Category Archives: Bravo

February 6, 2024 – Robert Asks Special Agent Cates For a Favor, Oops, Guess Who’s Back In Town, No Hospitality & Good

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Lucy breaks away from Scotty and says, what is this? He says, what they’ve always wanted, and kisses her again. They fall behind the hay bales.

Martin says, for the life of him, he can’t figure out why Tracy wants to suddenly unburden her conscience, but like he said, he’s not up for it right now. She wants him to say she’s right? She’s right. He’s broken up with Lucy. They’re done now. Unless of course (🍷), she wants to discuss some obscure point of law, in which case, she can call his office. Tracy says she’s the reason he and Lucy broke up.

John calls for a car to come to the station of the PCPD… He wants to transport a couple of detainees. Robert comes in and says, look what the cat dragged in – Jagger Cates. John tells him that it’s John now. It’s been a while. He looks good. Robert says, better than the last time John saw him, and John says, he beat the cancer well. He and Robin stay in touch, although it’s been a few months since they caught up. How is she? Robert says, they’re doing great, out there saving lives. Noah’s captain of the soccer team and Emma is an intern at Berkeley Astrophysics Center. John asks why it doesn’t surprise him that Robin’s daughter is a genius. He’s glad to hear they’re all doing so well. It’s good to see Robert. Robert says, him too. What brings him to Port Charles?

An officer locks Jordan and Anna in a cell, explaining that Special Agent Cates asked for them to be detained. Anna says, of course (🍷) he did, and Jordan asks if they don’t get a phone call. The officer says he’ll check on that and leaves. Jordan wonders how far Anna’s friend is going to push these obstruction charges, and Anna says, Lord knows. Jordan suggests they tell him what they know. He might be interested to learn that the buyer for the weapons is in Port Charles. Anna says, if they give him their intel, they use their leverage. If they want to be involved in this investigation, then they have to keep what they know to themselves. Jordan says, they won’t have much time to investigate while they’re being arraigned in federal court, and Anna says she’s just hoping their friends intervene. Dante comes in and says, friends like him?

On the phone in his office, Michael tells Drew that he’s glad the meeting went well… There’s no need to come back. Everyone’s gone for the day. He’s just wrapping up a few things himself… Looking forward to it. AND HE ACTAULLY SAYS GOODBYE. Unheard of on a soap phone call. Dex walks in and Michael asks what he’s doing here. Dex says, somebody tried to kill Michael’s father.

At the penthouse, Sonny thanks Brick for coming by so quickly, and Brick says, it sounded urgent. Sonny says, it is, and Brick says, whatever he needs. He knows Sonny is going through a lot right now. Sonny says he needs people he can trust.

Sitting in the interrogation room, and John tells Robert that he’s in Port Charles working on a case. Murder, attempted murder, stolen weapons. Robert says, sounds serious, and John says, it is, but on a lighter note, he hears Robert is DA now. Congratulations. Robert says, John knows him; keep moving, so to speak. Which brings him to why he’s here. He understands Anna was arrested, so after he sorts that little mess out, the three of them should get together. He knows Anna would love to see John. John says he doubts that. He’s the one who arrested her.

Anna asks, who told Dante they were in custody? and Dante says, Nikolas Cassadine is back in town and turned himself in. He brought Nikolas in for booking, and the desk sergeant told him they were down here. What’s going on? Anna says, the Feds arrested them for an obstruction charge, and he says, really? What happened with that? Jordan says, she and Anna tangled with them while following a lead, but Dante says he’ll need a little more information than that. Anna says, they tried to keep the PCPD’s hands clean while they gathered some extra information, and Dante says, right. Well, too late, right? Because here they are the PCPD jail. He can’t override the Feds, but if he’s going to help sort this out at all, they have to tell him what happened. Start from the beginning. Tell him everything. Anna says, it all started with Dante’s father.

Sonny says, someone close to him targeted him and his family in Puerto Rico, and Brick says, so he thinks the shooter is someone he knows? Sonny says, has to be, because they had to have knowledge of his island. They knew how to get through security, they knew where his men were, and they knew how they worked. That kind of information isn’t easy to get, so it’s got to be somebody he trusts. Brick says, so his theory is, someone inside was the shooter or was working with the shooter, and Sonny says, that’s the only thing he can think of. Brick says, no one on the outside would have any knowledge whatsoever of Sonny’s security plans. Hell, some of his own men don’t know. Sonny says, that’s right, and Brick wonders, who the hell can it be? He personally vetted every single person who works for Sonny. Sonny says he guesses he has to question the source, and Brick says, what?! Sonny thinks he’s behind this? Does he?

Dex tells Michael, after they realized the shooter had gotten away, Sonny didn’t want to stay on the island, so they came back to Port Charles. Michael says, everyone’s okay though, right? His dad and Ava… Avery didn’t see anything, did she? Dex says, everyone’s fine. Fortunately, Avery was in her room with her bodyguard the whole time and never even realized anything was wrong. Michael says, that’s good at least. How could someone get close enough to Sonny to shoot him in his own house with Avery there, and why is this the first he’s hearing about it? Dex says, Sonny probably didn’t tell Michael because he didn’t want to worry him, and Michael says, this is exactly why he wanted Dex to keep working for him, so Dex can tell him when things start to spiral for Sonny, and it seems like it’s happening now.

On the phone, Gregory says he needs to make an appointment with the doctor. He’s expecting Gregory’s call… Yes, he can hold. He looks into the restaurant and sees Tracy sitting with Martin.

Martin says he gets it. Tracy and Lucy don’t like each other. He understands. What he’s telling her is, if she wants to gloat, to bask in Lucy’s misfortune, she’d better have the decency to do it somewhere else. His relationship issues have nothing to do with her. She says, they do. With her and with Scotty. He says he’s telling her that he wants to be alone. It’s none of her business. She says, the trouble with Lucy started when she warned him about Lucy and Scotty. She’s the one who put it in his head that their tawdry history has a habit of repeating itself.  He asks what kind of game she’s playing, but she says she’s not playing a game; she’s trying to stop the games. She’s trying to be honest with him. She’s been manipulating him. She’s been misleading him. He says, in what way? and she says she doesn’t want to bore him with the details, but she got wind of the fact that Lucy and Scotty were plotting against her. They wanted her to fall for Scotty. He asks, why the hell would they do that? and she says she doesn’t know. She thinks it’s got something to do with Deception. When she found out, she decided to turn the tables and started manipulating them and thereby Martin. Her intention was only to get revenge on Lucy, then he got swept up in it… She’s so sorry. Martin bangs on the table and says, of all the self-centered and hateful… How could she do something like that? She says, believe her, she’s done worse. So he has a choice now that he knows the truth. He can either waste his time berating her or use it more wisely and try to get Lucy back.

Lucy sits up, her hair full of straw and her dress off one shoulder. She says, oh my God. What did I just do? Scotty sits up, looking more rumpled than usual, and says, this was amazing. At the same time, Lucy says, this was a disaster,

Martin says, Lucy’s not picking up, and Tracy asks if he expected her to jump at his call. He just broke up with her. Try again. He says, that’s the third call in a row. Obviously, she doesn’t want to talk to him, and he can’t say as he blames her. He’s an idiot. He let someone like Tracy poison their relationship. He would be surprised if she ever forgives him. Tracy says, if he gives up this easily, maybe she shouldn’t. Why doesn’t he stop wallowing and figure out a way to get her to listen to him? Martin says, do him a favor. Don’t help. She’s done enough already. Then again, he can’t stop thinking, if it’s that easy for her to turn the two of them against one another, maybe it’s not meant to be after all. She says, that’s between him and Lucy. She for one thinks he could do a lot better, but for some unfathomable reason, he’s in love with Lucy, so he deserves the truth. He says, after the damage is done. That’s what he doesn’t understand. Why? She got what she wanted. She got her revenge. She blew up his relationship with Lucy. Why confess now? She looks over at Gregory and says, why indeed.

As she zips up her dress, Lucy wonders how this just happened. How, how, how? What were they thinking? Really, what was she thinking? How in the world did she and Scotty just end up here – again? Scotty says, hang on. She’s single. He’s single. They didn’t do anything wrong. She says, right. Technically, she is single because Marty just broke up with her. But she just ended up with another man in bed… Well, it wasn’t in bed, was it? It was horizontal behind a haystack. He says, it’s a haybale, not a haystack, and she says, who cares? She just had sex with another man when the love of her life just broke up with her. She’s not particularly proud of this. He says, she’s very emotional from all those things Martin said to her. It’s not like they planned this. Lucy says, right. It just sort of happened because she was emotional and devastated and very, very, very hurt. So he’s right. He was here and it just happened. It felt familiar. Scotty says, she better be honest with herself and she sure as hell better start being honest with him, dammit.

John tells Robert, after Anna and Jordan refused to disclose whatever information they had about the unsub, he had no choice but to arrest them. They’re hiding something. Robert says he gets that John has a job to do here, but if Anna… John knows her. If she’s prepared to go to these lengths to check this out, then he’s got to know that she’s got a good reason. John says, too much is at stake here. He needs to clear this case, and both Anna and Jordan are getting in his way. Jordan ignored his warning, then she and Anna joined forces and cost him his best lead. Robert asks how they did that, and John says, the gun dealer lawyered up and isn’t talking. They admit they learned something from him, but they won’t say what. Robert says, so he thinks throwing them in jail on an obstruction charge is going to help, and John says, whatever it takes. They’re both former law enforcement. They understand time is of the essence in a case like this, but Anna is more interested in protecting Sonny Corinthos. Robert says, don’t start him on Sonny. They’re both on the same page when it comes to that guy. As the DA, he understands the position John is in. John says he appreciates that, and Robert says, but he’s going to insist John drop the charges.

Dante says he understands why Jordan wants to investigate who shot Curtis. He’s her ex-husband and she wants someone to pay. Jordan says, Curtis could be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Whoever did that to him should be behind bars. Dante says he agrees, but the problem is, the Feds told her to back off and she went and got Anna involved. Anna says she didn’t need convincing. It could have just as easily been her that day instead of Curtis. Dante says he gets it, but he wishes they’d come to him, but Jordan says, they didn’t want to involve him or anyone else in a fight with the Feds. He says, it would have been better than this. Now they’re in a cell facing serious criminal charges, and Jordan says, if they’d had just a few more minutes with the gun dealer, this would all have been a moot point. He was just on the verge of talking to them when the FBI burst in. They were so close to identifying the person who shot Curtis. Dante asks if they got anything, and Anna says, they did get one piece of intel they can use.

Brick says, Sonny thinks he’s behind this? and Sonny says, wait a minute. They’ve known each other a long time. He can always count on Brick. That’s why he asked Brick to be second in command. Brick says, and he gladly accepted the position and all it entails, and Sonny says he knows that, but he’s been in this business a long time and he knows people have a breaking point. and if Brick was ever in a position like that, he hopes Brick would come to him before he did anything he shouldn’t do. Brick says, of course (🍷) he would. They’ve been through entirely too much together for him to even think of doing something against Sonny. Sonny says he didn’t think it was Brick, but he had to make sure. With all these people that are close to him, it’s making him question everything. Brick says he understands. If he was in Sonny’s position, he’d do the same thing. Sonny says, so they’re good? and Brick says, yeah, we good. But in the spirit of honesty, he has a confession to make.

Brick says he did a favor for Jordan Ashford, and Sonny says, since when does Brick work for the cops? Brick says he doesn’t. Never have, never will. But Jordan isn’t part of the PCPD anymore. She hasn’t been a cop for a while, and now she owes him a favor, whenever he asks, no questions asked. Sonny says, somebody in the mayor’s office owing him could be good down the line, and Brick says, that’s what he was thinking, but Sonny says, it still doesn’t help them with who the rat in his organization is. Brick says, no, it doesn’t. Based on the intricacy of the attack and how easily the shooter escaped from Puerto Rico, this isn’t the result of someone just shooting off at the mouth loosely or letting some information slip. Sonny says, this wasn’t a mistake or an accident. Somebody he trusts wants him dead.

Michael says, Sonny doesn’t know Dex is here? and Dex says, he doesn’t, but Sonny is going to tell him to keep this from Michael, so he’s not going behind Sonny’s back. Between the shooting and Spencer dying so unexpectedly, Sonny’s been going non-stop. He doesn’t think Sonny’s had time to process either of those things yet. Michael says, his first instinct is to go see his father, but he doesn’t think he’s welcome in Sonny’s house right now. Dex says he can’t speak on Michael’s relationship with his father. That’s between the two of them. Michael says, that’s why he made the decision not to turn Sonny in to the Feds. He started working on their reconciliation and they made it. He thinks they did. Things were good between them in Puerto Rico. That’s why he couldn’t bring himself to tell Sonny what Nina did. It would break his heart. He also thought Sonny would take it as him saying Sonny was wrong to choose Nina over his mom. Sonny claims he’s angry with Michael because he kept quiet about what Nina did, but he’s more angry because Michael was right about Nina all along.

Anna says, as they surmised, the shooting was an attempt on Sonny’s life, but it’s a smaller piece of a much larger case, and Dante asks how she knows. She says, because the agent who arrested them gave up a piece of intel. Apparently, the Feds are investigating this string of killings committed using the cache of weapons stolen from the WSB. They believe a single person is responsible for these murders and that all the victims have something in common, but he wouldn’t give up what that something is. Dante says, they should know as well that another attempt was made on Sonny’s life a few days ago on his island, and Anna asks if anyone was hurt. Dante says, everyone’s fine, but obviously whoever this is wants to finish the job, and Jordan says, and they’re stuck in this cell, unable to help. Can he get them out of here? Dante asks, why? So they can run around town, investigating again and putting themselves in harm’s way again? Jordan says, come on. The Feds don’t want to work with anyone else on this, and Sonny isn’t their favorite person anyway. Anna says, which puts them in a better position to help, and they can’t just sit in here while someone makes an attempt on his life. Dante says he knows. He’ll talk to Robert and see if he can get them arraigned and released tonight. Anna thanks him, and he says, don’t make him regret it.

John says, not Robert too. He’s the District Attorney. He should understand better than anyone that no one can be above the law. Robert says, look at this. Something they agree on. Anna is the mother of his child. They’re always going to have each other’s backs. So he’s asking John, let them go. John says he hears Robert, but he needs to know whatever Anna and Jordan are hiding. If he lets them walk, he ends up with nothing. Robert says, if John drops the charges, he’ll get them to share whatever they know with him, and John asks if Robert really thinks he can get them to do that. Robert says, Anna responds better to those who are on her good side.

Scotty says, Lucy can deny this all she wants, but there’s something between them. That spark that they had years ago, that’s still there. So why fight it? Him being with her is like him just breathing. She says, their history says otherwise, doesn’t it? How many times did they cheat on nice, deserving people with each other? How many times did they scheme? How many lies have they told? How much damage have the done everywhere, and how many times did they try to make this – what is this? – this relationship work? Every time, they fail. He says, maybe that’s because all of that didn’t matter… until now. Now, this is their time. She says she admits she feels close to him, and she’s more of her real self with him than with anybody else, and he says, then stop fighting it. He’s about to kiss her, when Martin walks in.

Lucy asks what Martin is doing here, and he says, apparently interrupting. Scotty says, yeah, they’re busy, and Martin says he can see that. He doesn’t have to ask what they’re doing here. Lucy says, you know what? Martin doesn’t get a say. He just broke up with her, remember? He doesn’t get to say what she does. Martin says, they just broke up fifteen minutes ago. Of course (🍷) what she does still matters to him. for her information, he came here to tell her that he was wrong, that he made a mistake when he said they were over. Because it turns out, all of their problems were manufactured by Tracy Quartermaine.

Gregory meets Tracy at the bar and says he’s sorry he kept her waiting. The call took longer than he expected. She says, it’s fine, and he asks if they’re still on for dinner. She says, actually, she’d rather not, and he says, if this is about him leaving her alone for so long, he apologizes, but she says, no. She just lost her appetite. He says, something’s going on here. If she wants to deal with it all alone, he’ll go, no questions asked, but he saw that she and Martin were having a rather animated discussion and he’s here for her if she wants to talk about what happened that got her so upset. She says she doesn’t have a problem with Martin. She has a problem with him.

John says he appreciates how close Robert and Anna are, and he appreciates Robert wanting to look out for her, but nothing Robert does will matter if Jordan and Anna keep interfering in his investigation. Robert says, if John releases them to him, he’ll take personal responsibility for their supervision, and John says he hopes Robert knows what he’s doing. Fine. He’ll extend Robert this one-time professional courtesy and drop the charges against Anna and Jordan, provided he keeps them in line. Robert says he knows John is in a tough position. He owes John one. John laughs and says he’s got to admit, if he’d been told when he was running around Port Charles causing trouble that one day the DA would ask him for a favor, he never would have believed it. Robert says, people change. John should be proud of the man he’s become. Dante says, sorry to interrupt, but can he steal the DA for a minute? John says, sure, and Dante and Robert step away. Dante says he wants to talk about Anna and Jordan, and Robert says he had a little talk with the FBI and they’re going to drop the charges. Dante says, that’s great, and Robert calls to John, saying they have to get together before he leaves town. John says, looking forward to it, and Robert leaves. Dante says, they haven’t met, and introduces himself to John. John says, he’s Sonny Corinthos’s son, and Dante says, yeah. Who is he? John says he’s Special Agent John Cates.

Brick says, Sonny was right to start by looking at the people closest to him. It takes people with the right kind of knowledge to pull a job off like this. He would start off with Frank, Gabe, and Dex. Sonny says, don’t be surprised if he doesn’t find anything on Dex, but Brick says, Dex hasn’t been the most transparent person with Sonny. Sonny says, Dex has been loyal to him repeatedly. He got shot saving Sonny’s life when they were ambushed. If Tony hadn’t come back, Dex would be dead right now. He also did a really good job in Puerto Rico. Dex let him know when the guard was knocked out, and it allowed him and Ava to take cover. Brick says, there could be a simple explanation for this. Whoever’s doing this, they have to deflect attention away from themselves, right? Sonny says, maybe, and Brick says, he put the wheels in motion, so he can come to the rescue and save the day for Sonny and Ava. That way, he looks like the hero, he provides himself some cover, and ultimately Sonny feels gratitude toward him, and maybe allows him even more access into his operation. Sonny says, that sounds like smart play, but the thing is, they don’t know it’s Dex and don’t have evidence of that, do they? Brick says, Dex was coordinating with the head of security on the island. Plus, he’s the one who found the shooter’s hideout. He’s just sayin’, it fits.

Dex says he’s not telling Michael that stuff’s not important, but Sonny is more worried about keeping his family safe, and Michael says, that means finding the person behind the attack. Any leads? Dex says, Sonny’s theory is that it’s someone on the inside, and Michael says, maybe there’s a way he can help his father. Dex asks, how? and Michael says, you.

Sonny tells Brick, it’s possible Dex is a traitor, but he doesn’t really know a lot about the business. That means he would have had to get access elsewhere. Brick says, he doesn’t need to know the inner workings of the organization. He just needs to know how, where, and when Sonny is most vulnerable. Sonny says, like he told Brick before, Dex has gone above and beyond. He offered Dex a job he wouldn’t trust many people to do because it would have bound him for the rest of his life, and he didn’t even blink. He would have gone through with it if Sonny hadn’t stopped him. Brick says he gets it. Sonny likes the kid. He exposed Dex to a lot of sensitive things and he came through, but here’s the question. Is it possible what Sonny is feeling is exactly what Dex wants him to feel?

Dex says he wants to find out who’s after Sonny just as much as Michael does. Because as long as Sonny is in danger, so is his family, and he doesn’t want anything to happen to Joss or anyone she loves. He’ll do anything in his power to keep them all safe. Michael says, good, because if Sonny is right and someone on the inside is working against him, Dex is in a perfect position to find out who it is. Dex says, Sonny hasn’t asked him to look at anyone in the organization yet, but Michael says, he can be discreet. Sonny never has to know. Dex says, it’s risky. If Sonny catches him, he could assume Dex is the traitor and trying to cover his tracks. Michael says, make sure he never finds out. Dex is the best at this, and he’ll gladly pay Dex extra for the risk he’s taking.

Jordan says she thought Dante would be back with an update by now, and Anna says she’s sure he’s moving as fast as he can. Robert comes in and says, they’ve got themselves in a bit of a situation, have they? Anna says, don’t gloat, please. Did he talk to Dante? Robert says, yes. He’s got good news and bad news. Anna asks, what is it? and he says, thanks to his incredible powers of persuasion, Cates agreed to drop the charges. Anna says, that’s great, and Jordan thanks him. Anna asks, what’s the bad news? and Robert says, they have to back off this investigation. Jordan says, they were just making progress, and Anna says, they’re going to find out who’s behind this entire operation. They can’t stop now. He says, they might as well stay in this cell, because Cates isn’t going to give them another chance. They’re civilians. They have no right being involved in this business. They have no power. What are they going to do if they catch this perp? They can’t do anything with him. They may as well cooperate with Cates. Anna says, maybe she’ll do exactly that, and Jordan says, meaning? Anna says, the conversation she had with Mayor Collins last week. Laura offered her a position in her administration, but the timing wasn’t right. She thinks the timing has just changed.

Gregory says he doesn’t understand how Tracy can have a problem with him. All he’s ever done is try to be a friend to her. She says, that’s her problem. His friendship is changing her, and she doesn’t like it. He says, changing her how? and she says, ever since she met him, she’s been getting… soft. She surrenders in feuds. She compromises with the Bensonhurst brigade. She’s trying to help people she doesn’t even like. He says, making donations to grieving widows? and she says, it’s poor form to ask a lady about her finances. But if she did, it’s a direct result of his influence. Being around him is making her nice. He asks if that’s really so bad, and she tells him, that’s easy for him to say; he doesn’t have to live with the consequences. She takes a sharp breath and says, oh my God, I’m so sorry. That’s not what she meant. It came out wrong. She wasn’t thinking. He starts to laugh, barely containing himself.

Lucy asks what Tracy has to do with any of this, and Martin says, for weeks now she’s been intentionally feeding him little tidbits of information about Lucy and her history and her relationship with Scotty, because she wanted to poison the well. She wanted him to doubt Lucy, make him believe that she was being unfaithful to him. Lucy says, what? and he says, that was his reaction when she accosted him in the restaurant just now. Some kind of attempt to unburden her conscience. She mentioned something about turning the tables on Lucy and Scotty because she realized they were plotting against her. Scotty says, their plan was foolproof, and Lucy says, that conniving snake. Martin says, ya think? Because from where he’s standing, she wasn’t far off. Obviously, Lucy has been hiding parts of herself from him and Scotty’s had full access. She and Scotty have been getting closer together while they’ve been drifting apart. Lucy says, that’s not true. He knows her really well, and they’re very, very good together. She doesn’t know what this was. It was just some sort of mistake, that’s all. It was a big mistake. Martin says, the mistake was him coming here to ask her for forgiveness. It was so easy for Tracy to manipulate them. All she had to do was use Lucy’s nature against her. Lucy says, that’s not true. Please. Can they just go somewhere and talk together? She knows she can make it right. She loves him. Martin says, that’s what makes this so sad, because he loves her too. But he’s all talked out. In fact, right now he doesn’t think he ever wants to see her again. He walks out.

Dante asks if John is any relation to Stone Cates, and John says he has a son named Stone, but he thinks Dante is referring to his younger brother. Dante says, so that’s how John knows his father. He used to talk a lot about Stone. He guesses they were really close. John says, they were, and Dante asks if John and Sonny go way back then. John says, they have plenty of history, and Dante says, now John is in charge of an FBI case against his father. Robert brings in Anna and Jordan, and John says he takes it this means they accepted his terms. Anna says, actually no. She’s not stepping back from the case. She’s going to continue to investigate… as the new Police Commissioner.

Lucy tells Scotty that Martin couldn’t even stand to be in the same room with her. He couldn’t even look at her. Scotty says, so what? He wouldn’t even hear her out. She deserves better than him. Lucy says, no, she doesn’t. He just broke up with her and somehow, she ends up in Scotty’s arms, so he’s right. She’s a horrible, horrible person. He says, that’s not true. Listen to him for a second. She says, will he please just leave? and he says, Lucy… but she says, get out now. Now. Please leave. He leaves, and she sits and cries.

Gregory tries to get ahold of himself and tells Tracy that he hasn’t laughed that hard in a long time. She says she doesn’t understand what’s funny, and he says, ever since he was diagnosed with ALS, people have been tiptoeing around him, being so proper and polite and handling him with kid gloves like he’s going to break at any moment. He hates it. He didn’t realize how much he needed someone to talk to him like he wasn’t sick. He laughs some more, and she says, he knows she didn’t mean it the way it came out. He says he knows, but even she did, he’s fine with it. He may have a fatal disease, but he’s still the same Gregory on the inside. It’s just so nice to have someone talk to him like he’s normal. He appreciates it more than she knows. So no matter how nice she may become, he hopes she’ll never stop doing that. She says she’ll do her best, and he keeps laughing.

John says, since when is Anna the Police Commissioner? and she says, Mayor Collins asked her if she wanted her old position back. Anna told her that she needed to think about it, which she did, when she was stuck in the cell. And she accepted that job. John says, so she can continue to undermine his investigation, but she says, no. So she can hunt down the threat to Port Charles in her new capacity as law enforcement, and no one can stand in her way. So if you want the PCPD’s help, Special Agent Cates, you’re going to have to give us the FBI’s help in return.

Sonny says, they can’t count anyone out as a suspect. He needs Brick to look into everyone in his organization, and that includes Dex. Brick says he’ll get right on it. He knows Sonny is fond of Dex. So for Sonny’s sake, he hopes he jumped to the wrong conclusion. But this is him. Sonny knows he’s rarely wrong about stuff like this. He’ll find out if Dex is hiding something.

Michael says, the money is in Dex’s account now, and Dex says he appreciates it, but this isn’t about the money. He just wants to keep Joss and her family safe. And stay in Sonny’s good graces. If he even gets a hint that Dex came on with an ulterior motive… Michael says, he won’t. They both want the same thing here. Just find out who the threat is to Sonny and his family and report back to him. Dex says, he can count on it.

At the door, Brick asks what Sonny will do to Dex if he finds out Dex hasn’t been loyal after all, and Sonny says, he’ll make Dex beg for death. Brick nods his head and says, yeah.

Tomorrow, Ava tells someone that they’re not welcome here; Michael asks what Willow’s secret is; Cyrus tells Laura that he wasn’t expecting quite that level of hostility; and Finn wants to take Gregory to the hospital.

😳 My bad, I got my days mixed up yesterday. Probably because I desperately want this season of RHOBH over. Tonight, it’s the awful people on VPR. Well, one anyway.

Vanderpump Rules

Nice update on the new beginning credits, showing the different restaurants.

The outcast is home and poor assistant Ann has to run interference between him and Ariana. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he came back from a competition reality show after being on the receiving end of more hate than he’s ever gotten. He wanted to punish himself, penance through pain. He’s brought a bribe of athletic shoes for Schwartz, and tells Ann that things are cool between them, but in his interview, he says, things are not okay with Schwartz. Schwartz talked sh*t about him on Jax and Brittany’s podcast, and he feels betrayed. Tomorrow is his birthday, and he wants to have people over. He’s open to having Ariana there, but Ann says she doubts Ariana would want to be there. He tells Ann to text Ariana that he’ll get her a nice hotel room, and in Sandoval’s interview, a producer asks what it’s like for exes to be living in the same house. He says, stupid, and in Ariana’s interview, she says, awkward. He’s done stuff like opening her mail and got a white noise machine that’s annoyingly loud. In his interview, Sandoval says he got it because Ariana would overhear what he was talking about, and in her interview, Ariana wonders if it’s psychological warfare. Ann presents the offer to Ariana, but Ariana says, that’s not happening. She thinks it’s disrespectful and inappropriate, and if they make noise, she’s going to call the cops. In her interview, she says she’s spiraling thinking about parties Sandoval used to have. Loud music and a mess. It was disgusting and would sometimes last until 6 am. Now that they’re not together, she’s not putting up that sh*t. Ann tells Ariana, everything is great, but when she’s out of earshot, Ann says she thinks it’s weird.

Villa Rosa! Hairstylist Patrick does Lisa’s hair for the last celebration at Pump. In Lisa’s interview, she says, Pump is closing after 10 years. The rent is going up, so it’s going to be more expensive, and Ken wants to retire. Ken will be stomping around West Hollywood when he’s in his 80s, and her in her… 40s. It’s just too old. She tells Patrick, sometimes it’s good to know when to walk away.  James and Ally discuss if they’re ready to get a dog, and we see clips of James with Graham. In James’s interview, he says he doesn’t know what happened with his dog. He’s never gotten over it and he’s heartbroken. He and Ally get ready to say bye-bye to Pump.

One of Sandoval’s few remaining friends, Jason, visits, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says, since the scandal, he’s lost friends, but Jason stuck around. He’s also the band manager and kept him from being in a bad place. Jason asks about Raquel, but Sandoval says he hasn’t heard from her in a few weeks. In his interview, he says he’s still in love with Raquel and hoping to give their relationship a real chance. He tells Jason that Ariana nixed the birthday party, but Jason says, what’s she going to do? Ann says, she mentioned calling the police, and in his interview, Sandoval says, obviously, Ariana is still very upset with him. (Yeah, obviously.) She thinks what he did makes him a criminal, but he doesn’t think the police would agree. He says, what if they’re out by midnight? and Ann texts Ariana with the idea, including more than one so sorry!

Lala and Ariana meet for smoothies, and Ariana tells Lala about squelching the party idea, but Lala says, he’s allowed to have a party. Ariana says, she’ll call about a noise complaint, and Lala says, what about if she compromises and everyone is gone by a certain time? Ariana admits the suggestion was made, and Lala says, it will be easier when Ariana moves out. Ariana says she will when the house is sold, and Lala says, Sandoval is getting off on making her uncomfortable. In Ariana’s interview, she says, Sandoval wants to buy her out, but she’s not going just because he offered her a measly sum. He f***ed this up, so he doesn’t get to do that and keep it. Lala asks what new boyfriend Dan thinks, and Ariana says, he’s looking forward to her getting her own space, since they’re paying to stay somewhere when Sandoval is in town. She says she thinks Dan has opened her mind to possibilities she couldn’t see with Sandoval. In her interview, Ariana says, being with Sandoval affected her about having kids more than she thought. We flash back to Sandoval saying he wants 3 or 4 kids, and Ariana saying she wants none. She says, Dan made her realize there can be more than just a 50/50 partnership. On a day where she can only give 10%, he can give 90%.

Lisa and Ken go into Pump amid cheers, and I wonder where Pride Day will be celebrated. The guests chant, Lisa! Lisa! and she says, 10 years ago, they had a dream to create the most beautiful garden in West Hollywood. We go down Pump Memory Lane, ending with TomTom. Lisa thanks everyone for their support, and says, that’s a wrap. Let’s f***ing party. Schwartz bartends, and in his interview, he says he feels more at ease than he did 10 years ago. We flash back to him having a panic attack, and he asks Lisa how she’s feeling about closing the restaurant. She says she has mixed emotions, but if it’s not carrying its own weight, it will be a drain. Schwartz says, Sandoval tainted their Schwartz & Sandy’s brand. Their partners said, if he comes in, they’ll close the doors. He’s not welcome. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he didn’t expect Sandoval to fully check out. He could have at least come up with ideas on how to weather this storm. Lisa says she thinks it’s time for Schwartz to reevaluate things, and in her interview, she says she thinks it’s unfair to blame Sandoval totally for the failings of the business. She tells Schwartz to tell Sandoval how he feels.

Scheana goes to the recording studio and says she’s going to be DJing with Ariana and Katie on Emo Night. In Scheana’s interview, she says, it’s a huge event. They listen to emo music and if you’re sad AF, you’re supposed to be because it’s Emo Night. But you’re sad in a happy place. She wants to do Good As Gold as an emo screamo cover, and in Brock’s interview, he says he loves this version of his wife. In her interview, Scheana says, in 2019, after the negativity about her One More Time song and video, she threw in the towel and moved on. But everyone loves a good reunion tour, so guess what bitches? I’m back. I actually have Good As Gold on one of my playlists, but I forgot all about One More Time. Apparently, it was forgettable. She tells Brock that the next thing she and her therapist are working on in exposure work is having someone else watch Summer Moon. In her interview, she says she was diagnosed with post-partum OCD, which magnified her worst fears. It took her almost a year to do anything alone with her daughter. She tells Brock that she’s known Tori since she was 16 and trusts her, and Brock says he’ll take anyone she wants.

Sandoval meets Schwartz at a place they don’t own, and Sandoval drinks a non-alcoholic beer. In his interview, Sandoval says, the catalyst in him getting sober was that he knew Raquel couldn’t drink where she was. He wanted to do it with her. They make small talk for a hot minute, and Sandoval says he knows he caused collateral damage. He can feel Schwartz is angry with him, but he had to tour because Ariana didn’t pay bills for 8 months. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he’s pretty much been paying for everything, and it’s like pulling teeth to get Ariana to pay him back. He says, Schwartz hurt his feelings, saying he was living his rock star dreams. Schwartz says he was dealing with Sandoval’s sh*tshow at the bar. Had he been in Sandoval’s position, he would have at least been pitching solutions. Sandoval tries to spin it six different ways, but Schwartz says, all he should be saying is that he’s sorry. Sandoval says he understands he f***ed up and he’s sorry. He wants to move on. Scwartz says, he’s going get there, and Sandoval asks if Scwartz is sticking with him. Schwartz says he’s doing what’s best for himself. I don’t want to say I like this new Schwartz, but I’ll go with disliking him less.

Tori comes over to Scheana and Brock’s, and Scheana’s mom says she’ll be there with Tori, but she has a torn rotator cuff and can’t be doing any heavy lifting. In Scheana’s interview, she says she absolutely trusts Tori. She’s hoping her OCD brain can take a nap tonight. Brock decides to be an agitator, not seeming to grasp Scheana’s issue, and wanting it to be done with; and this frustrates Scheana even more than she is already. In Brock’s interview, he says, before Summer was born, he and Scheana were a juggernaut of getting things done. Now simple tasks are overwhelming for her, and they get nothing done. Scheana’s mom tells Brock that he needs to validate his wife’s feelings, and in her interview, Scheana says she’s hoping to get to a place where she’s not afraid to do things alone with her daughter, and not worried about something bad happening. She wants to live in the moment without thinking it might be the last moment. Her mom says she’s proud of Scheana putting in the work.

Schwartz visits James and Ally, admiring their new house. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, it’s hard not to feel the sting of losing his dream home. In Ally’s interview, she says she started an astrology business. She did Schwartz’s birth chart. She feels like he could use a little direction. She tells him that it’s the most Libra chart she’s ever seen. He’s a peacekeeper. Sandoval texts James about the birthday party, and James says, if Sandoval comes at him, he’s egging the place when he leaves.

Poor Ann has to decorate too, and Sandoval says, it’s giving him baby shower vibes. He likes it. On the way there, Ally says, it’s not too late to not do this, but James says, he’s not mending things with Sandoval. He feels he needs an apology and Sandoval needs to mean it and show he’s a friend. Ally decides to wait in the car, and in her interview, she says she doesn’t have a relationship with Sandoval, but she does care about Ariana. She doesn’t see the point in forcing a relationship with him.  Meanwhile, Katie, Ariana, Lala, Scheana, and Brock go to Emo Night.

In James’s interview, he says, the party is like a who’s who. Like, who the f*** are you people? Sandoval used to be the coolest guy. Now look. A guy named Brett comes up to James and says he has a question about the friend group situation, and James wonders, who the f*** is this guy? He tells Brett that he came to talk to Sandoval, and he and Sandoval step away from the crowd. James says, he feels like a big brother got lost. He was waiting for a text that never came. Sandoval makes time excuses, but James says he’s seen him on Instagram. Sandoval says, sorry he didn’t reach out, and James says, it’s the ultimate betrayal. Sandoval asks why he’s so angry when James hooked up with Kristen. James says, that was 10 years ago, but Sandoval insists it wasn’t. We flash back, and yep, it was. James says, Sandoval is embarrassing, and walks out. In James’s interview, he says, Sandoval is bringing up the past when he’s looking for an apology. He was made to seem crazy when Sandoval was getting his d*ck wet. He pees on the bushes outside, and from the car, Ally says, those are Ariana’s bushes too.

I watched the later airing and there was no preview.

🥃 I keep trying to watch Southern Hospitality, the poor man’s Vanderpump Rules. Or Summer House in a restaurant, if you will. But the more I watch it, the less I care about it. I checked for recaps to include here, but none were posted yet. They’re probably staring at their screens, wondering how to write about this drivel.

🧀 Sweet Dreams Are Made Of Cheese…

Join me tomorrow for soap and RHOBH – for real this time. Until then, stay safe, stay not deciding on your order at the counter, and stay remembering that sometimes it’s good to know when to walk away.

February 5, 2024 – Laura Tells Nikolas To Turn Himself In, New Captain On Deck, Nothing But the Grammys & Everyday

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Sonny says, listen to him. Somebody tried to take him out on his own private island, and they haven’t found out who it is yet? There’s a knock at the door, and he says he’s going to give them 24 hours to find out who it is. If they don’t, he’s going to find a new head of security. Do they understand him? He opens the door to Dante and Sam, and Sam hugs him. She says she can’t believe Spencer is gone. He says he can’t either and invites them in. Dante says he’s sorry about Spencer. He was one of a kind, right? Sonny asks how Alexis is holding up, and Sam says, mom is doing what she does best and just diving into work.

Gregory tells Alexis that he just wanted her to know he’ll be unavailable for the next several hours. He’s taking Tracy to either a late lunch or early dinner. Whatever it is, it’s in the name of future in-law solidarity. Alexis says, good. Have fun. He asks if everything is okay, but she says, no. Everything is not okay. Her nephew Spencer is dead.

On a photoshoot set, Lucy tells the assistant that she needs better hay. This is wrong, so very wrong. It’s coarse, it’s brittle, and it’s icky. The assistant says, they tried the artificial hay, but it was reading fake, so she put it back on the truck. Lucy says she doesn’t care. They’re selling rustic romance, not barnyard reality. The assistant says she’ll get right on that, and Lucy asks if Martin happened to call for her at the office, but the assistant says, no. Lucy says she really needs to let him know where to find her, and the assistant says she left him a message about the photoshoot. Lucy says, great, did she leave him all the… and she says, time, location, and her number if for any reason he can’t reach Lucy. Lucy says, while she’s still standing there, she knows what they need. Giddyap. The assistant leaves, and Lucy looks at her phone. She says, not a text. Nothing. Fine. If he’s not going to call her, then she’ll call him – again, and again, and again. Scotty walks in and says, not to worry. He’s here. She says, great. She could really use some good news, so please tell her, how’d it go with Tracy and the flowers? He says he doesn’t know; he hasn’t talked to her. Lucy says, that’s not good news, is it? and he says he can’t get Tracy to just call him. Lucy suggests he call her, but he says, that would look desperate. She says, then he can call her in a non-desperate way, and he has to make it fast. Marty is so annoyed with her, and she can’t exactly tell him about their plans to revenge on Tracy. So could he please call Tracy, and fast? He tells her, take it easy, and takes out his phone.

At the MetroCourt Tracy’s phone rings with a call from Ambulance Chaser (ha-ha!). She says, he’s going to have to twist a little bit longer, when Martin walks in. She goes over to him at the bar and asks if he’s okay, but he says, actually, no. She’ll have to forgive him, but at present, he doesn’t have the will or the patience to entertain her constant insinuations about Lucy and Scotty. As he’s stated ad nauseum, Lucy’s past is none of his business. She asks if that isn’t the exact problem. Lucy never puts the past behind her, and when she gets involved with someone, Scotty starts sniffing around like he is now. Martin says, if she’s going to make the accusation, the least she can do is provide some evidence of it, and she says, he wants evidence? The other day when he and Lucy had their public dustup, Scotty bolted off, abandoned her, and went to comfort Lucy.

Jagger tells Anna and Jordan that O’Neal is in custody, and Anna says, good. She introduces Jordan to Jagger, and he says, John, please. He’s outgrown the old nickname. Jordan asks how they know each other, and Anna says, John is a friend of her daughter Robin’s. He says, tell her that she owes him an email, from six months ago (I suddenly feel guilty about several people), and Anna says she’ll mention it. Can he fill them in on this investigation? He says he’s the special agent in charge, and the two of them are interfering. His agents told Jordan to stay out of this. She should have listened.

Laura opens the door to find Nikolas holding Ace, and he says, hello, mother. She says, thank God he’s all right, and hugs him. He says he heard that Spencer… Is it true? She says, yes, Spencer’s gone, and he cries, asking, what happened? She invites him in and says, Spencer went overboard. He was on a ship on the Seine. The French authorities couldn’t find his body, but he couldn’t have survived that. He asks if it was Esme, and she says, yes. He says, which means Spencer’s dead because he took Ace. His son is dead because of him.

Tracy says, if Martin doesn’t mind her asking, what did he and Lucy fight about? but he says he does mind. That is personal, between Lucy and himself. She says, don’t tell her the two of them broke up, and he says, no, they did not. He’s so sorry to disappoint her. She says she’s sorry. She’s sorry to see what Lucy has done to him. Doesn’t he get it? Scotty and Lucy cannot stay away from each other, and worse yet, they don’t want to.

Scotty tells Lucy that he doesn’t know why Tracy cooled on him. He thought he was making progress with her. In fact, she even got a little jealous when she saw him paying attention to Lucy and her dandy of a boyfriend and their little squabble. She asks if he means when he abandoned Tracy in the middle of the MetroCourt, and he says he was worried about her. She asks, how is being worried about her endearing himself to Tracy? and he says, pardon him for thinking about her emotional well-being. She says her emotional well-being is just fine. It will be. She knows Marty is really angry, but she thinks she can convince him to work things out with her. He says, maybe she can, maybe she can’t, but she says she can, and she will. He asks if this guy is really worth it, and she says, of course (🍷) he is. They’re just hitting a rough patch. They’re really good together. He says, then he hopes they work things out, and she says, does he really? He says, no. He just wants her to be happy. He puts his hands on her shoulders, and she says she’s got to go right now. She’s got to find Marty now. Right this minute. She’s going to go look for him. He says, what about the Tracy business? and she says, don’t worry. She’ll take care of it. Stay put and she’ll be right back.

Sonny tells Dante and Sam that he briefly spoke to Trina. She’s broken up. She’s with Ava right now. Dante asks, what’s happening with that? How long is Ava staying here? Sonny says, it’s open-ended. She’s going through a lot right now, but at least they get to spend more time with Avery. Sam says she’s amazed the two of them have been able to co-exist this long, and Sonny says, Avery is happy with her mother and that’s all that matters. Dante asks, how was the family vacation on this island? and Sonny says, it had its moments. Sam says she’s got to get going, but Sonny says he wanted to offer her coffee. She says she’s good. She’s going to see her mom at The Invader. She tells Dante that she’ll see him at home, and they kiss. She says she loves him, and leaves. Dante asks if Sonny wants to tell him what’s really going on, and Sonny says, death is never easy, especially if you’re blindsided. He still can’t believe Spencer is gone. Dante says, it feels like something else is happening. Sonny’s got extra security. Was there some kind of threat? Sonny says, there was an incident on the island, and Dante asks what he means. Sonny says, somebody almost took him out.

Jordan tells John that Curtis Ashford is her ex-husband. He almost died in the shooting. John says he understands that, but neither of them are law enforcement, not anymore. They’re not even deputized. So he’s telling them, stop pursuing this. Jordan says, or he could deputize them, and Anna says, problem solved. He says, that’s not happening, and Anna asks if he doesn’t understand. She and Jordan were there when Curtis was shot. She doesn’t understand how he expects them to walk away. He says, because this is an FBI investigation, and Curtis’s shooting is only one part of something much, much bigger.

Alexis tells Gregory that they’d all have been much better off if Esme had just left town. Her nephew would be alive if she hadn’t offered Esme that job. He says, but she gave Esme a chance to prove herself, and she did. She proved to be a capable assistant, and proved to them all that she was a capable mother because of Alexis’s generosity of spirit. She says, no good deed, and he says he doesn’t believe reaching out to someone is ever a mistake, but she says, it clearly was a mistake, wasn’t it? And now they’re all well down that road to hell that she helped build. Nikolas is God knows where with Ace and Spencer is dead.

Nikolas sniffles on the couch, and Laura says, Ace is finally down for a nap. She didn’t want is son to see him so upset. He says, she means his one remaining son. He thanks her and says he wasn’t thinking. She says, they’re all in shock. She thanks God that he still has Ace. That is something to be really grateful for. It’s so good he came home. He needs to be with his family now. He says he was afraid she’d slam the door in his face, and she says she supposes she should have, after everything he’s put her through. He knows he should never have taken Ace, right? He says he knows. That’s what led to his Spencer’s death. She tells him, please sit down. This is important. She wants him to listen to her. He’s not responsible for Spencer’s death. He didn’t do that; Esme did it. Esme was trying to attack Trina, and Spencer tried to stop her. Nikolas says he knows, and Spencer lost his life in the process. He knows he didn’t put Spencer in the Seine, but his actions did put him in Esme’s crosshairs. He doesn’t even know how she could look at him right now. She says, he’s her son. She loves him. She’ll always loves him. She’ll always be here for him. Always. He thanks her and says he knows he doesn’t deserve her kindness, but she says, he does. He did the right thing by coming back here… He’s not going to stay, is he? He says he can’t. If he stays, he’ll go to prison. She says, he held a pregnant woman captive for months. Has it occurred to him maybe he belongs in prison? He says he knows it’s what he deserves, but he still has one son who needs him. He’s sorry, but he has to go. She asks if he’s kidding her. If that’s the kind of man he is, if that’s the kind of father he is, Ace would be better off without him.

Lucy goes over to Martin at the bar and says, his secretary told her where to find him. She supposes she should be glad he allowed his secretary to tell her. He says he needed a little space, and she says, does he still? He says, yeah, and she tears up and says, as he wishes. Before she goes, she just wants to say, he’s really hard to apologize to if he won’t answer her phone calls. He gets up and says he’s honestly not sure if there’s really much to say, and she says, for God’s sake, it was just a slip of the tongue. She said she loved him and she did; before that moment, during this moment, at this moment. She loves him. She doesn’t know what happened. She panicked. She made a mistake. He says, they both know how she meant it, but she says, no. Please just give her another chance. Tracy watches from her table.

Dante says he doesn’t understand. Sonny’s island is like a fortress. How did anyone get that close to him? Sonny says, they’re looking into it, and Dante asks what he means, but Sonny says he doesn’t want to talk right now. He doesn’t want any questions or anything. He’s not in the mood. Dante says he’s on Sonny’s side. Sonny knows that, right? Sonny says, really? Because it didn’t seem that way when he was being cuffed. Dante was reading him his rights. Dante says, they already talked about that. If he doesn’t want to be arrested, don’t beat people up in churches. Sonny says he’ll take that as good advice, and Dante says, Sonny’s his father, no matter what. He loves Sonny, no matter what. And he wants to help Sonny if he can. Sonny says, Dante’s right. He shouldn’t have snapped. It’s just that he doesn’t know who to trust anymore. Dante asks if he’s saying it was an inside job.

Nikolas says, Laura’s right. His taking Ace isn’t the only thing that led to Spencer’s death. The loneliness that led him to being vulnerable to Esme in the first place. Allowing him, and all of them, to believe he was dead. What kind of father does that to his little boy? Ace is better off without him. He’s going to leave Ace here with her and Doc where he belongs, and he’s going to disappear. Laura says, that’s not what she meant, and Nikolas says he’s agreeing with her. He wants Ace to have a good life. She says, yes, he deserves to have a good life – with his father. If Nikolas would just face the mistakes he’s made and take responsibility for them, it’s not too late for him to have a good life too.

Now seated at a table, Lucy tells Martin that she’s so sorry. She has been distracted and so worried about keeping eyes on Tracy and Scotty. But he has to believe her; it’s more about Tracy than Scotty. He says, this isn’t about Scotty, and she says, it isn’t? He says, it’s about her and him. It’s about them. Her moving away from him, little by little, inch by inch. It’s been quite a while now. Since Bobbie Spencer died, she’s wanted to be with someone else. With Scotty, not him. She says, it’s just because her, Bobbie, and Scotty have had a long and complicated, turbulent history, that’s all. He says, kind of a tired euphemism for a love triangle, isn’t it? It doesn’t really matter what the reason is. The simple fact is, now whenever she requires solace, her instinct is to turn to Scotty. That’s got to say something about him and Lucy, doesn’t it?

Gregory apologizes for keeping Tracy waiting, but she says, that’s okay. She’s been kept waiting longer. He sees her staring at Lucy and Martin, and says, at least she found something to keep her occupied. She laughs and says, those two? Who wouldn’t be curious? He says, given their expressions, he’d imagine they’re discussing the same subject that held him up. She asks, what would that be? and he says, she doesn’t know. He’s not sure how well she knew him, but Martin’s great nephew, Spencer Cassadine, was killed in Paris.

Alexis thanks Sam for coming, and Sam says, just tell her what she can do to help. Alexis says, it’s incumbent on her to write Spencer’s obituary, and she has no idea how to begin. Sam says, that’s a lot. She doesn’t know. He had a lot of flair. Alexis says, he did indeed, and if she has to talk about him in the past one more time, she’s going to lose it. Sam says she bets she could make Alexis smile with one word, but Alexis says she bets Sam can’t. Sam says, chupacabra, and Alexis half-smiles and says, chupacabra. She forgot about that. Sam says, and it turned out to be Heather Webber hiding in the stables, but all along they thought it was Spencer because he insisted.

Alexis asks if Sam remembers went all Phantom of the Opera at the Nurses Ball. Then there was the election tampering where he sent his chauffeur into the harbor to retrieve the stolen ballot box. Sam says she thinks that covers the big-ticket items from when he was 10. Spencer was a dramatic child. Alexis says, he never ceased to amaze her, and Sam says, damn right. Alexis says, he was brilliant kid, and he had a lot to offer. And now all they have are memories.

John says, out of professional respect for both Anna and Jordan, he’s going to bring them up to speed on a few things. If only to persuade them that they have this under control, so they can let it alone. Got it? Anna says, by all means, and John says, the weapon that was used to shoot Curtis Ashford is one of a number of unmarked weapons stolen from the WSB. Other weapons in the same cache have been used in a string of shootings throughout the US. He’s afraid that’s all he can tell them. Anna says, come on. Don’t be ridiculous. He says, she knows how much he respects her and he’s aware of Jordan’s exemplary record as Police Commissioner of Port Charles. Jordan thanks him, and he says, then again, neither of them are currently law enforcement. He can’t have them conducting their own investigation. Anna says, of course (🍷) he can’t, and he thanks her for understanding. She says, so bring them in. They can work together.

Nikolas tells Laura that it is too late for him. He made all the wrong choices, and in the process, he lost his son. She says, but Ace is still here. Instead of giving him up, do what it takes to deserve a place in his life. He says, by going to prison, and she says, he’s got to make this right. He has to fix what he can, and he has to atone for the rest of it. She’s sorry, but it’s the only way. It’s the only way for him to be the good man that he was. He says he doesn’t know if he can do that, but she says, he can try. For Ace’s sake, he’s got to. Please. They just lost Spencer. Don’t make her lose him again too.

Nikolas asks if Laura really still has faith in him, and she says, always. He says, even if he was to run away today? and she says, that would break her heart, but she would still hold out hope that he would one day find the strength to come back, to be a good father to the child he has left. He says he’s amazed she thinks he has any strength, and she cups his face in her hands, saying, she knows he does. Because she saw it in Spencer, and he got it from Nikolas. Nikolas cries and she hugs him.

On the phone, John says, thanks for letting him know, and Anna asks if his superiors need a little more convincing before bringing them in. He says, actually, he’s been informed that the two of them have blown his best lead, and Jordan says, how could they possibly… He says, Mr. O’Neal, the gun dealer they met tonight in their little citizen sting operation. He was supplying the unsub with weapons. He’s just lawyered up and he’s refusing to talk without the promise of full immunity, which his boss will not sign off on. So thanks so much for their help. Jordan says she’s sorry about that, but he says, her being sorry doesn’t do him much good right now. If they really want to help, tell him about the meeting with the dealer. Did they get anything useful from him?

Lucy admits that she’s been different since Bobbie died and tells Martin that Bobbie’s death affected her in ways she couldn’t imagine. He says, losing a loved one will do that to you, and she laughs. She says, that’s just it. They didn’t even like each other. She thinks sometimes hate is too strong of a word, but they certainly never got along. And it wasn’t just because of Scotty. There were so many other reasons. Martin says, in one way or another, Bobbie was important to her. Think about it. They saw each other at their best over the years. They got to know each other, intimately, at their worst. That forms some kind of bond. She says she guesses she never thought about it that way… Yes. He says, now you lose that person, that bond gets broken all of a sudden, you look at your life with a new sense that time really is short; that it’s precious. You get to realize the importance of letting go of something when it’s just not working anymore. She says, they’re not working?

Gregory says he’s sorry he had to be the one to tell Tracy. He didn’t realize she and Spencer were close. She says, they weren’t close. She hardly knew him. He says he doesn’t know all the details, but apparently, Esme Prince was involved. She’s also missing and presumed dead. She says, it’s all a tragedy. How’s Alexis? He says, grieving, and she says she’s sure. He says, and blaming herself, and Tracy says, for what? He says, for taking a chance on Esme. He believes Esme was making a sincere effort to be a better person. She was proving to be an excellent mother, he’s sure to everyone’s surprise. So he mourns the loss of the person she could have been if her father hadn’t manipulated her feelings, turning her into a bitter, angry young woman. Tracy looks at Lucy and Martin.

Sonny tells Dante that the shooter knew the layout and security so well, he got past the guards. He even knocked one guard out. Dante says, now he can see why Sonny thinks it’s someone from his organization, and Sonny asks if he has any ideas. Dante says, not yet, but he’ll see, and Sonny asks, what’s next, detective? Dante says, question suspects, and Sonny asks if Dante means the people closest to him, but Dante says he has to question everyone, no matter how much it hurts. Everyone is guilty until proven otherwise.

Alexis wonders how they distill the best of Spencer Cassadine in 450 words, and Sam says, just focus on the positive. Alexis says, so they leave out his teenage crime spree? and Sam says she thinks they focus on what made Spencer Spencer. His love for drama obviously. Alexis says, of all kinds, and Sam says, and his love of horseback riding. His quick quips. Alexis says, his quips and schemes. Spencer acting all shallow and spoiled, he was pretending. It wasn’t real. He was just guarded. He was fearful and he had every right to be. Then he grew up and he really opened up and allowed them to see who he really was, and he was a gift.

Martin says, now there’s this thing with Scotty, but Lucy swears it’s not what he thinks. He says, it’s something, and whatever it is tends to eclipse what they are. Or might have been. He’d be the first person to admit he hasn’t always been the most honorable man, but he loves her. How he loves her. More than any of the women he’s married. And that’s done something for him. He doesn’t want to spend too much time looking over his shoulder wondering what the hell is going on. He thinks he deserves better. She cries and says, but… He gets up and says, goodbye, Lucy. She runs to the elevator, crying, and gets in.

On the phone, Gregory says, thanks. He’ll call right now. He tells Tracy that he’s sorry. The doctor’s referring him to a specialist, and he has to get an appointment right away. She says, go ahead. Take his time. He thanks her and says he’s sorry. He didn’t realize Spencer’s death would affect her so much. She thanks him and says she’ll be fine. He leaves, and she watches Martin sitting alone.

Lucy finds Scotty sitting on a bale of hay, and he asks, for cryin’ out loud, what took her so long? He realizes she’s crying and says, uh-oh. What happened? She says, Marty broke up with her. He said… Scotty says, if he insulted Lucy, he’ll knock Martin’s teeth out and then he’ll slap a lawsuit on the dentist that fixes them. She says, no. He said he deserves better. Scotty holds her as she cries.

John says, so they did get something from their gunrunner friend, and Anna looks at Jordan, who nods. Anna says, yeah. They learned something about the unidentified subject. But rather than just give John that information… Jordan says, after which, he most certainly would discard them, and Anna says, she proposes that they have an exchange of information. Like they tell him everything they know about the dealer, and he tells them everything he knows about the unsub so far. Jordan says, everything for everything is a fair trade, and Anna says, for starters, obviously, they don’t believe Curtis was the intended target. They think it was Sonny Corinthos. He says, believe it or not, the FBI did consider the possibility that the crime boss might be a more logical target than the nightclub owner, and Anna says, there you go. And Sonny has reason to believe that whoever’s after him is still trying. So whatever he can tell them about the unsub will be incentive for Sonny to tell them what he knows. He says, they want him to provide them with intel they plan on sharing with Sonny Corinthos? The man should have been in prison decades ago. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Anna says, that’s the Sonny he remembers. That’s not the one she knows. He says, only because that’s the Sonny he shows her, and she says, perhaps, but she can keep him in line. He says, really? Because nobody’s ever been able to put a leash on Sonny Corinthos. She says, maybe she’ll be the first.

Sonny thanks Dante for coming through for him like this, and Dante says, of course (🍷). Sonny says, it hasn’t been easy with Michael and Nina… What he’s trying to say is, it’s hard to trust anyone, but he knows he can trust Dante. Dante says, Sonny’s damn right he can. And he promises this will stay between him. His phone rings and he says, it’s Laura. He asks, what’s going on? and Laura says she’s home. She needs him to come over as soon as possible. He asks if everything is okay, and she says she’s here with Nikolas. He’s ready to turn himself in.

Tracy approaches Martin’s table, and he says, stop. As he’s sure she’s observed by now, he’s not exactly in the mood for company, so he’d consider it a favor if she left him to his solitude. She says, this won’t take long, and sits down. She says she owes him the truth.

Lucy tells Scotty that she doesn’t know why, she meets a guy and he’s nice enough of a guy. Maybe the man of her dreams. And she just screws it up. She keeps screwing it up. He says, she’s being a little hard on herself, but she says, no. She thinks she’s being much too easy on herself. He says he’s not going to listen to her talk that way about herself. If Martin is too stupid to know how great she is, then to hell with him. She’s Lucy Coe, the best that there is. He kisses her.

On the phone, Sonny says, it’s him. He needs to see them right away.

John says, what about Jordan? Is she wiling to vouch for Sonny Corinthos? She says, Sonny’s been useful in the past. As for this, she trusts Anna. Anna says, it’s best for them to work together. What does he say? He says he hopes she has a good lawyer, because they’re both under arrest for obstructing a federal investigation.

Alexis reads, Spencer Cassadine is survived by his father Nikolas, his brother Ace, his grandmother, the Mayor Laura Collins, and an extended family who remember him dearly. His legacy will be the Spencer Cassadine Drama Fund, devoted to teaching theater, particularly the works of Shakespeare, to prison inmates, underserved communities, and children. To quote his favorite work of the Bard, now cracks a noble heart… She starts to cry, and Sam puts her hands on Alexis’s shoulders. Goodnight, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Alexis breaks down sobbing, and Sam puts her arms around her.

Dante asks if Nikolas understands his rights as explained to him, and Nikolas says he does. Dante says, let’s go, and Nikolas asks if he may say goodbye to his son. Dante nods, and Nikolas turns to Laura holding Ace. He tells Ace that he loves him and kisses his head. Laura says, they’ll meet him at the station, and Nikolas thanks her… for everything. He wants her to know that he’s doing this for her and for Ace and Spencer. He wants to become someone they can all be proud of. Dante leads him out, and Laura watches from the doorway.

Tomorrow, Sonny says he needs people he can trust; Tracy says she’s the reason Martin and Lucy broke up; Dex says he’ll do everything in his power to keep them all safe; and John says, Robert is insisting they drop the charges.

Below Deck – The Next Generation

I’m less than thrilled that Captain Lee was retired involuntarily. I’m guessing it could be for insurance reasons, so now I really can’t wait for Teresa Giudice to cause Bravo a lawsuit. New Captain Kerry is from Below Deck Adventure, which I watched once upon a time. It was good, but I can only watch so much Deck.

This season’s port of call is Grenada. Fraser is chief stew, and a familiar face. Just not the one I want to see. In his interview, he says he’s not going to be as easy going this time around. This year, mommy is still here for her babies, but don’t bite the tit that feeds you. The bosun is Jared, who says in his interview, being bosun is f***ing horrible and hard, but what better way to travel then on someone else’s dime while making a nickel? Ben, another familiar face and more welcome, is lead deckhand. In Ben’s interview, he says, after being a bosun, coming back as lead deckhand is a kick in the gut. We flash back to his happier bosun times. In Chef Anthony’s (aka Frenchie) interview, he says he’s going blow our mind. Cooking brings people together. Fraser wonders who else is coming to destroy his life. Stews Barbie, Xandi, Cat, and Sunny arrive, and in Barbie’s interview, she says, people think she’s snobby. She comes from a good family, but her father taught her to work. Now she works hard so she can buy all the stupid sh*t she wants. Deckhand Kyle rounds out the crew.

At the crew meeting, Captain Kerry rolls out his resume, and we see clips of his previous adventures. He tells the crew that both their physical safety and mental health us important.  He won’t pick on them for having a sulk, but don’t take his kindness for weakness. In his interview, he says he’s firm but fair. He gives a crew his respect, but if they disrespect him, they’re out of here. Hard work will be rewarded, but if you f*** around, you’re off the boat. He tells the crew that they’re going to bust it out. No baseball references for him. In Fraser’s interview, he says, last year was tough. He had two stews who didn’t get along and he gave too many chances. This year is going to be different.  

Captain Kerry wants no surprises on the boat. The captain has to be aware of everything. Communication is key. We find out everyone is single, and in Ben’s interview, he says he and Camille met up after the season, but long story short, she cheated on him. He doesn’t want to get as involved again. He’s wounded, but wiser.

At the preference sheet meeting, Captain Kerry says, their first guests are Brian and Rebecca, newlyweds, both in finance. Coming along are their oldest and dearest friends. Anthony reads that they want a multi-course dinner, and in his interview, he says, it’s a lot of pressure. He grew up being the kid no girl wanted and needed to make an impression. (Hint: The way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach.) Jared reads that guest Leanne wants an 80s dance party for her birthday, and all guests except Michelle want to take kayaks to the mangroves. In Captain Kerry’s interview, he says he loves eco-tourism. He especially loves kayaking and getting up close and personal with the mangroves. We see a clip of this, and it looks amazing. Sign me up. Jared says, the guests also want to go to the beach, and the captain says, they’re going to have their hands full. In Xandi’s interview, she says she loves housekeeping. She’d rather put her hand in a blender than make small talk. She was a chief stew for years and wants a break. Let someone else be chief bitch. In his interview, Captain Kerry says, he left working on multimillion dollar yachts to paint houses so he could be there for his kids and get himself better. I’m guessing he went back to those multimillion dollar yachts when those same kids needed to go to multimillion dollar college. In Jared’s interview, he says he has a 3½ year old daughter, but because of the distance, he only gets to do video calls. Cat places her amethyst (I think) rock on a shelf near her bunk and says, now she can feel rested. It’s early to bed for the crew.

In the morning, Fraser meets with the stews. He says, Barbie will be on service, Cat will be on the late shift, and Xandi will be on housekeeping and laundry. In Captain Kerry’s interview, he says he can’t run the boat by himself. A good crew can make a bad captain look good, and a bad crew can make a good captain look bad. The guests arrive to background music that does not fit with them at all. Think middle-aged Florida tourists being accompanied by rap music. The captain welcomes them aboard the St. David, and in his interview, he says, Grenada is stunning, but challenging. The winds are terrible. As they leave the marina, Jared seems to have difficulty telling Captain Kerry how much room he has. In Jared’s interview, he says he works in feet and needs to transfer it to meters. Doing multiplication on the fly with stress could make this go tits up. Moving right along, Jared follows his feet/meters bumbling with not being sure of how much chain to let out while anchoring. Then blames Ben for not telling him. Not a good look. In the captain’s interview, he says, the anchor can be dislodged if there’s too much chain let out.

In Anthony’s interview, he says, first lunch, first impression. It has to be amazing. We are more than chefs; we are artists. M-m-m… Asian fusion… Bao buns…. In Fraser’s interview, he says, there’s a lot of sexual energy with the guests. He thinks he’ll have a good time, but not as good as the guests will have with each other. Ben thanks Jared for throwing him under the bus, and in Ben’s interview, he says, if there’s any question, Jared should check in with the bridge. He’s giving Jared the benefit of the doubt. It’s charter one and they need to get the cobwebs out. M-m-m… lobster pad Thai. In Fraser’s interview, he says, he’s impressed with Anthony’s cooking, but the galley looks like a bomb has gone off. He thinks Anthony will perfect that, but if not, they’re f***ed. The guests jump off the boat and lounge on the swim platform, while Captain Kerry checks out the interior of the yacht, which he seems to do constantly. He tells the stews to make paper folds on the toilet paper, but everything else is fantastic. In Barbie’s interview, she says, Cat is slow and it’s annoying, and in Cat’s interview, she says she’s helping everybody. Fraser finds Cat in the crew mess crying.

Cat whimpers that it’s a big boat and a big crew, and in Fraser’s interview, he says, they need thicker skin. Cat says she doesn’t want her work to go unnoticed, and Fraser hugs her. On his way up the stairs, he mumbles that she’s not going to last. In Sunny’s interview, she says, she’s all here for learning, but it’s hard because of Ben being eye candy. In Anthony’s interview, he says he took so much time prepping, he has two hours to make four courses. In Barbie’s interview, she says she suffers from OCD, and tried everything. Crystals and sage do the trick. Ben says, day one is not off to a good start. Jared is nervous and Ben thinks it’s because he’s been out of the game. He forgot what big boats were like. He’s got to perform, or he’ll find himself on the dock. He feels dumber already when he’s around Jared.

Anthony is running late on three courses and dessert. In his interview, he says, perfection is important. Like with a woman, he needs to take time if he wants to make them happy. It’s slow going with the entrée, and primary Rebecca asks Fraser to speed it up. Fraser asks Anthony to get the entrée out as soon as possible, and Anthony says he’ll do his best. In Captain Kerry’s interview, he says, the key to management is mutual respect. He doesn’t want to micromanage, but the bosun has made a few mistakes and the chef is behind. He’s getting to know everyone, but the jury is out. If they can’t do the job, he’ll change them out. Man, it’s a mess.

This season, meditation; angst in the crew; food porn; waterfalls; a guest wants their plate set down more quietly; a disgusting hot tub; Fraser gives someone a New Year’s kiss; a murder mystery party; Fraser tells Ben not to get involved in interior drama; and Captain Kerry says, it was a total disregard for his authority.

🤷🏽‍♀️ So far, eh.

🛟 Meet the Crew…

All the deets, including their star sign.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/below-deck-season-11-meet-the-cast-captain

🏆 Who, What, and WTF…

The winners. Taylor Swift and Taylor Swift.

https://www.grammy.com/news/2024-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list

Best and worst moments.

https://people.com/2024-grammys-best-moments-8558642

https://ew.com/grammys-2024-best-and-worst-moments-8558533

Most important, the fashion.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/36824/grammys-2024-celebrity-red-carpet-fashion

After the show is over and before Denny’s.

https://pagesix.com/2024/02/05/style/grammys-2024-afterparty-outfits-megan-fox-paris-jackson-and-more

And the worst dressed. Wow. There are some real head shakers here. My jury is out on Chrissy Teigen though. In the video, it actually looks kind of cute.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13044865/Grammys-2024-WORST-dressed-stars-revealed.html

🍕 Pizza My Heart…

Join me tomorrow for soap and the seemingly endless, awful season of RHOBH. Until then, stay safe, stay never pretending to be someone you are not, and stay realizing the importance of letting go of something when it’s just not working anymore.

February 2, 2024 – Two Surprise Returns, Agent Jagger, Goodbye Hello, Side Gigs, Her BFF, Closed Door, VanderScraps, Two For Ones, Grammy Stuff, Bowl Parties, Opossum Pirate, Pups In the Bowl, Two Fivers Of Quotes & Living

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Doc says he’s glad Laura is home, and she says she’s glad to be home. It took forever to get here. He asks what he can do. She says, hold her, and he does. He says he kept picturing her on that boat in the dark. He should have been there. She says, he was in the hospital, recovering. Thank God for that. And there was nothing he could do anyway. He says, there are few feelings in life like feeling helpless, and she says, when they got there, the search and rescue thing was well underway. Then at some point, Dante came over, and he said they couldn’t find them anywhere. All she could think was, it’s a mistake. It just can’t be. Not her Spencer. He says, she was in shock. She probably still is. She says she guesses. She and Trina stood on the deck of the boat for a very long time. She held onto hope so tightly, but then as the search went on, they could both feel it slipping away. He says, it’s good they were there for each other, and she says, everyone was really supportive. She starts to cry, and says, then Dante and Curtis took care of everything, every detail. She’s so grateful for that. She doesn’t know if she thanked them. He says he’s sure she did, but they’ll do it again. She says she feels like she blinked, and Nikolas was gone. Then Ace, and then Spencer. It’s like her whole family is just fading away before her eyes. He holds her as she cries.

Ava lets Nina in the penthouse, and Nina asks if she’s sure Sonny isn’t going to be home any time soon. Ava says, they got back from Puerto Rico, he got a phone call, and turned around and left. She hopes the call is about whatever’s going on in Paris. Nina says she heard about that. Ava must be worried sick about Trina. Ava says she’s beyond worried. It seems the universe decided one crisis at a time isn’t enough. She and Sonny are lucky to be alive. Nina asks, what the hell is going on? Who’s after Ava and Sonny?

Anna and Jordan hide their guns in a hotel room, and Anna sets up a camera. Jordan says, good coverage, and Anna says, all they can do is be prepared. Jordan says she hopes all of these precautions turn out to be unnecessary, and Anna says, for their target’s sake, so does she.

Carly tells the server at Bobbie’s that it looks like she has things covered, and she says, for the moment anyway. Carly says, if anything changes, don’t hesitate to call her, handing the server the keys. Until Carly hires a manager, she’s the cavalry. The server says, Carly’s got it, and Carly leaves, colliding into a good-looking guy in the doorway.

Trina is about to let herself into the dorm room when Josslyn comes out. She asks what Trina is doing here. Why isn’t she in Paris? Trina says she would have let herself in, but… She walks inside and Josslyn asks, what’s wrong? Trina says, Spencer’s dead.

Sonny knocks at Laura’s door and asks Doc if she’s back. Doc says, she is, and invites him in. Sonny asks Laura if it’s true, and she says, Spencer’s gone. They hug.

Jordan asks if Anna thinks they can count on Brennan’s information, and Anna says she thinks they can count on his opportunism. He doesn’t do anything that doesn’t work to his advantage. They’re in a position to help him, only the gun dealer is not. Jordan says, Brennan gave them the right referrals or O’Neal would have never agreed to meet them. Anna says, keep it short and sweet. If Jordan can get him talking about his clients who have bought guns from him, great. If not, they make a buy and spring their trap. Jordan says, the threat of federal charges should be enough to make him give up whoever bought the rifle used to shoot Curtis. Anna says she hopes so, and there’s a knock at the door.

Carly says she’s so sorry and asks if she spilled coffee on him, but the guy says, no. How about her? Is she okay? Carly says she’s fine. This isn’t how she wants to welcome people to her place. He says, she owns this place? and she says, yeah. He asks when she changed the name, and she says, recently. He says he used to work here when it was Kelly’s. He’s John. She says she’s embarrassed, and introduces herself. They shake hands, and she asks if it’s too late to welcome him back. He says, not at all. Thanks. It’s good to be back. She tells him to enjoy his meal, and he goes inside. Leo calls to Carly, and runs up to her, hugging her. He says he hasn’t seen her in forever, and she says, that means she gets an extra hug. Olivia suggests he go inside and look at his book. She’s going to talk to Carly about getting him some breakfast. Leo asks if they’re going to talk about extra powdered sugar on his waffles, and Olivia asks if he thinks this is her first time or what. He says, no, it isn’t, and goes inside. Carly asks, what’s up? and Olivia says, just so she knows, they’re not here just for the sugar rush. She wanted to check on Carly. Carly asks, why? and Olivia asks if she read the fashion article in the City Gazette, written by Gemma someone or other. Carly says, she came by the office and asked for a comment. Is the article out already? Olivia shows Carly her phone, and says, this morning. Carly reads, Drew Cain is leading with his heart, not with his head. This has Nina’s fingerprints written all over it. (Because no one else could possibly think that.) Olivia says, she quotes an anonymous source, and Carly says, they both know who that anonymous source is. Olivia says she wishes she could say she doesn’t agree with Carly. She was really hoping that Nina was going to try and make peace. That’s what’s best for everyone. Carly asks if that’s why Olivia kept Nina’s secret. Because it was best for everyone?

Ava says, if Dex hadn’t told her and Sonny to run for cover, she wouldn’t be sitting here telling Nina this story right now. Nina asks if Avery was with her, and Ava says, Avery was in her room. She didn’t know they were in any danger. She thought the gunfire was fireworks, thank God. Nina asks if she’s okay, and Ava says, yeah, just a couple of scratches. Nina looks at Ava’s hand and says, that’s more than a scratch. Is she in pain? Ava says, it’s fine. Like she told the doctor, it’s nothing a good, stiff drink can’t fix. Nina asks if Sonny has any idea who did this, but Ava says, nothing he’s talked about in any detail. She knows Sonny. He doesn’t really discuss his concerns. He just gets very, very, very quiet. Nina says, he doesn’t eat, he doesn’t sleep, he just moves on with the next thing. She doesn’t know how he does it. Ava says she got the feeling he thinks it’s a second attempt by the people behind Curtis’s shooting, and Nina says, that means they’re not going to stop until they succeed. Ava tells her not to worry though. She knows Sonny works with only the very best and takes every precaution. Nina says she’s just got to remind herself that he wouldn’t be where he is if he took chances, and Ava says, and he wouldn’t have been there for so long, right? Relax. She’s not going to be a widow anytime soon. Nina says she doesn’t even know if she’s still a wife.

Trina tells Josslyn, before she could even move, Esme and Spencer were in the water. They had helicopters and divers, but nobody could find them. Josslyn asks if they’re still searching, but Trina says, they can’t be rescued. It’s been too long. It’s impossible. Josslyn says, but they can bring him home? and Trina says, no. The police don’t expect to find their bodies. They think Esme and Spencer were carried out to sea. Josslyn says she’s sorry and hugs Trina.

Laura says she’s sorry she told Sonny about Spencer on the phone. It’s a horrible way to find out. He says, any way would be horrible. It’s good to face the truth. Any update from the French police? She says, they searched for the mandatory 48 hours. After that point, Spencer and Esme were presumed dead. Their bodies were taken by the current out to the English Channel. They’re just gone. She starts to cry again, and Sonny says, she’s going to be fine. Is she doing all right? Laura says he has to remind herself to breathe, and he says, if there’s anything he can do, but she says, there isn’t. He says, if something comes up… She says, it’s not going to, and Doc says, it’s good of Sonny to come by. Laura says, this is very difficult for her, and Sonny says he gets it. She says, it’s not just about Spencer. This is also about her brother. The way Sonny laid hands on him was unconscionable. Sonny says he doesn’t think Laura knows who Cyrus is, but she says she does. She knows what he’s capable of. She thought she knew Sonny. She thought he was a different man. He says he is, and she says she’s sure Cyrus goaded him, and she hopes Sonny just lost control because he nearly killed Cyrus with his bare hands. Sonny says he made a mistake. Cyrus played him. He went after him. He shouldn’t have done that. Is Cyrus worth her trouble? She says she doesn’t know, but Sonny is. Their friendship is, or that’s what she thought. She thinks they owe each other the truth, so she’s going to give it to him now. She’s had a lot of violence and bloodshed in her life and she can’t take it anymore. She won’t take it anymore, friendship or no friendship. He says he gets that, and she says she hopes he does. They hear Cyrus in the hallway saying he has every right… Doc says, impeccable timing. That must be her brother. Dex says he can’t let Cyrus in, and Doc opens the door.

Cyrus tells Sonny to call of his dog. He’s here to see his family. Laura nods, and Doc invites Cyrus in. Laura says, it’s not a good time, and Cyrus says, that’s why he’s here, so he can help his sister walk through this. Doc says he can start by respecting his sister’s wishes, and Cyrus says he has nothing but respect for his sister and the profound loss she’s suffered. Sonny asks how he found out about Spencer, and Cyrus says he watched over Spencer while he was in Pentenville, and he continued to stay abreast of his family’s movements. Sonny says, whether they wanted him to or not? and Cyrus says he laments that he wasn’t able to protect Spencer in the end and he grieves with his dear sister and for her. Sonny says, nobody wants to hear that, and Cyrus says, blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Laura says, stop it. This is not comforting her. Just go. Cyrus says he just hopes she can find some comfort knowing that there is a coming glory… She yells, stop it!

Nina says, it’s good that Ava is staying here with Sonny, and Ava says she doesn’t know how good it is, but it’s safe. There are guards everywhere. Avery’s happy being with her father. Nina says, of course (🍷). Sonny is such a great dad. Ava says, he talks about his family all the time, that’s for sure, and Nina asks if he’s said anything else. Ava says, they don’t exactly sit down at the end of the day and chat about what happened at the office, and Nina asks if he ever talks about his marriage. Ava says, no, sorry. He wouldn’t talk to her about that, of all people. She noticed he’s still wearing his wedding ring though. Nina says, that’s something. It’s easy enough to take off, so if he’s still wearing it, there must be something inside of him that says he doesn’t want to give up on their marriage. Ava says she hopes so. She really hopes that things work out for Nina and Sonny. Nina says, but…? and Ava says she just thinks Nina ought to prepare herself for a life without him, but Nina says she can’t. She can’t lose Sonny. She can’t lose his family because they’re her family too. She can’t lose Willow, Wiley, and Amelia; they’re her world. Ava says she knows, and Nina says, Ava has that beautiful gallery. Ava has Avery. Nina doesn’t have Crimson anymore, and if she loses Sonny and her daughter and her grandchildren, she has nothing.

Leo looks at his book, then looks outside at Carly and Olivia. He takes out his fidget spinner as John watches him from another table.

Olivia says she wasn’t trying to protect Nina, and Carly says, then who was she trying to protect? Because Nina was the only one who benefitted from her silence.

John comes over to Leo’s table and asks if he likes animals. Leo says he’s not supposed to talk to strangers, and John says, that’s a good rule. He taught his son the same rule, but – he sits down – he also told him that it was okay to talk to law enforcement. He shows Leo his badge and says he’s Agent John. Leo asks if he’s really from the FBI, and John says, yes, sir. Leo says, then he’s Leo Falconari, and John says, it’s nice to meet him.

Jordan lets O’Neal in, and he puts his case on the bed. He starts to frisk her, and she asks if it’s necessary. He says, can’t be too careful, and she says she wants to make a buy, not commit a robbery. He says, it’s for someone’s capacity, not their intentions. He’s covering all his bases. She says, no kidding. Buy her dinner first? He says, no wire, no gun. Good start. So who referred her? She says, Maloy, but he already knows that, and he asks how she knows Maloy. She says, book club. Him?… Yeah. That’s what she thought. It’s probably neither of their business. He moves his case to the credenza and opens it. He says he’s got a <insert complicated gun description> gun with the longest fair fight sniper shot in history. (This sounds like an oxymoron, but I swear that’s what he said.) He hands it to her, and she looks it over. She says, let’s talk price, and he says, it’s not a negotiation. She says, since when? and he says, if she wants quality and confidentiality, this thing’s untraceable. She’ll never know where it came from, and he’ll never know how she chose to use it. So, is it an agreement or not?

Trina tells Josslyn that she heard the sirens from police boats and turned away from Spencer just for a second. He was saying something, then he gasped, and when she turned around, he had the strangest look on his face. He looked surprised and he had fear in his eyes. Then she saw Esme with the needle and then Esme tried to come for her. Somehow, Spencer found enough strength to grab her, and they both went in the water.

Jordan says, all right, let’s do this, and hands the gun back to O’Neal. She takes out her phone and asks, what’s the routing number for the wire transfer? He says, it has to be an encrypted transaction, and she says, fine. Give her whatever device he wants to use, and she’ll make the transfer. He says he prefers human touch, and she says she’s aware. He says, she can make the transfer directly to his accountant, and she says, how quaint. Is he outside? Is he on his way here? O’Neal says he’s afraid not. They’re going to him.

Leo says his mom is outside arguing with Aunt Carly, and John asks, what makes him think they’re arguing? Leo says, the way they’re standing and what they do with their arms, and John looks outside. He says, kind of like a threat display from an animal, and Leo says, humans are animals. John says, that is very true. What kind of animals are in Leo’s book? Leo says, all kinds, and John asks if there are bears in there. Leo asks if he likes bears, and John says he does. Bears are smart and they’re strong. He wouldn’t want to meet one in the wild, but he likes reading about them.

Olivia tells Carly that Drew had already gone to prison. Carly’s accounts had already been frozen. Nothing she knew could have changed any of that. All she could do was stop the damage Nina had already done from going even further. Carly says, and the fact Olivia and Ned were also victims of Nina’s lies didn’t matter, but Olivia says, of course (🍷) it mattered. Carly asks if Olivia’s forgotten how furious she was at her for accusing Ned, because she hasn’t. Olivia says she hasn’t forgotten. She thinks about it every day. Carly says, then why would she shield the woman who was actually responsible? Nina stood back and let Ned take the blame.

Ava says she never, not in a million years, would have predicted that Drew would remove Nina from Crimson and replace her with Carly. Nina says, he’s not the same person as he was before he went to prison. He’s harder. Ava says putting Carly in a position Nina has held successfully for years adds a lot of uncertainty and risk to Crimson for no good reason. Nina says, making her suffer is reason enough in Drew’s book, and Ava says, he’s making choices he’s going to regret, that’s for sure. Nina thanks her, and Ava says, she’s welcome. She’s just stating the obvious here. Nina says she appreciates that, but she’s thinking, Ava doesn’t always agree with her choices, but she understands Nina’s reasoning behind it and doesn’t make her suffer. Ava doesn’t punish her for them. Ava says, nobody in this room has a monopoly on bad choices, and Nina says she’s very grateful for Ava’s friendship and her loyalty. She loves Ava so much and thanks her. Ava says she loves Nina too, and she’s welcome. Nina says she shouldn’t be bothering Ava about this. She’s worried about Trina. Ava says she can listen to Nina and worry at the same time, and Nina says, and she’s still coming down from being shot at and attacked. Ava says, the first time somebody shoots at you, it does come as a bit of a surprise, but with time and experience, you kind of get used to people trying to kill you. Nina laughs and says she’s very impressed by Ava’s resilience, more than she’ll ever know, but she must have been afraid in Puerto Rico. Avery could have lost both of her parents. She can’t always look out for Sonny anymore, no matter how much she wants to. Ava has to promise her that she and Sonny will always look out for each other.

Trina tells Josslyn, when they were in Greenland, and Spencer went missing, everyone lost hope. Not her. She didn’t believe he was gone. Josslyn says, and now? and holding back tears, Trina says she wants to believe so badly, but something tells her that this time there won’t be a happy ending.

Doc holds open the door, and Cyrus says he meant no harm. He gives them his word. Sonny says, they all know what that means. Let him walk out with Cyrus. Sonny tells Laura that he’ll call her, and Cyrus says, Laura may not believe in his spiritual awakening, but he prays she believes this. He cared about Spencer as he cares about her. Sonny says, that’s nice. Let’s go. Sonny steers Cyrus out, and in the hallway, Cyrus shakes him off. He says he gave Sonny a pass on the assault charges, but just the one. He’s a believer, not a saint. Sonny says, that makes two of them.

Josslyn asks what Trina is going to do. Is she going to stay here? Is she going back to Paris? Maybe Josslyn could take some time off… Trina says she doesn’t think she could go back to Paris ever again, and Josslyn says she doesn’t want a new roommate. Trina should come live with her again. Trina says she appreciates it, but she’s going to live with her parents and she’s going to take a semester off. She can’t even think about school. All of this seems so trivial. Like, what’s even important anymore? Josslyn says she understands. It’s hard to act like there’s a tomorrow when you lose someone you love. Trina asks if that’s what it was like when Josslyn lost Oscar, and Josslyn says, kind of, but he was sick, so it was peaceful in the end. It’s different than what Trina just went through. But the way you feel like you can’t breathe and the way your heart actually hurts – she tears up – that’s the same. They both cry, and Trina says she feels like it took so long for her and Spencer to finally be together. Then they finally were, and they were in a happy place. Then, like in a heartbeat, all of that was over. She and Josslyn hug.

Olivia tells Carly that she and Ned looked at the situation and made a judgement call. Exposing Nina wasn’t going to help anybody fix anything. And a huge blow-up would have just made everything so much worse. Carly says, so that’s what she and Ned decided, and Olivia says, he took a little convincing, but… She looks inside, seeing Leo with John, and tells Carly, hold on a second. She goes inside, directly to Leo’s table, where he’s reading to John from his book. Olivia says, pretty friendly, huh? and Leo says, this is John. Olivia says hello to John and suggests Leo wash his hands before his waffle gets here. Leo leaves, and John stands up. He says, he’s a great kid, and Olivia says, yeah. He says, he’s on the spectrum? and she says, he has ASD, yeah. He says, so does his son. He’s sorry for approaching her boy, but he could tell Leo was getting agitated watching her and Carly. She says she should have realized he could see them out there and it would bother him, but John says, it’s fine. He thinks he distracted Leo. She says, looks like he did and thanks him. She asks, how old is his son? and he says, he’s grown now, and living independently. She says, so he’s doing well? and John says, he’s doing great. His phone rings, and he asks her to excuse him for a moment. She says, of course (🍷), and he steps away.

John asks, what’s the word?… Nobody moves until he gets there. He dashes out of the diner.

Jordan says, everyone and their cat knows you don’t go to a second location, and he says, suit yourself. He starts to pack up, and she says, there’s got to be a way they can make this happen, right here, right now. He says, it’s unusual for a customer to make this hard a sell. Why does this deal need to happen before he leaves this room? She says she thought she was paying for confidentiality, and he says, at the moment, he doesn’t know what she’s paying him for. She says, that’s too bad. Sorry they couldn’t get this done. She’s about to reach behind a chair pillow for a gun, but he grabs her and says, they’re not done until she tells him who she really is. Anna comes out of nowhere and says, remove your hand or I’ll remove it for you. O’Neal lets go of Jordan and puts his hands up.

As they approach the penthouse, Sonny asks Dex if he’s talked to Josslyn, but Dex says, not recently. Sonny says, Dex should go to her because she should hear about Spencer from him. Go ahead. He has a lot of protection. Dex leaves, and Sonny goes inside. Ava jumps up, and Sonny asks if she’s all right. She says, yeah. She just wasn’t expecting him back so soon. He asks if she has a problem with him being back, but she says, no. She’s just a little jumpy, for obvious reasons. When he left in such a hurry, was that about Trina and Spencer? He says, it turns out, Spencer’s dead, Ava says, oh no, and Nina walks out.

Nina says she’s so sorry, and Ava says, Trina. Sonny tells her, Trina’s safe, and Nina asks, what happened to Spencer? Sonny says, he went over the side of a boat in Paris, he and Esme, and Nina says she knows he loved his nephew. She can’t imagine what he’s going through right now. He says he can’t do this right now.

Doc gives Laura a mug of what I hope is whiskey, and says, this will help her keep up her strength. A little edge cutter was in order. She says she already regrets losing her cool with Cyrus, but the conversation with Sonny was long overdue. He tells her not to beat herself up over Cyrus. What happened was understandable, especially given the loss she’s feeling. She says, but she’s not the only one, is she? Esme was his niece. She knows he did everything he could for her. He says, they both did, and Laura says, the way she was with Ace, she’s never going to believe that was an act. He says, it wasn’t. Esme’s love for Ace was genuine and maybe the only pure emotion she felt in her life. When Nikolas took Ace away, she was isolated, afraid, angry, and she chose the worst possible course of action. Laura says she was the one who talked Esme into turning herself in for breaking into Windymere. If she hadn’t… He says, there is no way she could have predicted that would happen. She didn’t know that Esme had regained her memory, and there was no way to know Nikolas would come back and convince Spencer to let him run away with Ace. There was no way she could know that. He hopes she’s hearing him when he says that. She says, if she’s being honest, all she can hear is silence in a house that used to be filled with voices. He puts his arm around her and she puts her head on his shoulder.

Carly tells Olivia that Leo’s order is next up, and she did tell them extra powdered sugar. Olivia says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she’s going to crush at Crimson. She’s wicked smart, nobody can match her instincts, and she makes being a leader look easy. That’s why the employees at the MetroCourt are so loyal to her. And she’s going to make a whole new generation of customers fall in love with Bobbie’s. Carly thanks her for saying that, and Olivia says, it’s the truth. Which she’ll never hide from Carly in the future.

O’Neal says, his other clients don’t behave this way, and Anna says, they’re not his other clients. Sit. He sits on the edge of the bed and says, they’re not so different as they keep telling themselves. There must be something in the water here. Anna says she’s under no illusion as to who or what she is, and Jordan asks what he means, there must be something in the water here? He says he doesn’t mean anything, and she says, they’re not the only ones in Port Charles buying from him, are they? He says he can’t talk about his clients. It’ll end his business. Anna says, Einstein, your business is over. He’s been peddling guns stolen from the WSB. So he has a choice to make. He’s either going to tell them what they want to know, or he waits for the Bureau to get here and then they’ll pick him up. They’re not going to sweep this under the rug. He asks what they want to know, and Jordan says, they need to know the names of every person who purchased a weapon from that WSB shipment. The door busts in, and John comes in with some men, saying, freeze. Jordan says, guns down, and they all aim their guns at one another, except for O’Neal, still on the bed with his hands up. He says, don’t shoot, and John says, FBI. Drop your weapons now.

Nina says she didn’t want to make Sonny’s night worse by being here. That’s not what she wanted. She walks out of the apartment, and Ava says she’s sorry. She knows how he feels about Nina being here. He says, it doesn’t matter. Nothing really matters. She says, Spencer. She’s so sorry. That’s just terrible. Trina must be absolutely gutted. She’s going to call her. She puts her hand on Sonny’s shoulder, he thanks her, and she leaves.

Josslyn asks if Cam knows, and Trina says she doubts it. The word hasn’t gotten out yet. Josslyn says, they’ve got to tell him, and makes the call. She says she’s here with Trina and they have to tell him something. She starts to cry and says, they need him to hear it from them.

Olivia asks if Leo wants to say goodbye to his Aunt Carly. She’s got to get to work. He asks if they’re done arguing, and Carly says, sometimes friends disagree. Olivia says she and Carly haven’t been on the same wavelength for a while, but maybe pretty soon they can try to fix that. Carly says she thinks they’ve already started, and Leo says he can tell. Their body language is better. Carly says, you know what? He’s right. Olivia says, how’s this for body language? and hugs Leo. Carly pulls them in for a three-way hug.

Anna says she and her colleague are going to lower their weapons, and John says, do that, nice and slow. O’Neal gets up and says he’s just a bystander. Anna, Jordan, and John say, shut up, and O’Neal says, okay, sitting back down. Anna says she takes it John is the agent in charge, and he asks if she doesn’t recognize him. Anna says, wait… Jagger? and John smiles.

Laura looks at a photo of young Spencer on her phone, when there’s a knock at the door. Laura opens it, and Nikolas is standing there with Ace. He says, hello, mother, and Laura cries tears of joy.

On Monday, Laura asks if it’s occurred to Nikolas that he belongs in prison; Lucy asks Martin for another chance; Anna suggests they bring the case in together; and Dante asks Sonny if it was an inside job.

🪪 Something Old Is Something New…

So far, I’m thinking we should keep him.

🚑 Coming and Going…

The circle of soap life.

🤹‍♂️ No Idle Hands Here…

Teaching, directing, kicking ass as a spy. Is there nothing she can’t do?

Boogieing down for mental health.

🐶 Whiskey A Go-Go…

Including this because, dog.

🍑 They Hear Her Knocking…

IRL this makes sense, but in Bravoland, anything can happen.

🍸 Extra Rules…

Maybe she’s hoping for screen time since no one wants to film with him.

Totally understandable.

⚰️ Premiere Of Ones…

So be sure to watch the premiere before the premiere.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/amc-amc-presents-the-walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-premiere-event

🏆 One Grammy Coming Up…

If you just want the basics.

https://ew.com/2024-grammys-everything-we-know-8431969

Or the whole shebang.

https://live.grammy.com

🏈 Don’t Try This At Home…

 Super Bowl party fails.

Super Bowl party mistakes. These could go for any party.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/big-game/big-game-parties/game-day-party-mistakes

Real Bowl blunders.

🦡 He Was Hungry…

The opossum is always the last one they suspect.

https://people.com/opossum-caught-on-camera-stealing-birthday-cookie-delivery-8557650

🐕 Best Bowl Of All…

The Ravens and the pups.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/baltimore-ravens-hang-out-with-rescue-puppies-for-puppy-bowl-xx-

Up for adoption.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/adoptables

Guest appearances!

🐬 Quotes of the Week

Take your camera, and take your selfie stick, and take your dogs, and get the f*** out of here. – crazy Karen neighbor, Neighborhood Wars

You are your greatest asset. Put your time, effort and money into training. – Tom Hopkins

At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable. – Christopher Reeve

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

Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts. – John Wooden

You’re no scientist. You’re just crazy. – Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee), Gyeonsueong Creature

Judge a person by their questions rather than their answers. – Voltaire

Babies are supposed to cry and throw a fit. Not you. – Amanda Halterman, 1000-Lb. Sisters

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself. – Lucille Ball

Geometry made me its bitch. – Vince (Louis Mustillo), Mike & Molly (I so relate.)

🎤 Accepting All the Grammys…

Go out and live real life, then join me on Monday really Tuesday for soap and perhaps a little Deck talk. Until then, stay safe, stay away from doom scrolling, and stay never going to a second location. Everyone and their cat knows that.

February 1, 2024 – Felicia Advocates For Adam, Coney, See Ya, Doubles, On His Way, About Emmy, Feelings, Dragon Girl, Saturday Night Cast, Be Your Dog’s Valentine & Groove

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura stands on the deck of the French Haunted Star when Dante comes out. She asks if he’s spoken to the French authorities, and he says he did. They’re very thorough and very professional. She tells him, just say it. Where is Spencer?

Trina sits in her stateroom, flashing back to the struggle with Esme, when Portia and Curtis come in. Trina hugs Portia and takes Curtis’s hand.

Felicia finds Josslyn at the hospital and says she heard Josslyn’s friend Adam needs a patient advocate.

Nurse Willow tells Adam that she has a friend of his outside, and he says, if she’s talking about Josslyn… She says she isn’t. She’s talking about this. She brings in his guitar and he smiles. He says he wasn’t sure what happened to it, and she says, they were keeping it for him. He thanks her, but she says, thank Josslyn. She was the one who brought it from the park the night he was admitted. She thought he might want it. Killjoy Mr. Wright aka Adam’s father comes to the door and says he was hoping Adam had outgrown this thing. It’s time he got his priorities straight.

Lois asks Chase and Brook if they can imagine anything more appropriate or beautiful than St. Anthony’s in Bensonhurst. The entire neighborhood will be there. All the Cerullos and the Falconaris and Father Tom. He does a great service. (Yeah, but isn’t Aunt Gloria not allowed near that church anymore?) Brook says, they already asked Gregory to officiate, and Lois says, not to worry. Father Tom is very liberal. She’s sure he would have no problem sharing the pulpit. So have they thought about the reception? Brook says, one idea is a yacht, and Lois says, that is romantic in theory. It’s risky in practice. The night of her second wedding to Ned – the one that was actually sanctioned by the church, as opposed to the quickie one where she thought she was marrying Eddie Maine – they had a yacht cruise. The ship ran aground and almost sank with the entire wedding party and family and friends on board. Chase says, so they should be looking at venues on dry land, and Lois says, but some risks are worth taking. Could they imagine a moonlight cruise off Coney Island? They can welcome all of the guests on board under the Brooklyn Bridge, and they can sail around Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. And when everybody’s ready to disembark, they can send them off with popcorn. Doesn’t that sound spectacular? (It sounds like, one of these things is not like the others.) Gregory says, spectacular, and Chase tells her, he has to say, they’re… Brook says, speechless, but Tracy says she’s not.

At Crimson, Drew asks Carly how it’s going, and she says, ask her in a couple of days because they’re in the middle of putting out the first issue of the magazine with her name on it. Her head is spinning. He says, with her here and Nina gone, Crimson has already improved, but Carly says she doesn’t know about that. She despises Nina, but Nina knew a lot more than she does about putting a magazine out. He says, Nina learned on the job. She’s going to learn on the job too. She’s a natural leader, runs a big company, and she’s got great taste, if he does say so himself. It’s only a matter of time before she surpasses Nina. She says she loves his confidence, and he says, nobody is even going to remember Nina ran this place. She says, Nina who? and they kiss. He says, the best business decision he ever made was making her Editor-in-Chief of Crimson. (I just had a thought, have the angry shareholders started calling yet? They might still be smarting from the merger debacle.) Michael walks in and asks if Drew has a minute.

Felicia tells Josslyn, after Carly called, she took a look at Adam’s recent psyche evaluation, and it turns out it’s up to him if he wants to go home or go back to school or stay here at General Hospital for observation. Josslyn says she thinks Adam just wants to live his life and not feel like he’s one big disappointment. Can Felicia help him? Felicia says she’ll do her best. There’s no underestimating the hold a parent has on a child.

Lois says, before Tracy insists the wedding be at this house with a bunch of snooty waiters and unnecessary etiquette, she wants Tracy to think about what Brook and Chase want. Tracy flashes back to Gregory saying, no more petty fighting with Lois and Olivia about the reception and arguing with Ned about anything. All that matters is that those two beautiful souls belong together, and we do everything to make that happen. He asks if they understand each other, and she says, they do. Lois tells Tracy, because this is supposed to be a celebration, and celebrations are supposed to be fun. She knows it’s important to have gorgeous flowers and beautiful table settings, but that is not as important as the food and the music and the dancing, especially the dancing. Because what’s really important is for the bride and the groom to enjoy the occasion. And what is more enjoyable than for Brook to be married in her neighborhood, surrounded by the people who’ve known her and loved her for her entire life? Brook tells Tracy, say something, and Tracy says she couldn’t agree more.

Dante tells Laura, the police found the captain locked in a closet, unconscious. When he came to, he confirmed Spencer chartered the boat to cruise the river to the English Channel. When the boat left the pier, he found an American woman on deck. She said she was lost, but he didn’t believe her. When he tried to take her into custody, she fought back and smacked him in the head with a fire extinguisher. Laura asks if the captain was able to ID her, and Dante says, he picked out Esme’s picture right away. She asks, what about the search for Spencer? and he says, they have every boat at their disposal in the water, searching. So far there’s no sign of Esme or Spencer. She says, then they can still be alive, and Dante says, yeah. He’ll check in again and see if there’s any updates. She thanks him, he says, of course (🍷), and leaves.

Trina asks, when did they get here? and Portia says, they just arrived. Ned Quartermaine kindly let them borrow the ELQ jet and they came as soon as they heard Esme was on her way to Paris. Curtis says, Laura and Dante are coordinating with the French police. He promises they’re doing all they can to rescue Spencer. Trina says she knows Spencer is alive, and Portia asks, so what happened? The police told them that Esme tried to stab Spencer with a needle. Trina says, she ambushed him from behind. Whatever drug she was using was so powerful, he couldn’t even stand. Then Esme tried to come for her and tried to inject her with the needle. Then Spencer grabbed her and they both went over the side… He saved her life like he did in Greenland. Curtis says, thank God for that, and Trina says she thought she lost him then too. Then he came back to her, so – Laura comes in – she just knows in her heart that he’s alive still. Laura tells her to trust her heart.

Michael congratulates Carly on the new job, and she thanks him. He says, the MetroCourt’s loss is Crimson’s gain. She says, don’t worry. She’s definitely getting her half of the MetroCourt back one day, with her own money. She’s not going to take loans from anyone. So until then, she’s just going to enjoy her time at Crimson. Michael says, she’ll knock it out of the ballpark, and she thanks him for the vote of confidence. But that’s not why he’s here, is it? He says, no. He was looking for Drew. His office said he was here. Drew suggests they relocate, but Carly says she’s going to GH because she thinks Josslyn could use some back-up. She hugs Drew, saying, take it easy on him, in his ear. She leaves, and Drew says, it’s late. Anything Michael needs to say to him, he can say to him in the morning. Michale says he’s afraid not. He’s resigning.

Mr. Wright says, this has got to go, trying to take Adam’s guitar, but Adam says, no, it doesn’t. Willow says, he’s upsetting the patient. Please wait outside. Wright tells Adam that they have far more important things to discuss than his musical hobby, like the reason he’s here in this hospital. Josslyn walks in with Felicia, and Wright says, then moving on to the many lies Adam’s told. Adam owes him that. Josslyn says, Adam doesn’t owe him anything, and Wright tells Willow that he thought he made it clear that this young woman was not to be allowed near his son. Felicia tells him, please do what Nurse Corinthos says and wait outside, and Wright asks who she is. She says she’s Felicia Scorpio. She’s on staff here as a patient advocate and she needs to talk to Adam, just the two of them.

Lois says she’s sorry. She doesn’t think she heard correctly. Did Tracy just agree with her? Tracy says, as mother of the bride, Lois is traditionally hostess of the wedding and the reception. She knows their tastes differ and Quartermaine traditions are not necessarily right for everyone. Lois says she always thought Tracy was too snooty to see past her own stuck-up nose, but clearly, she was wrong. Tracy says, live and learn, and Brook asks if she and Chase can have a word with grandmother privately. Gregory says, of course (🍷). Shall we? Lois says, delighted, and they leave, Gregory closing the door. Tracy says, now that they’re all on the same page, the wedding can proceed. The ceremony at St. Anthony’s in Bensonhurst, the festival hall of their choosing for the reception, and the streamers, balloons, and bunting in whatever color palette Brook’s mother desires. No need for them to thank her. Brook says, thank her? They were counting on her to say no.

Portia asks if Laura has any news, and Laura says, Dante is with the police now, but no word yet. Trina says she knows they’ll find him, and Laura asks if Trina can just tell her what happened and what Esme thought she was going to accomplish. Trina says, Esme wanted to take Spencer hostage to force Nikolas out of hiding and trade him for Ace, but Laura says, Esme’s a tiny little girl. How could she possibly overpower Spencer? Did she have a gun? Curtis says, that’s why she planned to drug him, and Trina tells them, Esme said the drug would make Spencer docile, but it didn’t work. He found a way to fight it, and then Esme came for her with the needle, and he grabbed her. That’s how she knows he loves her, and she knows he’s alive. Dante comes in, and Laura asks if there’s an update, but Dante says he’s sorry. He doesn’t have good news.

Tracy says she doesn’t understand. She thought Brook was on board with her mother’s vision. Brook asks if Tracy knows how many weddings she’s been to at St. Anthony’s. Don’t misunderstand. They’ve all been beautiful and a lot of fun, but as much as she loves the old neighborhood, she doesn’t want to be married there. Chase says he and Brook met in Port Charles. They fell in love here and the people they love and are closest to live here. Brook says, they want a Port Charles wedding. Whether they have the reception here at the house or at The Savoy or at the MetroCourt ballroom, they just want it to be in a place that has meaning for them as a couple. Chase says, it’s not that he doesn’t want to get to know Brook’s family in Bensonhurst. He does. Brook says, just not on their wedding day. They want it to be a day to celebrate their love, not a meet and greet with the Falconari and Cerullo clans. Tracy says, if that’s the way she feels, why doesn’t she tell her mother? and Brook says, because she’s her ma’s only child and she’s a daughter. A big neighborhood wedding is like a rite of passage. Her ma has always been rebellious, but when it came to marrying her dad, they did the ceremony in Bensonhurst. Tracy says she remembers the stories, running around Brooklyn in their wedding attire, hoping to make it to the church on time, and Brook says, now it’s her mother’s turn to be mother of the bride. To have all the uncles and cousins and nonnas congratulate her. And since she divorced Brook’s dad and raised Brook as a single mom, it’s an even bigger deal for her. Tracy says, so maybe Brook should defer to her wishes? and Chase says, she’s got a point. Brook says she doesn’t want to hurt her mom’s feelings, but she just wants their wedding to be their wedding. Tracy says, it will be. She promises.

Michael hands Drew his resignation and says he’s happy for his mom. He knows she’ll make Crimson even better, but Drew fired Nina and hired his mom without even asking him. He knows it’s Drew’s call, but as somebody who’s been handling the day-to-day for years, he should have at least been consulted. Drew says, like Michael shared the inside information about Nina with him? and Michael says he found out Nina tipped off the SEC at their wedding reception. He was on the phone call with his source when he looked over and saw Nina dancing with Willow and his son. Drew says he understands it’s complicated, and Michael says, that’s why he needed proof. He recorded Martin Grey admitting to everything. He went to his father. He was going to play him the recording and expose Nina; get her out of his father’s life, Willow’s life, and his kids’ life, once and for all. Drew says, Michael doesn’t have to explain it. He didn’t want to break Sonny’s heart. Michael says he and his father had been estranged ever since he chose Nina over Michael’s mom and his family. They finally reconciled, so if Michael was to go over to him and basically say, see? I was right. Nina’s a liar and you were a fool to choose her over us, he felt it would break their relationship for good. Drew says, he could have found a gentler way to bring it to him, but Michael says, no matter how he would have said it, that’s what Sonny would have heard. That’s what he heard when Michael told him the truth finally. Drew says, Sonny blames Michael as much as he blames Nina, and Michael says, if not more. That’s for him and his father to work out, or not. The point is, he owed it to Drew to let him know everything and he didn’t. He’ll stick around and help with the transition as long as Drew needs him, until he can find someone he trusts with the position. Michael starts to leave, but Drew says, wait. The truth is, his anger was misdirected toward Michael. Nina is the one who caused all the harm. Now that Carly is here in her place, the books are balanced. Michael asks what he’s saying, and Drew tells him that he’s saying he wants Michael here. But with new ground rules in place.

Wright says his son doesn’t need an advocate. He has his father. Josslyn asks how that’s worked out, and Wright says, if she doesn’t leave now, he’ll call security. Carly arrives and says, no, he won’t. Wright asks who she is, and she says she’s Josslyn’s mother. And instead of insulting her daughter, why isn’t he thanking her for saving his son’s life? Felicia says, if they’d all just step outside and give her a moment alone with Adam, but Wright says he’s staying. Willow says, Adam? and Adam says he’d like to talk to the advocate. Willow says, he heard his son. He needs to leave. Or should she call security? Wright tells Adam that he’ll be right outside, and Josslyn says she’ll be right outside too, in case Adam needs her. Everyone leaves, and Adam asks Felicia, what happens now? She says, it’s his life. He’s been given a second chance to live it. How he does so is up to him.

Dante says, the authorities are dragging the river. They’ve got divers out there and helicopters along the shoreline, but the currents are stronger the closer the river gets to the Channel. Trina says, there must be something more they can do to rescue Spencer, but Dante says, the problem is this. They’ve been in the water for more than 24 hours now. Given the temperature and whatever Esme gave to Spencer, they’re no longer calling this a rescue mission; they’re calling it recovery. Trina says she doesn’t care what they call it, recovery or rescue. What matters is they get Spencer back. Dante tells Trina and Laura that he’s so sorry. Spencer is now presumed dead. Laura starts to cry, and Trina says, they’re wrong. He’s alive. She knows he is. She runs out, crying.

Portia asks if Curtis minds, and he says, of course (🍷) not. Go after their daughter. She runs after Trina, and Curtis tells Laura that Spencer was her grandson and he’s very sorry. She thanks him, and Curtis asks who Dante’s contact is at the local police. Dante says, Captain Auboire. She has a command station set up on the bridge. She can give him all the details. Curtis says he’s going to need to hear that so he can relay it to Trina when she’s ready. He leaves, and Dante asks Laura if there’s anything he can do. She says, find her grandson, and he says he wishes he could. She says she knows. She knows Dante would bring him back if he could. They all would. But nothing can be done. She sobs and Dante puts his hand on her shoulder.

Felicia says, Adam tried to end his life. She and his medical team are going to make sure he knows they’re going to continue to support him even after he walks out the door. He’s not alone. He has help. All he has to do is ask for it.

In the hallway, Josslyn says, there’s something Wright needs to know. When she found Adam in the park, he was clutching the thing he loves most, that guitar. Does he know what she likes to think? That even when he was out of it and about to drift off forever, he heard music, and it gave him a reason to live. He believes he’s doing what’s best for his son, but what’s best for Adam is for his father to see him and accept him for who he is.

Tracy asks Lois and Gregory to join them, and Lois makes a beeline for Brook, while Gregory asks if Tracy is okay. She says, no thanks to him. Agreeing with Lois took years off her life. Lois says she doesn’t want them to worry about a thing. The cost of the boat and the food… she’s going to foot the bill. Tracy says she’s footing the bill. And on further review, she’s decided the wedding is going to take place here in Port Charles. Formal attire, flowers by Genevieve, string quartet, and French champagne. Lois asks if that’s really what they want, and Chase says, as much as he wants to meet Lois’s extended family, he and Brook are based here, and this is where they would like to have the wedding. Brook says, a formal reception with flowers and champagne and a string quartet sounds beautiful, and Lois says, beautiful, yeah, but where’s the fun? Tracy says she’s so glad Lois brought that up, because it’s the night before the wedding when the fun really happens.

Portia finds Trina on deck, and Trina asks how she’s supposed to walk away from him. How can she let him go? Portia hugs her.

Brook and Chase both say, Coney Island? and Tracy says, it may not be the proper venue for the wedding, but it’s perfect for the rehearsal dinner. Lois says, of course (🍷). Why didn’t she think of that? Tracy says, nail polish remover. Silent killer. They can recreate all the outer borough charm right on the wharf. They can hire a carnival… and rockers. Whatever. Lois says, that’s true, but Tracy could do even better than that, right? Because why recreate Coney Island, when they could have the real thing? Chase says, the rehearsal dinner is the night before the ceremony, and Brook says, they can’t get everybody down there and back to Port Charles. Lois says, is she sure? What does Tracy think? Tracy says, they can charter buses, and Lois says, buses? What about jets? Tracy is a fancy shmancy cosmeticsy old lady. She can fly everybody down there and back in one night. She can rent out the whole park. Lois can just see it now. Waiters on roller skates handing out pigs in blankets, the Salt N Sizzle, the sideshow, and oh! The Cyclone. Gregory says he’d pay money to see Tracy on The Slingshot, and Lois says, and maybe they can get the groom to serenade the bride on the beach. Brook looks at Chase, and Lois says, what? No. They’re going to tell her that they hate it? Brook says, she couldn’t be more wrong, and Chase says, they love it. Lois says, they do? and Brook hugs her. Gregory and Tracy go into the foyer.

Felicia says, Adam would like to see Josslyn now, and Josslyn goes to his room. She says, looking for her? and Adam says, the nurse told him that it was her who brought his guitar from the park to the hospital. She says she knew he’d want it, and he says, but she didn’t know if he’d be around to use it. She says, no, but she hoped, and he thanks her. She says, it wasn’t a big deal, and he says, not just about the guitar. For him. He tried to kill himself. If it hadn’t been for her, he would have. She says she was just doing what a friend does, and he says, even after everything, the way he treated her, she can still say that. She says she just did, and she promises to keep on saying it as long as he promises to hear it.

Wright tells Felicia that he still needs to see his son, when Josslyn comes back with Adam and his guitar. Wright says, oh good, he’s dressed. Enough talk. They’re going home. Adam says, no, he’s not.

Drew says he needs to know that he can trust Michael. That was never an issue before. Michael always had his back and he always had Michael’s back. He’s not blaming Michael for making the choice to protect his family, but he’s saying Michael has to remember he’s family too. Michael asks how he rebuilds that trust. Where does he start? Drew says, him firing Nina and putting Carly in her place, that’s just the beginning, and Michael asks if he’s planning more changes at Aurora. Drew says he’s planning more changes for Nina. He’s going to make her pay for every single day she kept him away from his daughter, for every scar he carried with him when he walked away from Pentenville. That woman thinks she’s lost everything. She has no idea. She’s going to keep losing until she’s alone, as broke, and as empty as she deserves to be. So is Michael with him? Ugh. I’m not liking this new, dark Drew. I wasn’t exactly a Drew fan to begin with, but he’s kind of creepy now.

Laura tells Dante that she knows better than to play with what ifs. She knows it’s not going to change anything, but she can’t stop herself. What if Spencer had just refused to give Ace to his father? Or what if when Esme finished in court, she just took her son and went back home? Then they would all just be in Port Charles tonight, wouldn’t they? And Spencer and Trina would be together. They’d be young and in love and in Paris. She cries and says, instead, they have this. She can’t imagine a world without Spencer. She just can’t.

Portia tells Trina to take her jacket, but Trina says, no. Portia says she doesn’t want Trina to get cold, but Trina says she doesn’t care. Think about how cold the water is. Spencer loved to swim, but he hated the cold. She remembers when they were at the cabin, and he couldn’t wait to make a fire… At the cabin. That’s when Esme showed her true colors. Why didn’t they pay attention? Why didn’t they get away from her then? Even Spencer… especially Spencer. Portia says, Esme can’t hurt anyone anymore. Spencer saw to that. He really was a hero. She suggests getting Trina home, since there’s really nothing they can do here now, and Trina says she’ll meet Portia at the stateroom. Portia leaves, and Trina asks Spencer, how do I do it? How do I say goodbye?

Lois says she got carried away and suggested a wedding and reception that’s very similar to… Brook looks at her, and she says, okay, almost identical to her wedding to Brook’s father… and her cousin Teresa’s… and her cousin Angela’s… All right, and to Luciana Falconari’s, which all happened this past year. Brook says, and they were all beautiful, and Lois says, yes, and Brook’s wedding will be beautiful too. As long as it’s the wedding of Brook’s dreams, not hers. Brook says she loves Lois, and Lois says she loves Brook too. Brook says, as long as they have their families wishing them well… Chase says, their wedding will be perfect. Lois agrees.

Gregory says, Tracy never ceases to amaze him. She has all sorts of hidden talents when she lets herself show them. She says, sometimes all she needs is a little encouragement. However, there is no amount of encouragement that will ever get her on anything called The Slingshot. He says he begs to differ. If he can get Alexis into a parachute, he can get her onto The Slingshot. (See below.)

Wright says, don’t be foolish. Adam’s proven he can’t be trusted on his own. After some time home with family, he can enroll in another college. Get a fresh start. Adam says he’s going back to PCU. He’s got unfinished business there. Besides, there’s a really great music department there. Wright asks, who will pay the tuition? and Felicia says, with his musical talent, perhaps PCU will want to recruit Adam. Adam says, or he’ll get a job, put himself through school, and Wright says, this is a mistake, but Adam says, it’s his to make. He has his dad’s phone number, and his dad has his. Whenever he feels like talking, they’ll talk. Wright looks disgusted, and leaves. Josslyn hugs Adam, and he says he’s not complaining, but what was that for? She says, for being you, and Carly looks on proudly.

Michael says, if regaining Drew’s trust means pursuing a vendetta against Nina, he’s sorry, but the answer’s no. Drew asks if Michael thinks he’s being too hard on her, but Michael says, it’s not worth what he stands to lose. He already went behind Willow’s back in order to protect her from her mother, and it nearly cost him his family. He can’t do that again. He wants Nina to lose everything, but he can’t be involved in making that happen. Drew had better start screening for a CEO. Drew says he already has his CEO. Michael just proved it right now. Michael asks if this was a test, and Drew says he told Michael what he was planning. Michael declined to be involved and he respects Michael’s reasons and respects his honesty. That’s what they need. They need transparency. Collaboration can’t happen without it. He rips up Michael’s resignation and says he expects to see Michael at his desk first thing in the morning.

Portia asks what the police had to say, and Curtis says, they’re going to extend the search for the next 48 hours. If they don’t find anything, they’re going to assume Spencer and Esme’s bodies were swept out into the English Channel and lost. She says, any idea on the odds of recovering their bodies? and he says, less than 50%. He doesn’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, if they don’t find the body, Trina will never accept Spencer’s gone. If they do find the body, she’s going to insist on viewing it. He just doesn’t want her to see Spencer that way. He wants to spare her that. Portia says she wanted Spencer out of Trina’s life. He brought trouble and she wanted to protect Trina from all of that. But the thought of that young man losing his life saving Trina’s and how Trina’s feeling tonight… She didn’t want it to happen like this. She cries and says, not this way.

Laura and Dante go out on deck, and Laura goes over to Trina. Trina asks if Doc is okay, and Laura says, he still has a headache. Other than that, he’s fine. Trina says she knows Laura wants to get home soon, so she promises she won’t be long, but Laura tells her to take as much time as she needs. She kisses Trina on the forehead, and she and Dante go back inside. Trina flashes back over her and Spencer being in Paris before Esme came along, and there’s a song part. She says, this isn’t goodbye. Somehow, some way…

We see the turtle dove washed up on a rocky shore.

Tomorrow, Olivia says, it’s best for everyone; Laura says, we owe each other the truth; Trina says, this time it won’t be a happy ending; and Ava tells Nina to prepare herself for a life without him (presumably Sonny).

🛟 Sweeping Down the Seine…

Never fear, Spencer is making a series for Netflix. This doesn’t say much about his ex-partner in crime. Only that yesterday was her last day on screen. My hopes of Spencer and Esme both having lost their memories and being stuck in a Blue Lagoon scenario are officially dashed.

🤸‍♀️ Stunts On the Water…

This sounds like fun, and kudos to Avery Pohl for being her own stunt double.

The Secrets Behind GH’s Paris Fight Scenes!

🛵 He’s Getting There…

No definitive date, but the speculation is late February/early March.

🏆 Variations In Category…

The Daytime Emmys make a few changes.

🍹 Some Type Of Way…

Checking in on how everyone feels. Even though it’s probably the least important thing in the history of the world.

🐉 When Worlds Collide…

Seasons are so sparse now, she can probably take on a few more projects and have spare time.

https://ew.com/supergirl-casting-milly-alcock-house-of-the-dragon-8549512

🗽 Live From New York…

This sounds promising.

https://ew.com/snl-1975-movie-cast-and-real-people-8551014

❣️ Ahead Of the Pack…

No shame in having your dog as your date. As a matter of fact, it’s probably better than a lot of human dates.

https://www.dailypaws.com/gear-apparel/pet-gifts/dog-valentines-day-gifts

https://www.dogtopia.com/blog/how-to-celebrate-valentines-day-with-your-dog

🏃🏽‍♀️ One February A-Leaping…

Check in tomorrow for soap, amusement, knowledge, and as always, music. Until then, stay safe, stay refraining from posting every moment of your life on social media, and stay not playing with what ifs. They won’t change anything.

January 31, 2024 – Esme Tells Spencer Her Evil Plan, Sutton’s Friend Brings The Erudites To Dinner & Wake Up

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly invites, Maxie, Sasha and Brook into her Crimson office, thanking them for seeing her on such short… well, no notice. She knows some of them are close with Nina, so she wanted to reach out first. She gets it. She knows everyone is a little blindsided by her presence here. She knows how they feel. If someone would have told her even 24 hours ago that she’d be in this position, she would have said they were crazy. But here she is, and here they all are, so why don’t they just focus on the business at hand? She wanted to do this in person. Leave the lawyers out of it, at least for now. Deception’s advertising contract with Crimson is up for renewal, and she’s eager to maintain this relationship, and hopefully see how it will evolve.

A woman walks into Nina’s MetroCourt office, and Nina asks how she can help her. The woman says she’s here to help Nina. She’s Gemma Somebody-Or-Other and she writes… Nina says, To the Nines column in the City Gazette. She shakes Gemma’s hand and Gemma says she’s flattered. Nina says she loves Gemma’s takes on fashion, and Gemma says, even when she disagrees with Nina? Nina says, especially when Gemma disagrees with her. How does Gemma want to help her? Gemma says she thought Nina might want to set the record straight. Why was the woman who saved Crimson from financial ruin just shown the door?

Lois approaches Olivia at the MetroCourt and asks if she’s got a few. Olivia says she’s actually kind of busy. It’ll have to wait. Lois says, can it? Because she gets the feeling if she leaves it up to Olivia, they may never speak again. Is that what she wants?

Paris On The Seine. On the French Haunted Star, Spencer comes out and sees a trail of the captain’s blood smeared across the deck, along with the fire extinguisher Esme used to knock him out. He follows the trail.

Trina asks what Esme is doing here, and Esme says, with Ace gone, she’s been all by herself. She missed Trina and Spencer so much, where else would she be? She walks toward Trina.

Dex yells for Sonny and Ava to get down, and they duck under a table. Shots are fired.

Nina says, it was her decision to leave Crimson, and Gemma says, is that right? Did she have any input on hiring her successor, Carly Spencer? Nina says she’s sorry to disappoint Gemma, but she promises, there is no story here. Gemma says, and if anyone would know, it’s Nina Reeves, the woman who revolutionized fashion guerrillaism, and Nina says, that’s very flattering, strategically so. Gemma says, it’s still true. Under Nina’s guiding hand, Crimson was a setter of trends. She also did in-depth exposés on botched plastic surgery and how fashion affects body image in both women and men. And now the magazine she brought back from bankruptcy has been given to her husband’s ex-wife. She’s sorry she’s barreling on, but this must be difficult. Nina says, Gemma isn’t telling her anything she doesn’t already know, and she’s still not throwing Carly under the bus. Gemma says, so there is a bus, and Nina says, Gemma wants a statement, she’ll give her a statement. She’s certain Carly Spencer will provide a fresh, new take on fashion and take the magazine in bold, new directions. There, that’s it. Gemma says, about a year ago, Nina – Crimson that is – celebrated how working women could be fashionable and stylish on any income on a busy schedule. And why every woman, every person, should do that for themselves. She adored that piece. Nina says she remembers that, and Gemma says she must confess she’s a little outraged about Nina’s departure, which is why she’s stumped. Even if it was Nina’s decision to leave, how could Drew Cain even consider letting her go? Nina says he’s very proud of her tenure at Crimson and will always remember it fondly. That’s all she has to say… on the record. Off the record, and in her own personal opinion, Drew Cain is no businessman. When it comes to running Aurora or Crimson, he’s listening more to his… heart than he is his head. (Agreed.)

Carly asks if anyone has any questions, and Maxie says, so many, she doesn’t even know where to start. Carly says she acknowledges Nina played a crucial part in forming the partnership between Deception and Crimson, one that’s been profitable for both parties. So if they think she’s going to come in here and change everything solely to do things differently than Nina, that’s not going to happen. In fact, the only changes she wants to make are the ones that maximize both of their successes. Sasha says she’s so sorry. She’s been trying to think of a way to ask this that doesn’t sound… Brook says, snarky? and Maxie asks who she thinks she’s in the room with. Carly says, Sasha can say anything to her, and Sasha says, it’s just that running the MetroCourt and the diner require a very different skillset than running a magazine. Brook says, they want to know how they can trust Carly in running this very new, untested version of Crimson, and Carly says, that’s fair. Maxie might know this, but she doubts Brook and Sasha do. Back in the 90s, she was part owner of the original Deception fragrance company. She has a history with Deception and an affection for it. That’s why she wants to do right by it and them. (Which is great, but doesn’t answer the question.) Maxie says, they’re listening, and Carly says, they’re in the process of closing out their April issue, and as they know, it’s one of the biggest issues of the year. Maxie says, second only to September, and Carly says, that’s right. How about if she increases Deception’s page count at a favorable rate? Maxie asks, how favorable are they talking? when Tracy comes in. She says, don’t sign anything. Oh wait. She’s the only one who can do that. Thank God. So what did she miss? Anything good? Like the part where Carly explains how a rank amateur can avoid running Crimson right into the ground?

Olivia says, it’s highly inappropriate, Lois coming in here like this, and Lois says, it’s a public place. Olivia says, it is a restaurant and it’s her place of business. It’s very important to her that she keep her personal life and professional life very separate. Lois says, what personal life is she talking about? Lately she’s been spending all her time in this place, which begs the question, is Olivia avoiding her? Olivia says she’s not avoiding Lois and she’ll prove it to her by talking to her – at home, but Lois says she doesn’t believe Olivia. Because on the off chance they even bump into each other at the Q’s, Olivia ducks out. Then when Lois chases after her, she disappears. Are there secret passages or something she’s not aware of? Olivia says, if Lois hasn’t noticed, she’s the working mother of a young child who happens to have special needs, and Lois says, Olivia is a wonderful mother to Leo, which doesn’t change the fact that Olivia is avoiding her. And this is the only place she’s able to get a face-to-face with Olivia, so here she is. Olivia says, fine, and stomps off, Lois following her. She sits in one of the private areas and says, make it quick. Sitting across from her, Lois says, make what quick? and Olivia says, her apology.

Spencer runs into the stateroom and yells for Trina. He says, the captain’s been attacked. Someone’s on board the vessel. He turns around, and Esme says, hello, Spence. He grabs her by the throat and slams her against the wall, saying, where is she?

Dex peeks in to where Sonny and Ava are, and says, the gunfire’s coming from the other side of the hotel. They think it’s a single shooter and they’re closing in on his location. Can Sonny and Ava make it inside? Sonny nods, and Dex covers them while they dash inside.

Esme tells Spencer to let go of her neck. That could be bad for his little girl. He says he radioed for help when he found the captain. They’ll be here any second. She says, they’re headed for the English Channel, and she’s already smashed the satellite tracking. They’ll be long gone before the police arrive. Spencer says he’s not going anywhere with her. He’ll kill her first. She says, go ahead. Then he’ll never find Trina in time, and he’ll have killed them both.

Esme asks Spencer how it feels not knowing where Trina is and not knowing if she’s safe. Every second of separation is agony, isn’t it? Well, his little pangs are nothing compared to the torture that Spencer and his father have put her through. He took away her child. Ace is a part of her and now he’s gone, so go ahead, squeeze the life out of her. Kill her and Trina both. Do it. He says he’s not going to kill her because he wants her to live a very long life, living with the pain she just described to him, because she’s never, ever going to see her son again. He lets go, and she says, she is Ace’s mother. Spencer pretended to love him, and he gave Ace away, and she’ll do anything to get her son back. He says, and he’ll do anything to stop her. She unzips her backpack, and says, oh really? So he’d let Trina die. Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen if he doesn’t do exactly as she says. Now give her his hands. She will kill Trina. He knows she will. Now turn around and give her his hands. He does asks she asks, and she binds his wrists together.

Bound and gagged in the wheelhouse, Trina struggles to get out. She scoots across the floor.

Tracy says, what she’s dying to know is how an innkeeper is qualified to run a fashion magazine, and how to explain fashion to Carly. Carly says she guesses she’ll look it up online. As she was explaining to Tracy’s partners – Tracy says, junior partners – she’s run several businesses, learning from the ground up. Nothing is going to change with Crimson except the name on the masthead. Tracy says, so they’re swapping out the current Mrs. Corinthos for the previous gun moll, which just doesn’t sound like progress to her. Brook says, come on. At least hear what she has to say. Maxie says, Carly is offering Deception substantial concessions, and Sasha says, exactly at a time they can use them. They’re pushing a new fragrance and they’re launching their men’s line with Cody as their spokesmodel. Tracy says, so all of them are perfectly content to risk Deception’s brand on a dilettante? and Carly says, Nina was a baby stealing lunatic when she took over the magazine, and it was only given to her so she could run it into the ground. Maxie says she really wants to object to that characterization, but that’s exactly what happened, and Carly says, and look at it now. Julian took a gamble on Nina, and it paid off. Not in the way he wanted it to. Drew is taking a much smaller gamble with her, and she’s just asking Tracy to do the same. A small gamble. She thinks it’s an opportunity they can’t afford to miss.

Lois says she was out of line throwing what happened between Sonny and Dante in Olivia’s face, and Olivia says, when Sonny shot Dante, he didn’t know they were father and son because she kept quiet about it? Lois says she’s sorry. It was a lousy thing to say. Her mouth ran away with her, and she wishes she could take that back, but she’s not going to apologize for telling Sonny that Ned wasn’t the one responsible for turning Carly and Drew in to SEC, because that was the right thing to do. Olivia says, according to her, Lois Cerullo, the world expert on who gets to know what, but Lois asks how she was supposed to look Sonny in the face and not tell him? Olivia says, because she begged Lois not to. Because when she told Lois, she told her in confidence and Lois broke that confidence in like, two seconds. A lifetime of trust she threw away. What Olivia wanted, what mattered to her, didn’t mean a damn thing. Lois just ran off and blabbed. Lois asks what she was supposed to do, and Olivia says, not that. And that’s exactly her point. Lois says, after everything they’ve been through in their lives, don’t they owe it to each other to work out their differences? and Olivia says, to be honest with her, she’s not sure they can at this point. This goes a lot deeper then just Lois betraying her trust. Lois says, that is a little extreme, and Olivia asks if this relationship means something to her. Lois says, of course (🍷). It means everything to her, and Olivia says she used to believe that. What are they supposed to mean to each other when Lois’s relationship with Sonny trumps theirs every single time?

In the living room, still ducking down, Sonny asks if Ava is okay, and she says, they need to check on Avery. He says, she’s with the bodyguard. She’s in her room safe. Ava insists she has to check on Avery, and Sonny takes out his phone. He says, this is a live feed, and shows her. He says, the bodyguard’s with her right there, but Ava says she needs to see it for herself. It gets quiet, and Sonny says, once they get the all-clear, she can go. Dex comes in and says, they’re all clear, and notices Ava’s hand is bleeding. Sonny asks if she was hit.

Tracy says she’s deeply disinclined to put Deception’s money on Carly until she has something to show for her tenure. They wait a few months… Maxie jumps up and says, a few months? Crimson is closing their April issue now. Sasha says, what if everything turns out just fine? They’ll have missed April ad space in Crimson. Brook says, and September is a long way away. By then, their competition will have overtaken them in ads and sales. Maxie says, they need this opportunity, and Carly says, and it’s not going to come around again. Tracy says, okay, and Brook asks, what exactly does she mean by okay? Tracy says she means okay. They’ll take Carly up on her offer. Carly says, she will not regret this decision, and Tracy says, but no contract. Brook says, and there she is, and Carly says, they’re not doing anything without a contract. Tracy says, no contract. Not until they see real data about her circulation numbers. She needs to know if Crimson under Carly works. What has she got planned for September? Carly says, today is the first day of this job for her. September is four issues away. Tracy says she doesn’t think that would bother the good people at Vogue, Elle… Brook asks if she’s trying to tank this, but Carly says, that’s okay. She knows that Tracy is the decision maker… currently. All right. She’ll give them April as discussed, and if in three months she hasn’t hit the agreed upon circulation numbers, they can walk. Maxie says, that seems totally fair, and Tracy says, three month out, 8% off ad rate.

While there’s so much wrong with this scenario, there’s not enough time to list it, wouldn’t a magazine like Crimson already have their advertisements locked down if the issue is ready to roll? And how could Carly offer them extra pages at this point? Just asking.

Dex bandages Ava’s hand, while on the phone, Sonny says, lock down the perimeter. Get men to the docks and the airstrip. No one leaves the island. Is he understood? He hangs up, and Ava asks if they have the all-clear or not. She really needs to see their daughter. Sonny tells a guard to take Ava and do not leave her side. He closes the door after them, and Dex says, the residence is secured. Sonny says, someone took a shot at him and his child, in his building. He wants Dex and Alario to find the shooter and bring the shooter to him.

Trina is still struggling, and Esme secures Spencer’s feet while he’s seated in a comfortable chair. She’s not totally heartless. She thanks him for his cooperation and says, here’s what’s going to happen. He asks if this is the part where the villain tells him her evil plan, and she asks how she’s the villain here. Her son was taken from her, literally by an evil billionaire and his lapdog son. She’s crossed an ocean in pursuit of justice. Nothing matters to her but Ace. And until she has Ace safe in her arms, she wants everyone who took him to suffer. Now sit tight while she gets their itinerary. He asks where she’s taking him, and she says, someplace where his grandmother won’t find them. He says, tell him where Trina is right now, and she says, Trina happens to be vital to her so-called evil plan. She left instructions for Trina to all Laura when she’s free and that’ll take a minute. By then, they’ll be long gone, and Trina will tell Laura to produce Ace at a time and place of her choosing. He says his grandmother does not know where Ace is, but Esme says, Laura is a resourceful woman. She’s sure Laura will get word to Nikolas somehow. Anyway, she’ll be plenty motivated, because the only way Spencer survives is if she gets Ace. He says his father isn’t going to give Ace up, and she says she’s sure his father would prefer two living sons, even if Spencer is the one he’s stuck with (ha-ha!). Spencer says she doesn’t get it. He made his father promise that he’s not going to put Ace in any danger, and he knows Spencer would sacrifice his own life to save his brother. She says, wow. He’s so noble. Quick question. Is he willing to sacrifice Trina? Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen if he doesn’t do his part. He says, even if his father gives up Ace, which he won’t, but even if he does, how does she think this goes down. She goes riding off into the sunset with Ace? She lives happily ever after? After assault and kidnapping, her best bet is to give up now. She says she will not give up on her son, and he says, just know he’s going to fight her every step of the way. She says, that’ll be difficult in his condition. She has on her hands… let’s just call it some special medicine. Just the right amount will make him completely obedient. A little too much, and he’ll turn into a drooling imbecile. More than that, he’ll just stop breathing. He says, the more she talks, the more he thinks he was probably right to give Ace to his father, and she says she’s tired of listening to him. Why don’t they give that medicine a try? She digs in her backpack, when Trina storms in and says, stay away from him.

Esme says, Trina came to save her boyfriend? Think fast. She chucks the backpack at Trina and runs over to Spencer with the syringe. Since the backpack wasn’t much of a distraction, Esme and Trina struggle over the syringe, while Spencer struggles to free himself. The syringe falls to the floor, and Esme and Trina fall on the bed, continuing their fight. Esme gets Trina down.

Gemma thanks Nina for her time and for her insight on the upheaval at Crimson. Nina says, let her confirm. This is all background, correct? Gemma tells her, sources say, and Nina says she looks forward to reading Gemma’s column. Gemma says she looks forward to writing it, and leaves.

Carly says, 8%? Is that a joke? Tracy says she never jokes about money, and Brook says she can vouch for that. Tracy says, as the majority stakeholder in Deception, she thinks it’s time they cut ties with Crimson and align themselves with a much more reputable fashion magazine. Carly asks if Tracy thinks another magazine is going to make room in their April issue for Deception. Does she think they’re going to alienate Fusion or Enchantment by offering Deception as low of an ad rate as she’s offering? Maxie says, she hasn’t mentioned a rate yet, and Carly says, 3% off.

Lois follows Olivia into her office, asking, how can she say that? She’s been… Olivia asks what Nina is doing in her office, and Nina says, Olivia said she could use it since hers is being repainted. Olivia says, she’s redecorating again? and Nina says she’s sure she mentioned it, but Olivia says she’s sure she didn’t. And Lois, her true-blue friend. Why is it when she and Sonny don’t see eye to eye on something, Lois can’t wait to fall in line behind him, every single time? Lois says, not every time, but Olivia says, every single time. Name one time she didn’t… Exactly. She told Lois, all she wanted was to keep the peace. That it would spare so many people so much heartache, Sonny included, if Ned just took the fall, but no. What she wanted took a backseat to Lois scoring points with Sonny. Nina keeps glancing over as she works, and Lois says she does not need to score points with Sonny. Olivia asks, then why did she go to him, way beyond, and say, look at me, Sonny. No one’s got your back like I do, Sonny. And now because of her, the man’s life is a dumpster fire. Nina asks if they can just go back a little bit. Did something happen with Sonny? Lois tells her, stay out of this, but Nina says, that man is her husband and if they have information about him or her marriage, she wants to know about it. Lois says, what marriage? And where is her husband? Where is he? Nowhere near her, that’s for sure. Nina says, thanks to Lois. What right did Lois have to interfere in her life and her marriage? Lois says she doesn’t let people lie to her friends, especially upper east side princesses, and Nina says, that’s classy. She guesses she’s supposed to respond with a crack about Brooklyn. Any decent person would have come to her first. Lois asks, who is she to talk to anybody about decency? Nina says she was going to go to Sonny herself, and Lois says, of course (🍷) she was. That’s what liars say when they get caught. Nina says, she barged into a situation that had nothing to do with her. Lois blew up her life, she blew up Sonny’s life, and she blew up their marriage. Lois says, your life deserved to be blown up, you lying, dime dropping, family wrecking slob, and Olivia says, that’s enough. Nina thanks her, but Olivia says, if Nina is trying to blame Lois for the sorry state of her marriage, Nina is further gone than she thought.

Esme and Trina continue to struggle, and Trina gets the best of Esme, but Esme kicks her off the bed. Esme flies down after her, grabbing the syringe. As she tries to inject Trina, Trina reaches around on the floor and picks up a giant wrench, whacking Esme in the head with it. Esme is out, and Trina runs to Spencer. He says, his hero, and she takes a look at the ties on his ankles. She says she’ll be right back, and leaves.

Sonny tells Ava, the shooter’s gone. They’re going to find him. How’s Avery? Ava says, she’s fine. Avery asked what all the noise was, so Ava said it was fireworks. She’s happy. She’s watching Frozen again. He says, good. How’s Ava’s hand? She says she’ll survive, and he says, she always does. She says she doesn’t want to talk about scrapes and bruises. Who did this? He asks if she has anybody in mind, and she says, how about the same person who killed Austin? He says, it’s too soon to speculate, and she says, when would be a good time then? She just had bullets whizzing past her head, and their daughter was just out here showing them seashells. He says, nothing is going to happen to Avery. Nothing is going to happen to his family.

Trina comes back with a knife and frees Spencer. She says, they’ve got to get out of here, and he says, what about Esme? Trina says, let her wait, and they leave, Spencer closing the door behind them. Yeah, don’t make sure she can’t get out.

Olivia says, Nina went to the SEC because she wanted Carly to go to prison. She wanted Carly away from Willow and Wiley and Amelia. And oh yeah, Nina wanted her away from Sonny. She didn’t give a damn about Carly or her kids, even little Donna who she claims to love so much. Nina says, let her remind Olivia that insider trading is illegal. Carly was guilty. Olivia says, illegal. You want to know who else does illegal things? Let her see… Who could it be? Nina’s husband, which she knew when she married him. So please spare them all her newfound position as queen of law and order. Now she wants to blame Lois for squealing on her to Sonny, instead of blaming herself for lying to Sonny in the first place. Nina says she thought Olivia was one of the few people in this town who didn’t actually hate her, and Olivia says she doesn’t hate Nina. But she has to say, Nina makes it very difficult to like someone who goes around blaming everyone for her own mistakes. There’s a little something called humility. She might want to try it sometime. She walks out, and Lois follows, giving Nina the I’m-watching-you sign before she goes.

Tracy asks Carly, was that so difficult? Carly is talking her language. Carly says, then she accepts? and Tracy says, absolutely not. 3% is paltry. Seven. Carly says, four, and Tracy says, six. Carly says, five, but Crimson gets an exclusive for Deception’s launch of the new contour palette. Tracy wonders how she knew about that, and Carly says, final offer, and holds out a paper. Do they have a deal? Tracy asks if the terms of the offer they just discussed in this contract, and Carly says, down to the decimal. Tracy says, wow. Well played. Give her a pen. Carly hands her a pen and she signs, saying, they have a deal. For now. She walks out.

Going back to the bar, Lois asks how often Nina uses Olivia’s office, and Olivia says, Lois heard her; she’s redecorating. Which she seems to do a lot. Like she thinks a new coat of paint will give her a miraculous redo on her horrifying relationships. Lois thanks her for what she said, but Olivia says she was long overdue to tell Nina off. Lois says she’s been coming to Port Charles for a really long time and since she’s been back with Olivia and everyone, she got to see what she’s been missing. She got to see all the family stuff and all the memories they share. The Thanksgiving pizzas… Olivia says, the singing and eating, and Lois says, all that stuff. The relationship Olivia has with Sonny, it’s not just a connection. They’ve got Dante and they’ve got a history that goes way back. Everyone in Port Charles has been really welcoming to her, aside from Tracy. She’s the one who left a long time ago, and even though she was part of Olivia and Sonny’s lives back in the day, they’ve gone on without her. She guesses what she’s trying to say is, she sees Olivia’s point about her going overboard to get Sonny’s approval. She’s really sorry that she let that come between them. She’s really sorry that she betrayed Olivia’s confidence. She really wishes she could take that back. Okay, she’s going to let Olivia go back to work. She turns to go, but Olivia says, wait.

Dex tells Sonny that they found the shooter’s set-up, shell casings, camouflage… Sonny says, and the shooter? Dex says, gone. No trace, no trail, nothing. Sonny asks how they got past security, and Dex says, Alario is working on that now. Sonny says he wants to know what Dex thinks, and Dex says he found a guard unconscious by the gate. They usually work in pairs, right? Sonny says, always, and Dex says, his partner got called to a disturbance in the east wing. The shooter must have set it up. This guy planted himself in the exact place to get a clear shot at the terrace. He knew the right elevation of the rifle. He had the sun at his back and was positioned perfectly for a quick escape. They knew exactly what they were doing. Sonny says, they knew more than that.

Trina and Spencer run out on deck and wave their arms, trying to signal a nearby boat. Spencer suddenly slumps down, Esme behind him holding the syringe.

Olivia tells Lois that she couldn’t imagine how to tell Sonny. He was so happy. They were newlyweds, for God’s sake. All she ever wants is for the people she loves to be happy. Lois says, that’s all she wants too. And she never should have said anything about Dante to Olivia. Olivia says, no, she should not have, and Lois says, Olivia’s a wonderful mother. Olivia says, water under the Verrazano, and they hug. Lois says, now that all the cats are out of the bag, maybe everybody’s just going to be better off, but Olivia says she thinks the jury is going to be out on that for a while. A lot of hearts got broken here. Lois says, but Sonny’s going to put his back together. He always does. What matters most is her and Olivia. Because Olivia is one of her best friends in this entire world, and she always will be. They hug again.

Nina picks up an issue of Crimson, looks at her name on the masthead, and tosses it onto the desk.

Carly says she knows this change puts Sasha in the middle. Please let her know if there’s anything she can do to make it easier. Sasha says, as long as she and Nina don’t ask her to pick a side, but Carly says she’d never do that, no matter how much she wants to. She tells Maxie that she knows Nina is James’s aunt, and Maxie says, she is and she loves Nina, but that doesn’t mean she’s okay with what Nina did to Carly and Drew. Fortunately, in this office, it’s all business. Besides, she liked how Carly handled Tracy. Brook says she thinks even granny had to respect the way Carly played that negotiation. She didn’t like it, but she respected it. Maxie says, they look forward to further developing the partnership… once Tracy settles down. Carly says she’ll have the lawyer send over the contracts this afternoon, Maxie says, sounds good, and they leave. Carly sits at her desk like she’s had a full day, when Gemma knocks at the door. Carly says, yes? and Gemma introduces herself. Carly invites her in and asks what she can do for her. Gemma says she hopes Carly can provide a comment on the story she’s writing. Carly says, of course (🍷), but she thinks she has to clear everything through the Crimson communication team. Gemma says, of course (🍷), and they can direct her to the proper Aurora rep, right? She’d like to get a comment from Drew Cain as well. Carly asks what she’s reporting on, and Gemma says she’s looking at why Mr. Cain fired Nina Reeves and hired Carly, a woman with no publishing experience and his romantic partner, to replace her.

Sonny tells Dex that they’ll need a complete overhaul of security. Whoever did this, knows their system from the inside out, procedures, operations…

Trina asks what Esme did, and Esme tells her not to worry. She only gave him enough to keep him loopy. There’s enough left for her. She comes after Trina, and Trina says, get away from her. As they fight, Spencer drags himself up and pries Esme off of Trina. He and Esme stumbled backward and through the railing, going overboard. Trina screams for Spencer.

Tomorrow, Felicia tells Adam that it’s up to him; Brook says, they were counting on Tracy to say no; Laura asks Dante, where’s Spencer?

The Real Long Season Of Housewives of Beverly Hills

Crystal says she feels dizzy, and her hands are tingly. In Dorit’s interview, she says, Crystal’s hands are swollen, and her veins are raised. What if something is truly wrong?🫣In Annemarie’s interview, she says, this isn’t a lay down, have a ginger ale, and walk it off situation. Given how Crystal was insulting and degrading her profession, the irony is shocking. Oh, like someone else couldn’t have deduced 9-1-1 needed to be called. I see she’s going to want a medal for something most average people could have done. The ambulancia comes, and the EMT says, Crystal’s blood pressure is high, and they need to take her to the hospital. The women send Gavin with her, whoever he is, then light candles in the chapel. In her interview, Erika reminds us that she had a chapel in her old house, and we flash back. The women pretend to pray and be concerned. In Sutton’s interview, she says, being closer to God means being closer to her father. She thinks he’s with God despite the Catholic beliefs she grew up with. In Erika’s interview, she says her intentions are to pick up, rebuild, move forward. She’s glad the earring judgement went in her favor, but she’s annoyed that no one bowed down to her about it. Sutton tells Kyle that a friend had a dream about her dad. He said, Sutton was right. He was tired. In her interview, Sutton says, rebuilding her and Kyle’s friendship means everything, and in Kyle’s interview, she says she was hurt by Sutton’s questions, but she’s happier with their friendship being in a good place. The women head to Barcelona.

Crystal calls and tells the group that they gave her anti-nausea medication. She’s getting a drip and waiting on a prescription. The women tour the old town. I love how other countries/cultures have kept so much old architecture. The US doesn’t value it as much, and it makes me feel sad every time they tear down something in NYC that’s been around for a million years. They check out something built for the 1929 World’s Fair and go down a street with lines of umbrella tops hanging over it (see below, since I stink at description). Kyle wants to know where Hermes is, and in her interview, she explains that it’s the center of town for her and what she uses to guide herself, her compass. They stop for lunch, and Annemarie says she knows they’re all thinking about Crystal. She toasts to health, and Kyle says, it’s an interesting after what happened yesterday. Annemarie says she takes her profession seriously; it’s part of her. The comments about fake doctor and not a doctor were true hurtful. Erika doesn’t think Crystal will say it again. A twist of fate. It’s how life works. What a Confucious she is. If that’s the case, she’d better duck and run, since she has a few twists coming. Garcelle says, she and Dorit had more than a hiccup in their relationship.

Garcelle tells the women that Dorit had triggered her on Taco Tuesday, and they had a discussion about it. Dorit says, Garcelle called her a Karen, and we flash back to Garcelle saying she thought Dorit was exhibiting unconscious Karen behavior. Garcelle says she doesn’t think anyone here is racist, but certain things make her feel a certain way. In her opinion, Dorit had led a sheltered life and doesn’t understand her walk. Dorit says she appreciates Garcelle saying that, but her bubble might be different than Garcelle assumes. Her father was Israeli, and when they moved, they’d been the only Jews in the neighborhood. She remembers people making anti-Semitic remarks. In Dorit’s interview, she says, one of her early childhood memories was being teased for being Jewish and being asked why she didn’t have horns. She tells Garcelle that she’s not comparing their issues, but she felt it wasn’t a fair characterization of her. If she triggers Garcelle, tell her, and she won’t do it again. Garcelle says she believes that. This is the stuff that really bonds them. You don’t know where someone has been. In her interview, Dorit says, this has allowed them to go deeper and have a better, stronger, deeper friendship. In Sutton’s interview, she says, tonight, her old friend Trevor will be joining them. They both started in the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. He’s bringing his architect friends, and she wants the ladies to know a different side of her. Dorit says, Sutton should be ashamed for not letting them shop, and in her interview, Sutton says she’s shopped with Kyle and Dorit before. We flash back to that, and Sutton says, if she doesn’t put a time limit on it, they’ll be here for week. In Dorit’s interview, she says, who doesn’t need a hand painted antique fan? She needs seven.

Crystal arrives back and they all climb in bed with her. This would be my recovery nightmare, but she seems to be taking it well. Crystal tells them that it was just high blood pressure, and in her interview, she says, there’s a history of high blood pressure in her family. It’s something she’s struggled with, but she didn’t know it could get to this point. She says she’s super lethargic, and Annemarie says, her body went through a lot, fishing for a worship moment from Crystal. Crystal thanks all of them for being supportive, and everybody pats her like she’s a Golden Retriever. She hugs Annemarie, and in Crystal’s interview, she says her dad told her the signs of a stroke. She was never faced with her own mortality. How could she leave her young family at 40? She appreciates Annemarie for being there and just wants to be okay for her family. She tells them that she’s not having alcohol and Kyle says, join the club. Seriously though, Annemarie doing what any halfway decent person would – which was to basically say that Crystal was in bad shape and needed more professional help than her – doesn’t discount her unacceptable behavior for several episodes. And she’s not a doctor, which many of them called her out on, on social media. I didn’t even see her taking Crystal’s pulse. I guess she could have turned her back or said Crystal would be okay, but then how would that look? Come on. It’s not all that special.

Tonight is paella night (I love paella!), and Sutton talks about Mercury being in retrograde to her glam squad. Crystal talks to Rob, and Kyle calls Mauricio, but the call goes in and out. Erika tells her squad that she’s drunk and now has to pretend to be a paella making master. Sutton described Trevor’s friends as erudite, so they are dubbed The Erudites in the descriptive text. In Suttons interview, she says she and Trevor got in trouble together. She learned words like fakakta from him and what teabagging meant. A producer asks what she thinks about teabagging, and she says she’s not opposed to it. That Sutton, always full of surprises. Erika and Trevor have a no, after you moment, where neither wants to go first.

In Dorit’s interview, she says, Erika is lathered. Chef Storm says, they’re ready, and the women go in the back, where Storm’s father is the chief paella chef. Crystal tells Garcelle that she’s going for the dad, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she can see herself moving to Spain, learning the language, and being stepmother to Storm. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Garcelle will probably win. Her bosoms are bigger. Crystal asks Garcelle about talking to Dorit, and Erika praises Annemarie for letting her professional side ride over her personal sh*t. Annemarie says, she would always do that. In Crystal’s interview, she says she’d like to move forward. She saw Annemarie’s kind, generous side, and it makes her want to start fresh. Storm’s dad does a paella demonstration, and everyone sits down to eat. Dorit wants Trevor to divulge every single dirty detail about Sutton, and Trevor says, she was mean to him. She liked to act like she was in charge even if when she wasn’t. He says, Sutton was in Brooklyn, and Erika says, what a dump. In her interview, Sutton says she was poor and bought five-dollar dresses, but she was truly independent, and she loved it. Trevor says, Sutton arranged parties for the studio, and Sutton says, she was dating Christian at the time. Erika says she knows they love Merce, but he was in a Ziploc bag. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Erika is very intoxicated. That’s not a good sign.

In Dorit’s interview, she says she has to agree that Merce should not be in a Ziploc bag. In Sutton’s interview, she says, that’s how people carry ashes, in a bag like a goldish. I was wondering, how else would you transport them? You couldn’t count on any kind of container not opening. When you receive pet ashes, they’re not in a Ziploc per se, but they’re in a bag inside the container. In Kyle’s interview, she says she guesses she’s seen too many movies where ashes are knocked over or vacuumed up, so her mother is in the guest bathroom. It’s a beautiful bathroom. The architect friends introduce themselves, and in Erika’s interview, she says, she’s used to dining and socializing with erudites due to Tom. Provided they’re not stuck up, erudites are cool. In Crystal’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what happens to Erika, but when she’s drunk, she suddenly becomes the world circle. Sutton picks up Merce, now in a svelte container, and Erika says, Merce is in her purse, causing everyone to barely contain their laughter. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she could watch this all night. Sutton suggests a toast, they say, viva España, and everyone toddles off. Kyle raids the chocolate stash, and Garcelle asks how Erika knows so much stuff. Erika says, when Tom had guests, she asked a lot of questions. Outside, Trevor tells Sutton that she was a goody two shoes. She wasn’t as comfortable in her own skin as she is now. She’s come into her own and she’s where she’s supposed to be. Sutton says, so is Merce.

In the morning, Erika says her head hurts, which is no surprise to anyone, and Kyle says, she was so funny. Crystal says she feels good, but low, and Garcelle says, it’s probably because of the medication. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, Crystal just needs to calm down. Garcelle has high blood pressure in her family too. She tells Crystal that it’s still high, but it’s not going down overnight. Crystal asks about dinner, and Garcelle says, Erika was funny. Crystal says, and Sutton was not happy. Sutton gives everyone leis made out of carnations, the flower of Spain. She says, when they release them, they release what’s inside that they want to let go of and send it off. In Sutton’s interview, she says, when she releases the ashes, she wants them to think about something internalized that they need to release. They all have an opportunity to share something and bring them closer together. In Dorit’s interview, she says, PK is traveling, and her mom is with the kids. She doesn’t travel that much and wonders why PK couldn’t stay home.

Kyle finds Sutton crying, and Sutton says she’s losing it. She doesn’t want to open the ashes. Kyle hugs her, and Sutton says, a lot of her dad is wrapped up in this. When she lost her dad, they each got a Ziploc bag of his ashes, but she lost it since she’d moved so much. Kyle says, he’s watching over her and not thinking about that. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Merce’s ashes are symbolic of her father’s ashes. Merce was one of the first to call her when her dad died, with Trevor. She tells Kyle that she’s also scattering her marriage ashes. She was angry for so long. Divorce consumes you. In her interview, Sutton says she thought it would be a good idea to separate and go to couple’s therapy while they worked on their marriage. As soon as Christian moved out, he filed. The emoji of an exploding brain was her getting the call telling her to get an attorney.🤯Her marriage, her dad’s death, and Merce’s death; the three most important men in her life. She has to let them go. She’s 52, and needs to be that 24-year-old girl who moved to NYC again. Kyle says, being alone can be lonely, but it can be incredible too, and they hug.

Next time, the ashes are spread, and blow back; Kyle wants Mauricio to say yes to more things; and Kyle says, if Mauricio can’t make an effort, they might not end up together. I admit I didn’t totally pay attention here because I was wondering when the finale is of this season that’s gone on for at least a year now.

🩶 Heart Of Platinum…

Let’s reunite tomorrow for soap, a spot of tea, and points of entertainment interest. Until then, stay safe, stay taking a mint if someone offers you one, and stay not listening more to your… heart when running a business.

January 30, 2024 – Esme In Paris, Life After Scandoval, Thoughts & Jazz

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Puerto Rico. Sonny tells Dex that he’s glad they’re away from Port Charles. The environment is easier to control in Puerto Rico, and there’s a lot more things that Avery can do to keep her occupied. Dex says, per Sonny’s request, security was added before they came, so it’s more secure than normal. He’s going to go over all of it himself to make sure. Ava comes in and says, Sonny has gone above and beyond. She doesn’t remember this kind of security the last time she was here. Sonny says, times change. So do threats.

In the visiting room at Pentenville, Jordan says, Anna has a complicated history with the man. She can question him alone if Anna likes. Anna asks if Jordan is worried that he’s going to get under her skin, but Jordan says, on the contrary. She’s worried Anna will wring his neck. Anna says she’s not going to do anything. He’s playing games. She wants to find out why. John Brennan walks his suave self in and sits down. He says, Anna Devane. How lovely to see you. She tells him to spare her the polite chit-chat, and he tells Jordan, she’s in a mood. His compliments to Jordan for figuring out he was the one who contacted her. He wasn’t sure she would put it all together. She says, happy to exceed his expectations. He told her that he had information on the rifle that shot Curtis Ashford. He said he’d be in touch, then went silent. Why? He says, first, let’s talk about what you’re going to do for me.

Martin tells Finn that he needs a decision. What are they doing? Are they going forward as planned or going with this new theory, the malpractice suit is fraudulent? Finn says, Mrs. Muldoon and her kids are a grieving family. He can’t go after them. Drop it. Martin asks if he’s sure. They’ve got the records to prove Dennis Muldoon was financially strapped before he met with Finn, and they’re about to get proof that he was either seen or being treated by an oncologist before he ever set foot in Finn’s office. Whatever his wife’s involvement was, it’s obvious Finn was never going to get the chance to diagnose that cancer. It’s a solid way out. Is he sure he wants to pass it up? The bailiff says, all rise, and Judge Arnold takes the bench. Finn says he can’t put the mother of four at risk for prosecution.

In the hallway, Mrs. Muldoon (who has no first name) says she’s not interested in anything Tracy has to say, and Tracy says, few people are. But she never lets that get in the way, especially when a crime is being committed on a good friend of hers. Mrs. Muldoon says, if she’s referring to Dr. Finn, he’s the one that committed the crime. He allowed her husband to leave, undiagnosed and untreated. Tracy says, Mrs. Muldoon doesn’t know the first thing about Dr. Finn, or her for that matter, but she’s about to get an education on both.

At the hospital, Portia says she knew Curtis was going to push himself hard during his physical therapy session. So honestly, how his he feeling? Curtis says, a little sore, but that is to be expected. He knows it’s going to take a lot of work for him to regain his mobility, but he’s here for it. Marshall joins them and says, that’s his boy, always rising to meet a challenge. Curtis says he knows all this hard work is going to pay off as soon as he’s back on his feet, and Portia says, and he will be. Marshall says, and in no time, he gets to be courtside in what promises to be a fierce game of basketball. Curtis says he knows Portia has her mind on Trina. Is she going to be okay by herself? Portia says she’ll be fine. She has plenty of work to do. And besides, she’ll just wait for Trina to call and tell her what a wonderful time she’s having in Paris.

Paris on the Banks of the Seine. Spencer leads a blindfolded Trina along the deck of the Haunted Star a yacht, and tells her, one more step. He takes off the blindfold and says, welcome aboard. She looks out over the water and says, what is all this? He says he arranged a private getaway for her. He thought she should have a chance to see the countryside before she has to start hitting the books. She says she can’t believe he did this, and he says, they’re going to go on a private cruise. They’re going to travel down the Seine to Normandy. He had the hotel bring their things after dinner and tomorrow morning she’s going to wake up to the most beautiful coast she’s ever seen. She says, it’s hard to imagine anything more spectacular than this, and he says he’s sure they’ll figure out a way.

On shore, Esme says, he can’t steal Ace away from her so easy. She looks in her bag and takes out a capped syringe.

Mrs. Muldoon says she’s already learned all she needs to about Dr. Finn, but Treacy says, she’s wrong. She claims she brought this lawsuit for her family. Dr. Finn has a family. They adore him, especially his young daughter. As a doctor, there is none better. In fact, he’s the reason she’s able to stand here and talk to Mrs. Muldoon. When he came to Port Charles, she was very sick. She’d run out of options, and he saved her life. She’s not the only person who can say that. Dr. Finn is a kind, caring, generous, good man, and Port Charles is so much better for having him here. Mrs. Muldoon says, Tracy is obviously very passionate about her friend Dr. Finn, but for all of his supposed brilliance, his negligence led directly to her husband’s death. She starts to walk away, and Tracy says she was hoping to break through Mrs. Muldoon’s grief to appeal to her sense of fairness, but clearly, she’s going to have to appeal to something else. So how about her sense of self-preservation?

Brennan says he’s offering a trade. His help in exchange for his freedom. Anna says, after he tried to kill her? and he says, if someone tried to kill her, he wasn’t present. Nor can she prove he gave the order. Since their time together is limited, they should spend it on all the valuable information he possesses. Jordan says, neither of them has the power to grant immunity, but he says, Anna has ties to the DA. She even married him – twice. Tell Scorpio that he wants immunity and all charges dropped. Anna says, never going to happen, and he says, then he’s sorry. He just can’t help her. Good luck with the investigation. He nods to the guard, but Anna says, no, and holds up her hand. What if she was to give him an even better offer? He asks, what’s better than his freedom? and she says, his life.

Dex says he’s going to walk the perimeter, and he’ll check back in with Sonny later. He leaves, and Sonny says, it looks like Ava is about to jump out of her skin. She says she could use something to calm her nerves, preferably something with a little umbrella in it. She was on board when he said he wanted to come down here. She thought it would give them more room to breathe instead of being cooped up in the penthouse. But now that she’s here, she feels so exposed. He says he’s making it as secure as he can, and she says, Avery doesn’t seem at all concerned, does she? She practically sprinted from the tarmac to the beach. He says, Avery loves the ocean, and she’s secure with the guards they have and the nanny. No one’s going to get near her. Ava says, okay. That makes her feel a little better. He says, she’s got to stop making herself crazy. All Avery knows is, she’s in Puerto Rico having fun with her parents. Ava says, she’s not such a little girl anymore though. She notices more than he may think. It won’t be long before he’ll have to be having some pretty difficult discussions with her.

Portia tells Curtis not to worry about her and have fun at the game with Marshall, and Curtis says, they definitely will. Laura comes by and says she was just on her way to Portia’s office to look for her. It’s good that everyone’s here because they should all know this. Curtis asks, what’s wrong? and she says, Esme’s not in Toronto. She’s in Paris.

Diane tells the judge, during the recess, Mr. Grey informed her that he’d be adding a witness. She moves to adjourn so that she may prepare for that testimony. Mrs. Muldoon comes in and taps Diane on the shoulder, and the judge asks if Martin has any objections. Martin says he’s afraid he owes the judge and opposing counsel an apology. There’s been a change of plans. He had intended to add a new witness – Tracy comes back – but on further reflection, that will no longer be necessary. So with all due respect, he’d just like to proceed with the witness list he presented to the court. The judge tells him to proceed, and Diane says, if she may. Martin says, this is a first. He hasn’t even started yet, and already Ms. Miller is objecting. Diane says, if her esteemed counsel will just give her a moment, she’s been informed by her client that she wishes to drop the lawsuit. Soap looks all around.

Judge Arnold says, order, even though there’s no reason to, and asks Diane and Martin to join him in his chambers. The bailiff says, all rise, and Diane and Martin go with the judge. Finn says, what the hell just happened?

Sonny says, discussing his business is off-limits to his kids, just like it’s off-limits to Ava. It’s just safer that way. She hasn’t been discussing anything with Avery, right? She says, of course (🍷) not. She’s too young to understand anything about that. She’s talking about the other radioactive subject they’ve all been avoiding… Nina. She knows he thinks he’s been hiding it, but it’s all over his face. She can tell the situation has him all tied up in knots, and being here doesn’t help any. This is where he and Nina were married. She’s sure it’s bringing up all kinds of feelings. He says he’s fine, and she says, is he though? Because she saw him when they ran into Nina and Valentin, and he didn’t seem fine. He looked like somebody punched him in the gut. He says, discussing Nina is off-limits, and she says, all right. Fine. She’s just bringing it up because their daughter is smart. And if she can tell something’s off with him, then so can Avery. He says, Donna and Avery are just kids. He’s done his best to shield them from anything that’s happened with Nina, and he thinks he’s done a good job because Avery hasn’t asked him about it. Ava says, Avery’s asked her.

 The captain says, good evening, to Spencer and Trina, and welcomes them aboard. Their suitcases arrived in their state room. Please make themselves comfortable. They’ll be leaving shortly. Spencer thanks him and he leaves. Trina thanks Spencer, and he says, of course (🍷). She says, since being with him, she’s gotten to experience the most amazing things. Not just this trip and all of the amazing things they’ve done in Paris and all the fantastic things he planned in New York to show how well he knows her. But the entire feeling of being with him and loving him and being loved by him in return is the most amazing thing. And it’s all because of him and the incredible person he is. He says, she’s done that for him a thousand times over, but she knows that, right? Before her, all he could see is pain and she opened his eyes to a whole new world. He showed her that there’s much more to feel, and she taught him that he’s a person who’s worthy of love. Being with her has made it so much better; every day is better than the last. She’s everything he’s always wanted, but never believed he could have, and he wants to love her for the rest of his life. They kiss.

Laura says, after laying a false trail in Toronto, Esme used The Invader’s corporate credit card to buy herself a ticket to Paris, and Curtis says, there’s absolutely no reason Esme would have for going to Paris unless she’s going after Spencer. Or worse, Spencer and Trina. Either way, their daughter is in serious trouble. Marshall says, maybe there’s another explanation. Esme had to know the credit card charge would be found. Maybe this is just another attempt by Esme to throw everybody off her trail. They don’t know for a face that she’s even in Paris. Portia says, Marshall is right. She wouldn’t put anything past this girl. Maybe this is just her version of toying with them. Curtis says, or just simply ruining Spencer and Trina’s trip, but Laura says, no. The PCPD has some security footage of Esme getting on a plane to Paris, so she’s definitely there. Portia says, they have to warn Trina, and takes out her phone.

Spencer holds out his arm, and offers to escort Trina to her stateroom, and they leave the deck. Esme watches from the top of the stairs, then walks down.

Finn asks Martin, what’s going on? Why did the judge want to talk to him? The bailiff says, court is now in session, and Judge Arnold says, the case against Hamilton Finn and General Hospital has been dropped. This case is dismissed. He bangs his gavel, and Elizabeth runs over to Finn. She hugs him and says, it’s over. Congratulations. He says he didn’t do anything. Did Martin? Martin says, no, he didn’t. He knows what Finn is thinking, and he swears, no pressure was applied. Mrs. Muldoon just had a change of heart. Gregory says he’s thrilled for Finn. This case was a lie from the start. Nothing that happened to Muldoon was Finn’s fault. Elizabeth says she completely agrees, but that doesn’t explain why Mrs. Muldoon dropped the lawsuit. Tracy says, who cares? Justice prevailed. That’s all that matters. She hugs Finn.

Brennan asks if his life is at stake, and Anna says, you tell me. He claims he can give them information to help them find the person who shot Curtis Ashford. He says he can, and she says, they’ve come to believe the intended target was Sonny Corinthos. She’s sure he’s well-acquainted with Sonny’s reputation. She just wonders, if Sonny were to find out he was withholding this information, how long Brennan would last in Pentenville. That’s not a rhetorical question. He either deals with them or Sonny. Take his pick. He says, how the mighty have fallen. Anna Devane, reformed double agent, zealous defender of law and order, and this is all she’s got, her only leverage is to go tattling to a thug. She asks if that’s a yes or no, and he says, Cesar Faison would be so disappointed in his protégé. She says, you son of a bitch.

Sonny wonders if Avery doesn’t think she can talk to him, but Ava says she doesn’t think it’s that at all. She just thinks, Nina was gone suddenly. Avery can tell he’s upset, and she doesn’t want to make anything worse. She’s done her best to deflect Avery’s questions, but she thinks Sonny has to talk to her. However he wants to do it; she’ll follow his lead. Avery comes in with a basket and shows them the seashells she found. She gives Sonny one that she picked out just for him, and he thanks her. He says he needs to talk to her about something, and they sit down. Ava says she’ll go get settled in her room, but Sonny asks her to stay. He tells Avery that he’s sure she’s noticed Nina isn’t staying at the penthouse. He’s sure she’s a little confused about that. So he wanted to let her know that he and Nina are going to be living apart for a while. She asks, why? and he says, with adults, things get complicated and they kind of have to stay away and figure things out. But he wants her to know everything’s fine with him. She says, okay, and he says he just wants everything to be fine with her too. So how does she feel about Nina living apart somewhere else? She says she guesses it’s okay, but she misses Nina. Nina was really nice to her. Is she ever going to see Nina again?

Martin tells Diane that he’s afraid his curiosity has gotten the best of him. Why did she drop the suit? She says, because her client instructed her to, and he says, as thrilled as he is with today’s outcome, he wishes he’d gotten the chance to best her, fair and square. They shake hands, and she says, he may get that chance – she adds a Southern accent – when hell freezes over. She leaves, chuckling.

Tracy says, this calls for a celebration. Champagne at the MetroCourt, her treat. Finn says, that’s very generous of her, and glances at Elizabeth, who nods. He says he thinks they’ll take her up on it, and Gregory says, count him in too. Mrs. Muldoon walks over and asks if she can speak with Dr. Finn.

On the phone, Spencer says, Laura is cutting in and out… She’s cutting in and out… Hello? Trina asks if the call dropped, and he says, it was super staticky, then it went silent. She says her service is bad too, but he says he wouldn’t worry about it. It will probably get better when they’re off the river.

Portia leaves a message for Trina, telling her to stay safe and call her as soon as she gets this. She loves her. She tells Curtis that she doesn’t get this. Why didn’t she pick up the phone? Laura comes back and says she was able to get Spencer on the phone for just a few seconds before the cell dropped. It wasn’t long enough to warn them about Esme, but he sounded normal, like everything was just fine. Portia says, but when she called Trina, it went straight to voicemail. She never, ever has her phone off. What if Esme’s already gotten to her? Curtis says, don’t do that, and Marshall says, Curtis is right. Don’t panic until they know something for sure. Portia says, they do know something. They know that crazy girl, that psychotic girl is after Trina again, and Trina is halfway around the world from Portia and in danger. And it all comes back to who? Spencer Cassadine.

The captain sees Esme on deck and says something to her in French, but she says she’s sorry. She’s lost. Is this the river tour? He says, this is a private vessel. She’s a stowaway. She’s coming with him. She takes off, but he grabs her. She elbows him, and he doubles over. She grabs the fire extinguisher and whacks him in the head with it. He drops to the floor.

Ava says, even if Nina isn’t living with Avery’s dad, Nina still loves her just the same. That’s not going to change. Avery says, good, and asks if she can go put her seashells back in the ocean. Sonny says, yeah, but hurry up because they’re going to have lunch. Avery says, then candy? and he says, what? Candy? She hugs him and runs off. Ava says, she’s got him wrapped around her little finger and she knows it, and he says he’d do anything for that little girl. He just wants to let Ava know that he appreciates her telling him that Avery was confused about Nina and helping him with her questions. She says, he’s welcome. She thinks he handled it perfectly, although he didn’t really answer her question about Nina. Is that because he doesn’t know? He wonders if she’s asking for herself or for her best friend Nina.

Finn meets Mrs. Muldoon in the hallway, and she says she doesn’t really know how to say this. She owes him an apology. She just learned that Dennis went to see an oncologist before he saw Finn for the first time. He must have known more about his diagnosis than she was aware of. Finn says he sees, and she says she’s so sorry. He may not believe her, but Dennis was a really good man. He loved them. He must have felt so desperate. Finn says, people will go to great lengths for their family to make sure they’re taken care of, and she says, he’s being so understanding after what she put him through. She can’t help but wonder why. Elizabeth watches from a distance, and Finn says, perhaps because he’s a single father to a little girl. He knows how hard it is to be the only person responsible for your family’s well-being. Her family just suffered a terrible loss. He wanted to spare her and her children from any more pain. She says, his kindness won’t be forgotten. His daughter is really lucky to have a man like him for a father. She leaves.

Portia says, Trina should be enjoying her time in Paris and studying. Instead, she’s a sitting duck, because some psycho girl wants revenge? Is that what she wants? Laura says she’s so sorry that Trina has been drown into yet another conflict because of her family, and Portia says she knows Laura is worried about Spencer too. There’s going to be time for them to figure out the why – why this is happening. Right now, the only thing that matters is finding Trina and Spencer, and stopping whatever Esme has planned for them. Laura says she’s on her way to the airport right now. Ned has allowed her to use the ELQ jet, so she’ll get to Paris as quickly as possible. Portia thanks her, but Curtis says, wait. Is she going by herself? Laura says, just on the flight. Dante’s already gone on ahead of her and the Paris authorities have been notified. Curtis says he hopes the ELQ jet has room for one more because he’s coming along.

Esme runs over to the captain and says she’s so, so sorry. She was just trying to find her son and get him back to her. She checks his pulse, and says, thank God. Just keep breathing, okay? She’s in trouble already. She drags him off the deck by his feet.

In their stateroom, Trina says, look at this place. It’s incredible. How does he keep on topping himself? (I’m not impressed. Not only does it look suspiciously like the room Trina was in on the Haunted Star, it has no window.) He says he doesn’t know. He guesses she’s worth it. This is a nice room, isn’t it? He thinks he prefers the New York hotel room though because of what happened there. She says, something happened there? She can’t quite remember what. He says, maybe he should refresh her memory. He’s about to kiss her, when she yawns, trying to hide it. He asks, what was that? They just got on board. She says she’s jetlagged, but she’s guessing he has another surprise for her. He says, no, not tonight, but tomorrow is going to be very special. She says, now she’s really intrigued, but she guesses tomorrow is soon enough. He says, they had a very long day today, so if she is sleepy, they can just go to bed if she wants. They kiss, and she says she wants him – today, tomorrow, and forever. They fall onto the bed.

Gregory says he’s just curious. Was Tracy aware that Mrs. Muldoon has a fundraising page on My Face? He just found out about it a few days ago. A friend helped her set it up to cover expenses after her husband died. Tracy says, Mrs. Muldoon is fortunate to have such caring friends. What does that have to do with her? He says he just checked, and it seems someone made a very generous donation right around the time Mrs. Muldoon dropped her lawsuit. Quite a coincidence, wouldn’t she say?

Elizabeth asks Finn if everything is okay, and he says, yeah. Mrs. Muldoon just wanted to apologize for everything she put them through. She says she’s surprised. She’s glad. Is he relieved that the case was dismissed? He says, of course (🍷). He also feels kind of bad. She says, why? and he says, the Muldoons have lost a husband and a father. They’ll never be the same. Winning that case would have made a big difference for them. Elizabeth asks if he knows how amazing he is. Dennis Muldoon set him up to be falsely accused of malpractice, possibly destroying his entire career, and yet here he is having compassion for the man’s family. He says, that’s very kind, but he doesn’t deserve her praise. He’s no hero.

Laura tells Curtis that she’s sure there’s enough room. She’ll let Ned know right now. She leaves, and Marshall asks if Curtis is sure. Is it a good idea for him to go to Paris. Curtis says his recovery is right on schedule. He’s fine, and even if he weren’t, his daughter needs him, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her. Marshall says he understands that. He’s worried about Trina, too, but he’s also concerned about Curtis. Curtis tells Marshall not to worry about him. He’s gotten pretty good at wheeling around in this chair. He’s not going to let it stop him. Marshall says he knows Curtis won’t. Being in that chair doesn’t change who Curti is, and that’s a loving father who’s determined to protect his family – at all costs. Curtis says, damn right, and Marshall says, that’s why he’s concerned about what Curtis will do to Esme Prince if he gets within ten feet of that girl. Portia says, he can double that concern because she’s going to Paris too.

In bed, Spencer touches Trina’s hand and whispers, how did I get so lucky? She says she’s not sleeping. He says, she’s just resting her eyes? That’s okay. Keep them closed. He’ll be right back. She asks where he’s going, and he says he doesn’t know about her, but he’s starving. He’s going to go get a snack. She says, hurry back, and he promises he will. He kisses her and leaves.

Jordan asks if Brennan wants to make a deal, or should she call Sonny? Brennan apologizes and says he and Anna have a history that tends to intrude in the present. She was saying? Jordan says, how did a rifle seized by the WSB end up shooting Curtis Ashford? He tells her, in 2019, the WSB conducted a raid where a cache of mixed weapons, all unmarked, was confiscated. They were given serial numbers and stored in a locker at the Bureau’s Berlin station. The whole shipment disappeared while en route to WSB headquarters in London. Jordan asks if he knows who took them, and he says he only figured out who was likely responsible shortly before he was arrested, so he didn’t have time to act on the information. Anna says, so he sat on it, and he says he thought it might be a useful bargaining chip. And here they are. And since his life hangs in the balance… Anna says she can see he’s terrified, and he says, a bargain’s a bargain, and he said he’d tell them all he knows. Someone’s been selling the weapons at a high price. Find them, and they’ll be lead to the shooter.

Ava tells Sonny, forget she said anything. Just know that Avery isn’t the only person around here concerned about him. Sonny’s phone rings, and Laura says she thought he should know, they found out where Esme went. He says, that’s great news, and tells Ava that Laura found Esme. He says he’s going to put Laura on speaker. Ava’s here. Ava says, please tell her that awful girl is on her way to a jail cell. Laura says, unfortunately, no. She’s in Paris. Ava asks if she’s after Trina, but Laura says, they don’t know exactly. She and Dante are going there to meet with the authorities. Sonny asks if there’s anything he can do, but she says, they’ve got it covered. She’ll update him after they’ve landed. Ava says, please do, and Sonny tells Laura, listen. Esme has nothing to lose, so that’s going to make her unpredictable. So she needs to be careful. He hangs up and tells Ava that he knows she’s concerned about Trina. He’s concerned about Spencer, but Laura and Dante are going to have it all covered. They’ll make sure they’re safe. And that means one less threat to Ava. Ava says, for the moment.

Dex goes out the front gate and calls to guard Adam. He sees Adam lying on the ground and runs over to him.

Tracy tells Gregory, maybe when Mrs. Muldoon posted that she dropped the lawsuit, and someone felt bad and made a donation. He asks if Tracy didn’t speak to her, and she says, they may have exchanged a few words. She may have imparted what a good doctor Finn is. He says, that’s it? Tracy didn’t use her financial powers of persuasion to make it worth her while to drop the lawsuit? She says, if she was to ever conceive of doing such a thing, so what? and he says, it would be unethical for one thing. And she might be in a heap of trouble if the District Attorney constitutes it’s a bribe. She says, lucky they’re just speaking in hypotheticals, and he says, hypothetically, if it were true, he would be extremely grateful that Finn has a friend who’s willing to put herself on the line for him. and he would owe that friend quite a debt. She says, good to know, but she doubts that friend would ever collect.

Elizabeth takes Finn’s hand and says, he was willing to risk everything he’s accomplished in his life for the Muldoon family. She thinks that’s the very definition of a hero. He says he wasn’t risking everything. There was a time when he thought being a doctor was the very essence of his being, that it defined who he was. Then with this case, he realized he has people in his life that he really loves and somehow, they love him back. If he couldn’t practice medicine anymore, he’d still have Violet and his family and her. As much as he loves being a doctor, they’re the ones he couldn’t live without. His true purpose is all of them. As long as he has that, he’ll always be okay.

Jordan says, before they leave, is there any other pertinent information Brennan has for them? but he says he’s told them everything he knows. Anna says, somehow she doubts that, and motions for the guard. She tells Brennan, enjoy the rest of his stay, and he says he looks forward to seeing her again soon. The guard leads him away.

Curtis asks if Portia got someone to cover for her, but she says she’ll do it from the plane. Trina’s in danger. The only thing that matters right now is getting to her. Marshall says, it’s great to see them working as a team, even under these circumstances. Esme’s going to be sorry she ever messed with their girl. Portia says, he’s got that right, when Laura comes back. She says, time to go. Curtis is still coming with her, right? Curtis says, both of them are, and Laura says she’s not surprised. As a mother, she’d want to be there too. Marshall tells Curtis to bring his granddaughter home, safe, and Curtis says, he’s got it. They’re going to get to Trina and Spencer before Esme does.

As Spencer heads for the galley, he sees the door to the deck is open. He steps out and sees the streak of the captain’s blood going across the deck, along with the fire extinguisher.

As she’s getting dressed, Trina hears the door open. She says she hopes those snacks include a baguette. The bread here’s incredible. She turns around and sees Esme.

Dex hears something, and grabs Adam’s gun and his radio.

Sonny says he won’t let anything happen to Ava or Avery, when Dex radios for them to get down. Sonny and Ava duck under the table, and shots ring out.

Tomorrow, Carly tells Tracy that it’s an opportunity she can’t afford to miss; Lois says, if she leaves it up to Olivia, they may never speak again; and Nina tells someone that it’s all she has to say on the record.

Vanderpump Rules

Ariana has a cinnamon pen. I’ve never seen that before. Is that from Brookstone or something? We see what everyone is up to. None of it very exciting. Katie says, everything is falling into place with Something About Her, but as far as I know, it still hasn’t opened. In Ariana’s interview, she explains that she and Sandoval live under the same roof, but they communicate through assistant Ann. Tom and Raquel/Rachel/ whatever are still sending love notes to one another. James and Ally now have a house, albeit too close to the airport, with a pool. In James’s interview, he says he’s seen Sandoval’s cuckoo performances, yelling about Raquel and Itsy-Bitsy Spider, and thinks he’s out of his mind. Scheana tells Brock that Sandoval blocked her, Shenanigans, her sister, and Summer Moon. They talk about Raquel, and Brock says, that one is a whole bag of mixed worms. Best quote of the night.

Lala’s mom lives with her, which is probably the best roommate she could ask for at this point, a built-in support system. The custody battle with Randall is still going on, and Lala says she has a lot of trauma to work through. She thought everything was perfect, then ended up fixated with a custody battle before she could deal with her heartbreak. In order for her to be a good role model for Ocean, she has to work through her emotions. She trusts no one. Her mom says, she’ll work through it.

James meets Schwartz, who comes bearing housewarming gifts. He’s probably glad anyone in the friend circle wants to talk to him. Scwartz is wearing a Schwartz & Sandy’s hat, and says he was worried he’d get booed. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, the bar became a casualty of Scandoval and it was toxic. He had enough problems in his life and didn’t need this. It was the radioactive cherry on the sh*t sundae that was his year. James says, Schwartz is his best Tom when he’s alone, but not so much when he’s TomTom. James is now California sober because Ally gave him an old tomato ultimatum. He’s only drinking Red Bull and Fiji Water, but weed just makes his day better. James is playing at TomTom, and Schwartz asks for advice about approaching Ariana if she shows.

Ariana and Scheana go for a spa day. They talk about Scheana’s kid and Ariana’s new boyfriend Dan. In Scheana’s interview, she says she doesn’t think Ariana has processed the Tom trauma, but if Dan doesn’t sleep with one of her best friends, it will still be a step up. She tells us that she was diagnosed with OCD, and just when she was managing it, the affair took her OCD and mixed it with her anxiety. Scheana asks Ariana about Schwartz, and Ariana says she was on the fence until Schwartz was on Watch What Happens Live and suggested everyone hug Sandoval. Scheana says she doesn’t need Ozempic. She’s got Scandoval.

Ariana hasn’t been back at TomTom since the discovery of Sandoval’s infidelity. In her interview, she says she doesn’t want to make her life smaller because of that idiot. There’s a Lisa sighting, and Ariana decides to ice Schwartz out. In his interview, he calls her the patron saint of scorned women. If she’s not friends with him, it gives him no hope with the other women. In Ariana’s interview, she says, being there is bringing back all her old Sandoval memories, and we flash back to a bunch of those. I always thought he was kind of a d*ck, so not much has changed for me emotionally there. A little more scorn perhaps.

The ladies toast to a Bad Bitch Summer. Lala tells Lisa that she’s feeling a lot of different ways about the Raquel situation. She knows the feeling of thinking there’s only one person on your side. In Lala’s interview, she says she knows what it’s like to have someone paint a beautiful picture and see a future with them, while ignoring what everyone else is telling you. Lisa is glad Lala isn’t being rigid in her position, and in Lisa’s interview, she says, Lala was the last person she expected to have forgiveness. If Lala can come around, she wonders if the others can. Lisa wisely leaves before things get messy. It looks like a good time, but too crowded. I can’t imagine how long it takes to get a drink in that place. Scheana apologizes to Katie, and in her interview, Scheana says she was about to write off their friendship, especially after years of walking on eggshells, but they put their differences aside for Ariana and bonded over not one, but two, common enemies. In Lala’s interview, she says, everything Raquel did was stupid, but as someone who knows what it’s like to see comments about being a mistress, she doesn’t want Raquel to wear that forever. She leaves Raquel a text, and after seeing that Raquel viewed it, she says she’s going to throw up and sh*t her pants.

In Katie’s interview, she says, after 12 years together, she’s happy to say Schwartz isn’t her problem anymore. After the way he spoke about her, he has no access to her life other than joint custody of the dogs. It’s the switching of the dogs day, and when Katie drops them off, she makes the mistake of sitting down. Schwartz says he wants to get on Ariana’s good side, and hints around at Katie helping him, but she’s like, no thanks. That night, Katie has drinks with the girls and tells them about Schwartz’s pet bugs. Against her better judgement, she asks to play devil’s advocate for Schwartz, but in Ariana’s interview, she says, the devil doesn’t need any more advocates. Lala feels like she’s a dog in everyone’s fight, but still has to fend for herself. In Lala’s interview, she says she doesn’t know how to have a friendship when someone shuts her out like Ariana does. She explains her train of Raquel thought to Ariana and admits to sending Raquel a message. (On WWHL, Lala said, Raquel never responded.)

In Ariana’s interview, she compares Lala reaching out to Raquel with Lala having said, no one who communicates with Randall will be in her friend circle, which is apples and oranges. Randall is a creeper, and Raquel is a dumbass. Lala tells Ariana that she can relate to the feeling, and in Scheana’s interview, she says, the temporary restraining order changed everything, referring to the one Raquel took out on her. Ariana says, as far as Raquel getting a foot in the door, there’s not a foot to be had. In a few minutes though, all is well, and everybody loves everybody.

Sandoval comes home to an empty house from wherever the hell he was. I wasn’t paying attention.

This season, same sh*t, different season. A few highlights: Lisa calls Jax a f***ing hypocrite; Schwartz goes blonde; Schwartz says he made out with Scheana in Vegas; lots of arguing between Ariana and Sandoval over the house.

💭 Thoughts: While I’m pretty much over the Housewives – I can’t take one more season of 14-year-old mean girls in middle aged, sequined gowned bodies – for now I’m sticking with the Rules. For one, there are always Lisa/Villa Rosa/various pet sightings. And unlike those women who are outmaneuvering each other for screen time and circle the same drains, we actually see growth in the cast members. Lala is the MVP of this show – so far. That’s why I think it’s a shame they fired Stassi, et. al. Aren’t people supposed to grow and learn from their screw-ups? Kathryn Dennis is another example. Keeping them on by no means condones what they’ve done, but these are reality shows and those people exist. And it’s doubtful ostracizing someone forever teaches them anything. Scandoval aside, watching the VPR cast go from practically children to adults with houses and children and businesses of their own is what reality is about. That and a few ponies, swans, and a pink puppy or two.

🐓 Duck, Duck, Bantam Rooster…

Join me tomorrow for soap and holding my nose before I plunge into RHOBH. Is it me, or has this been an extra-long season? Until then, stay safe, stay never ordering the most expensive menu item if someone else is paying (unless it’s with an expense account), and stay not letting your work define you. Let your true purpose be the people in your life that you really love and somehow love you back.

January 26, 2024 – Sprina’s First Day In Paris, Side Gig, He’s Serious, Random Wives, VanderComeback, Too Soon For Awful, Trailer For Ones, Puppy (!) Party, Practically 10 Quotes & Key

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Paris, France. Trina and Spencer are shown to their hotel room, and Trina says she didn’t think anything could be nicer than their hotel room in New York, but this… They’re literally on the Sienne. It’s incredible. (A slight exaggeration. They dressed up a decent room with champagne bucket and a bunch of peonies.) He says, she’s incredible. He thought they deserved the very best to welcome them to the next chapter of their lives. They kiss.

At the hospital, Chase tells Jordan that they pulled Esme’s credit card records. There was a bus ticket bought yesterday, destination Toronto. She says, any stops along the way? but he says, straight shot. If Esme’s hiding out at her former nanny’s, they have the address of where to find her.

Anna runs over to Laura and says she just heard about Kevin. How’s he doing? Laura says, he’s stable. He’s in and out of consciousness right now, but they’re doing more tests. Anna tells her to hang in there, and she says she is. Anna says, he’s so strong; he’ll pull through this. Laura thanks her, and Anna says she wishes she could do more than give her just words. Laura says she thinks Anna can. She can come back to the PCPD.

Nina sits at Charlie’s looking at The Invader headline: A CHANGING OF THE GUARD AT CRIMSON; NINA REEVES OUT, CARLY SPENCER IN. Ava calls, but she doesn’t answer.

Ava leaves a message asking Nina what she’s seeing in The Invader. Call her. She’s worried about her. Sonny asks who she’s talking to, and Ava says, Nina’s voicemail. Has he seen this? She shows him her tablet, and he says he hasn’t read the article, but he knows there’s a transition. She says, a transition. Otherwise known as an ousting. He asks if that surprises her after what Nina did to Carly and Drew. She says, even so, someone has to check up on her. She’s not picking up. Is that a problem for him? He says, Brick is on his way up here with an update, and she asks if he’s learned anything about the threats against her. He says, the sooner they can stop this, the sooner they can end this living arrangement they have.

At the courthouse, Martin apologizes for his late arrival. Miss McCall was keeping him apprised of her investigation. Finn asks how that’s going, and Elizabeth asks if she found anything that could help the case. Sam says, it’s going, and yes, she did.

Brick knocks on the penthouse door, and Sonny says, it’s good to see him. Brick says, it’s always good to be seen. He asks Ava, how’s everything? and she says, fine. She asks if he’d care for an espresso, but he says, no thank you, and Sonny asks him to have a seat. Brick says, unfortunately, he has to keep this brief. He has a meeting this afternoon. Sonny says, as long as he’s caught up, Brick can make it as brief as he wants. He looks at Ava, and Ava says, if he’s waiting for her to make herself scarce, that’s not going to happen. This concerns her. He says he knows that, but as soon as it becomes business, leave, and she says, okay. They sit, and Sonny says, fill him in. Brick says he couldn’t pull any prints off the photograph or notes sent to Ava, but he was able to trace the weapon. It was part of a set of unmarked weapons from the Bureau… Yeah, he knows. Ava asks, what’s the significance of the gun being stolen from the WSB? and Sonny says, it means it’s connected to the rifle that shot at him a year ago at the MetroCourt pool.

Sam says she was able to access Muldoon’s EZ-Pass records and cross-reference them with the security cameras from the gas station across the street from the oncologist’s office. Elizabth says, tell them there was something on that footage, and Sam says, a big something. Muldoon entering the medical pavilion long before his meeting with Finn. Gregory says, there they have it. Proof that he was being treated for cancer. Martin says, maybe, but unfortunately, it’s circumstantial, and Finn says, it’s a medical pavilion. There must be dozens of specialists working out of that building. Martin says, exactly. A dentist, and ENT and an allergist, just to name a few. Finn says, Muldoon could have been going to see any one of them, but Gregory says, he wasn’t. He was there to see the oncologist. Finn asks how they prove that, and Martin says, that’s the number one question. The second being, if he was being treated by that oncologist, why wouldn’t he tell Finn that? Elizabeth says, it doesn’t make any sense, and Sam says she has one more lead to follow up on. If she gets results, she’ll be in touch ASAP. Finn says he really appreciates it, and Sam tells him, good luck, and leaves. Martin says, shall we? and Finn says, no time like the present. Let’s do this.

Spencer asks the bellhop for a converter because his phone died, and the bellhop leaves. Trina says, that accent is to die for, and Spencer says, mine or his? She says, his. Spencer’s is decent though. Spencer says, moi? Blah-blah-blah Française? (I took two years of French and still know nothing but how Jean Paul and Pierre pack a suitcase and how to curse someone out.) She says, mais oui, and that’s about as much as she knows. Thank God for the translator app though. He says she doesn’t have to rely on a translator app. He’s happy to give her French lessons. She says, he’s going to teach her, huh? and he clicks on the remote, turning on some music. He says, to start, and speaks French like Gomez Addams as he kisses her neck. They work their way over to the bed and get busy.

Jordan asks if the Toronto authorities have been notified, and Chase says, they have, but there’s another way. Dante has met Esme’s former nanny. They can reach out to her. Keep things nice and clean. That is, if the department can spare them. She says, absolutely. She’ll make arrangements with their superior. She does know it’s his brother’s trial today, so if he wants her to send someone else with Dante… He says he’ll go, and she asks if he’s sure. He says, Finn understands that this is important. She says, okay. Good luck and keep her posted. He says, copy that, and leaves.

Laura says, Anna looks shocked, and Anna says, because she is. Laura says, the PCPD has been without an active Commissioner for months now. It’s been chaotic and confusing. It may even be part of the reason Esme was able to slip between the cracks. (Huh?) Anna says she thought Mac was doing an excellent job, and Laura says, he is, but not only has he made it very clear he’s not interested in the position full-time. He’s been out of the country for she doesn’t even know how long now. The department needs stability and Anna could provide that. Anna says, Laura… but Laura says, just hear her out. Next to Jordan, who’s made it very clear to her that she’s happy in her new role as the Deputy Mayor, Anna is the next, most qualified candidate. Anna says, and the most controversial. Forget about her public humiliation. What about what happened with Laura’s granddaughter? Laura says she doesn’t blame Anna for that, and Anna says she shot a child. Laura says, but she was being manipulated by her former director, Brennan. And on top of that, Valentin chose to keep her completely in the dark about what was going on with Charlotte. This was a horrible accident, but it’s one that doesn’t change the fact that she believes Port Charles would be safer under Anna’s leadership. Jordan comes over and says, and for what it’s worth (🍷), she agrees 1000%. Anna says, they have no idea what this means to her, but she’s sorry. She can’t. What happened with Charlotte makes her feel like she’s not ready. She doesn’t deserve the badge. Laura says she understands what Anna is going through, but she’s asking Anna to take some time to consider this offer. Laura sees Portia coming their way, and asks if she’s heard anything about Doc. Is he going to be okay?

The bailiff says, all rise. The honorable Judge Arnold presiding. The judge tells them, be seated, and Elizabeth mouths I love you to Finn, who winks at her.

Portia says she just spoke with Doc’s doctors and they’re still running some tests, but they’re cautiously optimistic that his prognosis will be good. She’ll know more when he wakes up. Laura says, thank God, and Portia says, if Laura hadn’t found him when she did, this could be an entirely different conversation. Laura says she doesn’t want to think about that, and thanks Portia for keeping her in the loop. Portia says, of course (🍷), and Anna says, that’s great news, hugging Laura. She’s sorry. She’s late for a phlebotomy treatment, so she has to go. She’ll catch up with Laura later. She says goodbye to them and leaves. Jordan says she has to go as well, but asks Laura to let her know if she needs anything. They hug and Jordan says she’s really glad Doc is going to be okay. She leaves, and Portia asks if Laura has heard from Spencer at all. Laura says she hasn’t. She’s a little surprised since she thinks she may have sounded a little frantic in her message, but maybe his plane hasn’t landed yet. Portia says she tracked the flight; it landed. Maybe she should call Trina again. Laura says, don’t bother. Esme is in Canada and Doc is out of the woods. Spencer will call her when he calls her. Let them have a good time. Portia says, they’re in Paris. How could they not be?

Basking in the afterglow, Trina kisses Spencer, and he says, champagne toast? He gets out of bed and takes out the bottle of champagne. He says, it’s a good year, and starts to unwrap the foil, when the bellhop walks in. They don’t knock in Paris?

Diane says, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the name Hamilton Finn – Dr. Hamilton Finn – may be all over the docket in this case, but make no mistake, the story belongs to Dennis Muldoon, deceased husband of the plaintiff. You’re going to hear how Dennis Muldoon sought the help of a trusted doctor in his time of need, and how that doctor, through sheer negligence, failed to order a test which could have caught the cancer in time. This story is by no means uncommon. Medical practitioners make mistakes all the time. Which is why it is of the upmost importance that we hold them accountable. Not just for the error itself, but for the birthdays, weddings, graduations, everything that Dennis Muldoon will now sadly, tragically have to miss. She indicates the grieving widow.

Martin says, I can, and will, prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Dr. Hamilton Finn did encourage Dennis Muldoon to follow up with further testing, and that far from being in error with medical negligence, this was an error of personal responsibility… as tragic as that may be.

Ava asks if they’re saying the same person that killed Austin shot Curtis, and Brick says, in a botched attempt to assassinate Sonny. Sonny asks if Brick thinks this theory has anything to do with the anonymous bid on Windymere. Can Ava do him a favor? Can she give Brick all the information she has? She says, on the shell corporation. She doesn’t have much, but she’ll get what she has. She leaves, and Sonny says he wants Brick to coordinate with Dex as far as stepping up surveillance. Brick says, all the usual suspects? and Sonny says, Carly, the kids, Olivia, and now Ava because she’s in the middle of all this. Brick says he’s on it, but he doesn’t have a question. Does Nina get added to that list?

Sitting with Nina, Valentin asks if she’s all right, and she says she’s pretty sure she lost her husband and her daughter. And the final kicker is, Drew and Carly want to take everything else from her too. He says, otherwise okay? and she laughs. She says she brought it on herself, right? At least that’s what everyone tells her. He says, she may be down, but at least she’s not down for the count. So what’s the plan? She says, for what? and he says, for taking back what’s yours.

Averting his eyes, the bellhop tells Spencer that he’s very sorry. He knocked on the door and there was no answer. He assumed they’d stepped out. He holds out a bag, and Spencer takes it, thanking him. The bellhop says, his converter, and leaves. Trina says, if he’d shown up a few minutes earlier, he would have gotten quite the show. She asks for his phone to charge it, and tells him to open up the champagne. He asks if she heard the bellhop knock, and she says, in all fairness, they could have put up the Do Not Disturb sign. He says, that would have kind of killed the romantic flow, and she says, option A, take a two-second break from making out, or option B, getting caught by the bellhop in your underwear. He says, fine. Next time, they’ll put up the Do Not Disturb sign. She says, there’s going to be a next time? and he says, oh yeah. And a next time, and a next time, and a next time… He kisses her with each next time. He sees the turtle dove sticking out of her purse, and he says, she brought it with her? She says, there might be weekends where he’s going to be back home, and she’ll be here. It’ll be like they’re still together. That’s what this thing is for, isn’t it? He says, it sure is. That’s pretty cute. He takes the other turtle dove out of his bag, and she says, he has his with him. He says he takes it with him everywhere he goes. Once he gets his apartment here, it will have a permanent place on his bedside table. He kisses her and his phone dings. He looks at it and says, his grandmother left him a voicemail.

Brick says he doesn’t mean to bring up a tough subject, but he doesn’t know where Sonny and Nina stand right now. Sonny says, she’s his wife legally, so she’s going to be a potential target, and Brick says he’ll make sure to keep eyes on her. Ava comes back and says she made copies for Brick. This is it. She gives him a folder, and Brick says he’ll look into it. He tells Sonny to let him know if he needs anything, they shake hands, and Brick leaves. Ava asks how seriously she needs to take this. Stay vigilant or complete lockdown? He says, they’re not there yet, and she says, thank God. Because nothing good can come of them stuck in this penthouse. On that note, what does he say they get out of here?

Nina asks if Valentin thinks she has a leg to stand on, and he says he thinks she has two gorgeous legs to stand on. (BA-DUM-CHH!) She’s Nina Reeves for God’s sake. She built Crimson into the empire it is today. He can’t imagine her advertisers and top designers are thrilled with what Drew has decided. She says, it doesn’t matter, but he says, of course (🍷) it matters. She says she doesn’t have any recourse, and he says, how about if she gives him a number. How much would it cost to create a rival publication and poach every top staffer at Crimson that would give Drew and Carly a fighting chance at success?

Diane asks Mrs. Muldoon if she ever got a sense that there were any health concerns prior to this diagnosis, but Mrs. Muldoon says, no. They were shocked when they learned he had Stage IV cancer. He seemed totally fine. It’s like they blinked, and he was gone. Diane says, the doctors who took care of her husband in hospice, were they able to provide any insight? and she says, they told her any physician who would have run even the most basic tests would have seen the cancer. If only someone had. She looks at Finn and says, a few months would have made the difference. Her children would still have a father. Martin says, objection, your honor. That calls for speculation. Diane says, Mrs. Muldoon’s testimony will be corroborated by Dennis Muldoon’s oncologist, but Judge Arnold says, then they’ll hear it when he or she takes the stand. Sustained. Diane says, no further questions, and the judge says, Martin’s witness. Martin says he’d just like to start by saying how sorry they all are for her loss. She thanks him, and he says he’d just like to know one thing. Was she there when her husband met with Dr. Hamilton Finn, when he was told he needed to go for further testing? She says, no, she was not, and he says, so her opinion on Dr. Finn’s urgency, or lack thereof, is based solely on how her husband described it to her. She says, yes, but… and he says, thank you. That’s all. No further questions. The judge says, she may step down, and Mrs. Muldoon leaves the stand. Gregory whispers, that’s it? to Martin, and Martin says, no one ever won a civil trial by ripping the grieving widow to shreds on the witness stand. The jury is right there. She has her story, we have ours. Diane says she’d like to call Dr. Hamilton Finn to the stand.

Laura puts Spencer on speaker and thanks him for calling her back. He says, of course (🍷). What’s going on? She says she has good news on both fronts. First of all, Doc is going to be okay. He says, thank God, and she says, and they’ve tracked Esme to Canada. The authorities there have the address where she’s staying, and Chase and Dante are on their way there right now. He asks what she needs from him, but she says, nothing. Just stay right where he is. She’s sort of comforted by the knowledge that there’s an entire ocean between him and Esme at the moment. Portia says, Laura is right. They’re far safer there than they would be here in Port Charles. Just let the police handle Esme. Spencer promises to look after Portia’s daughter, and she says she’s going to hold him to that. She asks for Trina, and Trina says, hey. Portia says she wants Trina to be safe. She loves her. Trina says she loves Portia too, and she will. Laura says she’ll keep them posted if she hears anything, and Spencer says, sounds good.

Nina says she didn’t agree to have lunch with Valentin to take his money, but he says she wouldn’t be taking it. He’d be investing it – in her. With her prowess, and the help of her editors and advertisers, he thinks any new publication she launched would bury anything Drew and Carly could cook up at Crimson. They don’t know publishing and she does. Sometimes the best revenge is good business. She says, if she does this… He says, she’s considering it, and she says, maybe. If she does this, this war with Carly will only escalate until one of them surrenders. He lifts his glass and says, to it not being you. They clink glasses, when Sonny walks in with Ava.

Brick says, he’s got to admit, he didn’t think the hospital is where his meeting with Jordan would take place, and she says, if he gives her something she can use, maybe she’ll give him an upgrade. He says he can dream, and she asks if he traced the number that called her. He says he went through some backchannels, which he’s guessing is why she reached out to him in the first place. The call came from a burner phone, one of those prepaid deals you can get it at any gas station. She says, so it wasn’t registered, and he says, hold on. The phone pinged a cell tower a stone’s throw away from Pentenville the night the call came in. No residents or roads nearby. She says, Pentenville, and he says, they know better than anyone how to smuggle phones in. She thanks him, and he says, no sweat. He starts to leave, but comes back and says he hasn’t lost her number. He hopes she’s not going to lose his. She rolls her eyes as he leaves.

Diane asks how long Finn has been a department head at General Hospital, and he says, seven years and eleven months. She says, that’s a long time. And in that time, he found a cure for Blackwood’s disease, which was ravaging certain oceanic regions. Is she correct? Finn says, that is correct, and she says, that’s quite a feat, to use deductive reasoning and applied science to find a cure. Finn says, it’s part of the job, and she says, it is. So what went wrong on the day Dennis Muldoon came to visit him? Martin says, objection, and Diane says she’ll rephrase. How did Finn not catch the Stage IV cancer that other doctors insist would have been blatantly obvious at that time? Finn says he’s an infectious disease specialist. Mr. Muldoon came to see him for treatment for a tapeworm, which he had. However, Finn knew something else was wrong, so he suggested Muldoon have some more tests run. Diane asks if there was any urgency to this suggestion, a bit of a warning that he might be dealing with something more serious, perhaps life threatening. Finn says he recommended Muldoon have further tests run. He doesn’t recall the level to which he stressed urgency. Diane says, so it’s his contention that another infectious disease specialist couldn’t have deduced that cancer was at play, but Finn says he can’t speculate on other doctors, and her statement does not equate to malpractice. Diane says, even if he wasn’t at the top of his game, shall they say? and he says he doesn’t know what that means. She asks if he was suspended from General Hospital six years ago, and Finn says he was. She says, care to tell the court why? and Martin says, objection. Medical privacy. Diane says, withdrawn. Would Finn agree that a doctor at the top of his game could have suspected cancer? Could have ordered the proper tests and could have conveyed to Mr. Muldoon the gravity of his situation? Finn tells her, like he said he can’t speculate… She says, yes or no will suffice, and he says, the expectation that a doctor in another field could immediately catch everything wrong with a patient is not only unreasonable, it’s completely absurd. He did what needed to be done on the day. (Apparently, Finn forgot the number one rule here.) Diane says, just what needed to be done, and Finn tells her, that’s not what he said. She says, no further questions. Martin asks if Finn ever told Dennis Muldoon that a tapeworm wasn’t the only cause of his symptoms, and Finn says, no. Martin says, and did he in fact advise Muldoon that further tests were necessary to achieve an accurate diagnosis, and Finn says, yes. Martin asks if he took that advice, and Finn says, no, he did not. Martin says, so conveyed urgency aside, does he as a physician have the authority to compel a patient to undergo a test they do not wish to have done? and Finn says, no, he doesn’t. Martin says, no further questions, and Judge Arnold says, Finn can step down. Finn goes back to his seat, and Elizabeth says she thought Martin told them that Diane would talk about Finn’s past drug use, but Martin says, she didn’t have to. She did more damage by hanging it in the window. Finn says, and she knows it, and Martin says, up to this point, he’s kept his questioning brief because he honestly believes the facts are on Finn’s side in this case. But he has to be honest. That little tit for tat with Miss Miller just now? He doesn’t think Finn did himself any favors.

Diane thanks a doctor on the stand for his input and expertise, and says, the prosecution rests. The judge calls for a brief recess and says, court will resume at 1:45. The bailiff says, all rise, the judge leaves, and the bailiff says, the jury is excused. Sam comes in and asks how it’s going. Martin says, all is not lost, but he’s not going to lie. He could use some more help. Sam says she did some more digging and found out that several debt collectors have placed liens on the Muldoons. Finn takes an envelope from her and looks at the paperwork. He says, it looks like their house is about to be foreclosed on. Elizabeth says she thought they were wealthy, but Sam says, they’ve been cash poor for a while now. Gregory says he’s sure cancer can get expensive, and Sam says, this has actually been going on for a while. The Muldoons were heavily invested in Aurora. When the stocks went down, they pretty much lost everything. Finn says, that was eighteen months ago. Soap looks all around.

Jordan sees Anna and asks if her phlebotomy went okay, and Anna says, everything’s fine. What’s going on? Jordan says she traced the number for the source who called about the unmarked gun, and Anna asks if she has a lead on who shot Curtis. Jordan says, Sonny may have been the intended target, but she thinks Anna is still connected to this as well.

Nina tells Sonny that she heard about Ace. Is Spencer okay? He says, that’s none of her business (harsh!), and keeps walking. Ava says she got Nina’s voicemail. She’s so sorry to hear about Crimson. Call her when she gets a chance, and they’ll talk. Nina starts to respond, but Ava joins Sonny, and Nina goes back to her table. Valentin asks if she wants to go somewhere else, but she says, Phyllis told her that she’s always welcome here. She won’t be run off with her tail between her legs. He says his offer still stands. What does she say? She tells him that she says the two of them have a bad habit of bringing out the worst in each other.

Portia says she’s got some good news, and Laura says, that’s her favorite kind. Portia says, the doctors think that Doc should be waking up very soon. They’re going to be moving him to his room and Laura should be able to see him shortly after that. Laura cries and thanks her, and Portia says, Doc’s going to be okay. The kids are safe. They’re lucky, all things considered. Laura says she agrees, but if she could only stop blaming herself. Portia says, blaming herself for what? and Laura says, Esme. She knew what Esme was capable of, but Esme is her husband’s niece, she’s the mother of her grandchild. She thinks she just wanted so badly to see the good in Esme, she let it blind her to all the horrible things Esme has done that she never paid for. She did awful things to Portia’s daughter. Portia must be so angry with her.

Spencer tells Trina that he wishes he could say he was wrong, that Esme hadn’t gotten her memory back and that Ace could still be safe with her. But he guesses he did the right thing giving Ace to his father. If anyone has a knack for disappearing, it’s him. There’s no way Esme’s going to… Trina is preoccupied with her phone, and he asks what she’s doing. She says, there’s a flight back to New York in two hours. He can make it before midnight. He says, she’s telling him this because… and she says, Doc just got attacked and his brother is in danger. She appreciates him coming with her, but his family needs him now.

Sam says, looks like Muldoon has been trying to stop the bleeding for months. He even cashed out a life insurance policy to pay his bills. Martin says, before or after he saw an oncologist? and Sam says, before. Martin says, thanks to Sam, they now have one hell of a theory to present to the court, and Elizabeth says, Muldoon came to Finn on purpose. The whole malpractice suit… Finn says, it was part of his plan. Muldoon set him up.

I called it at the beginning. And I have receipts! Proof! Timelines! Screenshots! Not really. Just one message to a fellow GH watcher, but I called it pretty early on.

Spencer says, Trina heard his grandmother. Doc is on the mend, and Esme’s in Canada, and the police are on her trail. Trina says, and if any of that changes? and Spencer says, then he’ll get on a plane and go home, but she heard him promise her mother that he’d look after her, and they both know he’s on her hit list. So he thinks it’s best he keeps his word. She asks if he’s sure. Don’t stay for her. He says, of course (🍷) he’s going to stay for her. And for him, for them. Now is she ready for the best weekend of her life? She says, so ready, and he says, very good answer. He kisses her and pops the champagne cork. They kiss some more.

Portia asks why she would be angry with Laura, and Laura says, at the very least, Portia must think she’s naïve. Portia says she thinks Esme is that good of a liar, and Laura says, except Portia never believed it. Portia says she never truly bought into the idea that Esme had changed (more history revision!), but she thinks it’s a little different with her. Laura asks, why is that? and Portia says, because Esme hurt Trina in a very specific, targeted, vindictive way. It’s hard to see your child suffer like that. It leaves a mark. Laura says she’s so sorry, but Portia says, she doesn’t have to be. There’s nothing wrong with hoping someone can change, if and when they take accountability for their actions, but Esme never took accountability for anything. So right now, there’s only one path forward for her. Laura says, absolutely. Agreed. Esme must be found. Esme must be brought to trial for the things she’s done.

Toronto, Canada. Dante and Chase arrive at an apartment, where a Canadian officer stands outside the door. Dante introduces himself and Chase, and the officer says, they were told the detectives were coming. Chase says, any updates? and the officer says, they’ve been monitoring the apartment for 24 hours. No one matching the nanny’s or Prince’s description has exited. Dante says, it’s still occupied? and the officer nods. Dante thanks him for holding off while they waited for him and Chase. There’s going to be trouble. The officer knocks at the door, and Chase and Dante put their hands on their guns.

Nina says she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t tempted by Valentin’s offer, and he says, but? She says, but she has to try and control these impulses she has if she’s going to have any hope of salvaging a relationship with Willow. He says, okay, but if she changes her mind… She says she knows where to find him, and he says, they have a long history of twisting themselves in knots, pretending they’re something they aren’t for other people. She doesn’t have to do that with him. He’s on her side, no matter what. She puts her hand on his and thanks him. Sonny watches.

Sonny tells Ava that he was thinking, and she says, uh-oh. He says, there’s still a threat out there against Ava. Esme’s on the run. Maybe she should spend some time on his island. She says, the gallery is being refreshed this week. She supposes there are worse places to stay vigilant. He says he and Dex will get her settled in and make sure she’s protected. She says, okay. Because going to Puerto Rico is all about her and her safety, right? He asks, what else would it be about? and she says, maybe getting as far away from Nina as possible.

Anna says, so the call that attempted to give Jordan information on the gun came from Pentenville? and Jordan says she’s been looking into this for months and gotten nowhere. Dead end after dead end. So what’s changed in the past few weeks? Who’s new to Pentenville and knew about a shipment of unmarked guns meant to be in the Bureau’s possession? She knew she recognized that voice from somewhere, but she couldn’t put her finger on it until she overheard Anna and Laura talking. Anna says, the person who called Jordan was John Brennan.

On Monday, Portia tells Curtis that she never wants to worry about Esme Prince again; Martin tells Diane that he’d like to add someone to the witness list; and Tracy comes to the courtroom, saying that they should make the fraud public record.

👬🏻 Whole Different Brother…

It’s great how the cast is given wiggle room to do other projects. A happy employee is more likely to stick around.

💻 Not Kidding…

It’s awful how scammers get away with this stuff, but it’s also shocking to see how many people fall for it. One rule of thumb is, if you’re a 2 and they’re a 10, and you don’t know each other personally IRL, it’s not happening.

💎 Diamonds In the Rough…

Hey, she did finally get that second date.

We’ve all been there. The one that just doesn’t go as planned.

This one’s diamond should be repossessed.

🍸 Back To the Rules…

Here’s a thought. If the rest of the cast doesn’t want to film with them, replace them. Or just work with two fewer cast members. People thought Charlie Sheen and Roseanne couldn’t be replaced either.

🏊‍♀️ Awful Summer People Return…

How is this back already? It might be worth watching for the big break-up though.

⚰️ Dead Coming Soon…

The final trailer for The Ones Who Live.

https://people.com/the-walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-trailer-rick-and-michonne-search-broken-world-8550132

🐕 Bowling At Home…

You, too, can be host of your own Puppy Bowl.

https://www.dogtv.com/blog/how-to-throw-a-puppy-bowl-party-dogtvs-guide-to-tail-gating

https://wearwagrepeat.com/puppy-bowl-party/

🎋 Quotes of the Week

I’m not Dr. Phil. – Judge Marilyn Milian, People’s Court

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. – Indian Proverb

What I’ve experienced is that I can’t know the future. I can’t know if anything that I do will change what happens tomorrow. I can’t know with certainty, but what I do know is if I do nothing, nothing will change. – James Orbinski (Now if I could just figure out what the something is…)

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. – Leo Buscaglia

The healthy being craves an occasional wildness, a jolt from normality, a sharpening of the edge of appetite, his own little festival of Saturnalia, a brief excursion from his way of life.Robert MacIver

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. – Mae West

Peace is not absence of conflict; it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. – Ronald Reagan

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. – Bruce Lee

The best way to learn how to enjoy life is from a dog. – Nils Sandmann

🪗 Making My Own Kind Of Music…

Come back on Monday really Tuesday for soap and whatever the future holds. Until then, stay safe, stay parking between the lines, and stay remembering that sometimes the best revenge is good business.

January 25, 2024 – Jordan Requests Brick’s Help, Hand It Over, Early Star, Nina’s Message, Bad Choice Of Words, A Goodbye, Feline Travelers, Happy Birthday & Space

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At The Savoy, Robert puts a bouquet on one of the tables and asks N’neka what she thinks. She says, elegant, but not fussy, and he says, that’s exactly what he wanted. There’s already been one celebration here tonight. This’ll be just one more. About that other thing he wanted… She says, that’ll be ready to go in about fifteen minutes, and he says, perfect. He slips her some cash, and she says, wow. The woman of his dreams must be pretty special. He says, she is. Very special… indeed. Diane walks in followed by Sonny and Alexis.

On the phone, Finn tells Violet that he won’t be home to tuck her in tonight… Because he’s at work… Working… Okay, he’ll do his best. Be good for the babysitter… He loves her too. He loves her so much. Elizabeth asks if Violet is okay, and he says, she told him to save a lot of lives. Depending on how this trial goes, he may not be able to save lives anymore.

Jordan opens the door to Brick and thanks him for coming. He says he had to, to mark this unprecedented occasion.

Kristina tells Molly, counting 40 days from the day of conception, her niece – or nephew – is going to be a Libra, which means they’re going to be intelligent and curious, just like Molly and TJ. There’s a knock at the door, and Molly opens it to TJ. He says, she called at a good time. His last two patients rescheduled. What’s going on? Is Kristina okay? Molly says, Kristina’s pregnant, and he says, it worked? Molly says, it worked. They’re going to be parents. He hugs her.

Walking into the station, Chase asks if Dante is sure there are only 24 hours in the day, because he’s pretty sure that defense attorney had them on the stand longer than that. (I feel his pain. Not about being on the stand, but a day that must be more than 24 hours.) Dante says he’s never been cross-examined to that degree, and Chase says, it would have been faster if they’d reenacted the entire crime and investigation for the jury. (Ha-ha!) Dante says, but then the defense attorney couldn’t have asked him the same question like, 29 times. Chase says he’d almost rather Diane Miller cross-examine him… Dante gives him a look, and Chase tells him that he said, almost. Dante says he has to bring in Esme Prince and ask her for a statement, when Laura comes in and says, they’ll have to do more than that if they’re going to keep Port Charles safe.

Laura says, Heather Webber told her that she wants Esme to go to prison, and Dante says, wow. He never thought he’d agree with Heather Webber on anything. Laura says, she wants her daughter close to her so she can look after her, and Dante says, she’s not going to be looking after her if she’s in prison. The state will. Laura says, according to Heather, Esme came to visit her as soon as Ace was taken. Heather tried to convince her to run away before they could reinstate the charges against her, and Esme said, no. She said it was because of Ace, but Heather thinks it’s because she wants revenge. Chase says, it takes a psycho to know a psycho, and Dante says, so Spencer was right. Esme remembers everything. Laura says, Heather confirmed it, but Chase says, she’s not the most reliable though. Heather Webber has zero credibility. She has to be working an angle. Laura says, agreed. She’s not to be trusted, but she thinks, in Heather’s own crazy way, she seems to genuinely care about her daughter. She seems determined to save her. Chase says, great. Esme almost hurt a lot of people, and that was before she wanted payback. Laura says, now she’s desperate and she has nothing to lose. They’ve got to arrest her before she does something terrible. (Um… The mayor has no concept of the law?) Dante says, he’s sorry, but they can’t do that.

Brick says, the Deputy Mayor was the last person he expected to call asking him for information, but Jordan says she reached out as a private citizen. He says, a private citizen who used to be the Police Commissioner, and she says, let it go, for the purposes of this conversation at least. He says, okay. So why is he here? She says she’s been working on a project – off the books – and asks him to have a seat. She tells him that she was looking for someone with detective prowess who could also keep a secret. She thought he’d be the perfect man for the job. He says, perfect man… prowess… So much flattery packed into a couple of sentences. Not that he minds. She asks if they can talk about this, and he says, okay. He wonders why she thinks she can’t talk to the PCPD about this project, but she says she can’t involve the PCPD. It could put them in a bad spot. He says, but she doesn’t mind dragging him into this? and she says, he is the bad spot. He laughs and says he appreciates her directness, but maybe they should lean towards the flattery again. She says, he’s a known associate of Sonny Corinthos. She’s aware of his skillset and knows he can be discreet. He says, she seems to know a lot about him, and she says, they have a file. He says he appreciates her going through the trouble. What’s in the file? She says, that’s classified, and he says, the good stuff usually is. So what’s the mission, should he choose to accept it?

Robert says he sees Diane brought back-up, and she says, Sonny and Alexis? She ran into them outside. But considering how their last date went, back-up might have been a good idea. He says he’s hoping they can put all that behind them tonight, and she says she hopes so too. He says, she looks especially beautiful this evening, and she says, he’s off to a rousing start. She sees the flowers, along with a bottle of champagne and glasses, and says, this is lovely. He says he wanted to show her just how much she means to him, and she listens to the music for a moment. She says she loves this song. Was that his doing too? He says, it was. Would she care to dance? She says, no, and he says, no? He thought all women loved guys who danced. She says, that certainly depends on the woman. She does, but then again, she’s a fabulous dancer, despite her penchant for leading. (Same.) But she doesn’t want a dance partner tonight. He says, whatever she’s looking for, tell him and it’s hers, and she says, okay. An apology.

At the bar, Alexis tells Sonny that she was at a convention out of town. It started early and ran late. She got a Ride Share and he dropped her two blocks from here and she didn’t want to miss Spencer, so she ran all the way here, for nothing. What about him? He says he had some business to take care of. He missed the party, but he said his goodbyes outside. She thanks him for keeping her company. She really wasn’t looking forward to going home anyway. She goes home and thinks about all the things she has to do and then she worries about everything. She doesn’t think he was in much of a rush to get home either, was he? He says he’s going to go there after he leaves here. He saw Kristina. He takes it they haven’t spoken lately. She says she’s just respecting some boundaries, taking a step back. She thinks she overstepped. He says, her? Overstep? She says, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? and he says he thinks it’s good she’s taking a step back. She says, it’s not like she has a choice, and he says, whatever the reason, it’s a good thing. She says she hopes so, because it’s killing her.

TJ says he can’t stop smiling, and Molly says, her neither. He says, they’re going to have a baby. He thanks Kristina and hugs her. She says she’s honored to be a part of it, and he says, she’s so much more. She made the most wonderful thing happen for them and they’ll never be able to thank her enough. Kristina says, the look on their faces right now is all the thanks she needs. He says, she might feel differently during labor. How is she feeling? Don’t hesitate to tell her OB if she’s feeling… Kristina tells him that he doesn’t have to be a doctor right now. Just be a dad. It’s okay. TJ says he’s going to be a dad, and Molly says she can’t wait to hold the baby and smell that little baby smell. He says, and play airplane while they feed their baby mashed bananas and smile like idiots while they wipe the mashed bananas off their baby’s face… Molly says, and our hair… Kristina says, and the floor and the chair… TJ stops smiling, and Molly asks, what’s wrong? He says he can’t help but think they got excited like this before. They talked about this before and it didn’t work out.

Elizabeth says, Violet will love Finn no matter what job he has. She thinks he hung the moon, and she happens to think Violet is right. And she’s convinced he’s going to win this lawsuit. He says he’s grateful for her conviction. He wishes he shared it. Tomorrow the trial starts, and his future will be in the hands of twelve people in the jury box. Twelve people who never practiced medicine, who apparently only care if he’s nice or likeable. How does he defend himself without coming across as defensive? How does he share his medical expertise without being arrogant? She says, he’s passionate about his job. He cares deeply about his patients. That will come through, and in the end, those twelve people will wish he was their doctor. He asks how she can be so confident, and she says, because she’s inspired by him every day. He says, that might be the nicest thing she’s ever said to him, and hugs her. He can’t imagine going through this without her. Martin knocks at the door and says, apologies, including for the late arrival. He’s afraid it was unavoidable. Now why did Finn need to see him?

Molly tells TJ that they’re using a new surrogate now. What are the odds of that happening to them twice? He says he thinks it happens to anyone. The first trimester is so delicate. Kristina makes them sit and tells them that they’re not spiraling down this rabbit hole. They have to have a little faith and just take a breath. TJ says, she’s right, and Kristina says, none of them knows what the future holds, but if the worst-case scenario does happen, then they’re going to handle it, the three of them, together. And if and when they’re ready, they can try again. Most importantly, they’re a team now. TJ tells her, if he hasn’t said it before, she’s a rock star, and she says she knows. Her sister is just like her, but better.

Alexis tells Sonny, it’s not like she doesn’t talk to the girls at all. She just keeps the conversation light and superficial. She wants to be careful not to alienate them. He says she shouldn’t worry so much, and she says, why? Does he know something she doesn’t know? Has he spoken to Kristina? He says he’s not going to break any confidences here, but he believes she knows Alexis’s heart was in the right place. She says, good. She appreciates that, but she thinks they would prefer she keep her distance and she wants to respect that. He says, no matter how badly she wants to? and she says, Molly is going to be a mom and Kristina’s going to carry her baby. What could go wrong? So she’s just going to bring joy into their lives and enjoy their journey. He says, she has to keep following their lead. Look what happened to him. He lost his family because of the pain he caused them. She doesn’t want that in her life. She says she just wants to reiterate this one thing again. The laws regarding fertility and reproduction are like the wild west, specifically… He says, does she know how many times she’s said this to him already? and she says, he thinks she’s neurotic, doesn’t he, and he just wants her to shut up and be a grandma. He says, she’s already said her concerns about the girls. Just move on. She says she’s trying, when both of their phones ring. She says, Molly, and he says, Kristina.

Jordan says she knows she asked Brick here, but she has to go. He says, too bad. They were just getting to know each other’s files. She says, they’re not going to talk about her and she’s already familiar with his file. He asks if she ever wonders about stuff that’s not in the files, and she says she can live with the mystery. He says, really? He would have expected the opposite. She says she’s been defying expectations her whole life, and he says he’d like to hear more about that. She says she’s been in touch with a contact. They were supposed to provide her with some information and reach out with a location, but she hasn’t heard back. He says, and she’d like him to track her contact down, and she says, they may have broken off contact because of certain… complications. He says, what kind? and she says, the federal kind. He says, what exactly is the nature of this project? and she says she can’t tell him. He says he sees. Let him get this straight. She wants him to put his neck on the line, with certain agencies he might add, but she doesn’t want to tell him why. She says, it’s better for everyone if she doesn’t, and he says he recalls her using words like discreet and knows how to keep a secret just a minute ago. She says she did, and she meant it. He says, good, because he knows how to keep all secrets – past, present, and future. She says she doesn’t doubt that, but she needs to keep the circle of trust small. For now. If he does this for her, she’ll owe him a favor as Deputy Mayor, no questions asked. He says he does love being owed, but he wants inside that small circle soon. She says, one step at a time, and he says, okay. He’ll start by triangulating her contact’s whereabouts. She says she’s not giving him her phone, but he says he doesn’t need her phone, just her number. He hands her his phone and she puts the number in. She says, don’t abuse it, and he says he wouldn’t dream of it. He leaves, and in the hallway, he puts his phone in his pocket and says, yeah. Gotcha now. I guess there’s my answer about where Zeke is. He’s been replaced.

Dante says, if the DA can reinstate some or all of the charges, then they’ll get a warrant for Esme’s arrest, and Laura says she’s already talked to Robert about it. He’s got one of his ADAs make one up right now. He’s hoping to get a judge to sign off on it tonight. He says, that’s great. They wait for them, then make a move. She asks if there isn’t anything they could do in the meantime. Heather really made it seem like Esme was primed to do something drastic. He says he could bring her in on some false pretense and see if he can get her to spill about the stuff she did with Cameron and Joss and Trina. Maybe that would be long enough to hold her for 24 hours, or at least long enough for Robert to reestablish the charges again. Chase joins them and says, 24 hours is better than nothing, and Dante says, but the problem is, Esme hasn’t been charged with a crime. Visiting her mother’s not illegal. Nikolas on the other hand, is a fugitive. He held Esme prisoner for months and is facing charges of kidnapping and assault. He’s got Esme’s child. In the eyes of the law, Esme is going to be looked at as the victim here. Laura says, then they should tell her that. She doesn’t want Esme to be badgered or bullied in any way. She just wants her contained so she’s safe from herself and they can get all of this other stuff sorted out. Chase says he’ll go with Dante as back-up, and Laura says, her too. She really thinks she can talk Esme off the ledge. Dante says, let’s just hope she hasn’t already disappeared.

Martin says he knows Finn is nervous, but his trial starts tomorrow. His advice is that Finn do something he enjoys, as long as it has nothing to do with the lawsuit or medicine. Cook a good meal. Watch a game. Maybe parcheesi. Listen to music. The fact is, he’s as prepared as he’s ever going to be, and worrying about things that haven’t happened yet is counterproductive. Finn says, as much as he’d like to take Martin’s advice, they’ve found something that might help with his defense. Martin says, and he’s just hearing about it now? and Elizabeth says, they weren’t sure it would do any good. They’re still not. Martin suggests they let him be the judge, and Finn says, Dennis Muldoon saw another doctor in Beechers Corners months before Muldoon ever approached him.

Robert says he’s sorry if he’s upsetting Diane. Shall we dance? He holds out his hand, and she says, he’s sorry for what exactly? He says, for… upsetting you of course (🍷), and she says, yes, of course (🍷). Absolutely. Because? He says he has no idea what he did, and she says, not a clue? Not an inkling? He says he’s not a mind reader, and she says, this time we have the DNA evidence to connect Corinthos to a crime and finally put the bastard away. Your guy’s going down… love, and there’s not a thing you can do about it. He tells her that when she says it that way, it sounds aggressive, and she says she’s sorry. Was there a more lighthearted, festive version he wanted to relay? He says he’s confused. They enjoy sparring with one another. She says she loves sparring with him. That wasn’t sparring. That crossed a line. Forget crossed, it blew right past it. He says he’s still confused, and she says she’s confused as to why. He says, none of that was about her. He was talking about Sonny. He was talking about taking down a defendant in court. Frankly, he’s not sorry about any of that.

Kristina says, Alexis and Sonny have great timing, and Alexis says, they were together when she called. They ran into each other at The Savoy. Kristina says, they were hanging out at The Savoy? and Alexis says, they don’t typically hang out, but when she’s with Kristina’s dad, he is… Sonny says, amazing. They were saying goodbye to Spencer again. Kristina says, that’s right. He and Trina are off to Paris. There’s a knock at the door, and TJ says, that’s probably his mom. He lets Jordan in, and they hug. Molly says, it looks like the gang’s all here, and Kristina thanks Jordan for coming. She knows this was a spur of the moment thing, but they have some news they wanted to share, and they didn’t want to wait. The procedure worked, and she’s pregnant with Molly and TJ’s baby. Obviously, they’re going to confirm it with a blood test, but… Sonny says, congratulations to all of them, and TJ tells Jordan, congratulations mee-maw. (I say, Jordan is not a mee-maw.) Jordan says, don’t ruin this.

Finn says, the doctor could only speak in hypotheticals, but she said if she did see a patient similar to Muldoon, she would have referred him to an oncologist, but they don’t know if Muldoon ever followed up on that referral. Martin says, they waited until the eleventh hour to tell him because this Dr. Sawyer isn’t willing to go on the record? and Elizabeth says, she skirted the line, but she definitely said enough to confirm it. Finn says, they don’t even know the name of the oncologist Muldoon was supposed to see, and Elizabeth says, right now, it just seems like a dead end. Martin says, not necessarily. There is one avenue they can explore.

Diane says, so Robert didn’t actually mean his apology? and he says he’s sorry for being unnecessarily harsh, but it’s his job to put men like Sonny away. She says, not just men like Sonny – Sonny. It has become abundantly obvious that he has a personal, and she might add highly unprofessional, vendetta against her client. He says, does he enjoy watching a known racketeer hide behind family and friends, hell, even the mayor? No, he doesn’t. Unlike Sonny, he works within the law. He can’t prosecute unless he has evidence. This time he has evidence. She says, and he couldn’t wait to use it. Here’s the crux of her problem – he gloated. He says, tell him something. Is she offended by the fact he might win or that Sonny might lose?

Alexis says she’s so happy that this is finally happening for Molly, and Molly says, is she though? Tell her the truth. Is she actually happy this is happening?

At The Invader offices, Dante says, no sign of Esme. He checked the breakroom and the lunchroom. He’s running out of rooms. Laura says, maybe she’s gone for the day, and Chase says, maybe Alexis knows where she is. They walk into Alexis’s office and see Doc on the floor, unconscious. Laura runs to him, and Chase says he’s going to call dispatch. Dante says, he’s still breathing, and Laura says, he has a pulse. They’ve got to get him to the hospital. Can he hear her? Please wake up. She taps his face lightly and says, what happened? Tell her.

Martin says he knows several private investigators that can help them out, including Sam McCall. One way or another, he’s going to get somebody looking for this unspecified oncologist tonight. At the risk of sounding like a cliché, if there’s a chance Muldoon had an inkling he had cancer, it will blow Finn’s cased wide open. Finn says, even if they do find this oncologist, they don’t know if they can provide anything that will help the case, but Martin says, leave that to him. What about the things Finn can control? Namely his testimony. For God’s sake, remember, only answer the question asked. Martin doesn’t want him to elaborate or help out. No information is offered unless explicitly asked about. Got it? Finn says he’s got it. Martin and Alexis have been abundantly clear. Martin says, good, because Finn’s testimony is either going to save him or damn him.

Alexis says she’s always and forever on Kristina’s side and TJ’s side and Molly’s side. She’s thrilled for both of them. She hugs them, and Molly asks Jordan if she can believe this, and hugs her. Alexis tells TJ, congratulations. He has to know how happy she is that her daughter found the perfect partner. He says he got pretty lucky too, and she says, they’re going to be great parents. She hugs him, and Jordan says, yes, they are. TJ says he has to add that at this early stage of their pregnancy, they’re not telling anyone who’s not in this room that they’re pregnant. Alexis’s phone rings, and she steps away. TJ says, they’ll make a big announcement after the first trimester, and Sonny says, nobody is going to know anything until they say so. TJ thanks him, and Kristina says she bought a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne just for this occasion. Jordan says, that sounds good, but Alexis says she’ll have to take a raincheck. Sonny asks, what’s going on? and she says, just an incident at work. Molly asks if everything is okay, and Alexis says, everything will be fine. It’s a beautiful night. Don’t let this ruin it. She tells Molly and Kristina that she loves them, and dashes out.

Diane says, Robert has lost her. She doesn’t understand the distinction, because no attorney likes to lose. He says, there’s an impartial nature here between the attorney/client relationship, and she asks where he went to law school. That is absolutely not true. She’s extremely partisan. She’s her client’s advocate. He says, come on. She’s gotten the better of him in court more than once. She’s smart as a whip. Too smart to believe that someone like Sonny is innocent of all the charges he’s faced over the years. She says, it doesn’t matter what she believes or what she knows or what she understands. It is her duty, it is her obligation as a defense attorney to provide the best, the most vigorous defense possible. One that is rooted in logic and evidence, for her clients. Anything less, and she’s derelict of her duty. He says, this is a whole lot more than a client just getting a vigorous defense, and she asks why she feels like he wants her to say something. He says he just wants her honesty, and she says, okay. He says, is Sonny her client, or is that murdering bastard her friend? She says, Sonny Corinthos is one of her best friends. Now does that change the way he looks at her?

Chase asks Alexis if Esme Prince was in this morning, and she says she saw Esme when she came in. She seemed fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. Although she doesn’t think Esme would have clocked in until after she left. Chase asks if Esme has access to her office, and Alexis says, she does. So does the cleaning staff. Why is Esme his focus? An officer tells Chase that they found something, and hands him a paper inside an evidence bag.

Elizabeth says, your testimony could damn you? What happened to, Finn having a relaxing evening? Martin says, forgive him. He doesn’t mean to sound alarmist. As discussed, it’s almost certain Miss Miller is going to raise questions about Finn’s substance abuse. Elizabeth says, Finn’s been sober for years. His past addiction can’t be used against him now, can it? Martin says, if it is, he’ll object on the grounds of medical privacy, but there’s a chance he’ll be overruled, and the judge will allow Miss Miller to ask Finn questions about his drug use. Finn says, so not only does he have to defend himself as a doctor, he has to defend his sobriety as well, and Martin says, forewarned is forearmed. Those questions get asked, just answer truthfully and forcefully. The fact is, they only have his word that he was sober when he treated Muldoon. In the end, that’s all this trial is really about. Just make sure when he gets on that stand, the jury meets the man Martin knows him to be, and he’ll win.

Robert says he sees Diane as a sharp, passionate woman, and she says, they have that in common at least. He says he admires her desire to go that extra distance for her clients. That will never change. She says, but he doesn’t approve of her friendship with Sonny, and he says, she knows what Sonny’s done. He guesses he can’t understand how she looks past that. She says she would think it’s similar to how he can look past all the blood on Anna’s hands, and he says, that’s different. She asks, how is that different? and he says, she’s the mother of his child. Diane says, Sonny also has children, but she guesses that doesn’t give him a special dispensation as far as Robert is concerned. What about Holly? He says, what about her? and she says, as far as she knows, Holly didn’t bear any of his children, yet he can look past her alleged crimes? He says he can’t be responsible for everyone he went out with, and she says, no one’s asking him to. She’s also not judging him. Because she knows there’s more to both Anna and Holly than meets the eye. Just as there is more to Sonny. So can he accept she’s friends with Sonny without holding it against her? He asks if she can accept it’s his mission to put people like Sonny away, and she says, and if she can’t?

Sonny says he wants to make a toast. Having a child can be difficult at times, but it’s one of the most incredible experiences a person can have. He just wants to say he’s so happy they’re going to be able to share in the joy of watching their child grow up. Just like he did. Jordan says, to all of them and to her new grandchild, and they all clink glasses and say, cheers!

A doctor comes out of the room where Doc is, and Laura asks, how’s her husband? The doctor says, he’s stable. He’s sending Doc for tests now. She asks if she can see him first, and he says, just for a minute. On the verge of tears, she goes in and goes to Doc’s bedside. She smooths his hair and asks him to come back to her. Please. She takes his hand and says she needs him to tell her what she already knows in her bones, that it was Esme who did this. She promises she’ll bring Esme to justice. There are still so many things she and Doc want to do together, and she doesn’t want to do one more minute of this life without him.

In the hallway on the phone, Dante asks if Chase found anything, and Chase says, a letter to Esme from a woman named Maggie. Dante says, Maggie Fitzgerald? That was Esme’s old nanny. Chase tells him, she said she took a position with another family, and she wants Esme to come visit. (Wait. What? Wasn’t she involved with the whole Ryan thing? Why would she be inviting Esme over?) Dante asks, where? and Chase says, Toronto.

Martin says, if they’ll forgive him, he’s going to track down Sam, get her looking for that mystery oncologist. He points at Finn and says, deep breath. He leaves, and Finn says, deep breath. He takes one and says, so much for relaxing. Elizabeth says, it’s not over yet. There’s still time. He asks what she suggests, and she says her boys are having a sleepover, which means her house is empty. She can cook him dinner, they can listen to music… or he could listen to the game… He says, always music. Maybe some from that playlist she made when they were driving to Vermont. She says, after that, who knows? She puts her arms around him and asks if he’s good at parcheesi. He says he’s excellent at parcheesi… and a lot of things, and kisses her.

Robert says he guesses they’ve reached an impasse, and Diane says she would never ask him to apologize for who he is and what he does. He says, and he doesn’t want her to apologize for caring about Sonny. She says, what happens if they can never fully see eye to eye on this issue? and he asks, where does that leave them? He knows he’s not always good at expressing himself with these things, but he really does care about her. She says she feels the same way, and she’s not going to give up on what they’re building. He says, there’s really only one solution, and she says, let’s hear it. He says, they leave Sonny and the clients in the courtroom, and she says she totally accepts those terms. They sit back down, and Robert says, they can do this. She laughs and says, yes, they can.

Jordan hugs TJ and says, he knows she’s going to spoil this baby like crazy, right? and he says he won’t even try to stop her. Sonny says he’s very proud of Kristina. She gave TJ and Molly an incredible gift. She says, Molly is her sister and she’d do anything for her, and he says, any parent would pray to have that bond she and her sister have. He knows she’s happy right now, but just know the road is never going to be without challenges. Anything she needs – anything – she can always come to her dad. They hug.

Chase asks if Alexis recognizes this, showing her the sculpture Doc got whacked with, and she says she keeps it on her credenza. He asks if anything else looked disturbed to her, but she tells him, it’s hard to say if she can’t go through everything. Does he really think Esme attacked Doc? He says, she’s their primary suspect, and he has a bad feeling she’s not going to stop with Doc.

Still in the room with Doc, Laura calls Spencer and leaves a message. She says she knows he’s on his way to Paris, but she needs him to call her back as soon as he gets this. It’s about Esme. She leaves the room, and Dante asks if Doc is awake yet, but she says, not yet. She can’t help thinking about how long he might have been lying there. Dante says, he’s going to be fine. He has the best doctors here. They’re going to take care of him. She says she wants all that to be true, and he says, it is. She says, any word about Esme? and he says, they tracked the credit card she used to get a one-way bus ticket to Toronto. (Well, at least she’s being thrifty with Alexis’s money.) Laura says, any idea who she knows up there?

Tomorrow, Chase tells Jordan that they need the address for where to find Esme; Trina asks if Spencer is going to teach her; Laura says, Anna is the next, most qualified candidate; and Valentin asks Nina, what’s the plan for taking back what’s hers?

🏆 Worth Fighting For…

Oh for Pete’s sake, just give it to them already.

👶🏻 Career Baby…

She was already a vet by the time she got to GH.

Check Out Baby Cosette Abinante Starring With Zendaya!

👠 Haters Gonna Hate…

Nina just needs to make better choices. Maybe not the choices a middle school girl would make.

💎 She Did Not Say That…

Check and mate.

👽 Trekking On…

While I didn’t watch his Star Trek stint, I loved Alien Nation.

https://people.com/star-trek-enterprise-actor-gary-graham-dead-at-73-8548168

https://www.startrek.com/news/remembering-gary-graham

🐈 Adventuresome Kittehs…

Who doesn’t love a cat in a beret?

https://people.com/couple-trained-cats-to-travel-to-europe-exclusive-8546602

🦛 No Baby Anymore…

Hippos are the cutest things – those tiny ears!

https://people.com/fiona-the-hippo-turns-7-cincinnati-zoo-shares-birthday-tribute-8549355

🌏 No Man Is a Peninsula…

Join me tomorrow for soap and the Friday free-for-all. Until then, stay safe; stay not ghosting, but if you do, stay gone forever; and stay leaving the clients in the courtroom if you’re a defense attorney dating the DA.

January 24, 2024 – Laura Visits Heather In Pentenville, Barcelona Is Inflicted With Beverly Hills & Merengue

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Esme rifles through a drawer in Alexis’s desk and takes out a credit card. She gets on the laptop and starts to book a flight, when Doc walks in, startling her.

The Savoy is decorated for a major party, and Trina says she can’t believe Curtis arranged all this when he just got out of the hospital yesterday. I can’t believe he got out of the hospital already. He says he has a daughter that is smart enough to be accepted into the Sorbonne for a semester abroad in Paris. He’s going to make sure her sendoff is special, so they’re going to send her off in style. Trina says, her present is seeing that his procedure seemed to work, and there’s a possibility he’ll be walking by the time she gets home. She feels much better about leaving now. He says he and her mother will be expecting a lot of messages from her. Portia says, they want to hear about all of her experiences, when Spencer runs in. He asks Trina if he’s late to the party, and she says, not at all, but she thought he was coming with his grandmother and Doc. He says he’s sure they’ll be on their way.

Kristina lets Molly into her apartment and says, this is a rare sight. Molly asks what she means, and Kristina says, it’s not often she sees her sister out of the courthouse while the sun is still shining. Molly says, the afternoon hearing got pushed to tomorrow, and then her favorite organic food store just called to tell her about a new shipment of fruits and vegetables that just came in, so she went grocery shopping for Kristina. She knows how much Kristina would rather have a burger and fries from Charlie’s, but since she already had the implantation, she thought… She’s being pushy, isn’t she? Kristina says, Molly is a Davis, so she’d expect nothing less, and Molly says, if it’s too much, just tell her. She’ll back off. Kristina says she’s fine. She appreciates Molly asking. Molly says, one of the bags needs to be refrigerated, and Kristina says she’s pretty well stocked, so they might have some trouble fitting it in. Molly says, when she and TJ moved in together, there was never enough room for their stuff until she watched this amazing how to organize your fridge video. It changed everything. Come on. She’ll show Kristina. I want to see this too. What site is that on?

James says he can’t find his firetruck, and Maxie asks if he checked under his bed. He says he did and it’s not there, and Maxie says, check his toybox and his closet. He says, okay, and runs off. Maxie tells Felicia, he’s not going to find it, and follows. Spinelli comes out, and Felicia asks how it’s going living with Maxie. He says, it’s most agreeable. He’s loving all the family time after dinner. He’s reminded about how great a mom Maxie is. All that’s a bonus. Living with his daughter fulltime is tremendous. It was a very sound financial strategy, pretending he has nowhere to live. The rent he’s paying Maxie should be helping her make ends meet. Felicia says she has to agree. Maxie seems much less stressed. Maxie comes back and asks what they’re talking about. Felicia says, good coffee, and Spinelli says, very good. There’s a knock at the door, and Spinelli answers. It’s Cody, and Spinelli says, sorry. They don’t need any cookies. He tries to close the door, but Cody walks past him, saying, that’s good, because he’s not selling any. He says hello to Maxie and Felicia.

In the visiting room at Pentenville, Heather calls to Laura and waves her arm. Laura goes over, and Heather thanks her so much for coming. This is an honor. A visit from the mayor. It’s going to give her bragging rights around here. She also wants to offer her sincere condolences about Barbara Jean Spencer’s passing. She knows Laura and Bobbie had their share of disagreements, but she’s sure… Laura says, the only reason she’s here is because Heather claims to have information on her grandson Ace. Heather says, their grandson she means? Yeah, she does. She knows Nikolas took off with him. Laura asks, how on earth could she know that? and Heather says, Esme told her when she came to visit.

Maxie says she got Cody’s text earlier, but why is he stopping by? and he says, it’s just something that happened at James’s last riding lesson. She asks if something went wrong, but he says, no. That kid’s a natural. James runs in and asks what Cody is doing here, and Cody says he got James a present. James opens the box and says, cool. New boots. Cody says, the ones James has now are a little tight for him, and James says, they pinch his toes. Maxie says, when Aunt Nina gave him those boots for Christmas, he said they fit him, and he says, they did. Now they don’t. Cody says he guesses James’s feet grow fast, and Maxie says she knew the boots were a bit on the small side, but he was so excited about them. James says, these boots are awesome. Mom said he was going to have to wait until his birthday to get new ones. James walks off, and Maxie tells Cody, those boots are too expensive, but Cody says he’s making great money at Deception now. He’s got to spend it on something. It’s no big deal. He’s just happy to see James so enthusiastic about horses. He loves it when someone takes to riding so quickly. Felicia says, it’s a very thoughtful gesture, but Spinelli says, it’s something he should have asked Maxie about first. James says he wants to try them on.

Esme asks if Doc is spying on her, and he says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to sneak up on her. She was just so focused on her work. She says she didn’t mean to snap at him. He startled her, and she’s been a little on edge since Nikolas stole her son. He says, actually, that’s why he’s here. He’s surprised she came into work at all. She says she can’t just sit home and worry about Ace. She has to find a way to move forward, no matter how impossible that might seem. What other choice does she have? He says, you tell me, and she says she’s been through this nightmare before, but when Victor Cassadine took Ace away from her, at least she knew Spencer was with him. Ace has no idea who Nikolas is, and he’s going to be very scared and he’s going to be very confused. Doc says, personally, he believes that Nikolas will take good care of Ace, but of course (🍷) she’s going to worry. She says she can’t do anything but worry. Did he come here just to check in on her? He asks why that’s so difficult to believe. He thought they all got along quite well when she was living with him and Laura. She says, sure, but that was because of Ace. He says, because of Ace, and her. She is his niece after all. She says she knows. It just feels strange. He says he understands. May he ask her a question? Why didn’t she tell anyone that Nikolas had taken Ace? Not even the police.

Molly says she’s surprised to see how well-stocked Kristina is. She’s normally more of a take-out gal. Kristina says, that was before she agreed to be Molly’s surrogate, and Molly says, she’s really taking this seriously, isn’t she? Kristina says, of course (🍷). She’s all in. She’s going to eat healthy until her niece – or nephew – arrives. Molly asks if that means she’s already pregnant.

Ava asks how Portia is holding up, and Portia says she’s putting on a brave face, so Trina doesn’t realize how nervous she actually is. Trina lives in the dorms, but she’s a local girl. She’s never been more than 50 miles outside of the city for more than two weeks. Now she’s going to Paris, halfway around the world, for four months. Ava says, look at it this way. It’s one hell of an excuse to plan a trip to Paris. Portia says, that’s a good idea, and Ava says she’s going to miss Trina a lot too. It’s going to be tough with her half a world away. Why don’t they lean on each other then? Portia says she thinks that’s a good idea.

Marshall says, Portia told him that Trina’s going to be living in a dorm. Where will Spencer be staying? Spencer says he actually found this really quaint pied-da-terre in the Latin Quarter near Trina’s dorm, and Stella asks how he plans on occupying his time while Trina’s in school. He says he’s actually been to Paris quite a few times. There’s always something to do. Trina joins them and says she thinks they’ve been interrogating Spencer long enough, but Marshall says, who’s interrogating? He’s just showing an interest in Spencer’s plan. Stella says, Spencer can take care of himself, can’t he? and Spencer says, yes, ma’am. Trina suggests they talk to Joss, and she and Spencer go to the bar.

Trina asks if Josslyn has seen Laura and Doc, but she says she hasn’t. Spencer says he’s sure it’s nothing to worry about. He thinks they’re just running late. At least that’s what Laura texted him. Josslyn asks if he thinks Laura actually lied to him, but he tells her that he’s not saying that. He’s just saying he doesn’t think it’s the worst thing that there’s going to be an ocean between the two of them. Trina says she knows Laura loves him, and Spencer agrees, but says he just doesn’t think she likes him all that much right now. Trina says she just thinks something important must have kept her away, but Spencer says he thinks he may have lost her support.

Laura asks when Esme visited Heather, and why? and Heather says, sometimes a girl just needs her mother. Speaking of which, how the hell is Leslie? Do they still talk or… Laura says, let’s stay focused on Esme, all right? Because last she heard, Esme was terrified of Heather after she saw Heather attack Dr. Gatlin-Holt at Windymere. Why would Esme visit her? Heather says, because she was distraught over Laura’s son kidnapping her child. Laura says she has talked to the police about that, and because her son is the child’s father, they don’t consider that kidnapping. Heather says, there you go. That’s exactly why Esme came to see her. Esme realized she’s the only person she can trust. Laura says she doesn’t believe Heather. Actually, she and Esme have become very close ever since she gave birth to Ace. Heather says, that was before she remembered all the horrible things Laura’s family did to her.

Kristina tells Molly that she meant she’s going to eat healthy for as long as it takes, not that she’s pregnant. It’s been less than a week since the implantation. (Ha-ha! Sounds like a field of crops.) Molly says, of course (🍷). She doesn’t know what she was thinking. Kristina says she didn’t want to get Molly’s hopes up, but Molly says, no. It’s silly of her to jump right to that. Kristina says, the plan is, she’s going to wait a couple of days and take a home pregnancy test. That way, they can avoid a false negative. Molly says, that’s a very logical thing to do, and Kristina wonders where her phone is. She’s been losing things like crazy lately. Speaking of which, the craziest thing happened at Charlie’s. This woman came in and she was furious. She was insisting she left her phone right here on the bar. She was waving her hands around and kept saying how it was such an expensive upgraded phone. Meanwhile, she had her phone right in her hand the entire time. Isn’t that crazy? Molly says, that’s crazy… or they could just take a test now. She pulls out a pregnancy test.

Cody puts the boots on James and says, whoops. He guesses he’s new to buying kids’ boots. James says he thinks they’re perfect, and stumbles around. Cody says he got them from a real saddlery, so he can just exchange them. Let him call the guy. He steps outside, and Spinelli follows. He says he knows what Cody is doing, but it’s not going to work. Cody says, okay. What is he doing again? Spinelli says, he’s taking advantage of Maxie’s generous nature, and Cody tells him, says the guy who’s living in Maxie’s house?

Josslyn says she wants updates and pictures of everything. All the beautiful places Trina and Spencer go to. Trina says she wishes Josslyn could just come with them, and Josslyn says she has her classes at PCU, but she was thinking she could come to Paris for spring break. Trina says she’d love that, and Spencer says he feels as her boyfriend, he should get a say in that, but Trina and Josslyn both say, no. Trina says, then it’s settled, and they laugh. Spencer says he has to check on something real quick, and takes out his phone. Trina asks if there’s any news about his dad. She still can’t believe his dad took Ace like that. Spencer says he let his father take Ace, and he even delayed telling Esme so he could give Nikolas a bigger head start. Josslyn asks why he would do that. She’s no friend of Esme’s, but to take her kid like that? That’s pretty harsh, especially when he does nothing but talk about what a lousy dad Nikolas was. Does he think Nikolas is going to be any better for Ace? Spencer says, the situation has changed, and Trina asks, how? He says he’s pretty sure Esme has her memories back.

Portia tells Stella, it’s really been an emotional past few days, right? There’s been some highs, like Curtis coming home and possibly being able to walk again. But then there’s the lows, like Trina leaving for four months and being halfway around the world. Stella asks, is Trina’s leaving troubling her or the fact that Spencer is going to be with her? and Portia says she thinks she’s learned to accept the fact that Trina needs to make her own decisions in her life. She’s a young lady and she’s decided that Spencer is part of that life. Okay, fine, but Portia can’t stop thinking about all the turmoil that follows Spencer wherever he goes. Wouldn’t it be better for her to go to Paris without him?

Laura says, Esme got her memories back? When did that happen? Heather says, the night of Christmas Eve. She went back to Windymere where Laura’s horrible, criminal son held her prisoner for months and months. She guesses it brought it back for her. Laura asks why Esme wouldn’t mention that to her, and Heather says, she didn’t want to go to prison. Duh. Come on. They both know the charges related to that stupid sex tape are still hanging over Esme’s head. Laura asks why Heather would put her own daughter at risk by revealing her secret. Heather knows she’s the mayor. She doesn’t think Laura is going to go straight to the PCPD? Heather says she knows Laura will. Then they’ll put Esme here in Pentenville where she belongs… with her mother.

Marshall asks how Curtis is doing, and Curtis says, glad to be out of the hospital. He knows everybody is just doing their job, but the constant check-ins and nurses and all the noise from the machines, it’s kind of hard to sleep in the hospital. Last night he got about seven hours. It felt pretty good. Marshall says he can imagine, but he knows Curtis. Something’s got him on edge. Curtis says he’s fine, but Marshall says, no, he’s covering, which is his right. But if there’s any way he can help, even just by listening, he wants to. Curtis says, the thing is, for the first time he has real hope that he might walk again. They both know hope is no guarantee, but in some ways, the uncertainty is harder than just accepting he’ll be in this wheelchair for the rest of his life. That’s not a fun reality. It’s a harsh fact that he can wrap his brain around though. Marshall says, as opposed to having a glimmer of hope that might never be realized, and Curtis says, exactly. If he tells himself that he can walk again and he never does, it will be like being paralyzed all over again. Marshall says he hears Curtis. Hope takes courage. Fortunately, Curtis is the most courageous man he’s ever known.

Maxie says, they can’t get these boots scuffed up or Cody won’t be able to exchange them for boots that actually fit James’s feet. James asks if the store is going to take them back, and Felicia says, he heard Cody. He said he’s going to take care of it. James says he can ride a horse in the too small boots, but Felicia says, he just told them that they pinch his toes. James says, or he could ride in snow boots or sneakers. They could get the money back for them instead. Then he’ll give it to Maxie to help pay the bills.

On the phone, Cody says, awesome. Thank you very much. Spinelli says he’s Georgie’s father and he’s paying Maxie rent. And the only reason he’s living here is because his apartment is flooded and completely uninhabitable, which is a completely different situation than Cody trying to suck up to James with expensive gifts. Cody says, lighten up. They’re just boots. Spinelli says, maybe to Cody they are, but James has had more than one father figure come in and out of his life. Unfortunately for James, his real father Nathan tragically died before he was born, and thank God for Grandpa Mac, but every time Maxie gets involved with someone, the kids can’t help but get attached. First it was the atrocious Peter August, then Austin, who wasn’t nearly as reprehensible as Peter, but still, they came into his life and out of his life, and that’s really, really hard for kids to understand. Cody says, slow down. He’s just giving James riding lessons. He’s not trying to romance Maxie. Spinelli says, oh please. He knows Cody. He’s all too aware that Cody is just a scheming blackmailer hiding behind the veneer of rugged cowboy charm. Cody says he had no idea. Spinelli thinks he’s charming.

Kristina says she just told Molly, it’s too soon to take a test, and Molly says she knows it makes sense to wait. But the waiting is literally driving her crazy. Kristina says she sees that and feels the same way, but it’s just too early. Molly says, actually, this particular test says it can detect HGT hormones five days earlier than any other test on the market. Kristina says, what if it’s negative? and Molly says, they already know they might get a false negative. Then they’ll take another test in a few days like Kristina said. If it’s positive, then the waiting’s over and they’ll know the IUI procedure worked and she’s pregnant.

Spencer tells Trina and Josslyn that Esme called him Spence, which she hasn’t called him since this past New Year’s when she washed up on the deck of the Haunted Star. And it’s just her attitude. She’s different. The things she’s saying are a lot sharper. Josslyn asks why he didn’t tell them sooner, and he says he’s telling them right now. Everything has happened very quickly. After Ava pressed charges against Esme for breaking and entering into Windymere he thought that was going to be the solution to their problems, that Esme would go to prison. But she got six months probation, which means Ace can still be living with her. There are a million reasons for him to hate his father, but he knows that Nikolas is going to do everything in his power to protect Ace. If Esme does have her memories back, there’s no telling how she’ll use his little brother as a pawn. They all know what the old Esme is capable of. Trina says she just wishes he’d said something the second he suspected it, and Josslyn asks what they’re supposed to do now. Do they talk to the DA and ask him to prosecute Esme on the original charges? Trina says, the reason he dropped the charges on drugging her and making that awful revenge porn of Josslyn and Cam was because Esme claimed not to remember, and it would be too difficult of a conviction. But if she has her memory back now… Spencer says, there’s no way for them to know for certain. And she’s not going to admit to it. They do need proof, because if this goes to trial and Esme is somehow able to convince a jury she’s innocent, then that’s it. They get one shot at this. Josslyn says she’s been waiting for the real Esme to show herself. She’ll get them proof. The two of them just need to focus on going to Paris. Do not let Esme take that away from them. Spencer says, but what if this goes to trial? and she says, then they both fly back. Trina thanks her, and Spencer says, please be careful. Because Esme’s not going to give up Ace lying down. She’s planning something. Josslyn says, like what? and he says he doesn’t know, but nothing good.

Esme tells Doc, going to the PCPD would be useless. Despite the fact Nikolas had never met Ace before he took him, it doesn’t matter. he’s still Ace’s father. Spencer has made that perfectly clear. She’s powerless. Doc says, she’s right. There may not be much the authorities can do, but that doesn’t mean she’s alone. He and Laura have done everything they can to support her. Why not come to them? She says, Nikolas is Laura’s son and Spencer is her grandson. Why would Laura side with her over them, and even if she did, would it really make a difference? Nikolas disappeared on her for months. She couldn’t track him down then, and she can’t track him down now. He says he wouldn’t underestimate what Laura is willing to do for her family.

Laura says, so Heather wants Esme to go to prison, and Heather says, it’s the only way she can look out for her little girl. She tried to get Esme to leave town, but she completely refused. She said it was about Ace, but she can tell Esme is hellbent on revenge. Laura says, revenge against who? and Heather says, take her pick. Any number of people who have wronged her, but if she was to speculate, she’s pretty certain Spencer and Trina are at the top of Esme’s hit list.

Kristina says, she’s usually the one with impulse control issues, and Molly says she knows. She’s being pushy and totally out of control. Kristina says, it’s okay. She knows where this comes from. Molly really wants to be a mom. Molly says, and see TJ be a dad. Has she thanked Kristina enough for doing this? Kristina says, she has. She’s beyond happy. Her phone dings, and Kristina says, there it is. One sec. This might be work. She sees a text from Blaze: Thinking of you. Hope you’re having a great day! Kristina texts back: It just got a lot better. Call u later? She sees Molly looking at her and says, what? Molly asks who the text is from.

Maxie says, that’s a very generous offer, but Cody gave James these boots as a gift. They’re his. James says he’s heard her talk about money. Sometimes she doesn’t think he’s listening, but he is. Maxie says, he shouldn’t be listening in on her conversations, and Felicia says, money is a grownup problem. He has better things to think about. He says, like horses? and Maxie says, yes, like horses, hugging him.

Spinelli says, Maxie is too trusting. She has this bad habit of always seeing the best in people, whether they merit it or not. Then she ends up getting hurt. She deserves better. Cody asks if he’s jealous. Is that what this is about? He likes Maxie, yes. The same way he likes Mac and Felicia. The same way he likes Georgie or James or little Bailey Lou. They’re almost like family to him, but he’s not Spinelli’s competition. If Spinelli wants to date Maxie, he’s not standing in Spinelli’s way.

Curtis says he’s got to brag just a little bit more. Trina getting into the Sorbonne is a huge accomplishment. Trina thanks him, and he says, she’s a remarkable young woman and she deserves to be celebrated. She hugs him.

Heather says she knows Esme better than anybody, but Laura says, Heather has known Esme less than a year, right? And during that time, Esme didn’t even remember who she was. Heather says, but she does now. It’s a miracle really. She’s seen the real Esme and Esme is just like her. But unfortunately, she’s just like her father too. Sometimes, she is too stubborn for her own good. Esme refused to take her advice about this. Since she’s locked up in here, she needs Laura. Please, for the sake of their shared grandson, will Laura help her?

Trina hugs Ava and thanks her so much for everything. The list of the small art galleries in Paris, she’s honestly going to try and see every single last one. She just hopes they’ll put up with her communication through the translator app. Ava says, a lot of people in Paris speak English. Don’t assume though. Try to say a few words in French and they’ll be much more receptive. Trina says she’ll remember that, and Ava says she just wants Trina to have the most fabulous time. Trina says she wouldn’t have gotten into the Sorbonne if it wasn’t for her internship at Ava’s gallery, but Ava says she thinks having The Chuck on Trina’s resumé made it more impressive. Trina says she’s not talking about prestige. She’s talking about the encouragement and support Ava gave her. Ava taught her to trust her instinct regarding art and to be more confident about speaking her mind. Ava says, Trina is giving her too much credit, and Trina says, then they can agree to disagree.

Spencer thanks Portia for including him in the party, but she says, the party was actually Curtis’s idea. He says he wants her to know how important Trina’s happiness is to him, and she says she doesn’t really doubt his feelings for Trina. It’s just that he’s no stranger to trouble and she doesn’t want trouble finding Trina, here or in Paris.

Esme tells Doc that coming to work wasn’t her best idea. She can’t really focus, and she doesn’t want to break down here, so… Doc says he doesn’t think Alexis would mind if they borrowed her office for a few minutes. Please sit down with him. Esme sits, and he asks what he has to do to convince her that there are people here who want to help her. She says she doesn’t think anyone wants to help Ryan Chamberlain and Heather Webber’s daughter, and that’s always who she’ll be. He says, yes, but she’s also Ace’s mother, and she says, what if she never sees her son again? He says he and Laura will do everything in their power to bring him back to her. She’s a good mother. She says, who’s done terrible things, or so she’s told, and he says, we can’t change our past, but we can try to do better going forward. She says, what if we don’t know how? and he says, we ask for help. She says she doesn’t think it’s that easy, and he says, granted, letting people in, showing who you really are, is never easy, but it can change your life. Would she like to change?

Spinelli says, his romantic feelings for Maxie ended years ago, and Cody says, really? Because the look on his face whenever she’s in the room says otherwise. Is he worried it’s been too long to get her back? If his romance game is a little off, Cody can give him some pointers. Spinelli says, never, and Cody says, if Spinelli changes his mind, let him know. Some people say he’s charming. James runs out and asks if Cody called the store. Cody says, sure did. It’s all taken care of. They’re going to swap out those boots for ones that fit. James asks if Cody can stay a while, and Cody says, sure. Why not? James says, come to his room and pick out a game they can play, grabbing Cody’s hand and dragging him inside.

Cody runs through the living room with James, and says, they’re going to get a game. Maxie tells Felicia that she’s upset that James knows she’s worried about money. What kind of parent is she that her kid thinks he has to take care of her? Felicia says she thinks James’s generosity is a beautiful thing. He gets it from his mom. Spinelli comes back in and asks if everything is okay. Maxie says she just needs a minute and leaves the room. Felicia asks if Spinelli is done giving Cody a hard time, and he says he thought she didn’t trust him either. She says she had her doubts, but she was wrong about Cody. He should give Cody a chance.

Kristina says, it was the weekend bartender at Charlie’s. Juggling schedules is one of her many jobs there. Molly says, the way she was smiling, she thought the text was from someone Kristina liked. She says she does like him, but not like that. He’s a great guy. He’s solid and kind and has a really great work ethic. He’s only working at Charlie’s part-time because he has another fulltime job. He’s in training; he’s a competitive athlete. She was smiling because he’s covering a shift for her this weekend. Molly says, she’s close with the staff at Charlie’s, isn’t she? and Kristina says she is. They all share in the same insanity there. Five of them went out last weekend and they had such a great time. Molly says, being pregnant is going to cause such a huge disruption to Kristina’s life. She knew that already and it’s hitting her all over again. Kristina says, hopefully not that huge. Not until the second trimester, right? The sooner they know, the sooner they can plan things and figure it out. Molly says, does that mean… and Kristina suggests they find out if she’s pregnant.

Portia says she’s busted, she knows, and wipes her eyes. Trina says, no tears. If Portia cries, she’s going to cry. Portia says she’s sorry. She really can’t help it. Her little girl is growing up. She’s headed to Paris. Trina says, it’s only going to be four months, and Portia says she knows and she’s going to be okay. She wants Trina to have so much fun and all the experiences she can possibly have. She’s in awe of Trina. She’s in awe of Trina’s strength, her beauty, her wisdom… She’s going to miss Trina. Trina says she loves Portia, and they hug. Portia says she loves Trina too.

James and Cody play Connect Four and Cody says, James is too good at this. He thinks he’s been hustled. James asks what that means, and Cody says, like when you ask someone to play a game when you already know you’re going to win. James says, but he hasn’t won yet, and Cody says, that’s a very good point. He still has a shot. Felicia tells James to show Cody how it’s done, and tells Spinelli that Cody is really good with James, doesn’t he think?

Molly and Kristina sit on the sofa, waiting, when a timer goes off. Kristina asks if Molly is ready, and Molly says, is she? Kristina says, as she’ll ever be. Should they… Molly says she can’t look. Can Kristina do it? Kristina picks up the test, and Molly says, Kristina was right. It’s too early. They’ll take another test next week. Kristina says, they don’t need to take another test, and Molly says, she means… Kristina says she’s pregnant, and they hug.

Laura asks what Heather wants her to do, and Heather says she’s really worried that Esme is going to get herself in much worse trouble if she goes after Spencer and Trina. She needs to save her daughter from herself. Please, find Esme. Find her daughter and stop her before she does something horrible.

Esme tells Doc that she does want to change. Will he help her? He says, all she had to do was ask, and she gets up. She paces as she talks and says, all she wants to do is be a good mother to Ace and raise him in peace, instead of having to constantly explain the past and apologize. She realizes people find her responsible for people getting hurt, but she has to focus on the future, on her son and getting him back and doing whatever it takes – she picks up a sculpture from the bookcase – to keep him with her. She whacks Doc over the head with the sculpture, and he falls out of the chair onto the floor. She says, oh, Uncle Kevin, I’m not falling for that. You can save your pity for Spencer and Trina.

Curtis says, before the meal is served, he’d like to propose a toast. To Trina and Spencer, much love and best wishes on your exciting new adventure. Everyone raises their glasses and toasts to Trina and Spencer. Spencer tells Trina that he’s very excited to put the past behind them. And he’s really, really looking forward to their future. He kisses her.

Tomorrow, Robert asks if Diane is offended that he might win; Brick asks, what’s the mission, should he choose to accept; Laura says, Dante and Chase have to arrest Esme before she does something terrible; and Alexis asks if Sonny knows something she doesn’t know.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

I literally force myself to put on Bravo. Another beautiful vacation wasted on (for the most part) women who don’t appreciate or deserve it.

Everyone packs for Barcelona. Sutton wonders if she should take a separate suitcase for shoes and handbags. She tells Avi that she’ll do her underpinnings and she’s done. I only include that because I’ve never heard anyone use the word underpinnings before. She tells Avi that she’s taking Merce with her. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Merce Cunningham Studio is the best in the dance world. She went there when she first came to NYC. She tells Avi that she has to pack Merce’s ashes, and Avi says, this is against his religion. In her interview, she says she’s had his ashes for 12 years. She wanted to release them in a significant way and make the trip meaningful. Avi tells her to make sure they don’t blow back in her face, and I’m reminded of Sonja Morgan’s dog on OG RHONY.

The women meet at the airport, and in Crystal’s interview, she says she thinks Spain is a good restart. There’s something about sangria. In Erika’s interview, she says, the trip is starting on a good note. No one is killing each other at LAX. So far, so good. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she’s never been Spain, but always wanted to go. She’s looking forward to the food, the culture, the men, and the life. On the plane, Dorit puts on Chanel PJs and Crystal says, they cost more than her wedding dress. The text says that Crystal’s PJs were $8.99. Good for her. The women bring a million pieces of luggage, but no judgement here. I’m the worst. I go away for a weekend, and it looks like I’m going for a month. But on this Kyle and I agree – you don’t know what you’re going to need until you get there. Suddenly, we’re in Barcelona and on a luxury bus. Sutton says, they’re going to draw for rooms. Good thing Ramona isn’t there. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Sitges (a town nearby) is where the Merce Cunningham Dance Company first performed in Europe. How amazing is that? She tells the group that they’re going to play a game and there’s a prize for the winner. The game is called All of a Sutton. Crystal says, we’ll play a game about me and call it me, and Sutton asks, what is the name of one of her cats? Erika says, Prints, which is correct. Sutton asks, what was her first job in NYC? and Kyle says, stripper, but Garcelle says, that’s Erika. Erika says, nothing has changed, and Sutton says she was a nanny. She asks what her father’s name is, and Crystal says, Mr. Sutton. Kyle says, John, and there are questions about her kids and her cars. Erika is the winner, and in her interview, Garcelle says she’s Sutton’s bestie, but she can’t know everything. In Erika’s interview, she says she knew every answer. Who’s Sutton’s best friend? Sutton presents Erika with a tiara from her store.

No big shock, the house is beyond amazing. They’re welcomed with Sangria and host Zoë tells them that the house was built in the 14th century by one of the most famous wine producing families in Spain. She warns them that it’s haunted, and Erika says she knew it. She felt it. In Erika’s interview, she says she has the ability to smell different spirits. Dorit goes, waaah! and in Annemarie’s interview, she says, they all know who goes first in the horror movies. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, since it’s between her and Annemarie, she hopes it’s Annemarie. Okay, that’s actually pretty funny. Zoë says, the ghosts are little people and super friendly. In Kyle’s interview, she wonders what Zoë is talking about. Aliens? Erika wonders if it’s garden gnomes, and tells the women, just embrace it. Zoë says, they’ll be serving cocktails and tapas, and Garcelle says she wants the least haunted room. Another no surprise, all of the rooms are gorgeous and they’re more like suites. In her interview, Erika says she doesn’t need ghosts or little people in her life. She’s on medication and trying hard to remain stable. Erika messes with the ceiling access to the attic, and in her interview, Kyle says, don’t open vents and don’t go to the attic or basement. Everyone knows that. A camera guy drops something and scares the hell out of Dorit. In her interview, Garcelle says she’s never traveled with glam before. She’s got to keep up with these bitches. The bar in Dorit’s closet falls, probably because it’s not used to 1000 pounds hanging from it, and in her interview, she says, Chanel does not belong on the floor. As Kyle unpacks, Dorit critiques her wardrobe, and in Dorit’s interview, she says she doesn’t know this Kyle. She gets that Kyle wants to show off her body, but what was she thinking when she was packing? Is she looking for her next husband in Spain?

There’s a self-serve bar outside, and live music. In Annemarie’s interview, she says, there are doors in the house that look like they shouldn’t be opened, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she doesn’t play with that sh*t. She’s Haitian, and where she’s from, there’s voodoo and witchcraft. She’s heard stories like a body turning into a goat at an open casket funeral and doesn’t want any part of it. We see that Erika’s new tiara says C’est moi on it, and she wears it to dinner. Chef Storm introduces himself, and in her interview, Garcelle says, Chef Storm can feel free to rain all over her. She tells Erika that they can tag team him, and Erika says she doesn’t even mind being second. In Erika’s interview, she says, things instantly got better in the place, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, he can cook, he has an accent, we’re in Spain. Olé.

They go inside to a table set with beautiful rustic décor, and Sutton says she brought a special guest. She wants to introduce Merce Cunningham, world renowned choreographer. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, he meant so much and he’s in a Ziploc bag. Put her in a Berkin, not a Ziploc. Sutton says, Twyla Tharp (one of my favorites) studied under him, and in Erika’s interview, she says, Merce Cunningham was a legend. She felt like a loser not knowing who he was. She got checked by Mikey asking what’s wrong with her. Sutton says, they had a special relationship, and in her interview, she says, they had a real bond. She worked for him as a studio manager, and he liked her as a dancer and he liked her work ethic. We see photos of Sutton as a dancer and it’s a surprise to me. She says, he was such a unique person, and didn’t mind her quirkiness. He was one of the most important men in her life. She tells the women, when her father died, he was the first one to call her. They got super close. The tapas begins, and they check to see if the chef is wearing a wedding ring. In Crystal’s interview, she says, all the women are like, pay attention to me! I like your food! There are foodgasms all around, but since we’re not allowed to have fun, Annemarie says, there’s an elephant in the room and she needs to get something off her chest. Last weekend a lot of things were said and she apologizes for her part. She talked to Sutton and hopes their in a better place. Sutton says she was fine with the esophagus stuff. (At this point, Sutton’s small esophagus is right up there with Munchausen, Pantygate, and Puppygate.) What she has a problem with is Annemarie saying she’s lonely and insecure. We flash back to Annemarie saying she’ll wake up to her amazing husband, amazing kids, and amazing life. Thank God she’s not lonely and insecure. Sutton says, there are three divorcees at the table, and she was lonelier during her marriage. Either he was traveling or asleep because he worked so much. Annemarie shouldn’t use the word lonely. Annemarie says, she owns that, which has become meaningless since circa LisaR. Several of them were angry, things were said, and she’s sorry for anybody else her words affected. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, so if you’re single, you’re lonely and insecure? She’s single too. Is Annemarie implying that you’re lonely and desperate if you don’t have a man? If Annemarie has an apology for her, don’t apologize.

Crystal asks if Annemarie is calling her insecure, and Annemarie says, they’re getting to her. She wants to talk about the Crystal situation and tells the women that she and Crystal met at a holiday party prior to her being on the show. The first thing Crystal said about the women is that they weren’t intelligent, nobody was educated, and they were shallow. Crystal says, that’s ridiculous, and Garcelle says, they’re all educated. In Dorit’s interview, she says, Crystal is nowhere near as educated as they are. When she was a child bride, busy getting married at 12, they were busy graduating college, building businesses, and doing things to educate themselves. Crystal tells them that she wouldn’t say that stuff to someone she just met, and she doesn’t feel that way. We flash back to Crystal’s interview where she said, the women are savvy, but clearly not educated. She tells them that she didn’t say that, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, Crystal has a history of thinking they’re less smart than she is. We flash back to a whole bunch of stupid stuff, including the violated debacle, and Garcelle says, she thinks Crystal believes that some of them are not as astute as she is. Astute. There’s a word for her. Annemarie says, Crystal told her that they were fake socialites, and she was the only true socialite in the group. In Erika’s interview, she wonders if this is a Northeast/Southeast thing and are they doing cotillion. In Dorit’s interview, she says she feels Crystal could have said that. It’s her excuse for not being interesting; because my intellect is too high. No, you’re boring. Crystal tells them that she never said she was a socialite. She did say she was very social. In Annemarie’s interview, she says, when she and Crystal first met, she thought Crystal was crazy telling her this information. Now that she’s getting to know Crystal better, she’d say it’s on brand.  She says, Crystal needs to think she’s better than the rest of them, and Crystal says, they’ve met six times. Give her an example of how she thinks she’s better. Annemarie says, right now because she’s not being honest. In Kyle’s interview, she says, obviously, something about Annemarie provokes Crystal. Crystal is usually reserved with her thoughts and feelings. She’s never seen Crystal respond like this, and thinks Annemarie and Crystal need to talk alone, so she doesn’t have to hear it. In Crystal’s interview, she says, Annemarie said she wants to bring lightness and fun, but she’s antagonistic, combative, and dismissive. Annemarie tells Crystal that she’s acting like a hormonal teenager. She wants to thank Crystal for giving Crystal something to talk about and making Crystal’s ass relevant. (That makes zero sense, but go on.) In Annemarie’s interview, she says she’s sorry she triggers Crystal, and that Crystal finds her life interesting. Crystal has nothing to talk about except her. Dorit suddenly becomes the voice of reason and says, they’ve been up a long time, and she thinks they should put a pin in it. Annemarie says, don’t take her kindness for weakness, and Crystal says, she’s not kind. Annemarie says she’s always kind, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, it was perfection. Now let’s ruin it by saying Crystal hates them because they’re stupid and vapid. That’s not how she thought this was going to work. They go to bed, and Garcelle asks, what the hell happened?

Just a couple of things. I think what Annemarie does is give them a grain of truth, but then she embellishes. IMO to the point where she goes from believable to not so believable. Like maybe Crystal did say that about them being uneducated, although I don’t think she was necessarily talking about book learning. She probably meant ignorant. But then Annemarie has to add that thing about being a socialite. Nope. Not buying that one. Crystal has never said she was a socialite, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of the others say they were either. No doubt Sutton was, but I don’t remember her even talking about it. And Crystal has nothing to talk about? She’s married to the Brave Little Toaster guy and her brother is a huge pop star in China. And that’s just two things. I think Annemarie is trying to make her own ass relevant. And kind? Far, far from it. She’s a bully who’s moved on from Sutton to Crystal. So far, Annemarie’s track record shows she’s the uneducated one who embellishes the truth. And don’t even get me started on what Dorit said in her interview about Crystal. It’s already all over the place online.  

In Garcelle’s interview, she says, it’s 1 am and she’s scared to go to Sutton’s room, but she’s going anyway. She knows there’s a room with a crib and she doesn’t want to see it. She doesn’t know who’s in the crib and she doesn’t want to. She tells Sutton that she doesn’t want to sleep with ashes staring her in the face, but she wants snacks. In her interview, Garcelle says, after Sutton talking all night in Vegas, here she is, sleeping with her again. In the morning, Sutton visits Crystal and asks how she’s feeling. Crystal says, Annemarie is a lot. She doesn’t think Annemarie listens. Sutton says, Annemarie called her a liar to the whole group, but Crystal says she doesn’t think anyone believes her. Erika asks if Dorit thinks Crystal called them shallow, and Dorit says she doesn’t think Annemarie is flat out making it up. In Erika’s interview, she says she thinks there’s a ring of truth. She doesn’t think Annemarie pulled it out of nowhere. She tells Dorit, if they’re so uneducated and shallow, why be here? Sutton asks why Crystal is letting Annemarie off the hook, but Crystal says Sutton needs someone to tell her that it wasn’t said to feel better. She doesn’t. In Sutton’s interview, she says, she and Crystal have had some challenging times, and we flash back to that. She thinks with some friendships, you have to take a deep dive to come up fresh. They’ve both come into a fresh air spot where they like each other’s company. She wants Annemarie and Crystal to nip this in the bud and build a better friendship. Sutton tells Crystal to stick up for herself, but Crystal says she’s treading lightly. Sutton says, Crystal needs to tell her.

Erika says she has happy news to share. Two decisions have been handed down by the district court of appeal regarding the earrings. The court wants the trustee to prove the earrings were paid for with client money. Remember when she said the story isn’t over? What she said was going to happen is happening. Don’t rush to judgment. They still have a fight, but a win is a win, and the court said, hold on. In Kyle’s interview, she says she thinks Erika feels vindicated. So many doubted her, and Erika told them, give her a minute. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she wishes Erika would let the earrings go and give back to the victims, even though she’s not guilty. You need good karma. Sutton suggests that maybe when Erika is so loud, they can’t hear, and in Erika’s interview, she says she can’t control people’s reactions, but she expected more. She doesn’t need to have them throw their arms around her, but she needs acknowledgment that what she said would happen is happening. They leave for a trek to an old church in Sitges, and Sutton says, it’s like herding cats here. In her interview, Erika says she’s disappointed at the lack of passion for her favorable ruling, when they were so passionate last year. Therapy, therapy, therapy. They take two cars on a long, scary, winding road, and suddenly Crystal says she needs to get out of the car. She’s going to be carsick. They stop and she gets out. Crystal shows them her hands; they’re swollen, and her veins are popping out. Garcelle runs over to Annemarie and asks what it means. Annemarie looks at Crystal’s hands and says, they are big. Holy crap. Is she sure she’s even a nurse? In Kyle’s interview, she says, the universe works in mysterious ways. Yesterday, Crystal and Annemarie were at each other’s throats. Now Crystal is at Annemarie’s mercy. Kyle tells them that she’s calling 9-1-1.

Next time, lots of shopping; Sutton apologizes to Kyle; Sutton says she’s sorry she wasn’t a better friend to Kyle; Garcelle tries to clear the air with Dorit; and Sutton breaks down about her dad.

☔️ Baby, the Rain Must Fall…

Make a return trip tomorrow for soap, tea, and tidbits, since Southern Charm is thankfully over. Until then, stay safe, stay using your inside voice on public transport, and stay trying to do better going forward since you can’t change the past.

January 23, 2024 – Curtis Is Tested After Surgery, New Ones, Last Bow, Salty Talk, No Surprise, Farewell, The Big One, Halftime, Puppy (!) Bowl & Do It

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the ax throwing place, Chase asks how Brook got so good at this, and she says, visualization. He asks what exactly she’s visualizing, and she says, not what, who. Lucy Coe. Brook nearly gets a bullseye.

At the hospital, Finn says, maybe this was a bad idea, but Elizabeth asks, since when is going to a meeting a bad idea? He says, maybe his time would be better spent going over his defense with his attorney, but she says, honestly, until they get more information about what Muldoon was up to before seeing Finn, she doesn’t think he and Martin have a lot to talk about. He says, maybe she’s right, and she says, something told him he needed this meeting today. She thinks he should trust his instincts. He says, who needs instincts when he’s got her?

Jesse pops the cork on a bottle of champagne, and Tracy asks if there’s ever been a more satisfying sound. Scotty says, if there is, he hasn’t heard it. Gregory comes over to the table and asks, what’s the occasion? but Scotty says he doesn’t think they need an occasion. Does Tracy? She says, they definitely don’t.

Lucy tells Martin that there’s nothing going on with her and Scotty. Look at the guy. He is clearly otherwise engaged. He asks, then why does she keep looking over there? What is so captivating about Scott Baldwin?

At the hospital, Portia tells Stella and Trina, so good of them to come, and Stella asks, where else would they be? Trina says, Curtis needs them, and Stella says, whatever happens today, good or bad – Portia says, please let it be goodCurtis will know he still has his family behind him. Portia asks if Trina is okay, and Trina says, she just wants this to work. Portia says, they all do. Trina asks if they should go in, and Stella says, Curtis shouldn’t be alone right now, but Portia says, don’t worry. He’s not alone.

Marshall says, the doctor should have been here by now, but Curtis says, Dr. Martel got pulled into emergency surgery. He’ll be here as soon as he can. Marshall says, isn’t that fitting, and Curtis says, what? Marshall says, Curtis reassuring him, on today of all days, and Curtis says, it beats the alternative. Marshall says, which is? and Curtis says, this endless loop going on in his head. Did the surgery work or didn’t it? Marshall says, a question only the doctor can answer.

Anna goes to the hospital reception desk, and TJ asks how he can help her. She says she was supposed to meet his mother for drinks last night, but she never showed up at the restaurant. He says, it’s not like his mother to be a no-show, and she says she knows. It’s not like her to leave messages unanswered either. So she wondered if TJ knew where she was or if he’s heard from her. He says, no, but he wonders… She says, what? and he comes around the desk. He says, she’s been conducting her own investigation into his uncle’s shooting, and Anna says, of course (🍷) she has. He says he was with her yesterday when she got her first lead, her first solid one anyway. He asked her if she would be safe, and she said she would be. She says, but now he’s concerned. So is she. He asks if Anna thinks his mom is in trouble.

Anna tells TJ that his mom knows better than to go it alone. The nature of the lead suggested back-up was warranted. He says, maybe under normal circumstances, and she says, these are anything but? He says his mom is tracing the gun that shot Uncle Curtis. What if she took a calculated risk and got in over her head? Anna says, it’s possible, and he says he’s calling the PCPD, when Jordan walks in. Anna says, there she is. They were getting worried. TJ asks if she’s okay, and Jordan says, yeah. She’s fine. He says, she’s wearing the same clothes as she did last night. Where has she been all this time? (Speaking of which, whatever happened to Zeke?)

The meeting leader recites the Serenity Prayer and asks if anyone would like to share. Finn raises his hand and says he’s Hamilton. He’s an addict. And he’s also a doctor.

Marshall says, Curtis has to stay positive, and Curtis says, he’s being positive, but he’s also being realistic. He wants with every fiber in him for this procedure to be a success, but if it weren’t… Marshall says, then they’ll deal with that. They’ll deal with that together. Curtis thanks him, and Marshall says, better late than never, right? He spent most of his life running away, and left Irene to raise Curtis and his brother. He was so terrified he’d hurt them. Curtis says, that’s most of his life. He’s here now. Marshall says, that’s because of Curtis. Curtis taught him to overcome that fear. Curtis says he has no fear of a setback. If those doctors walked in right now and said, we’ve done all that we can do. We’ve gone as far as we can and this is as good as it gets, he could handle that. But when he thinks about having to look Portia in the face, and Trina, and Aunt Stella, he sees that disappointment in their eyes. That would gut him. Marshall says, but it won’t break him.

Stella says she thinks she’ll go to the chapel and light a candle, and Portia says, it couldn’t hurt. Trina says, light one for her, and Stella says, she’s got it. She leaves, and Portia says, now Trina can talk to her. Trina says, how can she fly to Paris when they don’t know what’s happening with Curtis? Portia says, she’s going. She and Trina’s father both want her to go. Trina says, even if it’s with Spencer? and Portia says, is he her first choice for a travel companion? No. Trina knows he’s not, but he makes her happy. She can see that. And if Trina ever has children, she’ll realize that all you ever want for them is just to be happy. When she thinks about herself in Paris does it make her feel all warm, kind of good inside? Trina says, yeah, and Portia says, Curtis wouldn’t want to deprive her of that feeling. So she’s going to go, and she’s going to experience life, and it’s going to be amazing. She’s going to live, laugh, love, all the things. And what she’s going to do for sure is send Portia pictures and text her constantly. Trina laughs and says, okay, when her phone rings. Portia asks if that’s Spencer, and Trina says, she’s going to call him later, but Portia says she thinks Trina should take it. They need all the support they can get today, right? Trina leaves to take the call, and Elizabeth sits down. She asks if Portia needs a shoulder and puts her arm around Portia. She says she’s got two of them, but Portia says, one should suffice.

Lucy says, there’s really no reason for Martin to be jealous, and Martin says, except for her seeming inability to take her eyes off the man. Lucy says, did she and Scotty have a moment once upon a time? Yeah, but it was a long, long time ago. She barely remembers it. Why dwell on it? He says, because from what he understands, that moment has a habit of reoccurring. But if her history with Scotty is just that – she says, it is – why does the prospect of discussing it get her all scrunched up? She says she’s not scrunched up, but he says he sees scrunches. She says, then she sees insecurity…ness, and it’s not a good look. She gets up and he asks where she’s going. She says she’s sorry. Does she need his permission to go to the ladies room? He says, no. By all means. She thanks him and stomps off.

Tracy asks if Gregory would care to join them, and he thanks her, but says he’s well-aware three is a crowd. She says, no. The more, the merrier. Right, Scott? Scotty says, huh? and she asks if she’s keeping him.

Lucy slams her purse onto the vanity and looks in the mirror. She says she’s not scrunched. She’s not scrunched up at all. Scotty better not be laying it on too thick with Tracy. She digs in her bag for a nail file, and hears someone come in. She asks if they’d happen to have an emery board. She snagged her nail. Martin says he’s fresh out, and glances under the stalls. He asks if the coast is clear, and she says she’s in here by herself. What is he doing in here? He says, Scott Baldwin. He wants the truth, the whole truth, and he wants it now.

Chase asks when Brook turned on Lucy, and she says she was never a huge fan of hers. She’s a lot. He says, no question. Did he ever tell her about the time Lucy came into the PCPD locker room when he was coming out of the shower? She checked him out, then demanded he sing at the Nurses Ball. She says she remembers hearing something about that. She tried to block it out, but now that he reminded her, it’s just another reason to visualize. She throws the ax, still not quite getting a bullseye, and he says he doesn’t buy it. She’s been co-existing with Lucy for years, at work and outside of it. They’re not personal friends, but they’ve always been cordial with each other. What changed? Brook says, Lucy crossed the line with her grandmother.

Lucy says, this is inappropriate. Martin is in the lady’s room. He says, when another lady shows up, he’ll make himself scarce. Dammit. He thought she was different. She says she is different… and he says, she knows all about his history with women, his exes. One emotional bloodbath after another, and she said she understood, that she loved him for him. She says she did… She does, present tense. He walks to the door, and she says she loves him now, but he walks out. She looks in the mirror and says, that went well.

Scotty tells Tracy that there’s no place he’d rather be and no one he’d rather be with. He sees Martin come out and says, but he does have to use the little boy’s room. He asks if Gregory would mind keeping his lovely companion company while he’s gone, and Tracy says, take his time. They’ll pick up right where they left off when he gets back. He leaves, and Tracy tells Gregory, don’t. He says he didn’t say anything, and she says, he doesn’t have to say a thing. Just believe her when she tells him, it’s not what it appears. He says, she doesn’t owe him an explanation, and rubs his chest. She asks, what’s the matter? and he says, heartburn. You’d think he would have learned by now; citrus is not his friend. She says, they call it antacids for a reason, and he says, touché. He should probably get going. Does she think Scotty will forgive him if he leaves his lovely companion unattended? She says, uh-huh. Backgammon rematch, soon. He says, she’s on, and walks to the elevator.

Portia asks Elizabeth, how’s Finn? And her? She knows that malpractice lawsuit can’t be easy on Elizabeth either. Elizabeth says she came by to support Portia, remember? but Portia says, Elizabeth taking her mind off of all of this is helping. Elizabeth says, between his dad and the lawsuit, it’s a lot. Too much sometimes. Portia says, thank goodness Finn has her to lean on, and Elizabeth says she just hates seeing him struggle like this. He just wants to prove to everyone that GH and his patients are right for putting their trust in him. Portia says, Elizabeth knows she’ll testify to that at his trial, and Elizabeth says she knows. Elizabeth thanks her and says she really appreciates that, and so will he. Portia’s turn. Portia says, that’s all the distraction she gets? and Elizabeth asks, how’s Curtis? Portia says, he’s walking a fine line, no pun intended. They all are. Positive, but still realistic. Hopeful, but not too hopeful. Elizabeth says, sounds impossible, and Portia says, it is, but Curtis is determined to face whatever comes his way. Elizabeth says, and her? and Portia says she’s determined too, but life isn’t fair, and they’re not guaranteed a happy ending. Elizabeth says, but she’d really like one, and Portia says she keeps having this dream. She and Curtis are at the rehearsal dinner and they’re dancing. And she gets the feeling she had that night. Curtis’s arms are around her and they’re moving together so beautifully. And Curtis is so strong. He’s so graceful, it’s like they’re floating. That moment must be imprinted in her heart and on her body. It feels so real. Then she wakes up and Curtis is lying next to her. And she realizes they’re never going to dance again. Not like that. She cries a little and says, but now maybe they can. She just can’t stop herself from hoping. Elizabeth says, her too.

Jordan says, look at TJ, being all observant about his mother’s clothes, and he says, she didn’t answer. She says she’s been going non-stop since she saw him. She hasn’t had a chance to go home and change. He says, so she hasn’t slept, and she says she plans on going to bed very early tonight. He says, it’s about Curtis’s shooting, isn’t it? and Anna says she got concerned when Jordan didn’t turn up for that drink and went radio silent. She just thought she’d ask TJ if he’d heard from her, that’s all. Jordan says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean for anyone to worry. As they can see, she’s fine. TJ says she has to check on Uncle Curtis, and Jordan asks him to tell Curtis that she’s thinking about him. TJ says he will. Stay safe. Please. Jordan says, that’s the plan, and TJ leaves. Jordan asks if Anna thinks he bought that, and Anna says she thinks he’s just happy she’s in one piece. Does Jordan want to tell her what happened when she followed that lead? Jordan says she never got that far. Somebody stopped her.

Jordan tells Anna that she’d just gotten her first break in the case, a possible clue to the origin of the rifle that shot Curtis. Anna says, that’s great, and thanks Jordan for cluing her in and calling for back-up instead of going it alone. Jordan says, like she’s never done the same, and Anna says, that’s fair. So what happened? She was stopped? Jordan says, more like intercepted, by two men. Anna asks if they hurt her, and Jordan says, no, but they were all business. One minute, she’s outside, trying to arrange a meeting; the next, she’s on the wrong side of a two-way mirror, across from these strangers staring at her. Jordan flashes back to what looks like an interrogation room. She sits at a table, opposite two men in suits, standing. She says, they’re FBI? Why all the subterfuge then? If they’re investigating the shooting of Curtis Ashford, they’re on the same side. Anna asks what they wanted, her cooperation? but Jordan says, nope. They wanted her to back off.

Marshall comes out of Curtis’s room, and Stella asks, how’s their boy doing? He says, it’s Curtis. Holding it together for everyone else’s sake. She says, and him? and he says he’s never been one to believe in miracles, but he does believe in his son. She says, shame on him. Miracles happen every day. Just look at how they’ve managed to remain friends. He says, she means in spite of what happened between them on Christmas Eve? and she says, it was just too much eggnog. He says he hates eggnog (me too), and she says, all those memories of Irene. He says, maybe, but he felt something, and he’s got a sneaking suspicion she did too. She says, something that should never, ever be.

Portia asks Curtis how it’s going, and he says, it’s going. She asks if there’s anything she can do or get him, and he asks her to get the rest of the family. Tell them that he wants to see them.

On the phone, Lucy leaves a message for Martin. She asks him to just listen to her. He has it wrong about Scotty. She doesn’t care about Scotty… Of course (🍷) she cares about him, he’s her friend, but it’s not the same way she cares about Martin. Would he just call her please. Call her back, or better yet, come see her. He’s absolutely right. She’s different from his exes. Give her a chance to prove it. Please, please, please. She flashes back to telling Martin that she feels she has so much more life to live and asking him to do it by her side. She remembers him kissing her and thanking her for coming back to him. She says, dammit, Martin. He’s made her mascara run. A hanky suddenly appears in front of her, and she takes it, saying, she knew Martin would come back. But she turns to see that it’s Scotty.

Tracy sees Gregory leaning against a sofa and asks what he’s doing here. She thought he left. He says he can’t move.

Brook tells Chase that she gets to Maxie’s office and there’s Lucy telling her grandmother that Luke may have been the love of her life, but that Laura was the love of his. And then she goes on to say that the reason her grandmother is alone is, she’s unlovable. Have a little compassion, a little sympathy. If that’s too much to ask, a little basic tact? But no, not Lucy. She basically told Brook’s grandmother that she was grieving a man who never loved her, and that’s completely untrue. Chase says, and Tracy knows that. He doubts what Lucy said hit Tracy anywhere near as hard as it hit Brook, but Brook says she disagrees. Her grandmother comes off tough, uncaring, even abrasive, but underneath it all, she’s got a really soft heart. She’s trying to protect it. Does he want to know the worst part? He says, there’s worse? and she says, the whole thing was a con. Lucy deliberately said those hurtful things to shine a spotlight on her grandmother’s loneliness so that Scott Baldwin, of all people, could swoop in and romance her. He says, but to what end? and Brook says, if she had to guess, it was to trick her grandmother into marriage, so she’d have to pay him off with her Deception shares to get rid of him. He says, and Scotty would turn the shares back over to Lucy. Brook says, despicable, right? Not that it would have ever worked. Her grandmother saw through those two right from the start. But no one gets to do that to her without paying a price. He says, except her, but she says, it’s a totally different concept. Lucy does not deserve Deception; Maxie does. Besides, she’s only scheming within the family. The same thing her grandmother would do to her.

Tracy says she’s calling an ambulance, but Gregory says, no. She says, he just told her he couldn’t move, but he says, no ambulance. Please. They’ll just have to admit him, and it will be impossible to get him out of it. She says, he’s not going to die on her watch, and he says he’s not dying. Not today anyway. She asks if he can sit, and he says, yeah. She helps him to the sofa and asks if there’s any medication he can take that would help. They sit, and Tracy asks, what happened? He says he felt a twinge in his chest in the restaurant. He got short of breath and thought a little fresh air might help. She can see how far he got. She says she’s so sorry, and he says he needs to stay strong, at least until the wedding. She says, yes, he does. It’s a can’t miss event. She understands from Brook that he’s been tapped to officiate. He says he tried to decline, but Chase and Brook wouldn’t take no for an answer. She says, good. That’s settled. Now they just have to tank Olivia’s idea of a wedding cake. Wait until she tells him what Lois thinks… He says, Tracy. Don’t do this.

Finn says, besides being a father, being a doctor is what defines him most. Being a healer. And if his ability to practice medicine gets taken away, it becomes really scary because, what is he? They have this saying, recovery is a journey, not a destination. Never has that been more true than it is today. There’s no finish line for them; they’re never done. They just keep on going and try not to mess up too much along the way. It isn’t easy, is it? He thinks he’s doing it, and he’s proud of himself for that.

Curtis says, okay, fam, listen up, and Stella says, somebody means business. Curtis says he does. No more fake smiles and forced positivity. Portia says, they’re just trying to… and he says he knows. He knows what they’re trying to do and he appreciates it, but it’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to be terrified that the procedure didn’t work. God knows he is. But whatever happens today, good or otherwise, they just have to agree right now to accept it and move forward, whatever that looks like. Because he knows one thing. No hospital or wheelchair can keep him down. Are they good? Marshall says, they are clear, and Stella says, crystal. Trina says she’s never been prouder of Curtis and hugs him. He says, that’s how he feels when he looks at her, when TJ comes in. He asks if everything is okay, and Portia says, everything is great. TJ says, Dr. Martel wanted him to let them know he’s on his way, and the examination will begin. Curtis says, bring it on.

Anna says, Feds are notorious at guarding their own turf, but Jordan says, this was more than that. She flashes back to saying she’s told them everything she knows. Now it’s time for them to return the favor. Suit #1 says, they can’t risk her compromising the investigation, and she says, listen to her. Her ex-husband, and one of the best men they’ll ever meet, almost died. He’s literally fighting to get back on his feet. She can help them find out who’s responsible if they’re not too proud or territorial to let her. There’s a knock at the door, and Suit #2 answers. Jordan tells Anna that she doesn’t know who was on the other side of that door, but whoever it was, put the fear of God into those agents. Anna asks what she was thinking at this point, and Jordan says, truthfully, she was wondering just how far they were willing to go to keep her quiet.

Anna asks, what was the resolution? How did Jordan get out of there? Jordan says, whoever the agents spoke to, must have been calling the shots, and Anna asks, what makes her say that? Jordan says, because as soon as that door was closed again, everything changed. Suit #2 closes the door and whispers something to Suit #1. Suit #1 tells Jordan, we’re done here, and she says, she can go? Suit #2 says, they apologize for the inconvenience. There’s a car waiting right outside for her. Jordan asks, who was at the door? and Suit #1 says he’s afraid they can’t answer that. She says, what the hell is going on? and Suit #2 says, trust us. It’s better for all involved if you stay out of it. Jordan tells Anna, then that was it. She was walked to a town car and advised to stick to her desk at city hall. Anna says, which of course (🍷) she won’t, and Jordan says, after that, not a chance.

Dr. Martel says he sees the gang’s all here, and Curtis says he couldn’t have done it without them. Portia says, and he’ll never have to, and Marshall says, when he gets out of that chair, they’ll be standing right beside him, cheering him on. Stella tells TJ, don’t even think about kicking them out, and TJ says he wouldn’t dare. Dr. Martel says, that support is going to be a plus, and Trina says, good, because that’s how this family rolls. The doctor says he’s ready when Curtis is, and Curtis says, go ahead. Bring it on.

Finn comes out of the meeting and Elizabeth is waiting for him. He asks if she’s been here the whole time, but she says she hasn’t. As much as she loves him, she still has a job. She just knew the meeting was breaking up, so she wanted to wait for him. If that sounds like pressure, it’ll never happen again. He says he’s really glad she’s here. He’s grateful for her.

Lucy asks what Scotty is doing in here. Tracy can’t see them. Get walking before she sees them together. He says he’d like to know what’s going on with her and Martin, and she says, that’s funny. That’s the same question Martin asked her about him. He says, that’s the million-dollar question, so what’s the answer? and she says she told him that Scotty was old. That he was old news. Specifically, that they were old news. He says, old news, huh? Old hat. Is that how she sees him? She says, down, boy. Those baby blue bedroom eyes are wasted on her. He says he remembers how she used to like these blue eyes… in her boudoir. (I’m dying.) She says, don’t do that, and he says, do what? She says, he has a job to finish, and that’s what he’s going to do. She grabs his arm and steers him to the door, saying, now get out there and finish it. Go. He leaves and she follows him.

Gregory says, whatever’s going on with Tracy and Scott Balwin – she says she told him – is none of his business. But Chase and Brook are his business, and their wedding needs to be perfect. It needs to be a joyous occasion that they can look back on and celebrate long after other things are forgotten. She says, forgetting will be impossible, and he says, so no more petty fighting with Lois and Olivia about the reception. Go argue with Ned about anything. All that matters is those two beautiful souls belong together and they all do everything they can to make that happen. Do they understand each other? She says, they do. How’s the breathing? He says, better actually. So is his energy. Which is why she attempted to rile him up. She says, attempted? She thinks she succeeded.

Brook gets a bullseye, and tells Chase, now that’s what I’m talkin’ about. It pays to visualize. Chase wants to think about their super, and Brook asks what the super ever did to him. Chase says, he still hasn’t fixed the radiator, and Brook says, that’s a little inconvenient… He says, inconvenient? They used to walk around their apartment in next to nothing. Now Brook is constantly wearing sweats. Talk about frustrating. She says, poor baby, handing him the ax. Maybe there’s something she can do to change that. He says, she’s going to ditch the sweats? and she says, no. And risk hypothermia? They can go to bed earlier, spend more time there together, generate body heat. He says, let’s do that, starting now. He kisses her, and throws the ax behind her, getting a bullseye.

Tracy says, Yuri will be waiting for them outside, and Gregory says, Yuri doesn’t have to do that, but Tracy says, yes, he does. She pays him. Well, Monica pays him, and she’s been assured that if he’s not driving for Monica, he’s available to her. Gregory says he can call a Ride Share, and she says, congratulations on mastering the technology necessary to call a complete stranger with unknown driving ability to pick you up in their car and take you to a destination their GPS may or may not be able to find. He’s coming with her. She helps him stand up and asks, how did that feel? He says, surprisingly okay. He’s sorry if he interrupted her time. She says, he interrupted nothing, and he says, really? It sure seemed like she was on a D-A-T-E. She says, just goes to show you, appearances can be deceiving, and they leave.

Scotty and Lucy come out, and seeing the empty table, Lucy says, this is just great. He tells her, just take it easy, will ya? and asks Jesse if Tracy is still here. Jesse says, she told him to tell Scotty that something came up, and he clears the table. Lucy says, wow. This is a record, even for Scotty. The champagne is barely uncorked, and he ran Tracy off already. He says, that’s because he was focused on her, and she says, fortunately, she thinks they can still do some damage control. She takes out her phone and tells him to give her his credit card. He says, I beg your pardon? and through clenched teeth, she says, give me your credit card. He takes it out, and she says she’d like to order a dozen… make that two-dozen beautiful white roses. They’re going to the Quartermaine mansion… You do? Of course (🍷) you know the address. On the card, please say, until next time. X-O-X-O Scott. Thank you… Hold on. She snaps her fingers, then snatches the card from Scotty. She says she’s got it.

Finn thanks Elizabeth for not letting him talk himself out of that meeting. He realized he needed to be with people who are in the same fight he is. He hopes his story gave them a little bit of encouragement because they encourage him every day. She asks if he knows what she loves most about him, and he says, it can’t be just one thing. She says, one of the things she loves most about him – he says, go on – is his generosity. She’s sure he helped all of those people at the meeting just like he helps all his patients. In one way or another, we’re going to prove that. He says, we? and she says, he’s stuck with her. They kiss.

Jordan tells Anna, the agents who nabbed her were clearly just messengers. Someone’s pulling the strings behind the scenes. Anna says, taking on the Feds is no small feat. She’s going to need back-up. Jordan says, there’s no telling where this is going to lead, and Anna says, that’s precisely her point. Jordan has to admit she’s going to need a second pair of eyes. Jordan says, if Anna is offering up hers, she’d be a fool to say no. She thanks Anna, and Anna says, Jordan would do the same for her. Jordan says, in a heartbeat, and they leave together.

Curtis takes Trina and Portia’s hands, and Dr. Martel says, the surgery could not have gone better, but as with any procedure…  Curtis says he knows. The doctor didn’t want to get his hopes up. Dr. Martel says, it doesn’t necessarily mean the spinal cord damage was repaired, and Curtis says he’s ready to find out. Dr. Martel takes a big safety pin from TJ, and pokes Curtis’s left heel. He asks if Curtis feels anything, but Curtis says, no. The doctor pokes him closer to the toes, and says, how about that? Curtis says he feels that, and everyone gets all excited. Dr. Martel says, this is great news. It’s no guarantee he’ll walk again… Curtis says, but it’s a start. It’s a good start. Everyone hugs and laughs.

Tomorrow, Portia asks Stella if it wouldn’t be better for Trina to go to Paris without Spencer; Spinelli says he knows what Cody is doing and it’s not going to work; Molly tells Kristina, if it’s too much, tell her and she’ll back off; and Laura asks how on earth Heather knows this.

📖 Twice the Fun…

The man who plays two characters also has two careers now. TODAY – January 24, 3 pm ET.

🩺 Hospital Changes…

Is this what’s responsible for the awful storyline of Carly taking over Crimson?

🥀 Dimming the Lights…

Another soap star leaves the stage.

https://people.com/david-gail-actor-dead-beverly-hills-90210-port-charles-8546901

🧂 Double Portion Of Salt…

Ugh. This was awful. And I don’t care what Andy says. Either production knew Monica was involved with Reality von Tease or they’re really bad at their jobs, since I assume they vet the Housewives.

https://ew.com/the-real-housewives-of-salt-lake-city-reunion-part-3-recap-8548300

Doubtful she’ll be back. If the others won’t film with her, there’s no point.

🗽 Our Girl’s Boy…

This is probably no surprise to anyone. The legend continues.


☄️ Doffing My Cap…

The original Dawn of the Dead is one of my all-time favorites. The remake is actually excellent, but it didn’t have the subtext about consumerism like the first one did.

https://ew.com/david-emge-died-dawn-of-the-dead-8547146

🏆 Anyone’s Guess…

It looks like some stiff competition, but it stinks that they snubbed Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig. Seriously, WTF?

https://people.com/oscars-2024-nominations-full-list-8547089

🏈 During the Break…

The most important part of the Super Bowl.

https://ew.com/super-bowl-2024-performers-usher-halftime-reba-mcentire-national-anthem-8546391

🐶 Bowling For Pups…

Hear all about it.

Yes, I know I’m obsessed.

https://www.greenmatters.com/pets/puppy-bowl-2024-lineup

🤹‍♀️ 100% Chance Of Absurdity…

Join me tomorrow for soap and Sutton’s small esophagus. Until then, stay safe, stay listening before speaking, and stay being positive, but realistic.