Category Archives: real housewives

August 13, 2024 – Blaze Makes Two Decisions, New Heather, Old Friends, Next Chapter, Dubai Swings In Bali, Watch Party With Awful People, VanderSales & Sugar

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What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

I was busy with something else at the beginning, but my main takeaway point was Tracy having a tea party for Violet and her stuffed animals. And Ava, John, and Scotty showed up…

At the MetroCourt, Carly says she doesn’t understand why Ava is here and not in jail, and Ava says she pled not guilty and made bail. Carly says, Kristina could die and her baby did die, and Ava sails in here like she doesn’t give a damn. She’s not capable of shame. Ava says, Kristinka’s fall was an accident, and Scotty tells her to hold her peace until the trial. Ava says she wants to collect her things, but Carly tells her, good luck. Her room is a crime scene. Ava says, that’s ridiculous. Nothing happened. Carly says, she’ll also have to find other accommodations. They’re booked. Ava says, of course (🍷), and Carly tells her to contact the PCPD for her things. John asks if they can have a table, and Carly says she’ll send someone over.  

Anna wonders what Jack wants with Carly, and he asks if the table and the wine don’t give it away. She says, a romantic dinner for two? and he says, exactly. Valentin must have used that tactic on her. She asks why he’s using it on Carly, and he says he enjoys Carly’s company. She wonders if he’s incapable of giving a straight answer, and he asks if it’s difficult to believe he’s intrigued by a woman, enjoys her company, and wants to see where it leads. She says, yeah. Something big is definitely in the works. Why else would the WSB open an office here? Jack admits that the WSB never does anything without an ulterior motive.

Kristina says, Blaze worked her whole life for a break like this. Her mother is right. She has to go. Blaze asks why Kristina is pushing her away. Yes, she focused on her career at the expense of everything else. Love, happiness, and belonging were things she was afraid to hope for because she was afraid to lose her mother and family’s love. Then Kristina happened and became her everything else. Now Kristina wants to push her away. Go ahead, but she’s not leaving Kristina alone to deal with her grief because she loves her. Kristina says, she really does, and Blaze says, so much. Kristina says, then she really has to leave.

Sonny tells Jason that Ava will say anything to save her skin, and Jason says, they’d still have to prove or disprove what she says. If it wasn’t her, who was it? Sonny says, she had easy access, and Jason wonders, what if the switch didn’t happen here? Sonny says, then it’s the pharmacy. Jason needs to go and find out who’s filling his prescription and see what they have to say, and Jason says, copy that. Sonny’s phone rings, and he tells Jason that it’s good news. Ava made bail. Jason asks why he wants Ava out of jail, and Sonny says, it’s easier to even the score.

Ava says, John being there made all the difference. Who knew she was being called to testify as a material witness in an ongoing FBI investigation? Carly approaches the table and asks, what kind of investigation? If she contacts the FBI, how surprised will they be that there’s an investigation? Ava asks what she’s implying, and Carly says, the FBI isn’t interested in Sonny, but that’s all Cates cares about. John says, it’s his job to arrest criminals, and Carly says, he’s using Ava like he used her and Jason. The only thing he cares about is sending Sonny to prison.

Anna says, something else is going on, and Jack says, absolutely yes, but he has no idea what. The WSB’s hidden agenda remains hidden. She says, he expects her to believe he has no inkling, and he says he’s been demoted to lowly station chief. She sits down and tells him to level with her. She’s already figured out his arrest and Valentin being revealed as the head of Pikeman was a charade. John asks, how many syllables? (BA-DUM-CHH!) and she asks if Valentin is really on the run. She imagines he’s cozied up with Charlotte in a chalet in Switzerland courtesy of the WSB. He says, Valentin was allowed to flee their jurisdiction, and asks whose side Anna is on. Anna says, whose side indeed, when her phone rings. She answers and tells them, thank you. She tells Jack, it’s been fun, and he says, either jaywalking or a parking violation. She says, trespassing. Enjoy what’s left of his evening. The wine is really good. She leaves.

Violet asks if Tracy’s mother liked tea parties, and Tracy says, she loved them. She was a proper Englishwoman and had tea every afternoon. Violet says, there are a lot of pictures of her all over. She was pretty. Tracy says, she was a beauty, and Violet says, she seemed nice. Tracy says, she was the nicest and down to earth. She could put someone in their place and still be kind. She was impossible to argue with. Violet asks, if she was so nice, why argue with her? and Tracy says she doesn’t know. Sometimes families argue and the Quartermaines do it more than most.

Kristina tells Blaze that she loved the baby so much and had so much hope, but all her hope and love went with her. She’s empty and has nothing left to give, even to Blaze. Blaze asks if Kristina is saying she doesn’t love her anymore, but Kristina tells her that she’s saying she can’t love anything or anyone, and it’s not fair for Blaze to give up something that could make her life great, when Kristina will make her life miserable. Blaze says, what if it’s the grief talking? What if they can navigate it and Blaze can see her through this hell, and they find heaven on the other side? Kristina says, it sounds beautiful. It seems like it belongs in a song. Maybe Blaze can sing it on tour. What if, in the best-case scenario, they get through this, then what? What if every time Blaze sees someone performing and living the life she could have had, Blaze hates her, or worse resents her? She’ll leave anyway and they’ll be where they are now. Is Blaze telling her that some part of her doesn’t want to get on the plane to Hong Kong and open for Miguel Morez? Blaze says, of course (🍷) she wants to go, but why is Kristina making her feel like she has to choose her career over her? Kristina says, because she has to live her best life right now and Blaze’s best life is not here with her.

Jason says, Kristina is strong. She’s made it through so far, and she’ll make through this. Sonny says, Jason didn’t see her eyes when she asked him to make Ava pay. Jason says, of course (🍷) she was angry. She should be, but when she calms down… Sonny says, Kristina didn’t know that kind of hate, but he understands because he has the same hate. Ask Alexis. She walked in and asked him not to kill Ava. Jason says, she believes in the law and thinks that’s the way to get justice, and Sonny says, she thinks if Ava dies, Kristina will think it’s because of her and not be able to live with herself. But if she goes through a long trial and Ava walks or worse… Kristina deserves peace. Jason asks what he’s going to do. 

John says, how dare Carly question his integrity? She just squirmed out from under RICO charges because the evidence conveniently disappeared. She escaped justice. Carly says, John was using her. He doesn’t care about justice or the law or his son. John gets all ruffled, and she asks if he’s been in the city where his son lives or where Sonny lives. It’s only a matter of time before the FBI finds out what he’s been doing. She leaves and Scotty says, some celebration. He’s going to split. He leaves, and Ava thanks John. She tells him not to let it get to him. Carly is naturally abrasive, and Sonny brainwashed her for decades. John asks, then why doesn’t she let Donna stay with him? and Ava says, only Carly can judge Sonny. Speaking of Sonny, there’s something she’s been meaning to tell him. When she was in lockup, Sonny sent Jason to intimidate her. She’s afraid her life is in danger.

Sonny says he can’t make a move now, especially with Jagger here. He’s going to bide his time. Jason asks, what about Kristina? Is she willing to sit back and not take matters into her own hands? Sonny says, Kristina doesn’t have it in her on her own to kill Ava. There’s a knock at the door, and Frank says, the Police Commissioner is here. Anna comes in and says, it’s like old times. She learned Ava made bail. Sonny asks what that has to do with him, and she says, nothing and it needs to stay that way. If Ava so much as skins her knee, she’s going to come down on him with full force. Do not touch a hair on Ava’s head.

Tracy says, no argument with her mother lasted long. Everybody adored her. She was the perfect combination of fun and elegant. Violet asks if elegant is the same as fancy, and Tracy says, yes and no. It can also mean tacky, which is the opposite of elegant. When you’re elegant, everything is just right – your words, your voice, the way you carry yourself. Her mother made it look effortless. Violet asks if Tracy is elegant, and Tracy says, on occasion. Violet asks if she is, and Tracy says, for a nine-year-old, very elegant. Keep at it. It takes work. Strive to be elegant and avoid animal prints. Violet says, but she loves animals.

Kristina says, Blaze wants to do what’s best for her and them. She can’t stay here just to be with her or feel like she has to or because she thinks she loves Kristina. All she’ll think about is the tour. Blaze says, if she goes on tour, all she’ll think about is Kristina, and Kristina says, Blaze can be living her dream or living Kristina’s nightmare wishing she was living her dream, and Blaze says, fine. She’ll go, but she’s just a phone call away if Kristina needs anything. After the tour ends… Kristina says, stop. They can’t make promises. They don’t know what they’ll be doing or who they’ll be after the tour. Blaze says she knows she’ll still love Kristina, but Kristina says she can’t put a timeline on grief and healing. She can’t guess what her life will be like. Blaze asks if they can at least check in and see how the other is doing, and Kristina says, deal.  Blaze says, finally, a win, and Kristina says she just wants Blaze to be happy and free to live her life. Blaze says she can’t if Kristina isn’t there, but Kristina says, she’d be surprised. Blaze says, great. Another surprise. She cries and takes Kristina’s hand. She says she’s going to miss Kristina so much, and Kristina says, she’s going to be doing the thing she was born to do. Watching Blaze soar will make her happy. She’ll be so proud. Blaze kisses her and leaves, and Kristina cries.

Anna tells Sonny, stay away from Ava, and he agrees. He says, she’s not a priority. He has Donna, Avery, and Kristina to worry about and no time to worry about Ava. Anna says, see it stays that way. The same for Jason. Sonny says he knows he’s been out of line. He went through some stuff and wants her to know he’s handling it. She says she’s glad he’s doing better, and he thanks her. She says, but she has a job to do, and he says, to serve and protect. Even Ava? She says, even Ava, and he says, she doesn’t have to worry. It’s good seeing her. She leaves.

John asks if Jason threatened Ava, but she says, he’s not much for talking, but he got the point across. He asks what Jason said, and she says, he accused her of replacing Sonny’s medication with the placeboes. She said she didn’t do it, which is true. The point is… He says he knows. The pharmacist is safe and out of Sonny’s reach. She can finally tell him who paid Clement to sabotage Sonny’s mental health. She says she doesn’t know, but don’t tell Sonny. Jack walks in, and John says, unbelievable. Ava asks, who’s that? and John says, somebody who’s supposed to be in prison. At the bar, Trish asks if she can help Jack, and he asks if Carly is still around.

Tracy says she likes animals as much as the next person, and Violet says, she doesn’t like Annabelle II. Tracy says, Annabelle II has one virtue – she’s housebroken. Other than that, she’s ill-mannered and ill-trained. The house is full of antiques, and they might as well put them on the lawn and make an obstacle course. Violet asks if they can ask Monica’s permission, but Tracy says, no. She’d probably say yes, and she’s not turning the house into a canine obstacle course. Violet says, it’s Monica’s house. Alan gave it to her. Tracy says, Alan was too generous for his own good.

Kristina hugs her blanket when there’s a knock at the door. Molly asks how she is. Is she in pain? Kristina says, not so much. She’s able to come home in a couple days. She asks how Molly is doing, and Molly says she was just with TJ at Woodlawn Cemetery. She went to see Ava in jail. Kristina asks, why? and Molly says she wanted Ava to know she’s not getting away with it. Kristina says, she won’t, and Molly says she wishes she was so sure. Kristina says she is sure. She promises Ava is going to pay for what she did. Molly says she doesn’t know how strong a case they have, and Kristina says, there are photos. Has Molly seen them? Molly says she found a note in the case folder, but she hasn’t, and Kristina says she had Michael send them to her. Everyone, including the jury, will see that Ava is the reason she went through that window. She shows Molly the photos on her phone.

In the car at the airport, Natalia tells Blaze that the tour manger will be waiting for her. She’s got to snap out of it. She hasn’t said a word. Blaze looks at her, and Natalia says she knows leaving is hard. She knows leaving Kristina behind in pain is hard, but Blaze must know that the tour is going to boost her career. Opening for Miguel Morez on an international stage in front of millions is not something to pass up. Blaze says, it’s not like she had a choice, and Natalia says, of course (🍷) she did. She can go and be a huge success or stay… Blaze says, and wind up a failure, but Natalia says, it will just take longer. Blaze says she agreed. Natalia doesn’t need to sell it, and she isn’t coming. Natalia says she has to tie up some things in Port Charles and will meet Blaze in Europe, but Blaze says she meant Natalia isn’t joining her at all. She got what she wanted. Kristina broke up with her. Now she’s breaking up with Natalia. You’re fired.

Ava asks what Jack did to get John so spooked, but John says he’s just surprised to see him here.

Carly asks if Jack and Anna got things settled, and he apologizes for the interruption. He suggests she come back and finish the bottle of wine, but she says she doesn’t think that’s a good idea. He says, if he buys her a drink here, is it a better idea? and she says she thinks that would be okay.

John tells Ava not to worry. Sonny won’t get his hands on Clement. Not yet. Ava asks what he means, and he says, when the time is right, he’ll lead Sonny right to him.  

Jason says, Anna doesn’t make empty threats, but Sonny says, nothing is going to happen to Ava. They have other problems. He doesn’t want Avery being influenced by Ava. He’s going to let the court handle it, but don’t forget he has pictures of Ava putting her hands on Kristina. It’s Ava’s fault Kristina went through the window and the baby died. Ava is going down and he’s getting full custody of Avery. Ava is going to prison. Jason wonders what happens once Ava is in prison, and Sonny says, bad things happen in prison.

Violet asks how someone could be too generous for their own good, and Tracy says, her brother was a good man, but sometimes he gave too much of himself. He liked to make others happy, and that side of generosity can be exhausting. Violet says, there are a lot of pictures of him too. Sometimes he looks happy and sometimes he looks serious. Monica said he was a doctor, and they were very much in love. Tracy says, they were a perfect match and loved each other, but it took a while for them to realize it. She thinks Alan giving Monica the house was a stretch. Violet says, they wouldn’t have a place to live or have tea parties, and Tracy says she can’t argue with that. Who was it who told her to say, this is Monica’s house, and Alan gave it to her? Violet says, everybody, and Tracy laughs and says she’s not surprised.

Blaze says she’s firing Natalia, and Natalia says, she doesn’t mean that. Blaze says, doesn’t she? Natalia is always dismissing her. Nothing she wants or feels matters. Natalia is her parent, but as a business manager, Natalia works for her. This is happening whether she wants it to or not. You… are… fired. Now she’s done. She gets out of the car.

Kristina says, the pictures show what happened, and Molly agrees. Kristina says she asked Ava to withdraw the subpoena, and Ava went after their family. She said, their mother was a pathetic drunk and her father was a violent thug not fit to be around a child. Kristina said she’d testify that Ava was the reason Morgan died and that she shot Connie in cold blood and got away with it. She’d tell the court everything she knows about Ava. That’s when Ava grabbed her.

Jack toasts, to new friends, and Carly asks if that’s what they are. He asks if there’s some other zone she prefers, and she says, pals. They clink glasses and she asks why he’s in Port Charles. He says, like she heard him tell Anna, the WSB opened an office here. She says, the real reason, and he admits he didn’t tell Anna everything. She asks what he held back, and he says he was given a choice of positions, here or Bali. She says, and he chose Port Charles? Why? He says, once you’ve seen one tropical paradise, you’ve seen them all, and because she’s here. Carly says, that’s a line, but he says he always speaks the truth.

Ava says, sorry, she doesn’t think she heard right. John wants Sonny to find Clement? John says he’s using Clement as bait. When Sonny goes after him, he’ll be there to arrest Sonny. Ava says, in order for John to do that, doesn’t Sonny have to do something to Clement first? John says he’ll make sure Clement survives to testify. He’s going to use Sonny’s relentless pursuit of vengeance to take him down once and for all.

Jason says, either Ava is lying and she got to the pharmacist, or she’s telling the truth and it’s someone else. Either way, there will be a trail. Sonny wonders if there’s anybody out there who’s actively coming at him, and Jason asks, what about Ava? Sonny says he’ll wait as long as it takes. Kristina doesn’t know that the last words Ava is going to hear will be, this is for Kristina and her baby.

Tomorrow, Tracy says she’s planning on taking Cody for a ride; and Sonny asks, what if he gives Natalia another reason to stick around?

⛓️‍💥 Change Of Heart…

Portia’s head is going to explode.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/alley-mills-on-the-new-heather-on-general-hospital

🎊 Double the Fun…

Lucky and Stone Cold, together again.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-steve-burton-jonathan-jackson-reunite

📺 Grotesque Return…

Doubtful he’s ever coming back to GH. He was using it as a springboard. I’m not sad about it though. Gio is a much better match for Trina. Spencer was too loud and talked too fast. If they decide to bring Spencer back, they should recast.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/nicholas-chavez-teases-his-return-to-tv

🐪 Dollar Stores In Dubai…

This was the end of the trip to Bali, and I had mixed emotions. The women who griped about wearing the traditional dresses decided that, rather than be seen in these beautiful creations, they just wouldn’t show up. Nice. I was disappointed in Stanbury. Being British, you’d think she’d have more manners than that. She evened it out by making up with Ayan and afterward, they got on a Bali Swing (see below). It looked absolutely terrifying, so better them than me. The episode ended on an all-around positive note, when Ayan announced that the group was like sisters who fought and made up. She’s not wrong, even if that’s because it’s against the law to publicly display your anger at others.

Apparently, these swings are a thing in Bali.

https://www.walkmyworld.com/posts/the-bali-swing

There was also a palm reader who told Stanbury that she’d have a boy. It was unclear whether she meant a baby or just that Stanbury would remain married to Sergio. It looks like there’s a possibility of both happening.

👠 Unreunion In Jersey…

This was kind of weird, but not entirely an awful premise. The group was split in two and had watch parties for the last awful episode. They consisted of Teresa, JenniferA, and Jackie in one room, and Danielle, Rachel, Marge, and JennF in another. According to the recap, Delores played Switzerland and switched between the two rooms, but it seemed like she was mostly with the former group. Admittedly, I wasn’t totally paying attention, but I don’t think she spent much time with the latter. JennF was a bit of a tie breaker, since she was late and chose her own room. Although that might just be a sign that production didn’t care. At the very end, the women gave individual thoughts on their feelings about the season – a need for change seemed to be the universal theme – and Rachel announced to her group that she was pregnant.

Looks like Rachel wasn’t buying what Teresa’s group was selling.

And there are still questions. I, too, was somewhat disappointed, although I don’t know why. Maybe because I decided to watch it in the first place.

👕 Something About Merch…

I’m surprised they bothered opening. That’s some chunk of change for T-shirts and whatnot.

🌇 Left a Mediocre Job In the City…

Come on by tomorrow for soap and the LA art of the deal. Until then, stay safe: stay standing up to rude behavior, but not losing your cool; and stay striving to be elegant and avoiding animal prints.

August 9, 2024 – Sonny Says Ava Is His Problem, VanderDeux, Miami Fanning, WWDD, Negan In the City, Coming Last, Stream This, Stuck, Furry Reunions, Twice 4 Quotes & Beach

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What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Elizabeth says, Heather is looking good. She predicts Heather’s tests are going to come back great and she won’t need to stay at GH as long as they thought. Heather says, oh… joy. She’ll be back in Pentenville in time for Mah Jong. Elizabeth says she’ll check on Heather in a bit. Did she get enough lunch? Is there anything else she can bring Heather? Heather says, hospital food is like five-star dining compared to prison fare. Does Elizabeth think she could square her up with some vanilla pudding? Elizabeth says she’ll see what she can do, and Heather says, she’s an angel. Elizabeth leaves and goes to the reception desk.

Laura comes out of the elevator, while Elizabeth is on the phone asking for a lunch tray. She tells them to just bring it up to the 10th floor and she’ll take it in. She asks what brings Laura here, and Laura says she had a free hour and thought she’d spend it with her husband, but he’s not in his office. Has she seen him around? Elizabeth says she hasn’t. He’s probably with a patient. She assumed Laura was here to see Heather. Laura says, she’s here? She didn’t know that. What room is she in? She’ll visit her. Elizabeth says she doesn’t want to speak out of turn, but Laura might want to visit her another day.

At the MetroCourt, Nina thanks Michael for the working lunch, and he says, Crimson’s budget is on track. It was a good call to increase the print run on the latest issue. She says, he’s not going to regret it. This latest issue is going to fly off the racks. (I drift off for a moment, wishing ABC would actually publish a real issue of Crimson.) He says he has to admit, he’s not much of a Crimson reader himself, but Willow is, and he’s sure she’ll enjoy it. He asks if he can get her another cappuccino, but she says she’s still working on the one she has. She’s always loved the coffee here. It was one of the perks when she owned… She never thought he’d agree to her request so easily. She appreciates it. He says, nobody knows more about Crimson than she does. He wants to make sure she has everything she needs to be successful. Plus, he wants to show his appreciation for everything she’s done for Willow.

Willow gets in the elevator, but as the doors close, Drew stops them and gets in with her. He asks if she has room for one more.

On the phone with Sam, Alexis says she thinks Sam should go to Scout’s softball game. She’s got everything covered at the hospital… Kristina is improving. Why doesn’t she just fill Sam in on everything later. She calls Molly and leaves a message that she just wants Molly to know she’s thinking about her every minute, and she loves her.

Sonny says, Kristina doesn’t have to worry about Ava. He’s got it handled. She’s not going to get away with this. She asks what he’s going to do, and he says, she has to rest. That’s all she’s got to concentrate on. Just rest. Understand? She says she’s resting. It’s not like she’s going to feel better. There is no better from here. She needs Sonny to promise her that he won’t let Ava take another life like Ava took her daughter’s.

Heather is officially in the opening credits!

Laura asks, what’s going on with Heather? and Elizabeth says, she was brought in for a standard follow-up and some tests. They’re waiting on the results. Physically, she seems fine. It’s her mental state. Laura says, what about it? and Elizabeth says, she seems really down, like there was a switch in her mood and demeanor. She’s not her usual chaotic self. She’ll see if a psychiatrist can chat with her. Laura says, let her talk with Heather first. She thinks she can cheer Heather up.

Michael says, thanks to Nina’s coaching, Willow is more confident in her role as spokeswoman for the New Tomorrow Institute. Nina says, she’s knocking those PSAs out of the park. He doesn’t need her to tell him this, but Willow’s got a lot going for her. She’s intelligent, she’s approachable, she’s kind and strong and fearless and relatable. He says, everyone at the Institute is thrilled with her, and she says, they should be. She puts an alluring face on a very daunting issue. She’s living proof that donations save lives. Michael says, she’s a living miracle and they’re forever thankful. And the kids love their mom’s new job because she’s around more often. He’s really got to hand it to Drew for giving Willow this opportunity.

Drew asks Willow – who can’t meet his eyes – what brings her to the MetroCourt? Is she here to see Michael? She says, actually, she’s going to Crimson. Nina left a few outfit choices for her upcoming meeting with New Tomorrow’s board. He says, that reminds him. He wanted to speak with her. He just spoke with them, and he’s got some really good news for her. The elevator makes a buzzing sound and jerks to a stop, and he says, that didn’t sound very good.

Sonny says he knows Kristina is upset and he wants to make Ava pay too, but there’s a time and place for… She says, think about everything Ava has done to this family. How she shot Connie in cold blood. How she switched Morgan’s meds. He never would have been in that car if not for Ava. She is the reason that he died. And with Mike. She used Mike’s Alzheimer’s to blackmail Sonny into sharing custody of Avery. When is Ava finally going to pay for everything she has done? Her baby is dead because of Ava. Please. He has to do something so Ava can’t hurt anyone else in their family. (She left out destroying Alexis’s career for a good couple of years.)

On his phone, Drew tells Olivia that they’re both fine, but how long is it going to take to fix this thing?… No. He understands… Absolutely. They don’t really have any choice but to wait it out. Just keep him updated, okay? He tells Willow, the elevator company is on their way, but they’re going to be a while. She’s not claustrophobic, right? She says, no. Is he? He says, no, but he’s a little warm. Would she mind if he took his pants jacket off? She shakes her head, and he takes his jacket off and loosens his tie. She says, so what was the good news he was about to mention? and he says, the Institute’s director called about the PSAs. They’re getting a great response, and they owe it all to her. She says, that’s nice of them to say, but she gives some of the credit to Nina. Well, a lot actually. Since she’s been working with Nina, Nina has made her a lot more comfortable in front of the camera. He says, Nina’s been great, but she’s a natural at this. And he’s sure they were planning on bringing this up at the board meeting, but everybody at the Institute loves her and the director wants to fly them out to LA for the big annual fundraiser. She says, us, as in you and me? In LA?

Nina says she knows Drew sat in on Willow’s earlier rehearsals, but she imagines he’s super busy now with his own campaign. Michael says, he did agree on focusing on expanding the donor pool because of his late son Oscar, so he makes the time. He and Willow are working really closely together. She says, he really needs to focus in on his own campaign now. Go full throttle. And if he gets elected, his base will be in DC. He says, they all get that. Willow didn’t say anything, but he thinks she’s really going to miss Drew when he’s gone.

Drew says, it’ll be a quick trip, but the fundraiser sounds really impressive. They’ve got a celebrity host, celebrity presenters, Tamron Hall wants to get an interview with Willow. They rented out the Getty villa in Malibu. It’s a magical spot. Willow says she can’t.

Heather looks at a picture of Ace, and Laura says, he’s such a cut-up, right? Heather says, he’s got quite the little personality. She wonders where he gets it from. Laura says she supposes both Nikolas and Esme had a certain kind of charisma, and Spencer was every bit the prankster when he was young. Heather thanks her for including Esme in that assessment. She loved that little boy so much. If she ever gave her best self to anybody, it was him. Laura says she saw that. She was a really good mom. Laura shows her another picture, and Heather says she thinks he’s beginning to look a little like her in this one. Does Laura think so? Laura says, that’s interesting. Tell her something. How is she feeling? Heather says, everybody keeps asking her that around here (well, it is a hospital). She’s sorry. She doesn’t mean to be cranky, but she’s feeling sort of discombobulated. She had a visit from Trina Robinson earlier today. Laura asks how it went, and Heather says, Trina listened to her apology, but in the end, she didn’t accept it. She can’t blame her, and at least she listened, which is more than her mother is ever going to do. Not that she blames her either though. That’s the thing. Laura says she’s so sorry. She thinks it’s admirable the way Heather wants to take responsibility for the things she’s done and try to make amends. Heather says, like in AA, except without the perks of boozing it up first. Not that being an alcoholic is like a perk exactly. She meant that it’s not so serious… She doesn’t even know what she’s talking about. She doesn’t know if she’s coming or going right now. Being here is totally giving her the heebie-jeebies. She’s been thinking a lot about her future. Laura says she thinks she understands. She wants to put Heather’s mind at ease about her sentencing. Heather says, that’s what she’s been thinking about, and Laura says, the last time they talked, Heather made it really clear that she wanted to stay in prison and serve out her whole sentence. She just wants Heather to know that she heard her, and when Heather asked her to drop it, she did. Heather tells Laura that she knows she said that… Laura says, it’s over. She promises she’ll never bring it up again. Heather has her word on that.

Sonny says he knows how Kristina is feeling because he’s been there. She’s in a place of emotional distress, grief, but she’s going to feel differently when this passes. Kristina says, no. She’s going to feel differently when she knows Ava can’t hurt anyone else. He asks if she thinks payback is the answer. It wasn’t for him and Morgan. He did everything he could to Ava. It didn’t bring Morgan back. She says, at least Ava would have been out of the picture and her baby would still be alive. Now all she can do is get justice for her child. He says, she’s not going to get peace because in the end, she’ll have grief, but she says, please spare her the conversation on grief right now. He’s wasting his time. He says, there’s a time and place for everything. Hear him out. He doesn’t know how or when, but Ava is going to pay. She says, she didn’t pay for Connie. She didn’t pay for Morgan. They died and nothing happened. Ava just went on living her life and she’s going to do the exact same thing again. He says he has proof that Ava laid hands on her. Brick had her under surveillance and one of his guys took photos. She says, let her see them, and he says, she will, but she asks if he has them now. Are they on his phone? Let her see them. If he wants to make her feel better, show her. Please let her see them. He takes out his phone, and she scrolls through the photos. He says he wants her to know, those are at the PCPD and Ava is in custody. She’s not walking away from this. He’s going to make sure.

Laura tells Heather that she and Ace aren’t going anywhere, but in the meantime, she’ll print up the photos and drop them off the next time she visits. Heather says, Laura knows where to find her, and Laura tells her to take care of herself, and leaves.

Doc tells Alexis that he happened to be seeing someone else on this floor, so he inquired about Kristina. Things seem to be improving. Alexis says, they are, and he says his guess is, she’s been by her daughters’ sides since Kristina came out of surgery, scared to death. She’s been the chief communicator between friends, family, and medical staff. She hasn’t slept. She probably hasn’t eaten, and yet she’s done it with composure and a game face. How is he doing? She says, pretty good. She’s been doing it here alone. She’s been holding down the fort, making calls. She’s testing, making sure everybody’s okay, dealing with all the conflicting emotions, which for her most recently is rage. He says, which is understandable. It isn’t easy to be caregiver to a loved one who’s hospitalized, even with lots of support. His advice is to let anyone who offers to help, help, and make herself a priority. She can’t do it all alone, even if she is a pillar of strength. It’s times like this that it’s really okay to take your comfort where you can get it. She says, Sonny’s in there with Kristina now, and he says, good. Then she gets a bit of a break. And his door’s always open if she ever wants to talk. She says she might just take him up on that.

Kristina says, maybe Ava will get convicted and go to prison. Maybe she’ll be there for the rest of her godforsaken life, but Ava will still be alive, and her baby will still be dead. It’s not fair. Sonny says he doesn’t want her to think that way. She’s got her whole life ahead of her. She has a family that loves her, and he knows it doesn’t feel like it right now, but she’s going to be okay. She says she won’t be okay until she knows Ava Jerome is no longer breathing. He hugs her and says, listen to him. She doesn’t have to worry. He’s going to take care of Ava. Alexis walks in and says, take care of Ava how exactly?

Willow says she can’t go to a fundraiser in LA with Drew. Wiley starts school soon and he’s transitioning to full days, which will be a big adjustment. And they’re talking about taking a little family vacation before school starts. He says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to spring this on her. He just kind of thought she’d be interested. She says, no. She’s sorry. If these kinds of business trips are expected of her, she doesn’t know. Maybe this isn’t the right position for her after all. He says, hold on. She’s really the perfect person for this position. He was just telling her how much everybody loves her in this role. It’s completely fine if she doesn’t want to go. She says, really? and he says, of course (🍷). They know she has two young kids. They want to make this work for her, not the other way around. She says she’s sorry. She overreacted. It’s just the wrong time. Not that she wouldn’t have loved a trip to California. It all sounds great, but… He says, if he’s the reason she doesn’t want to go, that’s something they should talk about.

Nina wonders what’s taking the elevator so long. You’d think Carly… someone would look into this… They probably are.

Willow says, there’s nothing to talk about. They’ve gotten past what happened on the 4th and it’s never going to happen again. He says he’s sorry. He’d never forgive himself if he ruined this chance for her. She says, he hasn’t. She’s so thankful to him for giving her this opportunity and she’s enjoyed working with him. He says he’s enjoyed working with her too, and he supports her no matter what she does.

Michael says he wants to check on Kristina at the hospital before he goes to the office, so he thinks he’s just going to take the stairs. He’ll see Nina at the office. She thanks him again for lunch, and he says, his pleasure, and leaves.

The elevator starts up, and Drew says he guesses they’re back in business. She should go to the benefit. He’ll stay in Port Charles. She says, but he’ll miss out, and he says, that’s not important. She’s one of his favorite people, and all he wants is for her to be happy. They gaze at each other, when the elevator door opens, and Nina is there.

Nina asks if Willow is okay, and Willow says she’s just anxious to get on with her day. How did Nina know they were stuck? Nina says she didn’t. She just knew that the elevator was slow. She and Michael were having a business lunch. Willow says, Michael’s here? but Nina says, no. He just left. He took the stairs. He said he was going to the hospital. Willow says she should go, and Drew says, didn’t she tell him that she had some outfits to pick up? Nina says, they could go to her office and get them, or she could have Madison pick them up. Is Willow hungry? She could keep Willow company. Willow says, thanks, but she can’t stay. She’ll pick up the outfits later. She leaves, and Nina asks Drew, what did you do now? (I laugh.)

Willow’s phone rings and she sees it’s Michael. She says she just missed him.

Kristina says she just wants to make sure she has her day in court, and that Ava will pay for what she’s done to her and her daughter. Alexis asks if she can speak to Sonny outside for a moment. They’ll be right back. Sonny winks at Kristina on his way out.

In the hallway, Alexis says, please tell her that Kristina didn’t ask him to do what she thinks she did, and Sonny says, don’t worry about it. She says she’s worried about it, because if Kristina is seeking revenge… He says, he doesn’t think they should be having this conversation right here. Can they go somewhere in private?

Portia sees Laura and asks if she can speak to her for just a moment, and Laura says, of course (🍷). Portia says, Trina told her that Laura’s given up trying to reopen Heather’s case and she wanted to thank her. She just knows Trina will be safer with Heather remaining behind bars. Laura says, don’t thank her. She didn’t do it because Portia put pressure on her to do so. Heather had a sudden change of heart and asked her to let it go and she has.

Elizabeth brings Heather some lunch and says, sorry for the wait. She brought Heather some soup and crackers… and vanilla pudding. Heather says she’s not hungry anymore. She’s sorry Elizabeth went to all that trouble. Why is everybody so busy trying to get her in tip-top shape just so she can go live out the rest of her life behind bars? What does it even really matter? Elizabeth says, of course (🍷) it matters, and Heather says she knows. It’s probably all for the best. She did terrible things, there’s no getting around that. People are dead because of her, because she killed them. But is it really all on her? Is justice really going to be served if she’s the only one who pays? (She’s not wrong.)

Sonny and Alexis go to the chapel, and Alexis says, this is much better. It’s the perfect place to discuss murder. He says, no one’s getting murdered, and she asks if he’s telling her that their daughter didn’t ask him for help. Sonny says, she asked, and Alexis says, listen to her. She has lethal thoughts about Ava too, after what Ava did to her family, her career, and the agony that her daughters are in because of her. It’s unbearable. He asks if she’s at a breaking point, and she says, not yet, but sadly, Kristina is. So she’s asking him, this request of Kristina’s, he isn’t going to do it, is he?

Michael goes to see Kristina and says he’s so, so sorry. He wishes there was something he could say, something he could do. He knows this pain, and he would do anything he could to take it away from her. She says, he got a happy ending. Wiley is still alive. Did he see the photos Brick had taken? He says, yeah. Did she see them? How? She says, dad told her there was proof Ava pushed her, there were photos. So she made him show them to her. Does he have them too? He says he does, and she says, send them to her. He asks if she really needs that right now, and she tells him that he said he would do anything to help her. She needs those pictures.

Portia says, Laura can see her concern. As a mother, her very real fear that Laura’s questions would gain momentum and Heather’s sentence might be reduced or she might be set free. Either way, she’s relieved. She’s grateful it’s not going to happen. Laura says she understands and wants Portia to know that she treasures Trina. Trina is a very special young woman. She had a profound effect on Spencer. She made him a better man. Portia says, Trina loved Spencer very much. Trina thinks the world of Laura as well. Laura says she hopes now they can put their differences behind them and move forward in a more positive way, and Portia says she’s all for that. (Until she isn’t.)

Heather says, the truth is, she wouldn’t have done any of those horrible things if that medical supply company hadn’t given her a radioactive hip. So really, shouldn’t one of their fancy executives be in a jail cell right next to hers? Elizabeth says she sees Heather’s point, and she’s appalled at the lack of quality control. Heather says, they probably knew all about this and they just hushed it up. That’s what they do. (Again, not wrong.) She took responsibility, but it wasn’t all on her. So why should she have to spend the rest of her life without her grandson in a prison cell? It isn’t fair to Ace to have his grandma in the slammer. Elizabeth says she knows Heather misses him, and Heather says she does. The other thing is, she’s never been compensated at all for their negligence. Isn’t she really entitled? She doesn’t want anything astronomical. Just something to make her comfortable. Maybe a little house with room for Ace, a little garden with petunias. She loves petunias. Elizabeth says she’s going to just take the tray right now. Use her call button if she wants it back or if she wants anything else. Heather asks her to wait. By any chance has she seen Scott Baldwin around?

Nina asks if Drew saw how quickly Willow left. She couldn’t wait to get away from him. He says he didn’t do anything, and she tells him to give her a break. She’s probably running down the stairs two steps at a time. What is wrong with him? She loves Michael. She doesn’t want to lose him. She doesn’t want to hurt her kids or blow up her life. He says he doesn’t want that either, and she says, then leave her alone. Just get over whatever this is, this hero complex of his and cut her loose before he destroys her life. He says, it was one kiss. He’s not trying to defend it, but he already told Nina that they got caught up in the moment and it’s not going to happen again. His phone rings and he says, it’s McConkey. He has to take this. He steps away and asks what he can do for the congressman… He understands and he’ll take care of that… He looks at the phone and says, suddenly being stuck in an elevator doesn’t sound so bad. Nina says, dare she ask? and Drew says, McConkey doesn’t think he’s making enough progress with the school board, that he’s not being proactive enough to get their support. She asks what he’s doing tonight, and straightens his tie. He asks, why? and she says, because she might be able to help.

Laura goes to Doc’s office, and he says, hey, wife. It’s good to see her, if only for a few minutes. It’s been a busy day. She hugs him and says, it has been. She came to see him, but he wasn’t here, so she visited Heather. He says, she’s in the building? He didn’t know that. She says, yeah. Elizabeth said she was kind of depressed, so she tried to cheer Heather up. He says, with pictures of Ace, and she says, yes, and some reassurance that she stopped looking into Heather’s sentencing. He asks if that did the trick, but she says, not really. Heather seems concerned that she’s going to abandon her and will stop visiting her. He says, that sounds like reality is setting in. Her emotions will be all over the place. She says she tried to reassure Heather that she’ll keep visiting just as she has been, and she’ll keep Ace in her life with photos. She perked up just a little bit, but she thinks the reality of Pentenville is weighing on Heather. He says, trips to the hospital can be a mixed blessing. It’s a break from prison, but then she has glimpses into a life she can no longer have. Laura says, make no mistake. She knows who Heather is. She knows the things Heather has done pre and post metallosis, but there’s always been this sort of tragic, poignant thing about Heather. But the horror she became is something altogether different. He asks what she thinks now that she’s taken a step back, and she says she has mixed feelings, but she’s relieved to have made the decision to put it behind her and she knows Portia’s relieved too. He says, she spoke to Portia? and she says she ran into Portia here. Portia wanted to thank her for dropping Heather’s case.

Kristina looks at the photos and tells Michael, that bump. That’s her. That’s the last time the baby was with her, safe and protected. Why did she go in there? What was she thinking? Why didn’t she just leave Ava alone? He says, it doesn’t help going down that path, and she says, he’s never asked himself what if? What if I had made some different choices would everything be different? He says, many times, but it doesn’t change anything. It’s just another way to beat yourself up. She doesn’t need that. She says she wishes she could go back in time. Just walk out that door. Turn around and leave. Then her baby would still be here. Her baby would still be with her. She would still be alive.

Alexis says, Kristina is traumatized, and while she and Sonny are lucky she’s alive, her baby didn’t make it. And she still doesn’t know if she’ll be able to have a child again. Sonny says he didn’t know that, and she says, that’s why they’ve been monitoring her so closely, because they’re trying to avoid a hysterectomy. She is so fragile right now. He says, she thinks he didn’t see that when he walked into the room? It broke his heart. She says, good. Then he realizes Kristina doesn’t know what she’s asking. He says he knows what she’s saying, but this is between him and Kristina, and she says, no. They’re not doing this again. She’s Kristina’s mother and she’s telling him that he can’t do what she asked. Because if Ava dies or disappears or whatever euphemism applies here, he’ll leave a forever mark on Kristina’s soul.

Doc says he’s glad Laura and Portia were able to mend fences, and she says her too. She’s always liked Portia and she adores Trina. And she does understand where Portia was coming from. As a mother, if you perceive a threat to your child, you do anything you can to stop it. Ironically, that’s what Heather was doing too. He says he admires her for asking the questions, and for her sense of fairness and decency, and for overlooking what’s popular and politically expedient. Come to think of it, he admires himself. She laughs and says, really, and he says, for having the good sense to marry her. She hugs him and says, he’s not so bad himself. She doesn’t regret raising the questions she raised, but she thinks in the end, it’s best Heather remains in prison.

Elizabeth says she hasn’t seen Scotty today, and Heather says, he was in here earlier. Could Elizabeth ask him to come back in and see her in her room? Elizabeth says she doesn’t know if he’s going to be back by the time Heather is discharged, and Heather asks if she can just make a teeny-weeny phone call. Elizabeth says, Heather knows she’s not supposed to call from unmonitored lines, but Heather says, it’s really important. It’s actually kind of urgent. Could she ask Elizabeth to call on her own phone? Elizabeth says she doesn’t think she wants to get involved, but Heather says, just leave a message. Just two words, that’s all. Simple. Heather’s in.

Drew says, after reading him the riot act, Nina is offering to help him? and she says she promised she was going to help him get elected and she really needs him to be elected. And McConkey is counting on Drew, and she doesn’t want to let him down. So why doesn’t he just come by her place tonight and they’ll order dinner. He asks if she’s sure about this, and she says, if she wasn’t sure, she wouldn’t have offered. See him tonight. She leaves.

Willow finds Michael and hugs him, and he says he’s glad to see her. She says she’s glad he called. How’s Kristina? He says, she’s not good. Physically, she’s on the mend, but emotionally she’s in a dark place. She’s hurt and she doesn’t see an end in sight. Willow says she understands that. He does too. Michael says he was thinking, if she’s willing, Kristina could really benefit from someone who’s carried and lost a child. He knows it’s a big ask, and she can obviously say no, but would Willow be willing to talk to Kristina?

Kristina looks at the photos and says, you will always be with me. We were a part of each other, and I pray you knew just how loved you were. How loved you still are. You changed my life, baby girl. You taught me the power of a mother’s love, and that is something Ava can never take away from me… like she has everything else.

Alexis says, their daughter is surging with grief right now, and if Sonny takes any action against Ava, she will feel responsible. He says, everything she’s saying, he already knows. He loves his daughter. He’d do anything for his daughter to protect her, but Ava is his problem, and he will take it from here.

On Monday, Maxie says, this is an unexpected turn of events; Anna says, ruining someone’s evening is the only thing she’s happy about; Jack tells Carly, an experience like this shouldn’t be rushed; and Brook tells Blaze that she has to grab the chance.

🐪 Coveted Seating…

IMO, Chanel and Stanbury should have gotten the seats next to Andy.

🍸 Second VanderChapter…

I thought, instead of firing Stassi for something she did years before, it would have been better to watch her grow from it. But she grew anyway and has obviously moved on. However, the LVP connection remains. I started watching Vanderpump Villa, but drifted away. Maybe I’ll give it another shot.

🌴 They’ve Got Style…

In theory, a Bravo FanFest sounds like a good idea, but it’s probably hot, crowded, and ultimately annoying.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/bravo-fan-fest-miami-2024

⚰️ The Next Chapters…

It will be interesting to see how they top themselves after that stellar first season.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/melissa-mcbride-and-norman-reedus-talk-about-carol-and-daryl-s-time-to-shine-01j45se86fkn

Ah for the days of more than a handful of episodes in a season.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-how-many-episodes-per-season-01j4j9whkv7k

Hola, Daryl!

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/daryl-dixon-season-3-confirmed-with-story-moving-to-spain-here-s-everything-we-know-01j3x6ppyak7

🗽 City To Come…

I never knew his last name was Smith. Come to think of it, I never knew he had a last name.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/walking-dead-did-negan-s-redemption-arc-reveal-his-true-nature-or-just-a-path-to-survival-01j4pdzwvt8b

Geez. A little benefit of the doubt would be nice.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/dead-city-negan-s-motivation-to-squander-the-second-chance-given-to-him-by-rick-grimes-01j44ztttajb

I’m including this mostly because I saw Frozen Empire a few weeks ago. It was a lot of fun, and the little Stay Puft marshmallow guys were adorable, but I would have liked more of the frozen part.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/watch-dead-city-actor-logan-kim-in-ghostbusters-frozen-empire-now-streaming-on-netflix-01j3j9fjy50d

🌁 The Latest On Last…

It seems like it’s been forever already.

https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/the-last-of-us-season-2-first-look-catherine-ohara-joels-rescue-aftermath-and-more

https://deadline.com/feature/the-last-of-us-season-2-cast-release-date-everything-to-know-1235940502/

🦄 IF You’re Streaming…

This is on Paramount+ right now. Saw it. Loved it. It rides that fine line of being sentimental without taking a trip to the cornfield. Kind of like a sweeter version of Drop Dead Fred.   

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/if-cast-imaginary-friends-voice-actor-guide/

🦫 Is It Me Or…

It would probably be my luck that when I finally got a prize from one of those stupid machines, it would be a groundhog.

https://people.com/penn-officials-rescue-groundhog-stuck-in-claw-machine-at-mini-golf-course-an-unusual-prize-8693471

🐶 Only a Tail Wag Away…

I was gone like, four hours the other day, and according to my dogs, it was four years. Nothing like a pup to make you feel wanted.

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/chihuahua-best-reaction-being-reunited-with-mom

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/dog-reunites-with-girlfriend

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/australian-shepherd-reunites-with-mom-after-month

🦜 Quotes of the Week

Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you. – Jim Rohn

So let me get this hetero-straight. So you’s a vampire, that can come out in the daytime?… Oh there goes the damn neighborhood. – Lafayette Reynolds (Nelsan Ellis), True Blood

Life is a succession of lessons, which must be lived to be understood. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy. – Howard W. Newton

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

Critical thinking and curiosity are the key to creativity. – Amala Akkineni

His self-awareness makes him almost invincible. – Chris Evans in reference to Ryan Reynolds

Don’t make us die. – girls going parasailing to the boat captain, Customer Wars

🌈 If You Want the Rainbow…

Do something fabulous this weekend, or at least watch something fabulous. Then come back again on Monday for soap and mischief on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay doing what you’re afraid to do, and stay not going down the path of what if. It doesn’t change anything.

August 8, 2024 – Ava Has More Visitors, Other Side, First Look, New Team, In the OC, Go Already, A Return, House Finale, Next Knight, Furry Influencers & Day

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What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Kristina holds her baby, and says, so perfect. Ready to take on the world. She’s a Davis girl through and through. She knew it was going to be a girl, and she’s glad she’s finally here. She kisses the baby’s head, then wakes up. She feels her stomach and cries. She says, my baby.

Portia says she’s glad Trina came to see her. They’ll finish their conversation later. Trina heads for the elevator, and Heather is wheeled out. Heather says, she’s so… when Portia runs in between them, and says, no. Stay away from her daughter.

In Donna’s hospital room, Carly asks if she’s feeling okay, and Donna says her throat hurts. Sonny asks if she knows what helps a sore throat, and Donna says, popsicles. She wonders if she’s in trouble for eating daddy’s vitamins.

Ava yells that she needs to make a phone call to the FBI. She knows the guard can hear her. She needs to speak to Agent John Cates immediately.

John goes to Anna’s office and says he doesn’t appreciate being summoned. She says, the sooner they do this, the better, and he asks what she wants. She says, the truth would be nice. What is the nature of his relationship with Ava Jerome?

Heather says she just wanted to apologize, but Portia says, her daughter is completely off limits. Heather says she’s just here for a follow-up, and Portia says, that doesn’t change the fact that she’s a killer, and Portia will do whatever she has to in order to protect her daughter and keep Heather off the streets. She tells the guard to get Heather out of her sight, and he wheels Heather away. Trina asks, what the hell was that?

Sonny says, Donna isn’t in trouble. They’re just happy she’s okay. Carly says, but she needs to know she can’t take other people’s medicine. Don’t take a pill or swallow anything unless there’s an adult there. Sonny says, medication is good for you, but it’s dangerous unless a doctor gives it to you, and Donna asks if she can go home. Carly says, as soon as the doctor says it’s okay. Daddy will stay here with her. Sonny says he’s going to check in on Kristina, and Donna says, tell Kristina that she hopes she feels better. Maybe get her two popsicles, one for her and one for the baby. (Ouch. Another knife to the heart of the viewers.)

Kristina struggles to sit up, but Alexis says, she can’t get up. Is she in pain? Kristina says she was holding the baby in her arms. She was so beautiful, and she was gone. Alexis says, she was dreaming. She has to try and relax. Her body has been through a lot. Kristina cries and says she was holding her and when she woke up, she was gone. In real life, that’s how it’s always going to be. She was pregnant for eight and a half months and will never get to hold or see the baby except in her dreams, forever. Alexis takes her hand, kisses it, and smooths her hair.

John says, Ava is a friend, and Anna says, just a friend? He says his personal life is his business, and she says, unless it connects him to a crime. His luggage was found in Ava’s room. Does he care to explain? He says, absolutely not, and she says, Ava is in custody. She pushed Kristina Corinthos-Davis, and she fell from a third story window. Ava is being charged with assault, attempted murder, and manslaughter. Kristina was eight and a half months pregnant, and the baby didn’t make it. Would he like to shed some light regarding his and Ava’s relationship? John tells her that he has nothing more to say, and she asks if he doesn’t care that an innocent life was lost before it had a chance to be born. Or doesn’t it matter because it’s Sonny’s grandchild? He says, of course (🍷) it matters. It’s a tragedy. She asks him again to shed light on his relationship with Ava, and he says, one last time, no. Anna says, then she can only speculate. He thinks Ava is an ally against Sonny or maybe a vehicle to bring Sonny down, but that’s a mistake. He’s spent his life dedicated to law enforcement. Don’t let his hatred destroy his career and him. He needs to distance himself from Ava. He says, like she distanced herself from Valentin? and she says, it’s a slippery slope and the bottom is ugly. He accuses her of being an apologist for Sonny. It’s the only way Sonny has lasted this long. She asks if he knows how many professionals wrecked themselves to get Sonny. It’s a long list, and he’s about to add his name. John tells her to stay out of his way. Nothing is going to stop him from taking Sonny down. He leaves.

Portia asks if Trina is worried that she embarrassed herself. She doesn’t care. Her only concern is to protect her daughter. Trina says, Heather is handcuffed and has a guard with her, but Portia says, she’s escaped from the hospital before. Trina says, Portia is Co-Chief of Staff. She can’t afford to lose it on a patient even if it’s Heather.

Scotty goes to Heather’s room and shows the guard his ID. He says he needs to speak to his client, but the guard says, she’s here for a check-up, not a legal conference. Scotty says he has every right to see her, and if he doesn’t, he’ll sue the guard, the hospital, Pentenville, and everybody. The guard steps aside, and he goes in. Heather says, it’s always a treat to see him, but they both know he’s not her attorney. He says, not yet.

Felicia goes to Kristina’s room and says she wanted to check in. She’s so sorry about what happened and for Kristina’s loss. Her entire family has her in their thoughts and will do whatever they can to help. Kristina stays turned away and silent, but Alexis thanks her. Felicia says, on a professional note, she’s a patient advocate, and one of the things she does is ensure that patients take full advantage of the hospital resources, including counseling, therapy, and grief support. Whatever she needs. Alexis says, they’ll take that into consideration, and Felicia says, feel free to reach out with any questions or anything. She knows from experience there’s no timeline or standard of how to handle grief, but she knows it helps to lean on family. If Kristina needs the support of a friend, she’s here. She leaves, and Alexis spoons Kristina in the bed. She asks what she can do, and Kristina asks why this happened.  

John goes to Ava’s cell, and Ava says she told them that she wanted to call him, but they wouldn’t let her. How did he find her? He says, the Police Commissioner said she was arrested. He asks if she’s responsible for Kristina going through the window, but she says, absolutely not. It was an accident. She tripped and fell, but it won’t matter. It’s her word against Kristina’s. If Kristina doesn’t make it, Sonny is going to blame her. John says, Kristina is expected to recover, but the baby died, and she says, they’re blaming her and charging her with manslaughter. She’s not likely to live long enough to go to trial. Sonny is coming after her and probably him. Kristina tripped over his duffel bag and she hid it, but the police found it. He asks what she told them, and she says, nothing, but Sonny will find out. It’s only going to get worse when he realizes his pills are placebos.  

Jason comes into the hospital and sees Donna with Sonny and Carly. He asks if everything is okay, and Donna says, she’s going home – and she gets two popsicles. Jason says he took Josslyn to her Ride Share, so he can take Carly and Donna home, but Carly says she wants him to stay with Sonny. Keep her posted about Kristina and what’s going on with the meds. She and Donna leave, and Jason says he’s glad Donna is okay. Sonny says, it was too close for comfort. For Donna’s sake, he’s glad they were placebos, but it took him a long time to recognize it. He was all over the place. Jason and Carly knew, and he should have listened. Jason says, they can’t go back and change anything, but ultimately, Sonny did the right thing seeing Doc. His instincts kicked in and he’s glad Sonny trusted them. Sonny says he feels better knowing what’s going on. Now he wants to know who switched his medication for placebos in the first place.

Scotty says he did some research after the article in The Invader, and Heather says, it upset a lot of people. He says he’s intrigued, and she asks, why? He says, cobalt poisoning is a real thing, and she got a bum sentence. She’s done wild things, but she’s not movie slasher crazy. She says, they all were a little wild back in the day if she recalls, and he says, those were different times with different standards. They’re dealing with right now. She left a wake of death and terror, but it’s not her fault. She didn’t give herself cobalt poisoning like she gave herself LSD. She wasn’t in her right mind, but it’s not her fault her judgment was gaflute. Let him help her. She asks why he wants to, and he says, they’re family a little bit. They share Franco. She says, he did not just use the dead son card. What’s in this for him?

Portia tells Trina that she’s aware of her position, but she’s not apologizing for protecting her child. She’ll tell the board if they have a problem with it. Trina says she understands, but Portia says, she doesn’t. It’s nice that Laura backed off, but the damage was done. She won’t have a lawyer make a name for themselves putting Heather back on the street. Trina says she’s not worried about Heather; she’s worried about Portia. Don’t let her hatred consume her. She’s got to let this go. Portia says, if Trina wants to put her mind at ease, stay away from Heather.

John asks what makes Ava think Sonny is going to find out, and she says, he’s getting treatment. Doc came to see her, and she heard him on a phone call. John asks if Doc noticed there was a problem, and she says, of course (🍷) he would. Sonny was undermedicated for months. She’s terrified about the fallout. John asks if she’ll be blamed, and she says, of course (🍷), but she didn’t do it. It was the GH pharmacist, Clement. Somebody paid or coerced him into switching the meds. John says, it’s only a matter of time before Sonny confronts him unless he can get to him first. Ava tells him, go to GH and find Clement. Tell him to run. Do whatever he can to keep alive. John says, he’s hardly innocent, but she says she went to Clement’s office. Sonny is going to think she put him up to it. At the very least, he’ll know that she knew. John says he won’t let that happen, and she asks how he’s going to stop it. He says, don’t worry. Sonny’s days of trampling over people are about to come to an end.

Jason shows Sonny the photos on the phone and says, Brick had a guy posted opposite Ava’s room. Sonny says, Ava had her hands on Kristina and pushed her? and Jason says, looks that way. Sonny says, it all leads to Ava. The baby’s death, Kristina falling, and his medication. She did it to Morgan. She switched his lithium with a placebo and made him think he was losing his mind when he was fine. If she could do that to his son, she could do it to him. Jason asks what Sonny wants him to do, and Sonny says he wants her to pay. He thinks for a moment, and says, do him a favor and pay Ava a visit. See if she has anything to say. Jason says, copy that, and leaves.

Kristina asks Alexis how she’s supposed to do this. How can she be here when her baby is gone? My baby. She’s said those words so many times, but it’s the first time she let herself feel them. She was Kristina’s baby. She was a part of Kristina, and Kristina was a part of her. Now that she’s gone, Kristina is acknowledging that she was her mother. Alexis says, sometimes questions don’t have answers. Sometimes terrible things happen for no reason. Kristina says, she was her baby and grew in her body. She’s the only one who truly knew her. She knew what every kick meant. She knew when the baby was happy, excited, or hungry, when she liked or didn’t like something. Every day for the last eight and a half months, it was just the two of them. She felt her and knew she was real. She was hers. She cries and says, she was my baby.  

Scotty tells Heather that the company that manufactured the defective implant has deep pockets, and they can sue the pants off them. Heather says, even if she wins, what good is it to her in prison? and he tells her, who said she was going to stay in prison if they appeal and get a new trial? She says, it’s a big if, and he says, they can use the cobalt poisoning as a defense. She says, people are still dead, and he says, it’s tragic, but she’s not responsible for killing them. She was literally not in her right mind. If she’s acquitted, she’ll be free and have big fat cat bank account. She has life left in her, right? She says she hopes so, and he asks if she wants to spend it with her grandchild or punching out license plates. The manufacturer stole her life. They don’t care about the little people, only profit. They went after her. She’s the victim. She asks if he isn’t laying it on a little thick, and he says he’s practicing his opening statement. He sees she’s interested. Let him get her out of here and they’ll go after a piece of the big corporate pie.

Alexis comes out and Sonny asks if Kristina is all right, but she says, no. Kristina is shattered and devastated, and she has no idea how they’ll get her through. He says, whatever she needs, they’ll give it to her, and she says, they have to be at their best. He says he’s getting help and she says she’s glad to hear it. He says he’s not going to go in and scare Kristina, and she says, they have to keep it together. She needs them more than ever. Sonny says, they’re in this together. He has to tell her something. Ava is responsible for everything that happened, and he has proof.

Portia tells the desk nurse that she wants to get Heather discharged as quickly as possible. No coddling or special treatment. It’s not a day spa for her. Felicia says she doesn’t want to overstep, but she’s not sure rushing a patient is giving them the best care possible.

The guard tells Heather that someone insists on speaking with her, and she says, tell her attorney that she’ll get back to him, but Trina walks in.

Carly calls Anna and asks her to come over. She needs to report a crime.  

Ava hears footsteps, and Jason walks in. She asks what he wants.

Heather says she didn’t expect it to be Trina, especially considering the warm reception she got from Trina’s mother. Trina says, her mother doesn’t speak for her. She’s an adult and wants to hear Heather say whatever she has to say. Heather thanks Trina for letting her and says she’s so sorry. She realizes that changes nothing, that people are dead and there’s no replacing them. It was like waking up from a nightmare to find herself in a worse one. Now she knows what she did, and she’ll regret it for the rest of her life.  

Portia tells Felicia that she’s maintained to her staff and law enforcement that they don’t have to like every patient, but have to provide everyone with the best medical care. Heather is receiving the same care as every other patient, and yes, Felicia is overstepping. Felicia says she’s a patient advocate and her job is to ensure all patients receive the full scope of the hospital’s resources, including those who are criminals and in jail. Portia says, like Ryan Chamberlain? She doesn’t recall Felicia advocating for him. (Felicia wasn’t a patient advocate then. Ugh, Portia.) She does appreciate Felicia’s passion for patient care, but reminds Felicia that she’s Co-Chief of Staff. She walks away.

Sonny tells Alexis that Ava intentionally pushed their daughter out a window, and she asks how he knows. He says he has surveillance pictures of her putting her hands on Kristina. It was no accident. She says, that hateful, evil, obscene woman, and he says he’s sorry to tell her. She says, take care of Kristina. She needs some air. She leaves and he looks at Kristina through the window.

Carly thanks Anna for coming by. She just settled Donna in after she’d been in the hospital. She had her stomach pumped. Anna asks if she’s all right, and Carly says, she’s got a popsicle. Anna asks, what happened? and Carly says, she swallowed some of Sonny’s lithium. She thought they were vitamins. But it turns out they went through all that for nothing. The pills were placebos. Anna asks if Sonny knows, and Carly says, he was there. Anna asks how long Carly thinks that’s been going on, and Carly says she’s guessing since New Year’s Eve. They did a blood test on Sonny and there was no medication in his bloodstream. Anna says, that explains his reckless behavior. It’s not an excuse, but it gives some perspective. Carly says she’s more concerned about who tampered with the medication, and Anna asks if she has any idea. Carly says she does. Ava Jerome. (Ava is still the answer to every question.)

Ava asks why Jason is here. Did Sonny send him? Is he back working for Sonny? Jason says nothing, and she calls for the guard. She says, they’ll be making their rounds soon, but Jason shakes his head and says, no one is coming for her. She says, whatever he was told or whatever he thinks he knows about what happened, it was an accident. It’s an accusation Sonny cooked up. He’s too volatile. Not that long ago, he wanted Jason dead. Jason says, the baby died, and she says, it was an accident. Why would she do anything to intentionally harm Kristina, let alone push her out a window? Jason says he’s given up thinking about why people do what they do. They have proof. She says, photos can be manipulated. Sonny would do anything to get rid of her. He’s violent and erratic. He says, now they know why. She switched his medication for placebos like she did with Morgan.

Scotty sees Alexis in the hallway and says he heard about Kristina. How is she doing? She asks, who wants to know? Him or his murderous client? Scotty says he heard there was an accident, and Alexis says, Kristina had an abrupted placenta after being pitched three stories down. The baby died, so she is not okay. Scotty says he doesn’t want to upset Alexis. Can he get her some coffee? She says she just needs some air, and he asks if she’s got a minute so they can put their heads together. She says, no, and he says he understands she had a theory about how Heather’s case could be overturned. He’s taken her on as a client and thought Alexis might want to be second chair. Alexis says, he’s insane to ask right now. No. No way in hell will she ever help Heather.

Trina says she heard Heather’s apology and she’s glad Heather’s not homicidal. She hopes it sticks. She starts to leave, but Heather says, wait. She’s truly sorry for everything she did to Trina and the people around her. And one more thing. She’s sorry for what Esme did to Trina too. She was manipulated by her father. Trina knows how evil Ryan was and how jealous Esme was about how much Spencer loved Trina. Ryan exploited that because he knew the worst thing about being in love… Trina says, Esme was not in love with Spencer. She used Spencer. Don’t apologize for her. She won’t forgive Heather or Esme. Heather says, okay. She understands. Why did Trina come to see her? Trina says she’s not going to be trapped by her fear and hatred. She’s not going to let Heather or Esme have that power over her, but she wants Heather to have her day in court. She prays justice is served in the end, whatever that means. She prays no one is hurt by Heather again. Heather says, and she prays she never hurts anyone again, ever, and Trina says, good, a tear running down her cheek. They all deserve some peace. She leaves, and Heather cries.

Anna asks if Carly is accusing Ava of tampering with Sonny’s medication, and Carly says, she did the same to Morgan. She pushed him to a manic episode that led to his death. Anna says, the legal record doesn’t reflect that, and it’s not proof she did the same to Sonny. Carly says, Ava has motive and opportunity. She was living in the penthouse and Sonny turned her into his watchdog. She was there when Dante got shot. Anna says, Ava did seem protective of Sonny, and Carly says, she was trying to control him. She isolated him and kept him unmedicated. It worked for a while. He pushed everyone away. Anna says, it’s not easy to prove, and Carly asks if she isn’t Police Commissioner. Isn’t it a crime? Anna says, it is. How much does Sonny know? Right now, the only life at stake could be Ava’s.

Jason wonders who else could have done it, since Ava was living at the penthouse, but Ava says she didn’t switch the medication. She found out by accident and made it her business to follow up. Sonny has a dangerous enemy. He tells her to give him a name, but she says, they both know how this works. If she tells him, she’s expendable. The only thing keeping her alive is what she knows that Sonny doesn’t.

John goes to Clement’s office and shows his ID. He says he’s going to need Clement to come with him.

Sonny kisses Kristina’s forehead, and she turns to him. He says he didn’t mean to wake her. When she was a little girl, he would kiss her booboo to make it better. She says she’s glad he’s here and takes his hand. He asks if he can get her anything, and she says, he needs make Ava pay for what she did to her baby.

I’m in.

Tomorrow, Drew says he’s got good news for someone; Doc tells Alexis that she can’t do it alone; Michael wants to show his appreciation to Nina for everything she’s done for Willow; and Kristina asks Sonny when Ava is finally going to pay for everything she’s done.

🔦 What They Do In the Shadows…

I visited the One Life To Live set once, and the rooms are side by side, almost like in a good furniture store. And the lights are hot. So hot. There’s also a lot of hurry up and wait. I was so impressed by both the actors and production in how they’re able to make it seem so real.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/steve-burton-shows-fans-a-side-of-gh-never-seen-before

🍀 We’re All Lucky…

Laura is going to go out of her mind with joy.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/gh-shares-a-first-look-at-jonathan-jacksons-return

📝 Flipping the Script…

It always seems to go the same way. There are casualties – Finn – and the story gets amped up, along with a few big twists – the whole baby/Ava/Sonny’s meds storylines.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-names-new-headwriting-team

🍊 Meanwhile, In the County Of Oranges…

We saw that clearly, Gina had encouraged Katie to call Heather out on the old paparazzi thing, then later, told Katie that she shouldn’t have said anything. I guess she thought better about stirring Heather’s pot, but it was too late. Heather was annoyed and confused, but I’m not sure why she gives a flying. She’s already won by having the most toys. The worst, most cringeworthy thing was Tamra berating Shannon – no surprise, in public at a brunch – about drinking and calling her an alcoholic. I’m not a Shannon fan, but I felt badly for her once again. It’s not bad enough she has to share the stage with Johnny’s new squeeze, now she has to endure the wrath of Tamra for something that Tamra obviously knows nothing about. I don’t know if Shannon is an alcoholic, or her drinking is just problematic – there’s a difference – but only Shannon can make that call. On Watch What Happens Live, Andy read a post from a viewer who called it tough love, but I don’t think it’s that at all. I think it’s just Tamra being her screechy, bitchy self, and not being helpful at all. Shannon left the table and Alexis brought up the lawsuit, producing actual receipts for Shannon’s facelift. There was a side conversation about how good Shannon looked, so there’s always an upside. In keeping with the immaturity of the situation, Alexis said, liar face better shush it. What are we? Ten? Sadly, Vicki was the voice of reason, but Tamra called her an enabler, which made me wonder. If Tamra is so concerned about Shannon’s drinking, why doesn’t she not drink in comradery? TBH, neither one of them should be drinking since it always leads to screaming and yelling. There were some amusing flashbacks of Vicki screaming at various people, although some of them were actually warranted.

👠 Bye, Jersey, Bye…

I’m actually watching this right now and agreed. The episode itself comes across as final.

https://ew.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-andy-cohen-think-cast-is-done-8691427

https://www.eonline.com/news/1405670/why-rhonjs-season-14-last-supper-proves-the-current-cast-is-done-for-good

Yeah Delores, we all wish we could go back in time.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1405670/why-rhonjs-season-14-last-supper-proves-the-current-cast-is-done-for-good

Too bad. All that plastic surgery for nothing.

🍑 Just Peachy…

Like Colleen Hoover said on Watch What Happens Live, she’s good TV.

https://people.com/phaedra-parks-joins-real-housewives-of-atlanta-season-16-8685417

🐉 Here There Be Dragons…

Warning: probably a million spoilers if you haven’t watched the finale.

https://ew.com/daeron-house-of-the-dragon-explained-season-2-finale-teaser-8687123

https://ew.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-ending-explained-where-war-goes-from-here-8687671

https://ew.com/house-of-the-dragon-battle-of-rooks-rest-rhaenys-death-cast-interviews-exclusive-8674281

My takeaway point: Aww! Baby dragon!

https://ew.com/house-of-the-dragon-why-jon-snow-not-in-season-2-finale-creator-ryan-condal-8690570

⚔️ What Comes Next…

But will they know something? I’m unfamiliar with these books, but they sound intriguing. I loved the A Song of Ice and Fire series. It’s not even my jam to read, but I was hooked immediately.

https://ew.com/game-of-thrones-spinoff-a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-first-footage-8690112

https://ew.com/knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-casts-its-own-daeron-targaryen-8692527

Game of Thrones: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Spinoff Announces New Cast Members

🐕 Will Work For Treats…

Feeling influenced by cuteness already.

☔️ Checking Ark Blueprints…

Join me tomorrow for soap, insights into entertainment, words to think about, and a song to set the mood by. Until then, stay safe, stay donating those clothes you haven’t worn in eons, and stay never being trapped by fear and hatred.

August 6, 2024 – Anna Sees Sonny’s Surveillance Photos, Soap Suds, Dubai Goes To Bali, Old School New York On Vacay, Number One & Stuck

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Doc is working in his office at the hospital when the lights go out. Laura walks in carrying a cupcake with a candle in it. She says, he didn’t think she forgot, did he?

Scotty shows up at the station and Ava asks where he’s been. He says, court, but he’s here now. He asks Anna why his client is here, and Anna says, Kristina Corinthos-Davis fell from a window in the MetroCourt. By some miracle, she landed in the pool. Scotty asks if she’s okay, and Anna says, it’s touch and go. He says he’s sorry to hear it, but what’s it got to do with Ava? Chase says, Kristina fell from a window in Ava’s suite, and Ava says, it was a terrible, hideous accident. Scotty says, there you go, but Anna says, that remains to be seen.

Jason brings the bills for Bobbie’s to Sonny’s old kitchen, and Carly asks if she can get him something. He says he’s okay, but she’s obviously not. What’s wrong? She says, Sonny was supposed to see Donna, but he didn’t show, and she didn’t get a text. She doesn’t know what to tell Donna. He asks if she thinks Sonny forgot, but she says, he’s never done that. He’s going through a lot and he’s nowhere to be found. Donna needs the stability. He says, Donna has her, but she says, Donna deserves both her parents.

The nurse asks Alexis to wait outside. Dr. Park says a bunch of medical stuff, ending with, get her to the OR immediately.

Molly asks, what happened? but Alexis says she doesn’t know. The machines started going crazy and they’re working on Kristina. Sam comes in and asks Dante, what the hell is going on?

Sonny stands on the roof ledge looking down. Morgan stands next to him and asks what he’s doing.

The nurse comes out, and Alexis asks, what happened? She says, Kristina is bleeding internally and being taken to surgery. The doctor will talk to them when they know more. Sam asks if Kristina is going to be okay, and Alexis says, she better be. Dante says, she’s strong, and Sam says, and stubborn. Dante says, she’ll find her way back.

TJ tells Molly that Dr. Park is one of the best, and Jason says, Kristina is in good hands. Molly says, they just lost their baby. She cannot and will not lose Kristina too.

Ava says, they can’t think she deliberately shoved Kristina out the window, and Scotty says he needs to talk to his client. Anna says, the interrogation room is his, and he and Ava go in. Ava says, this is utter insanity, and Scotty asks if he’s sure she didn’t put a hand on that girl. She says she didn’t touch Kristina, and he says he can work with that.

Anna calls the hospital, and asks about Kristina… Yes… Okay, and the baby?… She’s sorry to hear that… Okay. Thank you. Chase asks if there’s any news, and she says she wishes she had better news, but the baby didn’t make it. Chase says, poor Molly, TJ, and Kristina… All of them. She says, they can’t let this distract them. Does he have anything from CID? He says, nothing of value. He’s still waiting on the forensics report. Dante emailed his notes over, and he got the same vibe. Kristina tripping over a shoe makes no sense. Ava is hiding something.

Sam wonders where Sonny is, and Dante says, he was here earlier, and Molly lost her mind on him. Alexis says she’ll call Blaze, but Sam says she’ll do it. Stay here with Kristina. Sam leaves, and Dante makes a call.

Carly says, sorry for unloading on Jason, but he says, she’s still on edge. She says she’s still in shock about the evidence disappearing. Spinelli didn’t do it and she keeps wracking her brain, but she honestly doesn’t know. Jason says, they’ll figure it out. All that matters is she’s free. She says, and he’s free, when his phone rings. He asks Dante, what’s up?… No. Carly is here. Why?… Carly asks if everything is okay, and Jason tells Dante, no problem. He’ll be right there. Carly asks, what’s going on? and Jason says, Kristina fell through a window at the hotel. She says her hotel? and he says, she landed in the pool. She asks, when? and he says, earlier. She wonders why the hell no one called her, and he says probably because they were focused on the hospital. She asks if Kristina is okay. What about the baby? He says, the baby didn’t make it. Dante is at GH and wants him to come. He’s worried about Sonny. Carly tells him to go. Call if there’s anything she can do. He leaves.

Sonny says, You’re not here. You’re just in my imagination. You’re not real. Morgan says he’s always with Sonny. Come down. Sonny’s got a family who loves him, including him. Sonny says, they shouldn’t. Look at him. He’s nothing but disaster to all his kids, especially Morgan. Morgan says, that’s not true, but Sonny says, Molly was right when she said all he brings is pain and destruction for everyone.

Doc likes the cupcake and says, Laura didn’t have to, but he’s glad she did. She says, of course (🍷) she had to. Today is the day he was born. He deserves to be celebrated. She feels awful. She had a whole evening planned. She had dinner reservations and a babysitter, but she got stuck at the City Council meeting from hell. He says, it’s probably just as well. It would have been worse if he’d gotten called away on an emergency, but he was asked to do a last-minute patient eval. They should be calling any minute. She says she hates that he had to work on his birthday, but it does make her feel better. They laugh, and she tells him to open his present. He sees two tickets to Allison’s Room, and she says, a weekend in New York, complete with a night out on Broadway. He asks how she got them. He heard the tickets were impossible to get. She says, sometimes it pays to be in politics.

Scotty says, Anna needs to cut his client loose. The MetroCourt is to blame. Ava says, their window wasn’t up to code, and Anna says she has a question. John Cates’s luggage was found in Ava’s closet. Care to explain?

TJ says, a little girl, and Jordan says, he had a daughter. He says, her granddaughter. Just like that, she’s already gone. How is that possible? He’ll never get to hear her laugh or celebrate her first steps and won’t know what it feels like to hold her in his arms. Jordan says she’s so sorry, and he asks what Jordan thinks she would have been like. She says, knowing her father, pure magic, when a nurse says, Dr. Park asked her to update them. They’re trying to avoid a hysterectomy, but Kristina is losing a lot of blood and there might be no choice. They’ll have more information when she’s out of surgery. She leaves, and Molly says, a hysterectomy. What if carrying their child cost Kristina the chance to have her own? TJ says, it wasn’t because of the pregnancy, and Sam says, it was a horrible accident. Molly says, one that could have been easily avoided.

Jason comes in, and Dante thanks him for coming. Jason asks how Kristina is doing, and Dante says, when she gets out of surgery, they’ll know. Jason asks how it happened, and Dante says, Kristina went to Ava’s room and got into it with her. Ava says she didn’t touch Kristina. She tripped over a shoe. Jason says, and through the window? Has Ava been arrested? Dante says, she’s in custody, and Jason says, there’s no sign of Sonny? Dante says, he was here, and Molly laid into him. She blamed him for everything, including Kristina losing the baby. Jason asks how he reacted, and Dante says, Sonny took off and he hasn’t seen him since.

Sonny says he’s always tried to hide the darkness he had inside, but it always seems to come out, and Morgan says he saw it, but he saw the light too. He knows Sonny loved him. Sonny says, it’s not enough. He’s tired of trying to be somebody else. Morgan says, it’s exhausting, and Sonny says, especially with Kristina. Every time she looks at him, he feels like he has hope, that his life is worth saving. Morgan says, it is, and Sonny says, Kristina saw him beat up Dex. He was angry and he enjoyed it, and she saw it. He wanted to hurt Dex the way Dex hurt him. Morgan says, it’s understandable, but Sonny says, not for Kristina. She was afraid of him and ran away. Morgan says, she came back, but Sonny says, she should have kept running. If she had, the baby would still be alive.

Dante says he checked the chapel and tried to call Sonny, but everything goes to voicemail. If it was under normal circumstances… Jason says, it’s not, and Dante says, Sonny is emotional and erratic. Jason asks if he’s worried Sonny will go after Ava, and Dante says, is he? Jason says, she’s at the station, but Dante says, they can only hold her for so long. He’ll go look for Sonny himself. Jason tells him to stay with the family. He’ll look for Sonny. Dante says, keep him posted, and Jason asks Dante to do the same. He hopes Kristina is okay. He leaves.

Donna comes into the kitchen, and Carly says, she can’t sleep? Does she want some warm milk? Donna says, yuck, channeling all of us, and Carly says, she loved warm milk when she was a baby. Donna says she’s not a baby anymore, and Carly says, come sit with her. How are they going fix this? Read another book? Count sheep? Donna says, that never works (more truth!) and Carly agrees. She asks if Donna wants to talk, and Donna says, about what? Carly says, whatever is going on. Sometimes we can’t sleep because we’re worried or angry or sad. Donna asks why daddy didn’t come to their playdate, and Carly says she’s not sure, but whatever is keeping him away has to be important. He loves their playdates. Donna asks if she thinks he didn’t come because he and Carly are mad at each other.

Morgan tells Sonny that he, Kristina, and Michael may pull away, but they always come back because they love him. His kids are not scared of him. Is he perfect? No parent is perfect, but they know deep down that he wants the best for them. Sonny says, that’s all he wanted, to be the father they deserve, and he failed. Morgan says he disagrees, and Sonny asks how Morgan, of all people, can say that to him. Morgan is dead because of him.  

Jason calls Brick while he’s at the tailor being fitted. Brick asks if there’s any word on Kristina, and Jason says, she’s in surgery. Brick says, poor thing. He’s sending up all his prayers. Sonny had called him and asked him to do surveillance on Ava’s hotel room. He has pictures of the whole thing, but Sonny isn’t answering his calls. Jason says, no one here can find him. He was hoping Brick could track him down – Brick says he’s on it – and can Brick send him the photos? Brick says, Sonny made it clear that Jason is no longer in the inside circle of trust, but Jason says, Sonny is mistaken. He’s been protecting Sonny and his family like always. Brick says, that’s good enough for him, especially under the circumstances. He’ll get Jason the pictures and look for Sonny.  

🤬 We’re having thunderstorms, and my electricity went out, but not the WiFi, so I got my laptop. Trust me, not enough happened in that time to go back and watch it again.

Doc says he’s glad to have Laura as a partner, when his phone rings. She says, that’s probably the call he’s been waiting for, but if he plays his cards right, there may be more surprises later. She’s sure it’s not information he should share with the mayor. He says, she’s also his wife, and she says, forever. He says, and always, and she leaves.

Ava tells Anna that Carly threw Cates out of the MetroCourt, and he asked if he could leave his luggage in her room. What’s wrong with that? Anna says, nothing. She’s just curious that Ava didn’t mention it. Ava says she didn’t see the relevance. There’s about to be a hearing for the custody of her daughter. If Sonny and his lawyer got wind of her association with Cates, they might make it an issue. Scotty says, for cryin’ out loud, there’s no crime here. Does he have to talk to a judge or are they going to let Ava go?… Okay. He’s going to find a judge. He tells Ava that he’ll have her out by tonight. He leaves and sees Jason walking into the station.  

Dr. Park says, they’ve been able to avoid a hysterectomy, but have to monitor Kristina closely. She’s being moved back to ICU soon. They can see her, but one at a time. He doesn’t want her to be overwhelmed. Alexis thanks him and tells the others, Kristina is going to be okay. There are hugs all around.

Carly tells Donna that parents get mad at each other, but the cool thing is, even when they get mad, they still love each other. Because they love her and she’s a part of each of them. Donna asks why they fight, and Carly says, it’s normal. Do she and Avery always get along? Donna says, the other day, Avery stole her squishy and she yelled at Avery. Then Avery left her a note saying she loved her. Carly says she bets Donna found Avery, hugged her, and said she loved her too. People fighting is a part of life, especially people who love each other. No matter how much they disappoint each other, they’ll always love each other.

Morgan says, it’s revisionist history at best. It’s Ava’s fault. She’s the reason he was off his meds, which led to him being in the explosion. Not Sonny. Sonny says, he shot Dante, and Morgan says, before he knew Dante was his son. Sonny says, Michael was in a coma for a year, and Morgan says, it was an accident. Sonny says, Avery was cursed with Ava as a mother, and Donna’s mother almost went to federal prison. Now Kristina lost her baby. Morgan says, no one could have stopped that, and Sonny says, it’s better for everybody. Why is Morgan here? To tell him to finally do right thing.

Anna comes out to see Jason, and he tells her that Sonny had surveillance on Ava’s hotel suite and pictures were taken. She says, the drapes were open. She doesn’t suppose he has access to the photos. He shows them to her, and she asks why he’s bringing them to her. He says he trusts her to do the right thing with them.

Ava tells Chase that Trina is dear to her. She thinks of Trina like a daughter, and she’s worried about her. It must have been a shock to witness such an accident. Chase says he thinks everyone is still processing, and she asks what Trina said about it, when Anna walks back in. Ava asks if they’ve decided holding luggage isn’t a crime or do they wait for a judge? It’s late and she’s exhausted. Anna says, it’s been a trying day. Lying takes effort. Ava says, sorry? and Anna says, they have proof Ava hasn’t been truthful in her statement to the PCPD. Ava says she explained why she didn’t mention Cates’s bag, and Anna says she’s going to ask Ava again, but be careful how she answers. Did she have any physical contact with Kristina before she fell? Jason watches through the window.

Alexis tells Kristina that she always had a flair for the dramatic, but this is ridiculous. She thanks Kristina for pulling through. A world without her is unfathomable. She loves Kristina with all her heart. Molly knocks on the window, and Alexis gestures for her to come in. They hug, and Molly sits down. Alexis leaves, and Molly takes Kristina’s hand. 

Sam says she hates this, and Dante says he does too. She says she doesn’t want Molly and Kristina to live through what she did, and Dante says, what she’s still living through. She says, losing a child is a special kind of pain that stays with you forever. Whatever stage they’re at, you’ve already built a life with the two of you together forever, and in an instant, it’s gone. She snuggles against him.

Carly says, they’re so lucky to have Donna, and Donna asks if she thinks daddy will come see her tomorrow. Carly says she knows he wants to. He always wants to be with her, and she knows if he can’t be with her, whatever the reason, he loves her.

Morgan says, Sonny can’t check out. His kids need him. Sonny says, they’re better off without him. He failed his children like he failed Morgan. He didn’t protect Morgan like he should have. That’s a father’s job to protect their kids. He didn’t know where the real threat was. Morgan says, don’t leave them now, but Sonny says he’s not doing them any good. He thought he was, but he’s not. He’s done. He can rest knowing his kids are taken care of. Morgan says, they still need him. Not just his kids, but his grandkids. Amelia, Wiley, Rocco… Kristina is fighting for her life, and he needs to help her. Sonny says he is. He’s helping all his kids by keeping them safe from him.

Ava says she may have reached out to Kristina, and Anna says, may have? Ava says, it’s such a blur. Kristina came storming in, angry. She was completely taken off guard. Anna says, fortunately, they don’t have to rely on Ava’s memory, and shows Ava the photos. They don’t look good for Ava, and Ava looks like she has a headache. She asks where they came from, and Anna says, does it matter? She’s placing Ava under arrest for assault and manslaughter. The baby didn’t make it. She gives Ava her rights.

Sam asks if there’s been any change, but Alexis says, not yet. Sam asks if they can get Alexis anything. She just lost a grandchild, and almost lost her daughter. Alexis says, thank God for almost, and Sam says, she’s going to pull through. Alexis says, then what happens to the family? They’re sisters. Sam says she has no answers, but they’ll figure it out together. All of them.

Kristina moves a little and opens her eyes. Molly tells Kristina that she’s right here, and Kristina starts to cry. She says she’s so sorry. She lost Molly’s baby. Molly says, it’s okay, but Kristina sobs and says she’s sorry. Molly says she knows.

Donna sleeps, snuggled against Carly.

We see the roof. Sonny and Morgan are gone.

Doc is packing up, when Sonny comes in. He says he needs help, and Doc says, all right. Sonny says, something is wrong with him, and he can’t take it anymore.

Tomorrow, Portia tells Trina, good people are capable of bad things; Doc gets the results of Sonny’s blood test; Jason asks what stopped Sonny; and Ava says she’s not responsible.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

In case you don’t know.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/what-happened-to-morgan-on-general-hospital-154892

How he feels.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/uncategorized/bryan-craig-opens-up-about-returning-to-general-hospital

Yep. It was a real tearjerker, and they did their jobs well.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kate-mansi-opens-up-about-that-powerful-episode-of-gh

I guess Hayden isn’t coming back. Not this one anyway.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/the-bold-the-beautiful/rebecca-budig-is-the-new-taylor-on-the-bold-the-beautiful

Lulu isn’t coming back the same way either. I can’t say I’m disappointed. I was never that invested.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/emme-rylan-confirms-gh-is-recasting-lulu

Not happy, but necessary.

https://ew.com/suspect-photos-released-general-hospital-star-johnny-wactor-killing-8690681

And to end on an up note, a good time was had by all.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/general-hospital-fan-club-weekend-photo-album

🐪 Give Me a Home Where the Camels All Roam…

The main thing about this group is how they blow everything out of proportion and get angry over… well, just about anything. Tonight, they got angry with all the wrong people and about all the wrong things. The main focus was a voice note (is that a thing?) that Ayan played for Stanbury, who brought it up at a group dinner. There was also Stanbury actually dancing at a club, which was kinda fun, but the voice note argument was tedious. Even worse was the group’s reaction to Lesa choosing some traditional Bali gowns for them to wear at another dinner. You’d have thought the sky was falling. Not only was it not haute couture, each woman had some personal complaint. Like the color. It was like Lesa had committed some mortal sin, instead of just trying to add to the experience. As usual, all the wrong people have the money.

🗽 Speaking Of the Wrong People…

This looks like it might be fun, if only for the addition of Kelly and Kristen, who we haven’t seen for a while. I met Kristen at a cocktail party post Ramona throwing a glass at her face. She was very gracious and not as boring as she was made out to be.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhugt-season-4-rhony-legacy-bravo-premiere-date

🌳 Greenest Block In Brooklyn…

I saw this on the news, and it looks like a beautiful place to live. Let all the photos bring you to zen.  

https://www.bbg.org/community/greenest_block_2024

🎠 Always a Day Away…

It’s been a tiring and stormy day, but join me tomorrow for soaps, news about what to watch (or not), and the latest Listings. Until then, stay safe, stay letting a smile be your umbrella unless it’s actually raining, and stay not bothering to count sheep. It doesn’t work.

August 2, 2024 – Dante Questions Ava, Exclusive, Happy Anniversary, She’s Got Texts, Future Plans, Done, VanderDish, New Reality, Big Baby, Excellent, Pool Noodles, Stripes X 4, Pickle, Quote Tenner & Take

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Ava says she’s so looking forward to sitting in that courtroom while Kristina testifies that her father is a violent brutal thug who doesn’t belong anywhere near their daughter. Kristina says, if Ava forces her to get on that stand, she’ll tell them that Ava messed with Morgan’s bipolar meds. She replaced them with placebos and caused him to have a mental breakdown. She won’t stop there either. She’ll also share that Ava murdered Connie Falconari. If Ava forces her to tell the truth about her father, she can be damn sure Kristina will tell the truth about her too. Ava grabs Kristina’s arm, and Kristina says, don’t you touch me. She takes a step back and trips over John’s bag, stumbling backward and crashing through the window. She falls down several stories into the pool, screaming all the way. Everyone is horrified. (The looks on their faces makes me want to burst into tears.)

Sonny says, Lois is one of his dearest friends and he loves her, but his is not a good time. Can they table this conversation for another time? She says, no. They cannot table it when it affects her daughter’s future.

TJ tells Alexis that he and Molly have done the research. When the biological parents aren’t married to each other, courts tend to favor the mother in terms of physical custody which gives Kristina a definite advantage. Alexis says, he’s getting way ahead of himself, but he says he disagrees. Their baby is almost here. It’s time to know where they all stand. Alexis says she doesn’t know what Kristina is going to do. She doesn’t have control over her. She’s an adult. He says, this is his child they’re talking about. He wants to know if he’s going to spend the first few months or years of their life in family court. She says, again, he’s asking her to respond to a hypothetical situation that they don’t know will happen, and he asks if that isn’t what lawyers do. Weigh every possible angle so they can prepare their client for every possible contingency. She says, he’s not her client, and he says, no, he’s not. He’s her daughter’s partner. He’s family. She says, he is family, and so are her three daughters, two of which are in an impossible situation right now. He tells her, she just said it. She’s Molly and Kristina’s mom, and they’re both going to look to her. What is she going to do when Kristina tries to take their baby?

Kristina floats face down in the pool, threads of blood coming from her nose and mouth, and Josslyn tells everyone to stay back. She tells Brook to call 911, and Brook says she’s on it. Gio asks what he can do, and she tells him to get the backboard. Ava looks down from the smashed-out window, and Josslyn turns Kristina over. Blaze yells, Kristina! and now, everyone is doubly freaked out.

Blaze tries to run toward the pool, but Natalia holds her back and tells her to let Josslyn do her job. Help is on the way. Trina looks up and says, Ava? and Ava quickly closes the curtains. On the phone, Brook says, they need help. She fell from one of the upper windows into the pool. She’s unconscious… She doesn’t know. Just tell the paramedics to hurry. She’s pregnant.

In her room, Ava tells herself to think and picks up her phone.

Josslyn tells Kristina, hang in there. Help is on the way.

Ava leaves a message for Scotty. She needs him like she’s never needed him before.

Lois asks, is the money Sonny is going to invest in this record company legit? Yes or no? Sonny says, yes, and she says, fine. Then she wants to see proof. She wants to see the financials. She wants to see where the money originated and the taxes he paid on it. She’s not trying to offend him, but as much as she loves him, she’s a mother first, and has to make sure Brook is protected. He says he’ll call his accountant, and Lois can talk to him. She can ask him anything she wants. She says, don’t push her off on his accountant, but he says, it’s not a good time. She asks if he’s mad at her, but he says he’s not. He just has a lot going on. She says, fine, but Brook’s involvement in this record company depends on her seeing the proof, and he says, fine. She says she’s sorry. She hates leaving things like this between them, but she guesses for now this is how it’s got to be. He gives her the number, and she leaves.

Natalia continues to hold Blaze back, when Gio returns with the board. Josslyn says she’s going to need his help to get Kristina out of the water, and he asks what she needs him to do. She says, he has to get the backboard under her, but he has to be very careful. She doesn’t know if Kristina injured her back or her spine. He’s going to turn the board on its side and turn it back very swiftly when it’s in the water. Then get it under Kristina as it floats back up…. Very good. Now they have to get her head stable, so she can get Kristina to the stairs. Place one hand firmly under her chin… Very good. Now place his other hand under the backboard. Now they have to get her strapped in.

Alexis tells TJ that she hopes to God it doesn’t happen, but she can’t be put in the middle. She can’t be put in a position where she has to choose between her daughters. He says he wishes she didn’t have to. He knows what a terrible position this is for her to be in, but it’s time. She says, her girls have done without a lot, but they’ve never done without her, and they count on that. Again, she can’t be put in a position where she has to choose one daughter at the expense of another. He says, that’s just where they are now, but she says, not if he and Molly don’t force the issue. He says, Kristina says she and Blaze, who she’s known less than a year, would make better parents than him and Molly. She’s testing the water. Alexis is the one who told them about the law surrounding this before they ever agreed to the surrogacy. Who has the strongest claim to the baby? She says, Kristina, and he says, if Kristina decides to exercise that claim and keep the baby, then he and Molly have already lost. Is she going to say, the law is the law? She says, the law is the law and there’s nothing she can do about it, and he says, so in other words, she’s a coward. He walks away.

Josslyn asks if Kristina can hear her. Can she open her eyes? She listens for a heartbeat, and Trina brings over towels. Trina asks if anyone has called Kristina’s parents, but Gio says he doesn’t know. She says, shouldn’t they? when the paramedics come in. Josslyn tells them that Kristina fell out of that window and into the pool. She’s been unconscious since they got to her. They tried to be careful. She doesn’t know what injuries Kristina has. A paramedic says, they’ll take it from here, and they get to work.

Dante and Chase arrive at the scene with some officers, and Dante tells an officer to clear everyone away from the pool and clear this whole area. Brook goes over to them, and Chase asks, what’s wrong? Brook says, it’s Kristina, and Dante goes over to Kristina and says, it’s me. He’s here, okay? She’s going to be all right. They’re taking her to the hospital and they’re going to take care of her. She’s just got to hang in there. Chase tells the officers that the entire place needs to be locked down immediately. He doesn’t want anyone leaving here without his okay. They have no idea what they’re dealing with. He asks if Brook saw what happened, but she says, not really. She was here meeting with Blaze and Natalia. Everything was completely normal, and literally out of the clear blue sky, this. The paramedic says, they’re ready to go, and Dante tells Kristina that he loves her. She’s going to be fine. Blaze says, she’s coming with them, and the paramedic asks if she’s family. Josslyn says she’s Kristina’s sister. She’ll go and they’ll meet Blaze there. Crying, Blaze asks her to hold Kristina’s hand for her. She just doesn’t want Kristina to feel like she’s alone. Josslyn says she will, and they leave. Natalia tells Blaze that she’ll drive and they follow. Chase asks if Brook is okay, but she says, not really. Such an awful thing to see. Her hands are still shaking. Would it be okay if she just went to the ladies room to splash some cold water on her face? He says, sure, and she leaves. Dante calls Sonny.

Ava leaves another message for Scotty asking, where the hell is he? She needs him and she needs him right now. She looks at John’s bag and flashes back to Kristina threatening to tell the truth about her and Kristina’s subsequent fall. She says, everything is falling apart, and peeks out through the curtains. Please. She needs him. Come to her room at the MetroCourt as soon as he can. She flashes back to Kristina tripping over the bag and out the window, and says, everything’s going to be all right. She didn’t mean for that to happen. It was an accident. She remembers touching Kristina, and Kristina backing away before she tripped. She says, but no one’s going to believe it… unless she helps them believe it.

Alexis says she knows TJ is under a lot of stress. She just doesn’t know what he wants her to do. She doesn’t know what she can do. He says, so she’ll say nothing and do nothing, and doing nothing about the situation is the exact same thing as choosing Kristina. If she does nothing, Molly is going to interpret that as her supporting what Kristina is doing and that’s going to devastate her. Alexis says, and if she supports Molly and doesn’t support Kristina, Kristina will be devastated. She warned everyone from the very beginning. This was her biggest fear. It’s an unwinnable situation. He says, the only reason Kristina is even pregnant is because he and Molly wanted to have a baby. If she changes her mind, that’s wrong. It’s theft. That’s something Sonny would do, so he guesses she’s her father’s daughter, right? Alexis says she told everyone from the beginning that the law is on Kristina’s side, and he says, she’s not powerless. Her hands are not tied. She asks what he’d have her do. Seriously, tell her what she’s supposed to do. He says, talk to Kristina. He thinks Kristina will listen to her. Explain to her that if she decides to keep their baby, that will destroy her relationship with Molly. It will decimate it. Talk to her. Kristina will listen to her. She can get through to Kristina and might be the only one who can.

In the ambulance, the paramedic reads Kristina’s vitals, and Josslyn says, oh God. Her blood pressure’s dropping. He asks, how far along is her pregnancy? and Josslyn says, eight months. Why? Kristina’s eyes flutter open, and Josslyn says, it’s her. They’re on their way to GH. Kristina asks if the baby will be okay.

Sonny’s phone rings, and he says, what? Gio says, Uncle Sonny? and Sonny asks, what’s up? Gio says, Dante’s been trying to call him, and Sonny says he’s been busy. What does he need? Gio says, it’s not… He’s at work at the pool at the MetroCourt. Something’s happened. Sonny asks, what’s wrong? and Gio says, there was an accident. At least he thinks it was an accident. She fell out of a window and into the pool. She’s hurt. Sonny says, who? and Gio says, Kristina.

Chase asks how Dante is doing, and he says he’s fine. Seeing his sister on that gurney… She looked pretty terrible. Chase says, Kristina’s a fighter, just like Dante. She’s going to be okay. He can take it from here. Dante should go to the hospital. Dante asks if he’s sure. They don’t even know what this is. Chase says he can handle it. It’s more important for Dante to be there for his sister and his family right now. Gio says, sorry to interrupt. He got through to Sonny. Dante thanks him for doing that, and Gio says, of course (🍷). He steps away, and Dante says, his dad can make sure Kristina is taken care of. He needs to figure out what happened to Kristina, if she fell out of that window. If she didn’t fall out, that means a crime was committed. He has to find out what it was either way. Chase says, okay. Let’s get to work. Dante asks how many witnesses they have, and Chase says, they’re still collecting them, but from the people he’s talked to, they don’t know much. They were focused on the pool and only saw Kristina after she fell. Dante says, they’ve got to talk to security. They have footage and they have to get their hands on that. They have to get inside that room. Kristina fell out of the window with the curtains closed. Wouldn’t she have grabbed onto them and wouldn’t a curtain be following her down to the pool? Chase says, he’s right. Someone must have closed them after she fell. Kristina wasn’t alone in that room. Trina walks over to them, and Dante says, what is it? Does she know something?

TJ tells Alexis, Sonny is going to back Kristina no matter what. They can’t count on him to be the voice of reason, but Kristina knows Alexis will say the truth to her even if it’s hard to hear. Please help guide her to doing the right thing. Be her parent. Alexis says, being a parent is a lot harder than he thinks. He’s going to find that out soon enough. He says he may never get that chance if Kristina gets her way. He may not have the years of parenting experience Alexis does, but if he gets that chance, he’ll make sure his child knows family is to be cherished above all else and is the only thing that can be counted on, which he’s sure Kristina knows, given that she’s had Molly’s unwavering support for her whole life. Alexis says, it’s true, she has, and he says he’ll make sure his child understands the ramifications of taking family for granted. She says, understood, and he asks if she understands if she takes Kristina’s side over Molly’s, that will not just cause a rift between the sister, she could lose Molly, and that could shatter her entire family. She says she did try to prevent this. She warned everyone that this could happen. He says, so that’s the best she’s got; I told you so.

Brook takes a breather in the ladies’ room and flashes back to seeing Kristina crash through the window and into the pool. Lois comes in and runs to Brook and hugs her. She says, Chase told her that Brook was in here. He didn’t have time to tell her what was going on, so she asked an attendant. They said, someone fell out of a window and into the pool, and that Brook saw everything. Is she okay? Brook says, not just someone. It’s Kristina.

Kristina looks around, and Josslyn says she’s right here. Kristina asks where she is, and Josslyn says, she’s in the ambulance on the way to GH. Kristina asks, why? What happened? Josslyn says, she fell through a window and into the pool, but she’s going to be okay. Kristina says she’s scared, and Josslyn says she knows, but the paramedics already alerted the doctors at GH. They know what’s happened and they’re ready to treat her and the baby. She’s in the best possible hands. Kristina says she wants her dad and mom, and Josslyn says she thinks they’re already on their way. She’s going to see them soon. Just try to hang on, for her and for the baby. Kristina says she’s so scared, and slips into unconsciousness again.

TJ thanks Alexis for clarifying, but she says, instead of blaming her, sit down with Molly and talk. They’ll get through it. He says, they’ve already talked. Actually, they’re in perfect agreement. The baby is theirs. That’s been the expectation and the agreement for the last eight months until Kristina decided it wasn’t. So now it’s all on her. She has all the power. She thinks it’s her kid to do whatever she wants with; him and Molly be damned. Kristina is wheeled in, and the paramedic tells Dr. Park that she’s pregnant and fell through a glass window. She’s been in and out of consciousness. He gives the doctor her vitals and says, her abdomen is very firm. She may be abrupting. TJ and Alexis realize it’s Kristina.

Trina sits with Gio and says, he should be proud of himself. He says, for what? and she says, he doesn’t have any medical training, does he? He says, not really, and she says, but he still jumped up and helped Joss. He says he was kind of just going on autopilot. He just did what she told him to. He should have known to go straight for the backboard without her having to say it. She says, he can’t beat himself up. He didn’t have any training. He says, still, and she says, if it’s on him, then it’s on all of them. None of them knew what to do. They just froze, so thank God for Joss. He says, she was amazing. He just doesn’t get it. How could something like this happen? How can you just fall out of a window? Did she see the fall? She says, no. She just looked up after. It’s Ava’s room. She saw Ava standing at the window. He says, Ava her boss? and Trina says, Ava’s not just her boss. Ava’s her friend. He asks how well she really knows Ava, and she says she’s not sure. Maybe she doesn’t really know her at all.

Kristina is wheeled into one of the rooms, and Dr. Park says, they’re going to do everything they can. She’s in great hands. TJ says, Kristina is carrying his child. He can help. Where is he needed? Dr. Park says, don’t worry. They’ve got this. Just stay here with the family. Alexis asks, what happened? and Josslyn says, she fell out of a window in the MetroCourt and into the pool. Alexis says, what? and Josslyn says she doesn’t know what happened. She gave Kristina first aid until the paramedics got there. That’s all she knows. TJ says, the paramedics said the placenta is separating from the uterus, and Alexis says she doesn’t know what that means. How is the baby? He says, Kristina’s hanging in there. The baby has to be hanging in there, right? Alexis says, how the hell did it happen?

Ava ditches John’s bags in the bedroom, then takes an ice bucket full of ice out of the credenza. She dumps it all over the floor, throws down a water pitcher, and drops her shoes in front of the window. She says, Kristina did this to herself, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it and Dante is there.

Josslyn says she doesn’t know how it happened. All she knows is, Kristina fell from the window and into the pool. It happened very quickly. TJ wonders what she was even doing at the MetroCourt, and Josslyn says she doesn’t know, but she’s going to give them a minute. Blaze comes in with Natalia, and Blaze says she’s so glad Alexis is here. Where is Kristina? Alexis says, they’re working on her, and Natalia says, any word on her condition or the baby? TJ says, they don’t know anything yet, and Blaze asks, where’s Molly? TJ says, in court. He hasn’t called her yet. Everything happened so fast. He doesn’t know how to tell her. Blaze says, that’s okay. She’ll help him. They leave, and Natalia asks if she can get Alexis coffee or water or something, but Alexis shakes her head, trying not to cry. Sonny comes in and they hug.

Ava says, thank God Dante is here. She knew the police would show up eventually, so she didn’t dare leave. How is Kristina? He says he’s not here to answer questions; he’s here to ask them. He takes out his notebook and says, why doesn’t she tell him what happened? She says, Kristina showed up here about forty-five minutes ago. She wasn’t expecting her, but thought Kristina was here to help with her custody case. He says, she thought Kristina was going to help her take Avery away from her father? and she says she was under the impression Kristina had witnessed enough of Sonny’s irrational behavior to know he’s unstable right now. She’d hoped Kristina knew that Avery isn’t safe with him. He says, that’s what she believed? and she says, yes, but she was wrong. He says, why doesn’t she tell him why Kristina was really here, and checks out the curtains. She says, because she thought Kristina was willing to help her. Her attorney, Scott Baldwin, subpoenaed Kristina to get her deposition. She thought Kristina would be willing to talk to him, but she wasn’t. She was irate about the subpoena. He says, so she didn’t ask Kristina to testify first. She just served her with the subpoena? She says she misjudged Kristina, and he says, clearly. She says, Kristina demanded that she recall the subpoena. She told Kristina that she didn’t think she could do that, that things had already been set in motion, and that just made her angrier. He says, she’s eight and a half months pregnant. Ava is trying to turn her against her father. Of course (🍷) she’s going to be angry. She says, this was not about being pregnant. This was a lot more. Kristina lost it. Kristina was trying to attack her. She went for Ava’s throat. He says, that just doesn’t sound like Kristina, and Ava says she knows. That’s why she was so shocked. She didn’t want Kristina to hurt her, but she didn’t want Kristina to hurt herself. She moved away. She was trying to get some distance between them, but Kristina kept coming at her. He says, why doesn’t she tell him how Kristina went out the window, and she says, Kristina lunged at her. She moved out of the way and Kristina tripped over her shoes. She fell into the glass, then to Ava’s horror, she fell through it. He says, let him get this straight. Kristina showed up here so irate that Ava was trying to turn her against Sonny, that she came at Ava physically. Ava evaded her and she trips, flies through the curtains, and into the window and down to the pool below. Ava says, that’s right, and he says, the curtains were open. A witness saw her standing at the window after Kristina fell through. They saw her close the curtains. Does she want to revise that part of her story? She says, now that he mentions it, yes. She did close the curtains. She was so horrified by what happened, she was afraid to look down. He says, so she closed the curtains, then she opened them, then she closed them again? and she says she thinks that’s correct. He says, and there’s no sign that Kristina went through the curtains or tried to grab at them to stop herself from falling, and she says she doesn’t know. It was such a blur. He says, or she’s lying through her damn teeth about the entire thing.

Lois says, Kristina? Sonny’s daughter? That’s who fell? Brook says, it was horrible. At first, everything was completely normal, and all of a sudden, there was this loud noise of glass breaking and a woman screaming and then Kristina in the pool just not moving. Lois says, but she’s pregnant. She’s in her last trimester. Brook says she knows. And yeah, the fall was horrible and shocking, but she didn’t know who it was until Josslyn turned her over. It’s not just Kristina. It’s the baby too. They fell at least three stories. Lois asks if they know how badly she’s hurt, and Brook says, there was no way to tell. Josslyn was terrific and Gio helped her. Josslyn was holding Kristina up in the pool, when Gio went to get the backboard. Then they maneuvered her out of the pool. She wanted to help, but all she could do was call 911. Lois says, that was the best thing she could have done, and Brook says, Blaze was going out of her mind. Her mother had to hold her back. Then the paramedics came, and they were preparing Kristina for transport. Josslyn rode with her in the ambulance. Kristina was still unconscious when they left. Lois says, poor Sonny. He said he wasn’t in a good place. When he gets this news, he’ll be out of his mind. Brook asks, what happened with her and Sonny? but Lois says, that doesn’t matter now. Brook says, Lois just told her that Sonny said he wasn’t in a good place, which implies, A, she was with him, and B, they were having a relatively serious conversation. Lois says, they were, and Brook says, about? Lois tells her that she and Sonny are old friends. They talk about all kinds of things. Brook says, Lois is doing backflips not to give her a straight answer, which leads her to believe that Lois and Uncle Sonny were talking about her, weren’t they?

Sonny says, Gio called him and said Kristina was in some kind of accident. What happened? Alexis says, Josslyn was there, and Natalia says, Josslyn saved her life. Kristina fell out of a window from several stories up. She fell into the pool and Josslyn jumped in right after her and put her on a backboard to stabilize her spine in case she had injuries, then stayed with her until the paramedics came. (I wonder why Natalia is answering for Josslyn.) Alexis thanks Josslyn and says, they’re very grateful. Josslyn says she’s just happy she was able to help in any way. But she rode in the ambulance with Kristina. She woke up for a second and asked about the baby and asked for them. She just told Kristina that they were on their way to the hospital, and that the doctors would help her and the baby, and that they’d be here. She just tried to ease Kristina’s mind as best she could. Dr. Park comes out, and Sonny asks, how’s our daughter?

Trina tells Gio that Ava’s always been a good friend to her. Ava is her mentor. Working at her gallery is the reason she got the invitation to study at the Sorbonne. (And we all know how that turned out.) He says, that’s a big deal, and she says she knows Ava isn’t a saint. Ava can be pretty tough, and she’s done some bad things, and she’s not excusing any of that. He says, but she sees a different side to her, and Trina says, yeah. They’ve been through some pretty difficult things and Ava’s always had her back. Ava’s always been there for her. She’s had her doubts about Ava, but sticks up for her because she feels that Ava is more than the mistakes she’s made in the past. He says, but now… and she says, but now – she looks up at the window – maybe she was right to doubt Ava. Maybe she’s everything everybody says she is… or worse.

Ava says, this is preposterous. What does it matter if the curtains were open or closed? Dantes says, it means she’s lying about something. It means she’s trying to hide something. She asks what exactly he’s accusing her of, and he says, she can figure it out, can’t she? She says, everything happened just the way she said it did. This is her hotel suite. Kristina showed up here to confront her. She was angry. She was out of control. He says, that’s one of the parts where she loses him. She’s talking about someone who doesn’t have a violent bone in her body coming at her and attacking her, putting herself and her unborn child in jeopardy. She tells him that she didn’t say it was rational. Kristina was unhinged. Just like her father. He goes over to the shoes and says, this is what she tripped over, huh? and Ava says, yeah. He says, she’s telling him that Kristina flew out this window with such force, breaking a hotel window, from a pair of shoes? He’s not buying it. She says she doesn’t know what to tell him. Like he said, Kristina is very pregnant. Maybe she’s not so light on her feet. Kristina came rushing at her and she tripped. She did not touch Kristina. In fact, everything that happened here is of Kristina’s own doing. He says he guesses that’s one possibility. The other is that she assaulted Kristina. He takes out his handcuffs and says, now she’s lying about it. She says she did no such thing. He’s arresting her? He puts the cuffs on her and asks what it looks like. She says, this is ridiculous. She’s innocent. He says, she’d better hope Kristina and her baby make it alive or she’s going to be facing two murder charges. That’s if she makes it that far. She’s under arrest. She has the right to remain silent… etc., etc., etc.

Lois says she had questions about the origin of the money Sonny plans to invest in the record company, and Brook says, questions. Lois says, more like concerns. She’s not privy to the details, nor does she want to be, but suffice it to say not all of Sonny’s income comes from legitimate sources. Brook says, she actually thinks Uncle Sonny would use mob money to invest in the record label he wants her to run? Lois says she doesn’t know, but she had to be sure, and Brook says, excuse her, but that’s not Lois’s call to make. She’s an adult. She’s a businesswoman and if she has questions about the source of the money Uncle Sonny gives to her or any other investment, she will ask those questions. Lois says, okay, but Brook has a blind spot where Sonny is concerned, and that is her fault. She adores Sonny and raised Brook to adore her Uncle Sonny, and they give him all the benefits of every single doubt. But when it comes to his finances and the compliance with federal law, as much as she wants to trust, she’s got to verify. Brook says, then bring those concerns to her instead of going behind her back to Uncle Sonny, but Lois says she doesn’t see it as going behind Brook’s back. Brook says, be honest. Put herself in Brook’s place. If Grandma Gloria did to her when Lois just did, how would she feel? Lois says she would feel like Gloria went behind her back, but she’d know she did it with love. Brook says, no question, but then she would set appropriate boundaries, would she not? Lois says, yes, and Brook thanks her and says, that’s all she’s asking, for Lois to respect her and her judgment as a businesswoman. Lois says, understood, but as much as Brook is an adult, she wants Brook to respect the fact that she’s always going to be her little girl and she’s always going to look out for Brook’s best interests. Brooks says she knows Lois will. She knows Kristina is probably feeling… If anything happens to Kristina and that baby… Lois suggests they not jump to any conclusions. Kristina is a very strong woman and she’s sure the baby is strong as well. Brook says, she didn’t see how pale and still Kristina was. She’s been carrying that baby for nearly nine months. It would be cruel for something to go wrong now. Lois says, let’s pray that it doesn’t, okay? and they hug.

Dr. Park tells Sonny that his daughter suffered multiple internal injuries from the fall, causing severe hemorrhaging. Kristina has gone into hypovolemic shock. The baby is in fetal distress and the placenta is separating from the uterus, which is the baby’s lifeline. We see them prepping Kristina, and Dr. Park says, they’re going to take her to the OR for an emergency C-section. We see Kristina hooked up to machines and wearing an oxygen mask.

On Monday, TJ tells Jordan, whatever happens, it’s her fault; Josslyn tells Dex, that second could have made all the difference; Anna asks if Trina noticed anything after Kristina fell; and Sonny says, they will pay.

🏨 Showdown At the MetroCourt…

Excellent scene and spectacular fall.

💐 And Many More…

I love Scotty, and he’s so funny IRL too. I only wish GH would recognize what a gem of a couple they have in him and Obrecht.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kin-shriners-special-anniversary-message-to-fans

🍊 Shannon’s Shade Is Leaking…

I wonder who the disgusting friend is. There are so many choices.

💰 Jumping On Josh’s Coattails…

She could do worse. I’d actually love to see this.

⚔️ A House Divided Must Reboot…

Now On Display is going to be stuck in my head for God only knows how long.

🦄 And a Black Swan In a Rosé Tree…

Of course she’s nice. Was there ever any question?

🐦‍🔥 Complicated Things…

Loved her first reality show and I’m hoping this one has the same outlook. It left you feeling good instead of like you wanted to punch someone.

🦌 Reindeer Games Continue…

This is just stupid. And like she’s really making her case for being a sane person who’s done no wrong. She’s literally scary.

https://ew.com/baby-reindeer-richard-gadd-responds-fiona-harvey-lawsuit-8686363

https://ew.com/netflix-concedes-alleged-baby-reindeer-real-life-martha-not-convicted-stalker-8687694

🎭 Next Stop For the Telephone Booth…

I’d love to see this. I saw John Glover in Waiting for Godot years ago. Too bad Broadway is so damn expensive. And don’t get me started on the cost of transportation.

https://ew.com/bill-and-ted-stars-keanu-reeves-and-alex-winter-reunite-broadway-8687596

🦸🏻‍♂️ Blowing Collective Minds…

I’m going to see it this weekend. I can’t wait!

https://ew.com/deadpool-wolverine-elektra-blade-gambit-x-23-action-scene-breakdown-exclusive-8687405

If you’re a superhero supernerd and need all the background.

https://ew.com/how-to-watch-x-men-movies-in-order-8683590

Best variants ever.

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/dogpool-catpool-mousepool-infinity-comics-marvel-unlimited

🦓 Quadruple the Stripes…

A precious quartet.

https://people.com/disney-world-welcomes-4-baby-zebras-animal-kingdom-park-8683181

🥒 And If He Plays Ball…

Love, love, love the name. It goes without saying he’s cute.

https://people.com/demi-lovato-new-dog-pickle-with-fiance-jutes-instagram-photos-8685696

🥁 Quotes of the Week

Darth Vader polling higher than all potential 2016 candidates. – The Washington Post, analyzing polls on what Americans thought of their options for the next president in 2016.

Take your camera and your selfie stick and your dog and get the f*** out of here. – Rita, Neighborhood Wars

Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so intensely. – Percy Colson

A lifetime isn’t forever, so take the first chance, don’t wait for the second one! Because sometimes, there aren’t second chances! And if it turns out to be a mistake? So what! This is life! A whole bunch of mistakes! But if you never get a second chance at something you didn’t take a first chance at? That’s true failure. – C. JoyBell C.

To handle yourself use your head; to handle others, use your heart. – Eleanor Roosevelt

No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it. – George Washington Carver

I’ve learned to never say never because when you say never, it happens. – Olivia Plath, Welcome to Plathville (Truth! This has happened to me more than once.)

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

We are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day. – Brad Meltzer

Sh*t doesn’t get real until it’s real, and it’s real. – Gina Kirschenheiter, Real Housewives of Orange County

⛺️ Sing Around the Campfire…

Enjoy what life holds for you over the weekend – be it rowing down the stream or streaming – and join me on Monday for soap and Med antics. Until then, stay safe, stay practicing wildfire prevention, and stay not going behind someone’s back, even if it’s with love.

August 1, 2024 – Kristina Confronts Ava, First Look, Milestone, Teed Off In the OC, VanderItems, Perfection, New Dance, Instagrammable & First

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

At the pool, Lois tells Brook that it was very generous of Sonny to bankroll a new label for Blaze and put Brook in charge. Has she spoken to him about how many employees he’s willing to pay for? Brook says she’s sure he’ll be open to whatever. It just happened and it will all come together. She’s just grateful for the amazing opportunity to prove herself and for Blaze to make the music she believes in. Lois says, true, but managing a label is like night and day from managing an artist. Is Brook 100% sure she’s willing to take this on?

Ava goes over gallery stuff with Trina in her room, when John walks out wearing nothing but a towel. (You’d think he’d have learned from the last time.)

Jordan finds TJ at the hospital, and says, her favorite son. He says he’s her only son, and she says, a minor detail. She’s sorry she had to cancel dinner the other night, but she has the feeling something is bothering him and thought she’d check in. He says, the situation with Kristina has gone from bad to worse.

On the phone with DeWitt, Alexis tells him that Kristina made her statement. If she sees any inflammatory words about her daughter in print, he’ll answer to her.

Molly meets Sam at the Port Charles Surf Lodge and says she’s guessing Sam is as shocked as she is about the interview. Sam says, it was unexpected, and Molly says, it was a sucker punch. Everyone is buying that Kristina claims the baby is hers and Blaze’s.

On the phone with Brick, Sonny says he wants to know what Ava and Jagger are doing and who else Ava is seeing. 24-hour surveillance with photos. Kristina comes in and says, he won’t believe what happened. He asks if she’s okay, but she says, no. She was served with a subpoena by Ava. She’s being forced to testify. He says he knew Ava fought dirty, but didn’t know she was that dirty, and Kristina says, Molly told her that if she doesn’t show up, she’ll be held in contempt. He says, she can’t ignore it, and she says she’s afraid if they question her, she’ll have to tell them about him beating Dex at the wedding. He’s going to lose custody of Avery and get arrested. He says, she doesn’t have to worry. It won’t get that far.

Brook says she knows she’s got a lot to learn, but she’s excited. She thinks it’s a great move for her, but Lois doesn’t seem convinced. Is she worried Brook can’t do it? Lois says, absolutely not. Her daughter can do anything she puts her mind to. Brook says she thinks they’re getting ahead of themselves. She hasn’t told Blaze yet, and if Blaze doesn’t want to take this leap of faith with her, they’re dead in the water. Lois says, it’s a great opportunity. What artist would turn down this kind of comeback after being dropped by their label? Brook says, Blaze has been through a lot, and this could rebuild her career and take her to the next level, and Lois says she’s always rooting for Brook. That being said, she has some questions about Sonny’s involvement. Brook says, other than the money, she doesn’t think he wants to be involved. She’ll make all the decision. It’s perfect, right?

Trina says she’s so sorry, and Ava says, John was just using her shower. The place he’s staying at has terrible water pressure, and he needs to be shipshape for important FBI business. Trina says, showers are important. She has to go to work. She’ll see Ava at the gallery. She leaves, and Ava says, discreet goes a long way, so heads up, but he says he didn’t realize she had a visitor. If she doesn’t want him to get caught, tell him someone is here. She says she didn’t expect him to come out undressed, and he says she didn’t mind him staying undressed last night. (Thank God I didn’t have to see that.) She says, they had fun, but he can’t stay here. She’s going through a custody battle. If it had been anybody other than Trina, it would have made her look bad.

Sonny tells Kristina, don’t worry. She won’t have to testify. It’s going to be over before the court date. She says she hopes so, and he tells her to sit down and relax. Tell him what else is going on. Scotty walks in and says, the court ruled against Sonny’s attempt to block Ava’s visitation. She’s spending the weekend with her kid. He shows Sonny a paper, and Sonny says, we’ll see. Scotty says, it’s not up for negotiation. The court has spoken, and when he’s through, the only way Sonny will see his kid is through binoculars. Sonny asks if Scotty is threatening him, and Kristina says, Scotty is riling him up. It’s not worth it. Sonny tells him, get out, and Scotty says he’ll see Kristina tomorrow at 10 am on the nose. She says she doesn’t have an appointment with him, but he says, she hasn’t read the subpoena very well.

Sam asks if Molly thinks it’s possible that she misinterpreted Kristina, and Molly says, it sounds like Sam talked to Kristina. Is that why she wanted to meet? Sam says she hasn’t seen Kristina, and they haven’t talked, but maybe Kristina didn’t mean to imply the baby was hers and Blaze’s. Molly says, obviously, they interpreted it the same way. Saying it was private implied they’re going to be new parents, and social media is thinking the same thing. Sam tells her, stop scrolling, and Molly says she talked to Kristina. She said that she was protecting Molly and TJ’s privacy. Sam says, that’s plausible. Does Molly believe her? Molly says she doesn’t know. She wants to trust Kristina will honor her promise, but in trying to force her hand, she might have pushed Kristina to do the opposite.  

TJ says, it sounded like Kristina was going back on her word and was going to keep the baby, and Jordan asks what Molly thinks. TJ says, she thought the same thing and took documents to Kristina to sign. She refused, and now he’s even more worried. She always knew she’d have to sign them. It’s the only way Molly can adopt the baby and legally become its mother. What message is Kristina sending? Jordan says she’s sorry to hear that. This should be a happy and exciting time for them. He says he doesn’t know where to go from here, and she says, at least the law recognizes him as the baby’s biological father. That gives him a lot of rights. He says, but what about Molly’s rights? Kristina is the egg donor and the biological mother. What if she refuses to sign? She says she wishes she had an answer, but she’s not knowledgeable on the subject. Maybe it’s time they consulted a lawyer. He says, that’s what he was afraid of. He doesn’t want the baby to start life in the middle of a custody battle and he’s worried that’s where they’re headed.

Brook says she’s grateful that Sonny displayed how much he believes in her, but it’s a lot of pressure. She doesn’t want to let him down. Lois says, that will never happen, and Brook says she thinks something else is going on besides supporting Blaze. Lois says she sees how much Sonny loves Kristina, and it’s clear he wants to provide support. Just put her head down and do her work. Blaze comes in, and Lois says she’ll leave them to it. She hugs Blaze and leaves. Blaze says, Brook sounded excited. Don’t keep her in suspense. Brook says, she’s about to take Blaze to the next level. She knows Blaze has been up in the air since her label dropped her, but now she’s not tied down. She’s free to use this moment as an opportunity to take herself independent and release an album on her own label. This could be the biggest move of her career. All she has to do is say yes.

Sonny says, get to the point, and Scotty says, Kristina has to give a deposition. She can’t lie or it will be perjury. Talk to her mother about that, since she’s familiar with it. Kristina asks why he’s doing this, and he says he’s doing his job. If Kristina has to testify, so be it. Kristina says, go to hell, and he says he thinks she’s just nervous. She knows what’s going to happen. Ava is going to win, so Sonny should probably get used to saying adios to Avery. Sonny says, don’t be too sure, Scotty, and Scotty laughs. He leaves, and Sonny crumples up the paper.

At the pool, Trina says, Josslyn will never guess what she saw that she wasn’t supposed to see. Josslyn says, something criminal? and Trina says, criminally embarrassing. She’ll never believe it. John Cates came out half-naked from the bedroom in Ava’s suite. Josslyn says she doesn’t know if she wants to know, and Trina says, he definitely spent the night. She doesn’t know what Ava was thinking. Josslyn says, Ava never does anything without an agenda. She thinks Cates must be helpful somehow.

Ava says, good. John put on pants. If only he’d thought to do that before Trina got there. He says, she acts like he wants to get caught. She’s beautiful and intelligent, but he’s not looking to parade her around town. She says, he could do worse, and he says he’s already in hot water. His bosses don’t need to find out he’s getting to know a member of the Jerome crime family, former, alleged, or whatever. She asks if he’s worried that she’ll tarnish his stellar reputation. He managed to do that without her help.  She thinks it’s time for him to go and take his bags with him, but he says he’s going to work and can’t be dragging his bags with him. What would people think? He’ll come grab them tonight and they can see each other again. He gives her a smarmy look and leaves. (When did he turn into such a creeper? I’m so disappointed in this character.)

Jordan says, it must be hard on Molly. Not only is Kristina her sister, she has no biological or legal rights. She must feel like she has no control. How is she doing? TJ says, she’s all over the place. At first, after they saw the interview, she was as worried as him, but now she’s backing off and giving Kristina space. Jordan says, that’s smart. Molly has good instincts and knows her sister. TJ says he thinks she’s blinded be her love for Kristina and not seeing clear. She wants to trust Kristina, but he doesn’t think they can. Jordan asks if that’s put them at odds, and he says he feels like they’re pulling in opposite directions. That scares him most of all. She says she knows the situation seems unfixable, but everyone involved is a good person and she thinks they’ll come to a compromise. But if it comes down to going to court to fight for his rights, she’ll be right there, fighting beside him.  

Molly says, it was the wrong move and of course (🍷) it didn’t go well, and Sam says, Kristina defines contrary. When someone forces her to do something, she digs in her heels and does the opposite just to prove them wrong. Molly says she knew that and did it anyway. They got in a fight, and it got ugly. She said things she regrets, and Kristina said terrible things too. Kristina said she and TJ could break up, and it would be better for her to keep the baby. It would be a more stable home. Sam says, that’s very harsh, and Molly says she doesn’t know if Kristina believes they’re going to break up – which they aren’t – or she’s using it as an excuse to keep the baby.

Brook says she thinks this is an amazing opportunity, but if Blaze isn’t on board, they won’t move forward. Blaze says she thinks it’s amazing, and Brook says, the offer was presented to her before the interview. Blaze asks why Brook didn’t tell her then, and Brook says, Blaze was reintroducing herself to the public on her own terms and was answering for what her mom said. It was a lot of pressure, and she didn’t want to add to it. Blaze says, it was the right call, and Brook says she thinks it’s the perfect moment for Blaze to reintroduce her music. Blaze says she’s impressed. She knew Brook was great, but her putting so much effort into Blaze’s career is making her feel good just when she can use it.  Brook says she believes in Blaze 100%. She’s one of the most talented people Brook has worked with. It was her mother’s idea. She knows Natalia feels terrible about what her words have done to Blaze’s career and believes Natalia thinks this one way she can make almonds amends. Obviously, she wants to be involved in Blaze’s success, but if Blaze doesn’t want to continue working with her, it’s up to her. Blaze says she needs to think about it, and Brook says, Natalia is coming to discuss the new label with them, but if Blaze isn’t ready, she can cancel. Natalia approaches their table and says, it looks like they’re in a serious conversation. What did she miss?

Alexis finds TJ at the reception desk and asks if they can talk a minute. He says, sure, and she says she’s not going to pretend it’s not awkward, but she’ll just start from a place of honesty. She knows things are tense between him, Molly, and Kristina. He says, that’s an understatement, and she says, he knows she loves her girls, but she loves him too. He’s an important part of the family. It’s her sincere hope that they can put their differences aside and love each other again like they did prior to all this. He says he wants that too, as long as Kristina follows through with her word and gives them the baby, and Alexis says she knows Molly brought Kristina the termination papers and Kristina refused to sign. Then Molly backed off to make things calmer. TJ says, Kristina threatened to keep the baby. He doesn’t know about calm. She says, just give it time and do what he can to keep the peace, and he asks if that applies to Kristina, or is she just warning him and Molly?

Molly says, this is the last thing she wants, to think the worst of Kristina. She’s always trusted Kristina, but this time… Sam says, she’s not sure what to believe, and Molly says she’s the only one not biologically related to the baby and has no legal standpoint. She can’t control it and is at the mercy of everyone else. Even the implication that Kristina was going to back out triggered her into being geared up for a fight. Kristina talked to mom and mom talked to her. She said Molly has to be the one to keep the peace and give Kristina the space to calm down. So she apologized to Kristina for bringing the papers. Sam says she’s proud of her and admires Molly’s ability to be the bigger person, and Molly says, good thing she was there. Ava subpoenaed Kristina to testify at Avery’s custody hearing. Kristina was upset and confused on how it worked, and she helped her with the best way to handle it. Sam says, that’s insane. She’s glad Molly was there to advise Kristina. Molly says she’s glad they can be on the same side of something again. As crazy as Kristina makes her, Kristina is her sister and not the enemy. The reason Kristina is pregnant in the first place is, she’s carrying Molly’s baby.  

Natalia says she’s sorry. She assumed she was expected. She’ll let them finish. Brook says, she was expected. She told Blaze about their plans and how it was Natalia’s idea. Natalia says, a lesser woman would have taken credit, but Brook says, that’s not how she does business. Maybe Natalia can share the details of her inspired idea. She’ll give them a minute. She leaves the table and goes over to the bar.  

Brook tells Gio that she’s having a great day. How should she celebrate? He suggests the guac trio, but she says, it’s not lunchtime yet. He says he knows people and can hook her up, and she says she knows he loves working here, but would he be interested in local session work? He says, absolutely, and she says she may have a new label that has use for his talents.

On the phone, Sonny says he wants Ava’s visitation blocked. He doesn’t want her anywhere near his daughter. Lois comes to the door and asks if she’s interrupting, but he says, never. They hug and she says she misses his face. How has he been? He says, busy. He saw Gio at the pool and he seems to be settling in well. She says, Gio is a charmer, and he asks how the Quartermaines are treating him. She says, they all love him. Even Tracy is cordial. It’s going well. She’d love to chitchat, but this actually isn’t a social call. She wants to talk to him about the record company he generously offered to fund for her daughter. He says, it’s not just for Brook. He’s investing in Blaze and Kristina, and Brook will be running the label. He had this discussion with Brook. She says she’d like him to have this discussion with her, especially regarding the financing.

Natalia tells Blaze that she can’t say how genuinely sorry she is. She never wanted to cause Blaze any hurt. They may not see eye to eye on everything, but Blaze is her baby, and she doesn’t ever want to cause her pain. Blaze says she appreciates that, and Natalia says she’s especially sorry for the things she said that caused Blaze to be dropped from her label. What the hell were they thinking letting go of her talent? Blaze says she assumes they were scared of the bad publicity, and Natalia says she wants Blaze to know how deeply she regrets the things she said that cost Blaze her hard-earned success. It never should have happened. She’s proud of the artist Blaze is and thinks the world should know and hear her talent. The new label is her way of trying to make things right. It’s an opportunity for Blaze to take back control of her career and put out the music she loves. Sonny is backing it financially and Brook will run it. She’d love to be involved, but it’s Blaze’s call. She’ll respect whatever Blaze decides.

Sonny asks if Lois is accusing him or needs to ask him something, and she says, speaking her mind has never been an issue. Funding a recording company feels like déjà vu, but this time it’s not L&B and she’s not involved. It’s her daughter. He says, she sounds like she’s worried, and she says, should she be? He says he’d never do anything to hurt Brook. He doesn’t know why she’d think that. She says she knows that and don’t try to guilt trip her about looking out for her kid. He says, she doesn’t have to defend her daughter with him, but she says, if anyone else swooped in out of nowhere and made the same offer, she’d say, walk away. She loves him and Brook loves her Uncle Dimples. It’s an amazing opportunity for her and Lois wants to trust him. He asks, why not? and she says, because she knows one thing. History will repeat itself if ignored. That’s why she’s here. She’s asking him to tell the truth. Is the record label going to be clean or not?

TJ says, everyone is coddling Kristina and walking on eggshells, while she’s giving an interview on a major platform, implying that the baby is hers and Blaze’s. Alexis says she doesn’t know if that’s fair, but TJ says, none of this is fair. Alexis keeps defending Kristina, which raises a question. He knows she loves her daughters. She says, fiercely and equally, and he says, what happens if Kristina tries to keep this baby?

There’s a knock at Ava’s door, and Kristina strides in. She tells Ava to withdraw the subpoena, but Ava says she’ll do no such thing. Kristina asks why she’s doing this, and Ava says she’s a concerned mother protecting her child. She’d think Kristina would understand. The maternal instincts must have kicked in by now. Kristina says, she and Ava have nothing in common. Not now or ever. Scotty is supposed to take her deposition tomorrow, but she won’t be there, and she won’t show up to testify at the hearing. Ava says, do what she wants. She’s a grown-up. She’s sure Kristina’s lawyer explained that she’ll be cited for contempt, and it will only bolster Ava’s case. What exactly is she hiding that’s making her afraid to testify?

Natalia says, Blaze hasn’t answered if it’s okay for her to be involved with the new label, and Blaze says she’s grateful for everything Natalia has done for her career. Natalia always supported her and pushed her to success. She doesn’t know where she’d have been without her. She couldn’t have been lucky enough to accomplish a fraction of what she has. But she’s moving into a new, authentic phase of her career and her personal life and she can’t see Natalia’s involvement in either based on Natalia not accepting who she is and has always been. Natalia says she knows she hasn’t been on board with Blaze’s lifestyle, but Blaze says, it’s not a lifestyle. It’s her. Natalia can’t accept who she is or who she’s in a relationship with. Kristina is amazing. She knows it bothers Natalia that she’s in a relationship with another woman, but if she can’t accept how much she loves Kristina and embrace it and them, she doesn’t know where they go from here.

Lois says she doesn’t know the inner workings of Sonny’s business, so she’s asking. She’ll be damned if she lets anyone – old friends included – stop her from protecting her daughter. If the situations were reversed, Sonny would do anything to protect his children, and she wouldn’t want to be the person he found using them. She’s trying to protect her little girl and the career she’s worked so hard for. Sonny says, it’s one thing for Ava to turn on him. Now his great friend of all time is turning on him. Everybody is turning on him. That’s just the way it is. She can leave. She folds her arms and doesn’t move.

Sam says, it’s been nice catching up, and Molly thanks her for hanging out and talking. She feels better. Hopeful even. Sam says she’s glad she hasn’t lost her touch, and Molly says, it’s a bumpy ride, but they’re at the homestretch. When the baby comes and they’re all looking at its cute, little face, everything will work out.

Kristina says, Ava isn’t going to like what happens next, and Ava asks if that was a threat. Kristina says, take it how she likes, and Ava says, Kristina is her father’s daughter. Kristina says, better than being like Ava with no moral compass, and Ava asks if she’s going to perjure herself like her mother. Kristina saw what that got her. Or is she going to tell the truth, that she witnessed her father brutally beating Dex and threatening to kill him. Kristina says she feels sorry for Avery being stuck with Ava as a mother. She deserves better. Ava says, and Kristina hit the parent lottery? Her mother is a pathetic, lying drunk, who destroys the men she claims to love. Her father is a volatile headcase who’s going to prison. Someone takes pictures through the window, and Kristina says, if she testifies, she’s going to tell the court that Ava is the reason Morgan died. That she messed with his meds and caused a mental breakdown. She’s going to tell them how Ava murdered Connie Falconari too. If she’s forced to tell the truth about her father, she’s going to tell the truth about Ava too. Ava reaches for her, and Kristina says, don’t touch me, stepping back. She trips over one of John’s bags and stumbles backward, crashing through the window and down into the pool. We all stare, open-mouthed, as she floats in the pool motionless, blood on her face.

Holy! That was some fall. Wow, wow, wow.

Tomorrow, TJ asks Alexis what she’s going to do when Kristina tries to take their baby; Chase says he doesn’t want anyone leaving without his okay; and Ava tells someone that she needs them like she’s never needed them before.

🎿 Maybe He Was Polishing His Skis…

Kind of weird how Ric never had a real exit.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/rick-hearst-shares-a-first-look-at-his-gh-return

📸 She’s Got Cred…

This kid makes me want kids. She’s such a bundle of cute.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/scarlett-spears-reaches-a-general-hospital-milestone

🍊 Situation Heather…

I just can’t imagine being their age and exhibiting what amounts to frat boy behavior. Heather mistakenly tagging Katie in an Instagram post – or what Gina called this Heather situation – was completely plausible. Also that she wouldn’t be doing her own posting. Anyone who’s dealt with the annoying autocorrect knows a word can be missed. Usually to the amusement of the recipient. Same with clicking the wrong suggestion that Google comes up with. So, yeah, I can see her assistant clicking on the first thing she saw – Katie’s name. But these women have nothing better to do than speculate as to why/if/how Heather is being shady and lying to them. When my friends and I hang out, we do not spend hours on topics like this, and if we could afford the good times these girls can, I guarantee we wouldn’t even care if Heather was lying her ass off. I just don’t get it, and it’s what puts me off these Housewives shows. Although the worst is the toddler-like behavior they sometimes exhibit, physically assaulting one another. Let me think… Nope. Not once have any of my friends had a fistfight or thrown anything at each other. However, I can’t confirm or deny that a drink has never been thrown in a man’s face. The best thing about this episode was a golf game Katie had set up. Emily won, but unfortunately, Tamra made sure the topic was Katie claiming Heather called the paparazzi on herself. Déjà vu, anyone?

About the Tres Amigas going Dos.

https://people.com/rhoc-recap-vicki-gunvalson-says-tamra-judge-has-black-heart-after-ditching-tres-amigas-8687807

She has receipts! Proof! Timelines! Screenshots!

https://www.etonline.com/rhocs-katie-ginella-responds-to-heather-dubrows-noella-15-dig-amid-paparazzi-feud-exclusive-229943

🍸 It’s a VanderWorld…

It’s about time, but will he really follow through? Maybe a drug rehab would be a good idea first. I don’t have receipts, proof, timelines, or screenshots, but he acts like he’s on something.

And in a crossover no one saw coming.

👠 How Could She Not Be…

I never had any doubts. Even if I had, seeing them together on Watch What Happens Live would have squelched them.

🩰 Dancing Like Everyone’s Watching…

Meet the new cast.

https://ew.com/meet-the-cast-of-dance-moms-a-new-era-8682610

I don’t think Abby Lee invented everyone’s replaceable.

🐾 All Ears and Smiles…

I would love to have this kitty.

https://people.com/abandoned-kitten-born-with-4-ears-at-tennessee-rescue-8687715

This is one happy pup!

https://people.com/smiley-dog-hikes-across-the-county-in-rv-adventure-with-family-8680913

☀️ Feeling the Heat…

Before starting your weekend, boomerang back tomorrow for soap and both trash and treasure. Until then, stay safe, stay going for your personal gold, and stay accepting who people are and who they’re in a relationship with.

July 31, 2024 – Sonny Wants To Teach Jagger a Lesson, Her Mom, In LA, Fab Noel, She’s Sued, New City, Revealed Dragons, More Pool, Game To Come, Nope & Dear

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Molly knocks on Kristina’s door, and Kristina says she still didn’t sign the papers Molly left there. Molly tells her to trash them. Even better, she’ll tear them up herself.

Scotty says, Laura is a compelling witness, but Ava wonders about that, considering the negative press Laura’s gotten lately. Scotty says, Laura was her mother-in-law, and she’s lucky Laura is going to bat for her at all, since she and Nikolas are divorced. It’s weighty, but they need more. Sonny will call Carly, who will lie about what he had for breakfast with conviction. Ava says she’s not worried. Carly won’t be as convincing after she’s convicted of RICO charges. (She’s clearly out of the loop.)

Carly and Michael show up at the pool, where Wiley’s birthday party is still going on. Donna runs to Carly and hugs her.

Dante finds Anna in the interrogation room and says, the arraignment is happening as they speak. Michael and Sonny are there. She says, at least Sonny hasn’t been brought in in handcuffs. They’re ahead of the game. Dante says, it was a close call. Sonny took a swing at Cates, but it didn’t connect, and Molly saw the whole thing. She asks if charges were filed, but he says, not as of yet. She says, that’s a relief, and he says he followed up on Brennan at the hospital. Same deal as Pentenville. There was no record of him. Anna says, he’s at the WSB station in DC. He’s been reinstated, but she doesn’t think he ever lost his status in the first place. John walks in and says he and Anna need to talk in private, and Anna tells Dante that they’ll pick this up later. John tells Dante, a word of advice. Put a leash on his father or his father is going to find himself locked up. Dante leaves.

In his office on the phone, Sonny tells Brick that he needs a location on Jagger… Let him know when he does. Sonny opens a drawer and reaches for a locked box, but there’s a knock at the door. Jason comes in, and Sonny says he has nothing to say to him. Jason says, that’s fine. This time he’ll do all the talking.

Molly asks how Kristina is feeling, and Kristina says, the baby is fine, but Molly says, how is Kristina feeling? Kristina says, her feet and back hurt and she’s sleeping sitting up, but other than that, she’s great. It’s totally worth it. Molly says she doesn’t want Kristina too stressed, but Kristina says, Molly could have fooled her. Molly says she never should have come by with that document, and Kristina wonders if Molly really expected her to sign it. Molly says she got scared when she heard the interview. She was blindsided that Kristina and Blaze looked like the happy expectant couple, and Kristina didn’t say otherwise. Kristina says she explained that, and Molly says she and TJ are the expectant couple. They’re preparing the nursey and she’s working hard so she can get maternity leave. TJ is taking a leave of absence so they can watch the baby Kristina claims is hers. Kristina says she didn’t do that and would never… Molly admits she leapt to conclusions. It’s not a court of law, and she shouldn’t do that with her sister. She shouldn’t assume the worst and sincerely apologizes. Can Kristina forgive her?

Carly says she’s happy to see Donna, and Donna asks where she was. She missed most of the party. Wiley runs over and hugs Carly, and Carly says she’s sorry she’s late. She was trying to explain to Donna that she had a problem, but it’s solved now, and everything is fine. She’s glad to be here. The kids bring her over to the cake, and Carly asks Josslyn to watch the kids for a moment. Josslyn takes the kids, and Willow says, so? Michael says, the charges were dropped, and Maxie asks how that happened. Michael says, lack of evidence. It disappeared. Maxie says, amazing, and Carly says, isn’t it though?  

John says, Anna erased something from the database of the most secure system in the world. The prosecution agreed to the defense motion to dismiss the case and Carly skated. Three years of time and effort handling Jason is down the drain. Anna says she thinks he’s conflating the two situations. Pikeman might not have had a resolution to his liking, but the FBI has enough evidence to shut the company down. The case against Carly had nothing to do with Pikeman. John says, Carly dared him to charge her, and he had enough evidence to convict her. How miraculously convenient that it’s gone, and Anna doesn’t seem surprised or bothered. She made a deal with Jason, didn’t she? He let her boyfriend Valentin get away in return for the disappeared evidence against Carly.

Jason explains what happened after he went to Greece and tells Sonny that he wasn’t offered a phone call or representation. Cates started playing the recording that incriminated Carly and said they had her dead to rights. He made it clear that Jason had to work for him, or Carly would go to prison. Sonny says, so they sat on the evidence for over a year, and Jason says, maybe they were waiting for an opportune moment. Sonny wonders if Jason was asked to give him up, and Jason says, he was, but he refused. That’s when Cates brought up Pikeman. The FBI wanted proof of their illegal arms sales and who was in charge. In exchange for that, they wouldn’t charge Carly. Sonny asks if it’s his fault now, but Jason says he’s just explaining his decision. Sonny asks why Jason didn’t come to him when they asked him to spy on Pikeman. He knows all about Jagger. He’s Jagger’s number one target. He always has been. Jason says, Sonny is right, but Cates didn’t make it obvious until now, and Sonny says, Jason didn’t trust him and went behind his back. Jagger played him, and now he’s got to protect himself. He’s got nobody else to protect him.

Michael tells Willow that he still can’t believe it, and she says, the evidence disappeared? He says he doesn’t know how or who, but he’s grateful. They watch the kids, and he says his mom is the heart of the family. She says, too bad Sonny can’t see this. It’s the perfect opportunity to set aside their differences. He says he tries not to take it personally, but he thinks there are other things going on, and she says, like what? He says, Sonny attacked Dex, and yesterday he had to stop Sonny from punching Cates outside the courtroom. He barely managed to grab Sonny’s arm. Donna is lucky both of her parents are free today.

Anna says, John gives her too much credit. He thinks she disappeared the evidence, but she doesn’t have access to that database and wouldn’t even attempt a breach of that magnitude. He says, the WSB are the only ones with that kind of tech, but she says she’s not WSB. She’s the Police Commissioner of Port Charles. She’s watched him trash her jurisdiction and harass the citizens. Maybe if he was more focused, he could have better handled the evidence. He says, whoever did it tried to frame him by using his credentials, and Anna says, he’s going to have to answer to his superiors for that. He asks, what happened to her? He wants to know. Why did she turn from her promise to protect and serve? She says, that’s what she’s doing, and he says, by literally climbing into bed with the enemy? Valentin escaped and Sonny is going free because of her. Well done. She’s protecting and serving… them. He stomps out. (He’s been doing a lot of that lately.)

Kristina says she rewatched the interview and saw how Molly interpreted her response as coy and suggesting it was her and Blaze having a baby. But just to be clear, that’s not what she meant. Molly says she understands that now. Emotions were raw. Kristina says she just wants it to work out and for the baby to be healthy and grow up safe, happy, and loved. Molly says, she wants that too, but she also wants them as sisters to be okay, and Kristina says she wants that too. The whole reason she agreed to this is because she loves Molly so much. She hates that it’s coming between them. Molly says, it doesn’t have to, when there’s a knock at the door. A guy asks if Kristina is Kristina Corinthos-Davis, and she says she is. He hands her an envelope and says, you’ve been served.

Scotty’s phone rings, and he tells Ava, it was a notification that Kristina has been served. Ava says, Kristina has always been so entitled like her high and mighty mother. She’s going to come crashing down to earth when she has to admit what a brutal lunatic her father is. Scotty says he’s going to enjoy it. It’s the least Sonny deserves after everything he’s done. She says, Kristina might not realize it now, but this is the kindest thing she can do for her little sister, and he says, she’ll fight on the stand. She’s very loyal to her father. Ava says she’s not worried. The odds are when Sonny sees his beloved Kristina take the stand, he’ll have a meltdown.

Sonny says, Jagger is obsessed with him and will keep coming at him unless he puts Jagger down, but Jason says, Cates was damaged in court. He overreached and there are going to be repercussions from the FBI. They can watch him go down in flames. Sonny says, it’s his problem and he’ll deal with it. He doesn’t want Jason involved. End of conversation. Dante comes in and says, sorry to interrupt, but maybe it’s good he did. Jason says he was just leaving. He tells Sonny that last night, Cates offered to let Carly go if he testified against Sonny, but he refused… again, and he leaves.  

Michael tells Willow that his dad’s attitude toward him has been more volatile lately. His mom thinks Sonny is off his meds, but Sonny insists he’s not. Maybe this is how he is now. He’s sorry. He doesn’t want to get her down. They should go back to the celebration. What did he miss? She says, Wiley was hanging with the kids and having a great time. She’s so blessed that she gets to watch him grow up. Thanks to Michael. Michael says, they’re lucky because they have her in their lives.

Josslyn tells Carly that Donna is having a blast, and Carly says, Donna adores Josslyn. Josslyn says, the feeling is mutual, and Carly says she’s glad they have each other. When she thought she might go to prison, she was making a mental list of things to tell her about Donna in case she wasn’t here. Josslyn says, she doesn’t have to worry about that now, and Carly says she couldn’t bring herself to tell Donna that she was trying to one-up a rogue FBI agent. Josslyn says, she’s too young to understand, and Carly says she’s sorry she put Josslyn through this.

Molly says, whatever that is, she has nothing to do with it, and Kristina takes papers out of the envelope. She says, it’s a subpoena for family court. She’s being summoned to appear at Avery’s custody hearing. Molly asks if it’s for Sonny, but Kristina says, no, Ava. Molly looks at the papers, and Kristina says she can’t testify against her father. Molly says, she has no choice, and Kristina asks what she says. Molly says, tell the truth. Diane will mitigate the damage in her cross examination. Kristina says, Diane can’t spin this. Ava knows she saw her father beat up Dex and knows Kristina can’t stand her. Molly says, Diane will rehearse with her. Keep her answers as brief as possible. Kristina says she can’t be the reason dad loses custody of Avery.

John goes to Ava’s hotel room, and she says, John doesn’t look happy. He says he’s not. Carly walked. The charges were dropped. The audio file mysteriously disappeared from the FBI database. She asks if they don’t have a backup, and he says, of course (🍷), but a copy is inadmissible. They have to prove it’s not faked or tampered with. The chain of custody is essential. Now he has no leverage against Jason and he’s no closer to putting Sonny behind bars where he belongs.

Dante asks what he walked in on, and Sonny says, Jason was explaining how Jagger was forcing him to infiltrate Pikeman, but that’s not what this is about. He’s the target for Jagger. He always has been. Jagger wants to take him down, and everybody says he’s paranoid. Dante says he believes Sonny. Cates crossed the line. The problem is, Sonny can’t cross the line with him. He’s got to stand down.

Ava says, maybe John overreached. Counting on Jason and Carly to give up Sonny was never going to be a reality. They’ll be loyal to the bitter end. John says, no. He had them. He knew they would flip to save each other. Whoever erased the file screwed him. She says, he’ll find another angle to get Sonny, and he says he’s sorry. He knows she’s worried about her case too. He thought if Sonny was locked up, she wouldn’t have to go through with the custody case. She says, there’s still a way for her to get what she wants.  

Molly says, short of a medical emergency, Kristina will have to testify or be held in contempt. Kristina says, what if she doesn’t answer the questions? and Molly says, she’ll get a contempt citation, and perjuring herself is an actual crime. Kristina says, only if they can prove it, and wonders who else was subpoenaed. Molly says, maybe Dex, and he’s a cop now, and Kristina says, there has to be some way out. How can she avoid testifying? Molly says, she doesn’t. She’s sorry. No matter how much Kristina hates getting on the stand, she has to swear to tell the truth about what she saw her father do.

Maxie says, Carly must have been going out of her mind worrying about the kids, and Spinelli says, the evidence was like a dagger over Jason and now he’s finally free. Maxie says, good news all around, and Spinelli says, and a reminder of what can be lost in an instant. She says, he’s usually an optimist, but he says, seeing how this played out made him assess certain priorities and recommit to them. That’s her and the kids, their family.

Carly says, if the evidence hadn’t disappeared, she’d have been sent to prison just because she lost her temper, but Josslyn says, it’s okay. Carly says she literally taunted an FBI agent into arresting her. How stupid. Josslyn says she loves how Carly didn’t let John walk on her, but Carly says she had more to lose than gain. She wants to learn from her mistake. There’s a time to stand up and a time to stand down. She should have thought more about Josslyn and Donna. Josslyn says, Carly might have been impulsive and reckless, but she loves her and she’s happy Carly is free.  

Jason goes to see and Anna, and says, she heard. She says, it’s a good day. The charges against Carly were dropped and the FBI no longer has leverage over him, and it happened in one fell swoop. Jason says he was wondering who to thank. He has it on good authority that even the best hacker couldn’t delete the file. Anna says she wanted to talk to him about that. She owes him. Valentin wouldn’t have gotten away if he hadn’t cooperated. She has a debt to repay. He asks if that’s what happened, but she says she had nothing to do with the audio file disappearing. He says, who did?

Maxie says she knows she and the kids are a priority. Spinelli shows her that every day. But that doesn’t mean she wants him to stop doing what he does, as long as he’s careful. He says he took every precaution, and she says, he hacked the FBI. She realizes how loud she’s talking and lowers her voice, saying, he’s amazing. He says he wants to assure her that before he does anything else impressive, he’ll talk to her first and they’ll weigh the risk. He won’t do it if she doesn’t like it. She says, deal, and Carly says she’s sorry to interrupt, but can she ask Spinelli for a minute? Maxie says she has to check in with the office and leaves. Carly sits down and thanks Spinelli, but he says he didn’t do anything to delete the file.

Anna tells Jason that she found Jack at the WSB in DB. It’s as if the last few months never happened. Jason asks why he did that, and she says, he didn’t confirm it, but her theory is that the WSB wanted to get out from Pikeman. Jack set himself up to get arrested and the WSB laid a trail of breadcrumbs to control the pace, giving them time to sever ties. Jason says, leaving Brennan and the WSB to walk free. What about Valentin? Does she think he was in on this? She says, probably. She doesn’t know to what extent. She thinks they bankrolled his disappearance and hopes he and Charlotte are somewhere safe with new IDs. He says, it makes sense, and she says, except for one thing. Why did Jack help Carly?  

Ava tells John that Kristina was just served with a subpoena to testify against her father. She can try to avoid Scotty’s questions, but she’s going to have to testify that she was a witness to her father’s attack on Dex. John says, that’s good news, and Ava says she predicts a spectacular meltdown in front of everyone. Everyone can see with their own eyes that Sonny isn’t a suitable parent for Avery. He says, assuming Sonny doesn’t have a meltdown before that. He provoked Sonny, and Sonny nearly assaulted him. He’s a ticking time bomb and it’s just a matter of time before he goes off.

Sonny asks why he should sit back and let Jagger come after him. That son of a bitch needs to be taught a lesson. Dante says, if he goes after Cates, he’ll give Cates what he wants. He’s smarter than that, so do the smart thing and step back. Sonny asks if he thinks Jagger will go away. He’s got a lot to prove. Dante says, his case was thrown out. Let his bosses deal with him. Maybe they’ll put him out to pasture, but not yet. If Sonny doesn’t back off, he could open himself up to federal charges.   Sonny says he’s heard this before. The law comes first. Dante’s a cop first and his son second. Why should he listen to what Dante is saying? Dante says, Sonny can only push everybody so far, even him.

Jason asks if Anna thinks Brennan intervened, and she says she does. A while back, he talked about how he enjoyed Carly visiting him. She thinks he meant it. And when she was in Washington, he commented that he wasn’t in the business of ruining good people’s lives. It’s a huge risk to break into the FBI database, which begs the question, why would Jack go to the trouble of saving Carly?

Carly says, Spinelli didn’t get rid of the evidence? and he says, not for lack of trying. He was able to gain access to the account, but couldn’t delete or corrupt the file. She says, if not him, then who? and he says, maybe someone on the inside, but she says, the only person who knows about the file is John, and he didn’t do it. Spinelli says, someone invested in her freedom. She must have a guardian angel.

Molly suggests Kristina sit down and take deep breaths. She’ll make tea and coach Kristina. They’ll prep together. Kristina asks if Molly wants to or does she feel obligated, but Molly says, of course (🍷) she wants to help Kristina. Aside from the incident at the wedding, is there any other reason Ava would want her to testify? Is there something she knows about Sonny that she’s sitting on? Kristina says, the only reason Ava called her was to get her to talk about the wedding, and Molly says she’ll make some calls. She’ll find out what else has been filed. Kristina says, what if she never has to take the stand? What if Ava changes her mind? Molly says, that would be unusual. It can happen, but it’s not going to. Ava has no reason to withdraw the subpoena. Kristina says she supposes not, and Molly goes to the kitchen. Kristina says, unless she gives Ava a reason.

Ava says she thought of something. That little ruckus between John and Sonny. Would John be willing to testify? John says, it would be his pleasure. Don’t forget Michael was there too. Ava says, Kristina and Michael both witnessed their father’s out of control behavior, and he says he just wants one person to rat on that bastard. Ava says she’ll do her best with a little help from her friend, he says, anytime, and they kiss. (Blech.)

Dante asks if Sonny is doing this again. If he’s not with Sonny, he’s against him. He’s not Jagger Cates. He’s trying to help. If Sonny wants to go after Cates, he’ll fall into his trap. Sonny’s phone rings, and Sonny says, sorry. He’s got to get this. It’s private. Dante says he doesn’t want to hear it anyway, and leaves. Sonny asks Brick, where’s Jagger?… With Ava, in the suite. Good. Take a lot of pictures.

Tomorrow, Blaze doesn’t know where she and Natalia go from here; Lois asks if Brook is willing to take on Sonny; and Sonny tells Kristina not to worry. She’s not going to have to testify.

🧴 Adding Soap To Content…

This is actually pretty funny.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/nancy-lee-grahn-and-daughter-kates-hilarious-soap-star-tiktok

💰 Listing Those Millions…

Tracy was still trying to unload the house in the path of an apartment building and a flight pattern. JoshF was given a week to sell a house he thought was overpriced, the seller insisting Josh wasn’t showing it to the right clientele. Although when his assistant found a dead rat in a pool considered a selling feature and he refused to remove it, I thought, maybe it is him. JoshA checked out a property with developer Max that he thought could be listed at $120 to $150 million after being rebuilt – in its own stratosphere. We learned from JoshA, the only thing worse than not finding a property for a client is finding them a property and not being able to put a deal together.

Next time, JoshA finds JoshF a house that he says is just like JoshF- annoying and over the top.

🎄 Needing a Fabulous Little Christmas…

The best I could find was a recap in video form, but it’s not bad. Kind of like a condensed version of the show.

https://www.accessonline.com/videos/my-big-fat-fabulous-life-whitney-glenn-thore-crash-hunter-karens-date

💸 Brooks Taught Her Nothing… Or Everything…

This isn’t exactly surprising. Vicki has always been about making the buck.

No surprise either that Teddi jumped in.

⚰️ The City That Never Dies…

The latest on Dead City’s Season 2.

https://people.com/the-walking-dead-dead-city-unveils-season-2-teaser-comic-con-2024-8683308

🐉 Leak In the House…

Welcome to the internet.

https://ew.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-finale-leaks-tiktok-hbo-responds-8686991

🦸🏻 Pool Floaties…

Their original plan. Which would have been kinda mean.

https://ew.com/deadpool-and-wolverine-almost-showed-bad-fake-movie-in-theaters-as-joke-8683653

He won’t dance. Don’t ask him.

https://people.com/ryan-reynolds-not-dancing-nsync-deadpool-wolverine-8685672

Be sure to check out Hugh Jackman’s reaction to the final battle.

https://comicbookmovie.com/deadpool/deadpool-wolverine/deadpool-and-wolverine-star-ryan-reynolds-shares-video-of-audience-reaction-to-spoiler-a212419#gs.cf621z

The box office.

https://deadline.com/2024/07/deadpool-wolverine-tuesday-box-office-record-1236027253/

🐙 Squid On the Menu…

What’s coming and when it’s ending.

https://comicbook.com/anime/news/squid-game-season-2-release-date-netflix/

https://comicbook.com/anime/news/squid-game-season-3-2025-netflix-final-season/

🐶 TikTok Fail…

Yep. They don’t care who you are. They will embarrass you every time.

https://people.com/courteney-cox-posts-hilarious-video-of-her-dog-failing-hands-in-challenge-8685113

🍦 Follow That Ice Cream Truck…

Join me tomorrow for soap and talk of oranges. Until then, stay safe, stay never diving into the shallow end, and stay knowing that there’s a time to stand up and a time to stand down. 

July 30, 2024 – An Arraignment Surprise, Soap Bubbles, Messy New Jersey, Ramonacoaster Return, Ending the Feud, New Freedoms, Where’s Whitney, Last Of the Shadows, Super Rescue & Suddenly

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Anna goes to the WSB and introduces herself as the Police Commissioner of Port Charles, New York. She asks if the desk agent can point her in the direction of someone who knows what happened to Jack Brennan and why he was removed from Pentenville.

Wiley is celebrating his birthday at the pool and tells Willow that he thought daddy was coming. Willow says, he wanted to, but had to do something with grandma. Wiley says, Grandma Nina! but Willow says, no, his other grandma. Wiley says, no. Grandma Nina is here at the pool.  

John tells Sonny, Carly is going to lose her children, her hotel, and the restaurant left to her by her deceased mother. Jason is going to talk. Sonny says, no one has anything to say to John, and John says, Jason is going to testify against him, and Sonny is going to be in that courtroom with all his money while John is beside him listing all the crimes he’s committed. John ends his tirade with calling Sonny a miserable son of a bitch, and Sonny is ready to punch him, but Michael grabs him and says, calm down. Sonny says, let him go, and John tells Michael to listen to the guy who’s not his real dad. Listen to the one who blew his real dad away. For once, he took care of it himself. Michael tells Sonny not to give John the satisfaction. Donna may lose her mother. Does Sonny want her to lose her father too?

Michael tells Sonny, just walk away. It’s not worth it. His family needs him. Sonny says, Jagger finally showed his true colors, and John says, same for Sonny. Sonny laughs, and John says he’s looking forward to seeing more of Sonny. Michael and Sonny step away, and John says, nice uncle. She’s an officer of the court. Why is she protecting him? She says she’s not, and he says, it’s a point of integrity for the county. She tells him to make a formal request. Fill out an official form, and she’ll have it processed. Then if he wants to drag Sonny to court and put him in prison, he’s more than welcome. He’s been waving his badge around, making demands, and using his power to service his own vendetta. He says, she has more than enough to go on and is hiding behind bureaucracy instead of serving justice, and she says, be her guest. Have Sonny arrested and prosecuted, but if he wants assistance, fill out an official request. He accuses her of being in bed with Sonny, and she tells him to request a court order. Until then, their business is done. Good day.

Nina hugs Wiley, and James says, greetings and salvations (not a mistake; he gets Spinelli’s hello a bit wrong). Willow says she’s happy that James’s mommy brought him to the pool, and Maxie says, no one needs to remind them whose birthday it is. Nina looks at Willow, who nods, and she says she brought something for the birthday boy. Spinelli tells Maxie, so far, so good. Wiley is happy to have one of his grandmas at the party. Maxie says, they all know Carly has to appear in federal court, but they don’t know why, and Spinelli says he found out Cates is using the incriminating evidence he has on Carly as a threat to coerce Jason into working for him. Maxie says, that snake, and Wiley thanks Nina for his gift. He tells James that they can show Nina how fast they can swim, and the boys get in the pool. Nina asks Willow if that was okay, and Willow says, Nina has great taste, as always. Wiley definitely liked it. (I think it was a truck, but I wasn’t totally paying attention.) Nina says she’s in the middle of a workday, so when the boys are out of the pool, she’ll be on her way, but Willow asks if she’s sure she has to leave.

On the phone, Dante says, Jack Brennan was at the hotel in December of 2023… Then go up the chain of command to the co-owner Olivia Falconari. Tell her it’s Dante Falconari… Right. He’s her son. He thanks them for their cooperation. Molly comes into the station looking for Anna, but Dante says, she’s out of town. Molly asks if he knows when she’ll be back, but he says he doesn’t. Is there something he can help her with? She says, there’s a rogue FBI agent roaming the courthouse and Dante’s father is hellbent on tearing him limb from limb.

Michael asks if Sonny is okay, and Sonny says he’s fine. Michael is right. Jagger’s not worth it. Diane joins them with Josslyn and Jason, and asks if everything is all right. Michael says, it’s fine, and Sonny looks at Jason then walks into the courtroom. Diane asks if she needs to worry, but Michael tells her to focus on their mom. She says she can multitask, and he says, they all rely on that. Josslyn asks if Jason is sure Sonny is taking his meds, and Jason says, Carly checked. Josslyn says, it’s possible they stopped working, and John lurks behind them. He stares at Michael and moves on. Jason asks what they missed, and Michael says, he can probably guess. How’s Donna? Josslyn says, she keeps asking where her mom is and they keep saying she’s on a business trip where there’s no cell service. She’s going to grow up to be a cop or detective. Pilar has her at Wiley’s birthday party. She’s sorry Michael is missing it, but they’ve got to figure out what to tell Donna if Carly doesn’t make bail. She asks if Jason thinks she will.  

Anna tells the desk agent that Brennan’s time in Pentenville was completely wiped out, as well as the PCPD records of him. That only happens when someone high up wants it. Whoever that is, is who she needs to speak to. He says, she probably knows what he’s about to say, but she says she needs to hear it. He says, the information she’s seeking is probably highly classified. Without a federal court order, they can’t and won’t provide it. Anna says she’s not a civilian, she’s a Police Commissioner, but he says, she’s local law enforcement. She says she’s a former WSB agent, but he says, all that gets her is in the door. She needs a special clearance. She suggests he get ahold of Mia Granahan, the Deputy Director. She’ll be happy to wait. Brennan was arrested for crimes in her jurisdiction. She arrested him herself and won’t sit by and allow the WSB to disappear him. She’s not leaving until she gets an answer. Brennan comes out of a nearby office and asks, must she always make a nuisance of herself? (I love Jack. He’s so much fun.)

Dante asks, how bad was it? and Molly says, words were exchanged, but John was way up in Sonny’s face. He wanted more to happen and almost got it. Sonny took a swing at him. Dante says, but there was no assault? and she says, the punch never landed. If it weren’t for Michael, Sonny would be in federal custody.

The kids play in the pool, and Willow thanks Nina. Nina says, of course (🍷), and Willow says, not just for the present, but for arranging for Michael to meet Congressman McConkey. Nina says, it’s her pleasure, and Willow says she’s sure it was as difficult for Nina to say yes as it was for Michael to ask. He considered asking Monica or Tracy, but Nina has a closer relationship with McConkey. Nina says, wise move, and Willow says, she wasn’t sure, considering how things are between Nina and… Nina says, Willow wasn’t sure if she would go to bat for Carly, but Willow says, no undue influence. They just want the congressman to look into Agent Cates’s abuse of authority. She thanks Nina, and Nina flashes back to Michael saying that she owes his family one and can make it right with one phone call. When his mom is free, he’ll make sure Willow knows all the credit goes to her. Nina tells Willow, spoiler alert. She may be shocked by why Nina did it. No matter what their differences, she knows how important Carly is to the family. How could she say no?

John wanders around the hallway and runs into US Attorney Wilcox. He tells John that he read the files and asks if there’s anything else he should know. John says, plenty.

Carly is brought into the courtroom and hugs Josslyn, but the officer says, no contact. She asks how Donna is, and Josslyn says, she thinks Carly is away on business. John comes in and Carly stares at him, but Diane says, look at her. From this point on, she’s not to look at Cates. Not a glare, not a side-eye, not looking backwards when she tosses her hair. Carly says she never tosses her hair, and Diane says, she’s not to speak to him. Carly says, she’s not an idiot, but Diane says, she’s impulsive. Carly says, Diane made her point, and she can hear Jason agreeing. Diane says, the most important thing to remember is, once the arraignment starts, no words. Not a peep, not a noise, no audible breathing until she argues for dismissal. Josslyn asks if she thinks it will work, and Diane says, no, but the court expects it and it starts the road to acquittal. Michael says he’s meeting with McConkey and asking him to look into Cates’s conduct, and Carly says she hopes they turn over every rock to find something. If she’s going down, Cates is going down with her. The bailiff says, all rise.

Alexis comes to the station and says she’s dropping off some paperwork for Anna. Dante says, it’s official, and she says, once again she’s a licensed and practicing attorney. Dante says, now they can have a different picture on their dartboard instead of hating on Diane. Sam wanted to have them over for dinner, and he thinks this would be a good excuse to celebrate. Alexis says she looks forward to it, and Dante takes the paperwork and leaves. Alexis asks if Molly’s got a minute, and Molly says, she must have spoken to Kristina. Alexis says, yes, she did.

Anna goes into the office and says, it’s good to see Jack, especially since every trace of him has disappeared. He says, there’s a reasonable explanation. He was never there. She says she kept a hard copy of his intake arrest record, and he says, damn. Now he’ll have to burn down the police department – again. He swore it was the last time. Anna tells him to stop whatever game he’s playing. He’s won. He says, what was that last bit? and she says, he won. He’s out and free, and she, the lowly, local Police Commissioner, can’t touch him. What’s going on? He says, sorry, she has no clearance, but she says, that’s never stopped her before. Or him. He says, the Bureau found a use for him. It’s as simple as that. Why does she ask? Was she worried about him? She says she was really worried… that he wouldn’t pay for the crimes he’s committed and that’s exactly what happened. He’s been rewarded for them. He says, he’ll be running a local station in the hinterlands. Some reward. She says, the WSB needed to divorce themselves from Pikeman. It did a good job for them, but things were getting conspicuous. The FBI wasn’t on board, so the WSB let them take Pikeman down and walked away clean. Is she close? He shrugs.

Maxie tells Spinelli that she knows she said she was okay with it, but she wants to know what happened. He says he can’t divulge his methods, and she says, but he could deny them in detail. He says, for instance, he absolutely did not access the evidence Cates is using against Carly, and Maxie says, of course (🍷) not. How would he do that? He says, not by having Sam distract Cates and borrowing Cates’s digital ID. She wonders why he couldn’t use the ID to get rid of the evidence and throw it away, but he says, even The Jackal couldn’t pull that off.

The judge says, the defendant is charged with racketeering violations, and Diane says, they can waive the reading. Wilcox has no objection, and the judge asks if the defendant understands the charges. Diane says she’s making a motion to dismiss. The prosecution hasn’t shared the evidence, which consists of a single recording. There’s no eyewitness testimony, just one audio file recorded by an FBI agent. A guy comes in and whispers something to Wilcox, and Diane says, Carly is a long standing pilar if the community and the charges are lacking in merit. She voluntarily turned herself in hoping to get this whole thing over with. It reeks of malicious prosecution, and she hopes the court sees it for what it is. The judge says, it always pleases her to hear Diane argue a motion, and Wilcox says, the people don’t oppose the motion to dismiss. We all go, whaaat?

The judge bangs her gavel and asks if she heard correctly. Are they agreeing to dismiss the case? John jumps up and says, they’re not, and Wilcox asks, who the hell is he? The judge says she’ll ask the questions. Who the hell is he and what business is it of his? John says he’s Special Agent Cates. He brought Carly in and the US Attorney is making his job impossible. The judge asks the attorneys and John to approach the bench, and John says, they have an iron clad case, but Wilcox says, the audio file is gone. It no longer exists. (I laaaaugh.)

Anna says, the FBI was closing in on Pikeman and Jack got himself arrested knowing he’d never face trial. The WSB left him in Pentenville until everyone forgot about him. He says, everyone but her, and she says, now he’s a free man. And Valentin his scapegoat is also fine? Lounging with his daughter on some extradition free beach? Jack says, she’s right. There. He said it. It’s all true. Anna says, but none of it will see the light, and he says, that’s how the game is played. Speaking of games, he doesn’t think she came to the nation’s capital just to badger the WSB into divulging his whereabouts. She wants something. Anna asks, what kind of leverage does he have against John? and Jack says, John is FBI and he’s WSB. Why would she think he has pull? She says, because you’re you. You have connections. Jack says he’s flattered, and she says, John is off the rails and targeting Jack’s friend Carly.

John says he has an official summary on his phone, but Diane says, in this day and age of deepfakes, evidence isn’t evidence unless there’s a chain of custody. John says, there is, and accuses the DA’s office of being incompetent. Maybe they should look for the file. Wilcox says, they did, and the last time it was accessed was by John. The judge says, so they have no evidence, and Wilcox says, none. She thanks them, and Carly asks Diane, what’s happening? Diane says, wait for it, and the judge asks if the prosecution wishes to proceed. Wilcox says, they’re not moving forward with the case, and the judge says, case dismissed. Carly looks at Jason and everyone looks stunned. Sonny smiles. (I can’t stop laughing.)

Carly asks, what happened? and John says, it can’t be gone. The judge asks if he didn’t hear the dismissal. One more word, and she’ll hold him in contempt. He’s stopped talking? Good. Now listen. For the record, she recommends he take his questions, accusations, and excuses to his superior. His conduct is not for court. Understood? John nods, and she says, good. Now they’re done. Court is adjourned. The bailiff says, all rise, and the judge leaves. Carly hugs Josslyn and Michael, and everyone is happy. John says he doesn’t know how they pulled it off, but it’s not going to work. It’s evidence tampering and he has a good idea who’s behind it. He flashes back to Diane assuring him that this is going to blow up in his face, and Anna telling him to ignore the evidence. Carly says she’d love to send a thank you note to whoever did this, but Jason says, it’s not over. Michael says, it is, and John tells Sonny, enjoy his reprieve. It won’t last. He’s going to put Sonny behind bars for the rest of his life, and make sure Jason and Carly are rotting beside him. He stomps out.

In the interrogation room – where everyone goes to talk – Alexis says she spoke to Kristina and has one question. Molly says, hit her with it, and Alexis asks, what was Molly thinking? Molly says, nailed it, and Alexis says, she jumped the gun and tried to force Kristina to sign the termination of parental rights on the spot. Molly says she just presented Kristina with documents she’d always intend to sign, but Alexis says, it wasn’t a formality. By Molly’s own admission, she said Kristina was being cagey. Molly says, it was obvious that Kristina wanted to keep the baby, and Alexis says, Kristina said she tried to explain that she was protecting Molly and TJ’s privacy. Molly asks if Alexis buys that, and Alexis says, Kristina didn’t want to discuss Molly’s fertility issues without permission. Molly says, then Kristina should have asked her before the interview. How could it not come up in the prepping? The obvious assumption is that Kristina and Blaze are having a baby together. A message Kristina perpetuated.

Nina says, Wiley and James are fast, and Spinelli says, especially for children with their mass and density. Wiley asks if Nina wants a hot dog, but Nina says she has to go back to work. Spinelli goes to get hot dogs for the kids, and Wiley thanks Nina for coming. He hugs her and everyone smiles. (Oh wow. This episode is way too happy. An asteroid is surely hitting Port Charles soon. Or the Ice Princess. Or something.)

Carly hugs Jason and says, it’s over. He’s free. Jason sighs, and Josslyn and Michael hug Carly. Sonny flashes back to Carly telling him about the recording, and Josslyn says, the look on Cates’s face… Michael says, priceless, and Jason asks if she knows how it happened. Carly says she has an idea, but Diane strongly suggests they keep their theories to themselves forever. Michael says, it’s a solid plan, and Wilcox says, Diane had an excellent argument. She says, it’s a pity they’ll never know, and he says, almost. He tells Carly, on behalf of the US Government and the Justice Department, their sincerest apologies, and Carly says, they were just doing their job. He says, it’s come to their attention that Agent Cates has been less than professional on other fronts, and they’ll be looking further into his conduct. Carly says she hopes they take a long hard look, and Wilcox leaves. Carly asks if she can walk out, and Diane says, unless she has a burning desire to stay. She strongly suggests Carly go to the PCPD and pick up her personal items. Michael says, it’s cause for celebration. He knows of a party already in progress. Carly wonders if it’s still going on, but Josslyn says, if it’s not, they’ll get the party started again. Michael asks if Sonny wants to come, and Sonny asks, what’s wrong with you people?

Alexis says she doesn’t think Kristina’s reasoning is up to par. Her body is flooded with hormones that are telling her to protect the baby and keep it. But she wants Molly to have it. Molly asks if that’s why Kristina is claiming she and TJ are breaking up. It’s like she wants it to happen for an excuse just to keep the baby. Alexis says, they both have her genes. Molly has the ones that want justice, law, and order, and Kristina’s got the ones that make her think she’s right, she’s the smartest one in the room, and her ideas are better. Lucky you. She has another great idea – back off please. Just talk to her and accept her explanation. Trust her to be honest. Molly’s impulse was to have Kristina sign the termination on the spot. If she pushes back, Kristina will push harder, double down, and dig in. Molly knows she’s right.  

Jack says he’s sorry Carly is experiencing difficulty, and Anna says, she’s been charged with RICO violations. He says he doesn’t see her as a racketeer, and she says, Cates is targeting her ex-husband and using it for extortion. They have an agent running roughshod over the law in town. He’s a wrecking ball and she’s not letting him play out his vendetta. Jack says, a code of honor and actual honor are very different. If anyone knows… She says, it’s them. How many people’s lives has he destroyed in his performance of duty? Does he keep track? Does he care? Jack says, she has a tendency to jump to conclusions. It’s a bad habit for a spy… She says, ex-spy, and he tells her, try to have patience. She may discover that he’s not in the business of ruining people’s lives if he can help it.  

Sonny says, this did not have to happen. Carly should have told him what was going on before it was too late. Jason should have called him three years ago and told him what Jagger was up to. He could have stopped it. Jason says he tried to explain what he could, but Sonny says, Jason didn’t trust hurt him. None of them did, but that’s all right. He’s going to take care of Jagger himself. He walks out, and Jason looks at Carly.

This was a great episode.

Tomorrow, Anna tells Jason that she has a debt to repay; Molly apologizes to Kristina; Ava tells John that she has every reason to believe she’ll get the outcome she wants; and Dante tells Sonny that he can only push everybody so far, even him.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

A blast from the past returns.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/emma-samms-returns-to-general-hospital-2024

So many of the soap stars love cooking, the Food Network should create a show for them. I miss Soap Net… sniff…

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-kirsten-storms-shows-off-her-incredible-cooking-skills

Sounds like she had a pretty normal life, but still, it must be weird.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-kimberly-mccullough-on-growing-up-on-tv

She should thank her lucky stars that she practically skated. Uber. It’s called Uber.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospitals-haley-pullos-sentenced-for-dui

This sounds like a good time. I actually considered going for a hot minute, but couldn’t think of anyone I could force coerce into going with me.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/dont-miss-the-2024-general-hospital-fan-celebration

👠 What Happens In Jersey…

I love Marge sending Teresa a funeral bouquet in memory of her dignity. Apparently, she has tea to spill.

Danielle’s take.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1405006/rhonjs-danielle-cabral-confirms-the-season-14-finale-is-just-as-shocking-as-youd-expect

The uncivil war rages on.

https://okmagazine.com/p/rhonj-season-14-finale-war-revealed/

Seriously, Andy, reboot that thing or get rid of it.

https://people.com/andy-cohen-teases-rhonj-reboot-heres-the-truth-exclusive-8685366

What happened last week.

🗽 And In a Surprise Crossover…

Come on. What does anyone expect from this clueless throwback? If she was a dude, she’d be one of those guys from Manhattan who wouldn’t date you if you lived in Queens. A word about New Jersey. It’s like any place else. It has its good points and bad points. It’s geographically beautiful, there are tons of things to see, and the food is fantastic. On the other hand, the taxes are high, the government is corrupt, and it’s way expensive to live here. But best of all, you’re highly unlikely to run into anyone like the cast of RHONJ. Or Ramona.

🛟 Making Up Off Deck…

Hannah is a mom now. She’s too tired to argue.

🚜 They’re Moving On…

Interesting how both Barry and Ethan can’t let go of their respective relationships, yet their exes are moving on quickly. No crying and eating ice cream for them.

🪄 Looking For Fabulous…

Note: As of this posting, there was no recap for My Big Fat Fabulous Life, but I did watch it and it was very touching. The episode revolved around the Thores’ second Christmas without matriarch Babs, and the first time actually celebrating. Shopping for a tree, a Christmas costume party, the family together – including Hunter’s new girlfriend Karen – and Goosie in a Christmas sweater. There was nothing not to like. Hopefully tomorrow will bring a recap.

🧛🏻‍♀️ Fading Shadows…

The beginning of the end airs October 21st.

https://ew.com/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-final-season-preview-exclusive-photos-8676830

🐕 Best In Pool…

If you take nothing else away from my obsession with this dog, remember that a rescue dog (or other pet) can be the best thing that’s ever happened to you, and you to them.

https://people.com/all-about-dogpool-the-canine-rescue-star-of-deadpool-and-wolverine-8685503

📝 The Back To School Slippery Slope Arrives…

Join me tomorrow for soap and new Listings. Until then, stay safe; stay keeping dirt/grass outdoors and not tracking it inside; and stay remembering that a code of honor and actual honor are very different, and choosing wisely.

July 26, 2024 – John Gives Jason a Proposition, Warden, Wives For the Date, Star Winner, Just Us Girls, Game Of Game, They’re Here, Video Video, Critic Blast, It’s Snowing, First Look, A Half Dozen Quotes & Hot

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Madison says, Nina’s lunch date is confirmed, the ad copy is on her desk, and her 9 am appointment with Enchantment has been canceled. Nina says, why? You don’t just cancel an appointment with Erica Kane. That woman is notoriously difficult. Erica made her last assistant wear burlap for an entire year just because she booked her a layover on her flight to Beirut. Madison says she didn’t know you could fly direct to Beirut, and Nina says, you can’t. That’s the point. Madison has left her in a difficult position. Why would she cancel a meeting with Erica Kane and risk her wrath? They walk into Nina’s office, and Michael is sitting in her chair. Startled, Madison drops everything in her hands, and he says, because your boss needed to talk to you.

There’s a knock at Kristina’s door and she opens it to Molly. Kristina asks if they had plans and she forgot, but Molly says, no. She just wanted to stop by. Kristina says, perfect timing, because she’s been dying to talk to Molly about the Perez Hilton interview. It’s been great to see how everyone’s been responding with such support. There’s this lesbian influencer who’s super powerful on Instagram, and she said this: Kristina and Blaze clearly love and support each other and are a great example of how to remain true to yourself while negotiating a difficult family situation. Isn’t that so empowering? Molly says, yeah, and Kristina says, so she saw the interview obviously. Wasn’t it great?

Anna opens the PCPD folder on Jack Brennan, and it’s empty. Dante comes in and asks if it’s a bad time, but Anna says, it’s fine. What’s up? He says, Sonny’s downstairs. Did she want to see him? She says she doesn’t have anything to charge him with, so no, and he says, fair enough. He starts to leave, but she calls him back. She tells him to shut the door. She has an update on Jack Brennan. He says, the guy they arrested at Bobbie’s last year, and she says, oh good. She wasn’t imagining him then. He asks what that’s supposed to mean, and she says, he’s disappeared from Pentenville. It’s as if he was never there.

Jason thanks Diane for coming, and she says, of course (🍷). She assumes this is about Carly. She’s doing as well as can be expected. He says he knows her arraignment is in a few hours. She’s pleading not-guilty, right? Diane says, she is, and he says he can help with her defense. She says, fantastic. How does she exonerate Carly? He says, by giving him up in her place.

Carly is brought to the interrogation room where Sonny is waiting. He tells the officer to take the cuffs off. She’s not violent and she’s not going anywhere. The officer says, those were the FBI’s orders. The prisoner is just with the PCPD until she’s transferred to federal holding, so they’ll be put on as soon as they’re done talking. He leaves, and Sonny says, Jagger has gone too far. He’s going to do everything he can to get her off. She says, no. Don’t do anything. Let Diane handle it. Please. How’s Donna? He says, Donna doesn’t know anything yet, and Pilar is there to make sure she doesn’t get upset. Carly says, good, and he asks, what’s going on? He saw her get arrested by Jagger. He wanted to jump in, but Diane said, don’t even think about it. She says, what’s going on? He died and she took his place.

Jason tells Diane that he’ll take responsibility for everything that happened at that meeting. He’ll say he fed Carly every word, that she was just a figurehead, and he was the one making all the decisions. Diane says, it’s a novel idea… and a complete waste of time.

Nina helps Madison pick everything up, and Michael says, sorry to spring this meeting on her at the last minute, but Nina says, it’s fine. As he clearly stated, he’s her boss and she’s at his disposal. He thanks her for being so accommodating, and she says, he did put her in a bit of a bind. When the subject of this sudden cancelation comes up, and it will, she’s going to forward Erica Kane’s calls to him. He says, that’s fair. He’s happy to handle it. She thanks Madison and asks her to hold her calls. And don’t go far. She may need a witness. Madison says she’ll be right outside. She leaves, and Michael says, it’s interesting that she warned her assistant when they struck a truce, and Nina says, they did, but if she’s learned anything, it’s that when they have a meeting together, it could go sideways very quickly. He says he can’t disagree. So he’ll get straight to the point. He needs her help.

Kristina says, Molly isn’t saying anything. Does that mean she disagrees? She doesn’t think it went well? Molly says, no. From what she’s heard, the response has been really good. She’s sure a lot of people found Kristina to be very sympathetic. Kristina says, huh. Interesting choice of words. People, but not her. Molly says, TJ had some thoughts about the interview, and Kristina says, about which part? And why isn’t he the one here talking to her about this? What’s TJ’s problem now? Molly says she’s not going to speak for TJ, but they talked about it last night, and in order to settle his concerns – she takes out a folder – she agreed to bring by these papers for Kristina to sign. Kristina asks what this is about, and Molly says, her giving up her parental rights.

Molly says, Kristina is functioning as a surrogate for her and TJ, but she’s also the egg donor. And as their mother so eloquently pointed out, according to the laws of the State of New York, she’s legally the baby’s mother until she relinquishes her parental rights. Kristina looks through the papers, and says, not relinquish – terminate. That’s what these papers say over and over and over again. Terminate. Molly wants her to terminate her parental rights? Something relinquished can be taken back. Something terminated can’t. That’s a pretty big difference, doesn’t she think? Molly says, in order for her to legally be the baby’s mother, Kristina has to terminate her rights. This is what they agreed to in the beginning. Kristina says, let her get this straight. Molly and TJ saw the interview she did where she poured her heart out to the entire world, and this is their response? Molly says she doesn’t understand what the issue is here. Kristina is about to give birth. She’s going to have to sign these papers at that time to give her and TJ the baby. Why not just sign them now, when things are calm and there’s time? What possible reason could she have not to?

Dante says, when Anna tells him that Brennan disappeared, she means he escaped Pentenville? How? She says, that’s a good question. How do you escape from somewhere when you weren’t there to begin with? He asks what she’s talking about. They arrested this guy. They put him in a car and watched him get taken to Pentenville. She says, and she visited him there more than once. According to Pentenville’s records, Brennan was never in their custody. There’s no digital record of him, no paper trail, no video surveillance. He was never in intake, and he was never assigned a cell. It’s like Brennan’s association with Pentenville has completely vanished. Dante says, there have to be witnesses there who saw him and spoke to him, and she says, you’d think. Maybe she can rustle up a CO or two, an inmate maybe that can place him there. But at the end of the day, it’s not proof. It’s just hearsay. She says she’ll show him the best part, and hands him Brennan’s folder. The PCPD’s records have been purged also, both physically and digitally. He sees the folder is empty, and he says, this is crazy. Who has the power to erase the records of an inmate’s entire existence and buy the silence of that many people?

Michael says he understands Nina has a long-standing connection with Congressman McConkey, and she says, he went to Princeton with her father. She’s known him for her entire life, but Michael’s family also goes way back with him. He says, Tracy and his grandmother do, but he doesn’t want to get Tracy involved in this because she has a tendency to stick her nose into things that are none of her business. And his grandmother isn’t doing well, so he’d rather not ask her. But from what it sounds, Nina’s connection with McConkey is closer. She says, that’s probably true, but he still hasn’t told her what he wants, and he says, an introduction. She asks if he didn’t meet McConkey at the 4th of July party, but he says, it was very brief. All they really did was exchange small talk. What he needs is some face time. She asks, why is that? and he tells her that he’d rather not say. She says, he’s asking her to exploit a decades long family friendship with the congressman for his mysterious purposes? She’s sorry, but she’s going to need a lot more information before she puts McConkey on the spot. He says he needs to ask McConkey for a favor, and she says, is this for ELQ? Is ELQ in trouble? Is it Aurora? Should she be worried about Crimson? He says, no, don’t. They’re both fine. She says, then if it’s not a business matter, it’s personal, and he says he needs McConkey to help his mother.

Carly says, while Nina was keeping Sonny all to herself in Nixon Falls, the rest of them thought he was dead. And the Five Families (spaghetti sauce) were circling, ready to take over his territory. With him gone, they were racing for the opportunity. He says, anyone who would stake a claim on his business would be a target, and she says, that’s right. So she and Jason had to make a show of strength to prove to them that the territory was in safe hands. But Jason was hurt, and he couldn’t make it to the meeting with the Five Families (calzones), so she was the only option. He says he already knows all that. What he wants to know is how the FBI charged her with RICO violations. She says, someone at the meeting was wearing a wire. The FBI has a recording of her announcing that she was taking control of his entire organization. He says, that was a long time ago. Why are they digging in now? She says, because they have another use for the recording. They used it as leverage over Jason. The FBI played the recording for Jason and told him that they would charge her with everything they could unless he worked for them. That’s what Jason’s been doing, keeping her out of jail while working undercover for John Cates. (We see Sonny is starting to track.)

Diane says she was hoping Jason was going to give her documents or witnesses or, best case scenario, proof that the FBI’s recording had been improperly procured. Something she could actually use. He says, just use him, but she says, that’s a non-starter. The FBI’s evidence against Carly is hard. That recording is damning. He tells her, not if he says he coached her, and she says, that’s only going to tack on another conspiracy charge. It’s Carly’s voice on that tape. Carly was at the meeting. There’s no getting around that. He knows taking responsibility is only going to implicate him right alongside her. Who’s that going to benefit? He says, all he’s got to do is convince one juror there’s reasonable doubt and the whole thing’s worth it, and she says she promises that is not how this is going to work out. He won’t save Carly; he’ll condemn himself and strengthen the prosecution’s case against her. She knows he has the best of intentions, and actually, she could use his help in another aspect of this case. He says, what? and she says, her defense strategy will be to spin the story. She’s going to present Carly as a sympathetic defendant. Convince the jury that she lied at that meeting to saved herself and her children from a group of vicious mob bosses suspected in a wide range of crimes, including several brutal murders. That she feared for the lives of her children and herself, and that she literally bluffed to save her life, lying to these people to push them away. Jurors love stories like that. He says, Carly told him that Diane said her chance of acquittal is what? 30%? She says, they can do better than that… not much better.

Nina says, Carly was arrested? and Michael says, his mom was very publicly handcuffed down in the lobby. He thought the news would be all over the building by now. She says, her former MetroCourt employees don’t really have a reason to gossip with her anymore. What was Carly arrested for? He says, the charges don’t really matter. This whole thing is the work of this rogue FBI agent who has a vendetta against Jason and his mother and probably Sonny too. This agent needs to know he’s not above the law himself. She says, which McConkey can give him through congress, and Michael says, yes, exactly. McConkey is on the House selection committee for Intelligence. He could buy influence on his committee, but he feels a personal touch from Nina would be more subtle. She says, and safer. No money trail. It’s all very Watergate sounding, and they all know how that turned out. He says, according to the law, it’s only illegal if money actually changes hands, and she says, and they both know he’d do anything to save Carly. He would hand over that money in a heartbeat. So he’s asking her to potentially commit a crime to cover up Carly’s crime. Now is he ready to be labeled co-conspirator with her?

Sonny says, so Carly was arrested. Things must have broken down between Jagger and Jason. Carly says, Jason was supposed to do one more specific job for Cates, and then Cates was going to cut him loose. Jason kept up his end of the bargain, then Cates double-crossed Jason. He said he was going to send Jason to some prison somewhere to go undercover. He says, lying bastard, and Carly says, she and Jason got in a big fight. He said he’d rather keep working for Cates than see her tried and charged. He says, let him guess. Jason won. She says, he made her promise not to turn herself in, so she agreed, and he says, she lied to him, but she says she didn’t lie to him. She didn’t want to turn herself in, but when she saw Cates there in the MetroCourt, and he made a jab about Jason, she lost it. She couldn’t help it. He says he was there. He saw. She basically dared him to arrest her. She says, right. So here they are. He asks how she found out about this, and she says she found out about the recording about a month ago, and he asks if Diane knows about this. She says, Diane has to know because she has to work on a defense, and he asks what Diane says her chances are. She says, the odds are not in her favor, and he slams his hand down on the table.

Jason says he knows Diane will do her best and her best is better than anybody else’s. He just doesn’t see how Carly’s going to beat this. She says she’s sorry, but short of getting that FBI recording destroyed or having it deemed inadmissible as evidence, Carly will be arraigned and charged this afternoon. With any luck, she’ll be granted bail, and a trial date will be set. Then they prepare to go to war. He asks what she wants him to do, and she says she wants him to slap on a suit and tie and show up every day to that courtroom. Let Carly see him in her corner. He’s calm and he’s steady. Because the prosecution could clinch its case against her by provoking a courtroom meltdown out of her. They don’t want that. Are they clear? He says, they are, and she says, excellent. Now if he’ll excuse her, she has to go over her notes. He says, one more thing. Can they undercut Carly’s case by tarnishing Cates? She says, it could work. It’s worked before. But Cates’s testimony is going to carry a tremendous amount of weight simply because he’s FBI. There’s a presumption of authority and integrity. (Really? In 2024?) They’d have to come up with something substantial in order to make a jury doubt Cates. He says, it may be possible. He knows someone who can get them information on Cates. And she owes him.

Anna says, Brennan’s disappearance has the WSB written all over it, and Dante says he can see that, but to what end? Doesn’t this guy out of a prison cell open up a whole can of worms for the WSB? She says she thought that too, but then she’s wondering if freeing him solves more problems than it creates. He says he guesses so. But if they want to shut him up, he knows something they don’t want him to, why not just put him in a hole in Steinmaur and throw away the hole? She says, it’s possible. The only way of figuring this out is cornering the WSB with proof of their involvement. He says, Brennan was admitted to GH for a stabbing that happened in Pentenville, right? and she says, yeah. He says, the hospital has to have records of him being there, unless the WSB wiped those too, and she says, if he could check on that, that would be awesome. He says he’ll take care of it right now, and she thanks him. He says, this guy is the WSB’s problem, isn’t he? Why does the PCPD care what happens to Brennan?

Kristina says she’s kind of flying blind here, so can Molly just tell her what she said that upset her and TJ so much and gotten them so worried? Wait. This wasn’t because Perez asked her about the baby and she said it was private, was it? Molly says, it’s just common sense. You can’t sit down for an interview with Perez Hilton, be visibly pregnant, and when he asks about it, say, sorry, it’s private. (Um… yes, you can.) Kristina says, the interview wasn’t about the baby. It was about Allie and her and Allie’s mother. It wasn’t about the baby at all. Molly says, don’t act like she didn’t see those questions coming. She can’t be that naïve. Kristina says she’s not naïve. She was trying to protect Molly and TJ. She didn’t want to drag them or this baby into a mess that was really about Allie and her personal private life, and it’s now all over the news. Molly says, she made it seem like this baby was hers and Allie’s, but Kristina says, no, she didn’t. Molly says, there was a simple explanation that would have avoided all confusion. She only had to say that she was acting as a surrogate for her sister and left it at that. Instead, every lesbian on the internet is so excited about her and Blaze being parents, they’re all posting about which onesie they should buy them. Kristina says, that’s insane. That is not what’s happening. She’s shocked. She can’t believe Molly would misinterpret something she said this badly. Molly asks what she’s misinterpreting. It’s what they all heard. Kristina says, fine. Why doesn’t she call Kelly Ripa and tell her that she has an exclusive? Molly, her sister, has endometriosis and she was devastated to find out she can’t bear children, so she’s helping her sister and her partner by helping them become parents. Is that what she wants? Would she have preferred that? Would that make her happy? Because actually, she was just trying to take the attention off of Molly, but hey, if she really wants to become the public face of endometriosis, have at it. Molly says, she’s being ridiculous, and Kristina says, is she? Molly says, all she and TJ wanted was for Kristina to be clear about whose baby she’s carrying. Kristina says, then that’s what Molly should have told her before she did the interview. She’s sorry if anything she said was taken the wrong way, but this wasn’t her intention. This wasn’t her fault. Molly says, of course (🍷) not. Nothing ever is. Kristina didn’t even tell her that she was doing this interview, but they’re talking in circles, and she needs to get to the office. So can Kristina just sign these papers so she can go… Sign the damn papers. Kristina throws them down on the table and says, no.

Molly says, they have an agreement. Kristina has to sign these papers. Kristina asks if they can just talk about this for a minute, and they sit down. She doesn’t think it’s a good idea for her to sign the papers right now. Molly says, yes, it is. Kristina is about to give birth and she can’t legally adopt her baby until Kristina terminates her rights. Kristina says, there’s issues in play right now that weren’t happening when they agreed to this, and Molly says, what issues? Kristina says, her and TJ, and Molly says, what about them? Kristina says, what if they break up? and Kristina says she and TJ aren’t breaking up. That’s not even a question here. Kristina says, maybe Molly is too close to it and doesn’t want to see it, but things have been really rocky lately. Molly says, that’s so condescending of Kristina to think she can tell her about her own relationship, and Kristina says, maybe Molly doesn’t want to see it and she’s sorry to say this, but it’s true. She can’t deny there’s been so much tension between them lately. They can’t stop fighting. Molly says, all they fight about is her. So according to her, now she and TJ are going to break up because they fight? That’s what couples do. They fight and they make up and they wind up stronger for it. But Kristina wouldn’t know anything about that because she has never, not one single time, been able to keep anybody around long enough to form a real relationship. All she has is a string of embarrassingly misguided attempts with men, a crush that drove her teacher out of town, and a messed-up infatuation with a woman who was so ashamed of being gay that she was still in the closet until her mother caused a national uproar by publicly outing her. Look in the mirror. She’s not equipped to be a mother. She can barely take care of herself. (Needless to say, this doesn’t make me like Molly any more than I don’t already.)

Nina says, if this is found out, how does she know Michael won’t shift the blame entirely on her? and he says, nobody’s going to believe Nina cares enough about his mother to do something illegal to help her. Nina says she can’t argue with him there, and he says his mom is facing RICO charges because of the actions she did to protect her family when his father was in Nixon Falls. And that only happened because of Nina. His mother wouldn’t even be in this position if Sonny had been in Port Charles conducting business as usual. She says, so she owes him one? and he says, she owes his family. She can make this right with one phone call. All she has to do is get him a meeting with McConkey, and he’ll persuade McConkey into opening up an official inquiry into this FBI agent’s twisted vendetta against his family. She says, if she agrees to this, are they finally square? and he says he’ll give her something that’s even more important to her. When his mom goes free, he’ll make sure Willow knows all the credit goes to her.

Anna tells Dante that Brennan is also connected to this other case that’s unfolding right now, which is Carly’s. Agent Cates used evidence of Carly’s involvement in Sonny’s business to force Jason to work for the FBI. Dante says, okay. He knew Jason was an informant, and knew Jason was working for the FBI and they got him to flip. He just didn’t know how. It surprised him, but Carly explains it. She says, Agent Cates kind of showed interest in Brennan and implied at one point Brennan might have leverage over him. (I must have missed that, but they do have a tendency to make it up as they go along.) Dante says, and she wants to figure out what that leverage is? and she says, yeah. Either Brennan has committed such terrible crimes that the WSB just doesn’t want him to see daylight ever again, or he means something else to the Bureau entirely, and she wants to know which it is.

Sonny tells Carly that Jagger always had a chip on his shoulder because he took care of his brother Stone when he was dying of AIDS, and Jagger couldn’t show up. Jagger has been trying to take him down for 30 years. And you know why he can’t? Because he doesn’t know how. Now Jagger thinks he’s going to come at him through Carly and Jason? She says, he’s right. Cates is after him. But Sonny isn’t the only reason he’s here. He came to Port Charles for another job, something to do with Pikeman. Sonny says, that was his official reason, but Jagger will never pass up a chance to take him down. Does she know the way he does it? Jagger builds himself up by tearing him down. He started with nothing, he has nothing, and he’s going to die with nothing. He swipes a load of Styrofoam cups off the counter and says, no way in hell is Jagger sending his little girl’s mother to prison.

Kristina says, wow. Is that what Molly really thinks of her? Molly says she would feel infinitely better if Kristina would just sign the papers, but Kristina says, no. She can’t sign those papers right now. There’s too much uncertainty. If Molly and TJ break up, then she and TJ are the only ones with legal claim to this child. She has to be sure they’re going to make it before she signs those. Molly asks when that’s going to be. What’s the test? What criteria of commitment do she and TJ need to meet for her? Kristina says she doesn’t know, and Molly says she thinks when they do, Kristina is just going to come up with another reason not to sign the papers. This isn’t about her and TJ. This is about Kristina. She’s been lying to them this entire time and the truth is now coming out. She wants to keep this baby, doesn’t she? Kristina says she does wonder sometimes if maybe she and Allie would make better parents for this baby right now. Maybe they would be able to provide a more stable home than her and TJ. That’s all. Molly laughs, when there’s a knock at the door. Kristina says, let her get rid of them, but Molly says, don’t bother. This is going nowhere, and she needs to get to work. Kristina opens the door to Natalia, who asks if this is a bad time. She should have called first. Molly says, don’t worry. She was just leaving. Kristina says, wait. She thinks Molly forgot something. She indicates the papers, but Molly walks out without them.

Nina says, Michael sure knows how to sweeten a deal, and he asks if that’s a yes. She says, everyone knows that she’ll do just about anything to make sure her relationship with Willow is on track for good, but if she agrees to do this, it has to include peace with him as well. She’s sick of the ugliness between them. They have to put it behind them, in the past. He says, her getting him a meeting with McConkey will be a good start, and she says, if this is found out, it may or may not be bad for them. She doesn’t know, but does he know who it’s going to be bad for? Drew. Can he imagine the uproar if the media finds out that the nephew of McConkey’s handpicked successor leaned on him to tip the scales in his mother’s favor? It would be the end of McConkey’s legacy and the end of Drew’s campaign. He says, all he’s doing is bringing the acts of a rogue agent to McConkey’s attention. He’s sure he’ll be able to avoid even the slightest hint of impropriety. Drew will be fine. She says, he sounds confident about that, and he says, it’s just a conversation. One that will work to all of their benefit. So what does she say? Do they have a deal?

Kristina folds the papers and asks what she can do for Natalia. Natalia asks if Allison is here, but Kristina says, no. She’s out with Brook. Natalia says, that’s unfortunate. She was hoping to talk to them both together, but she can come back another time. Kristina says, no, don’t. She’s already here, and Kristina would rather they just have it out now. What is this about? Natalia says she came by because she wanted to… Saying thank you falls very short.

Carly says she knows Sonny is angry, but he can’t get arrested too. The officer comes in and asks, what’s going on here? Sonny says, Jagger is going to regret ever messing with him, and walks out. Carly tries to follow, but the officer says, she’s not going anywhere. It’s time to get her back to her cell. She says, not yet. He’s got to call Dante Falconari and have him come down here. She needs to talk to him.

Jason opens the door to John and says, he made a big mistake coming here. John says, what is he going to do? Beat him up? Jason says he was thinking more along the lines of reporting him for witness tampering, but John says, he still doesn’t get it. Jason is his witness. And when Carly’s trial starts, the US Attorney is going to put him on the stand, and they’ll produce a piece of paper with Jason’s signature on it, showing that they made a deal. Then the attorney will ask Jason why he agreed to work with the FBI. He can stonewall all he wants, but eventually, they’re going to get him to admit the truth, that he did it for Carly because he knows she’s guilty. Carly dug her own grave, but Jason is going to be the one who buries her in it. (I don’t see how this is going to make the FBI look any kind of good.) But there is still one way he can stop that from happening.

Natalia says she saw the interview Kristina and Allie did with Perez Hilton, and they were both very, very generous towards her. They were much more generous than she deserved. Kristina says she doesn’t really believe it’s right to police people’s speech or their perspectives, and Natalia says, that’s very big of her. Kristina says, don’t get her wrong. If someone refused to hire her or rent her an apartment just because she’s gay, she’d be livid, and honestly consider suing because that’s discrimination and that’s not okay. But someone just not approving of her or not agreeing with her lifestyle, she just doesn’t let it affect her because everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Natalia says she honestly doesn’t know what she believes anymore from one hour to the next, and it’s pretty disconcerting. But she has to say, Kristina’s live and let live attitude is a value she holds dear. She just needs to do better at living it. She’s just glad they can talk, and they can be honest with each other. Kristina says, okay, yeah. Just to be clear, she believes Natalia is entitled to her own thoughts and opinions, but she doesn’t have to like them, and she doesn’t. Natalia says, fair, and to be clear on her end, she admires Kristina’s principles and respects what she said.

Michael says he has McConkey’s office number pulled up. Do he and Nina have a deal? Nina says, he’s going about this the wrong way, and he asks if she’s turning him down. She asks if she said that. If Michael calls McConkey’s office, he’ll have to get through his bulldog of an assistant. He should call McConkey’s cell. Deal with him personally. She takes out her phone and calls McConkey. She says she’s calling because she’s going to be in DC next week and she thought they could go to that Italian place they both love… No. She insists that this time she’s paying… Okay, great. And she’s going to bring a friend. He’s a great guy, very interesting, very influential. You’re going to love him.

Dante says, Carly wanted to see him? and she says, Sonny’s lost it. He’s out of control. He asks what she’s talking about. What happened? She says, there isn’t time. He’s got to find Sonny. He says, where did he go? and she says she doesn’t know. But if Dante finds John Cates, he’s going to find Sonny. Sonny went after Cates, and God knows what will happen if Sonny finds him.

In his office on the phone, Sonny tells Brick to get him a location on Jagger Cates nowNo. He’s not at the MetroCourt anymore. Carly kicked him out. He opens a locked box with a gun inside, and says, yeah, he’s sure. He loads the gun and says, do whatever you have to do. Find Cates for him. He practice aims the gun.

John says he has a proposition for Jason, but Jason says, no. John failed to honor their deal. He’s not taking any new assignment from him. John says, he doesn’t have to go undercover. He doesn’t even have to leave Port Charles. And in the end, he can run back to his beloved Carly, who will be out from under the threat of prosecution for good. All Jason has to do is deliver Sonny to him.

On Monday, Kristina tells Alexis that if she’s going to make a move, it has to be now; Ava says she needs to know that she can trust someone; Carly says, there’s something important she needs Michael to do; and Sonny tells Dante, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. (Truth!)

🔐 Going Dutch…

I’ll have to look for him the next time I watch The Devil Wears Prada.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/thats-dutch-johnson-playing-warden-hayes-on-general-hospital

👠 Another Kind Of Scary Island…

This just sounds embarrassing. Hopefully they don’t keep the title Love Hotel. That just makes it sound worse.

🥂 For the Food Win…

I didn’t really keep up with this, although there’s always Hulu. An extra congrats to LVP.

🍸 Speaking Of…

Maybe having kids knocks the voice of reason into your head. She and Lala have made more sense than anyone else lately.

👑 Back In the Game…

Maybe he knows a little something by now. The ad is really cute.

https://people.com/kit-harington-ad-for-game-of-thrones-mobile-game-8684224

🦸🏻‍♂️ At a Theater Near You…

It’s here and apparently doesn’t disappoint. I probably won’t go this weekend, but I’m not letting this one wait for streaming.

https://www.thedowneypatriot.com/articles/review-deadpool-amp-wolverine-is-exactly-that-and-its-awesome

Getting in the pool.

https://ew.com/chris-evans-deadpool-and-wolverine-johnny-storm-interview-exclusive-8684326

Missing the boat.

https://comicbookmovie.com/deadpool/deadpool-wolverine/deadpool-and-wolverine-bts-photo-reveals-one-cameo-that-didnt-make-the-cut—spoilers-a212334

The soundtracks have all been good. Since popular music isn’t often included on a soundtrack album, probably because of royalties, it’s great that we can just make our own now. Even better that someone compiled the titles.

https://www.thewrap.com/deadpool-and-wolverine-soundtrack-all-the-songs/

And last, but not least for the producers, the climbing box office.

https://deadline.com/2024/07/box-office-deadpool-wolverine-1236022761/

💥 From Gamer Screen To Big Screen…

Apparently, we’ve run out of original plot ideas, and are once again turning to video games. I haven’t hated it so far though, and this looks like another winner.

https://ew.com/borderlands-movie-adaptation-comic-con-2024-cover-story-8676778

https://ew.com/borderlands-cast-nothing-meaner-than-unhappy-gamer-comic-con-2024-exclusive-8684739

https://www.cbr.com/borderlands-final-trailer/

Just the facts, Jack.

https://www.space.com/borderlands-movie-release-date-plot-cast

🎬 Hardest Working Man In Hollywood…

I’d fight someone who put Tyler Perry down. I love his films, but nobody writes nighttime soap like he does. And he’s an angel to those who work for him.

https://ew.com/tyler-perry-blasts-highbrow-critics-of-his-movies-8683311

🦛 And You Get a Snow Day…

It’s kind of like a Christmas in July sale.

https://people.com/arizona-zoo-holds-summer-snow-day-for-animals-8682491

Pekingese In Snow

🐶 As It Should Be…

This is too precious. His wife is a definite keeper.

https://people.com/groom-surprised-by-dog-during-first-look-ahead-of-wedding-8680685

📢 Quotes of the Week

My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, or defeated me; it has only strengthened me.Steve Maraboli

Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable – and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God. – Henry Emerson Fosdick

Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one’s potential. – Bruce Lee

For most of us the problem isn’t that we aim too high and fail – it’s just the opposite – we aim too low and succeed. – Sir Ken Robinson

I did come for the flying squirrel, but I want to stay for something more. – Whitney Thore, My Big Fat Fabulous Life

There is only one question to ask yourself: What would you do if you were not afraid?Unknown

🚶🏽‍♀️ On the Beaten Path…

Enjoy your weekend, whether in the sun or in the air con, then join me on Monday for soap and a cringeworthy Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay using sunscreen (yeah, I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again), and stay not policing people’s speech or perspectives, but fighting against discrimination.

July 25, 2024 – Carly Tells John To Come & Get Her, Ric’s Return, Her Experience, Sutton Stops By the OC, They’re Here, InstaNepo & Soak

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Anna goes to visit Jack at Pentenville, but the warden tells her, there’s no prisoner here by that name.

Carly tells desk clerk Rick that she doesn’t want John’s luggage cluttering up the lobby. If he doesn’t them within the hour, put them in the street.  

Diane meets Sonny at the MetroCourt, and she says she wishes she had better news. Ava has a court order for visitation. As soon as Sonny filed for custody, she filed a counter motion, which allows her visitation. He says, so Ava can see Avery anytime and they can’t stop it? and she says, that’s it.

Ava tells John, it’s not that she doesn’t want to see Sonny brought to justice, but others have tried and failed. What makes him think he’d win? He says he has what he needs, a linchpin witness, someone who knows everything. They’re refusing to testify, but they’re about to change their mind because he’s sending them as far away from Port Charles as possible.

At the bus station, an announcement comes over the loudspeaker that the bus to Alexandria leaves in a half hour. (Which is funny, since yesterday, it was 15 minutes.) Jason looks at his ticket, when Danny walks in. (Told you.)

TJ finds Molly in an empty courtroom, and she asks if they have plans that she forgot about, but he says, no. They need to talk. She asks, what’s wrong with Kristina? and he says, Kristina and the baby are fine, physically at least. Did she know Kristina and Blaze were doing an interview with Perez Hilton? She asks, when? and he says, this morning. It’s already happened. She asks what Kristina did, and he tells her, see for herself.  

Sonny asks if they can stall and get supervised visits, but Diane says she recommends against it. Her advice is to cooperate with the court, lest Sonny appear to be punishing Ava by keeping her away from her child. He says his objective is to keep Avery safe, but she says, the court takes a dim view of using a child for leverage. He asks if she doesn’t think Ava is going to use Avery. She’s going to fill Avery’s head with lies about him. She says, they have to take the high road or Ava will play the victim, and he says, Ava is playing the damsel in distress for John Cates.

Ava asks how John sending his witness away is good news, and he says, they don’t want to leave Port Charles, and he’s giving them a compelling reason to stay. With the leverage he has, odds are, the witness is going to break and give him what he needs. Just sending him away will knock Sonny off-kilter and make him more unstable. (Apparently, John is a stupid, stupid man who doesn’t do his homework.) Ava says she likes the sound of that, and he says, Sonny won’t be able to control himself and will show the court that he’s unfit as a human and a parent. She says she can’t thank him enough. Who would have thought they’d go from their first meeting to this? He says, a lot has changed, and she laughs. She says she’s remembering him bursting in, all self-righteous, barking orders, and giving her the third degree. He says, she was quite the stonewall and lied to his face. Unless she does like Texas Hold ‘Em. She says, like she told him, she plays every chance she can get, and they kiss. (My stomach literally turns over.)

Jason asks how Danny found him, and Danny says he heard the announcement about the bus departure, and thought it was his best bet. Jason says, he’s a good detective, and asks if Dante drove him. Danny says, Yuri did. He’s outside. Is Jason mad that he’s here? Jason says he’d never be mad at Danny. He’s glad to see him, but he can’t tell Danny where he’s going. Danny asks if Jason can tell him how long he’ll be gone.  

Anna asks where Brannan was transferred to, but the warden says, there’s no record of him ever being here, but she says, that’s impossible. She has the dates. She checks her phone and says, December 9th, 2023, Brennan was sent to Pentenville. That’s here. He says he knows where he is, and she says, January 30th was her first visit. On April 5th, there was an altercation, and Brennan was transferred to GH because he was injured. On May 17th, she saw him there, and on June 11th, he was transferred from GH back to here. The warden says, his apologies, but their records don’t match. She says, this is insane. What if she subpoenas the guards and the inmate who stabbed Jack? Are they going to say she’s fighting a ghost? He says, she’s free to ask, but they may or may not remember. She says she’s going out on a limb here and saying, probably not, and he says, there are no supporting documents. According to their records, the guy was never here.

Sasha gives Violet a dish of Ants on a Log, and Violet says she doesn’t eat ants. Sasha explains that it’s celery, peanut butter, and raisins, and tells her to try it. Violet takes a bite and says, delicious. Maybe she does like ants. Sasha says, it was one of her favorite after school snacks, and Violet asks if her mom made it for her. Sasha says she lived with her grandmother. She was an amazing cook who taught her a lot. Violet says she doesn’t have a grandma. Sasha says, lots of people don’t, and Violet says, or a grandpa anymore. Sasha says she’s so sorry. She must miss him. Violet says, and her dad. Why does everybody have to leave?

Drew sees Willow with Wiley at the boathouse and says he didn’t mean to sneak up on them. He went in for a quick dip before he goes to Sawyer for a town hall event. Willow says, it’s really happening, and he says he’s nervous no one will show up. She asks, what’s the topic? And he says, an increase in funding for the libraries. She says, that’s important, and Wiley says he and his friends love the library. Drew says he wants to highlight that libraries foster communities and there’s more that unites us than divides us. Michael arrives, and I feel awkwardness in the air.

Ava says, this is a celebration that calls for a real cocktail. Martini? John says he’s a scotch guy, but she says she only has vodka. She offers to call downstairs, but he says he has a bottle in his room, and leaves. Ava sips her martini and says, really? An FBI agent? At least she keeps things interesting.

Jason says he doesn’t know when he’ll be back, and Danny says he believes Jason. He doesn’t just say things to say them. Jason says he wishes he could tell Danny everything. Remember when Danny found him in the boathouse and he said he needed help, but didn’t want Danny to tell anyone? Since then, they’ve gotten closer and spent time together. He’s grateful for that, but doesn’t want Danny involved in that part of his life. Danny asks if Jason is still in trouble, and Jason says he is. He made choices before Danny was born that are still affecting his life. Danny asks if he regrets them, and Jason says, in some ways, yes, in some ways, no. He regrets that he was taken away from Danny and wishes he could stay and be the father Danny deserves, but he can’t and that’s on him. He sighs.

John’s keycard doesn’t work. He tries it a bunch of times, then stomps off.

In the MetroCourt lobby, Josslyn thanks Gio for the ride. He sees Sonny with Diane and asks if she knows the woman Uncle Sonny is with. She says, that’s his lawyer Diane Miller. He says, they look serious, and she says, under normal circumstances, she’d tell him to go say hi, and he says, but not today. Got it.

Diane says she doesn’t like the sound of that, an FBI agent on Ava’s side who’s willing to testify against Sonny. Sonny says, John would love nothing more than to tear his family apart.

Josslyn tells Carly that she’s about to head out. Is she okay? Carly says, no. Physically, she’s fine, but she got bad news and she’s having a hard time dealing with it. They’ll talk at home. Josslyn says, now please, and they sit down. Carly says, Jason has to leave again. He doesn’t want to and she’s having a hard time. She’s sad and angry, but there’s nothing she can do. She has to deal with it.

Diane says, if the agent is willing to testify, he can tip the scales in Ava’s favor, and Sonny says, they can’t let that happen. She says she has no intention of it, and he says, speak of the devil. (I don’t get how John could testify on Ava’s behalf when he’s known her all of five minutes and hasn’t seen Sonny in 30 years.)

John tells Rick that his key card stopped working, and Rick says he’ll issue John a new one. Carly tells Josslyn to stay there, and goes over to the desk. She tells Rick that she’ll take care of it and to take a break. She tells John that his key doesn’t need reprogramming. He’s no longer a guest at the hotel. Take his luggage and get the hell out.

Michael says he got their note, and Wiley says he drew the pictures. Michael says, they’re almost professional, and Willow says, Amelia is asleep in her stroller. He sees the table is set, and asks, what is this? Willow says, a surprise picnic, and he says he loves it. Wiley asks if Drew wants to stay, but Drew says he’s got to get to Sawyer. Enjoy it, but save him a cookie. Wiley says he makes no promises. Willow tells Drew good luck, and Drew leaves. Michael asks, what’s in Sawyer? and Willow says, a campaign event. He says, so it begins, and she says she feels bad for Drew. He’s worried no one will show up. Wiley drags her over to the lake to look at minnows, and Michael gets on the phone. He says he’s going to need a favor.  

Molly tells TJ, when Perez mentioned Kristina’s bump and said, congratulations, she didn’t say the baby wasn’t hers. She said, thank you, and that it was a part of her, and Blaze’s lives that they wanted to keep private. The perfect couple committed to each other and the baby. TJ says, she just claimed their child on live TV. (I must accept this show is just going to annoy the hell out of me today. In addition to John and Ava, now these two, who overreact to pretty much everything and fill in the blanks with their own fantasy scenarios.)

Danny asks if Jason can call him once in a while, but Jason says he can’t. He’s sorry. But he’ll think about Danny and do his best to get back as soon as he can. Danny says, okay, and Jason says he hates this too. Danny says, they already did this, and he doesn’t want to again, and Jason says he knows. At least they can say goodbye this time. Even though Danny won’t know where he is, Danny knows he’ll be out there. Danny says, it’s better than nothing, and Jason says, this isn’t his choice. Danny asks, whose choice is it?

John asks if Carly is kicking him out, and she says she’s evicting him. He asks if someone complained, and she says, no. He asks, on what grounds she’s evicting him, and she says she’s co-owner of the hotel. She has the right to refuse service to anyone she likes… or hates. He says he thought they were friends, but she says, not so much. Sonny asks Diane if Carly is kicking John out, and she says, she sure is. John suggests Carly call her buddy Jason. He’s sure Jason will tell her to be accommodating. She says he doesn’t speak for Jason, and he says, she’d be surprised. She says, at this moment he has zero leverage over her. Does he think he can charge her with RICO violations because she’s a big bad mob boss? Here she is. Come and get her.

Sasha says, it must be a very confusing time for Violet, and probably scary and lonely. Violet says, it doesn’t make sense. So many people live here. Sasha says, but not the one person she’s missing the most. Violet says she can’t wait to see her dad, and Sasha asks if she’s keeping track of what she’s doing so she can tell him. Violet says she’s been writing in her diary every day, and Sasha says she lived for her diary when she was Violet’s age. Violet says she can’t let him read it because there are secrets there too, and Sasha says, as it should be. Does she feel lighter after she writes? Violet says, sometimes, but sometimes she’s more sad. Sasha says, it’s normal to have ups and downs, good days and bad days, and Violet says, Brook and Chase tell her the same thing. They told her that she can talk to them about anything. Sasha says, she can, and can talk to her too. The house is filled with people who love her and want the best for her. Violet says, that makes her pretty lucky, and Sasha says, the luckiest.

Willow says, rose and thorn, and Michael explains to Wiley that it’s the worst and best part of the day. Willow says, her rose was planning and setting up the picnic with Wiley. Her thorn was stepping in goose poop on their hunt for minnows. Wiley says, his thorn was a bug bite, and his rose was coming here. What about Michael? Michael says he has no thorn today, and Wiley says, boring. Michael says, waking up to his alarm was rough. His rose is this. Being with family is the best most important thing always. He takes Willow’s hand, and they kiss. Drew walks past.  

Molly says, Kristina led the public to believe the baby is hers and Blaze’s. She didn’t come out and say it, but she didn’t say it wasn’t. It’s out there now and as public as ever. TJ says, that was the goal, right? and she says she’s sorry. It’s what he’s been afraid of. She was afraid too, but didn’t want to admit it. Now it’s actually happening. She never believed her sister could actually do this. TJ says he didn’t want to believe it either. It’s not Molly’s fault. This is on Kristina. Molly says, she wants their baby to be hers, and now the whole world thinks it is.

Jason says he can’t tell Danny who’s calling the shots, and Danny says, but if not for this person, he wouldn’t be leaving. If he knew who it was, at least he’d have someone to be mad at. Jason says he doesn’t want Danny to be mad be. He wants him to be a kid, go to school, hang out with his friends. Danny says, Jason wants him to be distracted from missing him, and Jason asks if he’s wrong. Danny says, no, but it might be impossible. Jason says he’ll miss Danny too – he puts his hand on Danny’s shoulder – more than Danny knows.

John says, Carly doesn’t want to do this, and she asks if he’s speaking for her now. She’s not a mobster, isn’t involved in criminal conspiracy, and has nothing to do with RICO violations. She’ll be happy to prove it. Diane tells Sonny that she should intervene, but he says they should see what Carly has up her sleeve. Gio asks Josslyn if everything is okay, but Josslyn says, definitely not. John tells Carly, stand down, and she says she’s been standing down. She’s been biting her tongue, but she’s done. He’s a vindictive bastard with an ax to grind. He says, tell him how she really feels. If she wants it, he’s placing her under arrest. She holds out her wrists, and he reads her rights.

Drew says he’s sorry to interrupt. He hopes he left his watch here. Otherwise, it’s lost for good. Willow finds it, and their hands touch as she hands it to him. He thanks her and she says, of course (🍷). Michael says, Willow told him about town hall, and Drew says he’s hoping people show up. Michael says he wouldn’t worry. ELQ has manufacturing plants in Sawyer. Drew says, so? and Michael says he may have talked to the plant supervisors, asked them to spread the word, and instruct everyone to bring friends. Drew says, Michael has gone above and beyond. He appreciates it. Michael says he may have brought people to fill the seats, but Drew has to win them over. Drew thanks him again and leaves. Willow says, that was kind of him, but Michael says he didn’t do it for Drew.  

Molly says she knows her sister better than anyone. She has a flair for the dramatic. She loves the idea of being a mom, but has no appreciation for how to be one. She was asked a question about expecting, and she leaned in. She can’t resist the attention. If she’s not joining a cult, she’s having a baby. It’s not a trophy or an important cause. It’s a lifelong commitment. Kristina has gone too far. (Maybe it’s the water and everyone has gone insane.)

Carly says, go ahead and make sure he puts the cuffs on tight. John handcuffs her, and Sonny says, someone’s got to stop this. Diane says, let her handle it, and Josslyn says, what the hell? Carly says, it’s fine, and Diane asks, what’s going on? John says he thought it was obvious. Carly is under arrest for running a criminal enterprise. Josslyn says, she can’t go to prison. What about Donna? Carly says, Josslyn needs to find Jason. He’s at the bus station. Don’t let him leave. Josslyn asks Gio how fast he can drive, and he says, they’ll find out. They leave, and Anna walks in. She asks, what happened? and Sonny says he should have known she was in with Jagger. She says, just the opposite, and he says, coming at him is fine, but don’t come at him through his ex-wife. Anna says she’s not on board with that, and he says, then stop it.

Jason says he knows Danny is too young to ride his bike, but the key is in his room and Carly can give it to him. Danny says, the last time, his mom took care of the bike, and Jason says, it’s going to be Danny’s someday. Does Danny think he can maintain it while he’s away? Danny says he’s on it, and Jason says, maybe mom will take him out for a ride. Wear a helmet. Danny says, like mom would let him ride without one. Jason never wears one. Is this a do as I say, not as I do thing? Jason says, always, no matter what, and Danny promises, but says he thinks he’ll wait until Jason gets back to ride. He’d rather ride with him. The loudspeaker says, the bus to Alexandria leaves in five minutes and is now boarding. Danny asks if that’s Jason, and Jason nods and sighs.

Violet thanks Sasha, who says, next time, she’ll make Fish in a Stream with hummus and goldfish crackers. Maybe Violet could help her in the kitchen some. Violet says she could be Sasha’s apprentice, and Sasha says she can teach Violet some simple snacks and maybe a few meals. They can make a recipe book and leave some blank pages for Violet to fill in when she’s older. Violet says, Sasha can be like the cool grandma and teach her everything, but Sasha asks if she can’t be the cool aunt instead. Violet says, deal

Michael says he called in a favor for Willow. He knows how much Drew’s candidacy means to her, and she says, of course (🍷) she wants Drew to be successful. He says, a happy, lit up Willow is his favorite kind of Willow, and she says she lights up for him too. She loves him so much and family means everything to her too. Wiley says, Amelia is awake, and Michael asks if it’s a happy or grumpy awake. Wiley says he thinks happy. He gave her a cookie. Michael suggests they head back to the gatehouse, and Willow says she takes it back. This is her rose, the four of them heading home together. It’s everything she cherishes under one roof.

TJ says, Molly’s not going to talk to Kristina? but Molly says she knows what will happen. Kristina will get defensive and tell them that their assumption is way off. There’s only one way to handle this, through the law. (Wonderful. Open that can of worms and see where you land.)

Diane says, the time to drop this is now before it blows up in John’s face, and she assures him it will. Anna says, Carly isn’t a mobster, and it’s ridiculous to suggest otherwise. Diane asks if John was always this smug, and Carly and Anna say, yes, in unison. He says, Carly’s jail cell awaits, and Diane says she’ll see Carly there. It won’t stick. John says, want a bet? and on their way out, he locks eyes with Sonny. He says, let’s go, and he and Carly leave.  

Jason tells Danny to take care of himself, and Danny says, if Jason does too. Jason says he will, and Danny hugs him, trying not to cry. Jason tells him that he said it before, but he’s proud of him. The way he conducts himself is going to serve him. Danny says, he did it again, and Jason says, what? Danny says, he’s acting like it’s the last time they’re going to see each other. There will be a next time. Say it. Jason says, there will be a next time, and Danny tells Jason, you don’t just say things to say them. Jason picks up his bag, and Josslyn runs in. She says he can’t go, and he asks what she’s doing here. She says, Agent Cates just arrested mom.

Tomorrow, Dante asks Anna why the PCPD cares about Brennan; Sonny says, there’s no way in hell they’re sending his little girl’s mother to prison; and Jason asks Diane if they can undercut Carly’s case.

⚖️ Daddy’s Home…

My guess is that he’s going to be Molly’s counsel regarding the surrogacy.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/rick-hearst-returns-to-general-hospital

A refresher course, or just a course if you’re new to Ric.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ric-lansing

💔 Haters Gonna Hate…

It’s disgusting that a gorgeous, talented young woman has to deal with this kind of lunacy. I don’t know if she’ll be successful in turning minds around, but not engaging is wise.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-tabyana-ali-opens-up-about-the-online-racism-she-experienced

🍊 Single Orange Female…

The best part was Sutton meeting with new Housewife Katie and Gina. Katie was on the fence about Heather, and Sutton said she wouldn’t go up against Heather. She’d hide under the table. Well, if Sutton feels that way about someone, I’d listen. In her interview, Gina also pointed out that Sutton did way better in her divorce than she did. Sutton did better in her divorce than all of them put together, and maybe even Heather if she got divorced. We should all have such generous exes.

https://people.com/rhoc-recap-shannon-beador-calls-out-alexis-bellino-eerily-similar-relationship-with-john-janssen-8684059

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Futurepool Is Now…

No surprise, it’s already a box office smash.

https://deadline.com/2024/07/box-office-deadpool-wolverine-1236022761/

It’s always nice to have supportive friends, and it doesn’t hurt if they’re Taylor Swift either.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/taylor-swift-praises-ryan-reynolds-deadpool-wolverine-blake-lively-1235958388/

All the extra stuff.

https://www.ign.com/articles/deadpool-wolverine-every-marvel-easter-egg-cameo-reference-mcu

What to watch in preparation. The first two Deadpool films should go without saying.

https://www.thewrap.com/deadpool-3-what-to-watch-before-deadpool-and-wolverine-movies-shows/

🐕 It’s Not What They Know…

Ha-ha! Nepo pets. Claudia Schiffer’s cat carrier is everything.

https://nypost.com/2024/01/25/lifestyle/meet-the-nepo-pets-who-reached-celeb-status-thanks-to-their-famous-owners/

This never gets old.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/19657/celebrity-pets-on-instagram

🎣 Watching the Tide Roll Away…

Come and unwind from the week tomorrow with soap, what’s watchable (or not), quotable quotes, and a tune. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping the peace on social media, and stay not just saying things to say them.