Category Archives: nighttime drama

Apr15

April 14, 2023 – Trina Calls For Help, New Gig, NYC Morph, Never Again, Wrong City, Scandoval Stuff, Another Prequel, Oblivious, Two Pups (!), Not Eleven Quotes & Clean Water

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the gym (not Sonny’s), Finn spots while Chase lifts weights, and he asks if Chase wants to take a break, but Chase says, no. Gregory tells Chase, go easy. The last time he overdid it, he ended up in the hospital with a bum shoulder. Finn says, half of that was Chase’s fault; the other half was Brook.

On the phone, Brook says she’s watching Wiley and Amelia while Willow rests upstairs. Drop everything and get over here… She doesn’t care if they’re at the hair salon. She has a critical mission for them, and they have to accept it.

On the phone in her office, Alexis says, Allison has an in with the coastguard, so she needs Allison to find out whatever she can about the Haunted Star. Sam walks in, and Alexis says, same thing with government leaks, If they’re credible, find them. Sam says, this is actually why she’s here. Dante’s been working hard on the investigation, but hasn’t said anything about Victor. Has Alexis heard anything? Alexis says, the Haunted Star is gone from its mooring, there’s no accounting for it. They believe there’s three hostages, but that’s all she knows. Sam says, if anything new comes in, will Alexis please keep her updated? and Alexis says she will, if Sam does the same for her. She heard Sam was in court this morning. What’s up?

Curtis says, Trina is coming home, even if he has to bring her home himself, and Portia thanks him for being here and wanting to help find Trina. He says he can’t just sit around, knowing all the danger that faces his daughter… her daughter.

Jordan says, she and Laura are friends as well as colleagues. This plan she’s been working on with Felicia and Robert to take Victor down, what is it? And why didn’t Laura tell her about it? Laura says, Anna was a fugitive at the time. If she’d involved Jordan, Laura would have compromised her. They all talked about it, and decided the smart thing to do would be continue with the plan until they could find proof that it was Victor who was behind Luke’s death. Jordan asks how that worked out for her, and Laura says she knew she was dealing with a dangerous man. She didn’t know he’d disappear on the Haunted Star, and make her grandsons and Dr. Obrecht and Trina Robinson all disappear with him.

Obrecht says, if Victor thinks she’s going to help him, he’s truly lost his geist (mind), and Victor says he does love it when she speaks German to him. But let’s be honest, she has done worse, and if she chooses not to cooperate, he promises the consequences will be dire. Spencer jumps up, grabs Obrecht in a headlock, and drags her out of her chair, putting a knife to her throat. Victor asks what he’s doing, and Spencer says, he needs Obrecht to protect his family? No Obrecht, no plan. Watkins holds a gun on him, and Obrecht says, do something. Victor sits back, sips his coffee, and says, have at it. Is he from New Jersey?

Trina hides outside the communications room, and says, what’s taking so long with the diversion, Spencer? She bumps into the fire extinguisher, and one of Victor’s goons says, what was that?

Sam says, Alexis had a reporter at the courthouse, and Alexis tells her, he said Cody Bell was arrested for grand larceny, and Sam bailed him out. Why? Sam says, because Cody is Dante’s friend, and he needed help, and Alexis asks why Dante didn’t help him. Sam says, because he’s busy searching for Victor, and Alexis says, so Sam thought she’d just step in? Sam says, if Alexis wants to hear the whole story, she’ll tell her. Sasha Gilmore had a very expensive bracelet on loan, and Gladys Corbin was wearing it at the time. Gladys, who’s not the most reliable narrator, said the bracelet just magically disappeared off her wrist, and said bracelet appeared in the pocket of Cody’s jacket, which he was not wearing at the time. Alexis says, that doesn’t mean he’s innocent, and Sam asks, what happened to her mother the lawyer, who believed all defendants were innocent until proven guilty? and Alexis says, she got disbarred. She was under the impression Sam didn’t trust Cody. Sam says she told Alexis that she’s handling this. Alexis has enough to deal with. Alexis says, fine. She’s not going to interfere where she’s not wanted. Sam asks if she really means that, and Alexis says she’s trying. If Sam really doesn’t want her involved in this business with Cody, she won’t be involved. Sam asks if she’s been hit in the head, but Alexis says she’s just been told off. Sam says, by Gregory, and Alexis nods.

Chase says, if he’s pushing it, it’s because of his nerves. The CCRB meets later today. Gregory says, Finn told him that Brook had something to do with him getting a second chance, and Chase says, Brook got the Board to take another look at his case. Gregory says, that’s good news, right? and Chase says, maybe. Or maybe he wouldn’t have needed a second chance if Brook submitted her letter the first time the Board met.

Maxie walks into the gatehouse with her new darker hair, and says, this better be good. She had to skip the conditioning treatment. Brook says, her hair looks amazing (I like it), but they’ll talk about that another time. How are James and Georgie doing? Maxie says she had to tell them that their oma disappeared because she wanted to make their magic act a success. Georgie didn’t buy it, but James believes it, so Georgie is pretending to believe it too. Brook says she’s so sorry about Liesl. She knows how much Maxie cares about her, and it must be driving her nuts. Maxie says she can’t believe it’s happening. She keeps telling herself that Mac and the PCPD will leave no stone unturned, and if anyone can take care of themselves, it’s Liesl. Brook says, she’s a formidable woman, and Maxie says, but still, Victor Cassadine is a scary guy, and how long can Willow wait for the bone marrow transplant? Brook says, speaking of Willow, Maxie is going to plan her wedding to Michael.

Portia says, Curtis always cared for Trina, and he says, Trina is a remarkable young woman, and he was looking forward to being a part of her family, officially. Portia says, he is a part of her family. She and Trina are very lucky they have him on their side. He asks if she’ll be okay, and she says she refuses to fall apart, but she’s far from okay. He says he feels her, and leaves. She heaves a sigh, and says, please, please, please.

Victor’s goons draw their guns, but they hear their radio say, all units come to the main cabin. They keep moving, and Trina slips into the communications office.

Spencer tells Victor not to underestimate him. He’ll do anything to save his brother from Victor. Victor says, doesn’t he understand? If he kills Dr. Obrecht, he simply seals his baby brother’s fate.

Maxie tells Brook, back up. Michael and Willow rescheduled their wedding until after the bone marrow transplant. They’re getting married in July. Brook says, because Willow’s bone marrow transplant was supposed to be today, and Maxie says, oh my God. She doesn’t think she’s going to make it until Liesl gets home. Brook says, no one knows when Liesl is going to be found… and Maxie says, or if she will, but Brook tells her, stay positive. Liesl will be found, but she understands Willow’s concern. She and Michael want to be married. They don’t want to risk waiting, so they moved the date up. Maxie says she’ll help in any way she can. What are they thinking, end of the month? Brook says, tomorrow, and Maxie says, I’m sorry, what? Brook says, too soon, she knows, but everybody is pitching in, and they need her. Maxie says, to plan a wedding? In less than 24 hours? Brook says, Maxie planned the Nurses Ball in record time, and Maxie asks if she should count all the ways it went wrong. Brook says, count all the ways it went right. Compared to the Nurses Ball’s 60th anniversary, planning a wedding in less than 24 hours is a literal piece of cake. Maxie says, brew some coffee, and make it strong. She’ll plan this wedding… Brook interrupts her with a hug and runs to the kitchen.

Gregory says he’s sorry he brought up Brook, and Chase says, forget it. Who wants to do more reps? Finn says, no thanks, and Gregory tells him, what his brother said. Chase says, Gregory has barely broken a sweat today, and Gregory says, because he doesn’t actively need to avoid his feelings. Chase wonders why Gregory cares so much about him and Brook, and Finn says, maybe because Gregory loves him? Gregory says he loves both his boys, and wants them both to be happy. So sue him. Chase says, Brook did make him happy. She also hurt and disappointed him. She held off on writing her letter of support because she didn’t want him to get his badge back. She wanted him to focus on music. Supposedly, the plan was to expose her manager as a predator, so he couldn’t extort or harass any other women; and for Brook to get her songs back. Instead, she signed a non-disclosure agreement with Linc. He gave her songs back, and she agreed to keep quiet. Brook sold out. Finn says, that’s pretty tough to get past, and Gregory says, from what he understands, Brook more than redeemed herself at the Nurses Ball. She broke the non-disclosure agreement, and outed this Linc Brown as a serial harasser. Chase says, she did, and he respects that, but as long as he’s known her, Brook has always put her own interests first, and apologized afterward. And no matter how he feels about her, he can’t trust her.

Alexis says she and Gregory had a run-in, and Sam says, another one? Alexis says, that, compounded with the mess she made the first time when she went to Gregory’s boss behind his back, and Sam says, maybe she shouldn’t have called his boss, but that’s what a good friend would do. Alexis says, speaking of, let’s go back to Cody and Dante. He seems to know as much about Cody as he doesn’t know. Sam says she told Alexis that she’s dealing with this; they’re talking about Gregory now. Whatever happened? Does he have a drinking problem? Alexis says, Gregory doesn’t have a drinking problem, and Sam says she knows Alexis has been concerned about him. If not a drinking problem, then what is it?

Jordan says she knows better than anyone that the best of intentions can have unforeseen results, and while she’s not thrilled Laura chose not to involve the PCPD, she does understand. But things have changed, and she needs Laura to keep her in the loop. Laura says, Felicia is tracking someone down who may be able to help them find Victor, and Jordan asks, who is it, and does she need back-up? Laura says, not yet. Jordan will be the first one to know if they do. All hands on deck. Curtis comes along, and says, if that’s the case, count him in.

Spencer says, without Liesl, Victor’s plan is a non-starter. If she’s not around to make a vaccine, Victor risks his own life, as well as that of Spencer and his little brother. Victor says, it’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make. All that matters is, the world is set to right, so go ahead, kill Liesl. Is Spencer wiling to risk his baby brother will survive what’s coming next? His blood will be on Spencer’s hands. Spencer sees Watkins and Ambrose have their guns on him, and begins to drag Obrecht toward the exit. The other two guards run in, and Victor tells them, cover the exits. Your move, Spencer. Spencer lets Obrecht go, and she says, Cassadines are demented; one has her abducted, the other holds her at knifepoint. Steinmaur’s too good for the pair of them. Victor says he knew Spencer would see reason. Get rid of him.

Trina looks around, and finds a radio, but gets nothing but static. She picks up a portable phone from the 80s, and begs it to work. Apparently, the equipment hasn’t been updated since Luke and Laura’s wedding.

On the phone, Maxie thanks Leah, and says, let’s do that. She’ll be in touch. She tells Brook, it’s a little early, but she has peonies. She’ll make all the flower arrangements, and the rose petals for the flower girl. Brook says, flower girls, plural; Donna and Avery. The only family member slated not to participate in the wedding is Amelia. Maxie asks if Olivia is going to bake the cake, and Brook says, try and stop her. She is determined to cook all the food for this wedding. Maxie is sure it will all be delicious, and says, they need something to elevate the occasion; make it special. Does Brook think it’s too late to get monogrammed napkins for Portugal? Brook suggests they take some of the pressure off this thing. All Willow really wants is a joyful and happy day with her friends and family. Maxie says she’s got it. A special song just for them. Brook could write it; Chase could perform it. Brook says she’d be happy to write a song for Willow and Michael, but she doesn’t think Chase would perform it. Maxie asks, why not? It’s for Willow. Brook says, but that would mean he’d have to work with her.

Gregory says, Brook might have the capacity to change. History has shown them… Finn says, please, no lectures, but Gregory tells Chase, all he’s saying is, Brook made a huge personal sacrifice when she exposed Linc. She put other people ahead of herself when she ignored the NDA and outed him. Doesn’t that show she’s changed? Chase says, Brook has a big heart, no question. That’s why he fell in love with her, but she has a habit of acting on her worst impulses and hurting everyone around her. Gregory says, it sounds like Chase has made up his mind about her, and Chase says, don’t make him sound like the bad guy. Gregory says he thought he taught his sons to be open to second chances, and Finn says, he did. So when does Alexis get hers?

Alexis says, Gregory told her on no uncertain terms that his life is none of her business, and that whatever he’s going through, he’s determined to go through it alone, and Sam says, sometimes people need to figure things out for themselves. Maybe the best thing Alexis can do right now is offer Gregory her support, and trust he’ll reach out to her if he needs her. Alexis says, he won’t, and Sam says, it drives Alexis crazy, doesn’t it, because she sees someone who needs help and wants to help them. Alexis says, it’s a curse. It’s why she became a lawyer. Sam says, he doesn’t need a lawyer, and he doesn’t need Alexis’s help, so why can’t she just let this go? Alexis says, because it doesn’t matter what he says, he does need her help. As far as she knows, she’s the only one who knows that he has a problem. So what is she supposed to do? Just sit back and do nothing?

Curtis says he’ll do anything to make sure Trina gets home safely, when Laura’s phone rings. She steps away, and Jordan says she appreciates the offer. He says, but? and she says, Victor Cassadine is dangerous. Curtis says, and he has Trina. Believe him. Victor won’t see him coming. Jordan says, just trust that they have every available resource looking for Victor and his hostages. If there’s something he can do, she’ll let him know. The truth is, there’s not a lot any of them can do right now. They don’t even know where to look for the Haunted Star, so for now it’s best that he just sit tight. He says, not while Trina’s in trouble. If she won’t let him help the PCPD, there are others he can turn to. She says, he means like Sonny Corinthos? Or Selina Wu?

In her office, Portia tries to record some patient details, but throws down the recorder, and puts her head in her hands. She cries, looking at a photo of her and Trina, when her phone rings, saying, unknown caller. She puts it down, but picks it up again when it continues to ring. Trina says, it’s her, and Portia says, thank God. Where is she? They’ve been so worried about her. Trina peeks out the door, and says she’s on the Haunted Star. Victor took Spencer, the baby, and Dr. Obrecht. He’s taking them somewhere. Portia says, and he took her too. Is she okay? How is Trina calling her right now? Trina says, he doesn’t know she’s here. She followed Spencer and got stuck on board. She doesn’t know where they are. She needs Portia’s help. Portia tells her, hang on. Help is on the way. She runs out of her office.

Maxie says she doesn’t understand. Brook outed that creep Linc at the Nurses Ball. Brook asks what that has to do with her and Chase, and Maxie says she saw the look on Chase’s face when Brook laid into that skeevy manager. He was so proud of her. She assumed when it was all over, Chase would sweep Brook into his arms, and say, all is forgiven. Brook says she didn’t break her NDA and expose Linc to get back together with Chase. She did it because she couldn’t keep quiet for another second and let that creep exploit another woman. Maxie says, and that’s a side of her that Chase hasn’t seen before. She knows Brook didn’t out Linc for Chase, but it is what Chase wanted. And maybe now he realizes his life is empty without Brook, and they can live happily ever after. Brook says she’s done it too many times. Chase thinks she’s selfish. Maxie says, Brook is selfish, and Brook tells her, says the pot calling the kettle black, but Maxie says, selfish with good intentions. She always does the right thing in the end. She just makes some questionable decisions along the way. Chase knew that. He fell in love with her anyway. He will again. Brook says she doubts it. The CCRB meeting is today, and Chase will get his life back; a life she’s not a part of.

Chase says he thinks Finn has a good point, but Gregory says, Chase’s situation with Brook is completely different from his with Alexis. Finn says, of course (🍷). Of course (🍷) it is. How? Gregory says, because his situation with Alexis was never romantic. Love doesn’t come around often. He’d hate to see Chase throw it away. Chase says, love is more complicated than friendship. It requires complete vulnerability to trust another person with your heart. He doesn’t know what Alexis did that was so bad Gregory can’t be friends with her anymore. Gregory flashes back to telling Alexis that he quit his job, and her begging to help him. He says, Alexis overstepped. Chase claims Brook violated his trust, while Alexis did the same to him. Finn says he really doesn’t want to get in the middle of this, and Gregory says, but he will because Alexis is his friend. Finn says, Alexis oversteps because she is who she is. She won’t be deterred if she thinks she’s doing the right thing. But he thinks she’s also proved that she can respect boundaries. Gregory says, that hasn’t been his experience, and Finn asks if he’s not going to give her the chance to show him that she can.

Sam tells Alexis, sometimes that’s what a good friend is all about; just waiting for them to come to you. Alexis says she’s not very good at waiting for people to come to her. It just doesn’t feel natural. She doesn’t have a lot of good friends, but the ones she has, she has this connection with, and she and Gregory have a connection. They have common interests and ethics, common worldviews, and he’s been very supportive of her. She wanted to return the favor, and when she did, she sort of destroyed any connection they did have. So maybe they didn’t have as solid a connection as she thought.

Curtis asks if Jordan is accusing him of something, when Laura comes back, and says, they’re all on the same side, right? He says, right, and Jordan says she promises he’ll be the first to tell if he can help, but she’s asking him for now to back off before he gets himself in too deep. If something were to happen to him… Jordan runs to them, and says, it’s Trina. She has Trina on the phone. Curtis asks, where is she? and Portia says, she’s on the Haunted Star, like they were afraid of. Laura tells Portia to put Trina on speaker, and she does. Jordan tells Trina, this is Commissioner Ashford. She’s here with Curtis and Mayor Collins. Trina says she’s so glad her mom found Jordan. She’s calling from a satellite phone. They’re in open water. She doesn’t know where they are or where Victor’s taking them. Curtis asks if she’s okay. Are Spencer and Ace okay? Trina says, yes. Victor doesn’t know she’s on the ship, and he has Spencer and Dr. Obrecht under armed guard. Jordan says she’ll call IT to pinpoint the location of Trina’s phone, and steps away. Trina says she’s not sure how long she has before the guards come back, and Laura tells her to only stay on the phone as long as she safely can. Trina says, she was trying to find a radio to call for help, but it doesn’t seem to be working, and Laura asks if she’s in the communications room now. Trina says she thinks so. There’s a lot of equipment here, but she doesn’t know what it does. Curtis says, but Laura does, doesn’t she? and Laura says, that ship was her wedding gift.

Spencer and Obrecht are seated in chairs with their hands tied behind their backs, and Obrecht says she wants to know the meaning of this. She didn’t do anything. Victor says, his great nephew reminded him that one can’t be too careful. Spencer disappointed him. Spencer says, the feeling is mutual. He trusted Victor, and then Victor tricked him into meeting on this ship. He’s abducted Spencer’s baby brother, and abducted Britt’s mother. What’s worse is, Victor wants to unleash hell on humanity, including the people Spencer loves. Victor says, tsk, tsk. He’d hoped Spencer had the stomach for this. It turns out, Spencer’s just as weak as his father. Spencer says he’s not weak, but there has to be another way. Victor said it himself, Dr. Obrecht is brilliant, and he thinks between the three of them, they can come up with a solution that will be amicable to everyone here. Victor asks, just why would he believe anything Spencer had to say now? He puts his face a few inches from Spencer’s and says, Spencer betrayed him, and he has to face the consequences.

Victor tells Ambrose to take Dr. Obrecht back to her cabin. He prefers to deal with his family in private. As Obrecht is taken away, Victor says, he’ll have all the information he’s collected on the pathogen sent to her cabin, so she can see he’s right. He tells Spencer, this gives him no pleasure, and Spencer says, forgive him for not believing Victor. Victor asks why Spencer can’t understand that love of family has always been his driving force. It really hurts him that Spencer can’t see that he’s not doing this to him; he’s doing it for him and his brother. Spencer says, let’s work together, but Victor says, it’s way too late for that now. Spencer left him no choice. Spencer says, Victor can’t kill him. Whether Victor likes it or not, he needs Spencer as much as he needs Liesl. With his father and Valentin out of the picture, he is Victor’s heir. Victor says, Spencer is half right. He does have an heir and a spare. He’s allowed his love of family to cloud his judgement too long. All of them have forgotten what it is to be a Cassadine. But it’s not too late for the baby. Victor will raise him and educate him – as a Cassadine. Spencer says, over his dead body, which is probably a poor choice of words, and Victor says, that can be arranged.

Laura tells Trina that she hasn’t been in the communications room in years, but from what she remembers, there was a radar screen. It shows a round circle in the center, and there will be some lines. Can she see something like that? Trina says she sees it, and goes over to the screen. Laura says, in the upper right hand corner of the screen, there will be some numbers. Does she see something that looks like coordinates? Trina says she does, and reads them, but Curtis says, that could be the coordinates from the GPS device Victor tied to the buoy. Jordan asks if Trina can find the heading, and Laura says, it’s the numbers right at the very top. Trina says, 29.369 degrees, and Jordan says she’ll update IT. Trina hears, all units return to posts, and says she’s got to go; she’ll call them back. Curtis asks if that’s the only satellite phone there, and Trina says she thinks so. He says, they’ll notice it’s missing. Whatever she does, do not take it with her. Trina says, got it, and Portia says, it’s gonna be okay. They’re going to find her. Trina tells Portia that she loves her, and Portia says she loves Trina too. Now please just be very, very careful. Trina says she will, and she puts the phone back where she found it. She looks to make sure the hallway is clear, but then looks back and decides to take a radio. Because they won’t notice that’s missing. She checks the hallway again, and jets. The two goons come back.

Sam tells Alexis, if a friend truly knows you, eventually they’re going to realize you have good intentions, and they’ll come back to you. Alexis says she’s not sure it matters what Gregory thinks about her; she’s worried about him regardless. She wishes he’d talk to his sons about whatever this is. And if he’d listen to her, she’d tell him, if you cut your children out of your life, it just causes you more misery. Sam says, Gregory told her what’s really going on, didn’t he? Alexis doesn’t say anything, and Sam says, maybe he’s going to come around, but Alexis says she doubts highly she’s going to see him again. Sam says she’s so sorry. Is Alexis going to be okay? Alexis says, it’s going to take more than this to keep her down.

Finn says he’s taking a shower and picking up Violet, and tells Chase, good luck at the meeting. He’s rooting for him. Chase thanks him, and Finn leaves. Gregory says he’s sorry he pushed Chase, but Brook was good for him. Chase says he knows. He thought Alexis was good for Gregory. Gregory says he just wishes things were different, and Chase says he’s going to hit the showers. He doesn’t want to be late for the CCRB. He just realized, if all goes well, he’s going to be the one seeing more of Alexis, and Gregory asks, how so? Chase says, not only is she a journalist, the PCPD’s biggest case is tracking down her Uncle Victor, who kidnapped her nephews, and Gregory says he heard. Chase says he’s sure Alexis is anxious to hear news of her family, and leaves.

Brook tells Maxie that she and Chase were friends, but didn’t get close until after he was suspended… because of her. Maxie says, Brook didn’t ask him to punch a civilian, let alone two. Brook says, with Linc and Valentin she was in a situation of her own making, and Chase stepped in to defend her. Maxie says, because he cares, and Brook says, his caring cost him a lot. Now he has the chance to be a detective again; reclaim his old life and everything he had in it before she came along. Maxie says, but what she and Chase had was real, and Brook says, until she messed it up – more than once. Maxie says, Brook tried to make it up to him. She wrote that letter to the CCRB. So why is she giving up now? Brook says she shouldn’t even be thinking about getting back together with Chase. What she really owes him is helping him get his badge back. Maxie says she thinks Brook’s done all she can do there, but Brook says, maybe she could do more. Maxie says, then what is she waiting for? Go to that meeting. She’ll stay here with Willow and Amelia; work on wedding prep until Michael gets back. Brook says, there’s one more thing. What if she’s the last person Chase wants to see?

Portia, Curtis, and Laura sit in the waiting area, when Jordan comes back, and says, IT’s working on the coordinates Trina gave them. Portia asks if Jordan has any idea how long it will take to find her daughter, and Laura takes her hands and says, Trina can do this. The fact that she has evaded Victor for this long, actually gives her and Spencer a little bit of an advantage here. Curtis says, think about this. Trina snuck onto the Haunted Star without even being noticed. That’s brave. And it’s that level of courage that will carry her through. Portia says she just prays this nightmare will be over soon, and Laura holds her as she cries.

Victor tells Watkins to double the guards outside Dr. Obrecht’s room. She’s a brilliant woman and not easily intimidated. She’s bound to try and escape. He tells Spencer, time to go, and Spencer says, if Victor wanted him dead, Victor would have killed him already. Victor says, of course (🍷) he doesn’t want Spencer dead. It would pain him no end to harm family. Call him sentimental, but he can’t allow Spencer’s transgressions to go unpunished. So from now on, consider himself Victor’s prisoner. Spencer asks what he’s been up to this point, and Victor says, he’ll no longer be afforded the privileges of family, including food. Spencer says, Victor is going to starve him? and Victor says, believe him. This won’t hurt Spencer nearly as much as Spencer has hurt him. He tells Watkins to take Spencer to his cabin, and Watkins takes an obvious bite of a strawberry before taking Spencer by the arm and leading him out. Spencer turns as Trina peeks out, watching Victor take a sip of those inadequate martinis he makes. He should have brought a bartender.

One of the goons sees the radio is missing, and tells his fellow goon, get in here. Goon #2 takes a look, and asks if one of the walkies is missing.

Alexis flashes back to Gregory telling her that he’s sick, and then goes back to work. There’s a knock at her door, and she says, come in. Gregory walks in, and they soap stare at each other.

Chase straightens his jacket and tie as he waits for the meeting to start. Brook runs in, and says, right on time. He smiles.

On Monday, Gregory says he’s hoping Alexis is feeling the same way; Josslyn tells Michael that Sonny knows about her and Dex; and Sonny says, if he tells Nina, she can’t unknow it.

🦚 Needs To Pay the Mortgage…

Jason goes beyond Salem.

Steve Burton Opens up About Signing a Contract With DAYS

🗽 Start Spreading the News…

Another makeover for RHONY.

https://pagesix.com/2023/04/07/bravo-reviving-rhony-legacy-as-girls-trip-style-short-season/

💞 Outside the Love Bubble…

I can’t say I blame her. She does seem almost sane.

https://people.com/tv/caroline-manzo-vows-to-never-join-real-housewives-again/

🎷 Borrowed Background…

I haven’t watched this one in a while, but I’m just wondering why they’re using a background from the Chicago when this is about Atlanta.

RHOA Season 15 Spoilers: Details of Kandi and Marlo’s Nasty Feud Revealed, Plus Secret Recording on Cast Trip as Porsha Rumor With Bolo Resurfaces

🍸 Here It Comes…

Because I’ve been sucked into the Scandoval void. Queen Lisa speaks.

https://extratv.com/2023/04/13/lisa-vanderpump-calls-vanderpump-rules-finale-astounding/

I would never judge someone for getting mental health help, and I have no doubt Sandoval was manipulative. He’s always seemed a little slick to me, and I would never date, much less live with, a man who took up more mirror time than me. But she had to know what she was doing was wrong, so it just seems kind of convenient that now she’s concerned about her unhealthy relationship choices.

https://www.etonline.com/vanderpump-rules-star-raquel-leviss-checks-into-facility-for-mental-health-treatment-exclusive

Scheana weighs in… on a lot of things.

Vanderpump Rules’ Scheana Shay Reacts to Raquel Checking Into Treatment, Talks Shep Rose Fling, and Possible Pregnancy Amid Risks

It must be love if you have matching necklaces. And eww! the FaceTime thing.

https://www.etonline.com/kristen-doute-reveals-when-ariana-madix-discovered-tom-sandovals-affair-with-raquel-leviss-200541#taboola_organic

While I’ve vowed to never lay eyes on the worst human being in the world again, I might make an exception. He’s perfect for this.

Vanderpump Rules Alums Jax Taylor And Brittany Cartwright Will Host “Watch With” Episodes On Peacock Amid Scandoval Drama

I didn’t hear this interview, but Andy is right. I write questions for celebrity interviews, and do a lot of homework. I can’t stand when it’s obvious that an interviewer doesn’t know their subject at all. So unprofessional

https://pagesix.com/2023/04/12/andy-cohen-drags-jackhole-howie-mandels-tom-sandoval-interview/

https://www.etonline.com/andy-cohen-roasts-howie-mandel-for-tom-sandoval-interview-says-he-didnt-watch-vanderpump-rules

Howie tries to stay relevant.

https://pagesix.com/2023/04/12/howie-mandel-slams-andy-cohen-lala-kent-after-tom-sandoval-interview/

🐉 More Thrones Please…

Even though I have yet to watch all the Dragon episodes, but I’m here for this.

https://ew.com/tv/game-of-thrones-prequel-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-the-hedge-knight-series-order/

✈️ Little Did He Know…

This is too funny.

https://people.com/travel/rainn-wilson-video-seatmate-watching-the-office-next-to-him-on-flight/

🐕 The Latest In God’s Best Invention…

She doesn’t look real. Animation come to life.

https://people.com/pets/snoopy-look-alike-bayley-mini-sheepadoodle/

I would be terrified to own this little nugget, but I sure would love to hold her for a hot minute.

https://people.com/pets/pearl-chihuahua-named-worlds-shortest-dog-guinness-world-records/

🐦 Quotes of the Week

The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs… one step at a time. – Joe Girard

Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets. – Leonardo Da Vinci

The most effective way to do it is to do it. – Amelia Earhart

Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity. – Henry van Dyke

Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance. – Plato

That’s what technology does. It means well, then it ruins your life. – Jen (Krista Marie Yu), Last Man Standing

Honesty is the 1st chapter in the book of wisdom. – Thomas Jefferson

If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down. – Mary Pickford

You’re voted guilty, sh*thead. – Margaret Josephs, The Real Housewives of New Jersey

In a world where you can be anything, be kind. – Jennifer Dukes Lee

⛓ Not the Weakest Link…

Join me again on Monday really Tuesday for soap, some Sailing, and the House that won’t go away. Until then, stay safe, stay fighting for the underdog, and stay being a good friend by sometimes letting them come to you.

Apr1

March 31, 2023 – Nurses Ball Prep, Ball Preview, Uneven, Awful Eric, Back Then, Go Already, Rankings, Bad Business, Scandovaling, New House, Dead Talk, 90 Match, Pup (!), Half a Dozen Quotes & Because

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna says, they never should have let Eileen go without wearing a wire, but Valentin says, it’s not like they had a choice. She refused to go otherwise. She was just supposed to drop off the counterfeit necklace and get out of there. Anna says, she pushed her luck. Now she’s dead. Drew says, assuming Victor killed her, and Valentin says he doesn’t think the Deputy Mayor went swimming fully clothed. The real question is, how much information did she give up before he killed her? Anna says, she couldn’t have told Victor where they are; she didn’t really know. Drew says, either way, they can’t stay here. It’s not safe. Valentin says, they’ve got to get out of here, but Sonny says, if they leave now, they’ll be signing their death warrants.

Lucy gets her popcorn ready, and turns on the TV. Reporter George says, we’re here at the MetroCourt hotel, when in just a matter of a few hours, the curtain will rise on Port Charles’s benefit of the year, the annual General Hospital Nurses Ball. Lucy looks wistful. And adding to the significance of this year’s ball, is the hospital’s 60th anniversary. It’s safe to say, tonight is a can’t miss event. Lucy says she’s missing the can’t miss event, and George says, with us now is the co-chair of the Nurses Ball Planning Committee, Maxie Jones. He asks Maxie what it’s like being part of this spectacular event, and she says, it’s been an honor planning this night’s festivities. The Nurses Ball is known for philanthropy, and entertainment; their contribution to GH’s 60 years of caring for the community will be talked about for years to come. George asks how it’s been, organizing this even without the guidance of the late Lucy Coe, who was known of course (🍷) as the force behind previous Balls, and Maxie says, Lucy is irreplaceable, and tonight is dedicated to her. She believes Lucy is with them in spirit, trusting her, and her co-chair Bobby Spencer, to make her proud. George says, on that note, there has been some backstage buzz. What does she think Miss Coe would make of the talk there’s been a hiccup in tonight’s acts? Lucy gets up, the popcorn bowl falling from her lap, and says, what hiccup?

Near a bench in the park, Spencer thanks Victor for meeting him, and Victor says, anything for him. Mystery man skulks around, and Victor asks if he’s to understand from this that Spencer is willing to do what needs to be done. Spencer says he’s not willing to sit back and let Esme call the shots. She was less than cooperative when they took Ace to the hospital. Victor asks if anything is wrong with the baby, but Spencer says, according to the doctor, Ace has cholic, and it’s nothing serious. Grandmother thinks they should be patient, exercise caution, and gain Esme’s trust. He’s done waiting. Victor says he needs to hear Spencer say it. He needs to hear Spencer say the actual words. Spencer says, let’s move forward with your plan. Esme must be dealt with.

Esme comes out of the exam room to see Ava coming out of the elevator. Ava says, hello, and Esme says she hasn’t seen Ava since… Ava says, since the night Esme’s lovely parents held her hostage, but Esme tells her, she was going to say, since the night she went into labor and gave birth to this guy. Ava says, what’s his name? and Esme tells her, Ace. Ava says, he looks like his father… my husband.

Carly strides into the gatehouse, seeing Willow on the sofa, and Nina standing over her, saying, please, answer me. Carly asks, what the hell happened?

Maxie laughs, and tells George, there are always hiccups for any live performance, and their performers and team members behind the scenes at the Nurses Ball are committed to executing tonight flawlessly, and giving a performance that’s worthy of it’s reputation. He asks if she’s found a dancer to replace the one that dropped out of the popular Magic Wands act, and she says, Dex Heller has agreed to step in, and he’s going to be great. George says he’s sure, but he was referring to the latest vacancy – the one yet to be filled. Lucy wonders, who dropped out? She doesn’t even know who’s in. She kicks the popcorn bowl, sending kernels everywhere, and says, the Nurses Ball is toast.

Maxie says she doesn’t know where George is getting his backstage buzz, but she guarantees tonight’s Nurses Ball will be the best yet. She thanks him for his time, tells him that he looks very nice, and jets.

Lucy makes a call, and says, Maxie, pick up the phone. She gets voicemail, and hangs up. She says, this is not what they’d said they’d do. Not what they’d planned. And she’d better answer the phone. Lucy calls again.

Nina says she was just asking Willow if she needed to call an ambulance, and Willow says she’s fine, really. Carly asks what Nina is doing here, and Nina says she was dropping off a care package of Deception products for Willow. She was putting it at the front door, and Willow asked her in. Willow says, to tell her that the bone marrow transplant’s a go, and Nina says she heard it from Aunt Liesl, but hearing it from Willow is wonderful. Carly says, Willow’s very generous, and Nina says, she is, and she doesn’t need Carly jumping to the wrong conclusions. Carly says she thinks she’s in a better position to know what Willow needs than Nina.

Esme says she heard Ava divorced Nikolas, and Ava says, he was her husband when Esme conceived their child. Esme says she doesn’t regret having Ace, but she’s sorry about what happened, and Ava says, what about everything else she did? Setting fire to Ava’s car, leaving behind a hospital ID belonging to her late daughter. Framing Trina Robinson. Those things didn’t just happen. Esme says, if those allegations are true from the old Esme, it’s some truly awful acts, and Ava says, referring to herself in the third person. How grandiose. Esme says she’s no longer that Esme Prince. Does Ava think it’s easy, constantly apologizing for some person she used to be? Ava knows nothing about that. Ava says, they’re all judged by their worst mistakes. It can be possible to overcome them. Esme asks if Ava has ever had to live with someone who constantly reminds her of all the wrong things she’s done. Spencer thinks he can’t forgive her past, and he thinks she’s a liar, and that Nikolas is some deadbeat runaway dad. Ava says, Spencer is basing his impressions on his experience. His father is not here for him, or for Esme’s baby. She’s truly sorry that Nikolas isn’t here to help Esme raise her child. Esme says she’s not. As far as she’s concerned, he can stay gone. She walks off with Ace.

Victor says, the last time he and Spencer met to discuss the Esme dilemma, Spencer was loathe to employ alternative tactics. What changed his mind? Spencer says, Esme mentioned getting a job. When she’s got a little bit of money saved up, she’s going to move out; maybe move on. He’s not sure about leaving the country, but he thinks she can legally leave the state, and he doesn’t love the idea of this brother being 2000 miles away from him. Victor says, Spencer may not have a choice, especially if Esme manages to acquire a veneer of respectability, and Spencer says, a judge may buy it, and look on Esme favorably when granting custody of her son. Ace is his brother. Victor says, and he’s willing to try this less than orthodox route? and Spencer nods. Victor says, Spencer shouldn’t hesitate for a second to prioritize the welfare of his baby brother. Should they talk about broad strokes? Spencer says, here? and Victor asks if he has a problem. Spencer says he’s used to meeting at the MetroCourt, but Victor says, that’s not possible, and Spencer says, why not? Why are they meeting here?

Sonny says, it’s too risky to make a move now, but Valentin says, it’s too risky to stay here. Victor’s already left the MetroCourt; he could be on his way here. Sonny says, give him time to make arrangements for a new place. When it’s safe, he’ll get them. They only want to relocate once. Valentin says he knows how to disappear, and Anna says, they have Lucy with them. Drew says, Eileen definitely didn’t know the location? and Anna says she doesn’t know. They were very careful about this, and took every precaution. She was blindfolded, they took different routes to get here, the phone was switched off. She doesn’t know what to say. Valentin says, it’s not impossible that she picked up some information she gave to Victor. Are they willing to risk their lives finding his father before his father finds them?

George tells Maxie, good luck, and she thanks him for all the Nurses Ball support. He leaves, and Felicia says, congratulations. She really kept her cool with that reporter. Maxie tells her, Lucy always says, never let them see you sweat, and Felicia wonders how he knew there was another Magic Wands drop out. Maxie says, before she did? She wishes she knew who was blabbing backstage. Who is she kidding? She knows it’s Amy Driscoll. That girl is so sweet, and has a killer voice, but she couldn’t be discreet to save her life. Felicia says, Maxie has bigger problems, like finding a Magic Wands replacement, when Maxie’s phone rings. She sees her phone says, crazy person, do not answer, and says, and maintaining her sanity.

Leaving a message, Lucy says she knows Maxie sent the call right to voicemail, and that’s not the deal they had… Never mind. She hangs up, and says, why does she even bother? She throws the phone down, and says, okay. Deep breath… and eat a gummi… Deep breath, and eat a gummi. She puts a gummi bear in her mouth, and says, mmm. You’re overreacting. So Bobbie and Maxie are going to be just fine. They know exactly what they’re doing and the Nurses Ball is fine. It’s in good hands. She turns and says, it’s not. You’re the only one who has the connections. You’re the one with the imagination. And they need you. She eats another gummi bear, and makes a call. She says she needs a car, and they can put it on the Deception Cosmetics account… They don’t need an address. Have the driver meet her at the corner of Marigold and Chestnut. She’ll be the striking woman in the fake fur coat… and tell them to hurry please. Ta! Wow. Deception’s car service isn’t too discriminating. No money, no name, no address, from an unknown number, and she’s getting a ride.

Carly says, Nina knows about the transplant and dropped off the care package. As she can see, Willow’s really weak. Willow says, it took her forever to settle Amelia for her nap, and Carly suggests she rest. Willow says she will, when Michael and Wiley come back from the store.  They’re getting snacks for when they watch the Nurses Ball pre-show. Carly says, why doesn’t she nap until then? She can show Nina out, and wait for Michael and Wiley. Nina asks if that isn’t for Willow to decide.

Anna says she has to make a couple of calls. Robert’s going to know by now that Eileen is dead, but Felicia may not be aware. Sonny says, tell them to stay away, and after he and Drew leave, no more visitors. Drew says, Sonny’s right. What’s most important now is not risking more exposure.

Victor says, spring has sprung in all its glory. Doesn’t Spencer appreciate the fresh air? Spencer says he should have brought his binoculars so they could birdwatch, and Victor says, Spencer must be relieved to be rid of the stultifying air of his grandmother’s apartment, and Spencer says, Victor Cassadine, nature enthusiast. Will wonders never cease? Victor says, Spencer can mock, but he really appreciates all the park has to offer. Besides, it’s really more secure than the MetroCourt, particularly now that it’s teeming with guests for the Nurses Ball. Spencer still thinks they should have met in Victor’s suite, but what are the next steps in getting his brother away from Esme? Victor says, they need to find evidence in all the dormant cases against Esme; evidence compelling enough to force the District Attorney to prosecute her. (Really? This is the guy with the big plan, and that’s all he can think up?) Spencer asks what Victor needs from him, but Victor says, just sit still. Leave it to him. If Spencer’s father had trusted him, they wouldn’t be in this mess, would they?

Ava asks if Esme is sure she’s not upset that Nikolas is out of the picture. At the very least he could have helped her out financially. Esme says, Nikolas didn’t want to help. Actually, he tried to get her to sign away the rights to her son. Nikolas came to Spring Ridge, all smiles and sweet words, and paperwork to legally strip her of her parental rights. She and Ace are better off without him. As far as she can see, so is Ava. Ava says, Esme doesn’t know anything about her marriage to Nikolas, and Esme says, she knows that Nikolas slept with her while married to Ava. Ava says, doesn’t she mean he slept with the old Esme? and Esme laughs, saying, touché. She knows she sounds insane, trying to distance herself from… herself, but she has changed. And she intends to do what she can to make up for the things she’s done. Ava says she’s glad to hear it. So how does Esme plan on making it up to her?

Willow asks how preparations for the Ball are going. Are Bobbie and Maxie losing their minds? Carly says, they insist that everything is under control, but she just got a text from Josslyn who said it was unorganized chaos, which is no one’s fault. Even if Lucy were still with them, she’d have a lot less time to prepare. The Ball is usually the last week in June or the second week of September. Nina says, she and Olivia had to do a lot of juggling to get the ballroom at such short notice, and Carly says she’s sure they did. Willow struggles to get up, and they both fuss over her, but she says she’s fine. She wants to do a little prep before showtime. Carly says, if she needs anything… Willow says, she’ll be sure to yell, and goes to the kitchen. Nina says, it breaks her heart seeing Willow try to appear normal, and Carly says she prays the bone marrow transplant goes well and is a success. Willow deserves all good things. Nina asks if it wouldn’t benefit Willow if they put aside their personal differences with each other, and presented a united front for Willow.

Maxie says, what about the one who works with Mac with the amazing arms? but Felicia says, he moved to Las Vegas two months ago to dance in an all-male review. Maxie says she should have been a career counselor, and Lucy slips in, wearing sunglasses and a faux fur coat. Felicia’s phone rings, and she says she has to take this, but don’t worry. They’ll think of someone. She leaves, and Maxie flips through a binder. Lucy comes up behind her, and says, no. Maxie yelps, and says, Lucy? Lucy says, shush, and Maxie asks what she’s doing here. Lucy says, what she was born to do, and Maxie puts her hand to her forehead.

Felicia says, dead? and Anna says, yeah. So as she can imagine, they’re reevaluating their safety measures. Felicia says, but Eileen couldn’t have told Victor their location because she didn’t know it. They were extremely careful. She had a blindfold and a bag over her head every single time they took her to the safehouse. They even confiscated her devices. Anna says she knows, but they have to err on the side of caution. They have to assume that Eileen told Victor that they’re all working together. To that end, no one can come to the safehouse in the next few days. Felicia says, they could be followed.

Victor tells Spencer, building a case against Esme will solve their problem, particularly if she’s basically friendless and without resources. He’s concerned Spencer doesn’t look convinced, and Spencer says, if Esme goes to prison, she’ll take his brother with her, but Victor says, only for the first eighteen months. Or would he rather wait until the boy’s too old to go with her to prison? But then he runs the risk of her suddenly deciding to take him with her and run to another state, or changing her name and both of them disappearing. It’s still his first choice to take Esme out of consideration altogether. Spencer says, no. His friends need to see justice done in the form of a trial and a guilty verdict. Victor says, fine. They’ll just have to find good enough evidence before Esme decides to leave town. Spencer says, let’s do that, and Victor says, but if they can’t find evidence compelling enough for the DA to rearrest Esme, he’s going to go with his first instinct. Whatever happens to Esme, baby Cassadine will remain in the family fold.

Esme asks how she can make it up to Ava, and Ava says, the change in her has to be genuine. Esme says, it is, and Ava says, and permanent. Esme tells Ava that she can’t say her memories will never come back, and Ava says, that’s why she can’t be trusted. She believes Esme really lost her memory, and she’s sorry for the ordeal Esme’s monstrous parents put her through. Esme even cares about her little baby. Esme says, but Ava still doesn’t trust her, and Ava says she’ll never forget what Esme did. She believes the old Esme, the one who delighted in inflicting pain on others, is still inside her, and Ava believes one day, she will come back. She doesn’t wish Esme ill, but the moment Esme remembers who she really is, she will recognize it, and she’ll finish what Esme started. Austin walks up, and asks if he’s interrupting something, but Ava says, no. She and Esme have said all they need to say. Esme asks if the bag he’s carrying is for her, and he says, it sure is. There are samples of the formula they talked about, and the probiotics. Call him if it’s not working, or if she has any questions. She thanks him for treating her son after everything that happened, and he says, his pleasure. Esme tells Ava that she knows Ava and Spencer don’t believe her, but she has changed… for good. All she wants is what’s best for her baby. She leaves, and Austin asks what Ava thinks. Does she believe people can change? She says she does… for the worse. Look at them. He asks what she means, and she says, they’re covering up a crime. He says, oh, that. He has a confession. He doesn’t always recycle. She says, normally, she would think that was funny, but nothing is normal. They’re constantly lying and looking over their shoulders, and there’s no end in sight. She just lied through her teeth to the wife of the Chief of Detectives.

Maxie pushes Lucy down the red carpet, and asks how she got here. Lucy says, the same way she got here the other night. She climbed out a window, walked a half a mile, and took a car. Maxie says, only cats have nine lives. Every time she escapes the safehouse, she increases her chances of getting caught. She heard what Anna said. If Victor Cassadine finds out, he’s not going to pretend to shoot her; he’s going to really shoot her. Lucy says, okay, but if Maxie would have just answered her texts, answered her phone calls, taken an email from her, she wouldn’t have had to risk her life. Maxie asks why she’s here, and Lucy says, she was watching the TV and saw Maxie talking to that reporter, and she came up with the perfect solution to Maxie’s Magic Wand conundrum. An older man with a cane hobbles up, and Maxie asks how she can help him, as Lucy quickly turns away. He says he has lunch plans with his niece, but the garden patio’s deserted, and Maxie says, the garden patio is closed today for a special event, but the MetroCourt restaurant upstairs is open. She sees Felicia, and calls to her. She asks if Felicia will help this nice gentleman up to the MetroCourt restaurant, and Felicia says, sure. If he’s never been up there, he’s in for quite a treat. She leads the man away, and Lucy says, that was so close. What if Felicia had seen her and known it was her? Maxie says, she would have notified Anna that Lucy had gone rogue – again. But that’s the least of their worries. All the people coming to the Nurses Ball know who she is. She has to leave now. She grabs Lucy’s arm, but Lucy won’t budge, and says she’s not leaving now. Not until Maxie hears her out. She does have the perfect suggestion for a Magic Wand. This is a man who’s used to coming to the rescue.

Carly says she has no intention of letting her feelings about Nina impact Willow, and Nina says, again? Carly asks if she didn’t just suggest to play nice, and Nina promises to do better if Carly will. Carly doesn’t say anything, and Nina pretends to be busy with stuff. She says, it must be disappointing for Donna not being able to stay at her daddy’s, but Carly says, she just explained to Donna that her father’s busy and she won’t be visiting Sonny for a while. Nina says, it must be hard for a child to understand, and Carly says, that’s life with Sonny; constant conflict and danger. Nina is a long way from Nixon Falls, isn’t she?

Valentin says, as long as they’re in possession of the necklace, Victor is dead in the water. He has the decryption key, but nothing to use it on. Drew says, which is only going to make him more desperate. If he wasn’t following Robert, Laura, and Felicia before, he will be now. Anna says, they need to find Victor before he finds them, and Drew says, the man is not an island. Somebody’s got to know where he is. Who is he close to in Port Charles? Anna says, his great nephew; Sonny’s nephew. Sonny says he’ll speak to Spencer and see if he’s heard from Victor, and Valentin says, assuming Spencer will cooperate. Victor Cassadine is a master manipulator. Spencer’s young. He’s not match for Valentin’s father. Sonny says, Spencer’s made a lot of mistakes, but he’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’ll do the right thing. Did Sonny just come to Port Charles?

Spencer looks at his phone, and tells Victor that Esme’s probably wondering where he is. He’s supposed to pick up her and Ace at the hospital. Victor says he’ll put their plan in motion. When he has an update, he’ll give Spencer a time and location to meet. Watkins (mystery man gets a name!) will supply Spencer with a number to reach him; he’s going to dispose of his old phone. Spencer says, Victor’s avoiding the MetroCourt, setting new meeting locations, and now he’s changing phones. He’s ramping up security, isn’t he? Victor says, you can’t be too careful, and Spencer thanks him. He owes Victor one, and won’t forget it. Spencer leaves, and Victor says he’s counting on that. Watkins says, Victor didn’t tell Spencer that he’d be leaving Port Charles, and Victor says his intentions are always on a need to know. It’s more imperative than ever. Watkins says, his nephew’s custody fight? and Victor says, will soon be irrelevant. His great nephew is giving himself all kinds of anguish about something that will never see the light of day. If he knew the truth of Victor’s real plan, he’d never go along with it. If he has to keep lying to the lad, so be it. He needs Spencer on board.

Maxie tells Lucy, wait just a second. Lucy wants her to ask Mac to perform with the Magic Wands? Lucy says she can’t very well do it, and Maxie says, because she’s dead. Lucy says, think about it. Mac is such a well-known, well-respected member of this community. And to be perfectly honest, he’s a fox too. She’s often what’s underneath those button-down… Maxie says, stop. Mac’s her stepdad. Lucy says, he’s a daddy all right (missing the opportunity to use mack daddy), and Maxie says, that’s so inappropriate. Why couldn’t Lucy just text her requests instead of risking her life and coming in person? Lucy says, she tried. Instead of yelling at her, Maxie could thank her for saving the Nurses Ball. Maxie asks why she can’t stay away. Is it her need to control, or does it go deeper? And don’t hide behind some inappropriate remark or dumb excuse. Lucy says, okay. She does realize how everybody sees her, including her current roommates. That she’s vapid and silly, and selfish – she takes off her sunglasses – but the Nurses Ball, when she’s putting on that show, it’s the one time of year everybody takes her seriously. Despite all her business success, she’s running that show. She feels like she has a purpose. Like she’s fulfilled, like she’s needed, like she’s useful. It’s magic, and it’s so incredible that every single person in Port Charles is somehow putting on the show, or performing in the show, or donating to their cause. It’s like that one moment we all come together. She tears up, and says, Maxie knows there’s nothing else like it. Maxie says, the Nurses Ball is very special, and it’s mostly due to Lucy, and Lucy thanks her. So… Mac? Maxie says, what part about Mac is her stepdad does Lucy not understand, and Lucy says, what part doesn’t Maxie understand about, the show must go on? Maxie says she knows who would be a perfect fit, and Lucy says, who? Maxie asks if Lucy’s car is waiting for her, and Lucy says, of course (🍷). Who? Maxie says she’ll walk Lucy to her car, and Lucy follows her out, saying, who?

Sonny says, when he finds another safehouse, he’ll have his people come and get them, and Anna thanks him. Drew walks out with him, and Sonny says, Luke Spencer was his great friend. He loved Luke, and respected him. Victor is going to pay for Luke’s death, and Sonny has to stop him before he does any more damage to Spencer. He’s going to make sure of that. He gives Anna a quick smile, and he and Drew leave.

Nina says she knows who Sonny is and what he does, and Carly says, intellectually, sure. But when Nina was so eager to have Sonny all to herself, did she stop and think about what she’d have to give up? Nina says she’s not discussing her relationship with Carly, but Carly says, Nina doesn’t have to; she can see it in her eyes. And eventually Sonny will too. Nina bit off more than she can chew, and she’s not the first. Nina says she’s going to say goodbye to Willow. She has to get back to the hotel and oversee preparations for tonight. Carly says she’s only going to say this because Sonny’s the father of her kids, and if Nina is going to be with him, there’s something she needs to know. Sonny needs to be with someone who knows the good, bad, and ugly about him and his business. Who will stand beside him no matter how dirty things get. Does he share his entire life with Nina, or does he shelter her? Nina says she and Sonny have an understanding that works for them. It’s not the same relationship Carly had with him, and that’s what appeals to Sonny. Carly says, Nina didn’t want Mike to know his real identity when he was in Nixon Falls, and now that Sonny’s back, she wants to turn a blind eye to his business. Ignorance isn’t always bliss, and in this case, it looks like it’s the beginning of the end. Wow. Carly reads a lot into not much.

Willow comes back, and says, preparation finished. Is everything good? Nina says she was telling Carly that she has to get back to the hotel and get ready for the Ball. Is Willow going to be okay? How is she feeling about tomorrow? Willow says, nervous. The Nurses Ball will be a nice distraction. Still, she can’t stop thinking about everything that could go wrong. What if the transplant doesn’t take? What if Liesl’s bone marrow isn’t compatible with her after all? Carly says she’d be feeling the same way if she were Willow, but that doesn’t mean any of that’s likely. Nina says, Willow’s come too far to be disappointed. And if success can be guaranteed by sheer will, she and Carly have Willow covered. Tomorrow’s a fresh start, and she won’t be alone.

Anna says, it’s all going wrong, and Valentin says, every operation has it’s fair share of unknowables. He takes her hand and they sit on the sofa. She says she enlisted another civilian as an asset, and it’s too dangerous. She doesn’t know what the hell is wrong with her. He says, she tried to steer Lucy clear of this, and she wouldn’t go. Eileen Ashby was on borrowed time the moment she started working for Victor Cassadine. In fact, he thinks they gave her the best chance at survival. She couldn’t follow instructions. It isn’t Anna’s fault. Anna says, it is her fault, but he says, don’t do that. There’s only one person who’s going to pay for all of this, and he’s Valentin’s father. And he will. Somehow.

Spencer goes back to the hospital, and Esme says, there he is. He’s been gone forever. He says, not quite that long, and tells Ace that his mother’s a very impatient woman. She says, the doctor was very helpful, but they’ve been waiting a while; he said he’d be back. Spencer says, here he is. He had to take care of something. She asks, what’s more important than his brother? and he says, nothing, magically getting the elevator as soon as he presses the button.

As they walk through the halls, Ava tells Austin that Felicia was asking what he was doing on Spoon Island the night Ryan, Heather, and Esme showed up. They need an explanation as to why he was there. A good one; one they can sell. He says, any idea of what that explanation might be? and she asks if he owns a tux.

Lucy pulls of her coat, and says, unforgivable, Maxie. You shoved me in that car before even telling me who the replacement for the Magic Wand was. She bets Maxie doesn’t even know who the replacement is. She slumps down in her chair.

Maxie asks why she ever agreed to plan the Nurses Ball, and Felicia says, because she’s the best event planner in New York state, and nobody handles a crisis better than her. They will find a suitable replacement for the Magic Wand act. Maxie says she thought of a replacement… and it’s better than the alternative. Felicia says, alternative? and Maxie says, it’s a story for another day. Hopefully, it never comes to that. They leave, and the guy with the cane comes back. He straightens up, leans the cane against the wall, and makes a phone call.

Victor says, you have something for me? and cane spy says he tailed Felicia Scorpio to the MetroCourt. Victor will never guess who showed up in the lobby. Victor says, do tell, and cane spy says, Lucy Coe. She left here twenty minutes ago in a luxury sedan; hired car judging from the stickers. Victor thanks him, and says he’ll take it from here. He tells Watkins, once again, Lucy Coe proves herself invaluable. He’s got them. Anna and Valentin can hide no more.

On Monday, Willow says, tonight, she’s exactly where she wants to be; Sonny says, he and Nina are a long ways from dancing in Nixon Falls; and Lucy says, without her? She doesn’t think so.

🎤 Welcome To the Nurses Ball…

A little pre-show preparation.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-nurses-ball-preview

💵 And We Work Twice As Hard…

Obviously though, everything worked out.

Kelly Ripa Reveals Mark Consuelos Was Paid More Than Her on AMC

🤦🏽‍♂️ Once a Dipstick…

Not sure what this guy’s problem is, but every once in a while he comes out from his cave and causes a ruckus.

https://ew.com/tv/eric-winter-roselyn-sanchez-defend-eva-longoria-eric-braeden-drama/

📆 Yes, I Know the Date…

I’m including this because it includes a great picture of alien Casey and a very small Robin.

Five Things That Happened On March 26 In Soap History

💎 Hasn’t Left the Building…

That’s what I keep saying.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/30/garcelle-beauvais-shades-lisa-rinna-after-rhobh-exit/

💬 Love Bubble Language…

These are pretty funny.

https://tvline.com/lists/teresa-giudice-quotes-rhonj-ranked/im-being-raw-as-as-a-cucumber/

🍕 Nonna Is Rolling…

A blow-by-blow about the pizza oven incident.

https://people.com/tv/rhonj-joe-gorga-claims-teresa-fiance-louie-screwed-me-250k-business-deal/

🍸 In Today’s VanderNews…

More on the Scandoval front and the Reunion.

Pump Rules Cast Questioned Raquel & Tom’s Relationship After Club Tryst as Schwartz Reveals Raquel’s Coachella Make-Out Guy and Lawyer Discusses Restraining Order Impact on Reunion

https://www.eonline.com/news/1369980/lala-kent-shares-details-on-explosive-vanderpump-rules-reunion-taping

https://www.etonline.com/scheana-shay-says-ariana-madix-assassinated-raquel-leviss-at-vanderpump-rules-reunion-201958

What drove them to make these decisions is, they’re awful people.

https://people.com/tv/tom-sandoval-raquel-leviss-at-center-very-loud-very-enraged-vanderpump-rules-reunion/

I don’t blame her.

VIDEO: Ariana Madix Tells Tom Sandoval to “Die” in Vanderpump Rules Midseason Trailer After Learning of Raquel Affair, Plus Schwartz Mentions “Open Relationship,” & Scheana Admits to “So Much Rage” as James Considers Proposing

And the good news.

https://people.com/pets/ariana-madix-plans-on-keeping-dog-she-shared-with-tom-sandoval-sources/

🏖  Why Oh Why…

Here’s hoping Awful People Syndrome isn’t catching, and these people act like grown-ups.

https://www.essence.com/gallery/summer-house-marthas-vineyard-cast-exclusive/

⚰️ They’re Coming…

Mark your calendars: June 18th, after the mid-season finale (please) of Fear the Walking Dead.

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/03/31/walking-dead-city-not-coming-spring-2023/

And after that…

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/03/30/new-walking-dead-spinoff-whats-coming-next/

💍 Random I Know…

But I was wondering.

Are ‘90 Day: The Single Life’ Stars Veronica and Jamal Still Together? Relationship Status Update

🐶 It Beats the Gym…

Technically, she did not break the rules.

https://people.com/pets/woman-carries-white-samoyed-dog-backpack-new-york-subway/

🐣 Quotes of the Week

I’d rather see my face aging than a face I don’t recognize at all. – Cameron Diaz

Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it. – Wilferd Peterson

Persons of high self-esteem are not driven to make themselves superior to others; they do not seek to prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard. Their joy is being who they are, not in being better than someone else. – Nathaniel Branden

Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. – Charlotte Whitton, Canadian Politician

A person is not given integrity. It results from the relentless pursuit of honesty at all times. – Unknown

I want to ride a camel with you every day. – Debbie, 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way

🛴  Cash Me Inside…

If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by on Monday really Tuesday for soap and trash talking the awful people on Summer House. Until then, stay safe, stay away from making excuses, and stay knowing that it’s possible to overcome your worst mistakes, even if people have judged you by them.

Mar25

March 24, 2023 – Victor Gets the Necklace, Not Being Nik, New New York, Not Quite Fatal, VanderTalk, Second Jackets, Kitty (!), Enough Quotes For an Octopod & Cornflake

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Valentin plops a hooded Eileen down, and takes off her hood. He says, welcome back to the safehouse, and she asks if all this cloak and dagger is still necessary. He and Anna say, yes, but Eileen says she doesn’t think it is. She thinks it amuses them to torture her by having Felicia Scorpio put a bag over her head, like she’s some… Anna says, like she’s someone who would sell them out, but Eileen says she wouldn’t do that. Valentin asks if they’re supposed to take her word on that, and she says, of course (🍷) not, but they have other leverage. So their best interests are her best interests. Anna says, they’d like to keep that imbalance of power in their favor for now, and Eileen says, fine. Tell her what they want her to do, and she’ll do it. They can at least rely on her for that. Anna says she hopes so, because they can’t afford to make one single misstep, and neither can Eileen.

Spencer says, if Esme isn’t hungry, she can at least stay hydrated. He sets a cup on the coffee table, and says, it’s an organic herbal tea said to promote healthy lactation. She tells him, so he says, and he tells her, don’t worry. Drugging people is kind of more of a you thing. Laura comes in, and Spencer says, good morning. She says she’d like it to be for everyone, including Esme, so let’s not forget Esme is their guest, and he asks how he can. Laura says she expected this to be a bumpy transition, but they want Esme to feel welcome, don’t they? and he says, of course (🍷). Forgive him. Esme says she won’t stay anyplace she feels unwanted or unwelcome, so wherever she goes, Ace goes. There’s a knock at the door, and Spencer opens it to Victor. He asks what brings Victor by, and Victor says, what else? He’s come for his nephew.

Trina is on her way upstairs, and Marshall says, stop right there, young lady. She says she thought the house was empty, and he says, she hoped it was empty. Why is she sneaking in here like this isn’t her home? She says, because she’s not sure it is.

At Kelly’s counter, Cameron looks at his paycheck, when Josslyn comes in and says she was hoping she could still find him here. He says he’s picking up his last paycheck, and she says, end of an era, huh? He says, yeah, and asks why she was looking for him.

Outside on the phone, Sonny says, thanks for the update, and tells Dex, Brick couldn’t ID the contractor from the warehouse. Dex says, so that’s it, dead end? and Sonny makes another call, asking someone to meet him on Pier 55 in an hour. He tells Dex, for you to survive in this business, you never give up. When somebody’s coming after you, they’re not going to stop at the first attempt. You have to keep digging. Dex asks if Sonny thinks his family is at risk, and Sonny says, he’s taking precautions; he doesn’t know. Dex asks, why not? Sonny says, because when it’s a hit like this, a hired gun, the only thing that matters is taking out the target.

Josslyn says she was thinking about her and Cameron’s conversation about Dex, when Sonny and Dex walk in.

Marshall says he knows there’s a lot up in the air with Curtis and Trina’s mama, but one thing he can say for sure, on behalf of them and himself, she’ll always have a home with them. She says, it doesn’t feel much like home, does it? and Marshall says, it is looking mighty grim. With Portia constantly working and Curtis at the MetroCourt, to avoid the quiet, he’s been staying out. She says, out with Miss Epiphany? but he says, she’s still out of town. She got accepted to a whole slew of medical schools out of state, including… Johns Hopkins. Trina says, that’s amazing. That’s really good for her. Marshall says, it is, and she says, Maryland isn’t all that far, is it? He says, the fast train usually takes nine and a half hours, and she says, so an airplane is out of the question? He says he could do that, but that’s not what’s really troubling him. Epiphany moving to Baltimore or somewhere, and everything that’s happening here, he doesn’t know quite where he fits in. She puts her head on his shoulder, and says she knows the feeling.

Spencer tells Victor, it’s not the best time, and Laura says, he’s not welcome here. She’s going to have to ask him to leave. Victor says, at least she’s giving him a choice in the matter this time, and she says she’d prefer he leave on his own, but she can and will have him physically removed by security. She takes out her phone, and Spencer says, that’s not necessary; he’ll handle this. Victor says, Spencer of all people should know he’s not one to be handled, and Spencer says, if Victor doesn’t mind, he’d like to talk in the hallway. Victor says, very well, lead the way, but Spencer says, after you. I insist. He closes the door behind them, and Laura apologizes to Esme. She says she’ll do her best never to have Victor bother her again, and Esme says she gets this really bad feeling every time Victor Cassadine is around. Laura says, that’s because Victor Cassadine is a very bad man.

Spencer says, when he told Victor that Esme and the baby were staying here, he didn’t expect Victor to just show up, and Victor says, the baby is a Cassadine and belongs with Cassadines. He’ll go wherever he wants, and take what or whoever he wants, and woe betide anyone who gets in his way. Spencer says, including him?

Anna says, Eileen is going to call Victor and set up a meet for today, and Valentin says, and she has a very special delivery. He opens a jewelry box, showing her the fake necklace, but when she reaches for it, he snaps it shut. He says he can’t stress this enough; this is the most critical juncture of their plan. Anna says, it’s imperative that Victor believe Eileen is delivering the thing he’s been looking for, and Eileen says, something’s gone wrong, hasn’t it? Some kind of setback. Anna says, not that it’s any of her business, but they’ve had to widen their circle of trust, and Valentin says, time is no longer on their side. Eileen says, don’t worry, she won’t double-cross them, but Valentin says, she’s thrown in with Victor before. How do they know she hasn’t struck a deal with him already? She says, because she values her own life. Victor has proven anyone is disposable, even his own son. She’d be a fool to betray the only people willing to give her a chance to survive. Valentin gives her the box, and says, people have died for the information engraved on what’s left of the Ice Princess. Now they’re giving Victor what he wants. Anna says, or so he thinks. It’s actually a very good forgery. Eileen says, how very good? They know Victor will have an expert authenticate this. Anna says, that’s why Eileen has to set up the meet for today, so Victor doesn’t have a chance to call an expert in, and Valentin says, hopefully, she’ll have left before questions are raised She asks how they’re going to protect her. They know Victor doesn’t like to meet in public spaces. Anna says, they’ve taken every precaution. DA Scorpio will be nearby the location, and he’ll have back-up. Valentin says, and if the whole operation goes south, the cavalry will ride in. But to offer her that protection, she has to be wired for sound. Eileen asks if they’re insane. First they send her in with a fake necklace, and then they want her to wear a wire? If Victor catches on, he’ll kill her. Valentin says, they need to know everything that’s happening in real time, but Eileen tells him, keep that wire, or the deal is off.

Marshall says, it’s a shame Trina’s buddy Cam is leaving. Seemed like a good kid. Loyal, reliable… She says, unlike Spencer, and he tells her, nobody said anything about Spencer. She says, Marshall didn’t say his name, but she knows how they all feel about him. Marshall says, at this point, he’s not sure how he feels about Spencer, except that he seems to tie Trina up in knots. Trina says, maybe it’s best they don’t talk about him. She’s just going to grab some photos and be on her way. He tells her, sit down and tell him what’s on her mind. What’s troubling her? She says, Spencer’s living with his ex-girlfriend again. I’m not sure what she’s worried about since Esme doesn’t trust Spencer and he’s mean to her. I don’t exactly see them socializing.

Spencer says, Victor of all people understands nuance and diplomacy, and Victor says, usually. Spencer says, well this is a very complicated situation. There are many people involved, and they all want the same thing; to protect Ace. Victor says, that name, and Spencer says he knows. It’s got to go. (What? I love that name!) Despite their common goal, they all have different methods. Victor asks what Spencer’s method is, and Spencer says, putting Esme back in prison where she belongs and away from that baby. Then, as next of kin, he’ll retain custody, and he’d never dream of keeping that baby away from his Great Uncle. Victor says, a long time ago, Spencer asked for his help in this matter. Does he still need it? (Is Victor senile? That was like, five minutes ago.) Spencer says he does, but they can’t talk about that here.

Laura asks if Esme wants coffee, and Esme asks if she’s sure. Spencer said caffeine isn’t good for breastfeeding mothers. Laura says, Spencer means well, but mothers need caffeine to deal with their kids he’s no expert. Coffee is fine in moderation. She gives Esme a cup, and tells her, enjoy. She says she hopes Esme knows she’s protected here, and Esme says, even from Spencer? Spencer comes back, and says, he’s so sorry for his Great Uncle’s intrusion. It won’t happen again. He talks nonsense to the baby, and Laura asks where he’s off to. He says he’ll see them later, and asks if Laura will be there. She says, of course (🍷), and he leaves. Esme says, Cameron Spencer? and Laura says, her grandson has been accepted to a very prestigious athletic program in California. Esme says she’s glad she didn’t ruin his life too, and Laura says, the person Esme used to be did an awful lot of damage. Esme says, damage you can never forgive.

Sonny congratulates Cameron on getting into Stanford, and Cameron asks how he knew. Sonny says, Spencer told him more than once; he’s very proud of Cameron. Cameron says, it’s kind of hard to tell. Spencer makes fun of him every time it’s brought up. Sonny says he knows Spencer is very proud of him, and tells Cameron, have a great time at Stanford. He’s going to be missed. Cameron  thanks him, and says he doesn’t actually work here anymore, but he can take down their orders and let the waiters know. Sonny says, two cups of coffee to go, and Cameron leaves. Sonny asks if he can talk to Josslyn for a second, and she follows him. As he opens the door, he tells Dex to wait inside. Cameron comes back, and he and Dex stare at each other.

Outside, Josslyn asks, what’s this about? and Sonny says he’s just rooting out his enemies.

On the phone, Victor asks if Eileen has what he asked for, and she says, he knows she wouldn’t let him down. He says he sincerely hopes not. Bring it to him tonight. She says, the longer they wait, the better the chances of them noticing it’s missing, and knowing she’s the one who took it. Unless he wants it to end up back in the secure evidence locker, with zero chance of getting it out again, they need to do this now. There’s a knock at Victor’s door, and he says, his suite, the MetroCourt, forty-five minutes. Not one second later. He opens the door, and Spencer strides in, saying, sorry about earlier, but Victor says he understands. He has a business meeting starting soon, so let’s get down to brass tacks. What exactly does Spencer want to happen to Esme?

Josslyn says, what enemies? Sonny has so many. He tells her, just keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary when she’s with her mother and her sisters. She asks if he’s going to tell her why, but he says he’s not giving her any details. She says, don’t worry about it; she already knows. He says, how?

Dex says he’ll go as soon as Sonny comes back, and Cameron says, but while he’s here, there’s some stuff he wants to say to Dex.

Esme says, the fact that she doesn’t remember what she did to Laura’s family doesn’t absolve her. She’s hurt both Cameron and Spencer, among others. Laura says, yes, she did, and Esme says, but Laura’s letting her stay here? Laura says she’s letting Esme stay here because she wanted her newest grandson to be safe and well cared for, not in a prison. That’s not entirely true; there’s another reason. She knows the pain of being separated from your child. She was separated from her son Nikolas for many years because of the Cassadines. Esme says, which is exactly what Spencer is trying to do to her, and Laura says, but Spencer has a lot of good reasons not to trust Esme. Laura is a mother, and she knows how much having a new baby can change someone. She also happens to believe in redemption. Esme asks if that means Laura believes in her. Laura says she wants to. She’s trying to. Esme says, but she’s not there yet? and Laura says, that doesn’t mean she won’t be. What about Esme? Does she believe in Laura? Can she accept Laura wants what’s best for her?

Trina tells Marshall that Esme and the baby are living with Spencer’s grandmother in her apartment, while Spencer also lives there. She knows Esme doesn’t remember all the terrible things she did, but Trina still doesn’t trust her. Marshall says, good for her. Trina shouldn’t trust her. That girl should be behind bars. He’s furious they dropped the charges, and denied Trina justice. She says, actually it was her idea to get the DA to stop pursuing the case, just for now, and he asks, what in the Lord’s name possessed her to do that? She says she’s having second thoughts about it now, even though she convinced Spencer there’s a better chance of getting the charges to stick if they wait. He says, Spencer again. Why is she the only one making concessions in this friendship?  She says, Spencer’s been there for her too. His life is just… complicated. Marshall says, and no sign of it getting simpler. Please tell him why she needs to remain friends with Spencer Cassadine.

Victor says, when Spencer first came to him for help, he was concerned Esme was going to raise her child in prison, and Spencer says, thanks to Trina, they got the DA to stop pursuing the case. Victor says, good for Trina. It’s best to keep the law at bay, at least until you know they’re on your side. Spencer says, the problem is, now that Esme is a free woman, there’s a chance she could disappear and take his brother with her. He can’t let that happen. Victor says he’s sacrificed a great deal trying to make this world a better place, and preserving their family’s legacy to the bargain. (Has he?) Sadly, Spencer’s father had neither the faith nor the resolve to help him in his aims. Does Spencer trust him? Spencer says he knows there’s nothing Victor wouldn’t do for this family, and Victor says, then understand this. There’s no way in hell Esme is raising a Cassadine heir. Not while there’s a breath left in his body.

Trina says, it’s really worth it, and Marshall asks, but is he worthy? How does he make her feel? She says, he makes her feel like she’s the best thing that’s happened to him, and Marshall says, it sounds like Spencer’s become special to her. Is that why she’s so bugged out about Esme sharing the same space? She says, it’s not like she doesn’t trust Spencer around Esme. It was strange seeing them all together, looking like a family. Marshall says, stop him if he’s wrong, but this sounds like more than just friendly concern. She says, Spencer’s more than a friend. Their relationship has evolved over a couple of weeks. She just hasn’t told anybody about it. He asks, why not? and she says, everybody’s been busy… They’re avoiding each other. He says, perhaps. Or is it because she’s not quite sure of it herself?

Esme says, from the first time she saw Laura, and definitely when Laura helped deliver Ace, Laura’s been nothing but kind to her. But Spencer is Laura’s grandson and doesn’t think she can raise her own son. Laura says, so she doesn’t know who to trust, and Esme says, even if she could trust someone, why would they trust her? Laura says, so she needs someone to take the first leap of faith. She’s willing to do that. Let’s start right now. Laura gets up and gets her bag, saying, everything is all new to Esme, and she’s got to get adjusted to her surroundings. So she’ll go out for a bit, and Esme can stay here on her own, relax, and bond with Ace. Esme says, by herself, with no one looking over her shoulder? and Laura says, yes, unless she’s worried about being alone with the baby, but Esme says, no. She’s just surprised Laura trusts her on her own. Laura says, she’s not a prisoner here, and Esme says, maybe this time. Laura hands her some cash, and says, in case of emergency. Esme says, Laura knows she can just take this and take off (it doesn’t look like enough to get her too far) , and Laura says, she could, but since she has faith Esme wants what’s best for her baby, so she knows that means staying right here. She wishes Esme a lovely morning, and leaves.

Eileen says she’ll take the necklace to Victor, but the wire is a no go. Valentin says he thought she might feel that way, and Eileen asks if he has a back-up plan. One that doesn’t involve her wearing a neon sign that says, Victor, I’m betraying you. Valentin says, if she doesn’t wear a wire, they won’t know she’s in trouble, but they have arranged for DA Scorpio to call her on official city business. Anna says, if anything feels off, raise the alarm, and he’ll come in and get her. Eileen says, fine, but she wants their promise, their guarantee that once she delivers this necklace, she’ll be free to move on. Valentin says, this isn’t over until they crack the code; find out what it’s for. Anna says, until they find out what Victor is after, none of them are free. Valentin puts the hood back on Eileen’s head.

Cameron says, after he found out about Dex and Josslyn, there were a lot of things he wanted to tell Dex. There were a lot of things Cameron wanted to do to him. Dex says he gets it, and Cameron says, despite all his anger and feelings, he realized it doesn’t matter, because all that matters is Josslyn. She’s been his friend for forever – she still is. But if Dex hurts her, he’ll tell Sonny about them, and Dex will find himself back on that hook so fast, he’ll wish he’d never met her.

Sonny asks how Josslyn knows someone’s targeting him, and she says, her mom told her there was an incident. One big enough for him to beef up security and keep Donna from spending the night? He says, temporarily, and she says she knows the drill. And Donna and Avery are young, but they’re starting to get used to it too, and think this is normal. She wishes it broke his heart half as much as it breaks hers.

Dex says, Cameron made himself clear, and Cameron says, Dex doesn’t think he’s serious. I swear, these two look like they’re on the verge of laughing. Dex says he knows Cameron’s serious, and he’ll never hurt Josslyn, and Cameron says, good. See to it he doesn’t. Dex says he means it. Cameron has no idea how much he cares about Josslyn. Sonny and Josslyn come back, and Sonny tells Dex, time to roll. Sonny reaches for his wallet, but Cameron says he’s got it. Sonny says he appreciates it, and Cameron says, of course (🍷). (I just included that exchange because of the of course – 🍷have one on me.) Sonny tells him, good luck at Stanford, Cameron thanks him, and Sonny leaves with Dex. Cameron asks what Josslyn and Sonny talked about, and she says, the usual; how his business affects the rest of them. How about him and Dex? Cameron says, they talked, and she says, sorry; that was awkward. He says, awkward is kind of their M.O., and she says, that’s what she wanted to talk to him about it. If he doesn’t want her at his goodbye party, she understands. He says he wants all his friends there. She is his friend, right? She says, it’s nice to hear him call her that, and he says, what else would he call her? She says, they’ve been friends forever, and that’s not going to change because of her feelings for Dex. He says, they’re pretty serious now? but she says she could never be with someone so soon after their break-up if it was meaningless. He says, he’ll see her, and leaves.

Victor says, if the DA doesn’t have enough proof to convict Esme, then they’ll just have to produce it, and Spencer says, he means, frame her? Victor says, they both know she’s guilty. If Spencer’s father hadn’t imprisoned her, she would have never lost her memory. Evidence can be… Spencer says, manufactured, and Victor says, the bottom line is, Esme is going to have to face the music, and Ace will be in the custody of those who love him best. Him, Spencer… Spencer says, grandmother. Does Victor mind if Spencer gets back to him? Victor tells him, take all the time he needs, but as Spencer said, Esme is a free woman, and could decide to take off at any time, taking with her Spencer’s innocent and defenseless little brother.

Esme asks Ace what he thinks. She sounded pretty sincere, didn’t she? Here they have food, warmth, and relative freedom. What more can they ask for? The baby throws us some cute smiles, as he/she desperately looks around for IRL mom. Esme says, they really don’t have any other offers, do they?… Ace is right. What’s stopping them from keeping him, and tossing her out on the street? She won’t let that happen. She looks at the money Laura left with her.

Trina tells Marshall that she trusts Spencer and the connection, but this is all new. And let’s just say some of her views are evolving. She guesses that’s part of growing up. He says, that never stops, and takes her hand. He says, learning who we are is a lifelong process. He doesn’t have to tell her, there’s circumstances in life that make us question everything we thought about ourselves. You’ve got to have good people in your corner to support you along the way, that’s all. Friends are great; family is better. She says, what if you don’t know who your family is? and he says, DNA doesn’t determine family; connection does. She puts her hand on his.

Outside Kelly’s on the phone, Laura says, Eileen has a lot to lose here… She doesn’t think Eileen ever had any real loyalty to Victor. She thinks Eileen’s always been in it for herself… She thinks Eileen will follow their instructions to the letter. Valentin says, she’d better. Because if she screws up or turns on them, this is over. Laura says, he doesn’t sound confident, and he tells her, all he’s saying is, they can’t let their guard down. Not where Victor Cassadine is concerned.

Victor opens his hotel room door to Eileen, and asks if she’s done as he asked. She says she’s a woman of her word. He says, where is it? and she takes the case from her bag. She says, as promised, and he snatches it out of her hand. He opens the case, and says, at last.

Sonny meets Selina next to a dumpster, which is maybe appropriate, since it looks like she didn’t comb her hair again, although her coat makes up for it. She says, he summoned her? and he says, someone is trying to take him out. She says she heard of his recent trouble, and he asks if she has any idea who’s behind it. She says, if only. An unprovoked attack is an unforgivable breach of decorum, and a threat to them all. Any leads? Dex takes out his phone, and Sonny says, whatever’s left of him. Does she recognize him? She looks at the phone, and tells him, not that she can say. What does Sonny want to know about him? Sonny says, if she doesn’t know, somebody in her organization must know, and Sonny heard he was spotted at The Highsider. That’s her bar, right? She says she does own it, but she’s afraid she can’t help him, and he says, can’t, or won’t?  She says, it’s purely an investment; one of the establishments she owns a stake in. She doesn’t keep tabs on the customers. Surely as a businessman, he understands. He says he’s disappointed, and don’t call him Shirley. That’s the second time she’s let him down in a couple weeks. She bought his late cousin Brando’s garage, right? She says, it was a good investment, and Brando’s mother was eager to sell. Sonny says, Gladys told him. What he wants to know is, why didn’t Selina? She says, he’s absolutely right. In fact, she should have let him know she was considering it before negotiating with Miss Corbin. Please accept her apologies. He says, let him tell her something. You mess with my family, you mess with me. Classic mob boss talk. She says, of course (🍷). All of that said, she hopes he’s pleased. The garage can be beneficial for them both. He says, the garage is the least of his concerns, and she says, the shooter’s connection to The Highsider is of concern to her as well. Her people never do business there, but regardless, she’s sure someone must know the man in the photo. She’ll make inquiries. He says, you do that, and she says she hopes he knows how much she values their association. Rest assured, this enemy is one they share. She leaves, and Dex asks Sonny, can she really be trusted?

Valentin says, Anna isn’t nervous, is she? but she says, of course (🍷) she’s nervous. Lucy just almost got herself killed. Now they’re sending Eileen back into that same lion’s den. At greater risk, with just as little protection. He says, look on the bright side; nobody likes the woman. She says, that’s very unkind, and he says, they’re this close to figuring out the insanity his father’s been cooking up, and ending it. And if anyone can finish the job, it’s them. Anna tells him, you know what they say, that most car accidents happen within a ten-mile radius of your home. They’re very close to home. He says, then he guesses, buckle up.

Victor says, Eileen did well, and she says she’s glad he’s pleased. He asks how she managed it, and she says, you don’t ask a magician her tricks. She heads for the door, and he asks where she’s going. She says, her office. She has a day’s work ahead. He says, nonsense. She can’t leave now. Not when they’re about to get to the most important part. She says, what’s more important than procuring the necklace from police lock-up? She got it. He has it. He says he wants them to inspect this masterpiece together. Come on. Take a seat. He starts to look at the necklace with a jeweler’s loupe.

Marshall says he knows Trina doesn’t know where she stands with her mom and Curtis, but whatever happens, they’ve forged their own relationship. He’s here to talk about anything. She says, even if she wants to talk about Spencer? and he tells her, he said anything. Whatever she says will stay between them, and he promises to always be honest with her. She says, thanks, she appreciates that, and he says, and in his honest opinion, if Spencer Cassadine’s life is going to remain so damn dramatic, maybe it’s time for her to exit stage left. They laugh, and the doorbell rings. Marshall opens the door to a sullen-looking Spencer.

Laura sees Josslyn at Kelly’s, and Josslyn says, she just missed Cam. Laura says she guesses she’ll see him at his party. How is Josslyn doing? Josslyn says she’s having a lot of trouble about Cam leaving, and Laura says she is too, but she’s also really proud of him. Josslyn says she is too. To play soccer at Stanford is huge, and it’s about time one of Cam’s dreams came true. Laura says, Josslyn was his first love, and Josslyn says she broke his heart. What if he never forgives her? He says they’re friends forever, but… Laura says, he’s hurt right now, and he feels alone. Josslyn says, because of her, but Laura says, Josslyn did what she had to do, and Cameron has to accept that no matter how painful it is. He just needs a little time. He’ll remember who really cares about him.

Esme picks up Ace, all swaddled up, and says, Grandmother Mayor might be on the up and up, but she’s not willing to wait around to find out. She puts the money in her knapsack, and picks up Ace’s blanket, throwing it over her shoulder. She opens the door, and Cameron is there, about to knock.

On Monday, Elizabeth tells Laura, there’s a deeper reason for someone’s silence; Josslyn says, anything Maxie needs, she’s in; Victor tells Eileen, they’re just getting started; and Cameron asks Esme, going somewhere?

📽  The Better Nikolas…

This actually sounds pretty good.

GH’s Adam Huss & Andrea Bogart Star in a New Movie!

🗽 Who Are These People…?

The all new cast of RHONY. I dunno. I doubt it will have the same drunken energy as the original. It was one of the few in the franchise I still liked. Maybe the only one. Too bad the Legacy thing didn’t work out.

Real Housewives Of New York City Newbies Jenna Lyons And Erin Lichy Discuss Joining Season 14

🧂 Look Out For That Cliff…

Maybe they needed more salt on the road. BA-DUM-CHH!

PHOTO: RHOSLC’s Meredith Marks Survives Near-Fatal Wreck After Car Nearly Crashed Off Cliff, Shares Pics as She Details Moment Before and After Incident

🍸 Those Crazy Kids…

I can’t wait for this.

Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss Are “Annihilated” at Vanderpump Rules Reunion as 2 Cast Members Nearly Come to Blows at “Most Exhausting” Taping, Plus Lala Speaks Out

Keep her away from the matches and lighters.

Katie Maloney Shares Text From Tom Schwartz’s Rumored Girlfriend Jo, Slams Her as a “Psycho” With “Crack Head” Energy

Just to emphasize how awful Raquel nee Rachel is.

Lala Kent Shares What Was Cut From Raquel Scene on Vanderpump Rules, Addresses Their Feud, & Slams Charli for Kristina Shade

🐝 Premiere Buzz…

Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD.

https://tvline.com/feature/yellowjackets-premiere-recap-season-2-episode-1-friends-romans-countrymen-1234946797/

🐱 Not Last…

Well of course he got adopted.

https://people.com/pets/rescue-cat-named-after-pedro-pascal-gets-adopted/

🦜 Quotes of the Week

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. – Alice Walker.

The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs, one step at a time. – Joe Girard

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers. – Kahlil Gibran

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be road blocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. – Michael Jordan (Or kick it down.)

In the history of men, it always emboldens them to get away with this sh*t. – Nancy Costello (Amy Landecker), Your Honor

Often any decision, even the wrong decision, is better than no decision. – Ben Horowitz

Once you face your fear, nothing is ever as hard as you think. – Olivia Newton-John

🛞 Catching the Dream…

Take the next two days off, but return refreshed on Monday really Tuesday for soap and more candidates for most awful people on Summer House. Until then, stay safe, stay dancing like no one’s watching, and stay remembering that DNA doesn’t determine family; connection does.

Mar24

March 23, 2023 – The Ethics Committee Makes Its Decision, Casey Landing, Big Leap, Retiring, Why, Sailing, Jax Speaks, Reunion Buzz, Next Last, Festival News & Army

Posted on by
Standard

I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Terry tells Elizabeth that her part is finished; they’re making their decision now. Elizabeth wonders how long it’s going to take, and asks if it’s good or bad. Terry says she wishes she knew. What she does know is, Elizabeth is an excellent nurse, and she made that clear to the Board. Terry’s phone dings, and she says she’ll be right back. She leaves, and Elizabeth tells Finn, part of her wants this over, but the other part wants it to drag on forever because, what if these are her last minutes on staff? Either way, she needs to face it and deal with it. He says, and she will. He knows how important her independence is to her, and if she wants to face this alone, he understands. She says, her life might be about to change forever. There’s no one else she’d rather be by her side. Terry comes back, and says she just got a notification that they’ve reached their decision. Elizabeth says, here we go, and some grey-haired guy I don’t know approaches her. He tells her, after careful consideration, the Committee has decided not to take any disciplinary action against her.

Gregory goes to Alexis’s office, and she says she has his car keys. He says, she called Finn, after he specifically told her not to discuss what’s happening in his life with Finn or Chase. She asks how she can explain what’s happening in his life if she doesn’t know because he won’t tell her? She’s worried about him. He says, about what? She just said she doesn’t know anything, so let’s just leave it that way. She says she can’t. He’s her friend. She cares about him whether he likes it or not.

Maxie, Sasha, and Gladys sit at Kelly’s, and Maxie says she’s getting a whole new education about the elements of the Nurses Ball. They wouldn’t believe how important it is to have the right lighting package. Fortunately, the lighting designer Lucy always used is available, but he’s not cheap. Thankfully, the Nurses Ball is fully funded, so all the proceeds can go to AIDS/HIV research. Sasha says she’s so glad Deception’s able to donate 300,000, and match the donations, and Gladys says, that’s a lot of money. Maxie says, Lucy will be so excited… God rest her soul, when Cody comes by, and asks Sasha if Kelly’s makes biscotti. She says, not that she knows of, but the cupcakes are spectacular. She asks if he knows Gladys, and he says, sure do. They met at The Savoy. Right, Gladys? Maxie asks what Gladys was doing at The Savoy, and Cody asks if Gladys is going to tell them, or should he?

In the hospital elevator, Portia flashes back to asking Curtis if there’s hope for them, and if their love for one another is strong enough to get them through this; and him saying, he doesn’t think their love can fix this. She comes out, and sees Marshall. She asks if everything is okay, and he says he’s just coming out from his follow-up with Dr. Samuels. She asks how it went, and he asks if Curtis didn’t tell her. She says, Curtis said he’d tell her if he could, but the information is private. She thinks that says it all, doesn’t it?

Curtis goes to the bar at Charlie’s, and orders scotch, neat. Jordan comes out and goes over to him, and he says she doesn’t have to worry. This is his first drink, but he promises it’s not his last. It might get ugly, so she might want to get while the gettin’s good. She says she’ll have what he’s having, and sits down. Yuck. I hate the smell of scotch.

Trina stops by Laura’s, and tells Spencer that she was in the neighborhood. She wanted to see if the baby is settled in okay. He says, things didn’t exactly go the way he hoped they would, when Esme comes out with Ace, followed by Laura. Trina says, Esme’s here? and he nods. Esme says, they live here now. Laura is Ace’s grandmother. Just one big happy family. Laura says, it’s nice to see Trina, who is not receptive to a hug, and Trina says she’s sorry to just show up. Laura says, she’s always welcome, and Trina says she didn’t want to disturb the baby. Laura says, this is a very recent development. Everybody thought it would be best if Esme and Ace stayed with them. Spencer says, the alternative would be to get Esme a place above Kelly’s, but that’s no place for a baby, and Esme tells Ace, mommy came up with a compromise. Laura says, it seemed like a good idea, and Trina asks if Spencer is going back to Sonny’s place, but he says, his grandmother has been generous in letting him stay here. That way, he can be here if his little brother needs him.

Jordan asks why Curtis is at Charlie’s instead of his own nightclub, and he says, too many things to bother him at his nightclub. Tonight, he doesn’t want to be bothered. He will have another scotch though. He tells her to go ahead and ask him what’s wrong, but she says she figures if he wants to tell her, he will. If not, it’s decent scotch. He always did love a fine highland malt. He says, she remembered, and she says, cop’s curse. He says he ran into Trina tonight, and she says she’s guessing by his bar tab, things went badly. He says, actually, it was the opposite, and she says, Trina’s a good kid. He says, Trina’s the best, but she still doesn’t want to take a DNA test. There was a moment there he thought they could really have a relationship. There’s just one big if. She says, if she turns out to be his daughter. It sounds like they made a nice start. He says, it was… until her mom walked in.

Marshall says he hates that there’s still so much distance between Portia and Curtis, and Portia says she knows it’s her fault. But Curtis has so little trust in her, he wouldn’t want to share Marshall’s latest medical evaluation? She just hopes the information Marshall got from Dr. Samuels was good. She starts to leave, but he says, wait. Don’t go. Is there somewhere they can talk? She says she doesn’t want him to feel obligated to keep her in the loop, but he says, this isn’t obligation; this is gratitude. She’s the one who suggested he might have been misdiagnosed 40 years ago, so she should know what the specialist said. She suggests they go to the breakroom.

Gladys says, it’s still a free country, isn’t it? Can’t she stop in a club without it becoming the town gossip? Sasha tells her not to be upset. It’s just not like her to go to The Savoy by herself. Cody says he thinks he knows why Gladys was there. The same reason he was there; it was ladies night. Gladys says, he’s got her.

Gregory says, if Alexis was really his friend, she’d stop prying into his personal and professional lives, but she says, if she didn’t pry, she wouldn’t know he’d been lying to her for months. If she didn’t speak to the dean, she wouldn’t know he didn’t work there anymore. He says, which wasn’t her place, and she has absolutely no business pressuring Finn to dig up information on him. If he hadn’t been with Finn when she called, she was going to tell his son everything, wasn’t she? She says, she doesn’t know anything. She doesn’t know what’s going on with him. She’s just trying to help. He says he doesn’t want any help. Is that clear enough for her?

Grey-haired guy says, the Committee has determined that Elizabeth cooperated with Nikolas Cassadine in the service of providing medical care to a pregnant woman. They believe she had reason to assume involving the authorities would cause Mr. Cassadine to run off with Miss Prince, or worse, cause her harm. Dr. Finn and Dr. Randolph convinced them that Elizabeth might have saved Esme and her baby’s life. As such, no further action will be taken against her. Elizabeth thanks him, and he says she has an outstanding record, and many supporters. It was clear to the Committee that she’s an asset to the hospital. He wishes her good luck, and leaves. Terry says she has to speak to the Committee on another matter, and follows. Elizabeth hugs Finn.

Alexis says, so Gregory thinks she overstepped, and he says, she did. He’s not the one with a drinking problem. So in the future, please, save her sympathies for the people in her meetings. She says she jumped to the conclusion that he had a drinking problem because he appeared drunk at 11 am; then he was belligerent. And then he lied to her about really important stuff for a long time. He lost his job and lied about it. What is she supposed to think? He says he was wrong about her. She’s not a journalist. She’s like a cop who pulled him over. What’s next? A breathalyzer? She says, you tell me. Would he pass or fail?

Elizabeth thanks Finn for standing by her side through this whole awful ordeal, and he says, anytime. Terry comes back, and says, the Committee was influenced by what Finn had to say, but Finn says, it wasn’t just him. There were a lot of people willing to vouch for Nurse Baldwin’s commitment to this hospital and nursing. Elizabeth says, and Epiphany, but Terry says, fortunately, the Committee didn’t need to hear directly from her supervisor since she’s out of town, and there are several testimonies from Epiphany already in her file. Her support for Elizabeth is well known around here. So no excuses. She expects to see Elizabeth here tomorrow in uniform for her first shift. Terry leaves, and Finn asks if Elizabeth wants to call the boys with the good news, but she says she wants to tell them face to face when she gets home. This is her home too, and she almost lost it. He says he hated the thought of doing his rounds without her here having his back, and she says he’s managed without her in the past. He says he didn’t know what he was missing.

Cody says, Gladys was there for the music and the dancing. He was there because when it’s ladies night, there’s bound to be a few unattached ladies. Maxie asks if he got lucky, and he says, she knows how it is. It comes and goes. Right, Gladys? Gladys coughs, and says, went down the wrong pipe. She sips some coffee, and Cody says, be careful. Maxie says she has an offer for Cody that will change his life, and drags him outside. Sasha says she knows Cody upset Gladys, and she knows why.

Curtis says, Jordan doesn’t have to worry. He tried drowning his sorrows in a bottle on his wedding night; didn’t work. Tonight he’s just blowing off some steam. She says she’s probably not the best person for him to be talking to about this. If she hadn’t opened up to Stella, Trina might never have confronted Portia. He says, she wasn’t trying to sabotage his wedding. She knows him, and knows the kind of lies that… She says, the kind that blew up their marriage. She didn’t want the same thing to happen to him and Portia. He says he believes her. He’s just afraid it’s too late to do anything about it now. She says, as long as he meant the vows he said when he married Portia, there is something he can do. He says, which is? and she says, do what he couldn’t do with her – forgive her.

Trina says she hopes Esme knows how lucky she is to have someone like Laura looking out for her and her baby, and Esme says she did have her doubts when Spencer suggested she move above Kelly’s while Ace stayed here. She won’t be separated from her son. Laura says she never wanted that, and Esme says she did have a hard time believing that part, and that Laura’s loyalty wasn’t to Nikolas and Spencer. When she suggested they both stay here, Laura was so kind and quick to say yes, it reassured her. Laura says, they all want what’s best for Ace. Don’t we, Spencer? He says, it’s the only thing that matters, and Trina says she hopes it all works out for them. She has to go. Spencer says he’ll walk her out. In the hallway, Trina says, there’s no need to walk her to her car, and Spencer says he’s sorry. He didn’t want to spring this on her. She says, he doesn’t owe her an explanation, and he says, he wants her to understand the only reason he’s going along with this… She says she gets it; she really understands. Spencer and Esme get to raise him together. He says, that’s the last thing he wants, but if Esme and the baby hadn’t moved in here, he would have lost his brother for good. It was a necessary evil. Esme has the law on her side, and the power to keep his brother away from him. She says, moving Esme into his grandmother’s house was the only way to keep him close; she understands.

Esme and Laura come back from putting Ace down for his nap, and Esme says, the way Laura sang to Ace was so pretty. Laura says, it was the same lullaby she used to sing to her children, and Esme says, somehow she can’t picture Heather, or Ryan, singing to her, even if they had the chance. Laura says, fortunately, her biological parents didn’t raise her. She’s sorry Esme doesn’t have more good childhood memories, but it’s not to late to make sure her son will.

Trina says, in other words, Spencer is counting on Esme being someone completely new; a totally different girl than the one who was trying to do her crazy father’s bidding, and harm as many people as possible. He says, she has no memory of that time, and Trina says, she doesn’t seem to. When she visited Esme in Spring Ridge, she didn’t get the feeling Esme was putting on an act. But just because she doesn’t remember doesn’t automatically make her a good person. What if the new Esme is even worse than the old one?

Curtis asks what that makes him, and Jordan says, a loving husband, but he says, no. It makes him a hypocrite. Their marriage ended because of lies Jordan had been telling him for barely a year. So how is she okay with Portia’s even bigger lie that she told for 20 years? She says, he’s forgetting it wasn’t her choice to end their marriage.

In the breakroom, Portia says, Dr. Samuels is sure Marshall doesn’t have any of the markers for the disease? He says, not a single one. Of course (🍷) that doesn’t prove he doesn’t have schizophrenia, according to the doctor. She says, it makes it less likely because he doesn’t have any of the genetic markers, and he says, exactly. She says, it also explains why, after his original diagnosis, he never experienced another episode, and he says he can’t say he’s not pleased, after walking around for 40 years being afraid of a ticking time bomb in his head. He doesn’t know what he has, or if there was even ever anything wrong with him at all. She says, it seems like you’re stumbling around in the dark, and he says, it sounds like she knows the feeling.

Gladys says she hopes it hasn’t made Sasha doubt her. She couldn’t love Sasha more if Sasha were her own daughter. Sasha says she loves Gladys too, and knows Gladys is grieving Brando as much as she is. She just hates Gladys going out alone when they could be together. She suggests they make the Nurses Ball their coming out party. They’ll get all glammed up, and wow them on the red carpet. Gladys says, Sasha will have to wow them without her. She’s seen the fancy gowns they all wear, and she doesn’t have anything like that. Sasha thinks it’s a good excuse to buy her one, and Gladys says, with what? Sasha says, her money. What’s the fun in having it if she can’t share it with her? (Truth. I had money for a hot minute, and looking back, the things that made me happiest were doing things for other people.)

Cody keeps looking inside at Gladys and Sasha, and Maxie says, hello. Cody. Woman right here, giving him a great idea. Is he even listening to her? He asks if she wants him to ride in on a horse at the Nurses Ball. Do some rope tricks; what? She says, when she told him that she needed a cowboy, she meant to dance with the others, and he says, what others? She says, Magic Milo and the Magic Wands. Great music, they get to do this choreographed dance, all the women in the audience are screaming for him, and his costume is… simple. He gets a shirt that he gets to wear for about a minute, and he has these breakaway pants. He says, so this is a strip show. She wants him to take off all his clothes. She says, of course (🍷) not. He gets to keep his boots on.

Gregory tells Alexis that he’s going to say this one more time. He doesn’t have a drinking problem. Yes, he stumbled at the MetroCourt. Everyone stumbles now and then, even her. She claims he was slurring his words, but maybe it’s a case of confirmation bias on her part. She wanted to believe he was drunk, so she saw and heard what she expected. What she didn’t see was him pouring vodka into that orange juice. She says, just because no one saw, doesn’t mean… He asks if she’s ever seen him over his limit or out of control. In all the time they’ve been together, has he ever been drunk in her company? She says, no. Will he please explain to her why he got fired… He says, he wasn’t fired (told ya); he quit. She asks why he’d do that. That doesn’t make any sense. He loves to teach and loves journalism, yet he walked away from both. She can see something is really wrong here. Will he please let her help him? He says, he’s sick, and she says, is she allowed to ask what’s wrong? but he says, no. He already told her more than he intended. Next, she’ll want to see his medical chart. She says, no. He has someone to help him. Finn will get him the best hospital or whatever care he needs. He says, Finn doesn’t know, and it’s going to stay that way. She says, that doesn’t make any sense. Finn is one of the best doctors in the country. Why wouldn’t Gregory tell him? Gregory asks if she really wants to help him, and she says, she does. He says, there’s one thing she can do for him, and she says, name it. He says, give him back his car keys, and holds out his hand.

Elizabeth sends a text to Epiphany: I have some good news. Can we talk? Finn comes out of the elevator with Violet, and says, look who just got dropped off. Violet and Elizabeth hug, and Violet says, they’re going to Beradino’s for spaghetti and meat balls. Does Elizabeth want to come?

Maxie says she knows what Cody is thinking. This will be cheesy and embarrassing, and they’re exploiting men, but it’s not like that at all. It’s good, clean fun, and everybody loves it. He’ll be shaking his bootie for a fabulous cause. He says, for her, he’ll do it, and she says, that’s it? He says, no worries. He’s been a body double on location shoots before. He’s even shot a whole scene naked, on horseback. Just him; the horse still had his saddle on. She says, he’s still amazing, and they hug. Her phone dings, and he looks inside again.

Gladys says, Sasha is so sweet, but she wouldn’t feel right using Sasha’s money on herself. Sasha says she’s been doing some research. Traditionally, the conservator of a guardianship gets paid a salary. Gladys has been managing her finances this whole time for free. It’s only fair she get paid for all her hard work. Gladys says, that’s nice of her, and Sasha says she knows how hard Gladys has been trying to honor Brando’s memory. He would want her to do this. Maxie comes back with Cody, and says, who’s ready for some great news? but Sasha says, her first. They’ve got some shopping to do. Guess who’s going to be the belle of the Nurses Ball? She puts her arms around Gladys.

Portia says, she’s fine, but this is about Marshall right now. She’s sure Dr. Samuels explained that they’d be weaning Marshall off his medication, and monitoring him in case he had any unusual reactions. Marshall says, or that he doesn’t have any more episodes. Blah-blah-blah. What does that even mean? Were they that careless 40 years ago when they diagnosed him? Or did they just call it schizophrenia when he might have had something else? She says, Dr. Samuels is the expert in this field; she isn’t. He says, but she’s family, and he trusts what she tells him. She says she appreciates that. What she can say is the understanding of diseases like schizophrenia has evolved greatly over the last four decades. But she doesn’t want to second guess his original doctors, or hypothesize a theory, until they know more. He says, seems to him, she already knows more than she’s saying. Haven’t they learned keeping things to yourself does more harm than good?

Curtis says, if Jordan didn’t want their marriage to end, why didn’t she fight harder for it? and she says she fought as hard as she could. In the end, his happiness meant more to her than her own, because… She sips her drink, and he says, because he pushed her away. He was furious at the secrets she kept, but what if he wasn’t so quick to judge her? What if he’d handled things differently? Would they still be together? She says, they would.

Spencer tells Trina, that’s another good reason for Esme to stay here with the baby. If she starts to show her true colors, he’ll be the first to know. She says, Esme fooled him in the beginning, but he says, that was a long time ago, before he knew Trina. It’s like imitation vanilla; imitation anything really. Like that buttery stuff they put on your popcorn. Imitation crab, like a California roll. She asks if he just compared her to a California roll, and they laugh. He says, it’s easy to settle for an imitation of something, but everything Esme gave him, or pretended to give him in their relationship – support, understanding, connection – it was all fake, and he bought it and believed in it. Until he experienced the real thing. Trina showed him real support and real understanding, and a real connection. She gave him something that Esme could never give him – honesty. He may not always like what she has to say to him, but he never has to question whether it’s the truth.

Esme tells Laura that she wants to do right by her son; give him all the things she never had. Heather… her mother warned her not to trust Spencer… or Laura. Laura says, Esme’s mom isn’t anyone she should be taking advice from. Ace cries, and Laura says she’ll get him.

Trina says, the baby’s crying; Spencer should go. He says he’s sure the baby has all the help he needs, and she says, so does he. He says, does he? and she says, he knows he does. They move toward each other for a kiss.

Esme has her hand on the doorknob, when Laura brings out Ace, and says, she thinks this sweet little boy just missed his mommy. She gives Ace to Esme, who says, he should be sleeping.  She doesn’t know what’s keeping his brother. Laura says she’ll go warm up a bottle, and Esme thanks her. Laura leaves, and Esme opens the door, seeing Spencer and Trina. She says she thought Trina left.

Jordan tells Curtis, there’s no point in reliving all this again. The past is the past. Curtis says, but they’re still here, and she says, and drinking, which always makes people sentimental. He says, she knows good and well, it ain’t the blues, and she says, it’s been a long time since they’ve talked like this. He says, too long.

Portia thanks Marshall for his concern, but she thinks she’s burned all her bridges. In fact, she’s torched them. He says, she and Curtis need to build new ones, but she says she thought they were talking about him. She thinks if he wants answers, he should contact the original medical team that diagnosed him way back then. He says, if any of them are still around, and she tells him, it’s like he said, if a bridge is burned, build another one. She leaves, and he takes out his phone.

Sasha says, this is so exciting. She and Gladys are walking the red carpet together. Gladys says, and Sasha insists on buying her a fancy dress. How lucky is she to have such a generous daughter-in-law? Cody says, she’s lucky all right, and Maxie says, actually, they’re all lucky here, because Cody has decided to join Magic Milo and the Magic Wands, and bare almost everything for charity. He says, it’s for a good cause, and Maxie says, exactly. Now that her work here is done – she takes Gladys’s hand – let’s figure out something for Gladys to wear. She leads Gladys to another table, and says, she wants to know what Gladys is thinking as far as designers.

Sasha and Cody sit down, and Sasha says, he really made Maxie’s day. He says, same as she did with Gladys. So things are okay between her and Gladys now? Sasha says, they’ve both been struggling with their grief. That doesn’t always make for the best communication, but they’re working through it. Their conversation was so good today, she decided to start paying Gladys a salary. He asks if she thinks that’s a good idea, and she says, why not?

Gregory says, he asked Alexis to leave his keys – which, by the way, she had no right to confiscate – with the concierge, but once again she decides she knows best. She says she took his car keys because she cares about him. Whatever this is, he doesn’t have to go through it alone. She promises he can trust her. She promises, whatever he says to her won’t leave this room. He takes his keys, says, he hopes she meant what she told him about it never leaving this room, and leaves.

Elizabeth tells Violet, spaghetti and meatballs are her favorite. How could she say no? Violet asks if Jake and Aiden can come too, and Finn says, of course (🍷). What about Cameron? Violet says, he’s still too sad about Josslyn, but Finn says, maybe a night out would cheer him up. Violet says, then he can come too, and Elizabeth says, all her favorite people. That’s what she calls a celebration. Finn and Elizabeth each take one of Violet’s hands, and they leave.

Cody says, if Sasha thinks she can trust Gladys, who is he to say otherwise? and Sasha says, there’s a but in there somewhere. And she doesn’t mean the one he’ll be showing off at the Nurses Ball. He tells her, all he’s saying is, if she’s going to put Gladys on the payroll, trust, but verify.

Maxie tells Gladys, the more she knows Cody, the better she likes him. Yes, she’s grateful he agreed to be a Magic Wand with minimum fuss, but she knows Cody has flaws; everyone does. Maybe it’s that he doesn’t pretend otherwise. He’s got that whole broke cowboy with a sweet side thing. They look over at Cody and Sasha laughing, and Maxie says she sees a lot to like in him. She thinks Sasha would understand what she means. Does Gladys think there’s something going on there? Gladys says she hopes not, and Maxie asks, why? Doesn’t she like Cody? Gladys’s phone dings, and she sees a text from Selina: Your favorite poker buddies are in town for tonight’s game. You in?

Portia asks Terry if the Committee has made a decision about Elizabeth yet, and Terry says, she’s been reinstated. Portia says, what a relief. Elizabeth must be so happy. Terry says, it’s about time we had some good news around here, right?

On the phone, Marshall tells Stella that he knows she’s been avoiding him… since the wedding. He needs a favor… Does she still have all of Irene’s papers?… Are his medical records among them?

Jordan and Curtis are about to kiss, when an officer tells Jordan that her car is outside. Curtis says he thinks he’s about reached his limit, and she says, her too. Scotch is a lot stronger than she remembered. Her driver is ready. He says, a very good thing, and Jordan tells the officer that she’ll be right out. Curtis says, the drinks are on him, and Jordan thanks him. She tells him to have a good night, and leaves.

Trina says, she and Spencer were just… Spencer says, Trina was telling him how PCU has daycare in case he wants to take classes during the summer. Spencer is starting to really irritate me, the way he acts like Esme doesn’t even exist in the equation. Esme says , that’s very kind of her, but he won’t need to take care of Ace. She’s perfectly capable of taking care of her son. She goes back inside, saying, isn’t that right, Ace? Mommy’s going to take care of you. Trina presses the elevator button, and Spencer thanks her for stopping by. They say goodnight, and she leaves.

Tomorrow, Anna says, none of them are free; Esme tells Laura that she gets a really bad feeling when Victor Cassadine is around; and Victor asks what Spencer wants to happen to Esme.

🛸 Craziest…

This was one of my all-time favorite storylines. It was also when Faison was introduced, although we didn’t know he was Faison. When he arrived in Port Charles, he was romance writer PK Sinclair.

Finola Hughes Picks Her Craziest Storyline on GENERAL HOSPITAL

📺 Whatta Tease…

As usual, not much info, but I watch so little on network TV, I didn’t even know they’d revived Quantum Leap.

William deVry Teases His Exciting New Role!

👗 A Good Kind Of Goodbye…

I’m a big fan of the wardrobe on GH, and hope her retirement doesn’t mean things will go downhill. Hmm… Maybe they’re also fans of my wardrobe. I’ve seen sweaters I own on the show a few times.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-says-goodbye-to-a-beloved-friend

🏖  Thought So…

Yeah, I didn’t think Melissa just told Gia no with no explanation. I don’t blame her for not wanting a bunch of kids there alone. If there’s excessive drinking and anyone gets in an accident, NJ law would hold the homeowner responsible.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/22/why-melissa-joe-gorga-didnt-let-gia-giudice-stay-at-their-beach-house/

⛵️ Next In the Deck…

Captain Glenn rocks, but if you want some truly awful people, set sail.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 4 Trailer Teases A Love Triangle

🤼  Awful Speaks On Awful…

Yep. It’s pretty bad when the most awful human being on earth calls you out for being awful.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/22/jax-taylor-claims-tom-sandoval-cheated-on-ariana-madix-multiple-times/

Oh, I didn’t realize he was 40. It’s a midlife crisis thing. Menopause for men. Or Tomopause if you will.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/21/jax-taylor-controlling-tom-sandoval-preyed-on-raquel-leviss/

🍸 Reunion Build Up…

LVP and Ariana get the coveted seats. Both deserving.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/23/2-vanderpump-rules-reunion-seating-charts-revealed-amid-scandoval/

Let’s have a kiki.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/22/ariana-lala-scheana-get-together-before-facing-raquel-leviss-at-vpr-reunion/

The gladiators enter the arena.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/23/vanderpump-rules-cast-arrives-to-reunion-taping-pics/

I’d be willing to bet Raquel wrote them up herself.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/23/raquel-served-scheana-papers-with-no-legal-meaning-at-vpr-reunion/

🛣  About the Last…

What’s up with Season 2.

https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-season-2-everything-we-know/

Fun, but useless, trivia from Season 1.

https://ew.com/tv/jason-ritter-clicker-wife-melanie-lynskey-the-last-of-us/

🎸 Lolla This…

The latest on Lollapalooza. I always think I’d love to go to one of these festivals, but then I think porta-potty, and don’t.

https://www.billboard.com/music/concerts/2023-lollapalooza-festival-lineup-1235290621/

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/lollapalooza-2023-lineup-headliners-chicago-full-lineup-red-hot-chili-peppers-billie-eilish-kendrick-lamar/3100043/

☔️ Making It Rain…

Double back tomorrow for a dose of soap, a dash of tea, a liberal sprinkling of quotes, and a dollop of music. Until then, stay safe, stay never body shaming anyone, including yourself, and stay not being imitation anything. You don’t want to be that buttery stuff they put on your popcorn, or the crab in a California roll.

Mar18

March 17, 2023 – Diane Makes Robert’s Day, Softball In Jersey, VanderAwful, Season 2 Buzz, Non-Reaction, Festival News, Pets (!), O’Quotes & Decide

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Valentin jumps several of Lucy’s men in checkers, and says, king me. She says she’d like to crown him. Fine. Here’s his king me crown. She slaps her checker on top of his, and he says he thinks they have Parchisi. Someone knocks at the door, and Lucy slips into the back. Laura says, it’s her, and he opens the door. Lucy runs out and hugs her, and Laura says, it’s good to see her. Lucy says, tell her there’s an end to this nightmare in sight. Please.

Eileen tells Robert, it’s too risky. She could end up dead. He says, that’s what happens when you bunk in with a Cassadine. There’s a knock on his office door, and Diane comes in. She says she knows she’s interrupting, but he’ll be glad she did. He asks why specifically he’s glad to see her, and she says, because she’s about to make his day.

Dr. I-Don’t-Know-His-Name brings Victor to an exam room, and says he can understand why Victor wants his issue resolved quickly. Victor says, any man would, and the doctor says he read Finn’s report. Unfortunately, he agrees with Finn’s assessment. Victor’s condition is likely irreversible. I laaaugh, and Victor flashes back to confronting Laura. She says, when his life falls apart – and it will – he’ll have more than her to blame, and he says, but she’ll the one who will pay most dearly. He tells the doctor, it means everything to him. He recently lost his son, and the rest of the family’s in crisis. He can’t afford to be distracted right now. He has to focus. He needs to ensure his family’s survival. Nothing can jeopardize that.

On the phone, Nina tells Maxie, of course (🍷). Crimson always supports the Nurses Ball. If she needs anything, just ask. She tells Maxie that she loves her and to give James a big hug from his Aunt Nina. She looks at a picture of her and Sonny, and flashes back to telling Sonny that she didn’t think she wanted to know about his business, but now she’s not so sure. There’s a knock at the door, and Nina opens it to Phyllis. Nina says, you’re back, and they hug.

Carly brings Donna to Sonny’s, and sees the guards outside. She asks Frank how it’s going, and he says, it’s going well. He lets her in, and Sonny says, look who it is. Donna runs to him, and he says he wasn’t expecting her. Carly asks, who was he expecting?

Laura says she does have an update, and Lucy says, please tell her it involves the word Victor and incarcerated, incapacitated, or dead. Laura asks, where’s Anna? and Valentin says, she’s in the bedroom trying to crack the Ice Princess codes. Does Laura want him to get her? Laura says, he can bring Anna up to speed later, and Lucy asks if this means she can go home, but Laura says, no; she’s sorry. Lucy says she really is grateful for being rescued and just being alive, but tick-tock, people, come on. Laura says, on the bright side, she thinks they’re starting to get to Victor, and Valentin asks, how? She says she ran into his father last night at the MetroCourt, and he was seething with rage. He said he knew what she’d done. Valentin asks if he got more specific, and she says, no, but he said she was stripping him of his power, and she was determined to rob him of his dignity in the process. Lucy says, it sounds like what they’re doing is working, so just keep doing what’s working, and Laura says, Victor is definitely fraying. He believes they’re all dead, and has no idea where Nikolas is. Spencer is actually defying him by going to live with his Uncle Sonny, so he’s lost control of his family, and it seems he’s having some kind of a medical issue. The kind that makes a man realize he’s not as powerful as he used to be. She doesn’t think it will be much longer before they bring Victor down for good, so Lucy doesn’t have to be patient much longer. Lucy says she doesn’t do patient, and the world right now needs Lucy Coe.

Robert asks how Diane is going to make his day, and she says, by offering this office the chance to save time and effort, and the chance to save the taxpayers of New York considerable expense. Eileen takes photos of a folder with her phone like there’s no way Diane would notice, and Diane says she knows Robert is intent on streamlining this office, so he’s going to want to hear her offer. Of course (🍷) if this is a bad time, she can come back… He says he and the Deputy Mayor are done, and Eileen agrees, adding, for now. She leaves, and in the hallway, she texts Victor: Need to meet. Urgent. She flashes back to offering Victor a copy of the unredacted file on Holly’s accident, and saying, it contains useful information on the necklace.

Carly tells Sonny that Donna’s ear drops are in her bag if she needs them, when Dex comes out. Donna asks, who are you? and Sonny says, he works for daddy, and introduces them. Dex shakes her tiny hand, and says hello to Carly. Donna asks if he lives here, but he says, no; he’s just visiting. Sonny says, they’re getting some work done, and Dex is going to be staying a couple of days. Dex says he was just going out to grab some things and he’ll be back soon. He leaves, and Sonny says he guesses Carly didn’t get his message. She says, no, she didn’t. What’s going on?

Lucy tells Laura, the Nurses Ball is always the event, but this year, it happens to coincide with General Hospital’s 60th anniversary. Laura says she knows, but it’s going to be televised this year, so Lucy can watch it, but Lucy says she doesn’t want to watch it. She is the Nurses Ball. She’s chaired every single Nurses Ball that ever was. Laura says, and every single one of them was magnificent, and Lucy thanks her, but says, she wants this one to be magnificent. It takes a certain type of expertise; there’s no substitute. Laura assures her that Maxie has everything under control, and Lucy says, define everything. Spare no details. Laura says she knows Maxie’s got financing from ELQ and Aurora, and Lucy says, super, but those are Quartermaine companies, and the family lives for the hospital, so really, they couldn’t refuse. Laura says, she’s meeting with more sponsors tonight, and Lucy says, super, but she might run into a snag because those sponsors can be pretty prickly. Valentin says, she can handle it. He hopes the sponsors do give her a hard time. She’ll squeeze them for every cent, and they’ll thank her for it. He just wishes he could be there to see it. Lucy says she needs to be there to see it, but Valentin says, no, she doesn’t. If she were, Victor would know what they were up to. He would make them all pay dearly, so what she needs to do is, settle down and accept the situation, because there’s nothing she can do about it. She blows a raspberry at him, and plops on the sofa. Laura says she knows how hard this must be for her, but fortunately, she has something that might make her feel better.

The doctor says, they can try to treat Victor’s symptoms, but it’s not guaranteed to work. Victor says, anything worth trying. He’s ready and willing to put up a fight. The doctor says, they’ll start with a prescription. He’ll get it from the hospital pharmacy himself. He leaves, and there’s a knock at the door. Victor lets Eileen in, and she thanks him for replying to her text. He asks, what couldn’t wait? and she says she has reason to believe Laura and Robert think she’s connected to him. He says, what better way of disabusing them of that notion than to come looking for him in a well-populated, brightly lit building with security cameras around every corner? She says she’s often at the hospital in the course of her official duties, and he says, good for her, but don’t contact him again unless she has something he can use against Laura… Unless that’s why she’s here. She says she doesn’t have anything about that, but she does have this. She shows him her phone.

Nina shows Phyllis a picture of Amelia, and Phyllis says, isn’t she a beauty. Nina says she loves Amelia already, even though she’s not allowed to be around her, and Phyllis asks if Willow is still keeping Nina at arm’s length. Nina says, not exactly. As it turns out, her Aunt Liesl is a viable bone marrow match to be a donor, and convinced Willow to keep Nina updated on her health issues. It’s a start. Every other subject is off-limits, including Wiley and Amelia. Phyllis says, if Willow sees Nina made an effort to respect her wishes, when she’s better – and Phyllis does mean when – she’ll let Nina in. She asks what Sonny’s take is on this, and Nina says, he told her pretty much the same thing, but she thinks Sonny is trying to convince himself too, because his son Michael doesn’t want to be around him. Their children have formed a united front against them. Phyllis says, it’s a shame when families shut each other out. In the meantime, it’s wonderful Nina can rely on Sonny… can’t she?

Sonny tells Carly that Donna’s in her room. The reason he called her was about Donna staying tonight. She says she’s sorry she missed his call. She was at the Quartermaines’ helping plan the Nurses Ball with Maxie, Willow, and Michael. He asks how Michael and Willow are holding up, and she says, worried, but they’re holding it together. What’s going on? Why does he have two bodyguards and Dex for protection? He says, Dex isn’t protecting him; he’s keeping an eye on Dex. She asks, why? and he flashes back to the shootout. He says, there was an incident.

At his apartment, Dex hears something and draws his gun, when Josslyn walks in. He says, she can’t just show up here without letting him know. He could have hurt her. She says she doesn’t know whether or not to text him; whether Sonny will see it or not. Why is he staying there? He says he was going to reach out, but hadn’t gotten the chance yet. She asks how he hurt himself. What the hell is going on?

Nina brings out some wine and charcuterie, and tells Phyllis, in regard to her relationship with Sonny, she’s reevaluating things. Phyllis says she thought things were good with Nina and Sonny, and Nina says, they are. It’s just that she thought she could separate Sonny’s livelihood from their relationship. Now she’s wondering if she was just fooling herself. Phyllis says, Nina knew who Sonny was when she encountered him in Nixon Falls. She knew before he did. Nina says she heard all the stories about Sonny Corinthos by reputation and in the news; that he was fearsome, and he was a violent man. Then she got to know Mike, and fell in love with Mike. Then when Sonny regained his memory, it seemed like he really changed. Phyllis says she doesn’t think Nina’s wrong about that, and Nina says, even when they went back to Port Charles, all the violence she was worried about and the reality of Sonny’s world seemed theoretical. So it was easy for her to move forward with Sonny. Phyllis asks, what’s changed? and Nina says, it turns out, peace was only temporary. And now that peace has broken.

Sonny says he doesn’t think it’s a good idea for Donna to stay here for a while, and Carly asks, how bad is it? He says, he and Dex went to the warehouse; they weren’t alone. She asks if he’s okay, and he says he’s fine. Dex got a little banged up. Nothing serious. He just wants to keep Dex close while he’s on the mend. She asks who it is this time, and he says, she’s out of this now. She says, really? Because she feels like she’s right back in it.

Diane tells Robert that she’s spoken to Trina about the criminal charges against Esme Prince, and he says, she can assure Trina that they’re doing their best to build an airtight case. She asks if he’s certain of a conviction, and he asks why he wouldn’t be. She says, Esme now presents as a very sympathetic defendant, and he laughs, saying, she’s about as sympathetic as an alligator chasing a pup. Diane says, not anymore. Now she’s a young mother who nearly died escaping captivity after literally being locked in a tower. Of course (🍷) she’s professing traumatic memory loss. Esme is something like six or seven fairytale princesses all rolled into one. Rapunzel… Snow White… Anyway, all she has left in the world is this innocent little baby. So now Esme is a traumatized, frightened young woman, and a caring mother. He asks what she suggests he do, and she says, drop the charges.

Lucy says, unless Laura has a time machine that can take her back to before she got involved with this, she doesn’t think there’s much Laura can do for her. Laura says, is that so? taking an envelope out of her bag. She says she guesses Lucy wouldn’t want this letter from Martin after all, and Lucy snatches it out of her hand, kissing it. She says she misses him so much, and Laura says she thinks the feeling is mutual. Lucy thanks Laura, and says she’s going to take her letter, run a very hot bath, grab her glass of wine, and read every single word a thousand times that her beloved wrote to her. Ta. She leaves, and Laura says she’s welcome. She asks how Valentin is, really, and he says he’s fine. Lucy’s alive, even when you’re not trapped in a confined space with her. He does have Anna, and he’d endure anything to get rid of Victor Cassadine. She says, it’s not going to be much longer. She can bring Charlotte for a visit… but he says, no. That’s the last thing he wants.

Victor wants to see what Eileen found, but she says she needs his assurance this will all be over before it blows back on her. He says, once again, she forgets how their arrangement works, and she says she found it in the DA’s office. Use it to achieve his goal quickly, so she can end her involvement before she pays for this alliance with her freedom – she hands him the phone – or with her life. He looks at it, and says, so the necklace made from the Ice Princess still exists, and Robert has it.

Valentin says, given his father’s current agitated state… Laura says, he doesn’t want to take the risk. He says, it was great when Felicia brought her by, but he’s sure Victor is watching her. It would do him a world of good to see her. Laura says, it would do them both good. Charlotte misses him terribly. He says he misses her right back, and asks Laura to make sure she tells Charlotte that. She says, of course (🍷) she will, and he says he’s grateful to her and Doc for everything they did to get Charlotte away from Victor. She says she’d do anything for Charlotte, and he says he knows she would, even if it means by extension helping him. She says, life is full of surprises.

Dex says he was with Sonny, when they were ambushed, and Josslyn says, he got shot? but he says, just creased. She says she can’t stand that word, and he says, it’s not like last time. It bled a lot, but he didn’t even need stitches. Sonny just wants Dex to stay with him until he’s healed up, but her mom and Donna came by, and he figured he’d give them some space. He just came by to grab some things. He’s sorry he didn’t tell her sooner… Please say something. She tells him to take off his shirt.

Sonny says he knows Carly is worried about the kids, and she says she’s worried about him too. He says, she saw security. He’s going to take care of it. She asks, how’s that? and he says he has a good team. She knows most of them. Dex is new, but he’s doing excellent work. Sonny is going to find out what’s going on, and he’s going to stop it. She says she’d loved to believe that, but they both know he can’t make that promise.

Nina tells Phyllis, all of a sudden, Sonny is on high alert. He assigned protection to all of his loved ones, including her. Phyllis asks if she feels safer with a bodyguard, but Nina says, oddly enough, no. She’s glad someone is there to protect her, but she’s constantly on guard that something’s going to happen. Phyllis says she can see why they would be unsettling; not just in the day to day, but in Nina’s relationship too. Nina says, to be fair to Sonny, he’s never lied or tried to hide the realities of his work, but if she didn’t know, it would be a buffer between their relationship and his… organization. Phyllis says, now Nina’s realizing there is no buffer, and Nina says, there are sides of Sonny she didn’t know that are starting to emerge. Phyllis says, now that Nina’s seeing these sides, she has to be honest with herself. Is this a relationship she can sustain?

Valentin says, Laura watching over Charlotte and taking care of her is everything to him. He couldn’t do any of this without her. He thanks her, and she says, Charlotte’s safety and future is one of the biggest reasons they have to stop Victor. He says, his father’s obsessed with his family; enriching it, controlling it. Has she heard from Nikolas? She says, no. He vanished without a trace, and she’s assuming it was intentional. She doesn’t really know, but Victor doesn’t seem to know. Valentin says he’s sorry. No matter how old they are, there’s no hell like worrying about your child. She thanks him, and says, what’s even more worrisome is that Victor seems to be focusing more on Spencer, and on Spencer’s baby brother. He says, they’ve got the name; they’re Cassadine heirs. That means they factor into Victor’s plans, whatever they are. Victor’s plans are kind of like Sonny’s mob boss job, or what the Chrisleys did for a living. If anything.

Victor says, so Robert managed to retrieve the necklace from the fire, and he’s been covering it up this whole time. Eileen says, he went through a lot of trouble to make sure no one knew it survived, and Victor says, it’s almost as if Robert knew he was looking for it. She says, that was her impression. Robert was convinced Victor needed something from the Ice Princess, and that’s why he was keeping its recovery a secret. Victor says, he and Holly were always thick as thieves. He wonders what else is in the file, but she says she doesn’t know. Robert was still in the room when she snapped the picture. She couldn’t sit there and read it in front of him, but she does know the necklace is being stored in a secure evidence locker in the PCPD. He says he has to commend her; excellent work. He hands back her phone, and she says she can’t wait to finally be done with all this, and he says, why on earth would she be done? She says, because he has everything he needs to send his men into the PCPD to retrieve the diamond, and he chuckles, saying, if only it were that simple. If he were to send his men in to storm the PCPD, it’d be a tip off. He’s afraid she’s going to have to retrieve the necklace for him. She asks how she’s supposed to get in the evidence locker, and he says, as Deputy Mayor, he’s sure she has connections who can find a graceful way to get in and retrieve the necklace. If she wants this to be done with, she’ll bring him the necklace. Don’t fail him. He opens the door, she says, understood, and leaves.

Robert asks Diane why they would they drop the charges against Esme Prince? They can prove everything they’re going after her for. She asks if the jury is going to care. Because if Martin Grey can work up enough sympathy for acquittal, Robert will lose his one and only chance to bring Esme to justice for her crimes. He asks why she’s bringing this to him now. What’s in it for her? She says she’s crushed… Okay. In addition to Trina, she also represents Spencer Cassadine. Esme is determined to keep her baby with her in prison, and Spencer doesn’t want that for his little brother; neither does Trina. He says he doesn’t give a damn what Spencer wants, and he respects Trina, but she isn’t even in the video. What does he tell Esme’s other victims? She says, Josslyn and Cameron both agree with Trina. Right now, they’re only thinking of the baby. Of course (🍷) they want justice, but some say, justice delayed is justice denied. The worst-case scenario would be to let Esme walk away Scot-Free, but justice delayed… Bring the charges, try her, when she can no longer claim traumatic memory loss. He says she might be right, but he’s not convinced, and she says, remember, she defended Trina. That young woman was dangerously close to going to prison because Esme Prince is a nasty piece of business. So as excited as she is to bring this proposal to him, it galls her to have to make it to him. Like she’s sure it galls him to have to consider it. He says, still, it might be best for all involved, and she says, he’s a smart man. He says, just because they put the charges aside doesn’t mean they take their eyes off little Esme for one second.

Dex takes off his shirt, hands it to Josslyn, and says, all yours. Does she want him to autograph it? She says, shut up. Let her see the wound. She looks under the bandage, and says, Sonny’s doctor did a much better job than she did. She gives him back his shirt, and he puts it on. He takes her hands, and says, Sonny’s doctor may have skills, but he doesn’t have her bedside manner. They kiss, and she says she should thank the doctor for bringing him back to her in one piece, but he says, the man she should thank is Sonny.

Nina says she loves Sonny, and Phyllis says she knows. Nina says, he’s been her rock. She doesn’t know if she could have gotten through this past year without him. Phyllis says she’s sure he feels the same about Nina, and Nina says, they’re good together. Phyllis says, she knows. Nina doesn’t have to convince her. She’s seen them together; both as Mike and Nina, and as Nina and Sonny. Nina says, there’s a huge part of her that thinks love is everything. She has a daughter now, and a granddaughter – grandchildren. It’s more than just her now. She’s not sure she can wrap her head around the idea of us being in constant danger. Phyllis takes her hand and says, not everyone was built for Sonny’s world, and everything that comes along with loving him. Nina says, like Carly was?

Sonny tells Carly that he doesn’t know what she wants him to say. She knows how his world is. She says she does, better than most, and he says, then she knows he’ll do everything he can to protect the family. She says, his family needs more than his protection; they need him. He says he’s not going anywhere, and she says, he doesn’t want to go anywhere. She remembers the last time she had to tell Donna and Avery that their daddy wasn’t coming home. She can’t go through that again.

Robert tells Diane, you win. As usual. She laughs, and he says he’ll drop the charges, as long as he can talk to all the victims and get them on board. She says she knows this isn’t an easy decision to make, and he says, she made a compelling argument. They can always refile the charges should evil Esme resurface. And he gets to keep his conviction record. She says, everybody wins. For what it’s worth (🍷), she has every faith that one day the justice system will hold Esme accountable. He says he hopes she’s right, and she says, in the meantime, she knows a way they can both work off their frustration. He asks what she has in mind, and she says, has he ever thrown a hatchet? He says, only in anger, and she says, why doesn’t he join her at the hatchet range? He can show her what he’s got, but she’s equally as lethal with an ax as she is with a brief. He says, Killer Miller strikes again, she laughs, and walks out.

On the phone at the MetroCourt bar, Victor tells someone that he needs them to check on Miss Sutton. He wants to know how far along she is on her road to recovery.

Robert says, back so soon? and Eileen says, not fast enough. He says, did Victor buy it? and she says, every word. He did have questions about the night Holly Sutton and the necklace supposedly went up in flames. He says he anticipated that, and notified the appropriate parties. Let’s move on to Phase Two.

Valentin tells Laura, there was a time not that long ago, if someone had told him that he and Laura would be having a conversation like this… She laughs, and says, united for a common cause. He says, if they can form an alliance… She says, then anything’s possible.  He says, Victor has no idea what he’s up against. He, Lucy, and Anna are alive and working against him, and he hopes Laura is right, and things are working against Victor. She says, now that Eileen is working for them, they finally have the upper hand, and he says, it won’t be long now.

Victor looks at his drink, sniffs it, and takes a sip. Lucy walks out of the elevator, looking like a frumpy librarian from the 1930s, and sees Victor at the bar.

Josslyn asks why she’d thank Sonny, when he’s the one who got Dex shot, and Dex says, they were checking the warehouse; getting ready for the Pikeman shipment. There was an ambush; a sniper. He saw movement before the shot was fired, and he got Sonny out of the way. She says, so he saved Sonny, and he says, they were pinned down, and Tony… She knows Tony. She says, he’s Sonny’s most experienced bodyguard, and Dex says, he gave covering fire from the entrance so Sonny could get away. Josslyn says, Sonny left him? and he says, Sonny was the target. Once he was gone, the shooter should have left. She says, obviously, he didn’t, and Dex says, the sniper took a shot at him, creased him, and he took cover, but he wasn’t going to last long with a handgun against a rifle. So he made a run for it, and that’s when Sonny came back and shot the sniper. Sonny probably saved his life… What? She says, nothing. It just almost sounds like Dex admires him.

Sonny says he knows it was hell for Carly, and for the girls, and she says, it was hell for everybody. He says he’s not going to put her through that again, and she says, a bridge went out from under him. He didn’t choose that; it just happened. Things happen. He can’t control everything. He says, he knows that. If he could control this, it wouldn’t be happening. The only thing he can do is take things as they come. As it is, he’s going to find out what’s going on and put a stop to it. She asks if there’s anything she can do, and he says, she can just stay out of it. He can deal with anything as long as she and the girls are safe. Okay? She says, okay, when Nina walks in.

On Monday, Valentin says, Anna screwed up and can’t own up to it; Josslyn says, Dex will be signing his own death warrant; and Sonny tells Nina, his children won’t be visiting him, and neither will she.

⚾️ Playing Ball…

Up close and personal at the RHONJ charity softball game.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhonj-charity-softball-game-behind-the-scenes-moments-pics-recap

🍸 #Scandoval…

Like Andy, I’m girding my loins for the Reunion.

LVP wouldn’t have to ask me to move in twice.

https://www.etonline.com/kristen-doute-says-tom-sandoval-still-refuses-to-leave-home-he-shares-with-ariana-madix-201104

Kelly Clarkson be damned.

https://www.etonline.com/ariana-madix-releases-first-statement-on-tom-sandoval-raquel-leviss-affair-what-doesnt-kill-me

I always appreciate a timeline.

https://www.etonline.com/tom-sandoval-and-raquel-leviss-a-timeline-of-the-vanderpump-rules-stars-cheating-scandal-200333

More proof Sandoval is an awful human being. If Jax shames you, you know it’s bad.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/16/kristen-doute-tom-sandoval-dated-ariana-madix-out-of-convenience/

It’s even better than The Slap. Although TBH, I can’t imagine Scheana giving anyone a black eye. Not to mention, that’s a pretty odd-looking shiner. I agree with the opinion that it’s to remove herself from the Reunion.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/08/lisa-vanderpump-addresses-whether-scheana-shay-hit-raquel-leviss/

https://www.etonline.com/scheana-shay-slams-raquel-leviss-restraining-order-filing-amid-vanderpump-rules-drama-200621

Scheana Is ‘Devastated’ Raquel Is Trying to ‘Shift the Blame,’ Lawyer Says

🐝 Don’t Get Stung…

I binged season one not long ago. I can’t wait.

https://mashable.com/article/yellowjackets-season-2-review-showtime

🐲 He Knows Nothing…

His reaction? He talks about everything but.

https://extratv.com/2023/03/15/kit-harington-reacts-to-possible-jon-snow-game-of-thrones-spin-off-series-exclusive/

🎸 If You Palooza…

The latest info on Lollapalooza. You can get tickets at a lot of websites. I’m not endorsing getting them through this one. They just had some good, basic intel.

https://www.songkick.com/festivals/1235-lollapalooza/id/40682629-lollapalooza-2023

🐕 Neverending Cuteness…

Adorable pets. Who cares who owns them?

Vanessa Hudgens and More Stars Share Cute Pics With Beloved Pets

🍻 Quotes of the Irish

This week, I’m taking the easy way out. Moving info, downloading programs, whatever needs to be done on a new device is a real pita. If it was the only thing I had to do, it wouldn’t be as much of a headache, but it’s not. And I keep going, oh yeah, that too. So rather than going quote hunting, I found a link that’s apropos for the week.

https://ottawacitizen.com/life/life-story/top-50-irish-proverbs-and-sayings-you-should-know-for-st-patricks-day

🍀May the wind always be at your back & may you be at the gates of heaven an hour 🍀🍀before the devil knows you’re dead.🍀

🩰 Riverdancing Away…

Make a return trip on Monday for soap and the St. David’s final charter. Until then, stay safe, stay challenging the status quo, and stay knowing things happen. You can’t control everything, but life is full of surprises.

Mar10

March 9, 2023 – Victor Has an Off Night, Her Other Boy, Reunited, Coming Back, Dead Again, Soap Jump, Deck Secrets, VanderScandal, One Of Us, Today & Barbie

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Nina asks MetroCourt bartender Jamie if he isn’t in business school, and he says, PCU’s graduate program. She asks why someone in a leadership position would be investigated by the SEC, and Sonny walks up wondering why she’d ask that.

On the phone, Ava leaves a message for Austin asking if they can discuss his charming cousin, and the not-so charming stranglehold he has on them. Call her as soon as he can. Trina comes in and says she received a notification that artwork came in, but Ava says, it’s not her job to track it anymore. Trina says she wanted to spare Ava from anything gallery related, especially after everything that’s happened to her lately. Ava says, thanks, but Trina doesn’t have to take care of her, and Trina says, to be honest, she wanted a reason to return to the gallery. This place is really important to her; like a second home. Now it’s more important than her first.

Curtis is in the elevator, when Selina joins him. She congratulates him on his nuptials, and asks if Brad delivered her gift at the rehearsal dinner. Curtis says, he did, and she says she’s surprised she didn’t hear from him. Did the gift not meet with his approval?

At the stables, Cody looks for a receipt in a file folder, and ends up dropping everything on the floor. He says, Mama Q didn’t hire him for his organizational skills, and Sasha comes in, saying, that much is obvious. He says he’s about ponies, not paperwork, and she says, he’s good with horses. He’s also good with people. Among them, her.

Lucy asks Anna if the coffee is dark roast; it tastes burnt. Bleh. I know what she means and I hate that. Lucy says she misses Kelly’s smooth coffee. She misses Kelly’s. She misses croissants. Couldn’t Anna just kill for a chocolate babka? Why does Felicia just bring yoghurt and granola? Valentin comes out, and Anna asks, how was his shower? but he says he didn’t actually take one. Somebody decided to use the last of the hot water again. Lucy says, that’s because the water here is so very hard, she has to rinse a lot to get the shampoo out of her hair. Lucy moves the blind to peek out, but Anna yells, stay away from the window! Lucy asks how long they have to keep hiding here. This is torture. Anna and Valentin look at each other.

Victor is putting on his tie as Eileen wakes up. She says, good morning, and he says, is it? She says, it’s the best sleep she’s had in weeks. She feels so rested. He says, that makes one of them, and she says, he’s not upset about last night, is he? He says he’ll thank her not to mention last night again.

Felicia, Bobbie, and Maxie have coffee at Charlie’s, and Bobbie says, they treaded very carefully with Jesse Brewer. She was a wonderful, generous woman, but she had zero tolerance for personal drama at work, so she really kept them on their toes. Maxie asks how long she’s worked at GH, and Bobbie says, 45 years. The hospital’s turning 60 this year, so she wasn’t here at its conception. Felicia says, 60 years is quite a milestone, and Maxie says, the hospital’s the center of so many peoples’ lives in Port Charles. How are they marking the occasion? Bobbie says, there aren’t any plans she’s aware of, and Felicia says, that’s a missed opportunity. Maxie says, it’s more than that. It’s a travesty. Somebody needs to do something about it.

Looking at her tablet, Lucy sighs, putting her feet up on the couch next to Valentin, and he says, problem? She says, the stock, and he says, took a hit? but she tells him, relax. He’s still getting a return on his investment. It’s just… It could be a whole heck of a lot better. He says, if she was there, and she says, yes. Anna comes out and tells Valentin, that was the last of the coffee, and he says he misses Paris. She says, her too, and he says, for a lot of reasons, but right now for the coffee. Anna snuggles in his lap, and Lucy says, stop. Marty can’t be here because he’s visiting his mom, so seeing the lovebirds is tough when she’s involuntarily celibate. Anna tells her, when this is over, Marty will be waiting for her, but Lucy says, don’t say the w word. Waiting, waiting, waiting. It’s all she does. She’s so sick of waiting. She just wants out of here.

Victor puts on his shoes, and Eileen says, they were both tired last night, and they’d both been drinking. Oooh. I get why he’s cranky. She says, neither of them were at their best, but now they’re both rejuvenated. He puts on his jacket, and she asks if it was something she did, but he says he has a busy day today. She says, anything to do with the next phase of his plan? He doesn’t have to go it alone. She’s with him all the way. She straightens his tie, and says, didn’t she prove that to him, when she helped take care of Anna Devane? She grabs his lapels, pulls him toward her, and says, let her in. Tell her what he needs; what he wants. She’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.

Cody says, if he knew Sasha was coming, he’d have cleaned the place up. She helps him pick up the papers, and asks if he found what he was looking for. He says he’s afraid not, but no worries; he’ll look later. He doesn’t notice, but one of the papers stays on the floor, and Sasha hands him a box. She says, it’s to thank him, and he says, for what? She says, for what he did when she confronted Heather Webber at the PCPD.

Ava says, trouble at home? but Trina says, Ava is the one who just went through hell. How is she? Ava says she’s getting there, and Trina says, and her friend Dr. Gatlin-Holt? Ava says, well enough to check himself out of the hospital. Trina’s mom treated him before he left GH. When are she and Curtis headed to Italy? Trina says, as far as she knows, that trip is canceled. They’re not in a great place right now. Ava says she’s so sorry to hear that. What happened? Trina says, I happened.

Curtis tells Selina that he had a few things on his mind. Sending out thank you cards wasn’t on his list. Selina says, it’s not like him to be ungrateful, so she’ll ignore his oversight. Newlywedded bliss can be all-consuming. Or so she’s been told. He asks her to excuse him, and walks off.

Gladys plays poker on her phone in a private area of the hotel, and says, you’re bluffing, sucker. Selina comes along, and says she never bluffs. Gladys thanks Selina for meeting her, and Selina asks why she didn’t want to meet at The Savoy. Gladys says she makes bad decisions when she’s at the club, and Selina asks if that’s what she thinks, indicating a manila envelope on the table. Gladys says, the deed to her son’s garage.

Nina tells Sonny that she’s always pestering Jamie with business questions; he’s in business school. She’s taking credit when he passes his course with flying colors. Sonny asks if she’s heard from Willow today, and she says, no. And she didn’t want to risk their somewhat shaky truce, bothering Willow with questions and calls. He says she’s taking it slow, that’s a good thing, and she says she’s just grateful she’s in the loop where her daughter’s health is concerned. He says he wishes he was in the loop where his daughter was concerned. Has she heard anything from Ava about Nikolas threatening to take Avery?

Bobbie says she agrees. It would be great to honor GH’s six decades of service to the community, but they’re still navigating Britt’s loss, so they’re just putting up a plaque. Maxie says, they need more than a plaque. Port Charles has seen so much loss and turmoil in sixty recent years. This town needs a celebration. Felicia agrees, and Bobbie says she supposes Maxie has something in mind. Maxie says, many somethings actually, but there is a clear winner to usher in the festivities. This town needs the biggest and best Nurses Ball GH has ever seen. There is no better way to mark GH’s sixtieth anniversary than the Nurses Ball. Felicia says, the anniversary is next month, but Bobbie says, there’s no way to get the Nurses Ball ready in time. It’s not an easy enterprise. Maxie says she’s done bigger events in less time. She just needs a choreographer, a fireworks team, a llama, and a truckload of bubbly. Plus a celebrity guest, teasers for the local news, and some corporate sponsors to foot the bill. Bobbie says, easy peasy, and Maxie says, we can do it. Felicia asks, who’s us? and Maxie says, the three of them.

Victor kisses Eileen’s hand, and says, she really wants to help? and she says, any way she can. He says, then only come when he calls. It wasn’t long ago she imagined she was being haunted. She says she was under a lot of pressure, and realizes now it was sleeping pills her doctor prescribed. She requested a copy of the file on Holly Sutton with her accident at the cabin; the original unredacted file. It contained useful information on the necklace. He says, she’s certain she can get her hands on this file? and she says she has strings she can pull. He says, then pull them now. In the hallway, she makes a call, and says, checking in… as demanded.

As Anna tries to talk to Eileen, Valentin tells Lucy, as far as safehouses go, this is fine. We’re all making sacrifices, so deal with it. Lucy asks why she should. He and Anna are the spies. She’s just a humble… Anna says she can’t talk right now. Eileen’s contact will meet her where she is. She tells Valentin and Lucy, they cannot go out the door, but Valentin says, this is their best chance to bring Victor down. Lucy says, this really seems like a you problem, pointing at both of them, and Valentin says he wishes he’d taken that attitude when they found her shackled in a Paris catacomb. Lucy says she really is grateful, but she woudn’t have needed rescuing if Anna hadn’t blackmailed here into spying in the first place. Anna says she just had Eileen on the phone, and she says she’ll get them everything they need to stop Victor. Lucy says, for their sakes and for hers, she hopes Eileen comes through – and soon. She walks out of the room, and Valentin says, if they don’t get out of here soon, he just might kill Lucy Coe himself.

Gladys picks up the envelope, and says, this will make her and Selina square, right? Selina says, more than amply, and holds out her hand. Gladys gives her the envelope, and Selina checks out the paperwork. She says, Gladys is more than covered. The remaining funds can be deposited into a business account, or used for a stake in the next game. Gladys says, no thank you. She’s done with all that. A deposit will suit her fine.

Cody says he was afraid Sasha would think he was butting in, but he knew Dante would look after her, and she says, Dante showed up because Cody sent him? Cody asks if that’s not why she’s thanking him, but she says, no. She’s thanking him for not giving her up to the desk sergeant when she claimed to be Heather’s lawyer. He looks in the box, and says, yum, biscotti, and she says, he enjoyed Olivia’s biscotti that night in the solarium. He thanks her, and says, she’s not mad? She says she pretended to be someone’s lawyer to get in to see the woman who killed her husband. He thought she was out for revenge, and tried to save her from herself. He says, turns out, she doesn’t need saving.

Ava says, none of this is Trina’s fault, but Trina says, if she hadn’t gone to see Aunt Stella the night of the wedding, none of this would have happened. Ava says, most secrets come to light. What’s important is how Trina is doing. Trina says she’s all over the place. She’s angry at her mom… Ava says, but Trina misses her, and Trina says she wants to stay close to her dad, but she’s starting to feel distant from him. And she likes Curtis, but she resents him. Ava asks what she can do. What does Trina need? Trina says, a solution, but Ava says she doesn’t think she can help with that.

Nina says, Nikolas threatened to take Avery? and Sonny says, Ava told him it was an empty threat, but there’s no empty threat when it comes to his child. Curtis approaches, and says he’s sorry to interrupt, but can he and Nina talk for a moment? Nina says, of course (🍷). Isn’t he supposed to be in Tuscany? He thanks Nina for comping the room for them, but he can’t accept. He gives her an envelope, and she says, he’s reimbursing her for the room? Sonny says, it was a gift for Curtis and his wife, and Curtis says, that’s just it. Portia may not be his wife for much longer. Nina says she’s so sorry; what happened? Sonny wisely gets up, and says he’ll let them have a discussion. He has something he’s got to do. Curtis suggests he and Nina have a seat at his table.

Selina says, just the man she wanted to see, and Sonny asks what he can do for her. She asks why her shipment was rerouted from Pier 55 yesterday, and he says, a minor inconvenience. She says, if he’s concerned she might attempt to join his Pikeman deal… Gladys almost walks in the room, but stops, and Sonny says, they had an arrangement. She operates on his docks at his discretion. And he wants her to keep it that way. She walks off, and Sonny sees Gladys. She says, hi cuz, but he tells her, don’t hi cuz him. What was she doing with Miss Wu?

Ava says she’s always here for Trina, but there’s no quick fix for this particular situation. She knows Trina is probably sick of hearing things like this, but with maturity comes the understanding that nothing is absolute. There are almost always shades of grey. Trina says, what her mom did was wrong. No amount of age or perspective will make her see that differently. Ava says she agrees Trina’s mother was wrong, but if Trina is looking for her to validate her righteous indignation, Ava thinks Trina is going to be disappointed. She knows from personal experience, there’s no telling what a mother might do when she’s afraid she’ll lose her child.

Sasha tells Cody, it wasn’t easy listening to the woman who murdered her husband; every word coming out of Heather’s mouth infuriated her. He says, and Sasha didn’t go for her throat. He admires her restraint. Sasha says, it would have felt so satisfying to claw her face off, but she thought about what Brando would want; to get justice for him without compromising her future. He says she definitely seems lighter or something, and she tells him that she wouldn’t say it was closure, but a burden has been lifted. How about him? How does he feel? He says he’s not really liking himself much lately. He seems to be in the habit of letting down anyone who cares about him. She says, all any of them can do is forgive themselves, and he says, if he can’t, what then?

Maxie tells Bobbie, Corinthos Coffee, ELQ, Aurora Media, and they can get Ned to come up with the rest. Bobbie says, hold on there, hotfoot. They haven’t even pitched this to the Board. Maxie says, when they hear she lined up donors, and she’s offering her services free of charge, how could they object? Bobbie says, Maxie needs a reliable committee, but Maxie says, no problem. She can already think of half a dozen go-getters, and she already has a co-chair. Bobbie says, Maxie’s mother didn’t agree to that, but Maxie tells her, who said she’s talking about her mom?

Felicia comes bearing coffee to the safehouse, and Valentin says, they heard about what happened with Ryan Chamberlain. Is she all right? She says she’s getting there. The whole thing was a traumatic experience, but she thinks it’s worth it, because Ryan is now gone. How is everything here? Valentin says, it would be nice to believe they’re making progress. Despite his reservations, Anna said Felicia was the most convincing corpse she’d ever seen. Felicia admits she liked seeing the look on Eileen’s face when Eileen realized she’d been had. Valentin doubts she liked being played. Let’s hope she hasn’t gone rogue. Felicia says, if Eileen wants to take them down, she’s going down first, but Anna says she has the feeling Eileen is too self-serving for that.

Eileen waits in the Bistro, when Laura walks in. Laura says, Eileen was expecting someone else, and Eileen says she thought maybe Felicia, but she should have known it would be Laura. Laura asks, why is that? and Eileen says, Anna is clearly enjoying her fall from grace. What better way to stick it to her than send Laura? Laura says she volunteered, and Eileen says, not surprising. Laura was the first to tell her that Anna was dead, then sent her to the morgue. Laura’s been playing her since Lucy Coe was shot. Laura says, they were on to her long before that. They were biding their time until she could prove to be useful to them.

Lucy begs Felicia not to go, and asks if she can’t stay and be a buffer between them. Felicia says she’s sure there’s not friction; they’re all on the same side. Lucy says, they’re all going a little stir crazy. She knows that saying, two’s company… Valentin says, three’s a necessary evil in order to survive, and Felicia promises she’ll be back. And she’ll bring Lucy an update on what Maxie is planning for the Nurses Ball. Anna gestures for Felicia to shush, but Lucy says, oh my God, the Nurses Ball. They set a date? When is it? Anna is like, eh! but Felicia says, in a few weeks. Lucy says, there can be no Nurses Ball without her.

Maxie says, Bobbie makes the most sense as a co-chair. She loves the hospital. She knows its history. She’s played a role in the health and happiness of so many who’ve walked through the doors, the least of whom is her. She has to do it. Nobody else can fill Lucy’s shoes. Maxie needs her… She has until the end of breakfast to decide. Now, musical acts… Maxie consults her phone.

Sasha tells Cody that she’s had a lot of time to think, usually at night when it’s quiet. One of the things she couldn’t let go of is how Brando spent so much time taking care of her before he died. They lost a lot of valuable time together when she was spiraling. Cody says, she went through a lot. It’s not her fault she was a hot mess express. She laughs, and says, don’t be shy. Tell her what he really thinks. He says he’s sorry. He suffers from foot in mouth disease. She tells him not to apologize. She told him before, she appreciates he doesn’t feel the need to treat her with kid gloves. He says he could still stand to have more grace, and she says he could stand extending some grace to himself. Once she managed to do that, her regrets stopped keeping her up at night. He says, sounds easier said than done, and she says, nothing worth doing is ever easy. Comet snorts, and Cody says, Comet agrees. Sasha tells Cody that he’s outnumbered.

Trina tells Ava, she doesn’t know what to say to her mom, or Curtis, or even her dad. Should she take the DNA test? Ava says, that depends. Does she want to know who her biological father is? Trina says she’s not sure, and Ava says, maybe the better question is, would knowing change anything for her? Trina says she won’t let it. Marcus Taggert is her father. He raised her, he loves her, and that will never change. Ava says, if that’s the case, some would say, there’s no reason to find out. But at the end of the day, Ava likes looking in the mirror and knowing who she is, exactly where she came from. It might not change her habits or behavior, but at least there are no lingering existential questions. Trina asks if Ava is saying she should get the test, and Ava tells her, she’s saying, why not know for sure?

Nina tells Curtis, she’s so sorry; she doesn’t know what to say. Curtis says he doesn’t either, and she asks how she can help. He says, she can take his check, but she says, they both know she’s not doing that. He’s not really telling her that his marriage is over, is he? He says, Porta lied to him. When they met again after all those years of being apart, she made a point of telling him that Trina couldn’t possibly be his daughter. She says she’s not defending Portia, but to be honest, she can’t condemn her either. Curtis says, Portia didn’t admit Trina could be his daughter until her secret came out and she had no choice. Nina says, because Portia was afraid she was going to lose him, and she can understand that. She withheld information for the exact same reason.

Sonny asks what business Gladys could possibly be doing with Miss Wu, and she says she was just following his advice. He discouraged her from selling the garage to a low bidder. She rejected that offer, and sold it to someone who knows its worth. Selina Wu is the proud new owner of Brando’s garage.

Victor goes to the bar, and Selina says, whatever Mr. Cassadine is having, put it on her tab. Victor says, it’s kind of her, but unnecessary, and she says, she insists. He looks like he needs a pick-me-up. He asks what she knows about it.

Sasha pets Comet and sweettalks him, and Cody asks if she grew up around horses. She says, lately, she’s more familiar with the horsepower of muscle cars, but he says, she’s not afraid. The last woman he had there would rather be caught dead than… She says she loves riding; it’s just been a while. He suggests she ride there, and she asks what he charges. He says, she’d be doing him a favor. It exercises the horses, and Mama Q will stop worrying whether he has friends or not. She asks Comet if that sounds fair, and listens. Cody asks what Comet said, and she says, that Cody does have friends.

Laura asks what Eileen found out, and Eileen says she and Victor shared a room last night. They used to… Laura says, Anna told her. The less she hears about that, the better. Eileen says, Laura doesn’t have to. She’d hoped reigniting their physical relationship would loosen Victor’s lips, but it didn’t work. Laura asks, why not? and Eileen says, Victor hasn’t been himself… He had an off night in the bedroom.

Selina asks Victor to disregard her intrusion. Enjoy his coffee in good health. Perhaps it will restore his customary courtliness. She takes out her phone, and turns her back to him.

Nina says, not telling Sonny’s family he was in Nixon Falls is a mistake she’s still living down, but at the time, she thought she was justified. Curtis asks if she’s saying Portia did too, and she says, yes, but that being said, she’s always on his team, especially with this issue. She knows how painful it is being denied your own children. He says, finding out Trina might be his daughter, is nothing in comparison with what Carly did to Nina with Willow, and she says she’s trying to focus on rebuilding her relationship with Willow, but she’s so angry. Curtis says, so is he, and she says, he has every right to be, but she wants him to remember the circumstances aren’t the same. Portia is his wife, and she’s Trina’s mother. Has he spoken to Trina? He says he went to see her. The whole time he spoke with her, he just kept looking into those big, beautiful brown eyes, and wondering if they were his mother’s eyes. He’s got to know. She says, he’s got to have answers, right? But does Trina want to know? He says, she’s considering it, and Nina says, take it from her, don’t push. She’s learning to live with what she’s given. Whether it’s a DNA test or a relationship, let Trina decide.

Ava says she and Trina share no DNA. Nature didn’t forge the connection they have; they did that. It’s one of the most meaningful bonds she has. She doesn’t know if that’s an argument for or not getting the test; only Trina knows. But whatever she decides, Ava will be beside her, holding her hand. They hug.

Maxie tells Bobbie, time’s up. What’s it gonna be? Bobbie says, all right. She’ll co-chair the Nurses Ball Planning Committee. Maxie says, Bobbie is the best. She won’t be sorry. She promises the Nurses Ball will be the best way to celebrate the sixtieth festivities of the hospital. She’s going to text her mom. Bobbie says, she and Lucy might not have always seen eye to eye, but she’s going to do Lucy proud. Maxie says, Lucy worked really hard every year to make sure the Nurses Ball was a huge success, and Bobbie says, Lucy made it sound like it was the biggest undertaking in modern times, but she intends to do just as well, without breaking half the sweat or losing her clothes. I wonder if that’s how Lucy is going to make her reentry.

Felicia looks at her phone, and says, it’s largely because of Lucy that Maxie thinks the show should go on. She wants to honor what she thinks is Lucy’s legacy as the heart and soul of the Nurses Ball. Lucy says, that’s lovely and she’s grateful, but it’s really no small feat organizing an entire Nurses Ball, and in just a few weeks? She doesn’t think Maxie is capable of doing it. Felicia tells her not to worry. Maxie has plenty of people to help her. The text she just received? Bobbie is going to co-chair. Lucy says, Bobbie Spencer? Anna opens the door, and Felicia says, sounds like it’s all in hand. Stay safe. She jets, and Lucy asks if they actually heard that. Bobbie Spencer, no. No, no, no, no, no. Bobbie Spencer is not going to take what is hers… again.

Nina says, whatever Trina decides, no matter the results, Curtis is still going to be part of her life because of his relationship with her mother. He says he’s not sure where he and Portia stand, and Nina says, so if Trina’s not his daughter, both Portia and Trina will be out of his life?

Trina says she doesn’t know what she’d do without Ava, and Ava says she’ll always be here for Trina. But she only has one mother. Trina says, maybe, but unlike her mother, Ava has never been dishonest with her. When it comes to Ava Jerome, what she sees is what she gets.

Cody thanks Sasha for the biscotti, and she says, probably not as good as Mama Q’s, but he says, if they are, he won’t tell her. She says she thinks she’ll take him up on his offer. She would love to get back into riding. He says, excellent, and she says she wishes she could give him something more in return. Like free color matching at Deception, or free tune-ups at the garage. He says he’s already found his perfect foundation shade, thanks, and he doesn’t have a car; which works out, since she no longer has a garage. Sasha asks what he means; she still has Brando’s garage. Cody flashes back to hearing Gladys says she’d sign the garage over to Selina, and says, he’s sorry. He must have heard wrong. Sasha says, from who?

Sonny says, it sounds like Gladys selling Brando’s garage to Miss Wu is a savvy business deal. He’s good with it as long as Sasha is. Gladys says she’s glad he’s on board. See ya. She tries to jet, but he calls her back, and asks, is Sasha good or not?

Valentin sips his coffee, and says, now that’s a cup of joe. Anna says she knows living with Lucy is a temporary – he says, insanity? – thing, but it’s all going to work out in the end. If they can prove Victor killed Luke, and framed her for killing Lucy… He says, providing Eileen does everything they as her to do.

Victor tells Selina that he should apologize. He hasn’t been feeling himself lately. She says, oh? and flashes back to him raising the martini she put something in, which I’d forgotten about. She says, that’s a terrible shame, smiles at him, and leaves. So she gave him something to make him impotent? I guess killing his ego is the next best thing to killing him.

Laura asks if that’s unusual for Victor, and Eileen says, until now, he’s actually been rather… robust. But they haven’t been together in months. Maybe last night explains why. Laura says, clearly, Eileen isn’t going to be able to get information from him seducing him, so they have to come up with another way to engage his interest.

On the phone, Selina says, Miss Sutton, it’s Selina Wu. She’ll be interested to know that something has disconcerted their mutual acquaintance, Mr. Cassadine. Perhaps that something has to do with the substance Holly paid her to slip him? She gets in the elevator, as she watches Victor at the bar.

Eileen tells Laura, despite Victor’s frustration and embarrassment earlier, his interest was piqued when she mentioned getting the unredacted report of Holly Sutton’s accident and the necklace she stole. Laura says she thinks they just might have to give Victor exactly what he wants.

Tomorrow, Drew has a proposal for Ned; Sasha wants to know who Cody heard discussing selling Brando’s garage; and Sonny says, Gladys better know what she’s doing.

🍼 Forgotten Son…

I have some vague recollection of him, but God knows we heard his name enough from Heather.

What Happened to Steven Webber on GENERAL HOSPITAL

👫 Besties Across the Pond…

It’s so cool how they’re friends IRL.

GH’s Kelly Thiebaud and Parry Shen Reunite!

🎤 Returning Again…

Important dates to remember; March 29th, the tribute to Sonja Eddy, and April 3rd, the Nurses Ball.

Chandra Wilson Returns to GENERAL HOSPITAL!

⚰️ He’s a Multiple…

I don’t see why he couldn’t come back. I fully expect Faison to show up again, even though his brain is in a jar, or that his good twin will show up. Maybe Doc and Ryan were triplets. Or maybe Ryan figured out a way to seem dead, since he had a lot of time on his hand (ha-ha), and Heather will come dig him up.

Is Ryan Really Dead on GENERAL HOSPITAL? — Jon Lindstrom Speaks Out!

🧼 When He Switched…

This was eons ago, and he’s just talking about it now?

Jason Thompson Opens up About Leaving GH for Y&R

🛥 Don’t Tell…

I don’t know how secret any of this is, but it’s interesting. It kind of sounds like (June, June) Hannah will be back in the franchise too. Although obviously not working for Captain Sandy.

What Happens on the Superyacht, Stays on the Superyacht! See Below Deck’s Behind-the-Scenes Secrets

🍸 Let’s Get To It…

While it was hard to choose among the many, many, many articles on the top – including those on CNN and the New York Times, because this is such important news – we’ll start with these. I’d love to be a fly on the wall at that Reunion. Unless Ariana is carrying a flyswatter.

https://pagesix.com/2023/03/09/tom-sandoval-subtly-supports-raquel-leviss-amid-cheating-scandal/

The Queen herself weighs in.

https://people.com/tv/lisa-vanderpump-addresses-tom-sandoval-ariana-madix-breakup-raquel-leviss-drama/

You might want to take notes.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/08/entertainment/raquel-leviss-ariana-madix-tom-sandoval/index.html

Like this is a surprise.

Tom Sandoval and Raquel Are ‘Losing a Lot of Friends’ Amid Cheating Backlash

🖥 Beyond the Game…

This is a great show. Nice that they were able to incorporate an actor from the game into the series. I’ve never really played video games except for when I babysat. I’m too afraid I’ll get sucked in and never come up for air. And I don’t have a grandmother whose basement I can live in.

https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-troy-baker-james-interview/

👗 It Happened March 9th…

I still love Barbie. But it’s really all about the clothes. And the tiny shoes that always get lost. And all the accessories. And maybe the teeny dog that comes with her.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/9-video

👠 In a Barbie World…

Join me for the free-for-all that is Friday’s post, when there will be soap, tea, insightful words, and captivating music. Until then, stay safe, stay being the calm in the storm, and stay remembering, with maturity comes the understanding that nothing is absolute. There are almost always shades of grey.

Feb25

February 24, 2023 – Heather Has One Condition, New Wife, All By Herself, Sharing, Trial Desire, Two Pairs, Shady Scheana, First World Problems, Edit Err, Pets (!), Teetering On 10 Quotes & Mountain

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Esme holds her baby, who looks suspiciously like Baby Amelia. She says she doesn’t remember much, but she knows she’s his mommy. They have each other and that’s all that matters. Heather comes in, wearing an orange jumpsuit, and says, there’s her baby girl and her new baby. Esme says, Heather shouldn’t be here, but Heather says she’s Esme’s mother; where else would she be? Esme picks up the nurse call button, but Heather stops her, and says, Esme doesn’t want to interrupt family time. She can’t wait to start spoiling her little grandson. In fact, she’s starting right now. She reaches for the baby, and Esme sits up with a start. The guard lets Laura in, and she asks if Esme is okay. Esme asks, where’s Heather? and Laura says, she’s in custody at the police station. Esme says, please don’t let her take my baby away.

Spencer points to a baby through the nursery window, and tells Sonny, that’s his baby brother. He’s handsome, isn’t he? Sonny asks if the little guy has a name, but Spencer says, not yet. Sonny asks if Spencer is still suing for custody, and Spencer says he may not have to now that his father has disappeared.

Dex tells Josslyn that he was hired to find evidence that would put Sonny away once and for all, but he’ll tell his employer that he’s out if that’s what she wants. She says, it’s not her decision to make, but he says, let’s not make this about Sonny; let’s make this about you and me. (Huh? It’s all about Sonny.) She hates that he’s working for Sonny. How does she feel about him working against Sonny? (What I said.)

Elizabeth looks at a photo of the boys, and remembers Scotty chastising her for letting Nikolas talk her into his cockamamie plan. Cameron comes in, and she says she wasn’t expecting him this morning. He asks if she’s as freaked out as he is about Esme.

Ava asks the reception nurse if Austin is allowed to have visitors, and Mac asks why she wants to see Austin. She says, why would she want to see the man who nearly bled to death on her living room floor? Does that really seem so strange? He says, that depends. Felicia said Ava encouraged her to leave Austin behind when Heather said they could go. She says, so they could get him help, and he says, but instead, she went after Ryan with a gun. (Really, Mac? Does any of that sound strange?) She says, Austin didn’t need both of them to get him help, and she needed to confront the man who made her life a living hell. Mac’s the one who ultimately killed Ryan. He says, the world’s a better place now that Ryan Chamberlain’s dead, and she says, they agree on something. Is Mac done? He says he has a few more questions. Why don’t they start with why Austin was on Spoon Island in the first place.

Robert congratulates Jordan on catching Heather. He can assure the public that their safe, that The Hook killer’s been caught, and that she’s going away for good. She says, her people have already made progress, when Dante walks out, and says, Heather is ready to make a statement. Scotty walks in, and says, hey, Mr. D.A., but Robert asks if it can wait. Scotty says he’s about to make Robert’s life a whole lot easier.

Jordan and Robert go into the interrogation room, and Jordan says, Dante told her that Heather wants to make a statement. Heather says she does. She’s done some very bad things that she’s ready to confess. Jordan says, Heather wants to confess to The Hook attacks without a lawyer present, and Heather says she only wants to unburden her soul. Dante sets up the recorder, and tells Heather, it’s her right to have an attorney present, but she says she doesn’t want an attorney. She just wants to tell the truth. Jordan tells her, start talking, but Heather says she does have one condition.

Scotty tells Robert that he has a client with information about The Hook attacks, and they want to make a deal.

Cameron asks how long Elizabeth thinks Esme has known Ryan and Heather are her parents, but she says she has no idea. He says, she realizes, if Heather is Esme’s mom, that makes her Franco’s half-sister. When Esme moved to Port Charles, he really tried to give her a chance because Spencer was so into her. Does Elizabeth think she was working with Ryan when she was interning at Spring Ridge? Elizabeth says, before she lost her memory? and he says, what if she’s been faking this whole time? He wonders if Joss knows about everything that’s happened.

Josslyn tells Dex, Sonny was in her life for a very long time. Not as a father – she had one obviously – but as a stepfather. They were a family. Dex says, he was good to her, and she says, he was, when she was little and didn’t know about his business. He says, Sonny still considers her family. It’s one of the reasons Sonny thinks he’s not good enough for her. She says, like he has the right to judge anyone after what he’s done? He had Dex beaten and tortured, and Sonny’s hurt so many people, she can’t even count. Where does he get off thinking he’s better than anyone else? The hypocrisy of it all. He asks if that means she wants him to see it through, and see that Sonny goes to prison.

Sonny asks what Spencer means, and Spencer says he doesn’t know what to think anymore. How can someone just walk out on their child? He doesn’t even mean himself at this point. How can someone walk out on an innocent baby? Sonny says, Spencer’s not responsible for his father’s actions. Spencer can’t fix his messes. Spencer says, someone has to. His baby brother has an absent father, and a mother who’s in police custody. That little guy must feel all alone in the world. Sonny says, they can fix that.

Laura tells the guard that he can leave them alone, and tells Esme that she had a nightmare. Esme wishes that’s all it was; that she hadn’t been forced to break out of Spring Ridge, and her parents weren’t serial killers. Laura says, unfortunately, that is true, but she told Esme, Heather is in custody, and can’t hurt her. Esme asks, where’s her baby? and Laura says, in the nursery. He got a perfect bill of health despite his impromptu entrance into the world. Esme says, thank God, and thank Laura and Dr. Collins for helping bring her baby into the world. Laura says she feels lucky that she could be there for her grandson’s birth, and Esme says she just realized, she has a son. Laura asks if Esme wants her to arrange for the baby to visit, but Esme says, no; he should stay away. Laura asks, why? and Esme says, it’s not safe. Her parents are killers. For all she knows, she could be a killer too.

Heather says, what she wants is pretty simple, and Dante says, if she cooperates fully, they’ll see about her request. She says, he knows that’s not how it works, but he says, she doesn’t know how anything works, and grabs the recorder. Jordan gets up, and says, waste of time, but Heather says, fine. What do they want to know? Dante puts the recorder back, and asks if she attacked Ava in August, and she says, yes. He asks if she attacked… She says, it’s going to take all day. She’s The Hook, okay? Anyone stabbed with a hook, it was her. Jordan says, they need details, and Heather says, Ava Jerome, with a hook, at the Quartermaines. Brando Corbin, behind Charlie’s with a hook, except that was a mistake; she was really after Josslyn Jax for making her daughter’s life so miserable. Diane Miller, in the garage. The bartender, Oz Haggerty, at the docks. Nikolas Cassadine, with a hook… Dante says, wait a second, and Jordan says, she attacked Nikolas Cassadine?

Ava tells Mac, that’s one of the reasons she’s here. She wants to ask Austin how he’s doing, and why he came to Windymere last night. Mac says he didn’t know they were friends, and she says, friendly perhaps. Austin treated her after Heather attacked her at the Quartermaine picnic, but she wouldn’t say they bonded over it. He thanks her for her time, and she says she just can’t wrap her head around the fact that Spencer’s girlfriend from boarding school is Ryan and Heather’s daughter. He says, quite a coincidence, but she says, it isn’t at all. Ryan told her that he sent Esme to that boarding school specifically to ensnare Spencer. Ryan was intent on splitting her and Nikolas up, and he succeeded. Mac says, maybe now that the truth has come out, she and Nikolas can find their way back to each other.

Dante asks when Heather attacked Nikolas, but she says she doesn’t know. In the fall? It was breezy. Jordan asks where it happened, and Heather says, at Windymere. It wasn’t her finest hour; he escaped without a scratch. He’s still breathing, unlike that doctor on New Year’s Eve. Dante asks if Britt was a target, but Heather says, no. She appeared out of nowhere, and decided to play hero, and again, Josslyn Jax escaped. Everyone stood between her and protecting her little girl. Jordan says, about Officer Cabrera. A keepsake from one of Ryan’s victims was found on Rory’s person. How did it get there?

Mac asks if Ava has heard from Ryan, but she says, no, and she doesn’t expect to. Things between them had gone too far, and she’s accepted that she’s lost Nikolas for good. Ryan’s destroyed her life, again. Mac says, at least it’s for the last time, and she says she has him to thank for that. She’s just sorry she didn’t kill the bastard herself. He says, after everything Ryan has put her through, killing him would be self-defense under any circumstances, and she says, he has no idea what Ryan has taken from her.

Obviously not having read The Invader, Scotty tells Robert that his client has information on the PCPD’s number one suspect, the one and only Esme Prince. Robert says, keep going, and Scotty says, his client knows Esme’s whereabouts before she showed up at the Haunted Star, soaking wet, with child and no memories. Robert says, so this client will only divulge said information if Scotty makes deal? and Scotty says, that’s why he’s here. Robert says, if this client knows what they know because they’re an accomplice to the crime, he should be telling them to turn themselves in, and he walks away.

Elizabeth asks if Cameron has spoken to Josslyn recently, but he says, no, and he doesn’t plan to. She says she knows the break-up really hurt him, but they’ve been friends their entire lives. He says he feels like that makes it worse, and she asks if he’s hoping they can be friends again someday, but he says, with what Josslyn did… She’s not the person he thought. Maybe she never was.

Josslyn says, it would be easier to figure out how she feels about this, if Dex would tell her who he’s working for, but he says he can’t. She asks, why not? and he tells her, all he can say is, he trusts his employer. She says, and this mystery person wants to take Sonny down, and he says, it’s the whole reason he’s here. She asks how close he is, and he says he doesn’t have any solid evidence yet, but Sonny’s about to get involved with some people in arms trafficking. The plan is for him to get some evidence and turn it over to his real boss, who will turn it over to the Feds. She says her first instinct is to tell him, do it. No one’s forcing Sonny to break the law, and he’d just be reporting what he saw. But if this goes wrong, and he gets caught, that’s on him, not his mystery boss. What happens if he calls the whole thing off? Does he have to work for Sonny for real? Sonny’s not going to let him just walk away.

Esme tells Laura that Heather and Ryan want her baby for themselves. They were talking about all of these plans… Laura says, Heather is locked up, but Esme says, Heather has a revolving door in and out of Spring Ridge, and Ryan… Laura says, Ryan is dead. She’s sorry. He died last night on Spoon Island. Esme says, good. He was a monster, and she’s glad he’s dead. She was terrified of that man. Laura says, what about Heather? and Esme says, Heather kept saying she wanted to protect her, but she’s so crazy. She’s the offspring of two monsters, so she must be a terrible person. Oh my God. She did all of those things she’s accused of; the revenge porn and trying to kill that man. Laura asks if she remembers doing those things.

In the nursery with the baby, Sonny tells Spencer that his family has every right to meet this baby. Spencer says, all he wants to do now is protect him from the world, and Sonny says, it’s the most amazing thing. Spencer asks if Sonny thinks his father felt like this when he was a baby, and Sonny says he guarantees it. Spencer says, that’s good. That means he has to come back now that his new son is here. How could he stay away knowing what he’s missing? Sonny asks if Spencer is changing his mind, and Ava peeks in the window.

Laura asks if Esme remembers her past, but Esme says, no, sorry. Her memory of before she showed up on the boat is still a blank. Laura asks why she said she was guilty, and Esme says, with parents like Heather and Ryan, how could she not be? Laura says, you’re not destined to be bad no matter who your parents are. Does she think her baby is bad? Esme says, no, he’s completely innocent. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen to him. If she’s found guilty, she’s going straight back to prison. Laura says she hasn’t stood trial yet; let’s not jump to conclusions. Esme asks, where’s Nikolas? Why isn’t her baby’s father here?

Heather says, when she discovered she was pregnant with Esme, she left Ryan. She took this chain of trophies he had as insurance, in case he ever decided to come after her. Dante says, that was twenty years ago. How does Cabrera end up with it? She says she wore the chain during The Hook attacks because she was getting justice for their daughter. She just thought it was fitting. Dante tells Jordan, that’s the sound Josslyn heard when Brando was attacked in the alley, and Jordan says, Brando heard it too. Heather says, Cabrera surprised her. They tussled a bit, and in the struggle, he managed to grab one of the trophies off the chain, but she didn’t realize it until she got back to Spring Ridge. Jordan says, so she’s confessing to murdering six people, and attacking four others? but Heather says, it was five, not six. Brando, Oz Haggerty, the venom guy, Rory Cabrera, and that doctor, whatever they said her name was. Dante says, what about Corrections Officer Williams, who was stabbed to death when she and Ryan escaped? but Heather says, she didn’t kill him; that was Ryan. He stabbed Williams. He planned the escape. He forced her and Esme to go with him. They can’t pin this on her.

Dex says he can’t just tell Sonny that he’s not cut out for this, not without him getting suspicious, and Josslyn says, if Sonny had any idea Dex was working against him… He says, Sonny would kill him, and she says, he’s right; Sonny can never know. He says, so either he keeps working for Sonny, or he has to leave Port Charles. She asks if Dex’s mystery boss would be okay with him quitting, and he says, not okay. He’s gone to a lot of trouble to set this up (what trouble; the occasional phone call to Dex?), and he’s close to getting what he wants. But if Dex tells him that he wants out, he’ll let Dex go. She says, but that doesn’t solve anything. He wouldn’t have to spy on Sonny anymore, but he’d still have to work for Sonny; smuggle arms and commit crimes, hustle coffee or whatever it is. And if he gets caught… Dex says, he goes to prison, and she says, as long as he stays in Port Charles, he’s trapped. I guess Dex can’t possibly get another job? Like a normal one?

Cameron tells Elizabeth that he couldn’t have predicted in a million years that Josslyn would hurt him the way she did. It makes him feel like he never knew her at all. She says, it always hurts when someone you love lets you down, but it doesn’t negate what the two of you had. People make mistakes all the time – big ones – but all you can do is come clean, and deal with the consequences. He asks if they’re still talking about him and Joss.

Scotty tells Robert, his client got involved in a crime that was already in progress, and they would like to make things right, and testify against the real perpetrator. Robert tells him, say more, but Scotty says he needs to hear the deal. Robert says he needs more information, and Scotty says, his client is a good person, not a criminal. They got mixed up in some bad business. So Robert can go after a person who made a mistake, or go after the real felon.

Spencer comes out, and says, Ava’s not here to see… He doesn’t mind if she is; he’s just surprised. She laughs, and says, actually, she’s here to see him. She saw him with the baby though. Cute. He’s a natural. He thanks her, and asks what she wanted to see him about. She takes it he knows Ryan was Esme’s father, and he says, yes, and Heather Webber was her mother. Odd how something can come as a perfect shock, yet make perfect sense. She says she thinks they all felt that way, and he says, is that it? but she says, not quite. Esme and Ryan knew who they were to each other. He says, since Esme came to Port Charles? and she says, since before he met her. Ryan sent Esme to that school in France to get close to him. He asks if she’s saying Ryan sent Esme to France to seduce him in some long game to break up her and Nikolas. That’s good. She says, think about it. Whose idea was it to come to Port Charles and stalk her? Was it his, or was it Esme’s?

On the phone, Mac tells Jordan that he spoke with Ava, and he’s about to question Esme Prince. Jordan says, check Esme’s answers against what Heather told them, and he says he thinks once he talks to Esme, they’ll have a clearer picture about what happened on Spoon Island.

Laura says she doesn’t know where her son is, and Esme says, he came to see her at Spring Ridge to try and get her to sign her rights to the baby over. Why isn’t he here now? Laura says she wishes she knew, when Mac walks in, and Esme says she remembers him from the roadside outside the prison. He stopped to help them, then Ryan hit him over the head. Is he okay? He says he’s fine, thanks. He’s Chief of Detectives Mac Scorpio, and he has some questions. Esme says, Heather and Ryan kidnapped her. They forced her to escape. Ryan even killed a guard right in front of her. He asks if Heather helped him, but she says, no. The guard was questioning her and Heather, and Ryan snuck up behind him and stabbed him in the back; it was horrible. Then Heather told her that she had to do what Ryan said, or he’d hurt her. He asks if Heather seemed scared of Ryan, and she says, not really. He asks, what happened next? and she says, Heather let them out of the prison. Laura asks, whose idea was it to escape? and Esme says she’s not sure. She thinks Heather and Ryan were planning it together, but Heather was the one who knew her way out of Spring Ridge.

Dante says, they know Heather and Ryan were working together. They were planning this escape for months. Heather says, no, no, no, no. She didn’t even know Ryan could walk and talk until Esme showed up at Spring Ridge. He never even told her that he could. They’ve got to believe her. He showed her that he’d been faking his condition when Esme showed up just because he wanted her help with getting Esme out. Dante says, which she was more than happy to provide, but she says, Ryan terrified her. She had to do what he said. Jordan tells her, he isn’t saying anything; he’s dead.

Spencer says, Esme was always going on and on about how Ava pushed him out of his father’s life, and said he should push back. She encouraged him to get revenge. Ava wonders if he ever asked himself why Esme cared so much. She was no one to Esme, and they had the kind of life teenagers dream of. They had Europe at their fingertips. Wouldn’t living his best life have been the best revenge? He says, apparently not. Esme was determined to get him back here. Ava says, because Ryan ordered her to do all of that, and look what happened. She and Nikolas are divorced, and he and his father are more estranged than ever. It was Ryan. Ryan played them all. (Way to get Esme and Spencer off the hook. No pun intended.)

Heather says, thank God, and Dante tells her, give it a rest. She wanted Ryan gone so he can’t contradict her narrative. They know she gave Ava a gun, and sent Ava after Ryan. Heather says, Ava killed Ryan? and Jordan says, no, but she shot him in self-defense. Heather says, of course (🍷) it was self-defense. After everything he’d done to her; running her life, killing her daughter. Ryan was a cold-blooded murderer. Dante says, unlike her, and she says she was just a mother protecting her child. Jordan says, a child she abandoned, and Heather says, because she wanted to give her a better life. But she never stopped missing her. When Esme arrived in Port Charles, she was overjoyed. Then she saw what Esme’s life had become. She saw Trina Robinson’s attempts to humiliate and destroy her. What else could she do? She had to defend her family. Dante says he feels for her, and she says she’s told them everything she knows; she’s confessed to The Hook murders. Can’t they just grant the one little thing she asked them? Otherwise, she can always recant. Who’s going to trust the word of a crazy person anyway?

Laura asks what Sonny is doing at the hospital, and he says, looking after her grandsons, both of them. Congratulations, by the way. She thanks him, and he asks if she was with Esme. She says she was, but now Mac’s questioning her, and he asks if there’s anything he should know. She says she doesn’t think so; not yet. Is Spencer at the nursery? He says, yeah. Spencer’s been here all morning doing the big brother thing; he’s good at it. She says she doesn’t know if he heard, but Ryan died last night, and he says he heard the good news. He also heard Heather Webber killed his cousin Brando. She says, it would appear that way, and he says, that’s a mistake going after his family, but she says, let the justice system do what it does. He says, she knows him. He just protects the people he loves.

Dex tells Josslyn, option one. Say he disappears from Port Charles. Sonny might come looking for him, but he can cover his tracks. She says, if Sonny can’t find him, neither can she, and he says, not for a while anyway. She says she’s not liking option one, and he says, him neither. He says, option two. He tells his real boss that he’s out. He keeps working for Sonny, legitimately following his orders, but Sonny told him that he can’t go near Josslyn. They would have to hide that they’re together indefinitely. She says, marginally better than option one, but not by much. He says, option three. He sticks with the original plan, and gets evidence on Sonny. He turns it over to his real boss, who turns it over to the Feds, Sonny goes to prison, and he’s in the clear. She doubts it will be that easy, and he says, probably not, but it’s the only option that gives him what he really wants; a chance to stay here, a chance to be with her, free of Sonny. She says, option three it is, and he says, option three, kissing her. He says, no matter what happens, he can’t walk away from her, and she says she doesn’t want him to. Um… For all Josslyn’s talk on how she cares so much about her sisters, how come Donna and Avery, and the effect this might have on them, hasn’t been mentioned once?

Elizabeth’s phone rings, and she asks what he said… Yeah, she’s sure. She’ll be right there. She tells Cameron that she has to go, and he asks if everything is okay. She says she loves him, and jets.

Spencer admits he didn’t think Ava knew him so well, but she’s right. He didn’t want any of this to happen until he met Esme, and she used his resentment toward Ava to talk him into stalking her. He owns up to what he did, his part of it, but the escalation – putting the bear on Avery’s bed, setting Ava’s car on fire, putting Kiki’s hospital ID badge next to the wreckage – that was all Esme. He didn’t even know it was done until it happened. Ava says she believes him. All that misery because Ryan couldn’t stand her being with someone else. He says he can’t believe he was so blind, and she says, they all were. They were all blind, and used, and manipulated… He says, manipulated or not, he did Ryan’s dirty work for him. Spencer suddenly looks terrified, and says, he drove his father away, but Ava says, no, it wasn’t him. Nikolas would still be here if not for Ryan Chamberlain.

Mac asks, when was the last time Esme saw Ryan? and she says, he was in the woods with Ava Jerome; she had a gun on him. He was focused on Ava, so she made a break for it. Is she okay? He says, Ava’s fine, and she asks Mac to tell Ava thank you for helping her get away from Ryan. he says he’ll pass along that message. He thanks her for the information, and says, if he has anything more to ask… She lifts up her arm, showing she’s cuffed to the bed, and says, he knows where to find her. He congratulates her on the birth of her son, and she says, before he goes, maybe he could tell her what’s going to happen to her and Ace. He says, Ace? and she says, her baby. He says, she named her baby Ace? and she says, it just came out. Sounds right to her for some reason. Ace? Where did that come from?

Jordan asks if Dante believes Heather, and he says he does. Robert joins them, and says he may have additional answers on this hook business. Baldwin has a client who says she knows what Esme was doing at the time she went missing. Jordan asks, who? when Scotty walks in with Elizabeth, and says he thinks they all know his client.

Laura tells Sonny, she’s glad Spencer is spending time with his baby brother, because he really needs something positive to focus on right now. Sonny says he feels Spencer needs the baby as much as the baby needs him, and Laura’s phone dings. He asks if everything is okay, but she says, no. She’s got to go. She jets, and he follows her.

Josslyn tells Dex that she’s got to go back to her family, and needs to talk to Trina. It’s been a crazy couple of days. (Boy, does she have some news to catch up on.) He says, people need her, and she says, she needs him. So do whatever he has to do, but watch his back. Option three only works if he’s alive at the end of it. He promises to be careful, they kiss, and she leaves.

Laura and Sonny go to the nursery, and Laura asks Spencer, what’s wrong? He says he messed up, and she says, take a deep breath, and tell her what’s going on. He says, because of him, he and his baby brother no longer have a father. It seems even in death, Ryan Chamberlain wins. Laura says, they’ll find his father, and when they do, they’ll explain to him what took place here, and she’ll talk some sense into him. Until then, take a look around him. He’s not alone. Sonny’s here, she’s here… Sonny says, always, and she says, he and his brother are going to have more support than they know what to do with. Ava slips away.

Mac goes into Esme’s room, and asks if she’s sure about this. She nods, and the guard brings Heather in. Heather sort of smiles, but Esme just looks at her blankly.

On Monday, Dante tells Molly that they need to start that search immediately; Laura tells Spencer to think before he acts; and Curtis asks how long Jordan has known Trina might be his daughter.

👠 For Now…

She’s the only one I like at this point on RHONJ, but give it time.

https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/rachel-fuda-from-rhonj-husband-family-instagram-bio

👰🏻 All About the Love, But Alone…

Are you kidding me? She had the option of her brother walking her down the aisle, and decided to be the turd that she is. My father passed away before I got married too, and my sister walked me down the aisle. Teresa just wanted to give Joe #2 another slap in the face and get more attention for herself.

Gia Giudice Praises Teresa Giudice’s “Strength” For Walking Herself Down The Aisle At Her Wedding

🧉 The Unending Grope…

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Anyone who could slap LVP in the face could do anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if she drank the blood of virgins to help her face fillers last. Although I would be surprised if she could find one in L.A.

Jacqueline Laurita Shares Caroline Manzo Is “Not Well” After Alleged Incident With Brandi Glanville During Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip

💎 What Victims…?

You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip, but I’ll bet she has bags that cost more than my house. And being an entertainer with a 12th grade education doesn’t mean you don’t know how many zeros are on the check.

RHOBH’s Erika Jayne Requests a Jury Trial Amid $25 Million Lawsuit, Are Negotiation Talks Ongoing With Tom’s Bankruptcy Trustee?

🏖  Summer Lovin’…

Paige might be close to one of the normal ones if she wasn’t attached to ticking time bomb Craig.

Paige DeSorbo Updates Summer House Fans About Status Of Her Long-Distance Relationship With Craig Conover
EXCLUSIVE: Paige DeSorbo Talks Long Distance Relationship With Craig, Summer House Season 7 Newbies, Her Favorite Aspect About Podcast and Her New GLOSSLAB Collaboration

Great. The only genuinely normal one. Let’s hope Austen isn’t her rebound. Or anyone else who enters the house for that matter.

Summer House’s Danielle Olivera Opens Up About Split From Robert Sieber and Shares Reason for “Emotional” Breakup

🍸 Passing the Shade…

She is clueless when it comes to Girl Code. And did she watch this week’s episode? She pushed.

Scheana Shay Reacts to “Instigator” Label on Vanderpump Rules, Shades Katie for Hitting “Below the Belt” & Admits She Told Raquel to “Make Out” With Schwartz

🎰 Showing Her Cards…

Gambling has never been my jam. I went to Atlantic City once to see a show, and played the slots for a few hours first – back when they were actual slot machines and somewhat exciting. I’d gotten a certain amount of rolled coins from the bank, and decided that would be the only amount I’d play with. I came home a quarter shy. Yeah, it was cool on the spins when a bunch of money came out, but I didn’t feel the need to play any more when I had to get going. Or ever.

Kim Zolciak Breaks Silence Amid Home Foreclosure as Her Gambling Habits Are Exposed Plus $250,000 Loss at Casino is Alleged

Geez. I take better pictures for eBay.

PHOTOS: Kim Zolciak is Selling Designer Bags & Clothes Ahead of Home Auction as Husband Kroy Vacuums Mansion in His Boxers Amid Foreclosure

🛣  In Last Week’s Last…

I have to admit, I didn’t even notice.

https://people.com/tv/the-last-of-us-fans-point-out-hbo-editing-error/

My favorite reply.

🐈 Prosperous Pets…

I’ll bet they all still poop on the floor.

Taylor Swift’s Cat Olivia Benson And Other Richest Celebrity Pets Living Their Best Lives

🎯 Quotes of the Week

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. – Chief Seattle (Once again, don’t step on any butterflies.)

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. – Oscar Wilde

What I did or said should never be more important than why I did it or said it. – Andrea Kelly

There is only one way to avoid criticism: say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. – Elbert Hubbard

Just knowing you don’t have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn – and those are all good things. – Dick Van Dyke

Each day we are given the opportunity to choose between that which is easy and fast and that which is more difficult and slow. The fast and easy track is attractive, but doesn’t bear fruit. The slow and hard track is intimidating, but has the most potential. – Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Some people think only intellect counts: knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy. – Dean Koontz

Renew, release, let go. Yesterday’s gone. There’s nothing you can do to bring it back. You can’t “should’ve” done something. You can only DO something. Renew yourself. Release that attachment. Today is a new day! – Steve Maraboli

There is no room for mediocrity in karaoke. – some obviously Drunk Kid I met there

🚶🏽‍♀️ Walking It Off…

Come back fresh on Monday really Tuesday for soap and the return of Captain Lee, which might offset the middle aged adolescents in that House. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your head in the clouds, but your feet on the ground, and stay letting living your best life be your best revenge.

Feb11

February 10, 2023 – Willow Wants Arrangements Made, Duke Dialog, Reaction, His Honor, For Shame, Halftime, Puppies (!), One More Than Ten Quotes & Groove

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis comes downstairs in his tux. Marshall and Drew are there, and tell him how great he looks, but Curtis says, all eyes are going to be on his lovely bride. Drew asks if he has the jitters, but Curtis says, not one, and Marshall asks, what’s his secret? Curtis says, today, he gets to marry the woman he loves, and he’s never been more sure of anything in his life.

Jordan sees TJ at the hospital, and asks if he shouldn’t be with Curtis, getting ready for the big day, but TJ says he’s still a resident, and has to put in the hours. He’s just wrapping up. He wants to see if he can get Aunt Stella to come to the wedding, but she keeps insisting she’s not feeling well, and doesn’t want anyone to catch what she has. But they both know there’s more going on here, don’t they.

Portia flashes back to Jordan telling her, it might do her some good to unburden herself, when Josslyn knocks at the dressing room door. Portia asks where Trina is, and Josslyn says, she’s making a phone call.

On the phone, Spencer tells Trina that he almost crashed the rehearsal dinner, but realized it wasn’t about him. He didn’t want to pull the focus on the bride and groom. She says, he might be halfway decent at this father thing after all, and Portia overhears the end of the conversation.

Austin arrives at Windymere, and asks Ava, what’s so urgent? She says, they have to move her ex-husband.

Finn says, Nik is just gone? and Elizabeth says, after their argument, he must have realized she could confess to the police. Finn says, that changes everything.

Nina tells Sonny that she was going to attend Curtis’s wedding, but that was before they got the bad news about Willow. He says he’s sure Curtis will understand, but it would give them a few hours to get out of the hospital. He doesn’t think Willow’s condition is going to change tonight. She asks how she can leave her daughter’s side, even if Willow doesn’t want her near her.

Willow says, it’s time they have the talk, but Michael says he’s not giving up. She says she’s not giving up either, but they have to start thinking about his life without her. She says she needs him to face the truth; she’s going to die. I kind of don’t get this, since it’s not like he’ll have to fend for himself.

Laura comes to the church early, and Taggert says, it’s been ages since they’ve seen each other. He came early to double-check security, and she says, better safe than sorry. They can’t get the cop out of him, can they? He says, not when it comes to his daughter or her mom. Why is Laura hear earlier than everyone else? She says she’s officiating this wedding. Apparently, Stella wasn’t well enough to come.

TJ says, Aunt Stella might be feeling guilty, since she meddled with Portia and Curtis when they first got back together, but Jordan says, Stella gave all of Curtis’s girlfriends a hard time, including her. She eventually comes around. He says, they know Aunt Stella is the best at punishing herself; she’s probably overblowing an upset stomach. Jordan suggests Stella might be concerned about her own recent health scare. She just wants Curtis to be happy; they all do. He asks how she’s handling today. It must bring up a lot of emotions. She says she and Curtis weren’t meant to be; there were too many secrets between them. He asks if she thinks they’d still be together if things had been different, but she says, they couldn’t have been. The secrets she was keeping were because of her job. The only thing she could have changed is letting the truth come from her, instead of someone else. She tells him that he should go, and to wish Curtis well for her.

Curtis says he knows Drew has a lot on his plate with Willow, but Drew says he’s where he needs to be. Not that he has a lot to do. Curtis isn’t nervous, and didn’t even let Drew throw him a bachelor party. Curtis thinks they might be a little too old for that, and Marshall says, you always think you’re old until you get older. Then you realize how young you really were. Drew says, at least they’re going to have a toast, and goes to get the drinks. Curtis asks Marshall if everything is okay, and Marshall says he’s just a wee bit overwhelmed. All those years of not being there for Curtis, he never knew they’d have this relationship. They still have miles to go, but standing by Curtis’s side means everything to him. Curtis says, it means everything to him too.

Trina asks if Portia is ready to put on her dress, but Portia says, there’s plenty of time for that. Josslyn says she’s going to check in with Olivia, and make sure the MetroCourt ballroom is set up for the reception, and talk to Laura. She asks if Trina is sure she doesn’t want to talk to Laura, but Trina says, Josslyn is going to have to face Cam’s grandmother at some point. Josslyn leaves, and Portia says, with Stella under the weather, there’s going to be an extra seat at the main table if Trina wants to invite a friend.

Ava says, they have to move Nikolas to the Pine Barrens right away, and Austin asks, why? Nikolas’s body is safely tucked away in a tack room closet. Didn’t they agree to wait until the curiosity about his disappearance died down? She says, that was before she spoke to Elizabeth. Just as she feared, Elizabeth is feeling guilty about what she and Nikolas did to Esme. How long will it be after Elizabeth turns herself in, that the police will get here and discover her late husband’s body?

Finn asks if Elizabeth has reconsidered turning herself in, but she says she thought she made her position clear. He reminds her that she said she was going to sleep on it, and she says, she did. She woke up more convinced than ever of what’s right. She even had Scotty come over this morning. She didn’t get into particulars… He says, it’s good to get legal advice. He sort of spoke to a lawyer himself. He didn’t use any names and spoke in hypotheticals, but this lawyer said her best bet is to testify against Nik, and the prosecution will focus on the main culprit, but Nik took off. He’s probably long out of the range of the law. Doesn’t that change the calculus? She says, not for her.

Michael says, it’s a setback, a big one, but Willow can’t be certain she’s going to die. She says, they’re running out of time to make sure everything is in place, and he asks what she means. She says, what she wants for Wiley and Amelia, and for him. So she knows when she’s gone, arrangements will be made, and they’ll be okay. He doesn’t want to hear it, and gets up, but she says, if they don’t do this now, everything she’s done will have been for nothing. She risked her health and safety to make sure Amelia would have a fighting chance at life. She can live with those consequences, but if he doesn’t sit down and talk with her about arrangements for Amelia and Wiley, and what life she wants them to have, about who will help him take care of them, and what they’ll be told about her when she’s gone, she won’t be at peace. He sits back down, and she says she’s so scared about what’s going to happen to him. It would be easy for him to bury himself in work, but she doesn’t want he children raised by nannies. She needs to know he’ll keep going, and one day, the three of them will be happy again. She needs to know her family will be okay and someday move on. They’re both crying, and he says he doesn’t want to give up hope. She says she loves him so much for that, but right now she doesn’t need hope. She needs peace of mind. And he’s the only person who can give that to her. A nurse needs to check Willow’s vitals, Michael says, of course (🍷), and leaves.

Drew comes back with glasses and some scotch, and Curtis says, it’s a special occasion. He’s got the good stuff downstairs. He leaves, and Drew says he wants to apologize to Marshall for all the background check stuff that went down, but Marshall says, that’s all in the past. There is something Drew can do for him. His greatest fear is that he has some kind of episode today. He hasn’t had one in years, but given this big occasion, he’s afraid he might give in to the pressure. So if Drew gets any sense he’s going to cause a scene, promise he’ll get Marshall out of there without any disruption. Drew says, absolutely, and Marshall thanks him and says he doesn’t want to ruin Curtis and Portia’s big day.

Trina says, Josslyn is going to be there, so she’ll have a friend with her, and Portia asks if Trina is actually going to make her say it. Trina says, what? and Portia says, if Trina wants to invite Spencer, she’d be okay with that. She’s never going to say he’s her favorite person, but she’s noticed Trina getting closer to him. She wants her special day to be special for Trina too. Trina says she’ll think about it.

Austin says he’s confused. Last night and this morning, Ava was all out of sorts, and now she’s all business. She says she loved Nikolas. It was a dark and twisted kind of love, but it was love. He says he believes it, and she says she doesn’t know what his story is, or why he decided to help her, but they’re bound together now, and they’ve got to get going. Ava hears Spencer call her name, and he bursts into the sitting room. He says, sorry. He used his key and let himself in. She asks what she can do for him, and he says he wants to know what went down between her and his father last night. Spencer asks for some privacy, and Austin steps out of the room. Spencer asks what Austin is doing here, and Ava says, they became friendly after he treated her for her hook wound. Spencer says he played the blackmail video for his father, but he refused to sign over the rights to the baby. He got the definite impression Nikolas was going to come here to confront her. Since then, he hasn’t answered any of Spencer’s calls or texts. He just wants to know if Nikolas is going to fight him for custody. She says she doesn’t think Nikolas is going to be a problem for him anymore.

Elizabeth tells Finn that she can’t live with this hanging over her for the rest of her life, always wondering if Nikolas or Ava will change their mind, and throw her under the bus. Finn says, Nikolas can’t throw her under the bus without throwing himself too, and his answer was to skip town. She says she went along with the plan because she thought she was protecting her son and this entire town from Esme. Once they found out Esme wasn’t The Hook killer, she and Nikolas said nothing. They withheld the truth, and The Hook killed again, her colleague Britt Westbourne. Britt’s dead because of her.

TJ arrives at Curtis’s, and says he wanted to try and rally Aunt Stella into coming, but no luck. Curtis says, it would be nice to have his whole family there, and TJ says, how sick can she be? Curtis says, she’s probably just nervous about her recent health scare, and TJ says, that’s what his mom said; he ran into her at the hospital. Curtis says he hopes Jordan knows, despite everything that went down, he’d love to see her there tonight. TJ says, she knows that. Understandably, she’s a little in her head today, but wanted him to send her best, and tell him that she’s happy for him. All of them are.

Terry says, sorry she’s late; she got held up at the hospital. Portia says, with a family full of doctors, if anyone understands, it’s her. Trina, Josslyn, and Terry wait, and Portia comes out in her wedding dress. I suck at describing clothes, but it’s got long sleeves, which I appreciate, and is super low cut. It’s got tasteful cut-outs and sparkly adornments, and a train that she can attach to her hand – I love those. Trina says, she’s the most beautiful bride ever. She’s beyond gorgeous, but Trina thinks they’re forgetting something. Something old, blue, borrowed, new. Josslyn says, the dress is new, and Portia says, her brother Zeke gave her this brooch that belongs to her mom. We see it pinned to the bouquet, and Trina says, they have new and borrowed, so she’ll handle the old and blue. She opens a jewelry box to show a charm that has a doctor’s symbol on it, and says, remember the suffrage project she did in high school? Portia says, of course (🍷) she does, and Trina says, she read about a doctor named Priscilla Johnson and she had a charm like this one. She found this a while back and wanted Portia to have it. Portia asks, why? and Trina says, she was ahead of her time and it inspired her, the way Portia inspires her every day. Portia says she absolutely loves it, just like she loves Trina.

TJ says he knows the toast is the best man’s job, but asks Drew to indulge him. To his uncle, the man who spends so much time looking out for everyone else. It means so much that they get to stand up for him on the happiest day of his life. Drew tells them, he couldn’t have said it better himself, they clink glasses, and drink. Drew says, now they have to get the groom to the church. It’s time for him to get married.

The nurse says she’ll see Willow in an hour, and leaves. Nina slips in, and Willow asks what she wants. Nina says she understands that the stem cell transplant isn’t happening. She wanted to tell Willow that she’s really sorry, and she’s sorry she wasn’t a bone marrow match, and couldn’t save Willow’s life. Willow says, not everything is about Nina, and Nina says, she’s right. That’s actually why she came by. She takes off her half-heart necklace, and says she found this necklace with Madeline’s belongings. Willow asks if the story has a point, and Nina says, for years she convinced herself this was Madeline’s way of connecting her to her daughter. That’s how self-absorbed she is sometimes. She thought the necklace had to do with her, but it had nothing to do with her; the necklace was linking the sisters together. Her twin daughters Madeline separated from each other. She knows Willow wants nothing to do with her or her sister, but this necklace is Willow’s. Willow turns her back to Nina, and Nina stands there for a moment, then puts it on the nightstand and leaves, closing the door. I can’t stand Willow. There, I said it.

Elizabeth says, Britt was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Britt is dead because of the choices she made. Finn says, Elizabeth has been beating herself up for a while, but he can’t help feeling she’s transferring residual guilt she feels about Reiko onto Britt. Please don’t do this because she thinks she needs to pay some kind of penance, or thinks he’s holding a grudge against her; he’s not. She doesn’t need to be absolved by him or anyone else. She says, maybe she needs to be absolved by herself, and he says, even if the police knew where Esme was, it wouldn’t have prevented anyone from getting hurt. The prosecution will be out for blood, and with Nik gone, she’ll be left to pay the price. Is that justice? The guy responsible for this is out walking free, while she risks being taken away from her boys? She says she woudn’t be someone they’d be proud of if she didn’t do this.

Ava tells Spencer that Nikolas came to Windymere last night. He was livid that she’d given Spencer material to use against him in his custody battle. He said he couldn’t trust that Ava wouldn’t turn him in after Spencer got custody. She’s so sorry. His father left town, probably the country. She doesn’t think he’s coming back to Port Charles, not after all the bridges he’s burned. The only two people in his corner are his mother and his Uncle Victor. Spencer says, he left without saying goodbye? and she says she’s so sorry. His phone dings, he looks at it, and says he has to go. All he can say is, good riddance. He leaves, and Austin says, she’s really good. She says, no time for compliments. They have a body to move. He says, that’s not going to happen.

Elizabeth asks Finn how she’s any better than her parents. How can she expect her boys to be better when she’s setting a bad example? How can she ever find peace? She’ll always care about him, and Violet will always be her niece, but if she’s honest, their underlying issues were exacerbated by his need to be her hero; protecting her instead of trusting her to handle things. She knows it’s from a good place, but needed to handle her trauma in her own way, and she did just that. Now she wants him to let her handle this in the way she sees fit. For the sake of the family they’ll always share, she’s asking him not to fight her.

Austin says he’s not helping Ava with the body right now, and she asks if he didn’t hear her. Elizabeth is having a crisis of conscience. If she goes to the cops, the first thing they’re going to do is search the property, and look for where Esme was being held captive. He says, people get caught when they’re impulsive, and they should be smarter than that, methodical. It’s the middle of the day. Her super handsome stepson just waltzed right in here. What would have happened if he’d seen them putting his tarp-wrapped papa in a rowboat to get him off the island? That would have been really uncomfortable. They would have been screwed. She says, that’s a fair point. Does he have a plan? He says, no, but he knows enough not to do it in broad daylight. They should wait for the cover of darkness. Isn’t she supposed to be at a wedding? They don’t want people asking why she was a no-show, or worse, stopping by to find out if she’s okay. She says, fine. After the wedding, they’ll meet back here, and take care of the body. She starts to leave, then says, she knows why she has experience in these extreme situations. Remind her to ask why it comes so naturally to him.

Terry says, the guests should be arriving soon; they should mingle. She and Josslyn leave, and Portia tells Trina that she loves the charm, because it reminds her of the amazing young woman Trina is. She’s going to carry it with her always. Trina says she’s grateful for Portia every day. Portia makes her so proud to be her daughter. Portia says, Trina makes her proud every single day, and Trina says she knows she didn’t always make it easy, but Portia says, she’s an angel. Stress is part of the job of being a parent. Trina says she meant she didn’t always make it easy for Portia and Curtis at first, but Portia says, that time has long past. Every choice she’s made in her life, it’s been with Trina in mind. Just because she’s walking down the aisle, doesn’t mean that will change. Trina is the love of her life.

Laura says, Curtis looks fantastic, and he says he’s just keeping up with his bride. He knows she’ll look amazing. Laura says she needs to prep, and jets, when Taggert walks in. He says he thinks it’s time he and Curtis had a talk.

Michael comes back to Willow’s room. He asks about the necklace, but she says, it’s nothing that matters. He says he’s sorry if he made her feel unheard, but she says he doesn’t need to apologize. They’re in this situation because of decisions she made without giving him a say. She doesn’t get to dictate how he deals with this. He says he’ll never give up hope on her, but if it gives her peace of mind to make preparations for a future she might not be part of, he can do that. She thanks him, and he asks where they start. She says, finally an easy question. He can start by marrying her.

Sonny asks how it went with Willow, and Nina says she didn’t expect it to be easy, but she thought if Willow knew there was a mom looking for her, it would give her the strength that she needs. She asks if they can get out of here, and he says, home or to the wedding? but she says they don’t have time to get ready for the wedding. He says he had Frank bring her dress just in case, so it’s ready if she is. He’ll follow her lead. She thanks him.

Finn tells Elizabeth that he doesn’t like it, and disagrees with it, but it’s not his decision to make, and he respects her choice. If she likes, he’ll be there with her every step of the way. She thanks him, and he says, for the record, he wasn’t trying to be a hero; he was just trying to do right by her. Do him one small favor. Don’t go to the station tonight. Call Scotty in the morning, and have him coordinate everything with the police. She says, okay. She’ll try not to let the family know anything is wrong. He says, she doesn’t have to wait alone. There’s a little shindig they’re both supposed to be at, and he thinks Portia would appreciate her being there. And if she needs anything, there’s a guy across the aisle who cares about her.

There’s a knock at Portia’s bedroom door, and Terry says, the church is starting to fill up. Her phone dings, and she says, Elizabeth’s on her way. Trina says she’ll see Portia out there, and Portia tells Trina that she loves her. Trina says she loves Portia too, and leaves.

Ava comes out all dressed up, and Austin says she looks really nice. She says, thanks, let’s go, but he says he thought he’d hang out here until she got back. She tells him that she said this binds them together, not that she trusts him. Come on. He follows her out.

Josslyn says, if she had to come to a wedding without a date, she’s glad she’s with Trina. Trina says she hates to break it to Josslyn, but she has a date. Josslyn says, what? Who? Spencer walks in.

Taggert says, he and Curtis never really talked about how Curtis and Portia got together back then, but Curtis says, this isn’t the time. Taggert says, just hear him out. Whatever happened back then doesn’t matter. Today is about the future, and he sees how great Curtis is for Portia, and the sacrifices he’s made for Trina. He sees they’re going to have a bright future. Curtis says he certainly didn’t expect that, and thanks Taggert. Taggert says he knows this doesn’t make them family, but he’s glad Curtis is part of his daughter’s. He’s a good man. They shake hands, and Curtis says, Taggert is a good man too.

Portia checks herself out in the mirror, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens the door and sees Jordan. She asks what Jordan is doing here, and Jordan says, stopping Portia from making the biggest mistake of her life.

On Monday, Jordan asks if Portia can really walk down the aisle with this hanging over her; Michael says he needs Willow to do something for him in return; and Nina asks if Carly will be joining Drew.

🕶 Live and In Person…

On YouTube anyway, February 17th.

Ian Buchanan Live Interview Scheduled

👛 More Than Two Cents…

Why shouldn’t Bethenny comment? She’s done her time. Brandi really needs to go directly to the unemployment line, no passing go, no collecting Bravo dollars.

https://pagesix.com/2023/02/07/bethenny-frankel-reacts-to-caroline-manzo-brandi-glanville-incident/

👨‍⚖️ You Should Be Watching…

It was so long between seasons, I’d actually forgotten about Your Honor, but it’s back, and worth the watch. Great story and an amazing cast. My advice though, start from the beginning.

https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2023/01/22/bryan-cranston-on-exploring-grief-and-depression-in-season-two-of-your-honor/

https://nypost.com/2023/02/03/how-isiah-whitlock-jr-deals-with-bryan-cranston-in-your-honor/

https://www.salon.com/2023/01/22/rosie-perez-your-honor/

🤬 Blood Officially Boiling…

What possessed this woman to make a comment like this? Not to mention, Melanie Lynskey is a superb actor, while she’s a model who married Christopher Knight, and did a bunch of reality shows.

https://nypost.com/2023/02/09/melanie-lynskey-slams-antm-winner-adrianne-curry-for-body-shaming-her/

🥁 Bowl, Wings and Chill…

Halftime. That’s what it’s really all about, isn’t it?

https://parade.com/entertainment/super-bowl-2023-halftime-show-rihanna

In related RiRi news…

https://parade.com/entertainment/super-bowl-2023-halftime-show-rihannahttps://pagesix.com/2023/02/10/rihanna-gets-met-gala-inspired-wax-figure-before-super-bowl-2023/ 

I admire the audacity to rank.

https://www.avclub.com/super-bowl-halftime-shows-ranked-1850091017

🐶 And Of Course…

What it’s really all about for me.

https://parade.com/tv/puppy-bowl-2023

How to Watch the Puppy Bowl 2024

You get a puppy! And you get a puppy!

https://ew.com/tv/puppy-bowl-2023-puppies-kittens-you-can-adopt/

👩🏽‍🏫 Quotes of the Week

The rule is to dress for the job you want. 🔸  I can’t come to work dressed like an astronaut. – Mandy (Molly McCook) and Kyle (Christoph Sanders) respectively, Last Man Standing

Life is problems. Living is solving problems. – Raymond E. Feist

Every piece of the universe, even the tiniest little snow crystal, matters somehow. I have a place in the pattern, and so do you. – T.A. Barron (Don’t step on any butterflies.)

A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. – Theodore Roosevelt

As to wishing it had not happened, one can’t help momentary wishes: guilt begins only when one embraces them. You can’t help their knocking at the door, but one mustn’t ask them in to lunch. – C.S. Lewis, from The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume III

Leaders who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they can deliver. – Mark A. Clement

No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has. – Henry Ward Beecher

Have no fear of perfection; you’ll never reach it. – Salvador Dalí

The opportunity of a lifetime is to pick yourself. Quit waiting to get picked; quit waiting for someone to give you permission; quit waiting for someone to say you are officially qualified… and pick yourself. – Seth Godin

That food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison. – Ann Wigmore

What did Columbus discover? People were already here. It’s like crashing your car into Starbucks & saying you discovered coffee. – Jimmy Kimmel

🥙 Bowl Me Over…

Make a return trip on Monday really Tuesday for soap, the latest Deck, and my derogatory comments about the godawful Summer House coming back. Until then, stay safe, stay taking it a minute at a time if you have to, and stay never moving a body in broad daylight. Wait for the cover of darkness.

Feb2

February 1, 2023 – Willow Goes To Heaven, Moonlighting, One Season Wife, New Judge, No Consent, Dead Reviews Last, Adoption Help & Good

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny and Nina wait for news on Willow. Nina wonders why she’s still in the OR, but Sonny says, the good news is, Willow’s having a healthy baby girl; their shared grandchild. (Weird how that worked out.) Curtis comes by, and he and Nina hug. He says, Drew just told him about Nina and Willow, and Nina says, Curtis, more than anyone, knows the disappointments she’s had searching for her daughter. Now her new daughter has a new daughter, and this miracle is a long time coming. He says he’s thrilled for her, and they hug again.

Stella tells Jordan that she’s not just Curtis’s aunt; she’s the officiant at his wedding to Portia. How can she stand before the Almighty, and ask Him to bless a marriage, when she knows the bride is lying to the groom? How can she be solid when she knows Portia hasn’t told Curtis that Trina might be his daughter? Portia walks in.

Spencer tells Trina that Ava was right; this changes everything. His father actually confessed on record that he thought he killed Esme. Trina says, there had to be a reason he confessed, but Spencer asks if it matters. He plays the confession again.

Esme says, her boyfriend’s father is also her baby’s father, and Nikolas says, it’s a complicated situation. He’ll answer her questions as best he can, but she has to know that she can trust him.

Elizabeth says, there’s nothing Carolyn can do for her, but Carolyn is right that she’s exhausted, and she’s too tired to listen. Carolyn says, Elizabeth won’t have to worry about seeing her again, since she’s flying back to California and out of Elizabeth’s life for as long as Elizabeth likes. Elizabeth asks if she wasn’t consulting on a case, but Carolyn says, now that she’s met the patient, she’s decided she wants nothing to do with the case, or the person who requested her help. And neither should Elizabeth.

Michael tells Josslyn, despite everything, his daughter is healthy and happy, when Carly runs in, asking, where’s her favorite new person on the planet? They all look at the new baby through the window.

Austin runs into the ER, asking, what’s going on? and Dr. Navarro says, Willow’s still hemorrhaging. Willow drifts out of herself, and sees Harmony in the clouds. Harmony holds out her arms, and tells Willow not to worry; mama is here.

Nina tells Curtis that Willow is still in the OR, and he says, Drew told him how Willow risked everything to have the baby. She has one brave daughter. Nina says, sometimes it takes more than bravery; look at Britt. He says, part of the reason he’s here is to support Nina at Britt’s memorial, and she says, he knows what a long, strange journey it’s been for her. He says he still regrets letting Valentin play them about Sasha, but she says, that’s water under the bridge. Sasha’s not her daughter, but she still considers Sasha family. Sonny says, almost a daughter. Curtis is going to know what that’s like one day. Curtis says, from his lips, but first there’s a wedding, and he’s counting on them to be in attendance.

Jordan says she knows Portia and Stella are picking up Stella’s dress, and hopes all goes well. She tells them that she should get going to Britt’s memorial, and Portia says to give Britt’s friends and family her condolences. She would have been there, but things with the wedding got backed up. Portia and Stella leave.

Spencer says, his father actually tried to kill Esme, and Trina says, so Spencer is going to use the confession to force his father to drop any claim to Esme’s baby, and let Spencer have custody. Spencer says, absolutely, and she says, what if he refuses? but Spencer says, how can he? This confession is evidence of a crime. Not only did his father seduce his ex-girlfriend, he tried to murder her. This isn’t just an accusation, but his father’s own incriminating words. He’s not the one who threw Esme off the parapet; his father did. She says, they both know Esme is a monster, and the way his father described it, it wasn’t premeditated, but a fit of rage. He says, that makes it okay? and she says, of course (🍷) not, but if he goes down that path, he’ll be deliberately destroying his father’s life; using his own words to take his child away. He asks what she’s suggesting; that he does nothing, and lets his father get away with it?

Esme says, Nikolas paid for her defense, and brought in a psychiatrist to consult on her case, who within ten minutes, just takes off. Now he informs her that she made this baby with him, her boyfriend’s father, and she’s supposed to trust him? He says, before her memory loss, she trusted him, and said there was a connection between them that they couldn’t deny. They were both in extremely vulnerable situations; Spencer had just broken up with her, and he thought his marriage was over. What they did was wrong, but they couldn’t resist. She says, if he’s the father, why would Spencer say he is?

Michael says his baby is gorgeous, and Carly says, of course (🍷) she is; it runs in the family. He says he can’t wait for Willow to see her. He wonders why he hasn’t heard from the OR, but Carly says, he’ll hear soon. Josslyn asks if he has a name for the baby, but he says, they hadn’t settled on one yet. Wiley suggested Ashoka, and he and Willow called the baby Walnut because of how she looked on the first sonogram. Josslyn says, Ashoka Walnut Corinthos is an option, but Carly is sure Michael and Willow have some alternatives in mind. Bobbie comes out, and asks Michael to come with her to meet his daughter.

Willow says, Harmony isn’t her mother, and Harmony – who’s dressed in black, which I find a weird color choice for heaven – says, in life no, but it wasn’t all a lie. No one loved Willow more than she did. Willow says, she knows what love is and isn’t, and Harmony asks if she thinks Nina loves her. Nina loves only Nina, but Harmony was there for her. When they moved from one temporary home to another, and it seemed impossible to make new friends. When Willow got lost, who found her? Who did their best to dry her tears? She calls Willow Kali, but Willow tells Harmony that her name is Willow. We see the staff in the OR working on her, and Harmony says, Willow is still her Kali.

Curtis says he’ll see Nina at the memorial, and she thanks him for his good wishes. He says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Nina thinks there should have been an update by now, but Sonny says, when Willow is in recovery, they’ll be told.

Trina says she’s not defending Nikolas, or suggesting he get away with attempted murder, but before Spencer uses the confession, ask himself why Nikolas confessed in the first place. His father’s not a fool; he must have had a reason. She loves Ava, but Ava wants Nikolas to pay for breaking her heart. This confession might not even be true. It might be another game between the two of them, and if Spencer uses this confession as leverage, he could get caught in the middle. He says, if it saves his little brother or sister, he doesn’t mind, and she says, he might not mind, but she does.

Elizabeth says, Nikolas brought Carolyn to town? and Carolyn says, he told her it was on Elizabeth’s behalf. He said she was in trouble. Elizabeth asks why Carolyn didn’t say anything when they ran into each other, and Carolyn says, Nikolas told her it was imperative Elizabeth not know. From her perspective, she was flying blind, and wanted all the facts before she went to Elizabeth. Once she’d spent time with him, it became clear that any trouble Elizabeth was in, started with Nikolas. Elizabeth asks what Nikolas told her, and Carolyn says, enough to sense that what Nikolas roped Elizabeth into doing was wrong, maybe even illegal. He said Carolyn could atone for any harm she’d done to Elizabeth in the past. He said she could use those same skills to keep someone else from remembering something that would end up hurting Elizabeth and her boys. Elizabeth says, and that someone is Esme Prince, right? and Carolyn says, yes.

Bobbie brings out the baby for Michael to hold, and Carly and Josslyn watch. They remark how little she is, but she really isn’t, so it’s weird. Michael tells the baby he’d give her anything. There’s so many people who want to meet her, starting with her mommy.

Sonny calls Carly, who tells him that they’re in the NICU visiting with the new baby. He asks if Michael is with her, and she says, he’s holding the baby; why? Sonny says, the doctors in the OR are looking for Michael, and she asks, what happened?

Willow says that she’s Willow, Michael’s fiancé, the mother of his children, but Harmony says, where they’re going, names don’t matter. There’s nothing to tie you to the past. Don’t be afraid. Come with her. Harmony holds out her hand, and I yell, go into the light, Carol Anne Willow!

On the phone, Jordan says she thinks she should attend Britt’s memorial herself. She wants Britt’s family to understand that Britt’s sacrifice won’t be in vain. Curtis says he couldn’t help but overhear. It takes a lot of courage to face Britt’s family on a day like today. She says, they deserve answers. She just wishes she had better ones to give them. He says, Obrecht has a temper, and he’d hate to see her take incoming fire, but she says, it goes with the badge. If she’d lost a child, she’d feel the same way. Curtis says, so would he.

A woman leads Stella and Portia to the dress viewing area (I have no idea what it’s called), and Portia says she’s a grown woman with a daughter in college, and her butterflies have butterflies. She suggests they start with Stella’s dress, and the woman leaves to get it. Stella wonders if there’s a reason Portia is so nervous, and Portia says, the last time she got married, she was in her 20s. She asks how many weddings Stella has been a part of, and Stella says, enough to know they’re not all the same. They all start off beautifully, with the dress, the cake, the music of course (🍷)… Portia says, it seems like something is on Stella’s mind, but she’s not saying it, which is unlike her. She seemed cheerful and supportive of the wedding until now. Has something changed?

Trina tells Spencer that she cares about that baby too. That poor thing never asked to be born, let alone have Esme and his dad as parents. He says, then she understands why he can’t just turn the other way, and why he needs to fight using any weapon he can find. His father can’t afford for this information to become public, and a judge or the police will want answers. That’s why his father is going to bow out and give him custody. She says, if that’s really his endgame, why leverage his dad? Why not go straight to the cops?

Esme asks why it isn’t possible that Spencer is the father of her baby, and Nikolas says, timing-wise makes it impossible. Esme says, Spencer disagrees, but Nikolas says, because she has no way to know he was lying. His son has a good heart, but sometimes he ends up hurting the people he wants to help. He’ll deal with his son, but right now they need to focus on the baby. Esme has other challenges she’s facing, like her precarious legal situation. The reason he brought Carolyn to see her is because he wanted to take one of those burdens off her hands. He takes out a document, and says, all she has to do is sign it, and he’ll make sure her baby is waiting, until she’s free once more.

Carly thinks she should be with Michael, but Bobbie says, Willow is getting the best care. Josslyn says, Michael can’t lose her, and they have a three-way hug.

Michael asks Sonny, what’s going on? and Sonny says, Willow’s in the OR; they’re waiting for an update. All he knows is, Willow’s a fighter, and that kind of runs in the family.

Willow’s blood pressure continues to drop, and she asks where Harmony is taking her. Harmony says, to a better place; the kind of place they’ve been searching for. A place of peace and tranquility. A place of love. Take her hand. Willow says, what about her family? but Harmony says she’s Willow’s family. Trust her. Willow takes her hand, and Harmony says, that’s my girl.

Jordan says she ran into Curtis’s Aunt Stella. She and Portia are on their way to the bridal boutique. He says, everyone’s excited. Between Aunt Stella and his father, you’d think they were going to be at the top of the cake. He apologizes, and says he didn’t mean to sound insensitive, but Jordan says she wants him to be happy. That’s why… nothing. She starts to walk away, but he says he knows her. If it’s not about the wedding, what’s wrong?

Stella says she’s going to stand before God, and Portia’s family and friends, but Portia says, our family. She used to think all she needed was her medical degree and Trina, but then Curtis came back into he life. They went from separate homes to this beautiful home of their own that they share with Trina, and were able to welcome Curtis’s dad, Stella, TJ, and Molly. She feels the more they give, the more they have. The more love, more joy, more everything. That’s why she feels this wedding isn’t just about the two of them; it’s about all of them. She gives Stella a jewelry box, and says, it’s for her. Stella opens it to find  a beautiful bracelet, and Portia says, it’s been in her family for generations. She wants Stella to wear it to the wedding, but Stella says she can’t accept this, and Portia asks, why not?

Elizabeth says, Carolyn visited Esme at Spring Ridge? and Carolyn says, Nikolas insisted. The moment she saw Esme was pregnant, and realized he wanted to silence Esme for some selfish reason, she couldn’t go along with it. She refuses to ruin someone else’s life. She knows Nikolas has been in Elizabeth’s life since high school, and been around for important events that she and Elizabeth’s dad missed out on, but trust her, Nikolas is not her friend. She doesn’t believe he has Elizabeth’s best interests at heart. She wishes she’d realized it sooner, and been straight with Elizabeth the moment she got to town. She wishes so many things. All she can say in her defense is, she’s still learning. She hopes one day she earns Elizabeth’s forgiveness. Elizabeth thanks Carolyn for telling her, and Carolyn says, you’re very welcome, Elizabeth. Elizabeth thanks Carolyn for calling her Elizabeth instead of Lizzie, and Carolyn tells her, like she said, she’s still learning.

Carly wants to be with Michael, but Bobbie says, Sonny is up there, and Josslyn points out that Nina will be there too. What’s worse, Michael facing them on his own, or them going up there, and a fight breaking out? He told them to stay with the baby. Bobbie gives them scrubs, and tells them to put smiles on their faces. They’re going in to see the baby.

Sonny tells Nina to have faith. He doesn’t think God would bring her daughter into her life to take her away. Nina says, please don’t let Willow die. Please. She has two children that need their mom. Please let Willow live.

Harmony tells Willow, just one more step, and she’ll find perfect peace.

Curtis says he knows he and Jordan are past losing the divorce papers, so what is it? She says she meant what she said. She genuinely hopes there’s a happy ending for him and Portia, and Trina. She leaves, but I don’t think Curtis is convinced she’s telling him everything.

Stella says, Portia should save the family heirloom and give it to Trina for her own wedding, but Portia says, Stella can pay it forward and give it to Trina then. Please say she’ll wear it to the wedding. Stella says, the last thing she wants to do is spoil Portia’s happiness. Portia’s right. When she marries Curtis, she marries his family, flaws and all. Portia says, Stella is flawless, but Stella says, hardly. Think of what she kept from Curtis all those years; letting him and his brother think their father was dead. Portia says, Stella thought she was doing right by her sister, and asks if she’d make the same choice if she had it to do over again. Stella says she honestly doesn’t know, and no one can make that decision for you. The woman brings Stella’s dress in, and says, showtime.

Spencer and Trina go into the chapel, and he says, if he brings the video directly to the police, it becomes a legal matter. If he takes it directly to his father, then his father backs off, it stays between them, and he becomes responsible for Esme’s baby. She says, it sounds like he has it all figured out, even though they know he’s doing this for another reason. By keeping this from the police, he’s not completely shutting the door on his dad. Part of Spencer still loves him, and knows if he uses that confession, he’ll lose his father forever.

Nikolas gives Esme the papers along with a pen, and she asks if she shouldn’t have a lawyer look at it. He says, this is a mere formality, and she says she appreciates him looking out for her and her baby, but this is all overwhelming. She’s gone from thinking Spencer is the father of her baby to finding out it’s really him, and it’s a lot to process. He says, of course (🍷). He’ll leave the paper with her and come back tomorrow. She needs to be at her best so she can clear her name and come back to her… their baby. He leaves, and Esme wonders if she can really trust him.

Josslyn, Carly, and Bobbie visit with the baby, and Bobbie says, she thinks Willow’s name is perfect. Willow trees are strong. A big, strong wind can knock down a giant oak tree, but willows can weather any storm.

Michael says, if Willow can hear him right now, she has to know how much they need her. Not just him; Wiley and their new daughter. They’re waiting for her. Waiting to take her home.

Willow hears Michael say, home. We’re waiting for you. Come back to us. Harmony says, they’re almost there, but Willow turns around.

Austin comes out, and Michael asks if Willow is okay.

Trina says, Spencer has suffered some horrible losses, but he’s also lived a pretty privileged life. Remember that. Jordan walks in, but says she can wait in the hall if they want privacy. Trina says, that’s okay. She’ll give them some time alone. She thinks Spencer and Jordan have something to discuss. Nice blindside, Trina. WTH? She leaves, and Jordan says, they do?

Stella comes out, and the dress is gorgeous, but I wonder why it’s black. I get that she’s the officiant, but maybe a dark blue would have been a better choice. Portia gets all excited, and says, now all Stella needs is some sparkle – even though the dress has white lace with rhinestone accents – and puts the bracelet on her, saying, bling it up. She says, now she knows everything is going to be perfect for her wedding day, and they look in the mirror.

Curtis sees Trina outside the chapel, and asks if everything is okay.

Jordan asks what Spencer wants to talk to her about. He holds his phone with the video on it behind his back.

Elizabeth sees Nikolas come out of the elevator, and doubles back. She looks at him like she might possibly kill him.

Esme looks at the papers, playing with the pen, and wondering why she doesn’t want to sign it. Like she said before, she lost her memory, but she’s not stupid.

Austin says, it was touch and go for a while, but Willow came through just great. Nina says she can’t believe how close they came to losing her daughter, and Michael asks if he can see her. Austin says, absolutely, she’s in ICU, Michael hugs Austin, and Michael leaves. Sonny thanks Austin, and Nina thanks him for saving Willow’s life, but Austin says he can’t take credit for something Willow’s done. Clearly, she doesn’t want to leave them just yet.

Carly says, look at them. They’re so lucky. Four generations of Spencer women. Josslyn says, it’s enough to start their own sorority, and Bobbie says, Sigma Spencer Phi. Carly gets a text that Willow is in recovery, and Josslyn tells the baby that she’s a lucky girl to be born into such an amazing sisterhood, but Carly thinks they’re the lucky ones. This little angel may not have a name yet, but hopefully she has the gift that can give her mother life.

Michael takes Willow’s hand, and says he held their beautiful baby girl. Willow did the hardest part. She carried her, kept her safe, and brought her into this world. Now all she has to do is wake up, so they can give their little girl a name.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth says, the only thing she needs protecting from is Nikolas; Spencer tells sonny that his father shouldn’t be anywhere near that child; and Heather tells Esme, not so fast.

🎥 Extra Gig…

Mama Q takes it outside Port Charles.

GH’s Lisa LoCicero Teases Her Exciting New Role!

🐪 One and Done…

Except they didn’t do their homework. She is not the only one to exit after her freshman year. Hello? Kim Fields, Carlton Gebbia, et al.

Nina Ali Announces Exit From Real Housewives Of Dubai After One Season

Resting my case.

https://collider.com/real-housewives-only-lasted-one-season/#carlton-gebbia-amp-joyce-giraud-de-ohoven-mdash-lsquo-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-rsquo-season-4

👩🏽‍⚖️ That’s Judge Eboni To You…

I’ll bet she brings down a mean gavel.

Eboni K. Williams Gets New Gig as Judge of Court Show ‘Equal Justice,’ Plus Fans Slam Jen Shah Over Her Reaction to RHONY Alum’s Show

👠 And They’re Out…

Apparently, Brandi still doesn’t grasp boundaries. Why do they still entertain the antics of this lush?

Source Shares Details of Brandi Glanville & Caroline Manzo’s RHUGT Fight and Early Exits Following RHOBH Star’s Alleged Non-Consensual Kisses, Plus Vicki Reacts

⚰️ Strange Crossover…

But is there pudding?

https://screenrant.com/the-last-of-us-reviewed-walking-dead-carl/

🐕 She Needs Your Help…

IMO, two of the most important things: veterans and dogs.

https://people.com/pets/air-force-sergeant-needs-help-adopting-dog-from-deployment/

🎸 Off To Get the Band Back Together…

Take a load off tomorrow for some soap and tea. Until then, stay safe, stay gentle as a dove, but wise as a serpent, and stay not going into the light if someone wearing all black comes to meet you.

⚠️ Warning: Words that could be considered bad to some.