and says she loves her. Alexis says she loves Molly, and Molly leaves to join Andrea.

Spencer says, Trina has no idea the fantastic weekend he has planned for her. There’s no way she would even be able to think about, even for a second, some silly paper she has to write. Trina says, first of all, her paper isn’t silly. Art is going to be her career. She takes her work very seriously. He says he knows, and she says, she doesn’t want to be thinking about her paper when they go on their trip. Which is why she needs him to go. She pushes him toward the door, and he says, but even if she didn’t finish her paper, he doubts she’d be able to think about school while she’s there, because… Never mind. That’s okay. She says, what? and he says, never mind, opening the door. She says, what is it? Tell her. He asks if she really wants to know, and she says she does. He closes the door and says, he got them tickets to see Moulin Rouge. She says she listens to the original cast album all the time, and he says he knows. It’s almost like they’re dating and he knows these things about her. They have amazing seats; they’re going to be in the third row, center stage. (Those are good. Never sit in the first row. You’ll be looking up their noses.) And he got them dinner reservations, at Essence. She says, that place is supposed to be the hardest place to get reservations at, and he says he has great connections. She says, maybe he’s right. It will be amazing. She can’t wait. She hugs him, and he says, she doesn’t have to wait. He’s already packed, so why don’t they get her packed and get out of here?

Esme comes out of the hospital elevator, toting Ace, and Portia asks if everything is all right with him. Esme says, he’s fine. He had his normal pediatrician appointment this morning, and she tried to make it as early as possible, so she doesn’t miss too much work. Portia says, that’s commendable of her, and she seems to be doing a wonderful job with Ace. That’s a happy baby. Esme says she can’t take all the credit. Spencer’s actually been a really big help. She appreciates Portia suggesting that parenting class they took together. It was really helpful to get them on the same page. Portia says, that’s great, but her expression doesn’t look like it’s great.

Spencer says, what he knows of late September in Manhattan is that it could be anything weatherwise, so Trina will want to be prepared for hot and cold. She’s going to want to bring something fancy for the theatre, and he thinks she should pack something casual in case they want to go for a walk around Central Park. So where does she want to start? She’s going to look amazing no matter what she wears, so don’t give him that look. She thanks him for the compliment, but she doesn’t need his help packing. He says, this is to speed things up, not slow them down. The sooner they get on the road, the sooner they get to New York, the sooner they have some fun. She tells him that she’s going to keep saying this until it sinks into his thick skull. She’s not packing until she finishes her essay. And she can’t finish her essay until he leaves. What part of that is confusing? He says he completely understands. He just has a different goal, because he knows her, and if he had to guess, he’d say that essay is probably finished. He’s thinking she has to do a little bit of proof reading and editing. She smiles, and he says, she’s so busted. That’s exactly what it is, and she can do all of that on Monday when they get back from their trip. Let’s go. She says, he’s wrong, but he says he doesn’t believe her. She says, he can believe her or not, but if he really wants to speed up this departure, he’ll go. The door’s over there.

Esme says she’s surprised at how good Portia’s been to her, as a doctor, and almost as a friend. Portia says she’s sure Esme’s heard of the oath the doctor’s take; first do no harm. For her, she took that to mean, be of service and help people. Esme says she’s not surprised Portia is kind and caring as a person. She’s just a little surprised Portia is extending that kindness to her, especially considering the awful things she did to Portia’s daughter. Portia says, but Esme’s a different person than when she did those things to Trina and her friends, right? Esme says she’s really just trying to be a better person for her son, and Portia says, that’s the person she’s reacting to. She’s reacting to Esme, the mom of beautiful Baby Ace. Esme thanks her and says she really can’t tell Portia how much that means to her that she can come to Portia for advice about Ace. Portia says she was a young mother too, so she gets it. She knows how hard it can be, and sometimes you just need some help. And with Laura and Doc out of the country, she just thought Esme might need some extra support. So if Esme needs anything else, she knows where Portia is. Esme says, sounds good, and thanks her.

Carly tells Diane that she hates that Drew is being used as a pawn by this judge for his career. Not to mention, this wouldn’t be happening to Drew if it wasn’t for his involvement with her. But not turning evidence to free Drew is less about Sonny and more about her kids. If Sonny goes to prison, they’re in danger. They’d all have targets on their backs, and Drew wouldn’t want that. Diane says, now she’s not understanding. Is Carly saying she’s regretting being involved with Drew? Carly says, no. She regrets what her world has done to Drew. Diane says, but Drew is not new to Port Charles. He’s been around the block. He was aware of how complicated Carly’s life is, and he chose to be involved with her anyway. Carly says, that’s not making her feel any better, and Diane tells her that she’s just saying, don’t torture herself with gratuitous guilt. And certainly don’t blame herself for the bad conduct of this overambitious judge. Carly says, but can they prove that conduct? Can they prove that judge gave Drew a ridiculous sentence just for political gain? Because right now, that’s the only chance they’ve got.

Cyrus turns off the shower, and covers Drew with a towel. A guard walks in, and Cyrus says he found Drew like this. He’s barely breathing. He needs a hospital now. The guard runs back out.

Spencer asks how much time Trina thinks she’ll need, and I wish he would stop shouting. He talks fast and loud. She says she doesn’t exactly know, but he added about an hour for interrupting her. He asks if she’s really saying she’s sorry he showed up, and she kisses him. He says, that’s the last things she should do if she wants him to leave, and she says, go. He says, she can’t kiss him like that and expect him to go. No. She says, yes – she pushes him out the door – because she needs to finish her paper if he wants her to kiss him like that in New York. He says she doesn’t play fair, and she says, no, she doesn’t, kissing him one more time and closing the door. He yells, type fast, Trina Robinson. New York City awaits.

Esme says, Ace did good today, and Portia says, he’s a pro. Such a big guy. Esme says it was nice to see Portia, and Portia says, it was nice to see her too. Take care. She tickles Ace’s tummy, and Esme leaves. Curtis comes out of the elevator, and Portia asks how his check-up went. He says he’s still in a wheelchair, but aside from that, all good. She says she wanted to tell him that she really appreciates him. She thanks him for filling her in on Trina’s trip. He says, we are Trina’s parents. We’re in this together.

Blaze is enjoying watching something on her phone, and Kristina asks what she’s watching. Blaze says, you. At the Nurses Ball a few years back. Kristina was singing Sara Bareilles song, and she’s good. Kristina says, Blaze did not look her up, but Blaze says, of course (🍷) she did. It took her all of 30 seconds to find it online. It’s hazy, but Kristina totally misrepresented this. First of all, it’s not an easy song to sing, and this choreography is really good. She hopes if the Nurses Ball ever asks Kristina to perform again, she’ll do it. Kristina says she absolutely will not, and Blaze says, who’s the professional singer here? Kristina says, that would be Blaze, and Blaze says, exactly. So just take the compliment. Kristina says, okay, she will. If Blaze stops watching that. Blaze says, deal, taking out her earbuds, and Kristina thanks her for the compliment.

Alexis calls Gregory, and says she just got some really great news, and she thinks she made a breakthrough with Kristina and Molly… Right? The reason she’s calling is that she’s in such a good mood, she doesn’t feel like going to work today. So she was wondering, after she runs a few errands, what does he say to them crossing something off his bucket list?

Diane tells Carly that she thinks if there were evidence against Judge Kim for unfairly sentencing people to advance his own career, some reporter would have already dug it up. She’s just saying she’s here to present all options. Of course (🍷) she’s going to try. Of course (🍷). But they need to have realistic expectations. It’s a long shot. Carly says, a long shot is better than no shot at all. Where do they start? Diane says she needs to see if there’s a precedent for a judge delivering a politically motivated sentence (I can’t imagine there isn’t), and if that sentence was then overturned. Because that could go a long way in getting Drew’s case seen before another judge. Carly thanks her, and Diane’s phone rings. She answers, and says, yes… Yes. She’s going to command a full explanation… That’s right. Bye. Carly asks, who was that? What’s going on? Is it bad? Diane says, yes. It’s very bad. Drew was attacked in Pentenville. Carly says, how bad is it? and Diane says, he’s in an ambulance on his way to General Hospital. Carly says she has to get to him right now.

On Monday, Brook says she wants to sign Blaze as her first client; Jake says he has to talk to Elizabeth about Charlotte; Valentin tells Nina that he has a plan to make them all move right past it; and Carly says, Sonny promised to protect Drew.

🎤 We Noticed…

Next stop, The Savoy.

Jacqueline Grace Lopez Returns to GENERAL HOSPITAL!

🥀 Hats Off To Billy…

I don’t remember him being in AMC, but then again, I remember very little about AMC at this point. Except for Susan Lucci waiting on getting that Emmy. He must have been pretty young.

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Special Tribute to Billy Miller

In related news.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/maurice-benards-emotional-message-to-fans

🍊 Not Her Finest Hour…

No surprise, everyone has an opinion.

https://people.com/housewives-respond-to-shannon-beador-alleged-dui-hit-and-run-7971761

https://pagesix.com/2023/09/19/shannon-beador-dui-hit-and-run-video-shows-crash-into-home/

https://www.eonline.com/news/1386192/rhocs-emily-simpson-speaks-out-on-shannon-beadors-dui-arrest

👠 She’s On Board…

My guilty pleasure. I saw them twice when they last got together, and they put on an amazing show. I can’t imagine what the ticket prices would be for it now though.

https://extratv.com/2023/09/21/mel-b-says-victoria-beckham-is-on-board-for-spice-girls-reunion-exclusive/

🌴 In Case You Wondered…

What it takes to outwit, outplay, and outlast. I used to think Jeff Probst was the antichrist until Andy Cohen came along.

https://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-behind-the-scenes-casting-cover-story/

🎉 He Finally Made It…

They definitely captured Rick’s worried expression.

https://screenrant.com/walking-dead-rick-grimes-lego-project/

🏹 Simply the Best…

Dead City was impressive, but Daryl is definitely the one to beat right now.

https://www.gamesradar.com/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-fans-best-franchise-has-been-in-years-reddit/

⚰️ Just Around the Corner…

October 22 – be there or be dead.

“Fear the Walking Dead” Final Season Trailer – The Last Six Episodes Premiere on October 22

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/fear-the-walking-dead-trailer-season-8-the-walking-dead-sanctuary-dwight-sherry/

🐟 Oldest In the Tank…

I hear he has a seeing eye crab. It almost seems cruel to keep him in an aquarium, but then again, it would be the worst to see him get set free and immediately get eaten by a shark.

https://people.com/worlds-oldest-aquarium-fish-older-than-scientists-thought-7971807

🐩 The Real Award…

Grammy winners loved pets too.

https://celebritypets.net/grammy-award-winners-2023-meet-their-celebrity-pets/

📰 Quotes of the Week…

For it’s not light that is needed, but fire; it’s not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind and the earthquake in our hearts. – Frederick Douglass

We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience. – John Dewey

Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. – Robert Collier

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. – Plato

Do one thing every day that scares you. – Mary Schmich

Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. – Henry David Thoreau

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. – Herman Melville

Success only comes to those who dare to attempt. – Mallika Tripathi

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your wife is well educated and well mannered, and you’re just, oh well. – Carl McMillan (Reno Wilson), Mike & Molly

Integrity: Don’t leave home without it. – me

🍁 Equinoxing Autumn…

Meet me on Monday really Tuesday for soap and tea tidbits. Until then, stay safe, stay never taking the last piece of pizza without asking first (especially if it’s mine), and stay keeping in mind a long shot is better than no shot at all.

Sep22

September 21, 2023 – Willow Gets Sam Some Crucial Information, Don’t Hang Out With Friends’ Exes & Road

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Eddie/Ned works on his song, when Brook peeks around the corner. She says she was wondering if the coast is clear; no granny sightings. He says, no. Tracy isn’t here. If he’s playing his guitar, Brook can rest assured Tracy is nowhere in the vicinity. She’s having a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that he’s Eddie, not Ned. (Confession: I prefer him as Eddie and hope Ned never comes back.) Brook says, Tracy gave her an earful yesterday about the evils of the music industry, and he says he bets she did. He hopes Brook didn’t listen to her. She says, not even close. She actually has an important meeting today, and if all goes well, he’ll be looking at a successful music manager.

Olivia sits at her desk and flashes back to being at The Savoy with Eddie. She smiles, when there’s a knock at the door. Anna says she’s sorry to interrupt, but Olivia says, not at all. She’s just waking up from a late night at The Savoy. What brings Anna by this morning? Anna wonders if she would be allowed to look at the security footage from the corridor outside the suite where they were staying, and Olivia asks, why? Anna says, because of the break-in? and Olivia says, what break-in?

Nina tells Valentin that Charlotte is still sleeping, and he asks how she was after he left last night. Nina says, she was fine. She stayed in her room after he left. (What happened to the sleepover?) He says, good, and thanks her. She says, Charlotte is welcome here anytime, and he says he knows. He just didn’t give her much of a heads up and he appreciates it. It gave him a chance to make some arrangements. She says, arrangements for what? What is he going to do about Charlotte targeting Anna?

On the phone, Carly says she accepts the charges, and Drew is put through. She asks if Drew is staying safe, and he says he’s doing his best. She says she misses him, and he says he misses her too. She asks how it’s going. Does he have any news or information for her to give to Sonny? He says, not yet. He’s still working on it. Cyrus listens through a door that’s open a crack.

Diane meets Robert at the MetroCourt, and he says, the delightful Miss Miller. She says, flattery will get him everywhere, and he says he sees she’s ready for work. She reminds him that he said it was a working breakfast, and he agrees he did. They sit, and she asks what case they’re working on, and he says he may have found a way to help Drew, and he gets to see her at the same time. She says, either way, he has her attention.

Dressed in scrubs, Willow goes to the hospital reception desk and hugs Deanna. Deanna says, it’s so good to see her, and Willow says she’s thought about this day a lot, especially during her treatments. She used to watch the nurses and thought about working alongside them again. Now she finally is. Deanna says, yes, she is, and everyone on staff couldn’t be happier to have her back with them. They really missed her. She thanks Deanna and says she missed them too. The phone rings, and Deanna says, her first call back. Does she want to take that? Willow says, absolutely, and answers the phone, 10th floor nurses’ station.

As Sam comes out of the hospital elevator, her phone rings. She asks where Dante is at, and he says he’s working on getting Gladys’s bank records. Hopefully, soon. She says, what about the toxicology report? but he says, that’s going to take a little bit longer. She says, that’s time Sasha doesn’t have.

Drew tells Carly that he asked around and put out some feelers, but unfortunately, he doesn’t have anything yet. She says, be careful, please. If he feels like it’s getting dangerous, she wants him to back off. He says he will, and she says, promise her. He says he promises. Now enough about him. How is she? She says she’s doing fine, except he’s not here, and he says he knows. How are the girls? She says, Donna and Josslyn are doing great. What about him? Has he seen Scout and Sam? He says, Scout just started school. She’s really busy. She’s got homework, soccer practice, and swim lessons, so he hasn’t seen much of her, but he guesses that’s probably for the best. She says she has Diane working every angle to get him out of there, but until then, he can’t cut himself off from the people who love him, especially Scout.

Diane asks what Robert’s sleuthing skills have sussed so far, and he says he did a bit of checking on Judge Kim. It seems he’s pushing for a promotion to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. She says, being tough on major crime would endear him to the Second Circuit Court, but why go after somebody like Drew and give him an overly harsh sentence? He says, forget about Drew. Think about Drew’s girlfriend and her ex-husband. Diane says, once again, all roads lead to Sonny.

Anna tells Olivia that she and Valentin were supposed to have dinner in the hotel restaurant last night. They changed their minds and decided to order room service. Then by the time they got to the suite, someone had broken in. Olivia says, what? and Anna says she filed a report with the PCPD. Olivia says she’s so sorry this happened to Anna at her hotel, but Anna says, it’s not her fault. Olivia says, this is the first she’s hearing of this. Which is very strange. Nina is usually very good with her in communicating hotel business. Anna wonders if Nina left a message somewhere, and Olivia says, it’s possible, but Nina didn’t communicate with her directly. As she said, she was very distracted last night. Maybe Nina left a message on her business line. She just wants to apologize on behalf of the MetroCourt Hotel. If there’s anything at all she can do for Anna… She assumes Anna’s been moved to a different suite. Anna says, yes. Olivia’s staff were great. They were moved almost immediately. She’s fine; she really is. Olivia asks if Anna has any idea who would do this to her, and Anna says, it’s possibly the same person who burned her house. Olivia says she’s sorry. If there’s anything Anna needs, she’s here for her. Anna says, there is something she can do, and Olivia says, name it. Anna says, the security footage. She was told it’s missing. She just wanted to make sure there’s no misunderstanding. Olivia says, they have a state-of-the-art security system; she can assure Anna that. Anna says, if she could access the footage… but if it is missing, maybe Olivia could pull it up from another source, like the mainframe server. Olivia asks, about what time did the break-in happen? and Anna tells her, she’d say between 7 and 9 pm. Olivia looks on the computer, and Anna says, what she’d like is the footage from outside the suite and also the surrounding area. Olivia tells her, don’t worry.

Valentin tells Nina, first, he’d like to keep Charlotte close. He needs to keep a watchful eye on her. He’s been distracted. He’s obviously neglected her. Nina says, distracted, maybe; neglecting her, no. He says his daughter is running around doing God knows what. She’s a child. That’s something he’s obviously forgotten. He needs to spend more time with her. She says, he’s always put Charlotte first, and he says, has he? Because he doesn’t think Charlotte feels that way. And now she’s targeting Anna for his absence. Nina says, his daughter is going to need more than more time with her dad. At some point, he’s going to have to confront her about everything she’s done. He says he knows, but first, he needs to know the extent of his daughter’s crimes.

Sam tells Dante, if they could get the bank statements, it could provide circumstantial evidence, but she bets those statements aren’t going to show that Gladys withdrew a ton of Sasha’s money. It was probably taken out in cash. Dante says, right. If Gladys was paying Montague in cash, they won’t be able to prove it. That means the only thing they have tying him to Sasha, keeping her in Ferncliff, and almost killing her is Cody. She says, no one is going to believe Cody, and he says, the other option is to try and prove that Montague was giving Sasha mood-altering drugs. She says, one step at a time. First, they need to prove there was a drug and get the toxicology report. She looks over at Willow, and says she thinks she has a way to get it.

Eddie suggests Brook tell him about her meeting. He could use a distraction. Lyrics just aren’t flowing for him this morning. She sits next to him, and says, there’s this amazing singer. Her name is Blaze. She’s a total rising star, and Brook wants to be the one to take her to the top. She is an incredible talent, like Beyonce level (very debatable). He says, wow, she must really be something, and Brook says she wouldn’t be signing Blaze if she wasn’t special. He asks if she’s already agreed to work with Brook, and she says, not exactly. They’re actually meeting today, and she’s going to give Blaze the full court press on why she should sign with her. He says, if she’s smart, she would take the deal. Brook’s got a lot going for her. She says, if all goes well, maybe she can represent him. What does he think? He says he’s not sure she’d want him. Marshall Ashford called this morning and offered him a gig at The Savoy tonight. She says, that’s great, and he says, it is, but he kind of promised Marshall that he’d finish this song, and he’s not going to finish this new song, so his music career could be over before it even started.

Olivia says, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Anna was right. The file containing the footage from noon to midnight is missing from the area around Anna’s suite. It’s like it’s been wiped from the server. Anna asks if it could be a computer glitch, but Olivia says, this is the first time that’s ever happened. Anna says, who else has access to the server it’s stored on? and Olivia says, her and Nina. Hotel security can get the security footage, but they can’t have access to the server. Anna asks how long they typically keep the security footage, and Olivia says, three years before it’s deleted. Anna says, obviously whoever broke into her suite hacked into the hotel’s system and deleted themselves breaking in, and Olivia says, this does not sound like a random break-in. This is obviously a professional job. Anna says, it does imply whoever’s after her is somewhat sophisticated.

Valentin says, the first thing he needs to know is if Charlotte burned Anna’s house, and Nina says she can’t imagine Charlotte would do that to anyone, let alone Anna. He says he wishes this was a mistake, some sort of misunderstanding, and Nina says, not in a million years did she think Charlotte would break into Anna’s room, trash the place, destroy her clothes, and leave a threatening message. But they saw the security footage. Where was Charlotte when Anna’s house burned? He says, she was at camp. It’s an hour away, but she could have taken a Ride Share. Nina asks if he keeps track of her Ride Share history. Does he keep track of her spending? He shakes his head and says he thought he did. He’s so stupid. She tells him not to blame himself for any of this, and he says he sent her to live with Sam and Dante. Who knows what she tells them he’s okay with or not okay with? He has no idea what she’s up to when he’s not around.

Drew says he wishes he could talk to Carly all day, when the guard taps him and looks at his watch. She says, her too, and he says he has to go. She says she loves him, and he says, same. He’ll talk to her soon. They say goodbye, and Guard Johnson approaches Drew. He asks if Drew was serious about getting his son that internship at Aurora, and Drew says 100%. Johnson says, that doctor Drew was asking about… Drew says, Gatlin-Holt, and Johnson says, yes, him.

Diane says she gets where Robert is going with this, and he says he figured she would. She says, it’s a fascinating theory. So Judge Kim hands Drew an overly harsh sentence, paving the way for the Justice Department to swoop in, provide Carly with a deal that will reduce Drew’s sentence, if and only if Carly flips on her ex-husband. Robert says, there’s nothing to indicate the Justice Department even knows what’s going on here. It could just be the work of some over-zealous judge who’s trying to score a few points. She says, either way, it could benefit Drew, and he says he loves the way she thinks. She thanks him, and asks if they should take this a step further, and he asks if they’re still talking about the case. She laughs and says, they are. Pure speculation. If Judge Kim is working on his advancement, the Justice Department might want to have his case reassigned to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. So her question for him is, where does she go to do a deep… Anna walks in, and Robert says he has to cut this short. Anna’s just arrived. He gets up and walks over to her.

Sam says, it’s good to see Willow back at the hospital, and Willow thanks her, and says she missed it. She spent a lot of time here as a patient; it’s nice to be back as a nurse. Sam says, they’re lucky to have her, and Willow asks if there’s anything she can help Sam with. Sam says she hates to hit Willow up on her first day, but she does need a favor. And it’s not for her. It’s for Sasha.

Anna says, in Robert’s message, he told her it’s important. What’s going on? He says she needs to see this for herself, and asks her to sit down in a nearby booth. He says he’ll join her in a minute. He’s going to get his briefcase and say goodbye to Diane. He tells Diane that he’s sorry, but they’ve got to cut this breakfast short. She says, he’s been very helpful, and he says, they’ll compare notes and do this some other time. She says she’s got it from here, and he says, breakfast is on him. He’ll make it up to her. She says, totally unnecessary, as she enjoys a piece of toast. He goes back to Anna, but Diane doesn’t look happy.

Brook tells Eddie that she knows what it’s like trying to finish a song. If the lyrics aren’t coming, you can’t force it. His gut will tell him when it’s the right time to finish. He says he appreciates it, but what is he going to sing tonight? Marshall and the crowd will be expecting a new song. She says, maybe he can break out some of the classics. You can never go wrong with those. He says he’ll figure something out. He hopes she’s going to be there. She says, absolutely. She wouldn’t miss it. She thinks there’s someone else who would like to go. Maybe he can give her a personal invitation. He thanks her for the advice, and says, she’s pretty sharp. That Blaze would be lucky to have her.

Olivia looks at the computer files and says, this can’t be right. Security back-up is even missing. She calls Nina, who says, what’s up? Olivia says, Anna Devane was just in her office. Anna was telling her all about the break-in in her suite last night. Does Nina know anything about this? Nina says, yeah. She’s sorry. When she found out about it, she meant to tell Olivia, but she got distracted by work. Olivia says, Anna asked to see the security footage from the area around her suite the night of the break-in and it’s missing from the server. She knows Nina was in her office last night. Is there any chance she tried to pull up footage and accidentally deleted it or something? Nina says, Olivia is right. She pulled up the footage, but it was already gone. Charlotte comes out, and Nina says, can they just talk about this when she gets to the office? She has to go. Bye.

Nina asks Charlotte how her night was in the guest room, and Charlotte says, where’s papa?

Dante leaves a message for Anna, and says he just read a report that there was a break-in in her suite. He kind of wishes he’d heard it from her, and not the police report, but give him a call when she gets a chance. Valentin comes into the interrogation room and says, he and Dante need to talk privately. It’s kind of important. Dante says, what about? and Valentin says, Charlotte.

Willow steps away from the desk and asks if Sam has heard from Sasha or Cody. Are they still together? Is Sasha okay? Sam says she can’t go into details right now, but there may be a way for Willow to help Sasha. Willow says, Sasha is one of her best friends. Sasha’s put herself on the line for her so many times. Willow will do whatever is needed. Sam says, she and Dante have a theory that Dr. Montague, the psychiatrist who was appointed to evaluate Sasha, has been drugging her; undermining her mental health and making her appear mentally ill. Willow says, that’s horrible. Why would a doctor do that? She’s sorry. Sam said she couldn’t go into details. It didn’t make sense that Sasha suddenly went off the deep end and stabbed Cody. Then being sent to Ferncliff. It seemed so extreme. What does Sam need her to do? Sam says, the first step is proving it. So she needs a copy of the toxicology report from the day Sasha stabbed Cody. Does Willow think she can access that?

Johnson says, the doctor Drew was asking about went to solitary, and Drew asks, why? Who was in solitary? Johnson says, Bobby Leonard. He attacked a guard, and that’s who the doctor was here seeing. Drew says, he was here seeing a guard? but Johnson says, no, Leonard. The guards beat him up pretty badly, so the warden wanted to keep it quiet. Drew says, that’s who Dr. Gatlin-Holt was here visiting? and Johnson says, he got his information right from the warden’s right hand. Drew asks if he was here to see anybody else, but Johnson says, one and done. Johnson starts to leave, but Drew says, wait a second.

Drew wonders why an inmate would attack a guard, and Johnson says, who knows? Maybe he did it to get drugs from the doctor. Drew would be surprised what a lot of guys would do around here to get drugs. That’s all he’s got. He doesn’t know what else to tell Drew. Drew thanks him, and moves on. Cyrus comes out, and tells Johnson, well done. He thanks Johnson, and says, his son Keith will be well taken care of. He’ll get far more than an internship at Aurora.

Robert takes a box tied with a ribbon from his briefcase, and hands it to Anna. She asks what it is, and he tells her to open it. She says, he’s not the gift giving type, but he says, this is not the time to editorialize. Just open it. He rubs his hands together, and she says, it’s not even her birthday. He says, a lot of people went to a lot of trouble to get this here. She’s going to love it. She opens the box and sees a digital photo frame. He says, like it? and she asks what he did. Across the room, Diane doesn’t look amused.

Willow gets on the computer at the desk, and pulls up the toxicology report. She looks around, then takes a picture of it with her phone. Willow looks closer and sees Sasha tested positive for fluoxetine and dextroamphetamine. She switches the screen back, and sends the report to Sam. She asks if Sam got it, and Sam says she did. Great. Willow says, Sam was right. This is bad.

Nina and Charlotte go into Kelly’s, and Carly asks Charlotte, how’s school so far? Charlotte says, it’s going okay, and Nina says, they had a little sleepover, and of course (🍷) she has nothing in her kitchen for them to make breakfast. And even if her refrigerator was fully stocked, they’d still get a better breakfast here. Carly says, that’s Kelly’s. Everybody’s home away from home. She asks if Charlotte wants the usual, and Nina says, she has a usual? Charlotte says she has French toast when she and Jake have breakfast here, and Carly says, extra cinnamon? Charlotte says, please, and Nina flashes back to Valentin asking where Charlotte’s been, and Charlotte saying she was with Jake. She remembers Charlotte saying, they were at the promenade, and since she was close, she decided to visit papa; and Charlotte showing them pictures. Carly says, Nina? and Nina says she’s sorry. Crimson has her very distracted lately. Carly asks if Nina wants to order something.

Valentin tells Dante that he and Charlotte have been a apart for far too long. Charlotte made him realize that last night when she showed up at Anna’s hotel suite. Dante asks if it was after the break-in, and Valentin says, that’s why he wanted her to spend the night at Nina’s. They’re still pretty close, and he wanted Charlotte to feel assured. Going forward, he wants her to feel safe and secure, so he’s taking steps for the two of them to live together again full-time. Dante says, okay. That’s great. She misses him. Valentin says he’s grateful to Dante and Sam; they’ve been terrific. But he has a lot of time to make up for now. Dante says, maybe he could let her come by and visit every once in a while. Her and Rocco were getting along pretty good. Valentin says, believe him. He knows now more than ever how important family is to Charlotte. He gets up to leave, and Dante asks, what are his thoughts on that break-in? Valentin says he thinks whoever’s done this is trying to unsettle Anna (how astute!), and he thinks they’ve succeeded. He leaves.

Brook calls Blaze and says, they’re all set. She just wanted to call and let Blaze know she’s looking forward to their meeting. This could be the start of something really great. She’ll see her soon.

On the phone, Olivia says she wants to know what happened to the footage from last night… It didn’t just disappear. How did someone get into her security system and just take down the security footage… Eddie comes to the door, and she motions him in. She says she doesn’t want to hear any excuses. The MetroCourt Hotel pays their company a small fortune to take care of this stuff that’s supposed to be secure. She wants to know what the hell happened and she wants to know who’s responsible… Yes. She slams the phone down, and says, what? Eddie says, bad time?

Charlotte goes to wash her hands, and Carly says she’ll get Nina a menu. Carly asks if Charlotte comes in here frequently, and Carly says, she’s been here a few times since she got back from camp. Nina asks if she’s usually alone or with someone, and Carly asks why she wants to know so much about Charlotte. Nina says, Valentin wants to know too. He’s curious as to what his daughter is doing since they spend so much time apart. Carly says, she’s with Dante and Sam; she’s fine. Nina says she knows Charlotte’s fine, but Carly’s raised a teenage daughter. She knows they don’t tell their parents everything, especially fathers, and that is what Valentin is facing with Charlotte. Carly says she’s seen Charlotte in here with Jake a few times, and Nina asks if she’s ever alone. Carly says, maybe once or twice, and Nina says, ever with anyone else? but Carly says she’s only seen her with Jake, that’s it. Nina thanks her, and Charlotte joins them. She asks if they’re talking about her.

Sam finds Dante, and he asks if she has something. She shows him her phone and says, read it and weep. It’s really bad. But this is the first step in proving Montague was drugging Sasha.

Diane watches Anna and Robert as she waits for the elevator. Robert tells Anna, press that and look at the pictures. She says she’s treasuring the moment, and he says, that’s what the pictures are for. Diane gets in the elevator, and Robert says, look at number two. Anna sees photos from their wedding and starts to cry. We see photos of her over the years, some with Robert, some with other people, while there’s a song part.

Olivia tells Eddie that she’s sorry. That was very rude and she doesn’t want to seem unwelcoming. She’s got a lot going on at work today. He says he can see that. She looks intense. Is work always this stressful for her? She says, he’s passionate about his music, and she’s passionate about her hotel. He says, fair enough. Speaking of his music… She asks if he finished the song, but he says, no, but the end will come to him eventually. She says, when it does, she knows it’s going to be spectacular, and he says, one can only hope. But he did take another step forward in his music career. She says, how so? and he says, Marshall Ashford is as good as his word. Marshall called him this morning and asked him to perform at The Savoy. She gets all excited and asks, when? He says, tonight, and she throws her arms around him, saying, that’s great news. She backs up and says, that’s really great news. Congratulations. She knows it’s going to be great. It’s going to be a really sweet gig. She sits down and asks him to please excuse her. She’s got a lot of work to do. The hotel’s not going to run itself, right?

Deanna asks how Willow’s first day is going, and Willow says, great. This was the perfect day for her to return to work.

Dante asks what he’s looking at, and Sam says, Sasha’s toxicology report. He asks how she got this, and she just smiles. He says, she’s got two drugs in her system, and Sam says, the fluoxetine, which is an antidepressant she already had a prescription for and dextroamphetamine. When taken in combination with the antidepressant, it can cause hallucinations, paranoia, similar symptoms to a psychotic break. The dextroamphetamine must have been the drug Dr. Montague gave her to finally put her over the edge. He says, so how do they prove it?

Cyrus calls to Drew, and Drew asks what he wants. Cyrus says he wanted to warn Drew, and Drew says, about what? Cyrus says, the warden’s on a tear, and Drew asks, why? Cyrus says, rumors are circulating she’s up for a big job. She can’t have anything happen that makes her look bad or incompetent. He’s hearing she’s putting the place on lockdown to make sure there are no incidents and nothing goes wrong. Drew says, lockdown? That’s going to put everybody on edge. Cyrus tells him, keep your head down. Stay invisible. Drew continues down the hall.

Nina tells Charlotte, yes. They were talking about her. How it seems she’s grown up overnight. Carly says, you know who Charlotte reminds her of at her age? Charlotte says, who? and Carly says, Lulu. Charlotte asks if Carly really thinks she’s like her mom, and Carly says, oh yes. She knows Charlotte adores her dad, but don’t forget she’s a Spencer too. Diane comes in, and Carly asks them to excuse her, going over to Diane. Diane says she just came from a chat with Robert Scorpio. Carly says she could really use some good news, and Diane says, he gave her a little insight as to why Judge Kim might have handed down such a harsh sentence to Drew, and what they can do about it.

Nina and Charlotte sit at the counter, and Nina says, Charlotte misses her mom. Charlotte says, every day. She promised her mom to take care of Rocco and not to worry about it and just get better, but it makes her sad she’s still in a coma. But she always feels better when she’s with her papa. Guess what? He says they’re going to be together full-time. Nina says, great. And Anna? Charlotte says, yeah. That’s okay.

Anna says, it’s the most perfect present, and hugs Robert, thanking him. She asks, what inspired him to do that? and he says, she lost all that stuff in the fire. She was more upset about losing those pictures than she was about losing the house. She says, you can replace a house, and he says he called in a few favors. People went through phones, albums, computers. She can go back as far as she likes, then go back further. She laughs and says, he’s brilliant. He says, when she’s right, she’s right, and she says, this means the world to her. He says, and she means the world to him. He’s so glad she likes it. She says she loves it. She’s probably going to look at it a couple of thousand times tonight, and maybe some more in the morning. Valentin comes in, and they lock eyes.

Tomorrow, Curtis asks if Portia is really as calm about this as she seems; Trina says she’ll take someone up on that bet; Carly asks Diane if it’s enough to get Drew out of Pentenville; and some inmates catch Drew alone in the shower. Don’t drop that soap!!!

Southern Charm

In watching what happened last week, I see Madison smirk while Taylor is going on her tirade. I don’t care what kind of a wife and mother this girl portrays; I don’t trust her. I just can’t grasp how she snagged Brett. He must never have seen the show. Yeah, I can guess what she might have to offer, but a dude with his assets, both financial and physical, can’t possibly have a hard time finding someone equally skilled.

On another note, I look at the blurb in the digital guide, and Kathryn’s name is still on the show. Huh? Is she making a not-so surprise appearance? Or is whoever makes the guide just lazy?

Venita’s dog Charles has a blue/green tail! I guarantee, this will be the best moment of the show. Unless Little Craig comes along with a mohawk.

Craig calls Paige, who says she’ll be back Saturday. She asks about the party, and he says, it was fun. In his interview, he says he knows what Taylor is dealing with and that she didn’t mean it. No good will come of telling Paige that Taylor accused her of cheating. In her interview, Taylor says she loved her job and gave everything up to travel with Shep. We flash back to that, and she says, at the time she thought it was the right decision because she thought they were going to have a life together. Instead, she was just out of a job. Thanks for that, Shep. Taylor visits Leva at one of the restaurants, and does a presentation for a mixer called Day Chasers, but fails miserably from her ums to struggling with getting the cans out of the box. In Leva’s interview, she says, it’s hard to watch. In Taylor’s interview, she explains that one of Shep’s buddies needs a rep. She thought impressing Leva would be a big deal. Leva suggests she carry the produce, but Taylor come in and promote it. In her interview, Leva says she’s supporting Taylor however she can. This is why you should never quit your job for a dude. Truth! Leva says, the last time she saw Taylor, it was a debacle, and we flash back to that. She says she doesn’t want Taylor to be that person. Taylor says, there was a rumor going around about Paige, and she said it to be hurtful. She thinks it’s really between her and Shep, and has nothing to do with Craig. In her interview, she says she regrets what she said. She doesn’t want to care, but she does.

Craig goes golfing with Austen and JT, who I kind of like, so maybe he should run away. In Craig’s interview, he says he met JT a couple years ago when JT was in Charleston. At first he wondered, who is the kid with the Napolean complex, but JT grew on him and they became friends. Craig periodically makes short jokes, and I have to admit they’re pretty funny. In JT’s interview, he says he’s known Craig a long time. They play golf and hang out. He made Charleston his home, and now he lives life in the Charleston bubble. It’s the best little bubble , and he thinks he’s never going to leave. JT says he’d invited friends to stay with him in London for some golf event in Paris, and Taylor hooked up with his friend. He asks if Shep is bothered by Austen hanging out with Taylor, and in his interview, Craig says he thinks it’s Shep’s way of staying in touch with Taylor, and it comforts him. Craig says, don’t hang out with friends’ exes, and JT says, it’s going to come back and bite Austen.

Olivia meets Rod at a boardwalk, and in her interview, she says, they met the first time at a crowded bar, and had a flirtation. He gives her a coffee, and they walk on the boardwalk. She says her roommates just moved out, and he asks if she feels like an empty nester. In Olivia’s interview, she says, dating in Charleston is intimidating. She’s ancient by Southern standards. When you’re 30, you’re dust. They sit in the park and eat the sandwiches and chips he brought. He seems like a super nice guy, and in her interview, Taylor says, he has a chivalrous spirit. It’s refreshing and makes her want to give him a shot. With Austen, she was in Neverland; now she’s on earth. They talk and have a lot of laughs, and Rod says he wants to make it a habit. They kiss a little bit.

Patricia looks amazing for 110, with new striking blonde highlights. New Butler Randy brings martinis for her and Whitney, who complains incessantly about the chair he’s sitting in. Randy seems cool, but there will never be another Michael. In her interview, Patricia tells us, in Britain, it’s gauche to clink glasses; they just do a cheers. She tells Whitney that she was sorry to have missed Madison’s party, but she told Madison that she’ll go to the next one. She hassles him about settling down, and in her interview, she says, her father married in his 60s, and Whitney has his DNA. She thinks he needs to get over 22 year old models; he complains they’re inarticulate. They need to expand the search. Whitney says, to quote the Keebler elves, you can’t rush richness. She says she thought he would quote Strindberg or something more esoteric. They should have their own show. Grey Gardens: The Next Generation.

Madison calls mom Tara, and asks when Tara is coming to visit. She’s free this weekend. Hudson is at his dad’s and Brett is in California; she’s alone. Tara says she’ll come, and gives Madison kudos for being a good wife. In Madison’s interview, she says she made pot roast, and Brett left all the carrots around it. She realized he must be allergic, but he didn’t complain one time. If he was allergic, I would think he’d have said something, and removed the carrots. He probably just doesn’t like carrots. Tara says she’s sorry she missed the party, and Madison says, they’re talking about having a baby. Brett is now in an office versus fighting fires. In her interview, Madison says, Brett took a step back from the frontlines after they got married. If she has a baby, she’s going to want him there all the time.

Austen, JT, Craig, and Shep go to bar, and Shep talks about all the girls he met in Melbourne; he went golfing, barhopping, and was even someone’s date for a wedding. JT asks if he was on an app, but Shep says he had organic success. JT wonders why Shep let Taylor go. He doesn’t understand. It would be hard to do better. Austen says, he did not say that, and JT says, Shep should find a way to marry that girl, but Shep says, there are plenty of fish in the sea. JT keeps asking, but why? and Craig says, JT is in love with Taylor. He lights up when she comes into a room. Austen says he does too, but he’s not in love with her. JT asks if Shep cares that Austen has a relationship with his ex, but Shep says, Taylor decides who she hangs out with. JT says, bro code, and in Shep’s interview, he says, Austen is like a life raft between him and Taylor. It’s because he cares. JT says he gets what Shep is saying, but to have a sleepover with a friend’s ex… This is obviously news to Shep, and JT says, they all went out to a bar, then to Austen’s, and he left. When he called Taylor in the morning about having coffee, she said she was still at Austen’s house. Shep says, obviously he never knew this, and Austen looks like he wants the floor to swallow him up. Craig asks Austen if it was just him and Taylor, but Austen says, he was downstairs, and thought Taylor left, but she slept in the guestroom. It surprised him when she was there in the morning, and she said she got drunk. JT says he thinks they’ve hit the point where it’s a little grey and murky. Shep agrees, but says he has no claims. Austen insists he’s like a protective brother, and Craig asks if they ever kissed. Austen says, no, but I’m not so sure. Craig tells Shep that Austen looked down to the left when he answered, and in Craig’s interview, he says, you only have to watch a handful of spy movies to know if they look to the left, it means they’re lying. I have heard that before, but I’d love to know the logic behind that theory. Austen says, they could share bed and nothing would happen, and maintains they never kissed. Shep says he believes Austen and they should drop it. In Shep’s interview, he says, Austen is a close friend, so he has to go with what Austen said, because friends trust each other. If Olivia came on to him… He doesn’t really see her doing that, but he is pretty charming and cool. I gag.

Madison visits Venita, and Charles takes off after a cat outside. Madison asks if they’re pulling weeds or planting pretty stuff, and Venita says, both. In Madison’s interview, she says, there’s only a few people she’ll pull weeds out of the damn ground for, and Venita is one of them. She’s glad she and Venita are friends again. Don’t talk sh*t about her and they’ll be fine. In Venita’s interview, she says, she can laugh with Madison and doesn’t feel judged. She asks Madison how Brett felt about meeting everyone, and Madison says, other than Taylor, he seemed pretty happy. Venita says, Taylor has the right to be hurt, but she can’t be bringing dildos and screaming at people’s parties. It’s not the time and place. She’s not used to this side of Taylor, and feels like they should get the girls together and see if they can reel her in. Have some girl talk, and make her realize that if she’s having a down moment, call one of them and not yell at people. Madison says, an ex’s best friends going to side with them, and she thinks Austen is low key in love with Taylor.

The guys decide to go to another bar, and Austen tells JT, that was a lot. Outside, Shep tells Craig that he thought he was pretty evolved, but it would be f***ed up if Austen slept with Taylor. He has no idea if they kissed, but he’s not playing detective. Austen and Taylor had a good relationship when he and Taylor were dating, and when the breakup occurred, it got stronger. Craig thinks it’s sketchy. Rodrigo meets them at the next bar, and Craig says he’ll pay JT’s tab if he wears a T-shirt from the bar that says Big Deck Energy. In Austen’s interview, he says he’s known Rodrigo for a decade. Rodrigo was best friends with one of his friends high school, and is one of his favorite humans in Charleston. We find out Rodrigo has a boyfriend of eight years, and Austen asks JT, when was the last time he had sex? JT says he hasn’t been interested in anyone, and Craig says, he’s holding out for Taylor. JT tells him to stop painting that narrative, and Shep, Craig, and Austen go to the bar. Shep says he knows how much Taylor loved him, and he can’t believe they’re out drinking and talking about failed relationships. Craig says, maybe Shep is softer than he thought. Maybe it bugs him more than he wants to admit. Shep says he didn’t know about Taylor spending the night. He doesn’t want to know. It bothers him, but it’s her choice. Austen tells them that he’s sitting right here, and Shep says, they could have had a one night stand, and Taylor wouldn’t have said sh*t. Austen says, that’s not what happened, and in Craig’s interview, he says, this is so bad.

Craig says he knows it hit Shep, and Austen tells him to stop pounding this. He suggests they go somewhere else and stop talking about their exes. They decide to move on, and JT asks if he can take the shirt off now. They go to a rooftop lounge originally named Rooftop Lounge. Austen makes that toast that ends with, the best ships are friendships. JT, Rodrigo, and Austen go to the bar for a shot, and Shep tells Craig that in ten or twenty years, traditional marriage will be passe. Lust and love are two different things. Lust happens in the blink of an eye. It doesn’t mean much, but it’s something. Wow. What a philosopher. At the bar, JT says, that was a lot of ex talk for one night, and Austen tells, don’t bring him and Taylor up next time. Craig asks how Shep feels, and Shep says he doesn’t know. He feels 50/50 that something happened, but he can’t go back in time. He wouldn’t be surprised if they went for it and no one would ever know. He thinks it’s f***ed up.

Next time, Craig can’t drive a U-Haul; Shep and Craig continue to talk about Taylor and Austen; Madison tells Taylor that Austen is low key in love with her; Shep tells Olivia about the sleepover; and Olivia asks if anything happened.

🍂 Summering Into Fall…

Start your weekend by stopping by tomorrow for soap, teatime, words to take note of, and a musical moment. Until then, stay safe, stay planning for Halloween as early as possible, and stay never quitting your job for a dude.

Sep21

September 20, 2023 – Game Night At Maxie’s Goes Awry, The Trip Didn’t End the Way Shannon Thought It Would & Dogs

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Tracy sees Brook walk into the hospital and asks why Brook hasn’t been returning her phone calls. Brook tells Tracy that she has nothing to say to a family member who blackmailed her and caused her to lose her job.

At Maxie’s new place, James asks what Felicia is doing, and she says she’s doing her homework. He asks if she isn’t too old to be in school, and Mac asks who told him that? A person is never too old to learn. Life is like one big, long journey, and there’s always something you can pick up along the way. James says, like when Cody taught him to knots? He shows Mac his slipknot, and Mac says, he did this? And Cody taught him how to do it? James says, when he was at Kelly’s with Oma, and Felicia says, that Cody, always full of surprises.

Cody says, if they turn themselves in or get caught, Sasha could wind up in Ferncliff. They can just avoid all that. They can just vanish. She asks how that would actually work.

Gregory approaches the reception desk, and Elizabeth asks if everything is okay. He says, nothing to worry about. He was hoping to catch Dr. Bronson. Does she know if he’s still here? She goes to check on the computer and flashes back to telling Finn that she doesn’t think Dr. Bronson is the right doctor for his father. Finn comes out of the elevator, and Elizabeth says, his dad is here to see Dr. Bronson.

Anna goes to Sonny’s office, and he says, to what does he owe the pleasure? She asks if his offer of protection still stands.

Nina looks at the security footage of Charlotte sneaking into Anna’s room, when Charlotte walks in. Valentin says, look who he found.

Sonny asks, what’s going on? He thought Anna didn’t want protection. She says she just came from the MetroCourt. Someone gained access to her suite. They trashed the room, destroyed her clothes, and left her a message on the mirror in lipstick. Sonny asks, what kind of message? and Anna says, you think you got away with it. You didn’t. You think you’re safe. You’re not. She guesses she’s the target of a personal vendetta. Someone’s toying with her, trying to unsettle her, maybe throw her off her game. He says, it sounds like someone’s trying to get under her skin. She says, they’re succeeding. She just feels like the walls are closing in on her. Burning down her house is a violation, but it’s kerosene and a match. This is personal. They came into her space and touched her things, and she doesn’t think it’s the first time. They came back to the suite the other day, and her mail had been moved from one place to another. She knows that sounds crazy. It’s a small thing, but she noticed it. He says, it’s a hotel, there’s housekeeping, but she says, they don’t come every day. Whoever did this has been there before. What scares her is, she doesn’t know how many times.

Charlotte says, it’s so good to see Nina, and Nina quickly closes the laptop, hugging Charlotte. Nina asks, what brings her by here? and Valentin says, there was an incident at the hotel suite; the police are there. Nina says she knows. The front desk called to let her know what’s going on. She’s so sorry Charlotte showed up with all of this going on. So what’s the occasion? What brings Charlotte here? Charlotte says she just wanted to see papa, and Valentin says he’s glad she did. What did she do today? Where has she been? Charlotte says she was with Jake. I wonder if they’re going to be bad seeds together, since Jake was a little skewed at one time. I would love that.

Gregory says, it was nothing serious, but he thought he should check in with the doctor, and Finn says he’s glad. In fact, there’s something he wanted to talk to Gregory about. Does he mind if they have a conversation before he meets with Dr. Bronson? Gregory says, not at all, and asks if Elizabeth would check to see if the doctor is in and available. Elizabeth says, absolutely, and Finn and Gregory step away. Gregory asks, what’s on Finn’s mind? He couldn’t help noticing Elizabeth trying to signal him. He can’t wait to hear what this is about. Finn says, it’s about how Gregory is managing his ALS treatment.

Tracy asks Brook, that’s what we’re doing now? We’re throwing temper tantrums? Even toddlers outgrow that phase. In a grown woman, laughable. And by the way, she didn’t do anything to Lucy Coe that Lucy wouldn’t have happily done to her first. Brook says, this isn’t about Lucy and Tracy; it’s about her and Tracy. They’re supposed to be family. Tracy used her. Tracy blackmailed her. Tracy preyed on her where she’s most vulnerable; her love for Chase, her fear of losing him, her insecurity about the past with him. Tracy says, everything she did was for Brook’s own good, and Brook laughs. She asks how losing her job is good for her.

James says, Cody also taught him this, and Mac asks what he calls that one. James says, it’s an exploding clove hitch. Cody said, you have to be careful. If you pull it the wrong way, the whole knot will just unravel – he pulls it – like that. Felicia says, wow. It looks like James is on his way to becoming a sailor. James says, that would be super cool, and asks Mac if they can go to the stables. Cody promised he’d let him feed the horses. They could go tomorrow after school. Mac says he’s afraid they can’t. Cody’s going to be away for a while. James asks where he went, and Mac says he wishes he knew.

Cody tells Sasha, say the word, and they’re gone. He’ll iron out the details. She says, they have a car and some cash thanks to Sam, but they have no phones, no IDs, no internet access, and they’re both escaped mental patients considered dangerous. She stabbed Cody, and Cody attacked and tied up Dr. Montague. He says he wishes he’d done a lot worse to Montague; he might still yet. She says, no. He can’t get any deeper into this mess. He’s already thrown his life off-track for her. He tells her not to paint him as some kind of hero. Things wouldn’t have gotten this bad if he’d just been honest from the start. She asks how he’s dishonest.

Mac tells James, when Cody comes back, they’ll feed the horses, and James says, okay. Mac goes into the other room, and James asks to see Felicia’s homework. She says she’s learning about the hospital and all the rules and procedures. She’s going to learn everything she can so she can help the people in there. He asks if she means like the doctors and nurses, and she says, not exactly, but she does want to help the patients. He says, help them do what? and she tells him, like helping them understand what the doctor said, or if they need help finding their way around the hospital, or just making sure if they’re happy and comfortable, or if they need someone to talk to. He says he thinks being a doctor would be better, and she asks if he wants to be a doctor when he grows up, but he says, no. He wants to be a policeman like daddy and grandpa. The doorbell rings, and Mac opens the door to Scotty and Lucy, who’s holding a bottle of wine. She says, surprise!

Cody tells Sasha that he’s known about Gladys’s money troubles for months now. She was neck deep in the red to Selina Wu. He knew she sold Brando’s garage behind Sasha’s back to settle that debt. She says, he knew? and he says, yeah. He should have told her the whole truth back then. She asks why he didn’t, and he says, the reason he told himself was that she was so dependent on Gladys, he didn’t want to cause her anymore pain, but if she wants to know the real reason, the reason he doesn’t even want to admit out loud… She says she does, and he says, the real reason is, he didn’t want to jeopardize his relationship with Selina. She put him in that game to steer it, to make sure the players that she wanted to win would win. And if she wanted someone to lose, his job was to take them out fast or let them just keep playing and running up a bigger debt. He did it just for the extra cash. Stable hands don’t exactly make bank. But soon enough, Selina made it clear he didn’t have the option to quit or to talk. So he just kept quiet, even long after he knew Gladys was playing Sasha.

On the phone, Elizabeth says she’ll just give Amy a call back if they do end up needing to see Dr. Bronson. Finn says, it’s Gregory’s private business. The way he chooses to manage his disease is entirely up to him. Gregory says, it’s become increasingly clear to him that nobody manages ALS. He stopped driving, and all too soon he’ll stop walking, and then he’ll stop eating. Then talking, and finally, he’ll stop breathing. Finn says, but his quality of life between now and then, the way he handles his symptoms, the way he works around his limitations. He has options Finn doesn’t even think he knows about.

Anna tells Sonny, she feels like it’s a warning. Somebody wants to leave her with absolutely nothing. They destroyed her house, then the new clothes she bought. He asks if she checked the hotel surveillance. They have to have a recording of the halls, the elevators, and the lobby. She says, that’s the thing. Valentin went straight to security, but there’s nothing. He asks what she means, and she says, the footage is missing. He asks if that’s what Valentin told her.

Charlotte says, she and Jake went over to the promenade, but since she was close, she thought she’d visit papa. Do they want to see something cool? She takes out her phone and says, Jake almost fell into the fountain. She’s not interrupting Nina’s work, is she? Nina says, no. She was just doing a little research and wants to put it out of her head. She’s hoping to never see it again.

Sasha says, Cody never struck her as the type of guy to rewrite history, but he says he’s been known to when it works to his own advantage. She asks, what’s the advantage of making himself look bad? That’s not how she remembers things at all. From what she remembers, he was always warning her about Gladys. He told her not to trust Gladys, and she refused to listen. He says, that’s because he never told her the whole truth. He knew that Gladys was betting way more than she could afford. He figured she was dipping into those accounts she was supposedly managing for Sasha, and she was just managing them for herself. But he didn’t want to cross Selina, so he kept his mouth shut and covered his own ass until it was too late. She asks, what changed his mind?

Mac invites Lucy and Scotty in, and asks if there are any Pine Valley cops waiting in the bushes for Lucy. Lucy says, very funny. No, it’s just us gangsters. She hands Felicia the wine, and Felicia thanks her and says, it’s good to see them both. What brings them here? Scotty says, Lucy’s a little down in the dumps. He thought maybe he’d bring a little hooch and game night – he shows them a case he’s carrying – and cheer her up. James says he loves games. What are they playing? Scotty says, sorry, Charlie. Only for adults. James says he’s not Charlie, and Felicia says, he wouldn’t like these games. Why don’t they read a story? It’s a little past his bedtime anyway. Tell everybody goodnight. James says, goodnight grandpa, Lucy… and Charlie. Felicia takes him to the bedroom, and Mac tells Scotty and Lucy to have a seat. Scotty says, kids today. They don’t know that expression, sorry, Charlie? Lucy says, nobody under 40 knows sorry, Charlie. She bets he listened to 8-track tapes as he drove over. He says he did. He was listening to… Mac says he gathers they’re here to cheer Lucy up over her Deception lawsuit, and Lucy tells him, zip it. She doesn’t want that mojo out there. She just wants to have laughter and fun with friends, and play some games. Although that prospect seems a little dismal since her life is crumbling around her. Scotty promises everything is going to be all right. Pick a card. She says, stop it. Those are just words right now. He says, Alise is a top-notch attorney. She’s on the case. Lucy has nothing to worry about. She looks at him, and he says, she’s supposed to unwind a little. He thinks he might have some gummies in his pocket, but for crying out loud, there’s nothing she can do about it anyways. Maxie walks in, and Lucy says, aside from killing Tracy Quartermaine… Maxie says, she’ll have to get in line.

Brook asks how dragging her into corporate espionage against her friends is for her own good. She never should have trusted Tracy. Tracy says, of course (🍷) Brook should trust her. Everything she did was for Brook. Brook should be thanking her, not sulking. Brook says, Tracy’s right. She should be thanking her.

Anna says she knows Sonny doesn’t trust Valentin, but they were together when they found the mess in the suite. They’d just come from the hotel restaurant, so they were together the whole time. Sonny says, okay, but that doesn’t prove his innocence. He could have excused himself to make a phone call and gone to his room, or he could have paid somebody to do it. She says she doesn’t think so. She’s aware of his shortcomings, as is Sonny, but that hasn’t stopped Sonny from taking his assistance in business, has it? He says, absolutely, but they do have to thank Valentin for bringing Pikeman into their lives.

Charlotte asks why Nina is in this office. Isn’t she usually on the fifth floor? Valentin says he thinks it’s getting late to head back to Dante and Sam’s. Maybe she could spend the night at Nina’s. Nina says, that’s a great idea. She would love that. It could be a girls only sleepover and they can catch up. She’s missed Charlotte so much. Charlotte says she would love that. It would be like that time they had the blackout and camped out in the living room. Nina says, and Charlotte was saying all those ghost stories she heard at Lila’s Kids Camp. Charlotte says, until papa got scared, but Valentin says he remembers being worried Charlotte would get scared. Charlotte says, sometimes she thinks Valentin doesn’t know her very well, and Nina says she’ll shut this down, grab her stuff, and meet them downstairs in the lobby. Valentin says, deal, and as he closes the door, he whispers, get it off the server. She looks again at Charlotte sneaking into Anna’s room.

Gregory asks Finn if he’s talking about treatment options, but Finn says, more along the lines of something a little more holistic. And he thought they might check out some other neurologists. Gregory asks if something is wrong with Dr. Bronson, but Finn says, not at all. He’s highly respected and made significant contributions to research, but… He thinks Elizabeth put this better than he ever could. Dr. Bronson seems to concentrate on treating general symptoms, not focusing so much on the patient, you. He thinks Gregory deserves a doctor who will help him live life to the fullest, not one that’s just predicting when everything is going to fail. Gregory asks if this is what all the looks between Finn and Elizabeth were about. Did Elizabeth put him up to this? Finn says, no, not at all. Gregory says he’ll ask her directly, and goes over the desk. He says he understands Elizabeth has reservations about his doctor, and she joins them. Finn stammers and says, they both do, and he’s grateful to Elizabeth for raising the question. Elizabeth says she’s so sorry for overstepping, and Finn says, they both just think there’s a better neurologist out there for him. And he’d like Gregory’s permission to go find them.

Lucy tells Maxie, she has a better idea. She lures Tracy into that Quartermaine crypt with that stinky smelling cheese she likes, and seals her in completely. That rat no one will miss is already buried. Mac tells her not to talk that way, and Maxie says, Mac, please. She thinks Tracy’s too clever for that. Lucy might be better off putting something in her drink. Scotty says, she does like her cognac, and Lucy says, but she has to see Tracy’s face when she does it. Mac says, hello? No one is offing anyone. Police Commissioner, remember? Lucy says, yeah, but he’s being very old fuddy duddy. Felicia comes back and asks them to keep it down; James and Bailey Lou are asleep. Maxie says, oh yes. I have kids. Sorry. Felicia says, whatever they’re talking about is way too gruesome for game night. They should be ashamed of themselves, fantasizing about ending someone’s life. Lucy says, excuse her, but Felicia knows Tracy has been a thorn in her side almost her entire life, and Maxie says, and Tracy cost her a close friend and her business. She might not even be able to keep this house if Deception goes under. Felicia says, they’re two of the most brilliant, tenacious, inventive women she knows. If the worst happens, they’ll pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and find themselves another successful endeavor. Maxie says, she can’t possibly think it’s that easy, and Mac says, nothing in life is that easy. Maxie says, it wasn’t easy the first time they did it. They put Deception on the map, and The Deceptor was their baby. Now Tracy’s threatened to let all of it go down the drain unless they give her 75% of their company. Lucy says she did get a much better offer out of her, but that smug look on Tracy’s face… Maxie says, I’m sorry, what? Lucy got a better offer? When was Lucy going to tell her this?

Tracy says, that was fast, Brook thanking her, and Brook says, yes, Tracy was right. Moving in with Chase has provided her with an entirely new perspective on everything. Tracy blackmailed her into going back to Deception, and she was obligated to Lucy, Sasha, and especially to Maxie. She would have done everything in her power to keep Deception afloat. But now, because of Tracy’s spiteful lawsuit, she’s been released from that obligation. So now, she’s free to pursue her number one passion full-time. She’s going back to music. She starts to leave, but Tracy grabs her arm and says, absolutely not. Music was her father’s downfall. She will not let that happen to Brook. Brook asks what Tracy is going to do to stop her. She has no more blackmail leverage over Brook. Chase knows everything and fully supports her. That’s all that matters to her. Tracy says, listen to me… but Brook says she’s done listening to Tracy. She hopes Deception was worth it because it just cost Tracy her granddaughter. She walks away.

Cody says, at the pool when he felt the knife and turned to see Sasha, he saw in her eyes something terrible. That wasn’t her. He knew that something else had taken control. There’s no way she would have stabbed him, unless she wasn’t in her right mind. He knew she couldn’t have lost her mind so fast and so completely unless someone else had drugged her. He knew in his gut she’d been set up and he knew he had to do something about it. There are a lot of things in his life he’s not proud of, but he knew he couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t at least try to help her. She thanks him and says, he did more than he knows. He tells her not to thank him yet. They’re not out of the woods. She says, he got them this far, and honestly, she’s so thankful for the rescue, but she’s even more thankful that he believed in her.

Nina, Charlotte, and Valentin go to Nina’s place, and Charlotte says, this is going to be so much fun. She just hopes the power stays on. Nina tells her not to worry; she has plenty of candles. Why doesn’t she get Charlotte settled in the guest room? Valentin says he’ll be right in, and when they’re gone, he leaves a message for Anna. He just wanted to give her a heads up that he’s taken Charlotte to stay at Nina’s for the night. He looks at his phone and sees one missed call and one new voicemail to Anna.

Sonny says, Valentin? and Anna says, yeah. He says, she should have taken the call. Maybe he has great news. She says she’ll call him later. There’s something else she wants to address with Sonny. He says he’s all ears, and she says, the shooting at the pool, the bullets they dodged. She thinks they were meant for him, not her. The recent events, the burning of her house, the message on the mirror, those were aimed specifically at her. The shooting at the pool is a public attack. It’s a mismatch in psychological profiles, which leads her to believe they’re dealing with two distinct and conflicting motives. He says, two different perpetrators, and she says, that’s what she thinks. Because the dichotomy of the patterns, that’s what convinces her. He asks if she’s telling him that the shooting was a warning from Pikeman, and she says, and possibly the WSB.

Maxie says, 51/49 and Lucy turned it down. Did Lucy even think about telling her that Tracy made her that offer? Lucy says, but she would have had to surrender her 1% of ELQ, and Maxie says, okay. Scotty says, but she can’t do that. This is like a smorgasbord for Lucy. Maxie says, nobody asked for his opinion, and Lucy, firing perfectly good attorneys, turning down secret deals, making choices all by herself? Mac says, Lucy should be running these things past Maxie, her partner, and Scotty says, look at Lucy; she’s got nothing. Lucy tells him, shush, please. He isn’t helping. This is totally separate. Maxie says, but it’s just fine if she doesn’t know… and Felicia tells them, take it down a notch, please. Maxie says she’s put everything she has on the line for Deception. And by the way, didn’t Lucy get that 1% from Alan? Lucy says, don’t say Alan. Maxie knows she hates that name. She’s acting just like Tracy. They start bickering, when James comes out and says, it sounds really loud. Could they play something else?

Gregory thanks Finn and Elizabeth for thinking about this and looking out for him. Elizabeth could never overstep. He hereby gives Finn his permission to find a different neurologist. He’ll see whoever Finn recommends. Finn thanks him, and Gregory says, after all, Finn is a highly respected diagnostician, who’s made significant contributions to research. How could he not trust Finn? Elizabeth says, exactly, and Finn says, he for one, is grateful, but Gregory says he’s the one who’s grateful to them both for their perspectives and for speaking up. Finn’s phone beeps, and he says he has to go authorize the release of some labs. He’ll be right back. He leaves, and Gregory says, a new doctor might not make much difference, but if it gives Finn a sense of control, he’s all for it. Mostly, he’s grateful to Elizabeth for supporting him. He’s so glad Finn has her in his life.

Tracy approaches the desk, and Finn asks if she’s the cat or the canary. She says, don’t ask, and he says, canary. She says she needs a level 5 backgammon game to forget about this one. She needs a win. He says, she might be disappointed. He’s picked up a few new tricks. She says, no kidding? Has he been binging videos of Double Six King Kyle? He says, now that she mentions it, but don’t knock it. He’s got some excellent strategies. She asks, what’s his father doing here so late?

Cody says he guesses that means they’re not disappearing, and Sasha suggests they see what Sam and Dante come up with first. He tells her, in that case, he says they call it a night. They need to rest up for whatever comes next. She can take the bed. She asks where he’s going to sleep, and he says he’s actually getting pretty fond of his chair here. She’s a lot nicer than she looks. Sasha says, no way. They’re going to have to come up with a different plan for tonight.

Sonny asks if Anna is trying to tell him there’s a link between Pikeman and the WSB, and she says she thinks it’s possible. She wanted him to be fully informed, so he could take into consideration all the possibilities that represents. He thanks her for the heads up, and she says, he has to be vigilant. He says he’s going to beef up his security and get Anna protection. She won’t even know they’re there. She says she’ll know, and thanks him. He says, she’s just got to be careful because whoever’s after her isn’t going to stop anytime soon. She says she just wishes she knew what they wanted from her.

Valentin says he’s sorry he hasn’t found a house for him and Charlotte yet; one where they can all live. She says, you and me, and Anna, and he says, yeah. She says she hopes it happens soon. She misses him and wants them to be together more than ever. He kisses her forehead and says he loves her, and she says she loves him too. She gets under the covers, and he leaves.

Valentin thanks Nina for letting Charlotte stay the night, and she says, of course (🍷). She loves having Charlotte here. He says he doesn’t want Charlotte near Anna. He doesn’t want her out of his sight. Nina says she knows. There are a lot of questions. They know she went into the suite, but there are no cameras in the suite, so they don’t know exactly what happened. He says he doesn’t know how to begin to handle this. His head is swimming. She says, how about this? Go back to Anna, but remember this; no matter what happens, she’s here for him. And she’s here for Charlotte. She helps him put his jacket on, he says he’ll see her in the morning, and he leaves.

Finn tells Tracy, dad’s schedule is anyone’s guess. She’d have to ask him, but if she’d like some cathartic backgammon tomorrow, just let him know. Maybe he’ll let her win. She laughs, and Gregory joins them. He says, she’s here very late, and she says, for a very boring board meeting that was followed by her granddaughter insulting her. She could use a drink. Gregory says, it’s probably not what she had in mind, but can he offer her a soda to lift her spirits? She asks if they’re back to killing her with kindness again, and he says, it was just a thought. She’s welcome to decline. She says, no. Far be it from her to respond to kindness with rudeness. She would be delighted to take him up on his offer. He says, after her, and they walk to the vending machine. Finn tells Elizabeth, when he sees his dad in his element like this, all wit and charm, it seems like everything is normal. Then he thinks about what’s to come. She says, Finn’s doing the best he can for his dad. That’s all he can do. He says he wishes he had the words to tell her how much it means to have her with him while he does this, and she takes his hand.

Gregory gives Tracy a can from the machine, and she thanks him. She says, ginger ale (which makes me immediately want one). She’ll just pretend it’s a whiskey/ginger. She opens the can, and sees Gregory struggling with his. She asks if he’s all right, and after a moment, he says, no. Actually, he’s not and it’s about time she knew. He’s been diagnosed with ALS. She says, Gregory, no… She doesn’t know what to say.

Maxie tells James, sorry. Let’s go back to bed. She’ll tuck him in. She’s right behind him. She turns around and says she never thought Lucy would be so selfish. She walks out before Lucy can say anything, and Lucy grabs her bag, heading for the door. Following her, Scotty says, hold it there. Wait a second. Take it easy. They leave, and Felicia tells Mac, so much for their quiet night. He says, poor Maxie. She’s lost so much in her life. He’d hate to see her lose this too. She’s worked so hard. Felicia says, so has Lucy.

In the hallway, Lucy asks Scotty, is this karma? and he says, if karma was a thing, she’d be the Queen of England. She says, and he’s always been her knight in tarnished armor, and he puts his hands on her shoulders, telling her, things are going to work out. They always do. He hugs her.

Lying in bed, Sasha says, this isn’t right. They need to switch. She leans over the bed, and says, Cody? On the floor, Cody snores loudly, and she whispers, goodnight. She goes back to sleep, and he opens his eyes in the dark.

On the phone, Nina tells Sonny that she’s not going to make it home tonight. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, Valentin asked her to take Charlotte tonight because someone broke in to Anna’s suite. He tells her, that’s what Anna said. She said he went into the MetroCourt to check the surveillance video, and it was missing. He’s trying to figure out how someone got in there to remove the video. She says, it’s very unsettling that someone was able to bypass all the security measures at the MetroCourt, and he says, it must have been a professional or somebody with a lot of help. Anyway, he’ll miss her tonight. She says she’ll miss him too, and he says, have fun with Charlotte. They say goodnight.

Anna looks at the message on the mirror for the millionth time. Valentin comes in and looks at it with her.

In the guest room in the dark, Charlotte takes out a box from her backpack. She opens the box and takes out tarot cards. She configures them in front of her on the bed.

Tomorrow, Carly asks if someone has any news for her to give to Sonny; Robert tells Diane that he wants to help Drew; Cyrus says he wants to warn Drew; and Nina asks what Valentin is going to do about Charlotte targeting Anna.

The Real Questionable If They Are Housewives of Orange County

Continuing to inflict themselves on Mexico…

Jenn has now fled the table, and Tamra says she doesn’t think Ryan is good for Jenn. The consensus is, none of them do. Meanwhile Jenn calls Ryan with Taylor as back-up. She cries to him, saying she’s tired of the women talking smack about him. She asks if there’s anything she needs to know, and in her interview, she says, Ryan told her about a one night stand, but now she’s wondering if it was a one year thing. Her head is spinning. She loved her family and didn’t want her marriage to end that way. She upheld her end and wants him to uphold his.

There’s turtle talk among the women, not to be confused with turtle time. In Tamra’s interview, she says, they’re going to be parasailing and swimming with the turtles. She just wants to have fun. In Jenn’s interview, she says she’s pissed at herself for putting up with Tamra’s behavior. On the way back, Emily tells some of the others, it’s messed up that Fancy Pants Heather called her Snuffleupagus. Fancy Pants needs to laugh at herself if she’s going to say sh*t to her. We flash back to that, and Gina says she thinks Fancy Pants is sensitive because of her childhood. We flash back to Heather’s mother being an asshat, and saying she was called Smother. Emily says, regardless, she doesn’t get to hammer people and be mad when it comes back. In Gina’s interview, she says, Fancy Pants doesn’t mean to offend people. She’s just good at it naturally. Vicki talks about some woman whose parasailing cord snapped, and she landed on a building where they couldn’t get her down. So… Is she still there? Vicki doesn’t say. Shannon wonders what purpose Fancy Pants had in telling Emily that she talked about her, but couldn’t tell Emily what it was she said. In Shannon’s interview, she asks why Fancy Pants is saying negative things about her to people all the time.

Diegos number one and two are the group’s turtle guides. One of the women asks if the turtles bite, and one of the Diegos says only he bites. Alrighty then. The go out on a boat, put on snorkel equipment, and jump in the water. Except for Shannon, who says she’s shaky, and has to make a production out of it. In her interview, Tamra says, swimming with the turtles is calming for the soul. I could see that. It seems very peaceful. Fancy Pants goes parasailing with Vicki, who screeches like a banshee the whole time. Fancy Pants tries to get her to happy place so she’ll stop, and on the boat, Jenn says, Vicki sounds like she’s dying. It’s nice that Vicki’s up there. She can’t hear the critique on her relationship. The parasailers get back to the boat, and Vicki throws up over the side. Following that, they do tequila shots using the snorkels, and in Emily’s interview, she says, it’s easy to do a shot when you’re Snuffleupagus. You can just put it in your trunk.

They get glammed up for dinner, and Emily falls into the bathtub while Gina is helping her lace up her sandals. They go to an amazing restaurant and sit outside, and Shannon shows off her bruises from jumping off the boat. Shannon says she doesn’t know if it’s a topic to bring up here (if you have to think about it, it probably isn’t), but she thought Jenn and Tamra seemed to be moving forward after Montana. She’s wondering if it was really resolved, and Jenn says she thought they were in a good spot. Vicki – who has absolutely no business in this conversation – trashes Ryan, and says, Jenn should have made her marriage work. No man is worth it. Shannon says, that’s Vicki’s situation, and Gina says, Vicki doesn’t know Jenn’s history. Don’t attack her. Vicki tells Gina, stay out of it, and Gina says she didn’t bring it up. She’s just sitting here trying to eat her [chicken] wings. In Gina’s interview, she says she thinks Jenn is a good person who made a mistake. What puts Vicki in the position to say Jenn ruined her family? Vicki says, she left a good man for a loser and got burned. Is she talking about Don? I don’t remember him as being any prize. Jenn says, she told the girls, her divorce was like mourning, and she didn’t understand why she wasn’t enough for him. Shannon says she has nothing but empathy, and in Jenn’s interview, she says she has guilt for decisions she’s made, and when the women criticize her, she sometimes feels like she deserves it.

Last Day. I’m sure Mexico is glad. The women are going to Talum for some shopping, but Jenn wants to see a shaman. Vicki acts like a jerk, and Jenn says she wants to end on a good note. In her interview, Jenn says she wants Tamra to come, because whatever they’re doing in this realm, it’s not working. Fancy Pants calls Terry, and tells him that she forgot how loud Vicki is. She’s never doing this again. In Shannon’s interview, she says she forgot her toothbrush, and didn’t know where the lobby was. She kept thinking someone would get her one. She’s been using a towel. Wow. No wonder she’s afraid to live alone. Tamra, who’s had enough, calls the desk and requests a toothbrush, telling them that Shannon hasn’t brushed her teeth in 4 days. On the shuttle bus, Shannon announces she’s got a toothbrush, and everyone cheers. On the way to town, Emily brings up Fancy Pants unfollowing everyone, and Heather explains she had FOMO when she wasn’t on the show. Emily says, maybe she feels like she doesn’t fit in because of saying things like that, and in Gina’s interview, she says she follows, likes, comments with everyone. In Emily’s interview, she says, it makes Fancy Pants look like she thinks she’s on a pedestal. They follow me, but I don’t follow them because I’m queen. Fancy Pants says she is now following Emily, and Emily jokes that she blocked Fancy Pants. At least I think it’s a joke. Everyone laughed. In Fancy Pants’ interview, she says she’s seen how they twist things. She’s been 100% the punching bag on this trip. She can’t do anything right. She just wants to be quiet and let the trip end. Jenn hates them all and wants to go home. I get that feeling every time I watch this show.

Jenn, Shannon, Vicki, and Tamra go to see the shaman. In Vicki’s interview, she says she’s trying to understand what it’s all about, and in Tamra’s interview, she says she doesn’t even know what the word shaman means. The others go shopping, and Emily immediately buys a crown. In Fancy Pants’ interview, she says she’s had people be mean to her before, but this was a lot, especially from people who are supposed to be her friends. If retail therapy can’t cheer her up. that’s a problem. The shaman waves a chalice of smoke around each of women, and asks the sun to open their hearts. He asks that they be in harmony, joy, and love. I tell him, good luck with that. Oh, they’ll leave that way, but it won’t last. He asks their purpose or goal, and Shannon says she wants to have an open heart, and wants her friends to feel the same. Vicki says she needs acceptance, and wants to receive unconditional love. Tamra says she wants to be able to trust her friends and have them trust her. She wants to come from a place of love, and eliminate the hate in her life. Good luck with that too. Jenn says she wants clarity, happiness, and authentic relationships, and the shaman says, love is the most important element of all.

Fancy Pants goes to sit by herself, but Taylor finds her. Fancy Pants tells her that she doesn’t want to talk anymore, and Taylor says she knows they’re not close, but she’s feeling Fancy Pants’ pain. In her interview, Fancy Pants says she probably shouldn’t confide in Taylor. She might do something terrible like say she’s cute, but at this point, she has nothing left to lose. She tells Taylor that she feels like she doesn’t fit in, and anything she says gets turned around. Taylore says she thinks Fancy Pants doesn’t get as much of a hall pass, because they believe she thinks she’s better than them. Taylor thinks it’s the money, and they feel inferior. It’s not right. Fancy Pants says, they keep telling her that it’s her problem, and at this point, she doesn’t want to talk to anyone. Taylor says she understands. I agree that the women think Fancy Pants act superior, but I don’t think it’s about the money. It’s about her delivery, but she’s probably not going to change at this late date, so maybe they should just say, it’s Heather being Heather, and ignore it.

Meanwhile, the shaman group all throw some stuff in the air, concluding the end of their ceremony. In Tamra’s interview, she says she realizes she wants a deeper relationship between her and Jenn. She hugs Jenn, and says she’s sorry. She just wants the best for her. Been here before. Give it time and she’ll be screeching at Jenn again. In Jenn’s interview, she says she doesn’t know if it’s real. At the end of the day, she might have sucker written on her forehead, but she wants get back to who they were.

The group goes up a million stairs to a restaurant in what can best be described as a humongous treehouse. It looks so complicated to get up there. After the stairs, there’s some kind of net with pads built into it that’s navigated barefoot. Kind of like walking on big rocks across a creek. A creek a million feet up. Shannon freaks, remembering the rope exercise, and we flash back to her squishing Vicki’s hand between two ropes because she was holding them so tight. Vicki tries to help her, and she screams, don’t touch me! She steps on a pad and falls, Spanx up. Fancy Pants tells them that they can walk around, and Vicki says she doesn’t want to end up in the hospital. She’s walking around. I’m surprised there’s no flashback, since Vicki’s gone to the hospital while they’re on trips a couple of times. After all this, they decide it’s too hot, and move to a table toward the shadier inside. The culinary director comes out and says he’ll be cooking for them. Food porn! Food porn! Jenn says she wants to be better, and Emily says, all she knows is Jenn’s situation with Ryan. She’s an adult, and whatever happens, happens. Ryan doesn’t define her. Vicki says she’s at a good place and wants a forever love. Gina asks if Vicki’s boyfriend is the one, and Vicki says she would marry him, but they’re taking it slow. Fancy Pants says, it’s the first time she’s known Vicki not to be all-in. It makes her sad and happy at the same time. Eager to stir the sh*t after claiming she wanted to come from a place of love two minutes ago, Tamra says, Fancy Pants said Shannon wasn’t all-in with John. We flash back to that, and she did, but Fancy Pants says she doesn’t remember saying that. In her interview, she tells us that she said nothing wrong, but Tamra is repeating it in way to get Shannon mad at her. Did she run over Tamra’s cat? Now pissed, Shannon says, Fancy Pants should use a different word, but Fancy Pants says she doesn’t want to be word policed anymore. Shannon says, Fancy Pants claims she said something horrible about Emily, but Fancy Pants says, Tamra was the one talking about them. In Fancy Pants’ interview, she says, Emily thought she was making it up, and she didn’t understand that Emily misheard. In Emily’s interview, she says, her bad. Should she write Fancy Pants a note? Tamra says, Fancy Pants called them a bunch of f***ing losers, and Fancy Pants says she was talking about Noella and Jen. Nice twist on what she said. In Vicki’s interview, she says she’s uncomfortable being  around fighting. She never liked it. It’s not who she is. We flash back to seeing that’s exactly who she is. In another bout of grievous misunderstanding, Gina says she’s done, and in her interview, she says she’s been a genuine friend to Fancy Pants, and the whole time, Fancy Pants was saying nasty things about her. Fancy Pants gets up and says she gets it. They don’t like her. Gina is still not listening, and babbling about Fancy Pants talking sh*t about her. Fancy Pants says, she’s done, and walks out. Ugh. I hate to admit it, but this time Fancy Pants is right. They just aren’t listening that she was talking about other people. On top of it, Tamra keeps adding fuel to the fire.

In her interview, Fancy Pants says, Tamra is going to say she called Gina a loser, and Gina is going to believe it? We flash back to Gina telling Fancy Pants that not everyone sees Tamra with their eyes open. Vicki goes to the bar, and literally weeps to the bartender about what’s going on. In her interview, she says she feels bad for Fancy Pants, and also as a woman to another woman. She’s matured and realizes what’s important, and it’s not this. These women really don’t see themselves as they are, do they. Fancy Pants says she’s done with the show. She’s out. Shannon hunts her down, and asks, what’s going on? Fancy Pants says she doesn’t like being the scapegoat. Still at the table, Gina says she thought Fancy Pants liked her. She’s been a good friend. In Gina’s interview, she says she can’t force Fancy Pants to be a good friend. What else can she do at this point? Um… maybe listen to what Fancy Pants is actually saying? Firsthand? Fancy Pants says, they just went to a shaman, and Vicki says she can’t be here. Emily tells Gina, people with superiority complexes need to be accountable. At the table, Shannon says, Fancy Pants is thoughtful, generous, and kind, and a little calculating. This trip didn’t end the way she thought it would. What is it Dr. Phil says? The best prediction of future behavior is past behavior? Yep. No insight whatsoever.

4 hours later. The Tres Amigas hit the bar. In Shannon’s interview, she asks, when was the last time the three of them danced on a bar? She tells the other two, the trip turned into a lot of drama, but she’s glad they ended on a happy, fun note. Even though they’re old ladies, they were able to dance on the bar. At the hotel, Fancy Pants, Taylor, and Jenn clink glasses. Taylor says, onward and upward, Willy Wonka. At the bar, Shannon is upset that Fancy Pants claimed it was her talking trash, and in Tamra’s interview, she says, when Heather is up against the wall, she’ll throw anyone under the bus. In Fancy Pants’ interview, she says she wants to show Gina that it’s Tamra who’s been talking sh*t about her. Shannon tells the amigas that they need to end the trip on a positive note, and Tamra smushes them against her.

I hate them all and I want to go home.

Next time – THE FINALE! – a circus; Emily gets on a unicycle; Jenn questions Ryan; Fancy Pants tells Terry that she got grilled in Mexico; Fancy Pants plays a tape for Gina; Gina tells Emily that she’s being more aggressive than usual; and Tamra says, Fancy Pants is rallying the troops.

💼 Unpacking My Baggage…

Join me tomorrow for soap and some Charm. Until then, stay safe; stay letting people get off the elevator, train, or whatever before you get on; and stay remembering a person is never too old to learn. Life is like one big, long journey and there’s always something you can pick up along the way.

Sep20

September 19, 2023 – Anna’s Tormenter Is Revealed, Sad Goodbyes, Reunited, Holiday Romance, This Week In NYC, Salty Talk, What House, Second Dragon, Worthy Piece & Sun

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Marshall walks into The Savoy, and N’neka tells him that this is the slowest night they’ve had in months. He says he knows it, and wonders where everybody is. She says, not here, and he tells her, it’ll pick up. It has to. Selina comes in, and he says, oh God. Not what he was hoping for.

Trina walks into the house, and Portia hugs her, and tells Curtis, look who came to visit. Trina says she comes bearing a gift to christen the new gaming system. Curtis asks if that’s the new Sudden Death, and she says, they just released it Thursday, showing him the case. He says, they’ll play head-to-head, and Portia says, three heads are better than two. Trina says, she wants to play? and Portia says, of course (🍷) she does. Trina and Curtis look at each other and laugh.

Sasha thanks Sam for the clothes, and says she feels almost human again. She thanks Dante too, and he says, no problem. She tells Cody, your turn, and Cody says he’s all right, but the others loudly disagree. He says, no need for an uprising, and Sam pushes him toward the other room, telling him that he smells.

Dex walks into Sonny’s office and says, the knock off shoe shipment arrived; no problem. (Ah-ha! Something Sonny does that’s illegal.) Sonny says he wouldn’t be too sure about that.

On the phone, Anna asks if they have an ETA on the officers… No emergency. She just wants to start cleaning up. There’s a knock at the door, startling her, and she says she thinks they’re here. She opens the door, and it’s Charlotte. She asks, is papa here?

Valentin tells Nina, stop there… go back… freeze it. She says, oh my God. It can’t be. He tells her, play it through. He wants to see what happens. She says, they know what happens, but he says he needs to see it. She hits play.

Selina tells N’neka, what a lovely night it is, and N’neka tells her that she looks stunning. Selina says, so does N’neka, but then, she always does. She introduces a man, saying, this is her good friend Silas. She tells him that Marshall is watching the club for her and Curtis, and Marshall asks what they’re having to drink. Silas says, champagne? and Selina says, excellent call. Marshall says, one bottle of champagne for Miss Wu, but Selina says, just two glasses. They won’t be staying. They’re only here for a quick drink, out of loyalty to Curtis. They’re headed to the new club, Intrigue, downtown. Marshall asks if they have gambling there, and Selina says, not that she knows of, but it’s always jam-packed. She and Silas head for a table, acting like they’re drunk already.

Curtis thanks Trina for bringing the game over. He’s definitely down to play, but why doesn’t she tell him why she really came over? She just moved back into her dorm, and he knows she’s not homesick already. She says she doesn’t have to be homesick to come home. She just wanted to hang out with him and mom. Portia comes in with a bowl of popcorn and asks, who’s winning? but Trina says, the game just finished loading. They haven’t started yet. Portia sits down and says she doesn’t know if they noticed, but video games aren’t really her thing. Trina says, understatement, and Curtis says, especially Sudden Death. Portia says she did see on here that they have virtual tours where you can check out castles in Europe. Why don’t they try that? Trina says, that sounds really amazing, but they’re trying to get all Dirty Harry with the zombies in this game. Portia says, of course (🍷). As long as they’re having fun. Trina says, before they get started, how about if she gets them some iced tea, and Curtis says, the caffeine will give him some adrenaline for the game. Trina leaves, and Portia says, it was so sweet of Trina to come by. Curtis says, she knows why Trina came by, doesn’t she? To check on them. He doesn’t mind. She raised a very special young woman.

Sonny tells Dex, the charges have been dropped against him, but that raid, his arrest, that’s just the beginning. The Feds are going to be watching every move he makes. They’re going to be tracking whoever he associates with. Does Dex know what he’s saying? Dex says, live like he’s under a microscope, and Sonny says, right. They’ve been trying to take him down for years, but never for NSA violations. This is on a whole other level. It’s just going to get more complicated, and Pikeman isn’t taking no for an answer.

Anna says, when Charlotte comes in, it’s going to be a bit of a shock. Just don’t touch anything, okay? Charlotte asks, what happened here? Where’s papa? Anna says, it looks like they had a break-in, and her father’s gone to hotel security. What is Charlotte doing here? Charlotte says she took a Ride Share, and Anna says, by herself? Charlotte says she’s 15, and Anna says she knows, but even so. Do Dante and Sam know she’s here? Charlotte says, they’re out somewhere; it’s not a big deal. She just needed to see her father.

Valentin says, play it again, but Nina says, watching it isn’t going to change what’s there. He says, maybe there’s something there, something he missed that makes a difference. Play it again. She hits play, and he covers his face with his hands. She asks what he’s going to do, and he says, nothing yet. She says she can’t just ignore this, and he says he knows she can’t. He can’t either. But this is a volatile situation. Can she let him handle this? His phone rings, and he says, Anna. Anna says, Charlotte’s here. She wants to see him. He says he’ll be right there, and tells Nina that he has to go. He says, please don’t show this to anyone else, and leaves.

Cody says, they were all right. He’s very glad to be out of that creep’s clothes. Look what he found. It was in one of Montague’s pockets. He hands Dante a prescription bottle with no label, and Dante says he’ll have to have them analyzed. Cody says he’s guessing Montague wasn’t planning on taking those pills himself, and Sam says, Montague knew he crossed a line and Sasha was his only witness. A loose end. Sasha asks what Sam is saying. Does she think Dr. Montague was going to slip her an overdose? Cody says, he had those pills on him when he found them in her room, and Sasha asks if they think he was going to kill her.

On the phone in the back hallway, N’neka says she’s at the club. They’re going to need some help down here. Asap.

Selina goes to the bar and thanks Marshall for an enchanting evening. Too bad there were so few people to enjoy it. He says he’s sure it will pick up later, but she says, from what she’s been told, it hasn’t been picking up much this past week. If he was truly loyal to his son, he’d reconsider letting her take The Savoy off his hands before it’s worthless. He says, not a chance. She’ll see. They’ll survive and thrive. She says she wouldn’t be too sure. The club doesn’t have the same draw without his son’s charm. Something Curtis obviously got from his mother. He says, she knows nothing about his family, or loyalty, or even good champagne. So why doesn’t she go over to that club she’s so excited about and see if that’s for sale? Silas joins them and asks if everything is okay here. Selina says, Mr. Ashford’s son suffered a great tragedy. He’s obviously traumatized by it. It’s best they leave him to his misery. She thanks Marshall for the champagne, and saunters out with Silas.

Trina and Curtis are deep in the game, and Portia tells Trina, watch out! but Trina says, that’s the zombie ghost that comes out to collect the bodies. Portia says, of course (), when her phone beeps. She steps away, Curtis and Trina not even noticing, and listens to a message. She tells them that she has to go out for a bit, and Trina wonders if they drove her away. Curtis asks if everything is okay, and Portia says, everything is fine. She just has to help out a friend. Trina says, sorry if they left her on the sidelines, but Portia says, don’t worry about her. Just continue playing their video game. Neutralize those zombies. She’ll be back as soon as she can. She leaves, and Trina says, mom’s the best, but she is off when it comes to video games. Curtis says, Trina inherited her gaming gene from him, and Trina says, he got that right. They go back to playing.

Olivia and Eddie/Ned walk into Olivia’s office, and Olivia asks what Nina is doing there. Nina says she was checking the wedding bookings. She was checking on the date of her wedding and didn’t want to wrestle around looking for the binder they have. She’s just checking to see what was confirmed. Olivia tells her, the binder is right over here, taking it from the credenza and handing it to Nina. She says, they’re just heading out, and Nina says she heard Eddie had a great recording session. He says, the studio was great. Be sure to thank Sonny for hooking them up. Nina says she’ll do that. Sonny was happy to help him out. Olivia tells Nina to take her time. Just lock up when she leaves. Nina tells them to have a good night, and when they leave, she gets back on the computer.

Anna tells Charlotte that she’s so sorry. She’d take Charlotte to the restaurant for hot chocolate or something, but she’s got to stay here and wait for the officers. Charlotte says she’s not a kid anymore. Anna doesn’t have to keep her amused. Anna says, my bad. Charlotte’s almost an adult. Valentin comes in and thanks Anna for calling him. He asks what Charlotte is doing here, and she says she just wanted to see him. She didn’t realize he’d be busy. There’s a knock at the door, and Valentin opens it to a couple of officers. One of them says, they had a report of a break-in.

Dante tells Sasha, they can’t say Montague wanted to kill her, but maybe he wanted to keep her unstable enough so he could move her somewhere else and keep her recovery virtually impossible. Cody says, the fact Montague was bringing the pills into Ferncliff points to something extreme, right? Doctors don’t dispense medication from their pockets. This shows he had some kind of plan. Sam says, but what exactly, and how do they prove it? Sasha says, it all started when she petitioned to end Gladys’s guardianship, and the court assigned Dr. Montague to evaluate her. Cody says, that might be a coincidence, but they know Gladys and Montague know each other from the poker game at The Savoy. And granted, Montague’s debt isn’t as deep as Gladys’s, but every gambler needs a steady cash flow. Sam says, so Gladys ropes in Montague to make Sasha appear unfit to the court, but he pushes it too far, and she winds up stabbing Cody and gets into Ferncliff. Dante says, but then, Montague’s got another problem. What happens if Sasha regains enough clarity to the point where she can link her breakdown to the pills he was giving her? He’s got to cover his tracks. He’s got to make her look, not just insane, but hopelessly addicted. Cody says, he’s at least guilty of what? Covert drugging? Wouldn’t that be considered poisoning? Dante says, it’s criminal malpractice and attempted… Sam says, again, how do they prove it?

Dex lets Rowan Hume into Sonny’s office, and Sonny tells him to have a seat. He asks Dex to stay, and asks Hume if he minds. Hume says, whatever he likes, and sits down. He says, congratulations are in order. They were all very pleased to hear about the charges being dropped. Sonny says, really? and Hume says, of course (🍷). Pikeman regrets any trouble Sonny faced, and would like to offer him this as an apology. He puts a briefcase on the desk, and Dex opens it. He turns it around to show Sonny it’s loaded with cash, and Sonny asks if this is an apology or a downpayment for another deal.

Anna tells the officers, the room was like this when they got here. As far as she can tell, nothing is missing. Her tablet and computer are here, untouched. Officer #1 says, they can send forensics if she’d like, and she says, yeah. Valentin says, this is a hotel room. Forensics is going to find a thousand different fingerprints from a thousand different guests. How helpful is that going to be? (It doesn’t say much about the MetroCourt’s cleaning staff.) Officer #1 says, it might not yield much. They can pursue this if Anna likes, but it sounds like a case of malicious mischief to him. Does she want to file a complaint, start an investigation?

Curtis says, sorry, my friend, you just got slimed, and Trina says, not fair. She’s the one who got the wolfsbane. He asks if she’s ready for the next level, and she says, Marshall told her that Curtis went to the club the other day. Curtis says he did, and she says, Marshall told her that N’neka and the whole staff were excited to see him come back. He says he’s not sure he would consider it being back, and she says, but it’s his club. Doesn’t he want to get in the swing of things again? He says, a lot’s happened… it’s obvious. It was good to get out of the house, and going back opened his eyes to a lot. Some good and some that’s hard to admit.

Portia goes to the club and asks N’neka how it’s going. N’neka says, slower than her last relationship, and Portia says she can see that. Marshall comes out, and asks, what brings Portia down here? They hug, and he asks, where’s Curtis? She says, Curtis and Trina are at the house in their video game world. It’s too loud for her, so she decided to get some air and ended up here where it’s quiet. He asks if she doesn’t have an early start to work tomorrow, and she says she does, but her head is pretty full of all the dead zombies, so she thought she’d come here and be with them in the land of the living. He asks what he can get her, when Olivia and Eddie/Ned come in. Olivia says, it’s a ghost town, and Eddie wonders, what happened to this place? The last time he was here, it was hopping.

Dante says, according to the authorities, Montague is the victim here. He was beaten and tied up. Sasha says, he had a pocket full of pills that he was going to use to OD her, and Dante says he understands that, but they have no proof. These could have come from anywhere. Sam says, and right now, it’s just their word against his. Cody says, and they’re escaped mental patients, and Dante says, Sasha is either an escapee or a kidnapping victim. Cody on the other hand, is a felon, wanted for assault and kidnapping. Sasha says, Cody didn’t kidnap her; he rescued her. They have to stop this before it gets any worse. They can turn themselves in and tell the truth.

Sonny says, Pikeman wants another go around, and Hume says, absolutely. Sonny says, another shipment, and Hume says, most definitely. And this is a peace offering. Compensation for Sonny’s trouble. Sonny tells Dex to close the briefcase and give it back to Hume. Tell his boss, it’s no deal. When he was in custody, he got a lot of questions about Pikeman. So they know what’s going on. It’s got nothing to do with his people, because they didn’t do any talking. That means it’s on Hume’s side, and that’s a problem. Hume says, nobody in Pikeman would be that careless, and Sonny asks if he can guarantee that. Hume doesn’t say anything, and Sonny says he didn’t think so. It’s a big organization. So here’s the deal. Find the leak, and until they can assure him it’s plugged (is that a double entendre?), there’s no deal. He’s not going to let the Feds use Pikeman to get him.

Dante says, turning themselves in isn’t as simple as it sounds. They need proof to back up their story, and right now they don’t have that. Sasha says, Dr. Montague injected her several times with drugs. Wouldn’t the hospital have some sort of record? Cody doubts Montague went through the proper channels for that, and Sam says, what about the medication he gave Sasha before she went to Ferncliff? Does she have the prescription that he wrote? Sasha says, he never gave her a prescription; he just handed her the pills. She makes a frustrated sound and says she can’t believe she didn’t question that. Cody tells her not to blame herself. She was betrayed by the people she trusted, and no way is that her fault. Sasha says, Cody risked everything to save her. Now he’s the one facing charges. How do they prove he’s innocent? Dante says, they might have something going for them. Mac is the Commissioner, and he thinks Mac is going to see Cody’s innocence. Cody flashes back to showing Dante that Mac is really his father.

Trina says she can’t imagine how hard it must be to go back to The Savoy, but Curtis did it. He says he’s not going to lie. It was tiring, but he’s getting stronger every day. She says, Marshall told her that he was thinking about selling The Savoy, and Curtis says, it’s nothing she needs to worry her pretty little head about. She says, but it was his dream, and I can’t believe she let that remark slide, just like I can’t believe he said it in the first place. He says, The Savoy is a special place. It’s like a home away from home in all the best ways. Just imagine throwing a party every night – good food, good music, and even better company. Walking from table to table, fraternizing with people he wouldn’t have known otherwise. It was amazing. She says, was, and he says, sadly, sometimes in life, dreams can change. And he can’t imagine that same party under this current situation. She says, but he is the club. What’s going to happen to it? He says, let’s not talk about me. Let’s talk about you. She says, Curtis… and he says, don’t get all Stella on him now. He’s her dad and he wants to hear about her. She just started school and moved into the dorms. What is she looking forward to this year? And he does want to remind her, all work and no play. Have fun sometimes. She says, funny he mentions that, because actually, there is something she’s looking forward to that has nothing to do with school. She says she’s planning on taking a trip to New York for the weekend with Spencer, and he says, that’s something he’s surprised her mom didn’t tell him. She says she hasn’t told her mom yet, and he says, yet, but she does plan on telling her. Trina says she thought she should wait until she gets closer to the trip. Curtis knows how her mom feels about Spencer. He says he definitely does. The most important thing is how Trina feels about him, and that is… Trina says she thinks she’s in love with him, and Curtis asks if she thinks Spencer feels the same way. She tells Curtis, he hasn’t said, and Curtis asks, has she? She says, no, and he says, why?

Portia asks N’neka, besides it being dead in here, what’s the emergency? and N’neka says, not what, who. Selina was in here tonight, slinking around with some trophy date. She and Marshall had a face-off. Portia says, what kind of face-off? and N’neka says she didn’t hear all of it, but voices were definitely raised, and Marshall barely held it back. Portia asks, what set him off? and N’neka says, there was tension the moment Miss Wu walked in, but when she came back from leaving Portia the message, Marshall was basically kicking her out, and saying she should buy some other club downtown. Is she trying to get her hands on this place? Portia says she thinks so. She overheard Marshall talking to Curtis about it. N’neka says she doesn’t think Curtis’s father should be pushing her. Miss Wu is not someone to be toyed with (just as I think, Miss Wu would be a cute name for a toy breed dog). Portia says she knows exactly what Selina is, and N’neka did the absolute right thing by calling her. Miss Wu is dangerous. She just doesn’t think Marshall realizes how truly dangerous she really is.

Marshall asks Eddie/Ned what he was recording, and Eddie says, it was nothing really. He was just demoing a new song. (Is demoing a weird looking word or what?) It’s only half done. Marshall asks why he hasn’t finished, and Olivia says, that’s what she keeps asking him. Eddie says, it’s easier said than done. Creating a song isn’t like writing a term paper where you just power through to finish it. He needs to wait for the spark of creativity to ignite. Marshall says, de-bop-shu-bop-shebang (or something like that). This man speaks the truth. Sometimes you got to tune into a melody. Eddie says, exactly. The song came to him unexpectedly. It was just a little fuzzy. Like he could almost catch it, but not quite. So he just has to wait for the muse to visit him again. Olivia says, the ghost of Elvis Presley, and Marshall says, if Eddie needs any clarinet, he’s there. Eddie says, he might just take Marshall up on that. He’s worked with a sax before, but he’s never worked with a clarinet. Marshall tells him, you know what they say. Once you go with a clarinet, you just never forget, and they laugh. He says he has an idea. Why doesn’t Eddie finish his song and debut it here at the club next week? It’s a challenge. Eddie says, it may be a bit of a downer to play in a house this light. Does Marshall think there will be more people here next week?

Anna says she wants the officers to pursue the formal channels. Someone should tell her what they uncover and keep her in the loop. Officer #1 says, will do, and they head out the door. Before they leave, Officer #2 tells Anna, this may seem like simple harassment, but after the arson at her house, does she think the two incidents could be related? She says she doesn’t know. Yeah… Maybe. She doesn’t know what they’re going to find in here. She doesn’t know. He says, they’ll keep her posted, and leaves. Valentin closes the door and says, they’re not safe here. Anna says, obviously, and he asks Charlotte to get on the house phone and ask the desk to move them to a new suite. Charlotte says, sure, papa, and goes to the phone. Anna tells Valentin that she’s so sorry Charlotte had to see all this. It’s probably quite scary for her. Was he able to access the security footage?

Dex tells Sonny that Hume is gone. He got in a Range Rover with New York plates and drove off. Sonny says, so tell him. What’s Dex’s take on what just happened here?  Dex says he thinks it’s above his paygrade, and Sonny asks if Dex thinks he just hired him to open doors and call him boss? You want some life, you’ve got to grab it. What’s Dex doing here anyway? He knows Dex is smart; he pays attention. He doesn’t think Sonny sees his mind is always spinning? Because he’s not the boss, he has access to people and places Sonny doesn’t. So now’s Dex’s chance to show him how he thinks as a heavyweight. If Dex wants to move up in Sonny’s world, Sonny has to know if he can trust Dex’s judgement. So tell me what you think?

Marshall says, The Savoy is in a slump, and Eddie/Ned says, that’s putting it mildly. Marshall says he wouldn’t want to play for this crowd either, but the one thing that’s been missing tonight, the one thing that’s been missing every night is his son Curtis. If Eddie’s looking for a promoter, look no further. Curtis will pack this place. He just needs to give Curtis something to promote. He’s thinking, the return of Eddie Maine? Whoo! That might be just the ticket. Marshall gets up, and says, think about that, while he sends over two drinks for Eddie and his lovely date.

Trina tells Curtis, maybe she’s not ready to say I love you first. Or maybe she’s waiting for Spencer to say it first. (That’s the one!) She doesn’t know. He asks if she’s having any doubts about Spencer, and she says, no doubts. She just feels impatient and annoyed, disappointed at times. He just does the stupidest things, but then he does the sweetest things. Curtis says he hasn’t spent much time with Spencer, but he thinks she knows from early on he wasn’t a fan. But all that changed in Greenland. He has every respect for the way he cared for Trina. And he also respects the way Spencer lights up every time she’s in the room. But all that aside, is she sure she can count on him emotionally? She says, that’s what’s hard. At first, she would have said, definitely not. But then over time, she thinks, yes. He says, she and Spencer come from two different worlds, and she asks what he means. He says, she’s responsible and practical, and she’s grounded in the real world. Spencer comes from a crazy, rich family. He doesn’t have to work a day in his life. She says, it’s not his fault he was born rich, and Curtis says, no, it’s not his fault. But he’s learned this; people with too much free time and money, tend to get into a lot of trouble.

Eddie/Ned says, his beautiful date. Marshall’s right about one thing, but does Olivia think this is a date? She says, he’s giving them free drinks. She doesn’t see why not. N’neka sets down their drinks, saying, compliments of The Savoy, and they thank her. Eddie asks what they should toast to, and Olivia says, to Marshall’s challenge. He finishes the song, and comes back and sings it here next week. He says, why not? and they clink glasses.

Portia tells Marhsall that she heard Miss Wu was sniffing around. Something about buying the club. He says, she can sniff all she wants; it’s not for sale. Curtis built this place from the ground up, and he’s not going to let Selina Wu swoop in and take it.

Trina says, Spencer’s not like that. Curtis should see him with Ace; he’s amazing. Curtis says, her mom told him that Ace is always going to be part of the equation. Is she sure she’s ready to take on a child at this point in her life? And how is Spencer going to cope if Esme decides to take Ace and leave town? How is Trina dealing with Esme after all the torture Esme put her through? Trina says she doesn’t know. There’s a lot she doesn’t know, but she does know, they don’t know what the future holds. (That’s a lot of knows.) Curtis says, true dat. Look at him. Think about Epiphany. Sometimes you just got to live in the moment. She asks what he thinks. Is this her moment?

Dex tells Sonny, his impression is, Pikeman is a very efficient operation. They have legit government contracts, but obviously have a parallel operation going. Maybe it operates through a rogue offshoot. Hume seemed surprised when Sonny suggested he consider somebody on the inside, but as far as Pikeman itself, it wouldn’t make sense for them to jeopardize everything to leak to the Feds everything about their deal with Sonny. And he agrees with Sonny. It wasn’t one of Sonny’s men. Sonny says, damn. Turn Dex on and he just goes. Thanks for the insight. Here’s the thing. The Feds arrested him on false information; false information he planted. The thing he doesn’t know is the timing of, or the extent, of the FBI investigation. Do the Feds already know they made a move with Pikeman? Or are the Feds going by what they’ve already put out there? Dex says, with all due respect, he thinks the safest option is to cut ties with Pikeman, but Sonny says, that’s a problem because Pikeman isn’t taking no for an answer. So what he did tonight was buy time. Now he has to figure out how to move forward.

Cody tells Dante, they can’t rely on Mac’s good will to beat this. He still has to uphold the law. Sam suggests they give her and Dante 24 hours to see what they can dig up, and Dante agrees. He says, they’ll go back to Port Charles, while Sasha and Cody stay here. They do have to turn themselves in at some point, but that’s not now. Sam says, they’ll be in touch tomorrow, and Cody says, he can’t thank them enough. Sasha says, thank you so much, and Sam says she only did what she thought was right. Dante tells Cody that he’s sorry… but Cody says, Dante, as always, is the rock who kept him on the straight and narrow. He thanks them both for everything, and they leave. Sasha says she can’t believe what Sam and Dante are doing for them, and Cody says, they believe in Sasha; so does he. She says she guesses all they can do now is wait and see what they turn up, and he says, they do have one other option. She says, which is? and he says, they could just disappear.

Anna asks if there was anything on the tape, but Valentin says, there was nothing there. She asks how that’s possible; there’s cameras everywhere. He says, the footage from this floor was missing, and she says, okay. So someone forged a keycard to get in here and then they wiped the surveillance tape? So they could ransack a room, destroy her clothes, and write an intimidating message on the mirror. Charlotte says, the front desk wants to speak to Valentin, and Anna says, let her deal with that. He should just take Charlotte back to Dante. He says, he’ll call her when he’s on the way back, and Anna thanks Charlotte, taking the phone. Valentin and Charlotte leave, as Anna asks if they were able to find another suite… That’s perfect. That will be fine. Valentin closes the door, and in the hallway, Charlotte says, ready, papa? but Valentin just looks at her.

Back on the computer in Olivia’s office, Nina brings up the footage again. We see Charlotte approach the door and look around. She slips in a keycard, goes in, and closes the door. Nina says, oh, Charlotte. What have you done?

Smelled that one coming.

Tomorrow, Tracy says, Brook should be thanking her; Felicia says, Cody is full of surprises; and Valentin asks what Charlotte did today.

🥀 Tributes and Remembrances…

His colleagues.

Colleagues Remember Billy Miller
Jason Thompson Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Billy Miller

His mom. So sad.

Billy Miller’s Mother Speaks Out on Her Son’s “Devastating” Passing

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 In Happier News…

It’s a shame they had no scenes together, but there’s always another day. IMO, she’s the only one who’s had real chemistry with Roger Howarth.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kassie-depavia-opens-up-about-her-reunion-with-roger-howarth-at-gh

☃️ At the Chalet…

I was starting to think there were no romantic holiday movies without Ryan Paevey in them.

William deVry Stars in a Romantic New Holiday Movie!

🗽 New York Minute Or Two…

This week’s RHONY. Still not loving them. Except Jenna. Jenna’s cool.

Real Housewives of New York Season 14, Episode 10 Recap: A Stupid Prank Blows up a Friendship

🧂 Some Salt For the Table…

This week’s RHOSL. Heather gets less pleasant with every episode.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 4, Episode 3 Recap: The Uninvited Guest

🍊 She Tried To Be Quiet…

She could possibly have been in shock, but how did they justify her being hurt, yet being caught while she was walking her dog?

https://people.com/real-housewives-of-orange-county-shannon-storms-beador-arrested-alleged-dui-hit-and-run-7971129

🐉 Enter the Dragon…

Maybe I’ll give this another go when Season 2 roles around.

https://winteriscoming.net/2023/09/18/ships-cities-night-house-of-the-dragon-season-2-set/

☠️ Advocating For Piece…

You don’t have to love or even know about the anime. I saw a giant fish in the trailer and said, I’m game. One of the better choices I’ve made. Like Pirates of the Caribbean, but better.

https://www.avclub.com/one-piece-review-tv-netflix-live-action-adaptation-1850804738

⚔️ Maintaining Parameters…

Slide into this blog tomorrow for soap and throwing stones at the glass houses of the OC. Until then, stay safe, stay never double-dipping at a party, and stay knowing that you don’t know what the future holds. Sometimes you just got to live in the moment.

Sep19

September 18, 2023 – Valentin Gets a Shock From the Security Footage, Sad Farewell, Just the Same, Popular On Deck, Least Favorites, Not So Bizarre, Wrong Turn & Endless

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna looks at the writing on the bathroom mirror, when Valentin comes in and touches her shoulder. Startled, she turns around.

On the phone, Nina says, the minute Gladys gets this message, she wants an update. Call her. Does she understand? She’s Sasha’s guardian. Gladys is supposed to be giving her any updates on Sasha. Call her. Lucy comes in and says, that’s why she’s here. She needs to know exactly what’s going on with Sasha.

Blair puts her hand on Martin’s shoulder and leans down, saying, hello sweetheart, and kissing him on the cheek. She asks if he isn’t going to be a gentleman and invite her to have a seat. She sits and says, don’t mind if I do. Thank you.

Elizabeth says, the patients don’t know how lucky they are to have Stella’s help, and Stella says she’s the lucky one. At her age to have the most fulfilling job of her life? It’s pretty special. Looking at Stella’s paperwork, Elizabeth says, six out of these eleven patients have the same doctor, and Stella says, you always want the best doctor you can get, and sometimes these complicated cases take the total focus of the doctors, and the patients can be a little intimidated by some of the doctors. Elizabeth wonders if she means they don’t ask all the questions they want the answers to, and Stella says, that’s where she comes in. Hopefully, she gives them the answers they need. She can see that Dr. Bronson has to deal with all kinds of neurological complications and incurable conditions. Elizabeth says, like ALS.

Gregory walks into Alexis’s office as Esme slams a folder onto Alexis’s desk. He asks if everything is all right, and she says, yes. She was just arranging some things for Alexis. He says, good luck with that. She has her own very random system of order. Does Esme need his help? Esme says, no, thank you. Is there anything she can help him with? He says, Alexis left a message that she’d be here for a while. He was hoping to catch her. It’s late. Shouldn’t Esme be getting home? Esme says, that’s why she was finding more work to do. She doesn’t exactly want to go home yet.

Chase goes into his apartment, and says he’s got Brook’s favorite. He sees her holding her head, and asks, what is it? She says she got fired, and he says, what? But Maxie was in such high spirits when she came over earlier today. Brook says, she was just too nice to involve him, and he says he’s so sorry. She says she’s not even upset about the job. She’s upset because she lost her best friend.

Walking down the hall with Alexis, Finn says he hopes Molly and Kristina can work through their problem. She says, he figured it was the two of them, huh? and he says he just got the impression it wasn’t Sam. She says, true. The two of them are driving her crazy, but she knows she needs to let them work it out on their own. He didn’t share. Is he okay? He says he’s just trying to honor his father’s wishes, and she says she admires that. He says his dad wants them to go on like everything’s normal, and she asks if Gregory told Chase, but Finn says, no, he didn’t.

Valentin and Anna walk back to the living room area, and Valentin says, whoever got in here… She says, was trying to get to her. Well, it’s working.

Blair wonders if Martin wasn’t even going to say hello, but he says he didn’t see her. She says, he saw her, all right, and Trish comes by. Martin asks if he could please have… Blair tells her to bring him another drink, and she’ll have what she was having over there before, please. Trish leaves, and Martin asks what Blair is doing here. She says, if she didn’t know better, she’d think he wasn’t happy to see her, and he says he’s not. Nor is he happy with her meeting with the likes of Tracy Quartermaine, of all people. Blair says she thought he didn’t see her, and he says he might have caught a glimpse. She says, but he was distracted by his friend, the gorgeous brunette. He didn’t want to introduce her to ex-wife #3? Blair would love to meet her. Where did she disappear to?

Nina says, if Lucy is looking for Olivia… but Lucy says she’s not; she’s looking for Nina. She spoke with Nina’s assistant who said she was here. She just needs to ask Nina something. Martin is down in the lobby waiting and she doesn’t have a lot of time. Just please tell her about Sasha. Nina says, as Lucy clearly heard when she barged into the office, she left word for Gladys to give her an update when she hears anything. Lucy says she doesn’t have time to wait. She needs to know what’s happening with Sasha right now.

Chase asks, what happened with Maxie? and Brook says she was trying to convince herself there was something she could do to make it right, but Maxie made it perfectly clear that there is nothing she can do to make up for it. He says he takes it that Maxie found out Tracy got the information about The Deceptor from her, and she says, yeah. Deep down, she knew they would. Maxie could lose her livelihood. She just moved; she’s got three kids she’s got to support. He says, the case hasn’t been settled yet, and she says, but it doesn’t look good and it’s all her fault. And now she’s getting exactly what she deserves. Maxie hates her.

Alexis says, Gregory told her that he was going to Chase’s apartment the other day to tell him, but Finn says, he changed his mind. Chase called him this morning asking about a new baseball glove for Violet. He doesn’t know. It’s not going to be easy for either one of them when his father finally does tell Chase. Alexis says, it’s not easy for anyone, and it’s certainly not easy for Finn. Finn says, all he’s wanted to do since his father told him is help him. He’s been researching ALS day and night. What he’d really like to do is talk to Dr. Bronson about his case. She says, but he can’t do that, can he? and he says, it’s his dad’s illness, so legally and ethically, he has to get his permission. He’s concerned bringing it up right now will just upset him more. She says, he and Dr. Bronson are both doctors. She’s sure he would understand and share with Finn what he could, but Finn says, doctors don’t really like that, and he doesn’t want to go behind his father’s back. She says, he’s right; it was a terrible idea. He says, they’ll be at a point where his father won’t be able to walk anymore; he won’t be able to speak. But it’s still up to him when and how much he wants Finn to be involved.

Gregory asks Esme why she wouldn’t want to go home to that adorable son of hers, and she says, it’s not Ace she’s avoiding; it’s Spencer. But she doesn’t want to bother him with her problems. He says, she’s not bothering him, and she says, it’s just that she and Spencer have been spending a lot of time together taking care of Ace, and she thought everything was going really well. Spencer adores his little brother, and Ace lights up every time Spencer walks in the room. It felt like for the first time in her life she knew what it was like to be part of a family. He says, sounds like a good start to him, and she says, until she overheard Spencer talking to Alexis about going out of town for the weekend with his girlfriend Trina. He asked Alexis to check up on her, and in spite of what she thought, it’s very clear Spencer doesn’t trust her. So much for family.

Marshall comes into the hospital and tells Stella that they need to talk. She says she’s a little busy, but he says, it’s important. Elizabeth says, Stella is overdue for a break, and Stella thanks her, leaving for a more private spot with Marshall. She asks if everything is good with Curtis, and he says, at least for now. She asks, what’s that supposed to mean? and he says, Curtis is thinking of selling The Savoy. She tells him, bite your tongue. That will be the death of him.

Valentin says, they were sloppy this time, and Anna says, this seems very deliberate to her. It seems very personal. She just bought this. She picks up a white shirt streaked with red, and says she bought it because she doesn’t have any clothes because they burned up in the fire. She’s only worn this one time. She doesn’t even like it, and the only reason it’s ruined is… He says, because it’s hers? and she says, because it’s hers. His stuff isn’t here. It makes her think, whoever’s doing this wants one thing. They want to leave her with nothing. He says, and then what? It’s more than that. The message in the bathroom: You think you’re safe, but you’re not. It’s a direct threat.

Martin tells Blair, that woman who was just here? They just met. He’s not even sure he remembers her name. Blair clinks her glass against his, and says, Lucy Coe. Lucy owns Deception, the cosmetics company, just like her. Some people might even consider them rivals. But she hears on the street that Lucy’s company’s not doing that well. He says, let him guess. A little bird named Tracy Quartermaine told her that. She says, possibly, and he says, enough is enough. What exactly is she doing here with Tracy tonight? She says, he’s an intelligent man. She’s sure he can figure it out.

Nina says, all they know for sure is, apparently Cody Bell took Sasha out of Ferncliff, and Lucy asks how he managed that. Nina says, he got checked in as a patient, and Lucy says, Cody’s not crazy. Nina says, no, he’s not crazy, but he convinced someone he needs help, and he’s on the verge of being charged with kidnapping. Lucy says, there is no way that Cody kidnapped Sasha.

Chase says, Maxie may be angry, but once she has time to think it through… Brook says, think what through? She betrayed Maxie, Lucy, and Sasha. He says, she made a mistake, and he knows for a fact Maxie has made mistakes in the past. And they know Tracy and what she’s capable of. They’ll understand the pressure Brook was under. Brook says, that’s the part she feels the worst about. Letting Tracy blackmail her because she was too afraid of him finding out the truth. She should have trusted him enough to tell him the truth himself. He says, it’s too late for that, gets up, and goes into the other room.

Alexis says, Finn’s a good son, and she knows it’s even harder for him to let his father handle his own medical decisions because he’s a doctor. He says, between the two of them, it’s tearing him up inside, but he has to admit and accept his limitations. She says, good luck with that. It doesn’t always work out so well for her. He says, his father is lucky to have her in his life, and she says she’s lucky to have him in hers. She’s just trying to keep things as normal as possible because he said he wanted to maintain a normal life for as long as he could. Finn says, it’s not easy to go along with, is it? and she says she thinks they all have their own unique ways of imagining how they’re going to deal with the… He says, the transition? and she says she hated that word when people used to substitute that for dying. And now, she thinks it’s really appropriate. She doesn’t know if it’s going to make things any better or not, but he’s not alone. They’re in this together. She takes his hand, and he says, it means a lot.

Gregory tells Esme, sometimes, even family can let you down, but they will almost always be there for you when you really need them. The bonds of family don’t easily break. Esme says she realizes she was this horrible person before, but she’s trying really hard to make a new beginning. She wants to be the best receptionist, and more important, she wants to be the best mom she can be for Ace, and she’s trying really hard to build a new relationship with Spencer based on respect, because he is Ace’s big brother. But what’s the point, because Spencer only sees her as the person she was, not who she is now. Just like everybody else. Gregory says, if it means anything, Alexis had her doubts, but she sees Esme for who she is now. And so does he. Is it okay if he gives her a little advice? She says, anything, please, and he says, sometimes when you only look at the big picture, it can be really frustrating and infuriating. So try to focus on the short term. Maybe the one thing that happened today that made her smile. She asks if that works for him.

Stella tells Marshall, Curtis can’t sell The Savoy. He’s so proud of that club. It keeps him motivated; it inspires him. He says, she’s right about that, and she says, that’s more important than ever for him to keep fighting to recover. He’s got friends and co-workers there. Didn’t he go back to work? Marshall says, he did, and you can see how he is at the club, the way he interacts with all the people. It’s like he has his finger on the pulse of Port Charles. Stella says, it sounds like exactly what he needs to keep fighting to recover. Why on earth would he want to sell? Marshall says, he may have gotten an offer he can’t refuse.

Anna asks if Valentin doesn’t think someone who’s burned down her house and broken in here has had ample opportunity to kill her already. He tells her that he’s not saying someone doesn’t enjoy torturing her a little bit, but she knows that message in the bathroom is a threat. She says she knows that, but this doesn’t look like someone who works for Pikeman or the WSB, and he says, okay. So it’s not professional looking, but burning her house down? Taking a shot at her at the MetroCourt pool? Now this? This is not a coincidence. She says, okay, and he says he’s not taking any chances. They hug, and she gets an odd look on her face.

Martin says, Blair gave Tracy the rights and copyright on her attempts to develop a beauty wand, but Blair says she gave Tracy absolutely nothing. However, she did pay a very handsome sum for those rights. He’s a lawyer. He knows by only owning those rights Tracy could file suit against Lucy and Deception. He says, the fact that Blair would do something like that, with someone like that, to hurt someone like Lucy Coe? Shame on her. That is just vile. She says, no. What is vile is him whispering her original idea into his girlfriend’s ear and making her think it was her idea just to get her in his bed. He says, that’s not what happened, and anyway, Lucy’s product actually works. Hers never did. She says, Lucy would have never even gotten it off the ground if it hadn’t been an idea he stole from her. You know what, buddy? It’s going to cost you big time.

Lucy tells Nina that Sasha didn’t want to admit it, but she thinks Cody cares for Sasha much more than just as a friend. He did come to her rescue when she had that problem at the Home & Heart show. Nina says, that was a terrible trick somebody played on her, and Lucy says, it was so cruel, but she did handle it. Sasha was okay, and Cody was there for her then too. She just wondered if maybe he feels like he’s rescuing her by breaking her out of Ferncliff; he’s coming to her aid. She’s really worried about Sasha, but Deception is also in a very precarious position right now, and she needs to know if Sasha is coming back. If she’s not able to come back, Lucy simply has to replace her as soon as possible.

Elizabeth sees Finn at the reception desk, but then goes to the computer. He says, she was coming over to say hello, then took a detour to the computer, and she says, actually, she wasn’t going to say hello. She was going to tell him something; now she’s not. She’s not sure it’s a good idea. He says, now she has to tell him, and she says, okay, but first, she recognizes this isn’t her place. TJ told her about an incident he had with Dr. Bronson, and then Stella was just telling her about some of her patients. It only confirmed what she’s been feeling since she took over as head nurse. He asks, what’s going on? and she says she doesn’t think Dr. Bronson is the right doctor for his dad.

Chase makes a drink, and Brook says, too late for what? For them? He says, no. Too late for her regret in not telling him. Because she did. She shared everything with him. She says, he’s so understanding, and he says, she did what she did because she was desperate for him to get his job back. He loves her for that. He loves her for so many reasons, but doesn’t want to spend time just rehashing the past. She says she knows everything is going to turn out all right as long as she has him by her side. She just hates what she did to her friends. He says he doesn’t understand. How could her grandmother put her in that position? She knew how close Brook was to Maxie, yet she still made Brook feel like she had to betray her best friend. Who would do that to their granddaughter?

Alexis approaches her office door and stops, hearing Gregory say, actually, it has been working for him. He finds if he focuses on a good thing during the day that happened, big or small, it makes a difference in his outlook. Esme says, what about today? and he says, today was really special. Today he tried lavender ice cream for the first time. It was amazing. He can’t believe what he’s been missing out on. (My stomach turns at the thought, but to each his own.) Outside, Alexis smiles, and Gregory asks, what about Esme? She says, that’s easy. Today, after Ace burped, he gave her the biggest smile. She could tell he thought it was funny, and it made her think how lucky she is to be his mom. He says, that sounds even better than his lavender ice cream. Why doesn’t she get home to Ace? He thinks he can handle rearranging her boss’s desk. She thanks him, when Alexis walks in, and Esme says, she’s back. Gregory falters a little, and Alexis runs over to him, asking if he’s okay.

Valentin asks if Anna will be okay on her own, and she asks where he’s going. He says he’s going to check the security footage and see if they can identify who did this, and she asks if he doesn’t think a professional would know there’s security cameras on every floor. They would have disabled them, or at least hidden their identity as best they can. He says, they’re going to find out. In the meantime, she can call the police and have them meet her here. She says, maybe forensics will find something, and he says, they’re going to find who did this and they’re going to stop them. He leaves.

Martin asks what Blair thinks this is going to cost him. Lucy’s the one being sued by Tracy Quartermaine. She says, and she’s the one paying him $50,000 a month in alimony, and he says, if she didn’t want to pay, maybe she shouldn’t have spent so much time jumping in and out of the sack with David Vickers. (Hey! I remember him!) She wasn’t exactly discreet. As he recalls, she was caught in flagrante. She says, because he hired that stupid detective, but he says, that had nothing to do with the money. That was because that sweet Southern judge thought $50,000 was adequate and reasonable compensation for his pain and suffering. She says, he’s just suffering so much with Lucy Coe, and he says, she’s definitely what he’d call a step up. She tells him, Tracy says he’s really hooked on her, so when Lucy loses Deception – and she will – he’ll have no choice but to make her wife #4. Marry Lucy, and when that happens, she won’t have to pay him another single dime.

Stella says, what is this Godfather talk? and Marshall says, a prominent businesswoman named Selina Wu offered Curtis a lot of money. Stella says, and he wants to sell? but Marshall says he’s not sure. But she’s trying to convince him that in his current condition, it would be too difficult for him to run the club. She says, too difficult because he’s in a wheelchair? These people make her crazy when they automatically assume anyone with a disability is incapable of holding down a job. If they saw a fraction of the grit and bravery she sees people display every day, they’d be ashamed of themselves. He says, as well they should. He knows what she does here is very important to the doctors and to the patients. He’s hoping that maybe she can find a way to lift Curtis up the way she does her patients. She says she’s going to do her best. Curits needs that club. It’s his lifeline to get out of the house. Marshall says, make him feel like he’s doing something worthy. His son can’t lose that club.

Esme asks if Gregory is all right, and he says he’s fine. Alexis says, it’s her fault. It’s that corner rug; it keeps coming up. They’ve got to get maintenance to look at that and tape it down. She thanks Esme for staying late. She’s sure her son needs his mom, and she’ll see Esme in the morning. Esme thanks Gregory again, and leaves. Alexis closes the door, and he asks how much she heard. She says, enough to know he lifted Esme’s spirits when she needed it.

Finn asks if Elizabeth is accusing Dr. Bronson of something, but she says, no. She thinks he’s a great neurologist. He says, okay. Tell him what she really thinks. She says she thinks diagnostically, there’s no one better than Dr. Bronson, but there are things that happen, or should happen, after the diagnosis… in her opinion. He says, that’s what he wants to hear, her opinion, and she says she can only compare him to Finn and some of the other specialists they have here. He says, all the nurses make fun of his bedside manner, and she says, and they still think he’s an amazing doctor because he’s responsive to his patients. He listens to them, he answers their questions, he treats them with respect. He doesn’t just diagnose, then follow standard procedure either. Dr. Bronson does. He says, and she thinks that’s how Dr. Bronson is treating his father? and she says, he diagnosed ALS. His main focus is treating the ALS by the book, rather than treating Gregory, the patient.

Nina says, let her get this straight. Lucy’s concern for Sasha is, what Sasha is going through might cost her money? Lucy says, no. Of course (🍷) not. She adores Sasha. Everybody does, but Nina is a businesswoman. She knows they can’t just be responsible for their own personal feelings. She’s responsible for employees; they could lose their jobs. The whole company. The timing of Sasha’s predicament is really bad, because Tracy is coming after them, and they could lose absolutely everything. Nina opens the door and says she thinks it’s time for Lucy to leave. Lucy says, what? and Nina says, Lucy heard her, as Valentin comes around the door. He knocks and says he could use Nina’s help, but Lucy says, no, wait. They’re not finished with their conversation. Nina says, their conversation is over. Goodbye, Lucy. Lucy says, wow, okay, and gives Valentin a look as she passes him. He goes into Nina’s office, closing the door, and says he can explain everything, but right now, he needs to show him all the security footage she has for the hallway outside of Anna’s hotel suite.

Gregory tells Alexis that he’s glad he could help Esme. She’s dealing with a lot. Alexis says, she’s not the only one, and he says, she’s young. Her life is just beginning. She says, and his is not over. She thought he was going to tell Chase that he has ALS. He says he was, and he went to Chase’s apartment with every intention of doing just that. But Brook had just moved in and the two of them seemed so very happy. He just couldn’t ruin it.

Elizabeth says, Finn doesn’t seem surprised, and he says he’s not. He had the same reservations about Dr. Bronson. He thought maybe because Dr. Bronson was treating his father, he was too close to be objective. She says she is being objective. And she’s not saying Dr. Bronson isn’t a good doctor for certain people, but his dad… Finn says, is dying, and he needs a more compassionate kind of care, and she says, yeah. He says, the problem is, his father chose Dr. Bronson, and he can’t just step in now and start dictating treatment. She says, Finn is an excellent doctor with exceptional experience. This is his lane. And she thinks his dad would feel reassured and supported by his opinions. Finn wouldn’t be telling him what to do. He’d just be offering his father an alternative.

Brook says, Chase must have been in town long enough to have heard the infamous stories of the Quartermaines bickering and backstabbing. Chase says, all the stories can’t be true, and she says she never wanted to believe they were either. She’s done her fair share of conniving and deceiving her family, but she really thought they were in a good place; that they could really count on each other. Now her dad thinks he’s someone else, and her grandmother… She’s always been calculating and tough. Brook actually admired her for it. But now she realizes, Tracy is deliberately destructive. Tracy is taking down Deception because she can, and she helped Tracy do it. Chase has no idea how lucky he is to come from a family that’s open and honest with each other.

Martin asks, what the hell is Blair talking about? and she says, follow the breadcrumbs, Marty. She won’t hesitate to talk to Lucy and tell her that he stole The Deceptor idea from her and gave it to Lucy. Then she’ll lose everything. Then, being angry and broke, Lucy will have no choice but to sue him, and she’ll be Lucy’s star witness. So she thinks him losing 50 grand a month is a small price to pay. Doesn’t he? He won’t lose Lucy and he won’t lose the rest of his money. Think about it, okay? She gets up, and stands behind him, kissing his cheek again. She says, it’s so nice to see him, and leaves. He sees Lucy in the hallway, messing with her phone, and runs over to her. He gives her a passionate embrace and kisses her, turning her so she can’t see Blair. At the elevator, Blair leans over and watches.

Nina says she can pull up the security footage from Olivia’s computer, but first, Valentin needs to tell her what’s going on. Is Anna okay? He says, no, she’s not okay. Someone broke into her hotel suite while they were at dinner tonight. There was a threatening message written on the bathroom mirror, her room was ransacked, and her clothes were strewn all over the place covered with red ink. Nina says, oh my God, and gets on the computer. She says, that would be the latest security footage from tonight, and he says, in the last two, three hours. She says she’s so sorry. She thought Anna would be okay here. He says he was hoping so too. Now he just wants to know who did this.

Anna looks at the message on the mirror again, focusing on: You think you’re safe. You’re not. She flashes back to the shooting at the pool and walking into her burning house.

Brook gets in the elevator after taking a last look, and Lucy says, wow. She doesn’t know what that was for, but Martin almost made her forget all her problems. They walk back into the restaurant, and he says, that’s what I’m here for, darlin’.

Gregory tells Alexis, it felt really good just now with Esme. To be able to lift someone’s spirits instead of depress them. She says, he does not depress anyone. To the contrary. He brings joy and happiness into many people’s lives, including his sons and yours truly. And his work here is invaluable. He says, take advantage of him for as long as she can, and she says she intends to. How is he feeling? He says, she saw. More unsteady more often. Dr. Bronson has made it clear he’s deteriorating rapidly, but he has every intention of living the best life he can for as long as he can. She says, good, and he says, but there’s something she needs to know. She says, of course (🍷), and he asks if she’s ever tried lavender ice cream. She says, yum, and he laughs.

Finn tells Elizabeth that he’ll talk to his dad about his treatment. Hopefully, he won’t be too resistant to sharing information. She says, then he can just take it from there, and he says, in the meantime, he’ll research some neurologists in the surrounding area and New York City. He has some colleagues who should be able to give him some good names. That way, when he talks to his father, he’ll have some alternatives. Elizabeth says, if he needs help with the research, she’s here, and he says he’s counting on it. He thanks her for giving him the push he needed.

Chase tells Brook that his family hasn’t always been open and honest. Growing up, Finn wasn’t around. She says, they worked that out, and he says, yeah. He’s glad they did. Because of all the time they missed, he feels like the time they have now is even more special. He never would have thought his father, his brother, and himself having a tea party with Violet would be the highlight of his week. She says she feels the same way about spending time with her dad and Leo, and he says, and now, he won’t just have his family together; he’ll have her too. She says she’s pretty lucky too, and they kiss.

Marshall says he’s so glad Stella is back in town doing the work she loves at this hospital. She says she didn’t mind being a jetsetter for a while, but she did miss her family and this job. He asks if they’re working her to death, and she says, it’s fine, but it will be nice to not be alone. Felicia Scorpio is joining their staff, and she has the feeling Felicia’s got the fire to make a difference. Marshall says, it’s not surprising Stella would be attracted to someone with the fire, because she is the original firecracker. It’s good to have her back, and the family are closer together. She says, he didn’t always feel that way, but he says, it’s water under the bridge. He lost Irene, and somehow it feels like she’s still a part of them, especially with Curtis and Trina and her. She says, they’re lucky to have the family they have, and he says, yeah, they are. So they’re going to keep this together. She can talk to Curtis about the club, and he thinks between the two of them, they’ll be able to set him straight and keep him from making a mistake he’ll live to regret. She says, yes.

Anna continues to stare at the message, and finally walks away.

Nina tells Valentin that she was able to pull up the footage. He said the last three hours? He says, maximum, and she says she’ll fast forward. He frowns at the screen.

Anna comes out to the living room, and flashes back to asking Valentin why he’s involved with Sonny, and who is the third party? He says, a defense contractor… Pikeman.

Valentin tells Nina, wait. Go back. She says she didn’t see anything, but he says, just go back. She does, and he frowns again.

Anna surveys the mess, and flashes back to Dante telling her that Valentin withheld the truth from her. When she told Valentin what she knew, he had no choice but to come clean. They don’t have to call it a lie if she doesn’t want to, but they both know he did lie about where he was the night of the fire. She picks up her phone and makes a call. She says she’d like to report a break-in.

Valentin asks Nina to go back again and freeze it. They both look astonished, and she says, oh my God. It can’t be.

Tomorrow, Sasha says, they have to stop this before it gets any worse; Eddie/Ned says he might just take Olivia up on that; Valentin asks Nina, please do not show this to anyone else; and Sonny tells Dex, don’t be too sure about that.

🥀 Way Too Young…

It was so sad to hear this.

https://people.com/billy-miller-soap-opera-general-hospital-the-young-and-the-restless-dead-at-43-7970876

🧂It Used To…

This show was promising in the first season, then just slid into the usual Housewives screeching and finger pointing.

What Sets RHOSLC Apart From Other Real Housewives Franchises

⛴ Yachtie Come Back…

Ileisha is the only (real) chef who never threw a temper tantrum. Major kudos. But where is Kate on this list?

Former Below Deck Crew Members We’d Love to See Again

👠 Andy’s Hate List…

Carole’s not entirely wrong, and how dare Kenya get married and pregnant off-air? #TeamTwirl

Real Housewives Who Andy Cohen Clearly Can’t Stand

📱 I saw a headline in OK Magazine  that said: Bizarre Behavior: Britney Spears posts whatever she wants on social media without thinking of the consequences. Apparently, whoever wrote that has never been on social media if they think it’s bizarre behavior.

🐻 Looking For a Pic-A-Nic Basket…

Apparently, it’s an even smaller world than they thought.

https://ew.com/amusement-parks/wild-bear-magic-kingdom-disney-world-ride-closures/

🤺 Main Character Energy…

Make a pit stop tomorrow for some soap and tea for two or more. Until then, stay safe, stay always picking up after your dog, and stay focusing on a good thing during the day that happened, big or small. It makes a difference in your outlook.