Category Archives: real housewives

February 28, 2023 – Josslyn Tracks Down Dex, Lots Of Weaponizing In Beverly Hills, Here Comes Another One & Respect

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Lois is looking through wedding dresses in the solarium, when Brook comes in with Maxie. Brook thanks her for the private wedding dress viewing. She feels like a celebrity. Maxie says, she’s the bride, so she basically is, and Brook asks if Lois is crying. Maxie says, she hasn’t even tried anything on yet, and Lois says she can’t help it. Her baby girl is getting married. Brook is standing in front of her this beautiful, accomplished woman, but when she looks at Brook, she sees a toddler with jam all over her. She sees a 9-year-old girl playing bride with one of her scarves on her head, and she sees that 12-year-old girl who came home crying because all the girls were mean to her, and she sees Brook at her high school graduation. They’re all mental snapshots that she has in her head, and this is just going to be another one of them; Brook Lynn trying on wedding dresses. This is going to be an image that she holds in her heart for the rest of her life. Brook says, no pressure or anything, but Lois says she’s going to be beautiful no matter what dress she chooses. Maxie says, and they will find the dress. Don’t worry. Brook says, it’s not Cinderella. The dress doesn’t have to be magical or legendary. It just has to look good. Lois says, what? No. It has to look more than good. The dress has to make her feel as beautiful as she is. Brook says, it’s really not that big a deal.

Chase shows up at Finn’s apartment, and Finn asks what the drop-in is all about. Chase says he needs to ask Finn something and he wanted to do it in person, and Finn says, sure. As long as it’s not a best man request, knock himself out.

Scotty puts some flowers on a grave and says, happy birthday, Karen. John asks if it’s okay if he joins Scotty, and Scotty says, Jagger? Johns says, Scott. It’s been a while.

Josslyn is sneaking around somewhere, when her phone rings. At the boxing gym, Michael says he was just checking in. Seeing how she’s doing since… She says, since Sonny drove Dex out of town? He says, yeah. He’s sorry. She says, don’t be, because she’s going to find Dex and bring him home. He says, what? and she says, he heard her. She’s not going to lose Dex. Not like this. He says, that’s not a good idea. If Sonny finds out… She says she has to go, and ends the call.

Dante comes into the gym, and Michael thanks him for coming. He wasn’t sure Dante would. Dante says, because of him and dad? That’s Michael’s business. Michael says, so they’re good? and Dante says, they’re good. Michael says, glad to hear it because he could use a favor.

Carly asks if Donna is ready to tackle this playground, and Donna asks if Carly thinks she can climb to the top a dome of monkey bars, but Carly says she doesn’t know. It is tricky. Sonny walks up and says, if anybody can, Donna can, and Donna runs to him, hugging him. Donna asks him how he is, and he says, better now. I involuntarily smile because this kid is just so damn cute.

Chase says he did actually come over here to… Finn says, ask him to be best man? and Chase says he’s seriously reconsidering that decision right now. Finn says he was kidding. Of course (🍷) he’ll stand up for Chase at his wedding. Chase says he doesn’t want to force Finn, and Finn says, he’s not. He does want to warn Chase, he might not be good at best man duties. He’s usually the guy at bachelor parties sitting in the corner. Chase says, nobody puts his brother in a corner, and Finn laughs. Chase says, Finn knows he doesn’t care about that stuff. He just wants his brother to be by his side when he marries Brook. Finn says, then Chase has him, and Chase says, Finn scared him there for a minute. Finn says, Chase was kind of tripping all over himself. It makes him wonder. If he’s this worked up about the best man thing, how does he feel about the wedding in general?

Brook says, they should get started, and Lois says, if she didn’t know Brook any better, she’d think Brook was implying she doesn’t care about her own wedding dress. Brook says she cares. It’s just not the be all, end all for her. Not everyone gets a dress like Lois. Maxie says she loved her mother’s wedding dress, when Tracy comes in and says, really? Which one? Brook asks how many times Tracy got married. Six? Seven? And she wore something different each time, so she’s in no position to judge. Maxie says, it was a Spanish style dress with a mantilla made of lace, and Brook says she saw pictures. It was gorgeous. Maxie says, she’ll never forget Robin coming back for Lois’s wedding. She went on and on about Lois’s dress. She said it was straight out of Gone with the Wind. Lois says, that’s so sweet and so accurate. She loved that dress, that big, full skirt made her feel like she was floating on air, and it was surprisingly sturdy. She had to run 17 blocks in that dress. It actually held up really, really well. And that beautiful cream-colored satin… Tracy says, one other small detail about that dress. It wasn’t Lois’s. The dress she’s raving about belonged to Tracy’s mother. Lois says, who was gracious enough to let her borrow it. Kindest woman alive, Lila Quartermaine. Tracy says, if only others could emulate her, and Brook says, Cerullos have been coming out of the woodwork for years begging for that dress. Remember Cousin Francie wanted to turn it into a jumpsuit? Lois says, can she imagine? and Brook says, that gown is something else. Lois says she wishes she could pass it on to Brook. Unfortunately, it’s not her dress to give.

John places flowers on Karen’s grave, and Scotty says, good to see him. What’s he doing back in town? John says he’s with the FBI now. A case brought him here. Scotty says, Jagger Cates, FBI? and Jagger says, John. He would have reached out, but… Scotty says, he should have, but John says, honestly, he wasn’t sure if Scotty would want to see him after the divorce and everything. Scotty says he was disappointed when John and Karen broke up, but he respected John then. He respects John now. He pulled himself up from nothing. John says, that means a lot, and Scotty says, so did Karen. Both of them never were looking for things to be handed to them. They struggled. That’s what he calls true grit. John says, they were so young. He often wonders what would have happened had they met later in life. Scotty says, people grow up and then they just grow apart, and John says, but the love that started it all, that was real. Scotty says, people change. Everything changes. So, has he seen Corinthos? John says he has, and Scotty says, tell him that’s why he’s here, to take that criminal down.

Donna asks if Sonny wants to watch her climb, and he says, of course (🍷) he does. But before she goes – he points to his cheek – right here. She kisses him, tells him that she loves him, and runs off. He says he loves her too, and Carly says, be careful. As Donna plays, Sonny asks, how’s Josslyn? and Carly says, devastated, heartbroken, desperate to have Dex back. Sonny says he’s sorry. His back was against the wall. He had no choice. Carly says she knows he’s not here just for Donna. What’s going on?

Josslyn approaches a sketchy stranger, and says, sorry to bother him. She was wondering if he could help her. She’s looking for somebody. Has he seen this man? She shows him a photo of Dex in a tux, and he says, nope. She asks if he can look again. Maybe he had a beard or was wearing a hat or something. The man looks again, but says, sorry, handing her back her phone. She thanks him and asks if he knows where someone new to town would look for work. The man laughs and says, good luck with that. There’s not enough jobs for the people who live here now. His bet is, her friend moved on. He leaves, and Josslyn takes Dex’s dog tags out of her bag. Dex peeks at her from the shadows.

Josslyn is about to leave, when Dex says, Joss. She says, oh my God. Dex. They hug and he kisses her. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says she had to find him. He says, someone could see them. They have to go. He takes her hand and leads her away.

Chase says he feels great about the wedding, and Finn says, it’s okay to have cold feet. Chase says, his feet are perfectly warm, and Finn asks if they’re sweaty. Does he have sweaty feet? Chase says, warm, not sweaty, but Finn says, if they’re warm, one might assume they’re sweaty, and Chase says, he’s impossible. Gregory comes in and asks what all the fuss is, and Finn says, Chase has got sweaty feet. Chase says, ignore him, and Finn says, Chase also asked him to be his best man and he accepted. Chase says, in the most roundabout way, but yeah, and Gregory says, his sons supporting each other. He loves to see it. Finn says he might need a little help with the toast, and Gregory says, happy to help. So what’s this about sweaty feet? Finn says, there’s a slight smell but he’s also detecting a little nervousness from his brother. Gregory says, about the wedding? He’d be worried if Chase wasn’t feeling anxious. Chase says he’s not anxious, but thanks Finn for that. Finn says he’s there for Chase. He’s welcome. Gregory says, weddings can be joyous occasions, but they can also be very stressful with all the planning. Not to mention, Chase is about to make the biggest commitment of his life. Chase says, it’s a commitment he can’t wait for. Okay, fine. There was a little anxiety in the run up to the proposal. It was hard for him to get past the fact that Brook was keeping things from him, but they’re in a great place now. A phenomenal place actually. Gregory says he couldn’t be happier for them both.

Maxie asks, so how did Lois end up with Lila’s dress? and Lois says she was planning on wearing her own mother’s dress… Brook says, but it got eaten by squirrels. Maxie says, no way, and Lois says, hand to God. Gloria is going up to the attic to get it down, so she can get it cleaned before they get it altered. It was a squirrel’s nest, nothing but scraps of fabric left. Tracy says, only in Brooklyn, and Lois says, if they ever talk to Gloria, don’t say a word. To this day, it still pains her, the loss of that dress. Brook says, another thing she would never tell Grandma Gloria is, as much as she loved that dress, she thinks those squirrels did her a favor. Lois definitely traded up, getting to wear Lila’s dress. Lois says, ain’t it the truth? But she didn’t know that at the time. There she was, about to walk down the aisle with nothing to wear. She was this close to calling off the wedding. Then Tracy’s mother came to her rescue. Brook says, an angel sent from heaven, and we flash back to Lila telling Lois, in that box is the dress from when she married Edward. She’d hoped Tracy would wear it, but it wasn’t boutre enough for her. So it became her desire to pass it on to her granddaughter and that’s Lois. Baby Lois says, Lila wants her to wear her wedding dress? and Lila says, if she likes it. Go on, take a peek. Brook says she loves that story, and Lois says, her too. Brook asks why Tracy didn’t wear great-grandmother‘s dress, and Tracy says, the dress was definitely of that period. It was the late 30s, early 40s, and when she got married, the first time, it was way out of style. Her mother asked her to try it on, which she did, but the color and those big, puffy sleeves, she felt like she was wearing a costume. Lois says, she didn’t tell Lila that, did she? and Tracy says she didn’t, but mother was perceptive and knew the dress wasn’t for her. So she said it was Tracy’s wedding and she should have the dress that she wanted, so that dress went back in the box until she lent it to Lois. Lois asks, where’s the dress now? and Tracy says, in storage she assumes… somewhere. Are they going to keep discussing weddings from the past when they should be looking for a dress for Brook to wear for her wedding to come?

Dante says, if this is going to be about dad, he doesn’t want to get involved, but Michael says he wants to make things right with him. Dante says he knows, and he wants to help Michael, but Sonny’s pretty pissed off right now. He tried to get Sonny to forgive Michael. Michael says, let him guess. He wasn’t having any of it? Dante says, it’s too soon. Michael has to give him some space. Michael says, in an ideal world, he would, but who does Sonny have left? He’s not the only one Sonny pushed away. Dante says, no, but Michael’s the one who hired Dex to be a spy, and Michael says, at first, he did, but he didn’t go through with it. Whatever Dex found to incriminate dad, he didn’t use it. He changed Dex’s assignment. He was there to protect dad and let him know if dad got in over his head. Dante says, there you go. Michael hurt his pride. Michael says, exactly. That’s the exact reason dad is lashing out, because he and mom thought he was vulnerable. They dared to try and protect him. But they were right, and Dex is gone. Sonny has already shut Michael and his mom out. Who does he have? Brick is great, sure, but he’s not based in Port Charles. Nina’s a liar and their marriage is practically over, and who’s left? Ava? Would Dante take her advice on anything? Dante says he gets that Michael thinks dad’s allies are dwindling, but Sonny has him. Michael says he’s grateful Dante is willing to look out for him, and Dante says, of course (🍷) he is. He’s his son. Michael says, but he’s also a cop, and they both know dad will never let him in, not fully. That makes him vulnerable.

Carly says she knows things aren’t great between them, and Sonny says, that’s an understatement. She says, something’s wrong. She can tell. He says he used to believe under any circumstance she would understand and have his back, but that was before she and Michael paid off Dex to spy on him. She says she told him why they did it, but he says he didn’t quite buy it then and it feels like betrayal. She asks if he’s kidding. She’s had many, many opportunities to betray him over the years, the latest being when Nina turned her in to the SEC. She could have made a deal and given them information, but she’d never ever do that to him. He says, this is family. She violated his trust after everything they’ve been through. Like he said, he just never thought she would do that, that’s all. She says, whatever. He’s going to believe whatever he believes. They watch Donna climbing, and Sonny says, look at her on that thing. Carly says, she’s fearless, and he says, just like her. She says, don’t do that, and he says, what? She says, when he says fearless, he means a risk taker. She gets it from both of them. He says, maybe, and she says she’s worried about him. He says, contrary to popular belief, he can take care of himself, and she says, Olivia Jerome is dead and she doesn’t want to think about who’s next.

At a surprisingly nice hotel room, Josslyn says, this is where Dex has been staying? and he says he’s got to keep a low profile. Gabe made it very clear when he dropped him off that he’s not out of the woods yet. She says, why? He said Sonny might still change his mind? and Dex tells her that Gabe said he needed to lay low and not make himself a target. She says, he must be so lonely, but he says he has some books to pass the time. (If I was Dex, I’d be on my own private island, sipping umbrella drinks.) He asks how she found him, and she says she traced Gabe’s number. She saw that he was in Rockland for a couple of hours, so she figured this is where he brought Dex. He says, and she thought it would be a good idea to come look for him? Flashing his picture around, asking questions? She asks, what else she was supposed to do? and he says, stay away. She was supposed to let him go.

Sitting on the smallest bench ever, Sonny asks what Carly heard, and she says she heard the attempts on his life were part of a larger conspiracy. She knows he can’t tell her everything, but she’s worried. He says, she shouldn’t be, and she asks if he’s sure about that. They share children. He says, she knows he does the best he can to protect his kids. He always does. She says she knows the FBI is involved, because she now has a regular at Bobbie’s, and Sonny knows him very well. He’s now a Fed. He says, so she’s met Agent Cates. That son of a bitch. He gets up.

Scotty says, the last time John was here, Corinthos was a small-time hood, and John says he remembers. Scotty says, a couple of seedy businesses. He lived over his own strip club. Now he’s living in a penthouse, and he walks around like he’s the mayor. John asks why Scotty hasn’t done something about it. Wasn’t he the DA for a while? (He was? I missed that.) Scotty says he was and he tried many times, but Sonny is very slippery. He’s convinced people he’s a good guy instead of who he really is. John says, Karen was so smart. Smarter than him. Scotty says, she was, and John says, that’s why it’s always driven him crazy that Sonny was able to get to her the way he was. Scotty says, you and me both, and John says, he made her believe that she needed him, like without him, she’d cease to exist. (Seriously, I remember none of this.) And he put her to work as a stripper, convincing her that it was something she chose. Sonny figured out where Karen was vulnerable, and he exploited her. Scotty says, she’s dead, so make him pay. Take him out.

Lois tells Brook that they’re ready, and Maxie says she’s so excited. Tracy says, her too, and Brook comes out. (Love the long sleeves, but that’s about all I love. No, just no.) Brook asks what they think, and Lois says, she should try on all the other dresses, but sometimes lightning strikes and you just knock it out of the park on the very first try. (Are we seeing two different dresses?) Brook says, she likes it that much? and Lois says, yeah. She likes it, but she’s not the one getting married. Brook looks in the mirror, and Lois asks if she can see herself walking down the aisle in this dress, saying her vows to Chase, and dancing with her father at the wedding. Tracy says, it depends on what kind of dance. Is it a waltz or a polka or what was that – she does hand motions – Y-M-C-A? Brook says, all three of course (🍷) and maybe a little line dancing too, and Tracy asks if she can line dance in that. Brook dances a little and says, probably. Maxie is the wedding planner, so what is her professional assessment? Maxie says, Wedding Planning 101, never give your opinion on a prospective wedding dress, but her mom is right, she needs to feel beautiful. So does she? Brook says, she does, and looks in the mirror again. She likes it. It’s definitely a maybe. Lois asks if Brook loves Chase, and Brook says, of course (🍷) she loves Chase. What kind of question is that? Lois asks if she intends to be with him until death do they part, and Brook says, of course (🍷) she intends… How did this go from trying on wedding dresses to Lois questioning her commitment to Chase? Lois says she’s not questioning Brook’s commitment to Chase, she’s merely pointing out that, if everything goes according to plan, this is going to be Brook’s one and only wedding, and her one and only wedding dress. Unless of course (🍷) when she has her 25th wedding anniversary vow renewal, they’ll find something else. Tracy says, good grief. Could they just get her married first, and at her 25th anniversary, they’ll take care of it then? Maxie says, but Lois is right. This isn’t like picking a dress for the Nurses Ball. One year, you pick something good enough, the next year, you end up in something spectacular. This is like going to the Academy Awards. Not just taking pictures on the step and repeat, this is the equivalent of holding the gold statue. Brook is going to see photos of herself in this dress for the rest of her life. She has to feel beautiful in whatever she chooses. Brook says, not all of us can have perfection handed to them. Some of us just have to accept what’s available and move on. She flounces out.

Finn says, what Chase and Brook have is truly aspirational. No one deserves it more. Chase thanks him, and Gregory says, quite the winding road to get here, wasn’t it? Chase says, worth every step. He found a true partner in Brook. Gregory says, it shows, and Chase says, she gets him. She knows how he’s going to feel about something before he does, and God, does she make him laugh. Gregory says, it’s probably the most important ingredient in a marriage – laughter, and Finn says he couldn’t live without it. Chase says he doesn’t know how else to describe it. They’re safe with each other. They’re in step together. He doesn’t have to wait for the other shoe to drop because he knows it’s not going to. Brook is his best friend, and he trusts her more than anybody. Chase’s phone dings, and Finn says, speak of the devil… He means, angel. Chase frowns at the phone, and Finn says, what’s with the long face? Chase says, it’s from the Quartermaine lawyers. Brook wants him to sign a prenup.

Brook looks at Lois and Ned’s wedding photos on her phone and sighs.

Lois says she didn’t mean to upset Brook, but Maxie says, Lois didn’t. She did. Her Academy Award metaphor was a huge fail. Lois says, she’s the one who put Brook on the spot. She just wanted Brook to understand how important her wedding dress is. Maxie says she can understand why Brook is frazzled. She’s been putting in a lot of hours at Deception and things have been crazy. Tracy says, that’s why they call it work, and Lois says, stop running Brook ragged. Tracy says, if anything is running Brook ragged, it’s this, trying to pull together a wedding so quickly. She can definitely understand why, but she thinks Brook is smart to be realistic about her wedding dress. She doesn’t have time for perfect. She needs to content herself with good enough. Lois says, good enough? On her wedding day? Tracy says, yes, and Lois says, this is so sad. Trying on wedding dresses is supposed to be a happy occasion. Maxie says, it is. Or it will be. Lois asks, how? and Maxie says she hasn’t figured that out yet. Brook comes back, and Lois says she’s so sorry. She didn’t… Brook says, it’s time she was honest about her feelings, and Lois says, about the dress? Brook says, about the wedding itself.

Chase looks at his phone and says, how long is this thing? Gregory says, he’d take a look, but he can’t read it on there, and Finn asks if the phone is connected to his printer. Chase says, yeah, and Finn says, print it out and he’ll get it. He leaves, and Chase says he can’t believe this is happening, but Gregory says, don’t jump to conclusions. Chase says he’s not jumping to anything. It’s right here in black and white. Literally. Gregory says, prenuptial agreements are very common these days, especially when both parties bring assets to the marriage, and Chase says, Brook is just bringing a few more than he is. Gregory says, still, he’s sure the document is meant to protect them both, and Chase tells him, it says something here about a termination event. That’s code for divorce, right? Finn yells, or annulment, and Chase says, this is just great. Right when they’re preparing for their wedding, Brook’s already planning a way out.

Dante says, Michael is right. Dad’s circle of trust is shrinking. But whether or not Michael thinks Sonny is going to let him in or not, he’s still going to protect him. Michael says, Dante knows that’s not going to be enough. That’s no reflection on him, but Dante is bound by the PCPD’s code, and whoever is targeting dad is playing by a completely different rule book. Again, that makes him vulnerable. Dex made him less so, but he’s gone now. Dante says, so Dex is gone. What’s done is done. Trust him. Michael says, okay. Any progress on the case? Dante says, a little bit. They’re just trying to make some headway on the Olivia Jerome killing. Michael asks how Olivia Jerome’s killing is connected to Sonny.

Carly says, John came into Bobbie’s a couple of times, but the first time, she didn’t know who he was, and Sonny says, but he would talk to her. She says, he was very friendly, and Sonny asks what he said. She says, just what she told him, that the attempts to kill Sonny were part of a larger conspiracy and also related to the killing of Olivia Jerome. He asks if Agent Cates told her that they have a history together, and she says, yeah. He also said Sonny belongs behind bars. Sonny says he can’t believe John even has the nerve to talk to her. He’s a punk with a badge who has an ax to grind who thinks he’s just doing his job. She says, which is? and Sonny says, to protect him. Carly says, so he doesn’t trust John, and he says he doesn’t trust anybody at this point, but he knows the truth about Agent Cates.

John says, nobody wants to go after Sonny Corinthos more than he does, but he can’t, and Scotty asks, why not? John says, because he’s been tasked with saving Sonny’s life, and Scotty says, John is telling him that he’s here to protect Sonny? John says he can’t share the details because it has to do with a case he’s working on, but the bottom line is, Sonny’s in danger and he’s supposed to find the person who’s after him. Scotty says, so John is going to forgive him for what he did to Karen? and John says he’ll never forgive, but he has a duty to uphold. Scotty says, come on. Just look the other way. Let nature run its course. Sonny is gonna go bye-bye. It’s inevitable. So why not let this be the time now? John says, because he’s not that kind of agent, or man, and Scotty says he sees. So John doesn’t think Sonny should get what he deserves.

Josslyn says she went to Dex’s apartment, and he was gone, but Sonny was there, and he gave her Dex’s letter. She would have thrown it in his face, but it was too precious. She hates Sonny. She hates the way he treated Dex. He forced Dex to leave and expects her to be grateful that Dex is still breathing, and she didn’t even get to say goodbye to him. Dex says he hated leaving her, and she says she missed him so much. He says he missed her too. She has no idea. She says, then show her, and they kiss, moving quickly on to getting busy.

Basking in the afterglow, Dex says he missed them. She says, so has she, so much, and he says he must think about her every five minutes. Who she’s with, what she’s doing. She says she’s been looking for him. She finally found him. He kisses her, and she says, it’s really going to be complicated. He says, what is? and she says, going back to Port Charles. But Sonny’s just going to have to accept there’s no keeping them apart.

Carly says, the truth about John Cates, what does that mean? and Sonny says he’d love to be able to tell her the truth, but because of what went down with Dex, he thinks he’s not going to. She says, if John comes by the restaurant again, she’ll let him know, and he thanks her. She says she doubts he will though, because she made it clear where her loyalties lie. He starts to leave, and she asks if he doesn’t want to say goodbye to Donna. He looks at Donna, playing on a rocking horse, and says, she’s having too much fun. Just tell her that he loves her. She says, okay, and he says, bye. She says, bye, and he leaves. She shakes her head.

Finn says, it could be Brook’s family is pressuring her. Brook could want nothing to do with a prenup. He hands the papers to Gregory, and Chase says, maybe. Gregory asks if Brook hasn’t been spending a lot of time with Tracy at Deception, and Finn says, a prenup is very on brand for Tracy. Gregory says, not out of malice, but out of a desire to protect her family, and Chase says, now that he thinks about it, when he and Brook told Tracy that they were engaged, one of the first things she said was, they should sign a prenup. But Brook wasn’t having it then. Maybe Tracy changed her mind. Gregory says, why speculate? Call his fiancé. Chase says he needs to talk to her face to face, and Gregory says, let’s go, but Chase says, Brook’s trying on wedding dresses this afternoon. Finn says he doesn’t think Brook would want Chase to stew on this, and Gregory says, she’d want it out in the open. Chase says he’s right, and Finn Chase and Gregory, good luck. Violet’s going to be home any minute and he needs to be here for her. Chase and Gregory leave, and I wonder why it takes more than Chase to do this. And really? Crashing the wedding dress try-on?

Lois tells Brook, talk to them, and Maxie says, planning a wedding can be stressful. Nobody knows that better than she does. It’s okay to have big feelings about it. Lois says, they just want her to be happy, and Tracy says, her mother is right. She can’t believe she just said that. Brook says she is happy, and Lois says, really? Because she doesn’t seem like it right now. Brook says she can’t wait to marry Chase. To become his wife is literally her dream come true. Lois says, but… and Brook says, but she can’t help but wish they could just run away and elope. Tracy says, God forbid, and Lois says, she’s kidding. If Brook and Chase want to elope, they’re going to elope. Is that what Brook wants? Brook says, no, and Lois says she didn’t think so. Brook says she can’t wait to say their vows to each other in front of both of their families. For Gregory to officiate and Violet to be their flower girl. And dance with her father at their wedding reception, including the YMCA. She just doesn’t want to agonize over the dress and all the other wedding details. Tracy looks at her phone and says, uh-oh. Brook asks, what’s wrong? and Tracy says, there’s been an error. One Brook unfortunately might have to pay for.

Brook says, a prenup? How could she? Tracy says, the lawyers sent it to Chase in error. They were supposed to wait until after she and Brook had a chance to review it. Brook says, Tracy reviewing her prenup to Chase? Wouldn’t she be the one to review it if she even wanted one, which she doesn’t? Tracy says, please don’t be naïve about this, and Lois says, Tracy can just butt out. Tracy says, I beg your pardon? and Lois says, Tracy heard her. Whether Brook and Chase want or don’t want a prenup is completely up to them. Tracy said she was throwing this wedding for Brook, which means that her only job is to smile and sign the checks, and not run around trying to control things that are none of her business. Tracy says, Brook is her granddaughter. Safeguarding Brook’s future is her business. That said, it was sent to Chase prematurely, and she’s sure when Brook explains that to him, he’ll understand. Brook says, understand what? That she thinks he’s after her money? Get her out of this stupid dress. She needs to find him. Maxie says, she’s not going to have to look very far, and Brook turns to see Chase walk in with Gregory. Well, now she can’t get that dress.

John tells Scotty that he’ll do his job, but don’t lose the hope that Sonny will pay for his crimes. He learned a thing or two since he left Port Charles. Scotty says, like what? and John tells him that he said it himself. For people like Sonny, it only ends one way.

Donna runs over to Carly, who asks if she’s having fun. Donna says, yes. Where’s daddy?

Michael holds the heavy bag while Dante punches it. He says he should have realized that Olivia Jerome’s death could be connected to the attempts on dad, and Dante says, they’re going to catch the killer. Michael says, will they though? and Dante asks, what the hell is that supposed to mean? Michael says he just doubts there’s going to be much urgency from the PCPD to protect a gangster. The worst part is dad probably knows that. And that anger and isolation will cause him to lash out. What if he crosses paths with the wrong person? Sonny walks in.

Dex says he thought Josslyn understood. He’s not coming back to Port Charles. And now he’s leaving Rockland as soon as possible. She says, he’s disappearing again? and he says, this is the last time they can be together. This is goodbye… for good.

Tomorrow, Chase tells Brook that there’s a chance they might not make it; Lois asks when Tracy is going to stop interfering in Brook’s life; Josslyn tells Dex that they can beat Sonny, they just have to call his bluff; and Sonny asks someone whose side they’re on.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – Reunion Part 1

Oh Lord. It’s in three parts.

Sutton is accompanied by a French bulldog, putting me immediately on her side about everything. Garcelle waves sage around, and I don’t blame her. Everyone gets their glam on, and Annemarie says it’s been the hardest year of her life. Dorit tells Erika that Kyle claims she exaggerated their friendship, and we see a clip of that. She says she hasn’t heard from Kyle in a couple months, then she got a text trying to silence her. It was manipulative and calculated. Erika reads Kyle’s text saying, the interview comments hurt her feelings. She doesn’t want to lose someone else in her life over a TV show and doesn’t see the need in bringing certain things up. Dorit says, fair is fair. This is the Reunion. Erika says she hears Dorit, knows where she’s coming from, and hates every moment of this. Dorit has to be sewn into her dress and is the last one on stage. Ugh. Her dress has a hood, and she looks like Mary Magdeline in Jesus Christ Superstar.

Andy welcomes us to the Season 13 Reunion, and says, it’s a backyard cocktail party in the Hollywood hills. He asks what Dorit was going for, since her dress is so radically different, and she says, fashion, fashion, fashion. I say, no, no, no. Erika says she’s the happiest she’s been in this situation in two years, and Kyle says she wishes she felt like Erika. Andy says, when Erika was on Watch What Happens Live, she said she’d been eviscerated last year, and would like to see everybody get the same treatment. Kyle says, she saw the headline, and we see something about Erika saying it’s Kyle’s turn. Kyle says her feelings were hurt. She values Erika as a friend, but she thought it was more about Erika than her and didn’t take it personally. Andy asks what Dorit’s reaction was to Kyle’s comments about their friendship, and Dorit says she was hurt when she saw Kyle said she’d exaggerated their friendship. Kyle tells her that she said it in response to what Dorit said throughout the season. She’d asked about Kyle’s marriage on camera when they were supposed to be good friends. We flash back to Dorit asking how things are going, and I’m thinking, so is everyone supposed to watch what they say in regard to Kyle, even in casual conversation? After 13 seasons, I think she knows it’s a reality show. We see a flashback of Dorit saying she feels like she’s been replaced by Morgan, and a clip of Dorit on WWHL, saying, the closer Kyle gets to Morgan, the further Kyle goes from her. Dorit says, Mauricio and PK are best friends, but Kyle says she and Dorit don’t have that kind of friendship. She invited Dorit to workout, but Dorit didn’t have the stamina. Dorit says, Kyle and her friends think a brisk walk is ten miles, and Kyle says, that doesn’t mean Dorit isn’t important to her. Dorit knew by saying something, it would create a problem with the Morgan situation in the media. Dorit says, it had already been in the media, and not because of her. Kyle says, just because she has a friendship with Morgan, that doesn’t mean Dorit isn’t important. She loves Dorit. Dorit says, Kyle is a punisher. When she says something that upsets Kyle, Kyle shuts her out. They haven’t spoken in months. Wow. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. That’s exactly what Kyle complains about with Kathy. Dorit says, then she gets a text the day before the Reunion. Kyle thinks she’s an idiot. It felt manipulative. She’s not trying to destroy Kyle. Kyle says, it wasn’t meant as manipulative, and I guess Andy wants to move on, because he tells them that he knows they love each other, and he thinks there’s a resolution in the future.

Andy says, Garcelle had a balancing act between movie premieres and teaching her boys to become young men. And she had some tough discussions with her friends. We flip through Garcelle’s season, and Andy congratulates her on her ASTRA Award and NAACP nomination. Garcelle says, the reason she took the reality job was that she needed to be home. Films were taking her away too much. Andy says, on the after-show, Garcelle said she wishes Mike had told the boys about his infidelity, and Garcelle says, he never talked to them. (Coward!) That’s why she takes on so much responsibility for talking about sex and feelings. If they don’t get it from her, they won’t get it anywhere else. He says, there was tension between Garcelle and Dorit, when Garcelle said she couldn’t trust the group with her kids. Dorit says, it hurt her feelings, and Garcelle says, it hurt for her to see her friends laughing at the situation of a 14 year old being cussed at. We flash back to Dorit, PK, Kyle, and Mauricio finding it a laugh riot. Garcelle says, let’s call it even, and Dorit says, Garcelle seems to be holding a grudge. Garcelle says she felt how she did. She shared her feelings, but Dorit was being defensive and not letting her have her feelings. She told Garcelle that it happened a year ago, so she should be fine. And she’s not singling Dorit out. Dorit says, she felt sad that Garcelle felt that way, and Andy says, Garcelle said she doesn’t believe Dorit is a racist, but she’s an unconscious Karen. Garcelle says, Dorit is unaware. Using the word attack seemed unnecessary. Dorit says, she doesn’t know all the words, but Garcelle should judge on character and intent (again telling her how to feel). She would never deliberately hurt Garcelle, and if Garcelle is hurt, she should tell her. Garcelle says, Dorit was attacked by strangers and knows that’s different. She lived it and it was horrific. Yet Dorit said Garcelle attacked her when she knows what an attack really is.

Annemarie says, Garcelle told Dorit that you don’t call Black women angry and aggressive. At Sutton’s store, when she asked about Sutton’s esophagus, Sutton asked why she was yelling, when she was clearly not yelling. We flash back to that, and Annemarie says, Garcelle was right there and said nothing. I can tell you from personal experience, there are people who will tell you that you’re yelling when you’re just speaking in a firm tone. I do think it’s a controlling move and it pisses me off. Annemarie says she’s a Black woman too, and she was being weaponized. Garcelle says, Annemarie can stand up for herself, and Annemarie says, who stood up for her? Dorit did. Andy tries to talk, but it’s not going to happen. Dorit says, Sutton labeled Annemarie, and Garcelle says, Dorit labeled her as angry. It changes someone’s perception when they meet her. Dorit says, Garcelle said she lives in a bubble, and we flash back to that. Garcelle says, then Dorit went online and said she’s happily living in a bubble. She doubled down. It felt like she’s clueless. Dorit says, in hindsight, it was a mistake, and Garcelle says, why not take it down? but Dorit says, the next one clarified that it was a love bubble. Does Garcelle still believe she was sticking her middle finger up? Garcelle says, that’s how she perceived it, and Dorit asks if Garcelle thinks that was her intention. Garcelle says, yes, and Andy says, it was cut and run. Dorit says she wanted to clarify it. It was a big accusation. Garcelle says, so was the word used for her, and Andy says, two things can be true, which we know from General Hospital. One thing he’s learned is that it’s important to listen and say less in situations like this. So where do they go from here? Erika says, on a break because she needs one, and Dorit asks if Garcelle likes her. Garcelle says, sometimes, and Dorit asks if Garcelle has a problem with her. Garcelle says, there’s something, obviously, and Dorit asks if Garcelle wants to have a friendship. Garcelle says she’s not sure, and Andy says he wants to move on and shift to something not so heavy. When it comes to sex talk, the women were not afraid to let their freak flags fly. We flash back down Sex Talk Memory Lane, ending with Erika saying, if Sutton’s d*ck riding is like her bull riding, it’s no wonder she doesn’t get a second date. Sutton says, bull riding is tough. The other riding is easier. Andy says, Coco on X wants to know about the driver Sutton made out with, and Sutton says, it was her personal guy. Andy asks if it was more than once, and she says, maybe. Andy says he wants a driver with benefits, and Sutton says, he’s very good looking. Andy brings up Kyle saying she’d date a woman, and she says she doesn’t know what the future holds. Sutton says, no one would be judgmental or care. They’d be supportive.

Andy introduces Annemarie as a new wife, busy mom, and fitness fanatic, whose husband says she’s an 8.5 at everything, which is a solid B. The questioning of her job title and Sutton’s esophagus had Crystal calling her a B. We flash back to Annemarie’s season, and it actually looks like she downplays her own career by getting upset by others saying she’s a nurse. Andy tells her, condolences on her mom passing, and we see photos of her. Annemarie says she had a terrible cough, and a tumor was found in her lung. Andy can’t believe this was going on during filming and wonders why she didn’t share. Annemarie says she wanted to compartmentalize, and Andy says he’s going to make a right turn. Annemarie wasted no time in calling things as she saw them. She seemed confident. Annemarie says she speaks her mind and she’s honest with her observations. It’s the only way to get to know people. Andy says, in some viewer’s eyes, Annemarie can do no right, and asks, what’s the hardest part about the negative feedback, and Annemarie says she was an athlete, so she’s used to criticism, but she internalized it. Andy says, there’s no preparing anyone for the criticism that comes with the job. Annemarie says, Crystal was awesome off camera, but as soon as they were on camera, she was different. Andy says, Crystal said Annemarie claimed to be a doctor when they met, and Crystal says, Annemarie said she was an anesthesiologist. She told Annemarie that her sister is one too and has a private practice. Then Annemarie changed it and said she was a nurse anesthetist, and people often get them mixed up. Annemarie says she’ll tell them what really happened. When they first met, Crystal said she was a housewife (it’s unclear whether she meant being on the show or being a homemaker), but Crystal says she’d never talk like that. Annemarie is proven to be liar. She thinks Annemarie intentionally misrepresents herself because people don’t know the difference between an anesthesiologist and a nurse anesthetist. Annemarie then launches into an account of how there are political issues between the two, and says, it’s like a market turf war. Kyle says, because they can do same thing, but at a different price (I’m sure it’s more complicated than that), and Crystal says, Annemarie weaponized (the word of the night) her profession against Sutton, and Andy asks why Sutton’s esophagus bothered Annemarie. Annemarie says, the way it was presented was odd. Now that she’s watching it back and seeing how she behaved and handled situations, she apologizes. She hated watching it and is begging to be brought back. Sutton says she’s not angry about the esophagus thing. It was the talking behind her back and saying she had an eating disorder and was hiding behind an ailment. It was hurtful. Andy says there was a lot of response to it, and thinks Sutton spread awareness. Sutton says, who knew so many people shared her medical issue? and Annemarie says, she’s very sorry and please give her another season. Sutton says, they all make mistakes in this group. She got that one right.

During the break Kyle tells Andy that Crystal met LVP and told Lisa that she’s on the show. Lisa asked if Kyle was still on. I don’t think this is farfetched, and not just because Lisa can do no wrong. She’s said she doesn’t watch the show and she is kinda busy with her own stuff. Andy welcomes us back even though he’s the one who left, and says, when she was first on the show, Crystal was accused of not speaking out, but with Annemarie on the show, she found her voice. We flash back over everything Crystal, then specifically Crystal and Annemarie. We end with Dorit calling Crystal a child bride in her interview, and Andy says, Rob said the reason Crystal is quiet is because she’s preoccupied about how skinny everyone is. Crystal says she’s spent her life uncomfortable in her own skin. She’s constantly looking and comparing. Andy asks, what about Annemarie in the moment pushed her to call Annemarie a bitch? Crystal says, that Annemarie accused her of saying Sutton had an eating disorder. She’d never say that about someone. She suffers daily and has felt like she was crazy. She wonders if Annemarie is ever going apologize, and Annemarie says blah-blah-blah. Okay, I spaced out, but I’m sorry wasn’t in there. Andy moves into Spain and Annemarie’s accusation that Crystal called the women uneducated. Crystal says she probably did say that, but she tells people they have dumbass conversations. Annemarie says, there are instances where Crystal is less than truthful, and Crystal says, don’t throw rocks. Proving that they do have dumbass conversations. Annemarie, who must have taken her leisure time to watch previous seasons, says, Crystal talked about Sutton saying something dark, then said that wasn’t the case. She doesn’t want to be part of the system of lies. (Huh?) Crystal tells her, don’t worry about it, and Andy says, Dorit seemed most offended by the slight about their education. Dorit, who lives in a bubble inside another bubble, says she’s the only one with a degree, but it turns out there’s three of them. Crystal asks if she knows the term child bride is akin to mail order bride for an Asian. She stands by uneducated. Dorit says, Pricilla Presley was called a child bride, and Garcelle says, that’s what she’s talking about. Dorit says, that’s not what she was insinuating, and Crystal says, she was 24 when she got married, had gone to college, and built her coconut water company, that’s now worth $100 million. So to say they were all in college and building businesses when she was getting married at 12 is bullsh*t. Dorit says, that wasn’t her intention. Lesson learned (her phrase of the season). She appreciates it.

Andy says, Beverly Hills OG Kyle showed up this year almost unrecognizable. Tattoos, a fitness regime, no booze, and no people pleasing. We flash back, and Andy says, a big motivation for Kyle’s changes was when she learned her best friend since age 7 committed suicide. He asks where she is in the grieving process, and Kyle says she learned in therapy that she uses disassociation. When something is too painful, she tries not to think about it. There are other days when she can barely move. It depends.  Andy says, last year, Kyle said she was disappointed how Dorit handled the Kathy situation at the Reunion, and we flash back to Dorit trying to explain Kathy to Kyle, and Kyle telling her to butt out. Dorit says, she can say with absolute assurance, she wants nothing more than Kyle and Kathy to be okay. She has a relationship with Kathy that’s independent from her relationship with Kyle and didn’t want to get in the middle. Kyle says, Dorit doesn’t know Kathy the same way, and Dorit says, she and Kathy never spent time together until Kathy was on the show. Kyle says, by the conversations she and Dorit were having, Dorit led her to believe she was disappointed in Kathy’s behavior. Dorit says, when Kyle told her stories she didn’t know from the past. That was the only time she said that. Kyle says, in Aspen too. It feels like people she doesn’t even know are coming after her and are rah-rah about Kathy. She just wants support and thinks Dorit wants to be on the side of the audience. Dorit says she doesn’t follow what the audience says, but Kyle says, Dorit cares more about the audience than her. Dorit says, that’s the most hysterical thing she’s ever heard.

Next time, Dorit says, it’s been a difficult two years; Garcelle says she thought it was strange for the burglar to leave Dorit’s phone at the gate because she asked (it is weird); Dorit says, Garcelle is peddling a false narrative; Sutton says, Kyle was relentlessly mean to her this season; and Kyle says, her family is falling apart. There are things she could have said, but didn’t.

⚖️ Watching What Happens…

Again, flabbergasted that the lawsuit I was sure was coming, is against Andy personally. I guess he just got too big for his jock. Brandi can kiss my backside, but Leah’s story has the ring of truth.

https://people.com/leah-mcsweeney-sues-andy-cohen-bravo-discrimination-culture-drugs-alcohol-8601411

🦔 Raining Cats and Hedgehogs…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a mix of entertainment knowledge. Until then, stay safe, stay shielding your lemon when squeezing, and stay remembering that laughter is the most important ingredient in a marriage, or any relationship really.  

February 23, 2023 – Cyrus’s Mission Is Interrupted, Serenade, Mom’s Here, New Scribes, Now Leaving, Bad Joke, Awful TV, Dead Talk, Fun On 4 Legs, 10 Quotes On the Nose & To Be

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the hospital, Sam thanks Elizabeth for allowing Danny to volunteer at GH, and Elizabeth says, they can always use an extra hand. Sam says she thought it would be a good thing for him to do while he’s grounded, and Elizabeth asks how she’s doing with everything. Sam asks if she means her teenage son sneaking out and getting drunk in the park, and Elizabeth says, yeah, that. Sam says she can’t believe this is happening already, and Elizabeth says, if it makes Sam feel any better, we tend to grow out of it. Sam says, we? and Elizabeth says, former wild child at your service. Sam says, Elizabeth is right. She just… Elizabeth asks if she’s worried something deeper is going on, and Sam says, yeah. She just hopes she’s wrong.

Tracy absently stirs her drink at the MetroCourt bar and Gregory says, fancy meeting you here. She asks if he’s getting takeout, but he says he’s having dinner with his sons. She sees Finn and Chase at one of the tables, and says, how nice. He says, and her? and she says she just had a meeting with a Deception shareholder and she’s about to go home. He suggests she join them, but she says she doesn’t want to impose. He says, don’t be silly. They’ll be family soon enough.

Kristina is having a sonogram, and Dr. Navarro says, everything looks good. Molly wonders if she’s just saying that, but TJ tells her, doctors don’t just say that. The doctor says, growth measurements are right on target and all signs point to a healthy baby. Molly says, yay, and she and TJ kiss. Kristina says, they made it through the first trimester, a major milestone, and Dr. Navarro says, most miscarriages happen during the first four weeks of pregnancy, and they’re at week 14. And they know the sex. Do they want to find out? Kristina says, yes, but Molly and TJ look at each other.

Ava watches as Sonny comes into the penthouse. He goes to the bar, picks up a short glass, and slams it against the wall.

John says, Anna is going over his head? and she says she doesn’t want to, but she will. He keeps obstructing her investigation. It’s almost as if he doesn’t want O’Neill to tell them who’s been buying those guns. He says, and now she’s questioning his integrity, and other guy tells Anna that she’ll want to hear this. She tells him, put it on speaker, and they hear O’Neill say, even in protective custody he’s vulnerable. Cyrus asks, why so fearful? and O’Neill says, the Feds don’t know who they’re up against. Cyrus says, God will protect him if he has faith. At least let him share O’Neill’s burden. Who is this man whose threats are worth a lifetime in prison?

Elizabeth asks if Danny has been acting out in other ways, and Sam says, maybe, but she doesn’t know what’s acting out normally or what is normal teenage behavior. Danny joins them and Sam asks how it went. He says, fine, and Elizabeth says, he was great when she asked him to help the other volunteers. Sam says she’s proud of him, and he says he was mostly in the mailroom. Can they go home now? Sam says, sure. Where’s his coat? He says, it’s probably in the fourth-floor lounge. Whatever. He’ll just get it tomorrow. She says, not whatever, and he says, they’re just going to the car. She tells him to get his coat, and he reluctantly goes to the elevator. She says, thank you, and Elizabeth says, totally normal teenage behavior for sure.

Elizabeth sits with Gregory and sons and asks how it’s going living under the same roof. Chase says, it’s great, and Finn tells him, says the guy who doesn’t live there. Gregory says, hey, and Finn says, just kidding. It is great. Violet is over the moon having her grandpa there all the time. Gregory says, and the feeling is mutual. They built a pillow fort the other day. Tracy says, there better be evidence, and Gregory says, but of course (🍷). He shows her his phone, and she says, that is impressive. He says, they thought so, and she asks, how many pillows do they have? Finn says, more than he was aware of apparently, and Chase asks to see it. Finn asks if he has a little fort envy, and Chase says, maybe. When he was Violet’s age, his forts tended to disintegrate into a pile of pillows, but this actually has some structure. Violet could become an architect or an engineer one day – Gregory struggles with his fork and drops it, then Tracy slips him hers – after her singing and dancing, and does she still want to be a circus performer?

Kristina says, is it a girl? It’s a girl, right? Gender can affect the way you carry… Molly says she thinks that’s just an old wives’ tale. She and TJ discussed it, and they decided they don’t want to find out. TJ says, they want the baby’s sex to be a surprise, and Kristina says, of course (🍷). Sorry. She was just caught up in the moment. That should 100% be their choice. TJ says, they might change their minds, and Molly says, yeah. For now. The doctor says, their secret is safe with her, and Molly thanks her and says, they would, however, like to hear the heartbeat. Dr. Navarro says, they’ve got it, and puts the sound on. Kristina says, whoa, and Molly says, it sounds like a horse galloping. The doctor says, nice and strong, the way they like it. TJ tells Molly, that’s their baby, and Kristina takes Molly’s hand.

Sonny picks up the pieces of glass, and Ava asks if he got anything out of Selina’s guy. He asks if she was listening, and she says, he and Selina left to talk to her guard, who she gathers has some kind of loyalty problem. Sonny says, he gave up Selina’s location in exchange for a quick payoff, and Ava says, so she was ambushed like they were. So what did this traitor have to say for himself? Sonny says, he didn’t say anything at first, and she says, let her guess. Sonny found a way to convince him. Sonny says, he claims the guy coming after him calls himself Stone.

Cyrus says, as a man of God, he can help. As a former inmate, and sinner, he can understand. O’Neill says, better than talking to law enforcement. Protective custody is going to be hell. They’ll be the only people he sees. Cyrus says, well, take advantage of this moment while he has it. Tell him his story. Dante says, this is it, and O’Neill says, almost a year ago, he was contacted by a guy… Heather suddenly appears and says, Renault, you charlatan. Who you scamming now? Dante says, dammit, and John asks, who’s that? Heather says, do not let this man fool you. Cyrus is not a man of God. He’s a good for nothing liar.

Finn says, Coney Island? and Chase says, yeah. Finn says, Tracy is flying everyone to Coney Island the night before? and she says, yes, because that’s typically when the rehearsal dinner happens, the night before the wedding. Finn says, Coney Island? and Gregory asks, what’s wrong with it? Finn says, ask him at the reception when Violet is in the throes of a sugar crash. Gregory says he thinks someone is projecting here, and Finn says he thinks that someone’s him. Gregory says, oh really? Because if memory serves, he took Finn to a state fair when he was 8 years old, and he discovered the magic of cotton candy. (I love that stuff!) He had it everywhere; on his fingers, in his hair, on his eyebrows even. Tracy says, that’s adorable, and Finn says, absolutely adorable. Chase tells Finn, that’s what people say about him, and Finn says, that’s enough. Coney Island?

Sam tells Elizabeth that Danny’s never been grounded before. She’s starting to think maybe that’s because he just hasn’t been caught. Elizabeth asks if she thinks he’s sneaking out, and she says she doesn’t know. Maybe it’s because he’s been so quiet lately. She knows that happens with teenagers his age, but she doesn’t know. What if something is actually wrong? Elizabeth says, Jason was a man of few words. Like father, like son? Sam says, Danny reminds her more and more of Jason every day. The way he frowns when he’s concentrating or something, and the way he considers himself Scout’s biggest protector. Elizabeth says, that’s very Jason-like, and Sam says, so yeah, when Danny says less than 10 words to her in a day, she has to remind herself that Jason wasn’t a big talker. But Danny being quiet is just different somehow. Elizabeth says, because he’s a kid, and Sam says she knew if it was important enough, Jason would eventually tell her. She just doesn’t think Danny knows better. And while she wants to hold him accountable for all his screw ups, she doesn’t want him to look at her like she’s the enemy. Elizabeth says, it’s quite the ride, isn’t it? What does Dante say? Sam says. Dante’s been wonderful, amazing, and supportive, but she knows how that goes in the end. Her kids, her life. She just wishes there were a rule book or just someone to tell her what to do. Elizabeth says, you and me both.

Dr. Navarro hands Molly an envelope and says, if they do decide they want to know the sex of the baby. Molly tells TJ that he’d better hang on to it, and gives the envelope to him. He says, she doesn’t trust herself? and she says, not even a little. TJ thanks the doctor for accommodating his schedule and seeing them tonight, and she says, no problem. Everything looks great with the pregnancy. Next appointment in four weeks? Molly says she’ll call Dr. Navarro’s office, and the doctor says, goodnight, and leaves. Kristina joins them, and TJ thanks her for coming to the hospital this late. Molly says, TJ really wanted to be here for the appointment, and Kristina says, of course (🍷). Molly asks if everything is all right, and Kristina says, everything is fantastic. Their baby’s a rock star. Molly says, and so is their surrogate, and TJ says, they were going to dinner if she wants to join them, and Kristina says, no. She has plans, but thanks them. Molly says, plans with Blaze? and Kristina says she’ll call Molly tomorrow and jets to the elevator. TJ says, is it him or was that weird? and Molly says, it’s not him.

Cyrus says, a few cleansing breaths might help, and Heather says, cleanse this. She tells O’Neill that Cyrus says he leads a flock, right? Well, he led her little daughter to her death. Cyrus says, that’s not true, and she says, the hell it isn’t. By the way, what is Cyrus doing here anyway? She thought that his sister – she leans in toward O’Neill – the mayor got him out of here. Cyrus says, Laura had nothing to do with his release, and she says, yeah, right. O’Neill gets up and says, Laura Collins is his sister? (like people wouldn’t know this) and Heather says, he might as well be talking to the mayor herself. She and her big brother keep no secrets. He says, she doesn’t know anything about his relationship with Laura, and Heather says her little girl came to him for help, and he denied her, but he shared her every word with his sister, and now her little girl is dead. Her daughter died because of him. She launches herself at Cyrus and pushes him back. His microphone is muffled in the struggle, and Anna runs out of the room, followed by Dante and John, who tells other guy, find out what happened to that audio.

Elizabeth says, the teenage years are hard on everyone, us, them… Sam says, especially them. She just wishes she knew what to do. Elizabeth has raised boys. How? Elizabeth says she tries to meet each of them where they’re at. The way she parents Cameron is not how she operates with Jake. Hard lesson learned, by the way. It’s like they all have their own language, and she needs to find a way to translate. Sam says, that sounds simple, and Elizabeth says, she knows. Sometimes a shared experience is a good way in. Like doing something Sam loves, or they love, or if Sam can possibly find something they both love doing together, she finds it helps them open up. Sam thanks her and says, that’s really good advice. Elizabeth says, it took years of practice, when Danny comes out. Sam asks if he’s ready to go, and Elizabeth thanks him for his help today. Same time tomorrow? He says, yeah, tomorrow, and walks off with Sam. He says, time to go back to the old lock-up, and she says, it’s their home; it’s not a prison. He says, could have fooled him, and she asks if he wants to go somewhere else. She walks around the corner, comes back, and asks if he’s coming.

Ava says, Stone. As in Stone Cates Memorial AIDS Wing? Sonny says he thinks someone is trying to use Stone’s memory to rattle him, and she says, that is despicable. He says he never knew she cared so much, and she says, it happened to her or doesn’t he remember? Esme used Kiki’s memory to hurt her, to torture her, on Ryan’s orders. Sonny says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he’s glad that son of a bitch is dead, and Ava says, that makes two of us. You’d think it would give her just a little bit of closure, a little peace. He says, nothing can give you that, and she says, no.

Chase thanks Tracy and says, to have her involved in the wedding planning means a lot to Brook, and him. Gregory says, Tracy’s dedication is unparalleled. She’s been collecting RSVPs personally. Chase says, what? and she says she dropped by The Invader to… Lois wants a final headcount ASAP. He says, they just got the invitations back from the printer yesterday, and Tracy says she knows, but he knows Lois. Patience is not one of her virtues. Chase says, right. Don’t leave him in suspense. Is Gregory coming to the wedding? Gregory says, since he’s officiating, he thought it might be prudent to show up. And Alexis has agreed to be his plus one. Chase says, nice, and Finn says, that’s great. Tracy says, yes, it’s great, and Finn says, what about Tracy? Who is she bringing to the wedding?

TJ says, it felt strange, didn’t it, when Dr. Navarro asked them if they wanted to find out the sex, and Kristina answered, when she knows they’re the ones making all of the decisions about the baby. Molly says she thinks Kristina just blurted it out, Kristina being Kristina. She’s all in with everything she does, this pregnancy being no exception. He says he guesses, and she says, Kristina seemed totally cool when they said they didn’t want to find out, but he says, she doesn’t get to be cool. This has nothing to do with her. (Okay, he’s officially annoying me.) Molly says, and she knows, or she’ll get there. And it actually has a lot to do with her. Their baby is dependent on her sister for the next 8 months. Of course (🍷) she’s invested in the life inside her. Isn’t that what they want?

Kristina knocks at Blaze’s hotel room door, and Blaze lets her in. She says, Kristina had an OB appointment tonight, right? Did everything go okay? Kristina says, yeah. The baby is growing appropriately, strong heartbeat. It’s all good. Blaze says, thank God. The look on Kristina’s face made her think something had happened. Kristina says, all good, and Blaze says, then what is it? Obviously, something’s wrong. Kristina tells her that she wouldn’t say wrong, and Blaze asks if she wants to pick another word. Kristina says, more like strange.

John charges toward the room where Cyrus is, but Dante says, wait, and Anna says, if he goes in there, he’s going to blow Cyrus’s cover. We hear Heather yelling, and John says, what cover? This operation’s been cursed from the start. There’s no saving it now. They go in, and Heather tells Anna, that man is a false prophet. Off to the side, Cyrus has his arm around O’Neill’s shoulders and is talking to him. Heather continues to rant, and Anna tells her, calm down. Two guards hold Heather back, and she says her daughter died because he wouldn’t help her. Cyrus says, don’t hurt her. Heather is a lost soul with a troubled mind, and Heather says, he’ll pay for not helping Esme. Her daughter will not have died in vain. John says, enough, and tells a guard to take O’Neill back to his cell. Anna tells the guards, don’t hurt her, please. Just get her out of here. As O’Neill is led away, Cyrus says, go in peace, my friend, and John tells them to get Heather out of here. She wails that they’re hurting her as she’s taken away, and Dante asks Cyrus, what the hell was that?

Kristina says, when that heartbeat filled the room, it was like… Blaze says, magic, and Kristina says, yes, magic. And it was so real. It was more real than anything has felt so far. There’s a baby in there. Blaze says, that’s what happens when you become pregnant, and Kristina says, of course (🍷). Obviously, the pregnancy test is proof and morning sickness is definitely proof, but seeing and hearing that little blob… Blaze says she gets it, and Kristina says she can’t wait to see who this little person becomes. Blaze says, so what’s the issue? and Kristina asks what she means. Blaze says, Kristina is making everything sound so positive, but she said things felt strange. Kristina says, at the appointment, Dr. Navarro asked if they wanted to know the sex and she immediately without hesitation said yes. She wasn’t even thinking about it; it just came out of her mouth. Blaze says, and Molly and TJ told the doctor, no, and Kristina says, being them, they had discussed it ahead of time. Of course (🍷), and as they should. They’re the parents. It’s just… Blaze says, strange, and Kristina tells her that she feels bad saying this, but in that moment, she felt like the baby was hers. And she knows that it’s not. She knows it’s 100% TJ and Molly’s. She gets that. Her voice breaks, and Blaze takes her hands and says, right now, today, that baby is a part of Kristina’s body. Of course (🍷) she would think of it as hers. They hug.

TJ says, of course (🍷) they want Krissy to care about their baby, and Molly says, and remember, that’s her little niece or nephew in there. If it were Molly who was pregnant, Kristina would still be at every appointment and demanding to know the sex. He says, good point, and she says, this is new, for all of them, and like they say, three can be a crowd. He asks if she doesn’t mean four, and Molly says, four. He kisses her and she says, they’ll find a way through this, together. TJ says, any second thoughts? and she says, second? Try third, fourth, fifth… She’s fighting the urge to know and planning everything around the sex, but they’re not really the pink or blue type of people anyway. He says, their son or daughter is going to be whoever they want to be anyway, and she says, the ours part is not negotiable.

Walking onto the footbridge, Danny tells Sam that he used to come here with dad, and she says, it was his favorite place to think. He says, it makes sense. Quiet, no traffic, no people. She says, that’s why he liked it. That’s why she likes it to. He says, it’s cool… Why did she bring him here? She says, because she feels closer to his dad here and she thought maybe he would feel closer to him too. His dad was going to teach him how to ride. 16 isn’t that far away, but it’s not the same as learning from his dad. He says, no, it’s not.

Ava says, you’d think after all these years, she’d have a better handle on her grief. And normally she does she guesses, but losing Spencer brought it all back up to the surface. He asks if she’s been thinking a lot about Kiki and she says, constantly. He says he understands. Spencer’s death blew everything up. For all of them. Now he has this faceless enemy who’s using Stone’s name. She says, Stone was very important to Sonny, wasn’t he? and Sonny says, Stone represents all the people he couldn’t save. She says, he can’t be responsible for everybody. That’s not possible. He says, that’s not how he feels. His mother, Lily, Courtney, Morgan. He couldn’t do anything for any of them. She says, he can’t blame himself, but he says, how could he not?

Cyrus says, what does Dante mean, what was that? Wasn’t he listening? Anna says, his mic went out after Heather showed up, and he pats himself and says, it must have gotten loose during their struggle. Dante says, Heather really doesn’t like him, does she? when John joins them. Cyrus says, he must be Agent Cates, and holds out his hand. John ignores him and tells Anna, this whole thing is a colossal waste of time. Cyrus says, on the contrary, and Anna asks what he means. He says his talk with Mr. O’Neill was very enlightening.

Tracy comes back to find only Gregory at the table and asks if it’s something he said. He says, Finn is checking in with Violet, and Chase is in the restroom. It wasn’t lost on him what she did there. She says, what she did where? and he says, getting up to powder her nose when Finn inquired as to her date for the wedding. She says she had to use the rest room, and he wonders if he can ask her something. She says, as long as it has nothing to do with her plus one, and he says, did she really stop by The Invader to confirm his RSVP? She says, Lois wasn’t really sure if he was bringing somebody to the wedding. He shouldn’t be surprised. He’s experienced her… enthusiasm firsthand. He says he just got the feeling she was there for something else, and she says, if she was, it slipped her mind. He says, okay. He guesses it wasn’t important then. She says she guesses not, and sips her drink.

Sam says, Danny can talk to her about his dad any time. He knows that, right? He says, it feels weird sometimes, and she says, why? Because of Dante? Yes, Dante loves him, but in no way would he ever try to replace Jason. Nor would he want Danny to avoid the subject of his dad. Danny says he’s been missing his dad a lot lately, more than usual, and she asks if he wants to tell her about it. He asks if she remembers Wyatt. His dad came home last month after serving two years overseas. She says, Wyatt must be really happy, and Danny says, he is and he’s happy for him. They used to talk about their dads all the time. She says, and how they missed them, and he says, and now Wyatt’s dad is back. Is it terrible if he kind of wishes he wasn’t? She says, no, not at all. She thinks it’s normal that he would have somebody to relate to, and that’s comforting. Not having that can be sad, but he can talk to her. He steps away from her and says he’s good.

Sonny says he wants to do everything he can to find out who’s threatening his family, and Ava says, and Selina Wu is going to work with him. He says, they’re going to use her guard to lay a trap for whoever’s gunning for him. She says, and Selina, and he says, right. He’s going to tell Stone’s guy that they’re setting up a secret meeting at some isolated location where it’s easy to ambush. She says, really though, it’s a trap for Stone’s gunman, and he says he’s going to find the leak in his organization and he’s going to destroy it. Then he’s going after Stone. She says, he’s suffered some betrayal lately, hasn’t he? and he says he has. Carly, Michael, Nina… She says she thought he and Michael reconciled, and he says he thought so too, but it was all a lie. She says, maybe in their own way, they thought they were helping him, and he says, going behind his back? He can’t trust them. He can’t trust anyone. She says, what he can’t do is go through life alone, so if he really thinks he doesn’t have anybody else, he has her. He says, her? and she says, yeah. Her. He says, who would have guessed? and they laugh.

Kristina thanks Blaze, and Blaze says, for what? Kristina says, for letting her process her feelings without judging her. It’s all really confusing. But one thing she knows with absolute certainty is, this baby is TJ and Molly’s and that’s what matters. Blaze says, she’s amazing, but Kristina says she really isn’t. Blaze says, yes, she is. Being a surrogate is an act of love. Kristina loves that little baby inside her, nurturing him, or her, for her sister and TJ. Kristina says, that is exactly it. That is exactly the thing. She loves this baby for them. Blaze says, no. For all of them. This baby is her family too. Kristina says, yeah. It’s her niece, or nephew… Blaze says, look at her. Everything Kristina is feeling is not only normal, but healthy. Kristina tells Blaze that she always knows what to say, and Blaze says, for some reason, it always comes easy with Kristina. She sees Kristina, and what she sees takes her breath away. They kiss.

John says, Cyrus got useful information from O’Neill. How? The woman busted in, and all hell broke loose. Cyrus says, true, but after the guards pulled her off, Heather kept them conveniently occupied, giving him and O’Neill a chance to continue their conversation. Dante says, why would O’Neill tell him anything, especially after he found out the mayor is Cyrus’s sister? and Cyrus says, that was a setback for sure, but ultimately, the man wants to unburden his soul. Anna says, Cyrus threatened him? and Cyrus says he appealed to O’Neill’s better self. John says, enough with the semantics. Did O’Neill tell him who’s behind the mob hits or not?

Blaze says, stay with me. Don’t go. She and Kristina kiss, and then they get busy. Afterwards, they spoon in bed. (Kudos, GH!)

TJ and Molly come out of the elevator and Molly says, first trimester’s over. Their baby is healthy. Does he know what this means? He says, they don’t have to keep it a secret anymore, and she says, they can tell the whole world they’re going to be parents. He asks if he should announce it over the PA system, and starts walking toward the desk, but she says, don’t you dare, and pulls him back. He says, fine, and she thanks him, hugging him. He says, thank you. She’s given him everything he’d ever want. She says she loves him so much, and he says, not even close to how much he loves her. They kiss.

Tracy thanks Gregory for dinner and says, he didn’t have to do that. He insists he did. He invited her as his guest. Finn asks if Yuri is driving her home, and she says, it’s Yuri’s night off. She’s taking a Ride Share. Chase says he’ll drop her on his way home, and she says she is not on his way home, but she thanks him. She’s capable of taking care of it herself. Gregory says, just because you are doesn’t mean you must, and Chase says, and Brook would kill him if he didn’t get home safe. She says, okay, and thanks him, and Finn says he thought they were going to arm wrestle. Chase says, next time, and Tracy thanks them. She says, this was fun, and Gregory says, yeah, it was.

Cyrus says, O’Neill was much too terrified to give up a name, and Dante says, that’s too bad. John says he told them, and Cyrus tells them, but he did say something quite provocative. O’Neill is terrified of – pardon the pun – the man who is gunning for the mobsters. He’s convinced this person can get to him in here despite the protective custody. John says, that’s typical snitch behavior, and Cyrus tells them, he said this man is untouchable because he’s a ghost. Literally. Anna says, care to explain that? and Cyrus says, according to O’Neill, the person they’re so desperate to find does not exist because he’s dead. Soap looks all around.

Sam says she knows she and Danny haven’t talked about his dad too much, so it might seem a little strange to start now. He says, it’s not that, and she says, then what is it? He says, she and Uncle Drew were close at that time, and he didn’t want to add to that. He wanted to be strong for her. She says, there is no burden too big that she will not help him carry. No matter how tall he gets. And he can talk to her about his father any time. What say they go? They pick up their bags, and Danny asks if she thinks he can get his phone back, but she laughs and says, no chance. She puts her arm through his as they walk, and says she knows. Tough life, kid.

Sonny looks at his wedding ring and makes a fist. Ava says, if you look up brooding in the dictionary, this is the picture you’d see. He says, everything changes, that’s a fact. Just when you think you’re getting close to someone, you’re not. The only person you can really trust is yourself. Ava says, not Avery. She has us. Always. Sonny says, she’s got him there, and she tells him, goodnight. He says, goodnight, and she leaves. He looks at his wedding ring and takes it off. He looks at it for a moment, puts it on the mantel, and walks away.

On Monday, Blaze tells Kristina, maybe it’s time she returns the favor; Carly tells John that he’s wasting his time; and Nina asks if Ava and Sonny have a relationship now.

❤️‍🔥 Melting Maximista’s Heart…

All about Spinelli’s flirtation with karaoke and Maxie.

💃🏽 Mamá Comes To Town…

Great choice for this role.

✒️ Be Excited…

Loving some things – like Blaze and Kristina and Jagger John returning – not so much others – Carly unrealistically taking over at Crimson. Although she is getting a load of Drew’s madman persona.

🍑 No More Peach For You…

I’ve liked Marlo ever since the argument she and Shereé had that was totally in gibberish. She didn’t hold the peach for nearly long enough, but I don’t blame her.

https://people.com/real-housewives-of-atlanta-marlo-hampton-departs-ahead-of-season-16-exclusive-8585035

🍿 On the Wrong End…

I know I’ve said Andy is cruising for a lawsuit, but I didn’t think it would be this one.

https://ew.com/brandi-glanville-lawyers-call-for-andy-cohen-firing-8599618

🧽 Take Your Pick Of Messes…

The recap from the trainwreck that is Summer House.

I couldn’t even find a recap for this Reunion. Apparently, no one cares. This was the closest thing.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/southern-hospitality-cast-relationship-updates-after-season-2-finale

⚰️ Walking Again…

Basic info and a really cool picture.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/rick-and-michonne-return-this-weekend-in-the-walking-dead-spinoff-the-ones-who-live

https://bleedingcool.com/tv/the-walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-time-takes-a-toll-on-rick-grimes

These people don’t seem to like the franchise too much. I get disenchantment with the original Walking Dead, but City of the Dead and Daryl Dixon were both stellar.

https://www.avclub.com/tv-review-the-walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-1851274240

A kinder, gentler review.

🦔 Not Your Average Pets…

Who wouldn’t want a goat for their anniversary?

https://people.com/kevin-bacon-explains-how-he-surprised-wife-kyra-with-goats-on-anniversary-8599569

This little guy is the cutest.

https://people.com/baby-rhino-gets-a-case-of-the-zoomies-at-toronto-zoo-8598864

🥠 Quotes Of the Week

They have a name for people who quit. They call them quitters. – Rose (Betty White), Golden Girls

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

If exhausted from severe and long-continued thought, he had to touch the earth again to renew his strength. When this weariness set in, he would stop thought, and get down with a little dog or kitten to recover.William Herndon, Abraham Lincoln‘s business partner

He does it in annoying ways, but he’s not wrong.Olivia Flowers referring to JT, Southern Charm

Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness.Earl of Derby (I don’t have time for illness either.)

Never say never. Because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion. – Michael Jordan

Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice. – Baruch Spinoza

You will have bad times, but they will always wake you up to the stuff you weren’t paying attention to. – Robin Williams

Genius begins with great works; labor alone finishes them. – Joseph Joubert

Have a drink. Become nice again. – Emile Calvet (Ronald Guttman), Mad Men

🛑 Stopping In the Name Of Love…

Enjoy your time off if you have it, your work if you don’t, and your happy place if neither is happening for you. Come back refreshed on Monday really Tuesday for soap and sketchy people on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay never giving your power over to anyone, and stay not being the picture in the dictionary if you look up brooding.

February 22, 2024 – Anna Gives John a Choice, Thoughts, A Little Bit Of Soap, Reunion Scare, Volcanic House, VanderFlat, Turning 40, More Awards, Pet (!) Friendly & Revolution

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly says, Drew threatened to blackball writers and photographers if they worked with Nina on her new magazine, and he says, Nina tried to ruin both of their lives. The least he could do is return the favor. Carly says, but they’ve already gotten their revenge. He fired Nina and hired her as Editor-in-Chief of Crimson magazine. He knows it’s killing Nina to see Carly take her place. Drew says, she bounced back as the editor of a new magazine and he had to shut her down, and Carly asks, why take the bait? What is the benefit of one-upping Nina? They already have everything they want. Their happiness and success is the best revenge. Why can’t he just ignore Nina? (Because apparently, Drew doesn’t have an actual job himself and has a lot of free time.)

Sasha and Maxie come into Charlie’s and Sasha asks what Cody is doing here. She thought he had to work at the Quartermaines tonight. Cody says his plans changed. He would have let her know, but she said she was staying in to watch a movie. Sasha says she and Maxie had to blow off some steam after the day they had at work. A latte and streaming service wasn’t cutting it, so they decided to come here for a drink or two. Cody says, looks like they had the same idea, and Spinelli says, what a fortuitous happenstance. Maxie says, her mom took the kids for a movie and ice cream, so she thought she’d take advantage of a free night and let loose a little bit. Sasha says, this is perfect timing, and asks the guys to join them. Cody says, they would, but Spinelli was just about to bail on him. Sasha says, what? They just got here. Stay a little bit. They all had so much fun together at the Hatchet Range, she feels they should keep that going. She and Maxie could really use it. Maxie says, definitely. Please stay. Spinelli says, slumber can wait, and Cody says, great. The ladies need drinks. Does Sasha mind helping him? She says, sure, and they go to the bar. Sasha says she brought Maxie here like Cody asked. What tricks does he have up his sleeve?

Dante says, while they’re getting Cyrus mic-ed up, why don’t they go over the plan one more time? Anna tells Cyrus that he’s at Pentenville to preach a sermon as a volunteer chaplain. The arms dealer they’re very interested in, Philip O’Neill, is in protective custody, but they’ve made a deal with his guards to attend the sermon. So Cyrus is going to strike up a conversation with him… Cyrus says, wait. He thought time was of the essence here. He’s already agreed to their plan. Why is she talking to him like he’s an idiot? She says, maybe it’s because he likes to exploit loopholes and she doesn’t want him to weasel out of what they’ve already agreed to. So although she might have made a deal with the devil, she refuses to be damned.

Sonny approaches a house in a woodsy area with Selina, and says he thought he was supposed to come here and question her guard who betrayed her, not take a scenic tour around the property. She says, with everything that’s gone on recently, she prefers to be surrounded by security, and that’s easier on her estate. But don’t worry. His patience is about to be rewarded. He says, how so? She says she doesn’t imagine he cares about her gardening, and opens the door. He sees Li, tied to a chair and gagged, and she says, but she does all her best work here. (I’m like, whoa. Li.)

Drew says, the day after they agreed not to engage with Nina, she tried to sabotage Carly’s first issue as Crimson’s Editor-in-Chief. Is he supposed to let her get away with that? Carly says, no. He’s supposed to have faith in her, because she handled it. That magazine made it to the printer on time despite Nina’s dirty tricks. He says, that’s a testament to how good Carly is already at her job. It doesn’t excuse Nina from her behavior. Carly wants her out of their lives, but Nina has made it very clear that she isn’t going to disappear, no matter how badly they want it. She says, so what? Let her play her games. The only thing Nina wants is a reaction from them, and the best way to fight her is to not give her that reaction. He says, she doesn’t really believe that, does she? Nina was standing right here in Carly’s office, gloating about her next strategy on how to take them down. Doesn’t that infuriate her? She says, yes. It took everything in her not to smack Nina, but she knows and has learned that every time she stoops to Nina’s level, it only causes more conflict. And come on. Sonny’s dumped her. Michael and Willow don’t want her anywhere near them or their children. Nina is almost disconnected with everyone in Carly’s life, except Drew apparently. He says, she’s got a near bottomless bank account. She’s got nothing else to lose. That is a dangerous combination. He did what he did to try to get her out of their lives quicker and to minimize the damage she can cause in the meantime. She says, he just wants to humiliate her, and he says, that, too.

Cyrus says, at least let him reassure Anna that he knows what he’s doing today. After his sermon, Mr. O’Neill’s guards will delay returning him to his cell, allowing him to enlighten O’Neill as to the healing power of confession and how it frees the soul. Anna says, that’s a good start, but the goal is to get him to give up the name of whoever it is he sold the WSB stolen cache of guns to. He says, she does realize she’s asking him to betray his values and his sacred duties as a man of the cloth, and Dante says, Cyrus might want to dial back just a little bit. He’s not even ordained. Cyrus says, there are people at Pentenville who actually see him as a chaplain, with all the responsibilities that entails, and Anna says, he believes they all get closer to God by admitting their sins, right? He says he does, and she says, that’s exactly what he’s doing for O’Neill. Regardless of the motives, Cyrus is giving him an opportunity to change and be a better person. Dante says, that’s right. O’Neill isn’t talking to them. He hasn’t got a plea deal and he’s going away for a long time. They’ve got him dead to rights on an illegal weapons trafficking charge, so nothing they do today, none of the information they’ll be getting, will cause any more trouble for him. Cyrus says, and this may help others, and Dante says, 100%. Anna says, for sure, so much, and Dante says, it’s going to be putting less people in harm’s way, innocent people like Curtis Ashford, who may never walk again because of the guns that O’Neill sold. This confession they’re going to get will help a lot of innocent people. Cyrus says, the Lord does work in mysterious ways, and Dante and Anna agree. Anna says, it’s time. Is he ready? Cyrus says he is. He just hopes his Lord and his Police Commissioner remember his sacrifice. He leaves.

Selina says, Curtis Ashford’s warning that she might be open to assassination came just in time. Sonny asks, how so? and she says, between Curtis’s information and the failed attack on her, she realized she was in greater danger than she thought. He says, that’s been made clear to them already, and she says she needed to start asking questions, and wouldn’t you know, discovered that Li here had just bought a new car, a luxury vehicle. She dug a little deeper and found out he’d recently come into quite a large and unexplained sum of money. She puts her hand on Li’s shoulder, and he flinches. She says, after some convincing, Li confessed that he’d agreed to share her whereabouts, putting her in a very vulnerable position. Her loyal men also recovered a gun that was in Li’s possession, and her people examined it closely. No serial number, but there was a marking on it. Sonny says, let him guess. It’s another one of the missing guns that was stolen from the WSB. Li looks at him and he says he’ll take that as a yes. Li’s been working for the people who took a shot at him – twice.

Cody tells Sasha, so Spinelli used to sing karaoke to Maxie back when they were dating, so he figured, what better way for them to remember their history then for Spinelli to serenade her again. Sasha says, that makes sense. He wants to remind them of all the good times they had together as a couple. Smart. He’s the best.

At a table, Maxie tells Spinelli, Tracy is out of control. She’s trying to make all the decisions at Deception. Tracy thinks she knows better than her or Brook or anyone else who works there. Tracy even suggested she quit and go back to Crimson. Not that she would ever do that. She’s completely committed to Deception. Also, she can’t give Tracy that satisfaction. Spinelli says, that’s egregious. Without Maxie, Deception would crumble faster than if Thanos snapped it out of existence. Maxie thanks him and says she is working really hard to make Deception successful. They all benefit. Tracy’s just not making it easy. The MC comes by with slips of paper and pencils and tells them to remember to put in their song choices early. Maxie says, they have karaoke here now? and Spinelli says, apparently, Kristina just started it. It reminds him of their wedding. Remember? She says, how could she forget?

Sasha says she hopes getting Maxie and Spinelli together here tonight works, without betraying girl code or telling Cody anything they talked about. Cody says he would never disclose the conversations he and Spinelli have had, and Sasha says, they’re keeping their friends’ confidences, but they can have eyes. He says, they do have eyes, and she says she’s keeping her fingers crossed that a night of karaoke with Spinelli will give Maxie the clarity she needs on her feelings for him. He says, once the music starts, who knows what will happen?

Drew says he doesn’t want to fight with Carly, but he’s not going to apologize for wanting justice for what Nina did to him. He thought she would actually back him up on this. Normally, she’s the first person to want to get even with somebody who wrongs her. She says, he’s right. Payback has been her go-to reaction for most of her life. If someone hurt her, she was going to hurt them back twice as bad, but most of the time, that reaction has caused more conflict and life is short. Losing her mom so unexpectedly just brings it home all over again and she’s happy now. She’s so happy with him. They have a great life. Isn’t that enough? He says he thought it would be and it would have been if he didn’t find out who turned them in to the SEC, but he knows and he can’t pretend it doesn’t affect him. He just came back from Pentenville with so much rage. Does she have any idea what it feels like to be beaten within an inch of your life? He was lying on the floor of that shower, and he was in so much pain, he wished he was dead, but he was praying for someone to come save him. She says she’s so sorry that happened to him. That was horrible. He says, then he was freed, and he had nowhere to go with that anger. He had no one to blame until he found out who sent him there. She says, seeing Nina must be so hard every time, and he says, every time he does, he feels the rage boiling inside of him, and he thinks about how much time he lost with Scout when he was in prison. He thinks about being beaten and the pain and the recovery, so yeah, sometimes he feels like he’d like Nina to feel a little bit of that humiliation as payback. That’s true. She says she’s not asking him to forgive Nina. She would never ask him to forgive her. But this anger scares her. He hasn’t been the same since he went to prison. He says he went to prison for… She says, he can finish that sentence. He went to prison for her.

Sonny says he’s done playing games here, removing the gag from Li’s mouth. Who hired him? Selina says, unfortunately, Li seems quite loyal to his other employer. They haven’t been able to get a name out of him yet. She uncovers a table of garden tools and says, perhaps Sonny can get him to be a little more forthcoming. She tells Li, Sonny can be very persuasive, and Sonny says, Li’s working for people who are trying to have him killed. People who would put his family and the people he cares about in the crossfire of an assassin’s bullet. Whoever did this is gonna pay. He picks up a pair of shears, and Li moves around. Sonny says, hey. He usually has people who do this sort of business, but since Li’s friends took a shot at him while his little girl was nearby, he needs a more personal touch. He moves closer to Li and says, whoever did this is going to suffer; he can promise Li that. And whoever’s helping them is going to suffer unless Li gives Sonny a compelling reason to spare him.

Cody asks if Maxie and Spinelli have decided what they’re going to sing yet, but Maxie says, not her. Spinelli is the singer. Cody says he has to check something out. He’ll be right back. He leaves, and Spinelli says, if Maxie isn’t going to grace them with the dulcet tones of her voice, he’s not going to sing either. Maxie says, he can’t sit it out because of her. She knows how much he loves karaoke. He says he does, and the MC takes the mic and says, they’re going to get started, so drink some liquid courage if they need it and get ready for some great tunes. Their first singers tonight are Cody Bell and Sasha Gilmore. There’s applause, and Sasha looks surprised. Maxie tells her, get up there, and Sasha tells Cody that she hopes he knows what he’s doing. He says, she trusts him. Come on. She says, he’s never heard her singing voice, and he says, she’s never heard his, and she gets on stage with him. They sing like a pair of professional singers who’ve been singing together all their lives. They finish to lots of applause.

Anna, Dante, and some other guy listen in as Cyrus says, when we confess our sins, we’re not punished, but rewarded for having the courage to bear our souls. With penance and absolution, our conscience is freed and we’re able to step forward with a clear heart.

Sonny says he doesn’t see Li’s lips moving, so he guesses Li’s made his choice. Li asks what Sonny wants, and Sonny says, a description of the man who hired him to betray Selina and his name. Li says, he didn’t give his name. He said it was better Li didn’t know. Sonny moves the shears toward Li’s face and says he guesses Li’s out of luck, but Li says, no. That man doesn’t matter anyway. He was just a go-between working for who’s really in charge. Sonny says, that’s convenient, isn’t it? and Selina says, and Li’s telling them he never met his boss? Li says, no, never, and Sonny says, so let him guess. He never gave Li his boss’s name. Li says, the guy didn’t trust him enough, and Sonny yells, come on! Li says, but he overheard one of his phone calls. His boss goes by the name Stone. (I’m like, double whoa.)

John walks into the room where Anna and Dante are and says, starting without me?

Sasha tells Maxie that she never thought she’d like doing anything like that in front of a crowd, but it was so much fun performing with Cody. Maxie says she’s not surprised Sasha had such a great time. The two of them make a great team.

Cody asks if Spinelli isn’t glad that he stayed tonight, and Spinelli says, it has been illuminating. Cody says, Maxie looks like she’s having a good time too. Maybe Spinelli can convince her to sing a duet with him after all. Spinelli says he knows what Cody is doing, and Cody says, having a fun night out with his friends? Spinelli says, Cody is trying to get him and Maximista to spend as much time together as possible in the hopes it will lead to something, but he’s already told Cody that he has no intention of pursuing his unrequited feelings for her. Cody says, what if it isn’t unrequited? What if she feels exactly the same way he does? Spinelli says, what’s wrong with him? Please stop. Let this go. Cody says he’s just trying to help out, but Spinelli says he didn’t ask for Cody’s help. This is none of his business. Why does he care so much anyway? Cody says he just wants Spinelli to be happy. Okay, maybe he does feel bad about the way he treated Spinelli when he first came to town. Spinelli says, when Cody was blackmailing him? and Cody says he knows. He’s trying to be a better person. He feels like he owes Spinelli one. Spinelli says, then he releases Cody from that debt, making a releasing motion with his hands, but Cody says, that’s not the only reason. He cares about Maxie and her family. They mean a lot to him. And he sees how much Maxie likes Spinelli. He just wants her to be happy. Spinelli says, it’s a touching tale, but Cody isn’t that altruistic. He thinks Cody realizes the longer he plays Cupid with him and Maxie, the more time he can spend with Sasha. Cody says, Sasha is smart, fun, and he’s not going to deny he likes spending time with her, but that’s not the reason he wants Spinelli and Maxie to get together. Spinelli says, tell himself whatever he wants, just butt out of his life, and Cody says, fine. Spinelli says, now that they have that settled, he’s leaving. He gets up as Sasha and Maxie come back, and Maxie asks where he thinks he’s going. He’s not going to sneak out before he sings, is he?

Drew tells Carly that he’s sorry. He didn’t mean that. He doesn’t feel like he went to prison for her. She says, he did. He paid for her crime by losing time with his family and he almost died, and her life basically stayed the same. He says he made a choice to cop a plea to protect her and he doesn’t regret that for a second. He would do the same thing in a heartbeat because he loves her. She says she loves him too, and he says, that’s all that matters. She says, is it? She’s not so sure anymore. He asks what that means, and she says she understands his desire for revenge against Nina. If she had to go to Pentenville and found out it was because of her, she’d feel the same way. She would want to kill her. He says, it’s nice to hear her acknowledge that, and she says she knows her situation is very different. She didn’t have it as bad. She lost some money and a business, but she wants him to know she understands and truly appreciates his sacrifice. He says he knows she does, and she says, but she can’t move on with her life unless Nina is behind her. She doesn’t want to think about Nina anymore, she doesn’t want to argue with Nina anymore, and she doesn’t want to hurt Nina anymore. Because it always comes back to bite her. Nina suffers, but she suffers, and she doesn’t want to do that to herself anymore. She doesn’t want Drew to do that anymore, but she can’t make him feel the way she feels. He says, it’s obvious they’re not on the same page about Nina, but they can keep talking. They can figure things out as they move forward on how to deal with her. She says she wants Nina out of her life completely and she doesn’t know if he can do that. She doesn’t know if he wants to do that. He says he understands, and he wants her to know that he hears where she’s coming from, but he’s not just a passenger here for the ride along with her life. He’s in this relationship just as much as she is, and he gets to have just as much of a say about what to do about Nina as she does.

O’Neill sits at a table, and Cyrus introduces himself as the honorary chaplain at Pentenville. He and O’Neill shake hands, and Cyrus sits down. He says he hasn’t seen O’Neill at any of their services. He wanted to introduce himself and see if there was anything he could do for him. O’Neill says he appreciates that. He thinks he’s good. He’s only recently become incarcerated here. Cyrus says he’s sorry O’Neill finds himself behind bars. As a former inmate, he knows how disconcerting that can be. O’Neill says he didn’t realize a former felon could be a chaplain, and Cyrus says his journey has been an enlightening one. He spent years making all the wrong choices, and finally he decided to listen to what God had been trying to tell him all along. That he was not beyond saving if only he would trust in Him to guide him. And now that he’s been given a chance at redemption himself, he tries to pay it forward by helping other lost souls. O’Neill says, that’s quite a transformation, and thanks Cyrus for sharing. Cyrus says, it turns out it’s his calling, helping others find a way forward when all seems lost. He can see something’s troubling O’Neill. Maybe he can help.

Selina and Sonny come out of the house, and Selina says, from Sonny’s reaction, she gathers that name means something to him. Sonny says, it was somebody he knew a long time ago who was very important to him. He’s gone now. She says, then it can’t be the same person who’s targeting them, and he says, but that name is also very important to somebody else who just arrived in Port Charles.

John says he’s disappointed in Anna. He thought they’d come to an understanding. She says, so did she. She doesn’t think she’s violating that in any way. If he’ll excuse her, she and her detective are in the middle of an operation. He says, one that was never cleared by him. Imagine his surprise when he found out Philip O’Neill isn’t available for questioning tonight because he’s in a religious service, on Anna’s orders. She says she stands on her decision, and might she remind him, this is her jurisdiction and O’Neill is a possible witness. So she’s at liberty to conduct her investigation any way she chooses. He says, she’s not at liberty to keep the FBI in the dark, which is why he’s shutting this operation down.

Dante asks if they don’t want the same thing here, to stop the attacks on these mob figures? and John says he gets that they’re all invested in this case. But it’s their methods he’s got a problem with. They’re trying to get his witness under a wire and extract information without looping him in. He can’t allow that. Dante says, so he wants to tank the entire investigation because his pride’s hurt? John says he’s been working on this case for months. He’s put everything into it. So he’s not going to allow them to blow the whole thing because they have a bias toward Sonny Corinthos. Dante says, and there it is. This whole thing, right? It’s the vendetta John has against Dante’s father. Anna says, Sonny’s been targeted twice. It’s not a bias to find out who’s responsible. It’s literally their job, and O’Neill is the best lead that both of their cases have. And the federal prosecutor couldn’t convince him to talk, so she’s taken matters into her own hands. John says, by acting without authority and going behind his back? and she says, but this could work. Why is he so willing to shut it down?

Sonny tells Selina that Stone was a kid he took in back in the 90s who was very, very important to him. He had a brother, John. After Stone died, John had a son and named him Stone in memory of his brother. John is a Fed. She says she sees, and Sonny says, they never got along. As a matter of fact, John hated his guts. The only thing they had in common was Stone, and after Stone died, he hadn’t seen John in years, until recently. And John still has it in for him. John is the agent investigating all the attacks on organized crime figures. She says, that seems like suspiciously convenient timing, and he says he feels the same way. So if whoever is coming after them is named Stone, it can’t just be a coincidence. She says, it does raise a lot of pressing questions, and Sonny says, and he’s going to get the answers.

The MC says, Damien Spinelli, you are up. Amid pats on the back and cheers, Spinelli takes the stage. He sings It All Comes Down To You to Maxie, who looks enraptured. He finishes to applause and goes back to the table. Sasha says she and Cody are going to get some fresh air, and they go outside. Spinelli and Maxie look at each other.

Carly says she doesn’t mean to make Drew feel like it’s her way or no way. He’s completely justified in wanting to make Nina pay for what she’s done to him. But not if it’s turning him into someone that the people he loves don’t recognize. If Nina accomplishes that, then she wins. He says, that’s the last thing he wants, and she says she knows. And she hates that this is where they are. When they talked about her taking the job at Crimson, her condition was that he end his war with Nina, and he agreed. She picks up the magazine and says, so consider this her first and last issue. She hands it to him and walks out. I’ve never been a huge Carly fan, but I’m liking this new Carly.

Maxie says, that was a beautiful song, and Spinelli says, maybe he should have gone for more of an up tempo, more of a crowd pleaser. She says, the song was perfect. It reminded her about how he’s been singing Lullaby and Goodnight to Baby Lou every night for the last two months. He says, two months? Time flies when you’re crashing in someone else’s abode. She’s not getting tired of that bedtime song? She says, no, never. She loves hearing him sing to her. Almost as much as she loves having him at the house and seeing him with the kids every day. They adore him and they’re all happy to have him. He’s the one who hasn’t been able to be in his own space for so long. He says, it appears the repairs have taken longer than expected, but she says she doesn’t mind. If it didn’t mean his apartment would look like a scene from Avatar: The Way of Water, she would say he should never leave. She’s sorry. She didn’t mean to… He says, no. Don’t take it back. He feels the same way. Living together the last couple of months felt so right. She says, for her too, and he says, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He’s here for whatever she needs. She says, whenever her life was falling apart, he was always there for her. She knows she can count on him. He says, always. She’s one of his closest friends… Actually, he considers her more than a friend. She says, how so? and he kisses her. (Aww!) She kisses back.

Outside, Cody says, this was really fun. He’s glad they did this. Sasha says, her too. She has to admit, as much as they always say you regret your past, it’s fun watching him scheme for a good cause. He’s very good at it. He says, it’s easy when you have a great accomplice.

Maxie suddenly pushes away and picks up her stuff. She says she’s got to go, and jets, telling someone she passes that she’ll see them at work tomorrow. She comes out, and without even stopping, she tells Sasha, we have to go. Sasha says, o…kay, and shrugs at Cody, who says, bye.

Li says he told Sonny everything he wanted, but Selina says, it’s not enough. Li says, but it’s all he has. They know everything he does; he swears. Please. Sonny says, then he’s got one shot to save his life, and Li says he’ll do anything. Sonny and Selina look at each other, and Sonny says, anything.

Cyrus asks O’Neill to tell him what’s weighing him down, so they might pray on it together and find him some peace. O’Neill says he’s worried about his safety. He hasn’t slept in days and feels like there’s so many people in here who are out to get him, after all the things he’s done and the people he’s mixed up with. Cyrus says, his past doesn’t define him. He can move forward in his life. It begins by telling the truth. So give himself a chance. Tell him everything.

John says he is lead agent on this case. He doesn’t have to explain his actions to Anna. He answers to a higher authority. (So does Cyrus. ha-ha!) Anna says she wants them to work together. She’s not the enemy here. Her daughter thinks the world of him, and that’s worth something to her. He says, personally, he has no problem with her. Professionally, that’s a different story. She’s standing in the way of him tracking down a large shipment of stolen guns and possibly stopping whoever’s murdering mob bosses from consolidating their power. This ends now. Dante says, yeah… Something doesn’t feel right about this. It almost feels like John is having a personal issue with Anna or something. John says, that’s big accusation with no proof, and Dante says he’s got proof. They’ve come this far, and he can’t believe John wants to stop them from questioning this witness. Anna says, neither can she. Something else is going on here. If John forces her to shut down this operation, then her hands are tied. She’s going to go to his supervisor and tell them that he’s not fit to investigate this case. So what’s it going to be? It’s his choice.

Tomorrow, TJ asks Molly if it’s him or that was weird; Kristina tells Blaze, in that moment, she felt like the baby was hers; Elizabeth asks if Sam is worried something deeper is going on; and Cyrus asks O’Neill, who is this man who’s worth a lifetime in prison?

💭 Thoughts. This was a good one. I made noises out loud at the Li and Stone reveals. Since I remember squat about Spinelli and Maxie being together, his beautiful singing voice was a surprise too. Although seriously, the most unrealistic karaoke ever. Sasha was surprised when Cody asked her to do a duet, yet they looked and sounded like they’d practiced the song a million times. Even more unrealistic, they put on a show rather than their eyes being glued to the lyrics screen like their lives depended on it. The general consensus in my karaoke group is, if we had to sing Happy Birthday there, we’d need to see the lyrics.

Also, and hear me out here, I’m not sure if John is the man behind the shootings or they just want us to think that. Somebody could have set him up. Even though he hasn’t been in the opening credits yet, they don’t usually bring on a guy like that just to show him the door five minutes later. Just a thought.

🧴 All the Soap That’s Fit To Print…

I wonder if she gets to pet the chihuahua.

She’s living the dream.

Feelings.

Up for tons of awards, but they change the team. Go figure.

🚑 It’s Not About the Esophagus…

This really just describes the scene, but gives no new info.

🤽‍♀️ Sorry, Hamptons…

Those awful people are back for another season. No recap online yet. Maybe no one wants to watch it.

🍸 Falling Rules…

I don’t know if I agree. Certainly not that Raquel is needed. Got along without her before we met her, we’ll get along without her now.

🩰 Kick Off Your Sunday Shoes…

Iconic.

https://people.com/footloose-40th-anniversary-lori-singer-kevin-bacon-chemistry-electric-exclusive-8584419

🏆 Rewarding Their Work…

BAFTA winners.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/18/entertainment/bafta-award-winners-nominations-live/index.html

More important, BAFTA fashion.

https://www.theroot.com/our-favorite-black-celeb-outfits-from-the-2024-bafta-aw-1851272322

Everything about the Golden Globes. My dream is to get ahold of one of those swag bags.

🐶 Award Worthy Pup…

But did he pee everywhere?

https://people.com/host-david-tenant-brings-dog-named-bark-ruffalo-to-2024-baftas-8584703

💎 Shining Bright Like a Diamond…

Stop in tomorrow for some pre-weekend soap, interesting tidbits on the famous and furry, and quotes to ponder. Until then, stay safe, stay assuming three pieces per person for a pizza, and stay not reacting to someone only trying to get a reaction. It’s the best way to fight them.

February 21, 2024 – Selina Pays a Visit To Sonny, From White Party To Separation & Someday

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Maxie and Brook rave over the new issue of Crimson, and Maxie says, best of all… Brook says, it makes her want to buy the product. Maxie says she knows it’s too early to track sales, but… Brook looks at her tablet and says, website traffic and social media mentions are spiking. If this continues, they’re in for one hell of a quarter. Maxie says, congratulations, and Brook says, to all of them, but Maxie says, no, to her for all her work with Carly to make this happen. Brook says, that’s why she’s here, and Maxie says, not to make this weird, but since she’s so reinvested in Deception, is Brook reconsidering her plan to turn the company over to her? Brook says, absolutely not. As soon as it’s possible, Deception will be Maxie’s again. Just as it should be. Maxie says she knows it’s hard to tell because their waterproof mascara is just that fantastic, but she’s tearing up right now. Lucy and Sasha come in, and Lucy asks, what’s going on in here?

At Charlie’s, Trina tells Josslyn that since she saw Spencer disappear into the water, she’s been walking through a fog. It’s like the world doesn’t have meaning anymore and everything that was important to her has lost its value. Josslyn says she hears Trina, but not everything has lost its value. What about art? What about her family and her friends? Trina says she loves them all, but it’s more like something she remembers feeling, and Josslyn says she thinks she felt something similar when Oscar passed. That’s how she knows Trina will get through this. Trina asks, what makes her so sure? and Josslyn says, because Trina is Trina, and she says so. She just can’t believe Spencer is gone. Trina says, he’s not the only one. What about Dex?

At the bar, Felicia thanks Spinelli for going through this entire ruse; moving in with Maxie and paying rent to keep her afloat so she can sort out her finances. It’s meant a lot. He says he was only too happy to help, and she says she’s sure giving up his personal space has been a huge sacrifice, which is why she’s happy to report – fingers crossed – that his pipes might soon be fixed. He says his pipes were never broken. That was all part of the… Oh. He sees. She says, Maxie’s almost back on her feet, so she was thinking it might be time to put an end to their little deception. He says, as it were, and she says, so he can finally pull up stakes and move back home. Won’t that be great? He says, yeah… great.

Lucy says, look at you two, thick as thieves. It forces her to wonder, what inspired Maxie to get so cozy with the resident rat? Maxie says, it’s nothing. They were just excited about the spread. She holds up the magazine, and Lucy says, oh. She’s actually excited. It’s better than she imagined, and she does have a very vivid imagination. Brook says, clearly, and Sasha says she has to give it up for their team. The copy, the placement, this entire ad campaign looks fantastic. Tracy comes in and says, you know what they say about appearances. They have all been deceived, (well, that would be ironic), and someone is going to be held accountable.

Alexis tells Gregory that the social media reports came in, and the online engagement about their coverage has been on a steady rise, so she’s hoping the numbers will impress their new – she makes a gagging gesture – management. Nina comes in and says, her? Satisfied? Never.

Carly looks at the headline about Olivia Jerome, when Drew comes in with the magazine and says, look what you did. She’s a beauty, just like her editor. What’s the matter? Doesn’t she want to celebrate her first issue of Crimson? She says she wishes she could, but right now she can only think about one thing.

Ava comes into the penthouse and says she didn’t think Sonny would be here. She’s just going to pick up something for the gallery. She’ll stay out of his hair. He says, she can’t avoid him forever, and she says, but she can try. He says, they need to talk about her sister.

Carly tells Drew that she’s so proud of that magazine. She’s never done anything like that before. She should be out there thanking her staff for all their hard work, but – she shows him her tablet with the headline about Olivia – this happened. Olivia Jerome is dead, the woman who planted the car bomb that killed Morgan. Seeing the headline opened a door that she’s been keeping closed really tight, and all she can think about is her son and how he was taken from her. Drew says he’s definitely thought about Morgan too. He was on his way to see how she was doing, but then he saw the magazine. He was so proud of her being able to focus on this considering. She says, it should be a happy thing, and she should be feeling that instead of all these feelings that are coming back to her. Drew says, he was her son, and she says, his death was so sudden and so senseless. He says he knows. Morgan was so young and had so much life left to live. She says, she should have processed this already, and she should be able to bounce back, and he says, why? There is no should. Not when it comes to losing a child. He hugs her.

Ava says, Sonny’s right. She has been avoiding him, but does he blame her? She’s sure she’s not a person he wants to see right now. He says he didn’t ask her to steer clear, and she says she knows. And she knows he’s not one to mince words, and she also knows he wouldn’t tell her to leave for Avery’s sake. He says, if she’s in his home it’s because he wants her to stay, and she says she doesn’t mind if Avery stays and she finds someplace else, but he says, she knows that’s not an option. She says, but staying here is? Doesn’t her being here bring up an awful lot of memories?

Tracy says, Carly changed the layout, in bad faith, she might add. They were promised an interview and a full-page spread in the first 20 pages. Maxie says, they were, and then Carly called them personally and said there was a spacing issue. She got the change approved by Brook and by her. (What did I say? Carly was making all these promises as the magazine was going to press. I know zilch about that stuff, yet I could guess there wouldn’t be the space she was offering.) Brook says, and she gave them an addition half page of ad space as compensation, and Maxie says, which means they got better placement and more space, all thanks to Tracy’s granddaughter’s exceptional negotiation skills. Tracy says, it isn’t what they agreed upon, and they could have squeezed more out of Carly. But clearly, Maxie is too close to her or maybe just too trusting to realize it. Sasha suggests Tracy take another look at the issue. She thinks if Tracy keeps an open mind – Lucy says, what little mind she has left – she’ll see how fantastic this ad campaign is, thanks to Maxie’s guidance. It’s vital, it’s fresh, and you can see how much passion went into it. (Does anyone really look at ads that hard?) Tracy says, maybe if Maxie loves what Carly is doing so much, she should sell her shares of Deception and go back to Crimson.

Alexis says she didn’t realize they had a meeting this morning, and setting down some potted flowers, Nina says she couldn’t sit on her hands after reading Alexis’s Olivia Jerome coverage. Gregory says, they’re all very proud of their work on that piece. Not only did The Invader get the scoop on Ms. Jerome’s murder, they provided valuable context and insight into her life as well as her death. Nina says she loved it. That’s why she wants to promote Alexis’s work. She wants to find Alexis her Peabody, her Pulitzer. Alexis says she thinks what Nina is suggesting is a little ambitious, and Nina says, of course (🍷) it is. Alexis says, what she meant was, a little too ambitious. She knows Nina is used to running a glamor magazine, but this is a daily newspaper, so the pacing and style is different. Nina says she gets it and trusts Alexis’s instinct on journalistic integrity. But what she brings with her from Crimson is more than a little expertise in circulation. And The Invader, while good, leveled off. Alexis says, again, with respect, the landscape of journalism is the daily struggle. What she would suggest is Nina spend some time learning about the business and then make a big change if she wishes. Nina says, that’s a great idea. That’s why she wants Alexis to focus in on the important issues and quality journalism and let her worry about the numbers. Alexis says, right. What does that mean?

Tracy asks Lucy, what’s so funny? and Lucy says, it’s just that she’s so pleased to know Tracy hasn’t lost her famous people skills. Brook suggests they take a moment to recognize there is no Deception without Maxie. Have they even taken a minute to look at social media? The campaign is doing great. Crimson readers are going straight to the website, all thanks to Maxie. Maxie thanks Brook, and says, Brook deserves just as much credit. Tracy says, clicks and likes do not translate to sales, but Brook says, they literally do. People who go directly to the website usually end up buying more than one product, making up for those who are just browsing. Maxie says, likes keep them trending, which means more clicks, so… Lucy picks up her bag and coat, and Maxie asks where she’s escaping to. Lucy says, this is so boring. All that Tracy does is complain and she’s sick of hearing it. She’s sure they are too, so she has more important things to do with her time. She leaves.

Spinelli says, any number of bad things can happen to Maxie. There could be a downturn in the market. Deception could have a downturn. The debt ceiling could be a socioeconomic trash compactor. Felicia tells him, breathe. Maxie’s financial advisor is confident that she’ll be fine. He asks if they trust this advisor. What are their credentials? Are they even a fiduciary? They could be an itinerary gambler, an embezzler, or God forbid, clandestinely involved in the performing arts. (Oh, horrors!) Felicia says she really doesn’t think that’s the case, but you never know, right? He says, her attempt at humor is no solace to him, and she says she’s getting a very strong impression nothing would be. Level with her. Why doesn’t he want to move out?

Sonny asks if she’s talking about her sister Olivia, and Ava says, he brought her up. He says, yes, he did, and she tells him that she knows she probably doesn’t have to say this, but it bears repeating. She and Olivia were not close. She barely knew Olivia. Olivia did hold her hostage. Sonny says he remembers, and she says, so whoever killed her dearly departed sister, she’s grateful. He says he doesn’t know how grateful she’s going to be when he tells her who did it. It was the people who tried to kill him at the MetroCourt and in Puerto Rico. She tells him that she can’t say she’s a fan of all their work, but she’ll give them credit of doing the one good deed of wiping Olivia off the planet. But where does this leave them? There’s a lot of history under this roof right now and she doesn’t know how long they can sustain it. He says he doesn’t even want to think of the past, because there’s so much trouble going on in the here and now. Do they agree on that? There’s a knock at the door, and Ava says she’ll check on Avery. Sonny asks the guard, what is it? and he says, Sonny has a visitor. Sonny says he doesn’t want to be disturbed, and the guard says he’ll send her away, but Selina says, he’ll do no such thing. She walks to the doorway and says, Sonny Corinthos, you never write, you never call.

Alexis says, absolutely not, but Nina says, just hear her out. Alexis says, fine, but only because she has to, and Nina says, this is what she does. Take her two top op-ed writers and publish them on alternate days, so The Invader will have space for a syndicated gossip columnist. Alexis says, when Valentin told her that he bought this paper and hired Nina to be publisher, she told him on no uncertain terms that she would not let this paper be turned back into a seedy tabloid. Not on her watch. Nina says she promises Alexis will be able to provide quality journalism for her readers (it’s not like Crimson was some rag), and Alexis says, great. Are they done here? Nina says, in order to fund and expand that work, they need to increase revenue, and the only way to do that is by readership growth. One thing she did learn from Crimson, it pays to give the readers what they want. Alexis says, Nina’s already hired someone, hasn’t she? and Nina says she likes to work with people who are open minded and not afraid of change, and she knows that’s Alexis, whether Alexis knows it or not. She adjusts the flowers and leaves. Alexis tells Gregory, help… Okay, here’s what they’re going to do. They’re going to convince Nina that there’s going to be no gossip column here or they’re going to hightail it out of here with their integrity intact. Will he say something? He says, don’t hate him, but he thinks Nina might be onto something.

Spinelli tells Felicia, it’s not that he doesn’t want to move out. He’s gotten used to spending time with Georgie and James and Bailey Lou. It would be a shame to abruptly end their tutelage of fantasy role playing games at this juncture. Felicia says, Bailey plays fantasy games? and he says, they work as a team. She has a deft touch with the dice. A hand clamps down on his shoulder, and Cody says, if it isn’t two of his favorite people. He asks how Mac is doing, and Felicia says, still away. They talk a little bit every day if they can. He sends his regards. Cody says, please send Mac his as well. He couldn’t help but overhear them, and asks Spinelli, why not tell Felicia the truth?

Josslyn says, there are things she can’t tell Trina about why Dex left, and she wants Trina to know it has nothing to do with their friendship. Trina says she’s here for Josslyn, so tell her what she can. What has she figured out so far?

Cody says, Spinelli wants to keep spending time with the kids. Wouldn’t it be jarring if he suddenly left, especially after their used to having him there so much? And he bets Spinelli would miss them too. Right, buddy? Spinelli says, that’s exactly right, and Felicia says she supposes they could work out some kind of arrangement to wean him out of the house. Talk to Maxie. Lucy comes in and trots over to Felicia. She says, you, with me, now. Excuse them. She practically drags Felicia outside, and Cody says, Spinelli does know Felicia’s right, doesn’t he?

Tracy says, thank God Lucy left. They can finally get some work done. Brook says, before they do that, she’d like to have a word. She asks Maxie if they can please use her office for a second, and Maxie says, yes, by all means. Maybe Brook can get Tracy to see what a triumph they’ve made. She tells Sasha to get out while she can, and they both leave. Tracy says, finally, it’s just her and Brook. How does Brook want to manage this crisis? Brook says, they don’t, because there isn’t a crisis, and Tracy asks if she’s learned nothing. Brook says, what she’s learned is that there’s obviously something that’s upsetting Tracy and she’s taking it out on everyone else. And she’s pretty sure it has nothing to do with Deception.

Sonny asks if Selina just happened to be in the neighborhood, and she says, first of all, she wanted to congratulate him. He says, why? What did he win? She says, the woman who’s responsible for the death of his youngest son is finally dead, and he says, too little too late. Anything else she needs? She asks why she had to hear from Curtis Ashford that she might be the target of a shooter going after – Ava comes back – certain independent business owners. He says, it’s okay. Ava knows everything. Selina says, even so, care to answer the question? He says he thought she could handle it herself, and Selina says she appreciates the vote of confidence, but why should she believe him? He says he doesn’t really care if she believes him or not, and she says, before all this happened, they were managing to peacefully co-exist in Port Charles, but now with all this secrecy, she’s thinking maybe that should change. Perhaps now is the time to bring their alliance to an end.

Sonny says, if Selina wants to end their alliance, that’s up to her, but he wouldn’t recommend it. Selina asks, why not? and Ava says she’ll leave them to it, but Sonny says, don’t leave. He might need her input. Ava says, really? and Selina says, and why? Sonny asks if Selina forgot Ava was in the business, but Selina says, not for some time now. He says, she knows the business from the inside and the outside, and she may even give Selina some insight. Selina says, unlikely, but one never knows. So tell her, why should she and Sonny not dissolve their partnership? Sonny says, she never represented a threat to him or his business whatever that is and they both know she doesn’t want to. It’s a matter of scale. Selina says, then why not tell her the truth, that she has a target on her back? and he says he was going to. That’s the actual truth. Selina says, and he changed his mind, but he tells her, like he said, there were other factors. Selina says, such as? and he says, if he tells her this, she needs to give him her word that it doesn’t go out of this room. She says, he has her solemn oath, and he says, there’s a leak in his organization. She says she sees. Does he know who it was? He says he did, but it turned out to be a dead end. He didn’t want to say anything to her until he was positive. She says she sees the wisdom in that. As it turns out, he’s not the only one with a traitor in their midst.

Carly says she thought if Olivia ever got what was coming to her, she’d feel some kind of relief, and Drew says, then it happens, and… She says she feels anger… It’s sadness He suggests she take the day off. This is a lot to process. People will understand. She says she can’t. People worked so hard to put this issue together. Everyone showed up and taught her the ropes and they deserve some recognition. So does she look okay? He says, she looks amazing, and hugs her. Nina walks in.

Tracy says she’s not upset about anything. Where did Brook get that idea? Brook says she saw the way Tracy reacted to Lucy, and Tracy says, she’s an airhead. Brook says, look, ever since Tracy lost Luke, she’s been a little rudderless. Maybe a little lonely, dare she say, although she knows Tracy would never admit it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. She knows it must be scary, opening her heart up after losing the man she loves, but Brook also knows she must want to. Tracy says, this is not appropriate workplace conversation, but Brook says she’s right. It’s obvious there’s someone Tracy wants to bring to the wedding, but she just hasn’t asked them yet. Tracy says, Brook’s not right, so how can it be obvious? and Brook asks, why else would she have pitched a fit about not getting a plus one? Tracy says, come on, and Brook says, Tracy’s right. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about – Tracy says, thank you – because if she did, that would mean Tracy is too afraid to ask. But she is Tracy Angelica Quartermaine. She’s not afraid of anything. Is she?

At the café, Maxie tells Sasha, the mock-ups are exactly the same. They’re just spaced out a little more, which means they have more ad space. They look less crowded. It’s a win for them. She doesn’t even know what Tracy is talking about. Sasha says, stop, and Maxie says she’s sorry she’s rambling. It’s just that Tracy drives her so crazy sometimes. Sasha says, she drives all of them crazy, but she can’t take Tracy too seriously. Besides, Brook knows how to handle her. Maxie says, Sasha’s right. Normally, she wouldn’t let something like this bother her; she’d just dive straight into work. But this time… Sasha asks if she’s okay, and Maxie says, yeah. Why? Sasha says, she just stopped talking, and Maxie says she can see why that would be a cause for concern. Sasha asks if there’s something else on her mind, and Maxie says, her accountant said she’s close to being financially solvent again. Sasha says, that’s great. She must be so relieved. Maxie says, yeah, she is, and Sasha asks if she’s sure. Because by the look on her face, it doesn’t seem like good news. Is something else going on?

Cody sits next to Spinelli and says he knows what Spinelli is going to say, that he and Maxie are just friends or co-parents or whatever, but… Spinelli says, as much as he loathes to admit it, Cody is right. His feelings for Maxie extend beyond the platonic and into the romantic. Again. Cody says, way to go. Look at him. He said it out loud. He’s really proud of Spinelli. Doesn’t it feel good? Spinelli says, only because he knows nothing will come of it. Maxie will ask him to move out, which he will, and everything will go back to normal. Cody says, or now maybe is the perfect time to tell Maxie how he feels, but Spinelli says, and risk their friendship? How could he possibly throw that away because of some fleeting infatuation?

Lucy asks if Maxie has said anything about Deception, and Felicia says, other than working night and day on a new ad campaign? but Lucy says, not about work. She’s talking about Brook. She did help Tracy steal Deception from her and Maxie. She just can’t figure out why Maxie is trying to make Brook look so good.

Trina asks Josslyn, if Sonny made Dex go away, would he trust Dex or would he have his guards make sure Dex stays away? Josslyn says, Trina is a genius. She has most of Sonny’s guard’s numbers because of Donna and Avery. Trina asks if she can trace them or something, and Josslyn looks over at Spinelli. She says, she can’t, but she thinks she knows someone who can.

Nina says she’s there to make sure this office still meets Carly’s high standards, and Carly says she’s satisfied with the repairs. Thanks. Nina says, Carly is much more understanding than that boyfriend of hers, and Carly says, how so? Nina says, Drew was so upset with the repairs being done, he made some choice phone calls to some very important people and crushed her dreams of starting her own magazine, but fortunately, she’s resilient and adapts, so she’s no longer in fashion. She’s in news media. Carly says, cable access? and Nina says, no. Carly hasn’t heard. Valentin bought The Invader and now she’s publisher. So she guesses the moral of the story is, everything always works out in the end. So thank you, Drew. He freed her from the insular world of fashion, allowing her to broaden her horizons with The Invader. So from now on she’s on to far bigger and far better things.

Gregory says, Nina wants a money-maker that relies on subscribers than advertisers. Gossip columns began as populist journalism, written by and for the elite. Alexis says, you know why the society page died? Because no one gives a crap anymore about debutants and divorcées. He says he knows she thinks it’s soft and unworthy of interest in her newspaper, but it also reveals what’s going on behind the closed doors of influential people. She says, columns about who wore what where don’t interest her, and he says, she’s not her only subscriber. And don’t forget, not all newspapers are dropped off at a doorstep anymore. Most of their readers prefer to come to them and they want them to keep coming, do they not? She says, of course (🍷) they do, and he says, so if they want them to eat their vegetables, i.e. the good stuff they offer them, maybe they need entice them with a little dessert. She says she doesn’t like it, and he says, she doesn’t have to like it. She says, so they just have to do it? and he says, unless she can come up with a highbrow alternative that’s just as popular and profitable. She says she has a better idea. Why doesn’t he come up with a highbrow alternative that’s whatever he said. Earn his paycheck. He says he’ll get back to her on that. In the meantime, he hopes she won’t hold his falling in line against him because he has a favor to ask. She says, depends. What’s the favor?

Tracy says, of course (🍷) she’s not afraid, and Brook says, then why not ask? Tracy says, it’s not her business, and Brook says, if she hadn’t inherited Tracy’s relentlessness and insistence on meddling, she’d let it go, but alas. Tracy says, fine. There is someone. Brook says she knew it, and Tracy says, but she’s not going to ask him. Brook says, why not? and Tracy says, because it’s not necessary. Brook says, why not? Is he already going to be at the… She gasps and says, it’s Gregory, and Tracy says, good guess. So now she sees, there’s no point. Brook says, but wouldn’t it be great to show up on Gregory’s arm as opposed to just happening to be at the same place?

Maxie tells Sasha, they must be almost done with the repairs in Spinelli’s apartment and that means he’ll be moving out soon. Sasha says, that’s too bad. Maxie really seemed to enjoy having him at her house. Maxie says, they drive each other crazy; they always have. Sasha says, but in a good way, right? and Maxie says, sometimes. She guesses she missed seeing Spinelli every day, because now that she does, she loves telling Spinelli about her day. And she loves explaining the business to him and listening to him talk about chemical compounds and situational epics and hearing about his day, the details of which are completely incomprehensible. It’s like listening to R2-D2. Sasha says, who doesn’t love R2-D2? and Maxie says, right? But he loves what he does, and she loves hearing him talk about what he loves. For somebody who uses 500 words when 5 will do – Sasha says she can’t imagine what that must be like – he’s a great listener. Spinelli always helps her put her day in perspective and remember what matters the most. Sasha says, if things are going so well, why doesn’t she ask him to stay? but Maxie says, no, no, no, no, no. Sasha says, why not? and Maxie says she’s already asked so much of him. How can she ask him for anything else?

Trina tells Josslyn, go find Dex. And when she does, never let go of him. They hug.

Felicia says she doesn’t know what’s going on with Maxie and Brook. All she knows is, they have a very strong bond. You don’t care for the same child without developing a deep trust and understanding. Lucy says, friendship though, is one thing. Business is quite another. Felicia says she doesn’t know why Maxie is being so generous with Brook or why Brook is suddenly so invested in Deception. They’re probably just working out their differences and it’s as simple as that. She wishes she could be of more help, but she can’t. Lucy says she’s got to go, and jets.

Spinelli tells Cody that he used to woo Maxie with karaoke. Those were the days, my friend. That’s an expression. He and Cody are acquaintances at best. Cody says he’s well aware, and looks at a card advertising karaoke at Charlie’s. Josslyn approaches Spinelli, and he says his condolences about Spencer. She thanks him and asks if she can talk to him.

Sonny says, any idea who the leak is? and Selina says, with all due respect, and looks at Ava. Sonny says he told her, she can trust Ava, but Ava says, it’s okay. She was just about to fix herself a drink. Selina says, cheers, and Ava leaves. Sonny and Selina sit on the sofa, and Selina says she takes it he heard about the attack on her and her men. He says he doesn’t know the details. Is there something else he should know? She says, between them, she was quite taken aback that she left herself in so vulnerable a position, and he says he knows the feeling. She says, after the attack, she discovered one of her most trusted guards had been accepting bribes. He tipped off her location. Sonny says he needs to talk to this guy, and she says, that can be arranged, but she’ll need something from him in return. I’m shocked she let him live.

Josslyn asks if Spinelli can find the location of a cell phone off the number, and he says, it’s possible, but it does depend on a variety of factors. It might help if he knew who she was looking for. She says, trust her. The less he knows, the better. At the bar on the phone, Cody asks Sasha if she and Maxie have any plans for tonight. Sasha says, not that she knows of, and he says, she does now. Bring her down to Charlie’s. Spinelli will be waiting. Do not take no for an answer. She says, they’ll be there.

Alexis tells Gregory, that is a favor she’s more than happy to grant. As soon as she checks her schedule. Tracy knocks at the door and says, Gregory’s assistant said she could find him here. He says he doesn’t really have an assistant, and she says, somebody knew where he was. He says, it’s always lovely to see her. What brings her by? She says she actually had something personal she wanted to talk to him about, and Alexis says she just wants Gregory to know her schedule is free and she’s available to be his plus one. Tracy asks, plus one for what? and Gregory says, Brook and Chase’s wedding. Did she want to go somewhere? She says, no. Actually, Lois has been harassing her about nailing down the RSVPs, but now she can tell Lois they spoke. It’s great Alexis will be joining them on the big day. She leaves and, in the hallway, she looks sad.

Nina says she was so excited about her new venture, she just had to share. Being publisher of The Invader is allowing her to tell these new stories. She’s especially interested in exposing how those at the top are willing to do anything to stay there. So don’t they dare cancel their subscriptions. They won’t want to miss a beat. She leaves, and Drew says, can she believe that woman? Carly says, she’s hateful. They knew that. So why go out of his way to antagonize her?

Lucy goes into Brook’s office and says, Brook and Maxie are up to something, and Brook is going to tell her exactly what that is. Brook says, just trying to run Deception, that’s all, and Lucy says, so if she were to go to Tracy and suggest that maybe her true-blue granddaughter isn’t all she’s pretending to be, would she stick to the same story? Think about it. If she were to suggest to Brook’s dearly beloved granny Tracy, what would Brook think Tracy would think if she knew Brook and Maxie are conspiring against her express wishes for Deception? Brook says, Lucy doesn’t need to upset her that way. So tell her. What does Lucy want to make sure that doesn’t happen? Lucy says, easy. She wants in.

Sonny asks what Selina needs, and she says she’d like to resume her poker games. They were rather profitable, and their absence has sparked a demand for their return. He says, in exchange, she gives him access to her guard, and she says, access. Is that all? He says, and free reign to get what answers he needs by whatever means necessary. Ava listens in.

Tomorrow, Sasha asks what tricks Cody has up his sleeve; Carly asks Drew, what is the benefit of one-upping Nina; John says he’s shutting this operation down; and Sonny says, whoever did this is going to pay.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Kyle meets with personal assistant Jenn, Erika, Kevin Lee (remember him?), and the event manager at the SoFi Stadium to plan the White Party. In Kyle’s interview, she says, the White Party is nostalgic for her. It’s always been about their family. We flash back to White Parties past, and she says she’d rather put her energy and focus on planning the party than her personal life. The White Party is back and bigger and better than ever. They check the place out and act stupid on the field. Kevin shows Erika the stage, and in Erika’s interview, she says she can’t believe Kyle is having her party there and asked her to perform. It’s a warmup for her Vegas residency and a chance to redeem herself. Erika Jayne is back and at SoFi. Take that. In Kyle’s interview, she says she learned about Kevin from LVP, and we flash back to bling, bling, bling, shi, shi, shi. She says, if she’s doing an over-the-top party, she needs an over-the-top planner.

Sutton goes to see jewelry designer Martin, bringing along her daughter Porter. In Sutton’s interview, she says, it’s a special day. Porter is home and she’s had her store for four years; they survived the pandemic. She wants to show Porter that as women, they can do this. They browse, and in her interview, Sutton says, in a previous life asking permission was not fun. This is freedom. She’s doing what she wants with no guilt. Martin shows her some jewelry that none of us will ever be able to afford in several lifetimes, like a 9-million-dollar ring. Sutton says her business manager would kill her and settles for $68K earrings. In her interview, she says she’s struggled about a lot of things since her divorce. She wants everyone, especially Porter to see she’s thriving and not being a cliché wealthy woman, sitting around planning galas in a muumuu with bonbons. We go to work. She tells Porter that it was hard when daddy said he was moving. When she married, she lost her independence, but now she can’t believe what she’s able to do. She wants Porter to know that, going forward in her life, keep her independence. Fall in love and have babies, but never lose that person. Don’t let the hard worker in her go. Then Porter can buy Sutton jewels.

The stadium is set up for the party and Erika’s concert, including white palm trees and a giant KYLE written in the middle of the floor. In Kyle’s interview, she says she wants the ground to open her up and swallow her whole. Why isn’t Kevin getting that it’s not all about her? She shades LVP, and I call her an a-hole.

Everyone gets ready, and Dorit calls PK in London. In her interview, she says, PK is still in London for work. He knew the White Party was on the calendar and knew how much it meant to her. She tells him, 8 months ago, if he’d delayed his return, it would have created resentment, but he says, back then, he wouldn’t have done that. She says, but he did, and in her interview, she says, PK says he’s starting to understand her PTSD better – we flash back to their therapy session – but his actions don’t show it. She tells him that she likes having him around, although sometimes he can be annoying. He says, sometimes, he can’t get a word in, and in Dorit’s interview, she says she has moments when she worried about them being able to stay together.

Mauricio wanders around, wondering where Kyle is, and backstage, Mikey gathers the performers together. He says, they haven’t done this in four years, so it’s extra pressure, a new look. The party guests enter by walking through a gauntlet of cheerleaders with pompoms and Sutton says, it’s freakin’ real cool. Mauricio says, they decided to throw something small, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, for someone who doesn’t drink and would rather stay home and read, it’s a contradiction. Go big or go home. The guests include the morally corrupt Faye Resnick, Cynthia Bailey, Jeff Lewis, and Camille Meyer (formerly Grammer). Dorit says, it’s so chic, because she desperately needs a thesaurus. Kyle comes out on the field with her daughters, but her big entrance isn’t very big, since no one notices except Sutton. In Sutton’s interview, she says, where is Mauricio? They’ve been looking for him since the memorial service.

Sutton tells Mauricio that Kyle is on the football field, and he says, right now? Mauricio tells the girls that they’re slaying, and Kyle tells Jeff, f*** him and his podcast talking sh*t about her. She’s never taken a diet drug. I believe it if you believe it. The party is on a platform in the middle of the field, and the dancers on stage have disco balls for heads. I wonder how they see. Denise arrives, committing the cardinal sin of wearing a pink jacket. In Dorit’s interview, she says, the last time she told Denise that her jacket was upside down, it didn’t go well. We flash back to that, and she says she doesn’t want to be the one to tell Denise it’s a White Party. Kyle talks about the first White Party when they were on a budget, and everyone tells her how amazing the party is. Truthfully, it looks pretty boring. Garcelle asks if Sutton has heard from Steve, and Sutton says, yes, two days after he ghosted her. She decided that’s not good enough, and Garcelle says, there are other Steves in the fish… in the sea. In Sutton’s interview, she says she gives her success on getting a second date and being asked on a third date to Allessandra. She’s more confident on how she presents herself, but dating isn’t as important as she thought. What she wants to date now is her business. That’s what she’s in love with. In Kyle’s interview, she says, the White Party is sentimental for her. Mauricio thought it was in the parking lot, and it shows he’s not listening. Does she look like the kind of person who’d have a party in a parking lot? Backstage, Mikey says, they haven’t done a prayer in four years, and Erika says, it’s been a few years, and she thanks and loves them. It’s been a long road. In Erika’s interview, she says she hates what the last few years have done to her, and we flash back over all that. There were times she quit caring what she looked like, ate, or what people thought of her. She thought she’d never perform again in her life. She thanks her people for being here and says, have a great show. In her interview, she says, if she hadn’t gone through what she’d gone through, it wouldn’t have led to SoFi and Vegas.

Kyle takes the mic and welcomes everyone. She says, they need some entertainment, and Erika comes out on the field with her dancers like a boxer in a hoodie. In Erika’s interview, she says, if it doesn’t go right, the buzz and momentum comes to a screeching halt. Kyle introduces the beautiful and talented Miss Erika Jayne.

Erika hits the stage to cheers applause and performs XXPEN$IVE. Zzzzz…. Same old. No Lady Gaga here. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Erika Jayne just made her comeback, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, Erika gave the people what they wanted. She’s a real showman. At the end, a bunch of streamers come down like it’s a disco, and in Erika’s interview, she says she wakes up, smiles, and feels good about the person she’s working on. Kyle tells Erika that she killed it. She’s proud of her. We see text that says, after Erika’s success, she’s planning more. Her Bet on Blonde is playing out. More text says, PK came home after 39 days, and in her interview, Dorit says, no matter how hard she tries, PK is never going to take her seriously and be as present as she’d like. Maybe he’ll never change. Can she accept that? She doesn’t know. We read that Dorit and Kyle haven’t spoken since December, and Annemarie and Crystal haven’t interacted since the White Party. Annemarie is also retired from giving out medical advice at cocktail parties. I’m confused, since we’re only halfway through the show. In Annemarie’s interview, she says, not everybody can get along and that’s fine. She’s all about pushing herself to be a better person. The text says, Crystal is accepting Jeff living part-time in Thailand and that he has a new girlfriend. They show a clip of Jeff telling Crystal and their mom that they have to trust them. Their job is over. The text says, and Crystal finally admitted to Rob that he was right. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, her takeaway from this season was meeting people where they’re at. She’s grown with setting boundaries and as a mom, realizing the boys need different things. She’s a better version of herself. We read that Garcelle is basking in all her skills and won the ASTA Award for Black Girl Missing, and we see her acceptance speech. In Sutton’s interview, she says, when she found out Christian was moving, she was scared. In becoming independent, she tapped back into the business side of herself. Now she’s on her own and not leaning on someone. She’s making it happen for herself. We read that Sutton continues to grow her brand. Her son James is with her full-time, and she’s put dating on hold. The new man in her life is Santos. She tells us that she and her esophagus are doing just fine. The women take a group photo.

One month later. Garcelle looks at her phone, and says, oh my God.

July 23, 2023. Crystal tells Rob that Kyle and Mauricio are separated after 27 years of marriage. Dorit tells PK that Kyle never gave any indication there was trouble, and Annemarie wonders if the People magazine exclusive came from Kyle to get ahead of what people are saying. Rob wonders, who planted the story? and Crystal tells him that he’s storyboarding a movie. Sutton calls Garcelle, and says she thinks there was truth leading up to this. The exercising, not drinking, the tattoos. When they asked questions, they got in trouble. Methinks she doth protest too much. Garcelle asks if Sutton thinks Kyle was lying the whole time, and Sutton says she thinks the whole thing is sus.

One day later. Kyle says, there was no wrongdoing on anyone’s part. The rumors are not true. We see Twitter posts (yeah, I know, X, but does anyone use that in reference?) about the separation, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, when the article came out, she was with Mauricio and the girls. All of their phones started blowing up. Mauricio was focused on who gave the story, and she was focused on how it’s affecting them. Alexia started to cry, and no one knew what to do or say. It felt like her whole life was over, life as she knew it. Erika goes to Kyle’s, and in Erika’s interview, she says, when she filed for divorce, she felt overwhelmed and alone. It’s important she be here for Kyle. Kyle was always good to her. Kyle didn’t shade her or push her out or judge her. If you care about people, you show up when they need you most. Erika tells Kyle that she needs to acknowledge and apologize for not being observant at the dinner. She didn’t know. We flash back to Sutton and Garcelle asking questions, and Erika says, if she missed something or wasn’t an attentive friend, she’s sorry. Kyle says, there was nothing to be observed. They were dealing with things in private. Erika says, like what? and Kyle says she feels bad talking about it. The hardest part is that it’s not one big, huge thing. Erika says, she can’t point at one thing and say, that’s it, and Kyle says, there are things she was needing and wanting more from her marriage that she just can’t get. Since the article came out, she’s seeing things like, obviously Mauricio cheated, or she cheated. It has literally nothing to do with anyone else; it’s just about them. Erika says, she can acknowledge how painful it is, and Kyle says, Mauricio is the kind of person who pretends everything is okay. That makes it hard. Erika says, she was told, everything is fine, and Kyle says, when they met, they were opposites, but it worked. She kept him safe and because of him, she took chances. They’ve been together since their early 20s and she was proud of it. Erika says she should still be proud of it, but Kyle says she’s not proud now. Erika asks, why? and she says she feels like she’s let down Mauricio, the kids, and even people who don’t know them. Complete strangers have said they looked up to them and they made them believe in true love. Erika says, there are only two people who matter, and everyone else’s opinion can f*** off. Make herself happy. She’s raised the girls, and she’s been a good wife, mother, sister, and daughter. Kyle says, what if they can’t work it out?

One week later. Mauricio tells Kyle that they’re opening an office in Panama, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, things are more uncomfortable since the article came out. It made it more real. Mauricio jokes that he’s glad she’s having the affair for once, and in her interview, Kyle says, the kids lived a fairytale, and the article pulled the rug out from under them. Things are worse than they told them. Farrah arrives, and Kyle asks all the girls come to the living room. She says she wants an open conversation and to clear anything up. Mauricio says, what’s most important is that they didn’t tell the girls anything because they tried to protect them, and now they were blindsided by the news being made public. They ask if the girls have any questions. Kyle reassures them that there’s been no talk of divorce, but they’re no strangers to rumors. One of the girls asks, what happens now? and Kyle says, they’re taking the time while they’re working to work through their own stuff. They’re figuring out what they want and are going to work through this while living under the same roof. She doesn’t want to leave and doesn’t want dad to leave. If it’s not working out, they’ll go on to the next step, and if it’s working, great. Porsha starts crying, and Kyle says, they’re not broken, just bent. They’re a strong family and always will be.

In Kyle’s interview, she says she’s come to realize she’s taking a big chance. They might not end up together. A producer asks what the issue is. What can’t Kyle let go of? Kyle says, things happened that made her lose her trust and they haven’t been able to recover from. We flash back to Kyle and Mauricio at the Pont des Arts Bridge in Paris, adding their lock to the bridge. We go down Memory Lane, and it makes me feel sad, even though I don’t care about these people. We read that Kyle reconciled with Kathy, and things are hunky dory for Whitney’s wedding. In her interview, Kyle says, Mauricio is still away. She wants to be at peace. She’s never had that. A producer asks, is she done? and she says, it’s over, and sobs.

Way to end a season. I hope I don’t have nightmares.

Next time – the Reunion – Dorit says, Kyle sent her a text, silencing her; Kyle says she’s holding a crystal and Erika says she’s holding a Xanax; Erika wants Andy to eviscerate Kyle; Sutton says, Kyle was relentlessly mean to her – watch the show; Crystal wonders if she’ll get an apology from Annemarie for the eating disorder remark; Dorit accuses Garcelle of peddling a false narrative; Andy asks Kyle if she sees herself with Morgan; Kathy joins the group; and Sutton has some kind of attack.

🚬 Dave’s Not Here…

Stop by tomorrow for some soap and a gathering of entertaining info. Until then, stay safe, stay cultivating a positive digital footprint, and stay showing up for people you care about when they need you most.

February 16, 2024 – Sonny Gives Dex a Choice, Her Response, Two Firsts, No Salt, Bad Crew, VanderFave, New Chefs, Reunited Ones, Last News, Vamping, Throne Report, Big Change, Just Over 8 Quotes & If

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Doc says he just got off the phone with Martin, and Laura asks if his office got the paperwork. He says, they did, and he beneficially added to the adoption petition, which means everything is on track for them both to become Ace’s parents. She says, music to her ears, and they kiss. There’s a knock at the door, and Laura opens it to Cyrus, who says, hello, sister.

Anna asks what Dante’s got, and he says, Pentenville confirmed that they were relocating Olivia Jerome. CSI says the transport van was sabotaged and two guards were restrained, but unharmed. This is just an overview until they get the crime scene report. Jordan says, sounds like a prison break gone wrong, but Anna says, with Olivia Jerome, nothing’s ever that simple.

Sam lets Alexis into her apartment and says, she didn’t have to come over, but Alexis says, Sam seemed a little frazzled when she bailed on lunch. Not to mention vague. So she thought, why not meddle? Is she okay? Sam says, yeah. She’s just keeping an extra eye on Danny. Alexis asks, why? and Sam says she’s going to tell Alexis, and then Alexis is going to tell her that she’s worried over nothing, and nothing serious is going on with her kid.

Ava tells Josslyn, Sonny isn’t here, but she’s more than welcome to come in and wait for him. Josslyn asks if Ava can call him because he’s not picking up for her, and Ava says she’s sure he’s just busy. Josslyn says, but she’s Avery’s mom, so he might not be as busy for her, and Ava says, maybe she can help, but Josslyn says, no. It’s really Sonny she needs to speak to and it’s very important. Ava tells her, like she said, Josslyn is more than welcome to wait, and Josslyn asks if she knows when he’ll be back, and Ava says, not precisely, no. Josslyn says, then she’s going to look for him, but Ava says, wait. Don’t do that.

Dex lets Sonny in, and Sonny says, he didn’t run. He didn’t even start packing. Dex says, Sonny has at least one guard stationed nearby, and Sonny says, Dex knows how he operates. That’s why he’s carrying. He also knows his only way out is through him. What’s he going to do? Is he going to take a shot?

Laura asks, what happened to the ground rules? Cyrus is supposed to call her before he comes over. He says he knows, but he was in the neighborhood and just wanted to say hello to his sister and his grandnephew. Doc says, now is not a good time. They just put Ace down for his nap. Cyrus promises this will just be a quick visit. He has another engagement immediately after. Doc says, and yet he found time to stop by, and Cyrus says, one should always find time for family. Doesn’t he think? Laura looks at Doc, who shrugs, and tells Cyrus, come in. They hear Ace coo on the baby monitor, and Cyrus asks if he can just have a glimpse of him, but Doc says he’s afraid even a glimpse is out of the question. Naps are just so important at his age. Doc goes to Ace’s room, and Cyrus says, it seems Ace isn’t the only one in need of a nap. She says, don’t let them keep him from his next appointment, and he says, before he goes, has she been in touch with Nikolas since he left for Pentenville? She says she has, and he says he knows how hard this must be for her, and Ace. She thanks him, and he asks how they’ve taken to being Ace’s temporary guardians. She says she guesses there’s no reason she shouldn’t tell him. She and Doc have decided to legally adopt Ace. He says, that’s wonderful news. Congratulations. She thanks him and says she’s pleased that he’s so pleased, but she’s a little bit surprised. He asks why his happiness at her good fortune should surprise her, and she says she supposes it shouldn’t. He says he can’t think of two better people to shepherd their little angel through this world, and she says she thinks there’s something they need to get clear right now. Ace’s adoption does not guarantee Cyrus a bigger role in Ace’s life. As a matter of fact, or any role.

Josslyn asks why she doesn’t want to look for Sonny. Ava knows where he is, doesn’t she? Ava says, Sonny doesn’t apprise her of his movements, and Josslyn says, but she knows what he’s doing. Ava says, what she knows is, it’s a waste of time scouring the city looking for him when the one place they know he’ll show up is here. And if what Josslyn has to say is so important, then stay. Josslyn asks if Ava can just call her when he gets back, and Ava says, she’s obviously very upset and Josslyn can tell her; has something happened? Josslyn says, it’s personal, and Ava says she sees. So this must be about Dex. Or Michael.

Dex says he doesn’t want to hurt Sonny, but he’s not going down without a fight, and Sonny says, if he wanted Dex dead, he’d be rotting in the ground right now, no matter what Carly said. But he’s right about one thing. Dex says, what’s that? and Sonny says, Dex joined his organization under false pretenses, working for Michael the whole time. Dex says, his job was to protect Sonny, and he did, and Sonny says, Dex knows too much about his business and about him. And all he knows about Dex is that he can’t trust him. So if Dex was in his position, how would he handle this?

Dante says, they’ve got the crime scene report, handing it to Anna, who asks, what do they know? He says, the transport van hit a spike strip that blew out the tires. They pulled the van over and they were ambushed by two masked men. They tied up the guards and took Olivia Jerome. Shortly thereafter, they heard a gunshot. They freed themselves, one of them called for help, the other went into the woods in the direction of the gunshot and found Olivia’s body. Anna says, did they pick up the gunman’s trail yet? but he says, not yet, and she says she needs to see the body.

Alexis says, Danny was drinking? Danny? Sam asks if she’d be less surprised if it were Rocco or Scout, and Alexis says she couldn’t be more surprised. Danny? She never in a million years. Sam says she knows. Here they are. Alexis asks if Sam flipped out. She would have flipped out. She has flipped out. The trouble Kristina used to get into took years off her life. Sam says, actually, no. She was angry, but she didn’t really raise her voice or give him a long lecture or anything. Alexis asks if she gave him a short one, and Sam says, they had a really good conversation about it. Alexis says, good, and Sam says, it was actually quite mature… of her, not him. Alexis asks if she grounded him, and Sam says, hell yes. Alexis says, how long? and Sam says, until he learns responsibility. Alexis says, so she guesses Sam didn’t want to tie herself down to a specific timeline, and Sam says she didn’t think of it that way, but she likes the way Alexis thinks. She thinks somewhere between one month and forever sounds good. Alexis says, sounds reasonable, and Sam says, they got to a good place. Alexis says, okay. Is Sam ready for her to be honest? Sam says she doesn’t know. Is it something she’ll want to hear? Alexis says she thinks so. She thinks what Sam did was very normal parenting. Actually, it sounds like excellent parenting. But it sounds like Sam is still bothered. Sam says, taking the you’re grounded, but if this ever happens again and you find yourself in this position, you can call me or Dante and we’ll come and get you, no questions asked route is a normal course of action, right? Alexis says, last time she checked, and Sam says, but Danny is Jason’s son and he’s getting more and more like him every day. And Jason was drawn to danger. What if Danny is too?

Cyrus says, of course (🍷) he’ll respect Laura’s wishes as Ace’s adoptive mother, and she says, good idea. She moves to open the door, and he says, but he must ask… She says, that was fast, and he says, why would she want to deprive Ace of family after he’s already lost so much? She says, it’s because he’s lost so much that she wants Cyrus to keep his distance. She wants Ace to have some kind of stability in his young life. Cyrus says he would only bring stability. He’d be a constant presence in Ace’s life. As constant as she deems appropriate, no more, but certainly no less. She says she appreciates his good intentions, but he has to just rest assured that Ace has a lot of family who really love him. He says he knows that, and it gives him comfort, but it’s a family he’d dearly love to be part of. It’s one reason he stopped by today, to offer her what comfort he could after losing Spencer and seeing Nikolas go to prison. He cares about her. She says, he keeps telling her that, and he says, and she keeps doubting. How long is she going to distrust him? He thinks he’s proven by now that he’s turned over a new leaf. She says, it wasn’t that long ago, when he expressed his distress over somebody else’s misfortune, when what he was really doing was rubbing their nose in it. He doesn’t deny that, does he? He says he does not. He owns his misdeeds and carries the shame of them. She says, okay, but the rest of them remember it, and he says, okay. She tells him that if he wants the rest of them to believe he’s turned over a new leaf, then it may take more than just his word. He may have to forgive them their trespasses if they need more time to forgive his. He says he understands, which is why he asked her about Nikolas. Not to rub her nose it in, but because he wants her to know that he’s arranged for Nikolas to be protected in Pentenville, so that she can have the peace that comes in knowing he’ll be safe. She says, this is exactly what she’s talking about. How can he expect her to believe that he’s turned over a new leaf when he’s offering to pull strings in prison?

Josslyn says, what makes Ava think this is about Michael? and Ava says, Michael came by, and he confessed to Sonny. She happened to overhear. Josslyn says, shocker, and Ava says, come on. This can’t be the first Josslyn’s hearing of this. Josslyn asks what Michael confessed, but Ava says, he didn’t mention it. And she doesn’t think it occurred to Sonny that Josslyn and Dex are too crazy about each other to keep secrets, especially big secrets. Like the fact that Michael hired Dex, first to spy on Sonny and then to protect him. Josslyn says, fine. Yes, she knew. Ava says, that’s a heavy burden to carry. She empathizes. If Josslyn would like somebody to talk to… Josslyn thanks her, but says she thinks she’d rather talk to her mom, and Ava says, of course (🍷), but it looks like she needs somebody to talk to right now. And since she’s here right now… Josslyn asks why she cares so much.

Dex says he expected Sonny to handle it the way he almost did, and Sonny says, in Dex’s opinion, what should he do now? Dex says, if it were his call? and Sonny says, yeah. Dex says, start over. All the cards are on the table. He’s fresh out of secrets. It feels good. Yes, if it were up to him, he would keep working for Sonny, but he knows that’s not possible. He’s become a liability Sonny can’t afford. Sonny says, perceptive as usual, and Dex says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he didn’t just learn about Sonny’s business. He learned about Sonny and the man he is. When Michael hired him, this was just a job, but then he got to know Sonny and his family and realized Sonny had a code and principles that guide him. He knows Sonny has no reason to believe him, but he wasn’t lying when he said he admired Sonny. Even now. He knows he shouldn’t, but he does.

The morgue attendant slides a body out, and Anna looks under the sheet. She says, yeah, that’s Olivia. Shot point blank in the back of the head. Olivia Jerome was executed. (We don’t see her, so I guess it was too expensive to bring her in just to lie there.)

Cyrus says he’s long since cut ties with the criminal element and those who kept him trapped in the dark far from the Lord’s love, and Laura says, if it’s not his henchman who would be looking after her son in jail, then who is he talking about? He says he found another group of men in prison, lost souls seeking redemption, just like him. Well- intentioned men living with the consequences of their mistakes. His mission is to provide them an example to live by, to offer counsel to guide them through their sentences, so they can turn their life around in prison and out. She says, right, but they’re inmates, criminals. He hasn’t said they’re not dangerous. Cyrus says, of course (🍷) they’re dangerous. They wouldn’t be able to provide protection if they were meek little lambs. She says she guesses she was hoping he bribed a few guards or something, and he says, with what? He has no riches to bribe anyone. She says, maybe with those hidden riches he uses to bribe people secretly? and he laughs. He says, if only he were half as colorful as he is in her imagination, and she says, then he’d be wearing half an orange jumpsuit. He laughs again and says, she’s so funny. All she needs to know is that after his release, he never abandoned his flock. Nor has he abandoned his cause. She asks, what is his cause? and he says, with the Lord’s blessing, his flock is about to get bigger. This afternoon is the inaugural broadcast of his radio show. Soon, very soon in fact, he’ll be spreading God’s word to everyone in Port Charles.

Sam tells Alexis, on Valentine’s Day, she and Dante decided to have a date night here at the house. He cooked for her. They thought all of the kids were in their rooms, and then there was a knock at the door just as they were about to get romantic. And Dante opened the door and there was a cop with Danny. Alexis says, perspective. Danny isn’t the first teenager to sneak out of the house with his friends and go drinking. Sam says, sneaking out is one thing, but sneaking out by a fire escape that’s suspended to the side of a building on a penthouse floor? Alexis says, clearly, Danny doesn’t have any fear of heights? and Sam says, gee, I wonder who he takes after? What if Danny hadn’t gotten caught and he would have tried to sneak in the same way? Up the building? What if he slipped or lost his balance? Alexis says, okay. She’s right to be asking all these questions and she’s right to be extra vigilant. However, one incident is not a pattern necessarily. Sam says, so this is normal teenage stuff? and Alexis says, all she knows is what Kristina did to her. Sam says, Kristina’s an angel right now compared to those things, and Alexis says she never raised a boy, so she has no idea what’s normal for boys. Sam says she gets that all teenagers take chances, but what if Danny’s hardwired to take bigger chances? And if so, how does she keep him safe? Because if he’s anything like his father, the more she tries to control him, the more he’s going to fight to be free.

Anna closes the morgue vault, when Dante comes in. He says he debriefed the detectives on the scene. They found this nearby. He hands Anna a plastic evidence bag, and she takes out a gun. She looks it over and says, oh yeah. Jordan asks if she found something, and Anna says, see that marking right there? The WSB put it on all the guns they seized. That means, whoever tried to kill Sonny is also behind Olivia Jerome’s murder.

Sonny says, Dex had a lot of potential. More than he’s seen in anyone in a long time. Dex proved his abilities to him, but Dex reminded him, being capable and trustworthy don’t really go hand-in-hand. He wishes he could just let Dex go; forget he ever existed. But he’s too big of a liability. Dex says he understands there’s a risk Sonny’s enemies might use him to get to Sonny, but he was willing to take a bullet rather than give up Carly and Michael. Sonny knows he can hold up under pressure. Sonny says he has kids to consider. Dex said himself that he’ll do anything to protect his family. Dex says, so what now? and Sonny says, the only way he sees it, Dex is going to have to disappear.

Ava says she knows she’s not Josslyn’s favorite person, but Josslyn still went out of her way to get Spinelli and Dex to find her when Mason took her. Josslyn says, of course (🍷). She did that for Avery. Ava says, Josslyn still did it. She owes Josslyn her life for that. So if there’s ever anything she can do for Josslyn, no matter what it is, all she has to do is ask. Josslyn asks if she really means that, and Ava says, absolutely. Josslyn says, then please help her find Sonny, but Ava says she told Josslyn, she doesn’t know where he is. Josslyn says, then call him or get the guards to summon him home. Steering Josslyn toward the door, Ava says, she really thinks it’s best… but Josslyn shakes her off and says, Sonny is going to kill Dex. Ava knows that and she knows that. She needs to speak to him before he does something drastic. She might have helped, but Dex is the one who rescued Ava. Twice. Once at the Quartermaines when Heather Webber attacked her and once in Pautuck. Ava owes him her life twice over. Please help her protect him.

Dex asks if Sonny is going to kill him, but Sonny says he expects Dex to leave town. He’ll have Frank take Dex to one of his safe houses and tell Brick to set him up with a new identity, passport, driver’s license, and then once he’s gone, they’re going to cover up his tracks and set him up with money. Dex says, what about Josslyn? and Sonny says, the way this works, he and Brick are the only ones who have to know what’s going on. They bring Josslyn in, she’s going to drive Sonny’s enemies to Dex. Dex says, they know how to be careful, and Sonny says he knows Josslyn loves Dex. She loves her family too. But if they involve Josslyn, it’s all for nothing. Dex says, then shoot me, putting Sonny’s gun to his stomach. It’s not worth it. Joss made his life worth living. Without her, Sonny might as well finish him off here.

Ava says she would absolutely help if she could, and Josslyn says, but she won’t. So everything Ava just said, if she ever needs anything, that’s all crap. Ava says she meant every word, and she is aware of how unsparing Sonny can be with those who cross him, but Josslyn says, Dex didn’t cross him. Literally the opposite. How many times did Dex almost give Sonny his life and that counts for nothing. Ava says she knows it seems unfair, but Josslyn knows as well as she does that Sonny can’t risk fairness when it comes to his family’s safety. Josslyn says, so Ava is telling her that there’s nothing she can do, and Ava says, yes.

Laura says, Cyrus has a radio show? Who would put him on the air? Cyrus says, someone who sees the value in his message? She says, no, something is deeply off here, and he says, it saddens him that she still doubts his intentions. Fortunately, the Lord provides him strength to continue proving he’s changed. He knows he can never erase the terrible things he’s done, but he can at least counteract them by putting some good out in the world. That’s his purpose. She says, but what is his motive? and he says he can only hope one day she believes the change he’s showing the world and accept the man he’s become. He must take his leave. He goes to the door and says his debut is but fifteen minutes away on KZPC radio. He does hope she’ll tune in. He leaves, and Doc comes back. He says, it’s a miracle that Ace is still down. Then again, maybe he was trying to avoid their company. What did Cyrus want? She says, the same thing he always wants. Her trust.

Sam tells Alexis that she tried to shield Scout and Danny from Jason’s life, and when she realized she couldn’t, she broke up with him. Alexis says, Sam seems to give her kids stability despite all that, and Sam says, what if she wasn’t enough? Danny always wanted more time with his father. Jason was in and out of his life, then all of a sudden, it wasn’t enough. Danny took Jason’s death really hard. And what if in a way to get closer to his father, Danny is starting to take the kinds of chances Jason used to take? And if so, how long has this been building up in him and why hasn’t she seen it before? Alexis says, listen to her. She understands how Sam feels. At some point, every parent does in one way or another. But Sam didn’t cause this. Does she understand that? Sam says, yeah, and Alexis asks if Sam believes her. Sam says she wants to, and Alexis says, whatever Danny is going through, Sam will get him through this because she’s a wonderful mother.

Anna re-bags the gun, and Jordan says, Olivia Jerome’s long history with the mob certainly tracks with their gunman’s pattern, targeting organized crime leaders. Anna hands the gun to Dante and says, absolutely. See if they can confirm that the bullet that killed Jerome matches that gun. Dante says he’ll see if they can put a rush on it, and she says, they need to move fast. As soon as the Feds are apprised of this development, Agent Cates is going to want to take over, and they all know how thrilled he was they didn’t back off in the first place. Jordan says, it’s not like he can be any less cooperative, and Anna agrees and says, it’s common knowledge there won’t be any tears shed over Olivia. But those guards could have been injured or worse, and Curtis already got caught in the crossfire. Agent Cates needs to understand that they need to put a stop to this before any more innocent bystanders are hurt.

Sam thanks Alexis for the encouragement, because she doesn’t feel like a good mom, much less a wonderful mom. Alexis says, you know who thinks they’re wonderful moms? Terrible moms, that’s who. Sam says, so it’s good to doubt, and Alexis says, yeah. It’s like if you think you’re going crazy, the fact that you’ve asked that question means you’re way ahead of the game. Sam says, that’s good to know, and Alexis says, in the meantime, just take it one step at a time. This is just one incident. Sam says she knows, but what if it was just the first? and Alexis says, then she will know. If she sees it escalating, she’ll do something about it. She’ll take care of him just like she always has. And she doesn’t have to do it alone. Sam can count on her. Sam can always count on her. And they will figure it out. Is that a deal? Sam says, it’s a deal. Alexis’s phone rings and she says, it’s one of her reporters. She says, what’s up?… Sam asks if everything is okay.

Jordan says, their best lead is the gun dealer Philip O’Neal. His lawyers want a deal, but the FBI isn’t biting. Anna says, he’s still not talking? and Dante says, this doesn’t make any sense. It’s like this guy has a target on his back. He can ID who he sold the guns to. Anna says, it is concerning, but interestingly, whoever it is who’s after the organized crime figures, waited until Olivia was out of prison before they made their move. Dante says, that just makes him think, whoever this is doesn’t have access to anyone on the inside, and Anna says she thinks she’s going to talk to Agent Cates. She’s going to try and persuade him to keep O’Neal in Pentenville, rather than moving him out of their reach. Dante asks if she thinks they can get something out of O’Neal, and Jordan says, just because he’s not talking to law enforcement, doesn’t mean he won’t talk to anyone.

Josslyn says she should have known better and thanks Ava. This conversation was a big help. Josslyn opens the door, and Ava says she didn’t mean to upset her. Josslyn says she just wants someone to help her. She loves Dex. Does Ava understand? She cannot and will not give up on the people she loves. She won’t do it. She leaves, slamming the door behind her, and Ava takes out her phone.

Sonny says, if he pulls this trigger because Dex asked him to, he won’t be breaking Josslyn’s heart; Dex will. Dex pushes the gun away and says he loves her. He thought it had been beaten out of him. He thought it would never happen for him, but it did. Sonny says, Dex knows the best thing for Josslyn is for him to leave town. Sonny’s enemies are going to be tracking Dex down for the rest of his life. Does Dex want to put her in danger? Does he want her to be the target? Dex says he can’t lose her, and Sonny says, here’s the deal. If Dex wants to keep his life, he’s never going to come back here again. He’s not going to have any contact with anyone again. It’s up to him. Sonny’s phone rings, and he tells Dex that he needs an answer – now.

Jordan says, O’Neal might not talk to them, but he might talk to someone in Pentenville, and Anna says, she means, plant an informant? Jordan says, could work, and Dante says, seems like a long shot. Given this guy’s line of work, you’d think he’d have to be pretty tight lipped, no matter who he’s talking to. Jordan says, exactly. Right now, he’s probably more surprised than they are that he’s still alive. There might be something he wants to get off his chest just in case. Anna says, they’d have to find someone who’s good at extracting that kind of information. And also someone Robert would be willing to offer a deal to. Dante says, a lesser sentence in exchange for some information? That would be pretty good incentive. Jordan says, yes, but no one who poses a significant threat to the general public upon release, and Anna says, on top of finding this person and making a deal with the DA’s office, the informant also has to establish some kind of trust with O’Neal in order to make this work. This is all going to take time. Dante says, it’s time they don’t have, and Anna says, until they think of something faster… Jordan’s phone dings and she says, it’s from Laura. Anna asks, what is it? and Jordan goes over to a very convenient radio, turning it on and finding a station. We hear Cyrus say, this is KZPC radio and welcome to Searching with Cyrus. You’re probably asking, what can I have in common with you…

Laura and Doc are also listening, and Cyrus continues. After all, I’m an ex-convict who was serving hard time in Pentenville, but one thing I learned there is, we are all prisoners. But if we give our burden to the Lord, He will set us free. That’s why I’m here, to help you share that burden and give voice to your troubles, so that you may live a life of peace. Ace starts to cry and Doc says he’ll get Ace. He’s heard enough of this guy. Cyrus says, I’m living proof that God never gives up on any of us, and Doc suggests Laura turn it off, but she says she’s going to listen to every word. She needs to understand what Cyrus is really saying. Doc tells her, good luck with that, and leaves. Cyrus says, if I can find my way to a better place, so can you.

Josslyn runs to Dex’s apartment and sees the door isn’t closed all the way. She pushes it open and sees Sonny sitting there. She says, where’s Dex? and Sonny says he’s sorry. Dex is gone.

On the phone, Alexis says she definitely intends to run it in the morning. She just wants to be able to check it first before it goes to press. She glances at the guard outside Sonny’s penthouse, and says, but she’s going to have to call them back, because there’s something she has to do first.

There’s a knock at the door, and Ava opens it to Alexis. She asks if Alexis is looking for Sonny, but Alexis says, actually, she’s here to see Ava. Ava’s phone rings, and Alexis asks if she needs to get that. Ava says, it’s Pentenville. She’s sure it’s Alexis’s darling nephew, calling collect, but Alexis says she doesn’t think that it is. May she come in? Ava says, please. Is this a social call or are they on the record here? Alexis says she heard it from one of her reporters and she thinks Julian would want Ava to hear it from someone she knows. Ava says, conjuring her late brother’s name can’t be good. Julian would want her to hear what? Alexis says, her sister Olivia is dead, and Ava says, is that so? Alexis says she’s sorry for Ava’s loss, and Ava says, is she really? Because after what she did to Alexis, she thinks Alexis is probably wondering what circle of hell she’s roasting in.

Josslyn says she wants to see him, but Sonny says, that’s not possible. She says, where is he? What did Sonny do to him? He says, Dex is alive, but he’s not coming back to Port Charles, and Josslyn says, he’s a liar. Dex would never leave her. Sonny says, Dex did what he had to do, what was best for everyone, and Josslyn cries, saying, not for her. Sonny says, especially for her. He picks up an envelope and says, Dex wanted him to give her this. He holds it out and she snatches it from him. She takes out a note, a dog tag on a chain falling to the floor. She reads the note and says she hates Sonny. He’s a criminal and a liar and she will never forgive him for this. (When you think about it, it’s really Michael’s fault.) Sonny says he knows, and leaves. Josslyn looks at the note again, picks up the dog tag, and sinks to the floor, crying.

On Monday, Lois says, has she got a surprise for Tracy; Marshall tells Stella that he has no idea how to handle it; Nina hopes she’s not late; and Josslyn tells Carly that she and Dex are not going to be kept apart.

👠 How She Really Feels…

Apparently, she died and came back once before. That explains why I kept thinking she was dead before she died. And again, who knows? We didn’t see a body.

Tonja Walker Responds to Olivia Jerome’s Death on GENERAL HOSPITAL

📹 From Soap to Cinema…

They’re branching into new milieus.

🧂 Won’t Back Down…

I actually believe her. They probably laid a trail of breadcrumbs for Heather to find too.

🛟 Walking the Plank…

Not exactly the best way to stand out from the crowd.

https://www.dexerto.com/reality-tv/below-deck-fans-accuse-producers-of-hiring-bad-crew-for-more-drama-2531397

And will she be the first to go?

https://screenrant.com/below-deck-season-11-barbie-pascual-fired

🍸 Breakout Star…

Give that woman a raise immediately.

🔪 They’re the Top…

Here’s hoping Padma’s shoes can be filled.

https://ew.com/top-chef-season-21-cast-premiere-date-trailer-8559815

https://parade.com/tv/top-chef-season-21

⚰️ Reuniting the Dead…

Not too long now.

https://ew.com/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-on-set-rick-and-michonne-reunion-8576529

🌁 News Of the Last…

Season 2 of the show.

https://comicbookmovie.com/spider_man/madame-web/madame-web-star-isabela-merced-on-filming-her-first-scene-as-dina-for-the-last-of-us-season-2-a209371

https://comicbookmovie.com/spider_man/madame-web/madame-web-star-isabela-merced-on-filming-her-first-scene-as-dina-for-the-last-of-us-season-2-a209371

Chapter 3 of the game.

https://www.ign.com/articles/neil-druckmann-teases-concept-for-the-last-of-us-part-3-theres-probably-one-more-chapter-to-this-story

🧛🏽 On Tap…

Cutting their teeth on Season 2.

https://ew.com/interview-with-the-vampire-season-2-premiere-date-new-cast-third-anne-rice-tv-show-announced-8559740

🐉 It’s All In the Game…

New spin-off.

https://ew.com/game-of-thrones-aegon-conquest-spinoff-reported-8574988

Throne serendipity.

https://www.etonline.com/sophie-turner-reacts-to-game-of-thrones-reunion-with-kit-harington-in-new-movie-the-dreadful-219622

🐶 After the Bowl Is Over…

This is the best story.

https://people.com/how-20-years-puppy-bowl-changed-pet-adoption-8575625

🐦‍⬛ Quotes of the Week

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

Better to stay quiet than get hit with a rock. – Manuel Vëlez, 90 Day Fiancé

On truth: *I suppose there are two views about everything,* said Mark. *Eh? Two views? There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there’s never more than one.*C .S. Lewis, from That Hideous Strength, compiled in Words to Live By

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

Goals are the thing you talk about instead of the thing you do. – Cherry (Rose McGowan), Planet Terror

We must all learn not only to not fear change, but to embrace it enthusiastically and, perhaps even more important, encourage and drive it. – Tony Hsieh

Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact. – William James

Humor worked with pickles, but pickles are funny. The way beans are funny, we can’t use that. We have to fight it actually. – Raymond Geiger, Heinz rep (John Sloman), Mad Men

It’s not easy having a good time. Even smiling makes my face ache. – Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), The Rocky Horror Picture Show

🍹 Presidential Day Drinking…

Return on Monday really Tuesday for soap and what’s doing on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay enjoying the long weekend if you have one, and stay keeping in mind that one incident is not a pattern necessarily.

February 15, 2024 – Michael Tells Sonny Everything, All About That Soap, Brilliant Move, Two Stooges In Jersey, Golden Boy & One

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava walks into the living room to find Sonny staring at the fire. She says, he’s home, and he says he lives here. Is there somewhere else he should be? She says, of course (🍷) not. It’s just that he wasn’t here late last night when she went to bed. With everything going on, she was just worried something happened. Where was he? He says, out, and she says, the guards were pretty quiet about where he was. Please tell her Dex was with him at least. He says he doesn’t want to hear that name.

There’s a knock at the door, and Dex grabs his gun. Josslyn asks if he’s in there, and he puts the gun in his back waistband and lets her in. She says she’s been so worried. She hasn’t been able to reach him. He grabs her and hugs her, and she asks where he was last night. He says, she didn’t talk to her mom today? but she says, no. She’s been busy and hasn’t been able to call her mom back. Why? What happened last night?

Kristina tells Blaze that she’s so sorry. She woke up not feeling well and fell back to sleep. She’s so sorry. She forgot they had plans. Blaze says, that’s fine. Don’t worry about her. She does look a little green around the gills. How is she doing? Kristina says, morning sickness is no joke. She thought she’d be able to handle it and it would be fine, but her head will not stop pounding and the room is spinning. It feels like the ground is actually moving beneath her feet. Blaze says, it sounds awful. Kristina should lie down, and she’ll make some tea. Kristina says, that would be great, but before Blaze leaves, she has something important to tell her. Blaze says, whatever Kristina has to tell her can wait. For now, just let me take care of you. (Hell, I’ll date Blaze.)

On the phone at the MetroCourt, Nina tells Kira that she got here a little bit early. She got them a spot in the alcove. Do they want her to order them a coffee or… No. Of course (🍷) she understands. That’s fine. They should reschedule soon because she has an opportunity that’s going to be great for… Hello? Kira? Drew says, stood up again?

On the phone at a table in the restaurant, Anna says she’s coming by the station to see him… Okay, but Jordan’s coming in because she wants an update on the investigation into the stolen WSB weapons… Right, and she thinks they have to move on that ASAP because she thinks there’s urgency in this situation… Dante says, let him guess. The FBI is cool with the PCPD investigating until they’re not. Is that it? She says, exactly. She doesn’t know when they’re going to pull the agreement. She sees Valentin come in, and Dante asks if she’s still there. She says, yeah. Sorry. She has to go. Valentin comes over to the table, and she says, it’s been a while. He says, it has, and from the look on her face, it hasn’t been long enough.

Ava says she has to make a work call. She’ll be in her room if Sonny needs her. He says he’ll be fine, and she starts to leave, but he says, hey. Thank you. There’s a knock at the door, and a guard tells Sonny that someone’s here to see him. Michael comes in and Sonny says, hello, Judas.

Jordan tells Dante, good morning. She’s here to get an update on the MetroCourt shooting investigation for the mayor’s office. Have there been any new developments? He says, Anna is going to be here soon, but he doesn’t think she’d mind him telling Jordan that there’s been nothing new from the FBI. She says, why does that not surprise her? They’re not going to give up any of their intel unless it helps them. He says, they’re keeping their cards pretty close to their chest. They know Sonny was the target. They know the only person who could identify the shooter is O’Neal because he sold the shooter the illegal weapon. And he is Pentenville, at least for now. She asks what that means. Is O’Neal going somewhere? He says, not that he knows of, but it wouldn’t surprise him if Agent Cates had him transferred out of their jurisdiction so the Feds can have sole control over him. She says, as disappointing as that would be, there’s an argument for O’Neal to be in protective custody to keep him safe, and he says, that’s pretty convenient for Cates. She says, it’s pretty obvious Agent Cates isn’t too happy to have to work with the PCPD on this, and he says, according to O’Neal’s lawyer, he’s refusing to cooperate with them on his gun trafficking. But Dante still feels there’s a deal to be made there. This guy’s facing some pretty serious charges. Maybe his self-preservation instincts will kick in. She says, they need to offer him something in return, which as of now, the FBI won’t offer them, and he says, which is too bad, because given O’Neal’s line of work, he’d be a pretty valuable witness against a lot of criminals. Criminals who are in prison right now who might know he’s talking to them. Dante doesn’t know if O’Neal would want to take that chance going in there, and Jordan says, if something happens to O’Neal, there goes their only lead.

Valentin says he didn’t expect to see Anna here, and she says she lives here now. Again. Until she can find somewhere more permanent. He says he guesses that makes sense, and she says she doesn’t know if he heard, but she just got reinstated as Police Commissioner. He says he heard. Congratulations. It must be nice to have a badge back. She says, yes, it is. Anyway, she wanted him to hear it from her. He says, why? Because of what happened to Charlotte? She says, yes, and he sits down. He asks if she wants an update on Charlotte. Is that why they struck up this conversation?

Nina tells Drew that one of her contacts has canceled a meeting. No big deal. It happens all the time. He says, contacts? Doesn’t she mean friends? Trusted writers, editors, photographers. People she’s been working with for years. People who would always jump at a call from her before. Has she been able to get any of them on the phone recently? She asks what he did, and he says, it was simple really. All he did was put the word out that they’re absolutely free to work with her on her new endeavor, but if they do, they’re never going to be working with Aurora ever again. She says, so he forced them not to work with her, but he says, no. He just gave them a choice. And judging by the fact she’s sitting alone at this table, he thinks it’s pretty clear that they’re not as inclined to play with fire as she is. She says, he must not have a lot of faith in Carly running Crimson and beating her fair and square. Is he really that threatened by a little competition? He laughs and says, what competition? Speaking of Carly, all she wants right now is for Nina to be out of their lives completely. So if he can make that happen and make her pay at the same time, all the better. (Drew has officially turned into a 14-year-old mean girl. I’m wondering if it’s because Jason’s coming back.)

Blaze brings out a tray (seriously, I’ll marry her) and says, here we go. Ginger tea should help settle Kristina’s stomach. Kristina thanks her and says, that actually smells amazing. It’s a really good start because it’s not making her nauseous and everything is making her nauseous. So it’s a step in the right direction. Blaze tells her to give it a second to cool down. In the meantime, hold out her arm. Kristina asks, why? and Blaze says, just trust me. Kristina says, okay, and holds out her arm. Blaze presses on her hand and asks if the pressure is okay, and Kristina says, yeah. That is really relaxing. Blaze says, let her try another place, and presses on Kristina’s forearm. She says, how’s that? and Kristina says she thinks that actually made the room stop spinning. Where did she learn how to do this? Blaze says, on the road, and Kristina says, dealt with a lot of pregnant women, did she? Blaze laughs and says, hardly. A lot of hungover musicians. All lights and glory on stage and then there’s hell to pay the morning after. Kristina says she’s genuinely glad Blaze learned to do that because it made her feel so much better really fast. So thank you, miracle worker. Blaze says, let’s not get carried away. But now that the room isn’t spinning anymore, what does Kristina have to talk to her about? Kristina says, it’s about Molly, and Blaze says, is everything okay? They didn’t get into a disagreement about Kristina’s pregnancy, did they? Kristina says, nothing like that. Molly knows about us.

Josslyn says she knew something was wrong when she couldn’t get ahold of Dex last night. This was exactly the kind of thing she was afraid of since she learned he was working with Michael. Is he okay? Did Sonny hurt him? He says, not really. Sonny’s men roughed him up a little bit, but it could have been a lot worse. He thought he was never going to see her again. If her mom hadn’t shown up when she did… She says, thank God, she figured it out. She saved his life. He says he’s never been so happy to see anyone. Not that Sonny made it easy. He tried to get his men to take her to her car, but she flat-out refused to go. Josslyn says she’s really sorry. She knows Dex believed in Sonny, but this is who he is, and this is what he does. He uses people, and he thinks everyone else should forgive him over and over again, but the second he thinks someone’s betrayed him, he will turn on them. Dex says he gets it. Sonny knew he’d been paid off. He just didn’t know by who. Sonny pointed a loaded gun at him and tried to get him to talk. The only reason he was still breathing when her mom got there was because Sonny wanted to get the information from him. She asks if her mom told Sonny that he was originally working with Michael, but he says, no. Sonny figured it out. Sonny knew her mom didn’t have the money to pay him the bonuses that Michael had. All her mom did was confirm it. Josslyn says, Sonny’s never going to trust Dex again, and Dex agrees. She says, which means he’s free.

Michael says he’s not coming in here with excuses, and Sonny says, there is no excuse for what he did. Michael says he hired Dex from a security firm and paid him to infiltrate Sonny’s organization and gather incriminating evidence against Sonny and give it to him. He wanted to be the one to send Sonny to prison. Sonny says, because Michael wanted him to suffer, right? He gets it, but why? Michael says, because his mom risked her life and her freedom to run Sonny’s organization when he was in Nixon Falls. Sonny says, he had amnesia in Nixon Falls. Why does everyone forget that? Michael says, when Sonny came back, he cheated on her with Nina. And not only that, he sided with Nina when she was suing him and Willow for visitation with Wiley. He didn’t recognize Sonny anymore. He didn’t see his father. He convinced himself that Sonny needed to pay. Sonny says, he didn’t go through with it, and Michael says, in the end, he couldn’t do it. Because sending Sonny to prison would tear the family apart, and he couldn’t do that to his siblings. He couldn’t do that to Sonny. In the end, his loyalty to the family was stronger than his need for revenge. Sonny asks what he knows about loyalty, stabbing his father in the back?

Nina says she knows Drew and Carly wish she would just vanish into thin air, but how exactly is Drew going to manage that, because she’s not leaving Port Charles anytime soon. He says, of course (🍷) she’s not, because that would be the decent thing to do, just kind of slink out of town and never come back. She says, Port Charles is her home. He might have caused a little setback to her plans to start her own magazine, but this hotel is hers, so she doesn’t want to hear any more threats from him, idle as they may be. He says, she misunderstands him. He’s not threatening her. He’s offering to buy her share of the MetroCourt. (He has a funny way of doing that.)

Michael says he knows Sonny feels betrayed and he has every right to, but he was in the position to get the revenge he wanted and didn’t go through with it. Sonny asks if he wants credit now for a change of heart Michael still tried to take him down, and Michael says he knows and he’s admitting to it. Sonny says, then why didn’t Michael come to him as soon as he called it off? Own up to it instead of bringing his mom into the equation. Michael says he didn’t plan that. She just figured it out. He already decided he wasn’t going to turn Sonny in, so his mom came up with a plan for them to work together to keep Sonny protected and safe. That’s what they all wanted, Dex too. Sonny says, what about last night? What kind of man sends his mother in to clean up his mess? Michael says he didn’t send in his mom. He had no idea Sonny was closing in on Dex. Sonny says he doesn’t want to hear any more. Michael had every chance to tell him the truth. Michael was in his office, and they were hugging. Michael said he hated the distance, but it wasn’t about the distance. Michael was out to get him. Michael says he wasn’t out to get Sonny. He was out to protect him. Sonny says, what about his sisters, Donna and Avery? How does he think they would feel growing up without a father? They’re his sisters. Michael says he did think about that, but at the time, he thought they’d be better off with Sonny behind bars. Sonny says, it’s not his call to make. What about Wiley and Amelia? How does Michael think they would feel without him in their lives anymore?

Josslyn says she doesn’t know what she’d have done if something happened to Dex. Watching Trina go through this with Spencer, it’s terrible. She’s not even herself. She couldn’t do it. She can’t lose him. He says he loves her, and she says, last night, she had this pit in her stomach when she couldn’t find him, and to know she was right to feel that way… All she wants is for him to be safe. Not just today or tomorrow, but always. He says he wishes it were easy to make that happen, and she says, her mom had to have told Sonny that Dex was protecting him, not betraying him. He says, she did, but it doesn’t matter. In Sonny’s eyes, he still lied. Now he knows way too much about Sonny and his organization. How can he make a clean break? Sonny will never let him walk away knowing everything he knows.

Kristina says, this isn’t easy for her. She’s really trying to respect Blaze’s privacy and be patient, but hiding how they feel about each other when other people are around isn’t really a way to build a relationship. Blaze asks if that’s what they are, a relationship, and Kristina asks if Blaze thinks she would let just anyone see her like this. Blaze laughs, and Kristina says she thinks it’s safe to say they’re in a relationship.

Drew says, just think about it. Nina wants to start her own magazine. That’s going to take some capital. The kind of capital she would get if she sold half of a hotel. This offer isn’t coming out of nowhere. It wasn’t that long ago Nina offered to sell her shares to Carly. Nina says, that was before he and Carly took Crimson away from her and she found out how vindictive they are. He says, she did all that herself. She has to take responsibility for her choices. Nina says, oh good, another lecture, and he says he’ll pay her fair market value for her half of the MetroCourt. She says, not a chance. Now if he wants to buy something nice for his girlfriend, besides a magazine she has no earthly idea how to run, she suggests jewelry. She’s not going anywhere.

Valentin says he’s not comfortable giving Anna all the details. Just know that Charlotte is home and she’s settling in nicely. And he promises they’ll keep her informed. She thanks him, and he sees Nina come in, Drew following her. He asks Anna to excuse him, and leaves the table.

Drew tells Nina, calm down. There’s no reason to get so worked up. She says, don’t dare tell her how to behave, when Valentin joins them and asks Nina if everything is all right. She says, no. Drew thinks he can take her share of the hotel from her.

Jordan says, there’s got to be another way to get access to O’Neal and keep him in Port Charles under their custody, but Dante says he doesn’t see that happening. The Feds want them to stand down as it is. She says, on the gun charges, yes. They need to come at it from a different angle. He says, like what? and she says, maybe they get him on charges unrelated to the shooting. Something that doesn’t involve the Feds and would be solidly in their jurisdiction. He says, like unpaid parking tickets or something? and she says, preferably a felony. What is the likelihood that an arms dealer has been involved with another crime here in Port Charles? Dante tells her that he’d say the likelihood is pretty high. You don’t go from upstanding citizen to arms dealer overnight. She says, exactly. So they need to go over every case in the last six months involving firearms. Track all the weapons and see if it leads back to their friend in Pentenville. He says, they’ve been there and done that. Nothing. She says, then go back even longer. A year or more. Do whatever he has to do, because even if O’Neal is placed in protective custody, he’s still got a target on his back. Dante’s phone rings, and he answers, Detective Falconari… Wait. What?

Michael tells Sonny, again, he changed course. Dex was already inside. So he and Carly made sure Dex was keeping him safe. Sonny says, that little rat lied to him, and Michael says, Sonny can hate that he paid Dex to keep him safe all he wants, but he has to admit that if it wasn’t for him, Sonny would be dead… Sonny says he doesn’t have to admit anything. Michael says, Sonny came to rely on and trust Dex. For him to say something would have accomplished nothing. To tell the truth, it would have ruined everything. Sonny tells him to stop making himself look good. Michael didn’t just lie because he was worried about him. Michael lied to protect himself. Plain and simple. Admit it. Michael says, yes. He came to really like that their relationship was good again. He didn’t want to lose that. Sonny says, he lost it the day he hired Dex to destroy him, and Michael says he gets that Sonny is angry, and he hopes eventually, Sonny will be able to see why he did what he did and be able to forgive him. But this isn’t just about their relationship. Sonny asks what it’s about, and Michael says, it’s about Sonny and how he’s pushing everybody away. Because without Dex, without him, and especially without Carly, who does he have? Does he want to end up alone?

Dex tells Josslyn that there are no good options for him here. Sonny will never trust him again, so his time in Sonny’s organization is over. Josslyn says, exactly. So maybe this is the clean break they’ve been waiting for. He says, it’s not that simple. Does she think Sonny is just going to forget what he did to him? She says, Sonny hates a lot of people. She can live with that if he can. He says, it’s not about what they can live with. Sooner or later, one of Sonny’s rivals is going to realize Sonny’s cut him loose and try to take advantage. All of these guys talk. When they try to use him to get to Sonny and he refuses, they’re going to have it out for him too. She says she hadn’t considered that, and he says, if it’s not the mob, the DA or the Feds could find an excuse to bring him in and try to get him to flip on Sonny. The only way to guarantee he won’t talk is to eliminate him. She says, if that’s true, why did Sonny let him go last night? and he says he doesn’t know. Maybe Sonny is just telling her mom what she wants to hear. He knows she won’t let anything happen to him because of him and Josslyn. Regardless, he wouldn’t want to involve her in a crime. Maybe Sonny decided to walk away last night and finish the job later, without any witnesses. She takes his hands and says, he’d do anything for her, right? and he says, yes. She says, then run.

Blaze tells Kristina that her mother has been wanting to visit her in Port Charles, and she’s been putting her off, but she’s finally run out of excuses. She’ll be here next week. Kristina says, that’s fine. Don’t worry about them seeing each other when her mom is here. She has a lot of stuff to get done at the pub, and she could certainly use the time to get caught up at the center too. So they can just take a little break and then pick up where they left off when her mom is back on the plane heading home. Blaze thanks her for being so understanding, but somehow, it’s just making this worse. She doesn’t want Kristina to feel like she has to hide. Kristina says she’s not the one hiding.

Drew tells Nina, good luck getting her magazine up off the ground, because he loves rooting for the underdog, and leaves. Nina says, so much for Mr. Nice Guy, and Valentin says, he thinks he has Nina wrapped around his finger. She doesn’t have to sell him the MetroCourt. She knows that, right? She says, who knows? He basically crushed her idea to start her own magazine, and he barely had to try.

Drew says hi to Anna, and says he saw her sitting over here and wanted to say congratulations on being the new Police Commissioner. She thanks him and says, actually, she was just going to the station. He says he’s not going to hold her up. He just wants to tell her that he’s happy for her that things are going well. She says, and him? and he says he’s making progress. She says, what kind? And at what cost?

Josslyn tells Dex, go, today, right now. Get a head start before anyone even realizes he’s gone. He can hide without Sonny finding him, right? He says he’s not leaving. He can’t lose her. She says, he’s not going to lose her. She’s coming with him. He says, absolutely not. They talked about this last year. She’d be giving up her family, her friends, her future as a doctor. He won’t let that happen. Her whole world is here. She says, it’s her life, so it’s her choice. She can’t lose him. Not after everything they’ve gone through. He says, she’s everything to him, but she’d be giving up her life for nothing. He’s not going to run, with or without her. She says, that’s insane. They were just trying to protect Sonny, and now Sonny wants to kill him for it. He hugs her.

Michael says, somebody tried to kill Sonny twice now. And whoever gave that shooter inside information on his security, it was not Dex. Dex isn’t the traitor. It’s someone else inside Sonny’s organization. Sonny asks why he should hear anything Michael has to say, and Michael tells Sonny not to put himself in any more danger just to get back at him. Sonny will isolate himself, so he’ll have no one to confide in. He needs somebody around him that he can trust. Sonny says, that’s none of Michael’s concern, and Michael says, Sonny’s his father. Sonny says, is he? (and I say, isn’t he?) and Michael says, Sonny can push him away. He can push all of them away. But he’s going to need someone to talk to. He can’t go through this alone. Sonny says nothing, and Michael leaves. Ava comes back, and Sonny says, catch all that? She says, unfortunately, she did. She’s sorry. It must hurt a lot, what Michael did. She can go if he wants, and they can pretend she was never here. She starts to leave, but he says, wait. Can she stay?

Kristina says she didn’t mean that. She’s not judging Blaze. She doesn’t even know Blaze’s family. Blaze says, they’re great actually. They’re just religious and old-fashioned. They were raised a certain kind of way not to talk about these kinds of things, and there’s a part of her that feels she needs to protect them. Kristina says she gets that. She actually thinks a lot of people are in Blaze’s position. She just hates that Blaze feels she has to protect them from the fact that she’s gay. She’s personally thrilled Blaze is gay, and she knows a lot of other people would be too. Blaze says, thank you? and Kristina says, what she means is, she’s glad Blaze is living her authentic life, being her true self. And if that happens to include her being gay, then all the better, because Kristina happens to think who Blaze is, is pretty damn wonderful. Blaze says she feels the same way about Kristina, and Kristina says she does want to respect though, that coming out is Blaze’s personal choice, and she can’t pressure Blaze or anyone into making that decision. That’s her own to make whenever she’s ready. Blaze says, but that’s no way to build a relationship, and Kristina says, no, it’s not. Blaze says, then she knows what she has to do. She’s going to tell her mom about her and Kristina. It’s time her family knows the truth.

Nina tells Valentin that she can’t believe how she let Drew get to her, even that little bit. That’s what he wanted, but she couldn’t help herself. Valentin says, Drew can really push her buttons, huh? and she says, it’s not that he offered to buy her share of the hotel. It’s slowly dawning on her that she’s never going to get a magazine to rival Crimson off the ground. It’s just not going to happen. It’s too much. Even if Drew hadn’t scared everyone away from working with her, it’s just too huge of an undertaking. She’s just going to have to swallow her pride, and as much as it hurts, accept defeat. He says he can’t believe she’s giving up this easy, and she says, on the magazine? He says, on evening the score with Drew and Carly. Because he’s been thinking, there may be another way.

Anna tells Drew that she shouldn’t have said that. It’s none of her business. He says, she clearly has an opinion on him, and he values her opinions. So please let him hear it. She says she doesn’t really have an opinion, but she just was going back to the last conversation they had where he said he had regrets and that he wanted to get toxicity out of his life and move forward. He says, which is exactly why he offered to buy Nina’s half of the MetroCourt to get her out of their lives completely. Anna says, she seemed pretty upset by his approach, and he says, that’s just part of getting the best deal possible. That’s the cost of doing business. (What is? Upsetting the person you want to make the deal with? That makes zero sense.)  Anna asks if it’s worth it, and he says, she’s a big girl. She can take it. Anna says she’s not talking about Nina. She’s just going to say this. He seems harsher to her than he once was, and he has every right. It’s understandable, especially where Nina is concerned, but making her pay isn’t going to bring him back everything he’s already lost. He says, so he’s been told. And she’s not the first person to tell him that he’s changed recently. Her phone rings and she says she has to take this. Will he just think about what she said? Then they can pick up this conversation later. He says, okay, and she says, okay, and pats him on the shoulder. She leaves and he looks at Nina.

On the phone, Dante says, there’s been a development. He can’t get into it over the phone, but it concerns a prisoner at Pentenville. Anna says she’s on her way and gets in the elevator.

Drew stomps over to Nina, who says, oh God, and he says, let’s try this again, shall we?

Ava asks how Sonny is doing, and he says he knew Michael would come here. He even knew what Michael was going to say and all his excuses. It still hurts, those words coming out of his mouth. Ava wonders why he even dared to show his face here, and Sonny says, he insists that Dex did nothing wrong, that he still needs Dex’s protection. Ava says, he might have a point there. Dex did save them in Puerto Rico. Without him, she doesn’t know if either one of them would have gotten off that island alive. They still don’t know who the shooter was, so they’re still vulnerable. He asks if she thinks he should still have Dex in his organization after Dex betrayed him the way he did, and she says, it’s his call, of course (🍷). She was just wondering though, where Dex would go if Sonny cut him loose. She imagines he’s seen a lot of things, heard a lot of things, things that could hurt Sonny if they got out. She’s sure there are a lot of people who would love to get that information that’s rattling around in Dex’s head. He says he knows he has a problem. There’s a leak in his ship. She says, he’s far from shore. How much water can he take on? He says, before they all go down?

Josslyn tells Dex that they’re not just going to wait around until Sonny decides to punish him for a betrayal that didn’t even happen. There has to be another way. He says, not that he can think of, and she says she’ll talk to Sonny. She’ll make him understand. Dex says, he’s already made up his mind, but she says she doesn’t care. She has to talk to him. She has to try. She’ll go right now. Let her do this for him, for them. He says he knows better than to try and stop her when her mind’s made up, so go ahead. But if it goes badly, just get out of there. He doesn’t want Sonny getting angry at her too. She says she can handle Sonny. She’s going to fix it. Just watch. He kisses her, and she tells him, stay here. She’ll be back as soon as she can. She leaves, and he double-locks the door. He checks his gun and makes sure it’s loaded.

Drew says, despite what Nina obviously believes, he made his offer to buy the MetroCourt in good faith. She says, so he says. What she wants to know is, why do he and Carly insist on underestimating her? He says, do they? and she says, over and over and over again. And she’s sick of it, so listen to her carefully. Not only is she refusing his deal, he’s going to regret he ever messed with her in the first place.

In a hallway on the phone, Valentin tells someone that he has a proposal for them.

Kristina tells Blaze, wait. It was never her intention to pressure Blaze into coming out to her mom or force her in any way… Blaze says, stop. Kristina didn’t pressure her. If anything, Kristina being so patient with her is what helped her make this decision. Kristina says, okay… good, and Blaze says she’s grateful for Kristina’s support. For someone whose family was so accepting of her for who she is, Kristina understands her situation far more than she would have expected. Kristina says she tried to think about how she’d want to be treated if she was in Blaze’s position, and Blaze says, she appreciates that. But this isn’t only about her feelings for Kristina, and it can’t be about living a lie to keep the peace in her family anymore either. What Kristina said today made her realize she’s happy. Really and truly happy, and that’s nothing to hide. Kristina takes her hand, and Blaze puts her other hand on top of Kristina’s.

Anna joins Dante and Jordan, and asks, what’s going on in Pentenville? Jordan says, the prison transport was attacked today, and a prisoner is dead. Anna says, who? and Jordan says, Olivia Jerome. (I’ve kept forgetting she wasn’t dead for years, so no change here.)

Ava comes out and hears Josslyn tell the guard that she will get Dante up here and Sonny will not like it. This is an emergency, and she needs to speak to Sonny. Ava opens the door and asks if there’s something she can do for Josslyn. Josslyn says she needs to speak to Sonny now, but Ava says, she’s sorry. Josslyn just missed him.

There’s a knock at Dex’s door. He picks up his gun and unlocks the door. (Why none of these people check peepholes is beyond me, and Dex doesn’t even have one.) He holds the gun behind him and opens the door. It’s scary looking Sonny.

Tomorrow, Anna thinks whoever tried to kill Sonny is behind Olivia Jerome’s murder; Doc says, even a glimpse is out of the question; Cyrus tells Laura that his flock is about to get bigger; and Sonny tells Dex, the way he sees it, Dex is going to have to disappear.

🧼 All the Soap That’s Fit To Print…

She’s been mentioned periodically, and every time, I think, isn’t she dead? Although her actually being dead doesn’t mean it’s a sure thing either.

I can definitely see her as Blaze’s mother.

A few side gigs.

Check Out Steve Burton’s Wild New Look!

How they celebrated.

See How Soap Stars Celebrated Valentine’s Day!

The headline that nearly gave me a heart attack.

🍑 Stirring It In Hotlanta…

She’s come a long way from thinking the Underground Railroad was really a railroad.

👀 He’ll Be Watching You…

This guy is ridiculous. And shame on Bo Dietl. He’s the one I learned never go to crime scene number two from.

🐕 Another Star In the Family…

Of course their dog is awesome too. Is it too late for them to adopt me?

https://ew.com/goldie-hawn-and-kurt-russell-dog-budweiser-super-bowl-commercial-8576002

And he’s already got his first gig.

https://people.com/goldie-hawn-kurt-russell-dog-now-repping-wyatt-russell-cocktail-brand-8580671

👑 Queen Of Kings…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a presidential extravaganza. Really just the usual variety pack. Until then, stay safe, stay using adversity as an opportunity, and stay understanding that payback isn’t going to bring back everything you’ve already lost.

February 14, 2024 – Valentine’s Day In Port Charles, A Mother’s Day Brunch With Jewelry, Quick Thought, Valentine Pup (!) & Ashes

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase leads a blindfolded Brook outside in the dark. She says she doesn’t want to sound like Leo in the car, but are they there yet? He says, they will be soon. In his defense, he told the defendant to get some boots. She says, now she’s committed a crime? What did she do? He says, she’s been accused of looking too gorgeous tonight, and she says, guilty as charged. FYI, your honor, I’m wearing boots. He says, yes, designer and impractical ones, and she says, well, yeah. He helps her up a step and says, we’re here. She takes off the blindfold, and sees a table set up with a picnic basket and champagne outside the boathouse. She asks when he did all this, and he says, happy Valentine’s Day.

At The Savoy, Sasha and Maxie raise their glasses, and Maxie says, Lucy. Lucy says, what? Oh. Hi. Maxie says, they can’t cheer her up if she won’t have a good time, and Lucy asks how she can have a good time when it’s Valentine’s Day and Martin’s not returning any of her calls. Sasha says, focus on the positive – Maxie says, excellent ideaand hang out with the people who care about you. Maxie says, kicked off by a toast, and Lucy says, if they toast to love, the contents of this drink will end up in both their faces. Maxie says, that’s the spirit, and Sasha says, to friendship. Lucy and Maxie say, to friendship, and they clink glasses.

Spinelli comes into The Savoy with Cody, and Cody asks if he’s ready to have a good time. Spinelli says, of course (🍷). He’s a single man with no romantic attachments. Who knows? Tonight, he may find the woman of his dreams. Cody says, he could, and he just might. Spinelli looks over and sees Maxie, who waves to him.

Dante kisses Sam and says he got her something. She tells him, they said no gifts, and he says he knows, but he lied. She opens his gift and takes out a black leather jacket. He tells her that she said she wanted to get back into riding, so options are a good thing to have. She says she loves it and thanks him. She says, options are good when it comes to jackets, but when it comes to boyfriends – she puts the ribbon from the gift around his neck – she only has eyes for one. There’s a knock at the door, she kisses him, and he says he knew that was going to happen. She says, he knew what was going to happen, and he says he knew his cheesy lines were going to rub off on her. He opens the door and Officer Daniels is there. Dante asks, what’s up? and Daniels says he has a delivery. Danny steps into the doorway.

Willow asks Michael how the kids were tonight, and he says, great. Typical nighttime antics from Wiley, but he managed to settle down, and she says, speaking of, does he need her to… He says, no. He just checked on him. The lights were on, but he’s passed out next to his open book. She asks why kids are so cute when they’re sleeping, and he says, because they’re sleeping. She says, touché. Did he tell the kids that this wasn’t a one-time thing, that he’s home for good? He says he thought that was something they could do together, and she says, they’ll be so happy. He says he knows he is. Is she? She says, yes, and he asks if she’s sure. She says, his moving in was her idea, and he says he knows, but he doesn’t want there to be any more secrets between them or half-truths or feelings swept under the rug. He wants to put it all out there. She tells him, funny he should say that, because before they do this, there’s something she needs to get off her chest.

Curtis and Portia are about to go into the house, and Curtis says he apologizes for having PT on Valentine’s Day, but Portia says she’s just glad he could fit it in. He says, him too. Every time he goes, he gets stronger than he was the session before. She says, that’s her baby. Getting stronger and stronger every day. They go inside, and Curtis says he’s going to change real quick and then they can head out. She says, sounds like a plan, and sees a vase of red roses on the table. She says, Curtis, and he says, don’t look at him. He had nothing to do with that. She reads the note: Took Trina to the Nicholas Brothers retrospective at The Forum. Won’t be back until late. Dinner will be delivered at 8:15. Curtis says, happy anniversary to us.

In the Pine Barrens, Sonny holds a gun on Dex, who’s being held by two of his men. He tells Dex to make this easier on himself. Tell him the person Dex sold him out to. Dex says he’s not taking anyone else down with him, and Sonny cocks the gun and says, wrong answer.

Brook says, so this is what Chase was up to earlier, and he says he heard her and Leo talking about a comet passing over New York tonight. She says, Leo’s very excited. He thinks there’s some sort of Valentine’s Day magic. He says he’s with Leo. What could be more romantic than a little stargazing with champagne? Brook says, and heat lamps, and he says, just the two of them, cuddled up to see a once in a hundred-year event. She says, when he puts it that way… and he says he wanted to do something special for their first Valentine’s Day together. She says, as long as he keeps her warm, and he says, she has his word. She says she’d prefer a kiss, and he kisses her.

Sam asks Danny, what happened? and he says he’s fine, stumbling a little. She says, fine and drunk apparently, and Daniels says he caught a bunch of them with booze at the park. Sam says she thought he was in his room. He didn’t even ask if he could go out tonight. Danny asks if she would have said yes, and she says, no. He says, exactly, and Sam asks if Dante heard him leave. Dante says, no, and Danny says he snuck out on the fire escape. She asks if he’s insane. He could have gotten hurt, or worse. Daniels says, he recognized Danny from seeing them around town and decided, since it’s his first offense, he’d let Danny off with a warning. Dante and Sam thank him, and Daniels leaves. Danny says, thank God that’s over. He’s going to bed. Sam says, not until they talk about this.

Spinelli says, Cody orchestrated this meet cute, and Cody says he orchestrated nothing. He swears he had no idea Maxie and Sasha were going to be here. At their table, Maxie points out Cody and Spinelli to Sasha, and Lucy says she doesn’t begrudge couples celebrating Valentine’s Day. That’s great… Cody tells Spinelli, but since they are, it would be rude not to say hello. They go over to the table, and Cody says, good evening. Sasha says, so formal, and Maxie says hi to Spinelli. Spinelli says, gracious greetings to all, and to no one in particular. Maxie asks if the guys want to join them, but Lucy says, no. Absolutely not. This is a ladies’ night. No boys allowed. Spinelli says, understood. They’ll just head to… Cody says, the bar. They’re heading to the bar. So enjoy their night. Lucy tells him, it’s not a night. Like she said, it’s a ladies‘ night. Cody says, got that, and he and Spinelli go to the bar. Lucy says, Maxie is breaking the girls code, but Maxie says, it was just a suggestion. Geez. Lucy says, besides, she thought Maxie might need a break from Spinelli, now that they’ve moved in together. Maxie says, he hasn’t moved in, and Lucy says, are they or are they not living together in the same house? Maxie says, temporarily, while all the pipes in his apartment are getting fixed. He’s even paying rent. Sasha asks, how long before his apartment is livable again? and Maxie says she’s not sure, but whenever. Georgie loves having both of her parents under one roof. Sasha says, seems like Maxie doesn’t mind it much either.

Curtis pours the wine, and Portia says, this was so lovely of Marshall to do. He says, yes, it was. He hopes she’s not disappointed that they’re not going out. She says, is he kidding? A romantic dinner at home that she wasn’t required to cook? He says, look at her. She’s living the dream. She says she is. It’s really nice. He says he can only think of one thing nicer. Let’s celebrate our anniversary properly.

Sonny is ready to pull the trigger, when he hears something and tells Frank to check it out. Dex says he hopes Sonny makes it look like he took off. He’d rather Joss hate him. Sonny says, money is more important to Dex than Josslyn, but Dex says, that’s not true. Sonny says, stop lying, when Carly calls to Sonny. Frank and another guy bring her over, and Sonny asks what she’s doing here. She says, stopping him from killing an innocent man.

Willow says she overreacted about Michael keeping the Nina thing from her, but he says, she didn’t. She says, she did, which was hugely hypocritical given that she hid having cancer from him for months. He swallowed that betrayal and moved forward. She didn’t afford him the same grace and she’s been struggling to figure out why. He says, any luck? and she says, he’s her person. He’s the safe, stable place where she puts her trust. And with her history of being lied to and manipulated, if that trust gets broken, it cuts deep. She’s not trying to make excuses… He says he knows she’s not, and she says, but him not being honest shook the foundation for her. She knows he was doing it from a place of love and was trying to protect her, but she needs to know going forward, if something terrible happens, they’ll figure out what to do together. He says he’ll never go rogue again, and she say she’s serious. He says, so is he, and takes her hand. They’re a team. He’s so sorry that he made her feel like they weren’t.

Spinelli says he thinks the most prudent course of action is to exit, and, handing Spinelli his drink, Cody asks, why? Didn’t he say he was single and ready to mingle? Spinelli says he doesn’t remember saying it in such base terms, but that was the general idea, and Cody asks if he’s worried that Maxie is going to see him talking to other women. Spinelli asks how many times he must tell Cody; Maximista is a non-issue. Cody says, then he doesn’t see the problem.

Lucy says, okay, let’s take this opportunity to come up with some ideas for the new Face of Deception campaign, and Maxie asks if they’re at the office. She could have sworn they were at The Savoy to have some fun. Sasha says, no more work talk, but Lucy says, unfortunately, they can’t afford to take the night off. No ma’ams. Because Tracy is out to decimate them. Sasha says, Tracy wants Deception to succeed, and Lucy says, ah-ha! Then she has Sasha exactly where she wants her. Maxie says, so much for girls’ night.

On a chaise lounge under a blanket, Brook asks if Chase had any luck, but he says he’s sorry. What are the odds that both space heaters are on the fritz? She says, pretty good. Since they’re usually not used at the same time, the propane probably runs out at the same time too. He says he probably should have checked that, and she says, stop. They’ve got blankets and body heat. Come. Get under so he doesn’t freeze. He says, okay, but first, champagne. He hands her a glass and gets under the blanket with her. He says, to the most beautiful woman in the world, and she says, he’s the sweetest. He asks if this is better, and she says, much. He says he promises this will be a Valentine’s Day to remember, one they’ll tell their grandchildren about. They clink glasses, and she says, the night she got frostbite. He says, what was that? and she says, nothing. He puts his arm around her.

Sam asks if Danny knows how lucky he is that Dante’s on the force. If he’d been brought in for processing, he’d have a record right now, one that would follow him when he applied to colleges. Danny says, colleges? He’s 14. She says, exactly. Way too young to be drinking or sneaking out or lying to them in general. He could have been hurt. He says, but he wasn’t, and she says, that’s not the point. He’s too young to be drinking, period, let alone in the park. Danny says, lesson learned, okay? but she says she’ll be the judge of that. He’s grounded. Give her his phone. He says, mom, and she says, phone, now. He hands it over and asks, how long. She says she doesn’t know. Maybe until he learns enough responsibility to get it back. He says, it’s so unfair, and she says, oh well. He says, it’s so hypocritical, and she asks what that’s supposed to mean. He says, like she didn’t have a drink at his age.

Carly says, Dex is not the traitor in Sonny’s organization, and Dex says, it’s okay, but she says, it’s not okay. Sonny says he knows she wants to protect Dex for Josslyn’s sake, but he has proof. Dex admitted he’s working for somebody else, but refuses to tell him who it is. She says, listen to her. Brick believed her enough to tell her that he was here. He can’t do this. Sonny says, Dex is working for the bastard who wants to take him down. What does she want him to do? She says, he’s not, and Sonny tells his men to take her out of here now. She says, no, and shakes them off. Dex is not working for some other mob organization. He’s working for her.

Brook asks if there’s an ETA for this comet or what, and Chase says he’s sorry. They can go back into the house if she wants. He wanted to show her how special she is to him. He thinks it’s the best Valentine’s Day ever. She asks if she can be straight with him, and he says, she better. She says she doesn’t even care about Valentine’s Day. It’s just a commercial money grab to make single people feel like crap. He laughs and she asks why he’s laughing. He says, because he feels the same way, and she laughs.

Sam says, as a matter of fact, she wasn’t drinking when she was 14, and Danny says he doesn’t feel too good. Dante says, that’s understandable, and Danny says he’s going to the bathroom. Sam asks if he needs help, but he says he’s got it, and she says, he knows if he’s ever in trouble or needs a ride, he can just call her or Dante, no questions asked. Dante says, there will be questions eventually, but not off the top, and Sam says, they want to keep him safe, that’s all. Danny runs upstairs, and Sam flops on the sofa and tells Dante, have kids, they say. It will be wonderful and fulfilling, they say. He says, she wouldn’t trade it for anything, and kisses her. She says, no, she wouldn’t, but she wasn’t prepared for this. Danny’s going to be a handful. Dante says, maybe he learned from his mistake, but she says, this wasn’t just some mistake. Forget about him putting himself in physical danger. Her son lied to her. He says, more like a lie of omission though, and she asks who’s side he’s on. He says, hers. Always, just her. He kisses her hand, and she says her son lied to her, and her response was to lie right back.

In a corner of The Savoy on the phone, Lucy says, it’s her for the gazillionth time. Could he please just call her back? She really misses him. She sees a couple snuggling, throws up her hands, and heads back. Sasha says she’s glad things with Spinelli are working out, and Maxie says she wasn’t really worried about it. He’s her best friend. Sasha asks, what was it like before? and Maxie says, when they were together? It was great. It just didn’t work out. Sasha asks if she’s ever thought about trying again, and Maxie looks at Spinelli and says, once or twice.

Curtis waits in bed, the bedroom lit with candlelight, when Portia comes in. They get busy and there’s a song part.

Sonny tells his men to hold Dex, and Carly says she asked Dex to keep an eye on him. He asks why she’d do that, and she says, for him. For their children. He says he needs some privacy, and tells his men to check and see if she was followed. She says, he was getting in deep with Pikeman and didn’t have anyone to watch his back, but he says he doesn’t believe her. She says she wasn’t going to let anything happen to him. She wasn’t going to let Donna lose her father. He says, someone deposited a large amount of cash in Dex’s secret bank account this past year. It couldn’t have been her because she lost all her money when the merger fell through. She says she found a way, and he says, she’s going to do anything for her daughter’s boyfriend. She says, Dex has saved his life multiple times. Hell, he saved Ava. Why would he do that if he was working for someone else? He says, to be more convincing, and she says she knows when the deposits happened. After Dex was shot after protecting him at the warehouse and after the attack at the island. How would she know that if she wasn’t the one paying him? He says, she’s covering for someone, but she says, no, she’s not. He says, and the only people she’d be protecting are her family. It’s Michael, isn’t it?

Sasha says she had no idea Maxie was interested in Spinelli, but Maxie says she’s not. Then sometimes she is. It’s really confusing. Sasha says, it’s familiar, and Maxie says, Spinelli is a gem. His giant heart, his quirky sense of humor… Sasha says, she’d learn a new vocabulary word every day, and Maxie says, any woman would be lucky to be with Spinelli. Sasha says, why can’t that woman be her?

Sam says she was no angel when she was a kid, and Dante says, no way. Get out of town. She says she was drinking when she was 14. Worse. He says, what Danny’s doing is kind of what every teenager’s done and what parent hasn’t whitewashed their past? She says she just doesn’t like not being honest with him, and he says, but she is being honest with him. Virtually about everything, except for this one thing, so Danny doesn’t take it the wrong way and use it as permission to get drunk. She says, it’s not that she thinks he’s going to be an alcoholic or anything like that. It’s a little more than that. He’s Jason’s son, and he reminds her more and more of him every day. He says he can see that, and she says, then let’s be real. Jason was an adrenaline junkie. He took insane chances, and he was drawn to danger. And in the end, it killed him. He says, that’s not going to happen to Danny, and she says she’s no stranger to adrenaline chasing either. For different reasons than Jason, but she was wild. He takes her hands and says, the fact that she’s thinking about all this, the fact that it’s on her radar, means she’s one of the good parents. Danny’s going to be all right. Not because of what his parents did, but because of who they are. And he’s going to be right there to help her out when she needs it. Capiche? She says, capiche.

Willow says she was supposed to be apologizing to Michael, and he tells her that he heard everything she said and he’s grateful, but that doesn’t make it okay that he lied to her. He didn’t want her to be disappointed yet again, knowing how hard it was for her to try, yet again, to give Nina an opening, yet again. And to share her children with Nina… Willow says, yet again, and he says, there’s another layer to it. The relationship she has with Nina is the exact opposite of the relationship he has with his mom. His mom understands him and she’s by his side. When she’s mad, she’s still with him. It’s… She says, it’s unconditional, and he says, yeah. So him going to his dad first, that was about him. He knew it would hurt less to disappoint his father than it would to disappoint her. She says, so if she’s understanding this correctly, he hid something from her because he loves her so much, and she overreacted because she loves him so much. If the underlying factor here is love, what are they doing? He says he doesn’t know, and she says she knows their life won’t always be perfect and she knows it’s unrealistic to think they’ll never fight again – they will – but this marriage, this family, means everything to her. She wants them back to the way they were. She gets up and holds out her hand. She asks if he’s ready for bed. He takes her hand, and she leads him upstairs.

Brook says, Chase doesn’t care about Valentine’s Day? Then why did he go to all this trouble? He says he cares about her. He wanted to make tonight special because she’s such a romantic. She says, he thinks she’s romantic? and he says, of course (🍷). She wouldn’t be able to write the songs she writes without such a big heart. She says, he’s one to talk. Mr. Literal Knight in Shining Armor, ever since the moment she met him. He says, when she clocked him in the head with a beer bottle? and she says, he’s shown her how much he cares about her every day. She hopes she does the same. He says, and then some, and they kiss. She says, so they don’t need to make tonight more special like it’s a stupid date, and he says, great. Let’s go home. They get up, and he tells her, look. We see the comet streaking across the sky, and he says, maybe there’s such a thing as Valentine’s Day magic after all. She says, maybe there is.

Sonny asks if he’s right, and Carly says, Michael initially hired Dex. Sonny says, to take him down? and coming out of the woodwork, Dex says, that’s how it started, but things changed. Sonny says, what things changed? and Dex says, Michael couldn’t go through with it. He said it would cause too much pain, especially for Donna and Avery. Sonny says, but Dex stayed? and Carly says, because she asked him to. Sonny says, to spy on him? but she says, no. He has to remember how things were then. He chose Nina over his family and things were way off with Pikeman. She had to get Dex in there in case things went south. He says, she continued to let this happen because she thought he couldn’t run his own business? She thought he wasn’t strong enough to take care of himself?

Maxie tells Sasha that she doesn’t know. It’s hard to imagine loving anyone the way she loved Nathan. She’s sure Sasha feels the same way about Brando. Sasha says she did until she realized she won’t love someone the same way. It’ll be different. It has to be. That doesn’t mean it can’t be great. Maxie says she put Spinelli through the wringer more times than she can count. She can’t do that again. Sasha says, then don’t.

On the phone, Spinelli says, keep him apprised and he can come home, if need be, and Cody asks if everything is all right. Spinelli says, James isn’t sleeping. He keeps making excuses to get out of bed. Cody says, Spinelli wouldn’t know that if he hadn’t called, but now that he’s apprised, why doesn’t he maybe fill Maxie in? Spinelli says, you think? and Cody says, he is her son. Spinelli says, true, and Cody says, it’s only appropriate she’s in the loop, right? Spinelli says, that’s a valid point, and Cody says, now’s his chance, now that the girls only police has left the table. Spinelli heads for the table.

Danny comes downstairs, and Sam asks if he feels better. He says, the room stopped spinning, and she says, that’s progress. He asks if she’s still mad, and she says, no, but they’ll have a conversation about this in the morning and set some ground rules. He says, okay. Still no phone? She says, no phone, and Dante gives a glass of water to Danny. He says, have about 18 of those and he’ll feel better, and Danny thanks him. Danny says, goodnight, and starts to go upstairs. Sam says she loves him, and he says he loves her too.

Sasha goes over to Cody, and he says, all good? She says, Maxie’s explaining that James has a crush on the babysitter and that’s why he keeps getting up. Cody says he’s been there, and she says, haven’t we all? He asks, who was her first crush? and she says, Mr. Rider, her fourth-grade science teacher. He was completely oblivious. Cody says, was he though? and she says she hopes so. He says, at least teachers and babysitters are unattainable (tell that to the girl who married the band director at my high school). It’s different when your crush can actually like you back. She says, like Maxie and Spinelli, and he says, what? She says, what? and he says, it’s obvious Spinelli has feelings for Maxie, but the way she just said that… She tells him that she said nothing. She would never betray a friend’s confidence like that. He says, okey-dokey. The subject of Maxie is closed. His friend Spinelli, however, he knows Sasha would never stand by and let him put his heart on the line if he didn’t have a chance. She would discourage him, albeit subtly, from risking their friendship. Right? Sasha says, sounds like something she would do, and looks over at the table. Cody says, so, is there anything she feels the need to tell Mr. Spinelli? She says, nope. Not a thing.

Sonny says, Carly and Michael went behind his back because they thought he was weak? but she says, no. He knows better than anyone, you can’t survive in this business alone. He says he’s been surviving for 30 years. Besides, he had Brick. She says, he didn’t have Brick, and the only one around him was Nina, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to trust her. He says, so she was helping him by lying to him? and she says she was trying to protect him. He says, they haven’t seen eye to eye about Nina, and he accepted all that, but he never in his life thought she would betray him like this. She says she was trying to help him. She was not trying to betray him. And if he can’t see that, then he’s further gone than she thought. He says, don’t try to justify it because she can’t, and walks off. She yells his name, but he keeps going.

Spinelli tells Maxie that he’s going to beat a hasty retreat before Lucy accuses him of sabotaging girls’ night. Maxie says, truth? She’s having way more fun hanging out with him. He says, that makes two of them.

Sasha tells Cody, anyone who sees Maxie and Spinelli together can tell they’re a good match, but it’s hard when you’ve tried before and couldn’t make it work. He says, maybe it just wasn’t the right time. Maybe someone is missing out on something great… And by somebody, he means Maxie and Spinelli. She says, of course (🍷), and he says, obviously.

On the sofa in front of a fire, Dante says he kind of wishes he knew Sam as a kid, but she says, no, he doesn’t. He says, yeah, he does, and she says she told him she was wild. She could have eaten him for breakfast. He says, is that so? and she says, wild, but lucky for him, she’s reformed now. He says he doesn’t know how lucky that is. Reformed is good, but a little wildness is good too. She says, how wild? and he suggests they go upstairs, and she can show him. They kiss and run upstairs.

Carly asks if Dex is okay, and he says, is she? She says, yeah, and he says, Sonny would have killed him if she hadn’t shown up. He can’t believe she did.

In the car, Frank says, home or the office, boss? but Sonny says, just keep driving. He flashes back to Michael saying that he’ll always have a place in Wiley and Amelia’s life, and him saying he loves those kids. He hated being estranged for months. Michael says, it will never happen again, and he hopes Sonny chooses to be part of his life too.

Chase and Brook get busy, and Chase asks if she’s still cold. She says she’s starting to warm up, and they fall onto the bed. There’s a song part.

Willow and Michael get busy to the same song.

Portia and Curtis bask in the afterglow, and Portia says, happy anniversary, baby. He says, happy Valentine’s Day, and she says, happy everything. He kisses her and says he wanted to do that so much, and she says, her too. He says, was it worth the wait? and she nods. He says, when he thinks about everything they’ve had to overcome to get here. All the challenges and the heartbreaks. She says, they’re still stronger than ever, and he says, it tells him that they’re built to last and that together, they can get through anything. She says, anything, and they kiss.

Tomorrow, Kristina tells Blaze that Molly knows about them; Jordan says, there goes their only lead; Valentin returns; Nina asks Drew if he’s really that threatened by a little competition; and Sonny says, Michael lost it the day Michael hired Dex to destroy him.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Erika has a session with Dr. Jenn and says, everything she didn’t think was possible is happening. Jenn tells her, just yesterday she said her life was over, and we flash back to Erika saying, it’s hopeless. Erika says, it was for a while. Now she’s got the residency and it’s good pressure. She wants to surpass expectation, but she’s afraid. Jenn says, last time, she had a husband and unlimited funds and resources, and Erika says, good or bad, he encouraged her to be here. In Erika’s interview, she says, Tom was her safety net so she could walk on the highwire. We flash back to her thanking him, and she says, she no longer has a net, and it can get scary. Don’t look down. Keep going forward. She tells Jenn that her legal woes are almost wrapped up, and in her interview, she says she got a favorable ruling about the earrings, and everyone was quiet. Her feelings are hurt. She tells Jenn about the ceremony to release burdens in Spain and how she was angry, and Jenn says she thinks Erika has unresolved feelings. When she was hoping to get support, she got criticism. We flash back to that, but seriously, she could have handled it better. Erika says she wants to release to past, but thinks she’s never going to get what she’s looking for. Jenn says, closure has to come from her. Something sh*tty can happen to you and you recover.

Sutton goes to ride Santos for the first time, and Santos steals carrots from Ali’s basket, which is pretty cute. In Sutton’s interview, she says she always wanted a horse. She hasn’t had one since her summers in Texas with her grandparents. She feels like a kid again. She’s nervous, since it’s the first time, but she knows Santos now, so she can ride him. It’s like when she’s dating. She gets know someone first before she rides him. Her words, not mine. Kyle joins her, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, Sutton looks like when she was riding the mechanical bull in Vegas. We flash back to that. Sutton uses stairs to get on and off, and wow, is Santos tall. They sit down, and Sutton says she thought Spain was super fun. She was emotional though, and had a rough day when she released Merce’s ashes. It was really about letting go of her marriage. She talked to Christian afterward. In her interview, Sutton says, Christian got a big promotion, but he’ll be living out of the country and it’s a lifestyle change for her. He lives down street, and now if she falls, she’s falling by herself. Kyle asks if they’d tried couples therapy, but Sutton says, no, and Kyle tells her that she’s going therapy with Mauricio.

Kyle says, their work has been keeping them apart, and Sutton says, that’s what happened to her. Christian’s career rose and she stayed where she was. Kyle says, they started out with nothing. Mauricio had lost his job and she suggested getting real estate licenses. In Kyle’s interview, she says, she’s made sacrifices and compromises. She’s a good wife and great mom and she’s been supportive. She wants Mauricio to prioritize her like she did him. She tells Sutton that now she has the freedom to do for herself, and she doesn’t want to miss the opportunity. The kids will be gone, and she wants to have her life too. Sutton says she has to figure out the balance.

In her interview, Garcelle talks about cyberbullying and how Jax had gotten horrific messages. We flash back to the Reunion where it was discussed, and she says, Cybersmile asked if they wanted to partner. By doing that, Jax is helping himself and other kids. She and Jax do a PSA, and present their GoFundMe, while Jaid works the cue cards, although he has a hard time standing still and not making faces. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, when her kids aren’t being pains in the ass, she’s proud of them. They’re respectful, they have manners, they’re kind, and outspoken. She tells Jaid that he can get a job at SNL, and tells Jax that he’s taken the negative and made a positive out of it. She’s proud of him. She’s also glad that they discussed her needing to parent him and his brother differently. It was a big learning curve for her. Since Jaid has asked for more freedom, she agrees that he can take and Uber to meet his friends. In her interview, she says, they’re getting more independent, so she needs to put herself first. She tells Jax that she can trace the car, but she still wants him to text when he gets there.

In Sutton’s interview, she says, the heavens opened, and she has a second date with Steve. The first date is to see if they’re not fresh out of prison. After Spain, she feels like she put away a lot of baggage from her marriage and she’s ready to move on. She hopes to find love again, and thinks Spain did her good. She meets Steve at the Surly Goat and takes her Ocean Spray out of her bag. He says he likes her purse and notices it’s Celine. He wonders if Celine Dion makes purses, and Sutton plays with him for a minute, but eventually tells him it’s a designer and not the singer. In her interview, Sutton says, starting over in your 50s is super tough because… you’re 50. They play darts, and Steve decides to throw with his eyes closed, getting a near bullseye. In Sutton’s interview, she says, regardless of the outcome, it feels like a new chapter, and it feels good. Steve is also easy on the eyes. They’ll see where it goes. I agree that he’s very good looking.

In Kyle’s interview, she says, her sessions with Jamie are a source of comfort. She thought couples therapy was important because it’s been difficult to communicate. She tells Mauricio that she wants to be able to talk outside of therapy, and he says he thinks therapy is fun. She says she thinks what he’s going for is, it makes him feel good, and he says, they’re gone through a tough year. It helps him be more in tune with himself and he thinks it’s helping. He thinks they’re in a way better place. They’ve been married 27 years and they’ve never had so much going on. It’s become hard. He’s opening two offices a month, and tomorrow will be here fast. In her interview, Kyle says she’s frustrated because she doesn’t feel heard. She’s not staying in a situation she’s not happy in. She’s not accepting for herself what she wouldn’t accept for her daughters.

Annemarie is throwing a Mother’s Day Diamond & Champagne Brunch. She wants them to come together as moms and feel pampered. She also needs to talk to Crystal. She doesn’t don’t like the negative energy and needs to try and fix it once and for all. As she gets ready, Crystal tells her glam squad that she and Annemarie had conflicts, but when she went to the hospital, Annemarie was supportive and helpful. It gives her hope. Seriously though, how would it have looked if Annemarie hadn’t been supportive and helpful? Like maybe she was a monster? Dorit calls PK and tells him that Mother’s Day is coming up. She’s wondering when he’s coming back. He says, as soon as he can, but he has to be there for this deal. Besides, Mother’s Day isn’t a big deal in England. She says, it should be acknowledged, and he says – wait for it – she’s not his mother. She points out that she’s his children’s mother and would like him to make a concerted effort for them to be together for it from now on.

At Annemarie’s, there’s a magnificent spread of food porn, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, lots of food, beautiful people, and a jeweler. It’s so Beverly Hills. I assume the jeweler is there for them to buy stuff, but if I want to go to a Tupperware party, I’ll go to a Tupperware party, not a Mother’s Day party. In Kyle’s interview, she says she doesn’t drink champagne anymore, but she’s here for the diamonds. Erika puts a massive ring on Garcelle, who asks where she’d go with that. Erika says, everywhere, and Garcelle says, for that ring, you’d have to give a BJ every day. Erika says, gladly. Annemarie tells Erika that Crystal’s been on her mind. They haven’t come to a resolution. We flash back to that whole debacle.

Sutton struggles going up Annemarie’s many steps with no handrail, and says, what’s wrong with these people? I’m with you there, sister. She’s obviously indulged slightly before arrival, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, tipsy Sutton is here to liven up the party. Erika suggests they get her to buy them stuff, and says she loves diamonds, but she doesn’t want any more fights in court. Crystal asks how Erika is feeling, and Erika says, Crystal is the only person who said she was sorry and she’s grateful. She would like some other people to say it. Annemarie asks to talk to Crystal, and in her interview, Annemarie says she doesn’t want to harbor resentment toward her. She asks how Crystal is doing, and Crystal says, her doctor told her that she needs to work out more. She thanks Annemarie for her help, and Annemarie thanks her for coming. She says she doesn’t want Crystal to mistake her passion for anger, and Crystal says, they need to be able to agree to disagree. Her intention was and is to move on, but if Annemarie is feeling something different, she has to tell her. The others watch from a distance, and Erika says, we’re not nosy. Sutton tells them to mind their biscuits. Annemarie tells Crystal that she wants to have fun, and in Crystal’s interview, she says she thought Annemarie would move on when pigs flew. She looks around, wondering where the pigs are. In Annemarie’s interview, she says she’s over it. She has to be okay to agree to disagree. Kyle says she’ll pretend to get fruit, and saunters closer. Annemarie and Crystal hug it out, and Erika announces, they’re hugging. Kyle comes back and says, breaking news, but realizes she’s been scooped, and Erika says, they’re walking toward the cheese. Dorit asks Sutton about her date, and Sutton says, they played darts and she wore jeans. She looked cute, but she got a text from him this morning that said she looked beautiful and reminding her that they haven’t kissed yet. Erika says, he wants a BJ, and the jewelry guard tries to hide his smile. Sutton says, he wants a kiss, and in her interview, she says she likes to know someone first. And get a health certificate.  

Annemarie tells the group that she and Crystal have agreed to move forward, and Erika says she’d love it if they supported each other more. She went through something tough and she’s good now, but she’s disappointed in certain people and the group as a whole wasn’t there for her. Half of her wants an apology from certain people who didn’t believe in her, but the other half thinks, if they wanted to apologize, they would have. Dorit says she doesn’t think she wasn’t supportive, and Erika brings up a comment Dorit made at Kathy’s dinner about them all being dragged into it. We flash back to that, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, Erika did not make it easy. She had no empathy, she couldn’t talk about it, and every two seconds, an article was coming out. She and Kyle blindly supported her. Kyle says she took issue with how Erika was handling it, but never doubted she didn’t know anything. Garcelle says she didn’t want Erika to fall, but she had an opinion and she’s sticking by it. Sutton says she already apologized, but she thinks she caused a lot of hurt. The blame isn’t Erika’s. We flash back to Sutton’s questioning Erika’s knowledge of Tom pocketing settlement money, and Erika says she appreciates Sutton acknowledging that. Erika starts to cry and says, it didn’t have to be this way. In Sutton’s interview, she says, seeing Erika cry made her realize that maybe Erika needed an apology from her a long time ago. Maybe they’re leaning into a better relationship. Kyle says, if Erika feels she didn’t support her enough, she’s sorry. In Erika’s interview, she says she’ll never get the apologies she wants from everyone, but she’s received a lot of closure. It went better than she expected and it’s nice that Sutton acknowledged her behavior. She didn’t think that was coming. She appreciates the acknowledgement. That’s all she wanted. She thanks them for hearing her. She has let go and she’s moving forward. Now fight about somebody else.

Next time – finally, the finale – PK extends his trip; Erika performs at a stadium; all the women see something in People that shocks them; and Mauricio says he and Kyle didn’t tell their daughters because they’re trying to protect them.

💭 Thought: Yeah, it all looks good on paper right now, but I’m waiting for Erika and Annemarie’s other shoe to fall.

🪹 Lean Wednesday…

Circle back tomorrow for soap and things that must be true because they’re on the internet. Until then, stay safe, stay looking for a positive statement before addressing the negative, and stay not looking down, but keep looking forward when you no longer have a safety net.

February 9, 2024 – Sonny Welcomes Jagger Back, Golden Girl, His Two Cents, Miami Looks, Returning Wives, Super Info, Puppy (!) Bowlers, Nine Concise Quotes & Heart

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Willow straightens up the living room, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens the door to Michael and says, he didn’t have to knock. This is his home too.

At the Hatchet Range, Spinelli throws his hatchet, and it bounces off the target. He says he must have miscalculated his variables. Which one? Angle or centrifugal force… Maxie says they’re not here to reprogram a satellite or recode the internet, and he says, you can’t recode the internet. She says, to be honest, she didn’t know if recode was a real word. Look around. Does he see any children they’re related to? Does he hear any sounds of emotional children yelling? He shakes his head, and she asks if he sees a sign for Deception, or the sounds of highly emotional grown-ups healing? He says he does not, and she says, that means they’re not at home and she’s not at work. So let’s lighten up and not take this too seriously. He says he knows, but precision and accuracy are kind of a needed… She says, no. They’re here to have a good time and throw pieces of sharpened steel at a wall. He says, she’s right. So let the unwinding begin. She thanks him. Cody and Sasha join them, and Cody says, okey-dokey. This is fun, and he loves turning walls into kindling as much as the next guy, but what do they say to raising the stakes a little? Sasha asks what he has in mind.

Josslyn and Drew look at her phone, and he says he loves that one of Spencer. She says she couldn’t tell at the time, but looking at all of these, he was so cute. It’s no wonder everybody let him get away with all sorts of stuff. Drew suggests they take a break, but Josslyn says, it’s fine. She’s fine. He asks if she’s sure, because it’s not a race. They could come back to it after they get a snack or something. She says she doesn’t even know if she should be doing this, and Carly asks, why? Josslyn says, because her posting all of these photos of her and Spencer, it’s like she’s making it about herself. Her loss, her grief. He was her friend, and he was Laura’s family, and he was the love of Trina’s life.

At The Savoy, Dex sits at the bar, when Brick and Jordan come in. Brick says, one drink and then he’ll let her get on with her regularly scheduled life, and Jordan says, when he called in a favor from the mayor’s office, she didn’t expect it to begin and end with her and a drink. He asks, why is that? Did she see him as someone who needed zoning remediations? She says she imagines he could solve those all on his own, and he says he thinks she should consider the bigger picture. This drink is all part of the plan. She says she didn’t take him for someone who plays the long game, and while watching Dex, he says, people aren’t always what they seem.

Sonny says, Jagger Cates. It’s been a long time. John says, yet still not long enough. And it’s John now. Sonny asks if that’s on his identification, and John shows Sonny his ID. Sonny asks what he calls John, Agent Cates or my old pal, and John says, they were never pals, but maybe they can change that.

Cody says he was thinking they split into two teams. Whoever gets the most points, wins. Sasha asks what they win, and Maxie says, please not a gift certificate. She has enough junk on her fridge already. How about bragging rights until the people she brags to get bored with her bragging about her triumph? Cody says he was thinking that the losing team pays for the winning team to have a night out on the town, and Spinelli asks why everything has to boil down to a competition relying on brute strength. Cody says, ax throwing isn’t about strength. It’s about finesse and teamwork, togetherness. Sasha says, yeah, come on, Spinelli. It will be fun. Maxie asks how they separate into teams, and Cody says, obviously, the two Faces of Deception have to stick together. Sasha says, absolutely. The more they’re in sync, the better for Deception’s marketing. Maxie says, fine by her. She’s happy to do her victory dance in both their gorgeous faces. Spinelli says he sees her competitive streak hasn’t diminished, and she tells him that he wouldn’t say that if he knew how many games of Go Fish she’s purposely lost to their kid. What does he say?

Michael tells Willow that he debated with himself the whole way here. Should he knock or just let himself in? She says, that’s okay. She’s been picking up for the last half hour, then she loses track of what she’s doing, and she has to start over. He says, if she’s rethinking the invitation, that’s okay. He can just pick up the papers Drew left him and go. No harm, no foul. She says she’s not rethinking it. She’s happy he’s here. He says, so she still wants him to stay the night. She said the kids wanted him here in the morning, but is it just for tomorrow or is she asking him to come home for good?

Josslyn says she was doing the dishes and one minute, she’s totally fine and the next minute, she has tears streaming down her face. Carly says, there’s nothing wrong with that. She has to feel how she feels. Josslyn says she knows, and she knows she has her own loss to grieve, but she doesn’t know how to do that and be a support system for Trina. If she posts these photos, won’t that be shocking to Trina when she’s scrolling through social media, and bam, there’s Spencer? She doesn’t want to make things worse for her. Drew says he thinks it says a lot about her friendship with Trina that she’s being so considerate about this. When Oscar died, a lot of people reached out and told him how much they missed Oscar, and there were times when that was the only thing that got him through the day. Carly says, Trina knows that she suffered a loss too. Trina wouldn’t want her to hide it. Josslyn agrees, and Drew says, what she wrote about Spencer is straight from the heart and it’s so beautiful. It’s a message to be shared.

Brick asks Jordan to excuse him for a second. He’s going to the bar. She says, the server should be here any second, and he says, a woman such as herself should never be kept waiting. He’ll be right back. He walks up next to Dex and says, good to see him. Dex says, him too, and Brick asks if he can buy Dex a drink. Dex says, not tonight. He’s on call with Sonny, so he’s sticking to soda, but how about if he buys Brick one instead? Brick looks at the champagne behind the bar and says, what he’s planning on sipping tonight might be above Dex’s paygrade. Dex says, maybe, and puts a credit card on the bar. Let’s find out. We see it’s a platinum card.

Sonny tells Frank, this won’t take long, and Frank leaves. Sonny closes the door, and Sonny says, he and John had their problems back in the day. John says, if that’s what he wants to call them, and Sonny says, whatever you want to call it, that was a long time ago. Things change. John says, it may have been a long time ago for Sonny, but for him, it was yesterday. Sonny says he did some things back then that he regrets. Losing John’s brother… John says, after everything, Sonny can’t say his name, and Sonny says he named his son Stone as a middle name because he considered Stone family. John says, wow. Well, God help Sonny’s family. Sonny says, be careful, and John says he’s not here to talk about Stone or Karen or any part of their past. Sonny says, so what is he here to talk about? Is John here to tell him that the Feds are looking into his business, or is John coming after him? John says, nothing would make him happier than to see Sonny behind bars. They both know that’s where Sonny belongs, and they both know the reasons why. Past and present. (I wish they’d tell me. In all the years I’ve watched this show, Sonny hasn’t really done anything all that bad.) Sonny says, then stop talking about it and take his best shot. John says he’s not in Port Charles to take Sonny down. He’s here to save Sonny’s life.

Josslyn closes her tablet and says, okay then. It’s out there. Carly says, it’s a beautiful post. It really is. It captures who Spencer was and her relationship with him. Josslyn says she was really lucky to know him for so many years, although sometimes he annoyed her so much she didn’t even like him. Carly says, that means they were really friends. She really saw him; the good, bad, and everything in between. Josslyn says, yeah, but the good was really good. Carly’s phone dings and she says, oh no. Not you too. Drew asks if it’s another advertiser pulling out, and she says, Triton Luxury Hotel and Cruises. She’s not dealing with it. He says he’ll handle this one. He knows the CFO. Let him handle this. It’s going to be okay. She thanks him and he leaves. Josslyn says, Trina saw all her posts and she loved it, and Carly says, she told Josslyn. Josslyn says, now everyone is sharing their memories of Spencer and it’s great. Drew was right. Carly says, he frequently is, and it drives her crazy because sometimes she wants to be right, but since it’s Drew, it’s okay. Josslyn says, when she thinks of everything he’s done for their family and the fact he can even make Carly smile through times like this, it’s amazing. Carly says, he’s an impressive guy, and Josslyn says she’s very grateful he’s in their lives.

Maxie asks if this night out includes free babysitting, and Cody says, sure. She says, and what is she potentially paying for, an entire evening or just a dinner? Cody says he was thinking four hours, enough for dinner and a movie, and Maxie says, or one night at a spa, but Cody says, the event has to be something both parties will enjoy. Spinelli says he doesn’t enjoy greasy hands poking him in the name of healing, and Maxie says, then think of something else. What about tips and parking? Someone should be writing this down. Cody says he thought a bet would be fun, not involve lawyers, and Maxie says, fine. He’s on. Spinelli asks if he might have a word with Cody, and Cody says, sure. As they step away, Cody says, no lawyers.

In the hallway, Spinelli asks what Cody is doing, and Cody says he’s helping Spinelli get a date with Maxie. Spinelli says, stop helping, and Cody asks, why? The two of them have been talking back and forth between parent mode and roommate mode for way too long. Tonight, Maxie needs to see another side of him. His sexy side. Spinelli says, his sexy side has at best been described as subtle, and Cody says he bets Spinelli’s got some moves. He’s seen how Spinelli works a keyboard. Spinelli says he doesn’t know where Cody is going with this, but please stop immediately, and Cody says, he’s an information guy, right? Does he have some incredible playlists? He bets Spinelli’s got stuff no one’s ever heard of, right? Is he an aromatherapy wiz? He’s got to have something. Spinelli says, before Cody derails his train of thoughts by detailing his failed dating profile, he was trying to relate he’s not interested in Maximista. Cody says he doesn’t believe Spinelli, and Spinelli says, so that’s it then? He says it and it must be so? Cody says, he’s a good guy, he’s a good dad, he’s a genius with tech. He’s a total catch. Why doesn’t he just go for it? Spinelli says his relationship with Maxie is purely platonic. There was a time when they tried to make it more than that, and it became very clear that they’re better off as friends. So despite Cody’s cupid-ed-ness, it’s going to stay that way. Sasha tells Maxie, in the interest of full disclosure, this isn’t the first time she’s been to a hatchet range. Spinelli watches them.

Sonny says he’s not sure he’s hearing John right. John comes into his office tossing around things that happened more than thirty years ago. John says, they were more than accusations, and Sonny says he doesn’t remember them having angel wings back then. John says, Karen did, and Sonny says, yeah, Karen did. John married her, he cheated on her, and she divorced him. He guesses none of them did right by her. John says, Sonny did a hell of a lot worse than cheating, and Sonny says, there were things he did back then that he would have done differently, but here is when John’s going to shut his mouth, because he let John come in here, get in his face, and take a couple shots because he thought John was entitled to a couple shots. But he’s done. His freebies are used up. If this were thirty years ago – and John knows this – he wouldn’t have given John this latitude. John says, he’s mellowed with age? and Sonny says he’s gotten smarter, and he doesn’t have to prove it to John. John says, that much is true, and Sonny says, then what is John doing standing here, talking about saving his life? John says, trust him. It’s nothing he wants to be doing. He’d rather see Sonny rot. That’s what he deserves, but as an FBI agent, it’s his duty to notify Sonny that he’s in danger. Sonny says, you know what? He doesn’t care. He’s doing just fine. He doesn’t need any help from the Feds. John says he guesses he’s got it wrong then, and Sonny says, he’s got what wrong? John says, imagine his concern when he and his colleagues discovered he was the target of a very public attack in an action area filled with civilians. Sonny asks if he’s talking about… John says, the MetroCourt shooting. Trust him when he says they know more than Sonny thinks. They know Curtis Ashford was a bystander, collateral damage. They know Sonny or Anna Devane may have been the intended target, but their assessment is, that bullet was meant for Sonny.

Dex says he’s been saving for a rainy day, and Brick wonders how much rain they’re going to get. It looks like Dex is fixing to build an ark. Dex says, you never know, and Brick says, that’s true, you never know. He thanks Dex for the drinks, and Dex tells him to enjoy his evening. Brick goes back to the table and says, sorry to keep Jordan waiting. It won’t happen again. The server brings them glasses of champagne, and Jordan asks what they should toast to. His secret plan? He says, they can toast to whatever she’d like – they clink glasses – and he won’t be keeping any secrets from her. She says, so much for the secret part of the plan, and he says he knows she’s only here with him because she thought she owed him a favor, but she says, that’s not true… Not entirely true. He says, that’s okay. He doesn’t mind a bit. How many chances does a guy like him get to be seen with a woman like her? Beautiful, intelligent, accomplished. He considers himself quite a lucky man, but not that lucky. But it’s all part of the plan. He smiles.

Maxie asks Sasha to tell her everything before they get back. Did she and Cody finally admit they’re crazy about each other and should be dating? Sasha says, Maxie’s romance-colored glasses are distorting her vision, and Maxie asks if she’s sure. Maybe Sasha should get herself a pair. Sasha says she and Cody did actually talk about it and they both decided it’s better they stay friends. For the time being. Maxie says, congratulations. That sounds very adult and mature of them, but she doesn’t get it. If a great guy were into her, she’d be with him in a heartbeat.

Cody says, quick question. How good is Spinelli with a hatchet? Spinelli says, how good is anyone? and Cody says he just meant Spinelli wants to have fun and not stress out about it. Okay? Spinelli says he won’t because he won’t be participating in this charade, and Cody says, what he wants to do is have kind of a firm, but loose grip on the handle. Spinelli says, that’s contradictory, and Cody says, bring it up past his ear. He doesn’t want to tilt left or right. Aim with your elbow, lead with your chest. (I do this a few times, sans hatchet, to see what he means.) Spinelli makes a feeble attempt, and Cody says, maybe he’ll find his inner Viking once they get going. He’s going to be siting this one out. Spinelli asks what that means, and Cody says, nothing. He feels an off night coming. Spinelli says, Cody’s going to cheat. That’s dishonorable. Cody says, dude, do you want a date with Maxie or not? They go back into the main room, and Cody says, ladies, pick up your hatchets and may the best team win.

Carly says, Drew was so wonderful when Josslyn’s grandmother passed away. She’s sure she could have handled it all on her own, but she didn’t have to. He was with her every step of the way. One more reason to be grateful for him. Josslyn asks if she’s okay, when Drew comes back. He says, crisis averted, and Josslyn says she’s sorry, but she has to go. She’s meeting Dex at The Savoy. Carly says she’s surprised Josslyn is up for that, and Josslyn says, so was Dex, but one of his favorite bands is playing and honestly, just being with him and listening to music is exactly what she needs right now. Drew says he hears that, and Carly and Josslyn hug. Josslyn hugs Drew and thanks him. He says, of course (🍷), and she leaves. Carly says she wishes she could spare Josslyn this kind of grief, and he suggests they add it to the list of things they want to spare their kids from. She says, it’s a long list, and he says, it’s getting longer every day. She says she appreciates what he said to Josslyn earlier. Josslyn thinks the world of him. He says he thinks the world of her too. He hopes he can always live up to her expectations. She says, if he managed to talk Triton off the ledge, he can be her hero too. He says, about that, and she asks if they’re going to extend their contract. Tell her. He says, actually, that’s up to her.

Willow says she wishes she could tell Michael, but she doesn’t know yet, and he says, that’s okay. He’ll wait as long as it takes. When… if he moves back in again, he wants her to be fully confident in her decision. She says, part of her is worried that if they rush back in and pretend nothing happened, one day they’ll end up back here in the very same position, and he says he gets it. He has the exact same fear. He doesn’t like to think about it because he dreads the thought, especially now. She says, why now? and he says, because he’s trying to put the things he wrecked back together now and do it right. Before he came here, he went to see his dad and came clean about everything. She says, that must have been difficult, and he says he owed it to Sonny to be honest, even about how he blackmailed Nina. She says, that couldn’t have been easy for Sonny to hear or for him to say, and he says, it wasn’t. It’s going to take a while for him and his dad to get back to where they were again, but at least they’re being honest with each other. She says she’s glad to hear there’s hope. Hope is where it all starts. He says, there wouldn’t have been any without her. If she hadn’t encouraged him, he wouldn’t have talked to Sonny. He thought it was a lost cause. She says, maybe she doesn’t believe in lost causes, and he says, lucky him. She says, what he did was misguided, but she knows him and nothing is more important to him than protecting her and the kids. She knows his intentions were good. He says, it’s just his methods she has a problem with, and she says, at the end of the day, it’s not what you’ve done, it’s about what you’re doing to make things right.

Sonny says, John is telling him that he’s got this string of mob hits across the country, and he thinks they’re all connected. John says, they know they’re all connected, and Sonny asks why John is talking to him. He’s a coffee importer. (Ha-ha! But I’m starting to think so.) John says, he was the target of a shooting, and Sonny says, well, the coffee business has been pretty rough the last few years; the climate changed. (A bigger ha-ha!) John says, the FBI knows the pool shooting was connected to the others. The same M.O. from the shooter, the same type of firearm, the same target profile. Sonny says, sounds like they know everything. Why don’t they go catch the guy? John says, give him a break. He knows Sonny’s not sitting around doing nothing. He’s looking for the shooter too. But John has the resources to catch this guy. Sonny says, then do it, and John says, if Sonny cooperates and tells him what he knows, they can end this quick and neat. Sonny says, Jagger, you want my help? All you’ve got to do is ask.

Drew and Carly sit across from each other with the moss bowl🎍in between them in case a referee is needed. Drew says, whenever there’s a change at the top, advertisers get a little bit nervous. He was expecting some phone calls, but there haven’t been that many. He sang her praises to the guy at Triton and explained that the hit piece Gemma wrote for the Gazette was just that, a hit piece. Carly says she hates that he has to do this for her, and he says, what? Tell the truth? She’s the right person for the job. The fact that she got Salvadore back to Deception for the cover shoot proves just that. Even Triton knew who Salvadore was. Carly says she’s not surprised, and he says he may have been a little too convincing to be honest. Drew says, Triton is going to stay at Crimson only if she’s going to be Editor-in-Chief for the long haul. She says, that was not the plan, but he says, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good plan. They show a united front, show stability. They get a little bit of growth and they’re on their way. She says she doesn’t know, and he says, she’s the right person for the job. He knows it’s early days, but he can tell she likes the work. Admit it. She says, the more she settles into the role, the more she enjoys it, but Nina’s not going to make it easy. She’s got connections in the fashion industry. Nina’s already seizing every opportunity to sabotage her. (How are they blaming Nina for this when Drew just said advertisers get nervous about a big change?) Drew says, Nina sends him to prison and nearly gets him killed, and she’s still not satisfied. Carly says, that’s because she’s Nina. She’s petty and vindictive and she’s not going to stop. He says, until they stop her. He’s going to get Michael on the phone. He bets Michael reconsiders once he hears all this. She says, reconsiders what?

Willow tells Michael that she and Drew had a chance to talk when he brought the papers. If you spend five minutes with him, you can see the kind of pain he’s in, and that pain is changing him. Michael says, he just needs some time, but she says, it’s more than that. There’s this cruel streak that wasn’t there before. He wants Nina to suffer like he suffered. Michael says, can you blame him? and she says, no, of course (🍷) not, but she also knows that payback isn’t going to help Drew heal. He says, that’s for Drew to decide. All he knows is, he can’t have any part of it. She and the kids mean more to him than anyone, and she can decide what kind of relationship she wants with Nina. He’ll accept whatever she decides. Willow says she hates what Nina did. Petty, vindictive. His mother makes Nina feel insecure and she wanted Carly out of the way. She didn’t care how much damage she did. Because at the end of the day, Nina only cares about herself. But they can’t let Nina destroy their relationship the way she’s destroyed hers with Sonny. He says he has no idea what his dad is going to do. He doesn’t even know if his dad does. She says she doesn’t want that uncertainty for them, but trust is rebuilt slowly, and they have to respect each other enough to be honest. Michael says he agrees, and she says she promises to try if he will.

Brick says he believes in positive energy. Some might call it luck. It all starts with one drink with a beautiful, gorgeous woman, but who knows what happens next? She says she’s not sure she gets it. Is he planning on winning the lottery on his way home? He says, no. It’s the little things. You get home from a long, hard day at work, and the leftovers are still good, and your favorite movie is playing. She says, so a latte from her favorite coffee shop on the house because they mixed up the order or daffodils on her birthday, and he says, see? There you go. The unexpected pleasures, like being here with her tonight.

Josslyn hugs Dex and says she’s so happy to see him. He says he saw her post about Spencer. It had to be hard to write. Is she sure she’s up for this? She says she’s fine. Fine-ish. She just wants to be with him. He says, him too, but if she changes her mind, they can go whenever. She says, okay, and he says, cranberry soda? She says, yes, and he orders.

John says, if Sonny wants to play games, fine with him. He’ll tell his boss that Sonny turned down the ask, which is what he expected. Sonny says he’s sorry John wasted his time, and John says, when they take Sonny out – which they will – he’ll have a clear conscience. Sonny says he wishes he could help John, but he can’t because he doesn’t know anything. Even if he did, why would he tell somebody who’s hated him for two decades? John says, because he’s putting all that behind him (could have fooled me). Why can’t Sonny? Sonny says he appreciates it, but this is the end of their conversation. John says, if Sonny won’t save his own skin, what about the people around him, including his esteemed colleagues who are in the line of fire? Curtis Ashford can’t walk. How does Sonny think he’s going to react when he finds out Sonny won’t do everything he can to find out who shot him?

Carly tells Drew, Willow was blindsided when she found out Michael blackmailed Nina. He’s not staying at the gatehouse. Drew says he knows, and she says, then she’s surprised. Why would he ask Michael to go after Nina? He says, because Willow was upset because Michael went behind her back instead of telling her everything Nina had done. Willow isn’t in any hurry to defend Nina. Carly says she knows that. Willow loves Drew and she’s appalled by what Nina did. He says, so why not make Nina pay? and she says she doesn’t want to make Nina pay. Focusing on Nina only gives her more power than she deserves. She doesn’t want to that. The best revenge is to make Nina irrelevant, to move on with their lives. He says, and let her get away with everything she’s done? and she says she’s not letting Nina get away with anything. She just wants to focus on what’s right for the magazine and what’s right for them. Looking a bit like a madman, Drew says he’s not sure he agrees that’s what’s best, and Carly says, is he kidding? Nina is living proof that revenge can backfire. She got everything she said she wanted. She was engaged to Sonny and found out Willow was her daughter. She could have focused on that, but instead Nina came after her. And yes, Drew was damaged in the process, but Nina was damaged. She’s all but lost Sonny and Willow too. He says, she’s got more to lose, and believe him, she will, and Carly says she understands more than he knows how he feels about Nina, but if he wants her to stay on at Crimson, he’s going to have to leave Nina alone.

Michael says he’s in 100%, and Willow says, good. He says he knows moving back in doesn’t mean they still don’t have work to do, and he’ll do all of it. She asks if it has to be all work though, and he asks what she has in mind. She says she doesn’t know. Maybe they could talk, catch up, have a glass of wine. He says he would love all that, when Wiley comes stomping down the stairs, saying, daddy. Michael asks what he’s doing awake, and Wiley says he has to show Michale his new magic trick before he goes. It’s incredible. Willow says, guess what? Daddy’s staying tonight. Wiley says, in that case, his three new magic tricks, and Michael asks if they’re all incredible. Wiley nods, and Michael says, now? Wiley says, now, and Michael says, ask his mommy. Willow says, it’s more than okay, and Wiley says, it’s really four magic tricks. Michael says he had a feeling. Lead the way. They head upstairs, and Willow says she’ll wait up until after the show.

Cody tells Sasha that they have a lot riding on this bet. He can give her some pointers if she wants. She says, sure. What’s he got? He says, the thing people don’t know about hatchet throwing is, it’s all about mind/body connection, and it’s spiritual. She laughs.

Spinelli tells Maxie, in order to come through for her, he’ll do everything in his power, including – but not limited to – prayer and soul selling. She says she really doesn’t care if they lose. She’s just happy to get out of the house. He says he’s trying to stay out of her way at home, but he can do more if she tells him. He’s so beholden to her as a tenant. She says she was worried about how their living together would work, but it’s been kind of great, right? She’s almost hoping the pipes in his apartment never get fixed. That’s crazy, right? He says, no.

Sasha says Cody should build a hatchet range on that estate he wants to buy, and he says, at Serenity? Sure. If he’s ever in a position to buy that place, first thing to go in will be a hatchet range. She asks why he’s doubting it. She knows he can make it happen. He says he sure hopes so. These good looks aren’t going to last forever. She says, there’s a lot more to him than his good looks, and he says, like what? Maxie asks if they’re going to throw the hatchet or what, and Cody tells her to chill out and wait her turn. Sasha gets a bullseye, and Maxie says, what? They’ve been hustled.

Sonny tells John, what happened to Curtis is a tragedy and whoever did that is going to pay. But he’s been around long enough to know when a Fed is trying to provoke him. John says, then let him give Sonny a warning. Whoever this shooter is, he knows Sonny’s world. He knows how Sonny moves. If he’s come for Sonny, that only means one thing. It means he’s already in Sonny’s house. So watch your back.

Dex asks Josslyn to tell him the truth. Does she really want to be here?

Brick says, so, Jordan mentioned daffodils, and she says she did, didn’t she? He asks if it’s her favorite flower and she says, it’s definitely on the list. His phone dings, and he asks her to excuse him. He looks at the phone, then looks at Dex.

Josslyn says she wants to be with Dex, and he says, here, with all these people? She says, no, and he says, then let’s get out of here. They leave as Brick watches. He gets up and tells Jordan that he hates to do this more than she knows. He has to go. He can’t tell her what a wonderful evening it was. She says, maybe their paths will cross in the future, and he says, that’s the plan. He hands her a card and says he has her number. Now she has his private line. Maybe his luck will hold. He leaves.

Sonny says, this is the last time he and John are going to be alone together like this. If John wants to talk to him, he has to call Sonny’s lawyer Diane Miller. He’ll like her. John says, so that’s it? That’s the way it’s going to be? Sonny says, that’s the way it’s going to be, and John heads for the door. Sonny says, hey, Jagger, and John says, for the last time, it’s John. Sonny says, hey, John, welcome back, and Jagger John leaves.

Michael comes downstairs, apologizing that it took so long. He doesn’t think Wiley’s magic act is quite ready for Vegas yet. He sees Willow asleep on the couch and covers her with a blanket.

Cody says, Sasha did pretty good on that last one and she says, it must have been his tutelage. Also, she comes here a lot. He says, really? He wouldn’t have pegged her as a frequent thrower. She says, it’s been a tough couple of years. Some days she would come in here and she wouldn’t even care about throwing. She could have just chopped up the furniture or anything else she could get her hands on, but she’d settle for throwing the hatchet as far as she could. He says, she means at the target, and she says, does she? They laugh and she says, a few visits later, voila. He says, thankfully, one of them had a good night. He’s sorry. He feels like his game let them down. She says she noticed that his game was off. It was almost like he didn’t want them to win.

Maxie throws, and she and Spinelli get all excited. Maxie says she doesn’t want to brag. Who is she kidding? Of course (🍷) she wants to brag. She’s on fire tonight. She tells Spinelli that it’s his turn, and Spinelli gets a bullseye. Maxie squeals and they hug. Cody gives Spinelli a thumbs up.

Drew says, if it’s that important to the moss bowl🎍and Carly, he’ll put a pause on anything to do with Nina, but he doesn’t want Carly staying at Crimson if she’s unhappy there. She says she’s not unhappy. In fact, she’s warming up to the idea of staying on as Editor-in-Chief long term. She loves the people she gets to work with, and the fashion industry is thrilling. He says, she’s going to be blown away by the artists she gets to meet, and she says she can’t wait. She just wants to stay for the right reasons. Not to get back at Nina, but to build something great with him. He says he loves the sound of that, and they hug.

Dex and Josslyn spoon in bed, and she turns to him and says she’s sorry about him missing the show. He kisses her and says he’s right where he wants to be. She goes back to being the little spoon.

Brick walks into Sonny’s office and says he found something. Someone in his organization has an offshore bank account. He counted too many zeros. Three guesses as to who it belongs to. Sonny says he just needs one. Dex?

Smelled that one coming as soon as Michael paid Dex.

On Monday, Carly needs to talk to Diane and says, it’s an emergency; Trina tells Ava that she can’t live with this family; Michael tells Josslyn, someone Sonny trusts sold him out; and Drew tells Nina, keep playing with fire and see where it gets her.

🌹 She Could Be Handing Out Roses…

At best it was just hinted at by somebody who told somebody, but it’s a great idea. I never watch these shows as I always feel embarrassed for the contestants, but I’d watch it if she was on it.

🩺 She Botched It…

And he’s a real doctor.

🌴 What They’re Wearing…

Apparently, they’ve learned something since that top photo was taken. It looks like they’re going on a picnic in outer space.

💰 Longest Hiatus Ever…

Good to hear they’re getting a second chance, since they weren’t that awful… yet. Caroline Stanbury has always been one of my favorites.

🏈 Bowlin’ It…

First, the boring stuff.

https://people.com/how-to-watch-the-2024-super-bowl-8572420

Cliff Notes version of the boring stuff.

https://www.cbsnews.com/essentials/when-does-super-bowl-start-end-2024-timeline

The fun stuff.

https://ew.com/super-bowl-2024-performers-usher-halftime-reba-mcentire-national-anthem-8546391

🐕 A Bowl Full Of Cuteness…

Not so boring when it’s puppies.

https://people.com/how-to-watch-puppy-bowl-2024-where-to-stream-8559167

I just thought it was funny that this was in the Sporting News.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/puppy-bowl-2024-schedule-time-channel-stream/2d2d79415a95fc57f37625aa

The Bowl turns 20!

https://apnews.com/article/puppy-bowl-2024-20th-anniversary-fe5ab3507eb72f24e170d1cb23c28b52

You, too, can have your own Bowler.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/adopt

A spin-off success story.

https://people.com/puppy-bowl-referee-dan-scahaner-adopts-his-first-dog-8558579

🧧 Quotes of the Week

If I don’t go into that office every day, who am I? – Freddy Rumsen (Joel Murray), Mad Men

There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.Amanda Gorman

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. – Søren Kierkegaard

What’s the matter? You guys can’t do regular crack?Judge Mathis to guys doing combo drugs, Judge Mathis

Take the attitude of a student. Never be too big to ask questions. Never know too much to learn something new. – Augustine “Og” Mandino

We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing and inclusion. – Max de Pree

Life is about making an impact, not making an income. – Kevin Kruse

Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.Potter Stewart

When she says jump, you say, I wish I could. – Peggy Biggs (Rondi Reed), Mike & Molly

🐲 Dragon In the New Year…

Enjoy a Bowl this weekend even if it’s a cereal bowl, then join me on Monday really Tuesday for soap and what’s on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay not taking any game too seriously (unless you’re a professional player), and stay knowing the best revenge is to make someone irrelevant by moving on with your life.

February 8, 2024 – Commissioner Devane Is Reinstated, Jagger, Very Soon, 80s Fun, Her Message, Leaving Atlanta, Joining Us, Dragon New Year, Rescue Bowling & What

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Michael goes to Sonny’s office and asks if he can come in. Sonny says, sure. What’s he doing here? Michael says, they haven’t spoken since New Year’s. The longer they wait, the harder it will be to have this conversation.

Nina goes over some business with Trish at the MetroCourt, when Carly comes in. She tells Trish, dinner for two, and Trish says, her guest is waiting. She brings Carly to a table where a man introduces himself as Bryson Somebody-or-Other, and they shake hands. Obviously familiar with Bryson, Nina wonders what Carly is up to.

Drew comes to the gatehouse with paperwork for Michael, and Willow says, he’s not here, but she’ll let him know Drew dropped it off. He tells her to have a good evening, and starts to leave, but Willow says she’s glad he and Michael are on good footing again. He says, him too, and he hopes things are better between her and Michael. She says, they’re working through it, and he says, he was just trying to protect his family. Drew’s not condoning anything. He’s just saying he gets that. She says, so does she. Michael’s impulse is always to control a situation, but she would rather know the truth than be protected from it. She thinks Michael understands that now. He says he’s really glad Michael was able to put Nina behind him, and she says, from the sound of things, Drew hasn’t been able to put Nina behind him.

Gregory, Chase, and Finn sit at a table at Charlie’s discussing basketball, and Lois approaches. She says, who knew the Chase boys were such Knicks fans? She thinks they were heard all the way to the Garden. Chase says, actually, his dad was rooting for Boston, and Gregory tells him, keep it quiet. They’re in a home team bar. Lois says she doesn’t mean to interrupt their post-game wrap-up, but can she steal their dad for a minute? Chase wonders if it’s about the rehearsal dinner, but she says, that’s none of his beeswax, and they sit at another table. Chase asks why Finn is watching their dad so close, but Finn says he’s not. Chase says, Finn was sneaking looks at him the whole game. What’s going on? Finn says he thinks their dad might be worse off than he’s telling them.

At the station, Jordan says, it is with great pleasure she reinstates Anna Devane as Commissioner of the Port Charles Police Department. Welcome back, Commissioner Devane. She gives Anna her badge, and everyone applauds. Anna thanks Jordan and Dante asks if she has any words for the crew on her first official day back. She says she’s very grateful to the mayor’s department for entrusting her with this role, and she’d like to acknowledge the fact that the baton is being passed by two great Commissioners, Jordan Ashford and Mac Scorpio. It is a profound honor to guide and support the hard-working officers of the PCPD. They all share the same goal, which is to protect and serve the good citizens of Port Charles. John walks in, and Anna says, and anyone who’s not with them is against them.

Dante wonders if they can trust John, and Jordan says, Anna seems to. Let’s take our lead from her.

In the interrogation room, John says, nice office, and Anna says, hers is being decorated. He says, of course (🍷). She took the job on short notice. She says, let’s get to it, shall we? She wants him to know, the PCPD is officially running an investigation on the cache stolen from the WSB and their buyers. He says, there’s still an FBI investigation, and she says she’s aware, but the way she sees it, the crime was originally committed here in her jurisdiction, putting the community of Port Charles in harm’s way. And a possible conspirator was apprehended, here, again in her jurisdiction. So the FBI can accept a partnership with the PCPD, or respectfully get the hell out of her way.

Lois tells Gregory that the rehearsal dinner used to be referred to as the groom’s dinner, so she wants to make sure her future son-in-law is well taken care of. He says, it looks like she’s going all out. Be careful or she might upset a lifetime of him and Chase’s mother trying not to spoil him. Lois says, a little spoiling never hurt anyone. Besides, she wants to take advantage of this. It’s been a while since she’s lived so close to Brook. You never know how much time you get to spend together as a family. Gregory tells her, you can say that again.

Finn tells Chase, after Spencer’s funeral, Gregory had trouble breathing. That wasn’t the first time he had an incident. The first time was with Tracy, and it’s got him wondering, what happens when he’s alone, or what could happen. What if he falls down? What if he needs an ambulance? Chase says, all that is very concerning, but it hasn’t happened yet. They’ve been lucky. Finn says, so far. He was wondering if it’s not time for their dad to stop living on his own.

At the MetroCourt bar, Martin tells Nina that he hasn’t got long. He’s leaving town today. She says she needs his legal help, and he says, his ears must deceive him. He was unaware he’d won back her trust. She says, he hasn’t, but he owes her.

Carly says she’s glad Bryson could meet on such short notice, and he says he agreed to this dinner as a courtesy. His firm has been advertising in Crimson for years. She says, and she’d like to show her appreciation. She knows that Windsor and Golden and Crimson have both enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship, and she sees no reason for that to end. He says, here’s a reason. Her relationship is garnering bad press.

Willow asks if it isn’t enough that Drew has taken Crimson away from Nina and given it to Carly to run. Nina lived for that magazine. He asks if she’s feeling sorry for Nina, because Nina doesn’t deserve that. She says she can’t help feeling partly responsible. She didn’t tell anyone about her diagnosis, and of course (🍷) the second Carly found out, she admitted Nina was her mother, but Nina blamed Carly for keeping the secret, which is what triggered Nina to do what she did. Willow set everything in motion, now everyone is suffering. Just as the family was finally coming together, they’ve completely fallen apart. He says he’s going to stop her right there because she doesn’t need to take responsibility for Nina. Nina brought this on herself. She deserves to pay the consequences. She says her concern isn’t for Nina. Her concern is for him. Carrying a grudge, meting out punishment? That’s not him. The Drew she knows is kind and forgiving. Is that man lost forever?

Michael says he started to call Sonny a dozen times, and Sonny asks, what stopped him? Michael says he wasn’t sure Sonny would answer, and Sonny says, so he thought he’d come here, where Sonny could throw him out? Michael says, it hasn’t happened yet, and Sonny tells him, that depends on what he has to say. Michael says he came to tell Sonny that he’s sorry and he hopes Sonny can forgive him.

Drew tells Willow, people change. Maybe the old Drew died in Pentenville. Willow says, Drew didn’t deserve what happened to him, and she hates that Nina’s vengeance put him in that position, especially after he saved her life. He says, all that matters is that she’s healthy and well, and he’d do anything for her in a heartbeat. She says, that sounds like the Drew she knows and loves. Please don’t let what happened to him in Pentenville change who he is. He says, maybe everything just caught up with him. Pentenville isn’t the only time he was put behind bars under terrible circumstances. The guy she knew with the rosy outlook took work to cultivate after everything Victor did to him for years, so that people wouldn’t be uncomfortable around him, so they wouldn’t worry about him. He just was so happy being back with his family and friends, he didn’t want to look back, but the joke was on him. He just went from one hellhole to another. And the thing about the attack, he didn’t see that coming. The threats were right in front of his face, and he missed them, and that’s not him either. How did he end up on the floor of a prison shower, bleeding out? Because he let his guard down. He literally turned his back, and she can trust him that it’s never going to happen again. She says, he’s been through a lot. She has too, not as extreme as him of course (🍷), but despite all that, she still believes in the power of forgiveness. And not just for the people who wronged us, but for ourselves. He says, good for her. He’s not there yet.

Nina says she’s considering starting her own magazine, and Martin says, no doubt, something to rival her old publication. She wants to go toe to toe with Crimson. What inspired this? She says, actually, Valentin suggested it. She’s warming to the idea, but only if she can use the best features of Crimson, those she developed when she was Editor-in-Chief. He asks how she proposes to do that, and she says, that’s where he comes in. She calls hello to Brook, who comes over. Brook says she’s going to do Olivia a favor by not telling Nina exactly what she thinks of her in the middle of the restaurant she co-owns. She walks away, and Martin asks, what just happened? Nina says, her attorney couldn’t keep his big mouth shut.

Bryson tells Carly that they’re aware of public sentiment. There was already concern when their highly regarded Editor-in-Chief Nina Reeves was replaced, suddenly and without cause. You add to that the controversial article about Carly and her publisher boyfriend, at this time, they’re not convinced their brands align with where this new Crimson is going. Carly says she appreciates straight talk, so she’s just going to respond in kind. Crimson magazine has just changed hands. Their editorial mission statement still remains the same, a celebration of style, art, and provocative journalism. And the publisher and owner of Aurora Media, Drew Cain, shares her mission to maintain the impeccable quality that their readers are familiar with. And she’s confident the public is going to understand this. She knows he said he wanted to suspend advertising with them, but she wants the opportunity to explain to him why she thinks he should reconsider. They want to take what’s working with Crimson and elevate the rest. He says, that’s all great, but how is she going to do that if her photographers and designers are booking other gigs rather than staying loyal to Crimson or to her?

John says, his superiors see the benefit of working with the PCPD, and Anna says, but he doesn’t. Well, it’s not his call, is it? He says, whether he agrees or not is irrelevant. Information will be provided – Jordan and Dante come in – on a need-to-know basis, and he’ll be the one to determine what qualifies. Anna says, Detective Falconari is one of her most senior officers and she trusts him implicitly. Deputy Mayor Ashford will be reporting to Mayor Collins about all of the federal operations here in Port Charles. John says, fine, but this circle of trust doesn’t get any wider. Any leaks could have deadly applications. Anna says she thinks they all understand that. Does he want to bring them up to speed? He says, her first. What information did she go to jail to hide from him?

Sonny says, Michael told him that he withheld the truth about Nina because he didn’t want to hurt him, but he doesn’t think that’s the only reason. Michael says, Sonny is the only reason he kept quiet. When he found out Nina was the SEC informant, it was after Sonny and Nina exchanged vows. How could he say anything in that moment? It would have affected everybody there. Not just Sonny and Willow and Nina, but Wiley, Kristina, Donna. And honestly, would Sonny have believed him, or given his history with Nina, would he have thought Michael was trying to sabotage her? Sonny says, they’ll never know because Michael didn’t say anything, and Michael says he needed to get evidence first. Sonny says, Michael could have pulled him aside and tried as hard as he could, but he didn’t want to do that. Why? Michael says, because once he decided to keep quiet about what Nina did, he needed to find another way to protect his family, and Sonny says, protect them how? Michael says he leveraged the truth against Nina to keep her away from them.

Anna tells John, O’Neal claims he sold multiple weapons from the stolen WSB shipment to a single buyer. One of the weapons was the rifle used to shoot Curtis Ashford. O’Neal also claims that this client is based here in Port Charles. John says, so this shooter could be right under their nose, and Dante says, this alleged client could have resold the weapons or maybe he’s part of a larger group. John says, at this point, they lack the evidence to rule out either scenario, and Jordan says, then start with what he knows. Anna says, his turn to share information with them, and John says, four individuals have been targeted for assassination since the unmarked weapons were stolen, and there’s a common denominator. Dante says, which is what? and John says, all four individuals were high-level organized crime figures.

Michael says he recorded Martin Grey admitting Nina ordered him to turn in Carly and Drew in to the SEC, and he intended on playing the recording for Sonny, but he pleaded for Nina instead. He gave her two options. Either she admitted what she did and face the consequences, or she let him decide when and how she got to see Willow and the kids. Sonny says, he blackmailed her? and Michael says, Nina had every chance to come clean about what she did, and she didn’t. That is on her. Then Ned remembered and started to push Nina, but Nina came to him to buy Ned off. That was his second mistake. He should have just called Ned’s bluff and let him expose her if that’s what he wanted. He struck a deal with Ned to keep the peace, but it didn’t matter because Lois found out anyway, and the whole thing blew up. Sonny asks why Nina didn’t come to him instead of living a lie, and Michael says, because bottom line is, she’s guilty. And she was desperate to keep the truth from Sonny and Willow because she thought neither one of them would forgive her. Sonny says, what about Michael? Where would Michael stand with him if he did?

Carly tells Bryson not to believe everything he hears. Crimson still boasts the most sought-after collaborators in the industry. He says, they enjoyed a long and profitable relationship with Nina Reeves, but Carly is untested. He’ll be frank, they have doubts. She says she can assure him this transition will be seamless. She’s already elevated her Senior Editor to Managing Editor. The Crimson he knows, and loves is only going to get better. His phone rings and he says he has to take this. He gets up and says, they can discuss terminating their current agreement when he gets back. He leaves, and Brook comes by. She says, Carly doesn’t seem to be enjoying her dinner companion, and Carly says, it’s really hard to enjoy dinner when it can cost her 2.1 million annual. Brook says, ouch.

Martin tells Nina, to be fair, long before she had him alert the SEC to Carly and Drew’s insider trading, she had a knack for alienating people. Bryson comes over, and Nina asks how he is. What’s going on? He says, it’s a complete waste of time. Crimson without her? Unthinkable. They give each other a Hollywood kiss as Carly watches. Carly says, well, that explains it.

Lois tells Gregory that she’s happy Brook found her independence, but to be honest, that’s not how she grew up. In their house, family was a generational thing. Brook grew up with her grandparents just like Lois did, with her aunt, her uncle, her two cousins living two doors down. It’s what they call the Bensonhurst Brigade. Gregory says he’s familiar with the term, and there’s a lot to be said for that. But he’s curious. When she was growing up, did she ever find that intrusive? Lois says, waiting for the bathroom was like waiting in line for the Cyclone in Coney Island. And there were eyes on you at all times. They were loving eyes, but they were there to keep you honest. But family is family, right? And looking back, she’s got to say she’s so glad she got to know her parents and her grandparents as well as she did. Violet must really appreciate him living so close by.

Chase asks if Finn is thinking about putting their dad in a long-term care facility, and Finn says, what is he talking about? No. Chase says, Finn doesn’t want their dad to live alone. He lives in a one-bedroom apartment with Brook, so he assumes Finn is talking about his place. Finn says, things will be tight with Violet there, but he thinks he can move his office to the small bedroom. Chase says he doesn’t think their dad would care about the amount of space. The main challenge would be their dad feeling like Finn is taking away his independence.

Chase says, their dad has his challenges; there’s no two ways about it. But he’s still able to navigate them. He sees what Finn is saying about all the things that can go wrong with him living alone, but for now, that hasn’t happened. They’ll get him a watch that will send an alert when he falls. Finn says, he wants to rely on a watch, but Chase says he wants to rely on their dad. He thinks there’s a way they can keep a close eye on him without being too intrusive. Then they can step in if they see a problem. But they should let him keep his independence for as long as possible and get him a watch.

Gregory asks Lois, how was it living with her grandparents? Does she think they felt infantilized by having their kids taking care of them? She says, is he kidding her? They loved it. It kept them young. He knows the saying, it takes a village? Well, that only works if you actually have a village. And as they got older, they knew somebody was always going to be there to help them out. They really loved that, especially when it came to the TV remote and the microwave. Anyway, she has to go, but she’ll keep him posted on everything about the rehearsal dinner as soon as the vendors confirm. He says, vendors? and holds out his hand. She says, stop it with that. They’re almost family. She kisses his cheek, wipes the lipstick off, and leaves.

Brook says, Carly just took over. She’ll make her mark and then everyone will forget all about Nina Reeves. Carly says, unfortunately, she’s not off to a great start. Advertisers and contributors are threatening to cut ties with the magazine, and if she loses Bryson’s account, it could really affect the bottom line. They see Bryson tell Nina goodbye, and Brook asks what she can do, but Carly says, nothing. She doesn’t need to worry about this; this is not her problem. Brook says, of course (🍷) it is. Nina is doing everything in her power to undermine Carly. (Apparently, it doesn’t take much, since she really hasn’t done anything.) This is the same woman who let everyone believe Brook’s father turned Carly over to the SEC when he had a head injury and couldn’t even defend himself. Is she over it? Not even a little bit. Let’s do this. They can get Windsor and Golden back. They just have to be a little creative.

Nina says, as Martin can see, she’s the one with the relationships, and he says, the gentleman certainly seemed to hold her in high esteem. Nina says, Bryson is an ad rep for Windsor and Golden. For years, they were Crimson’s top advertisers, but no more. Which positions them beautifully to be one of the first ad buys in her venture. What she needs now is her staff getting compete clauses waived. Can he get around that?

Michael says, if Sonny decides to forgive Nina or if he doesn’t, it’s not for him to judge, but Sonny says, that wasn’t an answer to his question. Michael says he thinks they’re all better off without Nina in their lives, but he won’t pursue any further action to drive her away. If Willow wants to let her back in, he’ll have to live with that. Sonny says, all right. What about him? Michael says, no matter who Sonny is with, he’ll always have a place in Wiley and Amelia’s lives, and Sonny says he loves those kids. He hated being estranged all those months. Michael says, it’ll never happen again, and he hopes Sonny will choose to be a part of his life too. He can’t promise to like or trust Nina, but he can’t allow Nina to cost him his wife or his father.

Anna says, it seems to her that whoever is ordering these hits is cutting a swathe across the country. Would this be mafia power grabs or what? John says, that’s what’s puzzling. No one is stepping forward to claim responsibility. There’s been no resulting turf wars. Anna says, that would suggest it’s not business, it’s personal, and Dante asks what they’re doing to protect those who’ve been targeted. John says, they’re not in the business of protecting criminals. If they’re going to nail this perp, they can’t tip them off that they know the pattern. Dante says, so what John’s telling them is, he just wants to get his guy and to hell with saving lives?

Finn says he understands Chase’s point, but he’s still uneasy about this. Gregory comes back and says, uneasy about what? Finn says, the Knicks chances of making it to the finals, and Gregory says, good luck with that. Chase asks if everything is okay with Lois, and Gregory says, yes. She was telling him about how she grew up in a multigenerational home and it got him to thinking. He’s had a couple of health scares recently. Nothing to be alarmed about, but enough to make him wonder if it’s wise to live alone. He doesn’t want to intrude on Finn, but it might make sense to be near a doctor (and Finn gets free babysitting!). Finn says he’s sure they can work something out. It would be nice to have Gregory in the apartment, someone to keep an eye on Violet in case he has an emergency at the hospital. But only if it’s something Gregory really wants. Gregory says, yes, he does. I wonder why they don’t they pool their money and get a big-ass house for everybody.

John says, sounds to him like Dante’s personal connection could be a problem, and Dante says, sounds to him like John’s personal animosity toward Sonny could be a problem. (Touché!) Anna says, everyone in this room has a personal connection to Sonny. Let’s just get that out of the way. But she thinks they also share a determination to bring whoever is behind these shootings to justice. That should be their one and only focus. Jordan says she agrees. Whoever is behind this is organized, calculated, and doesn’t care about collateral damage. Anna says, they need to be stopped before they hurt anyone else. She asks if she can have a word with John, and Jordan says she has some calls to make. She’ll be right outside if she’s needed. She leaves and Dante starts to follow, when John says, what Dante’s been told is classified. Dante leaves, and Anna asks if that was necessary. John asks if she doesn’t think he’s going to warn his old man, and she says, of course (🍷) he wants to, but he won’t. John should be the one to do that. John says, no. Tipping off Sonny Corinthos just gives him a pass for vigilante justice. Anna says, or it enables him to check in with his security and figure out how to protect himself. She understands there’s no love lost between him and Sonny, but he shouldn’t let that cloud his judgement. He asks, what’s that supposed to mean? and she says, despite his disapproval, Sonny means the world to a lot of people. Tell her. What would he think Stone would want him to do? That’s kind of what I was thinking. Why is John so pissed at Sonny when Sonny was so good to Stone?

Sonny tells Michael that sometimes he looks at Nina and still sees the woman he married. Then he thinks of Donna and how close she came to losing her mother to a prison sentence, and Drew getting close to being beaten to death in Pentenville. And Nina set all that in motion. Michael says he realizes it’s not his right to make decisions for the people he loves. So if Sonny wants to forgive Nina and let her back into his life again, it won’t affect their relationship. That is, if they still have a relationship.

Drew stares into the fire, and Willow comes downstairs. She says, sorry it took so long. Amelia is still adjusting to the sippy cup. He says he can’t believe she’s one now, and she says, her neither. She and Michael didn’t want to have a big birthday celebration, especially with everything going on. They kept it just them and the kids. Drew says he gets that. He missed out on so many birthdays with Scout. That’s time he’ll never get back. She says, but they have the rest of their lives now, and he says, her outlook is remarkable. She says she realizes some people might find her too forgiving, but she doesn’t view that as a weakness. Actually, it’s been the key to her survival. Forgiveness and gratitude have helped her over the worst things that have happened to her. She’s just so thankful to be alive and well, everything else takes a backseat to that. He says he thinks she’s one of the strongest people he knows, and she says, same. She’s standing here raising her children thanks to him. He says, she did all the work. She’s standing here because she’s a fighter. She says she didn’t fight alone. He flew across the globe and put his life on the line to bring her bone marrow donor home. Would he still do that today for her? Or would punishing Nina take precedence? He says he wouldn’t think twice. He would never turn his back on her. She says, even if she let him down, and he tells her, like he said, people change, but some things don’t. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the people that he loves, but Nina is not one of them.

Martin says, Nina doesn’t need a lawyer. She needs a magician. Aurora’s contracts are ironclad. He’d have to be Houdini to get anybody released from something like that. Then again, it is her money, and if she wants him to waste time and energy… She says, forgive her, but he’s going to do this pro bono because she did him a favor. He broke attorney/client privilege. She could have him disbarred. He asks exactly how she’s going to do that, prove that privilege was breached. Is she going to get Michael Corinthos to sign an affidavit? Once again, she’s doing this all wrong. She’s going about it the wrong way. If she starts the conversation like that, he’s not inclined to help her. He’ll peruse the contracts and look for a loophole, some way to get her staff released. But not because of her threat… Stop grinning at him. Not because she threatened him, but because he accepts responsibility for the part he played in what happened. She says she’s glad he recognizes that. She’s focused on two things. One, she wants her staff back. He says he’s got that part, and she says, and two, she wants Crimson to eat her dust.

Brook says she’s sure Salvadore will be thrilled to accept. The entire team at Deception is thrilled with how seamlessly Carly has taken control. Bryson approaches the table, and Carly thanks Brook so much. Brook asks if she’s in his seat, and he says, is she at Deception? Carly says, Brook is Deception. She and her grandmother Tracy are the majority shareholders. Brook says, and he is? and he says he’s Bryson Daugherty. They shake hands, and Carly says, he’s Crimson’s longstanding advertising rep with Windsor and Golden. Bryson asks if he just heard her mention Salvadore, the photographer. That guy’s a phenomenal talent. Brook says she thinks so too, and he says he heard Salvadore was boycotting Crimson. Carly says she told him not to believe everything he hears. Does Brook mind if she shares the good news about the Face of Deception? Brook says, by all means, and Carly says she offered Sasha Gilmore the cover to be designed by a top designer and to be shot by Salvadore. He says, that is exciting, both for her and Deception. He tried to make a marketing deal with Lucy Coe, but they just could never agree on terms. Brook says, just like Crimson, Deception is under new management, and Carly says, which means, new opportunities. Would he like to join them and throw around some ideas? Bryson says he’s all ears and sits with them.

Nina sees Bryson shaking hands with Carly and ducks around the corner. Bryson says he looks forward to working with Carly and goes to the elevator. Carly approaches Nina and says, she’s right. The magazine industry is tough. Good thing she’s tougher. She gets in the elevator with Bryson and Brook, tossing her head like a circus pony. Martin tells Nina that he has to get going. He’s got to catch a flight, but if she needs any more legal advice, rub the lamp and he’ll be in touch. She says, wait. She just realized what she wants him to do.

Gregory says, it will be nice moving in with Finn and Violet. It will give them more time together as a family. Chase says he’s not going to lie. He’s feeling a little FOMO right now. Gregory laughs and asks if Chase is impressed that he knows what that means. Violet hipped him to it. Chase says he was impressed until Gregory said hipped, and Gregory tells Finn, if he moves in, Violet is going to start asking questions. They’re going to have to tell her about his disease. Finn says he knows. Maybe they can tell her together. Gregory says, together sounds good.

Willow walks Drew to the door and says, Michael seems more at peace now that he’s dropped his vendetta against Nina. She just wants the same thing for him. Drew says, maybe Michael’s a better man than him right now, and she says, still, she won’t stop wishing. He says, she probably won’t, tells her to take care, and leaves. Willow calls Michael, who asks if everything is okay. She says, everything’s fine. Drew brought over some paperwork for him. He thanks her and says he’ll pick it up later when he comes by to tuck the kids in. She says, or he could just stay here at the gatehouse tonight. There’s plenty of room and the kids would like waking up to him in the morning. He asks if she’s sure, and she says she’d like it too. He says, okay. He’ll see her at home.

Dante tells Anna that he’s sorry if he was out of line. He doesn’t want to be taken off this investigation, but he also doesn’t want to undermine it at the same time. They’re talking about information that could be the difference between his father living or dying. Anna asks if there’s any way around this, and Jordan says, not unless she wants to start her tenure as Commissioner under fire, but Dante says he’s not asking her to compromise herself. He’ll deal with it. Anna says, don’t. He’s worried about his father. She is too. That’s why she just pressured John to do the right thing. He says he’s not going to hold his breath. The thing is, he had information to offer up before Agent Cates took off. Jordan asks, what’s going on? and Dante says, Sonny thinks the shooter could be known to him. Jordan says, part of his organization, and Dante says, possibly. The shooter’s getting information from inside his organization. He doesn’t want Sonny left in the dark. He doesn’t want Sonny overlooking the real threat while he’s off chasing shadows.

There’s a knock at Sonny’s office door and Frank comes in. He says, there’s a federal agent here to see Sonny, and Sonny asks if he has a warrant. Frank says, no. He said he just wants a word. Sonny throws up his hands, and Frank lets John in. John says, long time, no see, Sonny, and Sonny says, Jagger Cates, and smiles. John asks if he has a minute.

Tomorrow, Brick says, Jordan needs to consider the much bigger picture; Drew says, it’s up to Carly; Willow tells Michael that maybe she doesn’t believe in lost causes; and Sonny tells John to take his best shot.

🚓 Returning From the Night Shift…

Funny. He doesn’t look like Antonio Sabato, Jr.

🚴‍♂️ He’s This-Close…

Monday, March 4th. Be there or miss Jason’s entrance.

👖 A Flock Of Gearys…

Good times in the 80s.

Check Out a Vintage Commercial Starring Multiple Anthony Gearys!

❤️‍🩹 Sharing Her Heart…

Wise words from a beautiful soul.

Kristina Wagner Shares a Beautiful Message About Grief

🍑 Atlanta’s Loss…

I can’t say I blame her. She’s too talented for this.

https://people.com/kandi-burruss-departs-real-housewives-of-atlanta-ahead-season-16-8558560

Those with the feels.

📋 Casting a Character…

No doubt she’ll be interesting.

https://people.com/the-last-of-us-catherine-ohara-joins-season-2-8558192

🐉 Year Of the Dragon…

Read all about it.

https://chinesenewyear.net

The condensed version.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/lunar-new-year-2024-illustrated-guide-intl-hnk/index.html

🐾 Tail Wagging Bowls…

Another Bowl worth watching. I got one of my cats from North Shore Animal League. I went in for a kitten, and came out with the biggest one there. He grabbed my coat and cried as I was walking by. How could I leave him? He was a great cat too. RIP Kipling.

https://ew.com/great-american-rescue-bowl-meet-precious-puppies-and-kittens-8549899

https://ew.com/watch-adorable-kittens-displaced-hawaii-fires-8558122

🏒 A Hockey Game Broke Out At This Fight…

U-turn it back tomorrow for soap and pre-Bowl shenanigans. Until then, stay safe, stay being fully present in your interactions, and stay considering belief in the power of forgiveness. Not just for the people who wronged you, but for yourself.

February 7, 2024 – A Funeral Is Held For Spencer, Thoughts, Letting It Go In Sitges & Stand

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

As Doc and Laura put a white rose on Spencer’s grave, and in a voiceover, Alexis asks how they’re expected to say goodbye to Spencer. He was so young. He was so vibrant and good (the latter being a matter of opinion). He had his whole life ahead of him, and she can’t fathom it really. And yet here they are now, all of them, having to pick up and go on without him. She doesn’t want to, and she knows none of them do either. Cyrus places a white rose on the grave, and Alexis says, so she’s been trying to figure out a way to sum up Spencer, aptly describe who he was – Sonny puts a rose with the others – as it turns out, that’s a very difficult task, because Spencer was so many things; he was complex. Ava puts a rose down, and Alexis says, as a young boy, Spencer was bewildering, precocious, precious, and fun. Trina walks to the grave with Portia, and Alexis says, he was mature beyond his years. Spencer had a knack of entertaining and aggravating them all at the same time. Before their eyes, he grew up into this confident, curious young man, magnetic really. Larger than life – Josslyn adds her rose – and he was able to captivate you with his soulfulness and his depth. At the same time, he could make you laugh so hard, you cried. Kristina arrives at the cemetery, and Alexis says, but he grew up to be strong and grounded – Josslyn hugs Trina – and he took responsibility for his choices. She was so intensely proud of him. Cameron places a rose with the others, and Alexis says she knows she’s not alone in saying she’ll miss him every day, but if they can’t hold on to Spencer in the flesh – Cameron hugs Trina – at least they can hold him in their hearts, fiercely, tightly. Alexis puts her rose down, and we hear her say, and maybe in his honor, get up to a little bit of mischief, because she knows that’s what he would have wanted for all of them. We see everyone gathered at the cemetery.

Michael wipes his shirt with a towel and picks up Wiley’s workbook, wondering how Willow makes this look so easy. Willow comes in and asks if he’s having trouble. He says he got Wiley off to school, but he forgot his workbook. He gave Amelia breakfast, and she got it all over his shirt and her hair and her face. She says, his face, and wipes it. He asks what her secret is, and she says, the secret is, there is no secret. Just be here. Have someone capable on call when you can’t be. She’s lucky that way. In a lot of ways actually. Sometimes it feels too easy to forget. He says, on days like today, it’s important to remember.

Trina says she can’t believe this is happening, and Cameron says he’s so sorry. She says she’s sorry for him too, both him and Josslyn. She doesn’t know if she said that. She loved Spencer more than anything, but the three of them had been friends since they were kids. Josslyn says hi to Cameron and asks if she can get one of those. He hugs her, and she says she’s so happy he came. He asks if she thinks he wouldn’t and she says, no. She knows he would. He says he’ll see them at Windymere, and Josslyn says she’ll be there, but Trina says she’s not sure. She doesn’t think she can handle all that. Cameron tells her to take care of herself, and she says she’ll try. He says, if she needs absolutely anything… She says she knows.

Sonny hugs Alexis and says, she was great. She says she feels like it was all a blur, but he says, she was still great. Laura joins them and says, that was a beautiful eulogy. She thanks Alexis, and Alexis says, it was an honor. Laura says, transportation to the launch is ready if they care to go, and she thanks Ava for opening up the house. Ava says, of course (🍷). She’s happy to do it. Laura says she knows a lot of people think Windymere is just a pile of rocks, but to Spencer, it was very special. It was his home for a very long time. Ava says she’ll see them there and goes over to Trina, hugging her. She asks how Trina is doing and Trina says she’s pretty numb right now, but in five minutes she’ll probably be a puddle on the floor. Ava says, that’s grief. She guesses it’s like a roller coaster. There’s so much she wants to say to Trina, but Trina says, Ava doesn’t have to say anything. Ava’s always been there for her, supported her, even when Ava had her doubts about Spencer. Ava says, he certainly proved her wrong. She’s so sorry he’s gone, but she’s here for Trina, and she’ll always be here for Trina. Portia joins them, and Ava asks if they’re coming to Windymere. Portia thanks her for the offer, but she thinks she’s taking Trina home. Ava says she understands and hugs Trina again, saying, remember, she’s just a phone call away. Ava leaves, and Portia says, unless Trina wants to go. She’ll leave that up to her. Trina says she’s tired and suggests they go home.

Elizabeth tells Cameron that it must be surreal, losing his oldest friend, and he says, oldest friend and oldest adversary. Finn says, do tell, and Elizabeth says, the competition between Spencer and Cameron is legendary, all the way back to the two of them fighting over Emma Drake. Cameron says he’s going to miss giving Spencer a hard time, and Elizabeth says she knows. Gregory says, they’re very sorry for his loss, and Finn says, whatever he needs. Cameron thanks them and tells Elizabeth that he’ll see her at home after the reception. She says, Aiden’s been baking all morning, so get ready, and Cameron leaves. Finn asks if they should head out, but Elizabeth says she just has that one thing first. He says, the offer of back-up still stands, and she says, thank you, but she’ll be fine.

Sonny asks if Dante and Sam are going to Windymere, and Dante says they are. Is Sonny? Sonny says, it’s the least he can do for his nephew, and Dante says, see him there.

Laura says she can’t tell Cameron what it does for her soul to see him here. She’s missed him. He says, it’s good to see her too, and she asks if he’s all right. He says he will be eventually, and she says she knows the feeling. The car is ready if Doc is. Doc says he’ll catch up. He needs to take care of something. Laura and Cameron leave.

Finn says, dad? and Gregory says, sorry. He was just thinking. Finn says, he doesn’t have to apologize for that, and Gregory says he wanted to be cremated, but now he doesn’t know. He thinks maybe he wants a spot of his own. The right plot, the right marker, the right words. He wants that for all of them, a place that they can gather and share memories; tell him about all the good times they’re having. Finn says, he doesn’t have to think about that right now, but Gregory says, that’s all he can think about. I think I won’t care what happens after I’m gone, since I won’t be here.

Elizabeth kneels by a grave that has no headstone, just a marker that says, Esme Prince. (Is Doc cheap?) She puts down a white rose and adjusts the sign. Doc joins her and adds another rose.

Finn says he hopes that doesn’t mean Gregory can’t talk about his ALS or what the future will look like. He can. He wants Gregory to… He just meant the burial stuff. They’re not there yet. Gregory says he knows what Finn meant. He’s getting a little cold. He thinks he’ll wait… He gasps for breath, and Finn asks, what’s wrong?

At home, Portia gives Trina a letter from the Sorbonne, and Trina opens it. She says, they’re saying they’ll save a spot for her next semester. Curtis says, that’s decent of them, and Trina says, it is, but there’s no way she’s going back to Paris. Ever. Portia says, she doesn’t have to, and Curtis says, it holds painful memories for her. They get it. Portia says she’s sure PCU can find Trina a different… but Trina says she doesn’t think they understand. Curtis asks her to help them understand, and she says she’s not going to PCU or anywhere else. School is meaningless now. Everything is. (Oh please. Not Trina being like that. I can’t.)

Laura looks through a photo album and says, such wonderful pictures. It’s really thoughtful of Ava. Ava says she can’t take too much credit. She found a cabinet full when she moved out, and Laura says, Nikolas. For all his flaws, he really loved his son. Dante joins them with Sam, and says he feels like it has to be said. He knows Laura called him, but he found no joy in arresting Nikolas. Laura says she knows that, and Sam says, at least they know Ace is being well cared for. Ava says, a silver lining, shall they call it? and Laura says she could really use one of those right now. The doorbell rings, and Ava leaves to answer it. Sam says she still can’t believe it. Spencer. Laura says, it’s like a nightmare she can’t wake up from. Sonny says, that’s why they call it the circle of life, and Alexis says, one life ends, and another begins.

Ava opens the door, and Cyrus is standing there.

Doc says he didn’t think anyone else would here. He didn’t expect to see Elizabeth here. Elizabeth says, it’s difficult, given all the pain she inflicted on Cameron, but she sent that pain right back to Esme, didn’t she? Helping Nikolas hold Esme captive… Did he arrange for the marker? He says, yes. He doesn’t think he’s ever known anyone quite as alone as Esme. When she woke at GH with no memory, no past, she was so frightened. She had no idea how she got there, who she was, and a newborn baby. He felt for her. Elizabeth says, it showed, but he tells her that he’d say his efforts ran short. She says she disagrees. He did his best to make her feel like she had a family. He says, a family she should have run screaming from, but she says, not from him. He says, maybe, but his brother for a father? And don’t get him started on Heather. Speaking of… Heather says, where is she? Where’s her baby? An officer brings her into the cemetery in shackles, and she wails, no, no, no, dropping to her knees in front of the grave. She touches the marker, saying, Esme, and wails some more.

Heather says she tried to warn Esme. She told her to forget about Spencer, get on with her life, bide her time until Heather could help her hold her little boy again. She clutches the marker and says, why? Why Spencer? That guy was never worthy of her. None of those people were. Why couldn’t Esme have listened to her? Why did she go to France? They told her that Spencer threw himself into the river and took her with him. They can’t find her. They said she could have been washed out to sea. She sobs and says, how come? She must be so cold. Elizabeth says she’s so sorry for Heather’s loss. It probably doesn’t mean much coming from her. Heather says, coming from her? and Elizabeth says, Heather probably hates her for helping Nikolas keep Esme prisoner… Heather says, quite the opposite. Elizabeth stopped Nikolas from killing Esme after the baby was born. She came forward and she told the truth, knowing what price she’d have to pay for that. She admires Elizabeth and knows why her Franco loved Elizabeth so much. It’s because of what Elizabeth did that Esme stood a fighting chance in this world. She gets up, looks at Doc, and says, Esme’s dead because of him.

Michael asks if Amelia is good, and Willow says, happily playing with Melanie. Noticing he’s looking at Wiley’s workbook, she asks if he needs help with his homework, and he says he wouldn’t be able to answer half these questions when he was Wiley’s age. She says, there’s an explanation for that. Their son is a genius. He asks what that makes him, and she says, the father of a genius. He says, nice save, and she says, he’s in a rush to get to work. He says, she noticed, and she says, hard not to. Is he still having issues with Drew? He says, they actually managed to patch things up, for the most part, and she asks, what’s the lesser part? He says Drew asked him for help in getting back at Nina. He said no.

Finn helps Gregory sit down and asks if he’s all right. Does he want Finn to call an ambulance? Still trying to catch his breath, Gregory says, no. It’ll pass. Finn says, he doesn’t know that, but Gregory says he just needs a distraction. Talk to him. Finn says, about what? and Gregory says, anything, just to take his mind off of what’s happening. Finn says, what is happening? and gasping, Gregory says, trust him. Would he do that? Finn says he offered to bring the snacks for Violet’s winter party at the school, and with labored breathing, Gregory says, sounds fun. Finn says, for Violet. Not so much for him. His first two attempts at making brownies were a disaster. That oven timer is trickier than people tell you. Elizabeth suggested he have Aiden make the brownies, so now her whole class is clamoring for his famous brownies, but they’re not really his; they’re Aiden’s. He thinks the jig is up. Gregory says, if Aiden was smart, he’d start charging Finn for his time, and Finn says, don’t think he hasn’t mentioned it. Gregory starts to breathe easier, and Finn asks if this has happened before. Gregory nods, and Finn says he wishes Gregory would have told him. Gregory says, Finn had other stuff on his mind, like ensuring he kept his job, saving lives, and Finn says, the life he wants to save most right now is Gregory’s. Is it a loss of sensation, or is it the opposite? Does he feel pain? Gregory says, it’s more like a shortness of breath and a twinge in his chest. It happened the first time not long ago. He laughs and says, Tracy came up with the cure for it. She ticked him off, on purpose, so bad, he forgot all about it. Finn says, that’s pretty on point. He’s glad Tracy was there, but he’s here now, and like it or not, they’re going to the hospital. He gets up, but Gregory says, no. They’re staying right here.

Josslyn and Cameron look at each other. She turns away, but then turns back and puts her head on his shoulder.

Sam says, Dante’s not on duty. He can grieve just like everyone else. He says he’s sorry. It’s not that simple after the latest attempt on his father’s life. She asks if he thinks it was an inside job, and he says, Sonny sure is convinced, and he may be right, but what he doesn’t know is it’s all part of a bigger investigation, centering around a shipment of illegal missing weapons. She says, weapons as in used in other crimes? He doesn’t think Sonny was the only target? He says, it’s looking that way, and now the FBI is involved, the lead investigator being John Cates. She says, Cates? Does that have anything to do with Stone? He says, it’s Stone’s older brother, and guess what? He and Sonny of course (🍷) have a long-standing beef with each other. She says, and he still hasn’t told Sonny yet, has he? So Sonny doesn’t know. In perfect soap timing, Sonny says, Sonny doesn’t know what?

Ava says, Cyrus isn’t welcome here, and he says he came for his sister. Surely, she could understand that. Laura comes out, and Ava says, it’s her call, and tells Cyrus not to call her Shirley. Laura nods, and Ava gestures Cyrus in. He thanks her, but Ava says, don’t thank her and leaves, closing the living room door behind her. Cyrus says he must admit, he wasn’t expecting quite that level of hostility, and Laura asks, how can he expect anything else?

Portia says she knows Trina is hurting right now, but she’s always found serenity and purpose in the classroom. And when she discovered art history… Trina says she gets education is important to Portia, and Portia says, it’s important to Trina. Trina says, but how does that help Spencer? He died saving her life. Curtis says, now is not the time to make any life-altering decisions, and Portia says, Spencer would want her to live her life. Trina says, but what about his life? His future? His purpose? It’s all gone. Spencer is gone and there’s nothing she can do to bring him back. Portia hugs her.

Willow asks why Michael refused to go along with Drew’s plan, and Michael says, while Drew has every right to go after Nina, he has other priorities. Willow says, be honest. He must have been tempted. He says he was, but then he thought about her and the kids. This family’s more important to him than anything. He’s not going to risk that again. Willow thanks him, not only for saying that, but for backing it up with his actions. It means a lot. He says, there’s more, isn’t there? Whatever it is, just say it. She says, it’s not just the people under this roof that need healing. He and his father need it too.

Laura says, Cyrus has hurt a lot of people. He’s committed a lot of crimes. How does he not realize that when people see him, they still see… He says, a monster? And what about her? Is that how she sees him too?

Dante tells Sonny that, it’s not just the PCPD trying to figure out who’s targeting him. Jordan and Anna are also looking into it. Sonny asks if they’re making progress… What is Dante not telling him?

Heather says her daughter might still be alive if it wasn’t for Doc, but Elizabeth says, that’s not fair. Doc tried to help Esme, as her therapist, but more importantly as her uncle. Heather says, right. She forgot. The dutiful uncle. So loyal to his psycho brother, while she did everything in the world she possibly could to keep her baby from knowing him. Elizabeth says, she can’t blame Doc for Ryan’s crimes, but Doc says, it’s all right. Let her say her piece. Heather thanks him and says, he thought he could save Ryan, didn’t he. Ha-ha. What a God complex. So convinced he could cure what ailed Ryan, he did the exact opposite. He nursed Ryan back to full strength, then unleashed him on the world again. She did everything she could to shield her daughter from that maniac, then Doc went ahead and brought Ryan back out in the world. They call her a criminal. Ha! It’s good people like him who destroy lives.

Elizabeth says, that’s Heather’s grief talking. Doc is not responsible for what his brother did or for what happened to Esme or Spencer. Heather says, Elizabeth has such a good heart, like her sweet Franco did and Elizabeth’s boys do. She’s always determined to see the best in everyone, isn’t she? But Doc knows better, doesn’t he? Come on, admit it. Every single word she just said here just now is true. The guard says, visitation time’s up, but Heather says she just needs a few more minutes, one last thing that she has to say, because her daughter can’t.

Michael says he should probably get to the office, and Willow says, now he’s in a hurry to get to work. One mention of his father is all it takes, huh? He tells her that he doesn’t know what to say, and she says, he can’t avoid Sonny forever, and it’s not like this is the first conflict they’ve had. Michael says, that’s an understatement, and she says, they’ve patched things up before. They’ll do it again. He says, last time, it took over a year to reconcile, and she says, but when it finally happened, he and Sonny were getting along great. Michael even went to the island for his wedding. He says, they had a nice time, but that was before everything blew up. He hasn’t seen or talked to his father since his grandmother’s funeral. She says, there are hurdles to clear, and he says, big hurdles. She says, then clear them. He didn’t give up on them. Don’t give up on his father. He sighs and leaves for work.

Dante says, Sonny knows the drill. He can’t tell Sonny about an ongoing investigation, but when there’s something to tell Sonny, he’ll let him know. Sonny says he has some unfinished business back at the office anyway, so he’s going to take care of it. He’ll see Dante later. Dante tells him, be safe, and Sonny says he’s on it. Sonny thanks Ava for hosting. He knows her relationship with Spencer was complicated. She says her relationship with everybody is complicated, and he says he has security for her here, so when she’s ready to leave… She says, straight back to his place, and he says he’ll see her at home. He leaves, and Dante asks if Sam thinks he messed up. She says, no. She actually thinks it’s a good thing he didn’t tell his dad about the FBI investigation. Dante says he doesn’t know if Sonny will see it that way.

Cameron asks if Josslyn remembers what a pain in the ass Spencer was, and she asks if he means in general. He says he was thinking more about when Spencer was younger, and she says, insufferable. He says, the ego on that guy, and she says, eventually, it became tolerable, and then loveable. She thinks a lot of that had to do with Cameron. Spencer really looked up to him. Cameron says, get out of here. He had everything. She says, he didn’t have a stable home and he didn’t have a lot of friends. People were naturally drawn to Cameron. It wasn’t like that for Spencer; he had to work on that. But he had a really good example in Cameron.

Gregory tells Finn to wait for Elizabeth. He’s going to call a Ride Share and go home. Finn says he thought the goal was to stick around for a while, make Chase and Brook’s wedding, and Gregory says, Finn knows it is. Finn says, then why did Gregory hide symptoms from him? but Gregory says he didn’t. Finn says, Gregory didn’t tell him either. Maybe there’s something they can do, or maybe there’s some protocol, or physical therapy. Gregory says, there’s nothing. It’s just the way this disease goes. It eats away at you, little by little. Sometimes a lot by a lot. Finn says he thought Gregory wanted his help. What’s the point in having a medical license if he can’t do something to help his own father? Gregory says, Finn doesn’t want to help him, but Finn says, of course (🍷) he does. Gregory says, Finn wants to save him, and he loves Finn for it, but Finn can’t save him. No one can. Finn asks what he can do, and Gregory says, they can have an honest, loving relationship where they don’t walk on eggshells. Finn says, where they don’t hide things from one another, and Gregory says, where they just are, father and son. Can they stand here on this sacred ground and give that to each other? Finn says, yeah, they can, and they hug.

Heather wonders what’s going to happen to her grandson, now that her daughter’s not around to protect him, and Doc says, Ace will be well taken care of. She has his word. She says, yeah, right. Just like he took care of Esme? He says, Laura loves her grandson. She can trust that he’s in good hands. She tells Elizabeth, please. She’s depending on her. Keep an eye on them. She tells Doc, do better by her grandson than he did by her daughter, or there will be hell to pay. She says she’s ready… Hold on. She tosses a rose off the grave, kisses the marker, and leaves with the guard.

Willow sits in semi-darkness, looking at family photos on her tablet.

Cyrus asks if he can escort Laura home, and she says she has a driver, but thanks him. He says, in that case, he’ll say goodbye and hope this sad occasion can be a new beginning for them. He thinks Spencer would want it that way. She says, would he? and Cyrus says he’s not the enemy. He’s her brother who cares about her and wants to do right by her. He’s confident she’ll see that one day. He leaves.

On the phone, Sonny asks what Brick has for him… Uh-huh. Let him know, because he wants to know who the traitor is. So he can be dealt with permanently.

Finn asks how it went, and Elizabeth says, it was interesting. She’ll tell him about it on the way home. Did his dad leave? He says his dad’s waiting in the car, and she asks, what’s wrong? He says he knows what’s ahead of them with ALS, at least his head does, and she says, but his heart is having a hard time catching up. He says he sees his dad struggle and it’s getting worse, and she asks if something happened. Finn says, he’s okay. It’s just… She takes his hand and says she knows. She’s sorry. He says, his dad is a hardboiled guy. He values his independence so much, but he thinks they have to face the facts. His father won’t be able to look after himself much longer.

Josslyn thanks Ava so much, and Ava says, she’s welcome. Josslyn and Cameron leave, and outside, Josslyn says she wishes they could have seen each other under less horrible circumstances. He says, him too, but he’s glad they did. How are she and Dex? She says, they’re fine. He makes her happy. Cameron says, good. That’s all he wants for anyone anymore. For the people he loves to be happy. She says, it’s a real shame they didn’t get that with Spencer.

Trina puts on her coat, and Curtis asks where she’s going. She says she’s just going to take a walk by the lake, and Portia asks if she wants some company. Trina says she won’t be long, and goes outside. She takes the turtle dove out of her pocket and remembers Spencer giving it to her. She closes her hand over it.

Drew tells Willow that it’s never going to happen again; John wants to know what information Anna and Jordan went to jail to hide from him; Finn tells Chase that he thinks it’s time for their dad to stop living on his own; and Michael hopes Sonny can forgive him.

💭 Thoughts… I’m not loving this Spencer is dead storyline. Mainly because we all know he’s coming back. Perhaps GH should have kept that fact under their hat. It’s like the reverse of everyone pretending Bobbie was alive for the good part of a year when Jaqueline Zeman passed away. It just feels weird.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Still inflicting themselves on Barcelona, Sutton tells Kyle that she lost her dad’s ashes because she moved so many times. As much as I like Sutton, I can’t imagine losing something like that in a move. Sutton cries and says she feels like she’s scattering the ashes of her marriage too. Kyle says she gets that. It’s symbolic of a big part of Sutton’s life. Sutton says she’s been angry for so long, maybe what’s inside needs to come out, and they hug. Trevor arrives, and Sutton says, they’re on a strict timeline. She and Travor put Merce’s ashes in a box, spilling some on the table. In Sutton’s interview, she says she’s realizing it’s not just Merce, but two decades of her life that she needs to let go of. It’s time to release everything, stand on her own, and be alone. It’s completely scary, but she’s strong and can do it. Trevor tells the women that his friends were happy to meet them, and Garcelle says, even Erika? We flash back to Merce is in the purse, and Trevor says, especially Erika. They get in a fancy little bus and talk about gay sex terms.

Sitges, Spain. Sutton tells Trevor not to drop Merce. He’s not in a Ziploc anymore. She tells Garcelle and Kyle, no shopping, and in her interview, Sutton says she’s prepping mentally and emotionally for the ceremony. They go to a cliff on the beach, and Sutton thanks them for putting up with her. She’s been emotional about her dad, but it’s been 20 years, and she has to release that. We flash back to her telling Dorit that her father’s suicide was tough, and they never addressed it as a family. She says she’s releasing the pain from her marriage. We flash back to Garcelle saying, Sutton gave up her power, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, at the end of their marriage, Christian called her and said she needed to get an attorney because she’d be receiving papers. She didn’t understand and she was scared, lost in the middle of nowhere by herself. Sutton tells the women that they all have things they’re holding on to, and she wants them to do this for her, even though it’s hard. In Kyle’s interview, she says she thinks the pain of Sutton’s divorce was more than she imagined, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, Sutton has always had anger about Christian and it’s good to see her let it go. She can relate. Sutton says she’s letting all three go, and in her interview, she says, it’s so silly that she gets sad about her divorce. Christian, her dad, and Merce were three very important men in her life, and she’s about to say goodbye to all three.

Sutton and Trevor toss the ashes, and they blow back, just like with Sonja’s dog on RHONY. The women dust themselves off, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, it’s blowing in her face, her hair, and her mouth. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, it’s all over her black dress and hair, and in Erika’s interview, she says she doesn’t know this man and doesn’t want to taste this man. They say goodbye to Trevor and continue with the ritual. As each woman says what she wants to let go of, they toss their leis into the water. Garcelle says she’d like to let go of feeling alone. She has a lot of abandonment issues. She thinks not having her dad in her life contributes to how she leads her life. In her interview, Garcelle says, her dad left when she was 3, and didn’t come back in her life until she was 14. She was betrayed by the man of her dreams, and it led her to being protective of her heart. If she has to be alone, she can do that, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel lonely. Crystal says, her brother is leaving. He’s moving away, probably forever. We flash back to Jeffrey saying he’s going to relocate to Thailand, and in Crystal’s interview, she says she knows he has to get away from her and their mother for a while and start his own life. She knows that’s what he needs. Annemarie (ugh) says she has a very confident exterior, but needs to do a lot of work to feel that she’s in a peaceful place. She wants to be happy. Dorit says, this is no guarantee she’s leaving the PTSD she lives with behind, but she’s going to try. We flash back to PK being an a-hole, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, maybe if she lets go of some expectations with PK, she can find release and start to heal all areas of her life. Erika says, this represents all the hurt from the last 2½ years, some of which they contributed to. She’s turned a new page, and is releasing her hurt, anger, and her old life. In her interview, Garcelle says, if they caused Erika pain, it’s because they were showing her a mirror when they felt she wasn’t compassionate. We flash back to the victims/earrings stuff, and Garcelle says, it’s a little awkward. Kyle says she wants to let go of the guilt of thinking she could have done something different with and for Lorene, with her sisters, and the group. She’s letting go of any of the things she’s held onto that hurt her. In Kyle’s interview, she says, it feels strange not be sharing what’s really weighing on her. She doesn’t know if her marriage is going to survive. When she’s ready, she’ll share. She wants to let go of the uncertainty in not having the answers to what the future holds. There’s a group hug, and Kyle thinks seeing them vulnerable and sharing these moments shows they came a long way.

They walk around, and Crystal says she’s sorry she contributed to Erika’s pain. Erika says, it’s okay. Sh*t happens. That’s how you recover. In Erika’s interview, she says she loves someone taking a chance and saying they’re sorry they misjudged her. No one else has. At least Crystal has the balls. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Merce didn’t get on her, instead, he blew over her. He was known for his great leaps, so it was good. She tells the women that tour guide Manolo is walking them to their flamenco dinner where they’re going to perform their dance. In her interview, she says, it’s not ballet, but it’s good choreography. It’s sexy. They’re taking it slow because these ladies are not dancers, except for Erika. We see a clip of them at their lesson.

Everyone gets ready, and in Erika’s interview, she says, it bothers her that she didn’t get apologies. You go to therapy to acknowledge your feelings, but wanting someone else to acknowledge how you feel isn’t going to happen, so maybe she should stop looking for it.  Kyle calls home and talks to her daughters. In her interview, she says, she feels like they’re going through a hard time, and she’s sensitive to how everyone in her family is feeling. She worries and feels like everyone is more fragile. All the women are dressed in red, except for Kyle, who’s leaning toward orange, and Sutton says she’ll photoshop it. In Dorit’s interview, she says she knows Kyle didn’t get the memo on dressing in red, but considering her other choices, thank goodness she wore orange. Dorit navigates getting to the bus in her heels, and in her interview, she says she’s spent so much time in Europe, you’d think she’d know how to walk on cobblestone in heels. At least she’ll trip in style. On the bus, they talk about signing any document their husbands put in front of them without looking at it. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Marriage 101: don’t sign a document without reading it. She doesn’t care if you marry the Pope. Kyle says she signs stuff and hopes for the best, and in Erika’s interview, she says, that’s how she got in trouble. It’s okay to trust your husband until it’s not okay to trust your husband.

Manolo serenades the women as they go into the restaurant, and In Kyle’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to perform. She doesn’t know the dance and doesn’t drink anymore. We flash back to her doing the splits on several occasions. Manolo makes a toast in Spanish, and Annemarie asks about everyone’s favorite part of the trip. Crystal says, watching Storm’s father make paella, and Kyle says, today they had honest, real moment. It was an emotional, but good moment. Erika says, it’s been a long time since she felt relaxed and good on a trip. The trip to Aspen last year was horrible. We flash back to the women saying she should show compassion for the victims, and Erika saying she doesn’t give a f*** about anyone but herself. Erika says, they’re not going home Pollyanna, but for her it’s more positive than it’s been in a long time. Annemarie says she doesn’t know the histories in the group, so it seemed cryptic to her when Erika said she was letting some things go despite what anybody had to say. She felt many of them contributed to her pain. What did she mean?

Erika says she felt mischaracterized and misunderstood. The appeal was reversed, but those things will always hurt. Garcelle says, when they were at the retreat, Erika told them that she wasn’t sure if she trusted the group, but Erika says she feels more relaxed now. Trust is earned over time, and she’s taking it step by step. In her interview, Garcelle says she sees how deeply Erika was affected by them. Although they were just asking questions, and thought Erika understood they wanted to see her side, but also wanted her to show compassion and empathy. They could have just moved on. Sutton makes a toast to Erika, and says, even though some of them didn’t receive a door invitation to Erika’s show – we see a clip of Kyle getting an invite like she won Publisher’s Clearing House – she wants to congratulate Erika on her residency. She knows it’s a big deal. They’re proud of her and they’ll all be there. In her interview, Sutton says, in elementary school, her mother made her invite the entire class to her birthday party. Erika says she remembers their support when she was on Broadway, and Sutton chartered a plane. We flash back to that, and Sutton tells her that she’s just saying she could have gotten an invite. (After chartering the jet? Yes, she should have. Maybe Erika should think about acknowledging other people’s feelings instead of being so concerned about her own.) They watch some dancing, and in Kyle’s interview, she says she’s nervous and embarrassed. There are professional performers up there. Nobody wants to see them; they want to see the professionals. Dorit says she doesn’t know if she can do it in her dress and shoes, but Erika tells her, stomp that sh*t out. The MC announces that they have VIP guests, and the women get up on stage. In Sutton’s interview, she says, it’s been emotional, but at the end of the day, she loves them. She wants them to stay happy like this forever. They’re laughing and having fun and sharing things they’ve never shared before. Getting through problems individually and as a group is so good. Friends become family, and this is her family, and she loves it. They do a few hand moves, and stamp their feet, and there’s applause. It wasn’t really dancing, but okay.

The women are back in Beverly Hills and back to routine. Dorit pops by (her words) Kyle’s house and asks how she and Mauricio are doing. Kyle says, good. She was seeing a therapist, and now Mauricio joined in. Dorit asks how it’s going, but Kyle says she doesn’t know. In Dorit’s interview, she says, lately, one of her best friends is as disconnected as possible. She wants to be there for Kyle. She wants Kyle to know she supports her. Kyle says, she and Mauricio never fight, but on the bad side, they’re not communicating. They’d rather not deal. We flash back to the mom/tattoo sort of argument, and Kyle says she’s more the one who has a fiery side, and Mauricio wants to be stoned peaceful. Add in traveling and their work schedules… Dorit says, traveling took a toll on her and PK, and in Kyle’s interview, she says she thinks Mauricio believes if he gives her time, she’ll get over it, but they need help. She tells Dorit that the agency is expanding and it’s like his child. He takes his energy to fix the agency’s problems, so why can he give the energy he gives to the company to them? In her interview, she says she’s supported Mauricio through everything from day one, when he had nothing, When she said they were in trouble and she needed him to work through it with her, she needed to feel it was a priority. If Mauricio puts no effort into them, they’re not going to end up together. They’ll never survive this.  

Next time, Sutton goes on date number two with Steve; Dorit wants PK home for Mother’s Day, but PK tells her that she’s not his mother; and Erika dabs at her eyes and says, it never had to be this way.

📺 Tortured By Reality TV Society…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a more relaxed atmosphere. Until then, stay safe, stay not clicking your fingers for the waitstaff, and stay never signing a document without reading it, even if it’s given to you by the Pope.