(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)
General Hospital
At the coffee warehouse, Carly asks Jason if he’s busy, and he says he’s working. She suggests he check in with Drew. What Drew is doing might affect him.
Terry asks if Elizabeth wants to grab coffee, but Elizabeth says she can’t. She has paperwork. She doesn’t how Epiphany did it. Terry says, they’ll call it a meeting. They do have catching up to do. Elizabeth says, that sounds ominous, and asks if something happened with Terry and Yuri. Terry says, it’s about Elizabeth and Finn.
Finn tells Violet that everything she needs for a pool day with Georgie is in her bag, but Violet thinks it would be more fun if they had a take your daughter to work day. Finn says, they’ll do that another day. He has to arrange it in advance. She tells him that he said there were surprises at work all the time, and Finn asks if there’s some reason she doesn’t want to go to the pool. She says she doesn’t want to leave him here alone.
Mac and Felicia make out on the sofa, and Felicia says, before they get caught up with their reunion, this isn’t their house. Mac says, the kids are out with Maxie and won’t be back for a while, and Bailey Lou is fast asleep. The babysitters have the run of the place. Felicia reminds him that Spinelli lives here now, but Mac says, Spinelli said he had a rendezvous. Mac wants that to remain a mystery.
Sam goes to Spinelli’s gamer den, and he tells her that he found something. She asks him to please not tell her that the FBI is onto him, and he says, her lack of faith in his ability wounds him. Cates still doesn’t know they’re using his credentials. She says, they can’t get sloppy, or they’ll get caught, but he says, that’s not the issue. He found their prize, but now they have a new problem.
Finn says he’d rather hang out with Violet than go to work, but his patients need to see him. He’ll probably be so busy, he won’t miss her. He wants her to go have fun and not worry about her dad. He’s fine. Georgie arrives to get Violet, and Finn tells Violet to have lots of fun. If she needs anything, call him. They hug, and he says he loves her so much.
Terry says she doesn’t want to pry, just check-in, and Elizabeth says, obviously, she’s hurt and confused. She loves Finn and wishes she could be angry and write him off, but she can’t. She knows he’s a good man, but he’s sick and needs help. Terry says, they’re both medical professionals, and have seen this more times than they can count. No one can force Finn to get help. He’ll have to ask for it. Elizabeth says, it’s hard enough to watch Finn spiral, but she’s worried about the toll it will take on her boys. They built a beautiful relationship with Finn, and she’s afraid it will create a void. Terry says, it’s tough, but she’s a great mom and will get them through it. Elizabeth says, but what about Violet?How is she going to get through it?
Finn takes out a bottle and glass, and looks at his hospital ID. He puts the bottle and glass back, and leaves.
Jason wonders what Drew has going on besides running Aurora, and Carly says, there’s no reason his and Drew’s relationship should be as messy as the one he had with AJ. Drew broke up with her because he knew she’d put Jason first. She thinks he was hoping she’d deny it. Jason says he’s sorry, but she says she and Drew are fine. Drew seemed good at Willow’s surprise party. Jason should have come. He would have heard the announcement. His brother is running for congress.
Mac tells Felicia that he’s glad to be home. He missed her. She says, good, and he says he’ll never take off without her again. It drove home how lucky he is. Frisco gave an honest accounting of his mistakes with her and the girls and didn’t whitewash his behavior. (Hmm… Could Frisco be coming back? Is Morgan a red herring?) Felicia says, it must have been awkward, and Mac says, it was, but it was liberating. Frisco was grateful and thanked Mac for being a father to the girls when he wasn’t. He thinks Frisco understands how much he missed out on in leaving Port Charles. He made damn sure Frisco understood how extraordinary the three women he left behind are. She says, they’re lucky to have him in their lives. He made sacrifices for her girls, and she’s sure he felt it would have been easier to take off and start his own family. He says, never. They’re family and he never wanted anything else. There’s a knock at the door, and Mac says, whoever it is has godawful timing. Felicia opens the door to Anna and Robert, who says, there’s a rumor the old man has returned. Anna says she’s here to arrest her brother-in-law for an unlawful absence, and she and Robert hug Mac.
Finn tells Elizabeth that he doesn’t want it to be strange or awkward, and asks if she wants to check his blood alcohol content. She asks if she needs to, and he says, she doesn’t need to do anything, but they have to work together. That’s it. She says she knows he’s hurting, and she still loves him. He’s still family. He says, she’s Violet’s aunt, and before she asks, Violet is at the pool with Georgie and Maxie is supervising. Elizabeth steps away, and Portia greets Finn. He thanks her for the time off and says he’s eager to get back to work. He wants to check his patient files before rounds. Portia says she and Terry would like a word, and he says, lead the way, following her to Terry’s office.
At the pool, Gio tells James that Josslyn is the lifeguard today, and asks what that means. James says, no cannonballs, and Gio says, they can still have fun. If they follow the rules, maybe he can hook them up with ices later. Georgie says, James has to listen to her, but James says, she’s not the boss of him. Maxie says, correct, and tells Georgie and Violet to go in the pool. James missed a spot with his sunscreen. Nina comes along, and says, like father like son, and James says, Mac is putting in a treehouse for him with Cody. Nina says she hopes she’s invited to the housewarming. Or are girls not allowed? He says, she is, but not Georgie. Maxie lets James go into the pool and tells Nina that she handled Natalia’s complaints. Nina says, good. She trusts Maxie. Maxie is surprised she didn’t hear complaints from Nina about Natalia, but Nina says, she went to Willow’s surprise party and she’s walking on air. Maxie says, they must be getting along better than she thought, but Nina says she had to find Drew and ended up invited. Maxie asks if Nina expects her to believe she was just looking for Drew because of business, and not planning to attend the party. She wasn’t born yesterday.
Carly tells Jason that McConkey is retiring and convinced Drew to run for his seat. Jason says he thinks Drew would make a good congressman. She doesn’t agree? Carly says she thinks Drew has great qualities for a politician. He’s photogenic, he can talk to people, and has a great life story. (Apparently, she doesn’t expect a lot from a political candidate.) Jason asks why she has a problem with him then, and she says, there will be public scrutiny. It will take zero minutes to pick apart Drew’s story and they’ll dig for dirt. With the Quartermaines, there’s plenty to find. AJ’s drunk driving, Jason working for Sonny, all the way to Dante’s shooting, and Jason can’t afford scrutiny
Spinelli tells Sam that he can’t corrupt or delete the file. It’s accessible, but not assailable. Unfortunately, the FBI will be holding onto it. Sam asks what he means by accessible but not assailable, and he said it’s like a real-only file, but they can only listen to it. They can play it, but not delete it. Sam tells him to just play it. Maybe knowing what it is will help them find a way to neutralize it.
Terry tells Finn that his patients are under capable supervision, and Portia says, this conversation can’t wait. They want to discuss Finn’s responsibility to GH and his patients. He says he’s anxious to see how his patients are doing. They can find a time that works for all of them and circle back. Terry says, there’s no need, and Portia says, they’ve cleared his calendar for the day. Terry says, they’re here as his colleagues, but also his friends, and Finn says, the last time they had a meeting like this, he was told to have a lawyer present, but Terry says, they want to keep it informal. Finn asks what this is really about, and Portia says, his drinking.
Josslyn says, Trina is the nicest person she knows, and asks how Gio got in trouble with her. He says, it was just a misunderstanding. They’re fine now. Josslyn tells him that Trina has been going through a lot, but she’s too close to get an accurate reading. It’s been a rough year for Trina. Her boyfriend died unexpectedly in February. Gio says, Trina told him that she’d lost someone close. He’s sorry for her loss and he’ll tread carefully. She thanks him and says she doesn’t mean to tell him what to do. He says he’s used to it. She’s kind of bossy, but nothing compared to his aunts and some of his uncles. Dex walks in wearing his uniform.
Anna says she’s happy Mac is back. She could use his advice and they have a lot of catching up to do. He congratulates her on becoming Commissioner. With respect to Jordan, he always thought she was the best person for the position. Felicia says, Mac was no slouch, and Robert says he raised the bar for everyone. Anna says she tries daily to live up to his high standards, and Robert says, at least he didn’t have Cates breathing down his neck. Mac asks if he means Jagger Cates. Is he back in Port Charles? It will be good to see him. Anna says, he goes by John now and he’s not the sweet young kid Mac remembers.
Carly says, the people who love and care about Jason can be hurt. How does he think Monica would want to see the front page splashed with all of that? Or Danny and Jake reading it? He’ll be thrust in the spotlight against his will. Jason says he’s been through worse.
Sam says, it explains so much, and Spinelli says he thought Jason would rather go to prison than he an informant. He was acting out of love. Sam says, for Carly. That son of a bitch.
Finn asks, who said he was drinking? and Portia says, they were approached by a concerned party. Finn says, Elizabeth. They’re taking the word of his ex as proof of a problem. Terry asks if he’s denying using alcohol, but Finn says he’s denying nothing. He’s seen them drink. Have they ever seen him be impaired at work? He’ll submit to a blood test if they think he’s drunk. Portia says, everyone is different. Finn has a narcotics addiction. Terry says, they can’t risk him treating patients, and Portia says, he can treat them supervised, but has to submit to the physician’s health plan. He’ll have to go to meetings, they’ll monitor his attendance, and he’ll have to authorize his sponsor to give them updates, as well as get drug testing on a regular basis. Finn asks, what if he says no? and Terry says, it will have to go before the Executive Committee, which will make it official. Then the committee will have to notify the Medical Board, which will make it public. They’ll give him a choice of seeing patients under supervision or he could lose his license altogether.
Trina joins Josslyn, and says, Dex is looking official. She tells Gio that there are no more towels, and he says, duty calls. Trina says she’s going with him, and they leave. Josslyn tells Dex, nice uniform. It suits him.
Nina says, possibly Drew arranged for her to show up, and Maxie says, uninvited. Nina says, once she was there, Willow invited her, and Maxie wonders what would have happened had Nina been asked to leave. Nina says, of course (🍷) she would honor Willow’s wishes, and Maxie says, Nina and Willow’s relationship was happening naturally. If Nina hurries and manipulates it, she risks it being worse than before. Nina says, it’s different from her earlier misfires… Her lies, schemes, and cringeworthy sucking up. Now she has Drew on her side and Willow thinks he walks on water.
Finn tells Portia and Terry that they’re smearing his reputation. If he determines there’s slander, be warned. He knows everything about this place. He saved the hospital from going under. If not for him, neither of them would have jobs. GH exists today because he signed his patent to the Blackwood’s cure. Terry says, no one is denying his contribution, and Portia says, they want him to remain to build on it. Finn says, they’re not being friends. They’re bureaucrats and hypocrites. Portia says, they’re looking at him like a valued member of the staff and as a friend, but he says, friends don’t blindside him and threaten to take away something he loves. He’ll save them the trouble. He quits. He walks out.
Carly says, Drew gets to live a great life while Jason slaves at the warehouse, lives in a room above Bobbie’s, and Sonny tells everyone that he’s a traitor. (Um… Isn’t Jason loaded? It sounds like his choice.) Jason says, let Drew have his life. He doesn’t want it. Carly says, it’s not about what Drew has; it’s about what Jason doesn’t. Jason says, it’s not Drew’s fault, and Carly says, it was two years Jason could have spent with his family and that his family spent grieving. Why? What was so important that it was worth him losing that time?
Sam tells Spinelli that Jason lied to her. He’d said he had no choice, but everything he did was because of Carly. Cates has evidence about Carly running Sonny’s organization, and Jason put her welfare above everyone, including his children. Carly always comes first. Spinelli says, it must have been the hardest decision Jason ever had to make. There’s some nobility… She tells him, don’t you dare. There’s no nobility in abandoning his kids so a grown woman can escape the consequences of the life she chose. Anyone who says otherwise never heard a son crying for his father because he’s dead. She asks if Spinelli can make a copy, and he says he can. Why? She says, just do it.
Jason says, there’s an important job he has to do. Otherwise, he never would have left his sons and his family. Once the job is finished, he’ll take his life back. It’s the only life he wants. Carly says she hopes Drew’s campaign doesn’t get in the way. She’ll do everything in her power to defend him. She knows he’d do the same for her. Jason says, okay, and she says she’s glad he agrees. She hugs him and says she’ll see him soon. She leaves and Jason gets an audio file from The Jackal.
Spinelli tells Sam not to do anything hasty, but she says she’s going to do the one thing a good mother does – protect her children at all costs. No matter what it takes. She leaves.
Mac says, maybe he can talk to Jagger and get him to back off, but Felicia says she thinks Anna can handle Cates. Anna says she’d prefer he keep out of it, when her phone dings. She tells them that she has to deal with something, but she expects Mac back at his desk at 5 am sharp. No excuses.
Maxie tells Nina, be careful. Willow’s opinion of both her and Drew could change if she finds out about their affair, and how they hate each other, but can’t keep their hands off each other. Nina says she could keep her hands off Drew if she wanted to. They’re consenting adults, and he got plenty. Because of her connections and advice, he’s running for congress and Willow is his biggest supporter. She’s going to make sure he’s elected. Willow will be grateful, Drew will owe her, and they’ll all be happy. Everyone wins.
Finn sees Elizabeth when he comes out of the elevator and asks if she’s happy now. She got her revenge. She wanted him out, so he’s out. He just quit. She reported him before he had a chance to explain, with no concern how it would hurt him, his patients, or Violet. The only thing that mattered was getting back at him. She says she did turn him in, but she did it for his patients, Violet, and most of all, him. He’s jeopardizing everything good in his life, and it was the way to get back the Finn she knows and loves. The compassionate, brilliant, loving man who would never put anyone in harm’s way. Finn asks if she knows how many lives he’s saved. Of course (🍷) she doesn’t, because she doesn’t know him at all. Maybe she never did. He doesn’t want her near Violet. Don’t call her, don’t see her, and don’t spend time with her. She says, he agreed… but he says, that was his mistake. He thought he knew her, but he was wrong. Stay away from him and Violet.
Gio says, that’s the second time Trina ran interference for Josslyn and Dex, and asks if they’re back together. Trina says, not yet, but maybe they’ll figure things out. She’s trying to give them room to talk things out. He says he likes seeing her look out for Josslyn. She cares about her friends as much as they care about her.
Dex says he could use Josslyn’s help. The department is having beach volleyball. It’s not his game, but he volunteered to break the ice with the other cops. Tom Cruise, he’s not. Josslyn says she’d love to help, but she can’t this weekend. She and Trina are moving to a new place. He says he’s glad for them, but sorry to lose her expertise. She says, He has to learn to negotiate. She’ll give him some pointers if he helps her move. He says, deal, but he would help regardless. It’s the PCPD’s motto to protect and serve.
Portia thanks Elizabeth and says she was right. She saw the way Finn was, and Elizabeth absolutely did the right thing. Elizabeth thanks her and says, when Finn sobers up, he’s going to realize what he threw away. She hopes someday, somehow, he can pick himself back up, but what is it costing Violet?
The kids go back to Maxie’s after the pool, and James wants to talk about the treehouse, but Mac says, Cody needs to be here. Georgie says, Violet’s done some camping and has ideas, and James asks if Violet can stay over. They can camp out. Violet says, her dad won’t let her, but James says, she hasn’t asked. Maxie says, another night. Violet’s dad is expecting her.
Finn comes home after a hard day of being a jerk. He takes out the bottle and glass and takes a drink. He pours another and drinks that too.
Anna goes to the coffee warehouse, and Jason asks if she’s made any more progress with Valentin. She says she’s going slow and treading carefully, and he says, Cates is getting impatient and wants results. Drew is running for congress and it’s going put him in the public eye. The spotlight will be on him, and if his profile is too high, he’ll be useless to the FBI. He didn’t go through all this for Cates to arrest Carly. He knows Anna wants to do this her way, but he’s running out of time. Cates will get what he wants, and he’ll bust Valentin.
Sam finds Carly, and says, there’s something she needs to hear.
Tomorrow, Cates promises to make it worth Carly’s while; Chase wants to know why Violet is with Tracy; and Jason says, he’s not letting this thing go to waste.
🏊 Must Have…
Well, I’m definitely getting one of these. Although I’d rather have the actual pool.
Join me tomorrow for soap and a pre-weekend kiki. Until then, stay safe, stay having a back-up plan when hosting an outdoor party, and stay asking for help if you need it, whether it’s with moving or something bigger.
(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)
🤸♀️Shifting tenses. Going back to using present tense, since the other way wasn’t working for me.
General Hospital
Josslyn marvels at how early Gio gets to the pool, and says, he knows she’s very competitive. Now she has to figure out how to be a better, more conscientious employee than him. She tells him not to save someone; leave the lifeguarding to her. Sonny brings Avery in, and Avery tells Josslyn that she’s taking swim lessons. Josslyn introduces her to Gio, and Sonny says, it was about time he and Gio saw each other again.
Chase and Brook go to see Alexis, who says she’s sorry she didn’t make the wedding. If she’d known it would be the last time she’d see Gregory, she would have. She’s going to miss him. She shows them the medal Gregory gave her, and says, it was for good luck. She’s sure he’s going to send it when he can. Brook says, in between charming the angels, and Alexis asks the reason they’re here. Chase asks how it went with his brother, and she says, not well.
James and Cody come into the stables, saying, it was so cool, and Tracy asks, what’s cool? James says he jumped, but Cody says, technically, Comet did the jumping. Tracy wonders if Cody set jumps up for James, but James says, it was a huge tree, and Cody says, really, Comet took a longer than average step, but it counts as a jump. Tracy says she hasn’t worked up to jumping, but James has inspired her. She asks Cody to get her horse ready, and he says, it’s done. He’s going to take James back to the house. James complains that there are only girls there, and Cody says, his family is the best.
Maxie wonders why Spinelli is wearing a towel around his shoulders, and he says, Bailey required an unscheduled bath. He’s leaving it at that. Maxie says, they’re going to the pool when James gets back, and there’s a knock at the door. She opens it to Mac, who asks if anyone has seen his wife. There’s lots of hugging.
Stella, TJ, and Felicia discuss a patient who can’t afford treatment and has to wait five months for their benefits to kick in. They decide on the route they’re going to take and fist bump. Maxie calls Felicia, but Felicia says she can call Maxie later.
Alexis tells Chase and Brook that Finn was worse than she’d ever seen him. He was defiant, angry, and denied there was a problem, despite the evidence to the contrary. She thought she could navigate this road, since she’d done it before, but she had no magic words for them. Finn wasn’t going to listen until he was ready. Chase says, he’s not there yet, and Alexis says she’d try again if she thought it would help. Brook says, their immediate concern is Violet, and Alexis asks if they’ve noticed anything, like Violet being neglected. Chase says he doesn’t think so, but Brook says she’s concerned about Violet being left in a situation that’s potentially damaging. They want to protect her in every way. Chase says, they thought Alexis might have some advice for them.
Sonny says, it was a big deal for Gio to switch to PCU, and Gio says he likes it already. Sonny asks if he doesn’t regret leaving the city, and Gio says he’ll always be grateful that Sonny made it possible for him to go there. Sonny says, Gio has a gift that he wants him to pursue, but he’s concerned that Gio accepted going to PCU because Gio doesn’t want him to keep paying tuition. Gio says, it’s more complicated than that. PCU has an excellent music department and gave him a scholarship. He’ll always be thankful to Sonny… Sonny says, but he wants to pay his own way. He gets that. He likes making his own money and being independent. Gio says he’s not that independent. He’s living at the Quartermaines’. Sonny says, he should get hazard pay.
Natalia walks into the pool area on the phone and leaves a message for Brook. She wants to discuss the last recording session that Brook wasn’t able to attend… for good reason. She’s sorry about Brook’s father-in-law and hopes they got the flowers and card. She’s at the pool and wondering if Brook would like to join her. She sees Sonny, who says he was hoping to run into her. Would she like to join him? She says she’d love to, and he says his daughter is taking swim lessons. Natalia sees Avery and says, she’s adorable. She’s a water baby. Sonny says he loves swimming in Puerto Rico, and she says, it has the most beautiful beaches, but she might be bias. She had been biased about Kristina too, but she underestimated his daughter.
Maxie says, of all the days for her mom to ignore her calls, but Mac says she’s busy. Maxie says she left a message that there had been an exciting development, and Mac says, she thinks a sale at Wyndham’s is an exciting development. Spinelli brings nuBailey in, and Mac says, she got so big. He wonders if she’s getting her driver’s license next, and takes her from Spinelli. Spinelli tells him, gracious greetings and a heartfelt welcome home, and Mac asks if he’s a permanent fixture or temporary. Georgie says, he lives here now, and Spinelli makes an excuse to take Bailey and get out of the room. There’s a knock at the door, and Georgie opens it to Cody and James, who runs to Mac. Mac says he thinks James has grown a foot, and Cody says, pretty close. Mac says, it’s good to see Cody, and Cody says, him too.
Natalia says, it’s not that she didn’t think Kristina was lovely and intelligent, but the other day, they were all at a recording session and Blaze was terrible. In came Kristina, and a light switch flipped. She realized how much they loved each other. Sonny asked if Kristina made Blaze’s performance better, and Natalia says, Kristina’s presence made all the difference in Blaze’s emotional connection to the song. She asked if he believed in muses, and he said he thought so. He’d dabbled in the industry and was a silent partner in the 90s for a big music label. She says, everything was fun in the 90s, and he says, it was a good time. She says she thinks good times are ahead, and he says he hopes so.
Alexis says, family court isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s not what they’d expect. The best interest of the child should be the priority, but the way the state defines it and the way a loving relative does is hardly ever the same. Reporting a parent to CPS doesn’t guarantee protection, and the child can end up in a group home or with strangers. Chase says, that’s the last thing they want, and Alexis says, he’s in a tough predicament, being between his loyalty to Finn and protecting Violet. Her advice to them is to call a licensed clinical social worker, and Chase says, then that’s what they’ll do. Alexis wishes she was more help, but Chase says, just talking helped, and thanks her for trying with Finn. Alexis says, he’s a good man. He’s just lost. Chase says he knows that at some point, they’ll help him find his way back. She tells them, good luck, and they leave.
In the hallway, Brook sees she missed Natalia’s call, and tells Chase that she’s demanding. Chase says he’s still on leave and has extra time. He suggests she deal with it now. He’s going to GH. He knows exactly who to talk to.
Mac says he heard Cody was the new Face of Deception, but he thinks Sasha is better for business. Maxie says, they’re the former Faces, and Mac says, sorry. Cody says, don’t be. It’s not up his alley. Mac asks what he’s doing now, and Cody says he’s managing the stables at the Quartermaines. Maxie says, he’s been spending a lot of time with James, teaching him about horses, and James says, they jumped over a tree. Maxie says, what? and Cody says, James is exaggerating. It was more like a big stick, but it was still an awesome feat. He asks what Mac was up to, and Mac says he was helping a friend. Maxie asks if that’s all they’re getting, and Mac says, unfortunately, yes, and he hates keeping secrets. Cody says, him too, and Mac says, that’s something else they have in common. Cody says he’ll leave them to their family reunion. He’ll see James soon. Mac says he’d like to tag along sometime if it’s okay with Cody, and Cody says he’d like that. Mac says, he’ll set it up, and Cody watches the family interaction for a moment, then leaves.
Sonny asks how Natalia is feeling about Blaze and Kristina’s relationship, and she says, worried. Not because she thinks it’s wrong, but the way she was brought up in Puerto Rico, they’re not accepting. Sonny says, love is love was not a motto she grew up with? and she says, no, but she’s evolving. She has a hard time seeing that kind of love ending in real happiness. He says, Kristina and Blaze have to figure it out, and she says, that means she’d have to relinquish control. It’s not her favorite. Her phone dings, and she says she has to approve some photo shoot proofs. She hands him a thumb drive of the recording session and asks him to give it to Brook. He says, on one condition, that he’s invited to the release party. She says she’ll see what she can do, and leaves.
Gio asks if Josslyn talked to Michael about the apartment yet, and she says she’s going after work to see him in person. She knows he’ll say yes, but she doesn’t want him to think she’s taking advantage. Gio says, that’s like him and Uncle Sonny. Sonny has paid for his musical education and would probably pay for him to go to Europe and visit all the concert halls, but that would be taking advantage. Josslyn asks if he’s worried about taking advantage of Sonny, and Gio says, when someone is as powerful and important as Sonny, people are always asking for things, and he never wants to take it for granted. Josslyn says, it’s nice to hear how Gio appreciates Sonny. She’s sure it means a lot to him.
Maxie tells Mac that Cody has been great for James. He treats James like a little brother, and all the kids at the Quartermaines are obsessed with him. She doesn’t know how he has the patience. Mac says, they’re not his. No matter how bad it gets, they go back to their parents. (Been there, done that as a mother’s helper. I had all the patience in the world because I was getting paid and going home at the end of the day.) Maxie says, Cody is gifted, and Mac says, so is she. She says she’s not sure her kids agree. Cody is like a real-life superhero around here. Like someone else she knows.
Diane goes to Alexis’s office, and says she comes bearing gifts. What she hopes is a source of clarity. She holds out an envelope and says, it’s from the Court of Appeals. It came in care of her office. Alexis says, she didn’t open it? and Diane says, tampering with the mail is a federal offense. She doesn’t know what’s in there, but Alexis’s future awaits.
TJ says he’s impressed with what Felicia has done in record time. The few things she didn’t get are probably in the patient’s records, but they’ll have to get the patient’s consent. She says she already got it and it’s on file, and he says, she thought of everything. Her phone rings, and he says, Maxie again? It’s fine if she wants to pick it up. She says she will, when she’s officially off duty.
Tracy calls Finn and leaves a message. She says, he keeps not calling her back. She’s worried about him. Please call her. She goes into the other room, and startles Cody. She asks if he’s okay, and he says he’ll take care of her gear. She says, that’s not what she asked.
Maxie asks, what kind of mother doesn’t answer her daughter’s calls or texts? and Mac says, the working kind. He’s so proud of Felicia. Maxie says, she goes the extra mile for her patients and it’s spilling into other areas. She advocates for everyone, including Maxie, whether she wants it or not. She asks if Mac was in on Felicia’s plan to get Spinelli to move in, but he says he had no part of it. Maxie says, her heart was in the right place, and she’s glad it happened, but don’t tell Felicia she said that. They’re taking things slowly. Mac says, that’s music to his ears, and Maxie says she missed him so much. He says, it’s so good to be home.
Brook sees Sonny at the pool, and he motions her over. He tells her that Avery has her swim class, and she asks if he’s seen his wedding date. He says, Natalia just left, and Brook says, Natalia summoned her, then took off? He says, Natalia left something with him for her, and gives her the drive. He asks if she’s okay, and she says, it’s Chase’s niece Violet. He asks if she’s hurt or sick, and she says, Violet is fine for now, but if she tells him something, will he keep it between them? He says, of course (🍷), and she says, ever since Gregory died, Finn has been drinking… a lot. Sonny asks if he isn’t recovering, and she says, that’s why they haven’t faced this before. Finn furiously maintains it’s none of their business. Sonny says, that’s where he would be wrong.
Chase sees Stella in the café and tells her that TJ said she’d be here. She says, he ratted her out, and Chase promises to be brief. She’s a social worker. She says, and he’s a police officer, and he says, normally, he’d hand this off to someone else, but it’s personal, and he doesn’t feel comfortable with that. She asks if it has something to do with his father. She was sorry to hear about Gregory’s death. He says, no, but yes, and she says, that clears things up. He says, not directly with his death, but it may be a catalyst. There’s a child is with a parent in the throes of SUD. She says, Substance Use Disorder.Long term or recent? and he says, they’ve been clean for years, but the recent environment isn’t safe for anyone, let alone a little girl.
Alexis says, a friend just died and her two daughters are courting disaster, and Diane tells her, don’t buy a lottery ticket. Alexis says, or open that envelope, but Diane says, the outcome won’t change, no matter what. Isn’t Alexis tired of being in limbo? She knows she is. Alexis says she’s sorry to inconvenience Diane, and Diane says, if Alexis doesn’t open it, she will. Alexis says, do it… No, wait. She picks up Gregory’s medal, and says, go ahead. Diane opens the envelope.
Cody tells Tracy, where he comes from is a story with a winding road. He thought his dad was Mr. Bell, but he wasn’t. Then he assumed his dad was the rich guy Mr. Bell worked for, but he wasn’t. He moved to Port Charles and had a DNA test and finally knows who his father is. Tracy asks if it’s good news or bad news, but he says, his father doesn’t know he has a son. She asks if he’s a bad guy, but Cody says, the opposite. He likes him a lot. She says she’s confused, and he says, join the club. He’s had multiple chances to tell him, but he lied instead. He’s not sure he can walk it back. She says, it’s his story. He can walk it in any direction he wants. He asks, what if his father is furious? but she says, what if he’s thrilled he has a son?
Mac puts Bailey down for her nap, and Maxie says she thought he’d be more tan since he was in South America. Spinelli says, it’s winter there now, and James asks if it’s winter in Florida too. Spinelli asks Maxie if they teach geography at James’s school, and she says, he takes after her. (Same.) Felicia comes in and says, she’s here. What’s the exciting new development?
Sonny tells Brook that this has to be stopped. Kids are innocent, and they think the suffering and pain are going to last forever. Even if they get through it, it changes them. But with people like Brook in their corner, this child will never go through what he did. She won’t let it happen.
Chase says he’d prefer not to give specifics, and Stella suggests she ask questions and he can tell her what he’s comfortable with. She asks if the child is being neglected, but he says, no. She says, threatened or abused? and he says he doesn’t think so. Don’t tell him he has to wait until it happens. She says, there are agencies where he can report his concerns, but as a cop, he knows the drill. It’s not easy. A judge isn’t likely to break up a family over a couple of benders. Document everything and get statements from people who have seen the parent under the influence and acting irresponsibly. He asks if he’s supposed to build a case against his brother, but she says she’s advising him to build a case for his niece.
Alexis says, just tell her, and Diane says, well… There’s some good news and some bad news. Which does she want first? Alexis says, the bad news… no, the good, and Diane says, the court vacated her disbarment as improperly applied. Alexis says, she won? She can practice law again? Diane says, that leads to the bad news. Her legal license has been suspended for two years. Alexis says she’s waited this long. She can put up with this hellhole for a couple of years. Diane says, she doesn’t have to. Her two-year suspension started four years ago. She knows, she’s awful. Alexis says, it’s over, and Diane says, Alexis needs 48 hours of legal education and will have to apply to the bar. Alexis says she couldn’t have done it without Diane, and Diane says she knows. They dance around, saying, it’s over, and hug
Cody wonders if Tracy thinks he’s crazy, stupid, or both, and she asks if he wants to know what she thinks. He says, at this point, he’ll take Comet’s advice, and she says, he’s lucky. He has a clean slate and the opportunity for a fresh start. He says he lied and he’s still lying, but she says, one admission can put an end to it. The rest of their lives can begin any time, and he gets to decide when that is. She leaves.
Felicia says she fulfilled her duties at the hospital, despite the steady stream of interruptions. She’s confused as to what was so important. The kids are fine. The house isn’t on fire. James starts to say something, but Maxie stops him and says, it’s not on fire, but the house is hotter than it’s been in a while. Felicia asks if the A/C isn’t working, and coming in behind her, Mac says, the A/C is working. He’s sorry he was away so long. It won’t happen again. Maxie asks if Felicia understands why she was blowing up her phone. Felicia says, you’re here, and hugs Mac. James suggests they get ice cream to celebrate, and despite Maxie’s objection, Mac says, James can have all the toppings. Felicia says, welcome home, and they kiss. Mac says, it’s good to be here.
Tomorrow, Violet tells Finn that she doesn’t want to be alone; Spinelli tells Sam that they found their prize; and Carly tells Jason, what he’s doing affects you.
Since there was no more Quickfire Challenge, the chefs went right to Elimination, where they had to make the best four-course meal of their lives. There was food porn galore, including a new take on Hummingbird cake. Emeril Lagasse was the secret guest judge, which thrilled the contestants to no end. I went to see his show once at the Food Network in NYC, but I was in mountain goat territory, so no tasting for me. We did get a righteous bag of potato chips though. Read on to see who came out on top.
What’s annoying about RHONJ is that I’ve lived at the Jersey Shore for quite a while and have never met anyone like these people. That goes for the cast of The Jersey Shore as well. And I’ve never once heard anyone use the term bitch boy.
Take a break with me tomorrow for soap and useless, but amusing, information. Until then, stay safe, stay not monopolizing a community grill, and stay never taking advantage of your benefactor.
(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)
General Hospital
Both Cody and Sasha couldn’t sleep and found each other on the patio. He wondered if it was the excitement of the party keeping her awake, but she said, maybe it was him.
Valentin brought Anna champagne and she said it was unnecessary, but he said, there was no such thing as unnecessary champagne. She told him that his apology was also unnecessary, and he said they’d had plans for dinner, and he bailed. She said, work was a valid excuse, but it cast doubt on his claim that he could compartmentalize his life. He said he was getting the hang of it.
John went to the coffee warehouse and told Jason that he was finally free. John knew who was running Pikeman – Anna Devane. Jason said, it wasn’t possible, but John said, it was and he had proof.
Carly saw Sam at the pool and said, Sam was too late for the party. It had been fabulous, mostly. Sam said, Dante had to work, and Danny was out with his friends. She’d wanted to stay home in case he needed her, but he hadn’t. Now Danny was home with Scout and Rocco, and she wanted to ask Carly, mother to mother, to help her son.
At Bobbie’s, Lucy told Scotty that she hoped the umpteenth revision of Blaze’s contract was the charm. When they gave Natalia what she wanted, then she’d find something else she didn’t like. They’d been bending over backwards. Scotty said, they still had no final contract, but Lucy said she thought he liked it. He was loving the billable hours. He said, working with her was enough. He saw it as a collaboration. She asked if that meant he wasn’t charging her, but he said he wouldn’t go that far.
Sam told Carly that Jason posed a physical danger to Danny. When he came back after he was shot, he held up in the Quartermaine boathouse. Danny found him, and Jason got Danny to help him. Carly said, Danny was Jason’s son and Jason had a bullet wound, and Sam asked, what son should help his father with a gunshot wound? On top of it, Jason asked Danny to promise not to tell her. If Carly was in her place, and he’d done that to her kid, how would she feel? Carly said, if it was anyone else, she’d be furious, but she trusted Jason. She might not like it, but she had to trust it. He’d never let harm come to their kids. Sam said, it was Jason’s line of work and would always happen with his lifestyle. He followed danger and didn’t even try to avoid it. He was the last person who could guarantee Danny’s safety. Carly said, Jason would take a bullet for Danny, and Sam said, it sounded heroic, but Jason was why he’d be in the line of fire in the first place. She was asking as a friend. Carly asked if they were friends, and Sam asked if Carly couldn’t accept that she felt differently, that her concern was real, and help her.
John said he’d gotten into Anna’s email account, and there were emails back and forth with Jack dating back five years. Jason asked if John would be able to shut Pikeman down, and John said, soon. Jason said, then John didn’t need him.
Anna said, Valentin could have called, emailed, or texted, and he said, next time, he’d send a singing telegram. The problem with those methods of communication was, they were from a distance, and he liked being next to her. She told him that dinner was up to him, since he was a busy man, but he said, other than Charlotte, she was always his priority. She asked if he’d choose her over the nefarious schemes he had going, and he said, no contest. She asked if they should be playing at this, and he asked if they were playing. She said they both knew it hadn’t worked for a reason, and she was wondering if it was wise. He said he didn’t know, but it wasn’t something he’d change, and kissed her.
Cody asked if Sasha was saying he kept her up at night, and she said, he’d been on her mind. He asked what he was wearing, but she said, not like that. She’d been thinking about his smile. He said he did some thinking about hers too, and she said, it was sad sometimes. Not all the time, but after James came back from his riding lessons or when the kids grilled him. He would be all smiles until there was a breather, then it went away. Not entirely, but in his eyes. He seemed lonely. The kids adored him, and the grown-ups trusted him. Even Tracy relied on him. He was surrounded by a family he didn’t have, except of course (🍷) the one he belonged to. He said, a big part of him wanted to come clean, and she asked what was stopping him, while I got distracted by her earrings. He said, Mac was still out of town, and he didn’t know how to admit he’d lied in the first place. It wasn’t for a noble cause. He lied to protect himself from getting arrested and prosecuted because he tried to defraud someone. Sasha said, the worst case, Mac would be disappointed and angry. How long did he think it would last? Cody said he didn’t want to find out. That’s why a big part of him was relieved Mac was still gone. As long as Mac was away, he didn’t have to decide. He was a coward. She said she thought that sometimes we got comfortable in our own discomfort, living without the thing we were missing, even though it’s what we really needed. He asked how he moved forward, and she said, if what he was doing wasn’t working, try something new.
Sam said she needed Carly to ask Jason to leave Danny alone and keep his distance, and Carly asked, why do that to Danny? Sam said she had to, and Carly said, Danny adored Jason. He was just like him. Sam said, that was the problem. Danny had no idea how dangerous Jason’s life was. He thought his father was smart and cool and got him. He wanted to be just like Jason, which was the worst possible thing that could happen to him.
Valentin said he’d make dinner for Anna tomorrow, and she wondered how she could say no. He said he’d see her tomorrow, but she said she hadn’t told him yes. He said he liked his chances.
John told Jason that the email was circumstantial. There were no details or direct mention of Pikeman. Jason said, then he got nothing, but John said it pointed to Anna and Brennan being collaborators. Clearly Jack was out of commission, so Anna was running the show. She’d been pointing him in the wrong direction. Jason said, clearly, somebody was, and John said he’d put too much faith in his brother’s connection to Robin. Anna had been obstructing him at every turn, keeping him out of the loop and away from the evidence. If she was running Pikeman, it made sense. Anna trusted Jason, so he needed Jason to get him clear proof of the connection between Anna, Brennan, and Pikeman. Jason said, the sooner he got out from under the FBI, the better, and John said, if Jason warned Anna and she was able to cover tracks, Carly would go to prison.
Lucy thought the reason Natalia bothered her was that she was so damn smart. She was intelligent, organized, and laser focused on getting every advantage for her daughter. She wished Natalia worked for Deception. Natalia knew they had to formalize the contract before they could launch the campaign. Scotty said he thought he found something that would work.
Cody asked how Sasha knew where to find him, and she said he wasn’t in his room. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who was lonely. Maybe she wanted to try something new too. And she kissed him.
Sam said, it was one thing for Jason to live the life he did, but she didn’t want that for Danny. Carly said, it’s not like Jason was going to recruit Danny into the mob, but Sam said, it would still be something dangerous, and Jason wouldn’t protect Danny unless someone else got through to him. He wouldn’t listen to her, and it had to be Carly. Carly said, Sam wanted her to ask Jason to break his own heart, sending away a boy who loved and needed him. And what about Danny? The rejection and abandonment would break his heart. Sam said, Jason just got back, so it was better to do it now, and Carly said she got that Sam was doing this out of love, but it would devastate Danny. Sam said, at least he’d be alive. He was in more danger around Jason than not being around him. Carly said, if Sam didn’t want Jason to be her kid’s father, why had she made such a big deal about having baby with him?
Jason told Anna that John thought she was running Pikeman. How close was she with Brennan? She said, not close. They trained together and worked together on a failed op Jack sabotaged to pocket the money for Pikeman. He asked if she was sure it was Jack, and she said she wasn’t positive enough to prove anything. He asked if they’d kept in touch, but she said she’d barely seen or spoken to him in decades until he turned up in Port Charles. Jason said, the emails indicated they’d been meeting in secret for the last five years.
Lucy asked what her genius, sexy lawyer had come up with, and Scotty said he was working on Heather’s case. Lucy said, none of his hours would be billable now, and Deception wasn’t paying for his pie and coffee. He said, back to Heather… and Lucy said, Heather had murdered people and attempted to murder several others. He said, there were mitigating circumstances, and she said, he sounded like Laura. But Laura was a goody two-shoes do-gooder, and reopening cases was just the naïve, stupid thing good people tended to do. She expected worse of him. She relied on him to be the lesser person. He told her that cobalt poisoning was real and there were documented cases, and she wondered if people with faulty hip replacements were running around slaughtering people. He said, it affected behavior, and he thought he could convince a jury that’s what made Heather so violent. She said, so Heather would get a new trial and be released to kill again? and he said, there could be a lot of money in this for Heather.
Carly said, Jason hadn’t been sure he wanted to have a baby with Sam, for all the reasons she just said – the risks, the danger, the life he was leading – but Sam wanted it, so he gave in, and Sam got what she wanted, a boy like Jason. She didn’t get to change her mind now. Sam said she was in love with Jason then, but she grew up, and Jason didn’t turn out to be the man she thought he was. He disappeared on them, on his children, twice. Carly said, so there it was. Sam wasn’t doing this to protect Danny. She was doing it to punish Jason.
Anna told Jason that she hadn’t spoken to or emailed Jack in decades, not until she arrested him. Jason said, John had gotten into her personal email account, and she asked if he had a warrant. Jason told her, he said he did, and Anna said, it was a WSB tactic. Doctoring or forging emails, then planting them to divert attention or incriminate. In this case, both. Valentin did this. Jason said, Valentin was framing her.
Sasha and Cody kissed their way to the boathouse. They heard someone plucking a violin, and Cody said, wasn’t Gio just at the party? And now’s the time to practice? Sasha thought Gio probably didn’t want to wake anyone, and Cody said, the property was the size of Rhode Island, and he picked this spot?
Scotty told Lucy, think product liability. If Heather’s faulty hip caused her behavior, the company was responsible. Lucy said, so maybe Heather would be entitled to compensation, and he said, Heather’s pain and suffering and everything she was going through when she wasn’t in her right mind. Lucy said, Heather was never in her right mind, but Scotty said, Lucy didn’t know her back then. She said, what about the victims and their families? and he said, the manufacturer was liable for that. Lucy said she got that he had a soft spot for Heather. Their relationship had resulted in a son who he’d lost, who was allegedly not responsible for committing murder because of a medical condition. Like mother, like son. He said, those were different circumstances, and Lucy said, the tumor that was removed from Franco was real, and once it was removed, he became a decent, albeit flawed and complicated, human being. What if before Heather’s stint as The Hook, she also committed murder? He said, Heather did a lot of horrible things in her day and had a lot of half-baked ideas. Kind of like Lucy back in her day.
Anna asked if Jason had seen the email, but he said, no. John had said there was nothing concrete, just references to meetings and things discussed. She said, so it wasn’t enough to build a case, and he said, not really. She said, so Valentin wasn’t framing her per se. He was using her as a decoy. Jason asked if she was making excuses for Valentin, and she said, no… maybe. Valentin knows pointing Cates toward her with no solid evidence to incriminate her was something she could handle. Jason asked if it didn’t bother her, and she said, it did, very much, but how she felt was irrelevant. Valentin loved her and would never risk sending her to prison, but he wasn’t above using her as a pawn, so she’d get investigated while he was doing things. It was a win for him. Jason said he understood where she was coming from all too well, but Cates was a real problem. Anna said, it would only keep Cates busy. The emails would impede the FBI’s investigation of Pikeman. She wasn’t in any danger of prosecution because there was no real evidence. Jason said, John ordered him to get the evidence to indict her, and if he didn’t, Carly would be prosecuted. Anna wasn’t in danger, but Carly was. He was going to have to tell John that Valentin was head of Pikeman.
Lucy asked how Scotty dared compare her to Heather, and he admitted he shouldn’t have said it. Lucy said she’d run schemes and scams a lot with him. Heather proved invaluable when she helped Lucy and Franco escape from Ferncliff, but Lucy never killed anybody… Victor Jerome swallowed her locket on his own; she didn’t force him. She never killed anyone and never switched, stole, or did anything to anyone’s baby. Scotty said, if Lucy needed a hip replacement and it poisoned her and made her do weird stuff, would she like to be written off and locked up with no one to help her? Lucy said, of course (🍷) not, but did he really believe it turned someone into a different person or just magnified who the person was? If Heather was a dangerous person, was it fair to the people she harmed to let her go free? He said, no one was talking about Heather going free, and she asked if it wasn’t a possibility. He said, everything was a possibility, and she asked, what about the person who murdered Franco? If they weren’t responsible because of a condition, would he believe it was justice? He said, she had a point, but put her hat on it and cover it up. She said she loved that he saw dollar signs, but let someone else make bank from Heather. He had to steer clear of her. He said, maybe she should be charging him, and she said, maybe she’d take it out in trade. He took a bite of her pie.
Gio continued to play, and Cody wondered if they could politely ask him to leave, but Sasha said, Gio was family, and they were staff. He said he just thought they were going to finally… and she said, that was the plan. He said, she had a plan? and she said, Brook’s cousin was 20 feet away, but it was actually nice, romantic even. A private concert just for them. Not bad. Cody said, maybe even perfect.
Sam said she wasn’t trying to punish Jason. She was keeping her kid safe. Carly said, it wasn’t like Jason was in the Bahamas. The first time he disappeared, he was shot and nearly died. The second time, he was taken into custody. Sam said, that was what happened in Jason’s life, and Carly said, Sam knew about his life before. She didn’t get to change her mind. Sam said, of course (🍷) she did. She didn’t want her son to end up like Morgan, end up dead. Carly said, it’s not about that. Sam was doing this to Jason because he didn’t devote his life to her and didn’t change who he was to fit in the life she wanted once she grew up. She was taking away his son to punish him. Sam said she knew she shouldn’t have come to Carly. Carly didn’t want Jason to change because he might not put her first. If anything happened to her son because his father wouldn’t stay away, Carly was just as responsible as Jason. Sam walked out. (Um… I think Sam and Jason are the ones responsible for their own kid.)
Anna said, Jason couldn’t tell John about Valentin. They had no evidence to prove he was running Pikeman, and she didn’t trust Cates to do the job right. He’d arrest Valentin prematurely, Valentin would escape, Pikeman would stay in business, and Cates would never let Jason loose. She was having dinner at Valentin’s house and would get the evidence he needed to hand over to Cates. Valentin would be arrested, and Jason would get his life back. Jason said, okay, but he wanted to make something clear. He was going to take Valentin down himself before he’d let Cates hurt Carly.
Tomorrow, Josslyn can’t believe Gio is worried about taking advantage of Sonny; TJ tells Felicia that she thought of everything; Diane tells Alexis, the future awaits, handing her an envelope; and Chase tells Brook that he knows exactly who to talk to.
It’s not like we didn’t know it could always be a possibility. No body, no dead. Sometimes even when there is a body. I’m still expecting Faison to show up again, even though his brain is in a jar somewhere.
So, I’m kinda sorta watching this. I’ve liked Caroline Stanbury since Ladies of London (RIP), and I’m enjoying her friendship with Ayan. Here’s hoping it lasts and they don’t go middle school on me. I figure we’re also safe from fistfights, since they don’t go for that stuff in Dubai. This week, from out of the blue and probably because she was drunk, Brook called Caroline a see-you-next-Tuesday for no apparent reason. This caused a disinvite to a party by Caroline’s husband, but probably really Caroline. A lot of the cast was like, you can’t disinvite someone, but you’d better believe if someone called me that, they’d get a disinvite and possibly a smack in the face. Are you kidding?
Join me tomorrow for soap and finding out what Chef ends up on Top. Until then, stay safe, stay getting permission before taking pictures inside someone else’s house, and stay trying something new if what you’re doing isn’t working.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Finn plays a solo game of Backgammon in the breakroom, when Elizabeth walks in and asks if he’s playing against himself. He asks what she wants to hear, and she asks if he has no friends. He says, Tracy’s back in town, so he’s practicing. He can’t let her beat him. She’s impossible to deal with under normal circumstances. If she got a win… He’s got to stay on his toes. Elizabeth says, maybe she can help, and sits across from him.
Diane and Alexis find seats at the Bistro, and Diane says she keeps forgetting this place serves Earl Grey by default. She’s not a fan. Alexis says, take it back and get something else, but Diane says she can’t. Alexis calls her a martyr, and asks why she’s so cranky. Somebody on her mind? Diane says, if she’s referring to DA Scorpio, no. Holly left town; Robert told her himself. Alexis says, that sounds good… isn’t it? but Diane says, he couldn’t say if or when she was going to return. Alexis says, sounds like a win to her. She’s gone; he’s here. So is Diane.
On the phone, Cody says he knows they have a lot going on right now, but he wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important. Sam asks if he got arrested again, and he says, no, but he does need her help. She says, with what? and he says, exposing Gladys Corbin.
Sasha comes into Willow’s room, apologizing for being late, but Willow says she imagines it take time to get all suited up. Sasha says, that’s not what distracted her. She got hung up by an email. Willow says she has no concept of time in this room. She’s just glad Sasha’s here. Sasha says, Willow looks so much better, and Willow thanks her. She says she doesn’t want to sound insensitive, but Sasha’s eyes look red. Has she been crying? Sasha says, time to rethink Deception’s concealer formula (well, I would hope you don’t put it in your eyes), and Willow asks, what’s going on? Sasha says she was crying because of Nina.
On the phone, Michael asks Dex if there’s any news from the Pikeman camp… Keep him posted. It’s important Sonny thinks things are status quo. He doesn’t want Sonny to know they had any connection. Chase comes along and asks how Willow is doing. Michael says, she’s holding her own. Sasha’s in with her right now. Chase says, no more phones? and Michael says, they still have to wear masks and gowns to keep the room sterile, but she’s only allowed one visitor at a time. Chase says, that’s great. He’s sure she appreciates the human contact. Michael says, what about him? and Chase says he’s actually trying to avoid human contact. Everybody’s on the 10th floor, waiting for news about Ned, and he doesn’t want to get in the way of… Michael says, Brook’s sweet Granny Tracy?
TJ checks Ned’s vitals, as Olivia stands by nervously. Tracy and Brook come in, and Brook asks how he is. Olivia tells them, the doctor said, it’s time to bring Ned out of his twilight sleep. Brook says, sounds hopeful, and Tracy asks TJ, is it hopeful?
Finn tells Elizabeth that backgammon dates back 5000 years, and she says she didn’t realize she was in for a history lesson. Elizabeth makes a good move, and Finn says, that was lucky. Gilgamesh, the Mesopotamian king who wanted immortality, would play. She says she guesses he had to do something if he was going to live forever, and Finn says, big time player? Cleopatra. Elizabeth says, wow, and Finn says, maybe the best of all; Lucille Ball. She and Sammy Davis would just sit down at parties and start playing backgammon. She asks if he’s trying to distract her with this amazing information and his dazzling charm, and he says, the dazzling charm comes naturally. The backgammon history is a bonus. She says, so he’s a charmer and a nerd; it’s a winning combination. He asks if she just called him a nerd, and she makes a winning move, saying, she thinks she likes this game.
Diane tells Alexis, Robert said his complicated life just got less complicated. Isn’t that attractive? Then their uncomplicated conversation became more complicated after Olivia Quartermaine came over and started pressing Robert for inside information on the SEC case, and was there a possible deal on the table where her client Carly could give up her client Sonny. Alexis says, and Diane was all ears, and Diane says, of course (🍷) she was. Robert didn’t seem to appreciate that. She just doesn’t know if they’re compatible. Alexis says, Diane really likes those bad boy clients, doesn’t she? and Diane says, she likes the bad boy clients? She coughs, saying, Jerry Jax…. cough, cough… Julian Jerome. Alexis says, stop. Everyone to their corners. Diane says, that’s not what she wanted to talk about anyway. She’s consulting on a new case, and she needs Alexis’s great wisdom. Has she ever heard of Bidz Secure? With a Z. It’s crypto currency. Alexis says she doesn’t do that, and Diane says, neither does she. Just stay with her. It’s a digital currency security start-up. Their client is the CFO who’s been accused of stealing the keys to a big wallet which has somehow gone missing. Alexis says, a big wallet? and Diane says, it’s not a real wallet. It’s a digital wallet. He says he’s being framed by the CEO, who’s apparently a real crypto bro, according to her associate. Alexis says, that’s a he said/he said, and Diane says, the wife of the crypto bro CEO says she actually witnessed their client downloading funds, so it’s a he said/she said/he said. Alexis says, it sounds like Diane doesn’t believe what she said. Does she have any evidence? Diane says, no. The security is all in the digital ether, so there’s no paper trail. It’s keystrokes and clicks, and no, she doesn’t believe her. According to Diane’s associate, her husband is a real shark. Alexis says, so where does the shark swim? What does the shark eat? Diane asks if Alexis is having a stroke. What is she talking about? Alexis says, hunger. She may not know anything about tech bros, but she knows something about bros, and if it were her, she would be looking into the proclivities and the extracurricular activities of this certain CEO, and Diane might find something that his wife doesn’t like. If she’s going out on a limb for a lying cheater, or worse, she might think twice. Diane says, Alexis Davis, you are yummy and brilliant and devious, and Alexis says, all’s fair in love and law.
Cody tells Sam that he’ll fill her in when she gets here. He’s at the stables. He thanks her, and flashes back to talking to Brook saying he has the support of her entire family, granny aside. He says, Comet would miss him. Wouldn’t you boy? He puts his forehead against the horse, and says, apparently, there’s a few people out there who would. Don’t worry. Gladys won’t get rid of him that easily.
TJ says, his hope is that the sedation allowed Ned’s brain to rest, preventing any further swelling and maybe decreasing it. Tracy says, hope; that’s carefully worded. He says, medical professionals are discouraged from giving blanket assurances, but he can tell them that Ned’s medical team is cautiously optimistic. Brook thanks him, and asks, what’s next? TJ says, they’ll wake him up and assess his cognitive state, and Olivia says she was told there was a slight chance of lasting effects. Tracy says, like what? and he says, they’re getting ahead of themselves. Instead of rattling off a list of possible complications, they’ll start with removing Ned’s IV sedation, and work from there.
Diane says, Alexis misses being a lawyer; she can hear it. Alexis says, miss it? Being a lawyer is like voluntarily signing up to go into battle with an army of paperwork and legal jargon. It’s like navigating a perverse maze of precedents and cases that have no mercy. Diane says, but cracking the case. Wiping the smug grin off the face of opposing counsel. That was never done to her of course (🍷), but then there’s winning, winning, winning. Alexis says, pages and pages and pages of statutory law that you have to memorize, only to find out that it’s just been revised, and Diane says, it’s like putting together a giant puzzle. Alexis says, you get no sleep, you have no life, because you know you have to be in court for the next 20 days in a row, and Diane says, that’s why we have caffeine. Alexis says, to watch an innocent person get exonerated and order restored to a chaotic world. God, she misses it so much. It’s like losing a limb. She misses arguing in court; she loved arguing. And the thrill of advocating for justice. It’s who she is. She can’t just stand on the sidelines and watch. Diane says, like a reporter?
Sam arrives at the stables, and tells Cody, this better be important. She’s got to go back to the hospital. He asks, how’s Ned? Leo and Brook were here earlier. So was Tracy. Sam says, so he met Tracy, and he says, it was quite the experience. She’s a mother who’s worried about her son. They’re all worried. Sam says she and Dante are at the hospital supporting Dante’s mother, so if Cody wouldn’t mind being brief; what’s his plan? He says, that’s what he needs her help with, and she says she thought he needed help executing the plan, not brainstorming the whole damn thing. He’s never had problems executing his own schemes before. He says, way harsh. Besides, she has proximity to the Corinthos family. She can gain inside knowledge on Gladys a helluva lot easier than he could. Besides, she’s the only one who knows the whole story and believes him. She says she doesn’t know the whole story. He never told her Gladys’s motive for framing him. He says, she does believe him, right?
Willow says, Nina made Sasha cry? What has she done now? Sasha says, it’s not what Willow thinks. These are tears of joy. Willow asks if they’re in a parallel universe. Nina sparked joy? Sasha says, very funny. Willow must be feeling better. Willow says she’s just trying to process, and Sasha says she knows Willow’s relationship with Nina has been… Willow says, disastrous… fraught, and Sasha says, and this is all her fault. There was a time when she and Nina were at odds, remember? Willow says, now Sasha will tell her again how that’s all changed, and Sasha says, it has changed. Nina just wrote her the most wonderful letter of commendation to end her guardianship. Willow says, that’s great. She’s so proud of Sasha. Sasha thanks her, and says she’s finally ready to move forward. How about Willow?
Michael says, so Tracy is putting Chase through the paces, and Chase says, oh yeah. Now he knows how Comet feels. Michael says, she’s not as bad as she seems. When the chips are down, she loves her family, and she’s extremely loyal.Maybe too loyal, but she loves Brook. They have this whole love/hate thing going on. Chase says, but Brook can hold her own. It’s actually kind of fun to watch. Michael says, looks like someone is getting desensitized to the Quartermaine ways, and Chase asks how Michael is holding up through all this. Michael says, it’s a roller coaster. But they’ll get to the other side. He’s just really thankful for the nanny, because with Wiley’s endless energy and keeping Amelia on track is a non-stop juggling act. Chase says he can’t imagine that. It’s got to take a lot of strength and patience, especially while worrying about Willow.
Tracy asks, how long is this going to take? and Brook asks if she has a pickleball championship. Why doesn’t she wait outside with Dante? Olivia says, TJ told them, it could be twenty minutes; it could be a few hours. Tracy is acting like a six-year-old on a road trip. Stop. Tracy says, where is the doctor? Can’t they be doing more? What happened to the Quartermaine name? Monica left them… Olivia says, seriously? Tracy can’t sit in her own son’s ICU room without complaining about everything? Tracy says, he’s used to it. It’s like home. Ned moves his head, and Tracy says she rests her case. Olivia says, they’re here, and Ned opens his eyes, the three of them coming into focus. He closes his eyes again, as we all would.
Elizabeth sets up another game, and Finn says, today’s the last day of being just Nurse Baldwin. How does it feel? She says, it feels good. She’s happy to have been chosen for this position. She hopes she can do some good. Maybe bring some healing to this hospital. Lord knows they could use it after losing Epiphany. He says he thinks she’s the right person to bring back the humanity they need, and she thanks him. She says she keeps telling herself, this isn’t about her. It’s about her service to the patients and the staff who work so hard. She’s been linked to this hospital her entire life. One of her grandfathers was Dr. Hardy, the symbol of virtue, the true hero of General Hospital. I find myself nodding. It’s in this place she’s had her highest highs and her lowest lows. This place has put her back together more times than she’d like to count. Let’s not forget all the legends of the nurses station; Jessie Brewer, Bobbie Spencer, and Epiphany. Sometimes she wonders if she’s strong enough to be like them. Finn says, she is strong. In the end, she might be the strongest of them all.
Sam says she bailed Cody out. If she’d thought he was a thief, she wouldn’t have bothered. He thanks her, and she says, maybe it’s best if he does this legally. Why doesn’t he ask Dante for help? He says he doesn’t want to compromise Dante, and she laughs, and says, but he’s compromising her? He says he could just skip town, but she’d be out her bail money, and she says she’d find him in a heartbeat. He says he has no doubt, and feeds Comet some carrots. He says, it kills him that Sasha doesn’t know who Gladys really is, and Sam says, which is why they need to prove that the bracelet was planted. He says, Sasha needs to know that Gladys can’t be trusted. So does Port Charles. Sam suggests they just focus on keeping him out of jail, and not bite off more than they can chew. Feeding Comet more carrots, Cody tells her, Comet says, why limit ourselves?
Michael tells Chase that his heart breaks every time there’s a moment with Amelia, and Willow’s not there to experience it. The other day, Amelia looked up at him and smiled at him for the first time, like she really saw him. It was incredible, but Willow wasn’t there; she was here. He tries to record what he can on his phone, but it’s not the same. Willow needs to be there, experiencing it firsthand, to see the look on Amelia’s face when she lights up. It’s time she’ll never get back. Chase says, she’ll be able to watch those videos forever, and she’ll treasure every single one of them. Even more because she’ll know Michael took the time to record, even though he was going through his own hell.
Sasha tells Willow that she just met with Dr. Montague. He’s the psychiatrist the court appointed to evaluate her. Willow asks, how’d it go? and Sasha says, pretty good? She thinks. It’s hard to know for sure. Willow is sure Dr. Montague was very impressed. Why wouldn’t he be? Sasha has survived things that would have broken anyone else. Sasha says, Willow’s one to talk, and Willow says, having the support of family and friends has made all the difference. Sasha says, same, and Nina was a very big part of that for her. Nina was there for her when she gave Nina every reason to hate her. She pretended to be the thing Nina wanted more than anything. Nina was searching for her daughter, and what she and Valentin did was horrible, but Nina somehow found the strength and love to forgive her. That could not have been easy. Willow says she sees what Sasha is doing, but Nina has put her and the family she loves through the wringer. Some things can’t be forgiven.
Finn says, maybe it’s time for a Hardy to be in charge again. Elizabeth’s Gram was a legend in her own right. It’s kind of her destiny. Elizabeth says, those are some big shoes to fill, and he says, the shoe fits, Cinderella. He’s sorry he couldn’t join her celebration last night. She says, couldn’t or wouldn’t? She realizes girls night out isn’t for everyone, but we missed you. He says, we? and she says, I missed you. He says, hopefully, there will be many more celebrations, but he knew she needed a night out with her best friends. She says she’d like to think he’s one of them, and he says, no doubt about it.
Olivia says, thank God. She’s been praying so hard. She knew he’d wake up. Tracy tells her, back off. His brain’s been deprived of enough oxygen. She tells Ned, say something, but Brook says, don’t rush him. Ned says, water, and Brook gets a glass, Olivia putting the straw in his mouth. TJ comes in, and says, that was fast. Tracy says she wouldn’t expect any less, and TJ tells Ned, welcome back. Does he know why he’s in the hospital?
Alexis says, Diane’s not the only one she complains to about her job. While Diane was chatting it up at The Savoy with Robert’s ex, she was complaining to Felicia about her job. Diane says, her, complain? and Alexis says she believes in free press. She believes in reporters. And maybe that passion for complaining just fuels that commitment… She just wishes she were more fulfilled at The Invader. Diane says, but? and Alexis says she sometimes makes a difference. She sometimes shines a light on a story that’s important, but those stories hardly ever happen. For every impactful story, it’s like there’s a zillion mundane, stupid ones, like celebrity gossip or fashion. It’s like finding a needle of significance in a haystack of triviality. Diane says, it’s not exactly Woodward and Bernstein, and Alexis says, maybe she’s just spreading herself too thin, and needs to take advantage of her support team, and do some serious outreach. Diane says, yes, her support team. That now includes – she clears her throat – the wonderful Esme Prince.
Michael says, Chase is right. He needs to focus on the future. Once Willow is released, they’ll have the rest of their lives to make more moments together. Chase says, and they will, but until then, don’t forget to send a flare up when things get tough. His friends are here, and they want to help. Michael thanks him, and says, despite all the angst and craziness with the kids, he wouldn’t trade being a father for anything. Chase says he can see that, and Michael asks if Chase ever thinks about children. Chase says, talk about turning the tables, and Michael asks if it’s a touchy subject. Chase says, no, of course (🍷) not. He grew up in a great family. His dad was always there. His mom was kind of busy, but they both loved him. Michael says, so how about it? and Chase says, let him put it this way. He definitely loves kids, and he and Brook are back together, but as for his own, that’s a long way off in the future. Michael says, the future kind of has a habit of catching up to you sooner than you think.
Sasha says, Willow’s relationship with Nina is complicated, but so is hers. She lied to Nina, she conned her, she broke Nina’s heart. And she put Brando through hell with her addiction. Both times, she was the recipient of grace; forgiven. And recently, she wrongfully accused a friend of something. Willow says, and she was forgiven? but Sasha says, he doesn’t hold it against her, but he’s not sure he can be her friend. Willow says she’s sorry, and Sasha says, so is she. It’s painful wanting to connect to someone you’ve wronged, even if they don’t owe you a thing.
Sam says, Cody’s innocence is going to be a lot easier to prove than Gladys’s guilt, and Cody says, tell it to his lawyer. She says, what lawyer? and he says, Scott Baldwin. She asks why Scotty isn’t dealing with this, and he says, Scotty is working on something else for him. She says, bigger than a conviction for grand larceny? They have to prove Gladys was in his pants the night of the Nurses Ball. He says, she was in his jacket, thank you very much, and the PCPD already looked into all this. There was no surveillance footage. She says, there are other ways.
Finn asks if Elizabeth wants to play, and she says, yeah, she wants to play. He asks if they’re still talking about backgammon, and she laughs, saying, yes, they’re talking about backgammon. He says, just checking, and they sit back at the board. He says he’s a little afraid. He thinks she cheats. She says she wants that cup, and he hands her the cup with the dice. She shakes them up, and spills them onto the board. They play another game, and she beats him again.
Alexis says, Esme Prince, the latest entrant into the Cassadine family Squid Game, and Diane laughs. Alexis says she did that as a favor to Laura, and Diane says, that’s some favor. Esme is a… not nice person… snake. That’s mild. Is Alexis sure that’s wise? Alexis says, since when has she done anything that’s wise? and Diane says, Alexis is one of the wisest people she knows. Occasionally, she’s led astray by her passion and idealism. Alexis says, in this case, she was just trying to provide Esme with some stability, so she doesn’t run off with Laura’s grandchild in tow. Diane says, it’s generous of her, and Alexis says, actually, she has a soft spot for Esme. Alexis knows firsthand what it’s like to have a psychotic parent, and Esme’s got two. And Gregory actually keeps her calm. Diane says, Gregory? and Alexis says, he’s agreed to join the editorial board. Diane says she thought Alexis was persona non grata when she went over his head and called the dean, but Alexis says, they have an understanding now. She can be his friend and care about him; she just can’t meddle. And the editorial board is actually happy to have him, and he’s happy to be in his erudite element. Diane says, so all’s well that ends well, and Alexis says, to quote the Bard.
Sasha asks if she can read Willow something, and Willow says, sure. Sasha reads: Sasha Gilmore is not defined by her past. No matter our mistakes, shortcomings, or circumstances, everyone deserves another chance to build a life that once seemed impossible. Willow says, that’s what Nina wrote about Sasha, isn’t it? and Sasha nods. Willow says, she writes well, and Sasha says, she writes from her heart. But maybe she was also writing about herself. Maybe it’s a prayer of sorts. All she knows is that Nina’s capacity for forgiveness is massive. Something tells her, it might be hereditary.
In the elevator, Michael says he’s glad Chase and Brook are back together. They’re good for each other. Chase says, there’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure. Last weekend, she took him to the Beecher’s Corners flea market. She said she had a surprise for him, and whisked him away on this whirlwind tour. It was like she was possessed; like she had this sixth sense for finding vintage clothing. They leave the elevator, and Michael says, Brook is usually all over the place, but Chase grounds her. She can be her own worst enemy. Chase is like a moral compass for her. It’s important each person bring something to the relationship, so they can complement each other. That’s what Willow does for him. She really helped him focus on what really matters, and Chase does that for Brook. Chase asks what Brook does for him, but Michael says, you tell me.
Ned says, his head… hurts, and TJ says, he has a head injury. They’ll get him a drip to manage the pain. Does he know how he hurt his head? Ned says, did he fall? and Tracy says, yes, at the MetroCourt pool. Ned says, pool… and Olivia says, hopefully, he won’t sue the owner. Tracy says, what she wants to know is why he came barreling out like he had some earthshattering news to tell Drew. What got him all fired up?
Diane says, she and Alexis need to exercise together, and Alexis asks, what’s wrong with her? Diane says, come on, but Alexis says, no. Diane says she’s going to take Alexis to her trapeze class. It is such a good workout. Alexis says, she knows a girl who broke her foot playing pickleball (WOTD), and Diane says, then they’ll do yoga. It’s nice, it’s safe, it’s close to the ground. All that stretching and core. Alexis says, it sounds hard, and Diane says, you are impossible. Alexis says, but consistent, giving Diane a thumbs up before she leaves.
Finn says he thinks the tide is turning, and Elizabeth says, we’ll see. She rolls the dice, and he says, ouch. That’s got to hurt a little bit. She calls him Genghis Khan, and he says, Genghis Khan playing backgammon? Is she sure? She says, if he did, she’s sure this world would be a much different place. He says he’s sure it would, and she rolls again. She says she doesn’t like this game anymore, and she has to get back to work. She doesn’t want that head nurse breathing down her neck. He says, she’s okay; I’ve heard some good things about her. She says she hopes it stays that way, and he says he’s sure it will. She bids him goodnight and leaves. He sighs and rolls the dice, getting snake eyes. He says, the tide is turning, and moves his pieces.
Sam calls Spinelli, and Cody says, no, wait, but she doesn’t pay attention to him. She tells Spinelli that she’s got a job for him, making a shushing motion to Cody.
Willow asks if Sasha thinks she’s been too hard on Nina, but Sasha says she didn’t say that. There’s been real harm done. All she’s saying is, the story doesn’t have to end there. Willow says she told Wiley, new beginnings are always possible, and Sasha flashes back to Cody telling her that Gladys framed him. He says, even if she doesn’t believe that, at least she believes he’s not a thief, and he hopes someday she knows he’s the one telling her the truth. She tells Willow, he’s got a wise mommy, and Willow blows her a kiss.
Chase tells Michael that he’s going to check in on Brook, and see how Ned’s doing… or he could just text her, and avoid Tracy. Michael says, that’s not really Chase’s style though, is it? and Chase says, no. He has to face things head-on. He just doesn’t want Brook to have to run interference with Tracy. Then again, it might give her something to do to take her mind off her dad. Michael asks how Ned is doing, and Chase says, they were waiting for Dr. Ashford to wake him up from the induced coma. Brook brought Leo in to sit with him earlier. Michael says, tell Brook that he’s thinking about her, and Chase says, and send Willow his love. Michael says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he thinks Chase would be a great dad. Chase heads for the elevator.
Ned says, this is all a bit fuzzy, and TJ says, totally normal. Let’s start with this. What year is it? Ned says, 2023, and TJ asks where they are. Ned says, Port Charles, New York, and everyone gets all happy. TJ says, seems like you’re on your way to recovery, Ned. He gave them a scare though. Ned says, his name is not Ned. And he and I say it together… My name is Eddie Maine. The happiness gets sucked out of the room.
On Monday, Austin tells Ava, it might be time for a new nanny; Brook tells someone that they need to step up; Ned wonders what they’re talking about; and Nina tells Sonny, once you know, there’s no going back.
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. – John Burroughs
Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. – Annette Funicello
For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. – Ralph Waldo Emerson (Uh-oh.)
Happiness depends to some extent upon external conditions, but chiefly upon mental attitudes. – Paramahansa Yogananda
We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. – Steve Maraboli
Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. — Robert Louis Stevenson
Sometimes you make the right decision, and sometimes you have to make the decision right. – Dr. Phil
There’s a difference between undercooked and raw. – TomColicchio, Top Chef
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. – Elie Wiesel
📼 Made You a Mixtape…
If you still believe in weekends, do something outside of your usual routine. Then meet me on Sunday for a little Dead and/or on Monday for the usual soap and a lotta Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay using your time wisely, since there’s a limited supply, and stay believing new beginnings are always possible.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Elizabeth goes up to the roof, and looks around for Anna. She thinks she sees Peter.
At the hospital, Josslyn limps over to Trina, who says, out with it. What’s the prognosis for her ankle? Josslyn says, not good, and Trina says she thought it would be healed by now. Josslyn says, her too, but look at her x-rays. Just kidding. She got the all-clear. She jumps up and down, as much as she can still wearing a boot. She says she can start training for the PCU volleyball team. Trina says Josslyn is so evil, and Josslyn says sorry she faked Trina out. As soon as the nurse comes with her PT referral, they can go. Trina says, more PT? and Josslyn says, to strengthen her ankle. Trina asks if Josslyn is faking her out again, but Josslyn says she really needs the referral. She wasn’t pranking Trina to be mean. She was just excited to get some good news. Trina says Josslyn is overdue for it; they both are. Josslyn can’t believe Cyrus took Trina and her mom hostage. Talk about someone truly evil. Trina says, he’s in police custody now. It’s finally over, and they have so much to celebrate. They high-five.
Laura accompanies Jordan to her office, and says she’s glad they decided to relocate. Their conversation is best held privately. Jordan says, there is no conversation to have. She hands Laura an envelope, and says, here’s her resignation as Commissioner of the PCPD. All Laura has to do is accept it. Laura says, with all due respect, this is about something much bigger.
Finn does lab stuff in his lab, and Gregory asks what he’s doing there. Portia told them that Chase might not survive another day. These could be his last hours. Finn looks in his microscope, and Gregory asks why Finn and Chase aren’t spending them together.
Phantom Peter walks toward Elizabeth, then disappears. Elizabeth keeps walking, and finds Anna pulling at the elevator door. Anna asks how Elizabeth knew she was up there, and Elizabeth says Britt told her that Anna was looking for Peter and might be there. She asks if Anna found anything, but Anna says, just this old elevator; it’s not working. She has the feeling it might be the key to how Peter got out of the hospital undetected.
Britt stands at her office door, and flashes back to Jason saving her from Cyrus’s men. Obrecht comes up behind her, and says, in or out? Choose one. She can’t abide indecision. Britt says, hello, mother, and Obrecht asks if they’re staying or going. Britt says she was lost in thought, and Obrecht says, about? Britt says, how she almost died when Cyrus’s men trapped her there, and Obrecht says, fortunately, she had a savior. Britt smiles.
Carly tells Jason, when she saw him and Britt at the MetroCourt, she’s not going to say there were sparks, but there was definitely a connection. He says she’s right.
Obrecht says, thrilling as it must have been to have Jason save her, Britt was terrorized in this office. No doubt the memories linger, to say nothing of her current circumstances. How is she feeling? Britt says they don’t have to talk about Huntington’s every single time they see each other, do they? She cherishes every moment it’s not on her mind. Obrecht says, of course (🍷). She suggests Britt enter her office with some kind of weapon. Go for the legs first. Britt says she doesn’t need to be armed to go into her own office. Cyrus just left the hospital in police custody. The threat is over. Obrecht tells her, don’t be naïve. Cyrus may no longer be a threat, but Henrik definitely is. She wants Britt to be on her guard at all times in case he returns. Next time, Jason might not be on hand to save her.
Jason tells Carly, Britt saved his life; he’s grateful to her. Can they just leave it at that? She says she understands he and Britt were fugitives, and they were in heightened circumstances. She knows how things go. His phone rings, and he says he needs to take it. He answers and says, how big a problem?
Laura tells Jordan, after all this time, Port Charles has finally triumphed over Cyrus Renault. They put him in a Federal penitentiary, in the Midwest, where he has no contacts. His organization has been smashed, his people have scattered everywhere. He has no power. None. This is a major win, for Jordan and the PCPD. To resign now would be to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and not just for Jordan, but for the whole department. Jordan says, Cyrus left a trail of devastation. Lulu is still in a coma. Laura says Jordan suffered too, and Jordan says, the list of people harmed by Cyrus goes on and on. There would be no list if it wasn’t for her and Taggert. Laura thinks Jordan is oversimplifying it a bit, and Jordan says, falsifying evidence against Cyrus laid the groundwork for his release from prison. They gave him an opening, and he terrorized the citizens of Port Charles, and for that, she’ll never forgive herself. As mayor, Laura shouldn’t forgive her either.
Elizabeth gestures toward the warning: out of order sign, and tells Anna, everyone has forgotten about this old elevator. Anna says, it was originally constructed for Helena Cassadine to have access to this secret lab beneath the hospital. Recently, Olivia Jerome used it in her demented attempt to resurrect the dead. Elizabeth says, using Griffin Monroe, and Anna says, as if you could bring anyone back. Elizabeth says she knows how much Anna grieves for Duke, and Anna says, as Elizabeth does for Franco, dead at Peter’s hand. Now Chase’s life is at stake because of Peter. Elizabeth says, it’s been painful watching Chase’s family come to terms with what’s happening, and Finn is going crazy trying to figure out a way to save him. Anna says she saw Finn earlier; he’s devastated. Elizabeth says she knows how much Anna cares for Finn. Instead of being up there, maybe they should go back and offer their support and help.
Gregory tells Finn, he went by Chase’s room. Chase has drifted off to sleep, and Jackie and Willow are planning the wedding. He slipped away to find Finn. Jackie said he took off like a shot, after some strange encounter with Cyrus. Finn says, Cyrus was on his way to prison, and made a point of speaking to them. Finn goes to the whiteboard and writes some chemistry formulas. Gregory asks if what Cyrus said is more important than spending time with Chase in what could be his final hours. Finn just found out he’s Chase’s father. Why wouldn’t he want to spend as much time as possible with him? Finn says he thinks he can save Chase’s life, and Gregory says, Finn told them he’d run out of options. Finn says, he thought he was, until the run-in with Cyrus. He thinks he knows why his treatment didn’t work. Gregory says, the Trojan horse where Finn combined the DNA of both parents, and Finn says he used his own DNA, not Gregory’s. Gregory says he doesn’t understand, and Finn says he doesn’t think Chase is his son. He thinks Chase is Gregory’s son. YES!
Trina tells Josslyn, her mom just texted. Cyrus is headed for some penitentiary in the Midwest. Josslyn says she hopes he rots there, and Trina tells her, what you said. Josslyn says her mom has been in overdrive, trying to keep the family safe and hold Sonny’s business together. Now that Cyrus is gone, and Jason has been cleared, hopefully, things will get easier. Trina says Josslyn always told them Jason was innocent, and Josslyn says, because he was. That’s what made it so incredibly frustrating to deal with Cameron. He wanted someone to blame, and chose Jason. Nothing she said could get through to him. Not the fact that Jason is Jake’s father, and would never hurt him by killing Franco; not the fact that Jason’s a professional, and would never do it in such a stupid way; not even the fact that Jason once saved Cameron’s life. Trina says glad to see Josslyn and Cameron have resolved their issues, and Josslyn says, in all fairness, Cameron realized he was wrong and apologized. It’s just that she feels she doesn’t know him as well as she thought she did, or at least as well as she used to. Trina says she knows Josslyn saw Cameron’s post saying he was accepted at PCU, and Josslyn says she congratulated him, and told him that she was excited for all three of them going to college together. Trina says it would be great if she actually meant it, and Josslyn says she does. The nurse comes out with Josslyn’s PT referral, and Josslyn asks if Trina is ready to go. Trina says Josslyn can’t just brush it off. She and Cameron need to deal with their issues. They can’t start college with the two of them being weird. Josslyn promises she’ll figure it out; just not right now. They have more important things to do.
Jason tells Carly, the shipment that was expected last night never made it, and she asks, what happened to the driver? He says they haven’t heard from the driver since he crossed from New York into New Jersey. He’s going to talk to Brick, and they’ll figure this out. She says if he needs anything from her, let her know. She apologizes for making him feel uncomfortable, but he says, she didn’t.
Britt tells Obrecht, Peter might be a lot of things, but he’s not stupid. There’s no way he’d set foot in the hospital again. Obrecht says Britt’s imagination is failing if she believes that treacherous worm can’t find a way to get back there undetected, or that he wouldn’t target Britt if he did. She’d feel better if she knew that Jason was truly committed to Britt’s safety. Britt says, mother, please, and Obrecht says, don’t mother her. She knows how these things work. The same thing happened with her and Scotty. They shared a moment of passion as they worked through their intense grief over Franco’s death. They fell into bed together, but ever since, who knows where they stand? He doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to convey deeper emotions. It’s the eternal paradox. If a woman shows strength, the world assumes she has no feelings. How wrong they are. She and Britt are the same; they’re lovers. They both love with all their hearts… Britt tells her, stop. Whatever is going on with Obrecht and Scotty has nothing to do with her and Jason. Obrecht says, so there is a her and Jason? Does that mean he’ll be on hand to protect her from Peter? Britt says she’s not worried, but Obrecht says she is. Clearly, further action is required. Britt asks what that means, and Obrecht says, never mind. Just keep watching her back.
Anna tells Elizabeth, go back to Chase, and give him whatever support he needs. Elizabeth says, what about Anna? but Anna says she has to figure out how Peter got out of the hospital, and that might possibly lead her to where he is right now. Elizabeth says she knows why Anna is driving herself so hard, but the only person responsible for Peter’s crimes is Peter. She was unfair to blame Anna, and asks Anna to please stop blaming herself. It does no good to come up with wild scenarios that won’t lead her any closer to Peter. The elevator isn’t even working; Peter couldn’t have used it. Anna says she was pretty sure it wasn’t functioning, but she does feel helpless, and looking for Peter helps her feel less so. Does Elizabeth understand? Elizabeth knows the hospital better than she does; stairwells, corridors, shortcuts. Is there another way into the lab that’s in the subbasement? Elizabeth remembers helping Finn put Peter’s body in the cooler, and closing the lid. Elizabeth says, no. The subbasement was sealed off and the lab is inaccessible. Anna says she’ll just have to find a way to access it.
Gregory says the DNA showed he’s not Chase’s father; Finn is. Those tests don’t lie. Finn says, the science part doesn’t lie, but the human element can be easily corrupted. At the time of the first test, he had a vague suspicion that somehow the test could be tampered with, so he sent it out to another lab, to someone he could trust. They confirmed the test was accurate, that Chase was his son. Now it seems that Cyrus got to them somehow, along with whoever else he has on his payroll in the hospital. Gregory asks, why? Did Chase investigate Cyrus? Finn says he doesn’t think so, and Gregory asks if Cyrus has a problem with Finn. Finn says, who doesn’t? They weren’t exactly cordial, but he thinks Cyrus’s problem is with Jackie. She published that unflattering interview with his mother. It made Cyrus angry. The next thing they knew, there was that article in The Invader that Chase was really his son, not Gregory’s. Gregory says, so Finn thinks Cyrus tampered with the DNA results, then planted the story to retaliate? Finn nods, and Gregory says, it’s a compelling theory, but it’s just a guess. (Like this hasn’t been a guessing game all along.) It doesn’t prove anything. How does Finn know he’s not wasting his time when he could be with Chase?
Finn says he’s not sure of anything anymore, and goes back to the whiteboard. He says he wondered why Cyrus would go out of his way to say something to him while he’s being carted off to prison. That’s when it hit him. He was so certain he’d found a cure for Chase, and he was right. The idea of using Chase’s parents’ DNA to create a Trojan horse that would fool his body into accepting the cure was right on. But he used Jackie and his DNA, it failed, but what if the theory’s right, and instead of using his own DNA, he should have used Gregory’s because he’s really Chase’s father? Gregory says, it’s an intriguing idea, but what happens if Finn is wrong? Finn asks if Gregory just thinks he’s chasing a dream, and he’s just desperate to save Chase’s life. Maybe Gregory is right. Maybe he’s choosing this path at the eleventh hour because he can’t accept Chase is dying. He guesses he doesn’t blame Gregory, and Gregory says he may have his doubts, but no matter what the tests say, Chase belongs to both of them. If there’s a chance we can save his life, no matter how far-fetched, let’s do it.
Laura says she’s well-aware of the lines that were crossed by Jordan and her DEA partners to put Cyrus in prison. She doesn’t condone lying, but she does understand the rationale. Jordan was fighting Cyrus with the only means available to her. Jordan appreciates that, but says, what Laura doesn’t know is that she and Taggert made a deal with the Feds to testify in exchange for immunity, so their actions will be a matter of public record. Laura says, their actions put Cyrus in prison for years, and saved lives. Jordan says, they broke the law to do it, and now the whole world will know it. So under those circumstances, she can’t remain an effective Police Commissioner. Laura says why doesn’t Jordan let her be the judge of that?
On the phone at Pozzulo’s, Jason says, all they know is the shipment and the driver disappeared someplace in Jersey. They’ll talk more when he gets there. Jason heaves a huge sigh, which he’s become an expert at, when Obrecht walks in. She says, good day, Mr. Morgan. Does he have a moment? He asks what he can do for her, and she says she wants to thank him. Both for saving Britt’s life, and calling to tell her where Britt was hiding. It was an important and informative visit. He says she’s welcome, and she says, grateful as she is, she wants to discuss another matter. Something more in his normal purview. She closes the door, and asks when he’s going to rid the world of Peter August.
Carly sees Britt at the reception desk, and Britt asks what she can do for Carly. Carly says she’s just there to drop off a form. Josslyn needs medical clearance to play volleyball at PCU. She lowers her voice, and says she wants to thank Britt again. She’ll always be grateful to Britt for saving Jason’s life. Britt says, Carly had a hand in it too; Carly gave him her blood. That night at the safe house, Britt saw just how tight Carly and Jason are. She imagines Carly must be wondering how close she and Jason are. Is she right?
Elizabeth tells Anna, there’s no way to get to the subbasement; it’s been sealed off. Anna says, that wouldn’t stop Peter. If he knew there was a secret area of the hospital, he’d find a way in. Elizabeth says, huge leap, and Anna says she has to do something. She has to find Peter or Chase is going to die. Elizabeth says, she wants Chase to live more than she can say. She feels incredibly guilty about Chase’s condition. Anna asks why she feels guilty? She had nothing to do with Chase being poisoned. Elizabeth says she was working the day Peter escaped. She just wishes she could have done something to stop him. Anna says Elizabeth bears no responsibility. She can’t say the same thing about herself. She’s an investigator. This is her job, and she keeps coming up against a brick wall as to why there’s no recording of Peter leaving the hospital. Elizabeth says she understands Anna’s need to keep searching, but she’s not going to find anything underneath GH. Anna says, the stairwells were one of the areas the cameras were turned off; of course (🍷) Peter came up this way. Elizabeth says, they have patients flying in and out on the helipad. Did Anna ever think of that? Maybe that’s how Peter got out. Anna says she did think about that being a way Peter got out. It is more likely than an abandoned elevator. Maybe Elizabeth is right.
Finn tells Gregory that he put a rush on the DNA test. He asked a tech he knows personally to handle it. Plus, he sent a back-up sample to a guy he can trust, a guy from his Doctors Beyond Borders days. Someone Cyrus could never get to. Gregory asks how long the original samples will take, and Finn says, it could take a little time. Gregory says, time is the one thing they don’t have. He asks if Finn still has a sample from Jackie, and Finn says he does. Gregory suggests Finn make a new serum, from Jackie’s DNA and his, and give it to Chase. Finn says he can make the serum, but he can’t give it to Chase until they get the DNA results back. If he’s wrong, it will probably kill Chase on the spot. Gregory says, what if Chase dies while they’re waiting for the DNA results?
Jordan thought she should give Laura her resignation, especially to avoid putting her in the uncomfortable position of firing her. She, more than anyone, has to bear the brunt of Cyrus’s wrath. Laura says she admires Jordan’s willingness to own up to her mistakes, but she has to ask herself, does this serve the greater good? Jordan asks if Laura wouldn’t be undermining her own integrity by keeping her in office.
Josslyn and Trina go to visit the moss bowl, and Trina says Josslyn was right about them having something more important to do. She totally forgot these would be coming today. They put their graduation caps and gowns on the kitchen island, so they can soak up some of the awesomeness of the moss bowl, and Josslyn says, here’s to graduation and going to college. Trina asks if she’s over Southern Coastal. Is she ready for the PCU experience? Josslyn says, completely. It really helps that her ankle is healed, and she can start training with the volleyball team this summer. What about Trina? Trina says she can’t wait to go to PCU. She wants to do everything; all the college stuff, the football games, the student activities. She also wants to study. She wants to make sure to be in the running for a bunch of scholarships to study art history in Europe. Josslyn says, driven much? and Trina says, yes she is. Or is Josslyn telling her that she’s not going to help her team get a national ranking? Josslyn says, of course (🍷) she will, and Trina says she thinks they should make a pact. These caps and gowns, their graduation; they have a chance to wipe the slate clean of all the bad stuff that’s happened this year. Time to start over. They dive into their future starting today. Josslyn says, starting today.
Carly says, after seeing Britt and Jason at the MetroCourt, she got the idea that there was more between the two of them than just being fugitives together. Britt says she’s willing to bet good money Jason didn’t tell Carly that, and Carly says, he didn’t have to. Britt wonders if Carly is telling her this because it’s going to be a problem for her, but Carly says, no. She thinks it’s going to be a problem for Britt.
Jason tells Obrecht that he has people out looking for Peter right now, and Obrecht says, people who might be working outside the boundaries of the law? He just looks at her, and she says she’s familiar with the code of silence among certain organizations, but in case Britt didn’t tell him, Peter has threatened her. He says he knows; he was there. She asks, is that how he and Britt first connected, over Peter? She’s glad he’s searching for that deceitful worm, and it will delight her beyond measure if Jason is the one who finds him. She’s sure Jason will make his elimination short and sweet, not the torturous end he deserves, but he’ll be gone. Finally. Blessedly. Now what are his intentions regarding her Britta?
Jordan tells Laura that when her actions become a matter of public record, the people of Port Charles will lose trust in her. Laura says she has a different take on this. The people of Port Charles will see the pain and devastation Cyrus has caused. The fact that Jordan wants to own up to her mistakes, is proof of her integrity, and the mistakes she’s made, she’s made with the best of intentions. Who among them hasn’t done the same thing? She’d be surprised if the people of Port Charles didn’t empathize with Jordan. Jordan says she still can’t understand how Laura can stand by her after everything Jordan kept from her. Laura says, Jordan kept a lot of secrets from a lot of people, and paid dearly for that. Jordan says, true. It cost her marriage to Curtis. Laura says, Jordan made sacrifices – big ones. The way she sees it, Jordan is a woman with a conscience and a moral compass the size of the entire city of Port Charles. How would she replace Jordan? Jordan asks if Laura really thinks the people of Port Charles will forgive her, and Laura says, she thinks they’ll stand behind Jordan with the same enthusiasm that she does. So for her, and the people of Port Charles who need her, stay.
Anna tells Elizabeth, she called her connection at the FAA. There were no helicopters taking off and landing from there the day Peter went missing, but there was one helicopter that made an unauthorized approach. Elizabeth asks if Anna thinks it was coming for Peter, and Anna says, it seems so. Elizabeth says, find the pilot and make him tell her where he took Peter, but Anna says, he never landed. The FAA tried to contact the pilot, but he never answered. Elizabeth says, there must be some way to identify the helicopter, and Anna says the markers were scrambled, which probably means it was coming to pick up Peter. Otherwise, why would it come to the roof?But Peter never got on the helicopter because it didn’t land. Elizabeth asks where that leaves Anna, and Anna says they’ll have to do an investigation of the helicopter. Elizabeth follows Anna back across the roof.
Finn says, they’re damned if they wait for the test results, and damned if they don’t. he’s making the formula now, and it will be ready for Chase when the DNA tests come back. Gregory says Finn is doing his best, and Finn says Gregory is the last person he wanted to tell about this, and the last person he wanted involved. he didn’t want to get Gregory’s hopes up in case he was wrong. He’s sorry if he caused Gregory any more pain. Gregory says, despite the pain he felt from the first DNA test results, he never stopped feeling like Chase’s father. Once he had time to process it, he was relieved that Chase had both of them; two fathers to look out for him. In the end, maybe there’s nothing they can do to save Chase, but they’re going to fight to the finish together.
Carly tells Britt, she gets it. When Britt and Jason were on the run, senses were heightened, and they were surrounded by danger and fear. It makes sense that they would connect. Britt asks if Carly’s point is that it’s over now, and Carly says, circumstances have changed. Britt says, some things have, and some things haven’t. She’s usually pretty good at pushing people away, but Jason stuck with her, and they’ve been completely honest about who they are with each other.
Jason says he has work to get to, and tells Obrecht she can let herself out. She says, he’s no doubt aware of her part in Robin Scorpio’s abduction. She thought perhaps he was thinking of it when he called to tell her where to find her daughter. Was she wrong? He says, Britt needed somebody. It wasn’t good for her to be alone. Britt doesn’t trust a lot of people in her life, and since Brad is in Pentenville, he had no choice but to call her. She says, that’s just it. He did have a choice. He put Britt’s needs above his negative opinion of her. She thinks that’s rather noble. He says, thank you. Are they done now? She says she hopes not, and sits down. She tells him, they’re the only two people who know that Britt carries the genetic marker for Huntington’s Disease. Who know that any day, her restless, brilliant, beautiful daughter will be felled by a horrible disease for which there is no cure. One that kills it’s victims as slowly and as painfully as the most sadistic enemy. She cries, and says she can’t allow Britt to see her fear. It would make it so much worse for her. But her heart is breaking for her daughter.
Jordan says if she doesn’t resign as Commissioner, she needs Laura to do something for her. Laura says, name it, and Jordan says, monitor the temperature of Port Charles. When the truth about her comes out, if there’s even a whiff of distrust among the citizens, she’ll resign. Laura says, so if she agrees to Jordan’s terms, Jordan will stay. Jordan takes the resignation out of Laura’s hand, and says, she’s staying, but not necessarily for the greater good, as Laura suggested, but for Laura. Because of Laura’s faith in her. They hug.
Trina and Josslyn are wearing their caps and gowns, and Trina says she can’t believe they’re going to be graduating soon. Josslyn says she knows. They should practice their commencement walk. They can’t just walk normally; it’s a march. Um… I don’t remember practicing this. Is this a thing now? Josslyn tells Trina to practice first, and Trina goes to the other side of the room. Josslyn puts Pomp and Circumstance on her phone, and Trina walks. Trina says she feels like such a dork. She doesn’t understand why they have to walk in alphabetical order. She, Josslyn, and Cameron should get their diplomas together.
Britt says Carly is right. Her and Jason’s situation was unusual. When they were on the road, it wasn’t real life; not Port Charles life. Carly is glad Britt understands. She wouldn’t want Britt to be disappointed, in case she was expecting more. Britt says she didn’t really know what to expect when she came back to town, but she looks forward to whatever happens next. She smiles and walks away, and Carly doesn’t look happy. Britt walks around the corner, and doesn’t look too happy either.
Obrecht apologizes for breaking down. Jason gives her some water, and she says it’s not like her at all, but she has no other outlet to talk about Britt’s illness and her fears, except with him. He says he understands; Britt trusted them both. She says, when the time comes, and her Britta falls ill, she’ll be there for her, and remain strong for her, but until then, they must fight to give her a good and safe life, which means keeping Peter out of it. She trusts that if and when he does find Peter, Jason will kill him. And no, she doesn’t need him to confirm it. She’s done her best to give Anna the same intestinal fortitude, but she can’t trust Anna to eliminate Peter if she does find him. Anna might waive at the crucial moment; he won’t. She finds that thought very comforting.
Gregory wonders where the DNA results are, and Finn says, waiting is always the hardest part. Gregory says, it’s sadly ironic. Before this, they’d agreed it didn’t matter which one of them fathered Chase. He had the pleasure of raising him, and Finn has been the most influential person in Chase’s life since he got to Port Charles. Finn says, in the beginning, he was determined not to like Chase, and wouldn’t let himself get close to him. Being around him brought up a lot of painful memories; of Finn’s mom, of what he’d done to Gregory. He hated himself, but that kid has a funny way of wearing you down, and now he can’t imagine his life without Chase. Gregory says he convinced himself the DNA results didn’t matter, but now they have to find out the truth. Finn says, it’s a matter of life or death whether Chase is his son or his brother, and Gregory says, so they wait. Finn says, there’s nothing else they can do.
Walking across the roof, Anna says she knows Elizabeth doesn’t think her efforts will lead to anything, but she has to keep trying. Elizabeth says, nobody wants Peter punished more than her, for what he’s done to Franco and what he’s done to Chase. Anna says, that man is the worst of his father. Faison believed to exact revenge, you had to go after loved ones. That’s exactly what he did to her. He went after Finn, and got Chase, to get to her. Elizabeth says she really hopes Anna finds the peace she needs, and Anna says she hopes they both do. Anna goes back inside, and Elizabeth goes back to the elevator door.
Tomorrow, Anna tells Valentin that she thinks she has a lead on Peter, Finn tells Elizabeth that he knows why his cure didn’t work, Violet visits Chase, and Brick says they just ended a war with Cyrus.
Million Dollar Listing New York
Tyler’s assistant Kemba called him, and told him that his client Whitney suddenly didn’t want to show her anyone her apartment. She needed someone to calm her down. In Tyler’s interview, he said Whitney was his most eccentric client, and he knew it would be an emotional sale. They’d agreed on private showings, but now she didn’t want to show it. He called Whitney, who said she didn’t want anyone to come inside. He told her that they had to strike while the iron was hot, but she said she was more concerned about herself. In his interview, he said he had few buyers these days, and the ones who would be willing to spend 4.5 million would need to see it.
Ryan was opening Serhant Brokerage, and said he had the only brokerage with an in house film studio. The building was a six-story townhouse in Tribeca. He said his whole thing had always been expansion, and I was reminded of his first tagline, which was something like, expansion always in all ways. He said when everyone else was pulling back, that was when to push forward, and everything going forward was unknown. He made a video to introduce his new company to the masses. The Wall Street Journal was going to be doing a write-up, and he thought he might dress up like a superhero.
Tyler insisted on seeing Whitney, who was in the midst of packing, and said she wanted her last moments with her house. It was her sanctuary, and covid ruined it. I desperately tried to figure out how things were ruined with her spending time there when it was her sanctuary. I never did. Tyler told her that he understood that she didn’t want to sell, but everything in life was temporary. In Tyler’s interview, he said he knew it would be emotional, but she didn’t want to move. Whitney said she felt like she was giving up. It had taken her a long time to like New York, and it was her home. Tyler said she had a New York moment, and now was going to have a Florida moment. Life was like a pie, and she was having her Florida slice. She said it was the end of era, and she wanted her 48 hours to do things like see Central Park and eat lasagna. He said it sounded like the things she wanted to do were happening outside of her apartment.
Steve was doing private showings of the renovated apartment at the Ansonia. Seller Ehud had allowed him $100K to bring it back to life, and he’d done the floors, revamped the walls, put in new light fixtures, and staged it. He was looking for brokers who loved old school charm and had an affinity for the Ansonia. A broker brought her client’s interior designer, Nannette Brown, with her, which Steve thought was a good sign. Nannette said Steve had done a great job, which was even more encouraging. In his interview, he said it was 2600 square feet, and they were marketing it as a 4 bedroom, 3 bath. Ehud was looking for $3.5 million, and Steve was looking for the right buyer to appreciate the pre-war quirks and details that you didn’t find anymore. Bringing along an interior designer wasn’t cheap, and he could tell Nannette was passionate about the building, and would protect the history and charm.
Fredrik was in Los Angeles, but still involved in selling his friend’s 10th Avenue, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath apartment with a private terrace. The seller was breathing down his neck, and he wondered how he was going to sell it if he wasn’t there. He couldn’t just fly to NYC because of having to quarantine. He was training his team member Ellis to show energy and passion, but to be included, he rigged up an iPad on a stick with wheels where he’d be there via video chat. In his interview, he said everyone with pets was now looking for private outdoor space. A potential buyer showed up with an alpaca named Bolero, but unfortunately, it couldn’t navigate stairs, and wouldn’t be able to get to the terrace. I can’t imagine the guy didn’t check on this beforehand, so I’m guessing they just wanted the alpaca on the show. It was very cute.
KJ came by for one of Fredrik’s showings. She’d never met Fredrik in person, and met the iPad Fredrik instead. She had a client who was in the Bahamas, and looking for a place. In her interview, she said she loved the spirit of embracing technology, but wasn’t sure Fredrik’s iPad on a stick was real estate ready. It was like having toddler who was learning to walk. His stick did careen into the walls a few times. Her overall impression was that the apartment was staged well, and the Chelsea views were nice, but the buyer would have to do updates. She felt it was overpriced at $6.995 million. She said she didn’t think Fredrik grasped the effects of the shutdown, especially in Chelsea. He didn’t get the impact. She told him that there was a ton of inventory in West Chelsea, and he’d have trouble finding a buyer for something tired. In Fredrik’s interview, he said he liked feisty women, but thought KJ was too negative. She told him to give her a call if the price went down, but he had the feeling he was going to get an offer real soon.
Tyler finally convinced Whitney to allow her apartment to be seen. Since brokers and buyers weren’t coming to see things like they used to, Tyler made up a marketing video for Instagram. It was a unique property, and he had to attract a unique buyer. In his interview, he said he always loved informercials – but wait, there’s more! He was constantly trying to convince his mom to buy him abdominal equipment from them, and had quite a collection. He gave his video an infomercial theme, and it was a big success. He’d gotten some private showings out of it, one with a Tony nominated choreographer (for Tootsie) and his partner. Tyler said covid had changed everything; people wanted space and fresh air. Fresh air was having a moment. It was a tough time with a tough market, so he was working the act now, this deal won’t last angle.
The broker who‘d brought Nannette also brought Steve an offer. He’d had three offers, all around the $3 million mark. He explained to Ehud, because they were all around the same amount, it was an indication of where the market value was. Ehud agreed to $3.15 million, not penny less. The broker put Nannette on the phone to gripe about the work that needed to be done, which Steve said was a strategy move. Nannette said she thought the buyer would have to put one to one and a half million dollars into it, and the broker tried to wheedle the price down some more because of covid. In Steve’s interview, he said he was starting to hear covid discount a lot. The other two buyers with offers hadn’t gotten back to Steve, which he thought wasn’t a good sign. When the broker came back with a counter of $3.125, Steve encouraged Ehud to take it, and the deal was made. Steve’s commission would be $93,750, but he said it wasn’t about the money. He loved the history of the building. Right. That’s why he does this for free.
Ryan had to tell his new staff not to leak the video, because if it came out before the Wall Street Journal article , they wouldn’t want to print the article. He wanted to leave Nest Seekers the right way. The company had been good to him, and he wanted to close everything out at the same time he was starting his own thing. He got a text that the article was coming out early, and texted his team to launch the video asap. He said he’d spent 12 years clawing his way up the ranks, and he was finally his own boss with his own company… and zero agents. He said it was the happiest moment in his professional life, but the scariest. It was on his shoulders if he failed. In their interviews, Steve thought the new brokerage was a good idea; Tyler was impressed; KJ had purchased Ryan’s book, saying, he was good at what he did; and Fredrik thought he was crazy.
Still to come, New York is back and so is Fredrik; a $15 million and a $29.5 million property; yoga; a pink dog; and a hockey game.
Ryan’s Renovation
Although offered $15 million for the Boerum Hill, Brooklyn townhouse, Ryan decided to keep renovating. Ryan found out that a priest was coming to bless the house, and Ryan said it was different, but he was glad to be a part of the tradition, especially since he’d converted to Greek Orthodox. Father-in-law Leon told Ryan it was also a Greek tradition to paint the nursery in a new house, and in Emelia’s interview, she said it really wasn’t a tradition, but don’t tell Ryan. Leon and Ryan painted together, and Ryan asked Leon’s advice on how to handle emotional Greek women. Leon told him to just nod his head. In Ryan’s interview, he said just because he was pretty, didn’t mean he wasn’t capable. They crushed the nursery. Except it turned out to be the wrong room. Father Evagoras came to bless the house, Emelia explaining that it was to ward off evil and keep bad spirits away. It also brought fortune to the home, and she thought it was a beautiful tradition to carry on. Ryan said the priest came with a power soaker, and he needed a holy mop for cleaning up holy water. By now it was day 542 of the renovation.
Emelia’s mom decided, in addition to her basement suite with a private entrance, she needed a room next to the baby as well. She was concerned about the monitor not working as well so far away. They tested it, and sure enough, she was right about the reception, so they just gave her the whole house. Just kidding, but Ryan is totally outnumbered here.
It was October 2020, and during a family dinner, construction manager David called with the bad news that they weren’t getting in by Christmas. This was also a pita since they had a renter for their Soho apartment to the tune of $15K a month who wanted to be in before the holidays. David said things were taking longer to be signed off on, and even if construction was complete, the permits or whatever wouldn’t be. In Ryan’s interview, he said it sucked that they wouldn’t be out in time for the renter to move in, or be in the house by Christmas. Although I don’t know why they didn’t find temporary accommodations. He knew at the end of the day, they’d look back, and all would be fine. It had been three years since they’d bought the house to build memories in, and he wanted to get his family into their new home as soon as possible.
Next time, the finale – Ryan and family celebrate Christmas, there’s another delay, and the goal becomes Greek Easter.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Today, GH closed its eyes, and stuck a pin in October 12th, 2016. Morgan had gotten blown up getting out of Julian’s car (that he’d stolen). Drew still thought he was Jason, and was working for Sonny. Tracy was on the scene, and told Monica that she’d been barred from the board meeting, and they wanted to sell the hospital to investors who would put up luxury condos.
A huge fishing hook had been found in the boathouse door, and Kiki thought it was Morgan because he’d seen her with Dillon, but Olivia thought it was Julian, who she assumed was mad because he’d seen Olivia with Ned. Ava told Kiki about Morgan, and Kiki thought she was making it up. Bobbie tried to help Carly, who said Morgan had been expelled from PCU, and she had to help him get through it. When Carly saw Sonny’s coat, covered in mud, Bobbie told her that Sonny had gone in the water after the accident, looking for Morgan. No pun intended, it all came flooding back to Carly.
In the middle of the station, Michael asked Sonny how a bomb got into Julian’s car, and Dante suggested they take it somewhere private. An officer gave Morgan’s phone to Dante, saying it had been recovered at the crash site. Michael wondered if Sonny had sent a message to whoever was trying to take over the business, and wanted to hear Sonny wasn’t the reason Morgan was dead.
Dante told Carly the car had exploded, and when she asked who’d want to hurt Morgan, he said it wasn’t Morgan’s car. He told Carly that the bartender had taken Morgan’s keys from him, and Carly asked if he’d been manic. Dante said TJ had tried to give Morgan a ride, but Morgan punched TJ, and saw a car with the keys in it. He had no idea it was Julian’s car. TJ told Jason, who went after Morgan, and saw the whole thing. Carly wondered why the car exploded, and Dante told her there had been a bomb in it, but it hadn’t been meant for Morgan. It had been meant for Julian. She asked if Sonny had anything to do with the bomb, but Dante didn’t want to answer, which told Carly everything she needed to know. Dante said he knew she was grieving, but he couldn’t say anything that would implicate his father. He gave Carly Morgan’s phone.
Ava told Kiki that Morgan had been drinking, but she didn’t know how he’d gotten into Julian’s car. Kiki was convinced Morgan had seen her and Dillon, but Ava told her that mental illness was hard to understand sometimes. Michael got seriously pissed at Sonny, saying Sonny had put it in motion by giving the order. He told Sonny that Sabrina had said vengeance would cost him the rest of his life, and asked Sonny if was worth it. Lulu, Laura, and Olivia were having lunch at the MetroCourt. Dante called Lulu, asking her to meet him, and she left thinking they were going to have quality time. Kiki told Dillon about Morgan.
Ned told Olivia that he thought Julian was behind the fishhook, but either way, Julian knew they were a couple. Olivia wondered why Ned wanted to keep their relationship a secret. Carly charged the phone, and saw Morgan’s screensaver picture of him and Kiki. Kiki told Dillon, Morgan must have snapped when he saw them together. Dillon said they hadn’t done anything, and not to put Morgan’s mental issues on herself. Drew/Jason visited the Quartermaines’ to tell them about Morgan. Tracy said, this is what happens when the city turns a blind eye to violence. It was the result of Sonny’s never ending pursuit of revenge. Drew/Jason tried to defend Sonny, but Tracy said he’d lost the right to an opinion when he turned his back on the family. Monica wasn’t having it, and said, enough.
Lulu went to the station, and saw Dante freaking out in the interrogation room. He told her that he might have to arrest his father for killing Morgan. Carly listened to the messages on Morgan’s phone. She heard her own voice telling Morgan, it was only a setback, and they figured he needed time alone. He could rise above it, and learn from his mistakes and move on. Sonny walked in while she was listening, and she said it was the voicemail she’d left for Morgan. He’d never gotten it because he got in a car, and a bomb blew him up.
Olivia told Ned that she thought Julian was just an excuse. If they tell people, it becomes real, and if it’s real, she can screw it up. Ned said screwing up was a two-way street, and he’d been known to do it himself. Then they publicly kissed. Ava told Bobbie that she was sorry for Bobbie’s loss, and Bobbie asked if Ava ever loved Morgan. He didn’t know any better. Ava said she loved Morgan very much. He was the only one who was good to her, and now everyone who was, was gone.
Lulu told Dante maybe it had nothing to do with Sonny, but Dante said it wasn’t the first time one of Sonny’s kids got caught in the crossfire. Morgan was the first Corinthos Dante met when he came to town, and he had his whole life ahead of him. Monica declared it a senseless tragedy, and Michael said they needed to be a family now, even Tracy. Tracy apologized for being harsh, but Michael said she was just being a Quartermaine. Michael told Drew/Jason that he blamed himself; he should have noticed Morgan was struggling. Drew/Jason said it wasn’t on Michael, but Michael said Morgan was manic because they weren’t paying attention. It contributed to Morgan spiraling, but whoever gave the order is the one who killed Morgan. Drew/Jason said Michael’s father might not have anything to do with it, but Michael asked if he really believed that.
Carly said Sonny couldn’t help himself. He had to finish Julian. She showed Sonny a picture of Morgan as a child, and smashed it, saying, now Morgan was dead, and Sonny killed him. Sonny wept alone.
🎇 Emancipation Celebration…
While Juneteenth was technically Friday, there’s no reason not to celebrate all weekend, so I’m giving over tonight’s blog to the topic of a holiday of the past coming into today.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. – Henry David Thoreau
Don’t be afraid to cry. It will free your mind of sorrowful thoughts. – Hopi tribe saying
Those who have one foot in the canoe, and one foot in the boat, are going to fall into the river. – Tuscarora tribe saying
When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. – Cherokee tribe saying
Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I’ll understand. – Tribe Unknown
The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today… The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately. – Seneca, on the Shortness of Life
For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. – Annette Funicello, 1942-2013
The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not “get over” the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again, but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to. – Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and John Kessler
Learn to be quiet enough to hear the genuine within yourself so that you can hear it in others. – Marian Wright Edelman
Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation. – Al Edwards
You have people walking around with all the knowledge of humanity on their phone, but they have no idea how to integrate it. We don’t train people in thinking or reasoning. – David Epstein
When we connect with others with their humanity, without the filters of race, nationality, gender, religion and so many other artificially constructed divisions, most of the world’s problems will be resolved. After all, we are all the same humans who have evolved through millions of years of evolution on this earth. All I am doing through my activism is showing the world that how we all share the same humanity regardless of our skin color, nationality or religion. Division only creates more division and inclusion is the only way we can move forward as a civilization. – Yeonmi Park, North Korean defector and human rights activist
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. – Frederick Douglas
📍 So Here We Are…
Things are starting to open up, people are venturing out, toilet paper is back in the store. Maybe at this point, you’re starting to question your very existence, or maybe you’re like, yippee, I can go get a beer not-to-go again. Whatever your position, stay safe, stay respectful, and stay letting whatever flag you like fly.