Category Archives: Bravo

Nov2

November 1, 2023 – Charlotte Doesn’t Burn the House Down This Time, PK Makes Dorit a Pretty Woman & Dia

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dressed like Einstein (Albert, not my dog), Leo trades math equations with Lois. Who knew she was a math wiz? Leo tells her that she’s pretty good and they high-five. Eddie/Ned comes in and says, looks like this is where the fun is. He asks what they’re playing, and Leo says, some math stuff. He says, that’s his cue to exit. Carry on. Lois calls him a scaredy cat, and he says, uh-huh. She and Leo continue, when Brook comes in and asks if they’re still at it. Lois says, of course (🍷). Brook leaves, and Lois stumps Leo.

In the foyer, Tracy asks why Brook isn’t looking for some new musical protégé, and Brook asks, what’s it to her? Tracy says, everything in this house is something to her.

Outside Kelly’s, the courtyard is all decorated in pumpkins and haystacks, and there’s a closed sign on the door. Carly is doing last minute touches, when someone walks in. She says, sorry, they’re closed, and Cyrus says, trick or treat.

Ava meets Lucy at the Bistro, and Lucy says she’s glad Ava could make it. She has some mega, mega exciting news. Ava says, Lucy told her it was important, and Lucy says, it’s very, very important. As in… Ava says, don’t keep her in suspense, and Lucy says, as in, this is Ava’s golden ticket. This is her chance to unload wicked Windymere and spooky Spoon Island. But they have to act fast before the prospective buyer changes their mind.

Scotty tells Robert, this is a textbook case of misunderstanding, so why don’t they just cut to the chase and drop these charges? Robert says, in his dreams. They have some very interesting footage that the jury will just love. Scotty says, what footage? Nothing’s been entered into evidence. Diane approaches Robert’s office door, and listens. Robert says, Scotty should tell his client to cease with the intimidation tactics, and Scotty says he’s not going anywhere until he sees this alleged footage. Robert says, the only thing Scotty is going to see is him throwing Scotty out of his office when it goes viral, and Scotty asks if the District Attorney is threatening him. Diane walks in and tells Scotty, now might be the time to make a tactical retreat. He seems to have worn out his welcome. Take the hint. Anything he was hoping to accomplish here ain’t going to happen. Scotty says, Lady Justice herself, coming to the rescue of Crocodile Dundee (ha-ha). There’s a first.

Anna approaches Valentin’s door, the porch adorned in harvest décor. She knocks on the door, and Valentin invites her in. She says, he’s gone all out on the spirit of the season thing, and he says, it’s his first Halloween with Charlotte in a while. He figured he should make some effort. Anna says, something smells really good, and he says, that would be Charlotte. She’s inspired in her new kitchen. That, and a rivalry with Jake Webber’s little brother has lit a competitive fire. She says she’s sure Charlotte will accomplish whatever she sets her mind to, when Charlotte comes in. She says, Anna’s just in time. Does Anna want to be her guinea pig?

Diane says, with all due respect, Scotty’s made his argument, the DA’s not having it. Exit, stage left. Scotty says he knows when he’s being double-teamed. His wallet is already fat. All Robert is doing is wasting the taxpayer’s money. Robert asks, since when did Scotty care about anyone but himself? Scotty waves his hand dismissively and leaves. Diane asks why Robert lets Scotty get to him, and Robert says, history. He thanks her for being his noble wingman, and she says, anytime.

Charlotte tells Anna that she’s making pumpkin bars. The first batch just came out of the oven. Anna says, sounds good. Since when is Charlotte a baker? Charlotte says she’s not, but Jake’s brother Aiden sure is. He always brings these amazing creations to school, so she thought she’d try it before her friends come over. Anna asks if they’re having a party, but Charlotte says, they’re all meeting here before going trick-or-treating. Papa is going to drive them, and then drop them off. Anna says she’s thinking of buying herself some candy in case there’s any trick-or-treaters at her door, and Valentin says, at the hotel? but she says, no. That’s why she’s here. She’s no longer staying at the MetroCourt. She’s taking over Maxie’s flat. She shows them the keys, and Charlotte says, Georgie’s old apartment? Valentin says, she’s kidding. When did this happen? Anna says, it happened this morning. Felicia’s idea, and then when she had a look, it just seemed right. Charlotte tells Valentin, isn’t this great? She congratulates Anna and says she’s so glad Anna has a place of her own. Anna thanks her, and Valentin sort of smiles.

Brook says, there’s the granny she knows. Godmother of the Quartermaine clan. Tracy asks, to what do they owe the honor of this visit? and Brook says she just came to see Leo’s costume. Tracy asks what he’s going to be, and Brook says, Albert Einstein. Tracy says, good choice. He’s the smart one in this house. Brook asks if that’s a general dig, or just for her? Her mother told her about Tracy’s gift of Deception. She gathers she’d be stupid to pass it up. Tracy says, she could do worse, and Brook says she doesn’t want it. Tracy asks, why not? She seemed to be happy there. Brook says, so Tracy noticed. Her, surrounded by her best friends, working on a project they loved, until Tracy poisoned it by blackmailing her to betray them. Tracy says, but she’ll be the boss, giving them incentive to mend fences. Problem solved. Friends again. Brook says, wow, Tracy knows nothing about friendship, and Tracy says, maybe not, but she knows about family and loyalty, and the sacrifices they make to take care of one another.

Eddie comes back and asks if math class is over, but Lois shushes him. She and Leo are bent over papers, solving a problem, and Leo finishes. Lois says, rats! Congratulations, kid. He holds out his hand, and she takes some money out of her bra, giving it to him. Leo says, see? He knew money was in math. He runs off, and Lois says, he’s a wonder. He rattled off the heights of the tallest buildings all over the world. She hates to tell Eddie, and she’s very sorry, but he’s going to have to take Leo to play the banjo at the top of the Burj Khalifa. She thought knowing the length of the Brooklyn Bridge was impressive. Eddie remembers kissing Lois there on their wedding day, and she asks if he’s okay.

Ava says, Lucy is a miracle. Windymere and Spoon Island have their charms, but they’re hardly the Maldives. People with the means to buy a private island, typically are drawn to warmer climates. How in the world did she find somebody who’s interested? Lucy says, Ava doesn’t have to act so shocked, because she has kept her finger on the pulse of the high-end real estate market. She just picked up the phone, put the word out, and given her track record, the referrals started rolling in. She just had to pick the most promising one. Ava asks, who is it? Who wants to buy Spoon Island? (Um… Nikolas perhaps?)

Cyrus says he likes what Carly’s done to the place, and this décor really captures the holiday season. She says, get out, and he tells her, don’t be so inhospitable. She says, this is her place, and he’s not welcome here. He says he just thought with their history, she would at least hear him out, and she asks what he wants. He says, a job, and she asks if he’s serious. He says he has experience as a cook, and she says, from the prison kitchen detail? That’s not what they do here. He says, touché. Many incarcerated do learn valuable skills in prison, however, he’s been cooking since his youth. When he had to fend for himself, he was living out of his car… She says, that’s touching. If he has to impress his parole officer by getting a job, he’s barking up the wrong tree, because he will not be working here. He says he never expected her to be someone who discriminated against ex-cons. Her beau Drew will be one eventually. She says, half the people she cares about have rap sheets. So him being an ex-con is not why he’s not going to be working here. It’s because she knows who he is. He’s a monster.

Brook says she doesn’t need a caretaker, especially not one with Tracy’s manipulative tactics. Yeah, she loved working at Deception, but it’s not one of her passions. Tracy says, passion doesn’t pay the bills, and the ups and downs of the music business – mostly downs – will not support Brook in the style to which she’s become accustomed. Brook says she can make sacrifices if she has to, and Tracy laughs. She says, been there, done that. She thought she could subsist on the great love she had for a pauper. It didn’t end well. Brook says she’s not Tracy, and money’s not everything. Tracy says, no, but it’s far from irrelevant, and Brook would be foolish to think otherwise.

Eddie says he’s fine, and Lois asks if he’s sure about that. It looks like he’s seen a ghost. He says, they were married, right? and she says, yes, they were. He asks if that was at the Brooklyn Bridge, but she says, no, it was at St. Ignatius, but after the wedding, they went to the top of one of the towers of the Brooklyn Bridge. He says he has to go, and jets. Leo comes back, and asks where Eddie is going, but she says she has no idea. He asks if she wants to play Suduko, and she says, you’re on, kid.

Charlotte tells Anna and Valentin, watch out; they’re hot. Anna says, they’re delicious. Really good. Not too sweet, nice texture. Charlotte says she’s so glad, and Valentin says, these really are good. Anna says, quite delicious actually. She thinks Aiden’s going to be impressed. Charlotte says, that’s the plan. Another batch is in the oven. It could be a housewarming gift for Anna for her new place. Anna thanks her, and Valentin says, her new place that he didn’t even know was on the horizon. Anna says, it all came about because she needed a caffeine transfusion. She needed some coffee and met with Felicia at Kelly’s. She said Maxie was subletting her apartment because she and the kids were moving into a new house. The smoke alarm in Valentin’s kitchen goes off, and I nearly jump out of my chair it’s so loud. Charlotte runs to the kitchen, and tells Valentin, the oven’s on fire. Anna tells her not to worry about it, and she and Valentin go into the kitchen.

Diane tells Robert that she has ticket to a fundraiser for a cause near and dear to her heart, Animal Advocacy, and she was toying with the idea of asking him, but ever since that time… He tells her, just say no more. He is in. Where? When? What’s the dress? Cocktail attire? Maybe a tux. She says, yeah.

Ava says, a holding company? That’s the impressive buyer Lucy selected? Just a faceless LLC? Lucy says, that’s how it’s done these days. Important buyers use holding companies. (It’s gotta be Nikolas, right?) Ava asks if Lucy verified this company’s financials. Just because they made the offer, doesn’t mean they have the 25 million in cash to back it up. Lucy says she’s in the final stages of verifying all their assets, and Ava says, if they don’t put the whole amount in an escrow account, there’s no deal. Lucy asks if she understands they could lose this sale. Putting the whole amount in escrow is not standard practice. Ava says, why get herself mired in some drawn out real estate mess? and Lucy says, what Ava needs to understand is, sellers of private islands in upstate New York can’t really be too picky. Ava shrugs and says she’s not just any seller, and she can afford to wait for the buyer who meets her exact terms. So if Lucy wants her big, fat commission, she’ll get this buyer to put up the whole asking price, or there’s no deal. She gets up, and Lucy asks where she’s going. Ava says, people and places, and leaves.

Diane says she’s loving Robert’s enthusiasm, and yes, definitely a tie, black tie. He says he so kills a tux, and she says she’s seen him in a tux, and yes, he does. She’s off. That’s enough for now. He says, wait. She’s going to leave him in suspense? She says, suspense is the spice of life. Details to follow. She leaves, and he says, a tux… Oh, a tux. He puts tuxedos near me into Spyder Finder, and says, there we go. Freddy’s Formals. He calls the shop and asks what time they close.

Cyrus says he understands Carly’s position, but she should know, he turned over a new leaf. He’s here to set her mind at ease. She says she was there. She held the line while Sonny was gone and protected their territory from him. He says, that white dress she wore. He remembers that… She says, remember this. She knows who he is. He’s a predator and he’s dangerous. Those spots don’t change. He can walk around town telling everyone he found the Lord, but she knows better. He’s lying in wait and seeking out vulnerability, but that’s not going to happen here. So he can take his phony humility and sob story and get the hell out, because Kelly’s is off limits. He says, she’s every but the fierce woman he remembers. That hasn’t changed but he has. Ask Drew. That man she described would have let Drew die, but he saved Drew. He tells her, farewell, and leaves.

Tracy says she didn’t do all this to sabotage Brook’s friendships. She worries about Brook. Brook says she never asked Tracy to worry, but Tracy says, she doesn’t have a choice. Brook has no stake in ELQ. And they’ve all seen firsthand what the music business did to her mother. Years of hard work and nothing to show for it. Brook says, her mother’s overseen four Grammy nominated albums, and countless national and international tours. Tracy says she’ll be sure to look all that up when she surfs the net. The point is – the truth is – she wants Brook to have something real, something stable, something lasting. That’s Deception. And yes, maybe she let her disdain for Lucy Coe color her approach. Brook says, ya think? and Tracy says, everything she did was to secure Brook’s future. Brook says she gets it. In her own twisted Tracy way, Tracy thinks what she’s doing is best, but it’s not. Accepting Tracy’s gift would be like declaring herself and her dreams a failure. It would rob her of any confidence she had, confidence she sees in Tracy. Something she’s still trying to build. Do not sabotage her. Tracy says, sabotaging Brook is the last thing she wants.

Eddie brings his guitar into the nook to work on his song.

Lois gets up and tells Leo, pause the timer. She’ll be right back. She dashes out.

At the hospital, Charlotte says, how could she be so stupid, turning on the broiler? but Valentin says, don’t worry about it. It’s just a minor kitchen disaster. It’s not like she burned the house down. (I say, ooh, out loud.) She says, at least the first batch of pumpkin bars turned out okay. Doc comes out and asks them to come in, and Valentin thanks him for seeing them on such short notice. Doc says, it’s his pleasure. Charlotte’s family. Valentin says, full disclosure, this was his idea. Charlotte’s had a difficult year and they’re kind of navigating it alone. It would be nice if she had somebody she could tell everything to. He’ll just be waiting outside. He leaves, and Doc asks if they should have a seat. He and Charlotte sit down, and he asks what she thinks. Does she feel comfortable talking to him?

There’s a knock at Robert’s office door, and he says he swears, if it’s Scotty, there will be manslaughter. He says, come in, and Anna walks in. She asks what he’s doing. Off to save the world? She kisses him on the cheek, and he says, no. He’s finding a tuxedo. The last one finished up with a bullet hole in the lapel when they were in London. He’s still waiting for a call. What’s up? She says she just sublet Maxie’s apartment, and she’s wondering if he can help her move. He says, everything she possessed in the world went up in smoke. What exactly are they moving?

Lois comes into the nook and listens to Eddie play. When he stops to write something down, she says, he’s still got it.

Tracy says, the confidence and poise and smarts Brook’s developed is all her. Nobody can take that away. She wants to build Brook up; she doesn’t want to break her down. Brook says she’s sure Tracy believes that, but in this family, nothing comes without strings. Even when they’re giving, they’re usually taking. Tracy says, they’re flawed. Most people are. Actually, it’s what keeps things interesting. Brook says, interesting is exhausting. (Agreed.) She just wants something mundane and predictable. A little peace and quiet in this house. Tracy says, that’s never going to happen.

Scotty meets Lucy at the Bistro, taking Ava’s seat. He asks, what’s so important that she had to drag him away from his important business? And give him back his pen. (Ha-ha! He’s so me with that.) She asks, what’s so important about the pen? She doesn’t know where it is, and it has bad mojo. She thinks she threw it in the bushes at the Quartermaine’s. Maybe Yuri has it. He says, Yuri? and she looks at her phone and says, this is exactly why she bailed on the cutthroat real estate business. Fussy sellers, slimy buyers, and they just want more and more. You know what? She tries so hard to keep the peace. She tries to broker the peace, but she can’t. All she wants to do is end up with her cut. He says, she’s got to dial R for real estate lawyer. If she wants to dial him, go to T, because he’s a trial lawyer. She says she knows that. That’s not what she wants. Look at her. She needs him to help her break that agreement she made with Tracy.

Avery runs into Kelly’s yelling, Mama Carly! They hug, and Ava says, they’re ahead of schedule. She hopes that’s okay. Carly says, it’s okay; it’s amazing. Avery’s costume. Spin. Mermaid Avery twirls around, and Carly says, it’s great. Does she want to be the first to decorate a pumpkin cookie? Avery says, yes, please, and Carly brings her over to one of the tables and shows her all the cookie toppings. She tells Avery, go for it, and goes back to Ava. She says, Avery seems to be doing great, and Ava says, yeah. She’s very excited about this party. She didn’t even mention trick-or-treating. Carly says, good, and Ava says, it will ease her mind. It’s easier and well out of harm’s way.

Robert and Anna carry a trunk into Maxie’s old building, and he says, it’s not what he was expecting, rubbing his back. She says, it’s heavier than she thought. Robin was holding on to it for her. She guesses it got stuck in storage somehow when Robin moved. She’s been meaning to go through it for years. He asks, what’s in it? and she says, her and Alex’s leftovers from a life she’d rather not dig up. It’s just personal paperwork from her early years at the WSB. Files and journals and even draft mission reports. She’s hoping maybe there’s a clue in there to help her find out who it is that’s targeting her at the WSB. She goes through her pockets, and he asks what she’s looking for. She says, the key. It’s typical. She thinks she’s lost the key to this apartment.

Doc says he wants to assure Charlotte that their conversations are confidential. Whatever they talk about in here is privileged information. She says, anything? and he says, uh-huh. She asks if that means he won’t tell papa what they talk about, and Doc says he might give him his general findings. For instance, if he thinks she’s under significant stress or she needs additional support, he might tell Valentin that. But the details of what they discuss in here, that stays in this room. And he meant what he said; she’s family. His only goal is to help her. And if she’s uneasy about it, it’s fine. He can always recommend someone else. She says she’ll talk to him; it’s okay. It’s not like there’s a big secret or anything. Papa’s overthinking this. She did miss him when she was away, but nothing terrible happened when she was at boarding school. He suggests they start there. Why doesn’t she tell him about her experience at boarding school?

Ava asks Carly if Nina and Sonny are bringing Donna, and she says, yes. They’re going to take Avery home with them, and the girls are going to be spending the night. (Revolving kids!) Ava says, nice. It’s too bad really. Windymere would have made the perfect backdrop for a Halloween party. Just the right amount of spooky. Carly says, it really would, once they’re old enough not to have nightmares; when they’re like 13 or 10. Ava says she’s hoping Windymere will be someone else’s problem long before then.

Scotty says, there’s no such thing as an undo button when it comes to signed contracts, and Lucy says she knows. She just can’t take it. She can’t take Tracy having 51% of Deception, and Tracy is sabotaging her creative vision. She has to do something. She has to get Tracy out. She wants to get her out. Scotty asks what she’s going to do about that, and Lucy says, her? He’s the smarty pants lawyer. He has all the legal expertise. There has to be something like… Wait a minute. A loophole. Some sort of loophole they didn’t see. She thinks that contract is not written in the right kind of font – he holds his head in his hands – or what about this? There was none of that blue paper, that stuff on the back of the pages… He says, come on, man. She’s got to get in the twentieth century. All of that went out with electronic signing. And if – and it’s a big if – what if she could nullify the contract? Tracy would just reinstate the lawsuit and Deception would go down as fast as the Titanic did. She says, over her dead body.

The super lets Anna in, and she says she’s so sorry. She doesn’t know what happened to the key. She must have dropped it in the chaos of moving. The super says, it happens to the best of us, and hands her a key, telling her to make sure she returns that after she makes a copy. She says she will and thanks him. She says she really appreciates it, and the super leaves. She tells Robert, shall we? and he says, of course (🍷). They lift the trunk, and go inside. I have to give them this. They made that trunk look heavy. I hate when a character is carrying a grocery bag or to-go coffee, and it looks like it’s empty by the way they hold it. Kudos.

On the way out, Charlotte tells Doc that she made pumpkin bars for her friends. He says, great, and Valentin asks, how was their chat? Doc says, Charlotte was just telling him about her trick-or-treating plans for this evening. Charlotte says, papa is the chauffeur, and Doc says, have a wonderful time, and he’d like to continue this next week if that’s all right. Valentin asks how she feels about that, and Charlotte says, it works for her. Doc’s easy to talk to. Valentin says, they’ll sew up the details later, and Doc tells them, happy Halloween. Charlotte thanks him, and she and Valentin leave.

Lois tells Eddie, that’s really good. Play the rest for her. He says, no can do. That’s all she wrote. He puts his guitar on the table, and she says, come on. Her and him, they go way back. There’s no reason for stage fright. He says, seriously, it’s a work in progress, and literally, it’s only half-baked. She says, he’s in the zone. She doesn’t want to mess with his mojo. She gets up, but he says, no. No mojo. Just a creative dead end. She sits back down and says, he’s got something there, so don’t trash it, but he says, easier said than done. She says, listen. The same fire that got you there will also see you through. Okay? Trust her. Leo yells, the clock’s ticking, and Lois says she forgot. Sudoku showdown. She’s got to go.

Tracy tells Brook, all right. She’ll back off. No more pressure from her. Brook says she appreciates that, and Tracy asks if Brook will think about her offer. Brook says, think, but no think. She’s on a new course, one Tracy inadvertently helped to set. She really wants to make a go of it, and she has a new musical protégé. She signed a rising star named Blaze. Tracy says she’s heard of her, and Brook says, she has? Tracy says, yeah, and she has every confidence Brook is going to make her a household name. Brook says she’ll do her best, and Tracy says, of that, she’s sure. She goes back in the living room, and Brook smiles.

Scotty tells Lucy, Tracy’s always had the upper financial hand. That’s why she agreed to the deal in the first place. Lucy says she’s very well-aware; she knows. He says, so she can just ride it out until Deception is bankrupt, and Lucy says she can’t let that happen for Maxie or Sasha. You know though, she is quite the dynamo at real estate. She could just pivot back to that. He says, like a rat deserting a sinking ship, but she says, no rats, no sinking ship. She would never do that to them. Maxie needs Deception for her future, and that ridiculous Gladys almost took everything Sasha has. He asks why she doesn’t just become a silent partner, but she says, no way. And let Tracy run her company? She doesn’t think so. She won’t let that happen with the last breath left in her body. She won’t… let that happen. She picks up a piece of muffin, showing it to him, and he says, she’s going to poison Tracy’s muffin? She’s better off poisoning Tracy’s cognac. Lucy says, as tempting as it is to poison her, she thinks she just got it. Think about it. She doesn’t need to get that 51% back, does she? No. If she can wiggle just a teeny tiny 2% out of Tracy’s greedy hands, then she’s the major shareholder again, and Deception is hers. All hers. She eats the piece of muffin.

Avery asks if she can have Ava’s phone to take a picture of her cookie, and Ava says, of course (🍷), handing her the phone. Avery runs off, and Ava tells Carly, isn’t it lovely how kids can find joy in the simplest things? We adults are burdened by adult things. Carly says, adult things. Like selling Windymere? Ava says, yeah, like selling Windymere. She has to move on, but she can’t do that while she’s anchored to that place. And after what happened with Austin’s cousin Mason, she’s determined to sell. Carly wonders what kind of buyer she can get for that place, and Ava says she has no idea, but Lucy assures her that she’s found one. Carly says, really? Who? Ava says, that’s vague, but if Lucy can get confirmation that the buyer has the money, Windymere and its torturous memories will be in her past.

Anna open the trunk, and Robert says, whoa. Someone’s a bit of a packrat. (Not really. It’s not even full.) She says, you never know what type of information could be handy down the line, and he says, in this day and age, all of that goes on a thumb drive. She says, that can be hacked into in a heartbeat. He does realize this stash is completely off the grid, and no one has any idea this information even exists. He asks if she’s sure about that.

Speaking into a recorder, Doc says, subject, Charlotte Cassadine, session one. Charlotte displays a maturity that belies her years. She’s both insightful and evasive. We see Valentin and Charlotte going back to their house, and Doc says, she’s already mastered the art of camouflage, presenting only what she believes people want to see and hear.

Valentin and Charlotte go inside, and Charlotte says, it still stinks in here. How are her friends going to be smelling burnt pumpkin bars? Valentin says, don’t worry. He’ll open the windows in the kitchen and air the place out. He thanks her for meeting with Doc. He knows it wasn’t her first choice, and he appreciates it. She says, a deal’s a deal. She kept her side of the bargain because she knows he’ll keep his. He says he loves her – he kisses her forehead – a lot. She says, papa? and he says, what? She says she’s sorry, and he asks what she’s sorry for. She says, for… burning the pumpkin bars, and he says she worries to much, and goes into the kitchen. Charlotte flashes back to reading Victor’s letter: Anna Devane is not who she seems. Do not trust her.

Doc continues, she is anchored to her father, a relationship that seems almost symbiotic. Charlotte takes Anna’s key out of her pocket, and Doc says, he is very protective of her and in return, she feels a great responsibility to protect him. Charlotte looks at the key and smiles.

Tomorrow, Anna finds something important; Valentin asks what Charlotte is doing; Halloween continues; and Josslyn tells Adam, it looks like he’s seen a ghost.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

I get irritated at Erika before it even starts. Over that hair flip at BravoCon.

Erika meets with Dorit, since Dorit is apparently still irritated about it too. Dorit tells her that it sucks she had to ask for an apology. Erika acts all contrite and says, what she did was wrong and Dorit means a lot to her. In her interview, Dorit wonders where this was on the retreat. She tells Erika that it had a bigger impact because of the year she and PK had. In Dorit’s interview, she says, it was 14 months since the home invasion, and she took $10K out of the bank for Christmas gifts. (Yeah, I know.) She had her handbag in the shopping cart and walked away. When she came back to the cart, she realized it was gone. I want to feel bad, but why do that? And I know women do this. I have told complete strangers, don’t leave your bag like that. Seriously, bad, bad, bad idea. She says, the surveillance footage showed she was followed by three men, and it threw her back into throes of PTSD. Erika says she wants to repair the friendship because she doesn’t have many friends. (No surprise.) She wants them to move forward together and they hug. How long this will last is anybody’s guess.

Sutton calls Garcelle, who’s bummed about Jax leaving. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, she and Sutton are planning an amazing weekend in Vegas for Crystal’s 40th birthday. They want her to have fun and hopefully get the stick out of her ass. We flash back to Sutton and Crystal butting heads, and in Sutton’s interview, she says she hopes they can start fresh.

Matchmaker Alessandra visits Sutton, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, dating apps not working for her. She’s getting a callus on her finger from swiping left. She’d rather meet in person. Alessandra is known to be the best in Beverly Hills, and Alessandra is her only hope, like Obi Wan Kenobi. Sutton tells Alessandra that she doesn’t click with people, and usually doesn’t get a second date. In her interview, she thinks she can be slightly intimidating. She’s highly intelligent, nervous, acts strangely, and wears things like cat sweaters. Alessandra asks about her ideal man, and Sutton says, tall, handsome, and a college grad. They’ll talk about the wealth part later. Alessandra says she’s a believer in letting the men lead, but Sutton gives a hard no, which is funny since she sounds like she’s waiting for them to ask her out if she’s not getting a second date. Or is she asking and they’re turning her down? It’s not clear. In her interview, Sutton says she’s a first child and an overachiever. She wants to win with Alessandra and needs to get to a second date. Alessandra says she’ll bring 3 men (I assume she means their profiles) and Sutton can decide which she wants to meet.

Crystal and Rob meet Crystal’s brother Jeff for dinner, and in Crystal’s interview, she says, she and her brother are close, but even though he’s older, she’s the more mature of the two. He’s a pop star and is known as the Bieber of China. He’s like a little kid who happens to have money. He was engaged three years ago, but before the wedding, the pandemic happened. She and her mother begged him to come home, but he couldn’t because his fiancé only had a Chinese passport. It led to the breakup, and Crystal thinks he blamed them. The food comes and I want what they’re having. Jeff asks if Crystal would be okay if he was with someone younger, and in his interview, Jeff says, when he first met Rob and found out he was twenty years older than Crystal, he said, oh no. Rob and Crystal determine that if his girlfriend is fabulous like her, she’ll welcome her with open arms.

Kyle picks up Dorit, who thinks they’re going to lunch for her birthday, but PK intends to recreate Pretty Woman for her at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. In Kyle’s interview, she wonders what message PK is trying to send. Dorit asks Kyle, what’s up with her, since she’s sensing a heaviness. We flash back to the retreat, and Kyle saying things weren’t exactly in sync with Mauricio. Kyle tells Dorit that she thinks it will pass, but in Dorit’s interview, she says, she and PK used to go out with Kyle and Mauricio, but haven’t seen them as a couple in a long time. Something is up. Dorit tells Kyle, even on Instagram, it seems like they’re apart a lot, and Kyle says she needed some freedom. Dorit asks if she means specifically away from her husband.

Kyle says she wanted to get away from everything, but Dorit feels like Kyle isn’t telling her something. In Dorit’s interview, she says she needs to respect Kyle’s boundaries even if she suspects something’s up. When Kyle brings her to the hotel, she wonders what’s going on. Meanwhile, Garcelle visits Sutton, and asks about the matchmaker. Sutton says she thinks she was a bit hard on Alessandra. Traditional doesn’t work with her. In the beginning of her marriage, she gave up her power. In Sutton’s interview, she says she wasn’t invited to the boardroom in her marriage. He made decisions about the finances and the kids, but the one thing she got to do was plan summer vacations because he didn’t come until the end. She tells Garcelle that she’s holding on to her power now. She asks what’s going on with Garcelle, and Garcelle immediately tears up. She says she Jax thinks she’s doing it wrong. We flash back to last week on the beach, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she thought Jax was being a brat, and the realization is now hitting her. She tells Sutton that being a mom is the most important thing to her, and Sutton says, teenage boys are kind of a-holes. Garcelle says, when Jax asked to live with his dad, it hurt her, and in her interview, she says, during the summer, Jax was hinting around. She thought he was punishing her, but also seeing how much he could get away with. In Sutton’s interview, she says, people don’t understand why she and Garcelle are friends, but they’re both single moms dealing with an ex.

When they get to the hotel, Dorit nearly freaks out because Kyle won’t tell her what’s going on. When they get to the room, which Dorit complains is not the presidential suite, there are tables with everything on the menu, a la Pretty Woman, but it takes Dorit a while to get it. In her interview, Dorit says, plating her own food doesn’t scream, it’s your anniversary. She suddenly panics about who’s taking care of the kids, and goes out on the balcony for some air. Kyle calls PK, who tells her to tell Dorit that it’s a surprise the whole family is in on. Dorit calls her kids, who tell her to stop stressing. They’re fine and with Winnie the Dog. Their exchange is very sweet and cute. In Kyle’s interview, she says, the control is out of Dorit’s hands and is freaking her out. Dorit’s stylist Justine arrives with a rack of red dresses, and now more relaxed, Dorit gets all into it.

In Dorit’s interview, she says, like in Pretty Woman, she’s leaving reality behind for one night and living out her movie fantasy. She’s excited now. PK awaits her wearing a tux, and in her interview, Dorit says, they’re good at surprising one another and big grand reveals. We flash back to some of those, and she says, she needs to do some work to get back to surprises or hang up her grand reveal hat. PK presents her with a Peter Marco necklace that’s on loan and worth $5 million. He puts it on her, and they go to an incredible suite. He tells her that he wanted to take her breath away as they walk in, and singer Berlin is there. She sings, You Take My Breath Away, and they dance. The text below reminds us that the song is from Top Gun, not from Pretty Woman. It’s not my fantasy, but I’m happy for her. In PK’s interview, he says he likes the idea of switching the soundtracks of movies, and suggests taking the Jungle Book soundtrack and putting it in The Godfather. He and Dorit have an incredible dinner, and she says, it was a difficult year, but this is so much better. It’s not that she doesn’t love surprises, but a lot of effort goes into looking a certain way. In their dual interview, Dorit says she doesn’t like someone else choosing what she’s wearing, and PK says, sometimes she needs to let her husband take control. PK says that he struggles to understand her PTSD. The concept of her not being in control is unusual. In Dorit’s interview, she says, she doesn’t need a grand gesture. She needs him to step up and help with the kids, house, and daily stuff, but it’s not in his personality.

Oh no. Mauricio is on the Lovebean train again. I’m not a huge fan of pet names, but that’s especially annoying. Maybe because it almost seems forced. In Kyle’s interview, she says she and Mauricio have always been in sync, but now it doesn’t feel that way. She thinks his heart and soul is in the agency. It’s the other woman. It’s Portia’s birthday, and they have a huge Mexican food spread. Kyle’s MIL Estella asks her about the rumors of trouble in their marriage, but Kyle says, it started because she was seen without her ring. In her interview, Kyle says, it had nothing to do with them having a hard time. It was one time when she was lifting weights. It’s not what she wants to hear at her daughter’s birthday dinner. She tells Estella about her tattoos, and Estella doesn’t think it’s a big deal. Then as a joke, she tells Estella that Mauricio has one, but when she gets zero reaction, she says, not really. She tells Mauricio about it, and he gets all pissed off. She says she thought it was funny in the moment to see Estella’s reaction, but she didn’t care. Mauricio stomps off and says he doesn’t want to talk about it. I don’t get this. Doesn’t he smoke a lot of weed? Where’s his usual mellow?

Oh I misunderstood. I thought only Garcelle and Sutton were going to Vegas, but they were just the ones planning it; everyone is going. This probably won’t end well, since no Housewives vacations do. They get on a private jet, and I say a prayer: Please God, let me one day make friends with someone who has a private jet. They give Crystal a $3K necklace, and Erika says she’s taking Crystal to Magic Mike. She wonders if Channing Tatum will be there. Sutton says they’ll all bond and have fights, but Erika says she’s given up fighting with them for Lent. In Erika’s interview, she says, a higher power told her that she needed to give up fighting with them for Lent, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, that could have come in handy a while back. I don’t need to tell you that the hotel is magnificent and so are the rooms. They’re met with champagne, and the rooms even have personalized pillows on the beds. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, Sutton’s assistant went on ahead and unpacked her clothes. She just gets a corner of the closet.

4 hours later. The women are at Magic Mike, and Erika gyrates on stage with the dudes. There’s some kind of altercation that we really don’t see, but my interpretation is that Erika was not wearing underwear. Crystal says Sutton is upset and they’ve got to go. Kyle calls Sutton a bitch, and Erika says, Sutton is being Judge Judy.

To be continued…  

💀 Sugaring My Skull…

Join me tomorrow for soap and Charmers too old for their behavior. Until then, stay safe; stay getting your holiday act together, since it will be here before you know it; and stay finding joy in the simplest things even when you’re burdened by adult things.

Oct31

October 30, 2023 – An Old Friend Goes To See Sonny, Pirates Of the Mediterranean On Deck & Cat

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At Pozzulo’s, Gabe knocks at Sonny’s office door and says he has a visitor. She told him to tell Sonny that there’s a broad here to see him. Her word, not his. She wouldn’t tell him who she was; said it would spoil the surprise. But she said they were old friends. Sonny goes into the restaurant and sees a woman with her back to him. He asks if she’s the broad who wants to see him, and Lois turns around, saying, hello, handsome. They hug.

Brook sees Eddie/Ned in the solarium, and says, there he is. She’s on her way to sign a new major client, Blaze. He says, congratulations, that’s great, and she says she’s meeting Blaze at Charlie’s. Would he like to come? She’s super nice and down to earth, especially for someone that special. She sings all different genres of music. Maybe she’d be interested in that new song he’s working on. He thanks her for the invite, but he thinks he’ll pass. And when he finishes writing that song, he’ll be the one who sings it. She says, suit himself – Tracy walks in – but as for her, she’s going to go make music history. Tracy says, or Brook could stop hiding from her and sit down and discuss her future.

Austin sits at Charlie’s bar, when Blaze walks in. Kristina says, look who it is. She’s back. Blaze says, maybe she couldn’t stay away.

Finn and Elizabeth make dinner together in the cabin. As she makes salad, he tells her, a few more minutes of marinating, and the steaks will be ready to grill. She says she didn’t tell him. Cameron is dating a girl from college. She doesn’t think he’s completely over Josslyn yet, but it’s a step in the right direction. He says, wow. He knows she and Cameron are close, but it still surprises him that Cameron would tell her about the girl he’s dating. She laughs and says, he didn’t; Jake did. She still can’t believe she has two kids old enough to date, and he says he’s dreading the day Violet is old enough to date. Teenage boys, run! She tells him to prepare himself. It’s going to be here before he knows it. He says he’s not comfortable anymore with this conversation. Let’s grill. He tells her, fifteen minutes, and she says she can’t wait. He asks her to wish him luck, and she says, good luck. They kiss, and he says, she’s amazing.

TJ walks into Charlie’s and joins Austin at the bar. Austin says he’d buy TJ a drink, but the bartender seems busy, and TJ says he didn’t come here for a drink. They need to talk about Austin’s cousin Mason.

At the gallery, Ava and Laura hug, and Ava says, welcome home. Laura says, it’s good to be home, and Ava says she’s glad Laura survived her journey to Chechnya. Laura says, it was hard, but she’s glad she did it. By the way, she heard about the kidnapping. She’s so glad Ava is safe and got through that ordeal. Ava says she prefers not to think about it. It’s just so fortunate that she was rescued by Sonny’s bodyguard and Dante. She’s focused on getting her life back to normal. Laura says she hates bringing Ava more bad news, but she wanted Ava to know they weren’t actually able to find Nikolas. Ava says she’s so sorry. She knows Laura will never stop searching for her son. It must be so frustrating to exert all that time and energy and hope, and come up with nothing. Laura tells Ava that she wouldn’t say nothing.

On the phone, Elizabeth says she really appreciates her gram staying with the boys for her. Tell Aiden that tomorrow they’ll bring him apples for his pies, and they promise to pick them themselves. Finn comes back in, and she says she has to go. Dinner’s ready. Love you. Finn asks if everything is okay at home, and she says, yes. She was just calling to check in. He says, him too. He called Chase when he was outside. He said Violet is great. Everything is well there. She says, good, and he says, now that they’ve checked in at home, maybe tonight could just be about them. She says, it sounds really nice.

Ava says she doesn’t understand what Laura is trying to say. Either she found Nikolas, or she didn’t. Laura says she doesn’t mean to confuse Ava. She doesn’t actually know where Nikolas is today, but she and Doc did find definitive proof that he’s alive and well, and she thinks he’s living somewhere in Europe. Ava asks if she talked to him on the phone, but Laura says, no. They found out he was making financial transactions. Ava asks if there was any proof it was actually Nikolas doing that. Anybody could have hacked his accounts and been doing that. Laura says, it’s nothing like that. They went to Geneva and met with his personal banker, who told them that Nikolas had been in the bank in person several times this past month.

Austin says he doesn’t give a damn about his cousin Mason, but he’s very grateful to TJ. Austin flashes back to TJ running into Mason’s room as he’s smothering his cousin. TJ runs to the bed, telling him, stop, and pulling the pillow away. Austin says, this doesn’t concern him, and TJ says he doesn’t give a damn about Austin’s cousin’s life – he yanks the pillow away – but he cares about Austin’s. There’s a cop right outside. Mason’s not worth it. At Charlie’s, Austin says he was about to throw his whole life away, but TJ stopped him. Thank you.

Brook says she’s not hiding from Tracy. She just doesn’t live in this house, so they’re not going to run into each other anymore. And she has zero interest in discussing her future with Tracy because of the way Tracy’s treated her. Tracy will have no part in her future. Brook walks out, but Tracys follows and says, Brook can avoid her now, but sooner or later, Brook is going to need her. (She calls Brook missy, and I swear I’d deck her if I was Brook. I hate that.) And when that day comes, Tracy will forget this day ever happened, and Brook will sit down and discuss her future with her at Deception. Brook leaves, and Eddie asks if Tracy really thinks threats and blackmail are the most effective way to influence her granddaughter. Tracy shrugs and says, it always worked with him.

Blaze says she’s here to sign the final contract with Brook to manage her music career, and Kristina says, that’s so exciting. She won’t keep Blaze. Blaze says, the meeting’s not for a little while. She came in early, hoping Kristina would be working. Kristina says she works every day, so Blaze could have texted or called to see if she was here, but Blaze says, what’s the fun of that? Besides, she decided to leave it up to chance. She figured if Kristina was working, that would be a good omen. Blaze’s phone chimes, and Kristina asks if everything is okay. Blaze says, it’s Lucy Coe – again. She won’t stop texting about the offer her and Maxie Jones made her to be the new Face of Deception. Sasha walks in, and Blaze says, uh-oh. That’s her. Sasha Gilmore, aka the woman she’d be replacing.

Sonny says he knew Lois was in town. He was figuring out when she was going to visit him. She says, same old Sonny. He never misses a beat. Always knows what’s happening. He asks what she’s in town for. Not that he cares, because he loves seeing her. She says she’s here to see Brook. Tracy screwed her over on a business deal, so she wanted to make sure her daughter was okay. He says, Brook is tough like her. She’ll be able to take care of Tracy. Trust him. Lois says, she shouldn’t have to, but she doesn’t want to talk about the Quartermaines. She wants to know what’s happening with him, because she heard he eloped. Carly must have loved hearing about that. He says, Carly’s fine. They’re trying to get along for the family. She asks how that’s working out for him.

Sonny and Lois sit down to some biscotti and coffee, and he asks, how’s the old neighborhood? She says, it hasn’t changed a bit. Everything is exactly the way he remembers it. He says, that’s what he likes to hear, and she says, although old Mr. Coluso the butcher, he retired and his grandson took over, and all of a sudden, the cuts of meat weren’t up to their expected proportions. So she had to take him out back and show him what’s what. Sonny says he’s sure she terrorized him when she took the clever out of his hands, and she says she did. And she never even had to touch the clever. He says, it’s nice to see things haven’t changed, and they laugh.

Eddie asks why Tracy is making this so much harder than it needs to be. Just offer the company to Brook, and if she turns it down, take no for an answer. She says, there are so many things she finds annoying now that he’s decided to live his life as Eddie Maine. Middle-aged man running around like a frat boy, his music, but most of all – Olivia walks in – his intentional naivete. Olivia says, Mother of God. Will Tracy give it a rest? Stop badgering Eddie. Tracy says she knows Olivia isn’t responsible for her son losing his memory, but she is responsible for how she’s handling it. She’s his wife. She has a legal right to have him committed. And if she doesn’t think shock therapy is appropriate, at least get him some intensive psychotherapy. Unless of course (🍷) she’s starting to prefer Eddie over Ned. (I know I do.)

Kristina introduces Sam and Sasha to Blaze, and Sasha says, she looks so familiar… Oh! She saw Blaze perform at the Nurses Ball. She sang a duet with Chase, right? Blaze says, guilty as charged, and Sasha says, she was incredible, and the way she stood up to her manager was really inspiring. Blaze thanks her. She appreciates Sasha saying that. She tells Kristina that she has to go take care of something and asks her to tell Brook that she’ll be right back. Nice meeting Sam and Sasha.

TJ says he remembers seeing Mason in Austin’s office a while back. At the time, TJ said he thought he’d met him before. Austin says he remembers, and TJ says he finally made the connection. Does Austin have any idea what Mason did to him? Austin says he doesn’t, but knowing Mason the way he does, he’s reasonably sure it’s something terrible. He’s sorry for whatever Mason did to TJ. TJ says, Austin was willing to smother Mason, so he must have done something pretty bad to Austin. Didn’t he have any other alternatives? Austin says he doesn’t think he could have done anything else. Except maybe he could have turned his cousin in to the police. That probably would have saved a lot of grief for everybody. TJ says, right, and leaves.

Laura asks if Ava is okay, and Ava says she’s sorry. She just needs a moment to absorb Laura’s news. Laura says she’s really sorry. Let her apologize for her son. She knows he treated Ava unconscionably during parts of the marriage and certainly the divorce. Ava says, if it makes Laura feel any better, she gave as good as she got, and then some. Laura says, it’s just such a shame, because she knows how much Nikolas really loved Ava, and she believes Ava loved him too. Who knows? Maybe after enough times passes, he’ll change his mind and come back to Port Charles and maybe they’ll be another chance for them. Ava says she doesn’t know. If Nikolas ever did love her, he doesn’t anymore.

Lois tells Sonny, so then, her Aunt Kiki – who’s had one too many glasses of chardonnay – falls flat on her face after toasting the bride and groom. But without even missing a beat, she jumps up on the bar, does a full split, grabs the bartender by the face and kisses him right on the mouth. Sonny says, tall, blonde, she was a character, and Lois says, she was, but this was before she married Lois’s uncle, who was a fireman. She had a thing for firemen. He says, they were all wilder back in the day. Speaking of which, has she seen Ned, or Eddie? He doesn’t know what Ned’s calling himself these days. She says she has and it’s so bizarre. All of the Quartermaines, every one of them, has a different theory about what’s going on with him. He asks, what’s her take? and she says she honestly doesn’t know. She’s still trying to figure it out.

Olivia tells Tracy, as she’s said repeatedly, she’s not having her husband committed. And she can’t believe Tracy would use the term shock therapy, which they have done in half a century because it’s considered barbaric. Tracy says she’s just trying to motivate Olivia into doing something, and Olivia says, that’s Tracy’s problem, because she’s not going to force him into therapy he does not want to do. If he wants to strum his guitar and be Eddie Maine for the rest of his life, she’s going to make peace with it. Tracy says, of course (🍷) you are. Why should she accept an executive husband, a responsible father when she can have Eddie Maine, a permanently arrested development adolescent rock and roller. Tracy storms out.

Cody and Dante join Sam and Sasha, and Cody says, sorry they’re late. He got stuck helping Dante run some errands. They were working on some home improvement project, and this guy is impressively useless at a hardware store. Sam asks if they were able to a stud finder, and Dante says, if that’s what it’s called. Sasha says, it sounds totally made up to her, and Dante says he knows maybe Cody has done some odd jobs in construction, but how did Sam know what a stud finder is? She kisses him and says, there are a still a lot of things he doesn’t know about her.

At the PC Grill, Lucy tells Martin that Blaze is going to be here any minute. What is she supposed to say to her? Hey there, guess what? Our majority shareholder had a temper tantrum and overruled her great idea. Martin says, let him understand something. All she wanted to do was rescind her offer to Blaze to be the new Face of Deception. She could have just called. Lucy says, no, no, no. She’s not going to rescind her offer, because she’s not bowing to Tracy. Blaze is the perfect spokesmodel now for their company and it wouldn’t hurt Sasha. Every success Deception has is a success… She’s here. Blaze comes over to the table, and Lucy says, she looks lovely. She introduces Martin, who says, it’s a pleasure to meet Blaze. Lucy speaks incredibly highly of her. Blaze says, it’s nice to meet him too, and Lucy tells him to grab a chair. She asks Blaze to join them, but Blaze says, no. She doesn’t want to drag this out. While she’s flattered by Lucy’s offer to be the new Face of Deception, she’s thought about it, and she’s going to have to pass. And not that Lucy’s asked for her opinion, but for what it’s worth (🍷), she thinks they should stick with the face they’ve already got. She leaves and Lucy looks sad.

Brook asks if Kristina has seen Blaze; they’re supposed to meet here. Kristina says, Blaze told her to let Brook know that she had to run a quick errand, but will be back shortly. Brook thanks her, and Kristina asks if she can get Brook anything. Brook says she’ll take a club soda. She needs a clear head for what she’s about to do.

Looking at her phone, Laura tells Ava, sorry. Duty calls. Ava says she totally understands, and Laura says she has to get going, but it’s so good to see her back in her gallery, safe and sound. Ava says, as bad as it was, she knows the worst is behind her, and it’s time to focus on her future. Laura says, that’s very smart of her. They’ll talk soon. She leaves, and Ava sits down, her head in her hands. She calls Austin who’s still at the bar, and he says, finally. He’s happy to hear from her. She says, her gallery. Now.

Finn says, you’d think he would have diagnosed his own OCD years ago, and Elizabeth tells him, you know what they say; doctors make the worst patients. She never stops learning new things about him. He says he doesn’t think having OCD is that interesting. He thinks she’s the fascinating one. She’s this amazing artist, but she’s also this compassionate healer who happens to be the Head Nurse at a major metropolitan hospital. She says, he’s just being nice, and he says he’s been described a lot of ways over the years, and nice is never on the list. Trust him. She tells him that she doesn’t care what anyone says, because she knows he’s nice… and handsome, and so, so smart. The whole backgammon thing, she can take it or leave it, but she also knows he’s a really good friend, an amazing father, and an excellent doctor. He says he can’t stand any more of these compliments. It’s making him very, very uncomfortable. So he’s going to kiss her now before she can say anything else about him. She says her plan worked, and kisses him. There’s a song part, and they go to the bedroom and get busy.

Sonny shows Lois pictures on his phone. He says, those are his grandkids. That’s Rocco, Dante’s son. She says, he’s so grown-up and he’s handsome, just like his grandpa. He says, and that’s Michael’s kids, Amelia and Wiley, and she says she can’t wait until Brook has kids. She and Chase would make beautiful children. She thinks Chase is a good guy. Does Sonny know him? He says, yeah, he works at the PCPD with Dante, and she says she knows, but cops aren’t his favorite. He asks what she’s talking about. He loves everyone. She says, he does? What about the Feds? She heard they called him in last month. What was that about? He says, a simple case of mistaken identity, and she says, uh-huh.

Eddie says he owes Olivia a big thank you, and she says, for what? He says, she accepts him for who he is, and she defended him. She defended his right to be himself. She says she’s not going to try and make him be someone he’s not. He’s a spectacular musician. He’s a wonderful, kind-hearted man. He thanks her, and she says, but she’s never going to stop missing her husband, and leaves.

Lucy tells Martin that they don’t even know if Sasha still wants to be the Face of Deception after the hell she went through. She really is still recovering. They don’t know if she’s camera ready or will ever be camera ready. Lucy has lots of classic products she needs to rebrand and new products she wants to launch, and Blaze would have been absolutely perfect. Martin says, except for the part where she doesn’t want the job, and Lucy says, the reason they can’t do this is because of Tracy. She really did bulldoze everybody so she would get her way. She didn’t even have the chance to do her full court press to win Blaze over. She could have had Blaze signed up, locked down, and she wouldn’t even have time to reconsider. He says, so Lucy wanted to trap her, but she says, no. What she wanted was to not take this lying down. You know what she’s going to do? She needs to show Tracy exactly who she’s dealing with. She jumps up, kisses Martin loudly on the cheek, and dashes out.

Cody says he took a look at Dante’s renovation plans for the family room, and if they really made a push, they could probably finish it in four days. Sam asks if he’s offering to help, and he says he is. Sasha says, count her in too.

Blaze tells Brook, sorry to keep her waiting, but Brook says, don’t worry about it. Kristina says she’ll give them some privacy, and Brook says, so let’s get down to business.

Austin arrives at the gallery where Ava is waiting for him. He says, she’s beautiful, and he’s just so glad she’s okay and that she called… She says, he’s drunk, and he says, yeah. It’s been a hell of a day. She says, yes, it has, because she just found out that Nikolas is very much alive.

Laura meets Martin at the Grill, and he says, there she is, his baby sister. They hug, and he says he’s so happy she’s back. He missed her so much. She says she missed him too, and they sit down. She says she’s really sorry she didn’t reach out sooner, but he says he can only imagine how she has to manage the city and their wacky family. She says, what are they going to do about their wacky brother?

Austin says, Nikolas is alive? and Ava says, yes. Laura tracked him to Geneva. While she didn’t see him, his banker told her that he’d been to the bank several times in person. He says, that’s great. Isn’t that great? No more blackmail. She says, yeah. It occurred to her, for months now, she’s been following orders from him, Mason, and their mystery boss, because if she didn’t, they’d deliver Nikolas’s body to the police. But if Nikolas is alive and well in Switzerland, she just needs to know one thing. Did he know about it?

TJ goes into Mason’s room, and Mason says, what’s up, doc? Did TJ come to finish what his cousin started? TJ says he’s a doctor. He took an oath to save lives, not end them. Mason says, so he guesses TJ expects a thank you for saving his, but TJ says, no. He came back here to explain why. He would never condone murder, even for someone as despicable as Mason. Sure, Austin would have most likely been caught, and it would have wrecked the rest of his life. That was a factor, but the biggest reason he stopped Austin was, it would be letting Mason off way too easy. Once Mason is convicted for his many crimes, he’s going to spend the rest of his life in prison. Sure, it will be for what he did to Ava, not what he did to TJ, but as long as Mason is locked up forever, he sees that as a win.

Lois says, in some ways, Sonny is different, but in a lot of ways, he’s the same old Sonny that she knows and loves. He says, different how? and she says she doesn’t know. Maybe he’s more… confident, if that’s even possible. She knows what it is. He’s more centered. Hey, she doesn’t know about him, but she’s starving, and that biscotti’s just not doing it for her anymore. He says he’ll get the chef to make something for her, or he’ll make something for her, and she says she’s Gloria’s daughter. Don’t insult her like that. He says, kitchen’s in the back, and she thanks him, and heads for the kitchen.

Brook says, here it is, giving Blaze a folder. The official contract for her to become Blaze’s manager. As she promised, it’s everything they discussed and agreed upon, but she encourages Blaze to read it again. They both made the massive mistake of signing contracts with that sleaze Linc Brown. She’s learned her lesson. She will never again not read the fine print and advises Blaze to do the same. She also had her attorney keep the legalese to a minimum, so she’ll know what she’s signing. Blaze thanks her, and says she appreciates Brook has been where she’s at and that Brook has her best interests in mind. But just in case, she’s going to read it through anyway.

Sasha says, just to be clear, she wants to help, but has zero experience with carpentry or any kind of home improvement. But she’s a hard worker and willing to take direction. Cody asks what Sam and Dante say, and Dante says he feels bad accepting their help. It’s a lot of hard work. Sam says, and at the end of the day, all they’d be getting is beer and a couple of pizzas, and Cody says he knows they mean well, but if they don’t cut it out, they’re going to start hurting his feelings. They’re offering to help because they’re Dante and Sam’s friends.

Basking in the afterglow, Elizabeth says, everything about this is magical, and thanks Finn for planning such a special trip. He says, she doesn’t have to thank him. It’s amazing. She says she had so much fun today. She loved tapping those maple trees. He says he’ll never think of maple syrup the same way again, and she says, her neither, kissing him. (I wonder what they did with it…)

Lois serves Sonny a pasta dish, and says, just for you, old friend. Although she’s got to tell him something. That kitchen in there needs work. He says, oh really? and she says, he should be happy he has a friend who tells him the truth. He asks if he told her how happy he is she’s back, and she says she’s happy to be back. They eat, and now I want pasta.

Cody says, Dante has been a good friend to him, and Sam, in the short time he’s known her, has proven she’s someone he can count on. So he’d offer them his help even if they hadn’t just put themselves on the line to help take down Dr. Montague. But they did, so as a friend, he’s doubly motivated to help them. Sasha says she feels the same way as Cody. They saved her sanity. They saved her life. Sam says she’s just glad that whole nightmare is over. Dante says, time for a fresh start, and Sam raises her beer mug. She asks if they’re doing this, and they agree, clinking glasses.

Blaze says, this contract seems pretty straightforward. She’s about to sign, when Brook says, hang on. They need a witness. She asks Kristina to join them for a second and tells her that they need a witness to Blaze signing this contract. Kristina says, happy to help, and Blaze signs. Kristina signs, and Brook says, that’s it; they’re official. Blaze thanks Kristina for being her witness, and Kristina says, anytime. She goes back to work, and Brook says, congratulations, client. Blaze says, thank you, manager, and they shake hands. Kristina tells them, wait. It’s time to celebrate. She brings over two bottles of beer, and says, here’s to making beautiful music. Brook and Blaze clink bottles.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy says, Lucy wanted to see her, and Lucy says she did. Okay, Tracy wins. Sasha will continue to be the Face of Deception, and there will absolutely be no contract for Blaze. Tracy says she knows. They decided this days ago. Lucy says, but Tracy should know, that’s the last decision she gets to make for Deception. Her dream, her vision, and it’s her company. She leaves, and Tracy says, that she owns 51% of.

Martin tells Laura that he has to admit when Cyrus had that coronary, he worried. Isn’t that somethin’? No matter how angry he gets at their brother or how little he trusts him, he couldn’t help but care. She asks if he believes Cyrus’s religious conversion is genuine, but he says he’s not sure. She knows better than anybody how suspicious he was when all that started. Now he’s not certain after seeing him in that hospital bed. He nearly died; that changes a person. She says, one of the arguments for his release was that he’s an old man in poor health, and therefore couldn’t hurt anyone. Does that sound like Cyrus to him? He says, no. It sounds like he’s playing possum. She says, that’s kind of what she thought too. His heart attack might have brought him closer to God, but it definitely bought him his freedom. It kind of makes her think their brother is just as shrewd as he ever was.

Ava says she asked Austin a question. Did he know Nikolas was alive or not? He says he had no idea. None. He thought she’d go to prison for murdering Nikolas. That’s why he did everything Mason asked him to do. He had no idea Nikolas was alive. And Mason is a liar who lies all the time. He lies to everyone about everything. She has to believe him. She says, does he know what really scares her? She really wants to believe him.

Finn watches Elizabeth sleeping in his arms. He shuts off the light, and kisses her forehead.

Tomorrow, Charlotte asks if Valentin doesn’t trust her; Anna says, it’s exactly what she needs; Josslyn asks Adam to come to Kelly’s with her; and Cyrus takes Trina hostage – again. I think that’s possibly going to turn out to be a dream because I doubt he’s that stupid.

Below Deck Mediterranean

The captain sees the lack of communication between Lara and Max, In her interview, she says, there’s a language barrier, but she thinks it’s how Max uses the radio. He needs to slow down, and Luka needs to figure it out. He’s never been a bosun, and managing personalities is the hard part. Anchor is home, and Tumi tells Jack, happy birthday. In his interview, Jack says his birthdays are always on a yacht, and Tumi reminds him that he’s doing pizza with the kids today. In Luka’s interview, he says, Sandy is a great teacher. He’s learning new skills, and they’re feeding his adrenaline addiction. His mom ripped around on a sports bike when she was pregnant with him. Her craving was petrol, and he thinks that’s where it came from. Lara tells Kyle about Max wanting to know how much experience she had, and they both speak in Afrikaans. In her interview, she says she likes cursing in Afrikaans. It makes her feel better. She lets out a string of curses, and I laugh because the bleep is so long. In Kyle’s interview, he says he and Natalya are like brother and sister. They tease each other, but she has a constant I-can-do-better-than-you attitude, and it’s annoying. She talks and he hears absolutely nothing. Luka explains to Max how to use the radio, and in his interview, Luka says, Lara doesn’t have calm and patience. In Lara’s interview, she says, her mom told her, since she was born she’d get blackout angry. She’s been alone with her mom since the age of two, and her mom grifted to keep them alive. It taught her not to be lazy and work toward what she wants. She never wants to be in that situation again. Luka flirts with Natalya, who would be fun if she wasn’t an a-hole. Her boyfriend AJ texts that he’s going to Thailand with some friends, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, last night, he had five girls over and she wonders what he’s doing over there. Lara tells Haleigh that she hates when guys get all macho, and Haleigh says she has a list of things she hates. She’s scared of anteaters; they look prehistoric. And why don’t pockets in women’s garments make sense? Personally, I think there aren’t enough pockets in women’s garments, and there should be a law about that. Anchor is dropped in Cinque Terre, and the kids make pizza with Jack. In Jack’s interview, he says, besides being a chef, he was also an English teacher. The kids were three, and he was basically a babysitter, so that’s the approach he’s taking. Natalya helps with the pizza, and it reminds me of my first job, short order cook in an Italian restaurant. I used to literally dream about making pizzas. Kyle tells Tumi that she’s lucky she doesn’t room with Natalya; Natalya can talk. We see a clip of her going on and on, and Kyle telling her to go to sleep. In Tumi’s interview, she says, if Kyle is talking sh*t about Natalya, that means he’s talking sh*t about her. She doesn’t know what’s going on, but it’s not genuine. Toppings are put on the pizza, and it goes in the oven. The kids dump flour on Haleigh’s head, but she takes it in stride because, tip. Lara gives Max instructions about a cable and starts to get frustrated since he listens to nothing. In Max’s interview, he says, it doesn’t matter what Lara’s title is. He feels like she doesn’t respect him and he doesn’t care.

In his interview, Max says he feels that Lara needs to be exercised [sic], and a producer corrects him, since what he means is, she needs an exorcist. Natalya complains, and in her interview, she says, she gets triggered by laziness. In childhood, her house was immaculate. Her mom was in charge of the inside and her dad was in charge of the outside. It was like a yacht with an interior and exterior crew. That’s why she’s like this. The pizza is served, and Natalya reminds everyone that tomorrow is the last day of charter, and the guests want them dressed as pirates all day. Jack has made an Italian lunch, and in his interview, he says, he’s good at cooking Italian food and loves to eat it. Lunch is served and it’s total… food porn! Luka radios Max, and in his interview, Luka says, it’s like having a toddler. He has to explain everything, and when Max isn’t happy, he throws a tantrum. He tells Max to help Haleigh, and the guests say the lunch is amazing and delicious. In Tumi’s interview, she says she loves chaos. If it gets still, she destabilizes. She needs to go, go, go or not go at all. If you’re still in your pajamas at 10 am, the day’s ruined. Tumi calls Natalya to the crew mess and tells her that she’s going on a hiking excursion with the guests. In her interview, Natalya says, she doesn’t like hiking; it’s a living hell. Who likes walking up a cliff? No one. Well, probably hikers do. Luka tells Haleigh that she’s going as well, and they leave in the tender. Max has wandered off his post, and Lara tells him to never leave the stern alone. She puts him on a break, probably just to get him away from her. She tells Luka that Max is now an irritation, and in Luka’s interview, he says, one things he’s noticed about Max is, he doesn’t like being told off. He calls Max to meet him on the bow. On shore, the guests climb up to an observation deck, where there’s a statue of St. Francis and a dog. In Natalya’s interview, she says, maybe if she prays to him, he and his dog will help her figure out what’s happening with her love life. It’s an amazing view, and when they guests are finished sightseeing, Natalya calls for the tender. Tumi tells Luka that Natalya is ready, and Jack makes lunch. On a side note, I heard cheffy has now been included in the dictionary. Ugh. It sounds so silly, and since when are pet names in the dictionary? As they pull up to the boat, primary Roy says, all that walking worked up an appetite. Tumi meets them with drinks, non-alcoholic for the kids, and he says, this is the greatest vacation ever. In her interview, Natalya says, everything feels like it’s last minute, and her relationship is affecting her work life. It’s causing anxiety, and she vents loud. Her truce with Tumi is a small step she’s taking toward no violence.

Captain Sandy calls Luka and Lara to the bridge and tells Lara that she’s going to be driving when they haul anchor. In the captain’s interview, she says, Lara works really hard, and she cares. She wants Lara to see how good communication is when she’s at the bow maneuvering. Max and Luka haul anchor, and Captain Sandy instructs Lara on steering. In Lara’s interview, she says, it’s her dream job to be captain and this is giving her the shivers. In her interview, she says, when she was young, she had a vision of herself as a captain with a little monkey on her shoulder, like Captain Hook. She thanks the captain and says she’ll never forget this. The captain tells her to make a turn, then go back to center. Lara follows instructions, and the captain says, excellent work. Lara says she’s a bit stressed, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Lara is like a little Sandy back in the day. She thinks Lara would make a good captain. Everyone gets ready for dinner, and AJ texts Natalya to call him before she goes out tomorrow. Food porn Dinner is served, and Roy says, eating while moving is like music. I don’t get what that, since it seems like it might be more annoying than musical. In Lara’s interview, she says, it’s like a light switch went off. Max is completely in outer space. Natalya mumbles, and in Kyle’s interview, he says he feels she’s being stable since the reset, but she’s not past regression. She’s always convinced something is wrong when no one else sees anything. The drama girl. Anchor is dropped, and Lara says, what a good day. She’s taking that in since it’s rare. Roy and his family play Yahtzee, and Natalya makes up clues for the treasure hunt. In Tumi’s interview, she says, they’ll most likely never be best friends. Unfortunately, she saw the demon first. We flash back to that, and Tumi says, goddammit. The best guests in the world go to bed, and in Luka’s interview, he wonders what Natalya wants. Is it on or off? She’s his type, but trying is getting harder. Who is he to Natalya? A side piece?

Final day of charter; Pirates of the Mediterranean. In Lara’s interview, she says, hop on the fun train; they’re having fun today. Natalya goes over the treasure hunt with the interior, and everyone dresses up. Luka tells Lara, Natalya is shy about her boyfriend, and Lara says she thought they were in an open relationship. Jessika calls Captain Sandy and says she’s much better. The captain says, they’ll see her on the dock in Genoa. Breakfast is served; otherwise known as… food porn! Tumi tells Natalya to start getting ready for the treasure hunt, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, she used to be a nanny to three boys. She’s got the pirate party down pat. Captain Sandy gathers the guests and says she needs help finding the lost treasure. She gives them the first clue; near the piano, they’ll see a cannonball clue near a key. They go to the piano, and find the next clue; outside the doors, there’s a cannonball game. They need to score 3 for the next clue. After they play the game, the next clue says to have a pirate fight with Captain Sharkbites. Max plays the captain, and the kids duel with him. Obviously, he lets them win, and the next clue is, find the cook with a hook for the final clue. Jack gives them the last one; find the pirate flag and secure the bag. They find a bag with a bunch of fake jewels and treasure in it. Guest Asa tells Captain Sandy that it was so fun, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, that’s why she wanted Natalya to do it. She knew Natalya would enjoy it and it’s up her ally. Plus, she doesn’t have to since she couldn’t care less. Natalya put so much love into it and Tumi is proud of her. Natalya says, it lifted her spirits. Anchor is home, and in Luka’s interview, he says, Max is more productive when he’s encouraged. He’s finally learning how Max works instead of getting frustrated. Roy asks if tiny guest Beau is thankful for their good time on the boat, and they get ready to dock. It’s a seriously tight squeeze, and in his interview, Luka says, the gap looks smaller than the boat. He doesn’t know how Captain Sandy trusts him to bring this thing in.

As they dock, guest Ehren says, this is intense, and guest Erika says, Captain Sandy is amazing. Ehren says, look how f***ing tight they are, and the lines are thrown. The captain says, good job everyone, and Max says he’s not doing any push-ups today. It’s time for goodbyes, and Roy says, they’re so lucky. Asa says, it’s the best vacation ever. The treasure hunt warmed her heart. Roy says, they know they’re safe in the captain’s hands and always have a good time. He gives her the tip envelope, and they leave. In Luka’s interview, he says, the game’s been going on too long. Hopefully tonight.

At the tip meeting, Captain Sandy says, they were amazing. They were down a person, but she never had concern. She asks them to give Natalya a hand for the treasure hunt, and one for Luka who stepped into the bosun position like he’d been there. And one more hand for Lara becoming lead deckhand. She’s doing an awesome job. She sees what needs to be done and does it. They’re an awesome team. The tip is $28K or $2300 each, and she says, it speaks volumes. She tells them that Jessika is coming back, so they’ll have their support back. They all clink glasses of champagne, and whatever for the captain. In Jessika’s interview, she says she’s 99.9% better. Put me in, coach; I’m ready. They crew goes out, and in the taxi, there’s a lot of random sex talk, and Lara says, this is the most sexual group ever. They go to a bar and do shots. Jack flirts with a girl there, and in his interview, he says, there’s no one on the boat for him. In Natalya’s interview, she says, when she and Luka touch, she feels like a sex addict. Jessika feels left out, and Max and Kyle smoke from a hookah. Everyone dances, and Jack kisses the girl he’s flirting with, calling her the lady in red. I just keep thinking, aren’t they going to eat something? Natalya calls AJ, and she says, she doesn’t know what position she’s in with him… Of course she becomes close with the people she works and lives with… She wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t lie. Luka and Kyle discuss Natalya’s relationship, and Natalya tells AJ that she has to deal with him while she’s stuck on the boat. How does he think she feels when she asks if he’s been with anyone? In her interview, she says, if he told her to come home, she would.

In Tumi’s interview, she says, there’s sexual tension between Luka and Natalya. She thinks Natalya doesn’t know what she wants. Just do it already. Natalya says, it’s the strangest situation in her life, and Lara asks why she doesn’t want to do it with Luka. Natalya sits on Luka’s lap and asks if they should go to the jacuzzi. In Luka’s interview, he says, the chase goes on, and they head back to the boat. In the taxi, Luka says, AJ can do what he wants, but Natalya can’t, and Haleigh tells them, kiss now and stop being stupid. In Natalya’s interview, she says, it’s so good, but so bad. When they get back, Max does push-ups on railing. Natalya calls Luka into the bathroom, and we hear kissing sounds. Kyle knocks on the door and says, he’s going to… the thing. I don’t even think he knows what he means, since they’re all so drunk. I just think, drunk on a boat where you sleep in a bunk? No, just no. Luka gets in Natalya’s bunk with her, and she says she knows it’s difficult. He kisses her, and honestly, I don’t think I kiss that loud. Why is it always so loud and smacky sounding? Do they amplify the volume? In the bunk below, Kyle says, sweet dreams, angels. As they’re kissing, AJ calls, and Luka says, go for it. It’s going to be funny. Answer it. Kyle says, don’t, and Natalya says she’s confused. Luka says, get in line, and Natalya says, it’s not going be good.

Next time, Captain Sandy says the next charter is all young girls and maintain as much as they’re temped; Natalya talks to AJ; Kyle argues with Jessika and says she’s not on the team; and Captain Sandy breaks her wrist.

🐦‍⬛ Gently Rapping At the Chamber Door…

Come on by tomorrow for soap and Halloween shenanigans. Until then, stay safe, stay driving extra safely on Halloween and take a car service if you’re drinking, and stay being happy if you have a friend who tells you the truth.

Oct28

October 27, 2023 – Mason’s Taking Austin Down With Him, Finn’s Cut, Spending 5 Nights, Dead Stuff, Witchy Sisters, Fearless In Fear, Ushering In a Scare, Pups Of Halloween, Quotes Numbering 9 & Spell

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brattleboro, Vermont. Elizabeth and Finn walk into the cabin, and Elizabeth says she’s impressed. Finn says he really loves it up here. He and Dan interned together. He’s a good guy. Make herself at home; put her stuff anywhere. She flops on the couch and says, this is comfy and perfect. Finn looks around and says, Dan said it would be here somewhere, he just didn’t say where, and she asks what he’s looking for. If he told her, she could help him look for it. He looks under the sink and says, found it, holding up a hammer. She says she never would have guessed that was what he was looking for. What are they doing, hunting vampires? Viewers who watched Port Charles are collectively laughing at the reference.

Esme asks if Alexis has time to talk to Mayor Collins. She’s here to see her. Alexis says she always has time for Laura; send her in. Laura thanks Esme and says, she’s really settled into her role as a receptionist. Alexis says, she’s actually doing a very good job. In fact, Esme caught a mistake she made and saved her a lot of trouble a few weeks ago. Esme says, it’s all part of her job. Let her know if they need anything. She leaves, and Alexis says, welcome home. She hugs Laura and says, it’s good to see her. Laura says, her too, and Alexis asks what she found out about Nikolas. Laura says, before she gets into all of that, she wants to thank Alexis for keeping an eye on Esme while she was out of town with Doc. Esme listens outside the door.

Austin watches as TJ goes into Mason’s room. TJ tells Mason that he needs to check his incision site to make sure it’s healing properly and there’s no sign of infection. He needs Mason to roll over on his side. Mason says, and he needs TJ to make himself useful. He needs some painkillers.

Josslyn calls Trina at the gallery and asks why she left so early this morning. She woke up and Trina was gone. Trina says she’s at the gallery covering for Ava. After everything that’s happened in the last couple days, she wanted to spend the morning with Avery. Josslyn says, that’s sweet of her, and Trina asks if Josslyn can do her a favor. Josslyn says, anything, and Trina says, somebody is supposed to drop off an art book at the dorm for her. Has it come yet? Josslyn says, it hasn’t, and she’s been at the dorm all morning, studying with Adam for Organic Chem. Trina asks if Josslyn can just leave it on her bed when it comes, and Josslyn says, of course (🍷). Trina thanks her and says, somebody’s here; she has to go. Cyrus walks in.

Elizabeth and Finn carry metal buckets through the woods, and she asks if he’s done this before. He says, once, but he has to warn her, it can get pretty messy, and she says she’s not the one who’s afraid to get messy.

Esme continues to listen in, and Laura says she can’t tell Alexis what a relief it was to her that Esme was here working with her and her baby was just down the hall in the daycare center. Alexis says she wasn’t kidding. Esme is actually doing a good job. Who’d-a thunk it? And she loves having that cute little boy down the hall; he’s darling. Has Laura seen how big he’s gotten? Laura says she has. She just wishes Nikolas could see him.

TJ says he’ll let Mason’s surgeon know he’s still in pain, but right now, he is receiving the correct dosage of pain medicine. Mason says he’s really hurting here and needs something stronger. Does TJ think he’s lying? TJ says he believes Mason is telling the truth, but according to his chart, he just received his pain meds. Just relax and let the medicine take effect. Mason tells him to get another doctor in here, but TJ says, any other doctor will come to the same conclusion. They can’t endanger his health by giving him additional pain medicine. Mason asks if TJ needs his ears checked, because obviously he does if he didn’t hear Mason the first time. He needs more drugs – now! TJ says he needs Mason to take a better tone, and Mason tells him to go now. TJ says he needs Mason to calm down, and Mason says, TJ’s ego is running his mouth. He can’t listen to TJ’s whining anymore. He can’t wait for this to be over so he never has to hear TJ speak again. He never used to shut up down there either. TJ says, wait. He knows who Mason is. Mason says, he’s TJ’s patient. Now get him more drugs. TJ says, Mason’s one of the men who was holding him when he was abducted. Mason kept him a prisoner for days. Mason says, then cry him a river. So is that it? The roles are reversed, and now he’s TJ’s prisoner?… He guesses he doesn’t know what he’s saying. He must really be stoned. TJ says, Mason knows what he did to him, doesn’t he? And you’re going to pay for it, you sick son of a bitch. He leaves, and Austin watches him stride down the hall.

Adam tells Josslyn, that’s so old school, handwritten notes. He doesn’t know how she can keep up with what the professor’s saying and write everything down fast enough. She says she doesn’t. She actually records the lecture and then later transcribes it in her own handwriting. Apparently, there’s a lot of research on this. If you actually (WOTD) write things down in your own handwriting, you remember them better instead of like, typing it. (I have actually found this to be true.) He says she’s full of surprises, and she suggests he try it sometime. He says, it seems like a waste of time, and she says she gets it. His grades are already perfect. But it helps a lot with memory retention. It’s the easiest way for her to remember all the details.

Cyrus tells Trina, what a nice surprise. Forgive him for startling her. She asks what he’s doing here, and he says, right down to business. He likes that. He’s not sure if she heard, but he was released from Pentenville. God bless our justice system. She asks what he wants, and he says he’s here to find some artwork for his new place. He thought Ava would be here. This is just a fortuitous accident finding Trina here. She says, there’s no such thing as an accident when it comes to him, and he says he stopped by General Hospital to apologize to Dr. Robinson, and she gave him a stern warning not to seek Trina out, and of course (🍷) he would abide by her mother’s wishes. She says, then leave, and he says, she’s right; he should go. But before he does, he’d like to apologize to her for his past actions, for what he put her and her mother through. She says, for what he put them through? She can’t believe this BS she’s hearing. He held them hostage at gunpoint, and he wants her to forgive him? He’s more of a psychopath than she thought he was. Now get out! Now! She points to the door, and Spencer says, what’s going on? He comes in and asks what Cyrus is doing here. Cyrus says, Spencer, my boy. He really would like Spencer to call him uncle.

Alexis gives Laura some coffee and says, lay it on her. What does she know about Nikolas? Laura says, everyone who told her Chechnya would be a dead end was right. Alexis says, he wasn’t there, and Laura says, right, and no sign that he’d ever been there. The same with Cassadine Island. There was no trace of him. So then she and Doc went to Italy to the Cassadine mansion on Lake Como. Alexis says she knows it well, and Laura says, that was also a dead end. Then she got this gut feeling that maybe she should check in with his banker in Geneva, because eventually he’s going to need money and that’s where his biggest holdings are. Alexis asks if he was there, and Laura says, no, but they just missed him. And she got confirmation that he had been there several times, and one time, he moved a very large sum of money. She couldn’t get the details on it, but the good news is, she walked away from there knowing her son is alive. Alexis says, great. Thank God, right? Laura says, yes, but the bad news is that he doesn’t want to be found.

TJ storms into Jordan’s office, and she asks, what’s wrong? He says he just found out who abducted him and held him prisoner. She says, what? Who? He says, Mason Gatlin, and she says, the man who abducted Ava Jerome? And he’s sure of this? He says he’s never been more certain of anything in his life. It is him.

Austin goes into Mason’s room, and Mason says, if it isn’t the doctor in the family. Austin tells him, says the felon in the family, and Mason asks if Austin missed him. Austin says, not at all, and Mason asks if Austin at least brought him better drugs. Austin says, he’s had enough drugs. What did he tell the cops? Mason asks what Austin thinks he told the cops, but Austin says he’s not messing around here. What did Mason tell them? Mason says he told them that he kidnapped Ava… for Austin.

Spencer says, Cyrus is out of prison, and Cyrus says he is. Miracles do happen if you believe. Trina says she thought Spencer knew he was released, but Spencer says, no. Trina says, he went to GH and harassed her mother yesterday. She called Trina yesterday and said she’s getting a restraining order so Cyrus stays away from them, but here he is, bothering her. Cyrus says he explained this to Trina already. He had no idea she would be here. He stopped in to patronize Ava’s gallery. Trina says, if Ava wants to sell him something, that’s on her, but she refuses to wait on him. He says he doesn’t blame her, and she stamps her foot and says, stop with this disgusting act. She doesn’t buy it. Cyrus says, she’s angry at him and he understands. He did a terrible thing to her and her mother – she says, he’s damn right – and he regrets it deeply. But since finding the Lord, he’s tried to make almonds amends. Spencer knows this; he witnessed it at Pentenville. He did everything he could to make sure no harm came to Spencer while he was there. He did everything to protect Spencer.

Finn says, they have to pick one carefully, and Elizabeth asks, why? He says, sometimes it doesn’t work. She asks if there’s a trick to hitting a vein, but he says, no. A little luck, a little skill. Usually, you don’t get one on the first try, but maybe they will. Let’s see. He checks out a tree and says, this one looks good. He helps her hold the spigot up to the tree and tells her to watch her fingers. She says she’s going to need to watch both their fingers. She’s got it. Let go. She raises the hammer.

Spencer says, Cyrus did look after him while he was in Pentenville. But what Cyrus did to Trina and Dr. Robinson and to his grandmother is unforgiveable. Someone could have been killed that night. Cyrus says he realizes that, and he’s trying to make amends with everyone he’s wronged, and Trina asks if Spencer is buying this. Cyrus sees her desk, and says, look at that, the turtle dove. He gave those to Spencer before Christmas last year in the hope he would share them with her, and he did. That warms his heart. Trina says, he doesn’t have a heart, and Cyrus says he hopes Spencer kept the other one. Spencer says he did, and Cyrus says, good. He reaches for it, saying, may I? but Trina snatches it off the desk and says, no. She’s not going to stand here and make pleasant conversation with somebody who held her and her mother at gunpoint.

Mason laughs and says, Austin should see his face. Oh no, I’m going to prison. He’s an idiot. If he’d given Austin up to the almighty PCPD, he’d be in custody, not walking the halls of a hospital. He’s a joke. Austin says, Mason is certifiably insane. What did he tell them? Mason says he came in with two bullet holes in his back. He didn’t really have time for a sit-down and chit chat. But worry not. He’ll do a tell all when the cops make him a deal. Austin says, they’re not going to offer Mason a deal, but Mason says, if he surrenders up enough details, he’s pretty sure they will. He plans to tell the police that it was him and Austin together in on the Ava kidnapping. Austin says, there’s no proof he had anything to do with it, and they are never going to believe a word out of Mason’s mouth. Mason says he thinks they will.

Jordan asks TJ to tell her why he thinks Mason Gatlin is the one who abducted him, and TJ says he kept running into Mason in his cousin’s office, Dr. Gatlin Holt. And he had this feeling he knew Mason from somewhere. He just couldn’t put his finger on how or where. Today… She tells him, take a deep breath, and he does. He says, today it finally clicked. He was treating Gatlin and it was something Gatlin said to him that made him recognize his voice. It was distinctive. He was the leader of those men who held him captive. It was him. She says, he was abducted to force her cooperation, and he says, now they can both get justice. They can make sure Mason Gatlin is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. She says, no, they can’t, and he asks, why not?

Alexis says she really feels bad for Nikolas, and Laura says, the decisions he’s been making now are affecting every single relationship in his life, and she just wishes she could get him to see that. But out of her three children, he’s the hardest to get through to. Alexis says, the brooding and the stubborn side of him, that’s Cassadine. The light and loving side of him is Laura. But the bottom line is, he did a lot of bad things. He made bad choices in the past year, and they just compounded to the point where he felt the only alternative was for him to run and hide, which is exactly what he did. Even if it meant leaving Spencer and Ace. Laura says, from a legal standpoint, if Nikolas were to come back to Port Charles today, how severe would the charges be against him for holding Esme hostage? Alexis says, Esme doesn’t remember being held hostage, so at the moment, that would work in his favor. As far as the rest of it, that’s up to Robert Scorpio the DA to decide whether he wants to prosecute or not. She knows the only thing they have right now is the statement from Elizabeth Baldwin. Laura says, she’s a very credible witness, but Alexis says, they still need corroborating evidence, and they need Esme’s testimony. Without that, she doesn’t think he’ll face criminal charges. Laura says she wishes Nikolas knew that, and Alexis says, the truth is, even if he did, it wouldn’t matter.

Elizabeth gets sap out of the tree, and Finn says, wow. She asks what he said about not getting it on the first time, and he says, beginner’s luck. She tastes it, and he asks how it is. She sticks her finger in the bucket, and says, see for himself. He puts her finger in his mouth to taste it and says, amazing, and they kiss.

Laura tells Alexis that she wishes there was a way for her to get ahold of Nikolas. Although she knows when he makes up his mind, there’s usually no changing it. Alexis says, Nikolas prides himself on being the good son, the good father, and he was all those things, until he wasn’t. He blew it and he knows that, which is why he ran. He doesn’t want to face the people he disappointed. Laura says, that’s why she feels it’s so important for her to reach out to him, to let him know she loves and supports him, even though he made some bad decisions. Alexis tells Laura that she’s sorry to say this, but Nikolas has resources the rest of them don’t have. And when a Cassadine wants to disappear without a trace, they do. She thinks the only choice they have is to let him figure this out and come back on his own time. Laura says, but he’s got a beautiful little boy he’s never even met, and he’s missing moments in the baby’s life he’ll never be able to get back again. She just wishes he’d come to his senses and come back. Alexis says she wishes that too, for Ace’s sake. Spencer believes he’s very independent, but he needs his father. Laura says, it’s so ironic that she can’t bring her son home, but her brother’s back, whether she wants him or not.

Josslyn asks Adam a question about alkanes, and he says, is that the best she can do? She moves his phone out of his hand with her foot, and says, no cheating. He answers her question with a bunch of science stuff (not my forte), and she says, it’s official; he’s a genius. That’s why he gets such great grades. He says he has to. The competition is fierce to get into any med school, let alone the ones his parents have on their approved list. ( I get confused for a moment, because Sonny is his father IRL.) She says, his parents have a list of medical schools? and he says, they want him to either go to Harvard, Stanford, or Johns Hopkins. He’s leaning toward Harvard. He really loves Boston. She says, Boston’s beautiful in the fall, and he says, what about her? What medical school is she leaning toward? She says she doesn’t know. She hasn’t really thought that far ahead. Her goal right now is to just do well in undergrad and then move on to the next thing; take it in manageable steps. He says, her parents are okay with that approach? and she says her parents are okay with anything as long as it’s reasonably productive and she’s happy doing it. He wonders what that’s like.

TJ asks what Jordan means that Gatlin can’t be prosecuted for what he did to him, and she says, yes, he was a victim of abduction. But let’s look at this the way DA Scorpio would. He was blindfolded, correct? He says, yes, and she says, disoriented? He says, yeah, and she says, his account of the situation and the details around it are unreliable at best. And they have no supporting evidence to corroborate his statement. They don’t even know where he was held. He says, this is ridiculous, and she says, he’s right. It is. But with her experience in law enforcement, this isn’t a case she’d ever bring to the prosecutors. TJ says, Mason did this to him. He knows this. He knows it was him. That voice. He has no doubt about this. She says she believes him, but it’s not up to her. She hates that this happened to him, but if there’s any consolation in this, it’s that Mason Gatlin is going to be charged with abduction and attempted murder for what he did to Ava Jerome. He says, that’s so great for Ava. He’s happy she’s getting her justice, but what about him? Where’s his justice? He throws up his hands and walks out.

Trina says she’s not going to allow Cyrus to waltz in here and pretend he didn’t hold her hostage at gunpoint. He threatened to shoot her if her mother didn’t tend to his gunshot wound. And if Laura hadn’t offered to take their places as his hostage, he would have killed them. Those words came out of his mouth. So he just wants her to forget all that? He says he never asked anyone to forget what he did. He asked them to forgive, like the Good Book says. She says, so let bygones be bygones? He expects her to accept his pathetic, meaningless apology just because he’s Spencer’s uncle? But guess what? She doesn’t forgive him. And she doesn’t care if he did protect Spencer in Pentenville. If he comes near her again, she’ll call the cops.

Mason says, come on, cuz. He and Austin have been seen together plenty of times in plenty of places by plenty of people, especially his co-workers here at General Hospital. Face it. When it comes to masterminding an abduction, who’s better at being the boss? Who’s better to play the henchman? He can play dumb. He’s going to tell the cops that he was just doing what his big, smart doctor cousin told him to do. Austin asks, why? Really. Why? Implicating him isn’t going to make Mason less guilty. He’s already going to go down for this, he knows that. Mason says, yeah, he knows, but he’s going to take Austin down with him. Austin’s been a pain in his ass for years. Always being so high and mighty, thinking he’s better than Mason because he has a piece of paper from a college? He wants to see how high and mighty Austin is when they’re sharing a prison cell. Austin says nothing and walks out.

Finn starts to tap another tree and asks Elizabeth, how many tries is this? She says, there was that time he hit his finger and then he hit the tree. And the other time… She doesn’t know what he was aiming for. He says, let’s just call it four times, and she says, good luck. He says, what? and she says, ten times is the charm. She watches him, and he says he thinks hunting vampires would have been easier. I get this, since sometimes I think a real zombie apocalypse would be easier. She says she has enough for both of them and takes down her bucket. He says, beginner’s luck, and she says, they can put this on their pancakes tomorrow morning. He says, speaking of which, is she hungry? She says, starving, and he says, let’s go make some dinner. They walk back hand in hand.

Back at the cabin, Elizabeth says, this was so much fun, and thanks Finn. He says, it’s nice to be out of the city. It’s nice to be out of the hospital. It’s nice to be out here in nature with her. She says she couldn’t agree more. Her fingers are so sticky. She runs the water and asks if there’s any soap. He finds some and puts a blob in her hand, and then in his own. He asks if she minds if he joins her, and she says, of course (🍷). He gets closer, and they wash each other’s hands. I guess that’s romantic, but it’s weirding me out a little. They gaze into each other’s eyes, and he kisses her. Better now.

Adam asks Josslyn for an example of a functional group, and she asks if she can use her notes. He says, no, she may not. By memory only. She says, a functional group is a specific structural arrangement of atoms or bonds that forms a… I give up at this point because now it’s getting too complicated, but she gives him the answer. It has something to do with molecules, and he says he knew she’d get it. She says she feels like she just ran a marathon – me too – and now she needs a break. They should maybe go down and get some food… There’s a knock at the door, and she says, that’s probably the art book getting delivered, but as we’ve all guessed, it’s Dex. She throws her arms around him and says, he’s just in time to save her. Adam looks disappointed. Aww.

Esme is still listening. Doesn’t she have work to do? Alexis says she wasn’t going to bring Cyrus up, but Laura says, that’s okay; she’s fine. Alexis says, it’s baffling to her that a miscarriage of justice, to that extent, could happen and Laura agrees. She says, leave it to Cyrus to finagle a hardship release. Alexis says, it’s really unbelievable. She doesn’t know how Laura deals with it. He is Laura’s brother, but still… Laura says she’s very, very conflicted. She does believe in rehabilitation, but that would mean restoring somebody to a normal state that’s acceptable to society. She doesn’t know that that’s possible with Cyrus, and after all the things that he’s done, does he even deserve that? Alexis says, the judge felt he did, and Laura sighs. She says, then she guesses she’ll do her best to believe that the judge is right, and Cyrus can become a productive member of society. But between her and Alexis, it’s going to be a really long time before she trusts her brother.

Cyrus says he can understand why Trina doesn’t trust in him, and Spencer puts his arm around Cyrus and says, it’s time for him to go. Now. Cyrus says, okay. Spencer follows him to the doorway, where Cyrus turns around and says he owes Trina a great debt. If she ever needs his help for any reason, she only needs to ask. She says she will never ask him for anything. Does he hear her? Never! Now get the hell out! Cyrus leaves, and when he’s gone, Spencer comes back to Trina. He tells her, it’s okay, he’s here, and holds her.

Elizabeth says, she and Finn should wash their hands together more often (please don’t), and he says, definitely. He’s filthy all the time. They kiss again, and he says, maybe dinner can wait, but she says she doesn’t know… He kisses her, and she says, okay. Dinner can definitely wait. There’s more kissing.

Dex asks what he’s saving Josslyn from, and she says, organic chem. She was just telling Adam that she was going stir crazy in here. Dex asks how long they’ve been studying, and she says, a few hours. Adam says, with their midterms coming up, they could probably use a few more hours, but Josslyn says, oh God no. She’s done. Adam says, they didn’t go over the identification of hydrocarbons though, and Dex says, if she needs to stay, he can come back, but she says she needs fresh air. He says, that he can do. He has to take Sonny’s speedboat upriver to drydock it for the winter if she wants to come. She says, okay, and gets her jacket. She tells Adam, it looks like hydrocarbon structures are going to have to wait, but if she aces this midterm, it’s thanks to him. He says, pick up later this evening? but she says she can’t. Thursday? Adam says, perfect. Their midterm is Friday. Josslyn says, cool, and Adam gets his stuff together. He says, what about Trina’s art book? Does she want him to stick around here and wait for it? She says, that’s really sweet of him, but it’s no big deal. She’s sure the delivery person will leave it outside the door. He says he doesn’t mind, but she says, it’s totally fine. He leaves, and Dex tells Josslyn, if there’s time after, they could get lunch at Kelly’s. He knows the owner. They leave, and Adam comes out from around the corner and watches them.

Alexis tells Laura, they say that trust is built over time. See if Cyrus can earn her trust. Does she believe his religious conversion is sincere? Laura says, to be perfectly honest, she’s not sure. She wants to sit down with her brother Martin and compare notes with him and get his take on it. There’s a knock at the door, and Alexis says, come in. Esme says, sorry to interrupt, but Alexis has a video conference call in fifteen minutes. Does Alexis want her to reschedule it? Laura says, absolutely not, not on her account. She’s going to let Alexis get on with her business day. Alexis thanks Laura for coming by and catching her up, and they hug. Alexis says, before Laura goes, she has a question. Does Laura know Judge Kim, the judge that sentenced Drew Cain? Laura says she doesn’t know him. She’s sorry. Alexis says, thanks anyway. It’s good to see her. Laura says, her too, and says she’ll see Esme at home tonight. Maybe tomorrow morning they can all wake up and have family breakfast together? Esme says, okay, she’d like that, and Laura leaves. Esme says she knows Alexis has a video conference call to prep for, but she has a quick question if Alexis doesn’t mind. Alexis tells her, go ahead, and Esme says she doesn’t really know how to ask this. Alexis says, just ask, and Esme asks if she can have a raise. Alexis says, she wants a raise? and Esme says, yes. She wants to move out of Laura and Doc’s apartment. With them back, it’s just all so crowded. Alexis asks if that’s the real reason, and Esme says, yeah. Alexis says, Esme… and Esme says, okay. She’s starting to… have feelings for Spencer.

Spencer brings Trina some water, and she says she shouldn’t have given Cyrus that much power over her. Nobody should have that much power over anybody. She’s not going to let him make her a victim again. Spencer says, she did really good. She practically kicked him out all by herself. She asks if he can promise her something, and he says he’s never going to let Cyrus come near her, but she says, that’s not what she means. She knows Spencer would never let Cyrus do anything to her. She needs him to promise he’ll never tell anyone she lost it like that with Cyrus, especially her mom and Curtis. Because her mom is already angry and terrified that he’s been released. She doesn’t want to add fuel to the fire. Curtis is in a wheelchair and feels he can’t protect them from Cyrus. He says he promises. He’s not going to tell anyone. Clearly, she can take care of herself, but know if she ever needs back-up, he’s here. She says she knows he is, and hugs him.

Austin goes back into Mason’s room, closes the door, and shuts the blinds. Mason says, if Austin is here to beg and plead, save his breath. He’s going to take Austin down with him. Austin says he’s done begging for things in his life. Besides, how would he be begging? There’s no one in this shell of Mason that’s remotely human. He puts on surgical gloves, and says, there’s no reason. Mason wouldn’t help him, would he? Mason says, not on your life, and Austin says, then he guesses it’s time to help himself. He pats Mason’s shoulder, turns off the machine Mason is hooked up to, and takes a pillow from the chair. He slowly walks over to Mason, and Mason says, he doesn’t have the guts. Austin smiles.

TJ walks past Mason’s room, and peeks through the window. The slats are open enough that he sees Austin smothering Mason.

On Monday, Brook tells Kristina that she needs a clear head for what she’s about to do; Sasha says, count her in too; Lucy tells Martin that she needs to show Tracy exactly who she’s dealing with; and Eddie/Ned asks why Tracy can’t take no for an answer.

✂️ Feeling Trim…

I had the feeling it was a crew member. And if you notice, usually when one of the cast gets a new hairdo, many of them do. It’s like picture day in school.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/meet-the-hairdresser-behind-finns-trim

🧸 Loves a Good Scare…

I’m actually looking forward to seeing this one.

Jophielle Love’s Scary New Movie!

⚰️ News Of the Dead…

The latest in Fear.

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/10/27/fear-walking-dead-season-8-episode-8-photos/

https://screenrant.com/madison-not-rick-grimes-fear-walking-dead-season-8/

What the live ones are about.

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/10/23/walking-dead-ones-live-about/

For those who prefer the game.

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/10/21/walking-dead-destinies-release-dates/

🧹 Hocus That Pocus…

About yet another Sanderson sequel.

https://people.com/hocus-pocus-3-writer-anythings-on-the-table-for-sequel-8383552

It was cool until it wasn’t.

https://ew.com/movies/hocus-pocus-stars-stuck-in-air-flying-scenes/

👠 Ladies of Horror…

They could have spent a little more time on Kiki Palmer and Jurnee Smollett. And while more sci/fi than horror, Octavia Spencer was amazing in Snowpiercer.

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/14-black-women-horror-movie-roles/

🔥 Falling For Usher…

If you haven’t seen this yet, stream, don’t wait. It’s incredible.

https://ew.com/tv/tv-reviews/the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher-review-netflix-mike-flanagan/

🐕 Uncanceled Pups…

Dogs and Halloween. There’s nothing better.

https://people.com/dogs-costumes-2023-nyc-halloween-dog-parade-photos-8374321

🐘 Quotes of the Week

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. – Dalai Lama

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. – Desmond Tutu

To thrive in life you need three bones. A wishbone. A backbone. And a funny bone. – Reba McEntire

Dare to be true: nothing can need a lie: A fault, which needs it most, grows two thereby. – George Herbert

The first to cry is the first to fry. – Omarosa, House of Villains

Happiness can exist only in acceptance. – George Orwell

Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults. – Benjamin Franklin

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself. – Harvey Fierstein

A mask tells us more than a face. – Oscar Wilde

🎭 Masking My Mask…

Stop by on Sunday for a little Fear. Until then, stay safe, stay springing for the good candy, and stay forgiving, but not forgetting. Especially if they’ve held you hostage.

Oct27

October 26, 2023 – Felicia Makes an $11,000 Mistake, Not Very Charming Dinner Conversation & Bad

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth goes to Finn’s office and finds him getting a haircut. She says, bad timing? but he says, not at all. He’s almost done here. He lifts his head to talk to her, and the hairdresser pushes it back down. Yep. They do that when you move around. He asks, what’s up? but she says, it can wait. She’ll talk to him later.

While he shares carrots with Trigger, Cody says, I get it. People have to look out for themselves sometimes. That sometimes means starting over somewhere new. It just really sucks when someone who cares leaves someone behind. He hears the door and turns around to see Sasha. She asks if he’s busy, and he says he’s just feeding Trigger. (What happened to Comet?) Did she come to say goodbye? She says, no. She came to say she’s staying. He says, that’s great, and she asks him to look at her. He turns around, and she says, it’s okay for him to ask why she’s not leaving. He says he’s glad she brought that up because he’s dying to know why she’s staying.

Stella asks what brings Jordan to GH, and Jordan says she’s happy to report she’s been cleared by her nephrologist. Stella says, so no more appointments with Dr. Simon? and Jordan says, considering she only has one kidney, she has to check in with him every six months, but he’s pleased with her latest ultrasound results. Stella says, this calls for a celebration. No champagne in the vending machines, but can she buy Jordan a coffee? Jordan says, no thanks, but Stella can give her an update on Curtis. How’s he doing? She and Stella walk, and Stella says, Jordan knows Curtis as well as she does. He’s tough as nails, and he’s determined to make the best out of this bad situation. Jordan says, it took him a while to get there, and Stella says, yeah. He was feeling sorry for himself in the beginning and pushing people away🍼, but she thinks he’s made a lot of progress. Jordan says, something tells her that Stella gave him a tough love speech, and Stella says she certainly did. He wasn’t too happy at first, but he came around. Jordan says she just wishes she had an update on a case for him, and Stella says, no word on who did this? Jordan says, no. Unfortunately, they have no answers yet. Stella says she keeps praying to God to help her understand why this happened, but like Jordan, she hasn’t gotten any answers yet.

Portia comes home, and Curtis says he’s glad she’s back, because her lunchtime visit wasn’t nearly long enough. But he does understand why she rushed off, and he wants to say, thank you. She says, for what? and he says, because clearly, she told Laura it was a good time to come by and he appreciates it. She says, Laura’s been an amazing friend to him, and they haven’t seen each other since the shooting, so she’s glad they got to spend some time together. She pours a glass of wine and starts chugging it, and he asks if everything is okay. She says, not really. Cyrus Renault was released from prison, and she’s guessing he already heard that. He says he just found out. He didn’t want to call her and stress her at work. He figured they’d talk about it at home. Who told her? She says, TJ and of course (🍷) she was furious they actually let this monster go, but she said, that’s okay. She’s going to take some time to process it. Lo and behold, guess who shows up? Cyrus decides to approach her at GH. He says, that son of a bitch.

Carly dashes into Kelly’s, telling Josslyn that she’s so sorry. Josslyn says, that’s okay, and Carly thanks her for covering. She was in Sonny’s office and they were in the middle of something, when Katrina called and said she couldn’t finish her shift. Josslyn says, it’s really no problem, but why did she need to see Sonny?

Dante walks into Sonny’s office and tells him that Gabe said he was busy, but he thought he’d interrupt Sonny anyway. Sonny says, not at all; come in. Dante says he wanted to give Sonny this, and hands him an envelope, saying, for the bride as well actually. Sonny opens a card and takes out tickets. He says, ringside seats to all the boxing matches? He loves it, but this isn’t a wedding gift for Nina, is it? Dante says, she’s going to love it too, and Sonny laughs and asks him what he means. Dante says, it gets Sonny out of the house, so she can have a few nights to herself.

Michael says, this is all Nina gets. Take it or leave it. There’s a knock at the door and Willow comes in. She says, Nina’s assistant said Michael was in here. She hopes she’s not interrupting. Is this a bad time? Michael says, not at all. It’s actually a perfect time, because he and Nina were just discussing something that concerns her. Weren’t we, Nina? Nina says, yes, they were, and Michael asks if Nina wants to tell Willow, or should he?

Sonny thanks Dante and says, this is better than a toaster. (Ha-ha!) Dante asks if that’s what Michael got him, and Sonny laughs. He asks, how was the wedding? and Sonny says, the wedding was exactly what they wanted it to be. It was small, intimate, just family. Two people missing, Avery and his best man, but… Dante says, Sonny knows he wanted to be there. He did it last minute, and Dante couldn’t drop everything at work. Dante sees the new photo of Wiley and Donna, and says, the kids are cute. Did they have fun? Sonny says, they loved it, and Dante says, good. Did Michael fill in for him or what? Sonny says, Dante’s brother stood by him and that meant the world to him, but he’s not going to forget that he asked Dante to be his best man.

Nina says, she and Michael were talking about how much fun they had at the wedding and on the island. Maybe they should go back there. She glances at Michael, and Willow says, that’s exactly why she’s here. This morning, Wiley told her that he wants to go to grandpa’s island with Nina and Sonny. Michael asks if the rest of them are invited, and she says, they’re included, but he wants Amelia to come this time. He did make a point of saying he wants to sit next to Grandma Nina on the plane. I remove the knife from my heart, and Willow says, Halloween is coming up, but she thought, the following weekend would be perfect, so they’ll all go down together. Does that work for Nina? Nina again looks at Michael.

Carly says she went to see Sonny because Drew was moved back to Pentenville this morning, and Josslyn says, Drew was almost beaten to death, and they’re not going to let him finish recovering at GH? Does Diane know they sent him back? Carly says, she does, but unfortunately, the transfer had already been approved, so there’s nothing she could do about it. Josslyn says, that isn’t fair, and Carly says, no, it’s not. Then she went to go see him, and they wouldn’t let her in (she did not – she called). Josslyn asks, why? and Carly says, that’s why she went to see Sonny. She wanted to figure out what the hell is going on. then she finds out Drew was put in solitary confinement. Josslyn says, that’s awful, and Carly says, except it’s not. It’s for his protection, and they are making some progress with getting him released. It just hasn’t happened yet.

Finn goes to the reception desk, and Elizabeth says, look at him. His hair looks good. Did she miss the memo that they opened up a salon at GH? He says, it looks okay? She really likes it? She says, yeah, she does. Does he always get his hair cut in his office? He says, no. It’s the first time. His barber Angelo is doing him a favor. She says, when she hears the word barber, she thinks of some dude named Joe in a white smock, and he says, Joe was booked. He didn’t have any time to go out – he was backed up with patients – and he guesses he wanted to look nice for their trip. She says she’s not going anywhere until she gets this done, so he’d better let her get back to work, and he says he’s sorry if his hair was a distraction. He’ll see her later. She watches as he walks away.

Curtis wonders, how does this happen? Portia wasn’t notified of Cyrus’s release, and now he’s allowed to confront his victims? This is outrageous. She tells him, Cyrus said he was there to apologize. That he was a different man back then, and now he’s found God and he’s seen the light. Of course (🍷) she doesn’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth. Curtis asks if she tried to contact the hospital security, but she says, no. She wanted to stand up to him on her own. She told him that she’d get a restraining order if he approached her or Trina ever again. She put on a brave face, but she’s not going to lie; he got to her. Mainly because she was thinking about Trina. What if he approaches her? They can’t protect her in that dorm. She’s going to have to move back home, at least for a little while. Curtis agrees and says, they’re going to have to protect their daughter. And he knows just who to call.

Stella tells Jordan that TJ and Molly said their surrogate was pregnant. She’s so happy for them. Jordan says, it’s so exciting, and Stella says, and Jordan is going to be a grandma. Jordan says she’s not ready to be called that yet. She’s working on an alternate name. They laugh, when Felicia comes over and says, Stella has to help her. She made a big mistake. Jordan’s phone rings, and she excuses herself. Felicia says she doesn’t know what to do, and Stella says, tell her what’s wrong. Felicia says she made a costly mistake with a patient, and Stella says, calm down and tell her what happened. Felicia says, as Stella knows, she completed her patient advocate training last week. She was feeling very confident with herself. She was sure she could do the job, but today was a very big disaster. She was helping a patient fill out some insurance forms to get an approval for an MRI. The papers are very complicated, and she thought she filled them out correctly, and she told him it was approved by the insurance. So off he went to radiology, and she looked at the paperwork again and realized she’d made a huge mistake. He’s got to pay out-of-pocket $11,000 (talk about outrageous). She knows him and his wife are on a limited income and don’t have that kind of money. What is she going to do? Stella says, write a check.

Felicia asks if Stella can repeat that. Write a check for $11,000? She sits down, and Stella says she was just kidding. A little patient advocate humor. They deal with difficult situations like this all the time, and they’ll figure this out. Take a deep breath – Felicia does – and give her the forms and she’ll see what she can do. Felicia asks if she should come with Stella, but Stella says, no. Just sit tight and she’ll try to figure this out.

Curtis says he told Jordan that he and Portia are concerned about Trina. He doesn’t expect them to have someone watching Cyrus 24/7, but he does need to be on PCPD’s radar. Portia says she doesn’t want Trina to be worried, and certainly doesn’t want her to be paranoid, but she’s got to keep her eyes open. She’s going to call Ava. She doesn’t want Trina working at the gallery alone anymore, especially at night. He says, Jordan told him that Portia was with her when she found out how Cyrus was being released, and she says she was. He got a hardship release because of a heart attack he had a while back. He says, that, and she said the warden cited his good behavior, and Portia says she couldn’t believe it when Jordan told her that. Why would a warden do that, knowing what a criminal Cyrus is? He says he’s more suspect of the doctor. Who would testify on Cyrus’s behalf? She asks if Jordan told him who the doctor was, but he says he didn’t ask. He knows Jordan and knows she wouldn’t give up a name, especially to him because she knows he’d track this guy down. She asks, what kind of doctor would put this animal back on the street?

Jordan asks if Felicia is okay, but Felicia says, oh no. She messed up really big. She’s hoping Stella can help her. Jordan says, don’t worry. If anyone can fix it, it’s Stella.

Elizabeth goes to Finn’s office and says she just remembered what she wanted to ask him. What does she pack for Vermont? He says, a toothbrush and… a sweater? She says, he’s no help, and he says, it’s cold in the mountains, so maybe hats… and those… Don’t worry about it. Dan already stocked the cabin. They’ll have everything they need. She says, but what are they planning? Does she need hiking boots? Rain gear? He says, right. They’re going to go for some walks in the woods, but nothing too crazy. It should be relaxing, not an episode of Survivor. She laughs and he says, it’ll be fun, he promises. She says she can’t wait. So what time are they leaving tomorrow morning? He says he was thinking about 6, and she says, 8? He says, 7? and she says, 7:15? He says, deal. He’ll pick her up at 7:15 sharp. She says she doesn’t think so.

Sonny says he knows Dante didn’t grow up with him in his life, but they’ve always had a special bond. Dante says he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t tough growing up without a father. His mother did her best, but seeing his friends in the street playing stickball with their dads was something he wanted too. Sonny says he’s sorry about that, but Dante says, it’s not his fault. Sonny didn’t know he existed. Sonny says, when Dante found out he was his father, Dante could have turned his back on him, and he didn’t. Dante says he could have, but you know what? They lead different lives and he made peace with that a long time ago. Sonny says he just wants Dante to know there’s no one he respects more than him. Dante thanks him, and says, it means a lot. Sonny says, Dante always supported him and Nina from the beginning, and always had his back. Dante says, the feeling’s mutual because if it wasn’t for Sonny, he doesn’t know if he’d be standing here right now.

Nina tells Willow, that weekend, she happens to be out of town. She’s going to Paris to meet a designer they’re doing a feature on for his spring line. Willow says, no worries. It was just an impulsive idea. They can do it another time. Michael says, with the holidays coming up, it might be difficult. He thinks they should shoot for next year. So she didn’t stop by for nothing, why doesn’t Nina give Willow that gift? Nina says, what gift? and Michael says he’s sorry. Sonny ruined the surprise. He saw Sonny earlier and he said Nina had a gift for Willow. Why doesn’t she give it to Willow now? Nina says, that’s okay; she can wait. She’ll just bring it by the house this weekend. Michael says, it will save her a trip. Besides, he knows how busy she is with work. Who knows the next time she’ll be able to see the kids? I hate him. She says, great idea, and hands Willow a giftwrapped box. Willow thanks her, and Michael says he’s going to head out, but let him walk Willow to her car. Willow says, that’s okay. She wants to catch up with Nina. Michael says, okay, and gives Nina a last look before he closes the door.

Sasha tells Cody, while she was packing, she came across a photo of her and Brando. It was taken the weekend they got married. She debated for a really long time. She thought she was going to take it with her, and finally she decided to leave it there. He asks why she didn’t want to take it with her. He was her husband. She says she guesses it was symbolic. If she didn’t take it with her, she was leaving the past behind. All the pain and suffering would stay here in Port Charles and wouldn’t come with her. (That is even stupider than love means never having to say you’re sorry.) But when she was in the car on the way to the airport, she asked the driver to go by the lake so she could see it one last time. And when she was looking out over the water, she realized that despite all the loss – Brando and Liam and her mind – and despite the betrayal of Gladys, there are many good things about this place. She has people who care about her. He takes her hand and says, put him at the top of that list.

Finn asks if Elizabeth just changed her mind. She doesn’t want to go? She says she absolutely has not changed her mind. She’s really looking forward to it. She just doesn’t think a five-hour car ride with luggage and a cooler is practical in his Mini Cooper. He says she doesn’t like the Mini Cooper? but she says she loves the Mini Cooper; it’s a great car. She just thinks hers makes more sense since it’s bigger. He says, okay, but he doesn’t want her to have to drive the whole way, and she suggests they split the driving. He says, deal.

Curtis says he’s thinking whoever testified on Cyrus’s behalf had to be paid off, and Portia says, so Cyrus used his connections to get out. The hardship release was just an excuse. They need to find the name of this doctor. At the very least, he needs his license revoked. Curtis agrees, but says, she doesn’t need to get her hands dirty. Cyrus is still a dangerous man, so just leave it to the PCPD… for now. She says she’ll back off, but if Cyrus comes near her or Trina, she won’t hesitate to take the first shot. He says, that’s his wife. Not only a healer, but a warrior. She says, he’s got that right.

Stella says she spoke to the insurance company, and Felicia asks if they were able to cover the cost of the MRI. Stella says, unfortunately not; they would not budge. It’s just unfair for the patient to have to cover the cost. Felicia says, since it’s her mistake… and Stella says, exactly. Jordan says, there has to be something GH can do, but Felicia says, this is her responsibility. She intends to pay for it.

Dante says he owes Sonny his life. When he was with the WSB in prison, Sonny came over there and brought him back. Sonny says, Dante would have done the same thing for his son, and Dante says he came back with a lot of baggage. He struggled to get out of bed and was on the verge of losing everything that mattered to him. He was able to rebuild his life, thanks in large part to Sonny. Sonny says, Dante has to give himself a lot of credit; he worked hard. He knows it wasn’t easy. Dante says, if he learned anything from that time, it’s leave the past alone and just move forward, and Sonny says, he’s done that. Dante moved forward and even found love with Sam. Dante says, like Sonny did with Nina. He couldn’t be happier for him.

Michael goes to Kelly’s, and Carly asks if he’s here to pick up some take-out cookies for her grandson. Michael says, no. It does sound good though. He asks Josslyn, what’s going on? and she says, it’s time to put out the Q signal, like the bat signal in Batman. He needs to use some of his Quartermaine influence, because he has connections and ELQ has clout. He asks what she needs him to do, and she says, mom was telling her that even though they’re making progress in getting Drew released, it’s stalled. So maybe he can help unstall it. He asks Carly, what’s going on? and she says she really appreciates Josslyn wanting Michael to help, but she doesn’t want him any more involved than he already has been. It’s too risky. It’s too close to the insider trading incident. He says he’s afraid she’s right. Way too close.

Willow looks at the photo frame and tells Nina, this is so thoughtful. She loves it. Look at how handsome their boy is. Nina says she’s really glad Willow likes it. She made one for Carly too. Willow says, it means a lot to her, and thanks Nina. They really had such a great time at her wedding. Wiley has not stopped talking about it. She thinks this can be a new beginning for all of them. Nina flashes back to telling Michael that she’ll explain it to Willow, and Michael saying, Drew saved her daughter’s life and she got him sent to prison. He was beaten so badly, he almost died. Does she think Willow’s going to forgive her for that?

Elizabeth goes into the elevator and Finn is there. He says, they really have to stop meeting like this, and she says she’s glad she ran into him. Please don’t let her forget apples. He says he won’t. Why apples? She says she promised Aiden that she’d bring him back apples from Vermont because he’s totally into making pies right now. He says he loves a good pie, and she says she learns something new about him every day. What’s his favorite? He says, everything… but rhubarb. What is that? A root pie? He doesn’t get it. She says she doesn’t either. She’ll tell Aiden, no rhubarb, like ever. So are his dad and Chase all set for babysitting? He says, absolutely, and Brook is joining them. Violet is so excited, he doesn’t think she’ll even miss him. He doubts he’ll even get a text message. So no responsibility, no work. Just us. She says she likes the sound of that, and he says, him too. They kiss, the elevator doors open, and they go their separate ways.

Cody asks, what’s next for Sasha? and she says, calling the movers. They have to bring everything back, and they’re somewhere between Austin and here, so she’ll have to stay at the MetroCourt a few nights. He says, if she wants, he could ask Mama Q if there’s a spare room in the main house, just until her furniture comes back, but she says, no. Some of the Quartermaines are just too intimidating. Cody says, and by some, she means Tracy, and she says, yeah. Tracy’s just a lot to take on and she’s not up for the challenge these days. She hasn’t even gathered the courage to return Maxie’s calls. He asks, why not? Maxie’s always had her back, hasn’t she? Sasha says, oh yeah, but Maxie never really said why she came over last night and she just has a bad feeling it had something to do with work. Maybe her future as the Face of Deception won’t last very long. He says, don’t go jumping to conclusions. Maxie totally supports her. She’s a good person; she’s raised a great kid. He’s gotten to know James a little. James cracks him up. He tells it like it is. She says she’s not surprised he got close to James. He’s family.

Sonny says, although he missed Dante at the wedding, he’s glad Dante stayed. Dex told him what happened with Ava. Dante says, that was crazy. That Mason Gatlin guy abducts her, and luckily, they found them before Mason could hurt her. Sonny says, if not for Dante, Ava and Dex would be dead, and Dante says, Dex, Josslyn, Spinelli. Without them, they wouldn’t have found Mason’s location. Sonny says he’s glad Dante saved Ava, because the last thing he wants to do is tell Avery that her mother died. So Dante does all this, and what does the PCPD do? They put him on leave? Why is that? Dante says, it’s just procedural stuff. It’ll clear itself up. What he’s concerned about more is Cyrus Renault being released from prison. Sonny says he heard, and Dante says, just don’t do anything he might normally want to do, okay? Sonny says, yes, detective, and they hug. They exchange I love yous and Dante leaves. Sonny looks at the tickets and smiles.

Carly tells Michael that Alexis agreed to help them by cornering Judge Kim. She uncovered proof that Kim was taking kickbacks and gifts. So Alexis and Gregory Chase called in Judge Kim for an interview. They said they were doing a profile on his landmark cases. Michael asks if it worked, and Carly says, they confronted him about a trip he took on Ascher Alexander’s private jet. Josslyn asks if he isn’t the billionaire, and Carly says, yeah. Apparently, Kim went on some Caribbean fishing trip with him. Kim denied it and stormed out of Alexis’s office. She thinks it scared him. Alexis heard through a contact that he requested Drew’s case file. So they’re thinking he’s either going to reduce Drew’s sentence or commute it altogether. No matter what, she just wants to lie low. She doesn’t want Michael pushing anything before they see what Kim’s next move is. Michael can still pursue his connection at the SEC because she wants a name. She’s not going to stop until she finds out who blew the whistle on her and Drew.

Nina says she just wants to tell Willow that she has so many regrets about things she’s done and her behavior in the past. She’s made so many mistakes. She’s made mistakes with Willow, and if she had one wish, she wishes she could take them all back. Willow says, they can’t change what’s happened, but they can learn from it and try to do better. She’s willing if Nina is. Nina says, yes. She’s so thankful she has Willow in her life. She hugs Willow, and Willow says, she’s wearing the bracelet. Nina says she hasn’t taken it off since Willow gave it to her. She loves and cherishes it. Willow said it was Harmony’s? Willow says, it was. It’s so strange. She’s been dreaming about Harmony lately. Nina asks what she’s been dreaming, but Willow says she can’t figure it out. Harmony is trying to tell her something, warn her, and when she asks Harmony what it means, she talks, but Willow can’t hear anything. She’s sure it’s just her subconscious working overtime. She’s sorry. Does talking about Harmony make Nina uncomfortable? Nina says, no. It’s nothing like that. Sometimes she gets overwhelmed when she realizes how much she has. She wants to hold onto it. She’s so grateful their relationship is so good now, she just sometimes feels it’s going to be taken away from her. She’s sorry. She’s just had so much loss in her life. Willow says, Nina’s not going to lose her.

On the phone, Stella says, thank you. The next dinner is on her… No arguing. She owes her big time. Felicia runs up and says she’s got a check. Who does she make it out to? Stella says, no one, and Felicia says, they don’t take a personal check? She can go to the bank tomorrow and get a cashier’s check. Stella says, she doesn’t have to get any check. It’s taken care of. Felicia says she doesn’t understand, and Stella says, the patient agreed to letting GH use the MRI results in a major research project the hospital is sponsoring. Jordan joins them and says, see? She told Felicia that someone would take care of it. Felicia wonders what Stella did, and Stella says, her friend Tanya coordinates research for clinical trials, and she gave Stella a few contacts and she made some calls and that was it. Easy peasy. They laugh and Felicia hugs Stella.

Portia says, Curtis is back at the books? and he says he’s looking over the numbers for August. This is their worst quarter ever. It’s going to take some time to get out of this hole. She says, that was when he was still recovering. Now that he’s back, it’s all going to be fine. He says he sure hopes so, and she says, why doesn’t he put all of this stuff away for now – she sits in front of him on the desk and takes his glasses off – and start thinking about what he wants for dinner tonight. She can cook. She thinks she has some steaks in the refrigerator. He says, she needs a break. So why doesn’t he take his beautiful wife to dinner. What does she say? She says she wants to get sushi.

Cody tells Sasha that Maxie and her kids aren’t his family. Technically, they kind of are, but he’s the only one who knows, so it doesn’t really count. She says she knows, and he says he knows she knows, and so do Sam and Dante, but he trusts them. He knows they won’t tell anyone. She says she’s honored that he would put her in the same category as Sam and Dante, but he says, no. She’s in a category all by herself. She asks what that would be, and he says, it’s so unique, so je ne sais quoi. it defies categorization. She laughs and says she’s actually been thinking about why Cody hasn’t been honest with Mac. She’s the last person who should be giving any advice, but for what it’s worth (🍷), she wouldn’t be standing here today if she hadn’t realized what she would miss if she walked away from the people she cares about. And Mac cares about Cody even though he doesn’t even know he’s Cody’s father.Can Cody imagine how amazing Mac would feel if he told Mac the truth?

Michael tells Carly that his contact is still working on it, but he’ll keep her posted. Willow walks in and hugs Carly and Josslyn. She tells Michael that she just came from Nina’s. She’s still on Cloud 9 from the wedding… She tells Carly she’s so sorry, but Carly says, it’s okay. They were just talking about the wedding. Donna’s version of the wedding. Willow says, she’s now a pro at being a flower girl. She threw out those petals with confidence. And she has to say, Donna wasn’t the only one who rose to the occasion. Michael really stepped up, and she’s so proud of him for the way he’s accepted Sonny and Nina.

Nina looks at her bracelet, when there’s a knock at the door. Sonny comes in with roses and a take-out bag and says, hello, bride. She says, hello, groom. What is he doing? He already sent her flowers. He says, the new Mrs. Corinthos can’t have too many flowers. It’s a special occasion. She asks what that would be, and he says, it’s their first night back in Port Charles as husband and wife. So let’s celebrate. They kiss and hug, but Nina looks miserable.

Elizabeth says, work done, check, and Finn says, haircut done, check. She tells him that they won’t be listening to podcasts on infectious diseases, but he says he’s been saving them, and she tells him, stop. She’ll take care of the music. She hits a song on her phone, and he says, okay. She says she’ll see him at 7:30, and walks off. He tells her, they said 7:15, and runs after her.

As the song plays, we see Sasha and Cody feeding Trigger carrots; Stella going over things with Felicia; Portia and Curtis leaving for dinner, and Curtis popping a wheelie; Willow and Michael sharing a milkshake, and Michael trying to get Josslyn to eat a French fry dipped in it; Sonny and Nina having dinner in her office, and Sonny kissing her.

Tomorrow, TJ tells Jordan that he’s never been more certain of anything in his life; Adam tells Josslyn that she’s full of surprises; Alexis asks what Laura found out about Nikolas; and Cyrus pays a visit to Trina at the gallery.

Southern Charm

Whitney calls Austen and invites him over for a little reprieve. Taylor brings Penelope to meet Little Craig for the first time, and Shep calls the dogs, children of divorce. They walk with the dogs on the beach, and Shep says he’s going to get Little Criag’s nasal passages fixed. In Shep’s interview, he says, some people think it’s unfair of him to have a nice relationship with Taylor that’s not romantic. He’s inexperienced in this territory; it’s uncharted waters, but he wants to. They talk about Olivia, and Taylor says, the hard part is, when everything dies down and reality sets in. (Truth!) Shep says, Taylor needs to figure out her relationship with Olivia. Just say she’s sorry, she should have told Olivia immediately, and it will never happen again. In Taylor’s interview, she says she’s watching one of her good friends go through one of the worst moments of her life, and she can’t be there for Olivia fully because Olivia doesn’t want her to be. Shep asks, what’s happening otherwise? and she says she’s learning how to navigate a friendship with him. He says he thinks there’s still value in them as friends because they know each other so well, and she agrees. She says, blue skies ahead, and Little Craig throws up.

At Patricia’s house, Whitney gets a fire going, and puts out an amazing charcuterie board, along with lots of liquor. Craig arrives first and goes through the canes in the umbrella stand. He finds one that contains a flask and another with a sword inside, which he’s a little too free in waving around. Austen comes in, followed by Rodrigo, who asks what they’re doing. Whitney says, sword fighting, and Rodrigo says, classic. In Whitney’s interview, he says his mom taught him how to be a good host. Have hors d’oeuvres and cocktails when the guests first arrive. Except for Craig, whose residue is still on the carpet. We flash back to Craig spilling red wine on Patricia’s $45K white sofa. Craig marvels at how it came out, and Rod arrives, Whitney tells him that he smells effervescent. JT is next, and says, it’s his first time in the castle. In JT’s interview, he says he thinks he and Whitney had the same upbringing, but Whitney’s is a little bit more posh than his. Rod says he’s nervous around white furniture, and Austen tells him about Craig spilling the wine. Rod says he wants to be invited back, so he’s doing his best not to spill. Austen suggests Whitney put in a den, since the sitting room is for tea and crumpets. Whitney brings up Rod hitting on Austen’s girl, and we flash back to Rod telling Austen about kinda, maybe, sorta going out with Olivia. Whitney asks why Rod needed to tell Austen, and Rod says, it’s a respect thing. (And like he wouldn’t find out anyway.) Rodrigo asks if Rod (yeah, I hate that their names are so similar) had talked to Olivia, and he says, a little. He brought her some food and they hugged. JT says he’s postponed the clubhouse launch, and in his interview, he says he’s not sure how he can have a party for his business when Olivia is in mourning. So he’s just having a dinner to bring everyone together. Craig and Austen talk in the kitchen, and Austen says he went to therapy, since what Olivia is going through is bringing up memories. We flash to Austen telling Chelsea about his sister’s death. He says he can’t help feeling connected and wants to be there for Olivia. She texted him that she hates they share this awful pain, but it comforts her to know he’s here with her. In Craig’s interview, he says he knows they share familiar feelings, but Austen doesn’t realize talking to Olivia is not what’s best for her. Craig’s an a-hole. I’m not saying it’s a good thing or it isn’t – only Olivia knows that – but Craig is like an old lady busybody.

Madison asks if Brett is packed, and he says he’s bummed that he missed her parents. In Madison’s interview, she says, people ask how they make a long-distance marriage work, but it just is what it is. They make it work like everybody else. Hudson comes in crying and hugs Madison. He tells her that some kid bit him, and it looks like he got knocked around a little. Brett takes him upstairs to clean up, and Madison cries. In her interview, she says, being a parent is one of the hardest, most rewarding things she’s done, and it’s about the only thing that can make her lose control of her emotions. Brett says he wants to talk to the parents, and Madison says she’s shaking. Why would someone do this? She’s going to bite them back. Brett hugs her, and in her interview, Madison says, the fact that she has Brett helping her is a game changer. He stays neutral and keeps them all together. She makes a call, and Hudson asks Brett for a Shirley Temple.

Olivia meets Rod at the beach, and thanks him for getting her out of the house. They go for drinks at a beachside place, and he asks how she is. She says, obviously she’s upset. It’s Connor’s 33rd birthday, and the whole thing is becoming more of a reality. In Olivia’s interview, she says she hasn’t been out. She’s been cooped up and constantly reminded of what’s going on. She needed to get out of the house, and Rod is a calming presence. She feels comforted. She tells Rod that she appreciates all the support. Austen stepped up as a friend; they all did. She asks if he’s been looped into what’s going on with Taylor, and Rod says, for the most part, but the goalposts keep moving. With every person, the story changes. She says she expected it of Austen, but not Taylor. It might seem weird that she’s forgiving him, but the cut isn’t as deep. So she’s trying to put her and Taylor’s friendship back together. Rod says he likes to live by a code and handle himself a certain way. Austen sounds like he’s doing that, but he sneaks around. In Rod’s interview, he says, Austen’s decision making is always about him. He’s always the victim in his own eyes, when he’s the cause of the problem. Olivia says she appreciates Rod taking it slow, and he asks if she’d like to go to JT’s dinner with him. He promises he won’t make out with Taylor, and Olivia says, he makes her laugh. IMO, that makes him three-quarters of the way there.

JT oversees the preparations for his dinner while bartender Corey sets up the bar and a violinist tunes up. JT says, a wireless violin is like a mariachi band with swagger. Craig goes over his wardrobe choices with Paige on the phone. Taylor puts on a cut-out dress with a short blazer, and says she thinks she looks like a stripper on her way to a business meeting. Austen calls Taylor and says he thinks Olivia is excited to see everyone. Taylor tells him about Venita’s get-together for Olivia, and how she’d told Venita it had been a week of a whirlwind of emotions. We flash back to that, and she says, Venita told her it wasn’t a good idea for her to come over. Austen says, that’s f***ing ridiculous. She doesn’t think one of Olivia’s best friends should be there in her absolute moment of need? Taylor says, today is about Olivia feeling comfortable and loved.

At JT’s clubhouse, Shep says he remembers the space as a late-night spot, and JT says, during covid it was like a speakeasy. In JT’s interview, he wonders how Shep could throw the perfect catch back in the sea. If he’d caught that particular catch, he’d never let her out of the boat. The usual suspects show up, and Madison is impressed. They make fun of Whitney’s yellow suit, and Venita grabs Madison, pulling her aside. She says, they had a powwow with Olivia, her, and Leva. Taylor called and Ventia said she was sorry, but she thought Olivia needed her real friends around. Madison wonders how Taylor could be a real friend when she was just kissing the guy Olivia liked. In Madison’s interview, she says, if Taylor is being protective of Olivia, it’s a little too late. She thinks Taylor should shut up. Venita says, they’re not macking on Olivia’s boyfriend. Taylor isn’t practicing what she preaches. Madison says, Taylor was sending nudes to Whitney, and Venita acts like she’s 14, twirling around and then making throwing up gestures. I hate these people.

Madison says, Patricia told her, and we flash back to that. Venita is all over-the-top shocked, and Taylor comes in. Madison says she needs a refill, and in Venita’s interview, she says, if Taylor’s not going to make an attempt to be a good friend, she’s tired of trying. Madison gives Taylor a fake side hug, and Craig says, JT was the most popular during quarantine because they had parties here. Leva comes in, and says, everyone looks dapper, since she just stepped out of the 1930s. Olivia arrives, and Madison makes a face when Olivia hugs Taylor. Everyone wonders if there’s going to be food as they stuff themselves with hors d’oeuvres, and JT says, they’re having filet mignon. He asks Taylor if she’s dating, but she says she’s good as is. Venita tells Craig that she has to leave today for Fashion Week, and in her interview, she says, as an influencer, brands extend invites to her. It keeps the relationship going and allows her to be in the forefront of the brands. Olivia thanks Austen, and says she thanks them all for everything. She saw them in the church all sitting together. Austen says he told Craig that she’d laugh, and in Olivia’s interview, she says, it’s nice to see Austen trying. Unfortunately, he knows how she feels. It’s a sad comfort and she hopes they figure out a way to be in each other’s lives. Austen says, it’s a sh*tty club to be in. Craig tells JT, when Olivia moves to the next stage of grief, she’s going to remember Austen’s bad sh*t. Leva asks why Venita’s eyes are super wide like Venita wants to tell her something, and Venita says, Bible beater, holy art Thou, praise the Lord Taylor is sending nudes to Whitney. Leva’s mouth falls open and I just want to knock their heads together for acting like middle schoolers. Leva says, Taylor is officially that girl, and Craig tells Shep to intervene. Leva says that she feels like she no longer knows this person, and Venita looks for food. Are these people bottomless pits? Madison tells Shep that Taylor sent provocative nude pics nude, and knowing how to confuse me, Shep says, Taylor went through a tempest, and he was part of that. She didn’t know how to behave when things fell apart, and she was trying to hurt him any way she could. Madison says she’s been there and done that, but she’s a different person. Olivia was crying on Taylor’s shoulder, so Taylor’s lying is disturbing. I’m doing a not-so slow burn at this point.

Shep tells Taylor that Madison claims she sent Whitney a boob pic, and Taylor admits she did, but says, it was completely dark. He says, it’s her right to text a dark boob pic. He didn’t see her sending it to Whitney, but doesn’t fault her. She shrugs, and in her interview, she says, God created the naked body, and she believes we should all be naked (oh God no). Jesus isn’t going to hate me just because I sent a nude (which I’m putting on a bumper sticker). She tells Shep that she’d flash her boobs right now, but he says, don’t do that. JT suggests sit down to a nice meal, and they gather at the table. He clinks his glass and thanks them for coming. It’s obviously been a tough couple of weeks, and it’s nice to have them here. They can lean on each other. He hopes for smoother waters. Everyone applauds, and food porn! is served. Olivia says she appreciates everyone, and Rod says he’s never had a salad in his life. Both Olivia and I are astounded, and he says, she’s gluten free, and he’s salad free. Venita says she has to catch a flight, and Rodrigo says he doesn’t need fashion week when he’s here with these fashionable a-holes. They discuss JT’s proper powder room, and Criag says he used to pee in the bushes. Olivia likens this to Thanksgiving dinner, and Shep says, time for daddy to have a scotch. Shep tells Madison that Taylor said the photo was dark and not explicit, but Madison says she’s not buying it. Taylor watches them talking, and says she wants to divert the conversation about something brought up earlier. She sent Whitney a nude pic, but you couldn’t see anything. She was upset with Shep, and was f***ing around with Whitney, so he’d cause Shep to be f***ed around with in turn, but you couldn’t see anything. Madison says, she saw it, and she could see Taylors t*ts and vagina. The silence is deafening. There aren’t even crickets. I’m not totally sure I’m believing Madison because it’s the first time she’s said that. Taylor asks what she saw, and Madison says, there was caption that said, come one, come all. Leva says, awkward, and I’m disappointed in her too. In JT’s interview, he says, who hasn’t sent a nude? In Madison’s interview, she says, of course she’s sent nude pics, and Austen’s interview, he says, she didn’t send him a nude. In Craig’s interview, he says, send all the nudes you want… but don’t send them to Whitney. In Shep’s interview, he says, there are so many other people to send pics of your new boobs to. Why Whitney? Taylor says, nothing was seen, and Craig says, he saw the photo – it was put in his face – and he said he shouldn’t be seeing this. Whitney says, it was a joke and it’s been deleted. JT says he’s going to take the high ground. Taylor is a good person who made a bad decision, but the genesis of the bad decisions are male related. Taylor says she hasn’t been the best version of herself, but she’s working on it. She went through a terrible break-up and it crushed her. Madison asks if that gave Taylor an excuse to do what she did to Olivia, kissing the guy she likes. It’s disgusting. Rod scores points by asking if Olivia is all right, since obviously no one really cares about her feelings. She tells him that she’s okay.

In Madison’s interview, she says, she had to be held accountable, while Taylor gets a pass. If you’re going to be a hoochie, be one; own it. Olivia says, clearly she and Taylor have stuff to talk about that’s being discussed around them. She’s pissed at Taylor, but they’ll deal with that. She appreciates the support, but they’ll figure it out. They don’t need to pile up on Taylor. Now let’s eat some f***ing steak. Taylor says she’s done being the topic of conversation, and Madison tells her to practice what she preaches. They thought she was a unicorn girl, and they’re seeing a side of her that’s unrecognizable. She’s fake and phony. Taylor thanks Madison for stepping in, and Madison says, Taylor can’t pretend to be better than thou, because she’s not. Shep says, Madison perceived her that way, and I almost fall off my chair at his astuteness. He says, ten minutes ago, Madison said she did the same sh*t, and Madison says, she never claimed not to be a slut; she’s just retired now. Taylor is sitting here saying she’s not. The definition of slut must have changed, since I thought you actually had to sleep with a lot of people to be one.

In Leva’s interview, a producer asks why Leva thinks the guys shield Taylor, and Leva says, she’s young, naïve, sweet, Southern, and polite. Leva thinks the boys go after Madison, and we flash back to various Madison moments that she brought on herself. I don’t think it’s so much what she does as how she does it and the nastiness that comes along with it. Leva says, there’s something innately in the culture where guys handle certain women with white gloves. Shep basically tells Madison to back off, and Madison tells him, read a Scripture and go to bed. He says Scripture isn’t his thing, and she tells him, then STFU. Shep says, she yells like a banshee. Stop. She says she’s not his whipping bitch, and he’s not going to speak to her like that. JT suggests Shep be respectful of the ladies (WTF?) and be the bigger man. Be chivalrous. He’s the oldest guy in the room. Grow up. Actually, the oldest guy in the room would be Whitney, who has willed himself to disappear. And I know I’ve slipped into Bizarro World where Shep becomes the voice of reason, defends someone who tried to hurt him against a shrew, and gets accused of being unchivalrous for his efforts. Shep says, everything always comes out in the wash, and Madison thanks JT for hosting. Craig wonders if there’s any dessert.  

Next time, Austen tells Olivia that he loves her and knows he hurt her; Olivia doesn’t know how to trust Austen; a mountain weekend with the guys; and Craig wonders if pandas are real. He is so the comic relief this season. Maybe NYC is rubbing off on him.

👻 Haunting My Own House…

Ring the bell tomorrow for soap, tricks, and treats. Until then, stay safe, stay not raining on other’s parades if you don’t celebrate Halloween, and stay knowing you can’t change what’s happened, but you can learn from it and try to do better.

Oct26

October 25, 2023 – Michael Confronts Nina, Beverly Hills Has Frozen Over & Hand

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava meets Trina at the Bistro, and they hug.

On the phone at Kelly’s, Carly says she’d like to arrange a visit with a prisoner… Drew Cain… Why? Is he okay? He was just transferred back there from the hospital… Then when can she see him?… Then she’d like to speak to the warden… Okay. She’ll speak to someone else.

Outside, Maxie asks James, what does he mean he wants a new Halloween costume? She just bought him one; he picked it out. He says he knows, but he found one that would be way cooler. She says, great, he can wear that next year, but he says, it won’t be cool then. Besides, Halloween is the most important holiday of the year. She asks who told him that, and he says, oma, and smiles.

At the hospital, Obrecht hugs Willow and says she looks marvelous. And she’s back to work. Willow says she wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Obrecht, and Obrecht says, it was nothing. Willow says, Obrecht saved her life, and Obrecht says she’d do it again. Willow says, they haven’t heard from her in so long. Where has she been? Obrecht says, purging her demons and reinventing herself.

In her office, Nina looks at flowers Sonny sent to her, when her phone rings. She says, send him right in, and Michael walks in. She says, it’s good to see him, and he says, those are beautiful flowers. From his dad? She says, yes, they are. She’s so lucky, isn’t she? He says, very lucky. Too bad luck runs out.

At Pozzulo’s, Brick (looking very hip, I might add) shakes Sonny’s hand and congratulates him. Brick says he thought Sonny was supposed to have his wedding at the MetroCourt, and Olivia was supposed to be planning it. And he was supposed to be invited. Sonny says, that was the plan, but he just couldn’t wait any longer. Brick says, no surprise there. He could see how in love they are. Did he have the wedding on the island? Sonny says, yeah, and Brick says, beautiful. Just him and Nina? Sonny says, Michael was there, Donna was there, Kristina and Willow, and his grandson Wiley. Avery didn’t come and Dante was busy taking down Mason Gatlin.

Dante finds Cody at the stables, and says, look at him; back on the job. Cody says, as a matter of fact, he still does have a job, thanks to Dante’s mom. Dante says, of course (🍷) he does, and Cody says he kind of just figured he’d get fired after going AWOL for a couple weeks, but Mama Q wouldn’t have it. Dante says, that’s his mother, and Cody tells him, she said, there’s no way Cody is getting fired for trying to help save Sasha’s life. Dante says, Sasha will be happy to hear Cody didn’t lose his job either, and Cody says, she’s probably gone by now though.

We see Sasha’s empty apartment.

Nina asks what Michael said, and he says, after everything Willow’s been through, you can’t always count on luck. She says, no. Of course (🍷) not, and she doesn’t intend to. She’s going to do everything in her power to make sure this family, she and Sonny, have the happiest life possible. And she’s so sorry that he, Willow, and Wiley had to leave so soon after the ceremony. Then again, she and Sonny had to cut their honeymoon short, since he had business to attend to. Michael says he heard. He just came from Sonny’s office. He seemed as happy as she is. She thanks him for saying that, and tells him that they can’t wait to get back to the island for an extended stay. And they were hoping he, Willow, and the kids would join them. He says he doesn’t see that happening, and she says, they haven’t actually picked out specific dates, so they’ll work around his schedule. He says, no. What he’s saying is, he has to look out for his family’s best interests, and that means they’re not going to be spending too much time with her in the future.

Obrecht and Willow walk down the hall, and Obrecht says, of course (🍷) the ice baths came after the eight mile hikes and before the daily colonics. Willow says, and she actually paid to be put through that? and Obrecht says, only $10,000 a week. It was heaven. Willow says, sounds kind of pricey, but Obrecht says she would have paid double after that horrible time in Greenland with Victor, then giving her bone marrow to help Willow. She was a shell of herself. Willow says, she looks great now, and Obrecht says she does, doesn’t she? (She does!) Because she’s back to 100%. She flips her hair and they laugh, and she says, now that she’s home, she was thinking how wonderful it would be if she, Willow, and Nina could go back to the spa together. Willow says, that sounds great, but she’s not sure Nina will go anywhere with Sonny now that they’re married. Obrecht says, what? and Willow says, she didn’t know?

Brick says he’s glad to hear Ava’s all right. It sounds like Dex and Dante did their jobs. Sonny says, they did. Too bad Mason Gatlin survived. Brick says, and Renault was released from prison early the same day, and Sonny says, that’s one of the reasons he had to cut the honeymoon short. Brick says he found out the judge responsible for letting him go is the same guy that’s on the board of a foundation to reduce recidivism. It turns out they’re proponents of rehabilitation rather than incarceration. Sonny says, supposedly, Cyrus has given a lot of money to his cause, and Brick says, the cause or whatever behind the scenes dealings that were going on doesn’t matter at this point when he’s out. Sonny says, they just have to figure out what Cyrus is going to do next.

Trina asks why Ava didn’t tell her when she asked Trina to cover for her at the gallery, and Ava says she didn’t want to scare Trina. Trina says, Joss told her that Ava was almost killed, and Ava says she’s sorry. She should have realized Trina would talk to Joss. Thank God for her and Dex. Trina asks if Ava’s sure she’s all right now, and Ava says, yes, and Avery’s fine. It was wonderful to see her and hold her when it was all over. Just like it’s wonderful to see Trina. Trina says she can’t lose Ava.

Maxie and James are seated at a table, and Carly says, it’s nice to see their faces. What can she get them? James says he’d like an ice cream sundae, like the one he split with Cody before. Carly says, for dessert, but would he like his dinner before his dessert? He says he’s having a backwards dinner. Ice cream sundae first, then grilled cheese. Maxie says she’ll have a backwards dinner too; chocolate pie and then a chicken Caesar salad. Carly says she loves it. Two backwards dinners coming right up. She leaves, and Maxie and James high-five.

Dante says, Sasha was all packed up, and Cody says, so Dante went to see her. Dante says he wanted to say goodbye before she took off, and Cody says, he tried to talk her out of leaving, right? Dante says he did, but she’s got to make her own decisions, and Cody says, this one’s the wrong one. Dante says he can understand her wanting to start fresh. She has some bad memories here. Cody says, she has some good ones too, and Dante says he guesses she has to weigh the difference between the good and bad ones, and wait and see. Cody thanks him for going to see her, and Dante says he just wanted to make sure she was okay. Cody asks if he thinks she is, and Dante says he hopes so. What about Cody? Is he okay?

Carly says, first course. One piece of chocolate pie and one sundae. Maxie and James thank her, and she tells them, enjoy. Maxie says, so James doesn’t want to wear the Halloween costume they ordered? and he says he has to wear a different one. She says, he hasn’t even told her what it is yet, and James says, she’s not going to like it. (I’m intrigued. Is it Cyrus? Gladys? Trump?)

Lucy meets Martin outside Kelly’s and hugs him. She asks why they’re eating here. They do not serve wine, and right now, she could really use a glass of wine. He says he’s sorry. He thought this would be a little more intimate, but never mind that. Where did she wander off to? He was waiting for her at the MetroCourt. She says she had that contract she had to sign giving 51% of her Deception to Tracy, so she decided she would go to the Quartermaines. She would look Tracy in the eye, and she wanted to take that contract and just cram it down Tracy’s throat… but she wasn’t there. He says, that was a blessing, and she says, now, not only did Tracy blackmail her out of control of her company, Tracy’s completely trying to derail her great decision.

Ava says, Trina is never going to lose her, but Trina says she almost did. Joss said she was kidnapped by some horrible man. Why? Ava says, none of that even matters now. He’s in police custody and he’s going to get the punishment he deserves for what he did. Trina asks how she can be so calm about it, and Ava says, believe her. She wasn’t so calm when it was happening. If Dex and Dante hadn’t shown up when they did… Trina tells her, Joss said Dante shot the man, and Ava says, he survived of course (🍷), the way men like him usually do, and he’s being treated at GH. Trina says, it must have been awful, and Ava says, it was, but she has to move on. Move forward for Avery’s sake and put it behind her. Trina says, she’s so strong, and Ava says, maybe not as strong as Trina thinks. Trina says she thought about Ava so much when she was in New York City, and Ava says she hopes Trina had a wonderful time. Trina says she did, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as good if it weren’t for Ava. Ava changed her life forever.

Brick says, after much digging, he found this, handing Sonny a paper. It confirms what Sonny already knew. Renault was Mason and Austin’s boss. Sonny says, good. Then he has proof Cyrus is pulling the strings. Brick says, so he’s the guy responsible for Ava’s kidnapping and he’s the one who planted Betty in Sonny’s house to dig up information. Sonny says, and he turned over the information she gave him to the Feds, and Brick says, if Sonny wasn’t a step ahead, he would have been going into prison just as Cyrus was being released. Sonny says, and Port Charles would have been wide open for Cyrus to take over, but Brick says, no matter. Sonny’s still here. He’s not in any position to take over any territory whatsoever. Sonny says, that’s true, but he’s still a threat.

Obrecht says she can’t believe Nina wouldn’t contact her only aunt to let her know she was getting married. Does she mean nothing to Nina? Willow says, actually, the whole thing was totally last minute. Nina and Sonny eloped. Obrecht – who actually knows the meaning of the word – says, so it was just the two of them? and Willow says, not exactly. Obrecht says, be exact please, and Willow says, a few people were there. Obrecht asks, how few? and Willow says, Michael, Kristina, Wiley, Donna, and her. Obrecht says, that’s more than a few. Willow and Michael went to the wedding? She has missed a lot. Willow says she’s sure Nina wanted Obrecht there, but she was at the spa, and Nina probably didn’t want to bother her. Obrecht says, Nina could have given her a choice, but she didn’t… No matter. She should move on. If she learned anything in Gdansk… Willow says, Gdansk? and Obrecht says, that’s where the spa was. And on her hikes and meditation, she learned, we must not spend time lamenting the past; we must stay in the present and be thankful and curious about what is going on in the here and now. Willow says, that sounds like a good philosophy, and Obrecht says, so tell me, my beautiful grandniece, how is you’re here and now? Willow says, it couldn’t be better.

Nina says she doesn’t understand. When Michael said he’d bring Willow and Wiley to the wedding, she thought they reached a new agreement. Michael says, that’s because it’s what his father wanted, and Willow agreed to go. Nina says, he was happy for them; he was happy for both of them. So was Willow, and Wiley had a wonderful time at the wedding. Michael agrees he did, and she tells him, he said his father is happy. Michael says, he is, and she says, Michael wasn’t pretending. She saw his face when he was watching her and his father after the ceremony. She knew he knew how much that moment meant to them. And she felt that animosity between them was finally falling away. She felt so… He says, lucky? That’s because she was lucky. Because Sonny, Willow, not even he knew what she did, but now he knows. Her luck has run out.

Cody says he’s fine. If that’s the only reason Dante came here, then he has work to do. Besides, Dante was always useless in a barn. Dante agrees, unless there’s some menial task he can do. Cody says, Trigger could use an apple, and gives one to Dante. Cody leads Dante to a gorgeous brown horse, and asks if Dante minds telling him why he thinks Cody is so screwed up. Dante tells Cody that he never said he was screwed up, and Cody imitates Dante, what about you, Cody? Are you okay? Dante says, so a guy can’t just ask his buddy if he’s doing okay? Cody asks why Dante would think he’s not okay, and Dante says, maybe because he pretended to be crazy to get institutionalized so he could save Sasha. Then he saves her, and she decides to move to Texas. Cody says, that’s her choice, and Dante says, it’s okay to admit he misses her and likes her and all that kind of stuff. Cody says, he’s going to miss her, and Dante says, that’s a good first step. Cody says he’s sure Dante is going to tell him the next step, and Dante says he is; he’s going to tell Cody both next steps. Cody is going to tell Mac that he’s his kid and stop pretending he’s not. Cody says, they’ve been through all that, and Dante says, they have. He’s actually glad he’s not the only one who knows anymore. Cody asks what that means, and Dante says, Cody told Sam, he told Sasha. He’s no psychiatrist, but he thinks Cody kind of wants Mac to find out he’s his kid.

Martin says he doesn’t understand. Lucy likes Sasha. She says she loves Sasha. She’s told him that many, many times. She adores Sasha, and she still has an interest in Deception. So wouldn’t he think it was in her best interest if their company was as profitable as possible and as soon as possible? He says he supposes, and she says, but Tracy doesn’t see that. She is mandating that Sasha remain the Face of Deception, but they haven’t even asked Sasha, does she want that?

Sonny tells Brick that he spoke to Selina Wu and let her know who’s in control. She’s definitely going to be cooperating when it comes to Cyrus. Brick says, she’s not a stupid woman. She understands the power structure. Sonny says he knows, but he needs Brick’s expertise. Cyrus has given a lot of money to this foundation. He wants to know where the money’s coming from. Brick asks if Sonny really thinks a guy like Renault would give all his money away? and Sonny says, not likely; he probably has a stash somewhere else. But they have to figure out who else he’s working with. Brick says, Cyrus seems like a renegade to him, but he’ll check it out. Sonny says he’s made a lot of enemies in this town. Cyrus isn’t going anywhere. He’s got a lot of connections in Port Charles. Brick says he’ll do a deep dive on Cyrus’s finances; see where the money leads. There’s a knock at the door, and Carly flies in. She hugs Brick, and he says, a bonus. He gets to see his favorite girl. He asks how she’s doing.

Nina says she doesn’t know what Michael is accusing her of, and he says, she only wishes he was accusing her. He’s stating a fact. He plays the recording of Martin saying that he told the SEC to investigate Carly and Drew for insider trading under Nina’s direction, and she asks where he got that. He says, it doesn’t matter. What matters is, Martin’s telling the truth. The question is, what is he going to do with it?

They sit down, and Willow tells Obrecht that Wiley and Amelia are both doing so well. And Michael has been amazing. Obrecht says she was very impressed with how loving and supportive he was in her time of need, and Willow says, he still is, and somehow things have gotten better with Nina. Obrecht says, they went to her wedding; that’s a good sign. She’s certain Nina was so happy Willow was there. She loves Willow very much. Willow says she’s actually starting to think they may be able to develop some kind of relationship, and Obrecht says, of course (🍷) they will. It sounds as if everything is perfect. Willow says, not everything. Drew Cain is still locked up in Pentenville. Obrecht says, injustice. That man saved not only her life, in turn, Willow’s as well. Willow says, yes, and she prays he’ll be released soon, and Obrecht says, from her mouth. But there’s something else; she can see it. Please share with her. Willow says she keeps having this dream, and Obrecht says, dreams are important. Tell her. Willow says, it’s Harmony. In the dream, it’s as if she’s warning her not to trust someone. Obrecht says, classic Freudian. After all Willow’s been through, her mind is trying to tell her to stay alert. It’s trying to protect her from her deepest fear, that the struggle and uncertainty she’s been through will return. But it’s a false dream. She must ignore it. Her future, her family’s future, and now her future with her birth mother are all bright and beautiful.

Ava asks if Trina saw the paintings on her list, and Trina says, yes, and they were amazing. Spencer got them a first-class tour of the archives at the Met. Ava says, that’s incredible, and Trina says she was walking through, and she realized that she liked art before she worked at the gallery; she just didn’t understand why or how to appreciate it. Ava says, Trina had a great eye from the moment they met, and Trina says, but Ava opened her eyes to that. Ava helped her realize it’s more than just about the strokes and the beautiful sculpture. It’s something else. Ava says, a meaningful piece of art can give you understanding… No, can give you an actual feeling of what the artist went through to create it. Trina says, yes, and that’s what she felt when she went to the Met. Those paintings made her feel something. Ava says, she’s extraordinary, and Trina says, Ava opened her eyes to all of that. She loves her mom, and she loves both of her dads. She’s so lucky to have both of them, all of them, but she’s also lucky because when she met Ava, it was like she was a second mom.

Martin says, so Lucy hasn’t even spoken to Sasha? and Lucy says, no. Come on. After that horrible ordeal with that barbaric doctor and her crazy mother-in-law, she just thought Sasha needed space. She needed her privacy. Lucy completely understands. He says, but she didn’t know about Tracy’s plan, and Lucy says, no, and according to Maxie, Sasha is leaving town today. But Tracy wants her to somehow track down Sasha and demand. What is she supposed to do, force her to be the Face of Deception? He says, doesn’t Lucy at least owe it to her to let her know it’s an option? Lucy says she guesses. She doesn’t know. She found the perfect choice to be the Face of Deception, to replace Sasha.

James says he can wear the first costume for the Halloween Parade at school, and the second costume for trick-or-treating, and Maxie says, sounds like he’s got it all figured out. He says he does, and she says, he doesn’t need two costumes. Obrecht comes up behind him, putting her hands on his shoulders, and says, of course (🍷) he does. Because Halloween is the most important holiday of the year. He says, oma! and hugs her.

Nina asks what Michael wants, and he says he expected a denial, but she says, there’s no point. Clearly, he coerced Martin into betraying attorney/client privilege. He said he saw his father earlier. She assumes he didn’t tell Sonny or anyone else. He says he hasn’t, but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to tell everybody what she did. She says she didn’t do anything illegal, unlike his mother and Drew, and he says, so she doesn’t care if he tells everyone… She says, just tell her what he wants, and he says he wants her to stay away from Willow forever… but that’s only going to make her suspicious. So this is what’s going to happen. From now on, Nina is going to get his permission before even setting foot near them. She asks why he’d even think that. Willow and Wiley had a wonderful time at the wedding. His father is finally happy. Why doesn’t he just leave it alone? He says, she thinks he’s going to let her off that easy for what she did to his mother and Drew? She says, me get off that easy? His mother kept both of her daughters from her. She didn’t know Nelle was her daughter until after she was dead, but did Carly know? Yes, she did. Nina could have helped Nelle. He says, no one could have helped Nelle, and she says, he’s talking about Wiley’s mother and her daughter, so watch it. And after Carly put her through hell, did she change? No. Carly found out Willow was her daughter too, and did she tell anyone? Did she tell Nina? Did she tell Michael? Did she tell Willow or anyone? No. She waited until Willow was literally dying. Yeah, people are going to be a little angry at her that she turned in Carly and Drew to the SEC for doing something illegal, but that is nothing compared to what Carly has done to her. And she’s telling him this, he is not keeping her away from her daughter. Or her grand- children.

Cody tells Dante, that is crazy. He doesn’t want Mac to know he’s his son. Dante says, then why does he keep telling everybody? (ha-ha!) and Cody says, he told three friends. Dante tells him, he’s just saying, if you don’t want anybody to know something, you don’t tell anyone. Cody says he knew he could trust Dante, and Dante says, and Sam and Sasha. Cody says, yes and yes, and Dante tells him that he’s just saying, people slip up when they know stuff. Cody says he knew Dante wasn’t going to tell anyone; neither is Sam. And Sasha’s on her way out of town. This is ridiculous. Why is he even arguing this? Mac has this tight-knit family; he’s happy. There’s no reason he needs to be stuck with a guy like him for a son. Dante says, Mac trusted Cody. He bent the rules to take down Montague. Cody says, Mac did that for Sasha and he’s thankful for it, but Dante says, he did it because he believed in Cody. He’s seen the side of Cody that can sabotage himself at poker games and such. Cody says, exactly. Who in their right mind would want to be stuck with someone like that as a son? Dante says, because he’s also seen the other side of Cody that does good stuff, like saving Sasha. He saw the way Mac looked at Cody after he did that. He was proud of Cody. He’d be proud to call Cody his son.

Carly says she didn’t know Brick was in town, and Brick says he just got back. He hopes she’s doing okay. She says she’s trying. She’s sorry she had to call him, but she’s glad he’s here. Sonny says, she did the right thing, and tells Brick that Carly was the one who told him Cyrus was set free. Brick asks if he’s harassing Carly, but she says, that’s not why she’s here. She’s here because Drew went back to Pentenville this morning, and when she called to arrange a visit, they said he wasn’t allowed any visitors. Sonny asks if he’s in the infirmary, but she doesn’t know. The GH doctor said he was well enough to go back in the general population, but when she asked why she couldn’t see him, they wouldn’t tell her. Sonny says he’s going to check this out. He’ll be right back. He leaves, and Brick tells Carly, stop worrying. They’ll get to the bottom of it. Carly says she hopes so, and asks how he is. Brick says, life is good. Lots of changes in Port Charles. She says, yes, and she’s still trying to get used to them all. He says he hasn’t been back to Kelly’s since she took over, and she says, he should drop by. She’s made some improvements. He’s says he’s sure she has. She’s usually pretty good with rolling with the punches. Change can be good sometimes. She says, yes, but he says he doesn’t know if he’ll ever get used to calling anybody else Mrs. Corinthos.

Nina says she’s not going to ask Michael’s permission to see her child. He’s not going to play God with her life. The only reason why she turned Carly and Drew in to the SEC for doing something illegal is because she wanted his mother brought to justice. It was impulsive. She’ll explain it to Willow. He asks if she thinks Willow will understand. Does Nina know what Drew means to her? Nina says she knows he helped her, and Michael says, he saved her life. Drew saved her daughter’s life, and she got him sent to prison. She says, no, she didn’t, and he says, Drew’s only there because of her. He was beaten so badly that he almost died. Does she think Willow’s going to forgive her for that? She says she didn’t mean for him to get hurt, and he says, she doesn’t mean for a lot of things to happen, but bad things always do happen when it comes to her. Sonny is going out of his way, doing everything he possibly do to protect Drew in Pentenville. How does she think he’s going to feel when he finds out his new wife is responsible for Drew being in prison and costing his mother everything?

Carly says, Brick is a shameless flatterer, and he admits he is, but he means this. She asks, how many Mrs. Corinthoses has he known? and he says, a few, but she’s always been the one. She thanks him, and says, but she’s not anymore. Nina is, and she wishes them both happiness. Well, she wishes Sonny happiness. Brick says, Sonny wants the same for her, and she says she knows. And she cares about what happens to him. That’s why she’s glad Brick is in town, especially with Cyrus being out of prison. He says, she knows this guy pretty well. He remembers her and Jason facing off against him several times when Sonny was away. She asks if Brick means when his new wife led them to believe he was dead. Did she say that out loud? He says he heard nothing, and she says, she and Jason wouldn’t have gotten through that time without him. Cyrus is vicious. Please look out for Sonny. He says, consider it done, and she thanks him. They hug.

Ava tells Trina that a lot of mothers wouldn’t be so open to their daughters working with her, let alone becoming friends with her. Trina says, Ava is more than a friend to her, and her mom knows how important Ava is to her. She really appreciates everything Ava has done for her. Ava says, when she lost Kiki… Trina says, it’s okay, and Ava says, thank God for Avery. She loves her, and Ava knows Avery loves her, but she’s just a kid. She starts to cry and takes Trina’s hand. She says, there aren’t many people in her life who care about her without an agenda. She feels so lucky that Trina is one of those people.

Cody says, Dante really thinks Mac is proud of him? and Dante says, he does. He wouldn’t have said it otherwise. Cody thanks him and says, it means a lot to him. Dante says, but Cody’s still not going to do anything about it, right? and Cody says he really thinks things are better the way they are. Dante asks how it’s better for Mac, not knowing he has a kid, and Cody says he’s a loner. Dante knows that about him. He also knows Cody is only going to screw things up again. Mac’s happy now. He doesn’t need to mess up Mac’s life. Dante asks what Cody is talking about, being a loner. He thinks Cody has more friends than him at this point. Cody says he did get lucky, and Dante says, why doesn’t he come to the house Sunday and watch the game with him, Sam, and the kids? Providing Scout doesn’t commandeer the TV. Cody says he’ll be there either way, and they bro hug. Dante says, and you know what? Texas ain’t Mars. Cody says he meant what he said. He’s lucky to have Dante as a friend. Dante says he knows, and leaves.

Maxie says, they obviously missed Liesl very much, and James repeats, very much. Obrecht says she’s missed her family, and kisses the top of James’s head. Although her time at the spa was divine. Maxie says she can’t wait to hear about it, and James asks if Obrecht wants half of his grilled cheese sandwich, but Maxie tells Obrecht, sorry. She agreed to a backwards dinner if James ate his entire grilled cheese. James says, mom… and Maxie says, James… Obrecht says, James must listen to his mother, when Maxie notices Lucy talking to Martin outside.

Lucy tells Martin, Blaze is not only beautiful, she’s a fantastic singer. So picture this. They go to Home & Heart. She sings this wonderful song, belts out that tune, knocks everybody’s socks off, and then they sell lots and lots of Deception products. Slam dunk. He says, but Tracy doesn’t see it her way, and she says, no. The answer to digging themselves out of the hole that they’re in is right in front of them, and Tracy will have nothing to do with it. Maxie comes out and says, Tracy is right.

Inside, James asks what Obrecht is going to be for Halloween, and she says, it is a difficult choice. Either an Alpine maiden or a NASCAR driver. He says, NASCAR driver, and she says, okay.

Outside, Maxie says, yes, Blaze would be a fabulous idea, if Sasha wasn’t already the Face of Deception. They discussed this with Tracy. They agreed. Martin says, they did? and Lucy says, Maxie is right, but… Maxie says, but they owe Sasha the option to continue, and Lucy reminds Maxie that she said Sasha was leaving town today. Maxie says, they agreed that they would call her. Lucy knows how important Sasha was in getting Deception off the ground. They owe her another chance.

Cody tells Trigger, Dante has a different life. It’s not their fault, and he doesn’t regret anything he did. He understands people need to look out for themselves. Sometimes, that means starting over someplace else. It really sucks when someone who cares gets left behind. He hears the door open, and Sasha is there.

Ava asks Trina to tell her more about her trip, and she doesn’t mean the museum part. Trina says she and Spencer had a wonderful time. He had so much planned, and it was all so special. They had dinner on a beautiful rooftop. Ava says, it was the first time they were really alone together, and Trina says, yeah, and he got her this. She shows Ava her necklace, and Ava says, that boy has excellent taste, and not just in necklaces. Trina says, the whole trip was just a dream. And now they’re back to reality. Ava says, Esme and Ace, and Trina says, yeah. They still have so much to work out. Ava says she’s glad Trina had a great trip, and if it’s meant to be… Trina says she knows.

Sonny comes back, and Carly asks if he heard anything. He says, the reason Drew can’t have any visitors is because he’s in solitary. She says, why? Drew was the one who was attacked and almost killed. Why is he being punished? Brick says, they might be doing this for his protection, and Sonny says, Brick is right. Brick says, and to cover their butts. They either don’t know or don’t want to know who attacked Drew, but the prison don’t want a repeat. That would be horrible press. Sonny says, the fact that he’s in solitary under their observation means he’s safe, but she says, he’s not going to be safe until he’s out of Pentenville for good. Brick asks if that’s a possibility, and Sonny says, Alexis is working on it. Carly tells Brick, Alexis is looking into the judge’s past cases, and thinks she found some impropriety. Brick assumes Sonny’s helping her, and Sonny says he’s doing everything he can. His main priority right now is to get Drew out of Pentenville. When he’s set free, they’ll figure out what they’re going to do with Cyrus.

Nina tells Michael that she’ll explain it to Sonny. She’ll tell him that she acted impulsively. He says, she’ll explain it to Sonny, and he’ll explain it to Willow. He’s sure they’ll understand how she did what she did in the most underhanded, secretive way. She says, no… and he says he’s sure Sonny will understand why she lied to him this whole time. He’s sure Sonny will understand that, when his mother stood there and accused Ned of turning them in to the SEC, Nina stood silent. After all, Sonny is very understanding about lies and deception. She says, he can’t go to Sonny, but he says he can, and he will. If she doesn’t do exactly what he tells her to. He’s not even sure Sonny should be the one she’s most worried about right now, because once his mom finds out what she did… She asks if he doesn’t understand. He’s not only trying to control her life, he’s trying to control Willow’s. He says he’s trying to protect his family from her. His father is happy right now, so he’s not going to take that away from him. He’s sure his father is going to be happy until he finds out the kind of woman she really is. She says, don’t do this, but he says he doesn’t care. He’s not risking his family. She will only see them when he says that it is okay to see them. And she’s going to do something else for him too. She’s going to sell his mother her half of the MetroCourt back. Nina says, she doesn’t have the money. How’s she going to buy it back? (If I remember right, Nina offered to give it back to her, but Carly didn’t want it.) He suggests she figure out a way, but she says, no, it’s too much. He says, this is all she gets. Take it or leave it. There’s a knock at the door, and Willow walks in. She says, Nina’s assistant said Michael was in here. She hopes she’s not interrupting.

Tomorrow, Stella tells Jordan, this calls for a celebration; Carly says she’s not going to stop until she finds out who blew the whistle on her and Drew; and Michael asks if Nina is going to tell Willow, or should he?

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

We start with the roller coaster about Kyle and Mauricio. We see what’s to come, and it begins looking promising, and then, not so much. There’s a trip to Barcelona, and it shows us – let’s all say it together – all the wrong people have the money.

Dorit has soul healer Eaglewoman coming over, along with her apprentice Blue Raven. Dorit tells Eaglewoman that she and her friends had a rough year, and she wants them to move on. Eaglewoman says she’s a healer of the soul, and PK says he’s concerned about her being able to work her magic on this group. In Dorit’s interview, she says she invited all of them to a retreat, and to her surprise, they all accepted. Eaglewoman says she’s up for the challenge. Dorit has darker hair this season, and I like it. It actually makes her look younger.

There’s lots of discussion about what wardrobe to pack, which is always a first concern when going on retreat. First world problems. Garcelle has decided, no expectations. In Kyle’s interview, she says her relationship changed with everyone last year, and we flash back to Kathy at the Reunion. The retreat is held at a beautiful ranch, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she thought their first outing would be cocktails at a cool lounge, but they’re on a spiritual retreat with Dorit. In Erika’s interview, she admits to being vicious last season, and we flash back to that. Although she’s vicious every season, so I don’t get why this was any different. She says she had to protect herself, and she’s walking in like a man without an island. Or $750K earrings. Erika says she lost weight because of hormones, but in Dorit’s interview, she wonders if the hormones are spelled O-z-e-m-p-i-c. <snort> They do a drum circle thing, then sit in a circle. Eaglewoman serves sage tea to precede a ceremony to open up the soul. She tells them forget what they know and remember what they forgot. Dorit hopes to move through some issues, heal, and put it behind them, and says she’ll go first. She says she’s been hurt by Erika, and we see a clip of Erika at BravoCon, trashing Dorit’s marriage and wearing an age-inappropriate hairstyle. Dorit says, it was mean spirited and deeply hurtful. Erika tells Dorit that she didn’t want to answer the question and asked not to. We see another clip, but it’s not like she was being shy about it. Dorit says, Erika delivered the answer like she wanted attention, but Erika says she’s a showman, and delivered what the people wanted. Yeah… no. She thought she was giving them the old razzle dazzle, but she came off more like Baby Jane than Erika Jayne. In her interview, Dorit says, that’s not a showman; that’s a bitch. Dorit says she thought Erika would lead with an apology rather than defending her actions, and Erika says, it was an explanation. It was a shady question, so she gave a shady answer. Is Dorit’s marriage strong? This woman is so full of it. In Sutton’s interview, she says, the only rumor she’s ever heard about Dorit and PK’s marriage was when PK was pulled over for a DUI. He may or may not have had a woman in the car. Dorit says, her marriage is very strong. Erika crossed the line as a friend. She’s hurt and lashes out, and she’s mean spirited. Erika says, they all hurt each other’s feelings in this group. I hate any person who avoids responsibility by saying, we were all [put your favorite a-hole behavior here]. The one used most often is, we were all drunk, when the person in question was being an obnoxious drunk. We flash back to the various women basically telling Erika the truth, and Erika being like, f*** you. Erika says she was getting hit on all sides and needed to catch her breath. As a friend, she’d like to apologize. At that point in time, she’d never felt so low or unheard. She loves them and she’s sorry. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, it’s interesting to see Erika emotional and vulnerable, but does she trust that completely? She doesn’t know. She wants to give Erika a chance and see who she is. Maybe she’ll be surprised. We get what we give. Eagelwoman says, they want to keep the circle alive and moving, which I guess means, let’s move on from Erika’s problems. Kyle says, the stuff with Kathy strained all of her relationships, and we flash back to the Reunion; Andy listing things Lisa claimed Kathy said during her rant, and Kyle weeping. The rest of them are either looking down or away. Kyle says she wanted someone to come up to her. It hurt her a lot. In her interview, she says she expected more from Dorit and Sutton. She thinks they just want to go to Kathy’s parties. Garcelle says she was confused as to why Kyle wasn’t going for people coming for her family.

In Kyle’s interview, she says, her sister created this by coming for her family and for her. She tells the circle that she’s not a punching bag, and didn’t want to stir things up, so she kept her mouth shut. Kyle cries, and Dorit hugs her. In Kyle’s interview, she says, her sister loses her temper on the phone, and we flash back to Kyle telling Kathy that she rants. Kyle says, it makes her feel sheer panic when she sees Kathy’s name come up on the phone. She knows she’s an adult, but it affects her like a child. Eaglewoman tells them to take a deep breath. There’s a lot of hurt and pain in the group, but there’s also love. In a moment of clarity, Erika says, we can’t be hurt by people we don’t love, and Sutton says she thinks they all have a lot of regrets. She’d like to see them be better friends collectively. Eaglewoman wants them to move closer, and they group hug. In Dorit’s interview, she says, they got through the day, and now they’re hugging. Hell hath frozen over. Or at least Beverly Hills has.

Sutton discusses putting a horse on her Amex with property manager Avi. In Sutton’s interview, she says she’s half Texan, and grew up riding. She wants to ride again. Santos spoke to her with his eyes… on the internet. I totally get this, since I got my rescue chihuahua the same way. I saw those eyes online. Jennifer Tilly (I love her!) comes to the store where Sutton has a spread for them that screams… food porn!   In her interview, Sutton says, Jennifer has been one of her best friends for over ten years. They travel well together. She tells a story about mistaking Jennifer’s salted caramels for earplugs on a plane, and says, they’re so stupid together. Jennifer tells Avi, we need some alcohol, and I love her even more. They talk about the store having been open four years now, and Jennifer says, Sutton spent the last twenty years raising kids. She’s going through a metamorphosis. Sutton says she wants to show her success to the ex-husband, and in her interview, she says, when they got married, they were both working. When she got pregnant, it was, you’re not going to work anymore. Her power was diminished, and she got an allowance. She’s never going to allow that to happen again. She tells Jennifer that financial autonomy is important, and she especially wants to show her daughter that. When there’s a divorce, there are two words, spousal support, but they come with an anchor. She’s not going to give it up – we see an article that’s says she gets $300K a month – she earned every single dime. But building something for herself is important. In her interview, she says she wants her ex to remember she’s smart and capable. She doesn’t just make lunch and dinner. She hates to quote Cher, but she will; I’m strong enough.

Erika meets with therapist Dr. Mann for the first time in person. In Erika’s interview, she says she’s been in therapy for the last two and a half years. She’s got the tools to organize her emotions. Bad emotions like anger and hurt don’t serve her any longer. The doctor says, Erika had a terrible fall from grace, and in her interview, Erika says, the indictment was everywhere, and we see a news clip where the newscaster says Tom stole the money and spent a lot on his young wife. Erika says, it feels better that she’s not included, but it doesn’t stop people thinking she did something wrong. We see a clip of Crystal’s husband says, Erika wasn’t responsible for stealing it, but she was responsible for spending it. Dr. Mann says, when Tom actually dies, Erika will go through a new process of grieving, and it will surprise her how she feels. Erika asks if she’ll slide back, and the doctor says, not as long as she’s not abusing Lexapro, but Erika says she’s off Lexapro. She tells the doctor, now Dorit is upset about what she said at BravoCon. How can she be a better friend? Dr. Mann says, she needs to have empathy, and Erika asks how she develops that. The doctor tells her to imagine being in a person’s shoes with their background and history; imagine what it feels like emotionally. It’s Erika’s job to take the high road. She did the low and it didn’t work. Try high. I am stunned that someone of Erika’s age and experience doesn’t grasp empathy.

Kyle is coming to Dorit’s for lunch, and PK sneaks a piece of pizza, saying, Kyle isn’t going to want it anyway. In Kyle’s interview, she says, it’s been seven and a half months and she’s had no alcohol. We flash back to Kyle accosting Sutton at Garcelle’s party, and she says, alcohol wasn’t serving her. She wanted to do what it took to make her feel better physically and spiritually. Kyle arrives, and PK makes himself scares. Dorit tells Kyle that she’s serving salad and petrified pizza. She’s glad to see Kyle in a better place. She knows it was probably a sh*t journey, but Kyle is coming out the other side. Kyle says, she won’t be mistreated be anybody. She didn’t deserve what anybody said about her. In her interview, she says, Kathy is used to people allowing her to get away with certain behaviors. She always gave Kathy leeway because she didn’t speak up to her big sister, but she’s not going to continue to allow Kathy to treat her this way. Dorit says she’s been struggling with PTSD and her husband, the one she depends on most, spent a lot of time in London. She felt like they weren’t connected, and for the first time, thought they might not make it. Kyle thinks it’s normal. Life happens, and things can pull you apart or you can pull together. Dorit says, it would be one thing if he’d done something or there was an incident, but there was a period of time when she needed him and he wasn’t there.

Garcelle takes sons Jaid and Jax to the beach for a picnic. In her interview, she says, they’re 15 now, but she remembers when she carried them like footballs. Now they can carry her; they’re huge. She’s been shooting a show in Atlanta and wants to spend time with them. She has to work, so she needs to make quality time when she can. Jaid says he wants to stay with his girlfriend Ashlyn, and Garcelle says, that’s fine as long as his dad is good with it. Garcelle says she could tell they were annoyed that she was gone so long, and Jaid says, three weeks is a year. She says she wishes they would vocalize their concerns more, and now is a chance to say how they feel. Jax says he wants more freedom, and Garcelle says she feels like he won’t let her parent him. Jax says he understands, but he needed that a few years ago instead of now. He already knows how to do things for himself. In her interview, Garcelle says, she feels she’s always been there for them, but not always 100%. Hearing it from Jax is like a knife to her heart. Jax says, there were times he thinks he needed it more. but now he doesn’t need parenting that much. It’s not his intention to hurt her, but it needs to be said. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she’s happy he’s being honest, but it makes her feel like a failure. She apologizes, and Jax says he’s glad they’ve learned from the past and matured from it. She asks, who is he? and in her interview, she says, although Jax and Jaid are twins, they couldn’t be more different. Her mom blanket parented, but she’s parented according to individual needs. She asks what Jaid has to say, and he says he misses Ashlyn. Aww. They’re good kids.

Mauricio does business on the phone, and Kyle asks to talk to him about their calendars. He says he’s going to Portugal during Portia’s spring break, and wonders if she can join them, but Kyle says she can’t go during that window. In her interview, she says, it’s been a challenging year. Mauricio has been working non-stop and she’s been working. When you have to schedule a meeting to go over your schedule, it’s problem. Mauricio says she looks great. She’s working out like a beast, eating healthy, and not drinking. In Kyle’s interview, she says, you have to find an outlet. She feels good about it and hopes Mau does too. Mauricio says she looks amazing, and asks how many tattoos she has. She tells him, five, and he says he only knew of three. She suggests maybe he should be looking at her body closer, and in her interview, Kyle says, it’s a symptom of not being together. Mauricio tells her, it’s a lot. If she wants to get another, he won’t allow it. She says, he didn’t even know how many she had, and he says, she doesn’t need anymore. He keeps calling her Lovebean, and it’s annoying the hell out of me. She tells him that he doesn’t have choice, and in her interview, she says, sometimes they can do no wrong, and sometimes they breathe, and you want to punch them. She tells him that she doesn’t have to please anyone, including him. She went from her mom to being an example for her girls. You can do all that, and things can still go to sh*t. She tells Mauricio that she doesn’t know if it came from dealing with her sister or what, but she doesn’t feel like she has to answer to anyone. He tells her not to become a rebellious person and do it out of rebellion, and she says she’s very f***ing clear, she’s not rebelling.

Next time, Sutton looks for a partner; Erika wants to work on repairing her friendship with Dorit; Mauricio’s family asks about the divorce rumors; and Garcelle feels like she’s failed as a parent when Jax asks to live with his dad.

💭 This show looks good right now, but in the preview, Denise shows up and all those tools Erika said she got from therapy go out the window.

🍫 Putting Chocolate In My Peanut Butter…

Join me tomorrow for soap and Southern shenanigans. Until then, stay safe, stay never ghosting someone, and stay not telling anyone if you don’t want anybody to know something.

Oct25

October 24, 2023 – Cyrus Gives Mason a Reprimand, A Doubly Awful House, Real Gripes, Deep Dig, That Movie, Furry Halloween & This

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the MetroCourt with Scotty, Lucy says she’s about to sign over 51% of her company to Tracy Quartermaine, and he says, sign it. Otherwise, things are only going to get worse. She says she really doesn’t know how they could get worse, when Laura comes in and says, Scott. Lucy says she didn’t know Laura was back in town, and they greet each other. Laura says she needs to talk to Scotty now, and marches out. He follows, and asks, how was her trip? She says, what was he thinking? but he says he’s not following. She says, what compelled him to help her brother get out of prison?

Cyrus is still lingering around the hospital, and Austin pulls him into a supply closet, holding a scalpel to Cyrus’s face. He says he knew Cyrus would come back here. He did everything Cyrus asked him to do. Cyrus is walking around a free man because of him, and still, he tries to kill Ava?

Portia walks in the door, and Curtis says he thought she was working late. Is everything okay?

Lois and Brook go into the solarium, and Yuri asks if there’s anything else he can get them, and Brook says, thanks, but they just had lunch. Lois says she’d love a plate of those little cookies and a pitcher of lemonade, and Yuri leaves to get it. Lois says, he’s cute (he is!). She can’t believe Monica lets him work here. Brook says, she’s the one who hired him. And what’s with the little cookies? Lois just said she was stuffed from lunch. Now she wants little cookies? Lois says, no, but maybe Chase does.

At the penthouse, Sonny kisses Nina, and she says she knows he’s super busy, but she wanted to show him this. She takes a frame out of a bag and says, she bought this frame and put in some pictures. Wiley from the wedding for Michael and Willow, and Donna for Carly. She thinks they’re going to love it. Right? He says, yeah, and she says, Carly too.

Michael listens to the recording of Martin outing Nina for turning Drew and Carly in to the SEC, and he says, time to let his father know exactly the kind of woman he married. Martin comes in and says, he’d think twice before doing that if he were Michael.

Scotty says, it’s not like he broke Cyrus out of Pentenville, and Laura says, he may as well have, because Cyrus is out walking the streets right now. Scotty says he knows. He just saw Cyrus in the dining room. He made it clear to Cyrus that he’s not on retainer; it was a one-shot deal. But Cyrus was very pleased with his work. She says she bets he was, and he says, believe him. He just got an earful from Mac Scorpio. She asks if he can blame Mac. He’s the Police Commissioner, and on top of everything else, he has to worry about Cyrus Renault being free. Scotty says, he’s Laura’s brother, and she says she knows that. She doesn’t need to be reminded. When Cyrus was in the hospital, he told Martin to give away all his money and Martin did, so tell her something. How did Scotty get paid?

Cyrus tells Austin that he’s very impressed. He never would have thought that little boy he watched grow up had this in him. Austin says, it’s no big deal really. It’s not difficult to overpower a man that’s – now he’s quoting – weak and incapable of hurting other people. Cyrus says, Austin got his moment, and he’s going to forgive this clumsy transgression, because it’s clear Austin has very strong feelings for Ava Jerome. First Austin will take his hands off him, and then Austin will find a way to get him into that room with his cousin Mason.

Mason jerks his arm, trying to get free of the handcuffs holding him to the bed, when TJ comes in. Mason says, what now? and TJ says he just wanted Mason to know that all his tests and bloodwork look good after his surgery. His vitals are stable. There’s no reason he shouldn’t make a full recovery. Mason says, whoopee, and TJ says he’s glad it makes Mason happy. Mason says he’s thrilled. He won’t be cuffed to this damn bed anymore. TJ says, no. He’ll likely be behind bars. Mason says, don’t count your chickens, doc. He’s gotten out of worse spots many times before. TJ leaves without another word.

Portia tells Curtis, everything’s fine. She just took a late lunch and decided she’d come home and spend it with her baby. It looks like he’s going over the books. He says he was, but it’s such a beautiful day outside, he wanted to take advantage of it. So he spent some time looking at the trees and the leaves. Then he spent some time looking at the pictures of Trina’s trip to New York, and there’s a lot of pictures of her with Spencer. She says, awesome. Let her see. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, of course (🍷) she’s sure. Let her look at the pictures. He hands her his phone, and she says, they really got around, huh? He says, she seems to be okay with that. Does she want to tell him what’s going on? She says, Trina cares about Spencer, and it seems Spencer genuinely cares about Trina. She’s old enough to make her own decisions without her mom possibly butting in.

Nina tells Sonny that she already wrapped one for Michael and Willow, and one for Carly, and he thanks her. She says she wishes she had one of Avery at the wedding, and he says, they’re going to make it up to her big time. She says she’s just glad Avery and Ava are okay, and he says he’s going to make sure they stay that way. Nina says, good, and he says he just can’t stop staring at Wiley. She says she’s thinking, and h asks if she’s thinking about the time she lied, and she says she plans on making that up. It’s nobody’s fault. He says, some of it was Carly’s.

Michael says, Martin has already done his part, but Martin tells him not to go patting himself on the back. If Michael thinks he’s surprised at the recording, he’s sadly mistaken. Even if that was admissible in a court of law, which it isn’t, this isn’t about court. It’s about Michael, trying to destroy Nina Reeves. Michael says, she’s done that herself, and Martin says, Michael sees it that way; Nina won’t. Michael says he doesn’t give a damn how she sees it. She destroyed his mom’s life and got Drew sent to prison. Now if Martin will excuse him, he has work to do. He goes to his desk, and Martin says he always makes it a point to do extensive research on the life of anybody who asks him to represent them. In his line of work, it’s kind of important. He knows he doesn’t have to remind Michael of the kind of things Nina has done in the past. Michael says he’s not concerned about her past. He’s concerned about what she’s done lately and the future. Martin says, that’s the rub, isn’t it? Because the future is exactly what Michael should be concerned about. Since he knows what kind of things she’s done, what she’s capable of, and the kind of things she will do when he takes away what matters to her.

Scotty says, Cyrus did mention some kind of a fund that helps prisoners reform… Laura says, that’s the fund? Leave it to Cyrus to find a way to use that money to help himself. Scotty says, he is pretty resourceful, and she says, he is nothing if not resourceful. Did Scotty ever believe her brother actually deserved to be released, or was it just a payday for him? He asks what kind of lawyer she thinks he is, and she says, does he want her to answer that? He says he knows Lee would probably be disappointed in him like she is, but it was a high-profile case and he’s trying to keep his practice going. Does she want him to be chasing ambulances for the rest of his life? She says she’s heard enough. She’s just asking him, when he was at the hearing and saw her brother there, did Scotty believe he deserved to be released? He says, he did seem like a different guy, and the doctor spoke on his behalf, and the warden. And eventually, the judge signed off for his release. When he saw Cyrus earlier, in his suede jacket and everything, he did look pretty healthy. She tells him, that’s exactly what she said when she saw him in the prison, and her phone dings. She looks at it and says she’s got to go.

Laura walks out, and Scotty goes back to the table. Lucy isn’t there, but he sees the contract and says, she didn’t sign.

Austin brings Cyrus to Mason’s room, and closes the door and blinds. Cyrus sits next to the bed and says, hello, Mason.

Lois says she thought they were coming back here and going over Brook’s plans for Blaze, and Chase might want to join them. It turns out he has a couple of hours off, and he said he’d love to spend time with them… With Brook, because he’s been working such long hours. Brook says, Lois is not going to do this, and Lois says, do what? Arrange for her daughter to spend time with her gorgeous boyfriend? Brook says she knows exactly how Lois thinks. She thinks she’s going to bring Chase over here, and Tracy’s offer is just going to happen to come up in the conversation, and he’s going to help Lois change her mind. Lois says, how dare Brook accuse her of such a thing? And if Tracy’s offer happened to come up in conversation, then maybe… Brook says she swears, if Tracy’s offer does come up, Lois will regret it. She’s going to put Lois in the same box she put Tracy, and she will never talk to Lois again. Does she understand? Yuri comes back with the little cookies and lemonade, and says, Mr. Chase is here to see them. Brook turns around smiling, and Lois waves her fingers at Chase.

Nina says, she and Carly both made a lot of mistakes, and Sonny says he supposes, but Carly and Drew are both paying big time for the one they made. She asks if Drew is back in Pentenville, and Sonny says, yeah. The doctor says he’s healthy enough to go back. He’s doing everything he can to keep Drew protected in there, and Carly is trying to get him out. She says she hopes Carly does, and he says, she amazes him. She says, the feeling is mutual, husband. She likes that word. He says he likes wifey too. She can’t get rid of him. They kiss, and Nina says, they both have a lot of work to do, so she’s going to go. She loves him. He says he loves her too, and thanks her for the photos. She says, he’s welcome, and leaves.

Michael says, let’s be honest. Martin is concerned about what Nina will do to him. She’s not going to be happy when she finds out Martin broke her confidence and told him that she’s the reason Drew’s in prison. Martin says, absolutely true. See how he’s scared to death of what Nina could do to him? And he’s not the only person with skin in this game, is he? He’s talking about the woman who induced Ava’s labor just so she could kidnap Michael’s baby sister. The same woman that made them all think Sonny was dead. Now she owns the MetroCourt and a very powerful intellectual magazine. Michael could be right. Given the circumstances and Nina’s feelings for Michael’s father, she might be a shrinking violet. She might just take her medicine and walk away. But Michael lets that genie out of the lamp, and she’s a wounded animal. She’s going to take that power and that influence, and she’s going to make it her mission to make Michael’s life hell, and the life of anybody he cares about. That is something to think about before he pulls the trigger. Just make sure he digs two graves. He walks out, and Michael goes to his desk to ponder this.

In the hallway on the phone, Scotty says, all right. That makes sense. He might make a lot of money off of this… No, he’s not getting too excited, so just calm down. He’ll call them back when he gets the chance. Goodbye. He gets to the table and sees that Lucy and all her belongings are gone. He says, she took my pen.

Lois says she’s so glad Chase could make it, and he says he’s kind of surprised they wanted to meet here. Brook says, Tracy is spending the day in New York City, and Lois says, speaking of Tracy… Brook stomps on her foot, and Lois yells, ow! Brook says she’s so sorry, and Lois says she knows Brook is, but accidents, they happen. Brook says, no, really. Does Lois understand just how sorry she is? Lois says she does, and she knows it will never happen again. Brook says, no, it won’t, and Lois tells Chase that Brook wanted to show her some of the music she picked out for Blaze. He says he’d love to see it, and Lois says, Brook told her that Chase and Blaze used to work together, and he might know best what would fit her voice. He says, Brook’s really the expert on that, but Brook says she doesn’t know… Lois says, Brook has musical genius running through her veins, thank you very much, but seeing a song on paper is totally different than hearing it out loud. Would Brook mind playing the song for them? Brook says, sure, and takes the sheet music to the piano. Lois asks if Chase would mind singing along with it, but Brook says, he doesn’t have to do that. He doesn’t sing anymore; he’s a detective. He says, yeah, but he’ll always sing for her.

On the patio, Curtis asks how Portia enjoyed her lunch, and she says, it was delicious. It was just what she needed. The new Co-Chief of Staff needs to keep her energy up. She flips her hair, and they laugh. Her phone dings, and he says he guesses she has to get back. She says, yeah, sorry, and he says, no problem. She says, but she’s glad they had this time together. She’ll be late tonight. He says he understands, and she hugs him from behind, kissing his cheek. She says she loves him, and he says he loves her too.

Portia leaves, when Laura comes up on the porch. She thanks Portia, but Portia says, no, thank you. She knows Laura has been wanting to see Curtis, and she thinks now is a really good time. He’s right outside on the patio. Laura says, just in case Portia didn’t know already, her brother Cyrus is out of prison, and Portia says she did know that. Could Laura do her a favor and not mention it to Curtis just yet? He’s got a lot on his plate. Laura says, of course (🍷), and Portia says, he’s going to be really happy to see Laura. She leaves, and Laura goes inside. She sees Curtis on the patio, looking out to the trees, and she looks like she might cry.

Cyrus tells Mason, don’t try to move. Those handcuffs will dig into his wrists. How is he feeling? Mason says, pain, a lot of pain, and Cyrus says he can only imagine. Does Mason see his cousin Austin is with him? He arranged this visit. That was very nice of him, wasn’t it? Mason says, yeah, and Cyrus says, when he got here, Austin let it be known that he was extremely upset with him. Does Mason know why? It’s kind of amusing actually. Austin was under the impression he gave Mason the order to kill Ava Jerome, a woman he cares very deeply about. He made a deal with Austin. He gave Austin his word, so to speak, that if Austin helped him get out of prison, he would see to it Miss Jerome was brought home safely. As Mason can see, he is out of prison, and has Mason ever known him to go back on his word? Mason says, no, and Cyrus says, exactly, looking at Austin. Cyrus says, Mason has worked for him for a very long time, hasn’t he? and Mason says, yes. Cyrus says he wants Mason to tell his cousin precisely the exact words he said to Mason on the night he was with Ava. Mason says, take her home, and Cyrus says, and Mason disobeyed him, didn’t he?

Michael goes to Sonny’s office at Pozzulo’s, and Sonny is on the phone. He says, it’s got to be special, for the perfect woman… He laughs and says, yeah. He’s the happiest he’s ever been in his life. He thanks them and sends best wishes to them and their family. Michael walks in, and Sonny says he hasn’t seen Michael since the wedding. He just kind of lied to Sal. It was a kind of a white lie, because the best time he’s had was getting married to Nina and they were all there to watch it. Michael says, there’s something he needs to talk to Sonny about.

Brook plays piano, and Chase sings. Yuri peeks in, then leaves.

Portia says hi to TJ, but he walks past her. She tries to get his attention, and he says he’s sorry. What? She asks if everything’s fine, and he says, everything’s good. She says, something else is going on, so… He insists everything’s fine, but she says she knows him. It’s okay; he can talk to her. He says, there’s this patient. There’s just something about him. She says, okay, which patient? and he says, his name is Mason Gatlin. She says, the one who tried to kill Ava.

Cyrus says he asked Mason a simple question. He wants an answer. Mason says, he disobeyed Cyrus, and Cyrus laughs and says he’s so glad they cleared that up. He’s not happy at all that Mason disobeyed him, but Miss Jerome is safe at home, so he dodged a bullet there. At least he dodged a fatal one. And they’ve already established Mason thinks he’s a man of his word, yeah? Mason says, yes, and Cyrus says he gives Mason his word in front of Almighty God and Mason’s cousin, that the pain Mason felt when he was shot, any pain he’s felt during his entire life, will pale in comparison to the pain He will feel during his long, excruciating journey to death if Mason ever betrays him again. Does he understand and believe that? Mason hesitates, and Cyrus yells, say it! making Mason and Austin jump. Mason says he understands and believes it, and Cyrus says he thinks Mason does. He slams his hand down on Mason and says, Godspeed. He asks if he and Austin understand each other now? and Austin says, they do. Cyrus says, good, and Austin leaves. Cyrus stares at Mason. I love Cyrus even though he’s the worst. There’s no story without a good villain.

Laura tells Curtis, hello. She hopes it’s all right that she came. He says he’s so glad she did, and takes her hands.

Martin sees Scotty at the bar and says he’s supposed to meet Lucy here today. Has he seen her? Scotty says, she was here, but she left like a thief in the night. Now he’s got other fish to fry. Martin says he’s sure, and Scotty says, if Martin does see her, tell her to give him back his pen.

Sonny says, Michael seems upset. Are Willow and the kids okay? Michael says, they’re fine, and Sonny says, Carly? Michael says, yeah, and Sonny says, before they get into it, can he just show Michael one thing? Michael says, but dad… and Sonny says he knows Michael is going to like this a lot. He hands Michael the picture frame and says, Nina came by this morning, and he knows he’s spoiling the surprise, but she’s going to give the one of Wiley to him and Willow. Isn’t that great? Michael can’t have too many pictures of his son. He used to do the same thing with Michael and Morgan around that age. Nina has one of Donna that she’s going to give to Carly. Michael’s not going to say anything, right? Michael says he promises, handing the frame back, and Sonny says, it is very thoughtful, right? Michael says, yeah, and Sonny says he knows Michael knows what that means. He and Willow haven’t been married that long, but Michael knows what it’s like to love somebody so much that it hurts. Nina has changed his life. Nothing against Michael’s mother. She’s happy in her own way now with Drew, especially once he gets out of that hellhole. Michael says, that’s kind of what he came to talk to Sonny about.

Laura says she’s sorry she was away so long, but Curtis says he knows she was looking for her son. Any luck? She says, they just missed him. He doesn’t want to be found, but really it made her feel relieved to know he’s okay. Curtis says he’s sure. It’s kind of ironic. They were just in Greenland, dodging bullets, only for him to come back to good old Port Charles and be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Laura says she wants him to know that Mac and Dante are doing absolutely everything in their power to find the shooter. And she’s making sure they have all the resources to do so. She also knows that’s little solace to him now. He says he’s just trying to focus on the future. It’s quite possible he could be in this chair for the rest of his life. So if that’s the case, he’ll damn well make the best of it.

Chase finishes singing, and Lois says, that was absolutely perfect. Chase says he doesn’t know about that, but Brook says, for once her mom is right. It was perfect. He says, Blaze will sound great singing that song, and Lois says she wishes she could have heard the two of them singing together. She really likes this song too. Would he sing it as well? She hands Brook another piece of music, when Lucy storms in saying, where is she? with Yuri following her. She sees Brook and says, oh, you. Where is she? Where is the Wicked Witch of the West, the East, the North, and the South?

Martin leaves Lucy a message that he hopes she’ll be there soon. Nina comes in on the phone and says she doesn’t understand how this could have happened. If they would just let her… She hangs up and goes over to Martin. She says, Trish told her that he was here. What has he done?

Sonny asks if there’s any news on Drew’s appeal, but Michael says, no. He says, Sonny knows how happy Drew and his mom were, and Sonny says, yeah. Michael says, when Drew got sent to Pentenville, it destroyed his mom. She thought it was her fault. Sonny says, Carly always thinks it’s her fault. Drew doesn’t blame her, so he’s good for her. Michael says, he would be if he wasn’t in Pentenville, and Sonny says, then let’s get him out. Michael says, they might not be able to make that happen, but… Sonny says, wait, wait, wait. Nina made it a point when she was here to say she was happy for Carly and Drew. She wanted them to be happy, and that she wanted Drew out of Pentenville. Crimson is a very important magazine. She owns it. She can use the magazine to help. Michael says he doesn’t think… and Sonny says, Michael doesn’t understand. Nina can be strong, and she can put the heat on. He’s going to call her right now. Michael says, no, dad, wait.

Portia asks TJ if there’s something he sensed about this guy when he met him before, and TJ says, nothing specific, but it didn’t seem like Austin liked him coming around much. She says she thinks the best thing for TJ to do is just steer clear of him altogether, and he says, yeah. Mason probably just reminds him of some other creep. TJ goes back to work.

Cyrus comes out of the elevator and sees Portia. However, this time he has a clue, and doesn’t bother her. He walks out of the hospital.  

Laura says she thought about calling Curtis so many times, and he says he knows. Portia told him Laura reached out to her to check on him. She says, it’s just that she didn’t think she could adequately express on a phone call how much he means to her, and he says, they’ve been through some tough times, huh? She says, he’s a hero, but he says, no, and she says, just accept it. It’s not just because he’s saved so many lives, two of them being her grandsons, but she has a special place in her heart for him from a long time ago. He says, it’s funny how that works. Sometimes you just make a connection with someone; it’s unexplainable. She says, and it’s unbreakable, and he wheels closer. They join hands, and Laura says, and nothing will ever change that.

Lois says, hiya, Lucy, and Lucy waves to her and says, hi. Don’t change the subject. Where is she? Where’s Tracy? Brook says, she went to New York City for the day, and Lucy says, of course (🍷) she did. She went out of town because she didn’t want to be here for the dirty deed to get done. But Brook’s here, isn’t she? And she’s just as responsible for all of this as Tracy is. Chase says, now wait a minute, and Lois asks why Yuri didn’t stop Lucy. He says he doesn’t touch women… He means, like that, and Brook says, just let Lucy talk. Lucy says she has plenty to talk about Chase’s girlfriend and Lois’s daughter. How about her insincere camaraderie? How about her unending lying and the fact that she actually outright stole from them? Chase starts to move forward, but Brook stops him and says, she has every right to be furious. Lucy says she is furious. She’s so furious, but you know what? She really wanted Brook’s evil grandmother to be here to witness the spoils of her vicious attack. She looks for somewhere to sign the contract, and tells Yuri, come over here, big man. She turns him around and signs it, using his back as a desk. She throws it at them, and says, there. Are you happy? She hopes Brook is so satisfied, and please tell her grandmother she can kiss… Nope. She’s too much of a lady. She walks out. Yuri asks if he should lock the door, but Lois says, it’s a little late for that.

Martin says he’s so desperately sorry. Nina has to believe him. Nothing like this ever happened before. His clients are his first priority. That’s why he’s so ashamed of letting her down like that. He just hopes she can find it in her heart to… Nina says, it’s not the end of the world. It’s just, she wanted those contracts with Estron to be filed before they could change their mind and pull their ads. He says, Estron, and she says, he was supposed to file them by end of business yesterday. Martin says he knows, which is why he’s so utterly ashamed to have let her down like he has. He knows he can make it right. He has a great relationship with the CEO, so he promises no damage will come to Crimson. She says, see that there isn’t, and leaves. He knocks back his drink.

Sonny says he really believes Nina can help, and Michael says, that’s not a good idea. Sonny asks, why? What does he mean? Michael stammers and says, Sonny just got married. He should be celebrating. Don’t put this on her plate right now. Sonny says, he’s right. They did just get married. He doesn’t want to spring this on her, although he knows she’d probably be fine with it because that’s who she is. He’s so happy Michael got to be at the wedding. He fell for her and wants this to last forever, like Michael and Willow. Michael says, yeah. He should get to work. Sonny says he’s sorry. Michael had to tell him something? Michael says he realized it’s something he can handle on his own. He appreciates that, and thanks Sonny. Sonny says, Michael knows he can come to him for anything, right? He loves Michael; Michael is his son. Michael hugs Sonny, and says he loves him too. Michael leaves, looking pretty miserable. In the hallway, he takes out his phone and makes a call. He asks if Nina Reeves is in… No. No message. Are they expecting her back soon?… Good. He’ll speak to her when he sees her. He leaves Pozzulo’s.

Tomorrow, Dante says he doesn’t want Mac to find out Cody is his kid; Carly would like to speak to the warden; and Nina wonders where someone got something. I know that’s vague, but that’s what they gave me to work with.

☃️ Winter Trainwreck…

This season, there are even more awful people than ever before, with crossovers from Vanderpump Rules and Below Deck Med. And more examples of the wrong people having the money. Reality TV, where awful people get well-paying jobs.

Old news, but a refresher on what you’ll be up against.

https://people.com/winter-house-season-3-trailer-7969301

You know it’s bad when the already awful old cast members want to distance themselves.

https://people.com/winter-house-season-3-premire-danielle-olivera-doesnt-want-tom-schwartz-scandoval-drama-exclusive-8364821

What happened in the premiere.

Alex Propson Shoots His Shot With 2 Girls on ‘Winter House’ Season Premiere

When awful people nearly collide. Did they really expect it to be a happy reunion?

https://pagesix.com/2023/10/24/entertainment/carl-radke-lindsay-hubbard-openly-avoid-each-other-at-winter-house-premiere-2-months-after-split/

The one they wanted to get away.

Winter House Season 3 Will Confront Tom Sandoval’s Absence

👄 Forces Of Reality Nature…

It was bound to happen. Now that they’ve made their money, sour grapes arise.

Bethenny Frankel and NeNe Leakes Announce Limited Series

👠 Investigation Housewife…

This might be worth reading. Vanity Fair isn’t a slouch when it comes to writing.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12651523/Vanity-Fair-release-investigation-Bravo-Housewives-stars.html

🎃 Spawning a Thousand Sequels…

A Halloween movie so definitive, it’s called Halloween.

https://halloweenmovies.com/

👻 Gone To the Dogs… and Cats…

Halloween movies with pets in them.

https://be.chewy.com/top-7-halloween-movies-with-pets/

Halloween movies to watch with your dog.

10 Halloween Dog Movies to Watch with your Dog

🐺 Howling At the Moon…

Join me tomorrow for soap and whatever I can stomach of RHOBH. Until then, stay safe, stay out of the candy bowl until trick-or-treating is over (unless you are a trick-or-treater), and stay not stealing anyone’s pen.

Oct24

October 23, 2023 – Tracy Demands Lucy Rehire Sasha, Third Time Guests On Deck & Season

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook meets Lois at the MetroCourt, walking to the table with her face buried in her phone. She tells Lois that she’s just sending one… last… text, and Lois asks what that’s about. Brook says, she’s about to sign a very important client, and Lois gasps, telling her, congratulations. Brook says, let her reiterate, she’s about to; she hasn’t signed them yet. Lois says, but she will, and Brook says she doesn’t think she can breathe easy until she signs this contract. Lois says she’s so proud of Brook, and wonders if she can ask Brook a question. Is she happy being back in the music business? Brook says, yes, of course (🍷). She should have never left. Lois says, not everybody agrees.

At another table, Mac and Doc hug, and Mac says, it’s good to have him back. Doc says, it’s good to be back in Port Charles. He understands Mac had his hands full as acting Police Commissioner. Mac says, it’s been a lot. There was one case, or one perp in particular, that really got to him.

Cody knocks on Sam’s door, and Sam tells him, Dante’s not here right now, but he says he’s actually here to see her. She says, in that case, come in. What a nice surprise. He says, in that case, be prepared to be even more surprised. She asks, what’s going on? and he says, for the first time, he’s actually not here to ask her a favor. He’s just here to say, thank you.

Maxie and Lucy walk into Lucy’s office to find Tracy looking through a folder at Lucy’s desk. Lucy asks what she’s doing here, and Tracy says she thought all high-level, hardworking executives took lunch at their desks. Lucy says, actually, it was a working lunch. They were discussing what a pain in the rear new shareholder they have. Tracy asks if she means her boss, and Lucy says, yes, obtained through blackmail and a hostile takeover. So what is it she wants? Maxie tells Tracy, what Lucy is trying to say is, what can they do for her? and Tracy says she doesn’t have to remind them that she owns 51% of this company, and as such she expects to be informed of all major decisions before they happen. Maxie says, such as? and Tracy says, changing the Face of Deception.

Sasha looks at a photo of her and Brando, holds it to her chest, and sighs. She puts it in bubble wrap and places it in an empty kitchen drawer. There’s a knock at the door, and she opens it to Dante. She asks if he’s here on official business, and he says, yes and no. She asks if he wants to come in, and he says, sure. Thanks. She wonders if she’s in trouble.

At Pozzulo’s Dex tells Sonny that with Spinelli’s help, he was able to track Mason’s car to the side of a cliff, where he was about to throw Ava over the edge. Sonny says, son of a bitch, and Dex says, they exchanged gunfire. Mason was blinded by his headlights, so he was able to get the jump on him. Ava was able to escape during the fighting, but Mason got the advantage and was about to push him over the edge when Dante showed up and put two bullets in his back. Sonny says, and now Dante’s on forced administrative leave for saving Dex’s life. Dex did good. Dex thanks him, and he says, but stopping Mason doesn’t solve the problem. Dex asks, what’s the next step? and Sonny says he didn’t cut his honeymoon short for nothing. They need to stop the man who Mason works for.

Cyrus approaches Portia at the hospital and says, it’s good to see her. She turns and looks at him.

Sonny tells Dex that it was Austin who brought the fabricated Pikeman information that they planted with Betty to someone in Pentenville. Dex says, where Cyrus was an inmate at the time. So that’s who he thinks Austin and Mason are working for? Sonny says he has no doubt, and Dex says, so Cyrus is the one who leaked to the Feds about Sonny’s deal with Pikeman. Sonny says, Cyrus has been trying to remove him since before he was released. He’s always hated Sonny, but he made a big mistake by abducting Ava. Dex asks if Sonny wants to pay him a visit, but Sonny says, not yet. He wants to make sure all his allies stay loyal. There’s a knock at the restaurant door, and Sonny opens it. He says, speak of the devil, and we see Selina is there.

Portia asks what Cyrus is doing here, and he says he’s here to see her. She says she heard about his early release; an abomination of justice, if you ask her, after everything he’s done. He says he’s sorry she feels that way, and she says, let her make one thing clear to him. She can’t stop him from entering the hospital, but one thing’s for damn sure, she can stop him from approaching her or anyone in her family. He says, she has nothing to fear from him, and she says she’s going to get a restraining order to keep him away from her and her daughter. Does he think she’s just going to forget he held them hostage? That he pointed a gun at her daughter? She thinks a judge will agree with her that it’s a pretty damn good case for her to get a restraining order against him. He says, that is all in his past. God has cleansed him of those sins, and the justice system has agreed and forgiven him. He’s here now just to ask forgiveness of her. She says, this is redemption? Is that what this is? Because the fact that he’s approaching her in her place of work is proof she needs a restraining order. He says, she has his deepest regrets for his past actions. He seeks her out now only to apologize.

Brook says, the only person she knows who doesn’t think she should be in the music business is granny. That’s not exactly news. She has mentioned, on multiple occasions, how she thinks Brook should be in a more prestigious business, because after all, according to her, Brook is a Quartermaine. Lois says, she’s also a Cerullo. Don’t forget that. Brook asks, since when does granny’s opinion mean anything to her? and Lois says, it doesn’t. Brook asks, then what’s her point? and Lois says, her point is, Brook might want to care a little more about what her granny thinks, because she’s about to give Brook Deception.

Doc asks, who’s this perp Mac is telling him about? and Mac says, Doc hasn’t told him about his adventure in Europe. Doc says, ah. Evading his question. Mac says, Doc just got back, and he wants to know all about it, and Doc says, when someone evades the question, that usually means it’s important. Mac laughs and says, has he ever told Doc how he hates it when Doc tries to shrink him? and Doc says, yeah, but he also knows Mac very well. If he doesn’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. He’s just saying, if Mac does, he’ll listen. Mac asks how much he’s told Doc about Cody Bell.

Cody says, this is for her, handing Sam a gift bag, and she says, her birthday isn’t until May. He says he knows. He just wants to show her how grateful he is for her helping him and Sasha. She thanks him and says, he didn’t have to do this. He says he knows, but he couldn’t have gotten Sasha out of Ferncliff if it wasn’t for her help. She got him committed, she had a getaway car waiting for them, she arranged for the cabin for them to stay in. It’s just a little present to say, thank you. She says she was happy to help. She just wishes she’d listened to him earlier. Then they could have helped Sasha sooner, and for that, she’s very sorry. He says, she has nothing to be sorry about. She took a leap of faith when she had plenty of reasons not to. She believed in him, and once she did, she went above and beyond to help Sasha. She says, he’s been a really good friend to Sasha. His concern for her was sincere, and his determination to help her was admirable. He says he guesses Sasha doesn’t need his help anymore.

Sasha tells Dante that she doesn’t know what she could be in trouble over. She was cleared of all charges regarding her breakout from Ferncliff. Her lawyers told her that Cody wasn’t going to press any charges against her for stabbing him. Dante says he’s sorry. She’s not facing any charges. He’s not here on official police business. She asks if there’s something else she did wrong, but he says, it’s nothing she did. It’s what she’s about to do.

Lucy says, Tracy has made it clear she’s part owner. What isn’t clear is, one, why would she care if Blaze is the new Face of Deception; and two, what’s she got against poor Blaze; and three… She can’t think of anything. She knows. Why is it any of Tracy’s business? It’s not. Nada. Zilch. Maxie says she thinks what Lucy is wanting to say is, Blaze is a perfect fit for them. She’s already a major recording artist. She’s clearly on the brink of superstardom. She’s got millions of followers on social media, and… Lucy says, thank you. That’s exactly what she’d be saying. Go ahead. Maxie says, younger women idolize her. Older women respect her. She’s the perfect person to uplift Deception, and market them through major demographics. Tracy says, bravo. Maxie should be in sales. She might have even bought it if she cared. She doesn’t care. What she cares about is, her 51% says Sasha Gilmore remains the Face of Deception.

Dante says he knows from Sasha’s police reports and medical records the hell she went through with that Dr. Montague. He’s so sorry she went through all that. She thanks him, and he says he knows it’s not the same, but he went through something about three years ago, and when his hell ended, he wanted to run away from everything and everyone he ever knew. He didn’t want to be associated with his former life because he thought he’d been irreparably changed. And he loves his life, his friends, his family, but at that point in his life, he wanted nothing to do with any of them. He wanted to run as far as he could and never come back. He thinks trauma does that to them; it did it to him. He thinks it’s doing it to Sasha, and he thinks it only makes things worse.

Sam takes out a softball in a display case, and asks Cody, what is this? He says, it’s a softball. It’s signed by… She says, the US Women’s Softball Team. That is so sweet. Thank you so much. He didn’t have to do that. He says, she didn’t have to help him and Sasha, but she did. She thanks him, and he says, Dante’s always talking about what a clutch softball player she is, so he thought she’d appreciate it. She says she does. She thinks this is awesome. She’s going to put it in the family room so they can all share it. He says he loves how they do that. The family room. He bets she and Dante, and the kids all gather together on the weekend and watch movies in there. She says, he’s right; they do. On Sundays, it’s either a movie or sports or a board game. They make it a point to spend time together. They talk about their week or just hang out. He says he used to wonder what that would be like, to be a part of a family, and she asks if he doesn’t wonder anymore. He says, no. He had his chance, and he threw it away.

Portia says she doesn’t want Cyrus’s apology; it’s so meaningless. His remorse is a sham. He should be in prison for the rest of his life, and the fact that he’s free, standing in front of her right now, is a travesty. It’s insane. He says, she has every right to her anger, and she says, don’t patronize her. He says, it breaks his heart that she’s burdened with this resentment. If he could, he would take it from her. She says, now he’s playing games with her. There’s no point in trying to convince her. She knows he’s not a changed man. The people who released him back into society, they may have believed the reformed act, but she doesn’t buy it and she never will. He says he understands, but if she believes nothing else about him, believe this. He is extremely grateful to those who stopped him that night. His sister Laura and the very resourceful Jordan Ashford, and his gratitude also extends to her husband Curtis.

Sonny thanks Selina for coming to see him, and she says she’s always pleased to receive an invitation to meet with him. He asks if she knows Dex, and she says she does. They exchange greetings, and she says, congratulations to Sonny and Nina. She heard they got married on his island. Sonny chuckles, and she asks, how was it? He says, it was great. It was fantastic. Can he clear something up with her? How did she allow his cousin Gladys to run up such a massive gambling debt? And she didn’t even have the courtesy to inform him.

Brook asks if she heard Lois correctly. Tracy’s giving her Deception. Lois asks if she was mumbling, and Brook says, what would give her that idea? Lois says, Tracy herself gave her that idea. She said she wants Brook to be able to provide for herself in case the music business doesn’t work out. Tracy also told her that Lucy and Maxie weren’t using Brook to her fullest potential. That she’s going to agree with Tracy on, because Brook has amazing potential, and if they were taking advantage of her, that’s not okay. Brook says, stop. Tracy blackmailed her and took the company away from them, and Lois is saying that was for her? Lois says, according to Tracy, that’s the truth. She intends to hand over her controlling interest in Deception to Brook. Brook says, come on. Lois believes her?

Mac tells Doc, Cody got himself in trouble saving Sasha Gilmore. He put his neck on the line to save her. Cody not only impressed him, it brought back memories of how he went to similar lengths to save Cody’s mother Dominique. Doc asks if Mac wasn’t involved with Dominique before she was involved with Scotty, when Scotty appears and asks if he just heard his name mentioned.

Lucy tells Tracy, Sasha has been through too much. She’s been through the most horrible, ugly ordeal because of that disgusting Gladys. So the worst thing to do for Sasha is throw her back in the spotlight where she was publicly skewered. Tracy says she’s fully aware of what Sasha has been through, and Lucy says, then Tracy is fully aware Sasha stabbed Cody Bell at the MetroCourt pool. She stabbed someone in public. She can’t have someone who freaks out and tries to hurt somebody. Deception needs a spokesperson that has nothing to do with anything like that. Tracy says, and what about what Sasha needs? She was the face that relaunched this company. Lucy’s beloved Deception was shut down for over a decade. Maxie asks if she can say something, but Lucy and Tracy both say, no. Lucy says she’s just trying to think of Sasha, but Tracy says, no she’s not. If Lucy was thinking of Sasha, she’d reinstate Sasha’s contract. She needs them to look at the big picture. Look at corporate culture. What kind of message would they be sending if they shut out somebody who’s struggling with addiction? What if this job is the very thing that gets Sasha back on her feet? Would Lucy deny her that? Lucy says, wow. She doesn’t know what’s happening here. Tracy says, that’s not surprising, and Maxie says she’s going to say something whether they like it or not. She can’t believe she’s going to say this, but what Tracy is trying to tell them is to have a heart and give Sasha another chance. Tracy says, exactly.

Brook tells Lois, this is classic Tracy. Do something rotten and horrible and claim you did it for altruistic reasons. Lois says, she didn’t fall far from the Edward Quartermaine tree, that is for sure, and Brook says, as soon as Tracy got back to Port Charles, she zeroed in on Deception like a heat seeking missile. She blackmailed Brook into spying for her, which she did to her everlasting regret, and once Tracy had the upper hand, she filed a lawsuit, and basically bullied Lucy and poor Maxie into settling. Lois says, she’s a real piece of work – she’ll give Brook that – but she’s not sure this time Tracy’s being 100% selfish. Brook says, Tracy did all this for Tracy. Don’t be fooled. Any excuse Tracy did this for her is a blatant lie. Lois says she’s not so sure.

Scotty asks if they mind if he joins them, and Mac says, actually… but Scotty says, it’s been a while since the three of them have done any catching up. Doc says he and Mac were right in the middle of catching up, and Scotty says, but they were talking about him. Mac says, they were actually talking about Cody Bell.

Cody tells Sam, what he did was find his biological father and lied to him about being his son. Sam asks if they’re talking about Mac, and he says, good guess. She says, gut instinct, and he guesses that’s why she’s a great P.I. She asks why he lied to Mac.

Sasha says, Dante is right. They reacted similarly to the things that happened to them, but like he said, the circumstances weren’t the same. He had a family to come back to; she doesn’t. Brando’s gone and he’s not coming back. Neither is her baby boy. Her family was taken from her and every bit of her aches for them. He says he can’t even imagine. He’s sorry. She says she really tried like hell to carry on. She went on with her day-to-day activities, even though she was still grieving and in pain, and honestly, she thought she was doing okay. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), Cody said she was going pretty good before Montague started giving her those drugs, and she says she thought she was doing all right, but now she’s not so sure.

Cyrus tells Portia, Curtis was a hero that night, and he was deeply sorry to hear that he’d been injured. And it must be frightening to know he’s no longer capable of protecting her the way he once could. She says she’s going to need him to get the hell away from her, and she swears, if he approaches her or anyone she loves, she’s calling the cops. She’ll have him thrown back in prison where he belongs. She walks away and leans against the wall. She flashes back to coming into her house and finding Cyrus there, and cries.

Selina tells Sonny, Gladys was, as they say, an enthusiastic player, one they never turn away, even from the best players. Sadly, she lost more often than she won, but Gladys assured her she would do good on her debts. Even though she was slow on her payment, the money always arrived. So she saw no reason to doubt Gladys, or to bother him with it. He says he’s going to stop her right there, because the next thing she says might have lasting repercussions. In their business, does she know how to distinguish between allies and enemies? She says, of course (🍷) she does, and he says, enemies lie and allies deal in honesty. So before she opens her mouth, she needs to decide which one she wants to be.

Scotty tells Mac, if it was up to him, he’d slap this city with a huge civil lawsuit; a litany of charges. Cody would be singing his way to the bank. Mac says, Scotty would be singing his way to the bank, and Scotty admits he would. Doc says, assuming he’d win, how much of those damages would he collect? Scotty says, twenty or thirty percent, but his wallet is already fat. However, Cody has no interest, which seems a little weird. Mac says, why? Scotty said himself, Cody is a forgiving soul. Scotty says, but just a few months ago, Cody was willing to sue the WSB for all that stuff that went on in Greenland. He just wonders what happened.

Lois says, in Tracy’s twisted way, she thinks Tracy wants to do this for Brook. She’s afraid Brook isn’t going to be able to make a living as a music manager. She wants to make sure Brook can support herself in a way she deems acceptable. Brook says, Tracy won’t be happy regardless of what she does, but Lois says she doesn’t know. Honestly, Tracy seems to be really happy for Brook and Chase. She even claims to be the one who brought them back together in the first place. And in true Q fashion, she doesn’t want Brook living on a cop’s salary. Brook says, right. So Tracy’s solution to her financial problems is to blackmail her own granddaughter and rob Lucy and Maxie of their dream.

Lucy says, let her try and get this straight. She, Tracy Angelica Quartermaine, after deviously stealing their 51% of the company and taking her precious 1% of ELQ, expects them to believe she has compassion for Sasha. She expects them to believe she wants to give Sasha another chance. What’s in it for her? Tracy says, nothing, and Lucy says, oh poo. She’s not buying it. Tracy says, it’s the right thing to do, and Lucy tells Maxie, it’s freaky Friday. Maxie asks, if there’s nothing in it for Tracy, why is it so important Sasha get her job back? Tracy says, because they’re all businesswomen here, and should be lifting each other up, not tearing each other down, and Lucy says, what? Tracy tore them completely down.

Selina says her alliance with Sonny is vital to her interests, and he says, then explain to him what happened with his cousin Gladys. Selina says, when Gladys lost, she extended her line of credit. When the time came to pay, Gladys had lost more, and she didn’t have the money and couldn’t pay. She told Selina that she had access to Sasha Gilmore’s money through a guardianship, but she couldn’t withdraw too much at once. That’s when Gladys sold her Brando’s garage at below market value. Sonny says he’s surprised. Didn’t it ever occur to her to inform him, her ally in this situation? If he was the suspicious type, he would think maybe she was trying to get information or leverage on him. And if that were the case, they would have a big problem.

Cody tells Sam that he had the DNA test in his hand at GH, but instead of telling Mac the truth, he lied to Mac. Mac found the test on the floor at the Q stables, and he got it out of Mac’s hands before he knew what it was. That was his second chance to come clean, but instead, he lied again right to Mac’s face. Sam asks, why? and he says he doesn’t know. He told himself that he was going for the money, but he thinks Mac is too good of a guy to be saddled with a son like him. She says, it’s not too late to tell Mac that he’s his son, but he says he’s lied repeatedly to Mac’s face. Any chance or hope of him earning Mac’s trust is gone. Mac’s got a great wife and a happy life; Mac doesn’t need him as a son. She says she’s assuming Dante knows all this, and Cody says, he’s known for a while. He’s sorry. He never should have asked Dante to keep a secret like that. That’s why he’s telling her now. After everything she did for him and Sasha, she deserves to know the truth. She asks if anyone else knows he’s Mac’s son, and he says, one other person; Sasha knows.

Sasha says, maybe Dante is right. Maybe she’s running away, but honestly, can he really blame her for not wanting to live in a place where everywhere she turns there’s a constant reminder of what she’s lost or a mistake she’s made? Sometimes the pain is just too much. He says, to be clear, he doesn’t blame her for anything. Do what’s best for herself. He just wants her to know there are people here who love her and can help her heal from the trauma she’s suffered. Michael, Willow, Chase, Maxie, Nina. Plus, she’s got some new friends – him and Sam and Cody – who will really miss her.

Tracy says, Brook told her that Sasha’s been through hell, and Lucy says, she and Maxie are aware of everything Sasha’s been through. She doesn’t have to remind them. Tracy says, apparently, she does. Look at what’s been done to her. She deserves a break. Where is Lucys’ empathy? Lucy says, empathy. Does Tracy even know what that word means? Tracy says she does, and she demands they give Sasha a break. Lucy says, demand, and Tracy repeats, demand. Maxie tells Tracy that she’s right. A lot of terrible things have happened to Sasha because she trusted the wrong people. We know a little something about that, don’t we, Lucy? She loves Sasha and would hate it if she wasn’t there when Sasha needed her. Lucy says, they all agreed, but Tracy says, they have not all agreed. Lucy says, well, Sasha’s out of town. Gone. So case closed. Tracy says, that’s what phones are for. Pick it up. Call her. Tell her that Deception has decided to reinstate her contract. And do it today. She leaves, and Maxie keeps Lucy from following her.

Selina says she doesn’t seek leverage over Sonny. In retrospect, her actions were ill-advised, and she regrets that. She also regrets letting Gladys join her poker game, and having done so, she agrees with him. She owed it to him, her ally, to apprise him of the situation as it unfolded. Sonny glances at Dex and says he’s glad they’re on the same page. She says, he’s been a good business partner, and she wants to continue that relationship in the future. How can she make almonds amends? He says he’s sure she’s heard Cyrus is once again free, and she says she’s aware.

Dex walks Selina out of the restaurant.

Mac tells Scotty that Cody was arrested after he broke out of Ferncliff and allegedly kidnapped Sasha Gilmore. The charges were dropped, and the paperwork filed away. He’s guessing Cody doesn’t want to bring it back out into the light of day and Sasha to get involved. He’s very protective of her. Doc says, or Cody simply developed a conscience. He apologizes to Scotty. He knows that’s not a word he’s familiar with. Scotty says he’s got a conscience, and Cyrus says, excuse him, but he’d like to have a word with his attorney Mr. Baldwin.

Lois tells Brook, don’t think for one single minute she’s here defending Tracy. She doesn’t agree with anything Tracy’s done on any level. Brook says, good. For a second, she thought hell froze over. Lois says, hold on a second because hell might get a little chilly, because she does believe Tracy is sincere when she says she’s going to hand over her controlling interest in Deception to Brook. Brook says, Tracy can be as sincere as she wants, because there’s no way in hell she will ever accept that company.

Dante says, whatever it is, whatever decision Sasha makes, he wishes her only the best. He just didn’t want her leaving town without knowing how much she’s loved and how much she’ll be missed. She thanks him, and says, it means a lot. He heads for the door, then says, Brando was family, which makes them family. And if there’s one thing he learned from his mother and his father, it’s that family is everything. Take care, and if she needs anything, let him know. He leaves, and she sits down and sighs.

Sam says, it doesn’t surprise her at all that Cody would trust Sasha with the secret that he’s Mac’s son. They did form a close bond when he broke Sasha out of Ferncliff. He says, not that any of that matters anymore, and she asks why it doesn’t matter. He says, Sasha’s leaving Port Charles, and she says, since when? He says he stopped by her place yesterday and found her packing, and Sam asks if he tried to talk her out of it. He says he tried and he failed. Sasha said the movers were coming this morning, so she’s probably gone already.

Shoving gummies in her mouth, Lucy asks what Maxie thinks that was all about, but Maxie says, no clue. Lucy says, that woman is up to something, mark my words. She is always up to something, and the only thing she does anything for is to benefit her shady bank account. What could it be? Maxie says she really has no idea, but she has to be honest. She kind of liked what Tracy was saying. It would be nice to work with Sasha again. Lucy says, she might be right. Maybe Sasha could change her mind and not stay in Austin. After all, those fabulous winter coats she has that they love, she can’t wear those in Texas. Maxie says, they’re getting a little ahead of themselves. What if she doesn’t accept the offer? Maxie inhales sharply and says, what if she does? What are they going to tell Blaze?

Brook tells Lois that she’s committed to her music career, and she doesn’t care if Tracy doesn’t have faith she’ll succeed. She has faith in herself, and Lois is the one who always told her that’s all she needs. Lois says, that’s the Cerullo fire, and Brook says, even if she fails, she’d rather get a job waiting tables at Kelly’s then let granny give her a stolen company. She’s going to tell Tracy that right now. Lois says, hold her roll for a second. Because as much satisfaction as it would give Brook to throw that gift right back in Tracy’s face, she thinks she has a better way to handle it.

Scotty suggests he and Cyrus talk in private and steers him away from the main dining room. He thinks Cyrus might be a little confused; he’s not on retainer. Cyrus paid him a chunk of money to take care of him at the hearing, but that’s the end story. He makes a dusting off motion with his hands and says, case closed, but Cyrus says, their story isn’t finished yet. Scotty was remarkable at the hearing, and he might have use of Scotty’s brilliant legal mind again.

At the table, Doc says, so much for Scotty’s conscience, and Mac says he wishes Scotty had stuck to chasing ambulances and defending Cody. Helping Cyrus Renault won’t end well. He’s sure of it.

Sonny asks Dex, any updates on their people watching Cyrus? and Dex says, he paid a visit to GH today. He was spotted talking to Dr. Robinson. Sonny says, Trina’s mother? and Dex says, when he left GH, he went straight to the MetroCourt restaurant. Dex told their people not to take their eyes off him, and report back with any updates. Sonny says, Miss Wu has agreed to put eyes on Cyrus as well. So with her network and his, Cyrus is not going to make a move without him knowing. Dex says, so he’s under 24-hour surveillance, and Sonny says, she’s going to notify him as far as who Cyrus is interacting with, his associates or whatever. If he tries any overture to Selina, she’ll notify him immediately. Dex asks if they can trust her, but Sonny says, the only thing he trusts is that Selina will serve her own business interests. That’s why he has to keep her close.

Tomorrow, Brook tells Lois, if Tracy’s offer comes up, she’ll regret it; Curtis asks if Portia wants to tell him what’s going on; Laura needs to talk to Scotty now; and Martin says, there’s something Michael needs to know before he pulls the trigger.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Tumi is exhausted and Natalya chants, namaste, while doing laundry. The guests pack, and Captain Sandy tells Haleigh and Max to slow down and communicate. In Haleigh’s interview, she says, it’s only her second time docking. Max yapping while she’s trying figure it out is wasting time. The guests take last minute pictures, and Max tells Luka that he thinks Haleigh is playing a game of ego. The crew says goodbye to the guests, and there are lots of hugs. Primary Mecca says, they’re an amazing crew. They travel a lot, and this is one of their best trips. They had a few hiccups with Chef Jack, but he made the best jerk lobster she’s ever had, and she wants to take Tumi home for real. The crew applauds, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, as usual, the guests don’t know what went on behind the scenes. The fact that they didn’t pick up on the chaos is very good. The crew does some cleaning, while Max does push-ups using the banister. The captain calls the crew for the tip meeting, and tells them, when they first started, she told them that she has to earn their respect and trust, but they have to do it too. They need to respect the position and the workplace. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s a professional setting and she hired professionals. She expects them to be professional. The argument that happened can never happen again. If they don’t work it out, she’ll have to make a decision. The tip is a whopping $26K, $2000 per person. In Tumi’s interview, she says, it was a difficult charter, but the tip makes it hurt less. It’s not mo’ money mo’ problems. She’s not Biggie; she’s Tumi.  Kyle wants to have a good time tonight and asks Natalya how old her boyfriend is. She says, 31, and he says, that’s a good age, so why is she going for a 21-year-old? In Natalya’s interview, she says she might like Luka, but it makes her feel like she’s cheating. Her mind feels like a scrambled egg. No comment. Her boyfriend texts that she can do what she wants, but he hopes it doesn’t hurt him, and she texts back that she misses him too. In Lara’s interview, she says, Natalya has eyes for Luka, but he can’t give Natalya what she can. She wants to pull Natalya’s hair and smack her… She’s joking, but she’s not joking. I want to pull Natalya’s hair and smack her too, but not for the same reason. They go to a restaurant, and the women admire Luka’s tattoos. In his interview, Luka says, the monarch butterfly was his grandmother’s favorite, and the butterfly tattoos are a hit with the ladies. Max pours wine for the women, and says, in France, a woman never pours a drink. His mother would kill him if he let them. Jessika says, she’s three drinks in. Is she f***ed up? She thought it was going to be a low tip, and Tumi says, it can go two ways; you can be shocked by a low tip or a big one. In Kyle’s interview, he says, hold on. Did everyone start to get along? He’s traumatized. On the way out, Lara picks up Natalya, and Kyle yells, gay pride! They go to a club, drink some more, and dance. Jack says he’s like Michael Jackson reincarnated, which is doubtful. Everyone is spinning everyone around, and Natalya wonders if she’s in an open relationship. She asks Tumi if they can hit refresh, and Tumi agrees. Kyle says he’s done and dusted, and in Tumi’s interview, she says it’s not what she was expecting. She wants to trust and believe, but thinks it’s tequila.

Haleigh says she’s sorry that she told Max to shut up and they hug. Jessika says her tummy hurts, and they go back to the boat. Kyle says he’s voting for the drunkest, and it’s Jessika. Everyone gets into the hot tub except Jessika and Haleigh, and Lara kisses Luka. In Lara’s interview, she says she loves kissing. It’s drunk fun, but kissing Luka is like kissing her brother, and incest is not what she’s going for. Jessika says she wants to throw up and go to bed. She gets sick in the bathroom, and Haleigh helps her into bed. Tumi tells Natalya that she’d said they were alike and that might be the problem, and Natalya says, they’ve had a breakthrough. Luka follows Natalya to the cabins, and in her interview, she says she wants to kiss him, but doesn’t want to hurt her boyfriend’s feelings. They say goodnight, and Natalya says, chill out, bro.

At 7 am, Luka says, time to work, and Natalya gets a text from her boyfriend, who says he hopes she didn’t get too crazy. Jessika says she thinks she has an infection in her throat, and Natalya tells Kyle that they’ll do cabins and talk sh*t. In Kyle’s interview, he says he’s glad Natalya and Tumi made up, and we flash back to their argument. He says, he’s not happy about Natalya using his name. Revealing Tumi’s message to her was an act of friendship, not to weaponize him against other people. There’s only room for one gossip, and it’s him, the Tea Queen. Luka tells Max not to dump the dirty mop water over the side of the boat, but he does it anyway, and Lara says, he doesn’t get it. Captain Sandy calls for a preference sheet meeting, and Lara tells Luka, the new deckhand is a f***ing idiot.

Captain Sandy asks if anybody knows who Roy Orbison is and sings a few bars of Pretty Woman. No one recognizes the name, but they all know the song. She says, his son is the primary, and it’s the family’s third charter with her. We flash back, and she says, he’s bringing his wife Asa, their sons and new baby Love, and his younger brother and sister-in-law. His brother was a crew member on Jackass. In Jack’s interview, he says he loves Jackass, which is no surprise. Tumi reads that they want a highchair and bassinette, and Jack says, they want vegetarian and Italian food. They’ve also requested the captain join them for an Italian dinner. Luka says, they want to do water sports, and the captain says, they like to have fun and the forecast is great. Afterward, Jack says he and Tumi have been to hell and back, and Tumi says she thinks they’re fine now. She’ll always have his back. In her interview, she says, it’s great that Jack is finally giving her a chance. In Luka’s interview, he says he’s thinking of making Lara lead deckhand. She deserves it. He’s also thinking Max is definitely his first managerial challenge. Hopefully, Lara shows Max what it should be like. In Tumi’s interview, she says she’s thinking positive vibes. She wants to maintain peace and love this charter. Jessika tells the captain that she feels like sh*t. She’s been vomiting and her throat is sore. Captain Sandy says she’s backing away and asks if Jessika wants to see a doctor. Jessika says she does, and the captain says, there’s no doctor open on Sunday, but she can go to the ER. Jessika says she’d like to, and in the captain’s interview, she says, knowing Jessika is sick, you never know what it is. She doesn’t want the crew getting infected and needs to get her off the vessel to see a doctor. Jessika tells Haleigh that she’s going to the hospital, and Captain Sandy radios that she got Jessika car service. In her interview, Tumi wonders, does this get any easier? It’s good she’s getting along with Natalya because now she needs her.

Molo Vecchio Marina. Provisions come in, and Max does pushups on a railing. Luka tells him, if he bends those, they won’t be able to get them back. He tells Captain Sandy about wanting to make Lara lead deckhand. He thinks she’s earned it. In her interview, Captain Sandy says she’s glad Luka is thinking like a leader. He’s thinking about the advancement of his team, and she loves that he has that mentality. Luka radios Lara to come to the sun deck, and she asks, what’s wrong? Is she in trouble? He says he thinks so, then laughs and says, she’s smashing it. He wants to make her lead deckhand. She cries, and he says he thinks he’s f***ing smashing it. She hugs him, and in Lara’s interview, she says, wow. She was taken aback. It’s her dream. She has a goal board and that’s on it. She’s lived a rocky life and was the crazy horse. She can’t believe her dreams are literally coming true. She tells Luka that she’s his righthand man. There’s a pre-charter meeting, and the captain says, there are going to be a lot of kids, which she knows makes it harder for the deck crew, but they want to show the guests a good time. She tells the crew that they have news, and passes the ball to Luka, who congratulates Lara on her promotion. Everyone applauds, and Kyle says, it’s well-deserved. Captain Sandy congratulates Lara, and says, let’s kill it. Natalya says she can’t wait to hold a baby, and Lara says she can’t think of anything worse.

The guests arrive, and the captain says she’s happy they’ve come back. They’re going to make it an incredible trip. In Max’s interview, he says, Lara’s promotion is going to boost her ego, and he’s concerned Luka created a Frankenstein. Now that she has power, he hopes there’s a good person inside. I guess actually working isn’t an option. They move out, and Natalya takes the kids to the salon, where they chase around with Kyle. In Tumi’s interview, she says she loves seeing Natalya enjoying herself. She’s been an au pair and it’s not easy. They locked her in the garage, threw an iPad in her face while she was driving, and told her to go back to Africa. They were an African American family and she told them to take Africa out of it. All Black people aren’t from there. Anchor is dropped, and in Lara’s interview, she says she knows Luka would appreciate her getting Max to pull his weight. It would show she’s taking it seriously and wants to do a good job. Max swings on the crane for the slide, and the water toys are set up. In his interview, Max says he could never hold a job when he was younger because no one ever told him what to do. His parents said, take care of yourself, and it’s been the challenge of his life. There’s no news on Jessika yet, and Max tells Luka that he needs a break. Luka says, they’re f***ing busy, and in his interview, he says he doesn’t think Max realizes that some days you don’t get a break. He explains to Max that they might not get a break some days. When they can, they will. Man-child Max says, like December.

The captain joins the guests for dinner, as the deckhands put away the water toys. Captain Sandy wonders about guest Ehren’s stunt work, and he says he prepares himself to die six months before the job. He broke his neck twice on Jackass 2, and ruptured a testicle. This is real stuff. In Natalya’s interview, she says, they’re down a person, but the guests never knew it. All of them have chief stew experience, and as long as they’re not fighting, they’re living the dream. Dinner is served, and… food porn! Lara tells Max to bring in the jet ski, and it swings by the deck where the guests are having dinner. The captain tells Tumi, Jack’s flavors are incredible. Tumi relays the message to Jack and they high-five. The crane is swinging like crazy, and Captain Sandy tells the guests to keep back. In Luka’s interview, he says, the weather is getting rough, and they need the tender on board asap. The tender swings way too close to the yacht, and in Lara’s interview, she says, it’s a big f***ing tender. If it hits you, you will die.  

The captain tells the deckhands to tighten the lines, and they get the tender onboard. Captain Sandy tells them, it was too windy during dinner, and they have to check with her first. In her interview, she says, Luka is in work mode and not thinking about the client. This is where he needs to figure out a balance between being bosun and thinking about the guests. Let dinner finish, then bring on the tender. But she knows he’ll never do it again. In Tumi’s interview, she says she’s extremely surprised the guests aren’t demanding. They have musicians and the guy from Jackass onboard. Where’s the chaos? She’s disappointed; she loves chaos. Her skills at problem solving bring order to chaos and she loves it, just like her men. The guests go to bed and it’s not even midnight. Ehren says he’s had 27 surgeries and is confused on the relaxation stuff. In his interview, Max says he wants more breaks because he’s working hard. Natalya flirts with Luka, and then calls her boyfriend, who has a bunch of people over. Natalya asks if they’re boys or girls, since no one has told her, at 31, we are not boys and girls. Her boyfriend says, Brody and five girls, and she tells him that she’ll call back. In her interview, she says, yesterday he told her that he didn’t want to influence her. Do what do want she wants, but don’t hurt him. It’s a mean world, so WTF, bro? She thinks he’s probably dipping his doodle in five bitches at once.

Sestri Levante. Natalya takes baby Love, and Lara helps with the slide. Ehren comes to breakfast in his colorful PJs. Max is late because he’s sleeping, and in Luka’s interview, he says he’s frustrated with Max. He’s given Max enough sleep. He’s a quiet person and quite calm, but when he does go off, he goes off, and he’s getting closer. Jessika texts the captain that she should be ready next charter, and Kyle says, Jessika is probably off living her best life. Breakfast is served along with… food porn! Lara tries to instruct Max about tying the lines, and in his interview, Max says, speak to him nicely with a violin. Don’t play with dynamite. If he if he explodes, it’s not good. Max asks how many years of experience Lara has, and she says, three and a half, but it doesn’t matter. Max says he knows sh*t, but he doesn’t. Max whines that last time, the communication was wrong, and in Lara’s interview, she wonders, what’s his goal? She tells him that his attitude stinks, and Max says he can already do knots. Captain Sandy wonders if they’re arguing, and Luka asks what they’re saying. In the captain’s interview, she says, communication has to be clear and concise; it’s a safety issue. She tells Max, arguing is not okay.  

Next time, a pirate game; Tumi says, if Kyle is talking sh*t about Natalya, he’s probably talking sh*t about her; and Luka can’t find Max.

☠️ Not Fearing the Reaper…

Come on by tomorrow for soap and snide comments about the awful people in Winter House. Until then, stay safe, stay remembering it’s the live ones you have to worry about, and stay never doing something rotten and horrible, and claiming you did it for altruistic reasons.

Oct21

October 20, 2023 – Alexis Blindsides Judge Kim, Mr. Christmas, Salt Shaking, Villainous, VanderSecrets, About Fear, Mary Deleted, Reasons Why, All Dressed Up, Seven Quotes Plus a Tagline & Everybody

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna tells her bodyguard that she’s not used to having one, and she really appreciates everything he’s doing. He says, not a problem, Miss Devane, and she asks him to call her Anna. She asks if he saw anything suspicious when she was with her friends, but he says, there was nothing out of the ordinary. She says, nobody paid special attention to her or… He says he watched the surrounding area the whole time and saw nothing that was a threat to her.

As they approach the house, Charlotte asks why Valentin insisted on picking her up early from school. He says, because he has a surprise for her, and opens the door. Laura is there and Charlotte runs to her, hugging her, and saying she missed Laura so much.

Esme brings Ace into the hospital and Spencer runs up to him, saying, Ace has a doctor’s appointment today. That’s so cool. He asks why Esme didn’t tell him that Ace had a doctor’s appointment today.

Robert sees Diane at the fitness studio and says, it’s Killer Miller. What’s she doing here at this time of day? Hold on. Does her infamous client Mr. Corinthos know she’s here doing yoga, and not sitting around clutching her cellphone, waiting for his beck and call?

Elizabeth goes into Drew’s room, and he says, she’s not his regular nurse. She says, he’s not her regular patient. She asks how he’s feeling, and he says, good. Maybe a little too good.

Gregory says he’s read Judge Kim’s opinions, and he considers himself an originalist. Correct? The judge says, yes. He believes the meaning of our Constitution doesn’t change over time. Alexis says she was just reading an article about Ascher Alexander, and he shares that view. Gregory asks if that isn’t the millionaire investment banker? and Alexis says, mm-hmm. Kim says he’s certainly heard of him, but he wouldn’t know if Alexander would agree with any of his judicial opinions. He’s never met the man. Alexis says, really. Interesting. So he flew to St. Thomas on this man’s private jet to go deep sea fishing, and yet he’s never met him? Visibly uncomfortable, Kim says, with all due respect to her sources, he believes she’s been misinformed, but Alexis says, on the contrary. She can provide dates, records, flight manifests, or anything else she needs to prove he did fly to the Caribbean with Ascher Alexander. It seems to be a major conflict of interest. Would he care to comment?

Meeting Dante at the Bistro, Cody asks what he’s got there, and Dante says, just some paperwork he has to file for administrative leave. Cody says, Sam told him about that. Does this mean he gets to just hang around the house in his PJs and still get paid? Dante says, no, not quite. The PCPD is going to do an investigation to see if his reasons for shooting the perp were justified. Cody says, he’s a great cop. Just doing his job, right? Nothing’s simple. Everything’s so damn complicated. It’s pretty frustrating. Dante asks what he’s talking about, and Cody says, it seems like you do the right thing and get the wrong outcome.

Elizabeth says, once Drew’s made a full recovery and is cleared by the doctors, he’ll be sent back to Pentenville. It’s got to be tough. Drew says, in the meantime, he gets the pleasure of her company, and she says, nice deflection. He says, she’s got to fill him in on the boys; how’s Cameron doing? She takes his blood pressure and says, the boys are actually really well. Cameron is loving being at Stanford. Academically, he’s doing well, and as for soccer, he’s not a starter yet – he hasn’t played enough games – but he’s proven himself to be a very valuable player. Drew says, that’s fantastic. What about Aiden? She says, he’s still baking. He made a pie the other day; it was so delicious. Drew says, when she talks about Aiden’s baking, his mouth starts watering, and she says, he’s very talented, and he’s determined. He plans on going to the most prestigious pastry academy in Paris. And he wants to pay for it himself. Drew says, wow. How’s he going to manage that? She says, he started his own little business. He has a website and everything. He’s selling fancy cupcakes. He ships them out or delivers them if they’re local. She keeps telling him to talk to Carly and see if she can sell them at Kelly’s. Drew says, that’s a good idea. He’ll put in a good word for him with Carly. She says, he would love that, and he asks, how’s Jake? She says, Jake has a girlfriend.

Alexis says, since Judge Kim is claiming not to know Ascher Alexander, she’s assuming he neglected to report this deep-sea fishing trip on his tax filings or any other gifts or accommodations he received from this very influential friend. Is she right in that assumption? The judge gets up and says he agreed to be interviewed on his judicial philosophy, not to answer questions about where or with whom he chooses to vacation. Although he shouldn’t be surprised by this blatant ambush. He remembers her reputation as an attorney. That is, when she could still practice law. Cheap tricks and judicial violations. No wonder she was disbarred. Gregory says, so far, they haven’t heard a denial.

Diane says, for Robert’s information, she’s often here at this time of day. It’s the only time the studio offers this particular class. And might she remind him, she works for herself, unlike him. So no matter how demanding her clients are, her life is her own to schedule. But him, a public servant taking a three-hour lunch break to pump some iron? She wonders what The Invader would have to say about that.

Doc joins Esme, and Spencer says, it just that the first he heard about Ace’s appointment with his pediatrician was this morning when he got a confirmation text from the doctor’s office, so a heads up would have been nice. Esme says, it’s really not a big deal. The pediatrician had a cancellation this morning and offered the spot to Ace, so she took it. Doc was nice enough to offer them a ride to the hospital. Spencer says he appreciates Doc doing that; he’s sorry that Doc had to. Doc says, it was no trouble, and Spencer says he would have taken them himself had he known. Esme says, it’s just as well. Spencer was with Trina, and she didn’t want to interrupt that. Spencer says, they’ve talked about this multiple times, including in that parenting class she suggested they take with one another. He wants to be at all of Ace’s medical appointments, even the small ones. She says, and what for? and he says he’s Ace’s older brother. She tells him, and she’s his mother and she’s perfectly capable of looking after her own son.

Charlotte says she’s missed Laura so much, and Laura says she missed Charlotte too. And she’s sorry she was away so long. Charlotte asks if she found Uncle Nikolas, and Laura says she didn’t actually see Uncle Nikolas. Charlotte says, that’s too bad, but Laura says, that’s okay. She does know he’s all right. She thinks he’s traveling right now. He needs a little time to himself. Charlotte asks if she knows when he’ll be back in Port Charles, and Laura says she’s not sure, but she didn’t want to wait to see Charlotte any longer. She wants to hear everything about Charlotte’s life. She wants to hear about school and her friends and her classes. Valentin says, this third wheel is going to let them catch up. He has some errands to run. He’ll be back later. He kisses the top of Charlotte’s head and leaves. Charlotte watches him go, and Laura asks if she’s worried about her father.

Gregory tells Judge Kim, with all due respect, a simple denial of this fishing trip would clear up any misunderstanding. He denies he took the trip; he denies he was a passenger on Alexander’s jet? Kim says, this interview is over, but Alexis says, he agreed to this interview on the record, which means she’s free to publish anything and everything that was said here today, which in the end, could prove very embarrassing to him. It might also stall his rise to the Federal Circuit. Kim says, she lured him here under false pretenses, and she says, all he has to do is commute the sentence, the unfair, harsh sentence he imposed on Drew Cain, to time served and set him free. Then this interview will never see the light of day. Kim says, so that’s what this is all about. Blackmail? She belongs in a prison cell next to Drew Cain. He walks out. Um… That didn’t go well. Maybe she played that hand too quickly.

Robert asks if Diane is questioning his work ethic, and she says, he’s questioning hers. He says he’s just happy to see her, and she says, that’s how he shows it? He says, yeah, and she laughs. She says she thinks they’re so used to sparring with each other in court, that’s become their default M.O. He says he’s thinking maybe they should change that, and she says, then what would they do for fun?

Dante tells Cody, Sasha went through a pretty big ordeal. Maybe her leaving town isn’t a bad idea. Cody says, it’s a terrible idea and he told her so. Sasha wouldn’t listen to him. Dante asks what he said to her, and Cody says, he told her, moving to Austin without a job or friends or family would be a mistake. Dante says, and? and Cody says, and what? Dante asks what else he said to her, and Cody says, nothing. Dante says, he didn’t tell Sasha that he wanted her to stay? and Cody says, no. Dante asks, why not?

A nurse tells Esme that the doctor is ready to see Ace now, and Spencer picks up the diaper bag, but Esme says she’s got it, taking it from him. She says she’d prefer to speak to the pediatrician alone, and follows the nurse. Spencer says, what the hell was that about? and Doc says, that was Esme exerting her parental rights, which Spencer does not share.

Charlotte say she thinks papa is worried about her, and Laura says, most parents do worry about their kids. Is there something specific she thinks her dad’s worried about? Charlotte says, he’s never pulled her out of school early to see Laura. She knows Laura was gone, but she could have just seen her tonight, so why did he pick her up early from school? Laura says she thinks she can solve this mystery. She requested this special meeting because Charlotte is her number one priority ahead of everything else, and she wanted to have this time together before she had to go back and assume her mayoral duties. Charlotte says, now that Laura’s back, she doesn’t feel so alone now, and they hug.

Valentin asks if Anna has been sitting alone in the dining room since her meeting with Jordan, and she says she has. He asks, why? and kisses her. He could have just as easily met her in her room. She says she doesn’t like being alone in her suite, but he says, she’s not alone, is she? She has Sonny’s bodyguard watching over her. She says she just feels trapped… vulnerable, and isolated from the rest of the world. Like a sitting duck, waiting for whoever’s after her to strike again.

Cody tells Dante that he didn’t let Sasha know he wanted her to stay in Port Charles because he did what he always does; he made it about himself. Dante asks, how so? and Cody says he doesn’t even know how it happened. He started talking about people making mistakes and how everyone does it, and the next thing he knows, he’s confessing to her that Mac Scorpio is his biological father and he lied to Mac about it. Dante asks what he was thinking, and Cody says he wasn’t. Dante says, he really did make it all about himself, and Cody says he knows. He was desperate. He really doesn’t want her to go.

Valentin says, Anna doesn’t have to stay here alone if she doesn’t feel safe. She has other alternatives. She says she’s not staying with him, because he has Charlotte to consider, and she’s not about to bring whatever danger is after her down on Charlotte. He says she’s right. He’s going to have to get along with his daughter right now and it’s not a good time, but he did buy that house for the two of them. She says, regardless of what she just said, she is fine here, but he says he disagrees. She doesn’t have to stay here alone. She has plenty of friends In Port Charles she can turn to.

Robert says, you want to have fun with moi? and Diane says, if it hasn’t been made clear, she does. She enjoys spending time with him. What she doesn’t enjoy is being made to think she’s an afterthought or a default friend. He says, wait a minute. He’d like them not to be just friends, and she says, meaning? He says, why don’t they pick up where they left off? She says, absolutely not.

Alexis tells Gregory, what difference does it make? She just let that guy leave with the upper hand. What was she thinking? That she was going to hammer him so hard, he would admit he’s corrupt in taking gifts from special interests? Gregory says, she doesn’t know what he was thinking when he left, and she says, that guy is scum, but he has an excellent legal mind, and he did what he should have done. He walked out. And her? She’s left with half an interview where he didn’t admit to doing anything wrong and zero leverage to help Drew.

Drew asks, who’s the lucky girl? and Elizabeth says, Charlotte Cassadine. He says, good for them. He loves hearing all this good news. She says, Charlotte wasn’t her favorite person when she was little, but she’s grown up a lot. She thinks Charlotte might actually be good for Jake. He says, in what ways? and she says, her boy is so shy and reserved, and Charlotte is very confident, and it seems to be rubbing off on him. It’s the first time since Franco’s death that Jake doesn’t seem down all the time. He says he’s really glad to hear that, and she says, and Charlotte is the most popular girl in the class, so dating her has really boosted his self-esteem. He says, that’s great. He loves Jake like Jake was his own son. She says she knows. Jake loves Drew too. Drew means a lot to all of them. A guard comes in and says, the transfer paperwork’s been approved. He’ll be taking Drew to Pentenville.

Laura says she knows Charlotte doesn’t know very much about her or her childhood, but to tell her the truth, she was very alone as a kid. And it was really painful. She guesses she just wanted Charlotte to know that she’s not alone because Charlotte has her, and she also has her dad. Charlotte says, Laura is right. She does have her and papa, but that’s it. She doesn’t have any friends at school. Laura says she’s so sorry and asks if Charlotte is having trouble making friends. Charlotte says, yes and no. She thinks she’s just been away from Port Charles for too long. All her old friends are into different things now. They just keep their distance from her. (I’m confused. Didn’t Elizabeth just say she was the most popular girl in class?) Laura says, Elizabeth told her that Charlotte and Jake have become friends. Sometimes all you need is one good friend. Charlotte says she and Jake are friends, and he’s really nice, but he’s a boy. That’s a lot different when you don’t have another girl to talk about things with. Laura says, Charlotte’s got her, and Charlotte says, yeah, but Laura’s her grandma. It’s not the same. She just doesn’t have someone to hang out with. And papa’s never around; he’s always busy. Laura says, yeah. He spends an awful lot of time with Anna, doesn’t he?

Anna tells Valentin that she’s not going to impose herself on Jordan like that. Or Mac and Felicia. That’s just too much to ask. He says he doesn’t think any of them would feel like it was an imposition. Mac and Jordan have law enforcement training, so if whoever’s targeting her is… She says, the solution is not for her to hole up with her friends and bring danger to their door. The solution is for her to go after whoever’s trying to dismantle her life and shut them down.

Spencer tells Doc, there’s really no need for people to keep reminding him that he’s not Ace’s father. He gets that. But Ace’s father, who is also his father, is missing in action because he doesn’t care that he has  two sons. Doc says, Spencer doesn’t know what’s going on in Nikolas’s head any more than he does. Benefit of the doubt is always the healthiest approach until you know the facts. (Not according to Dr. Phil.) Spencer says, his grandmother, who is the kindest, sweetest, most determined person on the planet, has finally had to admit to herself that his father isn’t coming back. And someone needs to fill that void. Someone needs to be there for him. Someone who’s not Esme. To be honest, Spencer doesn’t much care what the official title is, be it father or brother, he’s going to step up and take care of his baby brother. He’s going to do it. Doc says, he should care. His love and commitment to Ace is commendable, but he doesn’t have any actual parental rights where Ace is concerned. He understands that, yeah? Spencer says he understands that, and he’d really like to stop hearing that from people like Doc and everybody else. Doc says, he’s heard this before? and Spencer says, yes. He gets it. From a legal standpoint, Esme has the final say. Doc says, that’s right, and Spencer says, fortunately, with the exception of this… he guesses they’ll chalk it up to a miscommunication, he and Esme have been able to work together to take care of Ace, and he’s not expecting that’s going to change any time soon.

Robert tells Diane that he’s a little confused. He thinks he’s getting mixed signals. She says, nope. She doesn’t send mixed signals. Picking up where they left off would leave such a bad taste in her mouth. It would just remind her of how she was used for Holly’s agenda and how she was treated when Holly was around. He says he’s sorry, and she thanks him, but asks him to let her finish. She’s been back and forth in her head about him. The moment she starts to think, even for a second, about what a great guy he is – funny, charming – she’s blindsided again by yet another revelation about something, anything in his past. So he wants to know where she is right now with this? He says, definitely, and she says, good. She’ll tell him.

Cody says he’s been going on and on about his troubles when Dante, his best friend, is under investigation at work for shooting someone. Dante says, it’s nothing. This is just police procedure. It’s easier than doing math homework with Rocco. Dante sucks at math. Cody thanks him, and Dante says, for what? Cody says, for everything he’s done. Not just for him since he got here to Port Charles, but for Sasha too. He doesn’t know if they could have pulled this off without Dante and Sam. He’s a good friend. So is Sam. Dante says, she came around, huh? and Cody says he knew that was going to happen; he’s irresistible. Dante says he doesn’t know if Sasha thinks so. He’s sorry all this stuff is happening with Sasha. He knows she’s come to mean a lot to Cody.

Laura says, when Charlotte first got back from camp, she went to live with Dante and Sam, and her dad lived with Anna. What did she think about that? Charlotte says, that was just temporary while papa was buying this house for them, so she didn’t try to think about it. She asks what Laura thinks about the house papa bought for her, and Laura says her opinion isn’t as important as Charlotte’s is, so what does she think about the house? Charlotte flashes back to Valentin telling Anna that he bought the house for them, so they could move in with Charlotte and start a life together. She tells Laura, it’s all she wanted, and Laura says, a house like this? but Charlotte says, a home for her and papa. All to themselves.

Valentin says he’s sorry this is happening to Anna. She doesn’t deserve this at all. Anna says she disagrees, because they both know she brought this down on herself. She was a double agent. She betrayed the WSB and betrayed her country. And she has to accept the fallout from that. She wipes some tears away, and he says, no. Nothing could be further from the truth. She’s being targeted. She’s having her entire life dismantled by someone’s twisted idea of vengeance. She asks why he’d say that. Why does he think it’s revenge instead of justice?

Cody says he’s just being selfish, and Dante asks, how so? Cody says, wanting Sasha to stay here in Port Charles, but Dante says he doesn’t think it’s selfish. Cody likes her and wants what’s best for her. Cody says, if he does, maybe he needs to realize this is going to be really hard for her. These reminders of Brando and Liam, and that nightmare Gladys. Dante says, they’re never going to have to worry about Gladys again. She’s not going to show up in Port Charles. Cody says, Sam told him that Dante’s dad made sure of that, and Dante says, Sonny can be persuasive. Cody laughs and says he bets.

Robert asks why he feels he’s about to get hit by the infamous Killer Miller atom bomb, and Diane says, buck up, soldier. She has the feeling Robert Scorpio can handle what she’s about to say. Besides, this a golden opportunity for someone, who shall remain nameless, but who is him, to become a better human being. He says, okay. Lay it on him. She says, no. They’re not going to pick up where they left off. There’s too much hurt and confusion and betrayal and dishonesty down that road. He asks what she’s suggesting, and she says, they wipe the slate clean. They clear the chessboard as it were. And this is great. He gets to put his paw in anywhere he wants to, because he’s starting at square one.

Alexis tells Gregory, that might have been their only chance to get Drew released and she fumbled it. He says, she didn’t fumble it. She got to him. She says she should have approached this like in negotiations where each party gets what they want. A subtle warning to Judge Kim about a potentially embarrassing career decision and then he gets a chance to clean it up before the dam breaks, and then an early, quiet release for Drew. Nothing said overtly, only implied. This is how deals are done every day, but she had to go for the jugular. She had to grandstand. Does he know why she did that? He says he thinks she’s about to tell him, and she says, because that’s what lawyers do and she’s a lawyer. Or she wants to be one and she misses it. She wanted to win and she lost big; not for her, but for Drew.

Elizabeth tells Drew, maybe they can delay this. Dr. Ashford is on duty. She could speak to him, and he could say there are more tests that need to be done tomorrow, and he can stay here an extra night. Drew says, there’s not point in delaying the inevitable. Honestly, it would probably make it more torturous. They both know he’s going to end up in prison eventually. She says, then let her call Carly for him, but he says, no. She says, why not? and he says, because he doesn’t want her to see him literally hauled out of here in chains. It would be better if she just finds out about it once he’s gone.

Dante gets up, and Cody says, he’s leaving? He thought Dante could sit around all day and listen to him sulk. Dante says, that sounds like a lot of fun, but he has to get this stuff to Mac. Seeing that Cody’s told Sasha that Mac is his father, doesn’t Cody think he should tell Mac the truth too? He thinks Mac deserves to know he’s got a son. Cody says, no way. He lied to Mac’s face about being his son. There’s no way he could look at Mac’s face and see the disappointment and hurt when he found out. Dante says he’s not going to push it, but think about what he’s keeping from Mac. This isn’t a minor thing. Cody not telling Mac that he’s his son, makes his life a lot more complicated. Dante leaves.

Robert says, as an ex-spy, he’s strategic and an excellent chess player, and Diane asks what he’s saying. He says he accepts the challenge and the conditions, and she says, excellent. She’s just going to give him a warning. He says, wait a minute. A warning. A strategic advantage to him. She says, sometimes a warning is just a warning. This is a game between her and him. If he invites anyone else to play, or even watch, then she’s going to take her queen and go home. He says, just her and him. and she says, those are her terms. He says he’s liking how this sounds already. Just them; Robert and Diane. She says, more like Diane and Robert, but here’s one more thing. Not only will she take her queen and go home, she will take the entire chessboard, and there won’t be a rematch. She leaves, and he half-smiles.

Doc says he gets it. Ace is Spencer’s little brother, and Spencer wants only the best for him. But he really doesn’t help Ace if he denies the reality of the situation. Spencer says, the reality is that he’s going to do what he can for Ace, but Doc says, the reality is, Spencer and Esme no longer have anything in common except Ace. And as their lives diverge, and they will, Spencer may have to accept a reduced role in Ace’s life. Spencer says, no. He doesn’t accept that. Esme comes back with Ace, and Spencer asks, how’d it go? Esme says, Ace is once again in the 99 percentile, and Spencer tells Ace, way to go. That’s what he’s talking about. This calls for a celebration. Why don’t they go to Kelly’s and celebrate? He thanks Doc for his help, and says he appreciates it. He’ll take it from here. He leaves with Esme, who tells Ace, a cup of hot cocoa from Kelly’s does sound good, doesn’t it?

Laura say she knows how close Charlotte is with her father, but as much as he loves her, he was never a teenage girl. But Laura was and she remembers what it felt like. And it was really, really hard sometimes, just to be yourself. She felt like no one understood her. She never knew how she fit in, in her family. She didn’t feel like she fit in at school at all, or with her friends. And she had two really successful doctor parents and that was kind of hard. She didn’t always believe everything they told her. Did she take the advice they gave her? No, she didn’t. It was a very hard time. Painful. Confusing. Can Charlotte keep a secret? Charlotte says, sure, and Laura says, when she was Charlotte’s age, she made some really big mistakes. Charlotte says, really? and Laura says, yes, she did. She takes Charlotte’s hand and says, and it was Charlotte’s great-grandmother Leslie who saved her really. She was like Laura’s rock, and Laura wants to be there for Charlotte now, the way Leslie was there for her. She wants that more than anything and wouldn’t have it any other way. So if there’s something Charlotte needs to say to someone, something that maybe she needs to share, she’s here to listen to Charlotte. Charlotte says, grandma… Laura says, yes, dear? and Charlotte says she’s really glad Laura is back. She missed her. Laura says she missed Charlotte too, and they hug.  

Valentin says, this all started at the reading of Victor’s will and Anna’s WSB file being released to the press. She says, his father’s final act of revenge on her, and he says, no doubt. He thinks there’s someone else targeting her on Victor’s behalf.

Gregory asks if Alexis has always been this hard on herself, and she says, yes, especially when she screws up like she did today, and the screw up affects somebody she cares about. He says he’s sorry. He doesn’t see it that way. He was here, and saw and heard her in action. She was great. And if anything significant happened today, it was that she made a sacrifice. She says, what sacrifice? and he says, every instinct she had was, is still, screaming to publish an exposé on Kim’s corruption, barbecue him in The Invader. But she pulled back for Drew’s sake and offered him a deal. Alexis says she came on too strong, but Gregory says, there’s no guarantee that a softer approach would have been any more effective. She says, the point is, she went after Judge Kim because she wanted to, and it was stupid and unprofessional. Alexis’s phone rings, and she thanks them for letting her know. Keep her posted. She tells Gregory, that was a friend of hers from the Federal building. She said that Judge Kim asked his clerk to pull Drew Cain’s file. Gregory says, and? and she says, apparently, he may be reconsidering Drew’s sentence. Gregory says, see? Nice work, counselor.

Elizabeth watches as Drew is wheeled out wearing leg irons, since he might make a sprint from the wheelchair. They lock eyes for a moment, and she watches as he’s wheeled into the elevator. She stands in front of the elevator, and they look at each other with sad faces as the elevator doors close.

On Monday, Brook asks, since when does granny’s opinion hold any weight with Lois; Cody says he had his chance and threw it away; and Sonny tells someone, the next thing they say could have lasting repercussions.

🎄 Nathan Rushes the Season…

I swear this guy is in every other holiday movie.

Preview Ryan Paevey’s Magical New Christmas Movie!

🧂 Salting the Lake…

This week’s shenanigans.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 4, Episode 7 Recap: Tempers Rise at Angie’s Easter Brunch

It says something about you when your own son wants to hide his marriage.

https://people.com/rhoslc-recap-mary-cosby-son-robert-jr-was-secretly-married-for-a-year-8362974

🗽 Gorgeous Is Gonna Devour Cute…

Tiffany is awful, but I like her, and God help me, I might have to take Jax off the awful list. I’m surprised at how good this show is.

Tiffany Pollard Discusses Making Jax Taylor Cry and Omarosa Feud on House of Villains

https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/tiffany-pollard-a-hero-in-the-villain-house

🍸 SURish Secrets…

It’s not really all that interesting, mostly about Bravo being cheap, but keeping the Pump rolling until the new season begins.

Ariana Madix Reveals Vanderpump Rules Secrets

⚰️ One Fear Coming Up…

Sunday, October 22nd, 9 pm EST. Be dead or be there. Of course the finale is in two parts. It’s a thing now.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/fear-the-walking-dead-series-finale/

https://screenrant.com/fear-walking-dead-season-8-two-part-finale/

🧹 Extra Extra…

Wow. It’s all pretty tame by today’s standards.

https://ew.com/movies/hocus-pocus-deleted-scene-grocery-store-mary-steals-child/

🎃 Today’s Lesson…

More Halloween lore.

https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/a40250/heres-why-we-really-celebrate-halloween/

🐶 Will Do a Trick a Treat…

I love this dog.

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/pug-latte-costume

Come on. You know you want to dress your dogs up. You probably want to dress up your cats too, but we all know how that can go.

https://people.com/best-dog-halloween-costumes-8362521

https://www.etonline.com/the-best-last-minute-dog-halloween-costume-ideas-to-put-a-spell-on-everyone-hocus-pocus-baby-yoda

🐝 Quotes of the Week

Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us. – Susan L. Taylor

The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away. – David Viscott

One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain’t nothin’ can beat teamwork. – Edward Abbey

Our most significant opportunities will be found in times of greatest difficulty. – Thomas S. Monson

To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to change often. – Winston Churchill

Once you start recognizing the truth of your story, finish the story. It happened but you’re still here, you’re still capable, powerful, you’re not your circumstance. It happened and you made it through. You’re still fully equipped with every single tool you need to fulfill your purpose. – Steve Maraboli (Or as Sweet Pea said in Sucker Punch: You’ve got your weapons. Now fight.)

For better or worse, Beanies were like crack. – Rich Kelley, The Beanie Bubble

🫦 My Real Housewives tagline: Sometimes going commando really does mean you’re carrying a machine gun. Holla!

🕸 Being Altogether Ooky…

Meet me here on Sunday for a Fear quickie. Until then, stay safe, stay bringing the appropriate hostess gift to a Halloween party – you know, like a coffin – and stay remembering, sometimes all you need is one good friend.

Oct20

October 19, 2023 – Valentin Confides In Laura About Charlotte, Saddest Charm Ever, Why & Shadows

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Trina picks up the dove on her desk at the gallery, and flashes back to getting busy with Spencer in NYC. Spencer walks in and says he heard there’s a gorgeous girl here in need of a latte. She thanks him, sips it, and says, this is good. He says he likes seeing her happy, even if it’s over small stuff like coffee. She says, he’s in a good mood, and he says his grandmother’s back in town. He missed her quite a bit. She asks if Laura found his dad, and he says, not exactly.

Laura knocks on Valentin’s door, and he thanks her for coming. She asks if Charlotte is home, but he says, she’s at school. She says, what’s going on? He sounded so upset when he called her in Geneva. He says he’s in a bad way and doesn’t know what to do, and she asks, what is it? He says he feels like he doesn’t know Charlotte anymore. He needs Laura’s help.

Anna meets Jordan at the MetroCourt and they hug. Anna asks if Jordan minds if they switch to a different table. It’s so out in the open, and she wonders if they can find something more private, more sheltered.

At the hospital, Elizabeth sees Finn and asks where he’s running. Is he going up to 10? He says he is, and thanks her for recommending Dr. Cramer. His dad really seems to like him, and she was the one who really pushed the issue. Elizabeth says she was happy to help. She’s glad it all worked out, but she’s sorry their dinner last night didn’t.

Gregory goes to Alexis’s office, and she asks him to give her a minute. She’s just finishing up some notes. He says, it looks like she’s dressed for battle, and she says she is. Because if they do this right, Drew goes free.

Felicia and Maxie walk into the breakroom at the hospital, and Felicia thanks Maxie for bringing breakfast. Maxie says she wanted to see Felicia, and she knows Felicia ran out without eating this morning, so she decided to bring breakfast to her. She misses spending time with Felicia. Felicia says she’s neglected Maxie and the kids, but Maxie says, first, they understand. Second, she hasn’t neglected them. Felicia says she didn’t realize how much there was to learn about this position. Don’t get her wrong, she loves it, but she feels like she’s back in college studying for finals. Maxie says, it’s going to be worth it. Felicia is taking on a totally new career where she’s going to be helping people at the most vulnerable time in their lives. They’re so proud of her. Felicia thanks her.

Finn says he’s so sorry he had to cancel, but he figured if anybody would understand the sick child excuse, it’s Elizabeth. He was wondering if she’d consider a raincheck. She says, of course (🍷). How’s Violet feeling today? He says, she’s much better. She was up early and excited to go to school. Elizabeth says, good. Let’s forget about the raincheck and figure it out right now. How about Friday? He says, no, and she asks if he’s busy, but he says, no. He doesn’t want just one night together. Let’s spend the weekend together. Maybe go out of town for a couple of days. What does she say?

Gregory says he likes Alexis’s suit, and she says, it’s old. She hasn’t worn it since she was disbarred. It’s her summation suit. She would wear it to closing arguments. She’s not superstitious, but she did win most of those cases. He says, so it’s her lucky suit, and she says she hopes so. He asks if she misses being in court, and she says, yes. There’s really nothing like it when you’re in a courtroom and you have a jury in your hands. When she did her closing statements, she would look each one of them in the eyes until she was sure they had a connection. Then, when the judge rules in your favor, it’s… not this. Interviewing an ambitious judge is certainly not the same thing. He says he’s sure she’ll be just as passionate as she is in the courtroom, and she says she hopes so. He says, Judge Kim handed down a sentence that was harsh and biased, and he’s sure with her skills, she’ll get Drew out of prison. She says, if this is going to work, she needs his help. So is he ready for battle?

Trina says, this is huge. Spencer’s dad’s alive, but they just don’t know where he is? He nods, and she says, he just doesn’t want to see Spencer? Spencer says, yeah, and she says, but he knows about Ace, right? He says, yeah, and she asks, what is with these one-word answers? Isn’t he upset that his dad isn’t coming home? And please don’t say, no. He says he doesn’t mean to be glib, it’s just that if his father were to come home right now, that would ruin things. She asks, how? and he says, because he, Esme, and Ace have gotten into a routine. It’s nice because he can spend a lot of time with Ace this way, and with his grandmother and Doc home, they can help out when they need to, and Esme can take a break. He thinks if his father were to come home right now, it would throw everything off. So he’s kind of glad his father is staying away. She asks if he doesn’t think Ace needs his father, but he says, no. Because Ace has him.

Valentin tells Laura, this is all his fault. As a father, he’s supposed to protect Charlotte and he’s completely failed her. He was so obsessed with Victor and Anna and tracking down Nikolas, he totally lost touch with his daughter. She says she can’t help him if she doesn’t know what it is. Did something happen to Charlotte? He says, when he got back from Russia, he was staying with Anna while Charlotte was at camp. One night he was out and Anna went for a run. It was the night Anna’s townhouse burnt down. She says she did hear about that and she’s so sorry. It must be so hard on Anna, but thank God no one was in the house at the time. Do they know what started it? He says, it was arson; it was intentional. They were pretty shaken up, so they sent Charlotte to Sam and Dante’s for a while. Laura says, that was a good idea. She’d definitely be protected there. He says, they didn’t realize they’d need protection from her though, and she says she doesn’t understand. He says, a couple of weeks later, they were staying at the MetroCourt Hotel. They were just getting back from dinner, and their hotel suite had been trashed. There was a threatening message written on the hotel mirror. It was Charlotte.

Now seated at another table, Anna says, sorry for the inconvenience, and Jordan says, no problem. Anna says, just because she’s paranoid, doesn’t mean someone’s not after her, right? Jordan says, it’s perfectly understandable to feel on edge. First, her house burned down, then there was the incident in her hotel suite. Anna asks if the PCPD has made any progress, and Jordan says, unfortunately, no, but it is an ongoing investigation, so hopefully, they’ll come up with some leads. Anna says she feels so anxious lately, like a sitting duck, and Jordan asks if there have been any more incidents. Anna says, no, but it doesn’t stop her from looking over her shoulder or jumping at her own shadow. Which is exactly what the WSB wanted. Jordan says, so she’s convinced they’re somehow connected to this, and Anna says she can’t prove it. Everything that’s happened is right out of their playbook, toying with her. They won’t make another attempt until their target – her – relaxes into a false sense of security, which she has absolutely no intention of doing. Jordan asks if there’s anything she can do, and Anna says she has a bodyguard now, full-time, courtesy of Sonny. So whenever her enemy, whoever they are, makes another move, she’ll be ready.

Finn says he knows Elizabeth has a lot going on with the boys being back in school, but this offer just kind of fell in his lap. She says, what offer? and he says he has this friend, Dan, good guy. He’s got this amazing cabin in the mountains. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s beautiful, the lake and the trees, and it’s kind of a magical place to recharge after a week here. He knows it’s short notice, so if she can’t make it, he totally understands. They can do it some other time. She asks, what is it that she’s been telling him up on the roof? That they should take advantage of every moment. Okay, yes. Let’s do this. She’ll call her gram and see if she can watch the boys. He says he’s sure Chase and his dad can look after Violet, and she says, so are they doing this? He says, they’re doing this, when his phone beeps. He says he’s needed in surgery. He’s really glad she can go. She says she can’t wait, and he leaves.

Gregory says, Alexis wants him in the room? and she says, of course (🍷) she wants him in the room. That’s part of the strategy. She’s going to take the lead and occasionally she’ll toss it to him. That’s when Gregory is going to butter him up. He’s going to make Judge Kim think that this puff piece is going to build his reputation, and he’s going to play to the judge’s ego. Then when they have him relaxed, that’s when they go in for the kill and blindside him with the documents they’ve uncovered. He says he doesn’t know. His contribution was strictly research. He had no intention of being in the spotlight. She doesn’t need him. She says she does need him. He’s her co-counsel. What does he say? Gregory says he’s in.

Trina tells Spencer, every child needs a parent. It’s important for a boy to grow up with his father. Spencer says, not when that father is Nikolas Cassadine. He’s rotten to his core. She says she’s confused, because a few days ago, they talked about his dad. He said he and Ace were better off without him and got all fired up. Then she reminded him of sweet moments that he shared with her; stories from his childhood when he bonded with his dad and looked up to him. Then Spencer admitted he still loved him and hoped he’s okay. Now Spencer just doesn’t want him back in his life? He says, it was a moment of vulnerability. He got caught up in false sentiment. He realized, just because he had a few sweet moments with his father from childhood, it doesn’t mean his father isn’t the same cruel person he’s always been. He thinks Ace is better off without his influence. She says, so he’s fine with Esme’s influence, and he says, how he feels about Esme is irrelevant. She’s Ace’s mother and that’s never going to change. She says, he can’t just forget about the awful things the old Esme did. That person might still be under the surface, just waiting to come out. He says he has no misconceptions about who Esme is, and he can’t believe he’s going to say this, but she’s been a good mother to Ace. Trina says, so just like with his dad, his opinion seems to have changed. Because not only did he want to take Ace away from Esme, he was the one who said they should hold onto the false evidence Victor left him. Spencer says, yes, because he is cautious, and that evidence acts as an insurance policy should Esme revert back to her old ways. It’s future leverage. She says, so he doesn’t really trust her, and he says, yes and no. He’s never going to forgive her for what she did to Trina, Joss, and Cam, but at the same time, the new improved version of her seems to be at least somewhat sincere. She says she doesn’t care what type of mother Esme is to Ace, that is the same woman who not only drugged her and framed her for violating her best friend, she thinks Esme is still motivated by jealousy and wants to be with Spencer. He says, come on. She doesn’t want that. Trina says, snap out of it. This fantasy that he and Esme have of playing house is a dream come true for her.

Maxie tells Felicia that she’s so happy with the new house. At first, she thought it was going to be really weird since it was Lulu’s. They spent so much time there, laughing, crying… Felicia says, Lulu would love the idea of Maxie being there. The house is filled with life again. Maxie says, and Georgie and James both have their own rooms, so she doesn’t have to referee the two of them. It’s a win-win. Felicia says she wishes she could see them more. James said he found the perfect tree to climb in the backyard. Maybe she and Mac could come over on Sunday and she could cook. Maxie says, okay. She’ll have to barbecue. Felicia asks if it isn’t getting a little chilly for that, and Maxie says, yeah, but James is kind of obsessed with grilling hotdogs. Felicia says, okay. Has Maxie finished unpacking? She knows Maxie’s been busy at Deception. Maxie says, work has been a little tense lately, and Felicia says she thought the lawsuit was settled. Maxie says, yeah. Lucy managed to save the company, but it came at a very high price.

TJ tells Portia that he hears congrats are in order, and she squeals. He says, Co-Chief of Staff? That’s great. She thanks him and says, she wasn’t sure at first, but now she’s happy she made the decision. He says, it’s not an easy job, and she says, no, it’s not. There’s a lot of challenges around here, but she has confidence in her Co-Chief Terry. He says, Dr. Randolph made great and significant changes around here, and she says she really hopes to be a part of that. He says he hates to bring up bad news on her first official day, but she says, that’s okay. She can handle it. That’s what this job is all about. He says, it’s not a problem with GH. Someone was here last night and it’s her right to know. It was Cyrus Renault. He was released from prison.

Laura tells Valentin, there’s got to be some kind of mistake. Charlotte? How could he be so sure? He says, security footage. He saw her breaking into their room while they were out. She asks if it couldn’t have been someone else. Anna’s built up a lot of enemies over the years. They don’t even know yet if Anna is the real target at the MetroCourt pool shooting. He says, the only one in the footage is Charlotte, and she says, it’s just so hard for her to believe her sweet little granddaughter could do something like that. He says, it makes him sick, but he saw the footage and the room; furniture overturned, Anna’s clothes all over the place covered with red ink. Laura asks, what was the message on the mirror? and Valentin says, you think you got away with it; you didn’t. You think you’re safe; you’re not. She asks if he’s confronted Charlotte about any of this, but he says, no. He asked her where she was; gave her a chance to come clean. Laura says she’s guessing Charlotte didn’t, and he says, no. She lied right to his face. She says, this is a lot for her to digest… They’re going to figure it out and they’re going to find a way to help Charlotte. He says he doesn’t know if that’s possible. It’s worse than Laura realizes.

Anna asks if Jordan thinks she’s going to go back to her old job as Police Commissioner, and Jordan says, Laura hasn’t been gone very long. They haven’t had time to discuss this. Anna asks what Jordan’s gut is telling her, and Jordan says, to be honest, she’s pretty torn. Anna says, that surprises her. She thought Jordan would jump at the chance to get her badge back. Jordan says she never thought of this job as a temporary thing, but she has to admit she’s enjoyed being Deputy Mayor. And the thought of working with Laura full-time is appealing. Anna says, she’s great. She really gets things done in this city, which is the hard thing. Jordan says, part of her thinks she could better serve Port Charles working in the mayor’s office, but she has to say, there’s nothing like getting your hands dirty. Portia walks over to their table and asks why Jordan wouldn’t at least warn her that Cyrus Renault was released.

Spencer says, Trina has nothing to worry about. Esme is not a threat to them. Trina says she doesn’t think Esme is actively trying to drive them apart, but nothing would make her happier than having Spencer all to herself. He says he’d never let that happen, and she says, but he’s already committed to Ace, and she thinks Esme loves the fact he’s a father figure to him. He says he doesn’t see anything wrong with him filling that role for his brother, and she says, that is just it. Ace is his brother, not his son. He’s not Spencer’s responsibility. Spencer’s father needs to be taking care of him. No matter what he thinks of Nikolas, Nikolas did a good job with him. He raised the man she fell in love with, so he can’t be all bad. He asks what she suggests; that he just have no active role in Ace’s life? She says she’s not suggesting he abandon Ace, but she needs him to start thinking about his future. Their future – his and hers.

Valentin says he thinks Charlotte burned Anna’s house, but Laura says, no. Charlotte didn’t do that. He says he didn’t think she could trash a hotel room, but she did, and Laura says, but arson? Come on. That’s a whole lot worse. Besides it’s not possible. He just told her that she was away at camp. He says, it was an hour away. She could have taken a Ride Share. Laura says she thinks that’s a lot of planning for a fifteen-year-old kid, and he says he thinks she waited outside until the house was empty because she didn’t want to hurt anybody, but she wanted to cause mass destruction and she did; she succeeded. She says, but this is all speculation, right? He doesn’t have proof, does he? He says, no, but he believes she burned Anna’s house, and he believes she’s disturbed. He can’t get through to her, and he’s praying Laura can.

On the phone Elizabeth thanks her gram and says, it’s much appreciated… Elizabeth will be glad to see her too. And Aiden has a new recipe he wants to try out on her… It’s just a weekend thing. She’s going away with a friend… Yes, gram. It’s Finn… She’s glad to hear her say that. She really likes him a lot too.

On the phone, Finn thanks Chase and says he owes him one. His next call will be to dad. He knows dad will be happy to spend some time with him and Violet… No. Chase won’t have to worry about tea parties. She’s kind of outgrown that, but get ready for a manicure… Oh, it’s his friend David. Chase met him. It’s his cabin in the mountains. With everything going on, he could use getting away for a couple of days. He’s really looking forward to it.

Alexis’s desk phone rings, and she says she’ll be right down. She tells Gregory, the judge has arrived. She’s going down to greet him. Then she’ll escort him up. Show time. He better be here when she gets back.

Laura says she doesn’t believe Charlotte is capable of burning down Anna’s house, and Valentin says he didn’t believe she was capable of trashing a hotel suite, but she did. It’s not that inconceivable. She says, but he has proof of that. By the way, can she see that footage? He says, the footage no longer exists, and she says, the best way for them to help Charlotte is to find out what’s driving this behavior. He says he doesn’t have a clue. She used to like Anna. Maybe she resents Anna for all the time he and Anna spent together in the safe house, working against Victor. She’s jealous he chose Anna over her. Laura says, that’s it. It’s Victor.

On the phone, Jordan says, they’d better give her some answers. She should have been notified of Renault’s release; his victims deserve to know as well. Find out who dropped the ball and call her back. Portia says, this is unbelievable. How could something like this possibly happen? Jordan says, it seems Renault was given a hardship release. He had a major heart attack a few months ago and a doctor testified that he’s physically debilitated. Portia says, it doesn’t take a lot of strength to hold a gun, and Jordan says, apparently, Warden Garten also gave a statement to the parole board. She claimed Cyrus was a model prisoner. She claims he’s reformed and not a threat to anyone. Portia says, this maniac threatened to kill her. He threatened to kill her daughter. He held her hostage in her own home, with his sister. How is he not a threat? Jordan says she knows this is difficult… and Portia says, there has to be a way to get this reversed and get him sent back to prison where he belongs. Anna says she’s sorry. That’s just not possible.

Maxie tells Felicia that Lucy announced to the entire office that she was taking Tracy’s deal and Tracy dropped the lawsuit. Felicia asks if that’s not a good thing, and Maxie says, none of their options were good, but now Tracy has 51% of the company and they can market The Deceptor again. Felicia asks if that’s not their most successful product, and Maxie says, it is, but unfortunately, Lucy wants to rework the entire ad campaign, which means replacing Sasha as the Face of Deception. Felicia says, that poor girl; she’s been through so much. Maxie says she knows. She wanted to tell Sasha in person, so she went over to her apartment and found her packing to move to Texas. Felicia says, she must have family there. She can understand Sasha wanting to be with them at a time like this. Maxie says, that’s the weird thing. She does not have family in Texas. She said she just wants a fresh start. It seemed so important to her, Maxie didn’t have the heart to tell her that she’s being replaced at Deception. (Um… was she going to do it long distance?) Felicia says, maybe she just needs to make a clean break. Was she going to leave without saying goodbye? Maxie says, yes, and her heart breaks for how much pain Sasha is in. Felicia says she’s so sorry for Sasha and for Maxie. Maxie’s losing a good friend.

Finn asks to talk to TJ about a consultation, and TJ asks, what’s up? Finn says he knows they scheduled it for Saturday, but he also knows it’s not urgent. He’d like to know if they can reschedule because he’s clearing all his appointments for this weekend. TJ asks if he’s going away, and Finn says, maybe… Yeah, he is. He knows that sounds kind of strange for a workaholic like himself. TJ says he hasn’t seen Finn this upbeat since he found a cure for that parasite. He’s a whole different person.

Spencer asks where this is coming from, and Trina says, they’re at a different point in their relationship than when Ace was born. They’re more serious now, and she thinks it’s time they talk about what’s ahead for them. He says, she wants to know about his future? and she says she does. Where does he see himself in five years? (What is this? A job interview? Not to mention, most candidates hate that question.) He says he doesn’t know. Having fun? Spending time with his friends and family? Being with the love of his life, her? She tells him, don’t do that. She’s being serious. He says he’s sorry, and she says she really wants to know. What does he want out of life? What are his dreams? What makes him happy? He says, her. She makes him happy. And his brother. Ace makes him happy.

Maxie says she doesn’t blame Sasha for wanting to start over. This place holds so many painful memories for her. First losing a child, then her husband. It must be so overwhelming. Felicia says she’s sure Maxie is going to miss her, and Maxie says she will. And Deception won’t be the same without her. They made such a great team with Lucy and Brook. Although Brook ruined it even before Sasha left. She still can’t believe Brook betrayed them. Felicia says, Maxie was so close to Brook, and Maxie says, and now that friendship is over. Felicia says, but it doesn’t have to be.

TJ says he doesn’t know what Finn’s diagnosis is, but his symptoms lately are happiness and high spirits, bordering on downright cheerful. He doesn’t know what the cause is, but hopefully, there’s no cure. Finn says, this friend told him that they have to hold on to the small moments in life. If something good presents itself, you don’t let go. Do what makes you happy. He guesses that’s what he’s trying to do. TJ says, it sounds like Finn has a very wise friend, and Finn says, what about TJ? How’s the surrogacy going? TJ says, it’s been a struggle to get here, but now everything’s on track. The pregnancy is going well, and he and Molly are excited for their first ultrasound. Finn tells him, congratulations. It sounds like TJ is in a good moment too.

Spencer says he loves Trina, but his brother is always going to be a part of his life. She takes his hands and says she gets that. She would never ask him to walk away from Ace, but it seems like he wants Ace to be more than his brother. He says he’s well-aware Ace isn’t his son, but it doesn’t mean he can’t be there for Ace. He wants to make sure Ace knows he’s loved and safe. Trina says, Ace has already been given a safe and stable home, and he says he’s going to make sure Ace stays there and isn’t shipped off to a boarding school like he was, because he doesn’t think his father realized how difficult that was for him. It was very isolating and lonely. She says, unfortunately, loneliness is a part of life, for some more than others. He says, it’s not going to be a part of Ace’s. Not as long as he has something to say about it. She says, what about his mother? Does her say matter?

Alexis introduces Judge Kim to Gregory, and says, he’s a senior member of their editorial board. He has an extensive background in journalism, and he’s written several pieces on the Supreme Court and the Federal judiciary. Gregory says he’s enjoyed reviewing the judge’s decisions; he’s a very impressive jurist. Judge Kim says he’s flattered, but it’s the first time he’s heard the word enjoy associated with his decrees, and Gregory says, some of his cases are interesting. Kim says, even Chapman versus Young? and Gregory says, his judication in that case set a precedent. Kim says, clearly the professor has done his homework, and Alexis agrees. She wants to thank him for agreeing to this interview. Why don’t they begin? She tells him to have a seat and make himself comfortable. She thought they’d begin with just some general questions. What drew him to a career in law?

Laura says, Victor had Charlotte at that boarding school in Switzerland for almost a year. They don’t know how many times he could have visited her there or what lies he could have fed her. Valentin says, according to Charlotte, he never visited her there, but who knows? and Laura says, there was also that time they all went to dinner at the MetroCourt and Charlotte wanted to wash her hands before they sat down at the table. She felt Charlotte was gone a little too long, so she went to look for her. She found Charlotte in the alcove with Victor. She sent Charlotte back to the table and gave him a very strong warning. Valentin says, she never told him that before, and she says, it never meant much of anything before, but she’s starting to think maybe he was right there influencing Charlotte. He says, Victor has always hated Anna. He blamed her for turning Valentin against him. This is starting to make sense. So this is revenge. He’s weaponized Charlotte and pointed her directly at Anna.

Felicia says, Brook was forced into it. Blackmailing family members comes easy to Tracy. Maxie says, Brook should have come to her first. They could have figured out a way around Tracy. They could have out maneuvered her or something. By the time Brook fessed up, it was too late. Felicia says, surely Maxie understands going to extreme measures when backed into a corner, and Maxie says, okay. She’s made a few mistakes. She’s told a few lies… Felicia says, and pulled a few schemes, and Maxie says, point taken. She’s really not in a position to judge Brook. Felicia says, exactly. So just be honest with her. Tell Brook that she forgives her. Tell Sasha that she doesn’t want her to leave. Maxie wonders how she ended up with such a smart mother, and Felicia says, just lucky I guess.

Trina says she doesn’t see Ace and Esme living with Spencer and Laura forever, and he says, they haven’t discussed it yet, but Esme knows she can stay there for as long as she likes. She has everything she needs there. Trina says, as Ace gets older, Esme will make decisions that affect his future. Where he lives, who he sees will be her choice, not Spencer’s. He says, they’ll cross that bridge when they come to it, but he doesn’t see anything changing for a while. She says, this idyllic situation can’t last forever, and eventually Esme and Ace will be on their own. There’s nothing he can do about it.

Portia asks why they can’t get Cyrus put behind bars where he belongs, and Anna says, unfortunately, this is a legal provision to show mercy on the elderly and infirm. Portia says, this is insane. He’s exploiting the justice system. Jordan says, she’s right, but their hands are tied. She knows this isn’t much comfort, but there’s no way Renault is going to go near her or Trina again. Portia says, Jordan doesn’t know that. This maniac is playing the feeble old man card, and some judge actually bought it. Jordan says she despises Cyrus, but he’s smart and calculating. He had to have called in a lot of favors to get released. There’s no way he’s going to do anything to jeopardize it. Anna says she’s sure Cyrus is going to want to reconcile with his sister, so he’s going to be on his best behavior.

Valentin says he can’t believe he entrusted his daughter to that monster, but Laura says, Victor was his father. Valentin never would have thought Charlotte would be at risk with him. He can’t blame himself for this. He says, she was far from him at school, and he still got his claws into her. So he gets her to commit arson and she’s going to have to pay the price for it? Laura says she’s not convinced it was Charlotte who burnt down Anna’s house. She knows his father isn’t above manipulating his own granddaughter, but it would be more likely that he’d encourage her to taunt Anna in some way. She thinks that would actually explain the hotel room incident. He says, so what do they do now? and she says, now that they know what’s driving her behavior, they can help her. They got her out of that school. Now they just have to get her out from under Victor’s influence.

Judge Kim says, after law school, he secured a position as Assistant District Attorney for the State of New York, and Alexis says, her daughter works in the DA’s office. It’s challenging, but she finds it rewarding. Kim says, it gave him a solid base for understanding the legal system, but he gets a greater satisfaction from presiding on the Federal bench, especially with cases dealing with constitutional matters. Gregory says he’s read the judge’s opinions, and he considers himself an originalist. Correct? Kim says, yes. He believes the meaning of the Constitution doesn’t change over time. Alexis says she was just reading an article about Ascher Alexander, and apparently they both share that view. Gregory says, isn’t that the billionaire investment banker? and Alexis says, mm-hmm. Kim says he’s certainly heard of him, but he wouldn’t know if Alexander agrees with any of his judicial opinions. He’s never met the man. Alexis says, really? Then that’s interesting. He flew to St. Thomas on this man’s private jet to go deep sea fishing, yet he’s never met him?

Perhaps Judge Kim should be removed from the bench for stupidity.

Tomorrow, Drew is scheduled to go back to Pentenville; Esme says she’s perfectly capable of looking after her own son; and Laura asks if Charlotte is worried about her father.

Southern Charm

Venita’s boyfriend Manny laughs over dressing Charles to go out even though he has fur. JT wonders if he should drink tea out of bowl or wineglass, and picks the latter. Shep chases Little Craig, who has the zoomies.

Madison visits Craig and Paige, and she’s shocked at how good the place looks. In Criag’s interview, he says his biggest concern about Paige is that she has no social circle in Charleston. She loves Madison, and they’re both firecrackers. He loves fireworks as long as they don’t blow up in his face. Madison says, she has the real tea, and tells them about Whitney saying Taylor sent him a nude photo. Craig says he saw it, but so much was going on, he forgot to tell Paige. (Right.) Paige asks if it was full front, and Madison says, it was, but Craig says, it was dark lighting. Paige says she’d never do that. She picks one item and focuses on that. Craig asks, what’s with Taylor and all of Shep’s friends? He thinks she’s really lost. Paige tells Madison about the pheasant dinner, and how Olivia hadn’t even walked through the door when Taylor cornered her to spill about her and Austin kissing. Paige thinks the problem is the lying over a six month time period, and Madison says, the timeline is f***ed up. Craig says, Taylor told him that Austin and Olivia weren’t together at the time, but Madison says she saw it after they were in New York, and we flash back to the Reunion. Craig says, Austin was trying to win Olivia back at that time. The sleepover JT was talking about happened recently. Paige says, they’d been sleeping together for months. Wait. What?

Austen visits mom Wendy and dad Tom, who have a meat and cheese board awaiting his arrival. In Austen’s interview, he says, a year ago his parents moved from his childhood home in Charlotte, and left behind so many memories. It was an emotional day. We flash back to that, and he asks Wendy how it’s going. She says she never thought retirement could be this fun, but she’s having a ball. Tom asks Austen how things are going, and Austen says he’s exhausted, and Olivia is angry at him. He tried to talk to her, and she said she f***ing hates him. Tom wonders if he should ask why, and Austen says, uh…. Basically, what happened was, Taylor was distraught over Shep, and they were there for each other. They were hanging out a lot. Wendy cuts to the chase and asks if he slept with her, and he says, no… but they did kiss. Wise Wendy suggests they open more wine, and tells Austen, obviously, Olivia is hurt. Austen says he knows he falls hard and fast, but then gets to a certain point and pulls back. Tom asks if it seems like a pattern (duh), and Austen says, it is, and he’s seeing a therapist because of it. She said he’s kind of broken, and he wants to know, why he’s the way he is. Wendy says she’s glad he’s seeing someone. She thinks being good friends first is important, and Austen says, Wendy and Tom are best friends. Tom says, that’s what got them through when Kyle died. They were stable and could lean on each other. In his interview, Austen says, to survive losing a child, a marriage goes through so much. He can’t imagine it, since he can’t even maintain a friendship with the women he’s dated. Wendy reminds him that he said he and Olivia would always be friends. Austen hangs his head and sighs.

Shep calls dad Rip from the car and says he’d dropped Little Craig off at doggy daycare, but got a phone call that Craig had a fever of 108. He was throwing up and breathing very hard, and the daycare took him to the vet. Rip says, it sounds like it’s an infection, and Shep says he’s about to find out. Whatever happened almost killed him. Shep is obviously upset, and I hate this because I hate Shep and I’m tearing up. Even if the worst of the worst loses a pet, I will bawl. He goes to the animal hospital, and the vet says, Craig has a smooshed face, and it was warm out. He was struggling to breathe and in critical condition when he was brought in. He’s not out of the woods yet, and they’ll have to monitor him closely for the next few days. Then they’ll talk about the next steps. In Shep’s interview, he says, Little Craig’s meant everything to him. It makes him very emotional to think of Craig not being on this earth. He changed Shep’s life. We flash back to good times with Little Craig, and Shep says, Craig taught him something about being responsible for something other than himself. He was 40 when he got Craig and had never thought about anyone else. The vet brings Craig out wearing the cone of shame, and Shep says, Craig scared him. The vet says, he’s so sweet. He was out of it earlier and it’s a 180 difference. Little Craig snorts in response.

JT is at his event space, Inn’s Clubhouse, and mom Bunny comes by. She wants to know what’s going on with the furniture, and JT says he chose it. She says, it’s not done, and in JT’s interview, he says, where to start with his mother. She’s a designer and he’s been consulting her on the décor and vibe of the space. She points out a small table and lamp for him to get rid of, and says, the pillows are fine… for a fishing cabin. He says he’s about to throw a launch part after years of doing this, and in his interview, he says, she wants to spar a lot. When he bought the building, she was in Virginia, so they did a lot of FaceTime. We see a clip of that, and he says, now it’s almost done. She helps him move the sofa and says, it looks better already. He needs to loosen it up and create some vibe. It’s not that she doesn’t like it, but it needs to be finished. It reminds me of the main building at a camp I went to in high school. They sit down, and JT says he has a good life and he should be happy. He was busy building a career and a business, but he can’t do this much longer. He’s about to turn 38 and doesn’t have a wife or girlfriend. He did have a first at bat, but he botched it. Maybe part of his problem is calling a relationship a first at bat. Bunny says, they were just children, and in JT’s interview, he says he loved his ex-wife, but doesn’t think people should get married at 22. (Agreed.) If they’d met when they were 30, it would have been different. Bunny says, to be married, you need other skills you don’t have at 22, and in his interview, JT says he got divorced and moved to Charleston. It was a painful time. He tells Bunny that he knows it’s hard to find someone, but he doesn’t want buyer’s remorse. He doesn’t want to go through that again. Okay, problem number two; looking at a breakup as buyer’s remorse. Maybe JT needs to know the difference between baseball games, buying a car, and a relationship. Bunny suggests he take a step back, and says, it’s not easy, but when it’s right, it’s gonna be right. JT says, one day at a time, and Bunny says, it will work out how it works out. It’s not a reflection on him as a person. Wow. She’s a real Confucious.

Patricia Facetimes with Michael, who says he has no complaints. He compliments her on her Dolce and Gabbana cat shirt, and she says she’s put on weight, so the cats are getting fatter. In Patricia’s interview, she says, Michael is in assisted care in Sarasota, Florida, but they keep in touch and talk all the time. He’s like a member of the family. She says, he promised to show her how to make a martini like he used to make. She’s been living with inferior martinis. He explains how to pound ice in a bag, and in her interview, she says, people think making a martini is easy, but it’s not. With the right ingredients and proportions, it’s an art form. I dunno. Pour top shelf vodka in a glass, glance at a bottle of vermouth, throw in a couple of olives. Whitney tests the martini and pronounces it perfection. It’s white, crisp, and exceptionally good. Michael is a true genius. They miss him and his martinis. He says, it’s his second anniversary at the facility, and Patricia says, he’s doing incredibly well. He says he’s grateful for the help and inspiration they’ve given him, and in Patricia’s interview, she says, life is uncertain. They were out the night before and everything was fine. The next morning Michael had a stroke. You have to savor every moment, every day, because you never know when life is going to change. She says, they love him, and he says he loves them and the dogs. Patricia and Whitney toast to him. After the call, Patricia says she can’t believe it’s been two years, stay and Whitney says he misses Michael. She says, she does too, and I say, me too. Whitney leaves, and Patricia sniffles, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. It’s probably the only time we’ll ever see that steel magnolia cry.

Leva calls Olivia and leaves a message asking if they’re still meeting for dinner; she’s on her way. She meets Venita at a restaurant and says she doesn’t think Olivia is coming. She called several times, and there was no answer, but she’s been through a lot this week. Venita says she called Taylor, but she’s not answering her calls or texts. Leva says she texted Taylor too, and decides to call Rod. She asks if he talked to Olivia lately, and he says he texted this morning. Leva says she’s like a mom, and Rod says he’ll try calling. Venita says she likes Rod for Olivia. Taylor calls Leva, and Leva asks how she is. Taylor says she’s shaking, and Leva asks, what happened? Taylor asks if Olivia is okay, and Leva says, they haven’t talked. Taylor says she doesn’t know if it’s true. It’s something about Olivia’s brother Connor. She starts to cry, and Leva takes her off speaker. She asks if there was an accident, then looks shocked. She tells Taylor to take a deep breath and call her back. Leva says, Ervin texted Taylor and asked if she knew about Connor passing away, and Venita says, no. Leva says she doesn’t want to cry in the restaurant and doesn’t want them to film. She asks them to stop, and she and Venita leave.

The next day. Taylor calls Austen and says she’s going through waves, hurting for Olivia and her family. She’s shook. Olivia kept saying, it feels like a nightmare. In Austen’s interview, he says he’s in a fog. The death of a sibling was first time in his life he learned about death, when his sister passed. Now he and Olivia share that tragic bond together. He wants to see her, but he’s tired and sad and feeling like he can’t be there for her. He wants to give her a hug. Taylor says she thinks it’s important for him to reach out. He’s one of the only people who understand and it’s important he go show his face. Austen says he doesn’t want to make it worse, and cries. He looks at a picture of him and his sister.

JT calls Rod and says he’s postponing the launch. Rod says, it’s obviously the right move. He texted, but it feels super awkward. He wants to do something, but there’s nothing he can really do. Shep calls Craig and says he had an idea to offer Olivia the house for her friends and family from out of town. He asks if he can stay with Craig, and Craig says he’s always welcome. Venita calls Leva and says she called Olivia. She suggested they gather at one house. She wants to make sure Olivia feels safe and protected. She wonders if her house is okay, and Leva says, it’s totally fine. Rodrigo comes over Craig’s and says, it’s been a hell of a week. Craig says he’s making gluten free lasagna to bring Olivia. Paige left a couple days ago, and he’s not sure when it’s appropriate to talk to Olivia. He sent flowers, but she’s only talked to Austen. He’s trying to keep Austen straight. He’s taking it hard, and Craig told him, whatever the f*** you do, don’t go over there. The last time they saw each other was at the party, and Olivia said she basically hated him. He breaks the cork in the wine he’s trying to open, and decides to just open a different bottle, but Rod magically opens it, saying, Craig makes it look so hard. Craig says he and Austen were texting, and Austen kept saying he knows it’s not about him. There might be a time to be there for a loved one, but he wasn’t aware Austen and Olivia were still loved ones. It’s been a day.

Charles has his green/blue tail going on for the gathering. Leva goes to Venita’s, and Venita says she’s waiting on Olivia. Leva asks if there’s anyone else, and Venita says, she didn’t tell Madison. She doesn’t think Madison knows and it’s not her place. She hasn’t spoken to Taylor; she’s not picking up. Leva says, they had an awkward conversation, and she might be all over the place. She doesn’t think Taylor’s energy will be calming. Venita asks if Olivia knows Taylor and Austen kissed, and Leva says she didn’t know. Venita says she thought Leva did, when Taylor calls. She says she’s sorry for ignoring Venita’s calls, but it’s been a whirlwind of emotions. She’s been out of it a little, but Olivia is going through it. She’s hoping the invite still stands. She wants to be there for Olivia. Venita thinks Taylor might be emotional and too all over the place. She doesn’t think it’s a good idea for her to come over today. Olivia needs a safe space where… Taylor says, her safe space is where people genuinely know her, and she’s known Olivia and her parents a long time. Leva says she’s known them for ages, and in her best mom effort, she tells Taylor that she’s incredibly dear to Olivia, so come over. Venita tells Leva, that’s what she means. Taylor’s heart means well, but her brain is all over the place. She doesn’t want any secondhand anxiety for Olivia. Olivia arrives, and Leva asks if her parents are staying. Olivia says her dad is non-stop working the phones, and her mom doesn’t want to leave. She feels like she’ll be further away from him. Olivia hasn’t been able to go to his room, but her mom wants to stay in it. They’re all on different pages. She cries and says, he was so thoughtful, sweet, and kind. She hopes he knew how loved he was. Leva says, he knows everything now, and we flash back to Olivia on the phone with Connor and telling him that they’ll talk when he gets back. In Olivia’s interview, she says, the last thing he said to her was that she was doing everything right and was where she was supposed to be. He said he hoped she would look back and be as proud of him like he is of her. Taylor comes in and immediately focuses on Charles’s tail, as I would. She and Olivia hug, and in her interview, Olivia says she still has questions and is feeling hurt, but she’s not thinking about who she’d want around for something like this. At the end of the day, she cares about their friendship and wants to move forward. Venita makes margaritas. Olivia says, Austen brought her a comfort bag. He texted her that he was bringing something by, and she hadn’t replied, and then she got a text that he was in the parking lot. It was like he was texting her as he was inching closer. Then he said he was at the bottom of the stairs, and he’d leave the bag. In her interview, she says, everyone stepped up and it’s meant so much. Austen stepping up was comforting. She tells them that Austen has been kind and thoughtful. In his own words, they share common ground. Nonetheless, she hates having it in common. She’s really appreciative of them.

Austen goes to see therapist Kristen, and says, the week isn’t about him, but it’s drumming up feelings. He saw Olivia. He brought her some food and she was waiting on the porch. They met each other and embraced. It was a transcendent moment. Kristen says, the emotions are coming from the loss of his sister, and Austen tells her that he wants to say the right thing. Kristen says, it’s hard with their messy history, and Austen says, that’s why he’s here. He’s probably met two or three girls who could be the real deal. Kristen says, but something happens to make him pull back, and he says he doesn’t know why. She says he’s afraid of vulnerability. When relationships get to a certain level, it’s scary because they see who he really is. He doesn’t want to lose someone, and she thinks the pain from when he was 8 also makes him scared of the you’re my person thing. If he got married and had children, he could potentially lose a child, and could he go through that with someone? Austen says, when he tries to massage a situation so he doesn’t cause hurt, it backfires. He’s gotten in his own way so many times and things got mixed up. With Olivia, he wishes he had the right thing to say. Kristen tells him that it’s more important he be present, as much as Olivia allows. It will be healing for both of them. Austen says, they’ve been texting, and Kristen says she thinks Olivia is comforted by the fact he gets it. Austen says, maybe that’s his purpose in this; to show Olivia what time can do. Kristen says, he gives her some hope that it won’t always feel this bad. At this point, the only thing Austen could do to screw it up is by not being there.

Next time, Olivia tells Taylor that Shep needs to figure out his next move; Olivia says she’s trying to mend the friendship, but Taylor is making it hard; the nude picture is brought up, and Madison calls Taylor phony and fake. Pot meet kettle.

💭 You might have noticed (or not), I didn’t rag on these people too much this episode. How could I? I know what it’s like to lose a sibling and be worried about your dog. And on top of it, I miss Michael too, and seeing Patricia cry was heartbreaking. Common ground, as Austen said. Thank God for JT and Craig, the comic relief.

🧙🏽‍♀️ Hocus Pocus This…

Come set a spell tomorrow for soap and a cornucopia of amusements. Until then, stay safe, stay driving extra safely on Halloween, and stay savoring every moment, every day, because you never know when life is going to change.

Oct19

October 18, 2023 – Ava’s Kidnapping Aftermath, Island Wedding, Stay Put, Early Exit, Charitable, Lake #2, Fear’s End, Final Daryl, Ranking Dragons, Modern Remake, Halloween Show-Offs & Scary

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis hoists himself into bed, when Portia asks if he wants some company.

Tracy says, blackmail is a harsh word, and Lois says, but that’s exactly what Tracy did to get Lois’s daughter to do what she wanted. Tracy says she prefers strongly suggested, but clearly that’s a moral shortcoming. Lois says she doesn’t think moral shortcoming even begins to cover it. How about epic fail as a grandmother? Is this how Tracy treats her granddaughter? Tracy says, Brook came to her for help, and she gave it to her, but Lois says, Tracy didn’t help Brook; she took advantage of her. And now Tracy has to answer to her.

In bed with Sonny, Nina says she likes them wearing their wedding bands. It makes it more official. He says he doesn’t think a big wedding would have been as special, and she agrees. She loved their intimate wedding. No stress, just love. She thanks him, not just for the wedding, but for everything. He made her perfectly happy. He says, yes, she’s perfect, and kisses her.

Kristina says she still can’t believe Blaze is in Puerto Rico, and Blaze says, well, believe it. Kristina can thank her abuela. Kristina says, thank you, abuela. She’d love to meet her. Blaze says, Kristina would love her. She’s a force of nature. Kristina says, that’s where Blaze gets it from, and Blaze says, her abuela is five feet tall and a hundred pounds, but that lady is a fireball. Kristina suggests they raise a glass to her and asks, how about a frozen margarita? Blaze says she’d love one.

As they walk down the hall, Deanna tells Austin, white male, 41, two GSWs to the back. The paramedics think the shots might have missed his spine. He’s been in and out of consciousness. They go into a room, and Austin sees that it’s Mason.

Carly walks in the door and calls for Josslyn. She says she got here as soon as she could, and asks Josslyn, what’s wrong? Before Josslyn can answer, there’s a knock at the door, and Carly opens it to a disheveled Ava with Dex and Dante. Carly asks if she’s okay and Ava says she will be once she sees her daughter. Is Avery all right?

Sam goes into Drew’s room and asks if he’s up for a visitor. He says, of course (🍷) he is. He’s always glad to see her. He knows he told her that he didn’t want Scout to see him in the hospital, but is there any chance she ignored that and brought that beautiful girl here with her? She says, Scout is at a sleepover, and he says, let him guess; she’s at the Qs getting in some dog time. Sam says, he guessed right. She can’t get enough of Annabelle II, but – Sam puts a gift bag on the tray – Scout sent her here with a little gift. She takes out a plaque and says, check that out. He says, will you look at that, and we see it’s an award to Scout for Outstanding Swimmer.

Josslyn tells Ava that Avery is perfectly fine. She’s asleep in her room upstairs and Pilar is with her. Ava says, thank God, and Josslyn says she figured it was better that Avery slept here than the police station. Ava thanks Josslyn and goes upstairs to see Avery. Carly asks Josslyn, what the hell is going on? and Dante says, they just came from the police station where Ava made her statement. Carly says, statement for what? and Dante says, it’s a long story, but Ava was abducted a couple nights ago and tonight, Joss and Dex rescued her. Dex says, they can’t take all the credit; there was a major assist from Dante. Carly asks if Josslyn is okay, and Josslyn says she’s perfectly fine. She was just at the police station with Avery and Pilar. Dex and Dante were the ones actually doing the rescuing. Carly says, this is crazy. Ava was abducted? Dante says, by Mason Gatlin.

Austin asks Deanna to get Dr. Larson for him. This patient is his cousin; he can’t take the lead. She says, right away, and leaves. Austin closes the door and asks if Mason can hear him. He’s in the hospital and Austin needs him to wake up. Mason’s eyes flutter open, and Austin says, where’s Ava?

Nina tells Sonny, it’s so peaceful here, so quiet. It’s like an oasis of tranquility. You’d never guess there was a casino on this island. He says, that’s because of the ocean. You can hear the waves and breeze going through the palm trees. The only thing better than that is sharing it with her. She says, he has such a handsome face and he’s so relaxed. She hasn’t seen him this relaxed since Nixon Falls. It’s nice to see him unwind. He’s been very stressed lately. He says, there was a situation he let go way too long, but when he gets back, he’s going to handle it.

As Kristina pours the drinks, she tells Blaze that the secret is using tequila aged in oak barrels. Blaze says, Kristina knows her stuff. She’s impressed. Kristina says, her mother wasn’t. She was less than thrilled with Kristina’s decision to become a bartender. Blaze says, first of all, there’s nothing wrong with bartending, and secondly, Kristina is doing so much more. She not only manages Charlie’s, she’s getting that youth center off the ground. Kristina says, her mother has finally made peace with her choices and come to respect her position at Charlie’s and the youth center. Why are they talking about her mother? What do they toast to? Blaze says, to her, the new Face of Deception, and they clink glasses.

Tracy tells Lois to get off her high horse. Brook is an adult, she got herself into trouble, and Brook came to her for a favor to get her out of it. Lois says, and Tracy thought blackmail was the way to do it? How could she? Tracy says she made it perfectly clear that favors come at a cost. Brook agreed to the deal and went into it with her eyes open. Lois says, Tracy forced her daughter to commit intellectual property fraud. She stole design information from Deception, a company her friends owned. She betrayed them. That’s not Tracy calling in a favor; that’s called extortion. Tracy says, potato, potahto. Brook got what she wanted. It’s only fair that Tracy should get what she wanted. End of story.

Curtis says, sure, and Portia gets into bed next to him. She says, dinner was nice, right? It was so lovely of Stella to take them out to celebrate. He says, Portia was promoted to Co-Chief of Staff. That’s definitely something worth celebrating. Portia says, hopefully, there will be many more happy occasions to come. One she can see right now, where they’ll have a big party – at The Savoy, of course (🍷) – is Trina’s graduation. He suggests they not get ahead of themselves. That’s still two years away. (I’m glad he said that. I thought I lost time or something.) She says, but time is going to fly by. He knows how things go, and he knows what a planner she is. It’s never too early to start thinking about the details. They’ll have N’neka come up with a specialty drink, something really cute, like the Trina Twist. They laugh, and she says, and they’ll have a DJ, not a band, because Trina’s going to want to dance all night long. Curtis says, yeah, and he won’t be able to dance with his daughter.🍼He’ll just be watching from the sidelines, so he guesses he’s got to get used to that view.

Tracy tells Lois, Brook brought this on herself. Chase had an opportunity to get his job back, and Brook dragged her feet. Lois asks what she’s talking about, and Tracy says, Brook was asked to write a testimonial about Chase’s sterling character, but she kept putting it off. Why? Because she was so busy managing his fledgling music career, but really, she just wanted him by her side. She acted out of pure selfishness. Lois says, and that she got from Tracy.

Portia says she knows how difficult this must be for Curtis, but he says he doesn’t think she does. She says, but she’s here for him. She puts her hand on his shoulder, and says, please don’t shut her out. He says, just stop, and she says she misses him. She misses their closeness. He says he just can’t. He told her the other day that he can’t show her love the way he used to. She says, yes, and she told him that she’d be there for him, and that’s what she’s trying to do. She’s trying to show him that, yes, their love might look different than the way it used to, but they can still connect with one another. They can connect physically. He says, she’s not hearing him. Even if he could do… this, he’s just not ready.

Kristina says, Blaze is really going to be the new Face of Deception? That’s huge. Maybe they should be switching to champagne. Blaze says, don’t pop the cork yet. She hasn’t even accepted the offer. She’s got to think about it. She doesn’t love the idea of giving up what’s left of her privacy, and she’s not sure she should split her focus. Kristina says, Blaze seems like a woman who’s capable of anything, and Blaze says, she’s at a point where she finally has control of her career, and she refuses to be obligated to anyone ever again.

Sam says, that is from the swim team awards banquet, and Drew says, that sounds pretty cool, but she says, it wasn’t actually. It was held in a gym, and they served corndogs and cupcakes. He laughs and says, it sounds pretty perfect for him right now. He wishes he could have been there. He’s so proud of Scout. He misses being at her meets and cheering her on from the bleachers. She asks what he’s talking about. He’d be the one running alongside her, saying, go, Scout. He says he’s probably embarrassed her a little bit, but Sam says, no. She loves her daddy. She was able to be there for Scout, and he was there in spirit. Scout did say she won this specifically for him. So when she dropped Scout off at the Qs, she wanted to bring it right over. He thanks her, and says, tell Scout that she’s got to take really good care of it; keep it safe. For him, for when he gets out. Because what he’s going to do is hang it up on his wall at the office and brag about her to everybody that comes in. And tell her that he loves her. Sam says she will.

Dex says, Spinelli was able to get the license plate of the car Mason was driving, and Carly says, Spinelli was involved in this too? Dante says, he was a big help actually, and Dex says, he tracked the car turning on County Road 21; said there was nothing out there except cliffs overlooking the river. Dante says, it’s a desolate area. It’s not where you want to be with a maniac like Gatlin. Dex says he saw Mason’s car on the side of the road, and just as he pulled up, Mason dragged Ava out of the car and was pulling her toward the cliff. Carly says, she could have been killed, and Dex says, then he pulled a gun and started shooting. He was able to tackle Mason, but they struggled, and Mason was about to push him off the cliff, but Dante showed up. Josslyn says, thank God. He could have died tonight. She puts her arms around him, and he holds her.

Kristina asks if Blaze always wanted to be on stage, and Blaze says, absolutely. She dreamed of being a megastar. Fill up stadiums like Beyonce and make headlines every time a new song dropped. Kristina says, wow. It kind of seems like she’s on her way. Blaze says, but she still wants to live her life and have privacy and be able to date who she wants without it being a tabloid headline, but the more popular she gets, the more impossible it becomes.

Nina asks if Sonny will do her a favor, and he says he already gave her what she wanted. What’s the problem? She says, yes, he did, but she can be really greedy when it comes to her handsome husband. He asks if she wants him to buy her a sailboat for the island and call it the Nina Star, and she says she’s not opposed to that idea, but no. Not anything material. She wants him. He says, you already have me, Mrs. Corinthos, but she says, no. She means she wants him to forget about all the problems and stresses he has and wants him to forget all his issues and keep them in Port Charles. Can he just be here in the moment with her while they’re on their honeymoon? Can he just love her? He says, yeah, and they get busy.

Ava comes downstairs in a robe and asks if Dante is still here, but Carly says, he had to get back to the station. Dex says, Dante told him to remind her about her clothes. Someone’s going to come by and collect them for DNA evidence. She says she left them in the guestroom. Dante probably wanted to find out about Mason’s status. With any luck, his bullets killed Mason. Carly says she knows Ava had a really rough time tonight. She’s sure seeing Avery made her feel better. Ava says, yeah. She was asleep of course (🍷). She didn’t wake her. She just sat by her and pet her beautiful face. Josslyn says, she didn’t know anything was going on, and Ava thanks her for that. Her biggest fear was that they would come after Avery, and she’s all Ava could think about when Mason was holding her in that basement. Carly says, they’d do anything to keep her safe. Sonny has posted more guards outside; the grounds are completely secure. Ava says she appreciates that, and Carly says she needs to get back to the hospital to be with Drew, but she doesn’t want to leave Josslyn. Dex says he’ll take care of her, and Josslyn says she’s fine. Go. She and Carly hug, and Carly says, Ava is welcome to stay the night here. She thinks it would make Avery really happy to wake up and see her. Ava says, that’s so nice, and thanks her. Carly says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Josslyn says she almost forgot, but she has something of Ava’s that she found at Windymere and thinks Ava is going to need it.

Dr. Larson says, Mr. Gatlin seems stable enough for surgery, and tells Deanna to get him prepped and ready for the OR. He tells Mason that he’s a lucky man. X-rays show the bullets didn’t pierce the spine. Austin asks if he can have a moment with his cousin before he goes to surgery, and the doctor says, no problem. He leaves, and Mason says, wish him luck, but Austin says, where’s Ava? Mason says he has no idea.

Dante approaches the door to Mason’s room, but as he’s about to go in, Jordan tells him, don’t go into that room and stay away from the patient.

Tracy tells Lois that she’s beginning to think maybe Brook hasn’t been exactly forthcoming about her departure from Deception. She wonders if Brook is concerned about not living up to Lois’s high standards of honesty and integrity. Lois says she would never judge her daughter. Love makes you do crazy things, and Brook learned from her mistakes, but that still doesn’t excuse what Tracy did. She used Lois’s daughter to get what she wanted. And for what? A cosmetics company? What did she want? Free night cream? She went after Deception to satisfy her own greed. Tracy says, she couldn’t be more wrong. She got that company for Brook.

Curtis says, when Portia came to visit him at the hospital, he couldn’t handle it. He lashed out and said the most awful things to her, and he never wants to push her away like that again. This is not that. This is different. She says, yes, he pushed her away before. She was upset, but she understood, and she understands now. She’s trying. She knows this is new. This is so raw. But he’s home and they’re going to have to find a way back to each other. But he’s going to have to let her in; he’s going to have to let her love him. He says, but he can’t love her that way. The truth is, psychologically, he doesn’t know if he ever will again. She says she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. She doesn’t even know how he can say something like that. She came on too strong tonight; she gets it. She’s sorry she did that. He says, she wanted to love her husband, and shouldn’t apologize for it, but she says, it’s too soon. They just need to take things slowly. They’ll take things slowly and eventually they’ll get there. He says, they’ll get there? When his wife knocks on his door for something he can’t give her, it makes him feel like less of a man.

Kristina says, it sounds like a lot to navigate, and Blaze says she’s sorry. She’s finally getting everything she ever wanted, and now she’s whining about it. Kristina says she doesn’t think Blaze is whining about it at all. To her, it just seems like Blaze is a woman who’s trying to figure out how much she wants to sacrifice to reach her goals. She should be able to live her dream without giving up her life. Blaze says she already knows one upside to being in the public eye, and Kristina says, go on. Blaze says, they never would have even met if Kristina hadn’t recognized her. So that’s definitely an argument in favor of fame.

Mason asks why Austin cares. Ava was with him when he got shot. Austin says, so she got away safely? and Mason says, last thing he remembers is Ava screaming when he got shot. Dr. Larson comes in and says, the surgeon’s ready, and asks Deanna to give him an IV.

Dante asks, what’s going on? and Jordan says, he needs to go home. He asks why he would go home. This is his suspect. He needs to question him. It’s his case. She says, not anymore, and he says he doesn’t mean any disrespect, but she’s not the Commissioner anymore; she’s Deputy Mayor. She says, the Police Commissioner was the one who called her. Mac has been keeping busy trying to keep the Pautuck PD off his back. They’re not too happy with Dante showing up in their jurisdiction and taking matters into his own hands. He asks what she wanted him to do. This guy kidnapped Ava Jerome. He was going to kill her and Dex Heller. What was he supposed to do? Show up and say, sorry, guys, you’re out of my jurisdiction? She says she gets it, but they’re making a lot of noise. Hopefully this will blow over when the investigation exonerates him. He says, investigation? That is ridiculous. She says, he shot a civilian. This is standard procedure, and he knows it, so calm down. Until the investigation is over, he’s on administrative leave and he can’t be here. So go home. She walks away.

Josslyn gives Ava her phone, and says she’s sure it’s dead right now, but there’s a charger on the desk. Ava says she wasn’t able to grab it before Mason forced her out of the house, and thanks Josslyn, plugging it in. Not just for the phone. She’s very grateful for both of them. If it wasn’t for Dex, Mason would have thrown her over that cliff. She fought as hard as she could, but she couldn’t stop him. Dex says he knows it’s hard to talk about, but did Ava ever overhear Mason talking to his boss? Does she know who he was working for? She says, no. He just drove out there and he pulled over and said he was waiting for instructions. A couple of minutes later, his phone rang. Maybe his boss wasn’t happy with him. She doesn’t know, but Mason got angry. He started the engine and she thought, okay, this is it. He’s going to bring her home and let her go. Dex asks, what changed his mind? and she says she has no idea, but all of a sudden, he just snapped. He shut the car off and dragged her out of the backseat, and Dex knows the rest. Josslyn says, it looks like she needs this, handing Ava a drink. Ava thanks her and takes a sip. She thanks them both for everything.

Carly looks at Drew through the door window, and calls Sonny. He asks if everything is okay, and she says, no. She’s really sorry to bother him on his honeymoon. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, that dirtbag Mason Gatlin… He says, Austin’s cousin? and she says, he kidnapped Ava. Sonny sits up and says, what the hell? Carly says, she’s fine. Dex and Dante found her, but she’s shaken. She had Ava spend the night at her house so she could be with Avery. He asks if Avery is okay, and Carly says, she’s fine. She doesn’t know about anything that was going on, but Ava’s kidnapping isn’t the worst of it. He asks, what could be worse than that? and she says, Cyrus Renault. He’s out of prison.

Tracy says she tried to buy Deception legally. Lucy Coe wouldn’t budge, so it became a challenge, and she had to resort to drastic measures to get the company. Now she’s giving it to Brook, lock, stock, and barrel. Lois laughs and says, so Tracy is the hero of this story. She’s doing all this out of what? The goodness of her non-existent heart? No. She doesn’t buy it. Tracy doesn’t have an altruistic bone in her entire body. Tracy says she doesn’t care whether Lois buys it or not. She’s Brook’s grandmother and she’s going to provide for her. Because she doesn’t want Brook to waste her life on music, then have nothing to show for it, like Lois did. Lois says, Tracy doesn’t get to make those choices for Brook, but Tracy says, Brook will thank her. If she hadn’t stepped in, Lucy Coe would have left her as a glorified assistant. She has a future at that company and now she owns 51% of it. Lois says, so all this is done so Tracy gets that warm fuzzy feeling for helping others? and Tracy says, yes… and she gets her 1% of ELQ back. Lois says, oh-ho! That old story again? Really? Keep her 51%, because Brook isn’t going to want any part of it. Tracy says, we’ll see.

Portia says she knows how difficult this has to be for Curtis. And not to get clinical here, but the doctor said he should be able to function in that way. He says, this is not about medicine. This is not about a diagnosis. Every doctor in the world can tell him that he can still have sex, but he knows he can’t make love, and there’s a difference here. Just because he’s capable physically doesn’t mean he’s ready psychologically. His body may be working in that way, but his mind is nowhere near ready. She says he’s not ready yet, but he will be, and he says, who knows? She says she knows. She’s not giving up on him. This is the hardest thing he’s ever had to face in his entire life, and they’re going to get through it together. He says he doesn’t know if she can help him get past this. So much of who he is, is tied to his physical ability. He’s always been athletic. He’s always pushed himself to run a little faster, to hit the bag a little harder, to add more weights to the bar. So just knowing he’d be struggling to love his beautiful wife the way she deserves to be loved? It’s humiliating. It’s infuriating. And it’s tearing him apart on the inside. She says she’s not going to give up on him. She loves him. And he’s right. She doesn’t know what this means for him. Even if they never get to a place where they share a bed in the same sense that they used to, she’s not going anywhere. She loves him. So take his time and she’s going to be there.

Austin tells Jordan that he’s looking for some information. Mason Gatlin is his cousin and Austin’s very close with Ava Jerome. He’s hoping… Could she just tell him what happened tonight? She says she shouldn’t be giving him any information. This is an ongoing investigation, and they’re still trying to put the pieces together. He says, yeah, but he’s asking. Please? She says, Mr. Gatlin was charged with kidnapping Miss Jerome and two counts of attempted murder. He was shot by an officer while attempting to murder someone. Austin asks if Ava was hurt, and she says, from what she understands, Ava was badly shaken, but unharmed. He thanks her, and walks away. He makes a call and says, come on, Ava. Pick up.

Ava’s phone rings and she sees it’s Austin, but ignores the call.

Josslyn says, Dex is a real hero, but he says he can’t take all the credit. Dante was the one who took down Mason. She says, yes, and Dex is actually the one who stopped Ava from going over a cliff. Which makes her wonder, how close did he come to going over himself?

Sam is asleep when Dante comes into the bedroom. He takes her magazine out of her hands and takes her glasses off. She opens her eyes, and he says, sorry. She says, don’t be sorry. She tried to stay up, but she fell asleep. She was so exhausted. He says, that’s okay. He kind of wants to put this day behind him. She asks if something happened, and he says, it’s kind of a long story. He’s been placed on administrative leave. He shot someone tonight and they might not make it. He gets in bed, and they cuddle.

Sonny says, son of a bitch, and Carly asks what he thinks happened. He says he doesn’t know, but he’s going to fly back home first thing in the morning. He’s got to go. He’s got to make some calls. She says, let her know what he finds out, and he says, will do. Nina asks, what’s going on? and Sonny says, of course (🍷). It was him all along. He jumps out of bed, and she says, who?

Curtis says he’s just not sure how long it will take him to get there or if he’ll get there, and Portia asks if he remembers when she told him that he didn’t know the kind of woman he married. This woman right here, she’s stubborn. But she’s also very patient. He sighs and says, it’s a lot to put up with, but she says she’s not putting up with anything. She loves him and knows how hard it must have been to be that vulnerable with her. But him opening up, sharing his insecurities, that made her feel that much closer to him. Maybe she did come in here for some physical lovin’, but she thinks they shared something just as deep. He’s letting her in and that’s a start. She kisses him and gets out of bed, but he takes her hand and says, wait. He loves her too. She says she knows he does, and leaves.

Jordan says, maybe Austin can help her. Can he think of any reason Mason would want to abduct Ava Jerome? Austin says, is she kidding? No. His cousin has always been a wild card. He has no idea why Mason does the things that he does, and Austin couldn’t speak to any of his motivations, ever. Excuse him. He has a patient he should probably check on. He jets, and Jordan says, goodnight, doctor.

Ava has one missed call and one message from Austin. She looks at the phone, but does nothing.

Dex says, Mason was tough to take down, and Josslyn says, he could have killed Dex. He says he was fighting with everything he had. At some point, when they were wrestling on the ground, he hit his head and he was dazed, so Mason had an advantage. He was losing ground a few feet from the cliff. If Dante hadn’t shown up, Mason would have pushed him over. She says, thank God for Dante, and he says, thank God for her. She’s the one who found Dante at the police station after Spinelli gave her his last known location. The fact that he’s still alive is totally on her. They kiss.

Sam says, besides Ava, what did he want? and Dante says he doesn’t know. That’s what they’re trying to figure out. She asks if Avery is okay, and he says, she’s fine. She wasn’t involved and doesn’t know what went down. She asks if he told Sonny, and he says, Carly’s doing that, which he’s glad about, because Sonny’s not going to be too happy. Sam snuggles against him.

Carly goes in to see Drew, and he says, she’s back. But it’s so late. She says she knows. She just wanted to watch him sleep. He says he thinks they can do better than that and pats the bed. She gets in with him and there’s more cuddling and snuggling.

Sonny comes to the lobby, where Kristina and Blaze are drinking, and Kristina gives him a hug. She says, this is her good friend Blaze, and he says, yeah. She’s a singer. Blaze says, he actually knows her music? and he says, no. He can’t lie, but his grandson Rocco watches her videos and listens to her music. Blaze says, Dante mentioned that. She’s flattered. And she hears congratulations are in order. Kristina says he just got married. He says, yeah. It was very fantastic, intimate, with the family, just the way he likes it. Kristina asks if he wants a drink, but he says, no. Something came up. She asks, what’s going on? Is everyone okay? He says, yeah, but they’re going to have to fly home first thing in the morning. There’s some important business he has to take care of.

Lois tells Tracy that she knows her daughter. And she’s not going to want anything to do with a company built on lies and betrayal. Tracy says, Brook may surprise Lois. She does have Quartermaine genes after all. Lois says, no. She’s not going to give up her integrity over a company. Tracys says, news flash. She already has. Maybe she’s a little more like her grandmother than Lois cares to admit, and guess what? Lois has to live with it. Tracy walks out.

Tomorrow, Anna says, if he makes another move, she’ll be ready; Finn suggests he and Elizabeth spend the weekend together; TJ tells Portia that someone was here last night, and she has a right to know; and Trina tells Spencer that the fantasy he and Esme have has gone too far.

👰🏼‍♀️ Just the Way He Likes It…

Sonny and Nina’s wedding. Just like you were there. Except for being on a tranquil island and eating fabulous food.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/sonny-and-ninas-gh-wedding-album

🚗 If She Doesn’t Want To Take That Ride…

Gladys had best stay in whatever port she’s from.

Will Gladys Return to GENERAL HOSPITAL? — Bonnie Burroughs Speaks Out!

🌡 Missed the Punchline…

It’s a little sad, but the new guy is still so much better.

Marcus Coloma Opens up About Being Recast on GH

🫶 For the Cause…

This sounds like it was a good time.

Soap Stars Reunite for a Great Cause — See the Pics!

🚣‍♀️ Wives On the Water…

This was actually an excellent show. None of that screeching at each other.

Luann de Lesseps Teases Possible Welcome to Crappie Lake Season 2

⚰️ Final Storm…

Here’s hoping the ending is worth the wait. Beginning this Sunday, October 22nd.

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-series-finale-ending-storming-a-castle/

🏍 Explaining Daryl…

I don’t think the end needed an explanation, but I don’t mind a rehash. Great show, but sneeze and you miss the seasons now.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-final-carol-scene-explained/

🐉 Nothing Better To Do…

Because everyone is waiting for the strike to be over.

https://bamsmackpow.com/2023/10/17/targaryens-game-of-thrones-house-of-the-dragon-ranked/

🦃 The Forgotten Holiday…

More on Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/eli-roths-thanksgiving-is-a-modern-remake-of-a-lost-horror-movie-that-never-existed/ar-AA1iiEhf

🐕 Pups On Parade…

At least someone stepped in and saved the tradition.

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-2023-tompkins-square-park-halloween-dog-parade-has-been-saved-100423

This Saturday, October 21st, if you’re in the neighborhood and so inclined.

https://www.tompkinssquaredogrun.com/

🧟 Mashing Some Monsters…

Stop in again tomorrow for soap and the fringes of Charm. Until then, stay safe, stay donating leftover candy rather than eating it, and stay not using extortion to call in a favor. It’s not a good look.