Category Archives: Bravo

Jul26

July 25, 2024 – Carly Tells John To Come & Get Her, Ric’s Return, Her Experience, Sutton Stops By the OC, They’re Here, InstaNepo & Soak

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna goes to visit Jack at Pentenville, but the warden tells her, there’s no prisoner here by that name.

Carly tells desk clerk Rick that she doesn’t want John’s luggage cluttering up the lobby. If he doesn’t them within the hour, put them in the street.  

Diane meets Sonny at the MetroCourt, and she says she wishes she had better news. Ava has a court order for visitation. As soon as Sonny filed for custody, she filed a counter motion, which allows her visitation. He says, so Ava can see Avery anytime and they can’t stop it? and she says, that’s it.

Ava tells John, it’s not that she doesn’t want to see Sonny brought to justice, but others have tried and failed. What makes him think he’d win? He says he has what he needs, a linchpin witness, someone who knows everything. They’re refusing to testify, but they’re about to change their mind because he’s sending them as far away from Port Charles as possible.

At the bus station, an announcement comes over the loudspeaker that the bus to Alexandria leaves in a half hour. (Which is funny, since yesterday, it was 15 minutes.) Jason looks at his ticket, when Danny walks in. (Told you.)

TJ finds Molly in an empty courtroom, and she asks if they have plans that she forgot about, but he says, no. They need to talk. She asks, what’s wrong with Kristina? and he says, Kristina and the baby are fine, physically at least. Did she know Kristina and Blaze were doing an interview with Perez Hilton? She asks, when? and he says, this morning. It’s already happened. She asks what Kristina did, and he tells her, see for herself.  

Sonny asks if they can stall and get supervised visits, but Diane says she recommends against it. Her advice is to cooperate with the court, lest Sonny appear to be punishing Ava by keeping her away from her child. He says his objective is to keep Avery safe, but she says, the court takes a dim view of using a child for leverage. He asks if she doesn’t think Ava is going to use Avery. She’s going to fill Avery’s head with lies about him. She says, they have to take the high road or Ava will play the victim, and he says, Ava is playing the damsel in distress for John Cates.

Ava asks how John sending his witness away is good news, and he says, they don’t want to leave Port Charles, and he’s giving them a compelling reason to stay. With the leverage he has, odds are, the witness is going to break and give him what he needs. Just sending him away will knock Sonny off-kilter and make him more unstable. (Apparently, John is a stupid, stupid man who doesn’t do his homework.) Ava says she likes the sound of that, and he says, Sonny won’t be able to control himself and will show the court that he’s unfit as a human and a parent. She says she can’t thank him enough. Who would have thought they’d go from their first meeting to this? He says, a lot has changed, and she laughs. She says she’s remembering him bursting in, all self-righteous, barking orders, and giving her the third degree. He says, she was quite the stonewall and lied to his face. Unless she does like Texas Hold ‘Em. She says, like she told him, she plays every chance she can get, and they kiss. (My stomach literally turns over.)

Jason asks how Danny found him, and Danny says he heard the announcement about the bus departure, and thought it was his best bet. Jason says, he’s a good detective, and asks if Dante drove him. Danny says, Yuri did. He’s outside. Is Jason mad that he’s here? Jason says he’d never be mad at Danny. He’s glad to see him, but he can’t tell Danny where he’s going. Danny asks if Jason can tell him how long he’ll be gone.  

Anna asks where Brannan was transferred to, but the warden says, there’s no record of him ever being here, but she says, that’s impossible. She has the dates. She checks her phone and says, December 9th, 2023, Brennan was sent to Pentenville. That’s here. He says he knows where he is, and she says, January 30th was her first visit. On April 5th, there was an altercation, and Brennan was transferred to GH because he was injured. On May 17th, she saw him there, and on June 11th, he was transferred from GH back to here. The warden says, his apologies, but their records don’t match. She says, this is insane. What if she subpoenas the guards and the inmate who stabbed Jack? Are they going to say she’s fighting a ghost? He says, she’s free to ask, but they may or may not remember. She says she’s going out on a limb here and saying, probably not, and he says, there are no supporting documents. According to their records, the guy was never here.

Sasha gives Violet a dish of Ants on a Log, and Violet says she doesn’t eat ants. Sasha explains that it’s celery, peanut butter, and raisins, and tells her to try it. Violet takes a bite and says, delicious. Maybe she does like ants. Sasha says, it was one of her favorite after school snacks, and Violet asks if her mom made it for her. Sasha says she lived with her grandmother. She was an amazing cook who taught her a lot. Violet says she doesn’t have a grandma. Sasha says, lots of people don’t, and Violet says, or a grandpa anymore. Sasha says she’s so sorry. She must miss him. Violet says, and her dad. Why does everybody have to leave?

Drew sees Willow with Wiley at the boathouse and says he didn’t mean to sneak up on them. He went in for a quick dip before he goes to Sawyer for a town hall event. Willow says, it’s really happening, and he says he’s nervous no one will show up. She asks, what’s the topic? And he says, an increase in funding for the libraries. She says, that’s important, and Wiley says he and his friends love the library. Drew says he wants to highlight that libraries foster communities and there’s more that unites us than divides us. Michael arrives, and I feel awkwardness in the air.

Ava says, this is a celebration that calls for a real cocktail. Martini? John says he’s a scotch guy, but she says she only has vodka. She offers to call downstairs, but he says he has a bottle in his room, and leaves. Ava sips her martini and says, really? An FBI agent? At least she keeps things interesting.

Jason says he doesn’t know when he’ll be back, and Danny says he believes Jason. He doesn’t just say things to say them. Jason says he wishes he could tell Danny everything. Remember when Danny found him in the boathouse and he said he needed help, but didn’t want Danny to tell anyone? Since then, they’ve gotten closer and spent time together. He’s grateful for that, but doesn’t want Danny involved in that part of his life. Danny asks if Jason is still in trouble, and Jason says he is. He made choices before Danny was born that are still affecting his life. Danny asks if he regrets them, and Jason says, in some ways, yes, in some ways, no. He regrets that he was taken away from Danny and wishes he could stay and be the father Danny deserves, but he can’t and that’s on him. He sighs.

John’s keycard doesn’t work. He tries it a bunch of times, then stomps off.

In the MetroCourt lobby, Josslyn thanks Gio for the ride. He sees Sonny with Diane and asks if she knows the woman Uncle Sonny is with. She says, that’s his lawyer Diane Miller. He says, they look serious, and she says, under normal circumstances, she’d tell him to go say hi, and he says, but not today. Got it.

Diane says she doesn’t like the sound of that, an FBI agent on Ava’s side who’s willing to testify against Sonny. Sonny says, John would love nothing more than to tear his family apart.

Josslyn tells Carly that she’s about to head out. Is she okay? Carly says, no. Physically, she’s fine, but she got bad news and she’s having a hard time dealing with it. They’ll talk at home. Josslyn says, now please, and they sit down. Carly says, Jason has to leave again. He doesn’t want to and she’s having a hard time. She’s sad and angry, but there’s nothing she can do. She has to deal with it.

Diane says, if the agent is willing to testify, he can tip the scales in Ava’s favor, and Sonny says, they can’t let that happen. She says she has no intention of it, and he says, speak of the devil. (I don’t get how John could testify on Ava’s behalf when he’s known her all of five minutes and hasn’t seen Sonny in 30 years.)

John tells Rick that his key card stopped working, and Rick says he’ll issue John a new one. Carly tells Josslyn to stay there, and goes over to the desk. She tells Rick that she’ll take care of it and to take a break. She tells John that his key doesn’t need reprogramming. He’s no longer a guest at the hotel. Take his luggage and get the hell out.

Michael says he got their note, and Wiley says he drew the pictures. Michael says, they’re almost professional, and Willow says, Amelia is asleep in her stroller. He sees the table is set, and asks, what is this? Willow says, a surprise picnic, and he says he loves it. Wiley asks if Drew wants to stay, but Drew says he’s got to get to Sawyer. Enjoy it, but save him a cookie. Wiley says he makes no promises. Willow tells Drew good luck, and Drew leaves. Michael asks, what’s in Sawyer? and Willow says, a campaign event. He says, so it begins, and she says she feels bad for Drew. He’s worried no one will show up. Wiley drags her over to the lake to look at minnows, and Michael gets on the phone. He says he’s going to need a favor.  

Molly tells TJ, when Perez mentioned Kristina’s bump and said, congratulations, she didn’t say the baby wasn’t hers. She said, thank you, and that it was a part of her, and Blaze’s lives that they wanted to keep private. The perfect couple committed to each other and the baby. TJ says, she just claimed their child on live TV. (I must accept this show is just going to annoy the hell out of me today. In addition to John and Ava, now these two, who overreact to pretty much everything and fill in the blanks with their own fantasy scenarios.)

Danny asks if Jason can call him once in a while, but Jason says he can’t. He’s sorry. But he’ll think about Danny and do his best to get back as soon as he can. Danny says, okay, and Jason says he hates this too. Danny says, they already did this, and he doesn’t want to again, and Jason says he knows. At least they can say goodbye this time. Even though Danny won’t know where he is, Danny knows he’ll be out there. Danny says, it’s better than nothing, and Jason says, this isn’t his choice. Danny asks, whose choice is it?

John asks if Carly is kicking him out, and she says she’s evicting him. He asks if someone complained, and she says, no. He asks, on what grounds she’s evicting him, and she says she’s co-owner of the hotel. She has the right to refuse service to anyone she likes… or hates. He says he thought they were friends, but she says, not so much. Sonny asks Diane if Carly is kicking John out, and she says, she sure is. John suggests Carly call her buddy Jason. He’s sure Jason will tell her to be accommodating. She says he doesn’t speak for Jason, and he says, she’d be surprised. She says, at this moment he has zero leverage over her. Does he think he can charge her with RICO violations because she’s a big bad mob boss? Here she is. Come and get her.

Sasha says, it must be a very confusing time for Violet, and probably scary and lonely. Violet says, it doesn’t make sense. So many people live here. Sasha says, but not the one person she’s missing the most. Violet says she can’t wait to see her dad, and Sasha asks if she’s keeping track of what she’s doing so she can tell him. Violet says she’s been writing in her diary every day, and Sasha says she lived for her diary when she was Violet’s age. Violet says she can’t let him read it because there are secrets there too, and Sasha says, as it should be. Does she feel lighter after she writes? Violet says, sometimes, but sometimes she’s more sad. Sasha says, it’s normal to have ups and downs, good days and bad days, and Violet says, Brook and Chase tell her the same thing. They told her that she can talk to them about anything. Sasha says, she can, and can talk to her too. The house is filled with people who love her and want the best for her. Violet says, that makes her pretty lucky, and Sasha says, the luckiest.

Willow says, rose and thorn, and Michael explains to Wiley that it’s the worst and best part of the day. Willow says, her rose was planning and setting up the picnic with Wiley. Her thorn was stepping in goose poop on their hunt for minnows. Wiley says, his thorn was a bug bite, and his rose was coming here. What about Michael? Michael says he has no thorn today, and Wiley says, boring. Michael says, waking up to his alarm was rough. His rose is this. Being with family is the best most important thing always. He takes Willow’s hand, and they kiss. Drew walks past.  

Molly says, Kristina led the public to believe the baby is hers and Blaze’s. She didn’t come out and say it, but she didn’t say it wasn’t. It’s out there now and as public as ever. TJ says, that was the goal, right? and she says she’s sorry. It’s what he’s been afraid of. She was afraid too, but didn’t want to admit it. Now it’s actually happening. She never believed her sister could actually do this. TJ says he didn’t want to believe it either. It’s not Molly’s fault. This is on Kristina. Molly says, she wants their baby to be hers, and now the whole world thinks it is.

Jason says he can’t tell Danny who’s calling the shots, and Danny says, but if not for this person, he wouldn’t be leaving. If he knew who it was, at least he’d have someone to be mad at. Jason says he doesn’t want Danny to be mad be. He wants him to be a kid, go to school, hang out with his friends. Danny says, Jason wants him to be distracted from missing him, and Jason asks if he’s wrong. Danny says, no, but it might be impossible. Jason says he’ll miss Danny too – he puts his hand on Danny’s shoulder – more than Danny knows.

John says, Carly doesn’t want to do this, and she asks if he’s speaking for her now. She’s not a mobster, isn’t involved in criminal conspiracy, and has nothing to do with RICO violations. She’ll be happy to prove it. Diane tells Sonny that she should intervene, but he says they should see what Carly has up her sleeve. Gio asks Josslyn if everything is okay, but Josslyn says, definitely not. John tells Carly, stand down, and she says she’s been standing down. She’s been biting her tongue, but she’s done. He’s a vindictive bastard with an ax to grind. He says, tell him how she really feels. If she wants it, he’s placing her under arrest. She holds out her wrists, and he reads her rights.

Drew says he’s sorry to interrupt. He hopes he left his watch here. Otherwise, it’s lost for good. Willow finds it, and their hands touch as she hands it to him. He thanks her and she says, of course (🍷). Michael says, Willow told him about town hall, and Drew says he’s hoping people show up. Michael says he wouldn’t worry. ELQ has manufacturing plants in Sawyer. Drew says, so? and Michael says he may have talked to the plant supervisors, asked them to spread the word, and instruct everyone to bring friends. Drew says, Michael has gone above and beyond. He appreciates it. Michael says he may have brought people to fill the seats, but Drew has to win them over. Drew thanks him again and leaves. Willow says, that was kind of him, but Michael says he didn’t do it for Drew.  

Molly says she knows her sister better than anyone. She has a flair for the dramatic. She loves the idea of being a mom, but has no appreciation for how to be one. She was asked a question about expecting, and she leaned in. She can’t resist the attention. If she’s not joining a cult, she’s having a baby. It’s not a trophy or an important cause. It’s a lifelong commitment. Kristina has gone too far. (Maybe it’s the water and everyone has gone insane.)

Carly says, go ahead and make sure he puts the cuffs on tight. John handcuffs her, and Sonny says, someone’s got to stop this. Diane says, let her handle it, and Josslyn says, what the hell? Carly says, it’s fine, and Diane asks, what’s going on? John says he thought it was obvious. Carly is under arrest for running a criminal enterprise. Josslyn says, she can’t go to prison. What about Donna? Carly says, Josslyn needs to find Jason. He’s at the bus station. Don’t let him leave. Josslyn asks Gio how fast he can drive, and he says, they’ll find out. They leave, and Anna walks in. She asks, what happened? and Sonny says he should have known she was in with Jagger. She says, just the opposite, and he says, coming at him is fine, but don’t come at him through his ex-wife. Anna says she’s not on board with that, and he says, then stop it.

Jason says he knows Danny is too young to ride his bike, but the key is in his room and Carly can give it to him. Danny says, the last time, his mom took care of the bike, and Jason says, it’s going to be Danny’s someday. Does Danny think he can maintain it while he’s away? Danny says he’s on it, and Jason says, maybe mom will take him out for a ride. Wear a helmet. Danny says, like mom would let him ride without one. Jason never wears one. Is this a do as I say, not as I do thing? Jason says, always, no matter what, and Danny promises, but says he thinks he’ll wait until Jason gets back to ride. He’d rather ride with him. The loudspeaker says, the bus to Alexandria leaves in five minutes and is now boarding. Danny asks if that’s Jason, and Jason nods and sighs.

Violet thanks Sasha, who says, next time, she’ll make Fish in a Stream with hummus and goldfish crackers. Maybe Violet could help her in the kitchen some. Violet says she could be Sasha’s apprentice, and Sasha says she can teach Violet some simple snacks and maybe a few meals. They can make a recipe book and leave some blank pages for Violet to fill in when she’s older. Violet says, Sasha can be like the cool grandma and teach her everything, but Sasha asks if she can’t be the cool aunt instead. Violet says, deal

Michael says he called in a favor for Willow. He knows how much Drew’s candidacy means to her, and she says, of course (🍷) she wants Drew to be successful. He says, a happy, lit up Willow is his favorite kind of Willow, and she says she lights up for him too. She loves him so much and family means everything to her too. Wiley says, Amelia is awake, and Michael asks if it’s a happy or grumpy awake. Wiley says he thinks happy. He gave her a cookie. Michael suggests they head back to the gatehouse, and Willow says she takes it back. This is her rose, the four of them heading home together. It’s everything she cherishes under one roof.

TJ says, Molly’s not going to talk to Kristina? but Molly says she knows what will happen. Kristina will get defensive and tell them that their assumption is way off. There’s only one way to handle this, through the law. (Wonderful. Open that can of worms and see where you land.)

Diane says, the time to drop this is now before it blows up in John’s face, and she assures him it will. Anna says, Carly isn’t a mobster, and it’s ridiculous to suggest otherwise. Diane asks if John was always this smug, and Carly and Anna say, yes, in unison. He says, Carly’s jail cell awaits, and Diane says she’ll see Carly there. It won’t stick. John says, want a bet? and on their way out, he locks eyes with Sonny. He says, let’s go, and he and Carly leave.  

Jason tells Danny to take care of himself, and Danny says, if Jason does too. Jason says he will, and Danny hugs him, trying not to cry. Jason tells him that he said it before, but he’s proud of him. The way he conducts himself is going to serve him. Danny says, he did it again, and Jason says, what? Danny says, he’s acting like it’s the last time they’re going to see each other. There will be a next time. Say it. Jason says, there will be a next time, and Danny tells Jason, you don’t just say things to say them. Jason picks up his bag, and Josslyn runs in. She says he can’t go, and he asks what she’s doing here. She says, Agent Cates just arrested mom.

Tomorrow, Dante asks Anna why the PCPD cares about Brennan; Sonny says, there’s no way in hell they’re sending his little girl’s mother to prison; and Jason asks Diane if they can undercut Carly’s case.

⚖️ Daddy’s Home…

My guess is that he’s going to be Molly’s counsel regarding the surrogacy.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/rick-hearst-returns-to-general-hospital

A refresher course, or just a course if you’re new to Ric.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ric-lansing

💔 Haters Gonna Hate…

It’s disgusting that a gorgeous, talented young woman has to deal with this kind of lunacy. I don’t know if she’ll be successful in turning minds around, but not engaging is wise.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-tabyana-ali-opens-up-about-the-online-racism-she-experienced

🍊 Single Orange Female…

The best part was Sutton meeting with new Housewife Katie and Gina. Katie was on the fence about Heather, and Sutton said she wouldn’t go up against Heather. She’d hide under the table. Well, if Sutton feels that way about someone, I’d listen. In her interview, Gina also pointed out that Sutton did way better in her divorce than she did. Sutton did better in her divorce than all of them put together, and maybe even Heather if she got divorced. We should all have such generous exes.

Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18 Episode 3 Recap: There’s No Crying in Flag Football

https://people.com/rhoc-recap-shannon-beador-calls-out-alexis-bellino-eerily-similar-relationship-with-john-janssen-8684059

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Futurepool Is Now…

No surprise, it’s already a box office smash.

https://deadline.com/2024/07/box-office-deadpool-wolverine-1236022761/

It’s always nice to have supportive friends, and it doesn’t hurt if they’re Taylor Swift either.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/taylor-swift-praises-ryan-reynolds-deadpool-wolverine-blake-lively-1235958388/

All the extra stuff.

https://www.ign.com/articles/deadpool-wolverine-every-marvel-easter-egg-cameo-reference-mcu

What to watch in preparation. The first two Deadpool films should go without saying.

https://www.thewrap.com/deadpool-3-what-to-watch-before-deadpool-and-wolverine-movies-shows/

🐕 It’s Not What They Know…

Ha-ha! Nepo pets. Claudia Schiffer’s cat carrier is everything.

https://nypost.com/2024/01/25/lifestyle/meet-the-nepo-pets-who-reached-celeb-status-thanks-to-their-famous-owners/

This never gets old.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/19657/celebrity-pets-on-instagram

🎣 Watching the Tide Roll Away…

Come and unwind from the week tomorrow with soap, what’s watchable (or not), quotable quotes, and a tune. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping the peace on social media, and stay not just saying things to say them.

Jul25

July 24, 2024 – Anna Threatens To Destroy John’s Career, Guesting, Day Off, Taking a Break, Tonight’s Listings, Barbieland Vacay, Norman Says, Wayward Rebirth, Here Kitty & Gurls

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Perez Hilton prepares for his show, and says he’ll be introducing, quote/unquote canceled pop star Blaze and her girlfriend Kristina Corinthos-Davis. They’re speaking out for the first time since Blaze’s mother made contentious remarks on a secret recording. Brook asks how Blaze and Kristina are feeling, and Kristina says, nervous. Brook says, that’s good; it keeps the energy up. She’ll be here silently on the sidelines to support them. Keep it positive. No apologizing and no shame. Blaze says, her palms are sweating. She’s been in front of an audience countless times. This should be nothing. Brook says, it’s different from being on stage. She’s showing herself to the world so they can meet the true, authentic Blaze.

Willow meets Nina in the MetroCourt lobby and says she’s sorry she’s late. She thanks Nina for meeting her, and Nina says, when she hears, PSA emergency, she hops to it. What’s up? Willow says she’s recording another announcement, and Nina helped so much last time. Nina asks if the copy is funky, and Willow says, nothing rolls off the tongue. It’s stilted and awkward. She revised it herself and would like Nina to take a look at it and tell her what she thinks.

John says, Anna sounds absurd and she’s far out of her league. She says she tried to establish a professional relationship with him, but he has so much contempt for pretty much everything, it was impossible. He asks what he has contempt for, and she says, her, procedure, ethical contact… He says he sounds like a crappy agent (if the shoe fits and all that), and she says, he has no reason to coerce Jason. Thanks to Jason, he has the evidence about Pikeman dealing in illegal arms. It’s more than enough to freeze Pikeman’s assets and shut them down. This ends now. He says, she seems very familiar with the evidence Jason turned in. Why?

Carly says, Jason told her that he was free, and he says he thought he was. She says, he followed the directive, but he says, according to John, it’s not enough. She says, if it isn’t enough now, it never will be. The only way to take John’s power away is her turning herself in.

Brook says she spoke to Perez. He’s super knowledgeable and professional, kind and no nonsense. She goes to talk to the producer, and Blaze asks if Kristina has butterflies. Kristina says she’s been carrying a sumo wrestler for some time, but yeah. It’s their opportunity to show the world who they are. They’re going to fall in love with Blaze as much as she has. Blaze says, what if she says the wrong thing? but Kristina says, there is no wrong thing. Perez introduces himself to them, and says he’s looking forward to them speaking. If you’re ready, let’s get set up.  

Willow asks if she got the message across, and Nina says, Willow did better than the original, but she has a few tweaks to suggest. The word whom is grammatically correct, but people hear it and think it’s elitist. Maybe stick to who. She did hit the point, because technically, you don’t need close genetic ties, and this is exactly where Nina would put it… Ava walks in on the phone, and Natalia walks in behind her. Natalia walks to the elevator, and Ava turns away. Natalia looks at her and shakes her head. The elevator opens and Natalia gets in. Ava wanders over to Willow and Nina and says, it’s wonderful seeing them together. Is there room for one more? (She’s got to be kidding.)

Carly says, Diane told her that she has a 30% chance of being exonerated, and John has a better than 100% chance of keeping Jason under his thumb. Jason says, she’ll be convicted of criminal conspiracy and RICO violations. She’ll be sent to prison for decades. She says, Diane got Sonny exonerated and it’s her life. She’s a big girl. (Saying this literally makes her sound like she’s three. All that’s missing is her stamping her foot.) She went to the meeting and it’s on her. He says he’s going to Lompoc, but it’s not like Pentenville; it’s contained. Carly says, Drew was almost killed in prison. If he thinks she’s going to stand by and watch that happen, he’s out of his mind.

Anna says she’s known Jason a long time and he’s an honorable man. More honorable than John. John says, this is new. The Police Commissioner defending a known criminal. Anna says, it has no bearing on her ability to do her job, and he laughs. He says, they’ll have to agree to disagree. Has she been working with Jason the entire time? She says she owes him no information, and he says, her innocent, law abiding act is laughable when she’s been a double agent, a disgrace to their profession. She says, that’s rich coming from him. He coerced Jason to work for him and kept Jason away from his family for more than two years, for no other reason than he could. He says he knows about her entanglement with Valentin and how it ended with her shooting his daughter. There’s a lot of history there. Was it her? Is she the reason he got away?

Nina tells Ava that they’re in the middle of something, so she’ll have to excuse them. Ava says, of course (🍷), but continues to stand near them. She tells them that she just wanted to say, it’s truly inspiring that they’ve set their differences aside. It’s been a long time coming. Willow says, they’re in a good place, and Ava says, that’s wonderful. Nina wonders if Ava is confused. Which part of they’re in the middle of something is misfiring in her brain? Ava says, the mother/daughter bond is important. She’s keenly aware of how painful it is since she’s being kept away from Avery. Nina wonders if there’s something she wants to ask, and Ava says, is it that obvious? Nina says, yes, and Ava says she was wondering if they’d be willing to sit with Scotty and talk about Sonny’s behavior. It’s disruptive to his children and the women who mistakenly place their trust in him. Nina says she’ll call it what it is. Ava wants them to testify against Sonny on her behalf. Ava says, yeah, and Nina asks if she’s insane.  

Kristina thanks Perez for having them, and he thanks them for doing this. Kristina and Blaze tell them that they’re huge fans, and Kristina says, it’s the perfect platform to show what an incredible person Blaze is. He says, it’s brave and important, and he’s happy to be a part of it.

Cary says she can’t stand the thought of him going to prison, and Jason says, then don’t think about it. Think about her youngest daughter who relies on her. She says, don’t do that to her. He already spent so much time away from his children. He says, they’re almost adults, and Danny has Sam. In an ideal world, they’d have both parents, but they’re used to life without him. It’s different for Donna. Does she want to give Donna to Sonny? She says, no, and he says, then let’s keep it from happening. She says, what if the roles were reversed and she was the leverage. Would he stand by and watch? He says he thinks if he had a daughter who depended solely on him, he’d have to, and she says she can’t keep being the weapon used against him. She can’t and she won’t.

John says, Jason stalled in giving him the phone so Anna could make sure her boyfriend had a head start, and Anna says, Valentin isn’t her boyfriend. He says, so she doesn’t care that he vanished without a trace, and she says she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He says, Jason gave her time. She tipped Valentin off and botched his operation. She says, he’s trying to shift the blame, and opens the door. He says, she thinks her ties to the WSB make her immune, but he’s got news for her and Jack Brennan. He’s not intimidated; however, Jason will pay for it.

Natalia puts on the TV, and Perez thanks Blaze and Kristina for sitting down with him. He says, Blaze is known as a wildly popular singer/songwriter, and also the Face of Deception. Is it safe to say she’s used to being written about? She says, yes, but not like the recent headlines, and Perez says, if the audience hasn’t been following the story, Blaze’s career took a hit when there was a viral post of an unauthorized recording. He asks Blaze to tell them about it, and Blaze says, it was her mother talking about gay people in a disparaging way, especially the relationship between her and Kristina. Kristina says, Blaze is correct, and Perez says, Kristina has been openly gay for some time, and the driving force behind a new LGBTQ non-profit. After hearing the recording, did they distance themselves? Kristina says, unfortunately, yes, and he asks, what exactly did they take issue with? She says, from their perspective, she couldn’t be an effective advocate while in a closeted relationship. She feels they may have misjudged or misinterpreted the situation, and she’s hoping to change their minds.

Willow says, Michael doesn’t want to take a legal stand against his father, and she wants no part of it. Ava thanks her anyway, and Willow thanks Nina for her help and leaves. Ava thinks perhaps her reaction was hasty, and Nina says, Ava has a short memory if she thinks Nina would lift a pinky finger to help her. Ava says, so they had an argument, and Nina says, Ava pretended to be her friend and played her while she was cozying up to Nina’s husband.

Anna says she doesn’t know how John lives with himself, and closes the door again. John says he’s gotten pretty good at it, and she says, Jason’s family thought he was dead. His mother, his children, and friends mourned him. She mourned him. Because John promised he’d be free if Jason did what he asked, mission completed. He says, not quite, and she says, he asked for the head of Pikeman, and Jason gave that to him. And this is how he repays Jason, sending him to Lompoc. Where is the justice? He says, Jason should have gone to prison 15 times over, but she says, that’s not for him to decide. He says he gave Jason an out. Turn in Sonny. Putting Sonny behind bars until he died would be consolation. She says, he’s a bully and a coward. Sending Jason to Lompoc won’t help his vendetta against Sonny. And how is he better than Sonny? Now he’s using the law for his own ends and twisting it into a pretzel to take revenge on Sonny. She’s all for taking Sonny down, but not at someone else’s expense, and she’ll do everything in her power to stop him.

Carly says she gets a choice. It’s her life and her decision, and she’s turning herself in. Jason says, it’s not just her life. He needs her to think. She says, all she’s been doing is thinking about him prison, and he says, from the day Michael was born… even before... From the day she showed up at his door, her family has been his family. So this is a decision they make together, and she needs to keep Michael, Josslyn, and Donna in mind. Can they agree? She says, they can, and he says, if one of them has to leave, it’s obvious who it should be. His kids will be fine without him. They’ve done it before, and they’ll do it again. He doesn’t want to, but he doesn’t need to be here. She does. None of this works without her. She launches herself at him, hugging him and crying. She says she just got him back, and he says, they’re on the same page. He has to go, and she has to stay. That means not turning herself in to Agent Cates. She says, okay, but he says he needs to hear the words, and she says she won’t turn herself in to Agent Cates.

Ava says she would never pursue Nina’s husband intentionally, and Nina asks if it was an accident that Ava threw herself into Sonny’s arms. Ava says, like Nina, she fell victim to Sonny’s charms, and became subject to his ever-changing moods. Nina asks if she’s supposed to feel sorry for Ava, and Ava says she’s explaining that she’s like Nina. She’s been cast out and she’s at risk of losing her remaining child. She thought they could find common ground in that. They were once close. Nina says, once is the operative word. Whose fault is that? Ava says, hers. She’s taking responsibility, but given their history, isn’t there a little room for compassion, and possibly someday forgiveness as well? Nina says, no, because of their history. She can’t believe Ava’s audacity in approaching her to ask for a favor. As far as Sonny is concerned, Ava hurt his beloved Kristina. She should thankful if the worst Sonny does is take sole custody of Avery.

Blaze says she was at a meeting with her mother at Deception when she heard the recording, and Perez asks how she felt in that moment hearing her mother. She says, upset, sad, mostly furious, and he asks if her mom’s feelings caught her by surprise. She says, not really. She knows it’s not easy on her mom. She was raised to be less tolerant of social issues. What upset her was the recording itself. He says, that it existed? and she says she had no idea it had been recorded. Kristina says, they didn’t understand how their privacy could be violated, and Perez asks how Blaze’s relationship with her mother is now. Blaze says, it’s complicated, but she always knew where she stood. Her mom is her ex-business manager and sacrificed a lot for her career. Perez asks if that changed things between them, and Blaze says, it’s a little raw right now, but Natalia is still her mom. She thinks… She hopes they can repair their relationship. It takes time. Kristina says, luckily, they have that in spades.

Anna says, every agent has cut corners, and John is no exception. She has the know-how and the connections to dig deep into his missteps, every falsified detail and self-serving report. She can destroy his career. He says, she’s threatening him all in the name of Jason, but she says, it has nothing to do with Jason. What John is doing is criminal, and the worst part is that he’s trashing people’s lives in his pursuit of Sonny. He’s wrong and corrupt and she’s done letting it happen. By the time she’s finished with him, he’ll be the one in Lompoc.

Carly asks what she does now, and Jason says, go home, live her life, be a great mom. She says, what about him? and he says, she knows where he’s going. He reaches for her, but she steps away. She says she can’t say goodbye again, and he says, then don’t. He thanks her for not making it harder than it needs to be. He’s gonna be okay. She says, he better be. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do without him, and he says, stay calm. Think things through. When she wants to do something crazy and jump in, before she does… She says, take a deep breath, count to 10, and he says, she remembers. She says, she always remembers.

Ava says, her part was blown wildly out of proportion, and Nina asks if she didn’t record Natalia and turn it over to The Invader. She knows Ava did because her Editor-in-Chief says so. Ava asks if she’s met Blaze’s mother, and Nina says, no, but she’s a big fan of Natalia’s daughter. Ava says she’s spent more time with Natalia than she’d care to. She and Sonny are joined at the hip. Dinners out, pool dates, she’s been at the penthouse. Nina says, Sonny is free to spend time with whoever he wants. She’s not interested in Ava’s feeble attempt to try and make her jealous. It’s laughable. Is that the best she’s got in trying to get Nina to join her unholy alliance? She walks out and Ava follows. Ava says, it’s a deposition, and Nina says she doesn’t want to get near Ava’s custody suit. Ava says, real talk? and Nina says, that would be nice. Ava says, despite their differences, does Nina doubt her capabilities as a mother? and Nina says, Ava’s love for her daughter is her one redeeming quality, but her love is limited to conflating with her own well-being. Ava asks if Nina thinks Sonny is a better parent, and Nina says she told Sonny that she wants no part of this, but yeah, 100%. Ava says she thinks they’ve changed, haven’t they? and Nina says, they have. For her, life is better. Maybe not so much for Ava. She walks away.

Perez says, Kristina was disavowed by the center she founded, and Blaze heard from fans both sides of the issue. Does she feel like she can’t win? Kristina asks if Blaze minds if she takes this one, and Blaze says, please. Kristina says she doesn’t think they’re the real victims. They were both out to their family and friends, and it was only a matter of time before Blaze came out in public to fans. She asks Blaze if that’s fair, and Blaze says, they’re definitely proud of who they are together. Perez asks, why keep it a secret? and Kristina says, they were patiently waiting for reality to be a more palatable pill for Blaze’s mother to swallow. In her room, Natalia tells herself, be a big girl. You deserve what’s coming. Kristina says, Natalia loves her daughter so much, and has come to treat her with decency and respect. Perez says, even if love isn’t always love in her eyes? and Kristina says, her views were hurtful, but at the end of the day, they’re just that – her views. Views and opinions she’s entitled to. Perez asks if that’s what Kristina means by saying they’re not the real victims, and Kristina says, yes. Natalia is the real victim. Natalia looks shocked, and Kristina says, to be clear, the only person who should be ashamed is the one who made the recording. Perez says, she’s very generous, and Kristina says she thinks they’re all human. She’s made her share of mistakes, and the important thing is that we own them, apologize for them, and ultimately learn from them. If he can do it, so can anyone. Perez says, so what she’s saying is, there’s hope for all of them, and Blaze says, what’s more powerful than that?

John says, Anna’s empty threats are music to his ears, but she says, he’ll find out soon enough that they’re not empty. He says, she confirmed what he’s suspected. She has no interest in Sonny being convicted. She’s just as dirty as he is. Maybe she’s the one going to prison. Thanks for the chat. It was a real eye opener. She says, it certainly was, and John leaves. Anna picks up the desk phone and says she’s going to be out the rest of the day. She has something she needs to take care of.

Jason walks into the bus station carrying a duffel bag. He sighs and sits down, taking out his phone. He calls Danny, who asks if he got rid of the FBI guy, and Jason says, they can’t go to the islands. Danny says, not today or…? and Jason says, at least not for a long time. Danny asks, why? What’s going on?

Perez asks if they have any plans to share, and Blaze says, they’re focusing on putting this bump behind them. He says, speaking of bumps, he couldn’t help noticing… and tells Kristina, congratulations. Kristina thanks him, and he says he takes it that’s all they’re getting. She says, that’s a part of their lives they’re keeping private for now, and he says, understood. He thanks them and wishes them both the best of everything. After the lights come up, he says he thinks it went well and they all hug. He thanks them for coming and says he appreciates their time. He leaves, and Brook says, they were incredible. They knocked it out of the park. Blaze says, it’s cause for celebration, Kristina suggests Bobbie’s milkshakes, and they leave together.

John knocks at Ava’s door and says he’s sorry about earlier. It was a rude and inopportune interruption, but nothing he can’t handle. If events go the way he thinks, he’ll have what he needs to bring Sonny to justice.

Carly tells the front desk clerk Chris to send two bellhops to John Cates’s suite. Chris asks if John is checking out, and she says, he sure is. Have them pack his luggage, bring it downstairs, and reprogram the door for the next guest. He leaves, and she says, this is what we call taking out the trash.

Danny says he’s freaking out. Just tell him. Jason says he has another assignment out of town, and Danny asks if that’s what the FBI guy wanted to talk to him about. Does Jason work for him? Jason says, it’s hard to explain. He has to go away. Danny asks, where? but Jason says he can’t tell Danny. Danny says, this is crazy. They could take the speedboat and go to Canada. They can’t drag Jason away from another country, can they? Jason says, sorry, and Danny says, he’s got to fix this. Jason says, Danny is a great son and he’s proud of him. He loves Danny and needs him to know that. Danny says, Jason is talking like it’s the last time they’re going to see each other. Jason’s bus is announced as leaving in 15 minutes, and Jason tells Danny, be good, okay? Goodbye. He hangs up, and Danny throws his phone across the room. Jason sits, the wheels spinning in his head.

I’m thinking if we heard the announcement, so did Danny.

Tomorrow, Michael tells someone that he needs a favor; Molly tells TJ that Kristina has gone too far; Diane tells Sonny that she wishes she had better news; And Carly tells John, here she is. Come and get her.

📋 Wednesdays, Check, Pink, Check…

He looked really good, and it was nice to see him be kinder and gentler than the Adrian DeWitt he used to be.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/preview-perez-hilton-on-general-hospital

💃🏾 Sashay All Day…

This looks like so much fun!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/gh-stars-have-a-blast-at-rupauls-dragcon

🐪 One Hump Or Two…

RHODubai is taking a break until August 6th. Here’s something to tide you over.

https://www.etonline.com/rhodubais-caroline-brooks-calls-taleen-marie-a-liar-and-gaslighter-amid-season-2-feud-exclusive

RHODubai’s Sara Al Madani Accuses Caroline Stanbury of Lying, Explains Why She & Brooks Are No Longer Friends With Her, Plus What Happened Off-Camera as Brooks Weighs in

💰 Million Dollar Messes…

JoshF bought his childhood dream home sight unseen, and the interior was actually ripped apart. You always hear about a house having good bones and I think this is one of those houses, but all there was were bones. While it looks like he’ll ditch it, if I had his money, I would totally refurbish it. We learned from Tracy that an ADU (additional dwelling unit) increases property value and disclosure is the most important. She mentioned this when viewing a house with an amazing ADL that was like small house, but also underneath a flight path. It hadn’t been disclosed and the owner was an influencer whose content creation required no extra sounds. I totally get this, since we had a major plumbing problem after buying our house that I’m pretty sure the owner knew about – long, sad lawsuit story, but we ended up splitting the cost. I’m not sure why these owners didn’t sue, especially after paying millions. Nick Dubrow (son of Heather and Terry) is now working for JoshA, which sounds like a good gig. After having an open house – which Josh says, should be an experience – he gave each of his employees a grand out of his nearly $600k commission. Tracy also worked to get the Joshes back together. I love this show (as well as the New York version) because, although there’s competition, you feel the love.

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles Season 15, Episode 3 Recap: Buyer’s Remorse

🩰 Still a Barbie World…

And you thought we were done with this. Never.

https://extratv.com/2024/07/22/head-to-atlantis-paradise-island-for-the-ultimate-barbie-beach-vacation-in-the-bahamas/

https://extratv.com/2024/07/23/inside-atlantis-paradise-island-s-ultimate-barbie-beach-vacation-in-the-bahamas/

You can make reservations here.

https://www.atlantisbahamas.com/barbie-bahamas-beach-vacation

⚰️ Best Dead Ever…

And he oughta know his Dead.

https://ew.com/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-norman-reedus-best-hour-ever-exclusive-8676796

🌲 Return To the Pines…

I’d posted about the original show on FB, and when it came up in my memories, the post had been revamped to show Wayward Pines is on Hulu now. If you haven’t seen it, now’s the time. The books by Blake Crouch are great too.

https://movieweb.com/dark-matter-fans-watch-wayward-pines/

https://www.slashfilm.com/1518271/fox-stranger-things-m-night-shyamalan-wayward-pines/

🐈‍⬛ Throwing Cats a Bone…

Let it never be said I’m not a cat lover too.

https://people.com/halle-berry-celebrates-catwoman-turning-20-by-posing-topless-with-her-cats-8682441

https://people.com/katie-holmes-introduces-new-cat-eleanor-shares-selfies-8682707

https://people.com/jennifer-garner-gives-her-cat-house-tour-video-8681168

A bonus. Eartha Kitt will always be my favorrrite.

https://people.com/movies/actresses-who-have-played-catwoman/

🥵 Summertime and the Livin’ Is Humid…

Make a return trip tomorrow for soap and some OC shade. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your shoes on in public places, and stay owning your mistakes, apologizing for them, and ultimately learning from them.

Jul24

July 23, 2024 – Ava Snares John In Her Web, Soap Bubbles, Best Doc Ever, Meanwhile In Dubai, Almost Here, Latest Dragons, Old Throne, The Cutest & Shining

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the stable, Tracy hears someone behind her. She says, stop right there. She’s sleep deprived, hasn’t had her second cup of coffee, and Hades bit her and she’s in a bad mood, so consider themselves fully warned. Ned says, those are pretty good odds.

Kristina meets Michael at Bobbie’s, and he says, pregnancy looks good on her. She says she should be savoring every moment. There are some great aspects of pregnancy. It’s a life enriching experience, but if this baby is one day late, she’s inducing. She senses he didn’t want to meet to discuss her birthing plan, and he says he wanted to see how she was doing, how she’s feeling. She says she’s known him long enough to know that she wants to ask her something and he’s hesitating, and he says, the last thing he wants to do is increase her blood pressure, but she says, it’s just going to make her more stressed. Just tell her. He says he thinks they have a problem, and she says, with dad?  

Carly goes to the penthouse and tells Sonny that they need to talk. He says he guesses she’s already talked to Michael, and she asks, what happened? He says, stay out of it, and she says she’d love to stay out of his problems, but all of his troubles land in her lap. She’s here to let him know that Cates wants to take him down.

Ava opens the door to John, and says, what a lovely surprise. He asks if she has a moment. It’s about Sonny. She says, of course (🍷), and invites him in.

Jason goes to Anna’s office, and she says, Carly was here. He asks what Carly told her, and she says, Carly told her that John paid him a visit and she believes it had something to do with Sonny. Jason says, she was half right.

Tracy says, if Ned has wife drama, ex-wife drama, or ex-lover in-law drama, she doesn’t want to hear it. She took a ride to clear her head and wants to hold on to the feeling for as long as she can, so spare her the agita. He says, everyone at the house is getting along fine, and asks where Hades bit her. She says, it was just a nip. He has a mean streak. He asks if she bit him back, and she says, it’s really her fault. Ned gets the first aid kit, and she says she didn’t read him right. Hades wanted to run, and she was going too slow for him. Ned takes out an ice pack and puts it on her, and she tells him to be careful of her wrist. He says she should have it looked at. Or he could call the local glue factory. She says, he’d better not touch Hades, or she’ll make glue out of him. The kids know better than to go near him without Cody. What is it this time? He says he came check on her. She can ride as far as she wants, but she can’t escape it. He knows what today means just as much as she does.

Michael says he’s assuming Kristina knows it’s tense between dad and Ava, and she says, of course (🍷). Ava got her mother disbarred, then maliciously leaked Natalia’s recording to The Invader. He says, dad told him and he’s sorry. She says, Ava baited Natalia into expressing her homophobia, then like the coward she is, extracted her own audio and turned it over to The Invader. Now their dad is out for her blood and filed for sole custody of Avery. He says, if the blow-up he just had with Sonny is any indication, he’s not going to win. He’ll be lucky if he walks away without a restraining order keeping him away from Avery.

Carly tells Sonny that Cates is on the warpath. She thinks Sonny has been his main objective all along. He has something on Jason. Sonny says, Jason is an informant, but she says she was there when Cates showed up and dragged Jason away from Danny to have a private conversation. She thinks it was about Sonny. He says, if Cates doesn’t know to keep his nose out of other people’s business. It’s about time somebody beat that lesson into him.

Jason says, the FBI lost Valentin, and Anna says, in one day. He says, Valentin is still gone, and asks if that isn’t what she wanted. She says she wanted to give him a head start, so he had a chance to disappear and make a new life with Charlotte. The FBI will mount a search that could last years. They won’t give up and declare him untraceable after one day. Jason says, it’s been long enough for Cates. According to Cates, he failed to meet the terms of their agreement, and he’s been given a new assignment out of town.

John says he thought he’d stop in and see how Ava is, and she says, that’s thoughtful of him. The last couple days has been difficult. She’s used to Avery being with her and it’s not easy being alone. She’s glad he stopped by. She and Scotty have been strategizing on how to fight Sonny’s petition for sole custody. He says, that’s no mean feat. Sonny is powerful, corrupt, and violent, and he’s convinced a legion of otherwise intelligent people that he’s just misunderstood. He’s automatically right, and anyone who opposes him is automatically wrong. Ava says, and they’re willing to take up arms on his behalf. It’s terrifying going up against Sonny, and she feels alone. He says, she’s not alone now.

Ned says, Tracy has been extra spicy and standoffish all day, and she says, hence her desire for solitude. He says, it’s Luke’s birthday. It was on Monica’s calendar. She says, he always had a soft spot for Monica. He’d be pleased she remembered. He says, Olivia and Lois’s too, and she says she guesses he had a soft spot for most women. He says, it’s on his calendar too, and Luke had no soft spot for him, nor he for Luke, but he does have a soft spot for his mother, so he knows to keep his eye on her on this particular day. He and Luke had their differences, and he definitely had reservations about their quasi-legal marriage. She says, legal or not, her marriage – or more accurately, marriages – to Luke marked a significant turning point in her life. They knew each other for years and after they each went through their separate misadventures, suddenly, they were together. And from that moment on, she realized… Ned says, he was the love of her life.

Jason says he has an assignment to infiltrate a gang in a federal prison at Lompoc. He was supposed deliver Pikeman and failed to deliver. Anna says, she gave him a phone with records of illegal arms deals and proof Valentin was in charge, but he says, as far as Cates is concerned, he delayed handing over the evidence, and he aided and abetted Valentin’s escape. Anna says, Jason was coerced by the FBI into helping and now they’re breaking their word. Go public and let the world know. It will shame them into backing down. He says, then what happens to Carly? They’ll use the recording to convict her. If he goes public, Carly will be seeing her family from behind bars for the rest of her life.

Michael says, Sonny asked to see him in the hope he’d testify on Sonny’s behalf in family court, and Kristina asks if he declined. He says, they didn’t get that far. He had to point out the problems they’ve had and the public blow-ups that could be used to Ava’s advantage, and that he could cause more harm than good. Kristina asks, what’s the problem? and he says, Sonny took it the wrong way, and said it was proof of his disloyalty. Sonny is as angry at him now as he ever was. He wants to help, but if he gets on the stand and uses the wrong word and it sets Sonny off, imagine what it will do if he loses it in front of a judge. She says she keeps hoping Sonny and Michael will mend fences, but he says he’s getting used to this kind of treatment. Obviously, it hurts sometimes. Kristina says, no matter how old you get, you never stop craving the love of your parents. And they both know, it’s good to stay on Sonny’s good side. He says, Avery is the one they have to protect. All of Sonny’s failings pale in comparison to Ava’s. She says, no question, and he says, Sonny needs someone who can testify, and if he can’t do it, who can?

Ava tells John that she appreciates having someone to talk to about this. She has to pay for her other support. Taking Sonny to court is going to cost a pretty penny. John says he’s sure she has enough. Or has she already blown through her Cassadine divorce settlement? She says he’s been looking into her finances, but he says he’s been looking into her, like any potential witness or suspect. She asks which one she is, and he says, the jury’s still out. She asks what he’s learned so far, and he says, she and Sonny are more alike than he thought. She says, if she’s like Sonny, why is he working with her? and he says, she’s turned a corner Sonny never did. He still victimizes every woman who crosses his path, and those who don’t bow down at his feet, he crushes, but she’s broken that mold. She says, she and Sonny were never a match made in heaven. Avery is a miracle born out of a moment of poor judgment. He says, they managed to co-exist until recently, and she says she had to fight tooth and nail for a truce. He says, she was living with Sonny, and she says, Sonny made her believe he respected her and considered her a friend. It felt real at the time. Maybe because she was so vulnerable, she needed to believe it. He says, maybe Sonny is that good of a liar, and she says, Sonny become so erratic and volatile. She doesn’t think he realizes what he’s doing from one moment to the next.

Carly tells Sonny not to go after Cates like last time, but he says, there was no last time. She asks if he expects her to believe it was just a coincidence that John was beat up one block from the coffee warehouse, and he says, she thinks he ordered a hit on a federal agent? She says she thinks he’s smart enough not to have it linked to him. He’d better hope John doesn’t find out about Dex. He says, that’s doesn’t fall in the FBI’s jurisdiction, and he made peace with Dex. Dex isn’t going to talk to Jagger. She asks if anybody else knows about the beating, and he says, Ava.

Tracy says, they take so much for granted in the moment. The sheer depth of happiness isn’t appreciated until later on. She feels that when she thinks about her time with Luke. She misses the buoyancy Luke created. He was so resilient and managed to stay afloat. He improvised and adapted. Without him, she feels like she’s barely keeping her head above water. Stop her please. This is getting maudlin. He says, and miss a chance for her to share her feelings? It’s as rare as a comet. She tells him to set his clock for another 75 year wait, and he says, she can go on like this anytime she likes. He won’t think less of her for being human. He’s never thought less of her for choosing Luke. He saw how happy Luke made her and he likes seeing her happy, even more than he hates seeing her sad. He asks if there’s anything he can do, but she says, no. He already has. She tries to leave, but he grabs her arm and says, come here. He hugs her, and she thanks him.

Anna says, there has to be a way to block John, and Jason asks if there’s anybody in her contacts that she thinks can rein him in. She says, sometimes interfering with an FBI investigation can backfire, and he says he’s asking a lot, like she asked him to wait two hours to turn the phone in. She says she didn’t mean for this to happen, and he says, it doesn’t matter what she meant. He’s supposed to be on a bus to Quantico tonight.

John says, the only thing he’d like more than removing Sonny from Ava and Avery’s life is removing Sonny from society and locking him up in Pentenville once and for all. Imagine the ramifications to Avery’s custody battle if it was revealed sonny was under an FBI investigation. She asks if he is, but John says, not yet. He needs something more substantial to work with. She says she has no information to give him, but he says, she was living with Sonny for months and they spent extended periods of time together. Does she mean to tell him that she has no prosecutable intel? She has to help him first before he can help her. She says she’s in a delicate situation. Put himself in her shoes. Sonny’s not happy about the custody suit, but he’d be relentless and remorseless if he saw her as a threat. He says, Sonny won’t lay a hand on her if he’s charged, but she says, what if the charges don’t stick? He murdered a Quartermaine and was pardoned. He’ll retaliate and take Avery someplace she can’t reach. Or worse, get rid of her.

Sonny says he made a mistake telling Ava about Dex, and Carly says, Ava must have told Cates by now. She wonders when they hooked up, and Sonny says, he and Ava were having an argument in Ava’s suite when Jagger walked by and came in to defend Ava. He left and he’s sure she threw herself on Jagger’s mercy. She says, it’s typical for Ava to play the damsel in distress, and he says, Jagger loves playing the hero. Carly says, if Jagger takes Ava’s side in the custody hearing, it will be a major problem for Sonny. He needs all the witnesses he can get. He says he’s already messed up with Ava. He had a meeting with Michael. He wanted Michael to be a character witness. It didn’t go well. They fought and he blew up and said things he regrets. He was wondering if maybe she could talk to Michael on his behalf and smooth things over.

Kristina asks if Carly would stand up for Sonny, and Michael says, especially if the alternative is Ava getting full custody of Avery. But her testimony could end up working against him. When they were together, there was a lot of tragedy and danger. Scotty will take anything that happened when they were together as fair game. She says, what about Brook or Dante? and he says, there’s only so much Brook can say, and Scotty will have Dante show the judge the scar from when his own father shot him. Sonny needs someone who sees the best in him, and can’t point out the ways he’s a good, loving, generous father. That person is her.

Anna says she’ll use every resource to make sure this doesn’t happen, but there are no guarantees, and Jason says he needs to know there’s a real chance of success, or Carly will take things into her own hands. Anna says, tell Carly that she’ll get him out of this. What else can she do? He says, clean up the mess she made. He ignored his own instincts and let her warn Valentin because she asked him to, and it was important to her. She asks if he thinks he’d have done a better job going it alone, and he says, if he had, and it fell apart, he’d have nobody to blame but himself. She says she did warn Valentin, which put Jason at risk. That’s on her and she’s sorry. But what’s on him and Carly? What responsibility do they bear for the decisions they’ve made that have led them here? They decided to live outside the lines, and she thinks they’re suffering the consequences of that. He says, she’s right. They did this to themselves, but he can’t change what happened and has to work with what he has now. He’s asking her to give him the same consideration she gave to Valentin. She says she will fix this, one way or another. She swears. She won’t rest until he’s out from under the FBI. He says he knows she’ll do her best, but there’s no guarantees like she said. He leaves, slamming the door.

Michael says, Sonny has the strongest, warmest relationship with Kristina, but she says, it wasn’t always like that. He says, Sonny has always been in her corner. He didn’t even bat an eye when she came out. They worked through the hard stuff when she was young, so when the court asks if he was a good father, Diane can call on her as proof. She says, what if they ask if she witnessed dad beating up Dex at the wedding? He’ll not only lose custody, he could lose his freedom. She wants to help him as much as Michael does, but she’s as much of a liability on the stand as he is. He says, that may leave dad on his own.

Carly says, it’s not up to her to fix things between Sonny and Michael. That’s Sonny’s job. He says, Michael doesn’t listen to him. He knows he said things he shouldn’t have said, but as long as she gets them in the same room, he knows they can fix this. She asks what he’s going to do. Yell at Michael again? Call him a traitor? Disown Michael as his son? Sonny says he lost his temper; he’s stressed. Michael will understand. He’s a father and this is about Avery. She says, it’s not. This is about Sonny behaving like everyone in his life is disposable. They only matter when he wants something. Everyone he hasn’t pushed away is walking away. Name one single person who will defend him who isn’t one of his children or an employee, one friend who will stand beside him no matter what. He says, her, and she says she stood in this very room, and he called her a traitor. Their years and their kids together meant nothing. It’s the way he wanted it and it’s the way it is. She’s not cleaning up his mess. He’s on his own. With tears in her eyes, she leaves

Ava says she’ll fight Sonny for Avery, but delivering him to the FBI is something she can’t do. John says he has a child too, and she doesn’t have to explain it to him. There are plenty of other people that he can get enough evidence to get Sonny another way, and when he does, she can be damn sure he’ll never see Avery again. She asks if he means that. Does he think it’s possible? He says, she seems surprised, and she says, it’s been a long time. She works up some tears, and says she forgot what it feels like to receive a kind gesture. He says he has a code too, but unlike Sonny, he sticks to his. He’s not going to let that poor excuse for a man push her around anymore. She says she almost believes him, and he asks what it would take to get her all the way there, and kisses her. (Ugh, a thousand times.)  

Anna calls someone named Jim and says she doesn’t have time to chat. She needs him to to arrange a face to face with one of the agents in his jurisdiction… John Cates. He’s out of control, and if the FBI doesn’t reel him in, she’s going to be forced to.

Michael wonders if he was being naïve, thinking there might be a way back for him and Sonny, but Kristina says, he’s not being naïve. He’s being courageous. He’d be well within his rights to write Sonny off completely, but he keeps trying and that’s admirable. Michael says he’s given a lot of thought to ignoring dad’s past and maintaining a superficial connection, but when will it get to be too much for him? He thinks about his mom and AJ and the price they paid for the lifelong grudges they held. He doesn’t want that for his kids. He wants Wiley and Amelia to know it’s okay to hold people accountable for their actions, but holding onto bitterness stunts you. She says, that’s very perceptive, and he says he learned it from Willow. She’s giving Nina another chance and it appears to be paying off. If she can do that for her mother, it’s the least he can do for his dad, She says, even if Sonny doesn’t extend the same courtesy to him? and he says, what’s happening now doesn’t erase what’s happened before. He raised, loved, and protected Michael. For him to be a good father to his kids, he needs to know he tried his best. She says, after Sonny beat up Dex, she couldn’t see him for a while. It still scares her, but like Michael said, it doesn’t outweigh the years of love. Carly comes in and says, sorry to interrupt. She heard Michael had a run-in with his father… Jason comes in and tells Carly, sorry to interrupt, but he needs to talk to her. She says, yeah, and they step aside.

Tracy finds Sonny somewhere unfamiliar outside and stands next to him. She says, Luke’s club was across the street. Is he indulging in a little walk down Memory Lane? He says, maybe it’s the day for it, and she says, it’s his birthday. He says, you were never on your own with a friend like Luke, and she says, finally, something they can agree upon. Sonny says, they didn’t just celebrate by drinking tequila. One time he woke up in a barn with hay in his hair and a horse in his face. She says, it was her house. It was a gift from Luke for her birthday. He says, Luke was very generous. He was big on gestures. She says, and he never passed up an opportunity to celebrate. He always said, if somebody was going to buy him drinks, why not accept? Sonny says, that’s the thing he loved about Luke. He always enjoyed himself. She says she thinks it’s because some of his life was just not enjoyable.

John’s phone rings, and he tells Ava that he has to take it. He says, Agent Cates… No, he wasn’t… Yes, loud and clear… Okay. He’s on it. He tells Ava that he has to go, and she asks if there’s trouble, but he says, there are a few provincial egos that need massaging. He asks if they can pick this up where they left off, and she says, they most definitely can, and soon she hopes. He leaves and she smiles.

Jason and Carly go to his room, and she asks, what happened with Cates? He says, Cates is sending him on another assignment. He leaves for Quantico tonight.

Tracy says, Luke made up his mind at a very young age that he was going to go for every opportunity that presented itself. She thinks it was her favorite thing about him. Sonny says, the last time he saw Luke was at the waterfront. They were saying their goodbyes and Luke walked off into the sunset, which she knows was Amsterdam. She says she’ll deny it until her last breath that she went to Amsterdam in search of him. She happened upon him in a little café. How could she consider that anything but fate? The time they had together, as Luke would say, they had an absolute blast. He says, Luke was always a good time, and she says, he was the best.

Kristina says, someday Avery is going to go through what she and Michael are going through with dad, and he says, she’ll find out everything there is to know about him. And just like them, they’ll see if it changes the way she feels about him and if she wants him in her life. Kristina says, that has to be Avery’s choice. Ava can’t decide for her.

On the phone, Ava asks, how much will it help her case if Sonny is busted by the FBI?

Cates bursts into Anna’s office and says, she’s been talking to his boss. She says, whatever she needs to do. Set Jason free now or she swears she’ll bury him.

Carly says, Jason’s not leaving, but he says, it’s already been decided. She says, he did what Cates wanted, and he says, she has to listen. There’s a way he can still beat Cates. There’s a way around this. But she has to stay patient and calm. She says, while Cates whisks him away to some other dangerous job where he’ll be killed? She doesn’t think so. She’s turning herself in and there’s nothing he can say to stop her.  

Tomorrow, Nina tells Ava to be thankful if the worst Sonny does is take sole custody of Avery; Carly says, Jason is out of his mind if he thinks she’s going to stand by while Cates takes him away again; and Anna says she’s going to do everything in her power to stop John.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

We should all have off days this good.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/giovanni-mazza-opens-up-about-his-disastrous-gh-audition

Love this. Style and fashion for all.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-tabyana-ali-has-a-spectacular-new-project

It’s sweet that they’re keeping in touch.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-easton-reunites-with-gregory-harrison-see-the-photo

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he was the best Nikolas.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/adam-huss-reaches-out-to-his-gh-fans

Another loss to the soap world.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/all-my-children/amc-stars-remember-esta-terblanche

And while we’re at it, the mid-year roll call.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/abc/remembering-the-soap-stars-we-lost-this-year

👺 Best Of the Worst…

Last weekend, I was finishing Season 2 of Outer Range, and since I was on Amazon, I consulted an article I’d read about the best documentaries on Prime. I chose to watch Best Worst Movie and it’s one of the best things I’ve seen lately. In 1989, a film called Troll 2 came out. It has nothing to do with the Norwegian film Troll or the film Troll with June Lockhart. Actually, it has nothing to do with trolls at all. Written by an Italian film director and his wife, it’s original title was Gremlins, but we see how that could be confusing in the USA.

Years later, when the film was shown on late night TV and cable, a cult began to form around it. Little conventions, late night showings, and watch parties sprang up, and documentary is mainly about that. I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the whole thing because, although it’s not my movie, it’s their movie, and I get it. I’ve been that person who watches something 10,000 times and just wants to watch it again. Of course I had to watch the actual film afterward, and it’s bad. So bad. Not even Ed Wood bad. But I get that too. The fans see something in it that others don’t. Been there, and I hope they never lose that. It can keep you sane.

The cast of Troll 2 is also involved, and it’s an interesting tributary to see how it affected each of their lives. For some it was a blessing, for some a curse, and one actress doesn’t want anything more to do with it, although she reenacts one of the scenes from the movie with two of her co-stars. The only one who doesn’t realize the film is bad is the director, who thinks he made an artistic masterpiece, and the actors are a bunch of whiney egoists.

So give it a whirl. I hope it brings you as much joy as it did me.  

Review: BEST WORST MOVIE

https://theindependentcritic.com/_best_worst_movie__review

🐪 Eat, Pray, Camel…

Taleen wants you to know that she did not beg to be on the show.

Real Housewives of Dubai Season 2, Episode 8 Recap: Eat, Pray, Dissent

🦸🏻‍♂️ A Few More Days…

I probably won’t go the first weekend if it’s crowded, but I can’t wait to see it on a big screen. A selection of everything Deadpool & Wolverine. The finances.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/deadpool-wolverine-box-ofice-1235955857/

The fashion.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2024/07/23/deadpool–wolverine-scenes-from-the-red-carpet-premiere/

The reviews.

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/deadpool-wolverine-first-reviews/

The kudos.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/deadpool-and-wolverine-is-kick-in-the-nuts-the-mcu-needs

The not-so kudos.

https://ew.com/deadpool-wolverine-review-relentlessly-irritating-cheap-jokes-instead-stakes-8682433

The music.

https://ew.com/deadpool-and-wolverine-soundtrack-the-greatest-showman-song-8679476

The cutest couple.

https://www.purewow.com/news/blake-lively-ryan-reynolds-movie-releases

🐉 Dragons In the House…

Possible spoilers if you didn’t see the last episode.

https://ew.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-paddy-considine-viserys-cameo-harrenhal-daemon-8681112

Netflix competition.

https://www.unilad.com/film-and-tv/netflix/netflix-the-last-kingdom-game-of-thrones-364207-20240723

👑 Original Game…

We know one of them is not doing a Jon Snow spinoff.

https://ew.com/game-of-thrones-cast-where-are-they-now-8677595

🐶 Rescued By Killer Miller…

Good for her. My rescue chihuahua El Wray has issues, which he’s slowly overcoming, but I’ve never regretted adopting him.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-carolyn-hennesy-adopted-the-cutest-dog

✈️ Flight Now Boarding…

Join me tomorrow for soap, Listings talk, and whatever else is entertaining. Until then, stay safe, stay not overdoing your fragrance, and stay holding people accountable for their actions, but not holding onto bitterness.

Jul23

July 22, 2024 – John Tells Jason That Sonny Has To Pay, Burn Book Of Laundry Crimes On Deck & Blues

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At Bobbie’s, Danny asks how Jason made this happen, and Jason says he asked. Danny says, that hasn’t worked before, and Jason says, Danny’s mom just wants what’s best for him. Danny says, lately, what’s best has been staying away from Jason and taking his phone. Now they’re going on a speedboat trip. He wonders if they can camp out, and Jason says he promised to have Danny home by 10, but they’ll make it happen soon. Carly comes over to their table and says she hears Danny’s dad is taking him out on the boat. She’s having the kitchen whip up some sandwiches to take with them. John comes in and tells Jason, a word, but Jason says, John will have to wait. He has plans with his son. John says, not anymore. (Pretty early in the show for me wanting to punch him.)

Laura goes to see Anna, who says she always has time for the mayor. Laura says, it’s a personal matter, and Anna says she has even more time for a friend. Laura asks if Anna heard from Valentin today or last night, and Anna says, no. Why? Laura asks if she knows why the FBI would be looking for him.

Brook thanks Kristina and Blaze for meeting her at the boathouse. It’s the only place they won’t be interrupted. Blaze says, it has a great vibe, and Brook offers them coffee and herbal tea. Blaze says she needs coffee; she didn’t sleep much last night. Kristina says, Nina gave them a lot to think about. They asked her about how to deal with the press. Blaze says, so they don’t make things worse, and Brook says, that’s why they’re here today, to prepare for an interview with Perez Hilton. It’s their one chance to reverse backlash caused by Blaze’s mom’s homophobic comments. Just be themselves. They’re fabulous. Kristina asks if their questions were agreed to. They don’t want any curveballs. Brook says, after careful consideration, they said no

Scotty tells Ava that they need character witnesses. They need all the love they can get. Ava says she and Sonny both have shady pasts, but Sonny is still running his organization. He asks if she has proof that won’t get her killed, and she says she thinks the playing field is level, but he says, Sonny will dig up people who will canonize him and vilify her. What about Alexis?

Sonny thanks Michael for coming over, and Michael asks what it’s about. Sonny says he needs Michael’s help.

Laura says, an FBI agent paid her a visit and demanded to know Valentin and Charlotte’s whereabouts. It’s one thing for them to want Valentin, but Charlotte? They talk and text all the time… Anna says she hates that Laura is going through this, but Laura knows that she can’t divulge anything about an ongoing investigation, and she doesn’t have any answers. Laura says, Valentin and Charlotte’s phones are no longer in service, and Charlotte’s social media accounts have all been wiped out. They’re gone. She wants Anna to just tell her that she knows some way to get in touch with Valentin. Anna says she doesn’t, and Laura wonders what this could be about. She knows Valentin has been working at ELQ for the past few years. Why would he run unless the FBI uncovered something from his past? She was thinking Anna was going to tell her that it was a misunderstanding. She has a very bad feeling. Anna says she understands that, and Laura says she knows Anna and Valentin aren’t together, but can Anna tell her why the FBI is looking for him?

Ava says, no matter how much Sonny displeases Alexis, Alexis despises her, and Scotty says, what about Nina? Ava says, now that Nina knows she and Sonny are on the outs, she’s probably camped out in Sonny’s hallway pretending it’s a coincidence. He says he doesn’t want a roll call of exes who Ava hasn’t angered. She doesn’t have a lot of people in her corner. Ava says, Laura. She’s the mayor. He says, that’s as good as it gets, but it’s only one. She says, they’ll figure it out. She bets Sonny has fewer allies than she does.

Sonny asks if Michael wants coffee, but Michael says, Sonny doesn’t have to win him over. How can he help? Sonny says, he knows Ava is filing for full custody of Avery and she’s been going behind his back to everyone, including Kristina. Ava made Natalia’s recording public and now Kristina and Blaze are suffering because of it. Michael says he had no idea Ava was involved, but it doesn’t excuse what Natalia said. Sonny says, Natalia is making it right, but he doesn’t want Ava to be part of his daughter’s life. Michael says, Avery loves her mother, but Sonny says, she’d be better off without Ava influencing her. Michael says he’s glad Sonny kicked her out and wonders why she was living here in the first place. Sonny says, there was the break-in at Windymere and like Michael said, Avery loves her mother. He moved her in, but never again. Diane says, there’s an aspect of all of this they haven’t explored. Ava is adamantly voicing her concern about Sonny’s mental stability. If she could sabotage Morgan, imagine what she could do to Avery?

John tells Jason, send the boy home, but Carly says, Jason has spent enough away from his family. Let him spend the day with his son. Jason asks her to drive Danny home while he talks with this… agent, and tells Danny that he promises they’ll reschedule. He leaves with John, and Danny asks if Carly has any idea what this is about. Carly says, they both know his dad can take care of himself, right? and Danny nods.

Ava says, Trina. She’s seen firsthand how Ava makes Avery a priority. Scotty says, she’s an employee. It’s not their best look. She says, Trina is strong, honest, and immensely capable. Her character is sure to impress the judge. Scotty says, okay, but it’s only two, and she says she’s had it with his pessimism. He says, unless a member of her fan club knocks on the door, they’re in trouble, and she says, he’s fired. He suggests she hire Alexis, and wonders if a lawyer can testify against their own client. She says, he’s unfired, and he says he’s in her corner, but he just wants her to understand what she’s up against.

Michael wonders, if they bring up Ava tampering with Morgan’s meds, doesn’t it open the door to talk about Morgan and Sonny’s rocky relationship? and Diane says, yes, but the friction with Morgan was due to Ava’s relationship with him and the onset of his bipolar, which Ava did sabotage. Sonny says, the real question is, who is the better parent? He gave Michael a lot of love and a great home. Will he testify to that? Michael says he can swear on a stack of Bibles, but it’s ancient history. What’s not is his mom sending Morgan to military school to get him away from Sonny, and Morgan being hit by a ricocheting bullet meant for Sonny.

Kristina says she thought the interview would be fair, and Brook says, it will be. Kristina asks, then why won’t their questions be used? and Brook says, once a guest dictates the questions, it’s no longer an interview, but becomes a press release. He will and should ask the questions he wants to. Kristina says she gets the principle, but they have no control? Brook says, of course (🍷) they do, and Kristina asks about their request for certain subjects to be off limits. Brook says, like Kristina’s father and Blaze’s brother? and Kristina says, let her guess. They said no to that too. Brook says, they did, but what’s most important is for them to have the opportunity to tell their side of the story to the world. Blaze says, it’s too much to risk. They’re canceling the interview.  

Ava says, Sonny’s not invincible and she won’t let him take her child, and Scotty says, let him help her then. Does she have anyone in the contacts on her phone? She says, Agent Cates, and he says, Jagger? The FBI guy? Didn’t he question Ava at Selina Wu’s warehouse? Ava says, he wants to be supportive, and Scotty says, he’s law enforcement and has hate for Sonny. That’s good, but she’s only known him for 15 minutes and he thought she’d said Cates was having her followed. She says, because of her association with Sonny, but that’s over, and he found no evidence to incriminate her on anything. Scotty asks, other than hating Sonny, does John have any other reason to take her side? She says she hasn’t known him long, but maybe they have gotten closer.

Jason brings John to his room and asks, what’s so important that John pulled him away from his son? John says, they raided Valentin’s house and found no trace of him, and Jason says, his assignment was to find out who was running Pikeman and get evidence, and he did. Finding and arresting Valentin is on John. John says, Jason was stalling, but Jason says he was waiting until John finished talking. John says, he was here a half hour, and by the time they got to Valentin’s house, he’d vanished. He was tipped off. Jason asks if John thinks he did it, and John says, if it wasn’t Jason, who was it?

Anna says she doesn’t have a cordial working relationship with the FBI, and Laura says, what about Cates’ relationship with Robin? Anna says she and John haven’t seen eye to eye on pretty much anything since he’s been here. And given her closeness to Valentin, there’s no way the FBI would disclose anything to her. Laura says, makes sense. She’s sorry. She’s grasping at straws. This came out of nowhere. She was convinced Valentin had made the decision to provide a stable home for Charlotte and leave his old life behind. Anna says she thought that too, and Laura wonders how they can both be that wrong. She has to believe that if Valentin is with Charlotte, he’ll do everything in his power to keep her safe. Anna says, Valentin is trained in these situations. Not with a child, but they know Charlotte is resourceful. Laura says she knows. It’s just that for some reason all of her children are out of her reach, and now Charlotte is also missing. She cries, and Anna says she’s so sorry. Laura says, it’s okay. Will Anna let her know if she hears anything? Anna says, of course (🍷), but the way they left things, she doubts she’s going to hear from Valentin. Laura says, you never know, and thanks her. Anna says, of course (🍷). Anytime. Laura leaves and Anna sits down, wiping tears from her eyes.

Sonny says he thought that was in the past and asks if that means Michael won’t testify. Michael tells him that he’s not saying that, but they’re going bring up history. Diane agrees and says, they have to prepare. Sonny says, her too? and Michael tells Sonny that all he’s saying is, who’s to say that won’t happen to Avery now? Sonny asks if Michael doesn’t think he’s thought about it, and Diane says, this reaction is what she doesn’t want in court. Scotty will bring it up. Sonny wonders if Michael wants to take the stand to punish him, but Michael says he’s trying to help. Sonny says, like he helped Dex. Michael is only a good son when he wants something. When he doesn’t, he looks at Sonny like something he scraped off the bottom of his shoe.

Scotty says he’s got to ask, and Ava’s got to be honest. Is there something going on between her and Cates? She asks if he’s jealous, and he says, if Diane finds out… Ava says, don’t worry. They’re not involved. Not yet anyway. He asks her to promise they won’t get involved until after the hearing, and she says, so in addition to Cates… What about Dex? He used to work for Sonny and barely escaped. Sonny beat him within an inch of his life. Maybe he’d be willing to testify. Scotty says, she has no proof, and she says, Dex is almost a cop, and she has it on excellent authority that Kristina witnessed the beating. He asks if she thinks Kristina would testify against Sonny, and she tells him to subpoena her. It’s about time Sonny answered for his behavior. He asks, what about Josslyn? She thinks Sonny is public enemy number one. Ava says, she hates Sonny, but she’s her mother’s daughter. She’s an entitled brat who looks down her nose at Ava. He asks if she has a better idea, and she says, Carly, and he rubs his forehead like he has a headache.

Carly say she was hoping Cates confided in Anna, but Anna says, John is more likely to confide in Carly. Carly says she regrets any kindness she’s shown John and asks if Anna is going help. Anna says she can’t divulge any information she finds out, and Carly says, thanks for nothing. Anna says, tell her what this is about, and Carly says, Cates came for Jason this morning.

Jason asks why he’d warn Valentin, and John says, maybe Jason wants to sabotage his case and stick it to him. Jason says, and risk prolonging their deal. There’s no way he’s not done. John says, that would be true if they could find Valentin, but until they do, he has nothing to show for his assignment. Jason’s days as his informant are far from over. He’s putting Jason on a bus to Quantico, where he’ll receive a new ID as a federal prisoner. He’ll go to Lompoc Penitentiary, where he’ll be inserted into a drugs and arms trafficking outfit they believe is there. He leaves tonight.

Carly explains what happened at Bobbie’s, and Anna asks if John said anything to suggest he’s coming for Sonny. Carly says she thinks John is helping Ava with the custody hearing, but she also thinks it’s all one big excuse. Anna says, for what? and Carly says she thinks John is doing what he can to take Sonny down. Anna asks if that’s Carly’s theory or Jason’s, and Carly says, all she knows is, Jason was supposed to be done, when John barged in and started pushing Jason around again. If it’s not about Sonny, what the hell is going on?

Blaze says she’s sorry, but Kristina says, they can’t let her mother’s voice be the only one. They have to share their side. Brook says, that’s the idea, but Blaze says, it’s looking like a firing squad. Kristina says, let him ask questions about her dad and her pregnancy. He can try, but she can also say, they choose to keep that part of their lives private. Brook says, or Kristina could explain what it is. She’s having the baby for her sister because her sister can’t. People will swoon over that story. Kristina says, it’s not her story to tell and she’s not going public with the details of her sister’s health and fertility issues. Brook says, they wanted her advice, and she thinks they should take the risk and do this. Blaze says she knows it’s not true that they can’t make it worse, but Brook says, Perez has no private agenda. He just wants to the truth. They can’t get any better or broader exposure, and they don’t have to answer. Kristina says, it will look like they’re hiding, and Brook says, they could reframe the question and answer in a way that’s comfortable. For example, if they ask what it was like being a mob boss’s daughter growing up, Kristina can say, both of her parents encouraged her to be her best self, and she trusts they’ll continue to do that. Blaze says she likes that, and Kristina says, it’s a good idea, but she would never say that. Brook suggests she figure out what she would say and that they do a mock interview.

Michael says, Sonny asked him to come here and he put aside their bad blood, but now Sonny is attacking him. Sonny says he’s not attacking anyone, but Michael says, the only time he’s seen Sonny like this is when he’s off his meds. Sonny says he’s been taking them and asks if Michael wants to check his medicine cabinet. Michael says, maybe they’re not working anymore. Something is wrong. Sonny says, what’s not working is Michael sabotaging him to get back at him. Then he gets mad, and Michael says he’s crazy. Diane tries to intervene, but Michael says he’s done. Give him one reason to stay. Sonny has no idea how badly he wanted things to work out. Sonny says, he’s made a hell of an effort, and Michael tells Diane, this was a mistake. This isn’t the father he knew growing up. He walks out.

Brook tells them, heads up and make eye contact. Take their time. Here we go. When they first heard the recording, how did it feel? Kristina says, she had been out for some time, so these types of slurs and insults weren’t new. It’s part of the reason she started the Corinthos-Davis House, a non-profit for LGBTQ youth. The center has just been completed and they have amazing programs: counseling, job searches, health education, and referrals. Brook says, that’s amazing. What about Natalia’s comments? Kristina says, it was difficult when she first heard them. It felt like someone had ripped open a shower curtain. She wasn’t ashamed, but it was a massive intrusion. It’s hard to know her privacy was violated by someone she knows and trusted.

Anna suggests John might be trying to debrief Jason, and Carly says, about what? It’s more. She could tell. Anna says, John has been gunning for Sonny since he came to town. He’s resentful about having to protect Sonny when Sonny had a target on his back. Carly says, it’s clear how he feels, and Anna says, now Sonny has no target. Carly says, John thinks it’s his turn, and Anna says, it’s a likely explanation. Carly says, he’s wasting his time. There’s no way Jason is going to flip on Sonny.  

Jason says, the deal was for him to infiltrate Pikeman, ID their leadership, and provide proof. He gave John more than that, and if John can’t make a case, that’s his problem. John says, maybe he can, maybe he can’t, but one case is ironclad – The People vs Carly Spencer. If Jason’s not on that bus, Carly is going to Pentenville.

Scotty says, Ava is nuts. Why would she think Carly would testify against Sonny? Ava says, they’re just asking her to tell the truth, and he says, the opinion of an ex-wife isn’t exactly a slam dunk. Ava says, Carly also happens to be the mother of two of Sonny’s children, Donna and Morgan, but he says he wouldn’t bring up Morgan if he were her. She says, whatever happened, when Morgan was a child, Carly had to ship him off to military school to keep him safe from Sonny. He says he could dig up those records, but it’s ancient history, and she says she happens to know Carly won’t let Donna sleep over at Sonny’s because of his erratic behavior. She was there when Carly accused Sonny of not taking his meds. She even pushed her way into his bathroom to check because he was being so combative. He asks if Sonny is taking the meds, and she says, yes, for all the good it’s doing. She thinks their strongest witness will be Sonny himself. Scotty asks why she thinks that.

Anna says, whatever Carly is thinking of doing, don’t. Don’t confront Cates without any information on what really happened or what Jason intends to do. She understands the impulse, but she’s asking Carly to hold off. Let her find out what’s going on first. Carly apologizes and says she never should have involved Anna. This is between her and Jason, and they’ll fix it themselves. She leaves, and an obviously frustrated Anna makes a call.

Scotty asks what Ava is thinking, and she says, attorney/client privilege? He says, yes, as long as she’s not going to tell him that she’s going to commit a crime. She says she’s not doing anything. One of Sonny’s meds was replaced with a placebo. He says, not that again, but she says she didn’t do it. Not personally. But she figured it out. He asks who else would do it, and she says she doesn’t know, but she’s seen the results up close and it ain’t pretty. He says, so what she’s telling him is that she wants him to get Sonny on the stand and then push his buttons, and she says, he’ll blow like Vesuvius. They can prove to the court that Sonny is to volatile to have custody of Avery – ever.

Sonny says, when it comes to his family, that’s his business, and Diane says, absolutely. Now she’s speaking as his attorney. He was abusing a witness who came into his home at his invitation to help him. Sonny says, Michael turned on him, but Diane says, he was trying to help. Sonny just refused to listen. He’s behaving more erratically, aggressively, and more self-defeating than she’s ever seen, and she’s seen a lot. If he can’t get a grip on what’s got him, there’s no way she’ll be able to convince a family court judge that he’s a responsible, loving, dependable parent to any child, certainly not his own.

John says he has a bus ticket and Jason’s detailed assignment. Read it and destroy it. He knows the drill. Jason says he’s not going, and John says, if Jason is going to stay in Port Charles, Jason has to get him enough evidence to arrest and convict Sonny. Jason says, what if he doesn’t have it? and John asks why he’s still protecting Sonny. Sonny has left a trail of broken lives in his wake, starting with John’s wife and brother. Sonny has to pay! John is unhinged and literally panting, and Jason just stands there. Jason says, Sonny has been wrong about a lot of things,  but there’s one thing he’s right about and that’s John. Pikeman was just an excuse to come to Port Charles and take Sonny down. John says, Jason knows where the bodies are buried, enough to put Sonny away until the end of time. So either give it to him or get on that bus. 

Tomorrow, Jason asks Anna to give him the same consideration she gave Valentin; Carly tells Sonny that John wants to take him down; and John tells Ava that if she wants his help, she has to help him first.

Below Deck Mediterranean

🐈every time one is seen lounging around Greece.

First day of charter. Captain Sandy is boxed in, with six inches between the ground line, the dock, and the other boats, and the wildfires are getting closer. All the lines are freed, and the captain tells Joe to take a line, but he says, it’s stuck under the fender. Nathan says, a wee tender is passing next to them, but as soon as it passes, he says, they have a small RIB off the bow. Somehow, the captain gets out, and Iain says, that’s precision driving. The guests cheer, and the captain says, that was intense. Undocking can be challenging, but Nathan is her bow guy now. In Joe’s interview, he says, fake it before you make it. He has to prove himself to the captain. Aesha sings about how she’s going to wet her pants and has no time to go to the bathroom. In Bri’s interview, she says she’s been writing things down, and we flash back to Ellie suggesting a notebook for the laundry. Bri says, the last thing she wants to do is mess up something else.

The yacht heads for Hydra, and Aesha tells the guests that they’re going exploring. Nathan tells Gael that he feels sh*tty for Joe. They can work as a team, so he learns on the job. Joe has been thrown off the bow and Nathan knows he’s feeling hurt, and his ego is bruised. In Nathan’s interview, he says, Gael is in her head, but he doesn’t blame her. He finds her attractive and enjoys her company, but he wants to be respectful and give her the space she needs. A few of the guests do The Worm in the main salon, and 1980 calls. They drop anchor, and the jet skis and wave runners are put out. The captain asks Bri to pop into her cabin, and Joe dives off the side of the boat to help with the equipment. Captain Sandy shows Bri a greyish pair of pants against a white pair and says she doesn’t know what happened, but this must have been put in with the darks. It’s not white. Aesha tells Bri, even with a color catcher, don’t put the light and dark clothing together, and Bri promises not to. In Aesha’s interview, she says, Bri started off badly, then had one good charter. We flash back to both, and Aesha says, ever since, it’s gone downhill. So far, there have been no fights, so that’s got to be a sign of improvement. But there’s not a chance she can rest easy. She’s been full-on and she has to figure out how to change this. Since there isn’t much to do upstairs, Aesha sends Ellie to help with the laundry, but when Bri finds her there, she says she’s got the washing. Ellie says, she’s just doing a job. Aesha told her to help, since there’s nothing to do upstairs. Stop chasing her out. In Bri’s interview, she says, she thinks Ellie wants her off the boat. She feels paranoid. (She really isn’t too bright, is she?) She’s organized the laundry into messy piles, but she knows where everything is. Ellie messes up her messy piles. Dude, it’s not your desk at home. It’s the superyacht laundry. The guests head back inside, and Aesha calls Bri to the bar. She tells Bri to go on a break, and meanwhile, Ellie is in the laundry and sees the Bri’s notebook. In Ellie’s interview, she says, Bri seems to be writing a list of laundry crimes, mistakes she’s found in the laundry. She’s just finding her own mistakes and blaming them on her. What the f*** is going on here?

The captain tells the deckhands to take in the anchor and calls Joe to the bridge. In Joe’s interview, he wonders what he’s done now, but Captain Sandy asks him to take the wheel while she goes to get coffee. She says she trusts him. In her interview, she says, she supports Joe. She’s not demoting him. He just needs more experience. He knows how to do it, but not how to do it under pressure. She put him at the helm to give him confidence. In Joe’s interview, he says, the captain is still giving him responsibility and it makes him feel at ease. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, all they have are rocks, so she’s using two anchors. It will be difficult, but she has confidence that it should be a smooth operation. Jono wraps stuff in grape leaves, and in his interview, he says he loves Greek food. He’s not experienced in it, but his BFF is from Athens, and her grandma is a master chef. He calls friend Penelope to get instructions, and says, one more setback and he might lose his job. He has no room for error. I pick up on the use of leeks instead of onions and wonder if the Greek restaurant in the strip mall near here is still open. Bri calls her best friend to complain about Ellie, and Captain Sandy says she’s going to back in like a mofo. She’s backing into rocks, and in Nathan’s interview, he says, keeping them in position is an easy thing to do, but a lot of people make it complicated.

Iain gets confused and says, there are no guys to catch the heavy lines at the dock, when there are clearly two guys there. 🐈 In the captain’s interview, she says, sometimes Iain doesn’t look before he speaks. Pay attention. Be aware. Aesha asks Ellie if she’d be comfortable doing lunch service. They need the table set by two. In Aesha’s interview, she says, they’re halfway through the charter season and she can’t keep doing everything. We flash back, and she says, maybe it’s her, and she has too tight of a leash on them. Sometimes you have to throw someone in the middle of the ocean and see if they sink or swim. In Ellie’s interview, she says she’s never done lunch service before, but her energy isn’t matching with Bri’s. She’s not going to be mean. It is what it is and she has to deal with it. In Gael’s interview, she says she knows Iain is going to brag about how he can climb rocks, but it’s not going to be as easy for the guests as he thinks. He’s tiptoeing around Captain Sandy. Just make it safe. Even though she’s on break, Aesha listens to the stews over the radio, and Ellie asks Bri to help fetch various things. She’s extra polite, and in Bri’s interview, she says, Ellie looks good, but it feels fake. In Gael’s interview, she says she’s anxious regarding her relationship and doesn’t want to let it affect her work. She could use a win this charter. Iain tells her, good job, and the captain says, nice work. In Aesha’s interview, she says, this is why she doesn’t take breaks. The person left in charge doesn’t know where things are. She tells Jono that Ellie is running service and she’s nervous. She wants to check. 🐈 She sees the table isn’t set up and it’s ten minutes until dinner. Ellie says, they were making cocktails, and Aesha says she’s coming back from her break. Start setting the table. In her interview, Aesha says she’s learned her lesson. They’re not ready.

In Ellie’s interview, she says, Aesha isn’t giving them a chance. She’s taking it away and it crushes her soul a little bit. Five more minutes, and they would have had it more under control. She’s lost her pho and has no confidence. Aesha tells Bri that the bar is a mess and the table’s not set. They’re not on top of it. In Bri’s interview, she says, if she was Aesha, she wouldn’t trust her and Ellie. Platters of food porn come out, and a guest says she didn’t know shrimp came that big. Bri says, they’re king prawns, and the guest says, if you live in a fancy place, they’re prawns, but if you live in a not so fancy place, they’re shrimp. Truth! Aesha tells Jono, the guests really, really like lunch, and Bri takes a plate to the captain. Gael gets a text from her boyfriend, saying, in spite of anything, he loves and misses her. She texts back that she misses him too. She knows he’s got to focus on his exams, so they’ll talk soon. In Gael’s interview, she says she has a strong connection with Nathan, but at the same time, she definitely has a lot of guilt. She doesn’t want to do that to her boyfriend. She’s a people pleaser and hates to disappoint others. The last thing she wants to do is hurt him more.

The next morning, Aesha says, the guests are leaving the boat at 10 and she’s going with them. I can’t say I blame her. The women guests twerk, as the men chant, Myrtle Beach. They do know they’re in Greece, right? lain helps them over the rocks to the shore, and says, two at a time to keep them safe. One woman wants to take a picture, or her parents will never believe she did this. 🐈 It’s a sweet, quaint, colorful city, and in Aesha’s interview, she says, Hydra is gorgeous. She loves exploring, by foot or donkey. She sometimes wishes she was a donkey on the island so she could poop on the street. I nearly die laughing. Captain Sandy calls her wife Leah, and says she misses her. Leah says, ditto. She took Little Bear for a walk, and Little Bear misses the captain too. Captain Sandy asks if Leah is excited about coming, and we see she’s due to arrive in three weeks. In the captain’s interview, she says she and Leah have been together five years and they’re in love. She moved to Colorado where there’s no water. She would follow Leah to the desert, but would ask if they could please live near the ocean. She tells Leah, it’s one of those days where everything is crazy. One of the guests asks how old the city is, and Aesha says, it was built quite some time ago, showing her vast historical knowledge. 🐈 They see a store named Carolina, which is weird since they’re from Charleston. In that eerie small world way, it turns out the owner is also from North Carolina. In the crew mess, Joe tells Nathan that he dreamed about Bri. She was wearing an old school retainer, and he woke up in an utter panic. Bri walks through and tells him to enjoy the rest of his evening. She doubts she’s going to see him. In Bri’s interview, she says, actually, she’s never been in a weird work love triangle. It’s affecting her work, but she feels chemistry,

The guests come back, and Ellie says, they’re preparing for the sequined dinner. A guest says, it’s time to get ready for sparkle night, and Ellie says, the primary wants Joe to perform. If Gael wants, she can perform with him. She asks if Joe is up for a performance. 🐈 Aesha tells the stews that the décor looks great. Disco balls hang from the ceiling. In Ellie’s interview, she says she’s warming up to Joe. Bri’s feelings aren’t bothering her, and she’s personally looking forward to spending more time with Riz as she calls him. It’s short for charisma. Jono asks how things are going with Gael and her boyfriend, and Gael says, they haven’t spoken much, but she thinks they’re all right. Then she amends that to, they’re good. In Jono’s interview, he says he wants to wow the guests with beautiful food. It’s just as important plating as how it tastes. He’s made grilled lobster with cauliflower rice and he’s taking just as much time digging into his plating skills, so it looks as beautiful as it tastes. Aesha says she appreciates Ellie being a professional, and Ellie says she’s checked out of the drama. This morning when Aesha sent her to the laundry, she started folding and Bri came in and told her to leave. She told Bri that she was there now and just here to help. Bri literally stormed out. It was disrespectful. Aesha says, Bri loses her place if someone else comes in, but it can’t be only hers. If there’s free time, Ellie should help. Ellie says, Bri started writing a laundry crime list. Gael’s clothes were found in the washer, there was no color catcher in with the clothes… In Aesha’s interview, she says, this is what she has to deal with now. She feels like a good chief stew needs to listen and assess both sides before making a decision. Ellie says she’s not getting involved or Bri will twist it like it’s her causing the problems. It’s just too much.

Aesha says, it doesn’t happen in front of her, but thanks for letting her know. Kacie sees the sparkle décor and says she’s going to cry. Guest Ashley says, it’s sparkle night, baby, and Joe puts on a sparkly top, wondering if this is really his job. In Gael’s interview, she says she thought she was going to pursue dance until she tore her ACL when she was 16. Desert is a poached pear with berries, and Jono puts edible gold leaf on the pear. In his interview, he says, a poached pear is simple, and to add value to the desert, he’s incorporating gold leaf. Timeless extravaganza. On of the guests says, they’re having a sparkle party today and tomorrow, and Aesha suggests they take a picture. When she does a big one, she likes to show Scott. In Aesha’s interview, she says, he tells her that she doesn’t need to send him that, and she tells the guests that he doesn’t like it, but she does it anyway. She’s such a dude. Bri tells Aesha that she’s done with the cabins, and Aesha says she can knock off. Aesha tells the guests that they have a big surprise, and Joe and Gael enter all sparkled up. In Joe’s interview, he says, it’s going on. He’s got to perform, baby. They dance and they’re actually pretty good. The guests cheer and Aesha says, they killed it. They were so good. Joe and Gael high-five, and he says, well done. He goes to his cabin and tells Nathan that he can’t wait to have nightmares. Aesha goes to the laundry and flips through the notebook. In her interview, she wonders why Bri is writing this down. It looks like a book of receipts. What is this, a burn book? She can’t tell if Bri is stirring the pot or Ellie is. She takes something out of the dryer and wonders why it’s in there. In her interview, she says she sees cashmere in the dryer and a burn book. It’s time to involve Captain Sandy. She can’t handle this.

Next time, the primary is a branding expert and the guests look difficult; Ellie tells Bri that second stew outranks her; and Captain Sandy says, if Ellie and Bri can’t work together, she’ll have to let go of them both.

🔮 Formerly Known As…

Join me tomorrow for soap, what I’ve been watching, and perhaps some Dubai talk. Until then, stay safe, stay taking it easy with the fireworks (every day doesn’t have to be 4th of July), and stay not abusing a witness who’s trying to help you.

Jul20

July 19, 2024 – Lulu Has Visitors, Wave Hill, She’s a Legend, Previewing Dubai, Considering It, He’s the Worst, Arrested Mom, New Dance, Almost Here, Fur ‘N’ Fins, Just Over 8 Quotes & Time

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly says she would have lost her mind if she’d seen Jason jump from the footbridge, and he says, then it’s a good thing she wasn’t here. She says, nothing’s better than having him back home. Did she tell him how grateful she is? He says, yeah, and she says, two and a half years for her. She’s never going to be able to repay him for that. He says, there’s no debt, and she says, he gave up his freedom so she could have hers, but he says, no debt. Not ever. Not between them.

Tracy says, no, and we see James standing in the stable doorway. Cody asks what he’s doing here. It’s a little late for him to be out, isn’t it? James says, Grandpa Mac says he can’t take riding lessons from Cody anymore. Mac says he has to go to Two Trees Ranch now. Cody says he’s heard good things about that place, but James says he hates it there. Cody asks if he’s even been, and James says, no. Tracy says, let her ask the obvious question, where’s his mother? James says, at home, and Tracy asks, where’s Spinelli? James says, home too, and she asks how he got here. James says he took a Ride Share.

Josslyn meets Trina at the pool and says, it’s so good to get out of her uniform. Trina says she bets. Is Josslyn ready to head out? Josslyn says, in a minute, and sets her bag down. She has something for Trina. She’s been meaning to give it to her for the last few days. She found it when they were moving. Trina asks, what is it? and after digging in her bag, Josslyn says, it’s this little bird guy. She shows Trina the dove Spencer gave to her, and Trina takes it and says, it’s a turtle dove. Josslyn says she guesses she has to brush up on her ornithology. She can’t believe she knows that word. (I can’t believe I spelled it right on the first try.) She asks if Trina is all right.

Laura sits at Lulu’s bedside and says, her kids are doing beautifully. Charlotte is the happiest she’s seen her in months. She’s just gallivanting all over the globe. And Rocco continues to school her in video games – his words. She laughs and says, little does he know she lets him win half the time. But they’re growing up, and fast. And beautifully. She thinks Lulu would be really proud of the people they’re becoming. As for her – she massages Lulu’s hand – she’s really been missing Lulu a lot lately. She could really use Lulu as a sounding board. She’s got so much going on in her life, she’s got a lot of reasons to need her sweet, thoughtful, receptive daughter. Dante stands in the doorway, and Laura says, sweet girl. That’s got to feel better, doesn’t it?

Cody says, what does James mean, he ordered a Ride Share? He doesn’t even have a phone. He says, Georgie does, and Tracy says, the benefit of having an older sibling. Cody says, or the curse. Georgie ordered a car for him? James says, no. He stole her phone and got one himself. Tracy tries not to laugh, and Cody asks how James physically got out of his house without his mom or Spinelli knowing. James says he climbed out the window, and Cody says, from his bedroom? Tracy says, tell her it’s a one-story house, and Cody says, it is. James says, but it would be cool if it wasn’t, and Cody says, James knows he’s going to have to call his mom, and she’s probably not going to be happy. Tracy says, probably? and James says he’s not happy either. He wants to take riding lessons with Cody, not some stupid ranch. Cody says he knows, and James asks if he did something wrong. Was it too annoying having him here? Cody says, no, not at all. He loves every minute he gets to spend with James. James says, then why? and Cody says he wishes he could answer that, but where James rides and who he rides with isn’t up to him, as much as he wishes it was.

Carly says she just can’t get over Jason doing this for her, and he says, she’s going to have to try. Please. She says, he sacrificed everything, relationships with everyone, and he says he’d do it again. She says, he means that, and he says he does. Because the alternative would have been her paying the price for something she never would have been involved with if it wasn’t for him and Sonny. She asks if he’s saying she’s not cut out for gangster life, and he says, she’s a lot of things – she says, careful – but mob boss should not be one of them. She says she missed him so much, and he says he missed her too, and takes her hand. She says, now they don’t have to anymore.

Josslyn says, that was a gift from Spencer, wasn’t it? (why doesn’t she know this?) and Trina says, it was a set of two. He has… He had the other one. Josslyn says, Trina never told her, and Trina says, it was just their little thing. She just doesn’t understand why. Josslyn says, why what? and Trina says, why it’s still like this. Why it’s still so hard. Why Josslyn giving her a figurine is so upsetting. Josslyn says, because she’s still grieving, and Trina says, but when does it end? Josslyn says, it doesn’t, and Trina says, good pep talk. Thanks. Josslyn says, it’s true. Grief is a ride that you don’t get off of, but the ride morphs. It can change and eventually, it’s not going to be so painful. It can even be beautiful. Trina says she just wants to get there so badly, and Josslyn says, she will.

Dante knocks at the door, and Laura wipes her tears away. He says he can come back, but she says, don’t be silly, and hugs him. He goes over to Lulu and smooths her hair, saying, hey, you. Laura says she was just catching Lulu up about Charlotte and Rocco, and he asks if there were any Ace stories in there. She says, they didn’t get there yet, and he asks how Ace is doing. She says, he’s good. He’s meeting all his milestones, and she thinks he’s settling into life with her and Doc really well. Dante says, he should. He kind of won the lottery with them. She says she doesn’t know about that. They were pretty rusty, but they’re finding their way now. He says he didn’t get a chance to tell her how incredible he thinks what she’s doing is, being a mother to her grandson. She says, it’s not exactly what she saw for herself at this stage, and he says he bets not. She says she loves Ace and he’s family. She’ll take care of him as long as she’s able. He says, it sounds like it’s a no-brainer for her. He doesn’t know if it would be for everyone. She says she doesn’t know about that, but he says he does. She says, who knows? Maybe Lulu will wake up just in time to meet her newest nephew. He says he prays for that every day, and takes Lulu’s hand.

At the stable, Maxie says she can’t believe James snuck out of the house, and James says, she’s the one who took out the screens from the windows. Spinelli says, that was in case of a fire or another emergency, and James says, this was an emergency. Maxie says, seeing Cody was an emergency, and James nods. She says, he cannot, A, leave their house alone without telling anyone; B, steal his sister’s cellphone; C, use it to order a Ride Share. She’s sure there must be a D. Spinelli says, exiting their home via the windows, and Maxie says, there you go. Tracy and Cody must think they’re the worst parents. Cody says he doesn’t think that, and Maxie says, Tracy can refrain from answering that. Tracy says she’s headed back to the house, and Maxie says, speaking of, does she hang out at the stables often? Tracy says, goodnight, and leaves. Maxie says, now that they have the answer to how, let’s focus on why. Why was it so important for James to see Cody tonight? James looks at Cody, who says, it’s okay, buddy. Just tell his mom what he told him. James says, Grandpa Mac says he can’t do riding lessons here anymore, and Cody says he’ll abide by whatever the family says, but he needs James to know the decision isn’t coming from him. He loves teaching James. Maxie says she knows he does, and tells James that nobody loves Grandpa Mac more than she does, but he’s not in charge of where James takes riding lessons. James says he is? but Maxie says, no. She is. James asks if he can keep on taking them here, and Maxie says, that’s a conversation for another day. That is unless she’s decided he’s grounded for life. Spinelli says, then said conversation would be moot, and James asks what moot means. Spinelli says he’ll explain it on the way to the car, and guides James out, patting Cody’s shoulder as he passes. Maxie thanks Cody for calling her. She doesn’t even want to imagine the heart attack she would have had if she went to check on him in his room and his bed was empty. He says he’s glad they avoided that scenario, and she says her too. And she’s glad he’s still here. He says, a promise is a promise, and she says, make sure he keeps it, and leaves.

Trina tells Josslyn that she asked Spencer why he wanted her to have turtle doves. He said, because every time she saw them, she would be reminded of him. So she told him that she was keeping one and gave the other one to him for the same reason, because she wanted him to know she was always thinking of him. Josslyn says, that’s because they’re a pair, a perfect match, and Trina says, yeah, a perfect match. Josslyn sits next to Trina and puts her arms around her.

Laura asks, how are the kids? and Dante says, they’re good. Busy. Everyone’s busy, right? Scout was just saying she wanted to have a visit with Ace. She says she’s sure Ace would like that, and he says, she’s really into this babysitting thing. Not that she’s old enough to be left alone with the kids, but she’s really good at entertaining little kids. Laura says, then she’d be welcome any time, and they laugh. He says, it must be cool having a little one running around the house again, and she says, it’s exhausting. But it’s more fun than she could have imagined really. (I identify, having recently got a new puppy.) He says, it probably gives her an excuse to throw one of her kitchen floor country music tea parties, huh? and she says, he knows about that? He says, Lulu told him all about it. It was one of her favorite things as a kid, coming home from school and seeing everything set up, and Laura says she forgot about that. He tells her that Lulu always said she was the best, most creative mom, and Laura says, she made it easy. He says, now Ace gets to experience that, right? and she says she hasn’t thrown a tea party for him. Who knows? Maybe she should. He says he does have one question though. Why the kitchen floor? She says, easy clean up, and he says, it all makes sense why Lulu is such a great mom. She takes after her own.

Carly asks if Jason has decided how he’s going to get through to Sonny, but he says he’s not sure. Up until now, he hasn’t been able to tell Sonny anything. It just makes him angrier. She says, which is completely unfair, and he says, not completely, but she says, yes, it is. She gets that Sonny wanted answers – they all did – but the fact that Sonny refused to give him the tiniest benefit of the doubt after all Jason’s done for him… Jason says, it wasn’t like him, and she says, nothing Sonny’s been doing lately is like him, but this is good, right? Jason gets to explain everything to him. Where he’s been, what he’s been doing, and why he’s been doing it. Jason says, you know what’s funny about this whole thing? and she says she doesn’t think anything is funny about it. He says, all this talk about transparency and him being able to tell Sonny the truth… It’s going to come down to two words. She says, John Cates. Thank God he’s not going to be a problem anymore. Jason says, John may not be his problem, but he’s Sonny’s.

Maxie and Spinelli bring James home, and Georgie says, what took them so long? And why does James have to be such a brat? Maxie thanks her for staying here in case Bailey Lou woke up. She didn’t wake up, did she? Georgie says, no, and Maxie says, great. And don’t talk to her brother like that. Spinelli says, that tone is reserved for them, and gently pushes James toward Georgie. Georgie says, steal her phone again and he’ll be sorry, and Maxie asks what she just said. Georgie says, it slipped out, and James says he still doesn’t get why everybody is so mad. Maxie says, because it’s not safe to go out alone and get in a stranger’s car, but James says, she uses Ride Shares all the time. Maxie says she’s a grown-up, and Spinelli says, please tell them that he knows what he did was wrong. Maxie says, and that he will never ever do that again. James says he knows, and he won’t, and he’s sorry. She thanks him, and he asks if he’s grounded, but she says, undecided. Georgie says, if she did that, she’d never see the outside world again, and James says, okay, but he really did need to talk to Cody. Georgie says, about riding lessons? and he says, it’s more than that. He thought Cody might tell him the truth. Maxie says, about what? and James says, something weird’s going on, but nobody’s saying. He can tell. Spinelli says, smart boy, and Maxie says, you know what? James is right.

Sasha says she came as soon as she got Cody’s text. What’s wrong? He says, everything.

Tracy walks into the nook to find Gio eating a sandwich. She says she thought Sasha was done for the night, and he says, she is. He made this. She says, really? He just made himself at home in the kitchen. He asks if that’s a problem, and she says she doesn’t know. Did he make a mess? He says he always cleans up after himself. The kitchen’s spotless. She says, it better be, and he asks if she’s hungry. He can make her one too. She says, no. She already had her dinner. He says, so did he, but that was over an hour ago, and she laughs. She says, he must be ravenous. No sandwich, but a cup of tea sounds good. He says, she should have chamomile. It will help her sleep. She says, thanks for the tip, and he says, she’s welcome. She makes her tea and says, he would be smart to be afraid of her. It is her house after all. He says he thought it was Monica’s house, and she throws up her hands. He says, didn’t Tracy’s brother Alan give it to her? and Tracy smiles.

Dante says, Rocco told him how wonderful Laura was with him when he was in the hospital. She was a real comfort to him. She says, he was trying to be strong for Scout. It was so sweet, but he was terrified. Why wouldn’t he be? He says, Rocco told him that she went to the Quartermaines and sat with him and stayed with him. She asks if he told Dante about the video games, and Dante says, he certainly did, about a thousand times. He was very appreciative. As is he. She says, honestly, Rocco is a very special kid. He’s very perceptive and very sensitive. Dante says, thankfully, he doesn’t have that flying off the handle Falconari gene, and she says, or the brash Spencer gene. He’s quiet, she thinks, and treads lightly. He clearly thinks and feels things really deeply. He says, you know who Rocco reminds him of? Her.

Maxie tells James, when Grandpa Mac came home, something happened that upset him. It’s not a secret, but it’s private. Georgie says, that clears things up… Sorry. James asks if Grandpa Mac is mad at him, but Maxie says, no, not at all. Sometimes when people are upset, they don’t want to talk about it. Spinelli says, or they don’t know how to, and Georgie says, Grandpa Mac isn’t sick like Violet’s grandpa was, right? Maxie says, no. Grandpa Mac is fine. He’s just going through something and the best thing they can do is be patient. Georgie says she’s headed to bed, and Spinelli says, sweet dreams. She leaves, and Maxie says, it’s time for James to go to bed too – again. Spinelli says, and stay there this time, and James says, but it doesn’t make sense. What does any of this have to do with his riding lessons? Spinelli says, he can still take his riding lessons. They just might be in a different location. James says, but he wants to do his lessons with Cody. He’s the best. Maxie says she knows. They just have to take a break from the Quartermaine stables for a little bit. James says, until when? Until he’s back in school, the summer’s over, and it gets dark before 5 o’clock? Spinelli says, the timing isn’t ideal, and Maxie says, they know he’s disappointed. Spinelli says, James must be very confused, and James says, very. Maxie says, just give her a little bit and she’ll figure it out, okay? and James says, this stinks. He walks to his room, and Maxie tells Spinelli, yet another thing he’s right about.

Sasha says, James really ordered a Ride Share and came here by himself, and Cody says, he sure did. She says, Maxie must have been so freaked out, and he says, she definitely wasn’t pleased, but luckily, he called her before she realized James was missing. Sasha says, but why? What did James need to see him about? He says, apparently, Mac told him that he couldn’t take riding lessons here anymore. So James was obviously upset, but he’d thought he did something wrong. It killed him. It’s one thing for Mac to take his anger out on him, but to drag James into all of this? Although he can’t really blame Mac. If he was Mac, he wouldn’t want his grandson hanging around him either. But James keeps borrowing this hat. He picks up a black cowboy hat and says, it’s way too big for him. It keeps falling down over his face, covering his eyes; he’s riding blind. But James keeps insisting it’s perfect. She says, because it’s Cody’s, and he says, yeah. He just loves that kid. James is like family to him. She says, James is his family. He’s Maxie’s son, he’s Mac’s grandson, which makes him Cody’s nephew. Cody says, and now James is hurting and it’s totally his fault.

Josslyn asks if anyone knows what happened to Spencer’s turtle dove. Did anyone find it in his things? Trina says, when they were in Paris, he saw that she brought hers and showed her that he brought his too, and Josslyn says, that is beyond sweet. Trina says, he pulled it out of his pocket and told her that he brings it everywhere. Josslyn says, you know how people are always telling you that grief is bittersweet? and Trina says she’s heard that more than once. Josslyn says, Spencer being gone, that’s the bitter part, but he’s also still with Trina, and Trina says, that’s the sweet.

Jason tells Carly, Cates is fixated on Sonny. Cates came to his room, pressuring him for information. She says, about Sonny? and he says, there was nothing about Pikeman at all. It was all about taking Sonny down, and now Cates is using Ava. He thinks she’s Sonny’s next victim and wants to help her keep custody of Avery. Carly says, this is a problem, and he says he knows it is. She says, Cates has already proved he’s like a dog with a bone. If Sonny… He says, that’s why he has to get Sonny to let him back in, so they can figure this out together.

Dante says, Rocco wanted to visit, but his buddy Charlie got tickets to the Woodchucks game, and Laura says, just as well he’s there and not here. He says, is it? and she says she thinks so. It’s hard enough for him to see his mother like this. Dante wouldn’t want him to miss something fun because of it. He says he guesses so, and she asks how often Rocco visits. He says, often enough he guesses, whatever that means, and she says, it means whatever he needs it to mean. He says he doesn’t know what Rocco needs anymore. This just gets harder and harder. She says, for Rocco? and he says, yeah. He just knows his mother being in this bed than he does of her being out of it. He wants Rocco to know Lulu like he does. Strong and funny and energetic. He tells Rocco stories about her all the time, but it feels like he’s talking about some long, lost relative, not his mom. She says she gets that. She doesn’t like that for him either. He says, it gets to the point where, by Rocco coming to see her, he’s doing more harm than good.

Trina says, sometimes she feels so guilty, and Josslyn asks, why? Trina says, because of course (🍷) she loves and misses Spencer, but there are times she’s so mad at him. Josslyn says, for leaving her, and Trina says, he told her that he’d never do that to her. That whatever happened, they’d face it together. Now he’s gone and she’s alone. Josslyn says, she is not… and Trina says, Josslyn knows what she means. She just feels like Spencer lied to her and she knows that sounds insane. Josslyn says, she’s not insane, and Trina says, really? She’s mad at her dead boyfriend. Josslyn says, does she know what Spencer would say? You should be mad at me. I’m an idiot. Trina laughs and says, he would say that, wouldn’t he? (Yes, and he’d be right. I don’t really miss Spencer, and I’m all for Trio.)

Gio suggests Tracy join him, at least while she’s having her tea. She says, all right, and sits down. How’s his sandwich? Besides large. He says, delicious. All that’s missing are the amazing roasted red peppers he used to get on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. She says she thought he was a Brooklyn boy, and he says, through and through, but he went to college in the Bronx. She asks, where? and he says, Fordham University. She says, that’s a good school, and he says he loved it. She asks why he transferred to PCU, and he says, the music program’s better and when they offered him a scholarship… She says, they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, and he says he’s so happy he’s here, but he does miss the city. She rolls her eyes, and he says, what? She says, New Yorkers call New York City the city, as if there are no other cities around (she’s right, but the whole tri-state area does it), and he says, well, it’s the best one (he is also right). She says, since he’s from Bensonhurst, she’s going to assume Brooklyn is the best borough, and he says, it depends on what you’re looking for. She says, concert halls, and he says, Manhattan. Lincoln Center. She says, really? Better than Carnegie Hall? He says, for him personally, yeah, and she says, huh. Pizza. He says, that’s a tough one. Luigi’s in Brooklyn is hard to beat though. She says, sports stadium, and he says, Citi Field, hands down. She says, and with that goes baseball teams, and he says, the Mets (agreed). He doesn’t look good in pinstripes. She says, so they’ve covered four of the five boroughs. She knows nothing about Staten Island. She’s never gone there. He says, don’t worry. No one does. (Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I love this conversation.)

Carly says, it’s ironic, and Jason says, what is? She says, by isolating himself and pushing everyone who cares about him away, Sonny’s getting it from all sides. He put his trust in Ava. Shockingly, a bad move. Now he’s about to be consumed with a nasty custody battle. And Agent Cates is willing to use anything to take Sonny down. Jason says, what’s scary is, Cates has hated Sonny for a long time and he’s never had an opening before. Now he does.

Maxie asks if everyone is accounted for, and Spinelli says, accounted for and fast asleep. She hands him a glass of wine, and they clink glasses. She says she still can’t believe James climbed out his window, and Spinelli says, he was a man on a mission and wouldn’t be deterred. She says, that is a very generous and Spinelli way of looking at it, and he asks how she’s doing with all this. She says she’s frustrated… sad… happy… excited... Did she say frustrated? He says, she did, and she says she knows she and Cody don’t share DNA, but he’s family. He says he’s sure Mac will come around, and she says she knows he will. She just wishes he would speed up the process. Not just for himself, but for James too. He says, and for her? and she says she lost a sibling once already. She’s not going to lose another one. He says, she had no control over what happened to her sister, and she says she knows, but she has control over this. She at least has sway over Mac. Think of all the kajillion times he forgave her when she lied to him. He can forgive Cody for this one.

Sasha says, so Maxie shows up… Cody says, with Spinelli, and she says, and they collect James. Did he tell them why he came here? Cody says, he did, and she asks what Maxie said. He says, basically that while she loves Mac, it isn’t up to him to decide where James takes his riding lessons. She says, or with who, and he says, pretty much. She says, that’s good, and he says, how is any of this good? She says, Mac is angry, and he has every right to be, and he says, absolutely. She says, but it doesn’t sound like Maxie feels the same way. And James obviously still thinks Cody hung the moon or he wouldn’t have come here. He says, but it’s Mac’s opinion that matters, isn’t it? and she says, to an extent. He’s having the reaction he’s having. Don’t overreact in response. She really doesn’t think he’s about to be banished from James’s life. Maxie and James clearly have faith in him. And for the record, she does too.

Tracy says, okay, last one. Parks. Gio says, Central Park is amazing for sure, and she says, but he prefers Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He says he’s a bigger fan of the one in the Bronx actually, and she says, New York Botanical? He says, it was right next to Fordham, and he used to go all the time. It’s enormous. So much to offer. But if you’re looking for gardens specifically, Wave Hill is out of this world. She says, never heard of it, and he says, it’s in the Bronx actually, but it overlooks the Hudson River. The view is – he kisses his fingers – and it might be one of the most relaxing places in the city. Sorry. New York City. She laughs and says, there are beautiful gardens here. Her mother gifted them to Port Charles. He says, really. Maybe she could show him sometime. She says, maybe I can.

Trina thanks Josslyn for letting her talk about Spencer and just being patient and understanding. These feelings have her feeling completely confused. Josslyn says she remembers that well. She remembers feeling so all over the place, but they can talk about Spencer whenever Trina wants. She misses him too. A lot. Trina says she hopes she’s not making Josslyn feel like she can’t talk about Spencer. She knows she’s not the only who lost him. Josslyn says, Trina doesn’t make her feel like that at all. She hesitates sometimes to bring him up because she doesn’t know if it’s going to make Trina feel better or worse. Trina says, that changes by the hour, and Josslyn says, how about this? If she brings up Spencer and Trina doesn’t like it, just tell her to stop talking and she will. Trina says, deal, but today is not one of those days. Josslyn hugs her and says she loves Trina. Trina says she loves Josslyn more, but Josslyn says, not possible.

Dante says he sounds like a jerk, not wanting to bring his kid to see his mom, but Laura says, he doesn’t. He says, it feels pretty awful, and she says, of course (🍷) it does. It’s an awful situation, but he’s handling this with grace and strength, like he does everything. But she thinks the question he raised is actually quite important. He asks if she’s got any answers for him, but she says she doesn’t think she has answers. She could offer some advice though, if it’s welcome. He says he’ll take whatever he can get, and she says she thinks Rocco is at an age where he knows what feels right and what doesn’t. She thinks when it comes to visiting his mom, she would leave that decision up to him. Dante hugs her

Carly says, if Jason wasn’t here, she’d be going through this on her own. Watching Sonny spiral, worrying about him, worrying about her kids, and she wouldn’t have him to bounce things off of. They make a good team. He says, they always did, and she says, nobody wants to be in a situation like this, but if she has to be in one, she’s so, so grateful she’s in one with him. He says, him too, and they clink beer bottles.

On Monday, Laura asks Anna to please tell her that she knows some way to get in touch with Valentin; Carly asks if somebody is having John Cates go after Sonny; and John says, Jason’s days as his informant are far from over

🌊 Ride the Wave…

TBH, I’d never heard of it either, but now it’s on my radar. It looks gorgeous.

https://www.wavehill.org/

🍻 Quite a Pair…

Everyone should have a Tracy in their life. I love her character and Jane Elliot sounds wonderful to work with.

Exclusive: Josh Kelly (Cody) On GH Legend Jane Elliot (Tracy)

🐪 Camel Extra…

For whatever reason, I don’t mind these Housewives as much. Besides loud fights being frowned upon, it’s just fun to look at the richest of the rich places. RHOBH have nothing on these women.

RHODubai Season 2, Episode 8 Preview: Will Everyone Go on the Girls’ Trip?

🍑 Too Bad They Haven’t Asked…

Kenya’s character may be flawed, but is Kim really the one who should be pointing that out?

Kim Zolciak Would ‘Seriously Consider’ RHOA Return

🍸 Most Awful and Most Lowest IQ…

He should have done his due diligence? How about just reading the room. Seriously, are we being punked or is there a human being really this stupid?

https://people.com/tom-sandoval-drops-lawsuit-against-ariana-madix-8680565

Where do I sign?

Petition Launched to Ban Tom Sandoval From Bravo

🍹 Dancing In the Drunk…

Why does no one remember Uber when they’re drinking? Better yet, how about taking one there if you’re going to be drinking?

https://www.eonline.com/news/1405011/dance-moms-christi-lukasiak-arrested-for-dui

https://people.com/dance-moms-alum-christi-lukasiak-arrested-dui-charge-8678992

🩰 A New Set Of Moms…

This looks promising. The teacher seems kinder and gentler than Abby Lee, but a lot of dance teachers are kinda mean.

https://people.com/hulu-dance-moms-a-new-era-official-trailer-exclusive-8679808

🐺 Counting Down Now…

The final trailer, Easter eggs, a yellow suit that makes grown men weep, a joke, and of course, Dogpool.

https://comicbookmovie.com/deadpool/deadpool-wolverine/deadpool-wolverine-final-trailer-spoiler-breakdown-lady-deadpool-a-shock-return-and-some-big-easter-eggs-a212194

https://comicbookmovie.com/deadpool/deadpool-wolverine/deadpool-and-wolverine-get-serious-in-emotional-final-trailer-as-spoiler-makes-their-mcu-debut-a212193#gs.bv8le5

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/deadpool-wolverine-hugh-jackman-yellow-suit-b2582775.html

https://people.com/blake-lively-jokes-husband-ryan-reynolds-is-trying-to-get-me-pregnant-again-8677044

🐼 Bringing Joy To the World…

I saw pandas in person (or bearson as it were) years ago when they were here on loan. They are unbelievably cute and don’t look real.

https://people.com/san-diego-zoo-shares-first-video-of-its-2-new-pandas-from-china-8680830

🦈 Sharks get a bad rap. Fish are friends, not food.

https://people.com/shark-facts-for-shark-awareness-day-8677521

🐕 A little more Messi.

https://www.filmwendy.com/post/hollywood-s-top-dog-of-2024

🐦‍🔥 Quotes of the Week

If you just go with the flow, no matter what weird things happen along the way, you always end up exactly where you belong. – Tom Upton

To be nobody but yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. – e. e. cummings

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. – Colin Powell

Those boos were from the heart. – Terry Moran, Republican National Convention

It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about. – Dale Carnegie

Today is a new day. Hiding from your history only shackles you to it. We can’t undo a single thing we have ever done, but we can make decisions today that propel us to the life we want and towards the healing we need. – Steve Maraboli

Forever is composed of nows. – Emily Dickinson

Wrong turns are as important as right turns. More important, sometimes. – Richard Bach

You and I are like oil and vinegar. Oil and vinegar don’t mix. – John McManus, 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?

🧸 Gummi Bear’s Picnic…

Be adventurous this weekend, or at least switch up your streaming genre. Then join me on Monday for soap and troublemakers on Deck. Until then, stay safe; stay enjoying the great outdoors, even if it’s just your backyard; and stay not overreacting to someone else’s reaction.

Jul19

July 18, 2024 – Sonny Offers Brook a Deal, Happy Birthday, Jen Is a Deadbeat, Mystery Kiss, VanderMuddle, Yuck, DeadFlix, Driven By Fête & Candy

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Jason and Carly go to the footbridge, Jason carrying a six-pack (beer, not his abs), and Carly says she loves this place. He cracks open two beers and hands her one, and she says, now that everything is done, she feels like all of him is here with her. From now on, they’re not holding back and not keeping anything from one another. Jason says, until or unless something more important is in play. He doesn’t like lying, especially to her.

Tracy shows up at the stables and tells Cody that she saw the light on. He asks if she needs him to kill a bug or something… He’s assuming a big, giant, scary bug. She says, there’s no bug, but it’s good to know he’s available should one appear. She was wondering if he’d mind company. He says, if she doesn’t mind his company, but fair warning. Comet is asleep if she’d rather hang out with him. She says, wouldn’t anybody? and he says he’s getting used to it. She says she couldn’t sleep, and he says he was going to grab a beer. Does she want one? She says, beer me, and he says, coming right up.

Dex brings Chase some dinner at the station, and Chase asks what he’s doing today. Dex says, non-lethal weapons drills and taser practice, and Chase says, he’d be surprised how many people taser themselves. Dex is also about to go on a five second ride that consists of people hitting him with bats. It will be the longest five seconds of his life, and like his entire body is having the worst Charley horse ever. The good news is, he’ll fall down, but won’t lose consciousness. And don’t forget the rule of three: don’t go hungry, don’t get wet, and get home safe.  

Brook arrives at the penthouse and sees Natalia is there. She says she thought it would just be her and Sonny, and Sonny says he knows she has issues with Natalia. Brook says she has nothing to say about Natalia, but a lot to say about Blaze’s career. She’s assuming the reason she’s here is to make a plan to salvage it. Blaze’s career might be over because of Natalia’s idiotic words, so spare her Natalia’s childhood woes and let’s get to work.

Kristina knocks at Nina’s office door and asks if she can bug Nina for a minute. Nina says, of course (🍷). What’s up? Blaze walks in and stands next to Kristina.  

Cody asks if he heard Tracy right. Beer me? She says she heard it on a commercial and it sounded apt. He laughs and she says, experts say if you drink alone there’s a problem, and she doesn’t want to contribute to anybody’s problem. He says, since when? and she says, if somebody she cares about has a problem, she wants to fix it. If somebody she doesn’t like has a problem, she doesn’t just want to contribute to it, she wants to be the sole cause. He says, makes sense, and they clink bottles.

Chase says he owes Dante everything, and Dex asks, what’s different here from where Chase worked before? Chase says, personalities. You need to study the community and get a feel for it. But that wasn’t his biggest challenge. Dex asks, what was? and Chase says, not being able to talk about his beloved Red Sox. There are nothing but Yankees fans here. Dex says he’s a Dodgers guy, and Chase suggests he keep it to himself. That’s something you don’t come back from. He knows Dex having Sonny on his resumé isn’t easy. He has to earn respect and it may take time. There’s nothing but admiration for Dante. His integrity was never questioned. Dex wonders if it’s better to be Sonny’s son than work for him, but Chase says, it doesn’t matter. Dex is here now and needs to prove himself every day. Dex says, that’s the plan, and Chase says he just heard himself. He sounds exactly like his dad.

Carly tells Jason that since they’re putting it out there, ever since she found out about the FBI recording and that she could be arrested, it’s been weighing on her. Jason says, that’s why he didn’t tell her, and she says she hates it, but she gets it. Now that the terms of the deal have been met, they’re off the hook. The weight has been lifted and she feels freer. He says, that’s how it should be, and she says, he’s free too. What’s going on? What is she missing? He says he just spent almost three years being pressured. Now the pressure is gone, but he’s just not sure he remembers how to be free or just live his life. She says, here’s to remembering, and they clink bottles.

Brook says, her first thought was to sue the record label for breach of contract, but Scotty says, they’ll just invoke the morals clause. Sonny says, there’s nothing immoral about Kristina and Blaze loving each other, but Brook says, they’ll just change language, and it won’t end well. If they’re provoked, they’ll say Blaze breached by having a negative impact on their reputation. Sonny says, that’s why they came up with a plan, but it all depends on Brook. Brook says she’s listening, and Natalia says, they want Blaze to be able to put out her own music on her own indie label. Sonny is going to finance it. Sonny says, on one condition. That Brook run the label. Natalia says, Brook is already fighting on Blaze’s behalf. So are they going into business? Brook says, yeah… no.  

Nina says she’s glad Kristina and Blaze are here. She wants to apologize for the deplorable role The Invader played in their misery. Nothing like that should ever happen to anyone. She picks up her desk phone and says she wants someone down in her office now… She doesn’t care. Just get here. She tells Blaze and Kristina that she had no idea her new Editor-in-Chief transcribed and posted the recording. The only thing he cares about is clicks, no matter what was said or who got hurt. Kristina says she knows that’s not true about Nina, and Nina says, she can’t deny her part in it. There are no words to describe how terrible she feels, but she’s going to make it right.

Cody asks, what’s going on up at the house that got Tracy awake? and she says, the incessant humming of the air conditioning. She can feel it in her molars. Is she wrong for thinking a fan is more civilized? He says he thinks the horses would agree. Air conditioning would drive them buts, but they’ll stand in front of a fan all day. She says, not to mention the thousands of children running in and out who leave the door open. They’re cooling the outdoors. He asks, which parent is she channeling? (I’m dying laughing because I used to hear that as a kid too) and she says, her father. Her mother was too nice. If he yelled that they were cooling the outdoors, she’d think if there was one bug made more comfortable, they should do it. He says, she sounds special, and Tracy says, she was. Much to the chagrin of most people, including herself, she takes after her father. He asks how her father slept, and she says, upside down with his arms crossed across his chest in a rafter. They had their differences, but she loved him. Maybe her not sleeping well will just be how it is. He says, maybe she needs to wear herself out. She can take a ride anytime or he could put her to work. She says, thanks, but her insomnia isn’t so bad that she’s willing to start shoveling. It used to be, when her head hit the pillow, she was out. Or she would ruminate about how to get even with the people who wronged her, and within minutes, dreamland. Cody says, those were the days.

Chase says he wanted to play pro ball and was on a traveling team, but they shut him out. They’d all played together before, and he’s surprised they didn’t try to sabotage him. His dad was sympathetic, but wouldn’t let him quit. His dad said they couldn’t take something away from him that he wanted. He needed to practice hard and out hustle them, and they’d have to accept him. Once they did, then they would like him. He can hear his dad saying, you can do this. I know you can. Dex says, he sounds like a great dad. He did an amazing job at Chase’s wedding. Dex was choked up, and he could tell how much Chase’s dad loved him and Brook. Chase says, he had principles and lived them. What did Dex’s dad think about him becoming a cop?

Brook asks what kind of involvement she’d have, and Sonny says, she’ll have all the financing she needs creatively. Natalia says, within reason, but Brook says she’s not sure if they have the same definition of that. All the print and media management will be hers alone. Natalia will have no press presence or influence and will do no interviews unless she authorizes it. She’ll say where Blaze performs and how she’s presented. Natalia says she wants to talk to Blaze, and Brook says, that makes one of you. Natalia can agree or the label will never get off the ground, and when she leaves, her offer goes away.

Blaze says she appreciates Nina’s apology, but it was Ava that caused the problems. Nina says, Ava edited the conversation with the intent to cause as much harm as possible. All her reasons are self-serving and unbelievable to anyone who isn’t a sociopathic narcissist. Kristina says she’s happy Ava is away from her dad, and Nina says her too. Her hateful, spiteful editor decided to give a boost to the paper and himself and comes in second to Ava in awfulness. Adrian comes in, and she says, here’s the second runner-up now. She introduces Blaze and Kristina and says she thought he’d want to face the women whose careers and reputations he treated with such callousness. She also thinks it’s a good time to apologize and suggests he start at grovel and when he hits rock bottom, keep going.

Cody asks if Tracy thinks she can’t sleep because no one has wronged her and she can’t plot, but she says she doesn’t plot. She makes lists. He asks if plots aren’t lists gone to the dark side, and she says she never thought of it that way. She likes itemizing things that have to get done, won’t get done, are already done and need a follow-up. (Same.) It’s soothing. She makes lists of her lists. He says, it sounds stressful, but she says, a list is a gift you give yourself. Anyone can eat an elephant if it’s made into bite sized pieces. He says, she paints a disgusting picture, but maybe she’s right. He wouldn’t be able to eat an elephant if it was broken down to atoms. He wouldn’t see the elephant to begin with, even if it was charging at him. He ignores any disaster coming at him. He used to brag that he was a guy who doesn’t worry. Tracy asks when he realized that wasn’t something to brag about, and he says, recently. He pretends things aren’t happening and before he knows it, the gas fire has turned into an inferno. The elephant gets mad and rampages, and the countryside is wiped out.

Adrian says he’s truly sorry. He had no idea how big it would be. Kristina asks if they didn’t deserve their feelings and just living their lives, and he says, some – not him – believe that keeping their relationship under wraps was hypocritical. Kristina asks if they can’t live their lives in private, and he says, of course (🍷) they can. He didn’t think this would happen. She asks what he thought would happen. He yelled fire and now he’s shocked that people got trampled. Does he even believe his own apology? Nina says she thought he liked the hard-hitting questions. She’s curious about his answer too. Adrian says he hasn’t been in his position long and wanted to prove he could deliver a big scoop. He didn’t think past that, and he should have. He’s truly sorry. Kristina says she doesn’t forgive him, and Adrian says he doesn’t blame her. He’s under orders from Nina and his conscience to turn this around and they have his unqualified support. Nina says, he’s gone now. Go. He leaves, and she says she’s sorry. They came for a reason, and she put her own agenda ahead of it. What can she do for them? Blaze says, Nina actually brought it up. The reason they’re here… Kristina says, they’re planning a response and would love her help.

Natalia says she can’t be cut out completely. She’s the reason Blaze got this far. Brook says, she’s the reason Blaze has to start over, and Natalia says she made one mistake. Brook says, it was a hell of a mistake. She’s sorry. She’s not trying to punish Natalia. She was a good manager, but the maternal authority is over. No more guilt trips or coercion. The only one who didn’t see her sabotage was her.

Carly says, now that Jason is done, Cates can go back to Virginia or whatever circle of hell he’s from, and Jason gets to do what he wants. What is it? Jason says he hasn’t thought that far ahead, and Carly says she knows a great hotel where the co-owner will give him free towels all day. He says, she wants him to lounge around the pool all day? and she says, nothing would make her happier, but he says he’s not good at lounging. His boys are his priority. Jake is leaving. He got accepted to an art academy in Barcelona. Carly says, Jake is leaving just as Jason is free to spend time with him, and Jason says, he’ll miss Jake, but he’s happy for him. She says, he can visit Jake, but until then, they can go hiking and camping, and he and Danny can spend tons of time together. She wants him to promise her something. Wherever he goes and whatever he does, don’t disappear again.

Tracy asks what part of the gas fire Cody is avoiding, or is it already an inferno? Cody says, it’s not out of control, but the countryside will never be the same. She asks, what happened? and he says, remember how he told her that he found his father, but didn’t know how his father would take it? Now he knows and it’s out in the open. Tracy asks who the proud papa is, and he says, Mac Scorpio. She says, wow, and he says he wouldn’t call Mac proud. She says, he didn’t take it well? and he says he’s glad he told Mac on Independence Day since it looks like he’s going to be independent forever.

Kristina says, Nina is the most media savvy person they know, and they’d like her to coach them and give them advice. Blaze says, they need to get it right, and Kristina says, they have so much riding on it, but Brook thinks it will make a big difference. Blaze says, one mistake, and the revival of her career is gone.

Brook says, Natalia made the calls. Now let her and Blaze forge a new path that lets Blaze be seen and heard. Sonny says he trusts her, and Natalia says, Linc Brown taught her one hell of a lesson. She made a promise never to let a third-party control Blaze’s career again. It didn’t matter how great the were. The business is cutthroat and there’s only one person you can trust – yourself.

Jason tells Carly that when he first came back, it wasn’t like he was coming home. He was a military contractor in town to do a job under orders. She says, now he gets to be himself and pick up the life he had, but he says he made that mistake before. Not again. When he was gone before and came back, he couldn’t see it at the time. He couldn’t go back to his old life any more than he could go back in time. He got back together with Sam, and it wasn’t fair to her, Scout, and Danny. All he did was put them through a breakup. Sam had changed and so had he.

Chase tells Dex that his dad was an academic. He liked the law as a concept, but had zero interest in enforcing it. Dex asks how he felt about Chase becoming a cop, and Chase says, he was all for it and told Chase that he’d be a good cop. Dex says, he was right, and Chase says, his dad encouraged him to figure out what he wanted, and he was supportive and comforting, not smothering. Now that he doesn’t have his dad… Sorry. Dex says, he has nothing to be sorry for, and Chase says he knew he’d be sad, but not like this. Dex says, Chase’s father hasn’t been gone that long. Grieving takes time. Give himself some. Chase says, he had nothing but respect for his dad, and Dex says he wishes he felt that way about anyone in his family. Chase asks why he doesn’t.

Tracy says she’s sorry it didn’t go as Cody had hoped. What happens now that he ignored the gas fire and the inferno swept through the countryside and is smoldering? He says, normally, he’d pull up stakes, move on, and not look back, but he promised Maxie and Sasha that he wouldn’t. They’ve been good to him. So has she. She says, she’s not just his friend. She’s his employer and she’s going to share one of her famous lists with him. No severance, no health insurance, and no recommendation if he dares leave without giving her a 30-day notice.

Nina says she’d be happy to help, and Kristina says, Blaze has done interviews before, but not like this. They were micromanaged by her mother. Nina suggests they take some deep breaths. All they have to do is be themselves. They’re wonderful, and need to show the public, like they did Adrian, that they’re human beings. Blaze says, it’s not that simple, and Nina says, nothing is, especially family. They’re imperfect and difficult. This is a chance to show everyone that they’re doing the best they can, just like everyone else.

Natalia says she trusted her own instincts and created a media disaster. She doesn’t completely trust Brook, but she and Sonny have done more to earn her respect than anyone else in this town. It’s time she trusted her daughter, so if Allison agrees to the terms, they have a deal.

Carly says, Sam’s been hard on Jason, but he says he doesn’t blame her. He’s disappeared twice. They have a son together, and nothing has worked out the way Sam expected. That’s why it was so easy with Britt; she had no expectations. Carly says she was so jealous of Britt. She knew Jason was falling in love with her and didn’t want him to love anyone but her. (Ugh. The part of Carly that I hate.) He says, it was different, but she says she still didn’t like it. Then Britt died saving Josslyn’s life. He says he heard that, and she says, now when she thinks of Britt Westbourne, she’s forever grateful.

Dex tells Chase that he wasn’t close with his family. If his father had a dream for him, he had no intention of fulfilling it. Not having a close family, he had no one to look up to or emulate, and no one to rebel against. He wanted to get away and create a life opposite of what he had growing up. He went into the military, and it felt right, like he was finally doing what he was supposed to. Chase asks if he’s sorry he left the army, and Dex says, not anymore. Since joining the force, it feels right again. It feels like home. Chase says, he’s going to be a good cop, and they leave together.

Nina tells Blaze and Kristina, you can be a superstar, but no one has the right to treat you like an object. She won’t let them be a casualty of that kind of thinking. Their media training starts tomorrow… She sees their faces, and says, or she can offer them tea and coffee from room service, and they can start now.  

Tracy says, it never occurred to her to run, although she should have numerous times at the altar. Cody tells her that she should try it sometime. It’s freeing. She says, it’s avoiding, and he should break the habit. He doesn’t look like he’s excited about being free. Every time something calamitous happens in her life, she comes home, and as soon as she gets here, she starts complaining. It just makes her feel that family is more comfortable. He says, maybe he’ll give it a shot, and she asks if his answer is yes. He says he’ll definitely try it her way… if he ever has a family and home to come back to. She asks, what makes him think he doesn’t? and he says, on paper he has one, but Mac doesn’t want anything to do with him. Tracy looks toward the door and says, oh no. Cody says, what are you doing here?

Sonny says, it’s going to be great. While they deal with the music, he’ll make sure Ava gets what’s coming to her. Brook, Sonny, and Natalia clink glasses, but Brook looks worried.

Carly says, if Jason isn’t going back to his old life, what does his new life look like? and he says he doesn’t know. She says he could run security for her hotel, but he says he doesn’t need a job. He has the coffee business. She says, Sonny owns other half and turned his back on Jason. Jason says, because he doesn’t know what happened. Now he can tell Sonny. She asks, what if he won’t listen? and he says, there’s got to be a way to get through to Sonny. He’s in more trouble than he knows.

Tomorrow, James tells Maxie that something weird is going on; Sasha tells Cody not to overreact; and Jason tells Carly that he has to get Sonny to let him back in.

🌻 Opening Up…

She’s a trail blazer and definitely deserves to have her birthday wishes come true.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-cassandra-james-opens-up-on-her-birthday

🍊 Orange You Glad They’re Back…

Gina put on her realtor hat and vouched for Jen so Jen could rent a place, but oops, bad idea. Jen skated on the rent and got evicted. Worse still, Jen couldn’t see why this was an issue for Gina. WTF? over and over.

The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18 Episode 2 Recap: The Ladies’ Reputations Are at Stake

A focus on dos amigas.

https://people.com/rhoc-recap-tamra-judge-says-shannon-beador-not-a-good-person-after-dui-arrest-8680557

💎 Because He Got High…

So I guess this means it’s really over? I feel badly for the kids, but this is what can happen if you get married when you’re a kid. I don’t think it had anything to do with the show. I’m not sure he even knew they were on one.

Report: Mystery Woman Caught Kissing Mauricio Umansky Revealed

🍸 VanderBoot…

Looks like Sandoval has put the final nail in the VanderCoffin. There’s no going back now.

Only a Vanderpump Rules Reboot Can Work After Tom Sandoval’s Lawsuit Against Ariana Madix

Speaking of lawsuits. Their no good very bad day.

Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney Sued Over Something About Her Sandwich Shop

🎈 VanderFringes…

All I can say is, ewwwwww!

Lala Kent Suggests Jax Taylor and Ramona Singer Hooked Up

⚰️ Coming To a Stream Near You…

Netflix will be absorbing a lot of Dead.

https://www.msn.com/en-my/tv/news/interview-with-the-vampire-the-walking-dead-spinoffs-head-to-netflix-in-branded-amc-deal/ar-BB1q6iE9

🐩 Inspired By Fame…

This might be a bit of old news, but it’s not every day you see a Chinese Crested dressed as Colman Domingo.

The Best Celebrity-Inspired Looks From the 2024 Pet Gala

👖 Traveling With My Pants…

Start your weekend tomorrow with some soap, both useless and useful knowledge, and a song. Until then, stay safe, stay coloring inside and outside the lines, and stay having principles and living them.

Jul18

July 17, 2024 – Jason Gives the FBI What It Wants, Dubai In the House, Selling LA, You’re It, Still VanderMessy, Horrible People, Are They Done Yet, Sanctuary Please & Hold ‘Em

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny says, if Nina can bury the hatchet with Drew, maybe she can do the same with him. She says, absolutely not… There’s no hatchet to bury. Everything that went wrong is on her. He says, not everything, and she says, almost everything. When she finally told him the truth, it was too late. Their relationship was founded on a mirage named Mike. Mike never really existed. Sonny says, he did and he cared, and Nina says, she can’t forgive and forget because there’s nothing to forgive and she doesn’t want to forget. He says, there are a few things he can forget, and they laugh. She says she wants him to be happy and he says he wants the same for her. She says, he’s happy being a father, and if Ava and Scotty are stupid enough to approach her, she’ll tell them that she’ll testify against him, then blindside them with examples of how great a father he is. He asks if she’s trying to make him fall in love with her again, and she tells him, good luck with Ava. She hopes he gets custody for Avery’s sake.

At the pool, Josslyn finds Gio daydreaming and tells him that people are waiting for towels. He runs to assist them, while Carly brings a pina colada to Lois. Lois says, Carly and Sonny… she can pretend nothing is going on and it’s none of her business… Carly says, she could accept it’s none of her business, but it’s good to see her. She thanks Lois for bringing Gio to Port Charles, and Lois says she asks him to play one wedding and he falls in love with the entire town. Carly says, Olivia hired him, but she thinks he’s a great kid, and Lois says she wants to make sure his future is bright. Gio comes back and tells Josslyn that it won’t happen again, but she says, her mom doesn’t care. She asks if everything is okay, and he says, it’s fine, except he may have overstayed his welcome.

Valentin asks Anna to come with him. They belong together. She says, they have no time to talk. He needs to take Charlotte and disappear. He says he’s ready to go except for her. He knows she wants to. She just put her life on the line to warn him. She says, for Charlotte. She needs her father in her life. If it was just him, she’d let Cates take him. He says, she wouldn’t. She’d face charges too, but she’s here because she loves him almost as much as he loves her. She can disappear as easily as he can. Come with him and they’ll start a new life together.

John yells, open up or he’s coming in, and Jason opens the door. John asks, what took so long? and Jason says, this is where he lives. They should talk at the warehouse. John (who’s becoming more of an a-hole every time he opens his mouth, which is a shame since he’s sooo good looking) says, they’ll talk where and when he wants on whatever subject he chooses. Jason forgets he holds all the cards. Jason says, how can he when John reminds him every ten minutes? and John says, Jason will do what he says, or Carly pays the price.

Nina says, she was warned about Ava over and over again. She should have listened. Sonny says he should have taken his own advice. Why did he think he could rely on Ava and let her in? Nina says she wonders why too, but he doesn’t owe her any explanation. He says, because of Avery. He’s very protective of his children’s mothers, even Ava. She says, it’s a very Mike thing to do, and he says, Mike is a great guy. She says, Mike has great taste in women, and Sonny says, the other reason was because he was so messed up over losing her. She says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she was messed up too. She’s better now. He says he’s glad to hear it. He’ll see her later. She says, what about him? How’s he feeling? He says he’s ready for anything, and she says, such as? He says, not letting anyone take advantage of him, and she says, there he is. She wants all the best for him. He says he wants all the best for her too, and leaves.

Josslyn asks if someone said something unwelcoming, but Gio says, it’s nothing like that. Don’t look. His Aunt Lois… She says, Lois is always going on and on about how great he is, and he says, she’s always been his biggest fan, but she suggested he go back home. She says, that makes no sense. Lois brought him to Port Charles.

Anna says, Valentin wants her to leave her life and be a fugitive, but she doesn’t want to live like that. He says, but it’s okay for Charlotte, and she says, it’s not ideal, but she’ll have her father. He’s her entire family. She left Robin once and won’t again. She’s not sacrificing her time with Noah and Emma for – she tears up – any reason. So unless he’s planning on turning her in… He says he’d never do that. When the FBI comes, he’ll be long gone, but they’re going to connect the dots. She says, dots aren’t proof, and there won’t be any proof, but he says, prison is no place for a cop, especially an ex-WSB agent. Don’t throw her life away. Come with him. She kisses him and says she’s sorry. She loves him, but can’t go with him.

Natalia is waiting for Sonny at the penthouse and says she’s sorry. His housekeeper said she could wait. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says she knows he’s upset with her and has every reason to be. Her comments did nothing but cause trouble for Allison and Kristina. Sonny says he doesn’t like what she said, but Ava was the one who used it and made it national news to get back at him. She, Allison, and Kristina are collateral damage. She says, that’s why she’s here. For Allison… Blaze rather.  

Geo tells Josslyn that Lois lined up a gig for him as a session musician in Manhattan. He knows. First world problems. She says, what a monster. Maybe she just wants to get him back to New York. She was a music manager and knows what she’s talking about. Maybe she thinks it’s a nice opportunity. Gio says, that has to be it. Why else would she want him to leave?

Lois tells Carly that there’s nothing Gio can’t play. He once played a slow version of AC/DC’s Back In Black for her and had her sobbing. Carly says she heard Sonny paid for Gio’s music education, and Lois says, he did. Camilla was a cousin of the Cerullos from Italy. She was a violinist like Gio and came to America to play with the New York Philharmonic. She was there 6 months and fell in love with Francis Palmieri. He was as handsome as Gio, but was already scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan. They had a whirlwind romance and eloped. It wasn’t until after he left, she found out she was pregnant with Gio. But before she was able to tell Francis about the baby, she found out he was killed in action.

Valentin asks if there’s nothing he can say, and Anna says, don’t even try. He asks if she’s afraid he’ll convince her, but she says, no. It was just hard to say no once. What’s Charlotte’s ETA? He says, she’ll be here soon, and Anna says she has to ask. Does he have contingencies in place? Money, cash, new IDs? He says, they’ll be fine, and they both wipe tears away. She says, he was always going to be fine. He was set financially with ELQ and enjoyed the work. Charlotte was happy in school, and he built a good life. Why risk it all for Pikeman? What happened? He says, she did.

John says he needs Jason to turn over any and all information about Sonny, but Jason says, that wasn’t the deal. The deal was to get information about Pikeman, not Sonny. John says, Sonny is in the purview of the investigation because he was involved with Pikeman, and Jason says, let him make this clear. He’s not answering any questions about Sonny. John sighs (because it’s catching) and asks how Jason can be loyal when Sonny tried to kill him. When Jason came back and didn’t fall in line and assume his place in Sonny’s organization, Sonny tried to take him out. Jason asks, then why is he still here? and John says, because the guys Sonny hired aren’t as good as him. Sonny is only about Sonny. He uses people and discards them. He used Jason and discarded him. He literally destroyed Jason’s life. Jason says, Sonny didn’t destroy his life. John did. (Truth!)

Maxie goes to Nina’s office wanting to discuss the timetable for Deception’s ad campaign. She wonders if they should continue with No One Cancels Love campaign or put it behind them and move forward. Thoughts? Nina says, Sonny was just here, and they had a good conversation. He was like his old self. Maxie asks what he wanted, and Nina says, to bury the hatchet. Maxie says, in who? (ha-ha! that’s actually what I’d say) and Nina says she told him there was no hatchet to bury. It’s not like they want to fight anymore. Maxie says, not to open old wounds, but does Nina want Sonny back? and Nina says, she’ll always have feelings for Sonny and always love him, but she’s not hopelessly, desperately in love with him. She’s stronger now and she’s finally ready to move on.

Carly says, it’s so sad. Gio’s parents had such little time and Francis never got to know his son. Lois says, the family was heartbroken and rallied around Camilla. Sonny was in town and wanted to make sure Camilla was okay. She went back to playing after she had Gio, but just when they thought Gio and Camilla would finally get their happy ever after, Camilla died. Gio was ten at the time and had already started his musical education. It was expensive, so Lois reached out to Sonny. Of course (🍷) he agreed, and paid for everything, even Gio’s two years at Fordham. Then Gio got a scholarship at PCU. Carly says she gets that Sonny is generous, but she doesn’t understand why he never mentioned Gio to her.

Anna asks how long Valentin has been involved with Pikeman, and he says he’s always been aware of them, even in the planning stages, which included the head of the WSB. They wanted her on the ops team so they could look legit. Anna says she had questions, but wasn’t in a position to know, and Valentin says, they just wanted to get the ten million to form a money funnel for the weapons. He resigned as a traitor, but kept in touch with Pikeman. They liked his expertise, and he liked the money. When Anna busted Brennan, it created a vacuum. She says she knows why he couldn’t, but she wishes he’d told her, and he says he does too. She asks when he was going to that, and he says, maybe during the brief window when they were openly in love and said they trusted one another.  

Jason says he’s been risking his life. He lived in hell when the people he loved thought he was dead. John says, he could have let Carly take her chances, but Jason chose to be an informant the way Carly chose to present herself as mob leadership. The only one who never had to pay was Sonny. He destroys lives and right now, he’s using his money and power to take Avery away from her mother. The woman is terrified. Jason says, Ava Jerome? He’d think twice about believing anything that woman has to say.

Natalie says, they worked so hard on Blaze’s career, and she trashed it in an instant by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. Sonny says, it’s what she meant, and she says she’s painfully aware of the effect of her words on their daughters. Kristina made her thoughts on the subject spectacularly clear. She can see both Kristina’s mom and Sonny in her, and she had it coming. Even though she may not join a parade anytime soon, it’s clear Blaze and Kristina love each other. He says he’s happy she’s seeing clearly, but she says, too little too late. The damage is done, and she can’t say she blames them if they never speak to her again. He asks if she wants him to be a go-between, but she says, there’s not much she can do about her relationship with her daughter, but she can save her career.

Maxie asks, what happened? Nina was hellbent on getting Sonny back. Nina says she hates to say it, but Ava was right about her and Sonny. She was so desperate to hold on to their relationship, but their lives don’t fit. They never did. Maxie says, wow. Forgive her, but it’s about time Nina realized. She wanted to be wrong. It’s been known to happen. Nina says, the worst part is, Carly was right. They’re not special, and she feels like an idiot. The worst part was that she was turning herself into the perfect woman for Sonny, instead of holding onto who she is. Although a lot of people consider her the worst. Maxie says she’s not one of them.

Sonny asks if that’s why Natalia is here. She wants him to help save Blaze’s career. She says, Sonny was in the music business and owned L&B records in the 90’s, and he says he invested. The founder was an old friend, someone he was in love with. Natalia says, so for personal reasons, not unlike now for Kristina. If he invests in Blaze’s career, they’ll put the money toward releasing a new album and new material on a private label. There are so many indie labels now, it will take money to get noticed. She’d put every dime she has into it, but it’s not enough. That’s why she’s here. He says, she wants him to bankroll a brand-new record label?

Valentin looks out the window, and says, it crossed his mind to tell Anna, and she says, before or after he took over? He says, before, when they were in love and claiming to trust each other. She asks why he didn’t, and he says he didn’t want to force her into a position to arrest him. She says, yet here we are, and he says, she’s not arresting him and she’s letting him go. She says, before he does that, Cates got ahold of five years’ worth of correspondence between her and Brennan, all fabricated. Valentin says, that was him, but he was careful. So careful not to say anything that would hold up as evidence. Just red herrings to make John believe they were talking about Pikeman. Just a diversion. He’d never incriminate her. She says, he loves her, but still couldn’t resist using her.

John asks if Jason is so far gone that anyone who speaks out against Sonny is lying, but Jason says, trust him. Ava can take care of herself. John says, he sounds like Sonny. Jason got his and the hell with the rest of the world. Jason tells him, that’s not what he said at all, and John says, the Jason he knew was a good guy. Do the right thing and give him something he can use to bust Sonny so Ava can keep her kid. Jason asks, since when does the FBI concern itself with custody battles? And John says, Sonny has to be stopped before he wrecks his daughter’s life like he’s wrecked other lives. Admit Sonny tried to kill him. Jason says he has nothing on Sonny, and he looks at the clock. He gets the phone from the fire escape, and says, but he does have this. It’s Valentin’s phone and proof he’s the one running Pikeman. John asks if he’s sure it’s Valentin and not Anna, and he says, it’s Valentin. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of recordings, including the facilitation of illegal arms transports. John asks where he got it, and Jason asks if he really wants to know. John asks how long he’s had it, and Jason says, a few hours. John asks why Jason didn’t tell him sooner, and Jason says, John was so busy trying to get him to flip on Sonny, he couldn’t talk. John makes a call and says he wants all units at 2100 Belleforest Drive now.

Gio tells Josslyn that maybe he should go home and take the gig. Lois went through a lot of trouble and it would be rude to turn her down. Josslyn asks what he wants to do. The people who love them and want what’s best for them can still be wrong. He says, what if they’re the ones who are right? but she says, nobody learns from the right decisions. It’s up to them to figure out their own lives and what makes them happy.

Sonny says he doesn’t know anything about the music business, but Natalia says she does. He says, it’s risky, but she says, his investment will make a hundredfold when Blaze is touring. He says, if she’s successful, and Natalia says, she will be. She knows she can run a new label. He asks what Blaze thinks, but she says, Blaze doesn’t know yet. Even if Blaze never forgives her, she believes in Blaze’s talent and knows she’s a star. If Sonny says, no, don’t worry. She’ll accept it and no one will ever know he turned her down. He says he’s in.

Maxie says she’s proud of Nina. She wanted a relationship with Sonny, but realized there was no future in pretending she was the Nina that Sonny wanted. Nina says, she couldn’t swing it. It’s all on her. Maxie says, so much for girl power. Even though she’s sorry it happened, Nina got some wisdom. Nina says she’s not sure about that, and Maxie asks if she’s talking about the Drew situation. Nina says, they’ve gone through so many stages. From loathing to not exactly mutual respect, but they’re able to help each other now.

Valentin says he’s sorry he used her, and Anna says, he’d do it again. He says, that doesn’t mean he’s not sorry. The problem is, any good in him is because of her. She says, that’s not true. He has a good heart. She’s been here too long. As soon as Charlotte gets back, he has to take her and leave. He takes her hand and says, she can’t go with him, he knows that, but tell him that she wants to even if it’s not true. She says, if she could, she would go with him in a heartbeat. She cries a little, and he asks if she means that. She says, he’ll never know, when the door opens. Charlotte says she came as soon as she could… What’s wrong?

Natalia asks if Sonny just said yes, and he says, absolutely. They laugh, and she says she can’t thank him enough. He says, one condition. No one is to know he’s doing this. She says, okay, but she’s used to working with people who want credit, and he says he wants Brook to have credit. Brook is in charge. That’s his offer. Take it or leave it.

Nina says, being a good citizen, she’s giving it her all to make sure Drew is elected, and Maxie says, how civic minded. Nina says she does believe in Drew, and he’s helping her with Willow. Willow reached out and wanted to talk to her, mother and daughter, for the first time. Maxie says, that’s amazing. She’s happy for Nina. Nina says, there’s a chance Willow might let her be a part of her life. She can’t mess it up. If Willow is convinced Drew needs to be elected, she’ll support him for her.

Jason goes to the pool and asks if Gio is the one who played the violin at Brook’s wedding. Gio says he did, and he’s Jason Morgan. Is he looking for Miss Spencer? She was just here. Can he get Jason something while he looks for her? Jason asks how Gio would know, and Gio says, Josslyn said to treat him like a VIP, but Jason says, only Joss and her mom do that. He enjoyed Gio’s playing. Gio thanks him and says he’ll find Carly, but Jason says, it’s okay. He sees her right now. It was nice to meet him. Jason goes over to Carly, who asks, what brings him here? He says, it’s done, and she says, what? He says he gave the FBI what they wanted. If Cates keeps his word, they’re freed.

John shows up at Valentin’s house with some men. They draw their guns, and he says, 3… 2… 1… mark! They bust in, and John yells, FBI! Down on the ground! One of the men says, the bedrooms are clear, and John says, fan out and search. (I say, wah-wah.)

Outside in her car, Anna smiles.

This kinda, sorta brought tears to my eyes. I rarely invest in the couples, since most of the time there’s zero chemistry, but I love Anna and Valentin together.

Tomorrow, Blaze says, any hope of reviving her music career is gone; Carly asks Jason to promise her something; and Sonny tells Brook that his and Natalia’s plan depends on her.

🐪 There’s a Camel In My Soup…

What happened in Dubai. It was pointed out in an interview that you could get arrested for arguing in public, but it didn’t stop Taleen.

Real Housewives of Dubai Season 2, Episode 7 Recap: Beggars and Badass B*tches

https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/the-real-housewives-of-dubai-episode-7-recap-everything-you-missed-1328945

As NeNe once said, stay out of women’s business. At least when you’re the husband of one of the Housewives.

Taleen Marie Defends Husband After RHODubai Drama: ‘He Walked Away’

💰 Spiraling LA…

Tracy says, the market is sh*t, and JoshA says, in this market, you don’t sleep. Closets to die for, bigger than my first apartment. JoshF dressed as a shark. Read on for this week’s Listings.

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles Season 15, Episode 2 Recap: Hate To Say I Told You So

🍊 Tag This Line…

Tamra works being rude like it’s a second job.

RHOC Season 18 Taglines Revealed: Stormy Weather, Terrible Form and a Middle Finger

🍸 VanderWTF…

What is wrong with this guy? The average sociopath has better social skills.

How Tom Sandoval Ruined Any Chance of Redemption After Suing Ariana Madix

To make it even creepier.

Tom Sandoval’s Attorney for Ariana Madix Lawsuit Is Rachel Leviss’ Lawyer’s Brother

Not surprising that he backpedaled. Dude. Cut Sandoval loose already.

Tom Schwartz Deletes Tom Sandoval Birthday Post After Ariana Madix Lawsuit

👿 The Internet Is Evil…

This is exactly what I hate about the internet. I can’t fathom what’s in people’s heads to justify this sort of behavior. I don’t care if she’s the freaking Elephant Man. There’s just no reason for it. The only conclusion I can come to is that they hate themselves and are taking it out on someone who is making the most of what they have and doing well with it.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1404738/my-big-fat-fabulous-life-star-whitney-way-thore-reveals-the-cruel-insults-that-led-to-panic-attacks

💒 Cringing In Plathville…

This was just so uncomfortable. As usual, he whined and she was stone cold, her big blue eyes filled with tears.

Welcome to Plathville’s Season 6 Trailer Teases Ethan and Olivia Plath Reunion Following Split

Seriously, I was shifting around in my chair.

https://people.com/welcome-to-plathville-recap-ethan-plath-pleads-with-olivia-to-make-it-work-8679099

🦍 Furred and Feathered Fringes Of Fame…

All I can think of when I see things like this is the woman who got her face ripped off by the pet chimp. By no means does this make the chimp bad. He’s just being the animal he is and proving he is not a pet, but belongs in the wild or a sanctuary. Tiger King was eye-opening, as well as trainwreck entertaining, so I’ll be watching this for sure.

https://people.com/tonia-haddix-subject-of-tiger-king-director-new-series-chimp-crazy-8678996

An interesting tributary.

https://people.com/pets/alan-cumming-missing-chimpanzee-costar-found-moved-to-rescue/

🦜 Hottest new couple.

https://people.com/zoo-tries-to-save-endangered-macaw-species-with-love-match-8679024

🤷🏽‍♀️ Summer Of Ambiguity…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and less than nine oranges in a bowl. Until then, stay safe, stay steering away from political discussion at get togethers of all kinds (my neighbor recently had a near fistfight at a family party), and stay knowing that the people who love you and want what’s best for you can still be wrong. Even if they’re right, nobody learns from the right decisions.

Jul17

July 16, 2024 – Anna Gives Jason the Evidence, Soap Bubbles, No Cringe Here, Jersey Shakedown, Charm To Come, Agatha, Feline Fatty & Heat

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dex comes to the pool in his uniform and tells Josslyn that he’s here on his lunch break. She says she likes his blues, but he says, his unform is nothing compared to hers (i.e. her swimsuit).

John goes to Ava’s hotel room, and she says she’s been looking forward to their meeting all day. She’s sleep deprived though, between hearing the elevator and the people at the pool and being without her daughter and knowing if she’s safe, she’s awake most of the night. He thanks her for being willing to help, and she says she’s at her wit’s end trying to get Avery away from Sonny. He says, the best way to protect Avery and herself is to build a case against Sonny.

Willow goes to the penthouse and asks Sonny if she’s interrupting. He says, she and the kids are welcome any time. What’s wrong? She says, maybe she’s being presumptuous, but she decided to come after she had a conversation with her mother. Sonny asks, since when are she and Nina talking? and she says, since she decided let go of her anger.

Nina slaps Drew and says, you son of a bitch. You kissed my daughter. He says he deserved that, but calm down. (Apparently, Drew doesn’t know that he should never say that to a woman.) He knows there’s no excuse and knows it was wrong. She says, he doesn’t look remorseful, and he says he got lost in the moment – the applause, the congratulations, and the fireworks. He was there with a beautiful woman who was happy for him, and it just happened. Nina wonders how Willow missed his rampant narcissism. Willow is an idealist and can’t see the real Drew Cain… She means, the real Drew Quartermaine. It’s time she broke through that and told Willow that her hero is sleeping with her mother.  

Anna asks Jason to hear her out, but he says he has been hearing her. It’s been nearly three years, and he needs the phone. She says, it’s too soon, but he says, it’s the only way to get Carly out from under the FBI. She says she can’t let Cates take Valentin away.

John says, Ava was living with Sonny and has a past with him and the Jerome family. She must have insight into his organization. She says, it all happened so fast, and offers him some wine, but he says, not while he’s on duty. She pours a glass for herself and says she’s feeling unsettled. She’s used to a juggling act with the gallery and scheduling all of Avery’s activities. Without it, she’s felt so out of sync and alone. He says, that’s why she needs to build a case against Sonny to get her daughter back. He puts his phone on record, but she turns it off and says, his help means so much, but to be honest, she’s afraid of Sonny. If she lets him record her, it could make its way back to Sonny, and he’s harsh when it comes to betrayal. It’s the ultimate sin. He says, they have ways to protect her, but she says she’s not going into hiding while Avery is still with Sonny. He’s erratic and dangerous. He’s pushed his family away, except for his daughter Kristina. He actually blames her for outing Kristina’s girlfriend. As if she cares; it’s not her business. John says, his job is to put Sonny away, and if she helps him, it’s to both their advantages. She says, it’s not that simple. Many have tried and failed to put Sonny away, and who among them is still breathing? He gives her his word that he doesn’t give up his sources, and she says she’ll think about it. Knowing she has his support makes her feel more at ease. He leaves and she closes the door.

Willow tells Sonny that seeing Drew give up his grudge against Nina when he had the right to hold onto it forever, made her realize that hanging onto her pain and resentment was only hurting her. She gained nothing by depriving her kids of someone who truly wants to love them. Sonny says, all Nina wants is to love them and be a part of their lives, and Willow says, they’re taking it slow, but she realizes there’s room in her life for her mom. All she wants is for all of them to be happy. He asks if she’s lobbying for him and Nina to get back together, and she says, no, but they’d genuinely seemed happy, and she knows Nina loves him. He says, he wants Nina to be happy, and with Willow and the children in her life, she will be.

Drew says, if Nina was going to tell Willow about them, she should have done it when Willow told her about the kiss, but Nina says she thought it was more important that Willow confide in her than exposing his feet of clay. What was he thinking? Willow is married to his nephew, and they have small children. He should have better control of himself. He says, something happened in that moment, but it was a mistake and won’t happen again. He respects Willow and cares about her happiness and family. It was an isolated moment, like Nina and Sonny in Nixon Falls. He’s not throwing it in her face, but he understands it was a bad impulse and Nina got carried away. Nina says she knows Drew thinks it was just a moment, but Willow is drowning in guilt. She’s agonizing about telling Michael, but she told Willow to make the choice to move on. She hopes Drew allows it. He says, of course (🍷) he will. Whatever she thinks, he has not and will not pursue Willow.  

Jason asks if Anna wants Valentin to go free. Did she tip him off? She says, it’s about Charlotte. She’s back from school and home with her father. Think about Danny and Jake. If Valentin goes down, he’ll be gone a lot longer than three years. What happens to his daughter then? He says he can’t believe they’ve been working together, and he finally got what he needed… She says, he will get it. She almost took Charlotte’s life. He says, she keeps punishing herself for that, and now she’s going to punish him. She says, Valentin is all Charlotte has. Her mother is in a coma and Laura is already raising one grandchild. She refuses to separate Charlotte and Valentin. Charlotte forgave her. Her voice breaks and she says she can’t repay that by damaging Charlotte more and leaving her fatherless and alone. She won’t do it.

Josslyn asks if Gio will make sure no one drowns in the pool, and he says, no one is in the pool. She says, even better. She needs to have a word with Dex. They step away and kiss in the hallway. She asks if he remembers how upset she was when he first joined the PCPD, and he says, of course (🍷). She says, because she was so focused on the downside, she forgot the upside – his uniform. He asks if anyone could be wearing it, but she says, the uniform is great, but it’s him in it, confident and sure of himself. It makes him so hot. They kiss again.

Lois comes to the pool and says she has exciting news for Gio. A friend of hers who works in the city lost a violinist for a string quartet used on Broadway soundtracks. The violinist broke his arm, and she talked Gio up. Her friend is going to hold a spot for him. What does he say? Does he hear that? It’s opportunity knocking. Is he ready for the bright lights?

Drew says, what he did was awful, but he’s not so awful that he’d take advantage of Willow, and Nina says she needed to hear him say it. He says he’s seen Nina work to reconcile with Willow and he admires the fact she didn’t give up. He knows it’s good for both her and Willow that Willow confided in her. Nina says, it felt nice, but the details weren’t, and Drew tells her not to worry about the details. It won’t happen again. She says she’s choosing to believe him. Don’t make her regret it. She believes in him and will make sure he has The Invader’s endorsement. He thanks her, but says, it’s not a quid pro quo. She says, her main concern is Willow’s peace of mind, and he says, maybe it’s time they came to a new understanding.

John asks what Ava can tell him about Sonny’s organization, and she says, not much. Julian kept her out of all that. Julian and Sonny’s world is brutal. He says, she must have heard things, and she says she and her brother were close. She was exposed to things, but didn’t want to involve herself. She preferred to focus on beauty, art, and her gallery. And of course (🍷) her daughter Kiki. She was raising Kiki alone, but she’s no longer with them. He says he’s sorry for her loss, and she says, Julian made more than his share of mistakes, but she loved him anyway. He asks why she turned up with Sonny at Selina Wu’s warehouse the night of the sniper attack, and she says, Sonny insisted she go. Maybe as a human shield, maybe to intimidate Selina. The Jerome family name still holds weight. She was in no position to refuse. He says, she seemed defensive and protective of Sonny, and she says she supposes she was. They were getting along better then, and she was trying to appease him for her and Avery’s sakes. On one hand, Sonny was offering protection, but on the other, he was often a target himself.

Jason says he feels for Charlotte. She’s just a kid and doesn’t deserve this, but that’s on Valentin. He made his choices. Charlotte won’t be alone; she’s got family. Anna says, it’s not the same thing, and Jason says he understands. He’s heard the pain in his sons’ voices asking where he’s been, why he didn’t reach out, and wondering if he cares for them. He won’t let them down again. She says, that happened with her and Robin. She won’t ask him to sacrifice his relationship with his sons. She’s just asking him to trust her for two hours more.

Gio tells Lois that he appreciates the opportunity, but he already promised Ava and Trina that he’d play at a gallery opening and he’s committed to PCU’s summer concert series. Lois says she’s sure someone can cover for him at PCU, and she knows Trina and Ava won’t mind. This is professional work. It’s Broadway, baby. Think of the exposure. And once you’re in, you’re in. He says he supposes they could find a replacement, but his scholarship at PCU is contingent on the concert series. She says, they can talk to the head of the department and explain the situation. College is supposed to prepare you for the real world, and this is a real-world professional opportunity he’s being offered on the road to stardom. No one deserves it more.

Willow says she has a confession. She didn’t come here to talk about Nina. It’s about Michael. Sonny protests, but she says, just hear her out. Michael is her everything. They have a beautiful life and he takes good care of her and their children. She knows Michael is in pain over their estrangement. Michael loves Sonny; he still does. Sonny says, some things just can’t be forgiven, and Willow says, they both know what it feels like to be lied to in order to be protected. The insult and betrayal are hard to get past. Michael did both to her in the name of love, but she got over it. Look at her and Nina now. The healing feels so much better. Sonny’s phone rings, and he picks it up. He says, Diane… Where is she? He’s been trying to call all morning… He doesn’t give a damn. She’s on retainer. Tell her to call him back immediately. He hangs up, and tells Willow, sorry. She says, upsetting news? and he says, Diane is annoying. He pays her a lot of money. She can call him herself, not have an associate do it. Ava is trying to take his daughter away and he’s going to fight tooth and nail to make sure Avery stays with him.

John asks about Sonny’s connection to Anna, and Ava says she’s wondered about that herself. They go way back and are thick as thieves. She suspects that’s why Sonny has remained a free man. They bonded over Robin, and John says, Ava was a captive audience when he and Sonny faced off, dredging up that history. Sorry. She says, it explained a lot about both of them. John is still grieving his brother and his wife. He says, that’s all for now. He’ll let her think on things, and he’ll come back when she’s ready to talk. Give some thought to making a statement. He thinks that’s the best way to go. She says she’ll think about it. May she call him John? He says, of course (🍷), and she says, it’s comforting having him around. They’ll talk soon. He leaves, and in the hallway, his phone rings. He says, no. It wasn’t for him. The champagne was for a source he’s grooming… Yemen? This is the first he’s hearing about a shipment… It does seem Pikeman is still in play. He’s narrowing down a person of interest, but needs time …. He understands. He expects information soon…

Anna says she’ll go to Valentin and warn him that he’s done. The FBI is coming for him. He’ll take Charlotte and run. Jason says, the FBI wants the head of Pikeman, but she says, they just needed him identified to let Jason go. They’ll cast global nets, but she bets they won’t find him. But it won’t matter. Jason will have fulfilled his end of the deal. Jason says, she’s asking that he trust Cates will honor his end of the deal without having Valentin in custody, but she says she’s asking him to trust her. It would have taken a lot longer without her help. He has the evidence because of her and all she’s asking is that he wait two hours before turning it over. Please. She’s running out of time. he says, she’d better be right, and she says she’ll do everything in her power make sure he doesn’t regret it. She promises. She gives him the phone and says she’s trusting him now. He sighs and says, okay. He has what he needs. Do what she wants with Valentin. She dashes out the door.

Willow says she’s sorry that Sonny is going through this, and he says, they’ve been down this road several times. Willow says she’s happy to help, and he says he appreciates the effort, but doesn’t want Michael involved. Michael had someone spy on him. It’s not easy to swallow. She says, Michael knows he made a mistake. At least consider forgiveness. He says, she’s sweet and tenacious. He always liked that about her. He’ll think about it. She thanks him, and says she needs to follow her own advice. She’s in no position to judge anyone. They all make mistakes, and she needs to focus on making amends for what she’s done. He says he’s sure she’ll fix it, and she says she hopes so. For him and Michael too. She thanks him and leaves.

Josslyn says she and Dex can’t do this here. She has to work. He says his lunch break isn’t the way he pictured it. It’s way better. She says, it’s his fault for showing up looking handsome, and he asks if he should steer clear from now on. She says, don’t you dare, and they kiss.

On the phone, Ava says, they’ll talk tomorrow at the gallery, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it to Natalia and asks what Natalia wants. Natalia says, clarity. She regrets her remarks, but she can’t figure out Ava’s endgame in recording her secretly and releasing what she said.

Nina says she thought she and Drew already had an understanding, and he says, instead of mutual loathing, they’ve moved to mutual cooperation. She says she hasn’t been completely mercenary. She admires Larry McConkey and values his friendship with her father. She wouldn’t have introduced him to Drew if she didn’t think Drew had something worthwhile. Drew says, and he never would have facilitated a reconciliation with Willow if he thought Nina would hurt her. His faith in her has been justified. She says she never thought he’d apply those words to her, and Drew says, same. She says, they’ve come a long way, and he says, it’s time to put the contempt behind them. Which begs the question, what – if anything – is left? Nina’s phone rings, and Madison says, Sonny is here to see her.

Sonny goes to Nina’s office and says he doesn’t mean to interrupt, but Nina says she and Drew have reached a stopping point. He tells Drew, congrats on his candidacy, and Drew says, that means lot, but his vote means more. Drew leaves, and Nina asks if Sonny wants something to drink, but he says he doesn’t have too much time. He doesn’t know what Ava told her, but he’s moved her out and he’s filing for sole custody. Avery belongs with her father. Nina says, good, and he asks if she’s seen through Ava. If not, Nina can’t trust her. Nina says her eyes have been opened regarding Ava, and Sonny says, he imagines Nina’s wake-up call was no more pleasant than his.  

Ava says, believe it or not, she didn’t intend to record Natalia. She was in the middle of something for work and didn’t realize until after Natalia left. When she listened to the conversation, she thought the world deserved to know what Natalia’s poor daughter had to endure, her judgement about the right to love who she chooses. It was appalling. Natalia says, Blaze’s reputation and career were shattered. She was dropped by her label. Ava says, Blaze is talented and will win out in the end. Natalia has shown herself to be an awful person and a worse mother. Not even Sonny is going to have anything to do with her. Natalia says, Sonny is furious about the recording, but not with her.

Gio tells Lois that he appreciates the offer to play on the album, but doesn’t see how he can take it. She says she just doesn’t want him to miss out on this incredible opportunity, but if it’s not the right gig, no pressure. He says, it would be fantastic if he was still in the city, but he doesn’t like going back on commitments. She says, no Cerullo does, and he says, more important, he likes living here. He likes PCU and the music department, and he likes his job. He likes the people he’s met. Lois says, even the Quartermaines? and he says, especially the Quartermaines. She says, even Tracy? and he says, he doesn’t know Tracy well, but she can be… Lois says, intimidating? but he tells her that he was going to say standoffish. She’s letting him stay at the house. Lois says, it’s not up to her. The house belongs to Monica. Gio says, somebody gave it to her, and Lois says, Alan, God rest his soul, was a wonderful man. He’d love Gio staying there, just like Monica. If… When Tracy decides to bully him, be polite, but don’t let her push him around.

There’s a frantic knock at Valentin’s door, and he lets Anna in. She asks where Charlotte is, and he says, she’s with friends. Anna says, call her and tell her to come home immediately and that he’ll explain when she gets here. She’s still packed, right? Does he have a have go bag? He asks, what happened? What has she done? She says she turned him into the FBI as head of Pikeman. He has to leave the country immediately.

Nina says she was naïve to think Ava was capable of having a female friend. She’s never known Ava to have one. She doesn’t know why she thought that would change, especially given their unique history. They were doomed to fail. Sonny says he’s sorry, and Nina says, it was nice to have someone to rely on, until they became a lying backstabber. Ava played her. Never again. Why did Sonny come to her? He says, Ava filed a custody suit and means to say he’s mentally unstable. He knows he and Nina have been through tough times, but wants to know, when they ask her to take the stand, what will she say? She says she doesn’t think Ava is foolish enough to subpoena her, but she’ll tell the truth. Sonny is an exemplary father and Avery adores him. He says, it didn’t end well with them. He could have done things differently and he’s owning up to that, not just saying it. She thanks him and says she loves Avery and wants the best for her. He says, life goes on. They’re trying. She asks what he’s trying to say, and he says, she buried the hatchet with Drew. Can she do the same with him?

Valentin dumps the books off the shelf where the phone was and asks if Anna did this. She turned him in? She says, they don’t have time to talk about their feelings right now. He has to be ready to go. Listen to her. He asks if any of it was real. Them finding each other, their nights together. Anna cries and says, he knows it was. She’s risking everything to warn him. He’s got to get away. He asks if she wants him to thank her, but she says, it’s not about him. It’s about Charlotte. She needs him in her life, and he needs her in his. He takes out his phone, and calls Charlotte. He asks if she’s on her way home… Good. He’ll see her when she gets here. Anna says, take Charlotte and go and… don’t contact her again. He says, there’s another plan. Come with him.

John knocks on Jason’s door, but there’s no answer. He tries the doorknob, but it’s locked. He yells, open up! Inside, Jason sits looking at the laptop, and John yells that he wants full disclosure. Everything Jason knows or he loses the deal and so does Carly. Jason looks at the clock.

Tomorrow, Gio tells Josslyn that he may have overstayed his welcome; Anna asks Valentin why he risked it all for Pikeman; and Jason tells John that he should think twice before listening to anything that woman has to say.

🧼  All the Soap News Fit To Print…

What they did on their summer vacation.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/dex-and-the-city-evan-hofer-shares-his-big-apple-adventure

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/inside-jonathan-jacksons-intimate-concert

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/adam-harrington-shares-his-epic-surfing-vacation

It’s not inconceivable. Some characters have died several times.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kelly-thiebaud-reveals-she-tried-to-come-back-to-gh

More sad stuff.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-alum-james-b-sikking-dead-at-90

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-james-patrick-stuart-mourns-the-loss-of-his-mother-in-law

Scheduled for the fall.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jacklyn-zeman-honored-with-special-episode-of-the-bay

Happy Anniversary!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/abc/one-life-to-live-anniversary-171600

🐪 Camel Me This…

As of this posting, there was no RHODubai recap available, but there was this. Apparently, she spoke too soon, since it was pretty cringeworthy tonight, Taleen in particular.

RHODubai’s Taleen Marie Teases ‘Cringe’ Future Episodes

🪄 Putting the New In Jersey…

IMO, the whole state could use a rebrand.

Andy Cohen Agrees RHONJ Needs a ‘Rebrand’ for S15
Andy Cohen Agrees There Should Be a Major ‘RHONJ’ Shakeup

But alas, neither Kathy nor the sprinkle cookies will be making a comeback.

Andy Cohen Reacts to Rumors Kathy Wakile Will Make RHONJ Comeback After WWHL Appearance

🍹 Meanwhile, Down South…

The latest on the latest Charm.

Everything to Know About ‘Southern Charm’ Season 10: Who Is Returning, More

Either that selfie is Photoshopped, or her arms are strangely big for her body.

Olivia Flowers Confirms She Was Fired From Southern Charm, Shares Why She Was Let Go & Dishes on Phone Call From Production

🧙🏻‍♀️ It Was Her…

Hopefully, this is as good as WandaVision. Premieres September 18th.

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-debuts-trailer-for-marvel-televisions-new-series-agatha-all-along/

https://ew.com/agatha-all-along-trailer-kathryn-hahn-joe-locke-aubrey-plaza-8674666

🐱 Biggest Kitty Loser…

Next on his bucket list, to be a catnip influencer.

https://people.com/canadian-cat-becomes-tiktok-star-weight-loss-journey-documented-8673846

☕️ Pouring a Cup Of Ambition…

Join me tomorrow for soap, tea, LA and (hopefully) Dubai talk. Until then, stay safe, stay not wearing out your welcome as a guest, and stay not going back on commitments, especially if you like it where you are.

Jul16

July 15, 2024 – Willow Tells Nina About Kissing Drew, Leaving the Anchor Behind On Deck, Two Goodbyes, Goodest Boy & Cruel

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In bed with Valentin, Anna asks if he sees something he likes, but he says, no. He sees something he loves. He tells her to kiss him like she means it, and she says she does, and kisses him.

Jack sees Carly in the visitor’s room and says, you again. He’s running out of charming greetings. She never comes to see him just to chat. There must be something wrong. Does it involve the FBI?

Jason stands outside Elizabeth’s door with an envelope in his hand. He’s about to slip it under the door, when Elizabeth opens it.

Drew tells Michael that as Aurora’s de facto CEO, he’s going to have Nina reporting to him directly. Is that going to be a problem? Just say the word, and she’s gone. He’ll fire her today if Michael wants him to. (I wasn’t crazy about Drew when he was a good guy, and I’m starting to like him less every time he opens his mouth.)

Willow goes to Nina’s office, and Nina asks her to come look at the issue she’s working on. An artist wants to push scaled down turbans, and she can’t tell if it’s brilliant or ridiculous. Willow says she doesn’t know if she’s the best person to ask, and Nina says, it probably seems frivolous to her, but Willow says, it’s not that. She did something terrible, and there isn’t anyone else she can talk to about it. It’s the kind of thing you can only tell your mom or a sister, and she doesn’t have a sister. Nina says, Willow can talk to her about anything, and Willow starts to cry.

Carly tells Jack that she took his advice, hired the best lawyer, and told them everything. He asks if her lawyer is aware that the FBI is forcing Jason to help them by holding the recoding of her over his head that suggests she’s guilty of RICO violations. Carly says, there’s nothing suggestive about it. They have her flat out saying she’s head of Sonny’s organization. He says, that’s no small feat considering the size and scope of the organization, and she says she’s impressed with how familiar he is with it. He says, the WSB has been known to have interest in local businesses when it furthers their interest. When tampering with the nation’s power structure, one can’t be too scrupulous about the partners one enlists, can one?

Elizabeth says she’s sorry she didn’t hear the doorbell, but Jason says he never rang it. He came to give her this for Jake’s art school. He heard voices and didn’t want to interrupt. She asks if he’d like to come in, but he says, no. He should be going. She asks if he has someplace to be, and he says, no. It’s her house and Jake’s house, and he didn’t want to put them on the spot showing up uninvited and forcing Jake to talk to him. Just because they enjoyed a baseball game doesn’t mean Jake wants to take his money. He doesn’t want Jake to feel pressured to take it. She says, the only way to know is to make the offer and let Jake decide.

Drew says, when Michael came to him and said he and Nina were going to put their differences aside, he thought Michael might feel differently in the light of day. Michael says, even though he’d just as well never see Nina again, she’s a fantastic Editor-in-Chief and it would be bad business to let his personal feelings interfere with Crimson. Besides, Willow is starting to want a relationship with Nina again. If he got in-between that, it would only hurt Willow and that’s the last thing he wants to do.

Willow says, what happened could ruin her life, and Nina promises it will stay with them, mother and daughter. Willow says she’s not proud of this and can’t believe it happened. It was the 4th of July party. She and Drew had a few moments alone to talk. They were toasting his success, and the fireworks were going off. She doesn’t even know how it happened. She guesses they were just caught up in the moment. One minute, they were looking up at the sky, and the next, they were kissing.

Anna says she has to get to work, but Valentin suggests they go sailing. She says she can’t make any decisions until she gets some caffeine in her body, and he says he can fix that. He goes to the kitchen, and she asks if he can make her a latte. He says, as she wishes, and she takes the satellite phone from behind the books. She puts it in her bag, and he comes back, saying, he’s out of milk. She says she thinks that’s a sign she should go to work, but he says, maybe it’s a sign they should go out to breakfast, and he’ll buy her a fancy latte with one of those hearts in the foam. Or they could stay home and do this. He nuzzles her neck and asks if they don’t deserve some time by themselves before everything changes. They’re not going to be able to keep their feelings for each other a secret. People with opinions are going to find out, and he wants to keep this moment as uncomplicated as he can for as long as possible, before the world comes crashing down on them again. They start to kiss when Charlotte walks in.

Valentin asks what she’s doing here. He was going to fly to Europe and pick her up after her holiday. She says, that was the plan, but her friends decided to go island hopping and she’s seen enough of Greece to last a lifetime, so she decided to surprise him. She looks at Anna and says she obviously succeeded. Anna says, it’s lovely to see her. She knows Charlotte and Valentin have catching up to do and she has to go to work. Charlotte says, please stay. There’s something she didn’t say to Anna before she left Port Charles, and she doesn’t like loose ends.

Jack says he’s well acquainted with the corruption and violence in organized crime, and Carly says, unfortunately, she is too. He says, despite knowing that, she went toe to toe with rival mobsters, and she says, they thought Sonny was dead. She had to make a show of strength, or Sonny’s enemies would have moved in and taken over his territory. He says, their first step would have been to eliminate anyone close to Sonny, including his family, and she says, so she did what she needed to do to protect them all. He says, not many people would have the nerve. It seems to him that her talents are wasted in hospitality. Someone with her skills is a born secret agent.

Michael tells Drew that when he sees Willow smile, he thinks about all the months there was nothing to be happy about. He used to pray for the life they have now, so if he has to pretend everything is okay with Nina and put a smile on, he’ll do it to keep the life he’s been blessed with. A life he’s indebted to Drew for. Drew says, no. He did what anybody would do in that position. Michael says, Drew risked his life to bring Dr. Obrecht home (so where is she???) and saved Willow. They’ll never forget that. Willow thinks of him as her guardian angel. Drew says he definitely doesn’t deserve that, but Michael tells him not to be so modest. Drew was able to forgive Nina and it motivated Willow to do the same thing.

Willow tells Nina to forget she said anything. She’s going to go. Nina says, wait, and Willow says, Nina must think she’s a terrible person, but Nina says she could never think that. She’s not judging Willow. How could she with all the mistakes she’s made? It was just surprising. It’s the last thing she expected. Willow says, Nina would never think she’d do something so stupid and self-destructive, but Nina says she’s sure Willow is remembering it a lot worse than it was. She had a cocktail or two and the kiss was probably more chaste than she thinks. Willow says she wasn’t even tipsy. She kissed Drew the way she kisses her husband. It was real and it was wrong. Nothing like this has ever come close to happening before… Except she and Drew have always had this special connection and it’s only gotten stronger. She loves Michael and she’s grateful for their family and the life they’ve built together, but Drew saved her life. It bonded them in a way she’s never felt with anyone else before. In a way, he even brought her and Nina closer together. She doesn’t know what she feels for Drew, but she can’t stop thinking about their kiss. Nina says she thinks Willow is being too hard on herself, but Willow says she’s being unfair to Michael and Drew.

Drew says, if Willow wants to have a relationship with Nina, it’s not because of him. It’s because of the person she is. She tries to see the best in people. Michael agrees, and says, but she idolizes Drew. Drew running for congress has given her something to believe in. Drew says he hopes he can live up to Willow’s faith in him.

Willow says, Drew needs to focus on himself right now and not have this confusing situation with her, but Nina says she thinks Willow is giving Drew far too much consideration here. He’s a grown man. He can look out for himself. Did she force this kiss on him? Willow says, of course (🍷) not, and Nina says, so she wasn’t acting alone. Drew shares some of the blame. Willow says, it doesn’t matter whose fault it is. The kiss never should have happened at all. Nina says she’s kissed someone she wasn’t supposed to kiss and can relate to Willow’s feelings. That’s why she knows the issue isn’t really the kiss, but how Willow feels about it. Or more importantly, what she does about it. Willow says, it’s never going to happen again, and Drew agrees with her, and Nina says, so she regrets the kiss. Willow says, very much, and Nina says, and Drew? Willow says, he does too, but when they talked about the kiss, Drew said something that surprised her. That in a different world, under vastly different circumstances, there might be something between them.

Charlotte says she owes Anna an apology, one that’s long overdue. She should have said something before she went to school, but she wasn’t ready yet. She is now. Anna says, it’s sweet of her, but not necessary. Apology accepted of course (🍷). They can leave it at that. Valentin says he thinks it might be good for Charlotte to say what she needs to say, and Anna says, of course (🍷). Charlotte says she’s sorry she trashed Anna’s hotel room. She’s sorry she wrote those terrible things on Anna’s door and mirror. Anna was always so sweet to her, and she thought it was all an act. Her Grandfather Victor told her that Anna was evil, and she believed him. Now she knows he was the one who was lying and she’s so sorry for how she acted. Valentin wonders what’s behind this shift, and Charlotte says, there were kids that came to the school after their country was attacked. Some lost their entire families and had to leave everything behind when they escaped. Their entire lives were taken by powerful people who didn’t care who they hurt or killed as long as they got what they wanted. It made her realize Grandfather Victor was like that too. Valentin says, he was, but she’s not, and Charlotte says she hopes not. She’s a Cassadine and Cassadines are bad, unless they die trying to be good. Valentin looks sad.

Jake comes out and sees Jason, who says he just stopped by. Elizabeth says, Jake’s dad wants to give him something, and Jason says, Jake’s mom told him that he was accepted into an art academy in Spain. Jake says he just got lucky, but Jason says, they only take the best. They’re not going to waste their time unless he’s really good. Jake says, maybe, but it’s expensive, and Jason says, that’s why he’s here. He wants to pay for it. Elizabeth says, isn’t that amazing? and Jake says, it’s super generous, but not necessary. Jason says he gets it. Jake is worried that he’s trying to buy a place in Jake’s life and his forgiveness, but he knows he has to earn that. He hopes one day that comes, but there are no strings attached. When he wasn’t much older than Jake, he had an important decision to make that shaped the rest of his life, like the one Jake’s about make. He wants Jake to choose what makes him happiest without worrying how to pay for it. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and might not come around again. If he’d been a different kind of father – any kind of father – paying for Jake’s education would be no question. Please take the money and don’t let his failings mess with Jake’s future.

Michael tells Drew that he sees Willow is all-in with his campaign. It’s all she can talk about. She’s Drew’s biggest supporter as long as he stays the stand-up guy he is. Drew says he’ll do his best, and Michael says, Drew forgave Nina and hired her back at Crimson. Now, Crimson has never more successful. He respects Drew’s judgement and will follow his lead. Drew asks if Michael is sure he can handle working closely with Nina, and Michael says, if it means it’s good for the business, he’ll put a smile on and do it.

Nina says, of course (🍷) Drew would wonder what could have been between him and Willow. She’s a remarkable woman. What man wouldn’t? Willow says, a remarkable woman who kissed her in-law with her husband in the next room, and Nina says, things happen. Drew is a handsome man, and their lives became intertwined. The lines were blurred, and Willow made a mistake. It’s understandable. She’s human. Don’t beat herself up too much. Willow says, even if it costs her marriage? but Nina says, one kiss doesn’t need to lead to divorce. Willow says, Michael might feel differently when she tells him, and Nina says, then don’t tell him.

Carly says she’s never been an intelligence agent. She didn’t want to save the world. Jack says, that’s only for idealists. He’s a pragmatist. If he can tilt the scales of justice, he considers it a job well done. Now he takes pride in a well mopped cafeteria. She says, her lawyer told her that if she follows through with a trial, she has a 30% chance of getting off, and Jack says he doesn’t like those odds. Maybe they can improve them.

Anna says, Charlotte is proof all Cassadines aren’t bound for tragedy, and Charlotte says all she wants to do is make it right. She wishes she could go back and change things. Anna says she’s made a lot of mistakes and hurt a lot of people. Shooting Charlotte was – she cries a little – the worst thing she ever did, and she hopes Charlotte knows how sorry she is. Charlotte says she does and also knows Anna didn’t mean it. It happened because she snuck into Anna’s place to harass her. All she can do is ask Anna’s forgiveness. Anna says she’s already forgiven Charlotte, and asks if Charlotte can forgive her. Charlotte says, consider it done, and they hug. Anna says, Charlotte has a lot of grace. She wishes she’d had half of that when she was Charlotte’s age. Charlotte says, it’s kind of recent. The other students taught her how blessed she is. She has a father who loves her, which is more than most have. Anna says she has to get to work, but she’s glad they had this talk. She hated how they left things. Charlotte says, her too, especially since she sees how important Anna is to her papa. She’d never do anything to hurt him. Anna leaves.

Willow says she doesn’t know how she can keep the kiss a secret. She’s a mess, and Michael will know something is wrong. If she confesses, maybe they can find a way to work through it together. Nina says, at the very least, it will relieve Willow’s burden, but there’s no way to predict Michael’s reaction to his uncle kissing her and imagining a life with her. Willow says, he’ll be hurt and his relationship with Drew will be ruined, and Nina says, she can assuage her guilt or choose to put it behind her and move on. It was a momentary minor slip, and if she treats it as such, she’ll eventually forget it happened. Willow says she tried, but she felt too guilty. That’s why she came here. Nina says she’s glad Willow came to her and hopes Willow keeps coming to her. For the sake of the family, let her be the only one Willow confides in. Eventually, she’ll realize a kiss is not the end of the world. The less power she gives it, the less it will matter. Willow thanks Nina for being able to dump on her. It means so much. She should get going. She has a lot to think about. Nina reminds Willow that she’s just a text or phone call away, and Willow leaves. Nina’s smile fades.

Michael says, they’re in agreement, and Drew says, if he’s elected to congress, Michael will return to being CEO and Curtis will keep control of the wellness division. Drew’s phone rings, and Nina says she needs to see him. He tells her that he’s busy and to set up a meeting, but she says, if he’s thinking of hanging up, she’ll make him regret it. Get up here right now or his campaign is over before he kisses his first baby.

Jack says, the FBI will have no mercy and no pity for Carly. To them, she’s a high-profile target that they have evidence against. She asks if he agrees with her lawyer, and he says, he does. The best bet is for her to avoid a trial entirely. She has two other options. One is to go on the offensive. Make everything public and cry government overreach to anyone who will listen. Out the agents involved and kick up a fuss. Maybe they’ll be shamed into cutting her loose. She asks, what if she just makes them mad and they double down? and he says, that’s the risk. She asks about her other option, and he says, make sure Jason remains valuable to the FBI, but she says, he can’t do it forever. Jack says, as long as they have the evidence. Destroy the evidence, destroy the case. She says, it’s on a protected FBI server. How? He says, easy. She has his sympathies.

Anna lets herself into Jason’s room and opens a laptop. She takes the satellite phone out of her purse and loads the files from it onto the computer. She looks at the files that come up.

Jason says, it’s Jake’s choice. Either way, he’ll understand. Jake says he knows it’s not that simple for Jason and knows Jason’s life isn’t regular. It seems like he tried to do his best with what he had. Art school is what Jake wants and to do it in Spain… He’s excited and grateful for Jason’s offer, so he accepts. Jason hands him an envelope, and Jake holds out his hand. They shake, and it turns into a hug.

Carly says, if it was just her, she’d take her chance in court. She hates how Jason has been blackmailed and she wants to punch Cates every time she sees him. But it’s not just her. Jack says, her kids will suffer too, and asks about Donna. Carly says, Donna is happy, but if she went to prison… Jack says, welcome to his world. You choose the lesser of two evils, whatever would least damage the people around you. Carly says, it’s cowardly letting Jason suffer the repercussions of something she did, but Jack asks if it isn’t worth it if she stays with her kid. She says she guesses it is better if she takes the hit rather than Donna, and he says, there’s her answer. She thanks him for his advice and expertise, and he says, always a pleasure. She says, take care of himself, and he says, her too.

Valentin asks if Charlotte wants breakfast, and she says, sounds great. He thanks her for making peace with Anna, and she says, Anna made it easier than she had to. She’s happy he and Anna are back together. He says he doesn’t know about that, but for the first time in a long time, he thinks there’s hope.

When he returns, Jason finds Anna in his room and asks if she got it. She says, it’s just as they thought, a treasure trove. Files, metadata, everything they need to shut Pikeman down and nail Valentin ten times over. Jason says, it’s finally over. He can get back to his life. Give him the phone. Anna says, she can’t. Not yet.

At Pentenville, a man says, they’re ready for Jack. I think it’s Valentin, but we don’t see his face.  

Willow goes into Drew’s office, but finds Michael in his chair. Michael says, Drew had to leave. He’s not running for office, but will she settle for him? She hugs him and says she’s never settling with him. She hopes he knows how happy she is with him. He’s given her everything – a home and a family, and she loves him so much. He says he loves her too. He’d rather be in her arms than in a congressional seat.

Drew goes to Nina’s office and asks, what the hell is wrong? She ordered him to come see her and threatened him. Did she forget he’s her boss? She smacks him across the face and says, you son of a bitch. You kissed my daughter.

Tomorrow, Willow tells Sonny that she wonders if it’s a good idea; Drew tells Nina that it’s time they came to a new understanding; and Ann tells Jason that she can’t let Cates take Valentin away.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Final day of charter – 25-minute delay (so far). Captain Sandy tells the deckhands to put the brake on and stop the anchor. She tells lain that they’re not going to be able get to get the anchor up. He says he’s waiting for the tender to charge, and she tells him to stay with it. In the captain’s interview, she says they’ve never had to leave the anchor before. They could try to haul it by hand or leave it. Leaving it is a risk. It’s an expensive piece of equipment, and she hopes it’s still there when they come back for it. They don’t have an option because she has to get the guests back to the dock. On top of it, the wind is insane. At this point, there’s a 39-minute delay. Trishelle says, they’re hosting people at 3, but Marsha says, she’s not making that flight. The captain says, it’s not the crew’s fault. It’s too windy to transport them back. In Aesha’s interview, she says, the guests are missing flights that she doubts are economy. She has to distract them and keep them entertained. The captain explains what’s happening to the guests, and everyone is totally cool about everything. Captain Sandy tells Iain to find the largest fender and get reflective tape. She gives him instructions, and in her interview, she says, they put the reflective tape on the buoy they hook to the anchor, like they did in Jaws to see where the shark is. Hopefully it works out better for them. She tells the guests that they’re not sinking; the windlass broke. Trishelle says, she’s legit not making her flight, and Brittany says, it’s like extending the vacation and she’s okay with it. In Joe’s interview, he says, whatever Captain Sandy says to do, he’s doing it. Aesha asks Bri if she’s organized in the laundry, and in Aesha’s interview, she says she’s glad Ellie and Bri aren’t fighting. Since Bri hooked up with Joe, they’re letting their petty drama infiltrate the interior. It’s a she said/she said situation and they’re both so convincing. We flash back to them separately telling Aesha what happened, and Aesha says, after charter, she’s brokering a truce. She doesn’t care who said what. Aesha sends Ellie to help with laundry, and the captain says she needs to get the guests back. Nathan takes the chain off the anchor and ties it to the buoy, and Captain Sandy says, he’s free to drop anchor. In Joe’s interview, he says, if the chain hits you or the boat, someone could get hit or die. The chain snaps as the anchor is let go.  

Aesha says, this is a first for her, and the captain says, time is of the essence. The wind is worse. It’s at 33 knots, and the forecast is for 63 knots. If she doesn’t get back now, she can’t dock the vessel. The guests finish packing, and Captain Sandy calls the Marina Emergency Services. She says, they had to leave the anchor. They need someone to meet them to help repair the windlass and a retrieval team for the anchor. The guests rave about the trip – these people are unbelievably nice – and Marsha says she could start a modeling agency in the Mediterranean. Bri and Joe flirt like elementary school children, sparring and poking at each other. Blech. In Bri’s interview, she says, you can’t put toothpaste back in the tube. In Iain’s interview, he says he’s been playing the long game with Ellie and thinks he’s a shoo-in. In Ellie’s interview, a producer asks if Iain has a chance, and it’s a hard no. In Jono’s interview, he says he almost packed after the last charter, but he’s putting the Givenchy back in the closet. He thinks his training taught him to improve and be made stronger by criticism. Captain Sandy says, it’s a lot of boat to hold in the wind, and lain keeps asking for Joe to drop the big fender on starboard. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s taking too long. She can’t keep holding the vessel. If the fender isn’t down, she can slam into the dock and damage the boat. The delay is now 3 hours and 20 minutes. Nathan helps Joe, and the captain says, Joe needs to learn how to tie a line. Nathan has more knowledge, so until Joe learns, he’ll be doing it. She calls lain to the bridge and asks why he chose Joe to be lead deckhand in the beginning. Iain tells her that Joe had experience and was good at guiding people, and we flash back to Joe’s mess-ups. Iain says, Joe is good at running a team, and the captain says, Nathan is working circles around him. She thinks Joe is a great talker and Iain needs to reassess their experience. In her interview, Captain Sandy says, it was clearly an oversight. lain should have come to her first. She’s had to correct Joe’s dockings, and if Iain had taken the time to read the CVs, he would have seen that Nathan is more experienced. This is a red flag. She tells him, in the future, run things by her. Nathan is now the bow guy. Gael’s boyfriend texts her, wanting an update, and Nathan and Joe both wonder where their trousers are. Bri says she’s confused.  

The guests are ready to go, and Marsha gives Aesha a baseball cap and tells her that she’s adopted. Brittany says, Captain Sandy runs a tight, perfect ship. In Nathan’s interview, he says he wouldn’t leave a tip if he was them, but they’re rich and don’t care. Brittany says she loves them, and has Aesha help her get the tip envelope out of her dress bodice, which is just weird. After the guests leave, Aesha tells the stews that they’re having a meeting. They can make a cocktail. The deckhands get to cleaning, and in Joe’s interview, he says he practically got demoted. He wants good laughs and good energy around him. The stews sit down with their cocktails, and Aesha says, well done. They were lucky that the guests were lovely, but they nailed it as well. Ellie and Bri lost focus because of their personal issues. They all need to have respect and kindness when they say things. Ellie says, when it’s put out that she’s disrespectful, she has a problem with that, and Bri says she felt that her feelings weren’t considered. Ellie says, during charter isn’t the time to be overly sensitive, and in Aesha’s interview, she says, the meeting is off to a good start.

Zea Marina. Aesha says, Ellie and Bri have different personalities and need to be conscious of how someone is taking something. You can’t just say, I’m me and you have to take it. Ellie says, things can’t be blown out of proportion all the time. It’s exhausting. Aesha says, they’re going to squash it now. Be aware of how they speak and be the best team. Just keep getting better. There’s a group hug, and in Aesha’s interview, she says she doesn’t feel like they actually fully resolved things. All she can do is keep eye on them and hope the situation doesn’t escalate. If it does, she’ll have to ask the captain for assistance. She’s at her wit’s end. Gael’s boyfriend texts that he’s sorry for being needy. It’s time for the tip meeting, and Captain Sandy says, engineers are coming to fix the windlass. It was difficult, but the windlass is getting repaired, and the anchor is being brought to them. She knows it’s never easy, but it’s part of their character to remain teachable. Nathan is their bow guy now. She tells Jono, good job, and says, the tip is $25K, $2000 a person or 1800 euros. The crew cheers.

The crew gets ready to go out, and in Bri’s interview, she says, in the beginning, she thought Ellie could be a friend. Now all chance of that is gone, so she just has to look out for herself. In Ellie’s interview, she suggests that Joe let it go. She and Bri will battle it out. She comes out in a black catsuit, and Iain’s eyes nearly pop out of his head. In Jono’s interview, he says he’s ready to party, but everyone is still stressed. He doesn’t know what’s going down, but he’s going up. They take a taxi to a bar and have shots. I think, please eat, and Nathan licks Gael’s hand. Joe tells Aesha that it’s weird, and she asks if he can please take the night off from the girls. Joe says he’s not a machine and doesn’t think tonight is his night. In Aesha’s interview, she says she shouldn’t have to ask a deckhand to leave her girls alone, but she’ll try anything at this point. In Joe’s interview, he says he has to take a step back and be professional. Iain tells Ellie that she looks beautiful, and Gael tells Nathan that she loves him. Ellie tells Iain that she’s a person of few words, and he says, him too, but he feels he’s not connecting with everyone as much as he’d like to. Ellie tells him to ask them about them and then listen. In Ellie’s interview, she says, this is not the way to go about it, and in Iain’s interview, he says, sh*t. They sit at the table in awkward silence, then everyone hits the dance floor. Iain talks and talks and talks about himself to Ellie, totally ignoring her advice. In her interview, Ellie says, her bodysuit is working well… on the wrong person. It’s a torture method. He’s waterboarding her with words. Joe tells Bri that she makes him laugh and he finds her attractive, and she says, they’ve caused drama already. He says, he understands that they have to function on a professional level, and she says, if he doesn’t want anything, she won’t invade his space. He says, right now, he doesn’t want anything, and they shake hands. Aesha points out Joe and Bri to Jono, and she asks, what’s with Nathan and Gael? as they watch them at the bar. Jono says he doesn’t know, and Gael and Nathan move closer to each other. Gael tells Nathan that he’s getting her horny, and Jono tells Aesha, it is what it is.

In the taxi, lain blows on Ellie to give her a breeze. Eww. Back on the boat, Nathan and Gael go up to the top deck, and Aesha goes to bed. Gael tells Nathan that she’s a heartbreaker, and he kisses her cheek. She says she can give him a kiss on the cheek and does. He says, they’re friends, and they leave. The declare their like for each other on the stairs and nuzzle. In Gael’s interview, she says she liked it, but at the same time… In Nathan’s interview, he says he doesn’t think Gael’s boyfriend is going to be too happy, but f*** that guy.

In the morning, the anchor is retrieved. Joe says, anything? to Nathan, and Nathan says, there was some neck kissing. Joe tells him, be careful, and Nathan says, she’s fire. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, wildfires are burning near the marina. It’s the first time she’s dealt with that, and it’s so sad that the people are suffering. It’s not close to the boat yet, but getting closer by the day. They need to get off the dock before they have a problem. Iain and Aesha go over what needs to be done with their departments, and the captain tells Iain that the fires are north of Athens. She wishes they could just take off, but leaving the guests at the dock id not a good thing. The anchor arrives, and in the captain’s interview, she says, thank God. A diver goes down and floats it up. They’ll put the chain back on and wrap it around the windlass. We see this operation cost just over $40K. Yachts are expensive. Don’t they say that the two best days are the day you buy the boat and the day you sell it? That’s probably why. It’s a money pit.

It’s time for the preference sheet meeting, and Aesha, Jono, and Iain gather in the crew mess with the captain. Captain Sandy says, the co-primaries are Kacie and Quint, who are exploring Europe for the first time. Aesha reads that they want to have an excursion to a local island, and the captain says, they’re going to Hydra. It’s tough to dock there, so the deck crew needs to be on their A-game. Gael has a guilt hangover after she sees texts from her boyfriend that say he’s sorry if he’s needy and he feels hurt. She shows Jono and says she feels like she’s always on the phone. We flash back, and she is always on the phone. Jono says, maybe they need a break. They can’t change that they’re not together. Does she want to be with him?

Gael says, he’s a good guy, and Jono asks, does she want to be with him? She says she thinks she struggles, especially when she’s tired and working. She doesn’t want to paint him as bad. Jono says, that’s not what he asked, and in Gael’s interview, she says, if he hated her, this would be easier. She’s torturing herself every day keeping up the relationship when she has a connection with someone else. Being apart, people do things they wouldn’t normally do. Growing up, it was always, you can do better. At the same time, she reaps the seeds she sows. She tells Jono that she hates disappointing people, and he says he thinks she and her boyfriend need to have a conversation. Be honest and transparent, even if it’s hurtful.

Once again, Captain Sandy can’t find her shirt, and in her interview, she says, it’s not the first time her laundry was mixed up. We flash back to several times, and she says, the third stew is an entry level position, so she wouldn’t fire someone, but it needs to be corrected. It’s charter four and Bri needs to develop a system. Provisions come in, and the captain brings some clothes back to the laundry. She says, they’re not hers, and Ellie calls Bri to the laundry. Bri explains that the captain’s clothes are in the washing machine, and Ellie says, there needs to be more clarity. Captain Sandy says, they’re not leaving until the wind dies down. She hopes it blows the smoke the other way. Things start blowing around and the placemats fly off the table. In the captain’s interview, she says, they need to wait for a weather window and have to get off before the smoke gets to the marina. Ellie calls Bri to the laundry again, and Bri says, the captain’s clothes are in the dryer. Ellie tells Captain Sandy that she’ll bring them up. Finding the clothing on her bed, the captain looks for a shirt. She says, this is terrible, and goes back downstairs to find the crew eating in the mess. She asks why it’s so hard to get her clothes back, and Bri says, her shirt should be in the pile. Ellie says, her clothes were all pressed and hanging, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she’s dealing with wind, fires, and guests. She doesn’t need to lose a shirt. This is the last time. Now she’s gonna get pissed.

Ellie asks if Bri checked their cabin. It has to be somewhere. The captain says, Bri will pay attention now, and tells the crew to meet on the dock in 15 minutes. Bri finally finds the captain’s shirt, and Captain Sandy says, she’s got to fix this. In Bri’s interview, she says she knows she’s making mistakes, but she’s not the only one in the laundry room. She’s going to log every piece. Receipts, bitch. Iain tells Joe that people are picking up on little things and saying the deck work is incomplete. They’ve got to work together and get everyone on the same page.

The guests arrive, and the captain tells Iain, if they don’t get off the dock, they’ll spend the day in a bulk of smoke. Co-primary Kacie introduces herself and says, they’re from Charleston. Captain Sandy says, they’re not departing immediately because the wind is insane. She doesn’t want them seasick their first time out. Aesha gives the tour, and in Nathan’s interview, he says he feels bad about Joe. Joe is his boy. He can tell Joe feels bad and he doesn’t want to be a d*ck. The captain calls Iain to the bridge. She tells him that a superyacht just docked right in front of her (bastard), and in her interview, she says, the wind is getting worse, she has a boat portside, and now a boat has pulled in front of her. Typically, she wouldn’t take the risk, but the smoke is coming in, so she’s taking it. She tells Iain to drop the lines. She’s casting off and is going to come as close as she can to the other boat. The guests see the fire coming, and Captain Sandy tells the deck crew that they have a window and need to leave. The crew moves quickly, and Iain says, she has 4 meters on the stern and has cleared the groundlines. In the captain’s interview, she says, it’s crazy. They can see the fire and the clients on the boat can smell it. If they don’t want ash on top of them, they have to get out, but how can they get out? She’s boxed in and has 6 inches to work with. One wrong maneuver and the season is over. They’re so close… She says, sh*t. It’s too tight.

To be continued…

🎽 Dancing In the Clouds…

This guy was so precious. I barely remember him from GH, but I work out every day and when I’m feeling lazy, I don’t mind sweatin’ to the oldies with him on YouTube. Rock on, Richard.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-fave-richard-simmons-dead-at-76

🥀 Released From Battle…

Such a shame. Whether you loved her or hated her, there’s no question that her work will live on.

https://ew.com/shannen-doherty-costars-pay-tribute-after-death-8677736

And she loved her dog.

https://people.com/all-about-shannen-doherty-dog-bowie-8677823

🐕 Who’s a Good Boy…

Olympians need furry encouragement too.

https://people.com/meet-beacon-golden-retriever-therapy-dog-team-usa-olympics-gymnastics-trials-8672007

🧚‍♂️ Chasing a Midsummer Night’s Dream…

It’s been a long, humid day, but join me tomorrow for soap and entertainment info and recaps. Until then, stay safe, stay choosing to live your memories rather than record them, and stay not waterboarding anyone with words.

Jul13

July 12, 2024 – Sasha Tells Cody What She Saw, NYC OG Reunion, Fired, New Knight, Real Darkness, Those Brats, 1½ Weeks To Go, Red Carpet Ugly, Quotes Numbering Nine & Summertime

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Maxie tells Cody that they’re just about to have dinner. He should join them. Felicia says, great idea, and Cody says he appreciates what they’re trying to facilitate here. Their hearts are in the right place, but Mac knows where to find him if he wants to talk. Maxie says, sorry… not sorry. She knows this wasn’t the best way to get the two of them in the same room, but she and her mom thought he and Mac needed to talk face to face. Then they can all have a conversation as a family. He says, that’s just it. We’re not a family; you guys are. He’s just the guy who gives her son riding lessons. Maybe it’s better they keep it that way. He leaves, and Mac says, care to explain the point to that humiliating exercise?

Michael meets Sasha in the stable doorway, and she says she was just on her way to the gatehouse. She hands him a picnic basket, and he says he didn’t expect her to be his delivery service when he put out the SOS, but she says, no problem. She was bringing a basket to Cody anyway. There’s fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans with garlic inside. He thanks her and says he didn’t know he’d have the kids for the evening. She says, there’s enough for Willow too. Where is she tonight? He says, she’s working late with Drew.

Doc says, one book, and Ace was out. He asks if Laura is reading that article, and she says, yeah. He asks what she thinks, and she thanks him for sending it to her. She’s not sure if it’s a good comparison to Heather’s case, because this guy got cobalt poisoning from industrial exposure. He says, true, but he suffered from extreme neurological disorders, dementia, and uncontrollable rage. She says, that’s exactly how they would have described Heather not too long ago. She wonders if this article could help people understand how Heather could have changed.

Curtis comes home to find Trina there, and asks, who is this stranger in his house? Kind of looks familiar. Kind of like someone who used to live here. She asks what he’s doing home already. Mom said they’d both be working late and Marshall’s at the club. He sees a beautifully set table, and says, so she thought she could have a romantic dinner at the house? Is there something he should know? She says, it’s actually a surprise dinner for him and mom. It was from the MetroCourt and the sommelier said he recommended the wine, which he didn’t sell her. It was a gift from the hotel owner. He says, she’s adorable, but she didn’t have to do this. She says, it’s an occasion that needs to be marked on the calendar. It’s been a year. He says, since he was shot and almost lost everything, and she says, it’s been a year since his family rallied around him and he found everything. And look at him now.

Jason lets Anna into his apartment, and she says she doesn’t have a lot of time. She’s on her way to Valentin’s right now. She’s going to drop by unannounced and walk out with the satellite phone he uses to communicate with Pikeman. Jason says, assuming it’s still there, and she asks why he’d move it. He doesn’t know she found it. It’s the best way they have to prove that Pikeman is trafficking illegal arms, and that Valentin is in charge of them. So where is she going to find Jason once she’s secured the evidence? He says he’ll be parked two cars down from Valentin’s house, but she says, no. She’s going it alone this time.

Doc says, the patient in the article was restored to baseline behavior. No more decrease in mental functions and no more rage. That’s a good indicator for recovery and it seems to be what’s happened with Heather. Laura says, ironically, the best argument for Heather’s transformed state of mind is that she doesn’t want her case reopened, and he says, based on what he’s learned from a medical and legal standpoint, a strong argument could be had that there was a rush to judgement and the case should be opened. If that were to happen, Heather could even get a new trial. Laura says, maybe she could, but that’s not what Heather wants.

Curtis says he thought he was the only one that kept track of his shooting at the MetroCourt, but Trina says, no. The whole family’s aware. She asked Aunt Stella if she should mention it to him or not, and she said, the heck with mentioning, we should celebrate. So, ta-da! She’s celebrating not only him being alive and well, but standing and walking. He hugs her and says, thank you, baby. Being able to walk again means everything, but what he’s most grateful for is spending time with his family. But he noticed there are only two place settings. She’s not joining them? She says, nope. She just wants her mom and dad to celebrate privately. The way they just pulled together was inspiring, so they deserve this. He says, it’s very thoughtful of her, but they are putting a dinner or cookout on the schedule, so it doesn’t matter how busy she is. She says, he had her at cookout.

Michael tells Sasha, the meeting came up suddenly, but it’s for the New Tomorrow Institute, so Willow could hardly say no. Sasha says, for sure. So how’s it been for him with Willow’s new job? He says he’s happy as long as Willow’s happy. He knows she was pretty conflicted with the long hours she was working at GH and not having the valuable time to spend with the kids, but luckily, Drew came up with a solution. He pitched Willow as spokesperson for the New Tomorrow Institute and got her on board. So Willow can now spend time with the kids and still do work she can be proud of. She says, a win-win, and he says, the kids sure think so. So does Willow. She does seem happier, doesn’t Sasha think? She says, no question, and he says he should get this to the troops. Thanks for dinner and have a good evening.

Jason says, the last time Anna went to Valentin’s alone, she came out empty handed, and she says she was searching the place. Now she knows where the evidence is. He asks if she meant to spend the night last time, but she says, it just happened. It’s none of his business and it won’t happen again. He says he’s not trying to call her out, but he is a little concerned. He knows how complicated this is. She says, noted. She still doesn’t want him there. Valentin has security cameras. He’ll notice if the same car with the same diver is parked outside each time she visit, so no. This is a solo operation. She’ll meet him back here once she’s acquired the phone. He gives her the key to his place, and she says she’s on her way then. She’ll be back when she has the phone. She leaves and Jason loads his gun.

There’s a knock at Jason’s door, and he opens it to Elizabeth. She says, sorry for just dropping by, but he says, it’s okay. Is everything okay with Jake? She hands him an envelope and says, see for himself. He starts reading something in Spanish and asks if it’s Barcelona Academy of Arts. He takes out a letter and says, his Spanish is not good, but is this an acceptance letter? She says, Jake has been accepted into the drawing and painting program.

Valentin opens the door, and Anna asks if he’s surprised. He says he is, but it’s his favorite kind of surprise. He invites her in and she presents him with some wine. He asks if she’d like to stay for dinner, and she says she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t hoping he’d ask. He’s a wonderful cook and she’s just a lowly small town Police Commissioner in need of a hot meal and some good conversation. He says, then she’s come to the right place, because he’d never want her to waste away or be bored.

Sasha is unpacking a picnic basket, when Cody walks in. She says, he didn’t come up to pester her about dinner, so she figured he might be busy and brought it to him. Has he eaten? He says, no and thanks, but he really doesn’t have an appetite right now. She says, that’s impossible to believe. What’s going on? He says, nothing he wants to get into right now, but he’s glad she’s here. He could use the distraction. She says, there’s a lot of that going around, and he says, so keeping him fed isn’t what drove her out of the kitchen and down here. She says, of course (🍷) she’ll always care for his nourishment, but no, and he asks, what’s going on? She says, if she tells him, she has to swear him to secrecy. This has to stay between them.

Felicia says she’s not going to apologize for scheming to bring Mac and Cody face to face. She was hoping Mac would let reason take hold in that stubborn brain of his, and maybe, just maybe, he and his son could actually talk with each other. Maxie says she thinks stubbornness is an inherited trait, because Cody’s really digging in now, and Felicia says she doesn’t get it. Mac and Cody liked each other just fine before Cody told him the truth. Cody is the one who had to live with the secret and now it’s out in the open. He came to Mac of his own volition. Nobody forced him to do that. No one was twisting his arm. Why can’t Mac let it bring them closer together instead of driving them apart? Mac says, maybe he liked the liar better, but she says, don’t you do that. Don’t play this off like you don’t care. What you like better is your own pride. And Maxie’s right. Cody is just like him. Too proud to beg to be accepted as his son, and maybe deep down, Mac wants him to as penance for lying, until Mac can forgive him. He says, Cody jerked all of them around with his lies. He’s not letting anyone do that to his family. Not a relative, not anyone. Maxie says, funny. Now he’s the one that’s lying.

On the phone, Doc says, send her up, when Laura comes in and says, bad dream. Ace is down, then she stayed a while to watch him sleep. It’s just so beautiful, like an angel. Then she realized that Heather is never going to see that unless she takes a photo of it, and she will. She’s made a decision. She’s going to honor Heather’s request and let this go. It just feels like such a shame though. Now they’ll never know whether or not she could have gotten a reduced sentence. There’s a knock at the door, and he says, the doorman called. Trina is here to see her. Laura opens the door, and Trina says she’s sorry to just show up, but it’s important.

Portia comes home and sees the table. Curtis puts on some music, and she asks if he did this, but he says he can’t take credit. This is 100% their beautiful daughter’s idea. When he got home, she was putting on the finishing touches. The food, this amazing bottle of wine, it’s all from the MetroCourt. Trina thought that after the year they’ve had, they needed some time with each other. Portia says, she is so incredibly sweet. She has to call Trina right now and thank her. He says, she can call Trina tomorrow. Tonight is about them. She says, that’s perfect, because she’s been thinking about him all day. How happy she is that he’s here and that they’re still together. She was so afraid of losing him. He says, why don’t they celebrate what’s ahead, and they can leave all the pain and fear behind. She says, the pain maybe, but she’s having a hard time leaving the fear behind. She hates to admit this, but it’s hard for her to celebrate when she’s worried about the safety of her family.

Elizabeth tells Jason, it’s such a prestigious school, she didn’t want to discourage Jake, but she had no idea he’d actually get in. Not because she doesn’t recognize his talent. He’s amazing and his teacher references are glowing, but you never know if someone else is going to see your kid the way you see them. (Truth! Or your pets.) He asks if Jake is excited, and she says, he’s trying to be lowkey about it, but she can tell he’s over the moon. She actually made a point of not talking about it after he applied because she didn’t want to get his hopes up, but she guesses she worried for nothing because they think he’s the real deal. Jason says, that’s great, but he’s going to have to take her word for it. Does Jake even speak Spanish? She says, he’s had six years. Two years in middle school, then all through high school. This is a dream come true for him. Their son is going to study art in Spain. He thanks her for letting him know and asks if she thinks Jake would mind if he reached out to him about this. She says, that’s why she’s here. He might want to spend whatever time he can with Jake before he leaves. It’s sooner than he thinks. He says he’d like to do one more thing. Let him cover Jake’s tuition and expenses.

Laura says, Trina is always welcome, and invites her in. What’s going on? Trina takes a stuffed horse out of her bag and says, it’s an Ace emergency. She found this in her car. She was at her mom and dad’s house, trying to grab some clothes to take to her place, and this must have been there from the last time she babysat Ace. She hopes he hasn’t missed it too much. Laura thanks her and says, it’s so thoughtful. She’d have Trina give it to him herself, but he’s already gone down. Trina says, that’s okay, and Doc says, it’s good to see her, but he has some cases he still has to review tonight. He leaves, and Laura asks if Trina would like to sit down. She’d love the opportunity to catch up. She heard Trina moved onto the Quartermaine grounds. She thought maybe she would have seen Trina at the 4th of July. Trina says she’s been keeping a low profile. She thinks it’s important to vote and all, but she’s just not into the political scene these days. It’s just a little too chaotic and overwhelming. She knows what she’s for and what she’s against. She’s not saying she’s not interested in those issues, but she’ll make sure she’s up on them before she votes in November. Laura says she’s sure Trina will be. Her mother’s very invested. Trina says, yeah, because of Heather Webber. Has she said anything to Laura?

Portia tells Curtis that for years she lived in apprehension because Taggart was pursuing his career in law enforcement. She was so happy Curtis had left that job when they got together because she knew he would be safe. No risk of life or death every time he walked out the front door. Then this mad woman who was fixated on their daughter was finally captured and put in prison where she belongs. She thought she could actually have some peace and was doing real good for a while there, but now this mad woman might just be casually walking their streets again. He says he seriously doubts that will happen again, and she says she knows he thinks she’s being paranoid, but she thinks the lesson over the past few years is, maybe she hasn’t been paranoid enough. Because she didn’t listen to that scared inside voice; she tried to quiet it. And what happened? Trina almost died in France. Spencer did die. That’s why she’s sounding the alarm about Laura trying to reopen Heather Webber’s case. She just fears the worst… She knows it. The worst is yet to come. (This woman. There are so many layers as to why she’s overreacting. The first of which is, highly doubtful Heather would just be put back on the streets. At best, she’d be moved to Spring Ridge. It’s annoying how Portia is an intelligent doctor, yet doesn’t know basic facts. We’ve been here before.)

Valentin says, Anna is in luck. He just made a caprese salad and was about to sauté some filet of sole he picked up earlier. She asks why he enjoys cooking so much, and he says, it relaxes him. Charlotte’s gone now and he’s not used to cooking just for himself, so he almost always has too much. Open the wine and he’ll finish dinner. He’s really glad she’s here. She says, her too, and he kisses her. He says, one dinner for two coming up, and goes to the kitchen. She sets down the wine and goes to the bookcase behind the desk. He comes back with wine glasses and a corkscrew and asks if he can help her find something. She says, he found it, taking the corkscrew from him. He says he’s sorry, but he has to get back to the fish, and tells her to open the wine to let it breathe. She opens the wine, and he brings in their dinner.

Maxie says, nobody’s lied more to this family than her, but Mac says, that was different. She says, it was different because he forgave her. And when it was her turn, she wasn’t so quick to forgive. She remembers clinging to some sort of misguided pride and pushing her mother away, saying she didn’t want Felicia in her life. Even though it didn’t happen overnight, she realized her pride wasn’t nearly as comforting as her mother’s love. The moral of this story is, Mac never turned his back on her. Why can’t he do that for Cody? Mac says, they’ve been over this. He raised her. He always knew her intentions were good. Cody is a stranger who he happens to share biology with. He doesn’t know what she expects, that he suddenly forgives and forgets? Felicia says, they’re not suggesting that, but they’re also not letting him give up on his only child – his son.

Sasha says, Cody knows she and Michael dated, right? and he says, yeah, and they managed to be friends afterwards. She says, right. They’re better off actually. Now she’s stumbled into something that might blow up Michael’s life, not to mention his business with Aurora and ELQ. He says, sounds ominous, and she says, he promised to keep this between them, right? He says, yeah. What is it? She says, the other day, Nina confided in her that she was having an… affair isn’t really the right word. More like a situationship with Drew. He asks why that would bother Michael. Because they all work together? Oh, because him and Willow have bad blood with Nina. She asks if she’s telling this story, or does he already have it figured out? and he says, no, proceed. She says, during the fireworks on 4th of July, she walked into the solarium and saw Drew and Willow kiss, and Cody says, no, but she says, yes. He asks if she’s absolutely sure, and she says she wishes she wasn’t, but it was Drew and it was Willow, and they were lit up by the fireworks and they were too into the kiss to even notice she was there. He says, whoa. That’s a curveball. She says, right? She just had a conversation with Michael, and she was squirming the entire time. He clearly has no idea, and Drew and Willow are working together, and they’re out tonight at a meeting. She doesn’t know what to do.

Elizabeth says, it’s very generous of Jason, but she’s already looking into loan applications. He says, they’re going to forget the loans. Please just let him do this for Jake. It’s something he can do, and she’s been carrying the load for way too long. She says, okay, and thanks him. That’ll be a really big help. She’s still paying for Cameron, and she’s got Aiden coming up, and she’s looking at a lot of expenses for Jake with traveling. He’s got to go there for orientation and got to update his passport and get a student visa and the books and art supplies. He says, that’s fine. Does she think Jake will be okay with him helping? She says she guesses that will be up to Jake, but she got the impression that when they went to the game, things went well. He says he thought so.

Laura says, Heather inspires fear and rage in people and rightly so. If she were Trina’s mother, she would also be very protective of her. After all, Heather did target her. Trina says, but when she came to see Laura in the office, she was so great, and she understands why Laura feels the way she does. Laura says she appreciates that, but she has to tell Trina something. She just came from visiting Heather today, and Heather made it abundantly clear to her that she would like her to drop the whole thing. Trina asks if she’s going to, and Laura says, it’s Heather’s life. It’s her decision and she thinks she has to respect that. Trina says she’s glad to hear that, but Laura does raise an important question. If Heather wasn’t in her right mind and she wasn’t in control of her actions, should she be locked up for the rest of her life? Laura says she honestly doesn’t know what the right thing is here, but she does know she’s going to respect Heather’s wishes. She’s curious though. What does Trina think should have been done with Heather?

Portia says she needs to find out how many names she needs to have on a petition to have Laura recalled as mayor, but Curtis says, that’s been tried before. It didn’t work then, and he doubts it will work now. She says, then she’ll just have to make it an issue. She doesn’t think the public would take too kindly to their mayor’s attempts to try and overturn Heather’s conviction. He says he gets it. She’s fired up about this. She says, and he’s not. She gets that Laura’s his friend and hopefully, that woman will come to her senses, but she can’t afford to take that chance. And more importantly, Trina can’t. He says he hadn’t told her this before, but he went to Pentenville to visit with Heather. He had to see for himself. She says, so they’re just not telling each other things. Is that what’s happening now? He says he was still processing the whole thing and he didn’t know how to talk to her about it until he had. She says, why? Was it that bad? He says, it’s not that bad. After talking with Heather, he can see what Laura sees. From a legal standpoint, maybe Heather doesn’t deserve to be behind bars for the rest of her life.

Felicia says, when Mac thought Cody wasn’t his son, even afterwards he couldn’t let go of the connection he felt with him. Don’t even deny that. Mac says he’s not denying he likes the guy, but Cody lied to him and kept up that lie, every interaction they had, every conversation. Every laugh they shared, Cody was lying to his face. How does she expect him to accept that? Maxie says, Cody grew up with people he wasn’t close to. They never treated him like a son. Is Mac going to continue that and not treat him like one either? He says, the two of them are ganging up on him, but Felicia takes his hand and says, no. (Yes.) They’re loving him. They know how difficult it is for him to welcome Cody with open arms. Because he’s angry, and for good reason. Cody lied to him. He cost them a year of their lives. But ask himself, how much time is he willing to let his anger cost him now?

Sasha says she doesn’t know what Willow is thinking. Michael loves her so much and she knows Willow loves him. They have two small children. He says, all she saw was a kiss, so maybe that’s all it was. They were probably drinking, fireworks were going off. Maybe they just got carried away. She says, so it was a one-time thing? and he says, she knows these people better than he does. Do Willow and Drew seem like people to sneak behind Michael’s back? She says, absolutely not, and he says, okay. His advice is that she forgets that she saw it. Unless she wants to blackmail. His recommendation would be, Drew’s got deeper pockets. She says she needs to go finish cleaning up. Forget she said anything. He says he’s sorry, and takes her hands. He was just joking. He was just trying to lighten things up for her in his own clueless way. She says, he really is clueless, isn’t he? and he says, about most things, but with this, he sees pretty clearly. She asks, how is that? and he says, people can be reckless and crazy. He totally includes himself in that, but that doesn’t really matter right now. One of the hazards of working in someone else’s home is that sometimes you’re going to find out things you wish you hadn’t (been there). And the fact that the Qs are stinking rich only magnifies that problem.

Portia says, no, but Curtis says, she’s still Heather, but not cruel or violent. Nothing like the maniac he remembers. She says, it just makes her crazy to sit here and think he was sitting across from someone who’s an absolute threat to their family. He says he had to see it for himself and he’s glad he did. Because if Laura makes some kind of effort to free Heather – and he’s not saying she has, because she hasn’t – but if she does, they don’t have to fight her. Portia asks why he’s even saying this, and he says, because Heather made it clear to him that she doesn’t even want her case reopened. She told him that she’s right where she belongs, and she would tell that to any judge or parole officer who reviewed her case. She says, Heather said that, so… He says, she did, and she was adamant about it. So no matter what Laura does, he’s 100% confident that Heather Webber will stay right there in that cell where she is for the rest of her days.

Elizabeth tells Jason that Cameron is loving California, and she would never deprive Jake of this opportunity. Does he remember when she wanted to be an artist? He says he does remember. She was good. She says, but she gave up on it. She kind of went back to it a little bit after she met Franco. She knows how Jason feels about him, but he did a lot for those boys and for her. He says, she gets the credit for the boys. She’s done an amazing job raising them. She thanks him and tells him, like she said, it’s going to be up to Jake if he allows Jason to pay for Barcelona. She does want to say that she sees he’s trying to make up for lost time with Jake and Jake sees it too. He’s making good on his word to be a better father. She appreciates that.

Sasha says, Cody is right. The best thing she can do is ignore that it ever happened. And whatever is going on between Willow and Drew will work itself out. Just don’t try to blackmail them. He asks what it’s worth to her and laughs.

Mac says, Cody wanted him to believe he wasn’t his son, and now Cody wants him to know that he’s his son. If the circumstances have changed, that’s on Cody, but he doesn’t have to automatically fall in line and neither does Maxie. Cody can go through whatever he’s going through, but that has nothing to do with them.

Laura says she has to tell Trina that to a degree, she has compassion for whatever Heather is going through right now. As she becomes more lucid, maybe she can get some counseling. Maybe she can arrange for Heather to have a psychiatrist see her in Pentenville, somebody who can help her deal with the things she’s done. Because she believes Heather is truly remorseful. Trina says she’s been thinking about this a lot. Is it fair that someone who’s mentally ill gets punished for something they have no control over? Should they be treated the same as someone who knew what they were doing? She doesn’t think so. Heather couldn’t help that she was sick. She didn’t choose it. Laura says, it’s easy for her to see why Spencer loved Trina so much. She has a very loving, compassionate heart. Trina says, Laura asked what she thinks should be done to Heather, and she thinks Heather should get justice according to the laws of this country, because that’s what she’d want anyone to get. Laura says, her too.

Portia says she wishes she could believe that Laura will do what Heather asks and just let this whole thing go, and Curtis says he still believes in Laura’s integrity. She will do the right thing. Portia says she thinks they’ve talked about Heather Webber enough for one night. She certainly doesn’t want Heather to derail this absolutely lovely celebration that their daughter planned for them. He says, before the first course – he puts on some music – may he have this dance? He holds out his hand and she takes it. She says, it would be her absolute pleasure, and they kiss as they dance.

Valentin asks if Anna has given any thought to his proposition, and she says, leaving Port Charles with him and going… He says, wherever they feel like, and she says she’s thought about how hard it would hit her if he were to disappear without her. He sets down his wine and says, then don’t let him. They kiss and it looks like they’ll be getting busy.

On Monday, Jack tells Carly that he doesn’t like those odds, but maybe they can improve them; Willow tells Nina that she did something terrible; and Elizabeth says, the only way to know is to make the offer.

🗽 Reunited and It’s Not So Good…

Oh for Pete’s sake, Countess. Put on your big girl panties and don’t be all uncool.

https://people.com/bethenny-frankel-luann-de-lesseps-reunite-hamptons-party-8674417

Luann de Lesseps ‘Hurt’ After Bethenny Frankel Reunion: ‘Used Her Daughter To Get to Me’

🚣‍♂️ Bound To Happen…

That’s probably why most of them have their own businesses. Would you want a perpetually hung over 35 going on 14-year-old working for you?

Jesse Solomon Fired From Finance Job After Summer House Debut

⚔️ Spinning Off the Throne…

The latest look at the latest GoT spin-off.

https://ew.com/game-of-thrones-a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-first-look-cast-confirmed-8665658

📺 Reality In the Dark…

The Vice channel’s Dark Side series is the best, and this sounds like it won’t disappoint.

https://www.ebosscanada.com/news/new-dark-side-series-from-vice-tv.html

Dark Side of Reality TV Trailer: Vicki Gunvalson ‘Will Never Forgive Bravo’

Excellent article about reality TV.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/dype9v/is-reality-tv-too-scared-to-be-reality-tv

🍻 Back To the 80s…

If you’re a fan of the 80s youth quake in film, this documentary is for you. I watched this last weekend and loved it. I’m reading his book now.

https://people.com/andrew-mccarthy-hulu-brats-documentary-biggest-bombshells-8660143

🏊 Diving Into the Deadpool…

Just one more week and a half.

https://okmagazine.com/p/deadpool-and-wolverine-everything-to-know/

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/deadpool-wolverines-teaser-footage-ryan-reynolds-hugh-jackman-tva-cassandra-nova-mcu/

https://movieweb.com/the-history-of-deadpool-and-wolverines-relationship/

🐕 From Contest To Carpet…

I love this dog so much.

https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/ugliest-dog-photo-contest-winner-stars-in-deadpool-and-wolverine-movie

https://ew.com/dogpool-gets-its-day-deadpool-and-wolverine-london-premiere-8677127

💡 Quotes of the Week

But instead of spending our lives running towards our dreams, we are often running away from a fear of failure or a fear of criticism. – Erina Wright

The only thing standing between you and outrageous success is continuous progress. – Dan Waldschmidt

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. – T. S. Eliot

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. – Steve Jobs

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. – George Bernard Shaw

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance. – Will Durant

A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn. – Helen Keller

The man used to have to get naked to count to twenty-one. – Dorothy (Bea Arthur) when asked if her ex had a head for numbers, The Golden Girls

The bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep. – E. Cossman (Or sometimes a good stiff drink.)

🪺 Time Of the Season…

Try doing something you’ve never done before this weekend, then meet me on Monday for soap and misbehavior on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay planning your road trip route in advance to avoid unnecessary delays, and stay letting reason take hold over stubbornness.