Category Archives: Below Deck

January 17, 2025 – Michael Gets the Final Say, Soap Suds, Not My Reality, Weekend Watching, Plus One, Getting There, Gate in the City, Exit Interview, Good Guy, Awards, The Players, Hebodomad Quotes & Things

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday:

Willow said she was in charge of Michael’s medical care, and Michael went into cardiac arrest. Portia said Willow had the right to make decisions about Michael’s medical care, and Drew told Carly and Sonny, hand over the kids and they’d have access, like the trashbag he is. Carly said, Drew was pushing things to point of no return, so Willow would have no one to turn to but him. Nina finally talked Sonny into giving the kids back, and Willow thanked Drew because she’s an idiot in love with a trashbag.

Cody wanted to invest in crypto, but Tracy said it would be better to set his money on fire. Alrighty then. But later, Cody told Brad to call his Aunt Selina because he had a sure thing bet on football after he’d talked to Kai for 3 minutes. Later, Portia said she wanted to use Brad’s talent for bending the rules to find out what patients had gotten digitalis without it being prescribed. Brad was a busy guy this week.

Lulu told Laura about what happened in Prague and asked when Laura was going to tell her that Anna had shot Charlotte. She said she thought Dante was right in that she’d led the shooter to Valentin. Laura promised to help Lulu find Charlotte again.

Isaiah told Lucas that they could choose to do something, and risk Michael dying, or do nothing, and Michael would definitely die. He chose to do something and gave Michael a medication that counteracted the digitalis. Isaiah told Portia what happened with Michael, and they came to the genius conclusion that, someone in this hospital is killing people with digitalis.

Tracy and Stella talked about Monica, which was like a knife to the heart knowing that Leslie Charleson had passed away.

Tuesday:

Lucky talked to a woman from the Port Charles Redemption Mission and found out Cyrus’s focus was on patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Lucas told Elizabeth about Michael and how Isaiah had given him digoxin immune FAB to counteract the digitalis. Lucky said they had to figure out what connected all the digitalis victims and why Cyrus would want them dead. Jason told Sonny that whoever planted the bomb in the penthouse would try again.

Willow told the kids that Michael was in the hospital. Dante told Sonny what happened in Prague. Josslyn conferred with Lucky about Cyrus.

Drew showed up at Nina’s and after she slammed the door in his face, she let him in.  She said he’d moved Willow away from what she loved and valued with the sick hold he had over her and gave him the business. She said Drew wouldn’t know love if it jumped up and bit him in the ass.

Tracy said she’d help Lulu if she had a solid lead, but Lulu needed to be more strategic and less emotional. Jason suggested the clinic in St. Petersburg where he’d been held hostage for Michael’s treatment, since Ava had her burns treated there. Sasha helped trick Willow into letting the kids go to the main house, and Tracy said, they weren’t leaving. Martin argued with Tracy about letting the kids go with Willow. Felicia said Jason and Carly had to leave the ICU, and Nina told Sonny that he had to go to the Quartermaines and get the kids from Tracy.

Wednesday:

Lucky and Elizabeth went to Beradino’s where Cyrus works. Josslyn went to Anna about Cyrus stabbing Dex. Alexis spoke to Drew about Sam’s wishes for Scout. Drew decided to commute to DC rather than live there. Carly wanted to call a press conference and out Drew, but Felicia told her not to make it worse than it already was.

Sonny talked to Tracy, who told him that Drew was the enemy and to handle him accordingly. Trina and Gio watched the game at The Brown Dog, and Emma showed up. (Since she was nuEmma, I didn’t realize she was also the pickpocket in Rice Plaza.) Cody was also at the bar. Alexis said Scout needed consistency and stability, and Drew said, maybe Willow was what she needed. Alexis wondered if it was less what Scout needed, and more what Drew needed. Tracy reminded Sonny that Michael was AJ’s son.

Felicia needed a drink, and Sasha was her designated driver. Elizabeth chatted Cyrus up while Lucky was in the bathroom, then suggested to Lucky that she volunteer at the mission. Carly asked Jack about the Boronsky clinic, and he said it no longer existed, but the burn expert was now in Germany. Carly badgered him about getting Michael into the German clinic. Jason showed up at the Quartermaines and asked Tracy to please give the children back. Tracy said it was the first time he’d ever said please, but then pulled the Monica card. Alexis suggested Scout move in with her, but Drew wasn’t having it. Anna questioned Cyrus, but Josslyn blew everything and alerted him to the investigation. Tracy said, for once in Jason’s life, don’t choose Sonny, choose his family, and he did.

Thursday:

Chase got checked out and Brook went to see Dr. Navarro. She told the doctor about her teenage pregnancy, and Dr. Navarro told her that it should have no impact on her trying to get pregnant now. Nina suggested Willow compromise, but Willow was all about what Drew said. She thought Nina was asking her to bow down to Carly and Sonny, but Nina said Willow needed empathy. Lay down her weapons and maybe they’d lay down theirs. Tracy said using the kids as bargaining chips wasn’t going to fly. They were where Monica wanted them and that’s where they were staying. (Keep twisting those knives.)

Kai ended up in the hospital and Cody had to pay off his bet. Carly told Tracy about transferring Michael to the burn expert, and asked how far Tracy would go if it was Ned. Tracy said, as far as she had to. Nina told Ava what was going on and that Willow’s life was in shambles because of Drew. Dante talked to Cody about Lulu, and Cody said, Dante could keep doing what he was doing and get shut out, or do things Lulu’s way.

Trina visited Kai in the hospital. Tracy sympathized with what Carly was going through as a mother, but it was about what Carly had put the family through for years. Tracy suggested Carly and Sonny find another way. Nina discussed the Willow/Drew situation with Ava. Selina tried to get Cody back in the game, and Dante wondered what was up, but Cody told Dante that he was okay. Alexis talked to Curtis about Drew. Nina wanted to get Willow thinking for herself again, and Ava said, tell Willow who he really is. When they were falling in love, he was having sex with her mother. Chase told Tracy that she couldn’t keep Wiley and Amelia from Willow and this had to stop. Willow asked to see Carly.

Friday’s Enchilada:

In her office, Brook leaves a voicemail for Chase that she’s done with her appointment and Dr. Navarro was super positive. She should get her test results soon, but maybe they should do something to relax, like spend a weekend in New York City. Have dinner and see a show, just them, and they can have baby making time. They’ll figure it out tonight. She loves him. Lulu comes in and asks if she’s interrupting.

Chase says, Tracy can’t keep the kids from their mom, and Tracy says, not him too. He has no idea how many times she’s had this conversation today. She was hoping for a break. He says, they’ve been through a lot, and he’d like to think they could be honest with each other. She says she’s going to stop him. He makes her granddaughter so happy, and she holds his entire family in the highest regard, so she’s going to put this as nicely as she can – butt out.

At the gallery, Lucas shows Ava a video on this phone, and she says, look how well Avery is dancing. Her costume is perfect. Lucas says, Avery was so proud. She wanted to make sure he recorded the rehearsal for Ava. She thanks him for bringing it, and he says he wanted to return the favor for her talking him down on Christmas Eve. She says, of course (🍷). She can’t stop thinking about the fire at Sonny’s. She’s so grateful Avery wasn’t there. She asks if they know the cause yet, but he says, all he knows is that the police are looking into it.

At Beradino’s, Cody looks at a cashier’s check and says he was so close to making his dreams come true. He sees Drew and walks over to him. He says he’d tell Drew that it’s nice to see him, but he’s far too sober to lie.  

Jordan starts a conversation with Martin near the bar, but then sees Drew and Cody and says she’s needed over there. Drew asks if Cody is disappointed that there’s’ nothing left to blackmail him with, and Cody says, you smug… Jordan tells him, don’t even think about it.

Outside Michael’s room, Willow says she’s glad Carly is here. She was hoping to talk with her and Sonny. Sonny joins them, and Willow thanks them for getting here so fast. Sonny says, it sounded important, and Willow says she knows they’re upset, and she understands why. She’s hoping they can find a way forward that works for them both. Carly asks if that means she’s going to let them see their son.

Chase tells Tracy that he’s had a front row seat for everything that happened with Michael and Willow because he’s friends with them both. He’s begging her not to make it more difficult. She says, it’s not difficult; it’s simple. The children are going nowhere. He tells her that everyone says she’s acting out of spite, but he doesn’t believe that. He saw how she helped his dad and Finn. Through all the snarky and sarcastic comments, he knows nothing means more to her than family. He knows she thinks she’s helping protect the kids, but he promises she’s only causing more drama.

Brook asks if Lulu needs help, and Lulu says she was looking for Maxie, but she can hang out in the waiting area. Brook says, she’s better off texting. Maxie is meeting with a vendor, and her afternoon is booked solid with interviews. Lulu says, that’s why she’s here. She was hoping to be one of them. Brook asks if she’s applying for a job at Deception.

Ava tells Lucas that she knows firsthand what Michael is going through. It’s a horrible, painful ordeal. Have they arrested anybody for setting the fire? Lucas says she doesn’t think so. Anna and Chase were at the hospital to question Michael, but he was in no shape to talk. Ava says, he was injured because of Sonny, and Lucas says she knows what she’s thinking, but Avery is completely safe. He sees her all the time. If he had doubts about Avery’s safety, he’d tell her. She says, of course (🍷) she worries about her little girl. She’s glad Lucas gets to see Avery so much and came to show her the video. Will he do one little favor for her? He says, it depends, and she says, give Avery a hug and tell her how much her mama loves her. He says he’ll do it tonight after work. He’s headed there now. She asks him to send her the video and he says he will. He leaves, and Ava makes a call. She says, I need to see you right away.

Cody tells Jordan that he has no beef with the congressman, but it seems the congressman might have one with him. Drew says he does, but Jordan says, neither of them need to get into anything in a public place. Cody should go. Cody says, gladly. He’ll see Drew around. Have a terrible day. He hopes Jordan’s day is a pleasant one. He leaves and Drew says, nice to see Jordan’s got his back, and she says, it looked like he was the one escalating things. What was it about and what did he do?

Willow says, the situation between her and Michael is being made more difficult with everyone getting involved. Michael wouldn’t want her separated from their kids. Carly says she had the kids and sent them to the Quartermaines, and Sonny says, she did what she thought was right at the time. Carly says she had no idea Tracy would hold them hostage, and Willow says, the kids are worried sick about Michael. Carly says, Wiley called her. He’s wondering what happened. Willow says, he called her too and asked when daddy was coming home. Carly says, Sonny made a good faith effort, and Sonny says, but Tracy refuses to let them go. Carly says, Tracy has no right to keep them and can’t legally. They’ll figure out a way to get them back. Willow says she hopes Carly is right. She needs to trust her own judgement about what’s best for her children and Michael and she’s come to a decision.

Ric walks into the gallery and asks, what’s so important? Ava says, Avery’s life is in danger. He needs to petition the court for an emergency custody order for her to have Avery full-time. Ric says he thought Carly had Avery, and Ava says she assumes he heard about the fire. It was no accident. Ric says, of course (🍷). Any time there’s a catastrophe in Sonny or Jason’s vicinity, it’s some attacker seeking retribution. She says, what if Avery had been there? She could have been burned like Michael. It’s terrifying. He says he’s sorry. As a father, he understands, but the court won’t see it as a reason for an emergency change in custody. Avery was nowhere near there at the time of the fire. She was with Carly and Donna where she has a bedroom and where she’s lived most of her life. Ava says, if he won’t file it, maybe she should find herself a lawyer who will. He says, that’s her right, but they’ll tell her the same thing. Wait until the right moment to make her move. She tells him, says the absentee father, and he says, it’s no reason to get personal. She says, sorry, but she could never understand how he could stay away from Molly for so long. It kills her not seeing Avery every day. He says, one of his biggest regrets is not being able to be a presence in Molly’s life, and she says, what if he was in her place and Molly was in danger? What would he do? He says he’d move heaven and earth to keep her safe, and she asks why he’s telling her the opposite. He says he wants her to fight, but be smart. Her current custody battle with Sonny is going to be very long and very expensive. She says she may be overextended at the moment, but it’s not like she’s living in the street, and he says, then why hasn’t she paid him?

Lulu says she’s here to apply for the job, and Brook says, it’s an assistant position. Wasn’t Lulu’s last job as a reporter at The Invader? Lulu says, that was four years ago. Deception needs an assistant, and she needs a job. They don’t all have trust funds. Brook says she doesn’t care what Lulu thinks, but every job she’s had, outside the music industry and in, she’s stood on her own and earned her own paycheck, Lulu says, like when Brook was paid to seduce Dante? (very mature) and Brook says she did that and it was a lapse in judgement. She and Dante have moved past that. Lulu says she didn’t get the memo, and Brook says she lives in her family’s home with her husband. Dante and Rocco live there too, and they all get along great. They let go of something that was a lifetime ago and they’ve moved on. Lulu says, Brook is being condescending, when Maxie comes in. She says she sees they’re getting along as great as ever, and Brook’s phone dings. After reading a text, she says she needs to go home and talk to her husband. She leaves Lulu in Maxie’s capable hands. She trusts Maxie will make the right decision. She leaves and Maxie asks Lulu what they were arguing about this time.

Tracy says she didn’t realize Chase had a psychiatric degree to go with the police badge, but he says he doesn’t need a degree to read her. She says, since he’s an expert in her behavior, what is she going to say next? and he says, she’s going to argue that Willow can’t be trusted because she cheated on Michael with Drew. Drew will never be a real Quartermaine, and even though she doesn’t like Michael, he’s a real Quartermaine. Family’s got to stick together. How did he do? She says she’s delighted they’re on the same page. Now drop the entire thing. He says, there’s one more thing. She left out something important. Wiley and Amelia are Michael’s kids, but they’re also Willow’s kids, and they need their mom.

Willow says, Michael would want both Carly and Sonny to be with him during this and she won’t stand in their way. Carly thanks her and looks through Michael’s room window. Sonny thanks Willow and says he knows how difficult the decision is. She says she’s not sure how it got so messy, and he says, they’re both grateful she’s letting them see Michael. She says, Michael has done so much for her. He gave her the gift of family and supported her dreams even when they changed. All she wants is for him to get better and be with the kids again. Portia joins them and says she needs to discuss the next step in Michael’s recovery with Willow. Willow looks at Carly.

Tracy says, Chase is disposed to favor Willow, seeing her as a well-meaning angel led astray, but Chase says, that’s not true. She says she watched the congressman’s hubris in taking Willow and Wiley to the inauguration. She saw the pictures. Willow, Wiley, and Scout, the perfect readymade family. He had no concern whether Michael or Monica would see the photos. Chase says, Michael and Monica are adults. This is about two kids who need their mom. Tracy says, their mother does not put them first. She does.

Lulu says, a miracle recovery doesn’t pay the bills. She needs a job. Maxie says, at Deception? and Lulu says she saw the ad, but she didn’t want to put Maxie on the spot, so she tried other places. The Invader is under new management, and nothing else panned out. Maxie says, she’s overqualified, but Lulu says she just needs to make money. Maxie asks if she’s interested in cosmetics, and Lulu says, not really, but she wasn’t into fashion and she was still good at her job at Crimson. Maxie says, what about the Brook factor? and Lulu says she promises to be on her best behavior working with Brook. Maxie says, she’d be working under Brook, and Lulu asks if she’d be Brook’s assistant. Maxie says, since they hate each other, she doesn’t see it going well, but Lulu tells her that she wouldn’t say hate. It’ll be fine, but it’s weird that Brook and Maxie are BFFs now. When did that happen?

At the hospital, Cody says, just the man he didn’t want to see, and Brad pulls him aside. He says he told Cody that he’d text. Coming to where he works is not cool. Cody hands him the check, and says, it’s most of the money he owes Selina. Brad says, most of it? He placed a bet with his aunt for Cody and not he can’t pay up? Lucas sees them.

Ava says she’s working to secure funds. She’ll get the money. Ric says, she could work harder, and she says she’s good at what she does. She’s in communication with some long-term clients who are experienced collectors. She just wants her daughter with her. He says, she needs to dig in for the long haul. They both know how Sonny is with his kids. He’s territorial and had his share of custody battles and won. At least Avery is close by and safe. Watch and wait. Patience is the key. Sidwell walks in and asks if someone can assist him. Ava says, of course (🍷), and introduces herself as the owner of the gallery. She asks what she can do for him, and he says he’s brand new to Port Charles and stumbled on her lovely gallery. He’s Jenz Sidwell. She says, it’s nice to meet him, and Ric introduces himself, shaking hands with Sidwell. Sidwell says, since Ava owns this fine establishment, perhaps she can guide him to which painting is worthy of his attention.

Jordan asks what Drew was trying to accomplish starting a fight, but Drew says, Cody approached him. She tells him, stop looking innocent, and he says he just doesn’t trust Cody. She asks who he does trust. Look around. Is there anyone currently talking to him who isn’t on his payroll? He says he’s guessing Curtis filled her in on what happened at Aurora, and she says she’s aware of the issue. He says he hopes she’s aware that he was giving Curtis a promotion, a huge raise, and complete control of the wellness division. She says, that’s his problem. It’s not about the money. It’s about how he treats his friends who were always loyal. Curtis values honesty and Drew lied. Drew says he never lied, and she says she stands corrected. He misled Curtis. He let Curtis think he was going to be CEO. It’s less betrayal in his books, but in hers, it’s semantics.

Portia says she’d like to speak with Willow in private, but Willow says, Carly and Sonny can hear too, so they can all discuss options. Portia says, good. They got Michael a bed in the Johns Hopkins burn unit. It’s the best hospital in the country and vacancies are rare. Willow says, he’ll be close enough to visit, but Carly says she might have a better option.

Chase says, Tracy can get herself in trouble if she doesn’t turn over the children, but she says she’s not afraid of litigation. He says he’s talking about criminal charges, and she laughs. She says, the carrot didn’t work, so now he’s bringing out the stick and threatening her. Good luck with that. She’s faced down worse. Brook walks in and asks why Tracy is picking a fight with her husband.

Maxie says she’ll have to fill Lulu in on her relationship with Peter August another time over a bottle of wine. And when she says, bottle of wine, she means several shots of tequila. Lulu asks what that has to do with Brook, and Maxie says, Brook was there for her in a big way. Lulu tells her, if you say so, and Maxie says, Lulu may not want to hear it, but Brook is a good person. She’s flawed and made questionable choices, but who hasn’t? Brook has been a good friend. Lulu says she’s glad Brook was there when Maxie needed someone, but something about Brook always rubs her the wrong way. She plays at being Bensonhurst, but has the Quartermaine name and fortune to fall back on. Maxie says she’s not buying that. Lulu is obviously upset, but she doesn’t think it’s about Brook. What’s really going on? Lulu says, Charlotte.

Ava says she’ll show Sidwell around. Ric was just leaving. Ric says he’d like to stick around and watch her work, and she says, art is subjective. What speaks to someone depends. She asks Sidwell to tell her something about himself so she can steer him in the right direction. He says he’s an importer looking for a North American base, so he moved to Port Charles. Ric asks, where’s his house? and Sidwell says, it’s an old, gothic residence on Spoon Island. Ava says, he bought Windymere? And he asks if she’s familiar with it. She says she used to live there, and Sidwell laughs.

Cody says he thought he had luck, but it was not his lady, and Brad says he’s $5000 short. Cody says he’s good for it, and Brad says he’ll tell his aunt. Maybe they can work out something. Cody says he’s never going to use the term sure thing again. He jinxed himself. Brad says he’s sorry, and Cody says he’s got to go. Brad walks over to Lucas and says, it’s not what it looks like. What he saw isn’t what he thinks.

Jordan tells Drew that she’s the last one to cast stones. TJ’s father was her husband’s best friend. The issue isn’t how he chooses his relationships. It’s how he treats the people in his life. Drew asks if she realizes that Curtis was just as deceptive in stealing Aurora, but she says, he led Curtis to believe he’d be permanent CEO, then went behind Curtis’s back and promised the job to Michael. Drew says he was trying to make peace, but it was a futile effort, and she says, stop. She doesn’t want to hear his explanations. He dug a hole for himself and if he doesn’t start making amends, he’s going to be alone and isolated. She believes he’s a better man than his recent actions indicate, so she’s going to give him some advice. Start mending fences. She leaves, and Martin joins Drew. He says he guesses it’s safe to assume the appropriate amount of rain has gone down on him from his constituents.   

Carly explains there was a groundbreaking procedure to remove scar tissue in a burn unit used by the Boronsky Clinic in St. Petersburg, Russia. It’s now closed, but the doctor is working in Germany. Willow asks if she wants to send Michael to Germany and asks if Portia has heard of the procedure. Portia says, no, never, but Carly says, the results are incredible, and Jack Brennan was able to secure a space in the clinic. Sonny asks if they can talk privately, and they step away. He asks why she didn’t tell him before, and she says she wanted to make sure it was possible. Michael can make a full recovery with no scars. He says he’s not sure, it’s so far away, but she says, you can’t even tell Ava was burned. She wants that result for Michael and Sonny has to trust her that this is the best thing. She’ll be there every minute of every day. She gets that he doesn’t trust Jack, but doesn’t he trust her?  

Carly tells Willow that the clinic has had incredible results, but Willow says she doesn’t think it’s best for Michael. He needs to be nearby so they can visit. Portia says she has no information, so she has to advise against it, and Willow says she’s not comfortable with Michael so far away and the doctors not having vetted the procedure. Carly says, he’ll make a full recovery, but Portia says, his burns are quite severe. Carly says, they’ve already seen the results. No one is able to tell that Ava had third degree burns. Willow says, Michael won’t have his family, and she knows Johns Hopkins is a great hospital. It’s her preference. Sonny says he thinks Michael should make the decision, and Willow says, that means waking him up. Portia says, it will cause immense pain, but Sonny says, it’s Michael’s life and he should make the call. Carly says she knows Michael wouldn’t want them to make the decision for him, and Willow says, she’s right. Michael has to decide for himself. Wake him up and let him choose. Portia says, okay, but only one of them can go in and talk to him, and Sonny says, that would be Carly. Willow says she agrees.

Sidwell says, it’s nice he and Ava have Windymere in common. How was her time there? Ava says, it was eventful, and he asks, what made her leave such a magnificent home, if she doesn’t mind him asking. She says she was living there with her husband and they split up, and he says he’s sorry to hear that. She says, he’s being kind, but she’s moved on, and he says he’s glad to hear that. He’s a firm believer in second chances and kismet. How else could you explain him wandering into her gallery? He sees she has the taste and expertise he needs to help him choose the right art to make his new home his own. Ava says she happens to have the perfect painting in mind and steers him to a large modern art canvas. She says, this painting is by talented Greek artist from Crete. He’s a marvelous painter and a talented sculptor. Sidwell says, the light in the study will make this a vibrant addition to his collection, and she says she loves the artist and would love to show him more of their work. They walk to the next room and Ric follows.

Tracy tells Brook that she and Chase disagree. He believes she should give Wiley and Amelia back to Willow and she refuses. Brook says, because of Monica, and Tracy says, the children are Monica’s only saving grace. They put a smile on her face and they’re going to take that away? Brook says, they all love Monica, and Tracy says she’s glad they agree. The last thing Monica needs is more stress. Brook wonders, if Monica asks, is Tracy going to tell her that she needs to be their mother, especially if their father can’t be there for them?

Maxie says she’s happy that Dante brought Lulu home safe, but she’s sorry Valentin ran off with Charlotte. If it was one of her kids, she’d be going crazy. Lulu says she needs to find Charlotte and it’s going to take a lot of money. Maxie says, good thing her stepmom is an heiress who loves her, and Lulu says her mother and stepmother agreed to help her, but they want to wait and see what Valentin’s next step is. She needs Charlotte home now. Maxie says, Lulu never liked waiting, and Lulu says, Maxie knows her well. Maxie says, she can’t galivant across the world when she doesn’t even know the country, and Lulu says she doesn’t know where her daughter is. Charlotte lost four years of life living without her mother. She needs something she can control and the only thing she came up with was getting a job. Maxie says she gets that, and Lulu says, it’s not just the money. She wants to get a place where she and Rocco can live, and Charlotte when she finds her. Maxie says, it makes sense. Lulu was always Miss Independence, eager to get on with life. Lulu says, life has moved on and she’s racing to catch up instead falling farther back.

Drew says he’s not discussing his personal life with Martin, but Martin says, as a survivor of three divorces, does Drew mind if he offers some unsolicited advice? The heart wants what it wants, and you can’t help who you fall in love with. Drew says, exactly. He’s not going to apologize for how he feels about Willow. Martin says, as long as he stays true to his feelings, and does the best he can for himself and for the woman he’s involved with. Drew thanks him and says, that’s actually what he wanted to talk about. They sit down, and Drew says, Willow is in the hospital with Michael, as it should be, but the situation with the children is up in the air. They need to get Wiley and Amelia away from the Quartermaines and back with Willow where they belong. Martin tells him, easier said. Tracy is holding them, and he wonders if there’s a more amiable opponent he could be set up with. Like Stalin or Vlad the Impaler. Genghis Kahn comes to mind. Drew says, Tracy has no legal rights, and Martin says, she’s well-connected with deep pockets and knows how to work the system to her benefit. It’s one hell of a combination to go up against. Drew says, she thinks she’s safe behind the walls of privilege and money, but she’s wrong. He’ll do anything to reunite the children with Willow.

Wearing a sanitary jumpsuit, Carly goes into Michael’s room and says his name. He looks at her, obviously in pain.

Sidwell gives Ava a check and says he’s thrilled with his new painting. He enjoyed their talk on art. Perhaps she can come over and help him with the placement. He’d also love any suggestions on future purchases. She says, it’s her pleasure, and he says, it’s lovely to meet them both. He’ll see them soon he hopes. He kisses Ava’s hand and leaves. Ric says, it was enlightening to watch her work, and she says she barely lifted a finger, but she knows how to close a deal. Ric says, yes, you do, and takes the check from her. She says she just earned it, and he says he appreciates her first payment for his services.

Brad tells Lucas that Cody wanted him to place a bet on the PCU game with his aunt. He didn’t want to, but Cody was persistent, so he called his Aunt Selina. Cody lost and this is his payment to her. Lucas says he sees, and Brad says, once he delivers it to her, he’s not going to see her again, he swears. Lucas says, thanks for telling him, but Brad doesn’t owe him any explanations. Brad says he knows he doesn’t, but Lucas taught him that telling the truth is important, so he wanted Lucas to know. Lucas says he appreciates that.  

Maxie says she knows what Lulu is going through. She’s been there. Lulu says, now Maxie has it all – an amazing career, her children together under one roof, and a wonderful relationship with Spinelli. Maxie says she went through a lot of trial and error. No one trusted her to make her own decisions since she was shown to be flaky. She thinks Lulu is already taking the right steps to ensure the life she wants, and Maxie believes she’ll make it happen. Lulu says she needs to have a job if she really wants to make it happen. Maxie says she needs to know that Lulu can put her history with Brook aside and get along working together. Does she think she can do that?  

Chase says he gets that Tracy has the best intentions, but at the end of the day, it’s not her call. Tracy says, Brook’s husband is brave standing up to her, but she doesn’t understand why he’s defending Willow. Brook says, he’s trying to keep the peace, and Tracy should listen to him. Martin and Drew walk in along with an officer, and Tracy says, back so soon? Holding out a paper, Martin says, it’s an official order signed by a judge. They’re allowed to take Willow Corinthos’s children back to her. Drew tells Martin to ask the nanny to get the kids ready, but Tracy says, it’s a waste of time. She can’t comply. They’re not here. Drew asks where they are, and she says she hasn’t the foggiest. He says, the officer knows what to do, and the officer takes out handcuffs. Chase tells him to put those away, but he says he’s sorry. The congressman wants her arrested. Tracy pulls away and says, don’t touch her, and Drew says, resisting arrest. The officer says, she did touch him, and Tracy says, he’s so going to regret this.

Sonny says he’s glad they were able to come together to do what’s best for Michael, and Willow says, Michael is going through something terrible. He’s lucky that he has Sonny and Carly to fight for him. Not everyone has that kind of unconditional love in their life. Sonny says, they’re the lucky ones to have Michael as their son.

Michael says, mom? and Carly says she’s here. And his dad is out there. They’re here to do everything they can to help him get better, but they need his help. Tell them how to make the choice he needs.

On Tuesday (see below), Willow asks Drew if she ruined her chance of getting Wiley and Amelia back; Anna asks if someone is the one who planted the device in the penthouse; and Ava asks Sonny to do what’s best for their daughter before it’s too late.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daytime-soaps-preempted-on-monday-january-20-2025

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

The most important story.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/gh-alum-vinessa-antoine-asks-for-help-finding-her-brother

She will be greatly missed. After all, Alan gave her the house. It’s so weird how they must have filmed in advance, yet they’re talking up a storm about her on the show.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-star-leslie-charleson-dead-at-79

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daytime-stars-remembers-leslie-charleson

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/wally-kurths-heartfelt-tribute-to-leslie-charleson

You never know. On All My Children, Bobby Martin came back after 40+ years of polishing his skis upstairs.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chad-duell-opens-up-about-his-gh-exit-and-return-plans

Don’t do it. It’s not him.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-warns-do-not-donate-to-a-gofundme-in-his-name

💉 A Dose of Reality…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Once again Gary proves himself to be an idiot. The guests wanted some of the crew to join on a night out, and Captain Glenn, being the decent soul he is, told Daisy, Gary, Keith, and Chase, two drink maximum. And if they came back drunk, they’d forfeit their share of the tip. Gary had 10 drinks. 10. Then got pissed off when the captain called him on it. Classic Gary.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

The episode focused a lot on PK and Kyle’s friendship, and Dorit’s reaction. Of course, Kyle is never wrong and while I often think Dorit is wrong – and her reactions are over the top – I can’t disagree with her on this one. If one of my close friends was texting with my estranged husband, they would no longer be my close friend. Kyle whined that Dorit made it sound like she was being inappropriate. Doubtful anyone thinks she’s got it going on with PK, but it is inappropriate for her to be buddy-buddy with her friend’s almost ex. Let’s just call it what it is now – Memegate. Garcelle, Kyle, and Sutton took Erika to Chuck E. Cheese for her birthday. A good time was had by all. It actually looked a lot more fun than any of their formal parties.

Real Housewives of New York City

If I was on a trip to Puerto Rico, I wouldn’t have the bandwidth to argue about a dead pigeon. I’d be too busy swimming in the possibly-less-than-blue water and eating local cuisine. The women did synchronized swimming at Jenna’s instruction. Apparently, she’s quite a fan of it, and it was pretty amusing until Raquel got whacked in the forehead by Jenna’s elbow. That Jenna, always full of surprises. Ubah was out of control, and Erin can’t win. If she fights back, she loses. If she walks away, she loses. As usual, Jenna and Raquel were the voices of reason. Next time, the finale.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake CIty

Heather suggested a fun dinner party game where the women pulled out the worst thing they had said about one of the others on their phone and shared it with the group. As you might have guessed, this didn’t go over all that well, and resulted in tears and Lisa running from the table after someone read something about John. Oh, horrors.

Bonus scene.

Southern Charm

Once again, two men acted like middle school girls – that would be Austen and Craig – while Whitney pretended to be the voice of reason. In her interview, Madison said she and Brett thought that Austen and Craig would be the couple least likely to break up, but it looks like they did. Craig dared to meet with JT, and Austen wasn’t having it, but it was just the opening Craig needed to scrape Austen from his shoe. As little as I like JT, I don’t get why some of them keep harping on him calling Patricia a bitch, when the footage shows clearly that he didn’t, and most of them don’t believe it anyway. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and sometimes an a-hole is right too.

Southern Hospitality

I just couldn’t even this week, but here you go.

Random Events

BTW, Bill was not happy.

https://people.com/rhonj-star-jennifer-aydin-uninvited-from-housewives-cruise-after-viral-outburst-jersey-mikes-8771411

Amazing timing.

https://people.com/karen-huger-enters-rehab-skips-real-housewives-of-potomac-season-9-reunion-after-dui-8772200

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Borderlands. It was hard to find something that was at least partially positive. There are plenty of worse films, although I actually enjoyed this. Perhaps because I’m unfamiliar with the games. I’m definitely in agreement with the writer that Night Swim was a total waste of time.

https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/movies/borderlands-isnt-the-worst-movie-of-the-year-despite-what-the-internet-wants-you-to-think

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action. A fascinating look at a man who began as someone I admired, but chose to serve money and ratings rather than the greater good. I’d known about the coaching, but not about the murder connected to the show. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and this was just sad.

https://screenrant.com/jerry-springer-fights-camera-action-tv-review/

https://screenrant.com/jerry-springer-documentary-netflix-shocking-reveals-list/

The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. I’m there for a cult story, but missed this somehow. While this documentary has been around a while, they’ve been showing it recently on TLC, so I caught it. I have some vague memory of her in the news, but had no idea how messy this got. And the hair… What’s with the hair?

https://people.com/human-interest/what-to-know-about-gwen-shamblin-lara-hbo-max-the-way-down/

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/the-way-down-hbo-max-review

🔍 One To Watch…

IMO, Baylen Out Loud is what reality TV should be about. I’m rooting for this girl, and with a supportive family like she has, I think she’ll make it after all.

https://people.com/baylen-dupree-struggles-with-boyfriend-upcoming-air-force-relocation-in-new-tlc-series-8773525

https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/baylen-out-loud-season-1-trailer-tiktok-star-takes-on-adulthood-while-tackling

🤹‍♀️ Upcoming Awaited Seasons…

The latest on The Last of Us.

https://deadline.com/feature/the-last-of-us-season-2-cast-release-date-everything-to-know-1235940502/

While you wait.

https://collider.com/grounded-last-of-us-part-2-documentary-youtube/

An understandable pause for Fallout.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/fallout-season-2-production-pause-la-fires

An Squid Game accident? Really? Highly doubtful.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/squid-game-season-3-release-date-2025-netflix

👠 They’re Not Wrong…

Sex and get away from my front door in the City.

https://ew.com/carrie-sex-and-the-city-apartment-iron-gate-tourists-8774330

☕️ His Final Thoughts…

I never did understand Eraserhead, but he did some fine work.

https://people.com/david-lynch-expressed-hope-over-divided-country-in-one-of-last-interviews-exclusive-8776098

🥇 A Mighty Fine Man…

It’s such a shame about his health issues, but he’s blessed to have such a wonderful family to support him.

https://people.com/bruce-willis-seen-in-public-dementia-diagnosis-la-police-officers-8775698

🏆 Awards Corner…

No surprise, GH is in the running.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/2025-writers-guild-awards-daytime-drama-nominees-announced

The BAFTA noms.

https://ew.com/2025-bafta-awards-nominations-full-list-8774808

🐕 No Gutter Balls Here…

I want them all.

https://ew.com/puppy-bowl-2025-meet-adoptable-dog-players-8773005

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/puppy-bowl-players-2025-super-bowl

☃️ Quotes of the Week

Just because my heart is beating doesn’t mean I’m alive. – Ish Williams (Alexander Ludwig), Earth Abides

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man (and woman) which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. – Blaise Pascal

You don’t break habits, you replace them. – Coach Mike Bayer

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Michael Jordan (Or kick it down.)

Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker. – Hilary ‘Zig’ Ziglar

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. – Spencer Johnson

She took every bit of power I had and left me with household appliances. – Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), Agatha All Along

🌉 Taking a Sentimental Journey…

Until next week, stay safe, stay warm, and stay valuing honesty.

January 10, 2025 – A Killer Is Revealed, Soap Suds, Reality Recaps, Weekend Watch, Award Corner, Great Moments In New Year’s Eve, Best Bowl, Cardinal Number Of Quotes & You

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday through Thursday bites and whole enchilada Friday.

Monday:

Portia confirmed that Elizabeth was suspended and told Cyrus that he was no longer welcome at the hospital again. Trina helped Josslyn pack up Dex’s apartment. Jack was pissed at Colette because she was supposed to tail Valentin, not take a shot at him. He looked at the Rice Plaza footage and saw Cyrus stab Dex.

Michael filed for full custody after seeing that Willow was with Drew in DC. Willow told Drew that Michael was punishing her for being with him. Lucy welcomed Sidwell to Windymere after he bought Spoon Island. They flirted, had champagne, and she gave him some gifts, including her book. Both Laura and Willow separately talked to Martin, and Martin told Laura that Willow would have to be smarter if she wanted to keep her kids.

Carly was supposed to have dinner with Carly at the MetroCourt, but had to cancel. Jack ended up joining her instead. Sidwell literally skipped through the Windymere living room to the terrace and watched as Sonny’s penthouse exploded. Sonny and Jason were in the hallway, and the only one inside was Michael, who turned into a fireball.

Tuesday:

No soap, funeral.

https://abc7ny.com/post/general-hospital-new-episode-tuesday-preempted-abc-news-special-report-former-president-jimmy-carters-state-funeral/15765536/

Wednesday:

Drew and Willow got busy while Jason told Sonny to call 911 and smothered the fire on Michael with a blanket. After Michael got to the hospital, Isaiah worked on him with Lucas assisting.

Carly enjoyed her time at the MetroCourt with my husband… I mean, Jack.

Josslyn wanted to stay in the place her and Dex were happy, but Trina told her that she wasn’t just grieving; she was angry. After Trina left, Josslyn looked at Dex’s gun a lot. Curtis told Nina that taking Wiley over state lines was a federal crime. She wanted to bring Willow and Wiley home, but he advised against it.

Brook was upset because she wasn’t pregnant yet, even though she was doing all the right things, including eating pineapple which she didn’t like. (Who doesn’t like pineapple?) We found out Brook had been pregnant before and given the baby away. She thought God was punishing her, but Lois said, God didn’t work that way. Chase discussed things with Sasha, who told him that he and Brook should just relax.

Lucas told Carly, Sonny, and Jason that Michael had 3rd degree burns over 40% of his body. He was critical and they didn’t know if he would live. Nina called Willow with the news.  

Thursday:

Drew showed up at the hospital since he’s an idiot and a creeper. Curtis advised him to get lost. Martin wanted Willow to petition the court for sole custody, but she said, absolutely not. Diane advised Carly to get the kids away from Willow. Nina told Willow that she shouldn’t show up at the hospital, but she went anyway. She and Josslyn got into it.

Jason said the explosion was like nothing they’d ever seen, and Sonny said they had to find the culprit and stop them dead in their tracks. Anna and Chase investigated the penthouse. Anna called Jack to come and help. Jack said, the Bureau had come across the same type of incendiary device before and thought he could be of assistance. Sonny said they’d find who did this and retaliate, and Jason said he was all for that (me too), but he also wanted to get Danny out of the line of fire.

Sonny and Kristina had a father/daughter moment on the roof of GH. Molly showed up at the hospital to offer support. Carly prayed in the chapel that God spare her son. Drew walked in to give his sympathies, but she wasn’t having it. He whined about what he’d done for her, and she hit the nail on the head telling him that he had a hero complex.

Michael opened his eyes.

Friday…

On the roof at GH, Sonny looks up and tells Morgan that he’s worried. Can he watch over his brother? Please help him. Isaiah comes out and joins him.  

At Beradino’s, Alexis sees Ric and says, her bad day just got worse. He says, nice to see her too. Despite her many flaws, she has great taste in restaurants. We see Cyrus puttering around, and Alexis asks if Ric can eat somewhere else, but he says he’s meeting a client. However, if she feels compelled to leave, don’t let him stop her. He encourages it. He tells the hostess, Lansing, party of two.  

Lucy brings Sidwell to Bobbie’s and tells him that there are other charming spots, but for an authentic Port Charles meal, this is the spot. They have the best burgers, chili, and everything in between, but no matter what, always, always, always order the fries. He says he’ll remember that and tells her that her energy is contagious. She suggests having made such a charming new friend has made her happy, and he says he appreciates that. She says, now back to the tour. Bobbie’s is named after a special, dear friend of hers, the late Bobbie Spencer. He asks if she said Spencer, and she asks if he knows the Spencers. He says, no, but he’s sure they’re lovely people, and she says, unfortunately, Bobbie passed away not long ago. She was influential in the community. She was a nurse at GH, owned this place, and was a leader for charitable causes.

Colette asks if there’s any new business, and Jack says he just spoke to Anna. She asks if it was about Valentin, but he says, no. It was about the fire that put Michael Corinthos in the hospital. The WSB may bear some blame.

At the MetroCourt, Felicia says she’s glad she was available to take Maxie and Sasha to lunch, and Maxie asks to what they owe this unexpected treat. Felicia says she needed a break from the hospital stress, and Sasha says she can imagine. Felicia says she loves her job. It’s rewarding, but it’s also difficult and draining. She sees people during the hardest times in their life and it’s challenging. She witnesses their pain, not just the physical pain, but the emotional pain. Maxie says, the patients are lucky to have her and so are they, and Felicia says, sometimes it’s hard for her to leave work behind, especially if she knows the patient. Like now, with Michael Corinthos. Sasha asks, what happened with Michael?  

Portia tells Jason that Michael is in shock. He has severe burns, and the main issue is to manage his pain. He’s on the highest dose of morphine and they can’t bring him to full consciousness for too long. It’s too much. Jason says, Michael came to, and he’s sure Michael knew it was him, and Portia says, good. That’s a great sign. He’ll likely be heavily sedated or unconscious for the next few days and it’s absolutely the best thing for him right now.

Carly tells Drew that her son is upstairs in excruciating pain fighting for his life. Does that even matter to him? Drew says, she came at him when he was speaking the truth. She needs to go make a list of the things Sonny’s done to harm Michael, but he can see it on her face that she already knows. Does she have any regrets about way back when she decided to let Sonny raise Michael instead of AJ? Was it worth Michael’s life? She says, nothing is worth Michael’s life, and he says he knows she loves her son, but none of what she did was what was best for Michael. It was all about what she wanted.

Jack tells Colette that the incendiary device left almost zero evidence. It was a unique weapon like a device the WSB designed years ago. He knew what the hardware looked like even before Anna described it. Colette says, it’s highly classified, and he says, it was meant for Sonny, not his unfortunate son. They need to find out who wanted Sonny eliminated and had access to the weapon. She says, there could have been a security breach. Maybe the specs were leaked and sold to the highest bidder. He says he’s making it top priority, and she asks if it has anything to do with the Rice Plaza footage, but he says, that has to do with his other project.  

Willow tells Josslyn that no matter what’s happened between her and Michael, she loves him. He’s the father of her children and she’s praying he recovers quickly. Josslyn says, did she forget she cheated on Michael with his uncle, and they had sex in the nursery? How skeevy can you be? Nina joins them and says, that’s enough. Leave her daughter alone.

Sitting with Ric, Ava says, it’s not like she’s destitute. The gallery is doing well, and she had money of her own before she married Nikolas. She was planning on moving the gallery to a new location and purchased a building. She was going to renovate it and have it up and running before she sold the building the gallery is in now. He says, she’s paying for mortgages on two commercial properties? and she says, unless the divorce settlement money is returned to her, she’ll have to sell the building and finding a buyer won’t be easy. He says he’s sorry, but the only way she’ll see any of the money is if the estate grants it, and she says, by estate, he means Alexis. He says, as trustee, Alexis is the only one who has the power, and Ava says, the money isn’t even Alexis’s. It’s in trust for Ace. He says, until Ace is of age, Alexis can decide how it’s spent. Considering Ava was involved in Alexis’s disbarment and Kristina fell out Ava’s hotel room window causing the death of her baby, the chances of Alexis gifting her are pretty slim.

Diane joins Alexis and says she’s represented Michael’s family for most of his life. What happened is unimaginable. She can’t stop thinking about it. Alexis says, Michael has always been so good to her girls over the years. She respects him for that. Diane says, he’s a wonderful man, and Alexis says, Kristina adores him and she’s reeling. She’s had so much loss lately. Michael has to pull through. Cyrus listens in.

Felicia says she assumed they heard, and Sasha asks why Michael is in the hospital. Felicia says, there was a terrible accident at the penthouse. Michael is in the burn unit and in critical condition. Sasha says she needs to go see him, and Felicia says, of course (🍷). Maxie asks her to text or call if there’s an update, and as she leaves, Sasha says she will.

Sonny says he comes up here to think sometimes, and Isaiah says, it’s good for that. Sonny thanks Isaiah for everything he did for Michael when he brought Michael in, and Isaiah says, of course (🍷). He has a lot of experience with burn victims from his time in Africa and he’s glad to help. Sonny asks about the percentage of recovery and tells Isaiah to be straight with him. Isaiah says, it’s serious, but GH is doing everything in their power to treat Michael and alleviate the pain. How is Sonny feeling? All the stress could complicate his condition and possibly make it worse. Sonny thanks him for his concern, but says he can’t think about himself. Isaiah says he understands that Michael is the only thing on Sonny’s mind, but he has to take care of himself too. Sonny asks if Isaiah has kids, and Isaiah says, not that he’s aware of. (Ha-ha!) Sonny says, when he does, he’ll know the love for his kids can get him through anything.  

Carly tells Drew not to preach to her about selfishness. He had sex with Michael’s wife in the nursery where his daughter plays. Did he think about Michael? Or did Willow’s hero worship give him such a high that he couldn’t control it? Drew says she can’t understand his and Willow’s relationship. What’s between them is real. She asks if that’s what he tells himself, and he says, it’s more real than what they had. (Ugh. I hate people who argue like this. Like all of a sudden it was never a good relationship to begin with. It’s so immature.) Carly laughs and asks if that was supposed to hurt her. It didn’t. He had sex with her daughter-in-law, the mother of her grandchildren. Now she sees him for who he really is. He did her a huge favor when he dumped her. He says, good. He’s a lot happier away from her too. He walks out of the chapel. (Quick. Get that man a bonnet, diaper, and baby bottle.)

Colette asks about Jack accessing the Rice Plaza footage, and he says, Josslyn asked him to because she wants to find the person responsible for stabbing Dex. Thanks to the footage, now he knows who it is. She says, mystery solved, but to what end? He can’t use top secret footage to solve a civilian case. He says, of course (🍷) he can’t. But now that he knows who Josslyn is looking for, he can leave a trail of breadcrumbs and see how well she follows them.

Nina says, Josslyn has no right to speak to Willow that way. Her husband was just in a horrible accident. Josslyn says, Michael is her brother, and nothing she said was anything less than the truth. Was there anything Willow didn’t use Michael for? Nina says, Josslyn is just like her mother, and Josslyn says, thanks. She could say the same thing about Willow right now. Nina can’t stand to be called out on her crap. On the surface, they’re both so sweet and friendly, but underneath, they’re lying liars who lie. Stay the hell away from her brother. She walks away.  

Lucy says she and Sidwell had sort of discussed Mayor Laura Collins. She’s actually a former Spencer and has two Spencer children. Sidwell says, there are a lot of them in Port Charles, and she says, quite a few and very notable. He says, she knows everything and everyone in Port Charles really well, and she says, she seems to be doing all the talking. She knows she’s doing all the talking. He has to share something about himself. He says, she handled his purchase of Spoon Island skillfully. What else does she need to know? She says she hardly thinks the transfer of information captures a person. From what she read, he’s not currently married, but does he have a couple of former Mrs. Sidwells running about? What do she and Port Charles need to know about the newest resident? He laughs.

Maxie tells Felicia, it’s awful. Michael has always been good to her. She can’t imagine what the family is going through. Spinelli is going to be devastated and poor Jason. He’s got to be losing his mind. Felicia says, Michael’s injuries are severe, but it’s still possible for him to recover, and Maxie says she’s going to send every positive thought his way. Felicia says she hopes Sasha is okay. She seemed upset and stressed after she heard the news. (Well, of course. < 🍷>) Maxie says she knows Sasha and Michael were together at one point and stayed good friends, but her reaction did seem out of proportion. It’s probably pregnancy hormones. Felicia says she wants to tell Maxie how much she loves her, and Maxie says, why? Is there something wrong? Felicia says she’s fine. Don’t worry. Her work as a patient advocate has given her a new perspective. Working with people who are grieving and people in hospice who don’t have much time left, they all say the same thing over and over. Their biggest regret is not telling the people in their lives how much they love them. Her and Maxie’s relationship hasn’t always been easy, but she’s glad they’ve moved past it. She doesn’t want a day to go by that she doesn’t let Maxie know how much she loves her. Maxie says she loves Felicia too, and takes her hand.

Sasha looks into Michael’s room window and cries. Jason arrives, and she asks, what happened? All she heard was that there was an accident. He’s going to be okay, right? Jason says, they don’t know yet.

In the chapel, Carly says, please let Michael recover. He’s such a good man and has so much to live for and so many people who love him. Sonny comes in, and she asks if there’s an update. He says he went by Michael’s room to talk to Portia. Jason was with him and Michael woke up, but they had to sedate him because he’s in so much pain. Carly covers her face with her hands, and he says, the doctor said hopefully they’ll find out something soon. She asks how it happened, and Sonny says he doesn’t know any more than he did last night, but whoever planned this is after him.

Willow thanks Nina for defending her, and Nina says, Josslyn is a bully and a hypocrite. Don’t listen to a word she says. Willow says she thought that they’d come together to support Michael and the kids through this tragedy, but Nina says, Josslyn is a lot like her mother. Their first instinct is to lash out. No empathy, no compassion, just rage. Willow wonders if she can get some alone time with Carly, but Nina says she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Willow says, they were close once. Carly walked her down the aisle when she married Michael. She cares… Nina says, cared, past tense, but Willow says she doesn’t know. Nina says, unfortunately, she does. Carly sent Diane and a social worker to the apartment and took custody of Wiley and Amelia. Willow says, how? and sees Drew come out of the elevator. She runs to him, throwing her arms around him. She says he has to help her. Carly has taken the kids. Drew looks at Nina.

Josslyn literally bumps into Jack at the hospital, and says, sorry. He says, it’s fine, and asks how Michael is. She says, the same. He’s in pain and it’s horrible. He says he’s very sorry, and she thanks him for bringing her to GH last night. He says he was glad to help, and she says she’s headed to grab some air. He says, before she goes, he has an update to share with her about who stabbed Dex.

Ava says, Ric is a fantastic lawyer. He got Heather Webber set free and got her cleared of any wrongdoing in Kristina’s accident. There’s got be something he can do. He was married to Alexis and knows her so well. He has to be able to use that to his advantage somehow.

Martin comes into the Baradino’s and says hello to Cyrus. Cyrus says he’s grateful Martin came to see him, and Martin says, that’s because when Cyrus calls, he picks up the phone. Cyrus should try it sometime instead of dodging his calls. Cyrus says he’s been doing the Lord’s work. The holiday season has been busy. He needed to see Martin because GH is trying to restrict his access to patients. Martin asks what that has to do with him, and Cyrus says he wants Martin to put a stop to it. His patients need him. Martin says, there are plenty of places Cyrus can do the Lord’s work if GH doesn’t want him there, and Cyrus says, if the law won’t help, the Lord will provide a path for him to continue his work. The Lord has ways the legal system knows nothing about. Diane comes by and asks if Martin has a moment to discuss the Corinthos custody case, and Martin says, when he’s done with his brother, they can have a chat. Cyrus says, it’s fine. They’re done. He’ll leave them to their business. He moves along with his non-Lord’s work.

Ric goes over to Alexis’s table and says, may I? He sits down, and she says, you may not. Seeing he’s not moving, she heaves a sigh.

Josslyn tells Jack that she wants to hear everything, but she’s confused. She thought there was no footage from Rice Plaza. Jack says, it’s true they have no footage, but he has a lot of resources. He called in a favor from the PCPD and got the witness list from Rice Plaza on the day of the assault. She says, that would help immensely, and he says he’ll forward it to her right now. She thanks him, and he says he suggests she speak to the witnesses. Ask questions and piece the scene together. Unless it’s too much for her to handle. Then she can always hire a private investigator. She says she’s going to do it herself. It’s what she owes Dex. She looks at her phone and says she received the list. She even knows some of the people. He says he hopes one leads to the answers she’s looking for, and she sees Felicia at the reception desk. She says she thinks she already knows where to start.

Carly says, Drew was just here and said what happened was her fault for bringing Sonny into Michael’s life, and Sonny says, Drew has no business judging her. Don’t listen to him. She made the best choice she could for Michael at the time. She tells him that he’s saying that with such confidence, and he says, it’s not like he doesn’t know the feeling. It’s not the first time he’s put Michael in danger or Michael has been fighting for his life because of what he does. He was supposed to protect him from all this. She says, he didn’t know what would happen, and he says, neither did she. She says she just wants Michael to be okay, and he says he does too.

Sasha tells Jason, it’s horrible to see Michael like this. She and Michael never had a real break-up. Everything that happened with Willow, Wiley, and Chase took their lives in different directions, but the love is still there. Jason says he gets it. Sometimes life doesn’t work the way we plan. She says, Michael stood by her when everyone else hated her. When her mother told her that Robert was her dad and she and Cody broke up, he found time to comfort her when his own marriage was falling apart. He’s such a good man. Jason says, the best, and Sasha looks in the window again and cries.

Willow asks how Carly can take the kids, and Nina says, Diane brought Chase and a social worker and this court order. She shows Willow the paperwork, and Willow says she thought even though Michael filed for divorce, they’d figure it out through mediation. Drew says he just had his head ripped off by Carly because she found out they spent the night together in DC. Clearly, she wants revenge. Willow says she can’t believe they’re talking about Carly taking revenge through her kids, and Drew says, it’s a valid order. Nina says, they need to petition the court for an emergency custody hearing, and Drew says he can call in a favor, but in the best case, it won’t happen until next week. Willow says she can’t be without her kids until next week. Michael will be in the hospital a long time and the kids will be scared without either of their parents. Nina says she understands what it’s like to be without your baby. There’s no worse feeling. But they can’t defy the court order. It will work against them in the long run and there’s no recourse at the moment. Drew says, maybe there is.

Sidwell tells Lucy that his last love left him feeling wounded. It seems she was using him to get her hands on inventory. Lucy says, that’s absolutely horrible, and he says, it’s a hazard of his profession. He doesn’t think she needs to hear more detail.  She says she loves details and nothing he could say would bore her. He says she’s too kind and he’s happy to repay her hospitality with lunch. And the knowledge she imparted about Port Charles will prove invaluable in helping him acclimate. She says, it’s been a pleasure. If there’s anything else he needs, don’t hesitate to ask. They clink coffee cups.

Diane asks Martin when she can expect a response to the divorce petition, and he says he assumed it would be put on pause after last night’s events. She says she understands, but unless instructed otherwise, she’s going to proceed with her client’s wishes. And if his client thinks she can be galivanting up on Capitol Hill with her son and her husband’s uncle, she needs to think again. He says, they’ll have to see how it shakes out at the custody hearing, and she says, or they can spare the upset if his client makes a compromise now. He says, a brave attempt. Now if she’ll excuse him, he thinks he should get back to his brother. He looks around, but Cyrus isn’t there.

Ric tells Alexis that the money belongs to Ava. She’s entitled to pain and suffering for the emotional duress she suffered when married to Nikolas. Alexis says she knows a thing or two about emotional duress having been married to Ric. Ava has mistaken her for an ATM. It’s not her money. She’s just the trustee. Ric says, she knows the Cassadine money ruins lives, like with Stephan and Nikolas. Even if Ava got all of what Nikolas gave her, Ace wouldn’t miss it. Alexis says, despite her reservations in giving it to Ace, Ava is not going to see a penny, and he says, if it was anybody but Ava, she’d be singing a different tune. She says she’d like him to leave. She enjoys the food here, and staring at him is making her lose her appetite. He leaves.

Carly tells Sonny, hindsight is a funny thing. You look back and see everything clearly and it’s easy to question your decisions. He says, they’re just torturing themselves here and can’t change the past. She says, it would be nice if they could. She was thinking about if she had to do it over, knowing what she knows, would she do it differently? He says, of all the wrong turns they made, there’s one thing they did right – their kids. Michael, Morgan, and Donna, they’re amazing kids. She says, Michael is special, and Sonny says, he is. She says, they have to present a united front. Their strength will be Michael’s strength. Sonny says he’s going to check on the doctors. They’re going to go through this. Hit it face on as a family. He takes her hand, and she says, yes.

Willow asks what other recourse she has, and Drew says, even though she filed for separation and Michael filed for divorce, they’re still legally husband and wife. If Michael made her his healthcare proxy, that’s still valid. She’s holding the cards. Michael is badly injured, a lot of decisions will need to be made about his healthcare, and Carly and Sonny think they’re in charge. Nina asks if he’s suggesting using the fact that Willow is Michael’s wife as a bargaining chip to get the kids back, and he says, exactly. She can deny Carly, Sonny, or anybody else access to Michael. Willow says she would never do that. Things weren’t great between her and Michael, but Michael is a good person and an amazing dad. Even after everyone saw the video, he let her take the kids so they could be with her. She’s not going to pay him back by keeping his family from him. Drew says, it’s Sonny and Carly that she’s up against, not Michael. Carly is angry about them being together, and it could be the only leverage she has to get her kids back.

Jason tells Sasha that Sonny and Carly are on their way back from the chapel and suggests he give her a ride home. She says she probably shouldn’t drive this upset and thanks him. They leave.

Sonny asks, how’s Michael? and Portia says, his condition remains the same. Carly asks if there are any long-term burn recovery units she recommends. They’d like to get him set up as soon as possible. Willow pops out and says, there’s nothing to worry about. She’s Michael’s wife and she’ll be making the decisions about his care. She’s the only one the doctors will be talking to. (Wow. She nasty.)

Felicia tells Josslyn that she’s sorry. That’s all she remembers. She wishes she was more help. Josslyn says, even small details matter in cases like this, and Felicia says she did tell Chase there was something weird that she can’t put her finger on. She’s done everything she can to remember why she feels that way, but it still escapes her. Josslyn says, if she recalls it from beginning to end, it might come back. She was at Rice Plaza, picking out a tree with Georgie and James. There were holiday lights and carolers, the college kids fighting before Dex and his partner ran them off. The elevator dings, and Felicia says she sees what it is. It’s the bell. Josslyn asks, what bell? and Felicia says, that’s what she was trying to remember. Cyrus was at Rice Plaza taking donations and he had a bell he was ringing the entire time. Jack listens from the other side of the desk, and Felicia says, when Dex was stabbed, there was no sound. Cyrus had stopped ringing the bell.  

We see slippered feet walk into Michael’s room and gloved hands closing the door and the blinds. Standing next to Michael’s bed, Cyrus says he knows Michael is in terrible pain, but it will soon be over. He’ll be at peace. God will call him home. He puts his hand on Michael’s forehead and says, may your soul be surrounded by divine light. He takes out a syringe and prepares it. He checks Michael’s IV bag, plunges the needle in, and we see that it’s digitalis.

On Monday, Tracy tells Cody that if he invests, that money will be gone; Laura says, Dante did the right thing by going after Lulu; Nina tells Sonny not to waste precious time on this fight; and Isaiah says, Michael will die either way.

I have to say, I didn’t see another digitalis death coming. As much as I hate all these characters being killed off, it is one hell of a storyline.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

This is just horrific. I had to turn off the news the first night. While I know I’d cry over losing my stuff too, if everyone and their pets gets out alive, that’s the most important thing.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/soap-stars-share-wildfire-updates

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-opens-up-about-losing-everything

They read the room.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/daytime-emmys/2025-daytime-emmy-awards-rescheduled-to-october

In happier news. Hopefully, this gets enough viewers to stay on the air. Many a decent show has been cancelled because it wasn’t given enough time to build up an audience.

https://ew.com/beyond-the-gates-trailer-first-black-daytime-soap-in-35-years-8762458

💊 A Dose Of Reality…

Here’s what happened all week on…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Another group of demanding, immature guests, who were – of all people – drag queens, who I would expect more empathy from even on a superyacht. TBH, Cloyce’s consistent inconsistency leaves something to be desired, but they didn’t have to make fun of him. Shame on them!

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Love Boz and her boyfriend Keely. They seem like the perfect couple and it’s nice to watch. Erika and Dorit can both go pound sand. PK blindsided Dorit, saying he wanted a divorce during a 4-hour therapy session. Who has a 4-hour therapy session? I’d be done after 4 hours too. In an actual real non-screaming moment, Garcelle talked about the years she had to give Oliver tough love and how it killed her to not even let him in the house. She did it right though, because look at him now. That’s what reality TV should be about. Seeing the changes. Some of these women also need to get a vocabulary. Erika debuted her new single, Dominos, and it sounded like all her other singles. Like Jennifer said, it’s not going to win any awards for lyrics, but it’s catchy.

Real Housewives of New York City

While I do think Brynn has some good qualities, girlfriend needs to mature. She’s way too into stirring the pot and it’s not a good look. She picked on Jessel for having a penchant for glam. Really? Like she doesn’t?

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

I could barely sit through this. Meredith freaked out when she discovered out Britani was recording the back of a seat during a bus trip, screeching about how sneaky it was. I guess she forgot that Bravo recording them is actually the whole point and there are cameras on all the time. These women do nothing but find things to argue about, and they’re best response to an insult is, no, you. It didn’t sound any better when Heather had to explain what the word nefarious meant. Someone please get them a dictionary. They give me a headache. Except for Mary, who is still the MVP.

I also watched a little of Sold on SLC, and I think the crux of all their problems is the church. No judgement, to each his own, but if it isn’t lifting you up, get out. These people are all adults and feel they have to pretend to be a certain way just so they don’t get excommunicated. It’s doubtful they’re fooling anyone, so I’m guessing as long as they put their share into the collection plate or whatever, it’s all good. Seriously, if it’s making you hate yourself and everyone else, get out.

Southern Charm

Taylor’s picker still seems to be off, but hey, sometimes you need something in the moment that won’t be in your future. I’m more looking forward to next week when JT meets with Craig. Mostly because I want to see how JT makes an ass of himself this time.

This made me feel sad, but I get it.

Southern Hospitality

I still maintain that this show wants to be Vanderpump Rules 2.0, but misses it entirely. For every real moment, like the discussion between Michols and TJ about being gay in Charleston, there’s a ton of screaming, yelling, and heightened drama that belongs in a middle school.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

A Mother’s Instinct. I love the 60s time period, which is why I chose to watch this. But I stayed for the twisty-turny plot and the incredible acting.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mothers-instinct-neon-film-review-2024

Smile 2. I know a lot of people liked the first one, but I wasn’t one of them. It was okay, but I wasn’t thrilled with the ending. I’d seen the trailer for this when I saw Red One, and thought it looked promising. I was right. I actually thought this was better than the first one. This article pretty much sums up why. The costumes were also quite fabulous.

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/i-watched-smile-2-i-need-to-talk-about-why-horrors-of-fake-smile-got-to-me

The Deliverance. More of a straight on horror film, based on so-called true events. Like both Lovecraft Country and Them, real life horror parallels supernatural horror. It was a captivating ride, capturing the truth of trying to escape poverty, along with the terror of living in a haunted house. Lee Daniels is a master and he snagged Glenn Close. It was definitely worth the time.

Nightbitch. I was looking forward to seeing this and it didn’t disappoint. You don’t need to be a mom to relate either. It gave me all the feels – it was funny, sad, poignant, and joyous. And there was an apology at the end that every man should watch. A bonus for me was seeing Jessica Harper, Janet from one of my favorite films, Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment. It was also nice to see an actress aging like a normal human.

🏆 And You Get an Award…

Golden Globe winners.

https://ew.com/2025-golden-globes-winners-full-list-8769343

Golden Globe fashion. Holy! Zendaya looks just like Elizabeth from GH.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/37442/2025-golden-globes-red-carpet-fashion

https://pagesix.com/2025/01/07/style/melissa-rivers-on-the-best-and-worst-golden-globes-2025-looks/

Awards to come. The SAG nominations.

https://ew.com/2025-sag-awards-nominations-full-list-8770586

🎉 Bravo For the New Year…

Including one of my all-time favorite New Year’s Eves – the night Giggy married Grandma Wrinkles.

🐕 Bowling For Pups…

Coming February 11th. Be there or be a cat.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/2025/get-ready-for-puppy-bowl-xxi-

🪂 Quotes of the Week

Your journey has molded you for your greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. Don’t think that you’ve lost time. There is no short cutting to life. It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And now is right on time. – Asha Tyson

It’s never too late to never give up. – Pamela Anderson

Youth has no age. – Pablo Picasso

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle (Or kick one out.)

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide

Things just tend to accumulate after Labor Day. What can I tell you?Little Edie Beale, Grey Gardens

My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference. – President Jimmy Carter

❄️ Kisses From Heaven…

Join me again next Friday for soap, recaps, what to watch (or not), and other entertainment nonsense. Until then, stay safe; stay helping a neighbor shovel after a snowstorm; and stay telling the people in your life how much you love them. Don’t let that be a regret.

December 30, 2024 – Valentin Accuses Lulu Of Setting Him Up, Demanding Clueless Rude Guests On Deck, Opinion, On Or Not, All Winners & What Are You Doing

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

At the gallery, Trina tells Kai that this is her favorite place, and he says he knows why she brought him here. To get away from his fans, boosters, and anyone who wants his time. This is the last place anyone would think to look for him. She says, he couldn’t be more wrong.

Lucas tells Kristina that Charlie’s looks great. He loves the changes she’s made. She says she’s worked hard so they can open soon, but needs to find a bartender. He says he can barely manage a gin and tonic, and it only has two ingredients, three if you add a lime. She says, he has other talents. She asked him to come by because she found something. She hands him a photo of Wiley and asks how old he was then. Lucas says, 18 months. Where did she find it? She says, a drawer in the office. It was probably Julian’s.

At the hospital, Elizabeth tells Lucky that she appreciates the offer, but she’ll be okay if he doesn’t stay. It’s purely a routine medical record review. He asks her to call him when she’s finished. Since it’s an internal review and not a legal one, she doesn’t have to answer any questions. She says that she, Portia, and Terry are all on the same side. They want to know what happened to Dex. Lucky says, they’re not the only ones, and she says she’ll call when she’s done. He goes into the elevator, and she goes into an office. She sees Dede Clark is there, and Dede thanks her for coming. Have a seat.  

Sonny goes to Alexis’s office, and she says she knows she was vague on the phone. He says, that’s an understatement, and she asks how things are going with him and Ava. He says, Ava won’t let up with the custody case and it’s going to turn into an all-out war. Why? She says, from what she’s learned, it may not come to that.

On the phone in her office, Laura leaves a message for Dante to call her when he’s found Lulu. She wants to know Lulu is okay. Ava comes in and says, if it’s a bad time… Laura says, it’s okay. She’s having anxiety waiting to hear about Lulu. Ava says she hopes Lulu is all right, and Laura says, for what it’s worth (🍷), Lulu hasn’t changed a bit.

Valentin comes into the café and asks if Charlotte is enjoying her visit with her mother. Charlotte says, yes, and thanks him for letting her see Lulu. He says, hello, Lulu, and Charlotte says she had to tell him. Lulu says, of course (🍷). It’s fine. Valentin asks if Charlotte minds if he has a minute in private with Lulu. He’s not cutting their visit short, but would she mind waiting at another table? Charlotte says, of course (🍷), and moves. Valentin says, Lulu looks good and congratulates her on her remarkable recovery. She thanks him and says she feels great. Now that she’s back on her feet, Charlotte can come home to Port Charles with her. He says he’s very happy to see her awake and reunited with her daughter, but that’s not going to happen. She says, Charlotte needs her, but he says, Charlotte hasn’t had her in four years. It’s been him and will continue to be. She asks what kind of life it will be on the run. Let Charlotte go home with her.

Ava says she’s happy to hear that Lulu woke up, and Laura says, it’s wonderful for the whole family. They got their girl back. There are challenges and Lulu has had to adjust to a lot. The message she was leaving is about Lulu taking an impromptu trip to look for her daughter. She wishes Lulu had told her, but they both know a mother will do anything to be with her child. Ava says, that’s why she’s here. Her custody battle is going to be very expensive. Laura says she’s not sure she’s following, and Ava says, she’s more than a little embarrassed, but didn’t know who to turn to. She was hoping Laura could help her. She has a problem with her divorce settlement from Nikolas.

Alexis tells Sonny that Martin informed her that the money Nikolas gave Ava wasn’t his, and the estate is reclaiming every penny they can get their hands on, including the money Ava received from her divorce settlement, as well as the proceeds of the sale of Windymere. Sonny says, Ava is broke? and Alexis says she doesn’t know Ava’s financial situation, so she can’t say for sure, but what she can say for sure is that she’s not getting Nikolas’s money. That will seriously hamper Ava’s ability to fund a lengthy custody battle. He says, that’s great news, and thanks her. She says she figured he would be happy, but she has an ulterior motive. She’s hoping he’ll do her a favor in return. He says, always, and she says she wants him to take Charlie’s from Kristina.

Lucas thanks Kristina and says, Brad took the picture. It was a picture-perfect day in the park and they had a picnic. Wiley was playing and they were all so happy. It seems like a million years ago. She says she’s been thinking about Wiley. He’s probably so confused, wondering why his parents are fighting and why his dad’s not living there. Lucas says he got into it with Willow last night. He probably should have kept his big mouth shut. He has no place telling anyone how to raise a child. She says she disagrees. He was Wiley’s father for his first years. He loves Wiley and is trying to protect him. He says, of course (🍷), but Willow has had a tough go of it. She says, some would argue that Michael had it tougher, and he says, no question Willow made some lousy choices, but the person he’s disgusted with is Drew. He refuses to take responsibility for anything, and he was trying to use Sam’s death as an excuse for the affair. She says, that’s unbelievably disrespectful to Sam’s memory. If she heard him say that she’d punch him in his pretty little face. Lucas says he had the same impulse and has Ava to thank for convincing him to take the high road.

Elizabeth says she was under the impression it would just be the three of them, but Dede says, the hospital thought it was prudent for her to be here in light of the new information. Elizabeth asks, what new information? and Dede says, they’ll get to that, but first she has a few questions. Elizabeth says she doesn’t think so. She feels like she’s been blindsided. Either tell her everything now or she’s walking out. Dede says, there’s no reason to be combative, but Terry says, Elizabeth has the right to know. They recently received Dex’s autopsy, and he died from a lethal dose of digitalis like Sam McCall.

Trina says she wanted to bring Kai to her favorite place, and he says he’s honored. She asks what he thinks about a painting, and he says, it’s nice. She says, nice? That’s it? What is he thinking? He won’t hurt her feelings. He says, honestly, it looks like a bunch of scribbles, and she says she gets that. She thought the same thing at first, then something made her keep coming back. Maybe it was the play of colors in the lefthand corner. She noticed the way the artist guides the eye and every time she sees it, she sees something else. She feels like every time she sees it, it teaches her something new. She thinks that’s why she’s drawn to it. It always surprises her. That’s the beautiful thing about art. If you let it open your mind, it will take you outside of yourself. She thinks that’s what everyone needs. Doesn’t he? He says he doesn’t know. He was looking at her instead of the painting. (For the record, I like this painting and stan Trina’s new hairstyle.)

Lucas says, Ava is the last person Kristina wants to hear about, but she says, it’s okay. Ava is Lucas’s aunt and she can’t expect people to stop talking about her. She wants to move forward. The jury heard all the evidence against Ava during the trial and decided she’s innocent. She got her answer. There’s no one to blame for her baby’s death. He says he knows how hard it was to make peace with the verdict. Kristina is a strong person. She says she’s a work in progress. She’s trying to move forward. That’s why Charlie’s means so much to her and she’s investing her time and energy into it. Here, she can drop her guard and be herself instead of being defined by the terrible things that happened to her. He says, a fresh start, and she says she needs one.

Sonny says, Alexis wants him to take Charlie’s away from Kristina? and she says she doesn’t want Kristina involved in any of his businesses. He says, it’s completely legit, but she says, that doesn’t mean it’s not risky. What if Kristina’s name turns up on a document or email of his? Her life could be ruined. He says he knows how to protect Kristina, and she says, he may think he does, but if he gives Charlie’s to her, that’s exactly what someone would do if they were laundering money. He says, she’s not wrong, and she says, if he lets Kristina keep it, sooner or later, she’ll be on the FBI’s radar.

Isaiah walks into the boxing gym and says he and Lucky had the same idea. Lucky says he’s working out his frustrations. There’s a lot going on. Did Isaiah see Elizabeth at the hospital? Isaiah says, no. Why? Lucky says, she’s having a medical record review, and he hasn’t heard from her. Isaiah asks if he’s worried, and Lucky says, she insisted it’s nothing and the review is purely routine. Isaiah says, no review is ever routine.

Dede says, the hospital is responsible for its patients and obligated to look into how this grave error occurred, and Elizabeth says, and they’re starting with her. Dede says, she’s the head nurse and was on duty when Dex died. He was administered the wrong medication and it cost him his life. Obviously, her actions that night are very important. Elizabeth says she doesn’t think she should say anything else without a lawyer present, but Terry tells her not to get the wrong idea. No one is accusing her of anything. Portia says, it’s just an informational review, and Dede says, Elizabeth has no reason not to cooperate… unless she has something to hide.

Lulu says, Charlotte misses her family and needs them, but Valentin says, just because she misses Port Charles doesn’t mean she should live there. Ask her. Lulu says, she’s a teenager. The parents are responsible to make the decisions. He says, it sounds like she knows Charlotte would choose to stay, and she says, he made himself the center of Charlotte’s world. She loves him so much. He asks if that’s a bad thing, and she says, yes, when it affects her world. It’s not fair to expect her to hide away from the world. That’s not the kind of life she wants. He says, don’t presume to tell him what kind of life he wants for their daughter. Lulu has had no relationship with her. He’s not saying it’s her fault, but for the moment, she’s an intriguing person to have lunch with once in a while. She’s a mother in name only. He’s the only parent Charlotte has known most of her life and he’s not abandoning her.

Isaiah says, the hospital wants to make sure the staff did all that they could to take care of their patient, and Lucky says, there’s no question about Elizabeth wanting that. Isaiah says, from what he’s seen, he agrees, and Lucky says, Dex didn’t die from his surgery. He was a healthy guy, just like Sam. Isaiah says, he’s right. It doesn’t make sense medically speaking. Lucky says, they’re not looking for a person who made a mistake. They’re looking for a person deliberately harming patients, and so far, Elizabeth is the only common thread.

Dede says, just answer, yes or no. Was Elizabeth on duty the night Dex died of cardiac arrest? Ric walks in and says his client has nothing more to say, and Dede asks who he is. He introduces himself and says he’s Elizabeth’s counsel. Dede says, Elizabeth doesn’t need a lawyer, but he says, everybody needs a lawyer, especially when they’re being questioned by one. (Absolutely. Does she think they’re stupid?) Dede suggests Elizabeth ask him to leave, and says, it’s only going to slow down the process. Ric tells Elizabeth not to answer any more questions, and Portia says, they want to clear Elizabeth and hear her side. He asks why there are no other nurses there, and Portia says, Elizabeth is head nurse and the one on duty when Sam and Dex died of cardiac arrest. Don’t make it harder. Just answer their questions. Elizabeth says she’s sorry. Her lawyer said not to talk to them, so she guesses this interview is over.

Sonny asks if Alexis thinks he won’t make sure Kristina isn’t connected to any of his other businesses, and she says she knows he has her best interests at heart, but even the appearance of impropriety will have a negative effect. He says, the last thing Kristina needs is another disappointment, and she says, Kristina needs to be safe from prosecution. He says, Kristina needs something where she can win. She needs to throw herself into something and be proud of it. He’s not taking Charlie’s away. She says, they’ll explain, and Kristina will understand, but he says, Kristina will feel like he’s lost faith in her. She was so flattered that he was giving her Charlie’s and trusted her. He’s not taking back that trust.

Kristina asks how Ava helped Lucas, and Lucas says, Ava gave him perspective in the situation. He’s not saying they’re close, but since Sam’s funeral, they’ve crossed paths a few times. Kristina says, Ava wouldn’t have been at the funeral, and he says he wasn’t there either. He ran into Danny before the service and Danny blamed him for Sam’s death. At the time, he couldn’t say Danny was wrong, so he thought the least he could do was stay away. She says she’s sorry he didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to Sam, but he says he did in his own way. He went to his father’s grave. Ava was there and they had a lot to talk about. She says, Ava is part of his family, and he says, like it or not. She says, he still hasn’t told her how Ava helped him, and he says he got into it with Willow and Drew, and Ava saw how upset he was. She got him out of there before he did something he’d regret. They took a walk and talked. She asks what they talked about, and he says, how hard it is to lose a child.

Ava tells Laura that her financial settlement is no longer hers. Somehow, now it’s the property of the Cassadine heir. Laura says her grandson Ace. She was advised he was named the new heir and the estate is being held in trust. Ava asks, who advised her? and Laura says, her brother Martin. A firm in Greece called him to be the American representative. She’s not happy about Ace inheriting the Cassadine fortune, but Martin said she can’t do a thing about it until he’s older. Ava says she wants what was promised to her. She knows Laura is a fair woman and she was hoping Laura could help her get it back. Laura says she’s sorry, but that’s not going to happen.

Lulu says she and Charlotte aren’t as close as she would wish and she knows Valentin loves her, but he wouldn’t be abandoning her. He’d be sending her to live a better life. The best parents do what’s right even when it’s hard. He says, she doesn’t know Charlotte would have a better life, but she says, Charlotte wouldn’t be a fugitive. Whoever is chasing him is going to find him, and she wants to make sure Charlotte isn’t in the line of fire. He asks if she thinks Port Charles is safe. Apparently, no one told her that Charlotte was shot last year.

Isaiah says he hasn’t known Elizabeth long, but she obviously would never harm a patient. Lucky says, someone else might, and Isaiah says, it’s rare and horrible, but it does happen that a medical professional will deliberately cause harm. Lucky says, that’s the only explanation, and Isaiah suggests he trust the process. They’re trying to get information to find the person responsible. He’s sure Elizabeth loves having Lucky’s support, but he’s seen how strong she is. She’ll be fine without him, so if he’s feeling the need to leave Port Charles, go ahead.

Lulu asks what Valentin means. Shot by who? He says, Anna Devane, and she says she doesn’t believe him. He says, ask Charlotte… Don’t. She was traumatized. She says, it makes no sense. Why would Anna shoot an innocent child? Valentin says, it was an accident. He and Anna were involved at the time, and his father convinced Charlotte that Anna was a threat to him. She says, his father manipulated Charlotte, and he says, Charlotte wanted Anna to think she was being stalked and snuck into her apartment. Anna drew before she realized it was their daughter. Lulu asks how bad she was hurt, and he says, it was touch and go, but she’s made a full recovery. Other than the nightmares. Lulu wonders why no one told her, and he says, she’d have to ask them. His point is, she can’t guarantee that Charlotte is safer in Port Charles. It’s better that she stay with him. He’ll protect her.

Kai says, the painting is just hanging there, and Trina is in front of him telling him interesting things. Of course (🍷) he’s paying more attention to her. She says, that’s sweet… and superficial, and he asks if she’s calling him a dumb jock. She says she admits there’s more strategy to football than she thought and there’s more to him than football. She read his presentation, and it was creative and insightful. Maybe he should give the painting another chance. Let it speak to him. He says, the things he does for a friend. He looks at the painting and says he gets what she’s talking about. The painting reminds him of her. Every time he looks at her, he sees something new too, and that’s not superficial. His phone rings, and he says, okay… He’s on his way. She says, he has to go, and he says, unfortunately. She says, he’s an important guy. She gets it. He thanks her for bringing him. She was right. It’s exactly what he needed. He leaves.

Laura says she’s sorry. Ava went through a lot with Nikolas and stood by him. Ava says, they loved each other, and Laura says she saw that firsthand. She was hoping Ava could help him conquer his demons. Ava says she tried, and Laura says, he made it impossible. She knows Nikolas was responsible for the things that were wrong between them and believes Ava is entitled to her divorce settlement, but it’s out of her hands. She’s sorry, but there’s nothing she can do about it.

Lucas says he’s not trying to defend Ava, but she’s conscious of Kristina’s loss and how much pain she’s in. Kristina says, it was a horrible ordeal and thinks they both want to move forward. If she had to guess, Ava is throwing herself into work at the gallery. Lucas says, Ava is having some problem with the divorce settlement and gave him the impression that money is tight. She was talking about moving to a smaller place, but maybe she just wants a change of scenery. He has to get back, but thanks her for the photo. Good luck. He’s sure Charlie’s will be popped in no time. She says, from his lips to God’s ears, and he leaves.

Sonny tells Alexis that he knows what Kristina is going through, and believes she needs Charlie’s. He’ll watch over her and make sure she’s okay. He’ll protect Kristina and Alexis has to trust him with that. Alexis says, trust is the most important thing to him when it comes to their daughter. He’s heard her concerns. He says he’ll keep them in mind, and she says, it’s the best she can hope for. It’s not like she’s asking him to get out of the mob, right?

Laura says, if it was up to her, Ace wouldn’t inherit a dime of the Cassadine fortune. It’s never brought anyone anything but misery. They both know what it did to Nikolas and in Spencer’s too short life, he spent too much time doing the same thing. It’s blood money. She asked if she could give it to charity, but Martin said no. Ava says, let her try. She’s a very convincing woman. Who does she need to talk to? She’ll fly to Greece. Laura says, that’s not a good idea, but Ava says, please… for her daughter’s sake. She’ll lose her without that money.

Lucky says he’s not going anywhere until he knows Elizabeth is cleared. Just because she doesn’t need him today, she might in the future, and he’ll be here. Isaiah says, good to know, and Lucky asks if Isaiah is practicing reverse psychology. Isaiah says, Lucky’s not the kind of guy to turn his back when he knows there’s a problem, but he doesn’t need a base jump off a cliff or an epic rescue mission to help. The best thing to do for Elizabeth is make it clear that he’s sticking around. When she calls him, pick up and show that he’s there for her.

Ric says he thinks they’re done and should go, and Elizabeth says, she’s going to listen to her lawyer. Dede asks if Elizabeth doesn’t want things settled, and Ric says, they’re saddened by the loss of two patients, but nice try at intimidation tactics. Dede says, three patients, and Terry says, there was a third, Sylvie Mullan. She died of a heart attack in August. She was Elizabeth’s patient, wasn’t she?

Lulu says, Charlotte needs to get to school, have friends, and fall in love. How can Valentin disagree? Valentin says, it’s not that he doesn’t want her to be happy, and Lulu says she believes that. She knows Valentin loves Charlotte and how much Charlotte loves him. Charlotte will do whatever he asks. Charlotte has faith that he’ll keep her safe, but can he really? What’s going to happen when whoever is chasing him finds him? It might not end well for him and if anything happens to him, Charlotte is going to blame herself. Please don’t let their daughter live with that burden. Dante walks in and goes over to Charlotte. She asks what he’s doing here, and he says he’s here to take her home if that’s what she wants. Now’s the time. Valentin says, Lulu set him up.

Ava knocks at Alexis’s office door and says she needs to speak with her. Alexis says, from what she’s heard, Ava can’t afford her, and closes the door in Ava’s face.  

Portia says, after reviewing Sylvie’s medical records, they decided to contact the family about exhuming the body for an autopsy. Elizabeth says, she was a very sick woman, and she’d like to know… Ric tells her, don’t say another word, and Dede says, the hospital will do their best to protect Elizabeth and clear her of any wrongdoing. Portia says, unfortunately, if Elizabeth doesn’t answer their questions, they’ll officially have to suspend her.

Lucky walks into Charlie’s with the help wanted sign and asks if Kristina has found a bartender. She asks if he’s applying and he says he doesn’t have a resume with him, but he can provide references, her father for one. Kristina says, fix her a mojito and they’ll talk.

Laura leaves another message for Dante, saying, she hasn’t heard from him. She needs to know what’s going on with her daughter.

Valentin tells Charlotte, let’s go, but Dante says, wait. Valentin asks if he’s with the cops, but Dante says, it’s just him. Lulu says she didn’t know he’d be here and suggests they find a safe place to talk. Valentin says, Dante was either with the cops or led someone to them. We see that someone is watching them through the crosshairs of a scope.

Alone in the gym, Sonny does some boxing moves in the ring and suddenly clutches his chest. He drops to his knees, then lies down.

Tomorrow, Michael says he’ll agree to Sasha’s plan, but needs her to agree to something in return; Drew asks if Willow is coming to DC; a shot is fired in Prague, shattering the café window; and Anna says, Emma is off-limits.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Igy Marina, Ibiza. Gary suggests he and Daisy celebrate and go for a drink off the boat. In Danni’s interview, she says, the last time she kissed someone (Gary), she was told that it could never happen again. This time (Chase), she hopes it happens all the time. She loved every second. In Chase’s interview, he says, wow. He’s been here three days and last year he had to sleep in the crew mess because sex was always happening in his cabin. We flash back to that, and he says, now here he is. Diana asks how Danni’s night was, and Danni says, fun. In his interview, Chase says he thinks Diana is stunning, but reserved. Danni saw an opportunity and took it. He’s not sorry. Captain Glenn asks if Davide had fun, and Davide says he did. The captain says, no bleeding? and Davide assures him, no bleeding. Gary tries to grill Chase, while Danni tells Diana that Chase is so damn hot. Gary says he thought Chase was into Diana, and Chase says he’s just doing his job. Diana asks which one Danni wants her to get, and in her interview, Danni says, she wasn’t going to sit back and watch Diana stare at Chase for the whole season. Danni says, Diana can have Gary, but Diana says, no thanks. In Diana’s interview, she says, Danni is moving fast with the guys. Chase just came on board, and it was expected.

At the preference sheet meeting, Glenn says, co-primaries Jillian and Sharie want to enjoy fun in the sun and great cuisine with their friends. Gary reads that they want all the water toys and amazing sailing. Cloyce says, they want a seven-course meal, along with drinks they’ve learned to make. Daisy asks him to tell her the menu and she’ll pick the cocktails. Cloyce works on his menu, and in his interview, he says, they’ve specifically requested seven perfect courses. They want a feast, and the goal is to showcase a broad range of culinary skills. Danni giggles over seeing Chase with no shirt, and Gary suggests he and Daisy go for their drink. In Gary’s interview, he says, Daisy being supportive of him not drinking is helpful. If they can do this for years as they have been doing, how could they not do it for the rest of their lives? He and Daisy walk to the corner, and she asks if he’s not drinking for the rest of the season. He says, maybe a glass of wine tonight. Diana and Danni wake up Chase, but when Danni gets in his bunk, Diana leaves. At a café, Gary says, cheers to being roomies, besties, and friends moving forward. He asks what Daisy is for, and she says, stabilizing work. She’s not looking for a relationship. What about him? He says he wants to build a relationship. He knows relationships require work. There are ups downs like they’ve had. They’ve been through sh*t that married couples haven’t and doesn’t seem like it’s going to end soon. Daisy says, when she falls, she falls hard, but it takes a long time, and he asks if she sees a relationship with him. Imagine someone else is asking her. She says she doesn’t…

Daisy says, Gary needs to be honest, and he says he is. She says, they both need a lot of work on themselves, and she’s been working more than he has. She thinks that before he has a relationship with anyone, he needs to work on himself. He says, it’s good to find someone who brings it out, and she says, for a secure relationship, you need a secure person, and they’re not secure people. He says, they’ve gone through so much working together. They’ve come a long way. In Gary’s interview, he says he’s too scared to commit. He’s selfish, but he knows what he needs and Daisy wouldn’t let him get away with murder. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Gary didn’t respect her relationship with Colin, and she took a step back. Unless he did some serious growing up fast, no way. Gary asks if it’s possible, and she laughs. They go back to the boat.

Gary says he likes hanging out with Daisy, and Daisy says, they’re working on their friendship. Cloyce says, Keith was getting along with Danni, and asks how he feels about the situation changing vibes. Gary joins them and says he and Daisy talked about where they stand. He thinks they’re at a good place. Keith says, classic high tension work relationship, and in Keith’s interview, he says he needs to tread lightly. Daisy and Gary are sharing a cabin, and he doesn’t want to put his foot in something that’s going to get stinky. Everyone goes to bed.

Provisions come in, and Chase says he had a dream that two stews drug him out of bed. He and Danni flirt, and Diana says she doesn’t want to be in a love triangle. Daisy asks if Diana is sad because Chase wanted her and he’s now with Danni. Diana says, they were vibing, but it didn’t happen on his side. Daisy says, it’s a bit sh*tty. Boys are idiots. In Diana’s interview, she says, Danni thinks it’s a competition, but she doesn’t fight over men. She has more things to do with her life.

The crew finishes tidying the boat, and Captain Glenn says, one hour until the guests arrive. He tells them that it looks good, and champagne is poured. The captain tells them to go to the cockpit now. Captain Glenn welcomes them to the Parsifal and Ibiza. Daisy will give them the tour and get them settled in. Daisy does her thing, and Diana shows Danni one of guest Marcell’s massive shoes, size 47. The guests have shots and toast to their Spain vacation. Daisy serves canapés, and Cloyce says, the prepping is insane for the seven-course dinner. Guest Tonya says, even though it’s a sailboat, it’s still not bad. She wonders if there’s a button they can press for service, and guest Jillian says she left a bottle of champagne in her room. Daisy asks Diana to get it, and the sails go up. Marcell seems okay, but the women call Daisy’s name so many times, she probably hates it already. The boat keels, and things bounce around. Daisy thinks the guests are drunk already, and guest Tonya says, it’s not what she expected. She’s about to throw up. She asks for a bag, like she’s on an airplane, and Chase runs downstairs. He says he needs a bucket or a bag, and Daisy frantically looks around.

Chase runs up with an ice bucket, and Daisy says, it doesn’t sound like anyone is throwing up. Danni says, it’s going to be a bad one, and Daisy says, it’s the energy. Captain Glenn asks if the guests want to stop, and they say yes. In the captain’s interview, he says, it’s the first time he’s been asked to stop, and he hopes to God it’s the last time. Cloyce says he has one thing prepped on his list of 40, and Gary says, his menu sounds delicious. Cloyce says, it better be. The guests take selfies, and anchor is dropped at Es Jondal.

Daisy tells Danni to try and get a dinner time out of the guests. Tonya whines that co-primary Jillian got the big room because she’s with her husband and complains about her small room. Um… First of all, it’s not small, and two people should get a bigger room. Not to mention, Marcell is a giant and Jillian is a primary. Danni asks co-primary Sharie if they want to do the cocktail thing before dinner, and Sharie says yes. Gary asks if the guests want to use the seabob and demonstrates. Danni tells Cloyce that the guests want dinner at 9:30 and he says, good. Any sooner, there will be bad things. Tonya gripes that the seabob was supposed to be fun, but it wasn’t. In Gary’s interview, he says he has no idea if the guests are having a good time. He doesn’t like it one bit. Sharie asks if he’s sure there are no sharks. She goes in for like, two seconds, and says she’s not scared, but she’s done. She tried it. Danni doesn’t see the mixology thing happening, and Diana says she doesn’t like being unprepared. Danni says she’s accepted everything is extremely unprepared and unplanned on this boat. Against Danni’s belief, the mixology thing happens, and Daisy instructs on how to make a mojito and a mango martini. In Daisy’s interview, she says she’s a people pleaser, but she can’t read what’s going on with the guests. Chase asks if they need help, but Marcell says he thinks they quit. In Chase’s interview, he says, it feels super f***ing weird how uncomfortable everyone feels.  

Chase says he can’t tell if the guests are having fun, and Daisy says, it’s a f***ing nightmare. Chase says, they’re just like, deadpan. The guests dress for dinner, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says, you can pack a lot of good stuff into seven courses. He wants everything to be delicious, so the guests are excited about the next course and continue to want more. He tells Captain Glenn, the festivities have begun. One of the guests – probably Tonya – complains about having to scoot down the bench seat and thinks there should be an entryway in the middle of the table. The first course is a romaine wedge salad that looks incredible. Cloyce thinks it’s too much food, but Chase says, there should always be more food than they want. Cloyce says, ladies don’t want to feel full. They just want to eat. Cloyce comes up with the next course, a play on Oysters Rockefeller that he calls Cloycesters Rockefeller. Again, it looks amazing and I’m fond of that dish. The champagne bottle slips, and Daisy spills it on the table. In her interview, she says, it’s the worst moment of her life. Thank God it’s just one night. A guest doesn’t like oysters, and Cloyce asks if she wants him to make something else. She asks for shrimp, and he goes back to the galley. He checks her preference sheet, and in his interview, he says, she put down that she likes oysters. Sharie says her Aperol spritz tastes like cough syrup. I can’t speak to this having never had one, but so far these people seem like impossible to please idiots. When Daisy tells the rest of the crew, everyone laughs. Daisy says she thinks they’re underwhelmed, when crab cake porn comes out next. The guests are getting full, and Marcell gripes that the portions are too big. Next is French onion soup, and the guests can barely choke down the sea bass that follows. Daisy tells them not to feel like they have to drink all of the drinks, and guest Teresa suggests they only make three drinks and split them into six.

 In the crew mess, Captain Glenn asks how it’s going, and Daisy says, not amazing. She knocked the champagne over and a guest said they didn’t like oysters. The mood is okay, but not great. In the captain’s interview, he says he’s used to guests walking off happy, having had a great holiday. Daisy thinks Sharie is rude, and Captain Glenn tells her to be careful because someone could be at the top of the stairs and hear her. In his interview, the captain says he meant to bring things up to a higher level and they’re not moving in the right direction. He’s starting to worry.

Cloyce brings up filet mignon and mashed potatoes. Keith says, it’s a f***ing awful night. Dessert is apple crumble with vanilla ice cream, and Jillian says, they did good. Cloyce says, this is dragging on and on, and Tonya complains that the spoon is too small. Daisy tells the stews, worst service ever, and the guests go to bed. Captain Glenn says, they’re dropping the ball. In their bunks, Chase asks who Cloyce is most attracted to, and he says, Daisy, but she’s older than he is. Chase says, if he’s intrigued and she’s intrigued, who cares?

Last day of charter. Daisy says she’s dreading this day, and finds a bag outside one of the cabins. She asks Chase to check it out. She’s worried it’s vomit, and he takes a sniff. He says, yep, it’s vomit, and she chokes. Anchor is home, and breakfast is served. Guest Laquita takes a taste and says, not good. Daisy sees Chase and Danni chatting and tells them to find something to do. She asks if the guests are doing okay, and they say they’re doing good. Danni complains about Daisy to Diana, but Diana says, they annoy her sometimes too. Danni suggests if they do, Diana should say something to her, and in Diana’s interview, she says she agrees with Daisy. They dock and everyone complains about the heat. The guests convene in one of the lounges and Jillian asks if they think it was five-star service. Tonya says she was sick and couldn’t find a trash can. Hello? There’s a sink and a wastebasket in the bathroom. The crew lines up on the dock, but Glenn asks if the guests want to talk to him about something. Sharie says, they were debriefing about the pluses and things that could be improved. When it’s this level of luxury, they want what they paid for. Jillian says, tell the truth. Outside, Danni says, it feels sketch, and Daisy says, it’s going to be uncomfortable.

Next time, Detox, the world famous drag superstar; Keith and Daisy kiss; and something causes Daisy to walk off the boat crying.

☝️ My take. WTF, these guests? First of all, I honestly think they didn’t understand they weren’t going on a motor yacht. It’s a little less like a floating hotel. As far as their mountain of complaints – mostly from Tonya – go, they complained about the things they’d asked for: a lot of food, oysters, the water toys, and actual sailing. Then there was Tonya’s complaint that the primary and her husband got a bigger room than she did. Duh. She’s one person and they’re two. And her room was small? Hardly, and how much time did she spend in there anyway? The worst thing was her saying she couldn’t find a trash receptacle and leaving a bag of vomit outside her room. Disgusting. Like I said, sink and wastebasket right there in the bathroom. These are the kind of guests that make me want to find them online and troll them. I have no doubt the tip will be low, if anything at all.

🧼 No Soap, New Year’s…

Here’s the lowdown. GH will be showing a rerun tomorrow and is not on at all New Year’s Day.

🐕 Beauty and the Beasts…

No doubt he celebrated with a better dinner than I had tonight. Or possibly any night.

https://people.com/monty-giant-schnauzer-wins-2024-akc-national-championship-8767119

How can you not love them? Although Dogpool aka Peggy will always have my heart.

https://people.com/pets/the-ugliest-dogs-in-the-world/

🥂 Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot…

There’s nothing tomorrow, but I’ll post the celebrity roll call of the dead and a few other choice morsels. Until then, stay safe, especially on New Year’s Eve when the amateur drunks come out; stay not feeling forced to celebrate anything or make any resolutions you probably won’t keep past February anyway; and stay waiting for your own lawyer before being questioned by one.

December 9, 2024 – Sam’s Fatal Dose Is Revealed, No Rosé But a Jellyfish On Deck & End

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Josslyn and Trina go tree shopping with Dex and Gio in Rice Plaza. Josslyn says, their first tree for their first apartment, and Dex asks if they didn’t have one in their dorm room, but Trina says, it was lame. She asks if Gio has something to say, but Josslyn shakes her head at him, and he says, good things come in small packages. Trina says, let Operation Christmas Tree commence.

Lucky watches a guitarist playing in the plaza and puts some money in his case. He bumps into Elizabeth and says, fancy meeting you here.

Back home, Alexis says, Molly left the courthouse before they had a chance to talk, and Molly asks, what is there to talk about? Ava was found not guilty. Case closed. Alexis says she wasn’t referring to the verdict. She was referring to what Molly’s sister said. Molly says, that Irene wasn’t her daughter? and Alexis says, she shouldn’t have said it. It was hurtful… Molly says, stop. It’s not working.

Martin goes to Laura’s office, and she says, what a nice surprise. He says, what her daughter managed to pull off is exciting and amazing, and Laura says, can he believe it? After four years, Lulu is finally back and doing great. She has a fully functioning liver and is coming along beautifully. They hug, and Laura says, once her incision is healed, Lulu will be in perfect health. Martin says, she knows it’s a miracle, right? It feels more poignant at this time of year. Laura agrees and he says, it wasn’t without its hiccups. She asks if he’s talking about Cyrus, and he says he heard about the mix-up at Turning Woods. She says, it wasn’t a mix-up. It was a deliberate deception. Cyrus convinced the doctors that he was allowed to give orders regarding Lulu’s medical care. She wonders what he was up to.

Sonny walks into Pozzulo’s with Kristina and asks if she’s hungry, but she says she can’t even think about eating. He says, the verdict was a shock and emotions were high, but she’ll be all right. She and Molly will figure it out after things settle. She didn’t mean what she said. She says she’s not talking about that. Molly wasn’t Adela’s mother. That’s a fact and she has zero regret about saying it.

Lucky says, Lulu is doing amazingly well after her adventure, and Elizabeth says, she’s a Spencer. Lucky asks if Aiden is with her, but she says, he’s at the mall with his friends. He asks if she’s here solo, and she says, unless he wants to be her wingman. He says he’d love to. What is she doing? She says she’s picking out a tree, and he says, from the puny ones? She says she thought something small would be nice, and he says, who is she and what has she done with Elizabeth? The tree is her favorite thing about Christmas, and a small one won’t hold a fraction of her ornaments. She needs a big tree. She asks how she’s going to drag it into the house, and he says, her wingman at her service. Now let’s get a real tree.

Martin says, so Laura is telling him that Lulu freaked out about Cyrus, pulled the fire alarm, snuck out of Turning Woods, and hitchhiked to Port Charles, and she says, yes, to all of the above. He says, damn. She takes after her mama. Laura says she’s proud of Lulu’s strength, but she hated that Lulu felt she was in danger. Why did no one tell her that Cyrus was volunteering there? He says, that’s probably why Cyrus didn’t tell him. He’s sorry. He’ll make sure Cyrus knows to leave their niece alone. She says she got a restraining order. Cyrus can go nowhere near any members of her family.

Alexis says she’s worried about Molly, and Molly asks if she isn’t worried about Kristina. Alexis says, of course (🍷), and Molly says, that’s why Alexis hasn’t gotten in the middle. Alexis says she tries not to interfere, but she wants to help when Molly is hurt. She can’t lose another daughter. Molly says, that’s why she has to go. Alexis won’t lose her ever, but if Alexis looks like she’s siding with her, she’ll absolutely lose Kristina.

Kristin says, Molly is choosing to believe Ava, and Sonny says, it’s surprising. Kristina says, Molly thinks if she labels the baby’s death as an accident it will be easier to process, and she can move on. But Kristina knows what happened. Ava pushed her out a window and killed her baby. She’s never going to forget that. He says, him neither. One way or another, Ava will pay.

Josslyn and Trina find their tree, and Dex asks if they’re sure. Josslyn says she senses doubt, and he says, that’s the fourth perfect tree they’ve found. Gio says, they’ve looked at every single one. and Josslyn says, perfection takes time. Gio says, Olivia, Lois, and Tracy have been arguing about the decorations for the Quartermaine Christmas party, and Trina asks if it’s not tomorrow. Gio asks if they’re coming, but Dex says he has to work and asks how deep Josslyn and Trina’s tree stand is… They don’t have one, do they? Trina asks if they don’t sell them here, and Dex says, while they pick one out, he’ll go get coffee. Josslyn tells Gio to guard the tree with his life, and leaves with Trina. Dex goes over to put some money in a charity collection bucket and realizes it’s Cyrus ringing the bell.

Martin asks how Lulu is adjusting. Four years is a lot of time to miss out on. Laura says, she’s trying to fill in the blanks at record speed. It took everything to convince her to rest. She’d like Lulu to ease into it and take care of herself. She doesn’t realize making peace with what she’s trying to is enormous. She’s having dinner with her son tonight. He says, Rocco must be thrilled and vice versa. Imagine waking up and years have passed. Laura says she can. She lived that.

Alexis says she’s not taking sides, but Molly says, Kristina isn’t going to see it that way. Alexis says, that’s between her and Kristina. Molly needs her and so does Kristina. She wants to help them grieve. Molly says, according to TJ and Kristina, she’s doing it wrong, and Alexis says, no one has the right to tell her that. Everyone grieves in their own way. It makes Kristina feel better to blame other people, and she’s having trouble accepting the verdict. Molly says, she has no choice, and Alexis tells her that she’s not saying it’s logical. Molly asks if Alexis thinks Ava pushed Kristina.

Sonny says he’s sorry that Molly bought what Ric and Ava were selling, and Kristina says, they don’t know Ava and how she ruins live for sport. That’s why she’s enraged at how Molly believes Ava over her. Sonny says, Molly had to believe it was an accident, and Kristina says, it simplifies it. If Molly labels it an accident, that removes the painful, confusing emotional process. He says, life doesn’t work that way. Life is messy. She says, if Molly wants to believe Ava, fine. Ava is guilty and her daughter deserves justice. Kristina is going to make damn well sure she gets it.

Lucky says, the tree is being tied to Elizabeth’s car, and Elizabeth says, this reminds her of their grand plan to move to New York City when they were teens. He says, they were going to live in Greenwich Village, and he was going to make a killing playing music in the park. She was going to be a famous and hugely successful artist. She says, it was a foolproof, practical plan, and he says, you’re supposed to dream big at that age. She says, it was hard not to get caught up in it. He was the first person to ever truly believe in her. He got her to believe in herself. He says he believes she’s worthy of all of it. She still is. She deserves the world. The tree guy tells them that they’re all set, and Lucky says he has the feeling it’s going to be a great Christmas.

Martin tells Laura that he’s sorry. He didn’t know. She says, when she was well enough to go home, the little girl she remembered was a spirited teen. Martin says he was one himself, and she says her too. She was proud of the person Lulu had become and was grateful to the people who took care of her when she couldn’t. Martin asks what it was like, and she says, it was bumpy and took time, but eventually they managed to build a mother/daughter relationship. It still kills her that she missed so much of Lulu’s childhood. Michael says, Lulu must feel the same way, and Laura says, she absolutely does. She’s proud of the young man he’s become, but part of her is mourning the loss of her little boy she didn’t have enough time with. She wishes she could do more. He asks if she’s had any luck with Charlotte, but she says, no. Has he heard from Valentin? He says, no. He would have told her. She says, the look on Lulu’s face when she told her that Charlotte was missing broke her heart.  

Sonny says he’s proud of Kristina. She did everything she could for her daughter. She put her pain on display. She couldn’t do more. It’s done now. Let him deal with Ava. He knows it’s hard. She says, but it’s not honoring Adela, and he says, she has to find a new purpose.

Alexis tells Molly that she believes the jury arrived at a fair verdict given the circumstances. She knows Kristina can’t accept that yet. Molly says she doesn’t know if Kristina will ever get peace over the baby’s death. She sees it as a betrayal. Alexis says she hopes Kristina realizes that and doesn’t equate loving the baby with blaming Ava. Molly wonders why Alexis is the only one who hears her, and Alexis says, because she’s Molly’s mommy.

Cyrus says, it’s nice to see Dex, and Dex says he hopes Cyrus is obeying the restraining order. Cyrus says he’s filling his days with good works, but Dex says, that’s not an answer. Cyrus says, of course (🍷) he’s abiding by his sister’s wishes, and Dex says, he didn’t before. Cyrus says he has no idea what Dex is referring to, and Dex says he remembers seeing Cyrus in the hall at GH after Laura told him to stop visiting Lulu. Cyrus says he was distributing candy in the children’s wing, but Dex says he saw Cyrus on the 10th floor, coincidentally the floor Lulu’s room was on. Cyrus says, hand to God, he wasn’t there to see Lulu on Halloween.

Lucky and Elizabeth bring in the tree, and Lucky asks if Aiden is coming soon to help. She says, it’s doubtful, and Lucky says, it would be cool if Aiden came home to a Christmas wonderland… unless she thinks he would be upset. She says, he would be thrilled. Less work for him. Lucky says, let’s do it, and she asks if he’s offering to help decorate. He asks if she baked cookies, and she says, Aiden baked four different kinds. He says, they should be tested for quality control. They don’t want subpar cookies. Let’s get the place Santa ready. She thanks him and says, he exceeds wingman expectations. He says, there’s nowhere he’d rather be.

Sonny asks if Kristina has thought about his job offer, but she says she’s not excited about the coffee business. He says, what about the youth center? but she says she stepped aside because of the controversy about her relationship with Allie. He says, for a long time, it was her baby, and she says she’s proud of what she’s built, a safe space for queer teens, but she doesn’t think her involvement would be fair. The center needs to focus on the kids, not whether she’s a legit enough member of the LGBTQA+ community. She’s angry right now and doesn’t think she’s in the right headspace to help kids who are struggling. He says, she has more to offer – peace, love, and energy. She’ll figure out a way to channel it. She asks if he has any ideas, and he says he just might.

Josslyn insists the lights have to go on first, and Gio says, when he was growing up, there were so many cousins, everything was strictly regulated. Josslyn says, tell them more, and he says, no kids in the room until the uncles put the lights on, the low branches were saved for the littles, and no store-bought ornaments until the handmade ones were hung. One tradition he loved was that they were allowed to open a single present on Christmas Eve. Trina says she and her mom used to do that, and Josslyn asks if Dex is okay. He says he’s just trying to untangle the lights.  

Lucky says he had to tell Lulu about their dad, and it was as awful as he imagined. Elizabeth says she’s sorry. Lucky must miss him. He says, every day. He’s grateful for the time they got and the relationship they had. She says she was always envious that he was so close to his parents. They had an actual family. He says, their hyper involvement wasn’t always a plus, but for the most part, it was cool, and she says, Luke was not only his dad, but his friend. She hopes to have that with her boys. He asks, who wouldn’t want to be friends with her?

Lucky says he’s decided to stay in Port Charles for a minute, and Elizabeth says, look at him. He’s throwing that out all casual. How long is a minute? He says, the foreseeable future, and she says, Aiden will be happy to hear that. He says, what about her? and she says she’s happy… for Aiden’s sake. He says, just Aiden? and she says, he’s proven to be a dependable wingman. She’ll take it. What are his plans? He says he needs to find a job, and she suggests he revisit an old dream. He says he needs a guitar, and she goes upstairs. He asks what she’s doing, but she says, nothing.

Josslyn asks if Dex wants to get out of here. She thinks she left something at Rice Plaza. Does he want to come with her? He says he’d go anywhere with her, and she tells Trina and Gio that they’ll be right back. They leave, and Gio asks, what’s that about? Trina says she has no clue.  

Molly tells Alexis that she feels like a giant weight has been lifted. Kristina is angry and TJ claims she’s trying to forget the baby. She felt alone. Alexis says, she isn’t. Molly has her. Please don’t go. Molly says, okay, but Kristina… and Alexis says, they can’t live in fear about how Kristina is going to react. Besides, she feels alone. She misses Molly’s sister so much, it hurts. Molly says, so does she, and Alexis says, so stay. Molly agrees, and Alexis says she loves her. Molly says she loves Alexis too, and Alexis says she likes the sound of that.

Sonny says, now that Phyllis has moved back to Nixon Falls (thanks for finally telling us), Charlie’s has no owner, but Kristina says, he’s the owner. He says he needs someone to run it, but she says, he knows how to run a restaurant. He says, if he takes an active interest, the Feds will assume it’s a front, and she asks if he’s saying that he wants her to run it. He says he wants her to own it. She needs to focus on a challenge, something she’s excited about. She says she doesn’t think she can be excited right now, but he says, if she doesn’t move forward, she can get locked in her pain. She says, he doesn’t have to give her a restaurant to occupy her time, and he tells her that if she says no, from a business perspective, he’ll have to sell and he’d rather not. She asks if he’s saying she’d be doing him a favor, and he says, big time. What does she say?

In Rice Plaza, Josslyn says she thought Dex could use a break from the holiday reminders, and he says he’s not a Christmas hater, but it’s hard thinking about his parents. She says, he’s amazing. Look what he’s been through and look at him now. Her boyfriend, the police officer. He says he’s glad she was still here when he figured himself out, and she says, they’ll make great Christmas memories. Starting now. She takes out some mistletoe, holds it over their heads, and they kiss.

Still kissing, they go into Dex’s apartment. They get busy and there’s a song part. We see the mistletoe on the floor.

Kristina says she doesn’t know if she can focus, and Sonny says she has nothing to focus on. Work can be a lifeline, a way to change and make change in the world. She says, with a gastropub? and he says, it can be whatever she wants it to be. He knows she fought hard to get justice for Adela. Now it’s time to take care of herself. At least think about it. She says she will, and he says, seriously. She says, deal, and they shake hands.

Molly asks Alexis not to push her and Kristina to make up, and Alexis promises to respect Molly’s boundaries and not push. Molly says, no, oops, I invited Kristina over and forgot you were living here, and Alexis says, if Kristina doesn’t want to come over, she’ll meet her someplace else. Molly asks if her dad is allowed to visit, and Alexis says, fine. Just tell her and she’ll be someplace else. She’s happy to take care of her little girl. Molly says, they’ll take care of each other.

Laura says she should have kept a closer eye on Valentin and stopped him, but Martin says, how would she know he’d go into hiding? She says, Valentin won her over. She was starting to feel sorry for him and should have been smarter. He says, outsmarting Valentin is a challenge. He’s known Valentin for years, the way an attorney knows a client, and he’s never met anyone so expert at compartmentalizing. He’s an artist at accommodating the image he wants people to see in the moment. She saw a loving father. She says she believes he loves Charlotte, and he says, he agrees. She says she believes Charlotte is the most important person in Valentin’s life, but it’s a selfish love. He chose to take her with him, but was it for Charlotte’s good? No. He couldn’t bear to be parted from her and he put his own needs ahead of hers. That’s not going to work.

Elizabeth brings down a guitar and tells Lucky that it’s Cameron’s. He wants Lucky to borrow it. Lucky says he can’t take it, and she says, yeah. It should be collecting dust. He says he detects sarcasm, and she tells him that he said guitars were meant to be played. Play something. He says, it’s been a while, and starts to play. She says, it’s one of her favorites, and he sings a song about Elizabeth. We flash back to him singing it to her when we were all babies, and they kiss. He sings, all I want is Elizabeth, and they smile.

A woman puts a contribution in Cyrus’s charity bucket, and says, bless you. You’re doing God’s work. He says, they all have to do their part, and flashes back to going into Sam’s room. He puts the digitalis into her IV bag and smooths her hair.

Told ya.

Tomorrow, Maxie asks if Sasha has made any decisions about her plans; Trina says, Josslyn is not going to believe what just happened: Michael asks if Curtis is accepting his offer to team up and take Drew down; and Lulu tells Nina to prove she loves Charlotte.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Diana and Danni check out Chase as he swabs the deck. In Gary’s interview, he says, Chase is stubborn and stuck up in his own ways – we flash back – but he’s going to try his hardest. If Chase is anything like last season, it’s going to be quite interesting. In Chase’s interview, he says he’s going to work his ass off, but instead of trying to impress Gary, he’s going to try flying under Gary’s radar. Captain Glenn calls for a preference sheet meeting, and says, the primary is Ronnie, a CEO from Chicago. It’s a field trip for her 50th birthday, and they want a floating 7-star hotel. Gary reads that they want to sail around one of the islands and see a local boat procession. Cloyce says, they want an impressive spread the first night, and Glenn says, they want midnight snacks. Daisy says, Ronnie wants a Studio 54 birthday party, and in Captain Glenn’s interview, he says he liked the 70’s. We see a picture of a young Glenn with afro hair, and he dances. Sort of.

Provisions come in, and in Diana’s interview, she says she usually dates guys who are tall and fit. Of course she has an eye on Chase. Danni asks where Chase is from, and he says, South Carolina. In his interview, he says he wants to work on acting professional. Stay away from him. He wants to behave. Danni says she’s going to bed and tells him, don’t get in trouble. In Danni’s interview, she says her prayers have been answered. She has a lot of feelings. They’re mostly under her skort. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, the last charter went well, and the guests seemed to enjoy it. We flash back to that, and he says he’s hoping to ride that high into the next charter. A 50th is a big deal and getting worse is not an option. Chase works on doing that thing where the chef makes one food look like another and turns a mango into a fried egg. In Daisy’s interview, she wonders if rooming with Gary is the right decision. She can keep an eye on him. She’s trying to get him to be better for himself. In Gary’s interview, he says he thinks if they can share living together on a boat, living in a house together will be a breeze. She tells him that he snores loud, and he asks how she’d know.

Captain Glenn approves the boat’s readiness and calls the crew to the cockpit. The guests arrive, and the captain tells them, welcome to Spain. They’re going to get out quick, so he’s handing them over to Daisy. Daisy does the tour, and the boat pulls out. The guests get excited when Daisy tells them that Danni is a master at espresso martinis. Ronnie tells her that the rule is, always focus on her. They woo! then drink. Captain Glenn tells the interior that they’re going sailing, and in his interview, he says he’s happy to have someone of Chase’s caliber on board. He’s feeling good about this. Ronnie appreciates the glassware, and I think, she’d better hang onto it, because the sails are going up. Things slide and fall. Danni shows Chase her photos on her phone, and in Diana’s interview, she says, it’s not nice. Chase scrolls Danni’s phone while Diana serves the guests.

Daisy asks Cloyce if they can serve lunch while still sailing, and he says, it’s fine. She tells the stews to do a plain table setting. As Cloyce plates, he says, sexy and delicious. Ronnie wants to know if they have to eat every meal at this table because it will be irritating. A guest asks for rosé, and Daisy can’t find any. She asks if the rosé came in, but Diana says she didn’t see it. In Daisy’s interview, she says she can’t believe she forgot to order rosé. She f***ed up. Diana finds an open bottle, and Daisy says, it’s better than nothing. She can’t think of anything more awkward. Chase tells Gary that everyone seems nice. Only good vibes. Daisy asks Captain Glenn where she can go to get rosé, and he says, do it quick. He puts the sails down, and Daisy helps Cloyce plate. He says, these are the moments they’re going to miss, plating some salad together. Anchor is dropped at Cala Compte, Ibiza, and Daisy tells Chase to drop Danni off to get some rosé when they find a restaurant. Gary puts out the seabob for the guests, while Danni tries to find someone on shore who speaks English. She radios Daisy and says, the restaurant is closed. There’s no one there, and no one speaks English. There’s nothing there. In Daisy’s interview, she says she can’t believe the store is closed. No matter what, don’t come back without the f***ing rosé. Danni asks a neighboring boat if they have rosé, but it’s a no.

A guest wants more rosé, and in Daisy’s interview, she says she can’t believe this is happening. Chase says, this looks promising, and Danni goes into a bar/restaurant. She gets the rosé, and in her interview, she says she’s so stoked. They got it done. She reckons she and Chase are a good team. They get sh*t done and still manage to have fun. They take a selfie, and in her interview, she says, all she’s been striving for, she finally got it. Daisy suggests Cloyce work on timing, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he wants the food to be perfect. He wants the communication perfect. If it goes according to plan, everything is going to be sexy. WOTD.

Danni tells Diana that Chase is hot. He winked at her, and she liked it. The guests begin dinner, and Cloyce mumbles, rock and roll, baby, as he goes up with the yellowtail. The wind picks up, and Daisy asks if the guests want to move. Daisy tells Cloyce what’s happening, while Captain Glenn entertains the guests with a literal fish story. In Daisy’s interview, she says, they’re suddenly in this situation while they’re moving. We usually find a lull, but Glenn isn’t lulling. It’s the longest story about a fish of all time. Cloyce is annoyed, and in his interview, he says, Daisy claimed she was the greatest. Now would be a good time to enact those decades of knowledge. Tell him when the guests aren’t at the table. The guests ask how old Cloyce is, and he says, 22. He tells them that they don’t look a day over 25. Danni bitches to Daisy about Cloyce, and in her interview, Daisy says, Cloyce wants communication from her, but he’s not willing to give her the same. The communication is one-sided.

Captain Glenn wonders why the meal took so long, and Daisy says, some people don’t understand communication. He tells her not to let it get to her. They’ll solve it after dinner. When the guests find out Cloyce is 22, they decide they failed with their kids. They’re super amazed at Cloyce. They dessert is brought up and it looks like a fried egg on shredded cheese. Guest Tammy pronounces it spectacular. Danni massages Chase’s shoulders, and he says she has the hands of a carpenter. Daisy tells Cloyce that if he has a problem with timing, speak to her, not the girls. It helps if he shares what he needs. He apologizes for snapping at the girls, and she says, it’s not for her; it’s for him. Her service is great, but he needs to make the timing so that the guests aren’t sitting awkwardly. Did they reach the same conclusion? He says he thinks so, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, this isn’t how she expected it to go, but she’s glad they’re on the same level. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, Daisy’s intensity is attractive. She’s yelling, but he’s not paying attention. It’s easy to get lost in her smile and eyes. Okay. So he’s into women yelling at him.

Cala Compte, Ibiza. Anchor is home, and Chase asks if Diana needs help. He helps put on napkin rings, and she asks how he’s getting along. He says, swimmingly, and in Chase’s interview, he says, Diana is tricky to read. She and Danni are both stunning. This isn’t meant to offend, but really? They’re both good looking girls, but stunning is a bit of a stretch. Although Diana does look stunning when she’s dressed up. Chase says, all of his plans to just be single and do his job, his plans are in trouble. Guest Melanie wants sweetened coffee, but more sweet than coffee, and makes Daisy run back and forth no less than five times. In Daisy’s interview, she says she still can’t catch a break. The sexiest breakfast porn ever comes out, but Melanie still isn’t satisfied with her pseudo coffee and asks for tea. In her interview, Daisy says she can’t even. They need to get the tender and bring Melanie to Starbuck’s. The guests jump in the water, and suddenly, Ronnie wails. She’s been stung by a jellyfish. Captain Glenn brings antiseptic, and Daisy gets ice. Ronnie cries that her leg is on fire, and the captain tells Davide to grab the stinger easy and pull it out or kill it with alcohol. Ronnie says, it’s getting increasingly painful, and in Captain Glenn’s interview, he says, jellyfish sometimes leave a piece of the stinger, and it continues to release venom. They need to get it out. Davide says, it looks like it’s quite in there, but he gets it out with tweezers. Captain Glenn says, it’s going to hurt for a bit, and Ronnie says she’ll suck it up. She’s a better man than I am. I’d probably be a big baby.

In the crew mess, Chase says, the crew must be on their best behavior. He hasn’t heard any awful stories. Daisy says, Danni hooked up with Gary and almost had a thing with Keith, and in Danni’s interview, she asks if Daisy is trying to put something in Chase’s head. She tells Chase that nothing happened with Keith and Gary was a one-time thing. She leaves, and Diasy follows her. She tells Danni that she’s sorry. She shouldn’t have started anything, but everyone knows. Danni says she chose to forget, and Daisy jokes that she’s here to remind Danni. In Danni’s interview, she says, it’s petty sh*t. Why is Daisy telling him that? There’s no f***ing need. She tells Daisy, what the f***?

Next time, Ronnie acts like an ass about her birthday; and Diana says, Danni knows what she’s doing. What the f***?

❄️ Kisses From Heaven…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a dose of reality. Until then, stay safe, stay extending grace to others, and stay moving forward when your heart is broken, or you can get locked in your pain.

December 2, 2024 – Lulu Finds Out How Long She’s Been Gone, Gary’s Actions Lead To Punishment On Deck & Boudoir

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Drew sees Jason at the boathouse, and Jason says, there’s something Drew needs to hear. It’s important.

Ric is alone in the courtroom when Alexis comes in. She asks if he’s proud of himself.

Sonny brings Kristina to Alexis’s house, and she asks how bad she was on the stand. He says he doesn’t know. They have to wait and see what the jury thinks. She tells him not to be like mom and make it seem better than it is. She needs him to be honest and tell her how she did.

Back home, Molly thanks TJ for coming to court, and he says he knew it would be hard for her. She says, there were times she wanted to run out, but she needed to hear it all. After hearing Kristina and Ava’s versions, she’s come to terms with it all being just a horrible, tragic accident. He says, she doesn’t really believe that, does she?

Laura and her assistant Darcy are in Laura’s apartment working, when Lucky comes in. He asks for a few minutes alone with Laura, and she tells Darcy to take a break. Darcy goes in the back, and Lucky tells Laura that Lulu is awake.  

Rocco and Lulu hug, and she doesn’t even say ouch. She’s tough.

TJ says, an accident is a sprained ankle or a fender bender, not going out of your way to confront someone dangerous who would put their hands on a pregnant woman. Molly says she agrees that Kristina was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it was her choice, but she doesn’t believe Ava pushed her. He says, it’s easier to call it an accident and move on, but she says, every day has been excruciating. She can’t see a mother with her baby without crying and feels the loss constantly. He asks how he would know since she’s been avoiding him, and she says, that’s not fair. They’ve been avoiding each other. He says, clearly, they have a lot to get off their chests.

Ric suggests Alexis take the fact that she’s not in jail as a win and go home, and she says she’s curious. Did it make him feel good? Did it turn him on to terrorize a grieving mother? Who is he? What happened to him? He’s obviously getting revenge on his brother through his brother’s daughter. He’s sick and morally bankrupt. How does he sleep? He says, very well. He did his best to defend his client. The fact that it pisses her and Sonny off is a bonus. She says, Kristina is his daughter’s sister, and he says he knows, but Alexis is living in denial, consistently favoring Kristina over Molly. She pretends Kristina isn’t a trainwreck and she wasn’t wrong for wanting custody of the baby or confronting Ava. She says she’s sure Kristina didn’t go there knowing Ava was going to shove her out a window, and he says, but she did it anyway. Even when the truth is in front of Alexis’s face, she can’t realize it. It’s pathetic, even for her.

Sonny says, Kristina did great, but Kristian says she blew it. She let Ric get to her. He says, she was honest and raw, and the jury saw her pain and will respond to that. He hates that she’s going through this, losing Adela, being arrested, and now the trial. The only reason she was in Ava’s room was because of his and Ava’s custody fight. She says, it’s not his fault, and he says, and it’s not hers. If a jury can’t see that she’d to nothing to hurt her baby, it’s their fault. She says, even if they do see it, they might not find Ava guilty, and she needs Ava to pay for what she did to her daughter. Sonny says, that’s what they all want.

Drew tells Jason that he has nothing to say, and Jason says, then just listen. It’s about the kids. Danny, Rocco, and Scout are close. It’s not a good idea to split them up. He’s going to move into the main house with Danny. Drew says, absolutely not (like it’s his house), but Jason says he’s already spoken to Monica. Drew says, then he guesses he and Scout are moving to DC sooner than expected. Carly arrives and says, Drew is moving and taking Scout? Drew says, yes.  

Laura is all excited and asks how Lucky knows. Did Turning Woods call him? Why didn’t they call her? He says, they tried, and she says she has to get down there, but he says, Lulu isn’t there anymore.

Rocco says he knew Lulu would come back. He never gave up on her. She looks him over and says, he’s so tall. She can’t believe how much he’s grown. He says, she looks exactly the same, and hugs her again. She backs up and asks how long she’s been gone. He says, she’s been in a coma for four years, and she says, he’s not a little boy anymore. He’s 15. He’s a teenager and so handsome. She’s so sorry she’s been gone so long. He says, it’s not her fault, and she promises to make up for the time. They’ll never be separated again. He says, when he thought about her, he had trouble remembering her voice. It’s good to hear. He wanted to be the first face she saw when she opened her eyes. She says she’s here now. They’re going to spend so much time together, he’ll be sick of her. He says, that will never happen, when Dante walks in.

Carly says, there has to be a better solution than Drew moving away with Scout, and Drew says, it’s not about the fight. She asks, then why is he leaving? and Jason says he’s moving into the Quartermaines to be with Danny. Dante agreed it was best for the kids to be together. Drew says, the second Jason moves in, he and Scout will be gone.

Molly tells TJ that she’s sorry she doesn’t seem devastated, but she always will be. It was easier to talk to other people. TJ says, so she was talking, just not to him, and she says she’s sorry. He says, him too. Losing a child is the hardest thing for a couple to go through. He wonders what that says about him, and she says she’s not questioning his love. She never doubted his love, but their grief took separate paths. He cries and says, but she won’t talk to him and she’s the only person who loves Irene like he does. She says she can’t. It hurts too much. He says, it hurts too much not to.  

Laura asks where Lulu is, and Lucky says, it will be easier for her to understand if she looks at this. He shows her the video on his phone, and she says, amazing. She prayed for this for so long. Lulu looks determined. She just walked out? He says, nobody knows where she is, and Laura says, she’s probably trying to come back to Port Charles, to come back home.

Lulu says, long time, no see, and almost falls, but Dante catches her. He says, they should go to the hospital and have her checked out, but she says, the last time she did that, she stayed for four years. Dante and Rocco help her to the sofa, and she says she had quite a journey to get here. Dante asks Rocco to get her something to eat, and Rocco leaves. Dante says he can’t believe she’s here and talking. She’s back. She says, I’m back.

TJ says he wants to be able to talk with Molly again. It’s terrifying not to know what she’s thinking.

On the phone, Laura puts out a BOLO alert on Lulu. She tells them to search the entire area from Turning Woods to Port Charles. Her daughter just had a major operation and could possibly be disoriented or weak. She tells Lucky that they’re sending an officer, and he says, sometimes it pays to be mayor. Did she authorize Cyrus to speak for the family about Lulu’s care? She says, what? and he says, that’s what the administrator told him and Elizabeth.

Dante asks how Lulu got here, and she says she hitchhiked. He says, that was dangerous, and wonders why the doctors didn’t call. She says they didn’t know she was awake, and he asks her to start from the beginning. She says, the first thing she remembers is waking up, probably a few days ago. Then she heard Cyrus’s void. He told the staff that he was her uncle and he’d be making decisions about her care. She knew she had to get away from Cyrus. He says, there’s something she should know. Cyrus is her uncle. He’s her mom’s half-brother. She says, no way, and he says, Cyrus and her mom have the same father. Cyrus went to jail, supposedly found God, and is now a man of peace. She says, but he’s not buying it, and he says, no, and he doesn’t think her mom does either. She told the doctors to keep Cyrus away from her. Lulu tells him that Cyrus said he was moving her to a care facility in South Carolina, and he asks again how she got here. She says she told him. She hitchhiked. Then he told her it was dangerous, but obviously, nothing happened.

Carly tells Jason and Drew to take a breath. It makes sense for Jason to move in to keep the kids together. They need to be together. Drew agrees, but says, it’s his job to protect Scout. He doesn’t want her around Jason’s reckless behavior and the danger he poses in working for Sonny. Carly says, they promised Sam that they’d co-exist. This isn’t about what makes them comfortable. It’s what Sam wanted, for the two of them to put the children first.

Kristina says, Sonny’s not telling her that revenge doesn’t solve anything, and he says he already made it clear. Revenge doesn’t solve anything, and anger can keep it going. She says, that’s how she feels. Needing to see Ava punished is the only thing getting her out of the house. He says, the desire for revenge and a thirst for justice is one hell of a motivator. If that’s what it takes for her to keep her head above water, he’s not going to take it away. He’s going to tell her to embrace it.

Alexis says she’s not taking parenting advice from someone who locked a pregnant woman in a panic room for weeks. Ric hasn’t seen his own kid in years. He says, Molly thinks he’s a great parent, and Alexis says she’s not his witness. She’s not required to take him seriously. He says, as long as it gets under her skin, he’s fine with it, and she says she can’t decide who she hates more, him or Ava. He says, she hated Ava since before she lost her legal license, but if she looks at it objectively, it’s 100% true that what happened to Kristina was a horrible, tragic accident, nothing more.

Molly says, it’s too much. She’s in full-on survival mode and just trying to get through the day. She can’t think about becoming a parent again. He says, she’s avoiding the real conversation. He knows when she’s not telling him something. Say what she needs to. She says she doesn’t want another child.

Laura says she told Cyrus to stay away, and Lucky says, clearly, he didn’t listen. The surveillance video shows Lulu sneaking around and pulling a fire alarm so she could escape. Laura says she’s proud of Lulu. It’s a Spencer move. He says, the only reason she must have done it was because she felt she was in danger.

Lulu says she heard a nurse say they were going to have a busy night, and figured it was her only chance. She pulled the fire alarm and snuck out. She stole some clothes and made her way to the road, flagging down the first car she saw, then hitchhiked to Port Charles. He asks if she came straight to the Quartermaines, but she says she went to her house. She guesses it’s not her house anymore. There was a little boy there who she accidentally scared. He says, Maxie lives there now, and she says, that was James? She laughs and says she can’t wait to see Maxie. He says, she’s going to be happy. Where did she go after that? She says, here. She knew Tracy would be honest with her. She came in and saw Rocco, their beautiful, sweet little boy. He’s not a boy anymore, but he’s still as sweet as the day she left. She takes Dante’s hand and says, he’s done a good job raising him. He says he did his best, but she’s Rocco’s mom. There’s no replacing her. She asks why they’re at the Quartermaines, and he says, they’re staying here for a while. He’ll tell her more another time. She says, no way. How did she end up in a coma?

Sonny says he hates that Kristina is going through this. She’s strong, proud, and determined. She stood up for herself, and people love that. She says she learned it from him, and he asks if she’s given more thought to the job he offered. (I miss something here. Sorry.)

Alexis asks if Ric expects her to by sympathetic to the woman responsible for her grandchild’s death, and he says, she’s not the only one who lost someone. She might hate Ava, but Ava isn’t capable of pushing a pregnant woman out of a window. She says, they’ll have to agree to disagree. Some people are capable of anything. She learned that when she found out her husband was sleeping with her daughter. He says, that’s not the same as murder, and she says she’s glad she can still be surprised at how viciously treated her daughter. She’s shocked at how indecent he is. He says he did what he needed to give his client the best defense, and she says she doesn’t think he understands. That’s what she does for a living, but he didn’t have to eviscerate a grieving mother who just buried her own daughter and sister – a daughter she carried for his daughter. He’s a horrible father, but what’s worse is, he’s an unforgivable human being. When he puts his head on the pillow tonight, think about that. She storms out.

Molly tells TJ that she’d love to want to be, but she can’t be a parent. Anything but that. He says he doesn’t know how to see a future for them if they don’t have kids, and she says she doesn’t see one where they do.

Jason says he’s going to be here. What happens with Scout is up to Drew. Carly says, if this vendetta continues, they’ll pass it to their kids. Danny is happy that Jason is back in his life, and Drew is a hero to Scout. It’s only a matter of time before they feel like they have to pick sides. Do they want the kids hating each other? If Sam was here, she’d say the same damn thing. They’re different, but they’re both good men and great fathers. Do this for the kids, but more important, do it for Sam.

TJ says he was afraid of this. He wanted to give Molly space to grieve the way she needed to, but there was too much space between them. Molly says she feels the same, and he says he can’t imagine life without her. She says her either, but where does that leave them?

Dante asks if Lulu remembers what happened that night, and she says, it’s like she can picture the night, but there’s a haze around it. He asks if she remembers going to the Floating Rib, and she says, yes. Dustin asked her to marry him, then everything went dark… There was an explosion. Dustin was killed. Dante told her. She didn’t even get to go to the funeral or say goodbye. He says, they didn’t know it, but she’d gotten hit in the head, and she fell into a coma. He’s angry at himself for not getting her checked out. That’s why he wants to take her to the hospital now, so they don’t make the same mistake. She says she’s fine. It’s not like last time. She’s just overwhelmed. Rocco comes back and says he’s got her favorite, turkey and Swiss with mayo, just on one side. She says, he remembered, and he says he remembers everything about her. She says, he’s grown up so much, and Rocco says, Maxie was with her all the time. She says she wondered who gave her the manicure. She can’t wait to see Maxie. It feels so good to be back with her boys. Danny listens from outside the door.

Alexis comes home and says she’s glad Sonny is here. She was at the courthouse. She had some business to take care of. How is Kristina? Kristina says she’s actually okay, and Alexis says she thought Kristina would be upset, but she seems relaxed, like she’s come to terms with it. Kristina says she talked to dad and feels that no matter what the outcome, she’ll be able to find peace. Alexis hugs her.

Drew says he and Scout will stay if Jason gives him his word, no more violence. Jason says he will not be the one to break the peace, and Drew guesses that’s as good a promise as he’s going to get from Jason.  Carly says, it will be good for the kids and them. They’ll see.

TJ comes out with a suitcase and says he’s going to stay somewhere else tonight. They can both use space. Molly says she’s sorry. She wishes things were different. He says him too, and goes to the door. He looks back at her and leaves. She goes to the door, cries, turns her back, and slides down. He drops his bag and does the same thing on the other side. 

Laura tells Lucky to stay at the apartment in case Lulu shows up. Stay positive and pray everything is okay. Lucky says, it’s Lulu they’re talking about. She’s given them one miracle tonight. She’s back. They hug, and Laura says, our girl is back.

Rocco says he knows Lulu is here, but part of him is thinking it’s a dream. Lulu hugs him and says she’s just a little sore. Dante suggests she get checked out, and Lulu says, there’s a question she’s been meaning to ask. She has a bandage and a scar. Why? Rocco says, she had a liver transplant, and she asks, what was wrong with her liver? but Dante says he thinks she’s had enough for today. Danny slips away, and Dante says, there’s a lot to tell her. She missed a lot. She says she can wait for explanations, but first, there’s something they need to do for her.

Tomorrow, Laura says, if anything happens to Lulu, she’s holding Cyrus responsible; Lulu tells Lucky to stop saying that; Natalia says, it was the least she owed Sonny’s daughter; and Jason says he’s not going to tell somebody something.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

There’s blood everywhere on the white couch from Gary slinging a Chupa Chups lollipop at Davide and hitting him in the eye. Gary says, it’s not his fault, and Daisy sees the mess. She says, they’ll put Varnish on it and let it sit overnight. I assume that’s a brand name of some cleanser, and not shellack. Gary blames Davide for getting blood on the couch, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, there’s not much they can do at 2 am. They’ll attack it in the morning. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Gary has zero remorse, and she’s pissed. Diana says she loves that the person who did it doesn’t care, and Danni sprays the couch. In Danni’s interview, she says, what the f***? He’s in charge, but Gary’s not giving a f***. She’s waiting for Daisy to snap out of her wine phase. She thanks Davide for saying he’s sorry, and Davide gets in the hot tub. Gary says, the whole thing is a vibe killer. Danni wonders why Keith always has an excuse not to flirt, and in her interview, she says, he always has a weird dig at her. Gary wonders why he had two tequilas, and says he thinks Daisy is sexy. Danni says she’s hoping the new deckhand is a boy. The boys at O Beach are so much better than what they have. Keith says, thank God, Glenn is coming, so he doesn’t have to talk to that f***ing girl.  

3:30 am. Daisy rolls out of bed and sees the mess. She tells Captain Glenn that they need carpet cleaner. Someone hurt themselves. In Daisy’s interview, she says, it’s not good, and the worst part is that it’s not her fault, but it comes down to her to figure it out. She’s dealing with morons. The captain sees the couch and says, what the f*** is this? Daisy says, blood from last night. It’s not from her. She’s not in that category. He asks why it hasn’t been cleaned. It’s a massive f*** up and he’ll deal with it later. Get in their uniforms. In the captain’s interview, he says, it’s disrespectful to the boat, the guests coming in, and him. It’s like a slap in the face. The crew is misinterpreting his kindness for weakness. If they think they can get away with it, they’re not. He tells the crew that they’re having a meeting, and Daisy says, Gary is such a knob. Gary asks if everything is okay, and Captain Glenn says, no. Daisy says, their roughhousing bullsh*t isn’t funny, and the crew sits in the saloon. Captain Glenn says he’s obviously disappointed to see something like that. It’s the crew’s night off, but if they can’t get it out, what impact will it have on the guests and what cost to the boat? How did it happen? Davide says, it was an accident. They were playing and he got a Chupa Chups in the eye. The captain asks what they were doing in here, and Danni says, she told Gary multiple times, but Gary says he doesn’t remember. Daisy says, they put Varnish on it, and Captain Glenn says, they destroyed the sofa then went to bed? It’s disrespectful to the boat and f***ing stupid. If they’re not capable of taking care of the boat, wake him up. He wouldn’t be sleeping for 8 hours with that going on. Daisy says she’s sorry. She wasn’t thinking clearly. The captain says, there was a fun day planned, but it’s not happening. They were supposed to go to the caves. He’s going, but they’re going to stay and clean up the f***ing boat.

Captain Glenn says, if they have time left, they can still go to the club. Get to work. Davide tells Danni that he’s sorry, and in Danni’s interview, she says, the one thing she wanted was to go to O Beach. Everyone knows why. We flash back to Anthony, and she says, if she doesn’t get to go, she wants to cry. Daisy says she wishes she’d taken it more seriously. Gary is f***ing up everything. Captain Glenn leaves, and the stews do the baking soda/vinegar method. I can vouch for the fact that it’s absolutely amazing at getting stains out. Look it up on YouTube. Daisy says, they’ve gotten out espresso martinis, fake tan, and makeup. They have to be able to get this out. Gary says he’s sorry. He was stupid. Davide says he’s sorry too, and Daisy says she wasn’t thinking last night. In Gary’s interview, he says he let the crew down, especially Glenn. Who’s the culprit? Him. Stop drinking, Gary. Daisy asks the stews to do the master cabin and the bar while they let the solution sit, and Gary tells Danni that he’s taking full responsibility. He tells Diana that he went one step too far, and he’s sorry everyone has to pay for his stupidity. In Diana’s interview, she says, f*** you and your fake apology. Gary does what he wants and doesn’t think of anyone else. Up until five minutes ago, he wasn’t owning up to anything.

Captain Glenn goes to the caves where he meets tour guide Joseph. Joseph tells him that the temperature is always -20 and the caves are 100,000 years old and were formed by the Pope. In the captain’s interview, a producer asks if he’d live in a cave, and he says he did in the 80s in Crete. A room was 10 bucks, but a cave was free. He lived in it for a month with some friends, and there was another cave where some nurses lived nearby who they would invite over. On the boat, Gary apologizes to Daisy, and she suggests he make a poignant effort. He makes a good apology, but he’s not changing. Glenn has a beer with Joseph and by the time he gets back, the couch looks good. Danni says, it’s as good as it going to get, and the captain examines it. He walks through the crew mess where everyone is eating, and Davide says, they’ll see what happens next. Captain Glenn, Gary, and Daisy look at the couch, and the captain says, it’s not perfect. He wants to look around the rest of the boat, and Danni says, don’t get your hopes up. Glenn calls everyone upstairs.

Captain Glenn asks, what have we learned? and Davide says, respect the boat even when you’re not working. The captain says, 100%. They may not have meant it, but they allowed it to happen. If they can’t handle their alcohol, don’t drink. Use their heads. It’s a helluva lot better, but not perfect. No more f***Ing around. He expects more from Gary and Daisy because they’re leaders. They can still go to the club. He wants them to have fun together off the boat. In Danni’s interview, she says she’s going to get her man to get her the f*** away from these a-holes. Captain Glenn says, never again, and everyone agrees. Keith says he needs 10 mimosas and a packet of chips, and everyone gets dressed. Daisy makes Gary wear a pink sash as punishment, and the girls take one taxi while the guys take another. Anthony meets them when they get there. In Davide’s interview, he says, it’s a good way to take the pressure away. He’s ready with party vibes and to have a twerk. He thinks he’s pretty good. He demonstrates and… well…

Glenn gets a text from the new deckhand saying his flight is booked and thanks for thinking of him. In Diana’s interview, she says she hates that she’s shy. She thinks it started when she was little, presenting things in school. It led to overthinking people judging her. She needs Danni to be the best wingwoman ever. Gary wants to go swimming, and Daisy hugs Keith. She says she’s in her absolute element. She loves this weather. Keith says he’s glad they’re here, and in his interview, he says he likes Daisy. She’s got a great sense of humor and she’s gorgeous. She’s got a more successful career and she’s a senior officer, so he’s feeling it out and playing it safe. Gary comes by to bother them, and Anthony bottle serves Danni. She says she’s now a guest, and he tells her that she can make demands. In Danni’s interview, she says, he’s giving what she was missing from Gary. He flirts and he’s engaging. She’s been stuck in a desert and she’s ready to climb in and get wet. She says she’s going for a swim, and Anthony makes an executive decision to join her.

On the boat, Captain Glenn gets in a bubble bath. Diana tells Daisy that she’s shy, and Daisy thinks they’re similar. Danni and Anthony kiss, and Diana says, Danni is leading the life. She’s shy as hell. It’s time to go, and Anthony decides to come with Danni. Danni asks Daisy if it’s okay, and Daisy says she doesn’t care. In the taxi, Diana says, Danni is having sex and she’s not, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he smells a little jealousy. When they get back, Daisy goes to bed, and Danni and Anthony jump into the water from the side of the boat. Keith asks why Daisy is in bed, and she says she’s exhausted. He says, she’s the only fun person here. Captain Glenn watches Predator, while Gary tries to get Daisy to come out. When she won’t, he says, love you, but f*** you, and Keith suggests he leave. Danni and Anthony sneak into the master cabin.  

Igy Marina – 7 hours to charter. Danni tells Anthony that she’s going to put him on Trip Advisor. Don’t get caught by the captain. He leaves, and in Danni’s interview, she says, thank God. Finally. It’s definitely a win for her. She tells Daisy that when she gets another man’s attention, Gary doesn’t know what to do. Desperation at its finest. Gary says he doesn’t know what to do, and Daisy asks if he remembers yesterday. He has fun, but then gets to a point where he hates everyone. He was making fun of Danni in the taxi when she was speaking to Anthony. He says he doesn’t remember. He doesn’t know when to stop. Daisy suggests he try not drinking, and in his interview, he says he doesn’t like blacking out, but he drinks to get drunk. We flash back to some of his drunken escapades, and he says he’s not drinking more than normal. He needs to learn to control it. It changes who he is for the worse. He realizes it’s a problem, but he keeps doing it.

Captain Glenn checks out the couch and says, they dodged another bullet. He calls Gary and Daisy to the wheelhouse and says, they got a new deckhand. It’s someone who knows the boat and they know him. It’s Chase. In Gary’s interview, he says, f***, and in Daisy’s interview, she says the same thing. Gary says, he’s a hell of a hard worker, but he thinks he knows more than he does. Daisy says, he’s very excited, like a puppy, and we flash back to that. The captain tells Daisy to get a cabin ready, and in his interview, Gary says, Chase is difficult to work with. He doesn’t like taking directions.  

Gary says he hates Chase, but he’s a good worker, and Captain Glenn tells him and Daisy to handle the cabin situation however they want to. Diana pumps Danni for information, and Danni says, it was beautiful, great, and phenomenal, but not great to clean up after being in the master. In Daisy’s interview, she says, there’s three girls and five guys. She doesn’t want to make the boys move and she doesn’t want to share with Cloyce. They’d kill each other. She and Keith have a flirtation, so it would be weird. That leaves Gary. In Danni’s interview, she says, it’s a bad idea. The worst part is, she can hear them through the wall. She doesn’t know if they’ll make love or war, but she doesn’t want to hear it. She tells Keith that he’s the most chill of all the boys, and he tells her, that’s the nicest thing she’s said to him all season. Danni and Anthony text, and in Gary’s interview, he says he’s worked with Daisy for four seasons, but sharing a cabin is different. They get along, but they always fight. They’ve had the weirdest relationship. Daisy says she’s anxious with a bit of apprehension. She has a lot of feelings going on. Chase comes up the walk, and in his interview, he says, it’s Britney, baby. I’m back. He’s definitely most nervous to see Gary. They butted heads last season, but he has a plan. He’s going to do things Gary’s way when he’s looking, and when Gary isn’t looking, he’ll do things the right way.

Diana asks if he’s cute, and Danni says, he’s tall and has tattoos. In Diana’s interview, she says, who turned off the A/C? and she and Danni greet Chase. He goes to see Captain Glenn, then introduces himself around. Danni says, things just got interesting. Chase bro hugs Gary, who says he’s glad to see Chase. In Chase’s interview, he says he doesn’t know if he’s saving them or the other way around. It’s costing him $40K to fix his boat. He wants to watch the captain and pick up some things. He’s not looking for a boatmance and wants to be dependable, a leader, and not say anything dumb. Gary says, boats are expensive, but Chase says, they’re worth it. Diana checks out Chase’s ass and asks if he’s Danni’s type. Danni says she wouldn’t say no, and in Danni’s interview, she says, when she wants something, she’ll fight to the death. In Diana’s interview, she says, step aside. Give her a chance. Danni says she’s been waiting all season for a hot guy, and Diana says, it’s her time to shine. Danni says she wants to climb him like a tree, and Diana says, welcome to the war.  

Later this season, Daisy says, we’re all going to burn at the stake; Daisy asks if Chase would make out with Diana or Danni; a drag makeover; Danni kisses Chase; Captain Glenn says he doesn’t want to take their tip, but they broke the rules and they’re getting upset; and Gary asks if Daisy can see them in a relationship.

🌲 The Spring Of Genius…

Come back tomorrow for soap and what’s watchable (or not). Until then, stay safe; stay not letting the media pressure you during the holiday season; and stay not throwing lollipops at your co-workers when you’re drunk.

November 25, 2024 – Michael Records Drew’s Double-Cross, Bye-Bye-Bye, More Capable Deckhand Needed On Deck, Traveling & Song

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Michael is in the living room when Drew comes in. His phone rings, and Michael asks if he’s going to answer it. Drew says, it’s Curtis. He’ll call back. Michael asks if they’ve talked today, but Drew says, not yet, and thanks Michael for agreeing to meet with him. They have urgent matters to discuss.

At the boxing gym, Curtis leaves a message for Drew to give him a call as soon as he can. It’s important. He flashes back to Michael saying that Drew is going to double-cross him after Drew is squared away in DC.

As soon as the attending nurse is gone, Lulu sits up and rubs her legs. She puts her feet on the floor and leans on the bed while working her feet.

Sonny, Alexis, and Kristina stand outside the courtroom, and Alexis asks if Kristina is nervous. Sonny says, she’ll be great, and Kristina says she just wants it over so Ava can pay for the baby’s death. Alexis tells her to keep her composure, stay calm, and don’t let Ric rattle her. Molly and TJ arrive, and Molly says, Kristina’s got this.

Josslyn and Trina enter the courtroom, and Ava smiles at Trina. Trina sits down, and Gio comes in and sits with Josslyn on the opposite side. Everyone comes in from the hallway, and the bailiff says, all rise. Court is now in session. The judge tells them to be seated and announces that it’s The People of the State of New York versus Ava Jerome. Sonny stares at Ric.

Jordan walks into the gym and Curtis says he’s working out his frustrations. She asks if he wants to talk, and he says he could use a sounding board. She says, sound away, and he says he has reason to believe someone he trusts is keeping a secret from him. It involves someone important to her. She asks, who? and he says, Drew.

Drew says, Jason didn’t explain the reason behind attacking him, but it’s no surprise. He was wondering if Michael could shed light on the situation. Did Michael tell Jason that he and Willow kissed? Michael says he did, but he didn’t know Jason would come after Drew. Drew says he believes it. Violence is more Jason’s speed, Michael says, Jason is protective of him, and Drew says he hopes he and Michael are able to work it out, and not drag others into it. Michael says, usually he’d confide in Willow, but this time, he couldn’t, and Drew says, it’s his fault (agreed) and he’s sorry (debatable). He knows it’s hard, but if Michael wants to talk, he will. If they’re going to get past it – and he hopes they can – they need to have a truthful conversation, one that neither one of them are looking forward to. Michael says, about what? and Drew says. Willow.

Lulu exercises her feet and gingerly walks across the room. She catches herself on the sofa and sits. She hears Cyrus at the desk saying, Turning Woods was a good choice for Lulu’s short-term care, but he was able to find a better long-term care facility in South Carolina. Lulu’s mother is in sync with his plans. The doctor says he’ll need written permission from Lulu’s mother, and Cyrus says, of course (🍷). When Lulu is ready to be moved, he’ll have his sister sign off on it. The doctor lets Cyrus into Lulu’s room, where she’s back in bed, still pretending to be in a coma. Cyrus tells Lulu, he’s here now. Don’t worry. He’ll take care of her.

DA Turner says, here they have a tragedy so devastating, it’s hard to talk about. An innocent baby is dead, leaving the world before she had a chance to take her first breath. The loss was compounded because it didn’t need to happen. The baby’s death was not natural. She was murdered. When the jury is presented with the evidence, it will show how the defendant Ava Jerome violently attacked and shoved an 8 months pregnant Kristina Corinthos-Davis through a window with such force, it shattered the window, Kristina plunging three stories down into the pool, where she sustained severe injuries, losing the baby. We flash back to Kristina’s fall, and the DA says, imagine the depravity, taking into account this woman’s history of dangerous behavior and the callous disregard for others. Ava’s ties to violence and organized crime are well documented. The prosecution will provide evidence and by the time they rest, there will be no doubt about Ava Jerome’s guilt. They’re here to make sure justice is served, justice for Kristina and the one person who can’t be here, innocent little Baby Irene Davis-Ashford, who is precious and deeply missed.

Ric says, before the trial is over, he’ll prove that Ava Jerome is innocent of the crime she’s been wrongly accused of. He wants them to focus on the word the DA used – tragedy. It’s beyond dispute that a tragedy occurred. A baby died and everyone involved is deeply and profoundly affected by this tragedy. But no matter how terrible, a tragedy is not necessarily a crime. The prosecution talked about his client’s past, years ago. His client has made mistakes. She’s done things she deeply regrets. But this trial is not about a long time ago. It’s about what happened on the day in question, and if at the end, they believe Ava, with intent, pushed Kristina out a window. If they do, find her guilty, but he doesn’t believe they will, because he intends to prove Kristina Corinthos-Davis went to Ava’s hotel room in anger with ill intentions, and in the resulting argument, she is the one responsible for the horrible accident. He knows how hard it is to hear. It’s sad and uncomfortable, but it is also the truth Baby Irene Davis-Ashford would be alive were it not for the actions of her surrogate mother. And by the time the trial is over, they’ll know that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Drew tells Michael that he’s sorry for what happened between him and Willow. He was completely in the wrong, no excuses. Michael says he’s glad to hear Drew say that, and Drew says he hopes somehow, someday, Michael can forgive him, and they can move past it. Michael asks why he’d want to do that, and Drew says, as bad as it was, it was one time, one kiss. It happened in the moment and with a few too many drinks. No excuses. And it’s never going to be repeated. Michael asks if he’s sure, and Drew says, absolutely. Michael’s got a terrific marriage and beautiful children. Willow is committed to Michael. Don’t let a few minutes of bad judgement on his part jeopardize that. He’ll do everything in his power to make up for the damage. Let him try.

DA Turner asks what Natalia remembers, and Natalia says she was having coffee with her daughter when they heard a loud crash. They looked up and saw a woman falling, screaming. We flash back to Kristina crashing through the window, and Natalia says, it was horrible. She violently crashed through the window, and there was broken glass and pieces of the pane falling. People were screaming and the woman was face down in the pool, not moving. The lifeguard, Josslyn Jax, immediately entered the pool and gave first aid.

Gio says, Josslyn told him to grab a backboard, so he ran to get it.

Josslyn says she slowly turned the woman over and that’s when they all realized it was Kristina. She was unconscious, and her face was cut and bleeding. Josslyn learned in first aid class that if you suspect a head or neck injury, be careful moving the person. She was especially concerned because she knew Kristina was pregnant.

Natalia says, her daughter was dating Kristina, and she was hysterical. The DA asks how Kristina appeared, and Natalia says, she was cut up and bleeding. She wasn’t moving. They weren’t even sure she was breathing. They were scared she was dead until Josslyn said there was a pulse. So all they could do was watch…

Josslyn says she didn’t want Kristina to be alone, so she rode in the ambulance. At one point, Kristina regained consciousness. She told Kristina that she’d stay with her, and she was going to be okay. DA Turner asks if Kristina said anything, and Josslyn says, she asked about the baby.

Trina says, it happened so fast, and the DA asks what she did. Trina says she grabbed some towels for Josslyn to use. She looked up and saw the broken window… DA Turner asks if there’s a problem, and Trina says, no. The DA says, let her help. Trina told the officer that she looked up and saw Ava Jerome standing in the window Kristina had fallen from. Trina looks at Ava, who sort of nods, and the DA asks what Ava was doing. Trina says, looking at the pool. Then she closed the curtains. The DA asks what she thought about her boss and friend in that moment, but Ric objects. It calls for speculation. The objection is sustained, and the DA says she has no further questions. Ric asks Trina, what was the distance between her and the room? She heard the glass breaking and the scream and looked up. Correct? Trina says, yes, and Ric says, she witnessed the fall, but not who or what caused it? Trina says, yes, and he has no further questions. (Why didn’t the DA focus more on Ava closing the curtains? It seems like an odd thing to do unless you don’t want people to see something.)

Cyrus tells Lulu that he’s working on getting her transferred as soon as possible, when two nurses come in. One of them says, they need a moment alone with the patient, and he asks if it can wait. She says, unfortunately, no, but they won’t be long. Cyrus tells Lulu that he’ll be back, and leaves. The nurses talk about three new patients coming in as they tend to Lulu. They leave, and Lulu undoes all the equipment attached to her. She listens at the door, looks around, and steps out. She closes the door and goes down the hall.

DA Turner asks Dr. Navarro if she was Miss Corinthos-Davis’s OB/GYN, and the doctor says, yes. The DA asks her to tell them about Kristina’s pregnancy, and Dr. Navarro says, Kristina and the baby were healthy, and the baby was developing normally. She projected a safe, healthy delivery…

Another doctor (whose name I can’t remember) says, Kristina fell multiple stories and landed on her abdomen. The strong impact caused blunt force trauma, which led to a placental abruption, a separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, causing massive hemorrhaging. The mother and baby were in a serious condition. DA Turner asks, what happened afterward? and the doctor says, they did an emergency C-section, but unfortunately, were unable to save the baby. The DA says, in his professional opinion, what was the cause of death? He says, blunt force trauma from the fall, and the DA has no further questions. Ric says, when the doctor examined Kristina, he found her wounds to be consistent with a crash out a window. Did his observation imply any defense wounds? The doctor says, he’s not certain, and Ric says, so he can’t be sure if Kristina was pushed or attacked, and the doctor says, her wounds were consistent with the broken window. Ric says, so no bruising came from shoving, just the fall itself? but the doctor tells him, it’s impossible to say. Ric has no further questions, and the judge calls for a recess. Ava asks when Ric is going to start acting like a lawyer and save her, and he says, when the next witness is called. She says, Kristina.  

Jordan asks what makes Curtis think that Drew is keeping something from him, and Curtis says that he believes Drew is starting to be evasive. She says, that’s not like Drew, and he says, if he told her who brought it to him, she might believe it, but it has to stay between them. She says, of course (🍷), and he says, Michael told him that Drew is planning on making him CEO of Aurora and he’s going back to Wellness. Jordan says she doubts Drew would do something like that.

Michael asks how Drew is planning on making up for kissing his wife, and Drew says he’s planning on rebuilding Michael’s trust. One way is to make him permanent CEO of Aurora. Has he thought about Drew’s offer? Michael says he’d like to take Drew up on it, but before they finalize it, is Drew offering it to him solely to get back in his good graces? Drew says, it’s partially to earn Michael’s forgiveness, but they both know Michael is the perfect person for the job. Michael says, because? and Drew says, he has C-suite experience and knows the company. Michael ran the company when he was away. Michael says, what about Curtis? and Drew says, Curtis is a great friend and an amazing employee. For an interim CEO, he was perfect, but when it comes to leading the company, Michael is the company’s future, not Curtis.

Lulu peeks out a door and goes through another hallway. She opens another door slightly and hears the doctor telling the receptionist, Lulu Spencer has been cleared for transport. As soon as they get the paperwork from Cyrus, she can be moved. She could be moved as soon as tomorrow. The receptionist says, Cyrus is dedicated to his niece, and the doctor says, the mayor is lucky to have a brother who cares so much. Lulu looks pretty worried, as we all would.

Sonny says, Kristina is doing great, and Alexis says she knows how hard it is to hear. Kristina says she’s got to keep it together. It’s the only way to get Ava convicted. The judge comes back, and DA Turner calls Kristina Corinthos-Davis to the stand.

Curtis says, Drew repeatedly told him that he was happy and proud of his performance, and Jordan says, they’re probably just playing phone tag. He says, Drew did just get elected. He’s busy. He’s sure when they connect, Drew will explain.

Michael asks when Drew is going to make the announcement, and Drew says he thinks the best thing is to let Curtis know he’s a valued employee and did a great job in the interim, but lacks the experience to do it long-term. He’ll secure board approval and put his assets in a blind trust. Then Curtis will go back to Wellness with a bump in pay and Michael will take over as CEO. Michael asks how Drew thinks Curtis will handle him breaking his promise, but Drew says he implied Curtis might get the job. It was not a promise. The bottom line is, it’s his company and he can run it as he sees fit. Curtis is capable at the helm, but Michael is family, and family comes first. Michael says he’s glad to hear Drew say that, and we see that he’s recording the conversation on his phone. Drew says he would never choose Curtis.

Lulu sees a fire alarm and pulls it. The doctor says, it’s not a drill. He has to find out what’s going on. He and the receptionist leave, and Lulu goes behind the desk, taking clothing and a duffel bag out of a drawer. She goes into another room.

The DA asks how Kristina’s pregnancy came about, and Kristina says, her sister Molly and Molly’s partner TJ were trying have baby. They were struggling, so she offered to help. DA Turner says, and they agreed, and Kristina says, yes. She was happy because she knew she was giving them the thing they wanted most in the world- a baby. She knew Molly would have been and someday will be an incredible mother. She got pregnant right away. The DA asks Kristina to tell her more about navigating a healthy pregnancy, and Ric objects due to relevance. The DA says, it’s of the utmost relevance regarding Kristina’s state of mind, and the judge overrules. Kristina says, everything went well. She felt good throughout the pregnancy. She sang to the baby, ate the baby’s favorite foods, and played music. The baby was feisty. She moved a lot, especially when Kristina ate chocolate. The baby loved chocolate. She felt like she was accomplishing something special and was the happiest she’s ever been. Ric says, they know she was happy. It’s not relevant to the charges, which the prosecution is well aware. The DA asks how Kristina knew the defendant, and Kristina says, Ava and her father had a relationship and share a child together, her half-sister Avery. DA Turner says, this is going to be painful, but they need to talk about the day Kristina was injured. Kristina says she’s ready to talk what Ava did to her.

Cyrus asks if he can go back in to see Lulu, but the receptionist tells him, because of the fire alarm, they have to do a bed check on every patient. She tells him that it was a malfunction, and it happens from time to time. He says he just doesn’t like leaving Lulu alone.

Outside, Lulu changes behind a rock and finds a ponytail band in the pocket of the hoodie she’s wearing. She says, girl, thank you.

DA Turner asks Kristina, what happened on the night in question? Why was she in Ava’s hotel room? Kristina says, Ava and her father were in a custody dispute over her half-sister Avery. Ava had subpoenaed her to testify against her father, and she went to Ava’s hotel room to ask her to recall the subpoena. She told Ava that she didn’t want to testify, and she was worried about Avery watching her mother tear her family apart. Ric objects, but it’s sustained, and Kristina says she pleaded with Ava, but she refused. Ava got furious and said she’d enjoy watching Kristina testify against her father. When Kristina said she wouldn’t, she yelled and grabbed Kristina’s arm and pushed her through the window. (I guess this is the Reader’s Digest version with… let’s call them embellishments.)

Michael says, it sounds good. He and Drew have a deal. They shake hands and Drew says he’s happy. He knows it will take time, but he’s grateful for Michael meeting him halfway. Michael says he wants to set things right and he’s optimistic about Aurora’s future. Drew says, the sky’s the limit. He’s got go check in with his DC office. They’ll talk soon. He leaves and Michael retrieves his phone from the bar. He listens to it with his earbuds and says, it’s good. He calls Curtis.

Michael says he heard Curtis reached out to Drew, and Curtis says he didn’t like the position they were in after they talked. He and Drew need to have an open and honest conversation. Michael says, how’s this for open and honest? and plays the recording.

Lulu walks down the road and yells for help.

Curtis listens as Drew says, family comes first. Michael says, Drew would have never chosen Curtis over him. Does Curtis believe him now? Curtis says, yeah, and Michael says, they can change this. Will Curtis have a word with him?

DA Turner asks what Kristina remembers after the fall, and Kristina says, the next thing she remembers is the feel of the glass breaking. She knew she was falling and remembers screaming, then everything went black. The DA asks, what’s the next thing remembers? and Kristina says, coming to in the ambulance. Josslyn was there and told her that she was going to be okay. She must have passed out, because the next thing she knows, she woke up in the hospital. She was in a lot of pain and confused. She didn’t know what happened, and the doctor told her that her baby didn’t make it. She didn’t need be told. She just knew. Mother’s intuition. She could feel the baby was not inside of her anymore. That’s when she really understood why the baby wasn’t on the inside of her. She knew because Ava had pushed her through the window and killed her daughter. DA Turner says, no further questions.

Ric says he’ll be brief. Why is Kristina lying?

Tomorrow, Lucky tells Elizabeth that the sooner they have answers, the better; Sonny says he doesn’t trust Ric, and Alexis says, he shouldn’t; Ava asks if Ric is planning on defending her at any point in this trial; and Lulu tells a driver that she could use a ride.

🧼 Another One Bites the Dust…

I have to admit, I was shocked, but I understand it. Not everybody wants to play the same character for a million years.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Captain Glenn jumps out of bed, and Gary tells someone to get Emma. He also grabs Davide, and keeps yelling, hello! The captain teleports to the deck and wonders how the other boat got so close. Gary says he thinks they’re dragging. Guest Brandon comes out to investigate, and pretty soon all the guests are up and watching the action. Keith takes some of them out in the tender. Gary says, they’re going to crash into the rocks, and Captain Glenn says, they’re dragging toward them. Emma gets Daisy and Danni up, and Gary yells, get fenders! to anyone who will listen. The captain asks where Emma is, and Gary says he told her to change. Gary tells Keith to knock on the hull. Give it a hard knock. Keith bangs on the boat and Captain Glenn tells him to try the forward cabin. Finally, a dude emerges, and Keith tells him, wake up. You’re drifting. Brandon says, smells like pot, and Keith says, he’s way to calm. They’re stoned as hell. In Keith’s interview, he says, banging into a superyacht is not a bill you want to pick up. Gary says, it’s been more than enough excitement for one night. Everyone rubs their eyes, and now that they’re all wide awake, they go back to bed. Danni and Keith dry dishes, and Danni talks about tensions between her and Diana. She says, Daisy thinks things are her fault. She’s over the bad vibes. Keith says, in a team environment, it’s easy to point fingers, and in Danni’s interview, she says she thought it would be a more enjoyable experience. It’s been a dark and stressful and dry time on the boat. She just wants to act her age and have fun. Keith says, they’re all struggling.

Last day of charter. Daisy says she’s glad the charter is over, and Emma says she’s actually ecstatic. Daisy tells her not to let her insecurity push her out. Jump up to help and do something. Emma has a hard time putting the covers on the deck furniture cushions, while Captain Glenn explains what happened last night to the guests. Co-primary Sherry says she thought they were being boarded by pirates. Emma tries to hang a flag, and Gary has to show her how to do it again. He tells her to make sure it’s at the top and not half-mast. No one’s dead. Captain Glenn tells Gary, there have been a lot of close calls. It’s a struggle to properly manage people. You can’t teach motivation. Emma bitches to Danni, and Gary tells the captain that Emma can’t drive a tender. She doesn’t get it. Captain Glenn says he’ll see what he can do. Emma tells Danni that she thinks they want to get rid of her, and in her interview, she says feels Gary’s patience wearing thin and she’s stuck in No Man’s Land. Danni says, at the end of the day, if that’s what she thinks is happening, it’s Captain Glenn’s decision. Captain Glenn texts to find out the availability of deckhands. 

The food porn that is eggs benedict is paraded out, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he’s hitting his stride. He’s excited to continue to grow and push his own boundaries and culinary capabilities. Gary asks if the guests would like the rope swing, and Emma deals with a splinter in the crew mess while Diana gags while watching her. Gary calls Emma to help with the rope and does a demonstration on how to use it for the guests. Using a pokey pole, Emma is supposed to catch it to bring it back, but she can’t seem to do it. It just keeps bouncing off and she almost falls in the water. In Gary’s interview, he says, it’s quite sad, but come on. It’s not hard. The guests swing on the rope, and it looks like mega fun. Sherry says she can’t go in the water, or her hair will be a snarly mess. Danni tells Keith that she doesn’t like him when he’s in uniform. He’s mean. He says he’ll get out of it, but she says she doesn’t know if she’d trust him. When he has his belt on, he’s the rudest person she’s ever met. He’s a d*ck. In Keith’s interview, he says, Danni can dish it out, but she can’t take it. It’s got to be on her terms and he’s over it.

Anchor is home, and Keith tells Danni that he’s sorry. He didn’t think he was mean. In Danni’s interview, she says, since they’ve broken up from doing absolutely nothing, he’s been a d*ck. She’s not even trying and she’s still getting rejected. They’d be better off with staying the f*** away from each other for the rest of their lives. Emma huffs and puffs, but can’t detach the stern line from the tender. Captain Glenn asks Gary to give Emma a hand, and in Gary’s interview, he says, this shouldn’t require two people. This is taking his time, and he can’t be there for the guests or Captain Glenn if he’s showing a deckhand how to do everything little thing on the boat.

The boat heads for Igy Marina, and the guests pack. Sherry says, the crew has been magical with their fairy wands, dust, and glitter that they spread every day. Emma tells Gary that she doesn’t know what to do because he and Keith always do it. Gary instructs her, and she realizes that he did show her before. She says she’s sorry. She hasn’t done day docking in a long time. Gary tells Captain Glenn that he can kick to port, and then has to show Emma how to tie a knot that she finds confusing. He says, it’s the most basic knot, and in Emma’s interview, she says she’s frustrated with herself. It’s something she knows she can do, something she’s done before, but for some bizarre reason, she’s overthinking everything and making stupid mistakes. She cries in wheelhouse, and Davide asks, what’s wrong? She says she keeps f***ing up, and in Davide’s interview, he says, Emma is her own worst enemy. She’s so scared of messing up, it’s preventing her from doing nearly everything. She tells him that she doesn’t want to make a thing out of this and asks him not to mention it to Gary. The captain calls the crew to be on dock to give the guests a good sendoff. After all the hugs and goodbyes, co-primary Phillip says, they delivered on everything. They were treated like family and the crew will always be family. They appreciate it. He gives Captain Glenn the tip envelope, and they leave. The captain says he loves this part and blows the horn. He tells the crew, back to work.

Daisy asks what Danni and Diana thought of charter five. Any feedback or what they could improve. Danni and Diana just look at each other, and Diana says she doesn’t know. Daisy says, it was her favorite charter. They can always improve, and they could try to be quicker with the décor. Some things are taking too long and it’s annoying. She’d rather they be done quicker so they have time to chill. It’s less stressful. There’s basically no reaction, and she thanks them. In Daisy’s interview, she says, there’s a lot being said without a lot of words. In Danni’s interview, she says she doesn’t understand why she’s number one on Daisy’s target list. Daisy tells Emma that Danni and Diana are slowly starting to hate her, and Danni tells Diana that they never chill. Daisy will just ask them to do something else. In Diana’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to be involved in this situation. She needs them both. In Danni’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to be chief stew. If Daisy feels threatened, it’s not her fault. If Daisy has issues that she doesn’t want to resolve, fine. She’ll just get back to work.

The boat gets straightened up and Captain Glenn calls for the tip meeting. He says, now is when the midseason blues can kick in. Keep rising above. Cloyce knocked it out of the park for the Sweet 16 party. Always be striving. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, they should never underestimate his power. The captain says he’s not sure the deck team is firing on all cylinders, but thanks them for last night. It’s important to stay vigilant. The tip is $18K or 1722 euros each, which I might normally think is cheap, but it was a quick, no muss, no fuss charter. He thanks everyone for their efforts and champagne is poured. He says he wants to point out that the boat was in good shape after last night. He’d like to find it that way every time. Let their hair down, but clean up afterward. Sounding like Scrooge talking to Bob Cratchit, he says, they have the whole day off tomorrow. They’re going to explore local caves and he’ll be joining them. He loves caves. Then he’s leaving and they can enjoy the rest of the day at O Beach Club. In Danni’s interview, she says she’s stoked. She hopes she bumps into Anthony. His text banter is as good as his real-life banter. She reads a text that says, they have unfinished business, and he’ll see her on her next day off.

In the master suite, Gary says, Captain Glenn knows he has a problem with Emma and her lack of initiative and willingness to work. The captain says he was trying to show her things, but she was struggling with basic knots. She’s not a capable deckhand. There’s only one choice. Gary says he didn’t want it to come down to that, but he has to agree, and the captain says he’s already looking for somebody new. The dreaded conversation has to happen. In Captain Glenn’s interview, he says, Emma has had ample opportunities to prove her value, but she hasn’t taken them. Gary says he’s going to cry, and after chickening out a few times, he knocks at Emma’s cabin. He asks if they can have a chat and asks her to go to the master. Emma tells Diana that she’s getting fired.

In the master, Gary tells Emma to have a seat. Captain Glenn says he doesn’t know how to put this, but right now she’s not delivering what they need. She’s not showing the initiative and experience that’s needed to do the job. They’re having to pick up the slack and need somebody that has more skills than she’s showing. They have to let her go. Gary says, it’s not easy for him. Maybe he’s not explaining things right. Emma says she’s not going to embarrass herself more. They’ve obviously made up their minds. The captain says he likes her potential, but she says she doesn’t want to continue the conversation. She jets out of her seat and to the door, and Captain Glenn tells her to come back. She can’t run away. Emma says she really doesn’t want to right now, and leaves.

Emma tells Daisy that she’s been fired. She’s not where she needs to be. She couldn’t finish the conversation. It’s literally the most embarrassed she’s ever been. Daisy says, no. Emma is thinking the worst thing now, but sometimes they need a stronger person in a situation. Emma says she can’t have that conversation, but Daisy says, sometimes you have to hear these things. In Emma’s interview, she says, no wonder Gary couldn’t look her in the eyes. He’s a coward. She tells Daisy that she’s the scapegoat, but Daisy says she doesn’t know that unless she talks to Captain Glenn. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Emma doesn’t see her own shortcomings. Emma tells Diana and Danni what happened, and they hug her. Emma says she’s going to have a cigarette, calm down, and talk again. She asks Captain Glenn if she can have 10 minutes, and he says, absolutely. She goes out on deck.

Daisy, Danni, and Diana follow Emma, and Daisy says, she’s going to be okay. Talk to Captain Glenn. She knows Emma doesn’t want to. Emma says she’s thinking about how she’s embarrassed her parents, but Daisy says, she hasn’t done anything to embarrass herself. Danni says, she’s a legend. She’s got this. Emma goes back in and tells the captain that she’s sorry. She’s ready to carry on. On deck, Diana asks, what the f*** just happened? Captain Glenn says he feels bad, but it’s not a rash decision. She needs to get more experience. She has some good experience already, but not enough. She needs to get more. That’s it. She thanks him, and on deck, Gary calls his mom. He says he’s terrible. He had to let a chick go and she didn’t take it well. She’s lazy and lacks initiative, but maybe he needed to show or teach her better. His mom tells him to stop trying to please everyone and don’t get too drunk because he’s feeling bad. Gary tells Cloyce and Davide about Emma not being able to do her job and needing more experience. Emma says, this is not how she wanted the season to end, and in her interview, she says she feels a bit at a loss. She needs a few days to absorb it. She knows her anxiety flairs up and she needs to be better at accepting something and learning from it. She’s met amazing people, and it would have been a lot harder without the people who made her smile. She’s forever grateful. She leaves, and Gary says, what the f***? She didn’t even say goodbye.

Danni wonders who’s coming, and Diana says she doesn’t want to change cabins, but Danni says she’s hoping for a new boy. The captain calls a crew meeting, and says he wants to explain exactly what’s going on. Emma is gone. He made a choice and let her go. He liked Emma, but she wasn’t able to do her job the way they needed her to do it. In Keith’s interview, he says he has mixed emotions, shock and guilt. Emma didn’t say goodbye. Captain Glenn says he’ll find a replacement before the next charter. The crew leaves for a night out, and Davide says, when Gary is in a bad mood, everybody has to be. They go to a restaurant and Keith orders a round of espresso martinis for the table, as a team. On the boat, the captain finds out he can get a deckhand in two days. Gary leaves the table, and Daisy says, it’s a sad day and a hard day, but that doesn’t take away from their accomplishments. Gary drinks some tequila at the bar inside, comes back to the table, and guzzles his martini. He says he’s going to get f***ed up and be the life of the party. Daisy asks him to go for a smoke and asks how he is. He says he’s a bit down. He feels like he could have been a better teacher and leader, but she says, they can only manage someone who wants to be managed. She doesn’t think it was the wrong decision, and thinks he knows that deep down. Don’t be hard on himself. What’s important is trying to learn and grow. She tells him to say he’s okay, and he says he guesses so. He says he’s feeling better. He’s a bit drunk. Daisy says, the day started low, but she’s happy they ended on a high. They go back to the boat.

Danni asks if Keith filled the hot tub and says she doesn’t know how Daisy does it. There’s a lot of loud reactive personalities. Daisy tells Keith that she doesn’t resonate with the girls, and he says he thinks they’re immature, especially Danni. She said he was an a-hole when he’s in uniform. Daisy says she hopes he doesn’t take it to heart. She’s had a positive experience with him. He says he can speak to her. She’s the one person he can be himself with. Gary and Davide make shots, and Cloyce eats cake in the galley. Gary starts throwing lollipops at Davide and hits him in the eye. They’re so drunk, they think it’s hysterically funny that Davide is bleeding all over the white sofa. Danni walks in and says, Gary, what did you do?

To be continued…

🐕 Pet Friendly Travel…

I can’t imagine traveling with my dogs, but if you have well-behaved furbuddies, here are some tips.

https://people.com/holiday-tips-for-pet-owners-evan-antin-8747736

🪑 Sitting At the Kids’ Table…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and my take on Red One, last weekend’s big screen watch. Until then, stay safe; stay always putting a used utensil on your plate, not the table; and stay not being so scared of messing up, it prevents you from doing nearly everything.

November 18, 2024 – Lucas Feels Responsible For Sam’s Death, One Out One In, Formal White Glove Sweet 16 Service On Deck, The Second One, This Week In From, We Aren’t Worthy & Sweater

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Maxie goes through the floral arrangements at the church critiquing them. She talks to Sam’s photograph, and says she always looked beautiful. She decides they’re going with the yellow, and Lucas walks in. He says he thinks Sam would approve.

Kai goes to Trina and Josslyn’s apartment, and Josslyn answers the door. He asks if she thinks Trina will give him the time of day and she says she wishes the odds were in his favor. Trina comes out and says, the odds are zero to none, and closes the door in his face.

Aiden finds Elizabeth at the hospital, and she says she wanted to talk to him about something. He says, it’s about dad, isn’t it?

Jack recognizes Lucky at Bobbie’s, and Lucky asks if he knows Jack. Jack says he should. He saved Lucky’s life.

Drew calls Nina and asks her to come over. He could use some help getting himself more presentable. The kids come out of the living room, and Scout sees Drew. She asks, what happened to his face? and Rocco and Danny look at each other.

Cody finds Dante going through pictures in the nook. Cody says, it’s a great looking family, but Dante says he doesn’t think it’s much of a family without Sam.

Alexis breaks her bracelet trying to put it on. She tells Molly and Kristina that she can’t do this. She doesn’t think get through this today.

Josslyn asks Trina to give Kai five minutes. If she doesn’t like what he says, she can slam the door in his face again. Trina says she did like that, and Josslyn says she has to go. In the hallway, she tells Kai that he owes her one and good luck. Trina tells Kai that he doesn’t give up easy. Why is he here? He says, to plead his case. He wants her to give him another chance.

Drew tells Scout that he’s fine. It looks worse than it is. He’s a little embarrassed. He was leaving the kitchen and not paying attention and walked into a door. He asks the boys for a minute with Scout, and they leave. He promises Scout that he’s okay, and she says, he has to tell her if he’s not. He has to keep his promise that he’ll always be with her. Mom broke hers.

Maxie says she’s glad Lucas is here, but he says, if he hadn’t been Sam’s surgeon, this wouldn’t be happening today. He says, Sam insisted on having him, but he says, Sam wasn’t a doctor. Operating on relatives isn’t a good idea. Emotions get in way and there’s too much at stake to take the risk. He knew that. She says, sometimes bad things happen and it’s nobody’s fault, and he says, Sam is gone and he’s the only one it makes sense to blame.

Alexis says she broke her bracelet, and Molly takes it. She steps away, and Kristina says, it’s not about the bracelet. Alexis says she doesn’t want to bury Sam. It’s the last gift Sam gave her. Kristina says, for Mother’s Day, and Alexis says, it has all their birthstones on it. She cries, and Kristina says, if Molly can’t fix it, somebody can. It feels like bad déjà vu. It feels like just yesterday they were burying Adela. Molly overhears.

Lucas tells Maxie that he’s been replaying the surgery over and over. Sam was healthy and there were no complications. He must have made a mistake, but he can’t figure out what it was. Maxie says, all surgeries have risks. Look at her transplant. He says, her and Sam’s situations were different and there’s a possibility he might have made a mistake. She says he’s taking the easy way out. The easiest thing is to blame himself, but she’ll be damned if she lets him get away with that.

Elizabeth asks how Aiden knew it was about his dad, and he says, the look on her face. He’s learned how to read it. What is it about dad? She says she wants him to prepare for the possibility of his dad leaving town again, but he says he knows and expected it.

Jack asks if he can buy Lucky coffee, and Lucky says, if he buys Jack’s story, shouldn’t he be doing the buying? How did Jack save him? Jack introduces himself, and says he assisted in Lucky’s extraction from Africa. Lucky says he should throw in a donut then, and wonders if the MetroCourt isn’t a more appropriate hang for Jack. Jack says, the MetroCourt has undeniable charm, but he can’t resist the pie at Bobbie’s. Lucky says, Jack has until he finishes his coffee to tell him what he wants, and Jack asks why he’s in a hurry. Lucky says he’s going to a funeral.

Cody says he thinks once there’s a family bond, it’s not broken because on of them is gone. When he came to Port Charles, he was still running cons, but Dante had a job, a woman who lit up his world, and kids who made him smile. Dante says, had, and Cody says he’d never seen a couple so supportive of each other. Dante says, Sam made that possible, but Cody says, Dante was a part of that too. Dante says, what he did right, he got from Sam, and Cody says he’s not as smart as Sam, but he thinks between the two of them, they can figure out just about anything. Dante says he’s just trying to figure out how to smile at anything again. The grief is all consuming, and he feels like it’s going to take him down.

Drew says, Scout’s mom loved her more than anything. She didn’t want to leave. Scout says, he still needs to keep his promise, and Drew says he will. He asks about the flowers Scout is holding, and she says she got them from Lila’s garden. They’re for mom. He says, she’s going to love them, and hugs Scout.

Kristina tells Molly that she’s sorry, as Molly puts the bracelet on Alexis. Alexis thanks Molly and hugs her. Kristina tries to talk to Molly, but Molly says she needs to get some air and goes outside.

Molly finds Ric outside and asks how he knew she needed him. He says, father’s intuition, and hugs her.

Nina asks if it still hurts, but Drew says, it doesn’t. He asks if it looks bad, and she says, yes. He says he’d love her to make it look… less bad, and she says she’s the best designer at Crimson. She can make it look not great, but at least better. He says, it will have to do, and she says she hopes she gets done before the kids see, but he says, no such luck. She asks what he told them, and he says, that he walked into a door. She laughs, and he says he was caught off guard. It was the first thing that popped in his head. She says, that might work with children, but definitely not anybody else.

Danny shows Rocco a drawing and says, Scout drew it for mom, so she’ll feel like she’s always with them. Rocco asks if Danny thinks Drew walked into a door, but Danny says, no. He thinks Drew is covering up what really happened. Rocco asks what he thinks happened, and Danny says his guess would be that Drew was in a fight, but all that matters is taking care of Scout. He’s going over to the church. Rocco says, no matter what happens or what anybody says, they’re brothers, and Danny says, no matter what.

Trina says she told Kai that she asked for a new partner, and Kai says he didn’t know his absence would affect Trina so much. His advisor signed him up because he thought art was easy. Trina says, anyone who loves art would take that as an insult, but Kai says, that’s what his advisor was thinking… He should probably get a new advisor. The only spot open was Art History. He knows it’s not easy. Trina tells him, then drop it. If he can’t take it seriously, she refuses to carry him. He says he wants to learn about it and he’s willing to pull his weight. She says she appreciates him coming over, but she has a tough schedule. She has a job… He says, at the art gallery, and she says, yes. He says, imagine a random guy walking in who wants to learn about art. Is she going to turn him away?

Molly says she didn’t think she’d see Ric today, and he says he wanted to check on her. She says she’s doing everything not to blow up at Kristina, and came out to cool down, and he says he has something to take her mind off of it. Happy birthday. He hands her an envelope, and she says, tickets to 12 Angry Men. He says he knows it’s her favorite, and she says, when he took her to see it when she was in high school, she thought it would be a bunch of old guys yelling and… well, angry. It was so much more. It made her want to become a lawyer. He says, when he heard there was a revival, he knew what to get her. He was hoping they could go together. She says she wouldn’t want to see it with anyone else, and they hug. He says he wishes she could have a normal birthday without the heartache, when TJ approaches. (12 Angry Men is a great play. I saw a revival on Broadway with Brian Dennehy and Christopher Plummer. They weren’t my dates; they were in the play. The acting was incredible.)

Kristina tells Alexis that she didn’t mean for Molly to hear her. They were doing so well, especially after last night. She gave Molly a necklace for her birthday. Alexis says she forgot. She doesn’t know what day it is. Kristina says, Molly will understand, and Alexis says, hold on. Who is Molly talking to? She looks outside and asks what the hell Ric is doing here. He’s the last person she needs to see.

Maxie tells Lucas that Sam wasn’t the type to make a decision based on sentiment. If she didn’t think it was right, she wouldn’t have asked him. She was great at quick decisions and was never wrong, including this time. Lucas says, if that was true, none of this would be happening, and Maxie says she knows he doesn’t believe in himself right now, but believe in Sam. Sam trusted him, so trust her.

Aiden says he knows his dad is going back to Africa. He’s doing what he does. Elizabeth says she didn’t react with his maturity, and he says, they have each other. They’ll be fine. He has a lot more than Danny, Rocco, and Scout, and she says her heart breaks for them. He says he doesn’t see his dad, but his dad is still alive and doing good in the world. It’s cool. She asks where he learned to be so kind and understanding, and he says, from her. She hugs him.

Jack says he was impressed with Lucky’s work at the Kenya/Somalia border, and Lucky says, safe and easy places don’t need human aid. Jack says, Lucky’s not shy about danger, and Lucky suggests he cut to the chase. Jack says, there’s a job opportunity up Lucky’s alley in the same region. He’d be working with the locals. Lucky says, doing? and Jack says, there’s a situation in the works there and he’s gathering intel. Lucky says, so it’s not aid work, but Jack says, of a sort. Not the sort Lucky is used to, but this time he’ll be handsomely rewarded for putting his neck on the line. Lucky says he’s selective about his work and he’s not in it for the money. Working for the WSB, there are always strings, and he’s nobody’s puppet.

TJ says he’s so sorry, and hugs Molly. Alexis tells Molly that she’s so sorry for forgetting, but Molly says she forgives her. Alexis thanks TJ for being here, and he says, of course (🍷). Molly says she has to call the minister, and thanks Ric. She and TJ go inside, and Alexis asks what Ric is doing here. He says he came to wish Molly a happy birthday. Alexis forgot about their only daughter, who’s low on her list of priorities. She says, today she’s burying her oldest daughter. She calls him a heartless son of a bitch, who gets off on her mourning, and he says, when she’s done, her youngest daughter is still alive.

Dante says, Sam was the part that made the family work, and Cody says, it won’t always feel like this. Give himself time. It’s not about losing Sam, but remembering the good times too. Like the softball game where Sam lost it. Olivia comes in and says she remembers when Sam was called out. Dante says, it was funnier because the night before, Sam had a chat with Scout about how sportsmanship is important. Olivia says, and the next day Scout watched her mom come down on them like a load of bricks. Very unsportsmanlike. Dante says, she told Scout, there’s a difference between sportsmanship and being right, and Cody says, Sam was good at getting out of tough situations. Dante says, until she wasn’t.

Nina puts makeup on Drew, and says she assumes Jason was arrested. Drew won’t have to worry about him being at the funeral. Drew says, nothing is stopping Jason from going to the funeral, and Nina says, don’t tell her that he’s not pressing charges. Dante says, Sam asked them to be there for the kids. It’s what Sam wanted. Nina says, she wouldn’t have wanted Jason to attack him. He and Willow just kissed once. Is that why Jason went after him? Jason found out or is there something he’s not telling her? He says, no. Michael must have told Jason about the kiss, and Jason deemed that the appropriate response. Nina says, it’s not payback. It’s a warning. He says he’s not worried, but she says, he should be, about how far Jason will go on Michael’s behalf.

Trina says, hypothetically, if someone came into the gallery, she’d love to talk about art, but that’s a conversation, not a project for a mandatory class. Kai says he’s a team player and doesn’t bail. He won’t bail on her. Trina asks what he knows about art, and he recites the class description. She says, all that tells her is that he read the description of the syllabus, but he says, it proves he can be taught and he has a good memory. That’s a good thing in a partner.

Dante leaves to check on the kids, and Cody says, the last thing he wanted to do was make Dante Feel worse. Olivia says, he didn’t. Grief is unpredictable, and when someone you love is gone, everything you felt about them hits you, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the sad. He says he was trying to help Dante remember the good, and she says, he did. They need good friends to get them through the dark places. There’s going to be a whole lot more of them. He says he’ll do what he can, and she says, Dante has to find his own way through the grief. All they can do is help him up when he falls.

Drew says, Danny needs Jason, but Nina says, this might be Drew’s last chance. Drew says, Jason’s not a problem, but Nina says, he’s going to be. Drew says, Sam asked him and Jason to put the kids first. It’s the last thing she asked of him and he’s not going to let her down.

TJ tells Molly that he’s sorry he forgot, especially this year. He didn’t forget. It’s actually at the apartment. She says, it’s fine. She’s fine. He says, if she’s ever not, he’s here, whatever she needs. She says she loves him. She doesn’t always say it, but she should. He says he loves her, and she says, him being here is all she needs. Kristina walks in as they’re hugging, and Alexis also comes in.  

Jack says, the WSB’s goals depend on the situation. Part of this situation will help the refugees. Lucky asks, what’s the other part? and Jack says he has an inside track about a political group on the rise who has found their footing. Lucky’s and the WSB’s causes may be very much aligned. Lucky says, it sounds too good to be true, and you know what they say, and Jack says he can get Lucky on a flight within the next 24 hours. Elizabeth walks in.  

Kai says he’ll make the best partner. He memorized the PCU playbook in six hours. Trina asks if he thinks he can handle Art History and QB1, and he says he doesn’t quit – ever. The next game is at home. Why doesn’t she bring Josslyn and see for herself? He never gives up. She says, Josslyn and her new boyfriend love football, but it’s not her thing, and he says, maybe she just has to give it a chance. She smiles.  

Jack tells Lucky that he has another matter to attend to. Call him with his decision. He leaves, and Elizabeth says she’s picking up cookies for the reception after the funeral. Who’s that guy? Lucky says, the Port Charles WSB Station Chief Brennan. Brennan offered him a job in his old neck of the woods. She says, Africa? and he says, the same region. She says, so he’s just going to leave again.  

Nina says she’s done. Hopefully, no one will know Jason laid a hand on Drew. He thanks her and Rocco watches from outside the door.

Alexis says, it’s time, and the remaining Davis girls join hands, then hug.

Dante asks what Cody thinks, and Cody says, perfect. Sam looks happy. Dante puts the photo in the window of a memory box, and we see a smiling Sam.

Danny leaves Scout’s picture on Sam’s casket and sees Lucas. He says, Lucas needs to leave. He’s not allowed to be here. Lucas was the one who let his mother die. Lucas backs out of the church and leaves.

Tomorrow, Sam’s funeral; Ava asks Lucas what his reason is for not being at the church; and it looks like Lulu will be waking up soon.

🧼 Not Missing a Beat…

Sam went out the door, and now Lulu’s coming in.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-spoilers-week-november-18-2024-lulu-wakes-up

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Daisy tells Cloyce that the meals should be more elaborate, like the most beautiful plate they’ve ever seen. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, to have someone have a glimmer of confusion about his skills is new for him and they’re wrong. He tells Daisy, hopefully, he’ll keep getting better.

One of the guests says she thinks the juice is fresh squeezed, and another says she thinks she saw it come out of a box, but it’s cute they think that. We see Danni squeezing the life out of some oranges. It’s time for the guests’ departure and co-primary Andrew says, it was great. He relaxed. Co-primary and Andrew’s wife Cecilia says she got to sit on a trampoline float and have cocktails fed to her. Andrew thanks them, and Cecilia says she misses them already. She hands Captain Glenn an envelope, and the guests leave. Captain Glenn blows the horn, and after some cleaning is done, we move on to the tip meeting. The captain says, another charter in the can, done, dusted. He loves the standard they’re reaching, but keep pushing. He tells Gary that the docking was perfect, and Daisy’s team is looking like a well-oiled machine, but Cloyce had a little trouble. He wants Cloyce to focus on prepping better and wants him to think outside the box. He likes their high standards, but wants to keep moving up, and Cloyce says, always leveling up. In Cloyce’s interview, he says he doesn’t see himself as ego driven, but Daisy’s constructive criticism is ruining his day. He prefers not to be in this situation. The tip is $22K USD or 2105 euros each. Captain Glenn says, the next charter is tomorrow, so it’s a school night. They have champagne, then do some cleaning.  

Gary says he’s excited to party, and Daisy says, there’s always been tension between them. He says, that’s not good, and Captain Glenn calls for the preference sheet meeting. The captain says, it’s charter five. They’re halfway there, the hump charter. The primaries are Sherry and Phillip, who are coming with their daughters, their daughters’ best friends, and Sherry’s gay best friend and stylist Brandon. They want a family vacation and are celebrating daughter Alana’s sweet 16th birthday. In Daisy’s interview, she says, for her 16th birthday, the went to a restaurant and she had alcohol. She thinks her friend made out with a waiter in the bathroom. Gary says, they want to use all the water toys, and Daisy reads that they want a formal white glove service dinner for Alana’s birthday. The captain tells Cloyce to go above and beyond, and Daisy says, some of the adults want to go to the night clubs. Captain Glenn thinks this will be a good group.

Emma thinks everybody hates her, but Daisy tells her not to let her insecurity push her out. Gary thinks it’s going to be a good night tonight, and I love Diana’s black babydoll dress. At the restaurant, Danni flirts with Keith, and in his interview, he says, what’s with Danni? Work is not feeling fun. He’s not too keen on her because of Gary, and it’s not banter anymore. It’s becoming something weird. Cloyce leaves the table to work on his menus. When he comes back, he says he knows he’s only here because he continues to perform on some base level, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Cloyce has taken her feedback and is putting the effort in, but dude, put those f***ing sheets away.

On the way back to the boat, Gary tells Daisy that he’s a little drunk, and she says she’s hammered. When they get back, Cloyce decides to make squid ravioli. Danni and Keith sit in lounge chairs on deck, and Keith says, she had her chance. She says, with what? and he says him. If she hadn’t hooked up with Gary… She says, nothing is going on. It was just a whoopsie. He says he doesn’t want to be involved in a triangular relationship, and in Danni’s interview, she says she hates rejection, but she wouldn’t have kissed Gary if Keith hadn’t taken this long. Her approach is to move on to the next one like it never happened. He’s like a child. She’s never met boys so emotionally dependent in her life. Cloyce thinks his raviolis look pretty legit.

Igy Marina. The crew wakes up hung over, and Gary says, f*** my life. Emma says she feels like a Barbie doll with the hair cut off and limbs ripped off by a troubled child. Gary asks, what’s hanging Keith up with Danni? and Keith says, if she hadn’t hooked up with Gary… but Gary says, it wasn’t a hook up. Danni tells Daisy and Diana about Keith saying he didn’t want to get involved in a love triangle, and her telling him that there’s no triangle to get involved in. Daisy asks if Danni isn’t interested in Keith, and Danni says she was, but the ick is him being so insecure and weird. Daisy says, she didn’t kiss just anyone. Gary is Keith’s roommate and his boss. In Danni’s interview, she says she doesn’t like Daisy’s commentary. Butt the f*** out. Gary tells the deckhands that he’s having tender driving practice, and out on the water, he tells Emma that it’s like a car. He shows her how to go in reverse, and in Emma’s interview, she says she doesn’t normally perform well under pressure. All eyes are on her and it’s throwing her for a loop. As he scrambles eggs, Cloyce says, Operation Fuego is in full effect. Whatever that means. Gary asks Captain Glenn how you teach initiative. Emma doesn’t get the urgency. The captain says, her lack of experience is impacting the team, and in Gary’s interview, he says, Emma is an excuse maker when it comes to work. We flash back to her making excuses again and again, and Captain Glenn says he wants to give her the opportunity to prove she wants to learn or he has to find someone who wants to be here. If there isn’t a massive improvement, he’ll have to look for somebody else.

Daisy says, the rooms look great, and Cloyce says, let’s do it. Gary says, charter number five, here we go. The guests look like they belong to a polo club, and Glenn welcomes them. He says, they have a lot of fun stuff planned, and Daisy gives the tour. Glenn tells Danni that his policy is, no underage drinking, and she says, two of them didn’t take any. She tells Diana that she’s just doing her job. She doesn’t want to say anything since Daisy doesn’t give a sh*t. Co-primary Phillip watches Glenn drive the boat, and co-primary and wife Sherry says she wants to feel the full effect of sailing. Daisy asks Cloyce if he wants to talk through the menu, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says, on his 16th birthday, he was the guest chef at a culinary festival in Mexico. After he cooked, he did a model walk and took a photo with 30 supermodels in bikinis. We see the photo, and he says he wants to make Alana’s birthday just as special, and giggles. The only man allowed to giggle is Anderson Cooper, so no. The sails go up, and things start falling and rolling and crashing.

Sherry tells Phillip that she has four wardrobe changes, and she gives Daisy some tchotchkes for the dinner. She asks if they can have it inside, and Daisy says, sure. Daisy tells Cloyce that they want everything fancy. Captain Glenn tells Emma to keep her eye on the mizzen, and she asks Davide to go through it with her. In the captain’s interview, he says he knows she’s done it before. When you put in the effort to train someone, you’ve got to see results immediately. He needs someone who picks up quickly and Emma’s not picking it up. The guests go swimming and use the water toys. Emma stands around. Gary asks Emma if she’s happy to be here. He wants to be honest, and he sees a lack of urgency. She always seems to be waiting and watching. We flash back to poor Keith huffing and puffing as Emma watches. Gary says, he was putting the shower up and handing out towels and she’s just standing there. She says she thought the guests could see the shower, and Gary says, when he asks her to do something, she says she can’t do it, then goes to get coffee. She says she doesn’t drink coffee – the semantics of which would infuriate me – and he says, tea, whatever. She seems like she doesn’t want to be here. She says, it’s unfair. She’s gotten no feedback until now. She works hard to improve, but all they see is a snapshot. Gary says, what he notices is the team picking up the slack. He’s telling her now so she can improve with her initiative and urgency. While walking away, she says, this is absolute bullsh*t.

Emma says, he can suck a d*ck. Gary tells Glenn that Emma thinks he’s being unfair and doesn’t know where this is coming from. Emma tells Daisy that Gary told her the others are carrying too much of her weight and asked if she wants to be here. He should have come to her sooner. Daisy says she thinks Gary doesn’t like confrontation, and in her interview, she says empathizes with Emma, but Gary needs self-motivators. She feels Emma lacks that and she’s getting in her own head. Emma says she can’t trust them as far as she could throw them, and Daisy says, prove them wrong. Cloyce blowtorches something in the galley and Danni inhales helium while setting up for the party. In Diana’s interview, she says she thought they’d be on the same side. The priority is to have everything done: the service, décor, cocktails. It all needs to be ready and it’s not the time for having fun. It’s annoying.

The guests are all impressed, and Sherry says, they’re so creative. They sit down, and Sherry wants to impart words of wisdom to Alana on her birthday. It’s always better to take the high road, enjoy life as it comes, and drop the mic. Alana thanks her for her wise words and Sherry says she needs tequila. Cloyce presents a dish that changes color when the lemon is squeezed on it, and in Captain Glenn’s interview, he says he’s pleased with Cloyce’s extra effort. I’m definitely impressed. The captain tells Gary that the guests are leaving at midnight for the clubs, and Gary says he’ll have Keith do the pick-ups. Sherry takes ten thousand pictures of her food, and Cloyce comes up with the ravioli. I expect it to be a dud, since he made it when he was drunk, but Sherry is wowed by it. Cloyce also managed to make a real cake this time, and in her interview, Daisy says she knew he had it in him. That’s what he’s supposed to be doing. Now if he can keep it up for the rest of the season, they’ll be on to the home stretch. The crew sings Happy Birthday. The cake isn’t that impressive, but it’s a lot better than the mess he served for the last birthday.

On the way to the tender, Sherry falls and laughs. Seriously though, falling down drunk before you even get to the club isn’t really funny. Keith drives five of the guests to shore where someone meets them with a flashlight on the beach.

Back on the boat in the hot tub, the birthday girl and her friends say blah-blah-blah teenager stuff and inhale helium. Alana hopes they come back in good spirits. Her dad’s not a big partier. At 2:10, Keith leaves to pick up the guests after texting Gary. On deck, Gary hears something and runs to the bow. He yells for Danni to get Captain Glenn, and Danni runs to the captain’s cabin, waking him up. She says, Gary told her to get him. A boat is too close. Gary yells for her to get Emma too. The boat is getting closer. He runs with the fenders to the bow, and yells, hello! He whistles, and Danni tells Emma that there’s a boat too close in front. Gary says, that’s close.

To be continued…

🤡 Getting Around To It…

I finally watched It Chapter Two, mostly because it’s leaving Netflix at the end of the month. It’s been a minute since I saw the first part, but it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with the story. While I’m a big fan of Tim Curry, Bill Skarsgård was magnificent as Pennywise, and the rest of the cast was just as brilliant. The special effects were jaw dropping and the writing, well it is Stephen King. I’ll even forgive Ben and Bev’s trip to the cornfield near the end.

Best quotes:

People want to believe who they are is who they choose to remember… But sometimes we are who we choose to forget. – Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa)

Was this job invented before fun? – Richie Tozier, (Bill Hader)

Let’s kill this f***ing clown. – Richie Tozer (Bill Hader)

https://collider.com/it-chapter-2-leaving-netflix-december/

This is pretty funny. I definitely get it.

https://ew.com/bill-hader-daughter-didnt-love-his-work-in-it-chapter-2-8746590

🐦‍⬛ Welcome To the Fromily…

All kinds of spoilers.

https://collider.com/from-season-3-episode-9-recap/

While my favorite From blogger/vlogger Anthony Whyte had nothing in print yet, there was this. You can also find his recap on YouTube. I always watch it immediately after watching the episode. I know I’m going to go through withdrawal when the season ends, wandering around the house on Sunday afternoons eating string cheese…

🐶 Going To the Dogs…

LVP, Trixie Mattel, and a whole lotta dogs. I can’t imagine anything better.

https://pagesix.com/2024/11/16/photos/vanderpump-dog-foundation-gala-photos-lisa-vanderpump-trixie-mattel-lance-bass-more/

No, I don’t get a kickback, but I love Paris and I love pets.

https://people.com/paris-hilton-unveils-iconic-pet-grooming-line-exclusive-8745288

💨 A Delightful Menace In the Air…

Readership seems to have gone down in the past year, and I have a lot of projects on my plate, so there are changes afoot. Perhaps shorter recaps or perhaps fewer days, but we’ll always have Friday. If you’re still reading, let me know your thoughts. Until next time, stay safe, stay not serving canned cranberry sauce, and stay never using the excuse that you ran into a door when you’ve really been in a fight.

November 11, 2024 – Michael Gets Another Surprise, Family Style Falls Flat On Deck, Happy Veterans Day, Animals Of War & Soldier

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Jason goes to Anna’s office, and she says, he had quite a night. The explosion created a mess. She doesn’t suppose he’ll help clean it up.

There’s a knock at the gatehouse door, and Willow opens it to Drew. She says, he can’t be here. Michael is upstairs. Creeper Drew says he knows that’s not true because he waited for Michael to leave, but she says, that doesn’t change anything. He shouldn’t be here. He says he has to be, for both their sakes.

Michael tells Sonny that he feels bad for Dante, and Sonny says, it’s a tough time, but he’ll get through it. Is there something else on Michael’s mind? Michael says, his marriage.

Felicia finds Sasha in a hospital examining room, and Sasha says she hurt her shoulder. Felicia asks if the injury happened at work, but Sasha says she was kidnapped and almost killed in an explosion. Felicia asks, what happened? and Sasha says, her mother happened.

Holly goes to Jack’s office, and he asks if the family reunion is over already, but she says, that’s none of his business. He says, noted, but here she is again. Why is that? She says she’s here to get what she’s owed.

Mac says he needs to talk to Robert. What kind of mess has Holly pulled him into? Robert says, before they go any further, is Mac here as a member of the family or an officer of the PCPD?

We see a car has crashed at the side of the road. Natalia is on the phone saying, there was a near collision. She’s not hurt, but she’s checking on the other driver. The car door opens, and it’s Kristina. Natalia asks if she’s okay.

Diane finds Alexis at their new office and says she’s so sorry. She hugs Alexis and sits down. Alexis points out that Diane isn’t saying anything about her being here, but she’s sure Diane has an opinion. Diane says, Alexis knows her well. She always has an opinion about everything, but she doesn’t need to volunteer one now. She doesn’t think Alexis wants or needs to hear her thoughts. Knowing Alexis like she does, she knows her new partner and best friend needs to lose herself in work. Have at it. Alexis thanks her, and Diane gives Alexis a sad smile.  

Natalia tells Kristina that she’s on the phone with 911, and she’ll get an ambulance, but Kristina says she’s fine. Natalia tells the dispatcher that they don’t need an ambulance. They’re good. Kristina says she’s just shaken up. It happened so fast. Natalia says, it’s okay. Accidents happen. Neither one of them was hurt. Kristina says she didn’t mean to swerve into Natalia’s lane, but she was distracted, and Natalia says, it’s nothing insurance can’t handle. Kristina says, if only insurance could fix her life the way they fix cars, and Natalia says she heard about Kristina’s sister. Kristina says, Sam was more than a sister. Sam was her best friend, and Kristina doesn’t know what she’s going to do without her.

Drew says he thinks this is hers, and hands Willow the earring. She asks where he found it, and he says, in the nursery. She thanks him, and he says he didn’t want her to have to make up a lie. She says, there are already too many of those, and he says he’s sorry. She blushes when she lies and gives herself away. That’s how he knew the real reason she was leaving the Institute was to put distance between them. She says she was right. They agreed they’d made a mistake. He says he’s just grateful they can be friends, and Willow says she’s glad she was there when he needed someone, but she wants him to keep his distance. He says, she’s blushing.

Anna says she doesn’t know the details about Sasha’s kidnapping, but knows that Sidwell was here to get his diamonds. She doesn’t know the extent of Jason’s involvement or how long he’s been partners with Holly. Did they plan it when they came back or did they cook up the scheme while they were in Africa? Jason says he doesn’t know what she’s talking about, and Anna asks how long he’s been lying to her.

Sonny asks, what’s going on? and Michael says, at the beginning, his and Willow’s relationship with good and easy. He thought it would stay that way, but now he’s worried he was wrong. Sonny says, marriage isn’t perfect, and Michael says he expected problems, but he thought they were a team and in this together. Somehow, they got off track. He thought they’d always be honest, but now he’s wondering if it was too much to ask for. Sony says, for Willow? and Michael says, yes, but for himself too. He’s afraid what he thought they had was just an illusion and it’s all going to fall apart. Sonny says, they’ll have problems, but they’ll get through them, and Michael says, it’s not that simple. Sonny’s phone rings, and it’s Natalia. She says she’s with Kristina and he needs to get here. Kristina is in trouble.

Jason says he’s not lying, and Anna says, he’s holding things back. He says he can’t help her here, but she says, he won’t. He could, but he’s choosing not to. They have an international criminal on the loose. She doesn’t need to explain how dangerous Sidwell is. He says he has no idea where Sidwell is, and starts to leave, but Anna says, they’re not finished. Not by a long shot.

Felicia says she understands why Sasha and Holly have a contentious relationship. She can see why it’s not easy to forgive Holly. Sasha says she doesn’t owe Holly anything, and Felicia says she’s known Holly a long time. She’s aware of the damage Holly has caused and the long list of people she’s hurt. She’s not excusing Holly, but the only reason they’ve been friends for so long is that she’s like family. Robert is family, which makes Sasha family too. It may take time for Sasha to think of them as family, but they’re all Scorpios, and the Scorpios always show up for each other. Sasha says, Maxie told her the same thing, and Felicia says, she’s a smart woman. What role did Holly play in Sasha’s kidnapping? Sasha says, it’s a long story, and Felicia says, with Holly, it usually is.

Mac says he’s here as Robert’s brother and a cop. He’s seen the aftermath of Holly’s disasters and wants to know how she’s responsible for Sasha’s kidnapping, but Robert says, no comment. Mac says, where Holly goes, trouble seems to follow, and Robert makes up excuses for her. Robert asks, who Mac is to judge? and Mac asks why Holly gets an endless supply of get-out-of-jail-free cards. Robert asks how Mac was able to forgive Felicia for all the times she left him.

Jack says he used a lot of money and resources to save Holly’s life and helped rescue her daughter. Some folks would say she owed him. She says she owes a vast amount of money to the syndicate from when she was freelancing for his bosses. Perhaps they should revisit who owes who. She has no way to pay her debt without the diamonds, will most certainly be killed, and the WSB is responsible.  

Kristina tells Natalia that she was visiting Adela’s grave. It made her feel closer to Adela somehow. When she was there, she realized that soon, she’d be visiting Sam. She lost her sister and her baby. Natalia says, it’s a lot of loss in a short time, and Kristina says, she was at the grave thinking how she’ll never see them again, ever. It started to hit her hard and she had to get out. She’s realizing that so much of the good in her life is now gone.

Kristina thanks Natalia for being great, and Natalia asks her to promise not to get behind the wheel like that again. Kristina asks Natalia to do her a favor and not tell her mom, but Natalia says, if it was Allie, she’d want to know. Kristina says, of course (🍷). Usually, she’d call her mother in a situation like this, but she’s got a lot going on. Natalia agrees and says she did call Kristina’s dad. As a mom, she’ll never not worry about Allison. It’s part of being a parent. Kristina says she’ll never know how that feels, and Natalia says she’s sorry. Kristina says, it’s all right, but suggests they talk about something else. How’s Allie? Has she called Natalia back? Natalia says, no, but she’ll keep trying. She’s seen clips online and the tour looks great. She’s happy for Allie living her dream even if she can’t be part of it. Kristina says, Allie was hurt, but she loves Natalia and will never stop loving her. Natalia says she regrets so much about how she treated Allie. Maybe that’s why she admires the close relationship Kristina and Alexis have. Kristina says, her mom loves her unconditionally, even though she doesn’t make it easy for Alexis.

Alexis thanks Diane for not asking well-intentioned, but absurd questions like, how are you? She has no idea how to go on living. She couldn’t save Sam. She watched Sam die and there was nothing she could do. It was out of her control. Diane says she can’t imagine how awful it was, and Alexis says, being helpless is unbearable to her. That’s why she became a lawyer. In the courtroom, she feels in control. She knows the law and how to use it. It makes sense, unlike her life, which is literally in shambles. She doesn’t know how to deal with it. Her daughter died and she can’t help the ones left behind. She doesn’t know how.  

Mac says, Felicia broke his heart a number of times. He thought she’d end up with Frisco. Robert says, she didn’t and they’re happy, and Mac says, it took a long time to get where they are. He never thought he’d forgive her. Robert says, but he did.

Felicia admits that it’s hard to see the good in Holly, and Sasha says, that’s because it doesn’t exist, but Felicia says, Holly is capable of great love, even though it feels like she’s not. There’s a lot to her that Sasha doesn’t know. Sasha says, Holly was never there when she needed her, and Felicia says she’s sorry. When Holly lost Robert, she changed. Her heart was broken. She found the love of her life and then he was gone. Maybe that’s why Holly gave Sasha to her grandmother. Sasha was a reminder of what she’d lost.

Willow says she doesn’t know whether to be angry or flattered. She knows he didn’t come just to give her the earring. He asks how she can be sure, and she says, he has a tell too. He doesn’t blink. He says he came to check on her. They haven’t really had a chance to talk. Willow says she thought they were on the same page, and he says, they made a mistake that can’t happen again. He just came because she’s a good friend and he wanted to make sure she was okay. She says she’s fine, but she doesn’t think it’s a good idea for them to be friends anymore. He says he doesn’t want to make it harder. He’ll do what she wants. She says she wants to want stop lying to Michael, but that’s the one thing she can’t do.

Kristina tells Natalia that Sam was the strong one. She was fearless. Natalia says, it sounds like Kristina is describing herself, but Kristina says, no. Natalia says, she’s been knocked down and had more grief and loss than most people could handle. But she’s out in the world fighting and not hiding. She has so much heart and she’s brave. Natalia saw that courage when Kristina stood up for Allie when Allie couldn’t stand up for herself. She just can’t see it. Kristina says, when Natalia talks, she can almost believe it, and Natalia says, here’s someone else who believes it. Sonny joins them and hugs Kristina. He asks if she’s okay, and she says, yeah.  

Alexis tells Diane, Danny and Scout are inconsolable. Dante is in a daze. He’s lost without Sam. They all are, and she can’t help them like Sam. Diane says, what happened isn’t her fault, but Alexis says she’s Sam’s mother. It’s her job to protect her children and she was unable to. She was there when it happened, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Diane says, Alexis puts everything she has into taking care of the people she loves. She has to take care of herself, or there won’t be anything left for the people who are depending on her help.

Mac tells Robert that he realized he had two choices. He could stay self-righteous and be lonely, and not take Felicia back. Or he could forgive her and live the rest of his life with Felicia by his side. Robert says, then Mac should understand the position he’s in and how he feels about Holly.

Felicia tells Sasha that she’s known Holly for decades. She admits Holly is complicated and flawed, but she has no doubt Holly loves Sasha very much. Sasha has a right to her anger, but she fears if Sasha holds onto it, it’s only stopping her from forming a relationship with her mother. Sasha says she doesn’t know as she wants one, and Felicia says, Sasha doesn’t want to look back and regret losing out on the opportunity. She was out of her girls’ lives for a long time. Sasha says, Maxie told her, and Felicia says, Maxie was gracious enough to forgive her, but Georgie never did. She can’t make amends and will always regret it. Please give her mother a second chance before it’s too late.

Holly tells Jack that she needs the diamonds to pay off the syndicate and have enough to provide for her daughter. Jack says he doesn’t think she’s being completely altruistic, and she asks if anyone is in their line of work. He says, point taken, and she says she wanted to retire. Now she just wants the WSB to pay her debt. She knows they’re capable of it. She owes them for saving her daughter and she’s in their debt. She hopes that next time they need someone with her talents, she’s still alive to help. Jack says, there is one thing she can do.

Anna says she thought they were friends, and Jason says, they are. Anna wonders if all his friendships are this evasive, and he asks what she wants. She says, honesty would be nice, but he says he doesn’t expect her to share everything she does at the PCPD. She says she can’t, and he asks, then why are her expectations of him different?

Willow says, Michael gave her a second chance after he found out about her and Drew’s kiss. If he found out… Drew says, he won’t. He came to check on her, nothing more. He hates that it’s tearing her apart and hates that he lost a friend. She says she’s sorry. She knows he’s having a hard time. How’s Scout? He says, she’s not sleeping and when she does, she wakes up calling for Sam. He’s doing what he can to be the father she can count on. Willow says she wishes she could help, and he says, she was there at the worst time when he had nobody else to turn to.

Robert tells Mac that he has a new daughter who he’s slowly getting to know, and Holly is still in town. Everything is right in his world. Mac asks how it’s going with Sasha, and Robert says, slow, but in the right direction. Mac says he’ll cut to the chase. Are Robert and Holly back together, and if so, where does that leave Diane?

Sasha calls the MetroCourt and asks for Holly, but she’s told that Holly checked out a few hours ago.

Jack tells Holly that he has a one-way pass to Lisbon. There’s a WSB plane headed there tonight. Be on it. He’ll let them know when to expect her. She says, until next time, and he says he hopes she remembers that she owes him, and she says, and the WSB always collects.

Anna says she’s probably sounding like John Cates, but Jason says, not at all. He’s sorry she’s in a tough spot and wishes he could help. She asks if this is how it’s going to be for them going forward, a friendship rife with secrets. He says he prefers to see it as a friendship with lines neither one of them can cross. She says his loyalty to Sonny comes above everything and everyone else. She would value his help in finding Valentin. He says, she has it, and she says, he’s free to go. For the record, she’s sorry if their friendship had to end. He leaves.

At the penthouse, Sonny asks Kristina to tell him what happened, and she says she was listening to a song in the car and realized it was a song from the playlist Sam made for her for when she got out of the hospital. It was all happy songs. Sam wanted to lift her spirits. That was Sam, thoughtful. When she realized what it was, she got emotional. She started crying and swerved into Natalia’s lane. She thought since they were both okay, they’d be able to handle it quietly. Can he not tell mom?

Jason goes to Jack’s office and asks if Jack knows where Sidwell is. Jack says, he’s no longer a threat to Port Charles, and Jason says, that’s not an answer. Jack says, it’s the only answer he’s going to get. There’s something else he wants to make clear. The WSB has no idea where Valentin is and they don’t want to know. Jason asks, why tell him? and Jack says he knows Anna holds Jason in high regard. Don’t help her find Valentin. It won’t end well if she does.

Holly walks into Anna’s office, and Anna asks if she’s here to confess to one of her many crimes. Holly says, she’s adorable. Never change. She needs Anna’s help.

Robert says, the last thing he wants is to hurt Diane. She’s amazing and easy to be with. Mac says, not like Holly, and Robert says, no. Learning they have a daughter makes it clearer. There’s the inevitable heat and he dances his way back to her. Mac says, if Holly lying to him for all these years hasn’t changed Robert’s mind, he can’t. What’s next? He doubts Holly will agree to settle down in Port Charles. Robert says he’s not sure, but before he thinks about that, he has to be honest with Diane. (Robert’s an idiot.)

Diane says, Alexis is one of the strongest people she’s ever known, and she will get through this. She wishes she could help. Alexis says, Diane being here with her helps. Here, there’s nothing about the part of her life with Sam. At home, Sam is everywhere. Here, she can throw herself into her work and pretend everything is normal. Here, she’s a lawyer working on a brief. Diane says she’s glad to give Alexis some peace, and they talk legal precedents. Diane brings one up that Alexis hadn’t thought of, and Diane says, that’s why her name is first on the letterhead. She brings a book over to Alexis, who takes her arm. Glancing across the desk, Alexis sees a folder that says, Samantha McCall’s Last Will and Testament.

Sonny tells Kristina that he won’t say anything. Alexis is going through enough, but he thinks Kristina should her. Kristina says her mom is going through a lot. She doesn’t want to worry her. He says, they should be together and not hiding from each other. If she leans on her mother, she’ll never regret it. Kristina says she’ll think about it. She had an unexpected talk with Natalia after the accident. Natalia was telling her how strong she thinks she is. It was nice to hear. Sonny says he tells her that all the time, but she says, he’s her dad. He tells her that he wouldn’t say it if he didn’t mean it. She wears her heart on her sleeve. She takes whatever challenge comes and she’s one of the bravest people he knows. He wants her to know that she doesn’t have to be strong all the time. She should allow herself to grieve and mourn the losses she’s had. She says she’s afraid if she starts, she won’t stop, and he says, it’s okay. She doesn’t have to be alone. He’ll be there whenever and wherever she needs. No questions asked. She thanks him and takes his hand. She says she loves him. She doesn’t know what she’d do without him. He says he loves her too and she’s never going to have to find out.

Creeper Drew touches Willow’s hair and says, that night in the nursery, he got a glimpse of a different life where they would have been together. He thinks they would have been happy. She puts her palm against his cheek and says, this is not that life. Outside, Michael looks through the window and turns away. He takes out his phone and calls Diane. She asks what she can do for him, and he says he’d like to set up a meeting. He wants to talk to a lawyer about his marriage.

The doctor says, Sasha is bruised, but she doesn’t think anything is broken. She wants to take an x-ray to be on the safe side and asks if there’s any chance Sasha could be pregnant. Sasha says, no, but flashes back to getting busy with Michael. She says she thinks she’ll skip the x-ray.

Tomorrow, Laura tells Lulu that they can’t let Sam’s gift be given in vain; Diane is about to make it a whole lot easier on Robert; and Danny asks to live with Jason.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Gary legit makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I just don’t see the attraction. In his interview, he says he looks at Danni in a little sister type of way, and a producer asks why he kissed her. He says, alcohol is a factor. He’d like to say he learns from his mistakes, but Gary’s Gary. He can’t help it. Ugh. In Danni’s interview, she says she’s lonely. She’s made moves from the moment they met and she’s retiring. Gary calls himself an idiot. He’s not wrong. Everyone stumbles out in the morning, and in her interview, Danni says she’s keeping quiet about this one. The deck is somewhat of a mess from the night before, and Emma says, the hot tub is green, and they used bubbles. Just what you want to see when you have a hangover, I’m sure. Keith tells her that Danni doesn’t think he’s making an effort, and in his interview, he says, working with someone you’re dating is a huge challenge, but he wants to enjoy being young. You should take risks and throw yourself into the unknown once in a while and see what happens. Cloyce opens his eyes, and tells Gary, this light is harsh, bro. Gary wonders how Danni looks fresh as a daisy, and Danni says, it’s what she does. Daisy tells the stews to be a team and help each other. In Daisy’s interview, she says she feels like she’s dealing with teenagers. The crew cleans up the boat, and Captain Glenn calls for the preference sheet meeting.

The captain says there are eight guests and the charter is short, Primary Andrew is CEO of a dental group, and they want to bask in the sun and go sailing. His wife Cecilia is also a dentist, and the rest of the guests are all dentists, with the exception of one realtor. Cloyce reads that there are no dietary restrictions, and Daisy says, they want a seafood bash dinner and a blue and white party. Cloyce says, everyone wants Caesar salad, and in his interview, he says, a hangover is so unfortunate, but they’re in Ibiza and they’re young, single men. As they say, YOLO. (Do they still say that?) The preference sheets aren’t too alarming. He thinks it will be as smooth and sexy as he wants it to be. Gary wants Emma to clean the side of the boat, but she insists she can’t reach it. In her interview, she says she’s clumsy and doesn’t trust herself to reach over the boat. She gets Keith to do it and Captain Glenn tells the crew that guest arrival is in 90 minutes.

The guests arrive, and in Davide’s interview, he says, his sister’s boyfriend is a dentist. He’d have these MILF dentists work on his teeth any day. He tells production not to use that. Like that’s going to happen. Champagne is served, Daisy gives the tour, and the Parsefal shoves off.  

Anchor is dropped at Cala Bassa, and Danni flirts with Gary. In Daisy’s interview, she wonders, what the f*** is going on?  Danni laughs about making Gary uncomfortable, and Gary tells Daisy that he and Danni had a sneaky kiss. Daisy says he needs to understand why his behavior is toxic to himself and the team. She thinks in the moment he doesn’t think. Once, maybe, but how many times has he done this? He’s looking for validation. Gary says, she’s crazy, and walks away. She calls him a d*ckhead, and in Gary’s interview, he says he’s embarrassed. Daisy says she’s being honest, and he says, she’s blowing it out of proportion. In his interview, he says, this backfired miserably. F***ing hell.

The sails go up, which always impresses the guests. Things start moving around, and Glenn says, Bob’s your uncle. Fanny’s your aunt. I only mention this because, WTF? Cloyce says his head hurts, and Glenn explains sailing to a guest, letting her take the wheel. Primary Andrew tells Daisy that guests Chris and Mary Catherine just got engaged and they’d like something special to celebrate. Daisy tells Cloyce, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says, when he doesn’t sleep, his mentality is at an all-time low. He goes to take a nap, and the sails come down. Gary wonders where Emma is all the time, and the water toys are set up. Danni tells Diana that she and Gary kissed. She’d do it again, but she won’t cry if it doesn’t happen. Diana says she thought Danni liked Keith, and in Diana’s interview, she says she’d like to be like Danni. Danni doesn’t care what people think and she wishes she was like that. Danni says she has sexual tension with everybody on the boat at this point.

Daisy tells the stews to set up the blue and white theme. The guests brush their teeth every five minutes. Daisy wonders what Cloyce is doing for the engagement, but he says he doesn’t know yet. Diana watches Danni flirt with Keith, and a guest approaches her with a stained dress. Diana takes it to the laundry to deal with it, but she’s not thrilled. She brings the dress back to the guest, and Danni grabs her, wanting Keith to take a photo of them. Diana poses with Danni, but expresses her displeasure at not getting help. Danni says she’s sorry. She’s the only one dealing with the décor, and she can’t run up and down. They argue about being busy.

Cloyce says he’s serving the seafood family style, but Daisy thinks it should be plated. It shows the presentation more. In Daisy’s interview, she says, an engagement dinner should 1000% be plated. She can give Cloyce her opinion, but if he doesn’t listen, it’s on him. Danni asks if she and Diana are going to fight the whole night, but Diana says she’s not fighting. Gary says, Daisy looks like she’s in a foul mood, and in Diana’s interview, she says, if Danni is going to be a bitch, she can be a bitch as well. The blue and white theme looks really pretty, with disco relic silver streamers flying from the railing. Andrew toasts to MC and Chris, when Cloyce comes up with what he calls a play on Caesar salad. Everyone is confused as to what he means, since there’s no play going on and it’s just a Caesar salad. The seafood is served, and guest Cecilia says, she loves family style, but would have preferred a plated meal. Daisy says she’ll say something to the chef.

Danni tells Daisy that she’s afraid to help Diana. She mentioned she’d kissed Gary and Diana lost her sh*t. Daisy tells her to be the big person, and in Danni’s interview, she asks why it’s just her that has to be the bigger person. Why can’t Daisy tell her other stew to grow up? Daisy thinks it’s petty, and Danni helps Diana with the cabins. Captain Glenn asks the guests, how was dinner? and gets a massive amount of cricket chirping before someone says, delicious. They claim to be jet lagged, but as soon as the captain is gone, Cecilia says she wishes she’d had a fine dining plated meal.

Cloyce is taking forever with the dessert, and Gary apologizes to Daisy. She says he doesn’t know how to communicate, and his behavior is self-destructive and destructive to others. You don’t treat people like that, especially people in your corner. They high-five, then hug, and Daisy says, it’s time he grew up a little bit. Cloyce is having difficulty getting the icing to come out of the pumping bag and it’s now 16 minutes since the table was cleared. MC wants to go to bed, and Cloyce giggles in the galley. In Daisy’s interview, she wonders why he’s taking so long. Instead of a nap, he needs to be better organized. He doesn’t give a f***, but she has to go with it. Cloyce says, it’s not his best work, and MC says she’s falling asleep.

Ironically, during the break, we get a Sonicare commercial.

I’m not sure what this dessert is besides a mess, and it’s now 28 minutes after clearing. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, it’s definitely not his best work. He didn’t get enough sleep and had too much to drink. He’s never doing that again until next time. Daisy tells him that the guests were a bit disappointed that the meal wasn’t plated. She’s just passing along the feedback. Keith goes over cleaning the deck with Emma, and Emma tells Danni that she feels the deckhands are off with her or maybe she’s being oversensitive. I think this is just not the job for her. She seems like she’s not even focusing on what anyone is telling her. Some of the guests linger at the table and two of them start arguing over complaining. Irony!

Doing the night clean-up, Emma takes her time, has a smoke, and messes with her phone. She says she lost track of time, and at 7:30 am, she’s cleaning the deck. Keith tries to give her instruction, but I think it’s just going past her. She asks if he wants help with the swim platform, but then just stands there as he grunts and groans and deals with it by himself. In Keith’s interview, he says, she offered to help and she’s standing there doing nothing. He’s like, thanks a lot, and in Emma’s interview, she says she’s over his passive/ aggressive bullsh*t. She’s tired of being made to feel like a small person. I’m like, WTF? and in his interview, Keith says, it’s cruel to just stand there and watch him struggle. I don’t mean this in a bad way, but maybe she’s on the spectrum. Something definitely is not right here.

Andrew starts his day with still water and champagne, as we all would like to. Danni bugs Gary, who says he was thinking about their kiss. She says she had fun, but he says he doesn’t want it to happen again. Sorry. She asks why he’s apologizing, since I don’t think she cares a whole lot. Keith tells Gary that he and Emma had a bit of a tiff. She was pissed because he tried to give her advice. Emma tells Daisy that she’s over Keith’s passive/aggressive behavior, and Daisy says, if she treats people with hostility she’s going to get hostility back. Emma says she’s irritated that it’s becoming a thing.  

Gary tells Keith that he’ll talk to Emma if he has a chance. They have to walk on eggshells and it’s a shame. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, for breakfast, he likes to make some kind of eggs, breakfast meat, and pastries. Usually, if he puts out those things, everyone is happy. In Daisy’s interview, she says, it’s screaming budget hotel, airport hotel, continental breakfast. Damn right. If I was paying superyacht prices, I’d better get some eggs-f***ing-benedict. Captain Glenn asks Daisy how it went last night, and she suggests they talk upstairs. She doesn’t think the guests were happy. Lunch was fine, but they were not happy last night. She could have gotten better from the local marina. It’s not superyacht quality and they were waiting. In the captain’s interview, he says, they’re not even halfway through the season, and Cloyce can’t be coasting. He should be putting out the best of his best. Daisy says she doesn’t think he knows time management and he’s lazy. Captain Glenn wonders if the three of them should sit down and talk, and Daisy says, she’s going to talk to him today.  

Last day of charter. The boat heads for Igy Marina, and Diana asks Keith what happened with Danni. He says, she likes to chat with people and wants to flirt all the time, but when they’re working, it’s not cool. They should go for it if there’s a connection, but he’s not sure if she’s just being fun and flirty. Diana says she takes it back. She doesn’t think it’s different with Keith. She thinks everyone is the same to Danni. She’s pretty sure Danni kissed Gary. Keith says, that’s annoying, and in his interview, he says, that’s not meeting halfway, and it seems deliberate. It’s a bit of a gut punch. On her way upstairs, Diana says, oops. Oops indeed.

In the crew mess, Daisy tells Cloyce that she’s not a chef, but she’s been in the industry a while. Things are often last minute, and she thinks the dinner wasn’t what the guests were expecting. It can affect the tip. He asks if she thinks they want something more elaborate, and she says, it should be the most beautiful plate. He’s worked on big boats. He says, some things are inherently rustic, and she says she understands that. She’s just giving him some advice from her experience. He says, everybody is different, and she says, it’s not her first rodeo. She’s trying to help him. In Cloyce’s interview, he says never in his history of charter experience has anyone questioned his capability in the galley. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. In Daisy’s interview, she says, he’s not getting it, and she tells him that she thinks he needs better time management. He can take help from her eleven years’ experience, or maybe in his two years, he’s done better. He says, well, yeah.  

Next time, Keith confronts Gary about Danni; Gary tries to talk to Emma about her work ethic; and a boat is way to close, so Gary has to wake Captain Glenn.

Happy Veterans Day!

🥇 Furred and Feathered Veterans…

Animals are soldiers too. Ubah (RHODubai) will be glad to note there’s a pigeon among those bestowed with a Medal of Bravery.

https://animalsinwarandpeace.org/medal-of-bravery

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-shropshire-67577629

https://www.uswardogs.org/medal-of-bravery

🙌 Thank You For Your Service…

Join me tomorrow for soap, taking a bite of the Big Apple, and what’s watchable (or not). Until then, stay safe, stay RSVP’ing for a Thanksgiving invite now, and stay taking care of yourself, or there won’t be anything left for those depending on you.

November 4, 2024 – Rocco Thinks He’s Responsible For Sam’s Death, Former Real Housewife On Deck, Proof Of Pandas & Air

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Holly says, if Robert can’t forgive her, she understands. She’s not sure she can forgive herself. What now? He asks what she means, and she says, if he can’t get past her keeping their daughter from him, does that mean he’s cutting her out of his life?

At the apartment, Spinelli says he has the best father-in-law, and Maxie says, he got them out of trick-or-treating. They toast to Mac with some cider, when there’s a knock at the door. Maxie says, there’s no rest for the wicked, and puts on her witch hat. She opens the door and Jason is there.  

In the chapel, Rocco says he hopes Sam forgives him, but Laura says, there’s nothing to forgive. He says, it’s his fault Sam died, but Laura says, nothing he said or did led to Sam’s death. He says, when his mom and Sam were in surgery, he was thinking, if only one of them lived, he wanted it to be his mom, She says, that’s natural he would want it to be his mother, and he says, he put it out there in the universe for God or whoever else to hear. Now it happened.

Sonny asks, what can he do? and Dante says, tell him how to live without her.

Alexis gets up, clutching her throat, and Molly says, it’ll be okay. Alexis says, it’s not. She knows she’s supposed to comfort them. She’s sorry, but she doesn’t know how. She sobs, and I want them to stop stomping on my heart now.

Robert says, what if he said he never wanted to see Holly again and told her to stay out of his life? and she asks if that’s what he wants. He says, there were times he thought she was dead and those were the darkest times in his life, and she says she knows the feeling. He says he doesn’t want her to disappear, but after everything she kept from him, is it possible for them to rebuild trust?

At the Quartermaines, Scout is drawing something with crayons, when Drew comes in. He asks what she’s drawing, and she says, their family at the park mom takes them to. He says, it’s beautiful. She can talk to him about anything. He thought she might want to talk about mom. Are there any questions she might have or worries? He promises to be honest. She asks if mommy is really gone, and he says, yes. He’s never wished more that he could give her a different answer. She says she doesn’t want mommy to be gone, and he holds her and says he’s so sorry.

In the living room, Carly asks if Danny is separating the candy, and Danny says, his mom called it quality control and said she was making sure they were safe, but he thinks she just wanted some of the candy. Carly says, the dentist across the street used to give out toothbrushes, and he says, that’s just wrong. She says she thought so too. (Agreed.) He tells her that one pile is the candy Scout doesn’t like, and she asks if she can have one. He tells her, go for it, and she asks if he wants help. He says he’s okay, and she says, he’s a good brother. He says, mom told him that it was his job to look out for Scout, so that’s what he’s going to do.

Jason asks if the kids are home, but Maxie says, no. Bailey Lou is sleeping, and Mac took Georgie and James trick-or-treating. Is everything okay? Jason says, no, and Spinelli suggests they go to the office where there’s more privacy, but Jason says, they both need to hear this, and Maxie says, he’s freaking her out. Jason says, Sam had a heart attack, and Maxie says she needs to go to the hospital and see her. Jason says, she can’t, and she says, why not? He says, she didn’t make it. Sam died.

Dante says, Sam is the reason he’s alive, and Sonny says, Sam got him through some bad times. Dante says, the PTSD from his WSB assignment. His goal was to be normal, but he didn’t know how. Sam did and helped him put the pieces of his life back together. Sonny says he was scared for Dante. He tried to break though Dante’s wall, but had no luck. Sam had the magic touch. Dante says, she was a friend to him, and Sonny says, and him to her. Dante says, it took time, but somehow, they were each other’s second chance, and Sonny says he’s glad Sam pulled Dante through to the other side. Dante asks, who’s going to do that this time? and Sonny says, you.

Molly asks Alexis to tell them what happened, but Alexis says she doesn’t know. She was with Sam and Sam fell asleep and never woke up. She just wants Sam back. Kristina says, Alexis was with her, and Molly says, at least she wasn’t alone. Alexis says, it’s not supposed to happen. She’s not supposed to lose her children. It’s not supposed to happen, and it did. Molly and Kristina hug her.

Holly says, trust this much. She loves Robert and she’s sorry about being so cowardly about painful confrontation. He asks, who says it’s painful? and she says, the possibility of being rejected was terrifying to her. She couldn’t face it, so she avoided it. He asks how that’s working for her, and she says, not very well. She wasn’t truthful with him or herself, but there was never ill-intent. He says he believes her, and she says, somewhere she was thinking if he didn’t know about Sasha or the things she kept from him, maybe, just maybe, a window would open a crack, and they’d find their way back to being together. He says, she had to tell him about Sasha eventually and they’d be where they are now. She says, the ridiculous part is, deep down, she knew she couldn’t keep the truth forever from him or Sasha, and they’re both important.

Laura says, Rocco needs to believe her. That’s not the way the universe works. The way it happened is tragic, but it has nothing to do with him. He says, Sam was good to him, and she says, Sam loved him. He says, she never treated him like he wasn’t her son. He was one of the kids, the same as Danny and Scout. They had a handshake they used when no one was around. His dad didn’t even know about it. She says she thinks that’s special, and he says, Sam was special. How could he have thought what he did? She says, if Sam was here, what does he think she’d say? He says he doesn’t know, but she says she thinks he does. He says that he had no control over what happened, and she says, Sam wouldn’t blame him, so he shouldn’t blame himself.

Sonny says, Dante is in a different place now, and Dante says, because of Sam. Sonny says, Sam got through to him, and now, they’re here for him. Him, Kristina, Michael, Brook Lynn. There’s a long list of people who would do anything in their power to support him. Dante says, it feels wrong, and Sonny says, it is. Sam should be with him and the children. Dante says, their beautiful little family, and Sonny says, they were right together and that’s a beautiful thing. Dante says, Sam was beautiful. Their life was beautiful. He knows he has to go on for the kids and he will. He has to start some kind of life without Sam, but he doesn’t want to live without her.

Alexis says she knows Molly and Kristina loved their sister and how much she loved them, and Molly says, they were fighting the last time the four of them were together. The last time they saw Sam, she stormed out because they were fighting. She did this gorgeous thing, and they made it about them. Alexis says, no one could have known what was going to happen, and Molly says she’ll regret it for the rest of her life. Kristina says, her too, but Alexis says, no regrets. They’re going to do what they can to hang onto each other because they’re all they’ve got, the three of them. They’re going to love each other forever and are never going to let go. She kisses them and hugs them.

Maxie says, it makes no sense. Lulu needed a transplant. Lulu’s was the life that was at risk. Spinelli says, the surgery was routine on Sam’s end, and Jason says he’s not sure why the heart attack happened. Maxie says she and Sam texted this morning. Since Sam missed Halloween, she got extra peanut butter cups to take to her. She said she was doing great. Jason says, they’re looking into it, and Spinelli asks if Jason saw her. Jason says, they let him… after… to say goodbye. Spinelli hugs Maxie.

Holly says she thought she’d see hatred in Robert’s eyes. She’s seen it before and couldn’t bare it. We flash back to Robert asking why she couldn’t get a simple divorce. She had to destroy the one thing he loved more than life. In the present, Holly says she didn’t want him to hate her, and he says, if memory serves, he forgave her before. That’s what he doesn’t get. She should have had faith in him and think he would do it again.

Carly asks, how was trick-or-treating? and Danny says, it was okay. Scout had fun. He couldn’t concentrate. He was too worried about mom. They went to the hospital to see her and show her Scout’s costume. Carly says, Sam would have loved it, and Danny says, she never got to see it. They got to the hospital and saw Grandma Alexis. She didn’t look so great. She looked scared. Dad saw and told them to leave. Go to Bobbie’s and wait for him. She says she’s sure it was hard waiting, and he says, it felt like hours. She says, he must have been scared, but he says he held it together for Scout. He doesn’t think they had any idea anything could happen to mom. He knew something was wrong, but never thought mom could die.

Scout asks Drew, what happens now? Who will make her lunch and take her to school? He says, they’ve got a lot got to figure out, but one thing he knows – something she needs to know – is that she’s not alone. She’s got a whole family that loves her. She says, the Quartermaines? and he says, they’re family to her. Danny, Rocco, and Dante. Grandma Alexis, Molly, Kristina… She says, Uncle Jason, and he says, she’s surrounded by people who want the best for her and would do anything to help her get through. She says she wants mom, and he says he knows she does. He’d do anything to bring her back. It’s going to be hard for everybody who loves her mom. She asks if he did, and he says, how could he not? She gave him the best gift in the whole world – her. He’ll always be there for her. She tells him, that’s what mommy said.

Spinelli says he can’t accept this reality. His fair Samantha lived a life of adventure, especially danger. Countless times he feared for her safety, but it was always unwarranted. Maxie says, until now, and Spinelli says he can no longer rely on Sam’s cool head or benefit from her sage advice. Maxie says, they were great partners, and he says, she was the best P.I. partner and a better friend. Jason says, she loved him, and Spinelli says, she was the first one to give him a chance and actually see him. Maxie says, that’s no small feat, and Jason says, Sam helped him see Spinelli’s potential. Because of her, he has Spinelli’s friendship. Maxie says, and hers, and Jason says, two more of the things he owes her.

Holly says, she’s the one she didn’t have faith in. Running cons is about creating illusion. He says, she’s excellent at it, and she says, reality is where she’s lacking. The day in and day out. He says, the grind, and she says she wasn’t cut out for making lunches and walking a child to the bus stop. He says, it’s not 1952, and she says, domesticity is not her strong suit. That’s why she left Sasha with her mother. She supported them financially of course (🍷). He wonders if it was money from her cons, and she says she never swindled a mark who couldn’t afford it or hadn’t done something more awful. He says, she’s the most ethical con woman in the business, and she says she wasn’t going to dump this in his lap. He asks if she thinks he wouldn’t help, but she says she knew he would help. She was just worried about the cost.

Danny says he’s glad Scout went trick-or-treating and got to have fun before they found out about mom, and Carly says, he gave her that gift even though he was afraid. He put on a brave face and gave Scout a happy memory. He says he doesn’t think they’ll have one again, but she says she knows they all will. He says he used to love Halloween, and she says, Captain America, three years running. He says, every year, mom would get him a new costume. It must have been annoying. She says, Sam told her that he knew what he liked and stuck with it. She admired him for that. He says he didn’t know that, and tells Carly, peanut butter cups were her favorite. He’d always get extra, so he’d have some for her. Carly hugs him and says she’d like to tell him that everything is going to be okay, but he won’t believe her. So instead, she’ll tell him that he has so many people in his corner that love him so much, and she’s one of them.

Drew says he knows it’s not the same. Scout can’t see or touch her mom, but her mom is always with her. Scout asks, how? and he says, because her mom loves her, and love never goes away. She says, even when someone dies? and he says, it’s strong enough to go beyond anything. She tells him, that’s what Uncle Jason said, and Drew says, he was right. So go on loving and remembering mom, knowing without a doubt, mom will never leave her. He promises. She says she’s glad he’s here, and he hugs her and says him too.

Laura says, everybody has negative thoughts and feelings, and Rocco says, even her? She laughs and says she thinks he’d be surprised. He says he bets she never wished something bad on someone, and she says, what we think and feel doesn’t make us responsible for what happens. What happened was tragic and heartbreaking and feels incredibly wrong. She promises there’s going be a medical reason why Sam died, and it won’t have anything to do with what’s going on in his head or his heart. It’s okay. He says he gets it, and she says, good. Because what Sam did today was beautiful. She gave Rocco’s mother the most precious gift ever. That’s how they’re going to remember her and how he will too.

Dante says he asked Sam to marry him when she woke up, and Sonny tells him that he’d ask what she said, but he already knows the answer. He didn’t know Dante proposed. Dante says he didn’t know what to do. He debated too long and decided to make it official. Sonny asks why he wouldn’t, and Dante says, because they already had it all. Happiness, they shared the kids. He loved her so much. They already had a family. Sonny says, a beautiful one, and Dante says he figured, why rock the boat? Sonny asks, what changed? and Dante says he wanted more. He wanted to make a beautiful human being his wife. He asked her and she said yes. It was all for nothing. It’s over. It was over before they even had a chance to begin. Sonny puts his hand on Dante’s shoulder.

Spinelli hugs Jason and cries, and Jason leaves. Maxie takes Spinelli’s hand, and they cry in each other’s arms.

Alexis says she has to go back to the hospital, and Kristina wonders when they’ll know more about what happened. Alexis says, that’s what she wants to find out, and Kristina says she’ll go with her. Molly says she will too, when her phone dings. She says, it’s the meal service confirming the start date, and Alexis says, it’s fine. The kids need food. Molly says she was so prepared, and cries. She says she was prepared for nothing because Sam is gone. They’re never going to see Sam again. How is that possible? Alexis hugs her and she cries.

Dante says he doesn’t know why he waited so long. Why didn’t he do it when they were taking a walk or doing the dishes? Sonny asks if it would have made a difference, and Dante says he doesn’t know. Maybe it would hurt less to look back on their wedding day and sharing a house with the kids. Sonny says, thinking about it is going to drive Dante crazy, and Dante says, he’s avoiding acknowledging that he’s scared, and Sonny says, what’s next? Dante asks how he moves on without Sam, and Sonny says, it’s hard and scary, but he’ll figure it out. Dante asks how he’s going to roll over and not see Sam in the morning. How is he not going to look across the room, laughing with her about something inappropriate the kids said. How is he not going to hear the sound of her key in the lock, knowing she’s home safe? Sonny says, it might take a long time, but he’ll make it. Because like Dante said, he’s got to go on for the children. And he will. Sonny promises when Dante goes on for the children’s sake, he’ll help him go on. Dante says, he’d better be right, and Sonny says, he’s right about everything. Dante’s got them and they’ve got him. He holds Dante while he cries.  

Laura and Rocco light a candle, and Rocco asks if they can say a prayer. Laura says, of course (🍷) and Rocco tells her that he’s not sure what to say. Will she help him? She takes his hand and says, God, we know Sam is with you now and know she looks over us from above with love. We give thanks for how her love brought us all together. We see Spinelli and Maxie with the kids after trick-or-treating, and hear Laura’s voice, as we remember what a wonderful mother she was – Jason and Danny hug – and as we hold close the gifts she’s given us –Drew hugs Scout – we’ll do our best to be good to ourselves and each other – Alexis hugs Molly and Kristina – and care for each other the way Sam cared for us. And we pray Sam will watch over us until we see her again one day. Amen. Dante hugs Rocco.

Holly asks if Robert doesn’t think it’s best for everyone that she goes, but he says he never thinks it’s best that she leaves. She says, it’s in those moments she has the most hope. When they say goodbye, there might be a chance she’ll still see him again. We flash back to Robert telling her that he’s never loved anyone more than he loves her, and in the present, she says, if this is their last goodbye. there’s something she needs to tell him. There’s never been a moment she’s loved anyone more than she loves him right now. They kiss.

Tomorrow, Molly tells TJ that she’s not sure how much more she can take; Ava tells Nina not to let a man ruin her relationship with her daughter; Diane tells Robert that she’s not kidding; and Sasha tells Willow that she’s got no one to blame but herself.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Emma says she’s not taking Danni and Diana’s sh*t anymore. She doesn’t have the mental capacity to deal with it. She needs a minute. In Emma’s interview, she says she’s just come off a hard charter. She felt like nothing she did was right and doesn’t know where she belongs in the group. They get into two taxis, and Keith brings along a bucket of chicken that he got from… somewhere. Gary asks if Keith is going to hook up with Danni, while in the other taxi, Danni says she’d never make the first move. Drunk Gary says, the chicken is so good.

When they get back to the boat, Daisy says she’s going to bed. Emma says she’s blowing things out of proportion, and Daisy says, Emma is too into her head. Davide floats around in the jacuzzi, while Gary can’t find his pajama pants, then falls into the closet. Danni tells Keith that she thinks they have good chemistry, and in her interview, she says, her ex is dating her best friend and they’re living together. Maybe she needs something super warm and fuzzy, some wholesome sh*t. But by the time Keith figures it out, she’ll be in an old age home. Everyone goes to bed, and a nakey Davide struggles to get into the top bunk above Captain Glenn, nearly falling on him. The captain asks if he’s all right, and Davide says, nearly.

7 hours to charter. Davide says, it’s not his fault. It’s who designed the bed. I literally lol. Daisy tells Diana and Danni, the quicker you get it done, the quicker you finish, which is kind of like, wherever you go, there you are. Emma complains, there’s glitter all over, and I don’t envy her. I have taken care of small children who enjoy crafts, and I grew to hate glitter.

Captain Glenn calls Daisy, Gary, and Cloyce for the preference sheet meeting, and tells them that they’re having an overnight. Tiffany and her husband Daniel are from Dallas, and Tiffany was a Real Housewife. In Cloyce’s interview, he says he met and cooked for an OC Housewife who divorced her husband and became a lesbian. Must be Braunwyn. The captin reads that the guests are hoping the trip surpasses all others they’ve taken. They have high standards. Daisy says, they want a professional photography session on the beach, and a Japanese style dinner. Captain Glenn tells Cloyce to pull out all the stops and that means no swimming this charter. In the galley, Daisy tells Cloyce that she thinks service went well last charter, apart from the cake debacle. He should show off his skills and keep bringing up the bar. They all just need to do better. They’re in this together. In Gary’s interview, he says, Emma’s work ethic isn’t there. He was slow to realize she has no motivation or drive. If she sees him working hard, maybe she’ll think she should be. He should probably talk to her, but he wants to see if she’ll take the initiative. Diana says, the guests look like they’ll be drunk. Go to hell. In Danni’s interview, she says, it will be a better tip for them if Diana is off service. She needs to be more approachable. Gary says, the boat looks good, Daisy says, nice, good job, and Captain Glenn says, everybody in the cockpit.  

The guests arrive, Captain Glenn welcomes them, and says, they’re going to get out soon. Tiffany says, tells Daisy that they’re orgy people (I think she’s joking), and Daisy says, great! They head out, and guest Jerry asks Daisy how far they’re sailing out. She says, about twenty miles, and Jerry asks about the weather. Daisy says she doesn’t know, and he seems annoyed that she works here and doesn’t know everything. She tells him that tequila is her job, and the sails go up. Danni says, please, Lord, can nothing break? and primary ex-Housewife Tiffany says she wants to go really sideways. Emma says she’s preventatively afraid of stuff falling, and we hear crashes. Danni slides across the floor on her back, which looks kinda fun. Captain Glenn says, they’re heeling starboard, and in his interview, he says, the wind shifted. They need to pull out the lazy sheet and switch to go on port tack. I have no idea what that means, but he asks Gary why it’s going so slow. In the captain’s interview, he says, timing is important. They can lose the wind. If the timing is wrong, it messes everything up. Emma says, nothing more is coming out, but there’s still a lot of slack, and Gary says, it’s f***ing ridiculous.

Emma tells Gary that the lazy sheet was working, then it wasn’t. He tells her to use her whole body weight, and in Emma’s interview, she says, this is the biggest boat she’s worked on. The other boats didn’t have lazy sheets or use hydraulic sails. Maybe she’s just a poor little weak girl and can’t do it. The boys are better and she’s just inept. What on earth? She’s going to have to turn in her pride/woman/girl card if she doesn’t knock it off. I never thought I’d say this, but just listen to Gary. Glenn says, the wind has slowed to 4 knots, and puts the sails down. The guests pout, anchor is dropped, and Daisy says she’s going to send Danni to help with the photos. Gary tells Captain Glenn that Emma is greener than he thought. She lacks urgency and drive. The captain says, maybe Gary has to help her a bit. Give her instruction and see how this charter goes. Photographer Andrei arrives, and Gary takes him to the beach in the tender. Afterward, he takes the guests, and Daisy tells Diana that she’s on cabins. Under her breath, Diana says, it’s so annoying. On the beach, Danni tells Keith, gorgeous boy, gorgeous view, and Andrei takes photos of the guests. Danni says, it’s romantic, but Keith says, no flirting in front of the guests. She says, he’s no fun, but he says he’s professional. In Keith’s interview, he says, Danni has no appreciation for work versus play, and in Danni’s interview, she says she feels like they’re dating in the Victorian era. Keith says, there’s a time and place, and in her interview, Danni says, Keith’s work belt is a chastity belt.

The guests are hungry, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says, it’s Japanese night. He’s not experienced as a Japanese chef, but his sophomore year in high school, he honed his craft. But that was a while ago. It’s either going to be incredibly chill or the worst thing he’s ever done. So far, IMO, it looks amazing. The guests head back, and Daisy tells Cloyce that they’re ready when he is. The guests are seated, and a Japanese food porn parade comes out. Honestly, if I had that kind of money, I’d go on one of these yachts just for the food. Like a really expensive floating restaurant. Jerry orders an espresso martini, and Daisy tells Cloyce that the guests are happy. He says, they’re about to be happier, and comes out with the sea bass entrée. Diana makes the martini for Jerry, but he says, it’s bad luck. It’s missing one bean. He likes having health and wealth, but needs happiness. Diana says she’s giving him decaf from now on, and in her interview, she says, the original recipe calls for three beans, but she’s seen them with one or two. It’s not going to make a difference to the cocktail. She tells Daisy that she’s hating them right now, but Daisy tells her to try not to let it get to her even if they’re an a-hole. Diana says she was joking. She doesn’t really care. Daisy says, the guests care, so put a big smile on. Danni makes Jerry another martini with 3 beans, and Jerry says, a three-bean classic. He toasts to wealth, heath, and happiness, and asks, who made the martini? Danni says she did, and he and Danni dance around, giving each other high-fives. In Diana’s interview, she says, it’s annoying to her ego. Go f*** yourself. The guests agree that they like Danni; she’s fun. The guests go to bed, and Emma starts on the night shift. In Emma’s interview, she says she loves interacting with the team and the guests. The night shift is 8 hours of no one, and it’s not nice when you’re already feeling sh*tty about yourself.

Last day of charter. Keith asks if Emma needs to focus on anything, but she says she’s done the whole boat. He sees one of the decks is wet, and Gary asks him if Emma didn’t do something. Keith says, the cockpit was piss wet, and in Gary’s interview, he says, it should be 100% dry before the guests get up. Emma’s not getting the whole boat. They dock and the guests pack. Tiffany says she’s sad to leave, and Gary asks Emma, what happened on the boat last night? She can rinse the aft when the guests are up. Emma says she’ll bear it in mind for next time. Captain Glenn tells the crew that it’s time for guest departure. Everyone says their goodbyes, and Tiffany says, they were blown away by the crew’s professionalism and level of service. Danni makes the best 3 bean martini. She hands Captain Glenn an envelope as a token of appreciation for all of them and their hard work. They hope to see them again in the future. Captain Glenn toots the horn, and everyone waves. I have to admit, the way the preview was edited, it didn’t make Tiffany and company look good, but aside from Jerry being a bit of a jerk, they were great guests.

The captain says, they’re on a roll. Another good one. Emma calls her sister Lauren, and in her interview, she says, Lauren is one of the best people she’s ever known. She’s great to get advice from. Lauren asks, what’s wrong? and Emma says she’s had a hard last few days. She messed up and she’s getting frustrated with herself. In Emma’s interview, she says, Lauren has always been very clever. She sniffles and says she was always compared with Lauren, so she would act up and make life hard for her family. Lauren says, there’s no point in minimizing how Emma feels. She needs to move forward. It’s six weeks. Emma says, it’s not nice to feel like you’re on the outside.  

It’s time for the tip meeting, and Captain Glenn says, another charter in the can. Well done. Gary kept the guests safe on the photography trip and the guests enjoyed it. Great work. The food was great, and Cloyce got lots of compliments. Excellent work. Cloyce says he thinks the communication improved and he likes the teamwork. Surprising the hell out of us all, the tip is $25K or 2391 euros each. Kudos again to these guests. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, money is cool, but it’s the forever memories that he’s here for… Just kidding. He’s never mad at 3K in his bank account… ever.

The crew leaves to go out, and Diana is hoping there are hot people there. At the restaurant, Daisy asks if Emma is okay, and Emma says, not really. They step away for a smoke, and Emma says she knows she’s over-sensitive and her anxiety gets the better of her. She feels like she’s becoming a hindrance and it’s stressing her out. Daisy says, her advice is, let it roll off of her. The more Emma lets it eat at her, the more friction she’ll create and ruin her experience. Emma says she panics, making it 100 times worse. In Emma’s interview, she says she feels like a giraffe just born – shaky. She tells Daisy that she needs to rest. She’s sweating so much. She asks if Daisy will get her stuff and explain that it just came on suddenly. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Emma is definitely struggling with the workload. She’s being hard on herself and a bit in her head. She’s feeling like a lonely island at the moment.

Daisy tells the others that she thinks it’s heat exhaustion, and Danni says she thinks it’s Davide’s fault because the air con isn’t working. Danni jokes about Keith being the love of her life and not responding to her, and Keith says, the guests come first. Emma goes back to the boat, where Captain Glenn is making himself a fancy drink. The crew moves on to a club, and Keith asks if he can buy Danni a drink and have a chat. The take their drinks to a booth, and she says, it feels like he’s only fun when he decides to be, while she’s constantly flirting. There’s no banter. Keith says, when they’re with the guests, he doesn’t think it’s okay. He wishes the circumstance were different but they’re here to do a job. In Danni’s interview, she suggests he grow some balls, and he says he doesn’t know the boat or the crew enough.

Danni says she’s not going to wait until Keith becomes more relaxed. She’s going to carry on with her life regardless. He says he doesn’t think it’s fair, and she asks if they’re done. He says, let’s go have fun. Davide puts a sparkler in his man bun, and I pray his hair catches fire. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the only two men allowed to have man buns are Roger Howarth and Sensei Guillermo Gomez. Daisy thanks the deck crew for their help. It’s next level and allows them to be with the guests. It’s refreshing to see. Danni chats with Gary. On the boat, Glenn watches a football game. Danni and Gary dance, and Danni says, it’s the best party ever. Keith tells Cloyce that Danni is giving him weird vibes, and Cloyce says he’s getting positive vibes from Daisy.

The crew heads back in the taxis, and Keith says, it was not a great night. Danni asks if Gary is going to make it to the hot tub, and he says, perhaps. Daisy tells Keith, don’t apologize for being sensitive, and Keith says he doesn’t know why he’s pissed off. In Daisy’s interview, she says she thinks Keith would make a great partner and it’s unfair, but nice guys finish last. Back at the boat, Daisy goes to bed, while the others head for the jacuzzi. Daisy asks how Emma is, and Emma says she’s better. At 3:45, only Danni and Gary remain, and in Danni’s interview, she says she’s been deprived of the attention that Gary is giving her. It’s the banter that she needs. They decide to jump off the boat into the water. They kiss, and in her interview, Danni says, whoops.  

Next time, Daisy tells Cloyce that the guests expect a bit more; Diana and Danni butt heads; Diana tells Keith that she thinks Danni and Gary kissed; and Keith says, it’s a bit of a gut punch.

🐼 Exhibit P…

I thought it was the weirdest belief ever when Craig said pandas weren’t real. Another way Paige is good for him.

https://people.com/paige-desorbo-dresses-cat-as-panda-after-boyfriend-craig-conover-claims-bears-arent-real-8736874

🩰 Like Dancing Dreams…

It’s been a long week, and it’s only Monday. Join me tomorrow for soap, NYC in the shade, and post-Halloween quarterbacking. Until then, stay safe, stay considering reservations for Thanksgiving, and stay remembering that what we think and feel doesn’t make us responsible for what happens. That’s not the way the universe works.

October 28, 2024 – Heather Says Goodbye To Ace, 60th Birthday On Deck, Be Lured, Disturbing View, Treats Without Tricks & Dress

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Laura is surprised to see Heather, who says she’s a free woman. Isn’t that the most amazing news?

Anna goes to Jack’s office and says she needs to talk to him about Charlotte. He says, she’s not on the Bureau’s most wanted list, but Anna says, her father is, and her mother is undergoing major surgery. Charlotte needs to know what’s going on. Can he tell her where Charlotte and her father are?

Drew asks Nina, what’s so urgent? and she says, they have a major problem that might cost him the election.

Holly goes to Pozzulo’s and asks if Sonny has considered her offer. Do they have a deal? Sonny says, not yet, and she sees Jason in his office. She asks if she should come back, but he says, they’re all here about the same thing – Sidwell’s diamonds.

Cody asks if Holly is really Sasha’s mother. She told him that her mother was dead. She says she told everyone. She lied… about a lot of things. She doesn’t have time to list them, but this is one thing she’s not lying about. She wishes she was. Cody says, whatever it is, they can face it, but she says, they can’t because they can never be together.

Jack says, the Bureau has no information on Valentin’s whereabouts, and Anna says, he knows. He says, if he was her, he wouldn’t believe him either, and she says, don’t be a total ass. She knows Valentin worked for Pikeman, then the Bureau disappeared him so they wouldn’t be tied to it. He says, whether her unsubstantiated theory is true or not, Charlotte would be here if Valentin hadn’t been tipped off by Anna.

Nina says, the numbers indicate that blue collar voters feel Drew is out of touch, but Drew says he was raised in a group home. He’s a vet, a Navy SEAL. She says, they see him as the son of a successful doctor from a billionaire family and feel neglected. If the election was today, they wouldn’t vote for him. His opponent is starting a smear campaign about his rich playboy divorcee lifestyle, but he has something Chelsea Grimes doesn’t have – her. She knows what will save him from disaster.

Alexis sees Laura with Heather and tells Laura that Ric is responsible for Heather’s release. Heather says, she’s right. Ric took things in a new direction. Laura wonders how she wasn’t informed, and Elizabeth says, it happened so fast, but Laura says, the warden should have called the mayor’s office. Heather says she can’t believe her good fortune, and Elizabeth takes Steven aside. She asks if he’s sure about this, and he says, it’s best for everyone. Maybe they can even resolve things. Elizabeth says, he’s been down this road, and he says, but they won’t be in Port Charles. She asks if he’s taking Heather to Sedona, and he says, she needs to be far away from the people she’s hurt. Elizabeth asks when they’re leaving, and he says, in a few hours. They came to say goodbye.

Dante sees Steven and says, the day is full of surprises. When did he get back? Steven says, today, and Dante wonders what the hell Heather is doing here.

Heather says she won’t be a bother to anyone ever again. Her handsome son is taking her far away. Both Alexis and Laura ask, how far? and Heather says, Arizona. Laura asks, for how long? and Heather says she hopes this doesn’t upset Laura, but she’s leaving Port Charles for good.  

Holly says, Jason’s involvement doesn’t affect the split, and Sonny says, there’s no deal yet. He checked her story, and it turns out she wasn’t up front about everything. Now he has information that’s an absolute deal breaker. She says she was hoping this would end more profitably and asks for her diamond back. He says, of course (🍷). He doesn’t know if she’s heard, but her friend Sidwell is in Miami and he’s pretty sure Sidwell is on his way – he puts the diamond on his desk – to Port Charles. She says, on second thought, she’s too busy to look into other options. Why don’t they get down to business/

Cody asks if he did something wrong, and reaches for Sasha. She steps away, and says, he didn’t. He asks why she doesn’t want to be with him then, and she says, it’s not that. She can’t. They can’t… ever. He says she needs to explain, and she says she found out something she knew couldn’t be true, but she had to be sure… He says, she can tell him anything, and she says she found out his Uncle Robert is her father. He asks who told her, and she says her mother. He says, her mother also told him that she stole the Ice Princess, and Sasha says, she did. He says, she’s a con artist and therefore not a reliable source, and she says, that was her reaction too. She shows him the DNA test and says, it’s true. They’re first cousins.

Elizabeth asks if Steven is sure he can handle Heather, and he says he thinks Heather is sincere. He hopes she is. Dante asks if he thinks he can get her to leave, and Steven says, she knows it’s best. Elizabeth says she doesn’t know if it’s best for him, but he says he believes if they’re away from here, Heather can live a productive life. Besides, he’s not blameless. He did his time, and getting Heather out of Port Charles is a way of making amends.

Laura says she thinks it’s for the best for Heather and her victims, and Alexis says, sometimes in life, you need a fresh start and distance if you want to change your life or behavior. Heather agrees, and Laura says she wishes the very best for Heather, truly. She has to go, but Heather grabs her hand and says, before Laura goes, she needs to ask one favor.

Holly asks if Jason filled Sonny in on Sidwell, and Sonny says, he’s a dangerous man. Holly says she had Sidwell under control, but Jason says, if it wasn’t for the WSB, they’d be dead. Holly says, if it wasn’t for her, they wouldn’t have gotten to the airfield, but Sonny says, it doesn’t matter who did what. Sidwell is on his way, and they need to unload the diamonds before he tracks them and Holly. Holly asks, what are the new terms?

Cody says, Holly rigged the test, but Sasha says, it was done at a secure WSB lab. He says, she found a way, but Sasha says, stop. She hates it as much as he does, but it’s true. Robert is her father, which means they’re first cousins. He asks if her grandmother raising her was a lie, but Sasha says, no, she did. He says, where was Holly? and she says she doesn’t know. Anywhere she could find a rich mark to bleed dry. Holly told her that her father was dead. Even Holly believed it for a while. It’s a long story. Cody says, clearly, he was not dead, and Sasha says, Holly never told her or Robert. She broke news to him. Cody laughs and says he gives Holly credit. Better late than never. Sasha says, the only thing she gives Holly credit for is teaching her how to be a good conwoman. It brought her to Port Charles. He says, the job she did for Valentin, and she says, if she hadn’t agreed, she would have never met Brando or him. She thought she was on track to new life. She thought after all the loss, she was going to be happy. It turns out she was wrong.

Anna says, Valentin getting away is on her, but she thought it was the right thing for Charlotte, and Jack says, if she told him that she hadn’t been in bed with Valentin, he’d believe her about the girl she shot in the dark. Anna tears up and says she’ll never be free of the guilt. She didn’t want Charlotte to be without her father. Letting Valentin get away was her mistake. Tell her where they are. He says, her guess is as good as his, and she says, her mother could die. She’s the one who set this in motion and needs to be the one to bring Charlotte back. He says he wishes her the best of luck, and she says, okay. If he’s not going to help her, fine. She’ll keep going on her own. She’s betting there are things Jack doesn’t want her to know, but she’s going to find out. She’s going to find Charlotte and Valentin. What happened was on her, but what happens next is on him.

Drew asks, what’s the plan? and Nina takes his jacket off. She tells him to take off his shirt, and he says, really? Now? She says she picked out his suits and it worked out for what they needed. Now they need something casual. She hands him a flannel shirt and jeans, and he asks if their strategy is casual Friday. She says, they’re going to show people a different side of him. Less Drew Quartermaine and more Drew Cain. They’re going to go out, have a few beers, and meet the Everyman. He asks how a Park Avenue princess on his arm is going to help, but she says, no one is going to look at the Park Avenue princess. And if they do, she’ll point them in his direction. He asks where they’re going, and she says she knows just the place.

On the phone, Laura tells Doc that she has news. He asks if Lulu is okay, but she says she doesn’t have news about that yet. Heather was released. Heather waves to her from down the hall, and Laura says she’s standing right in front of her. The good news is, Heather is going to move to Arizona with her son, but she’s requested to visit Ace one more time. She has to stay at the hospital, so he’ll have be the one supervising. She has no problem telling Heather that it doesn’t work for them…. Okay, she’ll tell her. She goes over to Heather and says she and Doc agreed Heather can visit Ace. Heather hugs her.

Sonny says, Jason’s involvement isn’t the only new term. The WSB is going to keep an eye on Sidwell, then track him to the diamonds, then to her, then to them. 30% isn’t enough. 35% and he holds onto the diamonds. She has to make it worth his while. She asks if there are other terms, but he says, that’s it. She says, he’s taking advantage of a woman in need, and he just looks at her. She gives him the diamonds and says, trust is a two-way street. He tells her to remember that, and she says she’ll see them again, the sooner, the better. She leaves and Sonny tells Jason to keep the diamonds safe. He has to go to the hospital to see Dante and Sam. Jason says, they can’t hold onto them for too long, and Sonny says he gets that, but family comes first.

Cody asks if Sasha was ever going to tell him that her mom was alive, and she says she had no reason to. She never planned on seeing her again. It was right of her to come forward before they went too far. She guesses they should be thankful for the interruptions. They never… He says, became more than kissing cousins, and she says she was praying and hoping it wasn’t true, but she could see Robert believed it. He says, and the test confirmed it, and she says, it’s the only reason she’d ever break up with him. He says, that’s how he knows it’s true. Not because of the test, but because of him. He spent his whole life reaching for things he couldn’t have. Of course (🍷) when he finally finds the best thing in his life, it turns out he can never have it.

Sasha says she’s so sorry. She’s the reason he’s in pain. Cody says, her mother is the reason he’s in pain. Had Holly been honest with her, this wouldn’t have happened. She says, they can still be friends, but he says, he doesn’t want to be her friend… He didn’t mean that. She says she knows what he meant, and he says he’s just like her mom, but Sasha says, he’s one of the most wonderful men she’s ever met. He says, a lot of good it did him. He tried to turn his life around and for what? She tells him not to let that change. Don’t throw away the great people in his life. He says, just throw her away, and she says, they’ll get past it, as two people who love each other, even if it’s not the way they want to. She knows she’ll look back on their time together and cherish it. She hopes he does the same. He says he’s sorry, but he can’t turn off the feelings. He has no idea where his life is going to go. For the last few months, when he pictured the future, he saw her. He walks out.

Anna finds Jason at Pozzulo’s, and says she should have listened to him. She let her feelings for Valentin and her guilt about Charlotte compromise her. He says, they all make bad calls, and she says, if she’d let the Feds take Valentin, Charlotte would be here. She feels like she ruined Charlotte’s life. Jason says, Valentin will keep Charlotte safe, but Anna says, as a fugitive. She’s separated from her mother who’s gravely ill, and the support of the rest of her family. He says, what’s done is done. The only thing they can figure is how to find her and get her back. Anna asks if he’ll help her, and he says, any way he can.

Laura asks if Elizabeth called Steven, but Elizabeth says she went to pick Heather up and Steven was there ready to take her, thank God. Laura says she’s grateful it will be over soon.

Steven brings Heather to Laura’s apartment, and Doc answers the door. She says, if it isn’t her favorite good twin, and he tells her, hello. It’s good to see Steven. Ace is there playing with his toys, and she says, if it’s not her sweetest little grand angel. He’s so big. He probably doesn’t remember her, but she’s his grandma. She’s so happy to see him.

At the Brown Dog Bar, Cody asks the bartender if they’ve got any good tequila. (Is there any good tequila? I just don’t like tequila, and it’s always tequila.)

Sasha tries to call Cody and wonders where he is. She leaves a message for Mac to call her back as soon as possible. She’s worried about Cody.

At the bar, Cody says, uno mas, when Nina and Drew come in.

Dante and Sonny hug, and Sonny asks how he’s doing. Dante says, crawling out of his skin, and Sonny suggests they take a walk.

Alexis says she’s impressed with Laura’s handling of Heather, and Laura says she hopes she made the right choice. Alexis says, just because Heather was found not responsible for her crimes, doesn’t mean Laura owes her anything, but Laura says she can’t shake the feeling she got the ball rolling by asking Alexis to look into the case. Alexis says, all she did was order copes of the sentencing transcript. Scotty took it to the court, then bailed. The only one responsible for unleashing Heather is Ric.

Sonny asks, what’s the latest? and Dante says he’s hoping to hear about Sam’s surgery soon. He hopes Lulu survives. Sonny says, as long as she’s alive, there’s a chance she’ll wake up, but Dante says he feels like he gave false hope to his son. He made Rocco a promise and Rocco is going to be devastated if it doesn’t work out. Sonny says, there’s nothing wrong in having hope. He doesn’t doubt Dante is a great father. They hug.

Spinelli goes into Pozzulo’s and sees Anna. He says, greetings. He thinks he left his headlights on. Anna says, relax. He’s fine. He’s here because she needs his help. More specifically, she needs The Jackal.  

Anna says she believes the WSB, or at least Jack Brennan independently, are helping Valentin and Charlotte stay off the grid. She needs Spinelli’s help finding them. Does he think he can do that? Spinelli asks if it’s professional police business, but Jason says, it’s off the books. Anna says, the department can’t find out or the WSB, and Spinelli says, far be it for him to deny help to Maxie’s godmother. The Jackal is on board. Anna says, Jason trusts Spinelli with his life and she trusts Jason with hers.

Holly walks into the stables, and says she knows Sasha doesn’t want to see her. Sasha says she’s lived most of her life without Holly. All she does is cause pain. This is the last time they’re going to see each other. She will never forgive Holly for this. Holly is dead to her.

A man goes over to Drew and tells Drew that he’s a Navy SEAL too. Drew says he’s sure the man has stories and tells him to have a seat and tell them a few. The bartender tells Cody, that’s Drew Cain. He seems like a good enough guy. Cody flashes back to Sasha telling him that Nina told her in confidence that she’s in a situationship with Drew, but during the fireworks on the 4th of July, she walked into the solarium and saw Drew and Willow kiss. Cody downs his shot and walks over to Drew. He asks for a word, but Drew says, the man is telling a story. Cody thanks the man for his service, and says he’ll bring Drew right back. Drew thinks they should let the man finish, and Nina says she needs to talk to Cody. Let the two vets talk… Cody says he doesn’t want to talk to her. He needs to talk to Drew. Drew tells the man, it will just take a second. He’ll be back. He suggests he and Cody go to a more private spot, but Cody says he’s fine here. Drew says, he seems drunk, but Cody says, nope. Drew says, Cody looks like he could use fresh air, and Cody punches him in the face. He asks who Drew thinks he is, telling him what to do. He gets louder and says, smug bastard. Making out with your nephew’s wife while you’re banging her mom. (D’oh!)

Sonny tells Laura that he’s sorry. Lulu is tough. She’ll make it through. She thanks him and says she knows he loves her too. Alexis asks if there’s any word, but Laura says, not yet. She sees Elizabeth coming over to them and says, that might change soon. Elizabeth says, Sam is out, and the surgery went very well. She’s resting comfortably. Alexis and Dante hug.

Heather says, Ace is so handsome. She’s not surprised. His Uncle Steven is a looker. So was his is late Uncle Franco. And his mommy Esme was a great beauty. Ace continues to play, and she says, his mom had her faults, but she loved him more than anything. Now he’s her only remaining connection to his mom and she’s so grateful. She misses her so much. She wishes she could stay in Port Charles forever and watch him grow up, but it’s not possible. She has to say goodbye and leave him. It’s the hardest thing she’s ever done other than lose his mommy. Steven thanks Doc for giving Heather time with her grandson, and Doc says, it’s not selfless entirely. He doesn’t want Heather to feel like she has any unfinished business. Steven says he gets it and tells Heather that they’ve got to get to the airport. It’s time. Heather says, okay, and tells Ace that it’s time. Grandma has got to go. It’s hard to say goodbye. Can she have one last hug for road? She hugs him and says she loves him so much, and he looks like a dog who does not want to be hugged and might bolt at any second. She tells him that she’ll miss him, then whispers, but she’ll be back.  

Tomorrow, Nina says she thinks she gave Willow some really bad advice; Tracy tells Ned that they have all the ammunition and just have to figure out how best to use it; and Dante asks Sam to marry him.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Everyone on the boat is looking for Cloyce, and Gary tells Captain Glenn that Cloyce is with the guests. The captain says, he’s not here to have fun. Bring him back now. In Captain Glenn’s interview, he says, what the hell? The guests are going to want to eat right away and it’s not going to be ready. If you’re as young as Cloyce, you need to err on the side of professionalism and be the kind of person who shows extra maturity. Daisy says, it’s like herding cats, and Gary tells Cloyce that he has to come back to the boat. In Daisy’s interview, she says, it’s the primary’s birthday, and she feels like a mom trying to get her toddler out of the f***ing jungle gym. Davide picks up Cloyce in the tender, and Captain Glenn tells Daisy that he’s having dinner with the guests. Daisy says, they also have the mermaid. Cloyce comes back and it’s 20 minutes until lunch. The table looks beautiful, decorated with palm fronds and green napkins on each plate. In Emma’s interview, she says she’s embarrassed about Gary snapping at her. We flash back to that, and she says she finds failure embarrassing. She’s struggled with it in the past. Growing up with a sister and brother who know what they’re doing was her security. She’s crazy Aunt Emma on the boat, alone on the sea. She’s hoping it’s just a bad day and gets smoother.

Gary suggests the guests stay on the swim platform, and he’ll haul them back. Glenn asks if Cloyce had a good time. When the guests come back, they like to have them eat as quickly as possible because they have to eat dinner. Cloyce says he’ll get things extra prepped, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says, Captain Glenn is seeing a chef out of the galley for the first time in his career. The other captains he’s worked for were laid back and chill with Cali vibes. They didn’t care. Have fun. Sit back and relax. I’ve got you. Daisy tells Danni that she placed the glasses backward, and in Daisy’s interview, she says she’s pretty direct. She wants the stews to feel good, but she has no energy to be constantly telling them that they did a great job. But everybody needs to be managed differently. The only person who should be crying on the boat is her. The guests are back, and Daisy tells Cloyce that they’re starting to sit. They’re ready when he is. He’s still chopping, and Daisy serves the wine. Amy says she feels bad for guest Grace who had no breakfast, and Grace says she’s feeling good, but she’s ready to eat. Glenn wonders if the guests have started eating, and Gary says he doesn’t think so. In Cloyce’s interview, he says he’s infrequently wrong, but he underestimated his timing. Everything is his fault. Awesome. He loves that. Grace says she has snacks upstairs. Maybe in two days she’ll be really thin. Well, that’s highly doubtful on any cruise. Unless you suffer from ongoing seasickness the entire time.

Daisy says, for f***’s sake, and finally, Cloyce gets it together. Daisy runs up with the food, and Amy declares it an amazing lunch. Emma tells Daisy that she f***ed up again. There was miscommunication between her and Gary. Keith asks how Danni is feeling, and she says she’s zen as f***. Amy decides to take a nap, and Captain Glenn asks about lunch. A guest tells him, it was so delicious, and he points out a jagged rock in the distance. He says, it’s an island called Es Vedrà. There’s no one there, and it’s said to be haunted by mermaids. One of the guests wants to go at night, and Glenn says, they’re spooking him out.

Cloyce shows Daisy the nut honey cake he ordered and says he’s making whipped cream and berries to go with it. In Daisy’s interview, she says, the most important thing is the food. That’s what the tip is based on. And now he’s going to serve a sh*tty cake from a sh*tty bakery. Good luck. It’s her 60th birthday. Bake a cake. In Keith’s interview, he says, Danni is an incredibly charming person, but it’s surface level stuff. His relationships are based on chemistry, and he has a sensitive side. He hopes they can connect on a deeper level.

Gary picks up mermaid Carla. The table is gorgeous, decorated with shells and glass beads. Carla arrives and Emma puts face jewels on Daisy. Diana walks out with perfect placement, and in Emma’s interview, she says she feels like she’s surrounded by people who are great at what they do. She’s struggling like a f***ing idiot. Daisy says she always looks like sh*t in this sh*t. She’s too old to play dress up.

Don’t listen to her. You are never too old to play dress up.

Carla puts her tail on, and Daisy radios the crew to come to the swim platform. Davide carries the mermaid to the platform, and in his interview, he says he helps during downtime and he’s glad for the mermaid. Daisy brings the guests to the platform and guest Stephanie screams, a mermaid! She runs down and hugs Carla and says she’s beautiful. The mermaid hangs out, splashes around, then swims. Daisy says, Danni is doing the cabins, but Danni says she’s been in laundry most of the time and not done much service. She did turndowns last night. Daisy tells Diana to do the cabins, and Diana whines. Daisy says, Diana is the housekeeping queen, but Diana says she doesn’t care. In Diana’s interview, she says she’s tired of making beds and cleaning poop. In Danni’s interview, she says she’s not going down without a fight. She’s going down kicking and screaming.

Daisy says, it evens out by the end of the season, but Danni says she doesn’t give a sh*t. It’s time for dinner and the guests say goodbye to the mermaid. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, after the Floatopia situation and since the captain is dining with the guests, the stakes are higher for Amy’s 60th birthday tonight. It needs to be flawless and he’s ready to rock and roll. Captain Glenn tells the guests that he’d always thought mermaids were a myth. She must have heard they were here. Daisy brings out magical mermaid martinis, which I think are basically martinis colored blue, and one of the guests sticks glittery stuff on Captain Glenn’s forehead. Gary leaves to pick up the DJ, and the guests marvel at how young Glenn looks for 63. Diana curses her life while doing cabins, and Diana and Danni apologize to each other. Diana says, all they do is complain about their job while doing their job. Gary brings the DJ to the boat and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he ordered a cake because he hates making them. He figures Amy just wants to drink because she’s an older woman and nobody in their 60s is super stoked about blowing out candles. They just want to go party. And so do women in their 20s and 30s and… WTF with this guy? I liked him at first, but no, just no. He’s so full of himself and such a know-it-all. Cloyce decides to warm up the cake in the microwave and it falls apart. Ha… ha… ha. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Cloyce took a shortcut and was being lazy. He ordered a sh*tty cake and microwaved it. Now it looks like a pile of dog sh*t.

Daisy suggests they start doing the DJ thing, then serve cake and champagne. Cloyce smooshes the cake together and puts whipped cream flowers all over it. The guests go to the upper deck and Gary brings up champagne. Bubbles float all around and the crew sings Happy Birthday. The cake is served, and Amy goes to bed, saying, nothing good ever happens after twelve o’clock. Personally, I have not found that to be true. Daisy thinks the DJ was the perfect distraction for Cloyce’s poo cake disasterphy. DJ Elliot gets in the hot tub with several guests. Guest Amber flirts shamelessly with him, and the others leave. Elliot wisely gets the hell out of there and asks for a lift back to shore. Gary obliges. Daisy tells Emma, if Cloyce has time to swim, he can make a cake, and Emma says she doesn’t understand. Um… He thinks he’s better than everyone else? And while I’m on the subject, Cloyce has one of the most irritating laughs I’ve ever heard. Like a heh-heh-heh nervous laugh. I can’t.

Cala Tarida. Last day of charter. Breakfast is served and the boat heads for Igy Marina. Diana says she needs to look at the margarita recipe again, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Diana’s lack of knowledge of a basic popular cocktail is scary. She suggests that Diana and Danni get practice by having the crew order cocktails when they’re off charter. She’ll be the cocktail queen. The guests pack, and the boat docks. Gary instructs Emma on tying the lines, and in his interview, he says, it’s the first thing you learn working on boats and she’s been working on boats for years. Does she not care? Does she not know? Is he a bad teacher?

Gary tells Emma to put her whole weight behind it, and she says she understands. In Emma’s interview, she says, another thing to add to her list of f*** ups.

It’s time for guest departure, and they’re sad to leave as we all would be. There are hugs and thanks, and Amy says she never imagined a 60th birthday with her daughters and all her girlfriends. It was a dream party. As they leave, Glenn toots the horn as per usual. Daisy asks to talk to him and says she thinks the chef is an issue. She likes him and wants him to succeed, but thinks they’re getting the bare minimum. The captain says, it’s not his place to be on the beach. He tells Daisy to try her hand at getting what they want. She says, okay, but if he hasn’t improved after the next charter, then Glenn comes in. Glenn agrees.

It’s time for the tip meeting, and Keith says, it’s his favorite part. Captain Glenn thanks the deck crew for the Floatopia, and says, Daisy did a great job keeping the guests happy. The Under the Sea party was fun. He tells Cloyce to be professional and make meals not play on the water toys. He’s never seen that from a chef before, and he could have made better use of his time. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, that was harsh, but it’s good to be humbled and have a little wakeup call. I have the feeling he doesn’t really mean that. The tip is $25K US dollars, or $2700 each. Daisy says, at 6:30, the stews are going to make the crew one cocktail each. The crew gets dressed, and Emma thinks people are getting loose tonight. Danni and Diana get through making one cocktail, when Diana decides she’s had enough. She goes upstairs and tells Gary that she needs to rest. She wonders why they need to work. Why don’t they do it tomorrow? It’s stupid. Danni wonders where Diana went, and tells Daisy that Diana abandoned her and left her to do it on her own. Daisy says something to Diana, and in Diana’s interview, she wonders why Danni told Daisy. Danni knew where she was. She tells Danni that she wasn’t in the mood.

Emma tells Daisy that Diana was upset because she had to make drinks, and Daisy says, the girls are so sensitive. Emma thinks it’s bullsh*t, and in Emma’s interview, she says she can’t be bothered to be honest. Daisy asks Diana is she’s okay. It’s just practice. Diana says, they’re off the clock, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, normally, she’d do anything for her girls, but this is a level of sensitivity she’s never seen. They’re getting too much into their heads. To be a yachtie you need to have thick skin because you’re working with bitches and serving a-holes.

The crew goes to a restaurant, while on the boat, Captain Glenn puzzles over number puzzles. Or maybe his financial statement. It’s not clear.  Cloyce suggests they hit the f***ing clubs, and in the taxi, Emma asks if Diana fancies Gary, but Diana comes quickly back with an emphatic, no. Emma says she’s the only unf***able girl on the boat, and in Danni’s interview, she says, Emma is being dramatic and drunk. She’s bringing the vibes down so hard.

They go to the VIP section of the club, and Danni and Diana tell Daisy that Emma is being aggressive. Daisy asks Emma what she said in the taxi. Diana and Danni came back petrified. She and Emma go to the bathroom to talk, and Daisy says she’s not calling Emma out. She’s just curious. Emma says she’s not getting involved anymore, and when she comes back out, Diana asks if she’s okay. Emma says she’s fine, but Diana says, she doesn’t seem like it. She didn’t realize that Diana and Danni were upset and are now petrified of her. She’s already over this f***ing game and she’s not giving her opinion when it ends up out of context. In Diana’s interview, she says, Emma started this sh*t. She’s got no patience. Emma says she’s not getting involved in either of their sh*t anymore.

Next time, Tiffany, from The Real Housewives of Dallas, and husband Daniel are guests; Daniel is a total a-hole; Captain Glenn says, Emma isn’t getting it; and Danni says, Gary is giving her the attention she needs.

🌄 Haunted Island…

Check out the island of Es Vedrà without leaving home.

https://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/magazine/2024/04/es-vedra-why-go-myths-and-where-see-it

👺 Prepare For Disturbia…

I’m not sure how disturbing they are, but some of them look ridiculous.

https://ew.com/the-view-halloween-costumes-most-disturbing-8732557

🎃 And You Get a Treat…

Cute animals enjoy a Halloween snack.

https://people.com/animals-across-disney-world-enjoy-carved-pumpkins-watch-8735388

💃🏼 Amok, Amok, Amok…

Join me tomorrow for soap, a little City, and what was, should be, or maybe not be watched. Until then, stay safe, stay not dipping into the Halloween candy early, and stay understanding that sometimes in life, you need a fresh start and distance if you want to change your life or behavior.