Category Archives: real housewives

Feb15

February 14, 2022 – Valentine’s Day Continues In Port Charles, Lucid House Moment, Super Ads, Trailer Bowl, Bratty Kathy & Funny

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Valentine’s Day Part 2

Carly watches the couples dining at the MetroCourt when Felix walks in, and says, long time, stranger. She hugs him and says she’s missed him, and he says, that’s because she’s so busy being a boss. She says, technically, she is the boss. She says, what about him? Lucas said he had a lot going on; singing in the choir, volunteering, and mentoring. It’s amazing. Is he here for dinner? He says, he and his sister ate earlier, and Carly says, Taylor’s in town? He says she is, but she’s exhausted and already went to her room. Carly says she understands. She’s about to go up to her room any minute. He says, she’s staying at the hotel? and she says, so he hasn’t heard all the gossip. They have a lot to catch up on.

At The Savoy, Brad tells Britt to trust in the professionals, and match him shot for shot.

Doc asks if Laura is still up for take-out later, and she asks if he wants to try that new Peruvian place. He says, sounds great, and asks if they should order enough for Esme. She says, she suspects Esme has other plans, and he says, like what? She says, like breaking the rules, as usual, and holds up a nail polish bottle she found while fluffing the couch pillows.

Esme comes up behind Spencer, and says, Happy Valentine’s Day, lover. He jumps up, and tells her, never sneak up on a guy in prison. She says she’s sorry. She thought he’d be happy to see her. She used all her magic to get after visiting hours. He says it’s good to see her, but doesn’t meet her eyes. He apologizes for being jumpy. Being in here has been an adjustment. She says, which is why she thought he might like a reminder of her and the comforts of home. She hands him a photo of herself, and he says, happy Valentine’s Day to him.

Chet asks Terry if she minds if he sits next to her, and she says, not at all. He takes off his coat, and she says, teal shirt, and tells him, so far, she’s not disappointed at all. He sits down, and says, neither is he.

Ava gets champagne ready when Nikolas walks in. She says she couldn’t wait for him to get home, and he says, to see him, or the gift he brought? She says, he bright her a gift? The day just keeps getting better and better. He says, not that he’s complaining, but what has gotten into her? She says, Carly and Sonny’s marriage is in the toilet. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Felix says, any fantasy Carly has about PJs and fuzzy slippers, just forget about it. He wants to hear all the tea; he’s taking her out on the town. She says she’d love to, but it’s been a long day, and she really needs to do some soul-searching. He tells her, fine. Go up to her room. Put on something sparkly, short, skin-tight, or all of the above, and meet him here in fifteen. Save the soul-searching for church. Tonight, they’re going to The Savoy.

Nina asks Sonny if Phyllis is here, but he says Nina just missed her. She asks how Phyllis is. She came to check on her, since it’s her first Valentine’s Day… He says, without Lenny. He had the same idea, but she’s actually doing pretty good. Nina says, Lenny would have gotten a kick out of all this, and he says, good tribute, right? She asks how he is, and he says he’s been better. She asks if there’s anything she can do, and he says he thinks she’s done enough. She says she should go. Is that what he wants?

Doc asks what Esme’s done now, and Laura says, painting her nails while sitting on the couch. She’s specifically asked Esme not to do that. She doesn’t know if it’s a lack of etiquette or just poor judgement, but there is a blatant disregard for the rules. It’s like her sense of entitlement knows no bounds. He says, she’s not wrong, and don’t think he’s defending her – he isn’t – but she is a teenage girl navigating unusual circumstances. Laura says, she’s a teenage girl who’s working her nerves. Has he seen the guest bathroom? He says, yes, but he thinks her bad habits are also exacerbated by Spencer leaving. He thinks she feels abandoned. Laura says, and she is living with people she has no real connection to. She gets it, but is she a bad person if she still thinks Esme is kind of a little brat? He says, no, and they laugh. She says she knows he’s right; it’s just maddening. He kisses her, and says he’ll talk to Esme. That way, he’ll be the heavy. She says, there could be a reward for him in that, and he asks if they should put off dinner for a while. She says, he’ll have to wait, and he says, good things come to those who wait. She says, very good things, and they kiss some more.

Esme says she just wanted Spencer to have a reminder of what he has to look forward to. Does he like it? He says, like is an understatement, and she says, since Spring Ridge doesn’t do conjugal visits, she thought it was the next best thing. He says he’ll have to guard it with his life to protect her honor, and she says, if anyone tries to take it, just let Samuel know. She waves to one of the guards, and says, his Uncle Victor was right. He’s a doll. Spencer asks if she got his gift, and she says, the flowers were gorgeous. Where did he find French peonies this time of year? He says, it took some forethought, and Uncle Victor’s connections, but he couldn’t let his girlfriend think he didn’t care.

On the phone, Laura asks if Trina might be free to stop by her house tonight. Trina says, now? and Laura says, if she doesn’t mind. It’s kind of important. She’ll text her address. Trina says she’ll be there, and Laura thanks her, and says she’ll let the doorman know Trina is on her way.

On the phone at The Savoy, TJ says, she just made his night; he loves her. Molly asks, what is it? and he says, his mom might be coming home sooner than planned. She says, that’s amazing. He must be so relieved. He says, absolutely. He’s been monitoring her progress, and knew she was recovering well, but it’s a huge win if she can come home.

At one of the tables, Brad tells Britt, he’s got his freedom back, and he’s embracing it. She says, that’s great news. Does this mean he’s not terrified of Auntie Dearest? He says, please. He’s not worried about her, especially when she’s out of town. Britt says, what about her minions? She may have eyes here. He tells her not to be a downer. If eyes are here, they’ve already been seen, so he wants to make the risk worth it. Down the hatch. They’re doing this. They clink glasses, and Britt braces herself, taking another shot. Brad drinks it down, then coughs.

Terry says, it’s nice to finally meet Chet, and he says, finally? She says she can see now, she had no reason to be nervous. He says, going out solo on Valentine’s Day is nerve wracking, but this place is pretty non-threatening. She says she supposes so. She’d only been here for a few minutes, and was worried he wouldn’t show. He says, as in, where has he been her whole life? but she says, as in, where has he been at five minutes past the hour? She didn’t see anyone in a teal shirt, and thought maybe she’d been stood up. He says, she’s looking for a guy in a teal shirt, and she says she figured shining armor might be a bit blingy, but she’s glad they decided to meet up in person. She admits, she was worried about the dating app too. She thought it was wacky to try and connect with someone without exchanging pictures, but meeting him has made her a believer. She calls him Tanner, and he says, he’s sorry he’s not Tanner. A man says, Terry? He thinks their table is ready.

Sonny says he’s not going to get in the way if Nina wanted to come to Charlie’s, and starts to leave. She says she’s sorry, but that’s not the question she asked him. She just wants to know if it’s causing him more pain to run into her. Is it complicating him trying to work things out with Carly? He says, things aren’t going to work out with Carly, and she says, Carly is probably upset and understandably hurt. Just give her more time. He says, everybody wants him to give Carly time. It didn’t seem like Carly needed time when she decided she wanted their marriage to be over. When she saw them in… Nina knows what he means. She says she doesn’t; what is he talking about? He says, Carly’s divorcing him.

Nina and Sonny sit at the bar, and Nina asks why Sonny thinks Carly is considering divorce. He says, she’s meeting with a divorce lawyer. He asks what Nina is thinking, but she says, it doesn’t matter what she thinks. He says, it does, but she says, it’s about him and Carly. He tells her, if she has something to say, say it, but she says her point-of-view is immaterial. He asks, why? and she says, because she can’t be objective. They both know she has a vested interest.

Laura lets in Trina, and says, that was fast. Trina asks if everything is okay. Did something happen to Spencer? Laura says, he’s absolutely fine. She’s so sorry. She didn’t mean to worry Trina. It’s just that he asked her to mail this to Trina a few days ago, and she hasn’t had the chance. She hands Trina a gift-wrapped box.

Esme says she brought Spencer some of that Italian face cream he likes, and his favorite sweater. And she was told he could listen to music as long as it’s not too loud. He says he doesn’t supposed she had a chance to run back to the cabin and get his headphones, but she says she hasn’t been back to the cabin; she hasn’t even thought about it. Too busy being consumed with her boyfriend being in a prison facility. He tells her not to think he doesn’t appreciate everything she’s done for him, and everything she continues to do. She says, she’s always been there for him, and always will be. Unlike his fair-weather friends. He wonders if she’s seen them or if they’ve asked about him, but she says, no and no. Does it matter?

Ava asks Nikolas how the court can award Sonny being custodial parent if his marriage falls apart because of his own infidelity. This could be their chance to bring Avery home here. He says he hopes she’s right, and she says, but? He says, no buts. He just gets the feeling that her euphoria over the Corinthoses marital woes isn’t entirely about Avery. Maybe she’s slightly happy about what’s happened with Carly; maybe more than slightly. She asks if he’s accusing her of taking pleasure in someone else’s unhappiness. Maybe once upon a time she wished Carly ill, but lately they’ve been in a better place. He says, come on. It’s him she’s talking to, and she says, all right. Doesn’t he think there’s some serious karmic justice happening here? Does he have any idea how much flack she’s taken from that woman over the years? He says, it’s probably more than he’ll ever know, and she says, damn straight. Carly and Sonny have been insufferable, gatekeeping her child, like Ava is some kind of danger to her. Giving her crumbs of time with Avery, and expecting her to be grateful, and maligning their marriage every chance they get. Nikolas says, yet here they are, still together, and she says, while Carly and Sonny’s epic love story crumbles to dust.

Many shots in, Britt stacks the shot glasses, and says, Brad is kidding her. He says, 10% of Americans have broken up with someone on Valentine’s Day. She knows what that means, doesn’t she? A whole room of broken hearts are theirs for the taking. Britt yells they need shots, and Nika brings another. Britt thanks her, and says, down the hatch. Brad says, okay, and they drink.

Walking into the club, Carly says she guesses there is something to going out tonight, and Felix says she’s welcome. He sees Brad and Britt, and says, maybe he spoke too soon. He’s not a fan of Brad’s, but he won’t be chased out. Carly says, neither will she, but she can’t say there won’t be trouble.

After dinner, TJ tells Molly, the gift was perfect. She always knows what he needs. She kisses him, and he says her gift is waiting at the honeymoon suite at the MetroCourt. She says, he didn’t, and he says, happy Valenversary.

Brad asks if Britt wants to dance, and she says she could be talked into it. He sees Carly and Felix, and says, and here he thought he’d be safe. She says, Aunt Selena? and he says, worse; Carly. She says, don’t sweat it. She’s not. She hasn’t had her dance yet. Carly and Felix come over to their table, and Carly says, Brad and Britt, together again. Some things never change. Britt says, the theater has changed. This is The Savoy, not the MetroCourt, and it’s nice hanging out with her bestie, even though she’s aware some people would like him to disappear back to Prisonville. Felix tells her, some might say Brad got off easy given what he did to Carly’s family, and Brad says, he regrets a lot of the things he’s done. He asks if he can have a word with Felix, and they step away. Britt says, and then there were two. Ironic isn’t it? Carly sits down, and says, what is? Britt says, them. Instead of being with the men they love tonight, they lined up with each other. Carly shows Britt her ringless hand, and says, happy Valentine’s Day to them.

Nina says, Sonny knows how she feels about him, and he takes another drink. Chet approaches, and says it’s good to see Sonny. They haven’t had much of a chance to talk since he’s been back. Sonny says, Chet is doing a great job at the gym, and asks how he is, and Chet says he can’t complain. Single guy problems. He guesses Sonny doesn’t have them, and can count himself lucky. Sonny introduces Nina to Chet, and says, Chet runs the gym for him. Nina says, he’s Amy’s brother; it’s nice to finally meet him. Chet says, likewise. He’ll let them get on with their evening. Sonny calls for another drink, but Nina says, if Carly is meeting with a divorce attorney, doesn’t he think it’s a bad idea for them to be seen together? He says, the damage was done a long time ago, but Nina suggests he not add fuel to the fire. He says, this is so unreal. When he got back, everything was great. How did they get to this? She says, they all played their roles, and she’s so, so sorry for the part she played. He says, so she regrets what went down too? and she says, no part of her regrets them sleeping together. Does he?

Tanner tells Terry, that’s why he appreciates that the app celebrates the cerebral over the visual. Daters can scratch beneath the service without worrying about shallow concerns, like how someone looks, or if they have a car or a career. She says, but he does have those things, right? He says he understands why a modern woman like herself might feel pressured to join the capitalistic grind. She says, does he now? It might interest him to know she doesn’t view the field of medicine through a capitalistic lens. He says, it’s just that he’s chosen to vibrate at a higher frequency. He rejects the expectations of society – Chet listens from the bar – and examines himself. He does the work. She says, to avoid shirts with collars. She understands, but that all sounds like an excuse to avoid actual work. He tells her, if that’s what she heard him say, then she’s not listening, and she says, oh please, enlighten her.

Laura says, actually, Spencer wanted Trina to have this before he left for Spring Ridge. She’s so sorry for the delay. It’s just that so much has been happening lately. Trina asks how Spencer is doing, and Laura says, it’s still the early days. She’s sure he appreciated his visit with Trina at Ava’s gallery before he had to report in. Trina flashes back to Spencer almost kissing her, and says she appreciated it too. I love how everyone acts like he’s been sentenced to hard labor for life.

Spencer tells Esme, of course (🍷) it matters if his friends are suddenly ghosting him, and she says, his Uncle Victor reminded her that you can’t please all people all the time. Which is exactly what she was doing with his friends, and it’s gotten her nowhere. At least they still have each other, right? He nods, and she says, it’s not enough? Maybe her coming tonight was a mistake. She picks up her stuff, and he tells her, don’t go, but she thanks Samuel, and says he’s been a doll. She knows it’s late, but is there any way she can visit with Ryan Chamberlain? Samuel says, sorry, he’s afraid not, but she says, no worries. She’ll just visit when she’s interning this week. He says, that’s not happening either. Her access has been restricted. She says, by whom? and Doc says, by him. She says she didn’t expect to see him after visiting hours, and he says, likewise. How did she get in? She says she pulled a few strings, and he says they’ll address that later. Right now he’d like to know why she wants to see his brother, especially when he warned her not to. She says she’s capable of handling him, and Doc says, he knows she thinks so. That’s why he took measures to prevent her from handling it. She says, that sounds more person than professional. Is he sure he hasn’t lost objectivity when it comes to his brother? Spencer asks, what’s going on? and Doc says, he’d like to know that himself. Why is it so important for Esme to visit Ryan? Spencer asks, why the hell she’d want to see that psychopath.

Trina unwraps a coffee table book, and tells Laura, he remembered. Laura says, remembered what? She adds that she doesn’t want to pry, but Trina says, it’s all right. She’s just kind of blown away right now. We see it’s a book on the art of Molyneux, and Trina says, she once told Spencer that she was a fan of his work, and he remembered. Laura says, wow. That’s Spencer, isn’t it? Despite all of his antics, he’s got this other side. Trina says she knows. A side that’s thoughtful and generous Laura says, they seem to have gotten to know each other pretty well.

Nikolas wonders if anyone could truly find happiness with Sonny, and Ava says, if he’d asked her a year ago, she would have said absolutely not, but he’s changed, hasn’t he? He seems different, especially with Nina. it’s like he’s almost human. Nikolas says, finding your true mate will do that, and she thanks him, and says she agrees. She feels the same way. She’s never been able to really be herself with anybody without feeling like she’s being judged. It’s liberating and refreshing to strip away the façade. He tells her, feel free to strip bare with him anytime, and she says she’s being serous. She feels safe with him. He says, good and kisses her., He says, he loves her just as she is, and everything she just said about how he makes her feel, is how she makes him feel. She tells him, and everyone said they wouldn’t last. They have no idea what the two of them have. Nikolas says, they don’t need anyone to know what they have, as long as they do. You and me; our love against the world. She says, when they renew their vows, she thinks that’s how it should be; just them. Unless he really wants guests. He says, all he really wants is her, and they kiss.

Brad wants Felix to know that he hates that he hurt Lucas, and so many others, and Felix says, it’s going to sound strange coming from him, but Brad can’t keep beating himself up. He has a real opportunity now that he’s out to do good. Does he have any plans? Brad says, not yet. His future’s not entirely up to him.

Carly says, there are worse things than being single on Valentine’s Day, and Britt says, like your brother wreaking havoc the entire town and abducting your sister-in-law. Carly says, or your husband disappearing for almost a year, and coming back only to cheat on you. Britt says, or losing your last chance at love, and Carly says, and your best friend. Britt says, he helped her pass out Valentine’s last year at the hospital, and Carly says she wishes she could have seen that, but Britt says, turns out, it was a once in a lifetime occurrence. Okay. So they can have a good cry, or order more shots. Carly votes for shots, and Britt says, this round is on her, and calls to Nika.

Sonny tells Nina that he regrets his life has come to this, and that his wife wants to end their marriage so quickly. Nina suggests Carly is just weighing her options, deciding whether she wants to stay or go, but Sonny says, that is not Carly’s style. What does Nina think the odds are Carly hasn’t made up her mind?

Terry says, wow. She’s never been called a shill for pharmaceutical companies before, and Tanner says, he just happens to ascribe to more Eastern philosophies than Western medicine. She says, he does remember that she’s an Asian doctor, right? Is he anti-science? He says, science has its place, and she says, yes, in medicine. Chet continues to listen, and Tanner says, so does mysticism. In fact, it’s a necessary part of the human spirit, and has been so in every ancient civilization, and he has to say, she came across as more broad minded on the app. She says, sorry to disappoint. Can he illuminate her on an adjacent topic? Did mysticism invent the technology behind his hair plugs, or was that science? She calls out, we’re going to need another round here please, and tells him, don’t worry; it’s on her. Believing in science is good for something. He says, there it is; capitalistic. Chet comes over, and says, that’s enough. He tells Terry that he can’t sit by and watch her do this anymore, and Tanner says, who the hell is he?

Esme tells Spencer that she wanted to observe Ryan for her class, but Doc won’t allow it. Spencer asks why she’d want to hang around with that psycho kook, and she says, mental illness is not a joke. Besides, he doesn’t seem to care what she wants these days. She came here to see him because he’s her top priority, but something tells her that she’s not his. She stomps out, and he asks Doc, what did he do? He’s just trying to look out for her. Doc says, she feels she can take care of herself. Can the same be said of him?

Chet says, who is he? and Tanner says, who is he to interrupt their date? Chet says, boyfriend. He tried, but he can’t share her anymore. She gets up, and says, he knows she always comes back to him in the end. Tanner grabs his coat, and says, he’s sorry. It’s not a match. He leaves, and Chet asks if it was something he said. Terry says she guesses she’s not magical enough, and holds out her hand. She says, Terry, and he says, Chet. Nice to meet her. He’s sorry about the inconvenience earlier. Would a drink make up for it? And don’t worry; he can cover it. She says, it’s a start.

Nina asks if Carly has ever done something like this before, and Sonny says, he and Carly have a lot of water under the bridge. She says, of course (🍷). She’s sorry. She didn’t mean to pry. She knows they go way back. It’s ironic that Carly was so upset not knowing their history in Nixon Falls. It was only a couple of months, compared to the years and years Carly and Sonny have shared together. She’s thinking she’s at a much greater disadvantage. He says, it’s not a competition, but she says, yes, it is.

Carly has a shot, and asks how many of these has Britt had? Britt says, they grow on you, and Carly yells, two more please. Britt wonders what Brad and Felix are still talking about, and Carly says, as long as Brad stays away from her and her family, she could care less. Britt says, right. And if he doesn’t cross the street in time when he sees one of them, Michael will just call his political friends, and invent charges. Carly asks if Britt wants to go there. Let’s talk about her family; Peter, Obrecht, Faison. Not to mention… Britt says, her. Don’t stop on her account. Carly tells her, she was going to say Nina. She’s no slouch in the cheating/lying department, that’s for sure. Britt says she’s not discussing Nina with Carly, and Carly says, because Britt can’t defend her. Britt says, well, that truce didn’t last long, and Carly says, no, it didn’t. Britt asks, isn’t Carly tired of fighting? and Carly asks if Britt is. Britt says, yes, that’s why they should just keep drinking and forget everything. They clink glasses.

Felix asks if Brad is talking about his parole officer. Who else would be in charge of his future? Brad says, he just meant the consequences of his mistakes will determine his future, and Felix says, Brad is a good lab tech, but if he can’t go back to that, maybe he can find a new passion. Brad says, do his own thing? Find a purpose? Yeah. That would be real freedom.

Nikolas tells Ava, happy Valentine’s Day. Unless she feels the day doesn’t necessitate a gift. She says, he knows her better than that, and holds out her hand. He gives her a gift-wrapped box that I’m sure is jewelry. She unwraps it, and opens the box inside. She looks at him, and he tells her, she said she felt safe with him. Hmm… Now I don’t think it’s jewelry anymore.

Laura says, she happy Trina sees the good in Spencer; not everyone does. Trina says, his friends do, and she’s still his friend. Does he need anything? Laura says, it’s sweet of her to ask, but Esme brought him some things today. Trina says, good. She hopes it just isn’t the same old stuff. She knows Spencer likes his clothes and accessories, but that’s not what’s important to him. Laura says, really? and Trina says, he likes music, poetry, and art. Laura says, something they have in common, and Trina says, he’ll need all that while he’s there to keep his spirits up. Laura says she sees why Spencer values his friendship with Trina so much, and Esme walks in. Laura says she’s very glad Spencer has Trina, and turns around, seeing Esme. Esme smiles. Ha-ha! She’s like the little girl in The Bad Seed. Esme says, Trina. Everywhere she goes, there Trina is. Trina says, not anymore; she was just leaving. She thanks Laura, and Laura thanks her for coming, and says she enjoyed talking with Trina. Esme holds the door open, and Trina leaves. Laura hands Esme the bottle of nail polish, and says she believe this belongs to her. She asks how Spencer is, and Esme says, okay, and Laura asks if he said he needed anything. Esme says, actually, there is something; something they both need. Laura asks if she can help, and Esme says, thanks, but she’s got this. She’s turning in though. She has an early start tomorrow. Laura says, for her internship at Spring Ridge? and Esme flashes back to setting up the camera to film Josslyn and Cameron in bed. She says, no. There’s a really important errand she has to run in the morning first.

Terry says she appreciates Chet’s chivalry. It’s rough out there. He says, tell him about it. He was just telling his sister, it’s easier to be single. Not that it stops her from trying to set him up. Terry says, she doesn’t have a sister, but she has well-meaning friends who are constantly trying to push her out of her comfort zone. Hence, the dating app. He asks if she’s planning on firing it up again soon, and she says, based on tonight, she’s going with – never. Maybe casual dating just isn’t in the stars for her. Oh my God, did that sound mystical? He says he hopes not, because that would be a waste. She’s cool, she’s smart, she’s beautiful… She says, he’s gallant and handsome, and teal is definitely his color, along with shining armor. He lifts his glass, and says, to never saying never. She says, never say never, and they clink glasses.

At the suite, TJ and Molly start kissing. He picks her up, and puts her onto the rose petal covered bed, and they get busy.

Ava and Nikolas get busy too. She ties him to the bed with red silk ties.

Felix says, there’s one thing he can tell Brad about Lucas. Lucas hopes Brad can build a new life and be happy. Brad says, he hopes for that too, and Felix looks over at Carly and Britt sticking confetti hearts on one another’s foreheads. Felix says, judging by that, anything is possible. Britt and Carly clink glasses and laugh.  

Nina gets the check, and Sonny asks what she’s doing. He can pay that. She says she wants to do it. Whatever happens, she wants the best for him. She wishes him nothing but happiness; happiness, luck, and love. Sonny says, if Carly moves forward with this divorce attorney, he’s not having it. It’s over. Done. He drains his glass, and she says, she’s not leaving. He’s drinking and talking like that… He says he’s fine; she can go. She leaves (her full glass of wine still on the bar), and Sonny picks up a paper heart with the words Bye-Bye Love on it. He tears it in half.

Tomorrow, Willow wonders how hard it can be to find her birth certificate, Victor asks Obrecht how he can ever repay the favor, and Carly says that Sonny is going to make this divorce very ugly.

🏖 On the nightmare that is Summer House. Andrea made excuses not to commit, but still wanted to get Paige back. Paige was already into Craig, but still seemed down for a hook-up. Lindsay got put in the friendzone by some dude she’d spent a weekend with, and in her interview, she said, her timeline wasn’t what the universe had for her, so she stopped fighting the universe. Amanda wished Kyle would act like he cared about her. Good luck with that. Danielle was working on a fashion app, and in her interview, was shocked to find out, it was f***ing hard. In other words, actual work. Kyle took Amanda out to dinner, and said he was sorry, but I thought it was just words.

The show actually got surprisingly not shallow for maybe the first time ever, when newbie Mya talked to Ciara about feeling included in the group. Ciara said sometimes it felt like she was in high school again (no argument here), but she didn’t think they were intentionally excluding her. Andrea had accidentally called Mya by another name, and she said it triggered her, bringing her back to when she was in school. There was only one other Black girl, and the teachers were constantly calling them by the other’s name, even though they didn’t look alike. When the group was back together, Ciara said she thought it would be a good idea to sit down as a group, and check in with each other occasionally. Mya explained how she was feeling, and said, she was one of two Black women there, she was new to the house, and it was the Hamptons. It was no one’s fault, but it was a different dynamic. Then it really blew my mind when Luke, who’s usually the pseudo deep thinker, likened Mya’s experience to his own, saying it had taken him two years to feel accepted. Then, Kyle somehow got the difference, and corrected him. I wondered if they’d switched bodies. Mya said she’d repeatedly been told she was a white girl in a Black girl’s body, which I can’t even imagine. It’s insulting on so many levels. They ended with a group hug. I still think there’s no hope for this bunch, but at least they talked about something important, even if it was a fluke.

Next time, whips and chains, Carl and Ciara make out, and Kyle tells Paige, the only thing he and Amanda have in common is Loverboy.

🏈 Bowling For Ads…

Three different ways to check out the commercials from the Super Bowl.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/13/super-bowl-2022-commercials-live-coverage.html

https://ew.com/tv/2022-super-bowl-lvi-commercials/

https://nypost.com/2022/02/14/the-best-super-bowl-2022-commercials-top-ads-from-the-game/

📽 Happy Trailers To You…

Apparently, movie trailers were a thing this year too.

https://ew.com/movies/watch-tv-movie-trailers-super-bowl-lvi/

💎 Not So Hunky Dorey…

I find all of this a little hard to believe.

RHOBH’s Kathy Hilton Accused of Meltdown Amid Heated Dispute With Staff in Aspen as Her Reps Deny Claim, and Bravo Speaks Out
RHOBH’s Kathy Hilton Denies Sending Cease and Desist to Lisa Rinna and Refusing to Film as Lisa Reacts to Claim That Kathy “Ran for the Hills”

👃 Goodnight, Mrs. Calabash…

Shuffling off for now, but come by tomorrow for soap and a bit of Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay sane in an insane world, and stay never saying never.

Feb12

February 11, 2022 – Valentine’s Day Part 1, New Gig, Through Laura’s Eyes, News Jersey, a Book, an Update, Wouldn’t Listen, Dead Tales, Puppies (!), OctoQuoteapus & Basement 

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

VALENTINE’S DAY PART 1

Terry says she has something to tell Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says she’s listening. Terry says she has her first date with the guy she’s been messaging from the dating app, and Elizabeth says, on Valentine’s Day? Terry says, she knows; aggressive. Elizabeth says, or extremely romantic. She wants to know everything about him, and Terry says, later. Elizabeth says, Terry is going to leave her hanging, and Terry says she has a patient. Elizabeth says she’s excited for Terry, and Terry says she is too. Terry leaves, and Elizabeth puts her head in her hands. Finn comes in, and tells her that she has no business being tired. He’s the one who slept on the bench… he means, couch. That is a couch, isn’t it? Elizabeth says, not up to his standards? and he tells her, he’s just saying she might want to think about an upgrade. Just a suggestion. She says, lucky for him, there’s no need for another sleepover. They checked all the ships leaving Port Charles last night, and no sign of Peter. Looks like he found his way out of town. He says, with that guy, anything is possible, and she says, careful. It almost sounds like he wants to crash on her couch again. He asks if that would be so bad.

Taggert meets Portia at the MetroCourt, and she thanks him for coming. He says, anything for Trina, and they hug. She says, maybe it’s nothing, and she’s overreacting. She’s been acting fine… He says, but Portia’s mom radar is going off? and she says, it is, big time. Trina went on this trip with all of her friends, and ever since she’s been back, Trina hasn’t said a word to her. That’s not normal for her, right? He says, dinner tonight was a good idea. They’ll figure out what’s going on with Trina, and get their girl back on track.

Sonny walks into Charlie’s with a bouquet of flowers, and sets them on the bar. Phyllis says, for her? and he says he just wanted to see how she was her first Valentine’s without Lenny, but – he looks around, seeing the decorations and crowd for the Anti-Valentine’s Day party – it looks like she’s doing pretty good. She says, Lenny hated Valentine’s Day. Every year, she got chocolate, flowers, and a rant about how he didn’t need some greeting card company telling him how and when to express his love. He says, sounds like Lenny, and she says, doesn’t it? She thought this could be her way of honoring him; not to mention, it makes good business sense. So many people feel left out on this holiday. Lonely hearts need a place to go too.

Nina visits Ava at Windymere, and says, Ava looks incredible. Hot date? Ava says, with her hot husband, and Nina asks why Ava didn’t say she had plans. Ava says she sounded kind of upset when she called. Besides, she figured Nina would know she had plans for tonight. Nina asks, what’s tonight? and Ava makes a heart with her hands, and says, it’s February 14th. Nina says, it’s Valentine’s Day, and Ava says, oh boy. Nina doesn’t even know what day it is. Something big must have gone down, huh?

Carly tells her assistant JoAnn, sorry for keeping her so late, and JoAnn says, Valentine’s Day is always busy here. Carly flashes back to telling Sonny that they’re over and it’s on him. JoAnn says, if Carly needs her, she’ll be in the office, but Carly asks her to wait. One more thing.

Nina tells Ava, she’s so sorry. She forgot there are some people who still celebrate Valentine’s Day. She’ll just go. Ava says, she’ll do no such thing, and invites her in. She says she did hear about Maxie. Nina must be so worried. Unless there’s something else going on. Nina says, no. Maxie and Peter’s trail has gone cold, and she’s losing her mind wondering where they could be. The only consolation, thank God, is that Maxie’s daughter was found safe. Ava asks if Peter had her this entire time, and Nina says, Ava remembers. Peter showed up in Nixon Falls, and tried to blackmail her into helping him find Louise. Ava says, right, and he threatened to tell the truth about Sonny, and Nina says, there’s more to that story – a lot more.

Finn says he’ll get Elizabeth a cup of coffee, and she says she doesn’t know what’s wrong with her; she can’t snap out of it today. He says, that’s understandable. She’s worried about Maxie; they all are. It’s Valentine’s Day, and also her anniversary with Franco. She thanks him for remembering; it means a lot. He tells her to go easy on herself, and she says she’ll try. Amy and brother Chet walk in (wow. we haven’t seen Chet in years), and Finn says, it’s been a while. How’s everything going? Amy says, things are terrible.

Trina joins Portia and Taggert, and Portia thanks her for making time for her parents. Trina asks if Portia shouldn’t be on a date right now, and Portia says, she will, a little bit later. She had to spend some time with her original Valentine. Taggert asks why Trina isn’t asking if he has any plans, and she says, does he? He says, no, and she says, that’s why she wasn’t asking. Portia says, sit, and Trina says, they’re acting weird, but she’s hungry, so… They sit down, and Taggert says he’d like to propose a toast. To Trina. She’s strong, intelligent, and kind. Portia says, beautiful, not that it matters, and Taggert says, it’s true. She’s kicking ass at PCU, and she just organized her very first gallery exhibition. Portia says, which was a huge success, and Taggert says, if this Spencer Cassadine can’t see her for the star that she is, it’s his loss. Portia tells him, that’s real smooth, and he says, what? Trina asks if that’s what tonight is about, Spencer, and Portia says, it’s really not. Not completely. It just seems like Trina is having kind of a rough time dealing with this young man. Trina says she can’t believe this. Her own parents think she’s pathetic.

Carly picks up a paper heart from the bar, and rips it in pieces. Sam comes in, and says she sees Carly’s not a fan of Valentine’s Day. She sits at the bar, and Carly asks if she’s meeting Dante here. Sam says she wishes. He’s searching for Maxie and Peter. Carly says she heard he took Maxie hostage; that’s awful. Sam says, that sums Peter up in a nutshell. Carly hopes they find that guy, and Sam says, her too, then says, so? and Carly says, what? Sam says she didn’t think she’d have to ask, but how did things go with Sonny? Carly says she walked in on him in bed with Nina.

Phyllis says, the flowers are beautiful, and thanks Sonny. He says, if he’d known about the chocolates, he would have brought them too, and she says, don’t think she didn’t buy some for herself. She swears she could feel Lenny’s spirit when she paid for them. Sonny says he misses Lenny, and she says, she misses him too. So how’s he doing? Still on his meds? He says, yes, ma’am, and she laughs. She asks how things are going with Carly. Last night seemed so hopeful. He drains his glass and puts it on the bar, saying, yep. She says she’s guessing things didn’t go as planned, and he says, he and Carly are as far apart as they’ve ever been.

Ava tells Nina, good for Maxie. That plan took smarts and guts. And good for Nina, playing along with Peter to keep him away from Port Charles. To be able to tell people she had motivation, other than hiding the truth about Sonny, is a vindication of sorts. Nina says, she’d hardly call herself vindicated, and they sit down with martinis. Ava says, any updates on that front? Her and Sonny? Nina asks what she’s heard, and Ava says, nothing, but obviously there’s something. Nina’s acting like she doesn’t want to talk about it, but Ava thinks she does want to talk about it, or she wouldn’t have come all the way out here. Nina says, they’re friends and she wanted company. Is that so hard to believe? Ava says it is, and Nina says, she and Sonny slept together, and Carly walked in on them. Ava asks, how was it? and Nina says, which part? Ava says she’s sorry; never mind. Carly walked in on Nina and her husband in bed together. That is… Nina says, horrible; 100% fully and completely horrible. Ava says she’s sure it was excruciating at the time, and Nina says, it’s still pretty excruciating, but Ava suggests Nina look to the future. Doesn’t this mean she and Sonny can be together? 

Chet says, as Finn and Elizabeth can imagine, they’re pretty worried about Maxie, and Amy says, it’s all she can think about; where she is, how she is, when is she coming home? Elizabeth says she knows. It makes her grateful for work; she needs the distraction. Amy says, her too, and Chet says, he came in with Amy so she could help with the clothing drive. They just loaded up the donations. He can’t believe how many there are. Elizabeth asks if Finn’s seen the bins all over the hospital, to benefit veterans in need, and he says, of course (🍷). He didn’t know it was Chet’s doing. Chet says, after the explosion at The Floating Rib, he was down to one job, and Amy says, the best manager Beradino’s ever had. Chet says, with all that free time, he thought he’d volunteer for a non-profit that helps veterans with physical and mental injuries; make sure they have clothing, food, shelter, and medicine. Finn says, sounds like an amazing charity, and Chet says he credits Amy for getting the hospital involved. Amy says, the clothing drive has been a big hit, and Elizabeth says, that reminds her. She has a box of stuff she left home this morning, but her son is bringing it by any minute. Chet says, getting the whole family involved; he likes it. Elizabeth says she has a patient she needs to see, and leaves, and Amy asks Finn how it’s going with him and Elizabeth.

Carly tells Sam, Sonny gave excuse after excuse as to why they fell in bed together, and Sam says, as if there’s any plausible way that would be okay. Carly says, Sonny’s still in love with Nina, and is clearly compelled to act on those feelings, and Sam says she’s so sorry. Carly says, she’s not. Seeing them together gave her the clarity she needed. She’s been wrestling for months about moving forward, and if it was even possible. Now she has her answer. It’s no. Sam says she figured, and Carly says she’s not going to sit around while Sonny prioritizes the woman who destroyed their family. She’s moving forward. Her assistant is calling a divorce attorney as they speak. Sam says, divorce? That’s… Carly says, necessary, and Sam tells her, she was going to say, more like fast. Is Carly sure she’s making the right move?

Sonny says he doesn’t want to burden Phyllis with this, so he’s going to sit down. She follows him to the table, and says, it’s no burden unless he doesn’t want to talk about it. He says he wants his wife, and that’s not going to happen. She says, why not? and he says, because Carly made it clear they’re done. She says, maybe it seems that way now… and he says, that’s the way it is. Nothing’s going to change it. He sits, and she says, something must have happened; what was it? He says, he’ll tell her what happened. He made his grand gesture because he need a signal that Carly was willing to fight for their marriage. Phyllis says, she didn’t show up? and he says, she did, but it was very late, and he’d done some thinking. Carly would say he’s defending Nina because he had feelings for her, and he guesses it’s true, but he can’t shut it down. She says, and as long as they’re there, Carly refuses to be with him, and he says, no matter what. He told her he loved her, that he didn’t want to lose her, but it doesn’t matter. He guesses he should just accept that his marriage is over. She says, bull. He hasn’t done everything he can for his marriage and he knows it. She loves him and she loves Nina, but she’s afraid she hasn’t been a very good friend to either one of them. He asks what she’s talking about, and she says she hasn’t been very forthright. He says, she’s not responsible for his actions any more than she is for Nina’s, and she says she knows that, but part of being a friend, is saying the hard truths. He tells her, say it, and she says, he claims he’s tried everything to fix his marriage. Does that include telling Carly that he went off his meds, and Nina was there to get him help? He says, no, and she says, so he’s still not being honest with his wife. He rationalizes, just like he rationalized not telling Carly that he and Nina fell in love in Nixon Falls. Relationships need trust. If he keeps repeating the same mistakes, how is he going to rebuild the trust he lost? He says, how can he rebuild anything if Carly refuses to hear him?

Carly tells Sam, the sooner she puts this mess behind her, the better. She really needs to get on with her life. Sam says, that is a natural reaction, healthy even. When something hurts, you want to get as far away from it as possible. Carly says, hurts? The image of Sonny and Nina in bed is torture. Sam says, either way, the place Carly is in is not the place she should be making decisions from. Take a second, a minute, days even, to process what this means for her and her family before she puts something in motion she can’t take back. JoAnn returns, and Sam says she’ll give Carly some privacy. She leaves, and JoAnn says, the attorney does have one appointment open tomorrow, but it’s in the morning, right after Carly’s visit with Donna and Avery. Carly says, that doesn’t give her much time, and JoAnn asks what she wants to do.

Finn asks how they knew about him and Elizabeth, and Amy says, they work in a hospital. Everyone knows. He says, everyone? and she says, everyone. So is he going to give her the scoop or not? He says he’s thinking not actually, and Chet says, excuse his sister. She’s got a Valentine’s bug. Amy says, if she can’t have her own romance, she might as well help other people with theirs. Finn says, he’s good, and she says, he sounds just like Chet, refusing to let her set him up. Chet says he doesn’t need to be set up, and she says, tells that to his gaming console. Ever since he and his last girlfriend broke up, he’s been in a total rut. Chet says, thanks for that. By the way, he gets out plenty. She says, casual dates, sure, but she could find his soulmate. Finn tells Chet, good luck with all that. He’ll see Chet around. He leaves, and Amy says, Chet knows she only meddles because she loves him, right?

Portia tells Trina, after everything she and Trina’s father just said, how does she come away with them thinking she’s pathetic? Trina says, they thought she’d be spending tonight pining over some guy, and Portia says, no. It’s just that she’s been so quiet lately, ever since she came back from the trip. Taggert says, her mom is worried something happened on that trip, and Trina says, so they didn’t just ask? Portia says, they don’t want to pry, and Trina says, this is better. Portia says, she’s right. A manufactured sneak attack was not the way to go. They just want her to know they’re here for her and love her. Taggert says, if Trina has anything to get off her chest, they’re listening, and Trina says, it all started with Spencer’s girlfriend. Taggert says, that punk has a girlfriend? and Portia pokes him. He says, please go on, and Trina says, Esme pulled a mean girl stunt at the cabin, and she got upset, but she’s fine now. Portia says, of course (🍷) she’s fine now, but it’s no fun to deal with Esme’s nonsense all the time, and Taggert says, what’s this girl’s name now? Portia says, Esme, and he says, again? She says, Esme, and Trina says, it’s French. Portia says, that girl is jealous of Trina and threatened by her, and Trina says, Portia thinks so? Portia says she knows so.

Nina tells Ava, she doesn’t know where she and Sonny stand. She doesn’t know where Sonny and Carly stand for that matter. Ava says,  surely they’re over now, but Nina says she doesn’t know. She doesn’t even know if she’s rooting for that. The only reason she and Sonny slept together is, they both believed his marriage was over. He was, and is, in so much pain, she doesn’t want to see him hurt like that again. Ava asks why Sonny thought his marriage was over, and Nina says, Carly was supposed to meet him as some sort of sign she was willing to work things out, and Sonny got the impression she wasn’t coming, then Nina showed up, and things just… progressed. Ava says, they sure did, and asks if Nina thinks it was revenge sex. Nina says, no. Say what you want, but she and Sonny have real feelings for each other. It was more like they were repressing these feelings and couldn’t deny it anymore. Ava says, Nina’s wanted this; she got it. Now what is she going to do with it?

Elizabeth brings a box into the locker room, and sees Terry fixing her makeup at the sink. She asks if Terry is heading out, and Terry says she sure is. Elizabeth says, wow. She looks gorgeous. (She does.) Terry asks if Elizabeth is sure it’s not too much, but Elizabeth says, definitely not. Her date is going to be blown away. Terry says, whoever he is, and Elizabeth says, about that. If the dating app doesn’t allow them to exchange photos, how is she going to know who he is? Terry tells her, he said he’d be waiting at the bar, wearing a teal shirt, and Elizabeth says, mysterious. Terry says she’s trying not to get her hopes up. Blind dates are statistically disastrous. I’ve contributed to that statistic. The one I went on was definitely disastrous. That’s why I never did it again. Elizabeth says, but it’s no pressure, right? Just drinks? Terry says, at Charlie’s Anti-Valentine’s party. They’ve been messaging for weeks. She knows everything about him, and he knows everything about her. They just don’t know what each other looks like. Elizabeth says she has the feeling it’s going to go really well, and Terry says, from her lips. Terry says, for the clothing drive? and starts looking through the box, and Elizabeth asks if she’s a veteran. Terry says she’s making sure there’s nothing in there that she gave Elizabeth, and pulls out a garment bag. She says, nice job, donating the fancy stuff, and takes out a dress that has rips in it. She says, or not. Yikes. What happened to this? Elizabeth says, that’s the dress she wore when she got married to Franco.

Nina says, she wants to go to Sonny, but she can’t, and Ava says, why not? Nina says, his marriage just exploded, and Ava says, so? Nina says she doesn’t want to be one of those women who says, what about me? That’s kind of tacky, isn’t it? Ava says, she slept with a married man, and Nina says, she told Ava; she slept with him because she thought his marriage was over… Okay, point taken. Ava says, forget morality and go for it, but Nina says, she’s not doing that. She’s going to stop and think about what’s best for Sonny. Ava says, if it were anybody else, she’d tell Nina to give him space, but Sonny and Carly have survived a lot, and with enough time, they could survive this. So do not give them time.

Carly asks JoAnn to set the meeting, and thanks her. Sam comes back, and Carly says, meeting set. Sam says, okay, and Carly says, that’s it; okay? Sam says Carly might as well hear all her options. That doesn’t mean she has to act right away. She is known for her impulsiveness. Carly says, that’s always worked out like a charm for her, hasn’t it? and Sam says she hopes Carly doesn’t think she’s trying to tell her what to do. Carly says she doesn’t. She thinks Sam’s trying to be a friend. Sam says, good. And as a friend, she thinks she should warn Carly that if Sonny finds out she’s taking the divorce route so quickly, he’s going to be hurt. So hurt, it might be the end for the two of them. Is she prepared for that?

Sonny tells Phyllis, he wanted Carly to meet him halfway, so he’d know she was willing to fight for the marriage. Phyllis says she doesn’t know Carly well, but it’s clear she loves him. Is he sure there’s no way to salvage things? He says, he’s pretty sure, and she says, if he’s waiting for her permission to give up on his marriage, he’s wasting his time. He says, not everyone is as perfect as her and Lenny, and she says, she and Lenny didn’t have some magical romance. Some days were easy, some days were hard, but they worked on it. When you’re committed to someone, that’s what you do. You don’t just throw in the towel when things get difficult. He says he’s glad she decided to stay in Port Charles. He doesn’t know what he could have done without this tough love. His phone dings, he looks at it, and tosses it on the table. Phyllis asks, what’s wrong? and he says, Carly is meeting with a divorce lawyer tomorrow.

Nina tells Ava, she never meant for any of this to happen. If she would have just stopped for a second and considered the ramifications. Ava says, it’s a little late for that now, and Nina says, ya think? She’s in love with a man she’s caused nothing but trouble for, but she doesn’t want to do that anymore. Ava says, she doesn’t have to. If she knows Sonny, he’s off somewhere, nursing his wounds, and spiraling out. Nina could be the one to steady him. Nina says, she’s not going to take advantage of his pain, and Ava says she’s not suggesting Nina seduce the man; just be there for him. Nina loves Sonny, she wants a future with him. Be somebody he can count on. Nina says, she’s caused too much damage by being impulsive. If she cares about Sonny, and she really does, she’s got to stop that destructive behavior. Ava takes it that’s a no; Nina’s not going to go to him then. Nina says, it’s no. For once, she’s going to do the right thing. She’s not going to seek out Sonny. However things land, she’s going to accept it. Ava says, suit herself, but she thinks Nina is making a big mistake.

Terry hands Elizabeth the dress, and asks if it looked like this when she put it in the box. Elizabeth says she doesn’t know. It’s been in the garment bag for months. She hasn’t looked at it. Terry says, donating this is a big step, and Elizabeth says, in the moment, it felt important in helping her move on. Terry says, when she last saw it, months ago, it was still intact? and Elizabeth says she doesn’t know how this could have happened. Terry wonders if razer toothed moths are a thing, but Elizabeth says, there are no holes in the garment bag. Somebody shredded this, but who would have done something like that? Terry says, maybe it fell apart when she had it dry-cleaned, and Elizabeth says she thinks she’s looked at it since then. She guesses it’s a possibility… Terry tells her, say it, and Elizabeth says, today is Franco and her anniversary, and having the dress torn up like this seems like some kind of an omen. She doesn’t even know what she’s saying. Terry takes the dress, and says, let’s get a drink. She’ll reschedule her date. Elizabeth says, absolutely not, but Terry says, it’s no big deal. Elizabeth says, my God, and Terry says, what? Elizabeth says she remembers. She did look at the dress when it came back from the cleaners. There was a tear, but she just didn’t realize the extent. She’s sorry. She’s really tired and her brain is like mush. Mystery solved. Go on her date; have fun. She can’t wait to hear the details. Terry says she loves Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says she loves her too. Terry leaves, and Elizabeth looks at the dress again.

Trina says, she’ll be right back, and leaves the table. Portia sees Taggert staring at her, and asks, what is that look? He says he’s taking it all in, and she says, taking what in? He says she used to be on this singular track, focused on balancing motherhood and her career. She says, and now? and he says, now she’s just different. She hopes in a good way, and he says, in a great way. He’s not saying she wasn’t happy before, but she seems lighter. She says she thinks it has to do with her seeing Curtis. Is that terribly awkward? He says, no. She deserves joy after everything he put her through. She says she did her share of hurting him too, and he says, look at them now. Coming together when it counts for their little girl. She says, not so little anymore. Taggert needs to get out there. He says, he is out, and she says, with his ex-wife and daughter. Come on. He should start dating. He says, here we go. She’s all happy and coupled up, so she wants to see everybody else couple up. She says, maybe. Life does seem full of possibilities right now; brighter and more vibrant… She sounds like a complete idiot. He says, no. She sounds like a woman in love. Her phone dings, and she says, there go her Valentine’s plans. He says, patient emergency? and she says, yeah. Tell Trina that she had to go to the hospital, and give her this. She hands Taggert a card, and says, along with a big hug. He says, of course (🍷). Good luck with her patient. By the elevator, she calls Curtis, and says, she’s so sorry… Yeah. It’s a patient emergency, and she’s going to be at the hospital all night. She promises to make it up to him.

Sam tells Carly, she’s not defending Sonny, nor does she care if the two of them stay together, but as Carly’s friend, she’s just asking if Carly is sure. Carly says, Sonny isn’t going to know she met with a lawyer. Sam says, if Carly decides to pull the trigger, and he finds out, Carly needs to know there’s no going back. Carly says, this needs to be over. She’s done with this situation, and feels this is the only way to do it. She needs to reclaim her life. Sam says, okay, but promise her one thing. Carly says, maybe, and Sam says, go in with an open mind. Listen to what the lawyer has to say, and decide if now is the time to talk divorce. Carly says, what if it is?

Sonny tells Phyllis, it hasn’t even been 24 hours, and she’s already calling a divorce attorney. And not just any attorney. He knows this woman; she’s ruthless. Phyllis says, slow down. He doesn’t know what’s going on in Carly’s head. Don’t jump to conclusions. He says, what other conclusion can there be? Carly didn’t tell him anything. He just got a notification. He looks at his phone, and says, it’s on the calendar with Donna and Avery. Carly probably made a mistake. Talk about honesty. She says she’s not excusing Carly, however, she was deeply hurt be the revelation that he and Nina lied. And whatever happened last night must have compounded that. So don’t write them off yet. He says, Carly is writing them off, and Phyllis says, she may reconsider once she’s had a chance to cool off. He says, listen to him. Carly is calling the shots, and he ain’t having it.

Taggert tells Trina, her mom feels badly about the change in plans, and Trina says, the good news is, it brought the parental pep talk to an early close. He says, Trina does know they mean well, right? and she says she does, and she loves them for it, but they don’t have to go overboard. The waitress puts a dessert in front of Trina, and she says, like bringing her chocolate to cheer her up. He says, it’s the Valentine’s Day special.  Can he help it if he wants to celebrate how proud he is of her? She takes everything life throws at her with courage and grace, and he wants her to know, if she ever needs it, he has her back, always. He has a lot of friends in the police department. She says, got it, and takes a bite. He says, good? and she says, so good. She thanks him, and he says, anytime, and they share the dessert.

Elizabeth is looking at the dress, when Finn comes in. He says, Amy’s not in here, is she? She says, no; why? He says, no reason. What’s she got there? She says, it’s just for the clothing drive, and he says he just wanted to say goodbye. He’ll call her tomorrow. Happy Valentine’s Day. He starts to leave, and she says, wait. She knows they didn’t make plans for tonight; this day isn’t easy for her. He says, he knows it’s not, and she says, she thinks a nice mellow family dinner with him, Violet, and the boys is exactly what she needs. They can just order a pizza, and watch a movie. He says, that sounds perfect. He’ll see her later. He leaves, and she looks at the dress again, and we see how very slashed it is.

Terry is sitting at Charlie’s bar, when Chet comes in. He asks if she minds if he sits here, and she says, not at all. He takes off his coat, and she says, teal shirt. He sits, and they smile at each other.

Carly tells Sam, it’s on her, and thanks Sam for her advice. Sam says, sound advice or crappy advice? Carly says, Sam’s right. It’s best to hear what the lawyer has to say before taking action. Sam says, options are a good thing, and Carly says she’s keeping hers open.

Phyllis says, Sonny knows as well as she does, marriage is complicated. He’ll see there’s more than one way to resolve things. Or as Lenny would put it, it ain’t over until it’s over. (I think Yogi Berra said that, but okay.) She goes back to the bar, and Sonny looks at the entry on the family calendar that says Carly added an appointment with a divorce lawyer. Nina walks in, and they lock eyes.

To Be Continued….

On Monday, TJ tells Molly that someone may be coming home sooner than planned, Terry says she’s not disappointed at all, Brad tells Britt that it will be worth it, and Nina tells Sonny that they both know she has a vested interest.

☎️ A Wanted Woman…

She may no longer be running the PCPD, but Vinessa Antoine isn’t lacking for work.

GH’s Vinessa Antoine Returns to Work!

🏥 Laura Colored Memories…

Great interview with Genie Francis.

Genie Francis Marks The 45th Anniversary Of Her Port Charles Debut

👠 What Happens In Jersey…

Bill’s affair.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/08/jennifer-aydin-confronted-bill-about-affair-day-before-giving-birth/

What Jackie says the guys think about Bill’s affair.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/01/jackie-goldschneider-talks-rhonj-husbands-feelings-on-bill-aydin/

Teresa and Marge’s brewing feud.

https://www.cinemablend.com/television/real-housewives-of-new-jerseys-teresa-giudice-on-whether-she-and-co-star-margaret-josephs-could-ever-be-friends-again

📖 Not Telling All…

Jackie’s writing a book, but it’s not about what you think.

https://pagesix.com/2021/02/16/rhonj-star-jackie-goldschneider-is-writing-a-book/

💎 Thanks For Sharing…

Seriously. Who could stay away from Mr. Puppers for very long?

RHOC’s Dr. Jen Armstrong Shares Update With Husband Ryne After Drama, Questions “Legitimacy” of Noella’s Words, and Suggests Ramona “Absolutely” Got a Facelift

🤦🏽‍♀️ No Reason Is Good Enough…

She doesn’t seem like an idiot. Maybe he knows where the bodies are buried.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/08/why-amanda-batula-married-kyle-cooke-despite-paige-desorbos-warning/

⚰️ Spinning Dead…

I guess they’re not counting Origins as a spinoff. Or as I call it, a cheap way to extend the franchise.

Daniella Pineda Joins “Tales of the Walking Dead” Spinoff Series

🐶 Kicking Off…

Your guide to the best Bowl of all.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/puppy-bowl-xviii-ulti-mutt-fan-guide

🎧 Quotes of the Week

Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Think before you speak. Read before you think. – Fran Lebowitz

If you retain nothing else, always remember the most important rule of beauty, which is: who cares? – Tina Fey

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.)

Love is something sent from heaven to worry the hell out of you. – Dolly Parton

Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible. – Maya Angelou

I guess Walmart had other plans. – a woman, who ordered ice cream on Instacart, but got sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast rolls as a substitute

Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary. – Oscar Wilde

🏈 Out Of Bounds…

Whether you watch a Bowl, go bowling, or just consider a bowl something to eat ice cream out of, enjoy the weekend; or the next two sunrises for those off the work grid. See you on the Valentine’s flipside. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your heart and mind open, and stay knowing, it ain’t over until it’s over. No matter who said it.

Feb11

February 10, 2022 – Maxie Convinces Peter To Leave Louise, Lindsay’s Message, Good Stuff, Celebration, Suspended, Salty Talk, Jurassic Trailer & Gifted

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Maxie approaches Louise, and says, it’s gonna be okay, sweetie, but Peter backs up. He says, Maxie is going to see Louise on his terms now. She asks, what are those? and he says he’s leaving the country with Louise. He wants Maxie to say goodbye to her, here and now, knowing it’s the last time Maxie is going to see her… or she can come with them. They’ll be a family, forever. Maxie suggests she take Louise someplace warm, but he says, their daughter will be warm and comfortable on the journey to their new home. The question is, will Maxie be joining them?

On the phone, Chase says, keep him posted. Brook says, no news on Peter’s whereabouts? and Chase says, it’s like the guy disappeared into thin air. Brook wonders how you can do that with a baby. Isn’t it supposed to make him easier to spot? She can’t believe she let her guard down. She can’t believe Peter just waltzed in, and took Bailey from upstairs. He says, this isn’t her fault. This is on Peter, and Peter alone. The PCPD isn’t going to stop searching until they find Maxie’s baby and bring her home. The bell rings, and Chase opens the door to Finn and Elizabeth, who says, they got there as soon as they could. Finn asks if there’s any news, but Chase says he’s afraid not. Elizabeth tells Brook, she’s so sorry. She knows this is every parent’s nightmare. Finn says he knows Peter is nuts, but what would he get out of taking Bailey? Is he looking for ransom? Is he hoping the Quartermaines will pay him so much, he can just disappear forever? Brook looks at Chase, and Elizabeth asks, what’s going on? Finn asks if they know something, and Brook nods. Chase says, Bailey isn’t Bailey.

Charlotte asks what happened to Valentin, and he says he’ll tell her everything, but first, she has to tell him who took her. She says, Peter August. She thought he was the pizza delivery man. She opened the door, and he grabbed her before she could run away. Then he blindfolded her. Valentin hugs her, and Anna asks if she can ask Charlotte something. Did he hurt her? Charlotte says, he wouldn’t let her take the blindfold off. He took her someplace in his car, then locked her in. As soon as he was gone, she took the blindfold off. It was a warehouse. She was trying to find a way out when Grandpa Victor found her. Victor says, quite the introduction, wouldn’t she say? and Laura says she has a million questions, but she has to get in touch with the PCPD and let them know they found Charlotte. She thanks Victor as she walks past, and Valentin says, thank you, father, for being a hero; being in exactly the right place at the right time. Anna says, it’s almost as if he knew where to find Charlotte.

In the hallway on the phone, Laura tells Dante, she said it was Peter August who grabbed her… She’s been checked out. She’s absolutely fine, thank goodness. She has no idea what Peter’s motivation could possibly be. Maybe to get them panicked, and distract them from finding him and Bailey… him and Louise. Austin comes out of the elevator, and Laura tells Dante that she talked to Mac’s doctor. He’s expected to make a full recovery. So that’s something they have to be grateful for. Please keep her posted on the search for Peter and Louise. Austin says he didn’t mean to overhear, but Laura knew Louise was masquerading as Bailey? Laura says, Robert Scorpio filled her in, and Austin takes it Louise hasn’t been found. She says, no, but every available officer on the force is looking for her and Peter August. She knows he has a personal interest in the baby being found; he delivered her, right? He says, he did, but it’s not just that. He might be responsible for Louise being taken.

Peter tells Maxie, there’s not much time. Don’t think she can stall until the cavalry arrives; it’s not happening. But he’s going to give her the choice she never gave him. He’s taking the baby regardless, but if she comes with them, she’ll never have to suffer the heartache that still haunts him, all the questions. Where is his daughter? Is she safe? Will she grow up never knowing who he is? She looks out to the water, and asks if that ship is taking them somewhere; where is it going? He says, there’s no time for questions. She has to make a choice now. Is she coming with him and Louise or not? She says, it was hard enough saying goodbye to Louise when she gave birth to her. She’s not sure she can do that again. He says, even if it means saying goodbye to her family and friends forever? Maxie says, Louise is her whole world. Everything she’s done, she did to protect her. He says, from him, and she says, yeah, but he found her, because he loves Louise as much as she does. He says he loves Maxie. That’s why he called her. Otherwise, he would have just left with Louise. She asks why he didn’t, and he says, because he wants them to be a family, the way they were supposed to be, but only if she wants to. She says, Louise is her family. She made Louise with him, so there’s no choice, is there? He says, sounds good on paper, but what’s the catch?

Finn says, what does Chase mean, Bailey isn’t Bailey? Chase says, it started over a year ago, and Brook says she should explain. Chase only got involved because he wanted to help. She was in on it from the beginning. Elizabeth asks, in on what? and Brook says, protecting an innocent baby from her psycho father. Finn says, Chase is a lot of things, he’ll admit, but psycho’s a little harsh, but Brook says, not Chase; Peter August. Maxie wanted to make sure Peter never got his hands on their daughter. Elizabeth asks what that has to do with Brook’s baby, and Brook says, she never had a baby. She was never even pregnant. She faked the pregnancy, and when Maxie gave birth, she told everyone that the nurse Peter hired handed the baby off to some mystery accomplice, and she disappeared. Elizabeth says, that was a lie? Brook took Maxie’s baby and passed her off as her own? Brook says, that’s right, and Finn says, Bailey was really Louise, and Brook said the baby was hers to help Maxie keep her daughter away from Peter. Brook says, yeah, and asks how much they hate her. Elizabeth says, nobody hates her. She thinks Brook’s amazing. Finn says, she certainly went above and beyond to help a friend, and Brook says, she and Maxie weren’t friends; at least, not at first. She only helped Maxie for selfish reasons. She wanted to get one over on Valentin Cassadine.

Victor suggests they discuss the details about how he found the lovely Charlotte later, and Valentin tells Charlotte, all that matters is, she’s safe and unharmed. Charlotte says, thanks to Grandpa Victor, and hugs him. Victor promises they’re going to keep her safe. Peter August is going to be very sorry for what he did to her. Very sorry.

Austin tells Laura that he took on the Quartermaines, and made an enemy out of Brook. It cost him is place in the Quartermaine family, and almost cost him his place at General Hospital. Laura gathers he was looking for payback, and he says, he was, so he approached Valentin. He thought maybe they could join forces and plot some kind of revenge against Brook, and Valentin’s father Victor managed to insert himself. She laughs, and says, no surprise there. Victor never met a revenge plot he didn’t like. He says, so Victor came to him with a sonogram that he said he found on the street, and all of the personal information was missing. He told Victor how he could find out who the sonogram belonged to. She says, and somehow the sonogram led Victor to believing Brook’s baby was really Louise? and he says, he assumes so. Who else would have passed along that kind of information to Peter August? What he doesn’t understand, is why it mattered to Victor. She says, Victor and Peter formed an alliance in Greece, so whatever matters to Peter – he says, like finding his daughter – would also matter to Victor. And if Victor could find Louise’s whereabouts, he could also use that information against Peter to get him to do whatever he wanted. Austin says, like what? and she says, she doesn’t know, but she’s going to find out.

Maxie says, she’ll go with Peter. There is no catch, she promises. He says, all the while plotting to run off with their child the first chance that arrives? and she says, she can’t just jump into his arms and say, all is forgiven, and she wants to spend the rest of her life with him. He says, he didn’t think so, and she says, but she thinks if they get away from Port Charles, the place that brought out the worst in him, he’ll start to become the man she fell in love with again. The one who was kind, considerate, talked her off the ledge when she was spinning, or made her laugh when she wanted to pull her hair out. The one she trusted and believed in. He sets the carrier down, and says, yes. He swears to her, on their daughter’s life, that will happen. He’ll be the best man and husband for her and Louise that a man could possibly be. She looks at Louise, who’s sleeping peacefully, and says, not Louise. He says, excuse me? and she says she’ll go with him, but if he loves their daughter as much as he says he does, he’ll understand why they have to leave her behind. He says, leave Louise? After he spent a year trying to find her; risking his life to find her and be with her? She says she understands the sacrifices he’s made. She’s asking him to make one more; one that they’ll make together. He asks why she’s doing this, and she says, the world knows him as Peter August, wanted by every law enforcement agency. It doesn’t matter where he takes them. They will constantly be on guard, waiting for someone to tap him on the shoulder, and take him away in handcuffs. He says, it hasn’t happened so far, and she says, he’s done a good job, up until this point. Robert and Anna found him. They arrested him and brought him back to Port Charles. It’s only a matter of time before the WSB or Interpol is on his trail. The longer he stays in one place, the better the chance someone will recognize him. They’ll constantly be changing their names and identities. They’ll always be on the run, never able to build a stable home for their daughter. Is that something he wants for the child he claims to love?

Brook tells Finn and Elizabeth, thanks to Austin’s vendetta, and Gladys Corbin’s big mouth, Valentin grew suspicious. When he finally cornered her, she was about to tell him the truth. That’s when Chase came in, and claimed Bailey was his. Finn asks if Chase knew Bailey was Louise all along, and Chase says he didn’t find out until the day he claimed to be Bailey’s father, but once he put the pieces together, he couldn’t let Peter find out the baby was his. Brook says, that’s when Finn’s brother came to rescue. She got into this for selfish reasons. She went to Maxie, and offered a mutually beneficial arrangement, one in which Maxie would have a safe place to hide her baby, and she would get some leverage over Valentin. She starts to cry, and says, but when Bailey… Louise actually got here, she was this living, breathing little baby that was solely dependent on her. She never knew how much she’d grow to care. Chase puts his hands on her shoulders, and Finn asks if Valentin knows Bailey is Maxie’s daughter. Brook says, she doesn’t know; why? Finn says, somebody found him, passed out drunk behind a dumpster and called the paramedics. Brook says, what? How did that happen? Valentin doesn’t go on benders. Elizabeth says, the tests showed there was no alcohol in his system, and Chase says, alcohol was poured on him to make him appear drunk? To what end? And if he didn’t pass out from alcohol… Elizabeth says, they’re waiting to hear back from toxicology to find out if he was drugged, but right now, they have more questions than answers. Brook jumps up, and says she has to see him. Chase says, he doesn’t think that’s a good… but she says she’s sorry, grabs her coat, and runs out.

Anna tells Charlotte to say goodbye to her dad, and Charlotte hugs Valentin. He tells her, je t’aime (I love you), and she says, feel better. He says he always does, and Anna takes her out. Victor says, an impressive young lady that Charlotte. She does the Cassadines proud. Valentin thanks Victor for finding her, and bringing her safely back to him. He knows that Peter kidnapped his daughter; he just wants to know why

Austin says, he knows his father had a beef with the Quartermaines, and pretty much everyone else in Port Charles, but whenever Laura’s name came up, Jimmy Lee always said, there’s a woman to reckon with. She says, and Jimmy Lee would be right, but Austin must also be someone to be reckoned with for Maxie to have entrusted him with the truth about her baby. He says he just wishes he’d known the truth before Peter snatched Louise. As for Maxie, after he told her that he was probably the reason Peter found out about Louise, she doesn’t want anything to do with him. Laura asks if he can blame her.

Maxie tells Peter to think about his life with his father. Faison dragged Peter from place to place, so he could be one step ahead of the law or a vengeful enemy. Think of how much he resented that life. (Um… wasn’t Peter sent to boarding school? We’ll let that pass.) How it gave him scars that still haven’t healed. Does he want that for Louise? If they leave her here in Port Charles, she can grow up in a safe and stable family. He says, a family that despises him; a family that will plant lies in her head about him. He picks up the carrier, and says he can’t do it. He can’t be abandoned again. She says she’s leaving Georgie with her father, and she’s hoping her parents will take care of James. She’s even hoping one day she and Peter can have another baby, one that won’t be taken from them. He says, she is? and she says, doesn’t he get it? Their love can live again. They just have to start over. Just the two of them. He says, she upended her entire life just to ensure he’d never see Louise. She made him believe Louise was stolen, and gave her to Brook to raise as her own. Not to mention all the accusations she made to his face, the anger and hurt that still haunts his dreams, and now he’s supposed to believe she can simply forget all that, and start all over with him? She says, maybe not forget, but weigh the past and the things they regret against what really matters. They made Louise; she connects them. And by giving her up, they can be connected again. A second chance. She’s willing to take it. Is he? He says, of course (🍷) he is. She knows he is. He hugs her, and she looks at Louise.

Finn says, he knows all Chase cares about right now is the safe return of that little girl, but has he given any thought at all to what this is going to mean to his life, to his career in law enforcement, when this comes out? Chase says, it’s already out. Ned came by earlier and gave him an earful. Bailey was safe as long as she was under Ned’s roof, but he came along and came up with the brilliant idea to bring Brook and Bailey here, just so they could keep up the lie. Then Peter comes, and takes Bailey. He’s a cop. This is his job. Finn tells him, shut up, and hugs him. Chase cries, and Finn says he’s got this. He did good.

Victor asks, what makes Valentin so sure he knows what’s going on inside Peter’s twisted mind? He doesn’t know. Perhaps Peter took Charlotte hoping the PCPD would focus on looking for her, rather than looking for him and Brook’s baby. Valentin says, Brook’s baby? and Victor asks if he’s saying she’s not. Valentin says, Victor found Charlotte minutes after the police issued a missing child alert. How did he know where to look? Victor says Valentin shouldn’t be taxing himself with all kinds of questions right now. As Anna said, he needs his strength. Get some rest. Valentin says he wants some answers, about Charlotte’s kidnapping, and what happened to him. He was just headed to his car, walking through the GH parking garage. He’d just left Victor, and the next thing he knows, he’s flat on his back by a dumpster, smelling like a distillery. Did Peter do that, or did somebody else? Victor asks if Valentin is suggesting he knocked out his own son to help Peter, and Valentin says, he’s known since Crete that Peter has something Victor wants, or he’d never have put up with him. Victor saw him at the hospital, collecting Bailey’s medical records. Did he figure out Bailey was Peter’s long-lost daughter Louise? Victor asks if Valentin thinks he made some kind of devil’s bargain with Peter; help Peter get what he wants, and Peter helps him get allegedly what he wants? What does Valentin think that would be? Valentin says, if he knew the answer, he wouldn’t be asking the question. He does know Peter kidnapped Charlotte, and Victor knew where to look because Victor made a deal with Peter. Victor says Valentin has a vivid imagination, and Brook runs in. She says, thank God Valentin is okay, and Victor says, no thanks to her.

Austin says he doesn’t know how to make up for his mistake if Maxie won’t return his calls or texts, and Laura says, maybe she can’t. He says, she doesn’t think… and she says, she doesn’t want to think the worst, but just in case… Anna brings Charlotte out, and Charlotte tells Laura that she can go. Anna says, the doctors checked Charlotte out, and she’s fine. Laura says, good, and Anna asks, everything all right?

Maxie says, if she and Peter are going to leave Louise, they should do it now. She asks for his phone since she left hers behind. She’s going to call someone she trusts. Peter asks, who is this person she trusts; Brook? Maxie says she promises Brook will take Louise and look the other way when they get on the ship. She won’t ask any questions. Peter says, absolutely not, but Maxie says, Brook couldn’t love this baby more if she was her own. They can’t leave her here for some random person to find her. He says he has no intention of putting their daughter at risk. He hands her the carrier, and says, this is how much he loves her. He’s giving up the child he searched for so long for. He knows where they need to go and what they need to do. Maxie says, lead the way, and follows him.

Maxie and Peter arrive at a firehouse safe place, and Maxie says, they can’t leave her here, but he says, the firehouse has a special drop-off for parents who can’t care for their infants. No surveillance cameras; no questions asked. She says, it’s so anonymous, and he says, that’s the point. They open a special door, and put her inside. When they close it, it triggers a silent alarm and notifies the firefighters that she’s here. He promises that she’ll be well taken care of, and opens the door. Maxie cries, and says, she can’t.

Chase says, he did good? How can Finn say when he lied to him and everyone else? Finn says, but his heart is good, and he lied for the right reasons; to protect Maxie’s baby when Peter was one step closer to finding out Bailey was his. Chase says, given Peter still found out, he feels he only made things worse. Finn says, that’s what this guy does. He takes you to the dark side where he lives, and makes you do things you wouldn’t normally do. Chase says, like try to kill him?

Valentin asks Victor to leave him and Brook alone for a minute so they can talk, and Victor says, he’ll be right outside if Valentin needs him. He leaves, and Valentin says, forgive his father. Brook says, forget his father. What happened to him? He says, he doesn’t know, but it begins and ends with Peter August. She says, it’s all her fault. He woudn’t have even been on Peter’s radar if she hadn’t lied about Bailey. He says, come on, her name’s Louise, and she says, he knows. She says she’s so sorry she lied to him about being pregnant, and he says, it was creative. She got her ELQ shares back, and protected the life of an innocent child. It was a smart move. She says, even if it made him suffer? and he says, better him than Bailey.  He guesses it makes him grateful.

Laura tells Anna, she and Austin were just talking about Maxie. It seems she’s not answering her phone. Anna says, for Maxie to leave Mac’s side, it had to have been extremely important. Austin thanks Laura for what she shared, and tells Charlotte that he’s glad she’s doing well. He leaves, and Charlotte yawns. Laura says she’s a very brave young woman who needs some rest. She needs one second with Anna, and then they’ll go home. Charlotte says, take as long as she needs; she’s good at waiting. Charlotte parks herself on a bench, and Laura tells Anna, she knows it’s a big ask, but the PCPD is stretched so thin… Anna  says, it’s fine; she’s on it. She asks what Austin was doing. What was Laura showing him on her phone? Laura says, somebody who might be able to help him locate Maxie. She’s grasping at straws, but it was all she had.

Austin calls Spinelli, introducing himself, and saying, they met at Jason and Carly’s wedding. He got Spinelli’s number from Mayor Collins. He needs Spinelli’s help. Maxie Jones is AWOL and radio silent, and Mayor Collins said Spinelli is his best hope of finding her.

Peter says, Maxie is the one who convinced him they can’t take Louise. Or was everything she said about leaving town together and starting a new life just one more lie?

Chase says he’s sorry for bringing up bad memories, and Finn says, it’s all he can think about. Peter throwing the antidote off the roof at GH, the antidote that was keeping Chase alive. Chase says, Finn would have done the world a service if Peter had died when Finn shoved him down the stairwell. Finn says, it would have cost him everything he believes in. That’s the evil Peter brings to the table, right? He turns people like us into people like him, that’s why he has to be locked up forever. Do him a favor; no more blaming himself. Chase says he can’t help it. He and Brook were outside on the patio when Peter broke in and took Bailey. He should have been more aware. He should have known Peter figured it out.

Peter says Maxie can do this, but she says she can’t. He says, she has to, and opens the safe space door. She puts Bailey’s carrier inside, and Bailey is still snoozing away. She says, my little one. She knows it probably seems like she’s always saying goodbye, but she knows Louise is going to be safe and cared for by people who love her. Maybe one day Louise will forgive her, and understand that nobody loved her more than her mommy did when she gave her up. He says, they have to hurry, and Maxie says, Louise, my little angel. Peter says, this isn’t goodbye. One day the three of them will be together again. He closes the door.

Finn says, the first thing they’re taught in medical school is, you’re not God. Not even close. You can’t control all the circumstances all the time. All you can do is your best, and Chase did that. Chase thanks him, and Finn tells him, that being said, it’s a good thing he didn’t tell dad and Jackie about his sudden fatherhood. Chase said then he’d have to break their hearts and tell them Violet is their only granddaughter. Finn says, speaking of broken hearts, he has to figure out a way to tell Violet she’s minus one cousin.

Brook says, Valentin is grateful she lied? and he says, he’s grateful she protected Bailey. She’ll always be Bailey to him. He’s grateful she protected Bailey from that sick son of a bitch who gets to be her biological father. She says, there were times when they were together with Bailey and Charlotte. She knew it was make believe, but… Valentin says, it felt like a family? and she says, yeah. She’s really sorry she took that away from him and Charlotte. He says, him too.

Anna talks to Laura, while Charlotte is stretched out on the bench, asleep, and Victor puts his coat over her. He says he thought Laura was taking her home, and Laura says, she is, but she also has a job to do. Evil people are at work in her city. She guesses he hasn’t noticed. Her phone dings, and she tells Anna, take a look. Anna does, and says, got it. She leaves, and Victor asks if there’s anything he can do, but Laura says, she thinks he’s done enough, hasn’t he?

Austin strides through the hospital on the phone with Spinelli. He thanks Spinelli for giving him the location of Maxie’s car, and tells him to call the cops.  

Chase tells Finn, obviously Valentin was drugged and left in an alley, but why? It couldn’t have been Peter; he was locked up at the time. Finn says, he doesn’t know, when Chase’s phone rings. Chase says, it’s Anna, and asks, what’s up? She asks if he’s up for some freelancing tonight, and he says, Peter? She says, yeah. It’s unofficial. He says, he’s already in hot water with the department. Why not kick it up a notch? She tells him that she was hoping he’d say that. She just sent him directions. He looks at his phone, and says he got them. She says, good, and Chase… He says, don’t worry. He’ll come prepared. Finn asks what Anna wanted, and Chase says, he’ll tell Finn on his way out. He goes to get his coat, and Elizabeth comes out. She tells Finn, Cameron said Aiden baked an Austrian pastry, Violet picked movies – Disney princesses, of course (🍷) – and Jake is asleep on the couch. Chase comes back, putting his gun in his waistband, and putting on his coat. He says, he’s so sorry, but Anna needs a favor. Finn says, don’t forget he’s suspended, and Chase says, lock up, and jets. Finn says he’s going after Chase, but Elizabeth says, don’t worry; Anna’s with him. She’s going to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. Finn says, he’s not thinking straight right now; he’s taking risks he shouldn’t be taking. He’s on suspension. She says, that’s his choice to make, not Finn’s. She knows he want to be the big brother and protect Chase, but as long as Peter is still out there with Bailey… she means, Louise, then this nightmare’s never going to end. Somebody has to stop him. He says, she’s right as usual, and she says, she knows he’s worried about his brother, but if he goes after Chase, she’s going to worry about him. And what about Violet? He says, she plays dirty, and she says, all’s fair when it comes to their kids. He says, okay. He’ll take her home and grab Violet. Hopefully, she didn’t eat too much Australian cake. Elizabeth says, Austrian, and she has a better idea. Why doesn’t he put Violet to bed in her guest room, and they can both spend the night? He says, safety in numbers, right? and she says, you can never be too careful or safe. He says, no, you can’t be, and helps her on with her coat. He says, he’s sleeping on the sofa, isn’t he? and she says, the pull-out bed is surprisingly comfortable, and they leave.

Laura tells Charlotte, it’s time to go home, and Victor asks if he can give them a lift. Laura says, no thank you. She has a police escort; she’s not taking any chances. He says, in that case, he’ll settle for a goodnight kiss from his granddaughter. Charlotte hugs him, and he tells her, goodnight, and sweet dreams. She says, him too, and Laura says, what about her? He says, of course (🍷), and hugs her. She quietly tells says in his ear, if she can prove he aided and abetted Peter August, he’ll share Peter’s fate. She steps away smiling, and says, goodnight, and leaves with Charlotte.

Chase meets Anna at the firehouse, and she says, they got an emergency call that a baby was dropped off here tonight who fits Louise’s description, so she texted ahead that they might have an ID. A fireman comes out, and Anna introduces herself and shows him her WSB badge. Chase introduces himself, and says, they worked a few arson cases together. The fireman says he’s glad to help out. He’ll be right back. He goes inside, and Chase says, he wants to believe they have Bailey, but it can’t be that easy, right? She says, that’s why she turned to him. She didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. The fireman brings Louise out, and Chase says, that’s her. He tells Louise that she’s not alone anymore, and takes the carrier, thanking the fireman. Anna tells the fireman, this child was kidnapped by Peter August. Did they see who left the child? The fireman says, all drop-offs are anonymous. A silent alarm is triggered by the door, and they found her in the safe place. She thanks him, and he goes back inside. Chase says, he doesn’t get it. Why would Peter just give up the baby? She says, Maxie. Maxie convinced him to. That’s the only explanation that makes sense. Maxie met up with Peter. She thought Maxie was brave before, but she just made the ultimate sacrifice; she convinced Peter to give the baby up. Anna takes an earring out of the carrier, and says, it’s Maxie’s. She was wearing it tonight. He asks if she thinks Maxie left it on purpose, as a clue, and Anna says, she did. Where did Maxie and Peter go? That’s what they have to find out.

Austin arrives at Pier 55, and calls to Maxie. He sees a boat pulling out, and yells her name as it leaves. He makes a call, and says, there’s been a kidnapping. Send the PCPD and the Coast Guard. They’re in a boat. If the boat gets to international waters, it could be too late.

Maxie and Peter are in a car, and Maxie asks why they’re not heading back to the pier and the ship. He says, the authorities will be checking all the ships, and she says, he has it all figured out, doesn’t he? He says, soon they’ll be away from Port Charles and their past will be behind them. She looks at the other earring in her hand, and stares straight ahead.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth says, it sounds like Finn wants to crash on her couch again; Portia says she knows so; Carly says, seeing them together gave her the clarity she needed; and Sonny tells Phyllis that Carly’s (I think) calling the shots, and he ain’t having it.

📝 That Was Fast…

Regular Sam was back before the ink dried on the recast.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/lindsay-hartley-has-a-special-message-for-gh-fans

🏥 Coming To a Soap Near You…

What else would they say? It’s going to stink?

GH Stars Promise “So Much Good Stuff” Coming Up!

🎉 Happy Anniversary…

It wouldn’t be GH without her.

GENERAL HOSPITAL Celebrates Genie Francis’ 45th Anniversary – See the Pics!

🎣 Can’t Win…

Off one hook, and on another.

RHOBH Star Erika Jayne’s Company EJ Global Suspended by Tax Board as Attorney Claims It Was Used for “Improper Tax Deductions”

🧂 A Little Salt…

The meltdown was epic.

Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City Recap: World War Zion

🦖 We Gather Together…

The gang’s all here for the latest in dinosaur adventure. Looks good.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/jurassic-world-dominion-trailer-has-jurassic-park-fans-losing-it-over-franchise-reunion/

🌞 Going To My Happy Place…

Swing by tomorrow for soap, tea, and quotable words. Until then, stay safe, stay composed, and stay being someone to be reckoned with.

Feb10

February 9, 2022 – Pier 55 Sees More Action, Emily Has a Game Night, About Dr. Jen & Rain

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly says Drew startled her, and he says, she knows he lives up in the main house, right? She asks if he’s seen Michael. He’s not at the gatehouse. He asks if it’s about Dante; he thought Dante was going to be all right. She says, it’s not about Dante, and he says, she seems upset. What’s going on? She says, it’s about Sonny. By the way, she wants to thank him for the great advice he gave her earlier. He says, about seeing Sonny at the Haunted Star? Did she go? She says she did, and she found Sonny in bed with another woman.

Nina comes out of the hospital elevator while leaving a voicemail for Britt to call her; it’s important. She sees Sonny, who tells her, Dante’s here. He needs to see his son.

Anna tells Dante, it makes sense though. Victor has helped Peter in the past. Dante says, Victor also swore he ended that partnership with Peter, but if he found something to gain, he probably would have fired it back up. Laura asks if they think Victor would risk his immunity deal with the WSB, and Anna says, it’s possible. He alluded to the fact that he had all these plans for Peter. Laura says, that actually tracks with another one of her theories. Keep her posted. She’s going to check in with Doc. She leaves, and Anna says, so many unanswered questions. Dante says, yeah, like where do they start? Anna wonders how Victor found out Bailey is Maxie’s daughter.

Austin asks Maxie where she’s going, and she says she doesn’t know. She has to do something though. If she stops to think about what’s going on, she’s going to lose her mind. He says, he’s sure, and asks, how’s her mom? She says her mom’s fine; she’s with Mac. He asks, how’s Mac? and she says, he’s going to be okay. He’s going to pull through. Austin says, that’s great. She must be so relieved. She says, she is. For the first time tonight, she has hope. He tells her, hang onto that; it’s important. He promises they’re going to find her Louise.

Laura finds Doc, and asks, what’s wrong? She thought he’d be in with Mac, given his strong prognosis, and Doc says, the news about Mac is great, but he’s been trying to call Charlotte since he left her at home alone. She’s not answering.

Victor asks what Peter has done with Charlotte, and Peter says he knew Victor would double-cross him, so he took out a little insurance policy. Doc and Laura have been putting out fires, and Valentin is MIA altogether, which left little Charlotte all alone tonight. He wonders where she could be. Victor says, all right. No more games. He wants her back now, unharmed. Peter says, that depends on Victor, doesn’t it? He knows where Charlotte is, but if something were to happen to him, he wonders if Victor would ever find her.

Maxie says she’s doing her best to lean into hope right now, and Austin says, if it were easy, everybody would do it, and the world would have zero problems. He knows it’s difficult, but in the end, hope is totally worth it. Britt and Obrecht run in, and Maxie asks what they’re doing here. Britt says, she can’t believe it about Peter, and Obrecht says, they came as soon as they heard the news. Austin says, he took the liberty of calling them. He thought Maxie might need the extra moral support. Maxie says she needs all the support she can get right now, and Obrecht promises her, Peter won’t be free for long. Britt says she hopes Obrecht is right. She hopes someone finds Peter and gives him the slow, painful death he deserves. Obrecht says, for all the misery he’s inflicted, and how his twisted plans left Maxie to worry about her daughter all these months. Britt sees Maxie’s face, and says, what? Is there some news about Louise? Maxie says she thinks there’s a lot they both don’t know, and it’s time she tells them.

Victor takes Yohan’s gun, and points it at Peter, asking, where is she? Peter says, he’s so predictable. His family is his weakness. Victor says, tell him, or he’ll make Peter beg to tell him. Peter says, he will tell Victor this. Port Charles is full of so many abandoned warehouses. If Charlotte were locked away in one of those, it would be a great hiding place, doesn’t he think? Victor tells Yohan to start a search immediately, and Peter says, even if he were to find the right one, how does he know the entrance wasn’t rigged with some kind of security measure? Victor asks what Peter wants, and Peter says, to complete their bargain. So can he get up now?

On the phone, Laura leaves a voicemail for Charlotte. She says, it’s grandma. She doesn’t know if Charlotte is doing her homework, or video chatting with her friends, but it’s very important that when she gets this, she calls them right away. She tells Doc, that’s probably exactly what it is; it’s probably just fine. He says he just feels guilty leaving her home alone, but Laura says, stop. She’s thirteen years old, and they have left her alone before. He knows how she gets when she’s watching a movie. Esme is meant to be home pretty soon too… Esme. She calls Esme, and asks how close she is to the apartment… That’s great. Do her a favor. When Esme gets home, have Charlotte call them right away please… They’re a little concerned that something may have happened.

Drew invites Carly inside where it’s warmer, and she says, she’s sorry. She’s not mad at him. He says, maybe she should be. He’s the idiot who encouraged her to go and make things right. He thought she and Sonny were on the same page about this. She says she’s the idiot. She didn’t trust her instincts, knew Nina was trouble, and knew Sonny was blind to it. Drew says it blows his mind how quickly Sonny gave up on his big, grand gesture. She says, it blows his mind? She was five minutes late, and walked in on Sonny in bed with Nina. He says he’s sorry, and she says she knew there was something more going on than Sonny’s bizarre sympathy for Nina. She was just happy to have him home. She was so, so grateful to have him home. She didn’t listen to her instincts. She just wanted her family to be together, so she went along to get along (that’s not entirely true, but okay), and for the first time in her life, she got played. The whole time, the real villain was standing right in front of her. He says, Nina or Sonny? and she says, both.

Sam goes over to Sonny, and he asks, what happened with Dante? Has she seen him? She says, Dante is going to be fine, but Peter August escaped – again. Sonny says, he got injured trying to stop Peter? and she says, Dante was trying to be his usual brave self, and by the time he realized it was an inside job, he got knocked over the head pretty hard. Sonny asks if he got a concussion, but Sam says, the doctors released him, so he could search for Peter. He says, so Peter got away. Does she think Dante is okay? Anna comes by with Dante, who hugs Sonny, and says he’s okay. Sonny asks if the doctors cleared him, and Dante unconvincingly says, yeah. He might have some headaches for a while. He’s more interested in finding Brook’s baby. Sonny says, Brook’s baby? and Anna says, Peter kidnapped her after he escaped. Sonny asks what Peter would want with Brook’s baby. Is it a hostage situation, or does he want some leverage if he gets caught? Nina asks Anna if Peter knows the truth, and Sonny says, what truth? Nina says, somehow, Peter found out that the baby Brook is caring for is really Maxie’s daughter, which means all these secrets they’ve been keeping have been for nothing.

Drew asks if Carly thinks Sonny and Nina have been having an affair the entire time he’s been back, and she says she doesn’t know. Can he believe this? Sonny asked her to come to the Haunted Star tonight, because he had this big amazing romantic night planned, and when she doesn’t show up on his timetable, he calls his backup? He calls Nina? Drew asks if Sonny reached out to Nina or did she just happen to come by? but she says she doesn’t care. It doesn’t matter. He was in bed with Nina when she got there. He says, it doesn’t make any sense. Maybe Sonny thought she’d given up on their marriage because she didn’t show up. She says, those are Sonny’s ridiculous terms. Because she doesn’t get past her pain when he wants her to, that give him the right to jump in bed with the woman who caused all of this? What the hell does that say about Sonny? What does it say about her marriage? He says he truly doesn’t know; what does it say? She says, even after Sonny defended Nina and protected her, she thought it was a hurdle they could get over. She knew it would be hard, and it would take a lot of time, but she thought they could get past it. Her marriage is over.

Sonny says, so Brook never had a daughter? and Nina says, no. Anna says, no, and she promised Maxie that she’d raise Maxie’s daughter as her own to keep her safe from Peter, and it worked for months. Anna tells Nin that she had no idea. Maxie explained she’d told Nina everything months ago, and she was one of the few people who knew Brook was never pregnant. Nina says she tried to convince Maxie to at least tell Valentin about the plan, so his heart wasn’t broken, but Maxie thought the more people who knew, the greater the chance Peter would find out. In the end, Nina agreed with her. The most important thing was keeping that baby safe. Sonny asks if Nina knew this back in Nixon Falls, and she nods. He tells Dante that he has to call Michael and Kristina, and leaves. Dante suggests he and Sam go for a walk; he needs to call his mom. Nina asks if Anna has any leads on where Peter might be, and Anna says, possibly. Maybe Nina can help with that. Nina says she’ll do anything, just name it, and Anna asks if she’s spoken to Valentin recently, or heard from him.   

Behind the Italian restaurant, a worker puts out the garbage. She hears some tires squeal, and says, geez. She’s about to go inside, and hears a groan. She looks around, and finds Valentin on the ground. She says, oh my God, and he says, please call Anna. Anna Devane.   

Nina says she hasn’t talked to Valentin in days. Does Anna think there’s a problem? Does she think Valentin knows where Peter is? Anna says, no. She’s concerned Valentin has made himself a target. Her phone rings, and Nina says she’ll let Anna take her phone call, but will Anna keep her updated? Anna says, of course (🍷), and Nina leaves. Anna answers, and the woman asks, is this Anna Devane? Anna says, who is this? and the woman says she thinks she found a friend of Anna’s. She was going to call 9-1-1, but he insisted she call Anna first. Anna should know, she thinks he’s in bad shape. Valentin says, Anna, and Anna says, Valentin?

Victor tells Yohan to get Peter up, and asks, what are Peter’s terms? Peter says, it’s simple. Do exactly as Victor originally intended; get him transported  out of Port Charles, from a boat on this dock. Once Victor does that, he’ll send a PIN with Charlotte’s location. Victor asks how he Peter can be sure he won’t betray him, and Peter says he has enough dirt on Victor that Anna, Valentin, and everyone else will know who arranged his escape. Do they have a deal?

Britt says she can’t believe this, and Maxie says, Britt was actually her Plan A. Then Britt wound up on the run with Jason, so she asked Bobbie to help her give birth in a house in Beecher’s Corners. Peter of course (🍷), had a plan of his own with fake Nurse Chloe. It’s really a miracle she was able to give Louise to Brook. Obrecht says, in all these months, Maxie didn’t think she could confide her or Britt? and Maxie says, she thought the fewer people who knew, the better. She didn’t even tell her parents. Anything to keep her daughter safe. Obrecht says, she, of all people, knows that you must do everything in your power to protect your family. Don’t worry about their feelings now. What’s important is that they find Louise. Maxie agrees, and says she doesn’t know how Peter found out about Louise, but he must have. Otherwise, why would he have taken her? It can’t be a coincidence. Do they think whoever helped Peter escape told him the truth about Louise? Britt says, Maxie told them the only other people who knew were Nina and Chase, right? and Obrecht says, Victor would be just the type of swine to help Peter again, but how could he have figured out Bailey was really Louise? Austin says, oh God, no, and Maxie asks, what is it? He says, there’s a possibility Victor does know the truth about Louise, and if that’s the case, it’s all his fault.

Sonny sits in the chapel, and sighs. Nina comes in, and says she had the feeling she’d find him here. She won’t intrude. She just wanted to make sure everything was okay. He says he can’t really worry about his marriage right now. He’s just glad Dante is okay, and hopes Maxie’s daughter comes home safely to her. Nina says she’ll give him some privacy, and he says, she really knew Bailey was Louise, didn’t she? She says, not on day one, but she knew pretty early on. He says, when she was in Nixon Falls, and Peter was blackmailing her, she was really playing Peter.

Carly tells Drew, please don’t tell her to give her marriage another shot, but he says he’s just surprised at how certain she seems. She says, every time she closes her eyes, she sees Sonny in bed with Nina. That’s pretty much the point of no return for her. He tells her, infidelities can be worked on and worked through. Sometimes they can be forgiven. She says, right. Sonny tried to throw Jason in her face. He says, he knows she and Jason were married, and understands the official story was that it was for the business, but that wasn’t the whole story, was it? She says, no. They were in love, and it never would have happened if Nina had done the right thing. She worked so hard at putting her marriage back together, and she feels like she was working by herself. Maybe walking in, and seeing Sonny in bed with Nina, was the smack in the face she needed to realize her marriage died the night that bridge collapsed. It’s like shattered crystal; you just can’t put the pieces back together. He says, it’s like the old saying, you can’t go home again. He feels the same way

Dante asks if Sam is doing okay, and she says, he just got knocked in the head, and he’s asking her if she’s doing okay? He says, it seems like whatever she and Drew were talking about, it took a lot out of her. Anna runs up to them, and says, they found Valentin. They’re bringing him in, in an ambulance. She’s going to see what she can find out. She runs off again.

On the phone, Laura asks if Esme is at the apartment. Is Charlotte there?… Oh my God. Doc says, what? and Laura tells Esme, go in the house, lock the door, and call the police. Stay on the phone with the police until somebody gets there. They’ll be there as soon as they can. Laura tells Doc, when Esme got there, there was a pizza delivery guy unconscious in the hallway. The door to the apartment was open, and Charlotte is nowhere to be seen.

Victor says he agrees to Peter’s terms, and Peter says he’s going to need Victor’s phone. Victor hands it to him, and Peter says, this isn’t the exact address, but it’s within the vicinity. Once the ship is docked here, he’ll send Victor the exact location where Charlotte is being held. Victor says, if she’s harmed in any way, Peter is a dead man. He tells Yohan, let’s go, and Victor and Yohan leave.

Maxie asks how this can be Austin’s fault? He didn’t know Bailey was Louise. He says he was having a really hard time with Brook, and so was Valentin. Somehow Valentin’s Uncle Victor got involved, and Victor came to him. He had a sonogram, and the patient information had been torn off, and he told Victor how he could track down the patient. It’s possible… She says, that he led Peter to her daughter? He tells her that he doesn’t know what to say, and she tells him that she wouldn’t say anything. She can’t right now. She walks off and he starts to follow, but Obrecht says, she wouldn’t.

Maxie sees an incoming call from an unlisted number. She answers, and Peter says, hello, Maxie. Missing something?

Anna sees Deanna outside a room, and asks if Valentin is in there. Deanna says, yes, and Anna goes in. Valentin is mumbling incoherently, and Anna asks if he’s been drinking. Deanna says she thinks Anna’s friend might have gone on a bender. He’s lucky someone found him when he passed out. Anna asks if they did a blood alcohol level test, and Deanna says she was just about to. Anna says she’s listed as Valentin’s emergency contact. Can Deanna keep her posted? Deanna nods, Anna thanks her, and she leaves. Anna tells Valentin that she’s here. What the hell happened? He says, Bailey is in danger.

Maxie asks Peter, where is Louise? and he says, so they’re calling Bailey by her original name now. He’ll have Maxie know that their daughter is safe and sound. She’s with him, and he’d never let anything happen to her. But don’t take his word for it. She can see for herself. Maxie says, where? and he says, Pier 55. Come alone. If he gets even one whiff of the police or anyone following her, he will disappear so fast, she’ll never see Louise again. And before she asks how he’ll know, she should understand he has people everywhere. He’ll vanish into thin air if he even senses for a second that she’s going to betray him. Does she understand? She says, yes, and he tells her to leave her phone behind, and drop a PIN to this number so he knows she did. Pier 55.   

Dante tells Sam that he hopes Valentin’s hunch pays off, and he knows where to find Louise. She says, her too, and he says he’s sorry he asked about her conversation with Drew. It was between them, and she doesn’t owe him any explanations whatsoever. She says she appreciates the space he’s offering, but it’s not necessary. She knows when Drew came back, things got a little wonky between the two of them, and Dante says, that’s to be expected; he’s Scout’s father. She says, as Scout’s father, she’s always going to care for him, but when Dante got injured, she was really worried about him. When she found out he was going to be okay, it hit her. Her future is with him. She loves him.

Carly asks what home Drew can’t go back to, but he says he’s there to listen tonight. She says, please. She’d give anything not think about Sonny and Nina. He says, things came to a head in his personal life tonight, that’s all. She says, and not in good way? and he tells her, let’s just say, there are a lot of really horrible things about being imprisoned obviously. You can’t live the life you want, the food is horrible, you get beat up all the time. All of it’s horrendous, but the worst thing is the monotony. Hour after hour, day after day of nothing. Whatever cell they put him in, he would scratch Scout’s name on the wall to give him something to focus on; a reason to survive. It was impossible to focus on Scout  without thinking of her mom. If he’s being completely honest, back when Jason first reappeared, he knew Sam would go back to him. When Sam told him that she broke up with Jason, it just messed with his head, that’s all. Carly bets it did, and he says, his memories of Port Charles are what kept him going in that cell. Now that he’s back, it’s like he doesn’t know what’s real or what’s fantasy, especially considering co-parenting with Sam felt so right. It took him a minute to realize Sam’s not the same person she was two years ago. She’s stronger. She got over Jason. She got over him, and her heart is with somebody else, but that’s life, right? He thinks they all tell themselves little lies so they can live to fight another day.

Nina sits with Sonny, and says, when Peter saw her in Nixon Falls, her simple life suddenly became very complicated. He says he never could quite reconcile the Nina he knew with the person Peter was blackmailing. He accepted the horrible secret she was keeping from Carly was because she was angry, but it never made sense to him why she’d let Peter blackmail her over that secret. But the reason she did it was because she knew Maxie’s daughter was safe with Brook. She let Peter blackmail her, so she could send him on a wild goose chase to the Caribbean. He smiles, and says, so she could distract Peter. She says he’s making it sound like what she did was noble; it wasn’t. She should have called the police the second she saw Peter, but she didn’t. Her actions were purely out of desperation. She’s not a saint. He tells her, he never said she was. It’s just not black and white. She says, nothing is anymore.

Carly says, so Sam made it clear, she’s with Dante now, and Drew says, she did, and she is. She says she’s sure it didn’t feel very good, and he says, the writing was on the wall. He just chose not to read it. He kept hanging on to something that wasn’t there anymore. She laughs, and says, tell her about it. He says, you keep fighting for something because at one point, it was everything to you, and you don’t think you can go on without it. She says, and you feel like it’s your responsibility to hold it together, and he says, you just keep holding on to the past. She says, instead of being in the moment, and he says, and doing what you should. He moves closer to her, and she says, instead of what we want. He moves in for a kiss.

Britt asks Maxie if they can do anything, but Maxie says she just needs a minute. Austin asks if they can just talk for one second, and she says, what is there to talk about? She trusted him because he convinced her to trust him, but he couldn’t let go of his petty revenge, and now her daughter is in the hands of her psycho-pop father. He says he didn’t mean for it to go this way, and she gets in the elevator. He asks where she’s going, and she says, she’s going to find her daughter

Peter waits at the pier, when the boat comes in. He says, right on time, and sends a text to Victor – Fair’s fair, Victor. I honor my word. 

Nina says, she realizes that all she’s ever done is add trouble to Sonny’s life, and tonight is proof of that. No matter how angry she’s been at Carly, she never intended for this to happen, especially when she sees how much pain he’s in. He says, she’s not responsible for his actions, but she says, she’s responsible for her actions, and she truly hates that she’s made it even more difficult for him to salvage his marriage. He says he’s starting to believe it can’t be saved.

Carly says, they can’t do this, and Drew says, he’s sorry. He thought… She says, he thought she wanted him to kiss her, and she does, but for all the wrong reasons. She’s so focused on Sonny, and wants to hurt him, and Drew wants to hurt Sam, and he’s focused on Sam, right? He says, he doesn’t want to hurt Sam, but maybe he wants something to help him forget her. She says, maybe if he was a stranger, and laughs, but his friendship means too much to her. They’re both vulnerable right now, and him being Jason’s brother makes it… it would be very messy. He says, right, and she says, they have too much going on to get caught up in… this.

Deanna says, there was no sign of alcohol in Mr. Cassadine’s bloodstream, and Anna says, just as she thought. Someone tried to make it look like Valentin was drunk, so anyone would dismiss what he had to say. She thanks Deanna, who leaves, and she tells Valentin that she needs him to focus. What’s the last thing he remembers? He says, Bailey. Bailey’s Maxie’s daughter. She says, so he figured it out. That’s probably why he disappeared. She’s going to need his help in finding her. Who told him about this? Was he with someone when he figured it out? Outside the door, Laura asks if Deanna’s seen Anna, and Deanna says, she’s in there. Laura and Doc come in, and Anna says, he’s going be all right. Laura says, it’s Charlotte. Something’s happened.

Peter waits on the pier with Louise in her car seat, when Maxie arrives. They stare at each other.

Dante says, Sam loves him? and she says, she knows. It was new to her too. She found herself talking to Nina, and just kind of said it. Then she thought to herself, if she can say it to a mere stranger, she should be comfortable enough to say it to him, so she did. She said she loves him. She did it. She tells him not to feel like he has to say it back just because she said it. He says, there’s no pressure in this for him to say anything, but he’s wanted to say this for a while. He loves her. She says, he does? and they kiss.

Drew says he’s glad Carly was  thinking clearly enough for both of them, and she says she should go. She thanks him for talking to her, and he says, anytime. Anytime she just wants to talk, or just hang out, or think about anything else. She says she’s going to hold him to that, and leaves.

Sonny tells Nina, he has a lot of regrets about what happened tonight. How it went down, what Carly saw, and what he said to her. But he realized she had a point. Nina says, about what? and he says, about what happened between him and Nina in Nixon Falls and the past; they can’t take it back. It’s in the here and now. No matter how much he tries to deny it. He tells her that he has to go see Dante, and leaves.

Valentin asks, what happened to Charlotte? and Doc says, she’s been staying with them, but when Esme came home, she found a pizza delivery man unconscious in the hallway, but no Charlotte. Valentin moans, no. It’s Peter, isn’t it? It has to be. Anna asks, what is the time frame? How long has she been missing? Charlotte runs into the room and over to Laura, who hugs her. Charlotte cries in Laura’s arms, and says, when she opened the door, someone grabbed her. She sees Valentin, and runs to the bed, and they hug. He asks if she’s hurt, and she says, no. They locked her in a building, and she was trying to get out, when someone saved her. Anna asks, who? and Charlotte says, Uncle Victor, and Victor walks in.

Austin tells Britt, he didn’t think it would end up like this, and she says, How could he? He didn’t know the truth about Bailey, and eventually Maxie will understand. Obrecht says, don’t come to her expecting sympathy. She’s fresh out of it. Now they must come together to clean up his mess, and make sure Maxie’s baby’s brought home safely. And when this is all over, he’ll answer to her.

Peter says, he’s so glad Maxie came, and she tells Louise, it’s all right. She starts to move toward Louise, and he stops her. He says, she’s going to see their daughter on his terms now, and she asks, what are those? He says he’s leaving the country with Louise. So she can say goodbye to Louise, here and now, knowing she’ll never see Louise again… or, she comes with them, and they’ll be a family forever. He holds out the carrier, and Maxie looks from Louise to Peter.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth has more questions than answers, Anna wonders how Victor knew where to find Charlotte, and Peter asks Maxie, what’s the catch?

The Real Housewives of Orange County

We backtracked a little to Heather saying that Noella’s gift was Inappropriate. Noella said she didn’t know, and apologized, and Heather said she appreciated it. Noella asked if they were done, and Heather threw up her hands. Jen tried to explain, when dealing with people’s kids, you had to be careful, and Noella got annoyed, asking why Emily and Gina didn’t have her back. Heather decided to make an exit, telling Noella that she couldn’t have this conversation. She wasn’t getting back on the hamster wheel when Noella wasn’t listening. Noella said she’d apologized, and Heather said, and she appreciated it, but kept walking. In Heather’s interview, she said, it was always negative with Noella. There were always fighting and problems when Noella was around. She didn’t want to be right about it, but she knew it was going to happen. Shannon trotted after Heather, and Noella said she was mad at Gina. She’d known about the problematic gift for a week. In Gina’s interview, she said she’d done everything to support Noella, and now Noella was turning on her and questioning her as a friend. It was hurtful, and friends didn’t do that. Gina said she couldn’t, and got up. She said she couldn’t drown with everybody, and left. Noella said Gina was a d*ck, and Emily told her, all they said was she should listen to where Heather was coming from. Noella suggested Emily check on Gina, and Emily said she was trying to have a conversation, but Noella wasn’t having it. Emily left, and Jen wondered WTF was going on? Noella said she didn’t want drama, and in Jen’s interview, she said, it was hard to move forward with someone when talking to them was like talking to a child.

Emily found Gina in their room all upset and crying, and told her that Noella attacked everyone. Noella attacked her after Gina left. Shannon came back to the table, and Noella wanted tequila, so Shannon played bartender. In Shannon’s interview, she said, it was their last night. They needed to shake it up and have some fun, especially Noella. She was going through a lot. Emily came back to get her purse, but sat back down. One of her chair’s legs was in the sand, sending her and the chair tumbling backward. Then Shannon fell while helping her up. In Jen’s interview, she said, she rolled around in the sand in a bikini in the early 90s; have at it. Jen left, and Shannon put all the sombreros on her head and sat on the donkey piñata. Emily tried to get on too, and as Noella took a picture, they fell over. Shannon pointed out that she didn’t lose any of the hats, and Emily said she was taking the piñata  home, and tucked it under her arm.

Back home in the OC, Jen and her daughter went for a pedicure. Her daughter suggested Jen get black since it went with her personality, which was pretty sarcastic for one so young (she’s six). In Jen’s interview, she said she’d only gone to Cabo for two days, but felt guilty. She’d missed so much when she’d been building her career, she wanted to spend any free time with her children. Her daughter had changed her name at one and a half years old. Her name was Vera, and her first words were, no, Cece. Jen asked Cece how she felt about nanny Kaitlyn, and Cece said Kaitlyn was a good mother to the boys. In her interview, Jen said she knew her children needed her, and it had been a source of contention.

Gina met Heather for lunch, and Heather said a couple of her kids had been checking out colleges. Gina said she’d gone for one semester, and ran home. Heather said the family was taking a trip to NYC, and Gina should come with them. They could swing by Long Island. In Heather’s interview, she said, it was easy to be with Gina, since she was open and authentic. There was no bullsh*t, and you didn’t have to worry about what you were saying for fear of retribution. It was like being with a normal person. She told Gina, hopefully, NYC would be less stressful than Cabo. Gina said she’d been disappointed in Noella. She took the situation and made it like Gina had betrayed her in some way. She didn’t like having her integrity questioned. In Gina’s interview, she said she had no room for crazy in her life. She guessed she wasn’t a support person. Yeah, I got you girl, and ten minutes later, where’s the exit? She told Heather that she couldn’t support someone who didn’t trust her.

In Shannon’s interview, she said she was hosting an event at John’s house; it was the greatest spot. We saw a clip of her telling Heather about a 30’ boat they’d bought, and Shannon said she could see living on the water in her future. They were having dinner set up on John’s deck, as a surprise when they got back. Heather, Terry, Emily, and Shane met them at their boat Revelry. Heather popped the champagne, and Shane wondered if they were going on a three-hour tour. In her interview, Shannon said she’d grown up on boats. Growing up, they’d always had a boat that they docked in Newport Beach, and they came on the weekends. John was also an avid boater, and it was something they shared. In Emily’s interview, she said, Shannon was taking on the whole boat lifestyle, and she liked Shannon’s confidence as Skipper Barbie. Terry toasted to their wives’ bad decision to marry them, and Heather said they were still mulling it over. When they got back, Mac Noodlez of hibachi grill fame, and his brother Willy, had dinner going. John made a sake toast, and thanked everyone for being there. John said he’d been a Junior, but his dad had disowned him. When his dad remarried, he’d named another kid John, and suggested John change his name. In her interview, Shannon said, John was in college, he’d stood up to his father, who promptly disowned him. Emily couldn’t fathom disowning a child, and Terry said he had a stepfather who was a non-supportive a-hole. But whatever level of success he’d reached, it was the adversity that gave him the drive. Emily said her dad hadn’t been around, and she wanted to prove she was better. She needed to prove she was worthy, and it came from feeling abandoned. In her interview, she said she was always looking for approval, and it took until she was middle-aged to realize the approval comes from herself. She felt like the sweat lodge had released a lot. Heather toasted to the host.

Shannon and Emily met at The Quiet Woman, or as Shannon called it, the scene of the crime. We flashed back to Shannon screeching at Kelly, and throwing her plate when they were having dinner there (not together). Shannon asked if Emily had talked to Noella, and Emily said they’d gone to the pier, and walked around. We saw a clip of them on the boardwalk. Noella said she just wanted fun, and Emily invited her to a game night at her house. Noella joined them at the restaurant, and said, the last night in Cabo was a lot. Shannon said, there was a lot of drinking; it was an emotional day. Emily thought Noella should talk to Gina, but Noella said, Gina wasn’t responding to her calls or texts. She wanted to have the conversation, and be done with it. In Noella’s interview, she said, even though the friendship was fresh, they’d gone deep, and they’d gone there fast and hard. To just end the communication, especially after an argument, was hard. Emily said Jen had told her that when Noella was first married, she gave her husband a stack of vaginas, and Shannon wondered how many vaginas it took to make a stack. Noella asked why Jen didn’t talk about her own relationship, and in her interview, she said, Jen didn’t want to talk about her personal life, so she went after the one who’s open. Noella was very happy to share her stack of vaginas with anyone who wanted to see them. Just come in peace. We saw the picture with the naughty bits blurred, and it was three girls in garter belts stacked on each other in what looked like a cheerleading move gone wrong.

Jen visited Heather, who demonstrated a kitchen tool that takes the middle out of a pineapple and slices it. I want one. I love pineapple, but I’ll be damned if I can do the magic trick it takes to get the outside off without hacking it to bits. In Jen’s interview, she said she outsourced anything she could, even if it was entertaining in her own house. She and Heather sat outside with drinks, and Jen said she thought because she built the business and Ryne took care of the kids, there was some resentment. In her interview, she said, they used to talk about everything, and now it was hard to even have a conversation about their days. She told Heather that she wanted to do something make it better, and in Heather’s interview, she said, Jen was all in with her career, and you had to approach a relationship the same way. You had to fight as hard, work at it as much, and want it as badly. Jen says she needs to be more appreciative, and Heather asked if she was willing to do that. She said she was, and Heather said, it took the pandemic for Terry to prioritize family. At some point, it was just more zeros. You needed to make sure you weren’t ignoring your relationships. Relationships were work, but worth it. Jen said, Heather and Terry were a good example.

Emily had a game night for the women, and in her interview, she explained it was an excuse to drink and be ridiculous. They were going to play games like the kind at a six-year-old’s birthday party, but instead of six, they were forty-six. In Noella’s interview, she said she had a lot of love and respect for Gina, and didn’t want bad blood between them. Gina was not quite as thrilled, and in her interview, she said, a stack of vaginas was not a thing. The object of the first game was to transfer M&Ms from one plate to another, by sucking on a straw to pick them up. The next game involved putting a role of toilet paper onto the handle of a plunger, without using your hands, and we’ll leave it at that. Every time the word vagina was said, they had to take a shot, and in Noella’s interview, she said it wasn’t the first time a bunch of vagina’s got her drunk. I’m guessing they must have had a few shots by the time they got to the next game, which was how fast they could unroll a role of toilet paper. Noella demonstrated the stack for Gina, but fully clothed, with Emily and Shannon. She told Gina it wasn’t all that weird; it had been her fantasy, and a birthday present. Jen had gotten the details wrong. For whatever reason, this prompted Gina to consent to a private conversation with Noella. Gina said she was upset that Noella thought she’d done something bad, but Heather was allowed to say she thought the gift was inappropriate. In Gina’s interview, she said she didn’t know how to handle a friendship with Noella. She didn’t want to be involved in a friendship she didn’t understand. She told Noella that her feelings needed to matter too, even though Noella was going through a bad time.

Ryne held that adorable chihuahua – Mr. Puppers! – while Jen was bombarded by her kids. In her interview, she said she was the fun parent when she was around. With Ryne, it was, no candy, no iPad, and you’ll eat fruit. She and Ryne went out on the patio to talk, and Jen said she wanted Ryne to be legit proud of her. He said he was, but Jen said she didn’t think he saw what that meant. She gave him the eye a couple of times because he was focusing on the dog, but how could you not? Mr. Puppers is unbelievably adorable, and I focused on him the entire time. If I had been part of the conversation, I’d have been the one holding him. Ryne said it sounded like she’d had a challenging day, and it was rough dealing with new staff, but she did great. She came home and saw the gang; she’d done it all. I actually thought he did pretty well, but in her interview, Jen said they were misunderstanding each other. In Ryne’s interview, he said Jen was challenging to communicate with. She was go-go-go, and needed a lot of attention. It was The Jenny Show. He asked if they could do this another time; he’d rather not right now. He said he was taking a break, and went inside. She followed him, and asked if he wanted to try again, but he said it was a hard no.

Next time, Emily asks if Shannon is jealous about Heather and Gina’s friendship, Shannon is reeling, and Emily says, all Noella talks about is her divorce.

🏝 Don’t Ryne Him In…

At first, I thought I’d be on Jen’s side about this, but I’m sliding the other way. While Ryne is a little low-key, it seemed like he was trying, and I didn’t get what she wanted out of him. He also wants some appreciation of his own. Taking care of kids is a tough job. And obviously, he’s an excellent pet parent.

https://www.realitytitbit.com/bravo/who-is-ryne-holliday-dr-jen-armstrongs-husband-on-rhoc

More on the good doctor.

https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/rhoc-star-dr-jen-armstrong-instagram-job-husband-kids-lawsuits

🏊‍♂️ Everybody Out Of the Water…

Stop in tomorrow for some soap and who knows what else. Since the Runway is over, Bravo is airing Galley Talk on Thursday, where cast members from Below Deck watch the show and do commentary. As I always say, the only thing better than watching TV, is watching other people watch TV. Until then, stay safe, stay worthy of other’s trust, and stay avoiding being imprisoned. Besides not being able to live the life you want, the horrible food, and the beatings, it’s really boring.

Feb9

February 8, 2022 – Peter Teaches Victor Economics, Dolores Has a Housewarming Party, Ultimate Ramona, Oscar Talk & Umi

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone at the hospital, Sam says, give Scout a big hug and kiss… Okay, just a hug, but make it two… Yes, one for her, and one from – Drew walks in – dad.

Chase says, there’s nothing to be gained by keeping this a secret anymore, and Ned asks what he’s talking about. Maxie says, Chase is right; it’s time. It’s the only way they’re going to find Louise. Anna says she means Bailey, but Maxie says, no. Bailey is Louise. Bailey is her daughter. Ned says maybe Maxie should sit down, and he’ll get her a glass of water. Maxie says she doesn’t need water; she’s fine. He says, she doesn’t need to be brave for them. She’s been through hell. Peter’s lies, his crimes, losing her daughter. Now her father’s in the hospital. It’s enough to break the strongest of them. Brook says, Maxie’s as strong as they come.

Deanna comes out of Mac’s room, and Felicia and Robert ask how he is. Deanna says, Mac is resting comfortably. Felicia says, that’s good news, right? and Robert says, of course (🍷) it is. Felicia asks if they can see him, but Deanna says, not yet; he’s still in recovery. She says she’s sorry, and jets, and Robert tells Felicia, he’s getting the best possible care here. Mac’s got them, and another good reason to hate Peter August. She says, that grudge alone is enough to light a fire under Mac. He’ll be out of GH in no time. Robert says, yeah, and they look through the window at Mac.

Peter says, he needs Victor to make arrangements to get him and Louise out of Port Charles, and Victor asks, what’s in it for him? Peter says, he’s going to make Victor a very contented man. He’s going to unearth the buried secrets of Drew Cain. Victor says, Peter’s been saying this for how long now? and Peter says, Victor’s perseverance is about to pay off. All he asks in exchange is for safe passage for him and his daughter out of Port Charles. Victor says, Peter’s requests continue to multiply, and Peter says, that’s economics; he controls the demand, and Victor controls the supply, and Victor knows he has to deal with Peter. So tell him, what’s it going to be?

Carly follows the white rose petal path to the stateroom. She opens the door, and is surprised to see Sonny in bed with Nina. Sonny and Nina are just as surprised to see her.

Felicia asks Deanna if they can see Mac, and Deanna says, they can go in now, but only one visitor at a time. Robert tells Felicia to do it. Mac might see him and have a heart attack. She thanks Robert, hugs him, and goes into Mac’s room, where he’s hooked up to a ventilator, among other things.

In the hallway, Laura touches Robert’s shoulder, and hugs him when he turns around.

Felicia takes Mac’s hand, and asks if he can feel it. She’s not letting go. Robert’s here. Robin’s trying to get a flight out. She told Robin that she was wasting her time. By the time she gets here, he’ll be back in action. He made an honest woman out of her. She’s damned if she’ll start lying for him now.

Ned says he doesn’t doubt Maxie’s strength, but she can’t go around saying Bailey is her daughter. That’s… Brook says, the truth. Bailey isn’t Bailey. Bailey is Louise. He says, no, Maxie’s daughter was lost in the woods, but Maxie says, that wasn’t the plan. Bobbie was supposed to help her give birth in Beecher’s Corners, far away from Peter, giving her plenty of time to say goodbye to Louise before she left with Brook. Brook asks if Maxie wants her to tell the rest, but Maxie says she can do it. She was supposed to come home and say she lost her baby, and never see her again until Peter was in prison and Louise was safe. Then she would come home. Anna says, but her plan never came off, and Dante says, because Peter had his own plan to kidnap Maxie. Brook says, they improvised. It worked for a while. They thought they got the better of Peter. Chase says, but he got Louise anyway.

Peter says, if Victor won’t step up and make arrangements, he’ll secure his own departure. Victor says, without his help, Peter will be recaptured, and Peter says, perhaps, but then DA Scorpio might want to cut a deal with him based on his knowledge of Victor’s interest in Drew. Victor says, meet him at Pier 55, which is apparently the only pier anyone ever meets at. He’ll make sure Peter gets out of Port Charles undetected. Peter says, smart choice, and Victor tells Yohan, fuel is precious. Peter August is just wasted carbon. He’s just outlived his usefulness.

Peter asks what Louise thinks. Can they trust old Victor? He has proved treacherous, and will prove so again and again, given the chance. So, they’re not going to give him one.

Carly says she knew it, and Sonny says she’s got to listen to him. She says, he’s a liar, and he says, Kristina told him that she wasn’t showing up. She says, Peter August escaped, Dante was hurt, Mac was shot, and she thought he’d want to know. She walks off, and Nina says she didn’t mean for that to happen. Sonny says he knows, and starts getting dressed. Nina says she’s sorry, and he says, so is he.

Carly goes out to the deck, and sees the ring set sitting on the railing. She opens the box, and looks at the rings.

Nina hands Sonny his watch, and he thanks her. He says, listen… but she says, there’s nothing to say. He says, there’s plenty. He’s got to see this through. She says, of course (🍷), and he leaves.

Carly flashes back to when she and Sonny were practically children, and he tells her that she complicated his life. She makes him laugh, and she’s strong; she’s his heart. He’s asking her to marry him. He wants to spend the rest of his life with her. In the present, she looks at the rings in her palm, and Sonny comes out.

At the hospital, Sam asks if Drew heard, and he says, about Peter’s escape? Yeah. Anna called him. How’s Dante? She says, his injuries weren’t that serious, thank goodness, and he asks if she’s okay. She says, nothing that Peter’s corpse won’t fix, and he says he’ll see what he can do about that. She tells him, don’t take any chances, and he says he was separated from his daughter for two long years. He’s not about to risk losing her again. She says, but? and he says, if he has the opportunity to take Peter down, he’s going to take it, but only if it’s a sure bet. He has a second chance at the life he once had. There’s no way he’s letting it go now.

On the phone, Doc says, he’s on his way… He loves her too. Charlotte asks if that was about her father, but he says, he’s sorry. Laura doesn’t have any news about him yet. She says, he always calls her. She doesn’t know why he didn’t. Doc says, they can talk to Dante about that. Why doesn’t she get her coat, and they’ll go to the hospital? She says she’d rather stay here in case her father comes to pick her up. She texted him that she’s staying with Doc and her grandmother. She’s old enough to stay by herself, and Esme will be there soon. She won’t be alone for long, and Doc’s doorman won’t let anyone through. He tells her, all right, but she doesn’t set foot outside unless she hears from him or her grandmother. Understood? She says, yes, sir. She’ll order pizza. She’s not going anywhere until she sees her father.

Laura tells Robert, the good news is, Dante has taken over the PCPD, and the manhunt is well on its way. Unfortunately, he’s had to divide his resources. Robert asks, what’s happened? and she says, Ned Quartermaine’s granddaughter Bailey has been kidnapped. He says, it’s probably by Peter. The manhunt finds him, they’ll find the child. She asks why Peter would want Bailey, and he says, because Bailey is Peter and Maxie’s daughter Louise.

Maxie says, she knows that this is a lot to process, and she’s sorry she deceived all of them, but Peter stole her daughter. Anna hugs her, and Dante comes back. Anna asks what they have, and he says, the perp, Peter, got in through the breezeway and in through the kitchen. Anna asks if Brook or Chase were present, and Chase says, they were, but they were out on the patio. They didn’t hear a thing. Otherwise, Peter would be in custody. Brook tells Maxie that she’s so sorry, but Maxie says, it’s not her fault Peter escaped. They have to focus on Louise right now. Chase says, Maxie is right, and tells Brook not to spend another second blaming herself. He asks Dante where they are in the search, and Dante says they’re searching the beach, and going door-to-door, talking to neighbors. Chase says, have them check his car. Peter took his car seat, and it will confirm Peter is the perp. Maxie says, they don’t need confirmation. Peter took Louise, and they need to find him. Anna says, they have to allow the police to be thorough. Peter might have left evidence that will help to pick up his trail. Dante says, they have to go by the book. Otherwise, he gets off on a technicality. Maxie says, that could take forever, and Anna says, there’s a faster way for them to find him – Maxie.

Sonny says he waited for Carly, and she laughs. She says, she went to the hospital to make sure his son wasn’t dead. He’s okay, by the way. Sonny says, Kristina told him that Carly wasn’t coming, that she couldn’t do it, and she says, so he jumped in bed with Nina? He says, if she felt they could fix things between them, why didn’t she come hours ago? and she asks, how can she fix her marriage when there are three people in it? He tells her, leave Nina out of it, and she says, he didn’t. Now, every time she closes her eyes, she sees him in bed with Nina. How many times has this happened? He says, not once, and she asks, how many times did he want it to happen? He says, maybe as many times as she wanted it to happen with Jason. Oh snap! She says, he’s making this about Jason? He says, that’s not what he meant, and she tells him, he said what he meant. He’s been holding onto that for months, waiting to throw it in her face. Nice way to deflect from him cheating on her with that bitch. He says, maybe he was holding onto it because there’s some truth to it. She says, Jason is dead, and Sonny says, and she still loves him. She says, he was her best friend. He saved her life while Nina played Sonny like a marionette in her land of make believe. Yes, she loved him. He says, and she wants him back, and she says, doesn’t he? He says, Carly wants Jason back because she wants to be with him. She’s been hoping for this to happen. She says she can’t believe this, and he says, she’s been stringing him along, giving him hope. All he was doing is showing her how much he loves her, and how he didn’t want to lose her. He wanted to save their marriage. She says, he never held Nina accountable for hurting their family. Not once. He says, so now this marriage is going to blow up in his face because she finds an excuse. She asks if he thinks she wants to destroy their family, and she’s using this as an excuse, but he says, no. He thinks she’s using it as an excuse to wallow in her misery, and pine for Jason’s ghost. She says, Jason didn’t cheat on her; he did. He can rewrite this story any way he wants, but the ending is the same. They are over, and this is on him.  

Drew tells Sam, he hereby promises not to engage in any unnecessary risk. She can hold him to it. She says she will, and he says, she’ll keep him honest. Speaking of honesty, does she have a minute to talk? She says, actually, she wanted to talk to him about something too, and suggests they go somewhere more private. Drew says, as much as he wants to, he’s not 100% sure he can wait long enough to relocate. She says, sounds serious, and he says he’s afraid so. It’s about them. She says, actually, she was about to say the same thing.

Maxie says she’s trying to rack her brain, and think of all the moments she spent with Peter in all the years she wasted with him; think of something that could lead to him. But if she knew something, she would tell them. Anna says, Maxie can use them as fresh eyes in the situation she’s been dealing for close to a year. Just start simple. Bobbie was supposed to help her deliver Louise. Who else knew about the plan? Bobbie, Brook… Chase says he only just found out, and Brook says, he put the pieces together just as Valentin was learning Bailey wasn’t his daughter. Maxie says, Britt knew. She was supposed to help deliver Louise, but then she went on the run with Jason, and dropped out of that plan, but Maxie never told her that Bailey was Louise. Dante says, anyone else? and Brook says, Nina, but Maxie says, Nina would have taken that secret to the grave. Anna suggests they go back to GH and check on Maxie’s dad. They can do more brainstorming in the car. Brook tells Maxie, this is our girl’s lovey, handing her a blankie toy. She says, when Maxie finds her, she’ll want this.  

Outside, Dante says, Peter found out recently, and Anna says, someone else knew Bailey is Louise. And whoever that person is, if they find them, he or she will lead them to Peter.

Victor asks if it’s done, and Yohan says, the escape routes have been cut off. Peter won’t be leaving here. Victor says, Peter has a talent for escape. Tell the men, there must be no mistakes. Either Victor gets his way or Peter August dies. Correction. He gets his way and Peter August dies.

On the phone, Charlotte asks if Nina has heard from her papa, but Nina says she didn’t know he was missing. Charlotte says, when he goes away, he always tells her. He checks in. He’s been gone two days, and she didn’t know who else to call. Nina says she’s sure Anna can help with that, when there’s a knock at the door. Charlotte says, her pizza just arrived, and Nina says, she’ll check in with Anna, and call Charlotte back. Enjoy her pizza. Charlotte opens the door, and Peter is standing there. He says, hello, Charlotte. He brought her pizza. She tries to close the door, but he sticks his foot in it. He goes inside, and we see the real delivery guy on the floor in the hallway.

Felicia says, Mac is going to keep her hanging. Isn’t that his way? She flashes back to when they were also practically children, and she tells him that she wants to marry him and spend the rest of her life with him. She thinks they belong together. Please say he loves her and wants to marry her. He says he believes she loves him; maybe for the first time. For the record, he’d be honored to marry her. In the present, she says, the honor’s been all mine, partner, and puts her head on his chest.

Doc joins Laura and Robert, and asks, how’s Mac? Robert says, still unconscious, and Laura asks if Charlotte is all right. Doc says, she’s worried about Valentin, and Laura says, of course (🍷). It’s not like him to be away this long without getting in touch with her. Doc asks if he can see Mac, and Robert says, Felicia is in with him, and they’re only allowing one visitor in at a time. But, he is a doctor. Doc says he’s not above pulling rank, if the DA backs him up. Robert says, deal, and wanders off. Doc gives Laura a kiss and a hug, and goes into Mac’s room.

Peter meets Victor, who asks, where’s his daughter? Peter says, Louise is his concern. Has Victor done what he asked? Victor says, he’s arranged for Peter’s final withdrawal from Port Charles, and Peter says, lead the way. Victor says, just as soon as Peter holds up his end of the bargain, and Peter says, as soon as Victor gets him and Louise out of here, he’ll tell Victor everything he wants to know about Drew. Victor says, let him remind Peter, terms are set by the party in control, but Peter says, Victor is wrong if he thinks he has any say. Perhaps he’ll take his chances and Drew’s secrets elsewhere. He turns to leave, but Yohan blocks his path. Victor tells him, careful. One more step, and he’s a dead man.

Ned says he needs to speak to Brook alone, but Chase says, with all due respect, he’d like to stay. Brook says, she’ll be fine; just don’t go too far. He leaves, and Ned says, Chase really put himself on the line for Brook. She says, Detective Chase is a glutton for punishment, and he says, so is she. She opened herself up to all kinds of major repercussions. There may be real hell to pay for passing Maxie’s daughter off as her own. She says, it’s a small price considering, and he says, Peter’s still out there. Everyone involved is in Maxie’s scheme is in danger. She says, and Bailey’s gone, and he says, but there never was a Bailey, was there?

Drew says he thought he had this all figured out. They were done. Sam was with Jason, and he was fine with that, because the most important thing was knowing she and Scout were happy and safe. He made peace, and moved on, but then he got thrown into a cell for two years, and had no idea if he was going to get out. The one thing that kept him going was the hope that he’d see his family again. He’d see Scout, Monica, and all the crazy Quartermaines. He’d see Sonny and Carly, and Sam. She’s his family. She says he’s her family too, and he says, that leads him to the thing that’s been bugging him a little. What kind of family are they?

Nina comes into the hospital, and tells Sam that she heard about Peter’s escape. Mac was shot, and Dante was knocked out? Are they okay? Sam says, Mac is out of surgery. Dante went through a bunch of tests, but they said he’s going to be fine. Nina says, thank God. Sam must have been a wreck. Sam says she didn’t realize she was holding her breath until they got the good news, and Nina says, Sam must have been scared, given how much she cares for Dante, and Sam says, of course (🍷). She loves him.

Sonny says, so that’s it? Carly is going to walk? She says, he walked, but he says he’s been doing everything he can to save their marriage. She says, that’s why she came tonight, and he says, let’s talk then, but she says, hell no. There’s no reason to talk. He says, there’s a reason; Avery and Donna. She says, he didn’t give a damn about Avery and Donna five minutes ago. She’s not going to hang their marriage on them, so they can watch her and Sonny hate each other and fight, and destroy each other. She won’t do it. He says he doesn’t hate her; he misses her. She says, he missed Nina, but he says, no. She says, be honest, and he says, let’s make this about him and Carly. She always has to pick a bad guy. She says she didn’t have to look far. She was laying in bed next to Sonny twenty minutes ago. He says, that was a mistake; he wishes it didn’t happen. She says, like he wishes Nixon Falls didn’t happen? and he says, those are feelings he doesn’t want to have. He didn’t seek to have these feelings. He can’t just wish them out of existence. It’s going to take time. She says, okay, so he wants her to give him the time he refused to give her. She gets having feelings you don’t want to, because after seeing him in bed with Nina, she has plenty thanks to him.

Brook tells Ned, it’s true. She was never pregnant. For a second, she thought she might be, but she was wrong. He says she had him going, and she says, if she couldn’t convince him, how could she convince Valentin? She had to get her ELQ shares back. He says, she made him believe he was a grandfather, just to get those damn shares, and she says she didn’t do it for the shares; she did it for him, to fix their relationship. Then Valentin made it clear that he wasn’t going to hand over the shares without the baby. That’s when she learned about Maxie’s situation with Peter. He says, then she realized she and Maxie could help each other, and she says, and it worked… until it didn’t. He says, the charade went on too long, and she says, they didn’t know if Peter was dead or alive. Maxie didn’t want to take a chance that Peter would return, which he did. It was a total nightmare. She lost the shares, now Bailey is gone, and now him… She’s sorry she failed him again. He must hate her. He says he could never hate her, and she says, disappointed and embarrassed. He says, he fell in love with his granddaughter, and now he doesn’t have one. He never did. He won’t lie. He’s disappointed and hurt, and a few other things, but – he takes her hand – he’s also proud of her. Prouder than he’s ever been.

Nina tells Sam that she’s going to see if she can get an update on Mac. and leaves. Sam asks if Drew wanted to finish their conversation, and he promises it won’t take more than a minute. He just wanted to say if things between them felt confused or undefined since he’s been back, that’s on him. Don’t get him wrong. He’s thrilled to be home, but after all the euphoria wound down and the reunions were over, he wanted to snap back into his old life, only to find everybody else had moved on. He was grasping at something familiar, except she’s out of reach.

Anna tells Maxie, they’ll go straight up and see Mac. Dante sees Drew and Sam, and says he’ll catch up with them, and Anna and Maxie get in the elevator. Drew tells Sam that he’s so sorry if he muddied her relationship with Dante, because he’s so happy for her and for Dante. That’s what he wanted to say. She thanks him, and says, he still is family… isn’t he? He says she can count on that, and goes over to Dante. He asks if Dante is good, and Dante says, he is, thanks. Drew tells him, keep it that way. Sam needs him. Drew leaves, and Dante goes over to Sam.

Sonny tells Carly that he doesn’t want the marriage to be over. They can start over. He got some rings. One to replace the one he lost, and one… She says, those rings aren’t going to change anything, and he says, it was a mistake. She says, was it? Or was it something he wanted ever since he came back from Nixon Falls? He says, when he came back from Nixon Falls, he wanted her. He loves her and needs her. She tells him, save it for Nina, but he says he wants her. She says, he wants them both, and no amount of time is going to change that. He can’t have them both, and he can’t make a choice, so she’s making a choice. She’s choosing herself. Goodbye. She leaves, and once again, Sonny is alone on the Haunted Star.

Maxie asks if there’s any update on Mac, but Laura says, he hasn’t regained consciousness yet, but Robert, Doc, and Maxie’s mom are in there. Maxie hopes there’s room for one more, and goes in. Anna says, thank God Laura is here. She has a thought about Peter, and wants to run it by her. Laura says, of course (🍷), and Anna says she wants to bring Dante into the conversation; he’s downstairs. Laura says she’s just going to tell Doc that she’s stepping away.

Sonny looks at the inscription on the ring, until the end, and flashes back to (maybe) the first time he married Carly. She says, she’ll always love him, even though it’s not always easy, and even though she wants to stop loving him sometimes. God knows she’s tried, but she can’t. He’s it for her. He was from the beginning and will be until the end. Back on the yacht, Sonny puts the rings in the palm of his hand, and drops them into the water.

Maxie says, every time she needed Mac when she was growing up, he was there for her. When she lost Georgie, and Nathan, and when she needed a hero, he brought Frisco home for her. Except he was her hero the whole time. Don’t go ruining his winning streak. They need him to come back to them. He opens his eyes, and Felicia laughs.

Dante says he knows Sam wants to ask if he’s okay, and she says, why should she, when he’s just going to tell her everything is fine. He says, how about her and Drew? It looked pretty intense. Is everything cool? He adds, it’s none of his business, but she says, it’s all of his business. She wouldn’t say cool; that’s not what’s going on. She’d say clear. Clear is more appropriate. Everything is clear with her and Drew. He says he’s sorry, but she says, don’t be, and hugs him. Laura and Anna come out of the elevator, and Sam says, go. He thanks her, and she says, be careful. He says, anything for her.

Carly sees someone on the Quartermaine patio, and says, Michael? She realizes it’s Drew, and he says, sorry to disappoint.  

Coming out of the hospital elevator on the phone, Nina leaves a voicemail for Britt. She says she’s been trying to get ahold of Britt and Obrecht. Call her as soon as she gets this. It’s important. Sonny walks into the hospital, and they look at each other.  

Brook says, Ned is proud of her? and he says, yes. She risked so much in order to protect Maxie and her baby. Brook tells him that it didn’t start for altruistic reasons, but he says, still, she kept up the charade long after the ELQ shares were lost to her. She protected Bailey… Louise at great personal risk to herself, and he’s in awe of her. She says, he’s not mad at her? Even a little bit? He says, scared maybe, at what the truth is doing to her now. He saw her fall in love with that baby, and now she’s gone. Brook cries, and says, if anything happens to her, she will kill Peter with her bare hands. Ned holds her, and says, listen to him. She will come home safely. She asks how he knows that, and he says, he knows that because she has the strength of two mothers behind her.

Deanna says, Mac is awake, and more or less lucid. Felicia asks if they can see him, and Deanna says, just don’t tire him out. Felicia, Maxie, Robert and Doc go into Mac’s room, and Robert asks how Mac feels, having all these people waxing lyrical about their affection for him, while he hovers between life and death. Doc says, he believes the psychiatric term is drama queen, and Felicia asks how long Mac is going to make them wait on him hand and foot. He says, breakfast in bed, partner, and she kisses his cheek. He says, Dante? and Robert says, he checked out of the hospital already. As for Peter August, he’s the subject of a police manhunt. Maxie says, by the time Mac is done with his little vacay, Peter will be back in custody, and Felicia says, everyone will be back where they belong.

Anna tells Dante that she was just explaining to Laura, Peter is going to need help getting away. And there’s one person in this town who’s been willing to help Peter in the past. Laura says, Victor Cassadine. 

Victor tells Peter, that wasn’t so hard, was it? and Peter says, Victor got everything he wanted. Now call off his men. Victor says, in a moment, and Yohan punches Peter. Peter drops to his knees, and Victor says, that concludes their bargain. Here’s to Port Charles’s first good night sleep in four long years. Peter laughs, and says, bad idea. Victor asks, why? and Peter says, if Victor kills him, Victor’s granddaughter Charlotte dies too.

Tomorrow, Laura tells Anna, it actually tracks with her theories; Obrecht says when this is over, someone will answer to her; Peter asks Victor if they have deal; and Nina tells Sonny, all the secrets have been for nothing.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Jennifer told Marge to get her facts straight. Bill had slept with a pharmaceutical rep, not his office manager. Marge said Jennifer wasn’t honest, and we flashed back to Jennifer dragging on Marge and Marge Sr. for cheating. In Marge’s interview, she said, Jennifer was the biggest hypocrite. Any time Jennifer’s name came up, Bill’s affair was the first thing people thought about. In Jackie’s interview, she said, she knew about the affair because Marge told her. Dolores said she felt sorry for Jennifer, and in her interview, she said, problems in a marriage shouldn’t be broadcasted. That’s why people said, let’s take it outside. Jennifer wailed to Bill that she wanted to go home. Joe #2 said that he liked Bill, but his wife was a blabbermouth, who had called him a crook on social media. Gia mumbled about Joe talking smack about her father when he didn’t deserve it. Joe was like, what’s that? and she told him that he was disrespectful to her. He said he’d never let his kids talk to their elders like that, asked where she was raised, and stomped off. Lewis followed him, and Teresa told Melissa that the closest thing to a father Gia had was Joe #2. Gia went to make nice, or at least calm things down, and Melissa and Teresa followed her. I thought the party was going to be in the driveway pretty soon, and Gia said she didn’t need an entourage. Joe wouldn’t let her talk, still trying to get his point across, and said he’d been dealing with this for 20 years. We flashed back to various tussles between him and Joe #1, including an actual fistfight. He told Gia that he’d been sticking up for his sister and parents. Gia yelled, could she speak? and asked why he was talking smack about her father. He said, because it was true, and Gia walked away. Melissa suggested Joe let Gia believe what she wanted. In Joe’s interview, he said he wasn’t suggesting the kids not love their father, but Joe #1 had hurt the family, and he wasn’t holding it in. Gia came back, and said Joe was still looking at her like she was five. He might be mad at her father, but didn’t he think her father was mad at himself? He wasn’t even in the country. Her sisters had also been through enough, and it was five years ago. They sort of hugged it out, and in Gia’s interview, she said she hoped it was a baby step in the right direction. They told Lewis, welcome to the family.

In Jennifer’s interview, she said, the night before had been rough. Olivia was having a pool party for her 8th birthday, and she hadn’t gotten any sleep. Bill was hiding upstairs, embarrassed, and she was trying to do everything she could so the kids didn’t sense anything was wrong and mommy was having a meltdown. Teresa arrived, followed by Dolores, and Dolores told Jennifer that she’d held her own. Teresa was pissed that it was at her party, and Jennifer said, it happened 10 years ago, and she was over it. She’d been pregnant with her 4th kid, and they’d just moved to New Jersey. She’d found a receipt for bottle service, then a text. In her interview, she said, once the baby came, she wanted to make it work, and they never spoke about it again. Teresa said Jennifer didn’t owe anyone any explanations. Then the ice cream truck came, and everyone forgot about everything else, as we all would.

Jackie’s parents and brothers came over to bid farewell to the kids, who were going to sleepaway camp in Florida. In Jackie’s interview, she said she hated camp. She’d been an awkward, chubby teenager with big Staten Island hair, and the other girls wanted no part of her. She thought it would be different for her kids, since they were outgoing and sporty. Dolores met Marge at a fancy home store since Dolores had nothing for her new townhouse. Delores told Marge that she didn’t think Marge was right in bringing up Bill’s affair, but Marge said Jennifer had pushed it, and wondered what you should say when someone was such a hypocrite.

Jackie visited Jennifer, and in Jennifer’s interview, she said she felt she should invite Jackie over, since they’d made up. Also (and probably the real motive), Jackie had gone through something similar last year, and Jennifer was hoping she could shed light on why Marge would do something like this. Jackie told Jennifer that she’d known about Bill’s affair because Marge told her, but she’d never said anything. She didn’t want to hurt another woman. Jennifer said she never believed what was said about Evan, and Jackie said Jennifer had talked about Marge, and Marge came back at her. They’d hurt each other. In Jennifer’s interview, she said she hadn’t told her parents, sister, or best friend, and in Jackie’s interview, she said, at the end, she was able to tell her kids that the rumor wasn’t true, but Jackie would have to tell hers that their dad cheated. In the meantime, Marge told Dolores that Jennifer had attacked her for having an affair, attacked her mother, and dragged Jackie through the mud. In Marge’s interview, she said, Jennifer had been trying to get dirt on Evan, but she hadn’t told Jackie. She told Dolores that Jennifer had tried to shake down her friends in Tenafly for info on Evan. Dolores said she’d thought what Marge did was wrong, but not anymore. She wouldn’t have done it, but she got it. In her interview, she said, now that she found out what Jennifer had done, there were consequences for that. She told Marge that she wanted to invite everyone to her new townhouse.

Delores had an amazing spread for her housewarming, and in her interview, she said, living by herself was freedom. She told the women she hadn’t seen much of David; they were seeing each other less and less. In Melissa’s interview, she said, Dolores talked about being happy with the David situation, but she thought Dolores wanted more. Marge told Dolores that she thought Teresa was still mad at her, and we flashed back to Marge telling Teresa that Lewis needed to address the video. Melissa said she didn’t think the video bothered Teresa, but it bothered her that other people were bothered by it. In her interview, Marge said she’d investigated the retreat, and they broke you down so you didn’t have hostility toward women. They told you what a POS you were, and instead of taking it out on women, they took it out on each other. (Hey, whatever works.) Jennifer arrived, and in Jackie’s interview, she said she knew what it was like to walk in and have to face the person who said something about your husband. We flashed back to Teresa handing out vibrators, and suggesting Jackie put it up her ass. Jackie sat in another room with Jennifer, giving her a pep talk, when Dolores joined them, and told Jennifer there was no reason to cry. In her interview, Dolores said, Jennifer went around raving about how happy she was, then knocked people. If she was living that life, why was she falling apart? Marge joined them, and asked why Jennifer was crying. Jackie got up, and Marge sat down, Jackie wandering off. Jennifer said, it was overwhelming, and she didn’t want to fight with Marge. Marge said she didn’t want to fight either, but Jennifer’s behavior was hypocritical. Jennifer said she’d only given her opinion on things Marge had been vocal about, but Marge said Jennifer had pushed it, including what she’d done to Jackie in digging up dirt on Evan. Hearing her name, Jackie flew back, and asked what was up with that. Jennifer said, Frank claimed he knew things, and so she looked into it. Only out of curiosity; it was human nature. Jackie said, Jennifer was trying to get something on her husband, when it was Jennifer’s husband who had done stuff [sic]. She commented on others’ marriages when she knew she had her own problems. Jennifer said it had been 10 years ago, and Marge hit below the belt – her babies! Yep, when all else fails, cry about the babies. Melissa wondered, what was the big deal? and in new Housewife Traci’s interview, she said, she and Melissa had been friends for years, but she was baffled as to why Melissa couldn’t understand why Jennifer was falling apart. In Marge’s interview, she said everyone was too emotional. Drop it. Dolores said, let’s eat, and Melissa thought it would be a good idea to get more champagne flowing, because when emotions are high, alcohol is the best thing to pour on them. Then Teresa was added to the mix.

Teresa asked what she missed, and Jackie said, Jennifer needed to recognize her part in what had happened with Marge. In Jackie’s interview, she said, as frustrated as she was, it was hard to see another woman in pain. She could be the bigger person since Jennifer needed support. In Marge’s interview, she said, what was painful to Jennifer’s family was Bill cheating, not that the truth was made public. Because we can’t get away from it, Teresa said, that’s why she told Jackie about the rumor; she was being a girl’s girl. In her interview, Jackie said, to this day, Teresa doesn’t feel she did anything wrong, and in Dolores’s interview, she said, Teresa’s rationale makes no sense to anyone except Teresa. Marge said Jennifer had chastised her for things that were going on in her own backyard. Jennifer said she was removing herself from this situation, and walked out. Melissa said Jennifer wanted to talk about everyone else, when she had her own sh*t to deal with, and Dolores said Jennifer had to face something she’d been sweeping under the rug. Traci thought maybe Jennifer was embarrassed because her façade was crumbling, and Marge said, this is no f***ing fairy tale.

Next time, Joe tries to talk with his nieces, another party, and another fight.

🏝 On Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, the main takeaway point was, Ramona is a jerk no matter where she goes. She called Kenya a bitch for no reason before they even landed, and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you about her behavior in choosing a room. She was called out by everyone from Cynthia, who said Ramona couldn’t read a room, to Kenya, flat-out calling her an a-hole. The cast consists of Cynthia, Kenya, Melissa, Teresa, Kyle, LuAnn, and Ramona. The jury is still out, but it doesn’t look very promising.

🏆 Nom, Nom, Nom…

The Oscar nominations, snubs, and surprises.

https://www.cnn.com/entertainment/live-news/2022-oscars-nominations/index.html

https://ew.com/awards/oscars/oscar-nominations-2022-snubs-surprises/

🚌 This Is My Stop…

Get on the bus with me tomorrow for some soap and a peek at what’s happening in the OC. Until then, stay safe, stay taking time for yourself, and stay remembering, as Kenya told Ramona, if it looks like an a-hole, and talks like an a-hole, then it’s probably an a-hole.

⚠️ Warning: possible naughty words

Feb5

February 4, 2022 – Carly Meets Drew On the Footbridge, Suds Sweep, AMC News, a Pledge, a Goodbye, Dating Again, Threatening, Carol Tattles, Whining, Salty Talk, Puppies (!), Practically 10 Quotes & People

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Mac asks Dante if there’s any sign of what caused Kendall (apparently the driver’s name) to lose control of the vehicle. He and Dante look around the van with flashlights. Inside, the guard tells Peter that Kendall must have hit an icy patch and gone off the road. Dante says, all four tires have been punctured. They didn’t hit ice; they’ve been sabotaged. They see headlights coming toward them, and draw their guns.

Brook tells Bailey to sleep well. Mommy loves her.

Maxie says she’s glad Austin finally knows the truth about Louise. It’s been awful lying to him. He says he can imagine she’s had to juggle a lot of lies to really well-meaning people. She says she had to do what she had to do, and he says, he can’t help but wonder if her kissing him now is just another diversion.

Nina comes in to Charlie’s and, walking past Obrecht, she asks the bartender if Phyllis is around. Obrecht asks how long Nina is going to avoid her, and Nina says, Obrecht is responsible for her relationship with Mike coming out in court, so she doesn’t know. Obrecht says she did Nina a favor, and they both know it.

Chase asks if Bailey went down, and Brook says, like a champ. She had a big day. He says, all those people cooing over her. It must be exhausting being that cute. She says he should know, and he thanks her. She says she means when he was a baby. She bets he had really chubby cheeks. She puts her feet up, and he says he’ll never understand wearing shoes that hurt you. She asks, what is there to understand? These boots make her legs look amazing. He says, they do. Believe it or not, he really enjoyed today. She says, her too. She’s just glad they got out of there before the WSB came to arrest granny. He says, it woudn’t be a Quartermaine party if the police weren’t involved, and she says, that’s so true. He says he hopes it didn’t mar Ned and Olivia’s big day, but she says, no way. Nothing could diminish their happiness after how hard they worked for their marriage. He says, she’s right. Sometimes two people just belong together.

Sonny stands on the deck of the Haunted Star, wearing a white tux and holding a red rose, when Kristina comes out. She says, look at him. Carly won’t know what hit her. She asks what he’s doing out here; it’s freezing. He says he didn’t want to wait inside. He’s getting anxious, and wants to see Carly arrive so he can greet her with his rose. She says, very romantic, and he thanks her for what she did inside. She says her pleasure, and what he did to the state room looks amazing. It definitely has an island vibe. He says, not too much? but she says, no. Carly will see all the effort he put in, and see how much this night means to him. He says he just wants everything to be perfect, and Kristina says, it won’t be if she’s still here, so she’s out. She hugs him, and says, good luck, and he says he hopes this makes it right for him and Carly.

Carly walks on the footbridge, and flashes back to Sonny saying, if she’s not ready now, maybe she never will be. Drew comes onto the bridge, and says, they meet again.

Mac says, it could be an ambush, and Kendall comes up behind Dante and slugs him.

Brook tells Chase, she and Olivia have had their issues. She’s had them with her dad too, but she’s come to appreciate how good Ned and Olivia are together. He says, he’d hoped his mom and dad would find their way back to each other, but he’s had to accept that’s probably never going to happen. Maybe they don’t have what Ned and Olivia have; that connection, that something that makes you want to fight against all odds. She says, no one’s ever fought that hard for her, and he says she deserves a love that strong. She tells him that he doesn’t have to say that, but he says he said it because he believes it. She says, it’s a mighty generous thing to say to a person like her, and he says, a person like her? What is that supposed to mean? She says, it means he can cut the act. She knows what he really thinks of her. She stomps off, and out to the patio.

Felicia tells Anna, she still wishes she could have gone with Mac and Dante. She wanted to watch Peter get locked behind bars. That way, she could have taken a picture and sent it to Maxie, and Maxie would know for sure, and get on with her life. Anna says, now that Peter has been dealt with, they can get on with finding Louise. Felicia says, Maxie’s been through so much already. A dangerous psychopath is the father of her child, and all those fruitless searches for Louise. And the whole time, she’s had to handle it alone. Anna says, maybe Austin will change that, and Felicia says she likes him. He seems like a really good man. Lord knows Maxie deserves that. She doesn’t know what she’d do without Mac. How long has it been again? Anna says, not long. She’s waiting for a message from Valentin. Felicia says, Anna told her that Valentin had a lead on Louise. Wouldn’t it be wonderful? Peter behind bars, and a chance to bring Louise home? Anna says, everything would finally come together.

Maxie says she thought Austin understood, and he says he understands she was under a lot of stress, and it was really hard for her that the people she loves were really worried about Louise. She says, and she hated every minute of it; she told him that. But that has nothing to do with their kiss. She wanted to kiss him. He says he can’t help but wonder if there aren’t other factors in play, given her state emotionally. She says, that is a very clinical assessment, doctor. She knows how she feels. He says, she’s been lying to him. She’s been keeping a secret from him since the moment they met. Did she befriend him out of some kind of necessity? Everybody in this town knows her very well, and would know something was up, so she turned to him to keep them at bay because he’s new and safe. She says, he’s anything but safe. She and Brook lived in constant fear that he was going to remember what went on in the woods that night. She should have stayed away from him like she intended to, but she was drawn to him because she feels something for him. Is she alone in that? His phone rings, and he asks if they can talk later. She says, sure, and he jets.

Nina says she would have risked prison before betraying Sonny’s trust like that, and Obrecht says, that’s easy to say now, knowing it won’t happen. Nina starts to leave, but Obrecht says she doesn’t want to fight. Nina is her niece, and knows she’s always on her side. Who did Nina call to help her with Peter in Nixon Falls? Her. Nina says she did, and Obrecht almost died because of it. Obrecht says, that’s all over. She understands what it’s like to make bad choices for love’s sake; to be condemned for following your heart. If Nina needs a friendly face, here it is. Let’s sit. Nina says she was looking for Phyllis, and Obrecht says, Phyllis isn’t here, but she is. Please? They sit down, and Obrecht asks if Nina has eaten. She was supposed to have dinner with Britt, but she was a tiny bit late, and Britt ditched her. Nina says she’s not hungry, and Obrecht says, then they’ll drink. What happened to ruin her appetite? Nina says she had another run-in with Carly. It doesn’t seem to matter where she goes, Carly is there, and no matter what she says or does, Carly takes it in the worst way possible. With good reason, but Nina gets the feeling Carly is more interested in hating her than she is in helping her own husband. Obrecht asks, why does Sonny need help?

Drew asks if Carly is missing Jason, and she says, always. He was her sounding board, her voice of reason. Even when she didn’t agree with him, he never held it against her. He says he’d be willing to listen, or he can just go and let her think in peace, but she says she doesn’t want him to go. What about him? Is he thinking about Jason tonight too? He says, actually, Oscar’s been on his mind, and she says, she and Josslyn miss him a lot. Oscar and Josslyn used to come to this bridge all the time. He says he’s grateful for the few years he had with his son; he just wishes they’d had more time. She says, life is precious, and he says, they shouldn’t waste a second. She wonders why she’s stuck on this bridge trying to make a decision, and he asks what she’s trying to decide. She says, about her and Sonny.

Sonny sets the rose down on the steps, and leans on the deck railing. He says, she’ll be here.

Felicia tells Anna, still no word from Mac. She knows it’s silly of her to try. He’s got a lot going on, but she can’t help it. He said he’d call her as soon as he got to the prison. Shouldn’t he have gotten there already? Anna says, the roads are frozen. It might have slowed them down. Felicia says, maybe. Does Anna really believe that? Anna wonders if Felicia thinks something’s wrong, and Felicia says, when has dealing with Peter ever gone right? Anna says she’ll meet Felicia in the car, and takes off, Felicia not far behind her.

Carly’s phone rings, and it’s Kristina. Kristina says, it’s probably none of her business, but she wants her dad to be happy. He’s waiting for Carly on the Haunted Star. Does she want to show up? Carly says she knows Kristina loves her father, but she’s right, this is none of her business. Kristina says, he’s standing on a freezing deck with his heart on his sleeve. Can’t Carly at least meet him halfway? She helped him put everything together, and trust her, he’s pulled out all the stops to show Carly how much their marriage means to him. She can’t turn her back; it will crush him. Carly says, that’s not what she’s doing. All she asked for was a little bit of space. Kristina says, well, just show up. Please tell her that she’ll at least hear him out. Carly says she can’t do this right now. Goodbye. Drew asks if Carly is okay, but she says, no.

Nina says she wanted to talk to Obrecht, but how could she after what happened in court? Obrecht says, she only told Scotty what she suspected to keep Nina out of prison, and it worked. Thanks to Scotty’s brilliant strategy, she’s a free woman. These are different circumstances. Whatever’s going on now, she promises not to say a word to anyone; she swears. Nina says, Sonny is having some health issues, and it got so bad, she was afraid to leave him alone. She even spent a harrowing night at his place. She’s just thankful she got him to realize that he needed some help. Right after that, she ran into Carly, and tried desperately to tell her that her husband was in trouble, but Carly refused to listen to her. Obrecht says, Nina told her Sonny was sick, and she didn’t care? but Nina says she never got that far. Carly wasn’t hearing anything Nina had to say. Obrecht says, it sounds like she wasn’t trying very hard, and Nina says she’s a little conflicted because Sonny doesn’t want Carly to know what he’s going through. Obrecht says she doesn’t care what Sonny or Carly want; she cares what Nina wants. And she doesn’t think Nina wants Sonny and Carly to get back together.

Chase comes onto the patio and says, Brook can’t just tell him something like that and storm out. He puts a blanket around her shoulders, and says, besides, he doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She says, please. He acts all nice, but she knows the truth. He asks, what truth? and she says, when they first moved in, she overheard his conversation with Dante, telling him what a horrible person she is. How he wants to protect Bailey from her influence. He says he’s been trying to figure out why she’s been so hot and cold with him lately. That was just talk; he didn’t mean it. She asks why he said it, and he says, because he slipped. He said it would be a mistake if he developed feelings for her. She says, much better. Thanks for clearing that up. He says he was referring to Bailey. That’s what they’re doing here, right? If he developed feelings for her, it would complicate things, so he had to downplay it to Dante. Dante is a sharp guy, so he said all that crap about her not being his type. She asks if he really had to take it that far. He said awful things about her character. He tells her, she said herself that he’s a terrible liar, so he went too far to make sure Dante bought it. She says, so he doesn’t think she’s a horrible person? and he moves closer to her, saying, just the opposite. He says, he’s come to realize what a truly good person she is.

Spinelli tells Sam, crisis averted. James just wanted a glass of water. Where were they? Her and destiny; choosing a path. New life with Dante; second chance with Drew… She says, things with Dante are great. She loves seeing him with Scout and Danny; he’s a great father. He’s really stepped up, and taken care of all the kids’ needs. He says, what about her needs? and she says she’s not discussing her sex life with him. Okay, no complaints; none. He says, but by her own admission, she has unfinished business with Drew, and she says, if Jason hadn’t come back, they were starting a whole new life together, so it’s hard not to say what if? He says he sees no harm in asking, when Maxie walks in. She says she didn’t know Sam was here. Are Georgie and James sleeping? Spinelli says they’re both asleep, and Sam asks if something’s wrong. Maxie says, she kissed Austin, okay? Sam says, and? and Maxie says, it was horrible.

The police radio asks what the status is; please advise. Lying on the ground, Dante reaches for the radio, and says, 10-99. He repeats, 10-99. Officers down. Multiple injuries. The radio falls from his hand, and we see another man down by the van.

Carly tells Drew that Sonny planned this elaborate surprise at the Haunted Star. He’s recreated Martinique. Drew says, which is where they got married, right? She says, second wedding. Sonny really knows how to make a romantic gesture. He asks, so what is she doing here, and not there? and she says, she doesn’t need romance right now. She needs some space to figure out her feelings. Sonny wants her to commit right here, right now to fighting for her marriage. Is she wrong for not wanting to meet him halfway? He says, back up a moment. She just said she didn’t need romance; she needs time. And she said this to Sonny? She says, yes, and he says, and Sonny went ahead and planned this elaborate surprise, and wants her to come despite how she’s feeling right now? She says, yeah, and he says, that’s not about meeting Sonny halfway. That’s just Sonny being Sonny, trying to fix things on his timetable. The fact that she’s here right now is proof she has doubts. She’s 100% justified in feeling the way she does. She thanks him, and says she’s so glad he understands. He says he thinks he does, which is why he’s going to ask this. Is she positive she doesn’t want to go?

Brook asks if Chase really thinks she’s a good person, and he says, he doesn’t think; he knows. Look what she did for Maxie. Not to mention she put herself at risk to protect Bailey from her lunatic father. She says, and she lied to her family… So much lying. He says, good thing she can lie with the best of them, and she laughs. She says she never thought she’d hear Detective Harrison Chase condone duplicity, and he says, what she did was incredible. It might not have started out for the noblest of reasons, but she came through with flying colors. She stuck to her promise, and protected Bailey. Brook treated Bailey like her own daughter, all while she was taking serious hits to her reputation and character. She says she’d do anything to protect that little girl, and he says, him too, because they’re partners, which is exactly why they can’t be any more than friends. She says, but has he considered it?

Anna walks around the van, gun drawn. She looks in the van, and sees only the guard, lying across the seat. She checks for a pulse. She says, all clear, and Felicia comes out and checks Dante. She says, he’s just unconscious, but where’s Mac? Anna says she doesn’t know; be careful. Anna turns Dante over, and asks if he can talk. Felicia sees Mac, on the ground, shot, and says, oh my God, Mac. Dante asks, where’s Peter? and Anna says, he escaped.

Sonny sits on the steps, and takes a new wedding ring set out of his pocket and looks at them. He hears footsteps, and goes to the railing. He says, Carly?

Nina says, Obrecht told her that she doesn’t want to fight, but then accuses her of not wanting Sonny and Carly’s marriage to work. She gets up and grabs her coat, but Obrecht says, slow down and calm down. She’s not accusing Nina of anything, except perhaps not going after what she wants. She’s on Nina’s side, and wants her to be happy. Tell her, does she love Sonny? Nina says, Sonny is committed to his marriage, and Obrecht says, that wasn’t her question. Nina sits back down, and says, Sonny fell in love with her when he was Mike, a man without a past. Obrecht says, he was Sonny then, and he’s still Sonny now. Scotty told her that Sonny even admitted under oath that he loved Nina; that doesn’t just disappear. Nina says, it does when you have a wife and children. She can’t forget about that little detail. Sonny loves Carly. Obrecht says, perhaps he loves Nina too, but Nina says, she cannot be the woman who breaks apart Sonny and Carly’s marriage. Obrecht tells her, don’t be ridiculous. Marriages break up all the time. Is Nina going to live her life based on what others think? Does she think Sonny and Carly do? If Nina loves Sonny, and he loves her, why shouldn’t they be together?

Kristina tells Sonny, sorry; it’s only her. He says he saw her leaving, and she says, she did, but she came back. She thought he’d see her coming up the dock, but he says he was busy. He shows her the rings, saying, when he came back from Nixon Falls, he lost his wedding band, so he bought two more, since it’s the beginning. She says she’s sorry, and he says, she doesn’t have to be sorry; Carly is always late. She knows how important this night is to him. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says she wanted to be there for him… because Carly’s not coming. She called Carly. He says she didn’t have to do that, and she says she couldn’t help herself. She knows how important this night is for him, but Carly said she couldn’t do it. He says, do what? and she says, meet him halfway. He says, Carly told her that? She didn’t even want to try?… So Carly’s not coming? Kristina shakes her head.

Carly tells Drew that she can’t decide what to do. Does she show up at the Haunted Star, or call Sonny and tell him that she can’t come? He says he gets it; let’s work it through. She says, okay. She knows this much. Champagne and candles are not going to fix what’s wrong between her and Sonny, and he should respect her request for space. Drew says, agreed but is that something Sonny would really do? She says, who knows anymore? Sonny has been all over place since he came back from Nixon Falls, but he should at least try for her her sake. He says, absolutely, and she says, this is typical Sonny though. He has to be in control of everything, and he made tonight feel like an ultimatum; show up or else. Drew says, what if it is?

Mac is on a stretcher, and the paramedics tend to him. Felicia says, they have to get him to General Hospital, but a paramedic says, if they move him before he’s stabilized, they could lose him. Felicia tells Mac, please hang in there; she loves him so much. Dante asks Anna, what’s going on? and she says, Mac was shot. They’re trying to stabilize him right now, then move him to GH. He says he can’t believe he let Peter escape, and she asks if he can tell her what happened. He says he was in the van with Peter and the guard. The van lost control and was swerving everywhere. Then it just stopped. She says, spike strips; she managed to avoid them. He says he’s glad somebody did. He got out, and left Peter and the guard in the van. Mac joined him in searching for what caused the accident. He noticed the tires had been punctured. Then a light came from over here. He points, and she says, a car? Description? He says, no. It was an SUV because the lights were too high. He sensed someone walking behind him, and it was Kendall. He hit Dante over the head. Anna asks if he knows who shot the Pentenville guard or this man, pointing the guy near the van, but he says, no. He came to, and called the dispatcher. He asks, how’s Mac? He doesn’t hear any sirens. She says, they’re still working on him, and he asks if there’s any sign of Peter, but she says, no. Her guess is, he and Kendall took someone’s car. Dante says, he could be anywhere, and she says, they’ll find him. They have to.

Spinelli says, for clarification’s sake, Austin’s kiss was not satisfying? Maxie says, what? and Sam reminds her that she said it was horrible. Maxie says, that’s not what she meant. The kiss was great. It just got really messed up afterwards. Sam says she needs to hear this, when Maxie’s phone rings. She steps away, and says, Austin, hi. Austin says, they have patients coming into the ER. There was a shooting on Route 31. Maxie says, that’s the road to Pentenville. Sam asks, what’s going on? and Maxie says, there was a shooting on Route 31. Spinelli says, he’s on it, and goes to his laptop. Maxie tells Austin that she’s putting him on speaker, and asks, who was shot? He says he doesn’t have any details, but he knows one cop was injured. Sam says, that must be the prison van, and Maxie says, oh my God, Mac and Dante. Sam asks if there’s any other information, and Austin says, this is what he can tell them; multiple injured and two fatalities.

Drew tells Carly, Sonny has to know he’s in the wrong. He’s got to know that he shouldn’t be pushing like this, but it’s almost like he can’t help it. Because he can’t stand the idea of losing her and the kids and the family. All of it is way too much for him to lose. What if it’s not an ultimatum, and it’s more of a cry for help? He’s got to believe they have a future together, so what if instead thinking of it as caving, she thinks of it as throwing him a lifeline?

Sonny closes the ring box and looks like he might pitch it into the water, but he doesn’t. He opens the box, takes one of the rings out, and looks at it.  

Brook tells Chase, what is she saying? Of course (🍷) he’s considered it. He’s hot; she’s hot. He says, that’s not what he meant, and she says, he doesn’t think she’s hot? He says, no… yes… definitely. He was talking about her as a person. He likes her – Brook Lyn. That’s why they’re friends. He moves closer, and she says, friends, right. Because anything more would be too complicated. He says, exactly. So it’s out of the question. She says she never even considered it, and he says, neither did he. They look as though they might kiss.

Nina tells Obrecht that she’s going to the ladies room. Feel free to order without her. She’s leaving her stuff; don’t steal anything. Nina leaves, and Obrecht says, a drink it is. Kristina comes in on the phone, saying, she was already late for work as it was. She gets the point; he’d rather not let her see him in pain, but she should have seen the look on his face when he realized Carly wasn’t coming. It broke her heart. He told her to leave, now her dad is all alone on the Haunted Star… Right… She knows. She’ll give him some time, but she’s calling him when she gets off work. Speaking of work, she’d better get going. Thanks for listening, mom… Love you too. She sees Obrecht standing at the bar.

A detective asks what Anna thinks, and she says she thinks Kendall saw the strip in the middle of the road and did nothing to avoid it. That he intentionally disabled the van to allow the gunman, or gunmen, to move in. She needs tire track prints from the other car on the shoulder. An officer walks up, and asks if there’s any news on the chief, and she says, he’s on his way to the hospital; thanks for asking. What about Kendell? Did they find him? The officer says, five miles up the road, and Anna says, great. She’ll follow him in her car. She wants answers. He says, she won’t get them from Kendall. Kendall’s dead.

Maxie and Sam come into the hospital, and Maxie asks Austin if there’s an update. He says he doesn’t know; he just got here. Felicia comes out, and hugs Maxie. She asks where James and Georgie are, and Maxie says, they’re with Spinelli. What happened? Is Mac…? Felicia says, Mac was shot. He’s lost a lot of blood, and it took forever to stabilize him, but he’s here now. It doesn’t look good. Maxie says, he’s going to be okay. Sam asks Austin about Dante, and he says, table two. She thanks him, and goes in. Dante is hooked up to a couple of monitors, but she hugs him anyway. He says, he’s okay; he’ll be fine. He’s sorry to put her through this though. He guesses it’s the downside of dating a cop. She says, there is no downside to having him in her life, and he says he’ll make sure she remembers that. She says she’s lucky to have him in her life. He says, he’s lucky to have her, and they kiss

Obrecht orders a vodka tonic, and goes back to the table. Nina has come back, along with a glass of wine that magically appeared. Obrecht says, now’s Nina’s chance, and Nina says, for what? Obrecht says, she just heard Sonny’s daughter on the phone. Kristina was saying Sonny is in a bad way. Perhaps he’s still sick. Nina says, she thought he got his medication, but maybe he didn’t. He could be in trouble. Obrecht says, there’s only one way to find out. Sonny’s on the Haunted Star… all alone.

The detective tells Anna, they’re checking for signs Kendall was injured here. He probably succumbed to his injuries, and was dumped where the police found him. Anna says, don’t waste your time, and the officer says, Kendall was shot point blank. He died instantly. His guess is that Kendall and Peter had a disagreement, but Anna says, no; it was planned. Peter hates loose ends. She tells them to send an update that the prisoner is traveling alone, and should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.

Maxie asks Austin, what about Mac? Can they see him? He says, one of them can go in there, and only for a minute. Maxie says, that would be Felicia, and Felicia goes. Maxie asks Austin to please tell her one of those dead bodies was Peter, but he says, no; he checked first thing. Peter’s still out there.

Carly tells Drew that she’s not ready to give up on her marriage. So this isn’t about what’s fair. It’s about what they both need emotionally. He says, okay, and what does she need right now? and she says she needs Sonny to know she’s still in this. She’s not giving up, but they can figure things out without closing the door on their marriage. Right? She thanks him and gives him a hug. She says, thanks for talking to her and clarifying things. He says, always. He’s glad they bumped into each other. She says, her too, and his phone rings. He says, Anna… Wait… What happened to Dante.

At the van, Anna asks if he can hear her. Mac and Dante were transporting Peter to Pentenville, and they were ambushed. They’ve both been hurt. He says, what about August? and she says, there’s no sign of him. He says, dammit, and Carly says, what? He tells her, Peter August escaped.

Sonny closes the ring box, and says, that’s that. He turns to leave, and sees Nina walking out onto the deck.  

Chase says, they should get back, and Brook says, of course (🍷). Chase’s phone rings, and he says, Dante, what’s up? At the hospital, Dante says, there’s something he should know. Mac was shot tonight. Chase asks, how bad? but Dante says, they don’t know. He’s on his way to surgery now. Chase asks, what happened? and Dante says, the transport van was ambushed. Peter escaped. Brook says, what? and Chase says, the transport van was ambushed. Mac was shot and Peter escaped. She says, oh no, and runs inside. Chase runs after her, and Dante asks if he’s still there. Brook and Chase run into the nursery, and Bailey’s crib is empty. Brook starts to cry, and says, no, no, no!   

In a moving car, Peter tells Bailey/Louise, hello, sweetheart. Safe and snug. They’re together, and he’s never letting her go.

On Monday, Austin says, it’s a helluva story; Chase says, all signs point to Peter; Anna asks if Robert wants to go down that path; and Sonny says, his and Nina’s time together never happened.

🧹 Sweeping Up…

What’s to come on the soaps this month.

February Sweeps Preview

👄 La Lucci Speaks…

The diva of Pine Valley tells all.

Susan Lucci Talks ALL MY CHILDREN’s Future
Susan Lucci Shares an Update on the AMC Reboot, PINE VALLEY

👩🏾‍⚕️ Front Line Help…

She might not be a nurse off-camera, but she’s just as caring.

GH Nurse Sonya Eddy Pledges To Help Real-Life Nurses!

☄️ Farewell To a Star…

Another loss to the soap world.

Donald May, Beloved Star of The Edge of Night, Texas, Dead at 94

👠 She’s Available…

Randall is an idiot.

https://people.com/tv/lala-kent-dating-again-after-randall-emmett-split/

🍊 OC Delusion…

I wanted to like her, but I’ve come to the conclusion she’s batsh*t crazy.

https://www.monstersandcritics.com/tv/reality-tv/rhoc-newbie-noella-bergener-talks-feud-with-heather-dubrow-says-costar-sees-her-as-a-threat/

🗽 Accessing Production…

Like this matters anymore.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/31/carole-radziwill-bethenny-frankel-had-access-to-rhony-producers/

🛥 Ultimate Complaint…

What a shock. Brandi is mean.

Vicki Gunvalson Calls Brandi Glanville “So Mean” as Brandi Responds, Talks Cancer Battle, Shades RHOC Ratings, and Says New Cast Members Are “Cheap”

🧂 Rubbing Salt In the Wound…

This week’s recap.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/30/rhoslc-recap-lisa-barlow-implies-meredith-marks-cheated-on-husband-seth/

Exit stage Mary.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/03/mary-cosby-exits-real-housewives-of-salt-lake-city/

Everybody is getting into the act.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/04/john-mayer-drags-rhoslc-star-lisa-barlow-in-andy-cohen-tribute/

🐶 They’re Coming…

All you need to know about the upcoming Puppy Bowl XVIII.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/puppy-bowl-announcement

🦜 Quotes of the Week

Fashion is a movie. Every morning when you get dressed, you direct yourself. – Thierry Mugler

For a New Yorker anything is possible. – Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), The Gilded Age

Don’t let anyone who hasn’t been in your shoes tie your laces. – Judge Faith Jenkins

You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. – Maya Angelou

The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them. – Ida B. Wells

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

Above all else, go with a sense of humor. It is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lip is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life. – Hugh Sidey

Don’t lose your sense of humor. – the only advice my father gave me when I left home. I’ve come close.

Start where you are, with what you have. Make something of it and never be satisfied. – George Washington Carver

🚶🏽‍♀️ Time To Skedaddle…

It’s here – the weekend for those still doing the 9 to 5, and the next two days for those off the work grid. Come join me on the third day for soap and a Deck Reunion. Until then, stay safe, stay pragmatic, and stay off any yacht you’re not invited aboard.

Feb3

February 2, 2022 – Tracy Is Accused Of Counterfeiting the Ice Princess, Cabo Is a Sweat Lodge & Janet’s Rhythm

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ned says, the Ice Princess? and Tracy says, it was genuine the last time she looked. Michael asks, when was that? but she doesn’t know. Luke always took care of that. Ned says, how comforting, and she says, all she knows is, she did not try to pass off a fake diamond. Laura tells Tracy that the warrant for her arrest is valid. She’s so sorry, but there’s nothing she can do. Ned says he’s calling a lawyer, and Tracy says, hold on. She looks at head official guy and says, I know you.

Austin tells Maxie that he knows how he feels. Does she want to tell him what the kiss meant to her? She says, it meant a lot actually. Proof that her connection with him is real; that her heart is ready to be happy. He’s important to her. He says, she’s important to him, and she says, so she’s happy she kissed him, but it can’t happen again.

Alexis gets up, and asks if Willow is in trouble, but Harmony says, no. She didn’t mean to alarm Alexis. Alexis says, good, and sits back down. She just had a very good heart-to-heart with Kristina, and she thinks Kristina is on board with them being friends. What’s wrong? Harmony says, Alexis may not want to be her friend after she hears this.

Trina walks into the gallery, and Ava asks what she’s doing here. Isn’t she supposed to be away? Trina says, their trip got cut short, and Ava asks if Trina and her friends weren’t having any fun. Trina says she’s not sure it could have gone any worse.

Spencer joins Doc and Esme at the counter in Kelly’s, and says, his final check before he goes to the big house. Should he put it in his account for ramen and postage stamps? Doc says he thinks Spencer has seen too many prison movies (or thinks he’s going to college), but Spencer says he’s about to experience the real thing. Doc says, one step at a time, okay? His grandmother’s on the way, and Doc is sure some of Spencer’s friends will be stopping by to wish him well, but Spencer says he’s not holding his breath.

Outside Kelly’s, Anna leaves another voicemail for Valentin. She asks if he can call her back. She wants to know what it is he’s discovered about Louise. And she wants an update on him, if he’s all right. Victor comes by, and says, Anna, a pleasure. She tells him, speak for himself.

Sonny doesn’t understand why Carly is so worked up, and she says, it’s the not understanding part that’s the problem. She’s asked him for time and space, and instead, he cooks up some over-the-top display of love. He says, that’s a bad thing? and she says, no, it’s not the right thing. And after all these years, he should know her better than that. He says he knows her better than anyone.

Tracy says, it all makes sense now, and Ned asks, what makes sense? She asks if official guy followed her all the way from the Netherlands, Dean… Dan… He says, Dave. Tracy says, Dave the Dumpster Diver. That’s what Luke used to call him when he was sniffing around them in Amsterdam. He was obsessed with nailing Luke on some trumped-up charge. He found a new angle. Ned asks if Dave has been hounding his mother, but Dave says he’s just doing his job. Tracy says, like he was just doing his job holding her and Luke at the Belgian border for twelve hours without cause. Laura says, that sounds a little above and beyond the call of duty, and Tracy says, above and beyond the law. Dave says, here’s the deal. He doesn’t answer to any of them, and Tracy is in their custody now. Drew says he doesn’t think so. They’re not taking his aunt anywhere.

Austin says he is kind of a bonehead about a lot of things, but can Maxie explain something to him? If them kissing makes her happy, why doesn’t she want to do it again? She says, she likes him… a lot, but until she has her daughter back, she can’t give them the focus they deserve. He says he understands, and she says, does he? He says, no, and she says, those aren’t just words. She really does care about him, but she just can’t give in to her feelings. She’s sorry. He says, not ever? and she says, not yet.

Victor says he understands Peter was being transferred today. He supposes Anna is on her way to the hospital to supervise. She says, no, it’s being handled, and he says, may his trial be swift, and his incarceration infinite. She says, on that, they agree, and he says, and coffee. Can they at least agree on that as well? She asks, as in, does she like it? but he says, as in, can he buy her a cup? It will give them a chance to get better acquainted. She thanks him, but says, she thinks she knows all she needs to know, and he asks why she despises him, particularly since Valentin means so much to them both. She asks if he’s heard from Valentin, but he says, not since yesterday. She says she hasn’t been able to reach him, and Victor says, he did seem a little distracted last night. She’s worried about his son. She tells him that she didn’t say that, and he says, she didn’t have to.

Doc asks if Spencer is having problems with his friends, and Esme tells Spencer not to worry. No matter who shows up, she’ll be at Spring Ridge every week to visit him. She’ll do whatever he needs to help him through.

Trina tells Ava, then apparently, Spencer and Esme left. Ava says, apparently? and Trina says she was passed out. Ava asks how much she had to drink, and Trina says, just one, she promises. She never had hot toddies before. Ava says, at Trina’s age, drinking is just ill-advised, and Trina says, lesson learned. Apparently, whiskey is not her friend. Ava says, neither is Esme. From the sound of it, she had quite a hand in the night taking a turn. Trina says, did she ever, and Ava wonders, why is that girl always nearby when there’s trouble?

Sonny says, Carly used to appreciate it when he thought outside the box. She knows him better than anybody. She says, maybe they don’t know each other anymore, but he says, that’s not true, and when she sees what he’s got planned, he’s going to prove that to her. She says she appreciates him trying; the flowers, the meals, now this big surprise. He says, but? and she says, it’s not what she needs. He says, tell him what she needs, and she says she has, over and over again. He says, give him something concrete that’s going to save their marriage; something that’s going to get her to come home.

Alexis hands Harmony a cup, and says, compliments of Corinthos Coffee as a welcome back gift. Harmony says she’s happy things are going so well for Alexis post-release, and Alexis says, everyone has been very kind. Okay, so why doesn’t she want to be friends with Harmony? Harmony says, because she failed her daughter again, and Alexis asks, how? Harmony says, because Willow wants something from her that she can’t give her. Alexis tells her, says every mother from the beginning of time. They sit, and Harmony says, Willow has been more forgiving and accepting than she deserves, especially when it comes to Wiley. Alexis says, good. It sounds like they’re on the path to rebuilding their relationship. Harmony says she wants the best for Willow, and just wants to be a mother to her, and Alexis says, Harmony is her mother. Harmony says, she’s a liability.

Drew says, Tracy isn’t going anywhere with Dave until they speak to his superiors. Dave says, and he is? and Drew says, Drew Cain. Dave looks at the other official guy, and Drew says, they’re familiar with his name He was debriefed by Dave’s boss at the WSB, but new memories have surfaced; memories he believes would be of use to the agency. Michael says, maybe Drew would rather share his experiences with their online readership. He introduces himself, and says, he’s CEO of Aurora’s visual division. He’d love to get the scoop. Drew says, so Michael is suggesting he go public, instead of cooperating further with the WSB? He asks what Dave thinks. Is he willing to grant Drew’s small request, or explain to his higher ups why Drew’s not willing to play ball anymore? Dave asks what it is Drew wants, and Drew says he wants Dave to call Anna Devane.

Anna tells Victor, if he sees or hears from Valentin, please ask him to call her. He says he will, and her phone rings. She sees it’s the WSB, and answers. She asks, what’s the problem?… She’s on her way. Victor says, WSB business? and she says she’s got to see a man about a dog. She leaves, and he goes into Kelly’s.

Spencer thanks Victor for coming, and hugs him. Victor says, it’s a pleasure, and thanks Spencer for including him. Victor asks how he’s doing on this not-so celebratory occasion, and Spencer says, he’s hanging in there. Victor says, he’ll continue to do so; day by day, hour by hour. Esme says, minute by minute if he has to, and Victor says, if at any time Spencer feels adrift, reach out to a guy by the name of Samuel. He’s arranged for him to look out for Spencer. Spencer says, for real? That’s amazing. He doesn’t know how to thank Victor. Victor says, his pleasure, and Doc asks if he and Victor can have a word, and they go outside. Esme says, that should make Spencer feel a little better, and he says he’s so grateful for his uncle, and her for trying to make things easier. She says she wishes he could add his friends to that list.

Trina says, Ava isn’t the only one who thinks Esme’s trouble. Cam and Joss told Spencer that night. Ava asks if Trina thinks they got through to him, but Trina says she doesn’t know. She still can’t believe he’s into that girl. Ava says, he’s young; he’ll learn. Trina says, when? and Ava says, someday. Often it takes the right person to come along before someone realizes they should have someone better. So how did Trina leave things with Cam and Josslyn? Trina says she thinks they’re good. She told them there were no bad feelings about them being together, even though it was awkward with a capital A. Ava says she remembers how Trina used to feel about Cam, and Trina says she’s sorry Ava had to hear all that. Ava says she’s honored Trina shared that with her. She just hopes her advice helped. Trina says, Ava told her to be honest about her feelings, while also prioritizing her friendship with Joss. Ava says, and has Trina been completely honest with them?

Sonny asks Carly to tell him how to make this right, and she says she would if she thought he’d listen. He says, forget the time nonsense, and she says, it’s not nonsense. He says he can’t give her that, and she says, that’s awesome, and starts to leave. He says, time away from him and time away from their daughters, their life together, is that what she wants? She says, she doesn’t want any of it. She hates being away from the girls, and every morning when she opens her eyes and he’s not there in bed with her. He broke her heart. Not to mention the humiliation factor. He asks, who’s humiliated? and she says she is. He says, by what? and she says, the multiple people who knew about him and Nina before she did. Finding out in the hearing room in front of everybody. She felt so stupid. He says he didn’t want her to find out about it that way; he wanted it to come from him. She says, but it didn’t. Not one word. He says he planned to. He told her that how many times? Then Jason died and… He doesn’t want to make it an excuse. She says she knows it’s not an excuse. Jason died, and everything else faded into the background. She gets that. He says, so she understands? and she says, that part, yes. He asks if she forgives him.

Trina tells Ava, she was honest with Joss and Cam, or at least as honest as she could have been without hurting anyone’s feelings. She liked Cam back in the day, but they realized it just wasn’t right. It’s no one’s fault; it just is. Ava asks how she feels about that, and Trina says, lousy. Ava asks if she told her friends that, and Trina asks if Ava heard the part about not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. Ava says she should never have to suck it up, and Trina says she thinks she’d be open to that now. She’s learned that shoving it down doesn’t help. Ava says, Trina is her priority in this scenario, and Trina thanks her for listening. Ava says, always, and Trina says, so that’s it. She told Cam and Joss that she was over it, and they could all move on. Ava says, over it or over Cam? and Trina says, both. Ava asks if she thinks it has anything to do with Spencer.

Spencer tells Esme, his friends have every reason to be angry; their weekend away was a disaster. He hopes Trina is okay. Esme says, she’ll be fine, but by all means worry more about Trina than the girlfriend he’s leaving behind.

Doc tells Victor, all of them who care about Spencer want him to be safe while he’s inside Spring Ridge. However, he doesn’t think it serves Spencer’s interest to rely on whatever guard Victor is in league with. Victor says, can he help it if he has friends Spencer can avail himself of? Just like the mayor has friends, or Doc has friends. His friends are just more useful to Spencer right now. Perhaps instead of scolding him, Doc should be thanking him.

Anna comes in, and Tracy says, finally. Is she aware her friends are harassing a grieving widow? Drew tells her, what his aunt means to say is, thanks for getting here so quickly, and Anna says, of course (🍷). What’s going on? Drew says, they need some clarity on grounds for arrest, and Anna says, the arrest being…? Tracy says, her. She’s under arrest for something she did not do. Michael says they think one of the agents has an agenda, and Anna says she’ll ask some questions. Tracy asks her if Anna can be quick; she has a plane to catch. Luke left some loose ends she needs to tie up. God knows what he was into before he died. Anna says she’ll be right back, and Ned thanks Drew for sticking his neck out on Tracy’s behalf. He didn’t have to. Drew says, they’re family, and Ned says, that, we are.

Austin says, one thing he knows for sure, he has terrible timing, but Maxie asks how he can say that. She kissed him. If timing is the issue, it’s hers. He asks if there’s a second issue, and she says, her, the woods, a baby popping out. Does any of it ring a bell? He says, it rings some vague bells, and she says she doesn’t want to think what would have happened if he wasn’t there. He says he’s glad he was, and she says, her too. He says, honest follow-up question. If they hadn’t met in the woods; if they’d met in a café or library… She says, what? and he says, a box store. If they’d met in a box store, would she be friendzoning him? She says, he’s not friendzoned… Okay, he is, but only until things get settled. He says he totally gets it, and she thanks him. She says, just so they’re clear, she’s not expecting him to wait for her. He’s well within his rights to move on. He asks if that’s what she wants, and she says she wants him to be happy. He says, having this moment with her right now makes him totally happy. He has no plans to go anywhere or do anything. Unless she has a problem with that. She says, not the tiniest bit.

Carly says she gets why Jason dying made it difficult to tell her about Nina, and he says, then why the distance between them? He’s not going to be with Nina. They still love each other, right? She says, of course (🍷), and he asks, then what’s the problem? She says she just wants for this never to have happened, and he says, one thing he can’t do is turn back time. If he could, he would. If he could erase what happened in Nixon Falls, being Mike and everything, he would. She says, would he? if given the chance, would he choose to forget everything that happened in Nixon Falls, everything with Nina? He says, if it meant they could be together and happy, yeah, he would. She says, he was almost convincing, and he tells her, anything he says isn’t good enough. He’s got props being delivered. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says he’s recreating their wedding in Martinique. She says, that’s the surprise? and he says, he thought she knew the plan. She says she knew he had something planned, but didn’t know what it was, and he says, that’s what it was. They don’t have to. He can do anything she wants. She asks, what’s better then Martinique? and he says, not much. She says, as far as grand gestures go, it’s pretty perfect.

Esme says, the entire town hates her, but Spencer asks if she doesn’t think she’s overreacting a little. Victor walks in, and she says, who does she have besides him? He says, Doc and his grandmother for starters, and she says, they tolerate her at best because of him. Victor approaches, and says he’s sorry for eavesdropping, but if there’s anything Esme needs while his nephew is away,  he’s always available. Spencer says, see? and asks them to excuse him a moment. He goes outside, and Esme thanks Victor, saying, that’s very sweet. He says, and earnest. He knows something about feeling unwelcome. As a matter-of-fact, he just got an earful from the good doctor Collins.

Spencer asks what Doc is still doing out here; it’s freezing. Doc says he’s waiting for Laura. She should be here any minute. Spencer says he’s sorry, and Doc says, for what? Spencer says he should have told Doc that he was inviting his great uncle, but Doc says he’s allowed to invite whoever he likes. Spencer says, grandmother has made it painfully clear she doesn’t trust Victor, and Doc says, Laura is concerned, but if Victor is important to Spencer, he should be there. The last thing Spencer wants to start this next chapter is regrets.

Trina tells Ava, Spencer’s her friend. Sure, he makes idiotic choices, and his girlfriend’s a nightmare, but he’s basically a good guy. Not that she supports what he did to Ava. Ava says, Trina doesn’t have to justify anything to her. She knows Spencer is a complicated young man. She may not be able to trust him, but she thinks he benefits from having Trina in his life. She just wants the friendship to be reciprocal; she wants Trina to benefit as well, not just be a target for Esme’s jealousy. Trina says, Esme has nothing to be jealous about, and Ava says, if it makes Trina uncomfortable supervising Spencer when he starts working there, she’ll be happy to keep the two of them apart.

Anna comes back, and tells Tracy, apparently the buyer she sold a piece of the Ice Princess to, had it appraised, and the fragment is close to worthless. Tracy says, if that’s true, it’s news to her, and Anna says, the WSB has doubts about that. Laura asks why the WSB is involved, and not Interpol, and Anna says, jockeying for jurisdiction is her guess. The Ice Princess is of enormous interest, as she knows. Laura says, all too well. It put a shadow over their lives for decades; everyone wanted a piece of it. Anna says, it’s history alone is every man’s desire, not to mention it’s monetary worth. She tells Dave, which is to say, there will be no shortage of scrutiny as to how this case is handled. She asks how Tracy found a buyer, and Tracy says, she used an intermediary, someone who did deals for her and Luke in the past. Anna says, she’ll need a name. She’ll also need Tracy to walk her through where she stored the diamond, and how often she had it appraised, and the contact information of the previous buyer. Ned asks if this means his mother isn’t under arrest, and Anna says she thinks arrest is a little aggressive, especially since Tracy is so willing to cooperate. She’ll make a call, and have them void the warrant. Dave says, they were given the green light, but Anna says, they’ll discuss his conduct later, and tells them to wait outside. They leave, and she tells Tracy that she’ll need every detail as to where the diamond was, and how it passed from Luke to Tracy. Every detail. Go.  

Harmony tells Alexis, Michael surprised Willow with an upcoming trip to Paris, and to get a passport, she needs a birth certificate. Alexis says, so she doesn’t have it, she lost it, she can get another one; it’s easy. Harmony says, it’s not easy. Willow doesn’t have a birth certificate, and it’s her fault. Alexis doesn’t get it. Willow got married, she was in school, she got a driver’s license. You can’t have all those things and not have a birth certificate. Harmony says, the one she had wasn’t official. Harmony was living in a commune when she gave birth to Willow, and the community didn’t adhere to societal norms. Alexis asks what she means, and she says she forged Willow’s birth certificate.  

Ned walks Laura to the door, and says he appreciates her trying to help out with those agents. She says, that diamond has always brought bad luck. He says, he would never tell his mother this – she says, then she won’t either – but part of him is relieved that someone took it off her. Laura doesn’t blame him. Has his mother ever mentioned someone threatening Luke over the Ice Princess? He says, not that he recalls; why? She says she was just wondering. She’s sorry his vow ceremony was overshadowed by this nonsense. It really was a lovely ceremony. He says, with a lovely officiant. Nothing could ruin today. He was, and still is, the happiest man on earth. She tells him, keep it that way, and he says, that’s the plan, and she leaves.

Anna says, it’s a good start. When Tracy gets home, she’ll have an agent reach out with further questions. Tracy asks her to get a competent one please, and Anna says she’ll do her best. She steps into the foyer, and calls Maxie. She asks if Maxie is free right now to meet… Good. Where is she?… You’re kidding.

Alexis says, Harmony forged her daughter’s birth certificate? and Harmony says, not her personally. Alexis says, oh, in that case… and Harmony says, there was a guy at the commune who could recreate official looking documents. Alexis asks, what was wrong with the actual document? and Harmony says, the people at the commune were worried if they filed with the state, it would be used for scrutiny, or to track them. Alexis says, so that’s it; Harmony isn’t leaving anything out. Harmony says, yes. Sadly it’s just typical group-think paranoia. Alexis says, it must have been some forger if no one questioned the certificate, and Harmony says, she was worried this day would come. That her stupid decision to live off the grid would impact Willow in some way, and now here they are. Alexis should have seen how excited Willow was at the prospect of traveling abroad. She can’t be the reason it doesn’t happen. She’s caused Willow too much pain and unhappiness as it is. Alexis says, Harmony does realize she’s not a lawyer anymore, and Harmony says, she used to be, and she’s smart. And most important, Harmony trusts her. She can’t lose her daughter over this.

Willow tells Michael that she’s going to check on Wiley, and goes upstairs. Drew says, it’s been an eventful day, and Michael says, it usually is around here. He tells Drew, it was a useful threat in the moment, but if he ever wants to go public about what Victor did to him, he’ll be happy to help. Drew says, thanks, but one way or another, Victor is going to get what’s coming to him.

Victor sits down, and says, when you’re young, time seems infinite, but he can assure Esme, the time Spencer’s away will just fly by. She says she hopes so, and he says, she knows the old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder. She says, Sextus Propertius, and he says he’s impressed. She says, Spence audited a Roman Civ class. He got really into ancient poets and philosophers. Anyway, when Sextus wrote that, she’s sure he had friends to distract him. He tells her, a wise man once said, if everyone likes you, you’re probably not being true to yourself. She asks, who’s the author? and he says, me.

Trina tells Ava that she doesn’t think supervising Spencer will be a problem. She’s gotten a million texts and voicemails from him that he’s sorry about what went down at the cabin. Ava says, a million, huh? and Trina’s phone rings. She says, there he is again. She just doesn’t know what to say to him. She was a mess that night, and the worst part is, she doesn’t know how messy. Ava says, Spencer might be trying to touch base with her today because has to report to prison, and Trina says, she totally forgot; he must be freaking out. Ava says, he probably is, but he has his grandmother and his girlfriend; any number of people to lean on really, and yet he keeps calling Trina.

Anna goes to where Maxie and Austin are, and says she’s surprised they didn’t hear all the excitement. He says, they were kind of busy, and Maxie asks, what happened? Anna says, nothing for her to concern herself with, and Maxie says, good. She’s concerned enough already. Anna asks if she’s spoken with Valentin, and Maxie says, no; why?  Anna says she got a voicemail from him that sounded urgent. Now she can’t get ahold of him. Maxie asks what that has to do with her. What did his voicemail say? Anna tells her, he said he had a lead on Louise.

Sonny tells Carly, there were so many memories to choose from; a lifetime’s worth. She says she remembers he was so determined not to marry her; he fought her at every turn. He says he thought he was protecting her. He wishes he could say it was the last time he did the wrong thing for the right reason. She says, he finally gave in, despite his fears, and he says, because he trusted her. He wants her to trust him, and she says she wants to. He says, they can take it slow, and tonight could be like the first time. She says she knows tonight would be beautiful. It would be filled with romance and nostalgia, but what about tomorrow? Or next week or the week after that? Reliving Martinique isn’t going to change what’s so clear. He says, what’s that? and she says, what they have between them right now isn’t working for him, and it’s definitely not working for her.

Alexis says, she’ll figure something out, and Harmony says, she was hoping Alexis would say that, but only if it’s no trouble. Alexis says she’ll call a lawyer colleague and see what can be done, but Harmony has to stop with the too much trouble thing. After all Harmony has done for her? Harmony says, Alexis doesn’t owe her, but Alexis says she’s not doing it out of obligation. She’s doing it because they’re friends, and that’s what friends do; they help each other out. Harmony hugs her, and says, thank you. Alexis has no idea how much she appreciates this.  

Willow comes back, and says, Leo is showing Wiley how to build an aqueduct using cookie dough and milk. Drew says, maybe the boys will get into building, and Willow says, and not be in the family business? Michael wouldn’t stand for it. Michael says, Wiley can absolutely do what he wants, but for the record, ELQ would benefit from any business helm by those two. Drew asks if he isn’t forgetting about somebody. Scout is part of that generation too. Willow says, it’s going to be wild, isn’t it? Watching them grow up, seeing who they become, what they do, who they love. Drew says, parenthood, what ride, and Michael says, it’s scary and overwhelming at times, but… Drew says, it’s so worth it, and Willow takes Michael’s hand.

Tracy tells Ned, those agents are insisting on escorting her aboard her flight to Amsterdam. He says, it could be worse; they could be escorting her to prison. She says, one thing she learned on this trip; nothing and nobody can hold her back. He says, try not to test that theory please, and they hug. She says, he has his family back. Protect them. He says he will, and she says she meant what she said earlier. He says he loves her too, and opens the door for her. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like that escort thing.

Laura runs up to Doc, apologizing for being late, and he says, she just missed Spencer. She says, he’s gone? and he says, momentarily; he said he’d be right back. How was the vow renewal? She says, it was beautiful. Until the WSB showed up and tried to arrest Tracy for counterfeiting the Ice Princess. He says he can’t tell if she’s joking, and she says she’s not. He says, why would she do that? and Laura says, she didn’t, or so she says, but Laura believes her. First, Luke dies, then the diamond gets counterfeited, and Victor has resurfaced. That’s not a coincidence.

Victor looks at his watch, and Esme asks if he has someplace he needs to be. That’s the third time he’s checked his watch. He says, she doesn’t miss much, and she says she’s an observer of human behavior; that’s why she’s studying psychology. He says, his family will give her lots to analyze. Speaking of – he gets up and looks out – he doesn’t see his nephew outside anymore. Esme gets up and looks out the window, and says, he’s absolutely right.

Ava says Spencer seems desperate to reach Trina, but Trina says, he just feels bad that his girlfriend is legitimately the worst. Ava says, maybe, but either way, it’s a good thing Trina isn’t hung up on him. Spencer walks in to the gallery.  

Sonny says, Carly is wrong. What they have does work. She proved it to him in Martinique. He pushed her away, but she knew better. She says, because she had faith, and he says, now he has the faith. He says she told him they were stronger then, but they’re strong now. At least do him a favor. Meet with him, and show him that she’s willing to try. She says, what if she’s not ready when he wants her to be? and he says, he’ll be waiting, but if she’s not ready now, maybe she never will be. He leaves, and I think, ooh, Carly’s earrings.

Austin says, Valentin is where Louise is? but Anna says, no. She has no reason to believe that. The message was light on detail. Maxie says she doesn’t understand. How could Valentin figure something out that Anna, her mom, and the police couldn’t? Anna says, good question. She imagines Valentin kept digging until he found something. Because ever since he was told Bailey wasn’t his child, he’s more determined than ever to reunite Maxie with her daughter. Austin flashes back to seeing Brook and Maxie with their heads together, Maxie saying she doesn’t even consider Brook a friend, and Brook saying that Maxie is the bravest person she knows.

Britt asks what Drew did to get on Sonny’s bad side: Austin says he remembers what happened in the woods; Laura says, Victor’s connections come at a heavy price; and Peter tells Dante, no one here will ever forget him.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

In Gina’s interview, she said she was definitely in mid-level management. She was trying to support Noella, but get her to respect Heather. Now she got why no one wanted to be in mid-level management. The guys were getting together for dinner, and Heather FaceTimed with Terry. In Jen’s interview, she said she hadn’t known the guys were going to dinner. She thought Ryne would love the guys. She scared him so much, it was just the women he shut up around. We saw some of the guys’ dinner, and no surprise, it looked like a lot more fun than the women’s dinner. Lots of laughing and joking, and no wine glass throwing or screaming. Emily asked Shannon, if she and John were going to have a threesome, who would she bring in? but Shannon said they’d never do it. In Shannon’s interview, she said she asked John if he’d ever had one, and he said, a third party damages a relationship. She told Emily that she didn’t discount people who do that, but she and John were at a level she never thought she’d be at with someone. They planned on getting a home together after the twins went to college. Noella thought Shannon’s kids were her soulmates, and Shannon said they were going to love Noella. In Gina’s interview, she said, Noella didn’t have to dominate every conversation. She wanted Noella to exist in the room without becoming the room. Gina and Emily started goofing around, talking about chakras and going, ohm, and Noella told them they were behaving like children. In Noella’s interview, she said she thought Emily and Gina’s IQ’s went down 10 points when they hung out together. In Emily’s interview, she said she was allowed to have fun with her best friend. Noella couldn’t even get on commercial flight, and is calling her a child? Gina and Emily left the table, Emily saying that Shannon and Noella were being offensive, and Gina saying, don’t call them children. Gina told Noella that she was reactionary in the moment, and we flashed back to Noella shouting that she’d eat potatoes when Emily said she wasn’t eating. In her interview, Gina said, Noella was like finding a puppy in the street. You felt sorry for it, but if it bit you, you would be like, f*** you, puppy. Figure it out for yourself.

During a video chat, Shannon told John that she was tired with all the running around, and he said he’d thought she was going to be taking it easy. In her interview, she said, with Heather, things were meticulously planned. It was great, but at the same time, she was exhausted. Emily, Gina, and Noella met to go to the sweat lodge, and Emily said she felt like Cabo was a sweat lodge. In Noella’s interview, she said, last night was a nightmare. She couldn’t sleep, and she was a ball of anxiety. James had said such hurtful things. Heather’s friend Tawnie met Heather, Jen and Shannon to go look at properties, and in Heather’s interview, she said Tawnie just happened to be staying there in the most fabulous hotel down the street. We saw a clip, and it was definitely fabulous. At the sweat lodge, the ceremony guide said she was going to clean their souls. In Emily’s interview, she said she’d studied abroad in the heart of Mexico, and loved the culture. It seemed like home. In Noella’s interview, she said, she hoped it provided a safe space to let the emotions out she’d been holding on to so tight. The guide burned sage or something, and told them that they’d be going into their mother’s womb, and to let go of everything they needed to. They’d find the answers to what they wanted in themselves. They started off at 97 degrees. I’d already be out the door.

Heather’s group went to meet Heather’s realtor, and in Heather’s interview, she said, when she and Terry talked budget and design, she wanted to find something that spoke to her, and Terry wanted something that spoke to his wallet. They looked at a 26,000 square foot, $13 million house with a wraparound pool, and in Shannon’s interview, she said she didn’t know if it was her age or what, but she didn’t want to walk four flights. It was an amazing place, and I don’t think I’ve seen a wraparound pool before, even on Million Dollar Listing. At the sweat lodge, the temperature was at 102, and Emily said she’d never felt such stifling heat. Gina said she was just trying to survive the moment. She’d thought they were going to a spa. In their respective interviews, Noella said she felt a wave of sadness coming out of her by force, and Emily said, tears and snot and saliva and sweat were pouring out. Noella ended up passing out and had to be carried to another area, where she lay in the fetal position, crying. She asked, what happened? and Gina told her that she passed out. Outside, Gina told Emily that she was happy, and wanted them to be happy. In Emily’s interview, she said she didn’t know what happened in the sweat lodge, but it was a surreal experience. She felt like every trauma and hurt had come out. Noella joined them, and Gina said she felt bad, but Noella said she didn’t want it to stick with Gina.  

An hour later, Emily and Gina were napping, while Heather and company looked at a piece of land with a view of a lighthouse that was the oldest structure in Cabo. Jen told Heather that she’d been in pain all day. It was literally radiating up and down her leg, and she needed to go handle it. Heather found out the lot was $8 million, and in her interview, she said, she wanted her man to be happy, which is why he loved her and went along with her harebrained schemes. She got Terry on FaceTime, and showed him the property, along with views of the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean. She told him it was a little over an acre, and he did some fast figuring, coming to a $15.5 million total for building a house there. 

Emily, Gina, and Noella went to the beach, and Emily let slip they’d flown in by private jet. Gina said she didn’t think Heather would leave Noella hanging, but in Noella’s interview, she said, Heather hadn’t spoken to her about flights – or anything. Emily said Heather hadn’t wanted Noella to come, and Gina talked her into it. In Emily’s interview, she said she felt it was important that Noella know that Gina had advocated for her, but in Gina’s interview, she said, what the f***ing f***? WTF??? We went back to Emily’s interview, and she said, I’m Emily Simpson, and I’m an a-hole. In Noella’s interview, she said she’d understood the invite as being an olive branch, and Heather’s way of saying they could be civil, decent, and respectable to each other. We flashed back to Heather saying, maybe she’s not the right friend for Noella, and Noella said, it was a pity invite, like in high school. Gina said she knew Noella was sad, but not everybody wanted details. Emily suggested pulling it back, and letting Heather get to know her; not over-the-top Noella. In her interview, Noella wondered why everyone was so terrified of Heather. Heather still bled, and was still a human being.

Jen worked out to manage her pain, and made the mistake of calling Ryne. She told him that the pain was debilitating and excruciating; she couldn’t function. The best he could come up with was that it would be better tomorrow. She said what she wanted now was to feel loved and protected, and know that how she felt was important. She felt alone. He couldn’t come up with even a smidgeon of empathy, and I wanted to kick his ass. No doubt she’d torn him away from a video game or something. You can talk on the phone and hold the chihuahua.

The women met at the bar, and a table was set up by the beach for dinner, complete with nearby piñata and sombreros for everyone. Bartender Alex hosted a tequila tasting first, and in Emily’s interview, she said, it gets to a point where fun Emily turns into destructive drunk Emily. With three or four shots, she was good, but after five or six she started stuff. We flashed back to her starting stuff. Shannon said she was going to wear her sombrero all night; she loved a theme. Emily said she loved the commitment. They talked about the sweat lodge, and in Jen’s interview, she said, it wasn’t shocking that Noella passed out. She’d been drinking the night before, and was in severe emotional distress. That wasn’t a good combination for a sweat lodge. Jen talked to Heather about her conversation with Ryne, and how she was bearing the burden of a long work day so the family could live well. Heather said, she and Terry had a come to Jesus conversation. They had to be in agreement of who was doing what. In her interview, Jen said, there was a simple solution to her and Ryne’s problem; recognizing and being appreciative of each other. But they were always so pissed off at each other, they couldn’t do it.

Shannon asked Noella, what happened last night? and Noella talked smack about Gina and Emily, saying they were a tag team. Shannon asked if she was over what happened, and Noella said she was. Shannon asked Emily and Gina if they were over what happened, and Gina wondered what had happened. Emily told her, apparently, they were over it. Shannon said she was just trying to help, but Noella told her that she wasn’t helping. Heather was like, not tonight, and Noella felt provoked. She told Heather that she found out she’d gotten a pity invite, but Heather said that wasn’t true. She hadn’t wanted to invite Noella because Noella had given her daughter porn as a gift, and she felt uncomfortable. It was inappropriate. We flashed back to Heather telling Shannon about the card deck, and Noella said she got it on Amazon, like you couldn’t possibly get anything inappropriate there. In her interview, Noella said, accusing her of giving a teen pornography was a new low, even for Heather. Heather said she told Gina this was why she didn’t want to invite her, and Noella got whiplash turning to Gina, and asked why Gina didn’t tell her. Gina said she didn’t think it was her place. In Jen’s interview, she couldn’t understand why Noella just did tell Heather that she didn’t know and she was sorry. Say sorry like you mean it, and maybe it will go be okay. Noella said she’d put LGBTQ gift in the search. Shannon kept trying to interject, and then wailed that no one listened to her. Emily said, Shannon Beador, you have the floor, and Shannon suggested Noella back down and let Heather explain her perspective. Noella accused Heather of straight fragility, and Heather said she had gay children. Noella ranted that she was a bisexual, biracial liberal, and don’t call her inappropriate, totally missing the point as usual. Heather said she never called Noella inappropriate; she said the gift was inappropriate. She assumed Noella hadn’t looked at the cards, and given her the benefit of the doubt. Jen told Heather to read the cards, and Heather brought the info up on her phone. Everyone was like, whoa, and Noella said she never would have given them to Max had she known. In Noella’s interview, she counterbalanced that with saying, even though it was an inappropriate gift for a 17 year old, calling it porn was blowing it out of proportion. Heather said she was proud and supportive of her children. Don’t say she’s not understanding. In Heather’s interview, she says, that’s what she was worried about in inviting Noella. Noella was so calculated, she had things in her back pocket to say if she got in trouble. You don’t win that way. Noella told Heather that she said she was sorry, so were they done?

Next time, Piñata mania, Shannon wears all the sombreros at once, Noella says it’s not a good trip for her, and Jen talks to Ryne about getting a job. Hint: It does not go well.

🛶 Row, Row, Rowing My Boat…

Tomorrow, Bravo has Runway all day, and I’ll be hear for soap and the Runway finale. Until then, stay safe, stay having a sense of adventure, and stay knowing, if you can’t find your birth certificate online, you might have been born in a commune.

Feb2

February 1, 2022 – Vow Renewal At the Quartermaines, New Jersey Pool Party, Who’s Who, New Nose, Abandonment, Housewife Tease, Called Out, Sad News & Brighter

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase finds Brook getting coffee in the nook, and tells her that Bailey is conked out. She says she wishes Bailey slept this much at the beach house, but Chase says, she’ll get used to the new digs; just give her a minute. She says, they’ll probably be out of there by the time that happens, and Chase says, then Peter will be locked up, and Bailey can go home. She says, and they can officially stop pretending. They hear Bailey cry on the monitor, and touch hands as they’re both reaching for it. Chase says, he’ll go, and leaves.

Michael says, Wiley is excited to see his cousin Bailey today, and Willow says, he misses her. Michael asks if she’s ready to go to the house, but she says, she’s actually waiting for her mom to drop by. She still can’t find any record of her birth certificate, and needs to get her passport application in. He says, oui, oui, and she asks if that’s the only French word he knows. He says, oui, and she laughs, saying, she really hopes her mom has a copy. He says they can’t go to Paris without one, and kisses her.

Kristina shows up at Alexis’s office with coffee, and says, stop the presses. Local editor’s down, unharmed, coaxed from behind the desk with caffeine. Alexis reaches for the cup, and says, bless you. She takes a sip, and says, hello, my daughter. Kristina says, hello, mother. She came to observe Alexis in her natural habitat. She picks up a placard from Alexis’s desk, and reads, truth never damages a cause that is just. She says she likes it, and Alexis says, Harmony gave it to her. Kristina says, just the person she wanted to talk about.

Britt meets Austin in Kelly’s, and he says he wants to get a female perspective. What does it mean when a woman kisses a man?

Maxie adjusts the chairs for the vow renewal at the Quartermaines, and flashes back to kissing Austin. Brook asks if she’s ready. Guests are arriving; it’s time to open the doors. Maxie says, first, she has to tell Brook something, and Brook says, uh-oh. Unless it’s not an uh-oh. Maxie says, it’s definitely an uh-oh. Austin remembered something. Brook says, something as in… and Maxie says, he remembered hearing them talking the night Louise was born.

Dante tells Leo that he’s looking sharp (we’re back to the usual Leo), and Leo says, it’s not itchy. Ned says, Leo is wearing a T-shirt under his shirt instead of a button-down. Dante says, button-downs can be itchy; what’s with that? Leo shrugs, and Dante says, it doesn’t matter. Once Leo’s mother walks in the room, no one is going to notice them anyway. Ned tells him, you can say that again, and Olivia walks down the stairs, smiling at Ned.

Drew sees Carly alone in one of the rooms, and asks what she’s doing there. She says she’s hiding, and he says he hates to break it to her, but she’s not going to be very successful looking like that. She says, still the charmer, and he says, it’s the truth. He tells her, hiding isn’t usually her style, and she says she doesn’t feel like herself these days. She’s nervous to see Sonny. How ridiculous is that? He asks what exactly she’s nervous about, and she says she doesn’t want their issues to cast a shadow over Olivia and Ned. He says, she doesn’t think Sonny gets that? and she says, here’s hoping.

Sonny comes in as Ned is thanking Laura for officiating today. She says, it’s an honor. She wouldn’t have missed it for the world. She’s so sorry Doc couldn’t be here, but there was another patient emergency. Olivia says they’re sorry too, and excuses herself. She goes over to hug Sonny, and he tells her that she looks good. She thanks him, and asks how he’s doing. He says he’s good, and asks if Carly’s there, and Olivia says, Carly came early to help her get ready. She would have understood if he couldn’t make it today. It’s hard to celebrate someone else’s happiness when you’re not exactly in the best place yourself. He says, he and Carly will be back together before she knows it. Just you bet on it.

Britt says, Austin was a doctor last she checked, and he says he still is. She says she’s pretty sure human sexuality was covered in his studies, and he says, it was, but he’s a grown man and she’s a grown woman, so he’s asking her. If you kiss a man who’s your friend, why would you apologize? She says she assumes they’re talking about… He says, Maxie, and she says, was it good? He says he thought so, and she says, why didn’t he ask Maxie what she meant? He says, her mom kind of interrupted them, and she says, so this happened in high school? He says, she’s hilarious. What happened was, he and Maxie went to Pawtuck with Anna and Felicia to try and jog their memories about what happened the night Louise was born. She says, oh wow. And? Did either of them remember what happened? He says he doesn’t know. That part’s even more confusing than the kissing.

Maxie tells Brook, she tried to convince Austin that he was misremembering – if that’s even a word (FYI, it is according to spellcheck) – but she doesn’t think it worked. Brook says she has to try harder, and Maxie says, she did everything she could think of. She even kissed him. Brook says, that is an interesting and creative strategy. They’ll revisit that later. Maxie says, it wasn’t a strategy. Austin’s gone above and beyond to help her out. The problem is, what he thinks is helping could probably ruin everything. Brook says they shouldn’t panic. They just need to come up with a plan. Maxie says, ya think? when Tracy comes in, and asks, what’s going on in here? The two of them having their heads together doesn’t look suspicious at all, while the guests are milling around outside. Brook says, they have everything under control, and Tracy says her confidence knows no bounds. Maxie thanks her for keeping all of this under wraps, and Tracy says, Peter August is a despicable human being, who doesn’t deserve to be a father, and she’s very sorry Maxie has to be separated from Louise. Maxie says she knows Louise is in good hands, but she can’t wait to have her daughter back in her arms.

Harmony arrives at the gatehouse, and says, she was so happy to get Willow’s call. What did she want to talk about? Willow says she needs a copy of her birth certificate, and Harmony asks, how come? Willow says she can’t find hers. It must have gotten lost in all the moving around. Normally, it wouldn’t be anything urgent, but she needs to get a passport. Harmony asks where she’s headed, and Willow says, Michael is taking her to Paris. Michael comes in, and Harmony says, how wonderful. Are they taking Wiley with them? Michael says, not this time, and tells Willow that he’s heading to the house; he wants to see how his mom and dad are doing. Willow says she’ll be right behind him with Wiley, and he says it was nice seeing Harmony. (Since when?) She says, him too, and he leaves. Willow tells Harmony, the first step to her getting a passport is getting a copy of her birth certificate, and she can’t find any record of it online. How can that be?

Alexis says, just so Kristina knows, Harmony is a non-issue. They won’t be spending time together anymore. Kristina says, because of her, and Alexis says, she and Harmony both think it’s best. Kristina says, so that’s the end, but she really wants Alexis to hear her out on this. Sam way overstepped when she told Harmony to stay away from Alexis. Sam just assumed the friendship would make her uncomfortable. Alexis says, it doesn’t? and Kristina says, whatever she feels, it wasn’t Sam’s place to speak for her. Alexis says, Sam was just protecting her, and Kristina says she’s sure there was a sincere desire to protect her, but Sam was also avoiding focusing on her own mess of a life.

Ned says, Olivia takes his breath away, and she says, stop. Dante says, it’s true; she looks beautiful. Right, Leo? Leo says he loves her sparkly dress, and Olivia says, that’s why she wore a sparkly dress. She’s so grateful to have all her guys here with her today. Ned says, they’re a lucky crew, and she says, they sure are. Tracy comes in with Brook and Maxie, and Maxie says they can come in. Tracy says, hopefully, they’ll deem it worth the wait. Olivia tells Maxie, it’s just gorgeous, and Ned says she captured the mood perfectly. Brook asks, what mood would that be? and he says, you know, bliss, gratitude – he takes Olivia’s hand – love. Brook hugs him, and says she’s so glad this day came. She’s so sorry… Olivia says, they’re not doing any of that today. Today, they’re all looking forward; they’re not looking back. Ned says, it means everything to them that they’re all here together, and Brook says, it means everything to her too.

Sonny asks Laura if there’s any word on Cyrus, but she says, all’s quiet on that front. She asks how he is, and he says, things were a little bumpy for a little bit, but things are back on track. She says, good, and he says, things are definitely looking up. She says, with him and Carly? and he says, he just has to prove they belong together. He sees Carly standing in the doorway.

Britt tells Austin, feelings can be tricky, and aren’t always accurate. Maxie suffered severe emotional trauma that night, and Austin was knocked unconscious. She’s not shocked the recall is a little fuzzy. He says he guesses, and she says, back to that kiss. He says, what about it? and she says, only Maxie can tell him what it meant. So he has to put on those big boy pants and talk to her. He asks if there’s a B option, and she says, call her. He says he can’t; she’s coordinating at the Quartermaines. She’s in charge of Ned and Olivia’s vow renewal. She says, to which he was invited, and he says, to which he declined. She says, he might want to revisit that decision, and he says, just to see Maxie? She says, there isn’t even the tiniest part of him that wants to get to know his family? and he says, he already knows them. She says, get to know them better. Maybe even get close. He says, maybe she’s right. Maybe he did decline that invitation a little too quickly. She laughs, and Brad walks in. He says he’s fifteen minutes late, so technically, he’s on time. Britt says, that’s not what technically means, and he says, for him, it’s still on time. He and Austin say, hello, and Austin starts to get up. Britt says he doesn’t have to leave, but Austin says he has somewhere to be, right? She says, he does. Good luck. He leaves, and Brad sits down. Brad says, he seems nice, and Britt says, he’s straight. And she just sent him off into the arms of another woman.

Maxie says, according to Britt, Peter’s getting transferred to Pentenville tonight, and Brook says, couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Once Peter is finally locked away, this whole thing is going to be over. Once that happens and this nightmare is behind them, what is Maxie going to do about Austin? Maxie asks what she means, and Brook says, it’s pretty obvious Austin is into her. Maxie says, obvious to who? and Brook says, everyone. The question is, is Maxie into him? Maxie says she thinks so, but it’s hard to tell when all she’s doing is lying to his face. Brook says she can see that being an obstacle, and Maxie says she can’t think about Austin right now. Brook doesn’t think he’s going to show up there, does she? Brook says, with her family? It’s the last place he wants to be.

Willow gives Harmony a cup of coffee, and Harmony says she’s sure she has a copy of Willow’s birth certificate with her important documents. She’ll look for it right away. Willow thanks her, and says, it was so strange she couldn’t find it online. Harmony says, maybe not every piece of information is on the internet, and Willow says, not to rush her, but time is of the essence if she wants to get a passport. Harmony promises to look for it right away, and Willow asks if she wants to see Wiley. She says she’d love that, and Willow leaves to get him.

On the phone in the nook, Dante says, keep him posted. Chase comes in and asks if something is up, but Dante says, it can wait. His mother will kill him if he misses the ceremony. Chase asks if it’s sad that just hearing the words keep me posted makes him nostalgic. He hands Dante a cup of coffee, and Dante says, kinda. Is he missing the job? Chase says, big time. He hates being in limbo. Dante says he hears that, and Chase asks if Sam is coming. Dante tells him, she said she was, and Chase wonders why he’s saying it like that. Dante says, never mind, but Chase says, come on; tell him. Dante says, ever since Drew came back… Chase asks if they’re having problems, but Dante says, no. That’s the problem. It’s nothing as tangible as that. They had some good momentum going for a while, then Drew came back, and it stopped. They were full steam ahead for a while there. Chase says, but now they’re stuck in neutral.

Alexis asks what mess Sam’s in now, and Kristina says, maybe mess is too harsh. Let’s say, Sam seems conflicted. Who can blame her, torn between two men? Alexis says, Kristina… and Kristina says, if she were Sam and had to choose between Dante and Drew, it would be tough. Both are charming, both are handsome, and both are sincerely good guys. Drew is Scout’s father, so he has that in his favor, but Dante’s been with Sam for months, helping her rebuild her life when she and Jason split. Alexis hopes she didn’t share any of this with Sam, and Kristina says, of course (🍷) not. None of this is really any of her business, but Alexis is their mom, so… Alexis says, that’s true. She is Kristina’s mom, and as such, she gets the feeling Kristina is talking about Sam in order not to talk about what she came there to talk about, and she thinks for once, they need to talk about it. She wants Kristina to tell her how she feels about her friendship with Harmony.

Carly walks over to Sonny, and he says she looks gorgeous. She says he cleans up pretty well himself. Tracy asks if she can borrow Laura for a moment, and as they walk away, Laura asks if something is wrong, but Tracy says she just wanted to get Laura out of the line of fire. Laura says, good job. Sonny says he misses Carly, and she says she just saw him this morning for breakfast. He says she knows what he means. He’s not trying to pressure her, or tell her how to feel, but they can still be honest with each other, right? She says she hopes so, and he says, they’re still seeing each other tonight, right? She says she told him that she could give him an hour or so to talk. She’s not going to back down. Michael comes in, and Carly hugs him. She asks, where’s Wiley? and he says, he and Willow should be coming. Carly says she’s going to check if Olivia needs anything, and leaves. Michael asks if everything is okay, and Sonny says, it’s not like they’re a bomb ready to go off. Michael asks if he’s sure, and Sonny says, yes. He just wants to work things out. He’s got everything under control.

Ned offers Sonny some champagne, and promises it will be pathogen free. Sonny says, Leo is a trip, and Ned agrees. Sonny says he has to decline. He has to stay sharp tonight. Ned says, right. The bold move he was talking about with Carly, and Sonny says, that’s the one.

Willow walks in, and Michael says, no Wiley? but she says, he was intercepted by Monica; they’re in the playroom. She sees his parents are here; have they crossed paths? He says, yeah, and she says, and? He says, it was painfully polite, which is the best thing they can expect right now. He asks how it went with Harmony, and if she was able to help Willow with her birth certificate, and Willow says, she thinks she has a copy, so Paris, here we come. Michael says, oui, oui, and she kisses him.

Kristina says, Alexis doesn’t need her permission to be friends with someone, but Alexis says, it’s not just someone, and Kristina knows it. It’s Harmony. Kristina is her daughter, and Alexis loves her. Hurting her is clearly not an option, but she needs to know how Kristina actually feels about this, so let her give an example. If Kristina came home, and Harmony were there for dinner, would that make her uncomfortable? Kristina says, maybe give her a heads up until she gets used to it? and Alexis says, so yes, she’d be uncomfortable. Kristian says she doesn’t know what Alexis wants her to say, and Alexis tells her to say what she really feels. Kristina says, seeing Harmony brings up a lot for her, like everything that happened at Dawn of Day, how utterly stupid she was… Alexis says she wasn’t stupid; she was trusting. That’s different. Kristina says, Shiloh was a master manipulator, and intellectually, she knows Harmony was just another one of his victims. Alexis says, but Kristina can’t forget what she did.

Laura asks when Tracy is going back to Amsterdam, and Tracy says, later today. Laura says, and after the next memorial, then what? and Tracy says she has some ideas, and was actually able to remove a piece of the Ice Princess that she’s going to use to fund her future endeavors. Laura says, Tracy knows how she feels about that diamond, but she wishes Tracy the best, and Tracy thanks her.

Austin comes in, and thanks Ned for his kind invitation. He hopes it still stands. Ned says, of course (🍷), and Olivia says they’re glad he’s here. He shakes hands with them, and Leo runs up, saying, he knows Austin. Austin says Leo has the best memory; he’s Dr. Austin. Leo brings out his fidget spinner, and Austin says, oh wow. He still has it; that’s great. He’s good at looking after his things. Ned says, the things he cares about, and Leo asks if it’s time yet. Olivia says she guesses it is, and suggests he round everybody up. Leo yells, we’re starting, and Ned says, that’s one way to do it. Austin waves to Maxie, who waves back, and Ned says, they heard the man. It’s time for him to marry the woman of his dreams – again.

Kristina tells Alexis, she wants to get to the point where seeing Harmony doesn’t bother her, but she doesn’t think she’s there yet. Alexis says, fair enough, and Kristina says, Sam told her that Harmony stopped Alexis from drinking on New Year’s Eve. Alexis says, when she was in prison, Harmony was there for her when she needed someone to be there for her, and Kristina says, sounds like a good friend. Alexis says, she is, and Kristina says, then Alexis should hang out with her. Alexis says she wants Kristina to be sure; is she sure? Kristina says, Shiloh preyed on Harmony like the rest of them, and let’s be real. She wouldn’t want someone holding her past against her, so permission granted. Alexis deserves a great friend. Alexis says she has a really great daughter, and they hug.

Brad says, so Austin was the new wing man Britt was telling him about. First clubbing, now a coffee date; is there something he should know? Britt says, no. He has eyes for another woman. Brad asks, more important, does he have BFF competition? She says, never, and he says, good answer. She says she’s surprised he wanted to meet here. Isn’t this a little public? He says, Kelly’s? His aunt would never come to a place like this. She says, so she’s a snob and controlling? and he laughs, and says, dare he ask about Peter? He hasn’t relapsed or anything, right? She lowers her voice, and says, does he mean did he end up killing Peter with that poison? No, Peter’s fine. Enough to be heading back to Pentenville tonight anyway. He wonders if his Aunt Selena will let Peter get there alive.

Laura says, they’re here to celebrate something really wonderful – the persistence of love. Every couple gets tested. Every couple has problems. It’s how we come through them that matters. Ned and Olivia have come through theirs stronger, and more committed, and more in love than ever. Olivia says, they have, and Laura says she has the sneaking suspicion they have some things they want to say to each other. Ned says, ladies first, and Olivia says, Ned, Ned, Ned. He says, oh boy, and she says, it’s all good, she promises. She also promises to love him, cherish him, and honor and keep him for the rest of their lives. They will celebrate together, commiserate together. They’ll watch movies and eat Chinese food together. They’ll raise their son together. He says he likes the sound of that, and she says she looks into the future and sees him; the three of them. All of them. She can’t believe how blessed she is. He asks if it’s okay if he makes some promises, and she says, copycat. He says, his beautiful, extraordinary, animal loving wife. He too, vows to love, cherish, honor and keep her the rest of their lives. He’ll fight the good fight with her, and celebrate with her. He’ll sing duets with her. She says, slightly off key, and he says, hey, that’s his wife she’s talking about. And he will raise their son with her. He loves her endlessly. She says she loves him too, and he says, how he got this lucky he’ll never comprehend, but he’s holding onto her, and he’ll be damned if he ever lets go again. He puts a wedding ring on her finger, above the set she’d wearing, and she says, they weren’t doing new rings. He says, he couldn’t resist, but it’s not a replacement ring; it’s a companion ring. She says, it’s perfect, and Laura says, by this renewal of vows in front of family and friends, they’ve once again proclaimed their commitment to their life together. Olivia says, Ned better kiss her if he knows what’s good for him. He asks Laura, may I? and she says, she thinks he better. They kiss and everyone applauds, all happy for a hot minute.

Maxie says she never expected Austin to be here, and he says, Ned invited him. She says, that she expected, but she didn’t expect he’d come. He tells her, he said no at first, but then realized he wanted to know his family… most of them anyway. Plus, he knew she’d be here. She says, an added draw? and he says, maybe. Who is he kidding? Definitely.

Monica congratulates Ned, and hugs him. She says she knew he and Olivia would find their way back, and he thanks her for believing that, even when he had his doubts. She says, some couples are just built for the long haul. They bend, but never break. Ed and Lila were like that; so were she and Alan actually. She thinks he and Olivia fit that pattern, and he says, then they’re in good company, and they hug again.

Dante says he’d ask how Olivia is doing, but she’s absolutely glowing. Sam says she looks beautiful, and she thanks them. She says she had no idea how official the whole thing would feel. She really feels like a new bride all over again. Dante says, Ned better treat her right, or Ned’s going to have to answer to him, and Olivia says she couldn’t love Dante any more than she does. He says he loves her too, and they hug.

Carly looks out the window, and Drew says, they meet again. Is she okay? She says she needed a breather. They were perfectly civil, and that’s what makes it so awful. He says, she means her and Sonny? and she says, there was no screaming; there was no yelling. Clearly, they can be in the same room together. That should make her happy, right? He says, that’s a pretty low bar for happiness, and she says, that’s where she is these days, just trying to keep the peace for their family. He says he’s going to do his part and steer clear of Sonny, just to be safe. She asks, why? Did something happen between him and Sonny?

In the nook, Brook tells Chase, her dad was practically levitating, he’s so happy. She’s so glad everything worked out for them. He says, Ned and Olivia seem like the real deal, and she says, they definitely are. He says he forgot to tell her, she looks great today, and she thanks him, and says, he looks pretty good too. They hear Bailey cry on the monitor, and he says, someone is awake. Why don’t they both go? She says, deal, and they go upstairs.  

Drew tells Carly, he walked in on Sonny and Curtis having… let’s call it a heated discussion. She says, at The Savoy? and he says, yeah. He tried to intervene, but he just made everything worse. He flashes back to Sonny saying, Drew is just a poor shadow of his brother, and tells her, Sonny was acting pretty erratic. She says, in what way? And what was he doing there? Drew says, he was determined to buy out the club for the night, and she says, she told Sonny that she needed time, not some big, romantic gesture, and he says, Curtis shot him down; it’s not going to happen. But she says, he knows Sonny. Once Sonny sets his mind on something, it’s really hard to talk him out of it.

Kristina says, Alexis has hardly talked about her time in Spring Ridge, and Alexis says, it was prison. Lightyears better than Pentenville, but still prison. When she was paying her debt to society, it was hard, and lonely sometimes. Kristina says, and Harmony helped, and Alexis says, she did. Because Harmony had also done time in prison, she could meet Alexis where she was, as an equal. There’s tremendous relief in that kind of shorthand. She didn’t have to explain anything to Harmony. Harmony knew where she was coming from, and knew what she’d be going through when she got out. She thinks the most interesting realization for her was that, like Kristina, Harmony was Shiloh’s victim. Like Kristina, she was desperate for some enlightenment, and he weaponized it against both of them. She gives Harmony a lot of credit for recognizing her mistakes. She testified against him, and didn’t do it in exchange for anything. She got no deal. She went to prison and took her lumps. She did it because she knew it was the right thing to do. Kristina says, kind of like Alexis pleading guilty, and Alexis says, kind of like that. She knows they thought she was out of her mind for doing that, but Harmony understood why, and it’s nice to be able to be that honest with someone, and have someone get you. Isn’t that the essence of a good friendship, to be honest with somebody? Kristina says, sounds right to her.

Britt asks if Brad thinks his aunt is going to try and kill Peter again, but he says he doesn’t know her plans, and doesn’t want to. She says, good, because he needs to be the perfect parolee. He asks if she cares, and she says, if he went back to prison? He says, no, if Peter died, and she says, the world would be a far better place, but she will say this. If Peter meets with an accident of some kind, she doesn’t want GH involved in any way. Get that guy out of her hospital. Brad says, amen.

Sonny says, sorry to interrupt, and congratulates Olivia and Ned again. He says, he wishes he could stay, but he has to get going. Olivia says, he has something more important than them? and he says he’s got some details he needs to take care of. He leaves, and Ned laughs, and Olivia says, okay. When did Ned and Sonny start sharing secrets? He says he’s not quite sure, and she asks, what’s the secret? He says he doesn’t know much, but evidently Sonny is planning a big surprise for Carly. She says, oh no. What is he doing? Carly thinks they’re just getting together to talk. He says he told Sonny it was a bad idea, but he wouldn’t hear it. Olivia says she’s got to warn Carly, but Ned says, maybe they should stay out of this. Olivia says, ha! and goes over to Carly. She says she just heard something she thinks Carly should know about, and Carly says, Sonny is planning something really big, isn’t he? Olivia says, apparently Carly already heard it, and Carly says, she’s on it, and leaves.

Carly asks if she can talk to Sonny a minute in private, and Michael says, no one is at the gatehouse; they could go there. They leave, and Willow asks what he thinks that’s about. Michael says, based on his mom’s tone, nothing good.

Austin says, Maxie disappeared, and she says, she’s in charge, and she needed to take a break. He says, she’s not avoiding him? He’s not a creeper. She says she knows, and he says, she kissed him. She says, she did, and he says, then her mom interrupted, and they couldn’t talk about it. Think they can talk about it now? She says, sure, and he says he knows how he feels. Does she want to tell him what that kiss meant to her?

Harmony knocks at Alexis’s office door, and Alexis says, good. Harmony has impeccable timing; Alexis was just about to call her. She looks at Harmony, and says, what’s wrong? Harmony says she needs Alexis’s help. It’s Willow.

At the gatehouse, Sonny tells Carly, don’t try to get anything out of him, because he’s not talking. She says she already knows he has something planned, and he asks, who ruined the surprise? She says, the surprise was realizing he’s still not listening to her, and that stops now.

Ned and Tracy are alone in the living room, and Tracy closes the doors. Ned says, worried about witnesses? and she says, no. She just wanted a little privacy. They’ve barely had a chance to talk today. He says, it has been a hectic day, and she says, that was not a criticism. Everybody wanted to wish him well because they love him. She just wanted him to know that she loves him too. He says, mother, are we having a moment? She says, they could have, but he ruined it. The doors open, and Michael and Brook come in with some official looking guys. Ned asks, what’s going on? and Michael says, they asked for Tracy. Tracy asks the head official guy if she can help him, and he says she’s under arrest. She says, for what? and he says, felony fraud; trafficking in counterfeit goods. She says she did no such thing. What did she counterfeit? He says, the Ice Princess. By now, everyone else has come in, and Laura looks horrified.

Tomorrow, Maxie tells Austin, not yet; Harmony says, Alexis might not want to be her friend after she hears this; Anna thinks she knows all she needs to know; and Carly says, as far as grand gestures go, it’s pretty perfect.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

We get a preview of the season, and it looks to be a lively one, full of yelling, screaming shrews.

Teresa talked with her daughters about blending families with Luis, who has two sons. She’d always wanted sons, although only one would be living with them; the other was twenty and on his own. She was having a summer kick-off party, and told the girls that she’d invited Melissa and Joe #2. The girls were pissed at Joe #2 for talking smack about Joe #1, and in her interview, Teresa said she and Joe #2 had made peace, but her daughters wanted him to take it back.

Frankie was working for Luis, and said Luis was a good worker and had a good heart. The house was still being renovated, so Dolores had rented a townhouse, but then Frankie graduated from college and Gabby from vet school. In Delores’s interview, she said, Frank’s priorities were off since he had a new young girlfriend, so she hassled him until he said he’d get some things finished.

Some video came out with Luis in it, and we saw tweets that said everything from, it was horrifying, to what the hell is this? Marge said Teresa was going to loose her mind, and I felt out of the loop, since I had no idea what this video was all about. Jackie came over to Marge’s to discuss the video, and described it as, Luis being in the middle of a pack of men, and they were all naked. It looked like Luis had been dragged through the river, and was begging for forgiveness. He was apologizing for something, and obviously had done something wrong. They showed it, but I’m guessing a lot was cut out. It actually looked like someone being artistic and not doing the best job. Like maybe it was the first video they made. Joe #4 said Theresa had to get a clue, but Marge said he forgot they were talking about Teresa. Marge told Jackie that it looked like Luis was on an apology tour in the video, and there were allegations out there. We flashed back to Watch What Happens Live where it was mentioned that Kim D said Luis had been abusive to past girlfriends. Marge said, Jennifer was an unhappy liar who was all smoke and mirrors, and had talked all kinds of smack about her.

Melissa and Joe #2 were glad to get out after quarantine. They met with new Housewife Traci and her husband Tiki Barber. In Melissa’s interview, she said they’d met through a mutual friend, and Joe had been excited about meeting Tiki because of his Giants background and being a sports commentator. Traci asked if Joe and Melissa had gotten a house, but Melissa said they were temporarily living in a rental until their new house was ready. Teresa had just bought a house nearby, and it seemed like Melissa had mixed feelings about that. She said, Luis was like a knight in shining armor to Teresa, but Joe wasn’t so sure. They’d seen Joe #1 make her happy too, and there were a lot of rumors about Luis. In Traci’s interview, she said she didn’t put much stock in rumors. She and Tiki had been married nine years, and he was already separated from his wife when they met. His wife had been eight months pregnant, and it was a media circus with rumors swirling. In Joe #2’s interview, he said, Luis told him about the camp depicted in the video, but when the video came out, he said he wasn’t into that kind of camp. That’s when the lightbulb came on for me. The video was from some kind of men’s retreat, where no doubt they did drum circles and such. In other words, all these horrified, freaked out people were making something out of nothing. On top of it, it had been privately sent to his girlfriend at the time.

Jennifer gotten her nose and chin done when she was in Turkey for her nephew’s christening. In her interview, she said, when she’d gotten her tummy tuck, Bill said she was the worst patient ever, and he was never doing surgery on her again. During the past year, Jennifer had been in a bad place with her mom, because Jennifer’s ailing father had moved in with Jennifer and Bill. Her mom was in Turkey, so Jennifer approached her when she was there, and they hugged it out, her mom crying, and saying, let’s be done with this. Bill said, some issues were better off not being fully addressed, and Jennifer said she wished it was as easy with girls. Marge had a Pride party, and hadn’t invited her.  

Joe #2 had been part of a comedy show in Atlantic City, and when asked about Luis, he hadn’t wanted to talk about it, so he just said something funny. Now Luis was upset with him. Melissa said he did Luis a favor, but Joe said he thought it best if he stayed away, and wasn’t going to Teresa’s pool party. Marge told Joe #3, the last time Teresa had a party, Jennifer was a drunken mess. We flashed back to that, and Joe told Marge that Bill had to pay two grand to get the vomit out of his car. Marge said, some behavior wasn’t forgivable, and Jennifer was getting there.

Dolores said she didn’t know how Luis couldn’t be nervous, but if everyone knew what was good for them, they’d keep their mouths shut. It was the pink elephant in the room. Just for the record. A pink elephant is what you see when you have the DTs; an obvious thing that everyone refuses to talk about is the elephant in the room. In Melissa’s interview, she said they weren’t going to come, but Teresa called Joe #2 the night before. Melissa thought if they didn’t go, it would create more tension. She felt for Joe. He and Teresa put things under the rug, but sh*t never went away. In Jackie’s interview, she said it was better to be friends than enemies with Teresa, because that woman would come for you. Oh yeah, that’s another thing. I hate watching adults behave like middle schoolers.

Dolores told Teresa, when Joe #2 had done the show in Atlantic City, someone asked how he felt about Luis. He’d told them that he was missing Joe #1. Teresa threw Dolores a curveball, and said it was nice of him. In Teresa’s interview, she said, nobody should be getting in Luis’s business. Jackie told Marge that you couldn’t have all this sh*t out there and not expect people to talk about it. When you addressed things, they went away. Joe #3 said, the video was creepy. In Joe #2’s interview, he said, Luis was acting like they were a big happy family, and it was all bullsh*t. In Marge’s interview, she said when someone pretended not to care, and lied about it, that made it seem like they did care. Yeah, she lost me too. She thought Luis needed to address the video, but Teresa said he didn’t owe anybody any explanations. It was part of his past. She said it was her party, and asked that they both be given respect. Okay, I’m definitely down with that. What I hate about all of the Housewives shows are how these women bring up issues at inappropriate times, like someone else’s party. And it’s never just an argument. It’s always a rip-roarer with lots of screaming and yelling and throwing things. Other people’s things. Not acceptable. I had a family member once create a scene at a party I was hosting. Albeit, she was drunk, but her boyfriend (now husband – good luck with that) steered her out and took her home.

Marge told Teresa that everyone loved her and was concerned, but she said she was a big girl. Wow. When Teresa is the voice of reason, I don’t know whether to take notes, or run before there’s an explosion. Jennifer and Bill arrived, and Marge the last time Jennifer was there, her face was on the pavement. Bill told Jennifer, just water. Jackie told Marge that Jennifer had tried to destroy her friendships, and called Melissa and Joe #2 crooked. Marge said Jennifer hadn’t supported her about being sexually harassed. Jennifer had been wearing a bandage, and her party entrance was also her nose reveal, but I wasn’t so sure I liked it. Apparently, I had company because both Dolores and Marge agreed with me; she’d looked better before. Jackie walked past Jennifer, but barely said hello, and no one else talked to her, so Jennifer whined to Teresa. She said she knew Marge was still mad at her because she hadn’t invited Jennifer to her party, but she’d thought she and Jackie had let bygones be bygones. Teresa wasn’t having it, and dragged Jackie over. Jennifer asked if Jackie was mad at her, and said she thought they’d ended on a good note. Jackie said Jennifer had tried to drive s wedge between her and Marge, and Jennifer said she regretted what she said, but it was like all three of them – Jackie, Marge, and Melissa – were against her. Jackie said Jennifer did it to herself, and Jennifer said that she was friends with Teresa and Dolores, but they didn’t stick by her like the other three. She got all weepy, and Jackie said she was a forgiver, but thought Jennifer needed to talk to the others. Marge had already headed over to them, and said Jennifer had called her a snake on social media. Jennifer said, it was tit for tat, but Marge said Jennifer didn’t know when to stop. She thought Jennifer was unhappy. Jennifer insisted she felt blessed, and said Marge was jealous. Marge said Jennifer wasn’t being honest. Jennifer had attacked her from beginning, and called her mother a slut. She made like she was better than everyone. We flashed back to all that, and Marge said, Bill left his job because he’d had an affair with the office manager. Jennifer told her to get it right, it was a pharmacy representative.   

Quote of the night: The chances of her going nuts are pretty high. – Dolores referring to Teresa

There was no preview for next week, because it was a rerun/encore performance/second showing.

👠 Refresher Course…

Prep for this season of RHONJ.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-season-12-cast-updates-spoilers

👃 You Decide…

Check out the new nose for yourself.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/01/jennifer-aydin-says-nose-job-looks-wackadoo-in-rhonj-premiere/

⚖️ Not So Sweet…

I dunno. Any ambulance chaser attorney who calls himself Sweet James is suspect to me.

https://people.com/tv/rhoc-noella-bergener-says-estranged-husband-abandoned-autistic-son-he-denies-claims/

🗺 Foot Back In the Door…

I’m sure she’ll make it nice.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/28/dorinda-medley-teases-real-housewives-mashup-is-s-t-show/

💎 On the Warpath…

Garcelle is not letting Erika off the hook.

https://radaronline.com/p/garcelle-beauvais-calls-out-erika-jayne-refusing-to-return-1-million-diamond-earrings-tom-girardi-victims/

🥀 Gone Too Soon…

A member of The Walking Dead family has walked his last, and was way too young.

https://ew.com/tv/moses-j-moseley-dies-walking-dead-actor/

🍕 Midnight Snacking…

Hope to see you tomorrow for some soap and OC doings. Until then, stay safe, stay distinctive, and stay remembering that the essence of a good friendship is to be honest with someone.

Jan29

January 28, 2022 – Peter Sees His Daughter, Subbing, Connections, Parry’s Start, New Venture, Rinnafish, Salty Talk, Unfollowed, Calendar, Puppies (!), a Countdown’s Worth Of Quotes & 28th

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook backs into an examining room with Bailey in her stroller. Chase is there in his briefs, and she says, sorry to interrupt. TJ said he’d be in here, and it’s really important. She turns around, and says, oh, hi.

Esme asks if Spencer heard what Josslyn just called her. Trina’s a lightweight when it comes to alcohol, and somehow that makes her a manipulative bitch? Josslyn asks if she wasn’t clear. Esme’s always been a bitch from the moment she got into town. Playing that stupid drinking game is just her stupid way of proving it. Cameron thinks it’s settled; the bar is closed for tonight. No more alcohol for any of them. Josslyn says she’s not going to let Esme blame alcohol for what happened tonight. She’s jealous of Spencer’s friendship with Trina, so Esme deliberately set out to humiliate her by dredging up the past. Trina ran out of here in tears, but she’s guessing that’s exactly what Esme wanted. Esme says, really? Josslyn thinks it was her goal to hurt Trina? Josslyn says, hurt her, embarrass her, one or the other. Josslyn looks at Spencer, and says, and what about him? Can he finally see Esme for who she really is?

Stella meets Curtis at Charlie’s, and he says she looks fantastic. She thanks him, and sits down. He says, her time at the wellness center agreed with her, and she says she can’t thank him enough for arranging that. She feels better than ever. Catch her up on everything. She doesn’t need to hear about him and Portia; she can tell by the look on his face. He says, that obvious, huh? and she says she’s happy for both of them. TJ’s been texting her about the latest doings at GH, but there’s at least one empty space in her family album. How are things going with him and Marshall? He says, improving. Kind of. But at least he’s not in the dark anymore. Marshall told him everything. She says, he did what?

Marshall (temporary Marshall – see below) walks into Kelly’s, and puts a little plant on the table Epiphany is sitting at. He says, he was told he could find her here, and sits down. She asks, what’s up with the plant? and he says it’s to thank her for looking out for him after he spoiled their date. She says, he didn’t spoil anything. He had a health crisis. She’s just glad it wasn’t anything serious. He says, it was his serious chance to get to know her better. He just hopes he gets another crack at it.

Martin sees Laura at the Bistro, and she says thanks for meeting her. He sits down, and says he’s just sorry he missed Luke’s memorial. He never met the man, but he wanted to be there to support her. You know what they say about the life of an attorney; it’s either feast or famine. She says, right now, as she understands it, he’s feasting on Peter August’s retainer, and he asks, who told her? She says she’s the mayor, remember? The DA is a good friend of hers. Does he have any idea what he’s in for?

Peter pulls at his handcuffs, and flashes back to talking to Victor saying, Brook and Maxie conspired to pass off Louise as Brook and Valentin’s child, so Peter would be convinced his child had been kidnapped and disappeared into thin air. Dante comes in, and Peter asks if it’s an official visit, or is Dante just dropping by as a concerned friend? Dante laughs, and says, he’s there to tell Peter that he’s now being transferred to Pentenville tomorrow. They want to do some more tests; make sure they dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s. Peter says, they already cleared him to go, and Dante asks, what’s a few more hours? Does he have someplace to be? Peter laughs.

Valentin shows the reception nurse his driver’s license, and says, she can check Bailey’s file and see he’s her father. The nurse leaves, and Victor says he couldn’t help but overhear. What does Valentin want with Bailey’s medical records? She’s not his daughter. Valentin says, legally, she still is. For whatever reason, Brook hasn’t updated Bailey’s birth certificate or medical records. Victor says, makes you wonder, doesn’t it? and Valentin says, wonder what? Victor says, whether Brook is hiding something.

Chase puts on his pants, and asks if Brook ever knocks. She says she’s sorry. When the nurse said he was in this room, she didn’t mention he’d be doing a strip routine. He says, that tends to happen when you’re having a physical, and she asks if he’s all right. Did he have a setback? He says, no. His blood pressure’s stabilized, and he passed with flying colors. She says, good, and he says, which is ironic. If he wasn’t suspended, he’d be cleared from desk duty and back out in the field. But the upside of being suspended is, he gets more time with Bailey. He tells Bailey that she’s the best little workout buddy. He’s never run so many miles so fast. Brook says it’s too bad Chase is her father in name only. Bailey could get used to having him around.

Esme tells Spencer to say something, and he asks, how’s Trina? Is she okay? Josslyn says, no, she’s not okay. He saw her; she ran out of the room in tears. She won’t even come out of the room. Josslyn had to talk to her through the door. Cameron says, the alcohol hit her hard, but Josslyn says, the problem was not what was in the mug. Cameron says he’s never seen Trina drink before, and he thought that might have been it. Josslyn says, the problem was Esme implying Trina had feelings for Cameron, but Cameron says, it doesn’t make sense. It’s ancient history. Why would it bother her now? Esme says, maybe it never stopped bothering Trina, or she didn’t want to bother them with it. Or maybe Trina’s just a drama queen. They had plenty of those at boarding school. Spencer says he doesn’t think Trina’s a drama queen. He thinks she’s legitimately upset. Esme says, Josslyn and Cameron must be thrilled. Now they’ve even got Spence doubting her. All roads lead to Trina. Trina has Spencer wrapped around her little finger, and he doesn’t even see it. She stomps off, and Josslyn asks if Spencer heard her; how she’s trying to make this Trina’s fault. What is wrong with him? Trina is his friend. She’s given him chance after chance. Why can’t he call Esme out for the snake she is?

Stella asks Curtis, when he said Marshall told him everything, what exactly did he mean? Curtis tells her, he said he got mixed up with some shady characters, and he was afraid they were going to use his family as a bargaining chip to keep him in line. So Marshall decided, in order to keep his wife and kids safe, he would disappear and make everyone think he was dead. She sighs, and he asks if she’s okay. He knows it comes as a shock. She says, he has no idea, and he tells her, Marshall didn’t say it in so many words, but his father was in the Witness Protection Program. She says, he believes that? and he asks if she’s saying he shouldn’t.

Epiphany says, Marshall needs to keep taking those new pills the doctor prescribed, and focus on lowering his blood pressure, and she needs to get back to work and finish her shift. He says, the medication is working already; he can feel it. But why does she sound like the one with a problem? She says, no problem. The doctor that wrote him the prescription reminded her of something. That there are some dreams, no matter how sweet, that deserve to die.

Peter tells Dante, the only place he’s going is the courtroom, and the sooner, the better. His attorney is going to get all these charges dismissed, and he can move on with his life. Dante says, the only life Peter is going to have is inside a prison. The question is, is it going to be in Pentenville or Steinmaur? Peter tells Dante, he’s going to beat these charges. Then he’s going to do what everyone, including the PCPD, failed to do. Find his daughter. Dante asks, what makes him think he’s going to find Louise when no one else has? Peter says he has some resources that have yet to be tapped into, and Dante says, like what? Peter says, he could tell Dante, but then he’d have to kill him, and Dante asks if he’s threatening a police officer. Peter asks if Dante is trying to entrap an innocent man. Come on. Don’t they have some tests to run to initiate his transfer? Or is Dante going to risk getting charged with police brutality by compromising Peter’s mortality?

Valentin asks, what makes Victor think Brook is hiding something? and Victor says he’s not the one looking into Bailey’s medical records. Think about it. He starts to leave, but Valentin says, hang on. If he tells Victor something, can he trust him?

Spencer asks what Josslyn wants him to say. Esme’s his girlfriend. Back in boarding school, when he thought his father was dead, she stood by him. When they came to Port Charles, she repeatedly had his back. She thought she was going to be living at Windymere, and when he told her that he’d decided they were living at his grandmother’s house, she didn’t complain at all. Josslyn and Trina made it well-known that they don’t like Esme. She hasn’t felt accepted by any of his friends. Josslyn says she knows that Esme has some kind of hold over Spencer, but he’s got to wake up and see all the hurt she’s done. When she’s not burning down a car, she’s burning down his friendship with Trina. He asks what Cameron thinks. Cameron has always tried to mediate, and see Esme’s perspective. Cameron says he can’t believe Spencer has to ask him that. Cameron saw how Esme treated Trina. The question is, did Spencer?

Esme goes into the master bedroom, and says, perfect.

Stella tells Curtis that she’s not saying he should doubt Marshall’s story. It just really surprises her. He says he’s sorry if it upsets her, but at least now they know why Marshall felt the need to disappear. But when he tries to find out more, like who those guys were and if they’re still a threat, Marshall tells him to back off. It’s funny to him, since he was the one who wanted no part of Marshall. Now Marshall is telling him to lay off. She tells him, maybe he should do as Marshall says, and set aside his interrogation for a while. He says, wait a minute. She’s his Bible scripture quoting auntie, who’s always reminding him that the truth shall set you free. So where is it written that Marshall gets a pass?

Marshall tells Epiphany, dreams don’t die, unless you give up on them. He doesn’t know her well, but she doesn’t strike him as a quitter. She says, that’s the thing. She thought she knew what kind of treatment he needed, but that wasn’t her place. He says, her place was to speak her mind, and he’s grateful she did. She thanks him, but says, it’s the last time she’s going to tell a doctor what to do. He says, even if the doctor is wrong? but she says, that’s the thing; Dr. Rose wasn’t wrong. Marshall just needed to adjust his blood pressure medication, right?

Martin tells Laura, every defendant is entitled to legal counsel. It’s right there in the Constitution, and Peter August is no exception. She asks if he’s saying he took the case in the spirit of justice under the law, and he asks, why shouldn’t he? His little sister isn’t the only person who cares about the public good. She says, how noble of him. And does doing the public good come along with a big, fat check made out to Martin Grey, Esquire?

Victor says he’s Valentin’s father. Of course (🍷) Valentin can trust him. Valentin says, but he’s a one-time ally to Peter August, and Peter says, it was strictly a business arrangement that terminated on the Island of Crete, when Peter crossed the line. Doesn’t he remember? It was the first time he and Valentin teamed up together. And when he got back to the states, he provided information to help track Peter down. What does he have to prove? Whatever’s troubling Valentin, he shouldn’t carry this burden alone. It’s too bad lovely Anna isn’t here by his side. And why this interest in medical records of a child that’s not even his, and what has it got to do with Peter?

Chase says, he could get used being around… Bailey, and Brook says, he missed a button. She fixes it for him, and says she hopes he gets to be a real father someday. He’s got the touch. He says, so does she. She didn’t tell him why she was looking for him. Did she hear from Maxie? She says, no. She’s been sitting on pins and needles. What if being in Pawtuck somehow jars Austin’s memory, and he remembers Maxie handing Louise off to her? He says, Maxie knows what’s at stake; keeping her precious little girl away from Peter. Come on; let’s go home. They leave, as Peter is being wheeled around the corner. Peter looks at Bailey, and I wonder, did Peter get a perm???  Peter says, what a beautiful baby, and Brook says, they think so. Chase says he’s one proud dad, and Peter says he’s sure Chase is. Chase asks Dante what Peter is doing here, and Dante says, a final bit of clearance before Pentenville. Peter says, he never saw the resemblance before, but now he gets it. Bailey looks just like her mother. Chase says, get him out of here, and Dante says, sure thing, and they wheel Peter into the elevator. He stares at Bailey until the last possible second, and then gives a creepy smile.

Martin tells Laura, they were in hiding for months. He couldn’t work. It’s not like he doesn’t have expenses; his mother’s around the clock care for one thing. Then there’s the herd of ex-wives, none of whom will ever get married, because they’re having way too much fun playing the alimony mambo. Of course (🍷) there’s his private wine collection. It should be a tax deduction, since he only has it to impress his clients, but try telling that to the IRS. She asks if he’s going to tell them about the expenses of courting Lucy, and he says, no, and neither is she, especially when Valentin is around. He’s got this thing about conflict of interest. She says, as the mayor, and defender of their Constitution, she wholeheartedly believes in Peter’s right to competent legal counsel, but as his sister, does it have to be him? Peter has hurt so many people; Maxie and her baby. He says, about that. She doesn’t think Peter will ever get his hands on that little baby girl, does she? Nobody’s known about her whereabouts for months. She says, that’s her point. The only way Peter will get his hands on that little girl is if someone as smart as Martin finds a way to exonerate him. Martin says, fine. Laura is going to make a play for the cheap seats.

Valentin tells Victor that Brook used Bailey to help the Quartermaine family regain control of ELQ. He would say, turnabout is fair play, wouldn’t Victor? Victor says, so Valentin is hoping to find something in the medical records he can use to his advantage. Like what for instance? Valentin doesn’t know; he’s fishing. He’s throwing a line in the water and seeing if anything bites. Victor tells him, happy fishing. He hopes Valentin catches something. The nurse comes back with Bailey’s folder, and asks if there’s something in particular Valentin is looking for in Bailey’s records.

Marshall tells Epiphany, changing medications isn’t going to heal the family he abandoned. She says, but he came back. He’s here now, and the longer he lives, the better chance he stands of making his family whole again. He says he’d rather talk about her dream of becoming a doctor, and she says, while she appreciates his interest, she thinks he should save some of his concern for that family of his.

Stella says she’s not giving Marshall a pass. She’s just asking why Curtis can’t accept his father’s version of events, and move on. Or is he using this as an excuse to keep from letting his father into his life? He says, Marshall’s already got one foot in the door. This is about his family’s safety; him, her, and TJ. What if the trouble that caused him to leave all those decades ago is still out there? If he opens that door just a little more, and trouble follows Marshall in, doesn’t she think he deserves to know what to expect? Or is none of this news to her? Does she know something he doesn’t?

Esme comes out with her coat, and says she’s leaving, but Spencer suggests taking a minute to cool off. She says she’s not spending another minute with small-minded people who have never, and will never, accept her for who she is. Josslyn says, the problem is, they know who she is. That’s why they don’t accept her. Esme asks if Spencer is coming or not, and he says, they all had those hot toddies, and with icy conditions, he doesn’t think it’s safe for either of them to drive right now. She says she ordered a car, but it seems he’s made his choice. He’s choosing them over her. Spencer says he’ll go with her, but first, he’s going to check on Trina. Then he’ll get their bags, and he’ll meet her outside. Esme says, Trina’s asleep, and they can send for their things; let’s go. Spencer says, sorry, guys, and follows her out. Cameron says, so much for their weekend getaway. He’s so sorry this all blew up. Josslyn says she’s not. She can’t stand Esme, and she’s thrilled that she doesn’t have to pretend otherwise. She feels horrible for Trina, but remember when they got drunk on the Haunted Star? The only cure is to sleep it off, so she guesses for now, it’s just the two of them.

Outside, Cameron tells Josslyn, the stars are very beautiful tonight; very close. Josslyn says, the more she thinks about it, this whole getaway was Esme’s idea. He says, so? and she asks if he thinks this was Esme’s plan all along; to embarrass them, and humiliate Trina? He says he hopes not. The funny thing is, he always thought Esme was so sure of herself, but after tonight, he realizes how insecure and terrified she is of losing Spencer. She says, here’s hoping by the time they’re down from the mountain, Spencer realizes Esme was trying to hurt his friends, and he dumps her. Cameron says he’s tired talking of talking about Esme, and Spencer. He thinks they should stop talking altogether. They kiss, and she nods, and they go inside. 

Stella tells Curtis, honestly, until this moment, she never suspected Marshall was mixed up in dirty business. He says he’s not trying to upset her, but now that she knows, does it ring any bells? Can she think back 40 years ago, and remember any names or faces that might have been mixed up with Marshall? She says she wasn’t even there, and Irene is no longer with them. All the more reason to consider what Marshall is saying, and leave things alone.

Marshall says, things are good with TJ, and getting better with Curtis, but Epiphany says, that’s not what he said when they went out to dinner. He says, while Curtis owns a nightclub, he still thinks like a P.I.; he questions everything. But he’s sure in time, Curtis will come around. She says, remember what she told him about her son? and he says, yeah, that they don’t always have as much time as they think they do. But doesn’t that apply to her as well, with her dream of becoming a doctor?

Brook asks if Chase saw the way Peter was smiling at Bailey. It’s almost as if he knows the truth. He tells her, Peter said she looks just like her mother; he meant her. She says, did he? What If he suspects the truth? What if he was saying Bailey looks like Maxie? Chase says, she has to remember, that’s just who Peter is. He wants to get under your skin, if not with poison, than with words. But Peter can’t possibly know. Laura approaches them, and says, Peter can’t possibly know what?

Peter says he can’t wait to get back to Pentenville, and Dante says, really? The place where he was poisoned, and it almost killed him? Peter says he’ll take the risk of lax security if it means getting to trial faster. (Ha Security doesn’t get any less lax than at GH.) Martin walks in, and Peter says, speaking of which, here’s his attorney. Martin asks if Dante will do him a favor, and give him five minutes with alone with Peter. Dante says he’ll be right outside, and leaves. Peter asks, what brings Martin here? Good news he hopes. Martin says, that depends on which side of those handcuffs you’re on. He’s sorry, but he finds it necessary to recuse himself from Peter’s defense. Peter says he sees. If Martin no longer wishes to represent him, they’ll go their separate ways; no hard feelings. Martin asks, what’s the catch?

Valentin asks if he and Victor can meet later, and Victor says, of course (🍷). He’ll make a reservation at the PC Grill. Valentin thanks him, and he leaves. Valentin thanks the nurse for getting his daughter’s file, and she tells him that the file can’t leave this floor. He says, understood. He’s looking for a sonogram from the third trimester. He’s a bit of a sentimental, and wants a copy. He’ll treasure it for always. He flips through the file, and says, there’s no sonogram in the file. How’s that possible? He was there when it was taken. Did somebody deliberately remove it? She says, no, it was never in here, and he says, of course (🍷). It would be in her mother’s file. He doesn’t suppose she could let him have a look at Brook’s information without permission, and she says, no. He says, so he can be prepared in case of an emergency, his daughter’s blood type is O negative, right? She says, no, his daughter is O positive, and he thanks her.

Brook tells Laura, they were just talking about what an awful human being Peter is. How much harm he’s caused to Maxie, and Elizabeth; to her family, especially to Monica. Between Jason dying, and Drew being locked away in that prison for all that time, Peter deserves to be locked up until the end of time. Chase says, they’re hoping when Peter goes to trial, he’ll be convicted, and sentenced to life. Laura says she has the same hope. It’s really easy for young adults, new parents, to lose their sense of faith with all the responsibility, but they can’t let that happen, for Bailey’s sake. Because she will grow up in a better, safer, kinder world, where Peter can’t come back to haunt any of them. Brook says, amen to that, and Chase tells Brook, anything to protect Bailey

Peter tells Martin, there’s no catch. If Martin can’t give his defense the time and attention it deserves, he’ll find someone who will. Martin thanks him for being so understanding, and Peter says, naturally, Martin will be returning his retainer. Martin says, ordinarily, he’d deduct the time he’s already spent working on Peter’s case, but what the hell? It’s a small price to pay for his conscience. Peter says he didn’t know Martin had one, when Dante comes back. He asks if everything is okay here, and Martin tells him, he’d say so. Peter no longer requires his services. He wishes them both a good night, and leaves. Dante says, Peter fired Martin? but Peter says, no. Martin walked away from him. Dante says, smart man. He’ll leave Peter with Officer Bridges in case he gets scared. Peter tells him, sleep tight, and Dante says he’s sure he will, and leaves.

Epiphany tell Marshall that she doesn’t have time for dreams, and her break is almost over. He says he was about to go too, but not before she hears him out. Whatever Dr. Rose told her, he had his reasons, but he wants her to know that he trusts her with his life any day. He knew he was in good hands that night because she was there. He puts some money on the table, and tips his hat. He leaves, and Epiphany smiles.

In the car, Spencer asks Esme, was Joss right? Did she get everyone to the cabin to humiliate them, and blow up his friendships? She looks at him coldly.  

Cameron and Josslyn go into the bedroom, and there’s a song part. They kiss, and he asks, is she sure? She says, she’s so sure, and they get busy. I used to work at a women’s clinic, and a brochure popped into my mind that had a cartoon condom saying, wait! Stop! Put me on!

Esme asks Spencer, what difference does it make what she says? He’s so ready to believe the worst of her. He says, that’s not an answer. He needs to know if what Joss accused her of is actually true. Esme remembers going into the master bedroom, and looking in the mirror. She wipes some tears away, and takes out her phone. She sets up the phone behind some plants on a dresser, pointing the camera toward the bed, and putting it on to film. In the present, she tells Spencer, all she wanted to do was get to know his friends better, and for him to make great memories before he goes to prison. Does he think she planned this weekend to be something diabolical? It just makes her sad.

Basking in their first afterglow, Cameron tells Josslyn, wow. Don’t get him wrong. He’s glad they waited, but…  She says she’s glad they waited too, but she’s also really glad they had this moment. To think how close they came to letting Esme ruin this for them… He says he doesn’t want to think about Esme right now. He wants to focus on her. They start getting busy again, and we see the phone camera filming. I have to say, I don’t see the purpose. They’re exclusive and in college, for Pete’s sake. Even if Esme was going to doctor it in some way, both Cameron and Josslyn are sober, and who would everyone believe?

Stella says, Curtis clearly has a choice to make. Does he want answers that might tell him things he doesn’t want to know, or does he want his father back in ? Marshall walks in, and says, small world. Do they mind if he joins them?

On the phone, gliding through the hall, Martin says, la Lucy, his sexy, sexy thing. His schedule just opened up. What say they catch a flight to the Big Easy and get themselves a nice heaping helping of Mardi Gras?

Laura goes into Peter’s room, and he says, madame mayor. To what does he owe this honor? She says she just saw Martin, and he was smiling ear to ear, because he no longer represents Peter. He told her that Peter didn’t argue or put up any fight to try and keep him. She had to wonder, why so magnanimous? Peter flashes back to seeing Bailey, and saying she looks just like her mother. He says he has faith in the system. Somehow, he just knows things are going to work out for the best.

Valentin walks through the hospital parking lot, leaving a voicemail for Anna. He tells her to call him. He’s got a lead on Louise. A thug runs up behind him, chloroforming him, and knocking him out. Someone picks up Valentin’s car remote, and we see it’s Victor. He says, be careful; that’s his son. He opens a hatchback, and a fancy – and very clean and spacious – trunk opens up. He tells the thug, oh, and cancel his dinner reservations. The thug puts Valentin in the truck, and it’s closed up.  

On Monday, Phyllis asks if she knows Stella, Esme says she doesn’t want to go home with Spencer, Carly says that happiness seems further away, and Ned tells Sonny that he should reconsider whatever he’s planning.

👨🏽‍🔧 Filling In…

For how long, no one knows.

https://www.soapoperanews.net/2022/01/damien-leake-books-role-on-general.html

👥 Shared Experience…

I love how Maurice Benard has mastered his illness, and used it, and his position, for good.

Maurice Benard Connects With Fans Over Sonny’s Important New Storyline

🎬 First Time Out…

Before he was Brad, he danced. Sort of.

GH’s Parry Shen Shares a Clip of His Very First TV Appearance!

🧼 Nuevo Suds…

This looks pretty good, and it’s got some great people in it.

SOAP STARS IN NEW SERIES

💋 Checking Motive…

I tend to agree that it’s probably a bad spray tan job.

https://screenrant.com/rhobh-lisa-rinna-blackfishing-image-erika-jayne-instagram/

🧂 Bringing the Salt…

What went on in Salt Lake City last week.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/23/rhoslc-recap-jennie-nguyen-broke-husbands-ribs-in-fight/

I have the feeling she’s not coming back.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/22/mary-cosby-has-not-filmed-anything-for-rhoslc-season-three/

The cast keeps getting smaller.

https://people.com/tv/bravo-fires-jennie-nguyen-from-rhoslc-after-racially-insensitive-posts-resurface/

🚫 Next Comes Blocking…

I can’t believe people keep track of this stuff.

https://people.com/tv/rhobh-sutton-stracke-garcelle-beauvais-feuding-with-erika-girardi-source/

🏆 All the Awards…

This year’s calendar of events.

https://www.etonline.com/sag-awards-grammys-and-more-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2022-awards-season-177460

🐕 Pup Alternative…

I can’t think of better hosts.

https://people.com/pets/martha-stewart-and-snoop-dogg-hosting-puppy-bowl-2022/

A sneak peek.

https://ew.com/tv/puppy-bowl-xviii-first-look-penalty-french-bulldog/

🐘 Quotes of the Week

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. – Indian Proverb

It’s like a summer camp for drunk third graders. – Kate Chastain, referring to some guests on Below Deck

Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost. – Robert H. Schuller

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. – Bruce Lee

There are no regrets in life. Just lessons. – Jennifer Aniston  

Maturity is achieved when a person accepts life as full of tension. – Joshua L. Liebman

Speak out on behalf of those who have no voice, and defend all those who have been passed over. – Proverbs 31:8 (TVT)

Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance. – Jean Antoine Petit-Senn

Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen. – Leonardo da Vinci

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. – Anatole France

🚙 Am I There Yet…?

I’ll be stepping out until another month is ripped off the calendar, if you’re still using one of those. Three sunsets for the rest of you. See you then for some soap and the Deck. Until we meet again, stay safe, stay bending, but not breaking, and stay remembering, dreams don’t die, unless you give up on them.

Jan22

January 21, 2022 – Memorial To an Anti-Hero, a Return, Reunion Woes, Baby #2, Summer Tea, Moving, Loss Of a Legend, Dead Talk, Close To 10 Quotes & Objects

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura looks at a portrait of Luke behind the bar on the Haunted Star. Curtis comes in, and says, hello, friend. Laura says she didn’t know he was going to be here, and he says, Doc called and said he had a patient emergency. Laura says they talked about it, and she’s fine with it, and Curtis says he knows memorials can be hard. He wanted her to know he’ll be here for her, assuming she doesn’t object. She says, not at all. She’s prepared to do this solo, but she’d rather do it with a friend by her side.

Dante finds Sonny in Charlie’s, and Sonny says he and Phyllis are going to have a shot in memory of Luke. Does Dante want to join them? Dante declines, and Sonny asks if Dante is keeping tabs on him, but Dante says, no. He saw Frank outside, and figured Sonny was in here. Dante says, he knows how important Luke was to Sonny, and Sonny throws back a shot. Dante says, Luke was important to him too, as Lulu’s dad. Sonny says he knows Dante can’t be with Lulu because she’s in a coma, but he can be with Carly, and thinks they should be together when they say goodbye to her Uncle Luke.

Bobbie meets Carly at Kelly’s, and says she couldn’t bring herself to wear black. Luke would hate that. She thanks Carly for meeting her, and says she doesn’t think she could get through this memorial without Carly by her side. Carly says she was just thinking about Uncle Luke and how he always called her Caroline. He insisted on it, and not because he was trying to make fun of her. It was a reminder that he knew exactly who she was, and to never forget where she came from. She asks how Bobbie is; Luke was her big brother. Bobbie says she’s a little wobbly, but just like when Aunt Ruby died, they’ll get through this together. Carly hates that Lucas has to work; he should be here. Bobbie named him after Luke. Bobbie says she thinks Carly’s brother hasn’t quite gotten over losing Wiley, and she thinks working is easier for him than facing his family. Carly says, yeah, but they need him too. Bobbie says she needs Carly by her side, but something tells her that her bright, beautiful, incredibly brave daughter might need her even more. Carly says, more than she knows, and Bobbie takes her hand.

Felicia and Anna arrive at the memorial, and Anna says, it’s very Luke. Laura says Anna should really be saying that to Tracy. It’s her event. Laura is just here to pay her respects and see her friends. Anna says she keeps half-expecting Luke to show up (as we all do), and Felicia says, the man is a legend. Anna says, in so many ways, and Laura thanks them for coming. She tells them to help themselves to a drink. She doesn’t know where Tracy is right now. Anna and Felicia go to the bar, and Nikolas comes in with Ava. He asks how Laura is, and she says, better now that he’s here. Ava says she’s so sorry to hear about Luke, and Laura thanks her. Nikolas asks if she’s heard from Lucky and Ethan; are they going to make it? Laura says, unfortunately, they’re not. There was an outbreak of cholera in the village where Lucky is volunteering, so for him to come home, he would have to quarantine in Africa for two weeks, but Tracy is having another memorial in Amsterdam in a few weeks, so hopefully Lucky and Ethan will both be at that. Nikolas says, it’s nice for Lucky and Ethan to have each other, like he’s here for Laura now. Ava and Nikolas go to the bar, and Spencer says, hello. grandmother. Laura says she’s happy to see him, and he tells her, Esme sends her regrets. She’s interning at Spring Ridge, but he’s here for her. He hugs Laura, and Victor tells him, well said. Tonight they are indeed all one family, despite their differences. Oh Luke. In life, he always cast a large shadow. To die in such a random accident just doesn’t have the sense of poetic beauty one would have expected of him. Laura tells Victor, get out of here, and – she gestures toward his bodyguard – take his burly Doberman with him. Victor says, Yohan isn’t just there for him; he’s there for all of them. Luke may be dead, but he has a long list of enemies, and they’re all still very much alive.

Tracy stands on deck, holding a beautiful covered urn. Alexis approaches her, and asks if that’s what she thinks it is. Tracy says, yep. Luke.

Dante says he knows Sonny wants to be with Carly, and he knows it’s hard, but she’s asked for space and he has to respect that. Sonny says, Carly moved out. How much time does she need? Luke is her uncle, and his longtime friend, and they should be together. They lost almost a year of their lives. They can’t get that time back. What does Dante think Luke would do to get just a couple seconds of that time back? He’s not wasting any more time.

Alexis asks if Tracy is okay. Would she like Alexis to call Ned? Tracy asks if Alexis doesn’t think she’s capable of calling her son herself. And why wouldn’t she be okay? She’s holding Luke in a jar. Everything is peachy keen in her life. Alexis says she’ll see Tracy inside, and Tracy says, wait. She’s sorry. She didn’t mean to snap at Alexis. Alexis says, Tracy is having a hard time; she understands. Tracy says, does she? Because she wouldn’t after what she did to Alexis.

Anna says Victor knows he doesn’t belong here, and Luke would be the first to tell him that, so get out. Victor says, unless Luke is silent, and likely to remain so, and Felicia says, Mac will be happy to send a patrol car to get Victor off the boat. Victor asks if calling the Police Commissioner isn’t a bit of an overreach, and Felicia says, not when he’s her husband. Curtis tells Victor to ask himself if he really wants this to escalate. The time to tap out is before things get broken. Spencer says, a gentleman shouldn’t stay when he’s been asked to leave, and Victor says, he’s so right. He tells Yohan that they’re leaving. Do give Luke his best. Laura says, hopefully, Victor can tell Luke himself, in person, the sooner the better. Victor laughs and leaves.

Bobbie tells Carly, so much of her history with Luke is so dark. Carly knows their story. Their dad was an alcoholic and beat their mother. When mama died, she and Luke just took off; they went to Florida. They moved in with dad’s sister Aunt Ruby. They loved that woman. She did the best she could, but honestly, she and Luke raised themselves as much as Ruby did. Then when Bobbie came back to Port Charles, Luke followed her. It was like a second chance for them to make something of themselves. Carly says, and Bobbie did it. A nursing degree, a career, a family; she should be so proud of herself. Carly is extremely proud of her. Bobbie thanks her, and says, if she managed to survive, even thrive here, it was always because she knew her big brother had her back. She was the one who recruited Luke to come back to Port Charles. Granted, her plan was to have him break up Scotty and Laura, so she could have Scotty all to herself; that wasn’t exactly noble. Carly laughs, and Bobbie says, but she called Luke to help her, and he came running, just like he always did. Now she doesn’t know what she’s going to do next time she needs Luke’s help. Carly tells Bobbie, look at her. Bobbie is going to call her, or Lucas, or Josslyn, or Michael, and they’ll come running. Bobbie says, okay. That’s a two-way street. Carly says she knows, and Bobbie says she has the rest of her life to grieve her big brother. Meanwhile, her daughter is living in a hotel, trying to figure out how to save her marriage. Talk to her. Carly says, that’s the thing. She doesn’t know whether there’s a marriage left to save.

Dante says, Sonny may have lost time in Nixon Falls, but he wasn’t alone. Sonny says, Nina is not the problem, but Dante says, she is to Carly. Sonny’s got to see that. Carly’s got to know that it’s over between Sonny and Nina. When Sonny got on the witness stand and said he wasn’t a victim, that didn’t help things. Sonny says, it is over between him and Nina. What does he have to do to prove that to Carly, so she’ll give him a chance?

Robert and Scotty walk into Charlie’s, and Robert asks what they’re doing there. When they left the courthouse, the idea was to go to the Haunted Star for Luke’s memorial. Scotty says, Robert got an invitation. He’s going to have to crash that thing, so he needs a couple of cocktails to do it, and if anybody’s boo-hooing over Luke, he won’t care. Robert says, if Scotty ever loved Laura, he strongly advises against it. Dante and Sonny watch them, and Robert says, he knows Scotty hated the guy, and he probably had his reasons. Let’s just go. Scotty tells Dante and Sonny, if life was a horserace, it would probably be neck-and-neck as to who he hates more; Luke Spencer or Sonny Corinthos. Guess what? Sonny wins, by a photo finish. Sonny says he doesn’t know if Scotty knows or not, but he owns this bar, and nobody comes in there and insults Luke. Dante says he has an idea. Why doesn’t Robert take Scotty to the memorial? and Robert says, sounds like a great idea; let’s go. Scotty says he’s not going anywhere until he’s had a couple of drinks. So why doesn’t Dante take daddy here and vamoose? Sonny laughs, and tells Dante to go ahead without him. Dante asks if he’s sure about that, and Sonny says Dante should be with Laura. Dante says he wants to be with Laura, but remember, it’s a about Luke. Sonny says, yeah, and Dante leaves. Sonny tells Phyllis to give these two gentlemen whatever they want to drink on his tab, but Scotty says he doesn’t think so; they buy their own drinks. Sonny walks up to Scotty, and says, Scotty thinks he scored a touchdown at the hearing for Nina. Robert suggests he and Scotty go to the MetroCourt; he’ll buy the drinks. Scotty says he kind of feels bad for Carly, but it made his day that Sonny got caught stepping out on his wife. He pokes Sonny in the lapel, and Sonny tells Scotty not to put his hands on him. Scotty asks what he’s going to do. Come on.

Bobbie asks if Carly is going to return home, but Carly doesn’t know. The man who disappeared over a year ago is not the man who came back to her. Bobbie says, losing his memory, and living as another man changed Sonny. Carly says she gets that, but in the past, she and Sonny would have a knock down drag out fight. She never doubted that Sonny loved her. Bobbie says, now she does? and Carly says, Sonny refuses to acknowledge that what Nina did to them was awful. He refuses to acknowledge the damage, and the hell Nina put Carly and her family through for her own selfish reasons. Sonny claims Carly comes first in his life, and she told him the way he could prove it was to kick Nina to the curb, and he won’t do it. Maybe he can’t do it. And that’s a dealbreaker for her. If Sonny can’t put her and her family first, then all his promises mean nothing.

Nikolas says, with Victor mercifully gone, they can focus on the celebration of Luke’s life, and Laura agrees. Spencer says, Nikolas really is shameless. He’ll use anything, even Luke’s death, to make himself out to be the good guy. Laura asks if they can drop this for one night, and Ava says she’s going to do Laura a favor. She’s going to take these two guys out of here. Spencer protests, but Ava says, too bad, and steers them away. Curtis asks if Laura is okay, and she says, honestly, she could use some fresh air. He says, luckily, they’re on a boat; a boat with several decks. Let’s go.

Anna tells Felicia, she feels like Luke would have loved this, and Felicia says, 100%. The only thing Luke would have loved more is if someone would have punched Victor Cassadine in his smug face. Anna says she was so close.

Robert says, emotions are running rather high at the moment. Let’s all go to our respective corners. Phyllis says, he’s right. Aren’t they all honoring someone’s memory tonight? Sonny says she’s absolutely right. In memory of Luke, he’s going to teach Scotty a lesson. Scotty says, all right, then shut up and fight, and Frank asks Scotty if there’s a problem. Scotty says, there it is. Same old story. A stooge does all the fighting for you, chicken. Sonny tells Frank, back off, and takes off his jacket, saying, it’s about time he teaches this guy… Robert says, now listen, he is the DA. They don’t want to be doing this in front of him. Scotty takes off his jacket too, and says, then get lost. Phyllis tells Sonny, she’s asking, as her friend, please stop this now, when Victor comes in with Yohan. Victor says, look what we’ve just walked into, and Robert says, a Cassadine, just what they need. Victor says, the mob boss and the ambulance chaser. Too bad Luke Spencer isn’t here. He was just crass enough to enjoy this sort of thing. Sonny says, who’s he calling crass? and Scotty says, who’s he calling an ambulance chaser? Sonny tells Scotty, what do you say? and Scotty says he thinks he hates Victor more than he hates Sonny. He’s in. Victor takes his jacket off, and says, it’s time they were taught a lesson. Sonny shoves a table aside, and Phyllis yells, stop it now. They start slugging each other, and Phyllis runs out from behind the bar, yelling for them to stop.

On deck, Curtis says, better? and Laura says, definitely. He says, life sure has a lot of twists and turns, doesn’t it? and she says, tell her about it. She and Luke were quite a team. He was a part of her, and she was a part of him. Curtis says, must have been hard to let him go, but Laura says, he’s been gone for a long time. Not all at once; it was in stages. First they got separated, then divorced. Luke fell in love with Tracy, then she met Doc, thank God. She mostly feels sad about the grandkids. The only way they’ll know Luke is from pictures and stories, and some of those stories will be true.

Ava takes Spencer and Nikolas to a state room, and says, get in there, both of you. Spencer says he resents being treated like a wayward adolescent, and she says, then don’t act like one. He says she doesn’t get to tell him what to do, and she says, enough. Can the two of them please just set aside their differences for one night, and think about somebody else? Nikolas says, she’s right. He should be focused on his mother, not himself. Spencer says, with all due respect to grandmother’s loss, Luke Spencer was a grifter; he was a con man. Ava says, Luke Spencer came from nothing, and he made something of himself. People loved him, respected him, admired him. Spencer came from everything. He had everything handed to him on a silver platter, and he throws it all away.

Dante comes in to the memorial, and asks where everyone is. Did he miss it? Felicia says, they’re just walking around the boat; the memorial will start soon. Anna says, since they’re here to remember Luke, she thinks he should expect the unexpected. They hear a crash, and Felicia says, what was that? Anna says she doesn’t know, and they all go to investigate.

Tracy says she knows if Alexis had chosen to testify against her, she’d be headed to trial and quite possibly to a stay at Pentenville. And because she didn’t, Tracy gets to be a free woman and come here and say farewell. Alexis says she did what she did for Luke, because she knows he was better off with Tracy than without her. She also did it for herself, and she did it for Tracy, because everyone deserves a second chance. Tracy thanks her, and Alexis says she’s welcome. Now how about if they go in there, and get the party started? Tracy asks how she sums up a life as complicated as Luke’s, and Alexis says she can’t, but if Tracy doesn’t do it, someone else will. She understands Lucy might be making an appearance, and she has a 42 page speech prepared. Tracy asks what they’re waiting for, and they go inside.

Sonny asks what Victor is waiting for, and Phyllis pulls him away. She asks if he’s happy now, and he says, yeah. He definitely feels better. Scotty says, so does he, and Robert dabs at his mouth, saying, that’s what he gets for trying to mediate. Scotty tells Sonny that he has a helluva right cross, and Sonny says Scotty did pretty well himself. Phyllis asks which one of them is going to pay for the damages, and Sonny says he owns the bar; he’ll make up the cost. Victor says he’s got this. He insists on paying for everything, but Scotty says he’ll pay. Victor says he’s heard Scotty is as tight as a bad oyster with his money, and Robert asks if they’ve all forgotten there’s a memorial to attend. Sonny tells Frank, let’s go, and they all walk out, leaving Victor and Yohan behind. Victor tells Yohan, nice work. It looks like all those hours at the gym are paying off. He’s got a nice fat bonus coming to him. Outside, Sonny looks through the window, and says, they’re laughing. He’s going to smack Victor right now. He starts to head back in, but Robert says, enough. Carly is waiting. Sonny says, that’s right, Carly. Whatever.

Tracy puts the urn on the bar, and Ava comes back in with Nikolas and Spencer. She wonders if they missed something, when Laura and Curtis come back in. Laura hopes she didn’t keep everybody waiting, and everyone gathers. Everyone is wearing black, and even Bobbie has dark purple on. They look so solemn, and I’m thinking, Luke wouldn’t have wanted them to wear black. Tracy says they should get started, but Anna asks if she can wait a minute. Tracy asks, why? and Dante wonders if someone is trying to send them a message. Who brought in the giant TV? Tracy says she didn’t order it, and Anna says, they heard a crash. When they went to investigate, they found an envelope with a DVD and a note. Felicia takes the note out, and tells them, all it said was, play me. Nikolas says, maybe Lucky sent a message from Africa, but Laura says, he didn’t mention anything on the phone, besides, he’s in a very rural area. She doesn’t think so. Alexis says, her money’s on Luke. He always did want to have the last word. Anna says she wonders if he had an inkling this day was going to come sooner rather than later, and Dante asks what Tracy wants to do; this is her event. Tracy says, if it’s from Luke, she wants to hear it, and Dante puts the disk in the TV. Helena appears, and says, hi. We meet again. Alexis says, oh my God, and Laura says, Helena.

At the dock, Scotty asks Robert if he looks presentable, and Robert asks, why start today? He suggests they board the Haunted Star, but Sonny says he’s going to wait for Carly. Robert asks if Scotty is in, but Scotty says he doesn’t think so. He was at the Luke and Laura wedding. Robert says he remembers, and Scotty says, he caught the bouquet; he got a black eye then too. Robert says he’ll see Sonny over there, and he and Scotty go in separate directions. Carly arrives at the dock with Bobbie.

Helena asks if she surprised them, and laughs. Nikolas says, leave it to his grandmother to upstage a man at his own memorial. Helena says, if they’re seeing her now, it’s because she went first, and Luke Spencer has finally done the world a favor by following her into the Great Beyond. Tracy says, she hates that woman, and Helena says she hopes they’ll pardon her if she gloats, but she always told Luke that she would have the last word. And now, she’s going to have it. Nikolas says, here she goes, and Helena says she always considered Luke a parvenu, and since none of them is familiar with that word, let her explain. A parvenu is somebody who’s suddenly reached the level of unaccustomed power and wealth, but has not yet gained the prestige and dignity associated with it. Luke was a cheap, tawdry rhinestone, even though he fancied himself a diamond in the rough. The truth is, Luke Spencer was always destined to lose in the end. Laura pulls the plug on the TV, and says she doesn’t know about the rest of them, but she’s heard enough out of that woman to last her a lifetime. Dante says, here, here, and Anna says, thank you.

Bobbie tells Carly, they’re going to be late, but Carly tells her to go; she’ll meet Bobbie there. Bobbie goes past Sonny, giving him a look, and gets on the boat. Sonny tells Carly, he knows he’s not her mother’s favorite person at the moment, but he’s here, and she’s here, and that’s all that matters. Why don’t they go say goodbye to her uncle? He tells Frank to go get in the car, and asks Carly if she’s ready. He holds out his arm, and she asks, what happened to his hand? He says, Luke happened, and she says, he has to go to GH after Luke’s memorial and make sure he didn’t break any bones in his hand. He says, it’s fine. The night wasn’t a total loss. Does she know why? She asks, why? and he says, believe it or not, he and Scotty teamed up, and ripped Victor a new one. Forget about that; they’re here for Luke. He holds out his arm again, but she walks past him onto the boat, and he follows.

Tracy thanks everyone for coming to honor a man they all loved. Well, she guesses some of them loved him. Some of them probably hated him, but she bets most of them did both. It doesn’t matter what they thought of him. The truth is, they’re never going to forget him. Luke made her promise if this day ever came, that nobody would call him a hero, or even a good guy for that matter – no danger of that. So he was just Luke, a walking, talking contradiction. He could be cruel, then turn around and dazzle you with his kindness. He was cunning, yet caring. He was generous at the same time as impossibly selfish. He brought out the worst and the best in all of them. And she thinks ultimately, he changed them. Every one of them. Forever.

Scotty sits on a bench at the dock, and says he hopes Luke’s enjoying himself on his beloved Haunted Star… All the people singing his praises, including Scotty’s wife Luke stole from him 40 years ago. Luke is dead and gone, and Scotty’s still standing. So you lose, you son of a bitch.

Standing on the deck with the urn, Tracy tells Luke that she did it. She got through the speech. She thinks they appreciated it. Now it’s just them… She has no words. She opens the jar and dumps out the ashes. The wind carries them away.

On the docks, Scotty says, so long, Luke Spencer, and gets a face full of ashes. He says, what the…?

Sonny tells Laura that he knows it’s not the right time, but he got confirmation on the warning Cyrus gave her. She says they’ll talk later. Bobbie asks Carly is she’s sure she doesn’t want to join them, but Carly says, Avery and Donna were looking forward to their sleepover with Bobbie. She doesn’t want to crash the party. Bobbie says, it will be lovely to be surrounded with all that youth. Maybe she won’t miss her big brother so much. Bobbie leaves, and Sonny watches as Carly follows.

Laura thanks Curtis for coming, and he says he can hang out a little longer if she wants, but she says, he’s got a club to run, and she has a life to get on with. He says he just wants her to know he’s there if she needs him, and she thanks him, and says, she knows he is.

Ava tells Nikolas, this was a fitting sendoff for Luke; the roving rascal. She does have a soft spot for rascals. He says he can’t stop thinking about the way Victor left. He was so angry, even hurt, and you know what they say, a wounded tiger is twice as dangerous.

Felica says, Sonny and Scotty fought on the same side? Who would have ever thought? Robert says he guesses they hated Victor Cassadine more than they hated each other, and Anna says, good point.  

Victor helps Phyllis right a table, and says if she won’t let him pay for the damage, at least let him offer her a more conventional transaction. Give him a bottle of her top-shelf Napoleon brandy please, and a couple of glasses. She says, that will be $55. He puts a hundred dollar bill on the bar, and says, keep the change. She puts the bottle and glasses on the bar, and he says, and his apology. He pours two brandies, and puts one at the empty seat next to him. He says, here’s to you, Luke Spencer, champion of Port Charles. He should just tell Luke, the good people of his fair city are in for a big surprise. He clinks the other glass with his, and says, cheers.

Bobbie sees Scotty, and asks, what happened to him? He says, he caught the bouquet.

Alexis says, she can’t believe she’s saying this, but does Tracy need a ride home? She can be the designated driver. Tracy laughs, and says she deserved that. She has one thing to do first. She goes over to Laura with what looks like a jewelry box. Laura says, it was a very moving speech, and Tracy says, she has something that was a keepsake of Luke’s that she thinks really belongs to Laura. Laura says, if it’s the Ice Princess, she wants no part of it, and Spencer asks if it’s the actual Cassadine diamond.  Laura says, that thing has never done anyone any good, and tells Tracy to throw it into the sea when she scatters Luke’s ashes. Tracy says she can’t do that, and walks away. Laura asks Spencer if he’s disappointed, and he says he wouldn’t mind seeing it, or maybe holding it just once. She says, trust her, that thing never did anybody any good, and he says he won’t argue with her; not tonight of all nights. She thanks him for being there, and says she knows he’d rather be with his friends, but he says, of course (🍷) he wanted to be there with her. He knew tonight was going to be difficult for her, and wanted to be there. Once the bad stuff is over with, he hopes he can make her proud of him. She says she’s proud of him now, and they hug, and she says, let’s go home. They start to leave, and she looks back, and blows a kiss to Luke’s portrait. She says, goodbye, my love. A woman in a black veil comes in, and stands in front of Laura. She removes the veil, and Laura says, Jennifer Smith?

Carly stands on the deck, and says, Luke. Are you out there? Sonny comes out, and puts his hand on hers.  

On Monday, Maxie tells Brook that she’s there for her daughter, Curtis asks Marshall to stop by, Victor says he and Valentin are going to need each other for what’s coming next, and Sonny says he’s going to show Carly how much he loves her.

🕶 Old Villains Never Die…

Told you she’d be back. I don’t think Luke is dead either.

Constance Towers Resurrects General Hospital’s Helena for Luke’s Memorial

🧂 Salty Reunion…

I hear if you ditch the Reunion, you won’t be asked back. Except for LVP, who can do whatever she wants because she’s Queen of the World and can do no wrong.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/19/mary-cosby-ditched-rhoslc-reunion-i-didnt-want-to-be-beat-up/

Maybe she didn’t have a dress horrible enough to wear. Although I don’t think the outfits are all that bad. Except for what Meredith is wearing. What is that?

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/13/rhoslc-reunion-outfits-slammed-as-horrible-and-tragic/

👶🏽 Friend Of Shahs Baby…

I didn’t even know about baby number one.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/14/shahs-of-sunset-star-lilly-ghalichi-pregnant-with-baby-no-2/

🏖 Summer Choices…

Paige spills the tea about Lindsay and Carl.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/17/paige-desorbo-lindsay-hubbard-and-carl-radke-were-both-very-single/

And about herself.

https://pagesix.com/2022/01/17/paige-desorbo-why-i-chose-craig-conover-over-andrea-denver/

🎶 It’s Off, It’s On, It’s Moved…

The newest news about the Grammys.

https://variety.com/2022/music/news/grammy-awards-moving-to-las-vegas-on-april-3-1235156447/

🎤 Goodbye To a True Artist…

I had the pleasure of seeing Meat Loaf in concert a few times, meeting him a couple of times, and being in the audience of a special he did for VH1. (Hint: If you wear black because you think it’s slimming, you will just blend into the crowd. Go bold.) He and Jim Steinman will be forever missed.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/meat-loaf-dies-74-1288550/

⚰️ Look At the Flowers…

Watch your back when Carol goes domestic.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-11b-trailer-carol-cookies/

BTW, Walking Dead is sort of returning this Sunday, with something called Origins. I’ll be watching, but not recapping this one. First up is Daryl’s Story.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-origins-stories-air-amc-season-11b-daryl-carol-maggie-negan/

📋 Quotes of the Week

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

Sometimes you have to do what you don’t want to do to maintain the life you’ve created. – Judge Lynn Toler in explaining to man why he has to work to feed his children (sigh).

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength. – Corrie  ten Boom

And that, my dear, is how you run an asylum. – Matron Grady (Judith Light), Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story

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

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.)

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. – Amelia Earhart

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. – Nelson Mandela

The ultimate measure of a person is not where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge and controversy. – Martin Luther King, Jr

🚂 Midnight Train To Dr. Phil Reruns…

It’s that time of week where either two days off work is appropriate, or you’re living the life of the resigned. I’ll be changing writing hats, and taking down those pesky decorations before I have to dust them. (I was busy last weekend, okay?) Join me on Monday for soap and what’s on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay inquisitive, and stay knowing that, even if you’re dead, you can still have the last word.