Category Archives: Bravo

November 28, 2022 – Ava Pays a Visit To Ryan, Playboy Debauchery On Deck, About That Reunion, New Reality Down South & Late

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Guard Craig lets Dante in to see Heather, who’s doing some painting. She tells him, hello again, Detective Handsome, and asks if he’d like to model for her.

On the phone at the MetroCourt, Mac asks how his brother is, and at the hospital, Jordan says, TJ is with him right now. Mac says he should be with Robert too, but she says she needs him to stay on task. He knows how important this is. He says he’s on it, and looks at a table where Doc and Ava are sitting. Ava tells Doc that she’s officially all his, and he says he appreciates her meeting at the last minute. He wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important. She asks, what’s up? and he says he’ll let Mac explain. Mac sits down, and she says, now she’s doubly intrigued. What would the Chief of Detectives and GH’s top psychiatrist want with her? Mac says, they need her help catching Esme Prince.

Esme screams, then apologizes for waking Ace up. She still can’t believe Ace is moving around. Elizabeth walks in, and Esme asks why she’s here. Elizabeth says she’s here to help Esme.

Nikolas leaves a message for Ava, saying he loves and misses her, when the doorbell rings. It’s Victor, and Nikolas says, it’s not a good night, but Victor says he’s here to move in.

At Rice Plaza, Scotty tells Laura that Obrecht is with Britt, and Laura says, it’s nice Obrecht can spend the holiday with her daughter. He asks, what about her and Doc? and she says, they’re not going anywhere because she doesn’t want to leave her brother Martin alone right now. She knows it’s affecting Scotty too, and promises she won’t rest until she’s brought Lucy’s real shooter to justice. Holly sits at a bench nearby.

Elizabeth takes Esme’s blood pressure, and Esme says, Elizabeth was misleading. She thought Elizabeth was here to help her. Elizabeth says she is helping Esme. The baby is fine, but she’s got to stop with the screaming; it’s stressful for her and the baby. Esme says she’s locked in a tower, and Elizabeth covering for Nikolas doesn’t help. Elizabeth says she’s doing the best she can to help Esme have a healthy pregnancy. She assumes Esme’s had no prenatal care. She should take pregnancy seriously; there could be complications. Esme asks if she shouldn’t be under a doctor’s care then, and not under house arrest, but Elizabeth says, Esme will have to make do with her. Don’t worry. She knows what she’s doing. Esme asks how she can’t worry. She’s locked in here with no idea what’s to become of her. Elizabeth has to convince Nikolas to let her go. Elizabeth says, even if she wanted to, she doubts Nikolas would listen, not after Esme attacked him, but Esme says, Nikolas is making that up. Elizabeth says she’s not making up Esme attacking her, and Esme says she was in fight or flight mode. Elizabeth asks if she’s making up Esme filming revenge porn, and victimizing Josslyn and her son, and Esme says, so that’s it. Elizabeth is committed to being Nikolas’s accomplice. Elizabeth asks if Esme would rather have her baby in prison, and Esme says, this is a prison, with no oversight or chance of parole. And what happens to her after she gives birth? Did Nikolas tell Elizabeth that? Elizabeth says, he did. Esme will be taken to Greece, where she’ll live a life of luxury on Cassadine Island. Esme asks if Elizabeth really believes Nikolas is going to take care of her for the rest of her life.

Ava tells Mac that she wants Esme to rot, but she’s already told the cops everything she can think of. She hasn’t seen Esme in months. Mac says, they know Esme’s back in Port Charles, but the trail went cold after she crossed paths with Elizabeth Baldwin at the docks. Ava says, if she knew where Esme was, she’d serve her up, head on a platter… figuratively speaking, of course (🍷). Doc says, they don’t think Ava knows where to find her, but they think she knows someone who does.

Ryan’s new caregiver tells him that he doesn’t see any new articles about The Hook killer, but how about this? Prisoner Anna Devane remains at large after escaping a prison transport. Ryan blinks twice, and the caregiver says, how about sports? There’s football, basketball… Oh look, they’ve got pickleball.

Dante says he’s there to ask Heather about the prison transport crash, but she says, that’s old news. He says, it’s an ongoing investigation, and she says, right to business, huh? Not even a, hi, how are you? He asks how she is, and tells her that he’s here on official police business, but if she doesn’t want to cooperate, he’ll go. She says, cool your jets, Mr. Serious. I’ll tell you everything you want to know… for a price. Quid pro quo, Clarice; she does her best Anthony Hopkins impression.

TJ tells Diane and Jordan that Robert’s okay; he’s sleeping it off. Diane asks if she can see him, and TJ nods. She goes into Robert’s room, and Jordan asks if TJ really thinks Robert had too much to drink. He says, could be. They ran a tox screen, and he’s waiting for the results. What is she thinking? She says she thinks the DA was drugged.

Nikolas asks, why the urgency? Why does Victor have to move in tonight? Victor says, there’s been a development in his plans, and Nikolas says, plans that necessitate Victor hiding out on a secure island. Victor says, it had better be secure. He needs to prepare his family for what’s to come. It seems Nikolas and Spencer are the only Cassadines he can trust right now. Of course (🍷), the snail’s pace of Nikolas’s divorce from Ava is a continuing cause of concern. Now more than ever, Nikolas needs to get his house in order. He hands Nikolas a drink, and Nikolas says, if Victor is moving in to ensure his cooperation, he already told Victor that he agrees to his terms. Victor says, forgive him if he needs more assurance than Nikolas’s word, and Nikolas says, the house is still undergoing renovations. It’s not prepared for Victor yet. Victor says, then prepare it. Tonight the tide turns for this family.

Holly says, she just saw an enormous woodchuck floating up to the sky, and Scotty says, she probably hasn’t seen a parade in a while. Laura says, the mayor gets priority seating, and Holly’s welcome to join them, but Holly says, it sounds lovely, but she has somewhere to be. She told her Ride Share to pick her up at the Plaza. Laura asks if she has plans with Robert, but Holly says, not tonight; it’s business, not pleasure. Scotty says he didn’t know Holly had a job, and Laura says, the night before Thanksgiving? What kind of business?

Dante tells Heather that he’s not authorized to make a deal, but if he was her, he’d want to assist them. Who knows how it will work out for her down the wire? She tells him, if he wants her help, come back with someone who can make a deal, and he says, good luck with her painting. She’ll have plenty of time to get good at it. He leaves, and Heather has an epiphany. She knocks at the window, and thanks Craig for letting in the charming detective. She asks if he’d be an absolute dear, and escort her to make a teeny weeny phone call

TJ tells Jordan that he won’t know anything until the tox screen comes back. He’ll put a rush on it. She asks him to keep her posted, and he leaves.

Diane says, oh good; Robert’s up. He asks where he is; it looks like a hospital. She asks if he doesn’t remember, and he says he remembers tequila. She says, he and Holly shared some tequila shots, he had a bad reaction, and Holly took him back to his room. She asked Diane to give his WSB contact a message. He asks where Holly is, and where’s his briefcase? She says, he didn’t have it on him when he stumbled out of the elevator, and she hasn’t seen Holly since she left the MetroCourt to take him back to his room. He tells her, get Ashford here – now.

Holly says, unfortunately, some work won’t wait. As mayor, she’s sure Laura understands more than anybody. Laura says she absolutely does, with the ongoing hunt for Anna, and the search for Lucy’s real shooter. She imagines she’ll be working tonight, but she’ll find some time to spend with Martin, since they both saw their holidays going very differently. Scotty’s phone rings, and he steps away. Heather says, it’s his old pal, and he says, for cryin’ out loud. What does she want? She says, don’t be a grouch. Come to Spring Ridge, visit her, and find out. She promises it will be worth his while.

Esme tells Elizabeth, think about it. She gets whisked away, and holed up on some foreign island, with no one looking for her. Does Elizabeth really believe Nikolas is going to keep her around indefinitely? Once she gives birth to his child, she’ll be completely disposable. Elizabeth says, what Esme is suggesting won’t happen, but Nikolas is loyal to the people he cares about. So her advice is, make sure Nikolas cares about her. Esme says, like Nikolas cares about his son? and Elizabeth says, Esme is behind in her bloodwork; she’ll be sure to do it next time. Esme asks, which is when? and Elizabeth says she’ll come every couple of days until Esme delivers. She gives Esme a bottle of prenatal vitamins, and tells her to take one every day. She’s guessing Esme hasn’t taken them before, and Esme says she’s been a little busy. Elizabeth says, now she has the time. They’ll make her baby healthy and strong. Esme says, getting out of this room would work wonders in that regard, but Elizabeth tells her to take her vitamins. She’s not getting out of here any time soon. She leaves, and Esme looks at the bottle.

Ava asks why Mac is wasting time talking to her when he knows someone who can find Esme, but Mac says, she’s a pivotal part of their plan. Doc says, and she has the right to refuse, and Ava says, refuse what exactly? Doc says, Esme is cunning and dangerous, and Mac says, they’ve questioned everyone Esme has had a relationship with in Port Charles. Doc says, except one – his brother. Despite his best efforts, Esme forged a connection with Ryan when she was interning at Spring Ridge. Ryan will know how to find Esme. Mac says, Ryan refused to communicate with Doc, and it’s unlikely he’ll cooperate with the police. They thought if they gave him some incentive to cooperate… and Ava says, they want to use her as bait. Mac says he understands the gravity of what they’re asking her to do, and it’s completely up to her. Doc says, she’s the one person Ryan is likely to communicate with, but it’s not worth it if it’s going to cause her trauma. She tells them, say no more; she’s in. Doc suggests she take some time to think about it, but she says, they don’t have time. Esme terrorized this town long before she started her murderous rampage. They have to get to her before she gets to Trina. That’s the theory, right? That Esme is the killer and her ultimate target is Trina. Mac says, it is, and Ava says, then they have to find Esme and stop her. If she has to see Ryan to get it done, so be it. She’ll do whatever they ask. When do they need her? Mac says, right now.

Esme says, come on, think. What would daddy do? Ryan appears on the bed, and says he thought she’d never ask. She says, did he hear Elizabeth? She calls herself a nurse, but didn’t even help her. She’s too busy holding a grudge because of that stupid sex tape. He says he told her; don’t get distracted by Spencer… She says she has no time for I told you so. Help her figure a way out of here. He says he gets so tired of repeating himself. Use the baby. She asks, how? and he says, the baby’s health is dependent on her. She saw how frightened Nikolas was when he thought she was in distress. She says, until Nurse Baldwin threatened to do a C-section with no anesthesia, and he says, Elizabeth called her bluff, but that’s no reason she can’t build on a successful tactic. Throw out the vitamins Elizabeth gave her. She asks, what good that would do? and he says, refuse to take care of herself. If her health suffers, the baby suffers. She says, but if she harms the baby, she could lose…. her only leverage, and he says, the baby is her only leverage. She doesn’t have another option. Make sure Nikolas knows what’s at stake.

Craig lets Scotty into Heather’s room, and she says, it’s good of him to come. He says, hiya, Heather. He’s here because she’s Franco’s mother, so what does she want? She tears up and says, their boy was such a beautiful soul. She hates that he was taken in such a violent, cruel way. He says he knows. He sees she’s still painting, and she says, it’s what she and Franco shared in common. These works lack her usual depth. He asks how she can she tell, and she says, because of her neck. He asks, what’s wrong with her neck? and she says, didn’t he hear? Her prison transport van crashed, horribly. She’s been in agony ever since; she can hardly paint. He says, for cryin’ out loud, that’s why she’s in rehab, and she says she has half a mind to sue the city of Port Charles and the PCPD for physical and emotional distress. Isn’t that his area of expertise? He says, no judge is ever going to sign off on an institutionalized crackpot, but she says, what if she was a free woman? He asks, who’s going to let her out? and she says, he is.

Victor says, think of the perks. This way, Nikolas won’t have to spend Thanksgiving alone. Nikolas says he’s not in a celebratory mood this year, and Victor asks if that’s because of Spencer, Ava, or both. Nikolas says, among other things, when Elizabeth walks in. Victor says he’s sorry. He doesn’t remember Nikolas saying he had company, but Nikolas says he recalls telling Victor that it’s not a good time. Elizabeth says she’s sorry to interrupt, but Victor says, she’s not. The staff is moving him in; he’s the one interrupting. She says, he’s moving in tonight? How cozy. Victor says he’s sick and tired of living out of suitcases, and found himself craving family. He’ll start unpacking, and not detract from their evening any further. He’ll pick out a suite in the north tower. Nikolas says, no. The repairs aren’t finished yet; it’s not safe. Victor will have to stay in the south tower. Victor says, that’s a pity; the views are so much nicer in the north tower. He tells Elizabeth that it was a delight to see her, and leaves. Elizabeth says, what the hell? He’s living here now? Is Nikolas trying to get caught? In the foyer, Victor calls Gavin, and says, he’s arrived on Spoon Island. What did Gavin find out about the necklace, and where the hell is Holly Sutton?

Laura tells Holly that she can’t believe Scotty went to see Heather. Whatever she’s up to can’t be good. Holly wonders what happened to her Ride Share, and Laura asks where she’s going. Holly says, her meeting is out of town, and Laura says, it’s going to cost her a fortune. Why isn’t Robert taking her? Holly says, Robert doesn’t know. She’s going back to doing some contract work for government agencies, and she knows he wouldn’t approve because of her memory issues and how her last assignment ended, but she’s as sharp as ever. She needs purpose. Laura says she’d be happy to take Holly wherever she’s going, but Holly says she couldn’t trouble Laura. Laura says she insists. She won’t take no for an answer. Robert is a good friend, and she knows he woudn’t want Holly taking a Ride Share out of town tonight. Unless of course (🍷) Holly wants to call him. Holly says, thank you, she’d love a ride, but Laura says, no thanks necessary. It will give them a chance to talk. Holly picks up the briefcase, and follows Laura.

Nikolas asks how the baby is, and Elizabeth says, fine, for now. Esme has had no prenatal care, and she doesn’t know how they’re going to accomplish it with Victor here. It’s only a matter of time before Victor figures out he’s holding Esme prisoner here. He says, the north tower will be locked at all times, and Demetrius will be keeping an eye on Victor. He’s going to put his uncle in the south tower, which is on the opposite side of the house. He even soundproofed Esme’s room. Don’t worry; he has it under control. She says, this whole thing is going to blow up in their faces. It’s bad enough what they’re doing, and now Victor is going to be looking around. Victor comes back in, and Elizabeth says she was just on her way out. It’s good to see them both. Nikolas says he’ll walk her out, but she says, no need. Happy Thanksgiving. She leaves, and Nikolas tells Victor, she’s going through a tough time, and came here to talk. Victor says, stop lying to him. He knows exactly what’s going on.

At Spring Ridge, Mac thanks Dante for joining them, and asks how his conversation with Heather panned out. Dante says, not really, but they can talk about it later. What’s this all about? Mac says, Ava agreed to speak with Ryan, and Ava says she wishes Doc could be here. Mac says, him too, but Doc’s right; Ryan might not want to communicate in his presence. They walk into the rec room, and Mac asks if she’s sure she wants to do this now, but she says, no time like the present. Ryan’s eyes follow her as she walks over to him, and she asks if he’s still locked in. He blinks once, and the caregiver says, one blink for yes, two for no, but she says she’s familiar. Is he Ryan’s new caregiver? He says, one of them, and Ryan does a bunch of blinking. The caregiver tells her, he says… but she says she doesn’t care what he’s blinking. She’ll do the talking. She sits down, and asks if Ryan remembers his little friend Esme, his protégé. It turns out Esme is the one who attacked her. The audacity. How would he like the chance to get back at her for trying to take what’s his?

Scotty asks why Heather thinks he can get her out, and she says, it would behoove him. Once she’s a free woman, the judge will find her more credible when she sues the pants off the PCPD and the city. They’ll find her the victim of gross negligence, not some loon. It’ll be ka-ching, ka-ching for the both of them. He says he has a news flash for her. There are a lot details involved. He doesn’t know why she thinks he can get her sprung. She says, Detective Falconari was just here, and wanted to interview her about the crash, and the prisoner escape. He says, so? and she says, clearly her eyewitness testimony is very valuable to them. He says, that depends on the testimony, and she says, what if she can ID who helped Anna Devane escape?

Robert says he has to get out of here, and TJ says he appreciates the urgency, but Robert can’t leave. Robert says, TJ doesn’t understand. Holly is missing and could be hurt. There’s a $35 million necklace out there, and he has to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Diane comes in with Jordan, and Robert asks if she found Holly or the necklace; somebody might have hurt Holly. Jordan says she wouldn’t worry. She took a look at the security footage, and Holly appears to be fine. He asks if she saw who took his briefcase, and she says, yes, and it’s someone he knows very well.

In the car, Laura tells Holly that her mother’s new place is in the center of town, near her favorite cafes and restaurants. Holly says she feels awful. Laura just came back, and she’s keeping her away from Doc. Laura says, Doc is working tonight. Besides, it gives them a chance to catch up. Holly says, without memories, there won’t be much catch up on her end, but Laura says she’s sure they’ll come back. So what agency did Holly say she was meeting with tonight? Holly says, Laura knows that’s classified, and Laura laughs, saying, she never assumes. She likes to keep her mind open to possibilities. Holly says, the mark of an effective mayor, when Laura’s phone rings. Laura says, and duty calls, and stupidly puts it on speaker. She tells Jordan that she can’t really talk. She’s sitting here with… Jordan says, it’s important. Robert Scorpio was mugged tonight. He’s all right, but the attacker stole his briefcase containing a necklace of diamonds from the Ice Princess. The suspect is Holly… The phone disconnects, and Holly takes out a gun. She tells Laura, no more questions. She’s so sorry it’s come to this.

The caregiver asks, what’s in it for Ryan? and Ava says, for every interview he gives, she’ll be there too. He can bask in her presence while he gives law enforcement the information they need to take that wretched Esme down. So he gets her company, and gets credit for doing a public service for once in his life. The caregiver says, maybe he doesn’t understand, but Ava says, he understands all right. He’s toying with her. She tells Ryan, just imagine how much more toying he could do with her as a captive audience. Enough stalling. Do they have a deal or not?

Heather tells Scotty, she reads the papers. Everyone is hot to trot to find Anna, from the WSB to the PCPD. And who’s the only one who can put them on the right trail? Little ol’ her. Strike this bargain with her. Free her, and they can squeeze this city for a tidy sum. He says he doubts anybody is going to make that deal, but she says, he’ll never know until he tries.  Doesn’t he want a windfall to ease his grief? Anna killed Lucy Coe, the woman who was the mother to the only child he has left. He can get revenge and strike it rich at the same time. What does he say? He says, no. Nein. His German girlfriend taught him that.  She says she can’t believe he’s turning down a way to make a fast buck, and he says he’s got a full life right now. He’s not going to let her screw it up. She says, is this all because of his new girlfriend? Why did he come here if he didn’t want to help her? He says he wanted to see if she was up to anything crazy, so he could tell the cops. She says, think it through. She never forgets her friends, or her enemies. He says, neither does he, tells the guard to let him out of this nuthouse, and leaves.

Nikolas says he doesn’t know what Victor thinks is going on, and Victor says, the loaded looks, the hesitation about him moving in? He wasn’t born yesterday. He’s not shocked. He’s rather relieved Nikolas is behaving like a single man again. Nikolas says, it’s not what Victor thinks. He and Elizabeth are just friends. She’s been going through some things. Victor says, it’s nice they can comfort each other. He won’t cramp Nikolas’s style. Nikolas tells Victor, just do him a favor. Ava can’t know Elizabeth has been coming over. Victor says, of course (🍷) not. No need to make this divorce more complicated than Nikolas has made it already by sleeping with Spencer’s girlfriend. Nikolas thanks him for his discretion, and Victor says he’s on Nikolas’s side. All the more reason to put an end to this marriage once and for all.

Holly says, do as she asks, and no harm will come to Laura, and Laura says, like no harm came to Robert? She knew Holly wasn’t to be trusted, and hates that she was right. Holly says she doesn’t want to hurt Laura, and Laura says, Holly has a funny way of showing it. Put the gun down. Holly says she wishes she could, and Laura says, she can; just do it. Holly tells her to take the next exit, but Laura says, no. Holly says, they have a long history, but that won’t save her. She has no choice in this. Laura says, she always has a choice, but Holly says she doesn’t, and she will do what she has to. Laura says, why? Because she’s working for Victor Cassadine? Is that why she was whispering to Eileen Ashby? Is that why she stole Robert’s briefcase? Holly says, here’s the exit. It’s now or never.

Jordan says she thought Holly and Robert were friends. Why would she do something like this? He says, you tell me, and she says, if there’s something she should know, now’s the time to tell her. Her phone rings, and she steps outside to take it. Diane says, it seemed like he wanted to say something to the Commissioner. Why didn’t he? He asks what she means; he’s an open book. She says, come on. Holly is his ex-wife, but it’s obvious she stole the necklace and drugged him. He says he hasn’t had tequila in a while, and she says, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble with the WSB, but he says he can handle it. She tells him, said every cocky defendant she’s ever represented. She hopes he won’t mind being one of them, but her rates are exorbitant. She hopes whatever Holly got herself into doesn’t drag him down as well.

Nikolas tells Victor, they’ve been through this. He’ll divorce Ava, it’s complicated, he needs some time. Victor says his patience is wearing thin, but Nikolas says he’ll do what he must. He knows what’s at stake. Victor’s phone rings, and he says he hopes for Nikolas’s sake that’s true. They’re already on the launchpad. He goes out to the foyer, and tells Gavin, talk to him. What’s the status?… What does he mean, she’s disappeared?  

Outside of the car, Laura asks Holly if this is the end of the line. Is Holly going to kill her and leave her by the side of the road? Holly says, there’s been enough death. She punches some numbers into Laura’s phone, and says, perfect; there’s some recent calls. Laura asks what she’s doing, and Holly says, Laura’s family needs her, throwing the phone toward Laura. We hear a ring, and Doc says, hello? Laura picks it up, and says, help her please. She’s on Route 31 by the side of the road, near mile marker 35. Call Jordan. Tell her that Holly stole her car, and that she’s armed and dangerous.

The caregiver tells Ava that Ryan says, I can’t wait to see you again, my love. Mac says, tell him they’ll be in touch to schedule the first interview. They start to leave, but the caregiver says, he wasn’t done. He said, never fear, Ava. We’ll find Esme together. Ava and Ryan lock eyes (no pun intended) and Ava leaves with Mac and Dante.

Esme comes out of the bathroom, and says, that’s that. She shakes a few vitamins into her hand, and tosses the empty bottle on the bed. She says, don’t worry, Ace. Elizabeth will be back soon. They’ll tell her that they trashed the vitamins, and she’ll bring them more before these run out. She looks at the few vitamins in her hand, and says, all they have to do is scare her. Show her and Nikolas that they can’t be steamrolled. She knows what Ace’s grandfather would say, but she can’t risk hurting Ace, and being at Nikolas’s mercy. She’ll do what it takes to survive. She swallows a vitamin.

Heather walks into the rec room, and sees Ryan. She gasps, and the caregiver asks if they know each other. She says, everyone knows Ryan Chamberlain, and the caregiver says, the same could be said of you, Heather Webber. Heather backs up a bit, and the caregiver wheels Ryan out as Ryan stares at Heather.

Tomorrow, Olivia says, they’re still waiting on the man of the hour; Sonny asks if Nina wants to make new traditions; Laura wants the police to make sure it ends peacefully; and Alexis says, Jordan promised her, but didn’t deliver.

Below Deck

Alissa harps on Camille stocking the refrigerator, and in her interview, she says, Camille should respect her second stew position. She’s just doing her job, and getting bad vibes. Camille says she’s going to lose her sh*t, and on deck, Tony works out. In his interview, he says, working out is how he deals with stress. In 2011 he got depressed when his dad got sick, and tried to find a healthy way to deal with it. Working out is replacing soul pain with physical pain. In Fraser’s interview, he says, day one was bad, and he’s not feeling good about things, including his future in yachting. They need to work harder, better, and smarter. How? He’s not sure, but he needs the enthusiasm first. Guest Chad is up and looking for coffee, and Hayley tells Fraser that Chad looks incredibly hung over. In Hayley’s interview, she wonders, who the hell gets up that early after getting sh*tfaced night before? Fraser serves breakfast, and tells the guests they’ll be going to be beach later. Alissa tells Fraser that Camille stomped feet when she said Camille needed to back up the crew. In his interview, Fraser says he appreciates Alissa’s communication, even though it’s not the best news. In his last stint as chief stew, he let people off too easy. He needs to be more of a bitch. In Katie’s interview, she says she’s never worked on a boat this size, but she’s hardworking wants be doing the same as the guys. Owning her own boat is her goal. Rachel discusses the beach picnic with Fraser, and tells him that she’s making up serving boxes. In Rachel’s interview, she says, primary Peng is from Thailand, and she can’t wait to make the lunch. She lived in Thailand for a while, near the clubs where the ladyboys party. Fraser tells Camille, there’s a Reiki sound bath person coming to the beach, and she leaves with Alissa and Katie to help with service. At the beach, Camille says she can’t wait to get in the water, and Katie wonders if that’s allowed. In Camille’s interview, she forgets this is a job, and says, yachting is supposed to be fun. She and Ben get in the water, and Fraser radios that the guests are on the way. In Alissa’s interview, she says, they’re supposed to be working, but apparently Ben and Camille don’t give a f***.

Katie and Ben greet the guests, and Dr. Tanya arrives to do the sound bath thing. One of the guests – Ben? Chad? I don’t know – tells Camille, being gay is exhausting, and Camille says she should try it sometime. Dr. Tanya does her thing, and on the boat, Fraser helps Rachel pack the lunches. He heads for the beach with the food, and Captain Lee tells Rachel that he’s hoping to get rid of his crutches soon. In the captain’s interview, he says, the pain is gone; he just doesn’t look pretty walking. But he was never going to be a runway model anyway. Lunch is served on the beach, and the guests are thrilled with Rachel’s choice. Peng says, it’s like what his mom would pack him for a school lunch, and he got made fun of. Another guest – Chad? Ben? Jared? I don’t know – says, the kids with the bologna are teasing me. The guests return to the boat, and demand to see Tony’s abs. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s a perfectionist. Mummy loves a challenge. In Rachel’s interview, she says, it’s important the dinner go well. She can’t have a repeat of the day before. When the guests’ experience is sub-par, you have to work harder to make them think it’s good. Fraser radios the crew to tell them, dress-up clothing for the Playboy mansion debaucherous evening is available. Hayley says some things in her interview that I’m not even repeating, and Rachel realizes the fish smells bad. In her interview, she says she ordered 45 pounds of frozen fish, but it wasn’t not frozen fresh. Dinner is f***ed. She calls Fraser to the galley, and says, the branzino is off. F*** my life.

Calling it the deadliest snatch, Rachel wonders how she’s going to pull off surf and turf without the surf. She hates her f***ing life. The captain asks what the dinner dress attire is, and Fraser says, debaucherous playboy. The captain is less than happy. In Tony’s interview, he says he likes his abs, but because of what he can do. We see clips of his various athletic talents, and he says, sometimes he feels like a piece of meat, but for the family, he will do it. In Ross’s interview, he says he enjoys the company of the fairer sex; sex being the operative word. Ugh. Hayley and Alissa discuss who fancies who, and Captain Lee mumbles that he’s being tossed to the wolves, as he gets ready to join the guests for dinner. He thanks them for the invite, and apologizes for being absent. He says, it’s a nerve issue, which will hopefully be resolved quickly, but until then, he’s the best they’ve got. In his interview, he says, it’s uncomfortable, but he can’t toss in the towel. Suck it up, cupcake. Truffle fries are served, and the captain says, Rachel is a treasure. In Rachel’s interview, she says, somehow, some way, she pulled it off. Per the guests’ request, Peng’s face is everywhere in the décor. The guests take photos and drink shots, and Camille radios the crew that they’re asking for exotic dancers. Ben wakes up Tony, and says, they have to dance. In Tony’s interview, he says, whatever the guests want, they get. Peng sits in a chair, while they do what maybe could pass for a lap dance at a distance. In his interview, Tony says, he doesn’t know what to do. He’s got nothing. He’s the worst Latino ever. Alissa tells Camille to clean the salon, and when Camille is eating something in the crew mess, Alissa tells her what she didn’t do. She says she doesn’t want any pouting, and Camille says, it’s her delivery.

Tony makes a lot of noises while he works out. The sea is rough, and Captain Lee says, don’t f*** with him; he’s not in the mood. In his interview, he says, the weather there in unpredictable. It’s called Windward Islands for a reason. The docking is going to be challenging. The wind is at 29 knots, and he says, the boat is like a pinball in a machine. WTF? Camille delivers the captain’s laundry, and Alissa calls her mother. Fraser says, her mom sounds adorable, and she tells him that she’s closest with her mom. When her parents divorced, she lived with her dad, and he was pretty negative. He had primary custody, and her mom would get them on weekends. Her dad was mean, and was hard on her. In Alissa’s interview, she says, her dad was a strict, devout Christian, and having a controlling parent caused her to become soft and submissive. Her mom was inconsistent. One time, she said she’d see them next weekend, and they didn’t see her for two and a half years. Being a kid, she automatically forgave, but it feels like standing up for herself is important now. Captain Lee’s shirt is way too tight, and he tells Fraser, it’s the wrong size. Fraser gets Camille, and they search for a large, but can’t find one. The captain tells her that he should have three, and she apologizes. He calmly dons a polo. Ross goes over anchoring with the deckhands, and in his interview, he says, they have great attitudes, and he loves them, even though Tony is green. It’s a load on him, and he hopes to spread his load… his work load. He laughs at his own awful joke, and I’m not liking him a whole lot. In Captain Lee’s interview, he says he’s as nervous as a whore in the front row pew at church. The have mountains all around, and a pass that the wind funnels through. They’re big sail. It’s a tricky dock, but you get paid the big bucks to make the hard calls. The wind is at 37 knots, and the captain curses his life.

At 27 knots, the captain heaves a sigh. He calls the deck crew to the wheelhouse, and in his interview, he says, Mother Nature is a bad ass bitch. He tells the deck crew that they’re going to find a spot for the guests to disembark, and ferry their asses in. In the captain’s interview, he says, it’s a 200 foot boat, and a lot to spend if they f*** up. They anchor outside of the marina, and Captain Lee tells Fraser, they’re going to launch a tender. The guests pack, and guest Jared thinks he’s leaving with more than he came with. I identify. Captain Lee radios the crew to be on the aft deck in five minutes in their whites. Camille asks if the captain is upset, but he says, if he was, there would be no doubt in her mind. Fraser promises to fix the situation. Peng tells the crew that service was great, except for having to find the soap and toilet paper. But they were brought all the alcohol, and they love to drink. They did feel bad waking Tony up, and Tony says, it was a new experience. Peng gives the captain the tip envelope, and the guests get in the tender, yelling, wooooo! as they leave. The crew changes, and Captain Lee radios them to meet in the Sky Lounge. He says, the guests loved the crew’s involvement, and thanks them for going above and beyond. The tip is $25K, or $2100 each. The captain says, it’s a healthy start, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, she’s already envisioning the Louis Vuitton handbag she’s buying in the airport on the way home. Captain Lee says, that put some smiles on their faces, and the crew gets ready to go out. Tony tells Ben that the girls are all beautiful, but he’s not vibing, and Ben says he likes Camille. He wasn’t keen on Allison, but he’s starting to warm up to her. In the galley, Fraser hands Rachel a cucumber, and says, sometimes you don’t need words. In Camille’s interview, she says she wants to know Ben more. He’s a little shy, and she wants to open up so he can come in. I’m not quite sure what she means by that. Alisson tells Hayley that she knows Camille likes Ben, but Camille’s been a bitch to her, so she’s going to flirt with him. She doesn’t owe anybody anything. As usual, the yachting industry finds the least likeable and most immature people.

The crew heads out, taking a tender to shore. At the restaurant, Camille asks everyone to join hands, and says she hopes they all have a great season and stay safe. They’re going to get f***Ing slammed tonight because they had great charter. She makes small talk with Ben, but Alisson tries to block her with some flirting, and telling him that she should have worn underwear. In Hayley’s interview, she says, as uncomfortable as this is, she’s enjoying watching it. Who should she put her money on? Ben says he thought his last girlfriend was serious, and he ended up heartbroken. In his interview, he says he lost her to drugs and alcohol. So he got out, and came to join the big white boats. Camille asks, what do they call the guys in yachting? and Ben says, sluts? She says, lost boys, and in Camille’s interview, she says, she dated a big deal quarterback who cheated on her. She was depressed and anxious, and just wanted to get away. She didn’t want anyone to know her. A lot of people get away from their demons in yachting. Fraser tells Hayley that yachting is misunderstood, and she says, people assume they work on cruse ships. He says he’d rather his funeral be rotting in a car park than setting foot on cruise ship. The crew goes back to the boat, and they change to get in the hot tub, but it’s cold, so they go back downstairs. Camille twerks, and gives Ben a lap dance. In Alissa’s interview, she says, she’d never chase a man. Camille is a man chaser, but she’s not. If you don’t have a brain, you have to use something, and Camille uses her ass. Camille asks if Ben enjoyed it. He gets up, and… OH MY GOD, MY EYES!!!! Yeah, he liked it. In her interview, Alissa says, Camille lowered her value. She’s a dirty, disgusting, trashy, swampy bitch.

The morning dawns in a gorgeous place, and it’s 31 hours before charter. Captain Lee says, f*** me, and in his interview, he says, everything is numb. He’s not progressing at the rate he anticipated, and the pain is worse. He can barely stand. In fact, he can’t stand. He says, mother***er.

Next time, a charter of medical doctors; Fraser mistakenly calls the doctors nurses; Alissa and Camille clash; and Camille says, Alissa isn’t her boss. I wonder if that’s the actual problem, since Camille is a floater. Technically, Fraser and Ross are her bosses.

⛴ Oh yeah, the Below Deck Mediterranean Reunion. It was boring AF. Natasha and Jason weren’t there. No doubt with Jason it was sour grapes, since he didn’t end on a great note. Tasha said she was working, but hard to buy that, since almost everyone else was too. Nothing was new news, except there was a show of hands for who thought Tasha did Dave dirty. Everyone raised their hands except Kyle, who said they were both at fault, and that gets my vote too. Tasha had no business stringing Dave along, but he did get overly aggressive, which wasn’t cool when you’re trapped on a boat. Oh, and it was revealed Natalya and Storm got busy in a secret location during charter. The show was one of those Watch What Happens Live virtual things, which I think takes a lot away from it, but maybe no one was that interesting to start with.

🥃 Southern Hospitality is worth a look. It’s like Vanderpump Rules, but in the south. Seriously, it’s not much different. If you like one, you’ll like the other.  

💳 Black Friday For Days…

Join me tomorrow for more Thanksgiving in Port Charles, some tea, and music. Until then, stay safe, stay being open to new viewpoints, and stay finding healthy ways to deal with heartache. Like replacing soul pain with physical pain.

November 23, 2022 – Robert Confiscates the Necklace, Is This Thing On, Andy Speaks, ShahNope, Done, Mishaps & Alice

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis, Sam and Dante are eating at the MetroCourt, and Alexis says she’s glad they found the time to get together, since they’re all so busy. She’s not going to ask any questions about The Hook, or ask Dante any questions about his investigations with the PCPD. Nina comes to their table, and apologizes for interrupting. Sam asks if everything is okay, and Nina says, that depends. She’s not asking Dante for any details about the case, but she needs to know. How worried does Ava have to be about Esme Prince?

Britt kneels in her office rubble, holding the necklace, and Cody asks if she’s all right. Did someone break in and try to steal the necklace? She says, no, and he asks if she wants to tell him what happened. She puts the necklace back in its box, setting it on the desk, and says, there’s no point in getting into it, but he says, humor him. Pretend he’s useful. Please, let him help.

At the hospital, Michael asks if Willow is okay, and she says, they’re early. She doesn’t want to wait by the chemo treatment room. She knows it’s silly… He says, it’s not. Whatever makes her comfortable, that’s what they’re going to do. Carly sees them, and asks what they’re doing here.

Victor says he’s beginning to wonder if Robert is as trusting as Holly led him to believe, and Holly says she’s done everything she can to convince Robert that she has no memory of the last two years. And as far as she can tell, he believes her. Victor yells, stop it! Stop lying to him.

Sam says, Esme has been seen in town, and didn’t she attack Elizabeth Baldwin? and Alexis says she didn’t know that. Dante says, Elizabeth is doing fine, and Nina says, if Esme is behind these hook attacks, that would makes sense, because it fits in with the PCPD theory that these attacks are connected to Trina Robinson’s trial. Alexis says, it wouldn’t be the first time Esme went after Trina, given the victims, and Nina says, starting with Ava. Alexis says, Ava was a mentor to Trina, and Diane represented Trina. Diane also told her that Haggerty sold Esme the phone she used to record Josslyn and Cameron. Nina says, Elizabeth is Cameron’s mother, so she would be targeted too, and Dante says, the investigation is ongoing. Nina asks if he can just tell her if Ava is safe. Or should she be expecting Esme to show up at her door with a giant hook? He says, all he can suggest is they stay vigilant, but go ahead and live their lives. Nina apologizes for interrupting again, and moves on. Alexis looks at Dante, and he says, the investigation is ongoing. She says, got it, holding up her hands.

Blaze says, it’s not that she doesn’t like Brook’s song; she does. The lyrics are terrific, but she’s not singing back-up for Chase. Brook says, the song is perfectly balanced. Both of them get a solo verse, before singing the chorus and a third verse together. Blaze says, when they do sing together, she’s always the melody, while his part shows off his range. Her part is a little boring. Linc says, that’s an excellent point, babe, and puts his hand on hers, but she slips hers out quickly. Linc says, Blaze deserves her time to shine, and Brook says, it sounds like a rehearsal issue. It’s a collaboration. They communicate, and fix it. After all, they’re on the same side, right? Blaze says she just wants the song to be good, and Chase is sure they can figure out a way to showcase them both. Linc says he’s sure they can work something out. Blaze plays nice; don’t you, babe? He puts his hand on her thigh, Brook and Chase notice her negative reaction.

Britt tells Cody, sorry. She’s just going through a tough time. He says he’s had a few of those, and she says, you know what’s funny? When her father died, she thought, it’s over; he’s finally dead. Little did she know the reach that man had. His brain is in a jar in the WSB somewhere, and his body is literally in the wind. They scattered his ashes, and now the man who spent his life trying to destroy the world, is spending eternity polluting it. She kicks some stuff on the floor, and says, he’s dead and gone, and he’s still hurting her. She spent most of her life striving for his approval, but no matter how much she accomplished, it was never going to happen. Cody says, he must have been delusional not to see how great she is, and she says, maybe he was. He picks his way through everything, and says, that’s the spirit. If her old man can’t appreciate her, that’s on him, not on her. She asks if it’s really that easy for him, and he says, kind of. He wasn’t that close to his family. His mom – the woman he thought was his mom – she had to work just to put food on the table. She didn’t have time for him. Only if he outgrew his sneakers or she had to tell him that he couldn’t play hockey because she couldn’t afford the pads. She says, thanks, but it’s not the same, and he says, he knows, but he knows what it’s like to be overlooked, and feel like you’re a burden, like you’re not… She says, worth loving? and he says, she’s definitely worth loving. She says, even with what’s been passed down to her?

Holly says, for God’s sake, Victor is the only person she’s not lying to. She’s completely betraying Robert, her friends, and probably several countries because he’s holding her son’s life in his hands. Victor says he’s worked too hard, and come too far. One more life means nothing to him. He’ll kill Luke’s son as easily as he killed Luke himself, although perhaps not as quickly as he killed her sister. She says, he doesn’t have to remind her of everything he’s taken from her, and he says, trust him. She’s got a lot more to lose. And if she’s sloppy in arousing Robert’s suspicions… She says, Robert still trusts her, and he asks, then why wasn’t Anna in the safe house? Holly says she doesn’t know. Anna is an expert at evasion. If she doesn’t want to be found, he won’t find her. He says, lucky for Holly, or Robert woudn’t have given her a second glance years ago. Does it still sting knowing she’s always played second fiddle to Anna?

Michael says he didn’t expect to see Carly here. Everything okay? She says, everything’s fine; she’s just keeping busy. What about them? Is Willow working or does she have an appointment? TJ comes along, and tells them, happy Thanksgiving. Willow says she has a question for him; it’s a nursing thing. They step away, and Carly asks Michael how Willow is doing. Has her pregnancy gotten any easier? He says, actually, he and Willow are kind of nervous. She decided that she’s going to find her birth parents.

Linc says, this is an opportunity for both Blaze and Chase, but Blaze is the one with the following. He asks how many followers she has, and she says, a few million. He says, since Chase is the one riding Blaze’s coattails, he thinks it’s on Chase to make it work. Brook suggests she and Linc grab a coffee at the counter and let the talent talk, and Linc says, a little one-on-one time with BLQ? He’ll be happy to suss things out. They leave, and Chase says he hopes Blaze doesn’t mind him saying so, but she seems a little uncomfortable around Linc; with how touchy and handsy he can be. She says, that’s business. They’re artists, not accountants. It’s all hugs and kisses, not handshakes. Chase says, he’s not talking about schmoozing. What Linc is doing is far beyond that, but she can fight back.

Brook tells Linc to sit a seat away, and he asks, why? She says she’s not letting him grope her, and he says, she always was dramatic. She says, and he always was a sleaze, and by the way he treats Blaze, not much has changed. He says, she doesn’t hear Blaze complaining, does she?

Chase says, what Linc is doing is at the very least sexual harassment, but Blaze says she has a contract with Linc. She’s worked hard to get where she is. She’s not going to blow it now. It doesn’t matter how talented you are if you get a bad rep for being difficult. They’re here to talk about the song. So let’s do that.

Alexis wonders if Esme’s been living in Port Charles all this time, and Sam says she heard Esme posted on social media a few days after the trial from the south of France, but it could have been faked. Alexis says, either she left and came back, or never left at all. But it’s possible she could have attacked Ava back in August. And everyone gets to speculate about that except them. Sam says, don’t drag her into this, and Alexis says, okay. Everyone gets to speculate except her because of Dante. He says, she can speculate all she wants. He’s just not allowed to join in. Go ahead. Alexis says he’s no fun. If they can’t talk about the case, she wants to talk about food. Dante says he likes food, and Alexis asks, what’s Sonny cooking for Thanksgiving? Dante says, it sounds like he’s cooking way too much food; there’s going to be leftovers for weeks, and they’re going to go bad. Sam says, Alexis is good with the kids spending Thanksgiving eve with her, right? and Alexis says, she’s not cooking. The oven will be off. She’s ordering in, and they’re having a little picnic on the floor in the living room. Sam asks if she’s disappointed the kids are going to be at the Q’s for Thanksgiving, and Alexis says, why would she be disappointed? Besides, she gets to have them all to herself tonight. What are Sam and Dante doing for Thanksgiving? Sam says, they’re going to Sonny’s after they drop the kids off at the Q’s. Dante says, and after they go to Sonny’s, they’re going back to the Q’s for pizza. Alexis says, there’s going to be a big crowd at the Quartermaines’, and Dante says, sounds like it. The usual, plus his mom invited Cody, but he’s probably going to have to take a beer to the stables, so Cody doesn’t spend the holiday alone. Sam says, Cody’s not spending the holiday with Britt? and Dante says he doesn’t know. Cody didn’t say.

Nina asks Obrecht if Britt is spending tomorrow with her and Scotty, and Obrecht says, unless she gets a better offer. Nina says, she’s talking about Cody. Are things serious between them? Obrecht says, not yet, but it is inevitable.

Cody asks what Britt means, but she says she doesn’t know how to say it; she never has. She tried to make it go away. She figured if she didn’t acknowledge it… He says, it being… She says, her father’s legacy; the only thing he ever gave her. He looks at the necklace, and asks if she’s talking about… She says she tried to put Faison out of her mind, and it actually worked. Of course (🍷) he’d pop up every up now and then, but he’d never linger. Now she’ll remember him for the rest of her life. However long that is. He tells her not to talk like that; her dad’s dead and gone. She says, but he left something behind, and Cody says, throw it away. She says she can’t, but he says, sure she can. Just give it to him.

Obrecht asks how Nina and Sonny are spending Thanksgiving, and Nina says, Sonny’s hosting. Obrecht says she’s surprised, and Nina asks, why? Family is very important to Sonny. Obrecht says she doesn’t mean to sound harsh, but who in Sonny’s family is speaking to him? Nina says, his daughters, and Obrecht says, the toddling ones, but Nina says, and Kristina, and TJ and Molly, but she’s sure they have other plans. All family are welcome. Obrecht says, even that ingrate Michael?

Carly says, Willow wants to find her birth parents, and Michael says, and any other relatives who might be out there. Carly flashes back to finding out Nina is Willow’s mother, and she tells Michael that she’s curious. What changed Willow’s mind?

Willow tells TJ that she feels like a coward, leaving Michael to deal with his mom, when she’s the one who wants to keep her condition private. TJ says, Michael can deal with his mother. Willow is facing leukemia. She should feel free to handle that however it works for her. She says she knows everyone would be supportive, but she can’t risk Wiley finding out she’s sick. It would scare him too much. He says, they’ll tell Wiley when the time is right, and if that’s many years from now, even better. She says, here’s hoping. Right now, she wants to keep it as quiet as possible. They both look at Michael talking to Carly.

Dante looks at his phone, and Sam says, good news? He says, it could be, if Brook would get back to him. Alexis asks how things are between  Dante and Brook, and we see his text to her says: Where are u? He says, pretty good, but this isn’t about them. It’s about the Civilian Complaint Review Board. They’re going to reevaluate Chase’s case. Alexis asks if he’s going to get his badge back, and Dante says he hopes so. Alexis says she hopes so too. It’s not easy to lose your job. It’s hard to bounce back. Sam says she thought Alexis was happy at The Invader, and Alexis says she’s okay. Dante looks at Brook’s reply: Kelly’s. In meeting. Y? He texts: Need to talk. CCRB needs letter. Brook replies: Will call soon. He says he has to deal with this, and gets up. Sam says, duty calls? and he says, something like that. Alexis asks if there’s anything he’d like to add off the record, and he thanks her for lunch, kisses Sam, and leaves.  

Victor says, perhaps the reason Holly isn’t the distraction he’d hoped she’d be is because Robert is waiting for Anna to tire of Valentin. She says, as Valentin has tired of Victor? Why is it his one and only son isn’t by his side, aiding and abetting his crimes? Victor is going to be so lonely when he finally creates whatever ridiculous world it is that he’s forging, and has absolutely no one to share it with. He says, careful where you tread, missy. Lest I teach you the true meaning of loneliness. She says she’s very sorry. She takes it back. Victor knows how loved he is, as Holly knows Robert loves her. Victor says, as she loves Robert? but she says, it doesn’t matter. The only person she cares about at the moment is her son Ethan, and she wants to talk to him. Victor says, he can’t come to the phone right now, and she says, if she doesn’t speak to him, how does she know the worst hasn’t happened? He tells her, don’t be so melodramatic. She gets a proof-of-life photo every day. She says, photos prove nothing, and he says, then she’ll just have to trust him. She says, as he’s going to have to trust her to take care of Robert.

Britt says, give it to him? and Cody says, she didn’t want it anymore, and it probably belongs to him anyway. Win-win, right? She asks what he’s talking about, and he says, her father’s legacy; the necklace. She laughs, and says, he thinks this is about the necklace? He says, it’s hardly just a necklace, and she says, of course (🍷). He asks, what else could she be talking about? and she says, of course (🍷). It’s the $35 million in jewelry on her desk. After all, the only thing Cody cares about is getting rich. She can’t believe she’s even surprised. It was the necklace he wanted; she was just here. He says, this conversation just took a massive wrong turn. He didn’t mean… and she says, he didn’t mean what? He didn’t mean for her to let her guard down? He didn’t mean for her to be vulnerable for five minutes after he’d been grilling her for months? He says he wanted to get to know her, and she says, sure he did, so he could get that stupid necklace. She shoves it into the box, closes it, and says, he wants it so bad? Here you go. She pushes the box at him, and says, get out.

Chase says he’s not sure what Blaze thinks is missing; she’s got some great vocal moments. She says, it’s not the song per se; it’s actually great. He says, so when she was complaining before… She says, totally posturing. She loves it, but when Linc talked about taking her in another direction, this is not what she had in mind. He asks, what’s wrong with the direction she’s on? and she says, between the wigs and the costumes, she doesn’t recognize herself. He says, fair enough. What direction does she want to take this? She says, honestly? She wanted a folk song. He says, she likes folk? and she asks, what’s wrong with it? He says, not a thing, but it’s a 180 from her usual songs. She says, her first manager came up with her look, and she went along with it. Linc signed her as a pop singer, and says, her fans won’t accept her singing anything else. She wants the chance to try new things. Doesn’t he? He says, no, not really, and they laugh. He says he likes things he knows, and she says, singing standards. He says, being a cop, and she says, like in The Village People? He says he was a detective with the PCPD. He kinds of fell into singing. She says, but his heart’s not in it, and he looks at Brook, telling Blaze, he wouldn’t say that.

Michael says, with the baby coming, they decided it’s important to know as much as possible about Willow’s medical history, and Carly says, that makes sense. Willow and TJ come back, and Carly asks how Willow is going about finding her birth parents. Michael says, they’ve been doing their own research, and Drew offered to help. TJ says, sorry. He’s got to run, but happy Thanksgiving. Carly asks what he and Molly are doing tomorrow, and he says, his mom is coming over, and Alexis is going to Sonny’s, which would be super awkward, so they won’t see her until Friday. Carly asks why it would be awkward, and TJ says he thought she knew. She says, what now? and Michael says, Nina accused Willow of sleeping with TJ, and Sonny believed her.

Britt asks what Cody is waiting for. Congratulations. His plan worked. He takes the jewelry box, and she says, now get out of my office, and out of my life. She opens the door, and Robert is there with an officer. He says, sorry to interrupt. It looks like she’s had a break-in. Britt says, no. She wanted it like this. He says, her call, and asks Cody, what’s in the case? Cody says, none of Robert’s business, but Robert says, if it’s a $35 million necklace recovered from Peter August, it is his business. He takes out a paper, and says he has a warrant here for it. Hand it over.

Blaze says, Chase and Brook? And he was giving her a hard time about Linc. He says, it’s completely different. Brook is more than his manager. She says, clearly, and Chase says, Brook is also his best friend. They’ve helped each other through a lot. She says, this business arrangement between them seems one-sided, but he says, they’re both committed to this relationship. She says, but they’re still doing what Brook wants, not what he wants, and he says, singing might not be as fulfilling as police work, but he’s happy to do it for Brook. He’d do anything for her, and he knows she would do anything for him.

Linc says, what Brook needs to accept – she says she can’t wait to hear this pearl of wisdom – she’s old news. What does he need her for when he has Blaze, and he’s thisclose to signing Magdalena Perez. Brook says, she can’t be more then 17, but he says, she’s 18. And don’t let the name fool you; she’s no virgin. Brook says, he’s disgusting. She thought she could stomach working with him, but nope, wrong. He says, fine by him, but she says, this definitely won’t be fine for him, because from this moment on, she will not let him harass one more person. He says, is that right? Whatchu gonna do, BLQ? She says she’s going to expose him for the creep he is. She’s going to tell everyone how he treated her when he was her manager. He says he just has one question. If he’s so awful, why is she working with him now? Do her worst. No one is going to listen to a bitter has-been. She says, it won’t be just her.

Alexis asks Sam, what was the face about when Dante mentioned Cody? Sam says, Cody hinted Dante may have done something… maybe something illegal when he was younger. Alexis asks if she means like egging cars, or going on a random bank heist, and Sam says, they didn’t get into details, but he made it sound serious. Alexis asks, at what age they’re talking about? and Sam says, they lost touch when they were around 16, so she imagines it was before then. Alexis says, did she ask Dante about it? and Sam says, no. Alexis asks what Sam’s thinking, and Sam says, it’s Cody. He’s probably exaggerating, but she has this instinct. She needs to know what happened.

Carly says, Nina lives to cause trouble, and Sonny knows Willow would never do something like that; at least he should. Willow says, Nina claims she was worried how Willow’s affair would affect Wiley, and Carly says, of course (🍷) Nina used Wiley as an excuse. That woman never stops. She tried to make Sonny think there was something going on between her and Brick. Michael says, what? and she says she’ll explain later. She’s got to go. She leaves, and Michael and Willow exchange glances.

Obrecht says, so Nina engaged in a little gossip and got it wrong, and Nina says, really wrong; like twice. Obrecht asks if Nina destroyed Willow and Michael’s saccharine union, and Nina says, no. Obrecht says, then they have no cause for complaint. If they try, let her know. Nina says she thinks she can handle it. The tension with Michael really upsets Sonny, and she doesn’t like seeing Sonny hurt; he feels things very deeply. Obrecht asks if Sonny is treating Nina as well as he should, and Nina says she’s never been happier. Next year – she laughs – maybe they could have Thanksgiving together; Sonny and her, Britt and Cody, Obrecht and Scotty. But they both know that’s never gonna happen.

Cody says, Robert can’t just walk in here and take his necklace, and Britt says, my necklace, jackass. Cody says, she just gave it to him, and she says, it was a futile attempt to shame him. Was he really going to take it? He says, no, but Robert can’t have it. Robert tells Cody, this warrant says he can. And as per the State of New York, they have reason to believe the diamonds in that piece were obtained unlawfully. So until that’s resolved, it stays in their possession. The officer tells Cody, hand over the necklace, and Robert says, best not to resist. Robert Scorpio, his friendly neighborhood DA? And until recently, almost his uncle. Cody says, close call, and Robert says, apparently. The officer holds out his hand, and says, sir? Britt says, for Pete’s sake, and grabs it out of Cody’s hand, giving it to the officer. Robert looks at it, and says, fits the description, and the officer puts it into a briefcase. Britt says, come back any time, and Robert leaves with the officer. Britt tells Cody, he’s on the wrong side of her door. Get out. He says, wait, and closes the door. If she wasn’t referring to the necklace, what legacy is she talking about?

Walking through the hospital, Robert tells the officer, from here, he needs to be escorted to the MetroCourt Hotel. Then he can head back. The officer says, maybe he should stick around, but Robert says he thinks he can handle this, and Bureau guys are coming over. He suggests the officer cuff it to his wrist, and the officer handcuffs the briefcase to Robert. They leave, and Johann comes out from his not-so-secret hiding spot. He calls Victor, and says, the package just changed hands. Victor asks, how? and Johann says, Scorpio went to Westbourne’s office with a cop. Don’t worry. He knows where they’re headed. Victor says, excellent.

Brook says, all she has to do is light a match, and Linc’s career, his reputation, his family will go up in flames.

Blaze says, Chase is kind, sweet, and easy to work with, and he thanks her. She tells him, get out of this business while all that is still true. She has to run. New costume fitting. She has to make sure she can breathe in it. Chase says, it was good working with her, and think about what he said. On her way out the door, Blaze runs into Dante, who says, she’s Blaze, right? She says she is indeed, and he says his son loves her; he’s a big fan. She says, and he doesn’t? but he says he does. He just didn’t recognize her without all the stuff. She says, disappointed? and he says, not at all. She leaves, and Cody asks if he got her autograph. Dante says, no, but he should have. Rocco would love that. What is Blaze doing in Port Charles? Chase says, they’re actually working on a song together, and Dante says, that’s amazing.

Willow says, they’d better head upstairs, and tells TJ, first day of chemotherapy. TJ says, she’s going to do great. If she needs anything, so not hesitate to call. She says she will, and thanks him for the support. Michael says, TJ has been a great friend. TJ leaves, and Michael asks if Willow is ready. She says, absolutely.

Alexis stops Nina as she goes past the table, and asks if she has a second. Nina asks how she can help Alexis, and Alexis says she was wondering why Nina is so sure Esme is The Hook killer. Nina says, that’s really something Alexis should talk to Ava about, not her, but Alexis says, Nina is living with Ava. So if Esme should decide to attack again, Nina could be in danger. Nina says, how about if she talks to Ava about this, and Ava will give Alexis a call? and Alexis says, okay. Nina leaves, and Sam comes back. Alexis tells her, this Hook story keeps getting bigger and bigger, and more dangerous. People keep promising her information they’re not giving her. Meanwhile, she’s sitting on what she knows, which could be helpful. Sam says, she’s talking about the letter the killer sent? and Alexis says, yes. She held back and didn’t print anything in exchange for Jordan giving her an exclusive. Jordan’s given her the runaround, and she’s worried about waiting. Sam asks what she’s going to do.

Britt asks what Cody is still doing here; leave. Cody says, no. He wants to know about this legacy Faison left her. She says, why? It’s not anything he could sell. He says, he made a mistake. He was truly just trying to help her though. She says, how? By taking 35 million off her hands? He says, it didn’t seem like she wanted it, and if he’d known she was talking about something else… She says, goodbye, for good, and he asks if they’re at that point where she slams the door in his face. He made a mistake; he’s sorry. He knows she has a hard time opening up, just like he has a hard time not putting his foot in his mouth; but he can’t be expected to have the perfect reaction every time. She says she didn’t expect him to have the perfect reaction. Hell, she would have taken something somewhat less mercenary. He asks her to please tell him what it would take for her to give him the benefit of the doubt, and she says, more than she has to give. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, come in. Obrecht walks in, and asks, what is going on here? Cody says, absolutely nothing, and walks out.

On the phone, Victor says, you understand?… Good. He tells Holly that her time has come, and she says, meaning? He says, meaning, Robert has acquired something he wants. It’s in a briefcase. Robert is on his way to the MetroCourt, and it’s Holly’s job to intercept him, and get the briefcase. She says, that’s easy enough, but he says, one little wrinkle. The briefcase is handcuffed to his wrist. She says, he’ll have to uncuff at some point. Tonight when he’s asleep, she’ll steal it. Victor says, but the WSB is on their way to recover the contents of that briefcase as they speak. She asks how the hell she’s supposed to get around that, and he says he doesn’t know. She’ll think of something. Let Ethan be her inspiration.

On the phone, Alexis says she’s the editor-in-chief of The Invader. If they’d be so kind as to give Commissioner Ashford a message from her. Tell her that Alexis will be printing the letter the killer sent to her. It will be on the front page of the paper tomorrow. Ask her if she has any comments.

Willow waits for her treatment, and Michael puts his hand on hers.

Carly sees Nina across the room, and they lock eyes.

Linc tells Brook that he did nothing wrong. No woman ever told him no. She says she did, several times, but he says, she overreacted. She says, the only reason women keep quiet about him, the only reason women hold their noses and let him touch them, is because he’s convinced them if they don’t their careers will go buh-bye. Fortunately for her, she doesn’t have to worry about her singing career anymore. Fortunately for them, they won’t have to worry about him anymore. Not when she becomes their manager. He says, she’s going to poach his clients? and she says, that’s right. She’s not just going to expose him; she’s going to completely ruin him. She’ll destroy him. He says, or… she can get her songs back.

Dante tells Chase, he’s been leaving all these messages for Brook. He had to come here to track her down. Chase says, cut her some slack. Brook has been working 24/7 promoting his new single, booking gigs, you name it. Dante says he’s happy to hear how well everything is going for Chase, and Chase says he can’t complain. Dante says, with this new career Chase has, maybe Brook doesn’t have to write the letter, and Chase says, what letter?

Obrecht tells Britt to let her help, but Britt says, please don’t! She frantically picks things up, and Obrecht asks, what happened? Britt says, nothing. Just one more mistake. Obrecht says she thought Britt and Cody were well on their way to being a couple, but Britt says she doesn’t have the time. Obrecht says, please, tell her what’s wrong so she can help, but Britt says, there’s nothing Obrecht can do. She’s sick.

Holly says, Victor is asking the impossible, but he says, nonsense. She’s ideally placed to retrieve the necklace from her ex-husband, providing she’s not lying about Robert still trusting her. She says, it’s not a question of trust; it’s a question of logistics. He says, then what is she waiting here for? Better get going before the WSB gets their hands on the briefcase.

Robert comes out of the elevator at the MetroCourt, the briefcase cuffed to his wrist.  

Tomorrow, Linc asks if they have a deal or don’t they; Chase asks Dante what letter Brook was supposed to write; Sonny says, it looks like Drew hit a dead end; and Carly says, if Nina wants to come at her, bring it on.

🍗 A Side of Soap With Your Turkey…

See if your soap is on Thanksgiving Day. GH is a rerun, and there’s football on Friday.

🗽 New York Shame…

Not really anything new, but I’m still shaking my head. What’s wrong with people?

🧂 No Shah No Return…

It doesn’t sound like Jen will be returning. I get it, but I’m waiting for the lawsuit that happens when Teresa flings a glass at an innocent bystander. Why is she still on RHONJ?

👩🏾‍🍳 That Was Fast…

This is too bad. Reality is always more palatable when there’s a distraction like a business involved.

🦕 My Advice, Duck…

I’ve seen the parade in person twice. Once from in front of Macy’s, getting there at 6 am on the coldest day of my life. And again from an office I worked at that was on the parade route, accompanied by mimosas and bagels. I don’t need to tell you which was more preferable. But back to topic, it is really weird when those balloons are over you. Nope. Didn’t like it.

🥗 Low Carbing…

Tomorrow, discussing the Below Deck Med Reunion – which was a real snoozefest – and the usual soap, so come on over. Until then, stay safe, stay gathering innocuous topics for the Thanksgiving meal, and stay knowing what someone means by their father’s legacy before you assume it’s jewelry.

November 21, 2022 – Holly Tells Robert the Whole Truth, New Everything On Deck, Latest Crew, All About That Music Award & Next

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Drew stretches in the park, when Carly comes along. She asks if he’s going for a run, and he says he just finished. She points out that he just happened to be in the park when she came along, and tells him that they need to be careful. Someone knows about them.

Dex reaches for Josslyn’s hand, and she says, he’s awake. She feels his forehead, and says, his fever’s going down. She asks how he feels, and he says, much better. He struggles to sit up, and she asks, how’s the side? He says, it only hurts when he moves, and she gives him some water, saying, hydrate. He says, first of all, he wants to thank her. If she hadn’t helped him, he’d be totally screwed. She says, he’s welcome. What’s the second thing? He says he needs her to do something for him.

Sonny is on the phone, when Frank comes in with Brick. Sonny leaves a message for Dex, saying, three days is too long to go dark. One email’s not enough. Get back to me. Now. Brick says he hasn’t heard from Dex either; he’s been trying to track Dex through his sources. Sonny thanks him, and says, that isn’t the only reason he wanted to see Brick. Last night, he said he was cool about everything that went down with Brick and Carly. He’s not.

Austin comes to Britt’s office, and tells her, Dr. Talone’s on her way. Britt says, oh joy, and he says, she’s the leading specialist on Huntington’s disease, and her waiting list is usually months long, so… She says she appreciates the strings he pulled to get her a consult, but he doesn’t have to stay. He says he knows, but he can if she wants him to, and she says, it would be nice to have some moral support if this really is the beginning of the end.

Scotty joins Cody at the MetroCourt, and says he’s agreed to meet Cody, but being Dominique’s son can only get him so far. What does he want? Cody says, some legal advice. He might be coming into an absurd amount of money.

Robert says, the game’s over, and when Holly tries to protest, he says, enough. He baited her with a phony address on his phone. Fifteen minutes ago, Whitten and his agents descended on that property, acting on an anonymous tip. She supplied the tip. How long has she been working with Victor?

Josslyn says she’s not getting Dex clothes, but he says he bled all over what he was wearing; sorry about Michael’s shirt. She says, she told him, Michael won’t miss it, but that’s not the point, and he says, the point is, he can’t walk out in blood stained clothes. She says, the point is, he can’t walk; he can’t even stand. He says he can, and struggles out of bed. He says, see?

Carly says, Josslyn saw them kissing the night Sonny brought her home, and Drew says, and she didn’t say anything until now? She says, Josslyn’s got a lot going on. She’s fine. She can be trusted. He says, even when Josslyn was a kid, she always had his back. She made him feel like family. Carly says, he is family, and he says, that reminds me. Michael and Willow asked me to look into something that might be important to us. She says she likes the sound of us, when Olivia comes along. She says, well, well, well. Fancy running into them here.

Holly says, Robert has the wrong idea, and he says, damn it. You can’t talk your way out of this one, kid. She says, yes, she’s doing Victor’s bidding, but not by choice. She jumps up, and says, Not. By. Choice.  The more she tells him – God, it’s so complicated – the more she tells him, the more he has a target on his back. He says, damn it. There’s a target on everyone’s back as long as Victor is walking around. Luke was murdered. Anna was framed. From what he’s hearing, they’re all in danger, her included. He can help her, but she’s got to tell him everything, and he means everything.

Scotty says, Cody is coming into money; illegal money no doubt. Cody says, nope. He’s coming into this honestly. It turns out, Serena may not have walked away with all the Taub fortune. Scotty asks what he means, and Cody says, there is some dispute as to whether or not the fortune belongs to Leopold Taub’s heirs or Cesar Faison’s.  

Britt thanks Dr. Talone for making the time to see her, and Dr. Talone says, it’s an interesting case, but she has to leave for Toronto soon, so let’s just dive in. Britt says she’s asked Dr. Gatlin-Holt to sit in for moral support, and Austin says, that’d be him, and thanks her for coming. He’s the one who forwarded Britt’s records. Dr. Talone says she’s looked them over. Britt tested positive for the gene two years ago? Britt says, correct, and the doctor asks why she was tested. Family history? Britt says, that, and she thought she was experiencing symptoms, but it turned out to be her carpal tunnel acting up. Dr. Talone says, the details from that visit are vague, and Britt says she was incognito in a way at the time. She gave a false name to the doctor. Dr. Talone says she’s sure what the doctor told Britt was accurate, but without a full medical history, it might not have been complete. If the trouble swallowing is what Britt fears, it might imply she’s further along. Britt asks, how much further? and the doctor says, it could be, Britt’s secondary condition of carpal tunnel was masking over symptoms of chorea; a symptom of Stage 2 Huntington’s. If Britt wasn’t upfront with her identity, she assumes Brit withheld certain details of her life, say, five or ten years ago? Britt says she was essentially on the run most of that time, except for the year she spent in prison. Dr. Talone asks if she experienced irritability, anxiety, depression, or restless limbs during that time, and Britt asks if the doctor didn’t just hear her. She was on the run, then in a prisoner, so yes, she was anxious, irritable, and depressed. Dr. Talone says, It’s possible at that time, Britt was experiencing a harder to detect stage of the disease.

Brick says he’d never disrespect Sonny by making a move on the mother of his kids, and Sonny says he believes Brick, but when Carly meddles in his business, in his people, it usually ends up with disaster. Brick tells him, give Carly some credit. She handled herself well and took over the reins while Sonny was missing. Sonny says he gets that, but whatever she’s into now could be conflict with his kids. He can’t have that. Brick says, if the situation was dangerous, he’d tell Sonny. he gives Sonny his word. Frank pops in, and says, a supplier wants to meet with Sonny outside, and Sonny tells Brick that he’ll be right back. Brick sits, and takes out his phone.

Carly tells Olivia that she was just walking by… and Drew says, he was finishing his run. Carly says she was out for a stroll, since she has so much time on her hands, not being at the MetroCourt anymore. What about Olivia? Olivia says she just dropped Leo off at his first basketball practice. It’s just a little intermural thing with kids on the spectrum to practice their team building skills before the season starts. Carly’s phone dings, and she sees a text from Brick: At Sonny’s office. He knows we met up last night. Got some wild ideas about it. Carly says she’s got to go; something came up. She leaves, and Olivia says, Leo had quite an adventure last night. Drew says, Leo’s such a great kid, and she says she thinks so. He can’t stop talking about that cellphone he found outside the gatehouse.

Dex struggles to breathe and stand at the same time, and Josslyn asks if he’s going to sit down, or is she just supposed to watch him fall over? He admits he can’t run any marathons, but thinks he can make it back to his place, and she says, the last time he did that, he popped two stitches, and the wound got infected. He says, that’s because he was trying to sneak out of her brother’s house at night. He was in a hurry, he brushed up against a tree, and that’s when he popped the stitches. Fortunately, it’s broad daylight now. He just needs her to get him some clean clothes, and he’ll be out of here. She says, he can’t leave yet; he’s still too weak. He asks, how many people are on this floor? and she says, 30. He asks, how many floors are there? and she says, 10. He says, there are 300 ways to get caught, and she says, if he goes outside and collapses, that’s another way to get caught. He says he’ll be on his own, and she won’t be implicated. He didn’t come to her for help, but she helped him anyway. He’s not going to repay her by making her an accessory after the fact. She says, accessory to what? He still won’t tell her what he did… Correction; what Sonny ordered him to do. He says he only stayed last night because he was too messed up to leave, but he’s better now. So if she won’t get him the clothes, he’ll put his back on and take his chances.

Britt asks if Dr. Talone is saying that she could have been showing symptoms while she was on the run. That was eight years ago. Dr. Talone says, she’s trying to make the symptoms Britt had align with what they know of the disease. Trouble swallowing is her main symptom? Austin says, if Britt is honest with the doctor, it might help her make an accurate diagnosis, and Britt says she’s been more irritable lately. The tremors still show up once in a while… Dr. Talone says, define once in a while, and Britt says, okay, fairly regularly, but she keeps them in check. The doctor says she’d like to conduct some tests.

Cody tells Scotty, Leopold Taub bequeathed several pieces of jewelry to his direct heirs, including a necklace that somehow ended up with Peter August. Scotty says, Britt found that necklace in a safety deposit box, but it’s funny. The girl with the necklace is now hooked up with Cody through Society Set-Ups. Cody says he guesses it was fate, and Scotty says, or not. Cody says, the necklace contains diamonds cut from the Ice Princess, and Scotty says, the Ice Princess. The Cassadines were going to freeze the world with it. Cody says, that’s what he heard, and Scotty says he has a little piece of advice for Cody – run for the hills.

Holly says she’s been lying to Robert. Her memory of the last two years is anything but fuzzy; it’s seared into her. He suggests they take it from the beginning, and they sit down. She says she was investigating Rudge and his casino; that much is true. The rumor was, Victor was alive and well, and working with Rudge. Victor still had allies in the Bureau, word got out, and her cover was blown. Rudge kept her captive in the casino for weeks, until… He says, she managed to call him, and we flash back to Robert getting an indecipherable call from Holly, asking for help. She says she knew help was on the way, when Victor revealed himself to her. We see Holly bound to a chair, and she tells Robert, Victor wanted her to know what would happen if she tried to contact him again. We see a woman with a hood over her head being dragged into the room, and she says, Victor wanted to make an example of someone she cared about. Victor (who’s wearing a tuxedo) cocks a gun, and she says, that’s when he shot Paloma. We see Victor fire the gun, and Robert says, her sister? She says, the bastard made her watch while he murdered her sister in front of her eyes. Victor used her sister to demonstrate what would happen if she tried to escape. Robert says, Paloma looked just like Holly. It was her body they found on the casino grounds. We flash back to Robert telling Olivia, it’s Holly’s wedding ring, and Holly says, and wearing her wedding ring. Along with falsified dental records, voila! Everybody in the world thinks she’s dead. Evidently, Paloma was expendable, but Victor thought he might have some use for Holly someday. We flash back to seeing Holly on a monitor, yelling, open the door, you bastard! Let me out of here! She tells Robert, she was kept in the lap of luxury until her temper got the better of her. We see her being thrown in a cell, then banging on the door, yelling for help, and the door has a padlock on it. She tells Robert that Victor moved her from Crete to God knows where. Then he did find a use for her. He brought her here. Anna was getting in the way of his master plan, whatever the hell it is, and he wanted her to distract Robert, after framing Anna. He says, tell him she didn’t shoot Lucy, and she says, it was her. He says he doesn’t believe it. How could she? Lucy was her friend, and Holly killed her. Holly says she did no such thing. She said she shot her, but Lucy’s not dead.

Josslyn comes back to find Dex taking medication, and she tells him that he’s supposed to take it with food. She gives him an energy bar, and he asks if she had any trouble, but she says she was in and out in less than five minutes. As far as she knows, no one saw her. She tosses him a duffel bag, and he opens it. He says, socks? and she says she didn’t think he’d want to wear his old ones, and she wasn’t digging in his bloody bag of clothes to find others. He has a hard time even sitting up, and she tells him to give her the socks. She says, the fact that he can’t get dressed by himself might tell him he’s still too weak to go. She puts his socks on him, and he asks if she can help him with the pants. She puts them over his feet, and he gets up, zipping them. She says, that’s impressive. What is he going to do about the shoes?

Sonny asks Brick, where were we? and Brick says he respects Sonny. If this was about business, he’d tell Sonny what happened, but he prefers to leave other people’s private matters private. Doesn’t their friendship allow for that? Frank knocks, and Carly walks into the office. She says she heard Sonny got the wrong idea about her and Brick. She’s glad Brick is here while she sets Sonny straight.

Josslyn puts clothing in Dex’s bag, and he asks what she’s doing. She says, it would look weird for him to carry around an empty bag. He tells her to put his stuff in, and she says, and if somebody happens to open his bag, and it’s full of bloody clothes, that won’t make him look guilty at all. He asks what she’s going to do with them, and she says, take them to her mom’s and burn them in the firepit, along with the sheet, and everything she brought from Michael’s. He says, she’s going to a lot of trouble for him, and she says she is, so don’t get caught. She hands him the bag, and he kisses her. She kisses back, and he says, damn. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She says, well, it did, and he says he has to go. She says she can drive him, but he says, she’s done enough. He’ll take it from here. She says, wait, and gives him his keys. Their hands touch for longer than necessary, and he says goodbye. He leaves, and she watches him go from the door.  

Olivia tells Drew, now Leo wants his own cellphone. She said, when he’s twelve years old, which didn’t go over to well, and she told him, that’s 20 years younger than when she got her first cellphone. She snaps her fingers, and whistles, asking if he’s there, and he says, sorry. He was just… She says, thinking about Carly? She doesn’t suppose things between the two of them have progressed, have they?

Carly says she heard Sonny was asking questions about her being in Brick’s room. Not that it’s any of his business. Brick says, he just told her that Sonny was curious, and Carly says, here’s the deal. She and Drew are seeing each other. They have to keep it quiet because there are some insider trading issues at play. She asked Brick to cover their digital tracks. Sonny gestures for Brick to leave, and Brick says, gladly. Carly tells Sonny, she’s sure he has a lot to say, and he says he’s happy for her.

Britt comes back to her office, and says, Austin’s still here. He asks how it went, and she says, hell if she knows. Dr. Talone’s not exactly the warm, cheery type. Her bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. He says, she woudn’t know anything about that, and they laugh. She thanks him for not treating her any differently now that he knows the truth. It’s easier to talk about this to people she doesn’t know very well. He says he’s touched, and she says she just means, it takes a lot more energy to get into it with people she’s closer to. He says, of course (🍷); like Cody, Brad… She says she knows how her story is going to end. It’s one thing to share the gory details with a triage doctor – he says, that would be him – and it’s another for her loved ones. She wants them to remember her, not what this horrible disease does to her. There’s a knock at the door, and it’s Dr. Talone. Britt asks what she found.

Scotty says, the Ice Princess is cursed. It’s a fact; look it up. Cody says he’s done some research, and Scotty says, anybody who’s claimed that diamond has died, including Luke Spencer. He wants nothing to do with it. Cody says, so Scotty won’t help him? but Scotty says he is helping Cody. He’s telling Cody to walk away. Cody says he’ll handle it himself, and Scotty says, forget the curse. Cody is going after this inheritance, and he’s going to screw over the girl he allegedly cares about. Is that really worth it?

Robert says, Lucy is alive? and Holly says, it was never Victor’s intention to kill her. Lucy’s just another person he can use as leverage against the people of Port Charles. He asks how she managed it, and she says, there were two shots fired that night. The first one she shot was a rubber bullet. We flash back to Lucy getting shot on the docks, and Holly says, the second was a real bullet. She fired into the water, leaving casing and residue on the pier. He says, but the video showed Anna, and she says, during Victor’s tenure at the Bureau, he perfected the art of prosthetics which he made her wear, just like Luke and Faison. Lucy was retrieved from the water almost immediately by Victor’s guards. We see Lucy being carried across the pier between two guards, as she’s asking, what happened? Holly asks Victor where they’re taking her, and Victor says, don’t worry. She’s in good hands… for the time being. But Holly still has more work to do. Robert says he doesn’t understand. Why not run to the cops, then and there? With Lucy alive, Anna’s cleared. She says, Victor must never know she told him this. Nobody must know Lucy’s alive. He says he doesn’t think Victor would harm Lucy. He seems to have a soft spot for her. Holly says, it’s not about Lucy. There’s another reason Victor must never know she betrayed him. He asks what Victor’s got on her, and she says, not what, who. My son.

Sonny says, it will never be easy for him to see Carly with another guy, but she’s seeing Drew, and he’s a decent enough guy. Sonny isn’t threatened by him at all. He’s not surprised; Drew is around her all the time. She thanks him, but says she didn’t come here for his approval. She came here because she didn’t want him to get the wrong idea about her and Brick. She asks how he knew she was in Brick’s room, and he says, because Nina said she saw Carly. Carly says, of course (🍷). It’s Nina’s mission in life to make her miserable. He says he told her that he was happy for her; can’t she be happy for him? She says she’ll be happy for him when his girlfriend learns to mind her own business. Frank opens the door, and Brick comes in with Dex. Brick says he found  a friend of Sonny’s waiting to see him. Carly says she’ll leave them to their business, and when she’s gone, Sonny asks where the hell Dex has been.

Dr. Talone says, Britt is showing signs of entering Stage 3 of Huntington’s disease. If her timetable is correct, Britt is in the low intermediate stage of the disease. Her current symptoms will increase, along with eventual significant cognitive impairment. Britt asks how much time she has, and the doctor says, the average life span of a patient in Stage 3 is five to fifteen years. But as for living her daily life, it could be as soon as 18 months before she needs full time care and assisted living.

Robert says, Victor has Ethan, and Holly says, after Robert’s adventure in Monte Carlo, Ethan found evidence that she might still be alive, and came looking for her. He asks why Ethan didn’t bring it to him, and she says she doesn’t know; maybe he wanted to get confirmation first. Unfortunately for all of them, Victor’s people caught him, and Victor is holding him to secure her cooperation. Robert says, so Victor’s got Anna on the run, he’s got Lucy and Ethan as prisoners… Holly’s phone dings, and she says, and he’s got her over a barrel. Robert asks if that’s him, and she says, he’s coming here. Robert has to go. Robert says, put him off, but she says she can’t provoke him, or he’ll do the same to her son that he did to her sister.

Olivia says, Drew and Carly would have a good reason to keep things quiet, and he says, such as? She says, a lot of questions Ned was asking about the merger; like who knew what and when they knew it. He says, the merger that never happened, but she says, hypothetically speaking, someone she’s married to could raise a pretty big stink with the SEC. And if that were the case, he should know he can count on her not to say anything. Carly is her best friend, and he’s family.

Josslyn cleans up her room, shoving the sheets into the bag with Dex’s clothes, and there’s a knock at the door. It’s Carly, and Josslyn tells her, Dex is gone. Carly says she knows. She saw him in Sonny’s office. Josslyn says, unbelievable. She almost kills herself trying to save him, and he runs back to Sonny. Carly says, Dex is working for Sonny by his own choice. As grateful as he is that she helped him, that job is going to be his top priority. Josslyn asks if Carly wants her to say this was a one-time thing, and she’s never going to see Dex again, and Carly asks if Josslyn would be disappointed if it was a one-time thing. Josslyn says she needs to go home. She needs to use the fire pit. Carly says, now is a good time, the girls aren’t there, and they leave.

Dex tells Sonny, the bullet grazed his side. It bled a lot, and got infected. He found a place to crash until his fever broke. Sonny asks why he didn’t call, and Dex says he lost his phone. Sonny says, that’s not very professional, and Dex says he was pretty out of it the first night. He didn’t know if the cops were looking for him. He kept his hat on and his face in shadow the whole time, but there was still a chance the guard could ID him. Sonny asks what Brick thinks, and Brick says, out of contact for three days, conveniently. Could be he lost his phone, but Brick sees why Sonny would be concerned. Dex says he laid low because he didn’t want to bring any trouble back to Sonny. No matter what, Sonny can count on him.

Holly tells Robert, she’s trying her best to save everyone. Anna, Lucy, Ethan, but something has to give. Robert says, she’s right; something does.

Britt thanks Dr. Talone for going out of her way to meet with her, and the doctor says she’s sorry she doesn’t have better news. She leaves, and Austin asks if Britt wants to go for a walk. She says, thanks, but she needs to be alone, and he asks if she wants a drink. She says, he’s been great, but she needs to handle this by herself. He says she knows where to find him, and leaves. She looks at her framed degree, then her business card. She tosses the card down, and holds out her hand, seeing the tremor. She says, damn it, and throws the degree into the bookcase, smashing it and whatever’s on the shelf. She swipes everything off of her desk and onto the floor, then throws a vase of flowers against the wall, shattering it, and cries.  

Victor arrives at the docks, and tells Holly that he just got word from Eileen Ashby; Anna has escaped. She asks how that’s possible, and he says, you tell me. She says she saw the text on Robert’s phone, and that was the address she gave to the Marshal. He says, Robert may be on to her; best be on her guard. Meanwhile, he has another assignment for her. One involving an old friend of hers.

Britt’s office is a mess. She kicks a chair, and picks up the necklace, which does not seem as heavy as it should. She says, gee, Peter, thanks. You got this from dear old dad. Guess what I got? Cody knocks at the door, then walks in.

Tomorrow, Brook tells Linc that she’s going to expose him for the creep that he is; Nina asks Dante how worried Ava should be; Cody tells Britt that she’s definitely worth loving; and Victor tells Holly that she’s got a lot more to lose.

Below Deck

Captain Lee tells us, St. Lucia is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. It’s straight out of a postcard. He’s been a captain for 37 years, and it’s time to do captain sh*t. He has a set of expectations that are so far out of the f***ing park. In Rachel’s interview, she says she’s like a mercenary chef. She’s coming in to murder sh*t and get tips. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s been crowned king… chief stew. It’s so good to be in charge. In bosun Ross’s interview, he says he’s from old school yachting. You work hard so you’ll be able to play hard. He may have overstepped on occasion, but tries his best to be professional. In her interview, stew Alissa says she’s a flirty person, and likes the attention on a boat. In stew/deckhand Camille’s interview, she says, she’s a Mississippi gal, and loves to twerk, which I’m sure will be a useful skill, and in deckhand Ben’s interview, he says he’s Peter Pan looking for his Tinkerbell. In deckhand Katie’s interview, she says she might be a pretty face, but she knows how to rock it. Deckhand Tony tells us in his interview, his entire life fits in his backpack. If it doesn’t fit, it must go away. Life is about collecting experiences. In stew Hayley’s interview, she says, people would describe her as a sensational stunning hot mess crazy bitch. The captain says he’s going to work their asses to the bone. Yachting isn’t all fun and games; it’s deadly serious. He’ll chew their asses and spit them out in a heartbeat. We see scenes from the coming season.

Fraser arrives first, and says, the boat looks huge and brilliant. He looks around, while Captain Lee looks over the crew’s CVs and wonders why every CV says, self-motivated. Fraser comes to say hello, and the captain says he knows Fraser will shine. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s been chief stew for one season, and wants to be a leader and a friend. He wants to mix personal and professional together to create something wonderful. The captain tells Fraser that Camille is a floater, but she’ll primarily be with him. In Captain Lee’s interview, he says, the boat is 197 feet. All the rooms are bigger, and there’s an extra deck. He tells Fraser that they’re picking up tomorrow, and it will be the usual sh*tshow. Rachel gets there next, and in her interview, she says she’s excited to see her boat daddy. The captain tells her that she has her own cabin, and she says she’s going to knock their socks off. She and Fraser hug. Ross meets the captain, and says he’s worked on 26 yachts, which makes Captain Lee happy. The captain reviews the deckhands with him, and says, Tony will be the greenest. In Ross’s interview, he says he has 11 years’ experience, and the hardest element for him is social dynamics. He holds back, and thinks of it as a chess game. In Alissa’s interview, she says, her ultimate goal is to make as much money as possible, meet high-end people, mooch off them, and live their life. When Hayley arrives, she tells Fraser that she loves St. Lucia, but the humidity isn’t doing her hair any favors. In her interview, she says, the three things she likes about herself are her t*ts, ass, and hair. Ben and Katie slip in, and Fraser talks to the stews. Hayley says she’s more geared to service, and Alissa says she loves housekeeping. Fraser says, it’s all good, and sends them to do cabins, saying, we’ll just get it all done. Tony and Camille are the last to come on board, and in Ross’s interview, he says he’s attracted to a few of the girls. It complicates things more if they’re on his team. He’s going to try and be as professional as he can, but it’s not his strong suit.

Fraser tells Ross that he’s throwing Camille in, but whenever Ross needs her, she’ll be his. Katie tells Camille that she’s from Ohio, and Camille said she detected Midwest. In Camille’s interview, she says she’s from a small town in Mississippi, but it was too small for her. Growing up, she didn’t get invited to parties because she was always the center of attention. It wasn’t on purpose, but she loves being extra. I see she’s modest too. Captain Lee calls a staff meeting, and jokes that they’re a motley looking bunch. Fraser goes to get the captain some coffee, but there’s no coffee or cream. Captain Lee shrugs it off, and introduces himself. He gives them the two rules: don’t embarrass the boat, and don’t embarrass yourself. He says he has a pocketful of plane tickets that he’ll have no problem handing out. He’s a little incapacitated from a nerve issue, so he’ll be depending on them in some areas. In the captain’s interview, he says he had back surgery, but the worst is behind him, and the doctors say he’ll continue to get better. He tells the crew that he wants to set records, and get all the cash they can possibly get. Pick up is tomorrow. Now go to work.

In Fraser’s interview, he says, Alissa knows what she’s doing. All her work is polished and structured. Hayley is all over the place, but enthusiastic. So far, so good. Provisions come in, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, more decks makes it harder. She has to go all the way down for her dry storage and walk-in freezer. It’s going to build her calves, and give her a nice hard ass. In Katie’s interview, she says she grew up in Ohio, and decided to move to Florida, where she got into yachting. She can do everything the boys can do. The captain radios Ross, Fraser, and Rachel for a preference sheet meeting. The first charter’s primary is Peng, an in-demand tax professional. He’s bringing his best friends to celebrate his birthday. The friends want Peng’s face decorating everything. They’ve requested a rave style party, and a Zen day at the beach. They’d also like a Playboy mansion themed party, with a sexy male dancer, and someone to jump out of a cake. Captain Lee says, they’ll be leaving his old ass out of that. The stews work on the cabins, and get to know one another. In Hayley’s interview, she says, yachting is like an ex-lover. You don’t want to commit, but occasionally want to dip back in. In Fraser’s interview, he says, he’s giving this his all, and he’s already stressed. There’s always a voice in the back of his head telling him that he’s not good enough. The boat is huge, and he didn’t know what he was facing. It’s worse than he thought, and he’s freaking out.

Fraser tells himself not to have a panic attack today, and the deck crew cleans the boat. In Tony’s interview, he says he worked on small boats; not like this one. He was born in Costa Rica, and he’s a free spirit. Going to the mountains for a few days with his backpack, that’s life. Fraser asks the interior to meet in the Sky Lounge, and the deckhands put on finishing touches. In Fraser’s interview, he says he had a mental breakdown last night. He can’t do everything, and has to learn to delegate. Here is his bible. He gives the stews a schedule of their responsibilities, and says, since he doesn’t know them, he went off their experience. He’s making Alissa his second, so she’s in charge of helping the girls out. In Alissa’s interview, she’s says she’s going to smash it. Her triangle of the people she listens to is, Captain Lee, Fraser, and whoever’s paying. If you’re not in the triangle, just do your work. Fraser says his priority is laundry, and Camille switches over to the deck for line instruction. Ross shows them a diagram of the boat, and goes over who is on which lines. In Camille’s interview, she says, she’s used to a small boat, but she likes being outside with the boys. It’s a vibe; wearing sunglasses and drinking a Coca Cola. I have no idea what the hell she’s talking about. Rachel curses the galley, and Fraser texts provisioner Marissa for a person to jump out of the cake. In Alissa’s interview, she says, Camille is giving her attitude. It’s annoying, but they’ll see how it progresses. The captain says, one hour, and Fraser takes a final look around, saying, everything is pretty. Camille does a pre-charter twerk, and the guests arrive. Ross says, God help us.

Captain Lee welcomes them aboard and to St. Lucia. He says, they have some fun planned for the birthday boy. Fraser will give them a tour, and they’ll get this party started. Primary Peng is off to great start, as he trips going up the first set of stairs. He also needs to pee, and there’s no soap in the bathroom. In Fraser’s interview, he says, the guests have been here ten minutes, and we’ve already f***ed up. The main bedroom has a skylight that opens up to the hot tub, which is just weird. Was that a money saving move, or is the owner some kind of kinkball? Captain Lee goes over things with Ross, and tells him, stay sharp. In the captain’s interview, he says, there’s a new crew, a new boat, a new location, new everything. It’s a lot of pressure, but you can’t put toothpaste back in the tube. He tells the deckhands, let’s not burn daylight, reminding me of John Wayne in The Cowboys. The boat heads out, and Peng and guest Quai decide to move a table, spilling the vase of flowers on it. In his interview, Fraser wonders, is it too soon to throw oneself overboard? Tony asks the captain about his career path, and Captain Lee says he’s been in the business 40 years, and did every sh*t job there is. In his interview, the captain says Tony is green as far as skills go, but he has a great smile and a willingness to learn. He can work with that. Ben has a Titanic moment with Camille in the crew mess. They drop anchor in Vigie Beach, and lunch is prepared. The guests seem pretty drunk already, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, lunch is late. there’s a new crew, new equipment, and a vast boat. She feels like a rushed a-hole, and it sucks.

Fraser tells Rachel that he’s going to seat the guests, and she asks if it’s over yet. Lunch is served an hour and fifteen minutes late, and guest Ashley is hangry. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s feeling frazzled, but all he can do is roll with the punches. Peng wonders where the food came from. After lunch, the guests go swimming, and Peng wonders why the water is wet. No more for him. In Camille’s interview, she says, if she was second stew, she’d have more fun. She thinks Alissa was the type who got all A’s, while she’s the type who rolled with it if she got a C. Ross and Katie pick up the cake, and Ross puts a bag over it, so it’s a surprise. Observing the guests, Captain Lee says, they’re drunker than a bunch of four-peckered goats. According to him, goats seem to get drunk a lot. The guests tell Fraser that they’re all Mormons. I would assume not practicing considering the amount of alcohol they’ve consumed. In Captain Lee’s interview, he says he’s been a captain for 37 years, and sailing the Caribbean a long time. St. Lucia is one of his favorite islands. It’s breathtaking, but the trade winds blow, and make your life miserable. Suck it up, creampuff. The boat rocks, and Peng wonders if it’s him. Everything has gone flying in the galley, and in Rachel’s interview, she says she has to stop what she’s doing and clean thoroughly. If someone chews on glass, it’s her ass, but it takes time. This is such a nightmare. She hates her life.

In her interview, Rachel says, this isn’t going how she planned. Glass is everywhere, and she’s in a time crunch. She’s worried about spiraling and shoving her foot up someone’s ass. All the guests wear shirts with Peng’s face on them, and Camille welcomes them to dinner in the Sky Longue. Ashley says, the décor is way too pretty. They look like Mississippi porch whores. I’m not sure what that means, but VC Andrews comes to mind. In Camille’s interview, she says, the guests are extremely f***ed up, and that’s her vibe. She loves drinking. Dinner is an hour late, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, the guests required a multi-course tasting menu. Everything is downstairs, and it’s a lot of running. Every second counts in service. It goes from zero to 100. Guest Junior says, Peng was his first friend in Salt Lake, and everyone gets all sentimental. Hayley and Camille do cabins, and Camille whines about nothing being prepared. She says she’s discombobbled, which I don’t think is a word. In Hayley’s interview, she says, smile, suck it up, and carry on. The dancers come on board, and not liking the Fireball shot, Peng spits it out. In Tony’s interview, he says, it doesn’t make you more special because you have more money. Hanging out and respecting the locals makes you a richer person. Fraser tells Rachel that the guests are impatient, and in his interview, he says, they still have a party to do, and it’s stressing him. Where’s Rachel at? Quai says she’s chill, but she’s bored, and decides to get ready for the rave. The rest of the guests leave the table, and Rachel says she’s going to cry.

In Rachel’s interview, she says, suck my d*ck, and Fraser radios for the crew to get in their outfits. Dessert is served, and the guests’ minds are appropriately blown by Rachel’s creation. In Fraser’s interview, he says, the guests are ready to party, and he hopes they can turn this around. The cake is set up, and one of the dancers pops out when Peng comes in. There are lots of glowsticks, and everyone jumps around to house music or whatever. The dancers do the limbo, and Rachel brings out a cake with a giant sparkler on it. The dancers leave, and Fraser says, it’s day one; kill me now. In his interview, he says he’s feeling unbelievably overwhelmed. He’s bit off far more than he can chew, and doesn’t feel prepared or capable of doing the job. Alissa bosses Camille around, and in Camille’s interview, she says, there’s a way to lead. Bossing is when you’re pushed down, told what to do, and made to do it because you’ve got to. It doesn’t sit well with her. In Alissa’s interview, she says, if you don’t want to be corrected, do it correctly. It’s going to be a long season.

This season, Captain Lee says, his mind is here, and his heart is here, but his body won’t cooperate. He’s made a decision.

⚓️ Meet the New Crew…

There are a few familiar faces.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/below-deck-season-10-get-to-know-the-crew-members

🏆 Award Worthy…

The AMA winners.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/20/entertainment/american-music-awards-winners-2022

Performances and moments.

https://www.etonline.com/2022-american-music-awards-best-moments-and-biggest-performances-of-the-night-194774

A tribute.

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/watch-pinks-touching-performance-honor-olivia-newton-john-93719361

And most important, who wore what.

https://people.com/style/2022-amas-best-dressed-stars-photos/

🖼 Inside Looking Out…

Tomorrow, just soap and tea, so come sit a spell. Until then, stay safe, stay being gracious with intolerable relatives, and stay remembering that life is about collecting experiences.

November 18, 2022 – Holly Passes Information To Victor, Why, Her Truth, Takeover, Sprina, a Farewell, Snowballing, Craziness, DM Slide, Servers Tell All, Famous Pets (!), Less Than a Dozen Quotes & Home

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sam comes out of the hospital elevator, sees Spinelli, and says, good, he’s still here. He says, she’s one of the most prompt people he knows. For her to be late, it had to be traffic or mortal peril, and he hopes it wasn’t the latter. She says she’s just having a crazy day, and thanks him for meeting her. She’s always grateful for his help. So did he find anything on Cody? He says he did, he did, he did.

On the phone, Austin says, the last off-the-books patient they wanted handled, is handled. Free of charge, as promised. He turns around, and Maxie is there.

Britt goes into her office, and Cody is there. He says, good morning, sunshine, and she tells him to stop yelling. He whispers that he’s sorry. He wondered if she wanted to have breakfast together; maybe the hair of the dog would be better. She says she’s on duty, and he recommends drinking more? He asks what she got into last night.

Having breakfast at the MetroCourt, Robert tells Holly that he’s thinking of visiting Robin and the kids over Christmas. This business with Anna is making him think about family more and more. She’s family too. Why doesn’t she join them out there? She says she’d love to, but… He says, but what? He’s known her since… He counts on his fingers, and she picks up her knife, telling him, say the year, and she’ll kill him. He says he knows her, and he knows when something’s wrong. What is it? She says, Lucy.

Laura sees Victor at the docks, and he says, good morning. Going my way?

Dante goes into the interrogation room, and tells Mac, Agent Whitten is here. Mac says, great, and Dante says, he and Mac have been going at it all night, trying to figure out Anna’s escape. Mac says, not that he wants to share that information with the US Marshal’s office, and Dante suggests they stall. Let’s go get some breakfast.

They go into the squad room, where Whitten is on the phone, saying, Valentin Cassadine left the MetroCourt Hotel at 8:17 this morning. Keep eyes on him. It’s a good bet he’ll lead them straight to Anna Devane.

Anna comes downstairs, and hears someone at the door. She crouches behind the sofa, and draws her gun. Valentin walks in, and says, rough night? She asks what he’s doing here, and they kiss. He tells her, it’s not safe for her to be here anymore.

Austin asks how long Maxie has been standing there, and she asks if he’d rather she be somewhere else. He says, no, he’s happy to see her. She just surprised him. She says she’s curious. Lately, he’s been called in to do all these last minute surgeries that nobody else can handle, even if they’re already on duty. He says, they’re short-staffed, so if he’s not on duty, he’s on call. She says she gets that. She’s just wondering, is he really doing all these surgeries, or is it a cover for something else?

Spinelli tells Sam that he didn’t exactly find the smoking gun they were looking for in regard to Cody’s intentions toward Britt; but he did find Mr. Bell has a juvenile arrest record. She says, those are sealed when you’re 18. She was hoping for something more than misdemeanors, D&Ds. He says, oh, she means drunk and disorderly; he was thinking, Dungeons and Dragons. She says, if there’s a pattern of criminal behavior in Cody’s past, she wants to know. So what’s in his juvenile arrest record?

Back in the interrogation room, Mac says he’s lost his appetite; that guy turns his stomach. Dante says he doesn’t like Whitten either, but he’s just doing his job, right? Mac says, whatever, and Dante asks if something else is bothering him. Mac says, nope, and Dante says he can’t imagine Mac being this upset just about Anna. Is this about Cody? Did they get the DNA results back?

Britt tells Cody, she went out with Brad. They started at the MetroCourt, and ended up at The Savoy, but after the third kamikaze shot, things got a little fuzzy. He whistles, then says, sorry, realizing it’s loud. Why did she go at it so hard? She flashes back to telling Austin that she has Huntington’s disease, and tells Cody, it’s been a long time since she and Brad had a night out. She knew she’d pay for it tonight, but she didn’t care. Life is short, right? He says, it sounds to him like a big old greasy breakfast is just what the doctor ordered. Does she want to go on a Kelly’s run? Turning her back to him, she takes a bottle of what looks like OTC medication out of her purse, and shakes three pills into her hand. He asks, what’s the matter? and she says she realized she can’t take these. He asks, why not?

On the phone, Whitten says, they lost Cassadine? How?… Felisha walks into the squad room, and listens. He says, dammit. Cassadine is a highly trained spy, just like Devane. They’re both highly skilled, but if they think they can outsmart him, they’d be wrong.

Laura says she was just going to pay Nikolas a visit, and Victor says, splendid. They can share the launch. She laughs, and says, on second thought, maybe not. She’s sure he has a cement life-vest with her name embroidered on it. She starts to leave, but he asks her to wait, and says, can’t they put an end to this pointless feud between them? She says she thinks it has several good points, and he tells her, he’s not saying they don’t have a fraught history. She says, fraught? Quaint. He says, but they also share a family, and his offer to work together for the good of the family still stands. She asks if that would be the family he all buy destroyed while she was out of town, and he says, it was her choice to leave. She says she’s back now, and she’ll put it all back together again. And when she has, she’s going to take him apart.

Robert says he knows Holly is upset about Lucy; they all are. She says, it’s not only Lucy; it’s Martin. She’s only met him twice, and talked to him for about five minutes, but he’s suffering. She’s grieved enough loved ones in her time, and wouldn’t wish that on anyone, not even her worst enemy. He says, for the last two years, he thought she was dead. He understands grief. She says, all of their friends told her that he moved heaven and earth to find her, even when there was no hope. She hopes he knows how much that means to her. He says he wouldn’t bet against her, and certainly wouldn’t do it ever again. She says she’s been doing a lot of thinking about them, and he says, and? She says, enough talking, and kisses him.

Valentin says, Anna is a marked woman, and she asks if his father finally put a bounty on her head. He says, not just his father. Olivia Jerome reached out. She’s made it clear that if Anna ends up in Pentenville with her, Anna won’t last the last the night. She says she best not end up in Pentenville then, and he says, proving her innocence is going to have to wait. She asks what the hell that means, and he says, their first priority is to get her out of the country.

Whitten says, try to pick up Valentin Cassadine’s trail again. At least they know they’re on the right track. If he wasn’t involved somehow, he wouldn’t have bothered to shake them. And remember, Devane’s got no shortage of allies in this town. It’s only a matter of time before one of them leads them to her.

Mac says, Cody’s not his son, and Dante says he’s sorry. Mac says, it is what it is, and Dante says he thinks Cody could have benefited from someone like Mac in his life. Felicia comes in with a to-go bag, and says she thought her two favorite detectives could use a little sustenance. Dante says he’ll go grab some coffees, and leaves. Felicia asks if they’re still looking for Anna, and Mac says, as much as he can with a US Marshal breathing down his neck. She says she overheard him outside. He’s keeping a close eye on anyone who’s friendly with Anna. Mac says, that’s near everybody. Except of course (🍷) the people he should be keeping an eye on. She tells him, be careful, and he says, that’s good advice. She asks what he and Dante were talking about, and he says, work. She says if she didn’t know him so well, she’d believe him. Did he tell Dante about Cody?

Spinelli says he couldn’t actually access Cody’s arrest record, and Sam asks how that’s possible. He’s The Jackal. He says, unfortunately, Cody’s records hadn’t been uploaded to the database yet, and she asks what he thinks is in it. He says he doesn’t know, but he’s now more determined than ever to find out.

Austin says he’s absolutely been in surgery. What does Maxie think he’s been doing? She says, avoiding her, and he says he’s sorry she feels that way. He misses her, and feels terrible that they haven’t been able to spend time together. She says, her too. She was thinking he’s keeping his distance because of her family, but he says, her family has been nothing but lovely to him. She says, not Georgie or Spinelli, and he says, technically, Spinelli isn’t really family, but she says, he’s Georgie’s father, and her oldest and dearest friend; so he’s family. He apologizes, and asks how he can put her mind at ease. Her family is important to him because she’s important. He kisses her, as Spinelli comes around the corner and sees them.

Britt tells Cody, the bottle’s expired. Want some free medical advice? Don’t mess around with expired drugs. He says he thought that was a scam to get you to buy more, and she says, he also thought putting eggs, bacon, and sausage in a booze ravaged stomach would solve problems instead of creating new ones. He asks if she’s okay, and she says she has a massive hangover, but he says he’s seen her hungover. This is something else. If she needs someone to talk to, he’s here. If not, that’s cool too. It’s less desirable, but it’s cool. She says she has a lot of work to do, and he says he’ll leave her to it. He walks to the door, and she says she’s free for dinner tonight. He says he can’t wait, and as he’s about to leave, Sam knocks. She asks if she should come back, but Britt tells her to come in. Cody asks, is this about the necklace? and Britt says she hopes so. He says, maybe he should stick around, considering it was his father’s and maybe it’s his.

Victor says he can’t tell Laura how much it saddens him, this stubborn refusal on her part to see him as anything other than her enemy. He hopes one day she can let go of this grudge. She says, and if she doesn’t, then what? He’ll frame her for murder like he did Anna? He says he did no such thing. He wants Lucy’s killer brought to justice as much as anyone else. Laura says, something they can agree upon after all, and leaves.

Robert tells Holly, that was wonderful. What was it for? She says she was sitting here having breakfast with him, after having been apart for such a long time, and it made her think of all the chances they missed. She wishes they’d made a proper go of it. He says, they had a few good years, and she says, they seemed long at the time. He says, thank you, and they laugh. She says, no, she meant full; they seemed full at the time. But then they were over, and it’s like they blinked, and here they are. She wonders if they blink again, where will they be… Never mind. They were talking about Lucy and Martin. He says, they’ll avenge Lucy; they’ll clear Anna. She says, hopefully, Anna can stay out of sight until then, and he says he wouldn’t worry. He has it on good authority that Anna is somewhere safe and sound. He heard from her last night after he and Holly parted company. His phone rings, and he asks if they’ve got the address to the safe house. Text it to him. He’s going to hook up with Anna tonight. He tells Holly, sorry about that, but she says, he’s the DA; he’s obligated to answer his phone. His phone dings, and she deliberately spills tea on herself. She asks him to get her some club soda, and as soon as he leaves, she checks his phone. She sees, 199 Hidden Hills Drive. When he comes back, she says, he’s a lifesaver, and he says he loves coming to her rescue. She says, good news. She made an appointment with Doc to help her with her memory issues. He says he’s glad to hear it, and she says, but he’s squeezing her in today, so she has to go now. They’ll talk later. He says, yeah, and she leaves. You know he’s setting her up, right?

In the elevator, Holly calls Victor, and tells him, they need to meet.  

Spinelli almost leaves, but Maxie calls to him, and he says, how fortuitous. Austin says he’s glad Spinelli is here. He needs to talk to him. Spinelli says he can’t imagine what for, and Austin says he wants to plan a fun weekend for the kids; maybe take them to the mountains. Maxie says, that’s sweet, isn’t it? and Spinelli says, of course (🍷). Austin says he’s a little afraid Georgie will say no, and Spinelli says, Georgie is her own person and makes up her own mind. There’s nothing he can do. Maxie says, he can encourage Georgie to join them, but Spinelli says he’s not going to curb their daughter’s independence. Austin’s phone beeps, and he says he has to deal with this. He leaves, and Spinelli tries to get away, but Maxie says, stay. Enough. She’s really getting sick of this.

Sam says she can’t discuss anything in front of Cody without Britt’s permission, and Britt says, permission granted. It does concern him. Cody asks if that’s going to be a problem for Sam, but Sam says, whatever her client wants. She takes out her laptop, and says she’s going to forward this to Britt. She uncovered some documents from Taub’s estate. He had an itemized list of his jewelry collection to be included in his will. It included a ruby and diamond necklace matching the description of the one in Peter’s safe deposit box. Britt asks what that means, and Sam says, more likely than not, the necklace belongs to Cody.

Mac tells Felicia, Dante was supportive, and he’s appreciative, but the bottom line is, he’s not Cody’s father. She says, and it’s killing him, but he says he made peace with it. She asks if there’s any chance he’s overcompensating for his disappointment by throwing himself into work, and he says, a police transport van crashed; two fugitives escaped, one of them, their friend Anna, who’s being framed for murder. Not to mention, there’s a killer on the loose who’s slashing people up with a hook. With all that going on, who the hell cares how he feels about a DNA test? She says she wants to know, and he asks what she wants him to say, he’s disappointed? That part of him wishes he ended up with a child of his own? She says, that would be a start.

Laura walks into the station, and Whitten introduces himself. She says, he’s the new Federal agent that her Deputy Mayor brought in to take over the hunt for Anna Devane, and he says he hopes he can count on her support, regardless. She says, regardless of…? and he says, her personal relationship with the fugitive. She says, all the resources of her office are at his disposal, and he says, what about her? She says she’ll do what she can, and he says, tell him everything she knows about Valentin Cassadine. She says she knows Valentin is the father of her granddaughter, but she doesn’t see how that’s going to help his efforts. He says he has it on good authority that Mr. Cassadine knows the whereabouts of the fugitive. She says she’d like to help him, but she and Valentin aren’t close, and he says, full disclosure. He’s aware of her daughter Lulu’s condition. She asks what that has to do with anything, and he says, if Mr. Cassadine aided and abetted Miss Devane in any way, that puts a target on his back as well. She wouldn’t want her granddaughter to be without both her parents, would she?

Anna says she can’t risk Whitten catching her, and Valentin says, her ride is going to be here in an hour. She asks if that wasn’t presumptuous of him, and he says he was hoping she’d choose pragmatism over heroism for once. She says, he thinks he knows her pretty well, and he says he does, and looks forward to getting to know her better when she comes home. She asks when he thinks that will be; a rough estimate. He says, get her to safety; clear her name. She says, she thought they weren’t doing that, and he says, then they bring her home to everyone who loves her. We’ll be waiting. She says, promise? and he kisses her.

Holly meets Victor at the docks, and he says, pull up a chair, which in this case means a crate. He asks, what news does she have from the esteemed DA? and she says she knows where the safe house is. He says, go on, and she says, 199 Hidden Hills Drive. He says, well done. He was expecting more reluctance. Why is she making this so easy? She says, if she’s being forced to betray her friends, she wants this to end as quickly and safely as possible. Victor’s phone dings, and he says, change of plans. Holly is going to have to alert the authorities as to Anna’s whereabouts. She asks if he’s afraid they’ll trace his number, but he says, no. He has another matter to take care of. Actually, it’s something that could turn out to be her next assignment. He’ll be in touch.

Maxie says, the more she tries to get Georgie to accept Austin, the worse it gets, and Spinelli says, perhaps their daughter’s just an excellent judge of character. She says, or perhaps she’s taking her cues from him, and he says, she asked him to respect her relationship and he’s done so, but he can’t lie to their child. And frankly, he can’t lie to her. He doesn’t like Austin. He has no reason to think Austin’s involved in anything nefarious. He’s not the second coming of Peter August, but he doesn’t ring true. She asks what that even means, and he says, in the 18th century, they found out if a coin was counterfeit by dropping it. If the sound rang true, they knew it wasn’t lead. She asks if he thinks Austin’s made of lead.  

Britt says, so Faison or Peter stole the necklace? but Sam says, not necessarily. Cody says, she told them… and Sam says, she told them that she found documentation that proves that the necklace was in Taub’s possession at the time of his death. It doesn’t not rule out Faison might have purchased it from the estate. Cody asks if there wouldn’t be a record of the sale; it’s worth $35 million. Sam says, there may be evidence of a third party legally selling the necklace, and she hasn’t found it yet; but it’s more likely that the necklace, and the rest of Taub’s collection, was left to any heirs he may have had. Cody says, that’s him, and Sam says, if there are no other heirs. Britt says, and here she thought she was getting a windfall, but it turns out it’s all Cody’s, but Sam says, not necessarily. If a sales record from Peter or Faison shows up, it could wind up being hers after all. Austin pops in, and asks Britt for a consult, and Britt leaves with him. Cody asks what else he might need to know, and Sam says she knows why Cody coerced Spinelli into matching him up with Britt. The necklace is what he was after all along, isn’t it?

Mac says, raising Felicia’s girls, and being a father figure to them… She says, he was a father, not just a figure, and he says, it was the honor of his life. But seeing her and Maxie bond, it’s become clear that’s an experience he missed out on. Then Cody shows up out of nowhere, and he thought he finally had a shot at it. She says, when he found out Cody wasn’t his son, it wasn’t just a disappointment; it was a loss. He’s allowed to grieve that loss. He says, they barely knew each other. They’d only started to make headway five minutes before the bomb dropped. Now they need to move on. She says, if only it was that simple, and hugs him.

Laura says, would she want her granddaughter to be orphaned? Is that what Whitten is asking her? He says he apologizes if his style is a bit… She says, inappropriate? Aggressive? Rude?  He tells her, what he should have said was, working with him is the best way to insure both Anna and Valentin’s safety. His phone rings, and he steps away to answer. He listens for a moment, and says, they have his attention.

Anna and Valentin get busy, even though now is probably not the time.

Austin tells Britt that there’s a top specialist from Toronto who’s agreed to meet with her today, but Britt says, she can’t just meet at the last minute. He tells her not to avoid this. The specialist can tell her definitively whether or not her symptoms are the onset of Huntington’s. Isn’t that a piece of information she needs?

Cody asks how he could have known about the necklace, and Sam says, stop. She’s run dozens of cons more complicated than this one. He says he’s not running a con, and she says, he could have found out about the necklace when he found out he might be Taub’s son. He says he gets that she doesn’t trust him because he blackmailed her friend, and she says, that’s a pretty good reason. He says he apologized for it, and promised he’d leave Spinelli alone. She says, good; she told him that he’d better. He says, they used to be friends, but she says, they’re not friends. He’s Dante’s friend, and she gave him the benefit of the doubt because of that, but he’s raising major red flags right now. He says, why? Because he’s interested in a one-of-a-kind necklace that might have belonged to his long lost father? What’s wrong with that? She says, when said necklace turns up in a safe deposit box that belongs to Britt, that seems pretty convenient. Then he used blackmail to be paired with her. That certainly seems like an agenda. He says, no one’s squeaky clean. He’s not, she’s not, not even Dante.

Spinelli tells Maxie that he thinks Austin is a mix of good and bad, like everyone. And while it’s unacceptable for Georgie to be rude to him, if she doesn’t want to spend time with him, he doesn’t see why she has to. He notices Austin has returned, and he says, welcome back. Maxie asks, how’s his patient? when her phone rings. Austin says, stubborn, but he’s ever hopeful. She says, now it’s her turn; James’s school. She steps away, and Austin asks if Spinelli got a chance to run the algorithm on him and Maxie like he agreed. Spinelli says, technically, he never agreed, but Austin says, he kept Spinelli’s secret, and all he’s asking is for one tiny little favor in return. Spinelli asks why Austin even needs the algorithm. Maxie already thinks they’re compatible. Austin says he needs it. For reasons Spinelli could never possibly understand.

Basking in the afterglow, Valentin tells Anna, they’re going to get through, and when they do, he’s never going to let anything get in their way again. She says, they can’t control the world. There’s always going to be something. He says, they’ll fight it. He’ll fight for her… always. She kisses him.

Dante brings back coffee, and Felicia says, that’s not the usual swill. Dante says he might have snuck some Corinthos in there, but don’t tell anybody. Felicia tells them to stay and enjoy their breakfast. Clearly, they have their work cut out for them. Whitten comes in with Laura, and says he’s glad both Mac and Dante are there. Mac asks if there’s something they can help with, and Whitten says, the mayor wanted him to bring them in on this. They have a lead on Anna Devane. He has a task force headed to her location now. Would they like to ride with him? Dante says, sure? and Mac says, that’s the job. They leave, and Felicia asks how worried they should be. Laura says, very.

Sam says, what about Dante? and Cody says, forget it, but she says, he brought it up. What shady thing did Dante do? Britt comes back, and asks if she missed something, but Cody says, they’re all good. Sam says, she was just leaving, unless Britt needed anything. Britt says, no. Great work as always. Sam says she’ll be in touch, and leaves. Cody asks if something happened with Austin, but Britt says, they were just discussing a patient. She does have some bad news. She’ll have to take a raincheck on their plans. He says, okay, and she asks, how crazy is all this business about the necklace? He asks if she’s sure she’s okay, and she says, don’t worry about her. He just inherited some major coin. How is he feeling about all this? He says, it’s a lot to process, when in the hallway, Victor approaches the door and listens. Britt asks if Cody ever thought when he parachuted into Port Charles he’d end up inheriting part of the infamous Ice Princess diamond?  

Sam says, Spinelli waited, and says he wanted to assure her that he’ll start post haste digging up Cody’s juvenile misdeeds. It’s about time someone get the comeuppance they deserve. She says she thinks they’re going to put a pin in digging up Cody’s arrest record, and he asks, why? She says she thinks it’s complicated, and they should try another angle, but he says he doesn’t understand. Why did she change her mind? She says she has her reasons. Just trust her, and leave it alone for now.

Laura tells Felicia, Valentin’s phone keeps going to voicemail. She’s going to text him. Felicia asks what she’s going to say, and Laura tells her, call me. It’s about Charlotte. That’s the quickest way to get a response. What about Felicia? Can she contact Anna? Felicia says, Anna can only contact her; not the other way around. Felicia’s phone dings, and she says, it’s Mac. He says, the van is pulling up to the house now. He says, Whitten won’t hesitate to take Anna down if she won’t come willingly. Laura says, the just have to believe that Mac and Dante will get Anna out of there safely. Because God only knows how Valentin will react if he feels he’s backed into a corner.

Anna brings down her suitcase, and tells Valentin, the good thing about being on the run is, you pack light. They hear a car.

Whitten says he has SWAT agents in position at the back of the house. He needs Mac and Dante in position also. Dante asks if Mac is ready to do this, and Mac says, let’s just hope we all make it out in one piece. They draw their guns.

Valentin goes to the door.

The agents surround the house.

Valentin opens the door.

The agents bust in. No one is there, and Whitten tells them, clear the house. Check every room, from the attic to the basement. If she’s not here, find out how she left. They’ll have to pick up her trail. Either he got a bad tip or they’re too late. Dante says, huh. Who does Mac think called? Mac says he doesn’t know, but he thinks Agent Whitten just learned a valuable lesson; not to underestimate Anna Devane.

Valentin tells Anna that the driver will have her new passport, and she says she can’t wait to see who she is now. She says, this is it, and he says, yeah, this is it. She says, it’s not forever. They’ll bring Victor down. He says, then she can come home. She leaves, and he’s about to close the door, but she pushes it back open, and kisses him.

Holly sits on pier, and hears gunshots in her head. Robert sits down next to her, and says, she’s got some explaining to do.

Tomorrow, Josslyn says Dex can’t leave yet; Scotty tells Cody to run for the hills; Robert asks how long Holly has been working for Victor; and Carly tells Drew, somebody knows about them.

🩺 Doctor’s Note…

Another covid recast.

🎉 She’s Coming Out…

It’s great to hear she got support along the way. Now if we can just get her a storyline with Yuri already.

🧰 He’s No MacGyver…

I love how he describes his first days on the set.

🛩 Banner Day…

This was sweet of the fans. I wonder what it cost?

🥀 Au Revoir…

The one day on GH was still good for the résumé.

💎 Keeps On Ticking…

Even Potomac isn’t safe.

🚗 Scary…

Seriously, it’s getting creepy AF out there.

https://people.com/tv/denise-richards-shaken-up-and-terrified-after-road-rage-shooting-incident/

🧂 A Dash Of Salt…

Not sure what to say about this. Austen gets around?

🍽 Customer Critique…

It sounds like most celebrities are good tippers, but come on, zero for the pregnant waitress?

🐱 For Your Pet Viewing Pleasure…

A couple of Scottish Folds living their best life.

https://celebritypets.net/sonya-and-kisa-the-fun-loving-scottish-fold-cats-who-create-videos/

I had no idea Lil Bub had a protégé.

https://celebritypets.net/meet-mister-marbles-lil-bubs-space-cat-protege/

📡 Quotes of the Week

Action is the foundational key to all success. – Picasso

Goals. There’s no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There’s no telling what you can do when you believe in them. There’s no telling what will happen when you act upon them. – Jim Rohn

On the other hand: Goals are the thing you talk about instead of the thing you do. – Cherry Darling (Rose MacGowan), Grindhouse: Planet Terror

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. – C.S. Lewis

The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving. – Oliver Wendell Holmes

You are here for a purpose. There is no duplicate of you in the whole wide world. There never has been, there never will be. You were brought here now to fill a certain need. Take time to think that over. – Lou Austin

A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life. – Muhammad Ali

Vision without action is daydream. Action without vision is nightmare. – Japanese Proverb

You’ve got to see the pool. It’s a more realistic blue than the ocean. – Karen Calhoun (Jennifer Coolidge), The Watcher

🕺🏽 Bye Bye Bye…

Join me for the finale of the Dead, the really truly final episode, until the spin-offs start. Until then, stay safe, stay learning from your mistakes, and stay not messing around with expired drugs.

November 17, 2022 – Lucy’s Shooter Is Revealed, Two More Housemates Contribute To the Awfulness & 18th

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny approaches Sasha and Gladys at the MetroCourt, and says he’s glad he ran into them both. Sasha asks, where’s Nina? but he says, she got called to Crimson; some work thing. Sasha thanks him for the flowers, and he says she was on his mind today, so he thought he’d come by and see her. She says she’s touched he remembered today would have been Liam’s first birthday, and he says, in this family, you never forget a birthday. Gladys says, feel free to forget her next one, but Sonny says, not a chance. Since Brando’s not here, he’d like to say something for him. Liam Mike Corbin is always going to be in our hearts.

At the bar, Britt sips her martini, and coughs. Brad slides into the seat next to her, saying, she should do something about that cough, and she asks, who’s the doctor here? Him or her? He says, down, girl. She invited him here, remember? She says she’s sorry. She didn’t have a very good day today, and yes, she should do something about her cough. He says he has some killer lozenges in the car, but she tells him, forget about the lozenges. She knows exactly what she needs. She’ll never get to heaven, so tonight, they’re going to raise a little hell.

Holly tells Robert, this is a lovely little bistro, and he says, it’s a tad more private than Kelly’s. At this point, he figures she’s a little weary of everyone coming up to her and saying how wonderful it is to have her back. She says, everyone’s been so kind, but yes, it’s nice to have you and me time. Not that she’d turn down a visit to Kelly’s. She still remembers those onion rings. He also hopes she remembers who her friends are; her true friends. She asks why he’s suddenly so serious, and he says he thinks friendships are serious business. So is betrayal.

On the phone, Laura says, potato/leek or mushroom bisque… Yes, this is your sister. What kind of soup would he like?… Well, she doesn’t want him sitting home alone mourning, so she’s coming over whether he likes it or not, and she’s bringing him sustenance… No buts. They’re hardy. They’re family. They support each other. That comes with the deal.

Dante tells an officer that he reinterviewed the guard who was with Anna and Heather, but he still doesn’t have… He sees Sam sitting at his desk, and tells the officer, if Marshal Whitten calls, tell him they still don’t have anything. The officer leaves, and Sam says, hot on the case? Dante says, always, and asks why she’s here. She says she hasn’t seen much of him lately, so she made an excuse to come visit, and he says she never has to make an excuse to visit him, but since she went to the trouble, lay it on him. She says she can’t; it’s a surprise.

Nikolas tells Elizabeth, do something, and she runs over to Esme. She says, Esme’s pulse is slightly elevated, but she’s breathing, and he wonders if it’s low blood sugar. She says, they need to call an ambulance, but he says, she knows they can’t do that. That’s why he asked her to come out and help. She says she’s a nurse, not a magician. There are signs the baby is in stress. If they don’t do something, Esme might miscarry.

Sonny asks how the guardianship is going, and Glady’s says, it’s a work in progress. She was happy to participate on Sasha’s behalf with the decision Deception’s partners made to forego bonuses, and make other sacrifices to keep that company afloat. Sonny says, any objection to taking such drastic action? and Gladys says she admits she had reservations at first, but then she remembered what he said after Brando’s funeral; that family is the most important thing. More important than money or power or anything. He says, right, and asks Sasha if she’s seen the changes Nina’s new chef Giselle made in the kitchen. Sasha says, no, but she’d love to, and leaves with him.

Britt suggests Brad order a drink, so he can catch up to her. Then they can go to The Savoy, and rock the casbah until they’re kicked out. He says, she knows he’s always up for a good time, but is this about the cowboy in her life? and she asks if he sees any cowboy on the premises. He says, that’s kind of the point. Things seemed to be progressing. Now he’s MIA, and she wants to go dancing? She asks if they can’t just pretend it’s old times, and forget about everything else for one night. Brad and Britt against the world. Selina comes by, and says she’s glad she caught them both.

Holly says, betrayal’s a strong word, and Robert says he probably overstated it a bit, but honestly, he thought they were in this together. Soulmates. She says she doesn’t know what he’s thinking, but… He says, it’s Anna. Ever since she escaped from that prison van, he expected her to get in touch with him. He has no clue as to what her plans are. He’s stunned. Holly says, knowing Anna, she’s probably staying under the radar to protect the people she loves, one of whom is him. Has he thought about calling Robin? He says, she’d never bring Robin into her plans. Holly is probably right. Anna has gone underground to get the goods on Victor. He’s just got to hope she can find her man… or woman.

Still talking to Martin, Laura says, of course (🍷) he misses Lucy. What happened was a terrible shock. She doesn’t want to get his hopes up about something she may not be able to deliver on, but she just wants him to know there are a lot of people risking their own lives to find Lucy.

Sam asks if the interrogation room is free, and Dante says, seems like it. She says, they might want to do this in private, and he says, this surprise requires privacy? She brings out a large paper bag, and says, it’s his call. He looks in the bag, and says, they definitely need privacy for this. He tells Hayes that he’ll be in the interrogation room and doesn’t want to be disturbed. They go inside, he tells her, some things are just too good to share with the entire squad room, and kisses her.

Nikolas says, miscarry? Elizabeth can’t let that happen. She has to do something. Elizabeth says, if this baby is going to have a chance, they need to deliver it now, and he says, here? It’s too soon. The baby is too premature to deliver it now. She asks what choice they have, and tells him to get to the kitchen and bring her a knife. They’ll sterilize everything, but they need to work quickly. He says, for what? and she says, a C-section. He says, a cesarian? Here in the house? He’s no fan of Esme’s, but it seems like too big of a risk. She’s a nurse, not a doctor. She says, does he know how many C-sections she’s assisted? Besides, doesn’t he want to save his baby? He says, of course (🍷), that’s the priority, but without anesthesia? That seems inhumane. She tells him that he needs to get ahold of himself. She’s going to need his help. She’s going to do everything she can to save this baby. He says, and Esme? and she asks if he trusts her. He says he does, and she tells him, then do exactly as she says. There’s a 50/50 chance mother and baby will make it. She bends down to Esme, who pops up, and tells Elizabeth to get her grubby paws off her and her baby.

Selina says, it’s nice to see her nephew out enjoying himself. He works so hard, poor thing. She puts her arm around Brad, and says she’s glad he has a friend he can depend on. Britt says, they depend on each other. If anyone ever tries to hurt Brad, he knows she has his back. Brad says, what Britt means is… and Selina says she knows exactly what Britt means. She appreciates Britt’s honesty, and her courage. She tells the bartender to give her nephew and his friend whatever they want, and put it on her tab. She tells Brad and Britt, have a good evening, and goes to a table. Brad asks what’s gotten into Britt. Nobody talks to his aunt that way. Not if they expect to live very long.

Gladys goes over to Selina’s table, and introduces herself, saying, they met at the party Deception had to celebrate going public. It’s so nice to see a fellow investor.

Holly asks, what makes Robert think a woman is involved in Victor’s scheme? and he says he’s referring to Deputy Mayor Eileen Ashby. She’s clearly working for Victor. Did she think he was referring to another woman? Laura approaches their table, and Robert asks her to join them. She says she won’t be long. She’s waiting for her to-go order; she’s bringing her brother some soup. Holly says, her brother? and Laura says, Martin Grey. It’s kind of a long story, but the upshot is, she had two brothers she didn’t know about. One of them is pretty awful, but the other one is quite wonderful. Sadly, he’s grieving. He was deeply in love with Lucy Coe. Holly says she thinks she met him at Anna’s arraignment, and Laura says, he mentioned that. Martin is absolutely convinced that Anna show Lucy in cold blood.

Dante takes something wrapped in white paper out of the bag, and sniffs it. He says, Sam got him a hoagie from Sal’s? (As I suspected, a food surprise.) He calls her an angel, and she says, is she awesome? Yes. Angelic, not always. He says, that’s true, but her bringing him food in the middle of work; he calls that divine intervention. She tells him, go ahead; she had hers with the kids. She was about to make dinner, and the kids wanted to go to Olivia’s house, but they couldn’t show up on her doorstep like that. Dante says, they totally could have, but she says, his mom cooks for them all the time. So she decided to get take-out, and when she asked what they wanted, Rocco suggested Sal’s. Dante says, of course (🍷) he did, and she says, she ordered a sandwich for him to have when he got home, but then she thought she’d surprise him, and deliver it. He tells her, like he said, an angel, and takes a bite.

Nikolas calls Esme a pathological liar, and says, she was faking the whole thing. Esme says, at least she wasn’t faking a medical degree. He was going to let this nurse play doctor, and cut her open. Elizabeth says she knew there was nothing wrong with Esme that a little scare woudn’t cure, and Esme says, to think the way people talk about Elizabeth is how she’s so goody two-shoes, Florence Nightingale. Elizabeth says, now that the medical crisis is over, even though there was never one in the first place, she needs to get back. She was in the middle of something she’d like to finish. She heads for the door, and Esme says, hello? She’s the one with the baby. The one who’s being kept against her will? Elizabeth says she might have sympathy for Esme, but then she remembers Esme filmed a sex tape of her son and his girlfriend, and made it public. Personally, she’d like to see Esme give birth in Pentenville, but she’ll let Esme’s baby daddy make that call. Nikolas tells Esme, she’s not going anywhere; get used to it. Esme says, what happens next time when she’s not faking it? Elizabeth and Nikolas walk out, and Nikolas locks the door. Esme yells, how about it, Nurse Baldwin? If something happens to her and her baby, would Elizabeth be able to live with herself? Elizabeth is supposed to help her.

Sasha says, it’s amazing, but Sonny wasn’t just giving her a tour, was he? He says, after what happened with Liam and Brando, Gladys showed more depth and compassion than he thought she could, but at the end of the day, she’s still Gladys. That’s why he wanted to talk to Sasha one-on-one; he didn’t want Gladys putting spin on things. Be honest with him. After that meeting at Deception, Gladys tried to block the deal, didn’t she?

Selina tells Gladys, of course (🍷) she remembers. She was sorry to hear about Gladys’s son; such a tragic loss. Gladys thanks Selina for her kind words. She misses Brando every day. In his absence, she’s looking after his widow. She sits down, and says, actually, she and Sasha are looking after each other. That’s why she took the liberty of calling herself an investor. The court has made it crystal clear. What’s Sasha’s is also hers, and vice versa. Funny. That’s not how I interpreted it. Selina says, and Gladys’s daughter-in-law is one of the owners of Deception. Perhaps they have even more in common.

Britt says, Aunt Selina doesn’t frighten her, and Brad says, really? She scares the holy bejesus out of him. What’s Britt’s secret? Britt asks what makes him think she has a secret, and he says, he may not be the bravest man in the world, but he’s not stupid. His Aunt Selina openly despised Britt, and now they’re practically sending each other Christmas cards. What happened? Britt says, Selina blackmailed her.

Robert tells Laura that he sympathizes with Martin’s grief, but anyone who knows Anna, knows she couldn’t have pulled that trigger. Right, Holly? Holly says she assumes so, based on the woman she used to know, but she hasn’t lived here in decades. Laura says, unfortunately, there’s a video of a woman who appears to be Anna shooting Lucy, and her brother believes the video doesn’t lie. Holly says, a video doesn’t lie, but people certainly do. They manufacture a truth, and gaslight you into believing it, and by the time you realize you’re being used, it’s too late. Robert and Laura exchange looks.

Sam says, at the risk of putting Dante on the spot, will he be coming home tonight? He says he will, but it won’t be until later. Anna is still on the loose, and this US Marshal who’s been assigned to the case is a real jerk. She asks, why bring in a US Marshal? and he says, the Deputy Mayor supposedly believes they’re too overwhelmed here with their search for The Hook. When the truth is she knows if half the department came across Anna, they’d look the other way, and the other half would probably drive her across the border. Sam says she thinks that’s good, because Anna didn’t shoot Lucy; she was obviously framed. He says he knows that, but whoever did it, did a damn good job; the evidence is pretty convincing. She says, of course (🍷) it is. Has anyone told this US Marshal that Victor ran the WSB for many years, and that instead of treating Anna like a criminal, they should be investigating her great uncle? Dante says he’d love to be doing that, but he’s been assigned to search for Anna. So he has to do everything by the book, and document every step, and hope Anna and his father have covered their tracks. She says, wait. Sonny is involved?

Esme tells Ace, she doesn’t know what hurts worse; her aching back or her wounded pride. Don’t tell anyone, but Ace’s mom just got played by Cameron’s mother. She thought Elizabeth was some mealy-mouthed goody-goody. Elizabeth Baldwin outsmarted her. If Ace’s grandfather found out, he’d never forgive her. Clearly, she’s having an off day. She sits up, and says, there it is again. Is it just indigestion? Okay, that was even stronger this time. It’s not indigestion. It’s you, Ace. I’m feeling you.

Nikolas says, the way Elizabeth played Esme, she had him fooled too. She says, in all fairness, being the expectant father worried about his baby probably impaired his judgement. He says, she was beyond convincing, and she says, the point is, she convinced Esme that she was going to perform a C-section. He says, without anesthesia, and she says, then she stopped pretending. After when Esme did to Cameron, she’s okay with genuinely scaring Esme. He asks if she’s sure there’s nothing wrong with the baby, and she says, don’t get her wrong. Esme should be seeing an OB/GYN on a regular basis, but Esme’s reaction was all Elizabeth needed to know she was faking. So now that Nikolas knows the baby’s not in jeopardy, what are he and Esme going to do? He says he wants to make it clear, there is no him and Esme, but she says he couldn’t be more wrong. They’re literally attached at the hip. They now share a child together. He says, Elizabeth and Lucky share a child. How often do they co-parent together? She says, that’s on Lucky. She doesn’t keep him out of her boys’ lives. He says, the point is, she’s proof that being a single parent works. He did it with Spencer; he’ll do it again. She asks, what’s his end game? and he says, that’s where she comes in. She proved it tonight. From now on, whatever happens to Esme and the baby depends on her.

Sasha tells Sonny, yes, at first, Gladys blocked the deal and it upset her. It was the first time since Gladys became her guardian that they disagreed. Then she realized Gladys was just trying to protect her share in the company. She’s been so focused on staying sober, and not letting Brando down. Besides, it worked out and the deal went through. He says, so she’s fine letting Gladys take action, and she says, she’s better than some stranger assigned from the court. True, she didn’t expect Gladys to be so hands-on, but at the end of the day, Gladys is looking out for her.

Gladys says, Selina’s got her attention. What else does she think they have in common? Selina says she hosts a private party from time to time at The Savoy, but Gladys says she’s not much for dinner and dancing. Selina says, what about Texas Hold ‘Em? and Gladys says, poker? Selina says, it’s just a friendly game of course (🍷), but money does exchange hands, sometimes quite a bit, but if she’s not interested… Gladys says she’s not disinterested. Tell her more. I find it hard to believe Selina would be trying to get Sonny’s cousin involved in this.

Brad says, blackmail. He doesn’t know why he’s surprised. Aunt Selina always gets what Aunt Selina wants, but what does she want from Britt? Britt says, remember when he had his heart set on going back to work at GH, and she encouraged him to work for his aunt? Does he really think she would have done that, if Selina wasn’t holding something over her head? He says, like what? and she says, there’s no need rehashing her less than stellar history. But in the end, she caved. She’s sorry. If he hates her for it, she totally understands. He says he doesn’t hate her. He already told her that he likes working for his Aunt Selina. She says, she thought he was just telling her that so she’d feel better, but he says, it’s true. Britt may not have wanted to make that recommendation, but she did him a favor. Now it’s his turn. He knows she’s dealing with something big, and don’t say she’s not. How can he repay his debt and help her out.

Laura asks if Holly is all right, and Robert says, her reaction just now was a little big. Is she having memory flashbacks as to what happened to her over the past two years? Holly says, no, that time is still a blank. Who knows happened? Who knows who’s missing her? But her heart goes out to Laura’s brother. She knows what it’s like to lose someone, and the many ways there are to lose them. With violence, negligence, and sometimes selfishness. But she knows without a shadow of a doubt, Anna’s not responsible for Lucy’s disappearance. She’d stake her life on it. Laura says she believes that too, but Lucy went missing before Holly washed up on the shores of Lake Ontario. How can she be so sure? Does Holly know something they don’t?

Dante tells Sam, the same day Anna was supposed to be transferred to Pentenville, he heard Sonny talking on the phone with someone about Anna. When he asked Sonny about it, he said he was arranging for Anna to be protected in prison. Sam says, yet by some astonishing coincidence… He says, she vanished without a trace. Sam woudn’t happen to know of any safe houses she could direct him to in the area, would she? She tells him, don’t waste his time. If she were Anna, she’d put as much distance between herself and Port Charles. She knows Victor’s pulling all the strings. She’s not going to turn up any evidence here. He says, so if she was Anna, what would she do? and she says she would hole up someplace secure, and investigate Victor; how he set the frame up, what people he worked with. Maybe one of them will talk. He says he hopes Anna’s half as good at this stuff as she is, and she says, Anna is a super spy. She can take care of herself. Dante says, Sam can too, and Sam says she can definitely take care of herself. She just likes knowing that now they can take care of each other. He says, him too, and they kiss.

Elizabeth tells Nikolas, tonight was a one-off. A favor for an old friend who’s seen his share of troubles. But she has troubles of her own that she has to prioritize. She’s going to the launch, and getting back to town. He says, and then what? and she says she was in the middle of a very important conversation with Finn when she got his SOS. She’d like to go back and finish that. He says, she’s not going to go to the PCPD and tell them he has Esme? She does realize it’s already too late for that; she’s part of this now. She asks if he’s threatening her, but he says, of course (🍷) not, but Esme will. Since Elizabeth didn’t rescue her, she’ll most likely want to make Elizabeth pay. She’ll lie through her teeth, and say Elizabeth was in on it with him. She’ll make Elizabeth an accessory to kidnapping, among other things. Elizabeth says she has children of her own. Even if she was wiling to risk this for him or that baby, who’s completely innocent of its parents’ drama, she will not risk losing her boys. He says he thinks she misunderstands. All he’s asking is for her to go home and keep silent. Say nothing about what she’s seen her, or what she knows. She says, in other words, she won’t just be an accessory to kidnapping; eventually, she’ll be an accessory to murder.

Selina gives Gladys a card with the password Vesper on the back, and Gladys says, so this is all she needs to join Selina’s poker game. Selina says, that and a little luck. And with Sonny being her cousin, she already has plenty of that. Keep the card to herself. The game isn’t for the average public. Not everyone can afford the buy-in. Sonny comes back with Sasha, and says he didn’t know Gladys and Selina knew each other. Selina says, not friends. More like potential business associates. Sonny says, what kind of business are they talking about? and Gladys keeps the card out of sight.

Holly says she doesn’t remember the last two years, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t remember the kind of person Anna is. Laura says, unfortunately, somebody’s done a pretty masterful job at framing her. She guesses that means her brother is aiming all of his grief and rage at the wrong target. Holly says she needs some air, and leaves. Laura says, Holly seems pretty positive Anna is innocent, and he says, she and Anna go way back, but Laura says she thinks it’s more than that. She seemed almost remorseful. He asks if Laura thinks Holly is working for Victor.

Nikolas says, Elizabeth is taking him completely wrong. He has no intention of killing Esme. She says she knows what happened to Hayden when she became a problem for him. Does he expect her to believe he won’t take a similar path with Esme? He says he’s not going to comment on Hayden. The fact that she dropped her baby with Finn and never looked back says it all. She says, he still didn’t answer her question. Once the baby is born, how does this all end? He says, before Elizabeth came here tonight, he’d arranged for a helicopter to airlift him and Esme to a private airstrip. The plan was to fly her far away from here. She says, he’s taking Esme to Cassadine Island in Greece, and he says, Esme would be miles away from the mainland, with round the clock supervision until the baby is born. She says, and then what? and he says, with his child safely in his arms, Esme could live out her life in comfort on the island. He raised Spencer without a mother; he can do it again. She says, no offense, but is he really saying Spencer couldn’t have benefited from having two parents in his life? He says, if she’s ready, he’ll call the launch, and she says she’s not trying to judge him, but he has to be honest. If not with her, at least with himself. Does he really think if he follows through with this plan that he’s better than Esme? He says, there’s no alternative, but she says, of course (🍷) there is.

Esme wonders if Ace is going to be a soccer player. Is she going to be a soccer mom? She laughs hysterically until she cries, and says, damn it, Ace. See what you did?

Nikolas asks Elizabeth, what possible alternative does he have? It’s not like he can go back in a time machine and not have sex with Esme. She’s pregnant, and he’s the father, and he has to accept that. Elizabeth promises she’s not going to say anything to the PCPD about Esme, and he thanks her and says he owes her. She says, then promise he’ll forget about flying Esme to Cassadine Island. Esme will give birth at Windymere, and obviously, he’s going to need a nurse.

Britt tells Brad, there’s nothing wrong with her that a pitcher of sangria and some EDM won’t cure. Let’s blow this joint, and go to The Savoy. She runs out, dragging him behind her.

Selina says, as a Deception investor, she was glad to hear Sasha is on the mend, and Sasha thanks her, and says, she’s getting stronger every day, with help from her friends. Selina says, yes. With friends like Sonny, she can’t go wrong. She hopes Sasha and Gladys will start to consider her a friend as well. She leaves, and Gladys asks if Sonny and Sasha had a nice chat. Sasha hugs Gladys, and Gladys asks what that was for. Sasha says, for always having her best interest at heart, and Gladys says, of course (🍷). Always. She continues to keep the card in her hand, holding it in the folds of her skirt.

Dante tells Sam, maybe he’s off base. Maybe it’s possible Sonny did want to protect Anna. She says, it’s also possible they’ll hit the lottery and they can renovate the kitchen, and he asks if that’s what she’d do with lottery winnings. She doesn’t cook. She says, maybe she would if the kitchen was better, and he says, she would? She says, probably not (ha-ha! I totally get this), and he says, then they probably shouldn’t spend a lot of money on the kitchen. She asks where he thinks they should spend it, and he says, it would be cool to take the kids to Iceland. Has she ever been? She says, no, but it’s supposed to be beautiful, and he says, he’s heard. When the kids are older, the last thing they’ll want to do it go away anywhere with them, let along a family trip. She says, maybe it’s possible to spend the lottery money they didn’t win, and save up for it. He wonders if it’s possible for next summer, and she says she thinks they can divert the money they were going to use for construction, and do the renovations themselves. He says, do it themselves? and she tells him not to be so intimidated. He says he’s not. He has no ego over that. She says she’ll show him the ropes; she promises. He says he loves her, she says she loves him too, and they kiss.

Robert says, it’s a big jump from Holly being emotional about Anna to thinking she’s working for Victor, and Laura tells him that he said himself, he caught her whispering with Eileen Ashby. And there’s no doubt in her mind that her Deputy Mayor is on Victor’s payroll. She thinks she watched Holly struggle with her conscience just now. She knows Robert loves her, but deep down inside his heart she thinks he knows she’s hiding something.

Outside, Holly flashes back to Lucy getting shot. The gunwoman goes over to a trashcan and retrieves a bag from behind it. She unzips the bag, and takes off her wig. It’s Holly.

Tomorrow, Cody asks what Britt got into last night; Maxie asks if Austin is really doing all these surgeries, or is it a cover; Valentin tells Anna that it’s not safe for her to be here anymore; and Laura says she’s going to take someone apart.

❄️On the most awful show I watch and wonder why, Winter House, Paige bitched to the guys in the kitchen about Jess thinking she’s a bitch. Ciara suggested that Jess isolated herself, and Jess said she struggled with having girlfriends, getting in her own head, thinking they didn’t like her, so she didn’t have to make friends. Kyle demanded more liquor, and said Carl and Lindsay were joining them. In Kyle’s interview, he said, Carl and Lindsay are clearly in love, and he wasn’t surprised, but it was weird at first. He cried when he found out, but he was also drunk. In Austen’s interview, he said he was losing his sh*t. He and Lindsay’s relationship was fractured. There was a situation at Kyle and Amada’s wedding, and it’s made him more nervous and anxious than he’s ever been. He told the girls that it was creating unnecessary stress. He’d left the wedding, and Lindsay insisted on coming with him to his hotel room. He suggested they watch a movie, and he fell asleep. He woke up with her hand on his d*ck, and he asked WTF she was doing. In Amanda’s interview, she said she was shocked. At the wedding, Lindsay and Carl were telling people that they were going to give their relationship another chance. We flashed back to that, and Amanda said she was more shocked to find out that same night, Lindsay tried to touch Austen’s penis. Austen said he had to move her hand off, and in his interview, he said, she did the same thing last year in Vermont. He tells the girls that Lindsay asked him, please don’t tell anyone about what happened at the wedding, and he never did. In Ciara’s interview, she said, Austen was throwing out a loose grenade, and someone was going to burn the house down by the end of the trip. And Austen wanted to bring his girlfriend into this?

The next morning, Paige wailed that she was following in Craig’s footsteps and offending everyone. Craig suggesting she was now an extension of him was less than comforting. Paige planned a figure skating activity for the group, hiring a professional figure skater. She would teach them a routine, and then they were going to compete. Craig said he took figure skating in college and didn’t remember much, but remembered his swizzles. Paige said she remembered his swizzle too, and I was glad the conversation ended there. This group is a leader in TMI. Jason called his brother Jerrett, and said he was cool with Lindsay, but they had unresolved conversations. In Jason’s interview, he said, it didn’t work. Toward the end, Lindsay became pregnant and had a miscarriage, and it distanced them. Jerrett said Jason had the opportunity for closure, and Jason needed that before his next chapter. Jason acted like Jerrett was Confucius himself dispensing advice. Craig thought he and Paige should stay in bed until noon because this whole waking up stuff was silly, and Paige said she hated waking up. She might consider the alternative. Paige apologized to Jess, and said she wasn’t usually reactive since she dated the most reactive person in America. Jess should just come to her if there’s a problem. Jess said it was her insecurity talking, and in Paige’s interview, she said no matter who was right or wrong, she did the yelling, so she’s going to apologize. Why is she with Craig again? Lindsay and Carl arrived, and Lindsay told him they were going to make new memories there. Austen said he wasn’t going to be the first one with the welcome wagon.

In Lindsay’s interview, she said, this time last year, she was a completely different person times two. We flashed back to her being a drunken hot mess, and she said, since the wedding, for six months, she and Carl had been inseparable. She had a more solid head on her shoulders. Amanda wondered if it was going to feel awkward, and Rachel said, it already was, a bunch. There were hugs and hellos, and in Luke’s interview, he said Lindsay and Carl were two of his best friends, and they were inspiring. What they had was what most people wanted, and he was glad they were happy. The group got ready for skating, using some bizarre outfits Paige had brought along, Paige choosing a tutu for herself that she wore upside down. In Ciara’s interview, she said she considered Carl a friend and loved him, but she felt bad. Austen dropped a bomb, and she didn’t think Carl knew. It was about to get mad f***ing awkward.

At the skating rink, they paired up; Kyle and Amanda (Blue Balls), Lindsay and Carl (Fur Sure), Paige and Craig (Sugar Plum Fairy), Rachel and Jason (Black Swan), Jess and Kory (Lightning Bolt), and Ciara with Luke and Austen (Two Thorns and a Rose; Ciara saying, they were thorns in her ass). In Austen’s interview, he said he didn’t know what he was thinking, suggesting Olivia join them. We saw a clip of him subsequently discouraging the idea, and Olivia being fine with that. Luke and Craig flew all around the ring, and Paige couldn’t believe she thought this was a good idea. In Luke’s interview, he said when he was two years old, his mother took him to the local hockey rink, and he was still on the ice. If they didn’t win, this sh*t was rigged. In Amanda’s interview, she said she loved Lindsay and Carl, but she and Kyle had gotten married on September 25th, and they were telling everyone they were giving love another shot. Timing was everything, and she wished some timelines were different. In Lindsay’s interview, she got all teary about falling in love with her best friend, and she told Amanda that she was ready for a commitment. Amanda asked if it was weird being in the house, and Lindsay said it was awkward with Jason. Jess told the girls that she and Kory were up until 4 am every night talking, and in her interview, she said when she was intimate with someone, she opened up emotionally. She’d normally have waited, but everything happened quick in the house. Hmm… Maybe it’s the house…

Skating instructor Stephanie explained that she was going to make up a routine for them, and Paige said, two teams would compete, and the final winner got whatever they wanted; the others in the house would have to do their bidding. It reminded me of Drama Club hazing in high school. I was never the best ice skater, so I can’t judge, but most of it was shaky and awkward, Kory accidently kicking Rachel in the face; luckily, not cutting her. Third place – the bronze medal – went to Amanda and Kyle; second place – the silver medal – went to Jess and Kory; and first place – the gold medal – went to Paige and Craig, who was glad he took those lessons. Rachel told Jason that she felt a talk about Lindsay coming on, and he said he knew he had to have a conversation with Lindsay at some point to clear up how certain things went down. In Jason’s interview, he said he hadn’t comprehended what the miscarriage did to him. He was sad. It was the loss of both the baby and the relationship. He didn’t see how it went to zero so quickly. He asked how Rachel was doing, and she said she was observing. It was weird walking into a house where everyone else had established relationships. Jason said, if she had any questions, comments, or concerns, he was here, and she said she had so many concerns…

Back at the house, Carl said he and Lindsay were throwing a Foxtails and Mocktails dinner party. In Lindsay’s interview, she said, Carl had been struggling with sobriety, so she stopped drinking, but eventually continued for herself. She enjoyed how she felt and looked. They passed out foxtail hats for the guys, and gave the girls foxtails and ears. Paige said the boys were to clean and the girls were to get ready, and Craig said, don’t tell him what to do, and he’ll do it. In Carl’s interview, he said, the house was a cesspool of trash. In his maturity, he liked more of a tight ship, and this ship was sinking. In Austen’s interview, he admitted he’d said some not so flattering things about Lindsay, and we flashed back to Watch What Happens Live. He said, it was going to be a clusterf***. At dinner, Luke said Carl and Lindsay had never looked better. They were an inspiration. Since the rooms were already taken, Kyle wanted to figure out a way for Carl and Lindsay to stay and not have to go to a hotel. Luke offered to share a room, and in Ciara’s interview, she said she and Lindsay weren’t even on speaking terms. Why should she give up her room? Oddly enough, Austen offered to bunk with Luke, and in his interview, he said it was a preemptive olive branch. He needed to apologize to Lindsay, but didn’t want to get in between her and Carl’s relationship. Jess asked Carl and Lindsay about their history, so they went down Memory Lane for her. In her interview, Ciara wondered, if Carl and Lindsay weren’t a thing at the time of the wedding, why did Lindsay want to keep it a secret?

While the immaturity level was relatively low tonight, we’ll see how long that lasts. And yeah, there weren’t any explosions, but enough groundwork has been laid that I hear, tick… tick… tick…

Next time, ice fishing; Jason talks to Lindsay about making their story public; Carl is thinking of the future; and Austen wants to talk to Lindsay.

🍸 Remembering My Swizzle…

Take a breather tomorrow, and come by for soap, a cupful of tea, words to think about, and an appropriately fitting tune. Until then, stay safe, stay not letting your past determine your future, and stay apologizing if you were the one doing the yelling.

⚠️ Warning: Words that might not be for certain ears.

November 16, 2022 – Leo Finds Dex’s Phone, Damn Shame, Dramatic Reading, Mirror Image, Sanity Speaks, Awards Coming Up & Mister

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly knocks on Brick’s hotel room door, and when he opens it, he says, Carly Corinthos. He tells her that she looks more gorgeous every time he sees her, and she says, it’s Carly Spencer now. And he’s looking so dapper as usual. She thanks him for coming through for her, and he says, she knows he’ll always be there for her. Come on in. She goes inside, and Nina comes out from around the corner in the hallway, wearing her nosy face. She wonders what Drew would think of this.

Drew tells Willow, if he’s overstepping, tell him, but if she really wants to know the full story of her biological parents, he thinks he can help. She thanks him, and says, he’s not overstepping; he’s being incredibly generous. Michael says, nothing’s more important than family, and Drew agrees. Both the family Willow has here, and the unknown one somewhere out there.

Elizabeth asks what Jeff is doing in Finn’s office, and he says he had to see her. She says, of course (🍷) he did, because why do things on her terms? Finn says he heard she was admitted to GH last night, and Jeff asks if she’s okay. She says she’s not the one with the busted lip, and tells Finn that she’s okay. She’ll talk to him about it later, but is he okay? He says, yeah; it’s been interesting. Elizabeth tells Jeff, he should leave now before he makes everything worse.

Nikolas tosses Esme a bag, and tells her to pack up. He tells Demetrius to load up the jet, and notify the airstrip. Demetrius says, right away, and Nikolas says, make sure the house is stocked and ready for guests. Demetrius leaves, and Esme asks where they’re going. Nikolas says, someplace no one will ever find her.

Dex wakes up, breathing heavily, and Josslyn tells him, take it easy. She feels his arm, and says, God, he’s hot. He says, so is she, and she says, with fever. She puts a wet cloth on his forehead, and he says, that feels nice. She tells him, just try to rest. Her mom should be here soon with the antibiotics.

Nina comes back to the table, and Sonny asks if everything is okay with the guests. The hostess said she was having a problem with some customer service issue. Nina says she managed to put out that fire, and inadvertently walked into another one, and he asks, what happened? She says, nothing, and he says, just tell him. She says, he told her Brick used to flirt with Carly? and he says, all in good fun. Why? She says she has a habit of getting things wrong, but he says, she needs to tell him what’s going on here, and she says, okay. She saw Carly go into Brick’s room. He asks if they saw her, but she says, no; she was out in the hallway. He asks if she heard anything, and she tells him, she heard Brick say he’d always be there for Carly; that she gets more gorgeous every time he sees her. She’s sure there’s a simple explanation.

Michael tells Leo that his mom called. Time for dinner. Leo asks if Michael knows how to unlock a phone, showing him the phone he found. Michael asks if it’s his, but Leo says he found it when he was looking for leaves. Michael looks at it, and says, it’s dead. They have to hook it up to a charger. Leo says, then can he have it? but Michael says, no. It doesn’t belong to Leo. They have to return it, as soon as they figure out to who.

Willow tells Drew, so the issue of her parents first became a thing when Michael wanted to take her to Paris. She needed her birth certificate to get a passport, only Harmony didn’t have one, so she got one forged. Drew says, right, and Harmony told Carly before she died that she wasn’t Willow’s biological mother. Willow says, if only she’d told Carly who her biological mother was, but he says, the way he sees it, there’s a real birth certificate out there. He’ll get an investigative reporter on the trail. She asks, how? Harmony lied about so many things. Is her birth name really Callie? Is her birthday real or fake? He says, they locate some of the people who used to live in the Denver commune with Harmony and her husband, but she says, if the only way to find her biological parents is by talking to Harmony’s commune friends, she can save him the time and trouble, because that’s going to be a dead end.

Josslyn tells Dex to open his mouth, and puts a thermometer in it. She says, now he can’t talk. It’s her turn. The night they met, when Sonny ordered him to attack that paparazzi, she recorded the whole thing and threatened to take it to the cops. Sonny took off, and just left him there. Then Sonny decides, with zero evidence, that Dex is the one going around attacking people with a hook. He ties Dex up, leaves him in a freezer, and has some freak threaten to torture Dex with knives. Then he orders Dex to do something – God knows what – and Dex gets shot in the process. Dex can’t even call him for help. There’s no way Sonny is paying him enough to go through all of that. She’d accuse him of being blindly, stupidly loyal, but she knows he’s not stupid. So tell her – she takes the thermometer out – what is it? Why has he been risking so much for Sonny? He flashes back to Michael saying, Josslyn can’t know Dex works for him, and says, all he can tell her is, he has his reasons. She looks at the thermometer, and says, his temperature is 104. If her mom isn’t back soon with the antibiotics, she’ll have to take him to the hospital.

Jeff says he’s sorry Elizabeth feels that way, calling her Lizzy, and she says, her name is Elizabeth. And she’s only stating true facts. He wreaks havoc on everybody’s lives. He cheated on her mom more than once; Hayden is living proof. He’s the reason Reiko betrayed Finn; he’s the reason Elizabeth argued with Reiko at the top of those stairs. If Jeff hadn’t met Reiko, she’d probably still be alive. And she and Finn might still be married, and Elizabeth wouldn’t have spent years repressing the memory of her. Jeff says, she’s right. He can’t dispute anything she just said. Finn’s phone dings, and he says he’s wanted in the lab… unless Elizabeth wants him to stay. She says, it’s okay. Her dad won’t be here long. Jeff says, before Finn goes, he’s sorry for what happened to Reiko. Finn says nothing, and leaves, closing the door behind him. Elizabeth asks if Jeff came here to absolve his guilt, but he says he had no idea he’d run into Finn, and he knows what he did was unforgivable. She says, why show up at all? and he says, he took a chance. There was so much left unsaid. She says, really? Like what?

Esme says she’s not going anywhere with Nikolas, and he says, yet she was so eager to leave last night. She asks how she knows he won’t throw her into the ocean from the plane, and he says, that would be the simplest solution; ridding the world of her forever. But she’s carrying his child. He always wanted more children. He’d hoped to have them with a woman he truly cared about, and instead, it’s with her, but the end result is to keep her safe… at least for now. She says, he can’t leave Port Charles. Doesn’t he still love Ava? Or Spence. He should be getting out of Pentenville soon. Doesn’t Nikolas want to be around here for that? His mom… He says, they’re wasting time, and she asks, where’s her suitcase? The one she was packing before his whacked out wife threw her off the parapet. He says, Ava didn’t throw her; she fell from her own momentum. Esme suggests they tell that story to the police and see what they think, but he says he’s sure they’ll be more interested in charging her for the hook attacks. She says, not this again, and he says, as for her luggage, when she went missing, there was no reason to keep it, so it went up in smoke, so to speak. She says, like his plan to keep her here? and he says he’s establishing new house rules. Rule number one; no more lies. She asks, what’s rule number two? and he says, never make him repeat himself. She has five minutes to pack her meager belongings for their journey. He walks to the door, and she doubles over. She says, Nikolas, wait. It’s the baby. Something’s happening. He asks, what hurts? and she says, it’s a sharp pain. He says, she’ll have to do better than that, but she says she’s serious. Demetrius knocks, and says, the helicopter will be here in 30 minutes. Esme yells for Demetrius to help her, but Nikolas opens the door, and says, there’s nothing to worry about. Their guest is just violating rule number one about lying. Esme says, someone help her to the bed please, and Nikolas says, it’s just an act. Esme screams in pain, and Demetrius hustles over, asking if Nikolas is sure. Nikolas says, absolutely. Esme is conveniently getting cramps right before they’re going to travel to a location where it will be impossible for her to escape. Demetrius doesn’t know what a formidable liar she is. Esme says, and Nikolas doesn’t know what it’s like to carry a child inside him, much less lose one… but he’s about to.

Elizabeth says, sending her away as a teenager to live without her parents says it all, and Jeff says, he and her mother didn’t feel they had any other choice. She says, right. Because they were just trying to – quote, unquote – protect her. She guesses it was just an added bonus that they no longer had to parent their wayward daughter; the one who exposed his affair, and killed his mistress. He tells her, stop it. He won’t let her talk that way. She says, let her? He walked out of her life 25 years ago. He doesn’t get to be her dad now. Or is the real issue that she called him out? He says, she’s created this narrative where he and her mother were relieved to get rid of her. She wasn’t wayward; those are her words, not his. And she wasn’t responsible for Reiko’s death. She says, but she still wasn’t perfect either, was she? Like Sarah. He says, Sarah wasn’t perfect either; there’s no such thing. All he and Carolyn ever wanted was for both of their daughters to be healthy and happy. She says, really? Because they didn’t have to drug Sarah to be either. He says he’s not saying they didn’t make mistakes, because they did. But one of the few things they got right was to finally admit the truth to her in Monterey. Even if it means she’ll never forgive them.

Drew wonders why Willow is so certain the people who lived with Harmony in the commune wouldn’t know who her birth mother might be, and she says, in her experience, people who live in communes frequently change their names. They consider themselves to be free spirits with a firm distrust of outsiders. He says he gets that. People that used to live in that community have a fundamental distrust of law enforcement and government in general, but he’s not a cop, and doesn’t work for the government. He’ll show up with a reporter from Aurora, and they’ll frame the questions as part of a human interest story. Then they’ll use the company’s publications to get the story out there. Somebody gave birth to her, and the odds are they had help. Somebody’s got to know something. She says, he almost makes her feel like this could actually happen. Almost. He says, every riddle has an answer. It’s about being thorough and reaching as many people as they can. She says, hopefully, as soon as possible.

Nina asks if Sonny still wants dinner. What is he in the mood for? He says, whatever she wants is fine with him, and she says she ruined tonight. He asks why she says that, and she tells him, she keeps putting her foot in her mouth, with Willow, and Michael, and TJ, and now Carly. She’s going to have a new resolution; stay out of everyone’s damn business. He says, he is her business, and she knew he’d want to know, so she did the right thing. She says, wait until Carly finds out. Carly is going to want her dead. He says, she’s got to let it go. Let’s just enjoy the evening. She says she’d love to… and he says, but? She says she can’t help but wonder if it matters to him because Brick is a trusted associate friend, or because Carly is his ex-wife.  

Dex asks why Josslyn keeps sticking her neck out for a total stranger, but she says, they’re not strangers. He came dumpster diving with her to help her find Avery’s bracelet. And she happens to know his life ambition is to learn how to surf. He says, he knows she already knows how to surf, and she’s an engaged, considerate big sister, but he doesn’t know a lot else. She says, like what? and he says, like what kind of music she listens to; what shows does she binge? She says, him first. Is he into sports? He says he loves watching football, and she asks, what’s is favorite team? He says, college? Georgia Bulldogs. She asks, why? and he says, there was a guy in his unit who loved the Dawgs. He talked non-stop, had the whole roster memorized. It was infections. He got so excited every game day, you couldn’t help but cheer them on too. She asks if they stayed in touch, but Dex says, he died; KIA. She says, killed in action. She’s sorry. He says, him too. He still roots for the Bulldogs. He’s not around to cheer them on anymore, so Dex does it for him. He wants to go to a game in person someday. His buddy always said the game days were incredible. The stadium is packed, and when the team runs out, they play Baba O’Riley. That’s the weirdest name for a song. She says, he needs to hydrate. He needs to sit up and drink this for her. She sees he’s struggling, and says, or he’s going to need her help. She puts her arm around him to help him sit up, and there’s a knock at the door.

Jeff says he doesn’t expect Elizabeth to forgive them. He doesn’t even expect her to understand what they did. Although he’d be incredibly grateful if she did. Please believe him. Every choice they made, as flawed and misguided as they were, were based on unconditional love for her. She’s a parent now. She loves each of her sons in a unique way. Just like he loved her and Sarah with all his heart, but honestly, the child he felt the most kinship with was her. She says, why? Because she’s screwed up like him? He says, because she goes her own way. She’s not afraid to take chances. She says, the way she sees it, she’s nothing like him, but he says, she was when she was younger. She says, he knew her as a child, barely as a teenager. She’s not the same person he sent away. He says he hopes she’ll allow him to learn who she’s become. He already knows he loves Elizabeth as much as he loves Lizzy. Another chance would mean the world to him – her phone rings – but he won’t push; he won’t invade her space. Her phone keeps ringing, and he goes to the door. He says, from the little he’s encountered of Finn, he seems like a good man. He hopes he hasn’t ruined things.

On the phone, Nikolas says he needs someone. Please get to Windymere as soon as they can. He’ll be very grateful to them. Esme wails that it hurts so bad, and asks Demetrius to please hold her hand.

Carly says, it’s mom, and Josslyn lets her in. She says, Dex’s temperature is really high. Does she have the antibiotics? Carly gives them to her, and she gives some to Dex. Dex thanks Carly, and she says, if he wants to thank her, get some rest. The sooner his fever breaks, the better for all of them. Dex drifts off again, and Josslyn tells Carly, he’s had a really high fever for over a day now. How long does she think until it breaks? Carly tells her, they’re strong antibiotics. Her guess is, his fever will break in the morning. Josslyn hopes she’s right.

Drew says, it seems like Willow wants to find her biological parents quickly, and Willow says, of course (🍷). She hopes it’s sooner than later. He says he gets that, but to be clear, these things take time. She says she’s just a little anxious to finally know the truth. Harmony wasn’t perfect, but there was still some comfort in knowing Harmony was her mom. Now that she knows Harmony wasn’t, she feels a bit unmoored. Michael comes in with Leo, and she says she thought Leo had to be back at the main house for dinner. Michael says he called Olivia and told her that Leo would be delayed. Leo found a cellphone, but it’s dead, so they have to charge it, and find out who it belongs to. Leo wanted to stay around until the mystery was solved. He asks, if Leo were a charger, where would he be? and Leo says, he’d be made of aluminum and silicone… maybe upstairs. He runs up, and Michael follows. Willow tells Drew that she’s sorry if she seems overzealous. She went back and forth, deciding if she wanted to find her biological family. Now that she’s made up her mind… He says, stop right there. He knows exactly why she’s in such a hurry.

Sonny says, the only thing between him and Carly is Donna, and Nina says she knows. Would it be awkward if Carly started dating someone he knows? Brick walks in, and Sonny tells her to do him a favor and order for him. He wants a big steak.

Sonny goes over to Brick, and asks if Brick got everything taken care of. Brick says, it’s all good, and Sonny says he’s glad to hear it. He wouldn’t want Brick to leave his ex-wife unsatisfied.  

Drew says, his and Willow’s situations aren’t identical, but they’re similar enough. There was a time when he didn’t know who his family was, and when you make that decision to find out, you need to know right now. She says, then he knows how she’s feeling, and he says, absolutely. The Quartermaines embraced him as one of their own, and he hopes it’s the same in her case. She says, that would be ideal, but she knows her biological relatives may not be as welcoming as the Quartermaines, and that’s okay. She doesn’t have to like them. He asks why she says that, when Leo comes back down. Willow asks if he found the charger, and Leo tells her, it’s where he thought silicone would be. He’s hungry now. Bye. He jets, and Drew says, that’s what makes family everything; Scout, Leo, Rocco, Wiley… She says, they’re all characters; funny, smart, precocious. He says, imagine in ten years when they’re teenagers. Won’t it be fun to see who they turn out to be?

We see Elizabeth has a voicemail, and Finn comes back. He asks if she’s okay, and she says, her father won’t come around uninvited again. He asks, what happened last night that got her checked in here? and she says, she ran into Esme Prince on Pier 55. He asks if Esme attacked her, but she says, no. She went to call 9-1-1, Esme tried to grab her phone, and she fell and hit her head. She was brought in for observation, and they said she had a mild concussion, but she thinks they were being overly cautious. He says, better safe than sorry, and she says she’s the last person to defend Esme – she thinks Esme is a maniac – but she doesn’t think Esme meant for her to fall. He says he’s glad she wasn’t hurt, and she says she wishes Reiko hadn’t been. He says, him too, and she says she hates that her dad showed up without warning. The last thing she wanted was for him to cause Finn more pain. He says, it’s okay. It woudn’t have been his first choice to talk to her dad this morning, but in a strange way, it may have helped. Her phone rings again, and she turns it off. She asks if it felt good to punch her father in the face, and he says, maybe. Not now but… She says, what about her role in what happened with Reiko? The last time they saw each other, he seemed like he needed space to think about things. Has he? He says he has, a lot, and she says, he can’t be with her anymore, can he? She doesn’t blame him.

Carly asks what Josslyn is doing. Dex was shot, and she doesn’t know if someone is coming after him. What she does know is, he’s working for Sonny, so whatever he’s doing is dangerous. Josslyn says, it’s not like she planned this; it just happened. One thing led to another, and it snowballed. Once he’s better, she’ll show him the door. Carly says, okay, but it’s a lot to risk for a guy she barely knows.

Brick says, it’s not what Sonny thinks. Nothing inappropriate happened between him and Sonny’s ex-wife. He would never. Sonny says, he can’t imagine Brick would, but he likes flirting with Carly. Brick says, that’s all it is, and Sonny says, she was in his room. Brick says, briefly, and only out of necessity, and Sonny says, let’s get something clear. Brick works for him; Carly’s his ex-wife. Brick says he comprehends, and Sonny says, so tell him what was going on in that room, but Brick says he can’t do that. This has nothing to do with Sonny. Carly needed something, and asked him to help her get it. Sonny says, and Brick is the only one who can give it to her? Brick says, give it to her, no questions asked, discreet. His allegiance is with Sonny, always, forever, and Sonny knows Brick will tell him if he insists, but he’d rather not go back on his word. Sonny says, Brick’s word is his bond, and if Brick tells him nothing compromising happened, Sonny accepts his word. Brick says, but he doesn’t like it.

Carly says she knows Josslyn is compassionate, but is there any other reason she’s going this far out on a limb for Dex? Josslyn says she doesn’t know him all that well, but they’re kind of becoming friends. When she found Ava after Ava had been stabbed, and she yelled for help, Dex came running. He helped her save Ava’s life, and that bonded them. On the subject of Ava, she’s assuming the cops haven’t found Esme since she’s been back. Carly says, they haven’t, and Josslyn says, Spencer’s in jail, and Esme has no support system here. She has to be getting desperate. It’s only a matter of time, right? Things will go back to normal. Carly says, this is not a time to let her guard down. They both know how dangerous Esme is. And Esme isn’t the only threat to Josslyn’s normal. They both look at Dex, who looks like no one with a 104 fever ever looked.

Drew tells Willow a story about how Scout decided she wants to be a blonde, when Michael comes back down with the charged phone. He sees the email from Sonny’s address, and tells Willow and Drew that he has to make a call real quick. He goes outside, and calls Dex from his own phone. The mystery phone rings.

Elizabeth says, in the short amount of time she and Finn have been together, they have a pretty spotty track record. Most of it has been on her. She kept Finn at arm’s length, attacked his brother, she didn’t get help when she needed it, she lied to Finn, and now he knows Reiko fell because Reiko was having an argument with her. That’s how Reiko caught the disease that killed her, and it’s just too much for one relationship to withstand. It’s too much for him to possibly forget. He says, neither one of them will ever forget what they’ve been through, but that doesn’t mean they still have nothing to talk about. Her phone rings, and she sees it’s Nikolas. She says she’s sorry, but she has to answer this. She steps away, and says, she’s in the middle of something. Why does he keep calling?… She’s on her way. She tells Finn that she’s sorry, but she has to go, and he asks if it’s the boys. She says, no, it’s something else, and he says, something else she can’t tell him. She says she really wants to finish this conversation, and he says he really wants to believe that’s true. She grabs her stuff, says she’s so sorry, and runs out.

Nikolas tells Demetrius to go downstairs, and get the first aid kit. He leaves, and Esme says, Nikolas can’t let her have even one friend. He says, if memory serves, she makes sex tapes of her friends. Help is on the way. She says, really? and thanks him. She says she knows how much their baby means to him, even if she doesn’t mean anything. He sits, and says he knows she knows that, and that’s why she’s pretending the little one is at risk. She says she’s not pretending; she’s in pain. He says he promises her this, if she’s not really in pain now, she will be soon.

Michael wonders why Dex’s phone is here, and says, where is Dex?

Drew says he appreciates Willow entrusting him with looking for her birth parents. He’ll use every resource he has to get her some answers. She says she knows he’ll do everything he can, but she also knows this is a secret decades in the making, and she won’t blame him if he hits a blank wall. He says he’s confident he’s going to get some results, because someone out there knows the truth about who she really is.

Carly asks if Josslyn knows anything about Dex, and Josslyn says she knows he was in the military, and she knows he doesn’t talk to his siblings. And she knows he didn’t come to her for help. She found him by accident, and now she’s in this. She needs to see it through. Carly says, it’s like looking in a mirror. Josslyn is so stubborn, and Carly knows she gets it from her. She not going to waster her breath giving Josslyn more warnings, because she knows Josslyn won’t listen. Josslyn says she always listens. She just doesn’t always take Carly’s advice. Carly says, Josslyn is going to sit with him all night, isn’t she? and Josslyn says, somebody’s got to. Carly says she has to get home to Donna, or she would stay with Josslyn. Do not open the door for anyone, and call if she needs anything. They hug, and Josslyn thanks Carly for getting the antibiotics. She say she loves Carly, and they hug again. Carly says she loves Josslyn too, so much. Lock the door. She leaves, and Josslyn locks it. She sits on the bed, and watches Dex.

Brick asks Sonny if they’re good, when Nina walks up. She asks if Brick is going to join them for dinner, but Brick asks for a raincheck. Sonny says, they’ll circle back later, and Trish gives Brick a to-go bag. He tells Sonny and Nina to have a good evening, and leaves. Nina tells Sonny that she shouldn’t have said anything, but Sonny says, Carly can see who she wants whenever she wants, as long as they’re not connected to him. She’s not the only one with boundaries to be respected. Nina asks what Brick said, and Sonny tells her, he said they’re not having an affair. She asks if he believes Brick, and he says, of course (🍷) he does. Brick is his guy. He’s known Brick for years, and trusts him completely. Nina asks why she senses a but, and he says, no buts. Let’s eat.

Nikolas thanks Elizabeth for coming right over. He knows she doesn’t approve of what he’s doing. She says, keeping a young pregnant woman captive? and he says, the way he sees it, he’s keeping a murderer off the streets. She says, even worse. If Esme’s really dangerous, she belongs behind bars. He says he already explained why that can’t happen right now, not before she’s given birth. She says she doesn’t want to argue with him. Just tell her why he asked her to come here. He says, Esme is complaining about being in pain. He’s not sure she’s being honest about her symptoms, but an examination can’t hurt. He doesn’t want to take any chances where this baby is concerned. She says, he really cares about this baby, doesn’t he? and he says, more than she knows. She says she’ll do this for him, but only once. He says he knew he could count on her, and they go into Esme’s room. Esme lies unconscious (maybe) on the floor.  

Tomorrow, Britt tells Brad, tonight they’re going to raise a little hell; Laura asks if someone knows something she doesn’t; Robert tells Holly, friendship’s a serious business, and so is betrayal; and Elizabeth tells Nikolas, they need to call an ambulance.

😢 What a World…

This is just sad.

🎭 Better Than the Original…

How Andy gets these people to do this stuff, I’ll never know.

https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3444738/ralph-fiennes-dramatically-recreated-real-housewives-lisa-barlows-hot-mic-monologue-about-meredith-marks-and-it-was-hilarious

🖌 Photoshop This…

Frankly, they both look weird.

https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/6684459/rhonj-teresa-giudice-unedited-makeup-filter/

💎 Crystal Clears…

I hope she comes back. She’s the only one I’ve seen actually mature on the show.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1353533/rhobhs-crystal-kung-minkoff-addresses-her-future-on-the-bravo-series

🏆 Red, White and Awards…

One of my favorites, Wayne Brady will be hosting, and it sounds like a good line-up. November 20th, 8 pm, on ABC, and the next day on Hulu.

https://people.com/music/pink-to-perform-tribute-to-the-late-olivia-newton-john-at-the-2022-amas/

You, too, can have a vote.

https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2022-american-music-awards-how-to-vote-1235155402/

🎸 Shake, Rattle, and Rolling On Out…

Make a pit stop here tomorrow for some soap, and raking that horrible House cast over the coals. Until then, stay safe, stay knowing, the worst is not, as long as we can say, this is the worst, and stay out of everyone’s damn business. Unless they ask.

November 15, 2022 – Brick Helps Out Carly, Her Reason, Final Bow, Kate Critiques, Done, Renewed, Final Talk, Ending Peek, Dog, This Little Piggy & Street

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the MetroCourt, Sonny gives Brick a hug, and asks, how was the flight? Brick says, smooth weather, easy check-in, but he’s hungry, and Sonny says, lunch is on him. How was Montreal? Brick says he made some progress on that front. Plus he has a few options to discuss with Sonny. Sonny says, before they talk, there’s someone he wants Brick to meet. Nina walks up, and says, gentlemen, and Sonny tells Brick, this is… Brick says, the woman who stole your heart.

Drew finds Leo outside, and asks what he’s doing. Leo says he’s collecting leaves, but he’ll go, and Drew says, Leo doesn’t have to go on his account. What’s the hurry? Is something bothering him? Leo says, everyone’s mad, but Drew says, he isn’t mad. Leo says, yes he is. He and Michael are mad at Leo’s dad. Is Drew mad at him too?

Willow finds Michael at his laptop, and says, he’s still at it. Michael asks how her nap was, and she says, good. She and the baby must have really needed the downtime. Maybe he does too. He says, later. He’s been filling himself in on bone marrow donations, and the family is already registered because of their history with cancer, but most people don’t realize how easy it is. He thinks they should organize a donor drive at GH; provide tests, and get as many people to register as possible. Hit up social media sites, and places to advertise, like Kelly’s, Charlie’s and other hot spots around town. She says, it sounds wonderful, and thanks him. He says, of course (🍷). They’re in this together. She says she’s so sorry she kept her leukemia diagnosis from him, but he says, it’s okay. They’re focusing on the future now. She says, a future with him is all that she wants, and he says he’s going to make sure it’s a healthy and happy one.

Josslyn tells Dex, do not move from this bed, and he says he owes her. She says, big time, and she plans to collect. She leaves, and just outside the door, Carly appears. She says she’s been calling and calling Josslyn, but she hasn’t answered. What the hell’s going on? Josslyn says, actually… She opens her room door, and pulls Carly inside, saying, quick. They need her help. Carly sees Dex on the bed, and looks at Josslyn.

Esme flings herself onto her bed, groaning dramatically. She’s startled by the bathroom door creaking open, and says, creepy, drafty old place. It’s probably haunted on top of that. She closes the door, and says, hear my voice, oh spirits. Scare the crap out of Nikolas; he deserves it. She doesn’t. She tells the baby, what they need is some advice from grandpa.

Jeff goes the hospital reception desk, and says he’s looking for Nurse Elizabeth Baldwin. The nurse asks, who she should say is here? and he says, her father, Jeff Webber. He turns around and sees Finn, and says, excuse me. Have we met? He holds out his hand, and Finn says, no. Jeff doesn’t know him, but Jeff knew his wife. He slept with her.

Nikolas invites Elizabeth in, and asks if she’s all right. She wonders why he’s asking, and he says he heard she was attacked at the pier last night, and was taken to GH. He’s relieved she isn’t badly injured, but should she be up and about? She says, thankfully, it was just a little bump on the head, but he already knew that. He says, he did? and she says, he must have. Would he have left her just lying on the pier if he thought she was badly hurt?

Carly says, Josslyn needs to start explaining, and Dex asks who she is. Josslyn tells him, just rest, and Carly asks, what happened to him? Josslyn says, he got shot. She found him last night on the Quartermaine grounds. She couldn’t take him to the hospital; they’d report it to the police. Carly says, they can’t have that, can they? He got shot working for Sonny, right?

Nina says she’s so happy to meet Brick. She’s heard so much about him. Sonny ask her to join them, but she says she doesn’t want to intrude. Brick says, not at all, and Nina says, she has to warn them. She may be called away on hotel business. Brick says, that’s right. She’s the new co-owner of the MetroCourt. Congratulations. Sonny tells him, Nina is also the editor of Crimson magazine, and Brick asks how she finds the time. She says she’s working on that. She knows the ins and outs of the fashion industry, but she’s still learning the ins and outs of the hospitality business. So he and Sonny go way back. Sonny says, they’ve been though a lot together, and she asks if Brick has any stories he can tell her. Brick says, actually, there was that time in Houston… but Sonny says, Brick doesn’t want to get into that. Nina says she wants to hear it, when hostess Trish approaches the table, and says, the chef wants to talk to Nina about the new tasting menu. Nina says, this won’t take long. Then she wants to hear this Houston story. She leaves, and Brick raises his eyebrows. Sonny says, what? and Brick says, she’s stunning, and Sonny looks happy. Sonny says, she makes him happy, and Brick says he’s glad to hear it, but guesses it didn’t go over well with Michael. Sonny says, when Michael and Nina cross paths, it’s trouble, and he just thinks it’s going to get worse.

Michael tells Willow, organizing a bone marrow drive is inevitably going to lead to some questions, and he knows she wants to keep her diagnosis private. She says she knows she can’t keep this a secret forever, but she wants to be her, Willow, not Willow the woman with cancer for as long as possible. He says, if she’s worried about people pitying her, don’t be. The people who love her will support her, and recognize her courage and strength. She says, they’ll still look at her differently. Admit it. When he finds out someone has cancer, what’s the first thing he thinks about when he sees them? You focus on the illness. He says, maybe if he doesn’t know them. He’s sure the people who do know her will continue to admire and delight in the things that make her herself. She says she’s just allergic to the idea of people feeling sorry for her, and he says, that’s because she’s independent, and used to doing things by herself, because growing up, she couldn’t rely on her parents, and had to handle things on her own. She says, he’s right. She had no idea how deeply that feeling’s been ingrained in her. He takes her hand and says, she’s not going to be alone ever again. Him, Wiley, and the baby, they’re family, and that’s not going to change. She says she hopes not, and he says he’ll make sure of it, and kisses her.

Jeff says, Finn’s wife? and Finn says he thinks Jeff remembers Reiko. He was on Saipan with her. Jeff says he just wasn’t expecting to see Finn, and Finn says, it’s a nasty business, isn’t it? Affairs. Finding out your wife cheated on you with sone jerk who abandons his kids. Jeff says, Finn doesn’t know everything. Is there someplace they can go to talk? Finn slugs Jeff, and tells him that he has nothing to say to him.

Elizabeth says she knows Nikolas was on that pier, and don’t tell her that she’s imagining it. Enough people have messed with her head. She doesn’t need him gaslighting her too. He says he won’t. He just didn’t know if she’d remember. She says, well, she did. She was actually on her way to see him when she ran into Esme Prince. She tried to call 9-1-1, Esme went for her phone, and she must have fallen and hit her head. The next thing she knew, Nikolas was standing over her, telling her to trust him, and then he was gone. He just left her there. Why would he do that? He says he went after Esme. He didn’t want her to get away. Elizabeth says, but she did get away, because Jordan said they’re still looking for her. He says he lost her, and she says, so he just decided to go home? Why didn’t he come back to see if she was okay? He says he heard sirens, and figured the police were on their way. They’d made eye contact, so he didn’t think she was badly hurt. She says, that’s not it. He knows something. Where is Esme?

Esme tells the baby, to be perfectly honest, she’s a little afraid of their grandfather… Maybe more than a little. She’s done her research, and he’s a dangerous man, and unpredictable, but he’s the only father she’s got, and he needs her. He may think he’s the most brilliant serial killer ever, but he’s currently in Spring Ridge, pretending to be a vegetable. Not that her situation is much of an improvement over his, but he’d be so disappointed in her. He’d have some strategy she’s overlooked; some way to turn the tables on Nikolas. So instead of asking, how do I get out, she should be asking, what would daddy do?

Drew says, Michael isn’t mad at Leo, and he’s certainly not mad at Leo. They’re buds. Leo says, they’re mad at his dad, and Drew says he’s not going to lie. They had a disagreement, but families argue from time to time. Leo says, they’ve been arguing a long time. He doesn’t want his dad going, like when his mom and dad were mad at each other. Drew says, Leo doesn’t have anything worry about. Plus, his mom and dad made up, didn’t they? Leo says, they got married again, and Drew says, that’s the cool thing about families.  They argue, make up, and still love each other. Leo says, that is cool. Can Drew and Michael make up with his dad?

Carly says, Dex is burning up, but he says he’ll be fine. She asks what he was doing at the Quartermaines, and he says he was looking for a good place to hide out, like the boathouse. That’s when he ran into Joss. Josslyn says, he was in bad shape. She couldn’t just leave him there to bleed. Carly says, she could call the police, or Sonny, and Josslyn says, hospitals have to report a gunshot wounds, and she knew the Sonny was probably the reason Dex got shot in the first place. Carly says, since he has a fever, that most likely means he has an infection. Can she take a look? She lifts his bandage, and says, yep, it’s infected. He needs antibiotics. Josslyn says she was going to get some, and Carly asks, where was she going to get them? Josslyn says she doesn’t know. She was figuring that out. Carly says, now she doesn’t have to, and Josslyn says, so Carly will help them? Carly sighs, and shakes her head.

Michael hands Willow a smoothie, and says he tested it himself. He could barely taste the cauliflower. She says, cauliflower in a smoothie, like this is unheard of, and he says, vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower are good for inflammation, and are high in folate, so it’s good for her and the baby. She says, someone has been googling cancer diets, and takes a sip. She says, not bad, and thanks him. She tells him that she’s been thinking about the idea of tracking down her biological family. Even if she finds them – and that’s a major if – how does she just show up out of the blue, and ask for a bone marrow transplant? He asks what she’d do if the situation was reversed, and she says she’d help if she could. He says, there’s your answer. There are a lot of good people out there who want to do the right thing, like she does. She says she guesses she’s jaded. People like Nina make it hard remember.

Brick says, he convinced Cortez that the price of challenging Sonny over Montreal was way too high. He’s agreed to move on. Sonny says, Brick has saved him considerable aggravation. He’s had more than enough these days. Brick asks, how’s business here? and Sonny says, stable at the moment. Brick says, what about Dex Heller, the guy he ran a check on? Did Sonny cut him loose yet? Sonny says he’s going to keep Dex around. He might even give Dex a promotion at some point. He came through for Sonny at some very crucial moments. He was loyal, and kept his mouth shut, except the last job went a little south… Brick asks if that would happen to be the prison transport that crashed, and Sonny says, Brick is on top of things, and Brick says, always. Sonny leans forward, and says, Anna got out. Dex is in the wind.

On the phone in his office, Finn says, correct. He’s reporting himself for a violation of conduct. He sees Jeff standing in the doorway, and says, please send over the form, and he’ll fill it out and return it to them. He asks what Jeff wants, and Jeff says he’s worried about Lizzy. Is she all right? He just flew in this morning and needs to know; is his daughter okay? Finn says, now he cares? and Jeff says, Finn doesn’t understand what happened. Finn says he understands Jeff had an affair with his wife, who he thought was happy in their marriage. Jeff says, she was, at first, but Reiko got lonely. She was on Saipan while Finn was on Rota. It was her first posting. Reiko sometimes got overwhelmed with the suffering they saw. She needed someone to talk to. Finn says, and Jeff was there.

Nikolas tells Elizabeth, don’t worry about Esme. He took care of her. She says, did he kill her? but he says, God no. He can’t. He won’t. Elizabeth has to trust him. She says, if he wants her to trust him, then he has to trust her. What did he do? He says he took matters into his own hands, and she says, like when he had Hayden shot? but he says he hasn’t hurt Esme; she’s fine. Elizabeth says, sounds to her like he knows where Esme is. Does he? He doesn’t say anything, and she says she’s had enough. She’s going to call the police. She takes out her phone, and he says, don’t. She asks if he’s going to make her disappear too. It would be real easy; no one knows she’s here. He asks if she thinks he’d harm her. She’s his touchstone; his one true friend. She says, just tell her – where’s Esme? He says, she’s here. He made sure she can’t hurt anyone else. Elizabeth says, that’s what prisons are for, but he says, Esme can’t go to prison. He won’t let her escape, and she’ll pay for everything she’s done, eventually. He swears on their friendship. Can’t she just leave it alone? Elizabeth says, no, she can’t. She wants to see Esme right now.

Esme hears footsteps, and says, go away. She’s on a hunger strike. Elizabeth says, Esme? and Esme jumps up. Elizabeth says, she’s pregnant? and Esme says, Elizabeth has to help her. Nikolas is crazy. He wants to kill her and her baby.

Sonny tells Brick that he got word from Dex via email. He’s laying low, but he’s going to contact Sonny as soon as he can. Nina comes back, and Sonny says, he and Brick will talk later. Nina apologizes, and says, where were they? She remembers; Houston. Sonny says, they’re done with Houston, but Brick says he doesn’t think so. They were at a game in one of these private boxes… His phone rings, and he sees it’s Carly. Sonny asks if there’s a problem, and Brick says, probably not, but he should take this. He excuses himself, and Nina says, Sonny was saved by the bell, literally. She’s going to hear this Houston story sooner or later. Brick goes around the corner, and answers his phone, saying, Carly. this is a surprise. She says, hopefully a good one, and he says, a dream come true actually. She says, he may not feel that way after he hears her request. Does he have a contact in town? He says, him. He’s at the MetroCourt. She says, he’s here? Excellent. She needs a huge favor. He says, anything for her.

Willow tells Michael, since a bone marrow transplant is her best option, and a relative is the best match, let’s do it. Let’s track down her biological family. He says, let’s get started right now, and she asks if he remembers saying she couldn’t believe anything Harmony said about her birth or her birth parents. She agrees, but there is one thing she knows for sure. Harmony was a member of the Friends for Peace and Love commune when she was a baby. They should start there.

Brick comes back to the table, and says, sorry. He has to cut this short. Nina says she hopes he’s in town long enough for them to take him out to dinner, and he says he looks forward to it. Especially continuing that Houston story. Sonny isn’t getting off that easy. He leaves, and Nina says, Brick is a charmer. Sonny says, he has a reputation. He’s a good guy, and one of the very few people Sonny trusts with his life. What’s going on with the chef? She says, they’ve reached a new understanding. Nina promises never to mention Asian fusion again, and Giselle promises not to throw any more sauce pans. Plus, Nina got a stylist to give Giselle a deal on her wedding dress. He says, a little bribery never hurts, and she says, he seems more relaxed. She knew something was bothering him. He says, things are looking up today, and she says she’s glad. Last night, she didn’t want to worry him… He asks, what’s on her mind? and she says, more of the same. She had another run-in with Michael and Willow.

Finn says, it’s that old story, huh? Sleazy mentor takes advantage of a young doctor just out of med school. Jeff says, if it makes Finn feel better, but Finn says, none of this makes him feel better. He just wants the truth. Jeff says, the truth is, he and Reiko never meant to hurt anyone. Finn says, Jeff couldn’t help himself, and Jeff says, something like that. Finn says, he understands Jeff is a cheater – Hayden’s proof of that – but Reiko wasn’t like that. Jeff says he doesn’t know what Finn wants him to say. What would make him feel better? Finn says, Jeff is looking for a quick fix. Too bad he can’t wipe out Finn’s memory. Shut him up the way he and his wife shut Elizabeth up.

Nikolas jumps between Esme and Elizabeth, and tells Esme to stand back. Leave Elizabeth alone. Esme says, thank God Elizabeth found her. Nikolas won’t listen to reason. Elizabeth says, Esme wasn’t reasonable when she attacked her on the docks, and Esme says, she’s sorry. It was a big misunderstanding. She thought Elizabeth was working with Nikolas; that Elizabeth was calling him. She was running for her life. Nikolas says, right. Elizabeth can see that Esme is fine. She has a comfortable bed, food… Elizabeth says, she’s trapped in here? and Nikolas says, she tried to escape off that terrace. He has to make sure she doesn’t put the baby in danger. Elizabeth asks how long Esme’s been here, and Esme says, he’s had her here for weeks. He and Ava tried to kill her, and when that didn’t work, he locked her up in here. Nikolas tells Elizabeth, he had to lock her up. Esme’s the one who’s been attacking people with a hook. She killed Brando and that bartender. She attacked Ava and Diane Miller, and even tried to attack him. Esme says, he’s lying, but Nikolas says, Elizabeth has to believe him.

Nina says, Willow told her to drop dead, when all she was trying to do was apologize, but Sonny suggests she leave it alone. She says she’s just trying to get them to understand she’s not a bad person, for Wiley’s sake. Willow is so cold. Nina doesn’t know what’s going on with her. He asks if they can just stick with the original plan, which was to stay clear of Michael and Willow. She says, okay. She’s sorry he can’t see Wiley either, and he says, he doesn’t like it, but it’s not forever. She says, he doesn’t really believe that, does he?

Jeff says he understands Finn is angry about Reiko, and Finn says, what he had with Reiko was years ago. What Jeff did to Elizabeth was unforgiveable. Jeff says, he and Carolyn did what they thought was best for their daughter, and Finn says, great job, dad. But Jeff and Carolyn’s little brainwashing trick didn’t stick. Elizabeth has been dealing with this for months. She was sleepwalking. She could have hurt people; she could have hurt herself. Jeff says, that’s exactly what they were afraid of 25 years ago. Lizzy was just 15. She couldn’t cope with what happened to Reiko. Finn says, so they made her forget, and shipped her off to be someone else’s problem? and Jeff says, that’s not how it was, but Finn says, that’s exactly how it was. Elizabeth thought she was delusional. She was going out of her mind trying to figure out what was wrong with her, because of what Jeff and his wife did. She’s the one who’s suffering through this.

Michael gives Willow some printouts of articles about the commune around the time she was born, and says, any luck online? She says, not yet, and he says, she can use these to compile a list of members who were there when she was born. There’s a knock at the door, and Michael opens it to Drew and Leo. He says, hello there, and Leo says, maybe Michael’s not mad at him. Michael says, Leo thought he was mad at him? and Leo says, and his dad too. Leo sees Willow, and runs in to show her the leaves he’s collected. Drew tells Michael, Leo senses the tension between them and Ned, and knew they were angry, but he reassured Leo that families argue sometimes, and it’s all good. Michael says, seems like it worked, and Drew says, but the kid’s right. They’ve been at odds with Ned for months, and they’ve got to fix that.

Josslyn says, Brick is the right guy to know, and Carly says, they’re lucky he’s in town. He’s going to text her when he’s got the meds, and she’s going to meet him. Josslyn says, he didn’t ask why she needed them? and Carly says, he’s not one to ask questions. Josslyn says, he’s probably done this a million times for Sonny, and Carly asks what Dex was doing when he got shot, but Josslyn says, he wouldn’t tell her. Carly says, and last night, when Josslyn said she was with friends, that was a lie? Josslyn says, yes, she lied, but it’s not like they tell each other everything. She didn’t know Carly was dating Drew. She saw them kissing. Carly says, her seeing Drew and Josslyn being in danger are two totally different things. Yes, she’s seeing Drew, but they have to keep it quiet. She’s not getting into that right now because they have bigger things going on. Josslyn says, that’s fine, and thanks Carly for calling Brick, and for understanding. Carly says, listen to her. She’s not here to visit. She’s here because she’s worried about Esme. She’s in town, and attacked Elizabeth last night. Josslyn says, Cam’s mom. Is she okay? Carly says, she is, but Esme got away, and no one knows where she is.

Back downstairs, Nikolas says he’s sure Elizabeth could use a drink. He knows he can. Elizabeth asks if Esme was lying, and Nikolas says, yes. The first thing she did after she escaped was come after him with a hook from the boathouse. She’s been in town for weeks. And look at her victims. Esme despised Ava. He doesn’t know why she went after Brando. Maybe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Elizabeth says, that’s what the police think. They think Josslyn was the intended target that night. He says, that fits. Esme hates Trina and Josslyn, and Diane and that bartender ruined her plot to frame Trina. Elizabeth asks if he really thinks Esme is a serial killer, and he says, yes. She says, all the more reason to call the police, but he says, Esme can’t go to prison; she’s pregnant. Elizabeth says, right, with his grandchild. Does Spencer even know? He says, the baby isn’t Spencer’s, and she asks, who’s the father? He walks away, and she says, oh no, he didn’t. He says, it was a huge mistake, and she says, he slept with his son’s girlfriend? What is he doing? Her phone dings, and she says she has to go. He asks what she’s going to do, but she says she doesn’t know. She heads for the door, Nikolas following, and he grabs her arm, saying, listen to him. She says, let her go, and he says he’s sorry. Let him explain. But she jets.

Esme paces, saying, she can’t believe Elizabeth walked away. She’s supposed to help people. She’s not sure if nurses take the Hippocratic Oath, but they take some sort of oath, to promise to care for those in need. She guesses for Elizabeth that only applies to people she likes or approves of. It’s fine to leave her captive. She groans and sighs, and says, if only she had some leverage. She feels her bump, and says, leverage. That’s you, Ace. She has to convince Nikolas that if he doesn’t treat her right, it’s bye-bye baby.

Willow tells Leo that they’ll make a collage tomorrow, and Leo says, see you, fist bumping Drew on the way out. Drew looks at the stack of articles, and says, Friends of Peace and Love. Wow. Michael says, it’s just something he’s working on, and Willow says, it’s a commune; she was there as a child. Drew says he didn’t mean to pry, but she says, he’s not; he’s family. She’s trying to locate her birth parents, and see if she has more family out there. He says, he’s been there. Good luck to her. She says she needs it. She doesn’t have much to go on, except Harmony’s version of what happened. Drew flashes back to Carly telling him that Harmony said Nina was Willow’s birth mother on her deathbed, then telling him, the DNA test proved otherwise. He says, Harmony was a  convincing liar, and Willow says she didn’t realize he knew her.

Dex opens his eyes, and says, Joss? She says she’s here. He needs to hydrate. He gives him some water, and he says he had this wild dream that her mother was here. She says, that was no dream; she was here. She’s getting antibiotics for him. He asks, why? and she says, because his wound is infected, but he says, why would she help him? Josslyn says, because she asked her mom to help, and he asks if Carly is okay with her helping him. Josslyn says, she doubts it, but Carly isn’t going to lecture her now while he’s spiking a fever. Besides, she’s in no position to judge. He asks, why not? and she says, he’s not the first person to get shot working for Sonny. Her mother took her chances, now Josslyn is going to take hers. He says, why bother? She thinks he’s an idiot working for Sonny. She says, he is an idiot. Now he needs to lie back down and rest. She fixes his pillow, and he says, thanks, beautiful.

Jeff says he thought he owed Finn an explanation regarding his affair with Reiko, but he doesn’t have to justify how he and his wife chose to save their daughter 25 years ago. Finn says, Elizabeth is still dealing with this. For her, this is her present, and Finn’s a part of that. Jeff says, is he? He knows Finn has been seeing Elizabeth, but is that still true? Finn wonders why he asks, and Jeff says, Finn wasn’t in Monterey supporting Elizabeth when she needed it. What kind of relationship do they really have? He’s made mistakes, but he sacrificed his relationship with his daughter so she could live her life without the guilt she felt over Reiko. Finn says, that’s what Jeff tells himself. Even if he thought abandoning his daughter when she was 15 was best for her, where the hell has he been for the past 25 years? They see Elizabeth standing in the open doorway. Rut-roh.

Nina looks at her phone, and tells Sonny, lucky her. Giselle wants to yell at her again for her Asian fusion idea. She’ll be right back. She leaves, and Sonny looks at the email from Dex: Laying low. Will reach out when I’m able to come back.

Willow asks if Drew knows something else about Harmony, and Drew says, just that her reputation hasn’t shown her to be all that truthful. He’s sorry if he sounds disrespectful. He realizes Harmony still raised Willow, but he thinks it’s a good idea to verify everything she said about Willow’s birth parents. Willow says, so far, they don’t have a lot to go on, and Drew asks if she wants him to do some digging.  

Leo is in the woods, when he hears something beeping. He picks up a phone, and sees there’s an alert for an email from Sonny. I guess we can assume it’s Dex’s phone.

Nikolas comes into Esme’s room, and she asks, where’s Elizabeth? Did she call the cops? He says, not yet, and she says, he knows it’s just a matter of time. He doesn’t think Elizabeth would really lie for him, does he? He says, no. That’s why this ends now.

Dex says, the first night he and Josslyn met, she was so mad at him. She says, okay. She thinks his fever is spiking. He takes her hand, and says, she’s his guardian angel. Not like a sweet angel, like a warrior angel with a flaming sword. So beautiful, it hurts to look. He closes his eyes, continuing to hold her hand, and she says, it’s a good thing he’s delirious. He’ll never remember he said that… but she will.

Carly knocks at Brick’s hotel room door, and he says, Carly Corinthos. She gets more gorgeous every time he sees her. She says, it’s Carly Spencer now, and he looks so dapper as usual. She thanks him for coming through for her, and he says he’ll always be there for her. Come on in. Carly goes in, and Nina comes out from around the corner.

Tomorrow, Drew says he knows why Willow is in such a hurry; Nina wonders what Drew would think of this; Carly tells Josslyn, this is not the time to let her guard down; and Esme goes into labor… maybe.

🥪 Still Missing the BLTs…

Apparently, a knee replacement led to a Heather replacement.

🥀 Losing a Legend…

Saying goodbye to yet another veteran star of the soap screen.

https://people.com/tv/john-aniston-dead/

https://people.com/tv/days-of-our-lives-will-pay-tribute-to-john-aniston-in-his-final-episode/

Big Stew Energy…

It’s a shame she retired, but I can’t say I blame her.

🗽 You Can’t Fire Me…

I love it. She’s done because they don’t want her anymore.

💀 Still Undead…

FTWD is safe amid the rash of spin-offs.

🗯 Talking Through It…

Sounds cool, although I don’t know if it’s an historic event.

⚰️ Last Walk…

Nothing major, but spoilers included.

🐕‍🦺 And Most Important…

Don’t touch Dog.

🐷 Ending On a Sty Note…

This is the same reason I don’t want to go to an animal shelter. God knows how many I’d come home with.

https://people.com/pets/jason-momoa-brings-home-pig-after-filming-slumberland/

👓 Rereading the Room…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and a cup or two of tea. Until then, stay safe, stay thinking for yourself, and stay never mentioning Asian fusion to a temperamental chef.

November 14, 2022 – Curtis Gets His Genetic Test Results, Temping For a Cassadine, Final Charter On Deck & Undone

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis and Portia are all lovey-dovey in the elevator when the door opens, and Marshall clears his throat. He says, not to ruin the moment or anything… and Curtis says, the moment is here. Marshall asks if he got his genetic testing results, and Portia says, he did. Marshall says, they’ll see if he passed on the genetic marker for schizophrenia to Curtis, and any generations to follow. Jordan sees them from down the hall.

At a 12-step meeting, Finn says he hadn’t been to a meeting in two months. This is now his second in 24 hours. He guesses he’s making up for lost time. Maybe he’s here because he’s afraid of using. Maybe he’s just avoiding his life right now. Maybe a little of both.

Elizabeth is going through photographs, when Jeff leaves a message asking to talk. She can set the parameters; any time, anywhere she wants. Just give him a chance. It’s all he asks. There’s a knock at the door, and Elizabeth opens it to Carly. She says, it’s not a good time, and starts to close it, but Carly stops the door, says, Elizabeth needs to make time, and barges in.

There’s a knock at Josslyn’s dorm room door, and Kylie, Josslyn’s RA, says, they need to talk. Dex rolls out of bed, and grabs his clothes. Kylie says she’s coming in, when Josslyn shows up.

Esme wakes up, and says, no! seeing the windows have been boarded over. Temp Nikolas (see below) comes in, and says, he doesn’t like it either. It’s a shame to spoil the view, but security was more important. This room needs something strong enough to resist being pried off, and thick enough to muffle the screams. This is kind of amusing, since the boards don’t even meet, and are kind of haphazardly nailed across.

Trina asks if Spencer is okay, and he says he’s run out of hair products. She really shouldn’t be here. She says, neither should he, but here they are. She just hopes she hasn’t come too late. He says, too late for what?

Carly says, Jordan just left her house an hour ago, and told her Elizabeth was found on the docks after a run-in with Esme. What the hell happened? Elizabeth says she was going to Spoon Island to see Nikolas, and saw Esme. She was calling 9-1-1, when Esme tried to grab her phone. The next thing Elizabeth knew, she was lying on the ground, and Esme was gone. Carly asks if Cam knows, and Elizabeth says, yes. Does Josslyn? Carly says she doesn’t know. She’s on her way to Josslyn’s place next.

Josslyn asks what Kylie is doing, as Dex struggles to put on his pants. She asks if someone gave Kylie permission to go into her room, and Kylie says, someone heard Josslyn complain about bedbugs. She needs to know if they need pest control. Josslyn says, that’s not necessary. She doesn’t have bedbugs. All she said was that she’d heard a rumor. Kylie closes the door, and says she’s glad to avoid a whole procedure, and Josslyn says, it’s her lucky day. Kylie says, carry on, and leaves, when Adam comes by, and asks, what happened with the bedbugs? Josslyn says, nothing because she doesn’t have bedbugs. She can’t believe Adam ratted her out to the RA. Kylie almost came in here when she was gone. He says, it’s not a big deal. Is she afraid Kylie would find her stash? Josslyn says she doesn’t have a stash, and he asks what she’s hiding. She says she’s not hiding anything. There’s thump from her room, and Adam quips, she was saying?

Portia suggests they go to her office, where they can go over the genetic testing results in private. Jordan joins them, and says she was hoping she could speak to Portia for second, but Portia says, they’re actually in the middle of something right now. Jordan says she’ll keep it  brief, and Marshall says, this day’s been a long time coming. They can afford to wait a few more minutes. Curtis says he’s fine. He has to pick up a report from the counselor’s office. Jordan says, Portia’s office? and Portia says she was on her way anyway.

Esme futilely pounds at the boards, and Nikolas thanks Demetrius for a job done well and discreetly. Seriously? Dude is no handyman. Demetrius leaves, and Esme says, Nikolas can’t do this to her. He says, make sure she’s safe and well cared for? Including a healthy breakfast to start her day. She says, he doesn’t get extra points for feeding his captives, and he says he likes to do what’s fair. Her utensils are all plastic and recyclable. Sadly, she’s lost silverware privileges. She says she won’t miss them for long. Once Elizabeth tells the police that he was with them… He says, if Elizabeth had said anything about him, the Police Commissioner herself would have sought him out for questioning hours ago. And even if she did, no one is going to look for Esme here. This is her home now. If she attempts to escape again, he’ll have her relocated to his family’s island in Greece. She looks like she could use a vacation. She says, he’s despicable, and he tells her to count her blessings. The accommodations are much nicer here than in Pentenville, but she’d make a better fit at D’Archam. She says she’s not going to prison, but he will. This will blow up in his face. He says, doubtful, but if it does, there’s no risk he won’t take to protect his family. She says, she’s his family too, and he says, for now, and leaves. She flings the tray of food to the floor.

Spencer says he’s sorry he can’t offer Trina any refreshments, but she says she’s here for the company anyway. He says, such as it is. Prison has stunted his communication skills. In here, the less said, the better. She says, sounds lonely, and he says, better off lonely than making enemies, or the wrong kind of friends. She says, the right kind are waiting for him when he gets home, her included, and he tells her that she said they were toxic. She says, that’s because she didn’t have all the facts, because he was keeping them from her. He says, and he asked Cam to keep them from her, but she says she’s here to talk about him… and her, to see if there’s something left to salvage. And if he even wants to.

Demetrius tells Nikolas that he has a visitor, but Nikolas says he told Demetrius, no visitors. Ava comes out of the living room, and says she was informing Demetrius, the way things are going, she might just get him in the divorce. Nikolas tells Demetrius to keep an eye on the matter upstairs, and Demetrius leaves. Ava says, the north tower? and Nikolas says, that’s why he prefers they meet somewhere else. She says, this is the only place she can guarantee privacy, and this particular matter cannot wait. He asks what that might be, and she says, his boarder.

As they put away the chairs, Alexis says, if it makes Finn feel any better, she hasn’t been to a meeting in two months either. She’s been very busy. She’s been bogged down with that paper. She knows she should be grateful. It’s a job, after she lost the one that she loved, and he says, you’ve got to celebrate these small victories. She agrees, and he says, everyone has an opinion. All his dad talks about is her, The Invader, and her… She says, and me, and The Invader, and your dad; anything except talking about what it is he was trying to avoid at the meeting. What was that?

Carly tells Elizabeth, Esme is crazy. She just wants this whole thing to be over with. The sooner they find Esme, the sooner they can put this whole mess behind them. Elizabeth asks if Carly thinks Esme is the one attacking people with a hook, and Carly says, doesn’t she? Elizabeth says she doesn’t take anything for granted these days, and Carly asks if she’s okay. She tells Carly, she never said she was okay.

Nikolas says, his boarder? and Ava says, Uncle Nosy? Slick Vic? Nikolas says, Victor isn’t his boarder; not yet anyway. She says, he hasn’t moved in yet. Lucky for Nikolas. Ava says she saw his uncle last night, and he dropped the most unsettling piece of gossip in her lap. He says, about what? and she says, Esme Prince is alive and well and roaming around Port Charles. Apparently Elizabeth had a run-in with her on the docks, and called the PCPD. Is he listening to her? The cops are after Esme, so they have to find her first.

Spencer asks if there’s a chance to fix things between them, and Trina says, yes. He asks, why now? and she says, because it was impossible before. He wasn’t straight with her. How much can one person truly mean to another if you can’t even be honest? He says, she should ask his father, but she says she’s asking him. At her party, the night before he came here, there was a letter for her, but he refused to hand it over. He asks why she’s rehashing this, and she says, because she needs to hear it from him. What was he trying to tell her that night? He says, that he lied to her face for months, that he believed in her.

Curtis and Marshall sit on a bench, and Marshall says, if Curtis’s ex-wife and his fiancé pretending to get along is the worst that comes of it, count himself lucky. Curtis says, good point. Back to Marshall. Marshall asks what he did, and Curtis says, he offered to leave. He can’t just head for the door every time things get hairy. Marshall says he did that for Curtis’s comfort. He guesses he thought Curtis wanted his space. Curtis says he woudn’t want do this without Marshall, and Marshall says, come what may? Curtis says, come what may, and Marshall says, so are they going to do this? Curtis says he’s ready when Marshall is.

As they walk into her office, Portia says, what is it now? and Jordan says  she’s picking up on some tension here. Portia says, this is resentment, and Jordan says she doesn’t know what she did to deserve that. Portia says, then she’s a lousy detective, or just plain disingenuous. Either way, Jordan is sticking her nose into Portia’s business – again. Her family’s private business. Curtis’s genetic counseling, and what may or may not come of it has nothing to do with Jordan, his ex-wife. Jordan says she’s here to inform Portia that Esme was spotted in Port Charles, and Portia asks, where? Jordan says, Pier 55. There was an altercation last night between Esme and Elizabeth Baldwin. Portia asks if Elizabeth is okay, and Jordan says, she’s fine. She’s notified Trina, but wanted to loop Portia in as well. Portia thanks her, and says, but they both know Jordan could have said all this in front of Curtis. Jordan says she intends to keep her interest in Portia’s family professional, not personal. She has no idea what Portia chooses to tell or not tell Curtis, but it’s clear Portia still hasn’t told him that Trina may be his daughter. Portia says, so someone else ought to?

Finn says, things have been really messy, and Alexis says she’s here and ready to listen, but he shakes his head. She says, what if he told her, and left out the details? and he says he’s not ready, but when he is… She says, he’ll call her, he’ll find her, and if he can’t find her, he’ll find somebody else. Because they have to talk about it. He knows what happens when they hold back. He says he does. He found out something… about Reiko. She was having an affair. Alexis says she’s sorry to hear that, and asks how he found out, but he says, it doesn’t matter. All these things he thought about his marriage and himself, he doesn’t know what to do with any of them. She says he doesn’t have to know that right now. Take some time to think about it, and she’s sure he’ll figure it out. In the meantime, has he talked about this with Elizabeth?

Elizabeth thanks Carly for stopping by, and says, unless there’s something else, she was in the middle of something. Carly says, scrapbooking? but Elizabeth says, decluttering. Carly says, when she sometimes gets the urge to declutter, she starts with the things least personal, and Elizabeth says, sounds like a good system for Carly. Carly sits next to her on the couch, and says, it looks pretty personal. These are Elizabeth’s family photos. Elizabeth says, it’s really none of Carly’s business, and Carly picks up a photo, asking if these are Elizabeth’s parents. Elizabeth takes the photo, and says, parents, yes. Family? Not even close. She throws it back on the pile.

Adam asks what Josslyn has in there. Or is it who? She asks if she can trust him, and he says he swears. She says she has a cat. It was a stray, that she saw some frat guys harassing, so she scooped it up, and brought it back. She doesn’t want to get caught before she finds it a new home. He says, she’s a good person, and she says, so is he, if he doesn’t say anything. He says, her secret is safe. Is there any chance she could put in a good word for him with Trina? She tells him, Trina is seeing someone, but if that changes, she’ll send Trina his way. He thanks her, and says, see? Good person. He leaves, and she goes into her room, finding Dex on the floor, unconscious. She asks if he’s with her, and tells him, wake up.

Esme’s food is everywhere, and Demetrius comes in. He says, he’ll clean this up, and get her an early lunch.

Spencer says, when he saw Trina at the PCPD, he knew she was innocent. He knew Esme set her up; there could be no doubt. She asks if he knows how badly she needed to hear that, but he says he thought it was more important for him to stick close to Esme, so he could find something that would prove her innocence. She says, that explains why he played Esme, but not why he played her, and he says he wasn’t playing her. She says he was keeping her in the dark, and he says, she’s honest, and when you’re going up against a liar like Esme… She says, he didn’t think she could pull it off, but he says he wasn’t going to risk Esme finding out. Deceiving Trina was the best thing for her. She says, he sounds like Curtis. He also does what he thinks is best for her. Spencer says he has a lot to apologize for, but he’s not going to apologize for protecting her. She says she doesn’t fault his motives; his intentions are golden. But she would have felt more protected with him at her side. Maybe he’s right. Who knows how things would have turned out if he’d told her how he felt? But let her tell him one thing. It hurt that he thought so little of her when she thought so much of him.

Portia asks if that someone else is Jordan, when there’s a knock at the door. Portia says, come in, and Curtis and Marshall walk in. Curtis says he sees they’re still at it, but Jordan says, they’re done… for the moment. She leaves, and Portia says, Jordan gave her a heads up about something. It turns out Esme is back in town. Curtis says, let’s forget about this and go get Trina, but Portia says, Jordan already warned Trina, and Trina knows to be vigilant. She’s already gone over it with her, but Trina wouldn’t want them to hold up this news any longer; not on her account. She asks if that’s the report in Curtis’s hands, and he says, it is. He got a message that the genetic counselor is has been delayed, but he can’t wait any longer. Marshall says, Portia knows her stuff. Can’t she tell them what it says? She says, it’s up to Curtis, and Curtis hands her the envelope, saying, please. She opens it, and Curtis says, let’s hear it. Marshall asks, what are the chances Curtis has for developing schizophrenia like he has? She looks at the report, and Curtis asks if it’s bad news. She says, there are ten genes tied directly to schizophrenia. Ten genes that are ultra-rare, disabling variants that promote the development of the disease. Curtis asks how many he has, and she says, none. Marshall says, none as in… She says, as in zero. As in Curtis is in the clear.

Alexis says, Elizabeth can help Finn sort out his feelings about Reiko. Just talk to her. Finn says, that might not be real productive at this stage, and she asks, why not? He says, remember the messiness he mentioned? and she asks who he thinks he’s talking to. She’s the queen of messy. Don’t let this thing with Reiko put a wedge between him and Elizabeth. Talk to her before the silence does the talking for both of them.

Carly says she never met Elizabeth’s parents, and Elizabeth says, they might as well be strangers. She hasn’t spoken to them in 25 years. Carly says, she hasn’t spoken to her parents in 25 years? and Elizabeth says, not until two days ago, and that conversation will hold her over for another 50. She puts the pile she’s made in the fireplace, and Carly asks if she’s really going to burn all this stuff. Elizabeth says, that’s why she put it in the fireplace, and takes the matches from the mantel. Carly tells her, hold on. She has no photos of her and Bobbie from when she was a kid, and so wishes she did. She knows all of this feels more like a burden than blessing right now, but one day she might change her mind and regret burning all of it.

Spencer says he remember the look on Trina’s face when he asked her how she could make that video of Joss and Cam. He saw how hurt she was, and he hated himself. Almost as much as he hated pretending he still cared about Esme. He’s not saying he suffered; not the way she did. She says, he didn’t have to go down that road. Look where it got him; in here. If he thinks it’s hell wondering what might happen to her, it’s just as bad seeing what’s happening to him. He says, honestly, he didn’t know she cared, and she says, give her a break. He knew. She was clear how she felt about him. Can he say the same? If he ever returned her feelings, he never said so. He didn’t even try, did he?

Nikolas says, Esme hasn’t pulled the trigger on them because she knows her accusation won’t be believed, but Ava says, maybe she’s biding her time. Waiting for the opportune moment to do maximum damage. He says he doesn’t think that’s the case, but she says she doesn’t think he’s giving Esme enough credit. The longer she’s out there, the more time she has to figure out a way to hurt them the most. And one way or another, she’ll do that, unless they hurt her first.

Esme says, Demetrius seems like a good person. He seems like he cares. She doesn’t mean for her of course (🍷); she means for Nikolas. Doesn’t he see that Nikolas isn’t well? He has her locked up against her will. If he were in his right mind, he’d never be doing this. Please, for Nikolas’s sake, call the police before this gets any worse for him.

Spencer says, maybe he’s just not good at talking about that kind of stuff, but Trina says, please. If he couldn’t bring himself to tell, maybe he could have put it on paper… in a letter. He says, the letter is long gone, but she says, she’s not. She’s here. He says, this would have been so much easier over the phone. He tried calling her the other night, but she didn’t pick up. She says she didn’t hear the phone ring, and he says, good; he thought she was ignoring him. She says she was in a hotel room, fighting to fall asleep. She’d just spent a long day at a comic book convention in New York. He says, since when is she interested in X-Men? and she says she’s not. Rory is.

Curtis says, yes! He knew everything would be all right. He kisses Portia, and hugs Marshall, who says, well, he didn’t. He asks Portia if this means Curtis has no susceptibility, and she says, no more susceptibility than average. Nothing inherited from Marshall. It’s actually strange. The odds of Curtis dodging some of the relevant genes are good enough, but all of them? The chances of something like that happening are very slim. Marshall says, his son must be very, very lucky.

Josslyn tries to wake Dex, and tells him, he can’t stay here. He needs to get up off the floor. He says he’s fine, but she says, he’s not, feeling his forehead. She says, he’s burning up. Come on, soldier, get up. She tells him to lean on her, and brings him over to the bed. She says she needs to get him to urgent care, but he just wants to get to the bed. He falls into it, and says he’ll be fine. He just needs to hydrate. She says, he needs antibiotics. And if he won’t go get some, she’s going to need to bring some to him.

Jordan sees Finn, and calls to him. He asks what he can do for her, and she says she was looking for Elizabeth to follow up on last night. Does he know if she checked herself out? He says he wasn’t aware she checked herself in. What happened, and why does Jordan need to follow up with her? Jordan says, if he sees Elizabeth, please let Elizabeth know she’d like to speak with her, and walks off.

Elizabeth tells Carly, good point. She’ll keep that in mind. Carly says, but she’s still going to burn it all, right? Elizabeth asks if there’s anything else, because if Carly doesn’t mind, she’d like to get back to doing what she was doing. Carly says she knows they’re not really friends, but they’ve known each other a long time, and she thinks they know each other pretty well. She’s never seen Elizabeth like this. Elizabeth says, it’s new to her too. She’s reevaluating. Carly says, reevaluating what? and Elizabeth says, relationships. Carly says, with her parents? and Elizabeth says, anyone she hasn’t given birth to. Carly says, if Elizabeth needs to talk and no one’s around… but Elizabeth says, it won’t come to that, but thanks. She appreciates the offer. Carly leaves, but watches through the window as Elizabeth lights a match. She looks at the photo of Jeff and Carolyn that she swiped from the pile.

Dex asks how Josslyn is going to get antibiotics, and she says, let her deal with that. Do not move from this bed. He says he owes her, and she says, big time, and she plans to collect. She leaves, and Carly calls her name, marching down the hall toward her.

Alexis sees Jordan, and says she’s glad she ran into her. Her office has been having a bit of a problem scheduling the interview Jordan promised; an exclusive in exchange for her not printing the letter from the killer. Jordan says she’ll speak to her assistant, and they’ll work something out. Alexis thanks her, and Jordan moves on. Alexis calls Gregory, and says she’s beginning to think Jordan is giving them the runaround. This might be time to activate that insurance policy.

Curtis asks if it isn’t a good thing that he doesn’t have those genes, and Portia says, it is; it’s just highly anomalous. She asks if Marshall has had any kind of genetic screening, but he says, not that he knows of, but he was diagnosed a long time ago. Portia says, the ten genes in this test were discovered a few years ago, and Curtis asks if it matters. Portia says, not at all; this is great. It’s wonderful news and worth celebrating. She says she has to take care of something real quick. Can they give her one moment? Curtis tells her to do what she’s gotta do, and she leaves. Marshall says he’d better take off too, and Curtis says, so soon. What’s wrong? Marshall tears up, and says he’s just so happy. He was so scared for Curtis; scared of what he might have left with him. He’s going to go. Curtis doesn’t need to see him like this. Curtis says, remember the whole reason Marshall stuck around here. He was here through the bad times, so he’s got to stick around for the good. With all due respect, he insists. Marshall says, yeah, and they hug.

Portia tells Jordan that they got the results back from the genetic screening, and Curtis is in no danger of developing schizophrenia. Jordan says, that is a relief, and thanks Portia for telling her, but says, that still leaves an unanswered question. Is Trina Taggert’s daughter or Curtis’s?  

Spencer asks if Trina and Rory had fun in New York, but she says, they’re not talking about her and Rory. He says, they might as well. Officer Cabrera is a good guy, better than most. He’s glad; she deserves a good guy. He gets up, and says, they’re done, but she says, they’re not. The guard says, time’s up, but she says, one more minute. He can at least do that for her. The guard says, Spencer already had one visitor today, and Trina says, anybody special? Spencer says, his grandmother. She told him that Esme was spotted back in Port Charles. Trina says she knows, and he tells her, please be careful. She says, wait. She has something to tell him. She’s grateful for what he did for her, even if it was the wrong thing. She starts to cry, and says she knows what he meant by it. He says, goodbye, Trina, and leaves.

Ava says, if Nikolas will excuse her, and picks up her jacket. He says, they should continue this conversation later. Dinner at the MetroCourt? She tells him that she has nothing more to say to him. Not until he comes up with a plan to make sure Esme doesn’t open her mouth. He follows her to the door, and says he promises to never let Esme hurt her or anyone else he loves ever again. She says, if only he kept his promises as easily as he makes them, and leaves.

Esme tells Demetrius to look out for Nikolas. He’s the only one who can. He says, Mr. Cassadine has always looked out for him. If she’ll allow it, Nikolas will look after her too. Trust him. He leaves, and Esme throws herself on bed. She sits up, hearing the bathroom door creak.

At the hospital, a man goes to the reception desk, and says he’s looking for Nurse Elizabeth Baldwin. The nurse says she’ll see if Elizabeth is working today. Who should she say is asking for her? He says, her father, Jeff Webber. Jeff turns around, and sees Finn.

There’s knock at Nikolas’s door, and he says, back so soon? But it’s not Ava, it’s Elizabeth.

Tomorrow, Josslyn says, her mom took her chances, and now she’s taking hers; Willow wants to track down her biological family; Elizabeth asks Nikolas where Esme is; Brick meets Nina; and Esme says, bye-bye, baby.

👑 Prince Temporary…

I hate to say it, but this guy is kinda better.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Blessedly, it’s the final charter.

St. Paul’s Bay, Malta. The guests are waiting for breakfast service. The alarm goes off, but Elena sleeps through it. Tasha and Natalya serve, the slide is put out, and Elena continues to sleep. Captain Sandy tells the guests, no wearing necklaces or watches when they do water sports. She informs them that they might have to go to the dock tonight, or they won’t make it tomorrow. In her interview, Tasha says, in all her yachting seasons, she hit her lowest ever with this one. She takes pride in what she does, but her personal life infected the season. Her ex reached out to Dave, and it’s sh*t. Natalya wonders where Ellie is, and Tasha tells the guests the special is smashed avocado on homemade toast. I’ll take that with a side of eggs benedict. Dominique seems to love a challenge, and asks for regular pancakes. Tasha gives Dave the breakfast orders, and Dave attempts pancakes again, knowing it will be wrong. And they are – they’re literally raw on the inside. WTF? Even I know how to make a pancake. I used to take care of my neighbor’s kids, and one of them asked me to make a pancake shaped like Goofy. I’d never made a pancake in my life, and I managed to be successful with the Goofycake. And Dave can’t make a simple pancake? It’s like Bizarro World. Tasha asks how Dominique would prefer them, and he says, cooked, but in a surprise twist, he doesn’t want to hurt Dave’s feelings, and tells her to just say it was good. The water toys go out, and Tasha explains to Dave that the pancakes weren’t cooked. But he can’t see it, and says, Dominique is a pr*ck. On deck, Dominique says he’ll wait until he gets home to get pancakes the correct way. Again, it might have been fun if they’d invited him to show them his technique. Elena finally wakes up, two hours late. In her interview, she says, it’s her second day at work, and she’s late. Oh my God. In Tasha’s interview, she says, for f***’s sake. She has enough on her mind. She doesn’t need this. She tells Elena to get the cabins done, and the guests do water sports. In Mzi’s interview, he says, looking back, he was clueless about every operation on deck. Now he’s confident, and super proud. The future is looking up. Tasha’s ex texts Dave, calling him a bully who blames everyone but himself. In Dave’s interview, he’s sick of this guy calling him a bully, but Tasha agreed. She thinks he’s an animal. So to prove that point, he goes to find her like a panther on the hunt.

Tasha gets up from some downtime, and Dave knocks at her cabin. She says, no more arguments; she’s done with it. She’s got sh*t to sort out when she gets home. She doesn’t recognize herself; there’s nothing inside anymore. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Dave’s behavior was unacceptable this season. She learned a lot about herself in a painful way, but it was also painful to others. She doesn’t know how to be alone. She should be happy without another person; she’s learning. Dave tells her that he’s sorry. Captain Sandy decides to go back to the dock, and tells Storm and Courtney to start wrapping things up. She tells Dave that she’s going to be having dinner with the guests. Elena says, the cabins are done, and Natalya says, she’s magic. In Natalya’s interview, she says, if you’re going to sleep in, then work quick. Dave tells Tasha that he’s doing Asian food tonight, and making sea bream. In Dave’s interview, he says, he did it. He took so many steps backward this season. He feels like he caused drama, and it affected the crew. The least he can do is cook something amazing for the last dinner. Tasha and Natalya decorate the table, and in Storm’s interview, he says, to add to the already difficult docking, the visibility is the worst, and it’s the last time he gets to show what he’s learned being a bosun. He wants to show Captain Sandy that she made the right decision. They basically parallel park, and the captain says, great job. She checks out the dinner table, and says, awesome, and Dave says, the pressure’s on.

Primary Josh toasts to a wonderful couple of days, then guest Tyler gets up and says, Jack and Jill went up the hill, so Jack could l*ck Jill’s candy. Jack got a shock and a mouthful of c*ck, because Jill’s real name was Randy. Which isn’t even a toast. While the captain laughs along with the rest, in her interview, she’s like, come on. Dave comes up with the entree, and Captain Sandy says, it’s delicious, while another guest says, picture worthy. The captain tells the guests about her journey in yachting, and says she got on the drug and alcohol merry-go-round, and was kicked out of 11th grade. She got a job washing boats, and did so well, she was hired full-time and her boss sent her to sea school. Storm tells Natalya that he’s both stoked and sad, and thanks her for being there for him this season. In his interview, he says, it’s difficult. He thinks she enjoys having him be that person for her, but he’ll miss her more than she’ll miss him.  

Dominique says he doesn’t like mushrooms, but these f***ing mushrooms are good. Storm asks for someone to help Ellie, and Courtney tells her that Reid is on his way to help. Captain Sandy excuses herself to get a good night’s sleep, and tells Dave that his food was good, and yummy, yummy, yummy. In Reid’s interview, he says he’s single, but he’s not negative about dating and hooking up. He thinks you can have fun, and not be serious… His grandma is going to kill him. Mzi suggests Reid follow up by helping with laundry, and he does. Dessert is a cheesecake with ginger crumb, which sounds like something I wouldn’t like, but I bet it’s f***ing good. Josh thanks Dave, Reid does laundry, and pretty much everyone goes to bed.

Natalya gets into bed with Storm, and says, it’s the last day. Tasha gets a text from Kyle, saying, he’ll be back in a couple of hours. Tasha texts back, he can stay on the boat tonight. Mimosas are given to the guests, and Reid tells Storm, it’s their last solid day together. Tasha asks if Dominique wants pancakes, and co-primary Sydney says she never wants to talk about pancakes again. Can’t say I blame her. The guests pack, and Natalya says she won’t miss the pantry one bit. It’s time to say goodbye to the guests, and after the hugfest, Josh says, they had a wonderful time. The crew made the experience everything they expected and more. He gives captain Sandy the tip envelope, and the guests depart. Captain Sandy tells the crew to stay in their whites and go directly to the tip meeting. The crew hops up and down, and Courtney says, let’s get lit, a word I will now forever associate with Erika Jayne. Natalya puts on a short blonde wig.  

Captain Sandy wonders what Natalya is up to, when she bounds in, doing a Captain Sandy imitation. She says, charter nine, everybody. This envelope is thick. We started off strong. We ended strong. Wow. High five. She runs down the line of crew members, high-fiving, and then sits down. Everyone cheers, and the captain says, awesome. Wow. They made it through the season. They were down a man with Kyle being out, but Ellie was a breath of fresh air. The tip is $20K, or $1800 each. Their total for the season is $188,100, or $17,000 per person. She’s going to be joining them for a while tonight. Kyle comes back to the boat, and he and Tasha hug. Dave helps him with his bag, and Kyle says he’s feeling good, even though his shoe is a little tight on his ankle. In Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s lonesome by yourself during the recovery process. After two tequilas, magically everything will feel great. He meets Elena, who’s wearing a tight sparkly dress, and he zips her up. He tells the others that he might sleep with one of them tonight, and they head out in a bus to a restaurant n Venetta.

Natalya asks Captain Sandy, officially, who’s her favorite? If they were hanging off a cliff, who would she pick to save? Obviously, the captain isn’t going to answer this question, but in Natalya’s interview, she says, she knows Captain Sandy would pick her. The captain asks what everyone’s highs and lows were, and Courtney says, she felt welcomed being a female deckie, and becoming lead deckhand was amazing. She couldn’t have done it without them. Dave says, his thorn was going through some of the lowest times, but his was that they all supported him. He’s super grateful. Tasha says, Kyle’s been her rock, and she and Natasha are like twins. Dave was super patient and calm, and made her job easier. Like I said, Bizarro World. Storm says, his thorn was hitting the dolphin because of his lack of experience. His rose was getting along with the crew, and gelling in his role with them. He had a phenomenal time. Natalya says, he forgot a rose, and in Storm’s interview, he says, he knows Natalya hates public affection. He would have done an Oscar worthy Leonardo DiCaprio for her, but he knew she didn’t want that, and he got sh*t anyway. He tells Natalya, that’s more of a personal thing.

Captain Sandy tells them, it’s been a pleasure; have fun. She leaves, and Storm and Mzi go for a smoke. Storm tells Mzi that he can’t keep up with Natalya’s sh*t. Elena wants to party, and Erika Natalya suggests they get lit. They go inside and dance. Elena dances with Reid, and in her interview, she says she wishes they had more time to get to know one another. Kyle tells Natalya that he’s glad they met, and in his interview, he says, Natalya is a massive ball of energy. He’s willing to forgive, but he won’t forget what she did. But who’s counting? When glass starts breaking, it’s time to go. In their taxi, the guys fist bump to their last time out. Storm suggests they jump into the river, but Reid is like, no. Back at the yacht, Storm is ready to jump in, for some reason thinking they were all in agreement, but Courtney encourages everyone to just get back on the boat. Storm gets pissed off, telling Mzi that he looked like an idiot. He tells Natalya about it, but she says, they should focus on their last night together, and tells him not to bring up his sh*t with other people. Don’t be a sourpuss. He says he’s not a sourpuss. Ellie says, the Old Fashioned she drank f***ed her up, and goes to bed. In Kyle’s interview, he says, ankle? What ankle? Everyone goes to the hot tub area, where the stripper pole still stands, and they go nuts dancing. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s never seen anything like it. They’re going wild. Two hours sleep in four days; it’s just what they need. In Mzi’s interview, he says, this is the wildest side he’s seen of everybody. He’s never seen Tasha like this. Kyle and Tasha hole up in a guest cabin, and Tasha says she’s proud of him. He says he couldn’t have done it without her. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Storm likes her, and she likes him, but she doesn’t know what she wants.

In the morning, everyone groans when the alarm clocks go off. Elena is about to put a fork in the toaster, when Storm stops her, explaining why you can’t do that. She wonders why she didn’t know this, and I do too, since she’s not five years old. Everyone packs, and Elena is the first to say goodbye. She and Reid say they’ll keep in touch, and in Reid’s interview, he sighs, and says, shoot. He doesn’t want to go home just yet. Reid is next to say goodbye, and Storm says, Reid is a legend. Mzi thanks Captain Sandy for the season, and says, it was absolutely incredible. She’s a big inspiration and guide. She tells him that he’s always welcome wherever she’s captain. In Mzi’s interview, he says he’s come a long way. He’s learned he needs to be more assertive. He’s going for his yacht master’s, and then wants to be a bosun like his brother. He’s excited for the future. He hugs Courtney, and she says, being with him was so much fun. Storm tells Mzi that he’s great. Kyle says goodbye to the captain, who says she can see his passion for yachting. He cuddles with Tasha under a blanket, and in his interview, he says, he’s looking forward to seeing Frank. If he keeps the faith, things will happen, but there’s only one way to find out – a one-way ticket to New York. If there are fireworks there, it’s in the bag. Captain Sandy tells Courtney that she’s an asset to any boat. She worked hard on deck and served. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s proud of herself. She came in sh*tting her pants, and became lead deckhand. If she can get some years in as bosun, that would be amazing. The captain tells Tasha, it’s been a pleasure, and thanks her for bringing the level of service that she did. She never lost her temper or spiraled. She showed up every day, and the captain never worried about service. Tasha thanks her, and says she didn’t worry because she had Captain Sandy. She tells Dave that she’s leaving. It wasn’t easy, but they made it to the end. In Tasha’s interview, she says, for the first time in a decade, she’s single. She learned a lot about herself. She has to stand up for herself, she doesn’t need more man drama, and needs to be more open. The future is exciting, and she has a lot to look forward to. A producer says, like what? and she says, finding a man… Jokes. Hmm… but I wonder. Captain Sandy tells Dave that he kept the galley clean, and brought art to the food. In Dave’s interview, as usual, he’s a wet blanket. He says he definitely hasn’t been himself. He’s been treading water the whole season. He won’t get the conversation he’s looking for from Tasha, and he feels terrified that he won’t see her again, but he wants the best for her. The captain tells Natalya that she was a joy every day. She brings light. I can only assume there’s a lot we didn’t see. Off the boat, Storm says he’s going to miss her, and she jumps into his arms. In Natalya’s interview, she says, it’s sad to say goodbye. When you’re living and working with someone, they become a part of you, but at the end of the day, she doesn’t think he’s her person. She tells him, see you on the flip side, and in Storm’s interview, he says, obviously, he’s grown fond of Natalya. Maybe they’ll see each other in the future. Who knows? He tells Captain Sandy, he’s out of here, and thanks her for the opportunity. He’s forever grateful. She says she made the right choice. His growth was incredible to witness. He’s a great bosun, and she’ll have him back any time. In his interview, he says, being promoted was intense. He learned about himself, and how he comes across when he’s stressed. He wants to be a captain and do dive charters. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, how it ended was incredible. In a perfect world, they learn from their mistakes. To grow is to succeed, and this season was a success. Another one down.

Next time, the Reunion.

🛬 Putting the Tray Table in the Upright Position…

Come back tomorrow for soap and a read of some tea leaves. Until then, stay safe, stay saying something if you see something, and stay celebrating the small victories.

November 11, 2022 – Laura Visits With Two Inmates, Mostly Cut, Possible Pair, Soap Son, Days Return, Ho-Ho-Ho, Too Long, More Wives, VanderNew, Daryl’s Spin, CMAs, 11 Quotes For 11/11 & Balloons

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna kisses Valentin, and he asks if she slept well. She says, you’d think the adrenaline rush would have kept her awake, but no. How about him? There’s a knock at the door, and Valentin answers. It’s Sonny, who says, helluva night, right?

On the phone, Josslyn tells Carly that she was with friends, and got in late, but they walked her back to her room.. Yes, she’s being careful… No she won’t be alone. We see Dex sleeping in Josslyn’s dorm room, which has one fantastic view, and looks like no dorm room in the real world.

Trina goes into Kelly’s, where Cameron is looking at his phone. She says she’d like to speak to the manager. He’s supposed to be serving, not surfing. He says he is the manager, and he’s been trying to reach Joss all morning. She asks if he’s worried, and he says, kind of. She hasn’t responded to his texts. Has Trina seen her on campus? She says, today’s her late class, but she’s sure Josslyn’s fine. Does he want her to try? He says, he’s probably overreacting. He’s just a little on edge with all the attacks that have been going on. She says, they all are, especially given the latest news. He says, so she heard Esme’s back in town? and she says, not until now.

Laura hugs Spencer, and says she’s been waiting months to do this. She can’t believe he let her get away with it. He says, she is the mayor, and sits down with her. She says, he’s looking thin, but he says, it’s probably the ill-fitting clothes. She asks if he’s doing okay, and he says, things could be worse. He’s being looked after. She says, that’s good. Who’s doing the looking after?

Austin calls Spinelli, and leaves a message, saying, maybe Spinelli could give him a call, and let him know about the favor he asked Spinelli to do for him. At the vending machine, Britt drops her change, and says, dammit. Austin says, let him, and picks it up for her. She says, that’ll teach her to polish off a bottle of Beaujolais on a school night, and he says, the French government doesn’t release the new Beaujolais until the third week in November, so technically, it’s probably a bottle of old Beaujolais. He puts the change in the machine, and asks what she’d like. She says, club soda, and he gets it for her. She thanks him, and says she didn’t know he was a wine aficionado. He says, not at all; he dated a girl in college who was. She takes a sip, and coughs. She tells him, don’t worry, she’s okay, and he says, she could have fooled him.

On the phone, Jordan tells someone to come to her office. She needs to see them right away. A guy walks right in, followed by Officer Clark, and the officer says he tried to stop him. Jordan asks who the guy is, and he shows his badge, saying, Agent Whitten with the US Marshal Service. She thanks Officer Clark, and asks him to shut the door. He leaves, and Whitten says, he’s here to talk to her… She says, let’s get something straight. She doesn’t give a damn if he’s a marshal, CIA, or one of the Avengers. Don’t barge into her office like that. Now what does he want? He says, everything she has on the Anna Devane case. He’s assuming control of the investigation.

Trina asks Cameron, where? Do the cops know? He says, they know. His mom spotted her on the pier. When she was trying to dial 9-1-1, Esme tried to grab the phone, and his mom fell and hit her head. She asks if his mom is all right, and he says, thankfully, but Esme got away, and they don’t know where she is. She’s still out there. Trina says, Esme’s graduated from torching cars and making revenge porn, to trying to kill that bartender. She’s seriously unhinged. He says, they have no idea what she’s capable of, and Trina asks if Josslyn told him Commissioner Ashford’s theory. He says, about The Hook targeting people closely related to Trina and the trial; yes. She says, Esme as the maniac? She can’t wrap her head around it. He tells her, please watch her back, and she says, him too. Does Spencer know? He says, they didn’t tell Spencer because they didn’t know Esme was back in town. They also didn’t know about The Hook’s connection to her. She says, and they were busy telling him other things? He says, Trina’s name did come up, and she says, Joss told her, especially how Spencer’s feelings were hurt when he found out she knew he’d believed in her all along, and never acknowledged it to him. Cameron asks why she didn’t, and she says she tried before he was taken to Pentenville, but by the time she reached the PCPD, he was gone. Cameron says, she knows where to find him, and he wonders what’s holding her back.

Laura says she guesses it’s his Uncle Victor pulling the strings, and Spencer says he’s had support from all of his uncles; each are useful in their own way. She says, Sonny is usually great, and he says, Uncle Martin tried like hell to get his sentence reduced. She says, he told her. He said Spencer refused to give him the name of the accomplice who helped him get an unauthorized pass from Spring Ridge. He says, she disapproves, and she says she understands him wanting to visit his mother’s grave, and she guesses he’s taken full responsibility and accepted the consequences, but whoever helped him should also face some consequences, because what they did was wrong too. He says, it seems unfair to penalize others for his decision, and asks how his great-grandmother Lesley is doing. Laura says, she’s recovering. She’s doing well, but it was so sad. They lost everything. Bit by bit, their new place on Lake Como is starting to feel like home. He says he’s glad. It’s good she’s back. It’s nice to see her. She says, him too, but he says, she shouldn’t have come here though.

Jordan says, to the best of her knowledge, Anna hasn’t crossed state lines, which puts this case under the jurisdiction of the PCPD, but Whitten says, not any longer. The mayor’s office called him in. She says, Mayor Collins called him? but he says, no. Mayor Collins is out of the country. Deputy Mayor Ashby contacted his office. Jordan says, on what grounds? and he says, the Deputy Mayor feels that city and state resources are stretched too thin. She says, what law enforcement department isn’t? She has this under control. He says, not from what he sees. A failed prisoner transport – the second in less than a year – and now she has a potential serial killer on the loose. It appears her resources are severely overtaxed. She says she’ll need confirmation confirming his jurisdiction, and he hands her some paperwork, saying, he’s not here to step on her toes; he’s here to help. From his understanding, in addition to being a WSB agent, the fugitive was also once Police Commissioner? She says, his understanding is correct, and he says, look at it this way. Relinquishing control of this investigation will avoid any appearance of impropriety for both her and her department.

Sonny asks, what happened out there? and Anna asks if Dex didn’t tell him. He says, no, and she says, Heather Webber happened. She was added to the transport at the last minute, and Dex tried to change the route so they’d go to D’Archam first and drop her, then Pentenville. She guesses the guard got suspicious, there was a struggle up front, Dex lost control of the vehicle, and crashed. After that, she doesn’t remember. Sonny says he hears the guard is still alive, so he can give them a description, and Valentin asks where Dex would go if he wanted to keep a low profile. Sonny says he doesn’t know. Dex doesn’t have many connections, and without him, Dex could be anywhere.

Dex struggles to sit up, and Josslyn says, let her help. He asks if he’s in her dorm room, and she says, good guess. He popped a stitch, then she found him not far from the house. He wasn’t completely unconscious, so she was able to get him in her car. She couldn’t take him to a hospital, so she brought him back here. He says, that was risky, but she says, not really. He looked like a drunk frat guy. He says he can’t believe she did all this for him, and she says, neither can she.

Austin and Britt go to an exam room, and she asks if he’s forgotten who’s the Chief of Staff. She gives the orders. It was nothing; she swallowed too fast. He asks her to put her hand out, and not be a difficult patient. She does, and her hand is shaking slightly. He says, they need to run some tests, but she says, no need. Too much caffeine. He says, what about the dysphasia? A first year med student can see it’s hard for her to swallow. How long has it been going on? She doesn’t say anything, and he says, it’s probably nothing, but they’ll just run a scan. He doesn’t need to tell her, the symptoms she’s exhibiting might be part of a larger neurological muscular disorder. She says she doesn’t need a test because she knows what’s going on. She has Huntington’s Disease.

Sonny says, everyone at GH is being questioned, and Anna says, what about Heather? He says, she’s been apprehended, and Anna asks where they found her. He says, Kelly’s, of all places. His phone chirps, and he says, voicemail. It didn’t even ring. Valentin says, they’re pretty remote, and Anna says, there’s no reception here. Sonny steps away, and Anna says she feels terrible about Dex. That kid out there hiding; she just wanted this to be a clean operation. He says, extractions can get complicated. Sonny’s guy knew the risks going in. She says, now he’s paying the price because of her, but Valentin says, because of Victor. Victor made her take the fall for what he did to Lucy. Dear old dad. Sonny comes back, and says, Jordan wants to talk to him at the precinct. Anna says, she suspects he helped her, and Sonny says, could be, but she can’t prove it, so this will be the last time they can have any kind of contact. He and Anna hug, and he tells her to take care of herself. She thanks him, and he says, prove her innocence, and leaves.

Spencer says, Laura is wasting her time here. There’s too much happening in Port Charles right now. She says, it’s never a waste of her time to see him. Nothing is more important to her. She has some news for him. Apparently, Esme has been spotted again in Port Charles. He asks if she’s been arrested, and Laura says, no, but the authorities are looking out for her. He says he hopes they deploy dogs, and she says, he has every right to feel betrayed, but holding on to his rage and resentment will ultimately only hurt him. He says, this isn’t just about Esme, is it? and she says, his dad told her there had been another rift between them. He won’t be in here much longer. Does he think they can all work this out together? Maybe Sundays at her house? He says, obviously, his father didn’t tell her why they’re estranged, an she says, no, but he can. What happened? He tells her, ask her son, or when they find her, ask Esme.

Josslyn tells Dex, she used her keycard to nab some medical supplies from the gym, and the locker room had most of what she needed to clean and rebandage his wound. He asks if she has a roommate, but she says, it’s taken care of. He asks, who else has a key? but she says, nobody is going to come in here. He’s fine. He says he can’t stay here, and rolls out of bed. She tells him, don’t get up, and he nearly falls over on her. She helps him back to bed, and says, he’s heavier than he looks. He says, all muscle, and she looks at the bandage. She says, no blood, so that’s good. He could have popped another stitch pulling that stunt. She hopes it’s worth working for Sonny. How much is Sonny paying Dex to get shot for him? She doesn’t see Sonny risking his life. Dex says, no comment, and she says, he needs food and hydration. If she gets something from the dining hall, does he promise to be good and stay put? He says he doesn’t want her involved, but she says, it’s too late. Besides, he has nowhere else to go. He says he does. Grab his phone, and he’ll make arrangements. She says, he didn’t have a phone, and he asks if he can borrow hers, but she says, not if he’s going to use it to call Sonny.

Whitten asks if Jordan has any leads on the individual who commandeered the van, and she says, not at the scene. He says, did the security footage from the General Hospital parking garage turn up anything? but she says, their mystery man was shy with the cameras. One of her officers did make contact during transfer. He says he’ll need to talk to that officer, and she says, he was focused on the transfer, and never even saw the driver’s face. Should he remember any details, she’ll have him meet with their sketch artist and have a composite drawn. He says, jar that memory. An ID on that driver will lead them to whoever aided Anna Devane’s escape. She says, okay, Captain Obvious. There’s a knock at the door, and Jordan says, come in. Sonny walks in, and Whitten says, Mr. Corinthos. You just saved me a trip.

Trina tells Cameron, the last time she talked to Spencer, she told him that she didn’t want to be friends. She’s not sure she can take that back. She’s not sure she wants to. Cameron says he guesses that’s up to her. If she’s moved on, more power to her. He thinks ultimately, Spencer just wants her to be happy, even if it’s with Rory. The same goes for him. She thanks him, and says, Rory is a great guy. Cameron says, they seem at ease with one another, like him and Joss. She says, he and Joss have gone through a lot in the past few months, and they’re still together. He says he thinks it’s their friendship that keeps them grounded. Because of that bond, it’s easier to find their way back to one another. Trina says, she and Rory are friends too; he’s so supportive. Cameron says he’s glad. Maybe it’s for the best Spencer never gave her that letter.

Laura says, ask Esme? What does she have to do with the rift between Spencer and his dad? Spencer tells her, that’s not for him to say, and the guard says, time’s up. Spencer says, it’s great to see her, and she asks if there’s anything he needs. He says, she came to see him. He couldn’t ask for more. Before she left, he made her a promise, and he’s sorry he let her down. She says, he didn’t let her down. What he did for Trina is the epitome of protecting the people you love. She couldn’t be more proud of him. He thanks her, and she says she’ll see him soon. He leaves, and the guard tells Laura, before she goes, there’s someone else who would like to talk to her. She asks, who? and Cyrus says, her big brother. Hello, Laura.  

Josslyn says she can’t stop Dex from asking Sonny for help, but he’s not doing it from her phone. He says he gets that she hates the guy… and she says she’ll never shake the sight of Dex hanging from a meat hook. His face all bruised, shivering with cold, all these knives laid out in front of him. And this is the man he wants to go to for help. Is she supposed to be grateful while Sonny acts all concerned and protective? No. He says he can’t stay here forever, and his options are limited. She tells him, he can send Sonny an email, but he can’t do it from her account. He says, not exactly the most expedient form of communication. (Remember when it used to be?) Just give it to him please. She brings over her laptop, and says she’s going to grab some stuff. Stay here and be good. She’ll be back soon. She leaves, and he opens the laptop.

Trina asks if Cameron is talking about the letter Spencer almost gave her at the party, and her phone rings. It’s Josslyn, and Trina asks if everything is okay. Josslyn says, everything is totally fine, but Trina says she sounds weird. Josslyn says she doesn’t want to freak Trina out, but is she planning on swinging by the room today? Trina says she’s not sure. What’s up? Josslyn says, apparently, they’re spraying for bedbugs, and Trina says, gross. She tells Cameron, they’re spraying the room for bedbugs, and Josslyn asks if she’s with Cam. Trina asks if Josslyn wants to talk to him. He’s been trying to get ahold of her. Josslyn says, tell him she’ll call him back later. She has to clear some stuff out of the room so they can spray. Trina asks if she needs help, but Josslyn says, no; she’s got it covered. Trina says, keep her posted, and Cameron asks if Josslyn didn’t want to talk to him. Trina says, it sounded like she had a lot going on.

In Josslyn’s room, Dex sends an email. In the hallway, Adam asks Josslyn if they have bedbugs, and she says, that’s the rumor. Check his mattress. He says he woudn’t know the signs. Can she show him what to look for?

Cyrus says, it’s good to see Laura. Please sit with him. She says she can’t stay. She’s still the mayor, and has some important things to attend to; no thanks to him and those Friends of Port Charles. He says, she’s still angry about the recall effort, but he has no desire to hurt her, despite her belief to the contrary. She says she does know now it wasn’t him who was behind the attempt on her and Martin’s life at the safe house last June, and he says, good. He told her. She says he did. Forgive her if she doesn’t always take him at his word. He says he forgives her. Does she know who’s behind the attack? She says, if she told him, what would he do? and he says, just send a message. She says, ahh. So much for his conversion, but he says, safeguarding his family is in line with biblical principles. It’s good to see her; she’s looking well. She tells him that she doesn’t know how to say this without sounding mean, but she didn’t come here to talk to him. He says he knows, but maybe that can change. Maybe she and Martin could visit him together. He’d love to see his brother. How is he? Laura says, Cyrus should ask him, and he says he’d like to, but she’s here and he’s not. Has something happened? She doesn’t say anything, and he says, she’s afraid he’ll use personal information to hurt Martin. She has to believe him. He’s doing everything he can to make things right with his family. Starting with his  great-nephew Spencer.

Valentin says, if Deputy Mayor Ashby is on Victor’s payroll, who knows who else could be? and Anna says, but Ashby needs definitive proof to tie her to Victor. Valentin says, it’s time we stop focusing on Victor’s guilt, and focus on proving your innocence, and she says, we? He says, of course (🍷), but she says he has to go. He says, in due time, but she says, now, today. If they get caught, he’ll go to prison too. He asks if she thinks he doesn’t know that. She’s a survivor, but how is she going to hide out here, and conduct an investigation by herself? She says, carefully. He has to go. He asks if she has any idea how much she means to him, and they touch foreheads.

Britt tells Austin, her father had Huntington’s. When she found out, she chose not to get tested. She started having hand tremors, and it turned out it was just repetitive motions disorder, but she realized it wasn’t doing her any good to hide. The fear that she might have Huntington’s was ruining her life. So she talked it through with someone she respected, and decided she needed to know one way or the other. Now she knows. He says he’s sorry, and she says, there’s no wrist brace to stave off this disease. She lives every day knowing symptoms can present at any time. He asks what kind of timeline her treating physician gave her, but she says she doesn’t have one, and he says, doctor, you need a doctor. He’s no expert, but from what he remembers about this horrible disease, she’s in the early stages, and there are protocols that can help her manage her symptoms. She says she knows her disease progresses in stages. She knows it may be able to carry on with activities for years. There are meds that can help her deal with symptoms without assistance, yada-yada. He says, it’s not yada-yada. All of those things should comfort her. She says, cut the crap. Let’s be real. There’s a bomb in her brain, and the countdown has begun.

Whitten says he’s surprised to see Sonny Corinthos easily saunter into the Police Commissioner’s office, and Jordan says, at least he knocked. <snort> She’d requested his presence before Whitten barged in. Sonny says, Whitten seems to know him, but he doesn’t know Whitten, and Whitten says, Agent Whitten with the US Marshal’s Service. Sonny asks if he should have his lawyer present, but Whitten says, no; it’s just a friendly conversation. Sonny says, no such thing from the Feds, and Whitten says he’s been going through Anna Devane’s file, and it appears she and Sonny go way back. Sonny says, so what? and Whitten says, Miss Devane is a high value fugitive. The government is anxious to sit down with her. Jordan says, he’s hoping to make a deal, and Sonny says, maybe a trade in classified information. Whitten says, Sonny would be making a friend at the Attorney General’s office if he helps them, but Sonny says he doesn’t need a friend. And if Whitten thinks he’s going to coerce Anna into giving them state secrets, he doesn’t know her at all. Whitten says, Sonny does. Just let his friend know they can offer her safe haven… if Sonny is in contact with her. Sonny says he’s not, and Whitten says, that’s a shame. His bosses say, if they can’t bring her in bring, they have to bring her down. Jordan says, no need to get combative, but Whitten says he doesn’t see the need to waste time or mince words. She says, Anna Devane is no danger to the public at large, but he says, they don’t know that. He’ll take the file with him, and have any files related to this case uploaded to his office this afternoon. He gives Sonny his card, and says, in case there’s anything he needs to know. He leaves, and Jordan says she didn’t know he’d be here when she called Sonny. Sonny rips up the card, and says, he gathered. Ambushes aren’t her style. She says, that wasn’t a bluff, was it? and Sonny says, when he told them he’d take down Anna if he couldn’t bring her in? He thinks Whitten meant every damn word.

Anna says, the best thing Valentin could do for both of them is leave. Because she would feel devastated if something happened to him. He says, why doesn’t he stick around a few more days? and she says, because if Victor realizes they’re both missing… Valentin says he’s sure Victor knows by now. He’s sure Victor knows he helped with her escape. She says, but what if Victor takes advantage of his absence, and seizes Charlotte again? and he says, she’s safe with Laura. Anna says, he just got her back. He was in hell without her. He needs to be there for her. He has to keep her safe. She’s a big girl; she can manage. He says, okay, and takes off his ring. He says, this ring has a lot of complicated feelings for him. She says, the Cassadine ring, sure, and he says, and every time he tries to get rid of it, it finds its way back to him. Will she hold on to it until they’re together again? He puts the ring in her hand, closes her fingers around it, and kisses them.  

Britt tells Austin, obviously, she covers all the bases with her patients, but she reserves the right not to waste her own precious time. Maybe she’ll get her affairs in order instead. Austin says, okay, but he thinks the way it goes is, there are horses, and then there’s a cart. She says she’s had her fill of horse idioms, and he says, how’s Cody? Does he know? She says, only her mother and Scotty know. She hasn’t told anyone else who matters. They laugh, and he says he’s just kidding. She doesn’t have to manage his feelings. She says, the irony. It’s the first time in a long time things have started to go well. He says he’s sorry, but he doesn’t see it as the end of the line for her. She says she thinks that’s something he’d say to a patient, and he says he knows she’s not his patient, but they’re both physicians, so they know there are advancements in medicine every day. And they caught this early, so maybe they can take advantage of one of them. For what it’s worth (🍷), if he had to wager between her and Huntington’s, he’s all in on her.

Josslyn tells Adan, just google bedbugs. She thinks they’re tiny dark spots on your sheets and pillowcases. He says, don’t you have to throw everything out? He’ll check just in case. He’s glad Trina is back at PCU, and they can all move on from what happened. She says she appreciates that, and he says, she deserves a drama free year. He leaves, and she says, that’s not gonna happen.

Trina says, before Joss called, Cameron was going to say something about Spencer’s letter. Does he know what Spencer wrote? Cameron says, he just said he confessed everything; why he did what he did. Not that it matters now though, right? She says, what’s done is done, and he says he has to go back to work in the kitchen. Promise him she’ll stay vigilant. They all have to watch their backs now that Esme’s around. She says, 100%. One more thing. Was Spencer confessing to playing Esme, or something else? Cameron says, for that, she’ll have to ask Spencer herself.  

Laura asks why Cyrus is bringing up Spencer, and he says, they got acquainted here. He sees great things in Spencer; a lot of her energy. She says, no. Stay away from Spencer. Cyrus shouts that he’s been protecting Spencer… and she tells him not to raise his voice. Sit down. Cyrus says, ever since he became a ward of the state. In case she didn’t notice, it’s a little dangerous in here. She tells him, sit down, and they both sit. He says, ask Spencer. Did Spencer seem okay to her? She says, he did, and Cyrus says, he’s going to make sure Spencer stays that way. He can’t promise the same for her friend Anna Devane. If she’s captured, perhaps as mayor, Laura can pull strings to make sure she doesn’t come to Pentenville. Laura asks, why? What does he know? He asks if the name Olivia Jerome means anything to her, and Laura asks if Olivia has said something. He says, only that she can’t wait to roll out the Pentenville red carpet for Anna Devane. He knows Laura doesn’t trust him, but trust this. If Anna is on the run, it’s best she stays that way.

Jordan says, if Sonny know where Anna is, let them bring her in. It’s safer that way. He asks if she thinks Anna would really be safer in Pentenville within Victor’s reach. He’s the one who set her up. Anna is lucky she has friends, them included. She says, Anna is a dear friend, but she can’t break the law outright for her. Sonny says he gets it, but she can’t turn Anna over to that hotshot agent either. She says, hell no. He only wants to impress his bosses. They can’t let that happen at the expense of Anna. He says, so they’re on the same page here. Anna is safer on her own.

On the phone, Whitten says, they find the person most likely to have helped Anna escape. Then they lean on him until he breaks. He opens a folder, and looks at Valentin’s picture. Um… When I think of Valentin, I don’t think of someone who cracks easily.

Anna says, when Valentin is back in Port Charles, he’ll be able to keep an eye on his father, and he says, if she leaves here, how will he find her? She says she’ll find him, and he tells her, be careful. She tells him to be careful too, and they kiss. He says, je t’aime, and she says, à bientôt. He leaves, and she looks at the ring and cries.

Britt tells Austin, here’s a positive. She can blame her britchiness on Huntington’s. He says, there’s the indominable spirit that everyone around here respects so much, and she asks if he missed the part where she said britch. She’s not Miss Popularity. Austin says he doesn’t think people see her the way they used to, and she asks how he knows. He says he works here. She knows how doctors and nurses are; they all talk. She’s respected. For her deep, deep compassion, even though she tries every way she can to convince everyone she doesn’t have any. She’s got a lot in her life. She’s got Brad. She’s got her mom. Maxie and her kids. Britt says, thank God James and Bailey don’t have the marker, and he says, if they did, she’d be there to support them, right? She says, of course (🍷), and he says, so maybe let everybody support her now. There’s nothing you can’t share with someone that you love.

Kiley, Josslyn’s RA, bangs on her dorm room door. She asks if Josslyn is in there. She needs to talk to her; it’s important. The door handle rattles, and Dex quietly freaks out.

The guard leads Spencer to the visitor’s room, and Spencer says he thought his time with this grandmother was up. The guard lets him in, and Spencer sees Trina. He smooths back his hair, and they kind of smile at one another.

On Monday, Josslyn says she’s not hiding anything; Ava says, this particular matter can’t wait; and Carly blocks Elizabeth from closing her door, and says, she needs to make the time.

✂️ Better Than a Poke In the Eye…

At least he has an audience to share his pain and outtakes with. For the average Joe who got cut, no one cares except his family. Maybe.

Look for GH’s Michael Blake Kruse in ‘Wakanda Forever!’

⚖️ Strange Moment…

Yeah, what was that about in the elevator? It’s kind of out of the blue.

Diane and Robert on GH? — Carolyn Hennesy Speaks Out!

🧼 Next Soap Generation…

A soap torch being passed.

Joshua Benard Returns to GENERAL HOSPITAL!

🏕 Switching Camps…

Sonny’s right hand man has a new gig.

https://people.com/tv/steve-burton-returns-to-days-of-our-lives-reprising-harris-michaels-role/

🎄 It’s Beginning To Look…

Upcoming Christmas joy from handsome guys.

Join Ryan Paevey for a Special Christmas Event!

Cameron Mathison Stars in a Romantic New Holiday Movie!

💸 Sadly, No Surprise…

I figured they’d been at it a while. Apparently, all those complaints went in the circular file. Bureaucracy at its best.

✈️ Worldly Wives…

This is old news, but I’d never heard of them. It’s kind of sad that this junk I admittedly watch has infiltrated other countries.

🍸 New Rules…

The forgot to mention, LVP’s many pets.

⚰️ Vive le Mort…

This sounds pretty interesting, even if they stole the nightclub idea from Z Nation. (Checking… yes, still bitter about it’s cancelation.)

🐎 Take Me Home…

The CMA winners.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/09/entertainment/cma-awards-winners-list

And more important, the CMA fashion.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/35290/cma-awards-2022-red-carpet-fashion

👩🏽‍💻 Quotes of the Week

Short term decisions have long term consequences. – Judge Star Jones, Divorce Court

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. – Anais Nin

We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same. – Carlos Castaneda

We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in. – Arianna Huffington

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. – Gloria Steinem

Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. – John Adams

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. – Michael Jordan

If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore.Michele Ruiz

Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity. – W. Clement Stone

If I can’t eat it, bang it, or bet on it, it’s not in my phone. – Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen), Two and a Half Men

It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

🌻 Pursuing Happiness…

Wrapping it up for now, but I’ll be back when the Dead are Walking. Until then, stay safe, stay thanking every veteran you meet, and stay letting people who love you support you in a crisis. There’s nothing you can’t share with someone that you love.

November 10, 2022 – The PCPD Hunts Three Fugitives, Can’t Unsee That House, Solo Charm & Soldier

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Nina and Ava clink martini glasses at the PC Grill, and Nina asks what they’re drinking to. Ava says, roommates, and her gratitude to Nina for taking her in. Nina suggests they drink to Ava’s freedom, now that she’s declared her new independence from all things Cassadine. Ava says, freedom isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, is it? and Nina says, Ava misses him. Ava says, she does; Victor, not so much. She thinks they should drink to love, since Nina has found it with Sonny, and Nina says, things with Sonny have never been better, even though she tests the relationship by getting into everyone else’s business, but she’s only doing that because she’s trying to help his family. Ava asks what Nina did, and Nina says, Willow is spending more time with her hunky doctor friend than she does with Michael. Ava says, and what is a well-meaning woman like Nina to think?

Michael says he wants to ask Willow a favor, and she says, whatever it is, she’ll do her best. He says, she’s in the fight of her life right now, but she’s not in it alone. Their baby is with her, he’s with her, and Wiley is with her. So please, from now on, can she be honest?

At the gatehouse on the phone, Josslyn says, four bedtime stories later, Wiley’s finally asleep. Still at work, Cameron says, she’s such a good big sister to babysit at the last minute. She says she babysat for one night. Meanwhile, he’s been babysitting Jake and Aiden for half his life. He says, they’re not always thrilled about that, but she says, they’re lucky to have him. And so is she. He says, just for that, he’ll come over and help her babysit, but she says he doesn’t have to. He says he wants to. He’ll finish up at Kelly’s, and he’ll make his way over to her. She says, all right. She’ll see him whenever. He comes out, and sees a woman sitting at one of the tables. He says, the kitchen is closing up, and asks if he can get her anything. Heather says she hears the BLTs are to die for.

On the phone at the crash scene, Jordan says, check all the locations in the file, and report back. She tells Dante that she has a patrol car checking out all prior locations listed for Heather Webber, but it’s going to take a while. She has a long history in Port Charles. Him? He says, nothing. No Anna, no Heather, no driver. She says, according to Mac, they found Jack Hicks, the intended driver that was supposed to take Anna to Pentenville. He says, alive? and she says, alive and completely unharmed. They found him tied up in a vacant lot with a bag over his head. His license and ID badge were missing, and it seems he was grabbed from behind; he never saw who did it. Dante says he knows Hicks. He’s telling the truth. Jordan says, which means someone planted a phony driver, and Dante says, the guard must have caught on to what was going on, pulled the wheel, and caused the crash. She says, now they have two fugitives, and he says, but not remotely equal threats, right? Anna has an agenda, but Heather Webber is capable of anything.

Josslyn sits down to study, and someone lurks outside.

On the phone at the docks, Elizabeth asks, how long before the launch returns?… She needs to get to Spoon Island immediately… Okay. She’ll call Mr. Cassadine herself. She hears something, and asks, who’s there? She’s not alone. Esme comes out from behind a crate, and says, true; she’s not alone. It’s just you and me.

Nina tells Ava, Willow’s been spending so much time consulting with TJ Ashford, always whispering with each other. It’s weird. She had to speak up. Ava tells her, admit it. After the way Michael and Willow shut her out of Wiley’s life, she couldn’t wait to get in there and stir that pot. Nina says she doesn’t know that that’s it… All right. In retrospect, maybe she misinterpreted their relationship. Ava says, if that’s the case, Nina should have no problem setting it right, and Nina says she’d love to do that. She just doesn’t know how to. Ava says, Nina starts by swallowing her pride, and apologizing for misjudging Willow.

Michael says he understands why Willow didn’t want to tell him when she was first diagnosed, and he’s not asking for or expecting full disclosure. If there’s something she doesn’t want to tell him, he can accept that, but when she does tell him something, he needs her to be honest. She says she honestly needs him to hold her, and he does.

Someone walks around the gatehouse, and Josslyn wonders if Annabelle got out. She opens the door, and sees Dex wandering around. She asks what the hell he’s doing here, and realizes he’s bleeding.

Jordan says, it’s hard to believe Heather Webber has an accomplice capable of breaking her out of custody, and Dante says, her last connection to the outside world was Franco. Jordan says, which means someone set this up for Anna to escape. The judge got one thing right when they denied bail; Anna has the skills to disappear. Dante says, and the motivation to prove her innocence, whether she does that by finding Lucy, or finding out who made Lucy disappear. He wonders who arranged the whole thing, and Jordan says, Valentin Cassadine. Dante says, he’s not in his office, he’s not in his MetroCourt hotel room, and he’s not answering the phone number they have for him, and she says, if it wasn’t Valentin, someone else helped Anna. He says, like who? and she says, his father and Anna are close, aren’t they?

Cameron says he knows Heather; she’s Franco’s mom. Isn’t she supposed to be… someplace else? She says, aren’t we all? It’s Cam, right? She remembers when he was just a lad, playing games with that sweet little Emma. He says, she’s still sweet, but she’s all grown up now, and Heather says, and that privileged brat, Spencer Cassadine. Did he grow up to be more obnoxious than ever? He says, Spencer hasn’t had it as easy as she thinks, and she says, good. She remembers chasing the three of them all over Spoon Island, as if she was some kind of monster. Imagine. He says, who could forget? and asks if there’s someone he should call for her. She asks him to come closer, and when he does, she says, yes. She can see Franco in his eyes. He says, she does realize they’re not related, right? but she says, the good live on because we keep them alive. But the bad, they get what they deserve.

Elizabeth tells Esme that Nikolas said she fled the country, and Esme tells her, Nikolas says a lot of things… all of them lies. And if she knows Nikolas, he’s made sure the launch stays on the island. Elizabeth says she’s calling the police, and Esme says, why? She hasn’t done anything. Elizabeth says, she tried to poison that bartender to keep him from testifying for Trina, she took that video of her son and Josslyn; she’s sick. She tells the operator that she just spotted a fugitive. Esme Prince is on Pier 55. Esme lunges for Elizabeth, grabbing at the phone, and Elizabeth falls, hitting her head. Esme bends down, and Elizabeth opens her eyes for a moment, but everything is fuzzy, and she blacks out.

Willow says she wants a favor from Michael too. She doesn’t want to tell anyone yet. He says, his family is her family. They love her, and will support her. She says she knows they will, but they’ll also treat her differently. They won’t see her anymore; they’ll see her with leukemia. She’s just not ready for that. He says he gets it. She’s the one with leukemia, so she gets to fight the way feels is best, but how long can they keep this a secret when they need to find a donor match?

Nina finishes her martini, and gets up. Ava asks where she’s going, and Nina says, Ava suggested she apologize to Willow. Ava tells Nina not to do it on her account. She doesn’t want to be the one to lead Nina astray. Ava tells the waiter, two more, but Nina says, just one more, and says, Ava only pointed out what she already knew. She needs to make almonds amends, and own up to her mistakes. Ava says, good luck then, and Nina says she has the feeling she’s going to need it. She leaves, and Victor is outside. He says, how unexpected. No Mr. Corinthos to protect her? Nina says she doesn’t need Sonny’s protection from the likes of him, and keeps walking. He chuckles, and looks inside to see Ava draining her martini. He takes out his phone, and says, any word yet on his son?… Keep looking. If you find Valentin, you’ll find Anna, and whoever else aided and abetted her escape.

Josslyn helps Dex to the couch, and asks, what happened? Breathing heavily, he says, he can’t… and she says, he can lie to her later. She asks to see his wound, and he says he doesn’t lie to her. She says, okay. He can refuse to answer her later. Let her see his side. She pulls aside his shirt, seeing his bloody T-shirt, and he says, it’s just a crease. No internal bleeding; no bullet to get out. She says, he’s shot, and he says he shouldn’t be here. She says, but he is, and he’s bleeding from a gun wound. Give her one good reason not to call the cops. He says he’s asking her not to.

Cameron puts a BLT and fries in front of Heather, and she says, no ketchup? He goes to get some, and she tells the sandwich, I’ve missed you. She takes a blissful bite, and Cameron brings the ketchup. She bangs on the bottom of the bottle to get it out, and talking with her mouth full, she says, so he must be in college by now. He asks how she knows, considering she’s been away. She says, Franco came to visit Her at D’Archam a few times. He couldn’t stop talking about Cameron and his brothers. Cameron says he misses Franco every day, and she says, you and me both. She never had the chance to say goodbye. She picks up a steak knife, and says, Cameron never told her, what’s the latest on his royal highness, Prince Spencer? Cameron says, he’s in Pentenville, and she says, really? With his connections? He must have committed a major felony. Homicide? Grand larceny? It doesn’t matter. It’s nice to know he’s in the same club. He asks if she likes it behind bars, and she says, it’s home. He asks what exactly she’s doing here, and I gotta say, I’m loving this Heather.

Dante tells Jordan, it’s no secret Anna and his father are friends, and it did occur to him that Sonny might be involved in this. She says, she doesn’t expect him to bring in his father for questioning. She’ll speak to Sonny herself. Her phone rings, and she says she hopes it’s Mac with a lead. She answers, then says, send every unit in the area. They can’t let her get away. Dante says, Heather? but she says, Esme Prince was spotted on Pier 55. He says, copy that, and she says, wait here. She’ll handle Esme.

Nikolas grabs Esme from behind, and asks what she did to Elizabeth. She says, nothing. She tripped. Nikolas says, she’s lying, and asks if Esme stabbed her. Is she bleeding? Esme says, no. She just fell down. Elizabeth sees a fuzzy Nikolas become clear, and he says, trust me. She passes out again.

Willow says, Terry has already put her in the registry, and is searching for a donor, and Michael says, maybe there’s more they can do. The best donor would be a relative. She says she doesn’t have any. Her father could be anyone, and her birth mother vanished without a trace. There’s a knock on the door, Michael says, come in, and Nina walks in.

Josslyn says, Dex is lucky Willow is a nurse. She has way more than bandages in this thing. She opens a first aid kit, and he asks if there’s a suture kit. She asks if he means like needles for stitches, and he says he can use a sewing needle, but it’s better if it’s sterile. She says, better is he’s in a hospital, but he says he can’t. She says, he won’t, and those are two different concepts entirely. He says he never should have come here, and she asks why he did. He says he’s not thinking clearly; he just got shot. He doesn’t want her involved in this, but she says, it’s a little late for that. He says he knows it’s too late. He messed up. The less she knows, the better. Give him the kit. She asks if he’s going to sew himself up, and he says, it’s better than continuing to bleed. She says, okay, Jason Bourne. She’s not going to stand here while he sews himself up. He says, then leave the room, but she says, no.

Heather shovels fries in her mouth, and tells Cameron, there’s nothing like this back at D’Archam. She told JoJo, you use too much grease. You should try the duck fat. But he thinks she’s crazy. Cameron asks how she got here, and she says, field trip. As good as these fries are, she’s going to need a soda to wash it down. A can, but put ice in a glass. He says, coming right up, goes in the back, and calls Dante.

Dante asks, what’s up? and Cameron says, Heather Webber is at Kelly’s. Dante says he’s on his way, and Cameron brings Heather’s soda and glass of ice to the table. He says, anything else? and she picks up the knife again. She says, he called the cops, didn’t he?

Ava is working on her second martini, and Victor says, may I? He sits across from her, but she says she’s here with a friend. He says he’ll keep her seat warm. Just because Ava and Nikolas have finally seen the light, and agreed to divorce, doesn’t mean they have to be enemies. She tells him, says man the holding Nikolas’s confession over his head, and he says, we use the tools we’re given. He’s sorry things between her and his nephew didn’t work out, but honestly, it’s better for everyone if it’s over. She says, the divorce isn’t final; nothing’s over yet. He says, she has far too much going on to be dragged down by a marriage that can only end one of two ways – badly or very badly. She says, don’t be so sure, and he says he’s very sure she and Nikolas bring out the worst in each other. Just ask the late Esme Prince.

Esme struggles with Demetrius outside of Windymere, and Nikolas says, if she’d be good enough to step inside. She says, tell his Greek freak to let go of her, and Demetrius pushes her in the castle. Nikolas thanks him, and says he’ll remember Demetrius at Christmas. Demetrius leaves, and Esme says, every time she thinks Nikolas can’t sink any lower, he proves her wrong. Is this really how he treats his friends, leaving Miss Baldwin out on the pier? He says, Elizabeth was safer there, waiting for the authorities, than being with Esme another second. Esme says, when Elizabeth wakes up, he’s toast.

Deanna tells Elizabeth, try to relax, and Elizabeth says, and let the IV do its work. Deanna says, she’s got it, when Jordan comes in. Deanna says she needs to wait outside, but Jordan says, it’s a police matter. How is she? Deanna says, the attending says she has a mild concussion. They’re monitoring her. Jordan says she needs to ask some questions, but Deanna says, it’s not a good time. Jordan says, she’ll make it brief, and Deanna says she’ll see what Dr. Westbourne has to say, but Elizabeth says, it’s okay. Deanna says she’ll be right outside if Elizabeth needs her, and tells Jordan, brief questions. She leaves, and Jordan says, she was on Route 55 when she heard Elizabeth had been brought in. She needs to know who did this to her.

Nina says she needs to speak to Willow, but Michael says he doesn’t care. She needs to leave now, or he’ll have security escort her out. Willow says, it’s okay. Is this about TJ and her? Their secret affair? Nina says she needs to apologize. She completely misinterpreted the situation. Michael says, she saw a chance to cause trouble, and she took it, but Nina says, believe it or not, she was thinking about Wiley. She didn’t want him to deal with the pain of a broken home. Michael says, Nina wasn’t thinking about him. She barges in, tears the family apart, and takes what she wants. Nina says, for once, this isn’t about Michael and his endless grudge. She came here because she’s truly, truly sorry. Willow says, how dare Nina imply she’s ever be unfaithful? That she would jeopardize the family that means everything to her? Nina says, she was wrong. She wants to make almonds amends. Is there anything she can do? Willow says, there is something she can do – drop dead. She walks out, Michael following.

Josslyn cuts Dex’s shirt off, but the part over the wound is stuck by the blood. She says, this part’s sticking, but he tells her, just pull it off. She says, on three. One… two… She rips it off, and he yelps, saying, she told him three. She says, sorry. She thought it would hurt less if she surprised him. He says, no more surprises, and she says, this is disgusting; she’s never done this before. He says he told her, he’ll do it, but she says, no. She asks if he thinks he could stand. She thinks she’d have a better angle. She helps him up, and says, maybe he should lie down, but he says he’ll be fine. Just give him a chair or something to lean on. He feels dizzy, and might lose his balance.

Cameron asks why Heather thinks he’d call the cops, and she says she  tries not to raise her expectations. Dante looks in the window, and she says, people are flawed, and she’s learned to accept their failings, for the most part. Didn’t Franco ever tell him the story of Pinocchio, and what happened to the little wooden boy when he told a lie? Cameron says, his nose grew, but she says, no. He was carved into little pieces and turned into sawdust… Just kidding. She laughs, and Dante comes in. He says, police. Hands where he can see them. She raises her hands, and asks, what took him so long?

Elizabeth says she was on her way to Spoon Island, to Windymere, and Jordan asks, what happened? She says, Esme happened, and Jordan asks if Esme attacked her, but Elizabeth says she’s not really sure. She knew Esme was coming toward her, but the next thing she knew, she was on the ground. Jordan asks, what prevented Esme from doing worse? and Elizabeth says, not what; who. Someone else was there.

Nikolas says, Esme doesn’t know Elizabeth. She won’t give him up. Esme says she woudn’t be too sure about that. Before she could stop her, Elizabeth called 9-1-1 and told them she’d seen Esme Prince. He says, Elizabeth was disoriented; she could have imagined it. She says, keep telling himself that. And what happens when Elizabeth’s head clears, and she realizes Esme was there? And what happens when the cops get wind of her being back in Port Charles? Where does he think they’ll look first? Here, her last known residence. So face it, when Elizabeth starts talking, his days are numbered. He says he woudn’t gloat. If his days are numbered, so are hers.

Esme says she bets Nikolas is thinking of all the ways he’d like to dispose of her. Toss her off a parapet; been there, done that. Shoot her; guns can be traced. Knife, ax, chainsaw; ugh, the mess. His dry cleaner would never forgive him. Or she supposes he could go all Borgia on her and poison her soup, but then what becomes of the next Cassadine? He says, she’s right; it’s quite a conundrum. And if she’s also right about the police, he can’t keep her here, especially after she tried to kill him. She says, really? and he says, as real as the hook she tried to use. She says she doesn’t know who attacked him, but it wasn’t her, and he says, right. Like she didn’t try to kill Ava and Diane Miller. Or succeed in killing Brando and Oz Haggerty. She says she didn’t hurt those people. She’s innocent. He says, she may be many things, but innocent is one thing she isn’t.

Elizabeth tells Jordan, her head was spinning. All she could see was Esme standing over her. Jordan asks if she was holding anything, and Elizabeth says, like a hook? No. Or if she was, Elizabeth didn’t see it. Jordan says, but she did see someone else on the pier. Who was it? Elizabeth says she doesn’t know, and Jordan asks if she can describe them. Elizabeth says, all she knows is, somebody was there. Then she heard sirens, and she must have passed out. She’s sorry she doesn’t remember more. Jordan says, she’s been helpful, but if she remembers anything else, call her. On her way out the door, she radios for a BOLO out on Esme Prince; consider her armed and dangerous.

Dante says he needs Heather to drop the knife please, and she says, since he asked so nicely… She drops it on the floor, and asks if he wants to share the rest of her sandwich. He says, no thanks, and picks up the knife with the hanky he apparently carries. I don’t know one human who carries an actual hanky, and this has been two in two days. He says, a lot of people are worried about her, and she says she’s sorry to hear it. She was on her way home to D’Archam, and found herself by the side of the road, feeling hungry, and she found herself at Kelly’s with little Cam. What are the odds? He says, life is pretty funny, huh? About the accident, does she know what caused it? She says, not a clue. Sure he doesn’t want to split the sandwich? He says he wishes; he’s on a diet. He asks Cameron to wrap up the sandwich, so Heather can take it with her, and Heather says she wants the fries too. Cameron takes them to box them up, and Heather says, both handsome and kind. The quality of the public servants in Port Charles has definitely improved.

Ava says, Victor must be frantic, searching high and low for Lucy. How does he find the time to meddle in her love life? He says his heart yearns to be with Lucy again, no matter how futile the longing. But seeing her eases the pain. He sees a bright future ahead for her. Nina comes back, and Ava says, Victor was just leaving. Johann, wearing a new beard, peeks in, and Victor says, perfect timing. Always a pleasure. He leaves, and Nina sits down. Ava asks, how’d it go? Tell her what happened. Putting her elbows on the table, Nina cups her chin with her hands.

Victor says, any news about his son? but Johann says, nothing. Victor says, what about Anna? and Johann says, not a trace. There’s a family matter of particular importance to Victor.

Josslyn says, if Dex passes out, and rips this open, this is all for nothing. He says he’s not passing out; it hurts too much. She tells him, talk to her. Say anything. Talk to her as a distraction. He says he doesn’t want her distracted, but she says, no, not for her; for him. As she works, he says, someday, he’d like to live by the ocean and learn to surf. She asks, why surfing? and he says, it just seems peaceful to be out on the water, with no distractions – he winces in pain – just sky, and the waves, and the sound of the ocean. She says, it can be like that, and he says, she knows how to surf? She says, her dad’s Australian. She didn’t really have a choice. He asks if it’s hard to learn, but she says she doesn’t remember learning. She just kind of always knew how. He asks if she could teach someone, and she says, that depends. He says, on what? and she says, on who wants to learn. It’s all done.

Josslyn comes out with a shirt, and tells Dex, this is Michael’s. Dex says, he won’t miss it? and she says, he has a lot of shirts. She helps him up, and into the sleeves, and they share a lingering look. He says he’s got it, and buttons the shirt. She gathers up his clothes in a sheet, and says she’ll take this stuff to the car until they can figure out what to do with it. She leaves, and he says, unbelievable. The room lights up with the headlights of a car pulling into the driveway.

Ava tells Nina that she’s sorry. She never should have suggested it. Nina says, that’s okay. It was her bright idea to go rushing out and apologize to Willow. She was not open to it at all. She was offensive and offended. Can Ava do her a favor? The next time she decides to reach out an olive branch to Willow, tell her to forget about it. Victor approaches, and says he apologies for the interruption, but he’s just been given some important information. Ava says, about Lucy? but he says, sadly no; about another missing person. The police have issued a be-on-the-lookout for a Miss Esme Prince. Apparently, she’s been spotted in Port Charles alive and well. He says, ladies, and leaves, Ava possibly swallowing her olive.

Deanna says, any pain? and Elizabeth says, a slight headache. Deanna says, dizziness, nausea? and Elizabeth says, no. Deanna says, blurry vision? Sensitivity to light? Elizabeth says, no and no. She thinks the attending is just erring on the side of caution even calling it a minor concussion. She’s pretty sure it’s just a bump on the head. Deanna says, nice try. Elizabeth is still going to stay here for monitoring. Jordan comes back, and Deanna says, she thought the questions were finished. Jordan says, they are. She just wanted to give Elizabeth an update. Deanna says, make it fast, and leaves. Jordan says, she’s very protective, and Elizabeth says, she’s an excellent nurse. Jordan says she doesn’t want Deanna throwing her out, so she’ll make it fast. She’s issued a be-on-the-lookout for Esme Prince. There have been no other sightings yet, but thanks to Elizabeth’s quick thinking, she won’t get too far. She’s glad Elizabeth is okay. She really had a guardian angel looking out for her tonight. Jordan leaves, and Elizabeth flashes back to Nikolas saying, trust me.

On the phone, Nikolas says, that’s great news, and tells Esme, Elizabeth is okay. She says, he has all this concern for Elizabeth, yet he keeps the mother of his child prisoner. He says, she won’t be locked up forever. Once she gives birth to his child, he’s done with her. He takes her sheets, and leaves. She says, we’ll see about that.

Cameron brings out Heather’s to-go bag, and she says, thank you, sweet boy. He says, she’s welcome, and Dante asks if she’s ready to go, holding out his arm. She tells Cameron, it’s a delicious sandwich, and such generous portions. She always likes when there’s some to take home. She feels awful not being able to pay, but he says, it’s on the house. She says, how lovely, and takes Dante’s arm. In a Southern accent, she says, I always have depended on the kindness of strangers. Back to her normal voice, she says she doesn’t want Cameron to be a stranger, and Dante leads her away.

Outside the gatehouse, Michael asks if Willow is tired, and she says, exhausted. Also relieved. They go inside, and Michael calls for Josslyn. Josslyn dashes in, and Michael asks, where was she? She says she was just checking on Annabelle, making sure she didn’t mess up any of the flowerbeds. Willow says, bless you. Annabelle is a sweet dog, but no garden is safe when she’s around. Michael asks why there’s a chair in the middle of the living room, and Josslyn says she had to study, and all of their furniture is so comfortable. She pulled that chair over. She sees a bloody cotton ball on the floor, and grabs it, as Michael puts away the chair, stashing it in her backpack. He asks how Wiley was, and she says, he’s great. She read him four bedtime stories, and he passed out. He thanks her for filling in, and she says, of course (🍷), but if he wants to thank her, he should take Willow to bed. She’s exhausted. Willow says she heard that, and Michael and Josslyn say, goodnight. Josslyn leaves, and Michael sits next to Willow. He asks if she needs anything, but she says, just him.

Outside, Josslyn sees fresh blood on a leaf, and says, he’s still bleeding… Dex.

Tomorrow, Britt says, there’s a bomb in her brain; Josslyn hopes it’s worth it; Sonny says, Dex could be anywhere; and Cyrus says, if Anna is on the run, it’s best she stays that way.

❄️ On Winter House, the worst reality show ever made, at least recently, Paige wept to Amanda about Craig’s a-holeness. Amanda said, boys are just annoying in general, totally missing the point that these boys should have turned to men a good decade ago. In their joint interview, the Toms said they’d been so busy opening the bar, they needed this, as Sandoval twirled his Barnum & Bailey ringmaster moustache. Sandoval said he’d packed some amazing LEDs, and Schwartz said, it would be open to interpretation. Sandoval blew a bugle to begin the festivities, and started everyone off with a buzz button shot. I’d never heard of this, but according to specialtyproduce.com,  Buzz Button™ flowers contain a grassy, citrus-like flavor with mild astringency. When consumed, the flowers release an active compound that gives the mouth a numbing, tingling sensation and stimulates the saliva glands inducing a natural cooling effect. Apparently, you eat the flower first, then have the shot. I will be giving this a hard pass should I come across it. The Toms had done up the basement, giving it a disco in your grandma’s basement vibe. As is often the case, the whole thing ended up being creepy unappealing, kind of like the ghost of a high school dance without chaperones. Paige told Craig that she didn’t like feeling like she was involved in a confrontation that she wasn’t personally involved in, and tried to explain that being a couple meant you were an extension of the other person. In Craig’s interview, he said, Paige had patiently sat through days of him fighting with her friends, and never said anything. He was relieved, but nervous, since he didn’t know how many chances he’d be getting. He would have run out after the first time if I was dating him. Seriously, what the hell? Paige can’t find someone who isn’t volatile and unpredictable? Amanda asked Schwarz about Katie, and he said, it was complex. He hadn’t been present in his marriage, and couldn’t imagine his life without her. In his interview, he said he wanted to respect Katie’s privacy, and wasn’t ready to talk about their divorce. Rachel kissed Jason, Kory got busy with Jess, and Amanda dressed like a polar bear. I heard things I didn’t want to hear, and saw things I can’t unsee. To his credit, Kory finally covered the camera, but it was too late. My eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

The Toms had to take off early in the morning, and Kyle and Amanda were taking a day trip to see Kyle’s grandmother, who was turning 99. I have to say, she looked damn good for nearly 100. In Paige’s interview, she said she was fine once Craig admitted he was an a-hole. As long as he knew he was doing wrong, and took an ounce of ownership, she was a peach. I felt like I was being punked within a punk, because I just don’t get it. Jess told Rachel details about Kory that I can’t unhear, and said she thought Paige had wanted to hook him up with Ciara, and was holding it against her. It seemed like Paige liked her when she first got here, but not now. Rachel said her night was PG, and Jason told Luke that if Rachel had a hook-up in mind, he was there for it, but he was glad she wasn’t in a rush. Austen told Luke that he’d come to have fun with his friends, get drunk, and escape, and his plan was a success.  Luke asked how it was hanging out with someone he had a history with, and Austen said, the last person he’d slept with was Ciara. In Austen’s interview, he said, Ciara was pretty, but he had real feelings for Olivia. She was everything. He was happy that he was getting along with everyone, but would like the girl he was dating there so he could enjoy it to the max. He called Olivia in Vegas, and said she should join him, but she was happy being in a warmer climate.

In Amanda’s interview, she said she’d been off birth control since after the wedding, and hadn’t had a period. We flashed back to her saying that she wasn’t sure if she could have kids, and she said she was happy just being married. They weren’t ready to have kids, and she had her dogs. This is probably the only thing she and I will ever correlate on. Craig, Paige, Kory, and Jess went bowling, and in Jess’s interview, she said she was glad Kory was competitive like herself. She couldn’t date a loser. Rachel told Paige that Jess was feeling left out, and Amanda said, every time she looked for Jess, she was hanging out with the guys. In Paige’s interview, she said she was dumbfounded. She even said Jess could shower in her bathroom; that was inclusive. Austen told Amanda that he was thinking about asking Olivia to join them, and Amanda thought it was a great idea. In Amanda’s interview, she said, based on what Ciara had said, she thought Ciara and Austen could be friends and move on. Luke put some nails in the top of a stump of wood, and everyone took turns whacking them with a hammer. I’m not sure if it was a game or a competition, but it was pretty boring. Except for Craig missing the nail totally, and dropping the hammer. Amanda told Ciara that Austen was possibly inviting Olivia to the house, saying, she couldn’t hold on to that knowledge. In other words, because she’s 12, she couldn’t wait a minute, and let Austen discuss it with Ciara. Amanda said, Austen missed Olivia, and Ciara seemed bummed. Amanda wondered if she’d misread the situation, and Ciara said, Austen would hate it if she was here with someone else. In Ciara’s interview, she said, Austen was jeopardizing their friendship, and his relationship. He hadn’t been on his best behavior, and can’t help flirting with her. Go ahead and f*** it up early; do her a favor. Ciara tells Paige that if Olivia comes, she’s going to leave, and Paige says, if Austen was her boyfriend, she woudn’t be happy about how he’s been acting toward Ciara.

Paige said she’d thought Ciara was more over it, and Amanda said she felt like a bad friend. She asked if Ciara was upset, and Ciara said she was ready to go home. Amanda wondered if it would feel different if Austen had said he was serious about Olivia, and Paige said, it might feel different if Austen hadn’t been eyeing Ciara up and down. We flashed back to that, and Amanda said, if Ciara wasn’t going to enjoy her vacation, it wasn’t fair for Austen to bring someone in. Kyle wondered what was on the agenda for tomorrow, and suggested they do oysters and Viagra. Rachel said she was having her garden party, and in her interview, she said she has a relationship with flowers. They helped her get through the hardest things. She was okay with being alone; she has a cat. In a side moment, Jason dropped a potato chip, and threw it out, saying, normally, he’d eat a chip off the floor, but not here. I include this because it seems like a good metaphor for the show as a whole. That chip you dropped in the one place you’d never apply the five-second rule to. Like maybe a pig sty. There were more sounds I didn’t want to hear, and it again reminded me so much of The Real World, except with older people who shouldn’t be acting like they’re 18-23. Or 15. Luke couldn’t seem to pronounce bagel properly, and kept saying baggle, pissing Paige off. Jason said he’d had a request for chicken parm, and would be cooking tonight. The guys went to a bar, while the girls went to a flower shop with Rachel, who schooled them in the art of flowers. Back at the house, Ciara bitched to Paige about Austen in the bedroom, and Amanda blocked Craig from coming in. She told them that Jess had let Craig know where Paige was, and she told Jess that if Craig couldn’t find Paige, it was for a reason. Jess joined them, and Paige said, she’ll learn.

Everyone dressed garden-ish costumes, looking much like the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Jess told Rachel that she couldn’t connect with the other girls, and it was like the mean girls club. In Rachel’s interview, she thought Jess was intimidated. She had to knock on the door. These girls weren’t the type to coddle her. Jess asked if Rachel could pass them a note see how they felt without being weird.

Rachel had floor to ceiling flowers going on, and told the group that she appreciated them welcoming her to their world. Now she was welcoming them to hers. Craig said he loved the party’s trippy nature, and everyone took an absinthe shot. Bleh. Jason served dinner, and they all agreed it had been a great day; the guys drank and the girls were productive. There were lots of thanks and compliments, and they took pictures. Alone in the kitchen, Ciara and Austen split off to talk. Austen told Ciara that he’d mentioned to a few people about Olivia possibly coming, but he’d always planned to talk to her before doing it. She said she’d heard it from other people, and her first reaction was, he doesn’t give a f*** about her at all. He already put her in a situation over the summer. We flash back to him flirting with her, then Lindsay, and Ciara said he’d made her look like an idiot, and he acted insane. He’d be sh*tting himself if she was hooking up with someone there. He said, it wasn’t up to him anymore, but she said she wouldn’t bring someone else around; they woudn’t be comfortable. Would Olivia? Austen said, Olivia would probably want to crawl in a hole and die before joining them, and in Austen’s interview, he said he was oblivious sometimes. He thought, since things were going well, it wouldn’t be an issue. Now that he’s seeing it is, he doesn’t know what he was thinking.

Paige asked for a girl pow-wow, and Rachel said, Jess felt like they were being mean girls and ignoring her. Ciara said she thought Jess was isolating herself, and Paige said she didn’t need a Lindsay 2.0. In Paige’s interview, she said, when people first meet her, she’s quiet, and they can think she’s a bitch. They think she’s Regina George when she’s not. The girls gathered in a bedroom, and  Paige said she felt like she went out of her way to be nice to Jess. Jess said, it wasn’t like she was going around, running her mouth, but she felt like when she walked into a room, there was a different vibe. It was a feeling she had, whether it was because of her own insecurity or not. She felt like she was walking into high school, and didn’t fit in. In Jess’s interview, she said, her childhood best friend switched to private school, while she was still being homeschooled, and the friend turned on her. It was painful. Paige said she’d just met Rachel, and Rachel didn’t feel left out. She asked if Jess had ever checked on her, and answered her own question; no. But she’d checked in on Jess. She said she was done with this mean girl sh*t, and being called out for it. You want to see a mean girl, I’ll show you a mean girl. And with that, she stomped downstairs.

Next time, ice skating; Jess is in love; Lindsay and Karl arrive; Ciara says, Austen dropped a bomb, and it’s about to get huge awkward.

🍹 Hospitable Reality…

This looks pretty good. It always seems to work better when there’s also a business involved, since the focus isn’t solely on the cast.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1353649/southern-hospitality-get-the-party-started-with-these-first-look-images-at-the-bravo-spinoff

🍽 Reserving a Table…

Make a return trip tomorrow for soap, tea, insightful words, and miscellaneous track. Until then, stay safe, stay being able to admit when you’re wrong, and stay appreciating those who welcome you into their world, and welcome them into yours.